#the answer is that he died with the detective prince in the bottom of that ship. which also makes me feel insane | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

blanc-et-n0ir · 4 years ago

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MCYT Multi-chapter Fics

Hey, hey, this time it’s the multichapters :D Meaning, three chapters and above. Again, my AO3 over here

COMPLETED

Bring Me Down With You (11,145 Words) (4 Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, TommyInnit, Sapnap, Wilbur Soot, Fundy, BadBoyHalo, Punz, Tubbo, Eret, GeorgeNotFound

No Romantic Relationships, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit, Dream & Sapnap, Dream & TommyInnit, Dream & GeorgeNotFound

Whump, Poisoning, Dueling, Bows and Arrows, L’manberg War, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Family, Compromise, Sick Fic, Sick Character, Wounds, Potions, Healing, Caves, Injury

Summary:

The terms of the deal were simple. They’d both be at their weakest, no armor and no anything and they have to shoot one shot. A single arrow. Whoever is hit, will have to resign and give the win to whoever is left standing. Those were the terms. So when did they agree to drink poison?

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Set during the Dream SMP war.

All I Want For Chistmas Is... FLUFF (46,641 Words) (24 Chapters)

Tags:

Skeppy, Dream, BadBoyHalo, GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap, Wilbur Soot, Technoblade, Philza Minecraft, Tubbo, TommyInnit, Eret, Niki, AweSamDude, Punz, Ponk, Purpled, Fundy, Quackity, Schlatt, Karl Jacobs, Ant Frost, Velvet

Skeppy & BadBoyHalo, Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap & Ant Frost & BadBoyHalo, Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Philza, Dream & TommyInnit, Dream & Tubbo, Dream & Purpled, Dream & Technoblade, Dream & Philza, Eret & Niki & Tubbo, Ant/Velvet, Dream & Punz

Christmas Prompts, Fluff, Family Dynamics, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Family Bonding, Friendship, Rivals, Frenemies, Snowball Fight, Snow Day, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Boys Kissing, Secret Santa, Cookies

Summary:

Fluffy One shots about our MInecraft Streamers in Dream SMP. Featuring different AUs whether it's IRL or MC but IRL and more! Mostly platonic unless stated otherwise!! (but don't expect much I prefer platonic anyways)

Lots of cuddling, shenanigans, pranks and laughter!! Maybe a little hurt for the comfort to feel so much better!!

The Whispers in the Dark (53, 160 Words) (20 Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, Technoblade, Wilbur Soot, TommyInnit, Tubbo, Schlatt, Philza Minecraft, Eret, Sapnap, GeorgeNotFound, Quackity, Niki, Punz, Fundy, Ponk, AweSamDude, Skeppy, BadBoyHalo, Ant Frost, Ranboo, Captain Puffy, Karl Jacobs

No Romantic Relationships, Dream & Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & Philza & TommyInnit, Dream & Sapnap & GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap & Wilbur, Dream & Ranboo, Ranboo & Philza, Dream & Captain Puffy

Family Dynamics, Enemies to Friends, Hybrids AU, Pogtopia Arc, Villain Wilbur, Chaotic Dream, Bad Ending, Good Ending, Government, Uneasy Alliance, Hunting, Discrimination, Friends to Enemies, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betrayal, Big Brother Technoblade, Switching Sides, Platonic Cuddling, Carrying, Panic Attacks, Found Family, Execution, Violence, Graphic Description, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Decapitation, Revolution

Summary:

They say that when you are a hybrid of a mob, you take one of two things. Their powers or their desires. Their powers, as simple as it is. A Blaze hybrid would be able to conjure flames and stay inflammable. An Enderman hybrid would be able to teleport and are harmed by water. Their desires, not as simple. A Creeper hybrid would desire to see things explode. A Wolf hybrid would desire the thrill of a hunt.

They say that the dangerous ones were always those who got the desire- the shortest end of the stick.

------------------------------- Let me give Wilbur the satisfying ending he deserves please. We all wanted Manberg to b l o w and I'm going to give it to you. No Angst, promise. (I lied, there's angst)

Angst for the Angst God (19,904 Words) (14 Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, Technoblade, Philza Minecraft, Ranboo, Wilbur Soot, GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap, TommyInnit, Tubbo, Captain Puffy, Quackity, DreamXD, Karl Jacobs

NO romantic Relationships, Dream & Technoblade, Technoblade & Philza, Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap, Dream & TommyInnit, Dream & Captain Puffy

Angst, Character Death, Deity Dream, Fluff and Angst, Betrayal, Assisted Suicide, Mercy Killing, Murder, Suicide, Dream and Techno Friendship, One Shot Collection, Time Travel, Time Loop, Insanity, Time Travelling Karl Jacobs, Prison Break, Manhunt, Immortal Technoblade, Immortal Dream, Emotional Manipulation, Exile, Abduction, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat

Summary:

A bunch of oneshots about AUs that I've written in a server that is filled with angst or fluff. Whichever strikes the mood. Hope you enjoy your stay here ;)

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(preview)

He watched as the last obstacle in his path fell. Dream smiled, his eyes glinting with malice and power, “You should have kept an eye on your Patroclus, Achilles.”

He hummed and turned around. L’manberg was no doubt wiped out. Ranboo was firmly in his grasp. All he had to do was take care of that damned egg, Badlands and anyone who stood in his way. He chuckled.

It was almost too easy.

ON GOING

Let’s Play A Game Called MAFIA (14,399 Words) (5/6 Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, Technoblade, GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap, BadBoyHalo, Skeppy, Wilbur Soot, MegaPVP, Illumina, F1NN5STER

Technoblade & Wilbur Soot, Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap, Dream/GeorgeNotFound

Mafia Game, Mafia AU, Character Death, Suspense, Detective AU

Summary:

A masked man leaves the apartment complex and walks off under the dim lighting of the street lights. It wasn’t long before he reached his car and opened the driver’s seat. He pushed his keys in and turned it, starting the car. He hummed to himself as he took off his mask, placing it on the car seat beside him. He waits inside his started car as he dials a phone number.

“It’s done.”

In a sick twist of fate, Skeppy dies so Sapnap and Bad have to find the murderer before they kill more people. They meet and drag more people into the case but as the days dwindle by, more deaths and incidents come alive.

Will they find the real murderer or end up living on the edge to their very end?

(Based off of the Party Game called Mafia)

Who Would Want To Be King? (10,932 Words) (5/? Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, Technoblade, Wilbur Soot, TommyInnit, Tubbo, GeorgeNotFound, Philza Minecraft, Schlatt, BadBoyHalo, Quackity, Karl Jacobs, Sapnap

NO Romantic Relationships, Dream & Technoblade, TommyInnit & Tubbo, Technoblade & TommyInnit & Wilbur Soot & Philza, Dream & Wilbur Soot

Prince and the Pauper AU, Frenemies, Rivals, Family Fluff, Family Dynamics, Platonic Relationships, Prince Technoblade, Farmer Dream, Fluff and Humor, Attempted Kidnapping, Kidnapping, King Philza

Summary:

In a kingdom not so far away, lived two men. These two lived completely different lives, with one standing at the very top since birth while the other was stuck at rock bottom. Two very different boys with different experiences but they both share one similarity. They both wish to do something different. To live different lives. To get out of their bubble and grow in their own way. In this little kingdom, two men live to see another view of the world they already see.

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Barbie Prince and the Pauper AU but everything is platonic and it's all about Dream and Techno

Reaching For Something That Isn’t There (3,676 Words) (2/3 Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, TommyInnit, Technoblade

NO Romantic Relationships

Character Study, References to Ancient Greek Mythology, Parallels, Pain, Suicidal Thoughts, Betrayal, Emotional Hurt, Hurt No Comfort, Character Death, Theseus! Tommy, Icasrus! Dream, Achilles! Technoblade, Dream centric, Technoblade centric, TommyInnit centric, Anger, Violence, Imprisonment

Summary:

History is forever doomed to repeat itself.

People ask what Theseus gained by playing the hero, what Icarus saw in the sun, what Achilles truly wanted. They ask these questions and still don't see an answer.

Why was the sun so charming enough for young Icarus to forget his father's words? Why was Theseus so confident enough that he would be welcomed home for his achievement? Why was Achilles considered a bad example?

Three tales all ending with caution and fear. Three tales to remind everyone of their humanity. Three tales to ensure no one would do the same. And what did they do?

History is forever doomed to repeat itself.

Guide Me Through Hell and Back (34,714 Words) (15/? Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, technoblade, Philza Minecraft, TommyInnit, Tubbo, Drista, Punz, Wilbur Soot, GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap, Ranboo, DreamXD

No Romantic Relationships, Dream & Philza, Dream & Technoblade, Drista & TommyInnit & Tubbo, Dream & Punz, Dream & DreamXD,

Blind Character, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Fear, Flying, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Family Dynamics, Self Confidence Issues, Trust, Platonic Cuddling, Hybrid AU, Platonic Relationships, Cuddling, Chaos, Explosions, Angst, Broken Families, Trust Issues, Protective Technoblade, Protective Phil, Blind Dream, Panic Attacks, Torture, Kidnapping, Physical Therapy, Black Markets, Forced Healing, Sad Dream, Protective Dream, Soft Dream, Prison, Pandora’s Vault

Summary:

"I gain immeasurable amounts of stress just looking at you, Dream."

-SUN TZU

Dream is blind but he's a bat hyrbid with good hearing. Technoblade finds out and he's concerned for his friend. He stays with him and keeps him company, he also ensures Dream doesn't go too far and hurts himself with his stupid ideas. So what if Phil adopts him along the way and Drista causes chaos with Tommy and Tubbo? Technoblade will protect his friend to the ends of the Earth, screw whoever looked at him weird if he gets all fussy.

(Basically just Technoblade and Dream being best friends fluff.)

The Lonely Guardian (59,379 Words) (14/? Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, Technoblade, TommyInnit, Schlatt, GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap, Wilbur Soot, Quackity, Ranboo, DreamXD, Drista, Philza Minecraft

No Romantic Relationships, Dream & Everyone, Dream & Technoblade, Dream & Tubbo, Dream & TommyInnit, Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap, Dream & Quackity, Dream & Schlatt, Dream & Philza, Dream & Ranboo

Cottagecore AU, Soft Dream, Healing, Emotional Manipulation, Realization, Self-Exile, Self-Reflection, Domestic Fluff, Friendship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Exile, Protective Dream, Dreamons, Potions, Minor Injuries, Serious Injuries, Betrayal, Friends to Enemies, Enemies to Friends, Long Haired Dream, Dream centric, Anarchist Technoblade, Bittersweet Ending, Sibling Tension, Arguments, Dad Schlatt, Sick fic, Sick Character, Good Friend Dream, Character Death

Summary:

Dream didn't know what came over him, he wanted some time to think. Some time turned to days and thinking turned to building a nice home. Days turned to weeks and the home is bigger and cozier now.

Weeks turned to years and it's been a while since Dream has seen his friends. Still, they're definitely living a more peaceful life now that he's gone, right?

(Or, Dream left and started a cottagecore after the L'manberg Revolution and a Dreamon took his spot and the plot continues as it does in canon. Except, we have a Dream who likes to stay in his cottage and help his injured friends without telling them who he is, exactly)

Dreaming Of Nightmares, Dee? (9,268 Words) (2/? Chapters)

Tags:

Dream, Technoblade, Philza Minecraft, DreamXD, Karl Jacobs, GeorgeNotFound, Sapnap, Foolish_Gamers, TommyInnit, Tubbo, Ranboo

No Romantic Relationships, Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap, Dream & Technoblade & Philza, Dream & Ranboo, Dream & Foolish, Dream & Karl Jacobs, Dream & DreamXD, Technoblade & Philza, Philza/Kristin

Deity Dream, Dreamon, Deity Karl Jacobs, Time Traveling Karl Jacobs, Fix-It Fic, Sad Dream, Fluff, Family Dynamics, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Dream, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Gods and Goddesses, Mins Manipulation, Dream centric, Comfort, Big Brother Dream

Summary:

When three gods have to deal with a world full of mortals, some things get complicated along the way. Well, Dream was hoping for the best when he left the server to his twin, Nightmare's, and older brother, Dee's, hands.

He got more than he bargained for and mortals tend to be fragile. Prime, he needs a break.

(Or, Dream is the god of luck, Nightmare is the god of chaos and Dee is the god of destiny and the three of them try and fix the SMP out of the goodness of their heart /s)

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myforeverforlife · 5 years ago

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the sacrifice (part one).

Sorcery. Witchcraft. Burnings.

You lead a privileged life, connections to the royal family and the dormant magic of generations of witches keeping you safe from the witch hunts. You pose no threat, your family had abandoned the craft ages ago. But as your cousin lays dying and running out of options, you go against the king’s orders and run the risk of being put to death. Now, your only choice is to seek out the age-old traditions of your family, with all of its secrets and mysteries, in search of the answers you need. But what do you do when the answers that you find aren’t the ones that you want?

A/N: Mentions of minor character death in this chapter

Pairing: Baekhyun and Fem reader

Word count: 5,155

Series masterlist: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 )

Masterlist

You weren't destined for an ordinary life.

As niece to the king of Elyxere and best friend to the crown prince, your life was already considerably different from that of anyone else's. You were not descended directly from the great kings and queens, only considered royalty through association. Your aunt had married extremely well, and while your father and mother were not of noble blood themselves, they were still considered part of the renowned royal family.

But greatness was known to manifest in many forms.

As a child, your favorite stories were not of how Prince Sehun's grandfather had fought off the kingdom's invaders, but of the magic that your aunt and father's ancestors had possessed.

The same magic that now flowed through both of you.

Of course, no one in the Shin clan had proven to have any powerful magic for centuries. The last witch had been your one of your father's distant relatives, a woman who could conjure up remedies for everyday illnesses and ailments.

Oh, how you wished time and time again that the few drops of magic blood would someday manifest in a large display of power. The promise of magic had always interested you, even as you grew older.

Now, magic was your only hope.

You gulped, heart leaping up into your throat as you carefully flipped through worn pages. These books hadn't been touched in decades, not since your aunt passed.

Not since magic had been banned.

Your senses were on alert, head constantly looking over your shoulder at the slightest bit of noise. Your aunt's room remained just as she left it, and the king would have a fit if he heard that you were snooping around.

But you had given up on trying to reason with him long ago.

It had taken lots of waiting, lots of strategic planning for you to make it to your aunt's bedchambers unnoticed. If anyone had any clues on where the witches were hiding, they would be here. Your father had never been interested in seeking out the craft, leaving all of the family heirlooms to his younger sister. The stacks of books called out to you, tips and histories from ancestors past who still had advice to share.

With a grunt of frustration, you shut the book, placing it to the side with the ones you had already skimmed through. You didn't need recipes, or guidelines for rituals. They wouldn't work for you anyway. What you needed was a map, a journal entry, anything that would point you in the direction of the last remaining witches.

Sehun was doing his best to keep the servants distracted, you knew. Possibly another complaint about how the latest doctor hadn't done anything to help either, or a refusal to take his medicine. That would surely give you another ten minutes, at least.

Leaning against the bookshelf, you reached up on your tiptoes, fingers searching for any last books when they brushed against a leather spine. Your legs were starting to ache from the stress, but you pushed onward, determined to grab the book.

You let out a deep sigh when you finally had it in your grasp, pulling it out and instantly flipping through the pages. Upon first glance, you could already tell that this book was different. Some of the text was indecipherable, written in a language that you didn't understand.

But what caught your eye was the list of names.

Names of people in various clans, different covens stared back up at you, row after row. With a gasp, you traced the script that made up your own name — one of the last few members of the Shin clan.

You didn't recognize any names outside of your family, yours and Sehun's barely squeezing in at the bottom of the page. But the next page held more promise.

"Friends," you read aloud. Friends of your aunt? Of your family? There was only one clan listed there — the Byuns, who were last rumored to be living far away from the capital of Elyxere.

A bustling in the hallway interrupted your thoughts. You scrambled to put the books back where you found them, saving the last one for yourself.

Sliding silently over to the door, you waited until the commotion died down. Now was your chance. You had no time to lose.

With a speed you didn't even know you possessed, you were out of the room, up the lesser used staircases and inside your bedroom before anyone spotted you. The book would have to wait until later. You tucked it into your chest of drawers, hidden under layers of underclothes before heading back out into the hall.

Sehun would be antsy, waiting for good news.

People were coming in and out of his room as you neared the crown prince's chambers, some faces relaxing once they caught sight of you.

"Lady Y/N," one servant greeted you. "His Royal Highness insists that you be here while he takes his medicine."

You forced out a laugh. "Of course. Thank you." Nodding in dismissal, you hoped that you didn't look as nervous as you felt.

Sehun sat up in his wide bed, an almost childish pout on his face as the physician stood beside him. "Y/N!" he exclaimed, face lighting up once he saw you. To the others, he merely seemed excited to see you. But you knew that he was dying to hear of what you had found.

"Will you be a good little prince and take your medicine now?" you asked, taking a seat at the foot of his bed.

Rolling his eyes, Sehun inclined his head towards the physician. "Alright. I'm ready."

The man sighed, worn out by the prince's antics. "Your Highness, this is the same medicine you've been taking for months," he said as he stirred the hot mixture.

"And yet I remain ill. You'll have to forgive me for being wary of medicine that doesn't seem to do me any good." Sehun raised an eyebrow, hands outstretched as he waited for the physician to pass him the bowl.

The room was silent as Sehun slowly, steadily drank up every last drop of the bitter medicine. At this point, he claimed that he didn't even notice the taste anymore. Once he was done, the physician took the bowl back with a relieved smile.

"I'll see you again, same time tomorrow, Your Highness. Lady Y/N," he nodded towards you, bidding you both goodbye. The rest of the servants in the room trailed behind, the last one smoothly closing the door.

Once the door shut with a soft click, Sehun was motioning you closer. "Well?" he whispered. "Did you find anything?"

"Did you mother ever mention anything about the Byun clan?" you asked, just as eager as your cousin.

Sehun's face wrinkled in thought. "No. Who are they?"

"In one of her books, they're mentioned as friends. It's the only lead we've got."

The ailing prince nodded, bangs flopping against his forehead. "When do we leave?"

"You are not going anywhere," you exclaimed. "What would your father think if you just up and disappeared in the middle of the night? The crown prince, of all people."

"What would your parents think?" Sehun countered. "There's no use in arguing, Y/N. I'm coming with you, whether you like it or not."

"Sehunnie," you begged, even as the prince scowled. "This trip would be too much for you. What if you got worse?" Scooting closer, you held your hands out for his own, posture relaxing when they met yours. "You’ve been sick for too long, and I won’t stand for it anymore. I swear, I will not return until I have found your cure."

"But this is my life," Sehun mumbled. "You shouldn't have to do this for me."

With a gentle squeeze, you shot him the most reassuring smile you could muster. "You would do the same for me."

It was true. A relationship forged in the early years of childhood and strengthened through multiple hardships had only resulted in an unbreakable bond. There was no one that you trusted more than your best friend, and you knew without words that he felt the same.

"When do you leave?" he asked.

"Tonight, once I figure out how to get to the outerlands without being detected." Sehun's eyes darkened with worry. "I'll be back, I promise."

The prince let go of your hands, his thin arms extended for a hug instead. You weren't much of a hugger, but for your best friend, the boy who was practically your younger brother, you had no complaints.

"Stay safe," he whispered into your hair. "It's not worth it if you get hurt."

Your stomach twisted in disagreement, but you forced yourself to nod. "Alright. But only if you stay safe too."

Sehun snorted. "I don't think I can help it, being locked up here all the time."

You rolled you eyes with a grin. "Yes, locked up in your golden cage. You know, just because you're sick doesn't mean that I won't hesitate to tickle you."

The prince scrambled back quickly, hands up to protect himself as you began your offense.

Just pretend for a few more hours, you reasoned with yourself. Pretend that your lifelong friend wasn't dying, that your parents wouldn't be heartbroken by your disappearance.

That you weren't possibly facing death by going against the king's orders.

Baekhyun's nose wrinkled in concentration, hands hovering over the rounded crystal before him. His power was nowhere near that of his great-great-great-grandmother's, but he still had enough to be able to use the family scrying stone. However, it was hard to look into the future when the rest of the coven was running around the house like a couple of madmen.

Grumbling under his breath, Baekhyun sat up, hood falling back from his head. Mongryong's ears perked up, the corgi resting next to his master on the floor.

"Can you keep it down out there?" Baekhyun shouted, not even trying to mask his irritation. "None of us are going to find out what happens in the near future if I can't concentrate."

Immediately, the house went quiet. "Sorry," Minseok squeaked out.

"I told Tanie not to chase Dotori around like that," Baekhyun heard Jongdae whisper.

"Well, maybe your familiar shouldn't have been trying to steal her food again."

Fed up with the constant interruptions, Baekhyun stood up, Mongryong already at his heels. He pulled the door open, letting it slam against the wall as the other two members of his coven stared at him in fear. Minseok's cat, Tanie ran to hide behind his legs while Jongdae's chipmunk familiar burrowed herself into the depths of his tunic.

"What have I said about making noise while I'm scrying?" Baekhyun barked out, one brown eye flashing darkly while the other remained an icy blue. "I know concentration's not a big deal for either of you, but I need all the help I can get."

Jongdae and Minseok glanced at each other, the two brothers sharing a knowing glance. "Baekhyun," Jongdae started. "What's wrong?"

The witch ran a hand through his hair with an irritated huff. "The stupid crystal hasn't showed me anything for days, and your constant noise while I'm trying to work is driving me insane."

Minseok came closer, reaching out to rest a hand on Baekhyun's shoulder. "Maybe there's nothing for it to show you right now."

Baekhyun couldn't help but glare at the older man. "It always has something to show me. Even with Mongryong around, the crystal still won't respond." He ran a hand over his face, letting out a low breath. "Maybe there's something wrong with me," admitted, the words coming out in a quick rush.

"Hey," Jongdae said, appearing at Baekhyun's other side. "That's not true."

"Yeah, well it's definitely not the crystal's fault. It has to be me."

After a bit of stifling silence, Minseok finally spoke up. "You know, we have our off days too. What, you think everything I brew turns out perfect? Don't you remember that time I accidentally turned Tanie pink?"

Jongdae chortled with laughter. "A pink cat. That was a first."

"And Dae's spells haven't always worked out," Minseok continued. "Going through a slump is inevitable."

Baekhyun shook his head. "You don't understand. Never, in the century that I've been alive has the crystal failed to respond to me. Why now?"

The other men didn't have an answer to that, both of them stunned speechless by Baekhyun's admission. Mongryong suddenly let out a short bark, running back into Baekhyun's room. The witch turned around, eyes widening when he saw the familiar glow of the scrying stone.

All three men scrambled into the room, Baekhyun pulling the hood of his robe back up onto his head as the other two sat behind him in respectful silence. Baekhyun reached out once more, almost cradling the crystal in his hold. He peered into the depths of it, an unconscious pout on his lips. Squinting through the cloudy surface, he struggled to make out the image swirling within. His confusion only grew as he spotted long skirts, a mess of hair tangled by the wind.

"A girl..." he mumbled to himself. Jongdae opened his mouth, about to ask something when Minseok threw a hand over his mouth. Baekhyun waited patiently, a skill only cultivated after a century of practice and nagging from Minseok about his restlessness.

The murky surface started to clear as Baekhyun concentrated, clouds dispersing to reveal a face. He had never seen the royal family, but the magic running through his veins told him who it was upon first glance. Baekhyun gasped aloud, everyone in the room waiting eagerly. "The princess," he shared aloud.

"Princess?" Jongdae raised a brow. "Not the crown prince?"

"Maybe the crown prince's cousin," Minseok whispered to him. Everyone in the kingdom knew of the royal family and their lineage.

"She's riding on horseback," Baekhyun continued, not even acknowledging the others behind him. "Leaving the castle. Searching for... me."

"You?" both brothers shouted at once.

"That's it. This is the end of the Byun and the Kim clans," Jongdae began to worry. "If a member of the royal family knows where we are, we're dead. Literally."

"She has a grimoire." Baekhyun was practically hypnotized by this point, his voice taking on a dream-like quality. "The late queen's. An artifact of the Shin clan." With that, Baekhyun let out a last shuddering breath before dropping his hands, the scrying stone falling to the floor with a thump and rolling away. Mongryong jumped up, blocking the crystal from rolling any further by lying down on top of it.

"She's coming here?" Minseok repeated as Baekhyun turned around. "But why?"

"To collect us and bring us to the king," Jongdae interrupted.

Baekhyun shook his head. "I don't think so. She was alone, and had the family grimoire too. Why would she bring evidence of witchcraft if she was coming to turn us in?"

"To make us think that she's one of us?" Jongdae suggested weakly. He groaned, the words sounded off even to his own ears.

"She is one of us," said Minseok. "Her and the crown prince, even if the king chooses to ignore it."

"I don't think she comes with any intent to harm us," Baekhyun spoke slowly, tasting the words. "I didn't see anything to suggest otherwise. Mother," his voice faltered. "Mother used to tell me that the late queen's clan was an ally of ours. Maybe she's trying to rebuild ties, fix what's been broken."

"You mean fix the murder of thousands of witches at the hand of her uncle?" Jongdae's face darkened, an unusual expression for one usually so bright. "To ban witchcraft is one thing, but to allow these witchhunts to go on... And to ignore the fact that he has witches in his own home!"

"His wife died because of a witch," Minseok argued softly. "I'm not saying that this excuses anything, but I can understand why he’s been seeking vengeance."

"No amount of magic was going to get the queen better — she had been sick for years! The king used that witch as a scapegoat for his anger when the potion failed to make the queen better, and we've been suffering ever since." Jongdae's eyes were glassy now, pent up frustration rising to the surface. He had never dealt with the full range of anger and despair at their losses. None of them had.

"I think we should let the girl find us," Baekhyun said softly. "Trust me," he added upon seeing the others' shocked faces. "If there was any evil intent, I would have sensed it. If she comes, and things do end up... heading for the worse, I think we can handle one girl."

Tanie rubbed her face against Minseok's knee, coaxing a smile from her owner. "What, do you expect me to turn the princess pink?"

That got a chuckle from Jongdae, the man covering his mouth with one hand. "Stop it," he mumbled. "I'm still angry."

A grin spread over Baekhyun's face. Even with all of the loss and heartbreak shared between the three of them, they still always managed to cheer each other up — even in serious moments like these.

As Dotori climbed out of Jongdae's pocket and curled up in his hand, Mongryong waddled over and plopped himself down onto Baekhyun's lap. Three witches, three familiars. They would be fine, Baekhyun reasoned.

How much trouble could one girl cause?

With each passing day, you found yourself further and further away from the castle, the place you considered home. You barely avoided being recognized by strangers in the first couple of days. Now, a week later in the far edges of Elyxere, you could walk around without fear of a single person knowing who you were. Most of them had never been to the capital before, let alone seen the king's niece with their own two eyes.

You kept your aunt's book hidden from all, only pulling it out in the darkness of night and the security of a rented room. According to what you read, the Byun clan was less than a day's travel away.

Members of the clan were gifted with clairvoyance, able to see into the near future. You learned that your own clan had been known for spell casting, with a few clairvoyants appearing every couple of generations. Reading about your family's rich history often left you with an uneasy lump in the pit of your stomach. How could the king ban witchcraft, ban a talent that had been used to help others?

The memory of your aunt's passing was still strong, especially when you remembered how distraught Sehun had been. The queen had insisted on using magic to save her, after trying countless remedies with no improvement. The king sent for one of the most powerful witches, one skilled in potion-making. Everyone had placed so much faith in the witch's abilities, that it came as a blow to all when the queen only worsened. The king was in denial when she died soon after, taking his frustration and anger out on the witches and their craft.

Things only escalated from there, and soon people were organizing their own hunts for the witches, burning those who showed any sign of controlling magic. You, Sehun and your father were only kept safe due to your relations to the king, as well as the fact that the magic had never manifested for the three of you.

But it still didn't stop you from feeling sick about the hatred, the unbridled violence that people had for the witches.

Sitting up in bed, you slammed the book shut. That was enough reading for now. You'd be lucky if you didn't have any nightmares tonight.

You fell asleep more easily than you had anticipated, breaths evening out as your drifted off into slumber. Most nights, you slept without dreaming — falling asleep and waking up without remembering anything in between.

But tonight, you were very aware that something was different. Even as you slept, you could feel the haziness of a dream clouding your mind. And yet, you still thought as clearly as you did when you were awake. Your skin prickled with goosebumps at the realization — you were lucid dreaming.

"Indeed," a woman's voice called out.

You looked around, searching for the new voice. There was nothing around you, only what looked like a dense, gray fog, filling the air. "Hello?" you called out timidly.

"This is your first dream like this, I suppose? But not the last," the voice continued, almost crooning softly in your ear. "You're very close. Follow your path, and you'll find what you're looking for."

With that, the fog receded, darkness giving way to light before you were forced awake.

Your eyes flashed open, taken aback to see the sunlight filtering through the curtains. Had you really slept through the night? You could have sworn that it had only been a few minutes since you had fallen asleep.

The woman's voice played over and over in your mind, focusing on the firm reassurance behind her words.

"Follow your path, and you'll find what you're looking for."

Your path led you to a forest a long ways distance from the village you spent the night in. Occasionally, the reins would slip from your sweaty grasp. You weren't the most experienced of horse riders, but you had enough training to manage.

The horse slowed as you reached the edges of the forest, whinnying uncertainly at the darkness within. You slid down from its back, trying to figure out how you'd find the Byun clan all while managing not to get lost.

As soon as your feet touched the ground, the horse reared back with its head held high. It let out one last whinny of terror before turning around, galloping as fast as it could back the way you came.

Great. You supposed that's what you got for stealing a horse.

"Follow your path, and you'll find what you're looking for." You repeated the strange woman's advice under your breath, words coming again and again as you tried to reassure yourself. Adjusting your knapsack, you inhaled deeply. You had no other choice. You had to save Sehun.

Carefully, you took one step forward. One step became two, and soon you were walking at a steady, slow pace. The glimmering of the midday sun shone down onto the forest floor, warming up your skin and making you feel less alone.

You could have been walking for hours, for days and you wouldn't notice the difference. It made you uneasy to realize that not once had you come across another person, another animal. Birds chirped from the eaves above, but you had yet to see another living creature.

Your feet moved by their own volition, keeping you going even as you felt yourself start to zone out. The occasional fallen tree branch or cluster of bushes would wake you up, all senses on alert as you pushed forward. You forced yourself not to stop for too long, only pausing for a couple sips of water from your slowly depleting canteen of water, or a few bites from a loaf of hardening bread.

But even with all your progress, you still felt like you were walking in circles.

Groaning in frustration, you stopped by a small stream, resting on top of a lumpy boulder. "Where could they be?" you whispered to yourself, the heaviness of your legs suddenly too much to bear.

A rustling in the trees nearby startled you, head whipping around for the source of the noise. "Who's there?" you called out, a wobble in your voice.

No answer. The tree branches shook lightly as the creature moved around, a chipmunk appearing as it scampered down the tree. Its nose twitched curiously, tail puffed up in interest as it stared at you.

You couldn't help but laugh at yourself. "Really, Y/N. Scared silly by a chipmunk." Rummaging through your bag, you pulled out a couple of berries. "Here you go, little friend. I'm sorry it's not much. I wasn't expecting to be traveling for so long."

The chipmunk came over to your open palm, stuffing one berry and then the other into its mouth. You cooed at the sight of its cheeks, one side round and stuffed with food.

The animal ran back down to the grassy floor, looking into the depths of the trees before staring back at you.

"I don't have any more to share, I'm sorry."

The chipmunk ran around in a small circle before climbing up your skirts and back down. You watched, intrigued as it stood in the same spot as before, almost like it was waiting for you.

"What?" you asked.

With a squeak, it ran into the darkness. You thought your new friend was gone forever until it came back, waiting at the base of a tree.

You had the strangest feeling that it was trying to show you something. It wasn’t every day that you had a chipmunk try to grab your attention. “Should I follow you?" You stood up, legs already sore at the thought of walking again.

It continued to stare, standing still as it waited.

You sighed. "Alright. Your guess is as good as mine."

With a chipmunk as your guide, you continued the long trek, winding throughout the forest. To your surprise, it seemed to know when you needed a break even before you did. It would be rude not to reward such a kind companion, and soon all of your berries were stuffed into the chipmunk’s cheeks.

The sun had left its spot high up in the sky long ago, orange flames licking up the approaching onset of nighttime. "I think we need to find a place to sleep for the night," you panted out.

Giving a high-pitched squeak, the chipmunk circled around your feet before continuing on.

"I can't move as quickly as you do," you complained.

Even as you tried your best, the distance between you and your guide only continued to grow. You called out to it, begged it to slow down, but soon enough you lost sight of it.

"No," you cried, dropping to the floor. Your chest was heaving with the continuous exercise you had put yourself through all day. "No," you said again. "Please."

You thought of Sehun, of the years he had spent lying in bed as his body failed him. You had to keep going.

With a cry of pain, you pushed yourself up, legs shaking as you hobbled forward at a snail's pace. A few seconds later, you could have sworn you saw a tiny light far off in the distance.

Squinting, you tried to figure out if this was real, or a figment of your exhausted mind. The light grew larger, weaving among the tall trees.

"Here!" you called out hoarsely. "Help me, please!"

As the light grew nearer, you realized that it was a person holding a small lantern. You stifled a gasp when you saw the tall, pointed hat on its head, long flowing robes trailing behind it.

A witch.

The figure seemed to glide through the forest, even as it came close enough for you to see its face. As he lifted the lantern up, you were surprised to see the face of a young man.

"My friend tells me you've been traveling for a long time," he spoke, lips curling in a manner you could only describe as feline.

Just then, you noticed your forest guide sitting patiently on his shoulder.

"Great job, Dotori," the man praised. He laughed upon seeing the chipmunk's full cheeks. "Looks like you got some snacks already. I think you'll be fine without any more."

With an almost angry squeak, the creature climbed down the front of the man's robes, burrowing itself into a pocket. Its little head reappeared, an acorn in its paws.

"You... you understand it?" you asked, staring at where the chipmunk was resting.

"Of course. Dotori is my familiar." The man cocked his head to the side, taking in your disheveled, worn out appearance. "Why did you tire her out?" he asked his... familiar? "You could've taken your time," the witch continued to admonish.

Dotori only held up her little acorn in response.

"I know it's almost supper. What have I said about letting your little belly get the best of you?" He sighed, shaking his head before sending you an apologetic grin. "Sorry about that. I hope you're not too tired."

You supposed it would be impolite to complain to a stranger about how you were aching all over, so you mustered up a small smile.

"Come," he said, robes swishing as he turned around. "The others are waiting."

"Others?" Adrenaline surged through your body at the mention of more witches, the rest of his clan. "Are you one of the Byun witches?" you asked, hurrying to keep up with him.

The man paused, a wary look in his eye before he continued on. "No. But we are practically like family."

His evasive answer caught you off guard, but you didn't let it deter you. "My family descends from the Shin clan. We've been allies with the Byun clan for ages."

A muscle jumped in the witch's jaw. "I know, little witch. I suggest you save your questions for Baekhyun. He's the one you want."

Baekhyun. You turned the name over in your mind, trying to remember it from among the lists of names in your aunt's book.

The light of the witch's lantern lit up your path, the clustered mess of tree roots and other flora slowly clearing with each step until you reached an open area ringed with trees. Your mouth fell open upon seeing the house nestled in the center.

"Hurry, before they eat all of our supper," the witch said. He extinguished the lantern's flame before opening the door, Dotori's head peeking out once more.

You followed behind, the sudden gravity of it all hitting you. Finally, you would find the answer you had been searching for.

The witch took off his hat, tucking it under his arm as he yelled out for someone. Shaking his head, he went up the flight of stairs close by, leaving you behind.

"Hello."

The new voice had you jumping out of your skin, only relaxing when you spotted a man sitting by the fireplace. A dog lay beside him, eyes closed as the firelight danced against its fur. This new witch stood up, studying you under his gaze as he approached. You stifled a gasp, taken aback by his eyes.

One a comforting brown, the other one startlingly light blue.

"Why have you been looking for us?" he asked, voice low.

"I," you struggled to get out. "I need a cure. My cousin is dying, and nothing else has worked. I need the help of the Byun witches." You gulped upon seeing the hardening of his eyes. "Are you one of them?"

The man laughed hollowly, the sound sending a chill up your spine. "Princess, you're looking at them."

"I am the last of the Byun clan."

Series masterlist: ( 1 ) ( 2 ) ( 3 )

A/N: I have always, always wanted to do some sort of story focusing on witches. This draft has changed multiple times, from being a loosely inspired fic based off of rapunzel with jongdae as the person in the tower, to a fic where y/n is the lost princess, and enlists the help of a mischievous coven of witches to find out who she really is. And now, we’ve come to this final fic idea haha. I think what finally did it for me was seeing baekhyun’s latest magazine shoot, and just knowing that I needed to write this up asap before this just ended up changing again and sitting in my drafts for another year. But I hope you all enjoy it! I’m not sure how many chapters there will be yet, maybe around 4? I also can’t guarantee that the next update will be soon, but once classes end, I should be back on here more regularly by the end of may (and in time for baekhyun solo woohoo)

For clarification, baekhyun’s and minseok’s spirit familiars are their pets in real life, and jongdae’s is a chipmunk because honestly the idea of writing tiny jongdae with an even tinier chipmunk was just too cute to pass up. dotori also means acorn in korean! If you have any questions, my inbox is always open!

#exo #baekhyun #baekhyun scenario #baekhyun fanfic #exo scenario #exo fanfic #writings

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echoes-of-the-clockwork · 4 years ago

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Book Four: War (Gladiolus x Reader) Chapter Five

(Y/n) headed back to the chocobo with the boys hot on her tail. She wasn't upset that they found out who she was because she would've eventually told them sooner or later. Although, she did wish it could've been a secret just a little longer.

"Hold on, (Y/n)!" Noctis shouted.

War stopped, spinning around to face the boys. An emotionless expression was glued to her face. "What?"

"You really can't expect us not to ask questions after that bombshell, are you?"

"Why does it matter?" She sneered. "All of that's in the past and I'm trying to forget it."

"Can you at least tell us a little bit?" Prompto begged.

"Like what?" She groaned.

"Y'know, your kingdom!"

Her (e/c) eyes stared off into the distance as memories of her birthplace played inside her head. Seeing as giving them some information wouldn't hurt, she told them about her kingdom and the time of her rule. "Vanaheim was the sister kingdom of Niflheim. I was crowned queen when I was only twelve because my father died of an illness. Some...things happened and now Vanaheim lies at the bottom of the ocean."

"What did Gentiana mean by the crimson queen?" Noctis pried.

A sorrowful frown manifested on the horseman's face. The nickname brought back bloodied, painful memories of her tyrannical rule. The guilt from what she did as queen returned tenfold. "If I told you the truth, you'd probably never wish to see me again."

Noctis was about to ask another question, but Ignis stopped him. "We've pried too much. Our apologies, (Y/n)."

"It's only natural to be curious of the unknown," War mumbled. She turned her back to them. "Sorry, but I need to clear my head. I'll catch up with you guys later..."

Teleporting, War traveled to Galdin Quay. She appeared on the sandy beach, collapsing to the ground. It made her happy to see the rain caused by Ramuh wasn't affecting the Leide region. She laid on her back in the sand with a heavy, melancholic sigh. Staring up at the sky, an image of one of the many innocent people she killed in Vanaheim resurfaced in her mind. Her sword pierced the young woman's chest, blood splattering across the white marble floor in the throne room. She remembered watching the life vanish from the woman's eyes as she fell lifeless to the floor.

Covering her face with her arm, (Y/n) hid the tears that formed in her eyes. Although she wanted to blame Gaius for manipulating her, it was by her hand she killed so many. Her love for him blinded her from the truth. He was the puppeteer and she was the marionette he manipulated. By the time she reached her senses, it was too late.

"Ahhh," a voice sighed. "I miss lounging around on a beach."

War recognized the tone of voice and lowered her arm. "Not sure how good it'd be for you to lounge on the beach with how pale you are, Death. You'd fry easily in the sun."

"Hey, I wasn't this pale in my previous life," Death retorts playfully. "Then again, I still burnt pretty easily back then too."

(Y/n) chuckled in amusement. "Sunburn sucks."

"I agree one hundred percent." Death laid beside her sister on the sand. "So, what's bothering you?"

"The boys know who I was in my previous life," the redhead confessed.

"Is...that a good or bad thing?"

"Neither. I really don't care that they know."

"Then why're you out here, crying?" Death inquired.

"Just...old, painful memories resurfacing..." War answered.

"Ah, I know that feeling all too well," the inky-haired girl said. "But I know my memories are not as painful as yours. Out of the four of us, your past is the most painful. If I could go back and change what happened, I would."

"I was my own downfall," (Y/n) whimpered. "Blinded by love, I didn't see the monster standing before me. But still, I was the one who did the killing."

"You were a puppet used by Gaius. He did all his dirty deeds through you because he couldn't get his own hands dirty."

War pushed herself up into a sitting position. "That bastard convinced me so many people were plotting against me. In the end, the one I should've killed was him."

"But in the end, you were victorious!" Death chanted. "You were able to summon Leviathan and stopped Gaius from claiming Vanaheim for Niflheim!"

"I destroyed the entire kingdom!" The redhead bellowed in anger. "I ordered a god to drown everything! I may have stopped Gaius, but only at the cost of all the people who called Vanaheim home."

"I wish I could say I know how you feel, but I can't," Death sorrowfully muttered. "But please, don't let the past blind you and stop you from seeing what could become of your future. We may be immortal, but that doesn't mean we should give up on our futures."

(Y/n) hugged her knees against her chest. "How is it you, Famine, and Pestilence always find the time to be happy and philosophical?"

The inky-haired girl giggled. "Once you leave the past behind, you'll be able to find happiness. And, of course, be philosophical all you want. But for now, just take some time to gather your thoughts. If you ever need any of us, you know how to contact us."

"Thanks, Death," the redhead smiled.

Death smiled back. "Take care, War."

(Y/n) watched her sister disappear before throwing herself back on the sand. She gazed up at the sky, focusing on the white puffy clouds sailing by. "My own happiness..." She whispered to herself. "Is that even possible for me...?"

<------------<<<<<

A few days later, (Y/n) composed herself and her thoughts. She accepted some of what she did when she was a queen, but not all. Deciding to regroup with the royal retinue, she did her best to detect the summoning orb. When she did, she decided to give herself some more time and summoned Ares. Hopping onto the horse's back, she rode in the direction she sensed the orb.

In the afternoon, the Horseman arrived at Sothmocke Haven. She dismounted Ares and walked up to the top of the large rune-carved stone. Seeing the tent set up and the boys relaxing around the campfire, she couldn't deny the fact that she was happy they were safe. With a stoic expression, she made her presence known. "Hey."

All eyes fell on her. Prompto waves at her with a smile while Gladio smirked as she sauntered over towards them. Noctis and Ignis were happy to see War was safe and back together with them.

"Welcome back, firecracker," Gladio grinned.

"Again with the ridiculous nickname," she grumbled. Looking away from Gladio, she met Noctis' gaze. "I see you've claimed the Mark of the Fulgurian. Now you've received the favor of two Astrals."

"Yeah, well, I was getting sick of the rain," Noctis sighed. "Speaking of Astrals, you once earned their favor."

War blinked in surprise. "How'd you know that?"

"I spoke with Gentiana again." He leaned forward in his seat. "Does it ever get any easier?"

"No, it doesn't," she answers honestly. "It'll only get more difficult from here on out. That's why I'm gonna teach you a few things. It's the least I can do."

"You mean like with the armiger and warping?"

"Yes."

"How can you even do all that?" Noctis asked.

"Lucis isn't the only kingdom that was gifted a crystal. Vanaheim was also gifted one. But now my kingdom's Crystal lies at the bottom of the ocean with the rest of Vanaheim. I was only able to retain my abilities because the Crystal is still active." She combed a few crimson strands of hair behind her ear. "But before we do any training, why're you four camped so close to an imperial stronghold?"

"Cindy found the car!" Prompto announced gleefully.

"Which is currently inside that stronghold," Gladio added.

"You plan on infiltrating such a heavily defended stronghold?" She crossed her arms. "That's a hefty task for just the four of you."

"You plannin' on joining us?"

A mischievous glint shines in her (e/c) eyes. "Only if I get to destroy things."

"I don't see why not."

"Then will you serve as a distraction, (Y/n)?" Ignis asked.

"Leave it to me," she replied.

"Since that's settled..." Noctis stood up. "Show me some of your tricks, (Y/n)."

War and the prince walked a short ways from the haven. Gladio and Prompto tagged along, curious as to what the Horseman was going to teach Noctis. Ignis remained behind, deciding to get a head-start on dinner.

(Y/n) took a few steps away from Noctis. "Let's start with the armiger." Out of the blue, myriads of weapons materialized around the girl.

He stared in amazement at how many weapons she had and the large variety. "Damn. How many weapons are there?"

"Thirty. But unlike your ancestral weapons, mine are those of the enemies conquered by Vanaheim. Each one has a dark origin tied to it. But let's leave that for now and focus on your armiger. It may lack the weaponry like mine, but that means nothing if you know how to wield it." She dispelled her armiger, grinning widely. "Hope you're ready, Noctis. I won't go easy on you."

Gladio and Prompto watched from the sideline as (Y/n) taught Noctis how to wield the armiger in different ways. Both were amazed at how the prince's full attention was into the training and how he wasn't complaining after an hour.

Another hour passed and the Horseman moved on to warping. She taught Noctis a few of her techniques that she knew would be beneficial in the future.

By the time she ended the lesson, Ignis finished dinner. Noctis and Prompto dashed off, their stomachs growling simply just thinking about food. (Y/n) watched the two run back to the haven while combing a hand through her crimson locks.

"Hey." Gladio walked over to her. "Thanks for teachin' him."

"Like I said, it's the least I can do," she sighed. "I know what it feels like to have so much weight on your shoulders. I pity Noctis yet I envy him."

"You envy Noct?" He scoffed lightly. "Why?"

"Because he has people like you, Prompto, and Ignis by his side. When I was queen, I thought I had someone I could share my burdens with. Turns out he was just a manipulative asshole who was using me to accomplish his true goal."

"This guy..." Gladio's voice lowered. "His name wouldn't happen to be Gaius, would it?"

Her (e/c) eyes widen in horror. "How the hell did you know that?"

"The nightmare. It's becoming clearer. So, you gonna tell me who he was or do I have to wait for this nightmare to get worse?"

Her eyes narrowed into a glare. "Why do you even care?"

"Because every time I close my eyes at night, I see that asshole kill you," he remarked.

"Listen, I don't know why or how you're having this nightmare, but what you're seeing is my death over and over again. While I was queen of Vanaheim, a boy I knew since childhood was appointed as my advisor. We did everything together and I eventually fell in love with him. I confessed my feelings and so did he. For five whole years, I thought he loved me. Turns out, he never did and was only trying to take Vanaheim away from underneath me. That bastard twisted my mind and made me believe every word that came out of his mouth. The moment I was no longer of use to him was when he stabbed me from behind." (Y/n) clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. "Now that I've told you, are you satisfied?"

Gladio heard the hurt in her voice as she spoke about her past. He regretted asking, but at the same he was happy to know a little more about her. "Yeah, sorry for pryin'."

"I'm going to scout the stronghold," she said, desperate to change the subject.

"You don't wanna enjoy Iggy's cooking?" He asked.

"I'm basically a walking corpse and no longer need to eat. What would be the point?" She didn't wait for Gladio's response and left.

<------------<<<<<

Once finished scouting Aracheole Stronghold, (Y/n) returned to the haven where the boys were waiting for her. She told them what she learned, earning a thank you from Ignis.

After sharing everything she knew, the group departed from the haven. Back at Aracheole Stronghold, the Horseman excused herself in order to begin her diversion. She wandered into the stronghold, setting her sights on the one area that caught her attention during her earlier scouting. A grin made its way onto her face as she stood in front of the lines of mechs that were freshly assembled. She looked around, noticing the MTs and soldiers on duty had yet to notice her presence. Cracking her fingers, she held out her hands. "I've always wanted to do this."

Using her powerful fire magic, War created a large fiery vortex. She watched with a wicked grin as it toasted the large mechs. The hunk of metals and wires turned into piles of molten metal because of the extreme heat while others exploded. Because of the fiery vortex and the loud explosions, she was able to gain the attention of every enemy within the stronghold.

The Horseman was quickly surrounded. Soldiers aimed their guns at her while the MTs waited for their orders to attack. She tapped her chin, humming in curiosity. "Swords, bows, pistols..." Her eyes widen as she grinned, snapping her fingers. "Javelins!" Summoning a handful of javelins, she manipulated them with ease. The javelins soared through the air, impaling the imperial forces.

Within seconds, she killed a majority of the enemies surrounding her. A few bullets pierced her body, but she was unfazed as they were absorbed into her body and the bullet hole wounds healed. Seeing this, the remaining soldiers retreated in fear. Unfortunately, the MTs didn't follow their allies and continued to attack her. She easily wiped them out with her javelins before dematerializing her weapons. Looking around at the various bodies splayed across the ground, she sighed. "This wasn't as fun as I thought it'd be..."

Moving to another part of the base where they were manufacturing airships, (Y/n) got to work destroying them. She dragged her finger across the side of one of the airship, creating a large crack in the exterior. Backing away, she smirked in satisfaction when seeing flames erupt from the crack. Before long, the air vessel exploded and destroyed even more airships. The fiery explosion lit up the night sky, fueling the girl's need to destroy even more.

Setting her sights on the horde of MTs running straight for her, War summoned a bow and fired arrow after arrow. Each one pierced the metallic skull of an enemy. She watched in amusement as they fell like flies.

Suddenly, (Y/n) felt a familiar god-like presence. Looking up, she saw Ramuh. The feeling of overwhelming power washed over her as the Astral used his power to kill the remaining imperial forces residing within the stronghold. A small smile appeared on her face. "Looks like Noctis did it."

Just as the Fulgurian vanished, the sun peeked over the horizon. The redhead ridded herself of her bow, hearing nothing but her heart racing from the adrenaline rush. Seeing her job was done, she decided to search for the royal retinue. Wandering around the entire base, she finally found the boys and the car they'd been desperately searching for.

From her peripheral, she saw a person she'd encounter on a couple of occasions while traveling across Eos-Ravus Nox Flueret. He'd been a pain in her side due to his and the empire's interference in her mission to slay the monsters that escaped from the Inner Sanctum. She knew exactly why he wanted the creatures and wouldn't allow him to do as he pleased with such dangerous, unpredictable creatures.

From her perch, she watched Ravus approach the boys. She kept her eyes glued to them, keeping her distance. Her plan was to avoid interfering, but that idea went out the window when Ravus threatens Noctis with his blade. The heterochromia-eyed man slowly raises his sword above his head, then brings it down fiercely. Gladio briefly blocks it with his own sword before Ravus parries the weapon away and slams the pommel of his sword into the shield's chest, sending him flying into the side of the Regalia. Prompto runs to check on Gladio while Noctis gets between them and Ravus.

Unable to stand by any longer, (Y/n) summoned multiple javelins and sent them towards Ravus. Sworn to not harm any mortals, she manipulated the javelins and created a makeshift cage around Ravus. The moment the man spotted her, she hopped down from her perch and sauntered over.

"You..." Ravus growled.

"Still being a pain in the ass, I see," War groaned.

"Your presence on Eos is a plague, Horseman," he spat.

"I'm pretty sure many would say the same about you," she hissed.

Suddenly, Ardyn appears and joins their conversation. "Now, now. I'd say that's far enough. A hand, Highness?"

"Not from you," Noctis spat.

"Oh, but I'm here to help."

Ignis was skeptical of the chancellor's sudden appearance. "And how is that?"

"By taking the army away," he explained.

"You expect us to believe that?" Gladio growled.

"When next we meet, it'll be across the sea. Just so happens we have business of our own with the tutelary deity. Don't we?" Ardyn looks at Ravus before glancing at (Y/n). "My dear, would you..." He gestured to the javelins entrapping his ally.

Reluctantly, War released Ravus. The javelins vanished, allowing him to go free. Ardyn thanked her before looking back at Noctis. "Fare thee well, Your Majesty, and safe travels." Ravus and Ardyn walk away, leaving the group behind.

Prompto looked around at the faces of his friends. "You guys know that guy?"

"Ravus Nox Fleuret, first son of Tenebrae...and elder brother to Lady Lunafreya," Ignis said.

"How do you know him, (Y/n)?" Noctis asked.

"Bastard's been a thorn in my side ever since I came to Eos. He's allied himself with the empire and desires to use the monsters from the Inner Sanctum as puppets. I'm not sure why the empire believes they can control such creatures. They're not like daemons or the beasts native to Eos. They're unpredictable and dangerous. That's why they were sealed away within the Inner Sanctum. And if we thought mortals could handle them, there wouldn't be any need for me and my sisters to be here." She walked over to Gladio and offered him a helping hand.

The shield was surprised at her gesture but accepted it regardless. She helped him to his feet, where she healed him and the others. "Thanks for that, (Y/n)," he said.

"Let's just get the hell outta here."

#ffxv x reader #ffxv #final fantasy xv #final fantasy xv x reader #gladiolus amicitia #gladiolus x reader #gladio x reader

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cjrae · 5 years ago

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Dueling Fairytales. Or: Why Lucifer won’t take a Queen.

One of the most popular fan theories is that Chloe will become the Queen of Hell. The appeal is strong on the surface as it does several things;

- It codifies Lucifer and Chloe’s relationship into a formalized, wedded partnership as King and Queen.

- It answers the question “What will happen to Lucifer and Chloe when she eventually dies?”

- It elevates Chloe to a seemingly exalted position, which is coded as a reward.

The trouble with this theory is that if Chloe became the Queen of Hell, that would undermine the major themes of the narrative. To emphasize my point, let me pose a question.

Is the story telling us that Chloe needs to become worthy of Lucifer or that Lucifer needs to become worthy of Chloe?

Actually, let’s flesh this question out a bit more.

Does Chloe need to go through trials that test her commitment to kindness in the face of abuse to be elevated to a higher status in order to receive Lucifer as her reward? Or does Lucifer need to learn restraint, a higher degree of empathy and to be on the receiving end of kindness in order to grow up so that he can learn, not only to give and receive love, but the responsibility that comes with a duty of care?

If these sound like two completely different stories, you’re absolutely right. The first one is Cinderella, the second is Beauty and the Beast. And in regards to the question of the Queen of Hell, they’re both relevant because these two tales are dueling in Season Four with the introduction of Eve.

The Cinderella Story

Cinderella; a girl who has no control over her life, serving a cruel family that takes advantage of her and erases her identity in service of the family’s needs, but whose kindness, compassion and empathy in the face of grief win her friends that help her escape her prison and find freedom.

Fits Eve to a tee, doesn’t it? She’s highly empathic, makes friends at the drop of a hat, even with people who are inclined to dislike her - i.e. Ella and Chloe. She’s kind, but not stupid. She only needs one look at a situation with all the actors in the room before she can pick out what’s going on between Lucifer and Chloe.

What makes Eve’s story highly compelling is watching her abuse her virtues attempting to fulfill the themes of her own story, which ultimately causes her to fail.

The central theme of Cinderella’s story is her commitment to kindness in the face of her family’s abuse. The one thing the Cinderella cannot be, if she is to succeed, is selfish; to allow it would be to invite that poison into her own psyche. That isn’t to say that the Cinderella is doomed to be a doormat either. She rebels by going to the ball (or in Eve’s case, to Earth). However, there is a difference between standing up for yourself, acknowledging your own needs to be valid and worthy of consideration versus prioritizing your needs over the needs of others, irregardless of what they feel.

Which is exactly what Eve does. Her pursuit of Lucifer is highly selfish.

Lucifer is telling Eve “no” in multiple ways, including verbal at the end of 4x04. He doesn’t desire a relationship with her, he’s trying to work through something very painful and he’s not in a good place right now. He is in love with someone else and Eve knows it.

Unfortunately, what Lucifer wants is irrelevant. Eve wants him and she intends to have him because Lucifer is her second chance - Adam couldn’t love her because he was remained in love with Lilith, but this time will be different. This time Eve thinks she can win. So she pushes him into showing her his Devil face and pours balm on the wound inflicted by Chloe when she kisses it.

What Lucifer misses in that moment is that Eve’s easy acceptance of him as the Devil is a giant red flag in and of itself.

The Virtuous Daughter

The Beauty; the member of her materialistic family who prizes practicality, hard work, and making the best of any situation in the face of ruin. The one who will sacrifice herself without hesitation to protect the ones she loves, who puts her needs last.

Chloe is a homicide detective instead of the virtuous, youngest daughter, but the Beauty is often characterized by her devotion to duty - filial duty in particular. Sure enough, who is Chloe emulating? Her beloved father, the cop killed in the line of duty.

Beauty and the Beast is a more interactive tale between the lovers than Cinderella. It is through cohabitation with the Beast and learning about each other that the Beast learns to put others’ needs above his own, rising above his former self absorption while the Beauty learns to accept the goodness within the Beast, not only for his attempts to do better, but for who he is as the Beast.

This is literally the story of Season 4 - of Chloe coming to terms with Lucifer being the Devil and reconciling the fact that she is in love someone she’s been told is the personification of evil. It takes her the entire season to fall in love with the Devil as opposed to the Lost Prince (echoing the earliest written versions), who she’s been in love with since Season 2, and it comes in stages.

- 4x02, the ax scene when she realizes that Lucifer’s love for her is genuine, soothing her fear that, once again, like with Pierce, she’s been used as a pawn in a game she had no idea was being played.

- 4x05, when she throws herself between Lucifer and the anticipated explosion. The moment they both realize Chloe would sacrifice herself to protect the Devil.

- 4x07, when Lucifer chooses justice over punishment and brings Tiernan into the station, sacrificing his own need for vengeance and proving to Chloe that the Devil is a good man. Chloe is still bifurcating Lucifer, but she acknowledges that he is both angel and Devil in that critical scene on the balcony.

- 4x09, the traditional recognition of the Beast and the Prince as the same person, when Chloe realizes that his Devil form is a manifestation of Lucifer’s declared self-hatred.

Chloe’s love is not a redemptive object the way Eve wants her love for Lucifer to be. The transformation from Beast to man requires Lucifer to understand and forgive himself - Chloe can’t do it for him. Chloe’s acceptance can serve as a guide on that path, but Lucifer must do the work himself. He clings blindly to the idea that Chloe’s acceptance will either save or condemn him in a single moment - and when he attempts to force the issue he’s unable to accept Chloe’s “I don’t know” as an answer.

The Prince Of Darkness

Lucifer ends up caught in the middle of these two stories as each of them casts him in a very different role. The show frames Lucifer’s struggle between these two opposing visions of who he is as good and evil, but there’s something to be said for the idea that Lucifer would simply like to know which story he’s in, thank you very much!

Is he Eve’s Prince? A static, perfect figure that she will receive as a reward - her vehicle of escape and self-actualization?

Or is he Chloe’s Lost Prince? A man, trapped in a form not his own, battling his own worst impulses in order to regain the original identity he has lost?

And, in a twist, each woman assigns qualities of the other tale to their version of Lucifer - Eve’s Prince is a bestial version - Lucifer as he was in the Beginning. Primal, impulsive and living entirely in the moment with no care for the consequences of his actions. Chloe’s Lost Prince, however, is more of a tragic figure; sundered from himself, split into two - Prince and Beast.

The Beast is a protagonist of his own tale, but both as the Beast and as the Prince he is an object of rescue, which is not something Lucifer needs or wants from Chloe. Lucifer has no desire to be saved - it’s a concept that we’ve watched him actively reject before, when Amenadiel suggests that the return of his wings means he’s been forgiven. Chloe’s role in the tale is to learn to accept the Beast, letting go of the Lost Prince.

As the Cinderella’s Prince, he’s simply an object, not a man. Lucifer’s role as Eve’s Prince is a vehicle to elevate her to an exalted position that will remove her from the prison she’s lived in most of her life to a place where she will be loved.

It’s only after Lucifer rejects both Eve and Chloe’s objectified visions of him that he’s able to look at himself and get to the core of what has been torturing him since, arguably, the beginning of time. He is neither Prince - instead he is a man in nearly unspeakable pain as he sits in Linda’s office, knuckles white as he finally identifies and articulates the problem - his self hatred.

The King and Queen of Hell

Both Cinderella and the Beauty share the traditional raising of status, but in Lucifer’s case it’s worth asking - is becoming the Queen of Hell a good thing?

I would argue that question actually has nothing to do with either Chloe or Eve and everything to do with Lucifer himself and why he became the King of Hell.

Both Cinderella’s prince and the Beast’s royal status are their original identity. But in Lucifer’s case, becoming the King of Hell is the curse from his Father. However you interpret God’s motive for punishing his son, the bottom line is that Hell is somewhere that Lucifer hates. It is not, nor has it ever been, home to him. It’s not a place that he is proud of, nor does he relish the work he does there. He has enough pride to do the job to the best of his ability, but we know he’s delegated out as much as he could, even if Lucifer’s hands are far from clean.

In short, Hell is nowhere that Lucifer wants to be. He certainly doesn’t want anyone that he actually cares about to be there either.

Eve, however, needs Lucifer to be the King of Hell. The first half of 4x07 is, from Eve’s perspective, the high point of their relationship. Lucifer is the most intimate he’s ever been with Eve when they’re lying in bed after punishing Julian.

Of course Eve wants that back - enough that she’s willing to listen to Kinley when he tells her that, if she wants Lucifer to love her, she needs to convince him to go back to Hell. As much as Eve recognizes that Lucifer doesn’t want to rule Hell, it’s where he could “be a King again,” which is exactly how he was acting when he was closest to Eve. And, of course, ruling Hell would be different “with a Queen by his side.”

So she, once again, succumbs to selfishness - and is called on it by Chloe in the wake of it’s consequences. “How could you be so selfish?! Naive!”

Eve had already lost Lucifer, but her attempt to force her ascension to become Lucifer’s Queen only crystallizes that they’re not right for each other, as she’s faced with losing Lucifer’s friendship and respect. He would have to be the one to elevate her to that exalted position and he’d already told her “I don’t like who I am with you!” rejecting the role of Prince to Eve’s Cinderella.

Lucifer’s desire to be his own man, aligns much more closely with Chloe’s desires. Chloe has no need for pomp and circumstance. She’s always been the practical member of this partnership - sensible shoes, boring sedans, Costco runs and reading a bedtime story to Trixie. There is room in her life for desire, but Lucifer’s presence is enough to fulfill that.

In fact, in the moment when Chloe tells Lucifer she loves him and begs him not to leave, she is finally asking for something for herself. The Beauty has learned to allow herself a healthy dose of desire rather than a complete devotion to duty while Lucifer, as the Beast, has learned the value of love, empathy and a duty of care. Chloe and Lucifer have transformed each other into better, more complete versions of themselves.

Presumably, if Hell can be faced and fought in Season 5 and Lucifer released from the burden of the throne, then having the “curse” lifted might allow him to leave the Devil in the past and simply be Lucifer Morningstar, the identity he’s fought for since the pilot.

But, of course, if that happens, then Lucifer will no longer be the King of Hell. Therefore, he has no need for a Queen.

And They All Lived Happily Ever After?

The time for despair has passed - neither Lucifer nor Chloe can afford it. Instead, they (and we) are awaiting the reversal; the change in the status quo that will give them the opportunity to challenge Lucifer’s fate. If they are successful, then there may in fact be a new Queen of Hell, if Lilith comes into play.

But if she appears, she will likely not be Lucifer’s Queen, but a new ruler come to usurp the throne.

Long live the Queen.

#lucifer meta #lucifer analysis #lucifer on netflix #deckerstar #lucifer morningstar #chloe decker #eve #lucifer season 4 #lucifer season 4 spoilers #lucifer season 5 #lucifer season 5 speculation #beauty and the beast #cinderella #long text post

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crowraths · 5 years ago

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❛ if only there was someone who loved you. ❜ :3

akechi has to wonder what brought up the statement.

why did you say that— he opens his mouth to speak, but the question hangs on his tongue and wilts so quickly he can only close it that the only thing left was a surprised stare towards the barista. the detective surmises that it must have been the quaintness of the coffee shop today; when time crawls by with nothing to do, humans tend to allow their thoughts to trail to the borderlines of existence and morality. as akira does, and as he himself does, too.

silence hung in the air. goro isn’t sure what to say to it, only looked down at the reflective calmness of his half-finished coffee, long since lost its warmth since it was brewed yet still tantalizingly bitter. it’s refreshing, in a way. not too different to how he’d describe himself.

it reminds him of his mother.

his impression of his deceased parent was brief, if it should be phrased that way. she was already too infrequent for him to remember her face right, but he could recall she often left behind a mug of coffee on the dining table every time she’s out with some other lovely gentleman. the young boy thought nothing of it, assumed it must have been breakfast left for him when he crawled up the legs of the cheap yet too tall dining chair for a sip. he remembered it tasted disgusting.

thinking back makes him glance down at his coffee cup again. of course it tasted disgusting. his mother didn’t have any money to spare beyond her fake brand outfits she uses to go out and then some, just to make sure she can last a toddler’s food. the coffee she ever made was some type of watered down package coffee made in a flurry and drank just as fast, with no time to spare for more than a gulp before her partner of that day hurried her out.

he finished her leftovers and washed the cup quietly.

she never bothered asking him about it. not that she had time to when she was always so occupied, and goro never tried to question her. she often silenced him with meaningless words like ‘it’s work’ and ‘this is for you’ before ushering him to go to the bathhouse once he was old enough. for a long time, he assumed that was how love was — parents saving the best things for their children in a show of love, a small but noble act of sacrifice just like what he read in books. maybe that was why he drank it for years.

maybe he was just convincing himself mother loved him.

—

time didn’t leave enough space for a child with no mother to cope. for years and years, he was passed on between orphanages and caretakers, and all the same, he was always obedient — he could still recall the words of one of the caretakers about being good children that he took to heart for time to come. goro was always smiling to the adults no matter what they made him do, so much that it made his peers hate him.

‘ass kisser,’ they called him, ‘caretaker’s little pet’. he’d made a face and said innocently that he’d never kiss somebody’s bottom. they beat him up.

he was moved to another orphanage thereafter, when the kids decided to gang up on him and tell his guardians that he’d been a bad bully to everyone else. goro had felt betrayed, but there was nothing else he could do; surely the adults wouldn’t buy his words over the accusations of a bunch many other. still, he’d hoped.

the first time it happened, it shattered his heart. the second time, it hurt a bit less. by the seventh or tenth or whatever number of times he’d lost track of, he’d become numb. there was no love here, not even the half-full cup of coffee like mother used to do.

and then … he met his father. masayoshi shido, the very future prime minister of japan! goro was in awe. then that awe turn into grief. and … hatred.

why?

why wasn’t he with him all this while?

wasn’t he his father?

wasn’t he supposed to be there?

why didn’t he stop mother from dying?

why?

orphanages had taught him that answering the wrong question would be punishment, so goro never asked him out loud. instead, he became eager. he still is — so eager to please and grovel and do every goddamn dirty thing shido demands of him. his past had festered into something ugly inside his heart that he would do anything just to get a speckle of that farfetched love and approval if there was any left to spare for him.

he knew better than to hope. he still yearned for it.

shido never gave him any gratitude or so much as a thank you for all of his work. never once called him son. in turn, akechi never called him dad — it’d be a painful reminder of whatever fling that never came to fruition, just like how akechi shouldn’t have been born. where a target died came another and another and another, the neverending list of enemies was so long that akechi had never once stopped to ask about why. not out of fear, of course. just that his father would be disappointed that he was butting his nose into somebody else’s business.

there’s no love here either, akechi thought. not that he understood what love was.

what shido does manage to give, though, was popularity. the fame of detective prince rose just like a kite in the wind as soon as his first cases were brought to light, and the media swallowed it greedily. charming! beautiful! intelligent! such was the second coming of the detective prince, headlines claimed, the rise of a true person of justice. fans love him, elderly and children and teenagers alike.

it never occurred to goro that he’d been twisted until then. he basked in that superficial adoration from society, so spoiled that he suddenly understood why his biological parent wanted more power. people hang onto his every word like it’s the gospel, and he wanted more. perhaps it’s no genuine love like how parents should be to their kids, but it felt better than that taste of blood when he was hit by other children at his youth.

no love here. no love anywhere. he’ll take everything else.

then came the phantom thieves.

they’re … a confusing bunch. they aren’t friends, not really, not as far as he was aware. half of the team was recruited because the barista in front of him was blackmailed, akechi himself included. by all means of logic, they shouldn’t have been friends. and yet … they are.

he thinks of ryuji, so loudmouthed, the foul of the team. the runner never liked him. they’re like polar opposites, so the detective never gave him much credit. ann with so much charm but not enough academic intelligence to follow up. just as much a media darling as him but with less tolerance to the dirty and damned. yusuke, the oddball with five parts quirk and ten parts talent. the socially reclusive futaba. the heiress whose father goro had murdered without so much as a bite of remorse, haru. the student council student with a biting elder sister, makoto. mona, the yapping cat. and then … his rival, akira.

he thinks of that bright-eyed red-haired darling who loves him so dearly that she’s willing to do everything for him even though he didn’t even know who she really was.

all of them had treated him better than anybody else had been in the past. akechi had grown immune to so much bad intention that he could recognize anybody trying to use him with just a glance, and they … aren’t. nothing of him genuinely attracts them. not his fame, not his pretty face. in front of them, he’s just akechi goro, a teenager like any other.

it doesn’t feel nice. it’s love, but… it doesn’t feel nice.

he wonders why.

akira was giving him an expectant glance by the time he came back to reality.

❝ if only there was someone who loved you. ❞

❝ yes, ❞ he answers in earnest, ❝ if only. ❞

#foolfated #OKAY #DONE #DON E E EE #‶ understand that i am heartless. — in character.#long post -#‶ killing me slow but i ain’t ready to die. — main.#p5r spoilers -#just in case

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sickandtideeeee · 6 years ago

Text

By Bast - Chapter 11 (Erik x Reader)

Bast truly had a riotous sense of humor.

Who could have foreseen that you would end up in the exact same operating room you had been revived in, attempting to save the life of a man who had nearly murdered you? Your eyes followed the same distraught physician who had taken care of you scurry around to gather surgical supplies, desperate to keep her license. You probably would have laughed had the situation not been so dire.

With the pressure of your closed fist inside his chest being the difference between his life and bloody exsanguination, N’Jadaka seemed almost harmless. Your arms and knees were almost numb from how long you had held position, straddling the estranged prince. You mustered all your strength and willpower to keep your right arm as straight as possible. You could feel the transmitted vibrations of his weakly pulsating heart… his heart? How human he had become now, how vulnerable he now was, as are the rest of us.

Engrossed in your thoughts, you missed the surgeon alerting you that she was finally ready to begin the procedure. T’Challa placed a hand on your shoulder softly but firmly.

“That’s enough. You can come down now,” he instructed, his tone impassive. You obliged, your gaze still focused on Erik, and dismounted the table. The doctor took a curiously long look at you as you hesitantly stepped away, then she hurriedly got to work.

How quickly we forget.

N’Jadaka killed your father, but somehow you had some pity for him.

How quickly we forgive.

N’Jadaka had overthrown T’Challa’s reign, but T’Challa had chosen to absolve him of his sin of treason.

Or had he? You could not totally be sure what his plans were. All you knew was that there seemed to be a gag rule in the palace about the prince. Not a word had been spoken about the battle or its aftermath. In fact, to your amazement, things seemed to have fallen back into place almost instantly once T’Challa officially announced his return, never mind that this was the first civil war on Wakandan soil in centuries. N’Jadaka’s reign had been subversive but brief, and a collective sigh of relief befell the land as the rightful heir was reinstated.

A week had passed painstakingly slowly. Spirit unsettled, it had become difficult to concentrate on your bioengineering work. To quell this unease, you had begun to make rounds at the Mujaji orchards to pick fruit much like Zuri had the habit of doing before. However, this time the fruit would go not to the children who visited the temple, but instead to the homes of the warriors who had been killed in battle. No matter how much the monarchy wanted to suppress the reality of the mutiny, it had happened, and real people had died.

It was while you were on such a mission, humming softly as you picked fruit, that you heard T’Challa call your name.

Surprised, you turned slowly and bowed low in greeting. It was the first time you had spoken since that day. Usually T’Challa would have a playful smirk for you, with gentle eyes unlike N’Jadaka’s cocksure ones, but this time he was accompanied by Okoye whose disdain for you was palpable.

You didn’t blame her for being bitter. She was newly single, given that her husband had not needed much convincing to side with an intruder. Unfortunately, W’Kabi did not have the protection of being blood-related to the king, and now was rumored to have been exiled even further beyond the borderlands.

“What brings you here, Nkiru?” T’Challa asked. You held out one of your baskets to him with a soft smile.

“I was just filling baskets for the temple… Like Baba used to.” A half-truth.

He wore the slightest of frowns in response, which made you mildly anxious.

“Good.” He affirmed to your relief. Okoye scoffed, the slightest of sounds, and T’Challa gave her a nod. She nodded back and turned to exit, leaving the two of you in the garden.

He knelt down to pick up a mango from the full basket at your feet, tossing it up and down in his left hand as he stood before you. While he meant to appear entirely harmless, you could feel your whole body tense up. T’Challa seemed to measure his words before he spoke. Whatever he had to say would not be good.

“May I ask you a question, about N’Jadaka… my cousin?”

You nodded, your eyes following the fruit he played with as it rose and fell. Your heart began to beat fast. The word cousin came out clumsily in his mouth as if he was still getting used to the concept of having a cousin – or rather, having this person in particular as a cousin.

“What is the nature of your relationship?” You now looked at T’Challa in confusion.

“Relationship?” You repeated in shock, then irritation. You had thought T’Challa, someone you had grown up with, would be above listening to ridiculous gossip.

T’Challa now gripped the mango firmly in his hand, looking at you straight in the eyes. Almost as if to warn you that he could detect any lie, no matter how small.

“There have been some reports that suggest something of the sort.”

You wanted to remain respectful, but indignation surfaced instead.

“Reports?” You repeated again, this time with an edge to your voice. He sensed this and once again wore that controlled regal look of disapproval, waiting patiently for you to speak.

You had nothing to say. You expected better from someone like him.

Instead of dignifying him with an answer, you picked up the basket on the ground, hoisting it on your hip. A hand outstretched, you silently requested for him to return his newfound toy. He did not oblige, which made you angrier.

“With all due respect, it is distasteful to implicate me in any sort of liaison with my father’s murderer,” you seethed. At that, T’Challa’s expression softened, if only for a moment, but you would not let him off the hook.

“I cannot help the fact that people around the palace see things where there are none. It also does not help that your cousin found some particular interest in tormenting me further. Please do not do the same.”

With that, you bowed once again to exit, but his hand on your wrist stopped you. You whipped around with the fiercest look possible, but T’Challa’s was fiercer.

“Nkiru, he has asked to see you every day since he’s been in isolation.”

You feel a heavy thump on your chest.

“Every morning for seven days, he says nothing else to any of his attending guards, aside requesting to see you. He even addresses you by name.” He clarified further. That was damning, alright.

“I don’t understand.” You said, your voice now small. T’Challa raised an eyebrow.

“I decided to speak to you in private, particularly because I did not want to cause a scene. However, rest assured that I will get to the bottom of this.” His gaze was hard and fixed, and with his emphasis on the word ‘will’, you effectively lost all your bark.

“If you would like to leave, now, you are dismissed.” He directed, his hands clasped behind him. You turned, wordlessly, feeling the heaviness of his gaze on your back as you walked away.

Shuri, your brother suspects me of some… misconduct. I need to get to the bottom of this. This really is the best way to do it.

??? I don’t exactly see how this will make him less suspicious, but I guess I can help! LOL

Shuri and her Americanisms, you thought as you closed the text message. Shuri was kind enough to modify your communicator to securely and most importantly, covertly, to broadcast into N’Jadaka’s cell. As she said, if caught, this would be a lot more condemning than anything. However, you were curious as to what N’Jadaka so desperately needed to say. You acknowledged that you were connected somehow, by something. You had known each other before knowing each other.

You checked the time. It was the early hours of the morning, where the guards would be at their most relaxed state in terms of surveillance. Either way, Shuri had remotely soundproofed N’Jadaka’s cell so no one would hear the two of you speaking. You had told her it was fine if she listened in herself, but she seemed disinterested.

She truly trusted you wholeheartedly and you were grateful for that.

He probably just has some creepy crush on you. I heard about the lunches, you know. What a weirdo…

You didn’t have a good response to that statement at the time. The very thought was repulsive… mostly.

You glanced at the clock again. It was time.

You checked one more time to assure that your quarters were locked and soundproofed, then sat back down on your bed, cross-legged. In all fairness, you were unsure what to expect. Nevertheless, you started the communication.

A full minute passed where all you could hear were the soft sounds of his breathing. Not exactly sleeping, but not exactly active.

“Hello?” you attempted.

A soft rustling of clothing filled the air, the sound of someone moving around to a sitting position. Another minute passed. You were already losing faith in this operation.

“I heard you wanted to see me.”

“Yeah?” Dispassionate was the tone he aimed for, but it held a hint of pleasure. “Can’t get enough of me, huh?” You could practically see the smirk.

You grimaced. “Say what you needed to say.”

“You’re gonna have to come down in person for that, babygirl.”

Typical.

“I’m serious,” he said, filling the silence. The jest had truly left his voice.

“In that case you’ll forever hold your peace.” You responded. N’Jadaka paused for a second, then must have decided it was not worth the silence.

“Since y’all are probably planning to kill me soon, I thought I could make a few confessions to you. Since you saw things.”

You didn’t respond, so he continued.

“Not like excuses or none of that. Just, I wanted someone to talk to. I’ve never had anyone I could just talk to… You know, with the tragic backstory and all… With you, there’s none of that explanation I gotta give.”

That confession hung in the air for a few seconds like a thick fog. You readjusted yourself in your bed, pulling your sheet covers onto your lap. He let out a sigh.

“You still listening?”

“Yes.”

You must have dozed off at some point as he was speaking, because you awoke groggily to find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings. A soft breeze whistled through the grass in the savannah that now stretched before you. You sat up, back pressed against something hard. A tree. An acacia tree.

To your left, a body shifted itself awake. N’Jadaka also sat by your side, the two of you sharing the same bemused look. It was as if to ask ‘where are we’ but the two of you already knew.

This dream state was different from all the times before. For one, N’Jadaka seemed to be sporting his own consciousness this time. In fact, he was wearing a plain brown linen shirt and pants, probably prisoner grade, and looked almost deflated in his clothing. Dark rims lined his eyes, and a gray pallor underlay his skin. You wondered if he had also refused to eat in the past seven days.

“Here we go again,” he murmured. Your feelings exactly. Nothing surprised you at this point.

The heat would have been blistering if not for the cool currents circling between you two. He sighed deeply and got to his feet.

“I’m tired of games. Or maybe just tired.” He started walking ahead of you, and you quickly followed suit, deciding that following this volatile character was probably the lesser of two evils. Who knew when some wild beast could appear and maul you to death.

“You think I’m dead already?” he asked.

“Probably not.”

“I didn’t think so.” He said.

Then why did you ask? You wanted to say, but instead decided to say nothing. You stared ahead of you at the plain which seemed to extend for miles. Neither of you were sure exactly where you were going, but it felt nice to walk nevertheless.

“You said you had things to say, right?” You looked up at him to see him nod.

Suddenly he stopped and raised his head to the sky, eyes closed. Then he looked back at you.

“How do you do this?”

The question surprised you.

“Do what?”

“Stop being angry.”

Again, he was that young boy crying over his father’s fallen body. You closed your eyes as if to rid yourself of that image and looked down at the dry earth at your feet.

“Who told you I stopped?” You replied, a lie. You truly had stopped being angry. That unnatural peace within you had made you forgive, and you could only muster some frustration at the very fact that you were no longer enraged. Even that upset was inconsequential at this point. Bast had made you forgive him and it felt like a violation of your own free will. It was as if you had developed an entirely different character, and as uncomfortable as it was, there was nothing you could do to change it.

N’Jadaka didn’t respond to that and resumed his pace.

“I wonder what she wants this time,” you mused. No reply.

The two of you continued to walk.

Two statues, comprised of pure obsidian stone save for the twinkle of vibranium ore permeating the structures, appeared to rise at the horizon. Twin goddesses, Bast and Sekhmet, locked and intertwined in a struggle frozen in time. Sekhmet stood slightly higher, the sundisk atop her head, glowing alive with a fiery red-orange hue . The two of you watched in awe at the larger than life figures, casting immense shadows that washed over you the further you walked. At this point, you were no longer walking of your own accord, your feet moved itself.

If he dies, Sekhmet wins. There will be no more balance.

You prostrated yourself at the statue of Bast. N’Jadaka did the same at Sekhmet’s feet.

If you die, Sekhmet wins. There will be no more blessing.

You turned and faced each other. Both hands before you, your fingers interlaced, and you too were locked in struggle. N’Jadaka stood taller than you, mirroring the goddesses in battle. What lay behind his eyes was him no longer, neither were you yourself. A glow of red lined his irises, matching your own purple tint.

Then everything faded out, and you awoke again in your bed, in a cold sweat. The dots had finally begun to connect.

N’Jadaka could not be executed because this would cause discord between the goddesses. And if the goddesses were angry…

Bast had tasked you with his protection, even if it did not make sense. Did she pity him? Could he be pitied?

Either way, until there were more answers and more revelations, N’Jadaka had to continue living.

Tagging: @syndrlla97@iwantsomethingeternal @1killmonger @chasingsunlight @hoopshoney@destinio1 @wakanda-inspired @thadelightfulone @lalasparkles @pessimisfit @youreadthatright @stark-red19@ruruly20 @bossyboyd03 @autumn242 @heybriheyyy @thelovelyliterary @muse-of-mbaku @bidibidibombaclaat @supersizemeplz @romanceoftheeveryday @chaneajoyyy@lildashofmelanin

#erik x reader #erik killmonger x reader #black panther #black panther fanfic #by bast

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lux-i-fer · 6 years ago

Text

Believer of Faith and Mortality

Ao3 link

Synopsis: Lucifer and Chloe’s victim shouldn’t be alive, but the fact that he’s currently alive and giving a statement says otherwise. When more and more miracle cases begin popping up, Lucifer believes that their lives aren’t being spared out of the goodness of his Father’s heart. The knock at the door only proves his theory.

Rating: T

Notes: *Cue the vine of the guy saying "SHIT" in various locations*

Hey guys! Remember when I said I'd have another chapter of this put out in November? Haha yeah me too. I'm so so sorry about the wait, it's been killing me too, trust me. A lot just went down in my life, you know? I graduated, I moved, I'm preparing to go out of the country, etc. So uh things just got kind of busy?? Anyways, hopefully I can get back into the swing of things! This fic has a new direction so hopefully it'll just take off soon ;) Thank you guys for being patient and thanks to titc who puts up with my bullshit.

Chapter Number: 1, 2, 3, 4

All of the accusations John had lined up died in his throat. He tried to move, speak, blink, just anything other than standing there like a gaping fish. But he couldn’t. John stayed rooted in place, frozen by that wretched name he’d heard Chloe say with such reverence.

“Is my phone down there?”

John flinched at the sound of her voice. Did Chloe know who she was talking to?

The angel, Lucifer, tore his eyes away from John. His heavy gaze darted around the room until it focused on something in the living room.

“Yes,” he replied.

It was the touch of discomfort in his response that finally broke John out of his trance. He took a step closer to Lucifer and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the footsteps he’d heard not even two minutes ago pounded down the stairs.

John turned reflexively towards the sound. When his thoughts caught up to him a half second later, he chastised himself for putting his back to the Devil himself. But the dreadful feeling barely had time to sink in because when he caught sight of Chloe, all John could feel was an overwhelming sense of relief. She’d changed her clothes and pulled her hair back, but she was still the same Chloe from last night. The same Chloe with a daughter named Trixie and the same Chloe whose conversations had been Lucifer-free.

Their eyes met for a brief moment and the atmosphere changed. The smile stayed plastered to her face, but there was something wrong with the rest of her countenance. John watched as her shoulders drooped and she frowned, and he knew that his relief was short-lived.

“Dad.”

There was a hint of surprise in her voice.

“Hey monkey,” he said casually.

She started to walk towards him as if to embrace him, but stopped short when something else caught her eye. John followed her gaze behind him, and found Lucifer staring back at them. John watched in disbelief as she walked right past him, went around the breakfast bar, and looped an arm around the Devil’s waist.

“Dad, this is Lucifer. My...partner.” John didn’t know what to do. Half of him wanted to go and tear Chloe from Lucifer’s arms, and the other half of him wished that he’d stayed dead. It didn’t help that she was looking at him with those big, expectant blue eyes, as if this introduction was no different than any of the other times she’d brought a boy home in high school.

Even before he knew just who Chloe’s partner was, he’d had a bad feeling about him. Lucifer had shown up at four in the morning upon Chloe’s request and that was something John could respect, but there had been something off about his soundless movements and smooth words that John just couldn’t shake. Lucifer switched between aloof and caring with an ease that made it hard to determine which version of himself was the genuine one.

The Lucifer he’d been speaking to before Chloe had interrupted them fit the rebellious son of God role to a tee. But seeing Lucifer now with a protective hand on Chloe’s side made John uneasy. He’d been gentle with Chloe last night, but how long would it be until the Devil decided he didn’t want to play house anymore?

Someone had brought him back for a reason, was this it? So he could protect Chloe from the Devil? As a cop, he’d had no problem protecting Los Angeles from criminals, but protecting his only daughter from the Prince of Darkness? That was way over his head.

It’s not like he could just brandish a pistol at Lucifer and threaten to convict him of life in prison and expect everything to turn out okay. John remembered what he was like in Limbo. The Lucifer he’d met was bitter and unpredictable. He was the thing that nightmares had nightmares about.

John looked at Lucifer again and then at Chloe before realizing his mistake: He’d taken too long to respond. Unlike earlier, when she’d masked her true feelings behind a polite smile, Chloe’s expression conveyed every ounce of anxiety and disappointment plainly.

“Oh,” was all John could manage to say.

A ringing cut through the tension, and it took Chloe breaking out of Lucifer’s embrace and rushing to grab something off the coffee table for John to realize that it was her phone.

“Decker.” John couldn’t make out who was on the other line, but whatever they were saying made Chloe blink in surprise. “Another one?” she asked the caller. Lucifer’s eyebrows shot up and John concluded that he must have figured out who the mystery caller was.

Chloe’s responses were clipped and to the point. John would have admired her directness if it hadn’t plunged all three of them into more awkward silences than he would have liked.

Finally, she hung up the phone. “That was work,” she announced to seemingly nobody in particular. “We have to go.”

“But I just made breakfast,” Lucifer said, mournfully gesturing to the plate of unfinished scrambled eggs. “They’re going to go cold.”

“This case is going to go cold if we’re not down there in twenty minutes!”

John cringed at her tone, recalling Lucifer’s prior annoyance to being snapped at, and tried to reach for Chloe, but she’d already begun to busy herself with packing up her purse.

To John’s surprise, instead of getting angry, Lucifer gave a melodramatic sigh, covered the plate, and stored it carefully in the fridge.

John felt like he was staring at a completely different Lucifer. He filed what he’d just witnessed away for a more careful analysis later. Right now, there were more important things than the Devil’s uncharacteristic meekness.

“What about me?” he asked instead.

Chloe stopped putting things in her purse and hesitated. “Dad…I can’t bring you to the station. There’s some people there who would recognize you.”

John had anticipated her answer, but that still didn’t stop it from stinging. He tried to keep his voice level. “What should I do then; stay here?”

Purse forgotten, Chloe came close enough to put a hand on his shoulder. “Yeah. Dad, I’m really sorry. I don’t know what else to do. You’ve been dead for almost a decade…” John tuned out the rest of her sentence. At her reminder, his mind had instantly gone to Penny. Chloe still hadn’t mentioned her, and something about that worried John beyond belief. “...I’ll have Lucifer stay with you.”

John’s attention snapped back into place. “What?”

Lucifer scoffed. “I’ll second that, Jonathan. What? Detective-- ”

Chloe raised a hand and cut him off. “Lucifer, come on, you know this is the only way. Plus it’s only for a few hours.” She took her hand off John’s shoulder so she could face Lucifer completely. “Please?”

Lucifer fiddled with his cufflinks before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “Fine, fine. I’ll babysit your father.”

Chloe closed the distance between her and Lucifer to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek. “Thank you. I love you.”

Lucifer’s eyes darted to John and then back to Chloe.

“And I you, darling.”

Hearing those words somehow made John feel worse than he already did. By the time he’d stopped replaying those words in his head, Chloe had grabbed her purse and was pulling him into an absentminded hug.

“Bye, Dad.”

John smiled despite himself. “Bye, Monkey.”

Lucifer walked her to the door and they exchanged a few words that were too quiet to eavesdrop on. Then, just as quickly as she’d come into the conversation, Chloe was gone, leaving John and Lucifer alone once more.

The moment a car engine roared to life outside, Lucifer’s posture lost its ease. The showmanship he’d put on display for Chloe cooled in favor of the same stoic confidence John had seen in Limbo. Speaking of Limbo--

“You’re barred from Heaven aren’t you?”

Lucifer’s head snapped towards him.

“That’s why you couldn’t go with me when we were in Limbo.”

He sighed a much heavier-sounding sigh than before. “It is.”

John decided to push his luck. “If you won’t say why you’re here, why am I here?”

“That is the question, isn’t it?” Lucifer said thoughtfully. Without another word, he grabbed the jacket he’d draped over the chair the night before and put it on. He fished around the interior pocket for a few seconds until he produced a set of car keys.

“Uh, where are you going?” John put up a hand, as if that would stop a fallen angel.

Lucifer pulled a leather jacket off a hanger by the door and threw it at him. John just barely caught it. “More like where are we going.”

“Okay. Where are we going?” He paused. “And didn’t Chloe just say not to leave the house?”

Lucifer sighed again. This time it was closer to the one he’d directed at Chloe. “Jonathan.” He clapped his hands together. “Firstly, we’re going to get to the bottom of this.” He made a sweeping gesture. “You shouldn’t be here. My Father is a bastard, but he’s never broken his deals before. At least, not the cosmic ones. The ones with me, well, those are debatable. Secondly, I made a deal with the Detective that I would keep you away from the precinct, which I plan on doing, but she didn’t say anything about the rest of LA.”

“You’re really going to break Chloe’s trust like that?” John asked shortly.

Lucifer’s expression hardened. “Be careful which words you choose to put into other men’s mouths, Jonathan.” If he’d still had his wings, John imagined they’d be lying ramrod-straight down his spine right now. “Anyways,” Lucifer continued a little more guarded than before, “we’d best get going if we want to catch the good doctor on her lunch break.”

John considered his options. Option A was to stay at Chloe’s apartment and spare her a headache by doing exactly what he’d been told to do. Option B was to go with Lucifer and possibly upset Chloe, but also possibly get to the bottom of this entire resurrection mess. He knew which choice was best, but he still hated the sour taste making the call would leave in his mouth.

“Fine.”

Lucifer’s face lit up like a child’s, and he was bounding out the door before John could finish putting on his borrowed jacket. Briefly, he let himself wonder what he’d just done. It was no “deal with the Devil,” but he was getting pretty damn close. His worries only grew when he reached the parking lot and saw said Devil leaning against a black '62 Corvette. Because of course the Devil would drive an expensive car.

“We haven’t got all day!” he shouted. There was a freshly-lit cigarette between his index and middle finger. John rolled his eyes and squeezed himself into the passenger seat. Lucifer folded his body into the cramped space with a lot more grace than John had mustered. He plucked the cigarette from his lips and tossed it out onto the pavement before putting the keys in the ignition. As he did, John caught sight of a group of angry red scratches decorating Lucifer’s wrist.

“What are those?” He gave a pointed look at the marks.

“A gift from the last victim we investigated,” Lucifer replied smoothly. A little too smoothly for John’s taste, but he let the comment go regardless. If he was going to be spending time with the Devil then there were some things he was just going to let slide.

“So explain this to me again,” Dr. Linda Martin began slowly.

Lucifer drew his attention away from the window he’d been standing by and to the blonde woman John had learned was the good doctor. “This is John Decker, the Detective’s father,” Lucifer said, matching Linda’s tone.

Linda peered over her glasses at John and took another bite of her salad. “Chloe’s father who’s been dead for almost two decades now?” He tried not to flinch at the mention of his death, but there was something about her stare that was making him uncomfortable. When Lucifer had said doctor, John hadn’t been anticipating a therapist. Especially a therapist who seemed to specialize in treating LA’s supernatural population.

The man in question nodded. “Correct. But now he’s back for some unspecified reason.”

“Uh...huh.” Linda set her fork down and stood up. “And why are you coming to see me?”

“I just told you, Doctor. He’s back for some unspecified reason and I need to get to the bottom of it. I have a feeling my Father’s involved.”

Lucifer, John noticed, was growing visibly more agitated the longer they were together. When they’d first arrived at Linda’s office, he’d been wringing his hands. Now he was outright pacing like some overgrown house cat. Linda must have noticed it too, because when he came close enough, she grabbed his shoulder and brought him to a halt beside her.

“Does Chloe know?” she asked gently.

“Of course the Detective knows. He,” Lucifer jabbed a finger in John’s direction, “showed up at her door.”

For the first time since they’d met, Linda addressed John. “Really?”

John shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Do you know how you got there?”

“Trust me, Doctor, we’ve already been through this,” Lucifer interrupted. Linda silenced him with a look before she continued.

“What do you remember, John?”

John stared at the glass pitcher and matching glasses laid out on the coffee table. He could feel Linda’s eyes analyzing his every move. “Nothing, really. Just that I woke up a few blocks away from her complex and felt like I needed to get up and knock on her door. I didn’t even realize who the door belonged to until she opened it.”

Linda and Lucifer shared a look.

“Do you remember anything about...Heaven?”

He shook his head. “Just Limbo.”

Linda’s calm expression morphed into confusion.

“Limbo is similar to purgatory,” Lucifer explained. “It seems that dear Jonathan got trapped there after his exit from the Earthly plane. It happens to humans sometimes when they put up a particularly nasty fight with my sister about leaving. They get dropped there and usually get devoured by the beasts unless I happen to be there too, which in Jonathan's case, I was.”

Linda opened and closed her mouth. After a few seconds of doing a fairly accurate fish impression, she sat back down at her desk. It seemed even the most accomplished therapist was having trouble wrapping her head around the clusterfuck that was John’s life. “And what did you do when you saw him?” she finally said.

“I took him to the path that leads to the gates of Heaven,” Lucifer replied with a hint of indignation.

“Why?”

He looked at the floor. “Because it was what he deserved.”

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as both John and Linda processed the weight of Lucifer’s confession. Since finding out that the Devil and the angel in Limbo were one and the same, all John could think about was why Lucifer hadn’t dragged him down to Hell when he’d had the chance. He was the Father of Lies after all. Surely he could have just lied to John and told him he was taking him to Heaven and lead him to Hell instead. Or maybe just tell him he couldn’t get to Heaven, period.

Lucifer cleared his throat and brought them out of their pensive states. “Right. Linda, this conversation is getting us nowhere. I think we’re going to go have a chat with Amenadiel instead.” He pulled out a billfold and passed her a few bills. John’s eyes bulged when he realized they were hundreds. “Come along Jonathan.”

“Lucifer, this conversation isn’t over. We will talk about this later.”

Lucifer either didn’t hear or didn’t care because he offered no response to Linda’s comment. He just turned on his heel and walked out of the room. Linda watched him go, then she turned back to John with a polite smile. “It was lovely meeting you, John. I hope for your sake you figure out why you’re here. I’d love to talk more, but right now I’m going to have to ask you to leave. I have about--” she checked the clock on the wall, “five minutes left before my next patient shows up and I’d really like to eat my lunch.”

John stood up from the couch. “Yes, yes. Sorry I’ll get out of your hair. I’m sure you weren’t anticipating having us barge in on you like this.”

Linda chuckled. “I never anticipate it, but I never discount the possibility either. Lucifer places little value on social mores when they’re an inconvenience to him.”

“Are you scared of him?”

“Of Lucifer?”

John nodded.

She paused and wrinkled her forehead. “No,” she said quietly. “No, I’m more scared for him than of him.”

“Oh.”

“Are you scared of him?”

John pressed his lips into a hard line and considered her question. He expected that she would be able to tell he was projecting, but he didn’t anticipate that she would call him out on it. “I don’t know,” he finally said.

“It’s okay not to know, John.”

He mustered up a pitiful smile. “Yeah.” John lingered for a moment more and then started towards the door. “Thank you.”

Linda’s face broke out into a genuine smile. “You’re welcome.” When John got back outside, Lucifer was smoking another cigarette. Instead of putting it out like he had the first time, he took a long drag and blew the smoke in John’s direction.

“Those things cause cancer, you know,” John said when he got in earshot.

“I’m the Devil, I can’t get cancer.” He took another drag, obviously intending to finish this one. “Besides, with the week I’ve been having it’s a miracle I haven’t spent the entire day sitting around chain-smoking Cuban cigars from the 1950s. But,” he inhaled again, “no rest for the wicked, I suppose.”

John forced himself to ignore that not only had Lucifer referred to himself as the Devil, the adjective he’d used to describe himself was wicked. Instead, he said the second-most pressing thing on his conscious. “Who is Amenadiel?” Lucifer barked out a short laugh. “My holier-than-thou brother.”

“He’s an angel?”

Lucifer took his final drag and ground the cigarette butt into the dirt before responding. “He is, but don’t tell him you called him that or I won’t hear the end of it for another millennium.”

He got in the car and John followed suit. Just as he turned the key, Lucifer began to cough. At first, John thought it was just a normal, dry cough caused by the smoke, but when it didn’t stop he started to worry. Lucifer yanked his handkerchief out of his breast pocket with a shaky flourish and pushed it against his mouth. After a few more coughs, each one sounding worse than the last, Lucifer finally fell silent. He slowly removed the handkerchief from his face and sniffed. “Excuse me. I don’t know where that came from,” he said as primly as a little English grandma.

A metallic glint caught John's eye, and he awkwardly gestured to the corners of his own mouth. “You, uh, got a little something…”

“Oh.” He wiped his mouth with the handkerchief. “Thank you.”

Seemingly by accident, Lucifer glanced down at the cloth in his hand, drawing John’s line of sight down with him. What he saw made the Devil himself recoil. John thought he’d been imagining the color when he’d first spotted it, but staring at the bright silver splotches staining the red fabric made him think again.

“Is that normal?” he asked hesitantly.

Lucifer hastily refolded the handkerchief and tucked it back into his pocket. “No.” Without another word, he put the Corvette in gear and pulled onto the street.

The drive was silent. The car horns and the hum of engines felt muted by the image of the silver liquid burned in John’s brain. Whatever it was, it wasn’t good. Especially if the sight of it shocked the Devil himself. He glanced over at Lucifer. His jaw was set into a tight line, and John feared if he stared at the road ahead of them any harder, he’d burn a hole through it.

If John didn’t know better, he’d say that Lucifer looked scared. He kept running his fingertips over the steering wheel and he twisted his cufflinks at red lights. Even though he didn’t entirely trust Lucifer, John felt sorry for him. For someone who spent so much time trying to look carefree, Lucifer was incredibly high strung.

Twenty minutes later, the Corvette stopped in front of a group of studio apartments that looked too normal to be the home of an angel of the Lord. John followed Lucifer up three flights of stairs and down a hallway. They came to a stop at the door at the end. Lucifer took a deep breath. John thought he was preparing to knock, but instead, he grasped the door handle and pushed the door open. Before John could interject, Lucifer was already striding into the apartment.

“Knock knock, brother! Get your feathered ass out of bed, this is important!” he shouted into the empty living room.

A tall black man materialized in the doorway of one of the rooms, nearly making John jump. “Luci, the last time you said that you wanted me to slow time so you could prolong your threesome.”

Lucifer waved a dismissive hand. “It was a foursome and at the time it was very important.” He busied himself with rooting through the kitchen cabinets. When he found a whiskey bottle under the sink, he pulled down three glasses and poured them each a glass.

The man John assumed was Amenadiel stepped into the room and sighed. He didn’t really look like an angel. He was wearing a red beanie and a long sleeve button-up shirt. There was no indication that this man was anything more than human, save for the way he seemed to just radiate power. In a way, it was a similar feeling to when Lucifer had grabbed his shoulder in Limbo. It commanded both respect and fear from anyone within a twenty foot radius.

“Luci, what are you doing here?” Amenadiel asked with a frown.

Lucifer gestured in John’s direction with his glass. “Look at him. What do you see?”

When Amenadiel looked his way, John stuck out his hand and introduced himself. “I’m John Decker.”

For a moment, Amenadiel just stared at him. Then he blinked, as if coming back to himself, and shook John’s hand. “Nice to finally meet you, John. I’m Amenadiel.”

“See what I mean, brother?” Lucifer said, picking up the second glass and taking a sip.

Amenadiel kept his gaze trained on John, as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. “I do. John Decker, you’re supposed to be dead.”

John snorted. “Yeah tell me about it.”

“And he’s not the only one,” Lucifer continued.

John whipped his head around. “Wait what? You never mentioned that.”

“How many more are there?” Amenadiel asked.

“Three if you include the call the Detective got this morning.” Lucifer drained the remaining liquor out of the second glass and began to move onto the third. “Although none of them have been over the threshold for as long as Jonathan has.”

“Do you think this is Father’s doing?”

Lucifer shrugged. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.”

“Why would God care about me anyways?” John cut in. Lucifer and Amenadiel exchanged a look. “Why did you guys do that?” They exchanged a second look.

“Don’t worry about it,” Amenadiel said.

“I am worrying about it because it’s my life we’re talking about here.” John jabbed a finger in their direction to make his point. “What aren’t you guys telling me?”

“It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with, Jonathan,” Lucifer placated. He lazily downed the third glass of whiskey, and for some reason it made John’s blood boil. In fact, it made him so overwhelmingly angry that he marched into the kitchen and grabbed ahold of the front of his shirt. From somewhere behind them, he heard Amenadiel protest.

“Tell me now. I don’t respond well to celestial bullshit.”

Lucifer’s face changed and he snarled like some feral animal. His brown eyes flashed red with the fires of Hell and he shoved John away with a superhuman amount of strength. “How dare you.” His voice was softer than John had ever heard before. “This is how you treat me after all I’ve tried to do for you? You insolent bast--”

Lucifer seemed to choke on his words. He coughed once and the air seemed to seep back into the room. The coughing continued and changed into rattling breaths and gasps for air. He slapped a hand over his mouth with a look of fear. The coughing didn’t stop. Amenadiel rushed into the kitchen and put a hand on his brother’s back. “What did you do?” he shouted. John said nothing and stood dumbstruck, gaping at the scene before him.

“I-I’m sorry,” he managed to say when Lucifer’s coughs had finally died down.

“It’s quite alright, Jonathan. I’m not sure if it was your fault,” he responded weakly. To emphasize his point, he turned the hand that had been covering his mouth towards John.

It was coated with silver.

#lucifer fanfic #my fics #deckerstar #lucifer on netflix #Lucifer Morningstar

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welcometothepenumbra · 6 years ago

Text

JUNO STEEL AND THE PRINCE OF MARS (PART TWO)

SOUND: DOOR OPENS, BELL RINGS, RAIN.

MUSIC: STARTS.

CONCIERGE: Ah, good evening, Traveler! Welcome to The Penumbra. May I take your coat? You’ve picked an excellent place to spend the night, dear Traveler. The Penumbra is the grandest hotel this side of nowhere. Countless rooms and countless halls. Just look ahead of you. See the doors go on and on… even we aren’t sure how many there are, or what lies behind them all.

Will you be staying long? Many of our guests do. You’re in good company, Traveler. The Penumbra draws guests from everywhere and everywhen. And all of them have stories to tell. Stories that will excite you, delight you, and maybe even terrify you.

Don’t believe me? Well, see for yourself.

SOUND: KEYS JINGLING.

Detective Steel is at it again. This week he’s after a missing medicinal magnate. He’s dealt with plenty of missing persons before, and he says they all have one thing in common: the interesting part is never where the victims disappeared to, it’s what they left behind.

SOUND: THREE KNOCKS. CHIMES JINGLING.

What luck! It sounds like he’s in. Come, Traveler. Come with me into room J-13.

SOUND: DOOR CREAKING OPEN.

Juno Steel and the Prince of Mars.

ALL SOUNDS: FADE OUT.

***

MUSIC: STARTS.

JUNO (NARRATOR): You can walk through Hoosegow for nearly twenty minutes before you even realize it’s a prison. It looks like a hotel to start; a weird hotel, sure, with bellhops a little broader than most, but it’s got a lobby, a bar, carts for room service, televisions on every surface that’ll hold ‘em. It’s not until you see the first camera that you know what you’re in for.

RITA: Mista Steel? Why did everything just get so… grey?

JUNO: Because you’re in a prison, Rita. And that’s what some entertainment exec floating over uptown thinks prison looks like.

MUSIC: ENDS.

RITA: Bars over the windows, orange jumpsuits… how come an entertainment exec got to design this place?

JUNO: See that camera over there?

RITA: Yeah?

JUNO: You’re on TV now, Rita. Smile.

RITA: Boss! You didn’t tell me, I don’t have my face on or anything!

JUNO: This isn’t an audition. They don’t film horror flicks in Hoosegow.

RITA: I’m blowin’ my big moment over here, Mista Steel!

JUNO (NARRATOR): I calmed Rita down and dragged her to the visitation room. We watched bad TV for an hour without any sign of our client: Saffron Pharmaceutical’s mascot, the Prince of Mars.

RITA: Whaddya think’s takin’ him so long, boss?

JUNO: Orientation. It takes a lot of time and signatures to sell your soul away, even in a place like this. Julian will be here soon.

RITA: Julian? Who’s Julian?

SOUND: DOOR OPENS.

JUNO: The Saffron Prince of Mars.

PRINCE: Did someone call my name? Juno, oh how good it is to see you again! Have you been to Hoosegow before? Nice, isn’t it? I’ve been meaning to ask who designed the place, but things just move so—

VOICE 5: You’ve got fifteen minutes. We have to get him through makeup before his big debut.

PRINCE: Oh before you go, dear – Juno, would you or your lady friend like anything? Coffee? You must want coffee.

JUNO: I’m alright, thanks.

PRINCE: Garçon! A coffee for my guest, please. I’ll take a quintuple macchiato, with two pumps agave and a half-squirt Valles oysterbrau, easy on the seafoam. Thank you. Watching my figure, you know how it is.

VOICE 5 [GUARD]: Two coffees. Gotcha.

JUNO: You do know how Hoosegow works, don’t you?

PRINCE: Oh, they explained it all on the way in. I think it’s a very generous system, all told. They keep track of your tab so you don’t have to; they give you employment to work it all off—

JUNO: They charge you a hundred creds a coffee and pay about three creds a day.

PRINCE: I don’t see it becoming an issue. I’ll just pay them from my own pocket once you get me out of here.

JUNO: (SIGHING) All right. Let’s get to it. Got a pen, Rita?

RITA: (HIGH-PITCHED, HEAVY BREATHING)

PRINCE: Should we call the doctors? She looks like she’s having trouble breathing.

JUNO: Yeah, she gets like this. Just a little starstruck. C’mon, Rita.

RITA: (GASPING) Aren’t you gonna introduce me?

JUNO: Julian, this is my useless secretary, Rita. Rita, this is Juli—

RITA: The Saffron Prince of Mars! Oh my god, I have seen all of your commercials and tried all of your products. Even the facial hair remover – not that I have facial hair – not that there’s anything wrong with facial hair, it looked good on you for that one time, for SaffLex, oh my god with the horse and the mountains and the muscles and the—

PRINCE: A fan! It always thrills me to meet a fan. Can I get you anything, Rita? Coffee? Let’s do coffee. Garçon!

JUNO: We have twelve minutes.

SOUND: THUMP, GLASS CLANKING.

JUNO: Let’s go. Rita, pen.

RITA: Got it, boss.

JUNO: Alright, Julian. I’ve got a lot to ask you, and I bet you already know what half my questions are so let’s save some time here. Tell me what I need to know.

PRINCE: I didn’t kill Tony.

JUNO: How are you gonna prove it?

SOUND: PEN SCRIBBLING.

PRINCE: That’s– that’s really the detective’s work, isn’t it?

RITA: He’s got you there, Mista Steel.

JUNO: What happened? How did you find his body?

PRINCE: Oh Juno, it was so horrible. I-I don’t know if I can—

JUNO: Eleven minutes, Julian.

SOUND: PEN SCRIBBLING CONTINUES.

PRINCE: (SIGHS) I was in bed. Our bed. I was asleep, dreaming about… oh, it doesn’t matter. I was awoken by this incredible noise. Screaming air, like a tornado touched down in our bedroom. And then the light! A blinding red light that became brighter, and brighter, and brighter, until it hurt me even when my eyes were closed! I buried my face in the bed. I thought I was going to die.

JUNO: And then?

PRINCE: Then it was over. In an instant. When I looked out the room was dark again… but not quiet.

Tony. He was in the bed, moaning, rasping. A knife sticking out of him. The sheets were wet with blood. He called for me.

JUNO: He was alive?

PRINCE: For a moment, yes.

JUNO: You didn’t touch him, did you?

PRINCE: He called for me, Juno! He was alive! He was inches away; by the time I thought about it my hands were… I was trying to keep him alive. You don’t blame me, do you? It was terribly stupid, wasn’t it?

JUNO: Stupid, yeah. But I don’t blame you.

You get all that, Rita?

RITA: You bet!

PRINCE: Is she even writing any of this down, Juno? Her pen is hardly moving.

RITA: ‘Course I am! Here, see!

SOUND: PAPER RIPPING.

JUNO: Oh I don’t think that’s a good idea.

PRINCE: This is a drawing of a horse.

RITA: Pretty good, ain’t it?

PRINCE: There is a bottom sitting on the horse.

RITA: Well I didn’t get to the rest of you yet.

PRINCE: Juno, dear, I trust you more than anyone with my safety, but—

JUNO: Read back those notes, Rita.

RITA: Sleepin’ last night, dreamin’ about Mista DiMaggio, when at four in the morning you heard a tornado in your bedroom. Woke you up. Big red light. Husband went poof and appeared in your bed. Died in your arms. You called Juno. Police arrived during the call.

PRINCE: How– how– how…?

JUNO: Don’t ask, trust me.

PRINCE: How did you know? That was– I can’t believe it!

RITA: Well, the horse’s eyes looked just like Lawrence Fatima’s eyes on Martian Medical, and they just did a story where his wife died, not in his arms but under a bus, but that’s why the horse’s tail looks—

JUNO: I think he gets the idea.

Alright Julian, I have just one more question for you, and we’ve got no time for you to dance around it. Either you answer me or you stay locked up, your pick.

PRINCE: I’ll tell you anything, Juno. I’ll never question you again.

JUNO: What’s this?

SOUND: CHIMES JINGLING.

PRINCE: Oh. Are you sure this is absolutely necessary? I don’t see how it’s related.

JUNO: Neither do I. That’s why you’re gonna explain it. Five minutes.

PRINCE: Well, alright. But we’ll have to keep it down. I hear there are cameras in here.

JUNO: What gave you the hint? The potted plant with the lenses over there, or was it the giant screen right behind me with us plastered all over it?

PRINCE: We’ll just have to be careful. You’ve seen my commercials, haven’t you?

JUNO: Once or twice.

PRINCE: Do you remember what we say about our products? That they’re ancient Martian? That they come from my ‘people’?

JUNO: Yeah, it sounds familiar.

PRINCE: (WHISPERING) Well, I’m not really a Martian.

RITA: No!

JUNO: I’m betting the product isn’t either.

PRINCE: I’m… ugh, I’m so ashamed, but– it isn’t. And it never has been!

RITA: Nooooo. No, no, no!

JUNO: What does that have to do with this thing?

PRINCE: Well, when we were digging out the foundation for our new factory, somebody found… that. And Juno, this one is real!

JUNO: Real what?

PRINCE: Real Martian medicine! Thousands upon thousands of years old!

RITA: (WHISPERING) Nooooo!

JUNO: This thing? It looks like a rock. A nice rock, but still, it’s a rock.

PRINCE: We don’t know much about it. We know you’re supposed to swallow it. We know, well, vaguely what it does.

JUNO: Which is?

PRINCE: It’s an intense sensory stimulant. We already have some of those on the market—

RITA: Alacrity, Amalia, Big Happy—

PRINCE: The specifics are beyond me, to be completely honest, but I’ve been told it particularly excites portions of the brain in charge of interpreting electromagnetic frequencies. Specifically, frequencies quite similar to those of the neurons in our brain.

RITA: Oh! Oh. I get it. Oh. Oh! So! If you took this, then you could read your own mind?!

PRINCE: That’s very, very close, dear.

JUNO: You think whoever swallows this thing will be able to read the brain waves of people around them.

PRINCE: That is much closer. To what we’re guessing, anyway.

JUNO: Well, have you tested it?

PRINCE: How could we? This is the only one we’ve found. If we test it, we’ll lose it forever.

JUNO: Then how do you know what it does?

PRINCE: We had one of our best working on it. For a while.

JUNO: You’re gonna need to run that by me one more time.

PRINCE: Tony and I disagree– we disagreed about what to do with this, once we found out what it did. He wanted to lock it away, to destroy it, if necessary.

JUNO: More responsible than I’d expect from a corporate bigwig. Most would mass-produce it, sell it, and watch the world burn from on top of their pile of money. What did you wanna do with it?

PRINCE: Well… mass-produce and sell it.

JUNO: Ah.

PRINCE: You sound just like Tony did. The world burning! This could really help people! Just imagine, Juno, if you understand what your enemy is thinking, how he feels, there’s no more war! There’s no more argument! Imagine how much easier it is to find the ones you love, to understand those you don’t.

Or, to know what your loved ones are thinking… where they’re going.

JUNO: It’s a pretty idea, Julian. Wish I could think it too.

GUARD: Alright, time’s up! Back to your cell, DiMaggio.

JUNO: Does anyone else know about this thing?

PRINCE: Dr. Strauss. Dr. Lillian Strauss. Look her up in our directory. She’ll tell you everything you need to know.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING.

GUARD: Let’s go!

PRINCE: (DISTANT) Juno, help me!

JUNO: It’ll be alright, Julian.

SOUND: DOOR OPENS.

I did it before, didn’t I?

SOUND: DOOR CLOSES.

Here’s hoping I can do it again.

You get all that, Rita?

RITA: ‘Course I did!

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS.

What a story, huh boss? The Prince of Mars, an indoor tornado, a murdered exec!

JUNO: Yeah, it’s real exciting.

RITA: What do you think… (GASPS) Oh, I know, a teleporter! The bad guys stabbed Mista DiMaggio, then teleported him into his own bed. It’s just like that movie I saw, Mista Steel, it’s called Any Teleport in a Storm. And there are these smugglers, and there’s a war, and refugees, and well I couldn’t follow that part but there was this one—

JUNO: Teleporters. Seriously.

RITA: Of course teleporters! The Prince just said that Mista DiMaggio—

JUNO: I know what he said. But you can’t believe everything you hear from people like Julian, Rita. His memory could turn a rude cashier into a pickpocketing robot who eats quarter creds and goes ‘cha-ching’ when he swallows.

RITA: But he teleported, boss!

JUNO: Teleporters are for science fiction stories, Rita. People have been trying to get a teleporter to work for thousands of years and they have never gotten further than shooting a mouse across a room and turning him inside out.

RITA: So if you’re so smart, what do you think happened?

JUNO: I think DiMaggio really was stabbed before he ended up in his bed, and that’s the clue. We find out how he got into his bed, we’ll prove Julian’s innocent.

RITA: How did he, then?

JUNO: No idea. But I do have a plan. Two of ‘em, in fact. First, is for you to do some reading up on Saffron Pharmaceuticals. Their competitors, especially. Even with the Christmas lights and hurricanes, this still smells like your typical corporate warfare to me.

RITA: And the second plan?

JUNO: I’m betting she’s waiting for us outside.

RITA: Wha?

SOUND: DOOR OPENS.

STRONG: Steel.

SOUND: DOOR CLOSES.

JUNO: Rita, I think you know Detective Strong?

RITA: Is she? Are– are you?

JUNO: She is.

STRONG: Charming. Mind sending your girl home? I came here for business.

JUNO: Trust me, Rita is my business. I’ve been trying to make her someone else’s for years now, but it never takes.

RITA: Awww, Mista Steel, you say the nicest things!

STRONG: You have something that belongs to me.

JUNO: I have something that belongs to a dead man, if that’s what you mean.

STRONG: He was my client.

JUNO: Not anymore. You get paid?

STRONG: Of course not.

JUNO: I can see why you’re concerned, then.

STRONG: A guy calls you up three times over the course of a week in a panic, asking you to get him something from his office. He sets you up for the easiest job going, gets you a key, a map, everything you need. And the day you agree to go get it, he shows up dead. That doesn’t sound suspicious to you?

JUNO: It does, but clients can get really creative if it means skipping a bill.

STRONG: Here’s how I read it. Someone really didn’t want DiMaggio to get his hands on the pill you’ve got there. I plan to find out who.

JUNO: Hate to break it to you, but I don’t think DiMaggio’s gonna be paying you from where he’s gone.

STRONG: This isn’t about a paycheck!

JUNO: Oh, you’re one of those, aren’t you. Alright. Rita, guess you’re walking home.

RITA: What?!

JUNO: Sorry, but Detective Strong and I need the car.

SOUND: CAR BEEP.

STRONG: And why would I get in that car with you?

JUNO: It’s a nice car.

STRONG: It’s a piece of junk, Steel.

JUNO: I’ve got a lead on the only person outside of Hoosegow who knows about that pill.

STRONG: Hmph.

Sorry, Rita, should be a bus coming through here in forty minutes or so.

RITA: What?!

JUNO: Glad you see things my way. Bye Rita, remember your homework.

SOUND: CAR DOOR SLAMS.

RITA: Mista Steel!

SOUND: CAR DOOR SLAMS.

STRONG: So, Steel, where are we headed?

SOUND: ENGINE STARTS.

JUNO: (WHISTLING)

STRONG: Seriously.

JUNO: I’m not a moron, Alessandra. If I say boo, that gun comes out of your pockets and then the pill comes out of mine.

STRONG: You’ve been doing this for a while, then.

JUNO: So have you, clearly. That’s why I don’t trust you.

ALL SOUNDS FADE OUT.

***

SOUND: WIND BLOWING. LOUD THUMPING ON DOOR.

JUNO: Hello, anybody home? I’m looking for a Dr. Lillian Strauss.

STRONG: Weird that didn’t work, Steel. People usually respond well to you shouting down their doors like that?

JUNO: No, but this works alright.

SOUND: BLASTER SHOT.

STRONG: (SIGHING) You leave a mess behind everywhere you go?

SOUND: DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.

JUNO: Clients pay all expenses, it’s right there on the invoice, Alessandra. I usually don’t take advantage of it, but if the client’s got Saffron levels of money you might as well.

SOUND: CHAIR CREAKING.

STRONG: What are you doing?

JUNO: Waiting for Strauss. What’s it look like?

STRONG: Like you’ve got your feet up on her computer.

JUNO: Oh is that what that is?

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, FLOORBOARDS CREAKING.

STRONG: Some place she’s got. Forty-fifth floor, ten foot ceilings… Hell of a view, come take a look!

JUNO: No thanks.

STRONG: Seriously, it’s nice; pretty hotel across the street, little park down there.

JUNO: (GROANS) Stop it with the window, already.

STRONG: What’s the matter? You’re not afraid of heights or something stupid like that, right?

JUNO: Of course I’m not afraid. I’m terrified.

STRONG: Of all the lousy P.I.s in this town to get stuck with.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS.

STRONG: Lotta rooms here, too; we could be searching this place for a while. Kitchen. Even the takeout containers are bigger in this part of town, and there sure are a lot of them.

Bathroom, hallway, and that’s a… I have no idea what that is.

JUNO: Careful where you poke around, Alessandra, you might find something you wish you didn’t.

STRONG: I’ll be f– hello.

JUNO: Warned you.

VOICE 6: How did you get in here? What’s burning?

JUNO: Uh, the door.

VOICE 6: Burglars?! Brigands! You have no right to be in here.

JUNO: And you do? What’s your story?

VOICE 6: I’m the doctor’s valet. Who are you? What do you want?

STRONG: We’re—

JUNO: Auditors. Auditors working for Saffron Pharma. We’re here about your boss.

VOICE 6 [VALET]: Well you can go audit somewhere else then. Dr. Strauss isn’t home.

JUNO: I think I’ll stay. This is a nice chair, and seeing as how it might be mine in a minute, I don’t see any reason to get out of it.

STRONG: We got a tip that the good doctor might be dipping into Saffron coffers for personal use; we’re just checking in.

VALET: Well you’ll find nothing untoward here. I file the doctor’s receipts myself. I keep track of every expenditure, from her toilet paper to that priceless jade comb your friend is picking his teeth with.

JUNO: (GARBLED) Oh you don’t say.

VALET: I do. Now, do you have a warrant to search this apartment?

JUNO: Oh shucks, no. Must’ve left it back at the agency. Alessandra?

STRONG: My pockets are empty.

VALET: Then the law clearly states you must leave, does it not?

STRONG: It does.

JUNO: Only it is a long drive all the way back to the office for one little sheet of paper. What if I just read a few of the lady’s expenditures to you? If you’ve got receipts…

VALET: I have receipts. What I don’t have, sir, is time.

JUNO: Sounds like we’re ready to do business then.

VALET: If I find your receipts, will you go quietly?

STRONG: He never goes quietly, but he will go.

JUNO: Alright. Lemme just pull ‘em up.

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BEEPS.

JUNO: There we go. Last Friday. Bunch of expenses for what looks like a party in here. Liquor, hors d’ouvres, a bill for some place called ‘Valles Vicky’s Vixen Valley’…

VALET: I recall the mess, yes. And I wrote those checks myself. I’ll find the records for you.

STRONG: And while you’re back there, see if you can find any customer receipts from Carbonella’s? Fancy Indonesian place, you know the one; looks like Strauss has run up a six-hundred-cred bill there every night for the last week.

VALET: My, this is a thorough investigation, isn’t it?

JUNO: You have no idea.

VALET: Now, do you have any other useless questions, or may I find those receipts for you?

STRONG: Yeah – where do you want your bullet?

VALET: What?

SOUND: BLASTER SHOT. THUMP.

JUNO: That was on stun, right?

STRONG: I’m not a murderer.

JUNO: I don’t care what you are. Just thought I might wanna talk to him later.

STRONG: What tipped you off that he wasn’t really a valet?

JUNO: We practically begged him to call the cops, and he didn’t even look at his phone. Not to mention a woman running secret experiments out of her apartment isn’t gonna hold parties in her living room-slash-secret lab.

STRONG: With all those boxes in the kitchen I don’t think she’s eaten anything outside of a takeout container in months.

SOUND: FABRIC RUSTLING.

JUNO: What are you doing?

STRONG: Looking for some kind of– there. His phone.

JUNO: Well what’s on—

SOUND: MUFFLED SCREAMS, THUMPING.

JUNO: (SIGHS) There’s always something, isn’t there.

STRONG: Come on.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, DOOR OPENS.

JUNO: Well, it looks like our doctor.

STRONG: Taped to the chair. Looks beat up pretty bad. And with all the equipment scattered around here, this looks like an interrogation. Better not get too close.

JUNO: How are we supposed to get her free, then? Encouragement? Maybe sing a song.

SOUND: MUFFLED, HIGH-PITCHED SCREAMS.

STRONG: In high-profile cases like this, they sometimes account for interruptions. She might be… booby-trapped.

JUNO: She’s tied up, Alessandra, not deaf.

STRONG: Don’t worry, doctor. Just stay still and you’ll be out in no time. We’ll just check the area around her for any surprises, okay? Be careful.

JUNO: Hey Alessandra, in the hotel window over there, does that look like a—

STRONG: Not now, Steel.

JUNO: Really, it looks like a camera– Get down.

SOUND: GUNSHOT, GLASS SHATTERING.

JUNO (NARRATOR): It was a second that lasted a thousand years. I saw the flash of a laser scope from one of the windows across the street. I hit Strong, Strong hit the floor, the bolt hit the window. The glass came down slowly, like shimmering snow. I covered my face. I heard the thud.

SOUND: WIND BLOWING.

STRONG: Steel! Get the hell off me!

JUNO: Strauss! Let’s check her out. Take cover.

…She’s dead.

STRONG: Yeah, I hear a trillion volts to the brain’ll do that.

JUNO: Cool it, I didn’t kill her.

STRONG: You could’ve saved her!

JUNO: The bolt was aimed at you.

STRONG: …Oh.

JUNO: Don’t think too hard about it. You were right about the trap, Alessandra, just not where they put it. They set up a sniper across the street—

SOUND: GUNSHOT.

And it looks like they know we’re still kicking.

STRONG: Let’s kick a little harder then.

SOUND: BLASTER SHOT. CROWS CAWING.

JUNO: Some shooting, Strong.

STRONG: Can it.

JUNO: You really taught that cloud a lesson.

STRONG: Think you can do any better?

JUNO: I’ll pin our guardian angel over there, you look through Strauss’ papers.

STRONG: For what?

JUNO: I’m not leaving empty-handed. A name, an address, whatever you can get.

STRONG: They’re not just going to let us sit here and shoot back, Steel. We can expect a house call any minute now.

JUNO: You’ll have to move quick then.

STRONG: Fine.

SOUND: COMMS BEEP.

JUNO: Rita, we’re gonna need a ride. Lillian Strauss’ place, Elysium Memorial Square. Look her up.

RITA (FROM COMMS): But boss, you took the car!

JUNO: Borrow one, then. Now!

RITA: But why do you need two cars?!

SOUND: COMMS BEEP.

STRONG: You can’t get rid of him?

JUNO: This is a laser pistol, not a sniper rifle. If I had something a little bigger I might be able– Quite the find. She keeps a lot of military-grade rifles in her sock drawer?

STRONG: Just that one. Strauss was rich, scared, and short. Guarantees something at least that big. I’m just surprised I didn’t find it under her pillow.

JUNO: Sounds like you’re talking from experience. You know a lot of short, scared people?

STRONG: Came with the territory, where I used to work.

JUNO: Ex-HCPD?

STRONG: Ex-military.

JUNO: Veteran, huh. It’s an honor. Only vet I ever see’s the one I get my shots from.

STRONG: Ha ha. You ever gonna stop kidding around and deal with our problem here?

SOUND: BLASTER SHOT. GLASS BREAKING.

JUNO: Done.

STRONG: Really?

JUNO: Really. Find anything?

STRONG: Grabbed a– a folder of test results from her desk, but I can’t make heads or tails of it.

JUNO: Nothing labeled ‘secret enemies’?

STRONG: Afraid not. If you can buy me twenty minutes, I should be able to get into her computer and look through her messages…

SOUND: KNOCKING.

STRONG: What was that?

JUNO: Someone’s at the door. You wanna get it or should I?

STRONG: How’s that ride looking?

JUNO: Let’s find out.

SOUND: COMMS BEEP.

JUNO: Rita, where the hell are you?

RITA (FROM COMMS): I’m outside, just like you asked. But Mista Steel, there’s a bunch of cops on the way and I don’t know what to do.

SOUND: KNOCKING CONTINUES.

JUNO: Pull up to the window.

RITA (FROM COMMS): What?

JUNO: The forty-fifth floor window. You’ll know because it’s the one that’s missing.

RITA (FROM COMMS): Mista Steel, you know this neigborhood ain’t zoned for two-level driving!

JUNO: Now, Rita!

RITA (FROM COMMS): But I already got a ticket and if I get another they’re gonna take my license and then how am I gonna see my sick aunt on Sundays and—

JUNO: You don’t get up here, they’re gonna take our heads.

RITA (FROM COMMS): (GROANS)

SOUND: COMMS BEEP.

JUNO: I think we’re about to have company. You ready to take them on?

STRONG: Readier than you are.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS.

VOICE 7: There they are, get ‘em!

JUNO (NARRATOR): Six of the goons pushed into the doorway, but Strong was ready. She gave the head of the pack a right hook that just kept on giving and sent him sprawling back through the door. And through all five of his buddies.

SOUND: PUNCH.

STRONG: How about that ride, Steel?

SOUND: DISTANT SIRENS.

RITA: (DISTANT) Mista Steel, you bettah get in here. I don’t think them boys and girls in blue are very happy!

STRONG: Right on time!

VOICE 7: Don’t let ‘em get away!

STRONG: Steel, get in here!

RITA: C’mon boss, we gotta go!

JUNO: I’m– I’m coming. I’m…

STRONG: Steel!

JUNO: I’ll make it, I just don’t… yeah, I don’t– I don’t like—

STRONG: Is this your stupid thing about heights again?!

JUNO: It’s not stupid!

VOICE 7: Draw ‘em boys, bring that car down.

SOUND: LASER SHOTS.

RITA: Stop ‘em, Mista Steel! If I chip the paint, Frannie’s gonna kill me!

JUNO: Don’t rush me!

STRONG: Oh, get in here!

JUNO (NARRATOR): Alessandra reached across the gap and grabbed me. She had good hands, powerful hands. I wouldn’t have minded holding them a little bit longer. Then she pulled.

JUNO: (SCREAMS)

STRONG: Stop whining!

VOICE 7: Fire, fire!

SOUND: CAR DOOR CLOSES. SEVERAL LASER SHOTS.

STRONG: Rita, get us out of here!

RITA: Yes ma’am!

SOUND: MORE LASER SHOTS.

STRONG: (SIGHING) Thanks, Rita.

RITA: You hear that, Mista Steel? At least someone says ‘thank you.’

JUNO: You’ll get a thank you when you earn one. You find anything on the competition?

RITA: Nothin’ you don’t see every day. The head of Paulson Chemical got kidnapped a few months ago, but they only took a few fingers.

JUNO: Nothing, huh. How about you, Alessandra? Still got that phone?

STRONG: Yeah, but we aren’t gonna get anything out of it. I found phone numbers, but the names and messages they’re attached to are wrapped in fifteen layers of encryption and tied off with a bow.

JUNO: Alessandra, show Rita the phone.

STRONG: What good’s that gonna do?

JUNO: Watch this.

Rita, you recognize any of these phone numbers?

RITA: Boss, I should be watchin’ the—

JUNO: Road’s clear. Just scroll for a minute.

RITA: Um… boss, that’s a lotta numbers, I don’t know—

STRONG: This is a waste of time.

JUNO: Wait for it.

RITA: Oh! Oh, oh oh! That’s the man that doesn’t exist!

STRONG: What?

JUNO: We call that bingo, Alessandra. What man?

RITA: Well, I was thinkin’; it was on one of my shows, you know, Furthest from the Sun – have you seen that one, Alessandra?

JUNO: Don’t.

STRONG: I haven’t.

RITA: Well, it all takes place on Pluto, on a research base, you know; and it’s about this woman, and her son, and she’s been away for years on this base. And then her son comes to live with her, and they’re tryin’ to get to know each other but they’re so distant, and it’s so sad; and then in season three her son falls in love with a Plutonian Mindeater, and it’s a whole thing.

JUNO: Skip to the guy who doesn’t exist.

RITA: Anyway, the Plutonian Mindeaters’ Order has this meeting, and Pauline goes to the meeting in disguise, like wearin’ one of their hoods, you know the kind that they wear? Anyway, she’s checkin’ the records because she has this whole issue with Mindeaters – and I dunno why, I mean, if you ask me, you can eat whoever’s mind you want, so long as you close the blinds first. I mean I’m not a prude or anything—

JUNO: Rita.

RITA: Anyway, religious differences aside, she checks the register, and Samantha’s not there!

STRONG: …Who?

RITA: Samantha! The Mindeater! That her son’s in love with?

STRONG: I don’t get it.

JUNO: And you never will.

RITA: And Pauline goes and checks the Plutonian census, too. But Samantha’s not there either! And then she never comes over again! Because she never existed at all!

STRONG: …Oh.

So… the phone?

RITA: Anyway, it was lunch, and I was tired of all the researchin’; so I was lookin’ at the list of Saffron Pharmaceuticals’ top stockholders to pass the time, and I saw two names I knew: Anthony DiMaggio and Saffron Prince. And then, right below them, a third name: Christopher Morales. And I did what I always do, which is look them up in all the databases just in case they’re a Samantha because wouldn’t that be exciting?!

And then he was, and this is his number.

STRONG: A… Samantha?

JUNO: Try and keep up, Alessandra.

RITA: He didn’t exist! His phone number’s real, but the address listed there just leads to a factory. And his ID number belongs to a Christopher Morales who boarded a rocket off Mars twenty years ago and he never bought a ticket back!

STRONG: That sounds… exciting.

RITA: It was!

STRONG: I think I’m starting to get your problem, Steel.

JUNO: She’s something, isn’t she.

STRONG: I’ll look through the logs on his GPS. …Rita, do you see that address anywhere on this list?

RITA: That one. Right there.

STRONG: Gotcha.

JUNO: Alright, Rita. You know where we’re headed. Let’s go pay a call on this man who doesn’t exist.

ALL SOUNDS FADE OUT.

***

JUNO (NARRATOR): Our man who wasn’t picked a good neighborhood to set up shop in – the old industrial district. A place blasted by sandstorms and cosmic rays so hard that not even the roaches would live there anymore. The shields protecting the rest of Hyperion City didn’t reach this far, so, neither would most of its citizens. It was the perfect place to do bad business – so long as you didn’t mind a tumor or two. Rita dropped us off near our target and we found a hiding spot in an alley across the street. We waited there for hours, marinating in what the rats had left behind.

STRONG: Stop fidgeting, Steel, you’re driving me nuts.

JUNO: We’ve been out here for two hours, Alessandra, and nobody’s come in or out of that place. Let’s kick down the door already!

STRONG: Weren’t you a cop? You should be used to stakeout by now.

JUNO: Yeah, well, I’m all staked out. I hate this part, and we’ve been waiting so long I forgot what it’s like to feel my knees. The lights are off, everything’s quiet, nobody’s home. Let’s just go.

STRONG: We don’t know anything about what’s in there. Could we just walk in? Sure! But until we see someone come in or out, there’s no way of knowing if this is a trap. Or how armed they are.

JUNO: Hmph.

STRONG: You’re just going to keep whining, aren’t you?

JUNO: I’m not whining.

STRONG: Steel, this is nothing! Back in the war I once sat in the same foxhole for three days before they could even get food in to me.

Listen! We’ll trade. I’ll tell you about the worst client I ever had if you tell me about yours. Deal?

JUNO: I’m finding it hard to think back further than the current train wreck, but sure, I’ll bite.

STRONG: Alright. Ever hear of Miles Crawford?

JUNO: The weatherman?

STRONG: That’s the guy. He was my first client, believe it or not. I’d just gotten back to Mars, and I was looking for work. I signed up with the P.I. Registry and forgot about it. Apparently he called them in a sweat, looking for someone green – someone ‘off the grid,’ ‘without connections,’ that kinda thing.

JUNO: That never goes anywhere good.

STRONG: So, they gave me his address and I drove over. Place was a funhouse. I rang the doorbell and it nearly killed me – laser pistol came out of the wall and straight for my head. Trap doors in the halls, a landmine sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor… Used up eight of my nine lives just finding him.

JUNO: And then?

STRONG: He pulled a gun on me.

JUNO: Charming.

STRONG: Very. He didn’t remember calling; kept shouting something about how the news station was going to replace him with an animatronic puppet; kept trying to tell me I wouldn’t kill him no matter how many times I tried. I thought about proving him wrong, didn’t, and left.

JUNO: Hm. They still let that guy do the weather?

STRONG: Nah. Last I heard, they replaced him with an animatronic puppet. (LAUGHS) How about you, Steel? Worst client.

JUNO: F– friend of mine.

STRONG: That doesn’t sound so bad. What was the case?

JUNO: She asked me to prove her husband was cheating on her, and I did.

STRONG: And… what happened after that?

JUNO: …Let’s not talk about it.

Hey, what’s the folder from Strauss’s say, anyway? The test results, I mean.

STRONG: (CLEARS THROAT) Uh, honestly, I can’t figure out most of it. Should’ve left this thing with Rita.

JUNO: If we had, it’d be a fleet of paper spaceships by now.

SOUND: PAPER RUSTLING.

STRONG: So I’ve got nothing on the test results, but she’s got some notes in here. Theories, things like that. Most of it’s what you already told me – the thing lets you read minds, whatever, but it’s powerful. Powerful enough that she didn’t think a person could handle it.

JUNO: So, what? The Martians take the pill, read each other’s minds, and croak.

STRONG: That’s a guess. But she had a different one. Hang on, I’ll read it to you.

“But what if this is more of a Martian supplement? Its strength might suggest that Martians expected a certain degree of this ability within their natural states. With age or infirmity, the ability might fade, and they might have found a way to recreate it.”

JUNO: Martian cold medicine, huh? And that lines up with what we know about them?

STRONG: It couldn’t – no one’s ever seen a Martian. Didn’t you follow the news back when they were digging out that tomb? There aren’t even bodies left! Just the things they made. It’s like a ghost story, Steel; things like that just aren’t supposed to happen.

JUNO: We aren’t supposed to read each other’s minds, either.

STRONG: No?

JUNO: Don’t tell me you think this pill’s a good idea.

STRONG: You know what, yeah! Yeah I do.

JUNO: (SIGHS) Another one.

STRONG: Because people are good when you get down to it. The one evil thing people have in them is that they can’t see the good in other people.

JUNO: So they kill each other. That seem good to you?

STRONG: It seems stupid; but stupid and bad aren’t the same thing, and if this pill could make us smarter, if it could make us understand one another… Mars wouldn’t need people like us. And we wouldn’t have needed a war, either.

JUNO: That’s a fairy tale and you know it, Alessandra.

STRONG: It really isn’t.

JUNO: No more war. Ha. I’ve seen people get shot just because they looked at their neighbors’ husbands funny. What happens when you can hear exactly what they wanna do with them?

STRONG: They wouldn’t—

JUNO: They would. All civilization is, Alessandra, is a bunch of people smart enough not to say what they’re thinking. You take that out, you let all the thoughts roam free, that’s the end of humanity.

STRONG: You wouldn’t wanna be here with me, if you knew what I was thinking?

JUNO: I wouldn’t.

STRONG: Let’s test it.

JUNO: What?

STRONG: Get over here, Juno. And I’ll show you what I’m thinking.

SOUND: KISSING.

STRONG: So? Building still standing? I don’t smell any fire. If that was the end of civilization, it was a very quiet end.

JUNO: Fine. You win this one. Best two out of three?

STRONG: (LAUGHS) You’re on.

SOUND: KISSING.

SOUND: RUSHING AIR, WHISTLING, LIKE A SPACESHIP LANDING.

JUNO (NARRATOR): It was a sound like the end of the world. A red light poured out of the windows across the street. Wind came from every direction but all of it went the same way: there. Across the road. The home of the man who wasn’t.

STRONG: What the hell was that?

JUNO: That’s… what Julian said he saw on the night his husband died. (SIGHS) Sounds like we’re tied, Alessandra.

STRONG: Maybe. Tiebreaker once this is all over?

JUNO: Oh now she wants to rush in. What happened to the stakeout?

STRONG: You said the last time that light appeared, someone died. I’m not about to let it happen again.

JUNO: That’s more like it.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS. DOOR OPENS, CLOSES.

VOICE 8: Hey! You can’t be in here!

SOUND: BLASTER SHOT. THUD.

JUNO: Wow, Alessandra, that was cold.

STRONG: I stunned him. He can take it up with me in court later if he wants to.

JUNO: Still, you didn’t have to shoot him in the—

STRONG: Alright. Two hallways, gotta guess which halls are—

SOUND: SPACESHIP LANDING NOISE AGAIN, LOUDER.

STRONG: That… you didn’t just see that, did you?

JUNO: The blinding light coming down both halls? Yeah, I did.

STRONG: Are they just trying to distract us? Split us up?

JUNO: Probably. Let’s…

STRONG: What’s the matter, Juno… Juno?

JUNO (NARRATOR): That smell. I knew I’d smelled it before. A cologne that had once lingered in my apartment for weeks. A smell like another world. And then, a shadow in the red light of the left hall. A man, long legs, arms, fingers; I couldn’t see his face, but I could imagine it. The sweet smile, the cutting teeth. Then the light faded, and he was gone.

STRONG: Juno! Did you see something?

JUNO: N– no… nothing. Let’s split up; I’m going this way.

STRONG: Split up – that’s what they want us to do!

JUNO: You wanna let another person die?!

STRONG: Of couse not—

JUNO: Then I’ll see you back here in twenty minutes.

STRONG: Juno!

JUNO: Okay, twenty-five.

Just be careful. You’re good at that.

STRONG: Juno… twenty minutes. If you’re even a second late—

JUNO: Don’t tell me. I want it to be a surprise. Good luck, Alessandra, stay safe.

STRONG: You too.

SOUND: RUNNING FOOTSTEPS.

JUNO (NARRATOR): The only door down the end of that hall opened on a staircase; it was very, very dark down there. I ran down. I didn’t wanna live forever.

SOUND: ECHOING FOOTSTEPS.

Comms went out as soon as I stepped through the door. I was alone, but it didn’t feel like it. In the dim red light, I saw another staircase. I ran down it, then another below that. The noise kept getting louder, the light brighter. I swore I heard the running footsteps ahead of me, I swore I could smell the cologne, I could hear his voice… but I couldn’t know. Over the echo of my own feet, the smell of my desperation, I couldn’t tell. Finally I hit the bottom floor; the smell was gone, the footsteps were gone, I was alone. Well, not quite alone.

VOICE 9: (DISTANT) What the– did you hear that?

VOICE 10: (DISTANT) Who’s out there?

VOICE 9: Hey! Keep it together.

VOICE 10: Hands over your head or I’ll start shootin’.

JUNO (NARRATOR): They were coming from the same direction as the red light. I had to hide. I crept back and felt the door open behind me.

SOUND: DOOR OPENS.

VOICE 10: There’s somethin’ down there!

VOICE 9: Calm down, door’s probably just on the fritz. We’ll check it out.

JUNO (NARRATOR): I fell back. The door closed.

SOUND: DOOR CLOSES. BLASTER SHOT.

The footsteps got louder; the guards weren’t letting up. They’d have me any second now. And then they’d have the pill. Whoever ran this place had already killed two people to get this pill, and I didn’t think they’d hesitate to kill a third, so it was too late for me. I didn’t know why they wanted this thing but I knew I couldn’t let them get it. I threw it on the ground and stomped.

SOUND: CHIMES JINGLING. STOMP.

VOICE 10: (FROM BEHIND DOOR) Maria! There’s someone in there!

JUNO: Ow, ow—

VOICE 9: (FROM BEHIND DOOR) I’m calling in backup.

SOUND: MUFFLED COMMS BEEP.

This is Sanchez. Got an intruder down in the B6 custodial closet. Please advise.

SOUND: MUFFLED COMMS BEEP.

JUNO (NARRATOR): My boot couldn’t even scratch the pill. I tried everything I could, but it wouldn’t break.

VOICE 10: The door won’t open!

VOICE 9 [SANCHEZ]: He must’ve shot out the motor out.

SOUND: MUFFLED COMMS BEEP.

This is Sanchez. Bring your rifle. The intruder is armed.

SOUND: MUFFLED COMMS BEEP.

JUNO (NARRATOR): Any second now they’d pull that door open. I didn’t know what they wanted the Martian pill for, but I couldn’t let them have it. But it was a pill… and there was just one thing I hadn’t tried yet.

JUNO: Well… bottoms up.

SOUND: CHIMES JINGLING.

That doesn’t feel like… this is gonna hurt.

SOUND: THUD.

JUNO (NARRATOR): I didn’t black out. When you black out, you feel nothing. I felt everything.

SOUND: UNINTELLIGIBLE WHISPERING, VOICES JUMBLING TOGETHER, GROWING TO A CRESCENDO BEFORE ABRUPTLY CUTTING OFF.

CREEPY VOICE: Hello, Juno Steel.

You took my pill, didn’t you. What made you do it? Duty? Curiosity? Did you take it just to spite me? But how could you? You don’t even know who I am.

And here’s something that’s going to drive you wild, Juno: you never will know who I am. It will happen in the dark. It will be simple. And you’ll never know who you crossed. A stubborn detective like you – that’s going to be the worst part, isn’t it? Dying without knowing a thing. Maybe I’ll do it tomorrow. Maybe in a year. But nobody stays in debt to me. You may have swallowed the pill, but I will take what I want. If I have to suck it out of your veins myself, I will have what I want.

Goodbye, Juno Steel. Enjoy the rest of your little life.

SOUND: JUMBLED VOICES AGAIN, GROWING LOUDER UNTIL—

STRONG: Juno!

ALL SOUNDS: ABRUPTLY CUT OUT.

***

RITA: (WHISPERING) Mista Steel! Hello!

(NORMAL VOLUME) Are you asleep, or you just hopin’ I’m gonna leave?

JUNO: Does it make a difference?

RITA: Oh, good! You’re awake! I can’t wait much longer. I just had to update you on that… business.

JUNO: Never say that again.

RITA: Hey, you look pretty good today! The doctors finally get all that Martian poison outta ya?

JUNO: Can’t say for sure, but they definitely took most of me out of me.

RITA: I’ll say. Y’look good, boss. Trim.

JUNO: Never say that again, either.

RITA: I just tell it like it is, Mista Steel. Speakin’ a trim, the Prince of Mars says hi.

JUNO: Do me a favor and return that message unopened.

RITA: Mista Steel! He really cares about you! That whole week you were out, he was in here every day, moanin’ and wailin’ and—

JUNO: No, he wasn’t. He was in Hoosegow.

RITA: I mean in spirit. Don’t be such a stick.

JUNO: How’s Julian doing? HCPD turn anything up?

RITA: Well, they did find something pretty interesting…

JUNO: Just spit it out.

RITA: Oh, I don’t know if you want to hear about it. You said they couldn’t be real. Well. Guess what they found, boss?

JUNO: Oh, you’re kidding me.

RITA: Teleporters! A whole room of teleporters! And one of ‘em had Anthony DiMaggio’s blood on it! So? You got anything to say for yourself? I thought you said there weren’t any teleporters.

JUNO: I said no human ever made one.

RITA: What! Wh– that’s cheating!

JUNO: My guess is that these teleporters are Martian tech. That right?

RITA: How’d you know?

JUNO: Let’s just say we’re gonna be seeing a lot more Martian stuff popping up in the next few months.

RITA: How exciting! You think they got a time machine, boss? I always wanted to take a ride in a time machine.

JUNO: Let’s hope not. And DiMaggio? Did they ever figure out… They were keeping him in that building for the week before they killed him, weren’t they?

RITA: Yep. They got the blood to prove it, too – real messy place over there, y’think they’d clean up once in a while.

JUNO: So they must have driven him out to those payphones… forced him to call Strong for the pill… Anyway, they free Julian yet?

RITA: He’s under house arrest, but not even the DA thinks his trial’s gonna go anywhere.

JUNO: How do– nevermind. I don’t want to know.

RITA: Oh, easy. It was in the middle of this really steamy—

JUNO: Rita, if that’s all your business—

RITA: Oh, oh! One more thing.

JUNO: What?

RITA: You got a visitor.

STRONG: Hey there, Steel.

JUNO: Alessandra.

RITA: Play nice, you two.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS DEPARTING.

JUNO: I um, never got a chance to thank you before.

STRONG: I know. Better make it good, Steel. I collect interest.

JUNO: …Thanks.

STRONG: If all your payments are that size, you’re going to be in debt for a long, long time.

JUNO: Really, I’d be paste without you. And that’s best-case scenario.

STRONG: Don’t get genuine on me. It doesn’t look good on you.

So… the doctors say you took that pill.

JUNO: I think that’s really between me and my kidneys.

STRONG: Did you– you didn’t hear anything, did you?

JUNO: What happened to your little telepathic utopia, Alessandra? Didn’t think a little mind reading would bother you.

STRONG: I’m not ashamed of anything I’ve done. I just like to be in control of how it gets out.

So? You didn’t hear anything that’s going to get between us, did you?

JUNO: No. No, I didn’t. I didn’t hear anything at all, actually. Damn thing doesn’t work.

STRONG: Oh, good. You worried me there for a minute, Juno.

JUNO: I’ll try not to make a habit of it.

STRONG: How about we start a different habit instead?

MUSIC: STARTS.

SOUND: KISSING.

I could get used to that.

JUNO: Alessandra…

STRONG: Got something to say, Juno?

JUNO: Alessandra, listen. I…

STRONG: Spit it out.

JUNO: It’s not gonna work, between you and me. I wish it could, but it won’t.

STRONG: That doesn’t make any sense.

JUNO: I know.

STRONG: If you want it to work, it’ll work. That’s how it works.

JUNO: Should be.

STRONG: …There’s someone else. (SIGHS) Of course there is.

JUNO: I thought I was done with him, but… I’m not.

STRONG: I’m not just gonna wait around, Juno.

JUNO: Good. You shouldn’t.

STRONG: I don’t play third wheel. I find it hard enough to play second.

So… I guess this is it.

JUNO: I guess so.

STRONG: You ever get in over your head again, give me a call. We make an alright team, Steel.

JUNO: We do.

SOUND: DOOR CLOSES.

JUNO (NARRATOR): Hyperion City’s the kind of town where you can walk for years and still end up back where you started. Same old job; same old wants; same old hurts. You don’t keep anything you make in Hyperion City besides enemies. And boy, had I made one of those.

I thought about what I’d heard, with that Martian pill blowing out my brains. Someone out there had done a lot to get that pill. They’d probably do a lot worse to get whatever else they were after. Someone out there had it in for me.

Well join the club, buddy. I’ll be waiting for ya.

MUSIC: ENDS.

***

SOUND: RAIN & MUSIC.

CONCIERGE: The tale you’ve just heard, Part Two of Juno Steel and the Prince of Mars, was told by the following people: Joshua Ilon as Juno Steel, Kate Jones as Rita, Kat Buckingham as Alessandra Strong, Jason Mellin as the Saffron Prince, and Dan Swazera, Scott Gallica, and Sophie Kaner as the Ensemble.

On staff at The Penumbra: Kevin Vibert is our lead writer and recording engineer. Sophie Kaner is our director, lead editor, and sound designer. Juno’s Theme was written by Ryan Vibert.

The Penumbra was created by Sophie Kaner and Kevin Vibert.

I’m so sorry you’ve been called away, dear Traveler. We eagerly await your return.

ALL SOUNDS: FADE OUT.

#juno steel

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mightygarchomp · 7 years ago

Text

Why I Love Goro Akechi: A (Long) Character Analysis

(WARNING: SPOILERS FOR PERSONA 5 LEFT AND RIGHT.)

(ADDITIONAL WARNING: Due to how controversial Goro is as a character, I’m definitely gonna get people disagreeing with me, and that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t start tossing in death threats, kay? Kay.)

Goro Akechi. One of the most controversial characters I’ve ever seen in a video game. Opinions on him are widely varied; either you love the guy and feel sorry for what he’s gone through, you can sympathize with him but dislike the lengths he goes to, or you just plain hate the guy due to his actions.

Well, if you couldn’t tell from the title of this analysis, I’m in the first camp, and proud of it.

I accept the risk of an angry mob going for my head in saying that Goro may just be my favorite character in a video game. I love pretty much everything about him, and yet I’m actually legitimately angry at how Atlus treated the guy. Seriously, they had a goldmine here and they wasted it. But whatever, I’m not here to rant about how disappointing Persona 5’s endgame was (though if you REALLY want me to do that, let me know). I’m here to pick apart Goro Akechi. Just what made him into who he was? How did his newfound Persona powers affect the course of his life? And what lead to him pulling the ultimate sacrifice? I’ll be answering all these questions - and hopefully more - in this analysis on the dashing Crow.

Part 1: A Life Full Of Hatred - How Goro Became Who He Was

All of the Phantom Thieves have pretty terrible lives, don’t they? The death of Futaba’s mother gave her some pretty intense survivor’s guilt, Haru’s stuck in an arranged marriage with the worst fiance imaginable, et cetera. Well, I think very few people will argue with me when Goro has the worst of it - save perhaps Futaba, but she gets over her issues. That never truly happens to Goro, even in his final moments. And can you really blame him?

The basic gist of it is this: Goro was born as an illegitimate child who was abandoned by his dad before he was even born. His mother either died from childbirth or killed herself out of shame, which left Goro to be passed around from foster home to foster home by the court. Throughout his entire life he’s never really had anyone to call a friend due to being shunted around. And note that this is just what he tells you before you find out what he’s really up to. When you find out who that dad is, things get much worse.

Goro’s dad is none other than Masayoshi Shido, the main antagonist of the game and one of the most heartless characters I’ve ever seen in a video game. Of course, Goro resented Shido for abandoning him, but he couldn’t really do anything. I’m not completely sure how Goro managed to find out how Shido was his dad, but that’s less an issue with his character and more an issue with Persona 5’s writing, so we’ll skip over that.

A lot of people like to say Goro’s just a guy with daddy issues, but I’d like you guys to keep in mind that this takes place in Japan. If you live in America, then this probably isn’t as much of an issue, but in Japan, being a bastard child is a huge problem, to the point where you’re basically born an outcast. Japan has a family registration system called koseki, which - until 2013 - did nothing to protect against discrimination towards illegitimate children. And keep in mind that his foster homes were probably aware of this, so imagine all of the hatred and discrimination he went through.

Honestly, with this information, it’s no wonder he grew into the bitter, resentful person he was. Never being acknowledge by his father, having to put up with loads of abuse... his early childhood was a terrible mess, to the point where he seems to have little in the way of self-worth. He outright calls himself a “disgrace to the world”. It also puts his ultimate plan into perspective, considering this would destroy Shido’s reputation - and also any trust in government, which would throw society into chaos AND give him the revenge and closure he desired on all the adults who abused him.

Despite his princely detective mask and fame, he has some pretty deep-rooted issues to the point where he’s not only angry that the Phantom Thieves are “better than him” (as he perceives it) but also terrified. The few things he actually has in life - his fame and image - were at risk of being worthless, considering he perceived the Thieves as having things he didn’t despite him being much more successful than them. It shows that even with all this fame he’s not really that happy. And worst of all, he had no chance to change his terrible life.

Or did he?

Part 2: A Chance At Revenge - Goro’s Wild Card Abilities and His Father

Goro may have hit rock bottom, but he found hope when he gained the ability to use Personas - and also the possible power to get revenge on his father, who he was formerly powerless against. But he’s not just any Persona user; he’s a Wild Card. This wouldn’t be much of a big deal before Persona 3, considering from what I know everyone was a Wild Card, but after Persona 3? We never really got Wild Cards other than the protagonist, save maybe Adachi. And even then, Goro was the only one to actually use multiple Personas in battle. Or, well... two.

See, most people complain that Goro’s boss fight could have been a lot cooler, with him switching between Personas, but these people are missing the entire deal of the Wild Card. Goro was unable to fully utilize the power of the Wild Card because he had no bonds. Of course, you may wonder in that case... what’s the deal with his Personas? Which one is the original, and how did he get a second one? Well, my theory is that Loki is the original. It would make sense, given his whole deal of causing mental shutdowns and sending people berserk - the main thing he did with Loki.

Of course, in that case, how did he get Robin Hood? Well, my theory is that there is one bond he made: his bond with Joker. He’s legitimately regretful about the turn of events that leads to his boss fight, and wishes he could have met Joker beforehand. Morgana even points out that he’s happy when he’s with Joker. The other Thieves treat him with scorn initially, and by the time they start warming up to him, it’s not enough to get a true bond. But Joker was... well, depending on your choices, the nicest one to him. At the very least, he’s the one who interacts the most with Goro.

Of course, there’s probably going to be the inevitable argument of “you can still fuse Personas if you don’t have the Social Links yet”. However, one thing I’d like you guys to keep in mind is that we have no confirmation that Goro even got to see the Velvet Room. During his confrontation, his exact words are “Someone, be it god or demon, gave me a chance...” which implies that he has no idea how he got Persona powers. If he doesn’t have access to Igor and the Velvet Room assistants (notably, Caroline and Justine never mention him) then how’s he supposed to fuse new Personas? He had no one to guide him into believing he could negotiate with Shadows, either, unlike Joker. So it makes sense that the only Personas he have would be born from his own heart - one from his sheer hatred for the world and Yaldabaoth’s gift, and the other one being from his bond with Joker.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about Goro’s plans from there: he came to Shido as an unknown benefactor and offered him his services. Of course, seeing as Shido saw him as a useful pawn, he accepted, and the two entered a partnership. Goro was effectively Shido’s personal hitman - and this started two years prior to the events of the game. Basically, Goro became an assassin right out of middle school.

Of course, the biggest elephant in the room is... if Goro is so sympathetic, why did he murder so many people, including being responsible for Wakaba Isshiki and Kunikazu Okumura’s deaths? Well, the thing is... keep in mind Goro has gone through a lot. His dad was basically responsible for his terrible life, and since we can infer he was regularly abused at his households, he probably became pretty fixated on getting revenge. Imagine not getting closure for over a decade for someone who made your life a living hell. Goro is very determined to get revenge on his father, no matter the circumstances. He pretty much had to do exactly what Shido told him if he wanted to get revenge. Keep in mind Shido is willing to kill pretty much anybody who isn’t useful to him anymore. One wrong step and Goro would probably be a victim.

Furthermore, another thing to keep in mind is that throughout all his live, Goro has been severely affection starved. He’s had no friends or family that really loved him. At this point he’s willing to do anything to get acknowledgment from someone even if it’s just for his talents. By the time he found a real friend in Joker, he thought it was too late to really change. Goro outright admits he just wanted to be loved and acknowledged by someone, but due to his own narrow-minded views and the refusal to accept the fact that he wasted two years of his life murdering people and obeying the person he hates most for nothing, his ability to back out is long gone. In Goro’s life, anyone could die.

The most important thing, however, is that even with Persona powers, he’s just a kid going up against a powerful conspiracy. What could he do to escape the cycle of abusive homes? The only real option he could think of to take was revenge. And honestly, I can’t blame him. Even if he’s done some terrible things, he couldn’t really be a hero in the first place, considering he didn’t even know stealing hearts was possible until it was too late.

Luckily, he did see the light in the end... kind of.

Part 3: A Desire For Redemption - The Lead-Up To Goro’s Sacrifice

With my personal disdain for Persona 5’s endgame, I won’t deny that Goro’s redemption arc could have been handled far better. That said, there are clear signs of it. The big question for this section: What built up to Goro eventually sacrificing himself for the Phantom Thieves in a situation that he could’ve escaped from if he had done something as simple as move back a little?

Well, let’s start with the most important part: his friendship with Joker. As you find out in Shido’s cruise ship, despite being a traitor, Goro didn’t lie about his past to Joker - he just left out the more important parts. For a guy who’s perfectly willing to lie and seems heartless, that’s kind of odd, wouldn’t you think? Why would he spill such personal details? It’s obvious he holds Joker in high regard, which is made even more evident as you meet up with him more often and rank up his Confidant. In the final confrontation with him, before he starts to get more hostile, he laments that he couldn’t have met Joker earlier, before he deemed it too late to change.

This carries further through the dungeon he joins you in. Throughout the Palace, Goro is getting hazed by the other Thieves because they’re onto him. However, as the dungeon goes on they start to respect him more for his wit and assistance. Goro was probably feeling good about being admired by people who aren’t complete sociopaths like Shido, and he no doubt wanted to hold onto that feeling, but ultimately decided to go forward because he had sunk too much into his mission with Shido. How could I assume this? Well, after he kills Joker and talks to Shido about the deed, he manages to convince Shido not to have him off the other Thieves, AND also ignores Morgana’s existence and lies about it to Shido - the man he’s pretty much the obedient puppet of at this point. That speaks volumes.

So what happens when the Thieves manage to convince him that it’s not too late for his life to take a turn for a better? Well, one beating-the-crap session out of him later, they outright admit they admire his strength and wit, but also gently admonish him for his power being fueled by hate and anger. Then they give him the option to join them against Shido - for real. A part of me wonders what would have happened if he was able to say yes before Cognitive Goro showed up...

Regardless, this leads to Goro pulling the ultimate sacrifice: blocking himself off from the party and performing a mutual kill on his cognitive self. We’ve already established the lead-up to this, but one thing I noticed is that Goro had an easy escape route. If he just moved a little bit - or, hell, even dived - he could have ended up on the other side of the wall and Cognitive Goro would have been unable to stop him. Why didn’t he? Well...

The biggest reason is that even if Goro changes, as many fans like to point out, his crimes aren’t magically erased. Goro is well aware what he’s doing is wrong, even if he considers it his own twisted “justice” at the same time. Given his demeanor after he’s defeated and the fact that he didn’t reform due to how much he had put into this plan, it’s easy to say he probably doesn’t think he can atone for his crimes with any method other than, well, death.

The other reason is also interesting: Should Goro have escaped, that wouldn’t have helped with Cognitive Goro. He’d still be active and roaming the Palace and could kill the Thieves. Goro’s intelligent enough that he probably considered this and wanted to remove the Thieves’ biggest opponent for good - and the only way to do that was by sacrificing himself.

Or, y’know, he just didn’t have enough energy to move out of the way in time.

Part 4: Closing Thoughts + Should Goro Turn Out To Be Alive?

This doesn’t really relate to his character, but I figured it’d be interesting to include. There are people who think Goro should either stay dead or turn out to be alive, but have to atone for his crimes. What do I think?

Well, this is down to some heavy personal preferences, but I think Goro should stay alive... but only because his redemption arc was pretty rushed due to the endgame’s rather poor writing. They could have done so much more with Goro, honestly, but his redemption arc just kinda happened - and what makes it worse is that he’s mentioned maybe three times max after his death.

The reason I think Goro should have survived his death is because he deserves so much more than what he got. His arc could’ve been absolutely wonderful with how complex a character he is. All he wanted was acknowledgment and love, and we can all relate to that, right? He may have committed some truly heinous crimes, but I think he would have turned out far differently with the right people around. Even if no one else will, I’ll stick up for him any day and give him the affection and respect he deserves.

Thanks for reading.

#persona 5 #goro akechi #character analysis #mightygarchomp #persona 5 spoilers #persona 5 akechi #pancakes #long post

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lilacmoon83 · 6 years ago

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Witness Protection

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 2: All I'll Ever Want or Need

Leopold Blanchard looked through the various photos, each captured at different times, of his daughter and the man that was protecting her. At least that was what it had started as. But as he looked through the photos, each one after another, they got more intimate. First, it was just his arm around her shoulders or her hand on his chest. Then it was her in his arms and their lips locked. It would seem, if the reports from the bounty hunters were correct, that his daughter and her detective were lovers now. It made him livid, especially when he received the most recent photo. It was taken just weeks ago, just before the trail on them had gone completely cold. Again, Mary was in his arms and there was an unmistakable swell to her stomach. There was no question, especially since his hand was resting on the bump. His daughter was pregnant and they had seemingly managed to disappear. This time, none of the expensive bounty hunters were turning up anything on them and angrily tossed the photos down on his desk, sending them scattering across it.

"This is not over, daughter…" he growled.

"So...how is everything back there?" Mary asked, as she spooned another bite of ice cream into her mouth, while cradling the phone between her ear and shoulder.

"Oh, you know Hyperion Heights...still pretty much the same, except Victoria Belfry is trying to get me to sell the bar to her," Roni replied.

"Why does Victoria Belfry want to buy the bar?" Mary wondered.

"Well...she's trying to buy up this whole damn neighborhood. For what purpose, no one is sure. But there are whispers…" Roni said, trailing off.

"What kind of whispers?" Mary asked.

"That there is a merger in the works. Between Belfry Industries and Blanchard Enterprises," Roni replied.

"My father is going to merge with Belfry Industries?" Mary asked in disbelief.

"I think it's more like he's acquiring her company. To what end, no one really knows," Roni answered. Mary sighed.

"He's still looking for me too...I was hoping he would give up," she said.

"Your father believes he is entitled to have whatever he wants, like some kind of evil King. He isn't going to stop. Fortunately, Weaver is certain that he won't find where you are this time," Roni said.

"I hope not...we actually really like it here," Mary mentioned.

"Mary Margaret Blanchard as a small town schoolteacher...I'm sure it suits you," Roni said fondly. She smiled.

"It does...and David really likes his job. He gets along really well with Sheriff Graham...and then there's the little cupcake," she gushed, as she stroked her swollen belly.

"I'm so happy for you both. Do you know what it is yet?" Roni asked.

"No...we decided we want to be surprised, but I'm pretty sure it's a girl. David thinks it's a boy, but he's wrong," she replied fondly, as she finished off the carton of ice cream.

"Mother's intuition?" Roni asked.

"Something like that," Mary replied, as she heard the apartment door open and smiled at her husband. He smiled back at her, as he hung his coat up, took his shoes off and took off his holster. She bit her bottom lip, as she watched him. She really liked the way he looked in that holster.

"Hello...Mary?" Roni called into the phone.

"Huh...oh sorry," she apologized.

"Yeah, something tells me David is home if your sudden preoccupation is anything to go by," Roni teased.

"Yeah...sorry, but I can't help it. He just looks so good in that holster," she mentioned.

"Okay then...definitely my cue to sign off," Roni joked. Mary smiled.

"I'll call you tomorrow," she promised, as she hung up the phone, just as David leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I see our little one has been wanting ice cream again," he teased. She bit her bottom lip and gazed up at him with a dreamy stare.

"I don't know what to say...she loves rocky road. I ate our entire supply again," Mary replied. He chuckled and held up held up a sack, filled with two more cartons of ice cream.

"Good thing I knew I needed to replenish our stock. We can't have our little Prince wanting for anything," he said, as he put it in the freezer.

"Princess…" she corrected.

"Either way...I can't wait to meet him or her," he replied, as he kissed her again. She sighed and watched him make his way behind the curtain where their bedroom was. She often thought about the direction their lives had taken. Just two years ago, she had just graduated college and was ready to find a teaching job. That part of her life had been accomplished, as she loved her job at Storybrooke Elementary. But she hadn't even been entertaining the possibility of a relationship, let alone finding true love. She wondered if he thought about their path.

"Baby...you okay?" he murmured, as he put his arms around her from behind, instinctively resting them on the swell of her stomach.

"Mmm...did you ever imagine this is where we would end up when Weaver assigned you to protect me?" she asked curiously.

"Not exactly...but I certainly wouldn't change it for anything," he replied. She cocked her head to the side, as she looked at him.

"You almost died because of me," she reminded.

"No, I almost died for you...there's a significant difference," he corrected. She parted her lips, as she gazed up at him.

"But this couldn't have been where you saw your life going when you became a cop," Mary said. He shrugged.

"Does anyone ever really end up exactly where they expect?" he asked in return.

"Happy endings aren't always what we expect they will be," she remembered her mother saying once.

"But you were an up and coming detective...in a very large city. I know from what Roni told me that Weaver doesn't just idly pick people for his team. He must have seen something in you to fast track you from beat cop to detective," she replied. He shrugged again.

"I don't know...most of the other detectives are always either sucking up to him or scared of him. But none of that is really my style...I think he likes that," David explained.

"I'm sure he does...but I don't think you're getting what I'm saying. David...you gave up what could have been an incredible career. You probably would have made Captain in no time," she responded. He smiled.

"Maybe...but I didn't really become a cop to climb the ranks and soak in the glory. I became a cop to help people and make a difference. But it was never really my dream," he explained.

"What was?" she asked curiously. He smiled at her and put his hand on her stomach again.

"I always knew that I wanted love...real love and family. You're that dream, Mary...you and our little one. You are a dream that became my reality, so don't think even for a second I would trade this for some job or career. Because this…" he said, as he caressed the place where their child was growling and then cupped her beautiful face in his hand.

"This is everything that I ever wanted and more than I ever thought I'd find," he added. Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged him fiercely. He breathed her in and held her flush against him.

"I love you…" he said. She smiled.

"And I love you…" she replied, as he kissed her tenderly. She moaned and broke the kiss though, as she held her stomach.

"Oh…" she said, as she felt a contraction.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern. She nodded.

"Just a contraction...they've been off and on today, but pretty far apart," she replied, not really concerned. Until she had a stronger one.

"Ohhh…" she cried and then felt a wetness between her legs.

"Oh God David...I think my water just broke…" she cried.

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #Modern AU #david and mary margaret #Hyperion Heights #Storybrooke #on the run #in hiding #witness protection #Roni #Weaver #Rogers #evil Leopold #anti-Leopold #romance #baby emma on the way

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jenniferjuni-per · 7 years ago

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And to all a good night - a Kristanna fan fic

Merry Christmas @frozen-illusion!

Hope you enjoy this bit of family fluff :-)

*notes at the end

Words: 1404

Rated: G

“Kristoff!”

Anna’s voice rang loud through the quiet of the late night palace halls, and Kristoff found himself moving at a light jog due to the urgency he detected in her voice. He appeared at the doorway to their room, but despite the fire crackling in the fireplace and the bed being turned down, Anna was nowhere to be seen. Before the panic could set in, Anna appeared in the doorway to Hugo’s room, beckoning Kristoff over.

“He’s running a fever,” she whispered as Kristoff came to her side. Anna looked up at him with wide eyes, worry creasing her forehead. Kristoff wrapped an arm around her waist, and together they went over to Hugo’s bedside. The little boy slept peacefully, but when Kristoff put a hand to his head it was warm. Anna sat on the bed by her son, anxiously adjusting the sheets around his small form.

“What did the nurse say?” Kristoff asked quietly, careful not to speak too loudly.

“She said it has to run its course, and just to keep him comfortable.” She bit her lip once she finished speaking, and the crease in her brow became more pronounced. She continued ruffling the sheets, and Kristoff put his hands over hers to still them.

“The nurse is right,” he said calmly, keeping his tone even and soothing. He’d seen fevers like this before, had them himself, and knew it would be fine. Of course it was different for a mother seeing her child like this, and he was fully aware of what Anna must be feeling. “He’ll be fine, Anna. Let’s just keep him as comfortable as we can.” Anna nodded, and Kristoff squeezed her hand to reassure her.

“He just wasn’t himself tonight, I should have known something was wrong,” Anna berated herself, as she placed a hand on the little boy’s chest. “I was reading ‘The Night Before Christmas’ to him and normally he repeats the words back to me, and gets really excited when St. Nicholas appears, but this time he just lay there and listened. I thought he was just tired from all the excitement of the day.”

Kristoff listened, his heart swelling at the picture his mind conjured of Anna reading to their little boy. He’d been sad he missed it, but he had been putting the last minute touches on the Christmas scene in the palace that was to unfold in the morning. He rubbed Anna’s back and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Don’t worry, my love. He’ll be fine.” At the sound of his father’s voice, the little boy stirred, his eyes opening slowly.

“Papa?” The little boy tried to sit up, but he found he was too weak to move.

“I’m here, Hugo. Don’t try to move.” Kristoff ruffled his son’s hair.

“Mama, why does my head hurt?” Hugo asked, rubbing at his temple.

“It’s because you have a fever, sweetie. Just rest, okay?” Anna put on a reassuring smile for her son, stroking his cheek.

“Am I going to die?” The little boy asked with wide eyes.

“No!” Both Anna and Kristoff answered quickly. But Hugo wouldn’t be appeased so easily, and soon tears formed in his eyes and his bottom lip quivered.

“Nils’ little sister had a fever and she died!” He wailed, fat tears rolling down his cheeks. Anna gathered her son up in her arms and shushed him softly.

“No, honey, that was a special case, little Ingrid was very very ill. The nurse said your fever isn’t very bad at all, and you should be fine by the time St. Nicholas comes.” Anna fought to keep her voice steady and her tone reassuring, but Kristoff could see that she was struggling. The crease in her brow had returned, and had become more pronounced.

“Hey Hugo, how about a story then?” Kristoff patted his son on the leg, while putting his other arm around his wife’s shoulder. Anna leaned into him, grateful for the support.

“Mama already read me ‘The Night Before Christmas’.” Hugo sniffled, wiping at his face with the back of his hand.

“Oh I know. I thought you might want to hear a story about an adventure!” Kristoff raised his arms with a flourish. Anna looked at him with a quizzical expression, but Hugo seemed to sit up straighter in his bed.

“What kind of adventure?” Hugo asked, and already the sniffling stopped as he eyed his father curiously.

“Well, it’s about a princess, who goes on a quest during a magical winter.” Kristoff looked at Anna out of the corner of his eye, and she smiled.

“What was she looking for?” Hugo questioned.

“She was looking for her sister, who had run away. But she wasn’t prepared for this winter, you see.” Kristoff leaned in close, and Hugo’s little face leaned closer to his father’s. “So she stopped at this place where they sold supplies, and got some warmer things to wear.”

“And then what happened?”

“Well, she realized she had to climb a mountain, in the snow! And so she needed help. Lucky for her, she happened to meet a dashing young man at the shop.” Kristoff beamed with pride, but Anna rolled her eyes and elbowed him lightly.

“Was he a nice man? Did he help her?”

“He wasn’t nice at first,” Anna interjected, side-eyeing her husband, who only chuckled. “But he did end up helping her! And he had a lovely reindeer.” It was Kristoff’s turn to roll his eyes.

“Did they make it then?”

“They did! But not without adventures along the way! Wolves attacked! The sled was destroyed! They met trolls!” Kristoff exaggerated his movements, acting out each event while Anna laughed and Hugo watched with wide eyes, clutching his pillow.

“And when does Marshmallow come in? I like that part. But can you leave out the part with Prince Hans, I really don’t like hearing about that poopy-pants.” Hugo crinkled his nose, and Anna couldn’t help but laugh.

“We won’t talk about poopy-pants, don’t worry.” Anna reassured him.

“I like the part where Auntie Elsa brings back summer, and gives Olaf his own snow!” Hugo clapped with glee, and Kristoff sat back and smiled as his son recounted the rest of the story, one he had heard many times, and one he never tired of hearing.

“But you know what my favorite part is?” Hugo sat up eagerly then, his eyes dancing and a huge grin overtaking his face. Anna and Kristoff both shrugged their shoulders, feigning ignorance.

“It’s when Mama gives Papa the sled, and Papa’s so surprised and happy!”

“And then we kissed, right?” Kristoff said slyly, looking sideways at Anna.

“Bleccchh, I don’t need to hear about that part!” Hugo made a face, and Kristoff couldn’t help but laugh. At that moment Hugo tried to stifle a huge yawn, and Anna leaned forward and felt his forehead.

“Your temperature feels a lot better,” she exclaimed with surprise, looking at Kristoff as she did so. “Let’s get you back into bed.” She helped Hugo to lie down again, and adjusted the blankets over him.

“Papa,” Hugo muttered sleepily, his eyelids falling heavy.

“Yes, Hugo?”

“Can you tell me that story every Christmas Eve?”

“Of course.” Kristoff leaned forward and kissed his son softly on the brow, the boy drifting off into a contented slumber. Anna let out a sigh of relief.

---

The fire crackled in the hearth as Anna slipped into bed beside Kristoff. The moonlight shone through a crack in the curtains, no doubt illuminating the way for St. Nicholas and his trusty reindeer. The wind picked up, swirling the snow on the windowsill, and Anna snuggled closer to Kristoff.

“Thank you for what you did in there. You really calmed him down, and me as well.” She buried her face into the flannel of his nightshirt, and he tugged her closer to him.

“We’re a team, right? We got this.” He squeezed her arm, and she looked up at him, and for all of his life he didn’t think he could ever get over how she looked at him. His heart flipped in his chest as she pressed her lips to his, and he returned her kiss with a fervor he couldn’t contain. The clock in the main hall distantly chimed midnight, and Anna broke away from the kiss.

“Merry Christmas, Kristoff.”

“Merry Christmas, Anna.” Kristoff smiled, before kissing her again.

---

A/N: So I’m not sure if “The Night Before Christmas” ever made it to Arendelle but let’s just pretend it did for the sake of the story :-) Also, please excuse any errors in terms of fever-care, let’s just chalk it up to plot device lol

#kristannasecretsanta2017 #frozen-illusion #kristanna #frozen fan fic #juniper fics

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xxbyimm · 7 years ago

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Enya’s Unexpected Journey

Hi guys!

This story is also on AO3, but I wanted to share it here as well. :) It’s about a girl from our world, who suddenly ends up in middle earth. She bumps into a very sexy and stubborn dwarf prince, who takes her with him, until she is safe. Will she end up in the company that is heading towards the lonely mountain? Will Thorin Oakenshield fall for our cute-looking tiny lady with her razor-sharp tongue and witty remarks?

Enjoy. xoxo

Chapter 1

The Journey Begins... Her long dark chestnut hair was tied in a messy ponytail. She put her iPhone in the sweatband that was clinging on her upper arm. Her running shoes were bright new and had never been with her on the long and filthy track she run every day. Slowly she stood up from her bed and looked in the mirror that was hanging on the wall in front of her. She frowned as she studied herself. Her pale blue eyes stared back at her. She sighed. She looked tired. Maybe she should abandon her running routine just this once. The shit Jason put her through the last few weeks had been devastating for her health. And her sanity. She gave her mirror image a quick shake of her head. 'What the hell, maybe the forest will give me back my sanity' she muttered before turning away. Before she could change her mind, she quickly stumbled through her house. When she got to the back door and saw the pile of dishes in her kitchen, she reminded herself that she really needed to get her shit together. It was one thing to mourn for the loss off her first love, but she could not tolerate to completely lose her mind once again. She had been there five years ago and nearly died. When Jason finally got back to her, a place where he belonged (so he said), she got back on her feet as quick as she could. Because after all, he needed her. She would have been no use for him if she was a broken little mess of grief. That's at least what she told herself all those years ago. But last month… She shrugged, opened the back door and slipped through. She paced at the woods that were surrounding her house and hoped that the trees really could comfort her as they once had done. They had to.

She breathed heavily as she ran on the well-known track. Her iPhone played her favorite playlist, a mix between pop music and metal. She smiled when she thought about the surprise she got from people upon her when they discussed topics like favorite music genres. Although she thought these reactions should never stop amusing her, she lately found herself getting a bit annoyed by it. She grew tired of explaining how a little, cute-looking female like herself could possibly like metal artists like the agonist and nightwish. Like being 150 centimeters tall was equivalent in liking gentle music. She swallowed and pushed herself to run a bit harder. No one should ever tell someone how to live their life. Just like Jason… She grunted and tried to push the thought away, but it lingered in the back of her mind. She shrugged and concentrated on the music her phone was playing. ‘Yes!’ she cheered when her iPhone started playing ‘Engine 45’ from the band the ghost inside and took a sprint. ‘IT’S SO HARD FOR ME, SEEING LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL!’ she screamed along with the singer. The beat drummed in the air as the trees rushed by. She smiled when she realized her new shoes fit her feet perfectly. This made running a hell of a lot easier!

Because she was day-dreaming about her new fantastic shoes, she was caught of guard by the enormous tree root she stumbled on. ‘Oh god damn it!’ she cursed when she found herself flying toward the hard soil. She readied herself for the hard smack she was about to make. She screamed as she kept falling through darkness. She was not reaching the ground. It was gone. What was happening? Did she fall asleep in her bed and never started running in the first space? Was this a dream? She screamed again when the darkness suddenly changed in a very bright light. Was she dying? She groaned as she felt a fierce pain in her back. The green grass beneath her was soft to the touch. Slowly she scrambled herself together and ignored the pain that was protesting against her movements. She looked around and found herself in a completely different surrounding. Well... it was still a forest, but the dark green pines she was passing just a few minutes ago, were replaced by a bright open spot in the middle of a thick forest. She frowned when she realized she had no idea where she was. She must have run off her usual track. ‘Shit’ she muttered. What should she do now? She gasped when she noticed that this forest was blooming and the air smelled like it smells on an early spring day. No. This couldn’t be. It had been autumn when she left her house. She braced herself when she heard branches cracking on the other side of the open spot. She shuffled herself behind a bush and watched curiously as two figures appeared. She gulped as her mind almost immediately identified them.

Orcs.

They had a somewhat green ill-looking skin and bright blue fishy eyes. Their clothes were filthy, but it didn't seem to bother them. She could detect the foul odor they carried with them. ‘I’m sure I heard screams’ said the smallest of the two. He was bald and had his lip pierced a few times. ‘I don’t see anything’ the other one growled. An enormous bulge around his waist nearly made the belt, which was holding together his clothing, burst. ‘We should return to our master, before he makes us dinner for the wargs’ He turned around and disappeared behind the trees. The small orc stood still and sniffed with his filthy nose in the air. ‘I don’t recall this scent’ he said and walked right at the bush where she sat. ‘Come on!’ bellowed the fat orc from the forest. She could not see him anymore, but the smallest orc was far too close for her liking. She tried to keep as still as she could. The orc looked around and shrugged. She held her breath as he turned around and too disappeared on the other side of the forest. ‘Thank god for that’ she whispered and she just wanted to get up when one strong arm locked itself around her abdomen while the hand from the other arm kept her mouth firmly shut. She wanted to kick and scream for help, but her assailant was much more stronger than she was. Well, this makes all the martial arts classes I took useless, she thought unhappily. She gasped with surprise when her assailant finally let her go and pushed her against a tree. She wanted to scream, but when she looked in his eyes, she went numb. ‘What the hell were you doing?’ he whispered furiously. ‘Gundabad orcs are NO joke. They would have killed you in an instant.’ ‘I…’ she said, helplessly searching for words. This could not be. It could not be him. But the piercing blue eyes, characteristic nose, rough long dark brown locks and bushy beard could hardly belong to any other man she visualized whilst reading. Was she dreaming? ‘And what are you wearing?’ he asked, as he was regarding her with curiosity. ‘It hardly seems fit for traveling. That is, if a lady like you is really traveling.’ ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake’ she muttered. ‘What?’ he said. She gave him a little smile while she was trying to process what was happening to her. This had to be him. She decided she should give her theory a try. ‘This, sir Oakenshield, is my running outfit. I was running to clear my head, not to encounter some LARPing event where suddenly I am threatened by some orcs and the son of Thraín, son of Thrór.’ He frowned and looked at her, clearly puzzled. ‘How do you know who I am?’ ‘Well… doesn’t everyone know you?’ she answered. He smiled. ‘I supposed not in these lands.’ ‘Well… maybe if you were in let’s say… Africa or something. But here in America you are quite known.’ She shivered and sighed as she realized that the running short was hardly covering her bottom. And wherever she was, it was cold here. ‘Can you guide me out of this bloody forest?’ she asked ‘I really want to go home.’ He didn’t answer and just stared at her. After a few moments he seemed to regain his consciousness and he asked: ‘America?’ She groaned. ‘This is hardly funny anymore. I told you, I had no intention running into a LARPing event! So could you please just break character for a moment and tell me where-’ ‘Larping?’ he interrupted while he let the sound of the word rolling on his tongue. ‘It is an event where you engage in a fantasy play and reenact stories from lord of the rings, or harry potter, whatever you like’ she answered irritated. ‘Fantasy play…’ he repeated and then chuckled. ‘I have no idea what you are talking about.’ ‘Oh dear god!’ she screamed. ‘Never mind. Just tell me where I am.’ ‘The shire.’ He said and studied her face for a reaction. ‘You serious.’ She narrowed her eyes and looked intently at his face to see if he mocked her. But she only saw genuine concern. ‘Yes. We are on the border of the shire. It worries me that orcs dare to venture in this land.’ She sat down at the root of the tree and watched her shoes as she spoke. ‘Tell me this isn’t a cruel joke. One moment I am running and-’ She suddenly remembered her phone, which was still on her arm. She grabbed it and stared at the screen. No reception. ‘Where am I?’ she muttered. ‘What are you?’ asked Thorin Oakenshield as he watched her tuck her phone away in the tiny pocket in her short. She chuckled. ‘Human.’ ‘You are quite short for a human.’ ‘And you are a bit too tall to be a dwarf, aren’t you?’ Thorin Oakenshield smiled. ‘You seem to know much about me, yet I have no idea who you are. What’s your name, human?’ She tilted her head and calculated if this man really was the Thorin Oakenshield she imaged him to be. Indeed, he was somewhat tall for a dwarf. Yet, he had the broad masculine body that dwarves supposed to have. He looked very masculine, with strong muscles on his arms and big sturdy hands. She wondered what he would look like without all the heavy armor he was wearing. She bit her lip and tried not to blush. ‘Enya’ she said. ‘And where are you from, Enya?’ he asked softly. ‘You would not believe it if I told you.’ She laughed. ‘I think I come from some alternate universe. I went out for a run and I ended up here, in middle earth I suppose?’ He nodded shortly and regarded her with suspicion. ‘You obviously dress…’ He didn’t finish his sentence. Enya shrugged. ‘I suppose in this world you could call it inappropriately short. But believe me, in my world this is normal.’ She sighed. ‘I guess I should find some suitable clothes for this environment then.’ She stood up and started walking, with actually no idea where she should go. ‘Well,’ she said out loud. ‘I can firmly say I am screwed.’ ‘You are what?’ she heard behind her. Enya giggled. ‘I’m trying to say I have nowhere to go. AND I have no idea what I should do next.’ Thorin grinned. ‘Then you should come with me.’ ‘And where were you going?’ she asked. He didn’t answer and made a sign that she should follow him. Enya sighted. All right. She went from taking a long run in the forest to a field trip with Thorin Oakenshield himself. Not that she was complaining. She smiled. As she had no idea why she ended up in middle earth and how she was able to go home, she decided that she should make the most out of this experience. Besides, she really wanted to know more about this man. She chuckled. She might even get to know his nephews. If they existed in this reality. ‘Hurry up!’ Thorin’s husky voice startled her and she took a sprint to catch up. ‘Now I can see why so few clothes would come in handy’ he mused. Enya laughed. ‘May I remind you that I am a woman from an alternate universe that is not afraid of telling you the truth when you say or do anything inappropriate? I will slap you.’ Thorin turned around to face her. ‘You are quite bold.’ ‘Are you not used to that?’ she purred. Thorin smirked at her before he walked further. ‘I might. If you were from my kin, I would-’ ‘Good thing I am not then’ Enya winked. She chuckled when she heard him laughing while he walked away. This could be interesting.

#thorin oakenshield #thorin x oc #thorin x reader #the hobbit #thorin #thorin imagine #adventure #fluff and smut #eventual smut #romance #magic

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unknowntitans · 7 years ago

Text

RobStar Week - Day 7

Day 7 – Detective Grayson (Film Noir)

Police detective Richard “Dick” Grayson leaned back on his chair resting his legs up on his desk, fanning himself with an old magazine he desperately tried to cool himself against the sweltering heat of the August evening. Even with the ceiling fan spinning at full speed and the windows fully opened it didn’t even seem to make a dent in the humidity of the room, tapping his thumbs together he attempted to find anything to distract himself from the heat. He could have managed to ignore it if he had some work to do but for the last few days he hadn’t been given a single case to work on, how could there not be a single case in a crime-ridden city like Blüdhaven. Dick had moved to Blüdhaven from Gotham at the ripe age of 20, he had grown up with the wealth of his adopted father Bruce Wayne but it never felt like it was enough for him. In Gotham everyone knew his name, women would throw themselves in front of a car just to get a look at him, he had definitely partaken in a few of these women over the years but none of them really ever meant anything to him other than a means to an end and all he was to them was a trophy to gossip to other girls about how they had “screwed the prince of Gotham”. The closest he had ever felt to love was with the commissioner’s daughter, Barbara Gordon, he had practically grown up with her since Bruce and the police commissioner were such good friends. They had dated on and off for a year but both realised the relationship wasn’t progressing, Barbara was a few years older than him and whilst she was thinking of university he was still worrying about his high school exams, even though the couple were only 3 years apart it felt like they were at completely different stages of life which inevitably led to them splitting up, albeit on good terms.

Seeing first-hand the hard work of the commissioner is what had inspired Dick to join the police force in the first place, Gotham had some serious demons but it had a solid police force. Blüdhaven on the other hand was riddled with corruption, in its politics and even in it’s police force, gangs would pay officials to ‘look the other way’ as they smuggled drugs in and out of the state. Dick was determined to make a difference in the hopeless city, starting out as an officer he found a passion in solving cases and within a year he had been promoted to a detective, the youngest one in the state. His work had even earned him his own private office, a royalty usually only awarded to the commissioner himself, it was safe to say that a lot of the other officers weren’t too happy about it. Rising from his seat he opened his drawer, pulling out a small carton and heading over to the window, taking a seat on the frame he opened the carton and withdrew a cigarette before lighting it and taking a long drag. Looking over the city he could see the sun setting in the distance just behind some of the large office buildings, in a little under an hour his shift would be over and he could head home and out of his sweltering office. Feeling a slight breeze against his skin he took another long drag to help calm his feverish nerves, smoking really was a bad habit that he hadn’t planned on partaking in. Growing up there wasn’t really ever a time he saw Bruce without a cigar in his hand and when Dick started his work pretty much every single officer was smoking and so Dick joined them in a hope to fit in.

“Grayson, got a girl here looking for you” a voice called from the other side of the door, “if she’s your girl I’d say so fast, some of the boys are already putting down payments on engagement rings” the deep voice said with a laugh.

Dick smirked, he recognised the voice as Carl Sanders, the man was in his early 40’s but he was one of the few officers who had taken a shine to Dick when he first got here. “Send her in” Dick called

The door opened slowly and the tall figure of a young woman stepped in, no older than himself; Dick was sure that his heart skipped a beat as his eyes took her in. She was breathtakingly beautiful, an otherworldly glow seemed to emanate from her as she shyly stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. He was left completely speechless as he continued to gaze at her, her face looked like it’s features had been painted on by a master artist, stunning green eyes had been set into her face like the finest emeralds being cast into gold. Long, vibrant red hair trailed down to the middle of her back, perfectly straight like woven silk. She wore a casual but extremely form-fitting, purple summer dress with a small green handbag over her shoulder, and then somehow her beauty was multiplied ever further as she parted her lips to speak.

“You are detective Grayson, yes?” the angelic voice asked

Dick couldn’t believe what was happening, over and over he tried to move his mouth to form words but nothing came out, he felt unworthy to speak like he was in the presence of some almighty goddess. All that managed to leave his lips were a series of ums and errs, no human being had ever had this impact on him in his life, even presented with beautiful women in the past he had managed to retain his confident demeanour but now he felt like he was lost in an ocean and she was the island of his salvation on the horizon.

She stepped forwards into the room further, “Detective Grayson?” she asked again, growing slightly concerned at his lack of speech.

Finally, he felt himself regain control “Y-yes, I’m Detective Grayson” he answered quickly, taking his seat behind his desk once more, he gestured for her to sit in the chair opposite him. “you can call me Dick…or Richard, if you would like” he added quickly

She smiled, a simple yet beautiful smile and he felt himself begin to melt again “Very well, I require your assistance with a matter, Richard”

Clearing his throat, he smiled “Of course, Miss…?”

“Kori…Kori Anders” she replied with a smile

He mentally slapped himself, how could a name be that attractive? “How can I help?” he asked with a smile

“I moved to Blüdhaven recently to try and find my sister, Komille. I have not seen or heard from her for a few months”

Pulling a small book and a pencil from his coat pocket he began to take notes, “When did you last see your sister, and do you think she might be missing?”

“I last saw her on the 20th of May…I do not think she is missing but I believe that she may be in some sort of trouble”

“Was there a specific reason she left?” he asked

Kori became silent, she looked down at her lap and Dick could see her sad expression “We had an argument…a very big argument and then she left, I thought she would have come home that night so I went out as usual but when I got home she had took her things and left our apartment”

“I’m sorry” he replied sympathetically, “if it’s not too personal could you explain to me what this argument was about?”

“She had become affiliated with a gang known as the ‘City Dwellers’, I tried to warn her about how violent they were but she was determined to join them. She even came home one night wearing a diamond engagement ring the leader of the gang had given her” Kori elaborated sadly.

Dick pondered for a while flicking through his book, “I think I’ve heard of the ‘City Dwellers’ before”

Kori nodded, “That is why I came here, I spoke to a lot of people connected with the gang and I eventually discovered that most of the gang members had moved to Blüdhaven…they were known to pay off police in our city but the corrupt officers were discovered and arrested so the gang moved”

Dick sighed sadly, rubbing the back of his neck “Yeah, there was a lot of that happening here too before I arrived…a lot of the city don’t really trust us much anymore”

Kori reached across the table and rested her hand on Dick’s hand for a few moments, “That should not tarnish the reputation of good officers like yourself”

Dick fought hard to keep the blush from his face “Do you think your sister might be in danger with this group then?”

Kori nodded sadly, “Whilst the group were never hostile towards my sister…the leader was known for replacing his ‘girl’ pretty quickly…I worry that-”

“That he’s gonna get bored of your sister and that could put her in danger?” Dick finished for her.

“Yes” Kori replied miserably

“If you don’t mind me asking, why did you wait all this time to move here if you figured out where she was?”

“I was angry at her for leaving…after our parents died we both had to take care of our younger brother Ryan. When Kom left I was furious that she would abandon Ryan, he was devastated that his big sister had left him and for a long time I believed I could not forgive her for hurting him”

Dick nodded empathetically, “I understand, I wouldn’t want anything to do with her either”

“But then when I realised she may be in danger I knew I had to try and find her” she paused and tears began to pool in her eyes, “you must help me, I could not bear to think that she had come to any harm whilst she was gone”

Dick smiled comfortingly reaching his hands across the table he took hers and stroked them soothingly, “I promise, we will find your sister, opening his drawer he pulled out a tissue and handed it to her.

Taking the tissue she smiled gratefully and wiped her eyes, “Thank you”

Taking a small piece of paper he wrote two phone numbers down on it, getting out of his chair he walked to the door and turned the handle. In response she stood up and moved to the door as well, “Take this with you” he said handing her the piece of paper, “the top number is the one for the phone in my office and the bottom one is my home number. If you need anything or have any more information call me on either of those”

Taking the piece of paper gratefully she placed it into her bag and quickly began to scribble something down on her own piece of paper before handing it to him “That is my address and phone number if you wish to contact me”, having to lean down slightly due to the height difference, she kissed him on the cheek before walking out of the office.

Sanders smirked at the younger man, “Guess I better tell the boys she’s off limits huh?”

Dick nodded slightly as he touched the spot where her lips had been, blushing as he saw her pink lipstick rub off on his fingers.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

The moment she had left, Dick’s mind went into hyperdrive, searching through countless files in his drawers he grinned victoriously as he found a case file about a small gang calling themselves the ‘City Dwellers’. Reading through the file he discovered that a few of the gang members had been arrested for selling small calibre pistols around the city, the date of the arrest was the 31st of May which lined up pretty well with Komille’s disappearance less than two weeks before. Continuing to read the file he found a couple of cases surrounding members in different parts of the city, spotting that some of the culprits names had been identified he grinned.

The next morning he had convinced Sanders to come with him to talk to one of the names identified in the report, Chuck Lance. Chuck had been one of the firearms dealers but managed to convince the court that he was only selling weapons because he was being forced to by higher-ups in the gang, because of this he had been freed from prison but put on probation. Reaching the door to Chuck’s small house, Dick knocked, after a few moments he heard multiple locks being turned before the door opened slightly to reveal Chuck’s nervous face, “What do you want?” the man asked anxiously

Reaching his hand into his pocket Dick pulled out his badge and held it up to the amount, “Detective Dick Grayson…I need to ask you some questions about the ‘City Dwellers’”

The man became nervous, “Listen man…I ain’t anything to do with those guys no more, I can’t help you” he attempted to close the door but Sanders quickly stuck his foot into the gap to hold it open.

“Listen Chucky, you’re still on probation…either you help us out or we bring you back to the station” Sanders said irritably

“Fine” Chuck replied opening the door for them to step in, “just gimme a minute”, he said stepping into a backroom.

Dick and Sanders paced around the hallway as they waited for Chuck to return, suddenly out of the corner of Dick’s eye he saw a shape move quickly past the outside window, walking up to it he looked out to see Chuck desperately shooing away another man. Bursting through the door that Chuck had gone through they sprinted into the garden to see the other man attempting to lift a large wooden box over the fence, within moments Dick had reached the end of the garden and pulled the man back over the fence. Angrily, Sanders dragged Chuck over and dropped him next to his accomplice, opening the wooden box they discovered an assortment of small calibre guns.

“I swear they ain’t mine, they’re his!” Chuck said frantically pointing at the other man

“Fuck off they are” the other man replied angrily

Sanders seemed to smirk as he lifted the other man by his collar, “Care to explain?”

“Chuck’s been buying guns off me and then selling them to other dealers” the other man said in a panic.

“And where have you been getting them from?” Dick asked

“City Dwellers, they’ve been hiring us to spread guns around the city” the man elaborated, struggling to breathe properly against Sanders grasp.

“Why are you still working for them?” Dick asked irritably

“It’s not our fault! You have no idea what its fucking like having someone pointing guns at your head, threatening to kill us if we don’t” Chuck replied angrily

“I thought your gang was just some lowly drug dealers, I didn’t think it would be threatening its own members” Dick stated

“It didn’t used to be like this…ever since that bitch of a broad showed up” Chuck replied bitterly

Dick’s mind began turning, “What new broad? What’s her name?”

“Some bitch called ‘Kommy’ or some shit, she’s the boss’ new dame. She showed up here a few months ago and the boss basically made her the leader, so she’s been calling the shots for the last few months…dunno what he was thinking making a dame the leader”

Taking out his small book Dick began scribbling lots of notes down, “Do you know this dame?” Sanders asked.

“It’s Kori’s missing sister, the girl that came in last night” Dick replied, “do you know where she is?” he asked to the pair.

“I don’t know, honest. I never got to see any kind of base or nothing, they just brought the guns to my house for me to sell” Chuck replied quickly

“I’m going to be lenient with you two, you’ve provided useful information so I’m going to offer you a chance. Pack your shit and get out of Blüdhaven tonight…because if we find out you’re still working for them then you’ll both be getting jail time” Dick declared in a threatening tone

The two men gulped and nodded anxiously, “Don’t need to tell me twice” Chuck said with a nervous laugh.

Picking up the crate of guns, Sanders looked at Dick anxiously “I hope you made a good call with that one”

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Adjusting the collar on his shirt Dick stood up straight as he knocked against the wooden door, after a few moments of silence he heard the door unlock and it opened to reveal the ethereal visage of Kori. She smiled as she recognised his face, “Greetings Dick!” she greeted happily

“Hi Kori” he replied with a smile, “Can I come in, I wanted to talk to you?”

“Of course” she replied leading him into a small dining room with a few chairs surrounding a table. Within moments of sitting down he found a cup of coffee placed in front of him, “I hope you like coffee” she said with a nervous smile

“Yeah coffee’s great” he replied with an appreciative smile, “does your brother not live with you?”

“No…Ryan went away to university a few months after Kom left…it has been quite lonely since he left” she said with a sad sigh, sipping at her own cup of coffee.

“You could afford university?” he asked, slightly confused as to how Kori had managed earn enough money to send her brother to university by herself

“My parents were quite wealthy, I inherited a lot of the money when they died. It is one of the reasons why myself and Kom argued a lot, I don’t believe they trusted her with the inheritance” she explained, “did you wish to speak to me about Kom?”

“Yes, I spoke to two members of the ‘City Dwellers’ gang. They told me that Komille has become the leader of the gang”

Kori gasped, “Oh my” putting her head in her hands, “if she is their leader then it means that she could be under even more danger should anyone try to take over”

“The two gang members seemed more scared of her than she would be of them…they said that she has been making them sell firearms around Blüdhaven”

“What?” she asked shocked, “surely they must be mistaken…Kom would never…”

“Nothing is certain yet Kori, it’s just here-say at the moment. I’m going to keep looking into it, we’ll find your sister”

Kori nodded sadly, “I just wish to know that she is safe” her eyes drifting sadly to her coffee cup

His heart ached for her, she had tragically lost her parents and had to take up the role of a parent for her brother and now she must worry about her criminal sister all whilst being alone in the world. Dick knew that if he had any problems he could always talk to Bruce, but Kori…she had no one. Taking another sip, he finished the remainder of his coffee and channelled his confidence, “Would you like to go out to dinner later?” he asked

“What?” she asked slightly lost in her worries, “you wish to go out with me?”

“Y-yeah…it’s just that, you shouldn’t feel alone with all this other stuff going on” he attempted to elaborate

She felt herself blushing as she pondered the proposition for a few moments before a warm smile graced her face, “Yes, I would like that”

Dick felt slightly lost in elation, “G-great, I’ll see you later then? 8pm?” he asked hopefully

“You will” she answered with a warm smile

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Dick must have spent every possible moment since he arrived back at his apartment searching for the perfect arrangement of clothes to wear, eventually he settled on a suit he had worn to one of Bruce’s galas a few years ago, luckily the clothes still fitted him. He smiled at himself in the mirror, he had dressed in fancy clothes hundreds of times before, but now it felt like the class had a purpose more than the pettiness of keeping up Bruce’s appearance. As he was about to lock the door he was interrupted by the shrill ringing of the telephone, sighing audible he walked over to the phone and lifted it to his ear “Detective Grayson speaking” he answered with a monotonous voice

“Dick, we need you down at the station” the voice of Sanders spoke

“What, why?” Dick asked quickly

“We need you to fill out some reports on Chuck and the crate of weapons…” Sanders sighed, “sorry, I know it’s your night off but the chief says it needs to be done ready for tomorrow”

Dick sighed sadly, “…Alright, I’ll be down there in a few minutes”, reaching into his pocket he placed the small slip of paper on the table and dialled Kori’s number. Letting it ring out twice he put the phone down sadly, he supposed she gone out for a few minutes before he would arrive. He just had to hope he wouldn’t be too long down at the station.

Tragically, Dick’s hopes were shot pretty quickly, minutes turned into hours as he had to explain the events with Chuck in excruciating detail. Sanders attempted to help him the best he could once he learned his partner had been on his way to a date but even with both of them it was still 11:30 by the time they had finished. Dick had wanted to call from the office but stupidly he had left the slip of paper with her number on his desk at his apartment. Bidding farewell to Sanders he left the station and began the walk to Kori’s house, it was just his luck that the rain had to start as he stepped out of the door.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Kori sat nervously on her couch twiddling her thumbs, looking up at the clock reading 7:55 pm she sighed anxiously to herself. She had spent most of the afternoon picking out the most attractive dress she owned and a hat to match with it. Now all she had to do was wait for him to arrive, but as 8pm turned into 8:30 she began to worry, 9pm rolled around soon after and still so sign of him, but still she sat patiently hoping against that her current thoughts were wrong. 10pm signalled the tears, she had been stood up by him, her heart thudded in her chest as she tried to contemplate why he would stand her up. He had been the one to make the offer and yet he had decided not to come, was she not pretty enough for him? Was there some other woman he had decided to take instead? That thought felt like a dagger in her chest and she felt a sob escaping her. She had opened her heart to him about how alone she was, her sister had abandoned her and now he had as well, why would he do this?

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Checking his watch he winced as he saw the time as 5 minutes to midnight, knocking on the door he heard no response. He sighed to himself, she had probably gone to bed by now and he didn’t blame her, knocking again slightly louder this time he heard some movement from behind the door. As the door opened his heart sank in his chest, lines of mascara spread from her eyes to her cheeks as visible reminders of how much she had cried, she still had on her dress, the one she was going to wear for their date, one of the most beautiful dresses he had ever seen. “Kori…” he said simply

“What do you want?” she said bitterly, her voice breaking slightly

“I’m so sorry Kori” he said sadly

“I waited for you…” she said, her tone slightly less bitter and now more expressive of her sadness

“I know, I’m so sorry I made you wait. I got called to the police station on my way here”

“Then why did you not call me?” she replied irritably

“I did try to call you but you didn’t pick up and then when I got to the office I couldn’t remember your number so I couldn’t call you from there either”

“How am I to know you were not with someone else and just decided to arrive now” she didn’t really know why she said that. She believed that he was telling the truth but she felt she deserved some amount of pettiness.

“I’m not like that Kori” he replied firmly, “I wouldn’t do that to anyone, especially not you, anyone at the police station could vouge for me”

She nodded sadly, wiped her eyes “I suppose it is too late to have dinner”

He felt even more guilty now, she hadn’t even eaten anything because she was still waiting for him to come. “I promised I would take you to dinner…come to my place and I will cook you something”

“What? Are you certain?” she asked nervously

“Dick Grayson keeps his promises” he answered with a reassuring smirk

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

It hadn’t taken long for them to reach his apartment and he had begun cooking their meals, placing a cup in front of her, she eyed it curiously. Inhaling the aroma from the drink she cautiously took a sip and gave a surprised squeak at the odd flavour “What is this?” she asked intrigued

“It’s a Romani blend of tea, my dad used to make it for me when I was a kid”

“You are part Romani?” she asked curiously

“Yeah I guess so, on my dad’s side”

“Is that why you make the tea, because of your heritage?” she asked with a smile

“Kind of…mostly I make it to remember my parents. They died when I was really young”

“Oh, I’m so sorry” she said sadly

Placing a plate of food in front of her he smiled, “Don’t be. I was adopted by a man named Bruce who took really good care of me, he’s one of the reasons I became a detective” he explained as he took the seat next to her.

Taking a bite of her food, she smiled, “You are a good cook”

“I learned a lot from my butler Alfred, he taught my basically everything he knew about cooking so that I could make things on my own” he explained smiling at how quickly she was ploughing through the food “sorry to make you wait for dinner”

“It was worth the wait” she replied with a smile

“I’m really glad you came over” he said happily, “I was really looking forward to seeing you before I got dragged down to the station”

“I suppose the wait has made seeing each other sweeter, yes?” she replied, a small sly smirk on her face

He felt a growing heat in his face, “Definitely”

“It is a rarity to have a man cook for me, I am very grateful” she said, her expression growing even more flirtatious

“I can cook for you more often if you want” he replied, his voice breaking slightly as his face burned

“That would be…glorious”, she said resting her hand gently on his leg. She couldn’t ignore her own blush but she was enjoying flirting with him too much to care.

Dick looked at his watch quickly, it was already 1:30 am. “I should walk you home, it’s really late”

She nodded, “I could simply stay with her with you instead though…if walking is too much trouble” she replied sweetly, fluttering her eyelashes gently.

Dick was felt lucky that she couldn’t hear his heart hammering in his chest, taking a small gulp to clear the clog in his throat he nodded “If you want to”

Leaning forwards she kissed him softly, she smiled against him as she felt him begin to kiss her back “I would love to” she replied in the same sweet and innocent voice.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Over the next few days the couple had been spending more and more time together, it had become commonplace to find her waiting at in his apartment when he finished at the police station, the action definitely wasn’t unwelcomed. At the same time Dick had been working harder to find leads about the ‘City Dwellers’ gang and Komille, he had hit the metaphorical jackpot when an eyewitness had spotted a woman entering in and out of an abandoned warehouse, her description matched that of Komille almost perfectly and the evidence was too strong to ignore.

Gathering up and entire squadron of police Dick led them to the warehouse, all of the officers had come prepared for a shootout, they doubted that a gang dealing firearms wouldn’t be packing any themselves. Sadly there predictions had been correct and a number of officers had been injured in an attempt to incapacitate the gang, it wasn’t long before they had found their way to the backroom and discovered the crime boss himself arresting Roland Desmond on the spot. The realisation had shocked the entire police force, Desmond was probably the most infamous criminal in all of Blüdhaven, so infamous that he had been given the nickname “Blockbuster” due to fact he would use his bare hands to execute his foes rather than any sort of weapon. Desmond had left Blüdhaven for a while to start up his gang somewhere else which Dick now understood as the time his gang operated in Kori’s city. It seemed unbelievable that a criminal of Desmond’s status would lead such a small gang like the ‘City Dwellers’, but regardless the police were happy to lock away the most wanted criminal in Blüdhaven. Not much longer after his arrest Komille had returned to the warehouse and she too was arrested for her assistance in leading the gang. But fortunately due to Dick’s influence as detective he was able to have her released on probation to be monitored by Kori and himself.

TTTTTTTTTTTT

“Chief’s gonna promote you big time for helping bringing in Desmond” Sanders said handing his younger partner a cigar and patting him on the back. Dick eyed it uncertainly, “you’ve earned it, Dick”

Dick smiled gratefully and lit the cigar before taking a puff he held the smoke in his mouth, finding it an odd sensation before blowing it back out of the open window of his office. Looking out over the city he smiled, “The city feels safer now that Desmond and his gang are locked up”

“It sure does, we owe a lot of that to you” stepping over to Dick’s desk he placed down the cigar box. “I want you to take these…give one of em to that dame of yours, if it wasn’t for her case then we might not have got the lead to find Desmond”

Dick smiled, “Thanks, I don’t think Kori smokes though”

“Ah well just save it till she does I guess” Sanders replied with a laugh taking another puff of his cigar before leaving Dick’s office.

Dick smiled as he turned back to watch the darkening city out of the window, something about the crime-ridden felt peaceful tonight.

The End

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Author’s Notes:

Changed my mind, hope you enjoyed!

If you didn’t spot the reference, ‘City Dwellers’ is a play on words of ‘Citadel’ which was the race of aliens that Blackfire allowed to conquer and enslave Tamaran.

#robstarweek #robstar week #robstar #teen titans #robin #starfire #dick grayson #au

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