#you can build a walking city that can carry your allies and can also blow up asteroids

[gundurr]

[green-kat331]

My Friend Spider-man

Pt 1 : Friendly Neighborhood Reporter

(Non-specific! spider-man x reader)

A/N: This is a spider-man from no specific universe, game, comic, or movie, so let me clear some stuff up about Peter. He's a college student (about 18-19 y/o), and He's an intern at the Daily Bugle. You have been his friend since high school and are also in college and working at The Bugle.

warning: Gun, Swearing?

Walking through the streets of Queens New York is no easy task. 

Your satchel bounced on your hip with each quick step. Today, you had to bring in your most recent reports to The Bugle. Something about a recent sports award or a shiny prize of some sort, you were practically asleep writing the damn thing. Judging by the busy crowd, you weren't gonna make it to save yourself from Jameson's lecture. Although the only thing he ever seems to talk about recently is Spider-man. 

The web-slinging hero has been on everyone's mind recently since yet another save from a superbad villain. You can still see caution tape on a few buildings if you just walk a few blocks. 

Now you're waiting towards the crosswalk when suddenly your arm is harshly pulled into an ally, and a gun is held to your stomach. A man cornered you and demanded your bag. 

"Hand it over, and I won't have to use this one you." 

"I- I swear I don't have anything very valuable in here for you to take. I have reports for my job that's it- I don't even carry a lot of cash on me—" you stutter through your stunned state trying to negotiate your way out of it, even though you know it's pointless 

"I said hand it over!" He demands a little louder now. 

Then another man runs into the alley, about the same age as the first man "Yo hurry up, we gotta get outta here," he whispered 

"Alright! I got it," the first man answers and starts to forcibly pull your bag off your shoulder, but you held on tight. The shaking forced the latch to release, and most of your reports spilled out of the bag. At the same time, the man shot the gun into the air, forcing you to let go and cover your ears. The two men ran out of the alley and into the city streets. 

You're left now alone with no choice but to salvage the papers you could. You held up the report by its edge. Now stained due to water and mud, the text was barely visible and the color was an ugly shade of brown. 

"Ugh...Dammit, " you mumble. To be frank, your pride was more hurt than anything. They were clearly disorganized and young. It felt like you got robbed by a couple of teenagers. 

You look around for any way to hold or dry the pages without damaging them. 

Suddenly, a loud scream catches your attention, then a loud bang makes you jump, and you see the guys that just robbed you wrapped in webs and stuck on a dumpster. Staring in confusion, you wonder where the hero that dropped the men off might be. 

Your question was soon answered. 

"This belong to you?" A voice says now behind you. 

The suddenness of the voice made you jump and turn around. you see the web-slinging vigilante hanging upside-down holding your satchel. You take a step back and stare at the masked hero. He tilts his head in wonder, then comes down from his web and hands you the bag properly. 

"Uh... thank you, Spider-man" A smile couldn’t help but appear on your face

"What this? Oh, it's no problem. Just doing what any good ol' Samaritan woulda done." He expressed even waving his hands in the air and leaning on the alley wall.

You chuckled a bit at his casualness. He spoke as though he'd known you forever. Guess they don't call him 'Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man' for nothing.

3 years he's been at this. For the entirety of your senior year, you've been invested in the good deeds he has committed. Whether it's helping an old woman or keeping the green goblin from blowing up the entire city. 

"So you, Report for the Bugle?" He asks, pointing at the papers. Coming out of your own thoughts. You see the muddy report with the mentioned newspaper logo in bold.

"yeah.. Yeah!.. Don't worry about Jameson. Trust me, not everyone there thinks he's right 100% of the time, especially about you. I don't read his blocks about you anyways," you ramble, kneeling down and picking up the rest of the reports.

"You a word-of-mouth type of person?" 

"... yeah... you could say that..."You respond 

Awkward silence

"...sorry... it's my first time getting robbed, Soo… Y' know I'm still...processing... Well maybe you don't actually know what it's like cuz- y'know-- you're spider-man.. i mean have you ever been robbed? sorry! That''s a stupid question. of course not" You ramble nervously tucking hair behind your ear and rubbing the back of your neck.

He chuckles. Then kneels down, and takes the papers from your arms, also doing his best to shake them dry. He puts them back into your bag, then shoots a web out of the ally "Next time you need my help, be sure to holler and I'll come swinging for you." he says with a wave and swings away. 

You wave back, staring at where he disappeared from, calmly you walk out of the ally preparing yourself for Jameson's lecture, but little does he know a spark of inspiration appeared from that brief encounter. 

Hopefully, today will be your day. 

---

You walk into The Bugle, moving past all the other reporters and editors running around the room. The sound of printers and typing almost made you walk right back out of the door, but you pushed through. 

"Hey,(____)." You hear Peter say. 

If you had to pick the most likable person in the office, Peter Parker would take the #1 spot every time. While people gave you sly looks for being a 'kid' in the work place. He never failed to greet you each morning occasionally with a coffee if you're lucky. 

You quickly greet him back, then immediately go into Jameson's office. 

"You're late." He states, not even bothering to look up at you. You rested the urge to choke him. 

"I know - I uhh I ran into an issue on my way -" 

"Put them on my desk then get working on the other files. They're on your desk. I want these all done by the end of the day" 

As you begin to take the files out, you try to talk, "I was actually thinking of asking if I could -"

"Jesus, they're filthy. Print out more and—" 

"I WAS ROBBED!" You finally shout, interrupting the prideful man "on the way here, that's why I'm late and why the papers are.. like that..." You finished now calmly.

He pauses 

"Well you’re alive arent you? Did they take anything?" He asks. You sigh. Finally, he listened. "No. That's what I wanted to talk about. My stuff was given back because Spiderman caught them and returned my items. I want to do a report on him and all the great things he's done. ," 

"The great things!? He is a menace! We shouldn't be celebrating his crimes -" 

"—I won't even ask for payment on this report. Come on, Mr. Jameson, why spend the entirety of your career shouting in papers and broadcasts about something you don't even like? For a few months is all I ask, I'll shine a different light on the vigilante while also doing my usual reports. 

The older man thinks for a moment. "Think of your blood pressure," you quickly add-in. He glares at you, knowing the numerous lectures he receives from his wife about it. You were right, and he gives up after taking another puff of his cigar he turns his chair towards you "fine you'll be put on reports about Spiderman and current events. Your first print is at the end of the week, and I want the ones on your desk printed by the end of the day." You nod and turn to walk out of his office. Looking out the glass panel, you make eye contact with Peter, who was messing with his camera. You look back at Jameson who was angrily scribbling on his notepad almost ripping the pages. 

"You're wrong about him, Jameson. He's good for this city." 

"You're lucky. You're a good reporter. I don't pay you to be biased and sentimental. Just get the job done." 

"... you don't pay me much of anything anyway." 

"I decided to give the kiddies a chance. I've been feeling generous this year. Don't make me regret it. Now go and get those reports PRINTED!" 

Quickly, you run out of his office, avoiding yet another burst eardrum. you slam the door and rush towards Peter with a giddy feeling in your stomach. You grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to your desk. 

"Peter Parker, you are not going to believe what gold I have struck today!" 

He stared at you with wondering eyes. "What- what? why? What happened just now?" 

"I got put on the Spiderman reports" 

"...the what now?" 

"I'm doing reports on Spiderman! Isn't that exciting? My days won't be filled with just writing about middle school basketball and what ducks are fed at the parks. This is something real, something new, something exciting, and you're going to help me!" You state. He still looks at you bewildered. Leaning in close you grab his hands in between yours.

"Peter Parker, you are the best photographer I know. You have captured numerous and damn near impossibly close images of Spiderman swinging around and in some of the most perfect poses ever." His eyes avert yours for a split second as he blushed, clearly flattered by your praises

"Now I'm relying on your skills to get pictures of him in action, I wanna see him being the hero we know he is. Defeating bad guys and saving civilians! They need to know that he's actually helping people. Like you, like me." 

Peter thinks for a moment, then looks into his camera. "You really think he's doing good?" 

"I think he's doing great. Nothing like what Jamison makes him out to be." 

He gives a quick smile, then walks over to his desk and grabs his bag. "So what are you gonna be doing?" He asks 

Before taking a seat, you grin at your friend.

"I'm going to get whatever little piece of info I can get on the guy."

You smirk and turned back to your desk, you can't think too far ahead now all you need to focus on was getting these reports out of your way. although you couldn't help but wonder about Peters's nervous expression.

shrugging your shoulders you pull open your first file.

Hours Later….

You drag yourself and your bag into your apartment doors nearly collapsing in the hallway, your roommate peaked out of his room.

“Damn, you look like shit,” he says laughing at your misery.

You glared at him putting down your bag and keys. The journey to your bedroom was torturous, your back ached and your eyes felt like they were about to fall out of your head. Staying till the end of the day to finish reports made you want to abandon The Bugle altogether. even though it isn't the latest you've come home due to the heavy amounts of work Jameson decided to give you. But still, who would've thought a rookie like yourself would be placed on a task so much larger than you really knew what to do with. It made you kick your feet into your mattress as your eyes slowly succumbed to exhaustion.

Tomorrow you were gonna do whatever you need to. You were gonna get an interview with Spiderman. 

____________________________________________

Also on AO3 in case you prefer to read fics there

[theforsakenprince]

Frostbitten Chapter 4: Virgil

Previous Masterlist Next

Word Count: 1548

Warnings: Character death (none of the main cast die don’t worry lol), blood, lemme know if I should add anything.

A/N: this chapter was supposed to be longer, but I decided to split this into two parts, so expect the next one soon

Virgil drew patterns in the sand with his claws as he stared out to sea. A crab scuttled over his tail, but he barely noticed.

“Virgil?” his mother, Drizzle, called from inside the tiny hut they lived in, poking her head out. “I’m heading out to the market, do you need anything?”

Virgil shook the sand from between his talons. “Some purple fabric would be nice, I’m running out of that. I also need more string,” he counted the items off on his claws as Drizzle gathered her baskets. “Oh! And if you can, get me some purple dye.”

Drizzle smirked and bowed dramatically. “Anything else, Your Highness?”

He laughed, standing up to help his mother with her baskets. “Now that you mention it, I have been craving some whale…”

She nudged him playfully. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Stormy. I can only carry so many things at once.” she spread her wings. “I’ll see you soon!”

I hope you don’t blow anything up while I’m gone. He heard her think.

“What makes you think I’m so irresponsible that I’d blow something up?” he tugged at his claws thoughtfully. “I can’t even breathe fire! All I can do is read minds and-”

“Virgil, honey, it was a joke, there’s no need to stress over it,” she said with a small laugh.

“Yeah. I knew that.”

Drizzle gave him a soft smile. I love you, Virge.

“I love you too, mom.”

With that, she spread her wings and he watched her fly away until she was out of sight. He turned back to mindlessly drawing things in the sand.

For Virgil’s entire life, it had just been him and his mom. She would go to the market at the edge of the rainforest every few days, and sometimes he would go too. She had been careful to avoid both the SeaWings and the war while simultaneously raising him.

And she had done it all alone.

His mother didn’t talk about his father very often, but Virgil knew enough to dislike him. 

His father had been a NightWing named Relentless. Drizzle had met him somewhere in the sea kingdom and eventually fell in love. Soon after Drizzle announced she was going to have an egg, Relentless left, never to be seen again.

Virgil clenched his fists. He swore that if he ever saw Relentless, he would have… words. 

But for now, he sat on the beach and waited for his mother to come back.

It had been too long, far too long since Drizzle had left for the market.

Virgil paced nervously, trying to keep himself from worrying even when horrible worst-case scenarios flew through his mind. No matter how many times he attempted to push them away, they always came back, each more horrifying than the last.

She’s never gone this long.  He thought. He shoved it away angrily. She would be fine. She had to be fine.

As the moon rose higher in the sky, he grew more restless. He was about to retire back to the hut when movement caught his eye. Down by the shore, a dragon like shape bobbed in the water.

He reached out with his mind tentatively, but heard nothing. He started down the beach warily, keeping his eyes on the moving dragon shape the entire time.

“Drizzle? Mother?” Virgil called out quietly. From here, he could tell that that was definitely Drizzle, but why was she in the water? Did she decide to swim back?

His eyes widened in horror and he clapped his talons over his mouth to keep from screaming when he saw the enormous gash in Drizzle’s throat. He stumbled the rest of the way to the body, feeling hot tears spill out of his eyes.

“Mom? Mom please get up,” he said when he reached her, though he knew it was futile. Her mind had gone dark. Silent.

His mother was dead. 

He pulled her body close to his chest and sobbed into her shoulder. He was about to pull away when a flash of silver caught his eye.

A silver bracelet with a purple stormcloud charm was wrapped around Drizzle’s wrist. With shaking talons, he slipped the bracelet off and wrapped it around his own wrist.

By the time the sun had risen, Virgil had buried his mother’s body and cried the last of his tears. With one last sad look at her grave, he turned and headed into the hut.

“Goodbye, mother,” he said, trying not to choke up. “I- I’m leaving. I don’t think I can live here without you.”

For a few days, he had tried. He had tried to cook meals just for himself, making art with no one to show it to. He had tried, but failed. The island just felt too empty, too quiet without his mother.

With one last glance at his childhood home, he lifted into the air and flew.

3 Months later

Virgil pushed his way through the crowd, narrowly avoiding being stabbed by several SandWing tail barbs. Although he was overheating in his black and purple hoodie, he pulled the hood over his head and lowered his neck. The chatter of hundreds of dragons’ brains was giving him a headache, and he resisted the urge to clap his talons over his ears (as if that would have helped).

After leaving the island months ago, he had done his best to avoid the war, and that led him to the Scorpion Den in the Sand Kingdom. Now, he lied low, steering clear of gangs and crime lords that infested the town. He mostly kept to himself and only spoke to the residents if absolutely necessary. 

Which was why he was totally unprepared when he was suddenly shoved into an alley.

He stumbled and fell, sand clogging his nostrils. He attempted to throw his attacker off, only succeeding in filling his hoodie with more sand.

Virgil reached out with his mind and tried to reach his attacker’s brain to find something, anything, but before he could, he was roughly pulled to his feet. He stumbled and righted himself. He looked up and got his first good look at his attacker.

He was a SandWing, at least twice as big as Virgil. Dragon skull tattoos ran down his neck and along the edges of his wings. He was flanked by two other SandWings.

“I don’t have anything valuable to you,” Virgil said, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

The SandWing nodded at his wrist, where his mother’s bracelet was. “What’s that, then?”

He cursed silently and crouched in a fighting stance. His mother had taught him how to fight, but there was no way he could take on three dragons at once.

Suddenly, one of the thugs pounced at him, letting out an ear splitting roar. Virgil sidestepped and lunged at the end of the alley, toward the main street.

He had almost made it when something crashed into his side. He hit the wall of the building behind him and crumpled to the ground, breathless.

He looked up weakly. The biggest SandWing stood over him, his tail barb raised like a scorpion. “Give us the bracelet, HalfWing.”

Virgil flinched. HalfWing was the most serious insult anyone could say to a hybrid like him. He had heard it too many times since coming to the Scorpion Den.

The SandWing kicked him in the head, momentarily blinding him with pain. “I asked you something, hybrid.”

He felt a tug at his wrist and looked up to see one of the SandWings trying to wrestle the bracelet off his arm. “No. no, no no,” he muttered. He would not lose his mother’s bracelet. He struggled against their grip weakly.

He was starting to lose hope when a voice called out from the end of the alley. “What is going on here?”

The SandWings paused and turned toward the newcomer. Virgil lifted his head weakly and blinked hard. The newcomer didn’t look like any dragon he’d ever seen. For starters, he didn’t seem to have any wings. He could have passed for a NightWing if it weren’t for the tail barb on the end of his tail. Most strangely of all, one half of his face was covered in green scales.

One of the SandWings stepped forward. “This is none of your business.”

“It is my business if it happens in my part of town.” his voice had a strange hiss to it.

“That’s not true,” another one of the SandWings protested. “Thorn has taken over the entire city.”

“Not this part, she hasn’t. She doesn’t have the power to.”

“Enough,” said the SandWing with the skull tattoos. “You can’t stop all three of us.”

“Maybe not. But I have allies. Many allies. And you want to know what each of my enemies have in common?” the stranger didn’t wait for an answer. “Nobody hears from them again. We wouldn’t want that to happen to you, would we?”

The thugs exchanged looks before walking away, muttering curses under their breaths.

Virgil glanced upwards as the stranger walked over to him and suppressed a gasp.

He couldn’t read the stranger’s mind.

“Who- who are you?” he whispered.

The stranger stayed silent for a moment, his eyes searing into Virgil’s. “You can call me Deceit.”

Taglist: @bangchanthelegend

[the-observant-frisbeetarian]

Chapter 2

We’ll Meet Again by George deValier

Bright sunlight crept under Arthur's eyelids and forced them open. He groaned loudly and threw the blanket over his head to block it out. Weeks of overcast days and it had to be sunny on this one. Arthur clasped his head in his hands and tried to stop it exploding. Why the hell did he feel so… Suddenly the memory of the night before hit him like a fist, his stomach turning violently. What had he done? What had he said? Oh God how had he ended up in bed without his shoes and… Arthur quickly patted himself down and thankfully found his clothing intact, although he had lost his tie, apron and shoes somewhere along the way. He buried his head in the pillow and tried not to scream. Well that was the last time he would ever see that bloody American… but that was a good thing, yes? Arthur only felt sick at the thought. But that might also be from the copious quantities of rum he'd consumed the night before. What on earth had he been thinking?

Well, to be completely honest, he knew what he'd been thinking. He'd been thinking that Alfred was the most handsome man he'd ever laid eyes on. He'd been thinking that no one else in the world laughed like him, spoke like him, smiled like him. He'd been wondering what the hell a handsome, popular, confident young fighter pilot like Alfred was doing wasting his time talking to a boring old bartender like him. And he had drunk heavily to try and make sense of it, obviously scaring Alfred off in the process.

Trying to throw it all out of his mind, Arthur dragged himself out of bed to begin getting ready for the day ahead. It wasn't like he had never dealt with a hangover before. It was just the sudden memories that kept appearing unbidden… Alfred grinning and winking, Alfred leaning towards him, Alfred laughing, Alfred carrying him… "AGH!" Arthur tried to shake his head of the unwanted recollections. They just grew stronger, replaying over and over. Arthur decided there was nothing to be done but get dressed, go down to work, and forget he had ever met an American pilot named Alfred F. Jones.

The morning passed uneventfully. A few Americans came in for an early lunch with local girls on their arms, but the place was generally quiet. Arthur gave thanks for small mercies and spent his time avoiding a certain table by the window, while running a cold cloth over his forehead when no one was looking.

At noon, Arthur stood behind the bar, the cold cloth over his face, working hard on erasing the last week from his memory when it was all blown to hell by two words.

"Howdy, Arthur!"

Arthur jumped in surprise, the cloth falling to the floor. He looked up at Alfred, his face dripping, his heart suddenly thundering in his chest. All he could think to say was, "Good God man, do you have to yell so loud?"

Alfred looked amused. "I didn't yell…"

Arthur pressed on, slightly embarrassed. "Well I just have this flipping great headache…"

"Yeah, I'm not surprised," laughed Alfred. Arthur glared at him and Alfred cleared his throat. "So anyway," he continued, leaning on the bar, "I was thinking, that if this relationship is ever gonna go anywhere, we'd better start seeing each other in the daytime."

"Relationship?" Arthur's head still felt fuzzy… he must have heard that wrong.

"Show me the sights of London!" Alfred was all intensity and eagerness, dressed immaculately in his military uniform and cap along with the ever-present bomber jacket. Arthur tried very hard not to acknowledge the effect it had on him and tried instead to look annoyed.

"What? I'm working, I'm… I'm…"

Alfred grinned. "It's a beautiful sunny day out there, you're gonna spend it all in here with a cloth on your face?"

Arthur closed his eyes. Why could he not resist that bloody grin? "Very well," he said through gritted teeth. "Let me fetch my coat."

An hour later they had hardly seen anything of interest in Arthur's mind, but Alfred was fairly hopping in excitement. As they stood on the deck of a river boat crossing the Thames, Arthur was quickly growing embarrassed by all the stares the energetic American drew from fellow passengers.

"Wow, wow, oh my gosh! What do you call that thing again?"

Arthur peered sideways at Alfred pointing madly. "London Bridge."

"Wow!" Alfred's face lit up like a Christmas tree as he craned his neck looking upwards.

Arthur could not see why Alfred was impressed. "…It's just a bridge."

"It's LONDON bridge!" Alfred cried excitedly. "Like that song! You know… London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down, London Bridge is…"

"Yes, yes all right, for heaven's sake…" Arthur tried to quiet Alfred as his raucous singing caught the humoured and surprised attention of several onlookers. "I know the blasted song."

"Are we hopping off over the river? Where are we going next? Can we see the bridge closer? I tell ya, all this walking is making me hungry." Alfred pulled something out of his pocket and starting unwrapping it. Arthur groaned when he realised it was a chocolate bar. He put his hand to his head, exasperated, and hoped the other passengers wouldn't notice.

"Alfred."

"Hmm?"

"You're eating chocolate."

"I know. Do you want some?" Alfred held out the bar.

"No… I…" Arthur didn't know quite how to tell Alfred that he was being rather rude considering everyone in Britain had been on sweets rations for years. He leant in and whispered. "We've been at war for quite a while here. Things like this are very hard to come by for us."

"Ohh," breathed Alfred, his eyes going wide. He glanced around guiltily. "I have more, should I offer everyone else some?"

Arthur almost laughed, but quickly stopped when he realised Alfred was serious. "Wait, Alfred, what are you…"

"Greetings folks!" Alfred turned and called out cheerfully to the passengers behind him. Arthur was horrified as everyone stared openly, obviously unsure what to make of this loud, strange American. "I'm Lieutenant Alfred Jones, all the way from the US of A, and I just wanted to say that I'm honoured to be here in your terrific city! Now I'm hoping some of you fine people can help me out with a small problem I have. You see, I'm shipping out soon to fight the Krauts in Italy, and I have all this candy I don't know what to do with!" Alfred pulled out a handful of chocolate bars, attracting the immediate attention of several small children who inched closer.

"Candy?" asked a little girl, tilting her head in confusion.

Alfred shot Arthur an inquiring look. "Sweets," Arthur managed to murmur in bewildered explanation.

Alfred turned back to the girl, laughed raucously, and explained, "That's what we Americans call sweets! Now I don't know what might happen if I took these sweets over to Italy with me..."

A little boy gasped and said, "The Krauts might steal 'em off you!"

Alfred gasped also, his expression drawn in mock horror. "They might, too! Well, we can't let that happen can we?"

The children shook their heads, moving slowly towards Alfred, their eyes fixed on the chocolate in his hands. Arthur's face was frozen in shock, as were some of the passengers'. Others, however, were smiling, a few of the women were giggling to each other, and the children were positively enthralled.

"Do you think you might be able to help an ally out and take 'em off my hands?" asked Alfred, smiling widely and offering the chocolate bars to the children. "It's really good... Hershey's, all the way from America!" Each of them took a bar, giggling happily, before running back to their parents. Alfred tipped his hat to his gawking audience. "Have a good day, folks!" He turned back around and winked at Arthur.

Arthur shook his head. "You're quite mad."

Alfred just laughed, then pulled another bar from his pocket. "I saved the last one for you."

Arthur could not stop his lips pulling into a smile. He tried in vain to furrow his brows and wipe the smile from his face. "Fine." He snatched the bar and jammed it in his own pocket.

"I like that," said Alfred, staring at Arthur.

"What?" asked Arthur huffily. How bloody irritating that he could not even control his facial expressions around the American.

"When you smile."

Arthur cast his eyes out at the river, the smile finally falling from his face and the back of his neck flushing with heat. They stood in silence, but he could feel Alfred's eyes on him for the rest of the short journey.

"What is that tall bridge over there?" asked Alfred, after they had arrived at the port across the river and walked a while along the bank. It was the finest day in months, the sun high and a gentle breeze blowing. It was hard to believe it was winter - Arthur could not ever remember a milder one in London.

"That there is Tower Bridge."

Alfred's face lit up again. "That one is terrific!"

"And that is the Tower of London," said Arthur, pointing over the street.

"Ooh, fantastic!" cried Alfred. They stopped and stared over at the imposing buildings. "What's in there?"

"German prisoners of war, currently. And traitors, and enemy spies." Arthur wracked his brains to think of what else they were keeping in the tower these days. "And, uh… ravens."

Alfred looked truly fascinated. "Ravens, really?" He looked around eagerly. "Is there any way we can get in there?"

"Well, there is one." Alfred raised his eyebrows inquisitively and Arthur smirked. "Betray Britain."

Alfred's face fell in disappointment. "Oh. I don't think I want to do that. Even to see the ravens."

"Oh, the ravens aren't the most interesting thing about the place," said Arthur.

"Really?" asked Alfred, intrigued. "What else is in there?"

"Ghosts," said Arthur wickedly. He gazed across at the tower as he spoke. "The Tower of London is the most haunted place in Britain, if not the entire world. There are dozens of ghosts in there… Lady Jane Grey, the Princes in the tower, Sir Walter Raleigh…" Arthur found ghost stories fascinating, and he'd always loved the ones about the tower. "On stormy nights, the ghost of Anne Boleyn is said to walk the tower, dressed all in white and carrying her severed head under her arm…" Arthur turned to find that Alfred was no longer standing beside him. He looked around, confused. "Alfred?" He walked a few paces before spotting Alfred further down the road, leaning against a tree and looking like he couldn't breathe. Arthur gasped and ran to him. "Blimey man, are you all right?" he asked, concerned by the pale green colour of Alfred's face.

Alfred looked up with wide eyes, clutching his chest, sweat beading his brow. "I… don't… like… ghosts!"

Arthur tried not to, but he burst into hysterical laughter. They quickly left, steered away insistently by Alfred, who kept glancing back fearfully as though the ghost of Anne Boleyn was on his heels. Arthur had been happy to walk along the river, but Alfred was desperate to get far away, as fast as possible, and headed straight for the nearest bus stop. Arthur couldn't stop snickering… the loud, brash, swaggering American was afraid of ghosts.

Alfred seemed to get over his terror rather quickly however, and whistled as the red double-decker pulled up at the bus stop. "Wow! It's one of those super tall ones!" he said as he swung himself up onto the platform. "Howdy, Miss." Alfred tipped his hat to the pretty young conductor who giggled and smiled at him. She barely even looked at Arthur as he purchased their tickets.

Arthur made his way into the crowded bus. Finding an empty seat, he was just about to sit down when he realised Alfred was, once again, nowhere to be seen. "What now?" he muttered, then winced when he heard a familiar loud voice shout down the stairs.

"Hey Arthur! There's a whole other bus up here!"

Arthur felt every passenger's eyes stare at him. He smiled apologetically. "Sorry. Uh… he's American." Arthur hurried up the stairs. He proceeded to spend the rest of the drive trying to get Alfred to sit down, apologising to the other passengers, and on one occasion having to haul the stupid Yank back into the bus when he tried to lean out the window to shout a greeting to some American soldiers on the sidewalk. Arthur was relieved when they finally reached their destination, though probably not so relieved as the other commuters.

It was difficult to keep up with Alfred. Arthur didn't know where he got his energy from, but it was endless. He tried to keep pace as Alfred barrelled down the busy streets, weaving amongst the mass of pedestrians, talking non-stop as he went.

"I've really never been in a city this big before, you know? This place is huge! I mean, I was in New York, but not for long, before we shipped out. Now that was one wild city! I'll take you there after the war, Arthur. We'll see it all together. And then I'll show you where I live. It's only a small town… we don't have nothing so fancy as all this, but you'll really love it, Arthur, I know you will."

"I… I…" Arthur was a little thrown, unable to believe Alfred, and unsure whether he wanted to. "That's rather a long way to go, isn't it?"

"Nah, it'll be fine! I'll fly you there in Lady Beth!"

Arthur raised his eyebrows skeptically. "I don't think your plane will make it from England to America, Alfred."

"'Course she will!" Alfred grinned, and even in this bright, busy street, Arthur felt his breath knocked from him. That bloody grin.

"And how will… um… 'she'… manage that?" Arthur was caught in Alfred's gaze as they walked, unheeding of the street traffic that narrowly avoided them.

"Magic." Alfred winked. Arthur stared, transfixed, until Alfred looked away and gasped loudly. "Ooh, ooh!" Alfred practically skidded to a stop, his eyes fixed upward. "I know that one!" he cried. "That's Big Bob!"

The spell was broken, and Arthur again burst into laughter. "Ben."

"Huh?"

"It's called Big Ben!" Arthur explained. "Well, actually, it's not the tower that's named Big Ben… that happens to be the name of one of the bells."

"Really? Huh. You sure know a lot, Arthur." Alfred stood stock still in the middle of the footpath, staring up at the clock tower. A busy crowd surged around him, but he didn't move.

"Alfred?" Arthur waited a few moments, but Alfred did not budge. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for it to ding." Alfred said it like it was obvious.

Arthur did not fancy his chances of getting Alfred to move, so he simply stood still as the passing pedestrians shot them strange looks and parted around them. He watched Alfred watching the clock, until after only a few minutes it rang in the hour.

"Haha, fantastic! All righty, where to now? Ooh, can we go in that strange looking building over there?" And Alfred took off, headed towards Westminster Abbey down the road. "Keep up, old man!"

Arthur scowled. "I beg your pardon?" he called, hurrying to catch up. He was, however, grateful for the tiny break. He really was starting to feeling like an old man today.

Once inside the dark abbey, Alfred quickly lost his cheerful grin. He moved along slowly, glancing around suspiciously, pressed quite close to Arthur's side. Arthur couldn't help finding it rather amusing.

"This place is creepy," Alfred whispered nervously as they walked slowly past the low stone coffins. "There aren't dead bodies in these things, are there?"

Arthur wasn't quite sure if he was serious. They were coffins, after all. "Oh, no," he said sarcastically. "They're stone all the way through."

"Oh." Alfred breathed a sigh of relief. "Well that's okay then."

Arthur glanced at Alfred quizzically. Surely he hadn't taken him seriously... "They're coffins, of course there are bodies…" He fell quiet as Alfred tensed up again. Apparently he had. "Ah, just forget it, Alfred."

Alfred was quite insistent they leave after that. "You Brits sure are big on the scary old buildings, ain't ya?" he asked as he hurried out into the street. Again, Arthur couldn't help laughing.

The pedestrian traffic thinned as they walked further down the street. Alfred started to slow, and eventually came to a stop in front of a roped off bomb site. Only one wall of the building was left standing, fixed at a dangerously skewed angle; the rest reduced to flattened rubble around it. Alfred whistled. "Whew, the Krauts sure did a number on that one."

Arthur nodded. "Quite. We still have quite a lot of sites left like this one. From the Blitz, you know." It suddenly struck Arthur how young Alfred looked, standing there in shock, gazing into the ruins.

"Innocent people shouldn't have to go through this," said Alfred, shaking his head as though he did not understand. "Women and old people and kids and stuff. That's just not right." He turned and looked at Arthur with wide, bright eyes. "That's why I'm doing this, you know." Alfred gestured over the wreckage. "I'm gonna stop this happening here, or back home, or anywhere else. Because we're the good guys, Arthur. I'm gonna go to Europe and put a stop to this, you'll see. I'm gonna save London!"

And Alfred sounded so young also, like he honestly believed he could take on the world. Arthur's heart swelled despite himself. Why did Alfred have to be so naive, so good, so stupid... "Come on, Alfred. There's a lovely park just up here I want to show you."

"Oh, great!" Alfred fell briskly into pace beside Arthur, snapping back into high spirits; but he didn't have quite the same spring in his step as before.

Alfred finally slowed down when they reached St James Park. The air started to chill as they wandered aimlessly past trees and gardens and couples taking an afternoon stroll. As they passed a park bench beneath a dense, leafy tree, Alfred lightly took Arthur's arm and led him over to it. Arthur felt the touch shoot through his nerves, and was surprised by the sudden nervousness it evoked. He sat down and felt something pull tight in his pocket. Confused, he reached in and pulled out the chocolate bar Alfred had handed him earlier. "Oh," he said in realisation. "Blimey, forgot about that."

"Try it!" said Alfred fervently. "American chocolate is the best chocolate in the whole world!"

Arthur scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Is that so."

"It is! Try it! Don't you like chocolate?"

Arthur sighed wearily, ripped open the bar, and took a bite. He paused, surprised. It actually was very good. "It's passable, I suppose."

Alfred looked amusedly doubtful. "Passable."

"Mm-hm."

"That must be why you're scoffing the whole thing."

Bollocks. Arthur glared at Alfred. He hurried to finish his mouthful.

"So it's that hard to get candy here, huh?"

Arthur shrugged, discreetly wrapping the last of the chocolate in its wrapper. "Well, we're on rations. Everything is hard to get right now."

Alfred sighed and leant back, throwing his arms across the top of the bench. Arthur jumped nervously when Alfred's hand brushed his back. "You Brits have had it tough for a few years, haven't ya."

Arthur almost laughed incredulously. Alfred had no idea. "London is different now from a few years ago. So much has been destroyed. After the Blitz…" Arthur broke off and shuddered, still overwhelmed by awful memories. The dread of the coming nightfall, the evil of the air raid signal, those horrifying moments crouching in shelters and unable to sleep through the noise. The terror which quickly gave way to a numbing acceptance; never knowing what would be standing and who would be breathing in the morning. Arthur felt a brief brush of Alfred's hand against his.

"I remember seeing a film about it back home a few years ago," said Alfred quietly. "A docmenary."

Arthur tried not to laugh. It was a welcome distraction. "Documentary."

"Yeah, one of them." Alfred shook his head and stared up at the sky. "People all huddled in bomb shelters, and sirens going off, and dozens of Heinkel bombers flying over and flattening buildings to rubble - just like that one in the street before. It looked like you really had it rough."

"We did. We still do." So Alfred did know a little of the earlier war after all. His words brought back memories far too easily. "But we're strong. We made it through then, and we'll make it through now. We're British, after all."

Alfred smiled at that. "I'm starting to see quite a bit about you Brits."

"And does the American like what he sees?" asked Arthur.

"Yes," said Alfred softly, his eyes intense as he stared at Arthur. "He certainly does."

Arthur's neck burned despite the chilly wind. He dropped his gaze to his feet.

"Well, I'm impressed," said Alfred, his voice rising to its usual loud volume. "Your city is fantastic."

Arthur raised his eyes to Alfred's grinning face and smiled back. "I know."

The air was near freezing and the sun quickly descending in the sky by the time they strolled slowly passed the gates of Buckingham Palace. Alfred, as usual, looked excited and fascinated. Arthur could not understand how he was still so energetic.

"Oh, gosh! Oh, wow! That's where the king lives!"

Arthur nodded wearily. "Yes, Alfred."

"Can we see him?"

Arthur furrowed his brows, taken aback. "The king?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh yes, absolutely, I'll just trot right in and see if old George will have us for afternoon tea, shall I?"

Alfred looked gobsmacked. "You can do that?"

Arthur shook his head, partly amused, partly exasperated. Alfred obviously had a little trouble with the concept of sarcasm. "Why don't we go back to the Emerald Lion and have afternoon tea there, instead?"

"With the king?" asked Alfred eagerly. Arthur just looked at him. "Oh, you mean, obviously... right." Alfred coughed and Arthur hid a smirk behind his hand. "Well sure, Art, that sounds swell. Only, I don't actually have to drink tea, do I?"

"No. And Alfred?"

"Yeah?"

"It's Arthur."

"Of course it is."

But Arthur couldn't feel angry. Sure, he was a little tired, slightly exasperated, and quite confused as to why Alfred was still intent on spending time with him. But he was also happier than he could remember feeling in years. And he had just spent the best day of his life, in the greatest city in the world, with a slight hangover and the most interesting, wonderful, bloody frustrating American he had ever met.

.

Next Chapter

Disclaimer: This story belongs to George deValier. Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya. I own nothing.

[thewinebottlenr43-blog]

Lovesick For Herald

Mc gets struck by love. Though this being a villian story it's not the most stable.

Mc: any gender, no name.

Current motivation:  set_lovesick: :)

Hb scar: i want it al and i want it now. (Modified to fit this fic)

Warnings;: death destruction, and some mentions of  anger issues. 

You have a hunger inside of you. An infectous desire born of hunger. It burns and eats away at your soul. Day by day. You tried to quench it but the hunger woudnt stop crawling out from your inner core. It consumed al your efforts to halt its constant rampage on your psychy, your inner being.

It seemed nothing could stop it from turning you back into the dark path you started on. One you tried to stay away from. So here you are once again in this damned suit you could never get rid of. Standing above a crowd as the explosives are about to blow them up. You do this every night. The hunger celebrating inside of you. So many lives almost lost to the explosions. Only to be saved by him. Herald, your nemesis with his indigo suit and that face that had won over so many hearts.

Including yours.

You can feel a small part of yourself getting lost in it now. Mingling with the screams of the people each night as he quickly scoops them up. This was a while ago. When you could rinse and repeat the same event just to get a glimpse of him. It would sate your hunger. Now it has grown too infectious to contain. You can barely walk or sleep, except that the thought of holding Heralds face in your hands enters your mind. A smile forming on his face. You, wiping it away with a kiss.

A long kiss to let him know the unspoken feelings you have for him. Feelings you are unable to voice while both of you are fighting over people's lives on the streets.

Was this how love truly felt like? You always thought it was nothing more than a chemical reaction in people's brains. Reactions that could be manipulated, used and turned against the frail hearts and weak minds of humanity.

A species you never belonged to.

You were certainly not prepared to learn the truth. The truth that you are as equally human as they are. The truth that love, your love for Herald was not just a reaction, but also a desire from within. A sickness bolstered by the hunger you carried ever since the Heartbreak incident. A hunger once set on empowering your need to tear down the walls surrounding you. People, buildings.

Anger when unfocused, can lead to a lot of damage, and for a time it was the sole strength of your villainous career. The one weapon the world could never take away from you. For a time it allowed you to keep pace with Los Diablos best villains and brightest heroes. For a time it allowed you to tear down your true enemies, hiding behind their "dogs" and secure facilities.

Did they think they could get away with everything they did to you?

Give an anger, no reason to exist, however and it abates over time. The flames getting smaller each day. That's what you feared the most.

Having no purpose once the rage had settled.

Having no more things to be upset and trampled on.

Your enemies are buried beneath many layers of rubble, the scars left in this city is a testimony of their defeat.. Your former allies know your true face now. You have proven time and again that they can't stop you. They know better to stay their distance these days. You're not the same  telepath you once were.

Having no more bugs to eliminate, you found it increasingly worthless to put on your suit. A frightening piece of fibermesh, meant to terrify.

You had made your peace with the world. You are no longer a nobody to be stepped on. A tool to be used only to be thrown in a trashcan later. So you put the suit away, left the city and lived a comfortable life for a time. The anger had dissipated, but the scars remained. You could still feel the hunger inside, wanting to be filled once more.

Desiring to have a new purpose.

It was then during one night when Heralds face was plastered across your television screen that the hunger fed on  your feelings for Herald.

Amplyfing them to a new degree.

You soon found yourself wanting to see his face for real. Want, turned to need and soon you found yourself back to your old life. Only things were different, so much different. Every person you killed, every building you blew up was all in the name of love. A sickness, your sickness. Spurred by a hunger and newfound emotions once overwhelmed by anger.

Anger you no longer have.

A glimpse of Herald is not enough for you anymore. Not when you are this sick for him. You wish you could just walk into the Rangers headquarters and talk it out with him. It's an opportunity you no longer have. It's not like he could forgive or forget al the terrible things you did So you let the dreams carry you away. There you can cry on his shoulders for lost chances and missed opportunities.  There comforted by his arms, you can look into his eyes.

The same as yours.

Like gravity, they pull you closer to his face. A small part of you tries to fight it.

The gravity.

It's impossible. The end result is always the same. When your lips finally meets his, you know you won't stop yourself from loving him.

It feels like another kind of nightmare. One where you are trying to wake up only because you are both caressing each other, before both of you open yourselves to the gates of oblivion.

Your pathetic that way. Thinking this nightmare of love will end soon. Thinking the hunger will finally abate forever if you just feed it one last time.

But it won't

There is no cure.

Or maybe there is.

Maybe you just have to admit it Take a real step towards his house and his heart.

You have a sickness.

A sickness for Herald.

An infectious hungry desire, born of love.

You can't get free from it. And you don't know if you will ever get over it

Maybe this is the only way to be cured.

It might finally give you some controll.

You close your own door behind you and open his. It's a forbidden sanctuary. It's been forbidden like that since you broke up.

Does he recognise your face as you unexpectedly show up? Of course he does. An alarmed expression is visible on his face. You don't allow him to react, not before you give him a tight hug. Lips pressed against his. They are so much sweeter than the dreams. So are his thoughts. A familiar, comfortable tune inside your head.

You don't know how many kisses it will take before you can untangle yourself from Herald. Maybe you don't want to.

Ever again.

You could allow yourself to hold him in your arms, forever.

A dream come true.

A dream that won't last as he forcefully pulls you away.

Back to reality.

At least the hunger is gone.

For now.

Herald rests his back towards a nearby table. A mixture of feelings is battling it over in his mind. You only care to pick out the one that matters the most.

It's there beneath the shock and alarmed reactions. A part of him that truly felt alive, when you kissed him.

Good. There is some hope after all. For both of you. A chance for you to fix what was broken between you.

But not today. This is all well and fine. You need some space to clear your head.

The first step is always the biggest.

Without as much as a word you leave an emotionally entangled Herald behind you.

Every step you take away from him brings the hunger you carry back to life.

Once again ready to devour your feelings.

Make you sick with love and drag you back to his house.

This time, however you don't try to fight it.

You're willing to live it out. And maybe someday start things fresh. A reborn circle of love.

No more chaos.

No more dreams.

Just you and Herald happy beneath many stars.

Just like the old days.

You smile to yourself. The thought gives you strength to keep walking forward ,towards new plans and new beginnings.

THE END

[anderstarblaine]

The One With the Interview || Seblaine

Date: May 20th, 2017

Location: Hell’s Kitchen, New York 

Who: Blaine Anderson & Sebastian Smythe

Notes: Sebastian finally gets the interview of his dreams only to have it spoiled at the end.

Trigger Warning:  Seizures. 

in·ter·view /ˈin(t)ərˌvyo͞o /

noun 1.a meeting of people face to face, especially for consultation. synonyms :meeting, discussion, conference, question and answer session, examination, evaluation, interrogation;

verb 1.hold an interview with (someone). "he arrived to be interviewed by a local TV station about the level of unemployment" synonyms: talk to, have a discussion with, have a dialogue with, hold a meeting with, confer with;

Sebastian Smythe:

From the moment Sebastian had gotten the phone call from Nightbird, to the run over to the rendezvous location, he was absolutely thrumming with excitement. His whole being was all abuzz from this destined meeting. When he, as the Flash, initially gave Nightbird his name on a list of a dozen others  he knew it was a longshot that he'd get chosen. Because he gave Nightbird the list while in his Flash get-up, he couldn't even reveal that much to his boyfriend. But when that phone call came and Sebastian confirmed that it truly was Nightbird by quizzing him, he knew everything was set into motion.

That evening, Sebastian left his workplace and texted Blaine that he was on his way to the rendezvous location. They had settled on a secluded alleyway behind an abandoned building, near the outskirts of Hell's Kitchen. He knew it was probably dangerous but even if he wasn't the Flash, Nightbird was going to be with him. Thinking that perhaps the cloaked crusader was watching over him, Sebastian slummed it in his civilian clothes and even took a taxi over there for safe measure. The last thing he needed was blowing his identity at this crucial moment.

Blaine Anderson: 

Blaine had a bit of a hard time keeping his composure as he listened to his precious boyfriend go on and on about how excited he was to finally get the chance to sit down and speak to his hero face-to-face, but he knew that not being at least a little bit skeptical would be out of character for him and the last thing he needed was for Sebastian to catch wind of Nightbird’s real identity. 

Watching the time slowly click by as he finished up his classes for the day, Blaine morphed into his alter ego in one of the dark shadows the setting sun had begun to create as the night drew closer. He would be lying if he said he weren’t nervous- he was extremely nervous to actually sit down and be interviewed. He wouldn’t trust this to anyone else in the world, however, and for that reason he felt safe. As the dark blanket of night covered the city, Nightbird flew into his loyal ally’s neighborhood to meet Sebastian. He’d chosen Hell’s Kitchen knowing that he could let his guard down a bit to focus on the interview. Having Daredevil in the area would mean not having to constantly watch his back.

Always one for dramatic entrances, he flew over the top of the abandoned building quickly and landed on his feet as his cape fluttered around him in a majestic manner. “Sebastian, I presume?” He said quirking an eyebrow as his eyes landed on the familiar man in front of him.

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian hadn’t even heard Nightbird approaching until he was the target of the masked man’s question. The hero was so swift and quiet— as if the night was his natural element. With such an entrance, Sebastian had to take a step back and realize that he himself was not in his usual speedster get-up and here Nightbird was, actually addressing him.

“Oh, um, yes— I’m Sebastian Smythe,” he introduced himself. “I’m honestly surprised you’re here; I had half-expected you might not show.” He opened up his messenger bag to pull out a digital recorder, showing it to the hero. “Is it alright if I record this? I don’t want to miss anything or misquote you.” While he was rummaging through his bag, he also pulled out his best camera. He hadn’t yet discussed the possibility of a photograph but if anything else, Sebastian figured he could get a shot of the guy flying away.

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird made sure to keep himself at a safe distance, still a bit hidden in the shadows. He wanted to make sure that there was no possible way Sebastian could get close enough to study his face. “I gave you my word I’d be here, I don’t go back on my word.” He said matter of factly as he smiled a little. He was nervous because he had never spoken to a reporter before for any sort of interview but at the same time he felt at ease because it was Sebastian. He knew he could trust Sebastian with his entire life, even as Nightbird. “Of course,” he responded about the tape recorder. “I would hate to be misquoted.” He let out a deep chuckle.

Nightbird eyed the camera and he raised his eyebrows. “My only condition with the camera is that no facial picture be taken. The last thing I need is someone to study my face long enough to figure me out.” He said, biting the inside of his cheek gently. “Also I would like to be able to speak off record if a question is inappropriate for the public.” He said, implying that he’d answer most any question the journalist threw his way but some he may not want out. “I’ve never done this before, I don’t really know how all of this works.” He chuckled again a little nervously.

Sebastian Smythe:

Even with Nightbird standing a bit of distance away from him, this was technically the closest Sebastian had ever been to the hero when he wasn’t masquerading as the Flash. Nightbird sounded a little more serious and heroic than when they both conversed as superheroes and Sebastian wondered if it was because he was a civilian. It was possible Nightbird let down his guard just a bit around the Flash because they were both two masked superbeings that had their own share of risks. But right here and now, Sebastian had nothing to lose and everything to gain. If the roles were reversed, Sebastian knew he’d be masking his own face and voice to protect his identity.

“Yeah, I figured no shots of your face but I thought maybe I could get one from behind with your cape and signature logo,” Sebastian replied, adjusting the settings on his camera. “No one’s gotten a crystal clear shot of your cape before, let alone with you actually posing.” He held the camera up towards Nightbird’s direction, checking the lighting for a moment. It was awfully dark in this alleyway but this photo would be better than anyone had taken of him before. “I’ve never done anything like this before either but I won’t screw you over. I’ll only publish whatever you’re okay with.”

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird smiled to himself a little when Sebastian asked for a photo of his cape. Even as Nightbird, he would do anything for Sebastian with the exception of something that could potentially put him in danger and photos of his cape were harmless. “Of course, as many as you want of the cape. You will be the only person who’s ever photographed it and the only one that ever will, so feel special.” He chuckled once more.

Glancing around at what lighting they had to work with, and knowing how Sebastian’s camera worked, he wanted to be sure that they got the best shots possible-- he wanted to make this special for Seb and he thought maybe relocating would be for the best. They would also have more privacy. “Listen, I know that I requested we do this here but I wasn’t thinking about photos so maybe we should take it up to the roof?” He said, pointing towards a fire escape on the side of the building. “How are you with ladders? Or I could just, fly you up there.” Nightbird said with an unintentional flirtatious tone, smirking a little.

Sebastian Smythe:

“Oh, I definitely feel special,” Sebastian chuckled along with Nightbird. “I mean, even without the photo, an interview with the Nightbird is unheard of.”

Sebastian’s eyebrows lifted at the suggestion, his line of sight following over to the nearby fire escape. Scaling the side of a building was an easy feat for him even without the ladder considering his abilities. It had almost sounded like Nightbird was hitting on him and he wasn’t sure if he should accept the offer to be carried. With another chuckle, he slipped his things back into his bag and walked towards the fire escape. “I can manage a ladder; if I fall, you can always catch me, right?” he joked.

He climbed the ladder without any problems, dusting his hands off on his jacket when he reached the rooftop. It felt much more open than that alleyway and the cool breeze swirling around them felt nice. He watched as Nightbird more or less levitated up and landed on the rooftop with ease. “So, flying… I take it that’s something you didn’t just pick up from WikiHow?”

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird smiled as Sebastian joked, nodding his head. “Absolutely, I’d save you. That’s kind of my thing.” He chuckled one last time before pushing off of the ground and making his way up to the rooftop, landing softly and waiting for Sebastian to meet him. Once the taller was on the roof with him, he looked around for good lighting for their photos, thinking that the single light on the rooftop and the moon shining above would work well enough.

“Flying,” he began, taking a moment to think about his answer. He needed to give Sebastian as much as he could without completely revealing his family. “I suppose it just came naturally to me.” He gave a little shrug. “I don’t know if this next statement should be on record or not because I know sometimes the world can be divided when it comes to this but-- I was born this way.” He admitted.

Sebastian Smythe:

Born with powers; that would mean it was a strong likelihood that Nightbird was a mutant or some sort of alien lifeform. It wouldn’t be completely off-the-wall considering lightning strikes out of the sky to grant people powers. “Wow, I imagine flying around in high school got you lots of tail,” Sebastian joked. He hadn’t yet turned on the tape recorder but made a mental note to include that Nightbird was no novice when it came to his abilities; Sebastian himself only had a few months to learn how to use his own abilities.

He pulled his camera out of his bag again and motioned for Nightbird to get into his desired pose, knowing that the hero would want to obstruct or hide his face as much as possible. It would open up a whole can of worms if a clear-shot photo of the masked man’s face were published; it would take only moments before his secret was completely expunged. “I’ll take your photo now and then I’ll turn on my recorder.”

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird chuckled softly, shaking his head at Sebastian’s statement. “Eh, you would think-- but only less than a handful of people know my real identity. I wasn’t exactly a playboy in high school, anyway. I’m more of a gentleman.” He offered before leading Sebastian closer to the lighting he’d mentally chosen moments earlier.

“Here,” he backed up and turned his back towards Sebastian. He let him take a couple of shots before he smiled to himself, wanting to flex his abilities a little more up close, he let himself levitate off the ground a little. The wind caught his cape ever so gently, making for a mild yet action shot.

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian figured that it would obviously be the case that only a select few would know of the hero’s true identity. Maybe his loved ones or other superheroes he worked with; maybe one day Sebastian could find himself on that very short roster. The journalist wondered to himself if Nightbird had a significant other that knew his identity, or if he hid it from them too. Sebastian could relate in that way-- sometimes it was difficult to lie to Blaine about his abilities.

He put his camera to good use, pointing it in Nightbird’s direction and snapping a few photos. The hero was working the camera really well and Sebastian let out a little chuckle when the hero started levitating off the ground. “Gee, for a guy who’s sure camera-shy most of the time, you sure know how to show off,” he joked. “You look even more badass than usual.”

Without making any obvious movements, Sebastian zoomed the shot into Nightbird’s face, taking a quick, focused shot of his profile. He wouldn’t dare publish that picture in the newspaper but Sebastian was as curious as a cat, and he really wanted to know the man’s real identity.

“So,” he cleared his throat and let his camera hang from its strap around his neck as he pulled out his digital recorder. “Ready to do this thing?” He hit a button and a red light lit up at the top. He also took out his phone, it having the list of questions he knew he wanted to ask.

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird chuckled softly when Sebastian joked with him, doing his best to keep his Blaine smile to himself-- just the edges of his mouth curling ever so gently. He showed off just a little more for Sebastian’s camera, making sure he got the shots he needed of Nightbird-- even the back of his famous cape. When the taller cleared his throat and signaled that he was finished with his photos, Nightbird let his feet touch the ground once more.

“Ready whenever you are, sir.” He said, making a point not to say the other’s name again. He had to be very conscious of his voice and the words he used. Sebastian knew Blaine better than anyone in the world, the tiniest of things could expose him and put them both- especially Sebastian, in grave danger. “I trust that if I’m not comfortable with a question I can respectfully decline without you reporting that I’m some snob?” He half-joked, with another muted chuckle.

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian didn’t think much of Nightbird calling him “sir”, more or less focused on the interview and the questions he wanted answered. When Nightbird once again expressed his concern about how he was portrayed or being forced to answer invasive questions, Sebastian was quick to reassure him. If all went well, maybe a second interview would be a possibility; he could be Nightbird’s connect to the masses. “No, of course. Anything you don’t want to answer I’ll just omit from the interview altogether.”

He pointed the digital recorder in the superhero’s direction. “So, you’re gifted with these pretty amazing powers,” Sebastian started, careful with his wording as to not reveal that Nightbird had been born with his abilities. “What made you decide to take up the role of superhero instead of using them to your own advantage? Was there something in your life that happened that made you assume the mantle, so to speak?”

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird felt comfortable with Sebastian and he knew that the other loved him enough that he wouldn’t jeopardize any type of friendship by doing him wrong. He trusted him just as much as Nightbird as he did as Blaine. He braced himself for the first question, thinking it over for a brief moment while doing his best to give Sebastian an honest answer without going into too much detail.

“When I was younger, I was put in danger. I grew up in a small town and I’m-” He paused for moment, contemplating the next bit of information. He knew coming out publicly might be a bad idea for safety reasons but he also vowed to do so if he ever had the moment. He wanted all of the people in the city-- country, world-- who weren’t straight to know that they had someone out there like them fighting for their safety. It was a huge step, though, and he was a bit nervous.

“I’m gay. And I was a victim of assault because I’m gay and when it happened to me, I was lying there in that hospital bed fighting to survive. I made the choice then to stop hiding and running from these special gifts I’d been given. I wasn’t ‘normal’, so to speak.” He explained, finger quotes around normal. “And I wanted to be someone out there in the world helping kids like me. I wanted to protect them from my same fate, and then I just migrated to New York and it became more than just that, I began feeling the need to do more and more, just fighting for one specific purpose felt selfish in a way. So now, here I am, protecting a small island.” He chuckled, giving a shrug. “Helping the defenseless has felt like my duty since I became the defenseless that day.”

Nightbird quirked a half-smile, thankful his face was hidden by a slight shadow as he looked at the other. “You really are getting exclusives here.” He shook his head, biting on his lip. “Outside of my team, I’ve never told anyone that story. Ever.”

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian did his best to keep his reactions silent for the recording, not wanting to obscure a single word as Nightbird shared a very close and personal story about his past. He knew all too well of kids and teens that got bullied and beaten for being different. Sebastian himself was a bully, even if not a homophobic one. He pressed a button on his digital recorder and the little red light turned off.

“Wow,” Sebastian blew out a breath of air as he processed the story. “I, uh--” he chuckled a little as he scratched the back of his neck. “I don't even know what to say. That's a really amazing backstory there, Nightbird. I had no idea you were gay and just this bit of info alone is going to… inspire kids with or without powers, gay or straight.” In the moment he thought less about the fame he'd garner from the article and more about the impact it would have on the individuals reading it. It was kind of amazing that one guy could have that sort of effect on people. “Man, if I had a gay superhero like you to look up when I was a kid, I would've turned out really different.”

Blaine Anderson:

When Sebastian turned off the recorder, Nightbird was a little surprised but Blaine, however, was not. He knew that deep down Sebastian was soft for people he cared about and he cared about Nightbird and wouldn’t use anything to further himself if he thought it would hurt Nightbird in anyway. He watched the taller carefully, he could sense that Sebastian was caught off-guard with this bit of information. No one had ever known that Nightbird was gay and he knew that Sebastian would do him justice in the papers. He was also ready to handle the wrath that would be thrown at him from the conservative side of the city-- Blaine would have Sebastian to go home to every night and Nightbird might even have Sebastian to confide in if needed as well.

He grinned a little bit to himself when Sebastian praised him and went on to speak of how his story would inspire people. He thought of himself as a teen and a child, having other heroes to look up to like himself definitely shaped him into who he was. Nightbird shook his head when Sebastian suggested he would’ve turned out different. The Blaine inside of him wanted to reach out to Sebastian and chastise him for suggesting he didn’t turn out perfectly. “I’m sure that you turned out really great. You seem like a good guy, Sebastian.” He said honestly, nibbling on his lip. “I mean, you already have one superhero out there on your side, and now you have me.” Nightbird shrugged. “We don’t really like bad guys.”

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian chuckled softly at Nightbird’s suggestion that he had not only the Flash on his side but now Nightbird himself was there. There must’ve been at least some amount of trust from the superhero in agreeing to do this exclusive. Still, Nightbird’s compliment in an attempt to make him feel better didn’t go unnoticed. “Mm, I think I would’ve avoided making more mistakes than I’ve made if I’d had a better role model. Someone like you.” After a pause he shook his head and chuckled, realizing he’d gotten a bit off-track.

“A-anyway, let’s move on,” he cleared his throat and checked his phone for the next question. “I mean, don’t get me wrong; the story about you being gay is beyond amazing but I don’t want you to just be labeled ‘The Gay Avenger’ for the rest of your life.” He started recording once again and pressed on with his next question. “What would you say is the most difficult part about being Nightbird?”

Blaine Anderson:

“Thankfully our mistakes don’t define us, it’s how we redeem ourselves and grow from them. I’m sure you’re doing very well for yourself.” Nightbird assured him. When Sebastian suggested it was time to move on, Nightbird thought it cute the way the taller had gotten off-track. “Yes, let’s.” He listened carefully to Sebastian’s next statement and held back a laugh at the mention of The Gay Avenger, a little inside joke between Blaine and Sebastian. “The Gay Avenger, huh? Sounds like a great hero.” He teased, shaking his head before they moved on to the next question.

“The most difficult part about being Nightbird.” He parroted the question as he mulled over the automatic answer in his head. Being away from you every night. It was the truth; these days the hardest part about being Nightbird was lying to Sebastian all of the time and leaving him so often. They were still relatively new to their relationship and he hated spending as much time apart as they had. “Being away from family-- having to keep them in the dark for their own safety. I know I’m not technically lying to them because I’m literally trying to keep them alive and safe. A lot of people hate me and if they even had a hint of who I was or who my loved ones are or how many I have or don’t have, they’d use them. I would rather die in place of them than have one of them hurt.” Nightbird said with complete honesty-- well, almost. His entire family knew about Nightbird except for Sebastian and he hated so much that he had to keep it hidden. “I hate hiding this part of my life from them.”  

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian once again listened intently, nodding along. He, too, was very familiar with keeping secrets. Only Professor Garrick and Doctor Snow knew about his abilities and he was planning on holding onto that secret for as long as he could. If Blaine found out… Sebastian didn’t even want to open that can of worms. Sharing Nightbird’s sentiments, he would rather die than let anything happen to Blaine or any of his family back in Ohio. “That makes sense,” he responded, “having an alter ego puts a lot of pressure on your shoulders. Not just protecting your city but also your family-- in a different way. Arguably, a much more dangerous way.

“So, does anyone know your true identity? Like, maybe some other superheroes? Do you guys just get together sometimes without any masks and drink a beer together?” Sebastian followed up with a more light-hearted question, looking more or less to make the superhero laugh than looking for a real answer.   

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird nodded his head as Sebastian agreed with his sentiments, even going as far to add on to show how he understood. It made him feel a little better to know that Sebastian could at least sympathize with his situation, he knew that he would never hold it against him if by the unfortunate chance he ever found out the truth. “Exactly. And my… My family is the most important thing to me.”

The shorter smiled gently as Sebastian went on to his next question, chuckling. “Well, there are a few people who know, yes. I have a team just as any hero would and maybe less than a handful of people know, other heroes included. I learned to harness and use my powers from some of the greatest people ever known.” He paused, thinking of his mother and their shared mentor Jay Garrick. They were both legends and he felt extremely lucky that they were on his side. “I think their names I’ll keep to myself.” He teased, chuckling. “And yes, sometimes we do take a break without the masks and have a few normal hours together...until someone is mugged or hurt or a bank is being robbed and then we have to throw the mask back on and get out there.”   

Sebastian Smythe:

Hearing Nightbird being so open and honest with his answers made the superhero seem so much more… human. Sebastian was beginning to see the shape of the article he would be writing with these answers. Aside from the whole masked vigilante business, he was sure the man behind the mask was just a regular guy trying to figure out how to live his life. He juggled a regular, boring 9 to 5 job while fighting crime at night. Having the public know that Nightbird had a family to take care of would help him become more relatable.

“Snapping a pic at that get-together would be beyond amazing,” Sebastian commented, half-jokingly. He knew that superheroes had their secrecy for a reason. With even just these very few questions answered, Sebastian had more than enough to work with; this truly would be the story of the century.

He scrolled through the list on his phone, so many questions unasked. Who supplied his gadgets? What were all of his powers? Was he human, mutant, or an alien? So many questions that had burned in Sebastian’s mind for all the years Nightbird had been doing this dance and suddenly in that moment, all of those questions didn’t matter. He had his story.

Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Sebastian smiled to himself. “I think this interview is going really well; one last question to give you a chance to end it on your terms: if you could relay a message to the citizens of New York-- both your fans and enemies-- what would it be?”

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird chuckled at Sebastian’s comment of loving to have a picture of that get-together. He found it amusing that technically Sebastian had been at such a gathering before without realizing it. On his mother’s side, Blaine had quite a few mutants in his family. Sebastian had that picture and it was on instagram somewhere.

When Sebastian put his phone away and announced this would be his last question, Nightbird raised his eyebrows, feeling a little surprised. “Oh wow, already finished? That was quicker and less painless than I expected.” He joked, shaking his head as he mulled over the final question. It was definitely a good one and he wanted to make Sebastian proud so he have it some good thought before he opened his mouth. “I-I think I would like to say...just...be kind to one another. The world is a really scary place and if everyone could just be kinder to one another it wouldn’t be so bad. So many people are so quick to resort to name-calling, bullying, and even violence and it just isn’t who we are supposed to be as a species. We’re all people with our own struggles in life and we quickly forget that when we’re desperate for something-- money, food, validation. Be kind to people, and even help people out if you have the means. A little kindness goes a really long way with most.” He said, shrugging. “That probably is the cheesiest and the least eloquent thing I could’ve said, but it’s true. If people were kinder to one another I wouldn’t have to lie to my loved ones, people wouldn’t be in danger, people could sleep soundly at night. People wouldn’t get hurt. That’s where it starts.”

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian pointed the digital recorder in Nightbird’s direction until the hero was finished with his statement. It was then that he turned it off and smiled at the hero. “Super gross and touching final words,” he told him. “I’m sure a lot of people will really love reading your message to everyone. It’s cheesy but like you said-- it’s true.”

He slipped the digital recorder back into his messenger bag and turned to look at Nightbird, knowing that now that they were finished, they would have to part ways. Sebastian hoped that this meeting wouldn’t be their last and another interview could be in store for the future. “But hey, since this interview is a success, maybe you’d--” He interrupted himself then, blinking as he felt a wave of dizziness overcome him. Shaking his head, he chuckled as his verbal flub. “Sorry, I probably just--” he cleared his throat and gently slapped the side of his face to shake himself out of it. “Anyway, I was saying maybe you and I could do this again? If that’s cool?” He asked, as he rummaged blindly into his bag to look for the emergency medicine he kept on him. When was the last time he’d taken those pills, anyway?

Blaine Anderson:

Nightbird tried his best not to grin when the taller called his statement gross, it amusing him as it was typical Sebastian. As he watched him put away his recorder, Nightbird didn’t make any quick movements to leave, planning on staying near Sebastian as long as possible considering he wouldn’t be home until a little later that evening.

When Sebastian began his next statement he knew what was coming next, and he would definitely didn’t have it in him to deny Sebastian anything. He was about to stop him and tell him that of course he could have another interview when the time came but immediately he knew something was wrong when the other sputter briefly mid-sentence. “Hey, you okay?” Instinctively he took a step forward, watching Sebastian’s actions carefully. He worried immediately and his heart started to pound a little harder. The other seemed dizzy and the way he slapped his face, it didn’t take but a split moment for Blaine to realize what might be happening.

His brain worked quickly as he tried his best not to lose his Nightbird persona as he rushed to Sebastian’s side. “Here, come here, sit down.” He said, taking Sebastian’s bag from him to gently place it on the ground. He knew that if Sebastian was about to have another seizure that he needed to be sitting so Blaine could help make sure he was safe.

Sebastian Smythe:

Sebastian’s mind was a scramble of thoughts in the moment as his dizziness increased and he felt a tickle in his nose. “No, no, no,” he mumbled to himself as Nightbird was suddenly approaching him and taking his bag away. Sebastian really needed to get out of there but they were all the way up on a New York City rooftop and he couldn’t exactly speed away right in front of the superhero; it’d give away his own secret identity. “I-I’m fine,” he insisted, wiping the blood from his nose with the sleeve of his shirt before it’d had a chance to trickle down his lip. “I promi--” his breathless voice caught in his throat then as his jaw started to lock up. This felt just like the last time, with just a bit more time for a warning.

He locked eyes with the superhero for a split-second, knowing that a seizure was less than moments away from happening. In his last moments of consciousness, he attempted to pull the camera hanging around his neck off to the superhero for safe-keeping but it slipped and dropped to the ground with a resounding clatter the same time Sebastian’s knees buckled under him. He blacked out then, his body beginning its convulsions.

Blaine Anderson:

“Oh no,” Nightbird said when he noticed the blood in Sebastian’s nose. And before he could say anything else, Sebastian spoke up once more only to have his word sharply cut short. When they locked eyes, Nightbird glanced away quickly seeing the fear in Sebastian’s eyes. He hated this. He hated that this was happening again. Blaine needed to pull himself together; he wasn’t Blaine right now, he was Nightbird and he needed to take care of Sebastian. He could freak out later.

Nightbird reached for the camera automatically when Sebastian reached out but that wasn’t what he was concerned with; he needed to make sure Sebastian was safe. The camera was replaceable, Sebastian wasn’t. He moved carefully and quickly as Sebastian’s knees buckled and he caught him mid-fall, gently easing him to the ground as he began to convulse.

Blaine’s heart beat faster and faster as the seconds ticked by at a snail’s pace. He knew there was nothing he could do but time it-- thank goodness for Nightbird’s watch-- and make sure Sebastian’s head was safe and none of him was constricted. His heart rate was so high in that moment that Sam and Santana were alerted; he heard a beep in his ear and Santana’s voice coming through asking if he was okay.

“I don’t know, Sebastian’s having a seizure, we were done with the interview and it just happened. Please call the nearest hospital and alert them that I might be coming in.” He said, cradling his boyfriend’s head as he watched helplessly as the taller shook, his teeth clenched, eyes blank. It was a jarring picture that he remembered all too vividly from the first time and he hated that it was happening again. “Baby, you’re okay, I’ve got you.” He whispered, knowing that his words wouldn’t be heard. “I’ve got you.”

Sebastian Smythe:

Like last time, Sebastian remained unconscious as his entire body shook violently. His arms flailed at their own accord and he struggled to breathe with his mouth clenched shut. Time seemed to tick by longer than the last time he'd had a seizure and that was because it was. Minutes had passed and still Sebastian convulsed as he lay helpless in Blaine's hold. His boyfriend's comforting words fell on deaf ears.

Sebastian's lips began to turn blue and the whites of his eyes slowly grew redder as his body physically strained to sustain itself amidst this episode. The veins along the temple of his head bulged. Even if Sebastian wanted to, he couldn't cry out for help. He couldn't fix this. He and Blaine alike were completely helpless.

Blaine Anderson:

Blaine’s forehead wrinkled as his eyes glanced from his boyfriend to his watch, shaking his head. It had been much longer than the last time this had happened and Sebastian’s body seemingly wasn’t close to finishing.

Longer than five minutes

Brain damage

Even death

Every bit of information he’d read, all the research he’d done flashed before his eyes and he started to panic. “Seb?” he said, his voice shaking. “Oh my god, hang on.” He moved as carefully as he could to cradle Sebastian’s convulsing body as he tapped his ear piece. “San! Tell them I’m on my way now and that it’s an emergency— he’s still seizing. It’s bad, ‘Tana.” He spoke as he carried his boyfriend to the edge of the building, taking a running start before jumping off and taking flight as fast as he could towards the nearest hospital.

Nightbird ignored the gasps as he landed at the emergency room doors, all of the whispers of his name. He ran right past them towards the waiting team of doctors. He wasn’t in boyfriend mode anymore on the outside— he was in superhero mode. He was Nightbird. “He’s been seizing for six minutes- we were talking and he suddenly felt dizzy, his speech slurred a little, bloody nose. I caught him as he fell and protected his head.” He explained as he stepped back quickly to let the doctors and nurses get to him. “His husband is on his way, his name is Blaine Anderson.” He lied to them then, hoping that when he returned in civilian clothes they wouldn’t be difficult.

“Thank you, Nightbird,” one of the nurses said to him as they wheeled Sebastian away on a gurney. “We will take good care of him, you might’ve saved his life today,” she said, giving him a smile before turning to follow the others.

“Nightbird!”

“Oh my god, it’s really him!”

People called after him and clapped for him as he turned to leave the hospital. He gave them all a wave and a friendly smile as he disappeared out of the doors and lunged off the ground. He was fighting back tears as he flew as fast as he could to the rooftop they’d been on previously to grab Sebastian’s things. He bent down to pick up the camera and it was damaged beyond use which made him frown. “Hey, ‘Tana?” He said, the girl’s voice coming through frantically as he pressed his ear piece. “Yeah, no, I don’t know; I just dropped him off. I came back to get his things and I’m going back in civilians.” He explained. “Listen, can Sam get Nightbird from the hospital? I’ll leave it on the roof in about five minutes.”

When Santana assured him that they would take care of it, he hung up the phone and took off again towards the hospital. Flying high above the buildings, he scoped it out before landing. He discarded his Nightbird get-up in the spot he and Sam had agreed on before racing down to the lower level of the hospital. He had only been gone a few minutes but he was really hoping that Sebastian was okay and awake.

When his foot touched the emergency room floor he let himself feel like Blaine again and the tears he’d been holding back began to trickle out. “H-hi, I’m Blaine Anderson. I...I think Nightbird just brought my husband in because of a seizure— please tell me he’s okay.”

[aramis-dagaz]

The Crew (D&D 5E Homebrew Race)

This is something I’ve been wanting to adapt for a while.  This is a 5E version of The Extras from Against the Wicked City and The Crew from Coins and Scrolls, which sound like a lot of fun to play.

The Crew

Ability Score Increase.  Two different ability scores of your choice increase by 1.

Size.  The size of the majority of The Crew are either Medium or Small, chosen at character creation.

Speed.  The Crew’s base walking speed is 25 feet.

Motley Crew.  Everyone in The Crew come from all walks of life and occasionally pick up on a few things.  The Crew gain an additional proficiency in any category of their choice.

The Crew may be made up of a mix of species or all of its members may be predominately of the same species, but it does not gain any racial bonuses of its member species.  At the DM’s discretion, a Crew that’s made up of mostly one species may roll a d4 of inspiration for any ability checks that it should be good at (e.g., a Crew of mostly elves gaining inspiration while standing watch).

Safety In Numbers.  Apart from named characters (see below), The Crew always go around in a single big mob, taking up an area 20' square whenever possible (in a 5' wide tunnel, they'd form a single line 5' wide and 80' long).  If you need to determine exactly how many Crewmembers are present, roll 1d12+6. This number varies encounter to encounter and even round to round.

Inverse Ninja Rule.  Even though there are so many of them, The Crew is treated as a single character when determining how many actions they get per round.  The Crew only get one action, movement, bonus action, and reaction per turn unless their class states otherwise.  (The exception is Named Characters - see below.)

Many Hands Make Light Work.  Whenever they're performing some kind of unskilled labor (e.g., standing watches, digging ditches, carrying treasure, rowing oars, etc) or skilled labor if they have the appropriate proficiencies and at least ten tools (e.g., building wooden structures with carpenter’s tools), The Crew can accomplish the work of ten individuals. Even though there are more of them than that. Probably. Most of the time.  The Crew act as one and cannot give themselves advantage on any ability checks they make.  Named Characters performing the same action as The Crew work with the rest of the gang and thus cannot use their extra action to give The Crew advantage on the check.

Ganging Up.  The Crew has a reach of 5 ft unless equipped with ranged or reach weapons.  The Crew can also swarm around a creature or obstacle so long as there is sufficient space for any one individual member of The Crew to move around it.  While another creature is within The Crew’s space, they can use their action to attack the creature.  However, any creatures within The Crew’s space is not considered flanked, even if any of their Named Characters join in the attack that round.  The space The Crew occupies is considered difficult terrain except for allies, who can move through The Crew’s space unhindered.

The Crew and any creatures within their space get opportunity attacks as normal.  If The Crew successfully grapples a creature, any ability checks the grappled creature makes has disadvantage as the rest of The Crew joins in one the dogpile.  If the grappled creature succeeds, they are no longer grappled as they toss everyone aside dramatically or slyly sneak away while The Crew are left wrestling each other.  The formerly grappled creature can then move away from The Crew without provoking an opportunity attack as the mob is left dazed or bewildered.  Any grapple attempts made against The Crew are performed as normal as the creature managed to grab a Named Character or an unnamed yet beloved member of the gang, and The Crew is unwilling to leave any of their number behind (unless they are more than willing to abandon someone to their fate, in which case they take damage equal to their level).

Share the Pain.  The Crew has a single hp total.  Any healing or damage done to any of them affects them all.  Every point of damage causes a single nameless crewmember to become injured or die in an inconsequential background sort of way.  Area of effect attacks and traps only affect them once, but The Crew has disadvantage on all saves against area of effect attacks.  Single-target Save or Die effects instead inflict damage equal to the spell level in a dramatic way.  Other single-target spells either affect the whole Crew or fail completely at the DM's discretion.

Arm the Troops.  For The Crew to gain mechanical benefits from new equipment, they must obtain at least ten copies of the equipment in question: so once they have ten swords they can make sword attacks, and so on.  If they have less than ten, then some of them can be described as carrying the equipment in question, but they gain no mechanical benefit from it.  This does not extend to certain consumables like healing potions and ammunition (including thrown weapons), which The Crew consume as though there was only one of them present.  The Crew consumes ten times as much food and water as a single character and have lifestyle costs equal to ten individuals.

The Crew get ten copies of their class’s weapons and armor as part of their starting package and any items they gain from their background except for extra money.

Magic For the Masses.  The Crew can collectively have any number of magic items 'equipped' at once, but they can only gain the benefit one item once per turn unless they have 10 copies of that item.  For example, the guy with the magic sword steps up to take a swing, or the guy with a magic shield steps up to block a blow, and then they just fade back into the mob.  If the item in question is assigned to a Named Character (see below), then its benefits also apply to any independent actions they may take.

A Crew made up of spellcasters are treated as a single character for the purposes of determining how many spells per turn they can cast, number of spell slots, number of spells known, and so on.  The Crew can only have one familiar, who will invariably become The Crew’s mascot.

Named Characters.  At 1st level, give one of the Crew a name and a personality, just as you would for a normal PC.  This character acts as the 'face' of the mob, and is the character who you will play during social interactions and similar roleplay-focused scenes.

Once per short rest, the named crewmember can do something different than the rest of The Crew for one round on the same initiative count.   They could run to warn the PCs while the rest of the Crew fight something.  At the end of the round, the Named Character is absorbed back into the mob.  Named Characters have the same ability scores and proficiencies as The Crew and otherwise are treated as one level lower than the level of The Crew (minimum 1st level).

Every time the crew gets an ability score increase class feature, they can instead choose to gain a new Named Character.  New Named Characters are created at 1st level and gain a level when the crew gains a level.

Die All, Die Merrily.  If The Crew is reduced to 0 HP, they become strewn about the place, wounded and moaning, miserable and unable to help anyone until healed.  If The Crew dies, the only survivors will be the Named Characters, who have remaining hp equal to one Hit Die of their class and have disadvantage on all attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws due to the trauma of losing their comrades.  If any of the named characters survive the adventure and return to a civilized area such a town, they can recruit new faceless crewmembers and Named Characters within a week.  Alternatively, the remaining Named Characters can decide sorrowfully that It Would Never Be The Same Without Them and remain as ordinary PCs and hirelings.

[mezzopurrloin]

Mezzo Plays Final Fantasy X: Part 10

Tidus awakens in a mysterious oasis.

No one else is around.

I don't think we're in Macalania anymore, Toto.

Yes, a giant bird is just what we need right now. I tried to flee from it, but to no avail.

Thankfully Auron and Lulu showed up to help. Together, they take it down.

They still have no clue where they are, or where anyone else is.

It doesn't take long to find Wakka hanging out under a makeshift tent.

These Al Bhed Potions restore 1000 HP to the whole party and cure poison, petrification, and silence, but can only be used by Rikku. They'd be pretty handy if she was here.

We find Kimahri trying to walk up a sand dune.

You just can't have a desert without giant sandworms, can you? This thing has a staggeringly high 45,000 HP, more than even the bosses we've fought up to this point.

It can also swallow an ally whole, removing them from combat until it regurgitates them.

After finding Rikku, all the guardians are together, but there's still no sign of Yuna. And she actually knows where this is. She has something to say, but everyone has to promise to keep it secret.

This prompts a big "Hmm?" from Wakka.

Rikku explains that this is Bikanel Island, and there's a secret Al Bhed base called Home nearby. Why it's "Home" instead of "Rusa" I don't know. Anyway, Rikku thinks that Yuna will be there, so the guardians head in that direction.

I ran into another sandworm on the way. I decided to give it a taste of Auron's Shooting Star, and this time got all the inputs right.

See ya, loser.

A Cactuar! This cute little cactus thing can be quite dangerous. It's known for its 1000 Needles attack, which deals exactly 1000 damage. Sadly, this one ran away before I could do anything to it.

We also ran into these plant things lurking in sand pits. Their Seed Burst causes confusion, which makes a character attack themself or their allies at random. Like with sleep, a good smack will set them right.

Home is just over the next hill, but things don't look good.

A dying Al Bhed near the entrance says who is responsible for the attack.

This is Cid, Rikku's father, Yuna's uncle, and leader of the Al Bhed. He's trying to gather the survivors and lead them to safety. Almost every Final Fantasy game has a Cid, and they're usually connected to airships. This one is too; we'll get into that later.

The guardians have to fend off more fiends summoned by Guado guards inside. An alarm is constantly blaring "Ajanouha ihtan!" ("Everyone under!" in Al Bhed) and it sounds kind of like "I'm annoying, huh?" And yes, yes you are.

These dual chimeras are particularly dangerous, since fighting one on its own was tough enough in Macalania. The Guado guard isn't helping, either.

Rikku explains that the summoners are held in the Summoners' Sanctum.

Wakka guesses (correctly) that the Al Bhed have been kidnapping summoners, explaining the disappearances. He seems to understand why, though. Tidus sure doesn't. Don't summoners have guardians to protect them?

Inside the sanctum, Dona and Isaaru are present, but Yuna isn't. They are about to perform a sending for the Al Bhed that died protecting them. The Al Bhed believed that summoners shouldn't have to do their pilgrimage. Tidus is still confused, leaving Rikku to finally explain...

Whoops. When Rikku said "sacrifice" earlier, she was being a little more literal than Tidus thought. And yes, everyone else knew. No one wanted to bring up the subject to him.

Tidus thinks of all the things he told Yuna, about how they would go to Zanarkand together, of things she would do after she beat Sin, and all she could do was smile. He flashes back to the time in Luca when they were talking together.

"I learned to practice smiling when I'm sad, you know?"

"I want my journey to be full of laughter."

Okay, so I've tried to avoid spoilers, but this one's kind of out of the bag. There is a sequel to this game, Final Fantasy X-2, and it has Yuna in the starring role. So no, she is not actually going to die at the end of her journey. As for what actually happens, well, you'll just have to wait and see.

We can't angst for too long, though. We've got to get going.

We also get this great moment of Cid suplexing Tidus after he tells him to find Yuna again. He sure isn't going to let his niece die on some pilgrimage either. Once everyone's on board, they activate the engines.

It's an airship! It takes to the skies.

Cid doesn't really know how it works, but it flies, and that's the important part. He and Rikku's brother pause a moment, then they sing the Hymn of the Fayth together. Rikku explains: They're going to blow up their Home.

Home is gone, and the attackers with it.

The next step is finding Yuna. Cid thinks he can use the scanning device to search for her, but it will take time.

In the mean time, Tidus can explore the airship. A number of friendly travelers are also on board, including many Al Bhed, Rin, the Al Bhed Psyches, Dona, and Isaaru and his brothers.

Back on the bridge, Cid and Auron are bickering about Yuna. They're interrupted by Rikku's brother, who has found her.

He isn't dead! Seymour surprise! (Actually he is, but it's complicated.)

Lulu knows the location, and it's not gonna be easy to reach. Not that that will stop Cid, of course.

The red carpet has teeth. This is Evrae, the guardian wyrm of Bevelle, and the guardians will need to defeat it before making their approach.

Rin offers to sell some supplies, but yes, they still have to pay. He's confident that they can achieve victory.

This boss is fought on the deck of the airship. Tidus and Rikku have trigger commands to tell Cid to move closer or further away from it as needed, but it takes him a few turns to respond.

Its poison breath is quite deadly. This hits the whole party and causes poison that deals further damage each turn. Rikku's Al Bhed Potions are great for patching everyone up after that. Since there's no Yuna, she has to take over as main healer. It also has a petrifying gaze which again, Al Bhed Potions can cure.

When further away, you can't attack it directly except with Wakka. Magic technically works, but it has high magic defense and resistance to all elements.

And if you can move the ship away in time, its poison breath dissipates harmlessly into the air. It's a little tricky, but not too bad to handle.

Until that happens. Now you have to deal with it using attacks much more frequently, and if you stay far from it, it can use a sweeping attack to close the distance. It's still defeatable, but this is where things get painful.

Take that, you bastard.

Once it dies, the party flies toward Bevelle.

There it is, the greatest city in Spira.

Seymour is walking Yuna to the altar when...

The airship arrives. It launches a pair of grappling hooks into the ground.

Guardians to the rescue!

You now have to fight off many waves of warrior monks. Some have rifles, others have flamethrowers, and there are a few machina weapons too.

Tidus learned a new Overdrive here: Slice & Dice, a series of dash slashes.

Eventually, the party is stopped by Kinoc and his soldiers.

Yuna attempts the sending, but is halted by Maester Mika.

Mika: "Stop! Do you not value your friends' lives? Your actions determine their fate. Protect them...or throw them away. The choice is yours."

Seymour: "Kill them."

Yuna runs to the nearest ledge.

Seymour orders the soldiers to stop.

Yuna tells her guardians to leave her...

...then plummets off the side of the building.

She is safe, and her guardians are able to get away in the chaos.

They know where she's going, too.

Wakka is stunned to find that there are machina inside the temple. Seems Yevon doesn't exactly follow its own teachings.

This Cloister of Trials is themed around paths of light that you can ride platforms on. Bevelle Spheres are used to activate the platforms and create new paths. It can be a little tricky because of the camera angles, but this maze isn't that hard to figure out.

It's required to get the Destruction Sphere treasure in this one, since you can't return here later.

Tidus decides "you can stuff your taboos" and tries to open the door to the Chamber of the Fayth himself. It doesn't work, until Kimahri helps out.

This is the fayth, and the true form of the mysterious child we've been seeing. A human soul, imprisoned in stone.

Yuna prays to it, and then it enters her body and collapses.

As Tidus carries her out, he finds Kinoc and the soldiers waiting. They are to stand trial for their crimes.

But not before naming the aeon first. This guy is common to nearly all Final Fantasies, and his name is usually Bahamut. This name was a suggestion from Silent. Yes, it is just "Dragon" backwards.

Here is the fourth maester of Yevon, Maester Kelk Ronso. He and the other three maesters abdicate Yuna's trial. He accuses her of inflicting grave injury upon Maester Seymour, and conspiring with the Al Bhed.

Yuna offers her rebuttal.

She explains that Seymour killed his father.

Yuna says that she should perform the sending for him. Mika just laughs.

After all, the maesters claim, the dead make better rulers than the living. Spira is truly ruled by death. Resisting its power is futile.

Yuna and her guardians are deemed guilty.

Well now what?

Tidus and Auron talk about what Mika said to pass the time. Everything in Spira revolves around people dying. Summoners kill Sin, and die by doing so. Guardians die for their summoners. The fayth are the souls of the dead. The only thing reborn is Sin, and that is so it may kill again.

Kinoc comes to their cell, and says their sentence is to be decided.

They are sent to the Via Purifico, a system of tunnels under the city.

But supposedly, there is an escape somewhere. Seymour decides to watch the exit, just in case.

Yuna is lost somewhere within the maze. There are some fiends here too, giving her a chance to try out that new aeon.

This dragon has quite the regal air to him. He's a league above the other aeons we have, with stronger stats. He has no elemental affinity, but can cast spells of all elements, including the third tier spells Firaga, Thundaga, Blizzaga, and Waterga. His special is Impulse, an energy pulse that hits everything on the field.

And his Overdrive is something to behold.

This deals out annihilation to everything in sight.

Lulu can be found in the tunnels, so that Yuna doesn't have to fight alone.

And Auron shows up soon after.

Isaaru was brought here by Maester Kinoc, who told him to "deal with the traitors". He didn't realize it's Yuna he'd be fighting. However, he won't back down now.

This is an aeon duel similar to the ones we've had with Belgemine, but with much higher stakes. He opens up with a Grand Summon on his first aeon. If you check the little bar at the top, you can find his aeons have their own unique names.

I had Romanov Shield his Hellfire, then retaliate with her ice magic. He was soon reduced to ash.

Time for round two.

Kaminari had to endure an Energy Ray, but then was able to retaliate with the hammer of Thor, finishing this one off.

And now he gets serious. Spathi here will stand imposingly, doing nothing but charging his Overdrive for 5 turns. Once that's done, it's Mega Flare time. Shield helped Amon survive the Mega Flares, and he could heal himself with Fire as he slowly whittled down the dragon's HP.

Once all of Isaaru's aeons are defeated, he surrenders.

Meanwhile, over in the underwater section...

These three have to fight off some aquatic fiends in a large tunnel. They're not too difficult, but can take a while to defeat due to being heavily armored.

And then Evrae appears again. This is actually just the zombified corpse of the guardian wyrm, but it's still dangerous.

Since it's a zombie, healing effects deal damage to it. This means that tossing a Phoenix Down on it will take out half its HP, and then a second one will take out the other half for a ridiculously easy battle.

Everyone's back out, safe and sound. I'm not exactly sure how Kimahri got free, but apparently he did.

Oh look, it's this creep again.

He had Kinoc killed too. I'm not exactly sure why Kinoc is a lifeless corpse rather than an unsent soul like Mika or Seymour.

Seymour claims that he has relased him from his own pain, fear, and paranoia, and now only sleeps eternally.

This is what he needs Yuna for. He asks her to come with him to Zanarkand, so that he might become Sin and save Spira from its own sorrow by ending all life.

Tidus just says he's totally nuts.

Kimahri makes a similar point. Seymour just considers it unpleasant. Then, he absorbs the souls of Kinoc and his guards...

Kimahri offers to stand guard while the others escape. They initially flee, but then realize they can't leave Kimahri behind.

We have to fight this idiot again, and he's got some new tricks up his sleeve. The little claw thing floating beside him is called the Mortibody, and it supports his attacks.

I gave him the grand opening with a Grand Summon. He then used his Banish special to unsummon Nogard, ensuring that we can't really use aeons for anything else here. The Mortibody can take damage, but can't be killed as it will absorb HP from Seymour if its own runs out.

His Break spell causes petrification, then the Mortibody follows up with Shattering Claw. If it hits a petrified character, it shatters them to bits, but it doesn't deal much damage to flesh.

Lucky for us, we've got a few more spells of our own.

Lulu's Bio spell inflicts poison which deals damage every turn until death. It doesn't seem like much, but the damage can rack up, and it's based on the enemy's max HP too.

Yuna learned Reflect, which bounces spells back toward the enemy. This is a double-edged sword of sorts, as healing and buff spells will be reflected too. Still, it nullified pretty much all of Seymour's attacks once it was on the whole party.

At lower HP, Seymour broke out another new spell called Flare. Here he is getting it reflected into himself like an idiot. This looks like a fire spell, but actually deals non-elemental damage. Maybe it's just too hot for fire resistance?

Tidus finished him off with a Slice & Dice, and he was done for.

"We escaped with our skins intact, but Yuna lost something. I could already tell, her faith was shaken. Yevon had betrayed her. I felt like I should do or say something -- anything... But nothing came. I was just as lost as she was. And then..."

[aaronmascoll]

Chapter 34 - Jackson

Silver was securing the latches on the crate. The pegasus she just acquired sat calmly inside. "You shouldn't have done that," she said in an icy tone.

Jackson noticed everything thing she said she was with a hint of coldness. "It's not a problem, I just wanted to help," Jackson said.

"Your description of help must be different than mine."

Silver finished securing the pegasus inside the crate. Jackson helped push it outside even though he knew she didn't need it. "I just think it kind of sucks Valkyries can only have three children in their lifetime."

"I know," Silver said. "They're a little like humans. If they wait too long they can't have em. And if they want more, they either adopt or resort to other means."

"You know a lot about Valkyries?"

"A little."

"A little? Like what?"

"Well, Valkyries are immortal, but you probably already knew that since you have three of them as your bodyguards. There's also technically nothing human about Valkyries besides their appearance. They're more like a species of bird. Valkyries aren't related to eachother by blood unless they're born in a pair of three. Some flightless and others not. That actually was the cause of a war between them. But your new wife, one of the strongest Valkyrie queens in existence, put a stop to it. She's the whole reason the Valkyries have this peace right now."

"A little?" Jackson said confused.

"Okay I know everything about them," Silver said with a small smile. "I tried adopting one once. They wouldn't let me."

After a moment of silence, that involved Jackson kicking what he thought was a wad of dirt, Silver said, "My business here is done. So, I'll be on my way."

Silver curtseyed again as more of a joke than an actual farewell. "You don't have to do that," Jackson said as he laughed.

"Thanks. Milhouse didn't make me do it either. I know I should happy that he finally completed his task, but I'm kind of sad that he's gone. Now I've got nobody to drink with. It's not like we can get drunk, but still, who doesn't enjoy the taste of a seven thousand-year old whiskey."

Silver climbed up her wyvern's wing and sat on it's back. She whistled and it flapped its large wings until was off the ground. It hovered for a bit before it pick the large wooden crate up with its talons and flew away. As owner of the Valkyrie realm, Jackson was able to watch her leave up until she exited the Valkyrie dimension.

While he was at it Jackson decided to check on the girls. When he spied on Clarissa, he could see she was in some kind of department store, in the lingerie section. She was trying on a pair red lace underwear with a matching camisole. Jackson felt like she knew he was watching her from the way she smiled at herself in the mirror.

After Clarissa, Jackson spied on Marissa. She was walking down the hallway of an apartment building. She eventually stopped in front of a door, where she stopped herself from knocking five times before finally ringing the door bell. Jackson recognized the woman that answered the door. It was the pregnant woman that slapped her the day they arrived. Jackson went through the list of names in his head, and found that hers was Helga. Helga looked at Marissa for a minute. She seemed so angry, Jackson thought she was going to slap Marissa again, but she didn't. Instead, Helga started to cry and kissed Marissa hard on the lips. Jackson decided it was time to check on Alyssa.

Alyssa, it turns out, was at archery range. Jackson watched her pull arrows from a large barrel next to her, and fire them. She fired about fifty shots into one target, and moved on to the next. With out realizing it, Jackson had teleported to her. He stood there silently as she first filled up the bullseye with arrows, then the outer rings, and eventually filling up the entire target. When she moved on to the next target, Jackson decided to test her shooting ability. He made the wind blow fast and hard using his power as owner of the Valkyrie realm. Alyssa waited for a minute. She untied her from the ponytail, and let her hair flow with the wind. She calculated how fast the air the was flowing, and in which direction, using only her hair. She nocked an arrow when she was ready, and shot it up into the wind. The force of the wind carried the arrow back and it hit the target square in the bullseye. "You're a good shot," Jackson said walking to Alyssa's side. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"No your not, I can feel it. Your bound to me, remember?"

Alyssa nocked a few arrows, and filled the rest of the bullseye. "Coming back here brings up old memories."

"Like what?"

"School. The academy. Training. My teachers telling me I'll never be the warrior my sisters are. I'm no good with a sword. I can't hold a spear. I was forced to leave, because if I didn't, I would've been tortured and dissected by the elders because they've never seen Valkyrie triplets before." Alyssa stopped firing and looked at Jackson. "You probably don't know this, but I'm one of the few Valkyries that uses a bow. When we've failed at every other type of weapon, the bow is our last chance. Our last chance at being any sort of use on a battlefield. If we fail at that, It's a life of working in a office, warehouse, farm, or restaurant. Sometimes I wish I had failed the academy."

Alyssa went back to shooting arrows at the target and filled it. "You know my sisters and I may look similar, buy there is nothing similar about us. Marissa, as quiet as she be, was supposed to graduate top of her class before we left. Our teachers said she's one of the strongest alphas ever to go through the academy. Clarissa was loved by everyone, and she was the best, second only to Marissa. My sisters our both Alphas who excelled at everything, and I'm just another ordinary Valkyrie whose only talent is never missing a shot."

Alyssa, in a fit of rage, snapped her bow in half and kicked the barrel of arrows. The barrel flew far of into the distance, arrows spewing out as it twists and turned in the air. Alyssa sat down on a bench in front of a bush shaped like an elephant. Jackson sat down next to her and said, "Not all warriors use a weapon. I trained with a man who was a master at fighting without weapons, and against people who used them. It didn't matter what weapon I used, he always beat me. My only way to win, was to beat him at his own game. And let me tell you this, that man was stronger than iron."

"He sounds like a guardian."

"What's a guardian?"

"They're Valkyries that go to a exclusive camp, for alphas only, to recieve special training. The camp is surrounded by a barrier made of time magic so time there passes a lot slower. When the Valkyries finish this training, they're faster, stronger, and tougher. You would have a better chance smashing diamonds with your head than beating one of them."

Jackson observed the smile on Alyssa's face as she spoke about the guardians."What if I told you, I could get you into this camp?"

"But, it's for alphas only!"

Jackson stood up and said, "Just tell them the king sent you." Alyssa jumped up and threw her arms around Jackson. "Before you go, I want you to wear this from now on."

Jackson took off his coat and put it on Alyssa's shoulders. "Jackson, I can't wear this."

"Its okay," Jackson said giving her a reassuring shake. "I find people take me more serious when I'm wearing it, and that's what I want for you. Because I'm making you my new chief of staff."

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, just go."

Alyssa ran off, but not before giving Jackson another long hug. When she was gone, Jackson teleported to Sigrun. She was in a bland room that was filled with all kinds of fabrics. Sun filled the room from a window in the back of the room. Sigrun, sat a table in the middle of the room, with a needle in one hand, and a neatly stitched shirt in front of her. Jackson spread himself across a brown leather couch in the window. "Who is that for?" Jackson asked.

"For you," said with a smile. "I'm making you a new wardrobe. You did come here with only one outfit after all."

"I could've just bought new clothes in one of the cities."

"Nonsense. This will give me something to do. You were sleeping so soundly, I decided to take your measurements. If your hungry, there's a lunch for you in the kitchen."

Jackson stood up and gave Sigrun a quick kiss on the cheek. He found his way to the kitchen, and was surprised by the lunch Sigrun had prepared. Dozens of sandwiches on different types of bread were stacked on a large platter on top of the kitchen island. Next to the sandwich platter was a tray of apple slices, carrot sticks, celery sticks, plenty of dipping sauces, and a pitcher of fresh lemonade. Jackson sat on one of the barstools, at the kitchen island, and grabbed himself a few sandwiches. After his second sandwich, Clarissa walked carrying about twenty different size bags. "I see you went shopping," Jackson said.

Clarissa put her bags on the floor, and began to go through them one by one. "Yes I did," Clarissa said with a deviant smile. "I went shopping, just like I always did when we lived here. And I know my sisters enough to know that Aly probably spent the entire morning, mopping, at the archery range like she always did. And Rissa better not have gone to see that vile woman, but, she probably did."

"Maybe that's what she wants," Jackson said in Marissa's defense.

"Let me tell you what my sisters want!" Clarissa kicked over her bags and sat on the barstool next to Jackson. "Aly is the best damn archer the academy has ever trained. I can't count how many times she's saved me and Rissa. But, she won't settle for third place, she wants to be number one, even if it means giving up the one thing she wants the most. One of our academy instructors once told us 'It doesn't matter if your allies are stronger than you, only that you're stronger than your enemies.' And because of that, Aly has always thought that she was the weakest one among us, but she's not. She's a tactician that can win any battle no matter how much the odds are stacked against her. She just can't win a against Rissa, no one can. I'll never beat Rissa in a fight, and I'm perfectly fine with that. Because, it only reassures me that I can count on her to save me when I need her to. I just wish Aly could she herself the way that we do."

"I think, she doesn't want to be number one, she just wants to win. Just once, and she'll be satisfied."

"You keep talking about what she wants. What do you want?"

"Nothing, believe it or not."

"There's got to be something. You didn't travel the world, and learn every fighting style known man, just to do nothing."

Jackson sat there and thought very carefully about his next choice of words. He thought about how Clarissa chose to bind herself to him. She chose to put his life before her own. Jackson had traveled the world for a single purpose, and if he couldn't trust Clarissa, something was seriously wrong with him. "Okay, but to understand why I traveled the world there's something else I have to tell you."

Clarissa took Jackson's hands in hers and said, "You can trust me."

"This isn't the first time I've been to realm of champions."

[myfanfictiongarden]

Our Path Between The Stars- Ch 3

It took a bit longer to post this chapter, but here it is!

Read also: Prolouge, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2

------------------------------------------------------------------------

On Corelian nothing grows. There are cities built on the surface, cities with buildings high, high to the sky, or not. With muddy crowded narrow streets, with dark allies, dangerous passages. A cluster of dirt. Below are the mines. The mines that spread like vines under the ground, building mazes deep, mazes you can not escape. It is no fun spending your childhood here. But there are, of course, also always ways to make it fun. At times even a bit of sun may shine through the thick clouds, the smoke that rises from the factories, illuminating the world in dreamlike hues of brown, green and yellow. Only the stars you can not see at night, the pollution of industrial lights blinds them away. They become a distant dream. The stars. Han always dreamed about them, their glimmer calling him, away into the vast unknown. He always wanted to reach the stars. A strong wind is blowing when he enters the Falcon, a cold wind that makes you feel your bones. But it doesn’t matter, inside it’s warm, and soon he’ll be far away. He is in the cockpit in no time, angry grunts behind him. “Come on, pal. I can’t fly this thing on my own.” More angry sounds, and Han curses under his breath at the words his long time friend tells him. “What do mean with Why are we leaving? There is stuff to do of course. Why else would it be?” This time however there is no reply and Han turns in his chair to see Chewie standing in the door, hands crossed, a look that asks more explanation on his hairy face. Sitting there he wants to give an explanation, a reason why they have to go now all the sudden, why now... but he can’t. He leans back and watches his friend, and he is silent. Moments pass like this, outside the wind gets stronger while first rain drops fall on the roof. The wind, the rain, and silence. Han starts to drum his feet impatiently at the floor, Chewie meanwhile decides to sit down. “Next week he’s off, and you want to leave now for who knows how long?” “Hey, I can visit him there from time to time. Why do you make such fuss about it?” “Will you visit him?” “What, are you my mother? Of course I will.” But he isn’t sure actually. Go to the Jedi school, visit his nearly grown up son, who has no place there? Like if. The conversation he had with Leia two days ago still echoes in his head. “He is special.” “Of course he is. He’s our son.” He simply said and she tilted her head, giving him a small smile, her unbridled hair falling lose over her shoulders and spine, down to the bed cover they sit on. For him age makes her only more beautiful. “The Force is strong in him.” “We had this talk before.” “I know.” She says. They have talked about it over and over again through the years, led arguments that at times ended in yelling, never coming far. He believed life can go so-and-so, she believed doing good is never enough. And to be honest, even while by now he has seen what he believed to be simple fairytales to be true, even while he knew there is something more between him and sky, still after all that he held a bit of fear towards this unknown. There was something grand he couldn’t get the grip on. But on this evening he looked at his wife and saw something in her eyes, something she did not have the strength to utter, something that was like a cloud hiding the stars. “You are just upset because you don’t like loosing an argument.” Han gave his friend a look that both said ‘you know I don’t’ and ‘this is not what it was about’ before turning his chair in defeat. The rain was still falling and Han thought that maybe he could stay a few days longer, maybe helping his son pack. Time had passed since Corellian, so much that the childlike fancies are nothing more then an far away memory. One wonders, today becomes yesterday far too soon. And often you don’t know any more then what you did before. The moment Han catches his breath he realizes who walks yards away from him. The dark shadow that dresses the person doesn’t hide whom Han knows so well. Maybe when we spend day after day one with each other, we miss certain things about the other that should have been noticed. Maybe it’s even worse with our children, we get so used to their image, the things they say and do, that we actually miss the things they don’t say and do. One never knows. But in this moment Han knew better then to run away. For, if he liked it or not, at times he did run away. Now, as he walks closer to the bridge, engines roaming all around and steam hissing somewhere in the distance, he can feel his steps to be steady, the metal vibrating under his feet. And before he knows it, his voice echoes loud and strong into the distance. “Ben!” Son. The distorted reply that comes kindled something in him even more, made him understand. “Han Solo. I have been waiting for this day for a long time.” Step after step Han moves closer, cutting the space between, making things right. “Take off that mask. You don’t need it.” “What do you think you’ll see if I do?” Yes, what will he see? A creature of darkness? No. “The face of my son.” The son he held is his arms when nothing more then a crying thing, the son he laughed with, held dear. The son he saw grow up so fast, the son he loved, mistakes he made be damed. And when the mask falls he seems close. “Your son is gone. He was weak and foolish like his father, so I destroyed him.” The words are said full of rage, slowly, but the lie they hold makes them empty- and yet dangerous. “That's what Snoke wants you to believe, but it's not true. My son is alive.” Han moves closer, it is time to bring Ben home, but he only steps further away as if afraid to get burned by his fathers presence. Meanwhile nothing makes Han stop, not when he can offer his son a second chance, and oh how many second chances did he experience back in his days. Are there really that many similarities between them two? Something more then the hight and the eyes and the smile? What do we pass on or children? Genetics or experience? He is no educated man, not academically speaking. He learned to survive, fought to survive, lived to survive. His youth he spend mostly on the run, trusting nothing and no one. From one moment to the other then his life changed, he became part of an adventure he at first didn’t even wanted to be, an adventure that gifted him with friends, people he loved. Leia became his starlight in the darkness. He is no Jedi and doesn’t know all the secrets of the Force, but he knows he would do anything for the son he loves. Anything. Red light flashes and hissed in the darkness, and a hand carrises with love a face that shall from here forth carry the scar of pain. There is a cry from afar, but not from here.

[kentuckyrocket]

“Nice try, but Ah'm pretty much invulnerable when Ah'm blastin '. You fellas wouldn't happen ta be invulnerable, too, would'ja? Say if I dropped you from five thousand feet?"

OOC INFO

name / alias: Ally

timezone: CST

age: 35

preferred pronouns: they / them

IN CHARACTER

BASIC INFO

full name: Samuel “Sam” Zachery Guthrie

face claim: Oliver Stark

age (include physical age, if different): 28

gender & preferred pronouns: cis man & he / him

MBTI Type: ENFJ

occupation: flight instructor

aliases (if any): Cannonball

affiliations (if any): X-Men

QUESTIONS

Is your character human, mutant, metahuman, alien, inhuman, or other? If other, please elaborate: Mutant, possible external

What are your characters powers/special abilities, if any?: Thermo-chemical Propulsion, Temporary Invulnerability, possible External (see POWERS for further explanation)

Please provide three headcanons for your character: (1) Was against the ban and worried for his family. (2) Was legitimately a member of SHIELD after the ban started, thinking he could help people. (3) Has yet to meet Izzy Kane and still has feelings for Lila Cheney. (see HISTORY for further explanation) 

List four personality traits (two positive and two negative) and explain how they influence your character: +Receptive, +Principled, -Self-Doubting, -Brooding, (see PERSONALITY for further explanation)

Provide three potential plots you’d like to explore. The admins will do our best to accommodate your plot ideas, but we can’t guarantee all requests. (1) The Guthrie Farm is attacked. (2) Sam is “killed” again. (3) Sam leads or co-leads a team. (see FUTURE PLOTS for further explanation)

PERSONALITY

A mild-mannered Southern man, Sam has overcome most (but not all) of the naivety that plagued him when his abilities first manifested. He is friendly and strictly down-to-earth, while also being one to follow the law of the land, no matter what. He is also a natural leader and rarely loses his temper, though if provoked he’ll walk away rather than start a fight.

Prone to serious bouts of depression and anxiety, Sam is always questioning himself and what role he has in the world, if he is doing the right thing or if the right thing is what he really wants. Sam is fiercely loyal, sometimes to a fault, and always wants to help people and he’s willing to go out of his way to do so.

POWERS

thermo-chemical propulsion: Sam’s body secretes a type of rocket fuel that can ignite on its own and propel him like a cannonball through the air. Over the years, he’s gotten better at controlling this ability and is able to change direction in the air and land without crashing into the earth. He can also use the propulsion on different parts of his body (say, to throw a punch) for an added boost to his hits.

temporary invulnerability: When using his main ability, Sam’s body and anyone he is touch or carrying are protected by a “blast field” that forms on his body and protects him from nasty landings and allows him to absorb the energy of certain blows from opponents.

possible External: More than once in his life, Sam has received mortal wounds and come back to life after a period of time. For this reason, his mentor Cable believes he is part of the subspecies of mutants known as Externals who are seemingly immortal.

HISTORY

Samuel Zachery Guthrie or Sam is the eldest of ten children from a dirt poor family from the coal mining country in Cumberland, Kentucky. When Sam was a young teenager, his father was killed in a mining accident. Sam was forced to drop out of school and go to work in those same mines. He was then nearly killed himself in a when a mine caved in but his abilities manifested and he was able to save himself and fellow workers. To his town, it is said that his abilities are God’s work and he was meant to be this young man with abilities.

After the mining accident, Sam’s little bit of renown reached the Hellfire Club to which he was unwittingly recruited to work for villains. It was while he was on a mission for the club that he ran into the X-Men and Charles Xavier and realized he was on the wrong side. Professor Xavier gave Sam a second chance and put him in a newly formed faction known as the New Mutants.

Over the years, Sam has been in many different factions. He has been with the New Mutants, X-Force, X-Men, S.H.I.E.L.D., and even the Avengers. Prior to the hero-ban, he had returned to the X-Force in Cable’s absence to co-lead the team with Domino.

When he was relocated to Star City, Sam immediately sought out his old post in S.H.I.E.L.D. thinking it was the best way to use his abilities and clout to help people. He was against the hero ban, but found it inevitable and has been trying to work through the repercussions of his choices since.

For several months, Sam was the leader of a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who were tasked with hunting down and trapping mutant and hero “agitators” as the government saw fit. Sam was not proud of his job and when the moment came to get out of S.H.I.E.L.D. he took it and (literally) blasted out of the building. He fought his way through the city to make it to the school and he was just in time for the District X walls to rise into place.

Sam is thriving in District X as a flight instructor at the school, but also as a member of the X-Men under the moniker of “Cannonball.” Outside the walls, he is a fugitive wanted by S.H.I.E.L.D. for his crimes, including attacking agents to help mutants make it to District X. Sam worries about his family every day and hopes they never come to this city, especially if it’s to save him.

FUTURE PLOTS

the guthrie farm is attacked: Unbeknownst to Sam, agents have been watching the family farm back in Kentucky. Since eight of Sam’s brothers and sisters are mutants, they are ultimately attacked and most (if not all) of them are captured for relocation to Star City. Sam learns of it through the news and pleads with Scott (or whoever is in-charge) to lead a team to save his family.

sam is “killed”: During some future battle, Sam is involved in a scenario in which he is, for all purposes, killed by NOVA agents rather than be captured for his crimes. His body is taken by NOVA to be disposed of but he is remarkably alive and easily kept in captivity because of his condition. There is a debate between his copatriots if he is really alive or dead while in NOVA’s hands. Eventually, Sam returns very much alive but not himself for several months afterward due to having been killed, again, much like he was with being impaled by Sauron.

sam as a team leader: Due to having over a decade under his belt as both a team member and leading, Sam is made a leader or co-leader of a team in the X-Men or other adjacent group. He excels at this job, but it’s not without people questioning his loyalties and his capabilities.

WRITING SAMPLE

What was your character’s greatest regret?

Sam’s greatest regret in a life of regrets is that he joined S.H.I.E.L.D. upon relocation to Star City. In Sam’s mind, joining his old teammates and cohorts he’d made in S.H.I.E.L.D. would be for the best because he believed in his government. Though he was against the ban, he was naive when it came to how the Superhero Relation Program would work. He was under the impression that giving himself and people like him a place to live and thrive was a good thing. Then, Sam came to the crushing realization that his idealism was for the birds and that the Superhero Relocation Program was not going to be in the best interest of those he held dear. In actuality, he found himself pitted against them as he tried to maintain N.O.V.A.’s curfews and ban of power use. A chance encounter with an old mentor was the moment that made him realize how big of a mistake he’d made. That very night, Sam chose to become a double agent and work against the government. The problem was, no one on his side of the team knew of his plans to double-cross S.H.I.E.L.D. and N.O.V.A. It would continue to be that way until everyone was ordered to undergo gene testing and Sam destroyed a testing center to get away and go on the run, of all things, from S.H.I.E.L.D. and N.O.V.A. As reparations for what he’d done, Sam spent most of his time outside of the walls of District X trying to save those that he could and get them to the safety of the neighborhoods. Be they mutant or metahuman, Sam has done anything he can to help. He still beats himself up over what he did when he was a member of S.H.I.E.L.D. and it is unlikely that he will ever forgive himself for making that regretful decision, and he knows that many of the people around him will never forgive him either.

[imagine-korea]

New to Suwon: prologue

Soooo, it’s not exactly Mafia AU (more like underground agency) but I was slightly inspired by the power teaser so hope you like it :) This is basically an introduction the the ‘universe’ so yea not a lot of exo in this one.

♥ Thanks for the reading ♥

The city of Seoul was always busy. People walking through each other in big crowds, like hordes of insects needing to bring their earning back to the nest. It was a controlled chaos. Everyone had their time and place, everyone knew the way of getting through. Every single person, part of the seemingly chaotic swarm. Between them was no one really significant for once. Everyone looked the same if you looked at them from a far enough distance.

This girl always had a knack for the poetic.

"Quinn." She heard her boss sigh through her earbud. "Don't you think it's slightly suspicious to have someone comfortably hanging of the side of a skyscraper." the woman's tone seemed bored and sarcastic as it usually was, causing her to let out a chuckle.

"Oh, I don't know. I feel like that's a day to day thing to see in Seoul." She said but climbed her way back up to the roof.

“So, where’s the deal?” Quinn asked, holding her bud firmly against her ear so the wind didn’t affect the sound.

“Half a mile south, you should be able to get there in time. I’ll send you the exact location.”

The map soon appeared at the left side of her view. “I’ll be there in no time.” She stated, disconnecting.

She straightened out her cap before taking the run up. Her foot disconnected from the edge with an immense force before connecting to the next roof with a silent, rather anticlimactic thump. Her feet barely made a sound on the unkept concrete as she stealthily made her way across the skyline of Seoul. She quietly made her way down one of the buildings close by. Staying on the second floor as to not be spotted.

“I’m here.”

“The briefcase is in the third car on the left. Make sure you get it before the buyer arrives.”

She went down the few floors, avoiding the keen eyes of the guards nearby. This isn’t right. The cars were untended. Not even a single guard was close by. She walked closer, ready to strike whoever was seated in the car but was shocked to find no one. And no briefcase. “Shit, they changed the trading time.” She mumbled to herself before directing her voice towards her boss. “We’re in trouble, the trade is in progress.”

She made her way toward the rendezvous point as fast as she could to see them already in the progress of making the deal. Quinn silently cursed to herself, putting her mask over her face so she could head in. She counted the guards in her head as she made her way towards them. Eight guards. The dealer. The buyer. And one gun.

The guards didn’t notice her as she already made her way towards the trade in process. She flipped, grabbing the briefcase just as it was about to be handed over. She looked up to see guards running over in full speed and the shocked yet angered faces of the two traders. She stilled for a second, allowing her to capture their faces before making a run for it, yet her hoody was captured by one of the guards.

She swirled around, giving him an elbow to the jaw and kick straight to his kidney, causing him to stumble back into one of his colleagues. There was no real point in fighting them except for the sake of her escape. 

Yet one thought differently of the situation.

Not far from her, she saw a bony looking man fighting two others. Even though he was her ally, she didn’t particularly like to see him coming. He was fast and stronger than he looked but his skills were lacking and he was thoughtless 70 percent of the time. His actions never planned further than five minutes.

Right then the gun was pointed. But not at her, but at her ally. Sexist prick, she thought. Only she could be offended by not being under gunpoint. The man seemed to be oblivious of the gun as she ran towards it’s wielder, swinging the briefcase with enough force to knock him out as it made contact with the back of his head.

A shot echoed through the open space turning all heads in her direction. Now she’d angered them.

“Wolf! Gotta go!” She yelled jumping up onto the metal structure behind her and making a break for it. The man followed close behind, just able to catch up with her as he was faster. That was just about the only thing to him that she envied.

They were soon out of sight and out of earshot giving Quinn the perfect opportunity to, well, blow up.

"What the hell was that! You almost blew it!" she yelled, she always seemed quiet, reserved, yet there were some who knew that she could be quite hot headed. Wolf was usually the one to experience it first-hand after he joined their team only a few weeks before.

"There were so many of them, you were going to get beaten." Wolf defended.

She scoffed at him slowly walking closer before abruptly pinning him to the wall with her forearm.

"Do you know why this agency only consists of women?” She scowled. “Because men are too reckless, they don't care about consequences, they just act. Also, not one man was able to even get through training so I guess that makes you special. I doubt you actually went through training so there must be something more about you. But don't you think for one second that I won't beat you to pulp if you get in my way." He visibly gulped at her words. Only now, with the anger on her features and the venom dripping from her lips, did he realise how fanglike her teeth actually were and how dark her eyes could get. It was a frightening sight for the new kid, a sight he won't forget anywhere in the nearby future.

"Quinn." Sounded through her earbud. "Yes, ma'am?" Her features softened and her grip loosened giving Wolf the opportunity to breathe again. "You have better things to do then to beat up your juniors. There's another trade going on near your location, I need you to scout it." She stated while sending through the exact coordinates.

"Scouting? Since when do you want me scouting again?" She stepped away from her junior, now completely emerged in the circumstantial job change. "We need someone there fast; the others won't be able to get there in time." "What about Wolf?" She asked glancing over at the boy. "I thought he would be scouting."

"He's needed at HIGHT." She knew exactly what that meant. And even though she didn't particularly like the boy, she had all too vivid memories of what he was about to experience. “Hand him the briefcase and we’ll make sure he gets here.”

"Yes ma'am." She said before the line was disconnected. "Good luck kid." She saluted sluggishly, putting her cap back on and heading over to her post.

When she got there, she knew the true reason for her scouting this particular trade. Men dressed in all black, with bulletproof vests and colts firmly in their hands. Some carrying shotguns as if they weren’t in the middle of a city. It was obvious the REAPERS were involved.

They were an agency that specialised in arms deals and they weren’t afraid of killing whoever stood in their way. They sometimes even took assassination jobs which earned them their name.

The only way to take them down was to find their leader, Red. He was said to be quite cocky and heartless as he leads his group as a pure dictator. Many feared him yet no one had ever seen his face. No one outside their agency at least.

They would scout every deal, bug every man but they always came out empty. “See anything?” She didn’t answer, just tapped her microphone twice as to say no. These were dangerous grounds; one word here could be her last.

She spotted a car. A black sedan with tinted windows; but the angled fall of the light showed that there was someone in the back. £How stereotypical, mister boss man sitting in the back of his tinted sedan.

She didn’t even dare to hope for him to come out, but she saw someone else get in instead. His blond hair and smooth features made him look so innocent yet the circumstances proved the differ.

“Did you see that?” She spoke up once the area cleared out. “The car.” “I’m trying to track the license plate now but nothing yet.” She answered, obviously in the middle of her research. Her words were distant, meaning she was concentrating. That was never a good sign.

“What about that man?” She wondered, not getting her hopes up.

“Couldn’t find a match in the system.”

Quinn cursed under her breath. Another bust for this case.

She heard her boss sigh and the creaking of her chair as she most likely sat back. “Alright, just come in. There’s another job waiting for you.”

“Damn woman, you never let me have a moment.” Quinn joked, she liked being busy. She didn’t exactly have anything else in her life than her job. All she had was her professional reputation, apart from that she was no one in the eyes of the rest of the world. “That’s exactly it. I feel like you’ll be able to calm a bit with this one. It’s not exactly a small and active job.” With that the line was disconnected.

Damn Ajumma. Another sigh left her lips as she made her way to HEIGHT.

"I'm here." She said as she entered the empty, homelike environment.

"I can see that." Sounded through the entire room. She had never really seen her boss. No one really knew why she was so secretive about her identity but no one really questioned it either.

"So, what's up with this job?" She asked as she looked through her fridge for some leftover takeout.

"An artefact has been rumoured to have been located. We only have a rough location but our job is to collect it and deliver it before it disappears again." Her boss stated. "Oh, please don't send me to the middle of nowhere again." She whined, remembering her time in India a few years back. "It's not. You're going to Suwon." With that said, all information got displayed on her flat screen when she sat down in front of it, leftover chicken and a can of soda in hand as she scanned through it. "That's like a 30-minute drive." She stated shocked. What was a missing artefact doing in the middle of Korea. She was quite suspicious as there was no information on what artefact they were specifically looking for and no exact location, just a neighbourhood. "The good thing is, you can bring Nandi." Her boss said, knowing her suspicion towards the job never went unthought about. Right at the mention of her name, her beautiful baby came running towards her. 

Nandi was a Combai hound that she found during her job in India and was a great companion, and well trained at that. “Hello my sweet.” She smiled, getting down to her level so she could properly pet her. “Your equipment will be ready for you on the third floor. You’re leaving tonight.”

“Yes ma’am.” Quinn saluted getting ready to leave.

Night had already fallen when she was putting her belongings into her van and left.

When she was about halfway she felt it was safe to speak up. "You can come out now, We're outside seoul." She suddenly stated. “How did you know?" Wolf asked, ridding himself from the pile of stuff that covered him. “You really going to ask that?” Quinn chuckled. “Fair enough.” Wolf hopped into the seat beside her and looked at her with an innocent look. “You know you can’t actually escape, right? Every piece of technology we own is bugged. “ She stated giving him a blank look. “I know, but at least now she’s going to need someone to come and get me. So where are we headed?” Quinn just sighed and turned on the radio, not up for any social interaction at the moment. Wolf knew not to go against her and just leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, falling asleep.

He was abruptly awoken as he hit the ground with a thud. “Get out.” Quinn said as she stood by him. “You could have said that before you threw me to the ground.” Wolf sat up, rubbing his shoulder which was now sore. “There’s a bus stop not too far back.” She unloaded her stuff and leashed Nandi, quickly bringing them inside the small house before walking back to lock her car. All the while, Wolf sat on the ground in disbelief as she had passed him multiple times without even a glance. “What? You’re just going to send me off? I thought … . Can’t you just let me do this job with you?” “What and split the money?” She scoffed. “Forget it kid.” He rushed to his feet. She was supposed to be the one to train him but she had refused from day one. “I don’t need the money.” He said. She knew her obligations towards him and she hated it. Lightly cursing her boss she slightly turned towards him. “Fine.” She said trough gritted teeth. “Get inside before I lock you out.”

He walked close behind her “When are we actually starting the job?” He asked as he now awkwardly stood in the middle of the room. Quinn abruptly turned around, already losing her patience, even though this wasn’t all too clear to him. “Let’s get this clear, there is no we. You’ll be assist, that’s all. If you actually want to work with me you have a lot to learn. Zitao.” “How did you...?” He asked dumbfounded.

"Rule one, never carry your real ID." She said, holding a blueish card in between two fingers.

part 1

[tako-kola]

Plot: Canyon Conquest - Part 1

((On that one faithful day, the Great Zapfish went missing for a week. And Callie was nowhere to be found in Inkoplis. Will the entire city's power run out? Or will they find a solution to bring it back? The answers will suprise you.))

((WARNING: This story contains spoilers to Splatoon 2. For those who haven't owned the game or completed story mode, please keep scrolling ahead. Thank you and enjoy.))

Agent 7 belongs to @agent-7-at-your-service

Eimie (mentioned) belongs to @marchant-girls

It's been a week since the disappearance of the Great Zapfish and also, Callie and Fynn were also missing. The new idols from Inkopolis Square, Off The Hook broadcast the breaking news to the citizens of Inkopolis. In other news, someone spotted a shadowy figure, stealing the power supply and hauling them on an unknown aircraft. Everyone was worrying about the blackout like the one, 2 years ago when the Great Zapfish disappeared.

Fynn's mentor, Tundra was sitting alone at the bar, having her third glass of beer. The Mimic Octoling was a tad drunk, worrying about Fynn even more. Last week, she told Eimie the bad news and she's been feeling awful for a whole week. And then, there's Angie. The enitre team continued searching for Fynn but to no avail. Tonight has been a huge mess.

"Pardon me, but are you the one who met Eimie?" A forest green Inkling approached to Tundra. He looks he came straight from a 1940's movie just by looking at his attire.

"Oh, yeah? Who's askin'?" She began to hiccup, mid-sentence. Tundra was having a hard time, focusing on the inkling. Whoever he is, must be a friend of hers or Fynn's.

"Agent 7, at your service." He tipped his hat to Tundra and sat down. He noticed a few empty glasses of alcohol and then, stared at Tundra. "Are you feeling alright? You're not looking too good."

Tundra groaned as she slumped onto the counter top. Three glasses are her limit for the night. "I'll be fine.. But for losing Fynn, I'm far from fine... All of this happened because of me... She was talking about the day when her former allies kidnapped Fynn for a purpose. If it was Tundra taking the plunge, Fynn wouldn't be in this fix.

Agent 7 placed a hand on her shoulder. "Miss Tundra.. This isn't your fault. Fynn must've did this to protect you.. How about I take you home and explain to me what happened." He has her arm around the shoulder as he escorted her out of the bar.

After a bit of struggling, Tundra made it home at last. She gave him a noogie before heading inside. Once they settled down, Tundra explained the whole story about her past. How she became a wanted criminal for leaving the force. This story, surprised 7 to no end. "So, there you have it.. I'm a rogue elite who just wants to have some peace and quiet.. Now that my girls have captured him, there's nothing I could do to save him.." She rubbed her temples together from the minor migrane, she's having.

"..And you chose not to tell him during his training?" He asked sitting next to her on the sofa. Sometimes, it's best to keep it quiet until it's necessary.

"I'm planning on revealing my Octoling self until his training is complete, but... yeah.." Tundra lowered her gaze to the floor for a few seconds until she stared up into 7's eyes. "I'm not use to asking for help, but please... bring him back to Inkopolis.." She pleaded.

Agent 7 shook his head in response. "I'm sorry, ma'am.. I'd love to help find Fynn. I really do, but I've got some other things I need to take care of.. Marie is still searching for a new agent to rescue Callie. I'll give you my advice, before I go. Go out to Octo Canyon and try to reason with them, yourself." Agent 7 got up from the sofa and was ready to leave.

("Lady Marie...") Tundra knew about Marie after her departure. Marie was the one who taught her how to use to Splat Charger. After alot of thinking, Tundra slowly nods. She got into this mess, she can get out of this. As Agent 7 left her apartment, she fell onto the couch and rested her head against her pillow. She's too buzzed to think about her decision. Her eyes were getting heavy and heavy until they close for now...

On the next day, Cheryl sent Dawn out to play some Turf Wars. Of course, she has to drag her out of bed, because Dawn has been watching too many ghost documentaries. "Dawn, for the last time.. You can't be laying around in bed, watching paranormal shows all day. I know, you're not use to being in Inkopolis Square but you have to make some friends while you're here." It was almost noon and she's dropping her daughter off at the entrance. "Sweetie, you'll be fine. I promise you. Make sure to call me, once you're done." And with that, Cheryl dropped her off near the entrance to the Square.

Dawn stood out there, where her mother drove off into the streets. "Yep.. This pretty much blows.. Thanks, mom..." She sighed, deeply. She stood in front of the entrance where all squids and kids, hanging. If only Azalea and Hanzo were there with her. She made her way to the center of the square and it's fairly busy than Inkopolis Plaza.

She looked around to see the Galleria on her left. She was still in her recent gear that she had purchased from the Booyah Base. ("Hm.. I need some new clothes..") She continued looking around until she noticed a women near the Ammo Knights store, holding her umbrella down to hide her face. She appears to be in a yukata. Dawn could've sworn it was someone she recognize. Not caring about the situation, Dawn continued her approached to the Deca Tower to start battling.

Once she entered the tower, Dawn is waiting for a new lobby to join. As for her weapon of choice, she's using the Splatling for now. Unfornately for the Splatling Deco, Sheldon already locked up all the custom weapons for the time being. After a few seconds of waiting, she found a lobby to join. Today's matches for Turf Wars are Inkblot Art Academy and The Reef. For a Splatling user like herself, she'll keep her distance from enemies.

The 8 players emerged from each spawn points. Dawn gazed into the buildings of the academy. This place is where most artists graduate from this academy. Just another art stage like Museum D'Alfonsino.

Meanwhile on the other side of the map, a lime green Inkling emerged from his spawn. He was wearing a Squiddor Polo from the sketchy company, Grizzco. Also, he's well equipped with the Enperry Splat Duelies. It was a gift from his older brother before that incident, a few days ago... He's still in the hospital after a beating from an unknown figure.

The battle got started as the 8 Inklings charged torwards the middle. Like the veteran players like Dawn, she placed a Sprinkler to cover the entire spawn point. It did consume her ink tank, it'll recover shortly. Dawn kept her distance and reved up her six barrels. And then, she released a barrage of purple ink on the battlefield. ("Alright.. I should start moving before..") Her thinking was interrupted when an intruder appeared in front of her. She recognized this person.. Sage, was it? This is the same neighbor who won't stop talking about boring stuff. Dawn quickly charged up her weapon and fired at him.

Sage performed a dodge roll, making Dawn miss her shot. He wastes no time in splating her into a puddle of lime green ink. He proceed to infiltrate their base.

Dawn respawned after 4 seconds, thanks to Quick Respawn. Dawn's eye twitched as she got up. "UGH... I really don't wanna deal with HIM of all places..." The matchmaking system is still and always will be unfortunate. The rest of her team are struggling back there. She charged into the battlefield. One splat after another, Dawn couldn't get him because of Sage's obsessive dodge rolling. The match ended, before she tried to claim back her turf.

Once the match ended, there's a stage rotation and breaking news from the new stars in Inkopolis Square, Pearl and Marina from Off The Hook. "That's a wrap for today's stages. Now, onto the next rotation!" The idol on the left, Pearl spoke first.

"Before we move on to the next stages, we got an important news update" The Octoling on the right, Marina was standing in front of the DJ booth. The screen showed a picture of the missing Zapfish, along with Callie missing.

"It's been a week since the Great Zapfish is still missing. And there's no sign of Callie anywhere.. What do we do, Pearlie? Without the power supply, battling could get dangerous. We might have to cancel Splatfest if this continues.." Marina asked, looking worried.

"I'm sure, they'll come back in one peace. But, what about that mysterious figure in the footage? It's givin' me the shivers, yo." And then, they showed a footage on the shadowy figure who was leaping from building to building. It appears to be carrying something small in his hands.

"Could he be the culprit of the missing power supply? I totally doubt it." Marina responds, getting a closer look at the figure.

"We'll keep you posted if something unusual happens. But for now, here are the next stages. Check it!" After the stages were revealed, Pearl and Marina did their new slogan and pose before they went off-air.

Dawn stood outside the lobby, staring at the stores. It appears that her skills were getting stale for a while. She hasn't playing Turf Wars much in the Plaza. She was too hooked on ghost investigation shows. "I'm not sure if I have enough money to shop in one of the stores.. Maybe, moving here was a bad idea anyway.." Sometimes, she wished she stayed indoors but couldn't. Most of all, she wished Fynn was here to cheer her up. Right now, she's on her own.

"Pssst.. Hey you, young squid.. Over here." The woman in a yukata spoke to her in a quiet and calm tone. Something was fishy here. And Dawn was not referring to her breath.

Dawn noticed the squid from earlier who was standing on the grates. She slowly walked up to the woman with a look of uneasiness on her face. "Are you... talking to me..?" She pointed to herself and watched the woman nod, slowly.

"It's been a while, since I've seen a skilled battler like you. You may be aware of what's going on in Inkopolis, right..?" The woman kept her umbrella down, not letting anyone see her appearance.

"Yeah.. The Great Zapfish is missing and worst of all, Callie is missing as well. If we don't do something, there won't be a Turf War or Splatfest for that matter." Suddenly, Dawn realized something. "Wait a minute... You look vaguely familiar..." Dawn's not use to talking to strangers in yukatas, but someone about her seems very suspicious.

The woman said nothing, until she cleared her throat. "So, you know.." She responds with a smile. If only Dawn could see her smile under the umbrella. "If you wanna know the truth, follow me through the grates.. There's no time to explain.." She submerged through the grates, leaving a splash of green ink before Dawn's eyes.

"Hey, wait..!" She silently, called out to her. She looked around to see anyone was watching. Actually, not one squid or jellyfish seem to care about her and the stranger in a yukata. Without warning, she morphed into a squid and went down the drain. Who knows, where Dawn is heading to. Once Dawn left the Square, Sage saw the whole thing from afar. He looks curious in where Dawn was going. And so, he followed her.

A couple of minutes later, she arrived at a deserted area with a shack right next to her. She spotted the stranger and approached to her with caution.

"The Octarians..." The woman spoke, calmly. Then for a split second, she turned around to face Dawn. The stranger was none other than Marie of the Squid Sisters. "Hey.. Glad, you can make it.. Say no more, you probably know who I am.. I've seen you before.." Marie bowed, politely to Dawn.

"I knew it was you, all along. Just what are you doing here in Inkopolis Square, Marie?" She asked, tilting her head.

"Well, you see... I've been searching for the right turf battler for this task.. And you seem to fit the bill. Just by looking at you, you seem to have the spinning image of Agent 3. You're the same age and everything." Getting back on topic, she walked closer to Dawn. "Getting back on track, the power supply was stolen by the Octarians again. 2 years ago, they've stolen our Great Zapfish. And now, they're at it again.. This is where you come in, kid. As Agent 2 of the New Squidbeak Splatoon, I hearby recruit you t-" Marie cut off, when an Inkling popped out of the grates with a soft landing. "...And you are?" She was fixated on the boy.

Dawn turned around to face Sage. She looked disgusted when she saw him. "You..!! What are you going here..?! Were you spying on me..?!" Dawn cried.

"Heheh.. I'm sorry.. I was wondering what was that about.. So, I followed you through this grate. As for my name, I'm Sage Evergreene. I'm Dawn's next-door neighbor!" He happily greeted the woman. He was not aware of who Marie is or the Squid Sisters.

"Well, a friend of Dawn is a friend of mine.. I'm Marie. Y'know, as in THE Marie of the Squid Sisters. You've heard of me?" She asked, doing the traditional Squid Sisters pose. If only Callie was here with her.

Sage raised an eyebrow at her. "The what now? I've never heard of that group. Are you guys new?" Once he answered, both Marie and Dawn fell silent.

"....You can't be serious.." She stared, blankly at him. She forgot that most of the squid haven't listened to the Squid Sisters's music. Now that Inkopolis Square is the new and hip culture.

"..For eel?" Marie was taken aback at this, but she cleared her throat. "Whatever.. I was about to recruit this brave squid to help get back the Zapfish. Now that you're here, you want to join? Having 2 new agents is helpful enough."

"Wait, Marie. You can't be serious in asked him for help, are you..? This task might be dangerous for him. Why not send him home?" Dawn looked to see Sage. She may not like him, but she doesn't want him to get hurt out there.

"Y'know, I would leave you two but... I want to analyze on the different gadgets that the Octarians are using. I've read a book about all the weapons and gadgets in Octo Valley and Canyon. I want to see them up close!" Sage's indigo eyes were sparkling like diamonds.

"You kinda remind me of Sheldon when it comes to machinery... I guess, I'll have to recruit you too. But, please don't get too close or you'll be grilled."

"Yesss!! Thank you, Marie! I won't let you down!" Sage would jump up in the air for joy, but contained his cool. Dawn on the other hand, groaned from his approval.

"Alright, you too. From now on, you're Agents... er.." Marie remembered when her grandfather named the inkling, Agent 3. She wanted to step it up a notch. She examined the little ghost symbol on Dawn's Backwards Cap. She continued thinking of a better codename for Sage, until she remembered how Callie freaked out when a praying mantis leapt onto her hair when they were kids.

"Agent Phantom and Agent Mantis..." Marie had finally come with the two codenames. "Yes! Your names are Agents Phantom and Mantis of the New Squidbeak Splatoon. Welcome aboard!" Marie walked over to her shack and presents them with a pair of Hero Suits for this task. "Put these on. The Hero Suits will protect you from the Octarian ink."

Phantom decides to change first, before Mantis. After she was done, Dawn checked herself out. This new suit is a bit hot, because of the summer weather. Mantis changed his gear, as well. He came out of the shack, looking good in his new suit.

"Perfect fit. Next up are the Hero Headphones and your standard weapons, the Hero Shots. It's dangerous to go alone without weaponry. So, take these." Marie could've sworn, she heard it from somewhere.

They both equipped their headphones and weapons. Now, they're both prepared for battle. "All set, Marie. Now what?" Phantom glances over to see the first area of the Canyon.

"Shoot ink to reveal the Octarian lair. That's where the Zapfish are kept. I'll be giving the both of you some instructions, along the way. Now, get going! The fate of Inkopolis lies in your hands." Marie ordered them as she pointed her umbrella towards the entrance to Tentakeel Outpost.

"Let's rock n' roll, Da- I mean, Phantom!" He said, as he took off into the 1st area. He's very excited to research on octarian machinary. As long as he's safe from harm.

"We'll rescue the Zapfish, ma'am. We won't let you down." Phantom took off to catch up to Mantis. She regretted teaming up with her neighbor, but she'll make sure that he's okay. Even if it splats her.

As Marie watched them leave the shack, Marie sighed, deeply. "You can come out now, Agent Freeze.." Marie peeked over to see a Mimic Octoling from the distance. The agent was known as Tundra, Fynn's teacher. She made her decision by helping the New Squidbeak Splatoon. And search for Fynn and Callie's whereabouts.

"They seem pretty young, don't ya think?" Freeze asked, keeping an eye on the two from afar. "They don't seem to get along, those. Huh,.. Kinda reminds me of a certain Splatfest."

"Yeah.. I'm worried about them.. I just hope, they'll make it through.."

Freeze placed a hand of Marie's shoulder, giving her grin. "If that'll make you feel better, I'll keep a close eye on the two. I'll contact you once they finish their first mission, m'kay?" She said, patting her shoulder.

"Make sure, they're both unharmed.. I have a bad feeling that someone might be out to get them." She just hoped to Cod that they'll complete this mission. ("Hang in there, Callie.. Help is on the way...")

End of Part 1

[kawaii-stuf]

Denkiweek day 1: Future⚡️Pro⚡️Teamwork

It was just another day at the hero agency for the Pro Denki Kaminari. He came in that morning with an unknown boost of confidence. Feeling like not only looking his best, but doing so as well. He eventually sauntered in the agency’s locker room to change into his costume. However as excited as he was to finally put his look together, having bought a new choker and wanting to put his hair back in a ponytail, he unconsciously felt as if there was an empty space next to him. It was most likely because him and Kirishima would always change and conversate every morning in the locker room, aside from all the time. The reason he wasn’t there that morning was because he had to head out earlier for a special mission in the city. Denki was ok with that, but still he missed his daily dose of comments from the red-head while they changed. During the mornings when they were together, they would always help each other look their best, poke a little fun, talk about what they’ve been up to lately, even though they were basically always together so there wasn’t much one could say without the other already knowing about it, and they would even give each other great and meaningful words of encouragement. Kirishima was especially skilled in doing that, he’d always has been since their high school days, and Denki has deeply appreciated it since then too. It helped him out of many ruts when sometimes he felt he couldn’t ever be strong enough to become a hero, but seeing where he is now he could definitely owe it to those who supported him, especially Kirishima. It made him feel great knowing that Kiri would always be by his side. So reflecting on that he figured he’d make due without seeing him this one morning, along with renewing his appreciation for him too. After that, and finishing getting ready, he walked back out meeting the other heros who seemed to be discussing an emergency. He was about to cut in, until there was no need hearing his alias called out. “Hey! Chargebolt, I need you over here.” Said one of the heros. “Yeah, what’s up.” Responded Denki, walking over quickly. “We got a situation here.” The hero said as he pointed at the map simulation on the table in front of them, that seemed to pin-point the exact location of villains in the city. “There’s a huge group of villians right here in the center of the city. This is no problem, but it seems more of them spread throughout it too.” The hero explained as Denki focused and hung onto every word he was saying. “What I need is for you to take out this group right here, it is said that they are the communication and navigation team for this whole thing. Basically the eyes in the sky, if you get rid if them then everything will be disorganized on their end. Making it ten times easier for all of us to take the rest of them out. You get it?” Denki completely understood, but was still a little nervous. They’re basically asking him to take out the most important asset of their whole operation, but he immediately shook that feeling off. He knew he could do this, and if Kiri was here right now he would tell him the same thing. Knowing that gave him all the confidence he needed to answer the next question. “Can you do that for us Chargebolt?” Asked the same hero. “Leave it to me!” Answered Denki confidently. They all then set out to complete their mission. However later on when Denki went to do his part, things were not going as planned. Everything started off well, he was able to stealthily find out where those villians were and began his assault. He went all out on them with his electricity along with delivering a few swift blows, taking most of them out. However when it came to the last guy he wasn’t only strong, but appeared to have a quirk that made him impervious to his electric attacks. Still determined to take him down he pulled out all his tricks, but nothing seemed to work. He eventually pushed way too hard and ran out of energy. Logically after years of training he no longer went brain dead when this happened, he simply ran out of energy and needed a moment to refuel. However he couldn’t find this moment with the villain still trying to take him down, so he instinctively ran just to get a good minuet away from him. He got away as fast as he could, but the villain was still close on his tail and getting closer. He wouldn’t be able to do this much longer, so he decided to make the smart choice and call for help using his headset. It would help to call out to any hero in the area since it became a new requirement for all heros to wear at least one communication device for situations like this. “Hello anyone, this is the stun gun hero Chargebolt, I need backup!” He urgently said into his headset, dodging everyday items trying to slip away from the villain who’s only concern seemed to be catching Denki at the moment. “Hello, I need anyone the villain is gaining and I am out of energy!” As he said the next line the villain only seemed to be getting closer and closer as Denki turned into an ally to avoid causing danger to anyone on the streets. “I need backup now the villain is in high pursuits!” He said as the villain was practically on his tail. He started to panic until he finally heard a response on his headset. “Chargebolt this is Red Riot coming in for backup, but I need your location.” Denki’s heart practically fluttered when he not only heard a response but heard that it was from Kiri. However he remembered the moment at hand and immediately responded. “Red Riot, I am in the large connection of alleyways in middle of the city I’m still being chased so look out for-AHHH!” He was so caught up in talking to Kiri and telling him where he was, that started to unconsciously slow down his running so the villain eventually caught up to him, and slammed him on the ground. “Chargebolt are you ok?! I’m coming as fast as I c-” Before Kiri could finish the villain smashed Denki’s headset just for the heck of it and slammed him against the wall. “AHHGH!!” Denki winced in pain from the impact. Then the villain slowly began to squeeze him in his large hands cutting off Denki’s airways. Denki tried his best to resist but the villain still kept going, his breathing was becoming narrow and he started to feel lightheaded until he heard footsteps and yelling coming from somewhere. “LET HIM GO!!” Yelled Kiri as he jumped from atop the building Denki was slammed into, then he hardened up and threw himself into the villians face knocking him back and making him release Denki. Denki fell to the ground and paced his breathing, smirking as he looked up at Kiri who was currently trying to fight the villian back. After a few moments Kiri landed a good blow on the villain knocking him down giving him time to turn back to Denki and help him. “Hey Denki are you ok?” He said reaching out his hand for him. “Y-Yeah I’m fine, thanks.” He said taking Kiri’s hand and standing up. “But that villians not gonna be when we’re done.” Denki said with sudden determination. “Yeah I’ll go kick his butt.” Kiri said before he was stopped. “No! Eiji, didn’t you hear me just say ‘we’re’! This guy is really tuff! So we have to have a plan and most importantly we have to work together!” Denki exclaimed concerned. “Yeah, totally, of course.” Kiri responded snapping out of his small daze determined to take down this baddie. After that they noticed that the villian was starting to get up so Denki quickly conveyed his plan to Kiri. “Ok here’s the plan, while the villian was trying you make me go unconscious I noticed that the only reason why my moves wouldn’t work on him is because he’s wearing armor that makes him resistant to elemental quirks. But I also found some of his weak spots while trying stay awake, and there is a huge one on his back. You think you can pry that open for me?” “Yeah totally lets do this!” “Together?” Denki said holding his arm up, with a balled fist. “Together!” Responded Kiri bumping their arms together hooking them securely. They gave each other determined and passionate looks before they carried out with the plan. Kiri ran full force towards the villian, delivering heavy blows. Denki had to stay back for just a second so he could recharge enough to deliver that final blow they needed. He couldn’t stay back the entire time though, Denki said they were going to do this together and he meant it. So after a moment he ran towards the villian too, and started attacking the lower part of his body hoping to get him off balance. Thankfully they eventually succeeded and as the villian fell Kiri pried open the back of his armor and called out to Denki. “CHARGEBOLT NOW!!” Denki ran over and electrocuted the exposed spot, as Kiri instinctively hardened up. It took every jolt that Denki had left to finally knock out the villian, so when he finally collapsed Denki collapsed with him. When the job was finished Kiri let go of the villian and quickly went to Denki’s side, sitting him up against the wall so he could rest easier. Some time passed after Kiri called for assistance, some heros and police showed up to pick up the villian and check out Denki. Kiri assured then that he was ok though and he just needed to rest so he would just take him home. After everything was taking care of, Kiri started to head home carrying Denki on his back. A few minutes passed an eventually Denki nodded awake. “Well hello sleeping beauty.” Said Kiri Denki sluggishly punched him before responding.“ So how did everything turn out?” “Great actually, after you passed out some heros and police came to pickup that trash then after checking you out I took the honor of carrying you home.” Kiri explained “Hehehe well thanks for that.” Denki responded “No problem. Ya know you did really great out there, not only did you beat that group of villians down but you were still able to take on that tuff one with some awesome observation skills, that was super manly. Plus I’m glad I joined in, its super amazing fighting with you we make a great team.” “Hehe yeah we really do.” Denki said genuinely. “Hey Eiji.” “Yeah Denki?” “Thanks.” “Oh no problem dude, you can always count me in on a brawl.” “Yeah but not just that.” “Then what else?” “Thanks for..being my teammate, and being by my side, and always being there when I need it. I really do appreciate it all, and have ever since the start. Just thank you Eiji, you’re the reason why I’m as good of a hero as I am.” Denki said lowly but with no less gratitude, in fact he even gained a little more. “Of course Denki, and I just want you to know that you are a great hero, and I’ll always be your teammate.” Kiri said looking back at Denki with compassionate eyes. Denki gave Kiri the same look and wrapped his arms around him and gave him a big aqueeze while Kiri warmed up to the hug. When Denki released Kiri continued to walk them home as they talked the whole way there. “Ya know since your awake, you can walk yourself now.” “Mmm, nah I’m feeling lazy.” “There’s a shock. OW! I thought you were too tired to use your quirk.” “Yeah, but making you shut up takes no effort.” “Pfffft haha oh really.” “Yeah really hehehe.” They continued to talk and laugh their whole way home, feeling they had a pretty productive day hero-ing and bonding.

[agent-7-at-your-service]

Future Plot: Syer’s Rebellion - Chapter 4

((Sandra, Pyrrhus, Telemachus (mentioned), James, Market Splatoon, and Jane belongs to me

Camille and Guist belongs to @inklingleesquidly

Nebula belongs to @agenttwo and @myzzy

Marina and Wish belong to @inklingleesquidly @agenttwo and @myzzy; designs are made by @teamuntyblue  / @ryan-sign-guy

Vix belongs to @teamuntyblue / @ryan-sign-guy

Beaker Jr belongs to @askvincent and @scrushling

Emerald and Sapphire belong to @son-of-joy and @twelvetailedkitsune

Suzy belongs to @son-of-joy

Mysteeri belongs to @dreadangel  

Celeste (mentioned) belongs to @alpinesquid ))

((Insert opening: https://youtu.be/IBF9XEsnvJI ))

Last time on Syer's Rebellion:

Sandra and James's family reunion was bittersweet; Sandra finally finds her family, but her parents have been dead for almost two years. The one to blame was President Evelyn "Georgia III" Howe, and she is the inkling woman running the country Sandra stands in. And now that President Howe has sent Camille, Nebula, and Beaker Jr to an internment camp for their Japanese ancestry, the two siblings are committed to getting the three back.

Meanwhile, Camille, Nebula, and Beaker Jr were sent to Manzanar, an internment camp that once housed people with Japanese ancestry under suspicion of espionage. And in this camp, an inkling woman named Jane, offered them a place in her family's cabin. The warden of the facility, Chris Zorin, tried to beat information out of Camille for the whole night with no success. Overall, their stay is not going to be short; they needed to escape.

Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco - California, United States of America - 8:30 AM

Vix, his pet tortoise Reve, Marina and Wish were in the lobby, eating some rations for breakfast. Carolyn left during the night, noting Sandra that she's heading south to hide in California.

"It's in the Fisherman's Wharf!?!" James was outraged. He slams his fist on a map of San Francisco.

Elizabeth has managed to find the underground tunnel system built by James's rebels that lead to a T-intersection of Baker Street and Beach Street. This was the only shortcut they had to take to reach Sandra's ship.

"Well, where was I supposed to put park the Shinkiro?" Sandra shrugged.

"What's wrong going there?" Pyrrhus asked. That inkling was there, wanting to help in any way he can to save Camille. Sapphire and Emerald were also there next to him, wanting to help as well.

Suzy places photos, covering up the Fisherman's Wharf on the map; they were photos of Airships and modified Ironclads, occupying that neighborhood under a military flag. Suzy then placed an electronic tablet showing a new article of the Martial Law placed on San Francisco to take out the rebellion built up there.

"The Mayor of the City has imposed martial law in this city," Suzy explained, "And they made the Fisherman's Wharf their base of operations until the rebellion that James built here is eradicated."

"That's the least of our problems," James's octoling companion, Abraham, points to an island and a bridge, "If you guys are thinking of using Sandra's ship to leave the city, you can forget it. The Splat-Coats will be using Alcatraz Island as a watchtower and the Golden Gate Bridge as a blockade gate. James, I suggest we leave by land."

"I'm not leaving the Shinkiro here!" Sandra objected.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think your brother should risk this," Abraham explained, "Besides we got other ships in others part of the States that you can command."

"But this one's a gift from my father..... the one that adopted me..." Sandra muttered half-way through her sentence. "....It's special to me." She hasn't mentioned Agent 7 for a while now.

Abrahams sighs. "You have no idea what you guys got yourselves into......but since you're her sister... I won't object to his orders." He walks off to wakes up Henri.

"We'll be taking the underground passage to get away from Splat-Coats occupying the Theatre," James was points from one area to another and makes a trail. "We'll be going through beach street hiding in a truck. I know some rebels that can sneak past security. Then we'll take Marina Blvd, then Laguna Street, and then Bay Street until we reach the Fisherman's Wharf, and trust me, at this point we'll be trespassing on hostile grounds."

"I understand the risks." Sandra already has a plan to pass through the Splat-Coats. "Is there a way to make a diversion and draw the militia away? Any place they store explosives and ammunition?"

"There's a warehouse that recently got inkstrikes that were confiscated from five different  toy stores." James points to the warehouse somewhere in the Wharf. "I can have my Splatoon detonate--"

"Suzy and I can take care of that," Emerald broke in. Sapphire nods in agreement

"And after that, we'll help Sandra and the party back to the Shinkiro," Sapphire added.

"...Very well, just don't get caught, Howe has those Splat-Coat do terrible things to prisoners." James sighs. "Then let's get to it."

"What about you?" Sandra looked at him.

"No need to worry about me, Sandra, my Splatoon has allies and we'll be leaving through a different route." James unrolls a map of a California broken in two. "I'm going to have the rebellion here gather their things and head south to San Diego. Meet me there once we, understand?"

Sandra nods. "I.... I just hoped you would come on my ship."

"Don't worry, I'm sure both of us can get out of here," James replied. He then saluted to her. "E Pluribus Unum."

Sandra looked surprised. "You learned how to speak Latin?"

"No, it's the motto of the United States." James soon took out his inky wrench, adjusted his glasses, and puts on his tricorn-shaped flat cap. "Now let's go. We got a Wharf to storm."

While Sandra follows her brother, she started reflecting on her life. She lost her family and found a new one in Circe and Agent 7, but they couldn't fill the void she had. And despite the things she enjoyed about living in Inkopolis, she chose to leave that city in Japan for the United States. And now that she has found her brother, she just wanted to spend the time that was lost between her and James. However, it seems James is leading a revolution, meaning he has little time for what's left of his family. The only option she can think of as logical is to join his rebellion if it means being by his side at times.

Elizabeth and Henri were already getting Vix, Reve, Marina, Wish, Emerald, Sapphire, and Suzy into the underground passage. Market Splatoon and Sandra later followed.

Sandra walks with Marina and Wish.

"You guys think you can handle a little adventure?" Sandra asked. She is aware of their medical conditions.

"We'll be fine," Wish replied.

"I'm sure we can protect ourselves," Marina agreed, "Besides, somebody needs to save the Neo Squid Sisters."

Vix was talking with James, riding the Galapagos turtle, Reve. He was asking the rebellion leader silly questions, but James was willing to answer.

"Are we going to save Camille and Nebula?" Vix asked.

"We are going save them, alright." James sounded confident at first, but then looked bothered. "We just need the time, the material, and a plan."

"What do you have in mind?" Vix wondered.

In the Fisherman's Wharf, Mysteeri was examining the bullets the Splat-Coats forged for her. She smiles and loads them into her dual revolvers. She stood on top of one of the buildings of the Wharf.

Meanwhile...

There has been a riot at the main gates of Manzanar; a number of inmates were using farming tools as weapons. Beaker Jr almost joined the riot if it weren't for Camille and Nebula. They convinced him it was too risky to break out of Manzanar in that way Jane agreed with this as well.

In the end, the riot failed to break through the gates, and this convinced Zorin to punish the camp. He had some Splat-Coats make an example out of one of the inklings, and they picked Beaker Jr.

Ancient Monument, Manzanar Cemetery - Manzanar 2.0, Inyo County - California, the United States of 12:00 Noon

The Splat-Coats has Beaker tied to a stone monument; there were faint inscriptions of a language nearly forgotten. The families with members that took part in the riot were taken there with ink-muskets pointed at their heads. They were forced to watch this form of torture be endured by the squid. Camille, Nebula, Jane, and her family were also taken there.

An automaton stepped forward with cladding in iron and steel. It was carrying Camille's steampunk roller with a wrench-club end. It used that end and started hitting Beaker with so much force, but not enough to break the monument.

Beaker took five blows from the club, and once it was over, the Splat-Coats untie him and he lays there. He groaned in pain with ink slowly trickling down his shoulders, arms and back. It stained his clothes, and it stained the monument.

The families were sent back to the camp; Jane's family did the same. Zorin allowed Camille, Nebula, and Jane to remain but made sure charger units were there in case they make a run for it. Camille can only feel distaste towards President Howe who allowed this in the camp. She wanted to stop this whole scene but she can't; the Splat-Coats will splat her to oblivion. It was either her life or his punishment. Nebula can only feel slight fear in this, but a sense of determination to find freedom. Jane and her family just only felt nothing but the grayness of this tragic moment.

Camille and Nebula quickly help Beaker up; he was in pain. Jane walks over with a medical pouch, and it contained a small roll of bandages and some medicine to soothe the pain. After Jane patches up the small cuts and stopped the bleeding, Nebula and her carried Beaker back to the cabins.

Camille is now the only squid remaining there; she can follow, but she stayed for a while to forget what she just saw, especially if it's something terrible done to a friend. Looking at the ink-stained monument didn't even help; she read the inscription: "Soul Consoling Tower", "Erected by the Manzanar Japanese". Still, that didn't get the image of Beaker being tortured out of her mind.

Camille's watch started acting up. It was the same watch her father sent her through a package. With a press of a button, Guist came out. He must've been hiding in the watch for a while since San Francisco was put under Martial Law.

"I heard everything! What happened?" Guist was worried.

"Those Splat-Coats beat Beaky up..." Camille clenched her fists. "And I couldn't do anything to stop it..."

"That's terrible, cousin!" Guist wanted to help in any way he can. "You sure you'll be alright?"

"...I'll be fine..." Camille took a deep breath and followed Nebula and Jane back to the cabin. Guist followed as well.

That night...

Beaker Jr has made full recovery but still felt some pain from the blows of the club. Camille and Nebula were in a bedroom with Guist, talking about how they're going to get out. Jane and her family were asleep at that time. They already thought of a number of options of how to get out of Manzanar, but they needed Guist to survey the whole internment camp to see if any of the options are possible.

"Anything for you, cousin!" Guist is obliged to do this task.

"That's great." Camille is smiling. "As soon as we get out, we better find a way to reunite with Sandra and the others."

"And I guess we're planning to leave the United States?" Nebula asked, knowing Sandra would not like that idea.

"Okay, I get it! Sandy finally found her family. We can go home, right?" Camille folds her arms. Nebula gave her a look, telling her that it's a big deal to Sandra. "...... Okay, I would feel like I've missed so much if I were separated from my family for years."

"And Sandra's brother seems to be up to something, and it has to do with President Howe." Nebula has yet to put together the big picture. "I know we're no longer Agents, but Agent 7 and Neo Squidbeak Splatoon need to know this."

"Speaking of them, I bet Uncle Sev has the brains to send Celly and Telly to go after us...... with the personal fleet he gave the Splatoon." Camille rolls her eyes, imagining Telemachus and Celeste leading the fleet across the Pacific.

"Speaking of our old Splatoon..... I wonder who they got to replace us..." Nebula looked curious.

Back in San Francisco...

The Fisherman's Wharf has been raided by the rebellion that James's built up in San Francisco. Sandra lead the raid without James's permission, and somehow it routed the Splat-Coats out of the Wharf. Jame's Rebellion in this city are now seizing all the arms in the Wharf to overthrow the Mayor of San Francisco. Suzy, Emerald, and Sapphire escorted Vix, Reve, Marina, Wish, and Pyrrhus to the Shinkiro so they can prepare to sail. As for Sandra, James, and Market Splatoon, they were in the Captain's Quarters of the Shinkiro to talk about what Sandra did.

Captain's Quarters, The Shinkiro - San Francisco, California, United States of America - 4:00 PM

James slams a fist on Sandra's desk. "Are you insane, Sandra!?!"

"Why wait for a chance to attack!?" Sandra argued. "Why not just take a chance! You're leading a rebellion for Great Zapfish's Sake!"

"It's a rebellion I'm leading!" James slams his fist on the desk.

"James! Restrain yourself!" Elizabeth begged.

"Restez calme, Monsieur Syer!" Henri commented. "They mistook her as you."

"But she isn't the rebellion leader!" James argued.

"That doesn't mean she isn't allowed to help," Elizabeth responded. She folds armed. "Your sister pushed the rebellion further. This is good."

"She was being insubordinate!" James glared at Sandra.

Sandra sticks her tongue at him before looking away.

"What she did was turn a tide in the war." Abraham was examining some maps in Sandra's Captain's Quarters. "At this rate, we can take Sacramento and reunite California." Sandra is looking at him. "...Why do you think we want you guys to head to San Diego?"

Sandra shrugs and rolls her eyes. "We still have the blockade at the Golden Gate Bridge and Splat-Coats in Alcatraz Island."

"We'll take care of them, but there's no need to sail to San Diego now," Abraham explained, "In fact, you can be helpful to the rebellion." He looks to James. "Thing might've not gone as planned as you wanted, James, but it seems three leaders are better than one. Besides, you two need time together as a family."

James, being regretful of the separation, didn't respond at first; he was looking at the maps and charts. When he did respond, he nods in agreement.

"Alright, I'll give my sister chance," James answered, "After all, thanks to her, I owe her one." She smiled at her. "How about I teach you naval tactics so we can get this ship through the blockade. I'll have someone raise a fleet to deal with Alcatraz."

Sandra reaches her hand out to him, offering a handshake.

"Sure thing, brother." She smiled back.

"....And sorry for calling you insubordinate..." James apologized.

"I understand, you're leading this revolution and it's you they should be looking up to... but understand if both of us lead, this can make thing interesting." Sandra gets up and walks around the table to stand by her brother's side. "And after the war, who knows what we can do?"

[takenaka--hanbei]

Chapter 2

Prologue Chapter 1

Hanbei didn’t respond to Neisui about her pigs theory, or he did by just silently look at her. It was that expression again that Neisui could not understand. She couldn’t interpret if he was shocked, confused, deep in thought, or simply ignoring her. Herself sometimes cannot explain her own words, the “Three Little Pigs” just came to her mind as it sounds so familiar to her, was it a folk story that she once read when she was a child? Or was it just about the pigs who lived next door when she still lived in the mountain before she met him?

“Right…” Hanbei finally broke the silence, he gave a slight nod, “some pigs we are.”

Neisui heard it and looked at him, he still has that expression, still unreadable, but there’s some seriousness that wasn’t there just a little earlier. “Who is it…? That you are expecting?” she suddenly very curious. She knew people from various parts of the country have heard of Hanbei after his famous siege of the castle and overthrow of his lord. She also knew that many have tried to get Hanbei on their side. The talk of city, even when she crossed the borders and finally settled to serve Tokugawa clan. Stories of Hanbei travelled fast. He was marked as a traitor, a true loyalist, arrogant man, and a genius. Even though, they want him, want him for his ability, so he may help them build and take over Japan one day. When the news of Hanbei first reached her and Lady Aoi, Neisui could not tell what did Lady Aoi think of the matter, even when Hanbei addressed to leave things behind in the letter.

If she Neisui had guessed right, Lord Morinari knew and actually participated in the plan, so why the letter? Why the divorce? Though their marriage was not built on love, their fathers served the same lord and…trusted each other. What has gone wrong here? Was Hanbei actually testing Lady Aoi of her reactions? Or he knew she never loved him, not as in the way of lovers anyway.

      “I should set you free…”

Neisui read the letter with Lady Aoi. She might have forgotten other lines, but this one she clearly remembers. Sigh, guess Lady Aoi never loved Hanbei enough, not enough trust, or she would have just followed him. So who is this person that Hanbei is waiting for? How does he know he can be trusted?

Hanbei looked at his once so called half sister-in-law, or a maid, or just a person that was once in his life deep in thought. Only when she is like this she is true to her name, calming water. “You will find out,” he finally replied, “if you stick around long enough.”

Then the dusk arrived with a knock on the door.

“Is it here Lord Hideyoshi?” a man’s low voice was heard from outside the door.

“Yes, Lord Nobunaga was here once before, and he has made several attempts of recruiting Hanbei as one of his retainers, even if he were to give him half the Mino castle, Hanbei refused. He is not the type of man who can be moved by status or power.” Another man’s voice was heard, the tone could be considered a lot lighter even cheerful when comparing to the previous one.

“Then how are we going to convince him to join our side?” the first man asked.

“Oh…beats me.” The cheerful voice laughed, “but even we were to fail, I would love to have a chance to meet him personally, I want to see what kind of man he is with my own eyes. The one that could throw away everything for the sake of people…is not someone ordinary.” There was a brief pause. “Mitsunari, you know of my past. And that Takenaka Hanbei, is something I wish I could become one day. And I certainly want to befriend him…Ah I guess I should knock the door again, see Mitsunari? Look at the power of Hanbei, we got carried away in this conversation and totally forgot to knock again. What power is this?”

Inside the little house, both Hanbei and Neisui were listening to the conversation outside. This house really doesn’t have good soundproof, even if they were right by the door, able to hear the whole conversation clearly enough from outside…unless that man called Hideyoshi had purposely to speak in a loud cheerful voice to make sure his conversation is heard so possibly an allowed in would be granted?

Neisui looked at Hanbei, he gave her a nod then retreated back to his room. Wait, what does that mean? That was the approving look and nod she was familiar right? But why did he retreat back to his room? Another test of him? On Lord Hideyoshi and the man called Mitsunari? Being a maid at Tokugawa clan and close to Lord Toramatsu, the name Hideyoshi, retainer of Lord Oda Nobunaga was not unfamiliar to her. At the current Oda clan has alliance with Tokugawa. But that Mitsunari…if she recalled right, he and Lord Ieyasu are not actually on good terms, or at least, they wouldn’t call themselves as friends.

So…why is she the one opening the door now? Lord Hideyoshi has visited Lord Ieyasu once at the castle, so what if she is been recognized?

Another quiet sigh. Hanbei, even if you have your plans and thoughts, please discuss with her beforehand? Or she might just…screw up.

Knock knock. Looks like the person outside the door is getting impatient. This knock sounds heavier and faster, this must be that Mitsunari. Before giving him another chance to knock, Neisui opened the door, and indeed, it was a man she has not seen before, a cold-expression man called Mitsunari that was knocking, with his fist still closed and hang in the air.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, my lords…you see, I was in the kitchen just preparing for dinner and couldn’t get the door.” Neisui said apologetically while wiping her clean hands on her kimono. Why did she address if she were the maid anyway? But she wasn’t really left with a choice there.

“Ah no problem,” Lord Hideyoshi answered cheerfully, “I apologize if we arrived at such a bad time, we could come back a bit later if any inconvenience was caused. But do tell me, if we are at least the right place. Is this the residence of Takenaka Hanbei?” He was still smiling brightly.

She nodded, “it certainly is. Please wait a while longer while I have a word with him, “then closed the door on their face.

She went inside Hanbei’s room and saw him sitting at his desk, looking at her, with an eyebrow raised.

“So Hanbei, what is your plan here?” Neisui asked. “I have seen Lord Hideyoshi face to face before, so what if he recognizes me, or what would he think a woman has answered your door to a guest? He is a smart man, that Mitsunari is of too, I heard. Wouldn’t it cause them any suspicious?

Hanbei only shrugged, “so? They already saw you answered my door, you cannot change that part, and,” he paused for a moment, “first they need to accept and trust me first if I were to join to their side. As much as I have expected them to come, and waited for their arrival, they still have yet passed my expectations.”

“Even if I were not to join you later on?”

He nodded, “even if you were not to join me later on. They could have their curiosities about you, but they shouldn’t question you. A man’s trust is not earned or affected by those standing beside him. If by having you here standing in this house or having you answered my door affect their opinion of me or waver that trust, then I not follow him.”

So…guess her former adopted father did not trusted her enough. She knew she has a sharp tongue and quick temper at times, but at that time she thought Lord Shingen would understand. Lord Ieyasu being in the sickroom, his life was on the line, she was Tokugawa maid before becoming a Takeda daughter, and being a patient once himself, she thought Lord Shingen…the patient always come first. As much some sadness left in her heart, she was also grateful for what he did too. Even if Takeda and Tokugawa clan become allies, no allies could last forever. All he did was did the choice for her. If her heart would be hurt sooner or later, it might just be sooner before feelings and ties get to deep.

She gave a nod, “alright, please follow me my lord, I believe our guests are still waiting, best not to let them wait too cold in this cold. The wind is blowing.”

“The wind is blowing indeed,” he replied then cut his path to walk in front of her. “I will open this door.”