#and she’s like ‘i’ve got this giant plank of wood; i’m going to make a tool board i can mount on this wall’. so she gets it sized
Note
Hi do you think you do the 4 lords reaction to finding out their GN s/o has a shadow demon that goes wherever they go and some time find the 2 of them playing board games
Hiii!! okay important note here! i decided to go a little off topic (sorry) for the purpose of a part 2 where the lord’s s/o will be an angel!! of course still gender neutral and there will be a shadow demon but the s/o will be a demon that hasn’t fully formed yet!
i’ve been really uninspired lately so this probably isn’t my best! i apologise :((
Devil or Angel? Pt.1
General HC’s
It was strange how quickly your life had changed. One morning you were just a normal villager in some godforsaken town in the middle of nowhere Romania and the next day you woke up from the cold dirty ground with a pair of huge dark wings and sharp nails.
You had been exploring some of the woodlands surrounding the village, looking for a water source which was running low when a dark figure came barrelling towards you. It felt like hours, when really it was only a few seconds of sharp searing pain. Maybe it was a bad idea to leave the village alone.
You didn’t die however, or maybe you did? You weren’t quite sure what was happening to your body. All you knew was it must have been something supernatural to make the huge black wings appear.
“Looks like you finally woke up! Do you know how fucking boring it is just waiting for you to wake up?”
You screamed in terror at the large demonic creature floating above you. It was surrounded by a cloud of black mist with red eyes that pierced through its silhouette. It had a large wicked smile aligned with sharp teeth and a set of wings that matched your own.
Behind those eyes was something much more human however, in fact it looked rather bored.
“Who, or what are you?! And mind that language!”
The creature only laughed at you, amused by the whole situation which bothered you beyond compare.
“Well I’m a demon, if I didn’t swear you’d probably think me an angel with these playful charms I posses! And to be more specific I’m your demon, it seems you fell prey to one of the other demons condemned to this world it’s quite the tragedy really.”
You were shocked at just how easily this creature, this demon talked to you. As if it was a completely normal morning and life in the village had not changed at all.
“Oh don’t act so shocked, you medieval villagers have been worshiping my kind for a lot longer than that Mother Miranda. You’re one of us now!”
Surprisingly over time the creature, who’d you’d nicknamed “red” for their glowing eyes, was slowly growing on you. You might even call them a friend.
Sure Red was cocky as all hell and didn’t hesitate to cause trouble amongst the village but they became very protective over you and showed you the ropes on life as a demon.
Life can get kinda boring when you’re practically immortal and so you and red pass the time playing old Romanian board games and solitaire. When village life got really boring you even stooped so low to play go fish together.
A lot of the time you cause mischief in and around the village while Red was practically the devil on your shoulder, egging you on to stir the pot. The lycans were particularly enjoyable to taunt.
Regardless of everything, you couldn’t see yourself without Red and to lose them would crush you. There had been one too many nights when you’d chat about everything and nothing until you fell asleep curled up underneath your wings.
That was when you felt a protective wing curl around you, one that wasn’t your own.
“Always gotta fall asleep on me don’t you, huh? Don’t worry, I’ll have you partying all night before you know it kiddo.”
Alcina Dimitrescu
It started out as a stupid dare when Red dared you to sneak into Castle Dimitrescu and steal the Lady’s lipstick after hearing the village gossip that it was expensive.
You did not expect however to get caught in the hallway, starting straight up into the eyes of Alcina Dimitrescu, a stuttering and blushing mess. It was something that Red would tease you for until eternity ended.
After winning her favour, both you and Red were invited to stay in the Castle with Alcina and her daughters. She thought you were much better company than her brother and her affluent but gothic lifestyle totally appealed to you.
As it turns out you and Alcina had a lot more in common, both being creatures of a supernatural nature. You enjoyed the lazy afternoons curled up on the couch, a glass of maidens blood in your hand as she gentle stroked the back of her hand against your wings.
You had the finest outfits that matched your black wings perfectly and everything was tailor made so you were comfortable.
Red taught you how to fly so you were able to use your wings to be at eye level with Alcina which was perfect for hugs and kisses.
It turns out that Red is a great babysitter for the girls and keeps them entertained with hunting maidens and chasing them around the Castle while you and Alcina can spend some time together.
Donna Beneveinto
At first, Donna is truly scared of you and Red much like how you were in the beginning. But eventually, with the help of Angie she saw that you were not going to harm her.
You loved to spend time with Donna and watch her make her dolls or sew her dresses. Sometimes Red will come back with Angie from a day of causing trouble to find you reading to her another encyclopaedia of plants. Her head is resting on your chest and your wings are wrapped around her protectively while you read.
Your favourite thing to do together is to take Donna into your arms and fly to the top of the mountain where the waterfall begins and watch the sunset together. She’ll always have a deathly grip on your hand the whole time even though you’ve reassured her that you’d never drop her.
One time when you leaned in and gave her a kiss, a rather loud noise was heard from the corner and interrupted you.
“EWWW you guys are too cute!! All that lovey-dovey stuff makes me sick!”
Red is standing to the side with Angie on their shoulder who is sitting there making her own dramatic faces. One of Angie’s wooden hands covers Red’s eyes while the other is held on her forehead as if the kiss was enough to kill her.
Besides from their comment both Angie and Red act like your wing man for your relationship with Donna. They absolutely love you two together and have set up many dates for the two of you.
Salvatore Moreau
You meet Salvatore Moreau one day when you’re at the reservoir playing hide and seek in the near by mines with Red.
As it’s your turn to hide you end up ducking between some planks to find a tv set up and a small couch. Sitting in the middle of it happens to be someone you now know as Sal.
He thought you were going to kill him at first, hiding his face in his hands but very slowly after some months he saw that you weren’t a threat.
Over this time trying to convince Sal that you weren’t going to hurt him and trying to spend more time with him, Red took the opportunity to tease you for your crush.
“I think someone’s in got a little crush hmm??”
Eventually you become very close with Sal and the two of you will playfully chase each other at the reservoir. Sal will swim just below the surface while you fly just above it and your fingers brush together just where the water meets the air.
One time when you were chasing Red around the rooftops of the old village, you slipped and fell into the water, something that your large feathery wings did not enjoy and Red had to pull you out.
You ended up bundled on the couch with Sal, a bunch of blankets around you as your wings dried out. It took forever and you ended up a giant bundle of fluffy feathers but Sal thought you looked adorable.
Karl Heisenberg
Karl caught you and Red taunting the lycans when he went to check on them at their den one day. At the site of you two he raised an eyebrow and proceeded to light a cigar.
“I think you two may be lost, don’t you know it’s dangerous out here?”
You can hear the sarcasm in his voice and you spread your wings out to be intimidating, Red’s black mist behind you adding to it.
“Indeed it is very dangerous out here, I’d hate for you to get hurt.”
It was then when the three of you burst into a fit of laughter knowing that you were the strongest creatures in these woods and nothing could really hurt either of you.
Both you and Karl had a mischievous side and spent a lot of time causing trouble for his sister in her Castle.
It was fun to spend time with Karl and you both grew rather close. He even trusted you enough to let you help him on some of his plans and designs.
Red was particularly fond of the idea of killing Mother Miranda.
“Ooh when she’s gone can I have my picture put back up?! Pretty please!”
Karl designed his soldats with a red glowing chest plate that reminded him of your red glowing eyes which now matched Red’s.
While Karl will deny it forever, he’s completely in awe of you and finds you absolutely breathtaking. He can’t get over how soft your wings are and always cuddles up to you complaining that it’s cold even though it’s sweltering hot in the factory.
One day Karl took you by surprise and kissed you gently but with a degree of confidence which took him months to find. You melted into him and wrapped your arms around him securely, completely forgetting Red who’s hovering in the room.
“Guys I hate to break it to you but I’m kinda third wheeling here…”
Needless to say, Red third wheeled a lot and ended up befriend Sturm as an alternative to watching you guys make out.
#alcina dimitrescu#alcina dimitrescu x reader#lady dimitrescu#lady dimitrescu x reader#karl heisenberg#karl heisenberg x reader#donna beneviento#donna beneviento x reader#salvatore moreau#salvatore moreau x reader#resident evil village#resident evil headcanons#resident evil 8#resident evil#asks#prompt
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Minecraft pt. 1 (Sykkuno x F!Reader)
Oneshot (maybe part of a series??? idk we’ll see): Even though you’ve never played minecraft, you still manage to build a great house with your basement buddy. Friendship with a hint of romance. This is season 1 of the OTV ftb server (Pre-relationship; part of Uh-oh & Impasta)
“Ok guys, so today’s stream is going to be a lil different” You chat to your stream “We are going to be playing Minecraft with the OTV gang and other people we’ve played among us with!” Waiting for Minecraft to load on your pc, you continued on chatting “We will be playing GTA later on in the stream, we have a few jobs lined up with some people, so hopefully we get a lot of money from that”
You minimized your face cam into a corner as your character appeared in a random spawn area near quite a few people. You saw multiple boxy players run around and hitting each other. So, you walked around picking up flowers and with the help of some members of your chat, you managed to collect wood.
“OH! HEY Y/N!!” A loud crunchy voice yelled terribly into your ear causing you to cringe visible and immediately start hitting them with the wood in your hand.
“Your mic is dank man” You continue hitting them, which turned out to be Leslie and she starts to hit you back with a laugh. You guess her flowered hand overpowered your wood and hungry state, because you died and respawned to where you first showed up.
“Ah fuck” You complained before another boxy figure showed up infront of you and you recognized the blue shirt and green striped scarf, so you cheered. “Sykkuno!”
“Hey, Y/N!” His character moved his head up and down “What happened? How did you die?”
“Leslie’s mike was..crunchy?? And then she killed me!” You jump around
Sykkuno laughs “What? I’m surprised mobs havent got you. I’ve been killed many times by them” and in comedic fashion poki ran by screaming for help as she was being chased by a giant spider. You both watched as she would turn and hit it before continuing on her run.
It killed her. She puffed into smoke and in her place was a grave.
You both laugh as Sykkuno gasps out her name and you both run to her grave.
“Is this part of the mod? Or is it part of minecraft” You ask crouching on her grave and read her name.
He jumped around you with an answer “ Uh no it’s a mod that abe put in. If you break it the stuff you died with will spawn out”
“Oh” Continuing the crouch and uncrouch “What now?”
“Well i was going to find some of my graves, but I’m gunna find wood to make tools and find food” He answered and with that you decided to follow him
You collect the fruit from the near by trees and kill some of the animals with an axe that Sykkuno made you. Along the way you collected flowers and wood.
“We should find a house before it gets dark and more mobs come and kill us” Sykkuno walks to you then throws a stack of wood on the floor “Or maybe you build us a house. I’m not good at that type of thing”
You stare into your cam and do the debbie ryan “Oh my god, living together?” You pick up the stack of wood and start building a small house “Is that good?”
“Ya, that’s great! I’ll put the door down and I got us some beds, so we now have a spawn point. So when we die we just end up here” He explains doing so
Nodding along to what he said, you start putting the flowers you collected around the house before entering the house. He put the beds down next to each other. Making sure to mute yourself, you do the finger point and with a ‘tch’ sound you smile “ Oh my God Chat! Our beds are next to each other !?! How crazy. Heehee”
The house was lit up with torches. “Click on the bed” He tells you and you do so. Your characters laid there side by side and your chat was hearing you make embarrassing noises. “Chat better not be telling him how embarrassing I’m being please. This is a desparate plea for you guys not to tell him!! Like Im joking guys please” With a laugh, your character gets off the bed and you walk out.
“Oh!” In Sykkuno’s hand was a flower “I noticed you picking up flowers and I know that [Flower/Name] is your favorite, so i picked some up for you”
You can’t stop the smile that appears on your face nor the flush on your cheeks “You are so fucking cute”
“Wha-?” You interrupt him “This is so sweet, honestly Sy.”
He throws them on the ground “It’s no problem. Just saw them and remembered how much you liked them “ and you pick them up, putting them at the entrance of the door “I love it!!! Thank You Sykkuno!!”
He hums and jumps around. You check chat, when a donation comes in telling you to check it, and read that he was purposefully was looking for the flowers because he knows how much you would’ve loved them. You don’t believe them at first, telling them that while he is nice, going around looking for a flower doesn’t seem like a productive thing to do. So, someone from your chat sent a clip of him telling his viewers that he was looking for your favorite flower to give to you. His excuse was that this as your first time playing minecraft, so he wanted you to enjoy it and thought it would be a great present until he can find diamonds.
“Guys! No!! That is so sweet!” You cry out blushing even further
“Hey guys!” A voice called out. A voice you immediately recognized to be Liliy’s “Come look at my house!” Looking up you see her stood further up from the both of you. She started making her way down and gasped “Are those [F/N]!?! Where did you find these! The look so pretty!”
“Yea” You jumping once more “Aren’t they cool?”
“YES! Can I have one?” She asked standing next to them “Is this your house? I love the flowers around them”
“I guess this is where we live now” You respond
“Both?” Lily questioned “You and Sykkuno are living together!?!”
“Yea! He actually gave me the [F/N]s, so you can’t..have them..” You respond to her awkwardly
Lily turns to Sykkuno and hits his character “You fucking simp”
He gasps “Lily” but she ignores him “I’ll take a different flower as a housewarming gift. Now follow me!”
“Y/N, why don’t you go see it while I gather up more materials” Sykkuno told you
You follow her up the small mountain? And there laid her pink house and you gasped “There is pink wood!?!”
“Yea, you just need pink dye. I have a bunch left if you want some” She offered you
“I don’t know if Sykkuno would want to live in a pink house” You enter her house and notice chests and peak into them
“He’d want what you want so just go for it.” She places the flower she took from your house next to hers. “Those chests belong to other people, but here’s mine.” She hits the chest in her house “I think i have like 20 of the pink wood left, so you can just take the rest”
You took the stack from her chest “Awesome! Your house is nice! It’s big too! I’d have to remake our house into something bigger”
“Yea, it’s kinda ugly since it isn’t pink” She tells you causing you to laugh
“It was a last minute thing to hid in during the night” Holding the pink wood in your hand “I’ll probably look up some building tips and stuff later to make a cool place, but thanks Lily!”
You hung out in her house talking with people as they came and went as Lily went to find more flowers to surround her house in. Though someone interesting came in, wearing the generic steve skin with a slightly creepy face.
“Hey Miyoung!” Lily called from out her house
“Hi Lily” She responded “I’m just letting you know I’m putting a death trap in your home. Please don’t tell the victims”
You snorted in amusement “Can I help with that?”
She moves towards you in her crouched state, so you respond in kind. You both just stared at each other in your crouched position circling each other “Okay, so I have a bucket of oil, so I want to dig a hole in the ground and push people into it”
Nodding your head “Clean, my chat was telling me that there is a trapped door, so why not put one on the ground above it and just have people walk in it?”
“We should also put a sign down there, so as they’re slowly sinking to their death, there’ll be a sign that mocks them” Nodding her characters head “I have some signs already, I’ll make the trapped door”
Taking a shovel from your hotbar, you dig a hole 6 blocks down, digging the other side as you make your way down. You then walk to the other side and start to make your way up.
“You should leave an open space for the sign, maybe 2 blocks open?” Miyoung tells you as she eyes you from above. You jump out of the hole you created and shovel 2 dirt blocks. She places a sign down and covers it up with a wood plank that matches the floor of Lily’s house “Wait I need to put the oil down”
So, she breaks the floor once more and jumps in to put the oil in before making her way back up. “I just put RIP on the sign, I think it’ll help them realize that they will die, so..”
“Alright clean clean” You jump around and watch as she places a trap door on the floor above it and placing a sign in front of it.
“We should probably look for victims” Miyoung tells you
You make your character swing their arm around towards the chests in Lily’s home “Well people have stuff in here, so maybe we should wait for someone to come in to grab something and lure them”
“Sounds good” She says and as she says this Sykkuno comes barging in.
“Hey y/n!” He cheers “Oh hey Miyoung! Lily told me that she has a bucket in her chest that she’ll let me borrow. So, I’m just trying to find her chest. Don’t mind me” He rifles through them “Can’t seem to find them “
You open the trap door and look at him before he turns to you two “Oh is it in here?” and down he goes. “Oh!? IS THIS A TRAP”
You start giggling as he starts to panic laugh “y/n? miyoung? Help!”
You both just crouch above him and stare as he slowly sinks “Guys, any help? please? y/n?”
Miyoung just closes the trap door and walks away and in the little chat says that Sykkuno died in due to [Sticky Dipping], so you type in an apology as you make your way back towards the house. You meet him and apologize to him once again.
“It’s no problem. It was actually kind of funny, but check in the chest I have in the house. I got some more stuff for you for the house” He tells you “I’m gunna go back to get my stuff and the bucket, so i’ll catch you later!”
“Alright, see ya Sy!” You cheer back to him and make your way into the house.”Alright chat, let’s see what he gave us! I’m not reading what you guys, say so no spoilers~”
You open the wooden box and inside were more pink wood planks, glass, stairs, torches, other house materials to make building easier, and some more of your favorite flowers.
You feel your chest tighten as the butterflies appear in your stomach. You smile largely and giddy, opening and closing your mouth trying to gather the words to express how you felt, you were pleasantly surprised by the things he left you.
You wanted to squeal at how nice he is. It is hard to come across a genuinely nice guy that wanted nothing but friendship with you. So, it was easy to fall for Sykkuno; but it was hard to admit to yourself your growing feelings for him, because love is scary and being in love with your friend is even scarier. Once those feelings come out, you can’t take them back and things just become different. So, it is safe to say that you’ll be keeping them to yourself.
“By the way” Sykkuno starts causing you to jump in real life, as you were sat pondering to yourself “The server is making a town square a few blocks away, so why don’t we move the house there?”
You start collecting the items in your inventory “Yea! Are you going to need help carrying the rest of the stuff there?”
He starts breaking the items in your old home “If you have the room for some that’ll be great! yea!”
Once you both gathered the things you wanted to take, you guys bound towards where the Town Square was being made.
“Oh! By the way, can I request you build a basement for me in our house?” Sykkuno asks
The thought of him referring to the house as ‘ours’ made you smile “Yea, but can I ask why you want one?”
“Don’t worry. I won’t build anything that’ll blow up our house” Sykkuno dodges the question
‘Our’ house. Maybe one day that can be a real life possibility. You couldn’t contain the smile growing on your face even further. Maybe one day you’ll have the courage to tell him how you feel.
As you start building near Leslie’s house, a thought suddenly pops into your head ‘Sykkuno there is a girl into you’
#sykkuno x reader#sykkuno x y/n#sykkuno fanfic#sykkuno imagines#corpse x reader#corpse imagines#youtubers x reader
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Timeless - Five Hargreeves x Reader
Main story parts:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29
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Pt 29 - Sir Reginald and the Kids of the Round Table
You watched as Five disappeared and Luther walked out of the building with Diego trailing behind. You continued to face towards the downstairs area as you mumbled,
"Great."
From behind you, you can hear Allison question curiously,
"Number Zero, huh?" Allison
You turn around to look at her, annoyance written all over your face. You didn't want to deal with the conversation like this, let alone at all.
"It wasn't my choice. You think I wanted to be reduced to a number? I didn't care in the slightest that zero came before one." You replied, "I'm a person with a name, not an experiment and I made sure he followed that."
"So you are dear old daddy's favorite. Y'know I always kind of figured so. Never understood why though since you're the exact opposite of what he wanted his children to be." Klaus says with a drunken laugh
"Hell if I know. Our relationship has always been...complex." You state as you cross your arms over your chest
You couldn't quite grasp if they were just curious about the revelation or if they were actually upset by finding out their dad had called you number zero. Even if Luther was done with his dad, he still seemed to care a lot about it and unfortunately, they all still had their issues with their father so you had no clue how they might feel. You hoped it was just curiosity because you had never wanted to be zero and you really couldn't think of a circumstance in which you would accept such a name. It would have to be the only option left to agree to such a thing but Five and you all were going to stop the apocalypse so it wouldn't be a worry. You stand around awkwardly as a silence looms in the air over those of you who were still in the apartment. Wondering if and when the rest of them would come back, you all waited for a bit. After a few moments though Klaus broke the silence and said,
"This had been nice but you know, I could really go for some tacos right now. Allison?"
"Tacos? Shouldn't we wait?" Allison questioned
"You know those guys. I mean, it could take forever for them to bro it out. Vanya, tacos?" Klaus replies
"Is there any way that tacos are gonna cause the end of the world?" Vanya asks
"I mean, there's only one way to find out, right?" Klaus remarks
"Sure is." Allison chimes
"Let's go!" Klaus exclaims
"Where are you guys going? We need to figure out how to stop the...apocalypse" You tried to exclaim but it was no use
You stood at the top of the balcony as you watched them leave. You were starting to understand how Five felt dealing with his siblings. From behind you, you hear a voice say,
"I've missed you all...so much."
Ben.
"If it means anything, I missed you too." You state as you turn back around looking in Ben's direction
He turns his head to face you and replies,
"It does."
He looked at you and you cocked your head to the side slightly, intrigued at the sight before you. You realized what had felt off about him earlier. You hadn't quite noticed it because when he sat on the TV stand he was so far away but with him up close you realized, you could see him. Clearly. Before when you saw him he was more so just a giant blob of moving particles. Sometimes you could make out a head or arms but it was like static on a TV, no picture was clearly there. But now everything was so defined. It was as if the static had cleared and now you could see him in high definition. You could see his hair, his face, actual appendages like hands and fingers, and...ghost clothes? The point was he looked more like a person. He was still just a bunch of disturbed molecules but now he looked real. All that visualization practice with Charlie finally paid off. Slowly, you approached the seat he was sitting in and leaned down so you were face to face with him. Ben looked back at you confused. You were so close and he didn't know what was going on.
"Are you okay?" Ben asks concerned
You pull back and stand up straight.
"Stand up, Ben." You command
"What?" Ben questions
"Stand up."
Ben hesitantly stands up. You had never been so demanding with him before and he was highly confused about why you were so adamant about him stand up. He looks at you silently as you tell him,
"Lift your arms up, like this." You demonstrate to Ben
"T-pose!" Charlie exclaims
"Correct, but not in this instance." You say turning your attention to Charlie before turning back to Ben "Just trust me."
Ben looked at you and although he was confused there was a genuine look in your eyes. Unlike his siblings, you were trustworthy, you had never done him wrong. Slowly, Ben raised his arms like you had instructed before he got his arms up fully you wrapped your arms around his torso. You were hugging him. It wasn't a perfect hug because he wasn't solid, and if you held him too tight your arms would go through him, but you could feel the barrier of molecules where his back was and tried to balance your arms there. It took a second for Ben to register what was going on but once he did he carefully wrapped his arms back around you. This was the first hug he had gotten in years. He couldn't remember the last time someone held him but at this moment he forgot that he was a ghost and for the first time in years he felt like a person. Ben leaned more into the hug as he took in every second of it. He had wanted this for so long. He tried to wrap his arms around you tighter to bring you, the only other person who could see him, closer. But as he did so his arms went through you and he remembered a glaring fact.
He was still dead.
Although he was disappointed by the reality of his existence and the façade of normalcy he felt a moment ago, he held on anyway. With the way things were going he didn't know if he'd get this ever again. After a bit, you pulled away and shot him a smile. You wondered if Klaus was kind to his brother with no real autonomy but you also hoped that Ben was kind to his evidently struggling sibling. You looked around the place and saw that no one had returned as of yet.
"Hmm. Five would've been back by now." You comment
"Unless he ran off to do something," Charlie retorts
"Good point. I'm going to go take a look around outside real quick." You state before turning to Charlie "Charlie talk to Ben while I'm gone."
"Where is he? I can't see him like you can." Charlie asks
You use your arms to gesture to the space before you where Ben was standing. Charlie approaches albeit confused but tries his best to stand in front of him. With that, you start to walk away to head outside to look for Five but as you do Charlie calls out,
"Wait! He can't reply. What do I talk about?"
"I don't know, Russian Literature?" You shoot back
"That's a big no-no in my house. Y'know with my dad working for the government and all."
"Right. 1960s anti-Russian sentiment. Uh, just talk about something he can relate to then." You reply as you walk away
Charlie turns to Ben and the last thing you can hear is him asking,
"Do you want to hear about my shitty dad?"
With that, you walk out to try and find Five but he would be nowhere to be found. After seeing Lila on the roof he immediately started to chase after her. One, because he absolutely despised her and wanted her dead but also because he didn't want her anywhere near you or his family. If he played along with her little chase game he could get her further from you and his siblings. Five follows close behind as Lila continues to run, leading him away from the main part of town towards the industrial sector. Five keeps his distance as he follows her to what looks like an abandoned paint warehouse. He hides behind a wall as he sees her grab a small plank of wood and smash open the window of a door, letting herself into the building. Cautiously, he trails behind her. Looking into the building he makes sure the coast is clear before spatial jumping behind Lila. Lila turns on her heel to look at Five. He shoves his hands into his pockets and with a sarcastic smirk on his face he questions,
"What's your game, crazy lady?"
"Who cares? You said if you saw me again, you'd kill me." Lila comments
"Oh, I remember." Five states
"Well, come on, big talker. Let's get this done." Lila taunts
"All right." Five replies
Spatial jumping Five attempts to attack her from behind but somehow Lila anticipates his movement and roundhouse kicks him in the jaw knocking him backward. Five grabs his jaw and attempts to get up while Lila runs away. Five chases her down a corridor of the abandoned warehouse, spatial jumping in front of her stopping her in her tracks. He then rushes her, jumping into the air to kick her but she leans back and dodges his attack. Landing on his feet Five immediately spins backward to kick her and lands a hit on her jaw. The two of them go blow of blow landing some hits on each other and missing others. Taking a few steps back Lila jumps over a large piece of concrete and Five follows. Looking towards where she should be Five finds nothing. He stops in his tracks but then hears,
"I'm waiting."
Five looks over to where the voice came from and there across the room stood Lila. He looked at her confused. How did she get over there so quickly? That didn't matter. Five jumped over to where she would be but once again she was nowhere to be found.
"Fed up yet, Five?" Lila mocks
Five turned to where the voice came from and there she was standing across the room again. Five stopped for longer and stared in her direction. The confusion and frustration of this situation built up inside of him. Looking around Five finds a pipe on the ground. Picking it up he spatial jumps over to where Lila was standing but instead of hitting her, he hits an electrical box. Turning around he sees her behind him and as she lifts one of her legs up to kick him he sweeps the other one out from under her making her fall to her back on the ground. Five then step on her neck keeping her in place. Through a choked voice Lila comments,
"You're better than I thought."
"And you are entirely average." Five belittles before calling "You can come out now."
Five can hear the familiar clacking of heels on the floor behind him. The Handler.
"Well done. You figured it out." The Handler says
"Well, it wasn't very hard. She fights like every one of you Commission drones." Five retorts, his focus still on keeping Lila down
"Hmm. No matter, here we are. Together again. I've gotta ask...did you miss me, you little shit?" The Handler questions
Five looks at her. His expression filled with subdued anger. There's a silence in the room except for the distorted laughter of Lila from the floor.
"You've got a good nose." The Handler comments
"You know, planting her in a psych ward, taking advantage of my simpleton brother, that was smart." Five replies sarcastically as he presses his foot down harder on Lila's throat causing her to struggle
"Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." The Handler states as she looks down at Lila
Five's head whips towards the Handler.
"She's your..." Five starts to question
"Daughter. Yes. And she's my only one, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't crush her windpipe." The Handler answers
Lila continues to struggle but Five reluctantly lifts his foot off her throat letting her go free. She gasps for air as she stands up and makes her way to her mother's side. She then slowly approaches Five getting in his face and states,
"I am so going to enjoy killing you someday."
"Lila, darling, would you give us a minute, please?" The Handler requests
"Yes, the grown-ups need to talk." Five adds with a cocky smile
Lila looks to her mother in hopes that she changes her mind but to no avail. Lila rolls her eyes and walks away to the other side of the room annoyed, angrily flipping a piece of metal so that it clatters to the ground. When Lila is far enough away Five takes a step closer to the Handler and in a low voice asks,
"What is it you want?"
"Do you like jazz, Five?" The Handler asks back
"I'd rather lick a cheese grater." Five retorts
"Aww. Jazz is like a beautiful woman. Complex, emotional, hard to please. She doesn't just give it to you...she makes you work for it." The Handler explains as she walks around the room
Five places his hands in his pockets and turns on his heel to face her. Keeping his distance he replies,
"I have no experience with the type of woman you're talking about so I'm really hoping that
you're going somewhere with this analogy."
The Handler walks back over to him and with a smile adds,
"Under my leadership, the Commission would sound more like...jazz."
"And what about the board of directors?" Five questions critically getting up in her face
"Well, that's where you come in." The Handler replies tapping his nose with her pointer finger
Five takes a step back away from her and cocks his head to the side. In a firm tone, he states,
"Nope. No, it isn't."
The Handler walks around Five to the space behind him and elaborates,
"In exchange for the assassination of the board, I'm willing to get you, your family, and that girlfriend you love so dearly out of this timeline and back to 2019 where you belong."
"And what about World War III that's due to kick off in just a few days?" Five inquires turning to look at her
"Once you, your girlfriend, and your siblings are gone, that goes away."
"And the apocalypse when we get back to 2019?"
"That too."
Five leans in looking at her critically. The cynic in him was screaming about the nonchalant nature of her statements. This was a woman who would do anything for power so Five knew there was some type of plan she had in her head. In a lowered voice Five angrily criticizes,
"I distinctly remember you telling me that that apocalypse had to happen, that it was supposed to happen."
The Handler walks around Five once more so she is directly behind him. As she walks she explains,
"Back then I was toeing the company line, but once I'm in charge..."
The Handler then presses herself up against Five's back leans in closer to his ear. Five didn't like how close she was and tensed up as he felt her against him.
We can riff." The Handler whispered in his ear
Five took a step forward putting a small amount of distance between the two as he stated,
"Jazz."
"Exactly." The Handler replies as she walks in front of him again
Five turns and walks away from her scratching the back of his neck. Taking a breath he turns back around to face her, a sizable distance now between them. Looking at the Handler, Five questions,
"What about the board of directors, hmm? I mean, nobody knows who they are."
"Correct. But once every fiscal quarter, they get together for a board meeting."
"Where?" Five asks looking at her curiously
"The question is when. They meet somewhere in the timeline but never in the same place twice. The exact location and date of these board meetings is the most closely-guarded secret in the Commission."
Five looks around, an unsurprised smirk appearing across his face. He turns away for a second as he comments,
"But you know where it's gonna be, don't you?"
"Would I be any good at what I do if I didn't? Listen Five, don't think about it as killing the board for me, think about it as getting to live out the rest of your newfound life with (Y/N)."
With the sound of your name leaving her mouth and hitting his ears he quickly turns on his heel to face her. A wave of adrenaline and anger coursed through his veins as he flashed closer to her. He stared her down with malicious intent as he demanded,
"How do you know her name."
"Oh calm down Five. I work for the commission how could I not? Truly, your love story is one for the ages, don't you think?" The Handler remarks in a cheery yet malevolent tone
She walks towards him that facade of kindness and charity not fooling him in the slightest. As she walks around him she details in that false-kind tone,
"Two best friends fall in love at a young age before being separated for years on end. You witness her death and swear to go back and prevent it with only some book and a necklace to remember her by. How sweet."
As she comes back to stand directly in front of him she comments,
"I bet you're wearing that necklace right now, aren't you?"
Indeed he was. Hiding under the shirt his academy uniform was the locket you had given him all those years ago. Unconsciously, when she mentioned it he brought his hand up to cover where it rested as if trying to protect it from her. Trying to protect you from her. Five lets out an angered huff before commanding firmly,
"You leave her out of this. Whatever game you're trying to play is between you and me."
"Fine. But remember, doomsday's right around the corner, and the way things are going, I'm your only option to save her."
Five takes a step towards her and looks her dead in the eyes.
"Not yet you aren't."
And without another word, he flashes away. He was going to get you and his family out of here and he was going to do it without her help.
You on the other hand had gone outside to look for him but he was nowhere to be found. As you turned and walked back towards Elliott's place you mumbled to yourself,
"Hopefully it doesn't take him four years to get back."
Teleporting yourself inside the building you can hear Charlie say,
"And then when I was ten my mom died and my dad hired a nanny to take care of me instead of you know doing it himself. Because he sucks."
"I wish you could hear me because you are so right!" You can hear Ben yell back
You smirk a little at two of your friends hanging out and bonding over shitty dads. You still couldn't relate but it was funny to hear them so passionate about it. Transporting yourself upstairs you tell the two of them,
"Can't find him."
"Well, the good news is he's like a boomerang. He always comes back." Charlie replies cheerfully before adding "I don't blame him though. That family meeting was shit."
"He has a point. It was so bad." Ben comments
You plop down on the couch across from the two of them and ask aloud,
"When was the last time we actually had a good family gathering?"
"Our 13th birthday party," Ben answers just a little too fast
He wasn't wrong though. Granted, you had never been to a family gathering again until Reginald's funeral but from that experience, you were sure that there were probably plenty of awful gatherings before as well.
"I guess it was better than it could've gone though. It was mainly a lot of arguing and only one murder attempt this time." You comment
"You base how well a gathering goes on how many attempted murders there are?" Charlie questions
"Partially," you answer
"I say this with the utmost respect but y'all are fucked up." Charlie states
"Yeah. I know." You reply nodding your head
You kick your feet up on the coffee table trying to find some type of relaxation after all of the mess that had occurred. It had felt like a week's worth of activities was shoved into less than 24 hours. If only you could put a stop to this whole apocalypse mess. You lean back more on the couch and as you do so Ben asks,
"So you've been living with my dad in this time?"
"Yup. I didn't choose it though, it was more of just a domino effect of events. Dropped in the alley, found by mom, who was an actual person in the '60s surprisingly, we met your dad, human mom adopted me, human mom started dating your dad, and then we just permanently moved in with him." You explain "But it's alright, I typically just hang out with Charlie and we avoid people most of the time so it's been fine. Right, Charlie?"
"It's decent," Charlie says with a shit-eating grin
Ben gets a laugh from Charlie's impersonal response and you roll your eyes.
"Okay, wow." you respond sarcastically before turning to Ben and asking "What have you been up to Ben?"
"Reluctantly following Klaus and his cult around for the past 3 years because I had nowhere else to go."
"You know I'm both surprised and not surprised that Klaus started a cult." You respond
"From what you told me it seems pretty on-brand for him (Y/N)," Charlie says
"Well, he rolled the highest charisma stat of the family." You responded
"Huh?" Ben questions
"Don't worry about it. It's not important. Just an old D&D reference that my friends would get." You reply to him, your voice dropping off
You missed your friends. You missed a lot of things from 2019 but the experiences and memories with them are what you missed most of all. You loved being with Charlie and you wouldn't trade his friendship for anything but it was the little things like weekly D&D or going out and wrecking criminals or Wii Just Dance competitions that you wished you had back. You had to get out of this timeline at some point so you hoped you'd see them again.
"So where have you been staying now since you've been back in Dallas, Ben?" Charlie questions somehow forgetting he can't hear the response
"The cult has a sprawling estate in the more affluential part of Dallas. It's been pretty abandoned but we're all back now." Ben answers also forgetting that Charlie can't hear him
Charlie and Ben stare at each other in silence waiting for someone to say something. You snap out of your thoughts and burst out laughing realize what was going on. It was even funnier because while you could see Ben looking back you knew anyone else viewing this would see Charlie just staring off in the distance. Through your laughs, you chime in,
"Charlie, you can't hear him, remember?"
"Oh right," Charlie replies with a small chuckle
"Anyway, he's living in the abandoned estate near our houses. I guess it's not so abandoned anymore though since the whole cult is back."
"Oh, so that's whose cult lived by us. Small world I guess." Charlie says
"It must be interesting living with a cult." You remark
"It's a mess," Ben replies
"A mess? It can't be that bad can it?" You question
"You should stop by and visit tomorrow. See it for yourself." Ben suggests
"Well, we'll have to see where the day goes tomorrow given the...everything." You explain gesturing vaguely
You were about to say more when you suddenly felt a quick flash of disturbance. It was a familiar feeling and knew exactly what it correlated to. Turning your attention towards the downstairs portion of the building you called out,
"Five, is that you?"
After an unfortunate encounter with the Handler, Five was in a poor mood, to say the least. But there was just something about the sound of you calling his name that made him feel a bit better. A small smile came to his face and he spatial jumped once more up to the top part of Elliott's building. He saw you sitting on the couch and asked,
"How did you know I was back?"
"I can feel the disturbance of your spatial jumps. Feels like the back of my neck got flicked."
"Ah, I see." He replies
He then walks over to the couch you were on and sits right down next to you. Wrapping one arm around your shoulders he pulls you closer and places a soft kiss on your temple making you blush.
"Where did you go, Five?" Charlie questions
"Unfortunately, I had a run-in with Diego's crazy girlfriend and found out her mom is my former boss." Five explains
"So she wasn't just some random girl. She was a plant." You comment
"Yes. She was trying to get to me the whole time." Five adds
"Of course Diego would be the type to fall for a plant," Ben said sarcastically
You rolled your eyes but he had a point. You loved your brother dearly and in many cases, he was very tactile and smart but when it came to women and his emotions he had some room for improvement. As you all sat there you could hear the phone ring from the other room. Charlie promptly gets up and goes to answer it.
"Hello? Oh hi. Yes, I can put her on the phone." Charlie says before calling a bit louder "(Y/N) it's for you."
You were curious as to who could be calling you so you got up from the couch and headed into the kitchen with Five following along behind you. Taking the phone from Charlie you place it to your ear and say,
"Hello?"
"Oh, (Y/N) sweetie it's so good to hear your voice! Charlie had called last night but said that you had gone to bed already. I was so worried about you. Are you doing alright?" Your mom asked
"Yes mom, I'm doing alright," you responded
"Oh thank goodness. Listen, Charlie's dad said it's safe for the two of you to come back home." Your mom added
"Oh, okay. I'll let him know. We'll be back soon." You reply
"Okay, sweetie! I love you!"
"Love you too Mom."
You hang up the phone and turn around to look at the group of people behind you. Focusing your attention on Charlie you tell him,
"Your dad said it's safe for us to go back home."
"Oh." Charlie says "That's unfortunate."
"Very." You reply with a sigh
Everything was moving so fast. You had just gotten your boyfriend and you barely got to spend any time with him. Sure you two had a few sweet moments together but with the looming threat of the apocalypse again you didn't know how many more you'd get and when. Your poor mother though. She probably stayed up all night worried about you. You didn't want to prolong that worry because it wasn't something she deserved. You turn your attention to Five and place a hand on his cheek.
"I swear we never get enough time together," you say as you look into his eyes
Five wrap his arms lightly around your waist and looks at you with love in his eyes.
"No time is ever enough time with you, ma chérie."
"Perhaps you're right," you comment
"I know I am." He jokes
You roll your eyes at him. Even in the most chaotic of times he always managed to make your heart skip a beat.
"Well, I better head out then." You state
Five leans down and places a kiss on the top of your head, holding you closer in the process. Oh, how you loved this boy. Tilting your head up you placed a peck to his cheek before slowly leaving his embrace. Gently, you pull your hand back from his cheek and see how he leans into your touch. You smile at him,
"I'll see you soon my love."
"As soon as can be." He replies
You and Charlie then started to make your way out of the building with Five following the two of you until you reached the door. You looked back at him one more time before finally exiting and making your way to Charlie's car. The two of you get in the car and Charlie drives the way back to your house. When you arrive, you both exit the car and head inside. You had barely stepped through the door when your mom threw her arms around you pulling you into a tight hug in the same manner as when you came home after your car being shot up only a few days before. Your poor mother having to deal with so much stress about your safety in only a few days' time. You wouldn't wish this on anyone.
"I'm so glad you're okay, sweetie." Your mom exclaims
"Me too, mom." You reply
From the corner of your eye, you can see Reginald approaching you all. You let go of your mother and turn to face him along with Charlie and your mom.
"I see that you managed to bring her back safely," Reginald says to Charlie
"Yes. Not a scratch on her, sir." Charlie states
"Very well. It's pleasant to have you back at the manor (Y/N)." Reginald states
"Thank you." You reply flatly
You all stood there for a second but you didn't want to be there much longer. Trying to make a quick getaway you start to walk towards the stairs but look back at the others saying,
"I think I'm going to change out of this gala dress and into something more comfortable so I can relax after such a day of tension. How about you go home and do the same Charlie and then we can all have dinner together."
"Sure, that sounds like a good idea. I'll be back." He says before leaving the manor and heading to his car
You continue to walk while looking towards your mom and Reginald and accidentally bump into Marie causing her to drop a piece of paper on the ground. Bending over you pick up the paper as she profusely apologizes to you. Quickly, you skim over the paper and see what it reads.
From the Office of Sir Reginald Hargreeves
To My Pursuers:
I, Reginald Hargreeves, request the pleasure of your company for a light supper on the 20th of November, 1963, at half-past seven o'clock.
1624 Magnolia Street Dallas, Texas
You knew that location and you had a strong hunch of who those pursuers that were being addressed were. Looks like you knew what you were doing at 7:30 pm tomorrow. You hand the letter back to Marie and accept her apologies saying that you were not paying attention to where you were going before heading upstairs to your room. The rest of the night went on without a hitch and as usual, Charlie slept over for the night. The two of you stayed up late as you discussed the events that had occurred in prior days and how the dots were starting to connect together. You also detailed the letter you had read and your plans for the following day.
That was not a smart decision though as it led to both of you sleeping in significantly late. By the time you two woke up, it was already the afternoon. Trying to make sure you were able to do everything you wanted to do, you both quickly got ready ate a small meal, and sped off down the road towards Klaus' cult estate. Both of you had wanted to see it in person and wondered what went on behind the closed doors. And you were already invited by Ben to see the chaos of cult life so why would you turn such an invitation down. As you approached the driveway to the estate Charlie slowed the car down. Turning into the driveway Charlie carefully approached the building. Once you were close enough to it you stepped out of the car and walked the short distance to the entrance as you did so a woman in loose blue clothing and a flower crown noticed the two of you and smiles.
"Hello, friends! Are you here to meet the prophet?" She asks in a kind voice
"Why yes, we are." Charlie states
"A spirit of your prophet invited us to come today." You add
"How lovely! Please follow me." She instructs
The two of you look at each other before following the woman inside the house and down a corridor. As you follow her you see lines of people kneeling on opposite sides of a door. Some are playing tambourines while others hold baskets in their hands. Suddenly, the doors to a room open and you watch as Klaus walks out of the room in only his underwear. That was not a sight you ever thought you would have to see and yet, you did. The followers who held baskets in their hands threw flower petals at Klaus. Whatever was going on had barely even started but you could see why Ben had called it a mess. You and Charlie approach a little closer and see a large room filled with people in blue clothing sitting on the floor. You and Charlie give each other a side-eye glance before looking back at the scene before you;
"Okay, thank you. Sit down. My name is Klaus, and I am an alcoho...Sorry, that's the wrong meeting." Klaus starts
Klaus lets out a nervous laugh but the group is unfazed. You watch as the followers look on with eager eyes as they listen to every word he says. Realizing he needs to say something Klaus continues,
"Uh, in my walkabout, I did a lot of thinking, searching, ruminating, and there's something that I'd like to share with all of you. I'm a fraud. Yeah, I- I've been lying to all of you from- from the start, and, uh...I'm a complete and total fraud."
You can see Klaus look over to Ben after finishing his statement and Ben giving him back an acceptable nod. The crowd murmurs to themselves but not long after one man stands up from the crowd and looks around at the others.
"Me too. I- I'm a fraud too." The man says
"What is going on?" Charlie whispers to you
"I don't know." you reply quietly
The man approaches Klaus and knees before him continuing,
"I'm the worst kind of fraud. I- I am a fraud to myself. But your scriptures say, As long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive."
"He used the song I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor as his "scripture" to these people. I bet he did, I bet he stole it." You comment quietly to Charlie
Right after you finish your statement to Charlie, Klaus replies to the man,
"But that's not scripture. Okay? That's a song lyric by disco diva Gloria Gaynor, and I stole it!"
"Called it." You state
The crowd murmurs the name Gloria Gaynor to each other in confusion as they wait for Klaus to speak more. Klaus didn't know what to say though and you could see him cracking under the pressure of trying to admit his falseness to the group.
"Look, eh, you guys don't wanna follow me. I can't lead you anywhere. I'm not a guru, I'm not a messiah, I'm...I'm a...fraud! And I don't know what I'm doing up here. I- I don't. I'm just, you know...making it up as we...You- You people should all just...go back to your families." Klaus rambles
The man who had kneeled in front of Klaus before could be heard crying. Letting out a sigh Klaus approaches the man, places his hands on the back of his neck so he will look at him, and in a hushed tone states,
"Keechie...Stop, stop, stop, stop. Look, look, look at me in the face, okay? It's okay. It's okay, though. Listen. Everything is gonna be okay. Okay?"
"I understand." The man replies
"Good," Klaus says
"When we admit our own fraudulence, only then can we experience true humility." The man continues
"No, no, no, no, no, no! That's not what I meant. It's not what I meant." Klaus exclaims turning to the group
All the members one by one stand up exclaiming aloud how they are a fraud. You look across the hall and see Ben there standing with a shocked face. As Klaus climbs up the few stairs to stand in the archway again the lady who had brought you into the house approaches Klaus and says,
"Prophet, two visitors have come to see you."
Klaus takes a look in your direction and sees you and Charlie standing there. Opening his arms wide he exclaims with a smile on his face,
"(Y/N)! Come here!"
Reluctantly, you approach him and bring him into a hug. It was quite awkward given the fact he was only in his underwear but yet it was kind of sweet. Even with all the stuff he had done and was currently doing he was still the same Klaus you knew as a kid. You could hear as the crowd of followers went from exclaiming their fraudulence to quiet whispers.
"What brings you and your friend here (Y/N)?" Klaus asks
"We were invited by a spirit of yours," you answer
Klaus takes a look over towards Ben before replying,
"Must've been the pushy and annoying spirit that dragged you here."
"Prophet, who is this (Y/N)?" Keechie asks
"Ah. (Y/N) is my...soul sister..." Klaus lies "We have walked similar paths in life, seen similar things, and although we were physically separated as children our souls are intertwined."
There are oohs and ahhs that come from the crowd of people in the room before you and from behind you, you can hear Charlie trying to stifle laughter. Turning to look at him you shoot him a death glare. This was not entertaining.
"Oh soul sister to the prophet, do you have wisdom of your own that you can bless upon us?" Keechie asks as he kneels before you
"Oh jeez..." You mumble pinching the bridge of your nose "what did I get myself into?"
"Klaus, don't put (Y/N) through this." Ben comments from the sidelines
"Uh..." Klaus says "Hey soul sister, do you have anything for them?"
"Oh my god, Klaus," Ben complains
From behind you, you can hear Charlie start a slow chant,
"Knowledge. Knowledge. Knowledge."
You whip towards him and exclaim,
"Charlie!"
He does not stop though, instead, he just continues to chant and encourages the followers until all of them are chanting,
"Knowledge! Knowledge! Knowledge!"
"Fine!" You exclaim
All the people in the room quiet down and look at you intently. Taking a deep breath you wrack your brain for something to tell them. Completely bullshitting this whole ordeal you take a page out of Klaus' playbook and start to quote a song lyric,
"If you're lost...you can look, and you will find me. Time after time. If you fall...I will catch you. I'll be waiting. Time after time."
You then turn to Klaus and simultaneously you both repeat,
"Time after time."
When the two of you finish there is an uproar of cheers. People excitedly repeat the "knowledge" that you had blessed them with to themselves and to each other. These people were so brainwashed, it was ridiculous.
"What the fuck..." You say to yourself
"Yeah, I know." Klaus responds "How about I go put on some clothes and give the two of you a tour?"
"Why not? I guess..." You reply confused
Klaus goes and puts clothes on but as he does so many of the members of his cult come up and bow before you or touch you. it was odd, to say the least, and you definitely wanted it to stop. When Klaus came back out with his clothes he told the members to disperse as he took you by one arm and Charlie by the other showing you around. the estate was nice, but every time you ran into a member they'd look at you and Klaus in odd reverence. After what felt like forever you and Charlie decided that it was time to leave and never come back. You said goodbye to Klaus and waved goodbye to Ben, although you were sure that you would see them quite soon. Making your way back to Charlie's car you saw another person walking up towards the estate building. You can see Charlie's expression change from neutral to surprised.
"Hey, Dave." Charlie greets slightly confused
"Oh hey, Charlie. How are ya?" Dave asks
"Doing pretty well. How about you? The hardware business treating you well?" Charlie replies
"It's going well. I'm actually joining the army. Shipping off in about a week." Dave answers "But who's this Charlie? Your girlfriend?"
"Oh no she has a boyfriend already. This is my close friend (Y/N). (Y/N) this is Dave, we went to high school together but he was a grade above me. He was one of the only people who was nice to me." Charlie says
You extend your hand out to shake his and he grabs your hand shaking back.
"I haven't seen you around before are you new to the area?" Dave asks
"Oh, I dropped into Dallas about four years ago. I live with my mom and her partner down the road." You explain
"Well, it's very nice to meet you (Y/N). It's unfortunate we didn't get to meet sooner, but hopefully when I get back you, Charlie, and I can all talk and get some floats down at the diner." Dave says in a cheerful tone
This poor boy. He's so sweet and innocent. You just met him and you wished you could stop him from going off to war. Especially since he was probably head to Vietnam. It was an unnecessary war. All of the proxy wars were bullshit but you couldn't do much about it. You put on a smile as best as you can.
"That sounds lovely. I look forward to it." you comment "But we must get going, I have a family dinner to attend to, and I really don't want to be late."
"Alright, well it was nice to see you Charlie, and nice to meet you (Y/N). Hope you have a nice dinner." Dave says
"Thank you." You respond
"Thanks, Dave," Charlie adds
With that Dave heads off towards the mansion and you and Charlie head towards the car. When the two of you get into the car Charlie comments sarcastically,
"Oh, I dropped into Dallas about four years ago. Real clever."
"Shut up and drive." you retort
Charlie rolls his eyes with a smirk on his face and pulls out of the driveway heading towards the hotel where the dinner would be taking place.
While you were headed towards the Southland Life hotel, Five had already arrived. He looked down at his invitation to make sure he was at the right place but once he had done so he headed towards the entrance and inside the building. Making his way up an ornate staircase he looked around a bit before finding the elevator. Calling the elevator, the doors opened and Five stepped inside. He looked at the panel of floor buttons before pressing one of them and waited for the doors to close. None of his siblings had shown up. He was going to have to deal with the old man alone. He was prepared to do so...somewhat. But still he had hoped for him and his siblings to go together to confront him. Five stared off as the elevators started to close trying to build up thr confidence to face his father after all these years. He wished you could've been there by his side, but you had no reason to be invited, you weren't a "pursuer". Right as the door were about to shut and hand comes in to bring the doors back open.
"Wait up." Diego says entering the elevator
"Hold it." Allison adds
"Hey, everyone." Klaus greets drunkenly
Vanya enters the elevator silently as Luther follows quietly saying,
"Excuse me."
Five looks around at his siblings. They all came. Five faces forward and a small smile appears.
"Good. We're all here." He says
Five's face returns to a neutral expression as the elevator doors finally close and they head up the floors to where they would be meeting their father. As they do an awful smell starts to spread within the elevator.
"Oh..." Allison says
"Oof." Five complains as he pinches his nose closed
"Luther!" Klaus exclaims
"Oh, my God." Vanya comments
"Sorry, I'm nervous." Luther apologizes
When the doors open to the floor everyone rushes out trying to get away from the toxic environment inside the elevator. Walking into the tiki bar where they were meeting the siblings catch their breath and take in some clean air. As they all make their way around the table in the center of the room Five turns to his siblings and says,
"All right, when Dad gets here, I'll do the talking, okay?"
"Got a few questions for him myself." Diego responds
"Hey, we don't wanna scare him off. He might be able to help us stop doomsday, get us home." Five retorts annoyed
"No, we need to figure out why he's planning to kill the president."
It was ridiculous that he was still continuing on with this whole "Dad is going to kill Kennedy" thing. Could he not give it up for a day? For an hour? Of course not. That would require some form of critical thinking, of which he had none.
"This is a matter of life and death, you imbecile." Five chastises
"Okay, yeah, maybe we should take turns talking. Yeah?" Vanya suggests picking up something from a nearby table "Here, whoever has got this conch shell gets to talk."
"Vanya, we don't have time for a debate, okay?" Five replies already frustrated at the group
"Maybe I should lead. We all know I'm a better public speaker than the rest." Allison suggests grabbing the conch from Vanya
"Okay, Daddy's girl." Diego comments sarcastically
"Oh, jealous, Number Two?" Allison retorts
"Hey, no more numbers. No more bullshit." Diego demands as he approaches Allison
"Uh, Diego. You don't have the conch." Luther mentions politely
Diego gives Luther a smile before grabbing the conch from Allison's hand. Once he fully has it though he quickly proceeds to throw it at a wall smashing it to pieces.
"Classic." Allison comments, rolling her eyes
As the siblings argued upstairs you had just arrived at the building. Charlie had parked around the back so you wouldn't been seen by anybody who may have arrived for this meeting. Before you got out of the car Charlie questions,
"Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I should be there. Whatever is happening is important and I should know about it." You reply
"This is going to be a family gathering but with Reginald. I can only assume it will go worse than the events of yesterday. Do you really want to deal with that?" Charlie asks confused
"No. But I feel I need to be there. This an issue for all eight of us."
"Okay but how are you going to get in unnoticed? You weren't invited after all." Charlie inquires
You step out of the car but lean down so you can look at him through the window.
"I'll just go in invisible. I'll only reveal myself if necessary."
"Alright. I'm going to go park a block away on North Griffin Street. Come find me after." Charlie says before adding "Good luck."
"Thanks. I'll need it." you respond
You stand up and watch Charlie drive away for a bit before turning to face the building. You take a breath before turning invisible and making your way inside. Taking the back entrance you head up towards the lobby and press the button to call the private elevator. You had been here plenty of times before for various meetings and parties that Reginald had to attend so you knew your way around pretty easily. Any regular person would take the main one but in a side hallway there was a special one used for grand entrances. Thinking that everyone must already be up there you knew that you could get in relatively unnoticed by using this elevator. When the doors open you stepped in and turned around, but as you were about press the close door button Reginald walked in to the elevator.
Shit.
You sucked in your breath quickly and covered your mouth trying to be as quiet as possible. You couldn't be found out. Not like this at least. Quietly you moved to the left of the elevator and tried to stay out of the way. Reginald reached for the button to the tiki bar floor and soon enough the doors closed and the elevator start to rise. When the elevator doors open Reginald quickly storms out of the elevator pushing through the private entrance doors. Still invisible you slip out of the elevator and through the door. As you enter the tiki bar you can see the shocked faces of all the Hargreeves children present. It had been a long time since any of them had actually interacted with their father. You head over to a seat near the table as you watch the scene unfold before you. Reginald approaches the table that the rest of them were surrounding and takes a seat. Once most of the Hargreeves had sat down as well he criticizes,
"Not only have you burglarized my lab, set my chimp loose, conned your way into the Mexican consulate, repeatedly stalked and attacked me, but you have, on numerous occasions, called me..."
He is cut off by Klaus though who sits down with a drink and greets,
"Hey, Pop. How's it hangin'?"
Reginald looks over at Klaus annoyed before finishing his statement,
"Dad."
He looks back to the group and continues,
"My reconnaissance tells me you're not CIA, not KGB, certainly not MI5, so who are you?"
There are a lot of deep breaths and looks off to the side. Saying they were his kids was probably a more difficult task than it looked from the outside. You could see your boyfriend shifting nervously in his chair as you then realized this was the first time he was face to face with Reginald since he ran away. Quietly, you approach him and place a gentle hand on his shoulder. You can feel him jump slightly as he turns his head back to see what was there. He looks confused for a second as he sees nothing but you squeeze his shoulder reassuringly and he realizes that it's you there with him. You just couldn't be seen. As no one continues to answer Five turns back to face his father and speaks up for the rest of the group,
"We're your children. We're from the future. In 1989, you adopted us all and trained us to fight against the end of the world. Called us the Umbrella Academy."
You notice as Klaus drunkenly raises his martini glass after Five mentions the academy. What an odd thing to cheers. Then again you went and saw the cult that Klaus ran and compared to that it wasn't as odd.
"Why on earth would I adopt six-" Reginald starts to question but is cut off by Allison
"Seven." Allison corrects "One of us isn't here."
"Dead. One of us is dead." Diego solemnly adds
Five reaches up and places his hand on top of your invisible one. To others it just looked like he was touching his shoulder but really he was reaching to you. He was glad that he had you there with him. From not too far away you can see Ben sitting at a table behind Klaus.
"Dead, yes, but I'm here. Klaus!" Ben exclaims to him
Klaus turns to what looks like empty space but is really where Ben is and says,
"Yeah, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba."
"Tell them I'm here!" Ben demands
"Enough of that now." Klaus retorts
Reginald and the rest of the Hargreeves look on at Klaus' unexplained behavior. When Klaus turns back around Reginald looks at the group once more and harshly asks,
"Regardless, what would possess me to adopt seven ill-mannered malcontents?"
"We all have special abilities." Five elaborates
"Special? In what sense?" Reginald inquires
"In the superpower sense." Luther adds
Reginald sits up straight, a stern look on his face as he critically remarks,
"Called me old-fashioned, but I'm a stickler for a pesky little thing called evidence. Show me."
"Everybody wants to see powers all of a sudden..." Allison complains taking a sip from her drink
"We're not circus animals, okay? We're not gonna bounce balls on our noses and clap our hands like seals for your amusement." Luther retorts
Immediately, Diego pulls out one of his knives and throws it forward redirecting it so it just barely passes Reginald and lands in a wooden post across the room. You could tell by the look on Diego's face that he was frustrated. Reginald looks down at the notebook he had brought with him and starts to jot down notes. All of the Hargreeves lean in to try and see what was being written down.
"What are you writing?" Diego asks
"You are zero for two, young man." Reginald taunts
Quickly, Diego stands up and tries to make his way over to but Five flashes in front of him. Putting his hands up to hold Diego back he whispers to him,
"Stop!"
"Now that is interesting," Reginald states as he looks on surprised
Diego sits himself back down and you decide to go sit at the bar. From the way things were going you felt it could get messy and you didn't want to be a part of that.
"All right, uh, quick rundown. Luther: super strength. Klaus can commune with the dead. Allison can rumor anyone to do anything." Five starts to explain as he heads back to his seat
"Except she never uses it." Diego jabs
Allison turns angrily to Diego and rumors,
"I heard a rumor you punched yourself in the face."
As the rumor said Diego punched himself in the face.
"Aah! Damn it!" He cried out
Allison slurps on her drink and gives him a pointed look even if he wasn't looking back. Five uses his hand to gesture to Reginald his point about Allison's power. Reginald then turns to Vanya and questions,
"And you?"
"Uh, maybe we don't take Vanya for a test run," Luther interjects
"Oh, yeah, that's probably not a good idea," Klaus adds
"It's fine. I can handle it." Vanya replies
"Handle it? Last time you handled it, you definitely blew up the moon." Allison states
Vanya doesn't listen though and instead picks up a spoon from the table and brings it back. Her siblings watch on as she brings it forward to hit it against her cup.
"No, Vanya, don't!" Five exclaims
Vanya does not stop though and hits the cup causing a soundwave to ring out. Focusing the sound energy on the plate of fruit in front of her she causes it to explode. The fruit splatters onto everyone, except you since you had walked away. But although you didn't get hit with the fruit you did get hit with the soundwave. Doubling over from the pain of the disturbance the soundwave had created bite your tongue not trying to make any immediate sounds to alert the others to your presence. You would only become visible if it was necessary. Taking some quiet breaths, you sit on the bar top and are able to get back to normal and focus again.
"Oops," Vanya says softly as everyone wipes the fruit off of them
"That was impressive." Luther comments
"Look, we know that you're involved in a plot to assassinate the president," Diego explains getting up from his chair
"You were recently hospitalized, isn't that correct? You still appear to be suffering from delusions of grandeur and acute paranoia." Reginald rebukes
"Am I? Explain this." Diego retorts as he pulls out a photo of Reginald and shows it to him "That's you. That's two days from now on the grassy knoll at the exact spot the president's gonna get shot."
Reginald takes a glance at the photo before looking back up at Diego and commenting,
"Well, I suppose you've solved it. You've single-handedly unearthed my nefarious plot."
You can see a slight glimpse of hope in Diego's eyes but it's cut short as Reginald ridicules,
"Is that what you want to hear? You fancy yourself a do-gooder? The last good man who will save us from our descent into corruption and conspiracy? This is a fantastic delusion. The sad reality is that you're a desperate man, tragically unaware of his own insignificance, desperately clinging to his own ineffectual reasoning. More succinctly, a man in over his head."
From the bar, you watch as the light in Diego's eyes slowly starts to fade and is overtaken by sadness and disappointment. Slowly he sits down more and more as Reginald's words cut deeper. You had seen them look on his face many times before, it was the same expression he would take as a child after Reginald harshly criticized him. Anger began to rise in you as you saw the trauma of his time in the academy and the feeling of not being good enough take over him. When Diego sits back in his seat he looks directly at Reginald and stutters out sadly,
"You're wr-wrong."
Reginald ignores this though and starts to continue,
"Furthermore-"
You were done with this man and his mistreatment of your brother. Nobody talked to him like that. Not on your watch. Quickly, you whip out a knife and throw it in the direction of Reginald having it land in the spot on the table in front of him. The group all looks at the knife in shock.
"Enough." You yelled
They all turn to look at you. Jumping down from where you were sitting on the bar you slowly walk over towards the table.
"That was a warning, so I'd choose your next words carefully. I have nine more of those on my person and if you recall my 20th birthday" You firmly state "I don't miss."
Everyone was shocked to see you there, but most of all was Reginald.
"What are you doing here? You weren't invited to this affair." He demands
"Oh Reggie, I think it's highly important for me to be here." You say in a sarcastic tone
"How did you even get in here?" He questions
"I took the elevator with you." You explain "And then I sat around here for a while."
"Impossible. I didn't see you." He retorts
"You know Reggie, for someone who touts his intelligence you really can't put two and two together can you?" You sneer
"Whatever do you mean?"
"I really have to spell it out for you, huh?" You say as you take steps closer to him "I'm. One. Of them."
"Oh really? So what can you do then?" Reginald asks in an insulting tone
"I can do a lot of things."
"Well go on then." He requests
You then start to explain your powers to Reginald. He didn't deserve an explanation but you did want to shove your abilities in his face.
"Well, there's a plethora of things I can do. You already know I can go invisible." You say as you make yourself disappear
"I can jump from place to place on a whim." You continue as you hop to different spots around the room
I can go through things and things can go through me." You add as you walk through the tables and walls around the room
"I can make things denser or lighter. Luther catch." You say as you throw him a glass
He catches it but is immediately pinned down to the ground and can't get up. You walk over to him and pick up the glass before turning back to Reginald.
"I can change the state of matter of an object." You explain as you turn the glass into a liquid and smoke before turning it back to normal and placing it on an adjacent table
"Hell, I can make things blow up by just thinking about it enough." You add with a smile as the glass blows up behind you
"I can create fire and water and smoke out of practically nothing. And I can see and feel disturbances in the world. I can do just about anything and you know why?" You ask rhetorically
"Why?" Reginald asks as he vigorously writes down notes
"Because I can control the things that make up this entire world. Molecules." you finish before adding "Was my demonstration to your satisfaction, sir?"
"Perhaps. Though, I am appalled that you were living under my roof for years and said nothing of your abilities."
"Why would I tell you about my abilities? You work with government. I wasn't about to be sent away to the MK Ultra project or used as a weapon of war. Now, let me get a drink before we really jump into things." You state walking over to the bar
"Absolutely not. What have I told you about drinking?" Reginald calls
"Yeah yeah, your mind is like a gold statue alcohol will only dull the brilliance, yadda yadda yadda." You mock "I'm still getting a drink."
"No." He demands firmly
The Hargreeves look back and forth between you and their father. The conversation between the two of you was contentious and yet there was something off about the way Reginald talked to you.
"And why not Sir Buzzkill?" You retort
"Because I'm your father and you'll respect my wishes." He states
And there it was. Reginald saw you as his kid. The way he was talking to you was odd because he was talking to you...like a parent. All the real Hargreeves children look on in shock. Their eyes wide and their jaws dropped at what he has said. There's a lull of silence before you burst out laughing.
"HA! You're not my dad. I have a dad. He's dead, but I have one." You say in an amused tone
You then head towards the bar and start looking through the drinks as you complain,
"Just because I live with you or you're dating my mom doesn't make me your kid. You tried to do this before, numbered your kids one through seven based on how much you liked them pretty much, and then were like you're number zero because it comes before one. No. I'm not a number. I'm not your favorite kid. I'm not your kid at all. I'm (Y/N)."
When you finally find something good, you grab a glass and start to pour it as you continue,
"Furthermore, If I were your child, I would've turned out like those sitting before you. The closest you'll probably ever get is the unfortunate title of father-in-law."
There's silence once more as everyone takes what you said in. You take a sip of your drink as Reginald looks on taken aback.
"You..." he inquires confused "are partnered with one of them?"
Grabbing your drink you walk over towards the table as you say,
"Yes I am and I don't appreciate that comparison type tone you used when saying that."
You continue to walk and go stand behind Five, placing a hand on his shoulder once more. You take a sip of your drink before adding,
"Honestly I'm surprised you're not happier. A woman of my stature coupled with one of your sons? And might I add, he's the most competent of your sons.”
"Hey!" Diego exclaims
"When you decide to leave JFK alone I will reconsider." You reply
"Look, forget about the president. We have a catastrophic war coming in five days. We need to figure out how to stop it." Five interjects
"War? Men will always be at war with each other." Reginald replies
"No, this isn't just some war. I'm talking about a doomsday. The end of the world." Five elaborates
"Well, you're the special ones, aren't you? Why don't you band together and do something about it?" Reginald suggests
You all stare at Reginald but as you do you solely hear Ben yell out,
"All right. Screw it."
Ben then runs and jumps into Klaus' body causing his arms to go up in the air and his body to start shaking. He was possessing him. You had no words for the given situation but the others did.
"Is he having a seizure?" Allison wonders
"Overdosing probably," Diego suggests
"Should we do something?" Luther questions
"Klaus! Now is not the time. What are you doing?" Five questions
Klaus, or rather Klaus' body turns towards Reginald. It looked like a struggle though.
"I'm..." Klaus' voice says
"Out with it, boy." Reginald commands
"...Ben!" His voice forces out
Immediately after he falls to the ground and starts gasping for air. You can see Ben's passed-out figure next to him. Reginald looks on disgusted before stacking his papers and commenting,
"Well...thank you for coming. I've seen about enough."
Reginald then gets up and starts to walk away from the table but Luther slams his hands down, stands up, and rips his shirt open exclaiming,
"Look at what you did to me. Look at it!”
"Oh, shit. Why?" Five complains as slouches back in his chair
How did his siblings manage to completely mess up everything again, like it was the only thing they knew how to do. Downing more of your drink to deal with the progressively awkward nature of the situation you stood next to your boyfriend's side. Five reached up and took your hand in his. If none of his siblings were going to support him at least he knew he had you. Reginald looks at the scene before him before turning to Five and asking,
"You in the culottes. A word, in private?"
He then walks away from the table and goes to sit over at the bar. You and Five look at each other as the rest of his siblings make their way to the elevator to leave. As Diego passes you let go of Five's hand and grave Diego's wrist stopping him in his tracks. He turns towards you and you can tell he was still upset from what transpired earlier. Without saying another word you bring him into a hug. No matter how upset you were at his actions you weren't going to place that above your love for your brother. Diego held you tightly, you were the only one who stood up for him when his father was beating him down. You were the best sister he could've asked for. From the elevator, Luther can be heard calling,
"Diego let's go.”
Diego pulls back from the hug and looks at you once more before silently turning and leaving. You hear the sound of the elevator door close and all that is left is you, Five, and Reginald. You turn to Five who is getting up to head over to talk at the bar and he turns to you.
"Just give us a moment." Five states
"Are you sure? I can pretend to leave and stay." You suggest
"No, darling. I need to do this myself." Five replies
You look at him softly and bring a hand up to his cheek. He places his hand on top of yours holding it in place as he gives a kiss to your palm. He then closes your hand up into a ball before gently holding it on the space above his heart.
"I'll meet you down in the lobby." Five says quietly
"Okay." You whisper back
Five lets go of your hand and the two of you split, him walking over to Reginald at the bar and you walking toward the main elevator. As you press the button to call the elevator up you hear Reginald call out behind you,
"(Y/N) I expect you home promptly.”
You let out a huff as you turn to face him.
"Fine...just don't get mom involved in this. She's already gone through so much with me." you softly ask of him
"I will not get your mother involved. Not even I want to place that stress on her." Reginald responds
"Good." You say nodding your head, a far-off look in your eyes "...good”
The doors to the elevator open and you reluctantly enter it. You press the button to the lobby floor and as the doors close the last thing you see is Five taking his seat next to Reginald. You hoped he would be okay being in front of him without you.
"You seem to be the sensible one, or as described, the most competent of the bunch." Reginald comments
"That's because I'm the oldest. You know, technically, I'm older than you right now."
Reginald looks at him slightly confused but when a bartender appears and places a bottle of brandy on the counter he offers,
"Cognac?"
"Just a smidge." Five says with a half-smile
"The other night you quoted Homer at me. Why?" Reginald questions
"You forced us all to learn it as kids. In the original Greek, no less."
"You know, your dear companion called my coworker and ignorant ass in ancient greek the first time I encountered her." Reginald states
"Sounds about right. She has a sharp tongue and an independent mind, I admire it." Five explains, an amused smirk rising to his face as he thought of you.
Reginald slides him a glass of cognac and the two of them give silent cheers before taking a sip. Five places his glass down and his tone changes to a more serious one,
"This world ends in five days if we don't get out of the timeline."
"Worlds end. Paleozoic, Jurassic, and so on."
"We can do something about this one." Five states
"Man's greatest flaw: the illusion of control." Reginald retorts
"I need your help. All right? You're my last sane option. Otherwise, I gotta make a deal that I really don't wanna make. What do you know about time travel?"
"In theory?" Reginald asks
"In practice."
"I know it's akin to descending blindly into the depths of freezing waters and reappearing-" Reginald starts
"As an acorn. Yeah." Five finishes unenthused
"What transpired when you tried traveling before?"
"I botched it. Big time." Five complains
"How?"
"I jumped too far forward in time. Accidentally brought (Y/N) with me and she got stuck 11 years in the future. Then I jumped without her and got stuck in an apocalypse for 45 years. Then I jumped too far backward, except this time I brought everyone with me."
"Maybe your appetite is disproportionate to the size of your abilities. Start small. Seconds, not decades." Reginald suggests
"Seconds? Look, no offense, but I need a bit more time for what I'm trying to accomplish." Five remarks
"So much can change in a matter of seconds. One could overthrow an empire." Reginald starts before pausing for a second "One could fall in love. An acorn doesn't become an oak overnight."
"I was really hoping you had more than that." Five admits
"I'm sorry I can't be of more help." Reginald apologizes
"I'm sorry, too. I gave you such a hard time as a kid. I didn't know any better."
Reginald looks over at Five before raising his glass and saying,
"No skin off my teeth, old man."
The two of them sit in silence and when Five finishes his drink he gets up and leaves. Taking the elevator down he finds you in the lobby. When the doors open you quickly make your way over to him and wrap your arms around his neck pulling him into a hug. Five holds you close but pulls back to look at you. Something was off about him.
"Did everything go okay?" You asked
Five looks away from you and off in the distance.
"Yes but..."
"But what?" you inquire softly
Five lets out a sigh and looks back at you. This was not the situation he wanted to be in at all. In a solemn tone, he answers,
"If I'm going to get us out of this timeline I need to go make deal with the devil."
"Well then, you lead the way and I'll follow you out." you reply "Just promise me something.”
"Anything."
"Don't turn around until you're sure we're all in the clear." you respond
Five pressed his forehead against yours as he held you close.
"Of course my love." he whispered
You tilted your head up towards his and place a soft peck on his lips before stepping away.
"I'll see you soon," you said
Five quietly nodded his head in response and with that he flashed away to go play some jazz with the devil in hell.
________________________________
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#Umbrella Academy#The Umbrella Academy#UA#tua#TUA2#ua2#umbrella acedmy#five#number five#the umbrella academy five#five hargreeves#five hargreeves x reader#five hargreeves headcanons#tua five#tua five hargreeves#number 5#00.05#five x reader#five x you#five x y/n#five hargreeves x you
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Poke Pt 7 - Yacht Party
…
Whistling in the exit of your closet Eddie took in your own toga reminiscent style dress the bright white sheer layered skirt was slit up to the upper thigh and met the golden belt that separated the base from the lace top. With thick straps in white and a low dip in the cleavage almost to the belly button that flowed out to reveal the golden glittery heels you had chosen for the event. “Wow. You need a sign to remind gentlemen to pick their jaws up off the floor.”
“Funny,” you teased, folding a stretchy pair of shorts to cover the thigh holsters for a couple of your daggers for worst case scenario that also would help keep guys from peeking up your skirt if the wind blew the slit back too widely. “I’m sure no one will care about my dress as I death grip the wall.”
“I can skip the trip to prison if you need me there.”
“I’m ok. If I feel bad I am not above fainting or breaking into hysterics to have Tony himself fly me home. Or maybe Prince Thor, I think he can fly if he has his hammer.”
“You can beat this evening. I know you can.”
After a hug for him you said, “You’ll miss visiting hours.” And he chuckled hugging you back and kissed you on your cheek taking notice of the one side of your hair braided back so you could flip the rest over to your left side knowing the boat would drive it wild no matter what you tried to do with it.
The ride didn’t calm things and from the concrete pathway to the wooden docks your focus shifted in a means to calm yourself on the pelicans and gulls who watched your stroll beyond the guards at the entrance who took your invitation shared the lit pathway would guide you to the proper ship. At the base of the plank bridge to get onto the yacht you paused hearing the guests already aboard.
Mid stare at a gull hovering above the boat in a try to focus on anything but the fact you would be out on the open ocean for who knows how long you flinched to look at Sam in his step up to your side with an impressed whistle. “My sister would die of envy seeing this ship. She loves to sail.” His eyes landed on you asking, “Ever been on a boat like this?”
“I’ve been on ferries, but I haven’t been over the open ocean yet.”
“You’ll be okay. Stark’s probably built this thing himself. Bound to be unsinkable.”
“Well, there’s a history of unsinkable ships that beg to differ when it comes to that claim.”
He chuckled and said, “We’ll be just fine. Just in case,” he said showing his duffel bag at his side holding his metal wings, “Brought my wings, things go south The Falcon’s got you.” To yourself you grinned and followed him up into the monstrosity of a boat.
Surely one that would make your ancestors weep, not just for the luxurious ability to have food storage, running clean water and plumbing but for the fact that nothing of the earth other than the single fallen tree stump of an end table was here. The wood was fake same as the faux leather seats and imitation marble finish on the metal surfaces. Nothing of this boat showed the respect boat makers used to put into building sea faring vessels to keep from displeasing the Gods in crossing the tumultuous open ocean and you guessed that might be why they always bothered you.
With legs crossed you sat with eyes fixed on the open ocean in your second level seat unable to keep on your feet to mingle in the crowded floor below. “Thirsty?” the voice at your side brought the sudden place of Prince Loki there with two drinks in hand, one of which with a pacifier band around the stem of the fruity blended drink he offered to you. “The bartender insisted I offer you this one.”
Unable to help it you chuckled and accepted the drink, “It’s a virgin margarita. Thank you.”
“What would maidenhood have to do with drink offers?” he asked and you glanced away to keep from spitting your sip of the drink on him. “Is it repulsive? I shall demand a new drink to replace it.”
You shook your head and giggled in catching his eye to say, “Virgin, when related to drinks means alcohol free.” And his eyes narrowed, “It’s illegal for people under 21 years old to drink alcohol in this country. Others it ranges from 14 to 18 depending on their culture.”
“Why would they have such variation?”
“Because hardly any of the countries share the same faiths, histories, cultures or beliefs on how they should be governed. So just stubbornness and idiocy.”
“I had hoped the drink would aid in a welcome of my company, you seemed troubled when I arrived.”
Softly you chuckled and replied, “Quite humorously for my bloodline I have a fear of open ocean outside of wooden boats.” His eyes locked onto yours in a moment of shock, “There’s no earth in this boat. Vikings paid homage to the Gods for smooth sailing across the oceans. Might just be me.”
And he grinned your way stating, “Not only you. Those who can hear Yggdrasil have higher expectations when it comes to vessels. Your ancestors would be proud you wish to honor their traditions, the ocean is not a fair mistress, she is an insurmountable warrior, she demands respect.”
“How have your candles and soaps been?” You asked to change the subject, uncertain of what meaning his lingering stare into your eyes meant.
“Quite exquisite. Thank you again for your care in crafting the mixtures for us to our likings. Your customers have been favorable of temperament?”
“For the most part. Before the shoes Natasha and Steve bought me I got shunned a bit because of my clearly worn name brand shoes, but the new ones have helped to give me a bit of credit to my image. Used to be called an immigrant and now people are asking if I’m paying my dues in the entertainment or beauty world until I get my big break. When Stark came in I almost thought he would just order enough to use that as a means to force me to accept the money he offered.”
“What should it matter what shoes you wear when you are working?”
“The shop has an image to uphold for their most superficial of clientele.”
“Should they ever release you from employment alert my brother and myself and we shall raze the building to cinders.” That had you giggle around your next sip and he said, “You doubt my loyalty.”
“Not at all, Prince Loki. Merely I question how Stark would handle the discovery of who was behind the attack after he’s vetted you both as Heroes.”
“Not one person in my lifetime has been foolish enough to dub me a Hero. I am the God of Mischief and Deceit.”
His eyes lowered to the hand you offered him that his rose palm up to accept, “Fool, right here, pleasure to meet you.” To himself he chuckled and smiled in a glance away. “See, that smile,” he glanced back and chuckled again as you said, “Pure sunshine. You can’t convince me there’s evil in there no matter how many times you stab your brother.”
“I unleashed an army on New York,”
“Oh who hasn’t unleashed havoc on New York. Havoc is the new pink pumps of the season, everybody has to have some. New York, Washington, California, your brother leveled a town in New Mexico. Now you go and attack Rhode Island or someplace small like that then we can talk crossing into unthinkable territory, which is seven miles below evil. You have to earn evil.”
He smirked and at the notice he was still holding your hand he released it to take hold of his drink for a sip to break his stare only to look down at that hand resting on his knee when the boat began to pull away from the dock. “I murdered my birth father.” He blurted out as if to try and not lie to you or make you believe he was anything but evil as most from his planet thought.
“Did he raise you?”
“No.”
“Were you close or just a birthday card once a year type of situation?”
“He abandoned me at birth in a frozen tundra in the midst of a battle between the Jotuns and Asgardians and never acknowledged me as his child or that I even existed.”
You nodded and said, “Selfish quim had it coming then.” Throatily to your sip of your drink he chuckled and bubbled into a few moments of unforgiving laughter. “I’d pick Frigg as a mother any day over that bastard.”
“King Laufey of the Jotuns, or Frost Giants, as some nations dub them.”
“Odin’s half Frost Giant in the legends. They knew each other?”
“Odin,” his eyes fell on you, “Father is half Frost Giant in the legends?” You nodded and he said, “He never speaks of this if it is true.”
“Well he’s probably jealous.” You said and his brow twitched up, “If it was between me and you to be Jotun I’d stay mum simply because you have to be the peak example of Jotun prowess.”
“Asgardians tell bedtime stories of Jotuns to terrify their children and frighten them to behave or they will be eaten.” He said mournfully and looked out at the sea.
“I’d start biting people then.” You said and in the spread of his smile you said, “Always a monster till you’re necessary. How the universe works. The odd one, the new one, that one who doesn’t belong. Till they need you, till they’re scared. So much easier to be scared of the new than to trust it. Well I trust you,” you said and he caught your eye again, “And you can’t stop me. I’m stark raving mad with power and will cackle in their disbelieving faces for not trusting pure sunshine.” You said with a wide smile making him chuckle again.
“Are you certain there is no alcohol in that drink?” He teased.
“Just tons of sugar.” You said taking another giggle laced sip as he took a sip of his own drink. “I heard you’re over seventeen hundred years old? How does that line up to our age progression? If that isn’t too personal.”
“Roughly similar to your age I would presume. Young adulthood.”
You gasped and said, “And they gave you alcohol, someone get this man a pacifier.” You said teasingly turning your head to call it out making him chuckle and simply use his arm closest to you to prop himself up to scoot closer.
“Shh,” he whispered through a chuckle by your ear and you giggled again. “There is little substance on this planet able to inebriate myself and my brother.” He said with his eyes focused on yours when you turned your head slightly to catch his bright gaze and smile.
The ship took a wide turn and your joking mood waned and his hand covered yours at the returned grip of his knee to lace his fingers under your palm, and next to your ear he asked, “How would you like to play a game?” You caught his gaze and he grinned nodding his head at the crowd stating, “Say a name.” He watched your eyes dance over the women in toga influenced gowns surrounded by men in both togas and white and golden suits and you chose one from the back that with a flash of green in his eyes had the man start to dance absurdly awkward luring out your smile and giggle again.
Innocent fun, insignificant playful pranks that had Prince Thor search for his brother in the crowds until he spotted him at your side with his hand on yours. Loki would never have openly chosen such a public display with anyone he dared to imagine courtship until proper tasks of approval had been sought for and by the clear try to not let you have a break to focus on anything but his magic. And the game upon his knowing Thor was looking his way had the Prince conjuring fables and joking tales in front of the possibly distressed young Shieldmaiden he would never dream of damaging her honor. Something was bothering their young respected friend and his brother while Thor saw to his sea wary Mate was distracting his chosen companion for the evening in a far more acceptable use of his magic at this party.
Some food was sampled from the migrating attendees made from faceless drones that somehow had you more weirded out than the ship. One of which that had Peter hanging on his back while it held a bucket and led him to lie down on the couch beside the pair of you. The move had you inch closer to the Prince and had his gaze drop to the thigh pressed against his to something hard he felt tap the side of his leg. He felt himself unable to help but smirk at the clear hilt of a dagger poking out from underneath the shorts that blended into your skirt from afar in its same brilliant white shade. And in a low purr beside your ear as you handed over your empty glass to a drone to free a hand so you could check Peter’s temperature the Prince asked, “Please tell me that’s a dagger on your thigh.”
With a blush to the green mist that eased the hilt of two coiled snakes in bright silver into view widening his grin as he caught sight of the full design. And he could imagine the blade in his mind by the hint of metal beneath the hilt his mist hid away again as Pepper hurried over with some sea sickness medicine. “Where else would I keep it?” you whispered back widening his grin to the point he nipped at his lip to keep from grinning like an idiot.
Pepper in her trot up to Peter’s side offered him a fizzing drink he accepted and took your help to prop himself up to sip on it, “Here you go Peter.” And her eyes rose to you asking, “Are you sea sick too? I haven’t seen you on the main floor since we took off.”
“I’ve got a thing with metal boats in open ocean,” her lips parted, “I’m good sitting. Body just prefers wood boats it seems. Prince Loki’s been distracting me.”
“Well if you need anything let us know.”
“Does he make a lot of these drones?”
Pepper sighed saying, “It’s a new thing. He said he’d make them faceless since I thought fake humanoid ones might bother me, but these aren’t any better, sadly.”
“Because he does know about all the evidence on making AI’s and how devastatingly bad that could go?”
“I remind him daily. Only, seems he forgets, daily. Progress,” she said shaking her head and rising to her feet to go check on another person muttering, “This party is the stuff of nightmares with these waves.”
In a glance at Loki you asked, “If Stark builds AI’s can I plead asylum on Asgard?”
He smirked asking, “AI?”
“Robots with free will. Always turns out that they want to destroy the human race. Borderline Ragnarok for our race.”
“Should there be any danger to this planet we will grant you asylum. I give you my word.”
“How important are potatoes on your planet? Because if they don’t grow there I will be smuggling some there. My ancestors didn’t get to enjoy them in the older generations, but I know they look down on me in envy. Even broke I eat like a King.” Making him chuckle again. “I’m serious, one of the best foods discovered on this planet is the potato.”
“Potatoes are amazing,” Peter sighed after finishing his drink and laying flat again. “I would bring lemons. My aunt gets this big smile when she sees lemons. I don’t get it, but it makes her happy. And I’d have to bring her too of course.”
Loki smiled saying, “We have six variations of potatoes and four lemon breeds. The pair of you and young Peter’s aunt would be amply pleased.”
“Could I have a sheep? My parents promised to get me a sheep when I was bigger. Or is it mainly city spaces without any room for cottages?”
“We have a mixture of both. A quaint cottage could be arranged, or a plot of garden and field to keep your sheep in should you prefer an apartment in the Palace. With ample workers to help train you in treatment and sheering of your sheep when necessary.”
In a giggle you replied, “I would need sheep lessons.” Making him chuckle as well.
At their sides save for a trip to the bathroom you remained until the boat docked again and Loki rose to gently help you up and lead both you and still unsteady Peter to the dock. The assigned car to drive you back however found him reluctantly in release of the hand his had been fixed in for hours now. “Thank you, for the asylum and the sheep,” you said in words that muffled in the ears of the Prince whose cheek you had left a peck upon. “Sleep well, Sunshine.” You said and in a lower to sit inside the car.
“Sleep well and safe on the earth, Shieldmaiden Pear.”
.
Vision. The newest Avenger had his face plastered across the internet and all you could think of was the promise the Asgardian Prince had made you and it just made your stomach turn. He was so polite and out of everybody he could have spent his time with he seemed to gravitate to your company. Even when a long train ride let you take a long stroll in Central Park that had you run into the Super Soldiers and Sam on a run. When the Zoo was mentioned the Princes seemed to appear in mid air and as if to counter Bucky’s time with your attention another animal would be pointed to and his questions would arise all aimed your direction.
End to end between your fingers your Mate button box was flipped to tap against the counter easing the slide of your fingers to the bottom to aid the lift and flip of the box to do it again. No matter why he was focusing on you there had to be a line and you couldn’t stop hiding from your fears of finding out who your Mate was by humoring the attentions of the Avengers. Onto the counter you settled the button box and gave the button a single tap that almost an hour away had Loki’s eyes twitch off his book confirming he was alone in his gifted apartment followed by an irritated grumble and nestle back into his spot to ignore the unhelpful poke of his Mate from this infuriating planet.
Several taps more in a notice of the muffin bag you had gotten from a café earlier that had you murmur, “Let’s meet for coffee at the Blue Bird Café. Nine AM.” Your fingers tapped before you could think it through just how many could understand Morse Code this day and age, you just had to try and see if anyone would turn up.
And just like you knew it deep down, no one did, at nine or ten when you had finished off pretending to write out something in your pocket journal after you’d finished your first cider and just wanted to go anywhere but there.
*
Glaring as he made his way to the group lunch after a much needed breakfast alone Loki plopped into his seat and turned his gaze to Natasha at her asking, “Couldn’t sleep?”
“Ten minutes my Mate poked me last night, ten minutes. All in some absurd pattern,” Loki repeated the pattern with the tip of his finger on the table and had her, Bucky and Bruce listening to the meanings of the taps.
Bucky however asked the question the others didn’t, “So did you meet your Mate for coffee?”
Loki glared at him, “I beg your pardon?”
Bruce, “That’s Morse Code. Old school. Must have been eager to meet you rarely hear of people using it these days outside of military or science families.”
Loki asked in a slightly panicked tone, “Where would I meet them?”
Bucky said, “Blue Bird Café, nine am.”
Loki didn’t have to look at the clock but said in his rush from the table, “It’s half past noon!”
He didn’t know where that was but he knew who to talk to to get into Stark’s system. Knowing fully he had links to cameras everywhere. “Red Man, I require your assistance.”
“I am Vision, Green Noble.” The Prince led the way to one of the public labs that linked to his system that Loki linked into the simple online page of the only Blue Bird Café in New York that was located in Queens.
“I need you to help me use Stark’s system to see who was in this café this morning.”
“Are we searching for a culprit in a crime you are aware of?” Vision asked in his hover beside the Prince.
“My Mate used Morse Code to send me a message I did not understand last night and I missed the meeting they tried to arrange. I wish to know who I have spurned to offer my apologies and win back their favor.”
“Oh, very admirable then.” He said lowering as he said, “I am under the understanding that a Mate is the strongest bond you might find in your lifetime. I anxiously await my eighteenth year to have earned my own chance to meet mine.” Raising his hand to link to the system that began to shift the screen windows to delve through the system to first link into the café’s security and the street cameras to watch every person from eight am onwards.
“Pluto,” Loki muttered in the sight of you wearing an anxious expression and a slightly less casual dress entering the café, ordering a drink and muffin with glances at the door to every entrance in a clearly sinking mood as Vision continued to run facial recognition through a database while the video played.
Vision said, “From the 47 customers 24 are legally married and another 17 have announced themselves as engaged on their social media accounts.”
“Pluto Pear, that woman. When did she leave exactly?” Visio read back the time stamp and he said, “I need a print out of this list, I’m going to start with her.”
Vision asked to the print of the page behind him, “Does the young lady hold a certain physical appeal for you to begin with her?”
“I know her. I would never wish for her to believe I have left her there alone. As if I had refused to meet her on the grounds of being my Mate.”
Vision said, “Ah. Then yes, begin with the young Miss Pear.” He said offering the printed sheet that Loki accepted and hurried with rushed thanks in his race out to go and the whole while his mind raced with a single repetition, it had to be you.
Truly for months now any excuse to cross paths was taken including a laughable amount of candles and soap with films, trips out between your shifts and group meals he always made certain to be chaperoned for everyone’s comfort and for your honor the Prince searched. You were the one to make him laugh and find some sense of ease on this planet with a person who seemed to genuinely care about his comfort and tried to keep him from growing too homesick or thoughts on his lineage to spoil his wishes to ever return. If you weren’t his Mate he never desired to meet the person who dared to poke him. He didn’t want to be forced onto anyone else, he had subconsciously chosen you for a while now and would continue to do so.
*
Three knocks soon bled to five and before the sixth could land you had opened your front door to the wide eyed Prince who rapidly opened his fist to an awkward wave. “Miss Pear. Might I come in?”
“Sure,” you said letting him inside closing the door behind him in his awkward check of the single room apartment with a lingering gaze at the boat shaped bed he pointed to mid amused smirk. “My first year here there was a play they used that as a prop in and put it up cheap for sale after it closed. Really comfy.” You looked him over and asked, “You have to go on another mission? Only seen you twitchy like this when you had to leave town.”
“No,” he replied and moved closer offering the cider in his hand you hadn’t noticed. “I owe you a drink.”
In the narrow of your eyes you accepted the still warm cup saying, “Thank you. Don’t recall how, but thank you.”
“I don’t know Morse Code.”
Your lips parted to ask over the thunder of your heart in your ears, “Did you want me to teach you.”
“Not today, thank you.” He inhaled sharply and said, “I know you went to the Blue Bird Café this morning and I know that you didn’t meet the person you had hoped to.”
“I-,”
In a step closer he cut you off saying, “Because I don’t know Morse Code and it took me repeating the lengthy set of taps that kept me up last night to those amongst the team who do.”
“Oh,” you squeaked out in realization of what you guessed and halfway hoped he might be saying.
“So I came here to ask you to poke me again,” his eyes lowered to the finger that rose to tap him in the center of his chest that had him let out a breathy chuckle and scan his eyes over your face that was still devoid of anything readable but uncertainty and shock. “No, with your button, do you have it?”
“Oh, button,” sharply your head turned setting the drink down and gingerly he shadowed you in your circle of your bed to the near burrow under the fake fur blanket you had to do to grab the button that seemed to try and keep it hidden for itself. When you stood again you eased your fingers around the sides of the box with its mint colored button now a deep green that with a press of your thumb had him exhale shakily to the poke he felt.
He didn’t know what to do or say and yet all on its own it seemed his body acted to first cradle your cheek then lean in to press his lips to yours in a blind hope that however possible he could seal this bond to never break. Just as loudly as yours his heart thundered in his chest for the action his body had taken without permission.
And when your eyes met again his breath hitched hearing you whisper at the sight of the swirls of green mist that had filled the room with sparkling veins of gold to glimmer around the both of you. His skin now blue with raised ridges trailing across his skin in snowflake like unique markings to just him from his Jotun blood paired with his crimson eyes. “Was that supposed to happen or was it on accident.”
“The mist was unintentional.” He hummed back lowly and in his lean forward to brush his nose to yours his body melted forward at the toe top lift to kiss him again. With the close of your eyes covering his shift back after his notice of the color of his hand still on your cheek. An action and pose he lingered in to savor every second of it.
“Blue is a good color on you, Sunshine.” You said and his lips parted only for the growl of his stomach to make you grin and claim his hand and say, “Let’s feed you and that angry rhino you swallowed.”
Out of your slow cooker some jambalaya was served for the both of you to go with the cheesy mashed potatoes you topped with bacon bits he amusedly poked with his spoon as if it was possibly toxic. “I’m not going to poison you,” you giggled out.
“No, there is a topping like these pebbles on Asgard and it is merely awful.”
“Well this is tiny bits of bacon.”
“Bacon,” he said in an intrigued tone and took a bite he hummed around making you giggle to yourself.
“Midgard isn’t so bad, we’ve done amazing things with bacon.”
“That you have,” he said filling his spoon again with some of the jambalaya that while he chewed it his eyes scanned over your face in your downwards gaze, “Are you pleased?” he managed to ask when he swallowed lifting your eyes again to his.
“Could use more sausage. They’re so stingy on the weight per cent these days.”
“With me?” He asked in a near squeak afraid of the answer.
“As my Mate?” you asked and he nodded, “You are indescribable. You can do magic, I mean come on, I started magic when I was a kid and dreamed to have someone who would be so much more spectacularly talented than myself. Need I say, the essence of pure sunshine in your veins. You accept my Norse roots. Some people would just label me a witch on that alone. And you tolerate my weirdness, major plusses there.”
“I would assume, my title-,”
“Psh,” you said lifting his gaze from his bowls. “I would be honored to be bound to you if you ran a button stand.” You said triggering an awkward grin across his face at the compliment. “If anything the expectations of your possible requirement to take up after Odin on what I would only assume to be a possibly uncomfortable looking golden throne in that floating golden Palace would trouble me for the increase of scowls that would develop from the stress and drive that smile of yours away. Not to mention the heightened risk of stress on the heart from a job of that level.” After a moment of his amused grin your way you asked, “Do you really live forever?”
“Roughly 5071 years.”
“Well Bucky’s close to a century and he hasn’t seemed to age much, Steve was frozen for most of his. So I suppose logically, I can’t say how long I would be around.”
His brow inched up and he said, “I would find you. No matter where in Hel they settle you to spend your afterlife.”
You nodded and asked in a rather embarrassed tone, “No possible way I could get to Valhalla then?”
“You most certainly could well earn place there. Few Midgardians are welcomed, I did not mean to worry you or offer insult.”
You shook your head, “It’s just all different than how I was taught. You’re Frigga’s son, and Thor isn’t a redhead, no telling what else could be different. I mean did you at least give birth to a eight legged horse Odin rides around on?”
“Did I what?” he chuckled out with a widening smile.
“I mean who wouldn’t be able to learn to love a guy who gave birth to Hel, the Goddess of Death; Jörmungand, the serpent that surrounds the world; and Fenrir or Fenrisúlfr, the wolf; and Sleipnir, Odin's eight-legged horse.”
“Thor did advise us the mortals had warped our tales, yet I had no imagination it could be that vastly different.” He paused and asked, “Hel, is she prominent in my life in the tales? I have never heard of a Goddess of that name.”
You said, “Those you had with the female giant Angerboda. You seem to love her in the tales. Though most of your tales I prefer include your other wife, Sigyn. You had a son with her, named Nari or Narfi.” His lips parted, “Odin uses your son’s intestines to chain you to a rock where snakes drip their venom on you and she sits beside you with a bowl to collect it. Though when she dumps it out and the venom drips on your face you thrash around causing the earth to quake. It’s quite the tale of devotion in Norse Mythology. There’s actually quite a tale for how you got married, she was betrothed to another and on the wedding day you kill him and take his shape and then reveal yourself after and she tells Odin she will honor the marriage. Sigyn’s basically known only for her devotion to you.”
“I have never wed, nor know of a Sigyn. I could never imagine my father able to bind anyone with the innards of their own child.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.”
He shook his head, “No, you have not upset me. Although I am curious to ponder on when the tales stretched so far from the truth. Perhaps an exceptionally harsh winter with little to distract from boredom.”
“Well that’s the thing about legends. Everyone who first heard or saw them happen is dead. Kind of like the phone tree game,” his brows furrowed a moment in confusion to the name, “One person in a circle whispers to another, it can be a word or funnier a phrase and gradually through the circle the words change. Sometimes for the worse. Known a few to end in fist fights when they made us do it in schools in some mock trial to stomp out bullying as a sort of way to display how gossip explodes like wild fire. Then again it could be a testament to hearing loss rather than weak attention spans on trading whispers.” As you eyed his grin after a glance away to fill your spoon you said, “Sorry, got away from me there.”
“You did not wander far. Often I find people who ramble show great promise of intellect. Brains that are rapid to focus on new topics are very welcome amongst our scientists.”
“It must be amazing, your home.”
“My people are brilliant compared to yours, however very gullible. Hence my prowess in mischief.”
“Well, if you assume to have all the answers why would you bother looking for more?” making him smirk proudly at your words. “They’ll learn, with enough shoves in the right direction, or enough books to hurl at them. Sometimes you need a bit of mischief to open some eyes.”
“Thor has been working up the nerve to request a trip for his Mate Jane Foster to Asgard. I imagine her introduction to our scientists would be less productive than to hear from one who has crafted a rainbow portal on her own with only supplies from Midgard. Even our best crafters alive today could not tap into that technology. When Thor broke the rainbow bridge that aids in the control of the Bifrost Mother had to travel to Hel to consult with one of our scientists we had lost a thousand years prior.”
“That must have been fun for you to experience.”
“I wasn’t there,” he whispered in a downward glance then cleared his throat and drew in a deep breath, “Perhaps I should share something else, other than my race with you.” When his eyes did rise he almost flinched seeing yours on his, “There’s a, being, a Titan.”
“Like in Greek Mythology?”
“I’m, not aware of their history.”
“Sorry, Titan?”
“Thanos. I fell from the bridge when Thor broke it. Through the open void of the universe I faded to, I don’t know where. There, Thanos found me. His henchman tortured me.”
“Loki,” you said reaching out to rest a hand on his forearm that had his hand turn over to wrap around the underside of yours welcoming the contact and sadness not pity in your gaze.
“I was gone, for so very long, time is, difficult in varied realms to compare.” He wet his lips and continued shakily, “I managed to escape, with a deal. He sent me with the scepter to bring him the tesseract. There are these stones, with different powers to control parts of the universe, he wants them all and has others to locate them for him. That was why, I opened that portal. Why I killed people. To let them know something bigger is out there, and that it’s coming.”
“Okay.”
“He wouldn’t have come on his own, but I lied to him. And my Father can’t protect this planet, or won’t. I won’t let him hurt you though. I swear. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”
“That’s a tall order in this city. Plus even doors are a danger to me when I’m in a hurry.”
“I’m being serious, he has decimated civilizations before and enslaved millions he allowed to survive.” His eyes scanned yours finding an expression he couldn’t decipher and he asked, “What is that look for?”
“I have secrets, terrible things I should tell my Mate, for fair playing field since you’ve been so open with me. I do trust you, I just,”
“I understand.”
“It’s just been mine, for so long. Nearly my whole life now, and Eddie, he found me at and back again from my lowest point,” Loki nodded and bit the inside of his lip at the tear that rolled down your cheek all of a sudden. “He was the first person who cared since I got here, and I just had to tell someone. It was breaking me, and he got me help with his therapist, which has helped. I just, I don’t know why, but even with you being able to rain aliens down upon us, I’m scared to tell you everything.” Another tear down your cheek had him lean in closer to your side. “Because if you knew, what I am, you would hate me. I don’t know why Eddie hasn’t left yet. He should have left me by now.”
“He is not going to leave, and no matter what pain that lies in your past, I will not leave you. And I will wait until you welcome me into the fold. No matter how long it takes.”
The rest of the meal he remained at your side and moved with you to your couch to inch closer to cuddling through a film that allowed you both to a comfortable silence. Droops of your eyes however had him excise himself to allow you to rest. When you were on your feet however with sight of his back his body went rigid to the poke he felt that had him turn to see you with your button in hand say, “Double checking.”
Gently he claimed your free hand and raised it to his lips to kiss your knuckles on the hand he cradled after, “Get some rest. Tomorrow should Stark not interfere, hopefully I could arrange a lunch to make up for my misstep this morning.”
“Not your misstep. I shouldn’t have assumed anyone else would know Morse Code.”
“I will learn, there is no fault on your part. Only imagination.”
“You get some sleep too, Sunshine.” His grin widened, “Keep that stress on your heart down.”
“I shall try my hardest with Stark in the same tower.” He said stealing another press of his lips to your hand before he released it and led the way to the door you closed and locked behind your unbelievable Mate you secretly wished would have tried to kiss more than just your hand the second time.
Pt 8
All –
@sherala007, @mariannetora, @jesgisborne, @knitastically, @catthefearless, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000, @alishlieb,
Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore
X Loki - @pastelhexmaniac
#Yacht Party#Soulmate AU#Loki x oc#sea sick#Eddie Brock#Peter Parker#Blue Bird Cafe#Vision#Bucky Barnes
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Bring On The Monsters (7/8)
chapter title: They Find Out The Truth, Sort Of
word count: 3,203
read on ao3
Bianca had flagged down a cab, then pried the credit card out of Nico’s hand when the driver refused to cart around three kids. He still seemed hesitant to take them all the way to Los Angeles, but Bianca had already shoved the two boys into the backseat.
For the first half of the drive, Will wouldn’t stop asking questions about the 1930s, practically bouncing in his seat and firing off questions so fast that sometimes Nico and Bianca wouldn’t even have the chance to answer - not that they were all too eager to give anything away, anyway. Ever since arriving at camp, neither of them had had much memory of their time before the Lotus. Somehow, though, despite what Nico thought was pretty obvious discomfort on their part, Will kept asking away.
Bianca finally shut him up eventually, claiming that if he didn’t stop, she was going to throw him out into the desert, and if he was lucky then they’d swing by and pick him up again on their way back to New York. Nico just hoped that their driver didn’t find anything usual about their conversation - at least not enough to alert the authorities.
They dozed off for about an hour, Nico finding himself squished between two sleeping demigods as he watched the endless desert road out the windshield. Then, sometime in between blinks, Nico fell asleep as well, and woke to the sound of conversation.
“What kind of responsible adult would I be if I let three kids wander the streets in the middle of the night?” the driver was telling them, twisted in his seat to look at them as he spoke. “Nah, I’m gonna take you to a police station or something.”
“No, don’t!” Will shouted, and Bianca reached around Nico to shove at his shoulder.
“What he means is,” Bianca started, “that’s really not necessary. My dad owns this recording studio, and he’s actually waiting for us, so it’s really fine if you just drop us off right here. Promise.”
The driver still looked skeptical. “This building right here?” He pointed out the passenger window, glancing between it and the demigods. “Alright, but I’m gonna hang out right here until you all get inside, okay? And if you have any problems, I can drive you over to the nearest police station.”
“Thank you, that’s very kind,” Bianca said as she pushed open the car door. It was a good thing that Nico was already awake beside her, even if he hadn’t done anything to make that clear, because she simply grabbed his arm and dragged him outside with her. Will followed behind out the same door and hurried to catch up with Bianca before she could open the door to the building.
“Wait!” Will hissed.
“What?” Bianca asked, turning to face him with a hand on the door. “We can’t let that guy think there’s a problem.”
“But...what do we do when we’re inside?” Will asked. “Aren’t we going to have to pretend that we’re, you know, dead? They’re not just going to let us in otherwise!”
“I guess we’ll see what happens,” Bianca replied, and ripped the door open. She led the way in, holding tightly to Nico’s hand as she walked inside, then came to a halt in the lobby. It was practically bursting with people despite the late hour, so much so that they could barely see across the room.
Will stopped beside them and looked around, just as the two siblings were doing, though he seemed more confused than surprised. “It’s so...empty. I know it’s late and all, but I didn’t think it’d be empty.”
Nico and Bianca traded a look, just as one of the people walked straight through them.
Right, Nico thought. Ghosts.
Bianca lifted her chin and walked across the room, though some of the shades though many seemed to part for them. They acted like they had some form of respect for Nico and Bianca, though they watched Will with confusion and disdain. Nico figured it was probably a good thing that Will couldn’t see them.
Bianca stepped up to the counter and cleared her throat. “Um. Hello.”
The man behind the counter raised an eyebrow, amused. “Can I help you?”
“Yes,” she answered. “We’ve recently found ourselves, um. Dead.”
“Sure you have,” the man replied with a nod. “The di Angelos, right? And...friend. Your dad’s waiting for you downstairs.” He stood, revealing an expensive black suit, and started toward one corner of the room to a set of elevator doors. “My name is Charon. Right this way, please. Can’t keep the boss waiting.”
“How did you know who we are?” Nico asked as Charon gestured for them to enter the elevator.
“I’ve been expecting you,” Charon replied, as if that was an answer. “And you’re clearly not dead.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Nico saw Bianca elbowing Will in the side.
“Hold on tight!” Charon announced as the doors shut in front of them, and suddenly they found themselves knocked off their feet. Nico landed hard on the wood plank seat of a boat, Will and Bianca in single file behind him while Charon stayed on his feet in front of them. He didn’t row the boat at all, just seemed to will it forward toward a black sand beach.
Nico was distracted, studying the smooth fabric of the hooded robe that Charon’s suit had melted into, and jumped when the man spoke again. He’d turned to glance at Nico over his shoulder, though instead of a man, Nico only saw a skeleton underneath the hood. “Show me your sword, boy.”
Nico scrambled to unsheath the weapon, holding it out for Charon to take. “This one?” he asked, as if he had another sword to show off.
Charon took it from his hand, and with no hesitation at all, flung the sword into the river.
“Hey!” Nico exclaimed. “What was that for?”
Charon turned forward once more, and Nico couldn’t know for sure, but he thought the ferryman replied, “No cursed weapons beyond this point.”
Nico turned back to Will and whispered, “Did he say cursed?”
Before Will could respond, the boat shuddered to a stop, and Charon announced, “Here we are. Watch your step. We wouldn’t want anyone taking an accidental dip, now, would we?”
Nico wasn’t sure, but he thought Charon had looked past him to Will, but it was hard to tell since Charon didn’t exactly have eyes. Nico climbed out of the boat onto a dock, offered a hand to help Will out, then the two boys pulled Bianca out together.
“Which way do we go?” Bianca asked.
“The palace won’t be difficult to locate,” Charon answered as he pushed off from the dock, and the boat started back across the river.
Bianca huffed. “Well, that wasn’t very helpful.”
Will replied, “I don’t think it needed to be.” He was facing away from the other two, and when Nico turned to see what Will was looking at, his jaw dropped.
The palace was at least a mile away, but massive, made from obsidian and gold. Even from such a distance, it seemed to loom over them - them, and the millions of shades that were filing through the gates of the Underworld.
“I guess we go that way,” Nico said, and started walking.
He noticed quickly that, while he and Bianca attempted to avoid any contact with the shades, Will simply walked straight through them. Like he didn’t see them at all. His suspicion was confirmed when they approached the gates after a few minutes and Nico and Bianca froze at the sight of the three headed dog Cerberus. Will, though--
“Will!” Nico exclaimed, lunging forward and grabbing at his backpack to yank him backwards, just as Cerberus’s left head swung down to snap at him. Will landed on his butt on the cracked, dry ground after being pulled off his feet by Nico.
“What was that for?” he demanded as he got back up.
Bianca gestured up toward Cerberus’s heads. “Do you not see the giant dog?”
“Dog?” Will repeated, spinning around with his eyes the size of dinner plates as he searched for the dog. “Where’s the puppy?”
“Will,” Nico said, drawing his friend’s attention back to him. “Do you not see the ghosts?”
Will frowned. “Do...you see ghosts?”
“We don’t have time for this,” Bianca said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m going to try to distract Cerberus. Nico, try to get Will past without letting him get eaten.”
“Cerberus?” Will repeated, his eyes snapping toward the dog, though he still didn’t seem to register the monster.
“It might be the Mist,” Nico explained. “Just try to focus, Will. Concentrate on seeing through the Mist, and look at Bianca.”
Will squeezed his eyes shut for a count of three, and when they opened again, they opened wide. “Oh, that’s a big boy.”
“You can see him?” Nico asked. “Can you see the ghosts?”
It took a second for Will to tear his eyes away from Cerberus, but when he did, he flinched, then jumped to the side as a shade almost walked through him. “Where did these guys come from?”
“They were here the whole time,” Nico replied, and grabbed Will’s arm. “C’mon, we should go while Bia has Cerberus distracted.”
The boys started forward, hesitantly, watching as Bianca reached out toward Cerberus with an open palm. Cerberus placed his middle chin in her hand, and his tail started to wag. “Good boy,” Nico heard her say just before the dog’s right head licked her arm.
Once they were behind him, Nico called back for his sister. He heard her promise to come back soon, and then she was running to her brother’s side.
They still had a long walk ahead of them. They wandered through Asphodel, saw Elysium from afar, and walked along a cliffside that didn’t seem to have an end on the other side.
“What’s down there?” Nico asked, trying to peer over the edge without getting any closer - not that he would have seen anything anyway, not with the thick fog that concealed whatever laid below.
“Punishment?” Will offered.
“No, that’s on the other side of the palace,” Bianca replied. “That’s… Whatever that is, it’s worse.”
Nico moved away from the edge.
When they reached the palace doors, the pair of skeletal guards outside welcomed them in. If vacant stares and subtle shifting could be considered welcoming. The doors closed behind them with a thundering boom.
They continued straight ahead until they entered a grand throne room, where the floors were a solid black marble and the columns surrounding them were made from skulls of different animals - though, primarily, human.
Nico wasn’t sure what he was expecting when he met his father, but this certainly wasn’t it. Hades looked like any other person, only deathly pale and wearing a toga so black it seemed to suck the color out of the room around him. He looked...like Nico. He looked like the person that Nico could easily become in another twenty years or so.
Nico definitely didn’t expect his father to look happy, but that definitely had to be due to the woman perched on the arm of his throne. She was the only splash of color in the room (aside from Will) with a dress that reflected every color of the surface’s summertime, curled auburn hair, and warm skin. She looked like she didn’t belong in such a cold, dark place, and it wasn’t until Nico saw the fond look in his father’s eyes that he realized who she was.
The trio stopped a short distance from the throne, and Hades finally tore his eyes away from his wife to acknowledge them. “Children,” he greeted, and any kindness in his eyes vanished as he added, “and guest.”
“Be nice,” Persephone chided with a tap to her husband’s shoulder.
“Persephone?” Will said with confusion in his tone, and he snapped his jaw shut after realizing that he’d spoken out of turn. “Sorry! Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting-- I mean, it’s summer, so I thought-- Ow!” Bianca stomped on Will’s foot, forcing him to shut up.
“It’s alright, dear,” Persephone said kindly, and turned her gaze back to Hades. “I’m just here on a weekend trip to visit my husband while he’s in a mood.”
Hades huffed, not unlike the way Nico and Bianca tended to. “I am not--” Persephone raised an eyebrow, and Hades sighed. “Yes, dear.” Hades turned his attention back to the demigods. “Children,” he said again, this time apparently deciding to ignore Will altogether, “I believe this meeting is far overdue. I am...very happy to see you both again.”
“Again?” Bianca repeated. “You’ve seen us before?”
“Of course,” Hades answered. “I helped raise you before your mother...passed.”
“What happened?” Nico asked. “To… To our mom, to us.”
Will nudged him with his elbow and whispered, “And the bolt.”
“And Zeus’s bolt,” Nico added.
Hades took a breath. “I suppose I should start at the beginning. You are familiar with the oath between my brothers and I?” Nico nodded. “I never broke it. Both of my brothers have, and their children have suffered because of it, but I had no desire to put either of you through that pain. The oath was made shortly after you were born, Nico, so Zeus believed that I had broken it. He tried to kill you, both of you, but I was able to protect you just before he struck. Your mother...was not so lucky.”
Persephone set a comforting hand on Hades’s shoulder, and he covered it with one of his own. Nico found himself surprised by the gesture, having assumed that his step-mother would be upset hearing about her husband’s affair. Maybe seventy years had been enough time for her to get over it.
“I put you in the Lotus to protect you,” Hades continued. “He couldn’t see you there, because that place doesn’t exist in time the same way that the rest of the world does. However, recently, things have been...stirring, and I felt the need to pull you out. The timing wasn’t perfect, I know, but I had also hoped that you two would be able to clear my name after the Master Bolt disappeared.”
“Why couldn’t you just tell Zeus that you’re innocent?” Bianca asked.
Hades scoffed. “You think anyone listens to me? Of course not! And they certainly wouldn't believe me now that you’ve brought the bolt straight to me.”
Nico choked on his next breath. “We did what?”
Hades raised an eyebrow, as if surprised that they didn’t already know. “You received a gift on your journey, yes?”
Bianca slid the straps of her backpack off her shoulders and held it out toward Hades. “Ares gave this to us a few days ago.”
He nodded to the bag. “Look inside.”
She set the bag on the ground and knelt beside it as she unzipped the main pouch. Bianca reached inside and brought out a cylinder of blue electricity that absolutely radiated power. Her jaw dropped open at the sight, and she looked back to her father. “So… Ares--?”
“Please, as if he’s smart enough to plot something like that,” Hades replied. “No, it was not my nephew. I have my suspicions as to who could have--” He shook his head. “But it’s not possible. I cannot say, because even I can’t believe that it could be true.”
Nico shifted his weight uneasily.
Hades waved a hand dismissively. “Please, dear, put that thing away. You will need to take it to Olympus right away, and you can’t let anything happen to it on your journey.”
Bianca returned the bolt to her bag and stood. “But it took us so long to get here. How are we supposed to get back to Olympus before the solstice?”
“I believe your friend here will be able to direct you,” Hades said, nodding toward Will.
“Me?” Will squeaked.
“The Underworld is connected to everything, all across the world. There is even an entrance a short distance from Olympus,” Hades told them. “The same doors that Orpheus used when he attempted to steal back Eurydice will be your exit. Please, children, feel free to use those doors to visit, whenever you’d like, at least until you both learn to master shadow travel. I would...very much like to see you both again. Under less stressful circumstances.”
“Shadow travel?” Nico repeated.
Hades hummed. “It would seem that you’ve already tried it once. Perhaps someday I’ll be able to teach you to focus your energy, so that you won’t collapse immediately afterwards.”
“You mean he really did teleport?” Will exclaimed, and Hades’s gaze hardened again. Will took half a step behind Nico.
“We’ll walk you out,” Hades said as he rose from his throne, and offered a hand to Persephone to help her to her feet. “Please, follow me.”
Hades started leading them out of the throne room through a side door, and as they entered a long hallway, Will grabbed Nico’s hand and hissed, “Should we be trusting him?”
Nico frowned. “He’s my dad. He’s helping us.”
Will didn’t seem entirely happy, but he nodded. He didn’t let go of Nico’s hand.
“I understand that you don’t have your own cabin at camp, is that right?” Hades asked, glancing back at them over his shoulder. “You should know that if you ever tire of crowding in with the other campers, I have many empty rooms here. You could each have your own space. And you wouldn’t have to stay forever, even just a - what did you call it, dear? - weekend visit.” He opened another door and led them out of the palace. From there, they had a perfect view of the Fields of Punishment.
They stepped out into a garden, and the pale, skeletal flora and fauna all seemed to turn toward them. Persephone stepped to the side to tend to her garden and allow her husband a moment to say goodbye.
“Your exit is on the edge of Punishment,” Hades told them, pointing out across the palace grounds. “On the other side of Sisyphus’s hill, there is a set of stairs. Take those up to the surface.” He turned back to the demigods and set a hand on Bianca’s shoulder. “I really do hope to see you both again.” He pressed a kiss to the top of his daughter’s head, then turned to do the same to his son.
Hades stepped back and held his hands behind his back, gazing down at them sternly. “But do not, under any circumstances, even think about bringing any more sunny Apollo spawn into my realm, unless they are already dead.”
Will squeezed Nico’s hand and moved to step behind Nico once more, but bumped into someone as he did so.
Persephone wound an arm around Will’s shoulders from behind and set her chin on top of his head. “Oh, but dear, the plants love him!” she said to her husband, and Nico watched as Will’s cheeks grew pink. “Can’t we keep him a little while longer?”
Bianca grinned. “He’s all yours!”
thanks for reading!
buy me a coffee
#solangelo#will solace#nico di angelo#bianca di angelo#mine#my writing#bring on the monsters#unrelated to the fic but happy birthday nico
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Once Upon A Dream | l.h.
Wrote this for the fic event! I didn’t spend the time that I wanted to on this, and it’s awful tbh lol. It deserved better, but here we are. I was able to pick Fairytale!Luke as my theme!
Fic Event Masterlist
Prompt: I’ve been thinking about kissing you from the moment we met.
Prince Luke had been searching desperately trying to find the girl he loved.
They had only met a few times, but those few times were enough to make him realize that she was the one. She was dangerously smart, full of wit and humor, and the most beautiful creature he had ever set his eyes on.
He happened upon her by accident. But in truth, she found him. Luke had travelled too far from his normal path in the enchanted woods and got lost without the slightest idea where he had come from or where he needed to go. The enchanted forest had ways of making you see what it wanted you to see. Which is why he could have sworn she was nothing more than a dream when he saw her for the first time.
“Are you lost, your highness?” Her sweet voice said, her face partially blocked by a dark cloak over her head.
“I am. Do you know the way?” He asked, quickly getting down off of his horse and approaching her carefully.
“Where do you wish to go?” She looked up then and met his gaze. Luke was frozen in place, drinking in the way her eyes screamed innocence but the shape of her mouth said otherwise.
“My destination suddenly evades me.” He breathes, a smile pulling at her lips. “Tell me your name?” He took another step towards her.
“Briar Rose, your highness.” She bowed to him, but he quickly reached a hand out, long fingers ghosting at her chin and lifting her face back up to his.
“Please…you should be bowing to no one.” Luke said, amazed at the softness of her skin and how hard his heart began to beat because of it.
She helped him find his way back to his kingdom that day, but she was reluctant to tell him much about herself. Luke could not resist returning to those woods several more times over the months to see her again. To listen to her talk. To hold her hand in his. She never told him where she came from, or why she was in those woods alone. And Luke was afraid to ask, in fear that he would not see her again.
But now as Luke travels to the enchanted forest to visit Briar Rose, he is instead met by one of her fairy godmothers who was in complete hysterics. She practically knocked him from his horse when they crossed paths.
“Please your highness, she’s taken her. She’s taken Briar Rose.” The fairy said breathlessly.
“Who’s taken her?” Luke could feel pure rage and anger begin to bubble inside him and pour into his veins.
“The sorceress. Maleficent. We’ve kept her hidden away for so long…” The fairy began to cry.
“Where has she taken her?” Luke began making his way back over to his horse, ready to go any length to save Briar Rose.
“She put a spell on her. Convinced her to touch the spindle, and now Briar Rose sleeps. And she will sleep forever if the spell is not broken by true loves kiss.” The fairy wipes at her tears and explains everything she knows. “Lucky for us, your highness, Maleficent does not know of you and the bond between yourself and the princess.”
“Princess?” Luke asks, stunned once again.
“Briar Rose is the princess hidden away by her parents to keep her from the fate she now has endured. But you can save her. You must hurry.” The fairy pulls out her wand and waves it about a few times, magic pouring from it and into Luke’s sword and shield. “Please bring her back to us.”
Luke nods, swiftly straddling his horse before he looks back down at the fairy once more.
“And what of Maleficent? She will not make saving the princess so easy I assume?” He asks.
“She is…the most evil and traitorous. And she will use her power to keep you away at any cost.” The look of sympathy on the fairy’s face was anything but comforting. “Your sword and shield will help keep you safe.”
“Thank you for that. I shall return with the princess.” He nods at her once more before he has his horse running at full speed through the forest. He trusts the fairy’s magic to lead him where he needs to go.
The further he travels, the darker the woods become. His horse becomes more and more reluctant to continue on, and soon Luke must leave him behind and continue on foot. He uses his sword to slash through the overgrown forest, low hanging branches scratching at his face and arms as he pushes through, finding himself waist deep in a slimy river of black water. It makes his feet feel heavy, and when he tries to pull himself out of the water it does not allow him to do so. The water pulls at his frame until he falls back in.
Gasping for air at the surface, Luke manages to pull out his sword and slice through the magic wrapped around him in the water, allowing him to go free and scramble out onto the bank. Every inch of him is soaked, his blonde curls sticking to his face as he takes a moment to catch his breath and spit black water into the dirt. Maleficent must sense that he is getting closer.
Continuing on, Luke finds himself at a bridge that leads to the other side of a deep canyon. The ropes and wood do not appear sturdy in the slightest, but any other way would take too much time. He carefully takes a step out onto the bridge, the plank of wood groaning beneath his weight. He takes another hesitant step, this time the plank breaks and almost send him falling to his death. But his shield catches on one of the ropes and gives him the opportunity to climb back up. Luke can barely breathe at this point, as he makes slow and purposeful steps over the rest of the bridge. Just as he’s almost to the other side, the ropes snap and the bridge falls out from beneath him in slow motion. Luke is not ready to give up, not ready to die without seeing her again. His hand finds a rope and wraps into it tightly. It swings him against the side of the canyon where he hits his shoulder hard. He groans in pain as he pulls himself up the rope and onto the far side of the canyon, his back hitting the ground with a thud.
Luke looks up at the canopy of the thick forest above him. He can barely see the stars trying to poke through the holes and it reminds him of that sweet twinkle in Briar Rose’s eyes when she knows she’s right. She would laugh and fall back against the mossy forest floor where they had been sitting in the sunlight. And when she would turn her head to look up at him where he sat, Luke knew he was going to love her. He was going to ask her to marry him one day, even if it meant that he had to leave his kingdom and live in the enchanted forest, it didn’t matter when she looked at him that way.
With a pained huff, Luke forced himself up onto his feet again. Limping slights and holding shoulder as he made his way further into the darkness. The air was thick but the faint smell of smoke started to fill his nose as he continued walking.
The huge castle finally came into view, Luke’s gut feeling telling him this was where the princess was being kept by Maleficent. The evil dark magic seeped through every pore of the castle and the land that surrounded it. Luke took a moment to close his eyes and remember why he was here. His throat tightened at the thought of any harm coming to Briar Rose and his jaw set as he ground his teeth and opened his eyes.
“Coming for you, princess.” He whispered to himself, stepping out into a clearing. He didn’t make it more than a few steps before the earth in front of him began to crack and grumble, eerie green light pouring out like sludge.
“You will not take one more step.” Maleficent said far too calmly.
“One way or another, I’m getting to her, sorceress. You cannot stop me.” Luke moved his shield in front of his body, his shoulder protesting at every movement.
“She’s mine.” Maleficent screeched, the green magic beginning to swirl around her form.
“I think the princess should be able to say that herself, don’t you?” Luke said, his sword raising in a defensive stance.
Maleficent did not say another word, only raising her scepter towards the sky, more magic surrounding her until she was no longer visible. And once the green clouds cleared, a huge dragon stood where she once had. Luke’s breath caught in his chest as he stared up at the huge beast. But he knew that Briar was just on the other side, and he had to get to her.
“Have it your way then.” Luke yelled, storming towards the dragon and swiping his sword across one of its ankles, causing it to screech in pain.
It was a messy fight. Luke found himself nearly finished, his body pressed into the ground by one of the dragons giant claws as its green eyes stared down at him. His sword was just out of reach, and he needed to start coming to terms with the fact that he failed the girl he loved.
The dragon moved its face closer to Luke’s, deep growls leaving its mouth as it continued to drag out his untimely death. Luke’s ribs felt as though they were being crushed and darkness threatened to fill his sight. Blood dripped from his mouth as his bones protested against the weight of the dragons’ claw.
“I love her.” He said through labored breathing, Maleficent pausing to tilt her dragon head and look at him. And that pause was just what he needed, kicking up and rolling over just enough to grab his sword and hoist it up into her heart. She screamed so loud that Luke had to cover his ears as she fell into the cracks of the earth she had created.
Luke forced himself up onto his feet, arms wrapping around his ribs trying to hold himself up. He pushed his legs forward, squeezing through an opening of the front castle doors. Once he was inside, a huge staircase loomed in front of him.
“Of course.” He said to himself, feet shuffling forward, every single ounce of strength he had left being used to ascend the stairs.
After what felt like a lifetime, he reached the top, collapsing for a moment to catch his breath. He rolled to his side, eyes landing on the big elaborate bed sitting in the middle of the room. White flowers covered every inch of it. The bed posts practically touched the ceiling of the pointed roof. Luke had to blink away sweat from his eyes so they could take in the sight of her lying unmoving on the bed.
She was an angel. A crown of red roses dawned her head, popping out against the white of everything else. Luke moved onto his knees, catching his breath before standing the rest of the way up onto his feet. He struggled the short distance, but made it to the beautiful bed that held the beautiful girl.
“There you are, princess.” He whispered to himself. He reached out to touch her face, hating the way his dirty fingers clashed against her immaculate skin. But he let himself feel her, making sure she was real. He remembered the fairy telling him that true loves kiss would wake her from the curse, and he hoped like hell she felt the same way about him as he did about her.
Luke took in as many details of her as could before he pressed on of his hands next to her head to balance himself, and leaned down to kiss her. Just a sweet brush of his lips against hers. His eyes fluttered shut at the feeling, but he had to force them back open when he heard her quiet speak to him.
“You found me.” Her hands cupped his face, being careful of the bruises and cuts.
“I’ll always find you, Briar Rose.” Luke smiled causing her to do the same. “Kissing you is all I’ve thought about since the moment we met.”
This time, Briar leaned up to attach her lips back to his. Much more pressure, much more feeling to it. It was a kiss worth slaying a thousand dragons. Filled with all the unspoken love that they held for each other and the tension that had built over their months of meeting deep in the enchanted forest. She wasn’t holding back anymore and neither was he.
“What now?” She finally asked, gentle fingers brushing the sticky curls from his forehead.
“Now, is happily ever after.” Luke pulled her closer, arms wrapping around her waist to hold her in his lap, she happily wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I almost didn’t get to tell you that I love you.” Briar said shyly.
“I hoped you did…or that curse breaking kiss may have been much less effective.” Luke teased, making her laugh and pulled him into a hug. “I love you.” He says into her shoulder, a long sigh of relief leaving her lips.
“Take me home, your highness.” She said, pulling back to look at Luke.
“As you wish, princess.”
taglist: @bbycal @kinglyhood @sugarcoated-pain @shower-me-with-roses @c-dizzle-swizzlex @calumculture @sugarcoatedcalum @calthesensation @cheyenne-in-wonderland @moonlightcalum @unconditionalcalum @irwinkitten @singt0mecalum @angelbabylu @sadistmichael @goth5sos @aspiringwildfire @myloverboyash @cal-puddies @lashtoncurls @kchillout @pinkbubbles-and-bigtroubles @callllumhood @sick-orca @ifwallscouldtalk @aliencal @cashtonasfuck @wastedheartcth @mellifluoushood
#5sos#5 seconds of summer#calum hood#ashton irwin#luke hemmings#michael clifford#lrh#lh#fairytale luke#fic event
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Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey - Scene 40
XD
It’s been a while since I wrote one of these and I feel like I forget everything I said last time. Oh well. Rosy and friends are actually in Radio Point for this scene, and it’s a bit of a long one. They may be here for a reason, but I still had to throw in some Rosy sightseeing to keep the traveling theme going. I hope everyone has as much fun in Radio Point as Rosy in...
“Oh my, I hadn’t expected you to get into Radio Point, before I arrived.”
It was hard to tell with Blister’s deliberate and sleepy sounding way of speaking that she was actually surprised, but she did seem energetic enough for it to be believable. Rosy however, with her waging tail and nigh inability to stand still was far easier to read. “Well, we just had to!”
“Though they got mad at us for running up the cables,” Draw made sure to dampen Rosy’s enthusiasm with a reminder of the trouble she caused. She puffed her cheeks up at him, but it was Sonic who spoke next in the airship port at the top of one of Radio Point’s many towers.
“I’m not too fond of waiting, and as she says,” Sonic explained as he pointed a thumb back at Rosy, “we had a reason to come up here quickly.”
“I bet you were disappointed when you found out the trains are entirely for the maintenance crews then,” Blister the Mouse allowed herself a chuckle at the group’s expense.
“It’s a good thing you have an airship,” Sonic agreed, though Rosy got mad at him.
“Hey, we may have had to wait, but even you can’t argue there was plenty to do while we did!”
~Radio Point was a really unique town. Asides from the trains, which Blister already pointed out weren’t for tourists or civilians, there was movement all through the air as airships came from far and wide to reach the city. Of course, the locals used them too so they could get around between towers.
~Outside of the internal steam works, which I bet Tails was able to visit, there were spectacular views no matter where you went in Radio Point. From the airship docks to as close to the treads as the villages went down towards, there was either a view of the crystals jutting up out of the lava belching grasslands or a view of the pit itself where an even more enormous number of crystals erupted out of the earth. It looked kind of like the pit was full of rows and rows of scary giant teeth. Hee-hee! It’s a good thing it’s not a big mouth.
~The ground wasn’t the only pretty thing to look at either. Thanks to all the airship traffic, the skies above the pit were an array of shimmering confetti. At least from the lower levels. Up here in the airship dock it was clear to see all the ships that carried advertising banners as well as those that offered in flight services, like dining and cleaning. There were even hotel airships that were designed to stay in the air for weeks. It was the most airship friendly city I had seen since wandering around in the lands under Yolk.
~As advanced as the city was though, there were still plants growing nearly everywhere. Most of the moving equipment that I saw was relatively clean, but the steam pipes and buildings all throughout town were still covered in a wide array of plants. It’s just so weird to me how even on these big moving towers of metal, plants found a way to grow. I wonder if there is a reason for it.
~That’s a mystery I’ll have to wait another day for. Today, the opportunity to find my best friend has appeared before us and I can’t wait to meet the man who Tails helped out. Hopefully, he’ll be friendlier than the last member of the Engineers I talked with.
~Oh, I hadn’t mentioned that, had I? Oops!
~Well, from Blister’s airship, which was like a cut in half avocado in shape with the main balloon comprising the body of most of the vessel, it was easy to see the Engineers’ banner flying. The white and blue flag with the gear and wrench on it was almost everywhere. The pirate flag that Blister flew almost matched it, except hers was a blue flag with her gear, two wrenches, and a human skull set on a white stripe that ran from top to bottom. It really makes me feel uncomfortable flying on a pirate vessel and I’d really like her to give it up. But… well, she’s helping today even though she was supposed to be looking for her friend who is supposedly a Ring expert. And the Engineers are still mad at me, I think, so having her introduce me to Tails’ friend is probably for the best.~
The Dish that hung above the pit, supported by the giant radio towers and spikes that anchored it, had a similar tower of its own in the center of it. But it was the underside of the dish where the next dock awaited Rosy and her friends. Here, the facilities that monitored almost every radio signal under Yoluku were situated. The utilitarian design stripped the facilities of any comforts, but it was natural considering the location of them above the pit.
“I wonder how they account for Ring Shifts,” Rosy mused while poking her cheek as they were led into the facility’s inner workings. As she had a clear view of the pit below the metal grating that made up the catwalk floor they walked along, it was little wonder that she would be curious to how they managed not to fall in.
-|-
“Sure enough,” a rough looking sapient grizzly bear remarked as Rosy and the others were led into his cage like office. Even his desk was little more than a plank of wood laid across pipes and conduit. “You really are from the picture. But what about the other two?”
“Draw and Blister here are friends,” Sonic introduced the koala and mouse, respectively. “One’s a troublemaker and the other’s a pirate. I’ll let you guess which is more trouble.”
“Sonic!” Rosy chastised her blue companion and he smiled at her playfully.
“And that would make you Rosy then,” the grizzly concluded at Sonic’s unplanned introduction. Standing up, he revealed he inherited the tremendous size of his non-sapient cousins and offered his own name. “I’m Over, chief communications technician here at Radio Point. It may not look like it from here, but I’m pretty respected among the Engineers. Pretty high ranking too. I carry enough weight in actuality that even those troublesome Preservers acknowledge me.”
Rosy stared intently at the grizzly bear’s round form and quietly agreed with him that he carried a lot of weight. His massive arms assured her though that it was likely all muscle. As much as her attention was on his girth however, his was on her.
“A pink hedgehog…”
“Eep!” Rosy squeaked and earned a curious look from Sonic. It was Blister though who provided the next words of their budding conversation.
“I’ve heard she was supposed to be doing a seven-day Ring gathering job for the Engineers when she up and disappeared. I wonder if you can really help her…”
“Blister, please!” Rosy pleaded with the pirate and their playful smile.
Draw held no fear or wisdom that he perhaps should and addressed Over bluntly. “It was a boring job anyway, and we ended up saving a bunch of fairies from some autogolems after we left.”
“You what?” Over questioned in surprise looking at Draw. “If the autogolems weren’t powered by Rings… Those would have been Preserver autogolems. And near a lookout and Ring gathering sight no less. Do you have any proof of what you’re saying?”
“Just this little weirdo.”
Opening his fur coat, Draw allowed the yellow fairy he had a Ring Bond with, Mote, to peak out from within. The look of disbelief on Over’s face worried Rosy a fair bit.
~And then he laughed. I hadn’t been expecting that. It didn’t clear up the suspicions that the Engineers have of me, but it was enough to convince Over that we could see the Ring Radio that they used. And it was amazing. Amazingly big that is.
~Unlike the ones in the wrist devices that Sonic and I wear, this one was a massive room full of machinery, and a ceiling of shifting, glowing geometric lined blocks like in a Ring Gate Beacon. It’s obviously much more primitive technology than what I’m used to using, but due to the nature of our world that doesn’t tell me a thing about how old it is. But…~
“Wow! Tails really made this work!”
“That he did,” Over stated, proudly putting his hands on his hips. “He also taught me how to maintain it while he was here. Since then, I’ve been growing more and more familiar with it. It’s kind of become like an old friend.”
“So, it’s been sometime since Tails was here?” Sonic asked as he folded his arms, recognizing the telltale speech that marked a passage of time beyond what could be properly observed under Yoluku.
“It has been,” Over nodded seeing Sonic’s impatience. “Long enough that I probably would have forgotten him if not for the picture and notebook we filled out together while working on this wonder. He’s as much a part of my life as anything now. Unlikely I’ll forget him as long as I live.”
“That’s wonderful!” Rosy chirped up, adding some good cheer to counter Sonic’s souring mood. “It’s great to hear Tails made a friend! He’s normally so bad with people!”
“Yeah, but him having already passed through, and some time back, means we’ve missed him, kid,” Sonic ignored Rosy’s positivity to get his complaint out.
“Well, we can still try to contact him,” Over suggested surprising everyone in the group.
“How’s that?” Draw won the question race and followed up with more than he should have. “These two have really good Ring Radios that are a lot smaller than this one and they can’t reach anyone but each other.”
“Tails had the same problem,” Over managed to dismiss Rosy’s fast growing concern by revealing that he already knew about her and Sonic’s. “It’s part of why he left. He spent a good while here trying to boost the signal using the crystals.”
“The crystals?” Blister poked her nose into the conversation. “I thought they must have been rather valueless considering no one seems interested in gathering them.”
“On their own they are,” Over agreed with the mouse’s presumption. “But gathered together like they are here, and according to Tails likely amplified by the pit, they are able to drastically improve radio signals and their distances. It’s why Radio Point persists here. If not for this pit radio communication would be far less reliable than it is.”
“Not like Tails to give up on tech,” Sonic remarked wondering what was going through the fox’s mind.
“He didn’t actually. He left with the goal of finding another pit, or perhaps meeting up with the Queen of the Sky and brainstorming with her about a solution. I’ve no idea if he’s achieved either goal though. The pit is pretty unique, and the Queen of the Sky is a she-devil who even the clouds part for when she races.”
“It sounds like Zooey’s been having fun,” Rosy laughed nervously. “But if you can get in touch with Tails…”
“Don’t worry,” Over reassured Rosy of his intentions, “we’ll be trying to now.”
Per his word, Over began working countless buttons and knobs around the room. From a console with a handheld mouthpiece and a speaker, a horrible static sound came across and filled the room.
“Static? Sonic verbalized his curiosity. “Ring Radios work across dimensions. What could be causing the interference.”
“Maybe that thing in the sky,” Over hinted at Yoluku, but offered nothing more as he worked some more dials.
A high-pitched sound came across the speaker and cut the static for a moment, but the static soon settled back in. However, a green light lit up on the console and Over smiled. “We’ve got him!”
“Really!” Rosy jumped up with her question and stared at Over with urgent pleading.
“Go ahead and see if he can’t here you.”
With Over’s permission, Rosy dashed to the console. After only a moment of studying it, she picked up the hand piece and depressed the button in its side. From there it was a moment longer as she fought to contain her excitement and actually managed to speak. “TAI~LS~!!!!!”
-…o…sy- -I… …at y…?-
“Ah, ah, ah… TAI~LS~!!!!!”
~It was really him. It was really Tails! I was so happy I could cry finally hearing Tails’ voice again after so long. But… Well, unfortunately the signal wasn’t good. We could hear each other, but it was impossible to hold a conversation. I just couldn’t make out what Tails was saying through all the static. Sonic checked to see if our Ring Radios could connect to Tails’, but they didn’t even pick him up like the one connected to the big dish.
~Ooh! It’s so frustrating. I finally had a lead on Tails, but he was out of reach and I had no idea what to do. Over tried to improve the signal, but in the end, we lost it and any chance to find where Tails was. Still… Still, we actually talked to him. He was alright.
~The last time I saw Tails he was fighting those mean old pirates who want revenge against him. But he wasn’t there when I found Sonic and helped him beat them. And even though pirates like Blister are inspired by them, as far as I can tell, Tails hasn’t gotten involved with any more pirates. And while that’s good, it means we have no leads again.
~But you know, I was able to talk to him and that means Tails is okay. As long as Tails is okay, Sonic and I can find him. And we will! Sonic promised after all. He was going to get all of us home!
~…Though, I’m actually enjoying this little adventure and don’t feel the need to go home yet.~
Scene 40 · CLEARED
Radio Link, End
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How’s that for a little treat! Tails has finally appeared for the first time since the Prison Prairie chapters. Well, at least over a really shaky radio connection XD I also introduced an OC I expect to be a one off, but I’ll see if he gets any positive attention and demand to see more of him.
For now though, this scene wraps up the last of my survey based scenes. The next one is going to be purely off the top of my head. So that means adventure, mystery, and maybe some plot progression. Please look forward to it!
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Special Thanks to Cutegirlmayra
Story by @JoshTarwater/SonicFanJ
Inspiring Song – Lumacie Archipelago: Mystic Woodland – Tsutomu Narita – Granblue Fantasy Original Soundtrack
Fair Use Disclaimer
Sonic the Hedgehog and all affiliated characters and logos are the express property and Copyright© of SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS used without permission under Title 17 U.S.C Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 in which allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. “Fair use” is use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be considered copyright infringement.
The Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey alternate universe (AU) consumer written work of fiction is a non-profit transformative work primarily for personal use and can and will be taken down without warning or prior notice at the request of the copyright holder(s) should it not be recognized under “fair use”.
*Sonic Ring Bond logo created by DEE Art – twitter.com/daryliscute.
Sonic Ring Bond AU and Sonic Ring Bond: The Journey are the creation of Joshua David Tarwater/ynymbus/sonicfanj/@Joshtarwater and is to be, including all contents herein considered for all legal purposes the property of the Sonic the Hedgehog intellectual property (IP) and copyright owners, SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS.
All story contributors via prompt, suggestion, written scene, art, and all and every other contribution acknowledge that all contributed material is forfeit for legal purposes to SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS upon official request from SEGA SAMMY HOLDINGS.
#sonic the hedgehog#sonic fan fiction#sonic au#sonic au series#sonic ring bond#the journey#classic amy#amy rose#rosy the rascal#au amy#amy redesign#sonic oc#patch#draw the koala#mote the fairy#blister the mouse#over the grizzly
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RP Log: Cravs and Rising go on a disastrous hike.
Cravendy Hound has invited Rising to “relaxing hike through Sorrel Haven,” despite the area being infested by countless malboros and ziz. She leaves off that part - it’s not lying if you just don’t mention it. For now, she waits by the exit of the White Wolf gate for her companion.
Rising Lotus wasn't too far behind Cravendy, strolling through the gate a few minutes later and catching up to her. "Hey there!" as she was hurrying over her eyes gazed upwards toward the giant fallen tree. "Gods, it's crazy how huge they get out here, I guess by the company home too, but like," she outstretched her hands around her.
Rising Lotus: "Out in the forest forest the trees get so big here! "
Cravendy Hound: “Ye know, I’ve ‘eard that they’re just as tall below ground. What poor sod ‘ad to be the one to dig one up and find that out though, eh?” Cravs shrugs.
Rising Lotus rubbed her chin. "Maybe they dug out a littler one and jus' figured it was the same? Or not the same, but figured, bigger the tree bigger the roots." she returned the shrug, she was no botanist after all.
Cravendy Hound rubs her chin. “Mmh, that makes sense. But ‘ell if I know ‘ow trees work, specially out ‘ere in the Shroud.” She then absentmindedly fiddles with her gun as she turns to face the forest. “Anyway, let’s ‘ead out and ‘ope nothin’ interrupts our walk...though with my luck, we should expect the worst.”
Rising Lotus nodded, putting her hands behind her head afterwards. "I'm sure there ain't nothin' we can't handle. I /am/ back to full strength after all." she flashed a cocky grin. "Lead on!"
Cravendy Hound leads on, past stalking brood ziz and to the oddly named ‘Hopeseed Pond.’ She wrinkles her nose upon seeing the weird, planty...meaty? Plant-meat creatures wading around. “Ye know what, I don’t know what I was thinkin’ bringin’ us ‘ere. If one of those boros breath on ye, ye’ll be sick once again.”
Rising Lotus is calm despite the wildlife all around them. "Ugh..can smell their maws from here.." her eyes dropped to the bridge, then back to the pond full of ravenous giant plants. "Gonna go out on a limb an' say not many folk use this bridge no more." she pauses for a moment. "Hey! Why you so sure it's gonna get me sick!" she huffed a bit.
Rising Lotus: "I mean one ain't breathed on me yet and I wanna keep it that way, but it could jus' as easily hit you. Plus! Me being sick last week was jus'...a fluke."
Cravendy Hound playfully bumps Rising’s shoulder with her fist. “Aye, right right, a fluke. As for me, I never get sick. So if one of these boros come our way, ye can just stand behind me, heh.” She then takes a step on the rickety bridges and observes how...well. Gross it is? The whole area is pretty gross? Rotten wood and stagnant waters and looming monsters - but a little danger never hurt anyone.
Rising Lotus cracked a smirk. "Well to be honest I'm more worried about the smell then gettin' sick, but if you wanna take the brunt of it for me.." she was sure to follow behind Cravs as she started across the bridge, testing each plank with her foot before putting her weight on it.
Cravendy Hound is not nearly as careful as Rising, and strides forward with all the confidence in the world. She inadvertently steps onto a weakened plank of wood, which snaps under her weight. She falls, one leg stuck in the gap. “Goddamned shite piece of wood!”
Cravendy Hound: “I think ye were right about people not comin’ ‘ere often...” She grumbles under her breath.
Rising Lotus was caught off guard by Crav sinking down, more by her reaction than the actual board breaking. She carefully hurried behind her. "You didn't get cut up at all did ya?" She was right behind Cravs, looking over her shoulder and trying to peer down the hole. "Here lets get ya out of there.." kneeling down, she hooked her hands under Crav's shoulders.
Rising Lotus: "I'll pull ya slowly, you jus' make sure you don't get torn up or a nasty splinter on the way up."
Cravendy Hound: “I don’t need ye fussin’ over me like some freshfaced whelp, I got it,” Cravs stammers as she wiggles left and right in attempt to wiggle herself free from Rising’s help. “Don’t ye worry yer pretty lil’ face, it’ll take more than a splinter to down ol’ Cravs.”
Cravendy Hound - However, as she tries to pull herself up, she feels something keeping her ankle held down. That’s odd. And, more embarrassingly, she’s still stuck after being so confident earlier. The more she struggles, the deeper her leg sinks. By now, Cravs is sweating bullets.
Rising Lotus was still concerned, but she did get it, being incredibly stubborn herself at times. She released Cravs and stood back up. "Alright alright, I shouldn't of doubted ya." snickering a bit, she took a step back, giving her friend the space she might need to escape. "I'll make sure nothin' comes by to maybe take a bite of a delicious leg wigglin' under the bridge..an' I'll give ya a heads up if any travelers are comin' too."
Cravendy Hound - To this, Cravs only grunts in response. Coherent thoughts escape her under the immense embarrassment she’s currently dealing with. If Rising were to look under the bridge, she’d find a juvenile stroper idly tugging on Crav’s leg. Every time the Sea wolf tries to lunge out, it pulls her back down by the foot with greater force.
Rising Lotus was still waiting for her friend to free herself, keeping an eye on the bigger stroper's minding their own business thankfully. "Alright no need to make a big show out of it all, stop stallin' before you fall all the way through." she was biting her lower lip gently to stifle a bit of laughter. "You stuck on somethin'? Want me to peek under the bridge?" she started toward the edge, more so to try and catch a glimpse of Crav's leg comically wiggling under it.
Cravendy Hound: “‘Suppose the Navigator saw fit to destroy what little remains of me pride, right ‘ere and now.” Cravs crumples against the bridge and sighs against the wood. “Aye, yeah, it feels like somethin’s got my foot. Can ye see what it is?”
Rising Lotus quickly got to her knees and stuck her head over the side of the bridge, eager to see what manner of thing had snagged the Seawolf. "Oh! It's a baby one of these things!" she waved an arm out to the pond. "Luckily his teeths don't look too sharp yet, still has a good grip on ya though." Cravs would hear a bit of snorting and giggling coming from under the bridge. Rising grabbed her spear off her back, not bothering to start up aetherial blade, and started jabbing at the small stroper, not aiming to hurt it really, but just shoo it off. "Go on get ya lil bastard!"
(Cravendy Hound) you know what I'm feeling spicy ))
(Cravendy Hound) Random! 19
(Cravendy Hound) aaahahha ))
(Rising Lotus) Well then, bye leg!))
Cravendy Hound - The young Stroper turns to Rising and squirms in an attempt to dodge the jabs. It succeeds...that is, it succeeds in annoying it. It puffs up a bit and then charges at Rising in an attempt to knock her down. But as it does so, it fails to loosen its grip on Cravs, and the sudden motion tugs the Seawolf completely through the half-rotten boardwalk.
Cravendy Hound: “WHAT THE FU-” Cravs gets out before she falls face first into the slimy malboro.
(Cravendy Hound) I love a good bad roll ))
(Rising Lotus) How big is it, like minion malboro sized or bigger?))
(Cravendy Hound) hmm I'm taking that Stroper nearby as adult, and the giant one as grandpa ))
(Cravendy Hound) so teen = half of the adult size? ))
(Rising Lotus) Okays! Also grandpa malboro x3))
Rising Lotus's eyes went wide as she saw Cravs fall through the bridge, all upside down from her perspective. "Ah shit!" pulling herself back up, she swung her legs over the side of the walkway and hopped down, shuddering as the mud she landed in seeped into her sandal boots. With Cravs so close to the beast, she didn't dare turn the blade to her lance on. Instead she reeled back then attempted to give it a good thwap across to the side of it's toothy mug
Random! Rising Lotus rolls a 224.
Cravendy Hound - Thwap! The beast is taken aback by Rising’s attack and, being young and inexperienced, decides to hightail it outta there. Cravs is taken along for the ride.
Cravendy Hound: “Overgrown, squid-looking plant bastard - argh!” As she’s dragged along the ground, she fumbles for her pistol and attempts to send a couple of rounds towards her captor.
Random! You roll a 55.
Cravendy Hound misses. Even worse, she drops her gun. Cravs goes limp, just...unable to take much more embarrassment.
(Cravendy Hound) lmao the RNG gods have something against me today xD ))
Rising Lotus grinned at the direct hit, quickly grimacing after it took off with Cravs in tow. "Oh gods damnit!" with a huff and a twist of her wrist the aetherial blade sparked alive. "Alright, uh, Cravs! Try to keep yourself high!" she was able to easily keep up with the stropper's wiggling legs, and when she got in range she aimed a mighty swipe across it's lower half, hoping to separate its top half from its bottom half.
(Rising Lotus) Random! 957
(Rising Lotus) That's causee the all the luck is mine \o/ ))
(Cravendy Hound) all the luck!!! ))
Cravendy Hound - The swing separates the stroper into two. On both ends, its limbs continue to wiggle around like landlocked eels, but despite its continued movement, the monster is clearly dead. Or at least downed - who knows how malboros work.
Cravendy Hound gets up, completely covered in mud and malboro slime. She wipes her face clean with the side of her arm, revealing a very pissed off expression. For a moment, she simply stands there, dazed. She had said so herself earlier, that something bad was going to happen...but there was no preparing for something like this. Eventually, she glances over at Rising.
Cravendy Hound: “.............That happened.”
Rising Lotus quite pleased with her slice, she started to the the lifeless maw to help Cravs up, though didn't make much distance before she got up on her own. As she stowed her spear, she was doing her absolute best to not laugh as she saw the woman wearing a nice coat of ooze. It was when Cravs cleaned her face she lost her composure, snickering softly at first but quickly bursting into full out bellowing laughter.
Rising Lotus: " I-I-I'm sorry! I-I Am!" she started to snort a bit as she laughed, quickly cupping a hand to her mouth as her cheeks blushed a bit. "R-Really...aha... I'm glad you're alright!" she snorted once more before her laughter started to ease down.
Cravendy Hound is as still as a statue, save for the mud that slorgs down her body at a painfully slow speed. Cravs then lets her head go limp as a sort of mischievous intent grows within her. Once Rising is done laughing, she lifts her head back up with an evil grin on her face. “OH, oho...no need to apologize! After all, ye saved my ‘ide. Now let me give ye a proper thank ye.”
Cravendy Hound spreads her slime and mud covered arms, and then tries to hug (though it’s more of a tackle) Rising to the ground.
Rising Lotus "N-Now wai-" she had just put up her hands to try and halt Cravendy's assault when her muddy form smacked against Rising, both of them falling onto the ground with a splat. Rising laid there motionless for a few moments as Cravs pinned her down before. "You ass!" she finally blurted out, scrambling to push the sea wolf off of her now mud covered self.
Cravendy Hound is already one with the mud - she cannot be muddied any further. She cackles gleefully as she’s pushed over. “Thank ye kindly, oh noble adventurer!” It takes a good while for her to calm down enough to do anything but laugh from the ground. When she’s finally able to get up, she plods over to pick up her gun and flicks the mud off of it. “Ahh...haha. Hah.”
Rising Lotus quickly sat up after Cravs was pushed off, the entire back of her form coated in the sludge. The front was covered quite a bit too, front the tackle hug and the stuff the the ground that seeped over. As she tried to get up she shuddered, the openness of her outfit probably to blame. "Ugh...it's.. it's.." she shuddered once more. Needless to say she'd need a deep cleaning.
Cravendy Hound: “If we ‘ike to the end of the trail, all of this shits gonna ‘arden on us like a second skin. I’m ‘eadin’ back afore that ‘appens,” Cravs states as she gives her gun a good lookover. Poor thing had mud clogging up its every opening, and water was never good for metal. Better hurry. She turns to Rising. “A dip in the pools round the Lavender Beds should be enough.”
Rising Lotus nodded. "Aye.. probably don't want us trackin' this through the house either..." she started scraping off as much as she could. "Gods, it was bad enough the first time this happened.." she stomped through the muck to the shore, boots full of mud by now. "Though last time this happened it wasn't friendly fire." she shot a sneer toward Cravs, chuckling softly soon after.
Cravendy Hound - With every step, the two became less Roegadyn and more akin to mudmen. And on their way back to the FC, many civilians, just going on their day to day lives, would stop to stare. Thankfully, the walk wasn’t especially long, and the lake surrounding the Lavender Beds would do a fine job of washing them clean, though the stench lingered. A proper bath was certainly necessary after the fact.
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HEY GUESS WHAT I actually wrote a bit more of the Anastasia au I've talked about (there's the au and a small part that I've written before here) because I really wanted to write the Once Upon A December, specially because I would have to make the reading of how that scene would be like without the song, and so I did it!
Hope you guys enjoy this!
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Charles looked around the old abandoned palace for some way he could enter, nervous about doing so but determined to get to Erik, whoever Erik might be. All that Charles knew from the man who carried that name was that he could find a way to get Charles to Paris, to the place where he was sure he could find what he lost, find his family and maybe even his memories. He just needed the goddamned exit visa.
He took a deep breath, eyes once again scanning for somewhere he could enter the old palace, determined to get what he wanted. He had left behind a job that could grant him some kind of a normal life, where he could stay his days as Charles. Orphan and no-last-name Charles, with no idea who he was before ending at the orphanage he lived his life up until that moment. He had made his decision once he chose to turn right instead of turning left to live that normal life, he had chosen trying to find who he was and the people who surely once loved him, and he couldn't stop now. There was that small feeling at the back of his mind that told him he had made a bad choice, but he chose to ignore it. Better to ignore it at this point.
After a few moments, he saw an open passage blocked with wooden planks, walking there and watching the inside of the palace for a second before grabbing onto the wood and pulling. Charles wasn't strong, at least not strong enough to have broken the barrier if the wood wasn't old. A single pull was enough to make Charles stumble backwards until he fell on his backside, wood in his hands as he looked at the now open passage. He took a deep breath, throwing the wood away and getting up, no hesitation when he finally entered, looking around for a moment before starting to walk through the empty halls.
"Hello?" he called out, voice echoing through the halls in a ghostly manner. "Is anyone there?"
His only answer was the echo of his own voice. Charles sighed loudly, deciding that being inside the palace was better than outside in the snow, where he would have nowhere to sleep, walking further into the halls and looking around curiously. Every corner that he turned seemed to force his mind to remember something that he couldn't. Every piece of furniture and every painting on the wall looking familiar in a way that Charles couldn't understand. He only stopped walking once he reached what he supposed was the ballroom, looking into the empty space with curious eyes as his mind once again felt like it could split open at any given moment.
He climbed down the first set of stairs that took him to the middle ground, watching a giant painting hanging on the wall, mind aching as he looked at the faces of the people in the painting. His eyes focused only on the small child there, standing between his parents, eyes blue as Charles' were and with a smile of a happy child. It was strange, looking into that painting, feeling that familiar feeling again, the palace walls around him feeling like a memory, a dream he once had.
He turned around, looking once again at the empty ballroom, and for a moment Charles was able to see what it looked like when it was used, before being abandoned. He could see the ground that now was filled with dust and dirt shine like a mirror, reflecting the light from the chandeliers above his head. He saw the windows clean and unbroken, saw the chandeliers shining beautifully on the ceiling, saw guests, people dressed in suits and gowns, dancing around the shining floor to the rhythm of music that came from all around them. Charles looked at his own feet, having walked forward without noticing, standing at the edge of the stairs, and looked out into the ballroom again. It's like a dream, he thought to himself, like I've been here before in my dreams.
He got down the stairs slowly, reaching the ground floor and walking to the middle of the ballroom, looking around himself once again, turning and turning in his place as he could almost hear the music, hear the people, feel the warmth of the place from long ago, and then he stopped, looking over at the stairs from where he came from, almost being able to see the couple from the painting standing there, looking at him with big smiles on their lips. He lost his breath for a moment, head aching with the déjà vu as he still looked at the empty stairs.
"Hey!" a voice came from the other side of the ballroom, startling Charles and making him turn around with his heart beating on his mouth. "What are you doing here?"
Something in the man's voice made Charles afraid, his first instinct being to run away, and so he did, turning back towards the stairs he came from and starting to run. He heard the man scream for him to wait, but everything still seemed too confusing inside his head for him to listen to the man, climbing the stairs quickly and only being able to put two and two together when he was already on top of it. I came here looking for an Erik, he thought to himself, this must be him.
Charles stopped as the man asked him once again to wait and stop, slowly turning around to face him and finally noticing the blonde woman that was running to catch up with them, as if she had only now decided to run as well.
"How did you get in-"
The man stopped himself suddenly, eyes widening as he looked at Charles and at something behind him multiple times, making Charles turn and see the painting behind him again, a frown taking over his expression. The man suddenly smiled as if he had found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, his friend — at least it was what Charles supposed the blonde woman was — finally catching up and placing a hand on Erik's shoulder.
"Hi, excuse me." the woman said before the man stopped her from talking any further, looking at her with a beaming expression that made her raise her eyebrows at him. "Are you okay? You're smiling."
"Raven, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
The man proceeded to turn the woman's — Raven's — face towards Charles again, a few moments later making her eyes go wide as well. Charles had no idea of what was happening.
"Are you Erik?" Charles finally asked, voice echoing on the empty room.
The man looked at him again, a confident look inside his eyes as he smiled once more, all teeth. "Maybe. Depends on who's looking for him."
#this was really fun to write#love me some amnesia stories#cherik#charles xavier#erik lehnsherr#cherik au#fanfic#writing#mine#anastasia au
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Nine Lives, One Fight - Part 15
The story: Deep in the forest of Troll Town, there lies a mysterious tiny purple mushroom that has a secret magical ability. King Peppy calls this mushroom forbidden for all Trolls to go near it. One day, while Branch is out in the woods doing his survival research studying, he encounters it and, not knowing it is a regular mushroom, decides to harvest it and bring it home. But in the next morning, its magic effects transform him into a small blue cat! After being sent to the animal pound, his girlfriend, Poppy, finds him and decides to adopt him, although not recognizing it is Branch. Desperate to finish his research project due for a special event invented by Poppy, Branch is forced to learn how to behave like a pet cat and must figure out what caused him to become one.
You already seen what had happened in Part 14. Now get ready for Part 15!:
By the time Poppy and Branch got into the queen’s pod, it was already nighttime. They cleaned themselves up and then get ready for bed.
Not wanting to feel left out and having completed his main objective, Branch wanted to sleep beside Poppy rather than sleeping in isolation on the shelf near the window. She saw him on his bed feeling proud of himself and gently petted his head.
“Goodnight, Mr. Tickle,” said Poppy. “You’re the best little kitten I’ve ever adopted!”
After kissing Branch’s forehead, she immediately went to sleep. Branch scooted closer to her and snuggled beside her, smiling and somehow enjoying his life as a cat.
Halfway during his slumber, Branch started to wake up. He cautiously scanned the room and stared at Poppy, who was still sleeping. He knows he couldn’t waste any hour right now and he needs his Show-and-Tell project to be finished before morning.
Branch stared at Poppy’s clock, trying to figure out what time it is now. Okay, I don’t have much time left, he thought to himself. I have to get to work before sunrise!
Then he jumped out of the bed and sprinted to the dining table, where a giant red cloth is covering something underneath it.
Branch carefully pulled out the cloth, revealing his construction equipment he had gathered from his bunker earlier this afternoon.
Satisfied at his choice of duty, Branch crept under the table to admire his tools he needs to make his project. He was so eager to win the contest tomorrow that he wanted to get started right away.
“All right!” he said triumphantly, cracking his knuckles and pulling out a neat-detailed blueprint. “In these clear well-written equational documents, I’m gonna know how to construct some stuff!”
Wiggles peeked from behind Branch’s trusty toolbox, holding up an eaten carrot. “How are you gonna do that?” he asked. “You’re just an ordinary tiny kitten!”
Branch couldn’t believe Wiggles was asking some questions on how a cat can build inventions. He sighed with exasperation and told him “It’s going to be fine, Wiggles. I can really build a great invention of mine that easily. I have four arms, just like Cooper!” He held up a paw, showing five of his pads sticking under it.
Wiggles chomped on his carrot. “But each time you pick up a tool with your teeth, you’re gonna lose some momentum!” he warned.
Branch eventually saw what the tiny rabbit was doing just now. He pointed at the carrot and demanded “What are you even eating?”
Wiggles stopped nibbling and examined his meal for a moment. It took him some time to remember where did he get it. “I think I just found it in a giant bowl of ‘white flowers’ on your owner’s pantry,” he answered meekly, trying not to be ashamed.
Branch was stunned. He can’t believe that that little bunny was stealing something from Poppy! “No, Wiggles. Those are cauliflowers,” he protested. “And you know where cauliflowers come from?”
“A flower garden?” asked Wiggles absentmindedly.
“Vegetables!” Branch corrected him firmly. “Cauliflowers are vegetables like that carrot you stole!”
“Okay, so what’s the difference between flowers or ‘cotton flowers’?” Wiggles wondered. “I didn’t even think-”
Branch tilted his head down to the floor and groaned with frustration. This rabbit is very dumb and doesn’t seem to know the world of Trolls very well. “Can’t you just get it right, little bunny?!” he insisted. “Don’t you remember the rule of staying here?”
“I did!” Wiggles said with a reassuring nod. “You said I follow exactly what you said!”
“Then why should I bring you here for a reason?” Branch asked, folding his tail between his back legs.
“Then what about your plan for that “so-called” Show-and-Tell party?” Wiggles snapped back. Branch just stepped back quietly. “You’re gonna waste some time when you keep talking to me and comment about my Thanksgiving dinner!” Then he paused for a second, seething. Branch was too startled to reply. The little bunny stared at his half-eaten carrot and shook his head with a sigh. “I shouldn’t be stealing that from Queen Poppy. I’m very sorry.”
“Uh, that’s alright,” Branch told him, trying not to offend him even more. “She didn’t even eat any carrot like that, and I think you can deserve it.”
Wiggles was grateful for his words. He stared at Branch’s blueprint, and then at the night sky through a window. “It seems like time is flying so fast,” he said.
Branch immediately knew what Wiggles was trying to tell him. He looked at the same window and realized what that meant. It is getting closer to the next morning. “I think you’re right, man,” he said. “I don’t have much time left before sunrise! I gotta get started!”
Wiggles was shocked. “Yes, but how are you gonna build a good structure like a—?”
But the plan is already happening very quick. Branch whipped out his tools and his wooden planks from his toolbox and got ready to work.
Surprised that he was carrying a large saw despite his small cat size, Wiggles’ jaw dropped. “Oh….uh, well….that is fine,” he muttered nervously.
In a flash, Branch was already hammering and sawing some wood. He spent a few minutes of using his constructing tools and adjusting to his cat form at the same time. He exhausted himself from carrying his heavy tools for a little while and drank some cups of milk to energize himself...if it’s for the best that he needed some coffee.
Later, Branch put on his hard builder’s hat and began painting the wood. Holding a paintbrush in his mouth, he carefully painted the plank with a neat dark brown color. From a corner during his work, Wiggles nibbled his carrot along the way.
Branch hammered, painted and drank tons of glasses of milk. He stayed up all night at work long putting the finishing touches to his latest invention. Despite being a cat, he can still think like a Troll. No longer bothered by the sheer excited swaying of his tail, he put on a welding mask and held up a blowtorch in his paw.
When he was sure to have almost finished, Branch lifted up his welding mask to admire his work. He smiled with satisfaction, feeling like he was ready for Poppy’s newest party tomorrow.
I can totally win this! he thought. Those Trolls out there will think I will be the best hero when they see what I make! Hopefully I’ll earn a medal and be on first place!
“Tomorrow is another day,” Branch told himself.
The next day, Poppy’s Show-and-Tell Festival has already begun. Trolls everywhere gathered around the giant mushroom stage, where Poppy is addressing everyone else who were invited for the party. DJ Suki, the village’s resident disk jockey, played some thumping music that got everyone grooving, dancing and celebrating the occasion.
The Show-and-Tell festival was jam-packed with fun activities. Some Trolls who signed up to show their projects on stage proudly present them to Poppy, who is observing every single one of them. The party was a great success. The Trolls finished it off with a banquet filled with cupcakes, berries, flavored punch and cookies and a special oversized scrapbook they made together to remember the occasion.
Poppy proudly went up on stage, holding a pink glittery microphone in one hand. She held up her arms wide and greeted her fellow crowd of excited Trolls. “Hello, Troll Village!” she proclaimed. “Ready to set your brains aflame?! Then I hope you are all as excited as I am! Welcome to my party of Show-and-Tell, where you’ll be able to show your opinions and tell us about them in order to get promoted as future leaders of the kingdom!”
“YAAAAAAAAAY!!!” all the Trolls cheered. “Hurray for Show-and-Tell Day!”
“And just you wait, there are some of the best contestants that will bring us a load of Troll-riffic inventions that they come up with!” Poppy added. “Sit back and relax as they will come up on stage to present their creativity to the rest of the world!”
Then Poppy jumped out of the stage to check on her best friends, who have their brilliant Show-and-Tell inventions ready to be submitted.
“Okay, guys,” she reminded them proudly. “I hope you’re ready. Got your thingamabobs needed for this special day?”
The rest of the Trolls agreed with her reassuring words.
Deep down, Biggie was feeling scared. “I’m so nervous I felt so many Mr. Dinkleses in my stomach,” he said, his voice quaking with fear.
Guy Diamond put his arm to the big Troll’s shoulder to comfort him. “It’s alright, big fella,” he told him in his shimmery voice. “Y’all won’t be so jealous ‘cause my masterpiece will be a great hiiiiit!” He nodded to his shining glitter globe that was required to present to the rest of the crowd.
Cooper kicked his colorful ball with his front legs enthusiastically. “I’m SOOOO excited to show my favorite ball to everyone!” he exclaimed with utter excitement. “I’ll make a great king!”
Smidge was not sure of this idea. Not all Trolls wanted to be declared as winners because Poppy needs to select one Troll with the best invention. “I think you’ll be the king someday,” she said.
“Oh, come on, Smidge!” said Cooper. “I wonder what an actual king can do?”
“You’ll have to wait, Cooper,” Poppy told him. “When a Troll has the best project ever built, they would soon earn a medal.” Humming to herself, she went off to find Satin and Chenille, whose presentation about shampoo and hair conditioner were coming to fruition.
When Poppy saw them, she greeted them happily “Hey, girls! You’re gonna be fine! Just present your projects and I’ll qualify each of them as top prize!”
“Yes, Queen Poppy,” Satin answered politely. “We’ll do our best. No arguing!”
“Sis, keep it together! We use the shampoo first!” Chenille protested.
Meanwhile, Branch was watching the festivities coming on. He knew the big celebration had begun. A tiny, secret part of him was to be still in Poppy’s contestant list despite still stuck in cat form. He jumped off the big mushroom that he, Poppy and the twins were standing on and ran over to his brand new creation, covered with a red tarp.
Wiggles hopped closer to him, admiring his fantastic work. “Ooooh, now I wonder what you come up for this party?” he asked happily. “How well you are doing?”
“I’ll do great progress!” Branch said enthusiastically. “Besides, I worked so hard on this baby.”
He pulled off the red tarp. Underneath it was a wooden machine that looked like an old-fashioned coffee grinder.
Branch introduced his latest invention. “Behold...my homemade Berry-Presser!”
Wiggles was impressed. “Whoa, dude! It looks totally awesome!” he cooed. “But...what does it really do?”
Branch had spent lots of time all night inventing this mechanical grinder. He enthusiastically bounded back and forth in front of his invention and pulled out another basket of berries he had harvested yesterday as he explained the purpose of how it works. If Branch could get the rest of the Trolls to agree to this brilliant idea, it would ensure that he is able to be declared first prize.
“Based on my precise calculation, I built this thing to ensure proper nutrition for the Trolls,” Branch explained. “It’s very simple. Harvest a berry or more, compress them inside and turn them into healthy drinks; the perfect combination of integrity and a touch of love!”
“Cool! What a great combo!” Wiggles cheered, hopping up and down. “Everyone will love your berry-making gizmo when they see it in action!”
“Yep!” said Branch. “When I come out on stage, Poppy is going to qualify me as a new leader. Isn’t it great? It’s like I’m going to rule with her!”
Wiggles gave a serious look on his face that said “Are you kidding me?”
“Time for me to hit the spotlight!” Branch said proudly. He started to leave with his Berry-Presser, but Wiggles grabbed his tail and pulled him back. Branch yelped in pain upon having his tail bitten by the rabbit’s teeth. “Ouch! What is your problem?” he asked.
“Before you go, one BIG problem…you’re just a cat, not a Troll,” Wiggles reminded him. “The entire village won’t notice or accept you and your project! You know what I mean? Animals don’t get qualified by Trolls!”
Branch chuckled and pressed down Wiggles’ forehead with his paw, forming a frown on the bunny’s face. “Awww, Wigs. Don’t be so pessimistic,” he told him, smiling proudly. “You'll give yourself worry lines with all that nagging. They’ll know I made this little toy and Poppy will definitely promote me for sure!”
But Wiggles was getting worried that Branch’s plan is going to fail. He knew if he showed up on stage, Poppy and the Trolls will never understand him when he was about to present his invention. He tried to stop him before he can move on. “I’m being serious here! I told you Queen Poppy never recognizes you as a small animal!”
It was too late. Branch pushed his Berry-Presser and made his way to the backstage with the rest of Poppy’s friends.
“Ugh, he’s gonna take low price,” Wiggles said sarcastically, exasperated as he watched Branch go into the party anyway.
A few minutes later, the Show-and-Tell presentation has finally begun. Poppy introduced Biggie and Mr. Dinkles on stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Biggie and Mr. Dinkles’ performance of the world’s most powerful “Mew” of the universe!”
The crowd cheered as Biggie and his pet worm arrived on the stage. Mr. Dinkles was sitting on a chair, ready to play a piano. Biggie acted like a conductor and he waved his baton to cue his worm to start singing. While pressing the piano keys, Mr. Dinkles sang in a big, operatic voice as the rest of the Trolls watched the performance in awe.
“Now that’s what I call the world’s most powerful ‘Mew!’“ Biggie clarified, admiring at his beloved pet’s extraordinary talent.
When the performance finished, the Trolls cheered and Mr. Dinkles took a bow before hopping into Biggie’s arms. The big blue Troll hugged his worm tightly and bowed before the crowd as well before he left the stage.
Next, Guy Diamond appeared on stage with a poof of glitter showering all over the audience. Poppy made his introduction. “Brace yourself for the world’s most glittery Troll in the whole wide world! Guy Diamond!”
When Guy landed gracefully on stage, he pulled out his glitter globe and shook it. Glitter showered around the plastic unicorn inside. “This wonderfully-glittertastic snowglobe SHIIIIIINES like a DIAMOND!!!” Guy explained with his iconic shimmering tone. “With this, you can SHIIIIIINE your whole world with LOTS OF GLIIIIIIITER!!!”
The entire crowd cooed, impressed at the glitter Troll’s brilliant work. “Ooooooooooh!!!”
“I wish I can keep that! It’s got a tiny unicorn in it!” a Troll child said excitedly, pointing at the glitter globe.
“That’s some good stuff, Guy!” Poppy said as the glittery Troll left the stage, carrying his globe. “Next up, we have Cooper and his fantastic rainbow bouncy ball!”
Cooper waddled his way to the stage, with his ball balancing on his head. “Hey, guys!” he said enthusiastically. “Let me show you my favorite super duper bouncy-douncy ball! Look what it can do!”
Then he started doing some tricks while playing with his soccer ball. Almost as fast as Cooper moved his four legs each time while getting the ball to balance on his back, all of the Trolls were amazed.
After ending his trick with a big finale, Cooper bowed at the cheering audience and gracefully danced away from the stage.
“This is gonna be a cinch. Two sisters, one mind,” Poppy announced on stage. “Put your hair together for the fashion sisters and their hair gel experiment!”
Satin and Chenille appeared on the stage, pulling out their whiteboard depicting the shampoo and hair conditioner pictures. They held up two bottles of hair lotion as they challenged the Trolls to a quiz about where the shampoo originated in and how different is the hair conditioner, just like how they challenged Poppy to the same quiz yesterday.
“I know these answers,” Poppy whispered to Biggie, watching from the backstage.
Finally, the fashion twins come to the conclusion of their explanation. “In direct conclusion, we know that both shampoo and conditioner...” Satin began.
“...count like good HAIR GEL!!!” the girls said the last sentence in unison.
The Trolls roared with thousands of applause, and the twins bowed. “Thank you for seeing our presentation!” Chenille squealed. “Have a hair-tastic day!”
Later, during Smidge’s turn on presenting her Muscle Spirit treadmill on the stage, Branch curled up in a corner, watching the other contestants perform. Soon it will be his turn to be on stage, he will present his berry grinder invention to everyone, and finally he’ll be awarded first place. He can feel his destiny coming towards him.
Branch looked at his invention and then at the stage, feeling quite ready to embrace his inner Troll. “Oh yeah,” he said with determination. “I’m ready to rule the world with you, Poppy.”
After Smidge completed her presentation, Poppy announced to her people “And for our very last contestant of the season, you may know him as the former village grump...let’s hear it for BRANCH!!!”
“Oh, that’s me!” Almost immediately, Branch can hear the loud cheering. He couldn’t believe it. All of the Trolls were now cheering for him, and now it is the time for him to show his face to everyone. He smiled with confidence as he pushed the berry grinder to the stage.
“Come on up there, Branch!” Poppy said, just as Branch and his berry grinder finally showed up on the stage. Once he stopped pushing his invention, he greeted the audience. “Meow!”
Instead of cheering for Branch, the crowd gasped. Even Poppy gasped as well. “Mr. Tickle, what are you doing here?” she asked, staring at Branch.
Everyone stared at the blue-haired cat in confusion. Then they all started talking at once.
“Wait a minute. It’s just a cat,” a glitter Troll said, scratching his head.
“Who’d put a cat on stage?” a Troll asked, looking genuinely confused.
“Where is Branch? He’s supposed to be here!”
“Yeah, where is he?”
“Where is the last Troll?”
“We need him!”
“Branch! Branch!”
Branch looked at the confused crowd. Is it working? he thought. Am I getting through them? Am I gonna win first place? He hadn’t much luck getting their attention lately. But his face fell when he realized what is going on. “What’s happening?” he asked himself. “I thought they all liked my invention!”
Poppy tried to shoo him away from the stage. “Get back in the backstage. You’re not supposed to be here,” she told the cat. “I need Branch to show up and present his project.”
“Meeeow! Meow! Meow!” Branch insisted, attempting to tell her that he is here to show his berry grinder to the crowd. “Meeeeeoooowww!!”
But it didn’t seem to work. This made Poppy think Branch is absent. She looked around while he tried getting her attention. “Where’s Branch?” she asked. “I swore that he should’ve arrived on time! Branch!” Then she fled off the stage and ran to search for him. Branch helplessly watched her leave.
Behind Poppy, her friends watched her running away from the party. Biggie asked her “Poppy, what’s wrong?”
“We’re calling this party a hiatus!” she announced before disappearing into the distance. “There’s been a serious mistake here!”
“What mistake?” Guy asked, not until the rest of the Snack Pack saw Branch on stage, meowing for Poppy to come back.
“Awwwww!” Cooper cooed. “Cute kitty!”
Branch felt hurt and defeated. Why didn’t Poppy recognize him, and what is wrong with being a cat? He glanced at the audience, who were still murmuring questions about him.
“What should we do about this cat?” a Troll demanded.
“I wish Queen Poppy would cancel him off from the list in the first place!”
“I can’t believe she halted the party with a hiatus because of his absence!”
Branch watched in horror as the Trolls continued ranting about the disaster. He couldn’t watch this anymore, so he sprinted after Poppy.
“Poppy, come back!” he yelled, jumping off the stage and making a run for it to follow her, leaving the Trolls surprised at his departure.
From backstage, Wiggles watched him go after Poppy, finally knowing that Branch’s attempt to show his project had failed.
To Be Continued...
Stay tuned for Part 16!
#dreamworks trolls#poppy and branch#poppy#branch#cat#cat branch#branch the cat#cat branch story#nine lives one fight#fanfiction#wiggles#wiggles the rabbit#biggie#mr dinkles#cooper#smidge#satin and chenille#guy diamond
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Tax The Rich [alternative title: Out]
Ramón Morales x Reader
Request from @im-just-babey: Hey bro, could I request a Ramón x reader where the reader has a wealthy but shit family.
-Rules for requests can be found here-
Word Count: 2,046
Note: For a while the only thing I had for this fic was “tax the rich” so that’s the title now. Also, you may have been expecting something where they’re rebellious and it’s all a big huge middle finger to the stuck up wealthy family, but uh it’s been a while since I wrote some spooky fuckery -since Ham Sandwich Boys- so I took the liberty of leaning more towards that. Sorry this took forever to post, thank you for your patience.
Ramón scrunches his nose, the house was as big as the mansions his aunts would tell him about. Si nomas vieras, ya parecen castillos.
Looking around at the extensive foyer, he takes in the double staircase and stained glass ceiling piece above him, he doesn’t feel right. Stepping foot into the lavish home was a mistake. Ramón needed to be on the road again, not letting himself get distracted by whatever this was.
He’s not gonna tell you that, of course. Something told him to follow along with your eager eyes and smile.
“Well, what do ya think?” you ask as you jump on the first step of the left staircase. Ramón smiles and takes another look at the “french polish” you had mentioned on the staircase railing, whatever that meant.
“It’s… a lot, but it’s nice.” he responds dryly and laughs at the unimpressed look on your face.
“You would hate listening to the guy that designed this house,” you begin to walk up the stairs as you imitate ol’ John, “Ah yes, I told Doris myself that the finishing Italian light oak stain would not be proper for the west study. Why, it would clash terribly with the evening sunset.” sending you two into a fit of giggles until you hear footsteps upstairs.
Ramón steps back from the stairs, “You sure no one's home? I don't want any trouble and I should get going anyway.”
You were confused too, your parents have been out for a week and the maids were given the weekend off, “No, I thought everyone would be out by today.” you respond, peeking at the empty hall upstairs. Even your siblings had planned a small trip to the beach for a couple of days without you.
Suddenly, you see your younger sister walk out of her bedroom, “And who’s that? Does dad know you’ve got a little friend here or should I tell him?” she snickers.
You roll your eyes, “Go ahead, I’ll join you and together we’ll see what he thinks about your secret powder stash you’ve got in your room.” you snap back, glaring at her as she descends from the right staircase.
“Fine,” she scowls and takes a quick look at Ramón before leaving, “but you better take out the trash while we’re out.”
Ramón’s face gives away his discomfort and as you begin to apologize for your sister’s rude comment you hear a loud thud above you. “Did you hear that?” you ask him. You could’ve sworn the two of you would be alone by now. Another muffled thud, still somewhat louder than the first.
“C’mon.” you wave him over. The two of you walk through two hallways and another flight of stairs, reaching the third floor living room. Then you hear it again, something shuffling from the attic, “Great.” you sigh.
Sharing an anxious look with Ramón, you pull down the squeaky attic ladder and stare into the darkness. "I haven’t been up there in a while.” you whisper, “It’s been under construction since the beginning of the year.” The attic was being remodeled as a space for you and your siblings, a plan agreed by everyone before they all started being complete assholes.
Ramón begins to climb up the ladder, "How many rooms do you really need?" he jokes and reaches for the temporary light switch on the floor beside the opening. He takes note of the iron set of lights over the double pool tables, the dark leather couches, the soft bearskin rug and a tall bookshelf that extended across the east wall, interrupted in the middle. The attic was half finished, but there was no sign of a recent disturbance. “Nothing’s up here.” he tells you.
You warily climb up the ladder, stand over the hardwood floor and look around. “They told me renovation was to be completed next month,” you eye down the dark unfinished half of the attic, “It had stopped a few weeks ago due to a ‘change of plans'.” you form air quotes with your fingers. You walk underneath the overhead attic light and listen to its strange buzz.
Ramón walks around one of the pool tables, rolling the cue ball under his palm, "What's that over there?" he points at the far corner of the unfinished half. The corner had boxes piled one on top of the other, held in place by bricks and several wood planks leaning against the pile.
You shrug, "The small closet, it might still be there behind all the junk."
Suddenly, you hear heavy breathing behind your right ear, making you both whip around as you slowly get closer to Ramón. You see nothing. Still, you couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched.
"You uh, forgetting to tell me your house might be haunted?"
"Shit, I- no." you stammer, he raises his eyebrows. "I don't know, okay? I've been having weird dreams of the old maid since we let her go about a month and a half ago. I always see her standing at the edge of my bed.” you explain, remembering your last nightmare of Mrs. Clarice. You also recall dreams of another woman growling from inside your bedroom mirror, often joined by disembodied voices that would cry for revenge, curses and to be “let out”. You never understood the pain and anger in their words, until now as you stand on the other side of the tiny door. The tiny door anyone could just seal and forget about...
"Let her go?" Ramón interrupts your thought process, "Got any clue where she went?"
"Well, my parents had also fired two other maids after her and they never told us why, nor did I think much about her absence until I began to have the nightmares.” you explain, panicking at the thought of what really happened to the three women. “Shit, you don’t think my parents-” you can’t bring yourself to finish your question as you begin to hyperventilate. Your head runs wild with possibilities of the women’s fate and what the closet could be hiding from the world.
You notice Ramón stand in front of you, blocking your view of the corner. He takes your shaky hands and asks you to slowly breathe in and out. “For all we know, those women are probably fine and you’ve just got a family of rabid raccoons holed up in there.” he suggests.
“What about my nightmares? She tries talking to me and I hear other voices. She seems like she’s angry and crying for something, like she’s hurt or-”
“Trapped?”
You wipe tears away from your eyes, glance at the pile behind him and nod, “I might find her or something there.”
His silence is alarming and you turn to look at him, expecting an annoyed glare for dragging him into the situation. Instead, he turns around and takes a few steps back. You hear a floorboard creak under Ramón's foot, which somewhat prompts another thump from the boxes. Along with the buzzing of the overhead light that grows loud and erratic now.
Ramón turns to you wide eyed and as he’s about to speak, there’s another thump and a plank falls. Your heart begins to pound against your chest and you begin to hear a faint voice in your head, one of the few from your nightmares. “Out. I need out. Out. Out. Let me out.”
You feel an invisible pull from the corner, sensing the voice in your head calling for you from underneath the pile. Suddenly, you feel Ramón grab your elbow, "Wait, I don’t think it’s a good idea to get closer."
"Someone is in there, behind all that. I can feel it." your eyes begin to sting, but you refuse to look away from the pile.
Ramón feels it too, there is someone else in the attic. Their presence heavy on his shoulders, pressing on the back of your necks. Angry. Demanding. He knows that they, whoever they are, is not going let either of you leave now.
"Fine, but we gotta be careful about this." he sighs and reaches for a long hammer inside an abandoned toolbox by the wall.
The two of you walk closer and hear ragged breathing from under the mess. He pokes one of the bottom boxes with the end of the hammer, but nothing moves. Your shaky hands begin to gently remove the planks and bricks. In silence. One by one. Ramón takes two boxes off from the top, surprised by their weight and opens both to find them full of sand. He attempts to push one of the larger boxes at the bottom, but it seems too heavy to move with one arm alone.
“Someone’s definitely been hiding something in there.” he points out, “Do you still wanna dig through this?”
You can still hear the voice ring inside your head, “Out. Out. Out.”
“No, I don’t,” you shake your head, “but we also can’t leave this, can we?”
He hums in agreement and the two of you continue moving the rest of the boxes. One by one as you remove the boxes, you notice an awful smell. Ramón notices as well and he asks again if you’d like to continue.
You don’t, but you grab another box.
You just want to get this over with.
You grab another box.
You just want the angry hissing in your head to be gone now.
Finally, you get to the bottom, the two of you work together to remove the remaining bulk. Once the last box in front of the small door budges, a pungent smell seeps out. You gag and Ramón begins to cough.
“Yup, there’s a dead body in there.” he declares and covers his nose with his jacket. He was right, any remaining hope you had of finding something else is gone now.
You turn to look at him, “I’m sorry,” you cough, “just wanted to show you around and hang out. Not discover a fuckin’ body in my attic.” you give the box a kick.
Ramón smirks under his jacket, or maybe it’s a grimace; nevertheless, he wiggles his eyebrows, “It’s alright, just another casual hang out with a brat inside their castle. The usual.”
You laugh and shake your head, “You haven’t even seen our giant kitchen.” you quip.
Thanks to Ramón, you feel numb, or rather prepared for the other side of the door. Sure, you barely met the guy only this morning and you’re on the brink of discovering what could be a corpse in your own home, but you feel like you can trust him. He could’ve left you to face this on your own, especially when he’s been itching to leave, yet he’s sticking around. You believe he’s simply interested enough to stay, but the concern in Ramón’s eyes tells you otherwise. He’s choosing to stay and face whatever is on the other side of the door with you.
“Alright, if anything jumps out, grab the hammer.” you bury your nose into your sweater, knowing it may not even mask the foul odor, but it wouldn’t hurt to try anyway.
On the count of three, you and Ramón push the last box away. The closet door is worn down and bits of the wooden panel in the middle stick out from the inside. You grab a nearby flashlight, turn it on and slowly open the door. The voice in your head dies down with a final “OUT.” and the buzzing of the overhead attic light stops.
Sure enough, you’re met with a swarm of flies, several maggots and three figures wrapped inside what used to be white sheets. The smell is overpowering and although you feel the urge to run from this, your eyes are drawn to the holes made at the mouths that have been cracked wide open, fear frozen in time. Above them each are two black circles, oozing dark liquid from underneath the sheets.
You hear Ramón gag and you open your mouth to scream, yell, anything. Nothing. You attempt to reach for Ramón, barely able to move an inch. You turn your head to check on him. As soon as your eyes meet, you hear a pop echo from the closet.
Then, as clear as day, a groan.
“Out.”
-Feedback is always appreciated-
#ramon morales#scary stories to tell in the dark#ramon morales x reader#ssttitd#mine#this could be waaaay better
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The Not-So-French Mistake
Chapter 5: Ain't In Their Blood
Dean had finally arrived at the heat-stricken town. He appreciated the short drive; the knowledge of how cramping, long car rides wore a person down was now ingrained after years of life on the road.
The town was eerily quiet. An unnatural fog was settling at the peak of the brick architecture that set off alarms within Dean’s gut. He shivered as the hairs along the back of his neck stood on end; goosebumps developed along his shoulders, spiraling down the ridges of his spine.
It was then Dean realized it wasn’t fog: it was ash. Descending scorching embers and ash-surfaced buildings sent Dean into a silent, frozen frenzy. He didn’t dare breathe. Upon not finding Sydney immediately, his mind worked up worrying scenarios. Had they already lost her? What if she had suffered for hours, hoping someone would save her before her last minutes ticked past? Would he find her charred body? He slammed the breaks, launching himself out and slamming the door behind him in utter denial. She was not dead. He wouldn’t allow it.
He marched toward the center of the town, prying his eyes for an indication of life or Sydney. The street and sidewalk were coated in a crispy layer of soot, sticking to the heels of his boots unpleasantly. Dean startled when an unsupported plank of thick wood collapsed with a resounding snap and clattered, whacking several iron beams on its way down. It struck the floor with a deafening clap.
“Woah,” Dean breathed, “this place looks like it’s been struck by a bomb.”
The main road was singed and still burning with life. As he walked, the smoky cloud revealed a relievingly large mass of people, fortunately having survived the recent inferno.
By the looks of it, they had voted somebody as captain among their bunch, commanding the crowd with results and success. A random, attentive individual amongst the crowd caught the apparent leader’s attention and pointed subtly toward Dean until they swiveled around.
Dean suddenly felt stupid.
The dusty auburn hair and gritty jean jacket should have been the dead giveaway. Her leggings had been discolored and torn at the knees, and filth stained her cheeks. A pair of men’s shoes adorned her sockless feet, too wide for her to walk without the heels slipping off; were those his?
“Yo, cheeseball,” he called flatly, “are you wearing my shoes?”
“Dean?” She straightened herself, slightly self-conscious with a crowd eavesdropping in on the conversation.
“Yep. You ready to go, or do I need to transport more strays? I've got room in the back seat.”
Sydney shook her head. “No, they'll be fine. I taught them how to hijack a car, pick a lock, and an idea of how to fend for themselves.” Her chest puffed with pride.
Dean raised an eyebrow.
“What?” She shrugged, “You guys were gone for a while, and I know a few things; I'm not totally useless.”
Dean snorted. Who was she reminding him of? He puzzled on it until he poked the memory of red-toned hair and geeky skills. A name sprung to mind, and he grasped onto it: the nerdy hacker, Charlie Bradbury. That was it. The girl who had assisted in the exterminate Dick Roman, the egotistic Leviathan whose death slung him and Castiel into Purgatory. Good times.
“What happened here?” he asked once he’d realized his delayed reaction.
“We really don't know. We figured out the pattern out too late; if we let one person out of our sight, they disappeared and left a giant bloodstain where they'd been standing. No signs of struggle―like they had been dead before they comprehended it.” She lowered her eyes bitterly. “It only took looking away for a second, and then you'd turn around to find their blood staining the grass.”
She sighed, “Caleb's missing, too; he was a real help.”
“Caleb?”
“Yeah, good kid. Helped be distribute water to everybody. Your brother, Sam, had encouraged him.” Sydney shared a frustrated frown. “Not that it did much good. This is all that's left.” She gestured to the group, which contained several hundred people. Out of an entire town, that was a terrifyingly small number.
“All right. We'll find them.” The thought of leaving children to whatever evil was terrorizing this town was despicable, and Dean wasn't having any of it.
“And what if they're dead?” There had been a lot of blood.
Dean was steadfast with his decision. He growled, “Then you'll have a body to bury.” He remembered all the unfortunate times when the burial had been an empty casket on a case, and it only became heavier. “Trust me, that's better than never knowing what happened. Otherwise, you'll always blame yourself for not trying. Trust me. I know from experience.”
Sydney signaled for the group to stand. Her shoulders squared and her vulnerable expression vanished as she faced the town. “What I taught you today will not be enough. Dean knows a lot more than I do. Trust him; he knows what he’s doing.”
The survivors mirrored Sydney's military expression when regarding Dean.
He could make do with this; it was a dedicated, able-bodied group ready to throw themselves into combat for the greater good, and while they seemed stable, he would need to see what they were capable of. “Awesome. Let's get to work.”
After the assembly of people had adjusted to the new leader amongst them, they congregated into groups. Dean and Sydney swapped to help in different locations, looking to teach efficiently. Those who were not yet instructed reviewed their previous learning and class with Sydney. Thankfully, everyone remained compliant and willing to listen to diverse ideas.
He found quickly that Sam was a treasure of a partner compared to these peevishly ordinary civilians. They just weren't hunters! Dean remained collected though; there was no reason to snap at anyone. They were only looking to help.
He held the gun comfortably, easing his form and supporting the weight of his right hand with his left. He displayed it openly, modeling his posture and stance. “You see? Fully extend your arms, but don't lock them; you'll hurt something. Remember it will recoil.”
The instruction continued to frustrate.
“No, don't lean away from it.”
“You can't flinch. It will totally ruin your aim.”
“Yeesh! Don't point it at me! At the target! At the target!”
“Dude, you're holding upside down. How did you even manage that?”
“How on earth did you shoot backward?! The target is right in front of you!”
Dean wiped at the sweat that had accumulated along his brow. He hadn't even worked out; he was just exhausted from the few hours of worrying for the people's safety, along with his own. He might combust if he had to show one more person how to load a gun; his fingers ached and cramped at the thought. The fact that he was hungry only made him more irritable. He barely reacted when he noticed the figure of Sydney making her way over.
“At least they're trying.” She offered.
Her optimism was uninvited. “They are?” he snapped incredulously, “This is worse than Sammy's first shooting lesson.”
She sat down, considering it. “That bad?”
“That boy was reluctant to shoot the target. ‘Fraid he'd hurt it or something.” He was too cranky to soften his criticism. This all just sucked. “Your army will need more work before they are ready for war, Sugar. There are some dumb bricks out there; I caught one loading the bullets backward. Who does that?”
“Do you... do you need any help?”
“I need a burger,” he said.
She sighed, knowing this was the expert, and if the expert was tired, she knew everyone was. It took an effort to crack Dean. She clapped for everyone's attention, shouting, “Okay, everybody! Let's set up camp. We'll resume tomorrow. By then, we'll hopefully have a lead.”
They left their training posts as the word spread their cessation. Soon, they had dispersed, tents illuminating across the broken town like waking fireflies. The hot gaze above them finally died, cooling as the sun shrank on the horizon.
And night began to cool the world again.
Tags: @queen-bubble
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Mark and Georgia’s Big Trip
Chapter Nine – well, maybe it’s only worth 8 ½…
I wasn’t even going to write this week. I’ve been in a pretty bad mood, mostly a pissed-off mood. We’ve been here now getting on close to two months...
And the landscaping still isn’t done. After a vigorous start, the effort has dwindled to near nothing. We only see the boss lady here maybe once a week for a short time, and that’s the only time her people do any work. Mostly the crew, only 2 or 3 now, eats, stands around, and takes siestas on the deck. Two weeks ago she said it would be done by last Wednesday, now she’s saying next Wednesday. All I can say is that when she finally completes the job, I’ll send our last payment via the slow boat to China. And I hear that even that boat is delayed because of the coronavirus.
And there are at least two men from the contractor here every day, still fixing the things we’ve found that need fixing. This week they refinished the wood floors in the bedrooms – we’d found that after walking on them for a while a number of planks were coming loose, so they used various means to inject epoxy underneath, which made them sturdy but it ruined the finish. Last night we had to sleep in the living room since our bedroom had the strong odor of fresh varnish. On the plus side, we got clearance from the village to lower the curb in front of our driveway and put concrete between the sidewalk and curb. With the original curb it felt like we needed 4WD just to get onto our driveway. The village had originally forbidden us from doing this, but with their engineer and the village manager standing in front of our house I pointed to the neighbor across the street with a nice low curb into his drive (in fact every house here has lowered the curb). Not much they could say. Today’s quiz: How do you remove a concrete curb in the Philippines? Should be easy for you to answer by now… with a hammer and homemade chisel of course. 3 more days of tap-tap-tap.
The offshoot of all this is that it makes it difficult to enjoy the house. If we want to sit by the pool for instance, there will be 2 or 3 workers who stop what they’re doing and watch us. Not that they’re doing much anyway but it’s very uncomfortable. I feel bad when I wake them up from their naps on the deck. We can’t really escape to the beach either, as we need to be here most of the time to give directions, answer questions, etc.. And they ‘work’ 6 days a week. So, SUNDAYS! The workers are gone, plus it’s our caretaker’s day off. Sunday’s the only day we feel we can do whatever we want. Sleep in. Go to the beach for lunch. Take a dip in the pool. Our day!
So today we went to the beach, and as usual I spent a lot of time in the water. I’m getting pretty good with my photography of unmoving underwater objects, such as this giant clam. It’s not really a ‘giant’, only 14-16 inches across, but still a big clam that I wouldn’t stick my hand into. Very colorful, you’ll see them in many colors: greens, vibrant blues, oranges.
We’ve all seen those cowrie shells in the beachside souvenir shops, here’s a pair to show you what they look like when they’re alive. Surprise, just like the dead ones in the shops. I think these two may be mating, but it was pretty slow so I couldn’t be sure.
And here, just to show that I’m getting better photographing actual moving creatures, is the first lionfish I’ve seen in Kawayan Cove. Well, these are sort of moving, they’re pretty territorial and stay mostly in the same place. With those venomous spines I guess they develop an attitude. What? Me? Move?
And the best sunset of the week was this evening, capping off a very nice Sunday indeed. Suddenly I’m not so pissed off any more!
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Healers - Part 1.0 (The Chase)
I’m not a writer, but this came to me in a dream. I’ve transcribed it to the best of my ability. There are 6 or 7 parts so far.
An eyeful of dreams rotated from forefront to behind, though still at the surface of my mind. A thick blur blanketed the morning as I struggled to awaken. This would be the filter of the day. A hazy washout glazing my vision, graying out clarity between what is and what isn’t. A part of me has stayed behind, refusing to engage in the physical world and the reaction to it by my senses. I pause now, unsure if I have just awakened or haven’t slept at all. Or if I’m still asleep.
The over-sized carport opens up into a covered breezeway to the lodge. The floor is covered in large square tiles made of limestone and separated by wooden planks in a grid pattern. The walls are made from cedar planks, generous windows on the sides. Looking behind me, there is no wall. An opening, three cars wide to allow anything to come or go.
There is no driveway, just a long road that goes nowhere. Except here. Mammoth sequoias line the road. Only ferns and broad leafed foliage can collect enough sun to survive underneath them.
It seems we’re running. I’m driving fast and paranoid from the danger presumably pursuing us from the bullfight.
***
Ernesto’s glory days were behind him, that’s for sure. The formerly great matador still carried himself with pomp and swagger. His black and silver sequined outfit demanded it, and he was more than eager to deliver on it. The wall had been removed from the ring today. I sat in the front row with Lacy. She looked pretty and well kept as always and was dressed in a nice pair of navy shorts, a preppy white blouse, and some expensive sandals. She looked older than I remembered. And somehow friendlier. The crowd was sparse, as is usually the case for a matinee. Ernesto strutted over to me before the show was to begin and wedged himself between Lacy and me. He was looking at me and then whispered into my ear. Inappropriately close and almost intimate, like a lover might. His breath was rancid and I was glad when he stood up and stepped away. He laughed loud enough for everyone to hear, making a show of the fact that he thought he had just told me something of great amusement. “He is so disgusting,” Lacy whispered.
“Yea, you’re not the one who had to smell his breath.”
I felt a pinch on my ear. “Amigo.” Long pause. “Show some respect,” came the slow Spanish accented voice from behind me. “Who the fuck are you, huh? HUH?”
Lacy’s eyes were bigger than normal which is really saying a lot, as her eyes always were big and beautiful. One of about a hundred reasons that I was secretly in love with her. I was more annoyed than afraid. I pulled my head slowly away to release the fingers that held me. I turned and looked. There were three men, all of them with dreadful stares. The man directly behind me was dirty and unkept with dark hair draped loosely over his eyes, the other two with lighter hair, thinner and taller, and less Spanish looking then their counterpart. They carried solemn, serious faces and looked hard into me in a way that I could almost feel something actual and physical penetrating my body.
I looked them down, stood and took Lacy’s hand. “C’mon.”
We exited slowly up the steps. The stares felt like burns in my back. When we reached the concession area there was a big group of men dressed in old football uniforms with leather helmets. The place was open and uncovered, but presumably fenced in somewhere beyond my view. I realized that I didn’t remember coming in. A group of several dozen people were chanting “Hold that line” and the chants grew louder as their number grew. Today was the day the coach would be making his final cuts. There were wooden folding chairs in a line, apparently one designated for each player. I was asked to light them all on fire at the bottoms of the legs “To the best of your ability, don’t spare a single one,” the coach said to me. I nodded my head and did as he asked. It took only about a minute for all the chairs to become completely engulfed in orange fire, as the wood was porous and very flammable. Lacy tugged at my arm indicating it was time to go. Someone wanted us out of there. I was oblivious, but she knew. I turned and saw a posse forming at the portal to the ring. The three men were yelling to each other and to the others that had gathered, everyone’s heads careening around hastily trying to spot us.
“Whoa, wait a minute. We’re not leaving. I haven’t done anything and I’m damn sure not in the mood for running away.”
“A, there might be more happening than you know here,” she said in a curt, cautious tone. “More than you might recollect or understand.”
I let a nervous “ha” slip from my mouth. But settling down on me was a familiar realization, the one you get when you’ve been found out. I’ve had it more often than I’m proud to admit. The hair on my neck stood stiff like hackles, they were coming for me.
We walked briskly, staying roughly on a line to an exit that kept the fire between us and the portal, hoping that it would block their view. When we got out the door Lacy ran top speed to the car, which was an amusing sight for my normally proper and calm friend.
We had left the top down on the old, white Carerra and both of us leaped over our doors into the car. I thought us inconspicuous but for the loud engine, and didn’t see anyone following from behind. To the right was a covered walkway separating two parking lots, which I presumed was used during the rains. I had heard people talk about the sudden storms and floods here, but it was always arid and dusty whenever I had visited.
As we approached the end of the walkway, a red Bronco pulled out from behind it and turned to face us. I braked and saw the dark haired guy from the arena behind the wheel, one of his sandy haired companions in the passenger seat. We made eye contact and I heard his motor rev. At the same time, instinctively, I threw the car into reverse and flew backward a few hundred feet and turned hard into an perpendicular aisle, almost losing control. There was not enough time to make an attempt at going forward, as the Bronco was nearly on our front bumper. I kept flooring it in reverse, the engine whining hard and made another fierce turn at the next aisle. In just a split second I was able to throw it into first and spin out forward, the Bronco just missing slamming into the side of us as it spun around the turn close behind. I heard a crashing sound and in my rear view mirror saw that they had clipped a couple parked cars making their turn. I focused, gripping the wheel with clenched hands, made a few quick rights and lefts, darting in and out of rows of cars. With Lacy bouncing and swaying in her adjacent bucket seat, we made it to the exit and cut hard right onto the main road, spinning wheels as I threw it into second gear.
I floored it and quickly put some distance between us and our pursuers. But just ahead there was some traffic coming up and cars stacked about five deep in front of a red light. There was no oncoming traffic, so I swerved into the oncoming lane and looked frantically both ways and then darted left at the traffic signal through the red light just between two cars. I almost hit the one that I squeezed in front of and the driver laid on the horn. I felt sweat on my chest and looked back to see the Bronco stopped at the light, but forcing its way through, lots of cars stopping and starting, all of them honking at them.
I floored the Carerra again and quickly got it up to about 90, which was pretty fast for a commercial area. Thankfully there were not many cars around. Lacy held her hands in tight fists raised just above her thighs and I could see that she was shaking. I thought of saying something light hearted, but didn’t. The exit ramp to the freeway was just ahead and a swerved around the car in my adjacent lane and took it. I had put maybe a quarter mile of space ahead of the Bronco and pushed the car faster. On the freeway I got up to 130 without much trouble. Within five minutes I couldn’t see them at all.
“Any one of these exits can get us to the woods,” Lacy said flatly. We were headed north, desert all around except to the west, where there were tree lines and hills in the distance. I took the next off ramp and left under the bridge onto a two lane road. The road was dead straight, presumably a straight shot into the trees. I drove fast, but not at an unreasonable pace, the sun dropping in front of us just left of center.
At the entrance through the line of trees, the forest swallowed us immediately. The road seemed to turn old, there were no signs, no lines on the cracking pavement. The Carerra was reasonably equipped to handle the narrow and winding roads through this mature forest. I should have been nervous, but I felt a calm certainty in my body and soon forgot about our pursuers. The top was down on this warm, comfortable day but I looked up to see almost no sky at all. Just late afternoon light flickering through the giant trees. A thought passed my mind that there are mini ecosystems high up in those branches. Evolved species that live hundreds of feet up in the air, never to touch solid ground. Rodents and bugs and other plants that grow out of the over sized branches. My next thought was how I would be able to navigate without being able to see the stars tonight. This is how the mind of a runaway operates. Curious, creative at times, and always looking for exit signs.
“Left ahead,” she said, breaking my thoughts. I nodded and followed her directions. These were her woods, not mine.
“Protectors, Athan. They’ve watched your every step. They guard and defend without care as to who is right or wrong. I know you know this, but you’re acting like you don’t. You have to be careful. You’ve got to keep your distance no matter how tempted you are.”
I sighed as a flood of memories rose like flood waters in me. Unwanted, invasive, inescapable memories. “God dammit.” I felt betrayed. I wanted to fight, to kill. But the numbers were stacked against me, not to mention otherworldly forces they wield. A band of brothers designed to protect the deity I left behind. I had been allowed in, ushered in, actually. Allowed to be loved and to love back. It was real, all of it real, and then somehow it went horrendously wrong. There were a thousand ways to blame myself, and yet another thousand to blame. Looking back, I could see now that everywhere there was a guardian. In the woods a vulture and black wolf, in the castle a host of magicians and dragons. All kinds of defense mechanisms, alter beings designed to force me into a mold or to force me out. I left willingly without a word. Maybe that was not acceptable.
***
#lodge#story#myth#legend#first death#intro#words#spilledink#aether#healers#dream#amwriting#fiction#long fiction#prose#writersscreed#spilled words#writing#writers of tumblr#superpowers#heroes
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Once a Thief... Chapter 8: Scoundrel’s Folly
“That symbol is still eluding us... it would seem our adversary is attempting to take us apart indirectly by angering Maven Black-Briar.. very clever...” Mercer grumbled as he sat behind his desk across from Cimber. “You admire them?” she asked.
“Don’t mistake my admiration for complacency. Our nemesis is going to pay dearly.” He growled and stabbed a dagger onto the table. A chill went through her. “How?”
“Well, even after all their posturing and planning, they’ve made a mistake. The parchment you recovered mentions a “Gajul-Lei’. That’s an old alias used by one our contacts. His real name is Gulum-Ei. Slimy bastard.” He yanked the knife out of the wood and flipped it upwards. “So where do I begin?” She asked, knowing he was about to send her off somewhere.
Mercer eyed her contemplatively. “Gulum-Ei is our inside man at the East Empire Company in Solitude. I’m betting he acted as a go-between for the sale of Goldenglow Estate and that he can finger our buyer. Get out there and shake him down. See Brynjolf before you leave if you have any questions.” Cimber nodded. “We’ll figure this out. We won’t be in this rut for much longer,” she said reassuringly.
He traced his blade thoughtfully and glanced up at her. “We’ll see.”
Cimber explained all that Mercer had said to Brynjolf. “I can’t believe Gulum-Ei’s mixed up in all this.” “Think he’ll give me trouble?” she asked him. “Trouble? He’s one of the most stubborn lizards I’ve ever met! You’ve got your work cut out for you.” He grinned at her apologetically.
“Go with me then! You can help me convince him.” she offered. “I’d love to, but if he saw both of us there, he’d get suspicious. I’ll go with you on a job one of these days.” He reassured her, and she smiled back.
“Anyways, you might have to buy him off; it’s the only way to get his attention. If that fails, follow him and see what he’s up to.” She grinned slyly. “I didn’t have to buy you off to get your attention.”
Brynjolf chuckled and flushed slightly, poking her forehead. “Because you did a job for me. And other reasons I’ll get to later...” Now it was his turn to show his mischievous grin. She laughed. “Riiight. Well, I suppose I should get going then if I want to make it by tomorrow noon.”
“Aye, lass. Be careful out there, there’s no telling what Gulum-Ei’s up to.” He called to her as she passed.
“Only one way to find out!”
A night stroll, a cart ride, and a very long nap later, Cimber looked up at the giant capitol city resting neatly above the cliffs. The sun was covered by misty white clouds, and a light snow was falling. She shivered as the carriage stopped at the stables and she jumped off. “Now, where to find that argonian...” She asked herself as she entered the city. Bustling streets, giant stone walls, and guards at ever corner were things she was not used to seeing. It would be hard to pick some pockets here without being caught. She took in all the sights of the busy market, glimpsed the great Blue Palace up on its hill, smelled some kind of sweet-smelling mead in the air...
And watched an executioner chop off the head of a gate guard. She grimaced and went on her merry way. Welcome to Solitude, Cimber. But why was he killed for just doing his job...? She would have to ponder later, because she walked into the Winking Skeever Inn and found her guy. She patted her braid down and dusted herself off before approaching him.
“Hello, there.” Cimber gave him a winning smile, and he eyed her thoughtfully. “Hello... hmm. By your scent, I’d say you were from the Guild. But that can’t be true because I told Mercer I wasn’t dealing with them anymore.” he shook his head. “Well, I’m here about Goldenglow Estate...” she offered.
“I don’t deal in land or property. Now, if you’re looking for goods, you’ve come to the right place...” Cimber could smell a hint of alcohol in his breath, and watched closely as his eyes darted to the door almost imperceptibly. Oh, this guy knew something. She leaned up against the stone wall in front of him and crossed her arms. “You can drop the act now, Gajul-Lei.”
Now his eyes were clearly anxious to seek something else out. “O-oh, wait, did you say Goldenglow Estate? My apologies. I’m sorry to say that I know very little about that.. bee farm, was it?” She raised an eyebrow. “You acted as a broker for its new owner.”
“Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t. I can’t be expected to remember every deal I handle.” He shrugged. “Come on, Gajul-Lei. Idenitfy the buyer and we’ll forget what we know.” She smiled at him promisingly, and even uncrossed her arms to show that she wasn’t crossing her fingers. She was also blocking his way to the door, and this made his heart quicken just a beat.
The argonian cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “A-alright. Had I known the deal would be this much trouble, I never would have accepted the gold. I’ll tell you what I know: I was approached by a woman who wanted me to act as the broker for something big. She flashed a bag of gold in my face and said all I had to do was pay Aringoth for the estate. I brought him the coin and walked away with her copy of the deed.”
“Did she say why she was doing this?” Cimber asked, but he shook his head. “Not at all. However, I did notice she was quite angry, and it was being directed at Mercer Frey...”
She put a finger to her chin thoughtfully. “That’s it? No name or anything?” “In this business, we rarely deal in names: our identity comes from how much coin we carry.”
She would have believed him if not for the bead of sweat dripping down his temple. “You’re lying to me.” She placed her arm on the wall by him and the other on her hip. “L-look, that’s all I know. I never promised you I’d have all the answers. Now, since our transaction is done, I’ll be on my way....” The slippery lizard stood, scooted around her, and practically bolted out the door, her eyes never leaving him.
“Congratulations, Gulum-Ei, you now have a shadow.” She muttered and followed him out.
Keeping her distance and diving into every available shadow every time he turned his head, he eventually lead her down to the docks and went into the warehouse. The snow had stopped, but now a brisk, biting wind was whistling around the boats, and by the time she reached the warehouse door, she couldn’t tell if she was shaking from nerves or the cold. The guards saw a young woman browsing the goods the Company had to sell, but when their backs were turned and the coast was clear, she very quickly picked the lock and rolled into the warehouse.
Staying low and moving quietly, she crouched up a large wooden plank up to the top racks and scoped the area. She could barely see Gulum-Ei round the corner and make his away to the other side of the room. The thief watched from the shadows as he, strangely, dipped into a small pool and disappeared behind some barrels.
Shadows protect me, she thought as she crawled over shelves, hid behind barrels, and dove through lit areas until she finally reached the pool he had gone through. Once again, she commanded her heart to slow down in fear of the guards not 3 feet away from her hearing her. When they continued their patrol, she climbed onto the small wooden railing and used the wooden beams above to swing herself behind the barrels. She almost gasped when her feet let out a small thud upon landing, but the guards seemed not to notice. Using this momentum, she snuck through until she found a hidden doorway in the rock, and immediately dove in.
Once she was sure she was out of earshot, she allowed herself a quiet sigh of relief, then continued forward. She stopped when she heard voices and crouched closer for a better look. Two bandits were talking in front of a small pool of water, both male, one redguard, and the other a freakishly tall, blonde nord that looked like he could pick Cimber up with his pinky finger. She almost laughed to herself, though; these dummies were facing the wall, away from her. Perfect target practice. She nestled into a dark corner and shot the redguard down with an arrow in the back of the head. Big Nord grabbed his axe and started lumbering around the room, looking for the killer he was never going to catch. “Come out, you little rat!” He bellowed.
Cimber scoffed. “Hey! I like to think I’m more of a cat, or.. oooh, an owl...” “Huh?” He looked around until he saw her, perched up a little higher than him. She grinned, and his big green eyes met hers before the arrow went between them.
This went on for a while; she found a dark perch, readied her arrows, and sniped the poor, unsuspecting bandits that blocked her way to Gulum-Ei, collecting what little treasures they had along the way. Finally, she reached a large chamber with 3 of the toughest looking bandits and the argonian himself, lounging in a chair by the firepit.
Stealth might not be the only option here. There’s too many and he could get away.... She weighed her options and crept closer, deciding to take out the one closest to her and then dealing with the other 2, quickly. Not even bothering to find a better perch, she shot down the bandit with a shield by the cave water. On cue, the others heard and readied their weapons, a worried Gulum-Ei now on his feet.
“So sorry to be a bother, love, but I really need to know who that buyer is.” Cimber walked out of the shadows, wearing her trademark grin and twirling her dagger.
The 2 bandits left laughed. “And we really need all that gold you’re carrying...” Before she could make another witty remark, the first one lunged for her and she rolled out of the way, snatching the shield from the dead bandit and jumping right back up. She blocked his next advance, and drove her dagger up his ribcage. She pushed him onto the other bandit, who surprised her by simply shoving him away and swinging very quickly with her sword, just grazing Cimber’s arm. “I just got this armor, really??”
They grappled for a few seconds until Cimber finally let out a cry and gashed open the bandit’s chest. She looked up just in time to see Gulum-Ei trying to open a secret passageway. “Oh no you don’t!” With almost pinpoint accuracy, she threw her dagger and pinned him by his sleeve against the cave wall. His scared scream echoed as she darted up to him and slung him around, pinning him with her hand and her dagger now at his throat. “Talk.”
He gulped. “N-now, now, there’s no need to do anything rash... This isn’t as bad as it seems, I-I was going to tell Mercer about everything, honestly! Please, he’ll have me killed!” He was almost quaking with fear. “Mercer doesn’t have to know...” She let him go but kept her dagger pointed at him.
“I see you wish to be reasonable, perhaps I misjudged you... Karliah. The buyer’s name is Karliah.” Gulum-Ei sighed with relief but didn’t dare move with her dagger so close. “You say that name like I should know it.”
“...Mercer never told you about her? She’s the thief responsible for murdering the previous Guild master, Gallus. Now she’s after Mercer..”
“And you’re helping her?” “Help...? No, no! Look, I didn’t even know it was her until after she contacted me. Please, you have to believe me!” She studied him carefully. “Where is she now?”
“I don’t know. When I asked her where she was going, she just muttered ‘where the end began’. Here, take the Goldenglow deed as proof. A-and when you speak to Mercer, tell him I’m worth more to you alive!” Cimber considered this, and flicked her blade up, causing him to flinch.
“See? Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? Was all this really necessary?” She gestured around her. He simply shook his head and darted his eyes toward the passageway. She sighed. “Get out of here.” He nodded and quite gratefully did so.
After looting the place of its valuables and tying a makeshift bandage around her arm, she exited as well.
And things just keep getting more complicated.
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