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inseobts · 2 months ago

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Ghost Knife

strawhat crew x fem ! winter soldier ! reader (platonic)

inspired by bucky barnes (marvel) - after getting separated from the other strawhats you return as the world government’s masked assassin with orders to kill them all. but then memories begin to resurface and so does the person you used to be.

a/n: omg I had a huge crush on bucky at some point so thank you anon for this request lmao

words count: 4.3k

tags: platonic, sabaody archipelago arc spoilers, kidnapping, brainwashing, torture, angst, hurt/comfort, cybernetic arm

masterlist || ao3 || ko-fi

“Robin!”

Your voice cracks as you watch her vanish into thin air. One second she’s there, eyes wide, body tense, and the next, she’s gone. Swallowed by that giant’s palm. Sent flying through nothingness by Kuma’s strange power.

You run to where she stood, hand outstretched “Robin!”

The man, the machine, turns toward you.

Your breath catche “Don’t you dare.”

He says nothing. Just moves.

“Y/N!” Luffy yells from behind, voice full of panic “Run!”

You try to run. Kuma’s too fast. In a blink, his hand slams down.

You land hard. Cold floor. White lights. The air smells like metal and bleach.

You groan, pushing yourself up “Where…?”

Then pain shoots through your side. You curl up, coughing.

“Subject is awake, she forgot again.” a voice says above you. Mechanical. No kindness.

You blink through the blur. A face leans close with goggles, gloves, clipboard.

“Where am I?” you whisper.

He ignores your question “Sedate her again.”

“No!” You try to stand, but hands grab your arms. Straps hold your legs. A needle pricks your neck.

Your world fades to black.

The days bleed together.

They don’t call you by name. They call you Asset. Like a tool. Like a thing.

You scream the first time they put you in that chair. Metal clamps, flashing lights. They press buttons. You forget how many days pass. You forget the sound of Luffy’s laugh. Nami’s voice. Zoro’s snoring.

You try to run.

One day, you make it to a hallway before someone shoots your leg. You fall. They drag you back.

They don’t punish you with words. They punish you with fire.

“You’re stubborn,” the woman says. She has short black hair and cold eyes “Most subjects break after three weeks. You’ve lasted five.”

You spit at her.

She slaps you “Fine. We’ll go further.”

The next time you try to run away you then wake up with your left arm gone.

You scream until your throat bleeds.

“You don’t have to be in pain,” they say “Just obey.”

You don’t speak.

They give you a new arm. It’s metal. Heavy. Cold. It hums when you move it.

They teach you how to fight like a machine.

They wipe memories. Try to bury your name.

But in your dreams, Luffy still grins “You’re our nakama!”

Zoro still says “Tch. Don’t get soft.”

Usopp still brags “I’ll protect you!”

Robin still reads with you under the sun.

They can’t take that from you.

At least not yet.

Later on, the voice returns, steady and cold, always the same, “Who are you?”

You answer like they trained you to “I am Weapon Unit 27.”

“What is your mission?”

“Obey. Eliminate targets. No emotion. No hesitation.”

Your voice doesn’t shake anymore. Not like the first time. Or the fiftieth. But when you sleep, if they let you, shadows curl at the edge of your mind. Laughter. A rubbery arm slinging around your shoulders. Someone yelling about meat. Orange hair in the sunlight.

You reach for it but always end waking up screaming.

The woman with the cold eyes, Commander Drayke, watches as you fight in the simulation room. You’re faster now. Your metal arm crushes steel like paper. You don’t flinch when blades touch skin.

“She’s nearly ready,” Drayke says “Complete memory collapse in progress.”

The man beside her, white coat, tired face, glances at his screen “Her brain patterns still show flickers.”

“She’ll forget,” she says “Sooner or later.”

You now sit in your cell. Metal walls. One bed. One sink. One screen.

A small bird taps on the bars, black feathers, a bag tied to its leg.

News Coo.

The guard grabs it, rips the newspaper free, tosses it into your room.

“Read. Stay updated. Don’t fall behind.”

You almost ignore it.

Then your eyes catch two names.

PORTGAS D. ACE AND MONKEY D. LUFFY

The paper crinkles in your hands.

Luffy.

Ace.

The names itch in your chest.

You stare at their faces. Luffy’s wild smile. The straw hat on his back. Ace, strong and scarred, fire dancing in his hands.

You tilt your head.

“Why do they look… familiar?” you whisper.

You flip the page. There’s a bounty poster. A crew. Pirates.

The words Strawhat Pirates ring in your ears. It makes something in you tighten. Like a string pulled too hard.

Your hand trembles. You clutch your head.

Something hurts. Deep.

Like static in your skull.

“No. I don’t know them” you mutter.

But a voice inside you says: Liar.

Year 1, Month 8

Location: Secret Government Base – North Blue

The Winter Soldier... you stand motionless in the training room. Your breath is slow. Controlled. Your mask hides the lines of your face, but not the stillness of your new soul.

You don’t remember the ocean, the Going Merry, your family.

Only orders. Only targets. Only missions.

“Tell me what you are” the voice echoes from the intercom.

She answers with no hesitation.

“I am the blade of justice.”

“And who do you serve?”

“The World Government.”

“And your purpose?”

“To eliminate threats.”

“Good girl,” says Drayke “Deploy her.”

Same time - Weatheria, Sky Island

Nami lounges under a cloud tree, weather scrolls beside her. She flips open the latest News Coo with a sigh.

“Huh,” she mumbles “Another article about that assassin again…”

She reads aloud “The Winter Soldier has completed 35 high-level government missions. No survivors left at any site. Her origin is unknown. World Nobles call her their ‘Ghost Knife.’”

She frowns, “Creepy.”

She turns the page, trying to ignore the chill down her spine.

Kuraigana Island – Wasteland Castle

Zoro slices through a falling boulder like it’s paper. Perona floats nearby, holding up a newspaper.

“Hey, Moss-For-Brains, have you seen this? New assassin. Woman. Metal arm. Wears a mask. Total psycho.”

“Not interested.”

“She’s got a bounty on her head even without being a pirate. That’s rare.”

Zoro grabs the paper, scans it.

The image is blurry, during nighttime, shadows, but she’s unmistakable. That mask. That arm. That stance. The way her fist dents solid rock.

Zoro stares a little longer than he needs to.

“Huh,” he mutters “Feels… familiar.”

Boin Archipelago

Luffy stares at the newspaper like a child with candy.

“She looks SO COOL!” he yells, eyes shining “Usopp would freak out if he saw this!”

He points to the tiny, grainy picture of the Winter Soldier mid-kick, her metal arm glowing, mask hiding her face.

“Do you think she can stretch like me?!”

Rayleigh laughs from across the fire “She’s not like you, Luffy. She's basically a war machine now.”

Luffy tilts his head “That’s sad.”

Impel Down – Level 6, Hidden Room

You stand over a rebel leader, blood pooling on the floor.

“Good,” Drayke says through her comm “Leave no trace. Return for recalibration.”

You turn to leave, but something on the prisoner’s jacket catches your eye.

A small pin. A broken symbol. An old pirate jolly roger. It’s familiar.

You don’t know why but you kneel down, fingers brushing the worn cloth, as something in your chest twists.

A campfire. A boy with a slingshot. A reindeer with wide, teary eyes. Laughter.

You jerk back, eyes wide behind the mask “What was that?”

Two Years Later - Sabaody Archipelago

The sea smells like salt and blood.

You stand stiffly on the deck of the government ship, black mask fixed over your face, mechanical arm humming quietly. Behind the mask, your heart feels cold. Heavy.

The voice buzzes in your ear “Mission: Eliminate the Strawhat Pirates. Neutralize any other threats.”

You nod once, sharp “Understood.”

The ship docks silently and you jump off without a word, disappearing into the crowd.

Nami and Usopp walk quickly through the thick crowds, keeping their heads low.

“You sure it’s this way?” Usopp whispers nervously.

“Yeah,” Nami mutters “Shakky’s bar should be close—”

She stops dead.

Ahead, a group of pirates blocks the path. Rough-looking men. One of them is dressed ridiculously like Nami, down to the orange wig.

“Hey, hey, look at these cuties,” one of the fakes sneers “Where ya rushing off to?”

Nami grits her teeth “Move.”

The fake Nami shoves her hard “Make me, sweetheart.”

Before Usopp can react, a shadow drops between them. Heavy boots slam into the ground. A figure, all black armor and shining metal, stands there.

You.

The Winter Soldier.

The thugs laugh, until you move.

A brutal punch knocks the fake Nami out cold.

The other pirates don’t even have time to scream before you take them down with smooth, efficient blows. No wasted motion. No mercy.

Nami and Usopp stare, wide-eyed. The street falls dead silent.

You turn your masked face toward them.

No words.

No threat.

Just silence as the two Strawhats freeze.

Usopp’s voice trembles “T-thank you…?”

You say nothing.

Nami grabs Usopp’s sleeve “RUN!” she hisses.

They sprint away.

You stand there, unmoving, just watching them disappear into the trees.

You could have chased, but you don’t. Something in your chest aches, and you don’t know why.

Shakky’s Bar

The Strawhats start gathering inside the bar.

Zoro leans against a wall. Franky orders drinks. Robin smiles softly. Brook hums a tune. But the air feels… wrong.

“They should be here by now” Nami says, pacing.

Usopp wipes sweat off his forehead “You guys. We saw someone scary out there. I think… it was her. That assassin the whole world’s been talking about.”

Nami shudders “Yeah. She saved us. But she was terrifying.”

Chopper clutches his bag “Isn’t she working for the government…?”

Nobody has real answers. Only dread. Only waiting.

Meanwhile — Grove 34

Marine soldiers scatter like bowling pins as Luffy punches through them easily, grinning wide.

“Man, you guys are weak!” he laughs.

He turns the corner and freezes.

You stand there, waiting. Black mask. Cold metal arm. Heavy silence.

You don’t speak. You rush him.

Luffy grins, slipping into Gear Second, pink steam curling off him. But his smile fades when he sees your eyes through the slits of your mask. Empty. Hollow.

You clash. Fist against fist. Rubber against steel.

The street cracks under the force of your hits.

“You’re strong!” Luffy yells, blocking another strike.

But then he ducks under your punch and with a sudden roar, he slams his fist straight into your mask.

The metal splits and the mask breaks off, clatters to the ground.

You stand there, gasping softly, face bare under the sunlight.

Your face.

Scarred. Pale. Tired.

The other Strawhats arrive, running after the noise and they all skid to a stop when they see you.

Dead silence.

Luffy stares at you, his mouth hanging open. His fists lower. His heartbeat screams in his ears.

“Y…Y/N…?”

Nami covers her mouth “No…”

Chopper’s eyes fill with tears “It’s her! It’s really her!!”

Sanji falls to his knees, sobbing heart-shaped tears “A goddess! And it’s OUR Y/N!!”

Robin’s eyes go wide in quiet shock. Franky clutches his huge hands over his mouth. Brook stares, frozen.

You blink at them confused.

You step back, raising your weapon again “Who’s y/n? I don’t know you.”

The words feel wrong on your tongue.

Luffy steps forward slowly, like approaching a wild animal.

“You’re my friend,” he says, voice rough and low “You’re my nakama. You’re part of our family.”

You hesitate.

Some random images flash in your mind.

Your grip tightens. Your orders scream in your mind: Eliminate them.

You attack.

The fight is brutal.

You move like a ghost, precise and devastating. But your strikes aren’t as strong anymore. Your hand shakes once when you aim at Nami. You freeze when Chopper cries your name.

Luffy blocks, dodges, and refuses to hit you hard. His voice breaks every time he calls your name.

“Come back...” he pleads.

“Wake up!” he begs.

Your body moves automatically, but inside, you are screaming.

In a desperate move, you throw a smoke bomb to the ground to blind them.

You retreat. Not because you were ordered to but because something inside you felt like breaking.

You stumble onto the ship, heart pounding.

Memories hit you like waves.

You fall to your knees in the empty hall, breathing hard.

“Luffy…” you whisper.

You don’t hear the footsteps behind you.

The scientists grab you and drag you to the white room. Cold metal cuffs slam around your wrists.

One scientist squints at you.

“What did you say?” he demands.

You clench your jaw. But it’s too late. They heard.

The lead scientist sighs coldly “She’s remembering. Begin full brainwash protocol.”

You struggle. You fight against the straps “Please! I don’t want to forget—!” you scream, thrashing.

The machine hums louder.

“You don’t need memories,” the doctor says flatly “You need orders.”

Tears prick your eyes as the sedation hits you.

The last thought in your mind before the darkness swallows you whole... I have to find them. I have to remember. I have to go bac home.

As the smoke clears. The mask lies broken in the dust. The air still hums with tension, but you’re gone.

The Straw Hat crew stands frozen in the middle of the wrecked street, staring at the empty space where you once stood.

No one says anything.

Chopper’s small voice finally breaks the silence.

“…She ran away.”

Robin steps forward slowly, picking up the shattered piece of your mask. The black metal is cracked, still warm.

She studies it with sad eyes.

“It was her,” she murmurs “All along.”

Usopp gulps “The Winter Soldier… that assassin everyone’s been talking about… that was Y/N?”

Franky clenches his fists “No wonder she was so strong.”

Sanji exhales a puff of smoke shakily, eyes low “Two years. That’s how long she’s been… gone.”

They walk slowly back to Shakky’s bar, the mood heavy like storm clouds. Inside, silence falls again.

Then Nami speaks.

“I should’ve known it was her.”

She sits down hard, shaking her head.

“When she saved us earlier, I didn’t… I didn’t recognize her. But the way she stood. The way she moved. It felt familiar. And I ignored it.”

Usopp adds, guilt in his voice, “Her eyes… They looked empty. She didn’t even blink. Like she wasn’t even… human anymore.”

“She was scared,” Chopper whispers, tears sliding down his cheeks “Even though she didn’t show it. I could feel it.”

Zoro leans against the wall, jaw tight “They must’ve brainwashed her. Tortured her. Trained her like a weapon.”

Luffy doesn’t say a word.

He’s sitting at the bar, hunched over, hands clasped so tightly his knuckles have gone white.

Robin turns to him gently “Luffy…”

He doesn’t look up.

“For a second I thought she was dead.”

His voice is low. Quiet. Broken.

“After I broke that mask her eyes felt nothing like our y/n.”

He slowly lifts his head. His eyes are red, jaw tight with emotion.

“But she’s still y/n. They turned her into that but she hesitated.”

“They stole her from us,” Luffy growls “They made her forget us.”

Nami looks up, blinking back tears “What do we do now?”

Luffy stands ��We go get her.”

Everyone looks up.

Robin nods “They won’t let her go easily.”

“I don’t care,” Luffy says, voice firm now “She’s our nakama.”

“She probably doesn’t even remember us fully...” Usopp mutters.

“She doesn’t have to,” Luffy replies “I remember her.”

The room goes quiet.

Zoro smirks “Then we break in. We take her back.”

Sanji flicks his lighter “Hell yeah we do.”

Brook plays a low note on his violin “Let’s bring our friend home.”

Meanwhile, your body lies strapped down in the cold lab room.

Machines buzz around you. Wires in your head. Drugs in your veins. But somewhere deep inside your mind, something fights.

You stand in a white, empty space.

Alone.

Then “Oi! Don’t eat all the meat!”

Laughter.

“I’ll patch you up, just stop moving!”

“You’re one of us now, dummy!”

Voices. Memories. Echoes of who you were.

You stumble forward. The ground starts shaking. The white fades.

A hand reaches for you through the dark.

It’s Luffy’s.

“Come back” he says softly.

Some days later, the alarms blare. Explosions rock the outside of the base.

Marines run through the halls in panic “We’re under attack!!”

Outside Luffy crashes down through a wall, fist first.

“Y/N!!!”

The Strawhats have come.

Your eyes snap open.

Lights above. Cold metal around your wrists and ankles. Straps tighten across your body.

The head scientist leans over you, calm as ever.

“They’ve come for you.”

Your breath hitches.

You don’t ask who. You already know.

“Kill them all” he says.

A command.

Your programming obeys. A new steel mask is replaced. The black suit sealed. Your left arm whirs to life.

You stand up, empty inside.

The Straw Hats move like fire through the base.

Zoro cuts through waves of marines, swords flashing. Robin breaks them apart with giant phantom arms. Sanji kicks his way through steel walls and floors, growling, “Where is she!?”

Luffy punches another door down “She’s somewhere here. I can feel it.”

They find you in the inner chamber, standing alone, blocking the hallway.

Winter Soldier mode on. Silent. Masked. Deadly.

You raise your weapon, red light glowing on your metal arm.

Luffy stops.

So does the rest of the crew.

You stare at them and they stare back.

You speak first.

“Leave. Or die.”

Zoro doesn’t even flinch “Not happening.”

Your eye twitches behind the mask.

“I said leave.”

You dash forward. Fast.

Your punch aims straight for Sanji’s chest but he doesn’t move. You slam into him and he staggers back, coughing blood, but doesn’t strike back.

You hesitate.

Why didn’t he fight back?

You spin, launching kicks and strikes at Nami, Robin, Usopp... They dodge or take the hit but they don’t attack.

Nami yells, voice shaking, “We’re not gonna hurt you, Y/N!”

You freeze mid-swing.

Luffy steps forward, fists unclenched.

“You can try to kill us,” he says “But we’re not gonna stop until you remember who you are.”

“I know who I am... I’m the Winter Soldier” you reply coldly.

“No” Luffy says.

“You’re Y/N. Our nakama.”

You punch again and again, he takes it. Blood drips from his mouth. Still, he grins.

“Come on,” he says “I know you’re still in there.”

Your vision shakes. A memory flashes. You stumble backward, clutching your head.

“Stop! Stop!!”

Luffy doesn’t stop. He steps closer.

Robin gently calls, “You saved us so many times, Y/N. Let us save you now.”

“Don’t you remember?” Usopp says “You made me that slingshot charm, back on Water 7. You said it’d keep me safe.”

Sanji places a gentle hand on your shoulder “You called us family.”

The words hit like thunder.

You scream.

You drop to your knees.

The pain behind your eyes explodes and the memories rush in.

Every laugh. Every fight. Every hug. Every scar. Every sunset on the Sunny. Every meal Sanji made. Every time Chopper patched you up. Every stupid, perfect moment.

The mask suddenly feels wrong. Tight. Heavy. You rip it off.

Tears streak down your cheeks.

“I remember.”

Luffy holds out a hand to you, grinning through a split lip.

“Welcome back.”

You take his hand and stand up. The mask lies shattered at your feet. Tears drying on your cheeks. The Straw Hats stand beside you.

You don’t feel like the Winter Soldier anymore.

Now, you feel like you.

But the moment is short-lived. Behind you, the reinforced blast doors hiss open.

White coats. Scientists. Dozens of them. Their voices are calm. Clinical.

“She’s unstable.”

“Reactivate the protocol.”

“Sedate her before she infects the others with sentiment.”

You freeze. The crew tenses.

You feel the shift in the air. The pure, boiling rage that radiates from behind you.

Zoro steps forward first. One hand on his sword.

Sanji lights a cigarette. Hands shaking with fury.

Luffy cracks his knuckles “You’re the ones who did this.”

The scientists don’t even flinch.

“She was never yours to begin with.”

Wrong answer.

Zoro unsheathes his sword.

“Zoro—wait—” you try, but it’s too late.

He’s gone. Charging forward with the fury of a storm.

Luffy launches after him.

Sanji’s right behind, kicking straight through the steel wall just to get a shortcut to them.

Franky roars, cannon arm charged.

Brook draws his sword with an eerie silence “You hurt our friend.”

Even Nami gets ready to attack them saying “How dare you doing that to our y/n!”

Usopp, Robin, and Chopper stay behind you, but even they look mad and protective.

You turn to them, breath fast “We can’t let them go too far.”

“They tortured you!” Chopper yells, ears flat, teeth clenched “They hurt you for two years!”

“I know...” you say softly.

Robin’s eyes are hard, but she’s not moving “People like them… they don’t stop unless you make them.”

“They already broke laws” Usopp says “They broke you.”

You step between them and the path ahead.

“I’m not asking you to forgive them. I’m asking you not to become like them.”

Screams echo through the halls.

Zoro’s blade slices through security bots. Sanji kicks a scientist across the room. Luffy punches straight through a wall of machines.

They’re not holding back.

“YOU SHOCKED HER—FOR WHAT?!” Sanji bellows, grabbing a doctor by the collar.

“She was scared, and you punished her?”

Luffy blasts a ceiling open.

Zoro cuts through an entire server bank, sparks flying “You brainwashed her.”

“She’s a person” Franky says, as Nami stands beside him and continue the sentence “She’s not your weapon.”

You land hard in the center of the chaos, skidding between your friends and the scientists. The room is smoke and ruin. Bodies groaning. Fire crackling.

You raise your hands “STOP!!”

They do. Barely.

Luffy stands over a lead scientist, fist drawn back. Shaking with rage.

You step between them.

“Luffy,” you whisper “That’s enough.”

“She crushed your arm, Y/N,” he growls “She erased your name.”

“I know,” you say “And I’m still standing.”

His fist trembles in the air.

“Please,” you whisper “Let me go forward now.”

His arm drops.

Slowly, the others follow. Zoro sheaths his swords with a hard glare. Sanji turns away, biting down on his cigarette so hard it snaps. Franky’s fists stop sparking. And Nami look at you apologetically.

You stand there, panting, eyes wide.

No one speaks.

The scientists back away, terrified now. Not of the fists. But of the silence.

Robin walks over to you slowly. She places a hand on your arm.

“You brought them back” she says.

“Now I remembered who I am,” you whisper “And who I fight for.”

Hours later, the ship is quiet.

You sit on the deck, wrapped in a warm blanket. Chopper’s checked your wounds three times. Sanji made you soup and hasn’t stopped calling you “my dear lost goddess”. Nami prepared you a good warm bath and brushed your hair.

After you get out all clean and dressed as your real usual, Luffy joins you, plopping beside you with his usual grin.

He doesn’t say anything at first.

Just sits.

Then he says “You’re really back now.”

You nod.

“I missed you, Y/N.”

Your chest tightens.

“I missed you too.”

For the first time in years, you feel still. Safe.

Your new arm clicks softly as you lift your drink. It’s light. Comfortable. Yours. Matte black metal with gold lines running through it like veins, designed by Usopp and Franky, who proudly call it “The Strong Arm Mk. I”.

“Mk. II has a built-in slingshot compartment,” Usopp boasts, puffing up “Just in case.”

Franky flips his sunglasses up “And the third one comes with a grappling hook! So you can be SUPER mid-air!”

You laugh “I love it.”

They both beam like kids on Christmas.

Chopper bounds over next, stethoscope in paw “Arm okay? Nerves stable? Circulation’s good?”

You nod, smiling “You’ve checked it twice already.”

He pouts “I just wanna make sure! What if the bone memory causes—”

You hug him before he finishes the sentence.

He squeaks, face turning red “O-okay! You’re fine, you’re fine!”

Later, in the kitchen Sanji won’t stop cooking.

Plates stack up faster than you can eat them: your favorite stew, that spicy rice from Drum Island, a cake that’s somehow in the shape of your arm, and a hot drink with cinnamon swirls on top.

He hovers proudly nearby, heart eyes practically glued to you.

“I’ll make it every day if it makes you smile, mon étoile!”

You snort “You’re gonna spoil me.”

He spins dramatically “Then let me!! You’ve been through hell, now all you get is heaven!”

Brook strums his violin, a slow, sweet tune.

It’s the lullaby you used to hum when you couldn’t sleep.

He doesn’t say anything. Just plays for you.

Robin sits beside you, passing you a book she picked from her personal collection. It’s about strong women who survived and changed the world.

She doesn’t say much either. She doesn’t have to.

You squeeze her hand. She squeezes back.

Nami and Zoro hang back at first.

You find them leaning against the mast, watching the crew buzz around you.

“You okay?” Nami asks quietly.

You nod “I am now.”

Zoro doesn’t look at you, but his voice is low and honest “You scared the hell outta us.”

“I know” you say softly.

“I’m sorry.”

He glances over at last “You don’t have to be. Just don’t vanish again.”

You smile, holding back tears “I won’t.”

Nami smiles back at you “I’m so happy to see you smile again!”

Later that night, Luffy slams his mug down “Alright!! Now that everyone’s back, let’s celebrate!”

The crew cheers.

Meat piles up. Lights string along the mast. Music plays. Laughter fills the air.

You’re laughing too, tears in your eyes, surrounded by your family.

They don’t treat you like you’re broken. They don’t treat you like a weapon.

They treat you like Y/N.

The next morning the sails are up. The wind is perfect. The Log Pose spins confidently.

Nami grins “Let's start, next stop: Fishman Island!”

Luffy points ahead “Full speed!!”

You stand beside him, wind in your hair, new arm gleaming in the sun.

“Let’s go.”

Because this time, you’re not just coming along.

You’re finally home, with them. And the world better be ready.

512 notes · View notes

castielscaplan · 3 months ago

Text

Bottom of the Bottle (Soldier Boy)

Summary: You trusted Soldier Boy. Ran missions with him. Slept next to him in cold bunkers. Loved him in the way people like you didn’t dare admit. But then he left you behind. And now, face to face for the first time since that day, you're ready for answers. But what happens down the line when you're recoverd from the heartbreak and forced to join him on missions yet again?

Warnings: betrayal, angst, heartbreak, lonliness

WC: 2.5K

A/N: prompt came from this long list of mine! title used from my Title Challenge here

Read on ao3!

The room was dim, thick with smoke and the hum of fluorescent lights that hadn’t been changed in decades. Your heart thudded like gunfire in your chest, but your hand was steady on the trigger. Soldier Boy stood across from you, blood smeared across his jaw, knuckles bruised, but none of that compared to the look in his eyes.

Like you’d gutted him.

“Do it,” he said, voice gravel and ice. “If you’re gonna shoot me, sweetheart, make it count.”

You didn’t lower the gun. “You left me to die.”

His jaw tightened. “You think I don’t know that?”

“I watched you walk away!” Your voice cracked as rage flared, sharp as shrapnel. “You made the call. You could’ve pulled me out—”

“There wasn’t time!”

“You had seconds, Ben—”

“Exactly!” he snapped, voice booming like a damn grenade. “I had seconds to choose between you and the whole damn team getting wiped. So yeah, I left you.” He stepped closer, eyes wild and furious. “And you know what? I’d do it again.”

You felt like you’d been punched in the chest. The gun dipped slightly.

He shoved a hand through his hair, pacing like a caged animal. “You think I wanted to leave you there? You think I haven’t seen your face every goddamn night since?”

“Don’t you dare act like you’re the victim—”

“I’m not. But don’t act like I betrayed you.” He stopped in front of you, voice low and burning. “I didn’t betray you—I saved you. If I hadn’t done it, we’d both be dead.”

Your lip trembled. “You call that saving me? I was captured. Tortured. Spent months clawing my way out of that hellhole.”

“And I spent months thinking you were dead,” he said, breath ragged. “I went back. Hours later, when the smoke cleared. There was nothing but ash and blood. I buried what was left thinking it was you.”

Silence fell like a weight.

You stared at him, the anger still there but dimmed, tangled now with something raw. Something that hurt worse than betrayal.

“You didn’t even check if I was alive.”

He reached out—hesitated—then pulled his hand back like it’d been burned. “I never stopped looking. I swear to God, if I’d known you made it out…”

Tears blurred your vision. “What happens now?”

He looked like he’d been hollowed out. “That’s up to you. But I didn’t come back to fight. I came back because I never got to tell you…” He faltered, chest rising and falling. “You weren’t just another mission. Not to me.”

You lowered the gun.

But you weren’t ready to forgive him. Not yet.

Maybe not ever.

You hadn’t said a word in two hours.

Not since you and Soldier Boy climbed into the back of the armored SUV, the mission file dropped between you like a landmine.

He hadn’t tried to talk either—not really. Just sat with his arms crossed, looking out the window, jaw tight enough to crack. Occasionally, his eyes would flick your way. Like he couldn’t help himself.

You pretended not to notice.

The mission was a simple infiltration: an ex-Vought scientist holed up in an abandoned outpost with a dirty bomb and delusions of grandeur. You and Soldier Boy were the only two assets with enough clearance—and firepower—to get close.

But the real powder keg was between the two of you.

“You remember Kamarov?” Soldier Boy said finally, voice rough.

You didn’t look up from the file. “The guy with the cybernetic eye and a superiority complex?”

“Yeah. He’s running security for the target now.”

That made you pause. “You didn’t think to lead with that?”

“I figured you’d read the damn file.”

You glared at him. “Maybe I would’ve, if you didn’t keep breathing down my neck.”

His lip curled. “Didn’t realize I had to stop breathing to make you comfortable.”

“Oh, please. Don’t act like we’re partners. I’m only here because the mission comes first.”

“Right,” he said, leaning back with a bitter laugh. “God forbid you do anything for me.”

You slammed the file shut. “You don’t get to pull that card, Ben. Not after what you did.”

He leaned forward, hands braced on his knees, eyes locked on yours like a battlefield. “I already told you—I did what I had to do.”

“And I lived with it,” you snapped. “Alone.”

Something flickered behind his eyes—regret, maybe. Or guilt he hadn’t buried deep enough.

Before either of you could say more, the SUV lurched to a stop.

Driver’s voice crackled through the intercom. “We’re here. Two klicks out from the compound. You want backup?”

You and Soldier Boy locked eyes.

“No,” you said.

“I got this,” he said at the same time.

A beat of silence.

You rolled your eyes. “We’ll handle it.”

The back doors swung open, cold wind rushing in. You stepped out first, pulse steady, fingers twitching near your weapon. Soldier Boy followed, close enough you could feel his heat at your back.

“Try not to get captured this time,” he muttered.

“Try not to leave me behind again,” you shot back.

He gave you a look that could peel paint.

But despite the venom, your bodies moved in sync as you approached the compound—muscle memory from years of working side by side. Covering corners. Watching each other’s six. Like your bones hadn’t forgotten even if your heart tried to.

The moment the bullets started flying, something shifted. You caught his glance across the field, nodded once, and you were on. Two forces of destruction, unstoppable and precise. The kind of dance only people who’d once trusted each other with their lives could pull off.

At one point, a grenade hit too close. You hit the ground, ears ringing.

Soldier Boy was there in a heartbeat, shielding you with his body, barking your name over the ringing.

When the dust cleared, your hands were fisted in his vest, your breath catching.

“You okay?” he asked, voice rasped, eyes scanning you like he could memorize every wound.

You hated how you nodded.

You hated how his relief softened his face.

But most of all, you hated the way your heart still leapt like it remembered something your mind swore it wouldn’t forgive.

The plan was simple. Get in, neutralize the target, extract.

But plans had a nasty habit of falling apart around Soldier Boy.

“MOVE!” he barked, grabbing your arm as gunfire ripped through the air.

You didn’t argue. You both sprinted through the trees, adrenaline roaring in your ears, blood slick on your side where shrapnel had torn through your jacket.

You didn’t know how far you ran—just that eventually, the cold bit harder than the pain, and Soldier Boy jerked you into the half-collapsed remains of a hunting cabin hidden in the trees.

He slammed the door shut behind you, chest heaving. “They’re sweeping the forest. We’ve got maybe five hours before they circle back.”

You leaned against the wall, trying to breathe through the stabbing in your ribs. “You think they saw us?”

He looked at you—really looked—and the color drained from his face. “You’re bleeding.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.” He was in front of you in a flash, ripping your jacket off like you were made of paper. “You got hit. Jesus, why didn’t you say anything?”

“Because I was busy not dying, thanks,” you snapped, wincing as he peeled the fabric back.

He muttered a curse and pulled out a field kit, cleaning the wound with hands that were far too gentle for a man who could crush skulls without flinching.

The silence was thick as he worked.

“Why are you doing this?” you asked finally.

He didn’t look up. “Because you’re hurt.”

“No.” You swallowed hard. “I mean, why are you here, Ben? Really. After everything.”

He hesitated—just for a second—before taping the gauze down.

“Because I still give a damn about you,” he said gruffly. “Even if you hate my guts.”

You didn’t respond.

You didn’t know how to respond.

Instead, you glanced around the cabin. “No food. No heat. No backup.”

“And one bed,” he said, deadpan.

Your head whipped around. “You’re kidding.”

He pointed to the far corner. A narrow cot, dusty and crooked, barely wide enough for one person.

“Great,” you muttered. “I’ll take the floor.”

“The hell you will,” he growled. “You’re wounded.”

You crossed your arms. “So are you.”

He stepped closer, towering over you, voice low. “We’ll both freeze if we don’t share it. You know that.”

You hated that he was right.

You hated how his closeness made your pulse race.

“I’m not cuddling you,” you snapped.

A ghost of a smirk touched his lips. “Didn’t say you had to.”

It took a long time to settle.

You lay on the edge of the mattress, stiff as a corpse, back to him. The blankets were thin, and the cold crept in like a curse. Behind you, Soldier Boy radiated heat and tension.

Eventually, you shivered hard enough to make the bed creak.

He cursed under his breath and slid an arm around you. “Stop fighting it.”

“I’m not—”

“Just shut up and let me keep you warm.”

You hated how natural it felt. How your body fit against his like no time had passed. Like you weren’t still carrying the scar of his absence.

Minutes passed. Maybe hours.

His breath ghosted against your neck.

“I never stopped looking for you,” he said quietly.

You closed your eyes. “Then why does it still feel like you left?”

Silence.

Then—

“Because I did.”

You turned in his arms, meeting his eyes in the dark. There was no armor in them now. Just regret. And something achingly human.

He cupped your cheek. Rough palm, trembling thumb. “I can’t change what I did. But I’d do anything to fix it.”

You didn’t kiss him.

But God help you—you almost did.

The morning brought frost on the windows and gunfire in the distance.

You were already halfway out of bed when Soldier Boy grabbed his shield, scanning the treeline through a crack in the boarded window. “They’re here.”

“Thought we had more time.”

“So did I.”

You both moved like muscle memory—packing what little gear you had, ready to run. But when the first bullet shattered the window, you realized too late: this wasn’t a sweep.

It was a f**king ambush.

Soldier Boy barked your name, tackled you to the ground just as the front wall blew in from a concussion blast. Ears ringing, lungs burning—you scrambled, dragging your weapon toward you, but two men were already inside.

You got one with a clean shot.

The second hit you with the butt of his rifle. Everything spun.

Your fingers twitched, reaching blindly—but someone grabbed you, yanked you to your feet.

“BEN!”

Your scream split through the chaos.

You saw him—the look on his face when they dragged you out. The sheer terror in it. Not rage. Not fury.

Terror.

Like he was watching it happen all over again.

“LET HER GO!”

They stunned him with something—maybe modified gas, maybe sonic tech—long enough to force him to his knees. But he kept coming.

Even on fire.

Even screaming.

Even when it was too late.

You woke in a cold metal room.

Your head throbbed. Your wrists were cuffed.

But none of that mattered.

Because you knew he’d come for you.

He had to.

Back in the forest, Soldier Boy rose from the wreckage like a damn god of vengeance. The forest burned behind him. His shield dripped blood.

He tore through the enemy camp like a weapon unleashed. No mercy. No second chances. Not this time.

Because the last time he hesitated—

He lost you.

And he would never let it happen again.

By the time he reached your cell, alarms were blaring, walls crumbling. You heard the carnage before you saw him.

Then the door exploded.

And there he stood.

Bloodied. Breathing hard. Eyes locked on you like you were the only thing in the world.

He crossed the room in three steps, ripping the cuffs from your wrists like they were paper. His hands cupped your face, frantic, shaking.

“You okay?” His voice cracked. “Talk to me—are you okay?”

You nodded, throat too tight to speak.

His jaw clenched. His forehead pressed to yours. “I thought I lost you again. I saw them take you and—I swear to God, if I hadn’t gotten here…”

“I knew you’d come,” you whispered.

His hands gripped you harder. “You shouldn’t have to.”

For a moment, all the noise outside faded.

And in the middle of the wreckage, with the fire still burning and the enemy in pieces behind him, he kissed you.

Desperate. Raw. Like he was taking back every second you were gone.

The safehouse was silent, save for the wind whining through cracked boards and the slow drip of water from a rusted pipe.

Soldier Boy sat on the edge of the table, shirt off, blood streaked down his side. Burn marks. Lacerations. He’d barely flinched during the fight—but now that the adrenaline was gone, he looked tired. Fractured.

You soaked the cloth in what clean water you could find, fingers trembling. You’d already checked the perimeter twice. Laid every tripwire. Set every trap.

And still, your hands shook as you turned back to him.

“Hold still.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he muttered, wincing as you pressed the cloth to his ribs.

The silence stretched, heavy. You cleaned each wound with methodical care, refusing to meet his eyes.

“You should be pissed at me,” he said quietly.

You didn’t answer.

“You should hate me.”

“I did,” you said. “For a long time.”

He went still.

You finally looked at him—really looked. Blood on his face. Bruises blooming along his jaw. And that look in his eyes. Like he was scared of what you’d say next.

“But I never stopped loving you.”

The words hung in the air like a live wire.

Soldier Boy blinked like you’d hit him. “What?”

“I loved you, Ben.” Your voice cracked. “Even after you left. Even after I told myself I didn’t.”

He stared at you like he couldn’t breathe.

You stood, taking a shaky step back. “And I hate that you can still make my heart race. That I still look for you first when the bullets start flying. That I waited—hoped—you’d come back.”

His expression twisted. Pain. Regret. Desperation.

“I never stopped loving you either,” he said hoarsely. “I just... didn’t think I deserved to.”

You turned your face away, but he stood, grabbing your wrist—gentle, but firm.

“I made the call back then because I thought it’d save you,” he said. “But losing you nearly killed me. I’ve walked through fire and blood and hell since then, and nothing ever hurt like that.”

You swallowed hard.

“I thought if I could just get you back—just once—I’d fix it.” His voice cracked. “But I don’t know how.”

You stepped forward, placing a hand on his chest, over the wound you’d just cleaned.

“You don’t fix it in one night,” you whispered. “You show up. You stay. You choose me. Again and again.”

He looked at you like you were the only thing keeping him upright.

“I’m here,” he said. “I’m yours, if you’ll still have me.”

And when he leaned in—slowly, hesitantly—you met him halfway.

This kiss wasn’t frantic like the last. It was quiet. Shaky. A surrender. His forehead pressed to yours after, breath ragged.

You held him like you were afraid he’d vanish again.

But this time… he didn’t.

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chu16a-blog · 21 days ago

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Benji Dunn x Reader - Enemy to Lover (Part 1/6)

Pairing: Benji Dunn x Reader

This is chapter 1/6 fanfic (everything is already written because I have exams in a week, and I'm procrastinating). However, I will upload only one chapter per day, ehehe

Links: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

CHAPTER 1: SHADOWS IN BERLIN

Ethan Hunt sat stiffly at the center of the briefing table. Benji Dunn and Luther Stickell flanked either side, the tension between them and the CIA rep so thick it could choke.

"This target is to be captured alive," the agent said, sliding the thin manila folder across the table. "She has stolen a highly sensitive asset. She is considered extremely dangerous. Location pings in Berlin, for now."

Ethan flipped open the folder. Sparse intel. No name. No clear photo. A single blurry image of you, mid-stride.

"What's the asset?" Luther asked.

"Classified. You're to retrieve it, and her."

Benji squinted. "What did she do, exactly?"

"She's considered extremely dangerous," the agent repeated with clipped precision.

Benji raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, you mentioned that part. Like, how dangerous? John Wick dangerous or more like ‘don’t eat the wrong sandwich’ dangerous?”

Luther gave him a look. Ethan stayed silent, still scanning the folder.

The agent didn’t blink. “She’s killed before.”

Benji looked surprised, but not entirely convinced. “And yet you want us to bring her in alive?”

"Yes," the agent said flatly. "Just follow the mission."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed further.

The rep gave a stiff smile. "Just follow the mission."

---

The train slid into Berlin Hauptbahnhof just before dawn. Cold wind spilled across the platform as the doors hissed open. You stepped out without hesitation, no luggage, no pause, no second glance at the cameras above the ticket barriers.

New identity burned into your pocket. Data chip sewn into the lining of your sleeve. One chance.

You’d been out of the CIA for less than forty-eight hours. Not that they’d called it an “exit.” People like you didn’t resign. They vanished. Or were buried.

Berlin was the first step. The last known vault of hard-stored intel from the Helix Project. You needed the initial data set—schematics, weapon details, control bypass.

You ducked into an alley. Adjusted the weave of your scarf. Took a breath.

They would come soon. CIA. Or something worse.

You’d seen the file requests ping on the ghost server. Not even an hour after your extraction. Redacted names. One you recognized: Ethan Hunt.

Great. IMF. The CIA’s favorite wildcard cleanup crew.

You didn’t want to hurt them. But you wouldn't be captured either. Not again.

You kept moving. Always moving.

No mistakes.

No attachments.

No mercy.

Not until this thing was gone forever.

Berlin was only the beginning.

Rain misted down onto slick pavement outside an abandoned cybernetics lab tucked away in Berlin's industrial zone. Ethan, Benji, and Luther were in position.

Inside, you were hunting for an encrypted drive left behind by a contact. The place was collapsing from years of neglect, flickering lights exposing fractured tiles and broken labs.

"I’ve got visual," Ethan murmured into the comm.

From your perch near a shattered window, you spotted Ethan.

You cursed under your breath, bolted from the console and into the maze-like hallways. It didn't take long before you heard footsteps.

Ethan was fast.

But not fast enough.

You darted through a heavy security door, slamming it shut just as the sound of pursuit echoed behind you. The metallic clang reverberated through the dimly lit server room, casting long shadows across the rows of humming machines.

Benji Dunn was there.

He stood at a terminal, fingers mid-type, eyes widening as he looked up. His body froze—like a deer caught in headlights.

You had a gun in your hand. And every reason to use it.

The two of you stared at each other across the dark room, breath suspended in the charged stillness. A flickering overhead light passed across your face as your eyes locked.

Benji didn’t move. Couldn’t.

There was no fear in your stance—but there wasn’t comfort either. He didn’t know what to expect.

His breath hitched, chest rising as though bracing for a bullet.

“…Hi,” you said lightly.

Inside your mind, you paused. Why did I say hi? It was ridiculous. You barely knew him, and he was the enemy.

His mouth opened. Then closed.

She said hi.

Why did she say hi?

Is that normal? Do assassins say hi now? Was that sarcastic? Cute? No—dangerous. She's dangerous.

But her voice… it echoed in his head, light and smooth and unexpectedly warm. And those eyes—serious, focused—but there had been a flicker of something else.

Before he could blink, you were gone.

He stood frozen for a beat too long then snapped out of it, cursing under his breath as he bolted after you. He turned the corner just in time to see the tail end of your coat whip around another hallway.

Benji shook his head violently. Stop it. She had a gun pointed at you. A literal weapon. You're being stupid. Hormones are not bulletproof.

And yet, as he sprinted around another corner, a traitorous part of him kept repeating it:

She said hi.

He almost tripped. Who even says hi in the middle of a mission? That’s not protocol. That’s… flirting. Was that flirting? Oh god. Am I into that?

He definitely needed to recalibrate his instincts. Or at least stop thinking her smirk was kind of hot.

“Benji?” Ethan’s voice crackled through the comm, sharp with urgency. “What’s going on?”

Benji huffed, sprinting. “I—I think I’m chasing her? She said hi—and then she ran—and now I’m running!”

There was a pause.

“You think you’re chasing her?” Ethan replied.

Benji wheezed. “Well, she’s very fast and very armed, and I’m just trying to keep up without dying!”

Luther cut in dryly, "Be careful. She’s not a stray cat, Benji."

"I KNOW," Benji panted, turning a corner and catching only empty air.

As you escaped the facility, drive in hand. You found yourself still thinking. That guy’s… kinda cute. Who even is he? You briefly pictured your own breathless face saying hi, the silly flirtatious thought creeping in but you shook it off sharply. No. He’s the enemy.

#benji dunn #benji dunn imagine #fanfic #benji dunn x reader #mission impossible #x reader #mission impossible x reader #simon pegg

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grimmusings · 1 year ago

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#10- Brock

Steve, Jack, Natasha

Answered here! ☠️

#cybernetic asset #memes #ask #character: brock rumlow

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eventide-paradox · 4 months ago

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"From that moment, I truly understood the weakness of my flesh. It disgusted me."

go my operation ichor faction Meet the Mechanists, a faction centered around technology- more specifically, around using it to transcend the limits of a Toon's body. The Mechanists believe that although attempting to cure the Twisted infection is an ultimately fruitless task, the power of technology can be used to cull the Twisted hordes, and ensure that the infection spreads no further.

IDEOLOGY: The Mechanists believe that the Toon species as it currently is has far too many limitations and weaknesses to truly thrive, especially against the threat of the Twisted hordes. In the eyes of the Mechanists, Mother Nature has done enough. Now, it's time for Toons to take evolution into their own hands, with the power of technology. All members of the Mechanists have been cybernetically enhanced to some degree, with the extent of the mechanical enhancements corresponding to how high up in the faction's hierarchy a member is.

VIEWS: Gardenview - Neutral: "We respect them, but if they refuse to evolve, they'll fall like the rest." Ruin Corp - Positive: "They do their jobs well, no questions asked. A useful asset, that's to be sure." The Merchant Order - Positive: "Trustworthy, and a good source of materials and supplies. Not much more to say on them, really." The Greater Good - Neutral: "Useful allies, but if they truly think ending the infection is possible, than they're even more deluded than I used to be." The Overseas Commandment - Neutral: "They stick to their ways, and we stick to ours. The seas are no friend to us and our machines, but we have no quarrel with those who travel them." Zodiac - Negative: "Fools."

RANKS: 1: At the bottom of the Mechanists' hierarchy are Apprentices, those who have recently been recruited into the faction. Apprentices are managed and watched over in groups of two to four by Adepts or Integratives, and only have simple enhancements such as a night-vision eye or retractable claws on their fingers. 2: A step above the Apprentices are Adepts, those who have successfully created a functional Automata. Adepts generally have simple, performance-increasing enhancements, things such as springs in the legs to aid in jumping or hydraulics in the arms to increase brute strength. 3: The third (and for most, final) rank in the faction are known as the Integratives, those who have either fully replaced a major part of their body with machinery or integrated (hence the name) technology into a part of their body to the point that the flesh and the metal might as well be one and the same. 4: The fourth rank in the Mechanists is shrouded in secret, known only as the Council of the Engine. There are eight members of the Council, each one in charge of a different aspect of life in the faction, and the identities of the members of the Council are unknown to all. All, that is, except for... 5: The highest-ranking member of the Mechanists, the Engineer. Shrouded in television static and speaking in a computerized voice, the Engineer is the one who started all of this...

AUTOMATA: Automata are the signature of the Mechanist faction. They are robotic Toons, Twisteds, and animals, built to work or fight alongside their creators, and they have various abilities depending on the creature they were based on and their creator's rank within the faction. There are three primary types of Automata- Bulwarks, used for defense, Vanguards, used for exploration and combat, and Steelbacks, used for labor and aid.

Operation Ichor is by @slumbrr-r! Go check their blog out, it's really cool!

#rain talks #operation ichor #operationichor #operation ichor au #dandys world #dandy's world #dandys world au #dandy's world au #dandys world oc #dandy's world oc

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curseoffrell-archive · 1 year ago

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Elliot had been quite happy within his own head as he started to ponder over what kind of pizza to order, only for his mind to come back into the moment as the order undid itself. He smiled at James and shrugged. "It's fine, don't worry about it - before you start saying stuff. Least you didn't tell me to 'get lost' or 'go fuck yourself' those are always super fun." He laughed.

Then he was silent for a moment. "We could always try and see if magic helps you?" He offered, unsure quite whether this was stepping over a line or not. He was already sure James would say no since it would just be another thing messing with his head but he wanted it to be clear that his only goal was to help him.

“Tired of doctors.” James muttered, tossing a rock, overhanded- As far as he could. “If it wasn’t STRIKE, or any of the other people running the missions, it was the Tech team- The medical team…”

He swallowed hard, suppressing a shudder at the thought. “Drugs don’t work- Anyways. Metabolism and shit.” But food sounded nice- They could take the vehicle back into town and pick something up. James nodded in agreement before he blinked-

His brows furrowed as he realized what he’d done- Requesting that Elliot forget— James frowned, scrubbing a hand over his face before huffing. He felt guilty. “Uh- I take that back. Or- Disregard that last order.”

#cybernetic-asset

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dragonroilz · 1 year ago

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The Lifesurger: Genetic Anomaly

**Given my track record, I'd like to state that there are no further plans for this concept.**

this concept was made because i hate how there's not a true support character in this game which i understand why thats the case. if youre in singleplayer theres no point for it. the medimarker and feedback loop passive gives a reason to want to pick up allies and heal people. maybe this game will never fit a true support archetype but as a permanent support class mf in games like OW, TF2, and LOL it scratches an itch in my brain lmao

Feedback Loop - Passive

Healing yourself(via items) or others will make your attacks stronger. Decays over time. Amount charged is proportional to healing done.

Feedback Pulse - Alternative Passive

Healing past a certain threshold creates a burst of healing around you, harming enemies and healing allies. The threshold increases with level.

Stimshot - Primary

A single shot that can be held down to do more damage. The projectile heals and pierces through allies, while dealing damage to enemies. A fully charged shot pierces enemies and heals more damage. While an uncharged shot is a projectile with gravity, the charged shot is hitscan.

DIRECTORY: MARK - Secondary

The Medimarker targets a selected enemy and attacks it. Additionally, all damage done to the target is tripled.

DIRECTORY: BLOCK - Alternative Secondary

The Medimarker targets an ally and shields them. The target is only able to take an amount of damage up to 50% of their max HP in one hit.

DIRECTORY: ESCORT - Utility

Recall the Medimarker and grab onto it to ascend upward. This skill recalls your secondary.

DIRECTORY: MOUNT - Alternative Utility

Recall the Medumarker and ride it. The drone is weighed down by you, but can be controlled for ten seconds. The drone has less gravity and is faster than your sprint speed.

Pulse Accelerator - Special

Empower yourself and surrounding allies, giving a 50% chance to critical hit chance, removing all debuffs(except void kills, cooldown debuffs like rings, etc.), and a slight healing aura to anyone within range of the skill.

THE MEDIMARKER V1.0.0 LOGBOOK ENTRY:

The Lifesurger(Patent pending) is a prototype firearm that is meant for quick healing on the battlefield. The Lifesurger(Patent pending) excels in its ability to both heal organic creatures and repair machines, meaning that cybernetic enhancements can benefit from the effects of the firearm.

The Lifesurger(Patent pending) is also able to hurt enemy combatants by disrupting cardiovascular tissue, genetic material, and electronic signals. Through the help of an accompanying MED-E to identify friendly and hostile entities, the Lifesurger(Patent pending) is slated to be one of the greatest supporting assets on the battlefield.

Side effects may include: Vomiting, nausea, soreness, sudden bruising, death, genetic scrambling of previous users, limb loss, fever symptoms.

LIFESURGER LOGBOOK:

[CAM 3]

Patient 4-B is seen through the facility. She is escorted by a damaged MED-E.

4-B: COME ON MED-E. JUST A BIT FURTHER.

Something is pursuing them.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[CAM 4]

Patient 4-B is seen using Dr. A. Kurosawa's keycard to access Restricted Section 2.

[Unauthorized access. Security has been alerted. No response received.]

Patient 4-B is seen entering Restricted Section B.

[Unauthorized access. Security has been alerted. No response. Automatic alert issued to UESC authorities. This is the last alert they receive from this station.]

Something is pursuing them.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[CAM B-1]

Patient 4-B is seen running down the hall. Her IV is disconnected as she trips. The MED-E helps her up. They continue running. 4-B's vital signals are dropping as a result of loss of ?????.

She stops in front of ROOM 1.

Something is pursuing them.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[CAM ROOM 1]

The door opens.

[Admin has been alerted to the breach. No response.]

Patient 4-B pulls the Lifesurger(Patent Pending) off of the wall. She misfires into her chest and falls unconscious.

The MED-E prods her body with stimulants. There is no response.

Something is pressed up against the glass. It's cracking.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[EXT. CAM A]

Dr. A. Kurosawa is seen standing over the corpse of an unidentified creature. Her hands are up as UESC-dispatched enforcers approach her. The Lifesurger(Patent pending) is strapped over her back.

Enforcer: IDENTIFY YOURSELF.

KUROSAWA: I AM DOCTOR KUROSAWA.

Enforcer: DOCTOR KUROSAWA. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?

KUROSAWA: I DON'T KNOW. THERE ARE MORE INSIDE.

Enforcer: GET TO THE SHIP.

Three enforcers enter the facility. Dr. A. Kurosawa moves out of the FOV. The escorting MED-E follows her.

[Post analysis: Patient 4-B did not report to UESC authorities following this encounter. Her current location is unknown.]

Detective's Notes: I don't know how, but she somehow passed the genetic and facial recognition tests. Someone please let Captain ???? know about the background of his alleged "doctor". Although somehow I doubt he'll really care, seeing as how he's got some real screwballs on board.

#risk of rain 2 #risk of rain #my art #ror2 #ror

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anthurak · 4 months ago

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So I recently saw a demo video for an upcoming mech-action game ‘Mecha Break’, which if you haven’t heard of it, looks like basically ‘Armored Core, now with hilariously blatant and obvious waifu bait’ in the form of sexy bombshell pilot player-characters that you can customize and have strut sexily around a hub-world between missions.

The thing is though, I can’t help but think there is something very interesting and honestly FUN about the idea of a mech game with a customizable Pilot-PC and a hub-world that you can explore ‘on-foot’ between missions. That just feels like something that would add so much fun immersion into a game like this.

Like the general rule of mech-games is that you are always essentially playing as the mech, and nothing else. With everything else like mech-customization and mission selection being done purely through menu-interfaces.

But with an actual Pilot-PC and an explorable hub-level, I feel like things get a lot more INTERESTING. Like now you can have fun with incorporating all those menus diagetically into the hub-world. Like actually going to the hanger to build and customize your mech, going to a shop to purchase new equipment, and of course the opportunity for plenty of RPG elements like chatting with other characters, finding items, reading documents and just simple exploration. And even some especially fun and egregious stuff like actually going through the full process of prepping and boarding your mech and going through the entire launch sequence before a mission.

And I can’t help but feel like that makes things at least a bit more fun and engaging overall? Sure it’s all so much ‘fluff’ and the dreaded word ‘filler’, but you know what? I think having some fluff and filler is a GOOD THING.

Honestly I feel like this is probably the one thing I really wish we’d gotten in Armored Core 6. Like yes, I know there is a Watsonian excuse for why you can’t have a Pilot-PC, but that game was made in the same engine as Elden Ring, Sekiro, Dark Souls and basically all of FromSofts other games. Would it really have been so hard to port over the PC assets from Elden Ring to make Pilot-PCs and a Firelink/Roundtable Hold-esque hub-world to hang out in and explore between missions?

Now sure, I realize that this level of immersion in a mech game wouldn’t be for everyone. Some people prefer the streamlined, simplified ‘go through some menus then play missions’ framework. But I also feel like this would be easy enough to accommodate for by having an option to easily access all of the between-mission menus and interfaces without running around the hubworld? Like say your PCs quarters in/aboard the homebase/spaceship/carrier/etc has an interface that lets them/you ‘remotely’ access all the mech-customization, parts-purchasing, mission-selection, etc. and skip the immersive fluff if you wish.

(Though perhaps with the caveat that if you do this too much, your character develops a reputation for being reclusive, anti-social shut-in which has potential consequences for the story XD)

I even think there’s a lot potential in the concept of a customizable Pilot-PC alone, aside from just being a sexy waifu. Like one game that actually did some REALLY interesting stuff with this concept was DAEMON X MACHINA from a few years back. That game not only gave you a customizable Pilot Player Character, it actually gave the customizations tangible effects on gameplay in the form of your character being able to get various cybernetic augmentations through a skill tree that gave different bonus’s to your piloting ability as you gradually turn your character into a full cyborg over the course of a playthrough.

I think we all understand value of a good hub-level in video games, particularly games that are very mission-based (shoutout to Hitman WoA’s Freelancer-mode Safehouse), and I think there’s a lot of there for the mecha-action genre.

#rambling #rambling about games #video game mechanics #mech games #armored core 6 #daemon x machina #would definitely like to hear if anyone else knows of other mech games that have pilot-pcs XD #btw gratuitous waifus aside mecha break might be best avoided #as it sounds like the publishers are trying to push some pretty skeevy micotransaction bullshit in it

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redqueenmiku · 1 month ago

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Seedrian!Swap: A Master-post

Subtitle: Miku makes a cursed AU...again.

What is Seedrian!Swap?

Well, it’s an AU that flips species on their heads, based heavily off of season 3 of Sonic X. That’s right boys and girls, they be Seedrians.

(As a note, I’ve heard some people call male Seedrians “Thorndrigans”, but for the sake of simplicity, I’ll just be calling them all Seedrians. It’s all fan-made terminology anyway, so take it all with a grain of salt.)

The Story

Green Gate is a planet filled with a species that blur the line between plant and animal. This race, the Seedrians, are defined by their strong link to flora of all kinds.

For a long time, life on Green Gate was peaceful and free of conflict.

Then came the rise of a bad egg. Robotnik, a deceitful human “ambassador” from a distant galaxy, became a man of great power and influence in the upper crust of Green Gate’s society. This gave him the swing to gather an army and start a war against the planets that surrounded Green Gate. The war was started “in the name of all the trampled flora of the universe” and “for revenge on fauna for their crass neglect of nature’s sacred gifts”. In actuality, it was a scheme on Robotnik’s part to take full universal control for himself. Nonetheless, he gained many supporters across the whole of Green Gate. This cybernetically-enhanced army, along with the multitude of robots that stood with them, were known as the Metarex.

This, however, split the people of Green Gate into two factions: those that supported Robotnik’s bout for universal conquest, and those that found the war unjust and sought to end it. The latter group was small and greatly opposed, but they would not let themselves be pushed down.

This latter group would see the rise of a group of heroes bent on ending the war and restoring peace to the universe. These heroes built, in secret, a ship capable of deep-space travel and set out across the universe to find the perfect allies for their cause. Their only lead was a story of seven mystical gemstones known as the Chaos Emeralds.

Little did these heroes know, however, that Robotnik had also set out in search of the Emeralds, reaching the planet of their origin before the heroes of Green Gate could ever arrive. The Emeralds’ guardian, however, was not going to let the Emeralds go without a fight. In a flash of light, the Emeralds were flung across the universe. In spite, Robotnik and the Metarex stole this planet’s source of life, the Planet Egg, just as he had been doing to every planet he encountered in order to build up his own power.

Soon after this, Green Gate’s heroes arrived, nearly crash-landing on arrival. They were happened upon by a young girl from this planet and led to the guardian of the Emeralds. Together, they made a pact to team up, travel the universe, collect the Chaos Emeralds, and defeat the Metarex once and for all.

This...is Seedrian!Swap.

The Characters

SONIC

Sonic was born with the incredible gift of super speed, which he uses more often than not to show off. That speed, however, has been an asset in his and his friends’ fight against the Metarex. He uses spinning sweeps of his powerful tail to demolish his foes; attacks which he refers to as his Spin Attacks.

People have described Sonic as anything from brave, cool, and selfless to cocky, arrogant, and stubborn. Nonetheless, Sonic is a hero through and through and is willing to drop everything to help someone in need. He has reckless tendencies, though, which gets him into a lot of trouble. Strangely, he seems to be able to draw power from the Chaos Emeralds despite originating from a different planet. This is still being looked into.

TAILS

This young Seedrian, born as Miles, was born with a mutation that gave him two tails instead of one. This earned him the nickname “Tails”. He’s not a very strong or experienced fighter, so he prefers to support his friends from the sidelines with his genius mind and mechanical prowess. He acts as the captain (and sole mechanic) of his self-built spacecraft, the Blue Typhoon, and his intellect makes him a master strategist.

Tails seems gentle and timid at first glance, but reveals a sharp wit around those he’s comfortable with. While humble about his skills, he won’t take an insult lying down. He mirrors Sonic’s heroic nature, but not so much his reckless bravery. When the chips are stacked, though, he can tango with the roughest of them from the cockpit of his starship.

KNUCKLES

Tougher than leather with a temper hotter than the sun, Knuckles is the muscle of the group. His raw strength is tremendous, far beyond what’s normal for his kind. Under the right circumstances, his strikes can even cause tremors. Having grown up alone on the streets, he’s grown a tough skin and had to learn how to fight for himself.

Knuckles’ weaknesses, however, are readily apparent. He’s horridly stubborn and set in his ways and his fiery temper can make him a liability at his worst. Even so, Knuckles has a strong sense of justice and won’t allow evil to go unpunished...even if that “evil” is just Sonic making fun of him for the hundredth time.

AMY

Amy Rose, despite holding herself like a dainty young girl, is actually a force to be reckoned with. She carries a large hammer around with her in battle, which she refers to as her Piko Piko Hammer, and is quite skilled in wielding it. She also has an affinity for fortune-telling with tarot cards.

Amy’s greatest interest is Sonic. In fact, this interest is more of an obsession as she constantly vies for his affection (despite the fact he has no intentions of pursuing any kind of romantic relationship). She’s cheerful, optimistic, and unapologetically girly, but she’s also just as much of a hothead as Knuckles, flying into a frenzy at the slightest insult.

CREAM

Poor, young Cream was forcefully separated from her mother when Robotnik’s war began. All she wants is to help end the war so she can reunite with her mother again. She doesn’t have any real combat-worthy skills, but she’s learned a bit of medical know-how from her mother and, with Tails’ guidance, she serves as the second-in-command on the Blue Typhoon.

Cream has a bright, sunny personality and there’s little that can bring her mood down. She often provides emotional support to her friends and enjoys the time she spends with them. She also loves finding new, adorable life-forms on other planets, such as the Chao she ended up adopting on Cosmo’s home planet: Cheese.

COSMO

Cosmo the Cat was just a normal girl until Sonic and friends abruptly crashed into her life (almost literally, at that). From there (and after a bad run-in with Robotnik and the Metarex), she was roped into their grand adventure across the universe. She’s got nothing to assist them in battle or anything like that. She’s just along for the ride, whether she wants to be or not.

Cosmo is shy and tends to shrink away from conflict. Her social skills are lacking, but she tries to be supportive nonetheless. She desperately wants to be helpful, but her clumsiness tends to get in the way of that. At the very least, though, she’s trying her best, no matter what.

LUCAS

Lucas the Echidna is the sacred guardian of the Chaos Emeralds and their controller, the Master Emerald. Thusly, he has a special, almost psychic link to the Emeralds. He takes his duties incredibly seriously and won’t give up the Emeralds to anyone, no matter what the cost.

Lucas is a toxically pessimistic personality. The only thing he takes seriously are the Emeralds and he’s blisteringly antisocial. His only redeeming quality, it seems, is his unshakable desire to protect the Emeralds, which leads him to helping Sonic and friends’ cause out of sheer necessity alone. Otherwise, he wouldn’t associate with any of them...or so he says. Somewhere deep down past the thick layer of stone surrounding his heart, there’s a glimmer of a good spirit in him. He just needs the right stimulus to bring it out.

SHADOW

Shadow is an artificial Seedrian created to harness the energy of the Emeralds for powerful Chaos-based attacks, which he wields with great skill. His directive to collect the Chaos Emeralds often takes him into direct conflict with Sonic and friends and, because of their similar powers, Shadow and Sonic have come to consider each other their greatest rivals.

Shadow is a harsh, no-nonsense loose cannon. He’s rude and antisocial, always coming off as cold and intimidating, and his arrogance is potent and off-putting. Even so, as he slowly learns of the universe around him and the war he’s been forced into, he starts to gain a strange sense of morality, coming to resent Robotnik’s callous cruelty. He even starts to sense that there might be more to his existence than meets the eye...

ROUGE

Rouge is a rogue agent that, after escaping Robotnik’s takeover, decided to take the matter of dismantling his rule into her own hands. Along the way, she infiltrated the Metarex and, through that, met Shadow. As she constantly accompanied him on his missions, the two started to build a strange bond that eventually allowed her to convince him to ditch Robotnik and travel with her to find the Chaos Emeralds on their own.

Rouge finds joy in the finer things in life, especially including gemstones. She keeps a personal collection of precious stones and is always looking to add to her horde. Even despite her selfish tendencies, she empathizes with those displaced by Robotnik’s war and wants to bring the tyrant to justice however she can. Her tactics can be considered underhanded, but she’s a master of trickery and manipulation and believes that “all’s fair in love and war”.

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy this...thing I coughed up.

#Seedrian!Swap #au content #Sonic the Hedgehog #Tails the Fox #Miles Tails Prower #Knuckles the Echidna #Amy Rose the Hedgehog #Cream the Rabbit #Cosmo the Seedrian #Lucas the Seedrian #Dark Oak #Sonic X #my art #au masterpost #this au is my child please be kind #but also you can call it ugly if you want i know what it is #just know that i'm obsessed with it #*deeply* obsessed

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