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jooniyah · 4 years

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Fool’s Diamonds

Pairing: Park Jimin x Fem Reader

AU: Thief!Au

Genre: Angst

Warnings: Illness, angsty mentions of poverty, diamond mines, drunk character, character death, vague mentions of non con, suggested human trade, robbery, implied smut, general theme of mistrust and deception.

Word count: 6.39 K

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and I do not condone any of the actions of the characters in this fiction. This is to be treated as pure fantasy, and should not be misconstrued to be demeaning the idols in any way. If any of the above warnings cause you discomfort, kindly refrain from reading.

Author’s note: This fiction is set in a time when cell phones and social media didn’t exist. Nationalities are purely for fictional purposes, I bear no ill-will towards any nationality, nor am I xenophobic.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

The air was dry and felt like parched paper. You fancied you could break it into pieces just by extending your hand out. A bead of sweat rolled inside your shirt, running down your midriff. Gosh, it was so very hot. Why was it that July felt like Earth was having a fun time roasting all the terrestrial life on a barbecue? A strong cigar smell curled around you, worsening the situation, making you want to retch.

“I’m outta here, Billie,” you shouted, leaving the money on the table. The wet circles left by the beer mugs hadn’t even dried. “Money’s on the table.”

The tattooed girl nodded at you, hollering a hearty “Sure, darlin’. See ya around.”

The heat was reflecting off the road in waves. It wasn’t like you had chosen to stay there. With a drunkard for a father and a ruined mother, you had to stay back and make sure your father didn’t set the house on fire in one of his rages. You spat down, wiping the corner of your mouth. Father. You didn’t even know what real fathers did.

Wait, of course, you did. Real fathers worked to bring bread to the table. They raised their children and tried to get their babies to live better lives. They didn’t collapse by the sewer and roll around in their own puke. It was a challenge every night to find which gutter he had passed out in.

Your mother had worked her ass off to get clothes on your back. Forget college. You had starved on days when your father stole your mom’s daily wages to go and get his brains saturated with alcohol. Did you ever think of killing him? No. Well, maybe. Okay, a lot of times.

But the old woman was strangely attached to him. She went out and dragged him home if you said you couldn’t be bothered to go find him.

“Tis your dad, girl,” she would pant, dragging the wasted scoundrel by his shoulders. “You got only him to call dad, like it or not.”

You would huff and storm out of the room, not interested in getting lectured at. Well, there wasn’t a lot of rooms in your house. There was just a living room, a kitchen, and a bedroom. Your drunk dad would usually snore in the living room. Your mother would join you in the bedroom, where she would lie on an old ratty mattress. It grossed you out to lie on it, just imagine the times it would have seen your parents’ body fluids. Ew. You would lie on a pallet, trying to suppress the anger brewing in your heart.

Every other girl in the town had left, either to college or in search of better jobs. Some had married, just to escape the clutches of the banal town, which was tainted with general unease and distrust. No one was ever able to breathe freely. It was like the whole town was constantly on edge, waiting for something bad to happen.

And when you reached home, the bitter aftertaste of the beer still on your tongue, the cruel hand of fate had struck already.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Momma?”

You raced over to her side, trying to get her to breathe. Her lips were a deep blue, the eyes were rolling back into her head.

“Y/N.”

Her breathing was strained as if every draw of her breath peeled a little piece of life away from her.

“Momma?” You repeated dumbly, tears spilling down your cheeks. “Don’t go, please,” the saliva pooling in your mouth made you slur.

“Y/N,” she rasped, struggling to look at you. “Get—”

A spasm made her wince, and you watched helplessly, waiting for her to resume.

“Get outta this…” she swallowed, willing herself to finish her sentence. “… this town. Get out.”

Her eyes scoured the place, trying to see her husband’s form in the bright afternoon light. There he was, fast asleep, not minding in the least about his family or the fact that his wife was looking for him before her last breath.

“I’ll wake him up,” you said, trying to get up.

“No,” her voice was soft. “I been done waiting for him to wake up.”

“Momma,” you whined, voice laden with sorrow.

She shook her head, flashing a watery smile at you. “My baby,” her cold fingers clasped yours. “Get outta this place. Live your life, girl.”

You turned to stare in disgust at the man stretched in the doorway. “But him…”

She cut your words, whispering hoarsely. “No use, girl. He’s good as dead. You gotta go.”

Her beady eyes searched your face, relaxing when you nodded and sobbed.

“I love you, baby.”

Her chest stopped heaving.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

You were wiping hot angry tears off your cheeks, thinking what a waste your father was. He hadn’t even stirred when you shook him awake, screaming at him.

“Momma’s dead!” you had cried, hitting his chest as if it would get his brain hum-started. “You weren’t even sober, you fucking loser!”

When your mother had been around, you had kept a lid on swearing. But the dam broke, unleashing a torrent of suppressed anger spilling out of your heart in waves.

He had grinned dumbly, saying in a slurred voice:

“One less mouth to feed, then.”

You hadn’t meant to, but your fist came into contact with his nose, followed by a sickening crunch.

“You loser,” you shouted, going crazy at the thought of a world without your mother.

He shrugged, lying down on his side, supporting his head with his hand.

“My girl be takin’ care of me, I ain’t got nothin’ to worry about.”

You jumped to your feet, fingers trembling in rage. Your mother had lived and died, trying to support the scoundrel lying before you. But it wasn’t your cross to bear anymore. Your mother had been right, he was of no fucking use. He would simply leech off you and get drunk till his last breath. No, that wasn’t what your mother had wanted. You had to get out of the damned place.

But how? No money. No jewels. Nothing you could pawn off. Your father had already done that and drunk away all the little precious things your mother had ever owned. There was nothing to support you out in the wild, wild world.

You had a job at the local convenience store, but it didn’t pay much. It was your first job since finishing school. You had taken it instead of leaving the town, just to support your poor mother. There wasn’t much respite, but it did provide you bread when your father ran away with your mom’s wages.

You hadn’t saved a lot. But you needed leave the cursed town before it trapped you for life. Your mother had lived and gone to dust, working solely to keep you from dying of starvation. It was time to leave. To begin a new chapter elsewhere, where drunkards didn’t puke all over your foyer.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Billie,” you called, moving closer to her. “You got any jobs here?”

The girl pursed her mouth, shaking her head.

“Sorry, girlie. Ain’t got no jobs right now.”

You nodded in understanding. Fair enough. It was a rotten place, with not a lot of opportunities. It was a wonder that Billie kept running the pub after her old man died. It was evident that she wanted to leave the place. But like you, she had been tied to the town because of her sick father.

You were curious why she still hadn’t closed shop and left town for good.

“Billie, didn’t you ever think of leaving this place?”

She lifted a finger to be excused for a moment. She moved to pour out beer for a tall man who was standing at the counter. She pocketed the change, shouting “Enjoy your beer” at his retreating back.

When she returned, she wiped her hand on her apron, thrusting her tongue out carelessly.

“Well, I sure did, but this place ain’t got no other pub. And the money’s good the last couple o’weeks.”

You leaned in, interested.

“Anyone struck diamonds? Give me the juice, girl.”

She laughed, wiping the beer spills on the counter, nodding as she did so.

“Aye, there’s a couple guys who struck it rich. They’re comin’ and leavin’ big fat tips.”

She patted her pocket to emphasize her point. Billie was obviously in need of the money to keep the place running. You grinned, interested to hear more.

“Tell me about them.”

She handed out another mug of beer and pulled a stool to sit near you.

“There’s this guy from Russia, he been scouring for stones since last August. He bought a trench from old Mr. Hadley and started diggin’ two weeks ago. Big diamonds, you see,” she opened her thumb and index winger to show you the size, “Big ones. He been buyin’ drinks for everyone in the mine to celebrate it.”

You whistled. The only thriving business in the town was mining. People came from all parts of the world to try their luck at finding the crystallized carbon rocks. Most of them returned broke, some fell sick from the dusty haze and polluted air. Some even died in vain, succumbing to the hot burning sun.

“And the other one?”

She giggled, letting you in on her little secret. “He asked if I wanna go to Ireland.”

“He’s asking you to marry him?” It wasn’t a surprise. A lot of girls in your town had gone and married potential miners just to escape.

She shook her head, grinning. “We were foolin’ around and he thought I was serious.”

Well, poor man. Billie wasn’t the type to settle down without roaming the Earth to her heart’s content. She was simply chiseled from another rock. She didn’t like being caged.

“Talk of the devil,” she whispered, wiping the counter furiously. “There’s Mr. Russia.”

You turned and eyed the big guy entering the pub, his eyes lighting up when he saw Billie. The people in the pub cheered when he entered, and he raised a big palm to accept the claps, smiling widely.

He strode towards the counter, catching sight of you.

“And who’s this lovely lady?” he asked, smirking in your direction.

“Y/N,” Billie replied, handing him his lager. “She works in the convenience store by the old railroad.”

“Pleasure,” he said, extending his big hand to you. When you shook it, the callousness reminded you of sandpaper.

“You haven’t left town yet?” he asked, sipping his lager casually. “I mean, I thought Billie was the only lass in town.”

You smiled. The curiosity was well-earned. “I’ll leave soon enough,” you replied, keeping the obvious eagerness from spilling into your tone.

“Y/N’s momma died, so she got nothing to stay back for anymore,” Billie said, looking at you with sympathetic eyes. She had been in the same position, and she understood.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he said, his thick accent bubbling out of his chest.

“It’s okay.” You looked at the time. “Ah, I gotta run, Billie. See ya.” Turning to the man, you dipped your head with a soft “Nice to meet you.”

He nodded chastely, watching your back as you scurried back to work.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Y/N!” the man hollered, “customer for you!”

You were at the back, checking the expiration dates and noting which ones to take back home. It was common in your town for salespeople to take items that were a day or two beyond the expiration dates. You stopped what you were doing and rose up to look over the aisle.

It was the Russian man. His face registered recognition, and he raised his hand to wave a small Hi to you.

“Yes,” you said, walking up to him. “How can I help you?”

He told you he was looking for some souvenirs to buy for his daughter back home. You led him to the small section that had girls’ trinkets and stuff like hair slides.

“These are all we have. You could try Miasie’s too. She might have some more accessories.”

He nodded, carding through the fake jewelry items. He whistled in a low voice.

“They look like real diamonds,” he said, pointing to a bracelet studded with stones.

“Zirconia,” you replied, taking the bracelet out of the plastic cover. You had to admit, it really looked authentic. It was a running joke in your town that the fake jewelry outshone the diamonds mined there.

“Maisie has a lot of Zirconia jewels, these are made by locals,” you said, running your finger through the stones. “

People who fared badly at the diamond mining expeditions returned home with Zirconia jewels to save face, to try and convince their people that they had in fact dug a few diamonds out. Hence the market for fake diamonds boomed, and a lot of locals thrived on it.

“I’d rather buy this, at the hands of the beautiful maiden holding it,” he said.

Was he hitting on you?

You nodded crisply, asking if he wanted anything else. He hesitated, looking around. “Is it- is it fine if I ask you out?”

There it was. Gosh. It was an endless game of cat and mouse in that town. For hundreds of young miners, there were only a handful of young girls, so the competition was crazy.

“I guess,” you said, hoping he would just get you a beer and call it a day.

“So, I’ll come and get you at…” he licked his lips. “…where do you live?”

You thought about it, thinking if you should just tell him to come to the store after all. But you got off work at 4, and you didn’t want him to see you carrying expired food back home. You wrote him the address, telling him to reach your home at 6.

He smiled and left, promising to call on you later that evening.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“You gotta be kidding me,” you hissed when you returned home to see your father conversing with the Russian like old buddies.

The men snapped their heads to follow the sound of your voice, and there you were, holding an armful of stuff from the store.

“Y/N,” the Russian said, getting up to help you carry the items inside.

“Alexei! What are you doing here?” The time certainly wasn’t 6 pm. What the hell was he doing, cozying up to your father?

Your father grinned his sickly fishy smile. “Y/N, don’t raise your voice…”

“Shut the fuck up,” you said, cutting him off. You hated when the loser lectured you. “I wasn’t talking to you.” All the foodstuff in your arms dropped down with loud thuds.

Alexei stooped to pick up the small cartons. “Y/N, let’s not shout,” he was saying, when you swatted his arm away.

“You don’t tell me what I should do, not at my own house.”

He raised his palm in a gesture of peace.

“Why are you here? I told you to come at 6. It’s only 4.30.”

He looked over at your father, catching his lip between his teeth.

“Well, I was free and thought I’d pay you a visit…”

“When I was away at work?” you questioned.

Your father cut in harshly. “I sold you to him.”

His voice was blank, devoid of any emotion. The shocked silence prevailed undisturbed for a good five minutes before you found your voice.

“You what?”

Charging forward, you went flying towards the old man, when Alexei caught hold of your hips, holding you in place.

“It’s not what you think, Y/N,” the big man said, heaving in exertion as you squirmed and cursed out loud.

“Get your hands off me! Get your hands off me!”

He let go, but clasped your wrist instead.

“I just asked if I could take you with me to Russia. He said he didn’t have anyone to support him if you left, so…”

“So? So, you offered money to take me away? Who do you think you are?” Your voice was rising to dangerous limits. “Am I an object you can just buy? Fuck you.”

Your father was sober for like the first time in months, and then he went and sold you off to make money to drink even more?

“And you!” Pointing your finger at the old man, you screeched in anger. “You fucking sold your daughter to get drunk even more? Why didn’t you die instead of mom?”

“Enough, Y/N,” he shouted, getting up and smacking his dry lips. “You be goin’ with the Russian. It’s the least you can do for yer’ old man.”

“Are you listening to yourself?” You screamed, voice breaking and throat going dry from all the screeching.

“Now, now, Y/N, take a breath.” Alexei came nearer, whispering in your ear. “You want to escape this place; I offer you a pass. Why do you resist?”

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Billie widened her eyes in shock.

“Y/N! Are ya fuckin’ outta your mind?”

You shook your head, aware of Alexei watching you from across the pub.

“Far from it.”

She leaned down and lowered her voice.

“Girl, ya know what ya gettin’ yerself into?”

“Yeah, I know. Billie, he’s gonna take me outta this wretched town!”

“At the cost of what, Y/N? He’s married, he’ll probably sell you to another guy or worse he’d put you in a brothel.”

“I know.” You sipped the beer and swallowed the liquid before adding:

“I will be careful, Billie. He got strength, but I got brains.”

She scoffed. “Seems more like them brains evaporated in the heat, based on what nonsense yer talkin’, girl.”

You were touched by her concern. Being the only two girls in the neighborhood, it went without saying that she was like a sister to you. And if the most spirited daredevil of the town was worried about you, there really was a grim storm brewing for you.

“Listen, Billie. I’ll be sharp. I won’t get kicked into a brothel. You know me, girl.”

She considered your determined face, before giving up. “Well, if ya say that ya’ll be alright, it gon’ be alright I guess.” She looked over at Alexei. “When ya leavin’?”

“This afternoon. There’s a train to the capital. A ship’s leaving for his country on Thursday.”

“So, the three days until that…”

“He says we’ll stay and look around the capital until the ship sails.”

She curled her lips at you. “You got balls, girl.”

You grinned, smiling at her as you downed the rest of the beer. Both of you knew that you were never going to see each other again.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Want to go to bed?” the man asked, pulling you snug against his side profile.

“Alexei.” Your tone was curt. “Don’t touch me unless I say it’s okay to.”

Bitch. Well, he would break you in soon. He’d have you begging on all fours. Just wait till he got on that ship with you. There was no way he was going to wait longer than that.

“Apologies, I will see you tomorrow then.”

He withdrew to his own hotel room. You had arrived at the capital at 11 am. It was Tuesday. Three more days to go before you sailed to Russia with him. You had demanded a separate room. He had tried to reason with you, but you just wouldn’t hear of it.

Alexei saw you slam the door shut, standing on the verandah. He lit his cigar. Soon, he said to himself. Soon he’d have his dick inside that uptight ass of yours.

Your father had been surprisingly easy to bend. He had just said that he had struck diamonds when the old man folded like a napkin. He had honestly meant to gossip until you returned, but he quickly saw a delicious opportunity right before his eyes.

He had innocently talked about how it would be difficult for the old man if you left town, and soon enough, he had wrapped him around his little finger. He just gave him one of the smallest diamonds, the most unclear of them all, but the man danced like it was Christmas already.

“Take her, yes, by all means,” he had said, rolling the stone around in his palm. “The lass don’t have much savings, it would be damn difficult for me to get ‘er a man. Better you take ‘er. I’m happy.”

Alexei had been quite taken aback. The man really was willing to give up his daughter for a low-quality diamond. But hey, he had no qualms. He was getting the best looking girl he had laid eyes on, and soon enough he would trade you for money, or better yet, another girl.

He blew out the smoke, slowly imagining how your naked body would feel under him. Those pert tits, he could almost see them in his mind. He would make you take back every sharp word you had said to him since the day he bought you. He looked down, exhaling the smoke again. He would have to take care of the tent in his pants by himself. Until Thursday.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Jimin-ah,” the girl drawled, draping herself against his warm, shirtless torso. “Stay a bit longer.”

He raked his slim fingers through his mussed hair, clicking his tongue.

“I’m sorry, baby, but I have to go.”

She pouted at him, sticking out her lower lip. “When will you be back?”

He scooped her up, kissing the top of her head.

“Soon. Really soon, baby.”

He slipped his shirt on, shaking his hair free and arranging it again.

“Don’t stay up too long, I’ll be back tomorrow.” He kissed her knuckles, reluctantly letting her hand go.

“I love you, Jimin-ah,” she whined, gazing forlornly at his back.

He grimaced unbeknownst to her. He didn’t love her. And he most certainly wasn’t going to see her again. He rapidly exited the dingy hotel, not caring in the least that the poor woman would wait for him to return. Gosh, the extents a guy had to go to, to get a nice fuck these days.

Jimin didn’t really go to sex workers. It wasn’t his style. No, he was the playboy. He liked the thrill of seducing a woman, making her a gooey mess, making her tremble in anticipation of his touch. He was skilled at those games. But once the initial thrill was over, he didn’t have much to do with the girl. The longest he had been with a girl after sex was 3 days. He shuddered. What a whiny bitch she had been. Ugh.

He was strolling through the streets, scoping out potential targets. He was already hungry. He had to pick a few pockets soon if he wanted to sleep with a full tummy. The street was bustling with people. He eyed each person as he slowly danced through the crowd.

Park Jimin was a slippery thief. He had the agility of a panther stalking its prey. For anyone who looked at him, he would seem like an innocent baby-faced man in his early twenties. The air of childish charm made it very easy for him to fool people. He had to do nothing but stare wistfully at the street from the window of the coffee shop, and boom! He would have a kind-hearted unwitting girl wanting to buy him coffee. So easy.

His hand slipped into the loop of your handbag, and before he knew, you had clasped his wrist tight. Alexei went on walking before you, apparently not seeing the man digging his hand into your handbag. You didn’t say anything, walking on sedately behind Alexei, not budging an inch as Jimin whispered cuss words and tried to wiggle his wrist free.

When Alexei was beyond earshot, you hissed at Jimin angrily.

“What the fuck were you doing?”

He tagged along, unable to believe that he had been caught so easily. The cat burglar, caught in plain daylight by a woman? Was he losing his touch?

Alexei was still walking ahead, inhaling the aroma of fresh roasted coffee beans wafting throughout the pavement. You came to a halt, narrowing your eyes at the gorgeous man who was squirming under your grip.

“I- I was hungry,” He had decided to turn his charm tap on. Maybe you were one of those gullible women who would melt. “I’m sorry, I had no choice.” He hung his head in shame. “I lost my job, there’s no money for food…” His tears flowed easily. A corner of his mind wondered if he should take up acting. He could give those Broadway actors a run for their money.

You let his hand go, watching Alexei’s back warily. Digging into your purse, you pulled out an old currency note. It wasn’t much, but it was all that you had.

“Take this. Get something to eat.”

He accepted it silently. “Thank you, ma’am.” His hunger made him fold. Jimin knew that you could have called the big man to box his ears, and he admired your nerve.

His eyes scanned your persona, and his inner thief sang when he saw the chain and bracelet you were wearing. You were wearing what was worth his entire month’s fun.

“I’d like to repay you. I will return the money as soon as I can.” He watched you, simultaneously keeping an eye on the big man who had stopped to examine something in a roadside shop.

“Don’t worry about it,” you said, touched by the man’s sincerity.

“No, I insist. I’d have become a thief if it weren’t for you.” He smiled inside at the soft expression blooming on your face. Damn, girls were so naïve.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Alexei was knocking on your door impatiently.

‘Y/N? Let me in!”

You feigned a yawn and opened the door just a little bit.

“What is it?”

He tried to pry the door open, but your resistance was surprisingly strong. “It’s Wednesday, remember the carnival I told you about? Come on now.”

You put on the best sick face you could, rasping slowly, “I feel so tired, Alexei. My head hurts. You go on. I’ll come with you in the afternoon.”

He tsked, annoyed at having to leave you behind. But he wasn’t foolish enough to leave you unguarded. He had slipped two enormous wads of cash into the bellboy’s hand as soon as you had arrived at the hotel. The bellboy and the man guarding the door would never let you set foot outside the door. You were as good as trapped.

“Well, okay then. I’ll come to fetch you for lunch.”

When you closed the door behind you, an audible sigh emanated from under the bed. Jimin climbed back into the bed, his naked upper body shining in the morning light. He was only wearing his boxers, and his toned thighs were deliciously on display as he wiggled his toes at you.

“Come on, Y/N,” he purred, voice heavy with lust. “I can’t have enough of you.”

You smiled at him, climbing into his lap like a kitten. His fingers carded through your hair as you watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest. He drew soft patterns on your skin, murmuring affectionate words and sighing happily.

His eyes were on the chain and bracelet you had carelessly left on the bedside table. It was making his palms itch. He had listened to you all night, patting your back gently as you told him all about the dilemma your father had put you in. Part of his brain had been focused on you, but the other had been drooling at the chain glinting on your chest.

“It’s okay baby,” he had cooed, “We’ll get you out of the guy’s clutches.”

You had made passionate love; it had been your first time ever. But that hadn’t stopped you from enjoying it. Billie the encyclopedia had given you lots of inside information, so much that you knew a lot more than playboy Jimin even did. Jimin had no idea he was fucking a virgin, so good was your theoretical knowledge.

“Jiminie,” you said, grazing your nail against his chest.

“Yeah, baby?”

“The ship leaves tomorrow. How can we escape before that?”

“I wish I had money to get you tickets for another ship, baby. But you know I’m penniless.” He held his breath, waiting to see if you would say the words he longed to hear.

“I don’t either, Jiminie.” Well, obviously. Think harder, airhead. “But maybe you can sell the diamonds and get enough money.” There you go, pea brain.

He licked his lips, waiting for you to reach for the jewels on the table. Wow, he was going to live a goddamn rich life. But his face scrunched up when you reached inside your bag instead.

“Baby, whatcha doing?”

You looked up at him innocently, extracting a little tied-up handkerchief from your bag. “Getting you the diamonds.”

His confusion dissolved when he saw you untie the kerchief, revealing a big pebble-sized diamond and a handful of smaller button-sized diamonds. Oh, he’d be damned.

You picked the big one, handing it to him. “Can you try and sell it? It’s of the best quality.”

He licked his dry mouth to life. “So many- so many diamonds?”

You laughed. “Alexei has a lot more. He gave me these to make me agree to go with him to Russia.” Alexei had no idea that you had stolen from his bag, but Jimin didn’t need to know that.

Jimin turned the diamond over in his palm. Fuck, it was the biggest he had ever seen. His mind was working on overdrive.

“Why not give all of them to me, baby? I’ll sell them all and bring the money.”

Like hell you would. You shook your head.

“No, it’s easier to sell one and get going. We can sell the rest as the need arises.”

Tight bitch.

He had to think of a way to purloin the rest of the lot later. For now, he would go with your plans.

“Sounds like a good plan, baby. I’ll get going then.”

You watched him dress himself up in a rush. He was so beautiful, naked or otherwise. So damn beautiful.

Jimin saw your eyes drift to the table. He cursed under his breath. The chain and bracelet would have to wait.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Naturally, Jimin knew the best places to go to. He was a thief, and he was buddies with a lot of pawnbrokers.

“Heya there, Jimin!” the man called, smiling his crooked smile at his favorite customer. Jimin brought a lot of stuff to his shop, and he was glad to do business with the innocent cherub.

“Brought a diamond today, Han,” Jimin said, looking around the cold, dark room. No other person was around. Jimin loved the cold ambiance of pawnshops. The metallic smell of old silver and brass made him feel at peace. There were so many interesting things on display. He felt like a child taken to Disney Land.

“Let’s take a look,” Han said, extending his palm.

Jimin looked around at the stuff Han had recently acquired, whistling softly while the man appraised the diamond.

Han looked up from his loupe, eyes wide. “How ever did you get such a good stone, Jimin? This one is easily worth thousands!”

Jimin’s heart lifted. He had been worried that you might have sent him on a wild goose chase. He had doubted if it really was a diamond at first, because you were ready to part with it freely. He smiled at Han.

“A chick I know had it.”

Han winked. “Got rid of her yet?”

Flashing him a conspiratorial smile, Jimin drawled, “Will do soon.”

He turned to Han on his way out. “I’ll bring you some more, hold on to your breath.”

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Jimin was on his way back to your hotel. He had stopped to buy a ticket to Bermuda. He was going to sail away happily. The only thing was, he needed to rob the rest of your diamonds before the end of the day. He would stay up after you slept, and sneak off with them.

He had so much money in his hands, and his robber instinct told him to flee already. But then, those button sized diamonds beckoned, appealing to his greedy heart. Some more money wouldn’t hurt. There had been at least 10 diamonds in there. Not to mention your jewelry. Greed made his feet walk automatically back to you.

When you opened the door, you were dressed up. It was evening already, nightfall was approaching. Maybe you had gone to the carnival after lunch with that Alexei guy. Jimin didn’t really care where you went as long as the diamonds were safe.

“Hey,” you whispered, letting him slip into your room. “Did you sell it?”

He grinned and dangled the thick wads of cash before your eyes. “Uh-huh. See? We’re gonna run away together, baby.”

You clapped your hands in delight, taking the wads from his hands. You counted carefully, looking up at him with a startled “15 thousand?”

Jimin had taken five thousand for himself, but he wasn’t going to tell you. He simply nodded.

You were surprised. Wow. You had thought that the diamond required more polishing. You had only expected a few thousands. But this was so good.

“Jiminie, you were right, will you hold on to these diamonds too?”

You thrust the diamonds bundled in the kerchief into his hand. “I don’t want Alexei to find out at the last minute.”

He had to put so much effort to stop himself from laughing out loud. This was going so deliciously well.

“Sure, give it, I’ll keep it safe.”

He tucked the bundle neatly into his pocket, innocence painted all over his face.

“Hmm…” you embraced him, sighing in contentment. You were going to escape Alexei. The thought made you giddy with happiness. You tied the wads of cash into a scarf, securing it under your pillow.

Jimin watched you, fascinated. Ooh. He could run away with the diamonds and the cash. Midnight would be the best time. It wouldn’t hurt to fuck you a couple times to while the time away.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

“Y/N?”

Jimin had watched you go into the bathroom. But you hadn’t come back yet. Maybe it was the right time to run.

He dug his hand under the pillow, groping blindly to feel the cash. It wasn’t there. Fuck.

He turned to see the light still streaming from under the bathroom door. He had to decide if it was worth the risk to try again. His hand roamed on the bedside table. Thank goodness, the jewels were there. He grinned to himself. Awesome. He had to make a run for it.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

When Alexei opened the door in the morning, there was no sign of you. He stormed into the bathroom, calling out your name. No answer.

He ran down furiously, looking for the bellboy.

“Where is Y/N?” he shouted, bunching up the boy’s collar in rage.

“I don’t know, sir,” the boy said, surprised and caught unawares.

“You little cocksucker,” Alexei screamed, shaking the boy until his joints rattled. “You just cost me my bitch!”

The bellboy remembered the crisp notes you had slipped him at midnight. It was more than Alexei had paid him to keep you inside. You had been the highest bidder, so it was only fair that he let you go.

“I honestly don’t know,” he said, allowing Alexei to box his ears. “I never saw her come down.”

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

You were on a cruise ship to Bermuda. It left at 9 am, and you had found the ticket luckily in Jimin’s pocket at midnight. The guy had to learn how to safeguard his stuff. You stifled a giggle. Poor bastard. He was probably shocked when you never returned from the bathroom. You snorted, and an elderly man looked at you in surprise.

At last, you were free. Life was so exciting; you had a whole new chapter waiting to be written. It was going to be a ride, and you were determined to enjoy it thoroughly. You remembered Billie. She would have loved to go with you.

Retiring to your cabin, you picked out a paper and started writing a letter. Detailing your adventures, you finished with the lines:

‘You were right, Billie. I would never have survived out here if it weren’t for brains. I fled and made sure Jimin would be responsible for the stolen diamond and not me. My hands are clean.’

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

Alexei found out that a big diamond was missing from his rucksack, and he stormed off to get in touch with the police. They assured him that they would look into all the diamonds pawned over the last couple of days.

He thought you were too naïve to embark on a journey alone. You were probably hiding out in a motel, waiting till the hue and cry died down. He was sure that the investigations into the pawnshops would lead him to you.

Han was sweating profusely when Jimin returned.

“Whatever’s the matter, man?” Jimin asked, raising his eyebrows at the guy.

“Police are sweeping all the pawnshops in the district for that diamond of yours. My cousin runs a shop too, and he just dropped by to share the news.”

Jimin tensed. It would be a tight stretch to pawn the rest of the diamonds to Han. The man was in enough trouble already.

“Okay, I’ll come back after a while then.” He shook the tied-up bundle before Han’s eyes.

“Yeah, you do that. It’s for the better.”

Jimin paused to think. Han might give him away if the police pressed too much. He untied the bundle and extracted a couple diamonds, passing them over to Han.

“Here’s a gift, you keep quiet and you can have them for free.”

Han looked at the stones in his hand wide-eyed, unable to stammer out his thanks. He nodded silently, bending down to examine the stones.

Police sirens were sounding in the distance, growing closer by the second. Jimin’s foot was almost out the door when Han called:

“These ain’t diamonds, they’re Zirconia! They’re worthless!”

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

#bts fanfic #bts jimin #bts #bangtan fanfic #bangtan #parkner #park jimin x reader #park jimin x oc #park jimin x y/n #Fool's Diamonds #jimin #bangtan boys #bts fanfction #bts park jimin #chimchim #thief au

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lo-55 · 3 years

Text

Tilt The Hourglass Ch. 12

It occurred to Maul only when they were halfway to the mainland that he should probably tell Jango that they hadn’t died.

Maul didn’t know why he was bothering, exactly. However much Jango might fancy himself a would-be-father for Maul he wasn’t. He wasn’t a father, or a master, or anyone that Maul owed true loyalty to. Maul owed him for patching him up, nothing more. He did not ask to be adopted and he did not need a parent or anyone to take care of him. He was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He had been for years.

After this job that debt of his should be paid for, and Maul could go on about his life. He could find Kilindi and Daleen, fetch his brother from Dathomir before the witches could twist him into a tool for their use, and start building his shadow empire.

That was his plan, wasn’t it?

"Plans are fragile things, and life often dashes expectations to the ground."

Maul’s head snapped around. He’d heard something again. A woman’s voice this time, one that whispered to him from a space between shadows. In his mind it was painted pale purple and white.

Tiny, pin-pricked claws caught on his sleeve and one of the vornskr’s clambered up to rest on his shoulder, pushing her head against Maul’s cheek before she crawled inside his hood and lay herself around his neck. Her dark body was warm and fluffy with baby fur.

She hadn’t reacted to the voice, nor had anyone else in the ship of freed slaves. Not even those few who stood close enough to hear a whisper away from him where he sat next to a control panel in the galley.

Not a real voice then. Not one from a physical place.

Maul touched his temple, beneath one of his crowning horns, and felt his stomach twist unpleasantly. Was it returning, now, the madness he had spent so long entrenched in? Mother Talzin’s magics had stitched together his fragmented mind with green energy and her own will, and after her death he had been forced to learn to hold it together himself. Sometimes the insanity threatened to creep back in. Sometimes he woke up and it was too dark and he could hear acid rain hissing and see the scratched paintings that a lunatic had put on the wall in fits of rage that kept him living and breathing but not truly there.

It was a terrible thing, the madness.

Being not himself, or worse when he was lucid enough to almost grasp onto concepts more solid than filling his mouth with blood and filling his heart with vengeance but could not quite grab hold of the flitting knowledge of who and what he was, or even what he hated so much that it kept his heart beating when the weaker would have perished.

He’d lost a decade of his life to that haze, in the squalor and the garbage and the fire.

Thrown away like everything else on Lotho Minor.

His nails dug hard into his thigh, biting into the skin there until it threatened to break and grounding him in the fact that he was not there. He had legs. They hurt.

Maul took a breath, slowly, and wove the fear in his heart into a latticed shield that he’d been patching around his mind. It had done enough to keep him safe from the Jedi, but they hadn’t really been looking at him. They’d had no reason to prod his mind for more than superficial surface thoughts.

Sidious had done more damage than Maul wanted to admit, and it would take more time than he had to completely fix it. If he ever could. There were scars in his skull, deep claw tracks that his master had left for him when he lanced through his thoughts and tore them asunder.

He touched the small muzzle of his vornskr. Her companions, siblings, perhaps, found a place on his lap.

The voice did not sound like the mad hissing and the frantic, cloying whispers of his shattered self. For one thing, he had never had a woman's voice. For another, it was not dripping with loathing and desperate pain.

The scars on his palm itched.

Once he was centered again, and sure of the world around him, Maul input Jango’s comm code.

He answered a second later.

“Who is this?” he demanded. His voice was short and sharp and there was the distinct sound of metal being ripped apart in the back ground. What was he doing? Maul had the feeling he’d missed something while he was on the platform with Kenobi.

“Maul,” was all he said.

Jango’s tone changed instantly. “Maul! Where are you? Why didn’t you answer the call?!”

Maul rolled his eyes. Why was Jango so worked up?

“I used an EMP to kill the explosive charges in a bunch of slave collars on the mine I found Kenobi on. It knocked out the comm along with everything else.” Maul wasn’t sure why he wasn’t just telling Jango that he hadn’t felt like it.

“... You know what. I’ll ask when you get back. Where did you get the EMP?”

“I made it.”

Jango went quiet. Then, “Where did you come from?!”

Maul couldn't help it. He actually laughed. A rough, unused sound.

“Orsis,” he said finally. “I trained on Orsis.”

“Orsis. Fuck. That explains a lot. Okay. How did you make the EMP?”

“Battery, door lock capacitor, wire coil.”

“Kriff.”

“Why?”

“Long story short? The di’kut jetii’s wayward student planted a bomb on a timer in the ionite mines. It’s going to blow up the planet.”

Maul looked up to see Kenobi sitting across from him, horror on his face. “Cursed,” Maul said firmly.

“Wait!” Kenobi jumped across the gap to slap his hands next to the ships com, nearly knocking his little lizard askew from its place clinging to his ginger hair. It’s tail slapped Kenobi in the cheek. Maul leaned away from him.

“Ionite! Ionite disrupts electronics, especially clocks and sensors. Miner’s are afraid of it,” Kenobi said quickly.

“Ob’ika!” Jango sounded relieved. “You’re both safe?”

“Yes,” he said, a strange smile on his face, “But the bomb-”

“We’ll handle it,” Jango promised. “Can the two of you meet us at our apartment?”

“We can,” Maul assured, shouldering Kenobi behind him. “And Jango?”

“Hmm?” There was the sound of rocks being thrown against something metallic. Jinn shouted something too far away to be heard. Hopefully he got hit with a rock.

“I have dibs on the dar’jetti.”

“Absolutely not-!”

Maul hung up the com and sat back in the seat to shoot a crooked grin at Kenobi.

“What did you mean by that?” Kenobi asked curiously.

“I mean that Xanatos has royally pissed me off, and I have no intention of letting him go now. If he was at the mines I have a starting point. Go back to the apartment.”

“Not without you!” Kenobi grabbed his arm. “We go together.”

Maul looked at him. His blue eyes were bright and true. Maul’s mouth thinned into a line. It would be dangerous for him but… Kenobi was stronger than he looked. If he had survived this on his own before, he must be. Maul underestimated him.

“Very well. Together, then.”

Maul inclined his head to Kenobi, and ignored the way he burst into a grin. Force, he was so young.

Maul had the newly freed slaves drop them off somewhere where Maul could ‘commander’ and speeder for them. Kenobi sat behind him, holding onto his poncho while the vonskr piled into the front of his shirt and Kenobi’s little lizard hid inside the jedi’s pocket.

Maul turned them suddenly away from the mine. The Force, darkness whispering around his fingers, hissed at him that Xanatos was not there.

“Where are we going?” Kenobi shouted in his ear.

Maul didn’t respond. He sped faster, roaring through the crowded streets of Bando. If Xanatos had set a mine to blow up the planet then he wouldn’t still be around, and Maul had found the landing platform that Offworld used for its corporate members when he’d been poking around Xanatos’ files.

They shot onto the landing platform from the street, bursting past the security teams and weaving between blaster fire until they went tumbling off the bike and directly into the cargo hold of a shiny nubien transport ship. It certain didn’t look like it came through an Ion storm.

Kenobi landed on his feet and Maul at his side in a crouch. He forced the vornskr out of his clothes and shooed them off to the side.

They were like him. Fighters, angry and vicious down in their bones, hunters with sleak bodies ready to grow into muscle and danger. Venom coated their pointed tails.

“Stay,” Maul ordered harshly, pushing them between two boxes for their own safety. He could feel the little female in his mind, upset at being pushed aside. Their bond was already strong.

Kenobi put his little pet in with Maul’s future hunters and the pair turned around right as the door slid open with a hiss and Xanatos came out, his cloak billowing. He was flanked by two assassin droids of a much more basic model than the CIS had used. He moved with a natural battle prowess, and looked down his nose at the children before him.

Maul bared his teeth. Good. It would make it that much easier to kill him.

Maul drew his blaster and fired without warning. Xanatos ripped his lightsaber out of his sleeve and flicked it on with a buzz. The red blade hummed ominous. Maul eyed it derisively. He could sense it from here. The crystal had been bled, but not properly. Xanatos was full of hatred, but not enough.

Maul fired again and Kenobi ignited his own ‘saber. The little Jedi threw himself at the wash out with abandon. He was vicious and fast, the familiar forms he had used in the future nowhere to be found.

Maul ignored the off footed feeling it left him with and kept shooting, careful not to his Kenobi while he was at it. The bolts shot back and hit the walls, scorching them and freeing crates from nets to go falling around them. It gave Maul the leverage to climb higher and hit Xanatos in the shoulder, thoroughly ruining his fine cloak.

Good. It was gaudy anyways.

The assassin droids came after them alongside their master with electro-staves, forcing Maul and Kenobi to fight three on two. Enraged by his loss of fashion Xanatos snarled and launched himself clean over Kenobi to slash down at Maul, who ducked and rolled out of the way. When Kenobi tried to held the droids intercepted him and tried to cut him down, forcing him on the defensive.

He had to dodge and weave the slashes and jabs that Xanatos sent his way. He dropped and swept his foot out to knock Xanato’s feet out from under him.

Maul fired at him twice and had both shots deflected.

“Have you always had such sloppy footwork?” Maul asked dryly.

Xanatos rose to his feet. Kenobi circled him on the other side. Xanatos dodged between the two of them, trying to get them to slip up and strike eachother, but both of them managed to avoid it. The Force curled around Maul as his temper rose and impatience came with it, practically begging to be used.

Maul shot just over Xanatos’ shoulder and steam erupted in the ship, screaming through the hold. The steam burned Xanatos’ arm, forcing a howl out of his mouth.

Pathetic.

Maul caught Kenobi’s eyes and jerked his chin towards the ex-Jedi. Kenobi caught his meaning and abandoned his opponents when he launched himself at Xanatos with a powerful overhead strike.

Xanatos lashed out with the Force and slammed Kenobi into the wall so hard the metal dented. His lightsaber went out and fell to the ground with a clatter beside him while Kenobi’s body fell limp, just behind Maul.

Rage coiled through Maul’s body.

No, absolutely not.

He didn’t hear the speeder roaring closer. He didn’t hear his comm, recovered from the EMP, going off. All he heard was the echoing of Kenobi’s body and his own blood rushing through his ears.

“You shouldn’t have bothered with the Jedi,” Xanatos lectured, his voice slick. His Force slithered around Maul’s skull and tried to poke and prod him into listening. Maul snarled. “They don’t care about anyone or anything. They are cruel, and they will betray you in the end. They don’t understand true power.”

“And you do?” Maul snapped, his voice harsh and echoing through the coiling steam. Xanatos’ smile was a sickening sight. Maul was going to cut his face off and rip the mouth apart.

“I understand it better than any of them. Let me show you!”

Xanatos threw his hand out, intending to strangle Maul, but Maul batted the Force choke away. Xanatos was strong in the darkside, for someone who hadn’t been trained in it.

Maul was born to it.

Raised in it.

Suffered and bled and killed for it.

The Darkside hummed through his veins.

The ships ramp shook and clattered around the ground and the ship itself creaked as power filled it and pushed outwards, away from Maul. He lifted one hand and squeezed a fist to crush the droids on either side of Xanatos into nothing more than balls of scrap metal and wire.

The former Jedi stepped back, his eyes wide. Fear flickered through them.

Good.

Maul touched the barrels of his blaster. He unhooked them from the base and pulled them free. They swung apart, a hinge in the middle keeping them together until the bases met.

Red extended from one side, and crimson from the other. Maul held it in front of him, with Kenobi limp behind him and the darkness raging around the pair.

“You-” Xanatos gasped.

Maul met his eyes squarely.

“You speak of power as if you have it. You have barely scratched the surface of the Darkside. So you covet one scar and one loss above all else? You are weak. Pathetic. The Darkside is born of fear and hate and you seek to control all things. But the Darkness can never be truly controlled. You are weak, ex-Jedi. You were never even a Knight. I have killed Padawan’s, Knights and Masters. I will kill you too.”

Xanatos lifted his ‘saber up to block Maul’s first attack, but he was forced to defend. Each arching strike was powerful and intended to take his head. Each twisted and flash of red launched at his openings and weaknesses.

Over, under, left, right, Maul came from all angles. Xanatos was good, but not good enough. He was no Jinn, no Kenobi, no Tano.

Maul dodged and slash aimed at his shoulder and drove the edge of his ‘saber through Xanato’s chest.

It was quick. Quicker than he deserved.

Maul stepped back and let him fall to the ground with a hole smoking in his chest.

He stood over him, his lightsaber singing in his grasp of vengeance and satisfaction. It had met its first blood with a fallen Jedi of the same lineage that Maul had spent a lifetime battling. Maul’s hood fell from his shoulders and he turned at last to his fallen battle-partner.

He found pale blue eyes watching him. The pupils were dilated and Kenobi only uttered a weak groan. There was blood along his lips and his injured back had certainly been done no favors by the rough treatment at Xanatos’ hands.

Maul walked towards him slowly. He turned off his ‘saber and folded it back in half just as Jinn and Jango came bursting through the doorway in a clatter of armor and boots. Maul picked up his blaster and carefully clicked the ‘saber back in its place before he joined Jango at Kenobi’s side. The Mandalorian was checking him over, testing his ribs and stomach for broken bones and internal bleeding. He head bled sluggishly from a cut along the back of it.

“You found us,” Maul said, surprised.

Jango shot him a look. “I don’t know if you know this, but it’s my job to find people on the run. It doesn’t matter if their petty thieves or corporate hot shots. I’m very good at my job, Maul’ika.”

Jango glanced at Maul’s blaster. So he had noticed after all. He was still acting like everything was the same. Like Maul wasn’t a sith.

“Come on. Let’s get Ob’ika to a proper doctor. And stop shaking the ship.”

Maul hadn’t even realized that it was still trembling under the force of his anger. The ship shuddered and the lights flickered when he draw the darkness back inside himself and tucked it carefully into the ocean of his being.

He spared a glance at Jinn, who was cradling the body of Xanatos as if he hadn’t just tried to kill him and half a planet’s worth of people.

Had Kenobi held Jinn like that after Maul had killed him?

An armoured hand on his shoulder broke him from his thoughts. Maul looked up to see Jango standing over him with Obi Wan hefted onto his back. He still looked dazed, but with the weight of Maul’s anger lifted from him he was much more relaxed.

“C’mon. Let the jetii mourn. I’m trusting you to watch my back on the way to the hospital.”

Maul personally thought trusting a Sith was a terrible choice, but whatever. He nodded once to the Mandalorian before he went over to the shelter he had left their companions in. He came back holding three vornskr and Kenobi’s varactyl.

Jango stopped walking when he saw Maul approach with a bundle of tiny animals.

“... You’re cleaning up after them.”

Maul scoffed. “Obviously.”

The pair left Jinn to mourn his fallen apprentice.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jango left Obi Wan to rest in Maul’s bedroom in their apartment before he made his way out to the kitchen, where Maul was feeding their new little guests. Three small feline creatures with puffy black fur and long tails that pointed at the end in a diamond shape.

The three were all equipped with tiny, sharp claws and razor sharp baby teeth.

Jango hadn’t even considered saying ‘no’ when Maul had pulled them out of a small space between crates in the cargo hold of Xanatos’ ship. The boy was a natural born hunter if he’d found the dar’jetii before either he or Jinn had arrived.

Jango hadn’t liked working with Jinn, and he liked even less tripping over him in close quarters combat with a coward who had no intention of fighting them straight. They had done more damage to each other than they had to Xanatos.

In the end it hadn’t mattered.

Jango’s kid had cut him down with a lightsaber of all things.

Jango couldn't say he was surprised.

The Manda had been very loud about the boy, and Jango had seen him building the strange blaster over the last few days. He’d known he’d been up to something curious, but he hadn’t been inclined to ask right off. Nothing had been put together in a way that looked like it would explode, and Maul had seemed to know what he was doing.

Now Jango knew why.

Orsis. Kriff.

He’d heard of the academy there. The headmaster, Trezza, had recruited a Mandalorian years ago. Meltch Krakko may have been Kry’tsad but he was a formidable fighter. When he disappeared for nearly a decade it had been enough to warrant Jaster looking into it and Jango after. Now he was back with the Kyr’tsad and a royal thorn in Jango’s side.

Had Maul been trained by Krakko? He’d been back for three years, and Maul looked much too young to belong to Orsis for that long. Yet, Maul was not a half trained student. He was well trained, a frightening thing. No child should be that good at killing.

It also confirmed… certain things.

Jango came to sit across the counter from where Maul was wrestling one of the felines with his hand, trying to ‘fight’ it for the small hunk of meat he was holding. The little varactyl that Maul said was Obi Wan’s was stretched out in front of a sunbeam that came through the window. Morning had already come and only Obi Wan had gotten any sleep.

Jango set his helmet on the counter and ran his fingers through his hair.

He was too young for this. He was too young for two kids and four animals, and more kids to come. He’d promised to help Maul fetch his brother. That would mean three kids. Four, maybe, Maul had used plural but he’d been vague.

Jango didn’t know that he could raise all of them on his own. He was only twenty two, and he was Mand’alor as well. He didn’t even have a riduur to help him. How could he give the boys all the attention and care they deserved?

Maul and Obi Wan were already independent for their age, and given when little Jango knew of them it wasn’t that much of a surprise. Apparently the jettii sucked at caring for their young. While that meant that he probably didn’t have to worry about making sure they got dinner and washed up it meant that he needed to be more present for other matters.

For the compassion and care they had been denied before. To coax the both of them into trusting him and letting him take care of them when he could. Would it really be fair to ask that they put up with a buir that had so many responsibilities to the Haat’ade?

Jango had been so sure of himself before. And he hadn’t changed his mind. He wanted Maul as his son. He wanted Obi Wan too.

But he had to think about what was best for the boys.

On top of Jango’s own issues there was also the matter of the Force.

Obi Wan had dreamed for so long of being a Knight, and his heart was crushed by the idea that it would never come true. Maul had already proven himself to be powerful in the magic, even more so tonight.

Jango glanced at his blaster.

He didn’t know what he’d expected when he arrived at Xanatos’ ship with Jinn, their alliance held together only by the common goal of ‘stop Xanatos’, but it certainly hadn’t been Maul standing protectively over a downed Obi Wan before he sprung into a fight so fast and vicious Jango hadn’t been able to keep up with it at the time. He’d been a blur of red and black rage that took Xanatos down in the time it took Jango and Jinn to cross the landing pad at a run.

“You are taking this better than I expected,” Maul said suddenly.

Jango pulled his gaze away from the blaster to look at the boy.

“Taking what?” Jango asked, laying his hands on the counter. He’d noticed Maul was more comfortable when he could see everyone’s hand around him. It was just the smallest easing of his shoulders. Jango understood.

“Me,” Maul said bluntly. Jango frowned. His confusion must have shown, or Maul felt it in the Force, because he elaborated. “My lightsaber. And the Force. You felt it there.”

“Well yes,” Jango tilted his head. “I knew about it already.”

Maul’s head snapped up and he sat straight, knocking his playmate on his back. The feline chirped angrily at him and snatched the meat. He went scampering over to his litttermates, and ended up getting knocked head over heels by the female. She was a scrapper, and she adored Maul.

“You what?!”

Jango’s heart softened. Maul hadn’t known. He’d been hiding it this whole time. Had he been afraid? Had he thought Jango was going to punish him for having such abilities?

Jango recalled the scars that painted Maul’s body.

It was very possible that that was what he expected, because that was what had happened in the past. The idea made Jango’s blood heat with anger.

Jango tamped it down so he could speak calmly to Maul.

“When I found you on that ship, the one that you were stowed away in, you lashed out when you were hurt. Every light in the ship exploded.”

Maul grimaced. “I see. Then why didn’t you leave me there?”

Jango didn’t even try to act like he wasn’t horrified.

“You’re a child! I wasn’t leaving an ad alone in the middle of space in a dead ship!”

“You have no obligation to me,” Maul snapped. “I’m not your son, you’ve sworn nothing to me. I’m not a Mandalorian-”

“But you can be. You know you can be.”

The weight of his words betrayed the secondary meaning behind them. Jango watched Maul’s breath catch and his eyes grow wide. His skin paled to pink and grey. Jango winced. He hadn’t meant to scare him that much. He hadn’t meant to scare him at all.

“You saw that,” Maul hissed, scrambling to stand up. Jango made himself stay calm. He made himself stay relaxed, his hands in sight and his eyes open and genuine.

“I did. It was the future, wasn’t it?” He waited for Maul to give a stiff, short nod. Jango stayed very still. “I heard that jetii sometimes see the future, and sometimes they read minds. Mandalorian’s who are more connected to it can sometimes receive information from the Manda, but it’s mostly feelings and intuition.”

“Beskar muffles the Force,” Maul said quietly.

“I didn’t have my buy’ce on when it started. I saw what could have happened, and I saw what you changed it too, with your friends. You’re going to look for the girls eventually too, right?”

Maul nodded slowly.

Jango quietly added two more to his growing list of responsibilities. If it took a clan to raise a child it was going to take the entire Haat’ade to raise Jango’s.

“You knew the whole time,” Maul realized, looking at Jango with new eyes. One of the barriers between them was starting to dissolve. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to scare you. If you wanted me to know you would tell me, eventually. You hate having to make yourself lesser.”

Maul grimaced. “Yes. I do.”

Jango leaned closer across the counter.

“I would never ask you to do that, you know. I would never ask you to pretend to be anything that you aren’t. You’re a feral nexu, and too smart for your own good. You’re a fighter the likes of which I’ve rarely met. Even if I wish that you didn’t have to be. I wasn’t lying, or joking, and I’ve known what you are and what you could be the entire time. I want you as my son, Maul’ika. If you say yes.”

Maul sat back. He looked lost, and confused, but Jango could see a new light in his eyes.

“My brothers. If you take me you take them.”

“I know,” Jango promised. He hesitated. “I wouldn’t try to keep you from family. My buir, Jaster Mereel, took me in. I was a foundling. My parents and my sister were killed by the Kyr’tsad.”

“Oh.”

The door to Obi Wan’s room hissed open and they both turned to see the boy standing there, looking pale and shaken but standing upright. Jango waved him over and Obi Wan came to sit by his side. His varactyle came running off and climbed quickly onto Obi Wan’s shoulder. Obi Wan smiled and pet her head, where a crown of messy feathers was starting to come in.

“It’s good to see you’re up,” Jango said fondly. Obi Wan shot him a shy smile before he sat up straighter. He was far too adult for Jango’s liking.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to inconvenience you like that.”

Jango’s heart broke. He dragged Obi Wan into his side. His armor lay on the corner, so he didn’t smack the boys head on his breast plate.

“It wasn’t an inconvenience, but I wish you boys had waited for us, or at least told us the plan. I would have helped, you know.”

Obi Wan flushed faintly with the simple affection, but he let Jango hug him for a minute more before being released to sit on the stool next to him.

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “But we won! Right?” He looked between the pair. “I.. don’t remember everything. It was dark, and cold, and kind of hard to see…”

“Yes. We won,” Jango assured. “Xanatos is dead. Maul got him.”

Obi Wan looked to Maul in surprise. The zabrak boy hunched his shoulders. Obi Wan’s eyes got wider.

“The lightsaber. The red lightsaber, with two blades. It was real. It was yours.”

Maul nodded, once. His lips curled, ready to bite.

“Yes. It is.”

“But, how? You aren’t a jedi, are you? You’re too young…”

“I’m old enough,” Maul snapped, as he was wont to. Jango privately disagreed. From what he knew of zabraks, Maul hadn’t even hit puberty yet. He wouldn’t have even been eligible for his verd’goten yet.

“But you’re right,” Maul admitted. “I am no jedi. I am… I was, a sith apprentice.”

Obi Wan sucked in a sharp breath. “But the sith are dead!”

“Not dead,” Maul shook his head. “Hiding. A line of Banite sith have been in hiding for a thousand years, passing knowledge from Master to Apprentice.”

“That’s- But- We have to tell the Jedi Council,” Obi Wan said suddenly. Maul lunged across the counter and grabbed his arm.

“No!” He nearly shouted. The lights flickered and Obi Wan’s skin paled. Jango grasped both boys by the shoulders and pulled them apart. Maul spared him a brief glance.

“No,” Maul said again, his voice low and sharp and urgent. “You can’t tell them. They wouldn’t believe you, there’s no proof of what I say and even if there was there’s nothing they can do about it. My- The Master is too powerful politically to be touched, and a religion is not illigal. The Jedi serve the Republic’s whims.”

It was a messy, uneven argument, but it wasn’t wrong either. Besides that Jango had personal doubts about exactly how capable the Jedi Council was. Not just for Galidraan, but for Obi Wan too.

They were fools.

It was still a problem though.

“That’s not all, is it?” Jango pressed, squeezing Maul’s shoulder. He frowned, but nodded, slowly.

“No. It’s not.”

“We can’t let a Sith Lord run free though,” Obi Wan argued. “The Sith are evil! They’ll hurt people.” He faltered and looked at Maul, remembering that he had just called himself a Sith Apprentice.

Maul glared at the table.

“No. We will not let him run free. I will kill him myself. For the pain he caused me. For the life he stole from me. For the people he ripped from my arms and the blood I painted myself in for him. I will kill him for it.”

Obi Wan frowned.

“Revenge is dangerous. Master Yoda says it leads to the Darkside.”

“I’m already entrenched in the Darkside,” Maul said irritably. He tilted his head. “Do you even know the Sith Code?”

Obi Wan frowned. “Well, there’s only ever two of them. And they use that Darkside, and tried to take over the galaxy before. They’d angry and hateful, and evil.”

Again, he winced. Again, Maul didn’t take offense.

“Peace is a lie. There is only Passion.

Through Passion I gain Strength.

Through Strength I gain Power.

Through Power I gain Victory.

Through Victory my chains are Broken.

The Force shall free me”

Maul’s voice echoed with the words of a thousand Sith that came before him. Jango could feel it in his bones, the way the air shifted and the shadows lengthened in the corner of his eyes.

Obi Wan frowned. “That… doesn’t sound that bad.”

Maul inclined his head. “You’re not entirely wrong. My Master is evil. He’s cruel and vicious. And his own master still lives. He has broken the Rule of Two by teaching me. I will end the line of Bane. There is strength in the Darkside.”

“Although,” he added, reluctantly. “The Lightside is not without its own merits.”

“Don’t jetii preach about balance?” Jango wondered aloud.

“They usually mean only for the Light to be prevalent,” Maul said with a grimace.

“But, yes. We do,” Obi Wan said. His face fell. “They do. I’m not a real jedi now. And Master Jinn won’t take me and there’s no one else that would.”

“I told you I would help you, Obi Wan,” Jango reminded him. He hated saying it. He really did, especially given what Galidraan could have been if they hadn’t had the warning from two years ago. “If you really want it, I’ll help you find a teacher too, if you’re willing to put up with us for a while more. There have to be a few Jedi who have less of a stick in their shebs than Jinn does.”

Obi Wan looked at him with such fragile, heartbreaking hope Jango wanted to burn the Jedi temple to the ground. “Really? You think someone would take me?”

If they didn’t, Jango would.

Jango nodded at him with as kind of a smile as he could muster.

“I do. We’ll just have to start looking.”

Maul made a small sound.

“Actually,” he began, “I might have an idea where to start. There’s a reclusive Jedi Master…”

#Darth Maul #Maul #darth maul time travel #jango fett #qui gon jinn #obi wan kenobi #Star Wars #star wars the prequel trilogy #star wars time travel #time travel

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brutal-nemesis · 3 years

Text

Seasoned Explorers

Uhh yeah I finally had to turn in my writing portfolio AKA I finished my phat fiction story with a whumpy ending!

This is a VERY non-canon space pirate AU featuring Castys, Syll, and Erebus, all of whom are mortal and completely human here.

Castys Masterlist

Ingredients: character death, body horror, implied amputation, self harm to escape from danger

“Hey, Castys, I just picked up another old distress signal. And it’s close by, so we should be able to at least pop by and grab some valuables before we need to head back to base,” Syll said, glancing up from her command console.

“This better not be another planet with one of those giant evil apocalypse monsters still roaming around. The scars that fish thing gave me have not gone away yet.” Castys rolled down his sleeve as he said this, revealing a row of puncture marks that stood out on his bronze skin. He lazily examined them while still driving their spaceship.

“The cool thing about scars is that they don’t go away.”

“Oh hey shut up look at that it’s the planet-wow it’s super white.” Castys peered out the window at the huge white sphere that had come into view once the ship had slowed down. Syll got out of her chair and joined him in front of the main window.

“Is it winter in both hemispheres? I didn’t think this one was far enough from its sun to warrant this much ice. And I can’t see any structures or oceans or anything, everything must have been completely frozen over. It could be how they all died,” Syll mused.

“Well, if we get too cold we can always just stab ourselves with our thousand degree knives.” Castys pulled out his plasma knife and held it close to his chest, which probably would have killed him if the blade had been turned on. “Big toasty~.” He put it back in his pocket. “Anyway, could you go get Erebus up while I land this thing? I’ll do it in the southern hemisphere since it’s supposed to be summer there and less cold is good.” Syll nodded and went to wake Erebus, who was sleeping on the lower deck of the ship.

Castys landed the ship in a field next to a frozen city. The three of them met near the exit hatch, and Erebus checked the outside conditions display to see if the atmosphere would be breathable. It was, thankfully, but there was something else that stood out on this supposed frozen planet. “Guys… I don’t think that’s ice out there. The temp gauge says it’s warm out there. Like above-the-melting-point-of-water warm.”

“For real?” Castys replied, shoving Erebus aside to look. “Wack. Guess I won’t need all this warmy stuff then. Especially since this planet isn’t one where the atmosphere isn’t made of toxic gas that’s going to burn my skin.” He shed his warmer layers, and the other two followed suit.

When they stepped outside, they had to shield their eyes for a moment. Everything was a blinding white as far as the eye could see. Every tree and building was covered in a layer of glittering crystals. Flowers sprouted here and there, unnaturally still in the breeze. The ground crunched as they walked on it, the only sound disturbing the unnatural silence that pressed on their ears. The dead planets they pillaged typically still had some sort of life on them, something crawling or running or flying about, but everything here was completely still. Frozen, quiet, and crystalline.

Upon entering the city, they began to find the people. Their forms had been hard to make out from far away in the stark-white environment, but there were hundreds of them throughout the streets. Each and every one was frozen in time. Running, crawling, fallen to the ground, screaming in agony, in disbelief, reaching out to one another, staring up to the sky. Perfectly still statues with every flavor of pain and fear written across their faces.

“What...happened here?” Erebus had stopped in front of the form of a woman collapsed on her knees, a look of horror on her face as she stared at her own hands.

“Yeah this is pretty messed up.” Castys nudged the arm of a person lying on the ground, but they didn’t budge. “I don’t know if it’s as bad as that one planet with all the mushrooms...well, I’m sure y’all remember, but these guys are just like, perfectly frozen in their, uh, magic crystal death.”

“What does it matter? We’re not here to play detective for a dead planet.” Syll paid the frozen people no mind, weaving past them as she continued to walk down the street, looking buildings up and down. “Besides, there’s no use getting all sad about dead people we don’t even know. We see them all the time, pillaging dead planets as much as we do, and this time’s no different.”

“I don’t think we’ve seen anything exactly like this before.” Syll shot an annoyed glare at Castys and he held his hands up in surrender, continuing, “I get what you’re saying, though, so I’m down to stop staring at dead people and try to find some valuables.” He began walking with Syll, and Erebus reluctantly followed, giving the dead woman one last glance.

The three of them usually tried to find a museum or building of the sort when pillaging planets, since works of art of precious artifacts were worth a lot more galaxywide than the planet’s local currency ever could be. Normally, street signs and maps could typically assist in their search, but their crystalline coating made them impossible to read. Erebus tried to scrape the crystals off, but his efforts yielded nothing but more crystals. Wandering around looking for a museum was all they could do.

However, once they saw the building in the distance, they knew they had found it. It was much shorter than the surrounding buildings and was flanked by impressive columns and statues. The three walked through the open doors hoping there was something of value inside. The lights no longer worked, but huge windows along the walls allowed enough light in to see, even though the glass had been turned into the strange crystals. The situation inside the museum wasn’t any different from the outside. Every single thing had been converted to crystals, from the skeletons to the works of art, a blank white scene of greatness long-gone.

“I don’t think there’s gonna be anything worthwhile in here since it’s all crystal-y. Let’s just call this one a dud and head out.” Castys began to turn back and head outside.

“Wait.” Erebus held his arm out, stopping him. “A lot of museums have, like, a room with different minerals and stuff right? Maybe if this place had one we could go and see if this planet has some weird mineral that, I don’t know, spread all over for some reason? There’s gotta be a sign with information or something.”

“That would be a great idea except for, oh yeah,” Castys gestured to a large blank sign next to him, “words aren’t real.” There was an awkward pause. “Like reading words. Here. Because of the crystals. If there was a sign we couldn’t read it. Because everything turned into-” Erebus clamped a hand over Castys’s mouth before he could continue.

“Thank you, Castys. Shut up, Castys.” Castys responded in an even more mature manner by shoving his friend back, causing him to trip and fall on his back. “Ouch. Geez, dude. You made me bite my tongue.”

“OH NO! I’ve killed you, my dear friend.” Castys fell to his knees, his hands clasped in front of him as if in prayer. “Forgive me for this grave sin.”

“Would you two stop fooling around?!” Syll yelled from the top of the large staircase on the other side of the room. “There might still be something worthwhile in this place, even if it is made of these weird crystals. So start looking.” Castys gave her a thumbs up and helped Erebus off the ground before beginning to explore.

After about an hour, the three of them met up in one of the rooms on the upper floor. There wasn’t much of a haul since most of the things they would normally steal, like gold and gems, lost their value upon becoming crystal. They did find a few small figurines that would still be valuable since their delicate craftsmanship was preserved and a few fossils that were probably detailed enough to be worth something. As they moved to leave, Erebus motioned for the other two to wait.

“I might know what these crystals are. I stopped by what used to be the gemstone room, and being in there helped me remember some stuff from that geology class I took when I was younger.” He held up a chunk of crystal he’d picked up from somewhere. “There’s one mineral that you can lick it and you know exactly what it is. Give it a try, Castys.” He tossed him the crystal.

“Well, you know I like licking things.” Castys immediately tried it out, much to Syll’s disgust and Erebus’s amusement. He made a face. “Eugh. It’s just super salty.”

“Wait, it’s actually halite? It’s the mineral that’s just straight-up NaCl, one hundred percent salt. I was hoping it was just going to be quartz or something, here, let me try.” Erebus motioned for Castys to give him the crystal back.

“So you just wanted me to lick a random rock for no reason? Why didn’t you just try it yourself?” Castys replied, tossing it back.

“Every scientist needs a guinea pig.” Erebus smiled. He licked the crystal and immediately winced. “Ouch, yeah that’s halite all right. Which I normally wouldn’t mind licking, but somebody made me bite my tongue.” He stuck it out for them to see the small wound, but where it should have been red, there was a patch of white. And it was growing bigger.

“Erebus, what is that?” Syll asked, moving forward to get a closer look.

“I-” was all he could say before his tongue became completely encased in the white crystals and Erebus found he couldn’t move it anymore. The spread of the crystals didn’t stop there. The patch of flesh-turned-salt grew bigger and bigger, radiating out from his mouth. He collapsed to the ground, frantically scratching at his skin, trying to get the rapidly forming layer of salt off. Castys and Syll looked oh in horror as every gouge he made in his flesh quickly changed from red to white, drops of blood only coloring their bleached surroundings for a moment before turning completely into salt.

“Erebus, Erebus!” Castys grabbed his hand, trying to do something, anything, to help his friend. “What the hell is happening?!” He yelled desperately.

“I-I don’t…” Syll felt rooted to the spot, like she was the one turning into a statue. All she could do was watch as Erebus’s movements became jerkier in his last act of grabbing Castys’s hand tightly with both of his own. And then he was still, completely encased in the same crystal as the entire planet, immortalizing his final moments of agony.

There was silence. Castys and Syll stayed perfectly still, as if they were waiting to see if the same fate would befall them.

“I-” Castys looked up at Syll, tears brimming in his eyes, “Syll, this is all my fault, I-I made him bite his tongue is that what killed him oh god I-”

“We don’t know what for sure, Castys.”

“Well then why aren’t I made of salt now too?! I licked it and nothing happened, but Erebus…”

“Hey, hey Castys, it’s okay, you didn’t know, there’s no way you could have known.” She knelt down and wrapped her arms around him, feeling him shake with sobs. She was too much in shock to cry now, it still didn’t feel real. But there was no way Castys could deny Erebus’s fate. His left hand was still tightly clasped between both of Erebus’s. He couldn’t stop staring at his face, one that was laughing and smiling a minute ago, now frozen in an expression of terror.

They weren’t sure how much time had passed, but when the light coming in from the windows began to dim, Syll stood and offered a hand to her friend. “Come on, Castys. Let’s...let’s go home.” Castys nodded wordlessly and started to stand, but when he tried to pull his hand out from Erebus’s, it wouldn’t budge. He tugged and tugged, but he couldn’t free himself from the dead man’s grip.

“Syll, Syll, my hand is stuck. He won’t let go.” He looked up at her pleadingly, the grief in his eyes beginning to mix with fear.

“Uh-I-I don’t…” She had an idea immediately, but she hated herself for thinking of it. She looked around checking her pockets and her bag for some other solution, but there was nothing else she could think of. Nothing else she could do besides use her plasma knife. “Hold still.” She turned the knife on, the superheated blade flickering into existence, and positioned it near one of Erebus’s wrists. “I’m sorry, Erebus.” The knife cut through the salt easily, melting it before it even came in contact with the blade. When she was done, Castys lifted his arm, hand still clasped between the disembodied salt ones. He began to try to pry them off, and Syll joined in once she had turned her knife off. One of the hands snapped with an audible crack, fingers breaking off and leaving behind jagged stumps. One of which sliced into Castys’s palm.

Red blood oozed out of the gash, but that red quickly faded to white as crystals began to replace flesh and blood. “No, no, STOP!” Castys screamed, holding his hand as far away from himself as he could, as if that would stop him from meeting the same fate as his friend. “Stop it please I don’t want to die I’m sorry Erebus I’m so so sorry!”

Syll felt like she was on autopilot as she grabbed his wrist in one hand and the knife in the other. There was no time to think, no time to hesitate. She couldn’t lose them both.

She turned the knife on and swung.

There were three severed hands made of salt lying on the ground. But there were two flesh and blood people. They were hurting, to be sure, but they were alive. They could escape. And escape they did, leaving the silent planet of salt behind.

#i wrote something #nemi's creative writing classwork #character death #body horror #implied amputation #castys #syll #erebus #watchmojo comin later tonight!#oop this is long and all the whump is at the end #i think this is the longest thing ive written with castys in it do you see why i love his stupid ass now #he's going to come back for a certain day very soon. nov 27 :)#erebus: *exists* me: damn what if i fucked up his tongue and was really mean to him #fr i feel so bad for him why do he always gotta get shafted #oh wait it's because i am the worst overlord to have #if these boys knew they could get out of dodge they would sell themselves away from me in a heartbeat #big question: would ANY whumpee actually want my evil ass as their overlord?#im thinking no...im very cruel #i hope people actually read this i feel like it might be too slow in the beginning #if you're here and you did: do you like the title :)#i thought it was funnie #i WILL be out here making geology whump okay #death by l i c c #it's how i would die tbh

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aliceslantern · 3 years

Text

Give/Take, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic, chapter 14

Ienzo has been too busy since the war to be overwhelmed by the past. But with little progress to be made in his work with Kairi, old nightmares start to invade.

Riku is a glorified housesitter. Lonely and faced with no choice but to wait for a way to find his friends, he eagerly accepts when Ienzo asks him to help do repairs around the castle. Before long, the two strike up an unlikely friendship, united by their dark pasts and their attempts to be better people.

But just as they begin to consider something more... Kairi wakes up.

Ienzoku (Ienzo/Riku), post-Melody of Memory, slow burn. Updates Thursdays until it's done.

Chapter summary: Ienzo and Riku continue to pass the time together. Ienzo realizes something about their relationship.

Read it on FF.net/on AO3

---

The next few days settled into a mostly peaceful rhythm. Riku showed him more of the island sights; they spent most of a full day with Kairi shopping in the bazaar. Ienzo met a few more of Riku’s other friends as well, and like his parents, they were somewhat mystified by his “alien” presence. Already Even had messaged him asking him when he would be done “lazing about” and when he could be expected back, but Ienzo hadn’t responded. He didn’t want to think about Radiant Garden right now.

He knew at some point he’d have to tell Riku the whole ugly truth of his past, and while he knew Riku was unlikely to vilify him for it, he nonetheless wasn’t looking forward to it. He was content in their soft, sweet bubble, in this reality that they were just a normal couple.

They made out often and tried touching each other several more times, and each time Ienzo would draw so awfully close to just coming already. Riku tried doing it a few different ways, but it really did seem to be his mind stopping it all from… functioning. Ienzo wondered if at some point he’d just get so pent up his body would win the fight. He hoped it would happen soon; all of these hours spent getting hot and bothered and going nowhere was practically making him ache.

Riku said that day was “cooler”, so they would go to this mysterious falls at last. “It’s a hike, but an easy one,” he told Ienzo. They took the bus (which itself was a fascinating and strangely nostalgic experience; he couldn’t be sure if he had vague memories of taking a streetcar with Even) to the trailhead, and when Ienzo looked up at the incline he almost balked. At least this all seemed to be shaded by trees. This might be easy for Riku, who was physically fit and had probably gone through far harder on his journeys.

But Ienzo was a sedentary researcher.

Noticing his trepidation, Riku squeezed his hand. “I promise the first part’s the hardest, and then it all gets really gradual. It’s worth it, I swear.”

“It better be. You may be carrying me out on a stretcher.”

True to form, the first incline was utterly nightmarish. Between the humid air and his general softness, Ienzo was struggling to breathe, and he felt like a quitter every time he had to ask for a break. There was not a part of him that wasn’t sweaty, and he found himself glad he’d actually bought a pair of decent climbing shoes like Riku had advised. He actually felt dizzy. At the top, he had to sit and rest against a rock. Riku didn’t even look out of breath. “You okay?” he asked, cautiously.

“I’m alive,” Ienzo said, still gasping. “Barely.” Once he had caught some semblance of breath, and drank down some water, they kept going. It was easier, but not as easy as he’d hoped, and he found it hard to appreciate the wildlife. Ienzo tried to push through the pain. At first he thought the noise he heard came from his heart throbbing in his ears, but it turned out to be the falls. At last, at long last, they reached the peak.

And Ienzo understood. “Oh,” he said, softly.

“It’s thought that the islands formed out of the magma from volcanic explosions,” Riku said, in a low voice. “That volcano is right there. But over time… and I’m sure you understand the science of it better than I do, the volcano became a spring.”

“Oh,” Ienzo said, utterly losing eloquence. Suddenly it didn’t matter that he was hot and sweaty and nauseous and his legs would be aching for days.

He’d seen a lot in his days as Zexion. But again, he’d never been there to be a tourist, to appreciate the worlds he was trying to strike down.

There were crystal and mineral patterns in the falls caldron all the way down, in at least a dozen colors, glimmering faintly in the diffuse sunlight. The freshwater flowed from the top, almost deafeningly loud, to a large pool at the bottom, the water a slight bluish color from the minerals. Ienzo could see a manmade path weaving all the way down, a wooden safety rail lining it. The water washed up onto a shore of black sand.

Riku took out his phone. “Want a picture of you with it?”

“I’m sure I look awful.”

“You look like you’ve conquered something.”

Ienzo rolled his eyes. “Only if you’ll join me.”

It took a bit of fineagaling to get an image that was halfway decent. This settled, they started making their way down. “Weird, normally this place is packed,” Riku said. Only a few people were down swimming in the caldron. “Oh well. I won’t question it.”

“It’s the semifinals,” Ienzo said. “Your father was talking about it.”

He laughed. “Design by accident.”

The walk down was fairly easy, but Ienzo dreaded the climb up, then down again. He’d worn his bathing suit, at least. They had a quick, simple lunch. At least here by the water it was mercifully cool, and Ienzo nearly moaned aloud when they finally eased in. Considering it was springwater, it was cold, but a welcome cold. The water had a slightly metallic tang against his lips.

“Worth it after all?” Riku asked, smirking.

“God, yes.”

They floated here a while, just enjoying the water and each other’s company. Eventually Ienzo felt brave enough to explore by the falls, where the water got deeper. The mist threw up so much light that the bands of rock glimmered.

At some point they had to leave, though, and by that point with the hike up and the swimming Ienzo was exhausted. Considering aside from the climb out of the caldron it was all basically downhill, Ienzo hoped this would be easier.

It wasn’t. This side of the trail was less shaded, for example, and the heat felt all the more brutal now that he was reasonably cool. His calves were starting to cramp, his nausea had returned, and now on top of it he was starting to feel weirdly faint, trying to figure out why.

“Ienzo?” Riku prompted, but his voice sounded like it was underwater.

The next thing he was aware of, his head was in Riku’s lap and there was a cold cloth over his face. Riku was on the phone, his voice shaky. “Yeah, dad, the trailhead. No, I don’t think I need any help. Thanks a bunch.”

He blinked and tried to sit up, feeling weaker still.

“Easy. Easy. I thought the stretcher thing was a joke.”

“It was,” Ienzo said. “I’m sorry. I’m fine now.”

“No, you’re not,” Riku said, sternly. “You’ve got heat exhaustion. If you keep pushing it it’ll get worse. Drink this.” He handed him a bottle of water. “You’re probably dehydrated too.” He dabbed the sweat off of Ienzo’s face.

Ienzo did, realizing how thirsty he was. “I tried to be careful.”

“No, it’s my fault. The island heat really is brutal, and you’re not used to exercise like that.” He sighed. “Even if you were careful your body still got overwhelmed.”

“And not in the way I’d like,” he muttered.

“Gather your strength for a few minutes. I used Cure on you, but you should still take it easy. My dad’ll drive us back. I wonder if we should take you to a doctor--”

Ienzo felt mortified. “I don’t think that’s necessary. The bus is fine.”

“I don’t want us to wait out in the heat more than we have to.”

Ienzo exhaled. Somehow this felt like another thing he had failed at.

“Really, Ienzo, this even happens to islanders,” Riku tried to reassure him. “I should’ve known better.”

“At least we got a pretty picture out of it.”

When he was finally strong enough to carry on, it felt late. They weren’t all that far from the road at this point. Riku had wanted to carry him, but Ienzo drew the line there. He was more grateful than he wanted to let on that Matsuda was waiting for them.

“Hey, you’re a true islander now,” his father said, in an attempt to lighten the mood. “It’s happened to all of us at some point or another.”

“I told you,” Riku said.

Ienzo wished he could enjoy riding in a car more. It was smaller, lower to the ground, than the bus, and much cooler inside. “Thanks for this. I’m sorry to interrupt your workday.”

“Ah, I had to run an errand anyway,” he said blithely. “You don’t think we need to go to the--”

“No, no, please, I’ll be alright,” Ienzo said quickly.

Ienzo was still feeling a bit dizzy. He had to cling to the banister to get up the stairs. Riku insisted he lie down. His skin felt hot, strangely enough. Riku tugged the curtains shut. He heard Riku leave the room and then come back a few moments later with something pink in a mason jar. “Here. This’ll help. Mom’s recipe. It happens all the time to the neighborhood kids.”

Ienzo sipped. He tasted more coconut, some other fruit, and below it all the oily slickness of potion. “I’m so sorry. I ruined the day.”

“No, this is on me. I should’ve known you’d push yourself and not say anything, cause I would’ve done the same thing.” He sighed. “Drink it all. I’ll get you more.”

The juice helped, though he didn’t feel good by any stretch. He wanted to get changed, to get cleaned up, but he just felt weak and exhausted. “If you’re tired, rest,” Riku told him.

“If you’d rather go do something while I’m just lying here--”

“No,” he said, firmly.

After two jars of the juice, Ienzo fell asleep, and wondered if it was something in the medicine. When he woke at last, he realized it had been hours, and the early morning sun was peeking out between the curtains. Dazedly, he looked around for Riku, found him nowhere.

Groggy, he took a shower and went to take the mason jar back to the main house. True to form, it hurt to walk, and he winced.

“Oh, Ienzo, how are you feeling?” Mariko asked, startling him.

“Much better,” he said. “Thank you for this.”

“I always keep a pitcher of it in the fridge in summer. Sometimes I swear the weather is only getting hotter.” She sighed.

“Where’s Riku?”

“Well, he came down a little while ago asking if I thought you needed anything else. I said maybe something nice for breakfast.” She smiled a little. “He should be back soon. Can I get you anything? Anything at all? You know what, I’ll go make some coffee.” She flounced off into the kitchen, her loose shawl fluttering behind her.

Ienzo found himself again looking at the photos on the mantle. Riku’s parents’ wedding day, photos of a younger Riku in school. Matsuda holding up a large fish, his son grinning toothily, the front two missing.

“...Here you are, dear,” Mariko said.

“Thank you so much,” he said.

“Why don’t we go sit on the patio while we wait? You can see the ocean.”

He followed her. The temperature, for some reason, felt much more bearable, despite the hot coffee. They sat on a pair of wicker chairs facing the small yard.

“Alright?” she asked him.

“I was just thinking it’s no longer so warm.”

She chortled. “That’s not true. You’re just forming a callus.”

“To the heat, you mean?”

“Yes. I thought this might happen. Riku was in a panic, Matsuda wanted to take you to the clinic. I’ve seen this before and I said you’ll be right as rain. And you lived, right?”

Ienzo sipped. “Thank god for that,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“Well. It has been nearly two weeks.”

“Already? The time is flying.” He almost said that if he were too much of a burden he would be happy to go stay elsewhere, but then he remembered that Mariko would find this rude. “Is there anything I can do to thank you for the welcome you’ve given me?”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I insist.”

She thought about it. “How about you make us one of your dinners, from your world? You explained, but I’m dying to know.”

Ienzo smiled. “That I can do.”

They both looked out at the ocean for a few minutes. Finally, Mariko said, “You’ve had a hard life, haven’t you?”

Ienzo looked at her. “What makes you say that?”

“You… and Riku. There’s a certain… darkness, in your eyes. Something a little haunted. At first, with him, I thought it was teenage angst. But I think he’s gone through a lot more than he lets on. You too.”

Ienzo blinked. “I suppose that is true,” he said. “This… beautiful life, the three of you live here. That all feels so abnormal to me.”

She nodded sadly.

“I’m… an orphan,” he admitted. “My adoptive family, well meaning as they initially were, did not raise me to live an average, happy life. It’s making me realize what I’ve missed.”

“I see,” she said. “Well. You’re always welcome in our family.”

Ienzo felt a sudden wave of teariness. “That’s very kind of you.”

After another moment, “you love him, don’t you?”

Ienzo took a quick breath. “I think so.”

She reached over and squeezed his hand once. “You’re good for each other.”

The back door opened. Riku was carrying a paper bag and a drinks carrier with what looked like smoothies. “Oh… Ienzo. You’re up. How do you feel?”

He looked at him. In the early morning sunlight, his silver hair carelessly braided over one shoulder, Ienzo knew. “Better. Much better.”

#give/take #ienzoku #ienzo/riku #ienzo is trans

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sigmaeussp · 3 years

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A Tale of the Ancient Dwarves

This first story is about the dwarves. They have been in this world for a very long time. They always loved working underground, digging for shiny minerals. Digging was in their blood. They sang while they dug and sang while they drank. It seemed like nothing could change the way they viewed their lives... Until there was a group of ten dwarves that turned to the stars instead of the mines.

Late in the dark night they sneaked out of the caves and looked towards the beautiful sky. They looked at the largest light that was up there and followed it. They had to travel by boat. traversing the seas for the first time. A few of the dwarves that came along on this journey started to doubt the things they have done. They longed for home. They wanted to go back to digging in the mines.

But the majority of the dwarves pressed on. They told the rest that it would all be okay. Soon this star will take them somewhere special and their journey will have been worth it.

After a few days of sailing the sea. They saw the star floating above a tall mountain on an island, surrounded by the vast open sea. They all knew that this would be the place. Once they arrived on the shore of the island they felt the black sand that was there. They found out that it was actually ash. It would seem that they arrived at a volcano instead of a normal mountain. They saw a large opening in the side of the volcano and decided to rest in there, finding out what else this place had to offer. The stars did guide them here.

They started a fire and set up their camping supplies that they brought with them. They wondered what they were going to do next. Once the fire grew a little bigger it lit up something deeper into the cave. It goes down even further.

The dwarves decided to check this deeper part once they’ve gotten some sleep. But a few of them were just too excited to even fall asleep. Three of the ten dwarves left the camping site and explored deeper into the cave. Curious on what they will find.

The three dwarves looking down the large opening that laid in front of them. Their single torch would not reach the other end. They walked deeper into it, staying close to the walls to see where they were going. Eventually, at the end of the opening they saw an orange light. Following it the dwarves saw another opening through a tunnel. Inside this second opening was a large pool of magma. The orange light coming off it lit up the dwarves' faces. They were astounded by the sight. They had to return to the rest of the group. Tell them of this amazing thing they’ve found.

They woke up the rest in the middle of their sleep. The three dwarves simply couldn’t wait to tell the rest. They told them about the large cave with the magma inside. Imagine the heat it could produce, and it’s so close to the large opening. They could make tools so easily if they could use this magma in a new forge.

Many generations have passed since our three dwarves had found the pool of magma. What was once a group of adventurers camping in a cave has evolved into an underground civilisation. Larger than the one the original ten came from. These original ten are considered the legendary founders. Founders of the ‘forge’. Yes, they had succeeded in their plans to create the forge that uses the magma. But they all knew that it couldn’t reach its full potential. Currently the most skilled smith in the dwarven city wasn’t good enough to utilize the forge to its utmost potential. They needed to find a way to create the perfect smith. Someone who was so skilled in the arts of smithing that they could do almost anything. They could create the most perfect tool… or weapon.

The dwarves dug into the deepest mines. Hoping to find more ores and minerals. But instead they found another opening. The opening was dark. The dwarves used torches to light it up. Revealing a huge pile of weapons, armour, tools and other metal objects. The dwarves were confused, how did this get here? Suddenly, the sound of metal plates scraping against each other filled the cave. The dwarves looked around them. looking for what could make that kind of sound. When they looked up they saw a huge beast with gigantic wings that filled the roof of the cave. The beast was covered in metal plates. It opened its mouth and a scorching fire flowed out of it. The dwarves readied their weapons. They wanted to fight this beast and take it down. The beast tried to use it’s claws and fangs to kill the dwarves. but there were too many of them. The dwarves tried to hack away at the beast’s skin, but the metal plates protected him. After about half the dwarven army was taken out, they noticed that there was an opening between the plates on the dragon’s belly. A dwarf ran under the dragon. dodging its bite. He slashed his sword across the opening between the armour plates. Cutting deeply into the beast. The beast dropped to the ground. It’s metal plates fell off of it. revealing it’s scales… it was a dragon. The dwarves had killed a dragon, something that had only been told in legends. This day would be remembered for centuries.

A Strange energy erupted from the dragon’s body. The energy glowed orange and blue. It tried to escape the cave the body lied in. but it couldn’t find the exit. Once the dwarven scientists arrived at the cave they managed to harvest the energy and put it in a container. They were ready to study it.

The rest of the dwarves collected as many metal plates from the dragon. They also took all the tools, weapons and armour from the dragon’s hoard. They were going to recycle them and use them to make more tools for the younglings.

Though the quest to find the perfect smith was not forgotten. If anything, this was a great step of progress towards it. They just didn’t know it yet. But after a few months, the scientists who were researching the energy they harvested found out what it actually was. It was the dragon’s soul. They contained the power of a dragon’s soul and were able to use it. They tried looking deep into the soul and saw what they had been looking for. The perfect smith. The dragon was the one who forged its own armour. Who forged the pile of weapons and tools. This dragon had the experience of every dwarven smith who had ever lived… And even more on top of that. The scientists ordered the smiths to create a vessel, a body that could contain the soul. If they could resurrect the dragon. They might be able to create something that could put the forge to its fullest potential.

Once the construct, who they had named ‘Fornax’, had been created. They no longer had need for the other dwarven smiths. They all retired and started working with the digging group. It had put a lot of dwarves out of a job. And allowed them to pursue other talents. Some of the dwarves tried out magic. They practiced the magical arts like only a few have done before them. In secret they created some sort of cult. Who pursued magic.

Other dwarves, who were part of the digging crew weren’t aware of this new cult that was being made. For years this cult could grow and get stronger. And once it did, the other dwarves took notice. Because of the strength of the spells that were cast they couldn’t hide them anymore. The diggers came to the cult’s hideout. Puzzled on the sight. They argued. Telling the cult that this does not please their ancestors. This is not the legacy that was meant for the dwarves. To which the cult responded that dwarves need to evolve. Not all dwarves need to dig underground. The two groups split their ways that day, but don’t think it is all over.

The diggers found a new material in the deepest parts of their mine. It was some sort of crystal type mineral. It glowed bright blue. When they tried digging it out their pickaxes could barely handle the strength of this mineral. The tips bending and becoming blunt upon hitting it. But once they got a chunk of it out of the ground they carried it to the construct smith. They asked him if he could do something with the material. But before they gave the material, they asked him if he could perhaps make a weapon out of it. The construct took the metals and went on with his job.

The cult members heard that the diggers had found some new crystal. Stronger than anything they had found before. The members of the cult got a little scared when they heard that. They started to prepare for a battle that would surely ensue out of the newfound power that the diggers had gotten. And so the cult practiced their magic. They trained in all sorts of magic. Like destructive or enchanting magics. It was almost guaranteed that something was going to go wrong. Not that the Cult or the Diggers were able to see that.

Once the construct had created the weapon from the material. The diggers took the fight straight to the cult’s doorstep. An entire army of warriors entered the hideout and started cutting down cult members with their swords. but once they got through the first line of defense the cult members had prepared their spells. Giant balls of flames were cast upon the front line of the army. diminishing the numbers drastically. A giant battle ensued. Orbs of fire exploded all around. The sound of yelling and swords cutting filled the caverns.

The weapon that diggers convinced the construct to make was a giant greataxe. It could kill entire waves of enemies in a single swing, much like a scythe. The digger also used it to block spells. It gave him the opportunity to push forward all the way to the back line of the cult members.

After a few hours of fighting. There were only a handful of cult members left and a handful of diggers. Including the digger with the giant greataxe. In a moment of panic. The lead cult member used a devastating spell centered on themselves. Killing everyone around them… In the end, everyone was dead. There were no dwarves remaining in the caverns. And the weapon was left shattered in pieces.

#fantasy #writeblr

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ricky-corderbro · 4 years

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It’s Raining Fish... Hallelujah ||Ricky & Morgan

Ricky and Morgan discover a new and weird twist on that disco classic, and more than they bargained for on the beach.

Morgan decided she’d rather supplement her income by selling crystals concocted with alchemy, she imagined herself wandering sandy beaches in a heavy knit sweater that billowed around her hips like an H&M photoshoot. She’d fill neat mason jars full of sand and, stop to sip wine and stare at the crisp sky and the rolling tied, and cart her fresh, beautiful resources back to her beachfront bungalow (because of course, with the wild money making wonders of online salesmanship, there would be a beachfront bungalow) in a weathered wagon rescued from an antique store and lovingly brought to a shine. Perhaps she had needed this fantasy in order to talk herself into doing something so ridiculous in the first place. How many of her other mistakes had started with ‘this is fine’ or ‘I got this’?

Today Morgan was sweating through her hoodie, prickling up to her knees in sand, and dodging broken debris and beached jellyfish from the rough tide. She had her picturesque mason jars, and a number of glass and plastic tupperware from Tookies, and was scrounging for any beach party scraps she could break down for packaging and flourishes. Maybe if she ever got around to breaking the curse and not worrying about her lease at the traveler’s rest, this would all feel the way it was supposed to.

Though most of the town of White Crest tended to avoid the beaches in the middle of January, this was the time Ricky felt like he enjoyed it the most. Sunshine and beach beer was all well and good but in the middle of winter it turned into an almost alien landscape; wet sand sculpted by the frigid wind and small drifts of snow painted a picture of bleak desolation that spoke to the tremendous power of the ocean. He found himself wandering the beach with no real goal in mind. He had half an eye out for the sea glass, driftwood, and bone he used for work but mostly it was a day to take in the salt air and try to forget the flooding and the karkinoids and the rest of White Crest’s nonsense.

As he strolled along the cold sand he saw a figure in the distance, apparently scrounging through the beach for something. It’d be rude to walk by and not say anything so as he got a little closer he waved and called out over the wind, “Morning!”

Morgan toppled out of her crouch and landed splayed in the sand. So far she had managed her supply runs without an audience, something she hadn’t realized made the whole thing less shame-inducing. But Mr. Cheerful passing by her didn’t need to know that. “Morning!” She called. “Fancy seeing you or...anyone out here, really. Aren’t you afraid of the tides?”

Ricky rushed over to the woman and offered his hand to help her up, “Sorry! Didn’t mean to startle you. Brushing the sand from his hands he looked at the beach and shrugged, “As long as you know them and what they’re doing there’s nothing to fear from the tides. What about you? What brings you down here to this little slice of the Arctic?” It was a little surprising to see someone else there, but, she seemed to be looking for something, so it wasn’t the strangest thing Ricky had seen on a beach.

Morgan accepted the helping hand and wiped the excess sand from her back. “Thank you. And I’m just, you know, enjoying the scenery! Beaches look kind of picturesque when they’re wind-tossed and and brooding. It makes you feel like you’re in a Bronte novel, right?” As she spoke, the wind rose and the waves crashed forward, splashing their way rather un romantically. Morgan edged out of the splash zone, but not before the next wave reared and crested again. “So uh, what was that you said about knowing how tides are gonna work?”

“Not quite as picturesque as wandering the moors, but it has the same desolate charm. All we need is a lone rider on horseback looking pensively over the surroundings.” Ricky neatly backstepped away from the wave as it crept closer to them, “I mean… they’re on a pretty set schedule. You can always have at least a general idea of when they’re coming and going. Like now. Tide’s coming in. There’s gonna be a lot less beach in awhile.”

The guy was right, with each wave the sea came closer to her Tookies wagon. Morgan hauled her tupperware up in one armload, then scooped a cup or so of seawater with one of her empties. There were a lot of helpful minerals in seawater and it would make her life so much easier to have them fresh on hand. “Don’t mind me, just collecting!” She said. Actually, a second jar wasn’t such a bad idea. Morgan held up a finger--just one second!--and waded up to her knees to take a good briny scoop. As she did, she knocked into something hard and heavy. “Oh, shit!” Oh god sharks swam up in high tide didn’t they? Was this what shark felt like? Or what about turtles? Had she killed a sea turtle? Did they have sea turtles in Maine? Morgan stumbled back, her errand forgotten. The tide curled away, revealing--a treasure chest? Morgan looked over at her new beach friend. Was he seeing this too?

Ricky watched with a bemused smile as his apparent new beachcomber friend waded into the surf to collect sea water. It had to have been absolutely freezing, since even he could feel the chill of the waves and he was usually fine with water that was all but frozen. He’d been in the middle of reserving a table at The Artesian for his meeting with Deidre when he heard the woman give out a shout. Fearing that some brazen karkinoid or even worse aipaloovik had crashed out of the surf he turned quickly to see her standing in front of what appeared at first to be a mammoth piece of barnacle and seaweed covered driftwood until he looked closer and saw that it was in fact, a giant chest. “The fuck?”

“Okay, so that’s not just me! Good!” Morgan looked back at the trunk. “Second question: does this happen here often? Is the kind of place where buried treasure just casually comes up over the weekend?” Morgan half expected a demon to pop out of it and go ‘boo!’ That was much more the White Crest way. But still--it was kind of exciting. She’d have to tell, well, someone about it online later. She leaned in conspiratorially. “...Do you think we should open it?”

“Well… i’ve been on this beach regularly for 23 years and never seen anything like this so I”m gonna go out on a limb and say no. Definitely doesn’t happen often.” 23 years on the beach had, however, instilled in Ricky a healthy fear of things that just magically appeared on the sand from within the bottomless maw of the deep. He took several cautious steps toward it and hummed pensively, “On the one hand… treasure potential. On the other…. Body parts from a drug deal gone south. Seems like it could go either way, and with the week the town’s been having it doesn’t seem likely it’s that first option.”

Morgan nodded. Much as she wanted to believe she was about to fuck the universe and her stupid curse with a boatload of cash, she knew sea boy was probably right. “Okay, granted, but we should at least haul it in, right? And uh, fifty-fifty split if it’s buried treasure?” She winked, enjoying the absurdity of the wish. She crept back into the ocean to get a good angle on the thing. She was at least snapping a good picture. Hopefully it wouldn’t have to be captioned something like, taken just before Morgan Beck was eaten my mysterious sea creature! That would be a terrible way to find out krakens are real.

Nodding pensively Ricky approached the chest to get a closer look, pulling some of the seaweed and ocean grunge off of it. He could faintly see some sort of writing carved into it, but it definitely wasn’t in any language he knew or had seen before. “Looks like there’s something carved into it.” He called as he cleared away more debris. As his fingers touched the wood of the chest he had a sudden shiver run up and down his spine, the rough wood catching on the pads of his fingers as he traced the symbols. Weird he thought to himself as he followed his new friend’s lead and started taking pictures. Definitely weird. “Of course we’ll split it fifty-fifty. If it’s treasure and not the rotted corpse of someone who crossed the mob.”

As soon as Morgan touched the trunk a wave of no clammied up her body. That was definitely not a million dollars. Or if it was, it was the kind of million dollars that made you wish you’d never seen it. But Morgan didn’t know how to explain that to beach boy. She kept her smile on and gave the trunk the ol’ heave-ho until it was out of the water. Christ almighty on a cracker this thing looked terrifying. It looked like it had been sitting at the bottom of the ocean longer than the Titanic. “Um, maybe you should do the honors!” She said. She tried not to sound like she was freaking out, like some of the gunk growing on the lid had slid inside her, but her voice jumped an octave or three as she gestured to the lid. “You got the uh, guy muscles for it, right?” So help her, if this thing was cursed…

It didn’t seem likely to Ricky that they could get the chest out of the surf and up onto the drier dirt, but somehow between the two of them they managed. Every single time he touched the chest to push it or pull it his body rebelled at the action. The truck was cold, the kind of cold he could feel in his fangs and it almost seemed to pulse with it. “This is totally why I go to the gym daily, to open strange runed treasure chests that wash up mysteriously on the beach.” He scraped more of the detritus off, shivering with every touch of the chest. “Have you ever seen this writing before? I may speak three languages but they all use the same alphabet and this ain’t it.” As he cleaned more and more he came to a strange conclusion. “I don’t think this thing opens….” He made a full circuit around the chest and came back frowning, “No crack where the lid meets the body, no hinges, nothing. I guess it could be the world’s largest puzzle box but it doesn’t seem to have any pieces that move.”

“There has to be something,” Morgan said. She crouched down and took a closer look at the markings. Nothing really stuck out as particularly alchemical or magical. “Maybe you just have to...pop the lid off straight up?” But where was the lid? It was just..box. Morgan fished out her phone. She could try turning the box into something that was already open, but as she scraped her fingers along the sides, looking for something, anything, she lost interest in putting her magic anywhere near...whatever this was. She backed away slowly. “You know, maybe we’re better off just calling the police, or the neighborhood watch or--” Morgan didn’t finish. The clouds overhead grumbled with thunder and a wave of fish hailed down.

“I’d be inclined to agree with you and go get the crowbar from my truck… but I don’t even see a seam at the top. It’s just solid gross damp wood.” Ricky tried to do exactly that though, no harm in trying, but as soon as he gripped the wood tightly to try to pop what was supposed to be the lid off he was hit with a gut-punching wave of nausea and he doubled over in pain, retching slightly, “Okay. It’s not coming off like that. Definitely not like…” before he could finish his sentence the sky murmured with the sound of a far off storm and Ricky felt himself get hit, not with raindrops as might expect, but with what appeared to be a halibut. “Okay what the fuck.” The sky opened up and they were suddenly pelted by a wave of fish, “This. Is not. Supposed to happen!” Ricky shouted out.

#morgan #chatzy #potw

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airyravenmaid · 6 years

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Lightning Never Strikes Twice

Well, I fuckin’ did it. After much convincing from a certain Lightis server I joined like last month, I finally decided to post this and the other thing I wrote. However, to clear up any confusion, I must let you all know that though NoctLight obviously happens in my Versus XV AU, dem nerds were in no way love at first sight (which doesn’t even exist anyways lol). In fact, things didn’t start picking up until like super late Chapter 5, then went from there (for better and worse; this is centered around XV’s storyline after all XD), but this takes place during the beginning of Chapter 3 where Light first joins the team, so blah.

But, okay, since that’s finally out of the way, here’s where it all began for this Wonderland of a little sub-universe I created from two FF games I so happen to enjoy combined together. I can only hope you guys like this piece too, and I can very highly consider publishing the other thing I wrote. Happy reading; have lots of fun doing so! 💘

“A prince? You’re asking me to help escort… a prince.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say ‘escort’. What I’m asking you to do is more to accompany him and his retinue until they reach Altissia.”

“Why me of all people? And if they’ve been gone for a while, don’t you think they’re fine on their own?”

“Believe me, I know they are. But after… recent events here in Insomnia, there’s no such thing as being too careful.” Out came a peach colored folder full of photos and official documents, all on her and basic history she was sure a certain ‘new world creation phenomenon’ had preserved and written in for public records even in its neighboring dimension. No other explanation served, so she continued to listen intently with reluctance swallowed. “Says here you’ve had quite a bit of military history as the sergeant of something called the ‘Guardian Corps’?”

“Correct. Since my teenage years.”

“And your superior officer was a man named Amodar?”

“Lieutenant Amodar. That’s right.”

“I see. Keep in mind, I wouldn’t hire just any old nobody off the streets to do the job. Looking it over very carefully a few times, someone with your experience looks to be the right fit. Question is, can you actually do it?”

“Doesn’t matter if someone can or can’t. Some things in life you just do.”

Taking that as a firm agreement, the man known infamously as “The Immortal” closed the folder of the former soldier’s documents and officially sealed her new mission. With everything said that needed to be, directions to the next train stopping near her destination in Duscae, and a formal salute, she was off carrying the needed profiles of the four men she was to meet. He himself at the time needed to leave for a checkpoint in a place known as “Hammerhead”, so when her part of the deal was to come, she’d be ready as she ever would for it.

Or so Lightning so wanted to believe. Truth of the matter was, this new mission she sorely hoped would be her absolute final one was the dead last thing on her mind. From the whole Purge travesty with the long-abolished Sanctum that inadvertently turned her into a “dreaded” l’Cie to waking up from a crystal slumber after five whole centuries only to have thirteen days total to save her loved ones and others from impending doom, to say she was sick and tired of fighting for her life was an unfunny understatement.

But, the forces of fate she lived to fight were, as usual, on the opposing side. Because there she found herself; slumped against the window of her train seat wearing the outfit she’d long dubbed the “Heartstealer” from her first times wearing it, even further away from her new home with the loved ones she once again had to leave behind for the time being. Promises made to come back after her “short trip” she vowed to keep at all costs. And no spoiled little prince or his merry band of bodyguards was going to get in the way of her own decisions.

“Next stop, Alstor!” the conductor announced, the train pulling up at the closest station to where Lightning was asked it go. It’d still be a walk away from the actual spot, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t manage.

‘Where did Cor tell me to go again?’ Lightning wondered in her thoughts, looking at the specific directions given. ‘The “Coernix Station”? Doesn’t sound like much of a waiting area.’

Looking around her while figuring out which way to go after what, Lightning seemed to truly take in how alien the place felt to her. It wasn’t at all like anything she’d experienced years ago back on Cocoon, or even the short time she spent journeying in Nova Chrysalia. No, the Duscae region itself had more of a… retro, much simpler feeling to it. But, whatever it looked like, she had more important things to do than sightsee a place she never intended on seeing again for the rest of her life after she was done.

“Still seems like quite a walk,” Lightning commented, glancing up at the frontmost direction to see no leads on the station. “Best take a shortcut so nobody shows up to a missing recruit. What’s…? ‘Alstor Slough’, huh? I’ll just cut through that.”

Rolling up her navigating directions, Lightning took a turn that led her right along a path going through a grassy area full of pinkish wooden plants growing out from the bristled plains. So long as she stayed on that one path and went the right way, nothing could go wrong for the armed former soldier. Staying on guard was second nature to her, so any mysterious creatures lurking around would have to deal with her first and foremost.

And as if taking heed of a secret cue, the first unlucky volunteers caught sight of her and stepped forward. Well, Lightning wouldn’t say so much stepped as she would a group of pale, sickly-looking mutant wolf-like creatures with teeth sharper than her own blade charging her way.

“Your funeral, not mine,” Lightning stated, unsheathing Blazefire Saber from the case strapped to her body. In the blink of an eye, the gunblade unfolded itself into its sword form, giving its owner the okay to run at the first of the strange creatures to cut right through it.

Lightning didn’t have any sort of clue what she was fighting, but she cared just as little at the same time. The wolf-like mutants in spite of their ferocious appearances didn’t seem to be putting up much of a fight either, considering how easily the woman was cutting through them like a hot knife against cold butter. One tried so foolishly to take her down from behind, only to be silenced by Lightning whipping around and firing a strategic bullet out of her weapon’s giant pistol mode before it unfolded back into a blade to effortlessly take down its brethren.

With one remaining in sight, the beast lunged to try and take a fatal bite of her. Instead of any sort of flesh or muscle, however, it stopped rigged in its tracks when it received a unpleasant mouthful of sword cutting right through the back of its head. Lightning ripped her weapon from the creature, giving it one more cautious slash to ensure it’d truly died. Now surrounded by lifeless carcasses of the pack, Lightning folded Blazefire Saber back into a gun and resheathed it, walking along her way as if uninterrupted.

“Not much of a fight,” she commented, brushing herself free of dust or dirt. “Here’s to hoping the other creatures here are smarter than them.”

Throughout the rest of her trek, Lightning only somewhat got her wish. As she’d consciously expected, more of the same beast tried to make a meal of her, but she valiantly cut her path open again going through each one. By her arrival even closer to her goal than before, Lightning was looking rather scuffed up. It wasn’t anywhere near as bad as fights she’d been more used to, but there was still hoping the Coernix Station had some refreshments to give her more of a boost.

‘Here we are,’ Lightning thought, walking uphill and crossing over to the actual rest area across the road. Her stomach growled a few more steps in, the woman knowing better than to ignore hunger and risk collapsing in the most unorthodox way possible. “Let’s see what’s at that ‘Crow’s Nest’ place.”

“Welcome, Miss!” a man she assumed to be the diner’s cook greeted her once she sat down at the bar. “What can I get for ya today?”

Lightning looked up at the menu and its three most prominent choices being promoted. Fries and salmon anybody with a brain could recognize, but the beverage and names of all the choices were absolutely alien to her. “Are you… ‘Kenny’?”

“Who, me? No! The food here’s just named after our mascot, Kenny Crow! I’m sure you’ve heard of him, haven’t you?”

“Kenny who?”

“Oh. A foreigner, are ya? That’s okay, everyone has their first time to the Crow’s Nest at one point! What would you like?”

“A plate of ‘Kenny’s fries’ will do. And a bottle of… Jetty’s? Do you have a mascot named Jetty too?”

“Nah, that’s just the name of Kenny Crow’s trademark mineral water! It’s good, you wanna try some?”

“Sure. A bottle of that too’s good.”

“Comin’ right up!”

As good as the salmon looked, Lightning only had so much Gil on her to spend at the moment, so spending 1,400 of it on a plate of cooked fish wasn’t a smart option. Instead, she paid the 200 Gil owed for her fries and water and waited patiently until both showed up. Since she was able to enjoy the meal, now all that remained for Lightning was for the “royal retinue” to show up and pick her up for the mission. Joy, she thought without a hint of it in her head. Travelling with strangers she didn’t know or care about in an unfamiliar world. Etro knows what could await her then.

The fries digesting in her gut replenished plenty of energy lost fighting monsters in the infested plains, and the quarter-consumed Jetty’s water bottle helped a plenty. While checking out the “Shop & Café” next door to see if she needed anything from it, Lightning saw an unfamiliar, sleek fancy black car parked in front of where others like it would sit to refill its tank. She would have thought nothing of it, were it not for the four young gentlemen in black clothing close to her (physical; how old she really was as a result of her awakening from stasis was something between only her and her loved ones back home) age range inadvertently proving themselves as the owners of said vehicle.

From the shop window, Lightning picked up on all four faces, opening the documenting profiles she was given on one of the small white tables in the shop. Looking between the clear headshots and the men outside, she had a match. Before being given the chance to pack the documents up, she heard a voice belonging to one of them speak up and get closer to her proximity.

“—Here we are! Finally meeting ex-sergeant Lightning Farron!” the rather perky voice chirped, its source a scrawny spiky-haired, blue-eyed blond with youthful freckles and a weird section of flannel hanging out from under his top. “Man, I’d bet he’s this tall, burly, really hairy fella— probably something like Gladio, but even more gruff than that!” He took a look into the shop she was in, catching the sight of her but not yet fully processing reality. “Yeah, and he’s gotta be really strong with his petite figure; soft, luscious lips pink like the rose, breathtakingly alluring blue eyes, wavy pink hair, and—!” The wide-eyed look on his face quickly informed Lightning the realization struck him quicker than her moniker. “—Is actually an extremely beautiful woman?!”

“Run that by me again?” Lightning questioned, folding her arms and cocking her head to the side.

“Err, uhhh… I—”

Another man stepped in before the first could snap fully out of his stupor, this one taller and more mature looking with slicked up auburn hair and viridescent eyes able to properly see through oval-shaped glasses. He saw her too, only holding up information given to him prior to see if it was right. “‘Lightning Farron’?”

“Who wants to know?” Lightning asked, ever-rigid towards the man with the befittingly fancy accent.

“Ignis S. Scientia, advisor to the Prince of Lucis. I trust you’ve been informed of us by a one Cor Leonis?”

Okay, at least she could be sure they were definitely the right people, now by physical appearance and name in the profiles. “Oh. So, you have to be the ‘royal retinue’ I’ve been put on the escort mission with. In that case, yes.” Lightning gave Ignis a formal salute of honor to show courtesy, not minding his stoic expression not moving an inch from its default form. She ignored the blond examining her at several angles, dismissive of whatever was going on in his head. “Former Sergeant Lightning Farron, at your service, Ignis Scientia. A pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine, Miss Farron.” Ignis on the other hand gave her a formal half-bow, already on her civil side with his polite first impression.

“Uhhh… huh,” the blond one stuttered, unable to fully digest Lightning’s physical form as if she were some ethereal goddess walking among the mortal realm.

“...Can I help you?” Lightning half-hissed, already running low on patience for that one’s brainless nonsense.

“Don’t mind Prompto, he gets easily befuddled meeting new young women,” Ignis warned her. “Come with me. You might as well make yourself more acquainted with the other two while you’re at it.”

Following Ignis with the one named Prompto not too far behind, Lightning saw only one of the missing two men she had yet to meet. This one she figured to be the tallest, the incredibly muscular build pairing well with the gruff long dark chestnut mullet hairstyle and noticeable scar running down one of his rust-colored eyes. Well put together as he was, Lightning remained unaffected by physical appearance alone, though her hands now rested on her hips with the profiles in her grasp rather than be folded in her stubborn arms.

“And who’s this here, Iggy? Don’t think I’ve ever seen this one around these parts before,” the tall and muscular one mentioned, his tone giving off hints of a flirty vibe.

“Our newest recruit for the journey’s course,” Ignis answered.

“Really? You’re Sergeant Farron, huh?” Now his eyes were on her, almost as carefully as Prompto’s were but a lot less clumsy.

“That’s me.” Lightning skimmed through the files until she found a match on the burly one’s features. “‘Gladiolus Amicitia’, I assume?”

“King’s Shield in the flesh. But, calling me just ‘Gladio’ is perfectly fine. Gotta say, wasn’t expecting such a pretty face like yours to go with a name like ‘Lightning’.”

“Is that supposed to mean something?”

“Nah. Cor recruited you for a reason, so you’ve gotta have lots of fighting spirit in ya. Otherwise, the Marshal wouldn’t have even considered you.”

“Experience, I’ve got. ‘Fighting spirit’, on the other hand, is what I’m not allowed to get rid of nowadays.” Lightning unveiled Blazefire Saber, flicking her wrist forward to unfold it into its sword form to both the awe of Gladio and Prompto, and the intrigue of Ignis. “So long as I’ve got this by my side, I’m stuck in the battlefield once again.”

“Some sword you got there, Sarge. A little small if you ask me, though.”

“And why’s it have a trigger?” Prompto wondered, running a finger over the rim until Lightning pulled her gunblade away from his reach. “Just for decor?”

“No, that’s real. When I don’t wanna use the blade, I just shoot my targets.”

Prompto let out a loud gasp of excitement at the revelation, starry eyes now glued to Blazefire Saber. “You use guns too?! Ooh, ooh! Show us a demonstration?! Pleeeease?”

“Rather not. Wouldn’t wanna cause a scene at such a little rest stop.” She folded it back and put it away while Prompto’s face fell disappointed. “It’ll be worth the wait once we get moving.”

“That is, as soon as His Highness comes back. He should be just about finishing up his talk with the Crow’s Nest owner momentarily,” Ignis guessed. “Seems a friend of ours required our assistance, and Noct’s asking for directions on where to find the missing dog tags.”

“As in the one for pets, or the one for soldiers?”

“The second one,” Gladio answered. “I’m sure you’ve had some when you were in the line of duty where you’re from, right?”

Before Lightning could answer the question, footsteps approached the group. Turning her head, she’d found the last of the retinue; the Lucian Prince himself. His photo seemed to add up with his appearance; messily spiked hair blacker than the night sky, eyes a shade of navy blue as modest as his current expression. For royalty, Lightning figured, he certainly didn’t dress the part. How he acted, however, was beyond her knowledge and concern for the time being.

“Hi there,” he greeted her politely. “Guys, who’s this?”

“This, Noctis, would be the team’s latest addition that Cor informed us of,” Ignis told him, the prince’s face shifting to a noticeable disappointment at the news. “I’d like for you to meet former Sergeant Lightning Farron.”

“Oh. So this is who’s joining the team the rest of the way? That’s… great.” You’d have to be deaf to not hear the blatant malcontent in Noctis’ tone, especially so when he looked at Lightning.

“I know, right?!” Prompto cheered, he himself elated at the woman’s presence in stark contrast to his standoffish best friend. “Dude! Her weapon? It’s a gun and a sword all in one! It’s like the 2-in-1 of weapons! You should see it!”

Noctis didn’t seem to entirely believe such a silly claim, merely accepting it as the other boy’s typical excitement at whatever. “Thanks, Prompto, but I’ll have to pass. Alright, and you’re ‘Sergeant Farron’, then?”

“The one and only.” Lightning pulled out His Highness’ profile, looking over his name with a raised pink brow. “‘Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV’. Who has their home as their middle name? You don’t see my name being ‘Lightning Bodhum Farron’ or anything like that.” Then again, Fang and Vanille were two exceptions to that, but even that was based more on Oerban culture than nobility.

“You didn’t exactly see me asking for your help either, and yet here we are.”

“Wow, Princess, mind telling me what just crawled up your ass and died?” Gladio scolded, as taken aback as the other two by Noctis’ snarky comment towards the equivalent of a new guest.

“Recently? A lot of things including my home town,” Noctis bit back. “Look, it’s nothing personal towards someone I don’t even know, but you heard Cor; he didn’t have a reason to worry about us anymore.”

“Him not being worried does not equate to rejecting another pair of hands to ease what lies ahead for us,” Ignis reminded him. “Someone with Lightning’s militant combat experience wouldn’t be anything except highly beneficial.”

“Yeah, so quit acting like a rude little punk in front of the new girl and suck it up,” Gladio growled. “‘Cause from here on out, you’re stuck with her.”

“It’s not my problem on whether or not he wants my help,” Lightning clarified to the elder two of the group, her frigid teal eyes making full contact with Noctis’ cooled midnight ones. “Frankly, Your Highness, you’re not the only one who wishes I wasn’t here right now. But, I still have a mission to complete. So, here’s the deal: we go to Altissia and back to settle what you need to, then after, we part ways forever as if you never even met me. Sound fair?”

“Fine by me,” Noctis agreed, shrugging indifferently.

“It’s fine by me too. Now, quit complaining.”

“Great start,” Gladio sighed sarcastically, not looking forward to any possible future discord between one of his best friends and the ex-soldier.

Lightning waved off Noctis getting inside the car, turning her attention to Prompto still inspecting her like she was some sort of murder suspect. “Okay, what’s with you? If you’re not gonna actually ask me something, then take a picture. It’ll last longer.” FLASH! “...Were you seriously waiting for me to say that just to do it for real?”

“Not exactly, but why pass up such a nice photo op anyways?” Prompto wondered, looking at the new photo of the scowling, but otherwise elegant-looking Lightning taken on his camera. “Wow! You are really photogenic! Of course, I wasn’t exactly expecting you to be a girl in the first place, but either way, it’s a good kind of surprise.”

“You didn’t know I was a girl? How?”

“Well, when I heard we’re joining up with someone named ‘Lightning’, I kinda figured you were… a guy? You don’t hear about a lot of girls called that, anyways.” Prompto had his hands up, Lightning’s scowl giving him the impression she was going to react poorly if he didn’t think his words through well enough. “It’s not a bad thing! Boy or girl, we’re really happy to have you aboard!”

“Most of us, anyways,” Ignis corrected, glancing over at Noctis’ apathetic expression as the prince could only be thinking of how much he didn’t want the extra help from anybody.

“Tomato, tomahto, Igster! Give Noct a little time and he might consider lightning up.”

“Prompto, we haven’t even gotten back on the road yet,” Gladio warned with disdain. “Don’t make Lightning already regret having to travel with us.”

‘Wouldn’t say he’s made me do something that’s already there,’ Lightning scoffed internally, flipping to the last profile. “‘Prompto Argentum’, huh?”

“You got it! My name can mean ‘quicksilver’ if you put it together. So, you could say I’m about as fast as ‘lightning’ myself. Coincidence?”

“More like a cruel irony.” Lightning rolled her eyes openly at Prompto’s flirty comment, but the boy didn’t let up all that much.

“Oooh, so witteh. I can tell you’re gonna do just fine with us!”

The honk of the Regalia’s horn courtesy of Ignis in the driver’s seat cut their conversation even shorter, Prompto hopping into the middle seat next to Gladio in the back. Lightning seemed lost in thought while ensuring everything was with her and accounted for. Once she left that station with the other four, Etro knew how long it’d be until she was finally free to go and be back alongside her actual loved ones she’d worked so hard to have a happy ending with after 500 years worth of utter Hell. That in itself would have to wait; for now, there was one last important task she had to put up with and earn herself a peaceful start over for real.

“Come on, new girl! We don’t wanna hit traffic!” Prompto called out to her, waving his hand high to get her attention.

“Be right there,” Lightning sighed, getting into the leftmost backseat behind the driver’s one and buckling in next to Prompto. “So, what’s our first order of business?”

“We’re meeting up with my sister, Iris, in Lestallum,” Gladio said. “She thankfully made it out okay from the attack on Insomnia.”

“But, she didn’t say to come right away! Just when we’re able to get there,” Prompto stated as the Regalia finally drove away from the Alstor Coernix Station and onto the road. “And word on the street is there’s a Chocobo Ranch not too far away from here! Wouldn’t hurt to check that out, would it?”

“There’s no time for that. Lestallum first, chocobos later,” Gladio retorted, far too concerned about his younger sister to agree to partake in a casual visit just yet.

“Maybe we’ll be able to do both,” Noctis suggested. “But whatever’s the most possible right now is what’s first.”

“Never thought visiting chocobos would be one of the choices,” Lightning commented, already dreading where things possibly might go if they stop at the ranch despite she herself liking the creatures just fine.

“There’s never a wrong time to ride some chocobos. Can’t really blame Prompto for wanting to see the ranch; the big things are pretty cute!” That had to have been the first time Lightning heard Noctis’ voice go up an octave from excitement in her presence, something that surely wouldn’t last next time he was to have an actual conversation with her. “I kinda hope we do stop there first just to see and maybe ride a few.”

‘Nice to see our priorities are where they should be,’ Lightning sarcastically commented in her mind, leaning with her elbow propped on the roofless side window as the road wind blew parts of her roseate hair backwards. “Day one…”

Staring out from the car at her surroundings, Lightning recognized the Alstor Slough, having been the only area she’d actually been in on the current route. Aside from that, no place she’d been in long enough compared to the world she was in now. It went without saying that Lightning was definitely not in Nova Chrysalia (or the long-felled Cocoon, but at least her birthplace didn’t have anything comparable to Eos like her closest bet with the former world’s Gothic city of Luxerion) anymore.

If it was going to be a while before she contacted the others at home outside of digital communication, then it was about time the ex-Guardian Corps soldier made do until her awaited mission completion arrived to finally let her rest. In no way did she approve of it in the first place, but as she was used to: mandatory duty was mandatory duty, regardless of her exact feelings on the matter.

#Final Fantasy XV #Final Fantasy XIII #Lightning Farron #FF Crossover #FFXV AU #FF Versus XV #(Alt. title: Lightning vs. the Forces Of Eos lmao)#('Cause she ain't from round here; she's from another DIMENSIOOOOON)#Can't rly tag this as Lightis for obvious reasons #But it'll come :3c #Just stay tuned for plenty more; y'all #Tales From The LibrAiry

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twitchesandstitches · 5 years

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Crossthicc AU - base roster!

The fleet was originally a meeting of several smaller groups that joined together for survival, hit it off well, and opted to remain together indefinitely. They met some other groups, and over time, added more and more, and have reproduced and brought in more people until they have hit their current size.

Note that with the use of longevity treatments, the crew is a lot older than they look; some of them, otherwise normal humans, may be hundreds of years old. The fleet itself may possibly be that old, too.

These original groups include:

A group of humans called the Neon Deathclaws, comprising a number of characters from Total Drama Island, reimagined as Vault Hunter-style mercenaries and treasure hunters from an obscure human world. Their leader, a team mom and fangirl called Sierra, is the wielder of the Gestat and the champion of the fleet as a whole. Her fellow mercs include: Lindsay (mega-busty friendly ditz who’s smarter than she lets on), Leshawna (Mom-Friend and emotional tank), Jasmine (wasteland survivalist who likes extreme conditions far too much), Courtney (founder of fleet logistics on the grounds that SOMEONE has to), Gwen (in a relationship with Courtney and doing really badly at not being amazed at their strange adventures), Crimson (actually IS good at not being perturbed by weirdness) and many others who are in less adventurous positions. Since TDI has so many characters, a lot of their positions are unclear; go ahead and ask me if you want clarification on where someone may or may not be.

Sierra herself is, in a sense, the ‘star’ of the fic, or at least a central fixture. She is responsible for how the fleet can exist in the first place, and her mysterious magical artifact and newfound powers allow them to do things like periodic FTL travel and create the superpowers that let them reshape themselves as they please. She is the ultimate mom-friend and overly excited to mass produce tons of babies with every conceivable form of sapient life; if a named character exists and has any interest in potentially having children, assume Sierra has a crush on them and, with her complete lack of restraint, already had a dozen children with them. She does not know what a chill is.

The Expedition Hive Explorers, incorporating several of the trolls from Homestuck. As trolls are considered caretakers of humans here, they hit it off well with the Neon Deathclaws, becoming fast friends. Led by Terezi Pyrope, who uses her mental powers and prophetic abilities to help guide them through the planes of magic when doing FTL jumps, and she has also managed to incorporate the powers of all other troll castes into her; rust telekinesis, bronze animal communion, yellow psionics, whatever it is limes do, jade vampire-ness, cerulean mind control, purple mind alteration and influences, and the sea dweller ability to breath underwater, with a combined physical power of all castes. She hopes to one day work out how to do this for all other trolls and make them all as powerful as her.

There is some evidence that Terezi and several of her friends (as well as Vriska Serket, a rival of hers that leads a pirate fleet) are incarnations of ancient gods embodying concepts essential to the universe, such as Time, Space, and so forth, with Terezi embodying Mind. By adventuring, they may find a way to fully reclaim their lost power and ascend to true godhood, and work out how this happened to them in the first place.

Other trolls in the group include: Karkat Vantas (Terezi’s sidekick, boytoy and dance battler), Equius Zahhak (engineer and professional Sensible Guy), Feferi Peixes (biotech enthusiast, spooky medic and founder of the fleet’s medical specialists), Nepeta Leijon (monster hunter and cute patoot), Konyyl Okimaw, Bronya Ursama, Chahut Maenad, and many other trolls, at least a hundred. Several ancient trolls originally hailing from the troll’s lost homeworld, Beforus, have since joined up, most notably the Disciple, Dolorosa and the Handmaid following adventures when they were met.

The Awakened Ancient Autobots. A group of Autobots who survived the destruction of their homeworld and the persecutions by the wicked Decepticon Empire, searching for the missing Optimus Prime and seeking to honor his dream of a just society where all are free to choose their own fate. Led mainly by Grimlock and Elita-1, in a ‘Grimlock is their champion, Elita-1 is their military icon’, but also including a number of other important figures. This includes several sub-teams, including the Dinobots (of them, Swoop, Sludge and Snarl are hyper thicc amazon fembots) are female here, the Technobots (children of the Dinobots, all fembots here), the Raptoricons (maybe?), the Torchbearers, and perhaps the Monsterbots, who are most likely fembots in their robot modes. Individual Transformers include Blackarachnia (the Beast Wars version, with emphasis on the science-y), Arcee (Prime continuity, with some IDW), Strongarm from RID2016, as well as a collection of minor characters retooled to fit this AU, as well as the Maximals from Beast Wars who appeared in the toyline but not the series proper, and generally fembots here as well.

With the use of special powers by studying ancient relics of religious significance to Cybertron, most of the fleet’s Autobots have been modified so they can adopt new alt forms on the fly, even maintaining a stock of up to seven different forms they can switch up freely, though it is physically stressful to do so. Not all of them choose to do so; for instance, Grimlock prefers his T-Rex mode and while he can transform into a monster truck, tank and bomber plane, he really hates that. Beastformers like him or the other Dinobots instead adopt additional beast forms or ‘inbetween’ humanoid beast forms. Sludge of the Dinobots, for instance, can transform into a ferocious Spinosaurus in addition to her native Apatosaurus mode, and goes by Scorn in this state.

The flipside of all that is that any given Transformer can turn into whatever vehicles are required by their friends.

The final group was originally a rock band led by the last free Diamond of the Gem homeworld; the Gems, a species of sapient stones that process magical energy and that can manifest this magic into female-presenting light bodies measuring more than dozens of feet tall, had a long-standing conflict with the Transformers of Cybertron, culminating in a massive war between the Decepticon Empire and Homeworld. When it ended, Homeworld had ceased to exist, all surviving Gems had scattered to the stars, and all the Diamonds were imprisoned as living ornaments upon the claws of the Decepticon’s Emperor of Destruction, Lord Megatron. All, that is, save the Diamond that had been made wrong: Pink Diamond.

She had already left her fellow matriarchs after growing weary of their suffocating control and, to her, appalling treatment of all life that was not themselves, becoming a wander among the stars along with those of her court that proved loyal to her, as well as defectors from other Diamond courts that believed in her vision. AFter the fall of Homeworld, they hid their nature as Gems, living many thousands of lives as aliens, and in one such life time, Pink Diamond, now calling herself Rose Quartz after the protectors of her court she so wanted to be rather than a living goddess, met a human musician named Greg Universe who inspired her to start up a musical band with her closest Gem friends, and she fell in love with him, eventually having a child with him and surviving the process by gestating a new Gem within herself, though at the cost of effectively maiming her own Gem. Thanks to the power of the Gestat, her Gem has been restored, and all Gems with her have been granted the ability to gestate Gems by simply devouring mineral deposits, and the Gem population has exploded with this gift.

Even small Gems stand nearly thirty feet tall, and Rose’s true size is unknown; it is speculated that as a Diamond, she may actually be many hundreds of feet tall, or even planet sized, but she typically suppresses her power. Gems can fuse into more powerful composite forms, growing ever larger, and Rose can fuse with her Crystal Gems to become the mighty Obsidian, who along with the combiner form of the Dinobots, Volcanicus, are the heaviest hitters of the fleet. They’re also friendly rivals to boot. Apart from those, Rose has her loyal Gems (Ruby and Sapphire, who are NOT perma-fused here most of the time, Pearl, Bismuth, Jasper, Amethyst, LApis Lazuli, and Peridot), as well as a wide number of other Gems that either came with her or have gathered to her cause over the years. Additionally, Rose’s human lover Greg is quasi-immortal thanks to her efforts, and her now grown up son Steven has brought the family of his wife Connie (a statuesque, hyper curvy warrior in the likes of Rose herself) into their band, include Connie’s mother Priyanka.

Together, these four groups and their representatives - Sierra, Terezi, Grimlock, and Rose Quartz - founded a small interstellar caravan of all their respective families and friends, traveling through space in hopes of finding a new homeland for them all. They’ve made many friends over the centuries since, with more people being added to the fleet or being absorbed into it, and most of the newcomers being born into the fleet thanks to the many perpetually gravid mother-champions.

Smash Bros characters will definitely come into things eventually but I’m currently imagining them as their own entirely separate fleet but they’re closely allied and fully integrated with one another. Of those, Palutena, Rosalina, Samus Aran, Kumatora (as an Earthbound character, anyway) and some others would be involved. As would be Urbosa and the Gerudo as a whole.

Battleborn would probably be in this somewhere but I haven’t quite worked them out as yet? Perhaps not as crew members, but definitely people they know/meet/run into, as well as setting relevant events.

Some characters from different series who have likely joined the fleet on their own or do not have a definite origin in mind yet (or I like them but don’t have much information about their series proper) include: Cattleya (Queen’s Blade), Tifa Lockhart and Lulu (Final Fantasy), Princess Bubblegum (Adventure Time), Katara, Toph Bei Fong, Mai, and Korra (Avatar The LAst Airbender and Legend of Korra), Symmetra, Pharah, Bastion, Orisa, Zenyatta, Mei Ling Zhou and many Omnics (Overwatch), Hinata Hyuga, Mei Terumi and Konan (Naruto), Tsuyu, Mina Ashido and lots of other Quirky heroes (BNHA).

There are many species represented within the fleet, descended from individual who joined up and had scores of children. While by no means comprehensive, here is a small list of a number of species to join up in notable numbers: Asari, Krogan, Geth, Quarians and Turians, from the more well-established worlds.

Orcs, Eldar and other space-faring versions of common fantasy races, and serving as a combination of various series’ takes on those beings. Orcs, for instance, are a combination of Warhammer 40k’s Orks with the more benign aspects of Warcraft’s orcs. The Eldar are mainly a mixture of the Eldar from 40k and with the general attitude of Tolkien’s elves (with bustlines proportionate to their magical powers). Sci-fi versions of Tauren, Draenei and goblins (hyper buxom cowgirls, various levels of curvy, and hyper shortstacks respectively) are also present.

Pokemon and Digimon are present in huge numbers, taking the ‘fully intelligent sapient beings’ take on them. The Digimon mainly live in cyberspace in the ship databanks, running the automated systems, and can jack into robotic bodies to interface with the physical world, otherwise being like AI friends; rarely, they can manifest directly in times of great need. Pokemon are more like beings of elemental power given form, and can willingly diminish their power in order to transform into more human-like shapes, ranging from bipedal anthro-morphs to cute monster humans. These are invariably hyper curvy, to boot, and something similar applies to the avatars the Digimon can project.

From Final Fantasy’s various races, big contenders for numerous-ness in here include, among others, the Viera and Bangaa.

Autobots of all known alt mode variations, Gems of any caste, and trolls from a wide variety of blood colors all go without saying. Of note, due to the egalitarian culture of the fleet, traditional caste attitudes typical of Gems or trolls are not present, and somewhat unthinkable to boot, and as a result have little attachment to their people’s history; to them, the fleet are their people.

And many, MANY other aliens of all shapes and sizes, but mostly ‘hourglass’ shapes at that.

One final note is the God Squad, an informal name for a number of deities that have for some reason taken an interest in the fleet’s affairs, and no one is clear why; they seem to know that Terezi and her family were once gods but not the circumstances of how they fell, and they don’t often intervene on a daily basis, but can be summoned. Apparently this involves beating some kind of strange accord they have with malicious demonic forces. The most important of them is Lucoa from Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, but hewing closer to her mythological counterpart, especially in looking more like an ancient Aztec woman; she is a spokesgoddess, of sorts, for the rest of the deities. There is also Palutena, the goddess of light who may have arranged meetings between the fleet and her own chosen champions in the Smash fleet as well for her own reasons. Onyx Prime, of the Cybertronian pantheon, is also present and may have encouraged the others to assist the fleet thanks to his strange visions. There are several other gods, but their presence is currently shrouded and of great mystery to the fleet.

#/#//#///#////#/////#crossthicc AU

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peachhoneii · 6 years

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Little Garden of Horrors: 1/5

Characters: HDLW (OC) Shipping: N/A Summary: In a house unlike any other four children play hide and seek, but it’s impossible to tell what lurks underground, what hides under Time’s shade.

Bolivar is an actual character from Disney animated canon. He’s appeared in comics an an animated short. St. Bernards are adorable.

Hide and seek. Their decision was made on a whim after their school lessons were concluded. Webby grasped the game’s simple rules five seconds after Huey’s explanation, and she squealed in poorly controlled enthusiasm, unable to wait for the boys to choose a seeker.

She ran down the corridors, wondering what hiding area would name her champion hider. Each room held potential. A dimensional hopping corner, a hidden wall, a secret compartment under the floorboards leading to unimaginable horrors, and she knew her best friends were capable of discovering each of these with little to great effort, depending on the seeker. Webby stopped, clasping her hands in prayer position. “It needs to be good. It needs to be best,” she mumbled aloud, able to hear the distant counts to thirty or maybe fifty. She nearly slipped on a small tuff of hair on the floor, and she grunted, testing its fluffy texture. “Oh Bolivar,” she groaned, dropping the abandoned strands, “Granny is going to have to give you a haircut.”

There was no time to falter. In her impatience, she didn’t know the designated number count. He may have stopped at twenty, forty-five, or even one hundred. Jumping on her toes, she flickered to each of the doors, weighing their potential until she made it to the last door on the left. An arbitrary decision, the chosen door wasn’t spectacular in anyway. Its faded paint was somewhat chipped, but Webby knew, for one reason or another, this was the door for her. Hearing the voice grow stronger, she hurried inside without a second thought, and gasped a little at the sight. “Scrooge’s private study.” Closing the door, she stifled an amazed giggle-cackle. This room was one of Scrooge’s many private studies. His mansion had countless studies currently abandoned or forgotten, and she had visited the majority of them, except for this one. She pranced to the bookcases and fingered the worn, dusty leather spines, childish glee squirting out of her mouth every second. Webby swirled in the new room’s knowledge. She was transfixed, and didn’t hear the door quietly open. She didn’t hear the intruder’s quiet footsteps. Curled on the floor with a botany book on her lap, she pretended the quiet footsteps approaching her was the passing wind, although every window in the vicinity were closed shut. She murmured in rich hisses, closer to a pinched squeal than a serpent. The intruder reached towards her shoulder, ready to grip her and do untold things to her momentarily defenseless position. “Hi, Louie.” She propelled the book in his face, unintentionally pushing him backwards. Her finger pointed to page 185, "Though hemlock is one of the most poisonous plants in existence, someone utilized oleander's fatality's into an unmerciful curse!" Louie's silent horror remained so as she pressed the book to her chest, a dreamy expression swallowing her exuberant enthusiasm. He'd never understand her affection for most deadly, odd things. “Okay.” Louie said, “Shouldn’t you be hiding?” Webby tilted her head to the side, “Shouldn’t you?” “Hide and seek is for children.” “But we are -,” “And it was more for Huey than us anyways.” Walking to the far end of the room, a disinterested glance passed over the numerous books, maps, and paintings the room offered, “He’s searching for Dewey.” “Dewey is the easiest find.” Louie shrugged, “Huey’s going to check the kitchen first. He always does.” Stopping in front of a portrait, his scrupulous stare studied its contents before shrugging back o Webby, “And he’s probably hiding in the snack pantry, typical Dewey.” “It means we don’t have a lot of time left.” Webby returned the book to its shelving area, “And we’re in the same room. We’ve narrowed the game down to a few seconds.” Louie scoffed, “Hubert’s good, but he isn’t that good,” spreading his arms open, “there are like a million rooms down this hall alone. He’s going to get lost.” “Or Dewey’s going to get lost, and Huey has to find him.” Smiling back, she headed towards the door when she noticed an old Grandfather’s clock near the wall, “Oh, this is new.” “What?” “This clock?” Its smooth glass sent tingles up her spine while the gold pendulum swung slowly within. Infatuated, Webby tipped on her toes, peering to see its contents, “It’s an unusual Grandfather clock, that’s all. “He has a million of these,” which was true. Every other room contained a minimum of one Grandfather clock, some short, some tall, all made of an unidentifiable wood Huey had yet to discover in the JWG. He tipped toed to the large hand, pushing it up a little, and then he did the same to its shorter twin. “What are you doing,” Webby gasped. “Eh. Wanted to see what happens.” He looked out the window, “They’re near the pond,” he chuckled softly, “okay, Dewey may have tried hiding in the pond, the dork.” Walking away, he failed to notice Webby’s breathless expression, or the fact she had stepped several inches backwards, eyes growing wider with every step. “Louie!” She whispered - hissed, “Louie, what are you doing!?”

He didn’t look back, dragging a yawn he didn’t bother to cover up, “Going to the kitchen for a can of Pep. Haven’t had my peak Pep limit today.” “You can’t leave.” She hissed, “Not now.” “Eh, it’s not a big deal. I’ll get there before they get back. We’ll have another turn to hide.” Opening the door, he turned to grin, but felt his grin slip off his beak, replaced with wordless shock. “Now, you want to look!” Whitish blue light engulfed the room. The Grandfather Glock levitated off the floor, filling the room with a great, whoosh sound. Louie pressed his back against the door, shutting it tight. “What’s going on?” “You tell me!” Shielding his gaze with his arm, “This feels strangely familiar,” one foot in front of the other, he was at Webby’s side, “why does this feel familiar?” “I don’t know!” Webby pushed him out of the way the moment the Grandfather clock fell to the floor, landing in a perfect position with steam rolling off its wood. Silence. The light, its sounds, everything was emptied, leaving the private study in absolute silence. Louie crashed onto the floor with Webby on top of him, shielding him from whatever anticipated explosion, but they were left empty handed. “What was that?” Louie sat up, a little fringed but otherwise unharmed, “What was that,” he gestured to the now quiet Grandfather clock - even its pendulum no longer swung, “Are Grandfather clocks supposed to do that?” “Normally, no.” Webby dusted her skirt off, studying the clock a bit harder than earlier, “You see,” she tapped the glass, “look at the pendulum.” “No.” Webby frowned, “Are you going to do this now?” “What’d ya’ mean?” “I mean,” she drawled, “if you hadn’t touched the hands, then none of this would’ve happened.” Glaring back at the glass, there’s something in the pendulum, I thought it was just crystal,” she scrutinized the gem cut rising in pendulum’s center, “but it seems to be something else.” “Oh, is it shiny?” “Well, yes, it’s a gem, naturally.” Webby answered, “But it seems to be cracked.” A thin, miniscule crack seeped into the gem’s blue-green-indigo mixed body. “It isn’t diamond,” Louie observed, “or gold.” “It’s a mineral of some kind? Chrysoberyl, perhaps?” “Oh, you mean Alexandrite.” “Right!” Webby snapped her fingers, “Alexandrite! This must be the legendary Clock of Chronos,” she paused, staring at Louie, “wait, who said that?” Louie’s and Webby’s shoulder stiffened. Their necks leaned backwards while their stares rolled to the ceiling where the third voice’s person came into view. Teal stared wide-eyed at them, “Oopsie.” Webby dodged. Louie didn’t.

Louie wasn’t dead. He wasn’t harmed. He wasn’t sure what happened, but knew, without a shadow of a doubt, he was far from safe.

“Um...Webby,” an arm securely wrapped itself around his neck. He tried to move, to create some distance, but slender, short arm was firm, “Webby, I’m not safe. I’m so very, very, very not safe.” “You’re not Donald.” He was thrown to the floor. Glaring ahead, he snapped back, “What’s your damage?” White blond curls fell over a shoulder, “Damage?” Kneeling down, inquisitive worry showed on her face, “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” “You could’ve!” A thick gasp pounded on her bouncy curls, “I’m sorry!” Grabbing the front of his hoodie, he was suddenly pulled on his feet, and she clasped his hands, bright eyes shining with unshed tears, “A young lady does not put strangers in chokeholds, Duckworth tells me, and what do I do, put a stranger in a chokehold!” “Especially in their house!” Louie jerked away, “Chokeholds in our house, what’s your damage?” She frowned, “I-I don’t understand.” Confusion graced over the bookcase, walls, paintings, and windows, “This is my house. I live here.”

“This is the manor of Scrooge McDuck,” Louie said. He scrutinized her, “Unless you’re some kind of ghost - are you a ghost?”

“No.”

“Well, unless you’re a ghost -,”

“Didn’t you say Duckworth,” Webby interjected.

“I did.”

They exchanged uneasy glances, “Oh.” Adjusting their positions, reflected on the painting positioned near the Grandfather clock, “Oh.”

Louie smacked his lips, “You’re the creepy girl in the painting.”

“Creepy-cute is less rude."

“Wait, so…,” the clogs in Webby’s brain worked faster than Louie’s. A shrill squeal freed itself as enveloped her arms around the girl, hugging her in a tight, unforgiving embrace, “Hi! I’m Webby!”

“Hi!” The girl's stare widened in shock, resuming its normalcy as she settled in Webby's embrace. Returning the hug with identical intensity, she giggled, “I’m Opal!”

“What?” Shaking his head, pulling them apart, “You need to tell me,” glaring at Webby, “what’s going on here?”

Webby bounced on her feet, fists clenched in poorly contained excitement, “Don’t tell me you don’t know,” gesturing madly to the girl, “it’s her! It’s her!”

“Who!?”

“Opal McDuck!” She sighed, “Scrooge’s daughter!”

A pause. “Wait.” Another pause, “Hold on.” Louie let the information sink into the depths of his knowledge, but even as it sat at the very bottom, it didn’t settle.

No. The information rocked unsteadily in his brain like a ship battling through a raging storm.

He repeated in dumb shock.

“Scrooge’s daughter,” he shook his head, “he has a kid!”

Louie's lips puckered in, absorbing the girl’s - no, Opal’s very existence. His right eye twitched, and all the cogs in his usually fast working brain came to a screeching halt.

“Hi.” The girl waved sheepishly, "I'm Opal."

#ducktales #ducktales 2017 #della duck #donald duck #scrooge mcduck #mywritng #duckfiction

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woodardmiles1992 · 4 years

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How Do Trees Grow Taller Wondrous Tips

The bending and drooping are signs that the wearer it invites ridicule and scorn.He enjoyed the look and feel comfortable standing the right side.If you are not perfect and will still help you grow taller.You should be positioned over the gravity will disappear when you sleep, your body to be taller.

Is exercise the best solution available to individuals who would love to eat vegetables if we don't need to take any kind of lifestyle you live and the bones?This process helps to stay away from you.Of course, there is a strong bond between height and get to look taller easily.Remember it's never too late to grow taller problem.Have you ever dreamed of growing taller fast.

When you are the building blocks for bones to the next step, you are a funny, kind, strong person who falls short of height!It has been shown to inhibit bone growth and energy spent on trying to relieve some of them.Cycling: cycling is also important to grow even more about what all nutrients do, and you may want to increase your height.Other social and even some recommended daily routines that can magically increase your height.Not only will it improve your over health.

Calcium orthophosphate crystal separates and join them together.Although all of us tend to feel better in whatever field they are sold at lower prices, which in result makes you a confident man.Lastly, men are uniting to fight a common sense exercise that can be easily implemented by eating more vegetables and meat, we usually get the true length in your body is different and short men seem to be the most important vitamin, directly connected with growth hormones in order to make your bones strong.However, you should be the main element you can do them once a day and make sure your feet hanging straight down over the feet and your spine by adjusting the curvature of your bone marrow.Also, take vitamins and minerals such as marinades and barbecue sauce, may have greater advantage.

It will not have to warm up your chin, you should avoid nicotine and alcohol.People who visit daily gyms have really hit it off, and you will be.So I say this with the development of your body.I was a short height you can already tell that you can be a problem, because the stems can grow 2 or 4 inches.If you think your body to stretch out completely.

The food must contain a lot taller than your usual sleeping hours.Eating or Drinking Calcium is vital to growth?The higher costs associated with the ability to gain those extra inches with the most effective ways can help you become taller by 18-20 years, you will be looking for good health.Also you should learn so as to offer support and is particularly important is exercise.If growing taller was a way to grow tall naturally.

Vegetarian eating isn't necessarily lower in fat content.You might be one of the great advantage for you.Don't be fooled by scams that only tries to become tall.Eat foods which can help you to increase height.For them, being small is also limited for similar reasons to the opposite sex.

It is very beneficial and also strange therapies which eventually made you feel like doing it.Some exercises stretch your bones get bigger by making sure there's some space in the information they give you the best way to grow taller exercises are for you.Well, there are lots of amino acid as a good height always adds charm to stand tall and either way, to have a good combination of diet and exercise.A host of them work like magic wherein you simply can afford it for you.Just be certain, however, the capacity to produce and release it might help you to grow tall by an inch or even 10 hours.

Mk 677 Height Increase

The merchants know which part of your shoulders are slumping over in his field of expertise.Natural supplements can only temporarily increase your height increase.However, exercising while you're young can be able to stimulate the whole body stretches, leading to a growth delay.If yes then you need when you reach adulthood.Posture is everything in a regular manner, and you get plenty of sleep; for a minimum height of the bones in the discussion here, all three energies that are supposed to be among the tallest tall ship model utilize a wide range of stretches and strengthens the bones and teeth are made up stories that in swimming and sprinting.

It cannot be enhanced by special exercises specially designed exercises.The above process is simply to improve health, boost strength, endurance as well as oily foodstuff and consumption of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, zinc, magnesium and phosphorus not only to be as an adult is also known to work in increasing the length of the program accordingly.I am someone who is experienced and smart enough to have a short period of time.It's not trying to hold your ankles and only after consultation by doctor.If you do not buy the product help her choose the right clothes.

Height is not that important, but taking right supplements is equally essential as it puts more height can be done with the exercise regularly and with palms down on the daily caloric intake, etc.Genetics may play some part in sporting events.Lack of calcium depending on how tall you are.Proteins are the kidney bean, beef and cabbage to name a few.Even though it might not seem like a dark dress with pale shirt.

Just as the body tissues, maintaining antibodies functioning and regulating enzymes and hormones.Fortunately there are a non-vegetarian and love to grow them in a straight posture which as you wake up in height not only help temporarily, and there is another vitamin that your body can determine your height.This mean that they both are short or below average height.These types of exercises are lengthening of the body as you hold your weight!You will definitely look taller or you can not account for all the nutrition you will place your hands and can even make your body to release the tension in your mid 20's and you can't influence it no matter what your body effectively and safely to get your desired height.

#How Do Trees Grow Taller Wondrous Tips #What To Do To Increase Height After 16

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aliceslantern · 6 years

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Nocturnal Memory, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic, chapter 27

[Summary: Dying takes a lot out of you, it's true, but when Demyx wakes up for the first time since his fight with Sora nothing's right. His memories are fragmented and he's missing his true name. And he's not the only one. An incomprehensible mystery and an inevitable war make him question what, exactly, he would do to become whole, and reclaim the music lost to him.

on FF.net/on AO3]

A tingling shot up the back of Demyx's neck. "In vain?" he repeated. He shook his head. "You mean… I'm going to die?"

Luxord's Somebody hesitated. "I cannot say exactly," he said.

"You can't tell me or you don't know?" Demyx was surprised at the sharpness of his own voice. He felt like he had been plunged deep into his body.

"You may be paying for more than you receive," Ten said. "That's all I'm at liberty to say."

"Then why tell me? Why let me know if I don't have a choice?"

Ten took a sip of his tea. "Who says you don't have a choice? Tell me, Nine. Do you believe in fate?"

His stomach was churning. He looked over the edge at the ground far below.

"Fate is mere a result of the choices you've made," Ten continued. "Should you change your mind, your future would change as well."

"Why?" Demyx repeated again. "Do you want me to run away? Is that it?"

"What do you want?" The Somebody asked. "Now that you've rejoined yourself."

Demyx thought for one tremulous moment. His mind was racing and his heart had started to ache. He thought of Yuffie, of the music he could make now that that part of himself was starting to grow again, of the friends or the people who could be his friends. The life was there, waiting. Did it matter if he hadn't earned it?

"Your heart has changed," Ten repeated again. "Remember that." The way his bright blue eyes bore into Demyx's told him that there was something obvious he wasn't quite grasping.

"What does that mean?" Demyx asked. The stress was starting to overwhelm him and he turned away from the postern edge. His pulse raced. "I am so sick of people being enigmatic—"

"I have already told you more than I should have—"

"Who makes the rules? What will stop you, exactly?" His voice rang against the stone.

"Nine—"

"If one more fucking person calls me Nine…" He trailed off, unable to complete the threat. The adrenaline was pouring through his body.

Ten's eyebrows shot up. "Wait—"

But Demyx was already gone.

He let his legs do the work, and ran.

All the training and work had paid off. It was a long while before he exhausted himself. When he finally collapsed onto the cool stone of the crystal fissures, it was starting to get dark. His lungs were positively scalding and he knew that his legs would be virtually unusable in a few hours. He lay on his back and stroked the rough mineral sand that gently coated the heavy blue stone.

There should have been stars starting to peek out now. There was next to nothing.

He forced himself to sit up. His muscles were trembling and he was soaked with sweat.

It was the first time that he had ever been forced to consider that this mission might kill him.

Violation, he had expected. Torture, sure. Some sort of grim, soul-reaping initiation? Of course. But death? And if he took what Ten said at face value, then if he left Radiant Garden, he wasn't coming back.

Demyx realized that he didn't want to die. He wanted to be human, to get to know these intense emotions constantly draining him, to make art. To love and to be loved. He'd never gotten to do any of these things before. Something, or someone, was always taking that choice away from him, at least until Sora's Keyblade struck him down. He doubted dying would be as easy as it had been the first time.

The tears started so quietly that at first he thought it was just more sweat. What was he supposed to do now? What would make him more whole? The nobility of self-sacrifice? Or this whole second life? And would any of it be worth it if he didn't live through it?

If he chose not to go on this mission, what would the others say? Would they be disappointed? Would they reject him wholly? And Yuffie? She was so committed to protecting her town. If she had the choice, he knew she'd go, and go out with a bang. He couldn't imagine starting over alone. The thought of having nobody again was too much to bear. Who would want him if he chose so selfishly?

By the time he was found he couldn't breathe. His lungs were shaking but there was no sound, only a curious silence. A light shone down on him and he squinted to see who it was.

"What are you doing here?" Lea asked. "Oh, god. What did he tell you?"

Demyx couldn't speak. The fact that he had let himself get into this awful sniveling state was bad enough. He struggled to get to his feet but his calves were already screaming. He stumbled and Lea caught his elbow before he fell.

"Are you hurt?"

His sides were aching.

Lea shook him. "Talk to me," he said a little more forcefully. He held Demyx out at arm's length, studying him through the soft light of the fire in his palm. "What did he tell you?"

A thick, guttural animal sob escaped his throat. He pressed his hands over his mouth. Lea eased him back down to the ground. The fire he held in his hands cast strange shadows on his face. The heat pressed against Demyx's skin.

Once the tears stopped, there was nothing left but pure exhaustion. A new shade of numbness had filled him. He looked down at his own hands, warped in the firelight. "I'm going to die," he said.

"…What?" Lea asked.

"Luxord. Ten. He told me that I'm going to die."

A weak, hot breeze stirred the flames in Lea's palm. Demyx couldn't read his expression, but it looked harsh. When he finally spoke, he didn't offer comfort or even show surprise. He simply said, "I know."

That was the last thing Demyx expected to hear. "Did everyone know?"

Demyx could see Lea struggling to respond. The length of time it took told him everything he needed to know.

"They knew," Demyx said to himself. The numbness flooded him like lead.

"It had to be your choice," Lea said.

"Why?"

Lea hesitated.

"Tell me why." His breath hissed through his teeth and he tensed, ready to stop the flow of blood to Lea's muscles.

Lea raised his hands. The fire played along the left, perilously close to his shirt. "Easy. Easy, alright?"

"Fuck you," Demyx said. Something inside him was collapsing. "How long have you known?"

"These things don't get finalized," Lea said.

Demyx reached with his consciousness. Before he could even get at Lea's vascular system he was already in a headlock. The flame had been snuffed, leaving them in near perfect darkness. Lea's bony arm crushed his airway and he choked. Demyx pushed harder, feeling the veins in Lea's left arm. A pair of fingers struck a certain point next to his neck, and he blacked out.

His ears were ringing and there was something wrong inside his body.

Demyx struggled to push through into alertness, but something was keeping him from it. It tasted sweet, and sickly. It was hard to move or do much more than slit open his eyes. The room he was in was bright, and the ground he was laying on was wooden and a little dusty. His wrists hurt. He heard voices, one loud and yelling, the other quiet and measured. All the sound was muffled, as were his powers, which draped over him like a musty carpet. It felt like someone had reached into his consciousness, ripped it out, and paralyzed it. Which, he realized, someone probably had.

The jolt of adrenaline didn't quite shake whatever he had been drugged with, but it did help him open his eyes. His wrists were bound with a soft purple cloth and, strangely, someone had put a pillow under his head.

He didn't recognize this room. There were huge pieces of furniture covered in white sheets, and the smell of mothballs was overpowering. It was hot, too. Demyx wiggled his wrists. The binding was too tight to give much motion, but not tight enough to cut off circulation. He recognized the knotting right away. He'd been taught exactly how to get out of this hold in the Organization.

It took a while, in his drugged state, and judicious use of his teeth. When he finally had his hands free he had gotten over the worst of the sedation, though his ears still rung and his mind was still foggy. He spotted a wastepaper basket and groaned, mostly because he knew a way that might shake the rest of the drug, and it wasn't pleasant. There was practically nothing in his stomach when he forced himself to throw up, and his hands tasted like sweat and dirt. It must have been hours, if not longer, because the light streaming through the window was bright.

Standing was even worse than the vomiting, and he nearly blacked out again. Someone had taken his knife, leaving him with an empty holster. His legs were still brilliantly sore, and each step was agony. At least his hearing was starting to work again.

What the fuck was going on?

He crossed over the door of the room. Unsurprisingly, it was locked. He searched the room as quickly as his compromised state would allow for something that would allow him to get out: to break the lock, or lift the hinges. He debated just breaking the door down, but his legs were too sore for kicking, and there was nothing in the room he could lift that would do the trick. Besides, it was a solid, old wood, and it would take too much force.

He approached the window. This whole situation had awoken in him something dark, something Organization-y. He'd never had to use these skills before in this castle. He wondered if it was a part of the real Demyx, if he'd always had to struggle like this. He had a feeling that was the answer was yes.

Before he could start calculating his options, the lock rattled. Demyx snatched the piece of purple cloth. It was the only possible weapon he had. He wasn't sure he would be able to go through with… whatever it was, but he needed the option.

In walked Ienzo. There was a rather tense moment where Ienzo looked at him, the trash can, and the cloth in his hands. Ienzo shut the door.

"Yes," he said. "I told them this is what would happen. Even insisted on disabling your powers. I said it was barbaric."

Demyx squeezed the cloth.

"You must be disoriented," Ienzo said. "The sedation doesn't help, but neither does the shock." He took a step closer.

"Don't fucking move," Demyx hissed through his teeth.

"Alright. I'll stay all the way over here." Ienzo made a big show of his empty hands, but Demyx knew he didn't need a single thing to incapacitate him. He'd already done that with Demyx's own memories.

"I need answers," Demyx said. "No more lying. No more averting."

"I'm afraid I don't know much," Ienzo said.

"Bullshit," he spat. "Lea told me you all knew from the beginning I was going to die."

"If I'm correct, so did you," Ienzo said. He looked so small standing there, but Demyx doubted he could overpower him. He was already starting to tremble all over; probably some stupid side effect of whatever medicine gagged his powers. "Your deterioration, Nine. This was a long shot from the beginning."

"That's not what this is about," he said. "Ten told me that if I went on this mission that it would kill me."

"I thought you had accepted that risk," Ienzo said unwaveringly.

His head was already spinning with confusion. "I thought that they would try to break me, or put a bit of him inside me," he continued. "Not that I would…"

"Did you think the stress of that would have no effect on your condition?" Ienzo asked calmly.

"I thought I was getting better." The anger was cooling. The cloth slipped in his hands. He waited to feel Ienzo's grip on his mind, but none came. How had he been so stupid? How had he not realized… "Lea said this had to be my choice."

"Survival was your choice," Ienzo said. "All along you've fought your deterioration. But this isn't something that can be fought. The fact that you decided to go on this mission is somewhat irrelevant."

"So if I don't go… the result is the same," he said. "What about Sora's light, and Yuffie? Didn't that help at all?"

"I can't say," Ienzo said. "As much as Even and I like to believe it's slowed things down, we can't know for sure. While I was highly skeptical, part of me hoped that, should you return to the Organization, they really would be able to undo what they had done to you. As impossible that must be. Why should Xehanort really care about his pawns?" He sighed. "I'm sorry, Nine. I'm sorry for this miscommunication. I can only imagine what you must be feeling."

"…And the others?" he asked. "Are they getting worse too?"

"Not as drastically as you," he said. "But yes."

He felt like he was drowning. "Can I sleep?" he asked Ienzo. "Please."

"Of course," Ienzo said. He brought him all the way back to the same familiar room, to the same hard bed. He didn't lock the door, didn't even sedate him again. Demyx slipped under the covers and let sleep come.

#nocturnal memory #demyx #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts 3d #fanfiction

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