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inspired by boop day, reblog this post if its ok for people to send you random asks and interact on your posts with no judgement. i want to talk to people.

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To anyone in the TUC fandom who has looked at AHS and skipped it because they heard the ending is happy...

... and then assumed that it's just a wish fulfillment "ideal reality" kind of outcome of the TUC story that cuts all of the depth, pain, and realism ... Go back and read it right now.

Because that is not what AHS is. Not even close.

AHS is not "my version" of TUC where I just change whatever I dislike without regard for themes or characters in the original. Far from it. One of the main goals I had was actually to give more of the Underland. More characterization (that aligns with canon, although some characters develop in a different direction because of shifts in circumstances), more worldbuilding (that coincides with canon, adding onto it), ... just more, period.

The best way I can describe what it actually is is honestly saying that AHS is to TUC like Marvel's "What if ...?" is to the MCU. It is quite literally a "What if Henry had survived his fall at the end of "Gregor the Overlander"?" And I kid you not, 95% of the changes in the story, compared to TUC, are simply a result of exactly this change.

But the entire plot of the final book is different, right? Well, I didn't say that the consequences of that one change weren't substantial. They are. Without spoiling too much I can only say that Henry happens to be an optimist, and it also happens that an optimist was exactly what the TUC story needed to achieve a happier outcome.

Anyone who has actually read my version of the CoC plot will tell you that it is far from ideal, perfect, or pain-free. A lot more happens in the actual plot, but most of those new events are there to serve the dark, violent nature of war. There's so much talk about loss, and sacrifice, exploration of (also the dark side of) heroism, and whether "for the greater good" is worth it. There's corruption and death, injustice, and grappling with unkind fates and alienation/rejection.

Now, I will admit that I did put less emphasis on the societal pressure aspect of CoC, but mainly because that theme is a huge part of AHS 2 already, and it did not really fit this part of the story anymore. Instead, "Gregor against society" becomes "Questers against society" (quite literally, since they are — small spoiler — banding together to actually overthrow Solovet and bring about change.)

BUT ... if there is corruption, death, and the violence of war, how is it happier then? How can it have a happy ending?

Very simply because it is not only corruption but also redemption. Not only death and suffering but also growth and gain. Not only violence and breaking of relationships but also companionship, hope, and mending of relationships.

... The main change that happens to be so powerful it can give this series a happy ending without disrespecting or abandoning its original gritty violent core is ... a shift in mindset toward the positive. For Gregor, but also for everyone else. One of the main themes I added is the exploration of the double-edged nature of things: Everything has good and bad consequences. What we take away from it is what we choose to focus on.

Now you might see better what I meant by "All this series needed was an optimist" earlier. If there were someone to remind people of the bright side, to remind Gregor that his rager power does not make him evil and that he is never alone or choiceless, to embody this hopeful outlook and bring it out in everything ... I promise to you that this is all it would have taken.

And this is what I'm giving you.

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Okay, so, because Noir didn't actually argue with your points, I'll do it (I can't not, at this point, because I have literally already given every single one of these points thoughts for AHS and the new ending.)

This one I actually don't get. Why wouldn't he? Especially if he collects positive associations, memories, and close relationships (he does in my version.) I'm gonna give you an excerpt, actually, because I think this says it better:

And, then and there, Gregor suddenly knew that he wasn’t going back to New York. His grip on Ares’ claw tightened; he was done running away. Done fighting too. Now, he had earned being at home. And his home was . . .

His home was where he had fought, bled, and sacrificed. Where he had learned to truly live for the first time in his fourteen years. Where he had received scars and wounds, but also learned to not let those define him.

There is always good and bad, Gregor thought. There is always both. He remembered the pains of each quest as well as their gains. It is our own choice, he thought, what we focus on. What we do with the things we cannot influence or change. With the countless injustices of life. Whether Sandwich’s prophecies were part of that injustice or whether the people who misinterpreted them were at fault, he couldn’t tell. He didn’t even honestly care. All he cared about was that he wanted to be home.

His home . . . it was where they were all together, as his mom always said. They all—his parents, his sisters . . . his friends, his team, his bond . . . and whatever Luxa was to him now. They were all in one place. And it was all so crystal clear, all of a sudden. Gregor wasn’t going back to New York because his home was . . . here.

This one stands and falls with whether Ares actually dies :)

Lizzie most definitely is. I don't really understand why you would think she isn't. She connected with the code team really quickly, as well as with Nerissa. After that first panic attack, she handled herself excellently. Honestly, Lizzie is way stronger than people (even Gregor) give her credit for and in the Underland, this strength would come out more, I feel.

All Grace needs is a practical argument and to make some interpersonal connections of her own. She wouldn't stay there just like so, but she could grow to want to stay there of her own volition. And honestly, the moment she realizes that in the Underland her family's financial issues are no longer, and it's just more advantageous from a practical standpoint choice, she wouldn't have any counterargument (lest someone could say she doesn't want what's best for her family.)

Vitamin D supplements exist :)

Penelope (my name for Gregor's grandma) doesn't actually move with them, you are correct about that. She stays in an Overland nursing home afterward; Mrs. Cormaci keeps her company and they visit her regularly.

The prophecies are nothing to be afraid of anymore after the characters' perspectives change. This is a slight spoiler, but they actually do find more of them at the end ... This is very complicated to explain without spoiling my ending but trust me on this. Why would you even consider burning the prophecies? They all had good consequences in the end. All you have to do is look at the whole issue from an optimistic angle (but y'all need Henry for that, yeah I get it.)

Uhh ... None of your points are unsolvable obstacles, and some of them are even perks :)) That's the takeaway.

Well, that, and, most of these "issues" are solved through character development that I make happen earlier, leading to changed mindsets later—and changed mindsets/perspectives are actually the solution to both the prophecies and all of the negative associations. And because I actually build the characters out way more, it all falls into place in the end.

Thank you very much for coming to my "I have spent way too much time and way too many brain cells on thinking about how to fix this ending" ted talk!

If Hamnet has 100 haters, im one of them

If Hamnet has 10 haters, im one of them

If Hamnet has 1 hater, its me

If the entire world is with Hamnet, im against the whole world

If Hamnet has no haters, i am dead

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GO READ NOIR'S BASED ASS COMMENTS :))

(Pretty much all of these are my thoughts too, btw. Also tysm for the AHS shoutouts<3)

i am a certified gregor and the code of claw hater and thanks to the lovely @haveihitanerve asking<3, i decided to share a google doc of my commentary on it

feel free to leave comments and stuffs lol, i may make proper posts on my opinions abt code of claw and tuc in general at some point in time, but not rn

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Bro, why did no one tell me about this fire thread ... !!!

@noirs-multiverse I'm with you on all of what you said (but you already know this). PLEASE explain why Code of Claw and especially the ending suck because they do. Genuinely. Objectively. That book is actually a dumpster fire in terms of logic and cohesion for 99% of it and I am honestly so astounded that no one seems to notice.

The moment you think about anything in that book—from the entire Sandwich villainization and the prophecy "twist", over the bonding of Luxa and Ripred, to literally all the character "arcs"—for longer than 2 seconds it falls apart at the seams.

Anyway, Noir I think this is a sign to get that essay (that I am working on right now, where I am planning to discuss all this—why I am rating that book 1* in detail) ready asap. Honestly, the gist of it is: Collins wanted to talk about some new themes so badly that she sacrificed logic, coherency, characters, and all established buildup from the first four books just to force those new themes into there.

*Dramatic sigh*, having to analyze and think about this book so hard is the price I'm paying for the sake of giving y'all a reimagining in A Henry Story 3, I guess. It's worth it ... probably.

If Hamnet has 100 haters, im one of them

If Hamnet has 10 haters, im one of them

If Hamnet has 1 hater, its me

If the entire world is with Hamnet, im against the whole world

If Hamnet has no haters, i am dead

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Something to think about

Hamnet:

Led an unprovoked (technically we don't know if that is true, but let's assume) attack against the rats in the garden

Used an unfair, war crime-coded tactic to win

Killed many innocents with it

= Narratively presented in a good light, has the background of his war crime told and explained (actually going too far because it comes across as though Solovet's abuse and involvement are supposed to excuse it, which it does not. Hamnet was an adult who is responsible for his actions; your tragic backstory is tragic but it does not excuse your war crimes).

Also, not to mention, judged Gregor, a child, for an inborn talent he has, conveying that it makes him a bad person. Either way, he is supposed to be sympathetic and everyone buys it.

Sandwich:

Led an unprovoked (technically we don't know if that is true, but let's assume) attack against the diggers

Used an unfair, war crime-coded tactic to win

Killed many innocents with it

= Narratively presented in a bad light, has nothing about the background or circumstances of his war crime explained (we get like, what, one line from Vikus?), and yet that one line immediately makes him without a doubt or question a horrible, evil person and even an unreliable prophet (because your moral alignment absolutely is connected to the validity of your prophetic abilities, yes).

Also, not to mention, he is not responsible for the tragedies he's seen, and very likely only tried to help the Regalians and Gregor deal with them by trying to write his visions down and giving Gregor his sword. Either way, he's supposed to be unsympathetic and everyone buys it.

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Cartoon Series Pt. 5 | Gregor and the Code of Claw Pt. 1

Here is part 5 in my cartoon/Phineas and Ferb style wallpapers of every TUC quest series ... except hold up, since when is there a quest in CoC? And why is it called CoC Pt. 1?

... Since A Henry Story, actually.

Yes, this is another original quest, exclusive to AHS. In the AHS universe, CoC has like 800% more plot than Collins' CoC. It takes up Part 2 and 3 of AHS 3 (while MoS takes up only Part 1), and so I have decided to do two wallpapers for it, as it's now warranted by the length of this story (for details, see below.)

Because it is original and most of you will have never read it, let me tell you a few core details about this quest and some changes that I've made to CoC in general (spoiling as little as possible):

The first change that I've made to this part of TUC is quite simple: For reasons that I shan't spoil, Luxa and Howard go back to Regalia with Gregor after MoS (not for long though.) And so, the purpose of this quest becomes clear—not long after this return, they all depart yet again to rally potential allies for the war.

Okay, but why do they all look like they suddenly hate each other when the last (MoS) wallpaper was so wholesome? Because war and prophesied deaths aren't enough. We're adding some interpersonal drama on top of that, along with a "mending and repairing relationships and old wounds" storyline. That's all I shall say for now :)

This quest is not particularly long, actually. Although the time passed during the events of CoC has been extended and some of the events rearranged to fit a slightly altered timeline, it only takes up about 2/3 of Part 2.

To give you a rough overview: This quest begins around when Gregor sneaks away to battle in the Firelands in the original CoC (which does not happen in that way), and their return coincides with that first challenge battle (now spanning around a week.) After that, we're following a dual POV (half of the questers remain outside of Regalia with Henry and half inside with Gregor.)

Now you're curious for some more info about the changes to CoC and how this is supposed to work, timeline-wise? I can give you some pointers:

Gregor reads the Prophecy of Time and fetches Sandwich's sword in between the MoS quest and this quest (as you can see, he already has the sword here.)

Gregor isn't in Regalia when the challenge battle starts so Lizzie arrives in Regalia shortly after he returns. Only for the battle after that does he meet Miravet and receive his armor.

The entire diggers plotline has been cut. It made no sense why they would suddenly join this war and overall didn't really fit in general, so they do not appear. The reveal about Sandwich and his war crime against them still happens, but differently.

There is a second main villain—a human—whose identity I won't give away :) Let's just say "When a secret plot is hatching" actually has a meaning now. And there is also much more emphasis on the in-species resistance against the Bane among the gnawers.

After the genocide, only around 30 nibblers are remaining alive. I have no idea why or how Collins thought it was believable that there still were hundreds of them.

Some more key phrases to pique your curiosity:

The truth of Prophecies is not related to the Prophet's moral alignment, and even that may not be as it seemed

It is easier to cling to hope and not despair if you have a working support system and a found family

The marks of secret make an unexpected reappearance

Belonging and family may be found in the darkest hour, not lost

Secret meetings and conspiracies

Recalling that you have choices and agency and that nothing can truly take those away from you is crucial

A knight embodying numbness may be haunting instead of comforting when you wish to cling to your kindness and hope

War is never just, but what follows afterward may be

***

Now, with that in mind, let's look at the art again ... I should probably introduce the characters you won't know yet:

(r.t.l) Hera (a flier they meet during TUC 3.5—more in that wallpaper), (ground) Luxa & Aurora, Ripred, (hanging) Ares, Howard, Gregor (ft. Sandwich's sword), [redacted gnawer name], (hanging) Thanatos & Nike, Henry.

Anyway, if that sounds interesting to you, go read "A Henry Story" 👉 I promise it is very cool, even if you somehow liked CoC, I am confident that you'll enjoy my version (I say this like AHS 3 is done ... I actually do not recommend reading AHS 3 rn, it is currently being massively overhauled and the ending is not done.) I have a post up on my tumblr where I link the first two books though, but you can also find them on Wattpad, Ao3, and Quotev (my favorite<3) as well by simply browsing.

And check out the rest of this art series (on my tumblr feed)! I plan on doing all the quests.

Disclaimer: the bg is a stock image; the rest is drawn by me!

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One of the most underrated concepts in fiction is that of "staying".

And I don't mean being forced to stay in a place where you don't want to stay/that hinders your growth by the narrative. I mean the choice to stay in a place where you feel belonging as opposed to feeling forced to leave under the guise of "it's necessary for growth".

Idk why but authors seem to not understand that "growth" and "freedom" don't necessarily mean "leaving everything behind". Freedom means the freedom to choose ... also choose to stay. Think about how cool an arc would be that centers around the main character first feeling like they're forced to be in a place they are wary of. Then slowly growing, opening their eyes, making friends, forming attachments. And then, in the end, they realize they don't want to be elsewhere. They choose to stay. Because they have grown, have widened their horizons, and are no longer forced by anyone, maybe even discouraged. But they choose to stay anyway. (Looking at you, Gregor the Overlander!!!)

If I had a nickel every time a writer decided to force a character to leave the place/people where/with whom they had found belonging throughout the story to "show growth" I would be a very sad millionaire.

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Cartoon Series Pt. 4 | Gregor and the Marks of Secret

Now here is the actual part 4 in my cartoon art series for TUC! I am doing one wallpaper for every book/quest. Are you interested in seeing more of these? You can find the previous parts on my profile.

Yes, the style is close to Phineas and Ferb; Idk why but, for some reason, I fell in love with the way the characters look in this style.

Disclaimer: the bg is a stock image; the rest is drawn by me!

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Something I have known forever and did in A Henry Story :) Guess where you can get to spend a lot of time in the jungle colony and actually meet all of them? Where you can befriend Cevian before finding her corpse? Where you can grow attached to ALL of them and then cry harder when they die?

Day 7654678 of trying to convince every TUC fan in existence to go and read A Henry Story (by all means necessary.)

I feel like the nibblers needed more representation and for the audience to really see and care about them before the holocaust.

So I vote we have a special nibbler guy on a couple quests.

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As a passionate fanfic author with two big and very polished fanfic projects (one 200k ongoing book for Persona 5 Royal and a trilogy counting around 500k in total for Gregor the Overlander), this makes me feel very validated.

I have written an original manuscript too, for which I am currently querying literary agents, and I aim to be a published author soon, but fanfic will always be my comfort writing and I love investing time and effort into it.

In case you're a reader and wondering how to show appreciation to your favorite fanfic authors—it's quite easy: share your thoughts with us. Drop comments along the way of reading or reviews at the end—really any kind of reaction.

To all the "silent readers" out there who consume fanfics without interacting with them: No one forces you to engage, ofc, but it may be hard to understand for someone who isn't a writer just how important comments and reactions are for us; it's the only kind of reward we get for our work. The only proof that it is indeed reaching someone, that all that effort it took to write this book that you can read for free wasn't in vain. We work on these stories that bring a smile to your face and maybe make your day, make you fall in love, make you cry, or elicit really any kind of thought or response ... and all we ask for in response is to be informed of the reaction we elicited. To be a part of your journey through our work. Even if you read this and think to yourself "It can't possibly be that important" and "A few lines from me can't possibly mean this much" ... believe me, it IS *that* important. It *does* mean that much. It means the world.

To anyone who regularly comments and engages: from the bottom of my author's heart, thank you. You are appreciated far more than you know. Even if we don't reply to your every comment (I personally try to reply to almost everything), it has very likely made our day.

***

Anyway ... tl;dr: if you appreciate fanfic authors, give them comments and let them be a part of your journey through their work even if you don't really understand why you should; we appreciate it far more than you likely think

nothing will ever amaze me the way fanfiction authors do. like, you wrote silly little stories about my favorite little guys? and i can read them?? for free??? that’s fucking wild.

you poured your heart and soul and very being into your writing and then put it out there for anyone to read? insane.

you spend a truly incredible amount of time writing novel-length, high quality stories, again, FOR FREE, that anyone can read, again, FOR FREE??

shoutout to every single fic author in existence, you guys are fucking incredible and i love all of you so much

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Sunshine Sunshine protector

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Cartoon Series Pt. 3.5 | Gregor and the ... Vendetta of Longclaw?

This is technically part 4 in my cartoon/Phineas and Ferb style wallpapers of every TUC quest series ... except hold up, what in the what now is this quest? What is "Gregor and the Vendetta of Longclaw"? Since when??

... Since A Henry Story, actually.

Yes, this is an original quest, exclusive to AHS. In the AHS universe, 18 months pass between COTW and MOS, partially to accommodate this quest because it is rather crucial (for details, see below.)

For those of you who have read it, you will know that part 3 of AHS 2 is essentially ... its own TUC book. It feels more disconnected from the rest of the book because it is its own story, with its own quest and mini-arc. Thematically, it fits into AHS 2, and it also concludes Henry's character arc for that book, as well as deals with the villain, hence why it is still in that book. I still jokingly always refer to this part as "TUC 3.5 - Gregor and the Vendetta of Longclaw", because ... well, that's what it is.

***

Because it is original and most of you will have never read it, let me tell you a few core details about this quest (spoiling as little as possible):

There is no prophecy. As you can read on the image version with text, this quest is jumpstarted by a kidnapping ... of no other than Stellovet by a former general of Gorger's called Longclaw, who successfully evaded the plague and is after the crown of the gnawers.

All of this starts when Luxa takes Gregor on a day trip to the Fount (this does not go as planned as it becomes a full-blown quest.) So yes, they depart from the Fount that time. You get to actually see the Fount in AHS.

Gregor and Luxa were actually forbidden from coming. York and Susannah decided they couldn't risk the warrior and the queen, no matter the demands, and sent Howard, the outcast known as "Death Rider" (who has aided several quests and saved many important lives, earning himself a hero reputation ... and who no one realizes is actually Henry), and her governess Dalia who was there when she was taken, to rescue Stellovet without complying with the demands.

Guilt tripped by the notion that the kidnappers were serious and would kill Stellovet if they didn't show up, Gregor and Luxa decide to follow after them without anyone's consent (believe me, Gregor is as bewildered by this decision as you are probably, right now. As he puts it: "Looking out into the darkness, Gregor almost laughed at the absurdity of his current situation. Was it Saturday already? Would he be at Mrs. Cormaci’s place now if he wasn’t stuck on this stupid rescue mission for someone he didn’t even like?") Hence why Boots is not there and neither Luxa nor Gregor are wearing clothes that one would necessarily pick for a quest (Gregor left Boots with his mom in Regalia and neither he nor Luxa brought spare clothes on a day trip, now they suffer the consequences.)

Your Regular Questing ensues ... cue an earthquake, a rat gladiator arena, some quality time spent in a gnawer prison pit, a crown retrieval, an epic duel, some bonding between Gregor and Dalia (who is the first proper commoner he meets in the Underland who's had a hard time growing up like Gregor himself), and a pretty shocking twist ... with grave consequences.

Dalia is more important than she seems. That ... that is essentially the essence. That and, this quest jumpstarts the character arcs of both Gregor (yes he gets an actual character arc in AHS, as opposed to original TUC), and Luxa (whose arc I wanna claim feels more organic and natural compared to the original due to this part.)

In general, we deep dive into the Fount siblings and Stellovet's and Luxa's warming up to each other, the societal issues between nobility and commoners in the Underland, which were never explored in the original, and some more pretty consequential sh*t XD Can you tell that this part is one of my favorite parts in all of AHS?

Now, with that in mind, let's look at the art again ... I should probably introduce the characters you won't know yet:

(r.t.l) Howard, Stellovet, Thanatos, Dalia (don't be fooled by how young she looks, she is actually 19, she is just very short and frail), Henry, (hanging) Aurora & Ares, (ground) Luxa & Gregor, Hera and her pups (a flier family they encounter in aforementioned gnawer prison pit.

***

Anyway, if that sounds interesting to you, go read "A Henry Story" 👉 I promise it is very cool, and not just because of this quest! I have a post up on my tumblr where I link the first two books but you can find them on Wattpad, Ao3, and Quotev (my favorite<3) as well by simply browsing.

And check out the rest of this art series (on my tumblr feed)! I plan on doing all the quests. The first 3 TUC books are done!

Disclaimer: the bg is a stock image; the rest is drawn by me!

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Announcing the COMPLETION of AHS 1 & 2 [3rd Edition]

It's a new year ... and new AHS!

I would like to formally announce the COMPLETION of the "A Henry Story 2" edit!! Book 1 has been done for a while, nonetheless ... this is a grand moment.

Please download the professionally formatted PDFs here if you like. Otherwise, I have updated Book 1 on all platforms, Book 2 on every platform except FF.net (that one will follow soon, but the UI is a pain so it's a bit of a hassle.)

BOOK 1: Memories of the Fallen Prince

BOOK 2: Trials of the Fallen Prince

I am incredibly proud of this third edition; the story is truly coming together now. I HIGHLY recommend all of you who have read it in the past to reread it :) This is now the fully realized vision I had for this book. I assure you, it's worth another read. Also in preparation for the continuation of book 3! And of course, if you have been waiting to start AHS as a whole, GO FOR IT NOW! Believe me, you don't need to like Henry to read this series. Come for more Underland and get attached to him somewhere along the way (it will happen, believe me.)

PLEASE LEAVE ME SOME THOUGHTS AND/OR COMMENTS IF YOU DO CHECK IT OUT :) I cannot be held responsible for any soul-crushing or tears, btw. You read at your own risk :)

... MEANWHILE, I'LL BE OVER IN AHS 3 ... The plan now is to edit everything that exists of that book so far, and then finish the bit of the ending I have left. WISH ME LUCK AND ENJOY!

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This is why Hans is actually right there with Henry from The Underland Chronicles and Akechi from Persona 5 Royal in my head.

Villains who either redeemed themselves or had more redeeming qualities than their universes and surroundings want us to believe.

They get no credit, are villainized, and are treated as though they were just evil and could never be anything else by everyone around them. If someone does see their POV momentarily, that's only one moment that is forgotten about in the grand scheme.

They're only mentioned for the sake of giving a bad example, ridiculed, judged overly harshly (all that matters are their evil deeds), and painted in a very one-dimensional light in the grand scheme.

Gregory from FNAF Security Breach is very close to joining this list too. He probably will as soon as I catch up with the books.

What was Hans made for? Honestly. If helping the kingdom survive, saving Elsa and being good with horses makes him an unredeemable monster….Then I don’t understand anything anymore. I just don’t.

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Two Sides of the same Coin?? [AHS 2 excerpt]

I have recently had an urge to post this excerpt from A Henry Story 2 that contains a (in my opinion much needed) slightly different take on Hamnet's choice and mindset (thank you @haveihitanerve you essentially inspired this post.)

Anyone is welcome to take a read :) If you're intrigued by the thought of more Hamnet and/or want to catch a glimpse at what else AHS does besides being a book about Henry ... Here you go.

All the context you need is that this is during the COTW quest; right after the run through the Vineyard on the starshade plain, that Henry was chosen by Solovet as the next commander after Hamnet left, and that no one knows that Henry is Henry (the reasons for this are difficult to explain.) To them, he's just a nameless outcast who has experience with crossing the Vineyard ... If you're curious where and how he obtained this experience, I refer you to AHS 1 :)

Enjoy ✨

***

When Hamnet was out of earshot, Gregor lowered the bundle of plants he had been holding. “So, that was some story Ripred told us about Hamnet.”

“Yes, it explains a great deal about why he left,” said Luxa, pensively twisting one flower between her fingers. “He was mad. But it does not explain why he did not come back to Regalia when his senses returned.”

Everyone stilled when Hamnet approached to gather another load of bundles.

“Because they would have made him fight again, Luxa,” said Gregor when he had moved away once more. “And he couldn’t stand killing anymore.”

Henry frowned. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“Hamnet told us that he wouldn’t fight anymore,” said Gregor. “At all. I don’t think he even has a sword.”

Henry stared at the Overlander in shock. “He . . . what?” His gaze flew to Hamnet, who kneeled by the starshade stack. His mind flashed with all the deep-rooted admiration he had once harbored for Hamnet. Hamnet—Solovet’s one true successor that he had never quite been able to match. That day in the arena . . . Henry’s hand tightened around the hilt of Mys. His first dagger that he had lost at that cliff when he—

“He doesn’t kill!” exclaimed Gregor. “He doesn’t want to kill anymore!”

“You speak as though killing brings us others joy,” hissed Henry.

“There is no joy in killing for any of us,” concurred Luxa sourly. “We do it to survive.”

“So, what are you saying?” Gregor looked back and forth between the two of them. “You think he’s a coward?”

Henry gritted his teeth. As he gazed at Hamnet, he understood that he was no longer the Hamnet he had once idolized. Neither of them was good enough for Solovet anymore. And upon his next glance at Hamnet, Henry’s perception had shifted; no longer did he view him as a rival. Although his respect for him had significantly diminished, he had become more amicable toward him.

“Not a coward in that he is afraid to die,” said Luxa. “But I think it is easier for him to live here in the jungle than to return and face his true life.”

“Exactly,” concurred Henry. “We are not ignorant. What happened in that garden was atrocious, but no one who died that day would care that Hamnet is here now or that he began refusing to fight. Whereas a lot of people would care if he returned home.”

Gregor stared at them like he was moments from starting to shout. “You guys really don’t get it, do you?” He put his bundle of starshades down. I think he made a pretty brave choice. And I think in his mind, it was the only one he could have made.”

“Ha!” Henry exclaimed. “Why yes! Running away from one’s problems has always been known to be the bravest of choices!”

“And so has abandoning one’s family,” said Luxa.

“And . . . refusing to fight, out of principle.” Henry scoffed. “Fighting as little as possible is one thing, but this absoluteness? It is a quite pointless self-limitation.”

Gregor shot the two of them death glares but said nothing anymore.

“You know what would have been brave?” said Henry after a while. “Staying and facing up to the mistake he made. Laying down his office publicly. If he wanted to make a statement about pointless violence, he should have actually attempted to do so. Instead, no one talks about him at all, do they?”

Luxa shook her head, laughing. “If he had stood up to Solovet in such a manner, no one would have dared to forbid any mention of him.”

“You are right,” said a voice behind their backs suddenly, and all three of them jumped. “That would have been the braver choice.” Hamnet stepped in front of them. “That would have been the choice of one who was actually cut out to be that kind of hero. But on that day, I did not only give up fighting.” Hamnet sat on his haunches and scooped up an armful of starshade bundles. “I also gave up lying to myself that I was fit to be a leader, or even less a hero of any kind. A lie that my mother had planted in my head and one that I had clung to for far too long. Not all of us can be heroes,” he said with an unshakable conviction. His eyes flickered over to Gregor before finding Henry again. “I pity those who still believe that they have to be. That they have to sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of some lofty greater good.”

“What if being heroic brings them happiness?” retorted Henry with equally as much conviction.

Hamnet held his gaze for a few heartbeats. “Those who feel this way may be the only ones who should truly be heroes,” he said eventually. “I cannot say I admire or envy them, though.”

“I am certain they would say they harbor the same feelings for you,” replied Henry in a frigid tone.

Hamnet stared at him with something that Henry hated with every fiber of his being: pity. “Do you take pleasure in battle?”

“Occasionally.”

Hamnet said nothing.

“But even if I did not,” said Henry after a stiff silence. “You judge the lofty ideals of heroes, and yet, is your own pacifism not such an ideal as well?”

“It is an ideal that brings me happiness.”

“And heroes bring happiness too!” shouted Henry, springing to his feet. “They bring forth change. They face problems and solve them. They do not run away!”

Hamnet gritted his teeth. “You speak like her,” he mumbled after a while. “Like my mother. So much like her when I was little. If I were to wish this fate upon anyone, I would wish for her to have found you in my stead.”

“And even if!” Henry did his best to conceal the rush of pride that hearing such words from Hamnet of all people, whom he had once believed to embody the ideal that Solovet had strived to forge him into, brought him. “I would have excelled at it.”

“You may have,” said Hamnet pensively. “But I could not.”

“You speak like you never had a choice.” Henry scoffed. “Even if you did not want to be a hero or a leader. Even if refusing to fight brings you happiness. Your being here doesn’t actually accomplish anything. Are you aware of that?”

“I am,” said Hamnet somberly. “But I do not need to accomplish anything. I am tired of it, frankly.”

Henry stared at him as though he had spontaneously grown a third eye, and Hamnet shook his head. “I have accomplished enough that day,” he said sourly. I still dream of it every night . . . The voices crying out for me to save them . . . And what did it solve? That battle at the garden? Nothing. It solved nothing at all. When it was over, the humans and gnawers hated one another more than ever. The Underland only became a more dangerous place.”

“It did,” said Henry. “And you did not think about at least attempting to change that? About standing up for the sake of ensuring that nothing like this could ever occur again?”

“What would you have me do?” hissed Hamnet.

“I would have you face Solovet,” retorted Henry icily. “I would have you give her, give everyone a piece of your mind. If you are gone, that leaves her in power. That opens the possibility for more massacres such as the one at the garden.”

Hamnet stared at him for a silent eternity. But in his eyes, Henry did not see animosity or even the anger from before. He saw . . . sorrow. “Perhaps you are right,” he said, his eyes finding Luxa. “Of everything I left behind in Regalia, Luxa, you were my greatest regret. You and your mother. And perhaps not returning or facing up to it all did make me a coward. Perhaps it made me selfish. But even so, I will not allow judgment for my decision to prioritize my own happiness over the pursuit of bravery or heroism.”

A long, silent moment elapsed. “Fine,” said Henry eventually. “So is your right.” A crooked grin broke on his face. “I cannot say I condone your choice or even remotely understand your mindset. But I do agree with one thing.” He stared at Hamnet and allowed the last remains of his former view of him to fade. Hamnet was not the Hamnet of Old. He was someone new, and so Henry would build a new view of him—based on the present and not the past. “I wholeheartedly agree . . . that not everyone is cut out to be a hero,” Henry said, extending his hand toward Hamnet. “If you have no interest, that leaves more glory for me.”

For one moment, they stood across from each other, and Henry registered that they were almost exactly the same height. Once, he had wanted them to be as alike as possible, but now Henry found himself glad that they were as different as they could be.

“Fine,” said Hamnet, finally returning his smile. “I sincerely hope your glory treats you better than mine did me.” And so, he seized Henry’s hand.

Both of them were startled when, behind them, an enthusiastic applause began. “So different and yet so alike,” laughed Luxa. “What do you call this? Outcast solidarity?”

“I know!” snarled Ripred. “Would you look at that? An actual ounce of respect for another’s mindset that they disagree with. One might even think that they both learned something out here.”

“It is quite unexpected,” said Thanatos. “But satisfying. To see the two of you get along.”

“But they are both so brave!” Nike chimed in. “They must get along!”

“Getting along is well and fine,” snarled Lapblood suddenly. “But have we not a cure to harvest?”

They all lost their smiles at once. “She is right,” said Hamnet, and after a moment of hesitation, he patted Henry’s shoulder. “I feel like I should apologize for comparing you to my mother earlier. She would have never acknowledged my choice, not even in the way you did.”

“I do not mind being compared to her.”

“You may not,” said Hamnet pensively. “But I mind. So I will apologize.”

“Fine, fine!” Henry waved, plopping back down in his old spot. “If it alleviates your conscience, I shall accept. Let us get to work.” He drew Mys again and picked up the duct tape. It was about enough time wasted.

Henry didn’t know for how long they had worked in silence when he suddenly took note of Gregor’s ashen face. The Overlander hadn’t said anything in a long time, and Henry realized he hadn’t applauded either.

“Oh, come, take ease!” Henry threw a freshly tied starshade bundle at Gregor’s head and hit Luxa instead, who toppled over in a fit of giggles. “We made peace. Is that not worthy of your applause?”

Instantly, Gregor woke from his daze. “Oh, yeah,” he said, giving a weak smile. “Thanks for . . . not forcing him to fight you.”

Henry stared at Gregor, aghast. Then he broke into roaring laughter. “You thought I would fight him?” he exclaimed. “Please! I do not like fighting that much.”

“Anyway, uh . . .” Gregor stretched his limbs. “Thanks for not doing that. I don’t like it when people fight. And I like you both, so that makes it even worse.”

“Right. Our warrior is a pacifist,” Henry teased. “You and Hamnet, you probably get along well.”

“As I said, I like you both,” said Gregor determinedly. “And—” He cleared his throat. Henry saw him staring over at Boots, who ran in circles in front of Aurora until she was so dizzy she toppled. “I wanted to thank you for running back into the Vineyard to save Boots and Temp. That was pretty amazing.” He awkwardly scratched his nose. “Ripred said you caught and dragged me out as well?”

“Oh yes, but I should thank you!” exclaimed Henry. “For the excuse to try my flaming sword in the Vineyard!”

“About that . . .” Luxa tapped the handle of her own sword, which Henry had returned to her after Hamnet’s medical checkup. “How exactly does that work? Because I want one as—”

“You make me spin!”

They all jumped when Boots came running toward them, apparently having escaped Aurora, and latched onto Henry’s arm. “You make fire! Me ride rat and you make fire!”

“Sorry . . .” Gregor awkwardly rose and tried to get Boots off his arm, but she wouldn’t let go.

“Oh, leave her,” said Henry, returning her grin. “But she must still let me do my work.” Unexpectedly, he released Mys and grabbed Boots with both hands. He rose and lifted her high above his head. “You like the spinning?” he exclaimed. “You want more?”

She squealed joyously, and Henry’s grin widened. He gripped her more firmly, and then he began to spin. Boots immediately became ecstatic. She howled and laughed, and Henry spun and spun until he was so dizzy he nearly tripped into the stack of starshade.

“More! More!” called Boots over and over, and Henry laughed with her. Just as he had gathered himself enough to pick up speed again his gaze met Gregor’s creased eyebrows.

“What has you so sour?” exclaimed Henry, approaching the Overlander with the squealing Boots in his arms. “Would you like to go next?”

Gregor twitched. “No,” he said. “No. Absolutely no. Just . . .” He stood up and extended his arms. “Can I have her back, please?”

“Little lady,” said Henry to Boots. “Apologies, but there is no more. It would seem as though your brother is a spoilsport.”

“Boots!” Gregor called when he handed her over, and she started yelling in his ear. Henry almost felt sorry for him. “Boots! I have something for you.” He rummaged through his backpack and placed a small mirror in her hand. And Henry had to hand so much to Gregor—as soon as she saw the mirror, it fully occupied her attention. Boots was apparently very fond of making faces at herself.

“I believe this is not to be left out of sight.”

Henry jumped when a voice addressed him from behind and turned to face Hamnet again. He held Mys in his extended hand.

“It usually is,” said Henry, quickly taking the dagger. “But then the baby—”

“I saw.” Hamnet laughed. “You chase glory, you enjoy fighting, and you do not mind being compared to my mother.” Momentarily, he paused, as though evaluating how Henry could have even known her well enough to have an opinion on this. “But you also have the values of a hero. And a knack for children,” he said instead. “You are lucky that my mother did not get her hands on you. She would have made you into a fine villain.”

Henry could not return his smile. He could barely hold his gaze. “I could have been a fine villain indeed,” he said quietly. “And yet I am not. No matter how many battles I fight. No matter what happened in my past or what others say, I will not be a villain.”

For a moment, something like comprehension flashed in Hamnet’s eyes, as though he had understood the silent confession in Henry’s words.

“And you have a fine weapon,” said Hamnet after a pause, looking at Mys.

“It is,” said Henry. “But you would not have any use for it, would you?”

Hamnet looked at him, slightly bemused. “I do not refuse to touch anything that could be used as a weapon. I merely prefer to use violence as a last resort. It is a method of survival I have learned from Frill. It turns out there are many alternatives to violence if you make an effort to develop them. Living out here, I have found that many creatures would prefer not to fight. But if your first instinct is to reach for your sword, you will never discover that.”

“It is not my first instinct!” hissed Henry. “I have a talent for talking my way out of nearly anything.”

Hamnet’s eyebrows shot up. “You did motivate them all quite eloquently earlier,” he said. “You should make more use of that ability.”

“How do you know that I’m not already doing it?”

“You are an outcast too.” Hamnet scrutinized him. “Is that what you have learned out here? To consider talking? To consider using this talent that you clearly possess for the sake of saving your life, as opposed to reaching for your weapon the way the Regalians would have you do?”

Henry pressed his lips together; he didn’t want to admit that Hamnet was right, but . . . he was. Before his exile, Henry would have never considered that he may have something like diplomatic prowess in himself. Or that something like that could even be useful. “I have never enjoyed killing,” he hissed.

“I did not say that you did.”

Henry’s mouth snapped shut. Hamnet hadn’t, and yet something about this attitude still triggered him. Here was Hamnet—an excellent warrior. Someone who had been . . . who could be an excellent warrior yet chose not to fight.

They stared at each other silently for another moment. “Despite its purpose, it is an incredible piece of work,” said Hamnet eventually, pointing at Mys. “May I . . . see it again for a moment?”

“Oh, you are very right, Hamnet.” Henry jumped when he heard Ripred’s unmistakable snarl. The rat looked back and forth between the two of them, finally breaking into a grin.

***

Well, that's pretty much it (I know there are some Boots shenanigans in there too, but I kept them in for context purposes ... also they're quite fun lol.)

GO READ A HENRY STORY FOR MORE :)