#slightly more deranged long haired king? check

[doctorweebmd]

being a tomura fan is so rewarding. Every one of his designs is top tier. Thank you Horikoshi

[itmighthavebeenintentional]

We've Got Tonight - Ch 4

Summary: “It’s not your job to do this, Andy. You make people happy. I was in the diner all of ten minutes, and you knew exactly how to get me to smile. You do normal, real things like garden and sing karaoke. Saving the world is my job, Sam’s job. Sometimes it’s even Cas’s job, but it’s not yours.”

Inspired by Bob Seger’s “We’ve Got Tonight”

Warnings: Major Character Death, More Major Character Deaths (sort of?), higher than show level violence, blood, light smutting, language, demons, apocalypse, inferred suicide, cult activity.

18+ ONLY, MINORS DO NOT PROCEED

Author’s Note: This story is set hazily around season 8. Just squint a little, and it’ll settle in somewhere. I wrote this story after certain big revelations in the show, but before other big ones; you’ll most likely be able to tell which. I play with time a bit in the story itself, so if things seem out of order, they are. Hopefully, by the end, all the pieces will fit together.

What the hell, let’s give it a shot.

EXTRA WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS THE SOURCE OF MOST OF THE WARNINGS FOR THE STORY. Please don't kill me. THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER, I PROMISE. It's not over yet. I can't promise you won't hate me when it's over, but I will not leave you here. There's more.

Image and major edits by the incomparable @there-must-be-a-lock . Heavy editing and cheering by @thoughtslikeaminefield . Thank you both so much.

In case you missed it: Chapter 3 ItMightHaveBeenintentional’s Masterlist

...

We’ve Got Tonight

Ch 4

Pre-dawn is too damn cold, she decides. She has to visually check that her fingers are actually doing up the buttons to her ragged denim jacket. She lost sensation in her hands a while back, and it’s the only way to make sure they’re actually doing their job. Her jacket is utterly unsuitable for the current temperature, but she doesn’t expect to need it for much longer.

Just before sunrise, Crowley told her.

The sky is already lightening on the horizon, the medium gray more obvious than she would have thought against the stark black, but, then, she’s never had much occasion to be out quite this late before. She’s usually done at the diner by six, singing at the club by ten, and in bed by two at the latest. She hopes Crowley is punctual. She can’t decide if the waiting or the cold is worse.

Except that, yes, she really can. The waiting is definitely worse.

The sound of shifting gravel pulls her out of her thoughts, and she turns to find the King of Hell himself smiling beatifically at her. She shivers, not bothering to search out the source of her discomfort, as she is rather spoiled for choice at the moment. She’s out in the freezing dark, about to hand over her life and soul to a demon because deranged cultists got it into their heads that they should use her blood to start an apocalypse (and who knew there was more than one of those outside of Sunnydale, seriously).

Shivering is probably the most rational reaction she’s had in a while.

“Hello, darling. Pleasant evening with the boys?”

He’s got more sass in one off-the cuff remark than she has in her entire history, and for a moment she can only marvel at the affected innocence in his expression. It's almost convincing. She opts to remain silent rather than take his bait. He smirks, the expression natural and only a touch derisive.

“No surprises, then? No sidekicks to save you at the last minute from the bad, bad demon?”

“I thought the torture didn’t start until after you kill me,” she sighs, hugging her arms tighter around herself, a futile attempt to ward off the chill. Maybe she’s got a little spark in her, after all. He laughs, a friendly, personable chuckle that would set anyone else at ease, reassure them of his honorable, benign intentions.

“Come on, Crowley, what's the hold up? I was here on time. Can we just get this over with already? I could have gotten one more round in with Dean if we were just going to stand around, shootin’ the breeze.”

Even watching for it, she can only just see the tick in Crowley's jaw, the slightest tension that betrays...something. She doesn't know what or why, but Crowley has more than a little unhealthy obsession with the elder Winchester brother, and she is pleased she managed to crack his veneer even for the briefest moment.

At least I don't have to worry about Dean, Andy thinks, relief creeping into the sea of dread that is her stomach. Her deal with Crowley was not only about stopping the apocalypse but also keeping Sam and Dean and even Castiel safe.

“Once you're gone, I won’t harm a hair on their precious heads, nor any other part of them,” he swore to her a mere eighteen hours earlier.

“I’m hurt you don't find my company more pleasant, love,” he murmurs, taking a couple of steps closer. He slides his hands in his coat pockets, the very picture of nonchalance. “I do try my best to be cordial, even congenial, after all. But since you’re so very uncomfortable, I suppose you won't object, then, that I took the liberty of inviting a few friends whose company you seem to prefer. What a lovely party we’ll have when they get here.”

As if he’s summoned them, a pair of lights appear in the distance, growing larger with every passing moment. Headlights, she realizes; a second later, she hears the distinctive roaring of a very particular car engine, and before she can turn back to Crowley, the Impala leaps out of the darkness, skidding across the hard-packed dirt road, coming to a halt bare inches from the demon’s impeccably shined shoes.

Andy stumbles back, choking in the cloud of dust the car kicks up, only to hit something solid. Impossibly strong fingers dig into her chin, lifting her face out and away as cold, thin metal is pressed to the side of her neck, and only now does she freeze.

“Let her go, Crowley,” Dean growls, his gun drawn and aimed even before he exits the car. “This isn't her fight, and you know it!” On the other side, Sam and Castiel climb out, Sam drawing his gun and moving to flank the demon.

“I do heartily protest, sir,” Crowley says, his tone mild and conversational. The blade digs in ever so slightly under her ear, and a thin trickle of warmth slides down her skin to soak into her collar. Dean doesn't flinch, but his eyes narrow, and he readjusts his aim.

“Not only is the lady at the epicenter of this fight, she's gone and made herself the brightest star in the show. Ask her yourself, if you don’t believe me.”

“How-” she manages through fear-numbed vocal cords. Dean should be unconscious, snoring blissfully away in his bed where she left him. She made sure to leave no sort of trail they could follow, and she checked that they were all asleep or otherwise occupied before she took off.

“I wasn’t asleep, Andy,” Dean replies, leveling his gun at Crowley. “And I’ve been tracking since I was seven. Gimme some credit.”

“I wouldn't do that, if I were you, Moose.” Crowley’s words freeze Sam in his tracks, and the blade on Andy’s neck digs in a little deeper. The flow of warmth down her neck widens just a touch. The sheer smugness in Crowley’s tone sets her teeth on edge, breaking through her stupor, and she grabs the hand with the knife, pulling at it with all her might. She, of course, doesn’t make a dent in the demonic strength, but she’s got to try something.

If you asked her later, Andy would swear to you that the searing pain that drags along her neck parallel to her jaw line right then is pure Hellfire. Deep down in the darkest recesses of her mind where all the worst truths lurk, she knows she’s feeling the bite from Crowley’s knife, but in that instant all she is aware of is the agony of the wound, of Dean’s enraged roar, and the juxtaposition of Crowley’s gentle touch pressing her own fingers to something hot and slippery under her jaw.

“Hold pressure there, sweetheart, or you’ll bleed out too soon. Wouldn’t want you to miss the finale.”

Her knees buckle, and she drops, but somehow she stays upright long enough to see Crowley’s demons approach out of the darkness. She tries to warn the boys, but time moves with a dreamlike lethargy that betrays every one of her good intentions, and, anyway, her voice doesn’t seem to be working at the moment. The roar of gunfire all around her sounds faint in comparison to the rushing in her ears, and she is powerless to stop Crowley’s plans from reaching fruition.

“You...said...you wouldn’t...”

“Well, pet, you aren’t dead yet, are you? I’ve got, what, at least another three minutes before you snuff it, by my count. Plenty of time to conclude my business with the Winchesters and their featherbrained friend before you expire.”

Though he was right behind her only a moment ago, Crowley appears abruptly next to Castiel, who at the moment is distracted by two lesser demons both wielding machetes. She realizes as she watches Cas easily fend them off that they, just like Andy, are only a distraction, only bait to tempt the bigger players to overextend themselves.

Too late, she sees the perfection of Crowley’s plan. In all the confusion, she loses track of Sam, and she wrenches her eyes away from Dean’s staggering form only to watch as the angel blade in Crowley’s hand bursts through Castiel’s chest. Then her gentle, confused friend is gone in a flash. The demons vanish, and she can’t find Sam or Dean, can’t reach them, can’t make her voice work to call out.

The quiet is wrong, so out of place after the violent cacophony. The roaring is gone, the gunfire silenced, and all that’s left is a terrible wheezing, gurgling sound that takes her too long to recognize as her own labored breathing.

“Crow...ley…”

“I’m here, darling. What do you need?”

“Lying...bastard…”

“Now, now, sweetheart, are those really what you want your last words to be?” He lifts her easily from the ground, carrying her the few yards to where Dean lies sprawled in the dusty gravel. His shirt is stained black in the retreating darkness, and Andy can only be thankful that she won’t make it to sunrise to see what exact shade of red is spreading over him. Dean’s far hand scrabbles on the ground, stopping its frantic search only when it finds his brother’s.

Sam’s still form doesn’t return his brother’s grip.

“After all, I’ve done you a favor; I didn’t have to give you the opportunity to say good-bye. I can’t promise you adjoining cells, but I’m sure your torture will coincide with his occasionally,” Crowley continues conversationally, “so, really, the two of you should be thanking me that you’ll at least get occasional visiting privileges. It pays to be on good terms with the king, after all. And, who knows? After a couple hundred years of good behavior, I might even be persuaded to-”

“Why?” It’s all she can manage as he lays her on the ground. Dean reaches for her with his free hand, and she is just able to find his fingers. Their eyes meet, but her vision is blurring as breathing gets tougher, and she can’t see what he’s mouthing to her. Even his eyes, such a luminescent green only hours ago, are fading into the remaining dark of the night.

“The Winchesters, dear, it’s always been about the Winchesters. Oh, the fanatics and their doomsday ritual were real enough, as was your blood. I just simply took advantage of the situation, as any intelligent monarch would do. Settled things with the apocalypse groupies, rid myself of some major pains in my rear, and now I get you, to boot! I do love when a plan comes together.”

Dean’s fingers tighten in hers, and she tries to grip his back, but the harder she holds on, the less she can feel him.

She’s not really feeling much of anything but cold now.

“Shut...up...already.”

“Always ungrateful in the end, even after everything I do for them,” Crowley grumbles from above her. But then he does shut up, and she finally feels something besides the cold.

Relief. ...

Chapter 5

[kittysukagasterfics]

More Than Meets The Eye

 Note: This isn’t canon to the storyline with Gaster and the Human. Just think of this as an alternate timeline. Anyway, onto the fic!

Handplates belongs: @zarla-s

Inspired by: @randomstuff7739‘s post about Yandere! Handplates!Gaster.

Summary: Gaster has been acting strange lately. Is this really the best ending for the Human?

     The Human had noticed it, even if Gaster tried really hard to hide it. They may have been naive but they weren’t completely clueless. They had seen him sneaking weird looks at them when he thought the Human wasn’t looking. That was already strange enough behavior by itself but what happened earlier really confused them.

     Gaster had been wanting to spend more time, almost every moment it seemed, with them so the two of them were alone talking in his work room. The Human was telling him bad jokes and he would slightly chuckle at them while running his fingers through their hair. The mood between them seemed relaxed at first. That is until the Human asked him about Asgore and Alphys.

    “*You ask Gaster how Alphys and Asgore are doing.” ‘*He grows eerily quiet...”

     The tension grew thicker as the long, awkward silence dragged on. Gaster’s facial expression was hard to read but the Human could tell he wasn’t too happy with the question. They tried to get his attention by calling his name but he was too deep in his own thoughts. The Human decided to give Gaster a kiss and pet him to snap him out of it. It must have worked since he stiffened at the pet before tapping his skull against theirs a bit too forcefully.

    “Hmm, sorry, Human. I must’ve daydreamed all of a sudden.~ Did you say something?~”

    “*You repeat your question.” ‘*He gives you a long stare.”

    “I’m not sure why you’re so worried about them, Human.~ It’s not like you’ll be meeting those two anytime soon, so why bother?~”

     The Human blinked in surprise by his tone of voice. He’s usually more willing to talk about his king and co-worker than this. When they asked if he was alright, he insisted he was fine. He finally took them back to the cells with the excuse that he had work to do. Perplexed by his attitude, the Human decided to see if the brothers knew anything.

    “*You ask the brothers if Gaster’s been acting strange lately.”

     The Human was currently playing with the Rubik’s Cube with the brothers. As far as they knew, Gaster was busy working in his office at the moment. Their concerns weren’t exactly put at ease when they noticed the brothers giving each other a worried look.

    “UM, WELL, I’M NOT SURE WE’RE SUPPOSE TO TELL YOU BUT...”

    “instead of doing tests like he tells you we’re doing, he’s actually mostly talking about you...”

     While the brothers listed off all the things Gaster had said about them, the Human was lost in thought. Gaster giving them small compliments now and then was nothing new so, no surprise there. But for him to actually lie to them just to hide it? That was unexpected and out of character for Gaster. The Human needed to confront him about this.

    “*You tell the brothers you’ll be right back.” ‘*They give you a nod before going back to playing.’

     The Human got up from the table and walked down the hall towards the work room. Not bothering to knock, they went in just as Gaster was finishing up a phone call.

    “Yes, sorry I can’t make it, Alphys.~ Something...urgent just came up.~ I’ll call you back later.~”

     Without even saying goodbye, Gaster hung up and noticed the Human standing there. They noted that he looked a bit too ecstatic to see them than they were used to. He walked over to them and placed a hand firmly on their shoulder. Just as the Human was about to speak, he interrupted them.

    “Ah, Human.~ I was just about to come get you.~ I need to ask you something.~”

    ‘*You start to say something but he continues talking...’

    “I,,,I wanted to ask you to join me for tea later today.~ You know, a date of some sorts-”

     The Human's mind went completely blank when Gaster asked this. They couldn’t help but blush at his invite. The Human of course accepted and left the room, unaware of the crazed look Gaster had.

(Some Time Later)

     The brothers exchanged apprehensive looks when the Human talked about their date with Gaster later. They didn’t think it was a very good idea and started to say so, but Gaster walking in prevented them.

    “Hello, Human.~ I have everything set up in the kitchen if you’re ready.~”

     The Human nodded and Gaster put the brothers back in the cells before leading the Human towards the kitchen. When the two of them got there, they saw that he had already set up everything. From the lit candle on the table to the delicious-looking tea and cookie, it looked perfect. It felt so romantic that the Human almost started to cry tears of joy. Gaster chuckled at their reaction and sat them down at the table before taking a seat himself.

     Taking a sip of their tea, the Human immediately knew it was golden flower tea. Although, the taste was a bit...weird. It was still tasty though and so were the cookies so they didn’t think too much of it. As they ate, Gaster trailed a finger around the rim of his cup while he spoke.

    “I hope you like the tea, Human.~ The King taught me how to make it but I’m not sure it’s as good as his...~”

     The Human smiled at this and asked how Asgore came up with the recipe.

    “Let’s not worry about that, Human.~ This date isn’t about Asgore nor Alphys so just forget about them, alright?”

     They found his tone of voice alarming but let him continue talking. It was sweet at first. He talked about his growing feelings for them and complimenting them as well. The Human would blush harder and harder each time he spoke.

    “I would’ve never guessed that I could ever love a human, but being with you makes me very happy.~”

    “Your eyes always remind me of rubies, Human.~”

     But soon, the compliments turned into thinly-veiled threats. It didn’t sound like it was towards them however. Some of the things said were slightly creepy as well.

    “All I want is you, Human.~ All I’ve ever wanted was you.~”

    “Alphys honestly thought I would skip out on a date with you just to help her with a lab report.~ Hopefully she got the hint earlier.~”

     When the compliments turned creepy, the Human began to shift uncomfortably in their seat. They had a bad feeling in their SOUL after each spoken threat,. Finally, the Human decided to end the date immediately and tried to leave the room, only for Gaster to suddenly grab their wrist. They struggled but his grip was too strong.

    “*You tell Gaster to let you go.” ‘*He gives a dark chuckle in return...’

    “I’ve confessed my feelings for you, Human and this is how you respond?~ Bad. Choice.~”

    “*You tell him that he’s hurting you.” ‘*His grip on you only tightens.’

     Gaster then yanked the Human to him, tightly hugging them to his chest. They felt too weak to fight back all of a sudden. He ran his fingers through their hair while tapping his skull against their forehead. Their vision was becoming blurry now. Suddenly, they felt Gaster clench a fistful of their hair.

    “No one else makes me feel this way, Human!~ I can’t afford to lose that!~ I will make complete sure that you can’t escape me.~”

     The Human finally found the strength to break free from his grasp. They didn’t get too far though as they suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed to the floor. They tried to get back up but their body failed them. The Human let a out a whimper for help, hoping someone would hear them. The last thing they saw before they blacked out was Gaster standing over them with a deranged look on his face.

~~~~~~

     The Human was in complete agony when they woke up. Pain shot up their right arm as the apparent sedatives Gaster had snuck into their tea started wearing off. The Human’s vision had cleared slightly but they were still drowsy and confused. Attempting to sit up proved useless as they found themselves strapped to some sort of chair. Eyes trailed down to their clothing which was splattered in small specks of blood. They guessed it to be theirs but weren’t sure from where.

     The door then opened with Gaster walking in. He looked slightly less deranged now. He walked up to the Human who began to struggle and stroked their hair in a tender way. Gaster then grabbed a damp washcloth and began to clean off blood from their hand. That answered the question of where the blood came from but that still left another question.

    “*You ask Gaster what he did to you and why your arm hurts so much.”

     Gaster once again gave another dark chuckle and unstrapped their right arm. He showed them their hand, causing the Human to start crying. Screwed onto their hand was a metal plate with letters on it. The letters read: WDG-3 H, a branding of some sort. They were in so much shock that they barely registered Gaster talking as he began to unstrap them completely.

    “Do you like it, Human?~ I made it just for you and the best part is-”

     The Human felt Determination pumped through their SOUL as they roughly pushed Gaster backwards, cutting him off and sending him falling onto the floor. They ran out the open door in hopes of finding somewhere to hide long enough to form a plan. They would periodically check behind them to see if he was following them but they never saw nor heard Gaster. Filled with hope, they ran into the large storage room and shut the door behind them. The Human pressed their back against wall and slide down to the floor. They tried to steady their breathing as they tried to figure out what their next step was.

    “*You let out a scream when the door suddenly swings open.”

     They scrambled into the corner as Gaster calmly walked towards them. The Human knew there was no escape at this point. They sobbed loudly as he knelt in front of them. How did Gaster even find them?!

     As if Gaster had read their mind, he gently grasped their right hand. His voice was eerily calm as he spoke.

    “You left before I could tell you the best part, Human.~ The plate allows me to track where you are at all times.~ It may be uncomfortable for a couple of days but you’ll get used to it.~”

     Any hope that the Human may of had left completely vanished when they heard this. Even if they were to escape, even if they had any chance to find a way out, Gaster would be able to quickly find them. The Human didn’t want to risk losing a hand either so attempting to remove the plate was a no-go. They were trapped here whether they like it or not. Fresh tears streamed down their cheeks at this revelation but apparently they weren’t punished enough for whatever sins they may have committed.

     Gaster pulled the Human from the floor and pushed them roughly against the wall. His face darkened as he gripped their shoulders tightly.

     “I feel like I should give warning before you decide to do anything drastic.~”

    “If you feel tempted to leave me, I won’t hesitate to give the Subjects the same treatment.~ You wouldn’t want that to happen to the little skeletons, would you?~”

     Now he was resorting to blackmail, as if today couldn’t get any worse.

    “*You tell Gaster to leave the brothers out of this.” ‘*He seems pleased with your answer and pulls you into a hug.’

     Gaster quietly whispered into their ear.

    “Don’t worry, my dear Human.~ We’ll be together forever, and nothing will get in the way of that.~”

(Later)

     The Human found themselves one-sided cuddling with Gaster, alone in his office. They had finally ran out of tears but sadness still lingered. Looking at their new handplate, the Human wondered what went wrong in the timeline and what sick, twisted being had made Gaster this way...

Note: Like I said before, this isn’t canon to the normal storyline so the Human doesn’t actually have a handplate :D. I hope you all enjoyed reading and were patient enough for the wait. Thank you all for reading! Requests are always welcomed! I love all of you! Stay tuned for more.

[trashpandaorigins]

The Shrapnel In Your Heart

*Epic music cue* There was an idea…to bring together w group of remarkable people (well one weaponized super solider later mentally deranged torture victim and one mechanized rodent) so that when the time came they’d fight the battles (well mostly each other plus some aliens) that we never could, (or let’s be honest wouldn’t want to fight at all.)

---

“Buck?” Steve looked at him in concern. “You okay?”

Bucky turned to face him, the familiar what-has-Steve-roped-me-into-now feeling washing over him. Robots and cryo and aliens and now a damned space-raccoon. You have got to be kidding me, Stevie. “Put me back,” he demanded. “I’m done, this is it, I wanna go back in cryo.”

OR: Rocket and Bucky go on a mission together. It turns out they have a lot more in common than they realized.

WARNING: Graphic depictions of violence, PTSD, discussions of torture

This fic was written by myself and the amazing @skarabrae-stone go read their Avengers and Stucky fics on AO3 (same username) and on their blog! 

Bucky wasn’t fazed by much. After all the shit he’d seen and done, saving the world wasn’t that big a deal. Even the aliens weren’t much of a stretch—and anyway, they looked pretty much like the stereotypical humanoid creatures he remembered from the sci-fi novels he’d read as a kid. The green woman even reminded him of Romanoff, which was comforting, in a scary kind of way.

Then a gun-toting raccoon walked in, arguing with what looked like a giant talking tree, and Bucky backed up right into Steve.

“Oh, hell, no.”

“Buck?” Steve looked at him in concern. “You okay?”

Bucky turned to face him, the familiar what-has-Steve-roped-me-into-now feeling washing over him. Robots and cryo and aliens and now a damned space-raccoon. You have got to be kidding me, Stevie.

“Put me back,” he demanded. “I’m done, this is it, I wanna go back in cryo.”

“Bucky--”

“There’s a talking tree, Stevie! What the hell!”

The tree in question tapped him on the shoulder. He turned, reluctantly, to see it scrutinizing him with solemn eyes.

“I AM GROOT,” it announced in a voice that started out deep, then cracked like a teenager’s.

“And if you got a problem with that, you can deal with me!” added the raccoon-thing.

Bucky blinked. “Uh.”

“Of course we don’t have a problem,” said Steve, smooth for once in his life. “Just haven’t met many—uh—non… Earth… people… before.”

“I am Groot?”

“We got that, thanks,” said Bucky irritably, brushing past the tree-thing as he followed Steve further into the interior of the spaceship. “Seriously, Steve, how the hell do you always get mixed up in these things?”

“Talent,” said Steve vaguely. “Did you see where Thor went? I wanted to ask more about the Infinity stones….”

Bucky sighed, rolled his eyes, and trailed after him, cataloguing exits and hazards as he went. The ship smelled like gun oil, charred leather, and old blood, familiar scents in this decidedly unfamiliar environment. He was doomed to follow Steve, he knew, wherever he led him; it was an old pattern, as old as their friendship, and as they walked along he couldn’t help mutter the mantra they’d picked up in the thirties: “ Here’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into.”

“I am Groot!” Groot folded his arms, glaring daggers at the human who muttered to himself.

“They are stupid humies,” Rocket agreed.

“Hey! What did I tell you?” Peter demanded, hands on his hips. “We’re not calling anyone stupid.”

“That cave-man-looking guy called Groot a tree!” snapped Rocket. “Flarking racist.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “C’mon dude, I told you, we need to make nice with these guys. They’re the only ones who can help us defeat Thanos.” Apparently realizing that Steve Rogers had already left, he quickly motioned for his team to follow him.

“Fine,” Rocket conceded, falling in behind him. “But that cave-man one gives me the creeps.” Everything about this whole situation gave him the creeps. Humans couldn’t be trusted, and there were so many of them. If Groot were his full size, perhaps Rocket might have felt better, knowing he could perch on the flora colossus’s shoulders, but it hadn’t been that way for a long while now.

“His name is Bucky Barnes,” Gamora hushed him. “And apparently he’s dangerous, and Rogers’s boyfriend or something, so try not to antogonize him.”

Peter gave the raccoon a pleading look as all of them caught up with Steve Rogers in the Milano’s main bay.

The Avenger smiled, a little awkwardly. “This is a nice ship you’ve got here.”

Peter nodded, but Rocket looked around at the strange new people. The broad with the red hair moved with the same sort of warrior’s grace as Gamora. He wondered who could take who in a fight.

“I appreciate you all coming here,” Steve continued. “As you know, Thanos…”

“Thanos must be stopped!” Drax interjected, resulting in a few stares. But Rocket watched Steve nodding his head in agreement.

“You’re right, he must be stopped at any and all costs.”

As Steve spoke about their best approach, Bucky listened, knowing how much all of this troubled his best friend. It wasn’t enough that Steve had saved him, he felt he had to save the whole world, too. Had to be the upstanding leader. Bucky knew how much that responsibility weighed on Steve’s shoulders.

He sympathized, of course, but it didn’t make him love the plan.  Sure, they needed to figure out what the hell was up with these giant portal things. Ironman was checking out the one in New York, which left the one in Wakanda for the rest of them to tackle. But Bucky would have been a hell of a lot happier in the ground troops with King T’Challa than dinking around with magic alien technology in the middle of Thanos’s army.

“We can’t just go rushing into this,” Steve continued. “We need to know what we’re dealing with. This is a reconnaissance mission, not an attack. Once we understand what Thanos is doing, and how he’s doing it, we’ll be in a much better position to beat him in the long run.”

It made sense, Bucky had to admit. On the other hand, he’d been part of enough of Steve Rogers’s harebrained schemes to know that all their carefully laid plans would probably fall apart the minute they got there.

"Banner, Foster, and Strange are going to get in close so they can figure out how exactly this... portal thing works. Group Alpha will be their protection detail. Groups Beta and Charlie will run interference, draw attention away from Alpha so they can get the information they need. Everyone else is staying here, with T’Challa." Steve looked around, making eye contact with everyone.  “Any questions?”

They shook their heads.

“Okay. Here are the groups, then. In Alpha, we have Thor, Gamora, Mantis, Groot, me, and Bucky. In Beta, Falcon, Witch, uh… what was your name again?”

“Drax. Drax the Destroyer,” responded the tattooed alien.

Steve nodded, affirming. “Drax, yes, Quill, and Nebula.” His eyes scanned the group. “Loki, Hawkeye, Widow, and… uh… the racoon...”

“I’m not a raccoon!” The very distinctly-raccoon-looking one snapped, baring his teeth.

“Of...of course.”

Bucky had to hold back a laugh. Steve tried to get him to be as polite as possible, but even the gracious Steven Rogers occasionally slipped up.

“Rocket,” Quill said. “His name’s Rocket.”

“I’m so sorry,” said Steve earnestly. “My mistake. Anyway, you four are in group Charlie.”

Rocket growled in displeasure.  “Nuh-uh! Either Groot comes with me, or I don’t come at all!”

“I am Groot!”

“Oh ‘I don’t know you, I don’t know your life ?’ Bullshit,” Rocket fired back.

The adolescent tree-alien rolled his eyes, folding gangly arms. Bucky could only stare in semi-bewildered irritation.

Steve ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up in the back. “According to you, Groot is still an adolescent. I want him to be with the strongest group, so we can protect him if need be. Rocket, you and Quill both stated that your strong suit is melee fighting. Alpha group is basically doing guard duty. We need you in the distraction team.”

It made sense. All of Steve’s choices made sense, evenly dividing varying skillsets between the groups. There was only one thing that didn’t compute…

“Steve,” said Romanoff, “Group Charlie doesn’t have any super-soldiers.”

Loki glared at her. “I’ll have you know I’m a god--”

“And not one who’s particularly good at fighting,” she retorted. “You don’t count.” She returned her focus to Steve. “Clint should switch out with someone a little less… breakable. No offense, Clint.”

“None taken.”

Steve frowned. “I put Clint on your team so you’d have a sniper.”

“So put Barnes in. He’s a sniper, and enhanced, and he’s a hell of a lot better in hand-to-hand. No offense, Clint.”

“None taken.”

Bucky saw the mulish expression on Steve’s face, and sighed. This was 1943 all over again. “Captain Rogers,” he said, in the tone he used to use when about to disagree with one of Steve’s more foolhardy plans. From Steve’s expression, he recognized both the tone and the meaning of the title—during the war, he’d only ever called him “Captain” when Steve was being ridiculous.

He lifted his chin slightly, looking Steve right in the eye. “She’s right. Team Alpha doesn’t need me, and I’ll be a better asse—I can be more useful running interference.”

Steve’s brows drew together, a line of worry creasing his forehead. Bucky could read the expression without hearing a word: What if something happens to you, and I’m not there?

Bucky responded with the tiniest of shrugs, one corner of his mouth tugging upward ever so slightly. It’s a war, pal. Nothin’ you can do about that.

Steve sighed, shoulders slumping. Okay, you win.

“Alright, Sergeant Barnes,” he said aloud. “You’re on Team Charlie. Clint, Alpha. It’ll be dark in two hours. We’ll move out then.”

The group broke up, everyone heading in different directions. The racoon— Rocket , Bucky reminded himself—had been staring at him for the past five minutes. The old Bucky probably would have responded to this with an aggressive swagger and a “Whatchoo lookin’ at?”.  Now, he just stared back, wrapping the quiet menace of the Winter Soldier around him like a second skin. This tactic didn’t seem to work all that well on Rocket, though; the second the meeting adjourned, he marched over to Bucky and looked him up and… well, further up.

“What the hell kind of a name is Bucky?” he demanded.

Bucky just looked back at him, long enough to make it uncomfortable, before giving him a predatory grin. “The kind that sticks.”

—

Darkness fell, bringing with it a flurry of activity as everyone prepared to move out. Rocket found Bucky Barnes staring out one of the windows with a grim expression. From this vantage point, the purple glow in the sky was clearly visible.

“Doesn’t even look real,” he said, gesturing in the direction of the portal. “I thought I’d seen it all, but…”

“You ain’t even left this planet before. You ain’t seen nothin’,” Rocket retorted, but the hair on his neck rose with Bucky’s. He looked over the humies— well, he guessed the one in the fancy green and black getup was a god of some sort. Whatever, didn’t matter to him.

“Just follow me.” As he led them down the corridor of the ship towards the small pods, he couldn’t help looking around for Groot, already assembling with his team. This would be their first time apart since…well he never wanted to dwell on that day ever again. The teen looked at him. For once he wasn’t glaring, just...anxious. For a second, Rocket could almost see those large, friendly, worried eyes of his original Groot.

“Hey, it’s gonna be alright, buddy.”

Groot didn’t seem convinced. Rocket managed a sardonic grin before splitting off.

“Don’t touch anything,” he said, opening the smaller ship pod. Enough for four to fit if they squeezed. Widow, or Natasha, as Rocket had heard Rogers call her, slid into the seat beside him, instantly looking over the ship’s monitors and rigs.

“Impressive.”

Rocket smirked. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, humie.”

Bucky sat in the seat behind Rocket, stuffed like a sardine in this tin can of a ship. I’m in a spaceship being piloted by a raccoon. Steve, I swear if we get through this…

He immediately identified the exit of the ship, as well as three other possible escape routes if need be, running through the index of threats and means of attack as well as getting out. It had large windows, breakable with enough force, he suspected.

The ship detached from the Milano with a series of whirs and clicks.

“Hold onto your butts,” Rocket advised.

“Rodent, if you crash this ship…” Loki began.

Rocket said nothing, but his ears flicked back, flat against his skull, and he punched the ignition. The ship’s engines burst out blue flames as they were propelled upward out of Wakanda’s atmosphere.

Bucky gripped his seat involuntarily. Small, enclosed, tight, strapped in. Like in that lab. He shook his head, wishing Steve were there. But Steve wasn’t there. He couldn’t be, even though Bucky knew that he wanted to. He shouldn’t have to always be there, he thought, not for the first time.He shouldn’t need to babysit me.

Romanoff laughed, breaking Bucky from his thoughts. For all her apparent callousness, she did have a nice laugh. “Stark would love this technology,” she mused, running her fingers over the controls. “He’d pay a huge sum for even the blueprints.”

That appeared to get Rocket’s attention. “What kinda sum are we talkin’?”

Their conversation washed over Bucky, a distraction from all his anxieties about this situation.

“And you modified it to go through… what do you call them, jumps?”

“Yeah, nothin’ to it, really.”

“You’re intelligent for a vermin,” Loki observed.

Rocket whipped his head around. “Call me vermin one more time, pal, I’ll shove you outta this pod before you can kiss your fancy ass goodbye,” he snarled.

Bucky’s eyes narrowed as the raccoonoid turned around to face Loki. Metal implants, two. Just below the collar bones. He winced, remembering the feeling of scalpel against skin, foreign metal inserted roughly into his flesh. As grateful as he was to have regained his memories, there was a lot he wished he could forget.

___

They landed in the shelter of an alleyway, hidden from any prying eyes. The silence that greeted them upon opening the doors was eerie.

No city should be this quiet , Rocket thought. The only sound was a weird, high-pitched hum that made his teeth ache and his fur stand on end.That’ll be the portal.

“Okay,” said Romanoff quietly. “We’re going to get as close as we can, scope out the situation. Once we’ve got a clear idea of where Thanos’s troops are, we’ll make a distraction. All clear?”

“Yes, little spider,” Loki said. “We know. We’ve been over this. It’s hardly a difficult concept—or do Midgardian minds need so much repetition to retain simple information?”

Rocket had been about to make an equally snarky comment, but he wasn’t about to agree with Loki. He was starting to seriously dislike the guy. “Hey, shut it, Mr. I’m-a-big-deal-just-because-I’m-a-god,” he snapped. “Widow’s in charge of this mission, we’re taking orders from her.”

Loki raised an eyebrow. “I am a prince of Asgard. I am only here because these puny Midgardians begged me for help—”

“Oh, really?” Romanoff folded her arms. “‘Cause the way I heard it, you’re here because all the rest of your bridges got burned.”

The god-guy started looking kind of pissed off. “I can’t believe I’m wasting my time—”

“So let’s stop wasting time,” Bucky interrupted. He didn’t speak loudly, but there was something about him that made everyone else pay attention.

It’s like he’s a grenade, thought Rocket, and everybody’s scared someone’s gonna pull the pin. It didn’t make sense, though. The guy was big, sure, but not as big as Drax, and he didn’t act like he was spoiling for a fight. So far he just seemed kinda quiet—and yet some instinct told Rocket that he was dangerous.

“We all know what our jobs are,” he continued, still in that soft voice that belied the tense posture of his body. “Widow. Orders?”

Romanoff’s mouth quirked upward in the smallest of smiles. “Thanks, Sergeant. I’ll take point. Barnes, take the rear. Loki—you can disguise our presence, yes?”

“Yes.”

“Then do it. Let’s move out.”

Bucky followed them, gun at the ready. Always ready. He scanned the area constantly, alert to the slightest noise, the slightest sign of movement through his night vision goggles. Rubble crunched and rolled underfoot as they stalked through the abandoned place, the shadows flickering weirdly in the portal’s purple glow.

“Ay!” Rocket cried.

Bucky glanced down, pointing his gun, only to realize his boot was squishing something soft.

“Watch the tail, asshole!”

“SSSSSHHHH! Quiet, you’ll give away our position!” Romanoff snapped, not even glancing over her shoulder. For one stomach-dropping second they stood still; finally, she signaled them forward.

Don’t think about the threats, Bucky reminded himself, eyes looking up, down, and side-to-side for any enemies. Well, think about them, but... just follow Widow’s orders. Follow... Bucky halted as Romanoff threw up her hand, signaling them to stop.

There, down in the entrance of an underground roadway tunnel, sat several odd-looking creatures. They were spindly, but heavily armored.

“Awe, damn,” Rocket muttered, “They got Kree armor.”

“Care to elaborate?” asked Romanoff.

“It means they’re gonna be harder to take out than we initially thought.”

“Bullet-proof?”

“At a distance, anyway,” Rocket told her. “Knives, though… those get through.”

Romanoff shook out her shoulders, taking a deep breath in preparation for the fight. “Well, then. Close quarters, it is. Shall we?”

Loki grinned, stepping forward with the humans, and Rocket swallowed his fear, covering it expertly with his own snarl of a challenge. He ran between Bucky and Romanoff, clearly the ones who would offer the most protection.

At close quarters, guns were practically useless anyway. Instead, they threw themselves into the fight, kicking, punching, and stabbing as more attackers came streaming in. Rocket ended up next to Bucky, using the guy’s height as a distraction while he took out the aliens who didn’t think to look down. It was a lot like fighting with Drax, except that Bucky didn’t laugh and yell challenges at his opponents, or take risks. He was brutally efficient, taking out his opponents with knives to the gut or eye, or punches that sent them flying.

Rocket stabbed another guy in the thigh, then leapt aside as Bucky smashed his face in with a single swing of his fist. They finished off another couple in similar fashion, and then, suddenly, all was quiet.

Looking around, Rocket saw that the ground littered with corpses. The other team members straightened from their own fighting stances, looking around cautiously. Romanoff glanced at Bucky.

“Hey Barnes, you hear anything?”

Bucky appeared to listen intently for a moment, then shook his head. “No hostiles in the immediate vicinity.”

“Good.” She nodded to the rest of them. “Good work, team. Let’s keep going.”

As they fell in behind her, Rocket noticed that Bucky’s gloves had come off, or been torn off during the fight. Where his left hand should be, there was only gleaming metal.

Huh. He shivered, memories of such enhancements flashing through his mind. Watching that arm swing, he was hyperaware of the cybernetics in his own back. That job’s precise... beautiful even… from an engineering standpoint. But there’s no flarking way he’d have been able to make that himself. The raccoonoid eyed it warily as they continued onward, gaze traveling up from the hand to the elbow. Wonder if it’s an entire arm. Modified. Enhanced. Engineered.

As though sensing his scrutiny, Bucky turned to look at him. “What?”

“Your hand.” Rocket shrugged, whispering as they headed into the underpass. “That’s top-grade shit, that is. Must be worth over a million units.”  He was practiced at brushing things off casually. But in his mind, the enhanced raccoon couldn’t help but wonder if this strange human had gone through a similar torture to what he had suffered. It wasn’t possible, was it?

Bucky frowned, unsure of how to respond. But he knew how the Winter Soldier would. He’d  ring that furry little neck. Or shoot him down. That’s all it would take. One bullet, anywhere on his body. It wouldn’t be hard at all. Like snapping a toothpick. Stop it. STOP IT. He tried to force the thoughts away from his mind. Stop coming up with ways to kill him.  How’d the tiny little creature even manage to make it this far?

“Barnes!” Romanoff snapped.

He looked up as she motioned for him to get down. Rocket and Loki were already crouching.

“That’s a Radatet bomb, right there,” the raccoonoid whispered, pointing at the strange, black, circular object bolted to the wall near the end of the tunnel . “We can’t get past it; it senses motion and thermal radiation.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Loki hissed.

Bucky examined the bomb as best he could from this distance, trying to decipher it. There had to be some way…

Loki leaned forward, his fingertips glowing with an eerie green light.

“NO!” Romanoff shouted, but too late—Loki made a throwing motion, shooting a beam of energy at the thing.

Bucky was moving before he so much as thought about it, grabbing the nearest person (Rocket), and flinging them both toward the closest maintenance alcove. The thing detonated as he ran, and he rolled forward, the raccoonoid still caught up in his arms, as the blast hit. In the minimal shelter of the alcove, he crouched for cover, using his back and left arm like a shield against the flying debris.

The roar of the explosion and rumble of falling masonry blocked out all other sound, dust exploding everywhere in a haze of cloudy smoke. Something hit Bucky in the back, slamming him against the wall of the alcove; Rocket made a whimpering sound, the bolts in his back digging painfully into Bucky’s sternum.

Then, above the noise, there was a loud groan, then a crack, and suddenly the ground underneath them gave way. They plummeted down into darkness, and Bucky kept just enough control to roll when he hit, somewhat mitigating the impact of his fall.

It still hurt like hell.

Above them, around them, debris was still falling, and Bucky rolled a bit further, out of the way, and curled into a ball, waiting for it to end. At last, the noise subsided; in its absence, everything was strangely muffled, save for the ringing in his ears. His muscles felt like they were on fire, and he was pretty sure he’d cracked a rib—unpleasant, certainly, but far from the worst injuries he’d sustained on a mission.

Painfully, he sat up, taking in his surroundings. There wasn’t much to see—the rubble above him was blocking out most of the light, and the dust in the air was thick enough to obscure everything else. If it wasn’t for his mask, he was pretty sure he’d be choking right now.

A cough from nearby had him reaching for his Glock, scrambling to his feet with far less grace than he normally used. Before he could aim at anything, however, Rocket emerged from the gloom, the fur on his arms smoking.

“You—” Rocket coughed again, stopped, and pulled something over his face— some type of gas mask, Bucky realized after a second, as Rocket took a deep, rattling breath and tried again.

“You alright there, pal?”

“Yeah,” Bucky said, a little dazed. “Yeah, I’m… what about you?”

The raccoonoid shrugged, a little stiffly. “Nothin’ a soak in the jacuzzi won’t fix.”

Bucky raised his eyebrows. “You have a jacuzzi?”

“Well, nothin’ wrong with wishing.”

“Uh huh.” Despite the urgency of their situation, Bucky couldn’t help smiling a little. It was the same kind of thing one of the Howlies might say— humor to lighten a dark situation, because if you thought too much about what was going on, you might just give up in despair. He’d done the same thing, once; nowadays, he mostly just tried to survive.

“You still got a com?” he asked, peering up at the hole they’d fallen through. It wasn’t much of a hole anymore— blocked by giant pieces of concrete and rebar, it would be difficult even for him to get out that way.

Rocket shook his head. “Musta lost it on the way down.”

“Okay. I’m gonna see if the others are… what happened to the others.” He really hoped they survived, because if they didn’t, Steve would go all sad and stoic and probably charge a machine-gun nest to relieve his feelings, and Bucky just could not deal with that right now. Also, he liked Romanoff—or at least, he respected her, which was close to the same thing.

“Do you think they’re—I mean, they were closer to the blast,” said Rocket, crossing his arms. “They might not—”

“I know,” Bucky snapped. He didn’t believe in God, not anymore, but he couldn’t help praying—or maybe just wishing really, really hard—anyway.Please, please let them be okay. Please let them be alive.

He took a deep breath, air acrid in his lungs, and turned on his com.

A string of Russian invectives met his ears, and he sighed in relief. Romanoff, at least, was alive.

“You mother-fucking son of a bitch, you could have gotten us killed! What the hell were you—”

“Romanoff?”

“Barnes,” she said immediately, breaking off mid-sentence. “Where are you? What’s your status?”

“Functional,” he said automatically. “No immediate maintenance required,” and then flinched. “I’m alright,” he corrected himself. “Rocket’s okay, too. We’re—under the tunnel, I think. What about you?”

“Scrapes and bruises, nothing major,” she said. “Loki did some weird god-thing and got us out of the blast zone. We’re… outside the tunnel. Or, where it used to be, anyway. Around five hundred meters southwest. Can you meet us there?”

“Negative,” said Bucky. He paced the tunnel as he talked, peering at their surroundings. “We’re blocked in, here. It’s gonna take some digging to get out.”

“You need rescue?”

“Nah. We can—I think this is a service tunnel, we should be able to get out. It’s just gonna take awhile.” He glanced at Rocket. “The two of you should get started on the mission. We’ll come find you once we get out of this mess.”

“Are you sure?”

“That okay?” he asked Rocket.

“Sure.”

“Yeah, we’re sure.”

“Alright, then.” She took a breath, clearly audible over the com. “We’ll meet you when you get out. And, Barnes?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t get yourself killed. I can’t face Cap’s disappointed face if I come back without you.”

“Noted,” he said dryly. “I’ll try to keep myself in one piece.”

“Do that. Over and out.”

“Over and out,” he repeated, and switched off his mic. “Well,” he said to Rocket, “I guess we’re on our own.”

“Seems so.” The raccoonoid shrugged, then bent to examine the heaps of debris all around them. “If I had my stuff I could dig us outta here no problem, but I left all that junk on the ship.”

Bucky pushed experimentally at a concrete slab, noticing as he did so that his sleeve had been completely torn away in the blast, leaving the metal arm exposed. The servos made a loud grinding sound in protest, and he winced. Clearly the fall hadn’t done it any favors.

Rocket’s head jerked upward at the sound. “Hey!”

“What?” Bucky asked warily. The last thing he needed was for this furry little alien to make a big fuss about his arm.

From his belt, Rocket pulled a small vial and tossed it to him. “You’re no good with a gimpy limb. That stuff is Havarax ointment, works wonders. Illegal in seven quadrants, but it does the trick.”

“Huh.” Bucky looked down skeptically at the phial in his hand, some unknown alien scribble dotting the crumpled label, then turned to watch the creature assess the situation, his tail flicking back and forth as he walked on two legs.  

“Five-hundred meters southwest.” Rocket ruminated on what he’d overheard. “We didn’t fall straight down—” pointing upward. “We must’ve been pushed a ways from the original blast on a diagonal… so depending on where Romanoff and bug-helmet guy ended up, we could be a good ways away.”

“I didn’t think to fall a certain way,” Bucky bit back. “I was too busy making sure you didn’t get crushed.”

“Yeah, and then you dropped me!”

“The entire floor fell out from under me!”

“Tsch,” Rocket’s tail flicked away the statement as if it made little difference. “Way I see it, we can either try to dig directly up and try to find them above the surface, or we can wander around down here and hope we come up near enough to wherever they ended up.”

Bucky flexed the fingers of his left hand, trying to push away his annoyance and concentrate.

“That metal thing don’t got a navigation system on it, does it?” Rocket pointed to his arm.

“Nope.” Bucky found himself smiling again. “Does yours?”

Rocket’s ears flicked back in his mask, the little ear flaps going down. Under lighter circumstances, Bucky may have found it sort of cute, in the way of a little dog that gets pissed when its owner puts a costume on it.

“No,” he grunted, turning away.

Bucky nodded. So it’s true. Those metal bolts… sounds like he didn’t ask for them, any more than I did. He uncapped the ointment and sniffed, wincing. “Smells like road-kill.”

Rocket laughed. “Yeah, but it works.”

Bucky pumped a dab onto his hand, the off-white viscous glob making his stomach turn even as he wiped it on. Immediately, he felt a cool rush flow through his hardware, relaxing the kinks it had suffered on the fall down.

“Thanks,” he said awkwardly, throwing it back to Rocket.

The raccoonoid looked at him. “I think I got a plan if we decide to climb out right here, but uhhh… I’m gonna need that arm.” He pointed at Bucky’s metal limb. "It comes off, right? If not, I bet I can fix that."

Bucky stared at him for a long moment, trying to hide the way his heartbeat had suddenly kicked up at the idea, at the memories. Repulsors fired, and he threw up his arm, trying to shield himself; blinding, searing pain, sparking through his shoulder and straight into his spine; no arm, no weapons, Stark advancing in the metal suit, Steve in harm's way, while he lay there helpless, no way to fight... His mouth tasted bitter, coppery, and he realized he was biting his lip, hands clenched at his sides.

For his part, Rocket’s stomach coiled, recognizing that look. It was the “bad memories coming back, but you’re trying to hide it” look.

“You don’t have to talk about it,” he tried to recover lamely. “And I don’t actually need your arm. It’s just a joke.”

“It’s not funny.” Bucky glared at him.

“Yeah Star-Dork doesn’t think so either.” Rocket paused. “Seriously, though. What is up with the arm? How did you even get that?"

Bucky shrugged, clearly trying to seem casual, but Rocket could hear his heart racing. "Buncha evil fuckers captured me, decided to turn me into a killing machine." The servos on his arm shifted like the scales of an angry snake. "I wasn't much good to them with just one arm, so they made me a new one."

Rocket tilted his head. “Nice workmanship, though.”

“Yeah, well.” He glanced down at his arm, brushing the fingers of his other hand against it. “This ain’t the one they made. T’Challa’s people gave me a new one, after—look, why the hell are we talking about this? You got a plan to get out of here?”

Rocket opened his mouth, ready with a smart remark, but the guy was all tense, his hands all clenched like he was ready for a fight. It wasn’t often he decided to go with tact, but at the moment… well. There was something familiar in the way Bucky held himself, like he’d been kicked around so much he was just waiting for someone else to step up and have a go at him. Rocket knew what it was like, to have someone else’s fingerprints all over your body, permanent reminders that no matter what you did, you’d never escape what was done to you, what you’d become. So maybe, just maybe, he could scrape up a little empathy. Bucky sure as hell wouldn’t know the difference.

“Yeah, I got a plan,” he said instead, thinking better of it. “Walk down this tunnel, see where it goes… and shoot anything that moves.”

It was hard to tell Bucky’s expression behind the mask, but his posture relaxed, his voice taking on a confident, almost cocky tone, almost as though a whole new person was breaking through. “Well, it’s simple, I gotta give you that. You got anything to shoot with? ‘Cause I lost my rifle saving your sorry ass, all I got left is a coupla pistols.”

“Uh, yeah.” He fumbled a little, confused by the sudden alteration in Bucky’s manner. “I still got my XR-16 Xandarian Rifle.”

“Ammo?”

“About a hundred rounds.”

“Okay, I got… fifty pistol rounds.” Bucky drew a pistol, flicking off the safety. “Guess we’ll have to pick our shots. Let’s head out.” Without waiting for Rocket’s reply, he stepped forward, down through the dark.

__

Rocket squinted as he walked, allowing Bucky to lead the way through the tunnel. Everything inside him made him want to jump up on the humie’s shoulder. A safe spot, perched. He pushed the instincts to the back of his mind, concentrating instead on the dim black ahead, rifle poised at the ready.

He watched the metal arm. Buncha evil fuckers captured me and decided to turn me into a killing machine. So many questions. Was there a chance that this human knew what he himself had gone through? Rocket longed to ask him, but bit his tongue.   Don’t go there. Don’t you dare go there, you pathetic piece of pelt!

“You play like you’re the meanest and the hardest, but really you’re the most scared of all.” Yondu’s words echoed in his mind to this day. He was right. So, so right. But maybe he wasn’t the only one for whom it was true.   No!  He chastised himself as they continued, he couldn’t, wouldn’topen up like that. He swallowed hard. Loneliness curled in the pit of his stomach.

Bucky stopped, holding up his fist.

“What?” Rocket barked, masking his inner emotions.

“I heard something.” Bucky crouched, peering through the shadows.

“What?”

“Shut it,” Bucky hissed, aiming at the roof of the tunnel. For once, the raccoonoid obeyed. They crouched in silence, waiting. Bucky’s own breath caught as a large hissing creature slithered down from the wall of the tunnel. Leaping forward, he shot three times and rolled as it was about to land on him, large sinuous body still slithering even as he turned to see its bullet-ridden form. What the hell?

“The flark is that?!” Rocket cried.

“I was about to ask you,” Bucky admitted.

“What, you think just cuz I ain’t from here means I know every wacked-out creature there is?!”

Bucky turned back to the reptilian thing. Its tail was still twitching. He carefully nudged it with the butt of his pistol once it had stopped moving. “Must’ve come through one of the portals. Be on your guard, there could be more.”

Rocket nodded, looking through the scope of his own weapon.

Bucky moved forward, reloading as he went. The tunnel walls curved slightly, dark mold and runny streams of minerals making brown and brass-colored muck that seeped out from the cracks. Another scurrying sound.

BAM! Rocket fired.

Bucky whirled, then shook his head. “That’s just a rat.”

Rocket looked at the dead thing skeptically. “It’s pretty big.”

“Maybe you’re just small.”

Rocket’s red eyes narrowed, aiming his gun ahead, just past Bucky. “Yeah, well, my gun ain’t, so I suggest you keep walkin’!”

Bucky shook his head, laughing as he crept forward. It was an empty threat if he ever heard one. They navigated the tunnel with acute wariness; Bucky glanced above, around and even below them, as he’d been trained. But through the length they walked, the only sounds were rats.

“Exactly how long are these tunnels, humie? You got any idea where the hell we even are?” Rocket demanded, clearly impatient after a while of sneaking about and false alarms.

“Hey, I told you I don’t have a navigation system, here,” said Bucky. “You got a better idea, be my guest.”

Rocket huffed, and then… huffed again. He stopped, sniffing.

“You got a cold, or something?” Bucky asked.

“No, there’s… there’s an air current. An opening, somewhere.”

Bucky looked around, then up, searching for a break in the tunnel walls. “There!” He pointed upward, where a patch of stars was just visible through what he suspected was a manhole. “We can get through up there.”

“How the hell are we supposed to get up there?” Rocket demanded, craning to look upward.

“I thought you had a plan.”

“I told you it was a joke!” Rocket cried, looking up at the manhole. “Unless that Wakandan arm thing can scale tunnel walls, I’m out of ideas.”

“You’ve broken out of twenty-four prisons! Or was that another joke?”

Rocket lifted his gun to his shoulder. “No, it ain’t a joke! But this ain’t a prison. It’s a tunnel. Do you see any security cams I can override, any weapons? No! All that’s down here is rats, and water and mold and that weird space lizard!”

Bucky waved his hands, exasperated. “Okay, keep your shirt on, Christ. We’ll think of something.” He peered upward, ignoring Rocket’s muttering.

“Okay,” he said eventually. “I got an idea, but… you’re probably not gonna like it.”

Rocket’s eyes narrowed. “What is it?”

He took a breath. “Well, it looks like it’s about twenty feet up, and you’re pretty small, so… um… I could throw you.”

There was a moment of silence.

“ Throw me?” said Rocket incredulously. “Are you outta your mind ?”

“Not unlikely,” he answered. “But honestly, I think it’s our best shot. Once you’re up there, you can tie a cable to something and throw it down for me to climb up.”

“We don’t have a rope,” Rocket pointed out.

“Yeah, we do.” Bucky unclipped a spool of cable from his belt. “We can use this.”

“That little thread ain’t gonna hold your weight, pal.”

“It’s vibranium, I could dangle a struggling rhinoceros off the Brooklyn Bridge and it’d be fine,” says Bucky impatiently. “Come on, we gonna do this or not?”

Rocket shook his head. “I only understood about half of what you just said,” he grumbled. “Anyway, I’m still stuck on the part where you throw me into the ceiling . I don’t wanna end up as a buncha mush on the roof of this tunnel.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, invisible under his goggles. “I’m not gonna throw you into the ceiling, I’m gonna throw you through the hole in the ceiling. I’ve got good aim, I’m not gonna miss.”

The raccoon looked at him for a few seconds, considering, before he said, “Throw somethin’ else through, first, and if you make it I’ll go.”

It was a pretty reasonable request, actually, so Bucky shrugged and headed over to the wall. He punched the concrete in a couple of places, ripping out a large chunk. Behind him, Rocket swore in startlement; he ignored him and headed to the space under the hole. He took a second to judge the angle, then threw, straight through the center of the opening. There was a thump as the projectile landed on the ground above.

He turned to Rocket, dusting his hands. “There. Now do you believe me?”

When Rocket spoke, his voice sounded a little funny, like he maybe got some grit in his throat. “Okay, humie. I guess we may as well give this crazy plan of yours a try.”

Bucky smiled to himself. Finally. He hoisted Rocket up, grunting as the raccoonoid squirmed in his hold.

Breathe, just breathe, they aren’t going to take you apart again, Rocket reprimanded himself, clenching his teeth as Bucky’s arms lifted him up. Being held like this, suspended, was different from being up on Groot’s shoulders. Everything in his mind yelled at him to bite Bucky’s hand. They held him up like this to transfer him from his cage to the gurney cart. They held him like this to transfer him from the gurney cart to the table. The table with the knives and…

“Ready?” Bucky asked. He could feel the creature’s body tense as it fought the urge to thrash. He knows what it’s like to be restrained. Best I can do is make it quick.

Rocket swallowed. “As I’ll ever be...Wait!”

“What?” Bucky demanded, exasperated.

“....don’t tell Quill.”

“Alright I won’t,” he promised. “Okay 1….2…” Bucky threw, having already measured the distance. He bit back a laugh at Rocket’s cursing as he was propelled upward, the end of his tail disappearing through the top of the manhole.

“Got it?” Bucky hollered upward.

“I should flarking leave you down there!” Rocket answered, looking down on him.

“Do you have the cable?” The creature said nothing, but the cable fell down, and Bucky grabbed it, hoisting himself up.

“Thanks,” he said, grabbing the small paw Rocket offered. Bucky glanced around. W indows shattered, street covered with debris. No sign of Romanoff or Loki. None of Thanos’s goons, either.

“ This cable thing is great,” Rocket commented, wrapping it up. “Wakanda, man, wouldn’t be a bad spot to retire.”

Bucky pulled off his mask, taking a deep breath of cool night air. In his mind, he pictured the towering waterfalls and miles of open grassland, the beauty of all that vibranium, not only in weapons but transportation, technology, everything. “No, it wouldn’t.”

There was a click as Rocket removed his own mask. “I don’t see the others anywhere.”

“No.” Bucky glanced around, uncomfortable in the open. “Let’s get behind something, then I’ll call Romanoff.”

“Can you see a water tower from where you are?” Romanoff asked over the com. “It’s got murals of butterflies on it and shit?”

Bucky scanned the horizon. “Yeah—about a mile east of us, looks like.”

“We’ll meet you by that.”

“Roger.” He flipped off his mic with a sigh. “Okay, we’ve got a rendezvous point.”

Rocket hefted his gun. “Well, then, let’s go.”

They headed out into the night, slinking between the shadows like ghosts. There was something intrinsically familiar about this, watching someone else’s back in an occupied city. Bucky half expected Falsworth to materialize around the corner, signaling the all-clear, or to hear Jones and Dernier whispering in French, probably working out some crazy new way to blow something up.

Instead, gunfire erupted from up ahead, sending up a cloud of debris and shattering the glass of the building next to them. He whipped around towards the noise, raising his pistol as he searched for the shooter. There. A squat, marshmallow-like creature perched on the balcony of a ruined apartment building, directly across the square from them He fired, once, twice. Target down.

His mind snapped into computer-mode, running through the litany. Second enemy, at three o’clock. Three shots in quick succession, chest, head, neck. The alien went down. The noise attracted others, and Bucky took out three more popping out from a nearby alley.

Footsteps, heavily armored foe. Bucky twisted, reaching out for the alien who charged him, and kneed it in the stomach, gripped its arm and flipped it onto its back on the ground. Its cry was lost to the cracking sound of broken bones as he crushed its windpipe beneath his heel.

Rocket looked on as Bucky seemed to dance seamlessly, bringing down each alien who attacked. He picked one up and threw it into another, then shot them both as he ducked another alien. At some point, he’d drawn a knife with a twelve-inch blade, which he used to run another alien through the rib-cage. In a bloody dance of metal and fire he twisted, punched, kicked, jumped, and shot.

He was moving too quickly for Rocket to shoot without risking hitting him by accident, and the racoonoid found himself just watching as he mowed their attackers down. He fought the way Gamora and Nebula did, with an absolute ruthlessness and economy of movement—but they were more than half cyborg, created by Thanos for murder. Bucky was just human… wasn’t he?

Finally, Bucky slammed the last of the aliens to the ground, grunting as he tugged his knife free of the hole he’d created in its chest.

“What’d they do to you?” Rocket whispered, looking around, bewildered, at the fifteen aliens who lay strewn like fields after a storm. No normal human should be able to fight like that... he thought, turning around to examine the carnage.

Bucky glanced at him, then frowned, moving closer. He raised a hand, as though to touch Rocket’s collarbone, where the metal implants were visible above the collar of his shirt. For a long moment, the two of them just stood there, staring at each other. Then Bucky’s hand dropped, and he took a breath.

“Same sorta things they did to you.”

Rocket felt a little chill raise the fur along his spine. “Fuckin’ scientists,” he muttered. “Buncha nutcases, the lot of ‘em.”

Bucky bent to pick up an alien rifle, checking the magazine for ammo with practiced efficiency. “Yeah, give a guy a white coat and a couple prisoners and all of a sudden he thinks he’s God,” he said.

Rocket snorted, hand going to his own gun. “Doesn’t make em’ immune to bullets, though.”

A sharp grin stretched Bucky’s lips. “No, it doesn’t.”  

They walked together down the street, Bucky’s large strides stepping over debris where Rocket had to scramble. He resisted the urge to smile at the sight of the small creature brandishing a gun nearly as big as himself as he hopped over the rubble strewn across their path.

Movement caught his eye, and he raised the alien rifle without thinking, firing up at the empty window of an adjacent building. The sniper returned fire, and Bucky ducked behind a statue, using the figure’s sweeping robes as cover.

BANG! BANG!

Bucky fired several more rounds, unable to get a good shot at the sniper. More gunfire erupted around them, and he turned side-on, minimizing the amount of target he presented. Above, the alien sniper moved, a head coming into view for a split second, and Bucky pulled the trigger.

BANG, the alien went down, and Bucky lowered his rifle.

BANG, BANG...BANG . He whirled around as the noise continued, just in time to see one of their attackers go down in a spray of greenish blood. Empty cartridges littered his feet, but the shots kept coming. The last alien hit the ground, and he looked up, wild-eyed, and realized the raccoon had scrambled onto his shoulder and continued firing.

“Thanks,” Bucky managed, still perplexed. He hefted the Rocket’s weight on his shoulder; it wasn’t much, barely the weight of an additional gun.

“Yeah, no problem.” he murmured, sounding almost… embarrassed. He made as if to clamber down again, but Bucky put up a hand to stop him.

“Why don’t you stay up there?”

Predictably, Rocket bristled. “I don’t need a piggyback ride, humie, I’m not your pet parrot.”

Bucky tilted his head so he could meet his eyes. “I ain’t giving out free rides, pal. I could use you watching my six, and it’s a hell of a lot easier if you can just face backwards.”

For a long moment, Rocket just stared at him, expression unreadable on his strange features. Then, “Alright,” he said. “I got your back.”

Bucky knew that tone. “What?”

“Nothing! It’s...just that I...I ain’t never fought with anyone like that since…Groot...”

“The angsty tree teen?”  Bucky asked, peering around to make sure the coast was clear.

Rocket’s ears flattened. “No.”

“…Okay.” Bucky knew all about sore subjects. He wasn’t about to push on this one. He started forward again, scanning through broken doors and shattered windows as he went.

“Not the one you met, anyways….” Rocket whispered.

Bucky glanced up at him, surprised at the continuation. “Who was he, then?”  

Rocket thought for a long time, then said, with more gentleness then Bucky had imagined possible from the scrappy little creature, “Your Steve. My version of him, anyways.”

Bucky stopped walking, floored. “My Steve?”

“I saw you guys making gooey eyes at each other on the Milano. ”

He started walking again, feeling mildly horrified. “You and a… tree… creature? Is that—how does that work ?”

“Eew! Not like that, you creep!”

“You said he was like your version of Steve!”

“I meant the—the best friends forever part, not… ugh… gross…”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” said Bucky, feeling relieved. There were some things in this brave new world that he just didn’t want to think about. He eased himself around the corner of a building, compensating for the slight weight on his shoulder. “So…” he said, more gently, “what happened?”

Rocket sighed, rubbing his paws over his muzzle and then the fur between his ears in a truly raccoon gesture. “He’s… dead. Sacrificed himself to save us on the battle of Xandar,” he said.  “He died shielding us from the impact.”

Bucky listened, trying to push the impossibilities and doubts from his mind. Trying to stop questioning how absurd this all was. “Sounds like something Steve would do,” he muttered. Selfless Steve Rogers.

A crater had been blasted in the middle of the street, and he edged around it, not wanting to fall again. The desolation was getting to him; Wakandan cities were normally so beautiful, so full of life, and this felt terribly wrong. Like Italy.

“Damn bleedin’ hearts,” Rocket said, without much vitriol attached.

Bucky could only nod. The water tower drew slowly closer as he walked, its lights still gleaming in the strange purplish dark.

“This Groot, you two were partners?” he finally inquired. “Where did you meet? The Hundred Acre Wood, with all the other woodland creatures?”

“Very funny,” Rocket answered dryly. “We broke outta prison together. It wasn’t long after I escaped...escaped them .”

Bucky could feel the creature’s grip tighten on his shoulder and the top of his head, tense like a coiled spring ready to go off.

What would I do if Steve died…? He shuddered to even think of it. He knew he ought to say something, but didn’t know what. I used to be good at this. Or maybe I was only ever good at it with Steve. He thought about that, for a moment, trying to recall. He remembered, now, the way Steve sometimes looked at him during the War— hopeful and kind of sad, like a kicked puppy. He hadn’t known how to handle it— everything had seemed too big, too raw, too out of control, and it had taken all his self-control not to throw down his gun and run away screaming. Follow Captain America into the jaws of death . Well, he’d done that, alright.  

“Steve broke me out of a Nazi prison camp,” he found himself saying. “During the War. Well, I guess that wouldn’t mean nothing to you, but— they were—well, they were just about as evil as you can get. And the place I was at, they were—doing experiments. I was one of ‘em.” He kicked a rock in front of him, watched it bounce along the ground. “Little idiot got himself turned into a superhero, took on the whole damned compound all on his lonesome, trying to find me. Nearly got himself killed.”

“But he found you?” Rocket sounded… anxious, almost, as though reassuring himself. “You got out.”

Bucky peered around the corner of a warehouse, searching for signs of movement. He didn’t see any. “Yeah, I got out. And then they fucking took me right back again.” He took a shuddering breath, not sure why he was explaining this to this odd, violent little alien. Somehow, though, now that he’d started, he couldn’t seem to stop. “I—I thought there couldn’t be—worse than what they’d already done— I thought, the stuff they did to my— to my body, I could… I could take it, if I had to. But they took my brain, and they— they just yanked everything out, took away—everything that wasme , filled it up with their evil bullshit. And I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.”

“They gave me sentience,” Rocket whispered, so low that Bucky could hardly hear him, close as they were. “I never asked for it. I don’t even know what I was before I became what they made me. Love, friendship, family, I never knew what those things were.” He shifted, claws digging into Bucky’s shoulder. “They forced sentience on me, but they took yours away, didn’t they? Or they tried.” He laughed mirthlessly. “Shit, I can't imagine what’s worse.”

Bucky nodded, trying hard to stifle his shaking. It’s true, he thought. He clenched his fists to try and keep the memories at bay.

“They made you do things, didn’t they? Terrible things.” Rocket said, hushed.

The only sound between them was the crunch of broken pavement beneath Bucky’s boots. “Yes,” he whispered, trying to shut out the memories.

Rocket looked away, to the point where Bucky wasn’t sure if he was actually speaking to him.  “But at that point you were already so fucked up you didn’t even question if it was right or wrong, huh?” His tail flicked, brushing across Bucky’s face. “Sometimes you don’t even question it, now. And that Steve guy, your boyfriend or whatever, you’re so worried that someday you’re going to revert back into what they tried to make you and you’ll go ape-shit and kill him, ain’t that right? Even if it’s just for a second…...a  second’s all it takes.”

He was shaking now, his grip on the back of Bucky’s head borderline painful. “That’s what it was. Just a second. Just a split second, I decided to crash my ship into the Dark Aster, and send it plummeting down.” Aggression, impulsiveness, total lack of self-preservation or consideration of consequences…. traits those scientists had conditioned him into having. “…I destroyed our only means of escape. Wasn’t thinking...so Groot he, he grew around us and…” He sniffed. “Well, there wasn’t much left of him after the fall.”

“A second is all it takes…”

Bucky was pretty sure the creature was crying, at this point, and he couldn’t blame him. How many times had he seen Steve throw himself into danger on his behalf? Or, God, how many times had he nearly killed Steve as the Winter Soldier? Poor little guy. Universe sure dealt him a bum hand, just like it did me.

“I...I’m sorry,” he managed. “About your friend.”

“It’s not your fault.” Rocket mumbled.

“Hey! Listen to me.” Bucky took a deep breath. Hope they found a cure for rabies by now , he couldn’t help thinking, and reached up to pat Rocket clumsily on the shoulder. “It’s not your fault, okay? If I blamed myself for every death I inadvertently caused, I’d be far less sane then I am now—and I’m barely sane as it is.”

He felt the raccoonoid go rigid at being touched, but then he relaxed, allowing the contact for a few seconds before shrugging Bucky’s grip off of him.

BANG!   Bucky instantly snapped back to reality as dust from the misshot of a gun grazed his boots. Rocket hoisted his own gun with one arm, still perched on Bucky’s shoulder with the other. “Up there!”

The ex-Winter Soldier pointed his own gun, looking through the scope. There, in the sixth story window. Another one of those alien-like creatures, armored with Thano’s telltale garb. Bucky fired. Quick! Shoot them before they shoot you. He fired, once, twice, ignoring Rocket, who was struggling to keep his balance.

Bang! Bang! Concrete flew up all around them; the aliens had some kind of mortar. Shit! Too much firepower! Cursing once more, Bucky ran, ducking and weaving as shells exploded around them, Rocket clinging desperately to his neck. With a burst of speed, he ducked down a narrow alleyway to their left, chest heaving as he slid down the wall to a sitting position.

“What the f—flark?!” Rocket cursed, all his fur standing up.

“Shh! Just wait a sec!” Bucky waited. Breathe. Just breathe. Wait. After a few precious moments, he lifted his gun, pointing it around the corner and slowly poking his head out, scanning the street outside for movement. It was deserted now, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long.

As if on cue, Bucky started at the sound of explosive gunfire behind him.

“AAAAAHHHH!!!” Rocket’s screaming laughter over the rattle of machine guns strangely assured Bucky, sending the thrill of the fight through his veins as he ran forward once more.

They weaved in and out of the buildings, around the corner, and he skidded to a halt. Shit!

He was staring down the barrel of a mounted gun. Behind it, one of Thanos’s goons grinned yellow teeth. Bucky pulled the trigger. Click.

Shit! No more ammo . His stomach tensed, Steve’s image flashing across his mind as he dropped the rifle and drew a pistol.

In the next second, Rocket launched himself from his shoulder. The raccoonoid landed squarely on the alien’s face, biting, scratching and punching. Bucky ducked just in time as the alien was knocked sideways, firing off the weapon. It pulled a knife from its belt, frantically jabbing at Rocket, who jumped off him and picked up his abandoned gun.

“Rocket!” he shouted, but the little creature shot the alien once, twice, three times, four, over and over until long after it had collapsed, lifeless.

“What?” Rocket turned to him, blood dripping from his arm as he hefted the weapon that was twice his size over his shoulder. “I said I got your back.”

You just shot that thing into oblivion, and we need to conserve ammo. “You’re bleeding,” Bucky said, deciding that discretion was the better part of valor. He didn’t really feel like having an argument about unnecessary force just now—especially as it would be highly hypocritical.

The raccoonoid glanced at his cut. “Just a graze, humie. I’ve had worse, and so have you.”

Bucky nodded, conceding. “Glad you’re on my side,” he said, grinning. “Remind me never to piss you off. You know, you’re quite a force to be reckoned with, for a raccoon.”

He shifted his gaze to the empty buildings around them, on the alert once more. What he didn’t see was Rocket, who had climbed onto his shoulder again. His eyes were bright, chest thrust out in pride, and he was grinning from ear to ear.

__

“Widow?” Rocket whispered, leaning forward on Bucky’s shoulder and into the shattered first-story window of an apartment building a little while later. “Yo! Fancy boy with the bug hat? You there?!”

Bucky snickered. “Shhh! We’re not there yet.”

After waiting a moment in silence, they continued onward. Stepping down off the cracked stairs, Bucky checked his nine and three directions, all clear.

“You seem pretty calm about our situation here, bald-body,” Rocket commented, picking at the small wound in his side.

Bucky shrugged. “Not like I haven’t seen worse.”

Right. Torture. “How long did they have you, anyway? Those Nazi people.”

“HYDRA,” said Bucky absently. “They changed the name. About… seventy years. Give or take.”

“Seventy years ?”

Bucky turned another corner, sliding against the cracked concrete and crouching between the traffic barriers, now deserted. “I was on ice for a lot of it. Cryogenically frozen. But… yeah.”

Rocket didn’t know a whole lot about humans, but he was pretty sure that was most of a human lifespan. “Flark,” he breathed. “You really did lose everything. Family… friends… hell, I bet you were a standup guy before they did what they did. Going off and fightin’ in that war.”

“Mmm,” Bucky muttered, ducking under a partially-collapsed archway.

“They cut into you and tore you apart. So bad that your body was no longer yours. It belonged to them. You belonged to them. You were a tool, a plaything. That arm—” Rocket gestured to the metal limb— “That’s a Wakandan upgrade. But those Nazi psychos must’ve given you another one.”

Bucky glanced at the metal arm.

“That’s not the only thing they did to you, was it?”

“No, it wasn’t.” He suddenly fired at an alien who jumped at them down from the rafters. It fell dead before them, and Bucky stepped over it, apparently unfazed. “I told you they messed a lot of shit up, alright, can we not go down that road again?”

But Rocket wouldn’t be deterred. “It’s what’s in the inside that’s really fucked. They yanked everything out, like you said.”

Bucky walked forward, checking his gun as the rounded another deserted street.

“They messed up your mind…...your heart.” Rocket’s voice choked, lost in his own memories of Halfworld.

Bucky sighed, stopping for a moment to lean against a wall. “Everything that was me, remember? I meant it when I said everything .”

In Rocket's head, bright lights glared. Steel tables, blades, the smell of blood and fear… He swallowed, hardly aware that he was speaking aloud. “Cut into pieces with their scalpels and those machines… That’s what they wanted right? A machine. That’s what they tried to turn you into.”

“Yeah,” said Bucky, taking a deep breath, “they tried.” He glanced up, smirking. “Look at us now, though. Sure, we’re a few potatoes short of a bushel, but… they’re dead. We’re not. So from where I’m standing, looks like we won, huh?”

Rocket grinned back, a surge of warmth filling his chest. Take that, fuckers. After all that, we’re alive.

“What about you? You were just an innocent… creature… and they—they tortured you…”

Rocket stared incredulously at the only person in this whole damn galaxy who perhaps understood, truly understood what he’d been through. He shook his head. Out of all the creatures in the damn galaxy. Not even Yondu, not even Groot, fully knew what this humie knows. What a world.

“So you don’t remember anything at all?” Bucky asked, unable to silence his curiosity.

“Just smells.” Rocket said. “Trees, dirt mostly and other things...fur, I think. Musk.” He shook his head, snapping out of it. “Guess that’s why I don’t mind having Groot around. He smells like a tree.”

Don’t mind having Groot around. Bucky almost snorted. That’s an understatement if I ever heard one. He recalled the raccoons that rummaged in the bins behind his childhood apartment in New York, and had a vivid mental image of Rocket popping out of a trashcan, gun and all. He bit back a laugh at the thought. The prickly little creature probably wouldn’t appreciate the joke.

Rocket suddenly tensed, whiskers twitching.

“What is it?” Bucky looked around, but couldn’t see anything.

“Someone’s coming,” the raccoonoid swung his gun around, aiming at where they had just passed.

Bucky switched his mic on. “Romanoff?” he whispered.

For a moment, there was only silence. Bucky waited, holding his breath. All the fur on Rocket’s neck stood up.

“There you are!”

Bucky lowered his gun, sighing with relief as Romanoff and Loki rounded the corner.

“We thought you’d gotten lost,” said Romanoff, a flicker of genuine relief barely audible before she cleared her throat and resumed practiced practicality. “We set off one of the explosions, but there’s still the illusions left to do, and we need a full team for that.”

“We tried to get to you. There were a lot more aliens than we thought,” Bucky explained.

“Well, you’re here now. Let’s finish this up.”

“We can’t,” said Loki. “My Rendelian crystal is missing!”

Romanoff gave him a look of flat disbelief. “Don’t tell me you lost it?”

He huffed in frustration. “I had it right here, in my pocket! Rendelian crystals don’t just get up and walk away!”

“You’ll have to do without it,” said Romanoff impatiently. “We don’t have time for this!”

“I needed that crystal to channel my power! I can’t create that kind of illusion without some kind of focus!”

“Sounds important,” said Rocket innocently.

Bucky cast him a sharp look. Years of dealing with Steve’s bullshit had made him very familiar with that particular tone, and it never meant anything but trouble.

“Yes, it is!”

“Valuable, too.”

“It’s practically priceless!”

Rocket reached into his pocket, smirking. “Oh, I don’t know about that. I’d be willing to give it back to you for, say, a few thousand units.”

There was a taut moment of silence, like the instant before the release of a bowstring. The scene could have been a photograph: Rocket smirking, Romanoff wary, Loki slowly going incandescent with rage. Bucky could almost hear the snap when it broke.

“You!” Loki snarled. “You insulting, insufferable little freak!” He lunged towards Rocket with incredible speed.

The raccoonoid hunkered down on all fours on instinct, fur bristling, but Loki was too quick, grabbing Rocket by the scruff of his neck and held him dangling, snarling and spitting.

“I’m going to skin you alive and roast you on a spit, you little animal!” He jabbed a finger at Rocket’s snarling muzzle. “I don’t know who made you, but they should’ve killed you the first chance they got. You rat! I…”

Click-click.   The mischief-maker stopped short, the barrel of Bucky’s rifle pointed squarely between his eyes.

“Put. Him. Down,” Bucky whispered dangerously.

Loki’s expression shifted from furious to incredulous before settling on fear as he stared at Bucky’s murderous face.

Bucky’s rifle didn’t waver; rage was coursing through him, cold and hard and dangerous as ice. “I’m not asking again. Release him.”

The Asguardian swallowed, then let go, dropping Rocket to land all fours on the ground.

Bucky slammed Loki against the wall, arm to his throat. He’d rather scare the man than kill him, but right now, he wouldn’t be shedding any tears if he gave Loki a few bruises to remember him by.

“I won’t be told what to do…” Loki’s breath shook as Bucky pressed his arm harder into his neck, pinning him to the wall.

“You will apologize to him. You will respect him and you will never speak that way to him again. And if you threaten him one more time…”

“Boys,” Romanoff drawled, still leaning against the opposite wall of the alley, “Let’s calm down a bit, shall we?”

“Apologize,” Bucky growled, drawing a knife from his belt. “Now.”

“Barnes, come on, calm down.”

“It’s— just—a rodent,” Loki choked out, either stupid or suicidally confident.

“Yeah,” said Bucky, baring his teeth. “And I’m just a brain-damaged assassin.” He touched the knife tip to the place where Loki’s ear met his skull; a cut there wouldn’t kill him, but it would hurt like hell. “I don’t like bullies, pal. You got five seconds.”

“Alright!” gasped Loki. “Alright! I’m—sorry. There. Happy?”

“What are you sorry for? Tell him, not me.”

“I’m sorry I called him—you—those things! And threatened you!”

“And…?”

“And I won’t do it again!”

Bucky stepped back, letting him fall. Turning, he caught Rocket’s eyes.

“You crazy son of a bitch.” Rocket’s tone sounded closer to awe than anger. “I coulda handled him.”

“Yeah,” said Bucky, sheathing his knife and picking up the rifle. “But I don’t let nobody talk to my friends like that. Not on my watch.”

Rocket opened his mouth, then closed it again, apparently at a loss for words. Before anything else could be said, Romanoff stepped in.

“Okay, if we’re done with all the posturing, could we please focus, here? Rocket, why don’t you hand Loki the damned crystal, and we can get this over with.”

Wordlessly, Rocket threw the thing to Loki, who accepted it with a grunt.

“Follow me,” Romanoff ordered, and the rest of them stepped in line behind her.

Rocket trailed behind Bucky, running a hand through his fur. “Uhhh, listen… thanks for what you did back there.”

Bucky glanced down at him, a smile coming to his face. “Any time,” he said sincerely.

It felt good to stand up for someone again, to do something simple and good. It had been a long time since he defended people, protected them.Steve would be proud. The thought of it made his smile widen as they headed out.

__

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit!” Rocket dove out of the way as the delivery van he’d been sheltering behind vaporized under an energy bolt from an alien gun. “Bucky, where the hell are you?”

Three shots rang out in quick succession, followed by a sudden silence.

“Taking out the sniper,” said Bucky over the coms. “You okay?”

“Of course I am, humie. Take a little more than that to take me out,” Rocket bluffed, trying to ignore the way his heart was racing. “We done here, or what?”

He still couldn’t see Bucky; the guy was on the rooftops somewhere, but he seemed to have an ability to blend in just about anywhere. Off in the distance, the illusions Loki had set continued to flare and crackle like fireworks. They needed to get out of here, before Thanos’s troops caught them.

“Romanoff?” Bucky asked. “What are your orders?”

Silence.

“Romanoff?”

Another, nerve-wracking silence, then a cough, then Romanoff’s voice. “Yeah, I�� sorry. My com got—” She broke off.

“What the hell is going on?” Rocket demanded. “We need to get out of here!”

“Much as I hate to agree with the—”

“Shut up, Loki,” Bucky snapped. “I’ve got Romanoff. Meet me by that— is that a burger place? Whatever. The place with the sign.”

Rocket hurried to the storefront indicated, ears swiveling to catch any hint of attackers. Nothing moved; for the moment, their little section of the city seemed to be deserted. Loki met him at the door, pointedly looking over his head, like it was beneath him to acknowledge a rodent . Rocket gave a little hiss. Same to you, asshole.

“Hurry up, Bucky,” he snapped into his com. “We don’t got all day.”

Bucky didn’t answer. Instead, he rounded the corner, carrying—oh. He was carrying Romanoff, and the way her head was lolling against his chest did not bode well.

“What happened to her?” Rocket demanded, hurrying forward.

“Knife wound, maybe broken ribs, not sure what else,” said Bucky. “She was under a pile of dead aliens when I found her. Loki, I’m gonna need that coat.”

“I—” Bucky gave him a dark look. “Coat. Now.”

Loki huffed, but stripped off his coat and handed it over.

“You two keep a lookout. I’m gonna bandage her up.” Bucky laid Romanoff on one of the tables inside, cushioning her head on his own jacket, then began cutting Loki’s coat into strips. The knife was still stuck in her thigh, which was probably the reason she hadn’t bled out already—but there was no way they could get her back to the Milano without jostling it. It needed to come out.

At least she’s already unconscious, he thought, and set about making a tourniquet.

Romanoff woke up just as Bucky finished bandaging her.

“Fuck,” she groaned, and then, “Barnes?”

“Hi,” he said, ridiculously awkward for someone who had her blood all over his hands. Then again, maybe that had something to do with his awkwardness. Usually being covered in blood didn’t mean he’d just saved someone. “How are you feeling?”

“Alive,” she said drily. “Which is honestly more than I was expecting, so I’ll take it.” She pushed herself up on her elbows, uttering a slight hiss of pain. “What’s the damage?”

“It missed your femoral artery by about half a centimeter,” he told her. “I put a tourniquet on and packed it with those vibranium bead things of Shuri’s. Other than that—I think you’ve got at least one broken rib, but nothing’s poking through, so I’m gonna assume you’re not about to collapse a lung. Did you hit your head?”

Romanoff shook her head. “Nope, just— moved wrong, fainted.” She looked disgruntled. “I hate it when I do that.”

“It happens to the best of us,” he assured her solemnly.

“Super-soldiers,” she muttered. “Okay, we need to get out of here, back to the pod. Are Rocket and Loki okay?”

“They’re fine. We need to get you to the Milano before you lose any more blood— or before that tourniquet starts causing problems. The pod’s too far away.”

“I see.” She pursed her lips. “I don’t suppose Thanos’s minions left any alien ships lying around here?”

“Hey guys!” Rocket called from outside. “There’s a bunch of hoverbikes out here!”

As it turned out, only one of the hoverbikes was working, but one was all they needed. After a short debate, Loki and Romanoff took the bike back to the Milano, as (a) Loki could create illusions to mask their presence, lessening the risk of them being attacked, (b) Romanoff needed someone bigger than her to support her in case she lost consciousness again, and (c) there was no way Bucky was leaving Loki and Rocket alone together.

As the hoverbike disappeared into the distance, Rocket turned to Bucky. “Well, guess it’s just us again.”

“Yeah.” Bucky wiped his bloody hands on his pants, then slung his rifle over his shoulder. “C’mon, let’s get back to the shuttle.”

___

“Groot!” Rocket launched himself at his friend, wrapping his arms around Groot’s legs as far as they would go. “Buddy! Are you okay? You ain’t hurt?”

“I am Groot.”

“What d’you mean, ‘Of course not’? You coulda been— you coulda been—” Rocket’s words were lost as he wound his arms even more tightly around the tree-like creature’s leg. The teen rolled his eyes, making an annoyed huff, but he made no attempt to pry Rocket off of him, and even grew several vines around the raccoonoid’s torso in what Bucky could only interpret as a tight hug.

Bucky snorted, and tried to cover it with a cough.

Rocket glared at him. “You got a problem, pal?”

“Not me,” said Bucky innocently, but he couldn’t quite keep the smirk off his face. “Just gotta say, for a guy who goes on about other people beingbleeding hearts , you’re kind of a sap.”

Rocket’s reply was drowned out by a shout from down the hall.

“You didn’t tell me he was here!” Steve came barreling into the room like he was about to take down the entire Third Reich, and skidded to a halt in front of Bucky.

“Bucky!” he said breathlessly. “Are you— I mean—can I—”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Just get over here, Stevie.”

Apparently that was all it took, because the next second, he was enveloped in Steve’s arms, with Steve’s face buried in his shoulder. Bucky held on tight, bringing his right hand up to cradle the back of Steve’s head.

“Yeah, okay, darlin’. I got you. You’re okay.”

“I thought I lost you,” Steve mumbled into his shoulder. “When they came back , and Nat was injured, and you weren’t—you weren’t—”

“I know. I’m sorry.” Bucky rubbed his back in what he hoped was a soothing manner. “But I’m okay. I came back, Steve. I came back to you.”

Behind him, Rocket said something in a sarcastic tone that probably meant it was directed at him. He turned his head enough to look over at the raccoonoid.

“What was that?”

Rocket crossed his arms, but his whiskers were twitching in what Bucky was pretty sure was a grin. “I said, it takes one to know one, buster.”

Bucky patted Steve’s hair, noticing that Groot’s— tendrils? Vines? Appendages—were still wrapped firmly around Rocket. Something was expanding in his chest, a great, light pressure like a balloon, filling his lungs and heart and buoying him up. It took a moment to recognize the feeling ashappiness.

“Yeah,” he said, smiling. “Yeah, it does.”

THE END

[pxiao]

It’s my turn Chapter 2

It’s been four months since Zarc was revived and three since he reappeared in Standard. Standing guard against the revived Supreme King Dragon, Yuzu with Serena, Rin and Ruri stand as Ray with the stronger Lancers helping them. This time, It’s Her Turn!

Previous chapters: 1

concept thought up by @skittymon originally.

At 7:00 am, Yusho watched with a smile on his face as his students gathered for breakfast in You Show’s slightly dated cafeteria.  He looked in shock when he saw a girl with long purple hair and pink eyes had arrived for breakfast. Ruri quickly noticed his stare, happily walked up to him and bowed.

“Good Morning Mr. Sakaki. It’s good to see you again.” Ruri happily said.

Yusho got over his shock and quickly replied, “It’s nice to see you again, Ruri I hope you’ve remembered what I taught you in Heartland. If not, I’m be happy to teach it to you again.”

“I remembered. It helped keep me going during those times.” Ruri said as her smile turned slightly sour at the memories.

Yusho noticing her sad smile, quickly asked as he walked alongside her, “So why are did you come for breakfast instead of Yuzu?”

“She had a bad dream and didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. So we’re letting her sleep and I’m in charge of the body right now.” Ruri replied as she was getting some scrambled eggs.

“That’s nice of you” Yusho complimented.

“It’s all that I can do to make up for erasing her memories.” Ruri bitterly replied which caused Rin and Serena to grimace.

Seeing her response, Yusho scratched his head, following her as she gathered some food from the buffet.

“You’re curious about something aren’t you?” Ruri asked as she noticed how silent he was.

“No, no” Yusho denied.

“It’s fine to ask, you were my teacher for a year or so and we’re fellow Lancers. So go ahead.” Ruri said with a small smile as she put her tray of food down on a table.

“You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to…. But how do you and Rin find the strength to fight Zarc?” Yusho asked, causing Ruri to fall silent. “You, Rin and Serena erased Yuzu’s memory so she could fight Zarc? So why did you and Rin decide to keep your memories?” Serena looked on with a slightly bitter expression.

Ruri kept silent for a minute before replying in a small voice, “Because Yuzu, unlike me and Rin, can’t fight Zarc if she has her memories. She’ll never give up the hope that she can save Yuya, Yuto and Yugo. And as much as I hope that she’s right ….. I don’t know how much of my hope is real. Do I truly believe that I can save Yuto or am I just deluding myself because I want him back?” which caused Yusho, Rin and Serena to frown.

Yusho looked in shocked at Ruri and tried to comfort her but only silence came.  

“I can’t let all of reality be destroyed because I refused to acknowledge reality. I just … just can’t” Ruri finished as tears started to trail from her eyes.

“I’m sorry for asking such insensitive question” Yusho sincerely apologized as he frowned.  

“No I was the one who decided to answer.” Ruri stated as she started to frown.  “After crying so much, I’m not really in the mood to eat. I’ll let Rin take over, she always enjoys eating.” Ruri said as she transformed into a girl with green medium length hair and amber eyes.

“Don’t say it like I’m a glutton!” Rin complained, starling Yusho.

Both Rin and Yusho had trouble looking at each other due to the awkward atmosphere earlier. After a few minutes of silence, Rin sat down and took a bit of the food that Ruri had gotten. “This is delicious. Who made it?” Rin said, hoping to lighten up the atmosphere.

Yusho smiled a bit said, “I did”

“Really?” Rin followed up.

“Well, as much as I would like to claim all the credit. My wife did help me.” He continued.

“Well that’s nice” Rin said which caused Yusho to show a sad smile.

Having seen Yusho’s reaction, Rin arched an eyebrow. Yusho sighed and then explained, ”I just feel I’m a burden. Because I couldn’t stop Zarc from reviving, Yoko decided to join the Lancers and we had to uproot our lives to the Fusion Dimension, even then she spends most of her time helping me. If I had just protected Yuya like I should have, we would be continuing our lives instead of forcing all this danger on her.”

Rin then turned away from Yusho and then asked, “Mr. Sakaki, you went missing for three years right?”

Yusho felt a pang of guilt as she brought up his past actions, “That’s right”

“I’m not blaming, you did it to protect innocent people. But when someone that you used to spend every day with is ripped from your life, you ….. You realize how much the small things you used to do with them like eating together, talking about your dreams together or even just dueling together were so precious and that you would give up anything to do it again. I think that Mrs. Sakaki helps you because she’s just happy that you’re with her again.” Rin stated which caused Yusho to go speechless. “So I don’t think you should worry if that you’re a burden to her. I think you should just smile, to show that you really do enjoy your time together. That’s how I feel at the very least.” Rin finished with a small smile which caused Yusho and Ruri to smile while Serena looked at all three of them and felt a bit jealous.

Yusho then patted her head and said, “You’re very wise despite being so young.”

“Well someone had to be or otherwise Yu… some idiot would never survive” Rin replied which caused Serena to feel another pang of jealousy.

“Thank you for the advice” Yusho happily thanked with a big smile, causing Rin to blush a bit.

Hoping to change the topic again, she asked, “Where are the other Lancers?”

“We finished checking the files that Zarc looked over. Most of them were about himself and Ray. But a good number were about prisons for major criminals in this dimension.”

“prisons? What would he want with prisons?” Rin asked.

“We have no clue. But he seemed to focus on two prisons in particular that held high class criminals. Yoko and Mr. Tokumatsu went to one of them while Sora and Asuka went to the other one.” Yusho added.

“And we’re still in You Show for ….?” Rin asked.

“We’re not sure which one he might attack. So it was better thought that you and I wait at You Show and then travel to the prison being attacked instead risking the both of us being stuck at the wrong one.”

“Should you have let us sleep in then?” Rin asked.

“We have no idea when or even if Zarc will attack today. We’re already pushing this harsh duty on your four, I think we should let you rest and eat your full.” Yusho said with a smile that made Rin, Ruri and Serena smile too.

Sora and Asuka stood as they grimaced at the prison in front of them. Asuka looked at the square, gray prison and felt her energy being drained. She remembered that the building in front of them was originally used for people that rejected the war effort, leaders that thought the Academia was insane, teachers that refused to let their students become soldiers and parents that refused to send their students to the Academia were all locked up. Ironically after Zarc torn them apart, the Academia staff were now being held in the very same prison. Asuka wondered how an entire dimension had effectively lost their collective minds, listening to a mad man. She started clenching her teeth as she bitterly thought she had no right to mock others when she had also believed in the Professor’s insane ramblings.

“So this is where all the Academia is being kept?” Sora asked, shaking Asuka’s from her thoughts.

“Huh? Oh no. Just the staff. The most of the students are being kept in a psychological treatment physicality. But some of the more deranged students are kept here.” Asuka answered.

“So this is where I would have been if Yuya and Yuzu didn’t show me the truth. And how do I repay them? Watch on the sidelines as they try to kill each other” Sora bitterly added as he clenched his teeth and hands.

Asuka frowned as she tried to cheer her friend, “It’s possible that we can still save Yuya. I mean Reiji is trying to revive Ray and her En cards. He even decided to focus on it instead of his other projects when he realized that Yuzu still remembers Yuya.”

Before Sora could say anything. A purple beam of light exploded from the center of the prison shocking Sora and Asuka. They climbed the fence with three jumps as they called Yusho and Yoko. They then jumped to the top of the prison and raced to the hole in the prison’s ceiling. As they reached the center, they saw bright little squares in front of them. Their stomachs dropped as they realized that someone had already transported away, causing them to up their speeds. When they were five meters away from the hole, a boy wearing a cape and long jacket jumped onto the ceiling causing both Sora and Asuka to start their duel disks.

“ZARC!” Sora roared as he drew five cards as Asuka did the same. Zarc turned to face them and smiled.

Sora then yelled, “I activate Polymerization and fuse Fluffal Bear and Edge Imp Scissors to fusion summon Frightful Scissor Bear”

Asuka then continued, “I activate Machine Angel Ritual. I tribute two Cyber Tutubons in my hand to Ritual Summon Level 10 Cyber Angel Vrash!

Zarc just smiled as he drew five cards and then yelled as dramatically as possible, “And I ACTIVATE THE STRONGEST CARD IN MY DECK!!!!!!!!”

Sora and Asuka braced themselves for Zarc to summon some horrible abomination.

“violet flash” Zarc finished as blandly and calm as possible while looking a bit bored, causing Sora and Asuka to nearly trip in shock to Zarc’s enjoyment.

“Magician’s Right Hand’s effect activates! When I control a Spellcaster monster I can negate a spell card’s activation so I negate violet flash!” Yusho yelled as he flew in standing on his ace, Performapal Sky Magician’s rings with Yuzu standing on another ring.  

“Yusho” Zarc said with venom in his voice as his face twisted into a snarl. Yusho grinned in response as Yuzu jumped onto the ceiling next to Sora. “So you decided to join this little get together.” Zarc added.

“Of course. It’s an honor to meet the Supreme King Dragon that desired to destroy reality only to fail twice.” Yusho said as he gave a small bow which only angered Zarc further.

“Ray too. Just great” Zarc added with even more venom.

“Don’t forget about us!” a voice roared behind Zarc. Zarc and the person who followed him turned their head to see a motorcycle holding a blonde woman wearing a white knee length coat and a man wearing a yukata. The motorcycle stopped behind them as Chojiro jumped off.

Zarc looked around and realized that he was completely surrounded. He sighed and then said, “Hey just jump up. It’s better that we don’t get separated.” As Zarc finished someone still in the prison jumped up, causing Rin, Ruri and Serena to look in shock as they saw his face.

“Oh my, look who it is. My cute little test subject.” The balding man said with sneer as he looked straight at Yuzu.

“Test subject?” Yuzu asked with as she started to feel disgusted.

“Doktor!” Sora said with venom in his voice.

“The Doktor?” Asuka and Yusho both asked.

“Good to see that others realize genius when they see it. Yes, I am the greatest mind of the Academia. At your service.” The Doktor said with a voice filled with arrogance.

“What do you want with him, Zarc?” Yoko yelled. She heard at how the Doktor put parasites inside Yuzu’s head and felt herself shiver from disgust and rage at the mere thought of it.

“Well I really messed up.” Zarc calmly said, placing his hand on his forehead as he ignored Yoko’s question.  

“Good!” Sora snarked with an arrogance filed grin.

“I guess this is my fault. I should have expected you guys would have prevented interdimensional transport inside the prison but I mean who would expect the Lancers would be. Would be. What’s the word?” Zarc started to fumble around as the Lancers stared at him. “Oh I remember, competent especially after I tore you all to pieces without really trying.” Zarc said as he clapped his hands with a sadistic smile which caused the Lancers to clench their teeth.

“Times change Zarc. Want to test it then?” Chojiro threatened.

“Sure!” Zarc said with a sadistic smile. Just as the Lancers started to make their move, black smoke expelled from Zarc’s body. Soon the smoke filled the area, blinding the Lancers. After a few minutes of darkness, the smoke started to thin but the Lancers soon wished they had stayed blind as they saw the smoke started to form a ten story black dragon with blue eyes.

“He can still transform into Supreme King Dragon Zarc?” Sora nearly yelled as he saw the huge dragon Zarc transformed into.  

“Yep! Hope you enjoy, flying!” Zarc yelled as he flapped his large wings causing hurricane level winds. The Lancers tried to brace themselves against the winds but soon found themselves flung into the sky.

The six Lancers looked to each other as they saw they were at least a few kilometers in the air. Yusho and Asuka made eye contact and nodded as they still held onto their monsters. They then passed each other as they went to rescue their friends.

“Yoko!” Yusho yelled as he and Sky Magician raced to grab his wife. Yoko quickly regained her senses and grabbed onto one of the rings that her husband’s ace held.

“Grab on!” Asuka yelled she flew on her Cyber Angel Vrash near Sora and Chojiro. They quickly grabbed onto Vrash’s arms and hanged there as Asuka helped them up.

Yuzu prepared her duel disk as she saw that Yusho was flying to rescue her as well, but she realized he would take too long and prepared to draw before she heard Serena talk.

“Yuzu let me take control! My Cat Dancer is easier to summon!” Serena begged. Yuzu nodded her head and her body changed into a blue haired girl with a huge yellow bow in her hair and green eyes. Serena then turned on her duel disk that as she drew five cards and yelled, “I activate Polymerization. I fuse Lunalight Blue Cat and Lunalight Purple Butterfly to Fusion Summon Level 7 Lunalight Cat Dancer!” As Serena yelled, a purple woman wearing a mask with cat-like features appeared and quickly caught her master in a princess carry, slowly floating down to the ground. But soon Cat Dancer twisted her face in pain. “Cat Dancer!” Serena worried as she saw her ace in pain and saw a disgusting but familiar bug on the back of her monster.

“I activate the spell Incubation! This destroys the monster my Parasite Fusioner is attached to and allows me to summon two more Parasite Fusioners from deck, graveyard or hand!” The Doktor yelled with a sadistic look on his face.

“AHHH!” Cat Dancer yelled as she exploded into yellow light, dropping Serena. Serena quickly positioned herself to land without injury. Once she made contact with the ground, she started to roll forward, causing her to face the Doktor once she stood up without any injury.  

“My, my. That was a beautiful landing, almost cat-like.” The Doktor mocked, causing Serena to clench her teeth.

Above Serena and the Doctor, Zarc prepared a beam of energy from his mouth and fired on the buildings below him, only for a pink bear with a scissor in the center of its body to block the blast at the price of being destroyed.

“We’re not letting you kill anymore!” Chojiro yelled.

“Why to save lives? Or because you don’t want Egao Fetish junior to be a murderer?” Zarc mocked.

“Both!” Asuke roared.

“I activate Fusion Recovery and bring back Edge Imp Scissors and Polymerization. Then I activate Toy Vendor. I discard Edge Imp Frightfuloid to activate its effect. I draw a card and if the card is a Fluffal monster, I can special summon it, otherwise I have to discord it. I draw and it’s Fluffal Sheep. I then fuse Sheep with Scissors to summon Frightful Chain Sheep! Then I activate Frightful Fusion that removes Sheep, Bear and Frigthfuloid to Fusion Summon Frightful Mad Chimera! (Attack: 2800, Defense: 2000)” Sora commanded.

“Wow that was a mouthful” Zarc snarked.

“Shut it!” Sora yelled as he jumped onto one of the heads of his monster.

“My turn! I activate Ultimate Koi Koi. I discard my hard and then draw five times. For each card Flower Cardian I draw, I can special summon and make them level two. Koi Koi Koi Koi Koi! I draw.” Chojiro said before he drew five times. “Good to see that Enjoy Chojiro hasn’t lost his stuff.” He smiled at his luck. “All five of my draws were Flower Cardians and now I tuned them to Synchro Summon Level 10! Flower Cardian LightFlare  (Attack: 5000, Defense: 0)” Chojiro yelled as he summoned his strongest monster and jumped from Vrains to LightFlare’s shoulder.

“Not to be left behind, I activate Roar of the Nightlife. I can now summon any Road Raven from my hand without any tributes. I now summon Road Raven Red Queen(Attack: 2000 Defense: 2000)” Yoko yelled as her ace entered the world.

“I will give you Lancers’ praise. You’re the only IDIOTS that consistently keep racing towards your deaths.” Zarc mocked.

“We won’t give up! Not till we get Yuya, Yuto and Yugo back!” Yusho countered.

“What nothing for Yuri? Oh well, then try to catch me then!” Zarc yelled as he started to fly away.

“Get back here!” Asuka roared as the five Lancers chased him.

“Hopefully the Doktor uses this time to escape and not act like an idiot.” Zarc thought as he led the Lancers away.

 The Doktor looked in glee as the Lancers flew out of sight. “Hahahhaha. This is perfect! Zarc understands my genius and gave me time to recollect my test subject!” The Doktor giggled, causing Serena to grow goosebumps.

“Oh. Then TRY IT!” Serena dared as she got her duel disk ready.

Yuzu looked in shock as she saw how angry Serena was. She then noticed that Ruri was also uncharacteristically angry while Rin looked on in cold fury. She started to shiver as she realized what she had to do.

“Serena, switch with me!” Yuzu commanded as she continued to shiver.

“No! After what he did to us. I don’t want you to face this monster” Serena refused.

“And facing him when you’re this angry is the better idea?” Yuzu countered.  

“She has a point.” Rin conceded through gritted teeth.

“But, BUT!” Serena nearly roared.

“We can’t let you face this pervert” Ruri also refused as her face showed disgust.  

“Are you three sure, you can duel calmly?” Yuzu argued which shut up Ruri and Serena. “I’m touched that you want to protect me but if we lose to this freak because you couldn’t think straight, how safe will any of us be? We still need to catch up to Zarc!”

“Tch. Fine.” Serena gave up and transformed into a pink haired girl with blue eyes which shocked the Doktor.

“So you can change into different people just like Zarc!” The Doktor nearly exploded into joy which disgusted Serena, Ruri, Rin and Yuzu. “Wait hahhahhha. You changed into the only girl that I didn’t get to use. What does that mean you can change into the purple and green haired girls too!!” the Doktor mused with a disgusting smile.

“Use?” Yuzu thought as nausea flooded her senses.

“Oh come on talk. I mean this is the last chance you get to freely control your body again” the Doktor replied with a smile on his face which made Yuzu want to punch him.

“Are you going to keep talking or are we going to duel?” Yuzu threatened as started shaking. She wasn’t sure if it was fear, rage, disgust or a horrid mix of all three.

“True, stalling would mean those Lancers will come back.” The Doktor stated as he also readied his duel disk.

“Crossover!” Yuzu’s duel disk yelled as platforms formed.

“Duel!” Yuzu and Doktor roared as the Action Cards fell.

“Well I already have cards on my field, so I set one card and end my turn.” The Doktor said.

“It’s my turn then! Draw!” Yuzu yelled as she drew. Yuzu checked the field and saw that the Doktor had three of those parasites on his field. As she saw those horrible monsters, she could feel something disgustingly familiar about those bugs. She forced those feelings down, refusing to let the first memories she regained be of those bugs. She resolved that since she didn’t really know how his deck worked, she would create an iron defense first.

“I activate 1st Movement Solo! This allows me to special summon a level 4 or lower Melodious monster from my hand or deck if I control no monsters. I special summon Aria the Melodious Diva in defense mode (Attack: 1600 Defense: 1200) from my deck. I then special summon Canon the Melodious Diva (Attack: 1400 Defense: 2000) as I control a Melodious monster. I then activate Transmodify and send Canon to the graveyard to special summon Elegy the Melodious Diva in attack mode (Attack: 2000 Defense: 1200).” Yuzu yelled.

“So all that effort to summon two monsters whose attack are at best 2000” The Doktor mocked.

“Keep mocking, but due to Aria’s special effect, if she was special summoned none of my Melodious monsters can be targeted by card effects or destroyed by battle! And with Elegy’s special effect none of my Melodius monsters can be destroyed by card effects. And with an added bonus all my Fairy type monsters gain 300 attack because she was special summoned. Elegy(attack 2300) Aria(attack 1900) And I end my turn.” Yuzu said with a smile.

“hahahahaha. It’s cute that you think you stop me!” The Doktor mocked as he drew his card causing Yuzu feel her heart race from rage. “hahaha. I activate my trap! Parasite infestation!” As the Doktor yelled the parasites started to jump onto Yuzu’s monsters.

“What? But Aria’s special effect makes sure that my monsters can’t be targeted by special effects!” Yuzu asked.

“Parasite Infestation’s effect states that as long as I control at least the same number of parasites on my side of the field, I negate all your monsters effects and take control of them with the equal number of parasites as equip cards!” Doktor yelled

“Don’t panic!” Ruri yelled.

“Grab an action card!” Rin aided.

At Rin’s words, Yuzu started to jump on the platforms in front of her.

“I activate Polymerization and fuse the parasite attached Aria, Elegy and my last remaining Parasite Fusioner to Fusion summon Parasite Empress! (Attack: 3000 Defense: 0). I activate her special effect, when special summoned, I revive all Parasite Fusioners in my graveyard and attach them to her and her attack raises by 300 for each parasite attached. I revived all three so her attack is 3900. Direct attack.” He laughed as purple bile from the bug’s mouth shot as a highly pressured stream aimed for Yuzu’s back

“Behind you!” Serena warned as Yuzu jumped to the top platform and grabbed the card hanging at the edge.  

“I activate Evasion! The attack is negated!” Yuzu yelled as she felt nostalgic. That feeling quickly went away when she saw the Doktor smile.

“I can negate activate spells or traps when Parasite Empress attacks!” The Doktor smiled as Yuzu’s duel disk showed a red X on her action card.

Yuzu put her arms in front of her body and closed her eyes to protect herself.

“Yuzu!” Serena, Ruri and Rin yelled as the bile hit Yuzu.

Yuzu felt the bile push her at least a few feet back as she slid across the concrete ceiling. Serena, Ruri and Rin floated over Yuzu as they called her name in worry as she laid flat on the ceiling. Yuzu opened her eyes and saw her three counterparts but couldn’t hear them. She tried to get up but could feel her strength leaving her as she struggled. She could feel her vision start to fade as the concrete grey floor morphed into a white crystal floor instead. She wondered if she had a concussion from the attack and was having a visual hallucination, but soon even the hallucination started to fade to black. As she was surrounded by darkness she heard something.

“Yuzu!” a desperate voice called, shocking her. As Yuzu regained her senses, the voice continued to call her name over and over and each time she heard the worried but kind voice, she could feel more of her strength coming back. After a few moments, she started to get up to see the environment around her was a white gem filled area. She realized that she was still hallucinating but at the same time everything felt so familiar. She turned her head to see the owner of the voice that awoke her, the voice that made her feel happy, safe and for some reason sad. Her eyes widened as she saw a blinding light covered the boy’s face. But for some reason a name started to come to her, a name of someone precious to her.

”Yu—“ She started before she heard something.

“Yuzu!” Serena, Ruri and Rin screamed which caused Yuzu to open her eyes as she realized she was lying on the dark grey ceiling of the prison in the Fusion Dimension. She picked herself off the ground as she felt stronger for some reason. She knew that it was likely the voice she heard was just an auditory hallucination but even still she could feel the voice still giving her strength, causing her to smile.

“Yuzu are you ok?” Serena worriedly asked.

“I’m fine, Serena” Yuzu said in a soft voice as she assured her friend.

“If you don’t think you can’t keep on dueling, one of us can take over” Ruri suggested.

“It’s ok. I have to finish what I started.” Yuzu rejected her offer, feeling oddly more confident.

“Don’t push yourself” Rin advised.

“Thanks everyone.” Yuzu thanked with a warm smile.

“If you had just lost consciousness, I would have won. Stop trying to delay the inevitable.” The Doktor stated.

“Maybe I should have lost consciousness then I wouldn’t have to listen to this cliché line. If you’re such a genius, think up something original to say” Yuzu attacked.

“Big words for the girl with only 100 life points left when I still have 4000. I set one card and end my turn.” The Doktor gloated.

Yuzu grimaced as she noticed that her arms and legs were red, but luckily they weren’t bleeding. She realized that she couldn’t go looking for action cards but with Parasite Empress’ effect they weren’t very useful anyway.

“It’s my turn draw!” Yuzu yelled as she did a small motion to draw her card, she smiled when she had drew the card that she needed. “I activate Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen from my hand. Valhalla’s effect activates, if I don’t have a monster on my field, I can special summon a Fairy-Type monster from my hand. I special summon Symphony the Melodious Diva(level 4 Attack: 1500 Defense: 1400). And I activate her effect, when she has been special summoned, I can special summon another Symphony from my deck but I can only use this effect once per turn! I special summon her in defense!” Yuzu said as she looked to Ruri. “Ready?” She smirked.

“Let’s show this monster what Ray is made of!” Ruri responded which Yuzu smiled in response to.

“I overlay my two level four Symphonies” Yuzu said as she pushed forward with her left arm causing her signature bracelet with two pink gems on the opposite side to flail around.

“Plentiful birds sing your melodies to defy winter’s cold grasp!” Ruri yelled.

“Let your voices combine into a song that can never be silenced!” Yuzu continued.

“Xyz Summon Rank 4, Bloom Passeri the Melodious Choir! (Attack: 2000 Defense: 1000)” Yuzu and Ruri said in unison as another bracelet with feather styled metal surrounded a yellow gem formed on Yuzu’s left arm.

As Yuzu and Ruri yelled, a yellow colored woman came out from the overlay network with white bird wings that extruded from her back as two golden orbs circled around her causing the Doktor to look in shock.

“You summoned a Xyz monster?!!!” The Doktor nearly yelled.

“Did you think I couldn’t?” Yuzu taunted.

“Yes. Unless, you did fuse with your Xyz Counterpart!!!!” The Doktor yelled in excitement. “Just think of the possibilities!!!”

Yuzu looked in disgust and felt rage starting to build in her heart.

“I activate Bloom Passeri’s effect. By sending an overlay unit to the graveyard, I can negate the effect of one my opponent’s monsters and turn its attack to zero till the end of the turn. I choose Parasite Empress. Vibration Disruption!” Yuzu yelled as her monster’s song covered the monstrous bug.

“My Empress!” The Doktor yelled.

“Blood Passeri attack and destroy that eyesore! Melody Destruction!” Yuzu and Ruri yelled.

“Not so fast! I activate my continuous trap card. Parasite guard! By sending one of my Parasite Fusioners to the graveyard, I can negate the destruction of one of my monsters this turn. I choose the Empress! Too BAD! You three will always be in the palm of my genius!’ The Doktor mocked.

“You still take 2000 points of damage” Yuzu countered with a smile.

As one of the parasites on the Empress’ body disappeared into light, the razor sharp winds hit Empress, knocking the Doktor off his feet as his life points dropped to 2000.

“I then set a card face down and end our turn. At this point your Empress regains her attack and effect.” Yuzu responded.

The Doktor struggled to pick himself up and then yelled, “My turn!” as he drew his card and his face again twisted into a smile. “I activate Mystical Space Typhoon and destroy your face down. And then Empress destroy her monster and the rest of her life points” he yelled.

Yuzu covered her face as the wind from his card destroyed her face down card. As Empress fired bile at Bloom Passeri, the monster’s wings covered her body and then suddenly the wing opened up, repelling the bile back on Empress’ face causing the Doktor’s smile to crumble as Yuzu’s showed a big smile on hers.

“When the card you destroyed, Grave Defense, is sent to the graveyard when on field, I can remove from play that card and one of my monsters in my graveyard and then choose one monster you control. The targeted monster loses Attack Points of the monster removed. I removed Elegy who had 2000 attack. So Empress’ attack drops from 3600 to 1600!” Yuzu explained as the Doktor’s face started to panic.

He clenched his teeth and yelled, “Parasite Guard’s effect activates again! I send another parasite to the graveyard and protect my Empress” As he said this, another parasite disappeared into light, dropping Empress’s attack from 1600 to 1300. He strained as Bloom Passeri’s counterattack dropped his life points to 1300. He then yelled with annoyance in his voice, “Empress’ effect. When a Parasite Fusioner is sent to the graveyard, I can choose one monster on the field and destroy it. I choose that annoying Bloom Passeri.”

After saying that Empress jumped back to life and fired more bile at Bloom Passeri. Once the bile hit Passeri, it exploded then dissolved into light.

“Bloom Passeri” Yuzu yelled as she braced from the explosion while the yellow gem bracelet disappeared as she felt her jaw clench.

“I then set one card face down and end my turn.” The Doktor yelled, obviously annoyed.

“It’s our turn!” Yuzu yelled as she drew and then smiled when she saw the card she drew. “I activate Valhall’s effect again as I don’t have any monsters on my field. I summon the tuner monster, Requiem the Melodious Diva(Level 3, Attack: 1000 Defense: 400). Because I special summoned her, I activate her effect. I can special summon a level four or lower Melodious monster from my graveyard. I choose the level four Symphony the Melodious Diva. And because I special summoned her, I can special summon another Symphony in from my deck in defense mode.” Yuzu said as she looked to Rin.

“What are you waiting for? A round of applause?” Rin joked as Yuzu felt her jaw start to relax.

“I tune my level four Symphony with my level three Requiem!” Yuzu yelled as she raised her left arm in the sky.

“Mighty winds circle the world as the sky’s cries become a song!” Rin cried.

“The world chills for those that dare harm it as the song roars!” Yuzu continued.

“Synchro Summon Level 7 Bloom Boreas the Melodious Choir(Attack: 2500 Defense: 1900)” Yuzu and Rin roared together as a bracelet with a green gem that had wind decoration surround the gem appear on Yuzu’s left arm.

As Yuzu and Rin yelled a green color woman appeared with metallic legs and arms.

“Synchro too. So you did fuse with all your counterparts like he did.” The Doktor calmly said.

“He?” Yuzu wondered as her counterparts looked uncomfortable.

Yuzu then refocused on her duel and focused the face down card on the Doktor’s field. Due to his Parasite Guard trap, Empress would survive one more turn and even if she got rid of the last of the parasites, it would just destroy her Bloom Boreas. While she would enjoy not having to see anymore parasites. That face down card was too dangerous to ignore especially with her low life points

Yuzu clench her teeth and said, “I set one card face down and end our turn.” Which caused Ruri and Rin to nod their heads in agreement.  

The Doktor started to smile again which caused all of Ray to frown. “Look likes no matter how big you talk, you still fear my genius!!!” The Doktor again taunted as he drew causing Yuzu to nearly explode in rage. “Empress attack Bloom Boreas!”

As the Doktor yelled Empress fired a stream of bile as it neared Bloom Boreas Yuzu and Rin yelled, “Bloom Boreas’s effect activates once during either player’s battle phrase, I can remove a monster from my graveyard and add its attack to one of my monster attack. I remove one of my Symphony’s and add her attack to Bloom Boreas raising her 2500 attack to 4000.”      

The Doktor only smiled in response, “Reveal face down card! Spirit Barrier! Now as long as I have a monster I take no battle damage. And you know what happens next” After he said this, Bloom Boreas blocked the stream of bile and then raced towards Empress as a sonic boom started to form in front of it. The Empress screamed in pain as Boreas passed through it. “Parasite Guard’s effect, I sent my last parasite to protect my Empress. Empress’s effect now activates, I destroy Bloom Boreas!” He said as his face started twist into insane laughter. “See while you might have tricked me, you can’t outsmart my genius. Accept the honor that I want you four as my test subjects. I set one more card face down.” Doktor laughed as Yuzu’s monster exploded and the bracelet with the green gem disappeared again.

Yuzu could feel her teeth grind together as she not heard the Doktor’s laughter but continued to see that damn parasite. But just as she was about to draw she again heard a voice that shocked her, her own voice.

“Smile, -----“ her voice rang, causing Yuzu to widen her eyes. “You Show Duel School’s a Duel School for cheerfulness and entertainment right? Don’t forget to smile.”

As Yuzu heard her voice, she realized she was recalling one of her memories. “Smile” the same voice that called for her in the gem filled area said. “Guess you’re right. Cheerful and entertaining is my motto after all.” The voiced said in a calm and soft voice that soothed the rage in her heart.

“Yuzu, you there?” Serena asked bring Yuzu back to the duel as she saw Serena, Ruri and Rin worryingly at her.

“Yeah …. Just I finally regained some of my memories.” Yuzu answered which caused all three to look in shock. “I just realized I was being a bit of a hypocrite earlier but I’m fine now.” She said with a smile which only confused the three of them as she placed her right pointer and middle fingers on top of her deck. “Because the fun is just getting started!” Yuzu smiled, shocking her counterparts even more.

“I activate Choir Switch out! I discard a Melodious monster in my hand and I can special summon another Melodious monster in my deck as long as the level is lower than the monster I discard. I discard Bloom Mozarta the Melodious Maesrta a level 8 monster to special summon the level 4 Soprano the Melodious Songstress. I activate her special effect, I can fusion summon with using any monsters that I control. I fuse Soprano and my remaining Symphony.” Yuzu said as she looked to Serena.

Serena shook off her shock and said, ”Lets get rid of that eyesore shall we?” to which Yuzu happily nodded her head.

“Beasts hiding in the moon’s light, roar as you claim your domain!” Serena started.

“Let these roars mix to create music which strikes fear in the hearts of evil!” Yuzu continued.

“Fusion summon Level 9 Bloom Liger the Melodious Choir (Attack: 3000 Defense: 2600)” Yuzu and Serena yelled together. Yuzu then intertwined her fingers as her hands clapped together as a bracelet with a huge blue gem appeared on her left arm.

As Yuzu and Serena ordered, a red colored woman appeared with fangs as she held two short swords as she wore armor.

“Bloom Liger’s special effect! When she’s fusion summoned, I choose one card from my deck and add it to my hand. Now Bloom Liger’s second effect activates, she gains attack points for each monster card in my graveyard times 100. There are 6, so Bloom Liger’s attack rises to 3600 attack.” Yuzu yelled as she readied her attack.

“Go Bloom Liger destroy that bug with Resounding Roar!” as Yuzu and Serena commanded their monster, Bloom Liger gave a mighty roar that hit Parasite Empress finally destroying the monster. “Now Liger’s final effect activates! After I’ve destroyed one of your monsters in battle, I can destroy all your spell and trap cards!” Yuzu commanded as her monster glowed a bright green.

“I activate my face down card. Spell protection. I can choose one card and it can’t be destroyed by card effects this turn. I choose Spirit Barrier!” The Doktor yelled as a protective bubble appeared around Spirit Barrier.

“And now I’ll show my genius!” The Doktor yelled. “I activate Parasite Guard’s second effect. By removing this card from my graveyard. I can special summon a Fusion Monster that lists Parasite Fusioner as fusion material and then destroy one of your monsters!” The Doktor yelled as Bloom Liger exploded pushing Yuzu off her feet as the bracelet with a blue gem disappeared. “Also due to Parasite Empress’ effect I attach my three Parasite Fusioners in the graveyard to her again. Her attack rises to 3900 once more. After all that using all three summoning methods, in the end we’re back to where we started again!!! And it’s all my turn next” The Doktor giggled.

“I end our turn then.” Yuzu said with a smile as she got up which caused the Doktor to giggle more.

“You finally realize the honor of being my test subject!!!!” The Doktor yelled as he drew his card. “Empress end this duel, it’s time to continue my work!”

As Yuzu heard his order she started jumping for action cards, shocking the Doktor. As the Doktor looked in shock, she continued to jump around the platforms the field magic created as her limbs started t ached from Parasite Empress earlier direct attack. She felt like her joints were breaking as red hot pain seared her senses. She ignored it and kept moving towards her target. As she continued to search, the image of a boy whose face she couldn’t remember appeared in her mind. While she couldn’t remember the details, she could remember how he continually faced pain and torment but kept a smile on his face. She could see how every day hurt him but he never gave up. As the silhouette of that boy was burned in her mind she only thought, “he suffered for years but kept going. He was beaten, mocked and even tortured so I can’t give up because of a little pain. I can’t give up, not now or ever.” As the image of that boy continued to give her strength, she finally found an action card and saw it was the exact one she was looking for. She then slide the card in her duel disk and yelled, “Evasion! I negate the attack!”

“Idiot, did you forget? I can negate spells or traps when Empress attacks. I negate your action card!” The Doktor screamed as his face twisted into a sadistic smile as he hoped to see the despair on her face. To his shock, Yuzu’s face instead showed a smile filed with hope.

“I activate Score the Melodious Diva’s special effect by discard her, I can banish two spell cards with the same name and that becomes her effect. So I banish my two Evasions and I negate your attack!” Yuzu countered which shocked the Doktor.

Yuzu then landed and saw her counterparts smiling at her and the Doktor running his hands through his thinning hair.

“Why, WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY!!!” Why won’t you give up?!” The Doktor yelled.

Yuzu smiled as she let Ruri take control. “I don’t expect you to understand but we’re face much worse odds than to let the likes of a fool who can’t spend more than five minutes without stroking his ego break our will.” Ruri angrily replied before letting Rin take control.

“In the end, your greatest achievement is adding to Real Solid Vision that the Professor perfected. And your genius is using our skills and strength to beat our friends and family. In this duel, Yuzu was always ahead of you despite the difference of 3900 life points at the start.” Rin added before she let Serena take control.

“No matter what you do, no matter what you say, we can’t lose to a middle aged coward who uses teenage girls do his dirty work. You say you’re a genius but you’re just a sad old man with a bug obsession.” Serena finished before returning control to Yuzu.

“Shut UP. SHUT UP. You will realize my genius. EVERYONE WILL.” The Doktor yelled.

“End your turn! You have no cards to play. It’s time to end this.” Yuzu commanded.

“It doesn’t matter, you can’t win. You only have one card in your hand and one facedown card. I’ll win my next turn, I end my turn.” The Doktor arrogantly said.

Yuzu smiled and said, “Don’t underestimate us”

“It’s our turn!” Yuzu, Serena, Ruri and Rin yelled together as Yuzu drew.

“I activate the spell card, Melodious Calling. I can choose two Melodious Pendulum monsters from my deck and add them to my hand as long as they have different names. I choose my Do the Melodious Diva and Ti the Melodious Diva. And I set my Scale one Do and my scale 10 Ti in my Pendulum scales.”

“Even so how can you beat my 3900 Attack Parasite Empress?” The Doktor laughed.

“With this. I activate my facedown card Pendulum rebirth! By halving my life points I can Pendulum summon Pendulum Monsters in my graveyard as long as its level is in between my scales. I revive Bloom Mozarta the Melodious Maesrta (Level 8 Attack 2800 Defense: 2200).” Yuzu commanded as her life points dropped to 50 as the pink gems on her bracelet sparkled.

“Bloom Mozarta’s special effect activates, when she’s been special summoned I can special summon a level 6 or lower Melodious monster from my graveyard. I special summon Aria (Attack: 1600 Defense: 1200).”

“What can those two weaklings do compared to my Masterpiece?” The Doktor yelled.

Yuzu only smiled in response which caused the Doktor to worry despite his arrogance. “I activate Bloom Passeri’s second effect. I removed this card in my graveyard from play and then I can choose one Melodious monster in my graveyard and give it’s effect to one monster on my field till the end of the turn. I choose Bloom Boreas and give it to my Bloom Mozarta and activate Mozarta’s new effect, I remove Canon and add her 1400 attack to my Mozarta’s 2800 attack to a full 4200 attack.” Yuzu calmly stated which caused the Doktor to sweat.

“IMPOSSIBLE. HOW COULD YOU. HOW WAS IT. WHO ARE YOU!!!!” The Doktor yelled with every fiber of his being as he realized that Aria had enough attack points to end the duel.

“We’re Ray.” Yuzu answered.

“Battle, Mozarta destroy Empress once and for all. Final Encore!!!!” Yuzu ordered as Mozarta took in a huge breathe and sang but no sound came out. But to the Doktor’s horror, he saw his Empress start to crumble causing him to whimper.

“Finally Aria take out the rest of his life points!” All of Ray ordered. Aria then gave a huge scream as an invisible stream of air hit the old man, knocking him out as his life points dropped to 0.

“Yes!” All of Ray cheered before Yuzu let her exhaustion and pain take over and let gravity work its magic as she sat on the ground.

“You did it, Yuzu” Serena congratulated with a big smile on her face.

Yuzu shaked her head and stated, “We did it. I only won because the four of us combined our powers. I got my pendulum cards with Bloom Liger’s effect. And then I used Bloom Passeri’s effect to use Bloom Boreas’ effect to finally destroy that bug. It was because of all of our power that we won.”

Serena, Ruri and Rin smiled in response before Rin asked, “Hey Yuzu about that phrase you said?”

“Phrase?” Yuzu wondered.

“The fun is just getting started. Where did you hear that?” Ruri asked worried.

Yuzu just smiled and said, “I have no idea. I just feel like someone I knew said it a lot.”

“Yuzu how much of your memories did you regain?” Serena asked trying to not let her worries show.

“Not much sadly. Just some scattered memories of You Show.” Yuzu said which caused the three of them to relax a bit. “But I do remember this boy though.” Yuzu added which scared the three of them. “I can’t remember his face or even his name. But just thinking of him, I just feel safe and happy” Yuzu said as she touched her chest which caused the three of them to look miserable. “I think he was a You Show student in Standard but the only students excluding myself are Tatsuya, Ayu, Futoshi and Sora and in my memory I saw all of them at his side as he dueled someone. But in the two months after You Show was destroyed, I didn’t see him at all.” Yuzu pondered.

The three of them started to panic but before any of them could say anything they could hear a cheerful voice yell, “Yuzu!!!” All four turned and saw four huge monsters in the sky as the Lancers came flying back. After the Lancers reached where Yuzu was sitting, Yoko jumped off Sky Magician and gave Yuzu a bit hug which Yuzu gave a small smile in response too.

“Yuzu are you ok? We didn’t realize we left you with that. Till after Zarc disappeared.” Yoko said as she pointed to the knocked out Doktor.

“Disappeared?” Yuzu asked while still being hugged by Yoko.

“Yeah after fighting with us for half an hour, he transformed back into his human self. As we looked in confusion, he escaped.” Asuka said as she punched her open hand.

“Instead of Phantom King, we should rename coward king for all the times he’s been running away. I’m sure Sawatari and Crow would enjoy that.” Sora said as he licked one of his trademark lollipops.

“I would ask how did you do but I think that tells us everything we need to know.” Yusho smiled as he looked to the Doktor’s knocked out form.

“Good job, Missy! As I expected from the girl that beat me.” Chojiro said as pride filled his voice.

“So all Zarc did try to take that out?” Yuzu said once Yoko finally stopped hugging her.

“No. When me and Sora arrived someone already had escaped.” Asuka corrected.

“What?” Serena asked.

“Do we know who it was?” Yusho asked.

“We can always find out.” Asuka answered.

“So that means Zarc did free someone from the Academia.” Chojiro said as the Lancers started to grimace in response to his words.

Yuzu decided to ask the question in her mind hoping to change the mood.      

“Ah Mrs. Sakaki, Sora can I ask a question?”

“No problem.” Sora instantly asked

“You really don’t have to ask.” Yoko happily answered.

“In the You Show in Standard, the original. What happened to a student that liked to say ‘The Fun is just getting started.’?” Yuzu asked.

Once Yuzu asked the question, everything went silent as Yusho, Yoko, Chojiro and Sora started to frown while Asuka looked away.

“What?” Yuzu asked seeing how her question depressed them.

“He  ….. he was a student that really enjoyed the Entertainment philosophy of You Show” Sora quietly said.

“So what happened to him then?” Yuzu asked as she could feel their anguish.

“He … he” Yoko started.

“he quit.” Sora forced himself to say.

“Quit? But I remember that he would never give up” Yuzu thought. But as Yuzu looked at everyone’s faces, she realized that something was wrong. If that boy was just a student, why would Mr. Tokumatsu, who had never been to You Show, look in anguish. Yuzu realized that her questions were causing everyone pain, but for some reason she couldn’t stop. Somewhere deep inside of her heart, she knew that she was close to that boy and that knowledge spurned her to keep asking.

“What was his name?” As Yuzu asked this question, Yusho and Yoko looked at each other in pain

“Yugi. He always liked games so his parents named him that.” Yusho said in a big laugh that sounded like he really wanted to cry.

Realized that they were never going to tell her about that boy, Yuzu decided to drop it for now. But even so she wondered what about the boy was so special that the Lancers would lie to her about it. And why did she dream about his voice last night?

 Zarc again dragged his feet inside his base in agony as everything hurt. “Me damn Lancers. You’d think if someone turned into a freaking dragon, you stay away from him. But no they had to keep on chasing me for half an hour” He whined as he sat down on the softest chair in the base.

“Rough day?” A voice asked.

“Yep. Hey I know that Barrett got away but did the Doktor come here?” Zarc asked.

“Only Barrett.” The voice responded which caused Zarc to facepalm.

“I gave him half an hour and what did that idiot do?! Oh me, he dueled Ray didn’t he?” Zarc pondered.

“But I thought we were going to combine his parasites with my androids to create an invincible army? What are we going to do now that you messed up?!” the Voice yelled.

Zarc turned his head as he glared at the owner of the voice, “I did say that weren’t partners. But at the same time.” Zarc then turned into Yuri, causing the owner of the voice to flinch. “That doesn’t mean you’re my superior or even equal, Roger.”

Roger snarled at being disrespected, “But a major part of the plan included the Doktor’s technology.”

“We just continue on without him.” Zarc calmly said.    

“How?” Roger asked which caused Zarc to smile.

“Well, I think I had enough of only letting the Lancers know of my return. So let show the dimensions that I’m back with a bang!” Zarc said with a smile.

“How?” Roget asked looking puzzled.

“With the murder of Jack Atlas.” Zarc said with a smile.      

[patrineptn]

Four-Leaf Clover 03 - A Chance Encounter

Find previous chapters here.

Thanks Rachel and Belinda for always helping me!

It was already afternoon when Sweeney woke up, Kagome didn't even stir as he got out of the bed. He walked to the window where his gift waited for him. The calico cat still waved as he ate the bread and drank the milk.

The offering was simple but filled him in a way no feast could. It reminded him why Grimnir was so adamant about bringing back the glory of the old Gods. His invisible pockets with a never ending supply of gold somehow felt heavier. A knock on the door startled him. A hotel attendant delivered a pack of clean clothes. He double checked and, yes, it had their clothes inside, freshly cleaned and ironed.

Had he slept so deeply that he didn't feel Kagome waking up and calling for room service? The only one who could answer for it was still deeply asleep, her nose buried in his pillow. He decided there wasn't a valid reason to disturb her rest, it wasn't as if he didn't appreciate the gesture, and left the room to smoke.

Outside there was a raven perched on the roof of the room he occupied. The bird turned, head cocked, suspiciously, to one side, and it stared at him with bright eyes.

"I can't even fuck without a stupid bird hovering over me," said Sweeney as he lit his joint.

"Fuck you," replied the raven.

Half an hour later, he entered the room again and found Kagome half dressed in front of a mirror, checking the red marks he left on her shoulder and neck. He couldn't help the smirk that made its way to his lips.

“You don't have to look so pleased with yourself, you know,” she said, looking at him through the mirror.

“They go perfectly with your skin tone, next time I'll make sure both sides match.” She threw a towel at him, feigning anger, but Sweeney didn't miss the faint color on her cheeks.

He wouldn't admit to anyone but himself that it was the closest thing to a relationship he ever had, at least since he was cursed into what he was. This just confirmed his theory that Kagome was deranged because no sane person would want to have anything to do with him, except for one-night stands. He wouldn't think too much about it, though. He lived on his luck, no matter how short it was at that moment, and fate would decide his destiny.

“Where now?” Kagome asked when they entered the car.

Sweeney had thought about it since he woke up and concluded, his best chance was going after Shadow Moon again. There were few places a dead person could go and chasing after the one who brought them back seemed the most logical option. He never died before, and wouldn't remember even if he did, but the undead couldn't be that much different from the average living human, always seeking the attention of those who would least want to see them.

“Chicago.”

“Just my luck,” she said between her teeth, then explained. “I'll drop you wherever you want and leave for a couple hours.”

“Have you finally come to your senses and decided to drop off before it's too late?”

“Is that what you want? To be left alone?”

“I'm not your fucking father, do whatever you want.” He wondered what he said to elicit such a bright smile from her but wasn't complaining either. “Where are you going?”

“My sponsor. He's in Chicago for the next month and demanded a meeting. If we were going to anywhere else I could use it as an excuse but, well, let's see what the old dog wants.”

“Sponsor? Is that what girls call sugar daddies these days?”

“Sugar- What?! No! It's really a sponsor! You didn't really think I live off a scholarship, did you? Who would even want to be MY sugar daddy? I'm too old for that.”

“Old? From your face, I'd say you are seventeen, eighteen at most, but I saw you drinking and I know Jack wouldn't sell alcohol to minors so you just turned twenty-one. I'm not a pedophile, love.”

“Twenty-five, twenty-six in fall.”

“In your ass you are twenty-five. No, wait, I've seen it. Not even there.”

“My face isn't showing it but I assure you it's extremely funny and I'm twisting my insides in delight. Let me ha-ha so you have a glimpse of what's going on my mind. Ha ha. What about you, Mad Sweeney?”

He remembered his time in Ireland, back when he was a king under another name, before he was cursed into this existence. His time wandering in the wilds of his homeland, after flying away from his imminent death. Then he was brought to England and finally America. How long ago was that? A couple centuries? More, less? He couldn't remember. “I lost the count.”

Kagome's eyes softened and she sent him an understanding smile. What she understood, he didn't know and didn't ask. She didn't press him for more and he was thankful for that.

The ride had been silent, the only sounds were the engine and Kagome humming a song he didn't recognise. She sent him a glance from time to time when she thought he wasn't looking. The calm atmosphere made his mind wander to places he usually avoided.

He knew Wednesday from a long time ago and that the old one-eyed man liked to take his time to get things done. He was probably enjoying some young, fair skinned flesh with hair so blond it looks white under the sun light, ample breasts would be a plus. No doubt giving little time for Shadow to digest the events of the past week. Now the fucker would have another ghost to haunt him if he wasn't fast enough. Not that Sweeney gave a fuck for Shadow Moon, he just wanted his coin back.

In the outskirts of Chicago, he saw Betty, Wednesday's beloved car, and told Kagome they arrived at their destination. It was almost ten.

“You sure?” She asked after looking at the name of the hotel. He nodded. “Well, hmm, oh yeah, here, take this.” She put a pale purple bauble in the palm of his right hand. “Until you have your lucky charm back, you can keep mine. It's an heirloom, please be careful." Kagome glanced from his eyes to his lips then back to his eyes, gulped, and said,  "And this is to keep you from forgetting about me.”

Catching him by surprise, Kagome grabbed the back of his head and connected their mouths. Her fingers ran through his hair, pulling it only hard enough so he would tilt his head to give her better access.

The surprise factor didn't stun him for long. Taking control over the kiss, Sweeney trapped her against the car. He grabbed a chunk of her hair and pulled it enough to earn a moan. The leprechaun slid his tongue into her mouth, the smaller woman surrendering to his desires. His other hand travelled from her waist to her back, going under her shirt and feeling the naked skin heating under his fingers.

They separated after a few minutes, the lack of oxygen in their lungs making it hard to keep up the lip lock. She still had her eyes closed and lips slightly parted, chest going up and down, heaving to recover some breath. She opened her eyes, the orbs a few shades darker and pupils dilated. She fixed her disarranged clothes and got into the car.

“If you leave without me, I'll hunt you down and kick your freckled ass.” Kagome didn't give him time to reply,  hitting the road and disappearing into the horizon in less than a minute. He mentally cursed her for turning him on and leaving right after.

Sweeney heard the slam of a door and saw Shadow Moon leaving a room. The man was visibly consternated, shaking and disoriented. His dark eyes were unfocused, his steps uncertain, and Sweeney knew Shadow must have met his not-so-dead wife. From the list of shit things Shadow could have done with his coin, offering it to the dead was almost on the top of the list, right after offering it to a God. Now both of them would have to deal with the magically reanimated corpse of Laura Moon.

Shadow walked back to the room carrying a pack of cigarettes. A raven watched the scene with him.

“What the fuck are you waiting for? Go tell your boss. I wasn’t beaten only to let a zombie whore to fuck up with everything.” The raven left its position. A few minutes later, shit hit the fan.

As soon as Wednesday got to take Shadow out of his room, a police car approached and cuffed them. The accusation: bank robbery. Their little play in Chicago the day before didn’t go as unnoticed as they planned. The leprechaun waited until the cops left before picking a piece of wood from the ground.

Sweeney easily broke the lock and barged into the room, catching Laura Moon by surprise.

“You are the wife, the dead wife.” Laura looked at him, confused. “Give me my fucking coin, dead bitch.”

He didn’t give her time to react, gripping her throat with his large hand and forcing her mouth open. Down her unconnected esophagus was his precious gold coin, shining like the morning sun. It was so close yet so distant. Less than a foot away, yet he couldn’t just grab it and leave the bitch to rot. His hesitation gave Laura time enough to retaliate. With a single finger, Laura flicked his chest and sent him flying against the opposite wall.

“You mean my fucking coin, Ginger Minge. My husband gave it to me.”

“‘Until death tears us apart.’ Doesn't it remind you of something? It wasn’t his to give! I gave him the wrong one, that coin was meant for Royalty, not that piss-ant bastard, that piece-of-shit that was your husband. That’s my fucking lucky coin and I want it back!”

He tried to punch her but she blocked the jab and sent his left hand to kiss the wall. The cracks he heard would be translated into a lot of pain soon.

“Just give me back my fucking coin. You'll never see me again. I swear to whatever God you believe.”

Laura stared at him with those smug dead eyes and a ghost of a smirk on her lips. “No.”

“Fuck you, cunt.”

Laura gripped the finger that was pointing to her, twisted it until she heard a crack, and threw him on the floor harshly, stepping on his already bruised hand.

“I’m gonna ask you some questions now and if I feel you are not being honest, I’ll kick you in the nuts and my foot won’t stop until it reaches your throat. I’m sure your little girlfriend won’t like that.”

“What do you know? Leave her the hell out of it.”

“See? We already have one thing in common. You want your girl, I want my man. It was quite a peep show out there. I would be turned on if, well, if I could feel anything at all.”

“Don’t bring her to this, dead bitch.”

“That’s so cute, all protective. Now, tell me, how do you know my husband?”

Under the sheer force of the pressure on his hand, he ended up spilling his guts about Wednesday telling him to pick a fight with Shadow.

“Who the hell is this Grimnir? What does he want with my husband?”

“He’s a god. Your man shouldn’t trust him.” Laura just stood looking at him, her face impossible to read. “Listen, just give my fucking coin back, yeah? See, I can give you a thousand others, just as good as the one you have.”

“If they were just as good you wouldn’t be so desperate for my coin. I don’t think any other would do the same as this one. Am I correct to assume you just cannot take it, right? Well, you are fucked. I’m not giving it to you. Ever.”

“Ever is a long time, sugar. I only need to wait. Your lifeless form is already rotting. Soon what you call your body will liquefy and all that will be left are your bones and hair. When your dead tissue cannot hold it together anymore, I’ll just harvest my coin from your leftovers. But, you know, patience was never virtue to me.”

He used his bigger figure to push her back until she fell in the bathtub. Sweeney knew drowning her was impossible but the hot water might help him by accelerating the natural process of decomposition. He held her underwater by the neck, mentally cursing Shadow, Wednesday and Laura in the process.

“Freeze! Hands up!” he heard. His fingers immediately loosened the grip.

“She’s not dead! See, not dead!” When Laura didn’t move and his hands were cuffed, he yelled. “Fuck you, dead wife! Fuck you!”

He didn’t know how much time passed between Kagome’s departure and his arrival at the police station. All he knew was that all the lights of the building were out and several shots were heard. He needed to get out of there as soon as possible. The cops that brought him left him in the car and never came back. He wouldn’t be the one to wait to see.

There was a knock on the window. The smiling face of Kagome looked at him.

“Can’t you go a couple hours without getting in trouble?”

“How did you find me here?”

“I have my ways.” A flash came from the building. Kagome tried to open the door. “It’s locked! Can you break the glass?”

Kagome stepped aside and he kicked the window several times until the frame cracked and fell. Getting out was much harder than getting in without the help of two cops and without using hands. Sweeney slithered a leg out of the window and used the other to support his weight and stand. When he had half of his body out of the car, his foot slipped and his crotch hit the frame.

“Fucking hell!” He sent a hard glare to Kagome, who was biting her lips on a failed attempt to hide her laughter.

“Need help?”

“Fuck no.”

With great difficulty, he clambered out of the car and they hurried to walk away. Neither talked until they were at a safe distance.

“Seems you had quite a lot of fun.”

“Shut up.”

“No luck with your coin, yeah?”

“That’s an understatement,” he scoffed. She seemed honestly disheartened by it, so he added, “I have a plan, but first I need to find the dead cunt again.”