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duaghterofstories · 1 year

Note

I know this is a LOT of requests, but I very desperately need you to fix Xanrik’s relationship in the angst fic because my life is falling apart right now

Whoo! Fixing their relationship issues tooke ma hot minute. This is mostly the Fairy Council being Xanthous' common sense.

Part One: https://www.tumblr.com/dark-empress-justice/716899101391880192/ok-i-swear-ill-stop-after-this-one-but-xanrik

Part Two: https://www.tumblr.com/dark-empress-justice/716946142302289920/ok-so-this-has-been-bothering-me-for-an?source=share

Hell and Highwater- Conclusion

Rating: Teen

Ships: Xanthous/Elrik

Fandom: A Tale of Magic

Other: Post Canon, Implied Cheating, Angst!!! Fluff, Happy, Crying, Insecurity, Emotional, Happy Ending, We Love Happy Ending, Sad, Written in about an hour, Misunderstands to a ridiculous level, Companion Piece.

When Xanthous finished crying his heart out, he stepped over the ripped portrait and then looked in the mirror. His eyes were redder than usual, and his suit was rumpled. But there was nothing he could do.

He walked out the door.

“Sir,” said a demon. “Why was Lord Elrik leaving?”

“He isn’t the Lord anymore.” said Xanthous, staring up at the ceiling as he collected his thoughts. “We broke up.”

The demon looked very surprised, but Xanthous ignored it, walking down the steps.

He made his way back up the portal and walked into the castle, sobbing silently, yet hysterically, again. He wanted to go to his old room and cry.

“Hey Xanthous!” said Emeralda. Then she froze, seeing the tears. “Oh my god, Xanthous, what the hell, what happened?” She leaned over and hugged him, unaffected by the fire.

“Elrik, he, umm, umm,” Xanthous sniffled, trying to say all the words, not quite able to say it. It was still too painful. “He, umm, cheated.”

Emeralda gasped and frowned. “He… did?” she sounded very surprised. It was surprising, to be fair. He could barely believe it either and started to cry louder, sobbing openly now, shaking violently.

Emeralda walked him backwards, still hugging him, into Brystal’s room where everyone was meeting. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him, but his eyes were screwed shut so he couldn’t see them, despite him feeling the weight of their concerned gazes.

“What happened?” asked Brystal, getting up and running over, pressing her hand against his back and rubbing to comfort him.

“Says Elrik cheated on him.” said Emeralda.

Lucy coughed, probably drinking something. Not alcohol though. She never drank alcohol when he was around out of respect.

“He what?” said Lucy, horrified. “Xanthous, why would you think that?” she sounded as if the mere idea of Elrik cheating was the most unbelievable thing she had ever in her life. “He loves you more than anything in his entire life.”

“Apparently that’s not enough.” said Xanthous, mumbling, but still loud enough to be heard. “He was, umm, with someone in our bed.” he said, tilting his head down and pressing into Emeralda’s dress, the slight sharpness of the gemstones keeping him grounded.

Tangerina made a sympathetic noise and Skylene got up, moving over and tightly hugging him from the back.

“That’s horrible.” said Tangerina. “He should never have done that to you.” her bees were buzzing loudly and buzzing around her hair, sensing her agitation.

“It’s okay.” said Xanthous. “I kicked him out, I just want to forget it happened.” Then, quieter, “He deserved better than me anyway.”

Emeralda pushed him away from her, holding his shoulder, a hard look on her face. “Xanthous Hayfield, what the Hell did you just say.”

“That, umm, he deserves better, and it was fine?” Xanthous was incredibly confused.

“Xanthous Emery Hayfield—” Emeralda started.

“Not my middle name.” Xanthous did not have a middle name.

“Shush. Xanthous Emerson Hayfield, you are a catch and if I liked men, I would totally be in love with you. You are nice, caring, sincere, and one of the most excitable puppy-like people I know, which, granted, isn’t a lot.” Xnthous giggled a bit about that. “You are brave, and very, very powerful.” Emeralda took a deep breath. “So if Elrik had the audacity to cheat on you, he is 100% in the wrong and you deserve better. Not him. M’kay?”

Xanthous looked at her and nodded. “M’kay.”

“Good boy.” Emeralda patted his hair. “Come on. We’re gonna make hot chocolate and trash on the other royals.”

Xanthous giggled a little bit and then nodded.

Brystal waved her wand and summoned hot chocolate from the kitchen. “Here you go.” she said, passing Xanthous his. It was a super sugary hot chocolate with a pile of whipped cream on top and crushed peppermint.

“How are Penny and Barry?” he said after he’d curled up into Emeralda’s side, and then wiped the whipped cream off of his nose.

“Oh, they’re amazing. Barry is so whipped for Penny, it’s so cute.” Brystal said. “Their official portraits are done, so that is so amazing.”

“Oh, can I see?” Xanthous perked up. His love life may be in shambles, but he liked to have fun with other couples.

“Sure.” Brystal pulled up a memory of the portrait with magic.

Penny was sitting on her throne, holding the ceremonial staff. Barry was standing behind her, hand on her shoulder. Both looked serious, since they had to sit there for hours.

“It looks adorable.” said Xanthous, cooing.

“I know.” said Skylene. “It’s no where near as fun as yours, but they couldn’t do magic, so it makes sense.”

Xanthous froze when she said that, and Skylene seemed confused for a moment before realizing what she’d said.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry, I was just thinking about the plans he was making for your anniversary, and I don’t—”

Tangerina slapped her hand over Skylene’s mouth and looked at Xanthous. “Sorry.”

“What do you mean anniversary?” said Xanthous in confusion.

There was a beat of silence.

“Xanthous,” said Brystal after a moment. “you’ve been dating Elrik for almost one year.”

“Ah, yes, we have.” Xanthous nodded. “Why?”

“It’s almost your one-year anniversary.” Lucy said. “Did you… did you not know about that?”

“I mean, I’ve heard it said a few times, but is it an important thing?”

There was another awkward silence.

Lucy sighed. “I think I know the problem then.”

“What do you mean?” asked Xanthous, frowning. He knew what the problem was. Elrik has cheated on him.

“Xanthous, is it possible Elrik was just making plans for your anniversary and was hugging whoever he was talking to?” Lucy said, laying it out.

Another beat of silence.

“Fuck.” said Xanthous.

Elrik was perched on one of the trees outside the school, chatting with some of the younger fairies about the other kingdoms and what it was like being a prince.

He knew what Xanthous thought, and he figured he would just send a letter to Xanthous tomorrow apologizing and explaining everything.

“Mr. Elrik!” said a small voice.

He looked up to see a young fairy dragging Xanthous behind him.

“Ah, hello Xanthous.”

“Hello.” said Xanthous. He sounded quiet and ashamed. “Can we talk in private?”

Elrik nodded and jumped down the tree. “Of course, let’s go.”

Xanthous led him away and to the entrance of Hell. No one was near it, but Xanthous didn’t go in, and neither did Elrik. He didn’t know why Xanthous was so quiet, figured he would start yelling immediatly. Though he did know Xanthous never wanted to become his father.

“Elrik.” said Xanthous after a moment. “I’m sorry for breaking up with you. The girls, and Lucy, may have yelled some sense into me.”

“What do you mean?” asked Elrik in confusion.

“I didn’t actually know how important a first-year anniversary is. I have been informed you may not have been cheating on me and were simply hugging someone.” he said stiffly. “I’m very sorry and I hope you can forgive me and take me back?” Xanthous sounded very hopeful about that and Elrik almost cooed.

“Obviously.” said Elrik, reaching up and kissing Xanthous softly. “I’d never cheat on you firefly. I love you more than anything. It’ll be like we never broke up.”

“And next time you’re worried about something, come to me instead of bottling it up.”

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fourayedasshole · 4 months

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Part 1

part 2 will be posted on valentines day

Valentine’s Day, a Xanrik fic by @hellodaydream1111111111111111 and me

Think about your top ten least favorite things, what are they? Lying awake thinking was definitely in Elrik’s top ten, very low on the list but still there. What was he thinking about you might ask? Probably about the Roman Empire oh, and this: It never really got dark in the demon kingdom since you obviously couldn’t see the sun from the middle of the earth. The demon’s relied on fire to light the city. Of course that was no problem for them they were used to it but if you were to rely on the sun for half your life and then get thrown into a place where it was a foreign concept it might be difficult to get things done on time however if you’ve pissed off someone so bad that they run off into another world to complain about you, which of course is exactly what Elrik had done, you don’t sleep. “So~ what’s going on this week?” Xanthous had asked And stupidly Elrik hadn’t even thought about it before listing a collection of meetings and royal duties they had to complete this week. Xanthous' face dropped ever so slightly. “Yeah… I have to call Em to make sure everything is okay in the fairy world.” “Okay bye, love ya!”. Idiot, idiot, idiot seriously, how do you forget Valentine’s Day when you're literally married. As Xanthous left, Elirk stood there in the middle of the room thinking. He used to do many sweet things but over time he ran out of ideas. He once gave him a bouquet of flowers, and other pretty stuff that remind him of xanthous. Though over the years he kinda ran out of ideas. It bugged him, the love of his life… and he came to a blank when it came to giving him something for valentines day. As Xanthous walked out of the room and teleported to the front doors of the fairy kingdom he took a deep breath. He knew what they were doing was a stressful job, and sure, he’d forgotten a number of important things but Valentine’s Day? When Elirk forgot Valentine’s Day made him feel irrelevant, like the feelings he shared for the elf weren’t valued. He thought as he walked up the stairs to Emeraldas room. Well now it looked more like an office full of papers but the room still kept her charm. She sat at her desk looking at papers and letters from other kingdoms. Xanthous cleared his throat and asked “Em?” Emerelda and looked up and stared for a short moment “Oh hey Xanny ” she said standing up to hug him. Xanthous warmly embraced the sparkling lady. “I don’t believe this was a planned visit?” she asked gently. “Yeah…” he mumbled back, she gave him a sigh. “Alright sit down.” She pulled out a shimmering green chair. Xanthous stood for a moment before slumping down. Emerelda sat next to him, the gems on her necklace making a soothing jingle.

Xanthous picked at his nail and then began to ramble, “I don’t think Elrik loves me anymore you see, he forgot Valentine’s Day and at first I thought he was just surprising me but I remember I told him I don’t like surprises so that would mean he doesn’t listen a—” “Xanthous…” Emerelda tilted her head slightly to the left and reached under her desk to grab his hand. “Just relax.. It's okay. Look I doubt Elirk would forget, but you have to remember that Valentine's day isn’t just about the gift. It's about love.” Xanthous looked at her, “I'm sorry I just might be overthinking it.”. He sighed with relief. Emerelda tightened her grip on his hand “It's okay Xanthous that's why I'm here.” She patted his back as she hugged him, his flames died down and he took a well needed deep breath.

#xanthous hayfield #the land of stories #xanrik #a tale of magic

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hellodaydream1111111111111111 · 4 months

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do you have any xanrik

Valentine’s Day, a Xanrik fic by Hello Daydream and @Fourayeasshole.

It never really got dark in the Demon Kingdom since you obviously couldn’t see the sun from the middle of the earth. The demon’s relied on fire to light the city. Of course that was no problem for them they were used to it but if you were to rely on the sun for half your life and then get thrown into a place where it was a foreign concept it might be difficult to get things done on time however if you’ve pissed off someone so bad that they run off into another world to complain about you, which of course is exactly what Elrik had done, you don’t sleep. “So~ what’s going on this week?” Xanthous had asked

And stupidly Elrik hadn’t even thought about it before listing a collection of meetings and royal duties they had to complete this week. Xanthous' face dropped ever so slightly. “Yeah… I have to call Em to make sure everything is okay in the fairy world.”

“Okay bye, love ya!”. Idiot, idiot, idiot seriously, how do you forget Valentine’s Day when you're literally married.

As Xanthous left, Elirk stood there in the middle of the room thinking. He used to do many sweet things but over time he ran out of ideas. He once gave him a bouquet of flowers, and other pretty stuff that remind him of xanthous. Though over the years he kinda ran out of ideas. It bugged him, the love of his life… and he came to a blank when it came to giving him something for valentines day.

As Xanthous walked out of the room and teleported to the front doors of the fairy kingdom he took a deep breath. He knew what they were doing was a stressful job, and sure, he’d forgotten a number of important things but Valentine’s Day? When Elirk forgot Valentine’s Day made him feel irrelevant, like the feelings he shared for the elf weren’t valued.

He thought as he walked up the stairs to Emeraldas room. Well now it looked more like an office full of papers but the room still kept her charm. She sat at her desk looking at papers and letters from other kingdoms. Xanthous cleared his throat and asked

“Em?”

Emerelda and looked up and stared for a short moment “Oh hey Xanny ” she said standing up to hug him. Xanthous warmly embraced the sparkling lady.

“I don’t believe this was a planned visit?” she asked gently.

“Yeah…” he mumbled back, she gave him a sigh. “Alright sit down.” She pulled out a shimmering green chair. Xanthous stood for a moment before slumping down. Emerelda sat next to him, the gems on her necklace making a soothing jingle.

“Xanthous…” Emerelda tilted her head slightly to the left and reached under her desk to grab his hand. “Just relax.. It's okay. Look I doubt Elirk would forget, but you have to remember that Valentine's day isn’t just about the gift. It's about love.”

Xanthous looked at her, “I'm sorry I just might be overthinking it.”. He sighed with relief. Emerelda tightened her grip on his hand “It's okay Xanthous that's why I'm here.” She patted his back as she hugged him, his flames died down and he took a well needed deep breath.

#a tale of magic #xanthous hayfield #books #tlos #atom #xanrik #emerelda #emerelda stone

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rewrittenfics · 7 months

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✨Welcome to Sonic Rewritten's Fic Blog✨

This is where you will find any and all written works for @sonicrewrittenau

THE WORKS: The Old Gen: - Sonic and Shadow -> HERE - Tails and Cream -> TBA - Knuckles and Rouge -> TBA - Tangle and Whisper -> TBA

The New Gen: - Light and Hope -> TBA - Delilah -> TBA - Emeralda -> TBA - Winter -> TBA - Lustre -> TBA - Edgar -> TBA The Trilogy: - Story 1 -> HERE - Story 2 -> HERE - Story 3 -> TBA

Tales from the Restoration: - TBA

Winter and Mimic: - TBA Across These New Frontiers: - WIP: TBA Stories on Bygone Island: - TBA The Starfall Islands: - TBA The End of All Things: - TBA

Any kind of hate, discrimination or unfairness encountered on this blog will not be tolerated. Please respect everyone here.

Please do not steal anything from this blog. If you would like to write stories using the characters, please credit this blog or the main blog.

Feel free to leave prompts, ideas and suggestions through the ask bar! Enjoy! 📖

#Sonic Rewritten #Sonic Rewritten Au #sonic au #sonic alternative universe #Sonic fanfics #pinned post #pinned info

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mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune · 2 years

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My Thoughts About If Kris Was In Glitchtale

first I want to say in the last post, where it has a drawing I did that I hope to use as a cover for a story idea at the place that has the name starts with a “Q”...

I notice just now I had mistakenly put down “Agate look at the face of her Mother, Queen Emeralda Lightvale...” which is like a idea to put in a Fan Fic of Glitchtale, but that is all I got so far as a idea.

I edited out, but I left the whole idea about if Agate, Copper and Amber’s Mom had a name, it would be Emeralda...

anyway even if that were so, that would possibly noncanon to the Main Timeline of Glitchtale.

but anyway here are my thoughts about Kris if they ended up being in Glitchtale.

if each Deltarune Timeline and AU is part of Deltarune, then Deltafell, Deltaswap and Alterrune, would be Sister World Counterparts of Undertale, Underfell, Underswap and Altertale.

you know like how Universe 6 & 7 from Dragon Ball Series, are Sister Universes.

anyway Kris could be from a Alternate World and Timeline, that is in a Sister Universe of Glitchtale.

in the Sister Universe, Agate didn’t create Betty, but that doesn’t mean she still didn’t cause misery and despair in that world.

if Kris was never born in the Glitchtale World, they might of been born in it’s Sister Universe, and while Chara and Frisk were born as boys in Glitchtale, Kris ends up being born as a girl.

I think that like in Deltarune, Kris would be a few years younger than Asriel and if Kris did travel through time and space and ended up in Glitchtale, she would be smaller than both Asriel and Chara, having to look up at them.

Kris could act cold and distant, and not talk very much, but deep down they are loving and caring, but doesn’t like to show their true feelings.

Kris could of went through different foster homes in her world, where she felt happy and loved for a while until each foster family just took her back.

it could be because they never believe her that the one was making trouble was her imaginary friend.

her imaginary friend, could turn out to be a Ghost Of The Lightvale Family, and they only stick to those who are of the Lightvale Bloodline.

Kris’s full name could be Krystal Lightvale, but she doesn’t know that she is a Princess or is the last of the Lightvale in her home timeline.

and she could be a descendant of one of the Lightvale Siblings, and if I think about it, if Amber didn’t lose her life and she grown up and might became chosen to become Queen, then maybe she could end up becoming the Ancestress of Kris.

Kris could be a double trait like her, one half of their soul is red and the other half is turquoise-blue, what the trait the turquoise-blue half of the soul could be unknown....

Kris could be named after a Princess who was named Princess Crystal Lightvale...(the name being spelled with a “C” instead of a “K”)

who was to wed a human of the human kingdom, but ran away and took a monster for her love instead, and that could be linked to the play that Mettaton puts on that has to do with a human and monster and their forbidden love.

and the one Princess Crystal Lightvale fell in love with, could of been the original heir of the Dreemurr Royal Family.

which would be the older sibling of Asgore’s Ancestor.

and the plot twist would be, the original heir was to be the Queen Of Monsters, meaning that Princess Crystal Lightvale, fell in love with another woman.

but instead of becoming dead at some point in their lives together, because of how long ago they lived, the two ended up falling into the void and lost in time and space and forgotten, and when they find their way out, the world had gone on without them, and it could turn out they went with Kris to the Other World.

but the two do not know that Kris is Crystal’s Niece, or that she was named after her but with a “K” instead of a “C”...

if any human tried to attack Crystal, I think her Goat Boss Monster wife, would protect her and tell the human to stay away from her wife.

if Crystal’s wife had a name, it could be Hildegore Dreemurr (like a mix of Hildegarde & Asgore.)

when the three do find out they are family, Kris could refer to both Crystal and Hildegore as “Auntie” like Auntie Crystal and Auntie Hildegore.

Crystal’s hair could be white and her eyes could be like a really pale purple or like lavender, and it could turn out that she is a Triple Trait, meaning that her soul has three traits, instead of just two like Amber and Kris has.

and in theory since magic and science has come so far, Crystal and Hildegore could have children together, by like taking two fragment part of their souls and then placing them in a human egg and then Hildegore placing some of her genetic essence magic on to the egg as well as merging it with her orb-egg, and Crystal becoming the one who carries their soon to be son or daughter for 9 months.

makes me think of the Anime called Vandread, where men and women started to live separately and forgot they use to live together and are the same species.

but anyway a orb-egg could be a Monster’s counterpart of a human’s egg, but it is in like a sparkle of light form, and Crystal and Hildegore could have their two different eggs spliced together and merged into one.

Hildegore could be a fighter, while Crystal isn’t much a fighter at all, but can create shields to defend.

I would like to point out that the whole Crystal, Hildegore and even a Emeralda, are just “what if” type ideas, like if they did exist, and well if they did end up in some fan fic, then well it might be really short story, cause don’t know if it would be very long.

but anyway if Kris did end up being in Glitchtale, they would be a little girl who would be smaller than Asriel and Chara, because she would be younger than them.

I think that even if Kris came from another universe and timeline, Asgore and Toriel could of known from the moment they saw her, that she was their daughter.

you know like Rose from the Silent Hill Movie, when she saw Sharon, she knew that she was going to be her mother.

that movie isn’t for little kids of course, and it is for a mature audience only.

Asgore from Deltarune, really does seem to love Kris, because of the big papa bear hug he gives them.

if Kris did exist in Glitchtale, or had lives in a Sister Universe of it...

and if she went to Glitchtale, and ended up being taken in by Asgore and Toriel, that would mean that Asriel and Chara get a Baby Sister. XD

and like Kris from Deltarune, Kris could of started to wear a horn headband and be really happy about it, even if they don’t show it, but both Chara and Asriel could tell that she is happy by looking at her eyes sparkle....even if they are hidden under her bangs.

anyway I don’t think I have much else to say about the theory about Kris if they ended up in Glitchtale, this is more of a what if type theory, not like it would actually happen, but if Kris did end up in that AU, I think they could end up becoming the baby sister of Asriel and Chara.

I think in the next post after this, I will talk about the whole Michael Afton/Summertrap....anyway thanks to reading this, and once again this is more of a what if type theories, and it doesn’t mean it would happen in the canon of the AU.

#glitchtale #undertale theory #deltarune theory #kris deltarune #kris dreemurr #asriel dreemurr #chara dreemurr

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dancingkirby · 2 years

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FANFIC: YUGIOH GX RAREPAIR WEEK DAY 5

PROMPT: Reunion

TITLE: The Properties of Love and Hate

SHIP: Denyshipping (Amon x Edo x Ekou), Sacrificeshipping (Amon x Ekou)

RATING: M WORD COUNT: 6436

SUMMARY: Amon looked amused at Ed’s continued silence. “If you desire my wife so badly, I have a little proposal for you. You can have her, on one condition…I get to claim you too.”

NOTES: This, like all of my submissions for this event, is a queued post since I will be on vacation during the actual Rarepair Week; I plan to post on Ao3 when I return home at the end of the month. This is a slight AU where Amon and Ekou were both brought back, and is set about five years post-canon. Edo’s name is spelled as “Ed” in this since it’s set in America (I know. It’s weird), and I’m using the fanon that he’s from England. I chalk up any mistakes on my part to him being exposed to the slang of other countries over the years. LOL This fic is dedicated to @immicolia and her love of Edo’s bitchfaces.

Rated for sexual content (I tried to make it relatively non-explicit, and there’s some fade-to-black), cursing, and alcohol use.

In general, Ed Phoenix was happy with the direction his life was going. Tonight, though, proved to be an exception. Why had he ever agreed to go to this bloody stupid event?! Part of it, he supposed, was boredom. He and Ryo were taking one of their regular breaks from their relationship; things got so intense between them that they both agreed it was for the best to avoid emotional burnout. Also, Emeralda had told him that it would come off as “strange” if he didn’t show up, especially since he was currently living in the Silicon Valley area for a stint in the American Pros. Then again, she didn’t know what had happened in that cave in the other dimension, did she? In any case, here he was, in the ballroom of this reception hall, at a gala celebrating both the IPO and app launch for the social-media website Cogito.

Cogito–or “Geet,” as it was often affectionately known by its fanbase–billed itself as a site for “civilized academic debate,” (emphasis theirs) particularly when it came to thorny philosophical questions that didn’t have answers elsewhere. Ed had no idea how it had managed to attract such a large and rabid fanbase…but somehow, it had. Perhaps it was due to their viral advertisement campaigns, which made liberal use of the latest memes before they had a chance to get outdated. Or maybe it was simply because lots of college students used it to cheat on their homework, despite this being decidedly against the Terms of Service. Even Ed had to admit that he’d visited the site a couple of times; he did have several PhD’s by this point, after all, and he couldn’t play extreme sports or duel all the time.

Currently, though, he was suffering through what seemed to him to be an excruciatingly long speech by the website’s founder…Amon Garam. No wait, Ed kept forgetting, he was going by Amon Shaughnessy now. Not that it mattered to him.

“Five years ago, my wife and I had nothing…except for each other and an idea,” Amon was saying. “But we had the grit and perseverance to make that idea a reality. What started as a small website that I coded in the basement of my grandparents’ home has become something much more. And we would like to thank our supporters for standing by us. Also, thank you to my grandparents for taking us in when we needed it, and big thanks to Ekou, who has always given this project her whole-hearted support, spending countless hours debugging and offering suggestions. And of course, she is the mastermind behind our famous advertisements.”

Ekou, who was standing on the podium at her husband’s side, beamed and gave the audience a little nod of acknowledgement. Ed, on the other hand, was fighting the urge to make a “gag-me” gesture. He doubted that things had ever been quite as dire as Amon said they’d been. There were a lot of things missing from his version of events, not the least of which was that he had been adopted by a family of billionaires…until Goa Garam had kicked both him and Ekou out for revealing their “love” for each other. What was more, he had heard that Ekou had later gotten access to her funds back due to the intercession of her dying mother. Oh, and to top it all off, was Ed seriously the only person who remembered that Amon had tried to kill the woman who would become his wife?! They’d both initially been thought to be permanently dead. Then, much like Ryo, they had washed up on a beach…on Miyako Island, if he was remembering correctly. That was in the early months of 2007. Cogito had been launched in the summer of 2008…not quite four years ago. They had certainly gotten back on their feet quickly for people who had had “nothing.” And now, they lived in a sprawling mansion in Palo Alto with their three children, and hobnobbed with all the biggest names in tech.

In any case, Amon was finally done talking, people had clapped, and they had opened the floor to questions. Ekou said, “First, here’s the answer to the question that everyone always has. Yes, that is how my name is actually spelled, and no, I don’t know what my parents were thinking.” A ripple of polite laughter rose from the crowd. Ed had the idea that when she had said “thinking,” what she had really meant was “smoking.” Over the past few years, she’d become famous in her own right from her popular fitness and lifestyle channel on YouTube on which Amon made periodic guest appearances. Ed, always having an interest in fashion, noted that she was attired in a smart dark blue pencil skirt and matching blazer that was meant to complement her husband’s suit (which was gray, to match his eyes), and still had the same short haircut.

The questioners all had favorable opinions of both Cogito and the Shaughnessys–prescreened, obviously–and now it was time for the cocktail party, which would be followed by a late supper in the dining room for a select few guests. Ed had turned out to be one of those few, rather unwillingly. For now, he was just glad that he was old enough to legally drink in America, so he could dull the monotony a bit. However, he knew he had to be careful about that, since he was a lightweight when it came to alcohol and was already feeling the effects after drinking only one cosmopolitan. He had been on his way to grab some canapes to balance it out when he almost literally bumped into Ekou. She had changed into a vintage-looking cocktail dress with a full skirt, and also appeared to have had a drink or two.

“Hey! Edo!” she said. “Whoops, shoot, sorry, Ed. I forgot that I was speaking English for a second there.”

“It’s quite all right. I do the same thing sometimes myself,” he admitted. It tended to be jarring whenever he moved to an English-speaking country after an extended stay in Japan, getting accustomed to his first name having two syllables and then hearing it pronounced with only one again.

Ekou, meanwhile, looked a bit surprised. “Wow, you’re British? Somehow, I guess I never picked up on the accent when you spoke Japanese.” That was understandable, Ed thought, given that she had been rather preoccupied at the time.

“I’m English,” he corrected automatically. “Although I haven’t actually lived there since I was a child. Well, anyway, it was great seeing you again…” –He broke off here and added “alive” under his breath– “but I wanted to go check out those shrimp…now see how Americanized I’ve become, I don’t say ‘prawns’ anymore…” He was starting to wish that Ryo was here with him, since he’d merely stand there and give everyone his best Hell Kaiser glare until they left him alone. He just wanted to get out of here before he had to talk to…

“Ekou! I see that you’ve found an old friend?”

Too fucking late. Now, Ed had to make small talk with Amon Shaughnessy…and the years had not diminished his hatred of the man one bit.

“Hello,” he muttered, affixing the man with what Ryo often referred to as his “bitchface.” Amon, clearly having the time of his life, strode over and stuck out his hand. Ed forced himself to shake it.

“Hello, Ed Phoenix. Are you enjoying the party?” he asked mildly. He was completely sober, or at least appeared that way. Ed very much doubted that he was genuinely making harmless small talk, although he was unsure what the hidden agenda might be. He’d have to stay on guard.

“I’ve been to worse,” he finally said. Now would be the perfect chance to give this arsehole the punch in the face that he so richly deserved. He felt his hands balling into fists…

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Amon told him silkily. “The press is here, after all, and they would love to have a story to plaster all over the front pages tomorrow morning. And that might ruin your career, don’t you think?”

Ed found himself hissing “Kisama!” He couldn’t think of anything in English that could quite encapsulate what he was feeling; “You bastard!” seemed woefully inadequate. To be perfectly honest with himself, though, having something to get this emotionally invested over was as thrilling, in its own way, as one of his skyboarding excursions.

Amon, far from being insulted, made no attempts to hide how much he was enjoying the banter. “And you refuse to let bygones be bygones. How sad.”

“You don’t have to be mad anymore, Ed,” Ekou chimed in, laying a hand on his forearm. “Nor did you have to be to begin with. It was my choice, and look! Everything turned out fine.” And she still didn’t pull her hand away. Why did that simple touch feel so good, make all his thoughts muddled?

Meanwhile, Amon tilted his head consideringly. He lowered his voice. “I have always been curious about something; perhaps you can enlighten me. Why were you that protective of a woman whom you had only just met? Could it be…that you were in love with her?”

This non-sequitur left Ed completely blindsided. For several seconds, he stood there in stunned silence, wondering if he’d heard correctly. Finally, he managed to spit out, “I don’t have to be in love with someone in order to get angry when they’re being treated like a human rubbish bin, thanks.”

“Yes, yes, you’re all about heroics and justice, aren’t you?” Amon sighed, switching to Japanese. “Perhaps ‘love’ is too strong of a word. You want her, then.”

Ed, normally the king of snappy comebacks, couldn’t think of anything he could say that wouldn’t serve to dig himself a deeper hole than the one he was currently in. Because, well, it was true. Since he’d been twelve, he’d considered himself to be exclusively attracted to men…until he’d met Ekou. He hadn’t quite recognized it for what it was at the time, but then, after they’d all returned to their own world, he’d started having dreams about her. Ryo hadn’t been at all concerned about this when Ed had finally confessed this to him, saying something along the lines of, “So you’re bi. Congratulations.” However, he himself was rather shaken to realize that something he’d always believed to be a fundamental truth about himself was inaccurate. Ekou was unlike any other woman he’d ever met…and it didn’t help matters now that her hand was still on his arm.

Amon looked amused at Ed’s continued silence. “If you desire my wife so badly, I have a little proposal for you. You can have her, on one condition…I get to claim you too.”

He took a step backwards. He’d never known Amon swung that way until right now, much less felt like that about him in particular. How long had this been the case? Perhaps all the way back to their duel?

“You are absolutely disgusting,” he whispered. However, he’d hesitated just an instant too long before replying for it to be believable, and he knew it. The whole twisted idea spoke to something deep inside him: the part of him that was never completely satisfied unless he was doing something dangerous. And somehow, Amon seemed to have sensed this.

“It’s only disgusting if you choose to see it that way,” he replied. “I expect that you know a little something of business after spending a decade in the Pro League. Think of it as a mutually beneficial transaction. We won’t force you to do anything you don’t want, of course.”

“Doesn’t she get a say in any of this?” Ed retorted.

“Of course I do,” she assured him. “In fact, it was my idea. We have an open relationship, and I’d always thought that you were cute. Then I saw your name on the potential invite list for this party, and I said to Amon, why don’t we invite him and see what happens?” She giggled a bit, and her face was flushed, although Ed wasn’t sure how much of this was attributable to her amorous feelings and how much was due to alcohol consumption.

So they’d planned all this from the start. Why was he not surprised? Somehow, knowing this excited him further still.

It was at this moment that he saw a flash of light in the background. Ekou finally removed her hand and hissed, “Amon. Cameras.”

“We will continue these negotiations after supper, if you wish. It was nice speaking with you, Mr. Phoenix,” he said, speaking English once again for the benefit of their audience. The two of them walked away to greet more guests, perfectly in sync with one another and not at all acting like they’d just propositioned him for a threesome. How did they do that? A boy with wavy brown hair, who appeared to be about twelve, ran up to the pair and started a conversation with Amon. Ed watched for a few more seconds before looking away.

At least now he could check out the shrimp. Prawns. Whatever. Although he wasn’t certain that he had much appetite anymore.

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The supper proved to be a drawn-out affair, lasting eight courses, with a different wine pairing for each. Ed was both pleased with this because it delayed the inevitable awkward conversation, and annoyed because it meant he had more time to get wrapped up in his ruminative thoughts. He picked at his food and tried not to look at the couple who was throwing the party, but his eyes kept wandering up the table against his will. Ekou had changed her outfit yet again, this time into an emerald green evening gown, and she and Amon were absorbed in amiable conversation with the people seated nearest to them, who appeared to be mostly stuffy investor types. Amon had a pad of paper at the ready, and he was taking copious notes. He’d thought that they were both thoroughly occupied with their socializing…and then Ekou happened to look right at Ed during one of his furtive peeks. She gave him a little smile and wave, until Amon said something which had everyone around them laughing. Immediately, she turned all of her attention back to her husband.

Now that he had gotten over the initial shock of the couple’s proposal, Ed continued to ponder exactly why he hadn’t been completely repulsed by it, as he knew he ought to be. Why was his heart racing every time he thought about it, and not from fear? Why had he felt the color rise in his cheeks when Ekou had smiled at him, or as he contemplated how the muscles of Amon’s powerful arms were evident through multiple layers of fabric? He hated the guy, both for the agony he’d put Ekou through and the flippant attitude he’d had towards the whole thing. That was not up for debate. And yet here he was, getting increasingly vivid fantasies of the guy fucking him so hard that he wouldn’t be able to walk the next morning. On the other end of the spectrum, there was Ekou herself, who could probably kick his ass if she felt like it, yet also had that aura of vulnerability about her even now. And he wanted her too, for very different reasons. He wasn’t certain there was a word for this sort of phenomenon.

He attempted to think of something, anything, that he could use as a reason to turn them down. Fidelity wasn’t the issue here. He and Ryo had decided long ago that they were allowed to have other relationships when on hiatus with theirs, the only two rules being, “always use protection,” and, “don’t do anything too stupid.” The first one wouldn’t be an issue; he wasn’t so far-gone that he couldn’t insist on that. However, he couldn’t be certain whether or not this would qualify as “too stupid.” There was also the fact that he’d never had sex with anyone who wasn’t a cis man before…but that couldn’t be too different, could it? Might even be easier in some ways. Ugh, there he went again, actually considering this outrageous idea! All of this wine must be going to his head.

Finally, dessert was over, and he guessed it must be close to midnight now. People were starting to gradually leave the table and drift off toward the front entrance to arrange for their drivers to come pick them up, although they were in no big rush. Amon and Ekou had been one of the first couples to leave; perhaps they had decided not to continue the discussion after all, and would allow him to go home and pretend like none of this had ever happened…? Then, right as he was getting up, they came back into the room, and Amon beckoned at him. No such luck. He had to make up his mind, and do it fast.

He was fully aware that he didn’t have to follow them; it wasn’t like Amon was holding him at gunpoint or anything. Yet he set off after them anyway. Once they reached their destination, a dark corner of the now nearly-vacant ballroom, Amon turned to him and inquired, “Have you reached a decision yet?”

Ed had, just in these past few seconds. Nevertheless, he was still determined to not capitulate without some resistance, since that was all part of the game.

“If you’re looking for some sort of formal relationship, I have neither the time nor the inclination for that,” he said tartly.

Amon nodded. “Good. Neither do we.”

“It can be only this one thing, or more than once…or if you don’t want to do it at all, just say so and we’ll never mention it again,” Ekou chimed in. But Ed did want it. That was the problem.

“Right…” he began, rushing on before he had the chance to change his mind, “Then my decision is yes.” There was no turning back now.

“Excellent,” Amon responded; to Ed’s slight disappointment, he didn’t make an accompanying finger steeple. “Ekou and I will go out the front entrance, pose a bit for the cameras, and get our car. You go out the side door, down that hall to the left...” –he pointed– “…and we will bring the car around as soon as we’re able.”

It turned out to be a while before they were able. There must have been more cameras than anticipated, Ed thought, although he wouldn’t put it past Amon to dawdle simply to annoy him. Nearly twenty minutes later, he was contemplating giving up and leaving, (even though that would be a hassle, since he’d already called his own driver and told him he wouldn’t be needing a ride home tonight), when he finally saw a black Mercedes turn the corner of the building and pull up next to him. The back door opened automatically, and he took one last second to confirm with himself that he was really, really sure about this before climbing in.

There were three back seats, and he noted with some relief that Ekou had chosen the one in the middle. Thankfully, the interior was roomy enough that no one got squished. Each seat had what seemed like a hundred different buttons to adjust various settings, although he opted not to use any of them. Tinted windows and a partition between the back and front afforded them some privacy. The radio was on, and was currently featuring some guy singing about dynamite. (Having lived in Japan for most of the past three years, Ed wasn’t exactly in the loop about all the newest American pop hits.)

“Do you like our car?” Ekou asked. “We got it last year, after Rachel was born. Three kids, three back seats, you know?” Indeed, Ed could see a few small toys strewn about. It was strange, being reminded that these two were parents. Ed himself had never wanted any children of his own; he found that his work at the orphanages more than fulfilled him.

For a surprisingly long time, the three of them were able to maintain a civil conversation about their rules and expectations for this encounter. Ed was okay with just about anything, really, with the exception of some of the more hardcore fetishes. He was pleased to learn that they had already been planning on strict condom usage before he brought it up. Eventually, this segued into a sort-of civil conversation about their experiences in Dark World. Ed soon found it was easier to keep track of the time by the songs that played rather than continuously looking at his smartphone, and they talked all the way through Katy Perry and Gotye and Owl City and Bruno Mars and Flo Rida. Tongues had been loosened by the alcohol, it seemed. Even Amon was more verbose than usual, and Ed began to suspect that he was more inebriated than he was letting on.

“You posed as a butler?” he snorted. “How completely undignified.” He said this last in a mocking tone.

Ed crossed his arms. “Well, we can’t all have our own personal Exodiamobiles to wait on us hand and foot, can we, Your Majesty?”

“I still wish I could’ve seen that,” Ekou breathed.

“No, you don’t. Judai told me that he looked fucking ridiculous riding on it. Was that your big plan, Amon? To become king because all of your opponents died laughing at you?”

Amon looked away, staring out the window; could it be that he was pouting? “Obviously, I didn’t think things through as well as I had previously assumed.”

“Is that code for ‘Yubel made me their bitch,’ by any chance?”

“Oh? I seem to recall that I made you mine first. Perhaps bitches in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.” As he turned his head back towards Ed, a triumphant smirk playing on his lips, Ed had to admit that he’d walked right into that one.

“Save it for the bedroom, you two,” Ekou interjected. “Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe that either of you walked twenty miles a day while battling morning sickness and having to keep an eye on Chronos.” A new song started on the radio, and she suddenly perked up. “Okay, okay, both of you shut up now. Paparazzi is on.”

Ed instinctively jerked his head towards his own window, worried that photographers were tailing them. Amon muttered, “No, she’s talking about the song. It’s her favorite.”

Indeed, she was listening to it with all of her attention, eyes shining with enigmatic emotion. She sang along with the chorus, and proved to have a surprisingly good voice. Ed could pretty quickly figure out why she liked this song so much, and wondered if Yubel was familiar with it. For the last line, Ekou changed the words up a little, crooning, “Baby, you are famous, chased you down until you loved me…” She trailed off, beaming up at Amon. Ed sighed.

“Oh, but we can’t leave Ed out!” she continued, perhaps misinterpreting the reason for his annoyance. “My hero.” She playfully batted her eyelashes at him. Ed thought, why not? He’d done some improv in Dark World, after all.

“Yes, m’lady,” he replied, deliberately exaggerating his accent. He took her hand and kissed it. “I must defend thine honor, and save thee from yon evil dragon!”

“Oh?” Ekou purred, leaning as far towards him as her seatbelt would allow and giving him a face full of cleavage and perfume. “And what if this lady likes both the knight and the dragon, Sir Ed?” Ed decided that doing this sort of thing had been much easier when none of his blood supply had been diverted. Before he had the chance to think anything else, she had grabbed him by the necktie and aggressively claimed his lips with hers.

Ed had assumed that kissing was one thing that would always be about the same, no matter the gender of his partner. However, he’d been unprepared for how extraordinarily soft Ekou’s lips and skin were. Her hand released its grip on his tie, moving upwards to cup his cheek instead. In contrast to her initial ardor, she gently brushed his lips with the very tip of her tongue, wordlessly seeking permission to deepen the kiss. He granted it. The way her tongue darted around inside his mouth, active yet never quite dominating, was incredible. And Amon could have this every day if he wanted it; in fact, he had taken it for granted to the extent that he’d thought nothing of sacrificing her. Lucky bastard.

Speaking of which, he had been very quiet during all this. Ed briefly opened his eyes and darted his gaze around Ekou’s head, and saw that he was watching them intently. They made eye contact, and Amon’s appraising glance showed no insecurity whatsoever. All too soon, the car turned into a residential area and slowed down, and Ekou broke the kiss.

“This is our street,” she informed him. Ed ran a hand through his hair, trying to collect his scattered thoughts.

He couldn’t help but ask, “Didn’t you say something about ‘saving it for the bedroom?’”

“Consider it a preview, then,” she replied simply. The car started up a driveway, which was very nearly as long as the street itself. They paused briefly at a gate until a security guard opened it and waved them on, ultimately coming to a full stop right next to the house’s main entrance.

“Perfect timing,” Ekou commented as both the engine and radio cut off. “Call Me Maybe was starting and I’m really sick of it.” The driver rolled the partition down to ask if they needed anything else, and she added, “No, thank you, Vicente. You can go home. Leave the car out here for now; we’ll move it to the garage tomorrow.”

The mansion itself was typical for this area, from what Ed could discern in the dark as he got out of the car: white stucco exterior, tiled roof, and lots of arched doorways and windows. He was pretty sure that this style was called Colonial Spanish Revival. The Mercedes had parked in the middle of a roundabout at the end of the driveway, which had a fountain in the center of it, of all things. There were palm trees planted everywhere, of course, and he could just make out a fenced area off to one side, which he was certain was where the pool was located. All in all, it was much more space than a family of five needed…or could use, really. He had always preferred flats himself.

Perhaps getting a little annoyed that Ed was taking this long to inspect his surroundings, Amon laid a hand on his shoulder and guided him into the house. Things were completely quiet in there; it seemed that the servants had all either retired for the night or gone to their own homes. Only turning on enough lights to allow them to navigate, the pair led him up the stairs, a little way down a hall towards the back of the house, and…this was it. He was actually in their bedroom. When he had woken up this morning (or probably yesterday morning by now), he would never have guessed in a million years that this was where he’d pass his next night.

As soon as they were in the room, Amon flicked the overhead light on. Ekou began stripping immediately after that, grumbling about how she hated long dresses. And she didn’t stop with the dress, either. Her back was turned to the men, but that expanse of almost startlingly pale skin was plenty for Ed to look at already. He wondered how much sunscreen she went through to keep it looking that way in California. Then she looked over her shoulder almost shyly, saw both of them staring at her, and turned around. All of Ed’s further attempts at rational thought flew out the window. She murmured an apology about her stretch marks, although in all honesty he hadn’t noticed them. Not when there were two much more important things grabbing his attention.

“Isn’t she exquisite?” Amon whispered in his ear, having snuck up behind him. This time, he put both of his hands on Ed’s shoulders, and laughed low in his throat at his little jump.

Ekou shifted around a bit, biting her lip. “Uh…guyyys? I don’t think I can wait for much longer.”

“Let me see,” Amon requested. His wife, always compliant to all of his wishes, sat on the bed and spread her legs. Almost primly, he remarked, “Yes, wet already, aren’t you?.” Bending his face back down to the level of Ed’s ear (which was a considerable distance), he explained, “That means she’s ready.”

Ed rolled his eyes and said, “I could figure that much else by myself…” only to break off with a gasp as Amon’s lips trailed downward, first nibbling on his earlobe, then kissing his neck.

“What do you think, Ed? Should we give her a show?” How clever of him to frame the question like that, to make it seem like this was solely for Ekou’s benefit.

Ed finally ducked out from his grip and turned around to look at him head-on. He’d recalled the redhead having unpleasant, almost rodent-like facial features, but that aspect didn’t seem nearly as prominent now. It could be that he’d simply grown into his looks a bit…or maybe it was merely Ed’s “wine goggles” that were doing the talking. No matter the reason, he shrugged in an attempt to appear as nonchalant as Amon, responding, “Yes, I suppose we should.”

In next to no time at all, Amon had tilted Ed’s face upwards and was kissing him. Unlike his wife, there was nothing at all gentle or soft about his style, and he thought he’d probably have telltale bruises on his lips tomorrow morning. But he didn’t care about that now, not when the other man’s hands were slipping ever further downwards and Ekou let out a little whimper in the background. Then, suit jackets and ties were being flung every which way, and he found himself kneeling on the bed facing Ekou, who was breathlessly telling him how and where to touch her, and then Amon, who had stepped away for a few moments, had returned with the necessary supplies, and then he was behind Ed, pushing him downward towards the mattress, and this was about the time that he simply surrendered to the oblivion of pleasure.

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The next morning, Ed woke up to find himself alone in the bed. Through half-open eyes, he peered at the alarm clock. Almost 11 AM; thank fuck that his schedule was light today and he didn’t have to be anywhere until that interview at 4 this afternoon. His head ached and his mouth tasted horrible, but he felt oddly content as he recalled what he could of the events of last night.

He'd ended up sandwiched between the two of them; there was so much body heat and sweat was dripping everywhere and all three of them were breathing heavily. One pair of hands, large and powerful, were clamped onto his hips, while a second, more delicate pair wandered up and down his back, scratching at his skin with manicured fingernails, trying to find something, anything, to grab onto. Amon’s rhythmic grunts mingled with Ekou’s squeals and whispers of how good this felt. Being stimulated from both ends like this was overwhelming, just this side of too much. He loved it.

Things had gone more or less smoothly. There’d been only one minor hitch: in the absence of the visual cues he was accustomed to, Ed had failed to notice after he’d finished that Ekou hadn’t come as well until she’d actually told him. He’d hesitated, unsure what would be the best way to get her off, until Amon had intervened with a smug, “Allow me to demonstrate how it’s done.” He’d proceeded to go down on his wife, bringing her to orgasm multiple times, while Ed watched.

Oh well. It had been a rather titillating educational experience, and at least he’d know what to do next time. If there was a next time.

He forced himself out of bed (and found that he could walk after all, even if he was a little sore), and headed into the bathroom. There, he discovered that every hygienic implement he could possibly need had been laid out on the sink counter, and his clothes either neatly folded or hung up. Did that mean the servants had been in here while he was still sleeping…and nude? He decided that worse things had happened to him. They’d probably all had to sign non-disclosure agreements anyway.

After he’d showered and done all that, he got re-dressed in his clothes from last night and headed off to find out where everyone was and see if he could get something to eat. Eventually, his wanderings took him to a sunlit breakfast nook, where he finally his erstwhile bedmates. They were both still in bathrobes, hand wrapped around mugs of coffee. They didn’t notice Ed’s entrance, probably because they were busy looking at an assortment of computer printouts scattered across the tabletop.

“What’s this one? Have we used it in an advertisement before?” Amon asked, pointing at one of the images.

“That’s called ‘Y U NO,’” Ekou told him, “And no, we haven’t used it yet. A little strange, since it’s one of my favorites. But it’s a couple years old already; do you think that’s too late?”

“Well, we could always ask Sid’s opinion if it comes to that.”

While the couple continued to puzzle over the Y U NO conundrum, a dark-haired toddler sat in a high chair nearby; Ed guessed that this must be the “Rachel” that Ekou had referred to last night. A variety of diced foods had been placed on the high chair’s tray for her to pick and choose from. In the next room over, he could hear a cartoon playing on TV and kids laughing. It could have been a scene playing out in any one of millions of households across America, and showed no indication that the two adults had been having hot and nasty sex with him less than twelve hours ago.

After a couple of minutes had gone by without anyone realizing he was there, Ed finally cleared his throat. Both of their heads jerked up in surprise.

“Good morning, Ed,” Amon said blandly. “Coffee?”

“I prefer tea,” he replied. He winced internally; he’d been intending to sound arrogant, but it had come out more petulant than anything else.

Ekou nodded. “We can do that too. Hot tea or cold? And did you want anything to eat?”

“Cold. With dry toast and a poached egg.”

She punched an intercom button near the table and relayed this order. “That shouldn’t take too long to get here,” she said.

While they were waiting, Ed took his opportunity to get one issue out of the way.

“Ekou, I’m...sorry about last night,” he ventured. Typically, he was not the kind of person who offered many apologies, but this was Ekou. At any rate, she didn’t seem bothered.

“That’s all right,” she told him. “It all worked out in the end. Were you satisfied otherwise?”

“Yes,” Ed stated simply. Very much so, in fact, although he wasn’t completely ready to admit that even to himself.

“Then we will do it again, if you are so inclined,” Amon said. He had finished looking at the memes, and picked up a copy of the Sunday New York Times that had been placed nearby.

As Ekou had anticipated, Ed’s breakfast arrived shortly thereafter. They even had the brand of bottled tea that he liked. Coincidence…or not? He was about half finished with his food when the door to the TV room opened and a pajama-clad small child walked into the breakfast nook.

“Mommy? Who’s that?” he asked. He didn’t look alarmed, only curious. Perhaps he was used to this sort of thing; Ekou had mentioned an open relationship.

“This is our friend, Mr. Phoenix,” she told the kid. “Can you show your big-boy manners and say hi, Max?”

“Hi, Mr. Phoenix!” Max piped, offering a smile and a wave.

Ed finished chewing the bite of toast in his mouth, then answered, “Hello, Max. Nice to meet you.”

Max’s face lit up. “Mommy! He sounds like Obi-Wan Kenobi!”

She smiled at her son indulgently. “That’s his accent. He’s from England, just like Obi-Wan’s actor.”

“Isn’t Ewan McGregor Scottish?” Amon offered somewhat distractedly, face still buried in the newspaper.

“Hm. Maybe. But anyway…was there something you wanted, Max?”

“Yeah. When are Anna and Sasha coming over?” Max bounced on his heels.

Ekou’s eyes widened. “That’s today?!” She reached for an appointment book that was lying on the table and frantically flipped through it. “Yes. 1:30. Thank you for reminding me, Max. Now go get dressed, and tell Lior to do the same. As a matter of fact, we all need to get out of our pajamas.”

“Mr. Phoenix isn’t in his pajamas!” Max pointed out, giggling.

“That’s because Mr. Phoenix has his act together and we don’t,” Ekou commented drily. “Now go. Get a move on.” Once Max had scurried out of the room, she added quietly, “Shit. I’d totally forgotten. I have to get going. I haven’t even done my workout yet.” Then she stood and vacated the room as well, taking Rachel with her, so Ed and Amon were alone here now.

“You may leave, or you may stay,” Amon told him, setting the paper down. “Whichever you prefer.”

“I should probably leave. I have an interview later today to get ready for,” Ed answered. His phone buzzed, and he reached for it and unlocked the screen. It was a text from Emeralda, demanding to know where he was, along with several missed calls. He typed out a quick reply, declining to answer her question but confirming that he was, in fact, alive.

“I’m in trouble now…” he muttered. Before he left, though, he turned to the redhead and said, “Last night didn’t change anything between us, you know. I still loathe every fiber of your being, and will punch you in the face one of these days.”

“But of course,” Amon answered, looking totally unperturbed. “That’s what makes it interesting.”

#GXRarePairsWeek #day 5 #fanfic #denyshipping #sacrificeshipping #edo phoenix #aster phoenix #amon garam #adrian gecko #yugioh gx ekou #yugioh gx echo #queue post

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talesofzero · 7 years

Text

Carpe Noctem - Ch. 27

AU; Chapter 27 - Fiat Iustitia Et Pereat Mundus

More or less the final main chapter. Melodrama abounds.

~2700 words

Wataru and I always joked about who would win in a fight, and we’d had our spats. But this was different. This wasn’t for punishment, not him losing patience with me, not some harmless bout.

His hands shot toward my chest anytime he came within range. He wanted to tear my heart out. He wanted me dead. Well, it wasn’t really him.

My only thought was to stall. His reach was longer than mine, and if I made one wrong move, I was as good as dead. If it had been some other vampire aiming to kill me, I would have had little trouble moving in close and ending his life first. But this was my brother. I could only hope for an opening to knock him out.

In the cramped quarters between homes, I leapt back from him over and over, always fearing my back landing against a wall. He closed each gap I made in an instant, one hand outstretched to grab or kill me.

I had to buy more time. Useless as he was, Father wouldn’t abandon us. He would show up eventually to help.

Any moment now…

If that bastard did abandon us again, I would come back from the grave just to kick his ass.

Despite his empty eyes, Wataru wasn’t as mindless as he appeared. I was wrong to think I was leading him, as I saw the walls in my peripherals narrowing into a corner. He’d herded me right where he wanted me.

With my options limited, I tried to dart past him. Immediately, I realized my mistake. His hand caught my throat and slammed me into the wall. The wooden structure crackled at my back.

“Wataru,” I hissed, catching his eye. The familiar song of hypnosis tinted my voice. “Stop.”

His eye flashed red for an instant, just long enough for me to know he was fighting, just long enough for his fingertips to pause against my chest. It gave me enough time to grab his arm and snap the bone clean in two.

Though he didn’t make a sound, his grip on my throat eased. Shoving myself from the wall, I placed myself in his guard. “Wake up!” I roared, grabbing his head in one hand and smashing it down onto the dirt ground. The crack of his skull rang up into my shoulder. As I knelt there panting, he remained still. Blood pooled out in a dark stain around his head.

I may have overdone it, but his heartbeat remained strong in echo to mine. Leaning in close, I breathed a sigh, “My apologies, brother. But please stay down.”

Regaining my feet, I looked back to the wolves. Nazca stood over Shep’s fallen form. The poor boy’s tail was tucked between his legs, though it was clear he was trying to look menacing in case of trouble. Gido, as always, had vanished from sight. I had to hope Father had tailed him.

“Nazca,” I called. The wolf’s ears perked up. “Try to drag these two to safety, somewhere out of the sun’s reach. If Wataru wakes, he shouldn’t hurt you, but stay out of his way just in case.”

He gave a nod. I had no choice but to trust him based solely on that. The sky was beginning to lighten.

I could still feel Gido and Father’s hearts, both racing now. They weren’t too far. I dashed down the nearest alley as half the sky stained the deep blue of the ocean. If the Sun caught me, so be it, as long as it caught Gido as well.

I came upon him in the middle of a crossroads, covered in nicks and gashes from the rapier clutched in Father’s hand. It hung limp in Father’s grasp, fallen to his side. His breath rattled like Zero’s had after that damn arrow hit him. The gash in Father’s shoulder, Gido’s cutlass, and the smell of wolfsbane in the air told the rest of the story.

As I rushed in between them, Gido stepped back. It seemed I’d arrived just in time, or something had stopped Gido from delivering a fatal blow.

“Sorry,” Father murmured at my back. “Let my guard down.”

“It’s alright, Vati,” I said. “Find a safe spot. Rest.”

His slowing heart raced a few beats. He always was easy to please. As his dragging footsteps grew distant, I stared Gido down.

“Enough running,” I said once again.

He said nothing, his lips pulled into a frown.

“Let’s end this.” I took a step forward, and he staggered back. It seemed all that talk was for nothing once he truly had to face me.

“Is Wataru alright?” he asked.

My blood boiled for a moment. He’d been the one to put Wataru in danger in the first place, but my confusion overwhelmed my anger. “What?” was all I could manage.

“You smell like his blood. Is he alright?”

“He’s fine,” I growled.

He swallowed. Then nodded. When he spoke, his voice wavered. “The house with the flowers in the window, back the way you came – go there when this is over.” A tear rolled down his cheek. “My god, it’s finally over.”

I took another step toward him, my hand reaching out on its own. And again, he stepped back away from me. His cutlass, stained with Father’s blood, clattered to the ground.

“Go back there, Phantom. Promise me you’ll go back.” More tears followed, bleeding out from under the mask.

This time, I didn’t give him the chance. In two quick steps, I stood close enough to rip the mask away. His eyes were puffy and red with exhaustion, yet they were the same brilliant blue as the sky overhead. “Richard,” I breathed. My hand came to rest against his cheek, and he leaned into my touch with a pained smile.

“Promise me, big brother.”

“I-I promise.” I couldn’t recall what I was promising. I only knew he was here now, my little brother. There was ground beneath my feet once more.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I can’t stay.”

No, I had him back now. He couldn’t leave again. I wouldn’t let him. I wouldn’t let anything hurt him ever again. I would protect him. I would-

“Let it end,” he said.

My heart burst again, a cavernous, bloody hole in my chest.

“But you’re back,” I said, dazed. “It’s you. I know it’s you.”

“He’ll come back. He always does once the sun sets. Phantom. Please.”

“I can’t,” I choked. “I can’t kill you. I can’t lose you again.” I clutched his face in my hands, tears pouring from my eye. “I can’t hurt you again. I’m sorry,” I sobbed. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Pushing up to his toes, he placed a kiss to my forehead and shushed me as though I were the younger one. “You don’t have to kill me. It’s alright. I should never have asked you to. But let it end.”

He placed his hand to my chest and shoved be back hard enough for my back to hit the wall. Again, he took a few steps back, out of the shadow of the house shielding us and into the sun’s burning rays.

“Richard,” I gasped, stumbling forward to grasp at him. Even with my glove, the moment my hand found sunlight, the sting made me jolt back. I couldn’t imagine my brother’s pain as he fell to his knees, steam rising from his skin.

“It’s okay-it’s okay,” he lied. He forced his eyes up to mine, a bright, brilliant smile easing onto his face. “I know Gido always wanted to make you hurt, so it’s cruel of me to give him what he wants like this, but I’m happy you’re here with me. I didn’t want to be alone.”

His breaths became ragged gasps for air, and I started toward him again. I wanted to pull him to safety, but if I couldn’t have that, I wanted to hold him close while he burned.

“No, Phantom, you have to live,” he said as a crack appeared in his cheek. “I’m not mad at you. I wouldn’t have traded those years with you and Daiba for anything. I want you to be happy like that again, with him. So live for them. And for me.”

His cheek began to crumble away, graying into ash and falling like snow. It infected his eye until he mirrored me. As I tried to find something to say other than an apology, he turned toward the sound of uneven footsteps. A young boy with rattling breaths hobbled toward us, his hair a mess of auburn. Blood dripped from his chin with his every lurching step.

“Sammy,” Richard called, and the boy’s red-hued eyes lit up. He collapsed into Richard’s awaiting arms as they too crumbled into dust. “I’ve got you,” Richard cooed as though speaking to a pet, as I felt sure he was.

“I’m sorry,” I said, this time to the boy. I doubted he heard me. His eyes fell shut as he rested his head in Richard’s lap, his breaths softened into nothing as Richard ran his vanishing fingers through the boy’s hair.

“It’s alright,” Richard said, a soft, contented smile on his face as he watched the boy. “It’s so warm. I’ve missed the sun.”

Finally, his body could no longer sustain him, and he fell away completely into dust. The boy lay alone with a pile of clothes. Unable to bring myself to leave him, I reached into the light and snatched him out of it.

It felt wrong to hold him, but nothing felt right anymore. Ducking into the still-shadowed alleys, I returned to the square where I’d left Wataru and the wolves. No signs of them remained. With the sun bearing down on me, I was left with no other choice but to hide away in the home with the flowers in the window. I had to return there anyway. I couldn’t deny my brother his last request.

The door was open, and the darkened staircase was an inviting reprieve from the blinding sunlight. As I carried the boy down, I felt the echoing drum of heartbeats. My family must have found the safe house as well, allowing me to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

It wasn’t until I reached the bottom of the steps that I noticed the two forms huddled in the corner of an open cell. They were much too small to be my family, yet their hearts beat as mine. Gido must have turned others, then.

That explained why Richard wanted me to come back, to take care of Gido’s newbloods, the poor things.

Settling the boy’s body on the floor, I crept toward the cowering forms. With no idea how they might react to me, I had to be prepared for a fight.

“Are you awake?” I called, my voice raw and hardly recognizable as my own. “Excuse me, I mean no harm.”

One of their heads popped up from being buried against the other, and a growl began. Just as the thought of a feral rang in my mind, it tackled me to the ground. Brown eyes hung over my own, tips of blond hair prickling my cheeks. He reared back to slash at me.

“Daiba,” I said as though the name were foreign to me. His hand froze in the air. “Daiba… Tadashi Daiba…” I couldn’t find anything else to say but his name, over and over. Perhaps that would make it real.

“It’s me, Daiba. Harlock. Captain.”

Of course, he didn’t understand. If anything, he found my scent familiar. His eyes remained fogged, his lips drawn into a snarl. I moved slowly so as not to startle him, bringing my hand up to my mouth to tear open my palm with my fangs.

He perked up at that, leaning down to latch onto my hand without hesitation. He gnawed on me like a dog chewing a bone, just like he always had. Daiba. This was Daiba.

He gave a yelp as I sat up and threw my arm around him. Despite his hissing and struggling, I buried my face in his hair. The smell of him brought back a torrent of memories, of the way he’d sneak into my bed or lounge in my lap like a lazy cat.

“My little Daiba,” I hummed as I found myself crying again. This made him still. His growls warbled into purrs. I must have held him for hours, until he fell asleep once more.

I would have been content to remain like that all day, having someone to hold onto once more. But my head snapped up as I suddenly recalled the other one. His heartbeat tipped me off, a frantic trill. He must have woken and noticed me because he’d pressed himself into the corner, clutching his head for protection.

Daiba gave a grumble as I set him down. It seemed he truly hadn’t changed from the clingy newblood I remembered. “Hang on,” I said. “I’ll be just a moment.”

As I eased closer to the other one, his trembling increased to violent tremors. Definitely another feral. “It’s alright,” I called regardless. “I won’t harm you.” Flexing my hand broke open the wound again, and I held it out to the boy.

But he turned and slammed his back further into the corner, terrified of my outstretched hand.

He looked so certain I would hurt him.

Yama.

My Yama.

I fell to my knees in front of him as he tried to fuse himself with the stone at his back. “Yama,” I breathed. “Yama, it’s me.”

But when I reached for him, he screamed, bringing his hands up between us for protection. It was like a knife to the chest. Daiba appeared then, pressing himself to Yama’s side and purring like a roll of thunder. Perhaps Yama imagined him like Mii-kun, as he clung to Daiba in a frightened daze.

As much as I longed to hold them both and to ease Yama’s fears, my exhaustion was catching up to me. I couldn’t recall the last time I’d slept properly, and crying had left me drained. “Ah, liebling,” I sighed only to realize my English had failed me. A quick shake of my head cleared the blur from my vision for a moment. “Please be here when I wake,” I said as I settled myself to the ground beside them.

I must not have looked threatening that way to Yama because Daiba’s purring infected him. It made for a nice symphony to help ease me into sleep. By some miracle, I had no nightmares.

And by some greater miracle, I found them both snuggled into my grasp when I next opened my eye. Some sound had woken me, but I let my eye fall shut again. The mumbled voices I heard were familiar enough to give me no cause for alarm.

I heard yelling soon after, enough that I could only pretend to still sleep. And pretend I did. Daiba was growling about something, but Yama remained close enough that I could smell flowers with each breath.

“Harlock!” Tochiro snapped, loud enough to break through to me. “Wake up!”

“No,” I said.

“We’ll have to carry him back,” Emeraldas said.

“What about Daiba?”

“Zero can get him.”

“He’s going to rip Zero’s throat out.”

“I doubt Zero will mind.”

“He won’t! And that’s the problem.”

“Quit talking about me like I’m not here,” Zero snapped.

A smile tugged at my lips. I felt far too heavy to move. Even speaking felt impossible, but I managed some slurred attempt at communication. “S’everyone alright?”

“I guess?” Tochiro said. “Léopard and the others are helping get your dad, Wataru, and the wolves back to the ships. What, uh, happened to Gido?”

“Gone.”

“Oh… well then we’d better, um-”

“Promethium called a meeting,” Zero said over him.

My eye snapped open. “What?”

“It seems she found out the Lords were congregating here without her, and she didn’t care for it. She’s on her way. Léopard is shaking in his boots.”

That would be Hell to deal with. With everything else going on, I didn’t need that too. “Can I… just sleep now?” I sighed.

Zero laughed. “Go ahead. Rest. We’ll take care of you for now.”

As my eye fell shut once more, I saw Daiba gnawing on his hand. Of course, I could leave things to him and the others. Neither Tochiro nor Zero had ever let me down. All would be well.

At least until Promethium arrived.

#AU fic #Captain Harlock #Space Pirate Captain Harlock #Harlock fic #Gido fic #dick coyne fic #sam coyne fic #Nazca fic #Wataru fic #zero fic #Tochiro fic #Emeraldas fic #Great Harlock fic

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kimjongdaely · 4 years

Note

What about Emeralda and Sehun POV of eternal? I really wonder what both think, also I hope Emeralda don't get feelings for Baekhyun pretty pls 🙏😭

Oooh interesting! I won’t do Sehun’s though because it might spoil stuff 😊

Emerald winces as Baekhyun’s fangs pierce her skin. No matter how many times it happens she still can’t quite get used to the pain.

She’s been doing this for years now, going from vampire to vampire as their feeding slave. Some are better than others, but she’d rather do this than be a Pet.

A Pet is irreversible. A Pet has no freedom.

At least with this, she can pretend she’s still in charge of her own fate.

Baekhyun is nice, in her book at least. He doesn’t hurt her, doesn’t torture her or force her to do anything she doesn’t want to. He simply feeds whenever he needs to, takes a suitable amount of blood, then leaves. There are no conversations, no threats or sadistic pleasure.

It’s because he’s in love with someone, Emerald thinks. Must be, since his Pet is pregnant. She’s never heard of a Pet getting pregnant before, and surely if one were to become pregnant, their master would kill them and and the baby immediately.

Not like Baekhyun. Emerald can tell their feelings are genuine. The way Baekhyun’s eyes soften whenever he sees her, and lately she’s even caught him smiling and laughing with Thorn, touching her baby bump and looking...happy.

Thorn is a very lucky girl, Emerald can’t help but feel a little envious. But then sometimes she sees the pain and sorrow in Thorn’s eyes, the way she seems older and more mature than her age. Perhaps her life was not all sunshine and rainbows either. Perhaps they are more similar than Emerald thought, just surviving in their own way.

She wishes she could be friends with Thorn one day, even though Thorn seems to dislike her so heavily. But Emerald knows more than anyone what years of suffering can do to one’s mind, insecurities and fears build upon each other until they explode one day.

Emerald wonders if Thorn is happy with Baekhyun. She hopes she is. She hopes they can be a real family together one day.

That would be like a dream for all humans. Maybe one day she can find herself someone like that too.

[POV switch: send me a fic scene and whose POV you want it in]

#answered #pov switch #eternal

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ajora · 6 years

Text

Fandom/Beta AU nonsense mostly.

Things I want to do:

Moby Dick with Skinny as Ahab is gnawing on my head lately (y’all already know who her white whale is, probably. “Jaspers don’t give up. Jaspers keep going, until we get what we want.”, and boy does Skinny want vengeance after the Malachite thing in Beta AU)

I really should have given her a harpoon instead of a macuahuitl as her summoned weapon. Oh well. A macuahuitl fits her vengeful, vicious side better (it’s a vicious and versatile weapon in a skilled hand), but a harpoon would have fit the Ahab theme she apparently wants going.

tbh I don’t even know how or when she ends up manifesting her weapon the first time, because she’s usually so laid back that it’s just not an issue.

I don’t even know if I'm going to do jaspearl in this fic at all. It’s just something that slipped in as a fragment of an idea and just. Stayed a fragment. If it happens at all, it’ll be well after Steven’s birth because Jasper respects the grieving process and 14 years is still an awfully short time in the lives of beings thousands of years old.

Carnelian as the Tochiro? I see her shipped with Skinny all the time and when I do I can’t get past seeing them as Harlock and Tochiro and I’m so sorry, Leijiverse was one of my Ur fandoms (I saw My Youth in Arcadia... I think when I was 13 or something and look the original anime/manga were all about fighting for freedom when the entire universe is against you and that’s my jam), so it’s extra weird to me. So now she either has to be entirely separate from Twig or else I end up wanting to have her tinker and chug sake and keep a pet named Bird-san. And if I do that, she has to have a Cosmo Dragoon as her summoned weapon. I’ve already given her the cloak and hat as a concession to my ridiculous id.

I can’t ship Harlock x Tochiro 2.0. Nope. Who is gonna be Carnelian’s Emeraldas if I do? Scouter isn’t cool enough to be Emeraldas. No one is. And then if I have an Emeraldas, I’ll need a Maetel. It’s really best if I don’t go down this rabbit hole any more than I already have.

I really wish I could get back into rosepearl, but I just. can’t. get. past. the. PD. actual romanticized slavery thing. I’m sorry. I’m a disappointment and have failed the fandom probably.

Things I have to do instead:

Work. I got a call yesterday as I was leaving the office and, essentially, that’s yet another thing I have to fix

Deadlines at work

Hound that one person who is ignoring me about a deadline

So much work

#ajora shut up #SU: Beta AU

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aube-in-arcadia · 6 years

Photo

Four.

And we have now:

- a green Arcadia, - Harlock without eyepatch, with the blue collar of 78 (but darker), the cape of 2013, the sweater of Galaxy Express (with 2013 zip), pants of SSX, customised belts and Emeraldas’ sword, - Kei Yuki with her 2013 suit (and her 2013 gun too), belts vaguely from Endless Odyssey and a random sniper rifle she used in my crossover fic with My Little Pony, - and Mimee with ears, black suit from SSX, boots because I decided to and blue hair.

Let’s color this.

#harlock #kei yuki #mimee #leijiverse #sketch #my art

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endeavorsreward · 7 years

Text

This entire blog could be something entirely different

There are many upsides from having a tumblr that is hyper-focused on a single thing; I stay out of a long of nonsense, just kinda tending my garden here, and sometimes people come by and say nice things about the flowers.

The one downside is that it sorta gives the impression I only have one interest, or even just that because this is what I’ve decided to make with my free time, it’s indicative of what I think the “best” game is, or any of that business.

First off, the actual literal “best” game is Kentucky Route Zero. There’s no competition on that front. Ivalice is just important to me for a lot of personal reasons, and the writing of the Matsuno parts of the franchise appeal heavily to my interests and how I write stuff.

But I could’ve done this “novelization” project with another game, pretty easily - I even have a ton of files and notes for another game, how I’d fix and improve and even novelize it, I just decided the sheer labor involved in that didn’t offer the same reward for me.

But I’ve had a long day and I thought some people might be curious what I’d do with a different game, so here’s a test run I made some years ago, a small excerpt from an unfinished fic that sorta sat alongside my notes:

2. Fei Fong Wong

“Here.” Yui's gentle fingers slid along Fei's throat, a strangely intimate touch, and he tensed for a moment. But she pressed firmly, just to the side of his adam's apple, and smiled in reassurance. “This should do it. How does it feel?”

Fei brought his own fingers to his neck, and felt the light ribbing of the patch that she'd applied. “It's really stuck on there, yeah. You really don't think anyone will notice?”

She shook her head. She looked sly, confident – it was amazing that Fei had never really noticed this side of Citan's wife before, She had always been there, ubiquitous, the calming counterpart to the Doc's flights of whimsy, his mad projects. A brilliant chef, whom her husband was always teasing. Ever-patient, always ready with a bright laugh for her quiet daughter.

A warrior of Shevat.

“No, they won't see it. The color matches your skin pretty well.” He was sitting on a kitchen table in the quarters that Citan's family shared, a tastefully-appointed suite in the royal palace. Yui was a Sage's granddaughter, and she was an important figure, here—important enough that Shevat had traveled half the globe's length to retrieve her when she'd called, had collected up the survivors of Lahan without hesitation. “That said, I think we could do with applying a little make-up, to help conceal the seams.”

“Make-up?” Fei goggled. “Uh, Yui, I don't think...”

She tut-tutted him, playfully slapped his shoulder. “Don't be such a man, Fei, relax. I promise, Bart and Rico will never notice you're wearing it.”

His legs swung beneath the table, like a small boy's. He always felt like a child when Yui was scolding him. “Well... I mean, I guess... if it's necessary...”

She picked up some foundation from a nearby side table. “Now, remember. The transceiver has a very short range – it has to, or the signals would be detected. So you need to stay close to Elly, or to my husband, for it to work.”

“Right.” He nodded, and then winced as she began puffing his neck. “And I just speak under my breath, and they do the same with theirs, and we'll pick up each other on the earpiece?”

“And they'll be able to translate for you, without anyone noticing.”

“Wow.” He resisted the urge to touch it again, to pick at it. “Shevat's technology is incredible.” He shook his head. “Yui... I never could have imagined... when I was in Lahan...”

“Mm.” She crossed her arms. “Well, it's certainly true, Fei. Things are more advanced. I...” She frowned. “I wish we'd been able to share more with the people still on the ground below.” So many secrets, secrets all of them have kept. “But this isn't Shevite technology, Fei. Citan made this.”

“Oh! Well, that figures.” He chuckled. “Is there anything that the Doc can't do?”

She gave him a long look, and then spoke in a measured voice. “Yes.”

3. Lieutenant Elhaym Van Houten

It was before, during their first visit to Shevat, when she'd first seen it.

“No, I don't know why Queen Zephyr asked me to bring you down here...” Maria all but skipped wherever she walked. “I think she said it was Wiseman's idea.” Elly couldn't help but feel envious. Here, in Shevat, Maria was home. Even after all Maria had endured – the true fates of her parents, the origin of Siebzehn – Maria had a home, a place that welcomed her. Elly thought about what she'd left behind, and how much was unfinished...

“Maria?” Elly had stopped halfway down the stairs, and Maria had turned. “Do you know much about that man? Wiseman?”

She shook her head. “Only that the Queen trusts him. Why?”

It had been the escape from Zeboim. Wiseman's Gear holding back that... that thing, that red blur, that had attacked them. The Demon of Elru. The terror of Commander Ramsus. And they'd had to run, to leave him behind, because Stein had taken the girl, had taken Emeralda away from her... from them... When Stein took off, she'd begged them to go back for Wiseman, but the entrance to the dig site had collapsed.

Why had she feared for Wiseman so?

She had once again followed Maria as they headed further into the depths of the palace. She was unable to give Maria the answer. She'd wanted to save Wiseman for Fei, but also for herself. She'd wanted to ask Wiseman about Grahf.

And why Grahf had saved her life.

They reached prison block, and took a corner. A Shevite guard gave them a glance, and then nodded that they could pass.

Wiseman was safe and sound, as though it had never happened. He'd given Elly the briefest tilt of the head, and now he was gone, again, as if the whole thing was supposed to be funny.

“We're here.” Maria had stepped aside so that Elly could enter.

The room was giant, but many rooms were giant. It was built to house a Gear. But this Gear was...

“Ah!” Elly took a step back. It looked like Vierge, but of course it wasn't. In her heart, she knew exactly what it was. Knew why she felt warmth radiate from it, towards only her. It was almost as if it were singing...

“It's Sophia's.” Maria's voice was soft, gentle – Sophia's name was always spoken in that tone – but she looked confused. Elly just kept staring at the feather-like swoops from the Gear's hips, from its crest. What did those look like, to her? To Miang's gear, maybe? It had those wings. Or... “Elly? You okay?”

It's okay. Come join with me. Let's be again together, as we were... “No. No, I can't.” Elly pushed past Maria. “No, I'm sorry, I can't...”

And that had been it.

Now, on the eve of going back to Solaris, Elly found herself in that room again, sitting against the opposite wall from the giant machine, hugging her legs. She was dressed in her Gebler uniform, for the first time since the Thames. Since those days alone, on the shipwreck, with Fei. And this beautiful and horrible thing that had called to her, she was here again, with the same questions, the same doubts.

And more besides: there was that girl, that green-haired girl, who was upstairs right now scaring people. The feathers looked a bit like her Gear, too, was that it?

“I thought I'd find you down here.” Elly looked up to see the edge of a familiar red cape.

“Oh... Margie.”

“Wow.” Margie sat down beside her, looking up at the Omnigear. “This was... it was really hers?”

“Yes.” Elly, somehow, just knew.

“I can't even frame that in my mind. This is all so strange.” Margie breathed out. “But I had to see it.”

“Is it true?” Elly didn't look at her. “The painting? That Sophia... that she looks like...”

Margie clapped her hands on her knees. “Let's go back upstairs together. We never get to talk.”

“I...” Elly looked at the Gear, who seemed to be judging her. “Okay.” She accepted Margie's hand, and tried to convince herself that like Maria, she had a place where she belonged.

4. Emeralda Kasim

One of the only things that Emeralda had to call her own was a memory of candles. Kim had placed them on that confection one at a time, smiling and looking back at her, in her tube. Candles were a part of Kim, Kim-Kim or Fei's Kim, and so when the Bagboy was setting up candles, too, Emeralda found herself drawn to come see what he was doing.

Bagboy was Bagboy because he wore a big blue bag, with a bow on top. His hair was white, even though Emeralda remembered somehow that white was old. Emeralda remembered lots of things despite not knowing why, like what shoes were, or arms. When Emeralda rode her Gear she didn't have arms, but Emeralda could make herself have arms or no arms, so that was okay. She also remembered how to ride her Gear. But the bad men had helped her remember that part.

Bagboy set up his candles in a line, and Emeralda practiced counting them. Counting was hard when it wasn't data, like when you were fighting. Bagboy turned around, and Emeralda became a tree so that he wouldn't see her. Trees were green on top, like she was. Green – that's why Kim named her Emeralda!

Bagboy smiled, and he smiled a liiiittle bit like Kim, and that was nice. Bagboy wasn't so bad, like some of the others. Green-Man was green, like Emeralda's hair, but he was always mean-looking. Rat-man smelled funny, and One-Eye and other One-Eye didn't pay attention to her. The only ones that she liked besides Kim were the girl in the goggles, who was always nice, and the girl in the poofy hat, who everyone liked, and the other one that she forgot the name of, the one who was always bringing her candy. Oh! His name meant “house,” she remembered that part.

“I hope Emeralda doesn't come in.” Bagboy was still smiling. “Because I'd never be able to figure out if she was hiding.”

Emeralda laughed. Oops! Trees don't laugh!

“Gotcha.” Bagboy waved at her. “How are you doing today, Emeralda?”

“Bagboy tricked me.” Emeralda turned back into herself.

“Oh, Emeralda...” He shook his head slightly. “You should call me Billy. 'Bagboy' is okay, but Billy is my name.”

“Yes, Billy is Billy.” Why did she do that? She didn't know. It was hard to stop. None of these people were Kim. And Kim was Kim. So the rest were just not-Kim. But some of them were nice. So she should try to be nice, too.

“Thank you, Emeralda.” Pleased, Billy coaxed her a little closer. “Do you want to join me?”

“What is Billy doing with the candles?” She reached out, and gently ran her finger along one. Finally touching one. It wasn't Kim's candles, that she never got to touch.

“I'm lighting a candle for each one of us.” Billy fished in his “bag” – his cloak – for a matchbook. “Because we're going to do something dangerous tomorrow, and I want to pray for us to all come home safely together.”

Emeralda let her finger become a candle. But she didn't like that, so she stopped. “What is 'pray,' Billy?”

“Come sit with me.” Billy patted the deck floor next to him. “And we can do it together.”

Emeralda sat down. The floor was cold here in a side wing of the Yggdrasil's engine room, and so she made herself warmer. “Is Billy... Are you scared?”

Billy looked thoughful for a moment. “Yes. But to my surprise, Emeralda, I still have faith.”

“What is 'faith?'”

“That's an excellent question.” Billy began lighting the candles, one after another. “I used to be so sure that I knew the answer, and maybe I don't anymore. But I believe that we'll be okay, Emeralda. I trust our friends, and I have to trust myself.” His voice grew quiet. “And I trust my father.”

“Father.” Emeralda picked at her scarf. “Kim is Father.” People didn't seem to like when she called Kim as Kim, instead of Fei's Kim.

“And he'll keep us safe.” Billy placed his hand on her shoulder. “He promised. And if we don't have anything else to rely on, we have believing in the ones who care about us.”

“Care...” Emeralda ran this one through her mind for a bit. “I care... for Billy.”

Billy put his hands together in prayer. “Watching you grow in these few days, Emeralda... I can still believe there's a God looking out for us. And that's faith.”

5. Ricardo Banderas

Rico slid onto one of the stools at the bar in the Gun Room, and Old Maison put down his dishrag.

“Master Rico! Can I get you anything?” Maison proffered a bottle of strong Kislev whiskey from beneath the bar, but Rico shook his head. Then, after a moment, he glanced around to make sure that they were alone.

“You know.”

“Ah! Of course.” Maison placed a glass in front of Rico and filled it with milk. “Your secret, as always, is safe with me, sir.”

“Yeah.” Rico placed his hands around the glass. “So, I don't get it. You guys took back your country. Shouldn't some of you, y'know... be there?”

Maison smiled. “Ah, well. Miss Margie has spent most of these past two days meeting with representatives from Shevat, arranging aid for the rebuilding process, and strengthening ties between this country and Aveh and Nisan, based on the relationship both have to Sophia. And I know that the Young Master and Sigurd as well have both been making such inroads. Certainly, Solaris is a threat to all nations.”

Rico scratched at his forehead with one giant hand, and then sipped from the glass with a surprising gentleness. “I get those things as far as it goes, but...”

“Master Rico.” Maison gave Rico's hand a pat. “Remember the things that we once discussed?”

It had been the night before the move to liberate Aveh and Nisan. Rico had made a poor showing of himself during the planning meeting. Specifically, he'd thrown a table across the room, and had nearly broken Fei's arm when Fei had tried to restrain him and calm him down. The subject of how Kislev would factor into the upcoming military maneuvers had come up, and Rico had... well, he's not even sure what he'd reacted to.

Fei had suggested meeting with the Kaiser in secret and brokering a truce while Bart led the team that rescued Nisan and Sigurd and Maison the retaking of the capital. Bart had argued strenuously against allying with Kislev until Aveh was back under their control. Questions from both sides of the argument had been thrown at Elly regarding the complement of soldiers at the Gebler base in Bledavik, and Rico had finally just snapped.

Had he wanted to ally with Kislev? Or had he not wanted to?

In the end, Bart had gotten his way (as he always seemed to), and they'd moved to Nisan first. Rico had been unable to sleep, and Maison was at the bar, as he always was. Maison was a former royal knight and a veteran of battle – Rico had pegged him from the start as more than he looked. You didn't stay at the head of the pack in prison for that long without being able to judge someone's eyes. In the end, mad at everyone (and mostly at himself), it had been Maison that he'd gone to talk to.

“So, you raised him,” Rico had asked, and Maison had of course nodded proudly. “What's it like...” And he hadn't known how to ask it. His finger grazed the memento chain around his neck, just beneath the deactivated bomb collar that he still wore. The two sides of his life. “He was a kid, and he knew he was the prince?”

How long had Rico known? Did he know? Maybe he knew nothing at all. But there was a sick and sad feeling, a cold-burning fire, deep within him that probably always understood. And somehow, in that moment, Maison understood, as well. And so they'd talked, and it was as if Maison was a decade or more younger once again, calling the Young Master in from games to impart to him his duty. Possibly damning him, Maison sometimes feared, but in the end Bart had proven to be the same man as his father, the spirit that Maison had pledged to serve.

“The Young Master Bartholomew Fatima is no longer king,” Maison now said, “But he is still the leader of his people. And he established a suitable group of representatives to operate in his stead long enough to form a parliament, and in so doing, begin to reach across to Kislev. It will take time...” And Maison was smart enough here to say nothing of the Kaiser, “...But that time can only be bought if the world is safe from Solaris. There is nothing that he would desire more now than to be with his countrymen, from whom he's been separated for so long. But a leader's life is given up for those of his people.”

What had Kaiser Sigmund ever given up for his people? Rico could imagine very little. He seemed to have given up little even for his own family. And yet, he'd heard the stories of what happened at the Kislev front, when Id had demolished both sides, and Aveh had been ripe for the plucking. Sigmund had held off. It didn't match what little Rico knew about the bastard, and the thought of that ate up Rico's insides something awful. And so he drank milk to settle his stomach, and prepared to crack some heads together tomorrow, and hope it would one day lead to a life where he could understand even his own feelings, much less this strange and broken world he'd grown up in.

6. Midori Uzuki

“There are so many friends chu play with, now!” Chu-Chu danced around Midori and the other girl as they blinked at each other. “It's so nice when we all get chu meet each other!”

Midori looked at the strange girl, with her white hair and her red eyes, and thought of her own father.

“Well, good luck with that, Chu-Chu.” Fei had his hands in his pockets, and he was looking from one girl to the other. “I'm not sure that Primera and Midori will... um... have much to say to each other...”

Midori wasn't sure when she realized that she could understand what others thought, what they felt. It just seemed to happen, had happened for as long as she could remember. People's minds and hearts just opened to her, with so very little bidding. It was often too much for her, the knowledge of so many people, and in a crowded place like Shevat, it was all she could do not to collapse; so many days she spent instead just curled in her bed, trying to block them out. The only ones she could communicate with were of the Chu-Chu tribe – something in them matched what she herself had, and they could speak, instead of the onrush of noise that threatened to drown her.

When they'd gone to the surface, her father had built their home up high on a mountain, away from the village, to keep her safe, a blessed isolation. It was one of the only direct kindnesses he'd ever found time for, and she knew – she knew! - that somewhere within, part of him enjoyed the autonomy and high vantage point that their home provided.

No, her father was the hardest at all – if all secrets were thrust nakedly at her, if all things hidden were forced so violently into her mind and heart, then to have as a father the keeper of all secrets was the hardest of all to bear. His every motion concealed something else, and as much as she loved her father, sometimes he threatened to doom her completely.

And so now she was here, with this girl Primera, whose thoughts were plain without her voice to carry them, and she saw the way her father Jesiah had suffered for her, and how Billy had relied upon her when she could barely live herself, and she understood. She understood.

She took Primera's hand.

“See! It's so easy chu make friends!” Chu-Chu hopped up and down, clapping her hands.

7. Queen Zephyr

She looked at the man standing before the throne for as long as she could bear it, and then closed her eyes. “Recite for me again the details of the plan.”

The man adjusted his glasses. “Tomorrow, at the appointed hour, the Yggdrasil, helmed by Sigurd, will make a brief combative fly-by of the now-revealed Solaris. During this distraction, Siebzehn will use its graviton cannon to disrupt the weakened gate projected by Solaris, and will fly in for the drop-off. We will move in small units. Fei, Elly, and myself will travel together, and Jesiah will lead Bart, Billy, Rico, Emeralda, Chu-Chu, and Hammer in the second group. Our goal is to obtain enough information to initiate a full-scale assault. To that end, the three of us will attempt to gain access to the first class districts while Jesiah's team splits up at their entry point.”

Queen Zephyr nodded slowly. “Do you think that either you or Elhaym will be able to move about unmolested in the higher class districts?”

Citan frowned slightly. She knew that he knew what she was actually getting at. More than “will they be aware,” it was a question of “are you already expected.” She had been doing this very dance with this same man for many years now, and this was likely the end of it, no matter what happened.

The first time he had come, he had nearly killed them. The second, he had taken her champion away from them. The last, an infiltrator had followed on his heels. What bad tidings did “Citan Uzuki” now bring for Shevat?

“We believe that Elly is only listed as 'Missing in Action.' Her father is a powerful man, and Gebler can't bear the embarrassment.” Citan spoke nothing of himself. Nor did she expect him to.

“Go on.”

“When Jesiah's team divides, Hammer will attempt to map as much of Solaris as he can in the allotted time. Bart, Rico, and Chu-Chu will move as one, and Jessie will take his son and Emeralda separately. Bart's team will be responsible for troop sizes and placement, and Jessie will be assessing Solaris armaments and in-built defense systems, which have no doubt changed since we were last within its borders.” Which meant, the Queen knew, that Jesiah trusted his son to do that job without him—because Jesiah would no doubt be keeping an eye on Citan. She might have suggested the maneuver herself, if she did not understand Jessie so well. “If sabotage is possible without discovery, then we will engage, but the primary orders are reconnaissance only.”

“Am I to assume that the recall point has been established, then?” She leveled her gaze at him. “When last we all spoke, the extraction procedure had not been laid out.”

He met her eyes and held them. Would there even be an extraction? Or was Citan leading his friends in to die?

Queen Zephyr had lived for so long. She was so tired. And she had seen so much already. And so there was something particularly fascinating about this man, who was one of few whose actions she could never predict. He had been playing both sides, all sides, of this conflict for so long, that to reach these ending stages at last...

She had judged him long ago, when Yui had brought him into Shevat's fold, and she knew that he was at heart a good man. But it had been a long, long time since being a good man was enough.

She thought of the generations of good men that she had seen die, and she waited for him to answer, wondering who it was that would be lost this time.

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