#why should the robot from Lost in Space or the fish man from The Shape of Water be any less suitable than some random human if all I care

[ziracona]

Takin a second to note the Ace - Monsterfucker solidarity bc if there’s no physical appeal already, any romantic value or appeal is just in the personality they bring to the table, so? It’s just:

[smallgayblanket]

New/revised/whatever- List of stuff

Egos (Marks/Jacks) that I have written for or at least actually have thought about HCS/other universes for:  (Just some brief rambles about them, please don't hesitate to ask about them :3)

  -Anti,   Two takes really, I like him soft, like him mean, hes just fun to write, plenty of different ways to spin why he acts out, what he is and all that. My current fav way to portray him is a missing piece of Seans soul, which means hes unstable as a ‘person’ (cough, not really a human but not, not human either.)  And how he has static filled blue eyes but usually hides them with the scary emerald green...

-Jameson,  I will always stand by this kinda universe i created with a friend aages ao that Shawn took away Jamesons voice when being puppeteered by an awful ink creature that shares his body.  Giving Jameson a lovely fear of knives, some scars, and some very damaged vocals..

-Crank, Oh my fucking boi, a near dead human spliced with a bunch of robot parts..human skin tangled with wires and a heart incased in metal..hes a right mess, a voice in his head that makes him feel all sorts of bad.. He tries his best..he cries oil,  I hardly get to write  him but I love him.

-Blank, another big fav oi, black hollow eyes..a tendency to faint... My Hc involves him having been in an accident that almost killed him, leaving him with a very rare heart condition. He also has an aura which..kinda ties into him having a few abilities and stuff. 

-Nes.. He started off as my own kinda Ethan ego, basically Ethan who was mistreated and really lost his marbles..hes great for the real twisted messed up kinda stuff, so dependant on others, a minor murderer, and has been eyed off by a certain ice cream driver for quite some time...

-Were eth,  Okay granted this was literally just kinda an idea that..Eth became a were wolf boi, fangs, tail, ears. Hes just a fun lil pupper

-Eden. Succubus Ethan basically, but well, he again kinda turned into his own thing separate from Ethan. He's got a tail and wings, and hes a lovely lithe thing. He doesnt dare do things without consent, just gets a bit touchy-feely when hes gone without any energy for too long. Very wide stunning saphire eyes. 

- Jackie  Oh my lad..Buff, trans, adorable, sweet. I always love tinkering around with how/what powers he has tbh..and like- I’ve always had the hc that his eyes are lilac?? or gold. Depending on things.. and he works either at a comic book store, a gym, or at the counter of a gas station. Gives the best hugs. Also I love AUS where hes a phoniex because of uhm?? Big fucking red wings??? YES.

-Hen, Getting his accent right is tough but other than that I love writing about the tired doctor living off coffee and ignoring himself in favor of others. 

-Chase The fucking best dad, sunshine lad. Running a vlogging channel and doing his best while combatting depression..I hc him to have chronic fatigue so he has to push himself extra hard. but He does well in trying to get better and look after himself and only slips up like any other helpless human. Very fun to write. 

- Robbie.   Sof.t zombie lad. Drown in a sweater. Stutters and is v quiet. Slow with speech. Struggles to see sometimes. Loves soft textures.Loves attention. Overall soft fucking lad.

-KOTS, To mean known as Simon. Actually v smart, big brain, very scattered n shy and nervous and squirrelish. Loves books n plants, loves nature. Red is his best colour. Warm sweaters and nuzzling and cuddling up. I always get torn between him being a hybrid of human/squirrel or just a lovely soft guy. 

-Yan ! My fem nb/trans gal! They’ll kick ass with their katana, have the hots for Bim, and looove Japanese culture and stuff. Very adorable. Loves pink. 10/10 love to write. 

-Technically I do have a muse for Mark, or..idea? I’m thinking about shoving it into my own oc/thing..but basically he got tortured n abused by Authy so hes not quite like the real life markimoo..just a nervous mess whose dealing with his traumas..

-Bing, Skater lad, yellow/orange eyes, sunflower vibes. Tries his best, clumsy as fuck, great for a laugh when hes not cowering under google. 

-Edward iplier,  Gah my doctor lad.. I have a hc that he Lost arm. In fire..or by dark n wilf.  He has heterochromia too!! One cho ceye one blue one. He is a fucking nerd (Minor adhd lets be honest) He fucking loves space and science and space/science related lights. He has a bat plus with spacey wings. He likes reading, likes being clean and is quite a quiet indulger in food which has left him with a big of a softer figure. Super gentle nature..nothing like the arrogant portrayal we got in some videos. 

-Angus   I love this man!!! Part Aussie, part irish, a whole lot of gruff old dad with a soft spot for nice people and animals, has his own big place, next to a large ass forest. Loads of scars. Loves boots and cameo coloured clothing. A lovely guy when you get past the rough edges. 

Aand onto all my ocs as of writing this (cause you name well know I be writing new ones like..all the time.) 

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OC’S (My original characters!)

-Jessy, Cowboy-   Choker with gold bell. Lil ears/horns. Spots. Shy but sweet. Hands and feet different colour to rest of skin. Kinda  fur ish feeling rather then just straight-up skin.  Pear shaped figure. Shy lad. Likes to take lots of naps, anxious easily but a big people pleaser too. 

-Ailan and Keros. Moth n butterfly boi.  (Literally just made up with a friend, just a random soft pair of lads tbh nothing too fleshed or spesh)

- Louie - Followed by a dark being/creature/spirit... Yet to determine what else about him, but hes got brown hair, pointed ears and looks lovely in green.

-Quinton  A Hybrid of Demon and Angel otherwise called a Guardian. Quirky, Pan as shit, great dress sense. Extremely calm. Can see auras. Lovely black feathered wings. Bright blue hair.  Kind smile. Works at a little coffee shop in his spare time.

-Ori  Very pure angel boy, previously owned and not very well treated by a god, came crashing down to earth with no memories but his wings intact. Some help him. 

-Lumi  Ghost boy! Died years ago under awful circumstances..now lingers around on earth, sometimes meeting humans who happen to be able to feel or see his presence, he has the ability to make himself solid for short periods of time. 

- Lucio Witchy..dragon soul something or other- Deaf.Paralyzed? In the arms??They might use alot of energy trying to hover around instead of having to use a chair..(I mean how many witches do you see with chairs??).. Although they could not have use of their arms instead, like..paralyzed from the shoulder down- they still have them but theyre effectively useless and easily sore.. (which might make magic really hard, cause theyd have to master it again without their hand gestures.)

- Eztli, Bit of a prick. Basically got cursed to have really weird blood that replished and rejuvinated too fast/too much by a witch he angered. So he turned the curse into a good thing and basically goes out offering himself as a human blood bag for vamps willing to pay in info, items, cash or uh..other services..  

- Gallio Photographer, has hypocalcemia. Haven't really done much else with him tbh.

-Aomi Warlock/witch in training. Downright awful at it. Young and lives in a nice lil cottage outside of the village he was abandoned in.

- Lucas A moonstone gem perma-fusion, he kinda has SPD/DID but he doesn't, cause..hes two gems that became one but not fully. Leaving him to be a bit of a mess and not as strong as other moonstones. 

- Kiyan. A little assistant android!! Created to assist, he can make portals!, He works at a post office. Hes under surveillance by the company that made him and isnt yet aware of many human customs/emotions.. 

- Alex  A very confused, overly optimist Alien who doesn’t know what they are. Come from the planet Eutychia, 4'3. They fucking glow. You know  Kilowatt from space chimps? think that. But hair n freckles and more human and just as  bubbly and energetic. 

-Locus  Mer/Fish boi!  Transparent fins, glowy patches, plays harp + loves music.

-Lir  A Tiny Octopus/Human hybrid lad. Makes little burble and trill noises. Quite harmless. Needs a home. 

Benji (Strawberry shortcake boi- Cursed tape /bandages. Demi half god.? One eye. Uses notes. To communicate but also sign. Really. Good sweets maker)

 Small bois (A collection of tinys because G/T is fucking great okay?)

- Tobias. Literally Made of hair gel. cleary, adorable, aaand Eats soap..amoung other non food items he probably should not ingest but does..

- Hinto  Guy made of foam slime. Very chill n laid back.

- Glowstick bubs. (Alo/aloke -  Green and blue  +  Siro - Yellow n pink.  + Mavi (Vi) Red and silver. + Roxy (Ro) - Orange and  purple )  They’re a cross between glowsticks and lava lamps and its epic- asides the fact they have like.half a brain cell each. Lots of sleeping n lazign around.

- Theo  A tiny ink creature.  A clever little lad, who likes to drawn and write n paint in ink and leave cheeky little black splotches everywhere. A very good writer companion tho. 

- JellyBubs! A collection of tiny sentient jelly babies, hungry lads will raid your cupboards. 

-Miel A tiny little bee boy! Loves flowers <3 

Apocolyse Squad:

The planet Keres,  Left uninhabitable after the invasion that ruined the air and killed almost the entire race.

Sameal o’Ceirin (Being of smoke- partly blind.)

Mallory Thomas (Part cat. Vet, partner to Sam who ends up dying in the canon of their story)

Hamrish Benat  (Hayden. 4 eyes, soft tongue. PTSD. extra tiny heart in wrist. Quite fem/soft. Likes soap cutting vids and stuffed toys/teddies.)

Joshua who cares (An asshole. Staight up. He dies. Fuck him. He sucks ass.)

Andy peters (Strong, kind. Kinda like Tyler shied. Big, tol, but actually pretty soft.)

Adrian  Géarán  (Tail, fire abilities, likes to make little robots. Very weak n has a couple of disabilities that leave him tired n such, which aint great for his esteem or his team when the apoc hits.)

--

Wyatt ???? ?????????????????

Pace- Nerdy. Finds a cat. Observer for the aliens. Is immune to black goop. 

Four - buff. Scary. Deadly. 

Apocolypse Squad Part 2  Small lads who dont derese to be in danger: 

  -Apep, Naga boi  Legs mutate into a cool tail. Hisses, fangs. Adorable loves the sun. bout 20 years old. 

Chris. Camp leader! Biig dad type, redhead, buff, likes gardening and camping, very outdoorsy. Little awkward but great.

Small child Talise- nickname tails? ..   Blind and slightly traumatized by the car crash that killed his mother and ended up with glass in his eyes, very sensitive to noise n textures.     Ends up mutating tails.  6 v young n smol  blocks n colourin

Shirin Parvis. Crystal boi .. trained solider/ royalty.  Tried to warn people before the apoc hit and failed. Now tries to protect the small group of surviors he stumpbles across. 

 Zephaniah, mutation turns him into a  Chameleon basically, just.. a human one. He  Prefers Zeph. Big gamey Nerd-  gets a pet gecko.  16. Quiet. Loves Lazar skirmish and lazers. 

Moyachi, Cactus boi!! Plant bab. Loves water and has clear/lime green tinted aloe/herbal helpful blood. Spikes up at defense from bad people 18/ 19   likes drawing. Pretty grumpy and needs a break.

Colin, nicknames: Coco,  Lady bug lad, who is baby trans  mutation resulted in a weird Red/Orange skin condition basically.  Can predict weather v accurately.       Ballet/dance, 14   Likes cooking. 

Hotaru , Firefly bby  - Glowy bub with antenna,  possibly mutates wings.. Sassy and tired. Turns nocturnal as the apoc progressed. Also becomes Colins first love <3

Zeno  A Siren of sorts.  DC/ hip hopper/   Lost his arm in apoc.  He loooves music alot. Very purple aesthetic and checkerboards.

Liren Pichi, deaf peaches n cream aesthetic boi- Nickname Pichi.  He is alone during the apoc, sneaks aboard and ship and goes missing..

Neighbours AU:

They all live on the homeworld, Ermioni.

Lesbabs:

Blake Aglaia  A human with a gift of being able to put emotions into glass balls.. Red head, quite fem, but gay, sweet, but not mousy. 

Lynx ?? An alien and human, the alien somewhat resides inside its host but they coexist. Sometimes goes feral.  Alien half likes to go by Perse  (Percy)  They have cool looking saliva- viens that run down their arms that are pretty cool- sharper nails/claws. Tendrils. Large ol mouth. Lots of pointy ass teef. Lynx likes to train,go to gym, and kick ass. Big ass butch energy.

Demon fam:

Hyacinth  A six-armed demon with serious parent energy. Big gardener, his body grows flowers depending on his moods/strength of emotions. Purple neck length hair. Great at comfort and cooking. 

Rhys  A Demon with a great curiosity about humans has a sibling, Feri.  Rhys is a big nerd, but very hard to get to know. Not great with emotions, comes across a tad distant and cold without always meaning too. Loves candles and lots of autumn aesthetic. 

Anthos, AKa Ant. Rhys and Hy’s accidentally created/summoned a toddler.. and hes fucking adorable. 

Vato - V   Hy has another bub later on who's more purpley blue with red curled horns and 4 arms.. No tail.. 4 eyes. V cute and inquisitive. Less noisy and wreckless than Ant. 

Roommates:

Douglas Connelly  A regular chubby human bean! Learning to become a chef. He loves food, loves cooking and also loves dancing. Hes a big guy, big cudddler, but a little shy and akward at times. 

Donovan Amores  Real fricking cool and smokin hot Bartender with a love for dogs. Dougs roommate. Has glowing fuckin orbs- donates his heart to a fucking god is smooth as fuck, background heavily Spanish, moved when young.

Haris Alaksim Real name (lost in translation, Huitzilopochtli God of sun and war) ) - A god whom Dono is very close with and donates his heart two one every 3 years during the day of the highest sun. He is a god / Mouros.    Donovan refers to him as “Dios gentil”  or “ Viejo colibrí sabio”   (“El viejo colibrí sabio es un dios gentil” (The old wise hummingbird is a gentle god.)

Donovans Family

Rem (Looks after magical creatures- Cane is from Haris)

Oscar  (Not sure what trinket or power but He’s just a casual store worker w/ good arms. Surprisingly good with knives- perhaps has one from Haris?)

Nicole  (His only sister Makes clothes..possibly got some ability to do with seasons..?  Perhaps earrings or a bracelet from Haris)

Javi  (Makes jam, cute boy, wears cloaks. Maybe has a cute little jar necklace or magic jar??)

Luca (Trans bookkeeper- Talks to Haris most often and likes to ask questions..Has precious books...Possibly a special pen..) 

Forest bois!!

Cypress The soul of the forest - Mentor of Rem. Very calm, very wise. Kinda like master oogway type. 

Unicorn boi, Hes rare, missing a chunk of his horn. Dont hurt him. He doesnt even have a name.

Fyn. Mushroom boy. Protects a gate. Lost his twin during a human-caused fire. Very mad about it. 

Fie. Bat boy. Loves fruit. 

Moh. Fairy/incubus hybrid.  

Tucker. Bunny boi, Best friends with Ainsley. Got some like, punk vibes about him, piercings n such. Not as soft as one would expect but still nice at heart.

Ainsley. Fawn boi, clums, shy, round glasses,  Looks smart but doesn't always know stuff. Very unsure of self. 

Experiment AU: 

Izekiel Iris A being of Paint. Hes made of paint. He has trauma from being experimented on. Slightly depressed. Loves art, loved creating. also regresses to try to deal with said PTSD.  Hard to get to know at first. 

Matty  (Matthew Libelle)   An experiment, part human, part lizard, part dragon. Much smol.  Hes fucking baby and i adore him alot please do ask anything and everything about him. 

Cult bois:

-Nero Aakil   (Means Genius/Orange blossom)   Orange bub  - Leader. Smart. Telepathic link with all cult members.  V corrupted…  (Parents were rich and ignorant)

-Mao Cerise   Pink - Ditzy, Looks after their ‘little bird’ (aka Jey) 

-Jey Michael Cherubim   Fallen angel -  Corrupted..desaturating and weak.. Was summoned by the cult and captured as a trophy. 

-Jaden Hirav  Looks after a garden of plants both harmless and some not for master. Previously Neros old pet..His  The family was alright but he was moreso raised by like his mum and bro. He was kidnapped from his garden and never seen again. The cult ritual to initiate him into the group failed and he was spliced with plants making him near useless to the cult.

-Rowan maverick - Now known as  Rogue- Red. Lost their tongue. Does Not follow orders to the T but gets their job done.   Has another voice/god/soul looking out for them… Very assassin ready, very perceptive. Wants to get out the cult but knows theyre too far in.. Cool glowy words in the air because they don't have their tongue. Possibly only lives of medication and vitamin pills..possible OD? Possible addiction. They struggle alot with it. 

P - Pax -  God who watches over Rowan. Was killed by the Master but their spirt lives on.

Cato.   Purple - Another smart one.. Possible Wiccan?  Sadist. Mean. Tall.  Scary. Abuse. Twisted. Loves being in the cult. Eventually wants to host Masters soul.. 

Gin Short for Ginger but the real name is Xanthe.  Blind. Also another assassin like Rogue but more obedient.  Doesn't talk often out of fear. 

Benjamin Brandy  (Benji. B) is Gins friend, Gin is trying not to get him involved in the cult but was too late as B had previously already been cursed and dealt with mythical beings..

 Silver bub. Demir. A demon summoned by the cult to complete the collection. Wants out, very stressed.  

Adopted AU: (This is like a mess of some of the boys but younger and in a different timeline to their universes smushed together intoa kinda cute school/adoption au idea.)

Matthew is smol autistic, malnourished and heavily abused both mentally and physically, leading to selective mutism and being a small fragile easily tired bab.  He loves hanging in the library once he gets used to going to some schooling. Gets tutored by Chris? Goes to camp and helps around n has fun..

Jaden, loves the school garden, and likes science class. His family is alright, However he ends up mostly raised by his sister? Or brother? 

Iz is the lil art bab, also in foster care of a big family, not so much abused but semi neglected. Quiet.

Nero is the gifted nerdy child..Parents ignorant. They love history and fictional books and reading and learning.

Benji is the slightly older kid whos possibly maybe a little behind or delayed or..something, they help out with other kids as a buddy? They like to do cooking classes.

DA AU

So this Au was like..the Septic tank births all the egos.

Angus first- He has..some kinda strength I imagine/..

Then Anti, Hen, Jackie. Marv. 

Chase -  He kills himself because of Glitch- also falls in the tank a second time and ends up with odd powers. 

Glitch Starts off as very bad and misunderstood. Turns out they were just highly unstable and required medical treatment.  Their real name is Arius and they cant stomach solid foods all the time. Mostly a liquid diet. They have glitchy fits/static seizures. Very unpleasant. Can enter tech, and its not so great, can get trapped. Can absorb certain amounts of electricity because of this they Got hit by  ightning once and has epic lighting scars!! Up arms..some on neck. All over his chest and back. 

Septic clone AU

Sean giving up bits of soul to make clones ends up in coma

Experiments and torture and odd shit with the egos ensues??

Minecraft AU??  

Yeah i had weird ideas for a cute minecraft gang of minecrafters who had accidents involving getting merged/recded with other creatures traits ect. 

Vail.  -Vex / Human

Snow golom hybrid? Or Blaze?

Slimey boi

Kitsune

Panda lad.

Pokebabs au

Mainly for Matty, Iz and Blank.. were they have pokemon forms and when bonded with a human long enough can evolved into human forms?? 

Horned AU  (With Troiseh/Glitch-in-the-static)

Shiro  -Prince lad  (This is their lad :3)

Junji - Battery..whump/slave/lost prince 

Isao Asuka -  Shiros Royal Guard 

Alien AU

Hami if he were..alien instead of being a human in an apoc basically. 

Angel AU stuff: 

Good omens inspired boi

Leo Halvar   Part..humany..demon..Cambion are according to google "In late European mythology and literature, a cambion is the offspring of an incubus, succubus, or another demon with a human, or of an incubus and succubus"

Ryan  Hot archangel guy: One wing, demon hunter thing.. Good kinda reforming from a less nice lifestyle previously. 

Mute angel possibly demon idk- -   Latif? Emmet? Evan? 

Long fringe shy boy-  Cael / Lox

[mx-fawkes]

Die Historic on The Furby Road

Hey, thanks so much for the support and also for sending me on the most fun story research I’ve done in a while.

Junkrat spent more time in Roadhog's basement than he probably should. There wasn't much of use down here, just boxes of things Roadhog didn't want to look at or didn't think were reusable. He didn't have the keen scrapper instincts Junkrat did though, he'd once found a whole box of good quality cables down here. Roadhog couldn't even remember what they were supposed to be for!

He'd be lying if he said he didn't like the glimpses of what Roadhog had once been like he sometimes found down here. Never anything too revealing, no photographs or birth certificates, but things like a box of maps, carved wooden objects and an oversized mannequin were tantalizing hints of what had been important to Roadhog once upon a time.

Pawing through boxes in the semi-darkness was usually not a good idea, but he was pretty sure there was nothing too dangerous down here. He'd never found any signs of animal life, and it wasn't like- he froze as his hand brushed against something fluffy, taking two deep breaths before slowly pulling his hand away, hoping not to draw attention. Leaning back he flicked on his lighter, staring into the box in horrified curiosity.

Two lifeless eyes stared back at him.

The scream made it all the way to the garage, Roadhog putting down his tools with a sigh. It wasn't the first time Junkrat had freaked out on one of his basement diving expeditions, he'd once mistaken an old dressmakers dummy for an omnic, ready to burn the whole place to the ground before Roadhog dragged it out into the light.

Groans of protest came from the stairs as Junkrat ran for the surface, clutching a dusty cardboard box. "Roadie Roadie Roadie! You'll never guess what I found!"

The mask tilted questioningly.

"I mean I dunno what they are, but you probably do. Some kind of robot birds?"

He dumped the box on the floor between them, throwing it open and pulling out one the creatures, covered in black and white fur. "Pretty weird right?"

Roadhog's sharp intake of breath was audible through the mask, pulling the box closer to look at the contents. He'd forgotten he'd even had these.

Junkrat didn't seem to notice, messing with the one he'd picked up. "So, what are they?"

"Furbies."

"Right. Furbies. What are they about then?"

How to explain a Furby? Weird bird things that had been beloved by children that later found them creepy and annoying. Friends for a lonely kid who never got the hang of talking to people and wasn't allowed a real pet? An old toy that kept a community of fans long after they stopped being made?

"Kids toys. They can talk and respond to certain words." He winced as Junkrat shook the one he was holding.

"Hello?" He poked it when it didn't respond. "It's not talking, reckon it's dead?"

"There's a power switch on the bottom."

Junkrat flipped it over, trying to wake it up as he flipped the switch back and forth. "Still dead."

"Maybe the batteries need changing." Where they were meant to get AA batteries from was beyond him. Obsolete before he was even born, he doubted anyone here collected tech ancient enough to need a supply.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice Junkrat prising off the battery cover until he heard the yell of pain. A glance showed the batteries corroded and leaking, quickly grabbing Junkrat's hand before he put it in his mouth. "Don't. Go wash it."

A trail of curses followed Junkrat as he ran for the sink, swilling his hand in the water. "The fuck was that?" "Battery acid." "What kind of battery has acid in!?"

He shrugged, wiping the base of the furby clean with a nearby rag. "All of them did back before 2030."

It wasn't long before Junkrat strode back over, wiping his burnt fingers on his shorts. "It felt more like an alkaline burn." Like he could tell the difference. "Of course I can tell the difference!" He lent on Roadhog's arm, glaring at the old batteries. "Reckon I could rewire it to fit a proper battery. One that won't melt and burn people." - One dismantled remote control and a bit of solder later the Furby twitched, blue eyes blinking open. "u-nye-loo-lay-doo?" Its voice was rough, the speaker hadn't lasted well. Junkrat sat it on the desk triumphantly., "It's alive!"

The furby shifted, whirring quietly as its ears moved up and down. "Doo?" They both stared at it. "Yoo?"

Junkrat hummed, moving closer. "Do I what?"

"Boo."

Junkrat pointed a screwdriver at it, face scrunched in displeasure. "Look, either you start making sense or we're moving onto brain surgery."

Mako fished a manual out of the box, holding it in front of Junkrat until he snatched it, mumbling to himself as he read the instructions.

"Oh, we have to teach it English?" He shifted into a dramatic stance, raising on arm and closing his eyes,  voice uncomfortably loud in the small space. "We fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots. Your fat king and your lean beggar is but variable service—two dishes, but to one table. That’s the end." He cracked an eye open, looking down at the Furby like he was expecting applause. "A man may fish with a worm that has eaten the flesh of a king, and eat the fish that has fed on that worm. "  

It chirped in response. "Me no listen."

"Alright you little-" Roadhog grabbed the hand that went for the screwdriver, pointing firmly at the Furbish-to-English dictionary.

Junkrat took it with a heavy sigh. "Fiiiine, wee tee kah wah tee?"

"Wah Tee!" The low fidelity wail it began to make wouldn't be out of place in a horror film, neither would Junkrat's burst of laughter.  He continued to flick through the guide. trying out new phrases as he went. It was almost comical, both staring wide-eyed at each other making nonsense sounds. Roadhog felt he should have seen this coming somehow, he'd spent his youth with a creature that always stared, always wanted attention and refused to shut up, and now he had Junkrat.

Quickly exhausting the commands, Junkrat dropped the manual. "Is that it? It only knows like five things."

"It's pre-millennium tech."

"Pretty sure they had better things than this pre-millennium."

"It was a kids toy."

Junkrat leant back, staring up at him. "So what, you kept a box full of toys you had when you were a kid?"

The clicking of the toy filled the silence until Roadhog finally replied.

"Only had one when I was a kid, got the rest when I was older."

"Why?"

Roadhog turned back to the box, fishing through until he found the right one. Green with a painted faceplate and a custom-made raincoat.

"People used to customize them for fun. Some people just changed their appearance a little, others changed the shape completely or attached them to other things. Lot of people added better AI."

"Huh. Maybe I would've done that if I was around back then."

Had Junkrat ever had a hobby? He loved building and blowing things up but they were also the closest thing he had to a job. Had he ever done anything without a purpose, anything that wasn't wired to survival in his brain? Hell, it had been a long time since Roadhog had made something just for fun.

"Do you want to do one now?"

Junkrat's eyes shone, bouncing to his feet. "Really? One of yours?" Furbies scattered as Junkrat upended the box, picking out one he liked. "This one!"

"No."

"Why not? It's practically falling apart anyway, not like I can make it any worse."

Because it had been with him for forty years. It had meant so much to him as a kid and even now he couldn't bear to get rid of it He didn't say a word, but Junkrat seemed to get it anyway, looking slightly stricken as he put it back in the box with exaggerated care.

"Hey, no worries mate, I'll use a different one. Wanna pick one out for me?"

Roadhog placed a blue and pink model in Junkrat's outstretched hand. "Paint it, circuit bend it. Do what you like with it."

"Thanks mate. Ooh! I think I've still got some of the gold spray paint left from doing the bricks."

He skipped away, leaving Roadhog to stare at remaining furbies. Well, no reason he couldn't mix this old part of himself with who he was now. They didn't see each other for a few hours after that, both working on their own projects. It wasn't until the next day that Junkrat decided he was finished, proudly strutting into the room and presenting his piece to Roadhog.

"Okay so first I used soot and grease to dye it black, didn't completely work, you can still see the original colours a bit. The fur on it's stomach was too patchy to fix so I covered it with this sack material, then since it had those dots around it#s belly first I did 'em over with some rivets I had going spare. Sprayed the ears and mask bit gold then gave it the goggles we snatched from that prick with the chainsaw a while back." "S'good." Junkrat followed his gaze to the clunky bit of plastic at the bottom.

"That's the second best bit. Basically I was like, what's the point of having a pet that's stuck in one place?" He reached below it, flicking the switch. It cooed as it floated into the air, hovering around his shoulder.

“Used some of the bits from that old assistance drone, the one I made into the scarecrow bot you thought was too creepy?“

Roadhog had never said it was creepy, but he hadn't liked the idea of a humanoid figure floating outside his farmhouse at night, even it was in the hope of scaring away anyone who wanted to try and get them while they were sleeping. He could feel Junkrat's desperate desire for a follow-up question. "What's the best bit?"

It should be impossible for anyone to smile so wide. Junkrat plucked the toy from the air, pointing it towards the open doorway.

"Fire in the hole!"

A tap to the head and it let out a distorted scream,  a stream of flame shooting through its open beak, "Imagine treading on that in the dark!"

Note to self, make sure that's turned off before Junkrat forgets about it and treads on it in the dark.

"So what did you make then?"

Roadhog reached into the box, pulling out his creation as Junkrat gasped in delight.

Its lilac fur had been dyed a vivid orange, face plate sprayed with chrome. The beak had been covered with carved yellowing teeth. A tiny decorated leather jacket sat on its non-existent shoulders, open to show a survival belt with a tiny knife attached. "I love it! Did'ya do anything with the insides?"

A flick of the switch and glowing yellow eyes completed the look, It danced in place before speaking in a clear, deep voice. "kah-boh-dah-kah-way-loh-kah-boh-koh-koh!"

[crejhov]

Darcy the Dullahan

Plenty of people have thought Darcy strange or unusual throughout her life. Some had even said it to her face. Jane said it to her at least once a day. Usually in the morning when she added buttermilk to her coffee rather than the heavily sugared creamer Jane preferred. And alright, that was pretty strange, but not the strangest thing about Darcy. In fact, the things most people found unusual about her wasn't that one thing that really set her apart from everyone else.

When Darcy was 13, a ward of the state and aspiring for the perfect winged liner under the florescent lighting of her middle school girls bathroom, her head rolled right off her shoulders. Of course, that wasn't all there was to it. This new development was proceeded by the breath in her lungs freezing and a sharp pinch around the base of her throat. It felt a lot like the time Mrs. O'Hara got mad and took the silver chain around Darcy's neck and twisted it until it cut off her air supply and pinched at the skin. Mrs. O'Hara didn't last long as a foster parent after that.

After flopping around on the filthy restroom floor like a fish, Darcy realized she wasn't dead. She also realized that while her eyes could no longer see, she could sense everything around her. Every dip in the painted brick wall, the broken hair tie under the sink, and the smooth curve of the exposed pipes.

It was fortunate for Darcy that she had watched a documentary just last night at a friends house about Area 51 and the types of tests government scientists would conduct on alien visitors. Darcy grabbed her detached head and executed a half barrel roll before flopping on her back and crab walking the rest of the way into the handicapped stall just before two other girls entered.   

To Darcy's eternal relief, her head could reattach. It took a bit of twisting in shaky hands to get it on just the right way for her to regain proper use of her head. And even regaining her sight and hearing and sense of smell (eww, one of those girls needs to lay off the fish taco's), she could still feel that newly developed sense, swirling inside her like smoke.

Darcy didn't go back to her foster home after that. For the next five months, she ran and made it all the way to DC before she was finally caught breaking into the Central Public Library. And really, was it breaking in if the doors had been left unlocked? The responding officers thought she was just looking for a place to bunker down for the night, and while that was true (because Northeastern winters were fucking cold), she really wanted access to their internet and mythology section.

By the time she was returned to her Social Worker in Boston, Darcy had decided she was a dullahan, maybe an alien, but dullahan for now. It made her wonder about her parents. Was her mother this mythical creature that had passed on the trait to Darcy? Was it her father? Were they both some type of mysterious creature? Would this affect her fertility? Why did they abandon her?

In the end, Darcy decided she could live a life without those answers. The deciding factor being that the search for them might land her on a slab in some mad scientist's lab. That one officer in DC had pressed her hard to reveal how she had gotten the scar on her neck to the point where his partner had had to step in. Likely, he thought it had been done to her by a second party rather than by her own genetics. Her social worker had asked her once and gotten no answer before moving her into a group girls home.

And that was the end of that. She lead a normal life with few interruptions. There were still odd things like her aversion to gold or the uncontrollable urge to hurl things when she could feel people's eyes on her (her Earth Science teacher, Mr. Hass, had held a grudge against her until the day she graduated for the water bottle she had thrown at his head). She focused hard on her studies and got into Culver on a scholarship for foster kids. Darcy was even hired as an intern, though she later learned that it was unpaid and she was the only applicant. All was well.

Then Thor landed. She could feel it, seconds before the RV made impact with him. Like her, he was something other. Unlike her, he didn't seem to notice. Thor didn't outright claim to be anything other than the Son of Odin, like that was enough.

As it turned out, that was enough information. Thor was a god. A fucking god. Darcy believed him, Jane thought he was an alien (which yeah, but there was magic in him too, she could feel it), and Erik thought they were all mad and stopped drinking the drink tap water.

The first time anyone had caught onto her otherness was when Thor's alien-god friends showed up. They greeted Thor (the big puppy) with hugs and vows to return him to his rightful place in the stars. The shorter of the Warrior's Three was the first to notice and gave her a long considering look but didn't say anything. Next was the woman, who shared a brief, silent conversation with the first man while watching Darcy. The blonde one seemed more interested in the contents of her sweater and the big red-head had found their stash of pop tarts and seemed content to gorge himself.

Then Thor’s dick of a brother sent the family murder-bot to kill him and ended up setting the town on fire.

She could feel it seconds before it happened. A sick feeling in her gut that was purged with a cry of Thor's name just before the space robot backhanded him and ended his life. She could sense it with that strange smokey sixth sense of hers before she saw it. A dark shadow emerging from the side of the wrecked dinner, taking on a tall and thin humanoid shape. It was terrifying and when the hunched thing turned toward her she nearly lost control of her bladder. She knew it was looking at her even though the large sockets where its eyes should be were empty. Yet, it didn't feel malevolent.

So focused on the creature, she didn't notice that Jane had rushed back to Thor’s side with Erik hot on her heels. She didn’t hear the whistle on the wind as a hammer forged from the heart of a dying star sliced through the air. But she felt the electricity of a soul returning to its body as it sizzled up her spine and caused her knees to give out.

Darcy looked away from the shadow creature to see Thor with his arm outstretched and holding the legendary hammer. When she looked back to the dinner, the creature was gone but the chill that it had brought still clung to her skin.

It was a frosty autumn morning in Savoy, Massachusetts when Margery Graves heard the cry of a baby. She had been collecting eggs for her and her husband, Will’s, breakfast from their chicken coop but stopped to listen, sure she was just hearing things. After all, what would a baby be doing way out here on their farm?

Another cry pierced the quiet morning and Margery went to investigate. The pre-dawn fog hadn’t yet rolled out, so she didn’t immediately see the bundle of burlap at the base of the apple tree. She reached the bundle just as the baby let loose a third cry. A pretty little thing, with dark wisps of hair.

Margery reached out to pick the child up when movement alerted her to another presence. Looking up, she saw a figure just inside the tree line. A ghastly creature stood there, holding its head in its hands. It had long dark hair that hung down low enough to catch dead leaves and twigs in its tangles. Even from this distance, Margery could see its eyes dart around until they landed on her.

The world around her grew dim and it became harder to breathe the longer she stared at the creature. It took a step forward and Margery tipped back far enough to land on her rear.

“Margery Graves.” It called across to her. It's voice a haunting melody on a breeze.

When her husband went out to look for her fifteen minutes later it was to find her laying on the ground beneath the apple tree. He’d rush to her and call her name while he felt for a pulse. But she had gone. Beside her, Will would see a baby wrapped in burlap. The poor thing whimpering and wriggling and nearly freezing.

[nezzfiction]

ENMY Chapter 56 - Grave Of The First Sin

Chapter Synopsis: On their journey to the Atlas Kingdom, Team ENMY and company stop briefly at the Island of Vytal. There, they explore the pacifist nation, and learn more about the secret history of Remnant.

Team RWBY is disbanded, and Yang must find herself new allies. For her, that might very well be yesterday’s enemies. Joining up with the likes of Emerald, Mercury, and Neo, the four will comprise Team Enemy.

Links to read the series: Ao3 or FF.net

Or hit the jump below

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Grave Of The First Sin

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It can take a while to become friends.

But it takes next to nothing to become enemies.

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“Sorry for making you guys come with me.”

“Come on, Ruby. We couldn’t let you go alone,” Jaune replied. And in a lower voice added, “Plus, your dad would’ve killed us if we did.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Riding along the ocean separating the continents of Vale and Atlas, was Team RNJR. The military transport ship they were currently on was filled with soldiers, but also those on a pilgrimage. The reason for that was, despite being bound for Atlas, their boat was required to make one stop beforehand. And that was the humble speck of land that laid between the two major land masses.

The Island of Vytal.

Texts are unclear how the pacifist nation came to be. Though, it was dubbed a nation, permanent settlement on the island was nigh impossible. And the island’s population stayed incredibly low due to its difficult sustainability.

It was an odd piece of land. A sacredness rooted there that kept all forms of corruption and change away. Crops could not grow on its soil. Wildlife and fish were absent. Any food supplies had to be imported from the main lands. In keeping line with the island’s theme, there were also no Grimm to speak of.

Great meadows of white flowers extended from each end of the isle. An eternal rain fell from its clear skies above, regardless of what season it was. Not a downpour, but like the heavens gently wept over.

As such, Vytal was dubbed a “holy” land by many. Buildings were erected, and statues were carved to pay homage to heroes and figures of the past. It was a symbol of peace and remembrance.

To no surprise, the site was selected for the signing of the treaty that ended the First Great War.

No weapons were allowed on the island. No wars, no conflict, no blemishes to taint this small corner of pure tranquility in Remnant.

And it was this place, Team RNJR’s ship made landfall, at least for one day.

“Seriously, though. Thanks again for coming with me. Are you sure it’s alright?” Ruby asked as they made off the boat.

“It’s fine. I think we all deserve a vacation after all those battles. Especially me!” Nora pitched her thumb to herself. “Cause I took down the most ships and creepy robots out of all of us!”

“Once again, I want to say that none of us knew that contest was going on,” Jaune commented.

“And that’s why you lost!”

“And once again, it should be reminded we are here to help Ruby see Weiss,” Ren added. “Who is currently ill.”

“……I remember! I totally remembered that was why we were doing this.”

“Nora…”

“What, Ren?! After fighting for how many weeks straight, you think we don’t deserve a breather?!”

“Just remember to be sensitive of Ruby. She’s likely to feel down over the news of Weiss’s condition and—”

“GUYS, HURRY UP! I WANNA PICK OUT SOME SOUVENIRS FOR DAD AND WEISS!”

“……Or not.”

“What was that Ren?”

“Forget I said anything.”

As the two walked off to join Ruby, Jaune observed the team from behind.

They didn’t act like it, but the war had taken its toll on all of them. The break couldn’t have come at a better time. Taiyang, Glynda, and Straw officially tasked them the mission of investigating the Atlas Kingdom, and finding the reason to their fleet’s sudden withdrawal, but he knew they were given some sorely needed R&R.

As he watched Ruby bounce up and down, window-shopping the various books and wares—he saw the change in her too. The scrapes and fraying at the edges. The extra effort she put into staying positive. There was no way Weiss’s condition didn’t affect her, on top of everything else that happened; Vice Headmaster Hook, her Uncle Qrow, Yang. But there was also a new strength there too. A resilience and lack of fragility. The hardened Huntress she envisioned herself was showing signs of taking shape.

Jaune thought he wouldn’t be a good leader if he didn’t realize that much. Still, there was always some room for growth.

He caught up to the girl and patted her shoulder.

“Ruby?”

“Yeah, Jaune?”

“I hate to tell you this…” he squinted, bracing himself for what would happen next. “But we need to hand over our weapons or they won’t let us into the city.”

“………NOOOOOOO!!! NOT MY CRESCENT ROSE~~!!!!!”

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* * * * *

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“What was that?”

“Quiet, you.” Emerald smacked Mercury in his fake bandaged mouth. “What part of ‘shattered jaw’ do you not understand?”

“You know, you’re enjoying that way too much.”

“You bet your crippled ass I am.”

As Emerald guided Mercury’s wheelchair, she fought the seductive urge to let her partner go flying down the ship’s plank and into the watery depths below.

“Don’t do it.”

“What.”

“Don’t be an asshole.”

“What are you talking about, Merc? I’m not *Pft* I’m not thinking about anything right now!” she tried to keep a straight face.

“I want Yang to push me.”

“She only has one arm.”

“I don’t care. I’ll wheel myself.”

“I can’t let you do that my poor, defenseless, stupid friend.”

“Watch the ramp!”

The wheelchair hit the pavement painfully.

“Whoops! My bad~♪”

Following behind the two, was Yang with her hair stuffed under a hood. Her Ember Celica was unattached, and Neo pretended to help as her crutch.

“So, this is Vytal, huh? It’s weird.”

“How so, Ms. Yang?” Masa asked behind her.

“I don’t know… Not to sound all feng shui or anything, but the energy’s weird here. It’s almost like the Towers. Whatever this place is, it’s really close to the Never Realm.”

“I see…”

“You okay there, Masa?”

“This one does not understand what you are eluding to.”

“I dunno. Just feels like, since we got here, you’ve been kinda down.”

“You can tell, this one asks in disbelief. Could this be due to the compound effects of your Maiden’s inheritance and Semblance?”

“No,” Yang answered shortly. “I just think we know each other enough to know.”

“I see…”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“……The offer is appreciated. But this one would rather keep certain things to one’s self. At least for the time being.”

“’Kay.”

Yang tapped the engineer’s arm, who only continued to stare back expressionlessly.

“……How about you? What do you think of the island?” she asked her fellow Maiden, who was the last behind them.

“The same.”

Yang waited for more.

“That’s it?”

“I don’t like it. And it doesn’t serve my purposes, so I have no inclination to care,” Cinder replied with a bored tone.

“Typical.”

After being checked for weapons, they were let into the main city thoroughfare. Temples forged of pure white stonework lined the streets. Everywhere they looked, there were displayed works of art; whether in word, brush, or clay, if they searched for it, they would find it.

Perhaps the nation’s citizens practiced their arts and crafts with such devotion, because Vytal was the only place they knew such things would be kept safe. For it was a too frequent an occasion that works of culture and history itself was changed at the convenience of conquerors.

“Feels kinda naked without our weapons,” Mercury commented.

“Speak for yourself. I’ve still got my Semblance, and three living weapons with us.” Emerald glanced back at Cinder, Yang, and Neo. “Honestly, short of Raven bringing the whole Mistral Armada, it feels like we’re untouchable.”

“What did you always say about being overconfident and letting our guard down? I think it was ‘don’t’.”

Emerald kicked Mercury’s seat.

“I can’t believe you’re the one that’s reminding me that. We do have a habit of getting our backs stabbed when we lower our guard. Still, I don’t get the feeling we’ll be ambushed here.”

“You think Vulcan’s above doing that?”

“He’d be an idiot to take us right now.”

“And you would be fools to start a fight here.”

The two looked behind to see Masa glaring at them.

“None of you are to start trouble while on this island, this one speaks seriously. If you do, this one will never forgive you, and a dire price will be rectified. Is that understood?”

Under the engineer’s pale-shadowed irises, the members of the group nodded in turn. They could all sense something was drastically different with Masa’s temper. So normally deadpan, but now appeared on the verge of being overcome with emotion.

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* * * * *

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“‘Summer Rose, leader of STRQ Team,” Ruby read the inscription carved below the statue. “‘Honored and Remembered for her service of Remnant. Accomplishments include: The Suppression of Monstro, The Slaying of Ansbach, The Capture of Hunter-killer Jek, and her part played in overthrowing the Mantle Monarchy, among other feats of bravery.’”

She eyed the statue of her mother with a curious wonder. Its size was considered average, in comparison to the many others that littered the city. Most of Summer’s appearance was obscured by her cloak and hood. In spite of that, the sculpture gave off a stoic impression. Whether it was the artist’s interpretation, or how her mother really was, Ruby yearned to know.

She made a mental note to track down some books on her if possible, but right now, her team had a more immediate opportunity.

“This is impossible…” Jaune muttered. “We’re never gonna find any real information buried in all this!”

“Patience, Jaune,” Ren advised, while shelving one book and pulling out another. “An opportunity like this doesn’t present itself often.”

“Do you know how many ‘old man’s have been written into these stories, Ren?! THOUSANDS!”

“At least your topic is bearable. The myths surrounding ‘silver-eyed warriors’ become increasingly surreal with each volume. Bloodline of the first Humans, Werewolves, Aliens from outer space?” Ren frowned, and shoved another book into the shelf.

While perusing Vytal’s city, Ren and Ruby found themselves drawn to the number of books being sold. Among them, they found an unbelievable collection of strange and unique stories kept on the island in pristine condition. Seeing it as a chance to learn more about Ozpin, the Maidens, and Ruby’s ancestry as a Silver-Eyed warrior, the group decided they could not let the moment pass.

The only problem was, just as there were an amount of factual recounting, so too was a greater amount of fictional exaggerations. And it was proving difficult to sort through which was which, as the team quickly learned.

“Hey, guys! I found something!” Nora came at them, waving her hand. Unlike the rest of her teammates, given her habit of finding research sleep-inducing, she was tasked with searching the sculptures.

Ruby, Ren, and Jaune immediately followed the girl to a circular mausoleum of statues. It seemed they were carved during different periods in time. The most recent being closest to the bottom. There, they saw a very familiar figure.

“‘Ozpin Verde, Headmaster of Beacon Academy’,” Ruby read. “Did Professor Ozpin have a last name?”

“I don’t believe so,” Ren answered thoughtfully.

“Let’s see: Mentor to GIAS Team. Youngest Headmaster to be named. Part played in Mantle Monarchy, blah blah blah,” her voice trailed as she read more of the accomplishments. “Nothing much we didn’t already know.”

“Boo!” Nora yelled.

“Nice try, though. Hm?”

“What is it, Ruby?” Jaune asked.

The girl looked at the statue next to Ozpin’s.

“‘Myrdin Zaffre’, the Headmaster before Ozpin. Says here he was a Grand Strategist during the First Great War. Also, he was Ozpin’s mentor. Do you think…?”

“A past reincarnation of the ‘old man’,” Ren finished the thought.

“Then… all of these…” Ruby looked on the rows of Beacon’s past Headmasters. “Where’s the first?!”

Together, they ran up the stairs and past each older sculpture like traveling back in time.

“Headmaster Who… Luka… Olorin… Strange… Here! Huh?”

They stopped at an unnamed statue. Its form and inscription had been damaged beyond anything they could make out.

“Yes. It is a very odd piece,” one of the passing workers commented. “Records of the first Headmaster of Beacon have all been erased. For that to have happened, it must have occurred before our institution was founded.”

“A dead end?!” Ruby cried.

“I’m afraid so,” the worker sympathized. “I, too have been curious about the first Headmaster’s origins. What would have motivated anyone to erase his or her memory. I’ve been on this island for a long time, and only found a few pieces that are relatively close in age. Each of them, just as obscure.”

“Can you tell us where they are?”

“I don’t think you would glean much information from—”

“Please, tell us!”

“Oh, okay, young lady. Well, one of them is a staff. It stands in the middle of the city. There’s nothing much to it, really. There was also a book I found once when I was younger, but the contents of it made no sense. I can’t remember what was in it, actually. Never did find it again.”

“Any other ones?”

“Your best bet would probably be the ruins that lie on the eastern edge of the city. I still sometimes go there to see if there’s something I can uncover.”

“A whole ruin?!” Ruby’s eyes lit up.

“Yes. It is a very breathtaking sight. Though, sad. I urge you to be respectful there.”

“We will! Thank you!”

Team RNJR rushed out of the building and stopped at the entrance.

“So, where should we go? The staff at the center of the city or the ruins to the east?” Ren posed.

Ruby scrunched her face and tapped her foot in troubled contemplation.

“Well……”

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* * * * *

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On the eastern edge of Vytal’s city, Team ENMY’s group walked the ruins.

It was nothing like they had ever seen before.

An indescribable feeling of sorrow filled each of them. The smell of rain and white lilies covering the grounds smelled especially potent. The air felt hush and substantial, like it were something solid. A tender wind swept through, carrying white petals into the air.

Positioned in rows of circles, were statues. Each bending a knee, bowing to the center. Tears streaked across their cheeks, with tightly shut eyelids. Their forms varied, none of them duplicated. It was likely every sculpture was carved in the likeness of an individual. Most expressed sadness, others a mixture of anger—all with an indescribable sense of loss.

Carefully, the group moved past these life-modeled stones, and followed Masa’s lead to the center, where the carvings faced.

There, they found a monument. No inscription, but a bowl of ever-burning fire—undiminished by the rain falling onto it.

Masa kneeled at the foot of the marker, so much like the statues around.

It was old, Yang thought. All of it was.

Her acute senses told her life was ancient here. At some point in time, an unfathomable amount of emotion concentrated on this single point in history. An event that probably shifted the fate of Remnant itself.

After taking in the immaculate artistry put into making the ruins, Yang was left with an odd inkling. Like there was something right at the tip of her tongue, a thought she couldn’t quite place. Then, she turned her eyes towards the “shrine” Masa made her prayers to.

Yang immediately stiffened, and not to much surprise, so did Mercury. The two looked at each other with the same exact thoughts. Of their group, they had the most experience with this specific work, to the point where seeing it was almost like a craftsman’s signature.

“Hey, Maz?” Yang started. “That thing over there looks pretty old.”

“Yes,” Masa answered with a flat tone.

“Right, it’s just that—it kinda reminds me of the grave you made for Victoria.”

“……So, it does.”

Yang and Mercury exchanged worried looks.

“Um, how is that possible? Haha… I mean, you don’t look that old.”

“That’s because she’s one of them,” Emerald crossed her arms. “Isn’t that right, Mazzie? Like Salem. Like Ozpin. You’re the same—an immortal.”

Masa slowly got to her feet and turned to them.

“Not quite in the same category, but there exists a similarity.”

“I knew it.”

“I am grateful you did not ask.”

“Gotta say, every time you switch up referring yourself from ‘this one’ and ‘I’, I get a little shiver.”

“Very perceptive, Ms. Emerald. You are correct to be wary.”

Just then, the whole world took an abrupt shift. Time halted in place and sound muted.

After what seemed like a breath, time resumed its flow. The white petals floating in the wind turned black. The skies above splashed with a dark-reddish hue. And from seemingly out of nowhere, a shadily dressed figure appeared and made her way to the center monument.

Her hair and skin were white as bone. Eyes like endless abyss. And a presence that reached out from her, so dreadful, it made Yang swallow hard.

The girl took in the sudden change in her surroundings. Besides her, Masa, and Cinder, the rest of their group looked to be still frozen in time. Going by the familiar atmosphere, Yang came to only one conclusion.

They had been pulled into the Never Realm.

The mysterious woman, who had appeared so suddenly, stopped next to Masa without paying attention to any of them. Her fingers conjured a black mist, and then, thread a few stems of red spider lilies from the air, placing them into a nearby pot. She finished a silent prayer before addressing them.

Cinder was the first to meet her gaze. A deep intensity resounding in her voice.

“Salem.”

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* * * * *

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“Isn’t it strange the way you just meet people at graves?”

“Yes. Of course. How strange it is to meet an acquaintance, before a grave, on the anniversary of their death,” the other responded sarcastically. “Truly strange.”

On the shores of Vacuo’s beach, two elderly women stood before a stone marking, where the ashes of Shepherd were once spread.

Unlike the continents of its counterparts, the steppes of this Kingdom experienced the same smoldering heat it always had. Cold never found a home in Vacuo. And it never would.

“The war is progressing. Do you still plan to do nothing?”

“Again, the war,” Temujin rolled her one good eye. “Why is everyone always asking me about that? Surely, the illustrious Headmaster of Shade Academy carries more weight to her word than I?”

“Don’t even joke about that.”

“Who was joking? And what crawled up your dusty cunt today?”

“I would rather you restrain yourself from such crude language. Especially in front of your brother.”

“Peh! My brother’s not here. His crisped bits are floating all over the ocean. Probably long eaten by some fish by now. That, or being sniffed up some sailor’s nose.” Even this crass joke got a chuckle out of the other. “And alive or dead, I speak the way I want to speak. I am the queen of Vacuo, after all.”

“As usual, you only invoke your title to serve your foolish shenanigans. I should remember to record that next time. Then, we could finally thrust some real responsibility on you.”

“Sour puss! Has becoming a teacher done so much to wear away the one I used to call my best friend, Minerva? Hm? Perhaps we should have erected two graves, then.”

Magic sparked from the other’s fingers testily.

Her name was Minerva Calico, and she was the Headmaster of Shade Academy. Elderly in age. Though, discolored now, her hair had patches of orange, black, and gray. Her nose was sharp with a bit of a hook. The glasses she wore served to further accentuate her firm features, which communicated a sense of intelligence. And atop her head, were a pair of worn cat ears.

Unlike Temujin, and many other citizens of Vacuo, the Headmaster was fond of wearing more formal attire. Even in the heat, she chose to don clothes of a modern Victorian-era. Similar to what the military officials in Atlas wore, but darker.

While the two old friends bantered, another figure approached from behind.

The young Faunus placed her hand just beyond the stone marking. The tide came in and filled her cupped palm with seawater. With slow and purposed motion, she took it to her mouth and drank.

“Ilia. How goes the war in Atlas?” Temujin asked.

“You despise it when others ask you, yet you do not hesitate to ask it of others,” Minerva grumbled.

“Oh, quiet, you.”

“Bad,” Ilia answered. “It’s a melting pot waiting to tip over. Adam’s White Fang, the industrialists, the aristocrats, and the poor. They’re about to come to a head. And to make things worse, Weiss Schnee’s disappeared off the face of the Kingdom.”

“Hm. Too bad. I liked her.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“No. But she was useful. Oh, well. Spilled milk and all that.”

“For some reason, the city’s Aegis Defense System is down too.”

“Ooh~ That is certainly terrible—for them. Sounds like the dominoes are falling for the Kingdom of Atlas.”

“Sure, does.”

“Ilia. Do remember to attend classes tomorrow,” Minerva interceded. “As noble as your extracurriculars are, your education is just as essential.”

“Are you serious?”

“Do I appear to be joking?”

Ilia gulped.

“Nope.”

Temujin could barely stifle her cackling in the background.

“Come now. Show the child some leniency, you crotchety old cat.”

“You’re the last one I want to hear from on the subject, you conniving old fox.” Minerva turned to Ilia again. “Now, that I think of it, I’m sure I could scrounge up one or two professors to provide some supplemental lessons, if you would accompany me back to the school.”

The young girl looked past the Headmaster at Temujin, but the one-eyed woman tried not to meet her gaze.

“Temujin!”

“I can’t save you, when she’s like this.”

“You said, you would talk to her!”

“Oho~ And the truth comes to light,” Minerva’s pupils sharpened to tiny slits. “So, you made my student a promise you had no way of keeping.”

“As queen of Vacuo, I sanction Ilia Amitola… not in trouble. And, em, absolved of all crimes. Pardoned of any and all infractions of civil disobedience. Whatever the words are.”

“On an authority you do not possess, no less.”

“I—ah di-di-di-di-“

Minerva snatched one of Temujin’s wolf ears, and yanked on it. Even Ilia couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She knew the Headmaster was frightening at times, but treating the war hero, who carried the fight against the Third Crusade, who ruled Vacuo and united its people as its savior—like a misbehaving juvenile was beyond what she could grasp. Yet, there it was.

“Foul witch! Release me from your magic!”

“It’s my hand, you senile old hag.”

“I will fight your oppression and di-di-di-di!”

“Ilia,” Minerva chose to ignore the ruler of Vacuo for now. “You were accompanying me back to the school now, I believe?”

Ilia bobbed her head faster than she ever had in her entire life.

“Do you not feel shame treating your oldest friend this way, in front of her deceased brother?” Temujin grunted.

“Not another word from you. I feel inclined to take you back to the school, as well.”

“Ah.” Temujin stopped struggling. “I think it would be better if you two stayed a while longer.”

Minerva noticed the sudden seriousness in her tone, while the other slipped from her grasp.

“Why…?”

“I think I’d rather have even numbers—just in case.”

Before the Headmaster could question further, her answers were given.

“Strange how you just meet people at graves, isn’t it?” a voice echoed from the ether, as a dark portal opened.

Out from the vacuum came Raven, followed by Blake and Adam.

Minerva sighed.

“Truly, you are your mother’s daughter.”

“What does that mean?”

“She was being smug about it being Shepherd’s anniversary, so it wasn’t strange, or some cleverness,” Temujin explained.

“Uh huh…”

The three newcomers went to the edge of the tide like Ilia had before, and took a handful of seawater. After they drank, they joined the other three again.

“You look well, Headmaster.”

“Thank you, Blake. You do, as well. I suppose it would be too much to assume you would like to resume the rest of the semester?”

“I’m sorry for disappearing like that.”

“Not like that’s anything new.”

“…Ilia.”

“Blake.” The girl switched glares to the other. “Adam…”

“Ilia…”

As the three teenagers traded greetings and pursed looks, the older ones watched.

“Awkward~” Temujin whispered to Minerva.

“As entertaining as teenage drama is, we should talk,” Raven said.

“Hm. Barely recognized you without that stupid thing on your head.”

“I liked that mask.”

“You look cuter now.”

“I guess, you have Adam to thank for that. Now, onto business.”

“You sure it’s business you came for…… and not a fight?”

An overwhelming predator threat exuded from Temujin’s voice, and put everyone on edge. They could feel Aura swell from her body. And in the moment it took to react, Ilia, Adam, and Blake hovered their hands over their weapons.

The ruler of Vacuo broke into a crooked smile.

“Rambunctious, aren’t we?”

“Could we please not try to frighten the children?” Raven played along with the joke.

“Oh, you used to be fun.”

“Temujin.” Adam stepped forward.

“Oh, here we go…”

“The time of the White Fang is over. For yours and mine. Now, we should unite our people, not just within a single Kingdom, but all of Remnant.”

“Under who, young pup? You?...... Or the Witch?”

“It’s what’s best for the Faunus people. You can join us, or at least…”

“Yes?”

“Stay out of our way.”

“Ohoho~” Temujin chuckled. “Unfortunately, if you’re hoping to strong arm this old coot, you’ll have to do more bite than bark, little Adam. There’s scarce anything left in this world that can frighten me anymore. That includes your all-powerful, all-knowing master.”

“Why can’t you see the sense in this? We could end the war now if Vacuo joined Mistral. The first two nations to support Faunus in a mutual alliance? It would bring an end to the conflict, and the start of a new era.”

“…”

“Vale will fall, and Atlas even sooner. Our victory is all but written in the history books. And when we win, we’ll change those nations just like Mistral and Vacuo. This is what Shepherd died for. What you fought for. Let us honor the cause. No more lives lost. We can bring a decisive end to all of this now.”

“…Your speech has grown more eloquent. I’m impressed. Does the Witch wish for the same thing?”

“I am the Hand of Salem. We made a pact to act in each other’s best interests, but I know she shares the same need to help our people as I do. With her power, I am making our dreams real! She wants to speak with you, if you would just meet her.”

“Sounds completely reasonable.”

“Then—”

“Yes, it would be rude of me not to respond to Salem. Make sure to remember this right. *Ahem* Regarding a future appointment…”

Temujin took a lengthy amount of time to clear her throat loudly. And with a swift whip of her head, hocked a heavy spit on the ground.

She turned and roped her arm around Raven’s. “So, it’s been some time…” With her other arm, she took Blake’s. “Have either of you killed anyone noteworthy? An old enemy of mine, perhaps?”

“I happened to stumble across a few Crusaders. Some during the revolution of Mistral and the invasion of Vale. There was also a thing with Vermillion, who funded part of the Crusader’s expedition,” Raven replied.

“Are these parties still with us?”

“Who?”

“Hohoho! That’s my girl. Minerva! Prepare the tea!” Temujin clamored, while dragging her “daughter” and “granddaughter” in the direction of Shade Academy.

“Unbelievable,” the Headmaster massaged her brow.

“Is this really, alright?” Ilia asked.

“If it was, she wouldn’t have asked us to stay. I swear, that woman could start a war with the first word, and then end it in the same sentence.” She side-glanced Adam, who was still stewing with rage. In a quieter voice, she spoke. “Keep your eyes on Blake. I will pay careful attention to Raven and Adam. Best not to let your guard down.”

“Yes, Headmaster.”

As Ilia stared ahead to the awkwardly smiling Blake, their eyes met briefly. The chameleon Faunus felt her ears grow hot, followed by a trace of forlorn feelings.

Right.

Don’t let your guard down.

.

* * * * *

.

“Don’t let your guard down.”

“I know that,” Yang answered Cinder from the side of her lips. “So, that’s Salem?”

“The one and only.”

While the two Maidens struck fighting poses, Salem spoke to Masa.

“How many lifetimes have passed, since we last met?”

“Only two for this one.”

“And five for myself.”

“…”

“Why do you lend assistance to his cause?”

“You know I would never.”

“Then, why?”

“My only allegiances lie with my patrons. Whether they are your ally… or your enemy is no matter of consequence.”

“It matters to me, Masa. I take it very personally.”

“I’ve armed plenty of your champions throughout the ages, including ones you have now. Why do you care—”

“Because I’m close,” Salem said with emphasis. “So very close. Now, more than I ever was. And if not Ozpin, there exists only one other, who could possibly stand in my way.”

“…”

“Do not make me ask again… old friend.”

Salem turned from the monument and walked to one of the statues nearby. Her hand touched its shoulder, causing Masa to feel a cold chill. The Witch continued moving until she was before Cinder and Yang.

“Maidens Spring and Fall,” she extended an open hand to one, and then the other. “I offer my greetings. Such young and fierce ladies as yourselves, I am sure you must be bounding with energy.” The dark veins in her skin quickened. “But I will not tolerate any acts of violence on this land.”

“Ms. Yang, Ms. Cinder. You are not allowed to fight here,” Masa added.

“You did not warn them beforehand?”

“I did not expect you to show yourself here of all places.”

“And why not? This is a land of peace. The only time the old one and I broke bread. So, it stands that this is the best place for… open discussion. Wouldn’t you agree, dearest Cinder?”

Cinder and Yang traded looks, but under Masa’s prolonged stare, they slowly dropped their arms to the side. Although loosened from their fighting stance, the two were ready for battle should the situation arise. Their materialized Auras trailing from their silhouettes was proof of that.

Seeing that it was enough, Salem resumed.

“Cinder. I know some unpleasantness unfolded between my followers and yours, but all can be made bygones.”

“If I join you again.”

“If you join me again.”

Cinder’s jaw twitched.

“I heard your whispers, Salem. The ones you spoke, when you thought no one was listening. You betrayed me. Now, you will suffer the consequences.”

“Little. Spoiled. Brat. Tsk tsk tsk. You accuse me of betrayal? I took you in, when your beloved Raven abandoned you. When you wandered Mistral, crying, lost, pleading for someone in the middle of the woods—I answered. When you were too weak and helpless, who gave you direction? Who gave you focus? You only found Amber Autumn, because of me. And was I not the one who guided you to the faithful followers you have now?”

Salem waved her fingers, and Emerald and Mercury began floating in the air. Yang and Cinder bit the inside of their mouths, struggling to remind themselves things were not so real here.

“And despite your betrayal, I am gracious enough to welcome you back into the fold, with all forgiven. After everything I gave you, how do you accuse me of betrayal?”

“Allegiances are not so simple, Salem. They aren’t like the scales you hold so preciously. A single wrong act is enough to make us enemies. You can dangle all the ‘goodwill’ you’ve done for me as much as you like, but it doesn’t change the fact that you left me to rot in the Never Realm to suit your own ends.”

“I was going to free you. Did you truly believe I had abandoned you? Like Raven had?”

“You betrayed me first.”

“Tsk tsk tsk. Foolish child. You’ll rue this decision. I pity what lays for you next.”

“…”

“My poor girl, if you stayed by my side, you would have had everything you wanted. Your Kingdom, your power, even Raven. But now…” the Witch sighed. “You’ve thrown it all away for nothing. Out of some misplaced pride or ill-conceived understanding? I’m not quite sure. But I implore you, Cinder. Think carefully. Choose wisely.”

Salem stopped waving her fingers, causing Emerald and Mercury to shatter to the ground like glass.

As strong-willed as Cinder was, doubt still strick her heart like one of the shards rolling at her feet. She questioned if she made the wrong decision. Maybe Salem was right. The Witch’s forces already owned Mistral. Vale and Atlas were on the verge of collapse. And Raven had rejoined Salem’s circle.

It wouldn’t be just her who would pay the price either, as she stared into the fragmented faces of Emerald and Mercury.

Words caught in her throat. Cinder struggled to say something. To form a retort, or even negotiate…

But before she could, something akin to a volcano erupted beside her.

Scorching, gold feathers exploded in every direction. The ground Yang stood on fractured into an array of fissures. On her shoulders, the shadows of two massive creatures loomed.

…

After her mother named Salem her enemy, Yang wanted a chance to meet the Witch. To measure her, and make the choice, whether to fight her or not.

And it was now, that they met.

It was now, Yang made her choice.

For before her, she knew existed a being that represented everything she fought contrary to. The Witch twisted and construed. She controlled people at their weakest. Caged them within themselves. She took away and granted some twisted, deformed version of people’s wishes in return. This being cheated the world, and called it balance.

And maybe worst of all—

Nothing seemed real in her empty, black eyes.

It was a sensation she felt before from Ozpin. Something that all immortals possibly possessed to a certain degree.

“You’ve lived too long,” Yang snarled. “You don’t care about this world. You don’t know it. You don’t even see it.”

Every syllable sent a shock through the air. Her voice boomed with the crack of a storm. The emptiness of the Realm filled with her presence.

“You’re nothing but a leftover of the past, trying to stop the future. But I won’t let you do it. Not anymore.”

For the first time, Masa saw an expression Salem had yet only reserved for the old one alone. Now, it surfaced in the wake of Yang’s words. A look of pure and murderous contempt.

“To think, you’d spit on my hand before I even offered it.”

“I don’t want anything you can give.”

All the flowers in the field painted with dark ink. A violent gale picked up in response. The sky itself, felt like it sunk closer to the earth.

“You don’t know what you’re starting, child. You don’t know what you’re fighting.”

“I doubt you ever got your own hands dirty in your whole life.”

“You speak of matters you do not know.”

“Am I? Cause your hands look a little soft from here.”

“Shortsighted, child,” Salem bore a wicked grin. “If you want to know proof of what I am capable of, try not to look at such small things. Broaden your vision, and you will see it anywhere.”

With a slight raise of her chin, Yang followed the Witch’s notion to the sky.

There, the fractured moon hung. Larger than life. A floating piece of destroyed world.

“You think you’ve seen battle? You think this war is so great? I’ve seen gods bleed and realms sunder. What you know as the world is nothing more than a grain of dirt in my hand.”

“I’m calling bullshit.”

“……I don’t lie.”

“Fight me.”

With a few choice words, Yang challenged the apocalyptic Witch to a brawl, and brought time to a slow crawl.

“Choose your next words carefu—”

“FIGHT. ME.”

Yang’s Aura scorched like a nearby solar flare. The meadow caught in flames, while the moon fractured further into pieces.

“I could have given you anything, stupid girl. Your friends, your mother, even your arm back.”

“’Kay. This is getting embarrassing. Like my friend would say, if she were here, and you didn’t try to scare us by dragging us into the Never Realm, ‘there’s nothing sadder than a conman, who just failed her con.’”

“Remnant will know peace by my hand. And I’ll make sure to build it on the foundations of your corpse.”

“You say, ‘peace’,” Cinder rejoined. “But what I think you really mean is control.” The young woman found her courage again and matched Yang’s challenge. “And I, nor the people of Remnant, will ever be controlled.”

“Especially, by some insufficient relic of the past.”

 .

* * * * *

.

“And then, what? You guys just dropped the mic, and bailed?” Mercury asked, unable to contain his excitement.

“Something of that nature,” Cinder smiled.

Shortly after Yang and Cinder’s declaration of hostilities, the Fall Maiden severed the connection, and brought the three back from the Never Realm.

As they boarded their boat once more to sail away, Cinder summarized to the others what happened during their brief pause in time.

“I wish I could’ve been there,” Emerald said.

The petite Neo silently pumped her arms vigorously flipping the middle finger.

“And flipped her the bird on the way out,” Mercury added.

“That too. Sounds like you missed a real opportunity, Yang. Yang?”

“Hm? Yeah.”

The girl in question had her attention taken away by the sight of the lone engineer, gazing at the island off the railing.

She joined her, leaning her arms across the boat’s metal bars.

“What’s on your mind, Maz? Worried about what Salem said back there?”

“No, actually. It was what you said.”

“Me?”

“……I am also an immortal, Ms. Yang. And I may have done a disservice to the people of this era in simply existing here.”

“You’re not the same as her.”

“Am I not?”

“No. You’re not.” Yang hugged Masa from behind. “You care. You’ve loved and lost. You feel… I saw it with Victoria.”

“…She was the friend of this vessel. Not me.”

“And what does your ‘vessel’ say about that?”

Masa clasped her hand to her heart.

“She agrees with you.”

“See? You live in this world, Maz. You let yourself become a part of it, and you let things in. That’s all the proof you need. And it makes every difference. I know I’m glad you’re here.”

“…I see.” The engineer lowered her gaze, hiding her expression. “Thank you, Ms. Yang—this one thanks you.”

Together, the two watched the island until it verged disappearing into the horizon.

“Still, what’s the deal with Vytal? As places go, it was definitely one of the weirdest. Can’t imagine what it’s like for the few people living on it.”

“The island was never built with the purpose of cohabitation, this one answers.”

“Hm………… Wait. Built?”

Yang looked down into the empty eyes staring back at her.

“No… way…”

She tried to laugh it off and dismiss it, but what the engineer implied was almost too strange not to take as real. There was also the hint Salem dropped about the moon. Yang pretended not to mind it at the time, but the scope of what “immortals” could do was quickly becoming something she couldn’t begin to grasp.

“The island was also never called ‘Vytal’ until the First Great War,” Masa added, matter of factly.

“Yeah? What was it originally called?

They saw the last of the island setting into the distance.

“The Grave of the First Sin.”

.

* * * * *

.

(A few days later)

.

Coming up on the shores of the Atlas continent, everyone on the boat saw the fires light the dead of night.

Smoke rose from the city, and as far as they were, they could hear the screams of its citizens. Along with a cacophony of unearthly noises from the Grimm.

No one could believe what they were witnessing. The Kingdom was consumed in chaos.

Roaming Jotunn giants limped into the capital with little resistance. Smaller species of the dark creatures bound for the grounds in stampeding waves.

Airships dotted the skies, trying to pose some form of defense. Various mechs, with the size of people to the girth of buildings, fought as sentinels for their makers’ homes.

Only one sentence was on the tip of each of everyone’s lips. Some gasped it, while others shouted at the top of their lungs.

Atlas is falling.