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celticfeather · 4 years

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Chapter 1: Dawn

Chapter 6 Below

-Uchiha Itachi-

"Itachi, wake up."

"Itachi."

Itachi opened his eyes and regarded his partner calmly. The first thing he saw was Kisame retracting a guilty hand, and a bluish eyebrow twitched. "Did you have trouble sleeping?"

Apparently he had overslept.

"The nights in this country are short," Itachi said.

Kisame looked over at the rising sun over the waves. It was already two hours high. But the mist-ninja said nothing.

Gulls wheeled as the pair trekked along the sand. They walked in the wetness where their footprints were quickly erased by the swiping glasslike waves.

"Finally!" A voice behind them said.

The disturbance's whining tone signaled no threat and dually annoyed Itachi. Zetsu had risen from the dunegrass, grains of white quartzite sand rivuletting down the creases in his leafed crest. Itachi did not particularly like Zetsu: it was some kind of association that the plant-ninja always brought bad news.

"About time we found you two!" the white half exclaimed. "I can't see or hear well through the ocean."

Zetsu could not spy as efficiently underwater or at beaches. Itachi filed the information for later use.

"Pain requests you meet at a cave on the eastern bank of Rido Lake, in the Land of Rivers, five days from today,' he said matter of factly.

Itachi and Kisame looked at each other.

Zetsu continued excitedly. "It's a doosie, the whole gang is invited! Well, I'll give you a hint. We're going on a Tailed Beast Hunt!"

Kisame raised an eyebrow. "Tailed Beast Hunt?"

"Yes! Don't be late! Five days, Rido Lake, at noon!"

The plant-ninja seeped back into the earth. Itachi always found Zetsu's rare locomotion an anomaly. But Itachi supposed even his own powers, logical to him, looked enviously strange from the outside.

"Know anything about tailed beasts?" Kisame asked.

"The Nine Tailed Fox attacked my village when I was five. It destroyed the Uchiha complex and killed the Hokage...They sealed it in a child."

"The Mist's Tailed Beast has been missing since the death of the Mizukage."

"Hm," Itachi said. The hunt must be no small feat if the other teams were enlisted for the same task. At least, according to Zetsu, they had some days for themselves before they needed to report. Itachi was mildly curious of the mission, but not enthusiastic.

"Do we need to do anything before then?" Kisame asked.

Like say goodbye to friends and family? With a silent glance at the eastern sun, Itachi discerned their orientation, and led them in the direction of the Land of Rivers, a several days' walk away.

"It would be faster if we cut across the gulf."

"I can neither run nor swim a gulf."

"I'm not convinced you can swim at all."

The two ninja traveled a quiet day through the small countries. It was the custom of outlaws to make their routes through the disorganized and impoverished ring of states outside the great nations. These strapped militias did not track killers so long as they wandered peaceably.

As they walked along a path, the bisected village was freshly burned. A miasma of death, fine as silt and equally pervasive, clogged the air. A battlefield passed them by, and narrow flags streamed from spear points embedded in earth and armor.

"Looks like a civil war."

"Or a blood feud."

Hopping crows scattered before the two rogues. Most of the corpses wore old fashioned layered armor and carried swords. Like the Uchiha and Senju, he thought. But he doubted any were above genin in this battle.

He turned one of the soldiers over. It rolled too light in its iron shell, a woman, or a boy. A boy. Itachi searched him, but found only copper, and he left it. He did this to three other corpses, but found no food, only money.

"You check for threats. I'll search for anything useful," Itachi said, and Kisame disappeared.

Itachi stole suspicious and warily into the hamlet, a habit he could not shake despite the lack of threat. The thatch from the houses was half burned, and the village's inhabitants were dead or fled. He pushed open a garden gate.

Twisted in old rebellion against the dry summer grasses, gnarled black tree trunks reached towards the sky. His eyes flitted hopefully through the ravaged orchard like a songbird. Too high for even the lightest village children, a few orange persimmon fruits dotted the canopy.

With a flighting leap he landed on a tree's fork, picked the ripest fruit, and with his watchful eyes flashing left and right, he sank his teeth into the water-soft flesh. Persimmons were sweet and fibrous and very healthy. Life with Kisame had him eating a lot of meat. A hooded crow alighted on a nearby branch to observe him. He considered offering the bird a slice, before realizing it had ample preferable options.

The hamlet appeared abandoned from his vantage, and Kisame had made himself invisible. Itachi continued to explore the hamlet, but found little in the way of life or clues. The little crow followed him. An emaciated pig lay dead in a nearby pen. Kisame would like that. The patient crow watched him open the carcass and a squawk summoned her friends.

He walked into the mostly-intact adjacent hut with the pork balanced gingerly between his hands. The abandoned one-room house displayed a traditional kitchen: a pile of coals inset in a square hole in the center of the tatami floor. He might not be better at catching fish than Kisame, -no he was still probably better at fishing than Kisame- but he was definitely a better cook. With the pork fillet, soy sauce, peppercorns and herbs he found around the property, he practiced his art over a dead family's hearth. Kisame stepped through the threshold some time later.

"No one is here but some corpse robbers, who are hiding from us about a quarter kilometer away."

"How respectful of them," Itachi noted.

Kisame grunted. Itachi gestured for Kisame to sit opposite him as he continued to cook. Kisame's eyes traced out the window at the carnage, and he released an abandoned laugh.

"Reminds me of my teenage years.

Itachi followed his gaze. "Indeed."

The oppressive silence of dead men blanketed them. As the coal-fire stoked, the hut they sat in was empty from any laughter it had days ago. The universe had conspired to put two ruthless killers into a village that now offered no one to kill. The Akatsuki had always killed and left. Now Itachi would see what he created.

No. He spared the Leaf from this.

"The Eye of the Moon will end this excess," Kisame said soberly from across the coals.

"We'll find no satisfaction in illusion."

Kisame twitched his lip in a tight smile, unexpected to have lured Itachi to finally spar.

"How can you be sure that your belief that reality is superior to fiction, is itself not false?" Kisame's posed.

"Because I weave fiction."

Itachi had authored his ideal life once, right before he killed his clan.

He had cast Tsukuyomi on his… what was she? Izumi. He wove them a fiction of their life together, of having children, growing old and dying. And he remembered, for a few seconds that lasted her seventy years, she was happy. But through the whole thing he'd felt the unimaginable sense of dread that came with knowing he was in a dream. A few seconds later, Izumi's flesh was as broken as her mind was. And Itachi was broken in a new way too.

"I can show you," Itachi said. He hadn't meant it to be a threat but maybe it sounded like one. "What the Tsukuyomi is like."

A pause. "Don't."

Itachi let the conversation end. Kisame seemed most purposed in his whole life serving the Akatsuki. But to Itachi, his hunted years spent under red clouds was no life. He remembered no moments in the last four years where he was not either fleeing, hungry, hurt, exhausted, or lonely.

Or maybe this was normal and just came with being his age. He read that people his age needed more food and sleep. He had no one to ask. He looked at Kisame, but he decided not to.

The sweet, peppery scent of shogayaki goaded his hunger. His eyes flickered to Kisame; it probably smelled even better to him. Quietly proud of his wartime creation, he began to serve Kisame a proportionally larger serving to his own.

Kisame's fingertips interrupted his offering. "You eat it."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. For two days now he had not seen Kisame eat, on their lifestyle which burned tens of thousands of calories daily.

"There is an entire boar, already dead," Itachi reiterated.

"You're scrawny and should eat more."

He had never been spoken to that way. Silent in his irritation, Itachi ate. Kisame was an adult and a soldier, and would not die by starving himself.

Itachi's annoyance soured the food, and he had prepared enough for two Kisames. It was impossible for a single person his size to consume, and Itachi never liked overeating, especially in hostile territory.

"I can't eat all of this."

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"Do as you like."

He heard a small exhale from Kisame.

"Pork, it tastes too much like…" Kisame shook his head.

Perhaps he should have expected this. Itachi was suddenly uneasy with Kisame's candidness, when Itachi had been willing to bury the other day's incident. He worried he had been rude. He set his knife on the wood and stood. "Come with me."

Hesitant, Kisame followed him. Itachi halted before the orchard, the black-barked and scarcely-leafed persimmon trees stretching like dead fingers to the sky.

"I didn't think you ate fruit." Itachi explained the omittance. It seemed a ridiculous assumption now.

Itachi watched his partner's back as he walked forward, lit by the pink ash-hazed sun. He tried to focus on Kisame, or on the sunset, for if his gaze wandered, he would see the distance was fecund with death.

"Yo!"

Their eyes locked on the noise. Like a monkey from a tree branch, Tobi hung upside down from a permission limb. He completed his flip and landed sprightly on the earth to trot towards the two men.

Itachi and Kisame had the senses of beasts. No human could sneak up on them while they were awake. It was like the man had materialized from ash and smoke.

"Hi Kisame! Itachi! I thought of you, you know, and I knew I had to find you! Come see, Tachi! I found this toad that totally looks like you!"

Tobi had taken Itachi's arm and started pulling him in some direction. Itachi looked back at Kisame for something, —-he didn't know— for explanation, for sympathy, for help.

Itachi felt himself being sucked in somewhere, transported somewhere dark, then moved again back to the human world. Kisame and the ash were gone. Itachi and the spiral-masked man faced each other in a grassy plain.

The red eye through the mask was narrow, the aura menacing.

"I let slide your insubordination at the brothel. But discrediting the Eye of the Moon to Kisame is a new level of idiocy."

Fear's icy brine chilled Itachi's veins. Lowering his act even slightly to Kisame had been a deadly mistake.

"Kisame is still in full support of the Eye of the Moon," Itachi said.

The lie to shield his partner flowed smooth as silk before Madara. But he realized then its plausibility. In mentioning the Eye of the Moon, Kisame had baited and strung Itachi as deftly as he would a catfish, and thrown him to an even bigger beast.

Madara made a dismissive, subvocal noise. "Do you remember our agreement from that long night?"

"You kill the Uchiha police force and don't harm the Leaf. I help you in the Akatsuki."

"It's a pact you'll only escape when one of us is dead. Too bad for you and the Leaf, you'll die first."

Itachi lit Amaterasu then. The inferno feasted on Madara's clothes, he smelled it roast his skin, and the elder Uchiha screamed and cursed, and he disappeared in a swirl. Itachi did not know what the retreat meant, but he did not think the incident was over, so he fled for the forest.

Moments later Madara appeared on a tree branch in front of him, unflamed. Itachi kept running. This was not Itachi's first dance with a teleporter— and he knew to deal with them better than most.

The bait untaken, Madara disappeared again.

Then Madara phased centimeters in front of him. Itachi should have crashed into him, but there was no collision, rather Itachi suddenly found himself cut around the waist by a chain. Madara viced it taught around him and smashed Itachi to a tree trunk.

"Pain was never the one you needed to worry about."

Terrified and adrenalized, Itachi zapped him again with the Amaterasu. Madara swore and disappeared. Exhausted and half blind, Itachi's trembling fingers started to untie himself.

Madara returned and kicked the chained man in the stomach. "That again?"

Itachi recovered and stared at him wrathfully. Madara's only eye was shadowed by the mask, and Itachi could not establish the contact he needed for Tsukuyomi.

"Each user of the Mangekyou has one ability for each eye. Yours are the black flames, Amaterasu, and the nightmare realm, Tsukuyomi, right?"

"Take your mask off," Itachi breathed.

"I've been meaning to teach you something for a while. You buried the knowledge of Indra's clan when you killed them. They were weak, but the eldest Uchiha knew the old paths, even if they could not climb them. And orphaned, you now need instruction in using our highest gifts." Madara's voice had adopted a helpful tone.

"I want none of the knowledge that has poisoned you."

Itachi said it, but he wasn't sure he was so noble. Beneath his fear was the instinct to collect advantages. He had learned long ago to enact what sin justice demanded.

"There's a third ability that everyone with two mangekyou has. You have the eyes, but there's a nose. How's your knowledge of religion, Itachi?"

"Very well."

"Good. Then you know already what we call him."

Their eyes locked. A hypnotic heartbeat passed in synchrony.

The air cracked with chakra and the space around Madara hazed cobalt blue. Itachi's lips parted in disbelief. A huge skeleton formed around Madara, which lengthened as it became threaded with corded muscles, skin, and at last armor. A huge blue, astral samurai.

Madara spoke. "Amaterasu emerges through grief. Tsukuyomi through fear. Susanoo is a wrathful god, and his likeness is unlocked by hate."

Quick as a whip, the Susanoo lifted Itachi, its hand covered his eyes and twisted his neck like a bird, and the other crushed him until his ribs cracked. Itachi screamed, and his lungs filled with blood, and he felt his spine compressing, and he knew he would soon die. But above the pain, above it all, he hated the man before him. He wanted Madara dead. He wanted to flay the skin off him. He wanted to rend him full of nightmares, stab him through the tsukuyomi, and burn his corpse. Because if Madara didn't control the fox, he would not be in the Akatsuki, the scorned Uchiha would not have revolted, and everyone he had loved would be alive.

And at last Itachi's cracking ribs ceased. His body was wracked with pain, but he could breathe. The air tasted ozone and electric. He could just barely see that red bars of chakra, like a ribcage, had formed around his own body in protection. Madara's susanoo released him.

"I need you alive for something, for now. This ethical streak, however... I'll rub that out soon enough."

He dared the hateful glare of a man who could not stand at Madara. "I'll soak the earth with your guts."

A laugh. "Good progress."

The blur shaped like Madara admired the fallen Uchiha a moment more; in Itachi's imagination he was smug. Madara disappeared in a silent vortex from his right eye. Maybe Itachi had played into Madara's hands, but they both had what they wanted. Itachi had knowledge, and he was not dead. Itachi's fiery ribs extinguished with the threat, and he collapsed to bleed his life unto the ungrateful earth.

Author's Note:

Apologies for the wait on this one, folks. Thanks very much to beta SilverLion for her help!

See you next time,

Kelto

#campfires #celticfeather #itachi #Kisame #Kisaita #itakisa #akatsuki #fanfiction #keltodier

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where-dreamers-go · 5 years

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“Different Intel” Jango Fett x Reader

(A/N: Requested by anonymous for “Can I keep you?” (“I’m not a stray kitten.”). There’s my first ever Jango Fett fanfiction that isn’t a character preference. I hope you enjoy! Also since this insert reader takes place in a cantina: Please drink responsibly. Be good to yourself.

Word Count: 1,265

Warnings: Drinking something other than water.)

When information was needed and questions weren’t meant to be raised one could always rely on visiting a planet side cantina. Locals were always ones to talk. Most couldn’t help it. In a way it was in their nature within such a setting.

Bounty hunter Jango Fett had more than drinks set for his intention of visiting a cantina full of various characters. Being that he could handle himself, he did not wear his mandalorian armor. Not that night. He had another job for himself.

Not more than two sets of eyes turned as Jango made his way through the cantina’s entrance and up to the bar.

He was there for information on his next target’s known location not gaining attention for himself.

Lucky for him it was a decently busy night. Many locals were on their second drink or picking at the remainders of their meals. A number of the tables and booths were being used. All the while the air was filled with the sounds of chatter, laughter, and a mixture of languages.

Electing for a bar seat, Jango made his way over to the corner of the bar. A decent spot where he wasn’t in the middle of it all, however it offered him the ear of the bartenders and a view of the busiest sections of the cantina.

A single person beside him looked at him as he sat down on the stool.

“Hello.”

“Hello,” Jango nodded in greeting.

Finding someone who spoke Basic right off the bat was a sign that his mission was going to go much faster.

“I’m (Y/N).” You flashed a smile.

“Nice to meet you.”

Jango’s attention veered as a bartender stood in front of him on the other side of the bar.

“What will you have?”

“He might be a Bloody Rancor sort of person,” you thought out loud and took a sip of your own colorful drink.

The bartender only gave a minute smile before waiting for Fett’s answer patiently.

“I’ll just have The Outer Rim, please,” Fett passed the right amount of credits over the counter.

Again the bartender smiled and took the credits before getting started on the order.

“Hmm,” you rested your forearm on the counter, “a man who can handle anything. Probably seen a lot too.”

“You can tell details about a person because of a drink?”

“No.”

Fett sized you up. Nothing overtly threatening nor intimidating. You appeared to be an average person simply drinking at the bar and picking at snacks. Then again, everyone was more than they seemed.

He would had sent out someone he hired for that sort of thing, however his last employee had failed. Quite miserably in fact that Fett had to let the person go. That person was rather far and floating somewhere in the orbit of a moon more than three parsecs away.

That left Jango to do the work himself. All of it. At least he knew he could count on himself and keep a laser focus.

“You can look a little longer if you’d like.”

Your voice all but caused Jango’s eyes to roll, however he saw the humor in it. Even if it was only in a small amount.

“I’ve hit my limit for today.”

“Then hopefully you can hold down your drink,” you smirked.

Like clockwork, the bartender handed him a bright, almost reddish orange beverage.

“Thank you.”

He took his first taste of the liquid.

“You seem like a guy who knows what’s going on.” You piped up again.

“And how did you come to think that?”

“The crease between your eyebrows. It’s knowledgeable and manly. The good manly.”

Jango averted his eyes and took another sip out of his drink.

The bounty hunter was starting to think that perhaps he could gather some useful insight from you.

“Does anyone else here look that way to you?” He asked, not wanting to be too specific with other ears present. He needed to know if his target had any heavy-hitting friends.

“Not fully,” you sighed.

Disappointed perhaps?

“Repetitive and annoying? There’s a number of that around here.”

“Is that why you sit here?” Jango asked, better to be on friendly terms than only go for information.

“I get the better viewpoint.”

He nodded in agreement until your gaze fell on him again.

“And the view isn’t bad today.” You gave an approving expression.

“Glad to help.”

You weren’t too pushy and whatever opinions you had of him lead you into unknowingly giving him a cover if anyone came questioning. Your little flirtations made good fun of an otherwise regular information gathering trip.

Any of the conversations that Jango overheard between your words and sips of his drink were the usual talks of locals; gossip was always included and never ignored by the bounty hunter.

At the sound of a familiar name, one Fett had recently memorized, he casually glanced towards the entrance of the cantina.

His target was in his sights.

It was much too early to take them down. His employer wanted them off the radar for good and did not care about what the target carried.

“Ugh. Not that guy again,” you groaned and took a long drink.

“Do you know them?” Jango kept his eyes focused on the humanoid slapping a shoulder of another person.

“Not personally, but the guy talks so loud that I feel like I know him. Too many stories of underhanded smuggling and ripping people off. He’s real proud of it too. Just between us,” you leaned closer, “I think he’s walking on thin ice.”

“He comes here often?”

“This part of the week at least. I’m not here the first half to know.”

He peered back to you then. His employer failed to mention how often his target frequented the cantina. There was information given that the cantina was favored by the humanoid not that he was there more than once a week.

“I bet you could take him down with one empty cup and still be,” you hiccuped, “you’d still be suave."

His gaze switched to the rim of his drink. It didn’t take a long guess to know that you had been at the cantina for much longer than he had and that you were a little tipsy. He couldn’t lie that he wasn’t amused by you. There was just no admitting it.

Even if Jango had to return to the cantina again, whether in his full armor or not, at least he a valuable information. Knowledge that could be too small for others to deal with. Yet Jango Fett was not an amateur. Not even close.

You rested your chin onto a palm as you gazed at him with this wondrous spark in your eyes.

“Can I keep you?”

He coughed, “I’m not a stray kitten.”

“But you sure are cute.”

“Alright, I think you’ve had one too many drinks,” he carefully pushed the glass away from you.

Gaining the attention of a bartender he ordered you a purified water.

He needed you to have a clearer mind. For the sake of information of course.

Fett did not have it in him to leave you in such a state, which meant it was going to be a long night at the Cantina. Thankfully it sounded like anyone within earshot knew plenty of the exact information he needed.

“It’s nice to meet you Mister Fett,” you drummed a finger on the cup of water. “I hope you won’t take long with your job for all the credits I’m forwarding to your account.”

“What did you say?”

~~~

(If you love my writings and want to support me, I have a Ko-Fi where you can buy me a coffee. I would be eternally grateful. coffee

Best wishes and happy reading.)

#requested #star wars #star wars fanfiction #jango fett #jango fett x reader #jango fett insert reader #insert reader #star wars insert reader #Star Wars imagine #Star Wars imagines #where dreamers go

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wingsoffireaus · 5 years

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Winter Stayed in DoD AU Part 2

I couldn’t help myself.

Winter had packed up and left as soon as possible to get away from everyone.

He is still reeling from what he witnessed his friends do and when he leaves he knows he would not be welcome in the Ice Kingdom so he leaves for the Talons of Peace.

Riptide welcomes him but is more than a little concerned in how listless he is.

Winter doesn't mention what he witnessed but he does say that the battle over Jade Mountain had disturbed him more than he realized.

Riptide comforts him to the best of his abilities although Winter is still pretty standoffish.

Winter begins watching a nearby scavenger den and when asked about it he admits his interest and his desire to build a sanctuary for the little creatures.

Riptide is of course interested and ends up naming the new settlement Sanctuary because of it.

Back at Jade Mountain the rest of the winglet is surprised in how fast Winter had left.

Qibli feels somewhat guilty, while Kinkajou and Moon think that Winter just needed some time to think about it and come to terms about Darkstalker’s fate.

When Qibli finds Winter’s discarded sketch of Moon he knows that’s probably not the case but holds out hope that he would return.

His hope is dashed when another Icewing dragonet is sent to replace Winter.

Qibli eventually leaves himself to spend time in the Kingdom of Sand. So he can think about everything that has transpired.

Thorn, being the awesome adoptive mother that she is, sits him down and tells him to explain to her what had happened. Qibli ends up telling her and is really not at all surprised when she ends up agreeing with Winter.

She tells him that that was a pretty big line that they had crossed. She understands of course and admits she might have even done the same thing in his place. But she points out that Winter had clearly been dealing with some pretty heavy trauma after everything they had been through. And to see his friends do the same thing that had been done to his brother and to an extent him probably didn’t help things at all.

He stews on this for several days and tries to sort himself out.

When Moon eventually comes for him he does agree to go with her although now everything feels tainted and he begins to realize that maybe his feelings for her aren’t as strong as he once believed them to be.

Kinkajou visits Winter and actually almost sends him into a panic attack. Kinkajou who had managed to track him down after talking with Tsunami who had been corresponding with Riptide.

When he asks if she had come alone she immediately assumes that he is asking for Moon. In all honesty he doesn’t want to see any of them. Not now when the wound is still fresh.

Kinkajou tells him that Moon had gone with Qibli. Winter accepts this although he is surprised that he still feels hurt after this.

He becomes angry when she points out that he should apologize for all the times he had yelled at Moon.

He knows that early on he had been out of line but at this point the only time he is really thinking about is that time in the old Night Kingdom when he had broken the vase after finding out Moon still trusted Darkstalker even after knowing what he had done to him and others.

Winter tells Kinkajou to leave and tries to continue his search for scavengers in peace. When she tries to keep talking to him he tells her that after what she had done to Darkstalker he didn’t trust her to not do it to anyone else. And that he couldn’t be around anyone who could do that and not show any remorse.

He eventually is able to lose her by pure chance and he shamefully hides away from her until he sees her leaving Sanctuary.

He then asks Riptide to please warn him before sending any visitors his way. Riptide asks why and Winter just shakes his head and tells him not to ask.

Winter does eventually get another visitor but it’s a visitor he is actually pretty happy to see. And he has to lock his legs together so he doesn’t tackle his brother in a hug.

Hailstorm teases him when he sees the plans for his scavenger sanctuary.This helps to lighten Winters mood.

He and Hailstorm just sit and talk. Hailstorm finally explaining the situation in the Ice Kingdom. Winter feels a twinge of hurt when he is told that he is no longer welcome but will be allowed to come and visit his family and to come to Icicle’s trial.

Hailstorm notices that Winter isn’t looking too great and asks him how he has been doing. Winter gives a half-hearted answer and then asks how he has been doing.

Hailstorm is uncomfortable with the question and wasn’t happy to see Winter deflecting his own question.

He tells Winter that he has been doing better and his Pyrite memories are surfacing less and less. He proudly says that he hadn’t even reacted too familiarly with Riptide when he had seen him.

This cheers up Winter slightly and he does notice that his brother is resembling himself more than he had the last time he had seen him.

There is still a slight sadness to him though. In the subtle twitch in his talons. The occasional wince when the extra Icewing spikes on his tail scraped against a rock with a clacking sound.

Winter asks him how long he had planned to stay and Hailstorm winces and admits that he would have to leave soon for the rain forest to deliver the cutting from the moonglobe tree per Queen Glacier’s agreement with Glory.

He admits that he had made a detour to see Winter but that he would probably have to leave soon.

Winter is disappointed but notices that Hailstorm fidgeting had increased.

Before he could ask what was wrong Hailstorm asks if he would come with him.

Winter freezes. Thinking back on Peacemaker and Kinkajou and is about to say no when he sees the almost desperate look in Hailstorms eyes. And he realizes just how desperately his brother wants him to go with him.

Without even thinking about it he agrees.

The change on Hailstorms face is startling and he lights up in a way that Winter hadn’t seen since the day of his capture.

And to his surprise Hailstorm embraces him.

Winter had never really hugged any of his family before. They weren’t exactly the type. Hailstorm used to jokingly shove him or put his wing around him but never something to this extent.

When they finally, reluctantly part, Winter is surprised to see tears in his brothers eyes. And is even more surprised when he realizes that there were tears in his own eyes as well.

They sit in comfortable silence for another couple of minutes before departing to ready themselves for the journey.

While Winter is packing he has a short moment of panic. But he calms himself down and reminds himself that Kinkajou and Moon are more than likely not in the rainforest at the moment. Since classes were currently going at the academy.

And when he sees his brother’s eager expression when he turns to him. He can’t make himself regret his decision.

Okay so posting this because I stupidly worked on multiple ships at once and none of them are done sooo here we go!

When I started writing this part I was surprised by how quickly Hailstorm took over. Originally I had planned to keep Winter in Sanctuary but then it turned to giving him a visitor that he would actually be happy to see. And sorry not sorry I wanted more of Hailstorm and Winter. They both have suffered so much trauma and need to have time to heal so the moment I put in the visit I knew I had to keep them together longer.

Also like I posted earlier I have actually been thinking about turning this particular AU into a fanfiction. But it is a slow going process and might not be a chaptered fic and more of a collection of drabbles dealing with the characters individuals trauma. Also making this clear I do like Moon and Kinkajou. What I didn't like was their treatment of Winter towards the end. A lot of it felt like a way to force Moonbli which if you ship it that is totally fine. But I personally needed more than that to ship it. It was a little too forced for me. And I am totally a qinter fan girl. If you squint you can see that I'm sowing the seeds in this AU.

And... I'm off topic again. Bottom line I have been working on ship AUs but I have also been trying to get back into the fanfic game. So please be patient with me. I work a 9-5 job and actually have a chronic illness that has been flaring up particularly bad these past few months. Not to mention the typical depression and anxiety combo that is pretty frequent on this site. This blog has been a form of therapy for me to try and stick to a deadline in my personal life. As well as getting my writing flow back because it has suffered the last couple of years. Honestly though you all have been making my days which is why I keep pushing for this project side blog of mine to work.

You are all wonderful and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Thank you and I will hopefully have a new post next week!

#wings of fire #wings of fire au #wof winter #wof hailstorm #wof qibli #wof moonwatcher #wof kinkajou #winter stayed au

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theshatteredrose · 6 years

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The Treasure Hunter - Saga 1 (Chapter 18) - Etrian Odyssey 5 Fanfiction

AN: Another short chapter and another one filled with information, bit I promise that the next chapter will lead us back to some action. Please be patient~

Ao3 | Wattpad | FFNet

Chapter 18:

“It was less than twenty-four hours since we've been here last,” Blayke commented as both he and Drayce stepped from the carriage the moment it pulled to a stop in front of the Council Hall.

“I know,” Drayce said with a half-smile as he closed to the door to the carriage and singled to the driver that they were free. “He's going to get sick of us really quick, isn't he?”

Blayke snorted lightly as the two of them quickly made their way up the tall stone stairs to the hall and pushed their way through the usual masses. “Well, it would prove to him that he made the right choice in hiring you as a treasure hunter.”

“Awww, you're so nice~” Drayce couldn’t help but tease, but only earned him a roll of the eyes from Blayke.

They quickly made their way into the halls of the council and made a beeline to Ramus. Thankfully he didn’t appear to be speaking with anyone at the moment so that allowed them to hurry straight up to him.

“Hm?” Ramus murmured as he lifted his head up and a flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes. “Oh, hello once again.”

“Hey,” Drayce greeted in return with a half wave of his hand. “Sorry, we know it's getting late but we need to have another little chat.”

“Of course,” Ramus immediately but politely replied as he made a motion with his hand to follow him. “Let's head into my office then.”

Once more, in less than twenty-four hours, Drayce and Blayke followed Ramus to his office. He ushered them in first and they quickly moved over to the usual two chairs and sat down as he closed the door behind them. He had a mixture of interest and mild concern on his face as he sat down in his chair to face Drayce and Blayke from across his desk.

“You have news on the Radiant Moon, I take it?” Ramus immediately asked as he folded his hands atop of his desk and gave them his full and undivided attention.

There was no point in beating around the bush. Just lay it all on the table and see what they could do next afterwards.

“Yes and no,” Drayce answered. “Good news is that we were able to transfer the spell on Caelem's back onto a piece of mana infused parchment. The sorta good news is that it while it does mention the Radiant Moon; it also makes reference to someone called The Forgotten Princess.”

Ramus’ eyes subtly widened before he furrowed his brow in a confused but still intrigued manner. “Forgotten Princess?” he repeated. “Could that be referring to the princess who had allegedly stolen the Radiant Moon all those years ago?”

“We seem to think so, too,” Drayce answered as rested back into his chair. “Also some more information you might be interested in. The spell that Caelem had carried is called Moon Legacy and Shashi, a symbolist and a friend of mine, believes that the Moon Legacy was first created out of necessity but was soon regarded as a burden and forced onto others, which was what happened to Caelem. Also that Moon Legacy is the key, or rather compass, that will lead to possibly the Radiant Moon or even something connected to the Forgotten Princess.”

“That's...” Ramus murmured softly, truly not knowing what to say. He honestly hadn’t expected any of the information Drayce had just delivered to him.

Blayke uttered a sigh as he leaned forward the rest his elbows on his knees and furrowed his brown into a serious expression. “Both or either, they are important to the royal family, so we can assume that should anyone else learn of this Moon Legacy, they may become interested as well.”

“Th-these bandits you mentioned before,” Ramus stuttered as he leaned forward. “Do you believe they knew of this information?”

Drayce wished he could ease the prince’s concerns but he couldn’t safely say one way or the other. And he was certain that Ramus would appreciate his honesty over his comfort in regards of such matters.

“Hopefully not,” Drayce said. “We're hoping that they figured that a powerful spell would lead to a pricey treasure. However, we can't rule out that they didn't know. A necromancer was believed to have detected mana from Caelem which was the reason why he was targeted. He surely knew something beforehand.”

Ramus nodded his head as he slowly leaned back into his chair, uncharacteristically slouching. “To think that there is a possibility to learn more of...”

Ramus was no doubt interested in learning more of his ancestors, especially more on the one that was banished from the royal family. But there was another person Drayce himself was interested in. Shashi had mentioned that the Moon Legacy may have been created out of necessity. Could the Moon Mage have been the one to have crafted it?

“Do you happen to have any information regarding this Moon Mage?” Drayce asked.

Ramus immediately straightened his posture and leaned forward slightly to pick up a thin book that sat on the corner of his desk. Now that Drayce’s gaze was drawn to the desk he had noticed that there appeared to be more books and scrolls than there was yesterday.

“I have been searching, yes,” Ramus admitted as he placed the book in front of him and opened it. “From what I have learnt is that the Moon Mage was young but highly regarded. He reportedly held powerful psychic abilities, especially in regards to Divine Intuition. When he gifted the Earthlain Royal Family with the Radiant Moon, many referred to the offering as a blessing from the Moon. He and the Earthlain prince had developed a close bond and it was through that friendship that the two races formed an alliance once more.”

“So the princess stealing the Radiant Moon could have potentially caused tensions between the two races to reform,” Blayke commented. “Is that enough to earn her banishment?”

“Not just banishment, but virtually wiped from the royal achieves,” Drayce added.

Ramus sighed as he shook his head and closed the book. “I'm afraid I do not know. Times back then were very different to how they are now.”

Drayce folded an arm across his chest as he held his chin in through with the other. “That's true. So soon after the Legendary War, tensions would still be running high.”

There was something else gnawing at him though. About that princess in particular.

“There is something that’s been bugging me,” Drayce said as he dropped his arms from his chest and leaned forward. “You said that the princess who stole the Radiant Moon was virtually wiped from the archives. That must mean that the Radiant Moon was extremely important to the Earthlain Royal Family. Or she had done something else either in the time period before and this was the last straw. Or in the days after the Radiant Moon's disappearance.”

Truthfully, though, those explanations didn’t sit right with him. He felt that something else was involved in all of this.

Ramus, however, didn’t appear at all surprised by the question. “I had wondered that, too, to be honest,” he admitted again. “But I'm afraid I haven't found any information on the princess involved. However, if she is being referred to as the Forgotten Princess, then perhaps there are some hidden documents of her fate.”

Blayke leaned back into his chair. “Do you think information on the Forgotten Princess could have been buried along with her? That is if we’re assuming that the mention of the Forgotten Princess in the Moon Legacy is actually pointing to her final resting place.”

“That's a possibility,” Drayce murmured before he shook his head slightly. “Another question though would be how old was she when she was placed in that tomb? Was she banished or was she fatally punished?”

Blayke roughly scratched the back of his neck. “Maybe it isn't a tomb at all then. Maybe it's something else to be considered a treasure. Like the books and scrolls of her before her banishment. A vault of sorts.”

Drayce turned to face Blayke and nodded his head. “You know, you're probably right. If she was banished after stealing the Radiant Moon, no doubt considered a traitor and hated for what she had done, who would build a tomb for her?”

“Someone who believes her to be innocent...?” Ramus murmured as he gazes off to the side in thought.

“Or an attempt to hide her involvement,” Blayke added with a shrug of his shoulders.

Drayce raked his hand through his hair once more. They were getting ahead of themselves. There was a lot for them to speculate on and assume, but at the moment they had no solid facts. So they shouldn’t assume anything or limit their options.

“At this point anything could be possible,” Drayce said. “The best thing we can do is to follow where this Moon Legacy leads us and go from there.”

They should probably return to the Crescentia as well. Ashton and Shashi were still researching and he was also concerned for Caelem. He knew that he was in safe hands with Fiorello watching over him, but he was still worried. He couldn’t help himself.

There was also a slight niggling feeling that made him cautious. Ever since he felt that prickly feeling of being watched in the labyrinth earlier that day he felt hyper vigilant. It may be nothing more than reasonable paranoia. Still he rather everyone to be together at the Crescentia.

“We just wanted you to know what we’ve learnt so far,” Drayce said as he pushed himself to his feet and Blayke followed. “If we learn anything more, we’ll be sure to inform you.”

“Yes, please do,” Ramus said as he also took to his feet as if to show them out. “But take care of yourselves first. Do not do anything reckless.”

“Ah, don’t worry too much about us,” Drayce said with a smile. “I’m a professional treasure hunter, after all. I know my limitations. We’ll catch you later.”

Both Drayce and Blayke left Ramus’ office quickly and immediately made a beeline to the outside where carriages often gathered to drop off or pick up visitors of the council hall. Luckily just as they stepped out into the courtyard a carriage rolled up and dropped off a small group of explorers. As soon as the group paid the driver, Drayce and Blayke approached him with their own request.

Naturally, he readily agreed. So they proceeded to give directions and climb into the carriage.

As soon as they began to move, Blayke slumped back into his seat and clutched at his forehead. “This has been one information dump after another lately. And we're not even official explorers yet.”

Drayce chuckled but it sound tired, even to him. “Been one hell of a couple of days, that's for sure. But that’s the life of a treasure hunter.”

Blayke dropped his hand from his forehead and folded his arms across his chest. “So what happens next?”

“Next we head back into the labyrinth,” Drayce answered as he glanced out the window to stare idly at the passing scenery. “The Moon Legacy is believed to activate when it was near the location it is connected it to. Be it the Radiant Moon or something else to do with the Forgotten Princess.”

“Whether it's a tomb or another treasure chest, whatever is connected to the Forgotten Princess is likely to be the target of those bandits,” Blayke said with a slight frown on his lips. “Tombs hold countless treasures after all.”

“Very true,” Drayce said as he nodded and he felt a frown tug at his own lips. “We're going to need to be on our guard.”

The frown on Blayke’s face deepened. “Tsk. As if the monsters weren't bad enough.”

Drayce understood his frustration well. “The monsters we can deal with. It's the unpredictably of those bandits I don't like. Let's just head back to the Crescentia for now. It's getting dark already.”

They sat in silence for the rest of the journey to the Crescentia, both lost in their own thoughts. Drayce was musing not only about the information he learnt but rather what he should actually do tomorrow when they return to the labyrinth. The best thing for them to do is to pretend that they were hoping to complete the first mission.

He remembered Ashton’s warning about others wishing to take advantage of him because he was a treasure hunter. If those bandits were reckless enough to kidnap someone on a hunch, it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that they may try to accost him into doing all the work while they take the rewards.

And there was also no doubt that they would take whatever they could get their hands on, either the Radiant Moon or information on the Forgotten Princess, and hold it for ransom. They could make a fortune through that method.

Drayce was pulled from his musing when the carriage abruptly pulled to a stop and it was then that he realised that they had reached the Crescentia. Slipping out of the carriage, Drayce paid the driver before he and Blayke quickly made their way up the stone path to the front entrance of their guildhouse and let themselves inside.

“We’re back!” Drayce called out as Blayke shut the door behind them.

“Welcome back!” Faelen greeted from top of the stairs with Nashoba sat at his heels.

“Hey,” Drayce greeted in return as he and Blayke ascended the stairs. “I see the place is still in one piece. Knew you could do it.”

“Heh,” Faelen chuckled, subtly thrilled at his trust in him before his expression faltered into that of relief. “But I'm glad you're back. Nashoba has been acting strangely. He keeps staring outside.”

Drayce glanced down at the white-furred wolf and noted that while he wasn’t tense or uneasy, he was still agitated by something. His ears would flick and twitch on occasion despite his eyes remaining forward.

“I see...” Drayce murmured as that sense of protectiveness in the pit of his stomach grew. He, however, placed a smile on his lips to cover up his own unease. “Anyway, how’s Caelem? I know he’s safe under Kamali and Fiorello’s watch, but has his awaken?”

“Not yet,” Faelen answered as he glanced over his shoulder in the direction of Caelem’s room. “But Fiorello says he should wake up soon.”

“Ah, good,” Drayce said with genuine relief. “And I assume Ashton and Shashi are still in the library?”

“Yep!” Faelen replied.

Well, back to the library they go then.

“Ah, you’re back,” Ashton greeted the moment that Drayce entered the library with Blayke and Faelen at his heel. “How did the meeting go?”

“Hey, Shashi, Ashton,” Drayce said as he walked over to the table in the centre of the table and stood before the Moon Legacy again. “As well as to be expected. Learn anything else?”

Shashi sat on the other side of the table across from where the Moon Legacy sat in a circle of candles and stones. Before him were several books and note pads with words scribbled on the scattered pieces of paper.

“A little bit more,” Shashi said as he tapped his pencil against his cheek but kept his gaze down on the book in front of him. “It says the Radiant Moon draws upon the light of the full moon to shine the light of truth in the darkness of deceit. If I am to assume anything, it means that the light emitted from the Radiant Moon can only be seen in the dark of night.”

Well, that would make a lot of sense actually.

“Wait,” Blayke called out from behind him. “So does that mean we have to go into the labyrinth at night?”

Shashi’s eyes narrowed slightly but he nodded his head. “It...seems that way.”

“When’s the next full moon?” Faelen was the one to ask.

“Two nights from now.”

A couple of days to prepare themselves then. Good. Plenty of time to go snooping about in the labyrinth. If they went charging in now that may only inspire those bandits to be more suspicious of them. As far as they were aware of they simply saved Caelem from that monster attack.

“Ok, that’s fine,” Drayce said. “I still want to head into the labyrinth tomorrow with the Moon Legacy. At least find the location it is pointing to. Even if we find nothing there at the time, we can return on the night of the full moon to see what happens.”

“Sounds reasonable,” Ashton said as he walked over to the table and placed down a book. “But for now I better make some dinner. Everyone is likely starving.”

Now that he mentioned it, Drayce was pretty hungry. He had missed lunch after all. Ok so he’ll have something to eat first, check in on Caelem to see if he was awake and get him something to eat before he headed to the drawing room to study the map.

Life of a treasure hunter sure was a busy one. Not that Drayce would have it any other way.

#Etrian Odyssey #etrian odyssey 5 #fanfiction #Angelward Guild #The Treasure Seeker

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