#just cleaned up this thing i scribbled from back in 2021 when i shipped this ship | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

maple-writes · 3 years

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Dissidia March 2021: Week 3

Ignore that I’m posting this at midnight

Thanks again @onmywaytobe for working with me on this one, and @dissidia-writeblr for working with me too and hosting!

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Seemingly pleased with their agreement, Tidis led Warren and Leo through the maze-like hallways of the building without a word. This hall looked just the same as any other, boring and grey. They looked away from Tidis’ back and very real wings to Leo, walking without a word beside them. He sure had agreed to this deal quickly, hadn’t he? Leo must not have thought anything seemed off, not with the soldiers, or what Tidis said in the office. Or maybe…

“Feel free to ignore me if you want,” they paused a second as Leo turned. “But is there something you’re hoping they can help you with?”

Leo stumbled, frozen mid step before regaining his stride. “I’ve been sick my whole life. I want to know what it would be like if I wasn’t.”

“Really?” His whole life huh. “That’s tough.”

A couple workers passed by, lowering their heads as they passed. Warren frowned. Everyone they passed seemed to do that. None dared look directly at the three of them. Even if Tidis was pretty high up here, did it really make sense for everyone else to avert their eyes? They’d been to a few conferences and events with some very high ranking officials and they’d never felt the need to hide their face. Sure they weren’t super keen to be friends with all of them but still, never avoided them like this. Even when Indigo brought him to parliament once to assist her on some proposal and they ended up running into the prime minister while Indigo was occupied she’d acknowledged them. She probably forgot their name soon after they’d met but she’d been cordial.

They pushed the thought away. Leo didn’t seem to notice anything wrong after all. “I hope this works then.” For his sake they hoped they were just overthinking things.

“Yeah. Me too.” Leo mumbled. They paused, footsteps echoing a moment before he spoke again. “Why are you going with this guy? Are you sick too?”

They shrugged. “Not really.” At this point there wasn’t much they could think of changing. These last few years they’d felt better than ever. “But I don’t like the idea of wandering alone until whenever it is we end up going home.”

“Fair enough.” Leo nodded, then fell quiet as they approached a heavy looking door at the end of the hall.

The door opened up to a hanger, tall and wide with a good-sized ship sitting in the center, one that looked equipped for travel outside the atmosphere. Maybe. Volt said something once about that kind of patterning on the exterior panels having something to do with the conditions out in space, but most of it hadn’t stuck. Tidis led them to the entry ramp and gestured for the both of them to enter, hanging back to say something to one of the many soldiers milling about the hanger. Two stood talking near the ramp, turning away when Warren and Leo got close.

The soldiers hadn’t seemed to notice them, startling and bumping into the both of them, apologizing profusely and hurrying away. Warren glanced back at them as they disappeared into some other part of the hanger. Maybe they were new.

“Did you feel that?” Leo hissed.

“Feel what?”

Leo lowered his voice, private between the two of them. “Those guys just put something in my pocket.”

He fished out a piece of paper and Warren followed. Something brushed the tips of their fingers. Another piece of paper, identical to Leo’s. They unfolded it and read the note scribbled on the scrap of paper.

We will help you out when we can.

Shit. “This doesn’t seem good.”

Leo looked up from his own note, but neither dared say another word as Tidis came up behind them, ushering them up the ramp and into the ship.

Inside the ship was clean, well lit and roomy, a far cry from Volt’s ship with it’s narrow halls and clear leaning for functionality over looks. Compared to the Lord of Chaos this ship felt far more streamlined and coordinated, but the note in their pocket seemed to burn against their leg. We will help you out when we can. The war, Tidis’ talk of letting them go home, the way no one dared look him in the eyes… He didn’t leave them, hovering behind both their backs and sending chills crawling up and down their back.

He brought them further into the ship as it took off, a low rumble coursing faint from the engines. “This is the moon we live on.”

Warren looked up from their shoes to where Tidis gestured out a little window. It grew larger every second. Every second further away from whatever planet they’d just left and the two soldiers claiming to be coming to help them.

Tidis didn’t seem to notice either their or Leo’s silence. “We study the magic up here. We’re the only ones who have gotten the magic of this world. At least from what we know.” He smiled, all polite without sincerity. “We’ll be separating you to ask questions. I hope you don’t mind.”

He nodded at someone else, a woman with the same kind of wings who gently turned Leo to follow her. Tidis himself waved Warren after him. They glanced back at Leo but he was already gone.

Warren’s stomach twisted, but they kept their head down and did as Tidis wanted. Whoever those two soldiers were, they’d promised they weren’t alone up here, whatever that meant. Whatever happened it would probably be best if Tidis didn’t know. If he didn’t think they knew anything.

The ship landed and Warren followed Tidis into a little room off the side of the main hanger. He shut the door behind him, turning to face them with a smile.

“Thank you for your cooperation.” Tidis paused a moment, opening a drawer and taking out black chains. “We will not actually be letting you go back. We have other plans for you.”

Warren’s breath caught and they ran back, dropping their mug to clang loud on the ground. Their back hit the wall and they stared, eyes locked on the chains in his hands. This was worse than they thought. “What are you talking about?” They glanced at the door shut and blocked by Tidis and his wings that suddenly seemed very, very broad.

This wasn’t good. This wasn’t good.

Tidis laughed, sharp and villainous. “In summary, I lied to you. This world’s magical balance has been ruined, and the only way we can fix it is to find people who can take the magic. Mostly people who have been summoned.” His eyes sharpened with his grin down at Warren. “So, we’ll use you for our own ends.”

Shit. They eyed the chains in Tidis’ hands, dark and heavy looking. Those were for them. For them. Their heart ran faster, too loud in their ears. Whatever he meant for them if he thought he’d need to use those to restrain them—

“No, no, I…” Horror rose in their throat, cutting off their air and blocking their thoughts. “I don’t want to.” They swallowed. “Don’t.”

But Tidis didn’t seem to care, approaching with a too-casual step and a fake-soothing voice. “This won’t hurt a bit. These chains just negate anything from your own world, be it magic or tech. We will be keeping you until the procedure is ready.”

Procedure. Chills ran down their back and their blood ran cold. What did he mean by procedure?

Tidis cocked his head. “Do you have anyone from your world who you’d like to have to keep you company? We wouldn’t want you to be lonely.”

No. They pressed themself against the wall, clenching their jaw. No way they were going to tell him anything.

“Unfortunate.” Tidis lamented. “Maybe we’ll hear you crying out for them later.”

Warren glared. Over their dead body they’d give him anything. But they bit back the retort, lowered their head and stood still as Tidis chained their hands and led them out of the room. They followed along with what Tidis wanted, pliant and quiet. Whatever he was planning to do to them they didn’t to give him any reason to make it worse.

Tidis brought them to a little cell and left them there with an insecure suggestion to make themselves at home. Slowly, Warren backed into the cell and settled down as best they could.

How long until he came back? Warren bunched their shoulders and stared out at the far wall. Whoever those soldiers were, the ones that planted that note, how long would they take? If they came at all. Shit. How had they been so stupid? Of course this was a set up. Of course it was. Why would anyone just trust two unknowns arriving out of nowhere in a war zone? Why hadn’t they said anything when Tidis said he’d let them go home if they helped him? Or anything about the way everyone seemed scared of him? Shit. Shit. Had they been lying even about how they could help Leo? Bastards.

They wanted to go home. If only this was a dream. If only.

No one would know what happened to them back home. They’d just have vanished into thin air never to be seen again. Warren swallowed against the lump rising sharp in their throat. Volt, Skyler, how would they find out? Their parents would know they were missing when they didn’t show up for their weekly lunch together at the very least, but Volt? All she’d have would be missed calls and no idea what happened.

They sighed, shifting around in attempt to get comfortable. Not like there was anything to do but wait and hope whoever those two soldiers were really went through with their promise. Hopefully they got here soon.

#dissidia march 2021 #this may not be super quality writing #but i had a good time with it #so that's what's important lol

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