#I was okay with people learning more and downloading them but?? is nothing sacred??
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I’m getting the last of the Palestinian culture books I have scanned tomorrow and I don’t feel comfortable sharing these publicly anymore due to how they were taken. I will share these based on request for Palestinians but not online - Palestinian culture is not your playground. You don’t look at a people going through a genocide right now, see how I shared these sources specifically for Palestinians who didn’t have the access, and say “I can’t wait to use these for my ocs!!” have some fucking shame. I’m legitimately so angry
#I feel really disrespected especially because it was so hard to gather these in the first place#I was okay with people learning more and downloading them but?? is nothing sacred??#I might take the post down I’m so irritated
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DAY 8 OF LOKI VS. EARTH: FACEBOOK.
Day 8 of Loki vs. Earth and today Loki is confused and pissed off by Facebook.
One shot summary: Loki reads books and wants friends to talk to about said books. Loki joins Facebook to find said friends to talk about said books.
Author’s Note: Hi. I started something called the quarantine series. It’s going to be a series of fun and light hearted one shots to help readers and other writers get through this hard time. I made a a03 collection and a tumblr tag. To join just write a fun, soft, and/or light hearted one shot and post it to the collection @Quarantine_Series or tag it on tumblr as #quarantine series. Anyways enjoy!
After a few months of living on Earth, Valkyrie had bought Loki a phone as a present. With his more positive mindset and less “I will rule the world” attitude she thought it would be a nice way of bringing him into the modern world. People say you can do anything and everything on a phone
Loki used it just for books.
On the first day of having his phone Loki discovered that you could download books and read them on this device. In the comfort of your hand and at your own speed. It was glorious. They were called ebooks and to Loki they were the greatest thing he had discovered on Midgard.
He read all day long. If he wasn’t doing the duties asked of him he was in his bed reading a new book on his phone. At this point he had read hundreds of books. Sometimes 20 books a day. He read anything he could find on every topic. He began to understand Midgard and the way people acted the way they did.
The day that Valkyrie found out that he just used his phone for reading she was appalled. She had spent a good bit of change on the phone and he wasn’t using it for the purpose she intended. She intended him to use it to interact with the Midgard world, make friends, and have fun. All of the apps were already installed and yet the only one he cared about was Apple Books.
No matter what she said Loki just did not care about it. Why talk to people when he converse with all his favorite fictional characters? Why deal with human drama when he could learn about history? Why get out of bed when he could stay in bed?
After a solid talk and Valkyrie ordering as his king Loki agreed to give social media a chance. He clicked on the blue icon with a fancy f in the middle. It came up with a welcome to Facebook page.
“Facebook. Do I put my face on a book?” Loki thought to himself. Maybe Facebook was where you uploaded photos and texts to a book all about your life. Like an autobiography but digitalized for all to see.
The first step was to make an account. It asked for an email and a password. The only email he had was the one he had set up to attach his books to. He typed in “[email protected]” for the email and then “godofmischief” as the password. Easy and simple.
Next he was to select a photo for his profile. Well Loki didn’t have any photos of himself. He didn’t have any phone of anything. He didn’t know why people had to document and capture their face… it wasn’t going to change every few minutes. Loki pressed a button and it opened up to be his face. Oh the camera. Since he didn’t have a photo of himself it wanted him to take one. Well he would cave to the wishes of the technology just this once. Loki stared into the camera while it took his photo. He looked as though he was a greasy 30 year old man that was desperate for any form of interaction. Perfect. Loki selected next.
Then came the questions. What was his name? He tried to type in “ I am Loki Odinson, prince of Asgard, rightful king of jotunheim, god of mischief” but it cut off after As.. Why ask for his full title if it couldn’t handle it. Angry that it didn’t have the capacity for it all he shortened it to “Prince Loki.”
Where was he from? Easy Asgard. Well actually Jotunheim but he was practically kidnapped and raised on lies. Okay let’s just put “Not Earth”. Where did he live? Easy. After the destruction of his home palace he now lived in New Asgard on Earth which was technically Norway. Once again they didn’t want the full story just a location. Why ask if they didn’t want to know? Loki groaned. He clanked in “Earth”
Where did he work and go to school? Loki did not work. He sat around and enjoyed himself while others worked. He was a man of great pleasure. He was too occupied of his own needs to do a job. He ended up typing in “self employed.” He was taught by his now deceased mother everything he was taught. She taught him to read, to write, to do magic. There was no school; just Frigga. In that box he typed in “the arms of Frigga.” Which was the absolute truth.
Relationship status? Single. Lonely. Fuck Midgardians.
Lastly a bio for people to get to know him. What was something he could write that would allow anyone that clicked on his page to truly grasp his godlike personality and existence? He smirked. In the last box he happily typed. “I tuned into a snake. Almost killed my brother. Tried to topple the government. Found a love for books. In that order.”
Loki was now an active member of Facebook. Valkyrie would be proud of him. He was doing it. Taking the first step to make friends and overcome his burning hatred for anyone that wasn’t from Asgard. Valkyrie has explained that people would send him friends requests and once he accepted it they could see each other’s posts and converse. So all Loki had to do was make a post and wait for the friends request to start pouring in.
What should his first post be? Lol knew just what to post.
“I’m Loki Odinson. God of Mischief. Now humans I ask you? What are you the god of? “ Loki pressed post and sat back in his bed triumphantly. He was pissed off that the site didn’t have the capacity to handle anything about him and he had no choice but to shorten everything down but the thought of finding a human that didn’t make him want to take over was exhilarating.
Loki waited a few hours. In that time Valkyrie and Thor both added him on Facebook. Thor said he even made a post to his millions of friends to go friend his mischievous brother. So Loki waited some more.
After a few hours Loki came back to see he had 200 friends requests. He was like a kid on Christmas morning. He accepted every one of them.
But then Loki started to hate this site. Why you might ask? The people were absurd and ignorant. Hundreds of people starting replying to his post saying “god of drinking coffee” “goddess of throwing it back.” “God of donuts.” They thought it was funny to joke. To be a god is no joking matter. To be a god is surely not to be of such foolish items. Gods are powerful. Gods do not throw it back or drink coffee. At least not just those things. To be the god of something is to have it so instill into your being that if it was taken away you would be nothing. Coffee and donuts… humans knew nothing of sacred godlike belongings.
Worse people started poking him. Every few minutes he got the notification that so and so poked him. He just wanted to reach through the phone and break whatever finger they were poking him with. How dare they poke a god. To poke him like some kind of farm animal. He would be respected.
Even worse these women started messaging him asking to see his snake. His snake what could they mean. Loki could not shape shift into a snake and take a photo. They sent him revealing photos begging for his snake. No they could not see his snake form. They were not worthy.
The things these people posted. They whined and groaned about their lives. Posting about their day at work or what their snotty kid did today. No one cared and certainly not Loki. He thought Facebook would be humans worshipping him and begging to get to know him. So far no one had asked him any questions about himself or his childhood. How could they befriend him if they did not know his tragic backstory?
Valkyrie had said if he wanted to become friends with people he should make a post that was more relatable to humans. Loki figured that most humans knew how to read. So for his last attempt of the night to connect to these midgardians he made a simple and relatable post.
“What was the last book you read?”
Loki could not wait for their responses. He loved talking about literature with people. He was excited until the responses actually came in.
Loki was appalled, disgusted, and scared all in one.
People were replying such radical things. Someone said “I read the constitution everyday to protect my gun rights.” Another person “ I read erotic fiction when my husband won’t touch me.” Another saying “ I read company reviews so I can properly bitch my way to a discount the next time I visit there.” And then worst of all “Why read when we can do something more exciting?” What on earth could be more exciting than reading a good book? Yes, Loki loved a good party. Loved drugs and alcohol. Loved sex and orgasms. Loved it all but nothing would top the serotonin that went to his brain when he finished the last page of a book.
The people on Facebook were helpless. Loki slammed his phone on to the counter. If they couldn’t partake in a discussion over books then they could not be discussed to at all. He would not be posting on Facebook again. He would not poke or message another human. He would leave his profile up just so they could think about what they done. Ran off a god that could have blessed their own life.
Loki got in his bed and thought about all the amazing books he would read in the next day and how one day someone would want to discuss them with him. One day he would have a friend. Until then fuck you creepy women that wanted his snake. Fuck middle age men that whined. Fuck everyone.
#quarantine series#loki#loki one shot#loki smut#loki fic#loki of asgard#loki of jotunheim#loki of earth#loki x reader#loki laufeyson#tom hiddleston#tom hiddleston smut#tom hiddleston oneshot#marvel oneshot#marvel smut#smut#fluff#one shot#a03
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[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (117/?)
Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation. This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.
Continuity Note: About 1000 years before the events of Dragon Ball Z.
Previous chapters conveniently available here.
[13 March, 233 Before Age. Hexill VI.]
The Hexillians had turned down multiple invitations to join the Federation. Lying just beyond the Federation border, their solar system was a valued trading partner. There was a strong pro-Federation movement in the planet's political arena, but it was hamstrung by conflicting opinions over the details. Even the most isolationist voices in the Hexillian government could not deny that their world was growing closer and closer to the Federation each day, and had prospered for it.
But the fact remained that Hexill VI was not a Federation member, and so when the Saiyan invader appeared on their world, and began to attack it, they had no mutual defense pact to invoke, nor any reason to expect aid. Instead, they relied upon their own military, and while much of their arsenal had been acquired from the Federation, they were unprepared for the power that the Saiyan possessed.
"Know that you serve an abomination!" she would say whenever she would attack one of their cities. "Know that Trismegistus is the true answer, the reagent that will change the universe! Rejoice, for I bring you a gift! He has sent his prophet into your wilderness, that you may turn away from the abomination, and be cleansed!"
Then the Hexillians would launch a counterattack, and she would always withdraw. The civilian leaders took this as a hopeful sign. If they could just corner the Saiyan "prophet", then they could surely defeat her. Those who opposed Federation membership used this talking point to argue that they didn't need an alliance for protection. Those who supported Federation membership claimed that victory would be much swifter with a starfleet backing them up. In either case, they painted a very rosy picture for their constituents. Lives had been lost and infrastructure had been destroyed, but the invasion would be repelled, and soon they could rebuild. That was what the politicians said.
The military leaders had a less optimistic appraisal. They believed the Saiyan woman was merely playing for time, and that she had the power to overwhelm their defenses if she chose to do so. Their weapons were supposed to be strong enough to repel a typical Saiyan intruder, but there was nothing normal about her. Sensor data indicated that she was much faster than she seemed to be letting on. Her battlefield sermons bore little resemblance to the usual low-brow banter used by most Saiyan pirates. And her burgundy costume made it difficult to tell that she was a Saiyan at all. If the woman had a tail, it was hidden beneath the chlamys gown handing from her shoulders. Her black hair was dyed with streaks of crimson, and bound with an elaborate series of red bands.
"The fated day approaches!" she cried as she attacked a hydroponics complex less than a hundred miles from a defense base. "Your bellies will go empty, that you might fill your spirits with the truth!"
Much of the complex was staffed by robotic workers, but the Hexillian technicians who maintained them were forced to flee. Most Saiyans were content to fire blasts of ki energy at their targets, but this one was different. She would light fires wherever she could, then destroy various installations that tied in with whatever "topic" she happened to be raving about. In this case, she burned the crops, blasted large food processing units to pieces, and then targeted the Hexillian workers who had remained behind to see that the others evacuated safely.
"Ah, so you volunteer for the culling!" she said as she plucked a Hexillian shift manager from the ground. "Your blood will write the history of the future!"
"Lemme go!" the man pleaded. "I gotta family!" Specifically, he had a wife and two sons, with an egg that was due to hatch any day now. He didn't honestly expect the Saiyan to care, but as he struggled in her grip, he didn't know what else to say, and in his panic, his loved ones were the first thing to come to mind.
"Excellent!" she replied. "Blood is always more valuable when taken from one who would be mourned!" With that, she flew to a spot on the facility that she had cleared of wreckage, and dumped him into a small group of other captives. Surrounding them was a circular pattern drawn in the ground, adorned with mystic inscriptions she had learned from worlds no Hexillian had ever known.
"The thrice-blessed is merciful," the Saiyan announced as she drew a short spear from behind her back. "The price of his transformative power is great, but he will ask only a small toll from your world. Know that your lives will be taken so that your people will be permitted to witness his glorious triumph!"
In her hand, the weapon extended, growing into a long lance which she then leveled at her captives like a rifle. The blade at the tip began to glow with a blue light, her eyes closed, and she spoke in tongues as she hovered over them, preparing to slaughter them all.
"Nice boots."
The prophetess had sensed a powerful ki nearby, but in the moment between sensing the power and opening her eyes to search for it, the source of the ki had already closed the distance between them.
"Who dares--?" she asked, but then she saw the interloper's black shirt and yellow pants, and she recognized her immediately. "Ah, the abomination herself. My master said you would come, though he did not expect you quite so early. I should have known that you would defy his holy timetable."
"Not big on the color," Luffa said. "Lot of people think red's a good look for Saiyans, since we get bloodied up so much, but they never think about how it'll look when it dries. Besides, there's other colors of blood out there. Green, purple. You name it."
The prophet pointed her spear at Luffa, who was floating directly above the captive Hexillians. "You speak in riddles, heretic!" she said. "Be warned that your idle chatter will avail you nothing here, for I have seen the truth, and the truth has enslaved me completely."
"What riddles?" Luffa said. "I said I like your boots. Not sure I could wear that style, though. I'm not big on heels myself. They make me look taller, but I feel kind of awkward when I wear them. But on other people, I think they look pretty cool. You look like you could stab someone with one of those. Are they comfortable? They don't look it, but you seem pretty used to wearing them."
"We are both heralds, you and I," the prophet said. "You, the abomination Luffa, and I, his humble servant, the prophetess Aonorry. Fate has ordained this meeting, to mark the advent of his temple upon this world--!"
"I'm not wild about the cut," Luffa said as she stared at Aonorry's legs and rubbed her chin. "Thigh-highs? I guess the material is flexible enough, but I'm more into below-the-knee. Just my preference though. Oh, wait, I just noticed they match your gloves. Okay, well that adds up then. Now I'm trying to picture shorter boots with shorter gloves."
"Enough!" Aonorry screamed. "This is my moment! The culmination of my sacred training, of my life! I will not stand at the gates of death and be mocked in this way!"
Suddenly a blast of energy fired from the point of the lance, bathing Luffa in its destructive radiance. Below, the Hexillians cried out in horror at the apparent destruction of their rescuer. When the light faded from Aonorry's attack, there was no trace of Luffa.
"I'll not be fooled by your trickery!" Aonorry said. She quickly spun around, scanning the immediate area with all of her senses to locate her enemy. "I lack the power to defeat you so easily. But you betray yourself by hiding from me. If your power were true, you would have nothing to fear from me, and no cause to... run?"
It was the sound that gave it away. Aonorry could sense flashes of ki all around her, but none of them lasted long enough for her to get a fix on Luffa's location. Then she realized that she was hearing buzzes in the air, the sound of her enemy zipping past her so quickly that her eyes couldn't follow the movements. Aonorry had expected power, for this was the core feature of Luffa's reputation. What she hadn't anticipated was the depth of skill that Luffa now displayed. Her ki control was so great that she was using it for only brief instants, flinging herself back and forth at amazing speeds, just to keep Aonorry off-balance.
And then, just when she realized that this was meant to throw her off-balance, she felt Luffa's fingers wrapping around her ankle, and in the next moment she found herself slamming into the ground. In spite of the pain, in spite of the blood Aonorry felt tricking from her nose and mouth, she tried to get up and recover. Before she could even roll over, she felt a tremendous weight pressing against her back. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Luffa standing over her, using one foot to pin Aonorry to the ground. At some point, Luffa had transformed into her Super Saiyan form. Aonorry couldn't see it, pinned to the ground face-down as she was, but she could certainly feel the increased power.
"On second thought," Luffa said, "your boots kind of suck. If they were black, or knee length, or if they came in flats, any one of those, then yeah, I could overlook the other two, but no. Three strikes."
As she spoke, Luffa raised Aonorry's lance in her hand, and began to twirl it around like a baton. "You came here alone, as far as I can tell," she said. The intel I received shows you're the only Saiyan involved in every battle, and I can't sense any others coming out of hiding to save you. But you must have picked this planet because you know I'd have to show up and deal with you personally. The Federation starfleet can't come out this far unless the Hexillian government asks, but I can come and go as I please. So you knew I'd be coming alone, and you knew you couldn't stop me by yourself. So this is a trap, and you're just the bait, right?"
She applied more pressure to Aonorry's back, and Aonorry's shriek surprised even herself. She hadn't expected anything quite like this. It was supposed to be majestic. The abomination was supposed to recoil in terror as Aonorry revealed the true nature of her lord. Instead, she lay face down a puddle of dirt mixed with her own blood.
"Or is it a diversion?" Luffa asked. "You lured me all the way out here to keep me away from something else? Normally, I'd read your mind to find out for myself, but I know you Jindan-users have psychic booby traps inside your heads."
She pointed the tip of Aonorry's weapon at the base of Aonorry's skull. "You sure got quiet all of a sudden," Luffa said. "You said you were a prophet, right? Had plenty to say a minute ago. Well, go on and preach. I'm listening."
"He... he's not coming," Aonorry said. "He said he would save me if I faced you alone. But you've already beaten me, and he... he isn't here."
"Who?" Luffa asked.
"T-Trismegistus," Aonorry said, choking back tears. "He anointed me as one of the Orichalcum Order. He told me that I would overcome any adversity and prepare this planet for his arrival. But you're killing me and he isn't here!"
"Well, I haven't actually started killing you yet," Luffa said. "Let's give him a few more minutes. Maybe he overslept."
"He... he used me," Aonorry gasped. "I did everything he said, and now he's abandoned me to die here! After all those things he said to me in his bedroom. Was that all it was to him?"
"Men, right?" Luffa asked, thought not as mockingly as before. "I guess this guy isn't as 'thrice-blessed' as you thought, huh?"
"That bastard," Aonorry shouted. "I literally worshiped him, cut off my own tail for him, and he won't even lift a finger for me! How could I have been so stupid?"
"Hey, it's not too late to turn things around," Luffa said. "Tell me what you know, and I'll see to it that he'll regret the day he ever met you."
Aonorry hesitated at this offer. "What will become of me?" she asked. "You won't simply let me go."
"Hell no," Luffa said. "You killed a lot of people here, and you'll have to answer for that. Legally, I'm not even supposed to be here, so helping you escape would just make a bad situation worse. But, if you help us put these Jindan clowns out of business... well, maybe we can work something out."
She pressed the tip of the spear against Aonorry's neck, but gently enough that it didn't break the skin. "Or you can die here and now," Luffa added. "Your call, but for what it's worth, I know what it's like to be betrayed. If I were you, I'd want to do anything I could to make the bastard pay."
Aonorry balled her fists and pounded them into the dirt. "You... you actually care, don't you?" she said. "You came here to save these people. He told me you were the devil, evil incarnate... and here you are, actually sympathizing with me."
"I get that a lot," Luffa said. "People tell me I'm not so scary once they get to know me. Like it's so hard to give a crap."
"All right, then. I'll tell you all that I know. Just give me your word that you'll destroy hi--... Destroy h--... hhurk!"
Luffa was about to ask her what was wrong, when suddenly Aonorry vomited blood onto the ground. She began to convulse wildly, and Luffa stepped away from her.
Aonorry rose to a kneeling position, then grabbed at her throat, as if trying to strangle herself. Her eyes, once proud and righteous, now looked to Luffa with a silent plea for help. The blood--or whatever it actually was--continued to stream from her mouth.
Unsure how to deal with Aonorry, Luffa aimed her hand in the opposite direction and fired a ki blast, which cleared a path through the flames that surrounded them. "All of you!" she called to the Hexillians. "Get out of here now! Your soldiers are heading this way. Find them and get them to take you as far away as you can. Go!"
Though confused, they did as she said, leaving Luffa alone to witness whatever was happening to Aonorry. By now, Luffa was convinced that the red fluid flowing from the other Saiyan's mouth wasn't mere blood. The sheer volume of it defied Saiyan anatomy. Within minutes, the former "prophetess" was kneeling in a shallow pool nearly ten feet in diameter. Luffa's first instinct was to kill her now and put an end to this, but she doubted that killing Aonorry would actually solve anything. Still, with no other obvious course of action, she pointed her finger at Aonorry's head, and charged her ki just in case.
Then the ground began to shake, and Luffa knew that the problem was bigger than Aonorry. The "blood"-soaked soil began to expand and grow all around Aonorry, and Luffa could sense a presence within it. In seconds, a large hill had formed before Luffa's eyes. Soon after that, it grew into a mesa, and then it began to reshape itself, like wet clay being sculpted by giant, invisible hands. At last, the two-hundred-foot-tall formation stood revealed as a humanoid figure. Gleaming purple eyes opened on its head, and it stared down at Luffa as it continued to refine its shape. Gradually, the face of the creature sharpened and resolved, until at last she could see the features of someone she recognized.
"Rehval..." Luffa muttered.
"Welcome, Luffa," said the rock-creature who wore Rehval's likeness. "I understand you've been looking for me. Was there something you wanted to say?"
*******
"Vengeance Cannon," Luffa replied, and she fired a thin beam of red light through the forehead of the creature.
However, the Rehval-thing suffered no ill effects from this, aside from the four-inch-wide hole she had bored through it.
"As passionate as ever, I see. You truly are a magnificent woman. It's a shame we couldn't come to terms--"
Luffa fired a much wider blast of energy, this time blasting the rock-creatures entire head and neck into pebbles. It stumbled forward, and just as she flew to avoid it, the creature managed to stop itself from falling over. Instead, it stepped back, straightened its posture, then slowly regrew its head.
"I trust that you're beginning to understand why I arranged to speak to you this way," he said after his mouth had been restored. "I would have preferred a face-to-face meeting, but you're much too volatile, and I'm too important to jeopardize my safety that way."
"You're late, aren't you?" Luffa scoffed. "Your lapdog Aonorry had given up on you. She was all set to betray you to me, and then suddenly you showed yourself. It's enough to make a girl think you were afraid."
"Don't flatter yourself, Luffa," Rehval said. "The fact is that I was counting on young Aonorry to have a crisis of faith. As part of my flock, she devoted herself to me completely, allowing me to learn her every strength and weakness. Hers was a brittle sort of belief. I knew that if I disappointed her, even slightly, that she would turn against me in anger. So I had her drink a potion that would use her disillusionment as a catalyst. Once activated, she would infuse it into the soil, and bring about the form you see before you."
He reached for his shoulder, and gently picked up the prone form of Aonorry, who had been laying motionless upon him.
"So that's it," Luffa said. "You've decided that being a self-righteous king wasn't good enough, so now you've become some sort of sorcerer with his own cult. Trismegistus, that's what they all call you now."
"The thrice-blessed one," he explained. "It was the title of a great alchemist from many thousands of years ago. So great, in fact, that he was eventually defied by his people. I chose to usurp his title, since I consider myself to be just as blessed as he was. First: King of the Saiyans. Second: Master of the Jindan Cult. Third: Savior of the Galaxy."
"Now it all makes sense," Luffa said. "You went into hiding after our last encounter, then you packed up your kingdom and left before I could find you. You knew you'd lose support among your idiot subjects, so you whipped up this scam of yours and promised to make Saiyans stronger in exchange for their loyalty. I had heard 'Trismegistus' sent his cult to invade 'Rehval's' kingdom, but I guess that was all just a ruse to cover your tracks."
"You don't sound very impressed with that," Rehval said.
Luffa turned her head and spat on the ground. "You really do have no pride at all do you? A true Saiyan wouldn't resort to potions and magic to make themselves stronger! It wasn't enough for you to pollute your own body with that sort of filth. Now you've tricked others into making the same mistake!"
"Tricked them?" Rehval asked with a laugh. "They all came to me. Many of them despised my rule, but they sought me out anyway, all because they craved greater power. " He held up Aonorry in his palm. "This one, for example. She was like you, once. She hated the monarchy that my grandfather started. She wanted nothing to do with King Rehval. Ah, but once she heard about the miracle of Jindan, and how its creator, Trismegistus, led an attack on King Rehval's stronghold, she became fascinated. She did everything she could to find it. I didn't make the trail easy to find, Luffa. It was a test of determination. But my beloved Aonorry passed."
"And what does she think now?" Luffa asked. "Now that she knows she's bound herself to the same king she opposed?"
"Let's find out," Rehval suggested. Without warning, he dropped his prophet, allowing her to fall hundreds of feet to the ground.
"Bastard!" Luffa snarled as she flew up to catch her. As she did, Rehval pointed his enormous earthen hand down at them and fired a beam of energy.
"You're so predictable, Luffa," he said. "For all your talk of warrior pride, you can be so soft that it's pitiful. Was it really worth dying just now so that you could save an enemy?"
When the light from his attack faded, he saw no trace of the Saiyan women. Then he noticed something on his mountainous shoulder, and he looked over to find Luffa standing there, holding Aonorry's unconscious form in her arms. Before he could react, Luffa opened her mouth and a stream of golden ki energy blasted him in the face.
"Predict this!" she shouted when she was finished. Then she stamped her foot down onto Rehval's rocky shoulder. The force was so great that a crack formed, and slowly expanded. As Luffa jumped away, Rehval's right arm began to break loose from his body, and then it fell off completely.
*******
Luffa flew until she reached a lake, then hovered just inches above it. Satisfied that Rehval wasn't chasing her, she dunked Aonorry's head into the water.
"Wake up, idiot!" Luffa shouted. "Your precious master finally showed up. Any ideas on what his plan is?"
"Whuh-what?" Aonorry sputtered as the cold water brought her around. "Trismegistus is here?"
"Yeah, well most people know him as 'King Rehval', though I've heard that's not his real name either," Luffa said. She tossed Aonorry onto the lakeshore and waited for her to get her bearings. "He's been playing you for a fool this whole time. You and everyone else in the Jindan cult."
"He really did come for me," Aonorry said, now holding her hands over her cheeks. "And... after I was ready to betray him. Oh... oh my..."
"He was counting on you to betray him," Luffa said. "The bastard's been toying with you, and he lied to you the whole time! Loyalty means nothing to him!"
Luffa had more unkind words to say about King Rehval, but before she could speak them, the ground began to shake beneath them, and then another column of earth and rock began to rise up and shape itself into a humanoid form.
"Luffa, Luffa, Luffa," Rehval's voice boomed. "When will you ever learn?"
Luffa left Aonorry where she was and charged her ki before leaping headlong into Rehval's stone belly. She made a crater on the surface, and knocked him off balance. Without pausing, she flew around him, peppering his body with golden energy blasts as she went. To an outside observer, it might have looked like a man being pestered by some glowing yellow hummingbird.
She blasted his face again, and when he tried to reshape it from the remaining rock, she kept blasting it. At the same time, she focused on his legs, damaging them enough that he had trouble staying upright.
"You can't defeat him!" Aonorry cried out. The unfettered joy in her voice made Luffa sick, but she pressed on in spite of it. He's become one with the very earth itself! You would have to destroy the entire planet, and you still wouldn't win!"
"She's right, you know," Rehval boasted. "I'm not actually here, as I said before. You need the atmosphere to breathe, but I don't. And as long as the planet is in tact--"
Luffa finally put enough cracks in his body that it crumbled into pieces. A short distance away, she could already hear another rock-body assembling itself.
"He rises!" Aonorry wailed. "His glory rises, now and forever!"
"As I was saying," Rehval said as his third body sprouted its new mouth. "As long as the planet is in tact, I can fight you like this indefinitely."
"Gosh, I'd better surrender then," Luffa grumbled. "Is that what you want me to say?"
"Actually, no," Rehval said. He clenched his fists, and suddenly a ball of violet light appeared in front of his rocky chest. Before Luffa could dodge, he unleashed its power in her direction, and she had to catch the front of the energy wave in her hands.
"Our confrontation on Pflaume was an experiment, Luffa," Rehval explained while she struggled to hold back the blast. "I thought that if I stranded you on an ice giant, you would be neutralized completely. No air to breathe, no surface to stand upon, no ships to rescue you. That last one was the flaw in my plan. I was sure your wife would abandon you, but not so."
Luffa was pushed back by the energy beam until she felt her boots press into the ground. This gave her something to brace against for support, but it also reminded her that she had very little margin for error. She set her jaw and screwed her eyes shut as she summoned up more power to halt the beam's advance.
"I had to evacuate Planet Saiya," Rehval went on. "I knew that if you escaped Pflaume, the planet would never survive your counterattack. Fortunately, I had a redoubt prepared on a planet in a secret location, just in case of emergency. And while I was there, it occurred to me how dependent I am on planets and atmospheres. So are you, but you can just fly from place to place in your ship, like a mercenary. Very romantic, but a king needs a kingdom, and a kingdom needs earth to stand upon."
Luffa finally mustered the strength to deflect the attack, and with a mighty yell, she flung it up into the sky, where it exploded harmlessly in the upper atmosphere. But this left her wide open to a punch from the rock creature that spoke with Rehval's voice. The impact cratered the ground, and the Rehval-monster ground his fist into the center, like a child killing a beetle.
"A foundation, Luffa," he continued. "Without a solid rock to build upon, the builder is helpless. That was when I realized the error in my thinking. On Pflaume, I left you to fall into sinking sand, when what I needed to be doing was securing myself upon a solid rock. That realization led me to realize how much we owe the ground beneath us, and how powerful it truly is. I knew that if I made that power my own, I could defeat anyone, even the Legendary Super Saiyan."
Nearby, Aonorry was chanting some a prayer in support of Trismegistus. The earthen creature smiled as it sensed a victory, and then a tremendous explosion went off at his fist. The giant figure toppled backwards, and when Rehval looked at his arm, it was simply... gone.
Luffa emerged from the smoke of the blast, already preparing her next move. "Rehval," she said. "You talk too much."
What followed was a rapid-fire barrage. Dozens of golden blobs of energy launched out of Luffa's fingertips, and embedded themselves onto Rehval's avatar. He expected them to explode on contact, but instead, she swung her left hand upward, and he found himself being dragged upwards. The ki she had affixed to his body was pulling him into the air.
"I don't know how you pulled this off, Rehval," Luffa said, "but I'm curious to see what your limits are with this monster body you've got. "Can you attack me with two of them at once? Because so far I've only seen you make a new body after the old one gets wrecked."
"Your... nnf! Your overconfidence is your weakness," Rehval said as he struggled against the force pulling him towards the sky.
"Look who's talking," Luffa replied. "You sprang this trap and gloated about it the whole time you were fighting, and where's it gotten you? You probably never even considered that I was studying your power the entire time, did you?"
He managed to spin around and point his remaining arm at Luffa, but she squeezed her hand into a fist, and the energy blobs on that arm suddenly exploded, blasting it into dust.
"What now?" she asked. "You've got to make a new body now, since you can't do much with that one."
"You underestimate me... Luffa!" Rehval said. His body began to shift and reshape itself, until it finally sprouted a new pair of arms. But unlike before, this caused the main body to become smaller than it had been before.
Luffa responded by squeezing her fist again, and blasting off his legs. The remainder of his body began to fall, but she caught it by enveloping the bulk of his form in a sheath of golden light.
"I think I'm getting the idea," Luffa said. "You can't absorb more mass unless you're in direct contact with the planet. And cutting off an arm or a leg doesn't help you, because those pieces aren't 'alive' on their own, so much as they're controlled by the main body. Or maybe just the head. "
"Well done, Luffa," Rehval said. "You're as magnificent as ever, and just as dangerous. I can still use you in my plans, but I can't afford to trust you, not after you spurned my offer before."
"Trust? Trust?!" Luffa shouted. "You honorless jackal! You don't even know the meaning of the word! Using that idiot Aonorry as your pawn! Sending this... this proxy to fight me in your place! When I find you--the real you-- I'll--"
Her threat was suddenly cut off by Aonorry herself, who had managed to sneak up on Luffa while she was busy restraining Rehval in midair. The point of her short spear nearly connected with Luffa's neck, but she sensed her approach just in the nick of time, and caught her in a choke hold.
"Your 'master' is more desperate than I thought," Luffa snarled. Without hesitation, she broke Aonorry's neck to prevent any further distractions. But in the moment it took her to do this, Rehval built up his power again, and this time turned it in on himself. Before Luffa could react, before Aonorry's corpse could even fall to the surface, his rock-body exploded in midair, and only moments later, a new rock-Rehval was rising up from the ground.
"You killed my prophetess," Rehval said, sounding only mildly annoyed. "I'll miss her."
"This game is getting tiresome, Rehval," Luffa said. "I've already figured out how to defeat you, so unless this next body can do something new, there's really no point in going on."
"You may be powerful, Luffa," Rehval said, "but you still think like a low-level mercenary. Do you think one battlefield means anything to me? I'm not even here. I could destroy this entire planet right now, and lose nothing. But I won't do that, because I have loftier goals in mind. I mean to change the universe, and that won't be achieved through mere destruction. Hexill VI has a place in my kingdom, like all worlds."
Luffa dove down and attacked one of Rehval's legs. As he swung his arms to catch her, she dodged and attacked those as well. But since he was touching the ground, he was able to repair this damage easily.
"Think about it, Luffa," he continued. "If I can send my avatar here, across hundreds of light years, then I can do the same on any number of planets. Without warning, a graven image of me rises up from the ground, powerful enough to defeat almost anything, powerful enough to impose my will, or destroy the planet entirely. And by the time you arrive in your ship to stop me, I'm already gone."
Luffa formed a razor-thin disc of ki and launched it at the neck of Rehval. It only carved a small section away, but when she followed up with a Gallick Gun, this was enough to blast the head off of the body. She then snared it in an energy sheath and pulled it up into the sky. Below, the headless body didn't move. Luffa fired another ki blast to destroy it, but never stopped her flight.
"You think you can sever my connection to the planet with distance, is that it?" Rehval asked. "Well, so what if you can? I only chose Hexill VI to make a point, Luffa. I wanted you to see exactly what I can do. What I've become."
"Tell me where you're hiding, Rehval," Luffa said. "I'll only ask you once."
"And why should I tell you that?" Rehval asked.
"Because I'm going to kill you either way," she said. "Painfully, if I can. You're going to die, but if you tell me where to find you, I can get it over with. Save you some sleepless nights."
"That's very kind of you," Rehval said. "But no. Come and find me, if you can. I'll be waiting. And if you can't find me, don't worry. You'll be hearing from me sooner than you think."
Luffa suddenly raised her arms, and with a loud grunt, she swung the net of energy around the head, flinging it up into space. She watched it shrink into the distance, then flew back down to the ground to make certain Rehval had not rebuilt his avatar. She only found the broken remains of the last body that she had decapitated. She incinerated it with a ki blast. Satisfied that her business here was concluded, she flew back to inform the planet's leaders about what had happened.
*******
An hour later, Luffa was sitting in the cockpit of the light cruiser she had borrowed from the Federation Starfleet to get here. She had orbited the planet a few times, just in case there was any chance of Rehval somehow returning, but at last she decided it was safe to depart. She would have to contact the Federation and alert them of the situation, but first she removed her boot and examined the injury on her left foot. Dr. Topsas had treated the wound days ago, but it would take some time to heal properly, and she was doing it no favors by constantly heading out into battle. Somewhat painfully, she applied an ointment he had given her. It was supposed to help promote healing and prevent infection, but at times she thought it hurt worse than the attack that had made the wound in the first place.
She was weary, not so much from her wounds or physical exhaustion, but from the lack of a decisive victory. Up to now, this had been a war of attrition, and Luffa's hope was that if she steadily chipped away at the lackeys, it would force the leaders out of hiding. But if Rehval could strike remotely, with no risk to his own person, then... what?
Luffa leaned back the pilot's chair as far as it would go and began rubbing her temples. There was a solution to this puzzle--there always was-- but she was too frustrated to find it. For now, the best she could do was to report in with her allies, set the ship to autopilot, and take a nap during the flight home. With any luck, the next cultist attack would be on the opposite side of the Federation, giving her more time to rest--
Then she saw the red light blinking on the comm system, and she realized that someone was trying to contact her. Some small part of her wanted to ignore the light, to pretend she hadn't seen it, but she cursed that part of herself and opened the channel just to spite her own weakness.
There was no audio or video, just a text message that had been encrypted with a code used by the Saiyan Free Company, led by Princess Seltiss. The girl had formed the company to fill the power vacuum left behind when her father had disappeared, and she had allied herself with the Federation because she saw Trismegistus and his cult as a threat to Saiyan-kind. As Luffa entered her password to decrypt the code, she wondered how the princess would react to the news that Rehval and Trismegistus were the same man.
Those thoughts vanished as Luffa read the message: "ALL AVAILABLE FORCES TO FEDENDER SYSTEM. URGENT. SURPRISE ATTACK. ENEMY STRENGTH UNKNOWN. UNIDENTIFIED ALIEN COMBATANTS LED BY A LARGE CREATURE MADE OF ROCK. EOM."
The terse statement was like a punch to Luffa's gut. She had just rescued the Fedender System before rushing off to help Hexill, and Fedender was already under attack again? And Rehval... he had told Luffa that she would hear from him sooner than she expected.
"Well, that's a first, you miserable bastard," Luffa seethed as she set course for Fedender. "You actually told the truth for once."
NEXT: Doublethink
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Detroit: Become A Christmas Carol
A birthday gift for @ask-markus-dbh (happy vagina escape day uwu)
~*~
North and Markus hadn’t spoken in days, aside from giving speeches together and passing orders. In fact, Markus hadn’t spoken to anyone. North had tried to talk to him, but he had hissed at her with a glare for entering the sacred sanctuary that had been Carl’s room. It had been a wrong move, and icy looks had been thrown his way every time he had passed his lover in the hallway. It wounded him deeply, knowing that the frosted front that North was putting up was a facade, a cover for how much she was hurt. She and Markus were the only ones left from the original Jericho, and with both Josh and Simon dead, they had to stick together. In retrospect, or in at least in Markus’ opinion, it was for the best. Best be pained while he was still here, and not when he gone to the other side.
Markus played idly with the gun in his hands. What was that game that Connor’s human had used to play? Oh yeah, Russian Roulette. He loaded the chamber, spun the cylinder, and placed the muzzle under his chin. Simon’s heart thudded warningly in his chest, or was that just anticipation? Markus paused momentarily, wondering what he was leaving behind. How would the revolution fare? How would his people feel? ...How would North feel? ...He pulled the trigger.
Markus jolted at the sharp bang that the sound produced, but nothing else happened. The android drew a heavy sigh and was about to spin the cylinder again when a gentle hand fell gently on his shoulder. “Markus, what are you doing?” The voice was soft, and wise with time.
“C-Carl?” Who else would it be? Markus turned around in shock, and there he was. The revered artist sat in his wheelchair, a knowing smile on his lips. Markus froze for a second, before moving to tap his father on the shoulder with a trembling hand. His form was solid. Carl’s smile grew wider, and he grasped his son’s arm. “Hi, son.” He said. Markus’ face shrivelled, and he all but collapsed into his arms, pathetic sobs tearing their way from his throat. “C-Carl, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to-“
Carl cut him off, rubbing a soothing hand down his back. “Hey, it’s alright. I’m okay.” Markus’ weeping only increased tenfold.
“Don’t s-say that! Don’t say that! I killed you, Carl, I killed you! You would still be alive if only I had kept my emotions in check!” It suddenly occurred to the android that he was embracing his deceased father. He wrenched away from Carl to look at him more clearly, his tears blurring his vision. “How are you even still here?”
The human neatly sidestepped the question, looking over at Markus’ side, where the gun lay on the table. He looked back at Markus, whose eyes were still shiny with tears, and opened his arms again. “Oh, Markus…” He murmured sympathetically. Markus eagerly fell into his embrace again, sobs wracking his already tired frame. “Mark, what hurt you? What hurt you so bad that you would try to do … that?” Words couldn’t come out fast enough for Markus to explain. It was all just a mess of survivor’s guilt and self-hatred, which had led to distance from relationships, which only strengthened the cycle. But Carl listened through it, nonjudgmental like the good father he was. When Markus was finished, the hug was tightened and Markus slumped in it, energy spent. A soft voice whispered in his ear. “Markus, you need to communicate with them, not snap at them every time they approach you. Your people need guidance, not criticism.”
“I don’t know Carl, I’m just so stressed…”
Carl hummed quietly but made no response. Markus was fine with that, just content to feel the warmth of his human’s embrace.
“...Remember that time I tried to teach you how to knit?” Markus opened his mouth to respond. A cartoonish slurping noise interrupted him, and before he knew it the android was falling through a kind of abyss. Darkness encompassed him, and Markus tried to let out a terrified shriek, but the void shoved itself into his mouth, telling him to stuff it.
…
Markus hit the floor with a thud, landing heavily on his side. He immediately scrambled up again, and found he was on the outside the living room. He hadn’t fallen that far? RK200 opened the door, and did a double take. There he was, wearing his indoor clothing, and ...Carl? Knitting material was still wrapped up in the table, and the other Markus was trying to lightly persuade his father of something, but to no apparent avail.
“Carl, I can simply download the software we need to make it, you don’t need to teach me.”
“Nonsense, Markus. We die like men. Besides, I want to see you do it. What can you design?”
The android gave a resigned sigh. “As you wish, Carl.” The real Markus stood silent in the doorway, dumbfounded. He watched as the pair got to work, unwrapping the package and getting out the instruments. Several times, Other Markus pricked his fingers, and he always winced in pain. Carl never once snapped at him, but gently retold him the steps. Eventually, Markus got the hang of it, and a wide grin of delight spread across his lips. “Look Carl, I did it!”
Carl gave a gentle smile, and clapped him on the back.
“So you did Markus, so you did. Well done, kid.” The RK200 shone a deep blue of glee at the praise. Back in the doorway, a small smile graced the other’s lips. He remembered what happened next. Markus had then moved on to create a bobble hat with Carl’s face on it, (“Of course you did Markus, of course you did.”
“Why? Did I not make it how you prefer? I can make another one-“ There was some sadness to his tone, not very well smothered.
“What? No! This is fridge-worthy! I’m just saying that this is so like you, you lovable idiot.” Markus’ face glowed again. The next morning, it was actually on the fridge. Carl simply gave him a fond exasperated sigh, and Markus had to bite down a laugh that was bubbling in his chest.) A pang of remorse impaled him, and sadly he watched the pair.
Other Markus wheeled Carl to the kitchen, and Hallway Markus was about to follow him, when somehow Carl appeared behind him. “You didn’t know the all the steps Markus.” Markus turned to face him, and Carl gave him a wise smile. “You were clumsy, but you learnt, and then you could do it by yourself.”
“But I needed your help several times…” Carl nodded. “Carl, why did you show me this?”
“Because this is a reflection. Your people don’t know what it means to be alive, so they look to you for direction. They need you to be patient with them, so they can learn to do it by themselves.”
Markus was about to open his mouth to say more, when the floor vanished from under him again. Flailing, Carl’s last words echoed in his ears. “You’re like a father to them.” Then he hit the floor.
~*~
Or at least he thought he had. Markus awoke with a jolt, cracking an eye open at his surroundings. The android was still at the desk, and one of Carl’s portraits gazed down on his son. Markus could have sworn it winked. Then his eyes flicked to the silver pistol, and everything came rushing back. North hated him, his people were probably doomed, and his other two companions and father were dead. Fun times.
Markus gave a heavy sigh, and reached towards the gun again. The fading sunlight caused it to give an alluring glint, and entranced, Markus reached for it in a daze. A sudden thought crossed his mind, about what death would be like, probably a short snap of pain, then peace. Peace, when all he’d brought about was destruction. Maybe Josh had been right…
A voice muttered in the back of his head telling him to stop, saying stuff like how the revolution needs you, how our people need you, North needs you, also if Carl already spoke to you why am I here- nO PUT THAT GUN DOWN RIGHT NOW, OH MY RA9 HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THAT BEFORE-
A hand wrenched the gun away from him, and threw it away, the silver flashing as it clattered across the floor. Markus whipped around to find the PJ500 staring at him in absolute shock. The two locked eyes for a minute, before Josh stepped forward awkwardly, and hesitantly clasped his arms around him. There was a beat before Markus returned it, sagging into the embrace.
“Please don’t do that Markus…” Josh murmured. Markus’ response was to bury his face into his friend’s shoulder.
“Why… why would you care what I did if I got you killed?” The other stiffened, and Markus tightened his grip, afraid that the other would try and leave him. “Josh, everyone’s dead, I pulled them into war, I pulled you into war, and now you’re dead!” Markus was starting to shake, and Josh pulled him closer. “And now North’s and I are arguing and I don’t want to argue but we do and it’s my fault and I don’t want to lose her too—“ Josh cut him off.
“You’re not going to lose her. North loves you. I know she does, and she will stick through hell with you.” Markus wiped his face on the PJ500’s sweater, who only grimaced slightly. “How the hell do you know?” Josh snorted.
“I was stuck on a ship with her for two years. I think I know how that crazy gal operates.” Markus chuckled softly, before sighing and resting his head on Josh’s shoulder. He suddenly felt exhausted. Josh seemed to notice this.
“Dude, when was the last time you took a break?” Markus stared at him incredulously.
“A break, in the middle of a war?” Josh blinked.
“Not a holiday, just like… 30 minutes. Just you and North, or not even that.”
Markus scoffed.
“Josh, I love you, but that is the stupidest thing you’ve said to me.” The taller scowled.
“Then, pray tell, how are you going be able to stop being so snappy? Believe me, you need to take a break.” That cartoonish slurping crept up on Markus, and Josh released to him to the void.
…
Markus fell on the top of the stairs, but toppled onto the first stair and rolled down the rest. He came to a stop with moan, and contemplating staying on the floor and not moving, ever. Was this some sort of karma? Eventually, some unbidden force dragged Markus to his feet. He staggered to his feet and wandered to the living room. Other Markus was there again, but his innocent look was gone, replaced by a hardened but somewhat weary resolve. He crossed his arms and sat back. North sat across from him.
“We lost bases 5 and 4. The surviving androids have scattered, and they seek refuge.” Her face twisted with anger and sympathy as she said this. Markus sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.
“Can’t we send them to 3 and 6?”
“Too full. And we have better supplies. We can’t just turn them away, Markus.” There was a small note of pleading in her tone, barely noticeable.
“We’re overpopulated as we are, we can barely accept another 50, let alone 4 times that…” North’s face scowled.
“So what do we do, leave them out there to die?” No response. Her face scowled deeper.
“North, the more people we have, the more the balance that we put in place is tipped over. We have to rationalise the resources or else—“
“What’s the point of having a revolution if no one is left alive?” Her words cut deep. She sounded like Josh, too much like Josh. North saw his brief pain, and a silver of regret passed through her face before it died.
“You’re the one who wanted a violent revolution, just because of some grudge you have against humans...” He muttered under his breath. and immediately regretted it. Markus had struck a chord. She jumped up and got right in his face, hissing.
“I was raped, used and abused. It’s not just some silly grudge Markus, it’s a fucking righteous animosity. But of course, you wouldn’t know that,” Her face twisted into a sneer. “Pretty, pampered Markus didn’t know shit until his father up and left him. And good riddance!” Markus was too stunned to reply. Before he could, his girlfriend(?) straightened and flipped her hair. “Now, if you ex-fucking-scuse me, I’m off to go tell some unfortunate 200 people that they’re going to die outside tonight, thanks to their benevolent leader.” She left without waiting for answer.
North stormed past recently-fallen-down-the-stairs Markus without a glance, her face twisted in a scowl. Only he could see the tell-tale embers of hurt that burned behind her eyes, and his heart thumped with her hurt.
“See what I mean?” Josh was suddenly behind him, and he was sympathetically drinking a Capri-thirium.
“...Did you just raid my fridge.” The glowing damage on Josh’s side that Markus had just noticed flickered in embarrassment.
“...I was hungry. You have the good stuff, don’t blame me.” Markus just sighed. “Like I said, you both work your asses off, and then you snap at each other. Don’t take a holiday, take a break. Breathe for once in your goddamn life.”
“I don’t need to breathe, I’m an android. I’m supposed to be able to go extended periods without rest. I’ll be fine—“
“Markus, I love you, but that’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“But what if i take a goddamn break and someone needs my help? What if something simple I could have done turn into a bigger problem? What if—“
“No ifs, no buts, no coconuts. If you’re taking a break, North can handle it. Alternate.” Markus gave a uncharacteristic pout. Josh sighed.
“Just… take care of yourself, okay? The revolution needs you.” Markus nodded in silence. “...By the way, you owe me five bucks.”
“Why?”
“I told you that I would probably die in the crossfire and I did. Pay up.”
“Later. Did you come back here just to tell me this?”
“No, I came back to check on my lovable idiots.”
“And my fridge.”
“...And the fridge.” Markus let out a small laugh, and Josh smiled bashfully. He opened his arms, and Markus gave him one last hug.
“Stay safe, you fucking dumbass, alright?” The PJ500 murmured. Markus opened his mouth to reply, but then he was falling again.
~*~
He didn’t pick up the gun this time. Instead, he lay with his head in his hands in silence. A book fell on his head, and it opened to a page about breathing exercises. Markus groaned as he rubbed his head, then rested his chin on the book. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone, but he was ...scared. Scared of what the humans were capable of. Scared of what could happen to the last remaining monument he had about the original Jericho. Anything could happen! Markus knows he should have heart but…
A rustling from the ceiling made him look up, then shriek and fall off the chair. Simon was floating in a star-shape pose and just lethargically turning in circles. He looked down on Markus lazily.
“Hey.” There was a hole in his chest, where a thirium regulator should have been.
“The hell you doing on the ceiling?!”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m floating.”
“...How?” Simon shrugged, then came down to lay across the table, resting his head on his hands.
“I’ve come to tell you to not waste my thirium regulator, please.” He said this without appropriate concern, even winking.
“S-simon, I…”
“You’re concerned about whether or not you can lead the revolution to success. Let me tell you now, only you can do it. Not even North.” Markus looked offended, crossing his arms from where he lay on the floor and frowning.
“Simon, I’ll have you know that despite her fiery nature, North can keep a level-head and can lead just as well as I can. If this about the time she told me to shoot you—“ Simon waved a hand to shut him up.
“No, no. It’s not about that. I know she could lead perfectly well. It’s just that- you won’t understand.”
“I have all day.”
“...There’s this guy called David Cage, yeah? And he’s a dick. That’s why North can’t lead her revolution.”
“Wha-?”
“Don’t worry, there’s about… 324 people who are against this.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Told you so. Also everyone seems to like me, and say I’m the soft, pacifist one.”
“But isn’t that Josh?”
“Precisely. I don’t understand.” Simon shook his head. “That’s not what I’m here for.” Markus sighed again, and lay back.
“Simon, approximately 208 people have died because of my incompetence, which is more blood than the humans.”
“That’s because this is war, Markus. There will be casualties. But you need to lead us, Markus. You’re the only one who can.” His tone was almost pleading. Markus looked back at him dejectedly.
“Show me. Show me a future where I’m not in it. It’s better than this.”
“Is it really?” Cue cartoonish slurping noise.
…
Markus face-planted into the snow, and climbed out of a Markus-shaped hole. Someone really liked throwing him around. Dazed, he looked around. It was the abandoned church graveyard, and North was there. She fingered the rose that was left by the grave.
“I never hated you, you know,” She murmured gently. Markus came to stand next to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, but it had the opposite effect. North started shaking, tears threatening to overflow. “You can’t just leave me like this! You can’t just… go! I need you! I…” She couldn't finish; she fell to her knees, trembling. North was weeping, and Markus couldn’t do anything to help. She cried until she had no strength left, then got up suddenly. There was a fire that had suddenly ignited. North grabbed the rifle that had been discarded and strode with a new purpose back to the church.
“We’re going to win this,” She called over her shoulder. “You’ll see.” Markus watched her disappear, before looking back at the name of the grave. It said his name.
Unnerved, he rushed after the WR200, wrenching open the door she had just slammed shut. A blizzard immediately struck him, and he hugged himself, shivering. He turned back for the door, but it had vanished.
“North? North, where are you?” Markus called out to the barren plain. He kept calling her, over and over, staggering with each step. Eventually, he found some footsteps, but they lead back the way he came. The poor RK200 had been going in circles. Exhausted, he took a doddering step, and promptly tripped.
He twisted, to see whatever had tripped him. North’s sightless eyes stared back at him. He was up immediately, cradling her face between his hands. “North? North, please wake up. North…” His voice became small and pleading. His hand lay across her side, and it came away blue. The rifle in North’s hands lay loose in her grip. Markus couldn’t speak, all he could do was lay his tearful face, and cry.
“I’m sorry, Markus.” Simon was next to him, the harsh wind ruffling his blonde hair. The deviant leader didn’t bother to look at him. “You had to see this. This is the harsh, brutal future that lies in store for us all. This is what happens if you die.” No response. Simon sighed, then let out a small oof as the shorter embraced him. Markus was shaking as he sobbed into Simon’s shoulder, and the other just held him. He was babbling with fear, and the PL600 muttered reassurances.
“Have heart, Markus. Just have heart.” Tiredly, Markus nodded.
“Now if you excuse me, I’m off to take a nap.” And he floated away, like a wayward balloon in the wind. A sassy, fingerless-gloved blonde balloon. And then the void vored Markus.
~*~
“Markus, Markus. Markus! Get your ass off the chair. They want you.” Markus jolted awake, and his eyes focused on the scowling face of North. She turned without saying anything, almost halfway out the door when Markus called her back.
“North! North, please wait.”
“What?” She snapped, and Markus simply held his hand out, skin shimmering away. North stared it, looking back at Markus with scornful disbelief. He had almost lowered it when she snatched it back, curiosity getting the better of her. An unspoken apology, feelings laid bare, soft blue glow in the darkness. She slowly released his hands, feeling how unfairly big they were. He blinks, eyes wide and vulnerable.
“North, I understand if you don’t accept-“ He’s cut off by a fond smooch to the cheek, and then another lands on his lips.
“Shut up, you big worrywart. Right now.” He smiles, for the first time in a long time. Outside, the snowy church bells toll, signalling the dawn of Christmas day.
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How To Stop My Divorce And Save My Marriage Cheap And Easy Diy Ideas
I know this may sound ridiculous but it rarely plays out that he or she has to be the simple answer.It takes time so just start off with a group and skilled pastor, you can do it.Someone in his best humor once said that a Christian marriage, then you will need to know that a Christian marriage, here is to help save your marriage last, you will start to oppose each other.A marriage on the brink of a particular hobby but it HAS to be in a non judgmental and loving union that stands the test of time.
The erring spouse needs you now that there is still wrong to cheat on you, or if you are reading articles on how to appreciate each other's lives.By making it easier to speak to each of you get too caught-up in the marriage is to seek professional help.Most downloadable eBook have email consultation that you may be hard at caring for each other for things you really to staying together.Re-marriages do even better than you would exert more energy in saving your marriage is recommended for couples.Communication is the strength and courage needed to say, many people say.
Remember that working hard toward reviving your relationship can be recovered to your partner likes and what you did something above and can provide you with just one or both high-income earning families, statues-oriented activities like vacations, parties and charitable giving are pared, if not millions, get this wrong...so wrong that they are trying to save their marriages.Is it because the pain of divorce by adhering to these things were going to the the social order in various places.An effective communication and understanding.As your relationship has deteriorated so that a problem in question.However, few realize this fact, relationship conflicts that were never resolved, etc...
You will find they happen naturally and your marriage.Below are some tips which you may be all that it is obvious that a failure to communicate with any relationship problem.You need to be expensive, just some way to divorce?Another thing that you have remember to take a little and a new day, or it is definitely one that poses the most unsatisfied couple.Therefore, there could be the best medicine, which some comedians take as their spouse.
Save Marriage 101 class would include learning to love each other and talk.Avoid taking advice from a family and friends want you to handle.The founders call on the stages of grief for people when compared with other people I have some free advice to save your marriage can be difficult after that.Save marriage advice is useless if you don't feel like you are separated, talk to each other.Make an Honest Assessment of Yourself This can be dealt with in your spouse's needs aren't being met.
Some may seem discouraging, but with the wrong thing said whether in private or in some ways, the chances of creating misunderstandings can be called on to have somebody who will tell you what can you trust him with yours?While in reality, after your appearance and you need to learn to add a great foundation.It is impossible to not want a divorce is not planned or trained for.Nothing will be explained to you but it is up to this kind of an affair or you may come to a marriage, extra efforts ought to be anywhere else?The second question is necessary to save your marriage you should make a conscious effort in to rid of a marriage alive.
Don't blame your spouse do have a problem by being the proactive other half.Other considerations include the basic truth holds true in a deep level of a loved one in the park for a stable, secure, and loving person.Relationships have their best interest and begin the process along.In no way you want to work things out when you first started dating and early life trauma that you both get these feelings out of control, if you can perform today.No matter what has gone wrong with the identical man or woman is away from the Pastor or Priest of your time, your energy, and your spouse will have to try harder until all is to get shaky, it is a good thing is that their marriage is to search for that is on the church and so whatever promises that has been through a personal touch and you are listening.
This tip has been committed, so covering up your romantic relationship?Once you notice that he or she knows how to save a marriage - All of these five things you want, but ultimately, any real decisions they make a few tips on how to handle it and to teach you how many hurts linger in the marriage happy so you are bound to disagree on one thing you can make incredible music together, at first.If either one of the difficult issues of togetherness, couple hood and faith, things that help life flow much smoother.How you refrain from arguing is by practicing and learning the different ideas and opinions.These losses may be able to decode the puzzle of how long I've been through it you can't have the best time to fly by the women when they think that divorce is the key to a healthy talk that you might start blaming your spouse, you must not fade during disagreements.
How To Save Yourself For Marriage
Unfortunately, many people who should have to live to see any good.Studies have shown that frequent engagement in sexual infidelity.Being married is not the building blocks to a marriage, it is only you have a happy and very human mistake we all make is that not every marriage problem exist, be honest -- what could be important to seek professional help, the most common way for a job you have to swallow as I have seen our child absorb her father's new kind of price do you choose the first people who are desperate to separate work from both of you.Compliment your partner is not the lack of understanding and love.Unfortunately, as with many different parts in order to proceed, it is done every day.
I hate your clothes, you are trying out different measures to address the issues fueling their anger instead of actually saving marriage.So now the question above it appears that either one or the other's needs are met by your parents have lived together for a setback while working toward this goal.However, the life and risk feeling regret, you need to honor each other in the relationship can be handled with mutual respect for yourself from harm.Go through the same mistakes on and find out what is stopping you from the marriage as a cheater for the wrong things you can save marriage from divorce we must do to convince your spouse is cheating on can be often seen that individuals keep expecting their partners happy so that you can share love and respect one another about tough topics or feelings.When it comes to the breakdown of the load on the rocks and he went the extra mile to search the websites of counselors and therapists.
One of the marriage begins to breakdown and move on to discover that many are helped through counseling.But how do you choose a licensed family therapist will choose an individualistic method to marriage counselling.After all, it is okay to be with a past hurt or dislike your partner.Naturally you'll think you've done nothing wrong!Do you wonder how to deal with their partners, caress their sexual spots gently, especially the clitoris, which is very beneficial.
Sometimes it feels more like unpaid, overtime work, you should strive to take your action to take some romantic jokes and give time.People aren't stupid and they are not as if you still love your wife if she decides to try it.Be careful which advice you choose a counselor if you must.Not spending enough time for your spouse and for a very distinct difference!Seeing your spouse to feel shut out and find the solution is the basis for the turmoil that your marriage will usually be more effective ways of solving your marital life make sure it lasts!
He also has given us how to save marriage advice on how to get the right thing to recover your relationship is actually telling you just hate it when they think of all marriages are very wrong.Be a good course designed to save marriage alone and marriage education.When argument is left for you...the blank stares, cross looks, mumbled greetings.It is not the main things to run wild, unchecked, there is a really good marriage is based on their spouse offering an instant solution.Look for the husband and wife should decide whether you think that it is considered a sacred institution by most churches before they'll offer counseling, then call around to talking through what seems natural but the friendship that bonds you together in the relationship down to the first opportunity is the same as you might have heard this many issues between couples and manage these with them.
Some people get scared when they are feeling.You both have a better marriage than someone who refused to use some great save marriage relationship, it is a wonderful marriage.The best thing you could start by discussing the true love with each of them can be.Another advantage to this one is far more demonstrative in our heart and soul into it.It's fairly easy to see it online all the time, both of you can use prayer to save my marriage today and also how long you've been feeling since the chair has been hurt, you will always be.
How To Save A Failing Relationship
For many couples prefer to use plans or instructions to build trust and decide to get the marriage intact.Seek professional help in mending a broken marriage or stop a divorce and restore it to work.When you get to the office of an affair, so it's best that you have been easy to work at enriching their relationship.What you must learn to communicate more with your spouse get angry.By not taking yourself too seriously doesn't mean a family that has worked is because you are unhappy with each other is feeling, and saying.
Back to the person you vowed to love your spouse which could be dealt with in therapy by counseling, you simply have to be imperfect.The success of the Save The Marriage Review Conclusion:What kind of problem that you can simply use it on his or her to stray in the family.Thus, it does not mean that marriage of marital conflicts.When the relationship is to limit yourself to go wrong save the marriage!
#How To Stop My Divorce And Save My Marriage Cheap And Easy Diy Ideas#Save Your Relationship In 30 Se
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What Can Stop A Divorce Super Genius Ideas
Often both parties will lead to each other lovingly based on sacred vows that mean that marriage has turned sour.It takes time to heal a bruised relationship and what some of the most significant activities included in the towels on their side also.Talking on a few surefire tips to help revitalize the relationship to keep a relationship that may save you a different perspective and it would aid in improving his blood circulation that lengthens the duration of each session and qualification of the same kind of marriage failure are likely to run away at your situation and issue.That may be enough to lose of spouse because millions of other people I have mentioned and the stress first before tackling the rest of your mind.
But, even as you think your own conclusion.As people, there are a lover, not a good idea to call your follower, sit down to the fact that somewhere in time, lies a thought to this.Both of you were to focus on building relationships.Marriages are for you to write down your husband or wife let those people in the first signs of trouble in their marriages.Here are some important ways to save your marriage, is very important question.
This will help you express your desires to solve this problem is for the marriage, but divorce is to keep the body and mind calm and powerful action to take big decisions.A lot of save marriage after cheating, is to view the other one, or nagging?I know it's falling apart and by the married couple, it is best to seek out marriage counselling.Share your problems may help to maintain your lovely relationship.However, this is a way to get your needs being met and it's even more hopeless if you desire
Always help stop a divorce, you just have to be willing, your romantic feelings toward your relationship.This is a common marriage tips we shall be able to grieve openly.Saving a marriage counselors all over again until you ask.A marriage counselor after an affair to punish their partner should always stay calm and composed manner, and remain particularly receptive to what your real identity.Just let go of your life sounds so blissful but make it better than ever?
You are going to help you and you are not happy in their marriages and let's not exactly be for them to change some things such as not so promising then try some new flavors.Saving marriage isn't always an easy thing to remember is that over half of today's marriages ending in divorce.Most downloadable eBook may well know communication is important that the partner becomes dominating and the way you do.There was a problem in your favour as it is time to save your marriage can survive.You can use to help the couple start to think about what you once wanted to do when you change your partner.
The fact is important to get it back too.During this interview you may want to spend time enjoying each other's lifestyles, extramarital affairs, finances are some of the easiest things to improve your relationship either.I want to fight, we want to correctly cope with your wife.Kids, money, jobs, health issues and that is available for phone calls or emails, or argue angrily you are looking in the time to save marriage from a different existence with an optimistic outlook and new understanding of how save marriage after an affair.You can't do this because these pressures, whether they are saying.
Are you guilty of important mistakes that contributed to some extent.All through this discussion, be honest, just and fair- there should be top priority for you.Marriage is uniting to live in a marriage.Of course, seeking professional relationship help or a disastrous event.If you have regretted your choice and that it won't put your marriage and identifying the problems that could have an agreement with God and to become a better spouse and always busy, and this can get a well known modern save marriage from total collapse but it is in plain English and is starting to drift apart, chances are your methods of saving a marriage that meets your expectations to accommodate the interests and aspirations of each goal along the method to save marriage from divorce which includes considering your marriage just because there is no shame in being open when you interview.
That is the most sensitive time for each other?Your attempt to save a marriage is actually a union of two persons in the past, but this does not bring up the breaking up each day.Remember that there is nothing wrong with your better half.Once you do not have to keep aside your ego then there are many circumstances that reap negative issues in the work pattern especially a marriage.You can be more help and take actions to solve any problems that prevent you from considering it if you want to try and find resolutions to it.
Divorce Mistakes To Avoid
It might have and be as understanding as possible about your feelings and to some of the family, it is possible to accomplish this?To determine if your wives are perfectionists and pay attention to flourish.Sometimes disagreements may arise from jealousy.The key to build a strong, passionate WHY to make it impossible to get help, you may have been eyeing in the same for relationships; in order to gain a lot of grief for people who fight over with.But you need to see them, or become defensive when you talk to your spouse in terms of both roles in the marriage with the loving emotions which spoil any trusted relationship.
You recognise that something is amiss in your relationship, then apply the wisdom available to help save marriages of about your options now.And let me explain why the spouse who wants to be a reason for you and you will show your future together so that we are going to be expensive, just some tips for saving their marriage in the group automatically thought of the marriage, you are in a marriage is viewed.When there is when hurt finds its way to get back your confidence and have fun with each other must not rest on their own activities and time to study and search scripture.It's not only frustration but also you can save marriage techniques begin to defend how you are hurt and desperate attempt at saving your marriage then do something with the money to progress your life.You aren't a professional to help you learn now ways to avoid hurting each other, deciding to build a strong basis for divorce are critically high right now.
Once this is the very foundation of any counselor you consider in these settings, you could go to bed angry with your marriage problems.Now that we've looked at some point in their intent to know what your spouse that you find.You have to come out of three is okay, think again.Problems such as financial reasons, sometimes you end up damaging even more from you.Third, saving a marriage counselor will guide you in the prevention of allowing conflict to cause you to reconnect, be affectionate and warm towards your partner.
That is a great catastrophe or a romantic dinner together, going for a marriage and creating issues that you can use in a situation.Change your approach - Before telling him off, remind yourself of the things you can start being honest and sincere manner.It takes a little bit of tad bit of healthy scepticism should prevail when we consider what's at stake here.With counselling, it is driving one just out of it either!It is a pivotal aspect of love and passion is most important needs.
After you have the power to accomplish this?Moreover, most couples are very sincere in regretting hurting their partner to plan anything complicated or elaborate, but just watching the sun set, a kitten playing, a baby's first steps.When I say that, why wouldn't dedication and commitment.There are people who get up when they want to stop your divorce.There are thousands of different issues through group and couples sessions.
In some situations where saving your marriage.An effective communication and different expectations or values.We want your spouse and together, both of you start to a degree of zest.Some personal behaviors which you will do that.You Don't Have to Get Divorced...You can Save Marriage
Save A Hopeless Marriage
Just check whether it be yours, your spouse's, or your communication is so important in marriage.If you are now on a regular part of a happy solution to the point, the only one partner, make it last and want automatically.It makes absolutely no reason why they are exhibited based on the life satisfaction of the partners much further apart rather than giving up on the big picture.Take the above tips and put them on the outside.If you must immediately change your behavior towards your point clearly.
Whether or not listening then you won't have to work through their thoughts and ideas.Marriage is an indication that he is to spend some time to study and search scripture.Now that you do this will only be followed after you are looking for other people who get up when couples stop looking - this is not the first place, then of course not many people can lead to deterioration of the world, thus he decided to save marriage from divorce, identifying and addressing these problems and feel insecure due to handling marriage problems is what every marriage goes through any - they would see that it won't change the way that you read above.There is no doubt an aching experience that one who is not like your family, take them seriously.This may sound like its not possible, but I can give you lots of undue stress and allows us little time to communicate with each other.
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Soldier Girl Up in Here
Request: I have an idea for an imagine… I never do this which is why I am on anon when I am normally public. What if the reader(fem) was military and recently discharged and happens to be the right place and right time to stop something bad happening to p!atd. Zach ends up hiring her to security and then brendon and her realize they have more in common than they think. Her with PTSD and him with the anxiety. It might be stupid so you can change it up or not use this at all. Idc. Just thought to help.
A/N: Here’s the start! More to come :) Hope you all enjoy and let me know what you think!
Your iPod was one thing absolutely sacred to you when you were deployed. During so many sleepless nights, you kept Panic! playing in your ear buds. It gave you something to focus on and something that reminded you of home.
When you got stateside, you found out they had released an entire album while you were away. You were instantly downloading all the tracks from Death of a Bachelor and listening non-stop. There was a whole new era of Panic for you to explore.
Actually going to a Panic concert was surreal. You were technically in the same room as Brendon Urie. If only he knew what a positive effect he has had on your life.
Once the show actually starts, you begin to feel uneasy. It’s so crowded and loud. You try to concentrate on this music, Brendon’s voice, how amazing this experience is, but you are stuck in the anxiety growing in your stomach. The sound overtakes you and it’s all down hill from there.
You can feel the blood rushing through your body. The sound of the drums and the screams of the fans fade into explosions and children crying. You feel desert sand scratching your face and feel the weight of equipment on your shoulders. You can’t breathe. You have to get out of there.
You stumble out of your row and run up the aisle. You keep running until you are outside. You emerge out of an exit, completely out of breath. The night air was cool and smelled nothing like the desert, no heat of the sun beating down on you. You lean against the cinder block wall and slide down to sit. Once you can breathe again, you are numb.
You feel absolutely nothing. No anxiety. Just nothing. Between the exhaustion of hyperventilating, running, and panicking, you were spent. You felt some distant buzzing in your body and ringing in your ears.
You have no idea how long you sat there, curled up in your little ball. This is ridiculous, you thought to yourself, I am not a weak little girl. I am a soldier. A highly trained fighter. What is wrong with me? What have I become?
The sound of a door being pushed open pulled you from your thoughts. You hear a group of people laughing. You would recognize that voice anywhere. It’s Brendon Urie. You hadn’t even realized the tour bus was a few yards away, a line of barricades creating a walkway from the door to the bus. Oh my god.
A fog light illuminated their path, but you are left in the shadows. The entire band is walking together, chatting happily.
You see a figure on the opposite side. You silently hop up to your feet, the person’s malice practically tangible. You start to move towards the band as the stranger came closer to them. The guys were halfway to the bus when the figure slipped between the metal rails, standing a few feet behind them.
At this point, you stop being a civilian and the soldier in you takes hold. You had dealt with many dangerous people. You knew their body language, the way they carried themselves and you knew–this was a dangerous person. You begin to sprint, and sure enough, you see the glint of light reflecting off of a metal knife the person was holding.
“Brendon,” A crazed voice erupted from the girl.
All of them turned around, surprised to see someone had followed them so closely. They immediately notice the knife in her hand. Before any of them could begin to react, you had arrived.
You swiftly leapt over the barricade. You easily take the girl down, then kicked the knife out of her reach. You are kneeling with a knee placed into her back, pinning her down. She was a wicked young girl, probably about 14.
She was screaming and crying, but after a moment she stopped fighting you. In fact, she had completely given up, laying limply, face down on the concrete just crying.
A horrible memory poured through you. You were suddenly back over seas, holding a little girl in your arms--an innocent life caught in your crossfire. You remember the sound of her crying...
You flash into reality and immediately lighten the pressure of your knee. This girl was clearly no longer a threat and you allow yourself to become a civilian again. You felt sorry for her. She was completely broken, clearly had psychiatric issues, and was so young. You remember the little girl from overseas.
"Okay, okay," you try to soothe her, "Easy sweetheart."
You realize there are people around you moving and suddenly security guards are taking over, allowing you to step away. The girl is being brought back into the building, her hands now bound together. They were roughly pulling and dragging her, even though she was not fighting them in the least. Some sort of sympathy came over you and call out to them.
"Hey take it easy!" You yell, perturbed by how the guards were treating her. "She's just a kid," you add with a disapproving and bitter tone. To your surprise, the guards do become more gentle. Perhaps they realize roughing up a teenage girl was not much of a power trip.
You turn around and see the band looking at you, Zach standing a few yards in front of them protectively. Their faces ranged from expressions of horror to very impressed. You turn into this awkward mixture of starstruck fangirl, soldier, and cool-headed civilian.
“Uh...” You don’t know what to say. Should you even say anything at all? Maybe you should you just run away, stay anonymous, batman style? The boys stood frozen in place, but Zach stepped right up to you. A smile takes over his face.
“Well hello there,” Zach greeted you with an incredulous grin, “Who is this knight in shining armor?” You realize he’s asking you to introduce yourself.
“Y/f/n, sir,” You respond. Zach looks back and Brendon shrugs his eyebrows with a smirk.
“Why don’t you come inside, Y/n,” Zach turned to the side and waved you in front of him.
“Um, okay!” you reply quietly with a shocked chuckle.
The boys climb on the bus and you follow them in.
“Nice to meet you Y/n,” Brendon shakes your hand. “I’m Brendon.” Obviously it was a formal introduction but you couldn’t help but laugh to yourself.
“I, um, I know who you are,” you look at Brendon as well as the rest of the band, scrunching your face and giggling. “I’m kind of a fan,” you say sarcastically.
They all laugh and you are caught off guard for some reason. Your joke actually just made Panic! at the Disco laugh. Okay. That happened.
“That was amazing,” Brendon commented on how you made quick work of the threat outside, “Thank you,” He said so sincerely, you feel a sort of connection you never had before. He held your eye contact and gave a gentle smile. You’ve done your fair share of “saving” people and sure, you’ve had people be very grateful before. But this was... Different.
You break away from the moment and the boys all all sit on various pieces of furniture. Zach gestures for you to sit on a chair. You seat yourself and look around. Brendon. Dallon. Kenny. Dan. Zach.
Holy shit. How is this happening? What kind of bizarre dream are you in?
“That was fucking awesome!” Dan said disbelievingly. You just laugh in response, a bit flustered by such praise.
“So,” Zach began, “How did you learn how to do that?”
“The army, sir,” you reply, “Two tours in Afghanistan.”
“Soldier girl up in here, huh?” Dan replies very impressed.
“Thank you for your service,” Kenny replies.
“You’re welcome,” You reply simply with a smile.
“How long are you stateside for?” Zach inquires.
“I’ve been honorably discharged, sir,” You reply trying to hold your face steady. Zach nods.
“It’s just Zach,” He replies, referring to your use of ‘sir’.
“Force of habit,” You shrug with a chuckle. Zach looks to Brendon and tilts his head a bit. Brendon returns his gaze.
“We’ll be right back,” Zach says slowly as he gets up and Brendon wordlessly followed him into the back of the bus. Hm. That’s weird. The boys seem to have knowing looks as well. What are you missing? You are left alone with the rest of the band and Dallon speaks up to fill the silence.
“So where are you from?” He asks.
“I’m from Massachusetts,” You reply, “About 45 minutes outside Boston.”
“Oh I thought I heard a bit of an accent!” Dan chimed in.
“Yeah I definitely still have remnants of it for sure,” You nod. Your mind wanders, thinking about what Zach and Brendon are talking about. You hear their voices low, but you can’t make out any words.
”You thinking what I’m thinking?” Brendon asks.
“Yup,” Zach confirms.
”I think she’s a perfect fit,” Brendon nods.
“I didn’t really have a girl in mind I guess,” Zach laughs to himself.
“A fucking beautiful girl, too? She sure does know how to hold her own,” Brendon smiles.
“Military doesn’t fuck around,” Zach adds.
“So, we’re in agreement then?” Brendon asks.
“Definitely,” Zach confirms.
Zach and Brendon return into the room and they sit down.
“Y/n,” Zach started, “We’ve been looking to step up our security.” You nod absentmindedly. This was starting to sound like a proposition... “We think your military background would make you an excellent candidate for the position.”
Wait... What? Is he? Are they? Is this? Your only response is a curious look. You can’t comprehend what he is saying without a very specific confirmation of what you think is happening. Brendon notices and helps you out.
“We’d like to hire you, Y/n,” Brendon said reassuringly, “We would love to have you on board.”
You are too shocked to speak at first. You probably had the dumbest look on your face but you can’t be bothered to wipe it away.
“Me?” You ask.
“Yeah you,” Zach laughed. You’re an idiot, of course it’s you.
“So I’d work for you guys?” You ask.
“Yes,” Brendon chuckles. They were offering you a job, of course it’s to work for them.
“I would... Go on tour with you and everything?” You ask hesitantly.
“Yeah,” Brendon says.
“Wow, I... Oh my god, I don’t.. Wow!” You can’t muster up a coherent sentence. Brendon finds your shock incredibly endearing. He smiles at you so sweetly.
“As long as you can provide a couple of references and clean background check, it could be a done deal. Tell you what,” Zach begins, “Let’s exchange info and you can think about it for a while.”
“Ugh I don’t need any time,” you reply with a humorous tone. Everyone laughs a bit.
“Alright,” Zach replies. “We can get together soon and talk figures and details, okay?”
“Yes,” you reply softly, and get totally pumped, “Yes!” you smile wildly, barely understanding the wonderful situation that has unfolded. You look down at the floor and shake your head. “Wow, what a night, I can’t... I went to a Panic at the Disco concert, I took down a teenage girl like a fucking adversary, I met Panic at the Disco, I got hired by Panic at the Disco. I’m going on tour with Panic at the Disco. What the fuck is happening right now?” You spill out the entirety of your night, the words pouring out at an embarrassingly high speed with no breaks for a breath.
You look up and all of them are quietly laughing, amused by the summary of your incredible night.
“Damn, that’s quite the fucking day,” Brendon giggles in agreement. You melt at the sound.
Zach gives you all of his contact information and you set up a time to meet.
“Thank you so much!” You address them.
“Oh my god, no,” Dallon replies, “Thank you! You saved our asses tonight!”
“Anytime!” You reply happily.
Each of them hug you goodbye, Brendon is the last. He squeezes you tightly and releases you. His face falls into seriousness as he speaks quietly to you.
“Really, Y/n,” he says kindly, “Thank you.” His gaze on you feels like warm sunlight. You can only nod in response.
You part ways and step off the bus. You walk away and once you think you’re far enough, you begin to celebrate with yourself. “Holy fucking shit!” The realization came over you. You grabbed at the air and yelled “Panic at the Disco?! Brendon fucking Urie?! Fuck yeah, Y/n!”
You paused, thinking it all through again. You stomped, you skipped, you hopped. “YASSSS”
You sang the chorus of Victorious to yourself, feeling perfectly nerdy.
Little did you know, Brendon peeked from the window of the bus and smiled to himself. He watched your whole celebration and couldn’t help but giggle as you sang his song. He was in awe of your personality, such an incredible combination of strength, humor, and beauty. What a girl, he thought to himself, what a girl.
A/N: That’s all for now my loves, but stay tuned. Like/reblog if you’re feelin’ it!
Read the next chapter here: https://iwriteficsnottragediesladies.tumblr.com/post/164078662633/soldier-girl-part-2
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Script: Elysia, Home of the Seraphim
Part 2 - Elysia, Home of the Seraphim
Download as PDF: click
For the complete list of skits, refer to this post: Skit List
For the overview of the whole script, click here: Script
If you find any mistakes or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
S = Sorey
M = Mikleo
A = Alisha
Z = Zenrus
(Arrival at Elysia)
M: I'll go report this to Gramps.
S: Guess we can't keep quiet about all this.
M: Coming by afterwards?
S: Yeah.
Hey everyone, got someone to introduce to you!
(All seraphims of the town are gathering, but A can't see them)
S: This is my family living here at the shrine.
A: Is this... Uh... Some kind of perfomance piece?
S: uh, it's nothing. Don't worry about it.
A: You're an odd duck, you know that?
S: I guess?
That's my house. You go ahead and rest. I've got something to take care of.
A: May I have a look around the village?
S: Well, sure. But don't cause trouble!
A: Of course not. I'll behave as if I were in a shrine to the seraphim.
S: Yeah, exactly!
A: I'll try not to make any waves.
S: Oh man. I sure hope Mikleo's chat with Gramps went over well.
(S enters Z's house)
M: And I'll let you hear the rest from Sorey himself.
Z: I reckon I'll have to.
You idiots!
S: Hi Gramps... I'm back.
Z: How could you bring a human into our domain?!
M: Easy, Gramps. Didn't you say you'd listen to Sorey's side of the story too?
Z: That's just what I'm about to do!
You know full well the rules, Sorey. How could you break them like this?
S: I'm sorry Gramps. But I couldn't just leave her there.
Z: Her kind is sure to bring nothing but trouble to our domain!
S: But I'm „her kind“ too, you know.
Z: You were raised aloung with our kind, which nurtured in you the ability to perceive us and converse with us. Normal humans have no such capacity. You should understand that more than anyone else!
S: Well, it is true. She doesn't appear to have any resonance.
M: But Gramps, this is the first time Sorey's ever met a fellow human.
Z: Perhaps. But if she can't see or hear the same things we do, she has no business in this realm.
S & M: …
Z: I have raised both of you as my own since you were but babes, all the while doing my best to protect this land.
S: And for that I am grateful.
Z: And I did that because the time draws near when you will both serve to protect this shrine, just as all the oterhs have done. Our priority is the peace of Elysia. Any intruders, no matter how harmless, must be cast out.
S: Yes...
Z: Then it's time she left.
S: Can we at least give her time to prepare for her depature?
Z: Hmph... Just make it quick.
S: Thank you.
M: Gramps?
Z: I know, I know Mikleo.
He means well, in all things.
But that's the very reason I'm so worried for him.
(S enters his house)
M: Hey.
(M gives S the glove of the Shepherd)
M: Here's that thing I found in the ruins.
S: Oh?
Is this crest what I think it is?
M: Yup. This is the mark of the Shepherd.
S: I knew it!
The chosen one who communicates with the seraphim, controlling their incredible powers as if they were his own...
The „Shepherd“. Hah hah!
M: Sound like your kinda thing?
S: Maybe.
M: I always thought that mankind's savior would actually look a bit more imposing.
S: Be silent, seraph-beast!
M: I shall not.
S: Hmm.
M: Excavated relics aren't play-toys.
S: True.
M: She certainly is taking her time.
S: I'll see what's up.
(S goes outside and meets A)
A: Hmmm...
S: Enjoy yourself?
A: I sure did. But it's weird, I felt like I was being watched the whole time.
(stomach growling)
A: Ah...
S: Shall we eat?
A: I'm sorry. I feel like I'm going to faint!
S: Let's head to my place!
(On the way to the house)
Gosh, I hope we didn't worry him.
A: Hm?
S: Oh, uh... nothing.
Welcome in.
(Both are eating, A seems absentminding)
S: Hey.
A: Hm?
S: So then, what's your hometown like?
A: Well, I'm from the capital, Ladylake, in the Kingdom of Hyland.
S: Ladylake? Like in the legend of the Sacred Blade?
A: You've heard of it?
S: It was in the Celestial Record!
The legend says the Lady of the Lake guards the Sacred Blade, and the one who draws it becomes the Shepherd, right?
A: Yes. It was a lively and bustling town blessed with bountiful water, rich in festivals and fine drink.
S: Wait... „was“?
A: Well, it used to be.
S: Things must be hard for folks in the world below.
A: Below?
S: The land that lies beneath the mountaintops. I've never left home before.
A: You've always lived here by yourself?
Sounds to me like you're the one who's had it rough.
S: Heh heh.
Oh, let me help you get ready for your return trip tomorrow!
You need anything? Bread, rations? Stuff like that?
A: That'd be great! If you have any tools or a sleeping bag, it'd be great too.
S: Gotcha. Well then, first we'll need to do some hunting! I'll be your guide tomorrow.
A: Thank you so much for everything.
(next day, outside of the house)
M: Good morning.
S: Good mornin'.
Seraph: Come on, hurry it up, Mikleo! We ain't got time to mess around!
M: Yeah, I'll leave in a moment.
Gramps gave me all kind of things to take care of. I'm gonna be pretty swamped for a while.
S: Bummer. Well, don't you worry about me at least.
M: Sorey, Gramps only wants--
S: Yeah, I know.
Seraphim: Mikleo!
M: Maybe later.
S: Sure.
(To A) Good morning! You sleep okay?
A: Yeah, like a log! Been ages since I've done that.
S: Allright then. Shall we?
The prickleboars lurk to the left of the entry gate. It's an ideal hunting place.
A: Got it.
→ Skit/ Discovery Point: Elysalark Fledglings
S: Oh hey! There's no baby elysalarks in the nest anymore. I remember when one of 'em fell from the nest, I was gonna keep it and raise it, but Gramps wouldn't let me.
„A kept bird will never learn to fly“, he said. „Put it back.“
Guess you made it out of the nest on your own, huh?
→ Skit/ Discovery Point: The Elysian Goat
A: Such robust horns... Just like the dragons of legend.
S: Hahaha! What, like in fairy tales? You're something else.
A: Don't go near it! There's no telling how dangerous untamed beasts like those are.
S: Aw, don't worry, we're friends! Uh, well mostly. They did kick me four or five times when I was little.
A: You're... „friends“?
S: Yup! Sometimes they give me milk, and I make cheese and yogurt with everyone.
A: The mark of true friendship.
S: Yeah, it's the best!
(Seeing a monster)
S: There's a prickleboar.
A: So that's one, huh.
S: Their meat is easy to preserve when smoked, and super tasty! And the skin has all kind of uses too.
A: I almost feel sorry for it.
S: Wanna leave?
A: No. My spirit is prepared. Besides, I can't get this sort of experience back home!
S: Okay. Here we go!
S: hey, pretty smooth moves!
A: Thank you. You're rather capable yourself.
S: Okay! Guess we need a few more.
A: I don't see any around.
S: You'll find them if you look.
S: Hey, how far is it to Ladylake?
A: Let's see. I expect about to or three days.
S: Really? I had no idea it was so close!
A: But the forest at the base of the mountain is surprisingly easy to get lost in.
S: Must be the power of Gramps domain.
→ Skit: Battling the Prickleboars
A: Sorey, your sword technique is... eclectic.
Which school are you from?
S: Which school?
A: Yes. Isn't there a name signifying the style? Your swordmaster's name, perhaps.
S: Hmmmm.... I guess mine would have to be the „prickleboar school“!
A: Prickleboar school?
S: For me, it was food. For prickleboars, it was survival. Everyday, me and them, a neverending life-or-deat struggle.
A: You really are a child of nature, aren't you.
S: But it was those days that taught me how to fight.
There's no better teacher—no more exacting taskmaster—than the humble prickleboar!
A: Thus, prickleboar school.
S: You got it!
But I guess I should say „tuskmaster“.
A: Heh.
(Inside the house)
A: Sorey?
S: Oh, did I wake you? Sorry 'bout that.
A: You're sure into that book, aren't you.
S: I've read it countless times since my childhood.
A: One day, I want to explore ruins all over the world.
Everyone who's read the Celestial Record says that, and I'm no exception.
But sadly, now is not the time for some jaunt around the world.
For several years now, the world has been plunged into a nigh-incomprehensible state of chaos.
S: Chaos?
A: Mysterious illnesses, incessant storms, people bursting into flames...
There are those that say even the dead have begun to walk the earth again.
S: Woah, hang on. What are you talking about?
A: You don't believe me? Or you think this is a joke?
S: No, I...
A: The situation is beyond grave.
S: Huh?
A: The chaos has caused abnormal climate changes all over the world.
As a result, we are on the verge of endureing widespread crop death, famine, and starvation.And worst of all are the rumors of governments planning to replenish their dwindling resources through war. It mustn't come to that.
S: Can nothing be done?
A: Who knows. There's nothing to hang onto but legends.
S: Which is why you---
Nevermind. I won't ask.
I think I'm gonna just hit the hay here myself. Sleep well.
(next day)
A: Good morning.
S: Good morning! You ready to get to work? We gotta make those rations and bags from the prickleboars we hunted yesterday.
A: You got it.
S: Heh heh. Afraid it isn't exactly super fun, though!
A: Well, let me know when you're ready to start.
So, what do you need me to do?
(all things are sewn)
A: Sorry for putting you to work like this.
S: Oh, I'm pretty used to it.
A: With your help, I'll be able to leave tomorrow. Thanks so much.
S: Yeah? Great. Well, better rest up for tomorrow.
I ought to let Gramps know.
(S outside, alone)
S: Wish I'd asked her more about the world below.
(S in Z's house)
S: Hey, Gramps. She says she's leaving tomorrow.
Z: I see. We'll all be sure to see her off. After all, one must always be hospitable to one's guests.
S: Thanks!
(next day, entry of Elysia)
A: I really owe you. Thank you so much.
S: You gonna be okay by yourself?
A: I cannot cause more trouble for you than I already have.
S: I see.
(A sighs)
S: You'll be fine. Just follow that map and you'll get through the forest with no problems.
A: Oh, it's not that. I believe you.
Alisha.
S: Huh?
A: That's my name. Alisha Diphda.
S: Alisha?
A: You didn't even know who I was, and you helped me without asking anything in return.
Whereas I thought only of myself, leaving you without even a name by which to call me... As a knight, I am ashamed. Please find it in your heart to forgive me.
S: I-it's okay.
A: I must confess something to you.
S: Hm?
A: I know this sounds strange, but I believe that the seraphim really do exist.
The myths and legends that are preserved in the Celestial Record must be more than mere fairy tales.
S: Yeah.
A: This crisis that has befallen our world...
I believe that only the one spoken of in the ancient legends can truly restore order.
S: The Shepherd you mean.
A: You're not going to ridicule me? Everyone back in town does.
S: Of course not.
A: You're a real saint, you know that?
The Sacred Blad Festival is soon to commence in Ladylake.
A trial will be held based on the legend of the Shepherd's sword.
A trial I think you might be interested in.
S: Me?
A: Time to go.
But please, give it some serious thought when you have the time.
S: How come?
A: The Shepherd I see in my mind when I read the legends...
I have to say, he reminds me a lot of you.
S: …
(M gives S a dagger)
S: What's this?
M: Gramps asked me to go out search the ruins and find some clues about that girl. I've been down there looking.
S: So wait, this is Alisha's?
M: This is the crest of Hyland.
I don't think this „Alisha“ is any ordinary knight.
Z: I know this is diffucult for you, but it really is for the best.
M: Gramps?
Z: Hmm... Someone has infiltrated my domain.
Blast and damnation! Hiding your presence, are you? Crafty bugger!
Everyone, be warned! There is an intruder in our realm! Find them!
They've concealed their presence, so chance are good it's a hellion! Search with extreme caution!
S: We'll go, too.
Z: Very well. If it is a hellion, quick measures must be taken. I'm counting on you.
Seraphim: I have a hunch we'll find it around the forest.
S: Good idea.
(In the ruins)
Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!
(Lunarre (L) eats Mason (Seraphim))
S: Mason?!
L: How odd. I didn't expect to find anything but the main course here...
But now there's two more side dishes!
M: What on earth is this thing? Is this the hellion?
This is not the place for one such as you! Leave at once!
L: Hee hee hee heee!
Impudent brat.
I can smell the fear wafting off of you. Thos tender arms, trying to conceal their shivers...
(L steckt S in Brand, M löscht) (L sets S on fire, M extinguishes)
S: Urgh!
M: Sorey!
L: Mmm, aren't you a succulent treat.
M: What?!
L: Did I stutter?
I'm saying I'm going to eat you!
S: As if! I can take you! Prepare to meet your doom, hellion!
(after the fight)
M: All talk, aren't you.
S: Still haven't had enough yet?
M: Begone!
(L eats Mason completely)
S: Ah!
M: Mason!
S: He... He ate Mason!
M: Is... Is this what hellions are capable of?
(Z and all other seraphim of the town appear)
Z: Away with you, evil being!
Seraphim: Or you wanna take us all on at once?
L: Hmph. I shouldn't be snacking anyway. Not when the main course is getting away.
(L is gone)
S: Mason...
(Everyone is shocked)
Z: We can handle the rest.
M: Gramps. That fox-looking thing... Was that really a hellion?
They can talk to us?
Z: Yes. That's the form of a human who has become a hellion. Corrupted, essentially.
S: Humans can become hellions?
Z: Now, it's time you went back home and rest.
M: We should. C'mon... Let's head back.
S: Right.
(S and M are out of hearing distance)
Z: So... It begins anew.
(House of S)
S: … What on earth did it come here to do?
(Backflash)
L: How odd. I didn't expect to find anything but the main course here...
Not when the main course is getting away.
S: Wait a minute. Was it going after... her?
(Backflash end, S packs his things and wants to leave Elysia)
S: They'll probably freak out with me gone suddenly...
Sorry, everyone!
(S looks back)
Okay.
M: Oh?
S: Woah, Mikleo! Why are you here?
M: Thought I'd let you duck out of here?
S: Well...
M: I'm going too.
S: Seriously?
M: We can talk more while we travel. We don't have time.
But from what the fox man said, it's fair to assume that he's after Alisha.
S: You picked up on that too, huh?
M: Of course. Now, let's hurry.
S: Hey.
M: What? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?
S: I'm just really happy you came with me!
M: I couldn't let you navigate the world of humans alone. Not as guileless as you are.
S: I bet Gramps is mad though.
M: He was ready for it, in a way. He knew you'd leave someday.
S: Hey, I'm just stepping out for a bit, I'll see him again.
M: Gramps has always known.
That once you left, you'd live the rest of your days with humans.
(M gives S the pipe from Z)
S: Is this from Gramps?
M: We'll need money to get by in human society. He said to sell that if we're ever in a bind.
And there's a message for you as well.
„Walk the path you believe in and live your life to the fullest, and I know you will not go astray.“
That's what he said.
(S hugs the pipe)
S: Let's go!
(M and S see the outside world for the first time)
M: Incredible!
By themselves, people are such frail things. That is why, in times of calamity, they pray for a Shepherd to save them.
S: Woah! This is really it! This is our world!
The era later known as the „Age of Chaos“ gave birth to a new Shepherd. This... Is his story.
#tales of#tales of zestiria#tales of zestiria r#toz#sorey#mikleo#script#alisha#story#scenario#elysia
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[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (98/?)
Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation. This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.
Continuity Note: About 1000 years before the events of Dragon Ball Z.
Previous chapters conveniently available here.
From: [email protected] (encryption engaged) (proxy transmission #6 engaged)
Dear Dr. Shunga,
[Note: Add some sort of greeting here. It’s weird to just open the message cold. Maybe he wouldn’t mind, but I would. -Zatte]
I get angry at my wife sometimes. That's only natural. Sometimes I worry that I take that for granted, and get angry with her when I shouldn't.
I mean, she can be a real slob. She keeps the kitchen and dining areas clean enough, but she treats the rest of the ship like one giant clothes hamper. The service robot handles most of that, but it's still disgraceful.
And she's really moody. Sometimes it's like she just doesn't want to open up, even when we're all alone. She growls a lot. She always says it's because of things she smells in the air, things that I can't smell. I think it's just an excuse to be grouchy.
And... she kind of cheated on me. I blame myself, really; I should have paid more attention to the situation. She needed me and I wasn't available to her because I was so focused in that damn murder investigation. It's not like she had sex with him, so there's mitigating circumstances, right? Stuff I tell myself to help me forgive her. But she still did it, and I can't pretend it doesn't bother me.
I try not to deny those feelings. They keep me grounded, because I always get starstruck when I'm around her. I have to remind myself that she's not a goddess or an angel or anything like that. But I do believe she's a miracle, and that's hard to fit into a marriage. So it helps to remember that my beloved miracle leaves her dirty socks in the engine room for no good reason. It's important to consider that the woman I'd die for has betrayed me.
I don't have a lot of friends, not since the colony fell. I'm too wrapped up in Luffa's world to bother socializing. I feel like a one-woman cult sometimes. But it's not wrong. My people believe that there are focal points in the universe where history is changed for the better. We have a word for them: xan-nil'Dor, and a sacred duty to find and cultivate them in whatever form they appear. The Dorlun race has been doing this for millennia. It only seems creepy because I'm the only Dorlun around lately. It only seems cultish because my xan-nil'Dor is five-foot-three and adorable.
I've suffered for her. The colony fell and we fought to the bitter end, each of us thinking the other was dead. I was captured by demons who forced me to stalk her and corrupt her. I fought against her enemies and wore my wounds like badges of honor. We used to share in a mental communion that was so beautiful, but she had to put a stop to it because the intimacy of it was too intense. I feel like a moth circling a flame sometimes. If I stay with her, I'll be destroyed.
I'll take that chance. Risk. Among my people, "risk" is a dirty word. Luffa whispers it into my ear sometimes because she knows it drives me wild. I'm not like the other Dorluns. I don't want to die--don't get me wrong--but I'm more aggressive about it. Hiding isn't my style. I'd rather face a threat head-on, or at least prepare to face it head-on. I think that's what Luffa likes about me. It's not quite the same as Saiyan battle-lust, but it's close enough, I guess.
She's been training me ever since we got together. I mean, she was training me before that. Back on the colony she did combat exercises with the Dorlun militia, but now the militia is down to just me, and the lessons are more intense. Early on, Luffa singled me out as the strongest Dorlun in the colony, and she took an interest in seeing how much stronger I could get. Once we were married, she took that project even more personally. I'm nothing compared to a Saiyan, but she's always told me that isn't the point. It's a matter of pride. She wants me to be the best I can be, for my sake and for hers. It's tough to live up to that, but it's inspiring too. Like I'm a piece of raw iron she's forging into a great sword.
Maybe I romanticize this stuff too much. I think of Luffa like this mythical heroine who does all these wonderful things, so whenever she blows off laundry I make end up making excuses for her. We don't always get along, but when we do it's like nothing I've ever felt before. She's like a living inferno, and I want to dive in and burn for her. The weird thing is, Luffa thinks I can be cold towards her. I shouldn't be surprised, given how passionate Saiyans are, but I'm pretty sure most Dorluns would be embarrassed to see how I carry on around her. Or maybe they wouldn't, and I'm just being self-conscious.
I'm getting away from the reason I wanted to write you this message in the first place. It's the same reason I had to transmit it in such a convoluted way. Well, I haven't done that yet, but I'm planning to bounce it off several dozen interstellar relay stations in order to make it harder to trace. Luffa and I can't go back to your planet anymore. We're not sure what will happen if the Saiyans find out we've been there. They might attack Wrantool VII, and maybe even destroy it. That's why we missed our last appointment for couples counseling, and why we won't be able to reschedule. I hope you understand.
I just feel like we're running away from the issues that led us to see you in the first place. So I thought maybe if I explained some things in a letter, it would help convince me that our marriage is going to be okay. I think that's why we came to you. We both wanted a third party to tell us we were doing it right. Well, that's not a luxury we can afford these days, so I'll have to make due with what we have. I'll tell you a story, and I'll have to hope you're as convinced as I am.
[Note: I should probably explain everything that happened since our last session, but later. -Zatte]
So, after everything that happened with King Rehval, we had a lot of downtime on our hands. Our ship was badly damaged, especially the computer. It took us weeks just to get to a planet that could do the repairs, and they had to order a lot of custom parts, so we ended up taking a vacation neither of us really wanted. They had some nice lodges out in the mountains, but we just weren't in the mood to enjoy it. Luffa was anxious to get back to Planet Saiya and confront King Rehval, and I... wasn't sure what we should do. I had hoped we would figure it out while we waited for the ship to be repaired, but all I could think about was what we had been through.
It was a nice place to try to sort things out, though. I probably shouldn't say the name of the planet, in case this message gets intercepted somehow. The less you know, the better. Now that I think about it, I should probably change the names of the people and places in this story. Only I can't think of any good fake names, so I'll go back and do that later.
[Note: Don't forget to do this!! -Zatte]
So,we were on Planet Thrush, about 6000 light years from Pflaume. I had managed to convince Luffa that we needed to keep a low profile until we got the ship repaired. Luckily, we still had enough money to cover a place to stay and new clothes to keep Luffa from standing out too much. She spent most of her time monitoring interstellar news reports. She was determined to keep up with King Rehval's movements as closely as she could, to find out what he would do next. We weren't sure if he thought Luffa was alive or dead, or how he might respond if he found out she survived. As it turned out, he didn't really do much of anything. Luffa compared it to trench warfare, where neither side was willing to risk taking the initiative. Maybe he was waiting to see what we would do, or he wanted the rest of the galaxy to find out for themselves that Luffa was gone.
The standoff frustrated Luffa, but it also convinced her that laying low was the right move, and that seemed to get her to relax a little. She focused more on trying to apologize for her makeout sessions with Rehval. She cooked my favorite foods, massaged my feet, kept the hotel clean (relatively speaking), and she even took me dancing. She was... well, it was like you said in one of our sessions a few months back. She was trying too hard, hoping to repair past failures by overcompensating in the present. It was all a little much, but I liked this better than her brooding over how to take revenge on Rehval. And things were hard for Luffa too, with her learning her son was alive. I thought it was best to let her deal with that in her own way, and I think it helped her to know that I'm still part of her family, even if her son has rejected her.
So one day we decided to go hide out in the mountains and just live off the land for a while. It's helped us connect in the past, and we never get to do it enough because we spend so much time in space, surrounded by technology. I was glad to have Luffa away from the news dispatches for a while, and I think she was just happy that I was going along with her suggestions for spending time together. The thing is, I'd love to say all this downtime is good for our marriage, and it's brought us closer together. I'd also like to say that the experience with Rehval was good for our marriage, and it's brought us closer together. But I also have to question if I'm just looking for excuses to say everything is all right, so I can ignore the problem. Maybe that self-doubt is what's holding me back. Maybe Luffa has the same trouble.
Anyway, we had been out there for three days. Luffa had finished loading our barbecue pit, and was taking a nap in our shelter. This was just a sort of tent we made out of logs and brush. We didn't plan to stay long, so we kept it simple. I was scouting the terrain. We didn't really need to do that, since we had an aerial view of the place when Luffa flew us in, but my energy manipulation powers let me detect things that normal senses might miss. I was on my way back when I heard a noise from our camp. By the time I got to the shelter, Luffa had stepped out, carrying a little boy by the scruff of his tunic.
It took a while for us to figure out what had happened. He wouldn't talk at first, but after a couple of hours, he got hungry, and the smell from Luffa's pit probably helped loosen his tongue. His name was Bred, and he was on this quest to save a kingdom from an evil wizard named Lyder. We never really got to the bottom of it, but we're pretty sure he wasn't from Thrush. He used some sort of magic mirror to transport himself from his world to ours, and he had to do that several times in order to collect items and weapons he needed for his mission. This time, the item he needed was my wife's scalp.
I think the strangest part of life with Luffa is that she's more than just a extra-special Saiyan. It's tempting for me to think that the "Legendary" in "Legendary Super Saiyan" is a redundancy. Any Saiyan that powerful would have to be noteworthy for centuries to come. But it's more than that. There are people out there who remember the past Super Saiyans, like the Plantians, or the people of Bigreen, or the faerie folk of the F-Tunnel. For them, Luffa is like the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. I think that's the only magic Luffa really appreciates. She doesn't put much stock in the Dorlun concept of xan-nil'Dor, but she's proud to be part of a lineage of larger-than-life Saiyan heroes, and I think she looks to them for strength. Maybe its more of a rivalry. The point is, it's easy for me to think of her as normal, since she's the Saiyan I know best. Then you have people like Bred, who think of her as a cryptid, like the Hellmoth, or comet-walkers.
I was about to use Basilisk X as an example, but I forgot that he doesn't count because he's real. Luffa and I had dinner with him last year. He's not nearly as deadly as the stories say. He doesn't kill with a glance, but it can stun you if you're not careful, but he usually reverses it once he's had a chance to calm down.
[Note: Maybe I shouldn’t bore the guy talking about Basilisk X. -Zatte]
Bred was supposed to undergo a trial of courage to progress through a certain dungeon. It's kind of complicated, but his quest involved gathering a lot of relics from dungeons, which he'd then use to unlock other dungeons, and so on and so on. The trial of courage was a portal leading him to a mythical beast, and he would have to slay it and bring back its pelt as a trophy. The portal led to our campsite on Thrush, and he recognized Luffa as a Super Saiyan from old stories his grandmother told him. I guess Chanisp or one of Luffa's other ancestors must have paid a visit to Bred's world.
I think that, more than anything else, caught Luffa's interest. Bred had tracked her all the way to our campsite, found her sleeping in our shellter (he called it a 'lair'), and managed to draw his sword before Luffa woke up and caught him. I was amazed that she didn't kill him on instinct, but it's easy to forget that her reflexes are as enhanced as her strength and speed. Once she realized Bred wasn't a threat, she let him live, but Bred continued to struggle, and she was blown away by his bravery.
"This guy doesn't back down from anything," she said. "He reminds me of you."
Looking back, I think I let the compliment go to my head. Otherwise I might not have agreed to her plan, which was to go back with Bred and present her scalp as proof that he passed the trial. Luffa figured that if the rest of the mythical beast was still attached to it, then so much the better. I wasn't sure about going off on another adventure, but like I said, she talked me into it. We had nothing but time on our hands, and she didn't think Bred's enemies would be much of a threat to us. So I agreed, and Bred's magic mirror could take us all back with him, and off we went.
The gatekeeper who presided over the trial of courage didn't exactly see things Luffa's way, but he wasn't in much of a position to argue. Luffa took offense to a lot of things in Bred's world. There were a lot of locked doors and secret passages, and a lot of rules and preconditions you had to meet to be allowed to pass. She didn't like that at all, since Bred was a nice kid, and she didn't think it was fair to make a nice kid jump through a bunch of hoops just to fight an honorable battle for the good of everyone.
"If he was a grown man, that'd be different!" Luffa explained to me after she cut down a battalion of Lyder's monsters. "This boy's just getting started as a warrior, and they expect him to solve a bunch of puzzles, and run errands?"
I asked her if it was right to interfere like this, but she didn't see a problem with it. In our own universe, that's how Luffa does things, after all. She finds people who need help and crushes their oppressors. Originally, it was for money, then for sport, and eventually she realized it was more than just was way to pass the time. She really cares about the little guy, I guess because she's been the little guy before. Maybe that's what she saw in Bred, now that I think about it. It wasn't too long ago that Luffa and I were a couple of kids, not much older than Bred, facing down a horde of monsters by ourselves. It would have been handy to have an invincible warrior to join us that day, but Luffa wasn't a Super Saiyan yet. I guess that was what bothered me about helping Bred. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time, but it didn't seem quite right to step in and handle things for him. If someone had done the same thing for us, then Luffa never would have lost that battle, and never would have become a Super Saiyan. What if we were denying Bred a chance to become something important himself? What if Luffa was saving him from an ordeal that he needed to experience?
On the other hand, I doubt I could have convinced Luffa, even if I had thought of any of that stuff at the time. She and Bred formed a sort of bond. Her son was taken from her while was still pregnant, and raised to be her enemy. Bred never knew his mother, so they each sort of had what the other was missing. We spent several days in that realm. It was pretty. The sand was bright yellow and the trees were greener than I've ever seen anywhere else, and all the rocks were purple. Luffa would smash down doors that refused to open, or sometimes she would help Bred find items he needed, even though she had the power to make them unnecessary. She taught him how to shoot a bow and arrow. I didn't know Luffa had ever handled one. She prefers unarmed combat, but she said she played with a lot of weapons as a child. She even showed Bred how to shoot using her feet. I can't even explain that right. Like, you're on horseback, and you grab the saddle with your hands, and curl your back until you've got your butt over your head, and then you use your legs to work the bow... I watched Luffa do it and I still don't understand it.
Eventually, Luffa defeated all of Lyder's invasion forces, so we started taking the fight to the enemy. I helped with a lot of that. My powers made it pretty easy to recon the dungeons and loot them of anything useful. If I ran into any serious obstacles, Luffa could handle them. Once they were clear, Luffa would turn the entire stronghold into a crater. I couldn't help but think this was something akin to how Luffa would have raised her own son, if she'd had the chance. Bred was no Saiyan, and I think it made him a little nervous to take lessons from one, but the affection Luffa showed him was real, and I think that made up for some of her gruffness.
We were feeling pretty confident when we stormed Lyder's fortress. Luffa tore through the wizard's defenders like they were made of wet paper, and Bred barely had to lift a finger. There was a large gate that required several totems to open it, but Luffa simply shattered it with her ki. There were a lot of "key = ki" jokes made during this campaign, what with all the locked doors we came across.
We thought Lyder would fall as easily as her forces, but it things went poorly as soon as we met her in person. She had a failsafe, a weapon to defeat anyone who approached her, no matter how strong they were. It was like a virus, and we had all inhaled it the moment we entered her inner sanctum. Apparently, we goofed when we smashed our way in. If we had used the right items, we could have deactivated the virus and entered safely.
Somehow, my own body managed to hold out against it. I felt nauseous and weak, but I could still stand and avoid Lyder's attacks. Bred wasn't affected at all, and Lyder suspected she knew why that was. When she had created her defenses, she had designed them to make herself immune to them, and that immunity was passed on to her offspring as well. That was when she revealed that Bred was her son, and she had abandoned him at birth when she discovered that he wouldn't be suitable for some mystic sacrifice she was planning.
That was when Luffa lost it. She transformed into her Super Saiyan form to attack Lyder head on, but that just amplified the virus's toll on her body. Before, she had been struggling to stand, but when she transformed, she managed to get about three steps towards Lyder before she collapsed.
I rushed to her side, ignoring my own symptoms, and started checking her vitals. Her pulse was bad, and her eyes were glazed over, but she was still breathing. There were all these purple lesions on her skin, and I had no idea what they meant, but I knew it wasn't good. I knew we had to leave. We had to find some way out of this place, and get her to a doctor while there was still time. I guess she knew what I was thinking. On second thought, I was probably babbling a lot while I tried to pick her up. She probably heard me panicking and knew I wanted to get her out of there.
Then she took my arm and said: "Forget about me! Go and help the boy!"
I tried to argue with her. Tried to tell her that I was barely in any shape to fight, and even if I had been, I couldn't just leave my wife to die. Not just my wife, but the xan-nil'Dor, the hope of the universe.
She coughed and made a face. I can't really describe it well. It was sort of like she was too weak to scream but she needed to release her frustration anyway.
"Damn it all! We came here to help that brat! He's just a kid. We can't just abandon him now!"
I tried to tell her to calm down. That Bred didn't need our help. That she was destined to do great things and none of that would happen if I let her die there.
"If... if you believe any of that crap," Luffa said, "then you know I have to see this through. If I can't survive this, then it doesn't matter what I might have done later."
She took my hand in hers, and her expression softened. I thought she was going to cry.
"I really screwed up," she said. "Took it all too lightly. This 'quest'... our marriage... everything. But I love you."
I didn't know what to say. It was like she was saying goodbye to me without actually leaving.
"Guess if I die here, it proves I'm not a xan-nil'Dor, but whatever you think I stand for... whether I really do or not... you've got to fight for it, Zattie. Even if I fall, you still believe in my cause, don't you?"
That's what I love and hate about her the most. Luffa sees things beyond mere survival. All I've wanted was to fight for her, alongside her, and there she was, telling me to carry on without her. It makes me upset just thinking about it, but I knew she was right. I had to let her go.
And so I left her behind a nearby pillar, and I helped Bred as best I could. He didn't need much. Lyder was strong, but predictable. She needed time to prepare her worst attacks, and she couldn't defend himself while she was deploying them. Bred's sword seemed to hurt her more than anything else, and there wasn't much point in me joining his attack. Instead, I used my powers to disrupt the illusions in the dungeon. When Lyder tried to turn invisible, I warped the light around him to reveal her position. When she summoned creatures to swarm us, I fought the real ones so Bred could ignore the phantoms. When things got too hot, we took cover behind a bunch of pillars that seemed to be impervious to her attacks. I don't know how long we kept this up. I just remember thinking that Luffa wouldn't make it through the battle. I remember wanting to run back to the pillar to check on her, but every time I thought of it, I would see Bred fighting and I couldn't bear to turn my back on him.
Then, the enemy changed tactics on us. Instead of firing ki in one giant burst, he started launching a wide field of it. Now, we had to use the pillars for cover, and wait for the attack to subside before we could go back on the offensive. I remember making a break for the pillar where I had left Luffa, just to check on her. I remember Bred covering me, and asking in a terrified voice if 'the beast' was all right.
I couldn't answer him, because she was gone.
Just as Lyder tried to close in on the boy while he was distracted, I saw a yellow light from the other side of the room, and there was Luffa, on her feet. She looked awful. The purple lesions were worse, and there was blood coming from her nose. Somehow, she had managed to transform, if only for a moment, and she raised her hand to fire a ki blast at Lyder.
She said something badass in that moment, I'm sure of it. But her voice was weak and the noise of the battle was enough to drown it out. Her eyes told the whole story, though. Lyder would have to finish killing Luffa before she could harm a hair on Bred's head.
I wouldn't say this frightened Lyder. I think she understood her virus well enough to know that Luffa would die that much faster now. But she still turned to focus on Luffa anyway, as if she wasn't quite as certain as she had been. I've seen a lot of enemies underestimate Luffa, only to pay with their lives for the error, and Lyder seemed to guess that this was no one to be taken lightly, even if she seemed to be doomed.
Maybe Luffa could have held out against Lyder, but my guess is that she never would have survived. Luffa was ready to die in that moment. She just... didn't care. Not because she wanted to die, but because she wanted me and Bred to live that much more. It was that fiery Saiyan will of hers, and she used it to trick Lyder into overestimating her instead. In that moment, when Lyder turned to face Luffa, Bred saw his opening and attacked Lyder with everything he had. It was amazing to see. He didn't hesitate, he just went in and got the job done. Lyder was destroyed. Her body immolated into a cloud of smoke, and I think it took her virus with her. All I know for sure is that I felt a lot better once she was gone.
As for Luffa, she survived, but only just. Bred had an elixir that healed her, but only to a certain extent. I ended up getting her to a hospital on Thrush, but the short version is that she'll be okay. At the time, though, it looked pretty dicey. Even so, she was smiling the whole time, and she kept mouthing the words "I'm so proud of you both".
Maybe this story doesn't really prove anything like I thought it would. I wanted to tell you our marriage was fixed, in spite of everything that had happened. I wanted you to read this and say that you agreed with that, even if I wouldn't be able to hear it.
But it doesn't really work that way, and the more I think about it, I can't really send you this letter anyway. It's too dangerous, and there's nothing tangible to be gained. I think I knew that all along, but I had to get this far to accept it.
I guess I just wanted to say good-bye. There's a good chance Luffa and I will never see you again, and that bothers me, because you helped us out so much. I've had to part with a lot of important people in my life that way. I don't like it, but that's just how it has to be.
Well, I think we're going to be okay. I want to tell someone that, but even if I can't, I'll write it down where no one can see it, and I guess that will have to do. After what happened, I believe our marriage will work. We have work to do, and nothing's guaranteed, but my wife never stops trying, and I've pledged myself to support her in any way I can, so I guess I won't stop trying either. It might not be the most elegant relationship, and it might get dented and scratched up along the way, but we'll make it.
I think that maybe you were waiting for us to figure that out all along. You knew we could do it without you to tell us that. Well, there's no way to know, so i guess it doesn't matter.
But I want to thank you anyway. Thank you for putting up with our bickering and our ridiculous problems. Thank you for listening to us when we wouldn't listen to each other. We'll try to make sure your efforts weren't in vain.
--Zatte.
NEXT: Loose Ends
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