#Quorum sensing

[el-candelabro]

La Ciencia Detrás del Quorum Sensing: Cómo las Bacterias se Comunican y Cooperan

[inkintheinternet]

Unmasking the World of Microorganisms

(Part 1)

By Arjuwan Lakkdawala

Ink in the internet

Microorganisms, what are they? Most of us are familiar with bacteria and viruses, especially after Covid-19, I think precautionary and basic hygiene procedures of social distancing, hand washing, and sanitizers have become universally known.

But there remains a baffling question, why did the pandemic happen? Why couldn’t our modern technology, medicine, and sterilization methods contain the virus. It went on for years and resulted in the deaths of about 7 million people worldwide.

There are two terms that can explain this tragic phenomena in a nutshell: mutations and airborne.  

Scientists couldn’t keep up with the speed by which the influenza virus mutates, and they couldn’t contain the air. The virus is not airborne like spores or carbon dioxide pollutants, but respiratory particles breathed or coughed, sneezed, by infected persons could stay in the air for hours, making the virus partially airborne and that was enough for disaster to unfold upon humanity.

But what about the origin of novel viruses as it is said that Covid-19 was. Disease ecologist Professor Thomas Gillespie says deforestation and wet markets have a similar effect in crowding animals together where germs can jump species to infect humans – which is known as a spillover event, in wet markets perhaps it is even worse because the animals are being butchered and their blood is mixing. Bats like humans are mammals and carry various pathogens due to the large number of species of bats, and their diet that ranges from fish, fruits, and insects, etc. We are at greater risk by pathogens in mammals because it is easier for a spillover event to happen.

Till recently it was believed that bacteria couldn’t jump species as easily as viruses, but studies are showing that bacteria can overcome hurdles and mutate to survive in a new host of another species.

One of the studies that claims to have shown this for the first time is of the “bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, which can infect humans and animals.” – The University of Edinburgh.

If this wasn’t enough we are approaching the “post antibiotic era” and AMR (anti-microbial resistance) is increasing with several different types of pathogens in the world of microorganisms. Bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, protozoa, etc.

The World Health Organization website states that even the effectiveness of last-resort antibiotics like Carbapenems is getting compromised.

“What Have We Learned by Resurrecting the 1918 Influenza Virus?”

This virus is also known as the Spanish Flu, notorious for killing 50-100 million worldwide, of which were 43,000 U.S soldiers, the pandemic happened during WW1, and those soldiers were deployed for combat.

Scientists in the 1990s were able to clone the virus from traces of its RNA found in the remains of 1918 victims.

Like seeds bacteria can be dormant till the environment is favourable and they get nutrients. The duration is very different though. Seeds can be dormant for some years, while bacteria spores could last centuries and then spring back to life and cause an outbreak.  

So what makes these microscopic entities so resilient and a challenge to modern medicine and technology? Why are they a great threat to humanity?

“Mother Nature is a Serial Killer,”  it’s a quote from the 2013 movie WWZ.

And it’s very true, we cannot let our guards down, because nature will eventually churn out a deadly virus or bacteria or any other mortal enemy from her reservoir of microorganisms.

What scientists have discovered till this point in history is that microorganisms live on our skin, they live in our gut – each of us has a microbiome unique to us.

There have been recent contested findings that suggest we might have a microbiome even in our brains. Traditionally, the healthy brain is considered to be a sterile environment. But some findings detected bacteria DNA in sequencing, however, the findings were vehemently rejected by a portion of scientists as contamination and not evidence that the DNA detected was indeed from bacteria living in a healthy brain. One of the main causes for this reasoning was given that the blood-brain barrier BBB is almost impermeable to microorganisms. The cases where old age or disease could lead to invasion by microorganisms is considered not the norm but cases of compromised immunity due to illness.  

However, scientists on both sides of the spectrum are studying the gut-brain axis of signaling between microbiota in the gut and neurons in the brain.

There are more nerves in your gut than any other part of your body except the brain, and this talk between the brain and gut affects our  physical and mental state.

Let’s understand some basic things about what happens in a bacterial infection. When we are infected the bacterial colony starts to multiply and it can then through quorum-sensing behave like one multicellular entity attacking your cells and feeding on your nutrients, they can multiply in hours, making every minute crucial to survival of the infected.

Quorum-sensing is something like a domino effect, where one bacterium signals another, and then soon the whole colony behave in unison.  

So can microorganisms think? In the case of the Rabies virus, there is the astonishing fact of how the virus after travelling to the brain from the location of entry into the bloodstream, exits the brain after totally damaging it, and collects in the saliva, where it is very likely to spread and repeat its cycle if the infected is an animal, source Kurzgesagt video.

We just read that the BBB is practically impermeable in healthy individuals, so how does the rabies virus get in? The virus has a basic shape like a capsule and five proteins, one or more of those proteins are used by the virus to hijack the neural pathways leading into the brain. Scientists don’t know how the Rabies virus reverses course and exits the brain to accumulate in the saliva.

Fortunately and unfortunately the nature of most viruses and bacteria is double, they can live peacefully on our skin and in our guts, even be beneficial to us, and they can turn into pathogens and make us very ill and even kill us. This all depends on two factors: 1. compromised immune system, due to a novel or mutated virus or bacterium, or  2. compromised immune system due to immune deficiency disorders.

When our immune system is compromised against microorganisms our only line of defense is medication. The antibiotic-resistance, is detrimental even to patients suffering from a viral infection – where antivirals are needed for treatment, but viral infections often lead to secondary bacterial infections.

If this wasn’t a serious enough and complex problem to solve, scientists want to bioengineer synthetic bacteria with reversed geometry. Better known as mirror-life bacteria. In the microscopic universe bacteria like these could be invisible to other microorganisms and to antibodies in our system, they may not be able to infect because their chirality that is reversed to what is naturally created, could prevent them from binding to biological receptors – one of the main infection methods.

However, life finds a way, and they could mutated to infect and be completely invisible to antibiotics. The implications of how dangerous such bacteria could be, and how they could escape labs into the wild is endless.

Copyright © Arjuwan Lakkdawala 2025

Arjuwan Lakkdawala is an author and independent science researcher.

X-Twitter/Instagram: Spellrainia Email: arjuwan.writer@gmail.com

Sources:

Harvard Medical School – How Dormant Bacteria Return to Life, Jake Miller

National Library of Medicine – What Have We Learned by Resurrecting the 1918 Influenza Virus?, Brad Gilbertson, Annu Rev Virol

Emory University – Spillover: Why germs jump species from animals to people, Carol Clark

The University of Edinburgh – Bacteria overcome hurdles to jump between species

Science Daily, Asociación RUVID – Bacteria jump between species more easily than previously thought

Cleveland Clinic – The Gut-Brain Connection

Quadram Institute – How the gut microbiome affects the brain and mind

Quadram Institute – Is there a “brain microbiome”? No

American Society for Microbiology – How Quorum Sensing Works

Wyss institute – Researchers call for global discussion about possible risks from “mirror Bacteria”

Britannica – Influenza pandamic of 1918-19, written and fact-checked by the editors of encyclopedia Britannica

[farmerstrend]

Harnessing Quorum Sensing: Nature’s Microbial Communication for Smarter Agriculture

Agriculture has always been at the heart of human civilization, driving economies and sustaining communities. As the global population continues to rise and environmental challenges mount, the quest for innovative and sustainable farming solutions has never been more critical. Among the many scientific breakthroughs poised to transform agriculture, quorum sensing—a natural form of microbial…

[reeekyoo]

This was made after I/we watched the Ted Talk of Doc Bassler about the Quorum Sensing or Bacteria Talk. I greatly enjoyed the discussion and was mesmerized by how cool these microorganisms were. This is one of the reasons why I decided to continue the field of microbiology in the future (ofc. I'm gonna incorporate it with medicine)

[tenth-sentence]

Because of quorum sensing – the ability of microbes to kick into gear once they sense the presence of enough other microbes – diversity in plantings can help.

"Soil: The incredible story of what keeps the earth, and us, healthy" - Matthew Evans

[microbialminutes]

generative AI? sorry, the only AI i know is autoinducer

[worldbuilding-tomfoolery]

Casting Speak With Animals/Plants/Organisms and you gain the ability to communicate on *their* terms

Cast it on a cat and your hair fluffs up like ears and moves at your command

Cast it on a bird and your chest changes shape so you can make their range of noises

Cast it on bugs and you have to fart to talk

[maiaacchiato]

anti quorum sensing properties of lemongrass essential oils against pseudomonas bacillus and staphylococcus aureus

[saphronethaleph]

“...because the council did not trust you, my young apprentice, I believe you are the only Jedi with no knowledge of this plot,” Sidious said, pulling on his cloak.

He frowned. “What are you doing, Vader?”

“I’m going to get proof,” Anakin replied, pressing some buttons on his comlink. “I don’t know if Obi-Wan was involved with the plot, and – I have to know.”

“Don’t-” Sidious began.

The comlink beeped, interrupting him, and Anakin lifted the device to his mouth.

“Obi-Wan!” he said.

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan replied. “Good news – General Grievous is dead. I’ve lost my lightsaber, though.”

Anakin hid a snort. “Right – that’s, uh, really funny. Listen, I’ve got some good news too.”

“You have?” Obi-Wan replied. “Let’s hear it – down, Boga, down! Sorry, Anakin, she’s a bit excited… you were saying?”

“The Chancellor’s dead,” Anakin said, winking at Sidious.

“What?” Obi-Wan asked. “How is that good news – how did he die? I swear, I leave Coruscant for two days-”

“The Jedi killed him,” Anakin explained.

“Why?” Obi-Wan said, sounding completely and honestly baffled. “Which Jedi? I don’t think they could all do it, after the first couple of dozen there simply wouldn’t be any politician left if nothing else – but why would they do that?”

“Because he’s a Sith, I think,” Anakin said, then corrected himself. “Was a Sith, I mean. Because he’s definitely dead now.”

There was silence from the comlink for a couple of seconds, interrupted by a sort of rippling hwaa hwaa sound from some kind of animal, and some blasterfire.

“Obi-Wan?” Anakin said.

“I’m sorry, Anakin, you did just drop an extremely large bombshell on me,” Obi-Wan said, sounding quite distracted now. “I’m rethinking the last several years. That means he was behind – he was behind the war, behind the invasion of Naboo, behind the assassination attempts on Padme, behind everything.”

Anakin blinked down at his comlink.

“...that’s… a good point,” he said, slowly, then glanced over at Sidious.

Who wasn’t where he’d been before.

Anakin kept turning, and saw that Sidious had pulled a bookshelf off the wall of his office and was halfway through getting into a concealed escape pod.

The Dark Lord of the Sith froze, staring back at Anakin.

“...there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for all this,” he said, waving his hand.

In hindsight, this would be the last error he would ever make.

Anakin was never one for perfectly reasonable explanations.

“...Anakin? Anakin?” Obi-Wan said, frowning at his comlink. “Anakin, you can’t just tell me something like that and then disappear… or, well, apparently you can but it’s very inconvenient.”

There seemed to be an awful lot of noise coming down the comlink, but none of it made much sense. In fact, it sounded like someone was testing a lightsaber in the middle of a thunderstorm, and Obi-Wan frowned at the little device before nearly losing his grip on it as Boga skidded to a halt next to Commander Cody.

“Sir,” Cody said, with a nod.

“Commander!” Obi-Wan replied. “Contact your troops – tell them to move to the higher levels. We’ll want to clear out this force and then move on Mustafar, though since the Sith Lord is dead that might actually mean this war is over soon.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, sir,” Cody replied, then tossed Obi-Wan his lightsaber.

Obi-Wan caught it. “Thank you, Commander! I do apologize-”

The comlink crackled again, and Obi-Wan dropped Boga’s reins so he could hold both devices at once without potentially cutting his head off. “Anakin!”

“Sorry about that, Master,” Anakin replied. “Bit of a workplace disagreement. Anyway, uh… Masters Windu, Fisto, Tiin and Kolar are all dead in the fight with the Chancellor. Please send help, there’s not many Councillors left and I don’t want to have to ask Master Nu what a quorum is…”

“Oh, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, fondly. “I’m sure we’ll be able to rescue you from the deadly perils of procedure. Until then, ask Padme if you need advice.”

He paused.

“Do you have any names picked out yet, by the way? I’m quite partial to the name Ben. It has a nice sound to it, even as a middle name.”

He clicked the comlink off and set it to silent, smiling slightly.

“Getting the last word, General?” Cody asked.

“It’s about the only way I can, with Anakin, I find,” Obi-Wan agreed, pocketing the comlink. “Now, let’s see about clearing those upper levels. Come on, Boga!”

[brothermouse]

Hey, what characters do you head cannon as Mormon?

Like, you look at the blorbo and immediately say "that's a priesthood holder" or "she's been to girl's camp" or "this one smells like they'd wear a CTR ring"

I don't care if it's realistic or supported by cannon or makes sense to anyone but you, I wanna know who's been pinged by your Mormon Radar.

I'll start.

Scooter from the Muppets is absolutely the Elder Quorum Secretary. He went on a mission to Oklahoma or Ohio or some such place.

[sitepathos]

Since reader has been living in goodsprings for four years now, has the mold started setting up new system roots in goodsprings? Can it use reader to spread its spores? Also how did the batfamily not notice a kid for four YEARS???? IM smacking them except alfred

For the first part of your question: the mold has only set up a sort of sub-colony around your house. As stated in Chapter 6, the Megamycete wanted to set up roots around your house to defend it. Should a thief be stupid enough to try to break in your house, he’ll find his leg tangled by a black moldy root that seems determined to snap it off. You can also use your quorum sensing to see through the roots and keep an eye on things while you’re away.

The roots also keep your lawn looking great, saving you from mowing the grass or weeding.

As for the second part, you’d be surprised. For this series, there’s three reasons why they forgot about you so easily. One: you joined at the worst time possible. Jason had died not too long ago, Bruce was so wracked with grief that he threw himself into his work as Batman, and Tim’s parents died, causing him to be adopted by Bruce. With all that going on, you kinda got put on the back burner.

Two: all of them are so busy with their night lives that it bleeds into their daytime lives. They’re too chickenshit to deal with their trauma in healthy ways, so they take the coward’s way out and throw themselves into fighting crime. They get so busy that they forget to take care of themselves and if Alfred wasn’t around, they’d probably waste away.

And three, the one that hurts the most: you’re ordinary. You’re not a genius, you’re physical prowess is average at best, you don’t turn heads when you enter a room, and you don’t have any skills that stand out in a family like the Waynes. And you were raised by your Momma and had a normal, healthy life.

And when you lost her, you grieved like any other six-year-old would and eventually learned to carry on without her (although it wasn’t easy since you didn’t have the emotional support of your family). You certainly didn’t put on some stupid costume and start fist fighting clowns (come on, that’s stupid).

As much as they’d hate to admit it (especially Dick), you didn’t have anything that made them give you a passing glance; you weren’t interesting. They all come from colorful backgrounds have have skills and personalities that make people pay attention to them while you blended into the crowd.

And in a family as prestigious as the Waynes, that’s an unforgivable sin. And you were punished by being turned into the black sheep, forgotten and neglected for years.

You don’t care, your life stopped revolving around them years ago. You have the Megamycete and your dream’s come true. You’re living your best life right now and they can’t hurt you now.

But little do you know there’s a storming brewing and Gotham and it’s heading straight for you. Now that they know the error of their ways, they intend to bring you back to the fold and show you off to the world as the most important part of their family.

However, they’ll soon discover that you’re no longer that Average Joe you once were. Maybe when they see what you’ve become, they’ll finally find you “interesting.”

[thecaptainofcosmichorrors]

Ooh assassin reader sounds interesting! How about assassin!reader who's a double agent, hired to crumble the Deceit Trio, but the more they spend time with them, the harder it is to go through with their duty? 🤔 It would be cute if there's found family with Candy Apple and Shadow Milk.

With Black Sapphire, they start to develop feelings for each other... Then for angst, maybe Black Sapphire finds out the truth about their double-crossing. But during a battle, reader takes a critical hit for Black Sapphire, lying in his arms, proving that they did love him 💔 (It's up to you if reader survives. And if Black Sapphire gets angry, protecting/taking revenge for the one he loves 😈) ~ 🌌 Anon

Black Sapphire x Assassin! Reader

Tw/notes: Reader is an assassin, and slightly touches on their moral grayness in the beginning-ish; I tried (???) not to get into too heavy of gore, but I’m just putting a warning now for like blood/jam and violence—I follow cookie laws though; You have a fake alias, though I don’t give you a name and only referred to you as reader once in story; Hmm… I guess I also despise formatting?

It was supposed to be a simple mission, well, relatively. You skimmed through the briefing, before your attention shifted elsewhere; photos—or lack there of. They really expected you to go in essentially blind? You tucked away the Intel, a sigh following not too far behind; if any of the cookies would give you trouble, it would be the literal beast of deceit—your portfolio consisted of you acting as cleanup, bounty here and there. Nothing so… stealthy? You were sure if you played your cards right, you’d manage; but a slip up could just as easily lead to your crumbling.

The payout was nothing to scoff at though, guaranteeing an early ‘retirement’ from the job; maybe take a few on the side if you became restless? Digging back in the file, your eyes drifted to Black Sapphire’s description; head resting on your hand as you mulled it over, he seemed reasonable enough—well, as much as a minion of Shadow Milk could be.

Black Sapphire sensed something about you the moment you two locked eyes during one of his shows, your gaze watchful. It pulls him in more than he cared to admit, so he began targeting you—not that you minded. You humored him with a secret or two, distant little lies that you had no quorum with disclosing; after all, it would be no time before he would be nothing but crumbs.

A few turns into many, and before you know it, you’re far closer to your goal than you had ever expected so soon. Candy Apple cookie was next on the pecking order, yet you shifted oddly at her antics; what could be assumed to you not being used to them, but in reality was you questioning the legitimacy of this mission of yours—this is why you didn’t ask questions. A job’s a job though, you surely be worse off backing out now; all the time you’ve spent and all. One partial payment later and your apprehension was nothing but a fleeting gust of wind.

Candy Apple was an interesting little cookie, it took longer than you expected—yet not no time at all to get acquaintance with her and very enthusiastic about their master. Though she grows on you like sap, each of her words sticking to you before you become hopelessly… whatever you feel for her. You feel reluctant to call it fondness, but you tolerate her; at least for now, you couldn’t allow yourself to grow too comfortable—it would jeopardize your entire operation, plus there’s no gain in making it unnecessarily messy.

Shadow Milk Cookie was last, and predictably, your biggest hurdle. It felt like he could see you, pick apart your slowly developing conscience—see you for exactly what you weren’t. Somehow you stayed steadfast your mission, ‘admitting’ that you wanted to join him; become one of his minions. In your defense, you aren’t lying per se, just not transparent to why. You was, ironically enough, saved by Black Sapphire sharing some Intel with his master.

Though that was certainly not the last that you would see him.

Though you don’t pay it much mind, you’ve already infiltrated his operation; nuzzling yourself deep into the heart of operation, it was only a matter of time. Though, time and time again, you let opportunity after opportunity pass you up—it wasn’t the perfect one, so why does it matter? As time went on this, ‘waiting for the perfect opportunity’ soon seems like a ploy for what was really going on; you were starting to get too emotionally invest. Weeks turned into months and the only thing that seem to progress was your employer’s pressure to follow through on your end of the bargain. Your priorities was an absolute shambles: Candy Apple Cookie had essentially become your younger sibling, what initially started as you just grinning and bearing her ramblings soon became genuinely intrigue on her thoughts and opinions. She knew just how to pull you in before revealing her true intent, but you’ve grown to be endeared rather than troubled by it.

Shadow Milk cookie felt less like your master and more a guiding figure? He was not soft though, at the end of day he was still a beast. Something that could be often forgotten in the quiet moments; through endless stream of lies and theatrical declarations of glee for your loyalty, quiet truths became more apparent. Shadow Milk would never explicitly say how he felt about any of you, but it would show through actions that you had learn to appreciate: a new outfit that seem to be made by hand, your own room in the spire—a home. You’ve seen the spire more times than you can count, its seemingly endless halls becoming a constant in your life… similarly to Black Sapphire cookie…

Where could you even begin with that?

At first you were set in your ways; how could you possibly swoon for him—a bounty waiting to be cashed in. There was no place in your world for that, it would be for the best you kept away… but you soon grow softer, as time does wear down even the sharpest of rocks. Lies and half-truths seemed more honest nowadays, fleeting touch setting your senses ablaze; you were absolutely hooked and it seemed as if you weren’t the only one. Your pesky conscience never dare to let you forget what you have done if everything had played out as it was supposed to, what you were capable of if only you hadn’t grown soft. Despite this, you still try to dilute yourself; desperately convincing yourself this mission was still somehow possible, but you knew the truth. It was compromise the second you became one of deceit’s followers.

And even if it was still possible, would you be able to actually go through with it? It was maddening; every other assignment slid your way was cut and dry, minimum to no interaction with the unlucky soul to caught your crosshair. Then get paid, and moved on with your day—keeping your personal life completely separate from your job. Now work and personal soon became one and the same, lines blurred to where one started and one began. Soon your attempts were hardly even attempts anymore, allowing you to justify waiting further to yourself; how much longer could you lie to yourself before the truth came rearing its ugly head?

The answer came in the form of a meeting, the three of you traded stories of things you had learned throughout the day; ever the busy cookies. Black Sapphire and Candy Apple had somehow started bickering over Witches knows what, as siblings do. Still, you watched with something akin to amusement, that was your tipping point. You decided to have mercy on yourself and put the senseless torment to rest—you couldn’t continue further. Yes, the repercussions would be suck and there would be a real chance you were practically begging for someone to have a target on your back, but you could live with that. Just because you couldn’t follow through this assignment, did not mean that you were without the skill set needed to deal with any cookies sent your way.

What you were not prepared for was Black Sapphire learning of the truth; it was your fault, you’ve grown sloppy, and had allowed your things to be sprawled out to your desk. It had been so long since you had visited your own home, and that you had completely forgotten the state you left it in… so much so when you had left him to his own devices to grab something, his attention wandered.

“Oh, well hello there reader.” You stiffened, just a moment, a second too long. You were sure that he had noticed, the radio host seem to have a knack for that—and yet still you tried to feign ignorance; you’ve had no idea who he was talking about, not once said he called you your actual name. The sound of it felt wrong, or maybe it had been too long since you had heard someone actually use it. “Ahh, so that’s how it’s going to be?” he quipped, grip tightening around his mic. “My, and after everything, this is how you repay us hm?” You turn to explain yourself, apologize for the oversight; the second you met his gaze, you had realize your misstep. “Oh so you do hear me? Fantastic.”

Oh Great.

You backtracked, playing through his words, as if to find anything to hook onto to de-escalate, just long enough to as to reach him. “Look, I may—“ Black Sapphire stopped you with a scoff, pure astonishment at the notion of you thinking you could just talk your way out of this. “There’s no point playing dumb now, your eyes alone tell me all I need to know.” he snaps, stepping forward to reveal that he had the file the entire time; witches. “Riddle me this, did you have any intention on over revealing this little secret of yours?” For moment, something flickered in his gaze—a twinge of hurt that made your heart ache as you couldn’t seem to hold his gaze. “Or were those sweet words of yours just a cover-up to knock me off the trail?”

You made no attempts to see to it that he had left, just standing idly with the file in hand; it would only be a matter of time before the others knew, though, maybe this was for the best. So, you tried to move on with your life—catch up on the jobs you postponed in favor of your last.

What you didn’t expect to see after finishing one of your latest task was a scout; while normally you kept to yourself, best not to interrupt one of your ‘peers’—something about them made your dough crawl. After a short back-and-forth, you decide to trail them for a bit; to ease your mind, of course! You stopped a little ways from them at the sight of two more cookies joining, before into where… Black Sapphire hosts his broadcast… oh. In hindsight you should’ve seen this coming; just because you weren’t able to, didn’t just suddenly stop your employer from wanting them gone… plus last time you checked, your former employer was not pleased with you for backing out.

You sighed as you looked at your arsenal, you vs three assassins and all you had to your name was a blade? This will surely be fun. Under the blanket of darkness night brought, you stalked through the building; on your scope out, a fourth cookie caught your eye—probably another scout, though two scouts for this? absurd. Not that it mattered. Soon they went off in pairs, heading in opposite direction.

It was relatively dark in the building, most had left for the night, the perfect environment for a job: quiet, few eyes and ample places to hide. The cookies acting as back up for the main two needed them. Though two seem to bicker as they moved lackadaisically through the lower level. The larger cookie was unimpressed by his peer’s complaining, quick to grab his red walkie-talkie to further learn of the status of the mission; eager to shut the scout up. The scout however, insisted on complaining endlessly about how pointlessness of having them all there, especially for one measly cookie. Finally he lost steam, pausing only to be met with silence from their peer; that wasn’t right. He soon called out to his partner when they failed to be behind him either, irritation evident before it faded away to make room for… unease.

…

You made your way in the direction of the other group, a red walkie-talkie in hand; three to go. You could handle that scout later, for now they were bigger fish to catch. Picking up the pace, it was up the stairs and down the hall where soon commotion could be heard.

You almost felt obligated to give Black Sapphire credit, he held his own fairly well even with assassin’s element of surprise. Though you couldn’t allow yourself to just sit and watch him quite literally fight for his life, so you jumped into the fray, surprising, all in the room—though you worked best that way. It was just enough for the two of you to make quick work of both assailants, sustaining minimal injuries.

When the dust settled, a question that seem to linger in the air. Why were you here? You were all too keen on disappearing after such a grand reveal; and then suddenly, when you did returned, there he was fighting for his life on the way out? Hardly felt like a coincidence. As much as you hated that assumption, he wasn’t wrong. So you did your best to clear your name then and there, unbeknownst to you, the scout had made his way up while you two were caught in your own little world. It didn’t take a genius to piece together what had happened, with the jam and crumbs that littered the ground. By the time you caught the movement, there was only a split second to act. You pushed the radio host out the way, taking the hit.

Launching yourself at your fellow assassin, the two of you tussled; neither one of you having the chance to get a good enough window to end it before you found the ground slip from beneath you. Ah, right. The stairs.

The two of you tumbled before a loud bang could be heard at the bottom before a clink soon followed. It felt like an eternity of silence, only interrupted by rapid steps as Black Sapphire rushed down. For a while, all was still as neither of you got up. Thankfully, you shakily sat up; glancing up to see Black Sapphire in the now lit up stairwell, he looked so pretty up there. Though you questioned what had the cookie so stunned; looking down, you found the culprit. Cookie and jam mixed all over you, bathing you in crimson. Your head tilted lazily as you took in your leg, it looked funny; though you couldn’t fully laugh, breathing being harder than you remembered—somewhere on your chest pulsing lightly. You couldn’t feel much though.

You looked back at him before giving him a shaky smile—You started to fall backwards when all of a sudden, you felt Black Sapphire cradle you in his arms. “… S..sorry for. The mess.” You croaked, trying your best to keep your eyes on him; you saw that his mouth was moving, but his words struggled to reach you. Despite the dryness in your throat, words flowed from your mouth as you aired out your thoughts—not that it was coherent. It shifted from endless apologies to incomplete thoughts on something minor at the drop of a hat. As you talked, you could’ve sworn you feel little drops hit your face; though the thought left you just as quickly as it came in favor murmuring a soft “I love you”, nuzzling yourself closer to Black Sapphire’s fleeting warmth… Maybe you should just… close your eyes, you could tell Black Sapphire everything later… yeah… that sounded like a good plan…

Your eyes fluttered open to be met with… eyes? You were quick to sit up, well, at least try to; pain surge through your body as you flopped back down, a hiss forcing its way out your throat. You stared at what you could to see that you were bandaged and in new clothing? You ran your fingers along the soft shirt that loosely covered your frame, before looking around to see you were… in your, no, the spire? How did you get here? What happened to—

Light breathing interrupted your thoughts, looking to your side, you saw Black Sapphire asleep in a chair right next to the bed. The longer thought on it, you began to piece together what got you here; so after the fall, it become blurry—your head lightly pulsing as you tried to wrap your head around it. Seeing that was going nowhere, you dropped it for the time being in favor of trying to reach out to tap Black Sapphire; your voice hoarse. Eventually you got him, Black Sapphire Cookie jotting at the sudden contact.

His eyes flicker toward you, before a wave of relief washed over him at the sight of you; not even giving you the chance to get a word in before suddenly, you were pulled into a gentle embrace. The two of you stayed like that for a while, long overdue for each other’s company. When Black Sapphire did pull away, he was quick to fly into a tirade how stupid that was. “What were you thinking!?” He snapped. “Smart cookies don’t throw themselves down a flight of stairs, not after being shot no less!” Black Sapphire massaged the bridge of his nose as he continued, soothing probably the start of a headache. “I mean, come on! You out cold for like three days.” Now THAT caught your attention. “three d—“ Black Sapphire didn’t even let you finish before he flew into another rant, his annoyance exacerbated by you feeling the need to speak when you sounded horrid.

You didn’t take it to heart though, instead you let him air out all his frustration; wings twitching, now out of irritation or stress? You weren’t too sure if it made much of a difference. Eventually he tired, sighed before looking at you. You seem to find the entire situation amusing; a sign of a fool in the making, and yet he still stuck around—only getting up to grab a drink so then you could, as he puts it, ‘stop sounding as if you were dying fish’.

The day soon was spent being visited by both Candy Apple and Shadow Milk cookie; Candy Apple initially pouted at the sight of you, your betrayal was certainly not lost on her. Not that you expected anything less from the young cookie. You apologized and assured her that you did, in fact, enjoy talking and scheming with her; just when you thought that wouldn’t be enough, she sprung back to life—relishing in the opportunity to tease about her brother, saying that he was in shambles and looked like an kicked cake hound while you were sleep. Black Sapphire was quick to denounce such a blatant lie, though she seems undeterred and you have reason to see some truth in her story.

Shadow Milk was the one to actually dressed your wounds, you also had a sneaking suspicion he was the corporate behind how you recovered after such heavy jam loss; though you were sure that he would never outright admitted it. He did interrogated you of course, but it lacked the whimsy of his normal speech—eerie silent as you responded, only the occasional gland your way, as if to read you page by page. You did apologize though, that is what caused him to mock you for your sappiness; a breath of fresh air as your attention shifted back to watching your master finish up the last of your new bandaging.

Throughout your first day awake, Black Sapphire seem determined to stay by your side; even when he had step out, he never truly left. Hovering just off stage, anticipating. Soon night had ‘fallen’ upon the spire, not that your master truly needed rest—Candy Apple on the other hand was probably fast asleep, leaving you and Black Sapphire alone for the time being. “Did you truly mean what you said?” You blinked. What? You turned to him, staring at him in hopes he’d repeat that just one more time; though he was certain that you heard him. After a moment, you proved him right. “… What did I say?” A lot, so much so that he had half of mind to air out all your business; from secrets he already knew to your feelings on the matter of your falling out, he could absolutely lay you out bare—he had the information too, though that silly little heart of his seemed much too preoccupied for that. “That you loved me.”

There was a moment of silence that fell between you two, brief if not heavy. Black Sapphire watched you closely; curious to see if you would retract your statement now that you were—“Yes, I do love you.” Straight to the point, no fanfare; easy as breathing. He hummed, leaving you to question what he would do with this information. Black Sapphire didn’t leave you waiting for long before pulling your face in for a kiss, briefly melting into it; though you imagined, you weren’t doing any better. “Then I suppose all is forgiven.” He murmured, the slightest bit breathless. “But not forgotten?” You quipped, earning a glare from the radio host. “Absolutely not.”

[80pairsofcrocs]

spacial sparks || 13

Chapter warnings - mention of past wounds, blood, injuries, knives, mention of suicide, weapons, sobriety and the lack thereof, let me know if i missed anything

~~~

Second pov

~~~

Seated around the old, slightly chipped kitchen table were you, Five, Klaus, and Luther, the atmosphere laced with the aroma of the undrinkable sludge you called coffee. 

Your head lay on the worn wood, a testament to the exhaustion that seemed to seep into your bones. With a mischievous glint in his eye, Klaus couldn't resist poking fun at the sight before him.

"So, I saw you sleeping together," Klaus proclaimed in a sing-song voice, clearly amused by the opportunity to tease you.

Weary, you lifted your head from the table, your attempt at a retort laced with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. "That's because we were. Quite literally sleeping," you quipped, feeling the need to defend against the teasing.

Unfazed by your response, Klaus continued his teasing, gesturing dramatically as he spoke. "Because you were sleepy from all the���"

"No." Five cut in with his usual straightforwardness, taking a casual sip of his less-than-appetizing coffee. 

You nod along. "I can assure you that Five is still a sad, lonely virgin," you affirm gently.

Five shoots a pointed glare in your direction "I am not-" 

"Can we focus, please?" Luther's voice cuts through the tension, his tone tinged with a hint of exasperation. 

Clearly tired of the ongoing discussion surrounding Five's... personal life, Luther redirects the conversation. "Has anyone seen the others? Allison? Diego?"

"Not since yesterday," you confirm.

Klaus, fueled by a surge of energy, forcefully bangs his fist on the sturdy wooden table, causing a resonating thud that echoes across the room. 

"All right, then, this is the closest thing to a quorum that we're gonna get," he declares, his voice carrying a sense of urgency. 

Taking a deep breath, he continues, his tone serious and unwavering, "Now, listen up- There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just gonna spit it out," his words hanging heavily in the tense atmosphere.

Luther, visibly concerned, expresses his disapproval by shaking his head in a solemn manner. "This is a bad idea," 

"Klaus-" you start, your voice trailing off as you prepare to address the escalating tension.

"I conjured Dad last night," Klaus says quickly, the whole room falling into a hushed silence that lingered heavily in the air, almost as if his words had momentarily frozen time itself.

Luther, with a perplexed expression etched across his face, interjects, his voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and curiosity, "You said you haven't been able to conjure anyone in years." his gaze fixed firmly on Klaus, seeking an explanation to this sudden revelation.

Klaus, wearing a triumphant grin that seemed to illuminate his entire face, responds with a newfound sense of clarity, "Ah, yes, I know, but I'm sober. Ta-da!" his eyes glinting with a sense of accomplishment as he reveals his recent victory over past struggles.

Intrigued by Klaus' breakthrough, you chime in softly, your voice filled with genuine admiration, "Oh wow.. Congratulations"

Turning towards you, Klaus shares his contagious enthusiasm, his eyes alight with encouragement, "Yes! and if you try too, you can do it, little buddy" he pokes your nose. 

"But anyways, I got clean yesterday to talk to someone.. special, and then ended up having this... conversation with dear old Daddy himself." gently playfully poking your nose again, a common gesture between you two.

"You really did it.." you say, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips as Klaus nods in affirmation, his eyes gleaming with pride.

Luther heaves a weary sigh, his hand moving to his temple in a gesture of discomfort. "Has anyone got some aspirin?" he inquires with a hint of desperation underlying his voice.

"Ah, yes, the aspirin," Five chimes in, his tone almost playful despite the serious moment. "It's on the top shelf, right next to the crackers," he directs Luther, a mischievous glint in his eye as if he's enjoying the chaos surrounding them more than he lets on.

Klaus frowns at his brothers, a deep crease forming between his brows as he emphasizes the seriousness of the situation. "Hey, hey, hey, this is serious, guys, all right?" Luther, with a skeptical expression on his face, shoots Klaus a look, silently urging him to continue. 

"This really happened, I swear," Klaus reiterates, a mixture of exasperation and sincerity in his tone.

Feeling the weight of the moment settle upon them, Five sets his coffee cup down with a resolute thud, signaling his readiness to engage in the discussion. 

"Okay, fine. I'll play," he concedes, his voice betraying a mixture of curiosity and impatience. "What did the old man have to say?" 

"Well, he gave me the usual lecture about my appearance and my failures in life," Klaus explains, his hand gesturing dismissively. "Yada yada yada," he adds, a wry smile playing at the corners of his lips as he brushes off the old man's criticisms. 

Pausing for a moment, Klaus's expression shifts, a flicker of vulnerability briefly surfacing in his eyes before he continues with a shrug, "But you know how he is-"

"Klaus-"

"Right, right. No surprise there. Even the afterlife couldn't soften a hardass like Dad, right? But he did mention something about his murder, or lack thereof, because..." Klaus pauses dramatically.

"Wait for it.."

You just stare, confused.

"He killed himself." he reveals.

"I don't have time for your games, Klaus," Luther groans as he turns away from his brother's pleading gaze. 

Klaus, clearly hurt by the rejection, insists, "I'm telling you the truth, Luther, I'm telling you the truth." 

Curious about the unfolding drama, Five pipes up, breaking the tense moment with a question, "Why'd he do it, then?" You find yourself nodding in agreement, eager for answers. 

With a troubled expression, Klaus explains, "He said it was the only way to get us all home again-" His voice trails off.

"No," Luther argued emphatically, refusing to accept the idea that his father would take his own life. "Dad wouldn't just kill himself. There must be another explanation." 

As the family discussed the situation, Five pointed out that their father had been exhibiting signs of depression. "Ah, you said it yourself," Five interjected, " He was depressed. Holed up in his office and room all day and night."

"Suicidal people exhibit certain tendencies, strange behaviors."

"Like sending someone to the moon for no reason?"

"I swear to God, Klaus, if you're lying..." Luther warns, his voice tinged with a mix of anger and concern, his eyes piercing into Klaus' with a sense of betrayal lurking beneath the surface.

"I'm not. I'm not," Klaus defends himself, his tone wavering slightly as he tries to make his point clear, the unease evident in his eyes as he searches for any glimmer of trust in Luther's expression.

"Master Klaus is correct," you all turn to see Pogo, the wise and loyal chimpanzee, stepping forward with a somber demeanor that hangs heavy in the room. 

"Regretfully," the monkey sighs sadly, the weight of his confession echoing through the silence that follows, leaving a lingering sense of guilt that hangs in the air like a heavy shroud.

"I helped Master Hargreeves enact his plan," Pogo's words land like a thunderclap, shattering the fragile peace that once existed among the siblings. 

Luther's jaw tightens, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief as he struggles to process the depth of deceit that has been uncovered in their midst.

"So did Grace," Pogo looks regretful, his expression a mixture of sorrow and guilt. "It was a difficult choice for both of us. More difficult than you could ever know," he continues, voice tinged with a sense of heavy responsibility. 

"Prior to your father's death, Grace's programming was adjusted so that she was incapable of administering first aid on that fateful night," he explains, his gaze filled with a deep sadness.

Five shakes his head, "Sick bastard."

"So the security tape we saw?"

"It was meant to further the murder mystery," Pogo confirms, the weight of the truth settling heavily upon his shoulders.

Luther raises an eyebrow skeptically at Pogo's words, his disbelief written all over his face. "Your father hoped that being back here, solving it together... would reignite your desire to be a team again, to come together once more like the family we once were," Pogo's voice is gentle but firm as he delivers this message, each word laced with a mix of nostalgia and hope. 

Luther remains silent for a moment, processing the weight of those words before finally asking, "And to what end?"

Pogo's response is immediate, filled with unwavering certainty, "To save the world, of course. Your father believed in the strength of your bond, the power of your unity to overcome even the greatest challenges that the world may throw your way."

Klaus listens to this exchange with a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, before letting out a laugh that is equal parts disbelief and resignation. "Yeah. All right,"

Luther, his emotions heightened from the shock of recent revelations and feeling betrayed, let out another disbelieving scoff. 

"First the Moon mission and now this," he grimaced. "You watched me search for answers and said nothing. Anything else you want to share, Pogo?" His voice grew louder with a mix of frustration and hurt. "Any other damn secrets that have been hidden from us all this time?"

"Hey, calm down, Luther-"

But Luther's vexation only intensified, his voice echoing with bitterness, "No, I won't calm down!" he erupted. "We've been lied to by the one person in this family we all trusted!"

Seeking to explain himself, Pogo hesitated before admitting, "It was your father's dying wish, Master Luther." he sighs. "I... I had no choice."

"There's always choice."

You watch the exchange uncomfortably, feeling out of place. The tension in the air thickens as you observe Five grabbing your arm, a sense of urgency evident in his actions as he prepares to jump you both elsewhere. 

The sudden rush of movement disorients you momentarily before settling in Five's room once again, the familiar blue light casting a glow around you. 

As you try to gather your thoughts in this new setting, you can't help but notice Five's demeanor. His usually composed features betray a hint of worry, his eyes reflecting the weight of the situation.

"Are you okay?" you inquire softly, your voice barely above a whisper.

Five's single nod carries a world of unspoken words, his gaze meeting yours with a mixture of determination and weariness. 

"I will be when this is all over," he finally responds, his voice tinged with a quiet resolve that both comforts and unsettles you.

"Turn around," Five said, his voice firm yet tinged with weariness as he began the process of shedding his current outfit. 

With a sense of urgency, you pivoted on your heel, your eyes now fixed on the darkened expanse beyond the glass window.

A frown creased your brow. "This doesn't sit right with you, does it?" you probed, your concern palpable in the dimly lit room.

Five let out a dry chuckle, the hint of a bitter smile briefly appearing on his face. "No, but then again, when has anything felt right lately?" his words carried a weight that seemed to reflect the heaviness of the world around you.

A heavy sigh escaped your lips, mingling with the tension that hung in the air. "You have a point there," you conceded.

"We will make it, Five," you reassure, turning back around when you feel a tap on your back. 

Five stands in front of you, his expression tense as he nods to himself. "I know," he affirms decisively. "Let's go then, we don't have time." 

In sync with him, you follow Five's lead as he heads towards Klaus' room. The urgency in his movements is palpable.

"Hey, Klaus, get up," Five demands, his impatience evident as he lightly knocks on Klaus' door before entering, his piercing gaze fixed on the fumbling mess of yarn and knitting needles within the room. "We're going," he adds firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Klaus, visibly exasperated, throws the needles down in frustration and questions, "Where?"

With a sense of duty in his voice, Five responds, "To save the world."

Klaus, ever the sarcastic one, quips, "Oh, is that all? Great."

As we found ourselves back in Five's room listening to his animated rant, he questioned, "So, Pogo said Dad killed himself to get us all back together, right?" 

Klaus simply shrugged in response. "Yeah, so?" 

Five continued, delving deeper with his thoughts, "So it got me thinking, I had to jump to the future to figure out when it happened, but Dad, he can't time travel. So how'd the crazy bastard actually know to kill himself a week before the end of the world?" 

 With a thoughtful expression, Klaus began to speak, "Well, you know..." but his words trailed off, hinting at the complexity of their father's mysterious actions.

"Don't answer. That was purely rhetorical," Five shakes his head in disbelief. "Truth is, our whole lives, he's been telling us we'd save the world from an impending apocalypse."

"Yeah, but I always thought he just said that to scare us into doing the dishes." Klaus muses with a light chuckle, effortlessly slipping on his shoes, a gesture that brings a fond smile to your face.

"Me too. But what if the old man really knew it was going to happen?"Five remarks pensively, his voice betraying a hint of uncertainty. 

That underlying sense of unease starts to manifest within you, causing you to internally acknowledge the unsettling thought. 

"Yeah, but knew how?" Klaus inquires, crossing his arms in a contemplative manner, his brow furrowed as he sought answers that seemed just out of reach.

"No idea," Five begins, his voice tinged with a sense of frustration as he continues pacing back and forth in the room. 

"But the fact remains, his fakakta plan worked," he adds with a hint of disbelief.

"Fakakta," you repeat, the unfamiliar word rolling off your tongue with a tone of curiosity, as if trying to decipher its meaning from the context in which it was used.

Five rolls his eyes in a mixture of frustration and amusement as he looks at you. "But, we all came home." he remarks with a dismissive tone before gesturing towards you. "And then some. We're here, we might as well save the world."

Klaus has a perplexed expression on his face. "Oh yeah? What, like, the three of us?"

With a nonchalant shrug, Five's hands casually rest in his pockets as he continues, "Uh, well, ideally, no, but... gotta work with what I've got." 

The sound of running footsteps reverberated up the stairs, causing your heart to race with anticipation until you finally laid eyes on the familiar figure of Diego. 

"Where have you been?" Five inquired, curiosity evident in his tone.

"Jail." Diego admitted nonchalantly, prompting a gasp from you as your eyes widened.

"You of all people giving me a hard time for it-" you retorted.

Diego's frustrated expression deepened as he furrowed his brow. "Long story," he said abruptly, interrupting your thought. 

His eyes scanned the room as if searching for answers. "Where's Luther?"

"Haven't seen him since breakfast."

Diego's jaw tightened, the gravity of the situation apparent. "Yeah. Two days until the world ends, he picks a great time to drop off the grid," he remarked with a hint of sarcasm, the worry evident in his voice as he swiftly prepared for action, securing knives in all his holsters.

With a mix of determination and humor, he declared, "Well, suit up. We're finding him and putting an end to this whole end-of-the-world thing."

~~~

Diego had just disclosed that Allison was in imminent danger because of Vanya's boyfriend, who happened to be a confirmed murderer. 

Now, you found yourself in a surreal situation, confined to the car while the three brothers engaged in a persuasive conversation trying to convince Luther to accompany you for assistance.

Five had given you strict instructions to remain inside the vehicle, warning against the allure of the bar. 

The caution was necessary to prevent you from succumbing to the temptation of relapsing into old habits by sneaking some alcohol.

Despite your efforts to resist, a persistent craving for just a small sip of liquor lingered in the back of your mind, threatening to break your resolve.

You gazed out the window with a mixture of impatience and anxiety, anxiously awaiting the return of Klaus, Diego, Luther, and Five from the bar. 

The minutes felt like hours as you pondered the precarious situation that Allison was in, the weight of the impending danger weighing heavily on your shoulders.

Finally, the sight of the brothers emerging from the bar and headed towards the car brought a sense of relief, tinged with a newfound sense of determination to face the challenges ahead and ensure Allison's safety.

Five took the wheel and steered the car away from the bar, causing you to lean in closer to Luther to start a conversation. 

"Did you bring anything out with you?" you inquired. "Like, maybe a seltzer or something?" Your words were abruptly cut off as Five unexpectedly struck you in the back of the head.

"I already said no. You're not drinking tonight," he declared firmly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.

"Yeah, whatever," you grumbled in response, slightly irritated by his strictness. 

~~~

"Hey. Can you go any faster?" Luther inquired, his voice slightly tinged with frustration, as if seconds were slipping away too quickly. 

"Ask me again, and I'll burn you with the cigarette lighter." Five retorted sharply.

Nevertheless, he defiantly pressed the gas pedal further down, determined to reach their destination as quickly as possible.

After what seemed like an eternity but in reality was just a mere few minutes, the car finally pulled up in front of the wood cabin tucked away in the heart of the dense woods. 

Fear coursed through the group as you all hastily made your way out of the vehicle, your eagerness evident in the way you all sped over to the front door, Luther way ahead of all of you.

"Something doesn't feel right," you whisper urgently as a chill runs down your spine, causing your heart to race. 

The sound of Luther's piercing scream echoes through the house, sending a jolt of fear through your veins. "Allison!!"

Your feet carry you swiftly into the house, shoes clicking frantically against the hardwood floor, each step a drumbeat of trepidation. The scene that unravels before your eyes is a nightmare come to life. 

Luther, usually carefree, is now a broken mess, his arms cradling Allison's near lifeless form. 

Her once vibrant eyes now blink rapidly, a stark contrast to the flow of crimson blood staining everything it touches, a stark reminder of the horrific truth.

"No- No! Allison!" The words catch in your throat, choked with grief and disbelief as you press your trembling fingers against her fragile pulse, frantically searching for a flicker of hope. 

The warmth of her blood seeps through the fabric of your clothing, a visceral reminder of the fragility of life.

With tears blurring your vision, you gather all your resolve, your hands shaking as you press your sleeve against her grievous wound, a feeble attempt to staunch the flow and hold on to the dwindling thread of hope that she may yet be saved. 

Desperation filled your voice as you frantically pleaded with an unseen presence for mercy. The weight of relentless fear pressed down on you, the thought of losing Allison unbearable.

Adrenaline surged through you, your hands working instinctively to staunch the flow of blood from Allison's wound, gripping your sleeve to her throat with a sense of urgency.

"Please, no," your voice quavered, a mix of helplessness and anguish as Luther carefully lifted Allison and carried her towards the waiting car. 

The touch of Five's firm grasp on your arm was the only anchor preventing you from fully crumbling, your trembling hands a stark contrast to the tense control in his touch. 

Emotions swirled within you, a storm of concern and fear raging through every fiber of your being as you were forced to relinquish your hold on Allison and watch her being taken away to safety.

You let out a shaky sob, the weight of your emotions becoming too heavy to bear in that moment. With tears streaming down your face, you found solace in the simple act of covering your pained expression with your hands. 

"I can't keep doing this," the words escaped your lips in a mix of desperation and exhaustion. "Five, you guys are all I've got," the vulnerability in your voice laid bare the depth of your dependence on the support of those closest to you.

As the reality of everything you've endured in the past few days sank in, the feeling of being overwhelmed consumed you entirely. It was as if a dam had burst within you, unleashing a flood of pent-up emotions and turmoil that had been building relentlessly. 

The weight of each struggle and hardship you had faced recently culminated in that single moment of raw emotion, leaving you breathless and lost in a sea of turbulent thoughts and feelings. 

The facade of strength you had worn for so long cracked under the pressure, revealing the vulnerable soul underneath that simply sought comfort and understanding in the midst of the storm.

Five sighs as he guides you with gentle reassurance back to the car.

"You won't"

He takes your hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Not anymore."

~~~

A/N - oops short chapter, see you tomorrow :)))

word count - 3580

[mintywolf]

A Long Road Home - Page 111 Author's Notes

Page 111

This page went on a wild ride to get to where it ended up. In an earlier draft it was a lead in to an omitted plot arc (that has since been transplanted to Come In From the Cold) in which they make it across the river but both succumb to the cold before reaching the town. Imogen wakes up being treated for frostbite in a temple of the Matron of Ravens, where she is told that tragically her friend did not survive. Laudna is actually alive (as much as she ever is) but, since she is indistinguishable from a genuine corpse while unconscious, she was mistaken for one and interred in the graveyard receiving vault to await burial in the spring. I liked it, but I ended up cutting it because it did not add much to the chapter overall except extra pages, which this chapter does not need. (The parts I really liked, the reflection on how Laudna is treated with greater compassion as a dead body than an undead one, and her happiness at receiving a free burial shroud and two gentle repose pennies, did end up in the fic.)

So with all that gone, the three penultimate panels, which originally showed a timelapse of Imogen gradually sinking with exhaustion from struggling to carry Laudna through the worsening snow, didn’t really build up to anything and I wanted something more visually interesting than her trekking along listening to Laudna sing. I decided to show a glimpse of what Laudna is imagining when she sings this song, mainly because I wanted to draw some woodland critters in fancy little outfits, but it had to MEAN something. Unlike her gallows tree ballad from the previous chapter, which is an encoded message about Laudna’s sense of identity, "Gentleman Rat" is just a whimsical folk song from Matilda’s childhood. But the inclusion of a little puppet vignette is already so primed for symbolism that everyone was going to be looking for a metaphor even if there wasn’t one.

I decided to take advantage of the “lords and ladies at the ball” setting (which was originally just intended as a nod to Laudna’s lifelong interest in fancy ladies) and foreshadow the dinner party backstory reveal (which is imminent). At first I briefly considered giving Gentleman Rat dorky little quadruple spectacles and somehow turning it into a story about Percy, then thought well maybe it’s Fake Percy and also there’s a deer and Fake Keyleth is here too, but ultimately decided that I didn’t want to force the idea that the song is a direct allusion to the Sun Tree gang, because it really isn’t.

So the implication here is that Laudna was just having a good time imagining fancy little critters at a fancy little ball, but the Briarwoods invaded her daydream and ruined it, because they’re always there in her memory and she can never get away from Delilah, even in her imagination.

I first considered making the Briarwoods ermines (improbably in respective winter and summer coats so Sylas could be white and Delilah could be red-brown) but settled on foxes because they come in both white and red varieties and it gives some extra bite to Laudna’s Chandei Quorum masquerade ball costume. :)