#Brigade Utopia | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

momobani · 1 year

Text

Fire Brigade

THE WAY I hate YOU - chapter 4 - 11.4k

&team Nicholas x fem!reader - arranged marriage AU

SERIES MASTERLIST

Sum: as you settle into married life, you learn a lot about what it’s like to share your life with someone else.

Warnings: swearing, sarcasm, mention of food and alcohol, they’re both cranky goofs in the morning idk, allusion to questionable parenting?, depiction of drunkenness

Soundtrack rec: You’re So True - Joseph Arthur (Shrek OST) [there’s just something about this song, i can’t pin point it, just listen. i can just see a montage of their moments together as this plays haha]

Taglist: @nichoswag @seokka0o @sseastar-main @hyuckslvr @ssshasssh

A/N: i know it’s been 84 years, i’m sorry but life was hectic - for some reason my note keeps getting eaten by tumblr (fu!) but basically - life = hard, nicho -> nico (as per his own request on weverse lol), enjoy <3

Being back in your new apartment was strange.

It felt like you’d never moved in in the first place before your honeymoon. You cleaned up a little after you returned, going grocery shopping together for the first time instead of singularly getting your own food and sticking it in the fridge.

At the cashier, you almost asked to pay separately but then you realised how weird that would sound because you were so obviously involved and like who does that really? Nicholas whipped out his card before you could unzip your purse so you let him pay this time.

At least you drove there and back, happily abandoning the firetruck (Ferrari) in the underground parking, much to Nicholas’ pouty dismay.

You still had several days off, mostly because there was a weekend when you returned and you’d strategically planned your time off to encompass that without burning your vacation days unnecessarily.

You had to admit, sleeping in in the morning was nice.

In the morning you took time to watch some TV, sipping your coffee in front of the screen. You decided that you really needed to catch up on some work related stuff because you were going back to the office on Tuesday and you’d better be prepared.

So you spread your papers out on the kitchen table, opened your laptop and got stuck in. It was fairly quiet in the apartment and you thought Nicholas was probably still sleeping.

It’s a surprise when he walks through the front door some time later, a little sweaty and wearing basketball shorts and a sleeveless tank top. There’s a water bottle in one hand and you immediately know exactly where he’s been and what he’s been up to.

“Hey,” he greets you, depositing the bottle on the counter. “what are you doing?”

“Working,” you say, only glancing up at him. “what’s it look like I’m doing? Writing a novel?”

“Well, it could be but I doubt a novel-” he wanders past you and peeks over your shoulder. He gets kind of close and you can feel the heat radiating off his body. “-requires a contract for the sale of pharmaceutical supplies.”

“Y’know, you’d be surprised.” you reply.

“You still have days off, why do work?” he asks, genuinely confused. You again imagined what kind of utopia Nicholas’ office must be if he really doesn’t get it.

“It’s not a big deal, it needs doing ASAP anyway. Mind your business, dude.”

“Fine,” he raises his hands in surrender. “but I invited company, I didn’t know you were working.”

“It’s fine, I’ll move.” you say, marking where you’d left off and starting to sort things.

“Okay, but we might be quite loud. The guys are coming over.” he explains. “Are you sure that’s not going to disturb you? We can hang out in my room instead.”

“It’s alright, I’ve lived with pack animals back when I decided to have an authentic college experience.” you shudder, remembering the shit you’d been through. You wanted an experience, and oh boy, did you get one. Between the constant revolving door of strangers invading your apartment to the loud roommates you had, you’d really gotten used to noise.

“Sometimes I really wonder what kind of life you’ve lived.” Nicholas muses, looking at you curiously, as if you were an animal at a zoo exhibit.

You shrug just as your buzzer goes off. Nicholas presses the button that unlocks the downstairs door. You take the first pile of papers and crap to your room, realising you’re going to need two trips to get everything.

You put the first pile in your room but accidentally knock the first stack of maybe twenty pages down.

“Shit,” you mutter, crouching to pick it all up. You shouldn’t have taken the big clip off it.

By the time you come back for the second pile of stuff and your laptop, your doorbell goes off and Nicholas opens the door.

You watch as a group of dudes roll into your apartment, all in their uniform of shorts and t-shirts or tank tops. You recognise their faces from meeting them at your wedding, but you couldn’t match all the names you knew to the faces, except maybe for Jo, who had got the first-come-first-remembered privilege.

“Oh, hey!” one of them notices you and greets you too as they come in. He has a big smile and several ear piercings. You try to place him to a name, he was either Yuma or Fuma but you can’t be sure. The rest of them notice you too and all offer you various greetings.

“Maybe this a good time for proper introductions.” Nicholas suggests. “Guys, this is my wife, YN. YN, these are the guys.” he says unhelpfully. You raise your hand in a wave.

“Hi,” you say. “you must be the fire brigade.” you smile. The room full of confused faces almost makes you laugh. Nicholas does ask them to introduce themselves individually though, probably his attempt to dispel your sarcastic take.

So the guy who greeted you was Yuma, not Fuma, who’s ironically standing next to him in a cute Pokemon t-shirt. There’s also Euijoo, who you recognise as Nicholas’ best man, Jo, who shyly gives you a tiny wave, and Kei beside Jo, which makes the two look like twin towers. Make that triplet towers, since Euijoo was next to them too. You wondered if their clique had a height requirement or something because most of them were giants.

“It’s nice to meet you all,” you say, finally gathering your things and taking your exit.

“We’ll save you some meat!” Nicholas calls after you.

“Thanks.” you say over your shoulder.

You’re halfway through the corridor when you hear the exclamations fill the room. It reminded you slightly of teenage girl behaviour and you thought it was funny.

“Wow, you guys are getting on better than we thought!” you hear possibly Euijoo say.

“Dude, you didn’t say your wife was so hot!” you think that’s Kei’s voice.

“Kei, you were at the wedding?” Yuma chimes in.

“Yeah, but he was too busy flirting with everyone else to notice.” a deeper voice comes in, probably Fuma.

“Well, I had to entertain myself somehow, the whole thing went on for hours.” Kei replies.

“Yeah! It’s not Kei’s fault he was born a pathological flirt.” Euijoo says in solidarity.

“Bro, never talk about another man’s wife if you want to live.” Nicholas warns, only half joking. You can’t help but crack a smile as you close your door to their ridiculousness.

You kept working, the noise level mostly okay since you were a fair distance and closed door away, but occasionally you could hear their excitement, loud laughter and yells travelling through the apartment.

You wondered when it got incredibly loud, what they were doing, howling at the moon or something? Who knows, it was a group of grown men; who really understands the mysteries of dude-bros hanging out together?

Some weeks passed without incident, your lives finding routine sleeping, eating and working, as you manoeuvred around each other every day. Despite you being worried about living with a roommate again, for the most part you led your lives separately but not completely severed from each other.

You went to work at your respective companies then came home and occasionally had dinner together, sometimes you even watched TV together or did your recycling. There were days when one of you went grocery shopping and asked the other if you needed anything, days where you cleaned the whole apartment, splitting off chores so you could be done quicker.

You were lured into a false sense of security, you had to admit.

And being relaxed didn’t hurt, but accidents did happen.

Like the day of the most important meeting of the calendar quarter.

You were meticulous, setting your alarm, preparing your materials and picking out your attire. Going to bed the previous night was smooth sailing and you conked out with no anxiety in your chest for once.

The morning you had your monster shot coffee and a crispy yet perfectly soft inside bagel while you reviewed the notes you left in the margin of the document drafts. You cleaned up, purposefully leaving the small of stack of papers on the counter where you would see it before leaving the house and take it with you, while you got dressed.

While you did your hair, you did happen to think of something more to add, so you wandered to the kitchen, your hair half-pinned up with clips while you styled it.

Except the pile was gone.

Your jaw dropped open. How could it be gone? It was right there not even fifteen minutes ago. It can’t have just disappeared, could it?

Panic started to rise in your chest as you looked around the kitchen; maybe Nicholas moved it so it wouldn’t get dirty on the counter. You deduce he’s been in the kitchen since you’d left because there’s a washed bowl on the rack beside the sink that you didn’t put there.

You don’t find the pile after a minute of looking, opening drawers, cabinets, scanning the tables and whatever else there was in your kitchen.

There was simply one conclusion - your papers were gone.

You could hear Nicholas was in the bathroom and you decide to just ask him instead.

“Wang Yixiang!” you yell, trying to get his attention. Not a moment later, the door of the bathroom is thrown open and hasty footsteps echo down the hallway, the perpetrator probably horrified of your tone.

Nicholas bursts into the kitchen, still in his pyjama bottoms and a hoodie with nothing underneath; he did that a lot as a random habit of his that you’d noticed. There’s a spattering of shaving cream on one side of his face and the razor is still in his hand. You had no idea what he was shaving off though; he never seemed to have anything on that stupidly handsome face of his.

“I’m sorry! Whatever I did, I’m sorry!” he says hurriedly before he’s even entered the room. He was clearly on the verge of freaking out at you calling his government name.

“Did you happen to see a pile of papers that was on the counter?” you ask, cutting straight to it.

“Papers?” he seems confused at the idea.

“Yeah, I left a contract here, it was a small stack and had notes in the margin and tabs, but now it’s gone.” you say, starting to feel yourself grow desperate.

Nicholas thinks for a moment, clearly unsure of what exact you’re talking about. How could that be though? He’s the only other person who could know what happened to it.

“Hmm, let me see, I came to get cereal, got the milk out the fridge, then I hit my elbow, ate the cereal and after that I took out the trash since it’s trash day- oh no.” you look at each other in horror, then to the empty trash can beside the counter, brains putting in the missing pieces.

“Oh my god.” you breathe out. Then it hits you for real. “It’s trash day!” you exclaim, feet already moving of their own accord. You had to find that contract before it got taken away.

“Don’t you have a copy?” Nicholas calls out, razor discarded while he stayed on your heels.

“No! I told you, there was notes in the margin, and they’re super important and I have to have it with me today.” you were practically running down the corridor after you’d exited your apartment.

The two of you reached the elevator and you pressed the button, anxiety starting to make you sweat.

“No time, stairs!” You announce, head spinning already, and turn when the elevator doesn’t come. You take two steps but Nicholas grabs your wrist to stop you.

“Are you crazy? We live on the tenth floor!” he snaps, holding you hostage. Before you can rebut, the elevator dings and the door opens. “See? C’mon!” you let him drag you in there, almost jumping out of your skin when you see your reflections in the mirror pane opposite the door.

Your hair was flying in all different directions, half of it styled, the other forgotten, while Nicholas paled as he swiped at the remaining cream on his face with a hoodie sleeve.

“Just so we know what we’re dealing with here, hypothetically, if you didn’t have this contract…?” he says, trailing off.

“The world won’t end but I may as well walk in there wearing a rainbow wig and a big, red clown nose and kiss this deal goodbye.” you describe. “Then I’ll have to answer to my parents, board of directors, and the entire department will be on my ass by the end of lunch because ‘nepo baby’ managed to fuck up the one job she had.”

“They call you that?” Nicholas asks. You look away, counting down with the numbers of the floors that go by.

“Yeah, they do. Even though I have to work hard like them, it is my parents’ company. They’re right though, I’m not even sure what I’m capable of if it wasn’t for my parents making me work there.” you hated that you’d gotten to this subject, especially right now.

“You still worked hard though, getting to where you are tod-”

“C’mon!” you ignore what he’s saying when the elevator finally dings as it got to the first floor and you drag Nicholas out as soon as the door opens.

You race toward the garbage storage space, heart thumping loudly; if Nicholas could just remember where he left the bag, in which container -

You open the door and find the garbage collectors already on the scene, rolling the large metal containers toward the street, where their truck was waiting.

“Where did you throw it?” you ask desperately, looking around and seeing that some of the containers hadn’t left the premises yet. Nicholas looks like he’s about to faint.

He doesn’t say anything but points in the general direction of the containers that are already sitting near the truck. You gulp thickly, realising what that meant. Somehow, it doesn’t disgust you and you act without thinking.

“Excuse me!” you call out, trying to get one of the men’s attention. “Hi, sorry to bother you, but is it okay if we have a look at the trash? We threw away something important and it might still be around.”

The man hears you, turning around, giving you a once over, most definitely confused at your request. He considers it for a moment, then shrugs.

“Knock yourself out.” he says.

“I’m sorry, what?” Nicholas asks you as you drag him toward the containers. “Tell me we are not dumpster diving.”

“Oh, but we are, roomie, we are.” you hum. He stands still in shock. You throw open the first container and flinch at the explosion of smell coming from the numerous black trash bags.

“Are you deranged or something?” Nicholas shrieks when the smell hits his nose.

“Listen, here:” you whip around to glare at him. “I am getting to that meeting with my contract, if it’s the last thing I’ll ever do. Now, dig, gremlin, dig!” you say through gritted teeth, turning back to the container.

“You know what, don’t answer that. You must be.” he corrects when he sees you grab hold of the side, step up with your leg, and pull yourself up so you can reach inside the container.

Now, normally you’d be so grossed out that you might have thrown up by now, but seeing as you could envision the embarrassment, tirade of disappointed faces of your parents, and sneering jeers of your colleagues, you started feeling up the trash bags without a second thought. You were going to worry about everything else later.

Desperation makes even the most cowardly of dogs brave.

“What are you waiting for?” you bark back at Nicholas, who was just standing behind you, blinking dumbly. “Get in there and start looking!” you instruct. That seems to do it and Nicholas rushes over to the side of the adjacent container and flings it open, gagging at the smell but obediently rummaging around the bags.

There’s a tense minute while you try and feel your way through the container, looking for anything that might indicate paper on the inside, but you’re struggling to find anything.

“Y’know,” you vaguely hear Nicholas grunt as he feels up a garbage bag. “I was just starting to like you but nevermind, I think I hate you.” he says as he squeamishly pushes away yet another bag.

His comment doesn’t make you stop but it strikes a nerve. You knew he was probably talking shit because the two of you were practically knee and elbow deep in trash - in a reversed situation, you would too - but you were a little mad at him for not being more careful in the kitchen, and worse at yourself for ever leaving anything in there in the first place.

“Trust me, the feeling is mutual.” you reply, just as huffy as him.

You keep digging but find nothing, your world suddenly becoming bleaker and bleaker. You had already decided to call in late for work and try to remedy the situation before the big meeting later in the day. You could think of some of the stuff that was written, but you’d lost some of the most important details. Not to mention your concentration and preparation had all been flushed down the drain.

“Hey, we’re going to have to get going now.” you hear the garbage man say behind you. You glance over your shoulder and he seems like he couldn’t care less about your situation.

“Yes, right, sorry. Just a second.” you plead, desperately reaching into the container in vain.

“We’re already behind schedule, ma’am, I’m going to need you to step away from the trash.” he replies. You realise you’re being a nuisance but you can’t help it.

“YN, c’mon, just give up, we can’t find it.” Nicholas materialises next to your container. He sounds tired and hopeless, just as you feel.

“But…I,” you attempt, heart sinking. You know they’re right, you need to go.

“C’mon,” Nicholas steps up to the container and holds out a hand to help you get down. Your shoulders slump but you let him pull you to the edge and practically lift you out of the dumpster, his strong arms wrapped around your waist as he guides your feet to the ground again. “Sorry for the trouble.” he mumbles to the garbage man.

You’re too numb to say anything so you just sort of nod politely at him as Nicholas steers you away and back into the building.

“Ugh, I stink so bad.” he groans, voice cracking. You wait for the elevator and when it comes, your neighbours file out, doing a disturbed double take at the sight and smell of the two of you. You don’t care about keeping up appearances right now, your dejection running too deep.

What were you supposed to do now?

After a moment of silence when you get into the elevator, you feel Nicholas look at you, hesitating at probably how hostile you must look right now. You were fuming, mostly at yourself.

“I’m sorry.” he says gently. “I really am.”

You soften ever so slightly but can’t help the tenseness in your voice.

“‘Sorry’ doesn’t bring back the notes, but thanks for trying to find them.” you say curtly, coldly even. You know it was an accident but it still made a mess. “I’ll make do with what I have.”

You get back to your apartment, Nicholas heading straight to the bathroom but you stop him.

“The smell won’t come out with water.” you warn.

“Then what do you propose?” he asks, genuinely curious.

“Vinegar.” you state. “We’ll dilute some with water since it might be too strong and clean the smell off before showering.” It was an old home trick for getting rid of smells; vinegar was practically a miracle worker.

And you do.

Armed with a cloth each, you stand in your bathroom trying to scrub yourselves clean from the essence of trash that crawled on your skin. It had permeated your clothes so those had gone straight into the washer, leaving you in your underwear.

“Can you get my back?” you ask Nicholas, when your arms fall short of reaching behind you with the cloth.

“Sure.” then his hands are in your hair, moving it to sit over your shoulder, while one rests there to stop it from moving back into the line of vinegar. He swipes the cloth over your skin, quickly reaching from the waistband of your underwear to your shoulder where he lingers. “You’re so tense, jeez.”

“Whatever, just keep go-” he doesn’t give you warning before starting to massage your shoulders.

You groan out loud as he teases out a knot in the muscle immediately. There’s a flush of embarrassment in your cheeks at the noise that just escaped your lips but Nicholas doesn’t seem to care as he keeps kneading your shoulders with his large hands. You contain most of your noises but a few quiet sighs leave your mouth as he works your shoulders.

“Can I move these?” he asks, tapping on your bra straps. Your brain has already shut down so you just nod.

It was unexpected and even though your first instinct was to stop him and tell him to quit it, your body had its own opinion on the matter, shutting your mouth and relaxing under his touch as he slipped the straps off your shoulders.

Your eyes flutter closed at one point, your body swaying in the direction that your husband applied some pressure to your back. You could feel the heat of his body next to yours, the warmth of his hands on your skin as he massaged your shoulders.

“Feel better?” he muttered, mouth but a few inches from your ear, as he finished up.

“Much, thanks.” you sigh, coming back to reality. You do feel a little more warm in your cheeks than you should but you show no reaction. You reach for your straps but Nicholas beats you to it, sliding them back up your arms softly, his fingers grazing your skin and leaving a trail of goosebumps.

“Okay, now shower before you kill someone with that hair.” he chuckles, lightening up the mood.

“What about you?” you turn to look at him. He shrugs, the bulk of his bare shoulders rising and falling.

“I have nowhere to be, don’t worry about me. Just get that smell out of your hair.” he instructs before vacating the bathroom. You’re left staring after him.

You’d been mad at him just a smidge about the contract but he’d managed to ease his way back into your good graces with an apology and a massage. You guess it made sense; Nicholas was your friend now, and if any of your other friends did the same thing, sure you’d be a little mad but you’d forgive just as easily.

But there was something about the way none of your other friends would have done what he did, touch you like he did, stand close like he did.

You banish the thought and scramble into the shower, aware of the ticking of the clock before your meeting.

You wondered why you’d agreed to come to family dinner at your house alone on Friday night. You should have really dragged Nicholas there so he could suffer with you, although of course, the hope was that with his presence, your parents would lay off you and focus on him, their precious, angelic son-in-law.

He had let you know he’d made plans with the guys and offered you an alternate to family dinning, which you’d regretfully declined because you knew that your mother would never just let it go and would instead invite you to several consecutive family dinners and/or events to make up for the loss.

You really were better sacrificing yourself for one evening than signing yourself up for a plethora of others.

Regardless, you should have known better than to hope this would be a marginally pleasant evening. Without Nicholas there, your parents, mainly your mother, had taken to grilling you over entrées. And the main course. And you predicted dessert.

“Are you being good to Nicholas?” your mother asks. “Have you been cooking and cleaning enough around the apartment?” she continues without pause.

“Yes, mother.” you say. You weren’t lying, it’s just that you had an agreement to share everything fair and square with Nicholas, including all the chores, bills (mortgage too, naturally) and other expenses.

“Are you sure?” she continues. “He’s got no reason to be mad at you, has he?” she inquires, her eyes unnaturally wide.

“No, mom, he doesn’t.” you say, regretting your decision to drive because now you couldn’t at least drown out some of the nagging with alcohol.

“Then why didn’t he come along for dinner? You invited him, didn’t you?”

You almost roll your eyes but hold back because she’s watching you. If she looked away more often, you’d probably get a headache from rolling your eyes. (Growing up under her roof, it had been the most common cause of your headaches. That and tension headaches.)

“Yes, of course I did, but he made plans way before so he couldn’t cancel.” you explain for the tenth time.

“Well alright then, I suppose.” your mother concludes.

Finally, you think.

The whole scene was eerily starting to resemble an episode of Gilmore Girls and you were in the role of Lorelai, fending off your mother.

She was practically treating you like devil spawn and Nicholas as if he was their own son and you had stolen him away and trapped him into a heinous marriage. You half wondered if you had dinner alone with the Wangs, was that how they’d treat you too? You could only guess they weren’t incredibly fond of you either from the way you’d initially refused to marry their perfect son. Clearly, parents, your own or other people’s, didn’t seem to like you very much.

Your father and Maki were also at the dinner table, minding their food, and possibly fearing for their lives. You knew what they were like; if they were chewing, their ears seemed to close off.

By the time you got to the main dishes, you’d fielded questions about Nicholas from your mother, and the apartment, but also work questions from your father, which you skilfully managed to not go into any detail on, lest he pick up on something being wrong at work.

Maki helpfully tried to steer the conversation away too, asking random questions about the company, which your father was more than happy to answer because his youngest was taking an interest in the family business. You were grateful to Maki but you worried this might give your parents the green light into throwing him in there with you.

Your father was plenty capable.

He’d probably also hear about how your meeting had gone in the office - there’d been a lot of back and forth (which you’d instigated) to avoid getting to anything too serious while you still hadn’t recovered details of the contract you’d lost.

It had resulted in scheduling another meeting some time later, giving both parties time to reconvene and finalise their sides of the deal.

By the time you finished the main course, your mouth was dry from all the bullshitting you had to do. As soon as you finish your portion of dessert, you figure it’s time to jet.

“So, I should get going and go home, y’know, to the husband you picked out for me.” you start only half-sarcastically. “Thanks for the dinner,” and the shakedown, you think. “could I take some dessert for your beloved son-in-law? He likes this kind of thing.”

“Well, YN, I’m glad you’ve learned what he likes.” your mother says. You wait for her to finish her sentence before having any hope of even a tiny compliment. “You may take some home, but next time just bring him here for dinner, instead of taking home scraps and left overs, it’s embarrassing. As if you can’t afford a full meal.”

“Mom, I told you, he really had plans and I did beg him to come.” you fib, hoping it sells.

“Alright, alright, I believe you.” she concedes. “But you shouldn’t beg your husband for things either, it sets for an awkward relationship and it’s embarrassing.” she continues.

You should have known something mildly positive would be followed up in this manner. You sigh and wait for the house keeper to bring you a box for the dessert.

You get up and get your things by the door, then hug Maki goodbye and ruffle his hair, whispering a quick “Hang in there, kiddo.” to which he just looks at you blankly, dimples popping. You felt bad leaving him there with the hyenas (your mother). “You poor thing.” you lament, patting his arm, as you put on your shoes.

“Drive carefully,” your mother says after you say your goodbyes. “and don’t forget you have that charity event in a couple of weeks. You have to go with Nicholas.”

“Yes, I know. You told me several times already. It’s in my calendar.” you take the box of dessert and open the door. “Goodnight.” you call and leave before anyone can say anything more.

As soon as you get inside your car, you let out a frustrated grunt, hitting your steering wheel with the palms of your hands, releasing a sound that would compete with wild animals. You just needed to get that out of your system because there was only so much pent up frustration you could take.

Once you calm down, you start the engine and go on your way. The dessert sits in the passenger seat as you precious cargo as you drive through the night, windows down, playing some songs you’d curated specifically for after family dinners.

You sing along because the roads are empty and no one’s around to hear you sing like a strangled cat. It’s the exact catharsis you needed, expelling all that energy while the moon hangs full in the sky, so you’re in an improved mood by the time you walk through your front door.

After you kick off your shoes, you go to the kitchen, slippers smacking loudly against the floor as you walk. The sound of your arrival must have alerted Nicholas because he appears while you’re getting a glass of water after depositing the dessert in the fridge.

“You’re back earlier than I thought.” you observe, putting the glass down with a ‘click’ on the counter.

“Yeah, the thing with he guys didn’t last as long as we thought so I came back early.” he explains, plopping down to sit at the counter. “How was dinner? You seem disgruntled.”

“Excellent observation.” you frown, thinking of the best word to describe the ordeal. “It was rather disagreeable.” you attempt.

“Oh? That is most unfortunate, Mrs Wang. Something happen in particular?” he listens attentively.

“Your mother-in-law says hello and sends her regards. Need I say more?” you raise your eyebrows at him. He’s wearing a loose grey t-shirt and looks sleepy already, which you note is odd because if you had learned anything about your husband, is that he was, by personal preference, nocturnal.

“Ah, lovely.” he nods in understanding. “Sorry, I let you fly solo.”

“I wasn’t totally alone, Maki was there, but he can only say so much.” you say. “Anyways, I got you something.” you remember to bring out the dessert from the fridge again.

“Ooh, what’s that?” Nicholas perks up at the sight of the box. You almost laugh at his sudden rejuvenation.

“Dessert. The one with the strawberry sorbet.” you hum smugly when his eyes light up.

“Wah, that’s great. Is it my birthday?” he smiles as you open the box and offer him a spoon. He seems to change his mind in a split second and his face falls, suddenly becoming serious. “Are you trying to poison me?” he interrogates, face full of suspicion.

You tilt your head sarcastically. “Totally. Tis part of my elaborate scheme to become a young widow.” you deadpan and start to take away the spoon but Nicholas stops you and accepts it. “Trust me - if I was going to poison you, you wouldn’t know about it.” you add, gulping down the rest of your water.

“Well, that’s reassuring.” he hums while looking at the contents of the box.

“Bon appetit!” you give him a toothy smile and breeze past him.

To say that mornings with Nicholas were a pain, would be a gross understatement.

From what you’re seen on your honeymoon, your husband was most certainly not a morning person, but you had yet to see in detail just how grizzly the situation could get.

It was kind of ironic because Nicholas was a well put together guy; he knew what he was doing, worked hard at it and did it without a fuss. He seemed like the ultimate catch - young, rich, tall, handsome (others would say sexy too and you would agree, objectively only of course), funny, smart, polite, respectful, well mannered - but of course, nobody’s perfect and it didn’t take a genius to work out that mornings were Nicholas’ weakness.

For the most part so far, the two of you had differing schedules and you barely ran into each other in the mornings, mostly taking turns in the bathroom if anything and giving each other a heads up if you were particularly in a hurry that day or the next day or whenever.

Today however, you had a meeting of the boards of directors for your two companies. It was mostly oversight for the progression of the merger and a chance to hear from the heads of the companies to brief you on the vision for how the merger should go. Your and Nicholas’ presence was without a doubt mandatory and possibly even the highlight since everyone would be talking about you two.

You woke up like clock work, a couple minutes before your alarm and stretched out like a cat before getting up to hunt for coffee (your cavemen ancestors would be shocked). You walked past Nicholas’ room and heard his alarm going off, relieved that supposedly he’s awake.

Supposedly.

The coffee machine whirs quietly as you prepare two cups since you figured Nicholas would want coffee too, but you don’t hear his door opening or in fact, any noise from his room. You pad over to the corridor to listen out and pick up the sound of a second alarm. It sounds promising so you don’t think too much of it and go back to drink your coffee.

It’s been ten minutes when you decide that something is wrong with Nicholas.

You leave your half drunk coffee and his untouched one on the counter and go knock on his door.

“Yo, Nico, you awake?” you call out. You strain your ears to hear a response, leaning onto the door itself. You hear an unmistakeable groan. “I know you’re alive and in there, now get up!” you shout, hoping the louder the message, the more likely it is to get through to him.

You leave to finish your coffee but when he still doesn’t get up, you roll your eyes and stack your cup on the pile of dirty dishes waiting to be put into the dish washer.

“That’s it.” you mutter, determined to make him shift. You fill a glass with cold water, stopping by the freezer for ice and then make your way back to Nicholas’ room.

You were starting to worry that you were going to be late for that stupid meeting since it was already a quarter to eight.

You bang on his door almost violently. “Wang Yixiang, get your dumb ass up or else!” you call to another groan of what sounds like ‘go away’. Your blood pressure spikes and you snap. “I warned you, I’m coming in.”

And you yank the door handle and enter the room.

You find Nicholas in just pyjama pants, sprawled face first in his bed, blankets and sheets tangled up like a war zone while he hugs an extra pillow and a wolf plushie sits on the opposite side of the bed against the headboard. His hair is a mess and splays all over his face and pillow as he still dozes despite your loud attempts at intervening.

You hesitate for a second because he looks so peaceful, then you remember that you have somewhere to be.

“This is a warning shot.” you say and dip your fingers into the water to grab hold of an ice cube.

You launch the ice cube unceremoniously and it plops onto Nicholas’ bare back. He jolts at the contact and a low moan sounds from the back of his throat. Your eyes widen as you feel a wave of queasiness wash over your lower abdomen.

What the fuck did you just do? Did you press the wrong button? Is he malfunctioning? Does he need to go for an MOT check like a car?

The noise sent you reeling and you wanted to run away but the ice cube did nothing. It just sort of slid off of his back and he shuffled a little, getting comfortable again. You sigh and nod to yourself. You hoped it wouldn’t need to come to this.

“Right.” you say. Without another moment to lose, you hold out the glass over Nicholas’ bare torso and tip your wrist so the water comes spilling out.

The water splashes all over his back and it sends Nicholas flying up with a piercing screech.

“What was that for!” he yelps, shaking off the water off his back and reaching for a blanket to wipe it off. You would stay to have a full conversation about this, but you’re already on your way out.

“You’re late.” you chastise. “And if you’re late, then I’m late. Now get up or I’ll come back with a bucket.” you warn as you sweep out of the premises.

“You know you’re meaner in the mornings!” he calls out after you.

“Thanks!” you reply over your shoulder.

Needless to say, you usher Nicholas into your car ten minutes later, him almost dressed as he finishes buttoning up his shirt and does his tie in the car, then styles his hair in the passenger seat using your overhead mirror. You try your best to avoid a pothole but manage to run straight over it by accident. Your car jolts and Nicholas groans in frustration when his hair swishes in a different direction.

“You couldn’t let us be fashionably late.” he mutters.

“I’m never late. Fashionably or otherwise.” you inform him. “Get used to it, hubby; you roll with me now.” you say as you manoeuvre the steering wheel.

“Alright, got it, Sergeant.” Nicholas holds up a hand as if swearing an oath.

“Next meeting, we might even make it on time.” you sass back as you pull up to work and exhale.

This was going to be a long day.

Before you could blink, it was the last day of the calendar quarter and you were dreading it because it’s the day that you and your uncle gather to have coffee and talk about work, less in a boss and employee way and more of an uncle-niece thing. It was the first time you’d ever felt apprehensive to talk to your uncle since he’d had a part to play in your arranged marriage and you were still disappointed in him.

You’d always been closer to your uncle than your parents as far as you could remember. Probably because he didn’t keep you on a leash and command you around but respected your independence. He’d even tried to stop you from going to law school unless it was definitely what you wanted. You had no idea why he’d done that at the time (you were still in high school), but after a few years, you now appreciated the gesture.

Now, you weren’t so sure what he was going to be like after letting your parents push you to Nicholas. You still remembered his face that day; impassive as if he didn’t care about you at all. There was a still a lingering feeling of betrayal when you thought about what your uncle had done.

You took your normal route to company rooftop, your coffee mug hot in your hand as you made your way outside.

Your uncle was waiting at your usual table, the tiny one at the end of the row closest to the edge of the rooftop balcony. From there, you could see out to the city and watch the sun set. It was just after work hours officially ended so the cafe at your company had closed already but you each bought a mug from your offices and sat down.

You walk up to the table as briskly as your coffee would allow you and sit down in the empty chair.

“Hi, uncle.” you attempt. He half-smiles, his fond demeanour unchanged as always.

“Hello, YN.” he replies. “Are you ready for a chat?”

The question hangs in the air, for some reason, you feel it entails more than your usual this and that about work.

“Sure.” you say, cautious.

You end up telling him about some of the finalised negotiations you made this quarter and catching him up on some of the cases you’d been assigned. After a while, it feels natural and you confess that you’d messed up a little with that contract but you don’t tell him it involved Nicholas.

In fact, you don’t mention Nicholas at all and try to move on as if there was no massive elephant in the room. It’s definitely starting to annoy you, skirting around the subject but you try to stay steadfast despite how it irks you.

Your uncle figures it out anyway.

“Something bothering you, dear?” he asks, voice totally unintrusive.

“Not really,” you lie, but your eyes shift to your half-drunk coffee. Your uncle sighs and puts his mug down.

“Listen, YN, I’m not a fool, we should talk about it.” he says. “I know you’re probably displeased with me for pairing you up with Nicholas, but you’ll just have to find it in your heart to accept it.” he continues. “I am not expecting your forgiveness, although I would be relieved to hear it. What was done was for your own good. I hope one day you’ll be able to see that.”

It hurts to hear the same rhetoric from your uncle as it came from your parents; the whole ‘for-your-own-good’ thing made you want to pull your hair out, yet you realise that coming from him, it feels all the more painful.

“I understand that you’ll keep giving me a cold shoulder and I’m okay with it, I suppose, but I need you to remember that everything is temporary.” he meets your eyes. You sense something odd for a moment when he says that, but you don’t react. “Besides, you might even end up liking Nicholas, he’s a good boy.”

That seems to spur you into action.

“Uncle, it’s not about that.” you reply adamantly. “Nicholas is great, he’s really not the problem. The problem is that you still let my parents dictate such a huge decision in my life - I trusted you to not do such a thing. You’re better than that.”

Your uncle pauses for a moment. “You agreed eventually, didn’t you?” he asks simply.

“Well yes, but it was because I was scared they’d do something to Maki. You know they would pick on him if it wasn’t for me.” you argue.

“YN, your parents are complicated people, but they’re not quite as evil as you believe them to be.” your uncle says gently, the way you try to talk to little kids and rationalise a situation which they find stupid (and usually have a right to find as such).

“Well, you’re related to one of them, you kind of have to say that.” you remind him, rejecting his philosophy.

“I’m saying it because it’s true. Try to understand them a little more. Alright?” he pleads.

You look at your uncle and see that he’s trying - he’s trying to be the bridge in this family and you have to give him something to work with.

You nod reluctantly, not because you agree with him or want to understand your parents, but because you wanted to go easy on him for the sake of not creating issues in your family as a whole. Sometimes you couldn’t have compromises and you needed to be more patient and the bigger person.

You knew where he was coming from; of course people are complicated and do things for complicated reasons, including hurting their loved ones. You believed that it was possible that it could be true they weren’t so bad but also true that some people just weren’t nice, weren’t kind, weren’t understanding by nature.

In that line of thought, it wasn’t even about the specificity of your situation. It was that you knew there’s truly nothing completely black and white in the world - your relationship with your parents had always been full of greys, differing shades of blurriness contorting your feelings towards them for your whole life.

You put the topic down quietly and resumed chatting about this and that, the whole thing weighing you down just a bit before you concluded and bid your uncle goodbye, going home immediately after that, although you’d planned to stay longer.

“Fuck overtime.” you hum as you get into your car.

The rest of your evening is fairly quiet, you cook dinner for yourself after Nicholas sends you a text about a haphazard night out with his friends and to not wait up for him. It’s completely fine by you since you really needed some time alone to stew about everything; your conversation with your uncle had sent you spiralling.

Were you being unreasonable? Should you be less angry at your parents for setting you up with Nicholas? You’d meant it when you said he was great, not that you’d say that to his face ever and watch it become smug and delighted.

The thought passes as quickly and fleetingly as it had come. You were dead set in your bones to resent your parents because what they did was wrong - it was about your autonomy as a person and they’d violated that on some level. You acknowledged your agreement only to the point of technicality - yes, you’d gone through with it willingly despite hating the situation.

That was then. Now it was a couple of months later and the extremity of the feelings had died down and you were occasionally forgetting their misdeeds, so your meeting with your uncle had served as a reminder that you shouldn’t forget or really forgive it just because nothing awful had happened. Or at least yet (you knew nobody was insured about anything).

It gets late around midnight before you hear your front door unlocking.

You were just sitting on the couch, watching TV, a rarity in your busy life, when you hear several sets of footsteps stumbling into the house. There’s hushed voices shushing after a particularly loud noise.

“Nicholas?” you call out, switching off the screen and getting up to check out the situation.

“Honey, I’m home!” Nicholas yells loudly before even seeing you. The tone is shrill and very alarming and makes you freak out immediately.

In the hallway you find a quartet of men, your husband amongst his friends, the fire brigade. Nicholas is standing- no- leaning on Kei, clearly out of his mind, as well as a complementary identical Euijoo and Fuma, the latter supporting the former in his arms. Their clothes all seem to have the marks of some drizzle and you deduce that it must be raining outside.

You make a face, taking in the scene. “What the fuck is wrong with him?” you ask generally to the presumably slightly sober parties, already knowing the answer. There are a couple of guilty looks exchanged between Kei and Fuma.

“He’s drunk.” Kei admits sheepishly.

“I figured, how bad is it?” you ask.

“Baby, what are you talking about?” Nicholas interjects, eyes glazed over as he leans his head on Kei’s shoulder. “I feel great!” he grins. There’s a wildness in his eyes that makes you worry. You don’t even spare a thought on the name calling.

“He had a bit.” Fuma offers but he seems uneasy to elaborate.

“How much is ‘a bit’?” you push for details, sceptical.

“A glass.” Kei says.

“Of what?”

“Tea.”

“What kind of tea?” you interrogate, already knowing the answer.

“Long island ice tea.” Kei mumbles, lowering his eyes to the floor.

“You let him drink what!” you exclaim, outraged. “Of all the things you could have had, how on Earth did Nicholas end up having a cocktail with four types of alcohol in it?” you shriek.

You look at Nicholas, who has been clinging to Kei, hanging off him like a little koala. Euijoo cringes at the volume of your voice as he seems to doze off on Fuma’s shoulder.

“We’re sorry. It was kind of an accident.” Fuma says, clearly ashamed.

You had never drunk with Nicholas before, save for the tiny bit of wine at his parents’ and the sip of champagne at your wedding, so this was a serious shock. Was your husband a serious lightweight? Did you even know him? Clearly you had only scratched the surface of Nicholas trivia if this had never come up till now.

“Yeah, he’s not really built for alcohol.” Kei says apologetically.

“But it’s okay, we’ll take care of him, and Euijoo.” Fuma adds quickly.

You look at the way Euijoo is basically sleeping in Fuma’s arms, surprised that Fuma can hold him up so well when Euijoo is a few inches taller. Kei on the other hand seems to be struggling with Nicholas’ affection - while you were talking, there was an attempted piggy back that Kei had to gently fend off. On closer surveillance, Nicholas seemed to be a clingy drunk with a bad case of grabby hands.

“No, it’s fine.” you find yourself saying. “I’ll take care of him, I did marry this mess. He’s my responsibility now.” you tell the elder two. You couldn’t imagine the ruckus they would collectively make so you decided it was better that you just take over.

Kei’s eyes light up in gratitude while Fuma seems even more guilty while cradling Euijoo’s head to his shoulder.

“Are you sure?” Fuma asks, his voice full of concern. You nod reassuringly.

“You guys can go, I’ll make sure he’s okay.” you insist. Despite meeting them for the third time today, you most certainly were strangers and you didn’t really want them hanging around your house, even if they were Nicholas’ friends.

“You’re a badass, YN, thanks.” Kei gushes while guiding, more like carrying, Nicholas to the couch. You give him a nod of acknowledgement while standing between the hallway and living room.

Euijoo seems to stir, clearly having some kind of sonar or telepathy or something because as soon as Nicholas is a few feet away, his eyes open and he looks around as if he lost something.

“Noooo,” Euijoo whines, trying to follow. “don’t take my bestie away…” his attempt is curtailed by Fuma, who pats his back gently.

“Nico’s home, Joojoo, don’t worry about it. You’ll see him tomorrow.” Fuma explains. “Sorry about this, YN.” he says to you when Kei comes back. Euijoo seems dissatisfied with the current chain of events but pouts about it quietly.

“Right, he’s all yours.” Kei says before going to stand on Euijoo’s other side and take some of his weight off Fuma. “Let’s get you home, buddy.” he puts one of his arms around his shoulder and the three of them start to make for the door.

You open it helpfully and stand aside, letting the two older men half-carry, half-drag Euijoo away.

“Thanks for bringing Nico home in one piece.” you say as you bid them goodbye.

“Good luck.” Fuma gives you a ‘fighting’ gesture with his closed fist in solidarity.

“Thanks, I think I’m going to need it.” you bid them goodbye and close the door, bracing yourself for what lay ahead.

In the living room, Nicholas has managed to stay where Kei left him, splayed all over the couch like a pancake, staring upwards. You round the couch and assess the situation; he’s very much out of it, eyes unfocused and mouth ever so slightly opened as if he was fascinated with the colour of your ceiling.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” you begin. You decide to get some water and painkillers for the inevitable hangover he’s going to get in a few hours.

There’s a moment of silence while Nicholas shuffles, sitting up but still leaning into the shape of the back of the couch. He seems to register you talking to him, which by the time you stand in front of him with the glass of water, makes him animate suddenly, his body switching gear.

“YN!” he says, as if shocked.

“Yes?” you offer him the glass but he doesn’t seem to notice.

“Let’s go dance outside!” he exclaims, his face bright with excitement. He starts to get up but seemingly feels dizzy since he flops back down on the couch, clutching his head. You blink at him, unable to understand the thought process. The request was neither here nor there, really.

“We can’t.” you say simply. “It’s raining. See?” you point toward the window where the drizzle seems to have escalated and the drops are sliding down the glass.

“Yeah, well it rains inside too.” he mumbles when you put his suggestion down.

“Y’know, I’m not sure it does.” you hum, amused at the comment while you place the glass on the coffee table.

“But the shower,” he insists. “it’s inside rain.” he says. You purse your lips, biting back a laugh at how convinced Nicholas seems that the shower is really rain.

“Okay, alright.” you say, nodding to yourself. “Let’s get you to bed, you need to sleep this off.” you start to lean down to take hold of his arm.

“I don’t want to sleep.” he whines immediately. Instead, he takes hold of your arm and looks up at you with big eyes. “I’m hungry.” he pouts.

“Okay, what do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you.”

“You will?” his eyes light up with delight. “I’ll eat anything you make.”

The way that alcohol seems to keep its chokehold on Nicholas suggests to you that you should probably opt for something that will ease the problems that would follow.

“Hangover soup it is.” you state, trying to shake Nicholas off so you can get to the kitchen.

When he doesn’t let go, you sigh and tug him up by the hands so he stands up. You help him stumble across the room to the kitchen part and sit him down at the counter where he slumps immediately and rests on his crossed arms, looking up at you, the dopey look resting on his face.

You start to gather the ingredients, which thankfully your fridge contained because you’d been shopping yesterday, but that’s when the babbling starts.

Nicholas seems to have found some new energy because once his mouth opens, it doesn’t seem to close.

“Is that beef? Oh my god, it is, I love beef. Are you going to cook the beef? ‘Cause I know this killer recipe for a beef stew and you just have to try it. I used to have it as a kid but my parents never made it for me, it was always this nanny I had and she was awesome. I really miss auntie, YN, I really miss her. She was the best. Are you going to make the beef like she did? Maybe you can get the recipe from her, oh! You should meet her, she’d love you!” and as much as you wanted to listen to everything, your brain sort of switched off when he got on another tirade as you started slicing the cabbage and other veggies for the soup.

He starts to run out of steam by the time you get to putting the sauce you prepared on the beef and the cabbage and he just sort of leans on the counter, face in the palm of his hands and watches you.

Then comes more absurdity.

Nicholas giggles distinctly and smiles to himself.

You only react out of concern, putting the lid on the pot. “What is it?” you ask.

He shakes his head bashfully and doesn’t say anything but continues smiling.

“Fine, don’t tell me.” you mutter, putting the broth to the beef and adding the cabbage. You’re starting to feel a little paranoid; was he laughing about your cooking? You knew you weren’t a Michelin chef, or even as good as he was in the kitchen, but you weren’t that bad, right?

“Hmm, I’m happy.” he says, fingers squishing his own cheeks.

The statement takes you by surprise.

“You’re drunk.” you correct, unsure what to make of it.

“Don’t you wanna know why I’m happy?” he leans forward, as if trying to get your attention.

You shrug on reflex. “Happiness is fleeting and overrated.” (as is alcohol within your system).

“Boooo! Why are you like this, huh? You’re so cute, you should be happy too!” he insists. You side eye him but let him continue. “My cute wifey should be happy, like me. Let’s be happy together!” he laughs, as if he just solved the world’s problems.

You stare at him, slightly horrified because a) who the hell was he calling his ‘cute wifey’ ‘cause that sure as hell wasn’t you, and b) how would you be happy together when you were living in a loveless marriage?

“Nicholas, I don’t-”

“No! Stop it! I won’t hear it, I want everyone to be happy. End of discussion.” he babbles, clapping his hands together once, as if he’s hitting a slate.

You’re baffled - you’d forgotten what it was like to talk to drunk people.

You hate the way his words pierce through your thick skin and land somewhere soft where it hurts. You knew he was drunk, but he must be drunker than you thought.

If anything, his declarations made you sad because who knew what the future holds? You didn’t dare fantasise these days, for fear that if you did daydream, everything in your life would fall apart and you really would spend a life time with Nicholas instead of finding the love of your life. Would that bring you the happiness you’ve been brainwashed to expect in life?

Despite yourself, you held on to the belief that whoever it was, this figurative love of your life person, they were out there and you might still have a chance to find them even if you were or had been married to Nicholas. The thought was a sick and twisted hope as you prepared the soup, quietly hating yourself for thinking it while you were just hanging out with the man that was for the present circumstances, your husband.

You couldn’t reason with the guilt; its grip was too strong but you were a romantic at heart and nothing that had happened between the two of you had been romantic, at least in your view. Being forced to marry each other wasn’t exactly romantic, was it?

Your soup is finally ready and you turn off the heat, bringing out a bowl. Nicholas has been lying on the counter, his cheek against the cold surface while he sits in one of the tall chairs surrounding your island. The clang of the lid seems to shake him and he straightens up then stares at you suddenly with a newfound focus. You start to think there’s some dirt on your face.

“You’re so pretty with your hair like that.” he notes, as if it just occurred to him. You almost spill the soup in your hands as you process the random compliment. You don’t think much of it though, because this is how you wore your hair almost every day so it was definitely some unconscious thought fuelled by that wretched cocktail.

“Eat up.” you instruct, putting the steaming bowl in front of him. He grins at it, as if it was his first born child. You make a mental note to never bring alcohol in the house.

“Thanks!” he says happily but instead of digging in, he starts to pat his pockets.

“What are you looking for?” you ask, sure you were going to have to solve this one.

“My phone,” he says, searching his pockets to no avail. “but I can’t find it.”

You sigh heavily and reach to your right, picking up the device and holding it out to Nicholas. It had been sitting on the counter the whole time, but how could you expect his drunk ass to see it?

“Ah! Great.” he says and takes it, holding it up to the bowl. “I have to take a picture, my cute wifey made me a meal.” he giggles. You want to scowl at the new nickname but the goofy way he says it makes it hard for you to fight a smile trying to break through.

“Watch it or it might be the last meal I make for you.” you warn, no force behind your words.

You let him eat, just relieved that he’s not saying any more weird things. His battery had run out a while ago so he hadn’t been so bad when he was just resting on the counter. You were already thinking ahead about how you were going to get him to sleep. Drunk people tended to get sleepy after a while so why hadn’t he yet?

The conundrum bothers you while Nicholas finishes eating.

“Are you ready to go to bed?” you test the waters tentatively.

“Nah, I’m not sleepy,” he says while a yawn follows.

“Oh thank god.” you sigh in relief at the yawn. His brain might be saying he’s not sleepy but his body sure was; you just had to wait for his brain to catch up.

“What?” he asks.

“Nothing.” you say quickly. “Well, let’s get you to your room, I won’t make you sleep.” you lie.

It’s barely a trek to his room but you definitely struggle through the hallway because Nicholas for some reason thinks that he’s the size of a tiny lap dog and you practically carry him to bed. You almost manhandle him to lie down, his body falling limp onto the mattress and you pull the blanket over him before he gets any ideas of getting up.

“Hang on a sec,” you tell him, going to get the water, painkillers and a bowl in case any of the iced tea or stew makes a reappearance. “Alright, do you need anything before I go?” you ask.

“There is one thing,” he says after a moment. “come closer.” he says quietly. You worry he might try to snuggle you to death but you indulge him, perching on the edge of his bed. You lean closer, listening. Nicholas looks up at you. “I have to play Mario Kart right now, YN. It’s life or death.” he pleads.

You straighten up immediately, your blood pressure wavering.

“Oh, it’s life or death, alright.” you mutter. “Might kill your dumb ass if I ever catch you drinking again.”

That seems to change his mind pretty quickly and you can almost see his non-existent tail curl between his legs.

“Alright, if you need anything, just shout, I’ll leave the doors open.” you tell him. “Goodnight.” you start to get up but he catches your hand before you can step away.

You’re surprised and think he must have thought of something so you turn, watching him expectantly.

“Don’t go.” he says in a small voice. It was possibly one of the lowest decibels you had ever heard him talk at.

“Why? Don’t you want to sleep?”

“I don’t want to be alone.” he admits quietly. His voice makes something lurch in your chest. You gulp, considering his request.

“Okay, I’ll stay until you fall asleep.” you promise, sitting back down.

Nicholas nods and cozies up in his blanket, still not letting go of your hand.

You watch him for a moment; his eyes are closed and his chest is falling and rising steadily as if he’s already asleep but you know better from the python grip of his hand around yours. There’s something peaceful though in his expression despite that, the same tranquillity that had made you hesitate before waking him up some time ago.

His words echo in your mind and for a second you let your heart break a little because you knew that you were luckier - you had Maki, but Nicholas was the only heir in his family. You were older but you didn’t exactly remember a time that you didn’t have Maki in your life. You wondered what it was like to grow up alone, missing the presence of a sibling.

After a few minutes, Nicholas seems to drift off, his hand loosening but still wrapped around yours. You want to untangle yourself and go but you worry about waking him, so you slide to the floor and sit against the side of the bed instead, predicting that he’d move around in his sleep and you best avoid that or he could wake up from that too.

What you don’t expect is that you drift off too.

You wake up in the middle of the night for a second but it’s only to shift around, your brain not registering that you’re sleeping on the floor in someone else’s room.

The next time you wake up is in the morning, you can tell by the light in the room, but you’re no longer on the floor. You’re lying in a bed, a blanket thrown over you that you’d been snuggling into. You inhale the smell of the pillow and blanket you’re cocooned in and your eyes snap open.

You forgot this wasn’t your bed.

You flail about with desperation as you sit up and notice that beside you and the cute wolf plushie positioned next to your pillow like a guard dog, Nicholas’ bed is missing its Nicholas. You glance at the clock on the bedside table and do a double take; it’s around eight, on a weekend, and Nicholas was already out of bed?

“Did the sun rise in the west?” you wonder out loud, flicking off the blanket and getting up.

When you open the door of his room and pad into the hallway, you can already hear the distant clattering around in the kitchen. You smooth a hand through your hair and make your way there.

If it wasn’t for the time of day, the image you were seeing wouldn’t be out of the ordinary; Nicholas did spend time in the kitchen cooking too, knowing his way around confidently. Yet, what you were seeing makes you suspicious.

Nicholas notices you coming and gives you a sheepish greeting.

“Morning, you hungry?” he asks.

“Uh,” you let your brain buffer. It felt like a trick question. “I guess.”

“Good, I made breakfast.” he turns back to put the finishing touches on the meal while you sit down at the counter, hesitatingly.

On closer inspection, he does seem hungover - his movements are a little slow and his slouch is visible unlike his usually good posture, but otherwise, there’s no sign of last night’s drunken Nico.

You’re presented with a cup of coffee from your machine, just the way you like it, then a plate of fruit cut up and arranged neatly and finally a pretty large stack of pancakes with a little chocolate sauce that spells out ‘sorry :(’.

“I really am sorry.” Nicholas adds for good measure, twiddling his thumbs opposite you at the counter.

You can’t help but smile at the pancakes a little because they really were cute.

“You’re forgiven.” you say. “Just please never consume alcohol ever again, thanks.”

“You got it.” he promises.

more memes!!! chapter 4 edition <3

A/N: thanks for reading, feedback is always appreciated <3 yn finally met the fire brigade! yes i know i didn’t write in taki and harua, that was deliberate, it’s not that i don’t love the babies, it just doesn’t make sense for them to be in this chapter haha, they will appear, i promise. also the vinegar thing is true - it’s good for getting rid of smells, just fyi.

#&team #andteam #&team nicholas #wang yixiang #nicholas x reader #&team x reader #&team fics #&team imagines #&team scenarios #momobani.writes

52 notes · View notes

dailylulururidoodles · 1 year

Text

Some months old Lulu doodles based off me learning tri-brigade lyrilusc, ft Yuma since you play some Utopias with the deck and also it was Yuma day yesterday

#yugioh arc v #ygo arc v #arc v #lulu obsidian #ruri kurosaki #Yugioh zexal #ygo zexal #zexal #yuma tsukumo #also astral but you have to really look #also red pikmin cause my brother found my sketchbook #the kattobirdos

15 notes · View notes

sailormoonandme · 1 year

Text

Mamoru is NOT useless in the Anime Part Tri: Power & Worth

Last time we compared Anime and Manga Mamoru's power levels in order to dissect the idea that anime Mamoru, in being less powerful than Usagi is unworthy of being her romantic partner.

However, there was a lot more I wanted to unpack from this particular idea the 'Mamoru is useless' brigade are prone to pushing. Specifically on the very notion of linking power to worthiness.

Power Creep

This is one of my shorter points but, its seems rather insane to suggest that Mamoru needs to be of a minimal power level to be worthy of Usagi.

Usagi in both versions is at least functionally the most powerful entity in the known universe. Even if we go arc by arc, she is almost always the most powerful person on the good guys team. The time period before she obtained the Silver Crystal was only time when the gap in power between herself and the other Senshi was in any way close, and even then it depended on who you were talking about. Mercury was clearly weaker than Usagi, her attack was a glorified smokescreen. Was she unworthy of Usagi's friendship? Were Makoto and Rei the MOST worthy of Usagi's friendship because they were the most powerful Senshi?

Did they all become progressively less worthy of her time and affection as Usagi steadily grew ever more powerful across the series? In Crystal Tokyo, when Usagi could transform the barren frozen Earth into a glittering utopia, did she have 0 friends because she was now just THAT powerful?

Was Star Serious Laser just so powerful that it meant Seiya ranked highest of all for Usagi's affections? After all, I do not see anyone arguing that Seiya was not powerful enough to be worthy of Usagi's love...almost like there is a double standard in play...

And how demeaning of Neo-Queen Serenity, who was so powerful she could terraform a lifeless planet Earth into a glittering utopia, to allow the now incalculably weaker King Endymion to have sex with her and thereby conceive Chibi-Usa.

Or...does this work by you simply have to be of a minimal power level and then you can be worthy of Usagi no matter how powerful she gets?

Please enlighten me fellow Moonies?

Power DOES NOT = Worthiness

Finally...isnt it just plain old reductive to equate power with worthiness?

Sailor moon is a super hero at the end of the day, so let's look at examples from other superhero fiction. In fact, lets look at the most famous example within the genre.

Superman is by far and away the most famous (though not necesarilly popular) of all superheroes across the globe. Superman can fly, has super streangth, super speed, enhanced durability, heat vision, x-ray vision and sometimes can freeze stuff with his breath. And whilst the exact degree of all of those abilities has varied (originally he was stronger than ten men, later he could pull multiple planets at the same time) he has always been mindbogglingly more powerful than even the most elite of human athletes.

And who has he frequently been paired up with from the past 85 years?

Oh, that's right. A human woman, Lois Lane. She might be extraordinary in her own way, but she isn't going to be bench-pressing a tank anytime soon.

Ah, but there are those who reject the most famous superhero couple in pop culture for that very reason, arguing that Superman should instead be with someone who is powerful in their own right like he is. Someone like, say, Wonder Woman?

The problem here being that...well...Wonder Woman is almost always weaker than Superman. By a WIDE margin. At the end of the day, she is incredibly strong but her strength has limits whilst Superman's are in fact dependant upon circumstances. If he absorbes enough yellow sunlight he is functionally limitless in how powerful he can become. So...is Wonder Woman unworthy of Superman too?

Regardless, let's instead turn our attentions to something more comparable to Sailor Moon.

In Dragon Ball Z the Goku and Vegeta and Gohan can annihilate whole Solar Systems but Mary human women, falling for them because of their strong, wilful and aggressive personalities.

In Yu Yu Hakusho, written by Naoko Takeuchi's husband, the main character is a demonic prince basically and falls for a normal human.

How about all the boxers, MMA fighters, wrestlers and action movie stars who marry people who are not in those kinds of professions, people who are physically weaker than them?

All of them unworthy too?

Power DOES NOT = Worthiness, regardless of gender

Ah, but these are all where the man is more powerful. But...if we argue that the situation is different in the reverse...isn't that just a classic (say it with me folks) double standard?

Are we to seriously entertain the rather backwards argument that a man is not worthy of a woman's affection if they are weaker than her?

If so let's look at some other examples.

She Hulk has dated normal humans Wyatt Wingfoot and John Jameson.

Carol Danvers has the power of a star and has fallen in love with War Machinw, who is a man with high tech armour nowhere close to that power level.

Jean Grey has been more powerful than her lovers Cyclops and Wolverine since even before she became the Phoenix, a cosmic entity so powerful it consumes stars for energy.

Wonder Woman has the power of the Greek Gods and her frequent lover, and in her original canon husband, was a regular human soldier.

In Cutey Honey F, the magical girl reboot of the classic 70s anime that helped inspire Sailor Moon, Honey can annihilate and create anything she can want. She is in love with a demonic prince, but ultimately marries a normal man and private eye who always had her back despite being put of this depth with the threats they faced.

And what about all the women in real life who have married, or remained married to men with disabilities? Men who by any metric are physically weaker than their wives? For example, all the women that married or remained married to soldiers who were horribly injured during either World War? Or, any of the wives of Stephen Hawkins, with even his first wife aware of his illness.

All of which is to say...maybe Mamo is worthy of Usagi's love regardless of him being less powerful than her.

Conclusion

Mamoru in the anime...

Is.

Not.

Useless.

Please.

For.

The.

Love.

Of.

<insert whatever/whomever you worship here>.

Fucking.

Stop.

Claiming.

He.

Is.

#mamoru chiba #chiba mamoru #tuxedo mask #tuxedo kamen #sailor moon #pretty soldier sailor moon #bishojo senshi sailor moon #naoko takeuchi #usagi tsukino #tsukino usagi

19 notes · View notes

cyberpunkidol · 1 year

Text

As the Cyberpunk Idol's influence grew, so did the resistance against the established order. Megacorporations, threatened by the rising tide of change, unleashed their cybernetic enforcers to silence the movement. But the Byte Brigade remained undeterred, rallying behind their idol's vision of a cyberpunk utopia.

13 notes · View notes

dailyanarchistposts · 6 months

Text

Bibliography

Emily Achtenberg, “Community Organizing and Rebellion: Neighborhood Councils in El Alto, Bolivia,” Progressive Planning, No.172, Summer 2007.

Ackelsberg, Martha A., Free Women of Spain: Anarchism and the Struggle for the Emancipation of Women, Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1991.

William M. Adams and David M. Anderson, “Irrigation Before Development: Indigenous and Induced Change in Agricultural Water Management in East Africa,” African Affairs, 1998.

AFL-CIO “Facts About Worker Safety and Health 2007.” www.aflcio.org [viewed January 19, 2008]

Gemma Aguilar, “Els Okupes Fan la Feina que Oblida el Districte,” Avui, Saturday, December 15, 2007.

Michael Albert, Parecon: Life After Capitalism, New York: Verso, 2003

Michael Albert, “Argentine Self Management,” ZNet, November 3, 2005.

Anyonymous, “Longo Maï,” Buiten de Orde, Summer 2008.

Anonymous, “Pirate Utopias,” Do or Die, No. 8, 1999.

Anonymous, “The ‘Oka Crisis’ ” Decentralized publication and distribution, no date or other publishing information included.

Anonymous, “You Cannot Kill Us, We Are Already Dead.” Algeria’s Ongoing Popular Uprising, St. Louis: One Thousand Emotions, 2006.

Stephen Arthur, “‘Where License Reigns With All Impunity:’ An Anarchist Study of the Rotinonshón:ni Polity,” Northeastern Anarchist, No.12, Winter 2007. nefac.net

Paul Avrich, The Russian Anarchists, Oakland: AK Press, 2005.

Paul Avrich, The Modern School Movement: Anarchism and Education in the United States, Oakland: AK Press, 2005.

Roland H. Bainton, “Thomas Müntzer, Revolutionary Firebrand of the Reformation.” The Sixteenth Century Journal 13.2 (1982): 3–16

Jan Martin Bang, Ecovillages: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Communities. Edinburgh: Floris Books, 2005.

Harold Barclay, People Without Government: An Anthropology of Anarchy, London: Kahn and Averill, 1982.

David Barstow, “U.S. Rarely Seeks Charges for Deaths in Workplace,” New York Times, December 22, 2003.

Eliezer Ben-Rafael, Crisis and Transformation: The Kibbutz at Century’s End, Albany: State University of New York Press, 1997.

Jamie Bissonette, When the Prisoners Ran Walpole: A True Story in the Movement for Prison Abolition, Cambridge: South End Press, 2008.

Christopher Boehm, “Egalitarian Behavior and Reverse Dominance Hierarchy,” Current Anthropology, Vol. 34, No. 3, June 1993.

Dmitri M. Bondarenko and Andrey V. Korotayev, Civilizational Models of Politogenesis, Moscow: Russian Academy of Sciences, 2000.

Franz Borkenau, The Spanish Cockpit, London: Faber and Faber, 1937.

Thomas A. Brady, Jr. & H.C. Erik Midelfort, The Revolution of 1525: The German Peasants’ War From a New Perspective. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1981.

Jeremy Brecher, Strike! Revised Edition. Boston: South End Press, 1997.

Stuart Christie, We, the Anarchists! A study of the Iberian Anarchist Federation (FAI) 1927–1937, Hastings, UK: The Meltzer Press, 2000.

CIPO-RFM website, “Our Story,” www.nodo50.org [viewed November 6, 2006]

Eddie Conlon, The Spanish Civil War: Anarchism in Action, Workers’ Solidarity Movement of Ireland, 2nd edition, 1993.

CrimethInc., “The Really Really Free Market: Instituting the Gift Economy,” Rolling Thunder, No. 4, Spring 2007.

The Curious George Brigade, Anarchy In the Age of Dinosaurs, CrimethInc. 2003.

Diana Denham and C.A.S.A. Collective (eds.), Teaching Rebellion: Stories from the Grassroots Mobilization in Oaxaca, Oakland: PM Press, 2008.

Robert K. Dentan, The Semai: A Nonviolent People of Malaya. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1979.

Jared Diamond, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, New York, Viking, 2005.

Dissent! Network “The VAAAG: A Collective Experience of Self-Organization,” www.daysofdissent.org.uk [viewed January 26, 2007]

Sam Dolgoff, The Anarchist Collectives, New York: Free Life Editions, 1974.

George R. Edison, MD, “The Drug Laws: Are They Effective and Safe?” The Journal of the American Medial Association. Vol. 239 No.24, June 16, 1978.

Martyn Everett, War and Revolution: The Hungarian Anarchist Movement in World War I and the Budapest Commune (1919), London: Kate Sharpley Library, 2006.

Patrick Fleuret, “The Social Organization of Water Control in the Taita Hills, Kenya,” American Ethnologist, Vol. 12, 1985.

Heather C. Flores, Food Not Lawns: How To Turn Your Yard Into A Garden And Your Neighborhood Into A Community, Chelsea Green, 2006.

The Freecycle Network, “About Freecycle,” www.freecycle.org [viewed January 19 2008].

Peter Gelderloos, Consensus: A New Handbook for Grassroots Social, Political, and Environmental Groups, Tucson: See Sharp Press, 2006.

Peter Gelderloos and Patrick Lincoln, World Behind Bars: The Expansion of the American Prison Sell, Harrisonburg, Virginia: Signalfire Press, 2005.

Malcolm Gladwell, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2002.

Amy Goodman, “Louisiana Official: Federal Gov’t Abandoned New Orleans,” Democracy Now!, September 7, 2005.

Amy Goodman, “Lakota Indians Declare Sovereignty from US Government,” Democracy Now!, December 26, 2007.

Natasha Gordon and Paul Chatterton, Taking Back Control: A Journey through Argentina’s Popular Uprising, Leeds (UK): University of Leeds, 2004.

Uri Gordon, Anarchy Alive! Anti-authoritarian Politics from Practice to Theory, London: Pluto Press, 2008.

David Graeber, Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology, Chicago: Prickly Paradigm Press, 2004.

David Graeber, “The Shock of Victory,” Rolling Thunder no. 5, Spring 2008.

Evan Henshaw-Plath, “The People’s Assemblies in Argentina,” ZNet, March 8, 2002.

Neille Ilel, “A Healthy Dose of Anarchy: After Katrina, nontraditional, decentralized relief steps in where big government and big charity failed,” Reason Magazine, December 2006.

Inter-Press Service, “Cuba: Rise of Urban Agriculture,” February 13, 2005.

Interview with Marcello, “Criticisms of the MST,” February 17, 2009, Barcelona.

Derrick Jensen, A Language Older Than Words, White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2000.

John Jordan and Jennifer Whitney, Que Se Vayan Todos: Argentina’s Popular Rebellion, Montreal: Kersplebedeb, 2003.

Michael J. Jordan, “Sex Charges haunt UN forces,” Christian Science Monitor, November 26, 2004.

George Katsiaficas, The Subversion of Politics: European Autonomous Social Movements and the Decolonization of Everyday Life. Oakland: AK Press, 2006.

George Katsiaficas, “Comparing the Paris Commune and the Kwangju Uprising,” www.eroseffect.com [viewed May 8, 2008]

Lawrence H. Keeley, War Before Civilization. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Roger M. Keesing, Andrew J. Strathern, Cultural Anthropology: A Contemporary Perspective, 3rd Edition, New York: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1998.

Graham Kemp and Douglas P. Fry (eds.), Keeping the Peace: Conflict Resolution and Peaceful Societies around the World, New York: Routledge, 2004.

Elli King, ed., Listen: The Story of the People at Taku Wakan Tipi and the Reroute of Highway 55, or, The Minnehaha Free State, Tucson, AZ: Feral Press, 1996.

Aaron Kinney, “Hurricane Horror Stories,” Salon.com October 24, 2005.

Peter Kropotkin, Fields, Factories and Workshops Tomorrow, London: Freedom Press, 1974.

Wolfi Landstreicher, “Autonomous Self-Organization and Anarchist Intervention,” Anarchy: a Journal of Desire Armed. No. 58 (Fall/Winter 2004–5), p. 56

Gaston Leval, Collectives in the Spanish Revolution, London: Freedom Press, 1975 (translated from the French by Vernon Richards).

A.W. MacLeod, Recidivism: a Deficiency Disease, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1965.

Alan MacSimoin, “The Korean Anarchist Movement,” a talk in Dublin, September 1991.

Sam Mbah and I.E. Igariway, African Anarchism: The History of a Movement, Tucson: See Sharp Press, 1997.

The Middle East Media Research Institute, “Algerian Berber Dissidents Promote Programs for Secularism and Democracy in Algeria,” Special Dispatch Series No. 1308, October 6, 2006, memri.org

George Mikes, The Hungarian Revolution, London: Andre Deutsch, 1957.

Cahal Milmo, “On the Barricades: Trouble in a Hippie Paradise,” The Independent, May 31, 2007.

Bonnie Anna Nardi, “Modes of Explanation in Anthropological Population Theory: Biological Determinism vs. Self-Regulation in Studies of Population Growth in Third World Countries,” American Anthropologist, vol. 83, 1981.

Nathaniel C. Nash, “Oil Companies Face Boycott Over Sinking of Rig,” The New York Times, June 17, 1995.

Oscar Olivera, Cochabamba! Water Rebellion in Bolivia, Cambridge: South End Press, 2004.

George Orwell, Homage to Catalonia, London: Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd., 1938.

Oxfam America, “Havana’s Green Revelation,” www.oxfamamerica.org [viewed December 5, 2005]

Philly’s Pissed, www.phillyspissed.net [viewed May 20, 2008]

Daryl M. Plunk, “South Korea’s Kwangju Incident Revisited,” The Heritage Foundation, No. 35, September 16, 1985.

Rappaport, R.A. (1968), Pigs for the Ancestors: Ritual in the Ecology of a New Guinea People. New Haven: Yale University Press.

RARA, Revolutionaire Anti-Racistische Actie Communiqués van 1990–1993. Gent: 2004.

Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan “About RAWA,” www.rawa.org Viewed June 22, 2007

James C. Scott, Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1998.

James C. Scott, “Civilizations Can’t Climb Hills: A Political History of Statelessness in Southeast Asia,” lecture at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, February 2, 2005.

Jaime Semprun, Apología por la Insurrección Argelina, Bilbao: Muturreko Burutazioak, 2002 (translated from French to Spanish by Javier Rodriguez Hidalgo).

Nirmal Sengupta, Managing Common Property: Irrigation in India and The Philippines, New Delhi: Sage, 1991.

Carmen Sirianni, “Workers Control in the Era of World War I: A Comparative Analysis of the European Experience,” Theory and Society, Vol. 9, 1980.

Alexandre Skirda, Nestor Makhno, Anarchy’s Cossack: The Struggle for Free Soviets in the Ukraine 1917–1921, London: AK Press, 2005.

Eric Alden Smith, Mark Wishnie, “Conservation and Subsistence in Small-Scale Societies,” Annual Review of Anthropology, Vol. 29, 2000, pp. 493–524.

“Solidarity with the Communities of CIPO-RFM in Oaxaca,” Presentation at the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair, Montreal, May 21, 2006.

Georges Sossenko, “Return to the Spanish Civil War,” Presentation at the Montreal Anarchist Bookfair, Montreal, May 21, 2006.

Jac Smit, Annu Ratta and Joe Nasr, Urban Agriculture: Food, Jobs and Sustainable Cities, UNDP, Habitat II Series, 1996.

Melford E. Spiro, Kibbutz: Venture in Utopia, New York: Schocken Books, 1963.

“The Stonehenge Free Festivals, 1972–1985.” www.ukrockfestivals.com [viewed May 8, 2008].

Dennis Sullivan and Larry Tifft, Restorative Justice: Healing the Foundations of Our Everyday Lives, Monsey, NY: Willow Tree Press, 2001.

Joy Thacker, Whiteway Colony: The Social History of a Tolstoyan Community, Whiteway, 1993.

Colin Turnbull, The Mbuti Pygmies: Change and Adaptation. Philadelphia: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1983.

Marcele Valente, “The Rise and Fall of the Great Bartering Network in Argentina.” Inter-Press Service, November 6, 2002.

Judith Van Allen “‘Sitting On a Man’: Colonialism and the Lost Political Institutions of Igbo Women.” Canadian Journal of African Studies. Vol. ii, 1972. 211–219.

Johan M.G. van der Dennen, “Ritualized ‘Primitive’ Warfare and Rituals in War: Phenocopy, Homology, or...?” rechten.eldoc.ub.rug.nl

H. Van Der Linden, “Een nieuwe overheidsinstelling: het waterschap circa 1100–1400” in D.P. Blok, Algemene Geschiednis der Nederlanden, deel III. Haarlem: Fibula van Dishoeck, 1982, pp. 60–76

Wikipedia, “Asamblea Popular de los Pueblos de Oaxaca,” en.wikipedia.org /wiki/APPO [viewed November 6, 2006]

Wikipedia, “The Freecycle Network,” en.wikipedia.org [viewed January 19, 2008]

Wikipedia, “Gwangju massacre,” en.wikipedia.org [viewed November 3, 2006]

Wikipedia, “The Iroquois League,” en.wikipedia.org [viewed June 22, 2007]

William Foote Whyte and Kathleen King Whyte, Making Mondragon: The Growth and Dynamics of the Worker Cooperative Complex, Ithaca, New York: ILR Press, 1988.

Kristian Williams, Our Enemies in Blue. Brooklyn: Soft Skull Press, 2004.

Peter Lamborn Wilson, Pirate Utopias, Brooklyn: Autonomedia, 2003.

Daria Zelenova, “Anti-Eviction Struggle of the Squatters Communities in Contemporary South Africa,” paper presented at the conference “Hierarchy and Power in the History of Civilizations,” at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, June 2009.

Howard Zinn, A People’s History of the United States. New York: Perrenial Classics Edition, 1999.

5 notes · View notes

ygo-monster-type-tournament · 1 year

Text

By the way, here's the full bracket in text form. I haven't finished the images yet because the way i'm doing it takes a while but looks really cool (it's got rainbow!)

BRACKET A

Shinobird vs. P.U.N.K. vs. Impcantation

Noble Knight vs. Infinitrack vs. World Legacy

Chemicritter vs. Fire Fist vs. Kuriboh

Mikanko vs. Guardian vs. Tachyon

Black Luster Soldier vs. Blaze Fiend vs. Icejade

Hole vs. Crystron vs. Cat (Rush Duel)

Shaddoll vs. S-Force vs. Mekk-Knight

Scrap vs. Digital Bug vs. Drone

Bujin vs. Nimble vs. Tri-Brigade

Beast Gear vs. Charmer vs. Nemeses

Subterror vs. PSY-Frame vs. Orcust

Therion vs. Nordic vs. Branded

The Weather vs. Gorgonic vs. Mythical Beast

Neo-Spacian vs. Predaplant vs. Traptrix

Fire Formation vs. Bystial vs. Kashtira

Dark Magician vs. Mathmech vs. Majestic

⁂

BRACKET B

Madolche vs. Mannadium vs. Skiel

Number vs. Tindangle vs. Crusadia

Numeron vs. Jinzo vs. Live☆Twin

Speedroid vs. Jointech vs. Mayakashi

Dragonmaid vs. Poker Knight vs. Tron

Flamvell vs. Entity vs. Zefra

Ritual Beast vs. The Agent vs. Appliancer

Arcana Force vs. Dark Scorpion vs. Yang Zing

Vernusylph vs. Timelord vs. Evil Eye

Rokket vs. Ogdoadic vs. Umbral Horror

Sky Striker vs. Triamid vs. Aquaactress

Crystal Beast vs. Unchained vs. Voidvelgr

Kaiju vs. Virtual World vs. Synchro Dragon

Heraldic Beast vs. Chrysalis vs. Yubel

/Assault Mode vs. Battlewasp vs. Ghoti

Malefic vs. Fortune Fairy vs. Endymion

⁂

BRACKET C

Blue-Eyes vs. Inzektor vs. Mist Valley

Gravekeeper’s vs. Star Seraph vs. Sunavalon

Evil★Twin vs. Fossil vs. Despia

Code Talker vs. Malicevorous vs. Meklord

Beetrooper vs. Purrely vs. Generaider

Dragon Ruler vs. Iron Chain vs. Genex

Sportsdragon vs. Ancient Gear vs. Aesir

Gaia vs. Constructor vs. Armed Dragon

G Golem vs. B.E.S. vs. Excutie

Music Princess vs. Dark World vs. T.G.

Krawler vs. Prophecy vs. The☆

Batteryman vs. Magistus vs. Thunder Dragon

Magical Musket vs. Strike Dragon vs. A.I.

Swordsoul vs. Talismanic vs. Ojama

Majespecter vs. Vision HERO vs. CAN:D

Infernity vs. Void vs. Volcanic

⁂

BRACKET D

High Tech Dragon vs. Gunkan vs. Gagaga

Megalith vs. Sushi Fairy vs. Anti

Ninja vs. Earthbound vs. Gladiator Beast

Frightfur vs. Archfiend vs. Synchron

Dinomist vs. Ursarctic vs. Gouki

D/D vs. Helixx vs. Raidraptor

Witchcrafter vs. Gold Pride vs. D-Scale

Gimmick Puppet vs. Cloudian vs. Mermail

War Rock vs. Utopia vs. Armatos Legio

Drytron vs. Gandora vs. Infernoid

Steelswarm vs. Battleguard vs. Superheavy Samurai

Blackwing vs. Smile vs. Cyber Dragon

True King vs. Cyberdark vs. Alien

Magician Girl vs. Koa’ki Meiru vs. Performapal

Parshath vs. Galactica vs. Vylon

Cubic vs. Fairy Tail vs. Reptilianne

⁂

BRACKET E

Galaxy vs. White vs. Skysavior

Thorn Prisoner vs. Supreme King vs. SPYRAL

Burning Abyss vs. U.A. vs. Melffy

Phantom Knights vs. Simorgh vs. Red-Eyes

Destiny HERO vs. Mokey Mokey vs. Evilswarm

Fusion Dragon vs. Zubaba vs. Frog

Clear vs. Adamancipator vs. Fire King

Dogmatika vs. Jersey vs. Duston

Floowandereeze vs. Valkyrie vs. Abyss Actor

Prediction Princess vs. Magikey vs. Six Samurai

Wind-Up vs. Danger! vs. Lightsworn

Gishki vs. Xyz Dragon vs. Vanquish Soul

Altergeist vs. Machina vs. Springans

Spellbook vs. Magnum Overlord vs. Nekroz

Herald vs. Arts Angel vs. Rikka

Evolsaur vs. Performage vs. Cynet

⁂

BRACKET F

Eldlitch vs. Ancient Warriors vs. Penguin

F.A. vs. Codebreaker vs. Kozmo

Evil HERO vs. Topologic vs. Qliphort

Igknight vs. Vampire vs. Dark Contract

Dracoslayer vs. Shiranui vs. Fur Hire

Dododo vs. Kairyu-Shin vs. Toon

Fortune Lady vs. Jurrac vs. Amorphage

Melodious vs. Amazement vs. Thunderbeetle

Evolzar vs. Pendulum Dragon vs. Ice Barrier

Gem-Knight vs. Ewekai vs. Djinn

Gusto vs. Starry Knight vs. Tearlaments

Sevens Road vs. Odd-Eyes vs. Zoodiac

Exodia vs. Super Quant vs. Karakuri

Nemleria vs. Monarch vs. Lyrilusc

Scareclaw vs. Nephthys vs. Salamangreat

Hazy Flame vs. Dracoverlord vs. Vaylantz

⁂

BRACKET G

Plunder Patroll vs. Warrior vs. Butterspy

Libromancer vs. Harpie vs. Runick

Evoltile vs. Symphonic Warrior vs. Gadget

Borrel vs. True Draco vs. Dinowrestler

Morphtronic vs. Prank-Kids vs. Laval

Atlantean vs. Materiactor vs. Dinomorphia

Hieratic vs. Myutant vs. Darklord

Cyber Angel vs. Gizmek vs. Labyrinth

Heroic vs. Phantom Beast vs. Edge Imp

Granel vs. Artifact vs. Constellar

Elemental HERO vs. Goyo vs. Ally of Justice

Watt vs. Knightmare vs. Marincess

Sylvan vs. Elementsaber vs. Photon

Ghostrick vs. Vendread vs. Buster Blader

Aroma vs. Wisel vs. Mirror Imagine

Worm vs. Amazoness vs. Yosenju

⁂

BRACKET H

Metalfoes vs. Flower Cardian vs. Ultimate Flag

Royal Rebel’s vs. Solfachord vs. Dragunity

Rose Dragon vs. New Order vs. Exosister

C vs. Windwitch vs. Spright

Dream Mirror vs. Transamu vs. Metaphys

Naturia vs. Graydle vs. Venom

@Ignister vs. Battlin’ Boxer vs. Lunalight

Junk vs. Time Thief vs. Rescue-ACE

Chronomaly vs. Destruction Sword vs. Phantasm Spiral

Masked HERO vs. Tenyi vs. Tellarknight

Trickstar vs. Gogogo vs. Attraction

Cipher vs. Vehicroid vs. Deskbot

Invoked vs. Elemental Lord vs. X-Saber

Resonator vs. Stardust vs. Fabled

Geargia vs. ZW - vs. Fluffal

Pendulum Magician vs. Shadow Flower vs. Paleozoic

#yugioh #yugioh archetype tournament

9 notes · View notes

elriel-is-real · 1 year

Text

Pathologic (aka Mor: Utopia, Wen Yi) is a video game published in 2005 on Windows by Brigades, Buka Entertainment, G2 Games. It's an adventure game, set in a detective / mystery, fantasy, real-time, survival horror, vampires, rpg elements and survival themes.

elriel is real

5 notes · View notes

eclecticdabbler · 1 year

Video

youtube

Can King Charles 3rd's Monarchy Survive the Coronation?

Excellent synopsis, by former Royal Chaplain, Dr. Gavin Ashenden.

Perhaps history will remember Charles III as Charles the Last. One thing is certain, there can be no “woke” King, as Progressivism does not build tolerance, rather, it destroys the past that was in an attempt to create a utopia that will never be.

To paraphrase and reinterpret a well known quote from old Rome - “they (the woke brigade) bring their “peace” and leave behind a devastation”.

#youtube

5 notes · View notes

brigade--group · 29 days

Text

The Future of Sustainable Urban Development: Key Trends and Innovations

As urban areas continue to expand and evolve, sustainable development is no longer just a desirable goal—it's an imperative. Sustainable living is the new normal, shaping the future of urban living through key trends and innovations that minimize environmental impact while enhancing the quality of life. Here’s a look at how the future of sustainable urban development is unfolding:

1. Embracing Electric Vehicles

With projections indicating that India will have over 250 million electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030, the shift towards sustainable transportation is accelerating. The integration of EV infrastructure within urban developments is becoming crucial. For instance, at Brigade Cornerstone Utopia, electric vehicle charging ports are seamlessly integrated, encouraging residents to make greener transportation choices and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

2. Urban Green Spaces

Urban forests and green spaces are more than just aesthetic enhancements; they play a critical role in environmental health. Innovative projects are incorporating expansive green areas, such as the six parks at Brigade Cornerstone Utopia, which include medical, sensory, and butterfly gardens. These spaces not only provide recreational benefits but also contribute to ecological balance, improving air quality and fostering biodiversity.

3. Advanced Waste Management Systems

Effective waste management is a cornerstone of sustainable urban living. With cities like Bangalore generating substantial amounts of waste daily, the focus is on maximizing waste segregation and recycling. Brigade Cornerstone Utopia exemplifies this with infrastructure designed to ensure that organic waste is converted into useful resources like manure and biogas, reducing landfill dependence and promoting a circular economy.

4. Cutting-Edge Water Recycling

Water scarcity is a pressing issue, and urban developments are increasingly adopting innovative water management solutions. At Brigade Cornerstone Utopia, a high-tech sewage treatment plant and rainwater harvesting systems are employed to recycle and reuse water, minimizing fresh water demand. The integration of smart meters and bio-retention ponds further enhances water conservation efforts, ensuring sustainable water usage.

5. Green Building Certifications

Sustainable living is often validated through certifications, and many projects are now pursuing Green Building Certifications to showcase their commitment to environmental stewardship. Brigade Cornerstone Utopia, among other projects, has achieved this recognition by incorporating green technologies and sustainable practices, setting a benchmark for future urban developments.

6. Interactive Sustainability Features

Engaging residents with sustainability initiatives can drive greater awareness and participation. The interactive wall display at Brigade Cornerstone Utopia, the first of its kind in Bangalore, offers an innovative way to educate and involve the community in green practices and achievements.

As urban landscapes continue to evolve, the integration of these trends and innovations will shape the future of sustainable urban development. By prioritizing eco-friendly practices and advanced technologies, cities can create healthier, more resilient environments for future generations.

#sustainability #living

0 notes

bethanythebogwitch · 4 months

Text

Digimon fanfic chapter 7 draft

Link to published chapters on Ao3

Andrew was feeling exceptionally pleased with himself as the view of the D-Brigade’s mobile command center came into view. Of the seven Cargodramon returning from the excavation site, Andrew and his partner Green were in the one that had the severed claw of Machinedramon strapped to its undercarriage. He didn’t trust anyone else to monitor the artifact they had fought a small war to get. His Cargodramon was surrounded by the others in a formation designed to protect the artifact and himself against attack, though very few Digimon would be foolish enough to attack seven Ultimate-level Digimon even if they weren’t with the famed D-Brigade.

The fleet made touchdown outside of the command center, with the exception of Andrew’s Cardogramon, which hovered in place long enough for the soldiers from the other crafts to unstrap the claw from its undercarriage and carry it out of the way. Andrew finally stepped out and ordered the claw taken to storage and kept under guard. A Sealsdramon approached from the command center.

“The General requests your presence,” it said in its kind’s typical monotone whisper.

“Good, I was just about to go see him,” Andrew responded. “Take me to him.”

The Sealsdramon wordlessly turned and led Andrew not into the mobile command center as he expected, but around it to a cave hidden behind some shrubbery. “The general is within,” it said.

Andrew raised an eyebrow, but he and Green entered the cave to find a mass of machinery and vats of liquid that were being serviced by the D-Brigade’s engineers. General Tankdramon was watching their activity, but turned to face Andrew when he entered the cave.

“It’s done,” Andrew said, smugly. “The data remnant of Machinedramon is ours.”

“Excellent,” responded the General. “Phase one of the stratagem is done. Phase two will be commenced immediately.”

Andrew smiled. He could almost see his utopia, the new world he would make where cruelty, incompetence, and injustice would never be tolerated and everything would work as it should. Soon, nothing would stand in his way, not even his idiot brother and former friend. Daniel had his chance to turn back, but clearly he had chosen otherwise. Though it brought Andrew no joy, he knew that Daniel and Clark had to be eliminated.

“What is all this anyway?” Andrew asked, gesturing toward the machinery that filled the cavern.

“That is why I had you meet me here,” Replied the General. “Seize them and confiscate his Digivice.”

Before Andrew could respond, a metal hand snatched his Digivice off of his belt and shoved him to the ground. Next to him, Green was forced to the ground as well, his arms twisted behind his back by a Sealsdramon.

“What the hell are you doing?” Andrew screamed in rage at his captors. “I am your client! The D-Brigade answers to me!”

“I beg your pardon, but you are not the D-Brigade’s client. I am.”

A new Digimon had entered the cave and Andrew had to twist his head to see it. He had never encountered this species before. It looked like a goat, but stood upright and had large, white hands and a pair of bat-like wings emerging from the shoulders. Something buried deep in Andrew’s neck seemed to respond to its presence, emitting a sickly, warm sensation.

“You mustn't blame the General for deceiving you into believing this whole exercise was your idea,” continued the Digimon. “That was entirely my idea and it took quite a bit of effort on my part to convince him to go along with the plan. He was quite reluctant to form a false contract with you. The D-Brigade do pride themselves on their reputation of loyalty to their clients after all.”

“Who the hell are you?” spat Andrew.

“Ah, of course, how rude of me not to make proper introductions. You may call me Mephistomon, and I am the one who has been pulling your strings, puppet. I needed a human for my plan and the General recommended you from a past adventure. Once you were here, it was a simple matter of implanting you and your partner with my special Dark Spores and allowing them to germinate within you, corrupting you with darkness as the Spores grew in power. Now that you have retrieved the data remnant of Machinedramon I only need to retrieve that which I have given you and your part in all this will be over.”

Mephistomon pulled out a device that looked ominously like an excessively large syringe and stepped over Green. It pushed the type of the syringe into Green's neck, ignoring his jolt of pain. Pulling back the plunger caused a small object to pop into the glass body of Mephistomon’s tool. It was a small ball, no larger than a thumbnail, black in color and covered in spikes. Green grunted in pain, but managed to hold back a scream. His eyes were angry and his teeth bared, but as soon as the object, the Dark Spore, emerged from his neck, Green’s expression changed to one of confusion and horror.

Andrew wasn’t concerned about the state his partner was in. He was too busy being furious. How dare these insects betray me! This was my plan! My victory! I WILL get my revenge!

“I’ll kill all of you,” he said, his voice as cold as ice. “I’ll kill you and when you come back, I’ll kill you again. I’ll make you pay for this.”

“I hardly see how that will be possible,” replied Mephistomon, decidedly unimpressed. The glass body of the tool popped out, revealing itself to be a vial that contained the small, black object. Mephisotom hummed to itself as it placed another empty vial in the syringe and turned to Andrew. “I suggest you hold very still for this. You humans are so very fragile compared to Digimon. If you move too much I could cause quite a bit of damage to your nervous system. And we don’t want you dead quite yet.”

Whatever Andrew wanted to say in response was cut off by the pain of the metal syringe piercing the back of his neck. Ice-cold pain shot down his spine and through his nerves. He forced down a scream of pain. He refused to give his enemies the satisfaction of hearing him scream. But soon he would hear them scream, he would-

Mephistomon pulled back on the plunger and suddenly everything changed. Andrew lost his concentration and let out a yelp of pain as clarity flooded into his mind. The pain lessened as Mephistomon removed the syringe from his neck, but the physical pain was not what hurt Andrew the most. In the moment the Dark Spore was removed Andrew experienced clarity, his mind wiped free of the Spore’s influence. In that moment, Andrew realized what he had become.

I- I’m a monster.

“Two Dark Spores, ready to bloom,” Mephistomon’s voice sounded awed at what he held in his hand. “Exactly what we need for phase two. As for you two,” He looked down at Andrew and Green. “I leave you in the care of the General.”

“Attach them to the machinery,” ordered General Tankdramon. “They will serve as batteries. We will drain the energy produced by the DigiDestined/Digimon bond to Digivolve the troops.”

“Andrew!” yelled Green. As he said then, Andrew’s Digivice, still clutched in the claws of one of the Sealsdramon, began to glow.

Dracomon Digivolve to… Coredramon! Coredramon Digivolve to… Groundramon!

Mephistomon, Tankdramon, and the Sealsdramon were thrown backwards by the explosive growth of Green as part of the cave collapsed. General Tankdramon angrily shoved his way out of a pile of boulders and shouted at the engineers to inspect the Digivolution machine for damage, then turned to the client. Mephistomon was looking at the cave entrance, which was now considerably larger. Just outside of the cave, a massive tunnel had been opened in the ground. The human and his partner were gone.

“My scouts will track them down,” declared. The general, hiding his anger.

“I suggest you do so quickly,” Mephistomon was still maintaining its image of false politeness. “If your forces cannot capture them, kill them. Digivolving the Brigade would be useful, but not necessary for the plan. As for me, I will begin phase two. With both artifacts in our possession and the Dark Spores to fuse them, we will soon be unstoppable.”

Miles away and hours later, Green placed Andrew on the ground and de-Digivolved. He had emerged from the tunnel he dug a while back and moved over land. It would be foolish to give the D-Brigade’s scouts a direct line to them.

“We can’t stay long,” Green said. “I’m too tired to stay Digivolved and they’ll find us if we stay.”

Andrew slumped against a tree, his eyes empty.

“Andrew?”

“Just let them,” he said.

“What are you saying? They’ll kill us or turn us into batteries.”

“I know that!” Android shouted. “Don’t you get it? I don’t deserve to get away! I- I killed so many-” His voice choked off, unable to finish his sentence.

“That wasn’t really you, was it? It was that thing, the Dark Spore. When it was taken out of me, It was like I was suddenly a different person. No, it was like I was back to being me after I changed.”

Andrew shook his head. “Those things I did and thought, they weren’t that different from what I normally think, just way more extreme. Those thoughts, I think they were already inside me. I think the Spore just showed me who I am.”

“I don’t believe that,” shouted Green. “I know you! I know you would never do those things normally. You can’t blame yourself for what happened because that wasn’t you!”

“What about you, what happened to you?” Asked his partner.

Green thought back, and the memories made him shudder. “I just wanted to do what you said no matter what. I didn't care about who I was hurting, just as long as I obeyed you.”

There was a pause before Andrew asked “Do you think you can live knowing that? Because I don’t know if I can live with what I did.”

Green gasped, then his eyes narrowed and he delivered a kick right to Andrew’s shin.

“Ow!” Andrew gasped as the sharp claws on Green’s foot left pinpricks in his skin.

“Don’t say that!” Green yelled. “Don’t ever say that! I won’t let you just lay down and die! I’ll drag you out of here if I have to!”

“As you should.”

Green and Andrew looked up to see that a lion clad in obsidian armor had somehow snuck up on them

Who are you?” Green said as he moved in between Andrew and the visitor.

“My name is JagerLoweemon, and I am here to help.”

---------

Three children walked through the desert, carrying their Digimon partners. Clark was in the lead while Daniel and Keiko followed, whispering to each other and eyeing the older boy.

“I guess I owe you an explanation.” The sound of Clark’s voice startled the other two. It was the first thing he had said since the battle earlier.

Daniel responded first. “Yeah, that would be good.”

“If Tsukaimon were awake she’d say it’s the least you owe us,” Keiko added.

Clark took a deep breath, then began.

“Back when Andrew and I were brought to the Digital World, he got his partner right away, but I didn't. All I got was a Digivice that didn’t do anything. I thought I didn’t belong here and Gennai, er, Benjamin made a mistake bringing me. It wasn’t until we met up with the D-Brigade that I met my partner.” He looked down at the sleeping, bomb-shaped Digimon in his arms.

“Your partner was in the D-Brigade?” Daniel asked.

Clark nodded. “I was surprised too. Commandramon 1G1 was one of the members of the Brigade we were working with. My Digivice activated when we first met, but neither of us were interested in being partners. He couldn’t imagine being loyal to anyone but the Brigade and I… well, I have issues with militaries.”

A familiar scene shot through Clark’s head. One of him and a crowd gazing at a coffin draped in the American flag.

“Did you eventually work things out?” asked Keiko.

“Yeah, eventually, but not before I almost got both of us killed,” Clark said. “I didn’t fit in with our group. Andrew was our leader, he had the partner that could Digivolve. The Brigade did a lot of the heavy lifting. And then there was me, the human with a partner he couldn’t even get along with, let alone Digivolve. So I tried to leave, and Commandramon followed me.”

-------

“What are you doing?”

Clark turned to see Commandramon 1G1, his alleged partner, had spotted him.

“I’m leaving,” he said. “Leave me alone.”

“I can’t do that,” responded Commandramon. “You are under the D-Brigade’s protection. And my partner.”

Clark turned and walked away. Commandramon followed him into the woods. “How long are you going to follow me?” demanded Clark.

“Until you return,” said Commandramon.

“Look, this isn’t working out. We don’t get along. I’m useless. So why not just leave me alone?” The last word practically came out as a shout.

“I don’t think you’re useless.”

Clark snorted. “Andrew’s the leader. He’s the one with a partner he gets along with and can actually Digivolve. I’m just dead weight.”

“Clark-”

“Don’t try to deny it. I can’t do anything helpful. I can’t even-”

“CLARK GET DOWN!”

Clark suddenly found himself being shoved from behind, sending him crashing to the dusty ground of the forest path. He rolled over to see Commandramon on his back, his arms holding open the jaws of a Digimon that looked like a stretched-out red wolf whose legs were covered in belts. Commandramon clearly couldn’t reach for a weapon without the jaws snapping shut on him and his muscles were straining to keep them open.

Clark scrambled to his feet. “Commandramon! W-what do I do?”

Commandramon grunted in exertion, then spoke. “Run back to camp. Get help.”

“I-I can’t just leave you,” Clark protested. He was no fighter, but the boy could tell that Commandramon’s strength would give out before that.

“It’s the only chance! You were ready to leave before, so go now!” Commandramon shouted back. Clark swallowed, then ran past Commandramon and the other Digimon, back in the direction of camp.

He would never make it in time. Commandramon knew this was an unwinnable position, but at least his partner may get to safety before becoming the attacking Fangmon’s next meal. Commandramon closed his eyes.

I hope that in my next life I may prove to be of greater use to the D-Brigade. And maybe, just maybe, I can meet Clark again.

The Fangmon grunted in pain and Commandramon’s eyes shot open. A rock had hit the beast Digimon in the eye. Commandramon looked over to see Clark standing in the forest path, preparing to throw another rock.

“What are you doing?” Demanded Commandramon as fear washed over him.

“I told you I can’t just leave,” said Clark. His voice wavered and he shook, but despite the fear he stood strong and threw the rock.

The rock hit Fangmon and suddenly the pressure on Commandramon’s arms vanished. In a split second, the Fangmon released Commandramon and turned to leap at Clark, its mouth slavering and claws extended. Clark dropped his remaining rock and raised him arms in a futile effort to protect himself as Commandramon screamed “CLARK!”

Commandramon Digivolve to… Sealsdramon!

A metal arm grabbed the Fangmon’s tail and pulled, hurling the Digimon away from Clark. Where Commandramon had stood was a larger dinosaur Digimon, fully encased in metal and with lens-like eyes and a pair of shoulder-mounted knife holsters.

“Commandramon? Is that you?” asked Clark.

Sealsdramon nodded. “It’s Sealsdramon now. You came back for me, now it’s my turn to protect you.” The cyborg Digimon then turned to the Fangmon, who had regained its footing and was snarling at the pair of partners. “I will deal with this.”

The Fangmon roared in challenge, then charged. Sealsdramon drew a knife from one of its twin holsters and ducked under its leap, slashing upwards and leaving a deep cut in Fangmon’s belly. Fangmon howled in pain, but landed on its feet and whirled around to face Sealsdramon again.

“Blast Coffin!” A burst of red energy shot out of Fangmon’s maw. Sealsdramon moved with a swiftness and nimbleness that seemed unfitting for his metal body, dodging around the attack and closing the distance with the wolf.

“Death Behind,” Fangmon’s eyes widened as Sealsdramon leapt onto its back and drove a knife through the base of its head. The wolf Digimon didn’t even have time to make a noise before exploding into raw data and disappearing.

Sealsdramon reverted back to Commandramon as Clark ran over. “I told you, Clark, you aren’t useless. Just like the D-Brigade, we are stronger when we work together.”

“I guess you’re right,” replied Clark. “Man, you took that thing down in no time!”

Commandramon nodded. “Are you ready to return to camp? You have proven you have a place here.”

Clark nodded. “Let’s go.”

----------

“That’s so nice,” said Keiko, “I’m glad you ended up getting along.”

Clark nodded. “It was nice. I could finally help out now that me and Commandramon could work together. We got our crests and everything. Then me, Andrew, our partners, and the D-Brigade attacked Gigadramon’s army. In the end it was me and Andrew and Commandramon and Green versus a souped-up Gigadramon. And we won. Gigadramon was deleted and his army was scattered,” Clark sighed. “And that’s where it went wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Asked Daniel.

Clark’s face fell. “Gennai’s contract with the D-Brigade said they would work with us until Gigadramon was defeated. Once we won, Commandramon had to make a choice. Stay with the D-Brigade or stay with me.”

“That’s horrible!” Gasped Keiko.

“It wasn’t easy for him, but he went back to the Brigade,” said Clark. “The D-Brigade are raised on loyalty to each other. Asking one to leave is like asking a fish to climb a tree. Plus, if Commandramon did leave the Brigade, they probably would have killed him. So in the end, he left me. The Brigade wouldn’t let me stay around, so we went our separate ways. Andrew went back to the human world, but I had nothing for me back there. I convinced Gennai to let me stay here and help him out with stuff.” He paused. “I guess I thought if I stayed here I might get another chance to meet Commandramon. Didn’t really go the way I’d hoped it would.”

“You know what?” Daniel said. “I think it’ll work out. I don’t know why he attacked us, but there was definitely something off about him in that form. Now that you two are together, you can find out what happened and make sure it never does again. Just like how I’m going to get Andrew and Green back. We’ll make it work out.”

Clark started to say something, then stopped and thought for a minute. He finally spoke up. “I was going to say I don’t know if it would work out like that. But I think you might be right. I’ve been alone for too long. I always thought the worst would happen. But now that me and Commandramon are together again, I think you’re right. It will work out if we work for it.”

“That’s the spirit!” Said Daniel, with Keiko nodding along.

“Thanks, guys,’ responded Clark. “Now we have a ways to go and need to get moving. I’m not going soft on you just because of this,” and with that, he increased his pace.

The other two humans groaned, but followed him.

----------

Metal-clad paws pounded against stone and sand as JagerLoweemon ran through the desert, Green and Andrew on his back. They had been moving for hours now, but the lion Digimon showed no signs of stopping or tiring out.

“You’re sure you're taking us to Daniel and Clark?” asked Green once again.

“No,” said JagerLoweemon, “I did not ask their names but this group matches your description and are the only humans in the Digital World that I am aware of.”

“I’m just surprised you’d met them is all. The odds of you meeting them and us is.. I don’t even know.”

“It is not so strange,” replied the lion. “I was searching for ones afflicted with darkness to offer aid. I could sense the presence of darkness in the two of you, but did not dare approach while you remained with the D-Brigade. When the source of darkness, the Dark Spores, were removed from you, I followed your path.”

“If you tracked us, the D-Brigade will definitely be able to track us,” Green realized.

“Indeed. That is one of the reasons I am taking you to the group of DigiDestined I met. You will need their help when the D-Brigade comes for you. The other reason is that one of the humans is going through something very similar to your partner.”

Andrew muttered something indistinct and did not look convinced. Green looked back at his partner sadly for a second. It hurt, not being able to help him. Instead, the little dragon looked forward again and continued the conversation.

“And you know where they are?”

“Not precisely,” admitted JagerLoweemon, “but I know where they are going. The Subroutine Jungle. I am hoping to intercept their path.”

That got Andrew to look up from his brooding. The Subroutine Jungle? Home of Baihumon? What on earth are Daniel and Clark going there for?

JagerLoweemon crested a ridge, then stopped and sniffed the air. He made a satisfied noise. “Luck is on our side. I have the scent of a Dark Spore. They are not far.”

-----

As the sun sunk below the horizon, Clark, Daniel, and Keiko set up camp in a flat clearing between several large peaks and relayed the day’s revelations to their awake but still tired and weak partners. Blue was willing to accept Commandramon as a friend, though Tsukaimon remained wary and kept an eye on the newcomer’s baby form.

“Lay off him, Tsukaimon,” Keiko scolded. “Even if he wanted to hurt us still he can’t exactly do it like this.”

“I don’t think either of us blame her, honestly,” replied Clark. “No offense, Commandramon, but as soon as you can talk again we really do need an explanation.”

Somehow, the three-eyed bomb managed to look sheepish.

The Digimon present suddenly perked up. “Something’s coming,” said Tsukaimon.

“Fast,” added Blue.

Clark swore. “Hide, all of you.”

“Too late, It’s here,” said Blue.

Into the clearing skidded a mass of black and gold metal. Most of the team present reacted in shock at what they saw.

“JagerLoweemon?” “Green?” “Andrew?!”

Green jumped down from JagerLoweemon’s back and gave Andrew’s leg a tug, getting the human to do the same. The two of them stood there awkwardly for a moment, before Green spoke up.

“I, uh, don’t really know what to say,” he admitted, “but we need your help. And… we’re sorry.”

Everyone started talking at once, the questions overlapping into an unintelligible mess of noise. Why are you here, what happened, are you still evil, why are you with them, is this the JagerLoweemon you were talking about…

The din was finally broken by JagerLoweemon roaring, startling everybody into silence.

“I can confirm that the source of darkness within these two is gone,” he said, “Now they need your help. Ask your questions of each other. I will go keep watch. We may have been followed.” With that, JagerLoweemon leapt up, jumping between the peaks surrounding the clearing until he reached the top of the tallest one.

“So it really was a Dark Spore that made you act like that,” Daniel half asked and half exclaimed. “But you’re back now, right? You’re better?”

“Yeah,” Andrew said, his voice weak and shaky, “We’re back. But we aren’t staying.”

“What?” Exclaimed everyone present, including Green.

“What are you talking about, of course we’re staying!” Shouted Green.

“How?” asked Andrew. “How can we stay? After what we did. What I did. I can’t even face Daniel and Clark like this.” Indeed, he couldn’t meet his brother or friend’s eyes.

“But… You’re better now,” Daniel seemed to be trying to convince himself along with his brother. The Andrew that stood before him seemed almost as alien as the one under the Dark Spore’s influence. Andrew was confident and always read to jump in. This one seemed defeated, like a husk of his former self.

“Those things you did, they felt right at the time, didn’t they? Like something you would do normally?”

Andrew looked up in shock at the girl, the one traveling with Daniel and Clark whose name he didn’t know. He hadn’t given her a second thought after seeing her at the Caps Lock Crater, and yet somehow she had just summed up his experience perfectly.

“H-how?” He asked.

“Because I went through the same thing,” she said, much to his shock.

“JagerLoweemon said someone here went through the same thing as us! This must be her!” Green said.

“My name is Keiko,” she said. “My Dark Spore made me arrogant and cruel. It made me think of other people as insects. And it seemed so natural. I was turned into the worst version of myself and I never even noticed. But the important part is that I got better. Heck, I know people who had it way worse than me, and they got better too.

Andrew was tearing up. He managed to choke out one word. “How?”

“I can help you with that,” Keiko said, “but in the end only you can make yourself better.”

“But I’ll help!” Daniel butted in. “I’ll do whatever I can to help you. And Green too.”

“Yeah!” Said Blue, “You got my help!”

“And me,” added Clark.

Andrew dropped to his knees as tears poured down his face. “Thank you,” he choked out. “Thank you all so much.”

Before anyone could say anything else, JagerLoweemon landed in the clearing, having left the peak.

“The D-Brigade is coming, three Cargodramon. I do not know if they know our precise location.”

“Those Cargodramon are probably full of soldiers,” Clark added. “This is bad. Can any of you Digivolve to Ultimate?”

“I can,” said Green. “I’ve had time to rest.”

“We got our asses kicked earlier today,” said Tsukaimon. “I honestly don’t know if I can get there.”

“Then we need to sneak attack them before they can overwhelm us,” Clark stated. “JagerLoweemon, can you help?”

“I will do what I can, but I cannot face three Ultimates on my own,” said the lion.

“Come on, Blue, we have to try, right?” Daniel held out his crest as his partner nodded.

Dracomon Digivolve to… Coredramon! Coredramon Digivolve to… Nope, can’t do it.

Blue collapsed on the ground in his Coredramon form. “Sorry, guys, this is as far as I can go.”

“Here, let me try,” Said Tsukaimon.

Tsukaimon Digivolve to… Oh come on!

Tsukaimon didn’t even manage to get to her Champion form before collapsing.

“You did get beat up worse than me,” Blue tried to assuage Tsukaimon’s frustration. Naturally, it didn’t work.

“Then it is up to the two of us,” said JagerLoweemon.

“I’m not good at fighting flying enemies,” Green added.

“Then I will try to knock them out of the sky.” With that, JagerLoweemon leapt back up to the clifftops.

“Come on, Andrew, I’ll need more space than this to Digivolve.” Green walked out of the clearing and the other humans and Digimon followed him.

The sound of Cargodramon engines were clearly audible by the time Green found enough space to fit his Ultimate level form.

“Alright, Andrew, let’s do this!” Green. Andrew Nodded and held out his crest.

Dracomon Digivolve to… Dracomon!

“Uhh, Green, it didn’t work,” said Blue.

Green looked down at himself to see he had not Digivolved. “Huh? What happened?”

“Andrew,” said Clark, “Your heart’s not in it, is it?”

Andrew was breathing heavily. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I can help. What if we just make things worse?”

From above came the sound of an explosion. With a horrible whining noise, a Cargodramon fell from the sky and crashed somewhere out of sight with a thunderous explosion. Sounds of gunfire started up as the remaining two Cargodramon began firing their miniguns.

“Come on, Andrew!” shouted Green. “JagerLoweemon is up there risking his life for us! We need to help!”

“I know!” Yelled Andrew. “I’m trying but I can’t! I’m- I’m scared!” He started to say something else, but suddenly found Clark’s hand in front of his face. Clutched between his fingers was a crest marked with three interlocking yellow circles.

“Do you remember when we got these?” Clark asked. “Mine is the crest of loyalty. What’s yours?”

“The crest of duty,” answered Andrew.

“That’s right,” said Clark. “You always said you want to make the world a better place. Well, part of that is making up for your mistakes. You got your mind messed with by the Dark Spore, you did awful things. Now pick up after yourself. Make amends.”

“That’s right,” Daniel added. “You’re the one who told me you need to fix your mistakes. I believe in you, Andrew.”

Andrew took a deep breath, then nodded. “You’re right. I need to make up for what I did. Starting with saving our lives right now.” His crest began to glow, releasing a deep green light. “You ready, Green?”

“Heck yeah, Andrew! And I have an idea. Blue, want to help out?”

Blue nodded. “Tell me what to do.”

-----

“Schwarz Donner!” JagerLoweemon spat a burst of black energy at one of the Cargodramon, but it rose in the air to avoid the attack. JagerLoweemon had taken out one of the D-Brigade Digimon in a sneak attack, but the other two were proving very difficult to fight. Now aware of his presence, the two remaining Cargodramon were systematically hunting him as he leapt from peak to peak. Their teamwork was impeccable. They provided cover for each other and attacked from different directions with their guns and onboard crew to keep the lion on the move and deny him the chance to strike. JagerLoweemon ducked behind a rock that was quickly obliterated by gunfire. As he leapt to the next bit of cover, he saw something. A blue Coredramon flying into the sky holding a Dracomon in its arms.

What in the Digital World are they doing? Thought JagerLoweemon. A second later, he got his answer when the Coredramon flew over the two Cargodramon and dropped his payload.

Dracomon Digivolve to… Coredramon! Coredramon Digivolve to… Groundramon!

In the blink of an eye, a behemoth appeared above the two D-Brigade Digimon, its incredible bulk plummeting toward them.

“Scrapless Claw!” Each of Groundramon’s massive wing arms grabbed onto one of the two Cargodramon before they could react. Now pulled downward by the dragon’s momentum, each of them were crushed against the sides of the cliffs, ground to scrap with the crew inside crushed into raw data. Before hitting the ground, Groundramon de-Digivolved back to Dracomon just in time to be caught by the blue Coredramon.

JagerLoweemon followed the two down to the ground, where they were reuniting with the humans.

“That was either the most brilliant or most reckless thing I have ever seen. Probably both.”

“Yeah,” said the one called Clark. “They’re good at that.”

“Thanks, everyone,” said Andrew. “I really needed that. I think I’m ready to start working on myself now.”

“And we’ll be here to help you,” said Daniel. “All of us.”

“And we’re going to start,” Clark said, “By getting you some sleep.”

Yes, JagerLoweemon thought to himself, these two are in good hands.

0 notes