#champions au: garden path | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

lunarsands · 5 months

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ESMP S1 Fanfic - A Garden's Path - Ch 1

Characters: Mythical Sausage, Scott Smajor, Bubbles the Dog, Sir Carlos, appearances by the rest of the cast of Empires SMP S1, featuring blaze-hybrid emperor TangoTek, and introducing: The Children of Mythland (specific characters to be tagged when they appear in each chapter)

Relationships: MythicalSausage/Scott Smajor, LDShadowlady/Smallishbeans, Shubble/Katherine Elizabeth, TangoTek & SolidarityGaming

Tags: Empires SMP S1 AU, scosage, adoption, fluff, wholesome, so much wholesome fluff you would not believe, a bit of angst here and there, Sausage has a few nightmares for Plot reasons, acknowledgement of amputation (not sure how else to tag that but just in case)

WARNINGS: fantasy racism (human v elf), loss of parent (with adoption inevitably comes orphans), minor character death in a later chapter

Chapter Summary: Sausage and Scott set out to Rivendell to start visiting orphanages, hoping to find a child who won't mind their differences. It ends up not being Sausage's prosthetic arm that is off putting, and yet it turns out they don't even have to worry about traveling elsewhere when they meet two young boys who are not only simply curious, but also a perfect match when it comes to compassion and magic.

(Also available on Ao3!)

[ Prologue ]

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Chapter One – The First Princes

Dressed in plain travel clothes and with an overnight bag on hand in case they needed to stay in Rivendell for any extra time, Scott and Sausage stepped up into the simple carriage devoid of any official heraldry that waited in the stable yard. They settled in across from each other as the carriage began to move, and for about the tenth time that morning Sausage adjusted the partial shirt sleeve over the top end of his prosthetic, trying to get it to lay just right.

“Nervous?” Scott asked.

“A little. I hope this thing doesn’t scare too many of them.”

“It’s your arm, plain and simple. Just think of it that way.”

“Maybe I should have asked fWhip for a full sleeve cover or at least a glove.”

“I remember him saying things like that could get caught in the struts or the gears when you move.”

“Well, I could just hold it still in that case.”

“What if one of the children wants a hug? You would need to move it then.” Scott smiled, knowing the magic word.

“Oh! Oh, yeah, that is true.”

“So nervous, you forgot about things like that. It will be all right, Sausage. This is you now. Just be yourself. There doesn’t have to be any final decisions today, either. We have time.”

“You’re right, you’re right.” He stopped fussing with the sleeve and gazed out the window for a while instead. When they passed the final border into Rivendell territory he began to absently rub at his right shoulder. He was still at it when the carriage stopped. Scott gently pulled his hand away and gave him a reassuring smile before exiting onto the dirt road.

A large cottage with a moss-dotted roof and matching extension to the right side sat in a slightly overgrown grassy field. Further down the road the rest of the village was visible, but the area certainly gave the orphanage a spacious feeling. Sausage tugged at his cloak as he followed Scott to the door where they were greeted by two elven women who spoke warmly in Elvish at first – Scott translated that they were grateful the couple had safely arrived and that they were welcome to come inside and walk around.

As they entered, one of the women did a doubletake upon seeing Sausage’s right arm but she only offered a sympathetic smile afterward. Relieved to have passed that much judgement, they continued further into the building where a large classroom was set up. Most of the space was clear of furniture so the younger children could play with toys on the floor while some of the older ones were seated at desks by the far wall with books or actual classwork. Scott remained near the door, chatting away in Elvish, while Sausage ventured into the room, making sure not to startle any of the children with his approach.

He smiled when some of the little ones looked up at him, giving a small wave with his left hand, then stepped closer to start offering comments on their toys. However, a few of the older children suddenly came over and pulled the smaller ones away while giving wary looks – but it was the side of his head they were looking at, not his arm.

Sausage brought his left hand up to trace the outside curve of his ear, realizing that him being a human was more of a concern than the appearance of his arm. He lowered his hand and turned toward the blackboard, pretending to study the words written there as if what had just happened hadn’t bothered him. He recognized a few of the letters and knew the sounds that went with them from what Scott had begun to teach him. Just to take his mind off the less-than-welcoming reception, he muttered a few out loud. “Lah-ela-ha. Sen dra-ah-din. Te…Tehn. Si-veh…”

“Almost got it,” said a voice to his right. “We’re learning constellation names. The accent can be hard on some of the syllables.”

Sausage glanced down to see a boy with a warm umber complexion, tightly curled orange hair, and amber eyes, who then reached up to tap one of the words. Another boy, pale-skinned with longer, dark green hair and light blue eyes stood behind him. “Sieveh.”

Sausage repeated the word, trying to imitate the melodic sound. The boy shook his head. Sausage tried again, then chuckled. “Sorry, I need more practice. I just started learning.”

“That’s okay. Common is hard to learn sometimes, too.” The orange-haired boy nodded sagely. “By the way, I’m Azahar. I’m eleven years old. This is my best friend, Elowen. He’s nine.” It came out sounding rehearsed. “It’s very nice to meet you, sir.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too. My name is Sausage. I’m here with my husband, Scott.” He pointed toward the door with his right hand, being the side closer to it.

Azahar nudged the younger boy and said quietly, “I told you it worked like a normal one.”

Elowen nodded enthusiastically then piped up, “Excuse me, can I ask about your arm? It looks really cool! Have you always had it?”

Relieved that they were interested over intimidated, Sausage gave a patient smile. “You can, and thank you. I think it’s cool, too. It’s actually pretty new.”

“Can I touch it?” Elowen asked, and Azahar nodded as well.

“Um, sure. Just be careful of the wiring and those overlapping parts there, they might pinch your finger.” Sausage got down on one knee so his prosthetic was closer, stretching out his fingers so they could get a look at the mechanics of his hand, too. He turned it over as they cautiously poked at some of the metal.

Azahar began looking over the parts connecting to his upper arm but refrained from lifting the partial sleeve. “Can I ask what happened to your real arm?”

An amusing thought popped into Sausage’s head. “A dragon ate it during a fight!”

“Whaaaat?” Azahar’s eyes went wide.

“That’s even cooler!” Elowen exclaimed. “Did it hurt when the dragon bit it?”

“Yes, but I have a friend who is good with healing magic and she helped me.”

“Did you try to get it back?” Azahar asked.

“No, the dragon really wanted it for lunch.”

“Where did you get this one?” was the orange-haired boy’s next question.

“A friend who invents lots of cool stuff made it for me.”

“How does it wo—”

“What happened to the dragon?” Elowen cried, interrupting. Azahar didn’t seem to mind, and was actually looking happy to see the younger boy so engaged.

“Well, I had to take a break from fighting because that was also my sword arm, but my friends defeated it.”

Elowen was beaming, although still attempted to be a little quiet as he said, “I could have a dad who fights dragons? That’s so cool…”

“Two, actually. He helped me.” Sausage pointed again to Scott, who had noticed the exchange going on and was now walking over. “Scott, this is Azahar and Elowen. We were just chatting about dragon battles.” He gave a quick wink.

Azahar asked something in Elvish, to which Scott laughed and spoke a reply where the only word Sausage understood was brave. Then Scott switched to Common. “So, boys, I hear it’s lunchtime soon. Would you like to sit with us and talk some more? Besides about his fascinating arm?” He grinned, directing the look mostly at Sausage.

“Yeah!!” Elowen cried, then ran back to the desk he had previously been sitting at.

“We have to put away our schoolwork before eating,” Azahar explained. He glanced after Elowen, then gave the two adults something of a sad smile and looked up at Scott in particular. “His eyes are like yours.” Then he walked back to his own desk.

Sausage and Scott traded glances and then started toward the door. Scott asked quietly, “Did – Did you tell them we were only looking for one?”

“No, it didn’t come up,” Sausage answered. “They just wanted to know about my arm. Both of them,” he abruptly marveled. “And neither seem to mind that I’m human, which…the others do care about.”

“Maybe we’ve gotten lucky that there are two who are accepting of the situation,” Scott murmured thoughtfully.

“I think Azahar was trying to make sure we at least choose Elowen. They’re already close friends…”

“We could take both…”

“Let’s see how lunch goes. Maybe… just to make sure they’ll be okay with other stuff about us – uh, aside from that part about where we live. Ahem. We could talk about some other things besides the obvious. Do you want to show them some ice magic, to be on the safe side?”

“I could. Let me talk to the lead caretaker.” Scott broke off to wave at one of the women, while Sausage wandered further from the classroom door, not wanting to be a disruption when the children left for their lunch at wherever the eating area was.

As an accommodation some food was brought to him, Scott, Azahar, and Elowen in the classroom so they could talk without stares from the others. The boys asked about things like their adventures and hobbies, while Scott and Sausage volunteered as much information as they could without giving away their full identities. Azahar grew increasingly more involved when it became obvious that they were both being considered together.

Scott revealed a few tricks he could do with conjured ice magic, making the boys even more curious and intrigued, leading to questions of whether they would be allowed to learn magic. It was agreed that it could be included in their education, prompting them to promise they would do their very best at all their studies and then they showed off some of that day’s classwork.

Not long after that, the boys were sent to pack up their belongings while Scott and Sausage finalized documents with the lead caretaker. She eyed the official seal of Mythland that Sausage placed after his name before hiding the stamp back in his pocket. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell them who you really are before you leave?” she asked in Common.

“We’re certain,” Scott replied. “We’re just two fathers starting a family.” He did trade another glance with Sausage, however. “If for any reason it doesn’t work out, we’ll do the right thing and let you know. But we both hope the next you hear will be about them settling in at their new home.”

When they met the boys at the door, they each took a bag to carry for them, letting Azahar and Elowen run ahead to the carriage, where they none-too-quietly speculated about the size and style belonging to a noble, and asking if it had been rented for the trip since Sausage had told them over lunch that they would be travelling a fair distance to get home. Once their bags were stowed they inspected the interior, having never been inside an enclosed carriage before. Scott and Sausage sat together and watched them with amusement at their curiosity, fielding more questions as the journey home began.

The boys eventually settled down, each taking a side to stare out the windows as the scenery changed from the familiar lands of Rivendell’s climate to the different hills and fields of the neighboring empires. When the first outlying settlements of Mythland came into view, Sausage reached for Scott’s hand with his left, seeking a little reassurance for his nerves.

“Are those giant mushrooms?” Azahar asked, peering out the window at an angle as if to look up under the plant’s cap. “I’ve seen this kind of forest in a book before, it looks amazing up close!”

“We can take a walk out to see some tomorrow,” Sausage suggested. “You’ll be able to see them from the – house, too, when we’re actually home. This is just the outskirts of where we live.”

Elowen looked over with wide eyes. “How big is this forest? It just keeps going! There’s no mountains anywhere!”

Sausage chuckled. “The forest of Mythland is mostly flat, but you’ll be able to see more when the trees thin out.”

The boys went back to watching the outside pass by, having the occasional comment but staying calm until the carriage finally rolled into the main city. Then Elowen gasped and beckoned Azahar over to his side. “Look, look! There’s a big castle!”

“Whoa! Are we going to go past it? Who lives there?”

Sausage couldn’t contain a grin. “We do, and now so do you.”

Azahar turned a look of disbelief toward him. “Wait, that means you… are nobles? So, you own this carriage?”

“Well, not just any nobles,” Scott said, grinning as well. “Our official titles are Lord Sausage of Mythland and King Regnant Scott.”

“K-King? …W-Wait, that means we’re…” Azahar looked at Elowen and wondered if he understood the implications.

“You are the new princes of Mythland,” Scott declared warmly.

Azahar sat back against the seat, digesting the news while Elowen seemed to still be working things out. “So…my new dads fight dragons and are kings of a whole big place with giant mushrooms and no mountains… This is kinda weird but it’s still cool!”

Azahar gave a little laugh and patted his friend-turned-brother on the head. “So, are we supposed to call you ‘Lord’ and ‘King’, um, ‘King Regnant’, too? I don’t know how being a prince is supposed to work except what’s in fairy tales.”

“You can just call us Dad,” Scott indicated himself, then pointed at Sausage, “And Papa, if you like. Or just our regular names. Titles are for use outside the family. You’ll meet some of our friends who go by names like Count fWhip and the Wizard GeminiTay. fWhip was the one who created Sausage’s prosthetic arm. He’ll be like an uncle to you. You’ll see him around because that arm needs regular maintenance, so you’ll see it when he’s not wearing it, too.”

“I hope that won’t bother either of you?” Sausage put in.

The boys shook their heads and Azahar replied, “We’ve seen – what’s it called – ampu…tees? Before. There are some old veterans in our village. But none of them have anything like that.”

“It’s a fWhip original,” Sausage explained, and then began to think of asking the inventor if he was interested in doing similar projects.

Scott had more he wanted to tell them, but at that moment the carriage came to a halt. “Here we are,” he said instead. “Mythland Castle. I am going to ask that you not run around right away. It’s a big place and you could maybe get lost.”

“We won’t, sir—uh, Dad.” Azahar paused then gave a delighted smile at being able to say the word. He helped Elowen get down from the carriage and held his hand to make sure he didn’t start wandering off, since the younger boy was already looking around in fascination.

Sausage followed next and took all of the bags as Scott handed them out to him. Then all four of them went up the steps to start a tour of the boys’ new home. One of the first stops was their bedrooms, down the hall from the royal chambers, and Sausage was now glad he had the foresight to clear a second room previously intended for guests.

However, the boys looked very confused by the options, each staring into the same room, with Elowen questioning, “Where’s my bed?”

“You can each have your own room!” Sausage pointed to the other doorway. “See, there’s another right across from here.”

“No, I wanna be in his room.” Elowen suddenly clung to Azahar’s arm.

The older boy spoke quietly to him in Elvish, and Scott flashed a sympathetic look as he overheard, then Azahar asked, “Can we share one for now? I’ll help move a bed over if you need me to.”

“Don’t worry! I’ll get it,” Sausage chirped, and set down the bags to bustle about in the second room, removing the bedding. Scott directed the boys to stand to the side and went to help him, and a short while later they had rearranged the agreed upon room to accommodate everything. They left the bags to be unpacked later and continued the tour, which included the library, treasury, dining hall, and a stop off in the courtyard for an introduction to Bubbles, which lead to more delight from the boys when they were offered a chance to run around with her.

Sausage told them that she had her own castle to look after but she visited often, so she was their dog to play with, too. Bubbles gave her approval of the children – not that Sausage ever thought she would doubt his decision in the matter. Not long after, he joined in the running around, pretending Bubbles was a scary beast that required fleeing, with extra flee. At one point he hoisted Elowen onto his shoulders, getting him out of range as Bubbles feigned nipping at his ankles. She jumped repeatedly, not getting much higher than Sausage’s stomach, causing Elowen to laugh.

Azahar, meanwhile, drifted over to where Scott sat on a bench watching with his own joy at seeing Sausage having such unrestrained fun. He commented to the older boy, “You’ve been watching out for him for a while, haven’t you?”

“He was really shy when he first got there. I don’t know what happened to his family, but I wanted to help.”

“I heard you were there for a long time.”

“Yeah. I just wanted the littler kids to get a home. I thought I could just, you know, grow up there, and work there. That seemed okay.”

Scott’s heart broke a little at hearing the tone of his voice, the weight of too much knowledge for his age. “If that’s something you would like to do when you’re grown up, we’ll support you. But you’re allowed to be a kid right now, and we’re here to look after Elowen now, too. So go play some more.” He turned a kind smile to him.

“No, let him have Papa to himself for a while. I’d like to sit here with you, Dad.” Azahar returned the smile and sat down. For the next hour or so they simply chatted in Elvish while Sausage and Elowen tired themselves out chasing or being chased by Bubbles.

~*~

Later, after dinner, the boys returned to their room to unpack their things. Azahar had a few of his favorite books that he placed across the top of his dresser. Elowen held up a picture book of his own, which the older boy smiled at and put next to his. Then he helped Elowen organize his clothes before hopping up on his bed to think about the day’s events.

Elowen took a slightly ragged-looking teddy bear out of his bag and climbed up next to Azahar, hugging the doll as he, too, thought about things. “Do you think they’re going to let us stay?”

“I think they’re very happy to have us. Papa is… different, and the other kids didn’t like that.”

“But he’s nice! And a lot of fun! And he has Bubbles!”

Azahar chuckled. “Well, we didn’t know about Bubbles before, either.”

“He let me ask all those things and didn’t get mad and was nice at our home. I don’t know why everybody else didn’t want to talk to him. They didn’t even try to ask him anything!”

“I’ll explain it to you later. Are you going to sleep in your own bed, or do you want me to tuck you in over here?”

“Umm… Can I stay here?” Elowen squirmed. “This place is nice but it’s… kinda scary, too?”

“Well, it’s a lot bigger than we’re used to, and it is a castle.” Azahar went over to get an extra pillow from the other bed, then arranged the blanket over Elowen and smirked. “There might even be ghosts hiding in some secret passage!”

“Nooo! That’s too scary!”

The older boy laughed. “Don’t worry, our dads are brave heroes, remember? They wouldn’t let ghosts or anything else hurt you. We’re their family now, right?” He climbed back onto the bed and made himself comfortable, letting the younger boy snuggle against him for familiarity’s sake.

“So, if we’re princes now, do we have some kind of job we have to do?”

“I don’t know. You can ask tomorrow. But I think we just get to be kids, and run around and have fun like you did today.”

“Okay. … … I’m gonna be extra good, just in case. I wanna stay here.”

Meanwhile, down the hall, the two newly minted fathers were also settling in for the night. Scott picked a stray leaf out from under a strut on Sausage’s prosthetic as he put it away. He looked at the leaf with amusement as he twirled the stem between his fingers, then set it on the windowsill before turning to his side of the bed.

Sausage was already laying down and gazing at the ceiling, then he looked over at Scott. “We have kids now. Two kids. Two… sons.”

“I know. I was there.”

“H— come on, now! Don’t ruin the moment!”

Scott laughed lightly. “I’m sorry. You did seem to be having a lot of fun out there.”

“I’ve ended up always being too busy to play with Bubbles most of the time. But today it felt different, anyway.”

“Now you have someone to share that with you, and meeting Bubbles was like a new experience for them, too.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Sausage went back to staring at the ceiling for a few minutes, then said, “I hope they’ll want to stay. Mythland is going to be different for them.”

Scott thought back to some things Azahar had told him. “It’s something of an adventure for them. Give it some time and we’ll find out how they feel. But I think we made the right choice.”

~*~

Over breakfast the next morning the boys were more subdued and being extraneously polite, with a few ‘sir’s slipping out as food was passed along the table. Sausage cast a couple of worried glances at Scott, who wanted to assure him that they were still adjusting but didn’t want to say it out loud in case it might make them feel like they were doing something wrong.

Finally, it was Elowen who broke the tension. “Excuse me, I wanna ask ‘cause Azahar didn’t know – do we have to do anything special because we’re princes now? Do princes have jobs? I know they rescue girls sometimes but that’s always in stories! What do they really do?”

“Well,” Scott replied, “Princes your age don’t have to worry about jobs yet. You might learn some things about the work we do when you’re older, but even I was only a prince until I married your papa. My brother, who is now also your uncle, has the job of a ruler, and I would only help out if he needed it.”

Azahar waved his fork. “So, if you lived in Rivendell instead of here, we would still be princes?”

“That’s right. Your whole family is royalty.” Scott smiled, feeling that he got past the technicality of having also been a king elsewhere. “Sausage does most of the work because this is his kingdom. The only work you have to do is your studies. We’ll set something up in the library later for that, but this morning we can all go out for a walk or look around the castle more if you like.”

Then Elowen remembered. “The giant mushrooms!”

Sausage nodded, also recalling the boys’ fascination from the day before. “There are some right behind the castle. We’ll go out after everyone is done here.”

Elowen excitedly began eating faster to finish his breakfast, although Azahar quietly reminded him to not eat too fast.

On the way out they ran into Bubbles, so the boys had another good run through the trees until they came across one of the giant mushrooms, which they inspected and made a brief attempt to climb. This time Scott was the one to lift Elowen on his shoulders to reach the underside of the mushroom’s cap, with Azahar watching from below while Sausage had a word with Bubbles.

Apparently, there was something important she needed him for, so after helping Elowen down from Scott’s shoulders, Sausage excused himself but promised to meet back up with them for lunch. The three elves walked for a little while so Scott could show them some of the paths that led either to other outside parts of the castle or into town, then they headed back inside for the remainder of the tour they hadn’t finished the previous day.

They ended at the library, with Scott saying, “I have someone else for you to meet who will help with some of your studies. Please wait here while I go get him.” He held the door open and the boys began to wander around to get a better look at the inside of the library. Elowen hopped up on one of the armchairs by the fireplace, glancing at the books someone had left on the table beside it, while Azahar went to the nearest bookshelf and looked at some of the titles.

Scott returned a few minutes later with some paper and quills tucked under one arm, and the boys were extremely confused to see that he was being followed by a… chicken. A chicken wearing armor with red and yellow heraldry, but still very much a chicken. “Boys, this is Sir Carlos. He’ll be teaching you Mythland’s history and helping with some other lessons.”

Sir Carlos tilted his head at each of the boys in turn, then clucked and said, “Young master Azahar, young master Elowen, it is a pleasure to meet you. I understand your studies center on Rivendell, so I will include that in your lessons. You are welcome to ask any questions about Mythland and I will do my best to answer.”

The two boys couldn’t help staring. Sir Carlos clucked quietly, then sighed. “Yes, I am currently a talking chicken. No, I wasn’t always a chicken. Your… papa has endeavored to return me to my original form but the spell was cast so long ago that it has been lost to time. I have gone on several quests to find the solution, and yes, I will tell you about them, but that will come later. Sire,” he nodded to Scott, who motioned for the boys to join him at one of the reading tables, where he set out the paper and quills, with one set of each for himself, as well.

Sir Carlos flapped his wings and got himself up onto a chair, then onto the table where he began to walk back and forth. “Firstly, tell me about your schoolwork so far, then we will choose a curriculum from there.”

Scott explained the concept of a curriculum in Elvish, then proceeded to help, translate, and take notes of his own. He and Sir Carlos soon had a general list, and then it was Azahar who reminded them about the possibility of learning magic. That one was out of Sir Carlos’ realm of expertise, but Scott decided he could get them started on some of the casting forms for ice magic, while another tutor would be needed for other types.

A little while later Sausage returned from the business with Bubbles for lunch as promised. He put in his thoughts on school lessons and agreed to sit in on the ones about Mythland’s history when the boys asked if he could tell them stories about their new home, too.

~*~

Extra-curricular lessons ended up diverging after a few days, however, when Scott was teaching them how to shape spell sigils in the air and, while Elowen was able to get it on the second try, Azahar struggled – with not a wisp of spell energy being conjured. It soon became clear that he simply didn’t have the propensity for magic. Sausage stepped in and offered to begin his sword fighting training early so that he would have something to do while Scott helped Elowen develop his burgeoning skills; Azahar was, of course, happy for his brother, especially because it looked like ice magic could be his specialty, and it gave them each a different way to bond with their new fathers.

What he lacked in magic he made up for with agility and analysis while using a blade, quickly picking up on the forms, if not yet having the strength to back up his strikes – although those, too, were only meant as examples, and Sausage didn’t push him too hard during practice. He enjoyed the chance to spend time with Azahar, though, getting to know him and making up for the slight lack he felt about not being able to hold full conversations in Elvish like Scott. The boy, in turn, helped him work on learning the language in between their own lessons and Sausage’s kingly duties that kept him busy.

Around three weeks later, everyone seemed to have settled nicely into their new routine, and there were no more worries on either side about whether things would work out. The boys were out playing in the garden with Bubbles during an afternoon off from lessons. Scott sat reading a book and occasionally glanced up when they ran by, although it was something mentioned in the book that made him get up and wander off in search of Sausage.

He found him where he expected to, standing over a desk sorting through a wide assortment of papers with requests from around the kingdom. Scott leaned on the doorway, tapping the spine of the book against his chin. “Sausage, I was just reminded of something. Do you remember how old you were at your debut gala?”

“Ummm, I think maybe I was ten.”

“Oh. It’s different for the elven court. But since this is Mythland, we could start thinking about having one for Azahar soon, since we missed that window.”

“Well, I think my parents waited for one reason or another. Considering the stories, they might have been waiting out a curse or something.” He laughed but cut himself off. “Uhm, maybe it’s not that funny actually, eh-heh. Okay, well, we could just make our own tradition. Split the difference and have one now for both of them, instead of introducing them separately. That might…actually work out better for Elowen, you know? I noticed he, um, gets a bit clingy toward Azahar when new people are around.”

“That’s true,” Scott agreed quietly. “I do like the idea overall. It might be easier on them to experience that part of royal life if they’re sharing a special day.”

“How big are we going to make this thing? Mine was open to the whole kingdom because I was the sole prince at that point. I don’t want to put too much pressure on them.” Sausage then added in a mutter, “Also, remember what happened at that one party after the wedding…”

“I think we’ll at most invite our friends, with the rulers of all the empires being a courteous necessity. It isn’t a secret to our kingdom anyway, but this will be one of those official introduction things.”

“Okay!” Sausage grinned and pushed all the missives into one pile, then took out a fresh sheet of paper and a drafting pencil. Then he began to rattle off fancy phrasing in an ostentatious voice, “Dearest friends, allies, and others, you are hereby invited…”

Scott chuckled as he continued with an exaggerated courtly tone and waited until he was done writing to pluck the pencil from his hand, turn the paper around, and start adding decorative flourishes around the border.

~*~

Everyone had just settled down for breakfast when Sausage announced, “Lessons today will come later, boys. We have an appointment at the tailor shop for something special.” He couldn’t help throwing an excited look at Scott. “We decided we’re going to have a special party for you that royal families hold when introducing a new child to the kingdom called a debut gala. Usually, it’s for one child at a time – well, unless there are twins or triplets, or something – but we’re going to have it for both of you at the same time, so you can share it. We thought you would prefer that.” He smiled gently at Elowen, whose eyes had gone as big as saucers.

Azahar seemed to be fighting back some tears of his own. Then he blurted out, “That – That sounds like it really makes things official! That we… we really do get to stay!”

Now Sausage and Scott traded alarmed looks, and the latter said with concern, “Of course you’re staying! You’re our sons. I – I’m sorry if anything in the last few weeks made you think we weren’t going to keep you.”

Sausage abruptly stood, nearly knocking his chair down, and hurried over to enfold Azahar in a hug. “We - We’ve been worried you might not want to stay, because things are different here, and we’re a little different, but… we love having you here with us! We want you as our family.” He tried to convey his sincerity without squeezing the boy too hard with his metal arm.

Elowen let out a sort of squawk and ran around the table to throw his arms around Scott. “We love you, too! I told Azahar I would behave really good because I really wanted to stay! I’ll keep being really good! A big party sounds scary but I still wanna be a prince!”

Scott gently patted Elowen’s back. “It’s not going to be too big. We’re inviting just our friends and other rulers so they’ll know we have more family now. It will be a bit fancy, but you still don’t have to worry about knowing everything about being a prince. You’ll be introduced to everyone by name, then everyone dances and has some food, and they might ask you some things to get to know you a little. We’ll be right there if you’re not sure about something, or even if it is a little scary.”

Sausage returned to his seat after straightening the chair. “And there’s one more thing: you’ll each get your own special crown! Not like my silly old thing, but something nice that you can wear whenever you want, or not at all – unless there is another fancy event that you’d like to go to.”

Azahar asked curiously, “Then, what will they look like?”

Sausage grinned. “It’s a surprise. But you do get to pick out the outfit and colors you want to wear for it! We’ll head out after breakfast, so eat up!”

As with almost all of the recent trips into town, such as the last time they had gone out to get the boys some new clothes in general, the more people they passed the more Elowen retreated into himself. He clung to Azahar’s hand and shied away against him despite the warm greetings from citizens who were merely happy to see their king and his husband out among them. By the third instance of a shopkeeper attempting to draw a smile from the shy boy, Sausage fell in beside Elowen and offered his left hand for him to also hold, acting as a second barrier to what was meant as politeness, yet was obliviousness on the part of the outgoing citizens.

By the time they reached the tailor’s shop, Elowen had begun to peek around with more curiosity toward his surroundings. Inside, the tailor also greeted them kindly before bustling off to the back room. He returned a moment later with an assistant and a small basket. From it he took three bobby pins with tassels made from metallic string on the ends. He gestured for Scott to lean forward, then he slid a pin with a red tassel into his hair near his ear, then turned to smile at the boys. Azahar accepted a gold one threaded carefully into his hair, while for Elowen the tailor knelt and gently slipped a silver one onto the cuff of his shirt sleeve.

Elowen looked at the tassel dangling from his cuff and the tailor lightly flicked it to make it sway. Elowen smiled and began playing with it, neatly distracted. The tailor then moved to get a tape measure from the basket and took Azahar’s measurements, with the older boy following instructions for how to stand and when to hold out his arms. When it was Elowen’s turn, the tailor asked him to hold out the tassel in different ways, effectively getting him to make the same poses for measuring.

The next step was picking out the style of outfit they wanted. The assistant brought out some examples, which were decidedly on the Mythland side of fashion. Seeing that both of the boys were uncertain, Sausage suggested they could get the same thing in different colors. Azahar glanced at Scott a few times then asked if they could get something similar to his elven tunic with a Mythland-style doublet over it (after he figured out what the clothing pieces were called).

At that point Elowen began to clutch at the tassel instead of still playing with it. Sausage held out his hand again, and now the boy practically buried himself in his papa’s cloak. The tailor cast a sympathetic look at Sausage and Scott, then quietly asked if Elowen would like to touch the fabrics; he didn’t even have to choose one, it was okay for him to just see what they all felt like.

Elowen nodded, and soon he and Sausage were walking through the shop patting at the assorted bolts of fabric with Sausage commenting how soft one was or how the textured pattern on another was weird, getting Elowen to laugh a few times.

Azahar smiled after them, then turned his own attention to choosing something he liked. He eventually settled on scarlet and yellow, hoping to lend significance to the colors of Mythland’s banner as his new home. After some gentle coaxing from Sausage, Elowen went back around and patted some dark blue fabric to indicate his choice.

With everything settled and a follow up day for a fitting agreed upon, they set off back home. Elowen was quiet the entire way and only relaxed once they were on the castle grounds. Instead of departing right away to tend to daily work, Sausage nodded meaningfully to Scott, then nodded toward Elowen as the boy seemed to meander aimlessly away whereas Azahar set off immediately toward the library for the expected delayed lessons.

Sausage moved to Elowen’s side with Scott a step behind. “Elowen, can we talk out in the garden for a moment?”

The boy glanced around for a second, but not seeing Azahar for reassurance, he silently nodded then lowered his head. Sausage gently took his hand and the three of them walked down to the doors leading to the securely walled-in outside area. Once there, Elowen continued to look at the ground. “Sorry if I didn’t act like a brave prince should today. I’m… I’m…” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “I get scared sometimes…”

Sausage lowered himself to one knee to get closer to eye level. “You know what? It’s okay if being around a lot of strangers makes you nervous. All those people out there were happy to see us, and they’ll be nice to you, but if you’re nervous about it, you just tell one of us, and we’ll be right there to keep you safe. We don’t expect you to be brave all the time. I mean, we appreciate if you be a polite young elf, of course. But if there’s something you want to talk about so we can help things not be so scary…” He attempted to drop a hint without being pushy. He couldn’t help wondering if something in the boy’s past had contributed to this.

Scott, however, was the one to pick up on the hint. He placed his hands on Elowen’s shoulders. “Um. We’ll listen and help you with anything, but you don’t even have to talk about it right now. We just want you to know that as your dads, we’re here for you.”

Sausage smiled up at Scott with a sheepish look, realizing he was softening the potential pushiness. Sausage then placed his right hand on Elowen’s arm. “It’s always okay to say if something scares you. Adults get scared of things, too.”

Elowen glanced at Sausage’s prosthetic arm, then put a hand over the metal and gave a small smile before hugging his human father. “Thank you, Papa, Dad. …I don’t wanna talk about anything right now, but I feel better. I’ll try not to be so scared next time.” He stood back but kept his hand on Sausage’s prosthetic and said quietly, “Getting bitten by a dragon must be scary, too, and maybe too scary to talk a lot about.”

Sausage smiled back at him then ruffled the boy’s hair with his left hand. “That’s a good point! I’ve got an idea for something else we can do today that’s more fun than scary dragons: Why don’t you help me finish the invitations and get them sent out? You know all those ravens that hang out on top of the tower? We can tell them to go to Uncle fWhip and everyone that’s invited to the party! Let’s go find your brother!”

The three of them quickly went to collect a surprised Azahar from the library, but he caught on to Elowen’s enthusiasm after the quiet walk home. They relocated the stack of invitations – and Sausage’s stack of daily paperwork – to the dining room table to have space for all of them to work.

Now that they had an idea of when the boys’ outfits would be ready, they could set an official date for the gala, which Azahar and Scott wrote in the space left blank in the original draft. Scott signed each one, then passed them to Elowen, who put them in a neat pile for Sausage to sign in between his other missives. Elowen then took each one back and carefully rolled it up. Scott showed them how to apply enough wax before pressing the seal of Mythland into the middle to show that this was an approved royal message. He put the boys in charge of keeping hold of the dozen invitations while they waited for Sausage to seal some other scrolls, then up they went to the raven aerie.

The majority of the ravens were out on the rooftops. Sausage took care of a few unrelated missives first with quiet instructions, then turned a big grin to the boys. “Okay, where should we start? Alphabetical in Common? The closest first? The farthest – oh, we should probably send Tango’s to Jimmy, I don’t think any of the ravens know how to get to that particular Ancient City, um. Hmm…”

Elowen glanced at a raven that was hopping around on the nearest windowsill. “Are we gonna go by their first names or the name of their empire?”

“Good question!” Sausage replied. “What do you think? Which ones do you remember better from geography lessons?”

Elowen placed his set of invitations on the floor so his hands were free to count on his fingers. “Uncle fWhip is in the Grimlands, Auntie Gem is at the Crystal Cliffs… Auntie Pearl is in Gilded Heel-lee-lanthia—”

“Helianthia,” Azahar corrected.

“Umm, so, Auntie Pearl would be first by the closest empire, but Auntie Gem would be first by name…”

“Wait,” Azahar put in, “Would the Cod Empire be first by empire, or does it go under ‘the’ instead of ‘cod’? …That would mean the Grimlands wouldn’t go under ‘g’ either, huh?”

<i>”Cod! Cod!”</i> the raven on the windowsill called out.

Azahar nearly dropped the scrolls he was holding. “D-Did that one just say ‘cod’ or ‘caw’…?”

Sausage tried to suppress a giggle but failed. “Crows caw, ravens have a deeper kind of <i>grunk.”</i>

“Cod! Cod!” the raven repeated. “Cod Empire!” It then tilted its head and looked at the invitations Elowen had put down. “This letter is for Jimmy!” It hopped down to the floor and began to poke at the scrolls with its beak.

Scott scooped one up and held it out to the raven. “They don’t have individual names on them, but you can deliver this one to Jimmy, in the Cod Empire.”

“Cod! Cod! Jimmy is a cod!”

Scott smiled with a chuckle of his own. “Close enough.”

The ruckus got the attention of a few more ravens, who fluttered onto the windowsills and were soon calling to each other as word got around among them that there were quite a few scrolls in the hands of their young masters, as Elowen picked his up to start offering them to whichever raven ventured near. “This one goes to… GeminiTay at the Crystal Cliffs,” he said, trying to sound authoritative while keeping the order of empires listed in his head – since the choice had been decided for them. “Oh! This one goes to Tango the Blaze Emperor, he’ll get his from Jimmy – in the Cod Empire,” he said to the next raven, almost forgetting what Sausage had said earlier.

After he had gone through his half of the invitations, Azahar took over. “This one goes to King Joel in Mazelea. This one goes to Queen Lizzie in the Ocean Empire. Next is Shrub… no, Princess Katherine, in the Overgrown. Heh, I kinda keep messing up the Overgrown and the Undergrove, sorry.”

The next raven croaked at him then plucked at the scroll still in his hand. He hastily handed it over and continued with the rest of the list. He and Elowen then ran to a window to watch the ravens flying off in various directions, including the two going the same way to their neighboring empire.

~*~

Sitting on the dock outside the humble, littlest shack in the Cod Empire, Tango the Blazeborn Emperor held his feet just above the water, casually humming while watching Jimmy swim around under the surface. He was generally careful to not touch the water himself, out of an overabundance of caution, but he did lean over to look at how his fires, black cloak, and blazerod crown was reflected between the ripples.

The mirrored image of two birds flew into view, then they circled and landed at the edge of the shack’s roof. Tango could see they each had a scroll clutched in the talons of one foot. He stood up and held out his hands. “Those are for Jimmy, right? I’ll give them to him. You can’t swim either, can you?”

“Jimmy the cod!” croaked out one. The birds – ravens, Tango now remembered they were called – looked at each other. The second one croaked, “Give it to Jimmy! For Tango the Blaze!”

“Hey, that’s me! So, you were going to give both to Jimmy, and he’d give me one? He’ll probably be up in a minute, but it works the same way: give both to me, and I’ll give him one!”

The ravens conferred with each other in quiet creaking sounds, then both fluttered off the roof. Tango held his hands out again, only for both birds to drop the scrolls while remaining a distance above him, missing his hands completely. He realized they probably didn’t want to get too close to the flame atop his head. “It’s okay! I don’t take it personally!” he called after them as they flew off back the way they had come.

Tango picked up one scroll and broke the seal, softening the wax with his touch but reining in his heat to not set the parchment itself on fire. He unrolled it then tilted his head as he puzzled over some unfamiliar words.

The Codfather climbed up onto the dock a few seconds later and noticed his companion’s look of concentration. “What have you got there?”

“Hey, so – what’s a gala? And what are princes?”

“What? Let me see.”

“Oh, there was one for you, too! I guess they’re the same, but…” Tango turned and bent to pick up the other scroll that the ravens had dropped. “Here! Tell me if yours says it, too!” He handed it over and rather eagerly bounced on his toes while Jimmy struggled for a second to break the seal with his still-damp fingers.

Tango waited patiently for confirmation and an explanation, but all Jimmy did was exclaim, “Wait, since when has Mythland had princes??”

[Chapter Two - The First Gala ]

#empires smp #empires smp fanfic #mythicalsausage #scott smajor #empires bubbles #sir carlos #jimmy solidarity #tangotek #scosage #champions au: garden path #empires smp s1 #empiresshipping #team rancher #...but in Empires #lunar yarns

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lunaryarn · 11 months

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Fanfic Archive Masterpost

Included in this list: Afterlife/ALSMP, Empires SMP S1 and S2, 3rd Life SMP (under Flower Husbands Week), and Origins SMP (still just one, sorry). Updated as I complete more works! Latest updates: 2nd of February 2024 - Chapter Three added to A Garden’s Path! Plus chibis artwork!

Note: Stories with only one chapter will be linked by their title.

Afterlife SMP

Soul Liminality series: (a.k.a. Scott and Sausage fight each other)

Bloodfall Witherrise Fatemirrored Heavensent HellBent [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ] [ Artwork by Cynthrey - The Fall of Myth ]

Soul Liminality 2: I Would Die For You series: (a.k.a. Scott and Sausage are in love with each other)

Echoing Through to You [ With Artwork by Cynthrey! ]

When the Skies Cry [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ]

Until the Blood Moon Descends [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ With Artwork by Cynthrey! ]

Then We’ll Rewrite the Stars [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ] [ With Artwork by Cynthrey! ]

Wherever These Flowers May Grow [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ] [ Chapter Four ] [ With Artwork by Cynthrey! ]

Along the Roads to Sanctuary [ Chapter One ][ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ] [ Chapter Four ]

The Reality Entanglement crossovers:

Mirror Mirror, Break Our Fall (SL meets SL2) [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ]

Who’s The Unfairest of Us All (SL meets SL2 again)

Thou, O Kings, Fair Be You All (throw together ALL the AUs!) [ Part One ] [ Part Two ]

Mirror Tenfold, Beyond the Wall (SL meets x10 plus bonus!) [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ]

A standalone fic:

In Light and In Darkness [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ] [ Chapter Four ]

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Empires SMP

The Past Unmasked/The Future Foretold Saga:

The Past Unmasked [ Artwork by Cynthrey that inspired this fic ] [ Bonus related artwork by Cynthrey ]

Phantom Solitude [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ]

Glimpses of Fate [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ]

The Future Foretold [ Chapter One ][ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ] [ With Artwork by Cynthrey! ]

Champion of Exor AU: A Garden’s Path with side stories:

A Garden’s Path [ Prologue ] [ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ] New!

A Small Introduction to The Children of Mythland

Azahar and his violin by Cynthrey Chibis! Introducing: Liana by Cynthrey New!

See How Our Garden Grows (mini fic that goes with [ this concept artwork ] by Cynthrey)

Night of the Winter Stars [ Collab Artwork by Cynthrey! ]

Also set in this AU: [ Artwork by Cynthrey with fic blurb ]

Once Around the Empires [ Part One ] [ Part Two - currently WIP ]

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Other

Flower Husbands Week 2022: [ Day 1 ] [ Day 2 ] [ Day 3 ] [ Day 5 ] [ Day 6 ] [ Day 7 ]

Origins SMP: Star Sign

#lunar yarns #soul liminality #soul liminality 2 #the past unmasked saga #champions au: garden path #origins smp #3rd life smp #alsmp #empires smp

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cafecourage · 2 months

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Little Red Riding Hood where Reader is Little Red but also a werewolf

Love Interest and rest of chain can be assigned however

(Cause I'm always down for a fairytale au)

I did a little twist on this. Idk if this was what you wanted. I had to ask doggo experts for how doggos act around each other. I am leaving this off on a small cliff hanger because I do want to write more of this.

Twilight didn’t trust the new person in the group. Well. It’s more like he didn’t know what to think of her. She came in like a hurricane running after the Shadow like it was her prey. Then when the dust settled and she calmed down the group quickly learned of why. The short of it being that for some reason the Shadow attacked her brother and she took chase. Which then led to her to finally agree to join the chain. Much to the Ranchers chagrin. However, he knows better than to start an unnecessary fight. Twilight could be civil.

Civility could only go so far.

Little Red, as Warrior’s likes to call her, noticed Twilight’s presence and slight unease of her and ran with it. Twilight couldn’t understand just why she was always running circles around him talking about this and that. It confused him to no end when she instantly would stick to him even when he was wolfie. He had to on more then one occasion threaten to bite Little Red’s hands. She never cared or backed away from Wolfie when he showed a bit of aggression. “He is going to bite you.” Wild warned her as he watched Little Red try to play with Wolfie.

She looked up at Wild while holding Wolfie’s face, “what? No the baby is just playing.” That comment only made Twilight growl more.

“Baby? Wolfie isn’t a baby.” Wild was torn between being completely amuse and helping Twilight out as he did know about his slight distrust of Little Red.

“No no no, Champion. This is a wolf pup. He has to be like…” Her attention draws to the wolf as she observes the good boy. “Man… I have to say maybe 10? He is very small even for that age. Wolfie is like an adult dog size but he is definitely a wolf.” She boops the snoot and quickly pulled back as Twilight tries to bite her hand again. This only makes her giggle more.

“I think your wolves might be just bigger than my Hyrules.” Honestly to Wild, Wolfie was the same size as most wolves, but he just shrugs and not questions that further. Twilight couldn’t understand why you were like this, he wonders if it was just an eccentric thing. He has met a lot of weird people in his life and Little Red might be one of them. After being free from your grasp he takes it upon himself to run away for now. Only because you don’t tend to grab his face while being Twilight and thats the most annoying part of being wolfie around you.

It wasn’t until they finally came to her era that he finally understood.

The village Little Red lived in was small, but cozy. It reminded Twilight of his own home. People tended to light up when seeing Little Red. But given the size of the group following them most villagers tended to just say hi and remarks that they needed to talk to her later. “My house is a bit further.” Little red said pointing to a path that ran into the woods. “It’s just me, my brother and Grandma oh and our cat. I’ll make sure to keep her out of your stuff. But we should have room to fit everyone.” She explains as the path slowly clears up to a cottage in the wood with a small garden. There was a small pup running around in the yard playing with said cat. Who was purely annoyed at ready to pap the puppy in the head.

Little Red’s eyes brightened “Link!” She calls out gaining the Pups reaction.

She dashes towards the house as the puppy starts running towards her. They meet halfway and the puppy shifts into a young boy. “You’re back! You’re back!” This Link giggles as he gets lifted in the air by his sister and spun around.

“I am! For now.” Little red nuzzles her brother’s face as she shifts her grips on her brother to put his weight on her hip. “Boy’s this is my brother. Link these are the adventurers I’ve been traveling with.”

She turns to the group with a smile. The chain was utterly confused and silent before Wind speaks up “Did he transform into a wolf?”

#twilight (not lu) speaks #linked universe x reader #luxreader #linkeduniverse x reader #monkey bread #I had to make this Twilight centric

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shanie-the-komania-toyaddict · 2 months

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WWE/Wizard101 AU Crossover Ideas

Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn is the life-iest LIfe Wizard in the spiral. Like, his primary focus is "nobody is dying on my watch EVER" and his secondary focus is "I'm gonna smack you with a Forest Lord buffed so hard your head will spin". He's not the biggest dog in any fight, nor is he the strongest, but he tends to get underestimated a in duels by the damage schools who automatically assume the red haired life wizard who is still wearing Wizard City school-emblem garb can't hurt them... only to be quickly wrecked with a centaur that somehow does 5000+ damage. But his true passion is healing. He loves with his whole heart (but often not wisely) and has been known to use his spells to save the lives of opponents who he has bested in the hopes that they will find a better path in life, rather than simply let them die. He's a graduate of Ravenwood, but started out as a transfer student. His parents, unable to afford Ravenwood's tuition, tried to send him to Pigswick. However, when he mastered the Pigsie spell within two months of being there, and put on a stellar showing at the Spiral Cup despite having poor spell knowledge at his disposal, he was granted a scholarship to Ravenwood where he breezed through his studies, both in Wizard City and abroad, and graduated two days after his 18th birthday. However, that was over 20 years ago and since then he's spent his free time when he isn't working as a full time healer (he has an office on the outskirts of Wizard City where he sees patients) traveling the spiral, championing causes for justice, and dueling in competitive tournaments for fun. (Sometimes he even wins!)

Sami was one of the healers that Sylvia Drake was sent to when she got sick. Sami tried his hardest to save her and, when she passed away, Sami took it personally. He fell into a deep depression, something that was only made worse when Malistaire turned evil in the wake of Sylvia's death. It caused Sami to grow disillusioned with the spiral and it was only by meeting a hotheaded storm wizard named Jey Uso (whose raging, angry exterior Sami could tell masked the kindest of hearts) that he realized there were still reasons to continue fighting through life.

Sami DESPISES the Marleybonians and will speak out against them on a regular basis. Beyond that, on the few trips he's taken to Marleybone, he's been known to offer his services to the local cats and rats to try and heal their wounds from when the Yarders have unfairly targeted them just for being different. (He *really* hates cops.) He also isn't too fond of what Merle Ambrose has been up to lately, sending kids to fight battles that should be handled by adults, and actually ended his association with Ravenwood after 20 years in protest. He now lives in a quiet villa in Wysteria where he tends to his vast garden and spends most of his time with his beloved (if constantly angry) necromancer, Kevin Owens.

#Wizard101 #Wizzy101 #WWE #AU Crossover #Sami Zayn

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waltwhitmansbeard · 1 year

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go on, claim my heart: chapter one

welcome to the sequel of my fair lady! if you haven't, i recommend reading my fair lady and it's following one-shot, you need not worry, child, before reading this. you can find where to read those on my masterpost. this fic is inspired by @romeoandjulietyouwish's medieval au.

On a hill on the outskirts of Zephrah, beneath the branches of a cherry tree that grow more skeletal with each passing day, stands a small stone cottage, with a little garden overflowing with autumn vegetables framing the path up to the green front door. Inside this cottage, a roaring fire staves off the evening's chill as a man sits in front of it, uncorking a bottle of wine and pouring two glasses. Behind him, he hears the soft snick of a door closing, and then a whispered, "Okay, I think she's actually asleep this time."

Vax turns to smile at his wife, who is somehow even more beautiful with bags under her eyes and her hair sloppily braided over one shoulder. "Come sit, have a drink with me. We can pretend for five minutes that we're still functioning people."

Keyleth throws herself onto the sofa beside him and gratefully accepts the wine. "Five minutes? That's ambitious." She takes a sip of the wine and sets the glass back down on a small side table. "Have you heard from Vasselheim yet?"

Vax frowns. "Apparently much research is needed into the matter. No god has claimed a mortal Champion in centuries, so the scholars are having trouble verifying my claims." He rolls his eyes and sips from his own wine.

"The offer still stands." Keyleth lays a hand atop his arm on the back of the sofa. "An appeal from my father will carry more weight than Pike's words alone. You shouldn't be afraid to let us advocate for you."

"Hey." He sets his wine glass down to take her hands in his. "I'm not afraid. I just...you have a thousand things on your plate already, you and your father both—the workers' strike in Terrah, Duchess Uvenda's illness, the trade renegotiation with the Dwendalian Empire. Pike and I can handle some ornery monks in Vasselheim. You two worry about running a nation."

Reminding her of her duties seems to have a soporific effect on his wife. Her eyelids start to droop, but she shakes her head quickly to wake herself up. "No, I want to help. I mean, putting aside the fact that you're my husband and I love you—" Vax brings one of her hands to his lips, kisses it briefly. "—it is actually good for Zephrah and the Ashari Nation for us to be so closely associated with the Raven Queen's Champion. Other nations tend to think us sacrilegious, given that we have no official ties to any deity, so the future sovereign being married to a Champion helps...ease some religious tensions."

Vax smiles teasingly. "See, I knew you were only in this for my station."

It's Keyleth's turn to roll her eyes. "Some days, you're lucky I'm in this at all."

"I am very lucky indeed." He stands, pulling her to her feet despite her tired groan. "Come. We are going to bed."

Keyleth bites her lip nervously. "Vax...I would, I just...I'm so tired..."

"To sleep," he clarifies, tugging her gently toward their bedroom. "No doubt Vilya will have us awake again in an hour or two, and a sleep-deprived princess is not what the Ashari people need." He ushers her toward the bed, and as she hangs up her dressing gown for the evening, he quickly and silently pops into their second bedroom.

Keeping each footstep as quiet as possible, he creeps over to the beautifully carved cradle, where inside, a tiny baby with a riot of red hair sleeps soundly, her little arms and legs tucked under several blankets. Vax reaches down to brush her cheek with the back of one finger, more softly than a breath. "Sleep well, my seedling." He takes one last, lingering look at his daughter—every day he must remind himself how impossible she is, how good the gods have been to him, a man most unworthy of her miracle—and creeps back out of the room.

In the other bedroom, he finds his wife, hair only partially taken out of its braid, already face-down on the bed, sound asleep. Vax tenderly pulls the covers up over her before sliding into bed beside her. He throws an arm over her torso, not terribly worried about waking her up, and curls into her back, just as grateful as every night before for his implausible, perfect family.

Someone is shouting Keyleth's name. Or, she thinks they are shouting. They must be, for their voice is very far away, and perhaps underwater. She is only vaguely aware that it is her name that she is hearing, though the sound is distorted, hazy, so maybe it is not her name at all.

She should go after it, the shouting, to see what the matter is, but her body is leaden, her limbs unwilling to move. She should just stay here, really, in the dark and the warm, and perhaps the shouting will go away.

Except it is getting louder. The voice cuts through, the hazy quality lessening, and yes, that is most certainly her own name. But also another—Vax. Yes, where is Vax? She could open her eyes to look, but like the rest of her, her eyelids are as heavy as stones.

Something is wrong. She's sure of it now. Her bones do not usually weigh this much, and the shouting is so loud now, so frantic. The voice is still fuzzy, a little frightening even, but Keyleth cannot move as it approaches, faster and faster, until she is being shaken, tossed about like a child's doll, and the voice is so very close. "Keyleth! Keyleth, wake up!"

It takes every ounce of her strength, summoned and focused carefully, to open her eyes. Her vision is blurry—perhaps she were the one underwater this whole time—but there is a face over her, the brows drawn together in concern and the mouth moving in such an odd way. "Princess, are you alright?"

This is Derrig. She knows Derrig. She blinks a few times, and the haze lessens, just a bit. "I...I don't..."

Her head falls to the side, entirely out of her control, and she sees someone beside her—oh. There is Vax. "V..." She wets her lips, so painfully dry, and tries again. "Vax?"

The hands that had shaken her awake leave her arms, and suddenly Derrig is on the other side of Vax, shaking him now. Keyleth sees her husband start to stir, as slow and clumsy as she feels.

A small thought blooms in the back of Keyleth's mind, a shoot sprouting up from the winter frost. "Where...what time..."

"It is morning, Your Highness," Derrig explains. "I came for the start of my day, and both of the night guards are dead outside."

Derrig's words cut through the fog, and the thought coalesces into something more solid. If it is morning, then that means Keyleth slept through the night, something she has not done since—

"Vilya." Keyleth wills her body to move, forcing it out of bed and crashing onto the wooden floor. She hears Derrig swear under his breath and rush around the bed, helping her up. Vax is still coming to, but she cannot wait for him. She stumbles forward, away from the bed, and with Derrig's help makes it to the closed door of Vilya's bedroom. She cannot get the door open on her own, so Derrig opens it, and Keyleth forces her legs to move her in. She collapses onto the edge of the cradle and looks down.

It's empty.

#early present just for u my love #here we fucking go #critcal role #critical role fic #cr fic #vaxleth #vaxleth fic #vaxleth au #vox machina #vox machina fic #vox machina au #tlovm #tlovm fic #my fair lady #go on claim my heart #my fic

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pocket-luv101 · 9 months

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A Crown of Flowers || Chapter 3

Fandom: Genshin Impact Ship: CynoNari

Summary: A tournament is held for the Valuka Shuna’s hand in marriage. Cyno enters the tournament hoping to find his childhood friend, Tighnari. (Royalty AU)

Ch.1 || Ch.2 || (Ch.3) || End

“You had the chance to become the champion and marry the prince yet you threw away that opportunity. I don’t know what compelled you to tell a joke rather than fighting. You reached the finals and you’re not the type to go through so much trouble without reason. I assumed you wanted to settle down with royalty.” Kaveh sat across from Cyno. After the tournament ended, his friends took him to a bar.

Next to Kaveh, Alhaitham said: “I find the behaviour of that masked fox more puzzling. He ran away from the arena even though he had the perfect opening to defeat you while you were telling jokes. The royal family declared that the tournament will be postponed. I wonder what they will decide to do now. The prince wants to marry a powerful warrior but there wasn’t a clear winner between you and the fox.”

While Alhaitham and Kaveh discussed the tournament, Cyno was silent and deep in thought. The final round repeated itself in his mind. He was certain that Nari was the person behind the mask yet he didn’t react after he said his name. Instead, he pushed him away and fled too quickly for him to chase him. He said he didn’t join the tournament to marry the Valuka Shuna so what could his reason be?

“I’m sorry, I have to go. I want to check on something. Goodbye.” Cyno stood and placed a few coins onto the table. His sudden departure confused Alhaitham and Kaveh but neither of them stopped or questioned him. Kaveh was able to read Cyno’s expression. Throughout the dinner, he had appeared conflicted but that expression was replaced with conviction. Kaveh hoped his friend would find what he was searching for.

Cyno stepped into the night and he walked without a destination in mind. He thought the cool air and silence would help him find the answer behind Tighnari’s strange behaviour. If only he could ask him the questions directly. Years had passed since he last walked through the palace yet his feet naturally took him to the palace. He kept to the shadow so the guards wouldn’t stop him.

Finally, he stopped in front of the maze where he would read with Tighnari. He made his way through the tall bushes to the center. As he drew closer, he strained his ears to hear any sign of Tighnari waiting for him like his footsteps, the sound of pages turning, his humming. Cyno could only hear the wind whistling through the leaves.

He paused at the final corner before the entrance to the maze’s garden. The fear that he would find their garden empty made Cyno hesitate. If Tighnari wasn’t inside, he couldn’t think of where else to search for him. He stared at the ground and memories of their childhood passed through his mind. The time he spent with him was something he cherished but now he wondered whether he truly knew Tighnari.

“Why are you standing out here, Cyno? I was starting to worry that you forgot the path through the maze and got yourself lost. I was about to go out and find you.” The voice reached Cyno before he saw him step around the corner. He wore the fox mask and held a bouquet of flowers in his hands. “I was worried that you wouldn’t come. You must have a lot of questions for me.”

“Nari?” Cyno whispered the name. He cupped his hand over his cheek and then traced his pinky over his warm skin at the edge of the mask. When he didn’t pull away, he slowly lifted his mask from his face. Their gaze met and his familiar turquoise eyes left Cyno speechless. He didn’t realize how much he missed Tighnari until he was standing in front of him again.

Tighnari held his breath as he waited for Cyno to speak. He expected a torrent of questions and confusion. The tense atmosphere was deafening so Tighnari broke the silence first. He forced out a laugh and said, “It has been ten years but I hope you still recognize me, Cyno. Do I look different?”

Instead of answering him, Cyno brushed his bangs from his eyes and studied his face. The moonlight was dim but it allowed Tighnari to see the relieved smile on his face. Cyno pulled him into his arms and hugged him against his chest. He buried his face into his neck and he could feel his warm breath against his skin.

“Thank the Archons, you’re safe. I was so afraid that something had happened to you when you suddenly stopped sending me letters.” Cyno held him a little tighter than he usually would. Tighnari didn’t mind even though the flowers he picked were crushed between them. He returned his embrace and stroked his silver hair. Despite all the questions he had, in that moment, all he wanted was to hold him again. “Nari.”

“I’m sorry, Cyno. Nari isn’t my name.” Tighnari confessed. He felt Cyno stiffen in his arms before he pulled back from him. “We have a lot to talk about. Let’s sit down in the garden.”

Tighnari walked to the tree where they said goodbye and he could feel Cyno’s gaze on his back. With each step, he tried to think of how to tell him everything that he kept a secret from him. He leaned against the bark and faced Cyno. To settle his nerves, he toyed with one of the flowers and twirled it between his fingertips. The flower held a subtle scent that he liked.

“Nari, what do you mean that isn’t your name?” Cyno asked the question that he dreaded the most. However, he deserved an answer. Tighnari could only hope that he would understand why he lied about his identity. “Why did you join the tournament? You said that it was to prove something. Are you in danger? I’m the General Mahamatra and my father is the head priest of the Temple of Silence so we might be able to help you.”

“My parents were pressuring me to enter an arranged marriage.” He told him. His words made Cyno stiffen and jealousy passed through him. He tried to push aside the jealousy he felt. They were only friends yet the thought of him with someone else shouldn’t affect him. Nevertheless, he felt protective of Tighnari and he wanted to make him happy.

Cyno wrapped his hand around Tighnari’s and the flower stilled between them. He looked up from the flower and saw the concern in his red eyes. Would that expression change once he knew the truth? Tighnari sighed and continued: “I told my parents that I don’t want to marry a stranger. I want to go on an expedition in the desert and study plants.”

“I’ll be your bodyguard and escort you.” His offer made Tighnari smile.

“I negotiated a deal with my parents. If I can win the tournament, it would prove that I am able to protect myself and travel to the desert. My arranged marriage will be delayed until I return from my expedition. I was hoping that I could surprise you with a visit in the desert.” Tighnari smiled slightly but he wasn’t able to maintain it for long. “My parents weren’t convinced by my performance in the tournament.”

“They can’t pressure you to marry someone you don’t want to. My father won’t bless a forced marriage.” Cyno squeezed his hand. In that moment, he was tempted to carry Tighnari away from the garden so he wouldn’t have to accept the engagement. However, Tighnari slipped his hand from his and a few flowers fell to the ground.

“I haven’t told you everything, Cyno.” Tighnari bit his lip. He stared at the flowers between them and gathered his courage. He took a deep breath and confessed: “My name is actually Tighnari, the Valuka Shuna and heir of the royal family. I’m sorry that I lied about my name and I didn’t tell you about my family. I was a kid and thought you wouldn’t be my friend if you knew. By the time we were teenagers, the lie got out of hand.”

Tighnari held his breath and waited for Cyno’s response. The garden was silent and it made his racing heartbeat ring louder in his ears. He thought finally telling him the truth would lift the weight that he had been carrying for years. However, the silence filled him with dread that Cyno wouldn’t forgive him. He looked into Cyno’s eyes and searched for a hint to what he felt.

“You’re angry?” Tighnari could only guess because Cyno stood stiff with shock in front of him. He gripped Cyno’s shirt in free hand, scared that he would leave. “I shouldn’t have told you sooner but… I was so happy that I found someone who I could talk to as Nari. I liked reading and playing together. I even liked your terrible jokes. I didn’t want anything to change between us. You’re my best friend but you would treat me differently if you knew the truth.”

Cyno lifted his hand and Tighnari waited to see whether he would take his hand or push him away. Then, he felt his lips brush against his tall ears. “Why did the scarecrow win an award? He was out-standing in his field. I asked my dog what two minus two was. He said nothing. I have a—”

“Is this the time to be making jokes, Cyno?” Tighnari yelled over him. He had felt tense ever since he told Cyno his real name and his emotions flooded out of him now. “Most people would be upset that they’ve been lied to. Why are you acting like you don’t care?”

“Tighnari.” He said his name for the first time and a warm shiver ran through Tighnari. Cyno cupped his face and rested his forehead against his. He grinned. “You said you liked my jokes. I don’t care what your name is because you’re the most important person in my life. I just want to see you smile, Tighnari, so I’ll continue to tell you my best jokes. I’m a fun-gi. Do you get it? Fungi sounds like fun guy.”

“I like your jokes but they’re still terrible.” Tighnari relaxed and he couldn’t stop the small giggle that escaped him. He threw his arms around Cyno’s neck in a tight hug. He never knew that he could be so happy.

#genshin impact #cynonari #cyno and tighnari #genshin impact cyno #genshin impact tighnari #fanfiction

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cangelgifs · 1 year

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Would you know any fics that have cangel with a side of spuffy

Four Corners by Psycgurl Rating: PG-13 Summary: Angel, Cordelia, Buffy and Spike get stuck in a room mysteriously. How will they spend their time? Plus friendships, romances & evil lawyers!!!

Check, Please! by eilowyn Rating: R, for language. Summary: In some happy post-NFA world where Cordy comes back, Lorne opens another club (this time with a classy restaurant attached), and Spike and Buffy are finally reunited, Angel has the brilliant idea of a double date. Yeah, Angel's idea. It's his inner dork at play, because Buffy, Cordy, and Spike all know this is a bad, bad idea.

Midnight in the Olive Garden of Good and Evil by angearia Rating: PG Summary: Two vampires with souls, the women who love them, and the date night that brings them all together.

Bad Timing by Kelly22 Rating: PG-13 Summary: This story is set a little after Cordy comes back from vacation with Groo, except in my AU world, there was no bad father-devouring-son prophecy and no babies growing up in hell dimensions. So people still like Wesley and I guess Holtz and Justine ran off to the mid-west together, because they certainly aren’t rearing their ugly heads in MY story. The scoobies come to L.A.

Found by CupcakeCute Rating: PG-13 Summary: Begins between TGIQ and Power Play, continues post-NFA. Buffy learns of Spike's resurrection from an unlikely source and immediately sets out to make things right as The Apocalypse breaks out in L.A. Spike/Buffy pairing, some Angel/Cordelia.

Where You Belong by Spuffygirl Rating: M Summary: Post First Date Spike and Buffy Crossover with Angel. The events I want to see happen. New Ch. 25 Now complete!

Life or Death by HydesBride Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: Set during the Ats series finale "Not Fade Away". A hopeless Angel is given a choice of life or death from the PTB, but what he fails to realize is that it is not only his life and fate in the balance. With the help of his guide (Doyle), will Angel make the right decision?

Double Date by klutzy_girl Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Summary: Buffy and Spike and Angel and Cordelia go on a double date (the boys aren't happy about it).

The Long Road by JEAN-VIC Rating: NC-17 Summary: Angel is alone and in a deep depression over the death of Cordelia and the loss of the Shanshu. He sees no reason to continue fighting and spends his days locked in his apartment, occasionally coming out to kill the odd vampire or two. This changes however when someone he never thought he would see again returns to set him on the path to his destiny. Reunited with Wesley, Angel must choose his future and the fate of the world.

Taken by Gabriella Rating: R for language and sexual situations Summary: “Look, the bottom line is, Darla and Drusilla are together, and they’re planning on Angel and Spike joining them. At any cost.” Warning: Torture and graphic depictions of violence and the character deaths of Darla and Dru.

Second Chances by YoAngel4E Rating: T Summary: Angel and Spike get a chance to get back the people that meant the most to them after the battle against Wolfram and Hart. But can they keep the real past a secret from the only people they want to share it with? Warning: Everyone is pretty OOC but was I entertained? Yes I was.

Partners by Princess Plum Jade Rating: PG-13/SOFT “R” (for language) Summary: Alternate reality/Romance fic. Buffy, now a retired Slayer, is employed to be Spike’s partner in pairs ice skating competition. Angelus pursues a relationship with Cordelia Chase, a champion singles skater.

If anyone knows of more Cangel & Spuffy fics, please share! :)

#ask #media: fanfiction #cangel & spuffy #cangel #spuffy #cordelia x angel #buffy x spike #thanks to the cangel gc <3

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ash-and-books · 2 years

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Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb: A stunning novel of ancient Vietnam based on the true story of two warrior sisters who raised an army of women to overthrow the Han Chinese and rule as kings over a united people, for readers of Circe and The Night Tiger. Gather around, children of Chu Dien, and be brave. For even to listen to the story of the Trung Sisters is, in these troubled times, a dangerous act.

In 40 CE, in the Au Lac region of ancient Vietnam, two daughters of a Vietnamese Lord fill their days training, studying, and trying to stay true to Vietnamese traditions. While Trung Trac is disciplined and wise, always excelling in her duty, Trung Nhi is fierce and free spirited, more concerned with spending time in the gardens and with lovers. But these sister's lives—and the lives of their people—are shadowed by the oppressive rule of the Han Chinese. They are forced to adopt Confucian teachings, secure marriages, and pay ever‑increasing taxes. As the peoples' frustration boils over, the country comes ever closer to the edge of war. When Trung Trac and Trung Nhi's father is executed, their world comes crashing down around them. With no men to save them against the Han's encroaching regime, they must rise and unite the women of Vietnam into an army. Solidifying their status as champions of women and Vietnam, they usher in a period of freedom and independence for their people. Vivid, lyrical, and filled with adventure, The Bronze Drum is a true story of standing up for one's people, culture, and country that has been passed down through generations of Vietnamese families through oral tradition. Phong Nguyen's breathtaking novel takes these real women out of legends and celebrates their loves, losses, and resilience in this inspirational story of women's strength and power even in the face of the greatest obstacles.

Review:

War, love, and sisterhood. Based on the true story of two warrior sisters who raised an army of women to overthrow the Han Chinese and rule as kings over the united people from ancient Vietnam. The story follows the two daughters of a Vietnamese lord in 40 CE in the Au Lac region of Ancient Vietnam. The Lord has trained them all their lives to fight, study, and stay true to the Vietnamese traditions. Older sister Trung Trac is disciplined and wise, always excelling at her duty while younger sister Trung Nhi is fierce and free spirited, more concerned about spending her time doing as she pleases and with lovers. These sisters lives will be forever changed by the oppressive rule of the Han Chinese. They will be forced to either accept this new rule or rebel and when their father is executed they find that there is only one path left for them, vengeance and rebellion. With no man to save them these girls will come together and unite the women of Vietnam into an army and fight for their freedom and independence.This was a lyrical story filled with culture and adventure. I had a great time reading about this learning more about Vietnamese stories. As a Vietnamese person myself it was fascinating to learn something new about my own culture and to read this story that celebrates real women of legends with a story about love, loss, and resilience and the strength that we have to great our greatest obstacles

*Thanks Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

#book review #bookish #book #AAPI books #asian books

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farore-or-less · 2 years

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Fic Masterlist - The Dumpster Fire

Hey! I updated my fic list 105 million years after I said I was gonna! You can find it by clicking here or check out a story below:

Forgotten Instincts: (Multi-Chapter)

Summary: Having been torn from Hylia and her sealing power, Zelda travels with Link as a companion to appease the corrupted Divine Beasts, but she must hide her identity because his memory is gone and mentality hanging by a thread. She has to live under an alias until his memory returns, even if that means he’s falling in love with the woman she’s pretending to be.

Angst / Smut / Romance / Comical / Slow Burn

Click to read Forgotten Instincts

» . «

How Wild It Is To Be: (Multi-Chapter)

Summary: Zelda’s been attending NHU for two years now, living life to the fullest in the lively, but secluded, northern city of Deku, and Link is a brand new transfer student trying to start everything over. He grew tired of the life that was laid out for him; following in his father’s footsteps, carrying the burdening title of Hyrule’s Champion, and committing to a relationship that was bound to fail. He’s looking for a new path to wander at NHU and maybe, just maybe, he’ll find himself somewhere between the luscious evergreens of Deku and the artsy bookseller with those bewitching green eyes.

College AU / Nostalgic / Drama / Personal Growth / Romance

Click to read How Wild It Is To Be

» . «

Of Midnight Findings and Revue: (One Shot {Sequel Coming Soon??})

Summary: For his solo, Link usually picks the birthday girls or bachelorettes wearing tiaras or sashes, but tonight he chose someone different. Someone who smelled like lilac perfume and laboratory latex gloves and looked like she just came from the garden. This decision spirals into both of them under the enchanting light of a midnight city, to a night market, to a used bookstore, and then eventually, to his bedroom.

Where Link is an exotic male dancer and Zelda’s been ditched for the night by her girlfriends.

Male Stripping / Drinking / Corny Costumes / Midnight Romance / Smut

Click to read Of Midnight Findings and Revue

» . «

Milk and Cherries: (One-Shot)

Summary: The sultry matchmaker sways her slender hands as she picks up the top card in the oracle deck, closes her eyes and searches through that astral plane, only to smile wickedly as shel calls out a name and matches it with another. All of this goes beyond Zelda’s reasonable understanding. Maybe it’s magic, a hunch or a feeling, or maybe it’s all just for show, but when Zelda’s name gets called the chase begins, will she be the hunter… or the hunted?

Link and Zelda participate in an ancient tradition of hunting and courting and spend the night in the woods together.

Lust / Wild Hunt / Untamable / Dark Enchantment / Smut

Click to Read Milk and Cherries

» . «

Convenient Lovesongs: (One-Shot)

Summary: Never in his life had Link imagined that a woman would look at him the way she is now. With a glint in her eye that’s purely shameless, it’s making him feel like he’s standing at the register in nothing but his underwear, and when Zelda’s brow raises suggestively, that smirk gets wiped off his face entirely.

“Let’s do it.” “Do what?” “Have sex.” “Like, right now?”

Where Link and Zelda do something reckless in a convenience store

Modern AU / Comical / Porn With Fluff / Trashy Smut Idea Spawned From the Zelink Server

Click to Read Convenient Lovesongs

#loz fic #loz #botw fic #mind the tags #zelink #zelink fanfiction #zelink au #precalamity #zelink fic #Link and Zelda #legend of zelda #twilight princess #ao3 fanfiction #ao3 writer #Zelda Fanfiction #fanfiction

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captainsolare · 3 years

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All Things Come to an End

A/N: This is my collab piece for @quirkyseastone 's milestone event!

Enemies to Lovers + Fairy Tale AU + Bakugo

Synopsis: When it is time for the heir to the throne to seek a spouse, one champion a month is chosen to go through a series of challenges. Bakugo is the first champion from his village to be chosen in several years and he will do anything to win. You, the heir to the throne, are terrified of change, and will do anything to keep it from happening.

Word Count: ~3.5k

The buzz of the hall came to an abrupt halt as he came onto the stage; Yagi Toshinori, the previous champion had at long last come to pick from their village.

“Hello, citizens of Eikka! As you know, the royal family is still looking for a worthy partner for the heir. Many of you are gathered here today for a chance to join the family, whether that be for social reasons, for wealth, or just to prove you can. Regardless, only one of you has been chosen.”

“This month’s champion, from the village of Eikka is…”

Amidst the anticipation of the announcement Bakugo balled his fists, hoping no one would take notice of the way his nails dug into the soft flesh of his palms. His eyes darted from person to person, heart racing as they waited.

“Katsuki Bakugo!”

He felt like he couldn’t breathe, had he heard right? Was it actually him? Arms shoved him towards the stage and he stumbled up the stairs. The lights were blinding, he’d waited for this moment for so long, and now it had finally arrived.

“Bakugo, what are you hoping to achieve this month? Not just for yourself but for your village?” Yagi asked, eyes fixated on the young man.

Bakugo blinked, trying to adjust his eyes to the bright spotlights.

“Honestly, I just want to win. I will give this village the honor of having its champion become the first in its history to become a part of the royal family.”

Yagi smiled, nodding at his answer. He then grabbed Bakugo’s arm, thrusting it up towards the sky,

“Citizens, your champion!”

You sat leaned back in your chair, feet on the desk as you read the file you were given. You sighed, giving an incredulous look to your first knight, Keigo,

“This is this month’s champion? How boring.” You tossed the file onto the desk with the others from the previous months, “He’ll probably give up within the first week.”

Keigo tutted, “Now now Y/N, I would give him more credit than that. He is ranked number one in his village in all the important areas.”

You scoffed, “Except in diplomacy. How am I supposed to lead beside someone who can’t negotiate his way out of a paper bag without ripping it?”

The corners of Keigo’s mouth twitched, “I’m sure you’ll manage just fine.”

Bakugo walked home, chest puffed out and heart soaring. Midoriya, his childhood friend and rival, walked with him, a much shyer figure compared to the newly chosen champion.

“I always knew you could do it.” Midoriya said, eyes sparkling.

Bakugo laughed, “Of course! I always knew I was worthy, now’s my chance to prove it.”

Midoriya paused, shoulders tense, “Aren’t you afraid you might die? The last champion didn’t come home.”

Bakugo stopped in his tracks, causing his friend to nearly stumble.

“Why would I be afraid of a silly thing like death? I’m way too good to die.”

Midoriya straightened, extending a finger and poking him in the chest, hard.

“You better not. I’ll never forgive you if you do.”

Bakugo stood at the edge of the forest, heart pounding as he prepared to set off on his journey. This would be it, the fruits of his labor, everything he had been working towards would be decided this month. Everyone in the village had come to see him off, but he had shooed them away, telling them he needed his concentration. Even though it appeared they had left, it still felt as though there were eyes watching him, studying his every move, waiting for him to fail.

He walked, careful to move as silently as possible; oftentimes champions were ambushed in the forests outside their towns, usually by a nameless jealous person who was afraid of their dreams of wealth and fortune being dashed. There was a large crack of wood, and Bakugo spun around, knife clutched tightly in his hand.

“There’s no need for all that, it’s only an old man.”

Bakugo studied the figure before him, it did appear to be an old man, harmless enough, but there was no telling if he had allies in the woods, waiting, watching.

The man laughed, a gravelly sound that grated in Bakugo’s ears. “I brought you an amulet.” As if sensing his inevitable protest, the man continued,

“You may not think you need it, but every little bit of protection helps doesn’t it?”

Bakugo frowned, head cocked to the side as he studied the situation, worst case, he could die, but then again he had a real possibility of doing so in the challenges, or best case, the amulet really would protect him.

He took the amulet from the man’s outstretched hand and put it in his pocket.

“I can’t promise that I’ll wear it, but thank you.”

Bakugo turned on his heel, knife still clutched tightly in his palm, and set off on his journey.

“Lame!” You threw a piece of popcorn at the crystal ball you were watching Bakugo through. “You can’t just take the amulet, you have to at least say no first.”

You looked at the papers on your desk, the final preparations for your challenges were made, all it needed was your signature and everything would be complete.

Stealing a glance at the crystal ball showing his progress you smiled, “Ah, I can’t wait to crush another one.”

The path to the castle was steep and winding and Bakugo’s legs were aching by the time he reached the gate. A pair of trumpets announced him and the gate opened to reveal you standing there, your first knight just behind your shoulder.

“Greetings champion, I am the royal heir, Y/N.”

Bakugo bowed his head and opened his mouth to introduce himself but you waved him off.

“I know who you are. Katsuki Bakugo, selfish man with an artificially inflated ego who thinks he is better than everyone else.”

His cheeks burned at your words but he held his tongue, there was no way for him to talk back here, you were royalty and despite appearances, Katsuki knew his place.

You smiled, “Congratulations, you just passed your first challenge.”

Katsuki’s head snapped up, “Really?”

Your smile immediately disappeared, “Of course not. You really think winning my hand would be that easy?”

His cheeks reddened, embarrassed that he had fallen for such a petty trick.

Waving your hand in the air, you turned to walk away.

“This will be hell, I’ll make sure of it. Keigo will take you around the grounds and show you to your quarters. I expect you to come to me at 7 sharp in the morning.”

Keigo bowed as you walked away and you were quickly accompanied by several other attendants.

Keigo took a moment to look over Katsuki with his keen eyes, narrowing them, he cleared his throat.

“Y/N is really something, don’t you think?” He said, an almost daring tone in his voice.

Bakugo’s brows furrowed as he studied the older man, “Yeah, something.”

Keigo turned and set a quick pace, enough that Bakugo had to jog to keep up.

“Here are the training grounds, you can use them at your leisure though I can’t say how much good it’ll do you; for most of the challenges you aren’t allowed to use weapons. The castle gardens are that way, the heir can often be found reading there. There is the castle, obviously.”

Bakugo tried to take in as much information as he could in the short span he was given. Keigo led him inside and the pair walked up a long staircase. A simple door lay in front of them, wooden and unimpressive looking.

“Your quarters are here through that door, try to get rest when you can, you’ll need it.”

Keigo pointed down a hallway, “Down there is the tower. You’ll go there to meet with the heir to get your challenges. This is where I leave you, there is a kitchen stocked with food in your quarters, I presume you can make your own meals, yes?”

Bakugo nodded and Keigo nodded in affirmation.

“You shall meet the heir in the morning to receive your first challenge. Get some sleep.”

“Yes sir.”

The door to the tower stood large and intimidating; he knocked once and the door opened, revealing a long winding staircase. When he reached the top, he hesitated, thumbing at the amulet that lay under his clothes. This is stupid, how is an amulet going to help me?

The door opened to reveal Keigo, and Bakugo strode in after a quick bow to the heir.

“Greetings Heir.”

You smiled but it lacked warmth, “Good morning Champion. Are you ready to receive your first challenge?”

“Yes I am.”

Your smile widened, “Glad to hear it. Just to refresh your memory, you have 5 challenges to complete, with varying degrees of difficulty.”

“Yes Heir.”

“Your first task will be to retrieve a pearl necklace from the bottom of the nearby lake.”

Bakugo stiffened, it was winter outside, the water would be ice cold.

“Yes Heir.”

Bakugo tried to hide how he was shivering, but the erratic fog of his breath gave him away. The knight accompanying him tried to reassure him with a smile.

“There are 85 pearls in a necklace.” The knight said quietly, as Bakugo stood at the edge of the lake.

Bakugo turned to look at him, “Excuse me?”

The knight said nothing further.

He could feel the icy water in his veins, in his very soul. It was cold, so very cold, and he had only found 20 pearls so far. He swam to the surface once more, adding a singular pearl to his pile on a tree stump.

Before he dove again, he tapped the amulet, secretly hoping it would bring him strength through this trial. This time when he dove, the water felt warm and when he reached the sandy bottom he found a long strand of pearls.

When he emerged to count them, he was delighted to find that it was a string of 65 pearls, missing 20 to make an even 85.

You hissed as he pulled the long string of pearls from the water. How did he get that? I cut those off myself.

There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Bakugo, dripping icy water on your floor while holding a complete pearl necklace. He walked towards you and bowed at the desk you sat behind.

“May I put the necklace on you?”

You hummed an affirmative, and he came behind you, shaking hands dripping ice cold water down your back as he tried to clasp the necklace. You hissed from the cold, but the more overwhelming feeling was the heat that seemed to radiate from him. He was so close, for some reason it made your heart beat faster, and that made you seethe with anger.

“Congratulations, you have successfully completed the first task. Go rest and save your strength for the day ahead.”

As soon as he was out of earshot you stood, slamming your hands on the desk.

“Keigo!”

“Yes, my Heir.”

Your head snapped up to meet his gaze, “Was that just a fluke? I cut that necklace myself, there should have been 85 individual pearls and one string with a clasp at the bottom of that lake.”

Keigo’s expression was unreadable, “I don’t know, but I shall endeavor to find out for you.”

He left you sitting at your desk, chewing on your lip in frustration.

“Your next task is translating a love poem into the ancient language.”

The paper given to him read as follows,

‘I have loved you since before my first breath and will love you long after my last

You are like the breeze on a hot summer's day, refreshing and just what I need

I will be by your side until the end and beyond it, we are bound by fate forever’

He had spent hours in the library, flipping between pages and pages of books that might give him an answer.

You smiled thoughtfully, “Look at him Keigo, so lost in thought. He should be stuck on this one for a while.”

As Bakugo pulled book after book off the shelf with no success he absentmindedly thumbed the amulet. He turned the corner to make a pass at a bookshelf he had cleared and there was a single book still left on it. A quick glance showed it was exactly what he needed and he had to restrain himself from running back to his work station.

You frowned as you watched him and it deepened as you realized which book he was reading.

“I don’t understand, I removed that book from the library myself.”

Your brows furrowed as you rewound the footage, it was subtle, but you saw Bakugo’s hand briefly go to his chest. There was a flash of silver and you gasped, “It’s that damned amulet, it must be.”

“Keigo!” You called, he appeared at your side at once, “I need you to do something about the amulet that boy is wearing.”

“I shall take care of it at once.”

Bakugo examined the manuscript. The poem was somehow more beautiful after you read the translation. He went to the tower with paper in hand, heart hammering at the prospect of reading it to you. The door opened for him immediately and he did the customary bow.

“You were able to translate it?” You asked, an almost imperceptible quiver in your voice.

“Yes, shall I read it to you?”

When you nodded, Bakugo held the paper before him and took a deep breath,

“I love you from my first breath and I love you after my last breath

You are like the wind on a hot summer day, refreshing and exactly what I want

I will be with you until the end, and we will be bound forever”

He hoped you couldn’t hear the shake in his voice as he read it.

You paused, cheeks hot with embarrassment,

“Congratulations Champion, you have successfully completed your second task.”

You sat on your balcony watching the moon when Keigo appeared next to you.

“Is it done?” You asked, not bothering to hide the shake in your voice.

“Yes.”

Keigo sat next to you on the lounge chair as you patted for him to sit down. You leaned against him, a silent plea for support.

“Keigo?” You asked after a while.

He hummed in response and you took a shaky breath.

“Is it wrong to be scared? There’s a very real chance he could win.”

Keigo wrapped his arm around you, it’s weight was a welcome comfort.

“Not at all, if he wins, your life will change. But all things must change at some point or another.”

You grabbed his arm with your own, holding it tighter against you.

“But I’m not ready to leave you yet.” You said quietly.

Keigo smiled sadly and kissed the top of your head, “Oh little bird, all things must come to an end. But I will be here always, your faithful knight, nothing more, nothing less.” We were never anything more.

You let the tears flow down your cheeks, Keigo held you as you cried long into the night.

The next challenge was to move a pile of boulders to the top of a tall hill without them rolling back down. Bakugo carried boulder after boulder up the hill but no matter what he did they would roll back to the bottom.

One of the boulders split and he got an idea, a sudden spark of innovation.

“Am I allowed to use items for this one?”

The knight nodded and Bakugo jumped up, grabbing an axe and a flour sack. He hacked at the boulders until the sun sank low in the sky and his shoulders were on fire, but when he was finished he had a large sack of pebbles.

He took it easily to the top of the hill and laid it down flat, it wouldn’t roll down the hill.

You couldn’t help but marvel at his idea, it required adaptability and working with materials you had that weren’t necessarily suited to the job.

He entered the tower with a bow, and you smiled a genuine smile.

“Congratulations Champion, you have successfully completed your third challenge.”

Bakugo couldn’t get your smile out of his head, now that he had seen it for real he never wanted to let it go. He somehow wanted to be the reason you smiled, and he would do anything to see it again.

“Your fourth challenge is to save someone in distress. Go to town and see what you can do.”

When Bakugo made it to the town he was surprised to find it remarkably empty for a place that was usually bustling. He wandered the city, and only found a dog with a hurt paw.

He sat down and pulled the medicine kit from his bag, coaxing the dog towards him. He gently cleaned and wrapped the dog’s hurt paw and sent her on her way, with a bit of food first.

Bakugo was sent to the gardens instead of the tower to receive his judgement, he arrived a bit early though and stumbled across you tending to your plants as you hummed. His heart clenched, it was a little adorable, seeing the normally closed off you so open while by yourself. There was something remarkably authentic about it, seeing your slumped posture, your genuine smile.

Once you noticed him you straightened your posture and your clothes, expression returning to the neutral one of a ruler.

“That was an interesting loophole you found there. Congratulations Bakugo, you have successfully completed your fourth challenge.”

My name. The Heir said my name.

“I think I want him to win, Keigo.” You said softly, voice scarcely above a whisper.

Keigo smiled, “That’s wonderful Y/N, I’m so glad.”

You didn’t notice the sadness as he left, nor the tears brimming above his cheeks.

“Your fifth and final challenge is the most difficult. You must bring me back a ruby from a dragon’s horde without weapons.”

Bakugo nodded and went to gather the necessary provisions for the journey.

It took four days to reach the mountain where the dragon lived, now he stood at the mouth of the cave, trying to stifle the nervousness threatening to explode from his chest.

He entered the cave with his hands up to show he was not a threat, all weapons left at the entrance to the cave.

The dragon regarded him curiously, “Who are you mortal? Why have you come to this place?”

“I am no threat to you. I only wish to make the one I love happy.”

The dragon chuckled, pillars of smoke rising from its nostrils, “Oh? You’ve come here for someone else? How selfless of you.”

Bakugo shoved his frustration down in favor of taking a deep breath. “I only wish to make the one I want to be with happy.”

“And how can I help with that? Wouldn’t your lover be happier if you returned alive.”

Bakugo remained steadfast, stilling his rapid heart.

“I only wish for one ruby from your horde.”

The dragon laughed once more, this time emitting sparks, “And what shall I get in return?”

Bakugo somehow stood even taller, “An ally, who will make sure you remain unbothered on your mountain.”

The dragon considered his offer for a moment then nodded.

“Very well, you may have a ruby. Be warned though, if I find anything else missing our agreement will be void and I will attack your kingdom.”

He nodded. “Of course, thank you.”

Bakugo picked up his weapons and prepared for the journey back to the castle.

You couldn’t help but run to him as he knelt at the gate with the ruby in his hand. You waved him up with your hand and wrapped him in an embrace.

“Congratulations Katsuki Bakugo, you have successfully completed your fifth and final challenge.”

The king came out, announced by a fanfare of trumpets. “There will be a ball tonight in your honor.”

Bakugo took your hand in the empty hallway, wanting to pause before you went into the eyes of the public.

“Remember when you hated me?”

You snorted, “I never hated you Katsuki.”

He turned to you with a raised eyebrow, “Oh really? Then what was the artificially inflated ego comment about?”

You gave him a coy smile, planting a kiss on his cheek. “That was a test.”

You opened the door and stepped into the light, hand in hand, until forever.

All things must come to an end, but sometimes the good leaves to make room for something better.

#bakugo x reader #bakugo fluff #enemies to lovers #fairy tale au #katsuki x reader #gender neutral reader #aurora borealis

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cynthrey · 1 year

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🎊🎉HAPPY HOLIDAYS!🎉🎊

Bringing you an art collab with my dear friend @lunarsands and xer lovely s1 scosage fic “Night of the Winter Stars“, about an ever-growing family celebrating the winter festivities with their newest member😊

#empires smp #empires s1 #empires mythicalsausage #empires scott #scosage #my art #art collab #mythicalsausage #scott smajor #dangthatsalongname #empires xornoth #empires oc (fanmade children count as oc's right?)#champions au #champions au: garden path #also this are the official designs for the kids now for real #official names and ages in the fic so go check it out 😁

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lunarsands · 6 months

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ESMP S1 Fanfic: A Garden's Path - Prologue

Characters: Mythical Sausage, Scott Smajor, Bubbles the Dog, Sir Carlos, appearances by the cast of Empires SMP S1 including Xornoth, featuring blaze-hybrid emperor TangoTek, and introducing: The Children of Mythland (specific characters to be tagged when they appear in each chapter)

Relationships: MythicalSausage/Scott Smajor, LDShadowlady/Smallishbeans, Shubble/Katherine Elizabeth, Jimmy Solidarity & TangoTek

WARNINGS: fantasy racism (human vs elf), loss of parent (with adoption inevitably comes orphans), minor character death in a later chapter

Summary: Having weathered a new set of trials and finding love together, Sausage and Scott look toward a whole new future and adventure together: raising some adopted children. Surely after everything else they can handle two sons, a daughter, two or three others, a foundling infant…and a handful more along the way.

Set in an AU where Scott’s sacrifice at the end of Season 1 led to the creation of an alternate timeline. Scott retains his memories of the previous version of the world – as does Sausage, due to his ability to traverse parallel dimensions.

(Also available on Ao3!)

Prologue: The Aftermath

[ A/N: This is a sequel to an illustrated story by Cynthrey! :D Since I will be avoiding some of the spoilers for that story, we’ve decided to run them concurrently. You can read The Champion of Exor AU for information on things like: Why is this scosage? What is Tango doing here? Why does Sausage have a prosthetic arm? Now also available on Ao3!]

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It had seemed like just another of Sausage’s exaggerated theatrics when, during a Wither Rose Alliance meeting, he bemoaned being unable to properly hug anyone with only one arm. Gem and fWhip had expected a different turn to the conversation when the wizard had asked how he had been adjusting after returning to some of his kingly duties. He certainly seemed like his old self, gesticulating as he talked, although now it involved waving his left arm around and merely lifting what remained of the upper half of his right, the sleeve of his shirt neatly rolled and pinned above where his elbow would have been.

The loss of one arm hadn’t slowed Sausage down for long, aside from the initial few months of recovery. Gem’s healing spells along with some holistic elven care had him back on his feet and in full architect form soon enough. With Scott’s help, they had rebuilt the parts of Mythland that had suffered from Sausage’s own actions. This included renovations around the castle, where walls were either removed or relocated to allow for open spaces, in particular a grand garden that featured some of the new orchid varieties Sausage had promised to bring to Mythland, and artful layouts by Scott’s hand of many other flowers and decorative hedges. The combination brought some natural healing, as well, to bodies and minds.

fWhip sat back in his chair as he watched Sausage while he went on about construction difficulties. The inventor clasped his ginger-bearded chin with one hand while beginning to tap on the papers in front of him with the other. He could remember just how Sausage’s right arm would look similarly flailing around with animated speech. fWhip abruptly flipped over a piece of paper and began sketching out a rough blueprint. The movement of the quill caught Gem’s eye and she glanced over at the drawing talking shape. Her eyebrows went up, then she smiled but refrained from offering more than a quiet and intrigued, “Ooh…” to not distract fWhip. He was in The Zone though, tuning out Sausage, and even grabbed Gem’s papers to have extras to scribble more details.

Gem now made sure to throw comments at Sausage to keep him distracted after she saw fWhip write a note of ‘deadline: wedding surprise’ with a big question mark. “You can do it,” she said, which could have been taken as directed at either of them. Sausage, of course, assumed she was talking to him and he proceeded to rattle off several reasons for why he probably could not and should not be doing any extensive cave explorations just for some emerald ore, because how would he manage both a pickaxe and a shield, unless he tried strapping a shield to his upper arm, but anyway how would he switch over to a sword fast enough if there were any monsters and also he was still retraining how to sword fight with his left hand instead of his right – and so on.

When the meeting ended, Gem had thought to offer any help fWhip might need with the project, but he was off and not-literally-running, pouring over the papers as he walked with only a hastily spoken, “Mm-hm, mm-hm, see you next time.” He stopped to lean on a barrel to make another notation, then tucked the papers inside his jacket to protect them as he stepped into the bubble elevator.

They’d had to replace ladders in various places since those were a little difficult for Sausage to use at the moment, but if fWhip’s plan worked, that would only be temporary.

~*~

Although the prosthetic had a solid copper casing in the shape of an arm proportional to Sausage’s left one, the prototype was still simple and more of a rush job than fWhip would have liked, but the deadline seemed to come up faster than expected, and the salmon forge wasn’t predictable enough for such precise work. As it stood, he nearly made Sausage late for his own wedding, but he had to insist they take the time to get it working so he could not only properly hug Scott, but properly hold his hand while exchanging rings.

That thought convinced Sausage to hold still despite glances toward the clock while fWhip cinched up the metal rig that went over his shoulder to hold the prosthetic in place against the stump of his right arm, then connected a series of redstone wires between the two parts. Sausage flinched at the small jolt as the redstone fired up, but then wonder dawned on his face when he was able to slowly straighten the arm and bend the fingers partway.

fWhip did warn him to think of it as a simple tool and not a full replacement; the range of movement was severely limited and wouldn’t hold much weight, and there wasn’t enough grip strength in the fingers to pick things up, but it would serve the purpose needed for that day. Sausage thanked him for even that much ability, and after fWhip helped him get his single-sleeved dress shirt and similarly modified ceremonial doublet on, he covered the prosthetic with his cloak and they hurried out to the garden for the ceremony.

Scott, waiting with everyone else, wore exquisite traditional elven wedding robes, a circlet made of gleaming ice crystals with a short veil attached atop his head, and clearly looked like he had been worried that Sausage had gotten cold feet. Instead, he saw the grin on his groom’s face that gave away that he was up to something and Scott couldn’t help a smile of his own, wondering if that giddy expression was for more than just the fact that their wedding was even happening. The elf’s own look of surprise, then of joy, when Sausage lifted the arm from under his cloak to cup his substitute hand underneath Scott’s hand, then slip the wedding ring on, was worth the minor discomfort of the not-quite-perfected redstone signals.

And then, once pronounced man and husband, Sausage carefully put both arms around Scott to hug him the way he had longed to since the moment he had woken up after the battle and found that his love was shared.

The redstone wiring failed partway through the reception, causing need for an impromptu sling to hold the prosthetic up until fWhip could remove the rig later, but Sausage didn’t mind. It had worked for just the right amount of time that it needed to, and anything else he could do fine with just his left hand – or with Scott’s help.

There were a few more designs that fWhip tried out after that, with variations on how the redstone wiring read signals and how the assortment of gears moved. Ever the adventurous type – and maybe just eager to have two working hands again, because what was a builder with only one arm – as well as possibly an unhealthy amount of pain tolerance, Sausage made for a good test subject. He put up with the occasional shorts in the wiring that left the prosthetic hanging useless, weathered the zaps if the power distribution was off, and let fWhip tinker without being picky about how the arm looked.

During the final test of getting conscious signals from Sausage to transfer to the prosthetic, fWhip resorted to a different sort of experiment with Gem’s help that involved embedding a transmitter inside a magic crystal that was attuned to the Mythlandian’s personal magical frequency, creating a small device that fit over Sausage’s ear and could be hidden behind it. This linked up with a matching crystal inside the prosthetic, and greatly increased Sausage’s control over the parts of the arm.

From there fWhip refined the inner workings. Smaller gears, a new type of copper wiring, some of the same old redstone technology, and then a series of overlapping struts on the outside to form the shape of flexor, radialis, bicep, triceps, and other assorted muscles but retaining superior functionality. He added a few aesthetic details as well, like invoking the vambrace he used to wear on his forearm that contained a second attuned gemstone for a backup.

The rig also no longer needed to go over his shoulder, with a basket-like inner structure that fit snug against what remained of his arm and the outer struts still forming a muscle-shaped support over it. An extra, simple strap was attached to the basket that could be tightened just in case, making it easier to remove for sleep or if it was irritating him for any reason. Sausage would wear a fabric cuff to cover the end of his stump for a little padding and protection for the scarred skin, the cuff itself buttoned on one side to also offer easy removal. He could choose to either drape a partial shirt sleeve over the top half of his upper arm or do away with sleeves on that side of his shirts altogether; the only drawback to the new design being that fabric could easily get caught in the struts if left sitting against them while he was using it. fWhip offered to test out full cover casings for temporary use in future versions, but Sausage still preferred functionality over appearance.

The real test came when attempting to pick up and carry boxes of supplies and materials, and how well the prosthetic held up while actually building. Of course, fWhip also cautioned against letting too much dust or small debris get into the arm, so Sausage was still limited on that front anyway, but getting to do at least a little of his favorite hobby was an improvement, and now he had Scott to help him – and to remind him when to take a break, or keep track of how much dust was getting kicked up. Still, even just drawing up architectural designs and taking measurements was easier with two hands.

fWhip was, however, resigned to knowing that part of the regular maintenance on the prosthetic would be cleaning the internal mechanisms. Although, to look at it another way, it served just as much of a learning experience for him to see what other types of improvements he could make to protect and perfect the internal parts even more.

~*~

With such a wedding as auspicious as a king marrying an elven prince, it was inevitable that there would be other parties of a more public nature, with the nobles of Mythland wishing to congratulate their ruler, and envoys from Rivendell visiting to honor their prince now become a king regnant. Things generally went smoothly, so on one occasion Scott and Sausage separated to mingle with crowds of their respective fellows to thank them.

Scott ended up accepting a gift from the Rivendell merchant’s guild of bottles of spiced cider, the best of each’s stock, and shared one with them over some idle chatter about recent Rivendell affairs until one of them made the casual comment, “Say, good move securing yourself a kingdom.”

Scott was about to question what they were implying but another of the merchants cut in with a laugh, “Ah, yes – why else a human then, hmm? What a quaint dalliance.”

A third asked, “He only has, what, fifty years left in him? Any lucky elf in mind for when that day comes?”

Scott forced his expression to be neutral then twirled his finger in the air. He froze their drinks, then caused frost to form over their hands so they were stuck to their goblets. He tossed what was left of his drink into the face of the first offender, then he spun around with his chin held high and walked away.

Meanwhile, Sausage had been chatting with some nobles from the far side of Mythland, and after showing off the latest version of his prosthetic, was fielding reports on the land holdings plus a little trouble with zombie hordes, which he promised to look into.

One of the men kept eyeing any of the elven guests who meandered nearby, then finally spoke his mind. “So, an elf became your choice? I can’t blame you. They have such… unusual color hair. Such pretty things…”

His tone made Sausage feel cautious that this was some type of judgment. “Well, there’s plenty of other things, just like you and me. Fighting skills, magic talent—”

“I suppose,” the man droned on as if dismissing those details, “They’re not all as delicate as they look. Say, are the ears like handles for when he’s—”

Upon the word ears, Sausage could guess where it was going and began to draw back his right arm. He then cold clocked the man right in the face before he could finish the sentence, buckling a few struts and popping a redstone wire somewhere in his prosthetic. The hand went limp and he had to lower the arm by pushing on it with his left hand, but he only glared as the offender’s fellow noble tried to help him, walking him away from the enraged Mythland king.

Sausage turned away as well and stormed off through the staring crowd, whispered gossip following in his wake about what the noble could possibly have said to make their king react like that. He found a quiet spot with fewer people and started to inspect his arm. Aside from the struts making up the back of the hand and one by the wrist, he figured whatever wire had broken was key to letting him control the hand. He could only move the elbow partway so he forced it into a folded position, then removed his ceremonial cape and hung it over the arm to make it look like he was merely holding the cape as one normally would when feeling warm.

He figured that would suffice to ward off comments until he could contact fWhip to fix it. He should probably ask the inventor about reinforcing it so he could use it for such occasions without breaking it. He did feel a little foolish, however, that he had used it instead of his left fist, but the anger had struck pretty quickly, and his right side had been in a better position to hit first…

Well, what was done was done. He wasn’t about to allow such crude comments, and now people knew it. He turned back toward the crowd – in time to see Scott stalking by looking upset. He reached for the elf’s arm to stop him. “Hey – are you all right?”

Startled, Scott looked over at him, having not noticed he was there, then promptly hugged him and explained what the merchants had said. “It’s just so… callous of them to think I only married you because I wouldn’t become ruler of Rivendell, and that I would just… wait out your time…”

“Well, you… shouldn’t have to be alone after I go,” Sausage said softly. “It’s just a fact I’ll pass first. And I wouldn’t do anything like mess with magic to extend my lifespan, that would be crazy, eh-heh…”

Scott gave an earnest but gentle smile. “You’ve already thought about that, haven’t you?”

“Ah— haha. Yup,” Sausage admitted. “I won’t though. I know it won’t end well. We have the time together that we have.” He clasped Scott’s hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss to his knuckles.

Scott then hugged him again, only to realize there was something odd when Sausage returned the hug with only his left arm. The elf stepped back and looked down questioningly at how the prosthetic, hidden by the cape, was positioned. Sausage cleared his throat and slid the cape back to show the damage to his hand. “I, um, needed to defend your honor. The condescension runs on both sides.”

Scott sighed and helped arrange the cape back over the hand. “And we thought demons were the worst of our problems…”

“I know. Turns out it’s really other people. Come on, we’ll stick together for the rest of the night.”

“I like that plan.” Scott smiled, then paused and removed his own cape, draping it over the prosthetic as well. “Look how nice my husband is, carrying that for me.” He kissed Sausage on the cheek, earning a grin, then they rejoined the crowd.

It was sometime later when they were approached by the nobleman whom Sausage had punched, a sizeable bruise marring his face. “I expect an apology!” the man hissed. He flicked his gaze toward Scott and began to sneer.

“No,” Sausage said calmly, then yelled, “Guards! Escort this—” He spoke a word in Elvish “—out of here!”

Scott feigned a horrified gasp. “Sausage! Don’t call him that!” He had to suppress a smile until the man was hauled away, then he burst out laughing.

“What?” Sausage asked. “Was my accent that bad?”

“You called him a tree branch.”

“Oh. Well. Close enough.”

The rest of the event passed without incident, and soon enough the celebrations tapered off. With life getting back to normal and quiet, peaceful days ahead of them, Sausage turned his thoughts toward the future and the other possibilities that might await there.

~*~

One night, as Scott was helping him remove his prosthetic to get ready for bed, he decided it might be time to share some of his thoughts. He felt a little nervous, however, but instead of fidgeting just tried to lay still when Scott lifted it away from the protective cuff that covered the remaining part of his upper arm, the flicker of combined magic and redstone signals tapering off from his awareness. With the utmost care Scott placed it in its fabric-lined case where it wouldn’t be accidentally knocked over if either of them got up during the night.

Sausage sat up and leaned to reach and catch the elf’s hand before he could move around to the other side of the bed. “Can I… Can I ask you something?” Yet then, hesitating, he let go of Scott’s hand.

Curious about his tone, Scott sat down on the side of the bed. “You can, although it seems like you’re not sure if you want to. Everything okay?”

“Yes, I was just, um -- Well, I’ve been wondering… What, uh, what do you think about having… children?”

“Aside from the obvious issue with that?” Scott uttered a light laugh, but seeing Sausage’s face flush a little, he rested his hand over his. “Honestly? I hadn’t thought about it much before. Between the old world and this one, I always had other things on my mind.” He went quiet as he gave it some thought now, gently caressing Sausage’s arm in apology for seeming to tease him. “I guess… I mean we could… start considering adoption. Did you have something specific in mind? One, or maybe two – son, daughter, other?”

“Doesn’t particularly matter, just, ah— whoever we find that will accept us as we are, too. I mean, I don’t know how a child might feel about a father with only one arm.” Sausage looked at him sheepishly. “I would ask fWhip to reinforce the other one so I can pick them up and carry them around and stuff. Well, if they happen to be small enough for that. I guess age doesn’t matter too much, either.”

“Probably not an infant, though. We’re not equipped for handling anyone that young, and it might be easier to adjust our lives around an older child – you know, one who would know to be careful about your arm. There is one other consideration,” he added softly, a single possible repercussion coming to mind. “…Human, or elf?”

Sausage glanced down for a moment, understanding the implication, then smiled when he lifted his head. “Doesn’t matter. Whichever we find.”

Scott smiled in return and patted Sausage’s leg, then stood to dim the lanterns before going to his side of the bed. He had just gotten settled when more thoughts started occurring to him. “What would they call us? We can’t both be ‘dad’.”

“Dad and… ice-dad,” Sausage joked.

“No.” Scott pretended to act offended.

“I’m kidding! I called my father ‘papa’ when I was little. I’d be okay being that.”

“I’ll be ‘dad’ then.” He went quiet for a minute, weighing his next thought before saying out loud, “Should we tell them who we are right away? ‘Hi, we’re the rulers of Mythland, do you want to become royalty?’”

“That could be intimidating, or influence a match that doesn’t work out, depending on the people who run the place.”

“Right… It could be a surprise, maybe?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.” Then Sausage frowned sadly even though Scott couldn’t see it in the dark. “We won’t tell them the truth about my arm. That stays in the past. We’ll…make something up if anyone asks. Or just say that we don’t talk about what happened to Papa’s arm.”

Scott sought between them for Sausage’s left hand and gave it a squeeze. “All right.” He let a silent moment of that comfort pass, then said, “I’ll go to Rivendell in a day or so and find out what options there might be.”

“Sounds good. Maybe I’ll change some rooms around while you’re there.”

“Okay.”

They fell back into silence, if not sleep, with Sausage feeling grateful that Scott had been open to the suggestion, and Scott now realizing how much more of a future was available to them. His mind went to comments made by other elves about Sausage’s shorter lifespan. The idea of children meant their marriage, and the future of Mythland, could outlast them both…

~*~

Xornoth attempted to stare at his younger brother as if he wasn’t crazy, but darn if it wasn’t difficult not to. “You would like me to what?”

“Just to help me vet a few locations, if you will? I don’t know how appropriate it would be for a former prince of Rivendell to start touring every orphanage in the realm with his human husband…”

Xornoth chuckled. “Oh, but it’s appropriate for the current ruler to do it?”

“Well, I didn’t mean for you to go in person—”

“I understand your concerns but, Scott, why don’t you?”

“What?”

“Just go! Take Sausage with you and go meet some kids! Don’t worry so much about criteria, I’m sure any place will be overjoyed to know there will be dedicated parents looking after some young ones! Remember, I’ve seen you two together and the hearts are flying between you all the time now.”

The tips of Scott’s ears burned and he stared back at him as if he had never in the world expected him to say something like that.

Xornoth went and pretty much read his brother’s mind. “What? Did you think I would discourage you? You with your former inability to control elemental powers and him being a former demon? You’ve both gotten second chances and the world is wide open. You deserve a family of your own, too, if that’s what you want.”

“Maybe let’s not mention that second part ever again. Can I trust you to not bring that up? Our one rule is going to be we don’t talk about what happened to Papa’s arm.”

“ ‘Papa’? Oh, that’s adorable.” Xornoth laughed. Scott folded his arms, indicating he was serious. “Of course, I promise – I would no sooner tell about that than I would how I was once a demon, too.” He winked, but at those words Scott knew the secret was safe. Xornoth then began chuckling again. “Wouldn’t want to make Papa sad by reminding him about his arm, no… Ha! All right,” he said as Scott elbowed him, “Let’s get out a map and find you a town or two where you might not be easily recognized.”

Coming Next: Chapter One – The First Princes

#empires smp #empires smp fanfic #mythicalsausage #scott smajor #empires fwhip #empires geminitay #xornoth #scosage #champions au: garden path #empires smp s1 #empiresshipping #lunar yarns

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outoftimewriting · 4 years

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Imagine (Son of Hades! Percy; Godswapped! Big Three's kids) Son of Neptune AU (2/7) or (7/12)

Hello! Before reading, check the PJO AU and the TLH AU - the links are on the masterpost - because they are essential to this one. Don't forget to check the warnings before reading. Review and make suggestions! And have a good reading :))

TW: This post in special has sexual harassment, racist slurs, and mentions of whipping.

Perseus wakes up in a semi-destroyed building full of wolves with a black ax in one hand and a Warhammer in the other. And that's just the beginning of the worst months of his life - or the only months of his life he can remember.

Then everything hurts - too much, like his skin is melting from his bones and his eyes are being gouged out. His skin feels like it's melting, and he promptly passes out.

He has no idea of who he is - except his name, but he might just know it because the wolf woman told him - and the talking wolves don't know - or can't tell him anything else. Either way, Perseus is getting nowhere.

Oh yes - he is also pretty sure wolves aren't supposed to shapeshift. And rope you into training - which, he must've been a bodybuilder or something because he is pretty good at wrestling.

Shoving the wolves into the ground and destroying the monsters that try and defy Lady Lupa's pack are the highlights of his week.

Lady Lupa is... - Lupa is everything he knows. She is the one who, for some reason, let's him stay. She tells him about the gods and the monsters - about how she found him in her doorstep after her home was sacked by Earthborn.

How he must be the sign of the Olympus that Lady Venus promised her. The one who comes to help.

Perseus doesn't know her - he doesn't know who she is or if she is telling the truth. But he has well-trained powers that he has no idea how to utilize, nowhere to go and no way of searching for his family - no one knows who he is, except for his first name (which sounds wrong).

And he tried to run away once - it didn't end well, because monsters are immortal - and everywhere.

Lupa tells him he had a curse upon him, so he has to train himself all over again now that it's gone. It doesn't sound like the truth, but he prefers Lady Lupa's carefully crafted half-truths than sleeping in the streets.

Lady Lupa teaches him - and tells him to expect the signal of the gods. They will guide him - even if they give him no answers.

Perseus doesn't like the gods much. They've left him here - which is a good place, but not his home, wherever it is - with no idea of who he is or what to do - except train and learn.

Mother Lupa - as most call her in the Wolf House - educates him like one would an unruly puppy. She corrects everything - from the way he addresses the gods at evening prayers to the way he sits - and he obeys.

Because in the midst of all those wolves? Perseus is just another puppy. So he sits and read hours of Vergil, Ovid and Horace in ancient Latin out loud - even if he would prefer not to.

Sadly - he does not have an opinion. Lady Lupa won't hesitate on using her whip on him. Oh yes, she has a whip - a black whip, which she uses to educate them. His back hurts sometimes when he rests upon the cold floor.

He prays to anyone - his godly parent - who is some Underworld God if his hold on shadows and stone means anything - or a friend, someone who's missing him, anyone really, for them to come and gives him answers.

It doesn't happen.

So he trains and he trains. He has no idea how much time has passed - how much time he has been slashing and cutting and killing, how much time he has heard every detail of Julius Caesar crusade through Europe.

It's still cold when the gods send their signal - they send him a maiden. She holds her hand to him like he is an old friend - and he goes.

She makes him only one question - "Do you want peace or answers, Perseus? Choose carefully, for no path will be easy, but the harvest comes for those who plant the seeds" - and when he answers, she climbs to his back and flowers create a path in the ground.

She doesn't talk anymore. He follows the trail and the girl threads her fingers through his hair, humming to herself a melody only she is able to hear.

In the way, there are two gorgons. Lady Lupa taught him about them. It's an easy battle - until he discovers that they just don't die. They keep reforming, like evil pottery.

They attack again and he picks up his ax to continue racking them into bits, but she tightened her fingers in his hair - like one would steer a horse.

So before they reform, he runs. Perseus runs - with a beyond beautiful maiden on his back (which would be really uncomfortable, if he wasn't so pissed with the gods for giving exactly no answers) doing nothing but play with his hair and eat granola bars - and he gets to a military outpost.

At least, it's what it looks like. There's a wall who must be at least 20 feet high. Its not a normal wall - because he can see eyes in its crevices, looking at him.

Perseus is really tired. There are people there - he is seeing them, do they think he is stupid? - and he has a person in his back.

So he kills both gorgons again with his stone spikes - he is pretty sure the guys that aren't opening the doors can deal with them when they eventually reform - and shadow travels inside.

He doesn't do this often - it takes a lot out of him and he might end up stuck in the wall if he is too tired, but he is too angry to care.

Perseus could've destroyed their door. He should've, really. It might have stopped those people from surrounding him with weapons.

These people - the people looming over him now that he crossed the barrier, who are using togas just like him, so different but so familiar - would've let him die for nothing. Perseus growls - a bad habit he picked up living only with wolves for an undetermined amount of time.

He should kill every single one of them. He should open the ground - and let it swallow them, let their bones turn to dust, return their weapons to molten metal.

But the maiden tightens her fingers in his hair, and he obeys - because Perseus has been well trained, and he doesn't bend.

"Who are you?!" A boy with a bow asks harshly, and Perseus wants him to rip him apart - he is so done. Perseus is a Roman - is what Lupa taught him - and Roman wolves don't roll over.

"Lady Lupa sent me." They don't look like they believe him, but they take him to their leader.

He feels like an alien - behind the wall, there's a whole new world - hundreds of people stare at him with a mix of fear, disdain, and curiosity. It feels familiar.

Perseus is reluctant to leave his weapons with a statue - specially while entering the territory of people who won't protect him and might try to kill him, but he is not one for scandals - so he thanks Lord Terminus, and goes on.

They enter the Senate after walking for about an hour - his head held high, even with the extra weight in his back - in the middle of the session. Lady Lupa would find this appalling.

Everyone turns to them - the tall black muscular man, dressed in a dark red toga, with a woman in his back also clad in a toga - they look like normal citizens, and yet, somehow, completely foreign.

Their escorts - a black girl no older than fourteen and the archer, that must be around his age - kneel to the Praetor - but as soon as they start explaining, they are interrupted.

Their promagistrate - a man Perseus will later learn is named Justus - looks at them once and shrieks.

"Lord Pluto!" They call him, and the whole Senatus knee down "Lady Ceres!"

The goddess he didn't recognize comes down of his back, chuckling to herself. All gods are mad - Perseus thinks, but keeps stoic in front of the government of this Rome copycat, else they kill him for disrespect or something.

"Rise!" She starts "You're almost correct, child of Justitia. For I am Ceres, but this is not Lord Pluto."

The promagistrate seems offended with Perseus somehow - like it's his fault the man is an idiot.

"This is his only mortal son and my daughter's champion, Perseus of Styx. He has been under Lady Lupa's tutelage in her command." This was new.

So his father was the king of the dead himself - which was not surprising. But he was apparently Lady Proserpina's champion - a goddess who left him with Lady Lupa, apparently with his father's, Lady Venus' and Lady Ceres' approval.

Perseus (apparently, of Styx) wants to tear Olympus apart. He wants a lot of things - but for now, he shall observe and do what it's told of him.

Ceres leaves him under the "care" of the Romans. Immediately, the Praetor takes him to be interrogated.

He tells her the truth - or at least, what he can bender: He has been with Lady Lupa as long as he remembers. Yes, he is trained. He can control earth, shadows, metal. Sometimes, vines and skeletons. No, he doesn't have a last name. No, he doesn't know Jason Grace.

In return, the woman (a daughter of Bellona with brown skin that he feels he should know) explains where he is.

This is Nova Roma - and they are in Jupiter's Capitol, also known as the First City of Twelve, where is localized their Forum Romanum - which is composed by the Comitium (where the Senatus is localized), the Pluton Denar Domum (their bank) and a temple for all the gods - decorated with gardens and founts mainly used by the politicians in session and augurs.

The other non-military districts are Juno's Urbs, where most families live; Minerva's Scientia et Quaerere Centrum, which contains schools, colleges, libraries, and research centers; Phoebus Apollo's Salutem Receptum, a whole district for health care and who mainly takes care of cleaning the city; and Vesta's Forum Boarium, where the temples reside, including the Hearth of Rome, with their sacred fire.

Then there the indirectly of military nature; Ceres' Agris, fields who produce all food of the city; Mercury's Via, where communication and post are handled - also, the main place for entertainment; Vulcan's Caminus, the forges and armory; and Neptune's Militiarum Equestri, battle horses, pegasi, hellhounds, elephants, wolves and hounds.

There's also the military ones: Venus Victrix's Feminam Lorem ad Bellum, the training camp for girls; Mars Ultor's Masculum Lorem ad Bellum, the training camp for boys; and Diana's Venari, a forest they use to hunt monsters.

Praetor Arellano shows him around. The praetor shouldn't be doing that, but he seems to be important enough - he got here with a goddess in his back after all. His step-grandmother?

"Everyone is involved in the war effort - Everything for Rome. Everyone capable is obliged to join the training as soon as they're eight. When you're ready, you join the Legion, for fifteen years, in any capacity. Some - the ones with specific talents - join the field healers or the forges."

"Most join the legionnaires. Later in life, some go to college - training to farm, teach, own business, plan buildings, weave, research, write, go exclusively into politics, or become doctors - for either animals or people. Some never leave until they absolutely have to - it's an honor to serve Rome."

"You are neither a son or legacy of any construction or any health deity, so you'll go directly to be tested by Mars Ultor's Masculum Lorem ad Bellum - to see if you are qualified to be a soldier or if you need to undergo more training, and how much."

"A fight, Praetor?" He asks, as respectfully as Lupa indoctrinated in him, even if he hated this situation from the start.

"It's part of it, yes. But a fighter is not a soldier - you'll be expected to know rhetoric and show resilience, to be able to think and strategize. Put on a good performance - the Centurions choose which Cohort you go."

Then, she explained the Legion and its Five Cohorts - and the Centurions - before leaving him with one of his escorts from earlier. He doesn't think it matters much - if one of the Praetors is from Third Cohort and their last Praetor, from Fifth, while the Consul himself was from Fourth - what does it matter?

The guard seems uncomfortable in his presence - as if she knows exactly who he is. She introduces herself - Hazel Levesque, daughter of Jupiter. And part of the Fifth Cohort - mainly because of the previous Praetor - the one who's missing.

Her buddy, the archer, - Frank Zhang, unclaimed - is also part of the Fifth Cohort. But it's not him they meet - it's a boy way too familiar to be a coincidence - three times today.

"You know me, don't you? You know where I come from?" He snarls, and the boy denies it.

Shadows start curling at his feet - and he's told later that his eyes darken to black from their usual forest green. Perseus is a second away from killing the little lying gremlin when Praetor Arellano shows - and he immediately reverts to parade rest.

She doesn't ask - and he doesn't volunteer an answer. He leaves the guy trembling - and flustered, for some reason - and goes with the Praetor to his "test".

Hazel is having a very bad year. A very bad life, to be true, but mostly, a bad year.

She died, and she was walking aimlessly for years - until she met a boy. She thought, initially, that was a god - for his beauty was insurmountable.

He talked with her - he was named Perseus Jackson. He was powerful and kind - but still a mortal, so she latched into him. Hazel isn't a good person - her mother always told her that - and she used his kindness to drawn just a little of his powers. Just enough.

When the Doors opened, she was strong enough to escape - even if she left Perseus drained for a week, apparently. Hazel didn't go far - she got caught by Ceres.

Ceres - who was in her greek form - took pity of her and brought her to Hazel's father and stepmother, pleading for her usefulness in the war to come. The dead aren't their domain - but as long as Pluto didn't discover it, they would turn a blind eye.

Her brother - who was the first bridge between the two demigod settlements - took her to Nova Roma. She adapted - she learned about the ending of segregation and the world they now lived - and made friends - Frank and Jason.

But she never forgot the boy who gave her the chance, the chance to be more than the cursed child Marie Levesque told her she was. Her curse is supposed to be washed away by a descendant of Pluto.

Perseus gave her a chance, and now he is probably her salvation from this poisoned existence. He is in Nova Roma, and both Hazel and Nico are too ungrateful, too proud, too involved in the gods' plans to help him.

Her father's curse rang true - for children of Zeus aren't supposed to control unaltered energy through minerals. Metal is not theirs to use - and Hazel is paying the price.

Perseus does well in his test - so well, the First Cohort wants him. He is not generally rude, but the way Octavian - their apparent Centurion and Leader of the Augurs (the priests of Apollo) - calls him "Excellent, for a colored one with a graecus name" makes him mad.

So he rejects Octavian - no one gets to mock his name, the slur for greeks matched with the blatant racism almost makes him clock the guy in the face - and, since no other Centurion wants to go against the white supremacist, he joins the Fifth Cohort.

"Well, there's the place for filth, anyway. What could you expect from a nigger ape, like that one?"

If in the training that followed, he left Octavian unconscious - well, everyone turned a blind eye. Perseus saw the Praetor laughing discreetly from where she was polishing her spear.

He is given a bunk to sleep on, a probatio tablet and a date - it's March 18th, 2012. He remembered that, when he ran away from the House of the Wolf, was still January's first week.

Almost three months for the gods to bother with him, and he has no guesses how much time he is missing. Did his family give up on him? Did he have a family?

Perseus doesn't know. He spends the next weeks following the army's routine - wake up with dawn with the horn, muster, morning prayers, then the morning drills - stretching, an obstacle circuit of three miles with a lake in the middle and running five times around Ceres' Agri.

After the drills - which Perseus and Hazel bond over hating, because there's a lake - they go to breakfast, then classes - for the younger ones. Perseus is old enough (and did well in the school tests), so he has a free slot where he allots his power training - under Praetor Arellano's watchful gaze, as she tries and brings him to his full potential.

Reyna (as he is allowed to call her during free time) also does power training - she has a different kind of charmspeak - the kind that makes people motivated or defeated. She can make armies have a burst of energy, or drop-down with exhaustion - possibly. Nova Roma has very few wars nowadays.

There's lunch, then weaponry training - where he kicks Octavian's (and all of his little friends who look down on Perseus because of his name, his lack of family or his skin color) ass with pleasure every single day - followed by weapon cleaning - which always takes forever because Perseus has both an ax and a giant Warhammer.

On Wednesdays, they have horse and pegasi riding. Both Perseus and Hazel have it slightly different - she mounts a venti, Tempest and he mounts a hellhound, Spot. On Fridays, they have hunting lessons in Diana's Venari - which always end up with some Apollo's child or legacy waving their victory in everybody's face - except for that one time where Frank and Perseus joined forces and won in an hour.

At four p.m. every day, those who did well enough get to have two hours of free time before evening prayers, which can either be followed by dinner or competitions - wrestling and gladiator games are really popular on weekends.

Then, if it's Sunday, they are allowed to go to Mercury's Via to drink, party, dance, go to karaoke - whatever, if they're over fourteen. It seems young - but Perseus has seen younger kids, at the training camps, sneaking in wine.

If it's not Sunday - they are free to do anything if they don't drink and are in bed by 21h30. You are only excused of the routine if you are escalated for border patrol - generally twenty different people every day. Perseus's patrols are on Thursdays - because Reyna loves him. Octavian's are on Sundays - they're just not on Saturdays because he has Augur functions and is excused of everything on Saturday.

Saturdays are days of prayer - there's no training and no feasting. They go to the temples and see the Vestal Virgins - a custom Perseus though would be outdated by now - and do basic chores - like washing their togas and sheets, mending their leathers, or airing the blankets.

When Hazel's brother leaves, he actually bonds with the girl - over being a child of the Big Three, of having big expectations thrust upon them - and consequently, with Frank - who is also his bunkmate. They spend their free time on the small fountain that overlooks the aqueduct, just in front of the Vesta Temple.

It's weird to see the Vestal Virgins - they are six girls between 8 and 24, wearing white stolas and veils, of incredible beauty and vowed to modesty and chastity. They spent their days tending the fire and giving blessings, cleaning the temple, and visiting the Senatus.

They didn't choose to be priestesses of Vesta - Vesta herself chooses them, and they have to leave their families and vow their lives away for thirty years. The other priests are there of free will - they never join the Legion, if they choose to serve a specific god.

Perseus goes to his father's, Lady Proserpina's and Lady Ceres' temples regularly - if only to ask for answers. His father's priests treat him as royalty - which, to them, he probably is. There are not even legacies of Pluto, as far as they know.

Every Sunday, Perseus goes to the Comitium - while people don't generally like him, he is good in rhetoric, and well respected for a probatio - so they hear him. He is good at politics. Reyna looks like he is measuring him, when he rises to debate - like he can be the next Praetor instead of the campaigning Octavian - who the Senatus is divided into loving or hating his guts.

Perseus is happy - or something. He hates not having memories - not knowing who he is, who his mother is, pains him. He has friends - Frank, Hazel, even Reyna and Dakota, his Centurion, who lives half-drunk in wine most of the time - and a life.

It doesn't feel like his life. By the third week of his staying in Nova Roma, he starts having dreams - a blonde boy, doing everything Perseus is doing now. He is afraid of telling anyone. Perseus is already called slurs by Octavian and his hateful friends - he doesn't want to attract attention now that he is settling.

By Reyna's pictures, he finally names the blonde in his dreams. It's Jason Grace.

Jason Grace is, for lack of a better word, graceful. He is loved by everyone - so different from Perseus, who is more feared then liked - and a troublemaker - if the vision of him being whipped in Mars Ultor's training camp is to be believed.

Romans don't hesitate in corporal punishment on children. Nor in adults, either - misdemeanors are punished harshly. Perseus is lucky Octavian has no direct authority over him - the number of times he put him on his ass would get Perseus bleeding on the floor for days.

However, he didn't escape the whip completely. In his fourth week on Nova Roma, Hazel is disrespectful to one of Octavian's friends - he called her a "good piece of monkey meat" and touched her ass, so she kneeled him in the balls. Reyna is out on a mission - and the guy just happens to be Questor Cicero.

Questor Cicero is twenty-eight - and everybody believes him when he tells them Hazel kneeled him without reason - a grave offense because it can affect his descendants. Hazel gets sentenced - by the Consul, in absentia of the Praetor - to a hundred lashes.

Everyone is obliged to watch - and neither Perseus nor Frank can last after she sobs. They rise from the crowd and volunteer to take the rest of her punishment. The executioner of it - a girl named Domitia - is surprised and asks why when they rise up to take Hazel's place - not a lot volunteer, generally older siblings or partners.

Hazel protests, while she is taken by a daughter of Aesculapius, Lavinia - "No, Perseus, no, it's my fault, Frank, I can take it, please!" - But he doesn't care to hear. Hazel is a child, and something stirs inside of his memory - No child shall suffer under his watch. - He wants to stop Frank - the boy is only sixteen - but there's no stopping the guy about his best friend.

"She could take it. I just don't want to see her, or anyone I care about, do it. She is too young. A child - one that shouldn't feel the injustices of life."

"That's my best friend. I won't let her pay for something she didn't do, and I won't let Perseus do this alone."

It's rational enough that no one will see weakness when she starts whipping them. Domitia is a good girl - they become a sort of friends after it, but Perseus can never understand why the daughter of Nemesis would dispense unfair punishments.

Perseus endure the whole thing awake - the forty-five lashes, under the jeers of Octavian and his friends - and they walk out of the stage supporting one another, before collapsing in a pool of their own blood, in the arms of Caelius - the youngest of Apollo's offspring working on the hospital.

They take both of them to the UTI - he doesn't remember a thing. He wakes up three days later - they aren't allowed to use any magic to heal him, or anesthetics to numb his pain. He suffers for a week, while his godly blood slowly heals him.

Hazel sits by their bedside - he and Frank are in the same room - her own back fully healed by now - and tells him stories about how Dakota kicked Octavian's ass in training in their name, or just plays with his hair. Sometimes, when she thinks he is asleep, she cries - it's heartbreaking.

Reyna comes back by the time Frank is out of the hospital - Perseus moved to much and his stitches came out - and is fueled by rage. This kind of punishment is hers to give - and with through interrogation before - and she has been trying to eradicate them for years.

She does insist on an interrogation with Aurum and Argentum - perhaps because she knows what a sweetheart Hazel is. She uncovers the whole story - how Cicero called her names and sexually harassed her - and the guy is stripped off his post and exiled - sexual harassment is a crime punishable by lashing, but together with lying to a court of law and supplanting his direct superior - oh well, he is not coming back for the next five years.

With Hazel's absolving, the doctors are allowed to heal them with magic - but it's too late. They can repair the nerves and muscles, take away all the pain - but the flesh will remain scarred.

Their backs are now a crisscross of scar tissue - it's a reminder of Nova Roma's failings - and he revels on taking his shirt off to drills, even if Frank is ashamed of it, for some reason.

Praetor Arellano thinks "Perseus' loyalty to the Roman Law and his Cohort" is enough to give him an SPQR tattoo instead of his probatio tablet. He didn't cry when they put the mark of his father on his arm - just later, in his bunk, for the eleven-year-old that was tattooed together with him.

After the tattoo, Perseus discovers he has money. Like, really, lots of money in the bank - which is named after his father, who is their patron god - and apparently filled his account with denars. Perseus solves to donate part of it - and part of it he keeps because his wages as a foot soldier are meager.

Hazel, on the other side, is brimming with remorse - and protectiveness. She will do her absolute best to protect Perseus Jackson - this is the second time he saves her. She can't tell him anything - but she can make his life as easy as possible.

Hazel dreams about Frank - Frank, and a terrible price that is a piece of wood - and she thinks she likes him, even if he is older and braver than she'll ever be.

It's June 18th - and Perseus has been in Camp for three months when the war games take an unexpected turn.

Frank is leading the Fifth Cohort - Dakota is hangover somewhere - and their battle formation is impeccable. They also have the two biggest powerhouses - Perseus and Levesque.

Hazel - while a child of Jupiter - is unable to fly - or any air or climate control. Her power lies on energy - publicly, she controls lighting and thunder - and can get bolts to basically incinerate whole canons or dismantle phalanges.

Perseus, however, can raise skeleton soldiers to fight for him - and stone spikes to block his enemies. His vines are of no use - the First Cohort has two sons of Ceres who out-do him any day. He can also use the shadows to confuse their rivals or make the ground tremble - under the cost of their own stability.

Frank is very proud of having such powerful and amazing people as friends. He didn't expect Perseus of Styx, the boy who didn't have to fight to be recognized - the one who came with a goddess at his back and muscles in his arms and a father on his blood - to be friends with Frank.

He is a very okay guy, you see. Frank had - has - three best friends, but no one openly dislikes him. He doesn't have someone - he has no use for quick tumbles under the cloak of darkness, and that is all people like him can ever have.

But he is not like Perseus or Jason. He doesn't defy Octavian. He was too anxious to muster the courage to volunteer to take Hazel's punishment alone - Perseus had to do it first.

He is not like them. He isn't anything like his mother. Frank feels happy, at least, that at those little things like war games he has better strategies than anyone else. It was Perseus who motivated him to take the lead while Dakota is otherwise incapable - under Hazel's cheerful applause.

This time, there are elephants involved - Perseus loves elephants - and they burst through their rival's doors - the 12th consecutive victory for the Fifth Cohort since Perseus arrived.

Gwen - the only openly ficatrix girl that Perseus knows, a Jewish daughter of Venus Genetrix - dies probably by Octavian's hand - and doesn't stay dead.

This evokes Lord Mars Ultor - who claims Frank, gives him a quest to find Letum and ropes Perseus into it - "Your father's domain, your responsibility" - so they choose Hazel as a third member - because who else - and get in a car to go to Alaska.

Before that, for Dakota's negligence, the Fifth Cohort is passed to newly-coined Centurion Frank - with Hazel as his second in command, while Gwen - who is not respected because of her preferences - steps down the second position to go study - apparently, she wants to be a teacher.

They have to be back by June 24th - or die. That gives them six days - it's at least two days going and two days back from San Francisco to Alaska, so they have two extra days to localize and rescue Letum.

Hazel, Frank, and Perseus battle the karpoi in Mendocino - this time, they're easily defeated, because no one leaves Hazel alone. Frank actually kills a lot of them - under the sheer appreciation of both his very supportive friends.

They see Polybotes army - and run away in their car, which crashes in the front of the R.O.F.L.

Perseus IM's Reyna - he thinks it necessary, for she is their Praetor, their leader. Hazel is right by his side - and then goes to call her brother - which he doesn't stick around for, examining the drachmas - the weird graecus' coins that Perseus recognizes

Iris remembers Perseus of someone. He doesn't know who, or why, but that night, for the first time in months, he doesn't dream of Jason Grace. He dreams of red hair spilled into the snow, blond curls around his fingers, a mechanic leg whirring in his ear, a spear coated with blood, shoes with wings and pan pipes - and wakes up crying for a past he doesn't remember.

He hugs the tie-dye bag against his chest - and cries. Perseus doesn't care - his chest literally aches with missing, for someone he doesn't know.

Frank doesn't ask questions when he finds Perseus crying. Frank cried a lot when he first got to Nova Roma.

"Are you missing someone?"

"I'm missing everything" And that's how Frank discovers Perseus doesn't remember anything at all.

Everything spills up - Lady Lupa's house, the dreams about Jason, the way he just dreamed of what could possibly be his friends, and what if he was a graecus like Octavian said - and Frank does not judge him.

He knows what it is to have a gigantic secret pressing upon his shoulders - and he has known Perseus for three months now. He knows Perseus is a trustworthy person.

"We'll discover who you are - but if you don't like it, we won't judge you. It doesn't matter what your past life has been like, it doesn't matter if you're a graecus - you're one of us now."

Because Frank is the absolute best - Perseus can't think of a friendship he deserves less than Frank's.

They trade stories about their rage against the gods - things they would never be able to utter at home. Their lives, their insecurities, their shared hate of Octavian's racist ass - everything they can share.

Frank tells Perseus about the piece of wood - which is very important when Perseus tells Frank that, sometimes, he can conjure a weird green fire of which he has little control over, so is better to keep that wood far away from him.

Some things are kept in secret - Frank is not sure Perseus will be repelled by his preferences, by the way, no woman ever caught his eye - and Perseus is afraid of telling Frank about the way that, sometimes, he wants to see the world burn, skeletons beneath his feet and blood coating his hands.

They travel through Portland - which means half the journey is done - and meet Ella - which Perseus immediately wants to take away from the creepy old dude because that's a child.

Ella is hungry and cold and in pain - and neither Perseus nor his quest mates are having that.

So he does a gamble with Creepy Old Dude and Lady Terra - which he isn't sure is in their side - and kills him. Because he is not dealing with a creepy old man who is trying to capture children, even if those children are monsters.

They take Ella with them - she's such a small, innocent girl-bird. They can't send her to Nova Roma alone - they would either kill her, hunt her or use her as entertainment - and they can't stop the mission, so there's that.

Hazel and Frank are sharing memories - with each other and Perseus. Perseus himself has no private memories to talk about - except for his dreams of Jason, which he already told Frank and now relays to Hazel.

Ella says is because their destinies are connected - says that their curses will be gone by their hands. Frank gives Hazel his piece of wood - "I would give it to both of you, but your fire is weird" - And Hazel tells them about being dead.

Perseus has an inkling of suspicion - that maybe - just maybe - he brought Hazel back. Maybe that's why his memories are gone. Either that - or he has a sibling, and wouldn't that be amazing? Siblings, cousins - a giant family. Just for him.

He doesn't ask though - because Hazel is sad and he is not an insensitive ass.

They head to the Amazon Headquarters - where Perseus has the amazing idea of going in, even if he knows Amazons just have one utility for men - sex.

They get caught - just this time, while Hylla does recognize Perseus, she is grateful. Perseus did kill Circe, yes, but he didn't free any pirates - Hylla and Reyna sailed away and never got any trouble.

Hylla is grateful for Perseus - but she cannot help him or Frank - Amazons are misandry warriors, and they are too young to be lovers, but too old to be reliable to let go. So they lock them up, and Hylla and Hazel make a plan to free them.

Otrera is dangerous - because the Amazons will follow anyone, they aren't connected to any goddess. So, when Perseus shadow travels from his cage with Frank, Hylla helps Perseus - who is way too tired - to mount Tempest - Hazel's venti - so that they can reach Letum - or, how Hylla calls him, Mors.

They go North - then further North - to the house of Frank's Grandma.

Everything goes the same - Frank's Grandma is cryptic, Mars appears, the house catches fire, they flee. A bird is seeing flying out of the window - but if it's her or no, they don't know.

Frank and Perseus discover they are related - by a lot of generations, but does it matter really? They are shield brothers - and fight in the same Cohort, for the same Rome.

Hazel feels lucky - both her best friends are related to Pluto. Both can be the one to save her - and she really hopes is not Perseus, for she can't own him any more debts.

Frank tries to control his abilities - and between Perseus' own training and Hazel's unwavering belief on him, they get him to shapeshift. Some. He is not good at it at all - but he'll get there.

They don't fear Hazel - not even when gold slips between her fingertips. Perseus calls her sister, for their connection shall be forged on metal and fire.

They fly to Alaska - this time, Perseus entrusts Ella to a General skeleton and tells him to take her somewhere safe.

During the travel, they cuddle together - all three of them - to share body warmth. Hazel is flushed - for she never had such close contact with a boy, least a boy she really likes, like Frank.

Frank, on the other side, has never been so close to a boy as he is to Perseus now. Perseus is just a brother to him - but he can't help but blush like a virgin maiden.

Perseus observes the situation with confusion - for he doesn't understand Hazel's flustered expression - which makes her look a lot like her brother any time Perseus even glances at the guy - nor Frank's blushing cheeks - which must be because of the cold.

Perseus almost drowns on Earth - the single thing he fears the most, in his own element. It pains him, and he wants to destroy Lady Terra for her trickery and mockery.

They stay in a little motel, just out of the way. No way that Frank nor Perseus would make Hazel go back to where she was abused and mistreated.

They shared basically everything in the past few days - they know almost everything about each other. Hazel tells Perseus she knows him - but is under oath to not tell anything.

Perseus is frustrated - but that is Hazel. Soft, trustworthy Hazel. She isn't doing this to hurt him. Her brother, on the other hand, can go to hell. He obviously knows Perseus - but lies to him. Explicitly. Nico Di Angelo is as bad as the gods are in Perseus' eyes.

He can't sleep - he keeps dreaming of the Earth swallowing him like it did many of his enemies - and Frank hugs him as Hazel inches closer to their shared embrace - it feels, for the first time since he woke up, like family.

They fight against Alcyoneus. Frank frees Letum - waisting part of his life on it, literally - Hazel takes on Alcyoneus - vengeance for herself - and Perseus raises an army to fight against the Undead Roman one - it's easy to defeat them, and then turn them against the giant once he has the Twelfth Legion Eagle.

Perseus - and his army that is getting harder and harder to maintain - helps Frank (who has finally managed to shapeshift) and Hazel to drive away Alcyoneus - and finally kill him, once he is out of Alaska.

They head back to Nova Roma - Hazel on her venti, Tempest, with Frank as an eagle and Perseus mounting Spot - the hellhound he was able to call from Nova Roma - pushing a chariot of Imperial Gold weapons - something rare and essential.

They meet Mrs. O'Leary - another hellhound - Blackjack - a hellhound that can speak with Perseus - Ella - who apparently found safety - and Nico Di Angelo with the cyclops Tyson - which immediately spark Perseus memories, even if he has no time to think about it.

Perseus leads the Romans - they look at him, and see the boy that has spent three months with them and three months with Lady Lupa, the boy who has been invaluable for Nova Roma's safety - their own Julius Caesar, their Augustus.

He fights against Polybotes one on one. Polybotes may be the bane of Neptune - but Perseus is also an earthshaker. He makes the Earth - Lady Terra's earth, who they are oh so proud of, the earth that swallowed him - fight against her own son.

With help from Terminus - and lots of backup from the army, his army - Polybotes is gone. The monsters - defeated.

There are thirteen dismemberments and fifty-three gravely injured. These are rushed to the hospital, while the other 184 soldiers rest and prepare for the burials.

Thirty-eight dead - men and women alike - plus nine that succumbed to their injuries. They do the procession - followed by cremation and the burial of the ashes in the temple of Pluto.

What follows is the eulogy - and the laurels. The families who have dead members are given money and prestige - it bothers Perseus. Is not enough - it won't fullfill their childrens, siblings and friends places.

Then come the laurels of the living. Frank, Hazel, Di Angelo, and Reyna are awarded Civic Crowns - the second biggest award any commander can win for battle. Everyone else is rewarded Golden Crowns - the fourth-highest decoration of battle, for their bravery.

Perseus himself is the most celebrated - he not only wins a Grass Crown (Corona Obsidionalis) for being credited for saving the whole Legion - he charms the Senatus with his acts of heroism - enough that they give him the Praetor Peregrinus title - for he also has a reputation of a good politician, as he often spoke on the Forum - while Reyna holds to the Praetor Urbanus one.

Frank himself also gains a promotion - he is now Legatus Legionis - the overall Legion commander - a title that was vacant since Jason Grace rose to Praetor, but with him missing for six months - it is time to fulfill both positions. Hazel raises to be Centurion of the Fifth Cohort.

The Consul holds the ceremony for both of their awards - where they vowed to serve Nova Roma with their lives, to put Nova Roma above their personal lives and interests - and later, they feast.

Perseus is happy with his new position - While Reyna is in charge of all judicial matters - the matters of the law - he is in charge of all defense, war and foreign matters.

That's why - when Lady Juno gives back his memories - he is infuriated. Not only he has a whole life waiting for him - one that conflicts directly with his new life - he has now a giant pile of paperwork.

The first thing he does - still in his toga praetexta, the worst garment to ever be done, even if he pities Reyna for having to use a stola on most occasions - is to punch Nico di Angelo in the face.

Then he hugs him. The boy apologizes - stuttering through words - promise to make up for it - and promptly leaves to not be seen again.

Perseus goes to the Senatus, and tell the truth: Lady Juno has sent him a vision - and in the war to come, they have to fight alongside the greeks.

Octavian wants to discredit Perseus for being a graecus. It doesn't work - for the Romans love their new Praetor - and Octavian wasn't even in the battle.

That night, Perseus doesn't even remember Jason Grace - he is just a shadow of some dreams he had for two weeks, more nightmarish than not. He dreams of Nico di Angelo - who is walking around ruins - and fears for the life of the boy who betrayed him.

He doesn't think much about it.

Perseus shadow travels to his mother - not yet to Camp, he is not ready to see them yet, and Hera/Juno told him they are coming, so it would be a waste of his energy - and hugs her for about four hours before his duties call him back.

She is happy to see him alive and well - even if she doesn't like he is fighting in yet another war for the gods. He doesn't like it either - after this, he is retiring and making them promise to never bother him again.

Perseus spends the next days preparing - for his friends, for his two lives to collide - and working his very difficult political job - Nova Roma is a homophobic and racist place, and he won't stand for other people like Gwen to be killed for it - he isn't tolerating "ficatrix" instead of lesbians or the clearly prejudiced priests anymore.

He has a long way to go. But it's fine - he and his friends are the government. Talking about his friends...

"Call me Percy"

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bearmyshielf · 4 years

Text

(Based on the phanthop au created by the lovely @roseltheteacup and @alittlewriter ! Hope you dont mind me doing this, but your au made me sad so I had to write something. Now it’s 1 AM, so off to sleep I go!)

—-

Phantump, the stump Pokemon. According to old tales, these Pokémon are stumps possessed by the spirits of children who died while lost in the forest.

—-

He likes his new trainer.

Lee is kind, and gentle, and he smiles like everything will be alright, now that he’s here. Lee doesn’t mind holding his hand, or peeling the crusts off his sandwiches, buys him chocolate ice cream and cookies and when the skies are clear, brings him to see the stars.

(Back in the forest, it had been dark, so dark. What sunlight he had seen was the little streams of gold that would peek through the leaves on good days, and darkness so complete it frightened him every other day. He had wandered, not knowing what he was missing, what he needed to find, just that he needed to find something. He had memorized every blade of tall grass. He had climbed every tree. He learned how to hide, how to keep quiet, how to make himself small. He learned what was safe to eat and wasn’t, how to see in the dark. He learned how to survive in a forest that seemed intent on swallowing him alive, and he had to do it alone.)

With Lee, he’s never alone. His trainer is always always there, a presence larger than life and just a smile bright as the sun. Lee takes him everywhere, and tells jokes, and makes curry just the way he likes it whenever he wants, wherever they are.

(Colorful mushrooms lighting up hidden paths and rocky mountains with gravel underfoot and the smell of salt by the ocean and rolling meadows filled with Woolos and clouds drifting by a giant window fat and lazy and gem encrusted walls and warm water and and and-

And Lee. He’s there. He’s always always there.)

—-

The first time he sees Lee battle, it’s at the very top of a tower that reaches the clouds.

He doesn’t recognize the other trainer, but they look scary, with the determined looking scowl tugging on their lips and the sharp look in their eyes. A part of him wants to curl up and hide, find a crevice and make himself small, the way he did back in the forest when the bigger Pokemon went by. He doesn’t though. Lee is right there, and he wants to be brave.

The fight is short. The fight is brutal. He watches, agape, as Charizard grows large, larger than any tree he’d ever seen, any pokemon he’d ever meet. He watches as the battle ends in a flash of orange fire, the ends of his leaves warming up as it rushes by.

The battle ends. His awe does not end with it.

Later, they make camp next to Lake Outrage, and Lee has gone to gather some berries. It’s just him and the rest of the team. He gives the others a friendly wave before he floats over to where Lee has left his things, hunting for the red and white balls that he’s always seen trainers with. It isn’t hard to find one, buried under strange pictures and a folded cape. He lifts it and chortles with glee, the sound echoing a hundred times over as he tosses it up and catches it again.

(He remembers the way Lee had done it, powerful arcs and deliberate movements. He remembers how he had felt- like his breath had been stolen- like there’s a sharp ache somewhere inside him, a dull throbbing that won’t go away, heat and ice making his vision blur. It hurt, but in a good way, and he wants that. He’s sure he does.)

It’s hard to imitate his trainer, but he tries, heaves the ball up to his chest and starts to turn around. He gets dizzy soon enough, and does that mean it’s time to let go? He does, and stumbles in midair as the ball leaves his hands to curve upwards gracefully and land on the grass some distance away.

Next to it, Lee, who drops the berries and plates he’s been holding, who’s hands rise up to cover his eyes as the dishes shatter, a thousand little shards sent in all directions. He watches, paralyzed, as his trainer’s shoulders tremble, like they’re caught in their own internal earthquake.

He rushes over, dives into Lee’s chest and clings to his shirt. Lee doesn’t hesistate- his hands come down to cradle him against their chest, shaking, shaking, shaking. He feels something drip on his branches and makes a low crooning noise, a rumbling purr he’d seen Meowths do to comfort their trainers, until Lee’s hands aren’t trembling so much and his shoulders art still.

Lee exhales. It’s a shaky, hollow sound, like someone has torn out his soul, and he never wants them to sound like that again, never, never again. He swears that, even as the rest of the team comes close and Charizard’s wings spread to curl around them.

(Later on he tries to pick up the shards left on the grass, but Lee stops him with red rimmed eyes. “It’s fine.” They murmur as he watches sadly. “You’ll cut yourself; let me do it.)

—-

“Phan?” He asks, confused. Lee smiles at him, pats the air next to him. They’re in the town with budews sleeping in the gardens and a large house nearby, looming.

(He doesn’t like that house. The last time Lee had brought him there, he had felt small: he had felt afraid, and alone, like he was back in the woods and all he could see were shadows. He had run away, and Lee had tore open the countryside looking for him, until his voice cracked and his shouts became whispers. He came back eventually, and Lee had hugged him so fiercely as they begged him to never leave like that again. It took five days before Lee could speak without coughing up blood. Five days of worry and guilt, and the knowledge that his trainer cared enough to look for him, to push himself that far. He doesn’t know why, but he feels like no one’s ever done that for him before.)

“I have someone for you to meet.” Lee smiles. There’s no stumble to their voice. He floats over, confused, as they continue. “Look, here they come now.”

He looks at the direction Lee is pointing and sees a Dubwool, being led by a woman with a shock of orange hair and followed by a Yamper. He looks at Lee, even more confused, but then the Dubwool tackles him.

There’s a commotion and flurry of movement around him, but his vision is filled with white wool and bright eyes, gleaming. The Dubwool nuzzles him, mindful of their horns. It’s you. They say, their voice trailing off to a celebratory bleat. It’s you! You’re back! You finally came back!

He wants to ask who they’re talking about. He wants to ask if they’ve met. Instead, he says nothing at all, as he buries his face in their coarse wool and wonders why this all feels so familiar.

—-

He’s been with Lee for three months when another new face appears.

The trainer looks young, and he doesn’t know them but- he feels like he should, for some reason. They look at him with wide wet eyes and it feels familiar, the way the Pokemon Lee had introduced him to had all felt familiar, like the woman with orange hair had felt familiar. Like it was something he’s forgotten, something he’d witnessed once in a dream.

“...Hey.” They whisper cautiously, picking at the edge of their sleeves with their nails. They’re still watching him with those wide wide eyes, huge and terrified. “Is it really you? Hop?”

That’s his name. He knows that at least, had been there when Lee called him that for the first time. He gives a shrill giggle, and they smile. He thinks that it’s a good expression on them.

“I thought I would never see you again.” The trainer’s lips wobble, and they use their hand to rub at the corners of their eyes. “We didn’t even get to say goodbye, yknow? I didn’t even notice you were gone, not until Leon did.”

He doesn’t understand what they’re trying to say. But he notices the way they’ve begun to curl inwards, eyes on the ground as they struggled to breathe. He knows what that means.

(He doesn’t know this trainer, with their sad smiles and shaking voice, but he knows already that he cant stand to see them cry.)

He floats forward as their eyes begin to droop, the weight of their tears pulling the edges down.

“And I stole your dream even though I didn’t really want to be champion, and I never said anything to you, and I didn’t look for you, I didn’t try and find you-“ they suck in a noisy breath, ribs rattling. “I was so happy to be number one I forgot about you, even though you were always there when I needed you, and I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry-“

He noses his way into their arms, as their frame is wracked with heavy sobs that seem to take everything out of them. “I’m sorry-“ They croak, voice cracking, and repeat. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry- Hop, I’m sorry.“

He doesn’t know what they’re apologizing for, but he decides he’s forgiven them for it. He buries his face into the crook of their neck and listens to the apologies whistling out from between their teeth.

—-

He’s watching his trainer battle his rival and he feels something like pride, something a little more bittersweet- he watches them trade blows and something in him rings hollow, like a strike against an empty glass of water.

“I’ve never met a Phantump before.” The little girl next to him says. He cocks his head. “There’s never been any near Hammerlocke. And anyway, you’re the only one that has purple leaves.”

Was he? He bats at the purple foliage peeking out of his stump, wondering. Maybe that made him special. The girl watches him through the corner of her eyes.

“Though, we’ve met before, haven’t we? I asked your friend to deliver a letter for me. You were there too. You helped.” She smiles and smiles and keeps smiling, but she’s gone perfectly still.

He blinks in confusion.

“I never thanked you for that.”

She reaches out and pats him on the side of his head, and still confused, he lets her. “It’s not too late for you. You have got to remember.”

“Hey!” Lee calls from below. He turns to look at him: he’s flushed and grinning from victory, as his rival sighs over their rotom phone. “Come on, let’s go!”

He begins to follow his trainer, but not before sparing one more look behind him.

The little girl is not there.

—-

There’s a trainer waving a feathered stick around.

He floats over to investigate, the chiming of the bell alluring despite himself. The trainer chuckles as he bats at the toy, arms moving to and fro to attack it.

“I heard who you are.” The Trainer mutters as the toy begins to slow. Their eyes stay locked on him. “I heard it from the Champion. You’re Hop, aren’t you?”

That’s his name, so he nods. The trainer huffs out a brittle laugh, looking away and running a hand through his mess of unruly curls.

“...It was my fault.”

They don’t wait for him to understand. They barrel on, the words leaving them in a rush.

“You- you were ten. I was ten. Shit, we were stupid little kids, and I... I said that to you, and you disappeared, and I’m so fucking sorry for that. It was my fault.” They sigh. “What I did was unforgivable.”

He watches as they fiddle with the collar of their pink shirt, unable to meet his eyes. For some reason, he feels a stab of deja vu.

“Just... I’m glad you’re happy now, at least.”

—-

In the end, all it takes is a realization.

He’s sitting in Lee’s help and the thought strikes him how many friends he has now; how many memories shared. He’s sitting on Lee’s lap and all he feels is safe: all he feels is content.

(He thinks of the familiar Pokemon and the trainer with huge eyes and everyone else he had met, and he thinks of lonely days in a wood filled with fog and thinks that he is happy with what he has now.)

“I love you.” He hears Lee whisper as they poke at the fire, and he- he wants to respond.

(He’s warm and safe and happy, surrounded by companions, watching the stars twinkle overhead, and he’s never felt farther than his origins before: like the years he had spent in those woods never happened, like he never had to learn how to be small and safe. The darkness seems so far away, with the campfire spitting embers into the distance. He’s here, and he’s happy, and it feels like a dream come true.)

“Love you too Lee.” He whispers, actually whispers, with a voice that isn’t a chorus of screams, and-

-something in his soul slides right into place, and clicks.

(He isn’t lost anymore.)

#pokemon sword and shield #pokemon swish #hop #leon #bede #phanthop au #angst #angst with a happy ending I PROMISE #i stayed up way too late for this

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