#and in that smoke we can see the silhouettes of wolves at his back | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dragonrajafanfiction · 3 years

Text

Genji Heavy Industries (End) Turning Point

After all this way, we finally see the MC reach the turning point in her life.

If you’ve read this far, I thank you very much. I hope this has made you love the world of Dragon Raja

You could no longer see Caesar or Chu Zihang, but at this point, you weren’t looking. Your eyes were locked on Chisei Gen. Caesar’s final orders rang in your head like a command from Heaven. Your hands were caked in dried black blood. You were trembling with pain and fatigue, but that last brief surge of Blood Rage had revived your senses enough to stare at him, much like a cat would, eyes dilated and your body flexed. If he moved a muscle, you would draw your weapon.

Chisei watched the flames with resigned calmness however. He was tied firmly and his life was in Caesar and Chu Zihang’s hands just as much as yours was. “MC.” He said. “Where did you learn how to fight like that?”

He’s looking at you now, with the fire reflected in his eyes. His stare was confident. Even though he was asking a question, there was no question in those eyes. No curiosity. It was as if he were asking a question he already knew the answer to.

But how could he know the answer? The hairs on the back of your neck stood up. You’d learned how to shoot and hand-to-hand combat from your training in Black Swan Bay. Your training in Black Swan Bay was mostly centered however on your Yanling, focusing your spiritual energy into the ground, learning the limits of your power, how much you could manipulate the earth without suffering physical effects… This was all ingrained into you in a way that bordered on lab experiments with each result meticulously recorded and logged. It was just constant testing and while you were being tested, you learned your power and how to control it.

But Chisei hadn’t seen you use any of that. What he had seen from his vantage point in the mural hall rafters was you, walking out after Caesar and Chu Zihang armed with nothing but the laser sight of a Soviet era rifle and a pistol which you used to bait a member of the Deadpool into attacking their own kind. He observed how closely you could read the actions of the deadpool and how you picked her targets to attack. He heard your giddy laughter echoing on the mural hall walls.

After that, he would have seen clearly how you fearlessly approached that deadpool after she was exhausted, shot her in the head and then used her severed claw as a knife. How you used the non-lethal bullets from your pistol like a fist. How you were using that claw as your only weapon to render these A-ranked super monsters as weak as worms. It was no wonder that he looked at you when he was using Majesty to subdue the deadly and left a few living ones in his trail of mass destruction for you to kill. He had wanted to observe you close up.

When you don’t answer immediately he turns back to observe the fire. “Among the Hydra we have a name for that fighting technique you’re using. It’s called “God’s Eyes”. The heart of God’s Eyes is to subdue the enemy by your understanding of their movements and by your complete control of the battlefield. According to those that describe it, it takes at least a decade to approach mastery of elements of this technique. But you have mastered all of it and you’re so young. I’ve never seen anyone use God’s Eyes like you. You had to have learned from a master… but there are no masters of this technique. Only a few books that reference it or reference other works that describe it. It’s a technique that’s lost to history.”

“There’s only one man I know who can use God’s Eye on your level. And that’s Hilbert Ron Anjou. But you two just met a few weeks ago. Right?”

His eyes watch your face, but you nod, completely innocent, and his eyes narrowed to slits. You just stare back at him. He finally sighs. Whatever theory he may have had about where you learned your technique collapsed.

“Anjou can clear a room with just his pocket knife. Just like you. I don’t know anyone else who can do that.”

You do, of course, but disclosing that involves your deepest secrets and given the huge deadpool tank you found at the bottom of Genji Heavy Industry, you can be excused for not exactly trusting this man with secrets about your past. “Perhaps after this is over, we can talk more. Over sake?” You ask, taking a page from Caesar’s book.

“I would like that.” He sighed again. “I would also like to know how someone like you ended up with these people from Cassell?”

“I ask myself that every day.” Your lips quirk upward.

This was the first time you actually had a moment to sit and talk with Chisei Gen one on one and it actually wasn’t that hard. It took your mind off your pain enough for you to crack a little joke. Chisei lowers his eyes and, much to your delight, he chuckles and your smile grows.

“For my last moments, if these are my last moments… I suppose I could have worse company then these weirdos. My only regret is that Lu Mingfei isn’t here. But knowing him…” You roll your eyes to the ceiling, imagining him flapping his arms and squawking about how much danger you were in. “...nah, I'll take that back. What I really regret is that if we don't make it out of here, he’ll have lost all his friends. I know how that feels. I don’t want him to feel that.”

You rest your head against the wall of the elevator and gaze out into the flames. “Looking back, my life is very odd. Even if you ask me a thousand questions about myself, I wonder if I would even be able to answer a single one. Simple things like… where were you born… Who are your parents? Where did you go to school…?” Your voice trails off. After a moment's thought, you shrug.

Chisei looks at you, silent.

A burst of gunfire and a sudden sharp explosion made you squeak and flinch! This was it, you think, this was the end. Was it really going to end this way? Caesar’s last order was to make sure that Chisei Gen did not touch the elevator door, but he also told you to stop seeking death! You only had your miserable little peashooter pistols, your miserable little claw and your miserable little knife and your miserable laser pointer.

You were suddenly struck with a sudden and intense desperation like nothing you’d ever felt.

You force yourself up to your feet while Chisei Gen sits there astounded. “What are you doing?” Chisei shouts.

Your voice is choked off as you stagger toward the elevator door, groaning with intense pain, but this fierce determination drives you forward. Chisei can now see the full view of your ruined back, your skin-tight combat suit is torn to ribbons where the Deadpool’s claws sank deep into muscle tissue.

Caesar and Chu Zihang were visible again! Caesar held two Sten submachine guns with both hands and Chu Zihang had one. The two back to back were using the bullet screen to suppress the group of deadpool while moving slowly in the direction of the elevator shaft. The group of deadpool that had been overturned by the shockwave of the explosion regrouped, their hideous golden eyes surrounding Caesar and Chu Zihang, the bullets repeatedly knocking them to the ground as they repeatedly straightened up and charged forward. The only thing that protects them is the bullet screen in front of them, and once the screen disappears the group of deadpool will pounce and bite.

You stand in the door, a silhouette in the light of the flame, shoving a magazine into your pistol. Your black hair is being pulled by the intense flaming winds like you were standing right in the breath of a massive creature. You finally relent. You finally gave in. You finally believe the last words of your friend. You finally believe the words of Caesar and the eyes of Chu Zihang.

You have to live!

The pale red columns collapsed one by one. The hot wind and black smoke rampaged through the hall, the frescoes curled in the fire, and the painted dragons and snakes finally flew away in the black ash.

The two rival men were fighting back to back, and the group of deadpool were getting closer and closer, so close that Caesar once passed the barrel of his gun into the deadpool’s open mouth before shooting it out. Chu Zihang stuck his sword and Onimaru in front of him, so if a deadpool got too close he would draw his blade and force it back, and then pick up his gun and fire. But sooner or later the bullets will run out, just like a man holding a torch to scare the wolves would eventually see that torch go out.

So you wait, watching them, hand on your pistol, observing the battlefield with God’s Eyes! You knew how many pieces of ammunition you had and, from your observation of Caesar’s reloading, you could make an estimate of how much he had left. When you determined that they were close to being out of ammo, you raised your pistols and opened fire!

The staccato rhythm of your pistols is like the rhythmic hits of a boxer’s gloves. The bullets strike the sensitive areas of the beasts, their eyes, their open wounds, their burns. They hiss and flinch as though being stung by a sudden swarm of bees. You drop the empty magazine and reload and shoot again and again and again, cursing them with the deepest and blackest of words.

Each bullet was precious, like a drop of life’s blood. You couldn’t waste a single one. You watched the behavior of these monsters. If they reached for your friends, your bullets stung them like the whip of a ringmaster before vicious tigers. If there was even a possibility that they might think twice about doing it again, your quick and painful punishment gave them pause. If they hesitated, you rewarded them by not shooting them. But if they looked ready to pounce you shot them where it hurt.

Your support is just enough to turn the tide. The resistance of the deadpool falters and this time it doesn’t recover. If they rise up they’re either hit by the two men and if they’re not hit by the two men, they’re hit by the pistol fire.

A strange noise like the pop and snap of firewood shifts your focus and your pistol swivels and points at Chisei. “Stay Down!” You roar.

Chisei’s face is a mask of pain. His body was writhing strangely, his joints were all dislocated, and the bones moved independently of each other. It was like his arms had turned into spaghetti!

“I said stay down!” You lower your pistol to his ankle and pull the trigger.

Click. Your eyes widen.

Chisei smirks. “You’re out of bullets. It’s okay…” He grunts. “I’m not going to run. If they want blood…” He gasped. “I’ll give them blood.” Before you could comprehend what was happening, he suddenly freed himself from his restraints by wiggling out of his shirt. His bare chest looks like an ugly bag of broken bones! He cut himself across the wrist with Dojigiri, staining the white fabric of his shirt red. He stood up and walked to the elevator entrance and threw the shirt into the fire.

With that last act, Chisei Gen completely collapsed. You tried to catch him but the action pulled at your wounds and you both went down to the floor. Both you and he had given your all. You let him fall to the floor and just tried to annoy them with your laser pointer while you grit your teeth, but the Deadpool had a far more tantalizing target in mind already. You realize what’s happening, but you can’t pull the unconscious Chisei back into the elevator. You’re so choked with smoke and exhaustion you can’t even call for help.

"What's going on?" Caesar couldn't believe his eyes, the smoking muzzle points to the ground. The guns in his right and left hands stopped firing, but still no monsters pounced on him.

They were about to run out of bullets when the swarm of deadpool suddenly withdrew from them and scrambled to slither up to a corner of the hall. A minute ago they were still a seasoned suckling pig roasting in the fire, and now they suddenly turned into a disgusting slop, and the whole group just left.

"Hurry! Run!" Chu Zihang yelled.

Caesar suddenly woke up. Tight now they do not have time to think about the rationality of this miracle. The fire burning C4 explosives may explode at any time. It was still too early to celebrate. They simultaneously took off running. They shed off every entangling weight, taking off their heavy windbreakers, which still had scattered firearms and bullets in them. There was a loud bang and a searing wind behind them. It was some piece of C4 explosive behind the shaded wall that had exploded. It was so powerful that it completely took the wall down.

The first thing he saw when he cleared the smoke was you struggling with Chisei in the elevator door. His fury spurred him faster. He was coming at you like a raging bull. You couldn’t even begin to explain! Caesar didn't hesitate to pull the trigger, and blood exploded from Chisei’s calf.

“Caesar!” Your voice is a useless squeak. Caesar had grabbed Chisei and unceremoniously tossed him like luggage back into the car.

Chu Zihang picked you up and hit the door close button on his way in.

The pain woke up Chisei and he was just about to struggle to sit up when Caesar rushed into the elevator and threw a straight punch at his face.

“Stop…” Your voice is just a hiss, and you realized that you’ve completely lost your voice. Perhaps the heat, the dry air, and your screaming in pain had ruined your vocal cords.

The chain of explosions had already begun. Blinding sun-like lights are lighting up the corners of the hall as waves of hot air swept through at speeds that exceeded those of a hurricane, setting other blocks of explosives ablaze. The old freight elevator squeaked and closed with difficulty, and with a few centimeters left in the doorway, a hot air stream a few centimeters wide burrowed into the elevator, a bright red that ignited the remaining files in the car. But the elevator door finally closed.

It slowly sank into the elevator shaft, and a few seconds later there was a heavenly explosion from above, and a bright wave of air rushed into the elevator shaft, throwing the burning corpses of the deadpool into the void. The snake shadows burned in the fire, their fat dissolved, until gradually the bronze skeletons were revealed. These tyrannical creatures finally were cut off from life, and as they died they gathered around a shirt and shredded it..

As the freight elevator rumbled down, Caesar stomped hard on the burning documents, and then lay down exhausted on the file box, and kicked at Chisei’s face.

“Stop it!” You hiss. But Chu Zihang held you tight and you were far worse off than he was. Turned out that weird period style armor had actually protected him quite a bit. You dug your nails into him but he didn’t even flinch.

Chisei said nothing, powerlessly wrapping a cloth band around the wrist wound. He had cut an artery, and soaked at least a fifth of the blood in his body into the shirt. He made his shirt irresistible to the monsters. The result was that he couldn't even stand up. Caesar wasted no time, tying him up even tighter.

You’re breathing a bit easier now. Instinctively, you take deeper breaths. As your adrenaline lowers, fatigue crashes again like a weighted blanket. Breathing now became agony, but with no voice, no one could hear you moaning. There’s just the strange whistling noise, like the soft whine of a little dog.

"What do we do with this guy?" Caesar pointed at Chisei with the Desert Eagle.

You don’t even lift your head.

"It's naturally best if we can take him prisoner. But it's hard to leave Genji Heavy Industries by ourselves in this situation, and it's even harder to take him away." Chu Zihang said. He tilts his head down to look at you. “She doesn’t seem to want any harm to come to him.”

"How about using him as a hostage threat? There is no way the Yakuza would give up the precious Emperor, right?"

"It's hard to make sure we're not followed, Tokyo is the Hydra Yakuza's home turf, and we won’t be able to escape it no matter how much we run.”

"It seems the best way is to shoot this guy. Sooner or later the Academy and the Hydra family will have to go to war, such a precious weapon can not be left in the hands of the other side. Anyway, his body is flowing with dragon blood, I have to kill him as a dragon slayer!" Caesar pulled the bolt and loaded the gun.

No way! Caesar hadn’t killed anyone this whole time! And now that you’ve come this far and you had fought beside Chisei and he’d saved all your lives, he was going to kill him?

You jerk against Chu Zihang and try to sink your teeth into him. His strong arm tightens. He whispers so softly you can barely hear it. “It’s a bluff.”

In a moment of silence, you hear something else sigh.

There were only four people in the elevator, and you heard a fifth breath!

The side wall of the elevator car suddenly caves in! Before Caesar had time to react, the monstrous bony claws penetrated the sidewall and plunged into Chisei’s ribs from behind! Blood rained down like a fountain on the sneak attacker's face as it let out an ear-piercing scream of joy!

Even Caesar was stunned when he saw the Deadpool, even though they had just stepped out of the hordes of Deadpool that were trying to kill him. This Deadpool was so amazing. It was more than twice the size of the others! The longest of them was over five meters, the shortest was only about three meters, and their upper bodies were about the same size as a human, gradually getting thinner and longer below the waist, before finally taking on the shape of a snake. But this monstrosity is more than eight meters long. Its abdomen is bloated, like a pregnant queen ant. It dragged this overly deformed lower body upward but fell down, so it had just arrived at the mural hall. It became the only survivor. It was attracted by the smell of Chisei's blood and recklessly tore through the elevator car..

This deadpool had the face of a middle-aged woman, and her face was not as pale as the other deadpool. Instead, it was rosy and lustrous, like a woman who had become rounded in pregnancy. Caesar took a glance at its abdomen and suddenly understood. Its snow-white, scaleless abdomen had snake tail-like traces shining through. This was really a pregnant Deadpool and a pregnant deadpool could only give birth to those more fearsome than itself, because the fetal dragon blood would be purer. The fetuses also seem to have felt the freshness of the blood of Chisei and are stirring in the mother's body.

What had been suspected all along was confirmed, the Deadpool was capable of producing offspring, and this bloated, deformed mother's womb was breeding devils!

The Deadpool clung to Chisei, licking the blood excitedly. Chisei clung on to the handrail to keep from being dragged into the elevator shaft. Deadpool's bloated body weighing hundreds of kilograms hangs below the elevator by that single grip.

Chu Zihang presses his hand firmly on your mouth. You wanted to scream in rage, pure frustration and despair. But the monster hadn’t noticed you at all yet. You were too weak to fight this thing. You all were. You said ‘no more sacrifices’ but now you really had no more to give but yourselves, and this monster wanted Chisei. You could get away scot free if you left him behind.

Caesar tried to aim several times in the process of raising his gun, but he had no chance of hitting Deadpool, who was hiding behind Chisei. If he fired, he would first have to injure him, and it was unknown whether the force of the bullet could do that and injure the deadpool. He just fired a shot at Chisei but now he needs to shoot him again. But Chisei is extremely pale from blood loss. He originally had a feminine beauty, and now he looks like a dying girl. His soul is leaving his pale body. If he suffered another gunshot wound, Chisei could certainly die.

This world was so black, so dark, that the minute you started to believe that perhaps Caesar could be right and you could live and you could live with all your friends, that scythe of death came to collect its taxes on your happiness. You hated this world, you hated this life!

Deadpool licked the back of Chisei’s neck with her long tongue. Her sharp teeth are seeking the veins in his neck as she begins to give birth to her babies. The green and white snake-like fetuses fell one by one.

At this time there was a "thump" sound above the elevator, and the speed of the elevator's descent suddenly increased. The elevator filled with boxes of documents was close to the upper limit of the load. The weight of the giant deadpool plus the four of you exceeded the limits of the elevator, not to mention that it was running in the fragile track after the earthquake. It was slamming into the depths of the elevator shaft at an accelerating rate, at which point the Deadpool would of course be smashed to death, and the four of you would invariably be buried with her.

"Shoot!" Chisei yelled with his last strength.

You watched Caesar look into the eyes of Chisei in surprise.

"Shoot me! Hit me in the neck! Its head is right back there!" Chisei spurted out a mouthful of blood.

Caesar gritted his teeth fiercely. He was ready to shoot.

But his fingers were trembling, it was as if the blackness of the world had surrounded him and was pressing in on him, closing in and laughing, mocking him. You stood in that darkness and you could offer no answer. After all, what mercy had the world ever offered you?

A mere few days ago, you wouldn’t hesitate to reasonably make the judgment that sacrificing one person can save everyone, and it's worth doing. But now you stared at Caesar and shook your head. You didn’t want to live in a world without his justice.

You take your bronze claw dagger and stab it into Chu Zihang’s side! Caesar turns at his gasp of pain. You rise up like a lioness to seize Caesar’s wrist and push it upward, pointing the Desert Eagle in the air. You’re face to face with him and bare your teeth.

"’Never leave a friend’ is your justice.” You force the words through your dead vocal cords. Your eyes stare into his eyes and they’re cold and black as the ice sea. “I live for your justice and I will die for your justice!"

Caesar stares for a moment and, for that moment, the cheeks on either side of his face grow gradually pink.

Chisei suddenly smiled. He rarely smiles. His smile is surprisingly beautiful.

"Gattuso-kun, in fact, I have thought about being ...... friend of justice." Chisei let go of the handrail and was instantly sucked into the void outside the elevator car.

Caesar barely prevented you from plunging out there with him in your effort to stop him. He threw you back against the door of the elevator. Your vision exploded into sparks and for a moment you couldn’t move.

“Chu Zihang!”

The elevator suddenly stopped, pressing you to the floor. You blink your eyes open. Caesar and Chu Zihang are gathered by the hole in the elevator wall, shoulder to shoulder. They weren't moving, in fact, they were grunting with great effort. They were backing up from the gap and in their hands was the rope. The rope that he’d tied Chisei up in was being pulled up back into the elevator and attached to that rope was Chisei!

You gasp and crawl forward. He was unconscious, pale like death. His sword was stuck through him, front to back, but he was alive. He was still alive. Caesar looks down at you, but oddly doesn’t meet your eyes. He looks shy, almost embarrassed?

“We need to find a way out of here.” Chu Zihang, ever practical, hands you the claw dagger back. You stare at it a moment and then tuck it in your belt to let Caesar carry you out.

Together, you climb out of the elevator and into the darkness of the shaft, until you take a rest on the beam. Caesar is puffing on a cigar. You’re sitting in Caesar’s lap like a child. Exhausted, you’re turning the bronze colored claw dagger over and over in your hands, watching the play of light on it.

You all sit in silence like this for an hour.

Your head was burning and you felt numb and yet, deep down, the arctic ice that had held onto your soul since waking up at Cassell was starting to fracture and the summer sun was beginning to rise. You rest your head against Caesar’s chest and look up into his eyes.

He lets out a puff of smoke. “You’re not going to fall for me, are you?”

Your eyes narrow and then you huff. “No. I was just thinking…You weren’t going to let me die from the moment we met, right? You stinker.”

Caesar tapped the ash over the edge of the beam. “So you finally get it.”

“Uh huh. I’ll always miss my friends.” Your lip trembles a bit but you once again control it. “But… I think… with you… That’s okay.”

Caesar bit his cigar and grinned. “Glad to hear it.”

You lower your eyes to Chu Zihang who had been tending to his own injuries and was now working on Chisei’s many wounds, while he rested on the beam. “Sorry, I stabbed you.”

“It was impressive.”

You laugh, unsure of how to respond to that.

The building was chock full of Hydra operatives now. You couldn’t leave the elevator shaft yet. They were probably all looking for Chisei so you had to wait for him to wake up.

Chisei started to stir under Chu Zihang’s medical care. Caesar carefully settled you against the wall of the shaft and catwalked over to stare down into Chisei’s eyes. He pulled the last cigarette from his pocket, stuck it in Chisei’s mouth and lit it, the fire illuminating the man’s pupils. Chisei struggled for a moment but he was still in pain and tightly bound.

"The emperor hybrid is really different, huh. A serious wound like harakiri only took an hour to heal. I want to have such a good body.." Caesar moved the lighter closer to his face and illuminated it to Chisei, showing his healing injury. In the next moment, he’d kicked Chisei off the beam. The rope pulled taut where the end was tied and Chisei Gen hung from it.

"Won't you consider untying me?" Gen Chisei smiled bitterly, "It's a little inconvenient to smoke and hang from a rope."

"Not quite. With someone of your low integrity, I still can't believe you. The minute I untie you, you’ll assault us again.." Caesar gripped his cigar, "Let’s just have a good conversation."

"Is the family style of the famous hybrid Gattuso family that shameless?" Chisei exhaled a puff of smoke.

"You call this shameless?" Caesar shrugged, "If you think this is shameless, you haven't met my studly old man." After a few seconds of silence Caesar mumbled. "Sorry."

"There's nothing to apologize for. At the time I really wanted to escape and leave all you behind. I'm not a friend of justice. I've done a lot of bad things, I've killed people."

"Ghosts?" Chu Zihang asked.

"We call them Ghosts, but they are actually the same hybrid species as us, only more likely to become deadly." Chisei whispered, "To some extent all of us are ghosts."

"The mural is ruined, but we took pictures. Although you do not want us to, we have to take these pictures. The Academy and the Hydra are now in a hostile relationship, and now that the Deadpool group is also finished, your cooperation with us is over, and we all revert to hostile relations." Caesar took a drag on his cigar.

You listen to the conversation and your heart is surprisingly calm when you hear that you won’t be seeing Chisei any time soon. Chisei looks up at you. “I guess we’ll have to make plans for sake later?”

Caesar gives you a look of sharp disbelief.

You stick your tongue out at him. “I meant it as a lady.” But you offer no further explanation. It wasn’t his business.

"Then you have to leave quickly, with my recovery speed, this rope won’t hold me for long.." Chisei smiled again.

"You can’t fool me. This rope can tether an elephant. I also tied it with a sailor knot, so the more you struggle, the tighter it will get. Your body is not as strong as we thought. You super hybrids are slightly stronger than us, but your bones and muscles can not be compared with a real dragon. You might be worse than those deadpool but the minute you release your Yanling you’re defenseless. In short, you're strong, but not necessarily without flaws." Caesar sneered.

"Well, well you guys see through me. What do you want to do with me?"

"It was too difficult to take you away, and, in the end, I decided to leave you here. Your men are looking all over the building for you, but they didn't expect you to be hanging in the middle of the elevator shaft just yet. Seriously, I think that Assistant Sakura likes you a lot, don't you?" Caesar waved his cigar.

"I'm not getting a girlfriend until I leave Japan, and isn't it a bit much to ask a woman like her to give up her life to go to France with me to sell sunscreen?"

"Isn’t that exactly like leaving behind your status as the head of the big family to go to France?"

"I am a person who has done a lot of evil. My hands are stained with the blood of many ghosts, fleeing to France to settle down would be good, I am not going to France, I’m trying to escape." Chisei said leisurely.

"You said you also want to be a friend of justice?" Caesar raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone wants to be a friend of justice when they are children." Chisei said faintly.

"Are you mocking me for still being stuck in a child's state?" Caesar gave Chisei a poke and sent him spinning.

You giggle. It hurt but that struck you as funny.

“What are you laughing at?” Caesar smiles at you.

You reply "Friends of Justice are the words from Ultraman, a cartoon for kids."

"Ultraman?"

"Superman who came to Earth from the universe to help Earthlings fight alien monsters. The heir of the Gattuso family should not have seen that kind of thing. We all watched it when we were kids. In elementary school, kids could be seen discussing which Ultraman was more powerful and saving their lunch money to buy plastic models of Ultraman. Did you do this MC?”

“No,” you chuckle. “I was a Sailor Moon fan. And James Bond fan.”

“Ah…” Chisei sighs. “Ultraman said his fans are friends of justice. We are friends of Ultraman, so we are also friends of justice. The more powerful monsters will be defeated by the friends of justice. Every episode they say that, so as children, we are convinced." Chisei mumbled slyly, "One year school performance, I went on stage to sing the theme song of Ultraman, I still remember the tune ......"

"Beep beep beep,

lots of monsters.

Look behind you,

beasts through the street there,

just to your left and right.

Can't get enough, can't get enough.

Fly one foot and hit three low,

don't presume to fly away.

Who comes from the universe to fight for freedom?

Who will be faithful to defend the world?

It is you, the great friend of justice!"

You clap your hands. “You have a good voice, Chisei.”

This scene is really weird. The big head of the Japanese yakuza and the only emperor hybrid hanging in mid-air singing the theme song of "Ultraman". The heir of the Gattuso family, Caesar Gattuso and A+ blood Chu Zihang, and you, the S-ranked young woman, are his audience. Everyone should have laughed, but no one did. All of you had childhoods that were long gone, and you paid respects to them the same as you would a long dead ancestor.

The song ended and Caesar clapped his hands.

"But I didn't become a friend of justice, I became the bad guy." Chisei said softly, "My friends are bad people. Yasha turned out to be a street fighter. Crow is a loan shark organization's strong man. Sakura is a killer. And I have done a lot more bad things than you can imagine. You might think the Japanese executive bureau is here to maintain order. But more often, it all just ends in bloodshed.. The mob is like this. In this business only violence speaks. The ones who are the most violent are the loudest. We live by doing evil. We belong to a family. We must be loyal to it. For the benefit of the family, we may strike at the innocent. For the benefit of the family we can sacrifice our companions or ourselves. Everyone can be sacrificed so that more people can live a good life. This world is so cruel. I am not Hikari Ultraman.I can not save everyone. If doing evil can make my people live a better life, then I am willing to become a bad guy."

"Bad people can become good, but bad things will never become right." Caesar said.

Chisei made the effort to give Caesar a look, "At your age you can still say such things, Gattuso-kun. I envy you."

"Is that another Japanese style taunt?"

"No, people who strongly believe in justice are happy people." Chisei said softly.

Caesar was silent for a long time and raised his eyebrows: "What a bitter thing to say. But there's no time for your bitterness, I hear footsteps approaching, it's your people looking for you, right?"

"Goodbye then, have a good trip." Chisei said.

"The next time we meet, we'll be enemies again. Can't we say some warm and fuzzy goodbyes?"

"Don't get involved in this. Leave Japan if you can, this is not something you can get involved in."

"That kind of bullshit might as well be Saying Sayonara.”

"Sayonara." Chisei said softly.

"Sayonara." Caesar said, "People who could have been friends end up like this. The world isn't cruel. It’s Bullshit.”

You stare down at Chisei. You want to say something, but you feel like you and Chisei were strangely similar. You were both violent people and trained to be so from an early age. You both felt similarly when Caesar spouted on about justice and being right and good in a world that was cruel.

“Chisei… please don’t give up…” You whisper, but your voice is still hoarse.

“Come on, girl, he’s not worth your time.” Caesar once again lifts you up on his shoulders like a child and starts to climb. But you look over his shoulder. You and Chisei lock eyes as he hangs there in the void and you keep looking at each other until you’re both out of sight.

#Dragon Raja

14 notes · View notes

voidstilesplease · 3 years

Text

leverage

Notes: It's that scene from At World's End's fault.

---

A slight rustling noise snaps his eyes open. He lifts his head from where it's dipped between his folded arms, then promptly smiles at the silhouette of a man in the shadows. He stands to grip the thick iron bars of his jail that are separating him from his beloved. But as soon as his hands close around the bar, they begin smoldering, and he retreats with a hiss. Looking down, his palms have imprints the shape of the bars, so he sends a regretful look at the man in the shadows, for he can't come any closer without hurting.

"My love," he smiles again and calls to the darkness, softly - the longing from so many years. "You came for me."

"You were expecting me?" The man answers, voice gruffer than he remembers and much colder than the floor of his dingy cell.

His heart clenches. It has been so long that they are apart - far too long. "It has been torture," he admits, clutching his hands together and rubbing the charred skin absently. His expression sours when he gazes down at his fragility and spats with bitterness: "Trapped in this frail body." Then his eyes search his in the darkness, "Cut off from my world, from all that I love - from you."

Finally, the silhouette steps out of the shadows, the small light in the cell revealing a cruel face glaring down on him. When the visitor speaks again, it radiates anger amplified by low growls and grinding of elongated canines. "Ten years I devoted to the duty you charged to me," he begins without preamble, taking measured steps forward. The man's unchanging beta form is sneering viciously and twisting his hideous features some more. The olive of his skin darkening another shade until all the man is for ignorant eyes is inhuman. "Ten years I looked after all the bitten wolves that negotiated servitude to you in exchange for power." Another step closer: clashing fury and yearning. "And finally, when we could be together again-" the man halts, inches away from what divides them. Their gazes lock and the man's irises bleed into the most spiteful of blood reds. "you weren't there."

He looks down in shame, noticing the man's unmoving chest. Then, he closes his eyes in remorse.

"Why," The man growls accusingly, "weren't you there?"

He gazes up, pleading with his human eyes. "It's my nature," he whispers mournfully, for it is the truth. Humans promise him their lives, not the other way around. "Would you love me if I was anything but what I am?"

The man - or rather, the werewolf who cannot find the man in himself anymore - snarls, "I do not," he punctuates each word with spitting rage. "love you."

He shakes his head, reaching for the iron bars again to be a little closer. The skin immediately burns, but he endures it, pressing in desperately to eliminate the years of distance and betrayal between them. "Many things you were, Theodore," he whispers, reveling in the emotions flickering on the hardened facade at the sound of the man's name from his mouth. He reckons the man has not been anything but the "demon wolf", as many like to call him, in so long that he forgot he wasn't always it. "-but never evil. You have corrupted your duty, and instead of lending power, you stole it. And so you corrupted yourself. And you hid away what should-" Unmindful of the scalding pain, he inserts his arm in between the bars to finally touch his love, his Theo, right on the space in his chest where his beating heart should have been, "always have been mine."

Right as his fingertips touch the raised scar of the man's hollow chest - from where he cut himself open and took his heart out to bury it where nobody is supposed to find it in the name of invulnerability - Theo's skin shed its decaying color to show the rich bronze underneath. The werewolf's fangs and claws retract, and he is once again glimpsing the beautiful face of the man that Theo was.

Theo peered up to him, where his eyes are the man's mirror. He feels the man shudder at seeing his face and not the monster after all these agonizing years.

He smiles, his forearm blistering and smoking in their midst, as he brushes his fingers on Theo's unmarred face. Theo's eyelids drop close at the gentleness of the contact. After all these years. And his heart clenches once more when Theo whispers his name like a prayer - his name that no other human knows and no other human will ever pray to as much as they curse it.

"I'm Stiles in this body," he says. "But I will be free and I would've promised you my heart. We would have been together." He withdraws his burnt hand slowly, wistfully. "If only you had a heart to give."

Just as quickly, Theo's face shifts back to its beta form, and the irony would have been laughable if it's not brutal. The demon is bound to a human form, and the human is now a monster akin to a demon.

Theo snarls, banging the cage with woeful crying, chasing his lost humanity. When he faces Stiles, his eyes are back to red from bright blue. He easily extends a clawed finger to Stiles's face, leaving a scrape that bleeds. "Destroy the Hales who befouled you. Bargain your freedom for my defeat; it's the only way they can achieve it. Then destroy them."

Theo pulls away, backing into the darkness again.

"Is that the fate you wish for, Theodore?"

Before he disappears, his vow hangs in the air. "You can have my heart and do with it what you desire. It will always belong to you."

~•~

steo a-z: part 12

#steo #steo flash fiction #steo A-Z #contains: >1k words #contains: demon Stiles #contains: demon wolf Theo #teen wolf #stiles stilinski #theo raeken #stiles x theo #fics tag #flashficsau

20 notes · View notes

jacksons-goddess-gaia · 3 years

Text

Demons Sonata~ Chapter 1

❖ EXO, tba idol x oc

❖ Series, fluff, supernatural au, angst, alternate universe au, ceo au

❖ Warnings: being followed, fear of the unknown, hinted death.

❖ wc: 2010

❖ Tag List: @queen-of-himbos @kimnamshiks @wonderland-obsession @gettin-a-lil-hanse @not-majestic-bluenicorn

❖ Masterlist ❖

. ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Welcome into a different world~ Discover it-or more discover them and all the spooks, hijinks, light, and darkness along the way! I’d love to know what you think!

. ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ ⋅˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

Feet clicked against cobblestone. Heels digging into sore ankles, blisters stinging with every movement. A harsh wind was blowing through the city streets, the icy bite of winter frost chilling her down to the bone within minutes. Despite this, she forged on, bright eyes squinting, straining to see the sign that marked her end goal.

Cars rattled past, the strangers within the windows of shops and cafes hardly taking notice of this oddly dressed traveler hurrying through the night filled streets. Nor did she blame them, they were all focused upon their own lives, the happy bubbles of people unbothered by the darkness plaguing her. The lady shook her head in an attempt to banish the terrifying images, dark, yet rich scarlet locks breaking free from their restraints to dance like flames in the night behind her.

“Come on!” She urged herself, frustration bleeding into her fear, hands clutching the thin black peacoat tighter around her. The far off sound of a siren wailing urgent and mournfully set her pounding heart on edge. If only she had listened to her instincts, if she had stayed home and ignored the snide remarks of her coworkers, she wouldn’t be in this mess! Cursing her all too human ‘want’ to be accepted, and her damned curiosity in the mysterious men who headed the company she worked for.

Their faces flashed before her eyes even now, dark eyes glittering, their curved lips and pride-filled powerful frames outlined in the glowing lights of the club. How stupid had she been, lured in by the forbidden fruit, that she had become blind to all the warning signs around her. Moments before it had all fallen apart she had wondered what her coworkers had meant when admiringly yet with a hint of something she now realized had been fear, called her brave for mingling with them. Like a fly drawn to honey, a rabbit awed by the beauty of the wolves den, she had been drawn into their trap.

As the shadows lengthened around her, the street lights burning, headlights of taxis flying past, she felt her blood grow cold once again. They had told her, had they not? Warned her that it was too late to turn back, too late to run, for now, the dark things she once believed were stories she knew to be real. And as she grew aware of them, they had become aware of her as well. Drawn to her they seemed to be, and even as she wished she did not, she glimpsed the shadow moving along the street across from her. Chewing on curved lips, painted a color akin to the blood surging through her pounding heart, she broke into a run. The small pools of that afternoon's rain splashing softly wetting her feet, however the promise of safety, however hollow and false it might be, drove her to pay the cold moisture no mind.

With an overwhelming surge of relief the neon sign, a beacon of light upon this smaller side street came into view. Had she paused for even a moment, stopped to greet the night guard as she usually would, Rosalina might have noticed the dazed and unseeing eyes upon the guards slack face. Then again had the wave of relief not distracted her, she might have felt the ice leave her veins. Or perhaps she might have noticed how as she neared the entrance she moved out of the unnaturally dark street into a bright beam of fiercest moonlight.

Feet pounding up the steps so quickly she appeared to fly, Rosalina had the door of her apartment unlocked and open before she fully stopped moving. As if to mark the end of her luck as she raced across the threshold, the stiletto of her heel snapped. A quiet gasp escaped her throat as she fell backwards, hands flying out into the shadows of the room for a hold. However, before she could fall back out the entrance from which she came, a set of strong arms wrapped around her.

“Careful.” Warned a husked voice beside her ear, the fear from which she had fled, flooding back the air leaving her lungs in a shriek.

“I forget how slowly you humans move.” Remarked another voice as Rosalina attempted to balance upon her now broken heels, the door swinging closed behind her with a click. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness within the room. Glancing around with wide eyes her heart leapt into her throat, nine figures slowly loomed out of the darkness, their silhouettes basking in the moonlight streaming from her open balcony doors.

“How?” as she stumbled back from the all too familiar man who had stopped her from falling. One of the men snorted at her legs trembling, she collapsed against the door.

“Really Rose, I’m disappointed. After what you saw did you really think a mere lock and chain would stop us?”

With the snap of his fingers all the lights came on at once, illuminating them fully before her eyes for the first time. As the folly of her actions and her last prayer that this was all one horrible dream, vanished like smoke before a hurricane. Rose was forced to realize the men who she had been so eager to befriend and learn about weren’t men at all.

“Don’t scare her.” Rebuked a man she recognized with ease, his stoic face a mask as usual. Sehun's eyes left her speechless as he leveled his gaze with the scarlet haired man sitting astride the arm of her couch. His gentle but raspy voice seemed to ease her nerves as she hesitantly kicked off her heels, if she needed to run-not that she believed now would help her in any way-she wasn’t about to break her ankle.

“Chill Sehun, he's being honest.” An impishly smiling Baekhyun was watching her with some amusement. Had she been less shocked and more angry, Rose might have told him to wipe that stupid grin off his face. It had been his interaction with her that had first piqued her interest, working under the funny man who had first invited her out. Dangling the fact that she could shut her snobby coworkers up if she came to the latest party to celebrate the successful buyout of their rival corporation. In fact she was angry enough, and as the grumbled words left her lips, the young man's eyebrows shot up to hide beneath his blonde bangs. While Chen choked on the tea he had seemingly helped himself to in her favorite mug no less, a rather irritating laugh left her bosses lips.

“See I told you she’s not a sheep like the others!” Baekhyun seemed delighted rather than insulted that his subordinate had just mouthed off to him in front of his own boss and colleagues.

“I guess there's still hope for humans.” Conceded Kyungsoo rolling his eyes as Kai beside him burst into hysterics, smacking his arm repeatedly in his mirth.

“Only some.” Agreed Xiumin grinning like the cheshire cat from story books.

“What do you want from me?” She demanded tired of this pandering and the uncomfortable feeling of those intense eyes burning into her skin. Pulling her coat tight around herself once again, Rose fervently wished she had worn a dress that was less revealing.

“Want?” Lay, who had stopped her from a crash landing in the hallway, cocked his head to the side puzzled.

“How do you feel about a promotion?” Chanyeol's cocky smirk said he knew all too well of how she would respond, a strong dislike forming within her at smugness.

“How would anyone feel about a promotion?” She scoffed, if she was going to be forced to play this game, she was going to play it her way, not theirs.

“Fair enough. Well, Rose-”

“Rosalina, only friends call me Rose.” She corrected Suho, for a second his pitch eyes darkened before he relaxed.

“I’d hoped we were. You didn’t seem to have a problem with being a friend earlier tonight,” he recalled with unnerving calm.

“That was before you claimed to be demons, and admitted to dooming me and everything else.” Rose reminded him with a scowl.

“Doom?” Sehun asked, looking affronted by the statement.

“You exaggerate.” Chuckled Chen not seeing the glare she shot in his direction,

“Exaggerate? Let me tell you mister big bad demon, humans are not used to seeing shadowy beasts moving and following them down streets!” Her snarl took the amusement out of the room, even Baekhyun sobered.

“They’re following her already?” Demanded Chanyeol, instantly moving to the window and looking outside before growling low in his throat, an inhuman sound that set the hair of her arms and head on end.

“Are you telling me you can see them?” Suho’s voice was deathly serious, his eyes darkening as he leaned forward, winged red hair standing out against the white of the couch.

“Yeah, those weird smoke shadow things.” She gestured back out the window, her bravery faltering as Xiumin joining Chanyeol at the window swore under his breath before he and the much taller man disappeared evaporating into billowing tendrils of black smoke.

"We need to leave. Now! She's awakening too quickly." Suho's words were directed at Sehun, the younger boy nodding face a mask as he seized her wrist.

"Let's grab your things, it's not safe until we know who is following."

"Not safe-You're the ones who-"

But her protest was cut off as a shadow flashed across the room from the open window. Before it could take shape, Sehun's eyes flashed and with a burst of heat and flash of light it exploded into smoke. A dense smell of sulfur lingering in the air, the feel of a slimy phantom hand closing around your neck dissipating with it.

"Bogarts, no...its goblins. They love to prey on those at the beginning of their awakening, especially strong ones." Chen's eyes flitted to the window as a group of shadows raced away. "You must be especially tasty and powerful for them to dare enter the established zone. They must think you're worth the risk of dying since soon enough even you would be able to destroy them."

"They are notoriously dumb but to dare enter here..." Suho seemed enraged and equally disgusted, turning his eyes back upon Rosalina. "For now it'd be best if you came with us, not that we're really giving you the option. I doubt Baekhyun or Sehun would be thrilled if the goblins devoured your soul in order to transcend."

"Only grab the things you desperately need. Anything irreplaceable, otherwise we will supply whatever you need." Sehun's voice was quiet but left no room for negotiations. And that's how Rose found herself, scrambling to pack a suitcase of all her worldly and sentimental belongings.

"Really?" Sehun's eyebrow rose as she shoved a rather old and well-loved kitten plushie into the suitcase. However, as she glared at him, he held up his hands in surrender. Despite the calls from the living room to hurry it up, Rosalina took her time to pack, a mixture of rebellion and disbelief slowing her pace, praying that at any moment someone might jump out and shout cut, or that this might all dissolve away like the shadows. Sadly by the time she had finished packing however no such miracle had occurred. Taking her hand in his Sehun pulled her back out into the living room sparing her a sympathetic look as he felt the way her hands trembled, the tears of frustration and confusion welling in her eyes.

"Finally, get ready to go. It might feel odd, but bear with it, it'll all be over in a moment." Instructed Chen with a smile taking the suitcase as Sehun suddenly pulled her into his arms, wrapping himself around her from behind.

"Close your eyes." He whispered, the only warning she would receive before the world turned sideways, her stomach twisting as her feet left the ground; Everything whipping and warping around her before blinking out of existence.

22 notes · View notes

hanahaki-neko · 3 years

Text

Company | Megumi

The first time he summoned the divine dogs

note : a drabble i write bc a friend of mine suggested the idea of how megumi first discovered his technique. i had fun :D

He was around 6 or 7 when it happened,or at least that’s what he remembered. He had little to no memory about his mother,only able to see her face through very few photos taken by his father. Toji remarried another woman somewhere along the line and that’s how he met Tsumiki. Everything else was really a blur to him,how his step-mother was just suddenly gone and not long after his father returned home less and less,for whatever reason. Today as well Megumi returned from school after a relatively long walk with Tsumiki and entered their home to find their father slouching over the couch watching whatever was on the TV screen,beer in hand. He ignored him to make his way to his bedroom and left his school bag on the bed while he took a shower to refresh himself after a long day. The messy haired kid came back to the living room with a towel over his shoulders to find his father no longer there. Just Tsumiki in the kitchen cooking dinner for both of them.

“Where’s dad?” Megumi asked.

“He said he’s going out. Not sure when he’ll come back.”

He frowned at the response. This was nothing new to them,but still the kid felt a bit hurt. Toji would leave the house with nothing much but a small bag and wouldn’t return for days,weeks,sometimes even a month. Some other times Toji would come home drunk and would drink the days away before leaving the house again,not caring about the bottles of alcohol laying on the floor and carpet. On a rare occasion he’d see strange disfigured creatures around the house that he was unfamiliar with,before they disappeared just as fast as they had appeared. Megumi and his sister had gotten used to taking care of themselves and even to the point of raising themselves since they don’t really have anyone to help with homework or even house chores since they didn’t know where their parents were most of the time,nor they knew how they were doing.

Night falls and he’s now alone in his room. Megumi didn’t want to disturb Tsumiki who’s sleeping,so he decided to entertain himself who just so happens to have one of those sleepless nights. His hands moved around to make various shapes,so that when the shadow cast by the dim moonlight hit the wall a silhouette of different animals could be seen. Dogs, rabbits, birds, elephants and really any shape he could think of. "They could be your friends if you’re lonely." He knew how to do this because Toji taught him how to do it. Megumi often does this to pass time so he’d feel sleepy or just to cure his boredom. A good thirty minutes later and he felt his eyes getting heavy. Megumi pulled the blanket over him and lay down on the soft and fluffy mattress.

“I would prefer it if they’re home more often.” he murmurs to himself before finally falling into a slumber.

This goes on like a well-oiled machine. His father going out and not returning for a while,doing whatever. Him and Tsumiki taking care of the house by themselves. Megumi sometimes sees these strange creatures from time to time. It became the normality Megumi has been accustomed to and he didn’t really mind. He hoped his parents,or at least his dad would at least spend a bit more time at home. He wasn’t really close with his father but any other company other than Tsumiki would be nice once in a while. They barely talk unless it was necessary and Toji doing whatever he pleases just left them with less interaction.

On his way home this time,he got bored of walking back alone. Tsumiki had gone home first to cook and he had some extra work to do at school so what's he gonna do? Having nothing better to do and no one to talk to he started making shadow puppets to pass time as he continued his little walk. He felt his shadows moving a bit too unnaturally and Megumi quickly looked back only to find nothing wrong.

'"i'm probably just tired." He thought nothing of it and returned home.

Tsumiki and Toji welcomed him as he walked through the door and put away his shoes. After cleaning himself up Megumi walked into the living room to see his father carrying a bag and already putting on his shoes.

"You're going out again already?" He asked.

"Yeah." His father didn't say much.

"It's barely been a week." Tsumiki said.

"I got a work offer,so I had to go out to get some good cash so we can keep buying groceries."

Megumi frowned. He was never really close but hoped at least Toji would stay a bit longer. He usually leaves the house in intervals of two or three weeks since his return. And something didn't feel right. There's uneasiness clouding his head. Sensing his son's worry Toji knelt down and ruffled his already messy dark hair.

"Look,i'm gonna finnish this as soon as possible then i'll come back,alright?"

Megumi only nodded at the remark.

"Good. Be nice and don't do anything stupid while i'm gone. I don't want you worrying Tsumiki." Toji said before making his way to the door.

"I'll be back before you know it."

That was the last time he saw his father.

Both of them waited for a few days,a week,and soon it turned into a whole month,until almost three months had passed. Megumi and Tsumiki kept returning to an empty house,their father nowhere to be seen. His sister kept telling him that he'll probably be back soon and just make sure the house is cleaned so they wouldn't get scolded if he comes back. The days continued with Megumi often staying up late while his sister was already asleep,hoping his father would come home soon.

"Liar." he croaked out, wiping a tear away.

He'd sit alone in his room,sometimes looking out the window to see if he's home from this so-called work yet. Sometimes he wonders if he met some other girl and just decided to live with her,completely abandoning him and Tsumiki. He felt hurt, betrayed even. And to relief himself of these emotions he decided to entertain himself to sleep with the shadow puppets. It always helped him in these situations so why not.

He clapped his hands to form a wolf,when his shadow started moving vigorously. Megumi,scared, scrambled away and ended up falling off the bed with a thud. The dark shadow moved along the floors and soon started to form a shape of two dogs. Or was it wolves? The shadow manifested into two wolf dogs before him. One having pure white fur and the other pitch black. Megumi was scared with both hands defensively over his face when he saw both of them approaching him.

He only took a peek when he didn't feel anything for a short moment to find both of them… bowing to him? He was beyond confused. He then noticed the triangle marks on their head,a right side up for the black one and an inverted triangle for the white one. He didn't feel any malice from both of them,which just confused him even further.

"Hello?" He called out.

The wolf dogs stood up and just blinked at him. They were big,towering over Megumi easily. But their gaze was somewhat protective and kind,which eased him a bit. The kid reached out a hand to try and pet them,to which the white dog moved forward and he felt the soft fur against his palm. It wasn't long before both of them were nuzzling him,tickling Megumi which made him giggle. Both of them pulled back as Megumi just sat there examining them. He didn't know much other than they just suddenly seemed to come from his shadow. Suddenly both of them growled and faced another direction.

"W-what's wrong?" He asked,worried.

He saw on the corner of the room,that same disfigured creatures hissing at him,or rather,the dogs? It somewhat looked like a fly or the likes of it and the white dog jumped and bit through the creature,as it dissipated into a black smoke and disappeared.

He was too little to put the puzzle pieces together. What was going on right now,he had no idea. But when he saw both of them walking to him and nuzzling against his skin,he just knew for certain that he felt warm and safe in their care,for whatever reason he has yet to know. Without thinking much Megumi climbed back to his bed and patted the mattress as if to call them. Both the wolf dogs followed suit and climbed the rather spacious bed for a kid and two big dogs. That night he slept well among the two divine dogs,a small smile crossed his face before he fell into one of the nicest sleep he ever had in a while.

"Don't be silly Megumi,there's no way a dog would break into the house. I would've known about it."

"I swear i saw them. There's two of the dogs and they slept with me."

"Maybe you're just dreaming."

“I’m not!”

He was a bit angry and pouted before walking away,knowing this debate was pointless. Megumi had woken up the next day to find both of them gone without any trace. He tried to tell his sister about it but she wouldn't believe her. True it seemed like a fever dream or some sort. Maybe it was just some things he imagined about. But he couldn't help but be curious about the whole incident.

That night he stood alone in his room, feeling a bit nervous. It's a tiring day today at school and their father had yet to return. He was feeling lonely and didn't want to disturb Tsumiki simply because she had an exam tomorrow,and that she told him not to disturb her. Megumi recalled the previous night,how he had done the shadow puppet of the dog and that's how it started. He did the same thing again tonight trying to make sure it was all real. He wasn’t expecting much out of this,but sure enough his shadow started moving again. He was still surprised thought not as much this time,and took a step back as he watched the shadow form into the two wolf dogs he saw last night. Megumi stood there in awe and shock as both of them approached him before embracing him in some sort of a hug.

Megumi couldn't help but smile as he drifted off into a slumber. He might try to find a time to tell her sister about this,but for now he's just happy to have some company for when he's feeling lonely.

#Jujutsu Kaisen #jjk #neko writes #fushiguro megumi #jujutsu kaisen fic #megumi is a precious baby #i wrote this at like 3 am #also during mid term week lmao #jujutsu kaisen fanfic #jjk fic

3 notes · View notes

ipaintwithwords · 3 years

Text

Christmas Short Story Exchange

Wolves Without Teeth

Fandoms: Life is Strange, Life is Strange 2 Characters: Sean Diaz, Lyla Park, Daniel Diaz, Chloe Price, David Madsen (mention), Brody Holloway (mention) Tags: Post-Redemption Ending, Post-Save Arcadia Bay Ending, light angst with happy ending, mentions of depression/antidepressants, reminiscing, ambiguous/open ending, POV heavy, pretty scenery and dogs and ghosts

And I run from wolves breathing heavily at my feet And I run from wolves tearing into me without teeth

♪♫♪♫♪♫

Millions of stars lit up the vast, deep indigo canvas of the night sky along the coast of Oregon. It was a quiet, peaceful night, the kind that was made for intimate strolls and heartwarming conversations and marveling at the beauty of the ocean, hand in hand, barefoot on the shore, accompanied by the light April breeze and the soft whispers of the waves. It was made for campfires and laughter, grilled fish and cold beer, and acoustic guitar covers of songs that people don’t listen to enough on Spotify, even though they really should - it was a night made for moments ephemeral and eternal at the same time, a series of overexposed polaroid images in the sand.

However, for the young man driving under the endless rows of majestic pine trees, the night was but a spectacular backdrop for his hours spent on the road. Slightly more memorable than the day before, and infinitely longer than any other day of the past week he’s spent driving, one hand on the wheel, the other one either stroking the gentle crosswind with a cigarette between his fingers or buried in the thick, brown fur of the adolescent wolfdog snoozing on the passenger’s seat, curled up like a content, well-fed little roll with her favorite blanket between her front paws.

That night, he was holding onto the wheel with both hands. Eyes fixated on the highway, his anxiety was skyrocketing in his chest, flooding the back of his mind with dark thoughts and his head with an unbearable migraine, building up slowly but steadily, creeping into his skull, even the empty - and otherwise numb - socket of his left eye. Not that he was a stranger to headaches, but unlike all his past encounters with nasty migraines, this time he had no idea what to blame: the cigarettes, the lack of sleep, all the synthetic food he shoved down his throat the past few days, his ridiculous deadline drawing near by the minute… Or perhaps the fact that for the first time in fifteen agonizingly long years, he was back on a road he never thought will see again.

The only difference was that this time, he was on his own. There was no comforting presence beside him, no hula dancer figurine on top of the dashboard, no excited chatter coming from a kid high on adrenaline on the backseat. It was just him and the shores of Oregon, his sad music and his snoring dog (who wasn’t exactly the chatty kind, which, honestly speaking, never truly bothered him; he adopted her for the very same reason) and this stubborn, intrusive, demanding migraine that seemed to have made a cozy little home for itself in his forehead like it was meant to live out the rest of its life under his skin. And somehow, it managed to grow even stronger when out of the blue, the music was interrupted by the steady, low buzzing of his phone.

All of a sudden, violent waves of frustration crashed down over him as he took a quick glance at the device’s screen. Tightening his grip on the wheel until his nails started digging irritated crescents into the faux leather, he grit his teeth while staring at his phone, its buzzing resonating in his temples as if someone was trying to drill into his brain. The buzzing lasted for a solid two minutes before the screen would finally turn dark again and the pulsating sensation in his temples quieted down a little - only giving him a few moments of calm and quiet, though, as his phone started ringing again the moment he was about to sigh in relief.

“Oh for fuck’s sake!”, he grunted loudly in anger, waking the peacefully sleeping wolfdog pup with either his hoarse voice or the annoyed dash of his hand as he reached out for his phone to pick up the incoming call and be over with it as fast as possible. He knew exactly what’s coming for him, and he was in the mood for anything but fighting with his best friend on the phone right now.

“What the fuck, man?!”, hissed a young woman on the other end of the call with a furious whisper-shout, as soon as he pushed the green button. “Are you being serious with me right now? Where the fuck are you, Sean?”, she hissed, and Sean heard a door slamming shut behind her, most likely the backyard door, to be precise, as she stormed out of the kitchen for a smoke.

“You knew I’ll be busy this weekend”, much to his surprise, he magically managed to keep his voice calm and his words collected when he answered after a few moments of hesitation. “I DMed you and I also texted the group chat yest-”

“Yeah, and I thought you’re just trying to back out of going to Walmart with us!”, his feeble attempt of coming up with explanations was met with an angry snap from the young woman. “And I actually can’t believe that we’re having this conversation? Like I can’t comprehend the fact that for whatever fucked up reason, you are actually ditching your own brother’s birthday weekend”, she scoffed, lighting up a cigarette with two impatient click-clacks of a cheap 7-Eleven lighter.

“I have a deadline, Lyla, and it seems like you’re the only person who can’t accept that”, answered Sean with a deep, resigned sigh, only trying to resist the sudden urge of smoking for a brief second before he rolled down the window and reached for his cigarette case. “I talked to Daniel about it, alright? He was the first person I called”, he murmured under his nose, shoving a crooked cigarette between his lips. “And to be honest, I still don’t understand why you guys insisted on throwing this huge ass party for him for an entire weekend... Y’all know he prefers his PS4 and pizza over twenty of us being all over him for three days, right?”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize it was me who’s about to ruin his birthday! Fuck, man, thanks, now I can see that it was me all along”, Lyla let out a burst of dry laughter, more threatening than the sharpest blades in the world. “You are unbelievable, Sean.”

“I’m doing everyone a favor by skipping, y’know”, said Sean, sticking his hand out the window, unleashing the tiny smoke-dragons of his cigarette into the night. “‘Cause let’s be real, we both know that it’s me who’d ruin his birthday” he added with a shrug, making Lyla snort in disbelief.

“I can’t think of a single reason why his favorite person in the world would do that, so please enlighten me with your wisdom, Sean-Wise”, suddenly, her tone softened, bringing a massive lump to Sean’s throat.

“The last thing he needs right now is his useless, depressed brother”, he answered quietly, unable to resist the suffocating grip of anxiety on his neck. “And thankfully, he understands that his useless, depressed brother needs to submit an unreasonable amount of work ‘til next Wednesday, so… Yeah. We’re both doing each other a favor, to be honest.”

“Sean, I… Useless? Why would y- What do you even… Hollup for a sec” sighed Lyla, slightly frustrated, as a small voice suddenly called for her. “Yes, baby, what’s up?”, she said, words and smile warmer than the morning sun, and Sean couldn’t help but smile too when he heard her switch to Korean the next moment, most likely reaching for her daughter Hannah, and gently pushing a strand of dark, silky hair behind her ear like she always did.

“Sorry for that, Miss Thing is getting cranky because she only ate five times today”, Lyla returned to the call after a good minute, and Sean could clearly see her roll her eyes as the door shut close behind Hannah. “So where were we…”

“You were about to give me a Ted Talk on self-love because I called myself useless”, said Sean with a faint smile, before carefully flicking the cigarette butt out the window. Lyla didn’t answer immediately, at least not with words - her silence, on the other hand, was heavy with worry, a calm before the storm Sean knew too well. After all, thirty-three years of friendship teaches a thing or two about another person, especially a friendship like theirs was.

“You know, I had a feeling this is gonna happen”, when Lyla finally broke the silence, she couldn’t conceal the sad, resigned bitterness in her voice. “At least tell me where you are, man…”

“I’m in Oregon… Driving along the coast, actually”, Sean answered, giving his dog an affectionate scratch behind the ear, and making her turn her all-knowing, golden eyes from the night view on him. “Don’t worry, I’m not alone. Chestnut’s here too.”

“Dude, she didn’t even bark when she heard my voice”, said Lyla, with a very obvious and even more dramatic pout on her face. “But wait, what the fuck are you doing there? In Oregon?”, she asked, and this time, it was her confused frown that Sean could see crystal clear as if Lyla was sitting right next to her.

For a brief moment, he truly wished she was.

“I’m chasing ghosts”, when he spoke eventually, it felt as if there was someone else talking with his mouth, unseen powers forcing the air out of his lungs and his tongue and teeth to form the words that echoed for a seemingly endless moment in the car and inside Sean’s head.

And before he could even blink, the echo sunk even deeper, into the darkest pits of his scarred, hurt, lonely soul, as he found himself staring at the unmistakable silhouette of Arcadia Bay in the distance after a slight turn in the road.

He spent the night at Otter Point, in his car, right next to the very same visitors plaque he broke down at, for the first time since fleeing Seattle on that nightmarish afternoon all those years ago, to a man he just met - a man who changed everything, although fifteen years later, Sean wasn’t sure anymore that it was for the better. He wasn’t sure whether he’d still be alive at all if it wasn’t for Brody and his golden heart that night, but he was certain of one thing: that compared to all the horrible things that happened to him, to them, death would’ve been but a merciful release.

Death didn’t come for them, however, at least not in its form that’s known to most people. Instead of taking them, it decided to befriend the Wolf Brothers and tag along on their journey, from the suburbs of Seattle to the iron gates of the Mexican border - and after that, the lifeless, ashen grey walls of a suffocatingly small prison cell in Washington. It was there that night too, in Sean’s car, a worn, cherry-red station wagon just like Brody’s, and inside his head, too, buried deep under the quiet, unsteady chaos of his thoughts. It was in every breath he took, every pill he swallowed, every minute he spent awake wondering what is he even doing, and there was nothing, absolutely nothing that could make it go away, that could make death change it’s stubborn mind and to leave Sean Diaz alone, because, throughout the years, it simply grew too fond of him.

And with time, Sean just… Accepted it. He accepted being handpicked by death itself and stopped fighting it because no matter how hard he tried to avoid it, to get rid of it, to pretend that everything was fine, nothing helped; nothing but the acceptance and the handfuls of numbing bitterness he consumed at least two yellow tubes of each month for the past, God knows how many years. Of course, things could’ve been a lot worse, and Sean was fully aware of that - he knew that he was extremely privileged for being able to settle back into society relatively easily after being released from his sentence of nearly two decades spent in one of the country’s biggest federal prisons.

Frankly speaking, it wasn’t about settling back into society as much as it was about doing something he secretly always dreamed of, even before the story of the Wolf Brothers began on that chilly Friday afternoon, in a completely ordinary, perfectly average October of a past, long-lost life. In fact, if someone told sixteen-year-old Sean that everything that’s about to happen to him will eventually lead to a new life in which he is a comic book artist who gets paid for drawing the weird shit in his head, sixteen-year-old Sean would’ve probably laughed until his stomach hurt and happy tears started rolling down his cheek.

And yet, there he was that morning, on top of a hill above the Oregon coast, moderately enjoying his cheap instant coffee in the back of his station wagon (and after a glance at his peaky-faced reflection in the mirror, extremely judging his lack of self-discipline regarding taking care of his beard) while waiting for his tablet to charge fully so he can proceed with the next strips for the fifth chapter of The Adventures of the Pack. Chestnut was running around in excited circles, chasing grasshoppers and butterflies and occasionally, her tail, not particularly minding either her owner or the breathtaking view of the coast, and along with it, the quiet town of Arcadia Bay.

At first, he didn’t even think of making a stop at a seemingly insignificant place like Otter Point on his not-so-spontaneous journey - for some much-needed inspiration or for bittersweet reminiscence, he wasn’t entirely sure anymore -, but while going through dozens of maps and routes and painful memories on a sleepless night before his trip, he stumbled upon a picture Daniel sent him for one of his birthdays spent in prison. A picture from Away, to be precise, of a cozy little bonfire and four people with marshmallow sticks in their hands and tipsy smiles on their faces - a picture that kept him up awake for the whole night, with tears stuck halfway in his throat, desperately trying to fight their way through the walls Sean has built around himself. And the moment he saw David in the picture, he decided that after all the phone calls and visits and almost fatherly check-ins from the man throughout the past fifteen years, the least he can do is stopping in David’s hometown for a quick page or two on his way down South.

“Man, it must be tough being you”, Sean chuckled as he put his empty mug on the small writing desk in the corner of his on-the-go bedroom, looking at Chestnut playing in the dry dirt alongside the road with a wide, amused smile on his face. “Careful, though… I’d rather not break my neck trying to rescue you if you fall down” he added, climbing out of the back of his car with nimble reflexes, the sudden movement answered with excited bark coming from the wolfdog pup.

“Would you look at that”, said Sean with an impressed little snort, walking up to the fence and bending over to rest his arms on it, eyes roaming the endless, unbelievably blue ocean and the gentle waves washing up against the pale sands of Arcadia Bay’s shores. “Can’t decide if it’s beautiful or the most boring shit I’ve ever seen, to be honest… What d’ya think, huh?”, he raised his eyebrows, peeking down at Chestnut yelping next to him, and giving her a loving scratch behind the ears. “Come, check this out”, he beckoned to the visitors plaque next to them with his chin, patting Chestnut’s side gently as he stepped up to the laminated board, full of colorful images of the local wildlife and the town’s various attractions.

“Yeah? That’s where you wanna go?”, he laughed, as Chestnut suddenly stood up on her rear legs, front paws propped against the plaque, curious golden eyes fixated on the picture of Arcadia Bay’s imposing lighthouse. “Y’know what, why the fuck not, we got all the time in the world… At least ‘til next Wednesday'' Sean sighed, looking up from the slightly faded photograph to the actual lighthouse in the distance, peeking out from countless majestic pine trees, its bright, white light rotating with a slow and steady speed on the opposite end of the bay on top of a cliff.

There was something strange, something unsettling about the tall, robust tower that Sean couldn’t exactly put his finger on. He found himself staring at the lighthouse as if it held all the secrets, all the answers to all the questions he’s been searching for all his life - he couldn’t move, he couldn’t blink, he couldn’t even catch his breath for what felt like an eternity, even though it was but a mere moment. As if something was calling him, an invisible, eerie force locking his eyes on the lighthouse, Sean just stood there petrified, and if it wasn’t for Chestnut and her eager little woof startling him back to reality, he probably would’ve stayed there like that until sunset.

“Yeah, why the fuck not”, he murmured under his nose, shaking his head like he just woke from a weird dream as he turned away from Arcadia Bay and walked up to his car, trying to ignore the uncanny tingling in the back of his head - and the unmistakable feeling of being watched by a pair of all-seeing, otherworldly eyes.

It took surprisingly long to get to the other side of the bay from Otter Point. By the time Sean reached the lighthouse, the sun was high in the spotless blue sky, radiating its warm light so dazzlingly he had to shield his eyes with his hand as he exited the car. He parked the station wagon in a small clearing surrounded by fragrant, sky-high pine trees, at the bottom of a meandrous set of wooden stairs half-eaten by the soil, and began his short hike up to the lighthouse with Chestnut trotting by his side. The forest around them was peaceful and bustling with cheerful and welcoming Spring life; they saw busy bees and chirping birds and dancing butterflies everywhere as they made their way uphill, following the glimmering sunspots on the ground.

“Alright, same rules apply, okay? No running along the edge, it’s rocky down there”, said Sean when they reached the top of the stairs, grabbing Chestnut’s collar the very last minute before the pup could just storm off to explore the uncharted territory. “Stay… Staaay…”, he raised his eyebrows as the pup looked up at him with giant eyes full of excited sparkles, wagging her tail like the clearing in front of her was the last one on Earth to roam. “Good girl. Run along now, but carefully, please”, he said after a moment or two, as he let go of Chestnut, watching her dart off as a fired arrow with a proud, fatherly smile on his face before following the pup to the clearing.

The lighthouse stood tall on the edge of the cliff, watching over Arcadia Bay like a robust, all-seeing guardian. Seeing the tower up close, Sean felt the same magnetic energy that practically hypnotized him from all the way across the bay, only this time, he felt it ten folds stronger, as he stood there and stared at the lighthouse, tilting his head back as much as he could to take in the breathtaking sight in all its mesmerizing entirety. It felt like he arrived in another dimension where time didn’t work as it did on his own; as if a heavy, velvety curtain fell on the world, closing around the cliff and creating an odd, languid void where the pace of time just wasn’t the same. It was quiet, yes, peaceful, even, but at the same time, the air was strangely disturbed, unsettling and mysterious - and eerily inviting.

After what felt like half a lifetime of staring at the lighthouse, Sean noticed a worn bench on the edge of the cliff. He watched Chestnut sweep across the clearing, very much occupied with chasing something that looked like an azure-blue butterfly at first glance, before walking up to the bench and sitting down on it, turning his gaze towards the magnificent view of the bay below him as he reached for his cigarette case in his pocket. With the first puff of bitter smoke, he closed his eyes, and for a while, he just listened to the waves crashing against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff and the squawking of a few stray seagulls circling around the lantern room, before bringing himself to unzip his backpack and pull out his tablet and sketchbook from the messy depths of it.

He only hesitated for a brief moment before he put the tablet back in his bag, and along with it, his deadlines and professional responsibilities, settling with his trusted sketchbook instead. He preferred drawing on actual paper with an actual pen anyway, and he felt like procrastinating a little before letting his work swallow him in one bite. Flipping through dozens of pages of unfinished drawings until he finally reached a blank page, Sean started sketching Arcadia Bay with strainless ease, his eye constantly moving back and forth between the sketchbook and the view until the chaos of thin, black lines started to come together and he didn’t have to look anymore.

And this is when the time truly stopped around him, as it always did when Sean took the pen. It was just him and his vision of the world under the sun, and of course, Chestnut running around the clearing, her lanky, brown form always somewhere in the corner of his eye.

“You’re really pressed about this butterfly, aren’t you”, he chuckled as Chestnut ran across his feet relentlessly, making Sean look up from the content little wolf he’s been sketching for a while without even realizing that he started adding it to the drawing. He didn’t even notice anymore, since this was the case with many, if not most of his drawings - as if he was physically incapable of finishing a drawing without wolves in it, or for that matter, drawing for someone who wasn’t his brother.

“I mean, it’s a pretty fucking stunning butterfly if you ask me”, answered a mischievous voice beside him, completely out of the blue, startling Sean so unexpectedly that he almost fell off the bench.

“De puta madr-!!”, he exclaimed in fright as he turned his head, and the next moment, he found himself staring at a young, slim girl, leaning against the crooked fence on the edge of the cliff. “I mean, ugh Jesus. Sorry, I didn’t see you there” he added quickly, clearing his throat as he looked the girl up and down, wondering how long has it been since she got there - and most importantly, how in the world didn’t he notice her when she arrived.

“It’s kinda rare that anyone does, to be honest” shrugged the girl, stepping away from the fence, piercing blue eyes shifting from Sean’s colorless face to the sketchbook in his lap. She was tall and slender, wearing ripped jeans with a leather jacket and a black beanie, electric blue hair framing her narrow, elfish face. She looked like she was in her late teens, early twenties, maybe, and even though Sean was certain he’s never seen her before, somehow it felt like he’s known the girl for his entire life. “What are you drawing? Can I see?”

“Sure, take a look” he said, scooting over a little so the girl could sit next to her. “It’s a… I don’t even know what, that started off as a landscape sketch” he explained, scratching the inner corner of his empty eye socket and suddenly wishing he put on his eyepatch before coming up to the lighthouse. The girl, however, was way too invested in his sketchbook to even notice that there was something unusual about his appearance, and even if she did, she didn’t seem to be taken aback by it - or at least she didn’t feel the urge to stare, unlike most people Sean has met throughout his life.

“This is really cool, dude” the girl said after a while, looking up at him with a wide, impressed grin before turning her gaze back to Sean’s drawing. “Are you like, an artist or something?”

“Artist is an overstatement but yeah, I draw comics for a living” Sean answered, reaching out for Chestnut when he noticed the pup is running towards him. “This one isn’t for work though. It’s a… Gift. For my brother”, he added, his smile suddenly fading with the words, and not returning even when Chestnut wriggled her way in between his legs and placed her head in his lap, staring up at him with giant puppy eyes.

“Something gives me the impression that he’s the small one”, the girl chuckled, pointing at the younger wolf on Sean’s drawing, chasing a butterfly on the edge of the cliffside looking over Arcadia Bay, next to his bigger, scruffier, one-eyed brother, relaxing under a pine tree.

“I have no idea what makes you say that” said Sean with a faint smile on his face, gently fondling Chestnut’s head in his lap. “The older I get, the more it feels like it’s the other way around, to be honest”, he sighed quietly, feeling his entire chest harden all of a sudden as he took a glance at his sketchbook between the long nails of the strange girl next to her.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” asked the girl bluntly the next moment, carefully closing Sean’s sketchbook and putting it between them on the bench. “I don’t think I’ve seen you in Arcadia Bay before, and that’s pretty shocking considering that we’re talking about a town of 200 people where nothing ever happens…”

“Yeah, I’m just traveling. Thought I’d drive through town and check out the view from here” Sean answered, and as he pulled out another cigarette from his pocket, he couldn’t help but notice the sudden sparks of longing in the girl’s eyes. “You want one?”

“Not gonna lie, I could kill for a smoke… But no thanks. I… Can’t”, the girl gulped, watching with eager eyes as Sean reluctantly put the cigarette in his mouth. “Oh, no, it’s okay, I don’t mind. The smell’s gonna do the trick” she said, exhaling the smoke of the first huff with a strange, almost euphoric smile as Sean lit his cigarette at last.

“Oh man… You got some superior shit right there” she said, her smile slowly growing into a content, wide grin. “But anyway… As much as Arcadia Bay is the most boring shithole in the whole wide world, I hope your trip was worth it in the end.”

“Sounds like you lived here for a while, huh?”, Sean asked, eyebrows raised, to which the girl let out a sarcastic snort. “Oof. That bad?”

“There are no words to describe just how bad, my dude” the girl answered, shaking her head and wrapping her arms around her long legs pulled up to her chest. “I’ve been stuck here my whole fucking life. Wanted to leave since I was fourteen” she continued, the playful cheer suddenly leaving her voice and leaving behind gloomy shadows on her face. “Should’ve gotten the fuck outta here the first chance I got”, she said sourly, planting her chin between her knees and staring blankly in the distance, to a faraway place Sean couldn’t follow her to - and even if he could, he wouldn’t want to.

“So why didn’t you?”, Sean blurted out before thinking twice, but before he could even think of a way to apologize for possibly having crossed a line, the girl laughed out loud and dry.

“Have a wild guess, dude. ‘Cause of love, of course”, she snorted again, only this time, sarcasm was replaced with something much darker in her tone. “I was just waiting for the right time y’know. Back then, I had no idea that no such thing exists. Not for anything, not for anyone. There is just you and time, and time is nothing but a massive fucking trap, waiting for you to get stuck in it” she said, eyes darker than the coldest nights of winter. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to explode like that.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for anything”, Sean shook his head, placing his burnt-out cigarette butt under the bench next to the previous one. “I’m just not sure I get what you mean.”

“No worries, I wouldn’t expect you to get it anyway” the girl shrugged, and the next moment, she turned her gaze to Sean, all-seeing blue eyes staring right into his soul. “You know, people hardly ever come to the lighthouse anymore, except when they should be somewhere else. And even if they come, they barely notice me. It’s nice that you did. And that you listened, too. I’m not sure where you’re supposed to be now, but I’m glad you’re here” she smiled, patting Sean’s hand with a surprisingly cold palm briefly, retreating almost immediately as he shuddered next to her.

“Yeah, I’m glad I took a little detour too” he smiled back at the girl before his glance wandered off to his sketchbook lying between them on the bench. “But I think I should get going now. I’d love to stay and chat, but… I’m ridiculously late already”, he added, a concerned frown taking over the upper half of his face, and a bewildered grin the lower, as somehow, at that moment, he realized there’s a chance that perhaps he has given into the nonsense of his own depression slightly more than he should have in the first place.

“Yeah, you probably are”, said the girl with a playful wink, standing up from the bench and stretching her long arms above her head. “Man, what a spectacular fucking afternoon. I mean, look at the Sun. Such a radiant bitch boss, for real”, she declared lovingly, making Sean laugh out loud for the first time in the past few days, or even weeks, maybe.

“Need a lift?”, Sean asked the girl as they turned their backs on the lighthouse, and started walking towards the staircase leading to the small clearing at the bottom of the cliff.

“Nah, thanks, but I’m not done here yet”, the girl said, shoving both her hands in the pockets of her skinny jeans. “Got some wandering to do, y’know… Contemplating the beauty of Spring and all” she looked at him with a somewhat shy smile, and Sean decided not to risk crossing any more lines with any more questions.

“I guess this is where we part ways then” he nodded his head when they reached his station wagon, waiting patiently next to the tourist map of the cliff. “Enjoy contemplating the beauty of Spring, I guess?”, he smiled at the girl, opening the door of the passenger’s seat for Chestnut.

“Yeah, thanks, man. You take care too, okay?” answered the girl, and the next moment, before Sean could say anything, her eyes suddenly widened. “And don’t forget to sketch up a cool portrait of me or something if you got the time, will you?”

“Stop reading my mind, a’ight?” Sean laughed, waving at the girl before sitting in his car, a sudden burst of energy washing over him as the door closed behind him. The urge to drive as fast as he just can was stronger than he’s ever felt it before, but somehow, he managed to control it, closing his eyes and leaning back on his seat for a long, silent moment before reaching for his phone. Swiping away dozens of notifications, he then opened his contacts and pressed call on the first name on top of the list - the only number he’s ever called, really.

The ringing stopped right after he pressed his phone between his ear and shoulder, and turned the car key under the steering wheel.

“Hey enano. I’m on my way.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Hey! Thank you for reading! ❤

This short story is my contribution to a Christmas Short Story Exchange we did with my best friends. (It is also my first ever fanfiction in English!) I was writing for one of my best friends who got me into Life is Strange years ago, so when we pulled each other’s names and I found out I’m writing for her, I immediately knew that I’ll work with the Diaz brothers and Chloe.

2020 Christmas Short Story Exchange Word count: 5353 | Written December 22nd-27th. I’m on AO3 now! Head over for more fanfictions. ❤

#fanfiction #Life is Strange #Life is Strange 2 #Sean Diaz #Daniel Diaz #Lyla Park #Chloe Price #Post-Redemption Ending #Post-Save Arcadia Bay Ending #under 10k #story #writing #writers on tumblr #short story #fan fiction #fanfic #light angst

3 notes · View notes

mythicamagic · 5 years

Text

Swimming in Silk: Chapter 24

Training in front of her, engaging her in conversation and now lending her his clothes…Kagome is starting to suspect that Sesshoumaru is trying to gain her attention.

Sesskag - Romance, Humour, Drama, Angst

Rated M - As always you can read this story on Ao3, fanfiction.net or Dokuga

Chapter One - here Previous Chapter - here Next Chapter - here (End)

Kofi

Warning: Torture and non-con elements (sexual deception)

Penultimate chapter, folks! The next one will be the end~

Counting in Centuries pt.2

Time marched on mercilessly. More decades and jumps passed. Inuyasha was brought along on one, left behind on another. Neither brother could say they were particularly thrilled about the situation but the state of the lands quickly distracted them.

The humans had become smarter, angrier. Hate-filled. Sesshoumaru noticed it spread like an epidemic, seeing the progression of smaller clans dispersing, fleeing their homes. He took only mild comfort in knowing the pup- no- he shook his head. The kit. Shippo. That he was with the Foxes, as their den lay hidden from most.

Battles lasted weeks. At first, Sesshoumaru's armies were successful with each wave. But the sheer number of enemy reinforcements began to overwhelm. Human and demon alike pushed the line of the Western forces back. Sesshoumaru revived his soldiers using Tenseiga, only for them to meet their end another hour later. It were as though all of Japan conspired to make the West fall as they began what would be called the final fight for the West. The last great house standing. True to what Kagome had said, some of the Eastern wolves joined their battle.

Inuyasha fought tirelessly, swinging his claws to kill dozens. Sesshoumaru loathed to admit it, but his brother proved an asset. Yet without Tetsusaiga, he eventually lost himself to bloodlust. He turned on their own forces, beginning to kill indiscriminately.

Sesshoumaru snarled, surfacing out a killing haze and grabbing his shoulder, pinning him down in the midst of battle.

"I do not have time to babysit you," he snapped, sheathing Bakusaiga briefly to grab two plain swords on the ground, thrusting one through the back of each hand to keep the Hanyou in place.

Enraged, Inuyasha roared and hissed. Snapping his teeth, red eyes glowed as he struggled on his stomach like a worm.

Sesshoumaru gave him a swift kick to the head, knocking him out. "Stay there," he grumbled, drawing his glowing sword anew. "I suppose I have to ensure you do not die now. How irritating."

Slashing Bakusaiga out in a wide arch, silver hair flew back as green energy struck a wave of youkai, consuming them. Planting his feet when the force sent him skittering back, Sesshoumaru panted slightly. With no eyes upon him, his facade briefly cracked. The endless fighting was starting to have a large impact on his youki. Without energy to feed it, Bakusaiga teetered on the verge of falling silent. Earlier he'd sent Kaito away from the fighting due to the General's own fatigue. The elder demon had been on the front lines for days, swinging his spear tirelessly to protect the House. Since the barrier had broken many years ago, guilt had changed him into an almost fanatical protector. Sesshoumaru figured briefly fetching some reinforcements from Bokuseno would give him time to recuperate.

"My Lord!" A small handful of servants hurried over, tears and distress clinging to them. He turned, mouth opening to ask why they weren't in the Keep not too far away- only to look further behind them. Flames were licking over its ancient roofs, eating through his history.

"We're sorry- we were forced to evacuate. I think the others inside already fled."

Sesshoumaru stiffened upon seeing two long silhouettes loop up around the Western Keep from out of the blaze, knocking long tails into the structure and causing some of it to cave in. Dragons.

"Have you seen Mother? She did not join the fighting," he shifted, padding towards the structure. She would not run.

"N-no my Lord," murmured a trembling servant.

He said nothing more, launching into the air. Heat flowed through his veins, pumping blood alarmingly fast as a red haze engulfed his body, transforming with a burst of energy. The inuyoukai grew large, into his towering true size, leaping onto the back of a dragon and sinking hard teeth into its tough hide, wrestling with it. Twisting his limbs and dragging hard claws on scales, he turned his neck and launching it airborne to land away from the Keep.

It snarled, landing near the fighting armies with a thud that shook the earth. Soon after, the dragon twisted and dived headfirst underground, burrowing underneath and disappearing. Sesshoumaru ignored it, facing the remaining purple scaled beast.

'I know you', his lips peeled back, spittle clinging to hungry teeth. 'You are of Ryūkotsusei's blood.'

Its jaws snapped wide, forked tongue waving like a flag when combined with a hateful hiss. 'He was our kin. Father's sibling.'

'Hn. You fight for one so long dead?'

The great dragon tossed its head. 'We fight because the reign of Dogs has ended. Long have you forged weapons and armour of our flesh and hide. Tonight we take our share of your bones and fur, mongrel-' it looped a long body around in a wide, quick circle, catching Sesshoumaru in the centre when it tightened its coils. Sharp talons slashed his back, teeth biting into his ear.

A roar thundered out, the two giants flying high into the air and blurring, twisting and manically biting at one another. When the dragon coiled tighter and tighter around him, Sesshoumaru transformed into his smaller, inhuman self, slipping out from its grip. He struck Bakusaiga down, snarling in victory when a large tidal wave of energy engulfed the beast. Flesh and scales were ripped to pieces, disintegrating from the inside out.

He panted mid-air, watching the dragon die. There was only a brief moment to wonder what had happened to the second, lighter dragon that had run away, before he noticed a giant ogre bent over Inuyasha, poised to slam a large hand down.

Sesshoumaru made a noise, transforming out of instinct once again and landing on its back. Aiming for the neck- he received an arm in his jaws instead, but gladly bit through the appendage, wrestling the great beast away from the trembling servants.

It was around that time he sensed her flying towards him atop Ah-Un. Why must it be now that you join me? He thought, not wanting distraction but grateful for it. He could utilise her.

Kagome touched his cheek once the ogre lay dead. His features returned to his inhuman self, wanting to feel a gentle touch on battle-worn skin.

"I heard all the allied clans were attacked at once. How bad is it?"

"I have not heard from many of them. No reinforcements are coming, and we have been fighting on and off for five days now." He uttered in an even tone, as though giving a report.

Blue eyes widened and seemed to notice something, gaping. "Sesshoumaru, your ear!"

His jaw tightened, knowing he must have been missing some of the tip, feeling blood leak into his ear canal. "Ignore it. There are more pressing matters."

Jaken lay dead, but there was nothing he could do for the retainer. Instead, he asked Kagome to go find his ridiculous Mother, disquieted by her absence.

"No matter the outcome, once done, take Inuyasha and the servants. Leave for either the Foxes or Bokuseno. I hear the kitsunes have not been hit, and I sent General Kaito to fetch reinforcements from the demon tree. I figured we could put a few guarding the tree to good use after all."

"You can't fight them alone, and why are you talking like you'll face them till the end? The stronghold-"

"Can be rebuilt. I refuse to yield my Father's land."

Blue eyes widened. "Your life is more important, please don't forget that. I believe in you, but promise me you'll leave if things get bad. Promise me."

Sesshoumaru did not answer, sensing her distress but remaining silent. Kagome's lips thinned, reiki crackling. She tilted her chin up. "We'll send word once we've reached safety."

He nodded and covered the miko as she made for the Western Keep's open gates. Cold control fixed his nerve endings, breathing in war. Though he killed methodically, perfectly, as he'd been born and bred to- the Daiyoukai's cheek burned with her touch and Sesshoumaru pushed himself harder. The miko was here. He could not falter now.

-----

That tantalising, out of place scent wafted into his senses once more a little later on, but Sesshoumaru did not turn to acknowledge it. He could sense Kagome with his Mother, having escaped the now collapsed Western Keep.

The sound of it caving in on itself had inspired something similar to transpire within his stomach.

He floated above the carnage of battle, the air so still. Embers floated up to greet him, a giant plume of inky black smoke rising up from the once great House. Sensing Kagome lead Ah-Un, Inuyasha, Mother and the servants away from the battlefield and into the forest towards Bokuseno, Sesshoumaru drank deep. He filled his lungs with the scent of his destroyed home, magenta lids sliding shut.

Sesshoumaru then raised Bakusaiga, streaking through the air with such speed he ripped through two men, beginning to fight without a thought in his head. Guided by instinct, he killed until it became monotonous. His armour cracked and dipped forward, loosening- so Sesshoumaru ripped off the hinderance, slashing through throats. Opening his palm after a moment, he realised he'd ripped off one of the red tassels from his armour. Mindlessly, he saved it for no particular reason other than nostalgia.

His comrades and units continued depleting the longer the fight lasted. Somehow this didn't bother Sesshoumaru or register in his mind. He absolutely refused to surrender and expected them to die for a House no longer standing. The lands would always be Fathers- His.

This unwavering pride and certainty in victory lasted until he smelt it.

Wood. Burning. Screaming.

Sesshoumaru paused, flicking out a weak, flickering whip of light that arched and killed the creatures around him. He tilted his head up, staring at the horizon of trees in Bokuseno's direction.

No. He panted, gaze starting to shake. How? When?

His heart thudded painfully fast in his bloodied ears.

Kagome.

The scent of the tree youkai being incinerated alive wouldn't leave. It caught in his senses and took root, leaving him reeling. Sounds of branches snapping filled his hearing. With every lick of flame, he was reminded that his mate's chance for extended life had perhaps been lost forever.

Something ripped, plunged- exploded into his hip. Sesshoumaru gasped out, gritting his teeth and pressing a hand to the wound. Barely any blood leaked out of the small hole, but he felt...strange. Sapped.

Sesshoumaru lifted burning eyes to the monk not too far away. Holy power shone around the staff planted into the earth, while he gripped prayer beads, chanting something and causing them to levitate mid-air. Sesshoumaru raised a hand, striking it in an arch and expecting a whip of light to decapitate the man- but nothing happened. His youki had all but vanished.

The Daiyoukai's markings emboldened with desperation. Claws stretched wide into talons. Canines elongated into large fangs as Sesshoumaru let out a blinding roar, leaping for the mortal just as the earth shook and exploded beneath his very boots.

Purple scales registered, before lightning crashed out of the mouth of the dragon, engulfing Sesshoumaru's body.

Everything went dark after that. Youki had been worn dry, physical strength sapped. He hit the ground, muscles slightly twitching as steam leaked up out of his burnt skin.

The Western Lord lay defeated.

----

The floor of his cell felt damp, reeking of blood. They had not stopped their prying, twisting and yanking for days. Needles of pain stabbed into the pads of his paws. Sesshoumaru could vaguely recall what had happened on the battlefield after passing out. Being dragged by horses. Body bound by enchanted chains that scolded his flesh. He was taken from the quieting battlefield where just a few demons kept fighting. Consciousness dipped in and out, but he'd been aware enough to feel the stinging pain on his skin. Because of this, during sleep he unconsciously managed to change into his true form, albeit a much smaller, bastardised version. This way they could not take his swords, and fur felt like more of a barrier.

Hazy crimson eyes had managed to catch sight of what would become his prison. A traditional looking compound with a broken torri gate, which led him to believe the place had been a temple, once. His location was far less clean, situated in a miserable tower on the ground floor.

He was muzzled, bound, dehydrated and starved, but the toss of his head remained proud for months. The snarl locked inside his mouth rumbled loud and terrible.

But the monks continued long after he felt they'd become bored. Sesshoumaru kept his stomach pressed low to the ground, trying to preserve vital organs when they began anew.

His claws were removed with metal clippers- taking the tips and webbing of his toes with them. Brands of hot, burning metal had been poked into his side, causing him to shamefully cry out. The white of his fur became dyed red continually until the lack of bathing rendered it dulled brown, the old blood caked into follicles. The monks decided to shave him at some point, sheering off large quantities of fur until he lay bare and humiliated, shivering. He felt only mild satisfaction when it grew back within a few days.

Sesshoumaru eventually lost all sense of self. Long periods of time spent in his True Form tended to wipe away blemishes of complicated thought. He knew basic things like pain, hunger, loneliness and dread. But most of all hatred.

He longed continually to sink his teeth into the pink of their flesh.

Kagome barely retained a human shape in his mind, instead becoming a feeling. A distant want he tried and failed to grasp over and over. He could not organise his thoughts to accurately remember her face or scent, but there are times he can recall the gentleness of her touch. Hear her words. The marks pulsing dimly on his neck were the only real proof he had that she'd existed at all.

Sometimes he thought he saw the miko watching him, and would blindly shift towards the ghostly spectre in his cell.

Hungry. This one is...hungry. Mate...bring me a youkai boar like the one you shot before.

Sesshoumaru struggled to swallow, feeling the collar dig into his throat. The spikes they'd lined the monstrosity with pressed into his neck, having broken the skin. He'd almost become used to it.

When Kagome left him alone unexpectedly, he became disorientated again.

Mate. Where is my mate? Is she safe?

Sesshoumaru's ears pricked slightly, picking up on the sounds of rainfall outside. His nose twitched, eyes closing. He barely opened them anymore, laying still.

Did she burn along with the den?

The thought caused him to dig his forehead into the ground, scraping stinging paws out. Energy sapped, he could only faintly whine. Had it been years? Months? Days? He did not know. There was only the monks who burned, the rain, the hard floor and the marks sweetly branding his neck.

The inuyoukai withdrew into himself. Deliberately sinking into the quicksands of sleep, he let it clog his ears and nose, wanting to cease feeling.

He lay as such until the air in his cell changed.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He did not hear the gentle calling of his name, nor feel the muzzle being dragged off. What he did sense was the familiar spark of holy powers- and he lunged.

Sadistic, dark pleasure welled up inside him like sticky black tar as flesh filled his mouth. He plunged sharp teeth down, tasting blood on his dry tongue. A woman's voice cried out, something nudging into his muzzle. Sesshoumaru snarled loudly, singing his victory.

"S-sesshoumaru, it's me, Kagome." She chocked out. "Don't you recognise me?"

Kagome. He knew that name. Recognised the blue eyes currently filled with tears. Her scent came to him then, achingly nostalgic and sweet like rich, juicy fruits filling his mouth.

Pain. He realised then that the bite marks on his neck were crying out. She was hurting- and he to blame. Sesshoumaru peeled his mouth away, lapping at the wound with a low, guilty whine. Forgive me, mate.

He could not be certain she was entirely real. In truth, even as they made their escape together from that cell and he witnessed her slaying their enemies once more, he remained suspended in a dream. Everything felt off. His limbs were heavy, youki sapped. He could not communicate to her that there was a prayer bead lodged in him somewhere, preventing his wounds from healing. Yet Kagome found out on her own easily enough while bathing him.

"You know, when we're in the future together properly, we better have sleepovers." He heard her say. "I expect the works. I'm talking my favourite movies, marshmallows on hot-chocolate, forts made of sofa cushions and possibly painting each other's nails."

She was babbling. His mate only babbled when nervous. He felt too tired to assure her, though this did not stop her selflessly stroking his fur. Tending to him. Loving the wretch he'd become.

Kagome lulled him into a content state, one he could stay in forever. If he transformed into his inhuman self now, perhaps he'd spit with disgust at how low he'd sunk. But he remained on the level of a dog, dozing at the feet of his mistress.

However, after waking, he found the cave dismally empty. She'd left behind a coat, two dead rabbits and a note.

'Don't leave the cave' it said. 'I've gone to find help- be back soon!'

Sesshoumaru stared at the paper, raising burning red eyes to the opening of the cave. If he ran now, perhaps he could catch up.

He shifted on his paws, planting them down firmly. Four legs shook as he raised himself up, panting. But he knew his body well and inevitably had to sit. It became clear he could barely stand, let alone move. More rest was required.

Or...he could trust in his possible hallucination.

Red eyes slowly slid shut, and he rested a tired muzzle on the coat she'd left behind, inhaling the fleeting scent.

----

Dim sounds made his ears prick. Wolves. The scent of wolves drew near.

Usually he'd be annoyed at the disturbance, but he dimly recalled their usefulness at the last battle. Cracking weary eyes open, Sesshoumaru stared unblinking as they transformed at the cave entrance, peering at him cautiously, skittish.

"Uh...Lord Sesshoumaru?" One tried.

He remained tense, silent.

Their leader, who he recognised to be Chief Kouga, stepped forward out of the group, hands planted on hips. "Geeze...what the hell," he said thinly.

Mild self-awareness came back to the inuyoukai. He'd been a leader who'd let his House fall. But Kouga stood tall, pack intact. It made him feel sickened, mildly hateful.

Kouga lifted up a scrap of pink material. Red eyes squinted- soon flying wide as he snarled, causing the sound to echo into the bowels of the cave.

Kagome's clothing.

The wolf held up a hand, frowning. "Oi, quit that. Kagome's fine. She found us and said to come find ya...before sinking into the ground," he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "Heh, I probably wouldn't believe me either. But it's the truth, you can trust that much usin' your nose, right?"

Hackles lowered with halting immediacy. Sesshoumaru eyed them tiredly, settling his head on his paws. She'd been real? Is this...even happening?

"Uh, Kouga? What do we do? Should we carry him back with us?" One of the wolves piped up.

Colbat blue eyes narrowed with thought. "He's a prickly bastard, I don't think he'll let us do that. Kagome mentioned he's got a prayer bead stuck in his hip. We pull that out- we get a healing Lord of Dog Breaths. Hopefully then, the pouty bastard will choose to come with us back to the den."

Sesshoumaru made a grumbling noise, turning to the rabbits Kagome had killed and sinking his teeth into them. They'd discussed their plan in front of him, what fools. As if he'd allow them to touch him now that he was free-

"NOW!"

What?

Sesshoumaru started violently, food still caught in his throat. He could not move swift enough to block the amount of hands suddenly pinning him down on his side. The wolves made soothing noises or small yips, but he hardly cared- snarling and kicking under their weight, utterly enraged. Clawed fingers were rammed inside his hip- and a loud noise escaped him, struggling harder and throwing wolves off him- before the thing that had been lodged inside muscle and bone was ripped free.

Kouga jumped away, landing on the opposite side of the cave. His eyes were wide, grin spreading on his face as he stared at the prayer bead held between bloody forefinger and thumb. "Quick and nearly painless! Hah!-"

Sesshoumaru lunged, scrambling up and snarling at the wolves, grabbing one in his jaws and tossing it outside. Despite his rage- teeth hadn't dug in. Even as he chased the pests from his cave, Sesshoumaru did not kill them, instead glaring and frothing at the mouth. Youki swarmed his fur anew, leaking out and working to finally heal him after being blocked off for so long.

Kouga lingered outside the cave a safe distance away, chuckling. "You're welcome, Lord of Dog Breaths."

----

He'd reluctantly followed the wolves back to their den but took to sleeping in a smaller cave not too far away. Apparently it had been Five long years since the fall of the Western Lands. Five years he'd been reduced to a plaything. Sesshoumaru rested his head on his large paws, refusing to change into his inhuman form. If it were cowardly, he did not know nor care. The instincts to eat, hunt or sleep were all he needed.

For three years he remained in this stasis, barely contributing anything to the pack. He knew some were vexed with his attitude, yet ignored them. The only two who seemed unbothered were the pack leaders. During the cold of winter, Sesshoumaru had started violently when they'd called the pack to sleep in his cave, huddling close to him and providing warmth in their smaller true forms. It had been claustrophobic and uncomfortable, but he'd only grumbled a little. The female, Ayame, sometimes gave him scraps if she were feeling generous, like feeding a stray cub. He'd noticed as of late that she was heavily pregnant.

The image of Rin flashed through his mind. She'd struggled with birthing.

"We have to leave here," Kouga announced one day to his pack. "The humans ain't too far away and they know we're in the area. Every Great House who stood and fought these types of raids have fallen. Usually I think it's fucking cowardly to turn tail and run, but we got our kids and elderly here. This is our pack, and we gotta protect it!"

Loud cheers rang out, fists flying into the air. Sesshoumaru observed them from the sidelines, thinking their leader knew much about morale.

Ayame piped up from where she sat. "We know for sure there's a safe place for us. All we gotta do is reach it. Some of us went to check it out. It's by the beach, and we'll have to share the space with other demons, but it's better than losing our lives."

"So!" Kouga bellowed. "Take only what you need. Once you're ready, let's get outside and get organised. We're leaving today!"

The pack hurried to do as instructed. Golden eyes flicked to Ayame, who struggled to stand without assistance. She made noises of discomfort that irritated his ears, causing his tail to swish with agitation.

Once everyone was outside, they began to move, carrying waterskins or bags of food. Barely any took furs for bedding. Wolves never did care much for luxuries. Sesshoumaru lingered inside his cave, contemplating.

Though he could not form complicated thought, his body registered a dull ache he had not recovered from. Deep within his chest. Arms and legs remained weighed down, tired. The demon felt, somewhere, that he must be injured, despite being fully healed.

Ayame made a noise again, further ahead, holding her stomach.

Sesshoumaru's ears pricked, lips lifting in a silent sneer. He wanted badly to ignore it. To stay, and accept the blade of a human. His pride had been stained the moment the Western Lands fell, crushed upon sensing Bokuseno burning and scattered to pieces with every lash inflicted upon his body. Kagome...would mourn him, but like this, she might yet find another.

A human, perhaps.

Jealousy bristled his hackles at the purely hypothetical thought. No, more than that. Kagome as his mate would die too if he stayed there a second longer. Another pained noise from Ayame had him suddenly up and moving. Claws scratched the ground, limbs burning. Frustration urged him on, adrenaline coursing through his veins.

The silver inuyoukai padded up next to the woman. She brushed some damp red hair aside, forehead dotted with sweat as she blinked at him. She'd chosen to remain in inhuman form, and would not be able to change into her true self until after the birth at such a late stage. Like this, she was vulnerable. Birthing so many cubs would be agonising. He could not fathom why she'd done it, for surely comfort overtook preference, but it hardly mattered now. He stayed by her as they walked, following the scouts at the front while Kouga kept watch at the back.

Sesshoumaru remained on the treacherous side of the path when they navigated a mountain trail that held a steep rockface dwarfing them on one side and a sheer drop on the other. Ayame paused and winced, panting and reaching out to steady herself- fingers grasping his fur.

He did not react, having little explanation for why he'd seen fit to lend assistance. Perhaps it was payback. He padded at her pace even when it irritated him, finding her gait slow and akin to dawdling. When it became apparent they were holding up the rest of the group, Sesshoumaru made a noise, finally lowering himself.

Ayame tilted her head, panting slightly as she held her large, round stomach. "You sure? I'm heavy."

Sesshoumaru tossed his head, snorting. He made no noise of complaint when she climbed onto his back, gripping the fur. The other wolves lingered around them, skittish and worried for their female.

He padded on throughout the night, baring her weight as though it were a part of him.

"I'm proud of you," he heard the miko murmur in his mind.

'Be silent,' he thought.

Leaving the mountains behind, they travelled for days with barely any rest. Fires of war reached their noses. Other demons were still fighting, burning and dying at the hands of the humans. But the wolves took care of their own and did not lend aid. Sesshoumaru kept his head down, only raising it when he sensed salt flow through the trees of the forest.

The beach.

Something wet flowed into his fur then, leaking down his back. Sesshoumaru jolted, sniffing and turning his head to look at Ayame, who wailed.

"Oh no! K-Kouga! I think it's happening! My water just broke!"

They hurried on with a burst of urgency then, and by some miracle managed to find Shiori's village in under an hour. Ayame was taken away to a birthing hut, the rest of the wolves getting settled into the new place, greeted by the female Hanyou.

Leaving Sesshoumaru alone with a decidedly wet back. He thought it best to go bathe.

Old habits die hard however, and he found a new cave to lie in. As the days passed, he was reunited with the kit, Mother and their General. Oddly, Ah-Un survived, despite the odds. The foxes had disguised them as a horse through a heavy amount of glamour, but the two-headed dragon had to be hidden away in a cave at the village.

The demons all decided without his input that Sesshoumaru should be Leader, and though sceptical, the wolves were too grateful to protest. Sesshoumaru did not either, though he barely participated in leadership. Instead, he protected from afar, pacing through the forest bordering the beach, watching for any humans. Sometimes the wolves and cubs visited the cave, though he barely reacted to their presence. Shippo lay near him some nights, dozing. He'd become accomplished at spells, and Sesshoumaru found some feeling in him that wasn't apathy at the news. Pride, perhaps.

He was a good pup. Kit, he reminded himself.

But his next year was spent in much the same way as before. Only somehow worse. The toll of not changing in so long began to play with his mind again. His memories. It worsened with the self-imposed isolation.

He sometimes woke and thought that Rin was still alive, or that the miko was laying beside him. Always there was nothing, just the sound of waves crashing on rocks outside. The dark, empty cave occasionally dripped with water.

He slept deep and long. Falling prey to the weak trappings of his frayed mind. It conjured her.

Kagome began visiting him in dreams. She'd hold and stroke his body, pressing soft lips to his muzzle. Lean muscle relaxed whenever she approached until it came to the point her footsteps graced his hearing even while awake. The phantom sensation of her fingers trailing through silver fur made him purr. She whispered sweet nothings and made him remember how to yearn, to feel peace.

One day felt different, however. The crunch of footsteps on sand sounded louder, her smell...nonexistent. Which proved odd. He always tricked himself into smelling her. Sesshoumaru felt Kagome's touch, stroking and soothing. He made a low, crooning noise, feeling her arms wrap around his neck.

"My Lord," she murmured, kissing his nose.

Sesshoumaru's eyes fluttered open, hazy, but registering her naked body. Her perfect, familiar face. Long black hair and blue eyes caught the light from the cave opening, the cold air making rosy nipples hard.

When she melted against him, Sesshoumaru's fur shifted and regressed. Pale skin replaced it, and he bent to heatedly kiss her skin, taking the familiar shape of her body in his arms. She didn't feel quite the same, and the scars he recalled littering her figure were not present, but his scattered mind could barely hang onto one thought at a time. His cock strained with need, wanting attention. He thrust himself inside her wet heat, taking Kagome from behind and snarling with pleasure as she mewled and shook her hips.

The Daiyoukai pounded inside, burying himself within over and over again. She felt hot and tight, and he fucked her roughly, seeking blind completion.

When he snapped his hips forward and came inside her, she cried her rapture. His fangs sought the marks on her shoulder, wanting to embolden them once more-

But there were none. Sesshoumaru paused a hairs-breadth away from her skin, panting. His mind briefly cleared, scenting burrows, the woods and musk, instead of holy power and citrus.

The black hair held a few strands of blonde, her ears pointed.

Terrible, dark rage pooled in his stomach. The fox vixen glanced over her shoulder, flashing a mischievous smile. "I thought you could use the company~ Did I sound like her enough, my Lord? I do struggle with voices."

She did not smile for long.

Frantic teeth snapped down, face partially transforming so that his muzzle spread out, jaws opening wide. He snapped her neck with a sharp jerk, losing himself in rage, viciousness ripping her body apart.

He did not remember what happened after that. He thinks, perhaps, his mother approached and despaired, but also hid the evidence of the body. She covered it up to protect him from the wrath of the fox clan, claiming the demoness had disappeared.

Sesshoumaru did not like his cave as much after the event. He began forcing himself to take part in the fighting pits, wanting someone to come defeat him and seize the mantle of leadership for good. He forced himself to try and never imagine Kagome again, tormented by the comfort she offered.

When hearing two sets of footsteps crunching on the sand, Sesshoumaru inhaled, smelling the unpleasant fustiness of the wolf. Their natural scent, unfortunately. Seems Ayame was visiting him with-

Holy powers, citrus and the smell of a summer breeze. Sunlight on cooled skin.

Sesshoumaru sighed, unmoving. He'd slipped into fantasy again. He ignored them, dozing.

Oi!" Ayame growled. "You have a visitor. Wake up!"

He, again, sought to ignore them, vaguely hearing her cubs join them and start climbing over his form. A loud thud in the earth, like a fist, sent them scattering.

"HEY! This girl time travelled for your ungrateful hide!" She bellowed. "She came here just to see you! The least your sorry ass could do is say hello!"

Sesshoumaru made a noise, shifting to show his back. She is not here.

The fake Kagome was talking. "I'm going to um, stay here for a little while. Just in case he changes his mind."

He did not wish her to. Willing himself to fall back asleep, he found he couldn't. He felt it when she touched him when they were finally alone. Heard every whispered word.

"It's going to...get better, you know?" She murmured. "Not to be patronising, but it will. So for now, if this is what you need to be comfortable, then that's okay. Just...don't sleep forever," turning her face into the warmth of his side, hot breath fanned into his fur. "I'd miss you too much."

Red eyes cracked open briefly, staring at nothing, before they weakened and slid shut once again.

He fought Kaito when challenged, winning quite easily. That was the extent of excitement for one day.

But the following time, he did not expect Inuyasha to step into the fighting pits. What's more was the stunned, shaken feeling of his knees hitting the floor. The fight had been a blur of fists and raw power, but now he sat, surprised. Sesshoumaru blinked, feeling like a haze had been knocked loose from his eyes. His bloodied and battered senses took in the roar of the crowd, the iron taste of his own blood. Sometime during the brawl, he must have shifted into his inhuman self.

He looked up at his brother and the fake Kagome dazedly, before picking himself up, defeated. And yet... grateful.

Padding away, he slipped out alone onto the beach. White sands crunched under boots. He no longer had a duty to serve, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders.

"Sesshoumaru!" A familiar voice called from somewhere behind him.

Reiki pulsed and he stopped dead. Lips parted, and he inhaled, breath catching. Every nerve ending snapped alive, sensing her completely. Knowing, without doubt-

It is you.

He turned on his heel just in time to see her slip under the shallow waters. The pink colour of the waves receded soon after, time travel having worked it's will. One thing in particular kept Sesshoumaru standing there long after she'd gone.

Short hair. She'd looked like his first Kagome.

He decided to sit when standing became uncomfortable, shifting into his inuyoukai form once more. The breeze played with his fur, second eyelid blinking the sand away. Shifting down, he rested a heavy head on the beach, watching the ocean's horizon listlessly. Sesshoumaru didn't know when he slipped into sleep once more, but far too soon did he sense a disturbance.

"One good thing about short hair; it sure dries quicker."

One red eye peeled open. How are you here again so soon?

She smelled of salt, but without the haze, he knew with shaky confidence that it was Kagome again, sitting beside him. The Daiyoukai shifted, resting his jaw over her thighs. Giving a long, extinguished sigh, his chest warmed when a wet, gentle palm stroked over his forehead. Slowly, fur receded back into skin. Silver hair slid into the breeze, pooling around them as she smoothed a thumb over his pale brow. He barely noticed the emotional danger of staying in his inhuman form, calm in her presence.

He'd imagined this same thing occurring many times, and began to question his sanity again- until she said the most random thing possible.

"Do you have one of those pipe things your mom has?"

He blinked. "Hn."

Sesshoumaru handed it to her and watched with undisguised fascination as she pointed and flexed her toes in the sand, soon nearly coughing up a lung from the smoke.

Golden eyes studied her. Sometimes, she was just so...bizarrely magnetic, so obviously weird and for some reason he couldn't seem to become immune to the charm inherent in that. He always felt more sentimental when they were together.

True to form, she brought up the past, and they traded faces and names.

Unbearably easily, she lowered the defences that had kept him intact. He exhaled shakily, breathing the image of Rin into life. And suddenly he was silently acknowledging everything. His frustration at not getting to say goodbye. Losing her to mortality. His anger at having loved something that was going to die all along.

"It's alright," Kagome soothed. "It's okay."

His mate slid her hands over the plains of his body, and Sesshoumaru sank into her. Nothing kept him tethered to the ground as much as her touch right then. She smoothed kind hands over scars until they felt like mere creases. Just a few blemishes that she loved with her mouth. He slipped into peace, feeling it for the first time in years as he slid mindful claws through her short hair with vague confusion, dipping his head to accept her kisses.

The tide and waves rolled over them, and a startled noise escaped him, a dusty, genuine chuckle joining her quiet laughter.

----

Inevitably, she had to leave again. This parting felt different, however. Things had shifted. Something unexpected happened to the village with Inuyasha now the leader. Laughter came back. Demons masquerading as humans oddly seemed to relax, following his younger brother's example.

Sesshoumaru felt no jealousy where once he thought he would. Their people looked to his bratty sibling for stability and Shiori for guidance. Sesshoumaru had decided to hunt as much as possible for the village to reclaim some forgotten pride. He also resolved to spend more time with Shippo, refining his transformation technique so that he could melt into his true form if necessary.

Mother caught his eye a few months after Kagome had said goodbye, and he padded over to the entrance of the old fighting pits, now laying forgotten. No one challenged Inuyasha.

"...Is this about the vixen from the cave?" He asked bluntly.

Her brow arched. "No, dear one. Haven't the faintest idea what you mean."

Sesshoumaru glanced away, lips thinning. "I did not thank you for covering for me-"

"And this one did not do it for the thanks, so be silent." She smiled with her eyes, closed fan resting against her cheek.

"What is it you want then?"

"A partner to spy with," she lifted a finger to her lips, ducking inside and motioning to follow. They slipped through the tunnels soundlessly, hearing Kaito's deep baritone. Within, the wolf cubs and some of the younger demons were all gathered around, listening intently. Kaito sat on a higher step.

"-and there were great flumes of purple smoke for clouds. Inu no Taisho continued to fight with him. But the dragon's powers that so resemble lightning struck hard into the Great Dog Demon."

Sesshoumaru's gaze turned flat. Ah, he was teaching the young ones their history. He did a double-take when seeing Inuyasha sat among them, allowing the cubs to chew on or braid his black hair. He appeared to be listening, dark eyes focused.

And it occurred to the Daiyoukai that he'd probably only ever heard legends about their Father.

"He only managed to seal him to a cliff with his claw. According to many, Ryūkotsusei was much too powerful to kill," Kaito said gravely.

Inukimi gave a delicate giggle, fanning herself. All eyes turned to her. "I'm sorry, it's just cute. The way I hear it, there is one among us who did slay the beast," she directed an amused smile at Inuyasha, who scratched his nose uncomfortably.

"Yeah, what of it?"

Kaito and Sesshoumaru stared, the elder demon clearing his throat. "It is because of his fight with Ryūkotsusei that Inu no Tashio was mortally wounded, shortly before coming to save you, a newborn."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, and were his ears visible, Sesshoumaru imagined they'd lower to his skull. "H-huh. Gotcha."

The cubs clambered around him, yipping or gnawing on his elbow. The Hanyou seemed to want to ask more, but pride sealed his lips shut. Sesshoumaru watched him closely, before long lashes lowered.

"So um...when I was kidnapped by your mom, she did this thing where she exhaled smoke and made it into pictures from her memory."

He withdrew the pipe from his clothes, padding forward and taking a seat off to the side from Kaito, lighting it.

"I was just wondering if one day, in the future, do you think you could do that? For...Inuyasha?"

Sesshoumaru took the smoke into his lungs and exhaled it, breathing their great and terrible father into life via grey wisps. The high cheekbones, strong jaw, bushy brows and disarming eyes. The only thing missing was the magnetic personality and booming voice.

The Hanyou and the young ones stared at the smoke figure with wide eyes. Inuyasha then collected himself, glancing at him with mild confusion.

"You may as well put a face to the stories," Sesshoumaru said quietly.

"...Keh."

"Hn."

----

The monks who had imprisoned him were tracked down and slaughtered. Sesshoumaru had taken a small group with him, Kouga and Inuyasha joining him. He found one monk in particular who he intimately recalled, and had dealt with him alone. He hadn't had the time to exact the full scope of torture he'd wanted to on the monk, but oh- how he'd enjoyed it.

Within the cells, they freed a few youkai barely hanging to life, taking them back to the village once the bloodshed was over. Things began to heal, like a scab over a wound.

Everything seemed to have fallen into place for the group, save Kagome's absence. Yet something continued to niggle at Sesshoumaru.

He heard his mother's approach as he sat on the beach, old memories resurfacing.

"The one responsible for burning Bokuseno, do they lie dead, mother?" He asked.

"Yes," she purred.

He felt a mild weight lift from his heart until her next words: "but the woman who helped orchestrate it is not. Kagome saw fit to banish her because she had a young son. Chiyo was her name, I believe."

The servant. "I see," magenta lids slid shut.

He did not assemble a group this time, thinking they'd protest. Sesshoumaru slipped out from the village at night, flying back. Back to the ruins of the ancient tree. What he saw caused the same numbness that had entered his bones the first time to resurface- but Sesshoumaru shook it away. He had something important to do, collecting the remnants of his forgotten pride.

Trying to follow the trail of two deer youkai that was more than ten years old took time. For most beings, it could perhaps be impossible. Old tracking instincts returned, reminding him of the days he'd hunted Naraku.

For a few weeks, he travelled around Japan, black hair tied at the nape of his neck. Ears rounded. He posed just like any other human among the populous, observing the growing numbers. Their gazes soon turned to follow him, curious about the finery of his red and white silks. Eventually, he lifted the cover over a door up, standing in the threshold of a decent-sized house.

A woman knelt by a basin, preparing some food. She started and looked up, placing her hand on her chest. "Oh, you frightened me." She blinked. "My husband isn't here, I'm afraid. If you were interested in renting a boat you can find him by-"

"I don't need a boat," he said quietly, letting the cover slide into place over the door, blocking out the sun. Chiyo straightened, eyes going wide. Opening her mouth, no words came out.

A boy in the far corner of the room sat up.

"Hisao, come here-" she called sharply.

He slowly obeyed, cautiously easing around Sesshoumaru, before coming to stop by his mother. She instantly latched her hands onto his arms, standing behind him.

"Y-your mate banished us years ago. We have kept our word and not returned-"

"She made the decision without this one." He uttered in silken tones. "What you and your departed husband did cannot be eased with mere banishment. You have not nearly been punished enough."

Chiyo jolted with fear, hearing the sound of a baby stir in its crib.

Sesshoumaru glanced over at it. "...A hanyou. How interesting." Blazing golden eyes slid back to her. "And here I was informed from my mother the reason you burned Bokuseno was because you disapproved of my mating a human."

"I was not given much of a choice but to let a human touch me!" She hissed. "I have another, she's out working with her father. I did what I had to in order to surviv-"

"You dare-" Sesshoumaru swept in close, molten gaze burning with the harsh fires of hatred. Claws twitched with want to kill, but Chiyo ducked away, bursting into frightened tears. "You dare speak of suffering? Because of you, many died. My mate may have lost her chance to extend her life-span. Your mate burned Bokuseno alive and crippled my General-" he grabbed her wrist, suddenly pausing.

Thin blue veins had spread, visible on her wrist where her glove ended and sleeve began. Sesshoumaru pushed the sleeve up further, inhaling. "Ah, that's right..." he purred with dark satisfaction and amusement. "He was your mate, wasn't he? That's why I sense death in your scent. It's coming for you after you've evaded it for so long, vermin."

Sesshoumaru released her, watching with sadistic pleasure as she sank to the floor. Chiyo trembled, eyes wide.

Hisao suddenly darted in front of her, body trembling. "Y-you've got what you wanted, my Lord. Now that you know, p-please go."

"You misunderstand," he said gently. "I did not come here to kill her."

Golden eyes slid over Hisao's frightened expression, who swallowed. Reaching out, Sesshoumaru removed the hat on his head, spying the stumps peeping out of dishevelled brown hair. They'd tried to saw them down but his antlers were naturally growing. They must have tried their best to make the young demon blend in. Females could hide in plain sight like Chiyo. Males, not so much.

"You may come with me to the village of demons, boy." He levelled a weighty stare on the child. "It was your mother who was banished from the Western Lands and father who betrayed me and mine. If you continue this way, shame will follow your name long after she is dead. This one will restore your honour if you pledge yourself to the ashes of the House they helped burn."

Hisao's breath caught, young mind turning as his mother became quiet, eyes downcast.

Sesshoumaru waited patiently, briefly glancing around the place. She'd certainly landed on her feet, judging by the amount of decor and furniture. Pale lips sneered.

Hisao turned to his mother, brows drawn together.

Whatever he seemed to communicate, she nodded tearfully. "It's alright. You'd be...you'd be safer there. It's probably true."

Hisao wrapped small arms around her neck, burying his face in her hair. Chiyo hugged him, stroking dishevelled hair back from his ears. The Daiyoukai noticed scabs over the tops, were the pointed tips had likely been cut off.

He stepped out the door, giving one last dark look at the woman as Hisao hurried after him. You took many of my own. Now I take one of yours.

---

The house of ashes lay before them.

"Your parent's failings are not your own," he muttered, glancing down at the quiet boy. Wide eyes stared back, soon nodding hesitantly.

"I understand, my Lord."

Tired eyes shifted to the dead and dying earth around them. "...I am not a Lord anymore."

Accepting all the ugly emotions that came with seeing his old dwelling, Sesshoumaru knelt in the remains of the garden, having stopped there for a specific reason. Unearthing the box he'd previously buried before the fighting had started, Sesshoumaru broke the lock with his youki, opening it to admire the items he'd saved;

A purple pressed flower he'd glamoured never to lose its vibrancy. Kazanashi. The Higurashi shrine stamper, and now he added the red tassel from his original armour which had long since broken. And...something else needed to be added. Sesshoumaru lifted his arm, looking at the long sleeve trailing down. His prized red and white silks.

Removing them left him in the crisp white underlayer of his hanjuban. Folding the silks, he tucked the clothing away in the box. Now wasn't the time for them anymore.

Glancing at the ruins of the Keep, he took a breath. Hisao tilted his head, noticing a shoji screen jutting out under the debris, crouching to try and free it. He tugged, making a tiny grunt of effort, before a larger hand reached down next to him and slid the screen-free.

The boy blinked up at him, but Sesshoumaru said nothing. They took it with them back to the awaiting village and Sesshoumaru kept the items safely in his new hut.

It took a few days, but ultimately Kaito was the one to confront him.

"Why did you bring him here?" He rumbled, watching as Hisao helped attend Inukimi, who seemed delighted to have a helper. "He is the son of the traitors who burned the tree and killed our men." A hand settled on the stump of his leg. "His father...did this to me,"

Sesshoumaru glanced at the former General, gaze passive. "If we were to start pointing fingers, there are many already here to start sharing blame."

Kaito clamped up at that, vague shame filtering into his scent.

Observing the change in demeanour over the days, Sesshoumaru noticed the small deer youkai be accepted into the group. Kaito instructed him how to hold a wooden sword, beginning some basic training.

Things had become as Inuyasha said. The separate species had come together, accounting for differences. Things were not always smooth, but it felt like what he'd seen from the village of Edo, so many years ago.

A community.

The Daiyoukai happened to notice a change in Inuyasha too. The 'odd looks' began anew, this time with Shiori.

Sesshoumaru cut his eyes to the dark skies, feeling old suddenly. Whatever they did, it was no concern of-

"Hey," Inuyasha grunted, taking a seat next to him by the fire outside. "Need to talk to ya."

"Are you certain?" He inspected perfect nails. "This one would have thought talking to the female Hanyou would be your priority."

Bristling, Inuyasha stuffed his hands in the sleeves of his robes, huffing. His cheeks briefly reddened, gaze fixed on the fire. He took a long time to say anything, which made Sesshoumaru take notice. The brat had certainly changed in recent years.

"...I was thinkin' of maybe mating her. It's taken me a bit to adjust to the thought- I mean I saw her when she was a kid and now she ain't and it's weird but time travel has made us near the same age and yeah." He huffed, obviously having picked up the babbling habit from Kagome. He then quieted. "We talk about shit I haven't talked about with anyone else. Stuff I couldn't even tell Kagome cos the Kikyo subject always hurt her. Not surprisin' though."

"Are you certain she is riveted to be talking about your ex-partners?" Sesshoumaru muttered dryly.

"Shaddap! It's more than that. Not that I'd tell you," he stuck his nose in the air, before growling. "It's not enough that I got a load of baggage holdin' me back from asking though. I don't...want her to get hurt like my Mother."

Izayoi? Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed, wondering where he was going with this.

Inuyasha looked at him gravely. "Look, are Hanyou kids cursed to kill their mothers eventually?" He asked, muscles tense.

"...Elaborate."

"Keh. My mother passed away from an unknown illness when I was about 10 in human years. Shiori says hers died when she was around 14. Everywhere I go, I've heard of Hanyou kid's parents dyin' or something. So what is it? We cursed? Because I ain't keen on havin' kids if so. Shiori...shouldn't get mixed up with me."

Sesshoumaru stared. It became obvious that the Hanyou truly believed in what he was saying, but had never asked, for fear of what it meant. An old instinct to belittle and sneer at the boy rose up, but he suppressed it.

"No, you are not cursed. Rather, the majority of those cases probably happened because of the consequences of mating."

"H-hah?"

The words came haltingly, but he persevered. "Many suspected Izayoi to be Father's true mate. She died because her soul demanded to follow his into the Netherworld. It was not your doing," he quietly uttered. "When one mate dies, days, months or even years later, the other follows. To mate is to bind souls and lives together."

Inuyasha studied the fire, jaw tightening. He then stood, back straightening. "Gotcha. Didn't know. But I guess that's because-"

"No one told you." Sesshoumaru cooly finished the barb. It was true, he'd willingly snubbed the Hanyou, refused him entry into the West. Denied him many birthrights. Things were not the same as they once had been though. He did not feel angry, bitter or jealous. Merely tired. Dark eyes shifted over the features so like Father's. "This one is telling you now."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, confusion in his scent. He then slowly nodded, awkwardly taking his leave and padding away, kicking a stray shell on the beach.

----

Centuries passed. Sesshoumaru counted them instead of letting time blur as he had before. Things changed and progressed. Inuyasha and Shiori had ended up mating, causing the agitated boy to further mellow. The village moved. Even Shippo mated and became a Father, causing Sesshoumaru to have an age crisis. He saw Kagome twice more during her jumps until finally reaching the time period she'd been born into.

The buildings of Tokyo were much larger than when he'd last visited. They towered into the skies. Humans crammed into the streets, walking in a hurry to their daily jobs.

Sesshoumaru assessed his wealth, finding that he had enough to support Kagome for many years. They needn't work when they were together unless they wanted. Nonetheless, he opened a bookshop, employing Yukita and Riza, Shippo's son and Kouga's daughter respectively, in order to pass the next 18 years.

Shippo informed him of the day of Kagome's birth, having seen her briefly, in passing.

"I do not want to know," he rumbled over the phone. "Tell me nothing about her, but watch when you have the time, kit."

When it neared the day of Kagome's 15th birthday, however, Sesshoumaru ran into a mild...complication.

"I don't sense any magic coming from the Bone Eater's Well. Didn't you seal it?" Shippo barked.

He thought for a moment. "...Yes."

"And you didn't think to maybe unseal it so that she can hop down the Well and meet Inuyasha?!"

"..." Sesshoumaru hung up.

He hadn't wanted to see her. Hear her. Anything. Not until he absolutely must. Already his control shook, padding up the steps of the shrine. His image blurred partway up, inhuman speeds making him fly to the Well House.

Sutras were already plastered around the closed well, blessings and spells with no holy properties apparently trying to ward off 'evil.' Sesshoumaru smiled slightly in the dim light, opening the structure easily enough. He then slipped inside, dropping down the dark depths of the Bone Eater's Well and landing at the bottom. Striking a hand down, he coiled youki out onto his skin, ripping off the seal he'd placed into the earth when it gave under his power.

I do not think I will ever understand, he thought as the scents of the Fuedal Era wafted up from beneath his feet. How does this well operate? Did the Kami themselves place it here?

Hearing a 'meow' from above, Sesshoumaru craned his neck up, seeing a pair of eyes flash in the dark. Flying up to land on the rim, Sesshoumaru observed the fat feline.

"You must lure her here on her birthday if she does not come by herself, nekomata."

Kirara, or 'Buyo' just meowed again. He couldn't be entirely sure the demon understood him. Shippo had told him she changed cat forms every twenty or so years, keeping watch over the shrine. Personally, he found her silence indicative that the old cat had gone senile, but Shippo always defended her.

Closing the lid over the well, Sesshoumaru smoothed his palm over the wood. Speeding away without a farewell, he floated down onto a deserted street and resumed walking.

Just a little more time had to pass.

He heard of her exploits through Shippo when she finally began her adventures, who groaned with frustration over the phone when she got an F in maths. "I wish she'd focused on her studies more instead of us!" He complained. "I'd never let my kids go fight demons! What's that Mrs. Higurashi thinking, anyway?!"

Sesshoumaru held the phone away from his ear, reading a book.

When the beginning of those three years came and Kagome was cut off from the Fuedal Era due to the completion of the jewel, Sesshoumaru found himself truly tested. He'd wanted to steal her away. Keep her. He had even gotten so far as her house, heart thundering in his ears- daring to change history-

But the sound of her sobbing upstairs caught his ear.

"Inuyasha..."

The demon lowered his hand from the doorbell without pressing down, fingers clenching as they withdrew. She was still in love with him at this point. Kagome needed to go back. To face whatever they'd been before their break up.

Turning on his heel, Sesshoumaru squeezed red eyes shut, frustrated. Control snapped and he padded quickly away, needing to leave Japan for a while.

When he came back, Sesshoumaru witnessed her return from the well with Inuyasha in tow for her Grandfather's funeral. She searched for the Daiyoukai in the city, and he felt it, having to enlist Riza and Yukita in helping to dull his senses with harsh insense, lest he heed her call. Yet it hadn't been enough, and he'd broken free.

He let out a feather-light slip of youki to against her cheek while standing in her empty room as she searched for him outside. Touching the brown package he'd given to her Grandfather and leaving behind a slip of power, he disappeared, wanting to guide her in the right direction.

After her first jump through time, he and Shippo began planting the items, willing her to find and jump to the past. True, they orchestrated much, though at the time Sesshoumaru was still trying to grasp her powers and how they worked.

And when Kagome finally fell into his arms that winter's day, Sesshoumaru had never wanted her to leave. He'd taken her to his penthouse, kissed her, ached-

But duty carried on and he could only keep her for an excruciatingly unfair amount of time.

A warm palm settled over her fist and Sesshoumaru stared at her, winter lashes lowering slightly. Kagome's optimism seemed to slip along with her grin, glimpsing the emotion he'd rather keep hidden.

"I'll be back," she said quietly. Sesshoumaru inclined his head, sliding his hand free from hers.

"Hn…return home soon."

That was the last time he'd seen Kagome, sending her off to face that first mating, when he'd become so deeply ensnared by her.

Unlike before, he'd called off Shippo instead of asking him to keep vigilance over the house. The Daiyoukai decided to wait for her call, passing the time by trying to distract himself with visiting others.

He was not much for conversation, but Hisao hadn't seemed to mind when he'd received him for afternoon tea.

Passing through the park that evening, Sesshoumaru tilted his head back, inhaling the scent of Spring. It used to be Rin's favourite season. Flowers had started to bloom, dotting the landscape in flourishes of bright colours. The grass had broken free of the frost, sunset bathing it in warm colours.

He observed it all passively, remaining in the centuries-long limbo that he'd learned to navigate. He'd made a home for himself. It was merely that without her, it felt void of life, reminiscent of a box with four walls. Missing the key element that made it feel warm. Which was why he usually slept at the bookstore.

Taking one more step, he stiffened, stopping dead. Lying in wait beyond the trees, the lake further ahead suddenly held new blinding scents.

Sesshoumaru's heart began to race, old instincts crackling to life. Dark eyes, shining lighter in the sun, exploded into gold. Round pupils squashed into slits.

He forgot himself, the glamour, the concealment- everything- feeling it melt away as he launched forward into the air, coat and shirt rustling in the breeze.

#sesskag #sesshoumaru #sesshoumaru x kagome #kagome higurashi #inuyasha #sesskag fanfiction

61 notes · View notes

wolf-with-no-pelt · 4 years

Text

The Disturbance of Love *Pt.2

Mood Music

There had been no real intention for a charity event when she’d spoken to Julius, but in hindsight it didn’t seem like such a bad idea. She had watched Mrs. McGrath create dozens of events for her father over the years. Her mother hadn’t had much interest.

Flicking through different events coordinator websites, her phone buzzed, showing a call from Julius’ office. She’d found it online the other day and added it in so that she would know when they did call. Harley let it go to voicemail though.

They didn’t leave a message.

She sank further into the large bathtub, bubbles swirling around her shoulders. It was a little late for a call from his office. Likely the secretary.

Twirling a damp strand of hair around her finger, she glanced through the open door of the opulent bathroom to look at the painting she’d bought.

The Disturbance of Romance had been delivered that morning. Normally, she wasn’t into paintings, but this one had been expensive. So she might as well put it on display to enjoy. She couldn’t tell if she liked it yet, however.

The background was crimson, but the focus was on the two wispy, ethereal forms done in shades of black. At first glance, it appeared abstract - but looking at the painting further revealed the two silhouettes. Masculine and feminine. The man’s hand was wrapped around the female’s throat; she had her hand through the man’s chest where his heart was.

It took time to see it, but once it was noticed it was hard to miss.

The buzzing of her phone called her back to the present. Another call from the same number. She let the call to voicemail again. They still didn’t leave a message.

She could just plan the event herself. Decision made, she left the comfort of the bath and wrapped herself in a fluffy towel before padding to the mirror. Tonics and serums littered the countertop, a well as the jewelry she had chosen for the dinner Julius was going to invite her to, tonight.

There were times the prospect of dolling herself up was almost tiring. But then she remembered she was a Maddox and there was work to be done.

The third call came just after she finished putting on her lipstick. She didn’t recognize the number this time.

Harley let it ring until the last moment before answering. “This is Harley Maddox speaking.”

“Miss Maddox. This is Julius. I was trying to get ahold of you earlier.” He paused and she could hear his smile through the phone. “I wanted to ask you to dinner.”

“Oh, that was you calling?” Harley leaned closer to the mirror to swipe her finger along her lip, ensuring her lipstick was neat.

“I’m sorry, I was a little tied up.”

“If you’re free now, perhaps you’d be willing to join me for dinner downstairs?”

She let a beat of silence stretch on before responding. “I was actually considering checking out something in the area tonight. Know anything good?”

“I know several great places in the area. What are you in the mood for?”

Straightening, she tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder, pretending to consider the possibilities. Letting him wonder if she would agree at all.

“Surprise me.”

The first date was an ordinary dinner. A luxurious place with the kind of menu with dishes that were hard to pronounce. She wore a dress in his favorite color again. She also let him order for her, and they talked about his work. He wanted to come into her hotel room after, but she left him at the door without a kiss.

Julius wanted to take her out again the next night, but she deferred on grounds of being busy with other things. He sent her white roses. She gave him points for trying, even though her favorite was dahlias.

She agreed to a second date a week later. Just long to make him question whether or not she was truly interested. They visited an art gallery and she held him out with a business deal - a contracted wanted to back out - but she convinced him not to.

The third date was a bar. More laid back and relaxed. After, his driver took them back to the resort and they went dancing at the nightclub on the rooftop. Still no invitation into her room, or a kiss.

The fourth date was the important one. They went on a cruise in the Emerald Coast, on his personal yacht. He sent her a diamond bracelet to wear while they spent the weekend on the water.

“Harley does charity work. She’s going to have an event soon, in fact.” Julius touched her knee under the table.

She sipped her wine. “Well, things are still in the planning stages, so soon is relative. It’s going to be the first one ever, so we’re working out the kinks.”

The hour was late, but this was the goal. Had been, since she’d come across Julius Locke. He had a vast amount of wealth, but he also had contacts. Two of which were dining with them under the night sky. All of which could use a little good publicity from a charity function. They could all help each other.

“What’s it about?” Randolph, an Olde Watch military man prompted with a wave of his hand that stirred cigar smoke around him. Next to him, Kendrick finished his food and wiped his mouth, turning his gaze to her.

All eyes were on her, exactly as she liked it. “It’s called The Broken Feather Fellowship. Myself and two others founded it. Guadalupe, Surrey and myself spearhead everything.” She studied the men with her, each in turn. “It’s a deeply personal charity, near and dear to our hearts.”

This was the tricky part. Since the PR issues the Garou had suffered, she had to choose her words carefully.

“We work to conserve wolves and protect their natural habitats.”

Julius looked interested, all of a sudden.

“Regular wolves or...?” Kendrick asked. A slimy, sleaze ball of a Peuchen who had a certain delight of scaled forms. He had an oily way about him that she wasn’t a fan of.

“Regular wolves. We figure the others are smart enough to take care of themselves. And, everyone hates on wolves. But they’re amazing, regal creatures and are a necessity to the environment.” Key words - all things that rich people liked to hear about a charity. Nothing else really mattered, not with these sorts - they were happy enough to sign the check and get their good publicity.

“My wife loves events like that. Why don’t you send us an invitation?” Randolph finished his drink, glancing at his watch.

“I would be thrilled to do so,” Harley said. “I would absolutely love to meet your wife.” She set her hand over Julius’ as it crept up her thigh, hidden by the table. “Not to mention, while you’re doing a great service, the write-offs are fabulous.” The last part was directed too Kendrick.

He grinned at her, flashing perfect white teeth. “Here.” Reaching into his wallet, he slid a card over to her. It was his business card, for a security consultant firm.

Julius had certainly chosen the perfect clients.

His gaze was on her, searing in its bright glow. She tucked the card into the breast pocket of her filmy white shirt, where the white gold of her wolf’s head brooch sat above it.

“Leave a message with my secretary and we can work something out.” Kendrick added.

Two significant backers in the course of a single evening. Three, if she counted Julius. He had more to offer, though.

“Perfect, you’re a treasure. The girls will be delighted.” The men didn’t care about anything she had to say really, so when the conversation drifted she let it go.

“Thank you for earlier, with Randolph and Kendrick.” Hours later, she stood outside of her little room on the yacht, with Julius. She toyed with the lapel of his shirt, before glancing up into his eyes. They were brilliant in the darkness surrounding them, like pits of fire. It was almost sickening to stare into them.

The soft touch of his hand cupping her cheek startled her. “You’re more than welcome Harley. I want your event to be amazing.” Something about his words felt too slick, and she glanced away.

He forced her head back with a light grip, until their eyes connected again. She forgot the way his eyes glowed with an inhuman light, or the roll of disgust it caused.

She felt like there was more on her script to say, but it was hard to remember what it was as she leaned in to kiss Julius suddenly. She hadn’t meant to do it, but she forgot why not.

The connection released a storm of amorous kisses with teeth that grazed skin, Julius’ hands slithering down her body until they found the curve of her hips. Gripping tight and pushing her against him flush as the two of them crashed back into the door of her room. She painted a touch against the tattoos of his throat, curling into his hair while she swept over the door in a hunt for the doorknob.

A reckless abandon of desire and need smoked through her with the intensity of a wildfire, pulse quickened to a hum as she stumbled back when the door popped open.

“Harley.” The growl of her name in her ear hit her like a car crash, lighting her up with a feverish heat.

He caught her, sweeping a hand under her knees to send her falling into his arms as he carried her to the bed.

Distantly, she knew this wasn’t going right, but she was powerless against the blaze of his green eyes.

#harley maddox #wta #garou #kinfolk #black fury #Werewolf the Apocalypse

2 notes · View notes

ireddeadredemption2pc-blog · 4 years

Text

Red Dead Redemption 2 PC

Red Dead Redemption2 PC

The old west feels brand new again.

Oh Jesus Christ, what have you done? “Thomaschen 978 wants to know why a dozen carcasses and a couple of horse corpses are placed on rail tracks bordering the early industrial city and are the New Orleans stand-in St. Denis.” You killed half. village.” PC Games For Free

We are on round two of the recurring corpse pile. My poses got the idea to jump in front of the train after a few rounds of Lose Your Friends and Toss Them in the Sea in the Couple Friendly Strangers. Like GTA 5, Red Dead Redemption 2 has its own bowling minima, we explain to Chen in a roundabout way that provokes his fear. Die in the shared open world of Red Dead Redemption 2 and you’ll react fast enough to move your corpse around. Best RPGs games pc

The boy is in line with us. We should make it bigger. As the train comes around again, another pose tries to take us out. The chain defends us but does not bring it back to the tracks. He goes away screaming. Death of a true warrior.

Red Dead Redemption 2 could be the biggest, most humble videogame ball pit for an annoying story about impulsive children, the forced disintegration of the community, or simply a quiet and reflective hiking simulator. It’s just about what you need it to be, and it’s good at it.

Just hours before the corpse-bowling, I was alone through the icy forests, stepping into the long shadow cast across the snow by the rising moon. I heard a gunshot from a distance. The tracks of some wolves marked snow in the same direction. I saw them who won. Anytime I pay attention and look closely, RDR2 is the result of my curiosity. Best Racing games on pc

The mind-numbing expanse that makes up the vast world of RDR2 speaks to the creative force of a development team with an intense, obsessive dedication to realism (and all the money and time needed to do so). Like how my friends’ characters flare up when I fire a gun at them, how animal carcasses disintegrate over time, how NPCs react according to a sloppy or bloody outfit, how to stir through a doorway. Scares everyone everywhere.

It is hard to believe that RDR2 is so deep and wide and is also a harmonious, playable thing. I was already playing it for days worth the console version. This is why I am particularly disappointed that it ended up on the PC to some extent.

For every non-taught multiplayer adventure, disconnect or crash on the desktop, desktop. The rock star’s best storyline and character so far has been filmed through Frame Hutches’ slideshow and addressed over the launch weekend.

RDR2, one of the best Western games and one of the best open-world games I have ever released with enough stability issues, is recommended for the hard way until everything is completely smooth.

Morgan trail

EVERY PRETTY VISTA IS SOMETHING TO LOSE THROUGH ARTHUR’S EYES.

The story genre of Red Dead Redemption 2 follows the dying days of the Wild West. The sprawling industrial world faced the bandits and social downtrodden of Arthur Morgan’s small band, an imperfect but loyal, loving and self-reliant community.

Capitalism is reducing its value as resources to humans. Indigenous USA America is driven from the plains to make way for ‘civilization’ and commerce. The forests are brought down for timber, the hills are cut down for coal, and Morgan’s chosen family is caught in the middle, forced to flee, assimilate, or respond with violent protests is done. They do all three.

This is Rockstar’s most serious drama, and it’s really, really long. If you are running, the story ends after 40 to 50 hours and then continues for 10 to 15. The main story missions of Red Dead 2 feature distinctly rockstar fare: ride to a destination that is talking to everyone, tightly scripting though, entertaining things, riding, and chatting to the final destination.

Missions are often thrilling action sequences or artificially mundane pictures of wrench labor and trade, full of long-winded Bespoke animations, and outstanding performances. They are only hopelessly harsh, to the point where it feels like I am following the stage directions rather than playing the role of a vagabond in the Old West.

Step out of line in these campaigns and this is a failed situation. As opposed to Red Dead Online, there are very few of them that encourage players to think for themselves, each designed to advance the story. The RDR2 show is at least a spectacle of the slow pace of life in the Old West.

This is not the death and theatricality of a lifetime; My favorite missions include shoveling, drinking wine with a friend, proposing an old romance and riding a hot air balloon. Working through a greater rut, stricter tasks are considered meaningful in the end anyway, inspired by extraordinary, ambient world-building and characterization.

Side missions, minigames, small activities, and random world events — whether they hunt great guns, capture a play, or stumble upon a woman trapped under a horse — all set Arthur’s character and setting in subtle, rich ways. Please inform.

Nested in the third act of a fully animated and voice theatrical performance, something like 10 minutes, it is possible that the response button is pressed after an artist has included a telephone. Arthur would shout, “Hell with the telephone!” It is an optional activity, a long one, and an option is to react in that short window. I think most players will remember this, but this is Canad Response 1 through 3 because this is something Arthur would say, a rageless goofy set his way in the right way.

He would write complete, real diary entries about the 50-hour campaign, sketching memorable scenes and depicting the state of affairs of his chosen family, which people once knew changed their fortunes between hope and despair. It is meant to be a completely alternative reading, but a refreshingly intimate take on a masculine figure that unsettles many doubts and hopes as to the next person.

He sings himself on a lonely ride and lowers his old body in the mirror. He will have an exciting conversation with the horseshoe woman as he gives her a ride into town, both commenting on the troubles of working for wealthy, ungrateful men as a growing necessity. I feel it all. Best horror games on pc free

Hillbillies can capture him after making the camp, a couple may try to rob him after inviting him to dinner, a man with snakebite can come out of the forest by stumbling and tell him to suck venom is. These haphazard encounters portray brutal life on the fading frontier, as nature pushes back against inner poppers who want to change it. Arthur is the perfect vessel to see it

This is because Arthur Morgan is one of the darkest human characters I have played during a great turning point in American history, playing a playful, cruel and compassionate role according to differing theories.

The game world, beautiful as it is, is made more beautiful and tragic by how it is ready to play it on every occasion. Every beautiful vista has something to lose through Arthur’s eyes, power lines and train tracks, cut through the skies, and the rest of his life is slowly filling with factory smoke. Just about everyone sees a sad end in RDR2, too. This is a story that I might not sustain every moment, but I will not forget its brutal arc or the man in the middle of it all. God damn is it sad? An apocalypse that led to this.

Ren Der Reflection

Assuming that you are able to run it at high settings, the biggest strength of RDR2 is how it exquisitely renders the Old West setting on PC, drawing more attention to the nuanced details that make it. This is one of the best looking games I’ve seen and a rare experience that justifies a new GPU or CPU.

Better draw distance and a greater range of vegetation detail were added, making some vistas look photographic. Long shadows vary from walking or roaming between places to rides, to cute nature tours. Due to animal attacks, bullet holes, rain, mud, or rapid flow of blood, the markings on the clothes are caused by very high-resolution textures, which tell a very little story about your friends.

A new photo mode makes it easy to share those moments of amazement. The way the player rides on RDR2 for just sightseeing and sounds is an important feature. I am desperately trying to get an artistic portrait of my horse’s silhouette to sit against the moon, yet another self-proclaimed goal was tolerated by this ridiculously large complex game.

With 2080, i9-9900K and 32GB of RAM, I can run RDR2 mostly on ultra settings with some resource-intensive settings completely off or switched off. But some hardware combinations are proving troublesome for RDR2, leading to random crashes in some APIs and, more recently, to a hotfix, leading to hitching problems for some 4-core CPUs.

During the first weekend, I couldn’t spend more than an hour without crashing on the desktop, though Vulcan switched from DX12 (which gives me better framerates) back to static stuff. Sometimes the UI malfunctions and I cannot select a select or purchase option, the map fails to appear, or I get paged unexpectedly from game servers.

The graphics settings are almost too much as well, and probably confusing. In our test, only a handful of settings affected performance by more than 1-2 percent. Large residuals, the mapping between MSAA, volumetric lighting, and parallax occlusion, affect performance by 5 to 25 percent. Most of them don’t make a big visual difference anyway and are best left out.

The way the settings are presented is made to feel underdeveloped: a huge list with unclear presets that require tinkering to make RDR2 run in a satisfactory framerate. It is hard. The PC should be the best place to play, not the best place to play, after all, after a few patches. It’s a shame for a game to look good. upcoming pc games

Cowboy poetry Red Dead Redemption 2 PC

Like in singleplayer mode, in Red Dead Online I can make my goals reasonable and watch them. The problem is, it is basically hamstrung by a frustrating multiplayer leveling system that locks basic equipment and cosmetics behind long XP requirements that can meet hours, perhaps days,

The option is spending gold, premium currency, items and clothing to unlock them immediately. A fishing pole is not available until level 14. A damn fishing pole in an outdoor recreation game. This is not spectacular and is a terrible way to invest players.

out a basic suite of tools (fishing rod, bow, varmint rifle, nice hat, etc.), Red Dead Online opened up widely. I have largely ignored traditional matchmaking modes such as gunfights and horse races, cheap thrills, I will play much better versions in different games, to have fun. It led to the most inventive, serene, real, and sometimes buzzing echo I’ve ever had.

I once walked into the middle of a fire in Blackwater and took the player corpses one by one to the church cemetery. Some were captured and participated in the ‘burial’ of their friends. A corpse thanked me for the gesture. Later, in an extended streak of criminal activity, my pose and I caught another player and instead of killing them on the spot, we rode into the swamp and threw them into the garter infected waters. I got the idea to act like a friend. Best pc games 2017

On a less absurd note, I set myself a constant goal of earning strictly enough money from hunting to buy cool-weather gear and a fine rifle. I am going to hike in the mountains and find the best way to hide there, a wild mountain man adorned with animal skins, which almost touches the floor.

In the meantime, I’m stopping gunmen across the city by running through the streets and calling for a parley. I am participating in an eight-player ballroom. I am living the life of a normal cowboy in the best shepherd game. I hope it clears up soon.

RDR2 PC System Requirements

OS : Windows 7 SP1 64bit

Graphics Nvidia GeForce GTX 770 2GB / AMD Radeon R9 280

Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300

Memory: 8 GB RAM

DirectX: Version 11 Or 12 Support

Storage: 150 GB

3 notes · View notes

ask-chaos-kin · 5 years

Text

Chaotic Adventures in Babysitting Chapter 6

Almost to the final chapter! Co-written with @royalbabble

The Freaks still in the base had collectively decided to watch a movie to both unwind from Nightmare Medic and to take their minds off of Jesters outburst. Brutal decided to leave on another murder spree with Gentlespy. Pure was observing Pancakes can out of the side of his vision, wondering if he was taking longer than normal to heal or he was too embarrassed to come back out.

“Wonder what happened to the three while we were gone. Ya know, while they were inside the artifact?” Spyper asked aloud.

“We had to chase after Rose almost the whole time,” Pancakes answered from his can. Just as Pure thought, he was too embarrassed to come back out.

“I’ve been in Jesters artifact once before. I know you weren’t just looking for Rose,” Pure said, “You got on a few rides didn’t you?”

“One ride with Roseflame. Tilt-A-whirl. After me and Roseflame dropped 300 feet onto a bouncy castle,” Pancakes came out of his can to explain it.

“Ah, the High Drop,” Pure said.

“Why the hell do they even have that thing? Scared Roseflame to near death,” Pancakes commented.

“Jester likes falling for some reason,” Pure shrugged.

“Wait, Roseflame’s afraid of heights?” Intelligent Heavy asked, now tweaking the cube with some other random machine parts.

“I was surprised too but yeah. Pretty bad too. Don’t have anything left of her grabbing my arm, but it was pretty similar to being held down by Painis,” he mentioned.

“Then why does she fly around if that’s the case?” Spyper asked, reclining beside his friend.

“As far as I’m aware, she both doesn’t look down and she only focuses on where she’s going, not how she’s getting there,”

“Ah,” Spyper said, fixing his vest.

“Kinda feel bad for her,” Pancakes stated, joining the others to watch the movie.

“Wonder if Jester knew. They seem to know everything that goes down in their artifact,” Intelligent Heavy said, affixing the machine part to the cube.

“What are you doing over there anyways?” Spyper asked, leaning over to his friend.

“I’m trying to see if I can recycle the cube to harness Jesters magic again,”

“Will that even work?” Spyper doubted, watching as his friend used thin tape to graft the machine part onto the cube.

“No idea,” That’s when the silhouette of another Scout approached the door. Since no truck was heard pulling into the driveway, it was either Wolves Bane, Roseflame, or Anthony. Pancakes got up tentatively and went to answer the door, only to hiss in worry and disgust at the sight.

“You look like you need an ER,” Pancakes let a very bloody and battered Roseflame into the base.

“096 isn’t as hard to deal with as some others, he was just pissy because so many HECU members saw his face,” She answered, her voice was hoarse and filled with slight pain.

“You wouldn’t happen to know any healing spells would you Pure?” Spyper asked the priest.

“Unfortunately, no. Jester does, but they can only heal shallow wounds,” Pure sighed.

“It’s fine guys. Worse comes to worst i’ll respawn on the roof,” She dismissed it as Pancakes helped her to the couch.

“Heard you got the High Drop,” Spyper said, leaning forward on the couch.

“Yeah… Wait how much did you tell them,” she looked to Pancakes with slight anger in her eyes.

“...That was supposed to be kept secret wasn’t it?” He responded. She didn’t have the strength to punch him so she slumped into her jacket to bury her face.

“You fucking suck...” she crowed out though she was muffled by her jacket.

“Surprised Jester didn’t say anything about that. They hate scaring people,” Intelligent Heavy said. Pancakes shot him a huffy look.

“Oh, they should be apologizing soon,” Pure said.

“They don’t have to, it’s my fault Pancakes even decided to try using their artifact. I’d consider it a lesson taught,” Roseflame stated before going into a coughing fit. Pancakes rubbed her back, trying to soothe some of the internal problems.

“Easy, easy,” He calmed her down, trying to prevent a slow death on his hands. Especially someone he knew and trusted.

A fssh sound came from the other room.

“And that should be Jester. In three, two, one…” Spyper counted down, and right as he hit one Jester came darting into the common room, sparks and smoke following them as they skidded to a halt.

“-WAIT HANG ON DON’T DIE ON ME,” Jester panted, breathless. They stumbled over to Roseflame and nearly face planted into the floor as they went. Pancakes immediately jumped back into his can.

“Not dying yet, slowly. But not yet,” Roseflame chuckled a bit before coughing a bit more. Jester scrambled up and managed to stand upright.

“I can’t do much, but I can patch up the shallow wounds,” They said, still catching their breath,

“I’ll be fine Jester, honestly I’ve dealt with worse,” Roseflame tried to wave them off. Pancakes had absconded by the time Jester had burst the door open to rush to Roseflame.

“You’ll be fine!? Look at you! You’re clothes are soaked with blood, you have cuts all over your body, and you look like you’re two heartbeats away from death!” Jester protested.

“Again, I’ve been through-” She paused to cough a bit more, “worse,”

Jester scowled, clearly not going away any time soon.

“Stay still, i’m healing you,” Jester said. They extended their hand out towards Roseflame and a spiral of blue sparks began to swirl out from the palm of their hand. Dancing sparks scattered from their palm and to their fingertips and jumped away from their hand in a sort of mist that came to rest over Roseflame. The sparks started to disperse themselves, making their way to whatever shallow wounds and bruises they could and sealing them up, stopping the bleeding from those injuries completely and removing the soreness from where the bruises had been. The sparks managed to slightly cauterize the larger injuries to prevent further blood loss, but were largely unable to seal the more brutal wounds. She righted herself after the healing process was done.

“Thanks Jester,” she gave them a smile. “Though I came back to talk to you,” She started to stand up.

“You’re gonna need more than some magic for what you went through,” Spyper said, getting up, “This is a mercenary base, right? Where’s the Medics Infirmary?”

“It’s underground. I’m fine though, honest,” Roseflame stood up and tried to walk around to show she was fine, though she stumbled quite a bit while walking at a snail's pace.

“...Ok i’m getting the bandages,” Spyper said bluntly, walking off. Roseflame groaned in response to the action and returned to the couch.

“You really should just rest for a bit,” She heard Pancakes tell her from his can.

“Fuck off tin head,” She snapped. She grabbed the can and hurled it down the hallway, Pancakes panickedly yelling from it as it sailed through the air. He ditched the can and landed on his back as his can hit his chest.

“Listen here pissy,” he groaned picking up his can before getting up himself. The moment he stood up he immediately regretted coming out of his can, because now he found himself standing right in front of a still miffed Jester. He gulped as he weighed his options. Running away would result in him never being able to see Chaos possibly ever again, going back into his can he’d be easy to just toss out the door. He didn’t know what to do other than stand his ground and hope Jester didn’t kill him.

“H-hey, didn’t know you were still here…” He squeaked out, his voice cracking at the beginning.

“Where else did you think I would go?” Jester said harshly.

“I-I don’t know? I just thought that-” he was trying to back away from the angry Jester while looking at them. Jester opened their mouth to say something when it suddenly snapped shut. Bewildered, Jester whipped around to look at Pure, who had one of his hands raised at Jester, imposing his basic telekinesis onto the Freak.

“That’s enough Jester, you’ve made your point,” The priest chastised, letting go of Jester. Pancakes made his way over to Roseflame still wary of his situation. Roseflame glared at him as he sat next to her. He simply helped her position into a more comfortable sitting position without saying a word.

***

Not long after the two were asleep, Roseflame was laying with her head on Pancakes chest and her upper body along his stomach and thigh area, while Pancakes laid in a slight degree with his right arm draped onto Roseflame’s side. From the shelf that Pancakes had been resting on earlier, Jester sat, shrunken down and sullen from the scolding they’d received from Pure. They glanced down at Pancakes and Roseflame, both fast asleep and resting by the looks of it, peacefully. Even though they were still angry at Pancakes, they couldn’t help but crack a smile at it. Nothing like platonic cuddling to raise the spirits.

Spyper returned to the room with bandages from the Medbay. He removed the blanket off Pancakes and Roseflame to patch up her wounds.

“What did she even fight? These things look like she fought with Heavydile,” Spyper commented while patching her up.

“Nah, something called SCP-096,” Jester squeaked from their shelf.

“Doesn’t sounds too intimidating,” Spyper shrugged. Jester shrugged with him.

“You know, I've never actually met Heavydile-”

“No,” Was all Pure said

“Heavydile is twice as feral as Painis, you don’t want to meet him,” Spyper clarified.

“Painis wasn’t even as bad as Hoovydundy. Heavydile can’t be much worse,”

“And you’re also completely inedible and the most friendly Freak this side of the planet. Of course Hoovydundy or Painis weren’t so bad. Neither of them can actually hurt you,” Intelligent Heavy chimed in.

“Heavydile eats people and freaks, he’s not even close to human. He can barely talk besides aggressive yelling,” Spyper finished. He placed the blanket back on the two resting teenage freaks. “They’re cute like this,” He commented off hand.

Pancakes shifted in his sleep putting his other arm on his stomach, his face was slightly upset. Must have been having a bad dream. Minutes had passed since then and Pure was keeping an eye out for Chaos by the window.

“Still hard to believe that Roseflame is afraid of heights,” Spyper commented in general.

“WAIT WHAT!?” Jester cried, their squeaky voice peaking their lungs, making a very painful and shrill sound as a result. They fell off the shelf and smacked again the floor in a very tiny puff of sparkles before they shot up into the air at Spypers face, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN SHE’S SCARED OF HEIGHTS!?”

“According to Pancakes, She’s horribly afraid of heights. She’s embarrassed by that fact, but she is,” Spyper explained calmly, “She apparently held onto him with a death iron grip when they were at the top of the High Drop,”

“OHMYGODSHEWASONTHEHIGHDROPANDSHE’SSCAREDOFHEIGHTSOHGODWHATHAVEIDONE,” Jester yelled wildly. Spyper tried to calm them down, but to no avail. The panicking Jesters screaming and yelling woke the two teenagers up from their platonic napping.

“What’s going on this time?” Roseflame asked aloud, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Pancakes stretched a bit before returning his arm to Roseflame’s side.

“ROSEFLAMEI’MSORRYIDIDN’TKNOWYOUWEREAFRAIDOFHEIGHTSTHEARTIFACTSHOULDN’THAVEEVENPUTYOUTWOUPTHEREINTHEFIRSTPLACE!!” Jester cried, panicked. The two stared in confusion for a second as they watched Jester panic.

“Put us up where?” She asked, still confused from the screaming and groggy from the nap.

“THE HIGH DROP!!” Jester yelled, throwing up their hands.

“Oh yeah, that thing. Yeah that sucked horribly, thanks for that,” She flopped her head back onto Pancakes chest, he groaned in response to her softly flopping onto his middle. Jester threw their hands over their face and yelled while continuing to apologize profusely. Neither of them could continue to sleep so they both proceeded to stand up and stretch.

“Jester, it’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting to go from ground level to 300 ft. Also, why the hell do you have it be a free fall to almost uncertain death? That’s my only thing about it, why the free fall?!” Roseflame questioned in an aggressive tone.

“I want that answer too,” Pancakes stated in a calmer tone.

“I like falling,” Jester said sadly, “I don’t know why, I just like falling from high places,”

“I mean, I like spinning at speeds that are the closest to max speed,” Roseflame shrugged.

“Also you’re mad at us, why are you apologizing to her so much?” Pancakes asked, confused.

“I’m mad at you, not her,” Jester retorted.

“Why not both of us? I’m just as guilty as he is for the whole mess,” Roseflame commented.

“Did you open the cube? Did you use my magic? Were you the one that accessed my artifact?” Jester asked.

“No, but I gave him the ideas,” Roseflame answered bluntly, “Hell, if it wasn’t for me, Rose wouldn’t have been by herself on the Ferris Wheel when you arrived. If you should be mad at anyone for that shit show, it’s me,” She stood her ground.

“No, I’m not. You may not be entirely innocent here, but you’re not the one who did any of this,” Jester reiterated, growing back to their normal size.

“Still, don’t throw all your anger at him,” Just then everyone could hear a truck pulling up to the house along with distant rolls of thunder. Pure went to go help his adopted daughter carry things inside. Rose was the first one of the three inside the house and was confused to see the scene in front of her.

“Hey Rose,” Pancakes greeted her,

“Are you still fighting?” She asked as she walked over to the three.

“Kinda, it’s complicated,” Roseflame explained to her.

“Why?” Pancakes and Roseflame had no idea how to answer this one. Rose tugged in Chaos’ pants to get her attention and then looked to Pancakes and Roseflame.

“I know what happened,” Rose said quietly.

“You do?” She asked in slight confusion,

“What?” Pancakes and Roseflame said in unison.

“She apparently knows what happened with the whole Artifact situation,” Chaos then had Rose tell Jester what happened with the whole situation.

“I wasn’t really asleep when Aunt Lily left. I was in the kitchen and I heard Pancakes say that he was gonna use the artifact to spy on you guys. I never heard Roseflame give Pancakes any ideas. It was all Pancakes,” Rose explained. Chaos looked to Pancakes in slight shock.

“Why would you want to spy on us?” She asked him.

“We were worried about you, we knew everyone else could handle themselves but you could have gotten hurt out there,” Pancakes answered simply.

“So it wasn’t Roseflames fault at all,” Jester said, crossing their arms, “We were all alright. I had Nightmare distracted for most of the mission. He never even saw Chaos,”

“Well think about it Jester, they had absolutely no idea of knowing that fact. Besides, he’s still a scout. Name 5 times he’s had an idea that didn’t end like this,” Chaos stated, Pancakes couldn’t argue with her about it.

“Doesn’t mean I suddenly can’t be angry with him,” Jester bit back, “How would you like it if someone broke into your room and began going through your things? Because that’s what this whole ordeal was,”

“I do, everytime we leave, Someone’s fucking with my stuff Jester,” Chaos snapped, her eyes flashing purple as she advanced towards them.

“Then you know EXACTLY why i’m angry here!” Jester snapped, their own body lighting up with sparks.

“OKAY ENOUGH!!!!” Roseflame screamed, the power shutting off. Chaos, Pancakes, and Jesters throats now at the mercy of Slenderman. Roseflame’s eyes changed to a state similar to Wolves Banes. Only instead of orange, they were white and filled with a piercing rage.

“The three of you need to knock it off. NOW!” Roseflame’s voice boomed to life with rage. The three where at her mercy now. While all Spyper, Rose, Pure, and Intelligent could only stare in horror at the monster Roseflame summoned. Jester struggled for a moment and took a deep breath in, and within a second their form poofed into a cloud of blue smoke, only for them to reappear somewhere else. Jester raised their hands and invoked their own power, hoisting the monster up and subduing it in a cloud of sparkling smoke, but it was apparent they were struggling to keep the monster in place. With a flick of Roseflame’s wrist, they were back in a tendril of the monster.

“You’re not getting out of this Jester, everyone else here is fine. YOU, CHAOS, AND PANCAKES NEED TO MAKE UP! I’ve already seen so many people hurt each other here! Do you really want it all to happen again?!”

“THAT IS ENOUGH!!!!” Pure roared, using his telekinesis to sever the tendrils that held Chaos, Jester, and Pancakes. He turned to Roseflame and shoved her back into her seat, jarring her enough to make the monster she’d summoned disappitate into a cloud of black smoke, the power flickered back on as the tie was severed. Chaos and Pancakes tried to regain the breath they had been losing in the grasp of Slenderman, “Jester, i’m going to say this right now. You have every right to be angry at Pancakes, but that does NOT give you any room to start throwing a tantrum! You’re an adult, behave like one! Pancakes, don’t EVER touch Jesters artifact without their permission. You know good and well how important it is to them. Chaos, this matter does not concern you in the slightest so do not involve yourself where it is not needed. And Roseflame, you have absolutely no right to start strangling people on a whim just because you’re mad. That’s what toddlers do, and I know full well that you’re not a toddler,” Pure snapped, turning to everyone in the room as he addressed them. All four of them were shocked into silence that quickly turned into shame and guilt, they knew what they did wrong.

Rose was behind Intelligent, on the verge of tears. Jester glanced over at the tearful child and felt a pang in their chest. Scaring people was the very last thing they ever wanted to do, yet they had managed to scare two people in one day. Pancakes guilty slunk back over to the couch and sank into the sofa, not saying a word. Chaos awkwardly shuffled out of the living room, and Roseflame sat silently, slumping into the chair. Rose then finally started to cry and everyone felt ten times worse.

And Jester felt their entire world come crashing down.

Jester brought their hands to their face and began to cry themselves, apologizing profusely to Rose as their body began to release some sort of blue aura that radiated sadness. Rose looked up to Jester for a moment before going to their chest and hugging them.

“It’s not your fault, we just need to be nice to each other instead of being angry,” She tried to dry her eyes while hugging Jester. Roseflame and Pancakes looked to each other, they had an idea how to make up to Jester as well. Roseflame got up and made a slight detour into Rose’s room to drop something off in her bag. Once Jester saw it, she knew they’d cheer up.

There was a knock on the living room door, and it opened to reveal Brutal and his partner in crime, Gentlespy, waltzing into the house whilst covered in blood from their murder spree, only to stop confusion on why everything was suddenly a huge mess.

“What the hell happened while I was gone?” Brutal asked turning to Pure.

“Arguments,” Pure said, rubbing his temples, “I took care of it,”

“Let’s hope that the child’s visit isn’t too long then,” Gentlespy commented, “Brutal told me about the situation,” Everyone could only hope so.

#Chaotic Adventures in Babysitting #Chaos Kin #Roseflame #Ass Pancakes #Freak Fortress #Gentlespy #christian pure spy #Christian Brutal Sniper #Count Jester #Spyper #Intelligent Heavy #Story Post #Long Post

7 notes · View notes

gwtwoimpsarewe · 5 years

Text

Welcome to the Family

So, this story won’t make a lot of sense without context; but I’ll save that for another post. I wrote it to enjoy it and it’s my first full OC full prose. Hopefully ya’ll enjoy it too.

A quick helper tho set after the prologue bound by blood. So mild? Spoilers?

Lorcan Vulthon - Norn, Roughly about 26 (circa 1332),(Ex-)Wolf Shaman, (Ex-)Auxiliary Iron Legion Engineer, Vigil Initiate. Yes he was raised by wolves. (Not literally)

Zariah Dào - Human, Roughly about 42 (circa 1332), (My Commander for the game, but operates under Lt. Commander to allow for easier rp), Warmaster of a Vigil Company, Lorcan’s new Boss, Has not tapped out since Claw Island.

Veeck - my necromancer reaper I haven’t made but am taking from an old DnD character of mine, Asura, age unknown, The Deacon of Pain,

A jungle stalker, tiger and one other feline mini follow him around that’s the joke. One of the JP’s for the Tiger den Achievement is what sparked this.

Not sure what to tag it but it starts funny ends feelsy, found family vibes, if descriptions of eyes squick you (no harm just who’s looking at you, sudden eye contact etc) be wary or pass on, fluffy angst I suppose, emotional breakdown,

it ends happily I swear!

(Don’t panic if things seem to change, I post and edit as I go otherwise I get locked in perfectionism spiral and never post at all.)

“Boss.”

Eyes shielded from the setting sun, Lorcan peered out over the landscape, comm at the ready.

“Boooossssss.”

Dusk crawled toward the horizon. Hazy smoke trails blown over the open fields lazily from the nearby mill, an end of a lovely day, on all accounts.

“Boss!”

The receiver came to life in Lorcan’s hand with an exhausted sigh of static as Lt. Commander Zariah sluggishly answered, “Yes, Lorcan. What is it?”

The smile pulled over Lorcan’s face, unable to resist the urge to tease. “Kinda, an odd time of day to be sleeping sir.”

It was utterly incredible how he could feel the dry stare-down and complex half lecture on the misuse of communications equipment in a brief pause.

That was talent right there.

Another sigh brought his attention back in, “I wasn’t, thank you, did you need something?”

Brightening, Lorcan sat down in front of the mess of fur and leaves, “Yeah! I found your cat bed!”

“… What.”

Lorcan gestures at the pile of leaves at his feet although his officer couldn’t see it. “Yeah! One of your Sylvari, the one with the monotone-”

“-Ours, and their name is Eir, -”

“-Said one of your weird tiny death machines-“

“-Again, wild animals, and not mine-”

“-Yeah, yeah, the striped one ran off and went to bed everything-”

“-Tiger; and has been making beds not bedding, your Common is improving-”

“I found one!”

The crackle and whine from a heavy static sigh made Lorcan wince and pull the device from his ear.

“...… You’ve found a tiger.”

Something about the suddenly calculating monotone made his insides squirm as he forced the cheerful up another notch. “Well no, but I’ve found its bed, and now we have each other’s scents, and I probably will find it and we’ll form a life-long bond like rangers and shaman-”

“Lorcan.” His name came gently, cutting off his rambling in a way that had nausea setting in.

“I’m grateful you found one, does it look fresh?” The genial tone was almost disconcerting after seeing nothing but jaded exhaustion, and it was wrong.

This was not how this works.

This was a crank call. Because he’s Lorcan. The rambling loud, obnoxious idiot whose superiors while agitated are fond of. Lorcan, who did not want to do this all over again but here they are, and Zariah! Who’d barely known him three days!

Who took him in without blinking after getting cut off from his war-band, who trusted him enough for a reconnaissance mission. Who put up with all his antics so far with a droll but benign stare; who—

A rustling came finally, along with the clink and slosh of what Lorcan knew to be the large mug of coffee usually in hand.

“Lorcan-”

“Stop that,” his throat felt tight, half leaping to his feet into a defensive stance, “You—Don’t-” The plains suddenly felt suffocatingly small, leaving him on edge and snarling into his comm.

Burn him, what was he doing.

“Lorcan.”

“Stop that!” his ears were burning, eyes stinging against the smoke in the air. It was his name; it was just his name what the tar was his problem?

The placid silence that followed nearly had him throw the damn thing down onto the rocks. Embarrassment burned viciously under his skin. He was better than this now. He wasn’t-

“Lo-”

He turned the comm offline.

It was long past dark by the time he’d calmed down, eyes red and throat raw, hunched at the base of the tree.

Great first impression.

Really sold it this time.

Groaning, he dug his face into his knees to do something other than mope in the dark like a moody cub. Or worse start up again.

A skittering of rocks and not entirely muffled metal had him look up in time to see a silhouette with an obnoxious Asuran light nearly blind him.

“Mind if I come over? You turned your comm off.” Zariah inquired tilting his head to the side just before the last jump. “I can stay over here. Just wanted to-”

Lorcan waved him off with a flippant hand and shoved his face back down. “Make sure I hadn’t broken-”

“-Your bones. Yes. Or anything else important to your personal self.” Zariah moved over the outburst with both a note of finality and comfort that had Lorcan looking up out of instinct, only to wince again at the mini sun in his Commanders hand.

“… If you're going to jump over, douse the Mouse-Light. Before I lose my eyes.”

Immediately, the object dimmed down and out before far more familiar sounds came and a torch sparked to life. “Sorry about that, but I’ll ask you to refrain from derogatory names. Veeck is a valued member of our team and cares deeply about our survival.”

“… The Asura.”

“Yes.”

“Who rambles on about some new Entity?”

“Of Pain, yes.”

“… Boss.”

“Not up for debate, Lorcan.”

Heaving to his feet with a sigh, Lorcan reached out to him; “Well, can’t let them upstage me now can I. C’mon I’ll catch you; it won’t give you enough light without the M--……. beacon. From the Deacon.”

Zariah landed with a grunt into his grip. “You’ll have to share that one, they’d love that-what is that an idiom?”

“Not a clue.” Wearily sitting again, Lorcan stopped short as something small and purring wormed its way into his lap. “… Uh…”

“She likes belly rubs, and she can smell tears.” Was all Zariah offered settling next to him and safely anchoring the torch in front of them, while the Stalker wiggled about before she settled solidly into Lorcan’s lap. Big eyes batted up at him, as if pointedly proving Zariah’s point; said belly up and offered.

Slowly, Lorcan answered the demand, a new deeper slew of purrs unleashed in repayment. “I thought you said they’re wild.”

“They are. Or were, a few years ago. They found me in the Maguuma, when Mordremoth was; well you know.” came the easy answer, as Zariah set about digging in his pack and handing over a wrapped meat smelling something to Lorcan who merely blinked at it.

“You haven’t eaten since before you left and I know how Norn eat. Eat your dinner.”

Gingerly, Lorcan accepted the meal; before peering at him. “… Does this get any weirder?”

“Only if you let your guard down long enough for them to steal it.”

“Wh-Hey!”

They sat like that a long while, quietly; with a lap full of warm purring death machines, a belly full with warm food and drink, and tired eyes watching the torch slowly burn down to a smolder.

The lecture never came; the ‘we’re alike you and I’ speech, the wise mentor talk, whatever he’d been expecting. Zariah just sat there, relaxed and was… well, there.

But then it made sense didn’t it. He was a tactician for a military organization, one of the high tier leaders in the Pact, leader of his own company; and Lorcan was an accomplished engineer and a perceptive people's person when he wasn’t being difficult.

There wasn’t anything to say.

He’d freaked out, he didn’t want to freak out, but he did. He’d reverted to causing a scene and trouble because he was a full inferno of freaking the blazes out. About what any of this meant now. About where home was now. What he would do now. What his purpose was now.

Had another identity crisis in an evening flat because he kept trying to put it in a title. Wolf Shaman, Auxiliary Charr—anything that wasn’t just him. How else could he go back and show that he’d changed after all? Prove he was all grown up out of his awkward paws making a mess of everything.

Except he hadn’t had he-

“pWaCKth!”

Lorcan spat fur out of his mouth, leaning away from the incessantly batting paws from his lap companion. “Hey! Hey! Hey! C’mon!”

“I told you. She smells monologues.”

“You said tears.”

Stretching out with an innocent hum that edged too close to playful to pass as sincere, Zariah rose a brow at him, “Mm? Did I? I must have misspoken. So terribly sorry.”

The words pulled a snort out of Lorcan at the obvious lie, “So, what, she just slaps you in the face at random? Or she’s just psychic and knows when you're spiraling every time.”

Turning towards him, Zariah rose the brow higher, something of a smirk toying in the corner of his mouth. “Oh, definitely a psychic; when I need it. Constantly. She can tell usually because,” His eyes glanced meaningfully at Lorcan’s lap, “I’ve ceased to pet her.”

Lorcan paused, looking to where his hands had fallen stagnant some time ago on her back, much to the indignant pout on her face. “… Oh.”

“Well.” He chuckled at his own obliviousness and began smoothing hands down her head and spine apologetically, much to her delight, “S’a good trick.”

“She tries.” A yawn dragged out the end of the sentence as Zariah settled down more against Lorcan’s side who moved to accommodate him.

Eyes glanced at the time curiously, “Aw burn me, Boss I’m-”

“Safe.” That firm tone was back again, even as exhausted as it sounded. “And that’s all I care about. We’ll go back when you’re ready.”

“Don’t you have paperwork to do?”

“Great thing about paper, it’ll be there when I get back.”

“What about orders? Don’t you have to know what’s”

“Anything I need to know, I’ll know through my comm, if it’s of immediate importance. As for orders, there are other commanders.”

“… How many hours you running on here?”

“Two and a half, I was in fact sleeping when you called me.”

“Boss-” An incredulous laugh cut short by an overused stubborn excuse.

“I had coffee.”

Silence lapsed again, softer as the torch barely glowed embers and Zariah’s breathing began to deepened, and slow against his side.

It wouldn’t have made sense for how lax Zariah was, after seven years of nearly non-stop war and fighting; if the moon wasn’t glinting off four Iron Legion Sharpshooters standing guard nearby that Lorcan could now see.

“Boss?” swallowing around the lump in his throat, Lorcan nudged him again. “Hey, Boss.”

There was a slurred hum, eyes not even opening as Zariah lifted a brow in answer “Mmn—yes Lorcan.”

“… Thanks.”

“S’ what ‘m here for.”

Epilogue (aka beeps an giggles)

For the weight of a Pact Commander, Zariah was unnervingly light once you removed the pack, armor, weapons, felines, etc.

Which Lorcan awkwardly got to know firsthand as the pint-sized (seriously how small was this guy) Asura fussed around this way and that muttering too fast to keep up with.

It was a very odd feeling of you break it you buy it, with the Commanders sleep schedule. Which cemented in his mind as no one else seemed bothered by the ranting Asura at his feet.

“-two months! Two months! Not even! We were so close, on ordered leave, relaxing, vacationing, nearly had it! But no! The evil little box of death opens its evil little mouth and ruin everything! This does not please the Pain!”

Lorcan made the mistake of uttering “Does anything,” before realizing the error as he became the subject of the bespectacled, laser sharp, owlish gaze before off again as they moved in thought.

Finally, with a decisive nod, they firmly shouted up to him, “…… Milk! Milk and Ink!”

(Seriously did the guy think he was deaf? Though they looked like they’d fit into his boot with room to spare, and he wasn’t exactly short himself.)

A tiny hand lifted into the air, fire in their eyes; “I shall explain!”

“Please don’t.” Lorcan begged.

“Easy Squeak-A-Veak, lets save converting until after we get Boss back to bed for a few hours. We’ve already got orders to meet up with General Soulkeeper in the morning.” Came the beautiful rescue from one of the other officers Lorcan couldn’t put a name to.

Whose hands lifted up immediately in a placating gesture, as the tiny Asura looked ready to implode, “Rephrase, to head over to General Soulkeeper in the morning.”

Small detonation avoided, the medic, nodded with minimal professional sulking, “He’s napping on the way there.”

“As always, you can try small fry, you can try. Eir wanted to see you; I’ll see that Boss gets settled yeah?” Offering a fond amused look, they winked at Lorcan who wasn’t honestly sure what to do with himself at this point of being ‘Boss-shelf’.

Veeck squinted but turned and left with a toddle out of the room. “I know what you’re doing and I don’t appreciate it but yes I will leave and stop scaring our recruit.”

“… Wasn’t scared.” Came late and lamely as the officer chuckled and lead him in to where Zariah was staying for the time being.

Which for the first few moments Lorcan was sure they got the wrong room before he finally spotted a bed past all the paperwork. “Is that a war table?”

“Mini-sized yeah, Rye sleeps in his office, it was the only solution after a long drawn out internal war lemme tell you.”

“How is that a win?”

“He used to do it on a cot armed with a coffee pot, and don’t worry about Veeck. Squeakers is harmless; they get dramatic with displeasure and pain cos it’s like a prayer offering? I think? I’m trying to follow it but I need a few more run throughs. They’re a lot calmer day to day.”

“…….. Oh! Good to know, thanks—ah…”

“You forgot my name already didn’t you.”

“……………………..”

Laughing they helped settle Zariah down and into bed, even tucking them in. Which by this point, Lorcan had one final question.

“…… Sooo, kinda curious. Why he’s not; you know.”

“Twitchy as fleas about being handled like a doll? He usually is, but this is day four of small naps and I made his coffee decaf. He’s out cold for the next three to five hours.”

“Burn me.”

“It’s a good thing, say goodnight if you want; just hit the lights when you're done. I’m catching a few myself before we hit the road.” They offered with a wave before heading out.

Lorcan absentmindedly gave a wave only to perk and try to call out; “Wait! You didn’t--…… tell me your name. Tar’nfeathers.”

Sitting down with a sigh he glanced over at Zariah, and with a crooked grin leaned over. “Night Boss. Still totally going to steal your tiger.”

A brow raised as tired, but amused eyes snapped open, “Still totally not going to let it happen.” Zariah challenged as Lorcan shrieked with a flail and fell off the bed.

“Burn! Tar! and Feather You!”

Yawning with a final chuckle, Zariah listened to him stalk off and turn out the lights. “Good Night, Lorcan.”

“Welcome to the family.”

3 notes · View notes

marshmallow-phd · 6 years

Text

Fighting Instinct

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Supernatural, Wolf Au

Pairing: Jongdae x Reader

Summary: He went out of his way to ignore you. You saw his kindness towards everyone else, but he showed you only irritation. And you couldn’t blame him, considering your first meeting. However, little do you know that he’s hiding a dark world, one that you’re pulled into against your will….

Warning: none

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I 11 I 12 I 13 I 14 I 15 I Final

Consciousness slowly came back to you. The fog began to dissipate in your mind, letting you take in your surroundings just enough to know you’d been moved. Peeling open your eyes, you had to wait for your pupils to adjust to the new found darkness. You couldn’t move but you knew you were standing up. Glancing down, thick ropes were wrapped around your arms and torso, keeping you against what felt like a post digging into the space between your shoulder blades.

Black silhouettes wandered around in front of you a few feet below. Another figure stepped in front of you, but you could see exactly whose face was under the hood.

“Eun Na,” you cried, fighting against the ropes. “What is going on? This isn’t funny.”

She shook her head, pulling some sort of sack out of her robe. “Oh, (y/n). You always were so innocent. So trusting. This past year has been almost too easy.”

“What are you talking about?” Tears were already forming in your eyes, making Eun Na just a blurred outline. How could she do this to you? To anyone? “Why am I tied up?”

“We need you, (y/n),” she said simply as if that explained anything. “I’m sorry that it has to go this way, but you’re the sacrifice we need to gain the upper hand.” She looked up at the sky and you followed her gaze. “It’s the blood moon. The night we’ve been waiting for.” Sure enough, the moon glowed a harsh, mocking orange-red above you. From the little sack, she pulled out a handful of dust or ash - you couldn’t really tell - and sprinkled it on your head and around your feet. Little particles landed in your mouth and nose, making you cough. Once she was finished, she jumped down from the platform, leaving you alone.

The male Eun Na had originally spoken with at the bonfire walked up in front of you and lit a torch. Flames flickered in front of you, giving you a better view of your surroundings. Everyone had put on dark robes and were standing around you in a circle. Trees surrounded you on all sides letting you know that you were nowhere near help.

You couldn’t believe it. From the sticks piled around you to the wooden post you could feel under your hands, the only conclusion you could come to was they were about to burn you at the stake. Eun Na had called you a sacrifice. What the hell was she into?

“Eun Na, please!” you yelled, the tears now flowing over. You were ignored as the man stepped forward and threw the glowing torch at your feet. The flames completely engulfed the wood around you as you struggled against your binds. It was pointless, but you couldn’t stop yourself from calling out, “Help! Someone, please help me!”

The smoke grew, engulfing you like a blanket. It filled your lungs and clogged your throat, causing you to cough violently just to try and clear your airways. All at once, the people around you started chanting in sync. What they were saying, you couldn’t make out, but it wasn’t any language you knew.

Then howls ripped through the air. Breaking up their circle, the crazies started scattering, gathering in groups of two or three, their chanting stopped. It was hard to see through the smoke, but several giant figures that were certainly not human emerged from the trees. They walked on all fours, towering above the others and moved in synchronized pairs.

Screams erupted, soon mixing with snapping jaws and growls.

Wolves?

They were all different colors and sizes but that didn’t matter to Eun Na and her friends. They scrambled around, running away from the beasts and into the trees, forgetting all about you.

You tried to stay awake but the smoke was becoming too much. It clogged your throat, making it impossible to breathe properly. Becoming too heavy, your head started to bob, your eyes flickering to try and soothe the stinging sensation. Just before it became overwhelming, one of the lighter colored wolves jumped at you, over the flames and colliding with your body, sending you, the pole, and itself to the ground and away from the danger. A warm, fur-covered body was hovering over you, yellow eyes shining down at you. And then you lost all consciousness.

When you came to again, you were laying down on your back on a couch. The crinkly leather had a musky smell to it that was strangely comforting. A heavy wool blanket kept you warm. Sitting up, you took in your surroundings. You were in an ordinary living room, complete with a large flat screen hanging on the wall to your left above a red brick fireplace. To your right there was a hallway straight ahead and another entry way that led to another area of the house.

Footsteps echoed off the walls. Scrambling, you pushed yourself further into the back of the couch, knowing that running would just be useless as you didn’t have any idea of the layout and would probably just corner yourself. For now, you were happy that you weren’t burnt to a crisp. Take on one thing at a time.

A door opened at the far end of the room. The person who stepped through made your jaw drop.

“Professor Kim?”

Your World Folklore teacher smiled down at you. “Hi, (y/n). Here you can just call me Junmyeon.”

Slowly, he walked over to you and knelt in front of you, placing a hand gently on your knee, only the blanket separating your skins.

“How are you feeling?”

Breathing was still hard, but you were alive. “I’m okay. How-” cough, “how did you find me?”

Professor - er, Junmyeon grimaced. “That’s a bit of a story. I think we should take things slow.”

You shook your head, tears threatening to come to the surface remembering Eun Na’s smirk as she tried to kill you. “I don’t understand – cough - what happened. Eun Na - she was my friend….”

“She was never your friend, (y/n),” Junmyeon stated. “This whole time, she was planning to kill you. Right from the start when the two of you met.”

A sob escaped. Junmyeon leaned forward, stroking your head as you hid your face in your hand. You believed him of course, as Eun Na’s taunting words echoed in your head. She’d said it been too easy to trick you and of course it was. You were too desperate for a friend, for someone to trust and lean on, you took hold of the first person who stepped up. And that person happened to be a psychopath.

A clamoring noise broke your comforting silence. Several more bodies came stumbling through the door, tripping over each other.

“Enough!” Junmyeon yelled. They all froze. Eight boys stood just inside the room, staring at you. Among them were Jongdae and his friends. Jongdae’s eyes flickered back and forth between you and the contact with Junmyeon. You could have sworn you heard a deep chest growl come from your classmate. The sound was cut off the moment Junmyeon stood up, staring him down.

“How are you feeling?” Chanyeol shifted forward, grinning down at you.

You shrugged. “Fine, I guess. Considering the circumstances.”

He nodded. Jongdae stepped up, sitting down on the coffee table across from you, resting his forearms on his knees.

“How did you know?” you whispered. He had warned you - begged you not to go. He knew that you would be in danger.

Sighing, he dropped his head. “It’s a long story.”

“She needs to know,” Junmyeon said sternly. “Tell her. That’s an order.”

Rubbing his hands over his face, Jongdae straightened up. “I’m sure it’s actually kind of obvious, but Eun Na is part of a coven. She’s a witch.”

You shook your head, defiant of that answer. You wanted the truth, not a fairytale. “No. Witches are a bedtime story. A nightmare that humans dreamt up to explain things away and blame unknown circumstances on. They aren’t real.”

“They are real,” Jongdae insisted. “And they’re not the only story that’s actually true.” He paused. “What do you remember from last night?”

Pulling your knees up to you, you wrapped your arms around them, not really wanting to relive last night’s events. “I remember going to the bonfire with Eun Na. She gave me a water bottle and I guess it was drugged or something. I woke up tied to a stake like we were back in Salem. One of the guys lit the sticks under me on fire. I couldn’t breathe, there was so much smoke. And then-” you stopped. The animals, too large to be an average wolf, but moved too quickly and gracefully to be bears. “No, no, I must have started hallucinating. Lack of oxygen to the brain or something.”

“What did you see?” Jongdae pushed.

You swallowed. “Wolves. Giant Wolves. They chased everybody away. One of them saved me from the fire.”

“That was us,” Chanyeol declared. Jongdae turned on him, glaring a killer look.

You shook your head. “No. No, that’s not possible. That would make you-”

“Werewolves.” Nosy boy was the one who finished for you.

“Werewolves don’t exist,” you insisted. There had to be another explanation.

“Yes, they do, (y/n),” Junmyeon said gently. “We are a pack who can shift into wolves.”

This was too much. In less than twenty-four hours, your entire world of normalcy and what was widely accepted as truth had been turned around, shuffled, and completely destroyed. The person you had considered your best friend was a witch who - for some reason still unknown - had tried to sacrifice you by burning you at the stake. Now werewolves were real and apparently you were sitting in a room with a pack of nine.

“I still don’t understand,” you whispered. “I don’t understand what any of this has to do with me.”

Junmyeon sat down next to Jongdae. The latter gave him a look but said nothing. If any of your reading was correct, Junmyeon seemed to be the alpha.

“I think it’s best to start at the beginning,” Junmyeon offered. “Werewolves are the natural enemies of witches.”

You frowned. “I thought that was vampires.”

He laughed. “No, witches hate us the most. Because a witch created us.”

“Created you?”

“Yes.” He ran his fingers through his hair, turning into teacher mode. “A thousand years ago - my research isn’t too exact - a witch cursed a man who had rejected her. She decided that since he didn’t want to be a part of her world, she would cut him off from the rest of his own. He was cursed to be separated from everyone else, to be different and isolated. And so, she changed him into a man who transformed into a wolf. It’s not just the moon that changes us. It could be a loss of temper or just because we want to.”

“A rougarou,” you concluded.

Junmyeon laughed. “You’ve been paying attention in class. I’m glad to know that. Yes, thankfully we fall under that category. Another thing to be thankful for is something the witch didn’t foresee when she had first cast her spell. We’re impervious to their magic.” Your eyes grew at this new piece of information, but you kept quiet. “For several generations, we’ve been at peace with the coven here in town when the wolves could easily chase them out of our territory. For reasons we don’t know of yet, they’ve suddenly decided that we’re enemies again.”

“Okay,” you nodded, amazed at yourself for being able to follow along. “So, we’re back to why I’m suddenly involved in this.”

“I had to ask a few friends from out of town, but apparently there’s a spell that could take away our protection from their magic.” He looked you in the eye. “It’s a spell that has to be performed under the blood moon and involves the sacrifice of an unclaimed wolf mate.”

You blinked. “Unclaimed wolf mate?” Now you were lost. “What is that?”

Junmyeon exchanged looks with Jongdae, who stood up and started pacing the living room.

“You know the concept of soulmates, of course,” Junmyeon assumed. When you didn’t protest or counter him, he went on. “It’s the same for wolves, but more real. More serious. I believe it was nature’s way of balancing out the curse we’re under.” Jongdae scoffed, but he was ignored. “When a wolf meets his mate, that’s it. Wolves in nature mate for life and it’s the same for us. There is one person we’re meant to be with and when we meet them, the bond is formed and we’re connected for the rest of our lives. According to destiny, there’s no one else. We’re drawn to our mates, willing to die for them. They usually feel the same draw, though in a different way. More feeling than instinct.”

The pieces were starting to fall into place. “So, what you’re saying is that I’m one of your guys’ mate?”

He nodded. “Yes. Unfortunately, you haven’t been claimed yet. That made you vulnerable to the witches.”

“So, they could use me in their spell,” you concluded. You looked around at the boys, some were smiling at you, others were expressionless. One in particular wasn’t even glancing your way. “So, because the forces of magic seem to think it’s funny, I’m supposed to be with one of you guys? Forever?”

“Yes, you are.”

You bit your bottom lip, scared to ask your next question. “Do you know who?”

Eight heads turned to look at Jongdae, who’d finally stopped pacing. He shifted his body in your direction, slowly raising his gaze to meet yours. The truth was staring you in the face and you secretly cursed Mother Nature.

#exo #exo fanfic #exo wolf!au #exo wolf au #exo werewolf au #jongdae x reader #kim jongdae #chen #minseok #junmyeon #yixing #baekhyun #chanyeol #kyungsoo #jongin #sehun #exo x reader #fighting instinct

736 notes · View notes

thewildheroine · 6 years

Text

Fly Away |Twenty-Three|

Warnings: Abuse, major character death, angst, language

Word Count: 5.3K

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

A/N: I’m sorry this took forever. I have zero excuses. Enjoy!!! 🖤🖤🖤

|Masterlist|

“It's beautiful, isn't it?” my father asks from behind me. His hand lands on my shoulder and I have to restrain myself from slapping him away from me. We both stare out at the entirety of Manhattan. Everything is in pure chaos. Buildings have collapsed, people cry out in horror, and far in the distance, I can make out the giant, shining silhouette of the being responsible. In short, the world- my world is on fire.

“I suppose.” My voice is numb and emotionless. Even in the depths of my usually raging, untamable soul, I am tired. Broken down and hopeless in more than a million ways. I bite onto my bottom lip hard enough to draw blood and drop my eyes to the cracked soil. In my head I allow myself to wander, curious to discover what exactly lead to this.

“I just wanted to be a hero,” I mumble only loud enough for my dad to here. Even in the beginning- not the true beginning but the beginning in which I saved that young boy- I was always just doing what needed to be down for this plan to work. No matter how much I believed I was working to better myself I was always just walking down the path Dormammu intended for me, which would lead to the destruction I am seeing right in front of my eyes.

Suddenly my father grabs my chin turns me towards him so that we’re face to face. His harsh eyes tear me apart piece by piece until I am back to the writhing child that so weakly cowers beneath his feet. I clench my jaw and do my best to swallow down as much of my fear as possible. It’s a beacon though, a beacon that he is attracted to. I bite my tongue and avert my gaze as much as possible. My father’s grip is tight though and I’m forced to look at him when he squeezes my face harshly. I cry out and blink through stinging tears so that I can see him. It takes everything in me not to bawl for mercy as he cruelly shoves me away from him and towards the ground, disgust evident on his sharp features.

“We all expected so much more from you than this weak, pathetic thing.” I can’t help but choke at his words while I push myself off of the soil. My heart aches from that word. “Expected”. I thought I had beaten them. I thought I found a way to live above expectations but even now they hunt me like a pack of starved wolves yearning to survive. “When will you realize this single lesson Y/N? You are not the hero of this story. You are the Icarus. You yearned for the light and warmth the sun provided you with after never having seen it. Y/N, you were destined to fall at some point. We all are. This hope you harbor within yourself was just the catalyst to your own destruction.” I stare up at him in horror. His glare is harsh. Harsher than I could ever have remembered.

Abruptly, I feel I presence to my side and look over, already knowing what I will see. Tears slip from my eyes and down my cheeks as I stare pitifully at Dormammu who must have approached while my father was lecturing me. I shiver under the gaze of his bright purple eyes and bow my head. When I look down I’m met with the sight of a green cloud of smoke being sucked away from my body. Fearfully, I look up at Dormammu and back at the time stone remnants, realizing that he’s taking it away from me. Gasping, I try grabbing onto the remnants and pushing them back into my body. My fingers faze right through though and I can only sob as my energy is ripped away from me.

“Three days until Dormammu comes for us,” a bodiless voice whispers. “Three days to lose it all. Three days until you give up.”

I wake with a start, cold sweat coating my forehead as I bite my lip to stop my crying. My hands fly up to my face to wipe away the tears that had fallen from my raw eyes during the dream that seemed to last an eternity. Despite being out of the horrific nightmare I look around paranoidly to make sure my father isn’t here. I sigh from the relief of only being met with the empty lab of the base. Haphazardly I tear out the cords connecting me to a multitude of beeping machines and slip from the metal table.

Right away my legs buckle under me and I fall to the cold ground with a thud. My knees slam against the linoleum hard and I have to bite my tongue to keep from crying out in pain. Achingly, I push myself up.

All I’m wearing is a crisp white shirt, my favorite cardigan, and leggings. Underneath I can feel the sting of my wound that has been covered with a stiff, cream-colored bandage. Subconsciously, I place a hand to the area over my heart, feeling around for the magical toll that was taken on my body when my father used the relic on me. Groaning I push open the door and stumble out of the lab to search for any of the Avengers. All of the sudden I fall forward just as I enter the living room, hitting my left shoulder on the hardwood and consequently announcing my presence to the entire base when I scream out. Rolling onto my back I pant from the pain and close my eyes.

“Shit,” a voice grumbles. I listen tiredly to the person’s footfalls as they race towards me. “Y/N, are you okay? What are you doing up?” Recognizing the voice as Steve’s I wearily open my eyes and look up at him.

“I’m fine,” I remark. While I push myself up Cap keeps his eyes locked on me to make sure there are no more injuries.

“You were stabbed in the heart Y/N.” I wave away his worries and stand. Glancing around the base I look back towards Steve.

“If it were serious I’d be dead. Now, where’s Strange?” I inquire. He rolls his eyes and gets up as well. I wait patiently when he opens his mouth, only to be interrupted by someone else.

“He’s at the Sanctum,” Tony declares from behind me. My heart sinks as I turn around. His eyes trace the lines of my body to see if I’ve inflicted any more damage upon myself during my fall. I can’t help but clumsily back into a wall, hoping it may provide me with some stability.

My thoughts have become a whirlwind. The zealots already destroyed all of the sanctums, the one I created included. Stephen is defending his sanctum, leaving me with no mystical back up while I’m still weak from my father’s attack. Running my hands through my hair I shake my head, becoming completely inconsolable. Despite the haze of red building up over my sight, I can see the other heroes gathering in the living room. They stare unsurely as my panic attack progresses. Soon enough I have slipped down to the floor.

“How long?” I ask through my heavy sobs. Tony crouches down to my level so that he can look into my eyes. “How long have I been asleep?” I peek up at Tony through the curtain of tears that have fallen in front of my face. I watch hopelessly as Tony looks away, blatantly biting the inside of his cheek. Desperate for answers I reach out and grab his forearm. He gazes back at me hesitantly, an invisible weight hanging on his shoulders. In my mind, I can hear the murmuring of the bodiless voice from my dream.

“Three days until Dormammu comes for us.”

“Three days,” Tony finally answer. All the air in my lungs is abruptly sucked away from me, causing me to gasp. I’m at a complete loss for words as I try to catch my breath. Standing abruptly and ignoring the immediate head rush I suffer from, I walk towards the window. Tears still fall from my reddened orbs while I close my eyes and reach out.

Right away I appear in the foyer of Stephen’s sanctum. At least my conscious does. I twirl around wildly until I meet his eyes which glare right at me. Sighing, I rush towards him.

“Y/N, why are you-”

“Stephen, please listen,” I beg. “You need to come back to the base. Please, please, please come home.” While slurring my words Strange gently grabs onto my shoulders. He guides me backward slowly, probably realizing by now that this is only a mirage of myself and nothing more.

“I need to protect the Sanctum Sanctorum Y/N. Without it, the shield around the Earth will fall and Dormammu will arrive. You’re safe at the base,” he informs me. I shake my wildly, determined to show Stephen he's wrong.

“No, no Strange. They already destroyed it. The zealots moved it to me and when my father…” subconsciously I touch a hand to my heart, conveying my meaning by pointing out the cut, “the sanctums are destroyed and now Dormammu’s coming for me. Strange you need to come home and you need to help us. He's going to take the stone. He's going to remove any chance of you being able to beat him again.” I see the horror progressively settle into Stephen’s eyes as he understands that he was protecting the thing this entire time.

I sigh, completely relieved, when Strange raises his hand to finally utilize his sling ring. Shocking the both of us a thick, clear arrow flies straight past us before he can enter, subsequently ruining Stephen’s focus and the portal. We turn around simultaneously to be met with at least a dozen zealots who are all crafting the biggest bomb I've ever seen. Strange and I look on in terror as my father, who Stephen has not yet had to pleasure of meeting, steps forward, his wicked smile on display.

“Sweetheart,” he whispers, shaking his head in disappointment. Without a second thought, I step towards Strange who glares at the man angrily.

“You have no right to call me that,” I growl, faking strength. “Why are you here? All the sanctums were already destroyed.” His smile grows wider and I feel myself visibly shrink at the sight of it. Strange must notice because his gloved hand finds my back.

“A lesson such as this one needs to be taught.” I swallow down my fear and narrow my eyes. Behind my dad, I can make out how the other zealots are preparing to drop the bomb.

“And that is?” I wonder, my voice overflowing with fear. I keep my eyes locked on my father though as creates a portal by his back and steps backward.

“Nothing is eternal.” The moment he and the portal disappears, the zealots drop their weapon. Acting purely on impulse, I swing my body around Stephen’s, covering him as much as I can from the blast that comes far too quick to be prevented. Right when the heat licks my back my conscious is shot back to my physical body though. The very second I realize what just happened a choked sob is released from my tight throat. My eyes look at my quaking hands, hoping that Stephen may just appear in my arms if I believe it enough but nothing happens. He doesn't return to my arms. He’s gone.

“No,” I begin crying again. “Nononono. Stephen please. You can't be gone.” Falling to the ground I think of all of the things I could've done differently so that the Sorcerer Supreme lived. There is so much. Even the smallest step may have lead to the survival of Doctor Strange. He’s gone now though and I can barely bring myself to look out of the window and towards my old apartment where I can see the dark dimension ripple open in the Earth’s atmosphere. I listen as the heroes around me try asking what the hell is going on but I feel too ruined by my own tears to answer any of them.

“Stephen,” I whimper into my hands, “You can’t have gone yet. I can’t do this without you. I don’t know how to be a hero. I don’t know how to save anyone. My-my magic. I can’t - please, please, please, please come home….”

At the edge of the base where Stephen’s shield has just fallen dozens of golden portals open letting loose Dormammu’s minions. I bow my head knowing that I have lost. From the moment I was born this was destined to happen. However hard I tried to be the hero, to prevent the monster I always felt within myself from rising, I was always destined for this. I lift my head sullenly and look at and upon the zealots. Even though I recognize one of the spells that is being conjured I don't bother fighting it. All I can do is watch as a wave of magic is produced from the zealot's hand, approaching the base quickly. I close my eyes when it hits, dreariness curling through my entire body to guide me to sleep.

_____________

My eyes blink open slowly, the image of destruction fading from my vision until I can only see the setting sun which ushers any warmth remaining in the world away from us. I groan and turn around slowly. The second I do I have to choke down a scream. Luckily it is reduced to a small whimper that doesn't shock the zealots in the base. I stare at each of the Avengers around me, all of which have been placed in some sort of cocoons that seem to be made of black tar. The closest to me is Tony whose barely begun getting wrapped up in the zealots magic. Gulping down my fear I look around the base to try and figure out an escape route. Everything is guarded though and my best bet is the sling ring I pray is still in my cardigan pocket.

Slowly as to not alarm any of the sorcerers, I reach into my pocket. I breathe a deep sigh of relief when I find the familiar cold metal tucked inside of the fabric. Pulling it out I glance around to make sure no one is watching me. When my eyes move sadly towards Tony again I find his glasses laying pathetically next to his head. Feeling that Friday may be helpful I quickly pull them onto my face but my eyes stay locked on Tony’s unconscious body.

“I promise I’ll do anything to save you,” I reassure him despite knowing that he won’t remember the vow.

“She's up,” a voice suddenly announces. I groan knowing my time is up and hastily create a portal beneath me. Before they can even come towards me I fall through and onto my bed. Golden sparks fall onto my face as I slam the portal shut.

“Friday?” I mumble tiredly. The orange glasses blink to life all of sudden and I can't help but smile.

“Y/N it appears the base is under attack,” she remarks. “Should I contact anyone for assistance.” I shake my head.

“No,” I grumble while pushing myself up. “We can't drag anyone else into this. Anyways,” I look out my window and at the darkening horizon, “I don't think there's anyone who can help.” There's a moment of silence as I stare up and all of the destruction. If the window was open I may be able to hear people screaming. I wonder what they're thinking right now. I wonder if they're hoping I'll come and save them all. I wonder if they're hoping Doctor Strange will save them all.

“What would you like me to do Y/N?” Friday asks softly. Despite her only being an AI she must be able to detect the rate at which my heart is beating, telling her to be patient with me.

“Pull up all live footage from the entire base on wall please,” I announce. She obliges while I push Tony's glass up so that they're resting on top of my head. I glare at the wall when I see the number of sorcerers guarding any entries, exits and even hallways in the entire base. Sighing, I look down at my sling ring. Everywhere I could've gone is out of the question now. The sanctums are destroyed, the base is under attack and even my apartment is demolished. I have nowhere to escape to.

Then my eyes land on one of the doors into the base. I watch in complete horror as Peter lands and shoots a web at the zealot standing in front of the entrance. My hands automatically fly upwards and before I can even process what I myself am doing a portal opens up right in front of Peter before he could possibly alert the entire base to his presence. He falls through and lands against me, still panting from the short fight. Feeling relieved I hug him into me, stuffing my face into his red suit to have as much contact with him as I can.

“Oh my god Peter,” I whisper before pulling away. “A-are you okay? You didn't get hurt right. W-what about May? May’s alright, right? God Peter, why did you come here? You're gonna get yourself killed.” My boyfriend pulls away from me, rips off his mask and looks into my eyes, just now realizing that it's me who's holding him.

“I came when I saw your apartment turn into a wormhole, Y/N. May had work today. What's going on? Where is everyone else?” I shake my head and embrace him again, still surprised that he’s here. That I still have him. Just from that thought alone, I kiss him, so content with his presence alone that I could get lost in it. I push away from him and look over to my wall.

“Dormammu has arrived,” I mumble, not removing my eyes from the screen to look at Peter. His frightened orbs have found the live footage though and he can barely muster his breathing to start again when he sees the zealots imprisoning the Avengers. We stand side by side, gaping at the ruin I have inflicted upon our world by only being alive. My hand finds Peter’s so that I can hold it close to me.

“What can we do?” Peter wonders. However much I want to give him an answer, positive or not, I can’t mutter any words. All I can do is stare sadly as that last cocoon is finished. Finally, I open my mouth to speak, only to be interrupted right away.

“Y/N sweetheart, why are you hiding?” Although his voice is as sweet as honey I recognize the sharp edge in it and it’s nearly enough to make me keel over. Peter is the first to turn around but I have to take a moment to compose myself before I looking my father in the eye. Automatically, Peter pulls me close to him, not needing anymore context to know that the man in front of us is my father.

“You’ve already won,” I claim while subtly flicking my wrist, creating a sharp, blue disk in my right hand. My father scoffs and shakes his head.

“You really think I’m that dumb Y/N? After teaching you everything you know?” he chuckles. I narrow my eyes back at him, knowing that what he just said is false. I surpassed him by the time I was seven and the only reason I would consider him a formidable opponent now is because of the dark dimension. All of the sudden the world shakes beneath our feet and I look out and towards the horizon. My jaw drops when I see thousands if not millions of corrupted zealots fly out of the growing dark dimension and into our world. Swallowing hard I squeeze Peter’s hand.

“Why go through all this trouble involving me?” I ask.

“You’re magic is like nothing Dormammu has ever seen,” he responds without a moment’s hesitation. I glower at him.

“My magic which was given to me because of the time stone.”

“Your magic which enhanced the time stone,” he corrects. I do my best not to let my intrigue show but my dad sees the interest blooming in my irises and takes it as his cue to continue. “You are not the first to harbor an infinity stone within you body Y/N. There have been others who possessed an entire stone inside of themselves yet gained no powers from it. You had untapped magic in you from the moment you were born. Not just from your Asgardian heritage either. Your magic was a gift from destiny itself and by fusing the time stone with it you were able to gain full access to its powers.”

I listen attentively, trying to comprehend what this all means. If what my dad says is true, I have powers that allowed me to use the time stone, not the other way around. Consciously, I look down at my shaking hands where I’m still tightly holding onto my conjured weapon.

“Why give this to me?” I wonder again, lifting my hands upwards to show them to all three of us.

“Your mentor is dead,” he confirms. My heart clenches in my chest and I have to grit my teeth together to compel my rising tears not to fall. “You’re the last thing that stands between Dormammu and the possession of this world.” I study him for a moment, knowing in my heart and soul that there is so, so much more he is refusing to tell me.

“Why not kill me now then?” I spit. “That would make this all so much easier.”

“Y/N, please,” Peter whispers next to me. I tighten my grip on his hand again as reassurances, hopefully informing him that he can trust me.

“Because Dormammu sees you worth keeping alive. Having your natural affinity for magic as well as the time stone remnants in his possession would be helpful in taking more worlds into his sanctuary,” he pauses, weighing his next words carefully. “And there is still a deal he must fulfill with me.” At this, my eyes hollow and my vision blurs. The world shakes again and I doubt that it is because of another wave of zealots entering the atmosphere.

“What did you do? What the hell kind of deal did you make?” I hiss at him, forcing myself to remain restrained so I don’t tear off my dad’s face. Peter’s fingers tighten around my own, probably feeling that if he doesn’t keep a hold of me I may just kill the monster in front of us the second I get a chance. Despite my seething rage, my dad smiles, content as well as sadness completely palpable in his soft expression.

“The happy kind,” he answers before raising his relic at Peter and I. “Before we get to that though… I have a job to finish.” Before his fingers even tighten on his relic completely, my hand flies upwards and over Peter’s chest. We’re both frozen as the sharp weapon hurtles towards his body as I begin conjuring a shield to protect Peter as much as possible. Moments before the forcefield is nearly closed the relic’s point slips past, slamming into the middle of my sling ring. I yelp and pull my hand away quickly. A burning sensation splinters across the skin under the metal so I drop it into my other hand.

“Shit,” I whisper as I watch as the shape of the metal distorts until it has turned to dust in my palm. Swallowing down my fear I shove my hand into my pocket and let go of the glittering powder. Quickly, I look from my smirking father to Peter. Grabbing his hand again I allow the intensity to show through my once calm and collected facade.

“A good piece of advice,” I begin telling Peter while collecting as much magic within myself as possible, “do not let go of me.” Before Peter can respond I flash us out of my room and into the hallway. On either side of us is a zealot. The second before they can do anything I spin away from Peter and fling both neon blue discs away from me. They bounce against the walls wildly, my hands simultaneously controlling their motion as I sprint towards one of them. On my command, one flies into my hands. Not wanting to prolong this too much I run onto the side of the wall and fall back to the ground right behind the zealot. I quickly slam the disk into the back of their calf causing them to gasp before ripping it from their body and throwing it backward. By the loud grunt, I can tell that it must’ve hit its target.

I turn slowly from the collapsed body in front of me who is wincing from the injury I just inflicted upon them. For a moment I study the cut to make sure I didn’t hit anything that was too important and may cause her to bleed out. Sighing, I turn towards Peter who is crouched next to the young man I hit without even looking. I glance over him as well and by the looks of it, his injuries are not at all serious.

“Let’s go,” I assert to Peter and grab onto his bicep. He stands slowly and looks right into my eyes. I’m surprised to see admiration and amazement glowing in the warm brown of his irises.

“I didn’t think you could do that?” Peter beams a bit.

“I’ve never needed to,” I inform him quickly. When I hear the door to my room open I grab onto his hand and immediately break into a sprint. As we go my blue disks fly around the room, nicking zealots just enough to make them slow down or at most stop following us. All of the sudden Peter skids to a halt and I’m yanked backward. It takes me a moment to realize we’ve stopped. In front of me are all the different cocoons containing our heroes. I gulp down my guilt for just leaving them.

“We need to go, Peter,” I tell him shakily. His head suddenly snaps to the side to look at me, his admiration quickly turning into disappointment.

“What?” he questions, his voice faltering from shock. I grimace and turn towards the hallway where dozens of zealots are now approaching us.

“We can’t save them right now Peter,” I mumble guiltily while putting a half-assed shield around us. For now, it should protect us while I attempt explaining this entire situation to Peter. He furrows his brows at me and shoves me away.

“So that’s it!?” he shouts while throwing his hands up into the air. “You’re just going to fucking abandon everyone and go back to running?” Although I know his words are all just rooting from his fear the question is like a knife to the heart. Instead of letting the brave and confident facade fall though I stomp towards Peter and get close enough to him so that we’re eye to eye.

“I am not abandoning anyone,” I growl lowly, making the assertiveness in Peter’s eyes falter. “What I am doing, is buying us more time which we are tremendously lacking in so that we can come back and save all of their asses without getting killed or worse. Don’t ever- and I mean ever tell me I’m abandoning them Peter because I would run past my shield right now and attack every last zealot but I can’t.” I take this moment to pause and breath, barely glancing back to see that they have begun breaking through my force field. “Peter… I can’t do this without any sort of mystical backup and Strange-” My voice cracks suddenly. In a sad attempt to repair the break I wrap one of my free arms around my midsection.

“What happened to Strange?” Peter asks, seemingly frightened by the way my brave illusion so easily faltered at the mention of my mentor.

“He’s gone,” I confess weakly. “We are going to do everything we can to save them, Peter, because I love them all so, so much and the thought of losing anyone including you tears me apart. Luckily though, if Dormammu is as smart as I think he is, Tony, and Nat, and Cap and everyone will be kept alive because of that reason. That is only if we stay out of his grasp though and as much as I hate this, the only choice we have is running. We have to run until we somehow manage to escape their grasp and then we keep running until we find sorcerers who can help. All I ask of you is to trust me.” Extending my hand to Peter I pray that he takes it. For a moment he looks at my palm and then at one of the cocoons that’s closest to us.

“Please Peter,” I plead to him. “I can’t do this without you.” Finally, Peter turns back towards me, a calm look filling up his eyes. Confidently, he places his head in mine before yanking me towards him, pressing his lips into mine. We separate quickly, knowing that there’s no time to spare.

“I trust you Y/N,” he reassures me. I grin up at him and tighten my grip on my hand. “Now, where are we running to?” Slowly, I turn from Peter and look down the hall adjacent to us where Strange’s room is located. Remembering the cold blue hallway that I had fallen into an idea bursts into my mind and I twirl back towards Peter who is glaring at the zealots with a passion I’ve never seen before.

“Spidey,” I breath out, calling his attention back to me. With a quick and short glance, I look back at where the zealots are breaking through and automatically make eye contact with my father. He stares down at me a bit, making me feel small. Swallowing down the bitter taste in my mouth I turn away from him before it’s impossible and begin dragging Peter behind me. My blue blades come to life again and dive behind my head and towards the zealots so that we can escape in one piece.

The moment we reach Stephen’s room I swing the door open and both Peter and I dive inside. I don’t even hesitate for a moment, pulling Peter into what seems to be an infinite tunnel of blue, swirling lights. As we sprint my thoughts vacillate between the mind gnawing cold that has begun to spread through every nerve in my body, the hoard of zealots shouting for us and the feeling of Peter’s gloved hand in my own, constantly squeezing my fingers to make sure I haven’t gone anywhere. Soon enough my legs have begun burning and I almost feel the need to collapse onto the ground. Every time I fall back a bit Peter’s there to tug me forward though. My pants light up in the cold blue air, making it seem like I’m breathing fire. At some point, my vision goes blurry and I start getting hypnotized by the movement of the neon lights surrounding me as they begin spinning.

The wires combine into one though, creating a giant portal for Peter and me to enter a few hundred yards from us. Despite the angry fire within each of my limbs I run faster than I ever have, somehow managing to pass Peter in the process. Just when I’m about to breathe a sigh of relief I hear an odd whirring behind us. I take a quick peek to see the source of the noise and find myself stifling a groan of annoyance when I realize what’s happening.

Approaching us at an unbelievably fast rate are two dozen miniature bombs which were created to probably blow the portal apart before Peter and I could make it through. Acting hurriedly, I lift Peter’s wrist to my face and tear off the web shoot, earning myself a moan of disapproval from the Spiderman. Instead of apologizing though I shoot a web into the portal and whip around. Peter yelps because of the sudden change of direction and he barely gets to realize that we’re heading straight for the zealots when I hug him into my chest and flip the hallway, manipulating reality for the first time in six years with little to no effort.

In mere moments Peter and I are hanging from wherever the portal leads while the zealots and their bombs are still trying to comprehend what just happened. Smiling to myself I click a button on the side of Peter’s web shooters. We rush upwards through the cold air, our feet aimlessly dangling before gravity shifts again and we’re tossed through the portal and to safety… wherever that may be.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed and once again I’m really sorry about how delayed this chapter was 🖤🖤🖤

Tag List

75 notes · View notes

the-roanoke-society · 6 years

Text

now presenting: aus of the ship tags i would pay good money to see.

explore below the cut.

butterfly knife: snow white au. the forgotten king of a cursed land bites into the juiciest apple he’d ever been offered. but what he hadn’t counted on were two things: a sleeping spell leaving him trapped in his own body like a labyrinth, and the queen’s champion from the neighboring kingdom, a warrior of seduction and deadly skill, searching far and wide for the man in the glass coffin.

body shots: aladdin au. so maybe jason was a little down on his luck--hell, had been down on his luck. but he wasn’t about to stand there and watch this poor woman get her hand caught off for accidental thievery. how was he supposed to know she was a princess?

lies & lessons: alice in wonderland au. she almost didn’t recognize him without his cowoby hat. almost. but when he looked up at her, grin characteristically crooked even now, a teacup in his hand--and a top hat, balance precariously on his head--she knew him instantly. “jack?” “... alice.”

anchored hearts: robin hood au. it was the king of thieves who was meant for the fair maiden in the tower--not the rugged right hand man, the soldier with more scars than he could count. or so joe thought. “they’re going to kill as many of us as they can. if i don’t make it out alive, tell maiden louise--” “... joseph. i know.”

magic & mischief: the hunchback of notre dame au. all i know about this for sure? kieran looks good in royal guard armor--and you best believe he about passed out seeing quasi hoist up aly’s unconscious frame against the flames that threatened to destroy paris, his silhouette sharp to his eyes despite the flames, the smoke, the ashes, screaming: “sanctuary! sanctuary!”

rumcake: tangled au (bet you thought i was gonna do the little mermaid? ha, too easy!). no matter what timeline he’s in, they can never get rum’s nose right. but there’s a moment where he’s holding ondine’s face in one hand, scraps of her hair in the other, and she touches her forehead to his--and kisses his nose. maybe it’s the right shape after all. too bad he found out as he was bleeding to death on her stepmother’s floor.

starry eyes: cinderella au. he knew he’d only get one chance to dance with the princess. just one. and he’d tried to hide his arm, but his fairy godfather, well--”no, no. ye don’t hide this. this is a testament to who ye’ve become.” and with the flick of his hand, he christened it, made it shine like stardust. charlie--couldn’t quite place his accent. “be back by midnight. but go, hurry now--time’s a-wastin’!”

on the rocks: lilo & stich roxy & zed & stitch au. “what is that thing?” “a dog! i think--but it was dead this morning?” “it was dead this morning?!” “well we thought it was dead it was hit by a truck!” roughly thirty minutes later, roxy and zed were sitting with their newest family member at their feet. seraphim was beaming at them. “... y’all--i’m real happy for you but that’s not a dog.”

sleight of heart: hercules au. to be totally honest i just want to hear annabelle, while being held in the arms of some monster, look drake in the face and go: “i’m a damsel. i’m in distress. i got this. have a nice day.”

puppy love: sleep beauty au. “now shall you deal with me--and all the powers of hell!” but the joke was on the sorceress. because the princess of the wolves and the forest would stop at nothing to awaken the golden-haired prince in the tower that she’d heard singing in the woods. “i know you, i danced with you once upon a dream--”

from the ashes: the little mermaid au. phoenix, he thought, had been an odd name choice for a being bound to the sea. but as he watched her from the borders of her ship, the collar of her captain’s uniform crisp and clear-cut, and heard her name--cassiel--he thought to himself, all right. perhaps we both have strange names.

old fashioned: hocus pocus au. “okay--most of our agents who deal with this sort of thing are indisposed--but we can do this. we got this. we have to have this. right walter?” “... that cat just spoke to me.” “walter!”

devil bois: the lady and the tramp au. connor was lucky. the family who’d adopted him had been one of privilege, of means. and he grew into a business owner who understood those things--bars were businesses, right? so it was probably only a matter of time before he ran into a man as infuriating, as romantic, as frustrating and and as handsome--as xander.

holy hell: atlantis au, specifically the lost empire. okay. he had managed to pilot an entire crew past a leviathan, had successfully led them to a civilization that many of his colleagues had scoffed at, called lost, called myth. surely he could handle a swim with the daughter of the chief, aaannnddd she just took of her robe, and now he can’t stop staring at her lower back. “you swim pretty girl--pretty good! you swim pretty, uh, good, jesus--”

hymns & holograms: one hundred and one dalmations au. “look, morgan! puppies everywhere! “ “there must be a hundred of them!” succubus started trying to count, “one, two, three and four. seven, eight, nine...” “two more. nine plus two is eleven!” “thirty six over here!” “thirty six and eleven? that's forty seven.” “fourteen. eighteen, ham’. “uh, eh sixty five! “ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen! “wait a minute, wait a minute. six more. “ “well, let's see, now. that's eighty four and fifteen plus two. a hundred and one!” seraphim thought she was going to pass out. “a hundred and one? my, where did they all come from?” “oh ho, jake, you old rascal!”

#butterfly knife #body shots #lies & lessons #anchored hearts #magic & mischief #rumcake #starry eyes #on the rocks #sleight of heart #from the ashes #old fashioned #devil bois #holy hell #puppy love #hymns & holograms

58 notes · View notes

alexboehm55144 · 3 years

Text

Alex Final Wars 2: Dark Alex, Chapter 31 - Vacuum

The typhoon's hanger contained many fighter jets and aircraft that Heroes needed for their duties. Jets and helicopters were parked in specific spots. Service equipment was in ample supply to provide maintenance to the vehicles. The center of the hanger contained a taxiway running lengthwise with regards to the ship. The aircraft were parked on either side of the taxiway.

Eris was in the typhoon's hanger, working on her eagle interceptor jet, making sure it was tuned up and ready for combat. The aircraft's design resembled an eagle in flight, as the engineers took inspiration from themselves for the design. Eris looked between the weapon choices in front of her, debating switching out the eagle standard-issue chi blasters for more ubiquitous machine guns.

"Hey, wing girl!"

The eagle turned to see Laval walking up to her, always wearing his standard blue lion prince outfit, but he didn't have his golden armor on.

"Hey, fur boy!" Eris said, quickly adjusting some of her feathers, so she looked better in front of him.

"Say, why is the typhoon's hanger open on both ends?" Laval asked, looking from one end of the hanger bay to the other, noting both were open. Looking out one end, the lion could see the typhoon's bridge. Looking out the other end, he could see some artificial palm trees that lined the runway to provide some natural ambiance. Fortunately, they could be retracted in combat or for other reasons.

"It's so if a plane had to abort a landing, they can fly right through the hanger and turn around to try again."

"Oh, I wouldn't have thought of that."

As the lion drew closer, Eris hoped he could smell the perfume she had on. Judy had recommended it to her, hoping it didn't have adverse effects on evolved birds.

Laval didn't know what it was, but Eris definitely looked fantastic today. She also seemed to have a pleasant aroma, but he wasn't about to bring that up.

"Uh...Impressive." Laval said, pointing towards the silhouettes of Chinese jets tallied on the plane's skin near the cockpit.

"Oh, thanks. Do you do the same thing with your sword?"

"Nah, I've lost count by now. What are you working on?"

"Just tuning up my jet."

The eagle moved to a workbench nearby and put away some of the tools she had out.

"Trying to figure out if I should equip the machine guns or the chi blasters."

"Personally, I like chi based weaponry myself."

"Yeah, but bullets for the machine guns are easier to get ahold of. We'd need to travel back to Chima to get chi."

"We have plenty of chi for our weapons. How about you use the machine guns for one mission and see how it goes?"

"Alright, good thinking."

Eris picked up one of the machine guns, which was light enough for her to carry singlehandedly. It had to be light since it was going on an aircraft.

"Do you need help with that?" Laval asked as Eris walked over to her jet and slid the weapon into its emplacement on the aircraft.

"Get the other one, would you please?"

The lion picked up the other machine gun with ease and slid it into position, making sure to show off his strength in front of Eris. The eagle giggled and playfully tapped him with the wrench she had in her hand. After a bit of work, the machine guns were locked in place with bolts and screws so they wouldn't dislodge during flight.

"Alright," Eris said, wiping some sweat from her feathers, while Laval sat on a work table nearby. "All that's left to do is test it. Want to take it for a spin with me?"

"Sure!" The lion jumped up, and the pair climbed into the jet's cockpit.

Laval used their close proximity to lean in close and plant a gentle kiss on Eris's cheek, causing the eagle to blush.

"Let's see what this thing can do!"

Eris put the aircraft in hover mode and maneuvered out of the plane's storage space, lining up with the runway.

Without even leaving the hanger, Eris put the vehicle in flight mode and gunned the engines. The backblast was probably knocking over a few things in the hanger. The jet shot out of the hangar bay and lifted off into the sky.

Laval was honestly a little scared. Sometimes his eagle girlfriend's aerial acrobatics were a bit too adrenaline pumping for him.

"You ok sweetie?" Eris asked.

"Uh.... yeah... sure."

Eris zipped past some clouds before the aircraft began circling around a vast cloud. Laval held on tight as Eris turned the jet directly at the cloud and gunned it. The vehicle pierced right through the cloud and coming out the other end.

The eagle pilot then directed the aircraft down towards the ground.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Laval said as the marshland below got closer and closer. But Eris pulled up at the last second and glided over the water, the wings gently dipping into the calm surface of the water.

After a couple seconds of flying just above the waves, Eris pulled the jet up higher, slowed down, and started flying straight. Laval took a few deep breaths while Eris laughed.

"Too much for you?" She jested.

"I..... I'm fine...."

After a few minutes, Laval's heart stopped beating out of his chest, and he calmed down.

"So, how does it handle?" The lion asked.

"Very good. I should find somewhere to test the machine guns. Maybe there's an abandoned field or unprotected land nearby."

The radio suddenly came to life, with a voice speaking through it.

"Hero vehicle, you are entering restricted airspace. Leave immediately."

"Affirmative," Eris said, "moving to comply."

The eagle turned the jet and headed in a different direction.

"What was that about?" Laval asked.

"We're near Cape Canaveral; we must have accidentally strayed into airspace cordoned off for rocket or aircraft launches."

"Cape Canaveral? Isn't that where Toothdee and Alex are today?"

"Yep, look out the window; you might see them far off in the distance."

The lion scanned the outside with his keen eyes, spotting some buildings and runways. But then his eyes noted a launchpad, upon which a rocket was set up and ready to go. The rocket had a shuttle attached, and onboard were Toothdee and Alex. They were accompanied by a dozen or more Air Force personnel. They were dressed in white armored space suits with attached thrusters and carried ARX 160 rifles with various attachments.

The shuttle's cargo compartment had been modified into a troop compartment, which was stable enough to allow soldiers to travel in, sitting in specially designed seats with safety harnesses.

"I'm surprised they were able to get a suit whipped up for you."

"They just used the tail portion from a suit designed for wolves. Though it's kind of tight."

"Well, at least your tail won't freeze or boil off."

"True, it's worth it."

"So, are we doing anything to the Chinese space station? Or are we just securing it?"

"Far as I'm aware, just securing it. It's become a threat to our efforts in the war."

"I know, I know. It's not every day you get to battle in space."

"Yep, there's Chinese armed forces up there. But we can take them." Toothdee said, playfully tapping Alex.

"They're no match for us."

The intercom activated, and one of the pilots informed the crew that they were about to launch. The countdown began.

"T minus 10.... 9.... 8.... 7... 6...."

"Hang on tight," Toothdee said, gripping her safety harness.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Alex said.

The adrenaline was palpable as the countdown continued.

"5... 4.... 3.... 2..... 1.... main engine start, ignition, and liftoff!"

The vehicle shook and slowly began to move, leaving the ground and streaking up towards the heavens. A large plume of smoke trailed the rocket as it climbed higher and higher.

"Really gets the blood pumping." A cougar astronaut in the troop compartment said.

The flight was not incredibly long, and periodically the rocket detached some of its stages. The components would fall back to Earth for retrieval or would be burned up upon re-entry.

The shuttle was soon moving closer and closer towards the Chinese space station. The armed troops on board were almost certainly alerted to the approaching US forces.

"Approaching the Chinese space station." The intercom system said. "Prepare for battle."

The troops readied themselves, checking ammo and armor.

"Opening bay doors."

The shuttle cargo doors opened, with the white modules and blue solar panels of the Chinese space station clearly visible in front of the black background of space.

Once the bay doors were fully open, the troops disembarked their seats, grabbed their guns, and moved into battle. The Earth's blue and white surface was clearly visible, taking up an entire side of the visual field near the battle zone. The space shuttle also launched rather unsuspecting containers out into space.

"Engage thrusters! Behind the containers!" A gray wolf astronaut yelled, "they're bulletproof. Use them as cover. Some have ammo if you need it."

Two US astronauts were immediately gunned down by Chinese taikonauts. Their bodies went limp and floating in the vacuum of space. One astronaut was surrounded by the glass from where a bullet had gone through her helmet.

Alex and Toothdee advanced to one of the containers, followed by other astronauts. The two heroes took up firing positions and engaged, taking down a few taikonauts.

The astronauts advanced to the station proper, taking cover behind the numerous modules and components that made up the structure. Chinese forces continued to engage and continued to be gunned down as the US forces advanced. Bodies, equipment, and debris floated around the battle, leftover from the fierce fighting.

"Hostiles exiting the main hatches." A soldier said as hatches for mammals of all sizes opened on the station. More taikonauts emerged, weapons at the ready. Heroes approached the central command module, taking careful aim and firing at any hostiles they saw.

"Incoming!" Toothdee said. A mechanical construction arm used for assembling the station appeared and swung at the astronauts. The US forces quickly scattered to avoid the arm, but some were hit. Their helmets and suits ruptured, killing them. Some of the Chinese taikonauts were also hit and suffered the same fate. However, Alex and Toothdee were struck less violently, being sent flying through space directly above part of the station. Occasionally hitting the structure and tumbling along its surface.

The pair of heroes tried to steady themselves with their suit's thrusters as they bounced along an array of solar panels, debris, and wreckage surrounding the two. A few taikonauts continued to engage, bullets whizzing near the pair of heroes. Alex and Toothdee got their bearings and returned fire, hitting Chinese soldiers as they kept tumbling down the solar array. One hostile was crushed by debris from the station.

Once the enemy troops were down, Toothdee quickly stashed her rifle on her back and tried to grab hold of the station to stop herself. Her suit's thrusters weren't doing enough to slow her down. The young warrior's hands hit and bounced off multiple components on the station exterior. She hoped she could slow her velocity and stop before flying off the station and into the void. Eventually, Toothdee was able to grab onto a metal handle, instantly slowing herself to a stop. She reached up and grabbed Alex's hand as he flew overhead, preventing the human from going off into space.

"Oh shit," Toothdee said, as a large chunk of station debris moved towards them. If it hit them, they would be knocked off the station, or worse. Alex, still holding onto Toothdee with one hand, readied his rifle with his other hand. The captain opened fire and destroyed the chunk of debris, breaking it into harmless pieces.

Toothdee pulled Alex towards her, allowing him to grab hold of the station exterior, and the pair readied themselves.

"Thanks for that." The captain said, reloading his weapon.

"Don't mention it. Now let's try going at the central command module again."

The heroes let go of the station and began to once more maneuver through space with their thrusters. Wreckage from the battle surrounded the area, the pair moved through the various containers and debris, using them as cover. A few more Chinese soldiers appeared and engaged but were quickly eliminated by accurate gunfire.

During combat, bullets tore through nearby solar panels, sending small shards of the panels flying through the space around the battle.

Heroes moved towards a fuel module that contained a mixture of both fuel and oxygen, used for resupplying spacecraft.

"Hit that fuel line." Captain Boehm said.

Toothdee fired some rounds at the pipe on the station exterior, and it detonated. The blast scorched some Chinese soldiers nearby and sent others flying off into space. The heroes grabbed onto part of the station and continued to move towards the central command module.

"Watch out!" Alex yelled, taking cover as another mechanical construction arm swung overhead, hitting a taikonaut and breaking her helmet.

"Target the joints!" Toothdee said, aiming and opening fire. Alex engaged as well, using his thrusters to dodge the arm, which moved to attack again. Sparks flew, and the arm spasmed as it sustained damage. Alex and Toothdee backed away to avoid the wild swings of the arm, which convulsed and soon stopped moving entirely.

"I think it's down," Alex said.

"Then let's move up to that central module."

The two heroes advanced, and Alex provided cover. At the same time, Toothdee planted an explosive charge on the central module, next to a series of windows.

"That should still work up here, right?" Alex asked.

"Only one way to find out," Toothdee said, arming the charge before the 2 retreated back to a safe distance.

The charge detonated, blowing off part of the space station module, sending people and cargo out into the icy vacuum. Seizing the initiative, Alex and Toothdee leaped into the breach. The heroes shot a few Chinese mammals in space suits who had managed to grab hold of something to avoid being sucked out of the station. Toothdee grabbed a small, otter taikonaut and tossed him out through the breach, leaving him floating through the vacuum of space.

"Clear!" Alex said as the pair flipped up the tinted black visors on their helmets. "Let's advance into the station interior."

The pair moved through an interior airlock as the voice of a US astronaut came through the radio.

"Heroes, we are entering the station."

"Affirmative." Toothdee said, "we're already inside. Check your targets."

"Acknowledged Heroes."

The pair advanced further into the station, entering the next module. As they entered, 2 Chinese mammals jumped them, grabbing their guns and wrestling with the heroes. A tiger taikonaut grabbed Alex. The two spun around in the zero-gravity environment, wrestling each other to control Alex's rifle. The Heroes captain used his strength to push and aim the rifle's barrel at the tiger's head before pulling the trigger.

The hostile taikonaut flew backward and slammed against the station wall while Toothdee finished off the other mammal.

"Come on, we should be just about done," Alex said, moving to open a door on the opposite end of the room.

Heroes advanced, entering the next room, taking aim at some more Chinese soldiers. But before they could fire, an explosion went off near the Chinese, causing everyone and everything inside the room to be sucked out into the vacuum.

Alex held onto his rifle and covered his face as he crashed through a solar panel. He spun around and deliberately bumped into some soft looking cargo containers to slow himself. Eventually landing feet first on a large chunk of the station & stopping himself. Toothdee was thrown against a piece of debris, using her arms to cushion the blow. She readjusted herself and slowed down with her thrusters, landing right next to Alex.

"What was that?" Toothdee asked, pulling down her visor. But before the captain could answer, Toothdee pointed towards something nearby. Alex turned around and saw 2 red fox astronauts advancing on 3 taikonauts positioned on a piece of wreckage.

2 of the Chinese troopers engaged with rifles, one being human, the other being a panda. The third trooper, also human, readied a rocket launcher and fired. The projectile passed between the 2 US troopers. But, instead of going past them, it detonated, the explosion killing both US astronauts.

"Ok, that is going to be a problem," Toothdee said.

"I think that thing might have a detonation trigger on the launcher," Alex said, flipping down his visor. "Or maybe a proximity trigger."

"Makes sense. We're in space. The operator has to detonate the warhead somehow."

The pair surveyed the field of wreckage in front of them. Cargo containers, shards of solar panels, and parts of the station structure littered the area. Debris of all sizes floated in the vacuum, creating a haphazard landscape of random wreckage.

"I'll sneak around using the debris as cover and hit them from behind." Captain Boehm said. "You draw their fire."

"On it."

"And try not to get killed."

Toothdee engaged the Chinese soldiers, sticking to cover. The rocket trooper aimed and fired, but Toothdee shot the projectile and harmlessly detonated it while the object was traveling.

Alex carefully snuck behind a large part of the station's exterior skin. While the enemy troops were distracted, he moved between a large hole in the skin. He continued onwards towards a damaged solar array, using it to hide from enemy sight.

Toothdee took up position behind a cargo container and managed to take out the human trooper armed with a rifle with a careful shot. But her lack of movement while taking this shot allowed the rocket trooper to launch another projectile. Toothdee pushed against the container she was on and launched herself upwards. The rocket hit the box and blew it to pieces, but not the young warrior.

But Toothdee was now in an exposed position.

Luckily captain Boehm had just gotten behind the 2 remaining soldiers and maneuvered up behind them with his thrusters.

"Hello."

The captain sprayed the soldiers with gunfire, instantly taking down the rocket trooper. He finished off the last trooper, the panda, with a kick to the face, which broke the taikonaut's helmet.

"Heroes, be advised, the station is secure."

"Affirmative, we're here." Toothdee said, "It looks like we did it, Alex."

"Not bad for combat in a unique environment." Alex said, "We better get a medal for this."

0 notes