#village. we were utterly alone; could barely see the sea; but i knew it was there and could hear the rush of it and it was so so cold and m

[thewinedarksea]

the all-important water picture round-up

[kumeko]

A/N: For the @barretzine ! I think Elmyra and Barret could start a single-parents club and go on friendship dates comparing notes on their kids.

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It had been a long time since Barret had stepped foot into a home. A proper home too, not the rooms in the back of the bar or the tiny, cramped closets that passed for apartments in the slums. He slowly studied the area around him with an appreciative nod, taking note of the photos on the walls, the carefully stored plates, and the small round dining table, barely big enough to fit three. His body felt too big for the small chair, but it wasn’t uncomfortable despite that.

No, this was a proper home, the kind that he’d dreamed of as a kid in a backwater town. The warm scent of baking cookies lingered in the air. Vases of real flowers sat in every corner, a burst of colour impossible to ignore. If he walked along the wall, he could see Aerith growing from child to woman, her sunny smile remaining the same. Even the sunlit flower field outside felt more homey than wild, and perhaps it wasn’t a surprise a woman as warm as Aerith came from a house like this.

A steaming cup of tea was set on the table in front of him and Barret tore his eyes away from his surroundings to turn to Elmyra. “Thanks.”

“Figure you’re more of a coffee person but…” She brushed a stray lock behind her ear, a movement so identical to Aerith’s that he thought he was seeing double for a second. “Well, we have to make do with what we have.”

“Can’t argue with that.” Barret chuckled as he picked up the cup. It felt tiny in his hands. It didn’t match Elmyra’s cup or his saucer, the patterns all different, but that wasn’t uncommon here. It was hard to get good things without compromising. “Nice place you have here.”

“An effort and half to take care of it, but I like it.” Elmyra sat down, angling her chair so they could talk to each other properly. She glanced at the photos. “I’m sure Aerith’s embarrassed those are still up, but well, I like the memories.”

Barret guffawed. From the moment they met, he’d felt a sense of kinship. Just like him, she was rough around the edges, time wearing her jagged parts into something less sharp but just as blunt. “Everyone should be embarrassed by their parents. I’ll embarrass the shit out of Marlene.”

Elmyra snorted, giving him a dry look. “Oh, I doubt that. She adores you.”

“Not nearly as much as I love her,” Barret replied automatically, before flushing. It was one thing to coo at his daughter, it was another to talk like that to a stranger. But Elmyra didn’t laugh, just nodded knowingly, and he relaxed slightly. No one else at Avalanche was a parent, let alone a single one, and he’d forgotten what it was like to talk to someone else who just knew what he was talking about.

He glanced outside the window. Marlene sat in the center of the field, excitedly talking to Aerith as they weaved crowns out of the sea of flowers around them. It was an utterly idyllic, ordinary scene. To think, just yesterday, he’d been afraid he’d never see it again. “Thanks.”

“Hmm?” Elmyra raised a brow, perplexed. She tapped her teacup and scoffed. “Tea’s not that good.”

“No, for Marlene…” Barret’s voice cracked as he remembered his fear, his panic as he’d walked through the dusty children’s park, the slide somehow still standing despite everything. For a moment, he had been back in Correl, his village burning around him, his people falling like wheat to a sickle. For a moment, he had been alone again. “I…if she had…”

“Say nothing of it.” In an oddly intimate gesture, Elmyra reached out and squeezed his hand. Her skin was rougher than he’d expected. The calluses one her fingers were the same as his, the burden of blue-collar worker. Turning to the window, her expression softened as she stared at Aerith. “I’ve been there before. Just glad I could help.”

 His story wasn’t unique, not here in the slums. Barret sometimes forgot that. Jessie’s parents, Biggs’ school, even Tifa hid darkness behind her sunny smile. Elmyra was no exception to their shared pain. And behind all that, Shinra stood, a dark, malevolent shadow bent on destroying them all.

He would change that. He would tear down that company, down to its rotting foundations.

Barret never doubted that. He didn’t regret the choices he made since he’d joined Avalanche.

Yet. He watched Marlene giggle as a butterfly landed on her hand. Her story didn’t have to be like theirs. No, hers could be a happy one, full of light. If he hadn’t kept Marlene all those years ago, if he had given her to an ordinary family, maybe even one like Elmyra’s…

Maybe she would be safer. Happier. Marlene had always been a perceptive child and he’d notice the way she tossed and turned in her sleep when he left for missions, the way she’d follow him like a baby duck for days after he’d return back from one.

“Did she like it here?” he asked finally.

“It’s not my first rodeo.” Elmyra shot him a questioning look, noticing the change in tone. “We baked. She’s a good helper.” She jabbed her thumb over her shoulder, in the direction of the kitchen. “They’re almost done.”

Aside from Tifa’s cooking, Barret couldn’t remember the last time they’d had a home-cooked meal. He clenched his jaw. Just how many other things had Marlene had missed out on? His fingers curled into his thigh. “It’s fine if she stays here a little longer? I…there are some things I need to do.”

Elmyra furrowed her brow, scrutinizing him. After a long moment, she shrugged. “Sure, we got room for one more.”

He relaxed, resting his fingers flat on his leg, releasing the tension in his jaw. Perhaps, during his absence, Marlene could finally experience a level of normalcy. “Thanks.”

“But don’t take too long, or she’ll get homesick,” Elmyra added sharply, as though she read his mind.

Considering the state of Sector 7, there wasn’t really much of a home to go back to. Most of it was rubble now, the people they knew and loved buried in a stone coffin. “The bar—”

“Ain’t the bar she’s missing.” Elmyra snorted, shaking her head. Getting up, she headed into the kitchen. “Like I said, she adores you. Your friends too. Spent most of her time here talking about all the things you get up to in the dusty bar.”

There was the sound of the oven opening and closing, the cookie smell growing stronger. She returned with a plateful of chocolate-chip cookies and set it down in front of him. “She spends a lot of time worrying about you.”

“I’m sure she does.” He stared at the cookies. It was easy to tell which ones Elmyra made and which ones Marlene did—just like him, hers were roughly shaped.

“So when you’re done, you’d better make up for all of that.” Elmyra rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand. Turning it over, she laid a cookie on his palm. “They grow up fast. Blink and you’ll miss it. So you’d better not take too long finishing business either.”

The cookie was hot, but even if it was cold he was certain it would sear a mark on his skin. Barret glanced up at Elmyra, then out the window at Marlene. Noticing his stare, she grinned and waved, holding up her crown with her other hand. It was too big for her head and with a start he realized it was for him.

What was he thinking? That toothy smile wasn’t for anyone but him. Another family might have kept her away from AVALANCHE, but Shinra was everywhere, in even the most subtle of ways. There was no safety, not really, as long as Shinra was around.

He’d keep her safe. Barret would destroy Shinra, and then he’d come home and make her happy. Waving back, he smiled.

And no one could make Marlene happier than he did. He could guarantee it.

“Don’t need you to tell me how to do my business.” Barret bit the chocolate-chip cookie and felt warm to the core. “I’ll be back before you know it.”

“Counting on it.” Elmyra smiled, sitting back in her seat. Her fingers wrapped around her cup and she raised it, inhaling the scent. “You’d better keep an eye on Aerith out there.”

“They won’t hurt a hair on her head,” Barret pledged, thumping his chest proudly. It was the least, the absolute least, he could do.

“I’d take the hair from your head, but I’m not sure you can survive the loss.” Elmyra chuckled, sipping her tea.

“Hey! I’ll have you know this is actually real fashionable,” he protested weakly as he grabbed another cookie. It was hard to stop with just one. “They’re good.”

Elmyra sipped her tea, amusement shining bright in her eyes. “Like I said, she’s a good helper.”

Barret puffed his chest with pride. “She takes after her Daddy.” 

And that was a title he absolutely refused to let go.

[gravityunforgiven]

Right Where You Left Me (Kakashi x OC)

Pairings: Kakashi x OC, Jiraiya x Tsunade, Dan x Tsunade

Synopsis:

She was the daughter of a Legendary Sannin, He, a son of a disgraced shinobi. Fate brought them together but life tore them apart. Will they be able to take control of their destinies and find their way back to each other?

...Or will they be another victim of the cruel shinobi world they are both a part of?

Chapter Three

She was barely three when their paths first met. She had his attention for about ten minutes then that was it for the first meeting. It was because of her age and her last name. The Senju clan, nowadays, was only seen or heard in their history textbooks. Now there was one standing right infront of the class.

This is new. He remembered thinking.

They never really interacted because he was a chūnin a week later. She didn’t really notice his departure either. All she knew was the. class celebrated for something and the boy with the scarf was gone.

She stayed in the academy until she was six. She was hardly at school in her first year and the teachers didn’t question it. She was still young after all. She can take her time. She spent most of her days that year in the Medical Division of Konohagakure. She can learn ninjutsu from a lot of people but there was only one person to learn medical ninjutsu from.

Their paths crossed again when she was nine. Her mother just left. Jiraiya was knee-deep in his travels and she was stayed with her master, Inoichi Yamanka, before she moved to her own apartment. The Senju compound was too big for to live in alone.

Minato was teaching her a jutsu when the team he was leading arrived. This time he was able to introduce himself.

“Kakashi Hatake.” He said, almost too impatiently.

“Nice too meet you.” She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

She stayed with them for the rest of the afternoon then tagged along for a couple of B-Rank missions. They never talked more than what was needed. Rin became good friends with her. Obito was amused to see the girls braiding each other’s hair.

Minato, along with Inoichi Yamanaka, took her under their wing. They said she was special.

More than me? He so carelessly thought back then.

He wouldn’t realize until years later that she was so unique she became dispensable.

Because of her training with Minato, Akira became close to his-then girlfriend, Kushina. Kakashi saw how close they became they were almost like sisters.

Akira became a permanent figure in Kakashi’s life. They mostly ignored each other’s presence but he got so used to seeing her in the takoyaki shop he half-expected her to be there everytime he walked by. She wasn’t always with friends, most of the time she ate there on her own, in the same spot every single time.

That was until Team Minato was pulled into a mission. When they came back, she was nowhere to be found. At first no one was really bothered. After all, they were all shinobis and when duty calls, they go. But then weeks turned into months and still not even Akira’s shadow was seen. Rumors began spreading in the ranks about her whereabouts. Some says she was in a long term mission in the Land of Rains, others say she was captured and was being held and even Kurenai, who was like her older sister, together with the rest of their batch had no idea where she was or if she was in a mission. He heard Asuma talking about how he asked the Third Hokage about Akira, however, much to their dismay, his lips remained shut and he simply dismissed his son from his office.

Finally, Rin gathered her courage and asked their own sense if he knew anything about this. Minato fought with himself for a while. It was classified information but seeing the look from his students even Kakashi was enough him to give in. He made them swore to never breathe a word of what he was about to say.

“She joined the ANBU Black Ops.” Rin gasped. Obito’s jaw hung wide open. Kakashi who always seemed to be unfazed struggled to keep his cold composture together. They didn’t see that coming. Not in a million years. Kakashi remembered how her name was so fitting for her. She was always so...bright. She was like the sun on a beautiful day. Wherever you go, or whoever you are she will always graze you with her presence like the rays of a sunlight. She lacked the darkness necessary to be an ANBU. She was the complete opposite of those people.

“The Third Hokage allowed it?” Obito asked. Lord Third treated Akira like his very own grand-daughter. After all, she was the daughter of one of his legendary students. It was only fitting that he looed after all while her mother was unavailable.

“ No. He didn’t.” Minato replied.

“ She joined The Foundation.”

—————

He didn’t see her again until Rin’s death. Once, he had asked Minato why Akira was always sent on dangerous missions. Missions they usually were not allowed to do until they were further into their career. This took Minato by surprise. He didn’t know Kakashi had been observing the girl since he usually ignored her presence and vice-versa. The time the two would acknowledge each other is through their relentless bickering due to the fact that no one wants to admit they’re wrong and often times than not, it ends in a full-blown fight between the two prodigies.

Minato eyed the silver-haired ninja. He was usually not bothered by anything that doesn’t have to do with abiding with the rules but the look on his face was clear enough for Minato to realize that this was not the case.

“Being unique isn’t always good.” Minato started.

“You know she uses Wood Release right?”

Kakashi silently nodded. That was common knowledge in the village. Even in the neigboring lands, her reputation preceded her.

“Villages seek power to protect their lands. Right now, Akira is one of the greatest threats to their lands that’s why we train her as hard as we possibly can. A lot of people wants to hurt her and use her for their own good. They want to use one of our own against us.” He remembered Minato saying.

During Rin’s funeral, he caught only a glimpse of her from where he stood by the trees. She was at the back despite being a close friend of Rin’s. She stood silently and kept her eyes firmly on the floor. Kakashi wouldn’t have recognized her if it weren’t for her golden hair that stood out among the sea of dark colored heads. She’s so different. Everything’s changed so much. After a few hi’s and hello’s, she was once again gone. But despite the dark hole Kakashi fell into, for some reason, the girl with the blonde hair never completely left the his mind.

—————

The first time she actually talked to him first, he just joined the ANBU under the Fourth Hokage’s Command.

“I guess we’re teammates now.’ She said removing a wolf-shaped mask. He looked up from the bench he was sitting on in the locker rooms.

A grin was plastered on her face.He immediately recognized her voice though it’s been years since he last heard it. She was twelve and he was just about to turn fourteen that day. But they were so much older and wiser than the kids their age. They had witnessed so many deaths to be called children.

It was the burden of being one of a kind.

They now worked often with each other since they are now both under the Hokage’s command. Gone were the days of bickering and throwing insults at each other. He now knew the burden of being an ANBU. He wondered how much worse she had to do while under Lord Danzo’s command. How many had she killed? Can she even count it at this point?

Minato, after being named Hokage, recruited Akira back from The Foundation to his own a little too quickly than the elders were comfortable with. But the Yondaime Hokage was adamant to have Akira back on his care knowing how much the irreversible damage The Foundation can cause to a person.

Even now, the changes in Akira’s disposition was easily seen by those who knew her before her time in the Root. She still smiled and laughed like she did before but her eyes no longer had the same shine they had before. She tried to hide it. But Kakashi wasn’t so easily fooled. She was just glad he never said a single word about it.

Kakashi and Akira were placed on different teams. She was already leading a group of three people twice her size when he joined but every now and then, when the circumstances call for it, they will be paired together. An unspoken rule was formed between the two. As the only living members of Team Minato (though she tagged along for only a couple of missions) they were to protect each other as best they can.

Though she didn’t need much protection, Kakashi kept an eye on her for old times sake. Just like a few years earlier, they didn’t really talked much during their time in the ANBU. He was too busy wallowing in his guilt and she was kind enough to leave him in in his own knowing it was what he wanted but not exactly what he needed. All she could do was keep an eye on him and make sure he knows that she was there if he needed her.

Their relationship didn’t change from what it was during the time of Team Minato but this time, they treated each other with the utmost respect. They were comrades now. Though the rules of the ANBU stated that the mission comes first, they both knew they had each other’s back. After all, among their classmates, the two of them are the only ones who understood the loneliness of being an ANBU.

Of being truly and utterly alone.

—————

He knew she was brave. She had proven it time and time again. He had seen it from their time together when they were younger, they had heard stories from the older shinobis who had worked with her, and he saw it again every time they were paired in a mission. There was no question that she was brave but that night during the Kyūubi Attack, he was almost certain she too was looking for an easy way to just die. He had a good reason. Unlike her, he was dispensable. He had no one. All he had was the nightmares that haunt him at night. The faces of his fallen teammates and the cold body of his father playing again and again like a broken record every time he closes his eyes. That was all he had. If he dies, people would mourn, yes, but they would move on and go about their life. They would eventually forget and he would always remain the ninja who killed his friend to others.

He had no real purpose. He doesn’t have anyone left to protect. Or to live for.

She was different. She was loved by everyone. She was alone most of the time but she still had Jiraiya who comes and visit every now and then. She had a purpose. She had a reason to live.

Or so he thought.

They were placed inside a barrier the night of the Nine-Tails Attack. The elders said it wasn’t their fight. They have to sit this one out so they could live another day.

Kakashi looked around the group that they have formed. Most of his former classmates were on the front of the pack together with a few other shinobis their age but as he scanned the crowd, he quickly realized Akira was not among them.

He knew she took her first day off in months today. She had deliberately worked during her time off in order to gain more experience and training. Kakashi always thought how Akira seemed to always seem to act as if she was running out of time and how she wouldn’t take rest until she was forced to by the injuries she acquired during her missions.

This time was no different. She came back from a mission in the Land of Lighting only a couple of days ago and if it wasn’t for the direct order from the Hokage to take a break, she would have been out for another one by this time. He was unusually aware that she was hardly in the village these days.

It was a few minutes later when Akira’s figure emerged from the woods. She stopped dead at her tracks halfway into the clearing. A look of confusion was visible on her face as she scanned the scene ahead of her. What the hell?

Kakashi watched as Akira stopped dead in her tracks and stiffened as she took in the scene in front of her. For a moment, their eyes met and almost instantly, the look of confusion was gone in her face replaced with outrage.

She shoved the two jonins on her either side then she was on the run back to the village. Her path was quickly blocked by more leaf shinobis assigned to keep the younger ninjas safe.

“Lady Akira, please.” Shinku Yuhi, Kurenai’s father, pleaded.

“What do you think you’re doing?!” She spatted back. Her eyes were full of rage. This isn’t where she’s supposed to be. She should be where the fighting is, not kept away from it. This isn’t what she’s been training for.

“We’re just followi-“ He wasn’t able to finish his sentence because Akira was on him. pinning him down with earth style.

Kakashi and the rest of the group inside the barrier couldn’t do anything but watch as Akira battled five jōnins at once. Their mouths hung wide open as they saw firsthand Akira’s proficiency in using the wood style. The group, excluding Kakashi, had never seen someone use wood style in person. Despite the common knowledge that Akira was a wood style user, she only uses it as a last resort knowing that it would only gain more unwanted attention in terms of her capabilities. She usually relies on other nature transformations as much as she can.

This was the first time for most of the people in the clearing see someone use wood style and handle it with such finesse and ease as well. They thought that her skills was on full display that night but Kakashi knew how much she was trying to hold back. He knew she would have defeated them if she wasn’t being as cautious as she is in making sure to not harm any of her comrades and if she wasn’t still recovering from her recent injuries.

Eventually, Akira was outnumbered by the seven jōnins who fought with her and they tackled her to the ground. Her cheek pressed on the dirt as they tied her hands behind her back and made sure she could not weave any more signs.

She could see her classmates staring at her in shock. They haven’t really seen her in action as she didn’t officially join any team after graduation. They had no idea what she can do. Or what I’ve done.

Once she was in the barrier Kurenai quickly untied the younger girl’s hand. Akira was still half a foot shorter than herself but she seemed so much older already.

Akira relentlessly pounded on the barrier. Her right hand was still bandaged but her hits did not falter.

“Listen, I know you have your orders but it doesn’t include me! I can help capture the nine tails with wood style! Don’t you understand that?!” She was practically screaming at her superiors standing only a fees feet away. She was trained to fight. To save the village. To not let anyone get hurt, to help the Hokage the best she can. That was what they drilled into her brain growing up. There was a reason she had all these abilities and she should use to help others. Being stuck inside a barrier wasn’t part of any plan.

“Lord Third specifically mentioned you, Akira.” Shinku replied. Akira was confused. She was the protector not the one who needed protecting. She would gladly lay her life for the billage but now, they’re asking her to sit back and watch the village burn just so she could remain safe?

“Akira, stop.” Kurenai was barely able to grab her arm mid-punch to keep it from colliding with the barrier once again.

“Damn it!” She gave the barrier once last hit and turned around. She didn’t saw it but the rest did as the barrier flickered and for a moment, a crack appeared from where punched the barrier.

Her abilities were one thing, her raw power were another.

“Just calm down, will you?” Kurenai was on Akira’s heels as she made her way to the back.

“Lord Third must have a reason of he wanted you here, Akira.” Gai chirped in attempt to help Kurenai calm the still seething Akira.

“Orders are orders, Akira. We can’t do anything about that.” Kakashi says. He wanted to fight as bad as she does. He knew Minato was out there fighting the kyūubi and having them in the field would be a great help for the village. Kakashi secretly hoped Akira could somehow break them out of this bubble so they could fulfill their duties instead of being forced to watch as the nine-tails burn their village just because they were not old enough.

“You know I don’t care about orders, Kakashi.”She snapped right back at him. She followed orders because it was the right thing to do, but unlike him, she had no problem on breaking it when push comes to shove.

Akira had already decided what she needed to do when Kurenai noticed. “No,no. Don’t even think about it.” Kurenai had grabbed Akira’s arm and gave her a stern look. She can’t do this.

“You can die.” Akira didn’t need any reminder. She was aware of the risks she as taking but she couldn’t care less about that right now. There were just some things that had to be done no matter what the consequences were.

“Only one way to know.” She said, already performing the hand signs for the jutsu. She’ll deal with the consequences for her action later, for now, she’ll do what she knows is right.

“Ghost Transformation Jutsu!” Akira’s body fell on the ground as her soul ascended. She was engulfed in a white glow as the others watched in awe. She didn’t waste any more time and disappeared in the sky like a shooting star to the direction of their village. She didn’t know if she can comeback to her body as she hadn’t mastered the jutsu yet and Inoichi had strongly discouraged in practicing without his guidance. She still haven’t got the right skill and the possibility of her being stuck in this form until her death was much greater than she would like to admit.

Kurenai watched as the girl’s body fell onto the ground as her soul left her body and into the night. She barely caught Akira’s head before her body collided on the soil. She was well-aware of the fact that Inoichi had barred Akira in practicing this jutsu without his guidance proving that the jutsu was more dangerous than what Akira could handle at the moment. It was no simple technique that could be undone in a matter of days. They were talking about life and death on this one.

The people outside the barrier were also alarmed of the what Akira had done. They were former comrades with her father, Dan, and they were well aware of the implications that came in using this jutsu. Even with Akira’s huge chakra reserves, she could still potentially ran out of it if she wasn’t careful of her actions.

They soon realized Akira was not being careful at all as blood soaked through her shirt and the land beneath her darkened from the massive amount of blood leaving her body.

No one knew what happened but a loud explosion was heard from where they were and the next thing they knew, Akira was just bleeding on the ground.

Kakashi was quick to react and firmly pressed his hands on Akira’s wounds on her midsection. There was just so much blood oozing out of her wound despite the pressure Kakashi was putting on. Kurenai was nearly in tears as she held the smaller girl’s head in her lap.

“It’s the jutsu.” Kurenai said when Kakashi’s clearly worried eye met hers. “Whatever happens to her soul also happens to her body.”

She was unconscious for two weeks. People wondered if another name was to be added in the already long list of the people who lost their lives that night.

What happened with her, the Third Hokage was the only one alive who knows.

Next Up: LOTS of Kakashi fluff.

Ask or Reblog for a tag!

[a-simple-imagine]

A Treasured Memory

Synopsis: You reminisce on the past with Charlie.  Prompt: "you're quite cute when you're tired"

Pairing: Charlie Weasley x fem!reader

Words: 2.1k+

A/N - This was written for @blisfvll​‘s 1.5k writing challenge. This is my first time writing for Charlie Weasley but I am utterly in love with him as a character. This whole thing is just pure fluff so I hope you all enjoy it. 

Shrouded in the dim light of flickering candles, you're sat up in bed examining a photo album that arrived by owl. It had been addressed to the both of you so you took it upon yourself to open it. Your fingertips dance over the silky smooth film almost like you could feel the energy of that day from many moons ago. It showed Charlie dead centre surrounded by white snow and bare trees, just in the distance you could see the Shrieking Shack. He wore a thick green coat that reached to his knees, darkish blue jeans and a maroon jumper adorned with a deep yellow 'C' right in the middle. A red and yellow scarf rested tightly around his neck and flecks of pure white sat upon his flaming red hair. The smile on his face indicated a desire to be anywhere but in front of the camera and he was utterly oblivious to you creeping up behind him. As your hands slap against his shoulders, he jumps out of his skin. You can't help but smile as you watch the simple memory play out within the confines of the photograph. Bill had been the one to take it and you were rather grateful that he had. It was a special day forever engraved in your mind.

"What are you looking at?" Pulled from your thoughts by the man himself, Charlie enters the bedroom in nothing more than a pair of red and white checkered PJ bottoms. The bed dips beside you as he climbs in and you place the photo album carefully in his lap.

"Do you remember this?" A day so special to you could be long forgotten by him.

"Where did you get this?"

Your gaze falls to the photograph once more. "Your parents. It's mostly photos of you and your family," Flipping over the page, there was a picture of a very smiley Charlie with a tiny Ginny Weasley. It was an adorable shot but you quickly turn back. "Except for this one- do you remember?"

"Kind of... We went to Hogsmeade with Bill right?"

You nod a little before proclaiming ever so proudly. "I remember this day perfectly."

"And why is that?" Charlie passes the album back so you can continue your walk down memory lane.

"Because it was the day I realised I was actually in love with you..."

Grey clouds filled the afternoon sky, covering the ground in a thick blanket of snow. There was a brisk chill laced with the breeze that threatened to invade your winter clothes, but for now, they kept you reasonably warm. Snow flew into the air with every kick of your shoe and just a few paces behind you the crunch of Charlie followed. The day had been spent accompanying the two eldest Weasley siblings, Bill and Charlie around the small village of Hogsmeade. Nothing had struck your fancy except a Pumpkin Fizz purchased at The Three Broomsticks; the boys had both ordered Butterbeers. Bill was the first to leave so when the time came to return to Hogwarts, it was just you and Charlie. Not that you minded, he was your best friend after all. It had been that way ever since your second year when you showed a mild interest in dragons only to discover your fellow Gryffindor was rather... passionate about the subject. It was one of many things you came to admire about Charlie; he was so passionate about everything he engaged with. It was very sweet to witness just how excited he came at the mention of the ferocious magical creatures.

"It's so cold today." You muse out loud; a shiver spilling through your veins as the cold air blew against your face. It was beginning to feel numb with how cold it was. Charlie hummed in agreement. "Maybe next time you drag me out in the snow we should invest in some hot coco." Spinning on your heel, you begin to walk backwards so you can face him.

"You actually invited yourself," Charlie countered, his brow creasing. It really brought focus to the scar across his eyebrow. "It was only supposed to be Bill and me."

"Oh I see how it is" Arms folded, your bottom lip comes out in your best pout. "You could have just said you didn't want to hang out,"

"You know I didn't mean it that way," His expression softens, he really was too gentle for his own good. Of course, you knew he didn't mean to make it sound like your company was unwanted, you just liked making him sweat. "Sorry,"

"For what?" Bending at the knee, you brush the snow around you into a messy pile. Grabbing a handful off the very top. "I'm the one who intruder on your brotherly bonding." Standing back up, you roll the snow between your hands into a responsibly neat ball. The melting flakes quickly seeping through your Gryffindor mittens.

"We were happy to have you."

His words bring along a smile. "Thanks," Without hesitation, you throw your completed snowball directly at him. It smashes against the large yellow C of his jumper, covering him in white powder. "Now, come on."

Turning back around, you march forward with sincere child-like glee. There was something so magical about the way snow could make a person feel. You come to an abrupt stop as snow crashes into the back of your head; luckily none of it got into your coat. Glancing towards Charlie, he's brushing his hands together with an undeniable smirk. "Oh, it's on Weasley,"

Open fields, bare trees and stone walls guide the way back to the main castle meaning there was a lack of places to find cover. However, there certainly wasn't a lack of ammunition. Running ahead, you duck behind some cobblestone as best you can. Snowballs fly in your direction and you manage to dodge each one as you prepare your own stockpile. With one snowball in hand and five or so in reserve, you very carefully peer over the edge of the wall. Nothing but stone and snow; Charlie had completely vanished. Nicely played. With a deep breath, you listen for the sound of shoes against snow but the whistle of the wind is a heavy distraction. By the time the crunch hits your frozen ears, it's too late; Snow descends from up high like your own personal avalanche, covering you entirely in the frozen flakes. "Gotcha."

"Weasley," You whine, springing to your feet. Shaking your entire body to rid yourself of snow but it already managed to find it's way down your collar while freezing cold water begins to seep through your coat. Hearty laughter fills the air from an utterly amused Weasley; you try to look angry but it's a losing battle as you giggle alongside him. Feeling a lot colder than before, your eyes narrow in on him like a hawk and with the reflexes of a hare, the boy flees for his life. Grabbing the spare snowballs, you launch them one after the other as you chase after him. "You'll pay for that," A few land on their target but he's an agile little bugger. As he sprints past the wall collecting snow, he tosses it back before dropping to the ground. Both concerned and amused, you jog up to him.

"Charlie?" You find him face down in the white snow creating an almost perfect outline of his body. With a deep groan, Charlie flips onto his back; face flushed in a shade of bright red bringing his freckles into the spotlight. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine- don't worry." A sigh of relief, you offer him a gentle smile and a helping hand which he gladly accepts; pulling him to his feet. "Thanks,"

A tender smile graces his lips and for a split second you find yourself lost in his eyes; you've never noticed quite how unique they are. The light brown that surrounds the pupil fades so elegantly into the sea of blue. They're... mystical. Your heart beats a little bit faster as you both stand there in comfortable silence. Reaching up slowly, you brush some snow from his hair. "You should be more careful. We don't want you getting hurt." So many hours spent together and yet something felt different. Pulling your hand away quickly, heat rushed to your cheeks and you push him away. It was only then, while alone playing in the snow, did you realise that somewhere along the way your feelings towards him had changed; or perhaps you had just been scared to admit it to yourself before. "The last one to the castle is a rotten egg- and If I win I expect a chocolate frog."

As fast as you believed yourself to be, the snow made it increasingly difficult especially with it being rather deep. You also didn't count on Charlie Weasley being as fast as he was.

"Cheater," Is all he has to say as he so easily surpasses you; reaching the castle before you have a chance to think of a witty comeback. The boy leans so smugly against the castle wall as you approach, brows furrowed. "That's one chocolate frog for me,"

"How - are you - so fast?" You question between each breath. The race took more out of you than expected; at least you felt a little warmer now. Charlie shrugs at the question and so it's soon forgotten. What used to be such a normal act for the two of you now set your stomach a flutter as you take hold of his hand. "One chocolate frog coming right up."

"You don't have to," He replies, shaking his head a little.

"It was my idea and now I have to pay the price for losing."

Could he sense your nerves as you drifted through the castle corridors towards the common room? Did he feel the beat of your heart or the fluttering in your stomach with your hands together? Did he recognise the moment too? Heat washed over you as you entered the common room; a tickle contained in the bridge of your nose and your head begins to throb.

"I'm gonna go get changed." Dropping his hand, you disappear up to your dorm opting for something more comfortable and warm. It was awfully cold in here now. Heading back down to the coom room, you find Charlie lounging on the couch in front of the fire; just what you needed right now. There were a few students littered around the room but it was relatively quiet. Sitting on the edge next to him, you hold out your hands in front of the fire in search of its warm embrace. "Are you sneaking off into the forbidden forest tonight?"

"Not so loud," He hushes you. "Not tonight, it's way too cold. Not even mum's jumpers will help."

"I think your mum's jumpers are plenty warm," You fall back against the couch; head feeling cloudy. Why did you suddenly feel so hot?

"I can ask her to make you one if you like?" Charlie offers brightly meanwhile your head falls to rest against your best friend's shoulder. "She's always looking for an excuse to knit more." Chuckling to yourself, your eyes drift closed to deal with the sudden onset dizziness. "You alright?" You nod a little against him. Distant voices and the crackling of the fire filling the silence between you. "you're quite cute when you're tired"

Your heart skips a beat but you try not to think anything of it. It’d hurt your head too much to think anything of it. "I'm always cute,"

"Sure you are," a playful chuckle that's quick to fade leaves his lips "Maybe we should get you to bed?"

A gentle groan in response. "I'm fine here. Just... talk to me."

"About what?"

You knew Charlie better than anyone other than maybe his family so there was only one obvious answer. He just needed a little encouragement to ensure you didn't find him annoying; which unknown to him you never do when he talks about them. "I don't know... dragons?"

You don't hear much after that as you feel yourself begin to drift off but you just know his eyes are glittering with every ounce of passion he has for the beasts...

"If I remember correctly, didn't you get sick that day?" Charlie's voice breaks you from the memory. He was right; it turned out that you felt so exhausted because you'd actually caught a cold.

"Yeah," Closing over the album, you place it off on the bedside table for another day. Attention turned to Charlie, he's laying back with his head rested against his hands. Leaning down you place the gentlest of kisses against his lips. "Then you asked Bill to help brew a pepperup potion. Worked a treat although I didn't appreciate the steam shooting out of my ears."

[ymiwritesstuff]

Corrupted King

More Dimitri, more angst lol. Seriously I had this idea ever since I remembered that Dimitri took out Imperial army forces ALONE during the five years he was in exile. Anyway I hope you guys like this even tho this isn’t really romantic.

Fire Emblem Three Houses

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd x Fem!Reader

Summary: When you encounter the aftermath of a brutal battle you seek shelter at an abandoned barn, only to realize that you aren’t alone.

Notes: Angst, Small spoilers for Azure Moon route.

The past five years had been tough. The Holy Kingdom was almost fully invaded, its ruler was gone, and with only a small fraction of the Kingdom nobles trying to defy the Imperial influence and army. The Empire was making its presence known and spreading its forces throughout the continent, greedily attempting to overrun the weaker regions of Fódlan and bending them to its ruler’s will. The war was overwhelming and costly. People died and fled, homes were destroyed and the state of the Kingdom was enough to make anyone lose hope. However, with war, came rumors.

A mere commoner like you, who was challenged by the cruelty of reality almost every day, shouldn’t have believed such rumors. However, when the word about Imperial armies being brutally destroyed by an unknown force spread, it gave you hope. The conditions during the war had been awful, to say the least, so every time you heard of a yet another barbarous assault on the enemy by something capable of destroying an entire battalion, it ignited a flame of hope within you. The force behind the vicious attacks was unknown, but stories about a boar-like warrior carrying a mighty lance that pierced through the enemy forces with ease floated in the air, carried by the voices of the innocent civilians and brave soldiers alike. Nobody knew for sure, but the tales of this courageous warrior fighting for the Kingdom gave people hope, which was the one thing everyone needed.

The way back home was supposed to be safe. And it usually was, but the sight before you turned all feelings of safety and security into dust. The ruins of the village that was once flowing with life had been long destroyed and you usually passed them whenever you left home. They were always hauntingly empty, but it never bothered you. Until now. 

The once unoccupied ruins were now bloody, filled with corpses of Imperial soldiers and their steeds. Blood spilled from their wounds, their bodies twisted in what to you looked like pain and the grim wind of death seemed to travel around the debris. Whatever happened here, it happened recently. The sight was gruesome, unbearably so. You were sure that even the most experienced general would be feeling sick for days, the same way you did. Your stomach twisted, your knees trembled as your (E/C) eyes shining in fear examined the area and tried to look for a way forward amid the decaying corpses. Your eyes couldn’t bear the sight much longer.

Just as you were about to take a careful step forward, an arrow most likely aimed at you landed beside you, mere inches away from hitting its intended target. Your eyes widened, a gasp slipped your lips and the instinct to run and hide immediately kicked in as your legs seemed to be suddenly moving on their own, heading for a destination you didn’t know, but hoped would be safe. Fear consumed your entire being as you ran, almost tripping over the limp bodies that once housed the souls of soldiers. They may have been enemies, but they were still humans. Death had always uncomfortably sunken its teeth into you.

Your trembling legs and an undying will to live eventually led you inside a barn that was miraculously still standing upon the rubble. With a careful glance, you look outside from the small hole in the wooden door to see if whoever had shot at you had followed you all the way to your little hiding place and sigh in relief as you don’t see anyone outside the empty barn. “Thank goodness…” You allow yourself to catch your breath and figure out your next course of action. Then, something sharp is pressed against your back.

“Don’t move unless you want to die quickly.” The deep male voice behind you says, causing you to let out a gasp and instinctively raise your hands as your pulse quickens again. You do not dare to look back as the feeling of the weapon on your back is still very much present. “What are you doing here?” The person asks, voice filled with anger and malice, making your blood run cold as you try to answer his question.

“I… I was being shot at… S-so I came here. To hide.” Your voice is barely audible and is more of a whimper. You tried your best to stay calm. This person was clearly being hostile towards you, but since he hadn’t yet pierced you with whatever he was holding, you had some hope. But still, you couldn’t deny the feeling of terror you felt as the person behind you looked into your very soul. He scoffs.

“You’re another Imperial spy, aren’t you? How many of you rats must I kill to get rid of you?!” The sharp point of his weapon is pressed harder against your back, not enough to pierce through anything, but enough to make you wince and promptly start defending yourself. “N-no! I’m not a spy! Please!” The volume of your voice is louder than intended, and you quickly realize this and take a few seconds to calm down, despite your mind wanting to panic. “I… I was just on my way home and… Saw the corpses around the ruins. Then suddenly, someone began shooting at me. I only came here to hide, I swear! I won’t cause any trouble…” A few, highly grueling seconds pass before he mutters something under his breath and soon you can no longer feel the threat on your back.

With the weapon removed from your back, you briefly exhale and hear him sitting down on the floor, leaning against the fragile wooden wall. Curiosity gets the best of you and you turn around, despite your mind demanding you to leave, only to see a light-haired male, covered in dark armor, whose right eye was covered with an eyepatch, a defeated look in his left one and holding… A lance, covered in blood. Your eyes widen as you come to the realization. Before you, was the warrior in all of those stories who so brutally murdered Imperial forces throughout the years. However, the man before you was also someone thought to be dead. 

“P-Prince Dimitri?” He slightly flinches at your words and grips his lance tighter, avoiding your gaze. There was no doubt. This man was the Prince of the Holy Kingdom, thought to be dead, but there he was. Right in front of you, hiding in the shadows. “I am no Prince,” He spat, voice poisoned with everlasting hatred and fury. He looked drained, tired, utterly destroyed within. What on earth had happened to him?

You step closer, unsure if it’s the right action to take in this situation, considering just how hostile the once kindhearted Prince had acted mere moments ago. “Those corpses outside… You did it, right? Just like the rumors say,” You carefully say and notice him locking his remaining eye on you. His gaze holds no life in it which stabs your heart as the sight of him makes you feel sorry for the Prince. Whatever had happened, he was clearly affected by it.

“Your Highness… What happened to you?” The question leaves your mouth before you even realize, but in it is genuine worry and curiosity. The rumors depicted the one-man army as a proud warrior fighting for the Kingdom, but the man before you was lost in a deep sea of hatred and loss. But above all, he was supposed to be the leader of Faerghus and to see him like this… It was awful. To think the person responsible for the gruesome assaults on the Imperial army was the leader of the Kingdom himself.

“The only thing that matters is the death of that woman.” His voice still carried that strange feeling of acrimony you couldn’t quite comprehend. “The emperor? But Your Highness, what about the Kingdom?” You asked, determined to understand his questionable morals. The Prince had most likely unknowingly given his citizens hope from the shadows and now that he was confirmed to be alive, you couldn’t help but think what he had been doing during these years and why he had abandoned his people. He suddenly stood up, frustration twisting his features.

“Do not try to defy me!” You flinch at his words and instinctively take a few steps back. “Killing that witch is what I must do to avenge the dead!” He gripped his lance and suddenly pointed it at you, flames of aggression burning in his azure eye. “Anyone who stands in my way will be destroyed. No matter who it may be.” His voice quieted down, but held an unstable baneful tone that sent a cold shiver down your spine as he stared at you, his violent gaze digging into your soul. You look at the ground, feeling powerless against Dimitri, who begins to walk towards the entrance, heavy steps echoing around the barn.

“You gave us hope…” Your voice is once again trembling as he passes you, once again muttering something you can’t hear under his breath. All this time you thought someone was fighting for the Kingdom and its people, but it turns out, the ruler himself was only fighting for something you didn’t know or understand. You turn to him just as he is about to head out and speak once more, unwilling to let him so recklessly pursue his goal:

“Who are we going to rely on if not you?! Please Your Highness! We need you!” Dimitri stops, his eye locked on the floor beneath him. This gave you some hope that he was listening to you over whatever was troubling him eternally. “We need our King…” His head shot up at that, and the grip on his bloody lance tightened, the enemy army’s steps audible from behind the wooden door. He glances at you, his gaze entirely different from what it was before.

“No… A monster like me…” His gaze returned to the door and he opened it, allowing the sunlight to bleed into the dark barn. However, darkness still surrounded him as he stepped out, ready to take out yet another wave of enemies.

“...Could never hope to achieve anything other than death.”

[serararku]

Memories and Reveries Pt 1: Kazukane Crimson

<Theme>

Red maple trees shivered in the morning light while a thick fog rolled across the forest floor to chase the night away. Beneath the brightening sky knelt a lone Raen girl at the start of her twelfth summer, kneading dirty clothes against a washboard at the bank of the Kazukane River. The blisters on her hands had yet to heal from churning butter the night prior, but if she wanted to spend some time by herself, she needed to tackle these chores now lest she work well into the evening. She wisely decided to bring her straw hat to protect her grey skin from cooking when the sun burned away the fog, a satchel to gather apples along the path to keep her hunger at bay, and a pointed stick in case some wild animals started getting ideas. Yet as she washed her father’s trousers to watch the dirt slither down the river, she began getting ideas of her own.

Mizuna Daisho was on borrowed time. She only had two more years to attract a suitor, and competition was tough; just about every girl in Kokoro Village was fairer, more physically developed, and far more submissive. Mizuna’s hands and feet were covered in calluses, her body was still as flat as a flounder, and she loved spending her free time secluding herself from the other children. If she didn’t get any marriage prospects by the time she turned fourteen she would likely face a lifetime of being a crone; her parents planned to sell her to a family in another village, but word of Mizuna’s attitude had already traveled halfway across the Raen settlements. Hopefully she could physically mature into a more desirable body before she became a burden on her family.

Snap!

Mizuna shot up to her feet and spun around from the sound. "Hello?!" She called out, dropping her laundry to grab her pointed stick to defend herself; any creature large or bold enough to hunt an Au Ra for breakfast wouldn’t give away its position before the strike. Was it a monster instead? An angry spirit? She clenched her jaw and stiffened when a boy came stumbling over tree roots and out of the morning mist. Not just any boy either- one of the cruelest oafs she's ever had to deal with. 

"Uh… hi… Mizuna-kun." Takaatsu  Kusakari mumbled, waving awkwardly. "I was hoping you were here…"

He was too big to stab with her stick, plus he was strong enough to rip it out of her hands and snap it in half over his knee if he wanted to. Instead she dropped her weapon and reached for her satchel full of apples. "Go away!" She demanded with a trembling voice. "Just leave me alone!"

"Wait!" He raised his hands to shield himself from the shiny red apple spiraling toward his face; Mizuna had one hell of a throwing arm despite her size. "I wanted to apologize…" She was already stretching her arm back with the second attempt to nail him between the eyes when she paused. "For laughing at you… for all those stupid pranks… for… for calling you Tiny Tiddy Mizzy…"

This time she lifted her foot when she put her whole body into this throw. A red flash of fruit exploded on his arms, sending bits of apple all over the forest floor; he would have definitely been hurting if it weren't for the hardened scales lining his forearm absorbing most of it.

It was hard to pick out another apple while she was blinking away these blinding tears. She had fallen victim to their merciless name-calling and cruel pranks all year, and she would rather die than fall for any more of their tricks again. But to hear Takaatsu laughing along with them- someone she was close friends with ever since they were toddlers, that one hurt the most.

When she finally found the biggest, fattest, and hardest apple to chuck at him, she looked up to see Takaatsu bowing with his fat head facing the ground and his arms at his sides. "Please forgive me!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking twice. Muzuna was surprised yet cautious; shattering this juicy fruit against the top of his head at this angle and distance would be almost too easy. But why would he make himself vulnerable like this? What was his goal here?

"Who put you up to this?" She demanded, straining her eyes in hopes of finding his friends hiding behind the trees, barely containing their laughter. Yet no one was there…

"I wanted to be cool… for everyone to like me. When Matsumi singled you out, everyone just tried to impress her. I'm so sorry for all those dumb things I did… I trampled on our friendship because I was afraid they wouldn't accept me if I didn't…" Takaatsu barely moved a muscle, his eyes trailing up just high enough to see her feet; his scalp wasn't stinging from her throw, so that was a start. "I just wanted to fit in…"

Mizuna sucked in air as the first tear rolled down her cheek. "I wanted to fit in too…" She admitted, swallowing dryly. She wanted so desperately to hate him for humiliating her again and again. But she was just tired of being so angry and miserable all the time; and most of all, now more than ever, she wanted to be left alone.

"I wrote you something…" Takaatsu was slow to rise to his full height. He struggled to retrieve a crumpled parchment from his pocket and fumbled with it more when he pulled it open. He had to clear his throat more than once, with beads of sweat glistening on his forehead; his face was flushed and he was shaking- it looked like he was about to vomit.

“Well?” Mizuna huffed, her arm starting to ache from holding the apple aloft for so long. “Out with it!”

“M-Mizuna-kun… the Diasho Diamond… the Maiden of the Mists…” He blinked a few times and inhaled sharply before continuing. “With hair like bending reeds in the gentle breeze, and eyes like jadefire. You are a sleeping dragon, generous with fury and flame to those who disturb your rest. Your voice is honey… a song befitting the dancing waves of the sea. I risk your wrath, your ire, your warmth. I know the danger but I still speak your name to the wind. I still call out to the spirit in the fog.” Slowly he looked up to finally meet her gaze, no longer reading from the parchment in his trembling hands. “You’ve placed a curse upon me. I’ve seen your treasure at the back of your lair. I’ve heard your siren song along the stillwater. I am a moth and you are my candle… and I am forever drawn to your light. Mizuna-kun…! I…”

She had flushed a deep green in the face at this point, her arms heavy at her sides. The apple she was going to chuck at him had long dropped to her feet. Furthermore she was utterly speechless; no one had dared talk to her like that. A ferocious dragon? What did he mean when he called her that? And a ghost? None of it made any sense… and she didn’t know how to feel. But she knew she didn’t hate him. Not nearly as much as she used to.

He suddenly stiffened and took a few steps back. “Oh man…!” He mumbled, pointing at her. No… not at her… behind her. “What…?!” Mizuna was reluctant to turn around, partially fearing this was a setup for one of his cruelest pranks to date. But when she did turn to look at what he was pointing at, her blood ran cold and all the strength she had fled into the crisp morning air.

The Kazukane River was turning red. Deep and dark and crimson. 

Soon shattered pieces of wood and broken wagon wheels began drifting downstream. Then came the livestock torn to pieces, their dull lifeless eyes and mangled faces occasionally poking out of the water before sinking and turning sideways when their legs scraped along the riverbed. The bloody water stained the few pieces of laundry Mizuna had soaking in the river, but she didn’t even notice. Especially once the Auri bodies came drifting down to greet her.

Men, women, and children; the river carried them all. The dead would be ferried to the mouth of the river and swallowed by the sea, their faces contorted with the permanent scars of their final moments- filled with terror. Mizuna felt nothing when she stared at the remains of people she once knew, staring blankly into their eyes as they shifted, bobbed, and floated by. The entire population of Shinegao Village seemed to drift along the stained waters, from infants to elderly. 

"Mizuna!" Takaatsu's voice coaxed her out of her dazed stupor. "We have to go!"

She looked away from their faces once the dread began to settle in; she took a few meager steps back, but was still processing what she was looking at. What kind of horrible monster could slaughter an entire vil-

"MIZUNAAA!" Black scales burst forth from the river! Through the red mist and vapor came a hooked claw that raked across her stomach to violently tear holes through her dress! Mizuna stumbled back in shock and fell hard onto her back, knocking the wind from her lungs! She had just enough time to gaze upon the face of this monster as it slowly stepped out onto the bank!

The oni towered over the two children, with vibrant crimson skin painted with inky black markings. Across its collar were the severed heads of villagers strung together by their cracked and broken horns. But it’s eyes…! Fiery pits from the hottest hells, yet empty like the hungering void! Long black horns sprouted from the sides of its head, with tattered lips peeled back in a sadistic grin to reveal a mouthful of jagged teeth stained with the blood of its prey! Mizuna stared at its form and became paralyzed with terror!

Only Takaatsu grabbing Mizuna by the arm and yanking her onto her feet broke this insidious spell. The creature made a deep growling sound that vaguely mimicked laughter as it watched them flee into the forest, and Mizuna glanced over her shoulder just in time to see its burning red eyes disappear behind the grey backdrop of the morning mist.

She could barely keep up. Her tattered dress was nearly falling off her body, and blood trickled from her stomach from the slash, but he didn’t dare let go of her wrist. It wasn’t until they made it to the other end of the woods and stumbled upon the Hermit’s House did they stop and take a breath. 

“What’s going on?” Okeya-san demanded, walking out of his house with his pitchfork. “What are you two kids doing out here so early?”

“Sir! A monster is coming!” Mizuna squeaked out between gasps. “It killed everyone in Shinegao!”

“What are you talking-” He paused as he caught figures emerging from the mist; instantly he recognized their markings. “G-get inside, children! Don’t make a sound you hear me?!” Takaatsu pulled Mizuna into the hermit’s shack, and ducked behind a large clay pot to hide. Okeya-san dropped his pitchfork and began walking toward the strangers, who stopped running and stood up to their full height to approach him. “W-wait…! Dotharl!” He called out, struggling to keep his composure. “N-no food! No glory! U-unarmed, see?! No sport!” He collapsed to his knees when the oni emerged, towering over Okeya-san as well; this creature was gigantic, and poorly disguised as an auri like them.

“Where children?” It demanded in a voice and accent as thick as mud. “Two. Tiny?”

“N-no children came this way…!” He clasped his hands together and bowed to show his surrender. “No children! J-just me!”

The oni glanced back at the others and sneered, bearing its teeth again. Okeya-san tried to reason with it again, but the creature suddenly grabbed him by the horns. Mizuna squeaked at the wet snap before Takaatsu could cover her mouth to stifle her panicking. The oni then planted a clawed foot on his shoulder and pulled off his head with three crunchy yanks. Another monster began to approach the shack with a cruel grin spread across its face, with burning yellow eyes and trophies from its conquest dangling from its form. But instead of just rushing in and slaughtering the two Raen children, it plucked the torch from the patio and swung the door open.

"Buuuurning!" It laughed, tossing the torches onto a bale of wheat before slamming the door closed; last night's rain and the morning mist left the outside of the shack too damp to burn, but everything inside was bone dry. Mizuna watched the growing flames devour the wheat in seconds before it began to creep along the floorboards and walls. If they tried rushing out of the only door, the murderers would simply catch and kill them; she didn’t have any answers and worse, the shack was quickly running out of air.

“Over here!” Takaatsu huffed, working his fingers between the floorboards in the corner to begin pulling them up. Mizuna reached down with one hand to help him, but kept her other hand over her mouth to avoid breathing in the darkening smoke. Just as the roaring flames began to surround them, the shoddy woodwork gave way; the Hermit’s House was elevated over the ground, but not by much- last night's storm had turned the dirt below into a sticky paste. Still, it beat burning to death. Mizuna and Takaatsu crawled along their bellies like salamanders to escape the flames but they weren’t out of the woods yet.

As soon as Takaatsu wiggled free from the underside of the shack and could stand up straight, he pulled Mizuna out by the arms and they began to make a run for it. It was hard to sprint in her dress even when it was clean and tidy, but now she nearly tripped on the torn threads that clung to her legs from the mud. But if they could just make it back to their hidden village then they could wait out these killers and-

THOP!

Mizuna’s legs buckled and she fell down the steep hill, rolling over and over until she slid the last few yalms at the bottom. Dazed, dizzy, and confused, she pulled her face out of the mud and gasped for breath, before desperately attempting to rise to her feet. “AUGH!” Jolting pain up her left leg stopped her from putting any pressure on her foot, and when she smeared mud away from her eyes, a cold dread gripped her by the back of the neck. 

An arrow had pierced her lower calf to spill her blood into the muck; she didn’t know where the impact of the shot or the tumble down the hill broke her leg, but she was quickly running out of time. Takaatsu was nowhere to be found; he likely raced down the hill and jumped over the ditch in a single bound. Mizuna was now alone, bleeding and broken. It was only a matter of seconds before those monsters found her. “TAKA!” She cried out, grabbing handfuls of dirt and mud to pull herself along. “TAKE PLEASE! DON’T LEAVE ME!”

He reappeared out of the fog, scrambling down into the ditch to try and pull her out. “Come on! Come on!”

“M-my leg-!” She pleaded, unable to look at the twisted thing any longer. “Takaatsu please! Please don’t leave me with those things!”

“Oh no-!” He choked, glancing up and behind her. Mizuna whipped her head around to see seven oni standing at the top of the hill, with the one responsible for shooting her leg drawing another arrow. Takaatsu reached down and pulled her up by the collar of her shirt, yanking her out of the mud and heaving her over his shoulder. Gritting through the pain Mizuna clung to him for dear life, her fearful gaze locked on the creatures who slowly began to descend in their direction.

“I’m going to die!” She closed her eyes as tears began streaming down her face. She couldn’t bear to look at anything any longer- she simply braced herself for the bite of an arrow that never came. All she could hear was Takaatsu’s heavy breathing, all she could feel was the bounce of each step. Mizuna spent a lifetime waiting for death to take her, an eternity between every heartbeat. She sagged over his shoulders like a giant doll, letting her arms dangle and swing freely while she silently prayed to the Dawn Father for this terrible nightmare to end.

“HEY! HEEEYYY!” Takaatsu began shouting, drawing her back to reality. “Help us! Someone help us!” Mizuna opened her eyes just in time to see them cross the threshold of their home. All of Kokoro Village came stumbling out of their homes to witness this commotion, with murmured whispers and gasps slipping from the residents when they saw the sorry state of the two children.

Takaatsu almost dropped her when he collapsed into the dirt, using what little strength he had left to gently place her on the ground. Her mother Kana came running out of their house to surround Mizuna in her arms, but she could barely hear her mother’s panicked voice over the gathering crowd’s shouting. She looked around for Takaatsu, but he had vanished behind the legs of adults standing over her to get a better look.

“That’s enough! Get out of the way!” Only one voice could carry that far and demand that much respect. Mizuna’s father came rushing out of his dojo, almost stumbling and losing his cane more than once; but with his free hand he pulled and shoved people out of his way until the crowd got the message and gave him and his family much needed space. “Mizuna?! What happened?! What is the meaning of this?!”

“M-monsters Oto-san! There are monsters out in the mists! They killed everyone in Shinegao! And they killed Okeya-san!” Mizuna’s heart was pounding in her throat when she delivered the news, but she felt safe again in her mother’s soothing embrace. “H-he called them Do… dodo… d-”

“Dotharl.” Lord Daisho grimaced before his steely gaze shot to the entrance of the village. “Fetch me my sword and armor!”

“The blood trail…!” A villager gasped, pointing at Mizuna’s wounded leg. “Oh no…! You led them right to us! We’re doomed!”

Fear surged through the crowd like waves rippling across the disturbed surface of still water, but her father stood up straight and cleared his throat. “Women and children are to get inside! Anyone who can stand and fight- form up on me!” The villagers were terrified, but they did as he commanded. The elderly were ushered into their homes along with the children, with the women already setting buckets of water along the main path in the event of fire. Mizuna’s mother snapped the arrow’s shaft and pushed the barb through her leg, before she began wrapping the wound tightly. Even through the pain the little girl looked around for Takaatsu, spotting him still on one knee and drenched with mud and sweat.

“You there! Kusakari!” Her father commanded, pointing a finger at the young boy while his pupils rushed to fasten his old samurai armor onto his aging body. “Are you injured?!”

“N-no, Daisho-sama…!” 

“You have given my daughter nothing but misery for the past year. You and the other brats have tortured her for far too long!” Takaatsu looked like he was about to wet himself, pressing his hands and knees onto the ground and bowing before the old swordmaster. “But because of your actions today… my daughter still breathes. Leaving her to die would have bought you enough time to return here alone… but you didn’t. You have shown great courage and bravery. Rise, Kusakari! Fight by my side and you shall have my daughter’s hand!” Mizuna pursed her lips in shock as Takaatsu shot to his feet, still out of breath and trembling, but seemingly taller than he’s ever been.

Hidekore Daisho went by many names over the years, but Kokoro Village simply knew him as the Bending Reed. His skill with a katana was unparalleled in his prime, but his prime was long gone. He couldn’t stand for long without the use of his cane, and his eyesight was beginning to fade. Worse still, he was terribly out of practice; he hadn’t so much as held a real katana in a dozen summers- not since his daughter was born. The villagers were terrified of being pillaged by a horde of Dotharli screamers, yet they rallied behind his call to arms all the same. The village was hidden in the cliffside and the only way out was through the entrance, so what choice did they have?

A dozen farmhands, some as young as ten, and not a shred of combat experience between them. Four hunters and a fisherman who knew how to gut and clean animals but not people. A woodsman who’s only ever swung an axe at trees, and an aging swordmaster. All against at least seven Dotharli berserkers who live and die for the glory of combat. Hidekore had to keep his composure lest the village succumb to panic, and if that were to happen, every single one of them would share in Shinegao Village’s fate. Their one saving grace was Takaatsu and Mizuna’s warning. And despite the Dotharl likely letting them go to lead them back here, he still considered it a boon more than a curse.

Hidekore turned to his family as his chestguard was pulled over his head and tied beneath his shoulders. Leaning hard on his cane he approached his loyal wife and pressed his lips against her forehead. “Whatever happens…” He whispered so low even Mizuna could barely hear him. “We will be together. Always.” Kana closed her watery eyes when her husband gently caressed her cheek and pulled away.

“They’re here!”

He whipped around and tossed his cane aside. “Get inside. Now!”

“Oto-san!” Mizuna cried out, reaching for him. The painted monsters came charging through the main gate, and everyone began stumbling back in terror; everyone but Lord Daisho. “Oto-saaan!” The last thing she saw as her mother slammed the door shut was her father drawing his pearly white katana and dropping the sheathe, with the berserking fiends closing the distance by leaping through the air at him. “OTO-SAAAAN!”

Mizuna jerked awake, her heart pounding in her chest. For a split second she could have sworn her parents were with her in this clinic, but she was alone. Only the steady beeping of the monitor and the low hum of the ceiling fan kept her company. Even after thirty summers her first Dotharli raid was still fresh in her memories, just waiting to peek around the corner and frighten her in her darkest nightmares. No longer concerned with keeping up a professional appearance, she pinched a gloomroot blunt in between her trembling fingers and lit it up. 

Her smoke break would have to come early this time.

[ampleappleamble]

Chapter 7: Crumbling Castle

Caed Nua stood, a mossy, neglected tombstone hunching above the sprawling, untamed foliage of the Yenwood. Its once mighty towers rose from the center of the ruined castle, climbing only midway to the sky before succumbing to gravity and the ravages of age. The walls surrounding the estate slumped and buckled as well, having sloughed away in places to reveal the overgrown bailey and the collapsed, rotting buildings therein.

Axa let her eyes wander over the derelict keep.

"What a shithole," she muttered.

Her flippant words did little to mask her disappointment, and although Aloth noticed this, he decided to say nothing. Anything he said would probably only make her feel worse, seeing as he was now almost utterly certain that if she was-- if they were to find anyone to advise on matters of the soul, it would not be here, in this place seemingly forsaken by kith. But he also knew by now that trying to deter the little woman from her goals was nigh impossible, so he trailed doggedly behind her, scepter and grimoire at the ready. After all, it wasn't as though he had any more promising leads to follow, and what she lacked in subtlety she more than made up for in determination. A disposition which with I am most certainly well acquainted, he thought bitterly, the resulting headache quite worth the barb.

Edér, either out of ignorance of Axa's true emotional state or in a good-natured attempt to lighten the mood, took a different approach and tried to joke with her, remarking aloud on the poor quality of Maerwald's gardeners. But he'd scarcely gotten the words out when the orlan gesticulated fiercely to him for silence, pivoting her long, tapered ears over to her left and listening intently. It wasn't long before her companions heard it too-- a low, steady humming coming from just beyond the bridge before them, behind the overgrown hedge, right outside of the walls of Caed Nua.

"Oh, good. We're not alone," Aloth whispered, reaching for his grimoire.

"This trip just keeps gettin' better," Edér sighed, drawing his blade.

Axa squinted in the direction of the humming noise, and a strange grin slowly spread across her flaxen face.

"...Is that Sea of Miracles?"

And she marched off confidently toward the moldy castle walls, her companions scrambling to keep up.

---

"Refrain of the Soul, actually," the gigantic man replied, his pointed teeth bared in a friendly smile. "But you were close! Both ballads were composed by the selfsame skald--"

"Uwēno the Elder!" Axa laughed, clapping her hands together. "Of course! And in the same year, if I remember correctly."

Aloth watched the two bards, utterly bemused. No matter how he tried to prepare himself for what might come, the world always managed to defy his expectations in the most bizarre ways. After they'd heard deep, tremulous murmurs in these abandoned ruins, he'd been sure he'd spend the next hour hurling arcane flame at hostile spirits or hungry wildlife, or maybe even bandits or cultists. Instead, he had found himself awkwardly fumbling to secure his weapons, trailing after Axa while she strode directly to the source of the noise: an enormous, very amicable aumaua man with whom she was now excitedly chattering about ancient Rauataian songstresses. After the surprise had worn off, he was obliged to wait quietly while they talked, feeling oddly like a petulant child waiting for his mother to finish speaking with another adult.

Glancing over at Edér, who looked as though he hadn't a thought in his head, Aloth felt a mild twinge of envy.

The farmer grinned back at the elf, content to idle for a few pleasant moments while the large shark man and the tiny cat lady laughed together at jokes he couldn't even begin to understand. Honestly, he was just happy to see the poor girl relaxed and in her element, for once. And they hadn't had to fight any screaming monsters! ...Yet.

"Kana Rua," the giant boomed, bending slightly at the waist to extend his hand to Axa, "of the royal city of Tâkowa and her esteemed lore college. Are you, perchance, here to see Maerwald? I assume you haven't come all this way to discuss music history with strangers!" His dark eyes, wide with curiosity, shifted to the other two men. "And with a retinue, no less!"

"Axa Mala," the little woman chuckled, "and my traveling companions, Aloth Corfiser and Edér Teylecg. We are indeed here for Maerwald's counsel. I'm a Watcher, it seems, and I'm hoping he can offer some insight into our shared condition. And yourself?"

Both Kana's eyes and his smile had grown steadily as she spoke. "You're a Watcher? Truly? ...Well, I'm afraid my own reasons for seeking Maerwald aren't nearly so extraordinary. I was hoping he could direct me to a tablet of great historical and cultural import to my people, the Tanvii ora Toha. Only... I've had some difficulties in actually getting near the place."

He winced in the direction of the stone archway leading past the walls of Caed Nua and into its wild, unkempt yard. They couldn't see the dark spirits beyond the castle gate, but they didn't need to. All four kith could feel the dark spirits' presence, falling silent for a moment as the malevolent essence in the air prickled and picked at the edges of their souls.

"To meet the master of the estate, it seems one must first neutralize his spectral visitants, or else find a way around them. I'm... afraid I haven't had much luck at either by myself."

"Ah," Edér groaned, feeling his bowels churn with the sick, primal fear spirits always instilled in him. "There's that fight I knew was gonna happen."

"But this is a magnificently serendipitous encounter!" Kana grinned again, bigger and brighter than the sun, spreading his arms before the group as though to embrace all of them just for being there. "I was planning to finish jotting down these notes, set up camp for the evening, and simply trek to the nearest village tomorrow to hire a helping hand. But since we've the same goal, and you all look quite capable--"

"A collaborative effort?" Axa finished for him, stepping closer to the huge man. "I'm all for it, as long as there are no objections." The orlan glanced back at her companions.

"You'll hear no dissent from me."

"Hey, the more the merrier."

The little woman turned back to the aumaua with a wink. "That settles it, then! Welcome to my retinue, Kana Rua. With you at our shoulders, we ought to make short work of these ghastlies."

His already broad smile broadened ever further. "And we shall hold conference with Maerwald before sundown! I'm certain of it!"

---

Soldier and marauder. Soldier and marauder and Maerwald.

At sundown, they finished burying the keep's former master.

Axa gazed out over the bailey-- her bailey, this was her keep now (??!!)-- at the freshly filled grave next to the chapel. Her thoughts buzzed frantically like a swarm of panicked hornets behind her eyes, and she couldn't focus on a single thought long enough to make sense of any one of them.

No sleep. No sleep for the Watcher.

"I think... I'm going slightly mad."

Edér frowned sympathetically, placed a heavy, calloused hand on the little woman's shoulder. "Hey, c'mon. It ain't as bad as all that, is it?" He'd done most of the digging, being more acquainted with the work than anyone else, and his hand left a sizable smudge of grave dirt on her tunic.

She didn't look at him. "I'm going to go completely mad. I'm a Watcher, and I'm Awakened, and there's some sort of Woedican cult behind it, and if I can't find them, or if they can't undo this, then I'm going to lose my mind and die. Just like him." To her mild surprise, no tears welled in her eyes or spilled down her cheeks. Although her eyes felt hot and swollen, she supposed she was simply too overwhelmed, too exhausted to cry anymore.

Kana, eye level with the woman as she leaned against the adra pillar under which he was seated, studied her face while he considered his approach. "Well... if it's of any comfort to you, you at least know what to expect in regards to your condition. You know where you're going next, you've an entire keep to set yourself up in while you search." That gregarious smile opened up his face again. "And you've a band of loyal flunkies at your beck and call!"

"And a magic talkin' stone chair lady t' take care of most of the housekeeping for you." Edér grinned down at her, brushing the dirt from her shoulder with a casual familiarity. "All things considered, you got dealt a bad hand, but at least the deck is lookin' like it's stacked in yer favor."

Axa pricked up her ears, and turned to regard the blond man with a mix of wonder and disgust. "...I don't know if that's the best or the worst mixed metaphor I've ever heard."

He chuckled as he stuck his pipe between his teeth. "No idea what yer talkin’ about there, lil' darlin'."

She finally laughed, brushing at her dry, sticky eyes with her fists, and Kana laughed too, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "See there! The ship floats yet. Tomorrow the eastern barbican will be restored, and then off to Defiance Bay, where answers abound! ...If Maerwald spoke true, anyway."

Poor woman. They will take you, too--

"Might look for some answers there myself, if you'll go with me." The farmer let loose a plume of smoke as he spoke, failing to finish exhaling before turning to the little Watcher. "Been thinkin' about what I wanted to ask ol' Maerwald before... well, before all that had to go down. About my brother, Woden. Think I might find at least a... hint or somethin' in the big city." He passed his pipe to her, and she did not hesitate to accept it.

"Mysteries upon mysteries!" Kana's booming voice in her ear made her wince. "The Eyeless Seer must have you in their sights, my friend. Pun fully intended!"

"For the love of the gods," she groaned,

For the gods' love! For their love!! the old man sobbed--

a sudden headache gripping her behind the eyes, "is Aloth finished setting up in there or what?"

---

Nae they willnae.

"Oh yes they will. It's inevitable now."

Aloth's grimoire trembled in his hands, sweat dribbling down his temple as he tried to focus. The large, broken brazier he'd dragged into the middle of the great hall wasn't a small target for a spell, but it wasn't exactly a large one either. And it didn't help that Aloth felt as though he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

They willnae find oot, laddie.

"They will. All because someone can't keep their thoughts to themselves."

It hadn't been difficult to convince the others to allow him to set up camp for the night by himself. Axa had not seemed very eager to socialize after she'd landed the killing blow on the old man, and Edér and Kana had quickly volunteered to take care of the remains. And after the confrontation with Maerwald, after what the old Watcher had told them, Aloth had been desperate for solitude.

Fye, they wouldnae need t' find oot aught if ye'd tellt 'em sooth from th' start as ye oughttae--

He'd rushed his recitation, and now he flourished too haphazardly, and the arcane fire he called forth flashed and spouted violently into the rusty little brazier. Aloth hissed with pain and surprise as the unruly flames licked at his face, singed his hair.

"Damn you!" he screamed, whirling quickly around, shielding his face with his arms. "You dare to-- You always do this, you--" The wizard cut himself off. He squeezed his eyes shut, clenched his fists at his sides. He needed to stop and calm down, right now.

One. He exhaled. He inhaled. He exhaled.

Buck up, Corfiser. Your situation is not that dire.

Two. He shook his hands out of their tight fists, flexed his fingers.

No one has any concrete evidence. Of anything. And no one has said anything. Yet.

Three. His shoulders twitched, tried to lock back up, but finally slumped, laden with nervous exhaustion.

They will find out. About... us. That's an inevitability.

Four. His ears, pressed back flat against his head in irritation, started to slowly droop down and forward.

But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Five. His hands hung limp at his sides now. His breathing and heart rate slowed.

For one, the same taboos don't apply here like they do back home. Look at how the others responded to Axa, for instance.

Six. He pressed his lips into a thin line, lowering his head until his chin touched his clavicle.

And if Axa can find out more information about her condition, and if she'll have me along, maybe...

Seven. He wrapped his arms around himself, cupping his elbows in his hands.

But... then, if she finds out about... and Kana has made enemies of them, too-- oh gods, this isn't--

Eight. He started pacing back and forth. He was shaking all of a sudden, gasping for breath.

This isn't working-- Why isn't-- I need to--

Nine. He heard the doors to the Great Hall creak slowly open, but he kept his eyes screwed shut. He couldn't open them, couldn't until ten--

Oh gods, if I've been wrong this whole time--

Ten. He opened his eyes.

Axa touched him on the elbow, and he actually yelped in surprise.

"Axa! I'm-- You're back! H-how can... I help you?" He winced, looking away from her as he felt his face grow warm. Kana was off to his right, humming merrily away and taking notes about the keep's interior or somesuch; Edér was rummaging through his things, likely looking for more whiteleaf.

Axa herself looked at him with concern-- or was that just his imagination?-- and cocked her thumb at the now-calm campfire, the meticulously arranged bedrolls. "You've helped more than enough, I'd say. Thank you for doing this."

He prepared to suppress a relieved smile, but she took care of it for him. "Aloth, are you-- have you been feeling alright?"

"Wh-- well, I mean-- yes, yes, of course, just-- I've just been a bit... distracted, processing some of the... unusual things we've all seen as of late." He never knew how he managed to fool anybody: here he was, heart pounding in his chest, fidgeting, eyes darting to and fro, insisting he was just fine, thank you.

Nevertheless, the little woman regarded him with sympathy and spoke in a low, soothing tone. "That's understandable. I think we've all had some rather unsettling revelations recently."

"We certainly have, you foremost among us." Aloth had started to recover and he straightened up, tugging at his clothes, dusting himself off, all those little tricks he'd learned to explain away his tics and outbursts. "If what Maerwald said is true, your very life and future are in jeopardy."

She frowned, turning her attention away from him-- just as he'd hoped she might-- and sighed heavily, staring at her feet. "Yes. Yes, I've got quite a lot to contend with. Whoever or whatever this Leaden Key is, I have to find them. Sooner the better. My sanity, my life could depend on it."

"Indeed." His composure finally restored to a respectable level, Aloth gave the orlan his best diplomatic smile and nod. "Rest assured, I shall accompany you and render what aid I can on our journey to Defiance Bay."

"Why?"

His heart stopped. "...I beg your pardon?"

A look of shock flashed across her face, followed closely by a bashful grimace. "I'm-- I'm sorry. Never mind. It's been a long day, I... I should get some rest. You, too. Long day tomorrow as well." These last few lines were delivered half-mumbled over her shoulder as she shuffled over toward her belongings, which he had carefully arranged a safe distance from the fire, close by to his own things. He tried, but found he could not muster a verbal farewell, instead struggling to keep a neutral facade even as she walked away from him.

"...I think she knows."

An impatient, long-suffering sigh.

Nae she disnae.

---

Maerwald sat at his hearth and watched his fire. Watched the wood burn.

Axa sat in the Great Hall of Caed Nua's keep and gazed into the makeshift campfire.

I'm sorry, old man. At least... I was able to release your soul from this place. You can truly rest, now.

Her three comrades slept peacefully in their bedrolls, the ugly, dark things in the keep-- her keep-- kept at bay by the light and warmth from the fire and from the Steward, both, Axa imagined. Of course, she found herself unable to rest, although she was exhausted. No sleep for the Watcher.

The soul remembers--

A memory. A memory caused this. And that man, the one in the ruins-- he called that memory forth.

Who is he? Was he? Is he the same person from... from my past life? How is that possible...?

Axa squinted into the flames, trying to remember him. She pictured his face--

--you, Anthea? My child, what--

-- and suddenly powerful waves of emotion hammered the little woman's mind, choking out all other thought. Tears flooded her eyes and poured down her face as just the memory of the man's voice, of his cold, stony stare filled her mind with horror and rage and sorrow for which she had no explanation. If only she could remember more, remember the question she--

--ask him ask him ask him please you have to ask him you have to know you have to have to--

Axa crawled to her bedroll, trembling and sniffling, and collapsed, where she remained for the next eleven hours.

She only slept for four of them.

---

[howtodrawyourdragon]

Lost no More: Chapter 2 - Taken

Summary:  After three years Hiccup’s sudden disappearance remains unsolved. A grieving father is forced to move on for the sake of his village, a blacksmith has yet to choose a new apprentice, children grow up missing the face they’ve known since birth. The Dragon Master and a fated reunion may finally give them the answers they seek.

Author’s Notes: And this is two out of three chapters that I have finished. The third one will be uploaded tomorrow and after that I will go ahead and start on the fourth one.

@coneygoil, @renkocchi, @softhairstark, @daglout, @just-call-me-emrys, @let-the-wind-carry-us and @only-girl-on-a-dragon if you guys are still interested and haven’t seen me post these chapters on Ao3.

"Toothless!" The shout left him before Hiccup could stop himself when an arrow came whizzing by much too close for comfort. It had almost hit the Night Fury's tail.

Glaring into the direction where the projectile had come from, Toothless snarled with his teeth bared as he came to face one of the men from the ship. His wings unfurled somewhat to make his size and strength be known in a show of intimidation, telling the unwanted human that he wasn't a dragon to be messed with.

Their new foe wasn't taken off guard in the slightest. As a matter of fact, he simply took another strange arrow from his quiver. He was adamant in bringing his prey down.

"Maybe we should go, Bud, back to Berk. My dad needs to know about this." Hiccup's hold on his saddle tightened. Should Toothless decide to suddenly take off into the forest, he would be ready.

It had been by pure luck alone that the dragon managed to avoid injury. Right as the arrow flew, he had turned to run deeper into the forest in search of a clearing and that move was what had saved him. This time, however, the hunter wasn't going to let them escape.

And he wasn't alone.

"Toothless..." The worry in Hiccup's voice caused the Night Fury to take a look around himself. In the growing darkness, he could see a whole group of the invaders surrounding them. There wasn't much of an escape to be made on foot.

"Get off the dragon, boy." One of the men spoke to him, but it only made Hiccup want to hold on tighter. No way was he going to let them separate him and Toothless. Even if it didn't mean much harm for him, it would be bad news for his dragon, who couldn't fly on his own.

"Get off that dragon now, boy, this is your last warning!" That same man seemed to cry out, though Hiccup couldn't pinpoint his location in this darkness.

It was becoming harder and harder to see and the boy felt more and more unnerved with the fact that he wouldn't be able to trust his eyes for much longer.

"Toothless, we have to get out of here. What do we do?" Hiccup would be lying if he said he wasn't scared in that moment.

"Shut your mouth, boy, and get off the damned beast!" Strings were pulled back and Hiccup once again sunk lower on his dragon, who glared at each of the men in front of him like a skittish animal. They were cornered and Toothless wasn't quite sure how to get them out of this.

Well, there was one thing a dragon did best, wasn't there?

Quickly gathering the gasses in his mouth, a blueish and purplish light ignited inside the Night Fury's throat before he shot a blast of fire into the direction of where Hiccup could only assume the majority of the uninvited visitors were standing.

Instead of letting their arrows fly, the targets in Toothless' range dove for cover with a shout just like he had hoped. And while then praying just as much that Hiccup was still secure on his back, he lunged for the newly created opening and in the blink of an eye disappeared into the vegetation.

As the moonlit ocean came into view in the distance, the rider realized they weren't running away from the other intruders, but straight for them.

"Uh, Bud?" Was there even time to question his dragon's motives?

"There they are!"

"Look! A boy on the dragon's back!"

"Don't let them escape!"

"Get them!"

A whole choir of voices broke out once Toothless left the safety of the forest and chose for the silent promise the sky gave them. Spreading his wings and beating them once or twice for lift off, Hiccup quickly knew that charging for the beach was simply a faster way of reaching for the air than searching the woods for a clearing would've been. Positioning the artificial tailfin, the two were off the ground soon enough.

But amongst the flurry of voices, there was one that stood out the most in how utterly gleefully they spoke.

"A Night Fury." The bald stranger said and he did so with a malicious smile, like a spider that found a squirming insect in its web.

"Capture that dragon alive! Even juveniles like that one will fetch us a hefty price of this species!" Hiccup and Toothless barely made it high enough before a series of bolas were thrown their way. One of them got hold of the reptile's tail while a second one wrapped around Hiccup, the impact of which caused him to lose his grip on the saddle and plummet to the ocean down below.

"Toothl-" The boy couldn't even finish before he fell into the freezing saltwater and accidentally swallowed almost a complete mouthful in his shock.

His dragon landed into a shallower part near the shore. Though it wasn't hard enough to hurt him, it was closer to the group of intruders and they did not wait to act. While Toothless struggled to go further into open water to search for his Viking boy, who had not yet resurfaced, chains were thrown around his neck by their attackers.

Roaring to be let go, Toothless felt himself be pulled back by the strength of several men. No matter how much he struggled, he wasn't getting anywhere like this, not with all those people pulling him back.

His urgent search for Hiccup had to wait until he could free himself first. He was already pulled up on the beach and continuing to fight them meant wasting the precious time that Hiccup might not be able to afford to lose.

So turning around to face those wretched invaders, Toothless charged with a plasma blast charging in his open maw.

While the Night Fury had been struggling, Hiccup fought to free himself from the bola wrapped tightly around his arms and middle. His mind was wrecked with panic and his legs kicked wildly to bring him closer to the ocean's surface, but the burning yearning of his lungs for air remained unfulfilled. His eyes stung with the amount of salt in the water and the boy thought it was impossible to tell up from down in this darkness.

Only one other time had Hiccup ever experienced what it was like to drown and it had been at the hands of Dagur, the son of Chief Oswald the Agreeable of the Berserkers. What had seemed like an 'innocent' request from the older boy to go swimming had quickly taking a dark turn when all Dagur was really interested in was to torment the smaller boy some more.

Hiccup, aged ten at the time, had blacked out and didn't know who had saved him. Whoever had, had not made his dad aware of what had happened in the lake that day. For all he knew, it was Dagur who had grown bored and allowed him to breathe again.

Either way, that incident had not failed to give him the occasional nightmare once in a while and the teen had actively avoided going near lakes or any bodies of water whenever Dagur was visiting Berk. Swallowed by the dark sea now only served to further fuel his night terrors for the future.

But eventually he found salvation. Using the dagger he somehow pulled from the leather belt around his waist, Hiccup cut himself free from that infernal rope and he swam upwards for air as fast as he could.

Breaking through the calm waves, Hiccup gasped and coughed loudly. He tried his best to stay up and calm down now that he could finally breathe. Rubbing fervently through his stinging eyes, he longed to see what had become of Toothless while he was underwater.

If that draconic whining was anything to judge by, their situation had gone from bad to worse.

"Tooth-"

"I got the boy!" Cut off once more when a heavy hand pushed him back under, a distant and muffled cry of anguish reached Hiccup's ears when he disappeared from the Night Fury's sight.

That same hand grabbed hold of his brown hair and, writhing with all his might, Hiccup could not prevent this man from pulling him up on the beach. Before long he was thrown at the leader's feet.

"Hiccup..." Leaving the jovial 'master' behind him, Trader Johann addressed the teenaged boy and he, coughing and wheezing, looked up to his apparent captors.

"You know this boy, Johann?" The bald man asked with his heavy accent, pointing his blade towards the trembling youth.

"Yes, indeed I do. This is the scrawny heir I was telling you about. Stoick's runt." Hiccup tried to ignore the stinging in his chest at being insulted, but nothing could compare to knowing this longtime friend of Berk had every intention to betray him and his home.

The cold touch of the blade to his chin chilled his already freezing skin and Hiccup was forced to look the more intimidating man in the eye.

"An heir, huh? He doesn't look like much." Their words were simple in their cruelty, but were not any less effective in making him feel small and powerless.

But when had Hiccup ever let these kinds of belittling words stop him before?

Pushing the blade away from him cautiously, he gazed up at the seafaring merchant.

"Johann, I-I don't understand... What're you planning on doing to Berk? To me? What do you want from my dad? What's this 'King of Dragons' you're talking about?" His questions remained unanswered.

"Oh, he doesn't, does he? He's the son of an incredibly powerful chief and he just came riding in on one of those flying lizards. I hate to say it, but this boy may prove useful to us after all." Johann was stroking his beard in a way Hiccup shouldn't have liked, but his attention was elsewhere.

Scanning the beach, boy found his dragon pinned down, chained, and muzzled. They had overpowered him.

A powerful creature such as a Night Fury, rendered to such a sorry state in an amount of time as short as this? The sight made him both angry and fearful.

"Are you listening, boy?!" A painful kick to his ribs send Hiccup sprawling on the sandy shore. They were sure to bruise later and his chest was already hurting so bad.

Toothless growled in the background, but all it did was amuse the man further.

"My name is Ryker Grimborn and I'm a Dragon Hunter. And you, Hiccup Haddock, are going to tell me just how you managed to tame a Night Fury." The man, who Hiccup now knew for sure was called Ryker, spoke in such a decisive manner. He was apparently very certain he was going to get every dirty little secret out of the teen.

Well then, he hadn't truly met Hiccup Haddock the Third yet. His lips were sealed.

"Okay, sure, I'll tell you everything that I know." No matter how much it pained his tired body, Hiccup pushed his scrawny self up on his feet, removing the sand from his hands and person.

"Starting with the fact that I didn't 'tame' Toothless. And that my father, Stoick the Vast, is going to notice I'm missing and he will search for me. He would search for any missing Berkian, no matter who they are." At least, Hiccup hoped this threat would work. If just enough to buy him the time needed to think of a plan.

"I don't know why he'd go through such trouble for the likes of you, but one thing's for sure. Once you and your dragon are loaded onto the ship, your father won't find you unless we want him to." There was an awful truth to Ryker's words.

Stoick the Vast did not set foot off his island unless it was to search for the Dragon's Nest or to meet allied tribes for peace treaties. Hiccup hadn't been lying when he boldly stated his dad would come looking for his son, Gobber had often stated how he'd move heaven and Earth to make sure his only child would stay safe. The real question here was how long it would take the man to find him.

Hiccup wasn't so happy with his odds.

"Bring them both onboard the ship. We're setting sail for our home base immediately, so don't leave a single trace. We don't want Berk to have anything that can tie us to the disappearance of their heir. If they'll even look for him." After one last cruel chuckle, Ryker bid his farewel to Johann and the two went their separate ways.

Toothless struggled against his bonds as he was forced into an oddly coloured cage, but his efforts were in vain. Likewise, Hiccup couldn't fight the two men who grabbed him by the arms and lifted him from his feet, but as he wasn't tied up, he managed to land at least on solid hit with his left ankle.

"Oof! You damned brat!" The man groaned as he sunk to his knees with his hands on his groin, where the boy had effortlessly kicked with all the might his thin body had.

Hiccup would've grinned mischievously if he had the time, instead he tried to pull himself free from the second Dragon Hunter, all the while calling for his dragon.

"Toothless, shoot! Fire! Do something about that cage!" For a brief moment he managed to wiggle his arm free after stomping on his captor's foot. His arms may not be much, but dragonriding had already done wonders for his legs. He ran for his Night Fury next, hoping he could come up with something plausible before he reached him.

However, that short moment of freedom was over all too soon.

"Oh for Gods' sake, just knock the brat out and be done with it!" The order barely had to roll of Ryker's tongue or Hiccup felt someone bash him on the back of his head.

Toothless, still muzzled, released a cry as he watched helplessly how his Viking fell limp to the sand.

Hiccup didn't understand why, but Johann had watched it all happen and he had done so in glee. He didn't know what he'd done to make the man hate him so, but it was the last thing he saw before blacking out.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

I’ll Meet You At The Bottom (Part 48)

Edit: Fixed the chapter number lmao.

It had been such a foolish and reckless move and she knew it. She knew it the minute she stepped out and toppled forward, but she had already put her pride on the line and she would stick to her decision. She drew the hood over her head and trudged on. The village was even smaller than she thought it would be. In due time it would probably span out, from the looks of it a construction project was already well underway. Azula stuffed her mittened hands into her pockets and gazed at some food stalls. The pungent stench of sea prune stew warded her off immediately. Body still warm with anger, the temperature hadn’t yet registered. She had other matters on her mind. Just like Iroh, Sokka was blaming her. Unlike her uncle, Sokka was probably right. All of her own accusations she put forward to convince herself that it wasn’t her fault that he’d left, but she couldn’t persuade Sokka anymore than she could persuade herself. Deep in thought she found herself wandering away from the village and the vile dead-fish smell wafting from it.

She wouldn’t go too far.

She would only go straight.

 .oOo.

 Sokka was silently thankful that his village was so small, there weren’t too many places for the princess to hide there. Granted he had given her plenty of time to move about as he tried to explain himself to her fuming mother. He couldn’t have been more thankful for Iroh’s intervention. Though side-eyeing each other the entire time they agreed to let their children fight their own battles. Azula had an hour on him, he just hoped that, that hour had been enough to put her back into a more rational state of mind. He first checked the clothing stands and then the food stalls. And when he found her browsing through none of the shops he began walking around the residential area, still no resentful firebender.  

 He made his way back to the food stall and to the merchant inquired, “Have you seen a firebender? Kinda short, really mad.”

 The saleswoman shook her head. “Didn’t even realize we had any firebenders here.”

 “Okay, thanks.” He muttered dejectedly. He repeated his question to various others. Only one person mentioned seeing Azula but that was as far as the lead went. Again he found himself utterly shocked, she had really left the security of the village? He rubbed his temples, trying not to stress himself out too much. She is smart, resourceful and the like. He couldn’t see her losing her way and yet he could never picture someone so agile stumbling over—unless she had a drink or two. But she had, the Water Tribes were unfamiliar territory and he worried that she was overestimating herself or underestimating the fury of the land or both at once.

 The snow was beginning to fall again, he was sure that she would be absolutely thrilled.

  He reentered the house to ill news spoken in hushed whispers. “Are you sure?” Ursa asked again for what he assumed was reaching an uncountable number of times.

 “I’ve lived here all of my life, Fire Lady Ursa, I know how to spot a blizzard and I know how to tell when it’s a bad one. I’ve been warning Hakoda for days now to call off his hunting trip…” he turned to Hakoda, “I expect a thank you when the wind starts howling and you’re not out in it.”

 “He’s going to be out in it.” Sokka grimaced. “Because she’s not in the village.”

 .oOo.

 Azula squinted against the arctic wind. Snowflakes whirled in front of her face. Earlier in the day the flakes were small and fluttering, almost serene like cold dandelion fluffs. They were quickly stirring into an intense frenzy and bringing about a more frigid temperature. The firebender herself was growing colder. She had thought that her nose was red the night before, she cupped her hands over it trying to get at least a little more warmth. It had been rather mild just that morning, the whether was shifting at a rate comparable to Sokka’s moods. So she found that she couldn’t see much at all beyond the length of her arm. Even if she couldn’t it probably wouldn’t matter.

Everything looked the same.

White and barren and cruel.

Lifeless.

 Azula shivered, she had only gone straight, but somewhere along the lines, what straight meant was growing ambiguous and she wasn’t quite sure that she truly had been going straight at all. She simply trudged in the direction she thought she had come from. North, south, east, west, that also mattered little—none of the four bore any sign that she had been there.

 She removed her mittens to offer herself some fire. Immediately the cold snapped at her hands. Her fingers had already begun to tingle with the cold and without the coverage of those mittens, she could see how concerningly read they were growing. After only a moment of firebending she let the flame die and put her mittens back on—the urge to set herself on fire just to be-rid of the cold was alarmingly strong.  

 Azula sniffled and shivered, wondering just how long it had been since she was out there. She already knew that ‘too long’ was a sufficient answer. The sun dipping lower in the sky only served to reiterate. Walking on seemed to be growing harder as the depth of the snow rose and her own body temperature lowered. She had to find somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t the wide open, merciless tundra.

 .oOo.

 The ocean, the snow, everything that made a Water Tribesfolk a Water Tribesfolk were the things that kept taking from him. Taking and never giving. Again he found himself to blame. He’d fought Suki and she ended up at the bottom of the ocean. He fought Azula and she would probably rest beneath a mountain of snow. Bato refused to join the search party, “no sense in all of us dying out there on a fool’s errand.” He had said. And so it was he, his father, Ursa, and Iroh. Pakku had joined them for some time, but retreated to check on Gran. Conditions were only worsening. Even Hakoda was seeming reluctant by then, reiterating that if they go any further they might become lost themselves. He could call out to Azula, but the wind would only out cry him. The landscape before him stretched on and on without a landmark in sight.

 .oOo.

 For all of those weeks spent alone in the Forgetful Valley surrounded by strange and menacing presences, Azula had never dreaded nightfall more than she did in present. Night’s awakening would bring a piercing chill like no other. She couldn’t tell if her eyes were watering from the unrelenting wind or from complete despair. She was a tough woman, stronger than most, but she couldn’t fight the elements at their rawest. Her entire body quaked but she couldn’t afford to let herself pitch over, Agni forbid if she did, she would never get up again. She pulled her coat closer to herself, as if the gesture would help at all.

The heat of her fire chakara was cooling rapidly in her stomach. She guessed that her inner fire was almost smothered in full. She removed her mittens again, her hands had never looked so red, it almost hurt to bring fire to them. She held the flames hazardously close to her face, it was better than the cold. But it was not enough. She tried stuffing her hands back into the mittens but it was difficult. So difficult. She could barely feel her fingers at all. And her cheeks were beginning to sting, soon they would lose feeling too.

 She ought to cry out in anguish, but there was no point. She didn’t want to let the cold in anymore either.

 Azula squinted, off in the distance she could make out a massive structure jutting from the snow. With what little energy she had conserved, she pushed herself towards it.

 .oOo.

 Ursa and Iroh had been forced to retreat. Ursa wouldn’t leave without a time-wasting fight, but in the end Iroh managed to drag her back to the shelter as she muttered something about how she’d just only begun to love her daughter as she should and that it wasn’t right for the spirits to do this. But she was growing to weak herself, to be of any help.

 It was just he and his father again. His father who was casting sympathetic looks at him as if Azula were already dead.

 Deep down he knew that Bato was probably right, this was a hopeless quest. Perhaps it would be best to retreat after all. The sooner he accepted defeat, the sooner he could get the mourning process over with again. “I can’t do it again, dad.” He whispered. “I just can’t.”

 Hakoda squeezed his shoulder.

 He quickly swiped at his tears before they could freeze to his cheek. Upon looking up, with his vision freshly clear, he could see the elk. The elk with the dazzlingly blue eyes.

 .oOo.

 She was growing weak with cold and her body was too frosty-ridden to produce any flame. The snow clung to her lashes and hair. The wetness of it had her locks sticking together. She was shaking violently, it was like the seizure all over again and just as uncontrollable. But she had made it. She huddled herself inside of the glacier. She couldn’t guarantee that nothing vile dwelled within nor could she promise herself that the ice wouldn’t crack and fall upon her. But the absolute certainty that she would die out in the open, pushed her into the icy shelter.

 With no other moves at her disposal she lay down on the ground and let the snow that drifted in cover her. A light dusting of it covered the upturned parts of her body in due time. At first all she could do was shiver. And soon even that became too much effort, so she stopped doing that too.

[totk-headcanons]

The Champions+ Link and Zelda meeting Midna, and Link being adorable and hugging/following his new friend.

You were expecting Blue to write something cute and fluffy BUT SURPRISE. IT WAS ME, LONELY VOE!

“Well I suppose it’s not outside the realm of possibility,” Zelda mused. “There are records and legends of numerous parallel worlds that border our own, as well as Hyrule’s interactions with them. many in fact become swept up in the Cycle of Calamity.”

Midna nodded. “The Twilight Realm does indeed have a fair amount of history with your kingdom, beginning with the exile of my ancestors to live there and most recently with the invasion of the Usurper King, Zant. Fortunately we were able to bring a stop to him.”

A snort came from the corner and Urbosa stepped forward. “You speak of the Twilight Invasion as if you were actually there. The records may be old but they all place the event at over 15,000 years ago. That would make you impossibly old and yet you look barely older than our Princess here.”

“When I last left this world I severed the connection between your world and mine,” Midna explained. “My researchers have suggested that in doing so our time streams were knocked out of sync. While ages have come and gone for Hyrule…” Her voice quivered slightly, a flash of grief crossing her expression before fading quickly back into regal calm. “Time in my own world has moved far slower. From my perspective it’s only been about five years since I last walked the World of Light.”

Smiling, Zelda leaned forward and clasped Midna’s hands in her own. “Well we are happy to have you. Come with us, I’m sure the other Champions are eager to meet you.”

“Do we have any idea what this about?” Revali grumbled. He was seated in Zelda’s antechamber along with Link, Mipha and Daruk. Tired of waiting he had taken to idly toying with the silverware at the small table in front of him. 

“I believe we have a visitor, somebody new to our kingdom.” Mipha said. As always she stood near Link. Most of the champions knew of her feelings for the hero but nobody spoke of it. “Somebody important.”

Daruk sighed. “Hell of a time for them to show up. The signs are there, the Calamity may return soon.”

“Which makes this even more a waste of our time.” Revali stood and strode to the window, spreading his wings to fly. “I should be training with Vah Medoh. You all can fill me in later.”

Link’s ears twitched and he looked up from his solemn vigil. “They’re coming.” Nobody questioned how he knew, most of them just chalked it up to his instincts as a bodyguard and a warrior.

The doors to Zelda’s inner chambers swung open on oiled hinges and the Princess stepped out with Urbosa, each moving to either side of the entryway. With a grin, Zelda announced their guest. “Please allow me to introduce Princess Midna of the Twilight Realm.”

From the room beyond stepped a figure utterly alien in her beauty. Long orange hair framed a face the color of the southern sea from which two sunset eyes glowed. She was clothed in black cloth, both concealing and revealing at the same time as one could hardly tell where the clothing ended and the black patterns swirling across her chest and abdomen began. Ancient symbols, etched in pale blue, illuminated her arms and legs with a soft light.

Dipping her head in a respectful nod, she spread her hands. “I am honored by the warm hospitality of Hyrule and her peoples. May the darkness never take you and the light never forsake you.” Rising from her bow, Midna’s eyes swept across the room as she took in the remaining champions. When her eyes landed on him her breath caught in her throat. He looked almost exactly as he did when she last saw him, though now he wore blue instead of green. In her mind she knew it couldn’t possibly be him but in her heart she yearned for it to be true. He had the same hair and those same, piercing blue eyes. A gaze at once fierce and gentle. It was’t until she felt her hand taken and shaken vigorously that she realized she was being spoken to.

“… and as Champion of the Goron I bid you welcome. Please feel free to visit our village whenever you like. Just uh… make sure you prepare for the heat.” 

Midna’s eyes snapped back into focus and she gave the Goron a polite smile, resolving to try and glean his name from conversation later. “I would love to visit, especially if the hot springs are as wonderful as I remember.”

Revali stepped forward next, performing a sweeping and extravagant bow. “I am Revali, Champion of the Rito. If you find the dry heat of Daruk’s mountain to be too much for you handle I would humbly suggest you visit our village, cooled by the mountain winds. Rito hospitality is among the finest in the land and has a tradition stretching back thousands of years. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?”

Laughing, Midna shook her head. “Forgive me sir, but this is the first I’ve heard of a race such as yours. When I last visited Hyrule the bird people I encountered where short of stature with peculiar heads like a shaved man’s. But such creatures could not possibly be related to a race such as yours that features such beautiful plumage.”

Grateful that he had feathers to hide his blush, Revali murmured a word of thanks before retreating to his windowsill.

Midna turned to Mipha. “You are a Zora, yes? I must admit your race has changed much since I last visited. Almost enough to make me think that perhaps the Rito did evolve from those tiny bird… things.”

Revali let out an outraged squawk from the window but was quickly silenced by a glare from Urbosa.

“I am indeed a Zora.” Mipha responded and curtsied. “My name is Mipha, daughter of King Dorephan and Crown Princess of Zora’s Domain. Should you require anything at all, please do not hesitate to ask.”

“And this,” Zelda interrupted, grabbing Link by the arm and dragging him in front of the Twilight Princess, “is Link, my appointed knight and Chosen Champion of Hyrule.”

“You even have his name…” Midna half whispered.

“Hmm? What was that?” Zelda asked.

“N-nothing. It is a pleasure to meet you, Link.” Midna forced herself to avert her eyes lest her face betray her heartache. “I am sure that Hyrule will prosper under your capable guard.”

Introductions complete, the Champions fell into their usual routine of conversing and camaraderie. They told the Princess of their many adventures and escapades, their duties as Champions and of the impending Calamity.

As the night wore on, Midna excused herself from the merriment and left to get some air on the balcony. She was surprised when Mipha joined her a short time later.

“You know,” Mipha began. “Zora have very good hearing.”

Midna looked at her confused for a moment before realization dawned on her. She turned away to hide the blush.

“He reminds you of someone?”

“Yes.”

“Someone you cared about?”

“Yes.”

The two stood in silence as the stars rolled slowly across the sky.

“I realized it a few weeks later.” Midna began. “That I had made a terrible mistake.”

Mipha said nothing, instead placing a comforting hand on Midna’s arm.

“It all seemed so obvious at the time. My people were banished from this world because of the havoc they had caused and the first thing that happened upon our return was yet more chaos and strife. Of course our people could not coexist.”

“That wasn’t your fault, or your people’s,” Mipha interrupted. “The Calamity Ganon visits Hyrule in every age and in many forms. Just because it chose one of your people as its vessel does not put your people at fault.”

Midna smiled woefully. “If only that insight had reached me before I returned home. Unfortunately by the time I had realized this it was too late. The way was shut. I immediately set my researchers upon finding a way to reconstruct the gate. Progress was slow, due in no small part to the fact that in the past the gate had always been opened from the World of Light. Trying to find a way to open it from our world was like a man trying to force his way out of a steel cage with a blunt spoon. But I had to see him again. I had to be with him.

“When my sages finally found a way, I was overjoyed. While the mirror had been shattered, a shadow of it still remained. After years of searching and planning I finally had the chance to return to him. Of course when the gateway opened and I stumbled out into what used to be the Arbiter’s Grounds I knew something was off. There was no way a tomb and structure of that size could be buried and forgotten by the desert in a mere five years. That’s when my sages found out about the time differential and when I gave up hope of seeing him again. If Urbosa’s soldiers hadn’t found me I may have just wandered off into the desert there and then.”

Mipha squeezed Midna’s arm. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad to have met you.”

“Thank you,” Midna replied. Turning, she looked back towards the room where the rest of the Champions laughed and talked. “But then I come here and there he is. I know it isn’t him. I know it can’t be him. And yet he looks exactly as he did. The hair is a little different but his face and eyes are the same as they were when I left him standing on the pedestal at the Arbiter’s Grounds, too afraid to admit my feelings to myself let alone to him with the knowledge that I would be severing our two worlds for what I believed to be forever. By the Goddesses he even has his name. The only thing he lacks is the memory of me. There is no recognition in his eyes when he looks at me.” 

Blinking away tears, Mipha pulled Midna into a tight hug. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” She choked back a sob. “You’ve been through so much, I can’t even imagine…”

“Do you have feelings for someone too?”

Mipha pulled away at Midna’s question. “Y-yes.” Her gaze drifted to where Link was sitting back in the room. “I don’t think I could bear for him to look at me as you described. To see me without knowing me.” 

Midna brought the Zora’s gaze back to match her own. “Whatever happens, don’t repeat my mistakes. You hold on to him as tightly and as fiercely as you can. The last thing you want in love is regret for things left unsaid and undone.”

Just then Zelda came running out onto the Balcony, pulling Link out with her. “We just had the most wonderful idea. Why don’t you have Link show you around the Kingdom for a while? I’m sure much has changed in the 15,000 years since your last visit.”

Quickly regaining her composure, Midna smiled. “That sounds like a wonde-”

“Don’t let the young Princess fool you, my lady.” Urbosa called from the door. “She’s just trying to get the boy out of her hair for a while.

“Urbosa!”

The Gerudo shrugged. “Honestly, how can he possibly protect you if you’re trying to duck away from him at every turn.”

“Another time, perhaps.” Midna stepped back toward the room. “I’m afraid that I have many duties to attend to in my own kingdom. I wouldn’t be a very effective monarch if I ignored the needs of my people in favor of a tour.”

“You’ll come back though, won’t you?” Zelda asked. “Perhaps after we’ve put this whole Calamity matter to bed?”

“Of course,” Midna replied. “Our time streams should be back in sync now that the connection is restored. I look forward to a bright future for our two kingdoms.”

With that, the Princess of Twilight bid the Champions a good night and retired to her guest chambers, preparing to set out for home the following morning.

[Mod Lonely Voe]

[setsunatama3]

chapter 19: hard choices and confrontation

AN/ don't forget to check me out on twitter at https://twitter.com/setsunatama3 for any announcements from now on. notice i also post on wattpad at :https://www.wattpad.com/773701195-the-maelstrom-of-remnant-chapter-one-exile

arcive of our own at https://archiveofourown.org/works/20596958?view_full_work=true

deviant art at: https://www.deviantart.com/setsunatama3/gallery

fanfiction.net at: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13280840/1/the-Maelstrom-of-remnant

tumblr at https://www.tumblr.com/blog/setsunatama3

ficwad at https://ficwad.com/story/279918

chapter 19: hard choices and confrontation

For Emerald, it was hard seeing Cinder like this. The woman she swore to serve in all things. Broken and looking so small. Knowing the only thing she could do for Cinder right now was wait and pray she makes the right choice. When Cinder woke up, everything would change. It was the one thing emerald knew was a fact as she watched. The comatose Cinder on the bed.

Memories flashed in her mind of a little girl with amber eyes. That seemed to glow even in the light.

"Mama, wait for me!" the girl called out. Only for the woman to fade into darkness with red eyes.

When she turned to run, the ground was covered in blood. It was a nightmare, the walls, floor, and even the very sky rained with red. Dying everything a verdant inescapable crimson as far as the eye could see. As the sky rained red, the girl ran through the city streets desperate to find her mother. Not caring of the bodies that littered the streets or the smoke in the air. She tried to hold back her tears and her fear as she ran the red eyes just around every corner. She had only stopped once she made it home. Only it wasn't home anymore; the house was on fire and the red eyes were prowling out of the front door. Dragging the still form of her mother pooling crimson behind her cooling body.

In that one moment, the girl's whole world fell apart. In her earth-shattering despair, something happened.

For a moment, the world stood still. Her despair and grief turned to rage. Furry in its most pure form. As something inside her snapped.

Letting out a cry of rage and anguish all at once. The earth shuttered under her anger. Bent to her will spires of metal, glass, rock, fire shot from the ground. Snuffing out the fires and silencing the monsters with the red eyes and anything else in the village. Save for the lone girl all alone in what is now a silent grave.

Emotionally drained and spent, she collapses in on herself. Utterly exhausted, unable to lift even a finger. When a winged red-eyed monster lands.

She thinks to herself in her last moments. "At least I will see you soon..."

As her vision swam with darkness in those final moments. Terror filled her, and Cinder awoke with a fright. "AAahh...."

Terrified and left gasping for air. And a searing pain in the back of her mind. As the vivid nightmare faded from her memory. No matter how hard she tried, the visions slipped from her as if they were loose grains of sand. Leaving her sullen and hollow.

Hearing the scream, Emerald dropped her glass. Taking off headed for the room Cinder was in. Opening the door in a rush.

"Is everything ok?" Emerald questioned.

And for a moment as their eyes met in the silence. Emerald could see the real Cinder Fall for the first time. What she saw honestly disturbed her. It wasn't the haughty and charismatic woman that she grew accustomed to. But a woman who needed help to restore some semblance of normal to her life.

Then like magic, the mask fell into place. Confidence returned to her features despite her state. It saddened Emerald to see Cinder like this. Always on guard looking for even a hint of betrayal.

"Yes, I am fine. Em, where are we?" Cinder inquired. It was the first of many questions Cinder had for the other girl.

Emerald took a breath to calm her rapidly beating heart and put her words in order. Just wondering how to tell Cinder that she had requested the help of Kitsune. Someone who was diametrically opposed to their goals. Yet he still went out of his way to give them his aid.

"Well, there was something wrong with you, and I was desperate. You were barely even breathing. So I got help." Emerald tentatively answered.

While Emerald had not answered directly. She did solve one of many mysteries. And after a self-check of her person. She noticed that the pain and migraines were gone. At least for now.

But that had brought up even more questions like just who emerald had gotten to help.

"Em, just who did you get to help us, and again where are we?" Cinder prompted. Disregarding Emerald's attempt to dodge the question.

Emerald took another breath to settle her nerves. Knowing there was no way to avoid this question.

"Ok, I'll tell you, but you have to have a clear and open mind about this." Emerald reasoned.

Cinder just glared at her for a moment, annoyed that she was dancing around the question. Before giving her a curt nod of approval. After all, it was Emerald's actions that had led to her improved condition. The least she could do is keep an open mind about things.

With that tentative approval, Emerald went on to explain just how they got here. "When you were unconscious, I made the decision to call Kitsune. I hoped that he could help you, and nothing we were doing was helping you get better."

At the mention of one of the most unexpected unknowns to hamper her plans. Cinder did not expect that it was Kitsune to act on his own and aid them. While it put many of her questions to rest, it also brought up so many more. Like just why did he help, and how?

Feeling tired just from the simple conversation and its many mysteries. Cinder opted to end this discussion here. After all, if Kitsune was really an enemy, then she doubted that they would still be able to draw breath. For if there were anything Kitsune and Ryu where it was decisive and efficient.

"Em, I think I need to rest more before we continue with the conversation." Cinder said. The exhaustion was showing on her face. It was amazing that she was even able to carry the conversation as well as she did.

Emerald made her way out of the room to let Cinder rest. When Cinder spoke up before drifting off to sleep, "Em, thank you..."

Emerald left the room with a smile on her face.

]|[

It had been hours they had been staking out the docks for over eight hours now. And no one had yet to show. It was starting to get a bit ridiculous. Yet the group had not noticed. The shadow who had been watching over them since the girls had gotten there.

It was boring, and it was official for Ruby stakeouts sucked. Letting out another sigh for the fifth time in the last hour. Pouting at the fact she and the other girls. Aside from Blake and Sarada had been made to wait in a building nearby. With the lack of a view, she couldn't even see what was going on.

Even if what Blake and Sarada were currently doing was watching the S.D.C. shipping containers just full of dust. It would be a challenge for them to steal this much dust on their own. And it meant that if the fang was to come, it would not be by land. But by the sea or more likely using an airship.

Naruto had to frown when he had gotten to the docks. From his perch, he noticed his classmates staking out the docks and had to sigh of exasperation in defeat. They were definitely not supposed to be there. There was nothing he could do in this situation but wait.

Night had fallen, and the guards were nowhere in sight. Most likely, amid a shift change. When it happened, the first ones to notice the incoming aircraft was naruto and Sarada. Roused from his meditation by the faint sound of the engines in the distance.

Not wanting the others to be caught off guard, Sarada made a snap decision. "Blake, get everyone ready there coming," she said to the other girl.

It wasn't more than a moment later that Blake heard the sounds of the approaching airships. With a nod, she leapt off the back of the roof and out of sight. Heading to notify the others.

]|[

Roman took a drag from his cigar, calming his nerves hoping that things would go well tonight. Without Neo at his side, he knew it would be more difficult. Especially with rookies from the white fang joining tonight's heist. She, after all, had her own job to complete tonight.

Leaning over to grab the microphone, Roman announced to his men. "Get ready; we will make land in two minutes. Don't screw this up!"

It was a rather short two minutes for Roman and his crew of newbies, but this was supposed to be a milk run for him a chance for the rookies to get their feet wet. When they made landfall Roman made a final announcement. "Gentlemen, get ready cause there is no turning back now."

When the bullheads set down, he, along with the first wave of his crew, disembarked from the ship.

Wanting to get this done in the ten-minute window of time he paid for Roman knew he had to get them to hurry.

"Come on, come on, hurry it up; we only have nine minutes. And I, for one, don't want to be here when V.P.D. shows up. If that container is not attached in the next minute, we will fall behind." Roman yelled. Knowing that if they did not have the first three hooked up soon, they would miss their window, and the boss would make an appearance soon.

The plan was to steal only three containers, which would only take a handful of minutes. Then Kitsune would show up putting the fear of god into these rookies. By then, the fanatics would arrive and be violently suppressed by Kitsune and handed over to the V.P.D. It was a rough plan he had put together. His only hope was that Kitsune would know to hold back and not break these poor sods too badly. After all, the whole part he wanted Kitsune to play in this was to scare these mooks right. They were just civilians, after all.

As the men hooked up the shipping containers, Roman had to smirk at least until things went to shit.

]|[

Upon notifying the rest of her friends to get ready. Blake waited for the airships to land, peering out of a window.

When the first man stepped off the airship, her heart sank. It was the white fang, after all. Seeing her distress, Yang rested a hand on her shoulder in comfort, giving her a soft smile.

"Hey, you don't have to worry. You have us now." Yang said.

With a nod, Blake hardened her resolve to do what is right.

With their preparations set, the ladies of teams RWBY, NNPR, SLVR, AACM readied themselves to stop the white fang.

Naruto's attention was drawn away from the docks by a surge of incoming chakra. It was something that should not even be possible. It was approaching his position fast. Giving him little time to act as he leapt out of the way of several incoming fireballs. With no other perches to land on, he had no choice but to land right into the midst of the white fang. Flipping out of the way of several thrown kunai.

Naruto had no choice but to flip through hand seals as several water dragons were shot his way. Making the hand seals Tiger → Hare → Boar → Dog and intoning (Doton: Doryūheki) crouching down and slamming both palms onto the ground. Shielding himself and the others on the docks from the mystery chakra users with a massive wall of earth.

Not caring about how it happened, one of the fang rookies had managed to get behind him in the chaos. Upon hearing the cocking of the hammer of the handgun now aimed at his head. As the rookie streaked. "Don't you fucking move!"

Naruto reacted quickly. And with brutal efficiency dodging the bullet by a hair's breadth. As it grazed his neck. Only due to the shaking hands of the grunt.

Spinning into a leg sweep knocking the man off his feet and driving his fist into the man's head with considerable force. Cracking the pavement with the blow.

As Naruto leapt away from several more kunai and shuriken. He caught a flash of blonde in his peripheral vision. As the ladies charged into the fray naruto let out a curse. "Fuck!"

Flipping out of the way and landing into a crouch. Kitsune drew his tanto, blocking several more thrown kunai.

In the shadows, he spotted a silhouette and narrowed his eyes. Pulling out four shurikens, he threw them coated in wind chakra in that direction. And dashed off into the direction of his hidden foes.

They met in the middle as his foe lept from the shadows. Managing to stop naruto's tanto with a dagger of his own.

In the moonlight, Naruto came mask to mask with the unmistakable mask of an Anbu. One he did not recognize. Eyes widening in surprise naruto lept away just in time to avoid another masked Anbu whose katana almost ran him through.

This was going to be a tough fight Naruto, though, as two more masked people shunshined into the docks.

Naruto took a breath in and exhaled as he glared daggers at his new adversaries. Raising from his crouched position, he growled, "just who are you?!"

The smallest of the group stepped forward. "We are here to get answers. As for who we are, you should know if you recognize these masks. Just like you, we are ANBU," she announced.

Naruto focused all of his attention on them as he readied himself for what may be the hardest fight in a long time. Taking in every detail of their apparent leader.

Noting that despite their masks and similar dress of the standard flak vest in black. With a sleeveless shirt and the barest hint of mesh armor on underneath it. The only real difference in dress was unlike her subordinates. She was wearing short shorts rather than cargo pants. And the feature that set her apart from everyone else was the fact that she was a cat Faunus with a spit tail and ears.

The thing that made him pause was that once the clouds in the sky broke. Illuminating the docks with lunar light, he saw it his clan's crest was emblazoned on their Hitai-ate. And his blood ran cold with fury. It was then that everyone on the docks was exposed to his killing intent. Forcing them to freeze in their tracks. Then in an instant, it was gone all that malice and rage that only spelled death was silenced. By force of will alone, Naruto calmed himself down. And drawing on the power of nature, taking it into himself.

Settling down his turbulent emotions with the peace of mind, nature gives him. He exhaled, and with it, all the tension left his form.

Now with a clear mind, he looked over his opponents once more. Noting their vibrant red hair. And with his sage mode enhanced senses, he could feel their power. And it was definitely not Aura; it was chakra. It answered some of his questions. As Naruto let the power of sage mode slip away. He was left with even more questions.

While he was seemingly distracted the ANBU rushed him. The one wearing what looked like a tengu had reached him first.

It was a rather impressive feat of speed. Made all the more perfect by his use of his katana, drawing it from its sheath in one fluid motion cutting through the spot that Naruto was in just missing him by a hair. Naruto stepped to the side of the oncoming strike. Gripping his sword with both hands, he followed through intending to cut Naruto from shoulder to hip.channeling wind into his blade. Forcing him into his team's trap. As his other two teammates made use of the same technique Naruto had used earlier. Having maneuvered themselves into position to either side of Naruto, the ladies flashed through the hand signs Tiger → Hare → Boar → Dog and intoning (Doton: Doryūheki) pining naruto in on either side forcing him to leap backward to avoid the strike.

As he lept back, Naruto was surprised when he felt the swell of chakra. It was unmistakable now. On who these people were now. As he was wrapped in chakra chains. It confirmed at least one of his questions. They were Uzumaki or at least the Faunus girl was an Uzumaki.

Walking up to the restrained Kitsune. Bakeneko had to smirk behind her mask. This was easier than she had thought it would be.

"You're Uzumaki, aren't you?" Kitsune inquired. Showing no signs of distress despite his bonds.

When she heard his tone, it triggered something deep within her a primal part of herself that she did not like. As her instincts were raging telling her that something was wrong, it had come a moment too late as in a flash of light, Kitsune exploded.

Naruto had thanked his good graces that he had replaced himself with a shadow clone when he had lost his temper. As their teamwork was flawless had it been anyone else they had been after, it would have likely ended with one of those chains impaling the poor bastard. Rather than attempting to capture him

Bakeneko bit back a curse as she was blown away from her teammates in the explosion. Flipping in mid-air to orient herself with the ground. As she flew just beyond the dock, landing perfectly on the water's surface. She scowled as Kitsune alighted right in front of her. This was going to be difficult. And she knew it. Just based on what she felt from his now unleashed chakra. He was a monster in human skin.

]|[

When the fireballs hit the docks roman was shocked; all of his plans went down the drain in less than five minutes.

"Damn, damn, damn it fuck this shit alright gents grab what you can we are moving out now." roman snaps out with a growl.

He knows with those explosions, the time frame they had to work with has just been cut in half, and he only has rookies to work with. Then a shot rang out across the docks just missing him by a hair. Grazing his cheek. Causing him to let out another growl of frustration.

When he sees the students of beacon charging his men. With a quick glance around, he sees only two containers have been hooked up to the bullheads, and there are eight more shipping containers. With his original plan of having at least three of the containers hooked up. Then by the time the boss showed up. The veterans of the fang would have been a prime target to be made an example of.

But now with the kids from beacon showing up and with that explosion. Roman knows it's only a matter of mere minutes now. Before the V.P.D. shows up soon. And to top all that those damn kids will tear right through his current forces.

Crushing his cigar out of frustration, Roman barked out his next set of orders to the men next to him. "Hold those kids off, while the pilots ready the bullheads we only need a few minutes to secure the cargo we have."

Tossing the remains of his cigar to the ground, Roman strode forwards to his quickly crumbling front lines. His only thoughts on the matter were on just how bad his luck was.

Aiming his weapon right in between the students and his rookies, he fired off several rounds using his Semblance to enhance his shots. He carved a trench into the ground stopping the advance of the kids.

"And just what are a bunch of beacon firsties doing here?" Roman drawled as he made his entrance.

When Blake saw Roman make his entrance with the white fang at his side, it brought up so many questions. But she knew it would have to wait.

"Oh, hey Red fancy meeting you here," Roman snarked, Recognising Ruby in the group of students.

Firing off a blast from his cane roman charged into the group of girls singling out Ruby. He was soon followed by his men in his attempt to buy time.

Only for his approach to be cut off by a blade that nearly took his head off. Had he not ducked it by the narrowest of margins. His hat fell to the ground, completely shredded.

Looking up, Roman glared into the eyes of an oddly smiling girl with orange curly chin-length hair.

As more and more of her blades came out of her backpack, Penny declared for everyone to hear. "I'm combat-ready!" pumping her fist into the air.

With the grace of a dancer, she leapt into battle, immediately putting the white fang on the back foot. Dancing around shots and directing her floating array of blades to dance to a tune only she could hear. Effortlessly blocking sword strikes and incoming fire. With the greatest of ease.

Seeing all this in action, Ruby exclaimed: "wow, Penny; you're amazing."

With a grin, Penny replied as she directed her blades. Her fingers dancing, controlling the many weapons in concert with her will. As she slid underneath a sword and headed her four of the swords, she commanded with a slashing motion of her hand. Shield her from a barrage of gunfire. "Didn't i tell you, I'm combat ready!"

As the other students took on the other grunts with his lines collapsing. Knowing it would only be a matter of minutes now. Roman chose the better part of valor and made a quick retreat. Calling out to his pilots. "Damnit, take off when I give you an opening. we will have to make do with the three containers we already have."

With confidence backed by the skill, he parried a strike from the bow wearing Faunus of Team RWBY. Opening her guard, he thrust the end of his cane into her gut, pulling the trigger point-blank.

Blake only escaped what would have been a severe injury by quickly switching herself out with a clone. However, she did not avoid the blast entirely as she was sent skidding backward.

"Damn, damn, goddamnit, just why are you kids doing out here?!" roman snarled. His gate even as he strode towards blake cane raised aimed at her head. His building frustration making his blood boil.

He knew he had to get out of here fast, or all his efforts tonight would be for naught. With that goal in mind, he quickly shifted his aim at one of the cargo containers, not hooked up to the bullhead.

Everything went silent in that one moment as he grinned. And with a squeeze of his trigger, everyone watched on helplessly as he fired a single shot. With a single shot, he gave his men the time they needed.

]|[

She let out a cackle of manic glee as her blood pumped through her veins, and her eyes dilated and became slits. Her fingernails lengthened into claws as she tapped into her Semblance, and her purple eyes turned a vibrant amber. As she was enveloped by a chakra shroud. Hunching over ready to pounce.

With a more bestial growl, Bakeneko called out to her team, "he's mine, don't interfere, Tengu!"

As her transformation took place, the water underneath her feet rose to boil. With a nod, Tengu and the others of her team lept down onto the sea with her. Getting into a position to intercept should anything go wrong.

The pair stood there facing off against each other, waiting for the other to show even a hint of weakness. When the sound of another set of airships broke the stillness of the water as they came to land. At that moment, Bakeneko lept with claws extended she slashed at the air. Igniting the air sending a torrent of what could only be described as blades of flame at Kitsune.

Drawing his tanto Naruto channeled chakra into his tanto, mixing wind and lighting chakra, forcing the blade to vibrate and make a keening wail. As he employed what Naruto liked to call his oscillating blade technique.

Naruto decided to meet power with power and slashed at the blaze with his sword. And as the forces collided, it was clear that the balance of power was not even as Naruto's sword began to chip against the pressure. As it began to push him back. Tapping into the wellspring of his power, Naruto forced even more energy into the blade, causing it to give a cry before slashing through the blaze with an explosion. Shattering into pieces soon after.

When the smoke cleared, the results of the clash were evident on Naruto's arm as he dripped crimson into the waters below as his arm began to emit steam as wounds started to close. Leaving behind, not even a scar. Making the only evidence of his injuries the tattered arm guard and glove.

As Naruto glared at the now animalistic cat girl. As she stalked back and forth, ready for his next move. Far more cautious than ever. He knew the girl was strong. The only question was just how strong she was .As he decided to up the ante.

Withdrawing two of his tri-pronged kunai. Naruto rushed her faster than before. He threw one of his kunai at her channeling his chakra into the blade. Seeing it coming, Bakeneko drew a kunai and threw it at the odd kunai. In an attempt to intercept the weapon.

Only to be stunned when the weapon sheared through the kunai without resistance. As she stared at the quickly approaching kunai in disbelief. Everything screamed at her to move.

Her mind, instincts, even her very being screamed at her to move, yet her body refused to follow her commands.

With the blade quickly approaching, she knew she had no other choice. Drowning out all others in that single moment, she closed her eyes. She delved into her inner world to the source of Semblance. Her own cursed power.

When she opened her eyes, she was standing before a shrine. The doors bound in seals preventing any from entering. She knew she had no other choice but to open the door even if it was just a bit. Any amount of power she could access would be a boon. Walking up to the shrine that suppressed her nature, she placed her hands on the sliding panels. Grimacing in pain as what felt like acid ran through her veins just from touching the doors. Bakeneko pushed through the pain forcing the panels apart inch by inch. Her features changing slowly.

Her tail split into two. Her canines lengthening as fur began to coat her arms, and her eyes began to glow even brighter than before. The shroud started to take a humanoid shape.

When Bakeneko opened her eyes again, she felt the swell of power along with the pain as her body began to reflect what happened in her inner world.

It all happened in a moment with the swell of power drowning out her hesitation Bakeneko reacted quickly. Ducking under the kunai, allowing it to slip right through the crimson tresses of her hair. Trusting even more of herself to her instincts, she spun and lashed out with a kick. Catching the flash of red in her peripheral vision.

But more importantly, she felt her leg make contact with the flash. Sending Kitsune skipping across the bay with the power put behind the blow.

Naruto had to let out a curse as he was sent flying from the unexpected blow. Had he not sacrificed his arm to block the blow. He would have likely been taken out of this fight for the moment.

Standing back up onto the surface of the water, Naruto gave his opponents one of his most withering glairs. As he did a self-check of his injuries. Despite the ruined bracer and glove, naruto knew that his arm was only dislocated and covered in severe burns hanging limply at his side, and three of his ribs were broken as well. He let out a held breath as his wounds began to rapidly close, letting out steam in the process. As his eyes shifted to the telltale bar-like pupil. And with the sound of a sicking crack, naruto tested his arm even as the burnt flesh began to flake off, revealing pink skin underneath.

His injuries healed in a mear moment, Naruto directed his gaze away from his opponent. Only a moment looking towards the docks and the battle that was quickly coming to an end.

Knowing he had to deal with this annoyance first before he could do anything about the fang on the docks.

With his decision made, he charged the foe before him. Bakeneko meeting his charge with one of her own.

Confident in her own skills, Bakeneko met his charge head-on. Trading blows with Kitsune and dodging by the narrowest of margins at least until she ducked under a right hook. When her instincts screamed at her to move.

That was when she felt it an invisible blow drilled right into her masked face. As Bakeneko was sent flying backward. She felt a force act on her whole body as she was ripped from her flight and pulled back towards Kitsune.

Bakeneko knew she had to do something, or her teammates would interfere. And this Kitsune was someone they would not likely be able to handle on their own, let alone as a team. So with no other choice, she opened the gates that held back her power even more. Despite her quickly slipping sanity and the madness subsuming her will. With a cry of rage, she opened the gates as far as she could with one thought in mind. "Protect them!"

Naruto felt the blow before he felt the sudden surge of power filled blood lust.

The moment she delved deeper into the wellspring of power, Bakeneko lost her tenuous control. And her teammates sprung into action. The aforementioned Tengu taking the lead.

"Yuki-onna cage her and seal her movements, Nurarihyon buy us some time!" Tengu barked out to the two other women.

The team moved in with swift efficiency. Tengu and the now named Yuki-onna dashed towards Bakeneko. As soon as she saw them, her attention was immediately directed towards the pair.

With a roar of a challenge, she met their charge head-on. Yuki-onna slid to a stop and flashed through hand signs. She then clapped her hands together intoning (Makyō Hyōshō). As Bakeneko charged the pair, she was cut off by panels of ice that sprung up on all sides.

Tengu slashed his right hand with a kunai and charged at her his hand alight with a blue flame. The flames soon flickered out. As he ducked a slash that would have taken off his head as soon as he got close.

This was the moment that Tengu was looking for. When she had overextended herself with that last attack he called out to yuki-onna. "Yuki, now!" Tengu cried out.

With a single hand seal, she intoned (Hyōrō no Jutsu) flash-freezing Bakeneko's legs and arms.

With Bakeneko immobile, he charged his fist with all of his chakra. And slammed his palm into her chest, and it glowed a brilliant blue flame and then shifted to a corona of gold. As the seal script flowed out the color of his blood.

]|[

Knowing that her time was short, Nurarihyon acted quickly, casting one of her strongest genjutsu. Making the tiger hand sign she intoned (Kokuangyo no Jutsu). Drowning Kitsune's senses in total darkness.

While trapped in this genjutsu, Naruto idly thought it was a unique application. From the moment it was cast. Sound, sight, smell, and even touch was gone, yet he knew if he chose to activate his Rinne-Sharingan, make use of the six paths chakra, or also make use of Kurama's chakra. Yet this genjutsu made him curious as to just what they were up to.

It was why he opted to let this play out, relying upon his sage mode enhanced senses. Those same senses enabled him to duck a sword strike that would have taken his head where he anyone else.

Relying on what he could perceive through his sage mode enhanced sense, he sidestepped a thrust. Then nimbly leapt away from what felt like a horizontal slash.

At least until he felt his blood flowing from a wound on his chest. It was strange, so strange Naruto felt he had to voice his curiosity. "It's strange this Just is definitely the second Hokage's technique. But there is something different about it. I can sense you, but it's almost like you're there yet not. So that means that you're enhancing this somehow to the point it is not only cutting off four of my five senses. but distorting my ability to sense chakra as well..."

Naruto said as he began to smile behind his mask. With a flair of chakra, he broke out of the Jutsu. Just as her blade came in intent on taking his head.

Leaping back just out of reach once more. Yet her sword managed to connect with his mask despite the distance. Digging a deep furrow into his mask.

Opting for a jutsu as a retaliatory strike, he quickly flashed through the hand signs Rat → Snake → Horse → Snake → Dog. Intoning (Fūton: Shinkū Renpa). Sending highly compressed blades of wind in her direction. Yet as if she were a mirage, she remained unharmed by the attack. And soon faded into mist along with her companions. As if they were never there.

With the withdrawal of the apparent Uzumaki Anbu. Naruto turned his attention to the docks and the battle being waged. Pausing only for a moment gazing at the new illusion of the woman known as Nurarihyon before him.

"You are just as strong as we hoped. It has been an honor to do battle with you Naruto Uzumaki. We hope to see you again one day." Nurarihyon said as her form began to fade once more.

Naruto quirked a brow underneath his mask as a massive grin began to form on his face. "You know the next time you want to fight, you just have to ask." Naruto sarcastically shot back, As he broke character for the first time that night.

Turning his attention back to the docks, he leapt back up onto the docks just as the battle ended.

As he was mid-air, he heard the telltale crack of gunfire than the cacophonous sound of an explosion. Unable to do anything about the oncoming shockwave. Naruto opted to curl into a ball, letting the shockwave of the blast carry him back into the water with a slightly rough landing.

Swimming back up to the surface of the bay, Naruto was just in time to see only two of the four bullheads take off their cargo in tow.

Scowling naruto pulled himself onto the surface of the water. Glairing in the direction of the fleeing bullheads and the smirking figure of one Roman Torchwick.as he hung from the end of one of the containers.

Amidst the heat of the blaze and the sounds of sirens blaring off in the distance.

Naruto knew he could not remain any longer. The whole mission was a wash.so with a single tiger hand seal.

He vanished without leaving a trace...

AN/ so guys I have some news 1st is I am not dead yay. but I recently fucked up at work like a dumb ass not thinking about what I was doing and cut off a small bit of my finger at work. while I am fine and have all my digits it will, however, affect my typing speed for the future. due not worry though I will still work on my fic as always. injuries like this are not uncommon in my chosen profession and are not a big deal just annoying (I've had worse almost cut off a thumb once that was bad compared to this).

[class-of-its-own]

The day I faced death & why NOT reaching the top of a mountain makes a man

My true story about: The day I faced death & why NOT reaching the top of a mountain makes a man.

I was frightened to death. My breathing was short, shallow and not allowing me to think clearly. My heartbeat rapid and my eyes wide open. I was standing on near top of one of the highest mountains in Finland, Saana, and I had just unleashed a massive snow avalanche.

The mountain doesn’t wait. That’s the adventure I was looking for.

The sun was shining so brightly that I needed to narrow my eyes to see anything. It was only about -5 degrees of Celsius and yet I was freezing. And I felt utterly stupid. I had travelled without purpose to the tiny village of Kilpisjärvi at the very tip of Northern Finland, about 300km north of Polar Circle. Then I saw the mountain. One of the highest peaks in Finland. And what the boy of age 19 is to do when his eyes are set to this magnificent rock, covered by meters of snow? Conquer it! That was my first and most customary thought. The ambition was set and it was urgent. The mountain doesn’t wait. That’s the adventure I was looking for.

There is no sensible way to the top of Saana. Especially when it is winter and avalanche time. I didn’t know this. There was maybe a path somewhere, but my eyes were set to the near vertical south face of the mountain. In my foolish bravado, I went in search to find place to rent skis to get to the plateau over the forest level. I was feeling excitement, happiness and joy at the same time. I ate good lunch made of potatoes and reindeer meet at the small local Sami restaurant. Packing food didn’t appear in my mind, as informing anyone about my plans didn’t either.

The white snow bathing in sun was so beautiful and when the avalanche started I was magnified by the white sea moving downwards. And after one or two seconds, I realized that I had made it happen. The small flake I had released had gained power to crush the tall pine trees below. The tall trees cracked and broke. My first clear thought was that this couldn’t be good. I was alone. There were no people near by. I hadn’t told anyone about my conquest. Heck, no-one even knew that I was away from Helsinki. I had just taken the train and followed the sun.

Luckily I had my large mobile phone with me. Good old Nokia. I took it up from my pocket, carefully, while trying not to cause another avalanche.  I cleaned the screen from moist and looked at the empty indicators. No connection. I had no experience from mountain climbing or avalanches. I came from hilly, but not mountainous region of Finland. What should I do?

I was a boy and then the thought came through me. I will die.

I could see a couple of people skiing on the icy lake. I decided to yell to see if they or anyone could hear me. No response. I yelled like I was in a dire danger. Which I only then realized I was. The top was only maybe 20 meters upwards, but covered in thick layer of snow, bathing in sun, making it softer and moister every minute. Ready to release another avalanche, following the first one if I climbed upwards. When I looked downwards again I realized that if I descended towards the tree level I had to face the same destiny of releasing flakes of snow and causing an avalanche.

I yelled yet again. This time in despair. I was starting to feel unable to think straight. My brain signaled extreme alarm, and yet I couldn’t do anything. I was frozen on a cliff, literally and physically. I couldn’t ascend or descent without risking my life.

I started to think that how long would it take that someone realized that I was gone. Probably by next late morning, by the check-out time. It was cold and I didn’t have clothes to stay immobile. In fact my clothes were made for casual walk in a park or forest. Not to have them on on bare mountain. Yet if I made a move, it was certain that I would release an avalanche.

I stopped for a while and thought of my life so far. My father, a solid self-made man. My loving mother. He would be worried to death to know where I was now. What a stupid thing to do. I can really die. I will most likely die if an avalanche catches me. Yet, I couldn’t stay. I collected my thoughts. The only way to survive, is to take the risk of going downwards, releasing avalanches and hoping that I didn’t roll along to the trees below.

I was a boy and then the thought came through me. I will die. Yet, I couldn’t remain passive. I took the first move downwards. That move, the decision to move, was shaking a shaking, poor, little move and I cannot remember anymore if I cried, because my fear of death. Most likely. But I moved. I was in a movie that was going to end badly.

I started to think that the violence of avalanches is just part of life. We live and then we die.

I took another step. And third. Fourth. The sun was shining. The skiing couple in the vast distance looked like they had it all. They had life and nothing to fear. I envied them so bad. I took the fifth step and snowflake took off. When avalanche starts off, it looks so harmless. A child’s play. Then the glittering white piece, grows to an awe-inspiring sea, forcing its tsunami violently towards ancient trees. I felt like I died. I was thinking my mother again. I was thinking of all the love and care she and my home village had given to me. And all for this!? To die alone on near top of a mountain. Not even had reached the top!

I was frozen to inaction. Then I shook my head and told myself, that this was not the day to die. I moved on. Yet another paralyzing avalanche. I started to think that the violence of avalanches is just part of life. We live and then we die.

Moving on. Soldiering on. Somehow I felt more certain about me by every avalanche. There was maybe four or five. I reached the tree level.

I felt next to a broken tree out of exhaustion. I was weak and yet joyous. I couldn’t believe that I was alive. Yet, while sitting there, looking the gorgeous sunset, I knew something was dead in me. The first descending move away the mountaintop made me a man. I took the risk of death and moved on. And left the boy behind. I had taken the first steps towards manhood.

The boy in me had set me to conquer the mountain. The man in me had saved me. I was set to live man’s life.

My name is Max Noble. I am an Adventurer, Connoisseur and Connector, and I commit acts of nobleness around the world. This was my story about the day a became a man.

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[solotheloso]

A Rash Decision - Ch. 2

This one feels a little short. Might fold more into it or continue into a new chapter. Depends on how it flows. Additionally, pasting text into Tumblr’s text editor screws it up to high hell and I have to make fixes manually. If you spot what looks like a formatting error, feel free to let me know.

Roruvi’s day began like most others, save for the fact that he rose well past noon. The sky was cloudless and the sun hung high to the west, sending a blazing pane of light through his window to illuminate the whole room in a soft glow. He trudged sleepily through his study– past shelves stacked high with documents and books and practically groaning under the weight of it– and into what served as his bathroom, a small space with a rudimentary toilet and a copper basin full of water for washing. Folly’s plumbing system was primitive but it was heads and shoulders above what most smaller villages had to work with. He had taken pains to maintain his washroom, as he was a stickler for hygiene when possible. He made it a point to thoroughly scrub himself every rising, a habit that some of his peers found quite amusing.

The first sight he was greeted with on descending the stairs from his living quarters was the haggard face of his niece, Tovana. The girl had handled the bar admirably in his absence, but he still ended up having to tend the fungus in the greenhouse before collapsing into bed, a task she rarely seemed to remember. He had applied the usual punishment, having her rise at dawn to open the tavern and serve the morning crowd. Consequently, she seemed about ready to collapse into the nearest chair– or perhaps the floor. The place was empty now, but he imagined he would be able to hear the clumping of departing boots if he listened hard enough. He chuckled quietly to himself as he watched her sweep the last of the dirty mugs and plates onto a bussing tray. “Such a beautiful morning, is it not?”

Tovana glared fire at him for a brief moment before remembering herself, tamping it down to a dull simmer. “Uncle. It’s well past mid-day.”

“Ah, that it is!” He sauntered around the back of the bar and filled two small wooden mugs with a light wine. “Then I suppose I should begin my day. How did you fare last night?”

She snatched the second mug with a huff and knocked it back before he had even taken his first sip. “Last night wasn’t the problem. I don’t know what happened between then and this morning, but I must have served a battalion of humans in the last six hours, all wanting a full plate breakfast.” 

“Then you should have remembered to tend the shrooms! I swear, it’s as if you try to forget your duties.” He sipped delicately at the wine, savoring its mild sweetness. “And they were here because it’s the first day of spring. Any sailor or longshoreman worth his salt knows that now’s the best time to find honest work down at the docks, since the weather’s at its kindest. I’d considered lending a hand, but you need to be able to handle these crowds yourself.”

She blinked at him deliberately, in a way that implied deep boredom. He knew that her sour mood would make her deny her interest, but she often professed that she hoped to own a tavern herself some day. She would soak this fact up like a sponge, just like every other bit of wisdom he spouted. “Your ranger friend is unconscious at the corner table.”

Ruvi barked out a short laugh. “Of course she is!” He left his niece to her work and walked over to the corner of the main floor, where Lika was passed out with her upper body sprawled over the table surface. Golden sunlight poured through an adjacent window, spilling over her and making her short shock of black hair glow at the fringes like a wreath of flame. He stopped for a moment, absorbing the sight. In his younger days, during training with their master, he had entered a brief fit of infatuation with his partner. He had pined for weeks in uncomfortable silence before propositioning her for a relationship, only to be utterly shot down. She had little interest in romance so far– either physically or emotionally– but it had pained her to reject him like that. Their friendship eventually recovered, but some small part of Ruvi had never healed and he occasionally found himself confronted with momentary pangs.

“Lika,” he said, gently. He didn’t touch her in his attempts to wake her. It would be foolish to do such a thing with any ranger. “Lika!” She only groaned in response, mashing her face into her arm. “Wake up. We’re out of cheeses and I could use your company in the market.”

She shot up suddenly, blinking rapidly with bleary eyes. “Huh? Oh, yes! Cheese.” Ruvi smirked at that. He had his ways after all these years. “How’s Tovana doing?” she asked, stifling an enormous yawn. “I offered to lend a hand when I came in, but she was weirdly insistent on doing everything by herself.”

“Uh, she’s fine,” he replied. “Nothing she couldn’t handle.” Despite Lika’s skill as a ranger, when it came to more domestic activities she was utterly hopeless, somewhat resembling a natural disaster. Tovana was wise to refuse her “assistance”.

“Alright, then. Shall we go? You’ve gotten me hungry, and you know I don’t like being hungry.” They left the tavern together in high spirits.

–

Folly’s market was arguably its biggest draw. Its position as a hub for shipping and importing goods ensured that a vast medley of artisans and merchants passed through every year while seeking their fortune, whether from sea or further inland. With them they brought a higher variety of goods than most people could ever claim to see, let alone indulge in.

Luckily for Lika, this afforded her the opportunity to satiate her seemingly bottomless appetite with something new almost every day. She and Ruvi walked through the market at a leisurely pace, passing fishmongers, jewelers, spice dealers and every other sort of stall or booth one could think of. The crowds parted around burro-drawn carts hauling goods by the ton. Merchants crowed and crooned at passersby, each of them assuring that their prices were the best and only a fool would pass them up. The odors of smoke, fish, cooking food, spices, musty textiles and animal dung mixed together in a chaotic storm that felt almost intoxicating with every breath. Lika found that she often missed the sensation when she was away, as it had come to represent the comforts of civilization that she so enjoyed– and, in no small part, her friendship with Ruvi.

The dwarf stared at her in fascination as she munched on a wax paper-wrapped ball of brined cheese with a steady pace he could barely muster for his favorite foods. She didn’t seem to notice, her eyes already busy scanning the stalls for her next prey. “Are you even enjoying that?” he asked, slowly.

“Huh? Affaloofly!” She swallowed and cocked an eyebrow. “Why do you ask?” He shook his head in exasperation and changed the subject.

“So… I went through the archive last night.” Some years ago, Ruvi had come to inherit their master’s small collection of books. Composed of various tomes and documents detailing encounters with beasts, monsters and unidentifiable creatures, the collection had come to be his most prized possession, and he had taken care to expand it as much as possible while still maintaining what credibility its contents had. 

“And?”

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” He took care to step around a group of silk-robed merchants locked in a shouting match. “Or rather, no complete matches. There’s no creature I’ve heard or read of that has the strength to inflict that kind of damage and can move unhindered in this terrain.”

She shook her head, exasperated. “Nothing. It’s not often you’re stumped, Ruvi.” He waved a hand dismissively, grumbling to himself. 

“I’m thinking we might need to pay a visit to Eland after our errands,” he said. Lika groaned in response, an almost instinctive reaction on her part. 

“Please, no. I know she means well, but I just– I can’t.” 

“I still have no idea why you have such a visceral reaction to her.”

She shrugged and sighed. “Neither do I. She just… something about her rubs me the wrong way. She’s so positive!”

Ruvi laughed. “One might think you were allergic to positivity!” he exclaimed. She merely scowled at him in response. Lika had never thought of herself as a particularly dour person, but she had to admit that excessive cheeriness left a bad taste in her mouth. A dark thought occurred to her: was this her inheritance, as the books were Roruvi’s? She couldn’t help but let a wry smile creep onto her face.

They reached their destination, a large set of stalls set into the wall of a seaside warehouse. The row was sheltered from the sun by half a dozen massive tarpaulins, their corners elevated on narrow wooden beams anchored crudely to the boardwalk posts beneath by heavy iron nails. Cheese of every shape and size was stacked and packed on the stall counters in large quantities, shielded from the elements and errant insects by thin layers of wax paper. The aggressive stench of the market proper was well behind them at this point, leaving only the soft pungency of herbs and dairy to mix with the fresh salt breeze of the ocean. In a strange way, it was calming. This was only complemented by the presence of the rotund man sitting placidly on a stool at the end of the row. He was known to the pair only as Severo. An experienced and charismatic man with a thriving career, he was well-liked by the locals and most sailors alike. Officially speaking his business was cheese and dairy, but the rangers had an inkling that he dealt in something else besides. Every so often, rumors reached them of Severo’s involvement in less-than-legal affairs such as smuggling and forging, but they never reached any solid conclusions and thus decided to do little but keep a close eye on him. The city wasn’t within their jurisdiction, anyway.

Severo looked up as they approached, his face immediately adopting a beaming smile. “Lika! Roruvi! How good it is to see you today!” He stood with a grace that belied his size, his flowing white and gray robe rustling gently in the breeze. His body still bore the remnants of what may have been an athletic build, his forearms especially; lined with pale scars and corded muscle, they betrayed a past of either heavy labor or consistent violence.

“Ho, Severus,” Ruvi replied. Lika nodded politely and approached the booths, her eyes roving over the selection. Her companion was the one who had business with Severo. She was just here for the view. “How’s the cheese trade?”

The man barked out a short laugh, as if Ruvi had just told a passably funny joke. “Just this morning I wrote a sales note for sixty-five pounds of mountain rock bleu, so I suppose I can say I’m doing quite well! What brings you here today?”

The two haggled over prices for the next twenty minutes while Lika browsed and made mental notes of things to try in the future. When the deal was done, Severo was a pouch of silver richer and Ruvi gained ownership of an entire barrow of cheeses, to be delivered to the tavern later that evening. 

Just before they were about to leave, Ruvi turned back to the merchant, one finger in the air as if he had just remembered something. “Oh, Severo… “ he said in an offhanded manner. “Have you heard tell of any land-bound shipments being disrupted recently? Animal attacks, perhaps?”

Severo shrugged. “None that I can think of. Aside from that silk trader two days past, but I imagine you already know about that. Ranger business, as always.” Lika frowned and turned away, gazing out over the water. Was Severo having her followed? Or did he have sources in the Guild? The possibilities troubled her.

“Yes, it is,” said Ruvi. The ranger huffed out through his nose, slowly rubbing his scalp.“But we still don’t know what did it, which makes us quite uncomfortable. Considering the target, the possibility of a repeat occurrence should make you uncomfortable as well.” 

Severo grimaced for a moment, then tilted his head in a small nod. “I suppose that’s true enough. But I’m not sure how you expect me to help.”

“We’re not looking for financing, Severo. Just information. Keep your ear to the ground.” Ruvi stared at him pointedly. “I know you have your ways.” Lika forced herself to suppress a chuckle. A part of her enjoyed needling the merchant now and then, making him sweat a little. From all indications he wasn’t a bad man, but she found his less legitimate business to be distasteful, and reminding him that they could investigate at any time kept him honest… or at least honest enough for their purposes. She wasn’t worried about ruining their professional relationship. Severo was a businessman first and foremost, and much of their dialogue in the past had been respectful sparring, little games of cat and mouse.

The merchant feigned an innocent expression, raising his eyebrows and stroking at the scruff of his goatee. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about. But I’ll keep you in mind if I hear anything.”

“That’s all we can ask,” Lika replied. The pair left the merchant to his own devices and headed deeper into the city. As little as she liked it, they had a scholar to see.