#tear in his wing came from a mantis

[icedghostlatte-art]

Moth Danny for your soul

[mrsshabana]

𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐲

꒦꒷‧₊ Summary You're sent on your first assignment as an entomologist, but things quickly go awry on your first night and you meet a creature that should just be an urban legend. ꒦꒷‧₊ Content Mantis!Gyutaro x female!reader, insects, blood, gore, violence ꒦꒷‧₊ Note 2.8k words

✧:･ﾟ→ Mantis Gyutaro art ✧:･ﾟ→ Chapter 2

Tonight is your first night in the field. After years of studying entomology, you were lucky enough to snag a spot on a prestigious team of entomologists. You moved your entire life here so you could have this golden opportunity. Little did you know, they only accepted you because this forest is known for its disappearances. They can’t risk losing their most valued scientists, so they prefer to send the newbies to places like these. 

Unfortunately for you, your studies require you to gather samples of nocturnal species. Which is why you currently find yourself trekking through the lush forest. With only a small flashlight and a paper map to guide you.

Every minute sound sets off your anxiety. You even get startled by the occasional cool breeze rustling the leaves of the trees that tower above you. The only thing keeping you grounded is the soothing song of crickets.

That is, until it all stops. The entire forest goes quiet as you step into a small clearing. 

“What the hell?” you say to yourself to fill the void. The undeniable feeling of being watched begins to weigh down on you. Flashing your light behind your shoulder, it reveals nothing at all. Only the empty path from where you came. “Weird…” you push yourself forward.

One step… two steps… three…

In the blink of an eye, your entire body is pinned to the ground. Your face digging into the dirt, you’re unable to see what is restricting you.

All you know is that something big is holding you down.

Rows of sharp objects dig into the skin of your back, preventing you from struggling. You try to kick your way out of its grasp but the needle-like protrusions dig deeper into your flesh with every movement.

Your screams echo through the trees, but you know that no matter how hard you scream no one will be close enough to hear you. And whatever is holding you down right now doesn’t seem bothered either.

The beast is quick with its movements. You are so used to working with carnivorous insects that you can already tell that this thing doesn’t plan on keeping you alive for long. 

Everything goes in slow motion when you feel the skin on the back of your neck tearing. You’ve got to act fast or else this is it. 

The creature can barely sink its teeth into you before you are swinging your head backwards. The back of your head smacking the creature straight on its forehead. It unlatches from you, falling backwards with a hiss.

Scrambling to your knees, you turn around to face whatever thought you’d make an easy meal.

It’s a man. No… It’s an insect.

The creature has the body and the face of a man, albeit very thin and bony. He has black hair that fades into green halfway down, partially tied up in a messy topknot. Large folded up wings lay on his back. His forearms are decorated with long, sharp spikes. His entire body is covered in ink-like black splotches. Two long antennae hang in front of his face.

The thing is sitting down, groaning with its head in its palms.

Your thoughts are spiraling. There’s no way that this is actually happening right? The sane person in you wants to run away screaming before this thing gets back up. But the entomologist in you wants to investigate further. You know you’re playing with fire, but your curiosity gets the best of you.

You take a moment to admire his appearance again. Antennae, tibial spines, large wings. This creature resembles a mantis. Ok, what do you know about mantids? They’re aggressive predators, territorial, and they’ll eat almost anything. Shit, none of that information helps you right now. It only diminishes your chances of getting out of this alive.

You took too long, and the creature has recovered from your headbutt. Staring at you with wide eyes, it slowly moves towards you. Inching ever so slowly. 

Reaching into your pocket, you grab the small jar of honey you were going to use as bait later in the night. You know that mantids only eat live prey, but this is all that you have. 

You fumble with the lid, scooting yourself backwards as the creature continues its crawl towards you. With a huff, your back hits a tree, stopping your path. You are met with glowing yellow eyes and deadly mandibles inches from your face.

Somehow, you managed to open the jar. The sweet aroma of artisan honey fills the air around you. In a desperate attempt to distract the creature, you hold the honey out to him.

“H-here. F-for you…” you stutter, voice barely above a whisper.

Guttural clicks rumble from his chest. He exhales in your face, the rich scent of blood fills your nose. Almost making you gag. You must’ve not been the first item on the menu tonight.

With curiosity, the creature sniffs the jar in your hand. He places a hand on your hip to keep you in place, as a long tongue slips out of its mouth. Its tongue is pitch black and forked at the tip. 

You feel like you can’t breathe as this thing starts to lick the honey from the jar. Seemingly satisfied by its sweetness he continues. This creature is quite literally, eating from the palm of your hand. 

It’s great that you managed to distract it, but what do you do now? It’s holding you down so you won’t be able to get away. All you can do is watch as the jar slowly empties, your fate approaching. You thought you were being smart by offering the honey, but all you managed to do is give him an appetizer.

It only takes a few minutes for the jar to be licked clean. His hungry gaze shifted back to you. He licks his mandibles as he inches his face closer to yours, tickling the top of your head with his antennae.

“P-please… I-I don’t wanna die,” you whimper. Lowering your head and squeezing your eyes shut as tears roll down your cheeks.

All you can do is wait for the pain of being ripped apart.

But it never comes. And when you open your eyes, the beast is gone.

︶ ︶꒷ ₊˚ ︶ ︶꒷ ₊˚

It took all your willpower not to brag to your colleagues about the amazing discovery you made. Yeah you almost died, but that was a small detail.

You made it safely back to camp. Everyone else was asleep when you arrived so you had all of the privacy you needed to recompose yourself.

The next afternoon you set out into the forest again. It took you longer to make it there this time because of the wounds that you were left with the previous night. Multiple punctures on your back, and a bite on your neck. You can’t complain though because you know you were lucky to come out alive.

Making it back to the familiar clearing, you unpack your bag. This time you came prepared with plenty of food to distract the mantis. Some grasshoppers you stole from your colleague, as well as some honey. There are so many questions that you want answered. You know that you are insane for wanting to get close to this thing again, but you can’t help yourself. It’s in your nature to be curious about new discoveries!

Leaning against a log, you wait for nightfall. Passing the time by taking notes in your journal. 

Day 1

I met the mantis at night. Unusual behavior for a mantis. But not completely uncommon for males. Most mantis hunt during the day time, but sometimes male mantis will hunt at night. As it is easier for them to avoid birds. However, mantis have to worry about avoiding bats at night. But the mantis man is so large that I doubt he has to worry about any predators at all. Does he choose to hunt at night to avoid humans?

Once surrounded by the darkness of the night, you begin to regret your decision to come out here. The panic that you felt the previous night begins to overcome you again. You flash your light up into the trees. No mantis to be seen. 

The senses of a mantis are very strong. His eyesight is beyond anything a mere human would ever fathom. So if he is close, he must’ve already seen you. As an ambush predator, you know that he’ll be stalking you from afar. The halt of the cricket song alerts you that he’s close. It’s said that crickets stop chirping when a predator is nearby.

“I-I know you’re there! I brought food for you,” your voice shaky, trying to sound confident but instead you just sound pathetic and weak.

No response. Just silence.

Turning on your flashlight, you check your surroundings. And when you turn around you are met with the sight of the mantis. He was sneaking up behind you, never making a sound to alert you. He got alarmingly close, so good thing you turned around when you did. Who knows what would have happened if you were a second later.

This is the first time that you are seeing the mantis at his full height. He towers over you, more than any normal human would. He must be around seven feet tall.

Yellow eyes stare widely at you, as he slowly continues to creep towards you. Continuing to stalk you even after you’ve spotted him. It’s unnerving and creepy.

“H-hello,” you try to break the tension. But your words only set him off. He opens his mouth and starts hissing at you. Unblinking eyes never diverting away from you. Every step you take back, he takes forward. You know what he’s trying to do, he’s trying to intimidate you. You are in his territory after all, so maybe he is interpreting your presence as a challenge. It’s just a speculation, but it’s all you have to go off of. So, you slowly kneel down and grab the container of grasshoppers from your bag. Making sure to never break eye contact.

When he sees the snacks you brought for him, he stops hissing. Cocking his head to the side in curiosity. 

“I brought these for you,” you shake the container, making the insects jump around, “I promise they’re tasty.”

The mantis chirps as he kneels in front of you. Snatching the container from your hands, he starts chewing on the plastic. Cracking it with his strong mandibles until it breaks, releasing the grasshoppers. They scatter quickly, jumping and leaping around the clearing. The mantis is quick to snatch them up and shove them into his mouth, leaping around like a cat until he’s caught them all. You feel bad about stealing your colleagues' grasshoppers, but this research is far more important. You took the largest specimens you could find. This is no regular mantis, it will take an incredible amount of food to satiate him enough to not consider you as a meal option for the night. But unfortunately, you don’t have access to such copious amounts of food. So you’ll just have to pray that this will be enough for now.

You study his movements. He’s fast and silent. A deadly combination.

It doesn’t take long for him to finish hunting down the snacks you provided. The loud sound of exoskeletons being crunched fills your ears as he approaches you again. The sound sends shivers down your spine.

He seems much calmer than he was earlier, looking at you expectantly. Maybe he knows that you brought more food for him? You wouldn’t be surprised if he could already smell it.

This time you came prepared with a large jar of honey and a spoon. The mantis starts chirping when you open the jar, eagerly fluttering his wings in anticipation of the sweet nectar.

Holding the jar in your lap, you use the spoon to collect the honey and bring it up to the mantis’ face. His long black tongue unfurls from his mouth, licking the spoon clean. It makes you giggle, spoon feeding a big scary creature. 

He tries to lunge forward to take the jar from you but you push him back. “No! Bad boy,” you scold.

With a growl he pushes you to the side, taking the jar for himself. “Hey!” you yelp. He holds the jar close to his body, dipping his tongue in the thick liquid only to bring it back into his mouth. He repeats this with no intention of stopping until the jar is empty.

Well, at least he’s distracted. 

“Do you have a name?”

He quirks a brow at you, licking the honey off his mandibles.

Can he not speak? He seems intelligent but if he hasn’t spent much time around humans then it makes sense that he wouldn’t know how to speak. But does he understand what you are saying?

“My name is Y/N,” your words seemingly go in one ear and out the other. “If you promise not to kill me, I’ll bring you even more honey,” that seems to have gotten his attention. He stops and stares at you with hooded eyes. Looking much more relaxed than earlier, he chirps two times before diverting his attention back to his snack.

You can only assume that he’s agreeing to your terms. Or at least, you hope he is. 

While he’s busy eating, you use this valuable time to observe his appearance and mannerisms. He allows you to get close enough to inspect the beautiful arrangements of spots that decorate his body. Getting a closer look at him, you can appreciate how beautiful he is. Maybe someday he’ll expand his wings for you to see.

Just in case things went awry, you brought a tranquilizer with you. If you are able to tranquilize him and take him back to base camp, you’d be praised by everyone. You can only imagine all of the awards and recognition you’d receive for bringing his existence to light. But watching as he eagerly slurps the honey, it’s hard not to feel sympathy for him. If you were to take him back to camp, he’d be contained and experimented on for the rest of his life. And that's not fair to anyone. Even a mantis human hybrid.

After half an hour he hands you the empty jar. His eyes look heavy and he blinks slowly. Poor thing must be tired after eating so much sugar. Without a thought, your body moves on its own. You cautiously bring your palm up to his head, and begin stroking his hair with your hand. He seems unbothered by your touch, closing his eyes and purring in response.

Aw, he’s actually kind of cute. Extremely deadly, but cute nonetheless. His antennae twitch, tickling your arm as you pet him.

He’s so vulnerable right now. This would be the perfect opportunity to tranquilize him. But instead, you vow to yourself that you will protect him. As long as you’re here you will study him in secrecy. 

His head dips for a moment before he picks it back up. He’s so sleepy that he almost fell asleep. So he decides that it is time for him to go. You watch as the mantis climbs up a large tree, making himself comfortable on a branch and laying down to rest.

︶ ︶꒷ ₊˚ ︶ ︶꒷ ₊˚

It’s shocking how well your second encounter with the mantis man went. He was aggressive at first, but when you introduced food into the equation, he became docile. It’s obvious that he is food motivated, so everytime you go out, you make sure to have some snacks on hand just in case there is a surprise encounter.

But it has been a couple days since you’ve been able to see your new friend. You aren’t worried about him, knowing full well that he’s more than capable of hunting on his own. But you do feel bad, so you bring an extra large batch of grasshoppers and beetles.

As you approach the familiar meeting spot, you hear rustling in the brush beside you. You know it isn’t the mantis because he stalks silently. 

“H-hello?” you whisper.

“Hey! You shouldn’t be here!” A female voice whispers back. The sound of twigs snapping under her feet as she approaches you.

She steps into the moonlight, her exquisite beauty revealed to you. She has blue eyes and long white hair. And she’s far too overdressed for a walk in the forest.

“This forest is dangerous. You need to leave now!” panic evident in her voice as she takes your hand in an attempt to show you the way out.

“Wait! I’m a scientist, I know what I’m doing. You on the other hand, really shouldn’t be here,” you warn, “There are dangerous animals that live here.”

She stops, raising a brow in confusion, “Could it be?... Have you met him too?”

You gulp, “The mantis…”

She nods and her eyes widen, “You’ve met my brother…”

[aries-rp-corner]

Leafie quietly chased after the two former Commanders, looking up to see them stop pinned down the Scrafty again as Mira bit it. Causing the poor Pokémon to yell in pain. While that, Leafie stopped in place as she used her coat to cover her hearing as the painful cries of an Scrafty pierced the air. Creating memories from her past of how she and her brother were taken away from Pinwheel Forest, and been put through so much pain through training and testing…to the point her brother couldn’t move anymore which made Mira and Veda enraged. As Mira tried to smack him back to training, causing Leafie to lash out and bite Mira. Remembering to be a horrific mistake as Leafie received her scars on her face and side back…wounded and exhausted…but alone. She remembered she was thrown into isolation, scared for being isolated, but scared for her brother…who unfortunately didn’t make it through the training… leaving Leafie … all alone.

Surviving through hell itself from Mira, selecting her as one of her Pokémon Members… Leafie didn’t remember much after that, all she felt was herself being numb and so angry…but the most she can remember was darkness that she couldn’t escape from. Hearing cries and whimpers for what she was forced to do…until…

Leafie woke up from her memory, as she looked back to see the turning Mira and Cobalt. The Scrafty’s cry was lessening, making the prey mantis panic…she had to act. She was afraid…yet she couldn’t let them take another life away…just like what happened to her brother. She finally came out of hiding and used X Scissor on the two. Landing a hit on both Mira and Cobalt as they let go of the Scrafty.. now shaking and terrified from the whole experience as it looked up to see a fur and feathered Leavanny.

Mira growled but thanks to her meal, her wounds healed quickly…except one. Her chest contained a stab wound caused by Wes when he held Aries’s Moon Blade. Sadly, it won’t be enough for Leafie as she stood in front of the Scrafty. “Bold…I’ve forgotten you had a fighting spirit ever since we captured you and your sibling…shame he didn’t make it.” Mira huffed, causing Leafie to hiss out of anger as well having tears form from the mention of her fallen brother…

“I’m still in need of Blood…. I’m trying to understand what Ozul and Durai did to us… it hurts… yet it’s… Fascinating?…” Mira questioned, making Cobalt walk up in front of her as he stand his ground. His shadowy body blazing as he grunts in pain, forming his tail as it had spikes glowing with dragon energy.

“We’ll worry about this later sadly… for now, not only this is our Dinning Hall…but we sadly must escape it… and if you are planning to get in our way, perhaps I’ll do you a favor in meeting your weakling of a brother again...” Cobalt opened his shadowy wing arms as he unleashed an inhuman roar at Leafie. Making her shutter in fear but she stood ready to fight…question is….how long will she last?

[blue-sadie]

Unknown Planet

Cal Kestis x Jedi Reader x Neteyam

Jedi Fallen Order

Summary: the mantis takes a hit leading to an unscheduled landing on a unknown planet

Warning: bold words = Na'vi, T-Bot

Yn/3rd person pov

"Greez watch out" I yelled as a empire ship fired at us hitting one of our wings "jumping into hyperdrive" cal muttered pushing the lever, I was forced into my chair as we entered hyperdrive "fuck this couldn't get any worse" I growled.

"Leaving hyperspace" cere warned and the mantis creeked and shook as we slowed down coming out into a peaceful galaxy I breathed out a sigh of relief unbuckling my seatbelt "how much damage do we have" cere murmured as I started using the scanner on my arm.

"The wing and engine is damaged needs immediately attention" I said looking at cal "what is the closest planet" I asked, he looked at BD who only beeped "a planet called pandora" he spoke running a hand through his hair "greez find a safe space to land so we can get to work" I sighed walking out the room.

"Hey you ok" cal murmured following me as I grabbed my bottle of water and taking a sip "it's like we do this everyday cal I'm tired of it" I said my eyes welding up with tears "do what everyday" I laughed dryly "we win against the empire only to get defeated the next its like a never ending loop we can't get out of and I'm sick of it" I muttered slamming my bottle down.

"We can never win" I choked as tears started running down my face "we fight and lose so much I can't take it anymore..... I just can't" I whispered the last part looking down at the ground he wrapped his arms around me "hey we can't give up now we've done so much" he reasoned "look we defeated most of the sisters and escaped darth vader himself we freed more planets then I could count because that's what we do".

I stared up at him "we have more wins then loses" he smiled "found a spot" greez called snapping us back into existence "I'll go get the tools" cal said pulling back and giving me a soft smile before leaving I sighed heavily and braced myself as the mantis landed "the airs not breathable so put these on" cere said and handed me a little device to me, greez and cal as he came back holding a box of tools.

I put the device on my neck and the others did the same "open her up" cal said excitedly and waited for the door to open "I'll catch up with you just now" I murmured as the walked out the door "now pandora what is the situation with you" I said to myself looking up pandora in my scanner "pandora, a planet revolved are a deity called eywa, that's cool, the natives speak a language called na'vi.... hey t-bot" I called in my tiny robot throwing her one of my small translators to her

"Please download the na'vi language on there" she beeped taking the device into her system "now what else do we know about pandora" I murmured scrolling down on the holographic screen "earth 28619 has been trying to take over and caused a horrific war which is still on going the main person being toruk makto or his human name jake sully" I spoke and turned off the screen "we better steer clear of the natives I don't think they'll like us here" I said picking up t and placing her on my shoulder as she beeped softly.

I walked outside and gaped at the beautiful view we landed on a small sand island surrounded by dark blue ocean with a few big rocks standing out "glad you finally decided to join us" cal laughed sliding off the roof and landed next to me "I did some research on the planet we should stay away from any natives" I said crossing my arms "come on have a little fun with place is nice" he smiled and chucked me a tool which I barely caught.

"You break one of my tools and I'll kill you" I muttered and followed him as he leaped back onto the roof "if you catch me you can" he yelled out running away "here t start with the smaller repairs" I murmured placing t on the roof before running after him "you bastard" I yelled out dodging some of the tools he threw at me "guys stop behaving like children" cere called and greez just cheered us on "got ye" I muttered grabbing his hood tightly "shit" he yelled as he pulled us off the edge and landed on the ground with a thud "dickhead" I groaned smacking him as I got off the ground shaking all the dirt off of me.

"Hey at least you weren't the one landed on" he whined stretching out his muscles I rolled my eyes before something in the distance caught my attention "somethings out there" I murmured pointing into the distance and cal followed my gaze "maybe it's friendly" he shrugged "doubt it" I murmured putting my hand on my light saber incase it decides to come closer.

Neteyam pov

"They don't have masks on" lo'ak said as he passed the binoculars to me "new experiment maybe" kiri grumbled diving back down into the water with her ilu "whatever it is must die" I muttered before looking into the binoculars and my breath hitched as I saw the two humans looking at us, the girl had her hand on her hip holding something "I'm gonna go get closer" lo'ak said and dived down before I could protest "lo'ak, lo'ak" I yelled but he didn't hear me I growled lowly and hit the water before following him.

Yn/3rd person pov

"I don't like this" I muttered and glanced at cal as he went back to work on the ship "your probably just being paranoid" greez said as he worked on the wing "yeah like you were on dathomir" I responded making cere and cal burst into laughter as I turned my attention back to the water it didn't feel right the planet didn't feel right.

"T pass me the translator" I called and caught the device as she released it and placed it on my throat "I know your out there" I called out "yn come on work on the shi-" cal said but was interrupted as two men surfaced out the water I pulled out my light saber and split it into two before igniting it "you know na'vi" the taller on said as they came a few steps ahead of me.

"We mean no harm our ship was damaged in battle and just need to do some repairs and we'll be out your hair" I spoke carmly "nice glow sticks" the other one laughed and the taller one just rolled his eyes and slapped the other one on the back of the head "I'm neteyam, this stupid one here is lo'ak" he murmured "what are you, you don't seem like the normal humans we get here" neteyam said looking between me and cal.

"Yeah he different isn't human" lo'ak chuckled gesturing to greese "we aren't from earth 28619 we are known as jedi and greez is latero" I murmured putting away my light sabers "jedi what's that" lo'ak asked tilting his head "we fight for the freedom of the galaxy" I answered crossing my arms "ok so your kinda like what my dad did" he said scratching the back of his head "you speak basic" I smiled.

"yeah our dad tought us" neteyam grinned "you should come with us to meet him he'll totally love you and your glow sticks" lo'ak chuckled putting his arm on neteyams shoulder "nah we're good but thanks for asking" cal murmured harshly as he jumped down I nudged his shoulder "maybe we could learn something" I muttered.

"But you said we should stay away from them" cal reasoned turning to me fully I rolled my eyes in annoyance "fine your right no thanks guys" I murmured looking at neteyam as he stared back into my eyes for some reason he made me feel safe "uh bro we should go" lo'ak said snapping us out our daze a light blush dusted my cheeks.

"Uh we're gonna go i-i'll see you soon" he smiled and gave me a little wave before leaving "come on let's get back to working" cal said and he went back to working but I just watched them leave 'why did neteyam feel like home' "yn come on" he called again I sighed out a deep breath before grabbing some tools to fix the engine.

-Night Time-

I layed out on the sand watching the night sky as the small fire kept me warm "I see your enjoying our beautiful night sky" I jolted up as I heard neteyams voice "yeah its really pretty" I smiled tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear the blush returning to my face as he sat close to me.

"It's not the only beautiful thing here" he murmured nudging my shoulder I giggled nervously as my blush darkened "how about I take you for a ride" he said nodding towards his ilu "i-i sure" I stuttered and took his hand when he offered it to me "careful the waters cold" he smiled stepping into the water.

A shiver ran up my spine as I stepped into the water "don't be scared" he murmured gently pulling me into his chest and lifting me onto the creature who let out soft murmurs and squeaks "I'll keep you safe" he whispered climbing on behind me and wrapped his arms around me securely.

"Legs go" he murmured as the creature started to move and was careful not to go fully submerge into the water "there's the 3 brother rocks" he pointed to each land mark as we passed them and his hands tightened around me as I shivered "I'll take you back now I don't want you to get sick" he said turning the ilu around and he chuckled as I let out an unsatisfied whine.

"I'll come back tomorrow I promise" he smiled and we started sharing little facts about eachothers lives and some missions I went on "dam now your life sounds way cooler then mine" he laughed as he slowly came to a stop as we made it back to the mantis "here ma-lady" he said hoping off before helping me off.

"I had a great time thank you neteyam" I beamed up at him as we made it to shore "it was wonderful to show you around" he said scratching the back of his head I bit my lip nervously looking up at him before pulling him down by his arms and pecking his cheek "I really mean it" I whispered backing up and giving him a small wave before entering the mantis.

-Next Day-

"Morning c" I smiled stretching out my tired muscles "hey yn" I sighed hearing cals voice "yes cal" I murmured turning to him "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for being an ass yesterday and I was being unfair" he said and his words actually made me smile "thank you for realizing that" I smiled before walking outside "so t what else do we still have to do" I asked the small bot, she beeped a few times "so we'll be out before sun sets" I murmured kinda sad.

"Yeah back on our fight against the empire" cal cheered wrapping his arm around my shoulder I sighed heavily "can't we stay here for a few more days" I said glancing at him "w-what why would you want to" cal murmured his eyes filled with hurt "I want to learn more about the planet and neteyam said he would help me" I said shyly looking down at the floor.

I heard cal gulp and breathe out "yeah ok I g-guess" he said, I looked at him shocked "really" I asked excitedly and jumped up and down as he nodded "thank you thank you thank you" I squealed wrapping my arms around and let go as I heard neteyam come out the water "neteyam I'm staying here for a few more days" I squealed running to him and he laughed out pulling me into a hug.

But behind the two was a jealous jedi who just felt like he lost his reason to fight the war.

[simpingwriter]

Cal Kestis x Kyra Yarmot

'In the Name of Love' FINAL CHAPTER/pt.12

Well, this is it. Time to end their Jedi Story-

Had my bumps and rocks in the road with the ending, but I hope I didn't disappoint too much.

And as always I would love to hear your thoughts, especially now, about the first installment, maybe last, depending on the outcome of the poll.

Update: The 2nd Book is currently being written and posted, just in case you didn't know.

TW: Character Death.

...

ENJOY! :D

Word Count: approx. 6.100 Words

___________________

With regained confidence, regained bravery and most importantly: with the definite knowledge of Cal being safe, not being hurt or worse, you began your way back to the Mantis.

Trilla gave you one thing to look for: the Archived Data Log from 30 cycles ago, Data Log Nr. 8749…it wouldn't hold all the things they did. But apparently the first proof of many that you would need to know that they did these atrocities.

Your stomach still gurgling with heavy complaints about you just deciding like that to follow the lead of an Inquisitor, you comm the crew. For whatever reason, Cal requested of you to remain mute when around them once more. But then again, you could think of a small reason: Not letting them know that you witnessed something else that threw you back OUT of your muted mental state.

Fortunately, you comm-ing them has become the universal code for "I'm done with the mission."

Cal told BD what he was supposed to say "for you", since this was the previous highly convoluted communication method.

BD was immediately on board, nodding feverishly and to a degree you both worried he could tear an important cable on accident. BD also voiced the constant worry he had felt for you, how he wished desperately that he wasn't so "small and useless", that he would have defended you more.

"Don't worry, buddy. You already did far more than I managed to do, you stayed at her side no matter what…i couldn't even do that..."

Seeing Cere stand in the arch of the ship's entrance, arms crossed and waiting, you felt off. But after your senses already betrayed you back on what they felt about Cal's fate, you suddenly no longer wanted to trust them this blindly anymore.

Though, what if they just took a beating as well during your general steady decline? It probably would take a good while for your senses to be like they used to be.

"Where is the child?" She asks…coldly, at least usually she attempts to be normal when approaching you. Not right now though, staring at you and the little Droid on your back, comfortable as always between the roots of your wings. That one Droid that prepared his lie on the way back, 'No child. Not even a trail. Only an ambush'

You never understood why BD refused speak the same full, intelligent sentences with the rest as he did with you or Cal, but you would have to ask him later at night. Wherever you two would spend that night today…

"An ambush? You're telling me that the Informant lied to us? He was a trusted source, how do you explain that?!" She had never yelled like that before, what had gotten into her? BD too sunk lower between your wings as you began to fake your fear, dodging her icy glare. She needed to believe that you didn't get back your strength, it would make BD's attempt at investigating harder than needed.

But...if you could, you would show her what you thought of her, Data Log or not. You would give her a demonstration of what a mere padawan was capable off with enough incentive.

What an animal is capable of.

Then Merrin came into view, her outfit letting you know exactly what she had been doing beforehand: testing out rituals in her room, as always. She…also had an odd look quite shortly ghosting over her unique features and you remember the jealousy you even now still felt towards her. But her express was not as bad as Cere's, she looked more hurt than anything else, "Wait, an ambush, does that mean...that there was no kid?" Deciding you needed to finally get onto the ship, you ever so silently shake your head dismissively while pushing your body past the still stiff Cere. You could feel the glare even from behind, it rivaled the heat of a Lightsaber pressed against your scaly back...

"Apparently there was no child, even though the information came from one of my most trusted sources and I make sure everyone around me is trustworthy…" Cere explained to the young Nightsister with an accusatory tone directed towards you in every word as you hurried past them all, ignoring the surprised Greez coming out of his room at that moment.

You didn't want to see their faces any longer than you had to anymore, taking everything in your body to keep the control over your emotions. Years of training with Master Tegra finally paid off...but for how long could you continue like that?

Why did they even talk to you in the first place, if the only thing they probably still saw in you was the animal that made you up partially. To them, your human side was dead, broken and wasting away in the void. Maybe they thought the most human thing left of you was the ability to understand their words...

And they probably also thought that you felt the same way, since, well…a human would talk, wouldn't he?

You hated such simple minded beliefs, like they were the actual animals at the end of the day...

Seeing only animal or human.

Only black or white.

Only good or bad…

Refusing to elaborate your finds beyond BD trying to sell the made up Ambush story coming straight from Cal's fantastic grey cells as good as he possibly could – in that case staying behind in the living area and near the cockpit for you – you quickly disappeared into your formerly shared quarters once more. The karking engine room…

No matter how silent one actually runs in the end, the Engine room usually was used in stories to tell the listeners how rodents managed to hide on a ship, scavenging for the rotten scraps of the actual passengers.

And if not for dirty, unwanted or undesired animals, for said rodents, it was used to describe the nearly nonstop working place for the underpaid workers that kept the ship's engine from dying to malfunctions. Though that story metaphor would fit much better on a big ship. Not a little nutshell like the Mantis is.

In this story…their story…you're the rodent.

The animal.

So, just like an animal clearly is supposed to behave, you strip your sweaty and dirty clothes off your body. They unfortunately took quite a beating from the sheer endless missions since you bought them and it's been just as long as Cal was gone since you had gotten the chance to even buy a new set of clothes that fit your unusual requirements, or even new underwear. Or new anything…

The Mantis was nothing but a safer, more dry

cave...

Using the mirror from Cal, you dared to truly look at yourself for the first time again.

You looked like an animal too. A malnourished and severely sleep deprived animal. Dark, dry circles marked your sunken in eyes, only now you saw a small glimmer back in them, hope. Or was it anger? You didn't know, as both had been lost to you, so it might as well have been both.

Your blunt and splintered claws went to feel the areas of your face scales that stood out most to you, having to realize that they stood out that much because they turned out to be dry and flakey. Very dry. No wonder they itched so badly, they hadn't seen any other moisture but shower water, tears and sweat. And sometimes blood.

How could you just…let yourself go like that?

You never had such issues back in the actual karking wild almost six months ago and there you didn't have access to showers and moisturizer every day or even every week. You had months you looked like absolute dogwater and yet…you looked even worse for wear now. Because you knew you let that happen to you despite being able to run away the whole time...

Back then you had no choice and you knew the appearance would change again as soon as you found your way onto a planet that thankfully knew what a Refresher was. You had this hope constantly keeping you from seeing it coming down to the very worst.

Unlike these three months... you were sure this was it. You found your mate and lost him within 24 hours tops and it made you feel like you didn't even deserve to call yourself whatever your species was, that even your ancestors would shake their heads at your pathetic life story. Even their name had become too obscure, enough to be forgotten to time…

The door above, the one you locked, suddenly hissing open caught you off guard as you quickly covered the mirror again, carefully slinking back to the front to see who managed to unlock the door. But at the sight, it should've been obvious…it's just BD-1.

'I locked it again!' Just like a good boy is supposed to. You hold out your hands at the opening for the ladder, motioning to him to jump down onto them.

Once back on your level, he jumped off your hands as well, pacing to the beds quietly. "D-did you find anything?" You whisper as quietly as you possibly could, not wanting them to find out just too soon. One part of your mind wished he didn't, not sure if you could withstand the possibility of having being lied to all your life and yet BD nods slowly, staying quiet nonetheless, simply looking at you with his Optics. He wasn't able to stand still, prancing around on his legs like something bugged him.

"So? What did you fi-"

And without another warning except a low and depressing toot, clearly in defeat of you apparently not having forgotten what you two came here for in the first place – Would be quite silly to think that you would just leave it at that – he starts…a recording.

A data log…

'Recording Data Log Nr. 8749, This is Cordova, currently on the planet Rhothant, a quite mysterious but breathtaking one. Accompanied by my new Padawan, Cere Junda, I and various others of the Order have been sent here to check in the operations. I of course took that opportunity to do some recordings for my research for the many species of the Galaxy.'

The recording went on with the by now familiar man, though much younger than on the holograms he left for Cal. Next to him? An also younger version of Cere, nothing but a metr child, even younger than you and Cal are right now. The events of the recording started off in a mine, looking similar to what various books and legends talked about when they mentioned your kind, but bigger...and quite obviously industrial. Massive, hollowed out structures and mass amounts of rails leading into more tunnels that lead to even more tunnels, rock piles being towered high at the furthest end.

And then…then you saw them, one in particular.

Another one of your kind…barely recognizable as one by the severe disfigurement.

Shackled. Bruised. His wings were cut beyond any chances of healing or fixing them, leaving nothing but badly healed stumps to keep him from attempting possibly another escape…not that he mentally looked anywhere near capable of that.

His red eyes were vibrant in color and yet glazed over, a special place that once had to have held strong willpower and maybe also love for his very own special one, his former mate. Dust and dirt stuck in every fine crevice of his green scales, his horns cut short and blunted down, undoubtedly a bad job with the horns' nerve endings seriously inflamed when they were cut into as well by accident, just like his wings.

The further the recording went, you found more of them. They all looked the same way, tired, dirty, sickly…working till they eventually broke down...

And slowly but surely, you also felt yourself become ill at their appearance, at the conditions they were kept in...the first tear rolling down your face as you had to watch their suffering, painfully aware that you could no longer help them...

And in all of that, you did not see the Empire's Sigil once, for one obvious reason that Trilla called out before you left: This was years…literal years before they had even been able to create and manage such a huge project! At this point of history, they had to have been in hiding still…

No, the only symbol proudly displayed at the entrance of this one mine – Cordova talking about there being over 20 others… – was the sign of…of the Republic.

Trilla was right.

The enemy was right.

The very people that you trusted for all your life, the one you trusted and followed in their footsteps blindly…the one you trusted with your life should it ever be endangered. It was them all along? They caused the extinction of your species and you fought for their beliefs like an idiot!

While Cordova walked towards something glowing in the back, you began to doubt yourself, for never having seen the massive hole in their story until today…and how nobody else did either.

It was taken across the Galaxy, taken at face value by everyone that heard it. Not one person in the Republic questioned their cover up stories, no one even dared to think about investigating, after all, for what? Since it must've been so evident that it had to have been the Sith that caused such a massacre, only they are capable of cruelty after all…!

They just let your kind rot and die on their own planet, slaving away at the hands of the very same Republic that made slavery illegal with the Rights to Sentience clause. They talked about that very clause for hours in school at the Jedi Temple back then, the disgusting hypocrisy you had to witness in this very moment causing more and more acidic bile to rise up your throat.

And in that whole recording, there was Cere…not once looking majorly shocked by what she saw. When she saw one of the workers break down and nobody came to help that poor, dying man, even then her warm smile didn't leave. For Cere, this was nothing bad…for her this was for "the greater good" of the Republic, just like any other old, boring Resource Project Cordova dragged her to. She didn't feel the same or any pain on that day, even by being present, instead of the pain and hopelessness you felt by only being able to watch that frail man collapse.

He didn't move after he fell, the nerves in the stub – that once had to have been a majestic and battle hardened tail – making it twitch from muscle memory, two Worker Droids grabbing the now lifeless body by his cut open feet and dragging it away to some unnamed tunnel. You could only imagine what lies at the end of it…

Goosebumps began to cover your exposed skin as even BD looked like he became uncomfortable from watching that section, probably a second time too now...

And makers, you really didn't want to continue watching. You had seen what was needed to be seem to make your...undebatable decisions…but you had to see the rest, you deserved to at least find out why they were held so deep underground...no matter the emotional distress you already went through from only the first parts.

Many...way, way too many...gut wrenching moments later, you felt your eyes tearing up at all these atrocities they managed to hide from you. The people that took care of you…did they all know?

Did Master Tegra know?

Did your Clones know?

Did you really trust and leave your life at the hands of people that previously enslaved your whole species?! Now you wondered if even they, your only family back as a youngling…did even they saw nothing but an exploitable animal when they looked at you? Did they never feel any shame or did they just take all these lives lost for granted…for this supposed greater good?

A familiar object on the video lets your mouth fall open though…that was their karking reason…

Kyber Crystals. Huge chunks, rivaling the purity of Ilum's…

Chromium, mine cart after mine cart with its raw form being taken out from the small holes they forced the men through.

Cortosis, a blaster conductive and even Lightsaber resistant metal…though not very useful for armor in the end.

And, shockingly enough…Beskar. Far less than what could be found on Mandalore and Concordia, but the fact alone that Rhothant seemingly had notes of the high quality Iron…

"And the Metal Resources are just the tip of the iceberg if we're talking about all the uses these strong, durable creatures have for the Republic. One of the greatest discoveries-" even if for just a moment, you scowl at his tasteless choice of words, calling you and your Species Creatures…he really only saw you as animals. Work Animals that helped him to further his karking Studies…

" -was that this Species has shown critically increased potential for Force Sensitivity, even the untrained children showing an incredible connection to the Force from a young age, which would now bring us to our next two uses as this species."

He left the mines, the video skipped further ahead before suddenly stopping entirely as BD shook his head terrified, optics begging you to now ask him to show you what he did end up skipping. And you didn't…for now.

You could continue this horrible revelation later, for now you had to atleast try thinking about what you just now witnessed instead...

Everyone probably knew and they deliberately chose to keep that information from you and…how…how did you even end up in the Jedi Temple?

You already told Cal once – during your few one on one days – that you didn't remember anything about where you came from – not even the name of your apparent Homeplanet, Rhothant, rang a bell – the last memories before the Jedi Temple a painful blur whenever you tried to reach back to that part of your life, as you were nothing but a mere toddler back then. You had been in Master Tegra's care for as long as you could actually remember…he was like your father figure, he had always been far more than just a mentor to you...

Could it be that Cal connected the dots before you?

Did they take you from your parents against their will...and how many kids were hit with the same fate as you?

'Please...don't watch the rest…' BD whoops and beeps quietly – slowly beginning to back off with the worry of you perhaps trying to manually continue the recording – clearly knowing much more than you at that moment, maybe even too much for his innocent personality...

And for your currently scrambled eggs like mental state, you were sure that was better as of now. But his odd request worried you…what kind of things were on that damned recording? What else did they do to your people?!

"I won't. For now…but someday I will have to, even if i don't want to feel this way again. I deserve to know the full reason that apparently made erasing a whole species okay to do in their eyes…" you return bitterly, giving him some much needed and yet trivial head scratches, not just for him but also to attempt calming your fringed nerves, your tail tip – even while having become blunt like your claws – breaking any unfortunate loose object behind you as it erratically and strongly swished back and forth across the ship's floor, taking significant part in showcasing your inner turmoil at this moment.

You never knew if BD was even able to feel your head scratches, only that he seemed to at least acknowledge and play into them for you, leaning closer to your claws everytime, sometimes going as far as lying down next to you. Next to him taking recharging breaks at night, those were probably the moments he moved the least, simply enjoying these few moments left that weren't occupied by missions or you being haunted by your own trauma and nightmares...

BD trusted you and you trusted BD.

'You're taking this better than I had thought.'

Oh you don't even know BD…the stacked and build up anger deep within you was boiling hot, like the centuries old Magma in a Volcano ready to finally erupt after keeping quiet for all these years. But you had to hold back for now…you…you had to contact someone first...

"I'm not."

A small 'oh no…' was all he could answer to your sudden and blatant change in tone, shortly letting your actual emotions shine through as you changed the selected frequency on your wrist comm, blocking a different one while you were at it anyways.

You wouldn't need the other one anymore after the next events of today.

"...Cal, are you there? It's…it's Kyra…" you heard your voice break in-between, starting to sob as the realization now fully settled in at your thoughts, eating away at your sanity once more. He almost immediately responded, clearly having run towards the stationary comm on their ship as he pants out his response, "Y-yes, I'm here!...is everything alright…Kyra?...are you okay?"

For a moment you pause, imagining him in standing directly front of you as he talked, the same handsome smile as always, just as you desired to keep remembering through these tough months, though right now he was probably frowning from his tone. He was worried, obviously.

While you miserably tried to think about your next choice of words, BD went to the small bedside table on Cal's side, motioning you with his head to come to his side. He needed to show you something...

"…I…I found it, well BD did…and- please…please, come get us before...before I do something I might not regret." The words came out more panicked than you initially intended them to, having yourself partially choked up on your suddenly overwhelming emotions crashing in like waves…you're on the same ship as someone that was a proud part of the people that caused your species' extinction.

You had slept on that same ship as that monster person…without a care in the Galaxy.

As you went to look at what BD wanted to show you so pressingly, dragging yourself half-heartedly over to the droid, Cal cursed on the other end of the comm, talking to Trilla in the back. But you didn't catch what he was talking about until he turned back to the comm.

"Does that mean that you-" "Yes, Cal-...what…what is that, is that what i think it is?!"

BD at first pulled then pushed open the small drawer, some useless little tidbits Cal sometimes fiddled with, old screws and various slightly worrying amounts of candy wrappers littering the upper layer. But below it lied a…a tip. Inside of a glass casing suspended was an animal's tail tip.

Not just of any tail, but of a severed dragon tail.

The appendage had a small bit of the original tail left, the red meat on the inside, the bone…everything. Even the purple blood was preserved within the glass-like substance.

"C-cal…" It was nothing but a weakened whimper now, the comm barely picking it up, the hand that just held onto the offending object dropping it like it burned even your skin, the clank of it keeping you from totally drifting elsewhere. This once belonged to an actual living, breathing being! A living being that was the same as you!

Wh-why was this here?

"Yes, my love?!" ... M-my love…

"D-dragon Tail…in…in...", how he even still heard you through the further and further receding quality our your choked out sobbing was a mystery, but you wouldn't be surprised if it was simply the helpless feeling of distress he sensed even through the artificial communication, all the way back in the mountains where their ship had landed. "O-oh that…I found it while sneaking into Cere's room while everyone else was out, when i tried finding more of these grotesque Data Logs…"

It was Cere's, of course it was. Who…who else would keep such a disgusting display, like...a trophy…

"I…I think I shouldn't have touched it, Kyra…"

Why-...no…

"You could feel it, couldn't you? Their pain?" Every once in a while you would actually almost forget about Cal's special force ability, Psychometry, that he could not just sense the emotions connected to objects, he would see and hear the past events the object was in and used for unfold. He would've seen this dragon-person's entire life and upbringing…and their eventual death, a death that couldn't have been natural with Cere keeping the tail...

"And…and so much more, Dragonfly…I couldn't stay any longer after witnessing that...T-That poor old man, Kyra. I-I just couldn't look at her the same karking way anymore, you have to understand-" Was that his true catalyst, why he finally made this decision? The echo of this very tail tip?

"I do..."

Effectively avoiding having to look at the tail a second time, you leave his old bedside, kneeling down to the flat drawer below your bed. Pulling it out, you're faced with mostly all the Ponchos that once belonged to Cal, even his most treasured one...the one he said he always wore back on Bracca, looking the most worn of them all. After he left, you relocated them to your also mostly empty drawer, switching out the one you held during your "sleep" every three rotations for a different one, trying your best to keep his scent in your thoughts. Because at first, when you didn't and his scent faded from your pallet, you had become restless. You no longer knew where he was and then you even began to lose the way he smelled, it caused near panic at one night.

It was BD who one night pulled one of the Ponchos towards your bed. Initially not because of the Scent, he simply thought a piece to remember him by would help you get through that especially difficult night. The first of many...

And Cal had so incredibly many, even after almost three whole months, you still hadn't used a Poncho twice…but your favorite had always been the dark blue one, "Hyper Shell"-branded one he wore to almost every mission. It smelled the most of him...his scent clinging to it like an expensive cologne just got dumped all over it, it almost ended up making you dizzy from the overwhelming amount of him on it.

"Hey Cal…?" You whisper back, trying to calm your overall emotions down to low…simmering…as you shakily grabbed a backpack from the same drawer, "Yes?" His tone was almost the same as yours, barely holding on, but for you, he kept his still very noticeable anger back.

"W-which Ponchos should I bring with me?"

And there it was. A dry chuckle. He loved your absolutely absurd ways to try and ease up a tense situation, air usually thick enough to cut with a knife or claws. But today…he knew himself that if he didn't play along with your almost pathetic last attempts at keeping yourself emotionally and mentally in check, he would find nothing but metal scrap in the Mantis' former spot. "You know I like them all-" "T-then…all- all it is."

He heard it in your voice, you were moments from going off like a badly built firecracker wheel he vaguely remembered from Coruscant being used during Republic Day…he can more than imagine how it must feel to slowly begin to realize that for years, you celebrated the same people that caused your suffering in the first place.

If he so desired, he could feel your Echo as well, your unique and one of a kind shared connection making it all possible. But he was afraid of what he might get to see, the death of your Master, your friends, everyone you had ever loved or seen as close enough to call family before he entered your life.

What he was even more afraid of was that he would get to see what exactly you meant when you said you were endangering him by being at his side.

"Kyra-"

A hard knock against your still locked door lets your fingers almost automatically fly to the end-call button, eyes wide at the not-just-yet-intrusion. But you were smarter than to answer verbally, knowing you would lose your cover that way. Though...by now…did you need to anymore anyways?

"Kyra, get out here quick, the scanner just picked up an Imperial Inquisitor Ship coming right to our location, we need to leave ASAP!" And Inquisitor's ship…he…he was really coming to get you?!

The door hissed open with you unlocking it, setting you immediately eye to eye with…with her. Calm down, Kyra, don't…don't…do not let her-

"WHAT?!" ah sssshit-

"I knew it." You repeat, WHAT?!

Something on your face, maybe your expression or the fresh tear stains, must've triggered her as her dark eyes widened, a bitter scowl all she thought you were worthy of as she grabbed you harshly by the shoulder. How did she dare?! Has she already forgotten in these three months that you could quite literally make her body implode and then explode if she angered you any more than she had already?

And boy were you close to-

click.

"You think simple karking shackles can keep you safe from me?!"

You had broken so many of them in your surprisingly short life, a shocking amount due to a certain Mandalorian's inability to stay out of trouble like everyone on the ship usually told him to and demanding you to follow him on his trips, since he wanted you to use them for hands-on training. Trips that always turned out interesting, fun, exciting. Even if they were dangerous, especially for teen back then. They stimulated all the right corners of your young and reckless dragon brain…adrenaline was your drug back then. And you still liked it when doing such things at the side of the right company.

"I wouldn't have used them if I didn't know that they would. Bought them a month after that traitor dragged you along, just in case you ever went out of your boundaries...like right now."

The sheer audacity she had to call Cal a Traitor was actually the biggest insult in that whole sentence as you began to struggle against the unexpectedly heavy binds.

Nobody insulted him. Not without consequences!

"How, how did you know?!" She continued dragging your less than willing legs into the middle of the living area, Merrin and Greez huddled behind the holomap, which wouldn't have been much use to them if it weren't for the shackles, as they watched Cere push you to the ground and onto your knees.

Force Suppressing Cuffs…if you wouldn't know better, they felt like they weakened more than just your Connection to the Force…you couldn't even resist against her pushing you and you were many times physically stronger than this old hag.

"I had a tiny helper…though he did it unknowingly...he is way too loyal to you two."

BD…did she activate the camera function without any of you three noticing or realizing? And when…when did she-

"Yes, I knew where Cal went. All this time. That's why I held back BD, in case he managed to get ahold of you already back then…" she sighs, eyeing the mentioned Droid, he had been quick to run to your side, nudging your side worriedly, trying to dodge her glare by hiding under your hands. And his entire frame shook, more emotions present in one miniature Droid than even half of the old Republic Senate it seemed…

'You need to stand up and do something, please, Kyra! Cal…Cal, he's coming for us…'

You know that, BD, you know…but Cere's grip on your shoulder felt like Neuranium pressed down on you. You were forced to hear her stupid monologue, barely getting out your own words as she went on. And on...

"But fortunately back then, you still were on the right path. You ran away. But he was already inside of your head, like a parasite he infested your already greatly flawed mind..." Who did she think she was to decide what was wrong with you? She wasn't your Master, she wasn't your boss…she was nothing to you, she never had been anything in the first place! The only respect she ever got out from you was for Cal, to keep him and you out of trouble!

When your wrist comm beeped, telling you about a call from "Unknown", you panicked…but just for a moment.

Apparently she was already fully aware of you and Cal talking again, so why shouldn't she hear his words. The words of the boy she called traitor while it was the other way around, stabbing you in the back, lying and keeping important truths to herself. "BD…could you, please?" He understood your request to accept the call and did so before Cere reached him again, running back in front of you, where your body was able to shield his much smaller one.

"Kyra?! I was worried that you didn't pick up, we're almost there, have you got everything you want?"

Cere, listening without interrupting him, came to a loud laugh as she gripped your shoulder tighter, drawing a wince from you. How was she able to…what kind of Cuffs are these?!

You heard him gasp at her familiar voice behind the small wrist comm before catching on, "Cere…" "Did you really think I'm that stupid, little boy? I have years and years more life experience than either of you two combined. I know the faces of people planning to backstab me more than you would expect…"

While she…continued monologuing…something you realized you deserved to do for at least once in your messed up life, you motioned BD subtly to go for the door controls. If Cal said he was there soon, you had to get ready to go, a slight problem being the fact that you saw the Mantis already in the air now. They really were going to leave the planet, they are about to kidnap you!

The thought alone, being separated by Cal once again – probably that time forever after you lost your cover – made a unique but familiar panic settle into your bones. You had to get out!

You had to get back to him!

Cal!

"Let me…go!" In the back, Greez shouts out in pain as he stumbles backwards and into Merrin, a small bright flicker from the edge of your vision saying everything you needed to know, BD shocked Greez. He definitely tried to keep him off the door controls, Merrin now also trying to restrain his small body. But within time, he got there anyway. Using his scomp link, the Droid just barely dodged Merrin to quickly scurry back over to you, his sanctuary.

"Karking dammit! BD blocked the door controls, I need to manually override them if the door is supposed to close again!" Manual overrides took ages on this stupid ship…

"Thank you BD…" you whisper, but the Droid never reaches you again, hearing his "shouts" behind you. At the same time, the near crushing weight of her hand lifted off of you.

In an instant you used that returned freedom, spinning your body around while getting back onto your feet to face Cere, albeit very unsteady as you stare her down. If…if you just could…

You wanted to hurt her, you never wanted anything more than to just…H U R T HER.

M A I M HER.

RIP HER A P A R T...

Nothing would've held you back anymore by now…but of course these horrible Cuffs took away your strength once more after only just an hour ago gaining them back finally.

"Just like Master Cordova had predicted all these years ago…Your kind was destined to wander the wrong path, way too easily drawn to their emotions, to their attachments, just Animals after all... Just. Like. You. They were lost and so are you!" She shouts, holding onto BD's small legs as he feverishly struggles against her hand. But his Shock Mod still had to recharge fully…not much longer, Buddy.

With the door now fully opened – Greez already working on that override – you felt the push of air from the Mantis flying higher via autopiloting. But that wasn't everything...you also heard another ship getting closer, a distant hiss of a heavy ship door opening mid flight.

He was here. Your mate has come back for you…you're not condemned!

"Maybe the wrong path for a Jedi…but I always saw this whole system as flawed in itself. There is more than black and white!" Your growling shout returns, you felt the anger quite literally vibrate in your body.

It fought against your restraints. The Force didn't like to be contained and you disliked it as well…something in common, huh?

Over the Comm, you heard Cal shouting your name in desperation, partially reaching your ears from the outside as well as you backed up towards his voice's direction. Hands cuffed or not, your wings would not be able to be contained!

In some sense, your kind would've always remained free, if they hadn't cut their wings off…mutilated them and the most prided body parts the dragon People possessed.

"You need to Jump now, Kyra!"

No, not without BD! You wouldn't leave him, he was your friend and he was Cal's best friend!

Closing distance once more for just a split second, you – with a swift upwards whip of your tail – leave a deep and memorable cut on her thighs, watching BD drop unceremoniously to the ground. You took that as your signal to turn around and start towards the door once again, he would be quick enough to jump onto you in time.

Already out on the small door's platform, you fought against the increasingly thinner air, shielding your eyes with an arm as you begin to spread your wings. You saw Cal at the other side, golden eyes wide as he smiled hopeful and arms spread wide to catch you, just in case you needed it. Or maybe he just wanted to hold you again as soon as he could...

He missed you terribly. He let you feel that emotion and all these others swarming his thoughts at this very moment.

From behind, you heard BD's little metallic feet approach quickly, hastily beeping something you didn't make out in time as you begin to push yourself o-

Until you heard the familiar humming.

And you had to realize way too late...your lightsaber was no longer at your hips. It was gone.

"I am not letting the Empire get another one of you! Even if I have to kill you myself!" Before you're even able to be surprised and call out in shock, your eyes catch the flash white blade of your Weapon directly next to you, the smell of burned skin reaching your nose as she slashed through...through...

Then you saw a flap of your wing fluttering loosely against the wind-

She cut your wing!

Cuffed hands or not, you would make her pay with her pathetic karking life, now! Spinning on your heels, you ignored Cal's panicked outburst at Cere's actions, unidentifiable words being shouted towards someone else. Small specks of purple blood disappeared in the winds as you growled at her, feeling your lungs heat up.

The abilities of your species weren't bound to the force...

But she also had BD once again in her grip! No, you- you couldn't use fire now! It would break him alongside her. And she was aware of them, your "attachments"…, slowly stepping closer, the white blade pointed towards your unprotected throat.

Not exactly Jedi-like behavior, was it?

"Don't make this any harder for any of us…" she says against the winds as you get closer to the atmosphere. You…you couldn't fly anymore...never again..., how should you get off here?!

Before you could get even a foot closer to her to free BD from her grasp, you felt an invisible force begin pushing you back. N-no…how? Cere said she cut her connection a long time ago! How was she doing this?!

"You think I will tell suspects of betrayal my own plans?"

And with that, she gave you the final push.

Within moments you lost your footing as your arms began to waver and you fell...

You tried to the best of your ability to keep your spinning body steady in the air, but your mutilated wing membrane made that impossible as you narrowly missed the platform of Cal's ship.

It all felt like slow-motion as you fell not into his arms...but past him, the sudden change to fear and worry as he realized that you continued falling...that you kept falling without being able to stop yourself.

From above, you hear Cere shout in pain, calling out BD's name as you watch him jump after you while your body was facing upwards for a short moment.

No, he has even less control over his body at this height! He wouldn't make it!

"BD NOOOOO!" You shout upwards, hoping Cal could catch at least the his beloved Droid…BD can't leave him alone now, not when you are about to already...

But BD wasn't even close to the Inquisitor's Ship Platform, falling towards you like a rock and hitting you straight on the head.

You were about 1 mile off ground, if you speed up your fall to catch up to him, you could at least save BD by cushioning his own fall…

Cal can't lose both of you…

For the last time and for the first time in years, you remembered your advanced flying techniques, using the aerodynamics of whatever is left of your wings, spearing towards the yelling BD Unit. His panicked, clearly distressed beeps and boops got closer and closer, until you finally had his body back in your claws, streaks of salty tears running across your face as you cradle him close to your body.

That maneuver though also guided your fall directly across a big gap in the ground. A canyon split…

Giving the two ships one last glance above, you sneered when the Mantis simply pulled off, using the shock of Cal to leave the Atmosphere now. Within seconds, they were gone. Leaving you to die, like she told you…

After all these things you did for them too...

You were too far below already to hear his physical pained cries of your name, but the connection was still intact.

You felt the tears on his own face, his fists slamming uncaringly against the metal he now kneeled on, the very beat of his heart and now you knew he was yelling instructions at the pilot of the ship the whole time. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be in time…the ship wouldn't be able to catch up in time, nonetheless stop your fall without crushing you.

You fell past the massive stone walls of the canyon and grazed the first rock outcrop, not even able to cry out in pain at the sudden sharp impact to your side, immediately feeling the air leave your lungs as you began to get thrown side to side from the momentum you build by now.

Ever felt like your whole body was getting broken…but you couldn't scream? You couldn't voice your agony, no matter how much you tried?

Like you're being controlled...

Purple blood from your growing amount of open lacerations, lighter than the rest of you, spotting in the air above you as you continued your fall to your demise, body becoming limp like a ragdoll.

All...all you had wanted was one last kiss…one last hug that you actually reciprocated.

Why…why didn't you kiss him when you had the chance to earlier? Why didn't you press yourself against his embrace like it would be your last?

You regretted so many things in life, but none as much as keeping him away from you in these short fleeting moments, feeling so stupid for pushing him away earlier.

You…you loved him. No matter what he became, what you became…

No matter where he went, you would've followed, to the end of the Galaxy if it had to be…

But your realization was a little too late now, feeling bones break on each impact. And a normal human would've died on the first outcrop they hit…they would've had the easy way out…

But you're not normal…you're a monster. A creature, the last of its kind...soon ending it for good.

A creature that only wanted to have a home to return to at the end of the day…was this too much to ask for?

You heard his thoughts one last time, realizing he heard yours too...your wishes, your doubts, your regrets..., seconds before BD slipped from your hands at the last outcrop that you hit, your final and last frail scream consisting of nothing but BD's short name as this cocktail of you two's...emotions hit you like a Train at full Speed…

'I LOVE YOU, KYRA! KYRAAAA! I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU TOO, PLEASEEE!'

This was no thought of his, it was the breaking Wrist Comm…it also took a beating, his voice slightly garbled but you still fully heard his intended words as you began to cry. He loved you…he kept reminding you...even at your lost moments. You would never forget, even after death, for Cal.

You remember every time he told you these simple words, everytime you wondered how you even deserved them. But unlike back then, you didn't want fight these feelings any longer. You just wished you were given more time with him…to show him how much you loved him back as well.

Now, he would never be able to give you this place you wished for, a place to make your dream come true, even in the chaos of the current times…

He would've done anything and everything for you.

All in the Name of Love…

"I love you too…Ca-"

Crack-

Within moments you felt one last impact on your neck, your back and your head, the force throwing your already mangled body to the side as the last thing you heard was the gut wrenching shouting of your name coming from your wrist...from everywhere...

And everything went black as you gave you last ragged breath...

Today, we write about the day that the Galaxy lost yet another Jedi…

___________________

[brella-boi]

Residents of Insecta Terra

No I don’t have a better name for the world yet

Part 1 of the current characters in my insect world and probably the most important ones for now. Oberon, Atlas and Beetle are the main trio that the story revolves around, with Cynthia and Corwin being main support characters.

Some info on them all below cut!

OberonA giant flower beetle. He is a half-blood blessed by Cynthia, though he considers it more a curse. All he wanted was a normal life when he moved into the city, and have fun with his friends, but now he has a heavy job placed on his shoulders he never asked for. He’s tasked with closing tears in reality between the God realm and their own, fight the Titans that escape, and remain hidden from the other half-blood and Gods who suddenly seem to be everywhere ever since he has become this. Afraid of himself and his untamed powers, plagued by immortality, he sometimes feels like he’s losing his mind… But he can’t refuse, as much as it hurts him. He’s just so happy to have his friends by his side still.

AtlasA giant prickly stickbug. Atlas is trans and vibing with it. Though he wishes he could have flight wings too. He’s an energetic bunch, and Oberon’s best friend. Somehow he always manages to cheer the beetle up, and even make his other gothic friend smile a little. Definitely the life and support of the group of friends, he’s always there to help out emotionally.

LilithOrchid mantis. As pink as she is, she is one hell of a goth and revels with it. She studies the magics, mostly the forgotten ones, and rolls her eyes when called a witch. In reality she quite dislikes the half-bloods who roam the city and take over the front pages of magazines and newspapers. But when she find out Oberon has become one, she was immediately at his side and helping as best as she could with old knowledge of the Ancients. She’s the one to consult with Cynthia, Oberon’s Patron, and does her best to build trust and make a plan to return her power and strength through faith of the people before the world falls into collapse.

CynthiaThe Goddess and Guardian of the Gates. She was once powerful and revered by many, but now the civilization that has worshipped her religiously is extinct, and she is slowly fading into obscurity. With her power dwindling, her hold on the Gates is too. The Gates are directly interconnected between three planes of reality, the overworld, underworld and aether. Tears in reality occur more and more often, letting Titans through to return causing chaos in the balance between realms. In a moment of weakness she appoints Oberon as her heir, and now tries to teach him on how to deal with the tears while simultaneously learning what it truly means to be alive instead of an all powerful God.

CorwinCockroach. Corwin is a half-blood that no one quite knows. No one is entirely sure where he came from, or why he is here. He sort of appears and disappears. Meddling with the living, half-bloods, and gods alike. He always seems to know what’s going on, but doesn’t let up on letting his past slip through either. Some would call him a conman, some a showman, some just say he’s batshit crazy. Though, in his eyes a random new half-blood in the neighbourhood seems like a new interesting thing to observe, and maybe even help out. They are, afterall, sort of similar.

[anxious-changeling]

GN Witch!Reader x Familiar!Crusaders (-Joseph)

We hope you enjoy this!!! We put a lot of love into it!

Avdol

His animal form is a Partridge Rock Chicken!

The only traits he carries from his animal form is small feathers dusting his cheekbones!

You met him while you were walking around Cairo and just happened to feel a pull towards a curtained area.

Following the pull you found yourself in front of a fortune tellers booth, a beautiful man seated behind a table.

With a kind smile he welcomed you to sit and have your fortune read, you could almost feel the electricity crackle in the air.

When he grabbed your hand it felt like lightning had struck you. You knew what he was and he knew what you were. A witch and an unbound familiar staring into one another eyes.

Still he amused you with a palm reading reading of coming good fortune and a lifetime of happiness. With a hint of mischief coloring his voice while saying the latter.

You proposed him the idea of him becoming your familiar to which he agreed after some bargaining. Such as what days he would be employed and what he could and couldn’t do!

He told you of his previous witch, a cruel woman named Enyaba, who would clip his wings so he couldn’t fly. A sad fate for such a beautiful bird.

In his chicken form he’s very cuddly and makes adorable cooing noises when you pet him.

He looks so cute when he falls asleep on your lap as you read from a grimoire you recently bought. Burrowing deeper into your warmth subconsciously as you idly fun your hand over his feathers.

He’s the perfect familiar and the perfect partner, attentive to your every need and attuned to your aura!

He’ll be your loving guardian against any spirits that may try to target you! Beings with malicious intent don’t stand a chance against him!

He specializes in fire magic and reading the auras of the world! Making him perfect for monitoring potions that are volatile!

He likes to show you all the little designs he can make with his fire magic. He loves even more the look of your face illuminated by his flames~

Has a fire elemental he calls Magicians Red that likes to follow him around! Going as far to take orders from him.

Once Magicians Red grows to like you it’ll lean down to let you sift your fingers through it soft head feathers!

Fully expect MR to join you and Avdol to cuddle! Personal furnace right there! Great in winter, intolerable in summer.

Polnareff

His animal form is a Stoat!

Carries his ears and tail from his animal form into his human form! When his hair is down it’s easier to see his ears since they aren’t covered up!

You met Polnareff while sitting in a local cafe, where he had approached you boldly to flirt. When he grabbed your hand to plant a kiss on the back, spark flew.

You could only stare in shock at one another before he grinned largely in joy! An unbound familiar finding a witch, what a lucky day!

You sat in the cafe for hours learning about one another, and eventually you extended the offer for him to become your familiar!

He accepted enthusiastically and thus you set off on your adventures!

He had a previous witch who he was bound to, known as Mariah, but she passed leaving him unbound for a long time.

He’s just as playful in his animal form as he is in human form, and enjoys rough housing with you! He likes to be tossed in the air and caught!

Likes pull pranks by hiding under furniture and farting out to nip at your ankles as you pass!

He enjoys being in contact with you someway, whether it be an arm over your shoulder or his head in your lap.

If you’ve been over working yourself on a potion he’ll whine loudly demanding your attention. He wants your attention but also knows you need a break.

He specializes in earth magic and spell casting! He is a vital help during long spell casting sessions as he helps balance you.

He’s a very affectionate and kind partner making sure to never overstep your boundaries!

Beware anything that sets its eyes upon you with malicious intent because he’ll make sure to tear them asunder.

Has a metal Gollum named Silver Chariot bound to him and it follows him everywhere, silently like a shadow.

Chariots emotions compared to humans is very muted, but if he feels affection for you he will hold onto you.

Chariot shows his affection through gifts and will often present you with flowers he’s found!

You make his bonded one happy which makes him happy! It also helps you’re kinda to him and give him gifts too! He cherishes every treasure you’ve gifted him!

Jotaro

His animal form is a Moray Eel! He’s also quite large for his species coming in at 6 feet long!

The traits he carries from his animal form are that his teeth are sharper than normal!

You met Jotaro while lazing in a secluded cove soaking in the sun. Charging a few crystals for an upcoming major spell.

You barely heard him enter but you did feel when he passed your rune barrier.

You had expected to see maybe a minor demon or a pixie, but not a hulking man who’s cold glare pierced you.

You both exchanged words as the adrenaline wore out, and you just waved him off so you could enjoy the sun without him.

He scoffed shouldering you as he walked past, electricity ran through you both. Like a live wire had hit your skin.

To be an unbound familiar this close to a witch could be dangerous when caught off guard in a secluded area.

So when Jotaro whirled around to bare his teeth at you, he was surprised to find you moving to sit back down. Didn’t you want to enslave him to you?

After a few hours of coexisting on the beach you break the ice asking questions. Sometimes he’d grunt in response or answer in rambling sentences. What an enigmatic creature.

You learned that his last witch had been a hideous woman named Midler. He had been wandering unbound for many years, ignoring every witch who begged to become bound to him.

Humming you told him that your homes open to him and left your address on the sands as you left for home. Faintly feeling blue eyes drilling into your retreating form.

Weeks later as you sat slouched over a grimoire taking notes, you heard someone pounding on your door.

When you answered the door you found yourself face to face with none other than Jotaro.

After sitting him down and going through the motions of being a host you began to talk.

He laid out his demands, days he could and couldn’t fulfill his duties, and his boundaries. You beamed at him while signing the contract agreeing to your partnership, kick starting a wonderful future!

It took a bit for mutual comfort to happen but in the end it’s well worth the wait!

Jotaro compliments your spellcasting style and is an excellent potion making assistant! Both of you taking your craft very seriously.

When your relationship takes a slow turn to partnership neither of you are surprised!

Jotaro isn’t much for outward displays but he does like to show his appreciation through gifts. He’ll drop a new griomoire he acquired in you lap saying it was an “accidental buy”.

If you’re sick he’ll call up his mother to get her soup recipes. He’ll complain as he does but you know he really doesn’t mind it.

He specializes in water magic and energy manipulation making it easier for him to control volatile spells! He’s also very proficient in drawing spell circles with near perfect precision!

Has a minor water deity named Star Platinum that always follows him around much to his annoyance.

While Jotaro isn’t affectionate Star very much is and makes up for Jotaro in that aspect!

Star will twirl you around gleefully and enjoys hanging off of you as you read or spell cast!

Both Jotaro and Star would tear apart the world with their bare hands to ensure your safety.

Kakyoin

His animal form is a Orchid Mantis!

He doesn’t retain any traits of his animal form in human form except for some pink dusted here and there!

You first met Kakyoin at your local library as you scoured the shelves for your favorite book.

As you went to grab the book a slender hand grabbed it first. Silently huffing you turned to swear at the thief but found yourself face to face with an interesting man.

He already started to walk away but you felt something pulling at your gut to stop him.

As you grabbed his wrist you felt electricity hum through you and his pupils expanded in surprise.

He tugged his hand out of your grasp and took long strides to the check out and out the door.

Well that’s one way to make an impression on a witch. You by instinct wanted to race after him but your gut anchored your feet as you watched him flee.

You didn’t run into him for many months, a careful unbound familiar who had no doubt been mistreated in the past.

You didn’t actively seek him out but it seemed that fate put its back into dragging you two together.

You found the strange man at your door one morning bloody and bruised badly. Hauling his lanky form onto your couch you got to work fixing him up.

Spell after spell you cast and even eased mild healing potions down his throat. Now all left to do was wait, so that’s what you did.

Curled up on your armchair with the newest grimoire to your collect you began reading. It took him a few hours but finally he began to stir.

He looked defensive as his purple eyes scanned your living room. Eyeing you warily as you slowly stretched from your arm chair.

As you explained what had happened and how you treated him the calmer he became. He also explained he just came to the closest house after he was attacked. A low level demon having gotten the jump on him as he slept.

You happily welcomed him to stay in your heavily warded home, which is near impossible to break into. He hesitantly took your offer and so began your journey with your new roommate!

It took months of tip toeing around one another before he finally approached you with a deal. Very clearly and sternly laying out his boundaries and expectations.

You gladly welcome his into the bond, celebrating by making a nice meal! After many years you finally had a familiar!

He helps a lot to cover the areas you lack in and help mishaps before they happen! If one side of the spell isn’t reinforced he’s there working on it! Making sure it won’t backfire in your face!

In his mantis form Kakyoin is content in just punching on you as you go about doing what you need to! He doesn’t enjoy touch as much as others but enjoys your warmth!

Enjoys looking at the outside world from his smaller perspective, behind glass and wards of course can’t have a bird snatching him!

It takes a while for Kakyoin to allow himself to court you and at first he’s very cautious. Aware of your ever movement, but as he get more comfortable he opens up more!

He enjoys holding hands with you and resting his head in your lap as you read or watch tv.

Enjoys baking for you because he’s a horrible cook. He enjoys making a great variety of desserts and you are his personal taste tester!

If you become sick he’ll show how he can make a mean chicken noodle soup from scratch. The only dish he can’t mess up when cooking!

Is a helicopter partner when you’re sick, worried if he takes his eyes off of you he’ll miss something!

He specializes in air magic and has a keen eye for plant identification! Making him useful very useful when you go foraging!

Has a bonded nature spirit named Hierophant Green that follows him wherever he goes. They’re very attached to one another.

Hierophant will be very wary of you for a long time, but as he sees that you treat Kakyoin well it’ll win his favor.

Once Hierophant becomes attached there’s letting go, he’ll follow you everywhere demanding pets.

He lets off a strangely high pitched purr when you pet him and wraps around you protectively at home.

Hierophant and Kakyoin would sacrifice the whole universe to make sure you stay safe.

Holy shit that’s.. long. We hope you enjoyed and we bid you a good morning/afternoon/evening! A lot of love went into this piece :D

[just-dreaming-marvel]

Out Of Time ~ 129

MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 3,050ish

Summary: The separate teams prepare for the battle against Thanos. (gifs aren’t mine)

Y/N was standing in front, staring at space as it whizzed by, when Tony came over and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He pressed a kiss just behind her ear, pulling her closer.

“What are you thinking about?” Tony whispered.

“How I’m suppose to be prepared for something, but I have no idea what,” Y/N whispered.

“The fate of the universe is not on you.”

“But it is, Tony… and there’s—“

“No.” He quickly, yet carefully, turned Y/N around to face him. “This is not on you.” His hands held Y/N’s face to look at him. “Whatever happens is not your fault.”

“You can’t say that. We don’t know what will happen yet.”

“You’re right, we don’t. But I will not let you feel the way you are feeling. And I promise, that I will not let anything happen to you.”

“I’m not worried about me… I’m worried about everyone else… it’s too much… it’s all too much…” 

Her eyes were tearing up, and this was all breaking Tony’s heart. He pulled her into his chest, cradling her head. It was killing him to see her like this, but he really didn’t know how to fix it. Tony didn’t understand exactly what Y/N needed to do, and he was coming to the conclusion that she didn’t either.

The two could feel the engines begin to slow. With Tony keeping an arm around Y/N, the two looked through the large window. The ship was approaching a planet. Peter and Dr. Strange joined the couple by the window.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Peter asked.

“I think we’re here,” Strange replied.

“I don’t think this rig has a self-park function,” Tony said, looking around. He left Y/N’s side, waving Peter over to where he was going. “Get your hand into this steering gimbal. Close those around it. You understand?”

“Yep, got it,” Peter responded, quickly following Tony’s directions as Tony put one of his arms in it as well.

“This was meant for one big guy, so we gotta to move at the same time.”

“Okay. Okay. Ready.” Out the window, Y/N could see that the ship was heading straight for the center of some wreckage. “We might wanna turn. Turn! Turn! Turn!!”

Tony tapped his reactor, armoring up. “Y/N! Get over here!”

Before Y/N could reach Tony’s side, the ship clipped a piece of rumble on the planet, throwing Y/N to the side. Peter has his helmet come up as Dr. Strange stepped between them, creating a shield for the rough landing. As the ship, shook and plowed through the dirt, Y/N portaled herself over to Tony. She wrapped her arms around him to keep steady, only for them both to be thrown to the ground. Parts of the ship flew off before it finally came to a stop. Tony’s helmet disappeared as he searched Y/N for any injuries. He quickly noticed that her breathing was fast and her eyes were clenched shut.

“Honey, honey,” Tony called. “You’re okay. Hey, look at me. Look at me.” She shakily looked up at Tony from her position curled up into his side. “We are safe. You are okay. You’re not hurt. Right?”

“I… I’m… o-okay…” Y/N stuttered softly.

“You haven’t had something like that in awhile.” Tony sighed before kissing her head. “I’ll get us out of here. I promise.” Dr. Strange came over and helped them up. “You alright?” Tony asked Strange, who nodded. “That was close. I owe you one.”

“Let me just say,” Peter started, descending from above like a spider, “if aliens wind up implanting eggs in my chest or something, and I eat one of you, I'm sorry.”

Tony pointed at Peter. “I don't wanna hear another single pop culture out of you for the rest of the trip. You understand?”

“I'm trying to say that... something is coming.”

Suddenly, a grenade rolled into view and the foursome was thrown back as it fired an energy pulse. Three beings appeared in the doorway.

“THANOS!” A blue man yelled. 

He flung a blade at Dr. Strange, who deflected it with a mystical shield and in return his cloak smothered the man’s face, throwing him to the floor. Y/N and Tony were quickly on their feet. One of the men went straight for Tony. They have a brief dogfight until a magnetic disc pinned Tony face first to a structure. An alien woman came up from behind Y/N, putting her hands on her head, entering her mind.

“Sleep,” the alien woman commanded. Y/N dropped to the floor, unconscious. 

“Y/N!” Tony shouted.

The alien walked towards Peter, who was crawling back frantically. “AH!” Peter exclaimed. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Please don’t put your eggs in me!”

Peter shot a web at Mantis in a panic, pinning her arms to her body just before the man that attacked Tony flew at him feet-first, kicking him away.

“Stay down, clown!” The man ordered.

The man fired at Spider-man, who extended his spider legs and leapt away. Peter couldn’t get far before an electric-like cord wrapped around him and his six new legs. It set him rolling across the deck.

“Die, blanket of death!” The blue man cried, struggling with he cloak.

Tony pulled free of the magnet and stepped on the blue man’s torso. The cloak pulled free as soon as Tony had the man securely under his foot. The other man had Spider-Man in a head-lock, gun pointed at his head. Dr. Strange had a musical shield up and stood ready to attack. The alien woman struggled to her feet, still covered with webbing.

“Ugh…” Y/N groaned, slowing sitting up while holding her head. 

“Y/N,” Tony called. “Are you—“

“Alright, everybody stay where you are!” The man holding Spider-Man in a headlock ordered. “Chill the F out.” The man powered off his helmet. “I’m gonna ask you this one time. Where’s Gamora?”

Tony hid his helmet as well. “Yeah, I'll do you one better,” Tony responded. “Who’s Gamora?”

“I’ll do you one better. Why is Gamora?” The man beneath Tony’s foot fired back.

“Tell me where the girl is, or I swear to you, I'm gonna French-fry this little freak,” the man holding Spider-Man threatened.

“Let's do it!” Tony responded, extending a nano-tech canon at the blue man. “You shoot my guy, I blast him. Let's go!”

“Do it, Quill! I can take it!” The blue man exclaimed.

“No, he can’t take it!” The alien woman replied.

“She’s right,” Dr. Strange said. “You can’t.”

"Oh yeah? You don't wanna tell me where she is?” Quill continued. “That's fine. I'll kill all four of you and beat it out of Thanos myself.” He looked at Spider-Man. “Starting with you.”

“Stop!” Y/N yelled, freezing everyone in place. She stood up. “No one is killing anyone!”

“Why can’t I—“

“She’s controlling us,” the alien woman stated. “She’s extremely powerful.”

“Wait, what? Thanos?” Dr. Strange questioned, realizing what Quill had said. “Alright, let me ask you this one time: What master do you serve?”

“What master do I serve?” Quill repeated. “What am I supposed to say? “Jesus”?"

“You’re from Earth?” Tony asked.

“I'm not from Earth. I'm from Missouri.”

“Yeah, that's on Earth, dip-shit. What are you hasseling us for?”

“So, you’re not with Thanos?” Spider-Man questioned.

“With Thanos?!” Quill repeated. “No, I'm here to kill Thanos! He took my girl- Wai- who are you?”

Spider-Man’s helmet disappeared. “We’re the Avengers, man.”

“Oh.”

“You’re the ones Thor told us about!” The alien woman stated.

“Thor,” Y/N breathed out, still keeping everyone in place. 

“You know Thor?” Tony asked.

“Yeah,” Quill responded. “Tall guy, not that good-looking, needed saving.”

“Where is he now?” Dr. Strange asked.

“With our other friends, going to make a weapon,” the woman responded.

“Y/N, you can let us go know,” Tony said. 

With a deep breath, Y/N let everyone be free. They all moved to standing positions, Tony beside Y/N.

“So you’re Y/N?” The woman walked up to her. “Thor mentioned you.”

“Really?” Y/N questioned.

“He said you were powerful,” Quill stated. “But he also said you were on Earth.”

“Yeah, guess not all Thor says is true.”

“Star-Lord, by the way,” Quill introduced himself.

“Right,” Tony nodded. “I’m Iron Man. This is Dr. Strange and Spider-Man.” He pointed to the others he introduced.

“I’m Drax,” the blue man said.

“And I’m Mantis,” the alien woman added.

“Okay, now that introductions are out of the way,” Tony started, “let’s go see what’s out there.”

Grabbing Y/N’s hand, Tony led her, and the others, towards an opening in the ship. The planet outside had clearly been through something war-like, and there was no sign of life anywhere. Star-Lord went down on one knee, getting out some sort of device.

“The heck happened to this planet?” He wondered. “It’s eight degrees off its axis.” He stood up. “Gravitational pull is all over the place.”

“Yeah, we can see that,” Y/N commented, looking at Mantis who was jumping joyfully high up in the air behind Star-Lord.

“Yeah, we got one advantage. He’s coming to us,” Tony stated. “We'll use it. All right, I have a plan. Or at least the beginnings of one. It's pretty simple. We draw him in, pin him down, get what we need. Definitely don't wanna dance with this guy. We just want the gauntlet.” Drax then choose this time to yawn. “Are you yawning? In the middle of this, while I'm breaking it down? Huh? Did you hear what I said?”

“I stopped listening after you said, "We need a plan.”” Drax replied.

“Okay, Mr. Clean is on his own page.”

“See, "not winging it" isn't really what they do,” Star-Lord responded.

“Uh, what exactly is it that they do?” Spider-Man asked.

“Kick names, take ass,” Mantis answered, meekly.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Drax agreed.

Tony paused, looking deeply hopeless. Quietly, Y/N’s breathing hitched as her head started buzzing. Thankfully, Tony didn’t notice to worry about it.

“Alright, just get over here, please,” Tony continued. “Mr. Lord, can you get your folks to circle up?”

“‘Mr. Lord’,” Star-Lord repeated with a chuckle. “Star-Lord is fine.” He motioned Drax and Mantis to come closer.

“We gotta coalesce. 'Cause if all we come at him with is a plucky attitude—“

“Dude, don't call us plucky. We don't know what it means. Alright, we're optimistic, yes. I like your plan. Except it sucks, so let me do the plan, and that way it might be really good.”

“Tell him about the dance-off to save the universe,” Drax urged.

“A dance-off?” Y/N repeated, trying to ignore the buzzing.

“It’s not a… it’s not… it’s nothing,” Star-Lord stuttered.

“Like in Footloose, the movie?” Spider-Man wondered.

“Exactly like Footloose! Is it still the greatest movie in history?”

“It never was.”

“Don’t encourage this, alright?” Tony told Peter.

“Okay.”

“We’re getting no help from Flash Gordon here.”

“Flash Gordon?” Star-Lord repeated. “By the way, that's a compliment. Don't forget, I'm half human.” He pointed at Y/N, Tony, and Parker. “So that 50% of me that's stupid? That's 100% you.”

“Your math is blowing my mind.”

“Excuse me,” Mantis nervously interrupted. “But… does your friend often do that?”

Everyone looked in the direction Mantis was pointing. Floating slightly above the ground, was Dr. Strange clearly using the Time Stone. Strange was cross-legged with green energy forming circular patterns around his forearms. His eyes were closed and his head jerked rapidly from side to side, blurring. The others went to his side. 

As Y/N grew closer, a green strand of energy slowing touched her head. She froze and her eyes shone green. Everyone was too busy with Strange to notice though. Her vision quickly changed. It was dark at first, but slowly each of the Stones shined on a gauntlet. The fingers snapped and her field of vision was suddenly filled with people screaming and disappearing into ash. She looked around for anyone she knew, no one was recognizable. 

Quickly, the setting changed. She was standing on a war-torn battle, that was vaguely familiar. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people and aliens were battling each other. She recognized many of those people as her family, her friends. They were dirty, bloody, and clearly fighting for their lives. Y/N looked around to see Thanos fighting herself.

“In five years time, the final battle will commence,” the Stones gravely voice filled her ears. “This is where you will be needed… If you try to stop what happens here today, we will stop you.”

Outside Y/N’s mind, Tony had made his was to Strange.

“Strange, we alright?” Tony wondered. Strange snapped out of his trance and fell forward, letting out a cry. “You’re back. You’re alright.” Tony steadied him.

“Hey, what was that?” Peter asked.

“I went forward in time to view alternate futures,” Strange Panted. “To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict.”

“How many did you see?” Star-Lord wonders.

“14,000,605.”

“How many did we win?” Tony asked.

Strange stared intently at Tony for a moment, almost sad like. Before looking past him at Y/N. “One.”

Everyone turned to look where Strange was looking. Y/N was still standing, with green eyes and green energy encircling her head. Tony rushed over, grasping Y/N by the arms.

“Y/N!” Tony called, trying gently to shake her out of whatever was happening. “Come on, honey. Push through!”

~~~

The quinjet ride to Wakanda was full of silent tension, silent worry. No one knew what exactly was coming, or how to stop it.

“Drop 2600, heading 0-3-0,” Steve instructed, walking up behind Sam who was piloting.

“I hope you’re right about this, Cap,” Sam said. “Or we’re gonna land a lot faster than you want to.”

From the looks of it, they were heading straight for the trees. But as the quinjet continued on, the tree were revealed to be a camouflage force field and the grand city of Wakanda appeared. Once they landed, Steve and Natasha exited first, with Rhodey, Bruce, Wanda, Vision, and Sam behind them.

“Seems like I’m always thanking you for something,” Steve stated as he reached out to shake T’Challa’s.

T’Challa shook Steve’s hand before looking at Bruce. “Uh, we don’t do that here,” T’Challa said, waving for Bruce to stop. “So how big of an assault can we expect?” T’Challa turned around and the team began following after him.

“Uh, sir, I think you can expect quite a big assault,” Bruce answered, trying to push his way closer to the front.

“How we looking?” Nat asked.

“You will have my King’s Guard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and…” T’Challa trialed off, as Bucky walked up to the others.

“A semi-stable, 100-year-old man,” Bucky joked. With smiles on their faces, Steve and Bucky shared a hug.

“How you been, Buck?” Steve asked.

“Uh, not bad, for the end of the world,” he replied with a smile. “Have you… uh, have you heard from Y/N?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Steve shook his head and sighed. “But I have heard she’s been sneaking around with you and Stark. You’re going to have to tell me all about it as soon as this is through.”

Bucky let out a light laugh. “As long as you buy the beer.”

~~~

Leaving Rhodey, Bucky, and Sam to watch from outside, the rest went and met Shuri in her lab. Vision laid down on an exam table while Shuri used her technology to create a hologram projection of the Mind Stone above him. Bruce was on the other side of the table, watching her very movement. 

“Whoa. The structure is polymorphic,” Shuri stated.

“Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially,” Bruce told her.

“Why didn’t you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?” Shuri asked. Vision turned to Bruce, seemingly asking the same thing with his eyes.

“Because, we didn’t think of it,” Bruce answered with uncertainty. 

“I’m sure you did your best,” Shuri reassured with a smile. 

“Can you do it?” Wanda asked.

“Yes, but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures.” Shuri turned to T’Challa. “It will take time, brother.”

“How long?” Steve asked, stepping closer to them.

“As long as you can give me.” 

A chime went off and Okoye quickly projected a hologram globe into her palm. “Something’s entered the atmosphere,” Okoye informed.

“Hey, Cap, we got a situation here,” Sam warned over the comms. 

Almost as soon as his words ended, a forcefield formed over the city. Bucky and Sam watched as alien vessels landed outside the barrier. One of them tried to go through, getting destroyed.

“Gosh, I love this place,” Bucky said.

“Yeah, don’t start celebrating yet, guys,” Rhodey warned. “We got incoming outside the dome.”

The landing vessels emitted shock waves and debris, destroying the forest. The Captain and the King looked at each other, both deeply concerned. Vision struggled to sit up and slide off the exam table, holding onto his side.

“It’s too late,” he said. “We need to destroy the stone now.”

“Vision, get your ass back on the table,” Nat demanded.

“We will hold them off,” T’Challa stated as he and his guards started for the door. 

Steve turned to Wanda. “Wanda, as soon as the stone’s out of his head… you blow it to hell,” He instructed.

“I will,” Wanda replied.

“Evacuate the city. Engage all defense procedures,” T’Challa commanded. He stopped before fully exiting the room, turned, and pointed to Steve. “And get this man a shield.”

Steve looked out the window, watching the ships crash land outside the barrier. He couldn’t help but wonder what all this had to do with his sister exactly. But there was a bigger question than that in his mind, a more important question.

“Where the hell are you, Y/N?” He whispered to himself.

next chapter >

NOTES: from now on the taglist when be added by a reblog. I will reblog it using my second account, @just-dreaming-marvel-2​​. Just so that my main page doesn’t get too cluttered.

If you want to be added to the tag list, please dm me or send in an ask.

[spiced-wine-fic]

Red lightning cracked like a whip across the sky.

“Get back!” he shouted to the warriors around Túrin. “Get away from him!” His voice deepened to a Balrog's thunder. 

The artery of light dropped like a spear from the clouds, blasting steaming turf. Malantur's twitching body burst into flame.

And a great shape rose from it, broadening, stretching to far more than man-height. It reared up, becoming horrifically solid, fire breaking like lava through black skin, glinting past giant wolf-canines. The vast sword came alight, a whip whirled, cracked a stream of flame. A bestial bellow slammed like thunder against the air.

Túrin fell into a fighting stance.

<br /> <br /> 

Coldagnir cried: <i>”Gothmog!”</i>

Ember red eyes rose from Túrin's face.

”Little brother.”

Coldagnir allowed himself to <i>become</i>. Not his truest, oldest self; he must battle Gothmog as a Balrog, but not the one Gothmog had known, always weaker, a victim to be used and twisted and corrupted. 

His wings burst into flame, he fell from the air before Gothmog, landed, light-footed, sword and whip in hand…

…He pressed his lips to Gothmog’s and pulled . With sheer will, the blaze of his hate and retribution, he sucked Gothmog's life-force out.

Flame poured into him, streaming from Gothmog's mouth, searing,boiling, burning, but he was equal to it. He always, truly, had been. He swallowed it like wine.

Gothmog jerked, roared, wrenching back his fanged head. He opened his maw mantis-wide, and lunged. Tearing Coldagnir's face away.

The world went dark. Flayed nerves screamed a crescendo that overtook his mortal wound. He did not see Gothmog falter, stagger, hardly heard him fall. Coldagnir wrestled, as he too fell, with the desperate, raging soul within him. It writhed, lashed with a last appalling strength before he shut it impotently within his own. Coffining it.

Edenel had given him the first inkling of the idea. The Ithiledhil had eaten the hearts of the first orcs, to try and consume something of their original Elven souls. 

And Coldagnir was a god.

But a god who could die. Was dying. 

Magnificat of the Damned Book IV: Anvil.

Chapter Five: Fire Eater. 

[welcometotheballpit]

The tale of Giggles the Scorpion Clown... PHD

Dr. George Iggles was an unassuming man of around 40 years, with the round affable and bespectacled face of a traditional academic. His kindness led him to volunteer for a position within the local children’s hospital, caring for young ones who’s diagnoses gave very little hope for their recovery. 

However, while he was kind, he was also very naïve and never once asked about the injections he was tasked with administering to the children. Instead he focused on how best to alleviate their sadness. He would sing them songs while strumming on his ukulele. He would perform magic tricks and tell them jokes. He kept a red nose in the pocket of his doctor’s coat, putting it on when the little ones would cry.

However, one day the little ones began to change. 

Coming in for his shift one morning he found one of the little girls, Emma, crying in her hospital bed, a splatter of blood down the front of her gown.

“Oh dear what’s wrong?” He asked, dropping his lunchbox and hurrying to her side.

“It’s my tooth!” Emma cried, her little knobby knees to her chest, “My tooth came out!”

George sighed, opening her mouth gently to get a look, “Poor dear, it’s normal for teeth to come out at your age and-” He stopped suddenly. There where her little tooth had been there was now a sharp protrusion that extended from the little girl’s gum. He wondered how on earth she grew a fang, pressing his thumb against it when it... twitched. The protrusion moving like something... insectoid.

George fell back, knocking over the side table on his way to the floor, his eyes wide with fear.

“Georgie?” Emma asked, holding her swollen cheek with a hand, “Are you ok?”

George shook his head, tears beading in his eyes, “E-emma... are YOU ok?”

Emma thought for a moment, cocking her little head to the side. “I think so... I’m just...”

George righted himself, taking her little hand in his, “You’re what?”

Emma took her thumb, chewing on it pensively, George took her hand from her mouth when the little girl drew blood unthinkingly, “I’m just hungry Mr. George... I’m really... hungry...”

The other children weren’t faring much better. One little boy had scales on his hands, another child was crying out in pain, what appeared to be wings threatening to emerge from their back, the skin pulling taut with something underneath twitching. Another little girl had chewed through the metal pole holding her IV during the night.

And so George did the only thing he could think of doing. He went to the director.

The director was a taciturn man in a crisp suit, not even looking at George as the smaller man crept into his office.

“S-sir?” George asked, trying to steel his voice.

The director does not look up from his papers, “What?”

George swallows, “W-what are you doing to them?”

The other man sighs, “Does it matter? They won’t live long anyways, they might as well be of some use now.”

George was sickened, clutching his hand to his chest. “That’s sickening! I- I can’t let you do this. I-I’ll tell everyone!”

The director smiled darkly. He took a box from his desk, opening it gingerly and pulling out a large syringe. “No George, I’m afraid you won’t.”

...

When George came to he felt heavy. His chitinous plating shifted, clicking against itself as he rose. The room beneath him was tiny, what was now the long expanse of his neck pressed against the tile of the ceiling. He adjusted himself to look in the mirror hung on the wall of the director’s office, his movements serpentine and aided by many legs.

As he craned his segmented neck to look in the mirror the image revealed seemed alien and foreign. His eyes, once a mild brown were now bulbous, escaping the confines of his eye sockets in a shape similar to that of a preying mantis. Mandibles had appeared from the inside of his mouth, stretching his lips into a terrible forced smile, oddly colored drool escaping his mouth and dripping down his chin.

“The ch-ch-children w-w-will be afraid of-f-f m-me...” George whined, his voice contorted into something almost unrecognizable. He reached a pincher into the tattered remains of his doctor’s coat and retrieved his red nose as well as a tiny tin of facepaint he had saved for days the children were particularly gloomy. “I c-c-can’t have the ch-ch-children be afraid of me.” He pinned his identification tag on, the act akin to instinct after so many years working in the ward. George Iggles, abbreviated to G.Iggles.

“Giggles... I’m Giggles...” He laughed, high and manic, with something deep and rusty behind it in his voice.

However, when he emerged the children were already gathered in the hall, their eyes bright as they surrounded the bloodied and barely breathing form of the director.

“Mr. Georgie?” Emma stepped towards him without fear, scales beginning to appear on the side of her neck and more teeth replaced by the same insectoid protrusions. Her smile was bright despite the blood dripping from her mouth. “We waited for you. We didn’t want to eat without you.”

George gently combed back her hair with a pincer. “Th-th-that is very k-k-kind of you. I am h-h-happy...”

The director looked up, barely conscious as Giggles loomed over him. Giggles smiled down at him, “This will b-b-be our f-f-first meal as a family.”

And with that the new family began to feast.

[ranekvilmas]

Confrontation

Disclaimer. 

This has taken me a good month and a half to finish. It is not my best work, but it needed to end, finally. Work has gotten in the way of me being able to really sit down and make this superior, but I mostly toughed through it and waved my hands in submission. So thank you for baring with me. This took place icly in the beginning of September. The RPs I have ongoing on tumblr took place prior to this. The Visitor stoyr was a week before that, the end of August, HERE.  Thank you, lovely listeners and readers. For all the help and inspiration to keep me going. This story started when I made Ranek, i think February of 2018. Two and a half years! years! This is my first true story arc and I am so very happy to have it concluded. I look forward to getting back to meeting and greeting with all of you. Love you all! 

And now, to the moment I have been struggling to write for weeks. 

Accompanying Music

The portal closed and Ranek breathed a sigh of relief. Halneth screamed at him as she was gently shoved through the tear in reality, weak and unable to resist. He had drained the creature of her Void essence and sent her back to Azeroth, now free to live as she pleased. She would hate him for sending her away, but he could not let her die for his actions. 

She had done her job well, the beings that assailed them were almost gone. He and Halneth fought with ferocity and determination to tear the mob apart. Had she not trained Ranek to resist the fear and power that came with Void creatures, he would not have survived more than a few minutes. The Gilnean had spent countless nights letting Halneth unleash his deepest fears and how to resist and combat them. His rune was further strengthened to boost his defenses and allow him to harness Void energy. He knew the corruption would take its toll one day, but he could only do one fight at a time. This did not protect him from the glancing hits of claws or teeth, and he was bleeding from multiple cuts and close calls. His breathing was steady, but he had to end the rest of the chaff before he confronted the Entity itself, which was perched on one of the large boulders and watching the fight intently. A small smirk crossed his lips as he looked to the remaining enemies around him, beings of untold horror that would have most people running or paralyzed in fear. One was made of pure shadow, not keeping any specific form aside from the multiple arms that ended in long talons. The second was a worm-like creature, reared up with a long split down its body as tall as Ranek was. It opened the slit, revealing rows and rows of teeth. Another was an impossibly tall and emaciated humanoid, though it did not have any defining features. No mouth, eyes, ears or nose. No definition at all with it’s body. The long, thin arms ended in sharp points, not unlike a mantis. As one they charged, their screams echoing in his mind and causing him to shiver before flicking his hands. Ranek planted his feet and grasped a pair of knives. These were purchased at a bazaar, claiming to seek their target even if it is on the move or around a corner. One knife pierced the shadow creature dead center, causing it to screech and fade from existence. The other sunk deep into something with leathery wings and talons as long as his arm. It’s piercing cry was cut short as it flopped to the ground. Two down. He grasped another pair while he jumped away from the worm creature, startled at how fast it could slither despite how bloated it looked. 

Rolling to a crunch, he empowered the blades with some of his stored Void energy and sent them at the emaciated foe, both daggers flying true and pinning it’s arms to the rock behind it. With a small window to finish it, Ranek jumped as high as he could, burying his short sword into its chest, letting his weight and gravity split open the creature’s torso. It screeched loudly, the high-pitched keening wail making Ranek clap his hands to either side of his head to deafen the noise.

As he steadied himself, the worm creature took the opportunity to pounce, gripping his leg and bit down hard. A howl of pain left his lips as he lost his footing, collapsing on the ground. The bulk of the worm moved to his chest, the weight crushing him and pushing the air from his lungs. He moved his hands to either side of the creature’s head and focused his Void energy, causing a surge of power to leap between his hands and burned a hole clean through it. 

With a grunt of pain mixed with exertion, he heaved the corpse from him and slowly got to his feet. Taking a few breaths, he looked to where the Entity was and found the perch empty. He took the opportunity to use a vial to enhance his healing, and the pain in his leg lessened.

“Shit.” The Gilnean looked around cautiously, holding his sword and remaining knife in his hands. He strained his eyes and ears for any sign of the entity, becoming more and more on edge as silence settled around him. A few seconds later he could hear the faintest of noise, soft fluttering sound. It was a casual swipe of a wing that sent Ranek flying almost ten meters away. A large, jagged rock was the only thing stopping his momentum. All of the air he was already gasping for was forced out violently, causing a pained gasp to leave his mouth with a loud groan. He could feel something crack, each movement sending pain throughout his body. As he struggled to get up once more, panting heavily and trying to focus, he turned to meet his new attacker. His eyes widened as he finally was face to face with his true foe, and his guts went cold.

The gargantuan three-headed raven did not move from its place. It watched the mortal rise slowly to his feet. The heads bobbed in rapid succession and emitted a distorted chortle, something akin to a laugh. The self named Lord of Ravens had grown since Ranek had last encountered it. The entity towered over him, and he craned his neck to meet the gaze of the middle head. The Entity had become bloated with souls, harvested and plucked from death to bolster its power. It’s body pulsed with unnatural energies, causing his rune to flare and make his chest tighten.

It stepped closer to him, the power causing Ranek’s barriers to flare and cause a dull ache in his mind. Ranek kept his eyes on the entity, hands tightening on his weapons as his mind raced to come up with a plan. That was a most exquisite entrance, little wolf. I was not sure if those minions would be too much for you, but I can see you have grown in power. Was it the bottom feeder who taught you? It’s three heads tilted to look Ranek over. This is better than anticipated, more power for me to harvest. Your connection to the Void is so strong now, yet you resist the torments. That will benefit me greatly. You will be the key to-”

The worgen suddenly braced his legs, ready to pounce and get a few hits in before it could react. Maybe he could wear it down. He clenched a fist around his sword, shadows forming at his feet before jumping high towards the Raven Lord and slipped from sight. He aimed his body to strike at the entity’s chest, but he was caught mid air by an invisible force. Pressure wrapped around his body, squeezing him tight. Both blades fell from nerveless fingers to the ground as his vision threatened to give out. Fool. you have more strength that I anticipated, but you will never beat me. I see all and little tricks like this will not best me.  The three sets of eyes focused on the mortal, the purple glow of the Void forming. Your resistance will be punished..

The multiple eyes glowed brighter, and Ranek could feel immense pressure on his mind. The barriers and wards placed began to unravel, causing a searing pain to form like needles in his brain. He bellowed in anger and pain, his body thrashing feebly in the invisible grip. He attempted to push back, a steel trap attempted to shut around his mind as he squeezed his eyes shut. Foolishness.

The pain grew, so much that Ranek could not think or even move. The layers of his mind were being peeled away, the pressure and power being forced him to begin convulsing wildly. He pried one eye open, defiant to fight back as he focused his own power to a single point in the back of his mind, the place the inner wolf guarded fiercely. He drew more power, overtaxing the rune on his chest to make a single strike. 

One of the heads tilted slightly, meeting his gaze as the glow flared, a blast sent back to Ranek’s face, destroying the defiant gaze and peeling the flesh of his face back and burning it instantly. He screamed, one of pain and loss as his vision went back, unable to open the other eye. His head tilted back as more agony surged through him, going limp in the grasp.

Do you wish this to end? The suffering can stop when you cease this farce of bravery. My patience is growing thin, wolf. Give yourself willingly, and I might just spare those you care for most.

The force holding Ranek dissipated, causing a ten foot fall to the ground. He landed hard, the already cracked rib separating more, a hard wheezing sound came from him as he struggled to get to his knees, not willing to die on the ground. He defiantly tossed his last seeking knife, watching it cut through the air towards the center head. It soared fast through the air, imbedding itself between it’s eyes. It howled in pain, thrashing to pluck it from it’s flesh. It took a few moments for one of the other heads to grasp it and pull it away.

“You….. cannot harm anyone. Wards. Runes are in place. You will not take-” He said with a raspy voice, all the bravado he could muster to stand up against it.

The entity’s body bristled, feathers rippling with energy. A wave of Void energy surged from the creature, easily knocking Ranek back down with a grunt of pain. The Lord of Ravens placed a talon on the worgen’s chest and gently pressed down, the mortal’s remaining eye widening as blinding pain coursed through him, so intense he was unable to scream. 

I WILL find them all. I will twist the ones you care for, torture them and corrupt their souls until they beg for death. It will all be on your head, little wolf. The changeling never fails.

Ranek coughed up some blood, spitting it onto the entity’s clawed foot. “It.. dead... You will not find anyone.. Stuck here. You cannot-”

The taloned foot pressed harder and Ranek could feel his rib cage crack. The Lord of Ravens screeched in frustration. He bellowed in pain, his clawed hands trying to pry the foot away, but it would not budge. The center head moved to focus it’s gaze on the worgen’s chest, the beak becoming pure Void as it sunk into his chest, shattering the rune bound to his soul, fracturing the very essence that made Ranek a mortal. It began to feed

The center head leaned close to Ranek, the opposite heads rearing back as it harvested his soul. You seem broken, wolf. Your pain will suffice instead of them, you will suffer for eternity as part of me. The curse that afflicts you will be my key to the power of the Old Gods. I will be an avatar of death! Rejoice in the fact you will not see Azeroth burn. You will-”

There was an abrupt silence as the Void-filled eyes blinked, then a loud screech of pain sounded as it thrashed, a blade of pure Void sticking in one of the eyes. Ranek laughed, a wet rasp coming from him until it was just blood. He grinned up at the beast as his arm fell limp to his side.

The center head’s eye flared in pure anger, then swiftly came down in a flash, impaling Ranek and puncturing the rock surface he was laying on. 

The final thoughts going through the shattered, broken mind of Ranek Vilmas was an apology to those he loved, and that they would never be threatened by the Lord of Ravens. As darkness claimed him, a small smirk spread on his lips.

[chris-evans-indian-fanfic]

The Most Important Mission

One-Shot

Description- Valkyrie/Queen of Asgardians (Brunnhilde), and Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers), Protector of the Galaxies, come together for an important mission. 

This one-shot is my entry for the writing challenge set by @anika-ann ! The fic is set almost a year after Endgame and is inspired by the prompt - “As far as plans go, this isn’t a good one.” “This was your plan.” “I didn’t think you’d actually say yes!” Check out the challenge here

Warning - Fluff 

Main Masterlist

I don’t consent to have any of my work published or featured on any third party app, website or translated. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but Tumblr, it has been reposted without my permission. In that case, please do share the link and let me know.

…

Fire alarm blared as the room filled with thick, black smoke. An acidic, burning smell filled their nostrils as Brunnhilde and Carol escaped the room, coughing. Smoke stung their eyes and formed tears. They sat on the floor outside the room, panting in defeat.

"I had no… no idea this would be so difficult," said Brunnhilde, catching her breath. "To think I signed up for this," Carol shook her head, "should have listened to Fury."

"Where do you think we went wrong? We followed everything that was mentioned in the briefing," wondered Brunnhilde.

"Well," Carol looked at her, "I don't think I should have used the plasma blasters. That's probably what set the device off."

“As far as plans go, that wasn’t a good one,” commented Brunnhilde. “It was your plan!” exclaimed Carol. “I didn’t think you’d actually say yes!” Brunnhilde retorted.

They got up, brushing the dust off themselves when Sam and Maria came rushing into the room. "What the hell were you doing?" shouted Maria, looking at the destruction in shock.

"Fury assigned us to a mission for today, but things did not go well," Carol admitted.

"Fury gave you an assignment for today?" asked Sam.

"Yes," replied Brunnhilde.

"For Morgan's birthday?" he inquired.

"Yes."

"Did he ask you to bake a cake?"

"Yes."

"And you burned down the kitchen?!"

Carol looked sheepishly at Brunnhilde.

"Weren't Scott and Banner in charge of the birthday cake?" wondered Maria.

"They were, but they had to help with the decorations, as Bucky was a little jumpy around balloons," noting her confused face, Brunnhilde added, "Somebody kept popping the balloons." Maria nodded in acknowledgement as Sam snickered.

"So what do we do now? Should we just order the cake from a bakery?" suggested Maria.

"No. We took this mission and we will see that it is completed," announced a determined Carol. 

"Boy you need Martha Stewart to pull this off in such a short time," claimed Sam whole assessing the damage to the kitchen.

"Who is she? Can we bring her in?" asked Brunnhilde. 

"I will ask the tag team to locate her right away," added Carol.

"No no! You won't lay a finger on Martha Stewart!" Sam spoke in panic, "I have her recipe book on simple cakes for beginners. You can use it in my kitchen. Just, don't plasma-fry my oven. I can't have a hangry Winter Soldier staying with me."

"Hangry? Don't you mean hungry?" Maria corrected him. "Please! Have you seen the guy? He's always angry. It gets worse when he's hungry on top of it."

Brunnhilde and Carol looked at each other, "Are you sure we don't need Martha Stewart here?"

"Yes absolutely!" asserted Sam.

"You have 3 hours ladies. Good luck," Maria departed with a reminder.

3 hours later...

The birthday party had just begun at the Stark Farmhouse. The house had been transformed to resemble a castle, with balloons, streamers and other decorations dotting the surrounding lawn. 

"Everybody! Welcome the birthday girl, Princess Morgan, Ruler of the Cheeseburgers Kingdom!" Peter Parker announced as he accompanied the little girl dressed in a princess costume. Everyone cheered and welcomed the cute princess with confetti and hugs.

Pepper went around the party with Morgan, greeting everyone and thanking them for coming. "Happy," she called out to him, "Where is the cake?" He tapped his pockets, trying to find his mobile, "Let me call and check."

Just as he was about to dial Carol's number, he heard the sound of wings flapping from somewhere above him. Soon, he was covered in the shadow of Brunnhilde's regal white Pegasus, descending on the grounds. 

"We are here!" she announced from her seat on the winged-horse. "With cupcakes!" added Carol from behind her.

"Ooooo a flying horse! Look mamma a flying horse!" Morgan excitedly sprinted towards the animal. "Wow! I wasn't expecting the Pegasus Brunnhilde! Thank you for the surprise," said an astonished Pepper. "Yeah well, we thought what does every princess need? A flying horse that she can ride into battle!" Brunnhilde beamed in response.

"Exactly! Say Morgan, do you wanna ride the Pegasus with Aunt Carol and Aunt Brunnhilde?" Carol asked the birthday girl. "YAY!!" Morgan screamed with joy, "Mamma can I go with them? Pplleeeeeaasseee??" she pleaded with her puppy eyes. "Uummm maybe after you have cut and eaten your birthday cake?" suggested Pepper. 

"Birthday cupcakes not cake," Carol corrected Pepper, "We just thought cupcakes would be easier for everyone to handle and would save the hassle of cutting and serving each slice."

"Aahh makes sense," Pepper agreed and led them towards the table where they could set up the cupcakes.

"Our distraction is working so far," Brunnhilde whispered to Carol as they started unpacking the boxes. "Let's hope we get away with the next part," muttered Carol.

"Okay everyone! Can I have your attention please?" Carol clapped her hands together and everyone looked at her. "We have another surprise planned for this party! Here we have a large cupcake only for our birthday princess to cut and eat," she gestured towards a cupcake that was a little larger than the others in size due to spillage of the batter. It was coated with multicolored sprinkles, M&Ms and marshmallows. The cupcake was basically a 6-hour worth of sugar rush packed in a bite. 

"And for the rest of us, there are plain cupcakes which you can decorate with 5 different coloured icing options! Isn't that fun?" continued Carol, trying her best to be enthusiastic.

"5 icing options? Awesome!" said Peter Parker excitedly.

"Oooo so many different colours that you can eat," Mantis looked at the different icing bags with wonder.

"I am Groot." "He says thank you for also including the brown colored icing," Rocket translated for Groot.

"Aawww you are welcome Groot," replied Brunnhilde.

"C'mon everyone let's sing Happy Birthday and cut the cake," Happy announced.

In hindsight, everyone could have prepared better for this moment. You see, the thing with the Happy Birthday song is that it has different variations not just on earth, but also across the galaxy. Shuri, Okoye and T'Challa chanted calmly in isiXhosa while Drax stomped his feet in tune with his song. Brunnhilde and Thor sang the Asguardian version by flailing their arms around. Rocket and Nebula covered their ears as Mantis shrieked. The rest of the earthlings hummed/sang along at different tempos, with Peter Quill ending on a high note ".... to yoooooooooouuuuu!"

Morgan looked around happily at the cacophony of birthday songs and blew the candle on her cupcake.

As the others started crowding around the cupcake stand, Maria expressed her concerns, "Have you guys eaten these?" she said, gesturing towards the cupcakes.

"Ha. Ha," Carol laughed sarcastically, "Don't worry we had them tested in the lab. They are safe to eat."

"Y'all baked cupcakes, made different frostings, and got here in just 3 hours? Especially after that fiasco in the kitchen? Spill the tea sis," Shuri cocked an eyebrow at them. 

Both Brunnhilde and Carol looked at each other with confusion. "We didn't spill any tea. Although we did knock over a jar of coffee beans," said a confused Brunnhilde. 

"Yeah and how do you know about the disaster in the kitchen?" inquired Carol.

"It's trending on Twitter," Shuri shrugged nonchalantly.

"Who put it there?" they both asked in unison.

"I did!" Shuri confessed with a smirk and left to play with Morgan, who was busy admiring the giant Pegasus.

Bucky came over to their stand, unsure of the choices. He tentatively picked up a plain cupcake, thanked them, and quietly headed for a corner. Calling out after him, Sam asked Bucky to wait. Sam quickly took an icing bag and started frosting swirls on his cupcake. He looked at the 2 ladies, "Do I dare ask about my kitchen? Has it survived your baking endeavours?" 

"Yes yes of course. We only had to use the fire extinguisher once," Brunnhilde reassured him.

"Twice," Carol reminded her.

"Oh right. Yeah twice. But everything else is good!" Brunnhilde beamed at him.

Sam shook his head and went ahead to join Bucky. To Carol's surprise, they exchanged their cupcakes as they sat on the bench.

Almost half of the cupcakes were now gone, leaving the tabletop in a mess. While Brunnhilde was busy teaching everyone to ride her Pegasus, Carol was busy bursting the balloons filled with confetti above Morgan.

Rhodey approached Brunnhilde as she landed the Pegasus with Nebula. The blue alien looked visibly happy when the winged-horse nudged her playfully. "Thank you for bringing this guy over here," said Rhodey, acknowledging the animal. "It was nothing. Anything for little Morgan," Brunnhilde brushed him off. "And it's also a good distraction from the fact that there's no birthday cake and y'all are clueless when it comes to decorating cupcakes," Rhodey added with a smirk. 

Brunnhilde chucked. There was no pulling a fast one on Rhodey. "So what's going on between you two?" he playfully elbowed her. "Nothing much really. We spend some time together whenever she comes back, which is hardly ever. But that's really all there is to it."

"And you can't join her on her travels because?" Rhodey paused for her to fill in.

"I am a Queen Rhodey. I am responsible for my people. They have nobody on Earth other than me. And you, of all the people, know how difficult the government is. I mean it's not our fault that we are more advanced than the entire human civilization!"

Rhodey sighed defeatedly, "I hear you. More governments across the globe are increasingly losing sympathy for the Asguardians. I know you have already considered this before, but are you sure you want to keep your people on Earth? Don't get me wrong, I love having you guys around. It's just that the Council isn't exactly happy with the fact that there are literally aliens living amongst us."

Brunnhilde considered him solemnly, "It's not that easy to just find an empty planet in the galaxy and inhabit it. There is always some or the other governing body who would have an issue." She kicked a stone out of her way as she continued, "Behind all its glitz and gold, Asgard has a bloody history, one that is marred by the destruction of civilizations. Any other planet familiar with it wouldn't be as kind to us as Earth. At least here, it helps that Thor is a popular figure."

"And have you shared this with Ms I-Got-Plasma-Cannon-Blasters-In-My-Hands?" Rhodey nodded towards Carol.

Chuckling, she shook her head, "She has enough problems of the galaxy on her shoulders. I don't want to add on to that. I just want her to relax and enjoy herself when she comes back home."

Home. There was another reason she didn't share with Rhodey. Brunnhilde was scared that if the Asguardians moved to another planet, Carol might stop visiting her afterall. For her, Earth was her home, where she was born. And even though they hadn't discussed the extent of their "relationship", Brunnhilde didn't want to lose Carol. After the battle with Hela where the love of her life had bled to death in her arms, Brunnhilde had been scared to be with someone. But now, she was terrified of being alone. 

Brunnhilde didn't realise she was standing alone on the ground, gazing into space when Carol's voice brought her back to earth. "Hey what's wrong?" she cooed. "Ahh nothing much really," Brunnhilde managed to compose herself as the despondent memories of her lonely time on Sakaar dispersed from her mind. "Had fun with the balloons?" she inquired. 

"Yeah, until Pepper said no to the use of superpowers at the party," Carol pouted.

"How are we supposed to keep ourselves entertained then?" 

"Clint for one found a few magic tricks to practise on the Strange Doctor," Carol gestured towards Clint where he excitedly removed a quarter from behind Doctor Strange's ear, who looked ready to send Clint into the dark dimension.

"And as for us," Carol continued in her honey-sweet voice, "I can think of a few things we can do to entertain each other," she said with a wink.

"Not at a kid's birthday party!" Brunnhilde dramatically gasped.

"I was talking about sharing a cupcake! What were you thinking?" Carol giggled as she revealed the cupcake from behind her back. It had an uneven, squiggly heart piped on it with pink icing.

Brunnhilde laughed as she looked at the heart, "Are you sure we should eat it?"

"Eh, everybody else seems okay. Wouldn't kill us to eat at least one."

"You never know. WE baked this," Brunnhilde chuckled as they sat on the lawn, enjoying the setting sun.

"Ummm so listen. Have you heard about this planet called Nyorg? It is around 12 jumps from Asgard, in the Androyorg galaxy?" asked Carol.

"I think so. Isn't that the planet which went barren a few thousand years ago?"

Carol nodded in confirmation. "I was recently inspecting that planet for signs of life. Few patches across the planet are already covered with trees and grass. There are tiny streams and lakes which supply a steady amount of water. Also, the houses that people left behind are still there. But they do need repairs."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Brunnhilde looked at her with curiosity.

Carol hung her shoulders, "I know the problems Asguardians are facing on Earth. This is not your home. And it will never be. The best option for you guys is to start over, you know that too."

Brunnhilde squinted her eyes at her. "Are the Mnoreyags okay with us residing on their planet?"

"Technically, they abandoned the planet 4,578 thousand years ago. So they have no claim over it. Still, I spoke with the head of the Mnoreyags and he is happy to concede his claim on the planet," Carol assured her.

"But what does he want in return from Asgard?"

"Nothing," Carol said a little too quickly, averting her gaze and instead looking down at the grass.

Brunnhilde held her chin and turned Carol to face her. "What did you offer him?" she asked her gently.

Carol placed her head on Brunnhilde's shoulder, "He wants my blood sample to try and recreate my superpowers."

"But that's -"

"I know. It can be disastrous. But I am hoping Asgard regains its past glory and power to help stop the threat," Carol smiled hopefully.

Brunnhilde shook her head in dismay. 

Sensing her hesitation, Carol continued, "The Nine Realms that Asgard guarded are no longer under your command or protection. You know better than anyone that peace and order must be restored in the realms. And for that, Asgard needs to become powerful. Worst case scenario? We will deal with the Mnoreyags if they manage to replicate my powers."

"You shouldn't have to do this for me," Brunnhilde whispered sadly.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, my Majesty," Carol rested her forehead on Brunnhilde's.

Sudden explosions in the sky demanded their attention. Beautiful patterns of fireworks lit the darkening sky. Brunnhilde noticed the colours from the fireworks highlighted Carol's features in the most beautiful way possible. 

"No," she said abruptly, to Carol's surprise, "No, you will not give your blood sample to those Mnoreyags idiots. They abandoned that planet. They have no right over it."

"But we need to give up something-,"

"The Queen of Asgard will never give up anything of hers. Ever," Brunnhilde interrupted her with a smile.

Tears filled Carol's eyes when she realised the importance of that statement. 

They shared a quiet kiss amidst the hub hub of the party, with the stars in the night sky promising a brighter, better future.

Permanent tag- @donutloverxo

[unsureavenger]

Mourning Tony Stark

aka that deleted scene from Endgame that made us all cry

The way Pepper bows her head, softly crying once she knows that Tony can’t hear here, knowing that the father of her daughter and he love of her life is gone, is one of the many tear-jerking moments in this scene. She’s been with Tony through the drinking, the sleeping around, the disregard for his own life, and she’s still here. Tony might finally be able to rest, but Pepper won’t.

Steve Rogers, and in my opinion, the most heartbreaking moment in this, trembles — really shakes — as he falls to his knees in a moment of weakness. The super soldier, Captain America, brought down by the loss of one of his closest friends. After all the amends he made, after finally trusting Tony again, Steve has him ripped away from him again. And he’ll always be haunted by the what ifs. When Steve came out of the ice, Tony Stark gave him a home when he needed it the most. Tony took that home away with him when he died.

Tony’s ultimate best friend, Rhodey, is so overwhelmed by grief, that even a usually stoic character can barely muster the strength to turn his head away. Peter Parker, the one of many he took under his wing, isn’t shown much in the scene, but his heartfelt crying during Tony’s death is just as painful.

Then Clint Barton kneels. He kneels for a friend, a leader, and a man he looked up to — gone, taken from them forever. A man who was part of the very first team they built together, who was endlessly loyal and never failed to make him laugh. The rest of the team — the original team — they kneel too. Thor kneels for the bravest mortal he had the honour of calling a friend. Bruce kneels for the man who taught him to love himself, who showed him the alternative to self-loathing, his “science bro” and his best friend. Somewhere out there, Natasha kneels too, for the man she so horribly misjudged all those years ago.

T’Challa, the King of Wankanda, who bows to no one, kneels too. All of Wakanda kneels. So does Carol, an all-powerful warrior, and so does Valkyrie, the queen of Asgard. Stephen Strange, who is so struck by guilt and the knowledge that there was simply no other way that he almost curls into himself. Bucky Barnes, who still holds regret for tearing Steve and Tony apart, for inadvertently causing the death of the man in front of him. Sam, Wanda, the rest of the Avengers, they kneel, they bow their heads, all for their founding father.

Nebula, who was always forced to kneel before a tyrant, now chooses to kneel because this is a man who is worth it. Peter Quill, Rocket, Drax, Mantis, the Guardians kneel for Tony because, even though they’ve just met, Tony’s heart was what struck them with the most awe.

Tony Stark touched the lives of everyone there. He truly was a man worthy of their respect, and he would live on in his legacy and in their memories.

And yes, somewhere out there, he’s with Natasha, embracing as they reminisce about all their friends, all the years they spent laughing in a big ugly building in the middle of New York, surrounded by the people they loved the most.

[crumblingautumnleaves]

Broken (Part Two)

eyA/N: Chapter two is here! No matter what feedback I get, I’ll continue writing this because I have so much love for this story. Also, Tumblr deleted line breaks whilst I was on hiatus, so enjoy the free clipart I’m using instead.

Summary: Steve manages to bring his peculiar pickpocket back to the Tower, but more questions are raised when the rest of the team meets her.

Pairing(s): Steve x reader, a little bit of Bucky x reader

Warning(s): I think mentions of blood.

“What are you?”

The girl winced at the question, averting her gaze. Her shoulders heaved as her wings began to slowly fold in on themselves once more. She watched Steve cautiously as she pulled her coat over her shoulders, roughly shoving the feathers underneath her clothing, trying to hide the pained expression on her face.

“That can’t be good for them,” Steve commented bluntly. “Don’t they hurt?”

 She breathed out softly and rose to her feet. “All the time.”

“I can help with that,” he responded eagerly. “I mean- we have doctors that can help with the pain. You won’t have to hide them away.”

“No doctors,” she hissed. “No more doctors.” There was a blaze in her eyes and Steve huffed in defeat.

“Fine, no doctors.” He held a hand out for her and she hesitated. “I won’t hurt you,” Steve reasoned. Her hand slipped into his and he pulled her to her feet. 

“Where are you taking me?” Her voice trembled slightly.

 “Somewhere safe.”

Bruce didn’t flinch when the girl removed her shirt, letting her wings stretch out before settling into a more comfortable position. It had taken a some convincing to get her to follow Steve back to the Tower, and even more to get her to agree to an examination - although, surprisingly, she didn’t seem deterred by his complexion and stature. She had clearly been hurt before, both the marks on her body and the uneasy look in her eye as Bruce tenderly washed her feathers gave it away.

“What’s your name?” Bruce asked softly, careful not to be too rough as he wiped the dirt off of her skin.

“I think- I think it was Y/N,” the girl replied hesitantly. “But no one’s called me that in a long time.”

“Would you like us to call you Y/N?” Bruce questioned.

The girl nodded and smiled slightly, not making eye contact.

The two of them were silent for a long time after that. Bruce continued examining her, asking for permission with his eyes before touching her. The tension in the air had dissipated and Bruce could tell that she was feeling more comfortable with the situation. Pride seeped into his head and heart; knowing his presence was appreciated by someone who seemed so fragile. 

“How’s everything coming along?” Steve asked softly as he walked into the lab with Tony and Mantis. Y/N recoiled at the sound of him, allowing Bruce to swiftly wrap a hospital gown around her to cover her modesty.

“I’ve just taken some small samples, I’m about to run tests if Y/N’s happy to let you guys stick around.” Bruce looked at her expectantly and she gave him a tiny shrug. 

“Y/N? That’s your name?” Steve asked, but she only glared back at him in response. 

“You have pretty wings,” Mantis said innocently. “Like a bird.” She walked over to Y/N slowly with a dazzled expression. 

“Mantis,” Bruce warned, but Y/N just watched as she came closer, reaching a hand out to stroke the feathers.

“I heard them talking about you and I wanted to help. You don’t have to be scared anymore,” she continued, ignoring Bruce. Mantis’ hand gently brushed her fingers against the wings. 

She screamed. 

It was a harsh and anguished scream, that caused tears to spontaneously fall from her pain filled eyes. She ripped her hand away and collapsed to her knees sobbing. The others watched on in horror as she continued to cry, her fingernails digging into the flesh on her arms as she hugged herself. Y/N merely looked on with a sad and apologetic expression. “What are you?” Mantis wept.

“What are you?” Bruce muttered as he peered through the microscope. He’d been alone in the lab for the past four hours now, going over the results from his previous tests. Y/N had gone to bed, trusting him when he told her that she’d be safe for the night. 

“Still hard at work?” Tony teased, placing a coffee cup on the desk. 

“Thanks,” Bruce murmured, not tearing his gaze away from the samples. “I need to borrow your eyes for a second.” 

Tony stooped over and glanced into the microscope. “That’s Y/N’s DNA?” 

 “Yep,” Bruce confirmed. “What’s your take on it? Because I’ve been racking my brain all night and I really want someone to tell me it’s not what I think.” 

“Bruce, it looks like someone dumped a load of random DNA onto your lens.” The two men shared an uncomfortable silence. “What do you think it means?” Tony asked.

 “She’s not human. Not entirely anyway. I want to x-ray her, maybe examine her brain activity and watch reactions to different stimuli. The only problem is she hates doctors. It took almost an hour for her to allow me to use a stethoscope.” Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and sighed tiredly. “It’ll be a long time before she trusts me, or anyone for that matter. I just don’t want her to take off and get herself in any more trouble.” 

“Y’know, there is one person who may know how to get through to her,” Tony hinted. 

“I’ve tried, Tony, but I don’t know what else to say to her.”

“I actually had someone else in mind.”

 “What are you, crazy?” Bucky scoffed.

“No way she’d trust me.” 

“It wouldn’t hurt to try, Buck,” Steve encouraged. 

“Don’t you wish you had someone to relate to when you were alone?” Bruce added. “You have a chance to be the person you needed all those years ago.”

 Bucky groaned but agreed nonetheless. He made his way to the lab where Y/N was waiting and made sure to knock before entering so as not to startle her. 

“Hey, uh, I’m Bucky,” he started. “I thought you could use some company.”

“I know why you’re here,” Y/N said bluntly. “You’re here to gain my trust so I let my guard down.” 

“Not entirely.” Bucky sat down on the chair next to yours heavily, ignoring her when she jumped a little. “I get it, you’re scared. Too right, I’d be scared too. We’re not a pretty bunch, plus everyone is loud and obnoxious. But I’ll be damned if I said that I didn’t love everyone here like family.” 

Y/N remained quiet, her eyes glued to his as he opened up to her in a way he’d never done before.

“Look, doll, I don’t like people touching me; I hate doctors; Hell knows I’ve had enough people prodding and poking at me; but if I can grow to stomach it, then anyone can.” 

Y/N nodded slightly, shifting her gaze to the floor.

“Just give them a shot. And if you feel like you need a little nudge, I‘ll be there to support you.” 

“Bruce told me about you,” she said timidly.

Bucky stiffened. “What did he say?”

“You were a soldier, a good man, but you were captured by some bad people. They hurt you and made you do bad things. Is that true?” 

He clenched his jaw and nodded. “Is that what happened to you?” 

“I don’t know,” Y/N responded sadly. “I think I escaped just in time.”

There was a long silence, neither of them comfortable enough to be the first to break it. There was a soft crinkling sound coming from Y/N’s wings, which she had forced underneath a bathrobe. They rustled when she breathed, and Bucky couldn’t help but worry about how much damage she must be doing to them. He thought back to when he was new in the tower, how Steve stopped at nothing to make him feel welcome, how he’d ground him with stories when Bucky had a particularly bad night, and how he would coax him into eating and talking. He knew that that was what Y/N needed, whether they wanted to talk to each other or not.

“I met Steve in 1930, way back when he was a scrappy little kid getting beat up by every asshole in town. I remember seeing him, having his ass handed to him as usual, and having to finish the fight for him. We’ve been fighting each others battles ever since.” Bucky stared at a spot on the wall directly in front of him, not daring to look if Y/N was listening. “There was one time he practically ran in front of a car to avoid going on a date I’d set him up on. Then I had to break the news to this poor girl that her date for the evening would rather break a rib and three fingers, than go to the pictures with her.”

Bucky continued his stories until the first hint of daybreak shone through the drawn curtains. Never, in nearly eighty years, had he talked so much. But he needed someone to talk to, and Y/N needed someone to listen to. As Bucky eventually finished retailing his life story, he finally glanced over at the girl next to him. She was beaming and bright-eyed, dry tears shimmering on her cheeks. She reached out slowly and clasped both her hands around his prosthetic one, bringing it up to her face and brushing it gently against her lips.

“Thank you.”

“Are you ready, Y/N?” Tony asked.

“I’m ready,” she confirmed, stretching her wings out completely.

Bruce and Tony stood behind a glass panel on the other side of the room as the x-ray hummed and flashed. Y/N’s face flickered nervously, but she stayed perfectly still until the machines died down.

“That didn’t hurt at all,” she remarked, as the men stepped back around the glass.

“It’s not supposed to,” Bruce told her. “You know I’ll tell you if something will hurt.”

She nodded solemnly and relaxed as he placed a blood pressure cuff around her bicep.

“This will pinch just a little, just keep your arm still and tell me if it’s too much.” He smiled at her reassuringly as the cuff began to tighten. "Your heart rate is incredibly high." Bruce stared at the numbers on the monitor, not quite sure what to make of them.

"How high?" Tony called from the computer as he processed the x-rays.

“About 300 beats per minute,”

Tony stared at him in shock, and his impression didn’t change when he looked at the images printed in from of him. “You need to take a look at this too.”

“Y/N,” Bruce said slowly after studying the pictures for a while. “What are you?”

“I don’t understand,”

“Your bones,” Tony interjected. “They’re hollow. What’s up with that?”

She shrugged. “I guess it has something to do with the experiments they did on me.”

“Who’s ‘they’?” Bruce pressed.

“The bad doctors from Hydra.”

“I thought Hydra weren’t a threat anymore,” Steve snapped, rubbing his forehead with his thumb and forefinger.

The gang had gathered in the briefing room after Tony decided that they needed to talk about their new revelation. Wanda had volunteered to take care of Y/N, her reason being that the others were just too scary to look at.

“We don’t know how far this goes, it could be old news,” Sam offered.

“Nothing mentioned anything like this when I hacked into their database,” Natasha quipped. “I think someone would have noticed a segment where they created human/bird hybrids.”

“Please don’t call her that, we’re trying to make her feel welcome,” Steve complained. “The best we can do is keep her safe, no doubt if Hydra exist, they’ll want her back.”

“Maybe we could just ask her what she knows?”

“It’s not much, she barely remembered her own name. Plus, I don’t know how willing she’d be to relive that whole experience,” Bruce told them.

“She hurts all the time,” Mantis said shakily. “It was hard to focus on anything when I touched her. It was just so much pain.”

“Y/N needs our help,” Steve stated. “We can figure out if Hydra are still operating by ourselves. If and when Y/N feels more adjusted, we can find out if she remembers anything that could help us.”

“Russia.” There was a voice at the door. Everyone turned to see Wanda and Y/N, the latter was standing strongly with her wings free from a t shirt she had cut holes into. “There was another base in Russia, completely off the books, run by a small team of scientists who trafficked homeless children and spliced their DNA with animals, aliens, and mutants. The test subjects that survived the procedures were then experimented on and forced to engage in combat to kill off any weaker specimens. They would then start again and improve their methods.”

“I accidentally brought back all of her memories when I was searching in her head,” Wanda explained quietly.

“It’s okay,” Y/N reassured her, “I’m tired of running.”

“Y/N, you don’t have to do this now-” Steve started, but she cut him off.

“I need to. I can’t let them carry on. I- I owe it to the kids that are still there.” A tear escaped from the corner of her eye, but she quickly wiped it away and looked up at Steve boldly. “What do you need to know?”

“Do you remember where this facility is?” Y/N shook her head. “Okay, then we need to retrace your steps from when you escaped.”

“All I remember is running out into the snow and not seeing anything else. I just walked in one direction until I reached civilisation. Then I hopped on a train, then another, then another. I eventually ended up on a cargo ship that brought me here, and I’ve been living on the streets ever since.”

Wanda placed a hand on Y/N’s shoulder and, much to everyone’s surprise, she leaned into it and accepted the hug.

The meeting adjourned after a few introductions and sympathy glances. Steve stayed behind to tidy up the mess that his teammates always seemed to leave behind, but was surprised to see that Y/N was still stood there watching him.

“Hey, Y/N, is there something I can help you with?” He asked, clearing the coffee mugs off the table.

“I just wanted to apologise for stealing your wallet the other day. I did some pretty crappy things to survive that I’m not proud of. I just hope you don’t judge me too much.”

“It’s okay, I ran the same scam back in the 40s. Also, you kinda robbed me twice.”

“Bucky told me,” she grinned. “And I robbed you twice? Damn, I must have been losing my touch. I’m glad I let you catch me, I would have left you penniless.”

“Excuse me? I caught you, fair and square.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, grandpa.”

He barked a laugh, acknowledging how she’d inched closer to him. “Okay, fine, it was a pretty even race. Especially since you have an unfair advantage of being able to fly if I got too close.

Y/N’s smile faltered and she took a step back, folding her arms across her chest defensively. “I can’t fly. Not anymore at least. They clipped my wings right before I escaped, I think so they could see if I was still useful. I’ve been too scared to try since, I don’t want to blow my cover.”

“You’re safe here,” Steve guaranteed. “On the bright side, you’re surrounded by people that can help you.”

“What are you thinking?” She asked skeptically.

“You’re going to fly again.”

Tag list:

@rootcrop​

[bubblegumholland]

Promises (Peter Parker X Banner Reader)

“Dad?” “Yes, sweetheart?” “You’re a hero right?” “Um.. yeah, I-I mean the other guy is but.. yeah I am too, I suppose.” “Dad, do you think I could be a hero when I’m older too?” “Sure kid, sure.” 

You were only eleven-years-old when your father saved the world for the first time. And it scared you, all you wanted was to live a safe life with your dad, especially because your mother died in childbirth. But does life give anyone what they want? When Loki’s army invaded your father made a promise to you that he would never leave you. That was three years ago. The Avengers became a sort of family to you over the last few years. But after Ultron’s short but damaging reign, everything felt so tense. You still couldn’t believe your dad broke his promise. He left. After the battle he figured it’d be safer for everyone if he got The Hulk away but, in the process he completely ruined his only daughter’s life. In the next year you trained, you had to get your mind off the betrayal and had to keep yourself busy to just try and forget. And this was when the Sokovia Accords were drawn up. As if it wasn’t hard enough dealing with your father’s sudden and selfish disappearance now the family you had left was being torn apart. Were you cursed? Were you just not allowed to be happy? After Bruce left Tony became your legal guardian so when it was his side or Cap’s you knew you morally had to side with Stark. Even though you knew very well this was all happening you couldn’t believe it until you stood in front of Steve with his team at the airport in Germany. Your heartbeat quickened at the realization, anxiety and adrenaline pumping through your veins. You were snapped out of your thoughts by one word.

“Underoo!” Tony yelled and a red figure jumped our heads, doing a flip, taking Cap’s shield (webbing his hands together in the process), and landing on a plane wing. It was honestly pretty badass and you were impressed by this unknown character instantly. 

“Nice job, kid” Tony spoke

“Thanks” a young voice spoke (Which relieved you greatly, knowing he wasn’t 20-30) “I think I could’ve stuck the landing a little better but the new suit- but it’s nothing, it’s perfect Mr. Stark I-I’m-”

“We don’t need to start a conversation.”

“O-Okay, Captain” he saluted the poor veteran. 

Steve looks to Tony “You’ve been busy”

Tony snaps, “and you’ve a complete idiot.”

You stopped paying attention to them and stared at Spider-Man, as he referred to himself. He was obviously in his youth, 15? 16? Couldn’t be much older. I wonder if he has a gir-

“I’M TRYING TO KEEP YOU FROM TEARING THE AVENGERS APART!’“ Tony yelled, “you did that when you signed.” Steve finished.

All of the sudden Steve put his hands over his head and an arrow whistled through the air in cut his hands free. Barton!

“Lang!” Turning your attention back to Spider-Man as something moved on the shield and rapidly grew and kicked Spidey in the face, taking the shield himself.

***********

Steve and Bucky got away. but you’d managed to capture everyone else. It pained you to see the last bit of family you had left in chains but you knew you couldn’t do anything about it. 

On the jet back to the states you went over to Spider-Man and sat by him, he stopped his movement to remove his mask. “You know I couldn't care less” you said in reference to his identity, you were of course lying, you definitely wanted to know what he looked like. He sighed and removed his mask to reveal a ridiculously cute teenage boy, he sticks his hand out, “H-Hi, I’m Peter, Peter Parker.” “Hey, I’m Y/N B-, Y/N” you replied. “Just Y/n?” he asked with furrowed eyebrows, you nodded at the floor. “Just y/n” He didn’t question you further. “So how did Tony find you?” you asked and he began to explain his life. The Spider bite, becoming Spider-Man around Queens, and Tony finding him on youtube. It was a good story.

*******

A few months after meeting Peter you bit the bullet and asked him out. He was ecstatic to find out you felt the same way for him and he agreed eagerly. That was right before Homecoming, which he asked you to go to with him. Of course your magical night was interrupted by Vulture being a pain in Peter’s ass. Seeing Peter after his battle almost gave you a heart attack, he won in the end but he obviously took a beating. Thanking living with the Avengers you were pretty equipped with medical equipment and how to use it. So after patching the poor exhausted boy up the two of you just snuggled in his room until morning. (Giving Tony a heart attack.) The morning after you opened up to Peter about everything.  

“Hey Peter?” 

He made a mumbling sound to show he was listening. 

“I wanna tell you everything.”

He sat up knowing what you were referring to, your life, your childhood all the traumatic moments that formed you as a person. The events that you hadn’t had the strength to talk about until now. You had his full attention.

“My mom died giving birth to me, I never really knew her.” you paused. “After that it was just me and my dad, Bruce Banner.” 

He stared at you for a second, he knew you stayed with Mr. Stark because your dad left but he had no idea that your father was the Hulk.

“He promised me he wouldn’t leave, he promised that he would be there for me.” You bawled your fists, clearly angry at the lies you grew up hearing. “But who actually keeps their promises? He left me because he was scared. I may have been his teenage daughter but he was the one acting like a child,” your fists softened and a single tear went down your cheek. 

“Then the only family I had left was the Avengers, and a year later that ended too. I haven’t heard from Steve or Natasha since Germany. Just I was gonna be okay with dad, everyone else left. They always leave.” At this point you were sobbing and clutching Peter’s shirt, your nose buried in his chest. He held you close in his arms, trying to comfort you. “Hey..” he whispered, “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Oh how wrong he was.

*******

Of course once life started looking better it all went to shit again. 

Thanos came, you fought him on Titan with Tony, Peter, Quill, Drax, Dr. Strange, Nebula, and Mantis. You almost had the gauntlet off but then Quill got angry and the discovery that his girlfriend was dead. He cost you everything. Thanos disappeared in a portal after retrieving the Time Stone and almost killing Tony. 

“Did we just lose?” you asked staring at the ground where the purple giant once stood. 

“Something’s happening..” Mantis said and you spun around to see her body... evaporating? Before a moment passed she dissolved into dust, followed by Quill, Drax, and Dr. Strange.

“There was no other way.”

“Mr Stark?” Peter’s pubescent voice spoke, 

“I don’t feel so good.” No... NO!

You ran over to him and he stumbled into your arms, “you’re alright” you lied.

“I don’t know what’s happening,” he cried.

You laid him gently to the floor and craddled his head. He looked into your eyes.

"I'm sorry"

Then he was gone.

He promised he would never leave you. But promises were made to be broken.

[artistwriterdreamer]

31. Game with a nice easthetic and why? also hi i love you!

hi.

you’ve given me an excuse to rant.

prepare.

First of all, the opening scene.

This is, in my opinion, one of the best opening scenes in games I’ve seen. You have very little information about your character and their motivations. A little knight with a nail as a weapon looks over an area towards a town. There’s no lore, no backstory, no clear mission or enemy, and yet you feel like it’s not holding you back from wanting to play.

This particular screenshot also perfectly captures the overall vibe of the game.

After a small bit of parkour and introduction to the game mechanics (which are superb and clean as hell, lemme tell ya), you end up in the town from the opening.

This is your main safe spot where two of the most important merchants settle: the couple with the maps of the kingdom below, and a small bug with items needed to access new areas and gain more health and “soul”.

(Soul is needed to heal your masks back and use spells. These spells are acquired throughout the game and enable you to reach different areas or defeat new enemies.)

Besides spells there are also abilities, like the Mantis Claws, a wall jump, the Monarch Wings, a double jump, the Crystal Heart, a charge to fly through the room, and Isma’s Tear, which lets you swim in dangerous toxins.

They’re all beautifully designed and look super satisfying to use.

Every area has its own enemies, which match the are you’re in currently. In Greenpath, they’re mossy, round and blend in perfectly with the plants on the ground and walls. Sometimes they’re even a part of it. In the Crystal Peak they’re blocky and pointy, as if they came from the very crystals themselves. In Deepnest they’re fast, unexpected, and very creepy. 

But that’s just a bit of information I wanted to share.

Now it’s time for some aesthetics.

And just to be clear this is all from in-game screenshots. It’s not the concept art, it’s not fanart, it’s not improved for the trailers. This is the constant amount of detail and color study that goes into everything. And I love it.

So yeah, Team Cherry nailed this game. And it’s a serious Bitch to finish.

Very pretty, 10/10.