#I still feel bad about what happened to snicker on sky pillar...

[professor-amaryllis]

So… Was Maxx TRAINED like that, or did he just— was he born to be wild, y’know

Maxx was... well he's always been like this honestly. I can't say i know exactly where he came from, he was a gift, but he couldn't have been more than 2 months old when i got him, if that. His first action on meeting me was to bite the hell out of my hand and try to fight me. Taylor said that he reminded him of me. I guess i was a bit like that when i was younger, hah.

It never did get better. Maxx has only ever craved violence it feels like, and it's only the strict training and trust built over the years that has kept him safe to be around other creatures, really. He cares enough about me now to want to protect me and trusts me enough to trust that my decisions are the right ones. This does of course cause an issue if I am unresponsive for one reason or another, as Sugar pie found out the other night.

I still do not know why Thomas does not seem to draw Maxx's ire. It is a good thing that is the case as I shudder to think of what would have happened if Maxx had found him to be a danger to me but, hm. Friendly is not a word I would ever use for Maxx. Not even with me. but he does not seem to mind Thomas, and this i find... interesting.

[shinydelirium]

MLQC Season 2 Chapter 21 (Kiro) Part 3 [Taking a Risk] & [Little Star] Translation [CN]

***SPOILERS*** THIS POST CONTAINS HEAVY SPOILERS FOR CONTENT NOT YET RELEASED ON EN SERVER!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!***

For previous translations of chapter 21: Part 1/ Part 2

[Taking A Risk]

Warm light reflects off the vintage crystal chandelier, casting fine shadows on the wall.

I returned to my room the next day. The service of storing Evol seemed to require a special number to be called.

I looked at the introduction in the hotel guide and dialed the number written on it.

Waiter: Hello, what can I do for you?

MC: Ahem, hello, I want to enjoy the service of storing Evol. How do I do it?

Waiter: What is your Evol type?

MC: ….My Evol deals with memory.

Waiter: Okay, the information has been registered for you.

Waiter: Please wait in the room for a moment. We will send a dedicated service staff to serve you.

I put down the phone and looked at Helios standing to the side with a worried look.

Helios: Now, we wait.

However, a few hours passed and there was still no sign of movement.

I leaned on the soft pillow a little nervously, looked towards the cabinet opposite me, and spoke quietly.

MC: …Helios, are you asleep?

After a while, a questioning sound came from the cabinet.

Helios: I’m asleep.

Hearing what he said, I couldn’t help but smile.

MC: Then Mr. Sleep Talker, shouldn’t you open the cabinet door a little bit to let some air out?

MC: Besides, this room has been checked and there’s no monitor, so you don’t have to hide so soon.

The air fell silent again and soon the cabinet door creaked to reveal a gap.

The light outside the door instantly spilled in, making those azure blue eyes clearer.

I lowered my head and looked at the closet. The space inside was really small. He could only sit down on the wooden board with his legs bent and his knees pressed to his chest.

Such a well-behaved sitting position matched with that expression.

I snickered in my heart and rested my head on my hand.

MC: After we leave this place, shall we go on a walk together and bask in the sun?

Helios: ….

The cabinet door became quiet again and occasionally I could hear shallow breathing.

I was about to change the subject when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Almost instantly, the faint beam of light from the cabinet door disappeared once more.

??: Dear guest, the service you requested has been processed.

??: If you’re ready, please press the button inside the handle.

MC: Okay.

I walked past the closet and knocked lightly with my fingertips. I went to the door and bent down.

With his reminder, I noticed that there was an extremely tiny button on the deep side of the handle.

MC: …This is too secretive.

The moment the button was pressed, the side wall suddenly pushed back and slowly pulled away to the left.

A waiter stood behind the hidden door and politely bowed.

Waiter: Pardon me.

MC: …Don’t you think this is a bit scary?

Waiter: In order to ensure the privacy of each guest, I am sorry that it has brought you a bad experience. We will make better improvements next time.

MC: …..

Waiter: Please follow me.

I walked into the secret door with no expression on my face. Then, I turned a corner into a deep corridor and I secretly felt that it was no wonder that Helios couldn’t find it.

This is too well hidden.

We walked into the elevator and the waiter pressed the only button on the panel.

The elevator shook slightly. The waiter frowned and looked up.

I vaguely guessed the reason for the elevator shaking so I spoke up. ***Is Helios gonna take a ride on top of the elevator??? So badass!!!***

MC: What’s the matter?

Waiter: Ah, I’m apologize for making you feel anxious.

Waiter: This elevator doesn’t normally shake.

MC: Probably your imagination? This elevator feels very stable to me. ***MC is getting better at her acting skills 😆***

The waiter nodded and faced the elevator door again.

The ride took longer than expected and it took about a minute before the elevator slowly came to a stop.

After we walked another long corridor, we finally stopped in front of a wooden door. The waiter knocked gently on the door before pushing it away, turned around and made an inviting gesture with his hand to me.

I walked in and found that it was just an extremely normal room. There was nothing around that indicated a device to store Evol.

At the table in the middle of the room was a man who looked seventy or eighty years old, and behind him stood a very burly man.

The elderly man was very old. His thick eyelids were pulled down low, almost covering both eyes.

He raised his eyes laboriously, reached out his fingers and tapped on the table, motioning me to sit down.

I sat in front of the old man. My other hand quietly touched the anesthesia gun at my waist.

Old man: Extend your hand.

MC: Before I do that, can you tell me the process of how Evol is stored first?

MC: Even though I requested the service, I also have the right to ask how it works.

The old man didn’t speak as if he was about to fall asleep.

Man: Guest, your hand is part of the process.

The man behind him replied in a low voice and walked to my side with a sense of unspeakable oppression.

MC: …

Man: Guest, is there a problem?

??: The problem is you.

An intense silver light appeared behind the man like a ghost and the chilling light made those blue eyes look even colder.

Almost instantaneously, his question was interrupted by the sound of broken bones in the air.

The swift figure resembled a crescent silver moon, leaving traces like a shadow.

The man was unresponsive as if he didn’t care about his slightly twisted arm. A silver pillar made iron steel condensed in the palm of his hand and he swung it at Helios.

Helios pulled out two handles from behind his waist. The knife blades clashed against the silver pillar, making a harsh rubbing sound.

At the same time, I immediately grabbed the stiff and somewhat lethargic old man and hid off to the side.

This old man is definitely a certain key and we can’t let him get injured here.

I can’t help much at this time but at least I won’t hinder Helios.

A look of surprise flashed in the man’s eyes. After thinking for a bit, he waved his hand and countless small, silver needles appeared in the air, shooting them straight at Helios.

Only the silver light is no longer there.

In the moment of confusion, Helios had already appeared behind him. The cold knife reflecting the man’s terrified eyes.

Helios: Fool.

There was not even a scream but a faint voice came.

Helios held the dagger and walked towards the old man with a blank face, covering most of the light in the room, looking at him condescendingly.

Helios: I don’t have time for nonsense.

Helios: Who are you?

[Little Star]

The old man shivered at the figure shining in the cold light, breathless with fear.

Old man: Don’t kill me. I, I was threatened….

He opened his mouth blankly, ready to say something.

All of a sudden, the air around him instantly became distorted, gradually swallowing his body and began to dissipate like a bubble.

In the middle of disappearing, the old man tried hard to hold onto Helios’ hand.

But it only passed through his body.

Old man: Please, you….must help me….

In the silent room, there was only a trembling echo, as if the old man was never there.

I stared blankly at what was happening, a bit in disbelief.

MC: Helios, he’s…

Helios: Leave here first.

As he said that, he stretched out his hand to pull me.

Suddenly, the floor under our feet began to shake, and an inexplicable sense of dizziness filled my entire brain which caused me to lean back.

Helios: MC!

A black line ran across us suddenly like a crack. I stretched out my hand and in my peripheral vision, I saw Helios preparing to jump—

In the next second, the entire space seemed to rotate violently and the huge inertia forced me to slam into the wall on my right.

The scenery in front of me is like a pop-up book that has been quickly flipped through, continuously  changing and becoming blurry.

I curled up in pain. The heavy pain constantly eroding my willpower.

MC: Helios…

I feel like I lost consciousness.

Under the night sky, in the center of the fountain with exquisite patterns, water gushed out of the nozzle from the statue.

A man was sitting on a recliner by the fountain, looking at a Rubik’s Cube suspended diagonally in the air.

He raised his head, staring alertly at the old man sitting on the ground.

??: You’re really going to cause trouble for me.

While he said this, the man’s eyes flashed with excitement and madness, his fingers shaking.

The Rubik’s Cube began to flicker with strange lights and flipped over.

??: But I also see that he’s been quite the eyesore for a long time. I can finally crush him now, right?

Helios: ….

Helios: ….MC.

Helios: Kilo, display location.

Amongst the chaos, I vaguely heard an extremely anxious and nervous voice reach my ears.

Helios: Damn it.

Helios: MC!! Can you hear me?!

I opened my eyes slowly and my body felt like it was falling apart. I wanted to lift my right arm to prop myself up, but immediately felt the sharp pain.

The scene in front me seemed to be split with half of it that was the room I was previously in and the other half a dense bamboo forest.

MC: ….I can hear you.

As soon as I made a sound, the rapid breathing in my ear seemed to stop for a moment.

Helios: Are you hurt anywhere?

I smiled bitterly, pulled myself and sat in a corner, trying hard to stand up.

MC: It seems that I hit arm when I crashed into the wall.

Although it was very painful that I wanted to cry, I managed to make my voice not sound so weak.

Helios: …Does it hurt?

His voice was very soft, with some far-off and familiar tenderness in it, making my nose tingle instantly.

For a while, I was a little confused, either from the intense pain or the softness that I hadn’t heard for a long time.

***If you choose the top answer: “It hurts”***

MC: ….It hurts.

MC: *sniffles*….It really hurts.

I couldn’t hold back the emotions surging in my heart and the grievances I had suppressed also came pouring out.

Helios: …Don’t cry.

I rarely heard his voice sound so flustered. It sounds just like the bewildered boy in my memory.

***If you choose the bottom answer: “It doesn’t hurt”***

MC: I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all.

I was full of vigor and laughed, holding my arm. Gritting my teeth, tears came from my eyes unconsciously.

MC: What about you? Are you okay...?

Helios: MC.

On the other side of the line, Helios interrupted me smoothly.

Helios: The sound of your tears falling on the ground is loud.

I blinked, pressed my mouth, and vigorously wiped the tears with the back of my hand.

MC: How can that be...

A soft laugh came to my ears, like a feather, warming my heart.

Helios: I will be by your side soon so don’t cry.

MC: Then sing to me and I’ll stop.

Helios: ….

As soon as I spoke, I heard the sound of heavy objects rolling along the ground.

The sound of the wind kept passing by and Helios seemed to be running quickly, with a slight gasp from time to time.

My heart lurched suddenly and I felt a bad premonition rise up.

MC: What happened to you…..? Are you in some dangerous space again?

After a moment of silence, Helios replied with an answer that was completely irrelevant to my question.

Helios: What do want to hear me sing?

I was stunned. The whistling sound in my ear continued.

MC: It doesn’t matter. You must ensure your safety first!

Helios: How about “Little Star” (aka “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)?

MC: ….

The sound of the heavy objects rolling was getting closer and closer in my ears as if they wanted to run him over.

In the huge roar, a leisurely singing voice rang in my ears.

Helios: Twinkle twinkle, little star….

Helios: How I wonder what you are.

Those loud noises seemed to be shielded by a transparent film and only his faint singing voice remained in the whole world.

Gentle and firm.

His singing was mixed with rapid breaths and at this moment, it was like a soft embrace that enveloped me in it.

When the last melody descended softly, the chilling sound of a dagger being thrown ended the roar altogether and the world fell silent.

Helios: Don’t cry anymore.

His uncertain questions made me rub my eyes dumbfoundedly.

MC: Amazing, it doesn’t hurt anymore.

A soft laugh came from my ear and I seemed to be able to imagine his helpless smile.

MC: Helios, where do I go?

Helios: You’re injured so stay where you are.

MC: My hand is fine! Although I still don’t understand the operating structure of this space….

MC: But if we both head in the same direction, it will definitely be quicker!

Helios: ….

MC: Let’s go together.

I straightened up, looked at the door I front of me and said firmly to him.

The silent sound of running and the “whoosh” of a knife blade rushed into my ears. I quietly waited for his response.

Helios: Alright.

Helios: Let’s do it. 

He let out a long sigh of relief, without saying a word, as if looking for our next route.

Helios: Open the door behind you.

Helios: Walk slowly.

MC: Roger!

I held out my arm and opened the door without hesitation in accordance with his instructions and strode inside.

I looked around and found myself standing on the stairs of an abandoned building. His voice immediately came to my ears.

Helios: Go up and push open the door on the top floor.

I turned and moved precisely according to his directions.

Obviously we are far apart from each other, but he knows where I am at this moment. It felt like he was right beside me.

I opened the door and was greeted by the bright sun shining in my eyes.

Taking a look, I found myself standing on the roof of a bell tower.

Helios: Grab hold of something. The Rubik’s Cube is about to turn.

I reacted instinctively and immediately grabbed a heavy rope after hearing his words.

Right afterwards, the familiar feeling of inversion came and I closed my eyes and held onto the rope tightly, waiting for the rotation to stop.

Soon the world returned back to normal. I opened my eyes and found that the scene in front of me hadn’t changed much.

***THIS IS SO INSANE AND I LOVE IT!!!***

Helios: Is your arm okay?

MC: No worries!

He was quiet for a while as if deciding on something.

Helios: MC, jump down.

I couldn’t help being startled, moving my feet and looking down.

The bell tower extends into the clouds. Thick clouds hang in the air and the howling wind beats against me, constantly reminding me of how high the bell tower is.

Breathing deeply, I climbed to the edge of the clock tower.

Helios: You can also wait for me to come see you.

He seemed to guess what I was thinking and his tone was softer than before.

MC: It’s no good if only one person is doing all the running.

After speaking, I took a deep breath and jumped.

The light, shadow and wind rushed past my ears, but I didn’t have the slightest timidness in my heart.

Because I know that this can get me a little bit closer to him. ***YES!!! THAT’S MY GIRL!!! GO TO YOUR MAN!!!😭😭😭  KIRO AND MC RUNNING TOWARDS EACH OTHER HENCE THE REASON WHY THE KARMA IS CALLED “RUN TO YOU” 🥺🥺🥺💕💕💕

As I continued to fall, the space on the ground became distorted again until finally forming a door.

On the other end of the gate is a net woven with countless colorful soft bands which safely stopped my fall.

I steadied my heartbeat and looked up to find that this was a trampoline.

Sponges of different shapes were staggered and stacked and there was a door on the diving platform directly above.

MC: Helios, there’s a door on the platform not far away. Should I go there?

Helios: MC, go…

His voice became sporadic until a harsh electric static rang out and then nothing.

MC: Helios….?

I called his name but I didn’t hear any response.

MC: Did the communication get interrupted?

I looked at the door in the distance, thinking about what Helios didn’t finish saying.

Does he want me to go there? Or does he want me to choose another door?

I pursed my mouth, looked around, and found that there were several identical doors in the distance.

I hesitated and finally my eyes came back to the door on the diving platform.

Inexplicable intuition told me that he wanted me to go through this door.

MC: Take a gamble.

I stood up, climbed onto the platform, and grabbed the upper door handle—

Then, I was met by an endless stream of cars whizzing past me.

[End of Part 3]

This chapter is crazy!!! So much excitement, action, and sweet moments between Kiro and MC!!! My heart!!!🥺💕

[zhaozaipalooza]

Your Weekly Drabble! - Day 1 | Festival

The missing drabble for LuZhao mini-week where I brought to you Holi? — here it is! ✨

The court painter fiddled with the array of tools at his side - paled slightly, lips forming a curse - then quickly bit it down, stammering about getting a few supplies before he excused himself. Red curtains framing the prince’s portrait-to-be settled behind him.

Lu Ten sprang from his seat. He paced to drum out his annoyance through the silks lining the floor. When that didn’t work, he ducked out of the same opening. 

A massive, tiled chamber cleared of the average riches piled in a palace room, sunlight streaming from the corridor outside, gave him more breath than his lungs knew what to do with. When the day glowed, he couldn’t resist the same - not as a child, not as a princeling aware of his place in a turning world, fire in his heart and fingers. Dance with me, sing with me, run with me, said the sun… and Lu Ten followed.

The rays guided his eyes over ornate fixtures, twisting pillars and rosy walls, to a guard stationed beside the open door. His helmet was clutched in a free hand to keep it from slipping over his eyes. He caught Lu Ten smiling, and mustered a look of confidence. 

Peace that uncommonly smoothed Zhao’s face - in his presence, no one else’s - was knocked off when Lu Ten jabbed a fist into his side. “Yip!” His eyes bugged, rubbing at the sore spot.

“Loosen up! You’re only in charge of me and the, uh…” he cleared his throat, “snail sloth. And no thief is going to steal the wallpaper.”

“It’s only been half an hour.” He gripped the helmet. “Anything could happen. Do you know how much this sort of position pays? To serve inside palace walls? I’ll never go hungry again.” His lips turned firm. “I wouldn’t have managed to land it without your pull. I can’t go risking it now.”

Zhao grabbed in air when the headpiece slid neatly off his topknot. The prince tucked it in the crook of his arm. “You won’t go hungry again. Ever.” 

“I promise.” Their eyes met, something of more absence than they knew what to do with fleeing their lungs. 

Lu Ten blinked off the daze first, hauling him by the arm behind the curtains, where the painter had abandoned his things. He was first to press his lips to his and linger slowly, sweetly.

Zhao’s laughter was between a rumble and a sigh. “You thought you could get bored when I was right outside?”

“Pah... I have you around for more than that.” He strung a lock of Zhao’s hair around his knuckle, thumb skimming his cheek. Within an instant, Lu Ten tugged free, jumped onto the chair where he was meant to sit motionless for hours - looking so daring and heroic that it was comical. “We’re adventurers! The gods threw us together, watched us train together, conquer together. We’re meant to make history, not lounge around waiting for history to make out who we were from a painting.”

“Hm, now there’s a good point.” His disbelief mingled with awe in Lu Ten’s shadow - one he barely noticed. Zhao laughed more, the sound crinkling with a soft snort. How are you so full of life?

“We could cross the tundra, climb mountain ranges where airbender ruins still whisper to the living,” Lu Ten pantomimed an otherworldly sensation, with a swirling mock of airbending - Sozin’s descendants weren’t taught much in the way of regard. Neither was the nation; Zhao fought a grin. “Or! We could master our firebending under the greatest there ever were… the very first benders to learn from the dragons.”

“The Sun Warriors?” He leaned against the wall, hoping it wasn’t indecorous - some part of him would always feel like an ugly blot in the lap of luxury. Zhao’s memory tingled, “I read of them. Once. Sounded like a tall tale to me. If they existed, they’re far gone now.”

“I say they’re alive and well.” He hopped down. The legs of the chair jerked back. “Fire of every color thrives there. Blue, purple, green, all blazing hot. Colors that don’t have names! There’s a thousand stairs to reach the golden temple behind a sea of clouds, and once you-”

“Come on, green fire? Your head’s stuck in a sea of clouds. I say tundra.”

“Stuck in a- you hate snow!” The prince’s huff spoke easily for him after all the time they’d spent together: dream a little! He gave Zhao one of his father’s looks and went to the pigments sitting in neat boxes in a larger hinged case, and grumbled again. This one stood for that sore loser…

“He hasn’t even mixed the powders into paints. I can tell where he sourced some of them - the white is crushed seashells, it looks like. Fragile, tiny shells… Four hours is starting to look like ten.”

“Green fire, purple fire, ooh,” Zhao was teasing, “What’s next, each of them stand for a pillar of society? Yellow for contracts, green for tea, pink for… hm, intercourse? I think we should start with that one when we get th-”

A creative itch had sprouted a full-out snarkfest; the prince suddenly twisted, flinging a fistful of ground powder in his guard’s direction. Outside of these walls they were lieutenant and ensign, soldiers homeward-bound if luck was on their side.

“Or maybe it stands for paying a little more respect.” Lu Ten smirked, hands at his hips. “Not that you’ve ever followed that pillar of society.”

Zhao shielded his face too late, swiped off the glimmering traces. Face ajar and upturned at his nerve.

Here, they were a lot younger, and they were home. As young as they should be.

“So that’s how it is.”

One half-hour stretched out for twenty more minutes, the seconds passing like snow in a blizzard. Fun thinned time, after all, dragging the sun higher into the sky, melting down their reservations. “You want to learn from the Sun Warriors? Well, I’m twice the warrior you are, and Agni knows my family has the divine blessing of the sun - so why not learn a lesson or two?”

“You’re on.”

Lu Ten ripped each box loose and scattered them outside the curtains; clouds of mushed petals, the deep green of palm leaves, a reddish rust like clay shingles, and pale alabaster shells - all drifting in the air like trails of smoke. The prince was splattered, his friend powdered head to foot like a circus novelty, and their laughter shook the gleaming (once spotless) hall.

“Get back here, get back here- oh no you d- ack!” Fingers smudged like they’d been rooting in the royal kitchen and licking off cream, sleeves rolled and rumpled, armor stripped so their feet could race lightly back and forth on the slippery floor.

“I’m over here, old man!”

Endless, Zhao thought, let this moment be endless. Bare skin freckled in a dizzying prism of sight and scent; he’d thrown something of tartness, plunged through the aroma of flowers to streak Lu Ten’s beaming face. He ceded him the point, returned with a swipe of orange made from dried seeds, dusting the top of his head like a showy plume. He puffed out a pale wisp. Lu Ten folded, cradling his colorful, aching gut.

They ended sprawled wide, one on top of the other, undistinguished from anything. Littering the crook of his collar, neck, cheek, and ear with kisses, the one pinned muffling a fit with the back of his palm.

“Hey,” Zhao rolled aside, the both of them heaving, trained on the hazy light pooled in the ceiling. “Don’t fire that painter.”

“Huh?” Soaking in the quiet, Lu Ten glanced over.

“He’s new to this. Wracked with nerves. Who knows if he’s trying to make ends meet? Give him a chance.” Like you did me.

The prince thought it over. “Of course. Snap judgements are more my uncle’s thing.”

“Oh gods, does he scare me.” They spent the little breath they’d scraped together snickering.

The Firelord’s firstborn accompanied the worrisome painter to pay his son a visit… No sooner had they entered the corridor did the spray of lavender on a flowerpot clue the artist to go lightheaded.

Iroh hurried to promise his compensation, divined the prince’s likely attitude to having to wash off and remain statuesque until dinner, and decided the best course of action.

The painter was redirected to capture the fiasco in a sketch, nearly abstract: both boys with their arms looped over shoulders, a smile held in their eyes as long as their warmth was close. The young man tutted under his breath as he improvised, following the stains and speckles on Lu Ten and Zhao with a deft fingertip. In the final touches, he seemed to have enjoyed himself, too.

“You should join us for dinner.” It was sundown. The prince held the piece of parchment gingerly, softening whenever his eye crossed it again.

Adventurers.

His father had extended the gesture, son nodding along. “No, no, I couldn’t.” Zhao held up his palms, still tinged with a sea of floral and earthen smells. “The pay as a royal guard is plenty, even for a temporary station… I can look after the rest myself. I know how.”

“It would be bad manners for us to let a guest leave without experiencing the most of their stay.” The general’s eyes twinkled. “And here is the best of the best! Meals so fulfilling they leave room for fifth helpings.”

“You are more than a royal guard here.” A warm, heavy palm took Zhao’s shoulder. “As close as you are to my son, I think of you as my own.”

All he knew, even decades after the best meal of his life, was that things would have gone a lot differently if he had refused.

- - -

What a dark path, the one that lay down the other fork in the road. Thankfully, in this life, Zhao had not strayed.

The city was rife with celebration, lanterns dazzling the canals as their reflections bobbed in the water. Brilliant red, jade, and silvery powders made from starch and ground herbs coasted the night air. 

A young girl in braids scampered down the pavement - chin purpled, hair smattered with blues and greens - and leaped into Zhao’s arms. He spun on a heel with her momentum, hearing a shriek of delight before her fists anchored themselves in his front. 

“This is the best! I never want to sleep again. And Ma bought me these!” She placed a warm cake before his face, expectant, and he nibbled off one end. Sweet bean paste.

Her smile revealed the gap between her teeth; snuggling to his chest again, she sighed in content. “It’s so pretty… How come this wasn’t around when you were a kid?”

“Well,” Zhao rocked her gently, an unconscious swaying that soothed her since she could crawl. “It’s actually for someone very special. He was alive when I was young. I knew him. Firelord Iroh wants the world to know him, too.”

Her eyes lit up. “I read about him in school. I tell my friends, ‘My daddy knew a prince!’ and they ask so many questions.” Zhao laughed softly, and she asked, “What was he like? Really like?”

He thought it over. “… Like this. Just like this.” Like what? Lights and colors flickered over the darkness, an endless sun, a glow that rose and went on forever. 

“Wonderful.”

[ketsuyuki-hibana-typed]

Rengoku Kyoujurou x Little Sister Figure Reader (Final Part) (NSFW WARNING)

Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4

Phew, finally! This is the last part! Thank you all for the amazing enthusiasm!!

I skipped some part on the wedding, so I’m sorry if it’s not really fully pictured on how traditional Japanese wedding should be. However, the ceremony are in sequence, so you don’t have to worry about it

“Rengoku-san.”

“…”

“Rengoku-san?”

“…”

“(y/n)-san?”

“Yes?”

“What.”

“What.”

Zenitsu looked at you with implausible expression. You tilted your head in confusion.

“You are already married with… Former Flame Pillar, right?”

“Yes?”

“But when I called you Rengoku-san, you’re not reacting.”

“Sorry.” You slurped the last noodle on your bowl, and put the bowl down on the table. “I get used to be called by my given name.”

You got up from your seat, along with Tanjirou and Zenitsu. “Thank you for the food, Uncle!”

“Be careful on your way!”

You waved to the old man and walked out together with these two younger demon slayers.

“But, ‘Rengoku (y/n)’ give us new vibe, right?” Tanjirou chimed in.

“Well, I guess. But, I prefer you to called my name if we’re together. When people said ‘Rengoku-san’, Kyoujurou and I would turn around, feeling the one who being called. It’s a little embarrassing though.”

“Confusing, indeed.” Tanjirou let out small laugh.

You laughed and distracted with birds that went thorough your head. You stared at the blue sky.

How long has it been? Around 2 weeks ago?

The blessing chaos?

Right. Back to the house where both of you still working hard on his blessings. It’s really memorable night.

When Shinjurou told his son to literally kill himself, you reacted fast.

“Kyoujurou, don’t-!”

But it’s too late because he already took the short sword without doubt. He unsheathed it and pointing the blade to the stomach.

Stabbed his left abdomen with it.

You gasped and tried to reach his wrist in desperation.

But you saw no blood. He looked down, confused too because he didn’t feel pain.

“Ha- HAHAHAHAHA!!!” Shinjurou blasting out cackles. “Oh, I can’t believe that you really being a fool in front of the woman you love!! Impressive, you did it without hesitation.”

“Father.” Kyoujurou frowned, checked the sword on his hand. The blade wasn’t sharp, it has its own mechanism. When he pushed the blade down, it dives into the handle, making it down and disappeared. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Just wanted to test you, what a stupid boy. There’s no way I could kill my own son.” Shinjurou wiped his tears, feeling amused. And then, he cleared his throat. “Very well then. Kyoujurou. I give you my blessings.”

“Father!” You glistened and glancing at Kyoujurou. He smiled widely too.

“I should make it into official words right?” He looked at Kyoujurou in the eyes. Kyoujurou fully seated on his heels now. “I, Rengoku Shinjurou, giving my approval for my son, Rengoku Kyoujurou and his future wife, (y/n), to perform a sacred marriage between both of you. May Kami-sama gives us blessings as well.”

“…Father, thank you.” Kyoujurou about to teared up.

“What is with that face? You give a bad vibe, geez. Hurry up and get out. I have something to do.”

“Yes, Father!”

When both of you closed the shoji door, Kyoujurou lifted your body and spinned you on the air.

“We did it!!” He hugged you, clamped both your back leg with his one arm, make you sit on it. You held on his shoulder while crying, sticking your forehead to his.

“Yes!!”

It’s finally happening, trial after trial.

Kyoujurou ran to engawa, you followed him from behind. He stood outside, making “O” sign with his hands, putting it in front of his mouth and screaming,

“I’M GOING TO MARRY MY LITTLE SISTER!!”

“Kyoujurou, stop it!! It’s really weird! The neighbors will get you wrong!!” You pulled his kimono while giggling.

“Oh, let’s correct it.” He smirked and turned his head again. “I’M GOING TO MARRY WITH THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!! I’M! GOING! TO! BE! (y/n)’s! HUSBAND! YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT SHE IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THIS WORLD!!”

“SHUT UP!!” Shinjurou’s voice was heard from across the house. Both of you were giggling again.

Everyone in the headquarters was really happy. They congratulated for your next step with Kyoujurou. No one opposed because you really fit each other and plus, you’ve been with him for a long time, it’s not weird if you ended up together with him.

You decided to marry at shrine, Kyoujurou wanted it too. Both of you prepared the necessary things, like marriage registering administration, traditional dress (already picked by Shinjurou), rehearsal before the day and many more.

On the marriage day, both of you prohibited to meet each other until the ceremony begins. All of the men Pillars were gathered in his preparation room.

“Yomoya, is this really necessary?” said Kyoujurou when the staff tighten his obi.

“Rengoku-san, is your body…. vibrating or-?” He’s too eager to see you again.

“Ah, this guy was always like this.” Uzui snickered. “He can’t wait to see his girl.”

“Wife.” Kyoujurou scoffed.

“No, not yet.” Iguro sighed.

Meanwhile, the Pillar girls were busy pipping on how beautiful you are in your dress.

“Aah, so pretty!!” Mitsuri’s eyes were shimmering while the staff puts on veil-like on your head.

“Rengoku-san will fall for you again today.” Shinobu giggled.

Finally, the ceremony began. You entered the shrine where Kyoujurou was already stood beside the altar. With Shinjurou as your accompany and some shrine’s people, you walked slowly as the traditional flute played in background.

You stopped and stood in front of him. You felt nervous and so did Kyoujurou, but he became happy when he finally met you in the gorgeous white dress.

When the veil from your head was revealing your face, that’s when Kyoujurou’s heart melted.

You saw him in the Mon Haori Hakama, and could feel your face flushed in red. Everything attached on his body are perfect, he looks so manly and compassionate at the same time.

On the other hand, he saw you in awe with white wedding dress, Shiromuku. He lost words, and just grinned stupidly there, couldn’t move.

“God, I’m marrying the embodiment of beauty itself.”

“Ssh, Ani-ue! No talking.” Senjurou elbowed his ribs.

The ceremony reached its peak. In this part, Kyoujurou was tasked to read wedding vow with you beside him.

“On this great day, before the Ookami, we are sincerely thankful for this ceremony. On forward, we will love each other, trust one another, share the good times and the bad, and swear that this will stay unchanged, throughout our lifetime. Today-” He stopped for a while, and took one breath.“Husband, Kyoujurou.”

“Wife, (y/n).” After some clapping as a pray for the Ookami, both of you facing each other.

Kyoujurou took the wedding band and put it on your finger and you did the same as him. You almost cry, you almost dropped your body there but you hid the excitement very well until the ceremony ends with drinking sake and cheers among the families and Pillars.

It’s a relief that the ceremony went well. But unfortunately after the wedding, you didn’t went back to home, let alone a honeymoon. An urgent mission was occured and you had to be there, since you have right ability to match with the demon’s type in that region.

So after the ceremony, you changes again to your usual uniform, departed goodbye to Kyoujurou.

“Please stay safe.” Kyoujurou kissed your temple, and cupped his face with your hand. “It’s not funny if I had to save you again in the middle of snow.”

“It’s spring now.” You giggled and kissed his cheek. “Don’t worry, I’m with Tanjirou and Zenitsu.” The said slayers were popped out from behind her back

“Kamado shounen, Agatsuma shounen, I’m counting on you. Don’t make her fight recklessly, will you?”

“Yes, Rengoku-san!!”

And now, just like that. Fortunately today after 2 weeks, you were going home with them.

As soon as you stepped in the house Senjurou greeted you with his daily sunshine smile.

“Welcome home, Ane-ue.”

“I’m home, Senjurou.” You patted his head contentedly. “Where is Kyoujurou?”

“He’s at his room. But…” Senjurou stood on his toe, whispering on your ears. “He’s mad because you extended your mission into 2 weeks. He was being quiet this morning too.”

You chuckled and pat his back. “Don’t worry, I got this! Your sister will fix his mood!”

“How about dinner?”

“I’ll call him!”

You entered your room, met with him while he was writing something on the paper.

“I’m home, Kyoujurou.”

He suddenly stood up without saying anything. You could sense malicious aura emitting from his body, even though he’s smiling.

Uh-oh, looks harder than said.

“So, care to explain why you didn’t reply my message and why did you extend your mission?”

“Uh, I’m sorry, it’s not just killing demons, I’ve been busy with administration too.”

He brought you into his embrace. You didn’t say anything but hugged him too.

“Are you mad?”

“I’m not, I became anxious when you didn’t reply to my message.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Repeat what you said earlier.”

“I’m home, Kyoujurou.”

“Welcome home.” He brought your chin up and kissed your lips. He deepened his press towards you, and you closed your eyes, feeling the warm soft lips meet each other.

He broke the contact and looked straight at your eyes.

Lust.

“We… Haven’t do 'it’.”

You could feel your face slowly burning. You turned around and tried not to be nervous. His face was actually flushed with red too, but he kept it cool.

“Can- can we… do it after dinner, or after everyone was asleep? Senjurou already asked me to call you.”

“Sure.” He smiled tenderly, rubbing your cheek in circle and kissed it.

You couldn’t concentrate while eating. You only sleep with him after he declared to marry you. You even never touched him randomly without his consent. You know marriage before sex is number one in this household.

You understand what does 'it’ means. But still, you’re nervous. Kanroji has given you some advice, and some female Demon Slayers who already married gave you advice too.

Your head was spinning greatly? Sex? How to do it properly? What if he didn’t satisfied with you?

You swayed your thoughts and hurriedly eating.

When everyone was asleep, you and him started to change from kimono to bed robe.

You sat on the futon, still fully clothed, while he dimmed the lantern light. He went towards you and sat in front of you with crossed legs.

'HOW DID I DO THIS AGAIN? WHAT DOES KANROJI TOLD ME?! I SUDDENLY FORGOT! Should I show my boobs? Should I?!’

Your eyes were spinning again, you timidly put your fingers in front of your kimono. Kyoujurou still not saying anything but smile.

Calm down, you told yourself. Tell him everything he had to know about yourself once more.

With one breathe, you looked straight at Kyoujurou’s eyes while holding his hand.

“Kyoujurou, before we started, I wanted to tell you something.” Kyoujurou still smiling but he blinked twice in confusion.

“Yes?”

“I wanted to tell you that… My body… It probably didn't match on what you’re imagining. I got so many scars, and blisters from fights with demons. I know, it’s not really endearing and I know that I should be the one who thought about how to make them disappeared. Shinobu already gave me scar gel, but it took time to make it gone. So, I apologize in advance. If- After you looked at my skins and felt disgusted, it’s okay if you don’t want to do it further with me.”

“Yomoya… Calm down, (y/n).” He kissed your lips gently. You squeezed shut your eyes and feeling the warmness of his lip slowly disappeared. You slowly opened your eyes again and met his warm and gentle pupils. “I’m not judging you from your body. I’ve promised to you no matter what happens, I take your whole as it comes. I didn’t care how you look, how many scars, blisters, wounds you had. It’s part of your beauty, just like how you see my body.” You nodded shyly. Ah, you didn’t pick wrong wrong decision when you decided him to be your husband.

“So… shall we?” He slowly moved forward with his knees. You gulped while flushing red.

“Su- Sure. I- I’ll be in your care! Now, just do what you like!!” You squeezed your eyes shut and uncovered your front slowly, revealing your breast with some scars on it.

“Wait what, nonono!!” Kyoujurou blushed more and pulled your robe back at its place again. His heart throbbed too fast he swear you probably could hear it. “Let’s do it slowly. I want you to be comfortable.”

“Ri- Right.” You never felt so embarrassed from your entire life.

He patted your head first, brought down his hand to your cheeks and cupped it.

He started with light kiss on your lips, and proceeded further with sucking it lightly. You responded, biting his lips too and opened your mouth slightly. He didn’t miss the chance and slipped in his tongue and playing in your warm cave.

He pushed you down, until your head reach the pillow. He slowly undone your front robe lace. He stared at your beautiful body. Your body probably has scars on your chest and stomach, but it’s still beautiful on his eyes and secretly made him turned on too.

“Um, please don’t stare too much.” You covered your face. “It’s embarrassing.” He chuckled.

“Sorry.” He moved your hands from your face and kissed your nose.

He started with kisses on your neck, ligh-bit it and make hickies here and there, while fondling both your breast with his palm. Sometimes, he flicked and petting on those nipples, making you shivered.

He kissed all of your body, from neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, thighs, and inner thighs. He appreciated the scars and everything that presented to him from your body.

It’s an honour for him.

He opened your legs, and putting his head in between it, hold one of your thighs with his hand. He put one finger inside you. You shuddered under the sensation. He started to fingering and stretching your hole, sometimes licked your clit and labia. He also put his tongue, tasted you.

“Kyoujurou, it’s dirty the- Nghh…” You lost your voice, he ravished you with gentle touch from his tongue and lips, slowly licking your entrance while hearing your moans. You can’t help but clenched your legs, trying to sandwiched his head but he hold your thighs and keep licking down there.

“Wa- wait, something is-Ah!

You came on his face. You panted hard, your chest puffed up and down. You loosened the clench on the futon and looked down. You saw your husband licked your cum from his cheek.

“I’m- I’m sorry!!” You hurriedly pulled a small towel at your side and wipe his face. He chuckled and gripped your wrist.

“It’s fine. Let’s continue.” He pushed you down again, nibbled on your lower lips and presses your stomach.

He readied his own length towards your entrance. You looked down and immediately thought, “Will it be fit down there?” But you shrugged that feeling.

“Are you ready?” You nodded certainly. “Hold into my neck.” He lifted and positioned your legs, straddled on both of his hips. His body moved towards, his lips kissing your temple tenderly. You draped your hands onto his neck.

“Tell me if it’s hurts.” He slowly pushed his length down there. You shuddered on the sensation. First tip was in and you jolted at the strange thing. He shushed you down.

“Mm, ow.” You felt a slight pain in the middle of your entrance. You gripped his back, and accidentally dug your nails inside it. “I’m sorry, Kyoujurou. I clawed your back.”

“Are you okay?” He concerned and looked down, checking if you’re bleeding or anything that cause you writhed. You nodded. “Please, just tell me if you sense a discomfort.”

“I’m fine, sorry I clawed your back.” You said that, with teary eyes. Kyoujurou was really worried, but you still insisted to continue. “It’s just- It’s strange to think yours could fit inside me.” You tried to lighten the mood by giggling, but he became more concerned. He knew that you hold back the pain, but he decided to kissed your tears, cheek and nose to soothe you.

“It’s okay, relax.” You nodded and shut your eyes. You could feel he’s holding something because his breath was heavy. He really tried hard to not hurt you.

After awhile, you tapped his back, “It’s okay, you can move now.”

He let out low groan and started moving from slow pace.

It felt weird, really weird. But you enjoyed it. You still hang into his neck, while holding both of your legs intact, change the pace from slow to faster. You suddenly felt random, it’s hot, warm, happy, pleasure, sharp, shivering and a lot of mixed feelings build up inside your body. You started let out moans and mewls. You released your hand from his neck and grabbed the futon sheet instead. It made your breast jiggling more and it’s really erotic view for Kyoujurou

He relished every thrust he made, always make sure his wife felt good too. He tried any position that could made you scream, so he pulled out almost his length and quickly thrusted it again inside you.

“Mh, AH!” You covered your mouth in confusion. What is with that great feeling earlier??

“That’s the spot.” He smirked and licked his lower lips. He change his pace again, from faster to rougher.

You cried and tried to low your voice by biting your hands. He pushed your hands and moving forward, telling you to bite his shoulder instead. You do it, surpressing the muffled moan and cries. His pace became frantic, he groaned more on your ears.

“I’m close.” He whispered to you, holding his grunts.

“Me- me too, ah!” He lifted one of your legs on his shoulder,His thumb rubbing in your clit carelessly.

The over stimulation made you came first, you screamed his name from your lung, hoping that nobody wake up. It’s the first time you feel such great pleasure in your entire life. You shuddered with the sensation. The liquid from your body slowly made it way out of your lower hole. Kyoujurou still moved, until he reached his own euphoria. He groaned on your ear and releasing his seed inside you. After few thrust, he pulled out, looking at his cum trail broken from your inside.

“Are you feeling good?” He asked you while caressing your hair, make it on your side. You nodded while smiling. You cupped his cheek and kissed him on the lips. “I’m glad. It was so great. Thank you.” He kissed on your temple.

After that, you forgot what happened next.

“Ouch.” You woke up with stiff back and hips.

When you peeked on your lower bottom in the next morning, thick liquids was oozed out from there. “Right, I was… Unconscious after-”

Your face suddenly burned, you put your palm on your face. 'AAAAH, WE DID IT.’

You felt something covered your body. It’s Kyoujurou’s big kimono.

“By the way, where is he?” You tried to stood up with your knees and palms. If Kyoujurou looked at you, you exactly looked like a newborn fawn.

When you finally stood up, you lose your balance and almost fell down.

“Oops.” Kyoujurou came in time to held your back. “I was planning to clean you up last night but you were asleep. So, let’s bathe together!” He wrapped you with his robe, and slipped his hand behind your knees. “Was- Shoi!”

“Wait, I could walk alone! What if Father and Senjurou spotted us?!” You started to panicked when he brought your body out of room with bridal style. Squelching sound was heard from your lower part and you tried so hard to covering that part more with his robe while embarrassed. He laughed.

“Don’t worry, they were on the other side of the house today!”

He cleanse you up in the bathroom. You shuddered under his touches. You’re counting on him, relied everything on scrubbing your body, bathing you with warm water and cleansing you up.

After bathe, he brought you to your shared room again, dressing you up with new kimono.

You took a peek on his bare back. There are claw marks here and there, some even scratches thoroughly his skin. You blushed because you exactly knew what happened. You slowly touched them. He startled.

“I- I’m sorry. Did it hurt?”

“Don’t worry about it!”

“Wait, I’ll be back!”

“Huh, (y/n)?” He quickly wore his robe to cover his back. “It’s okay, I just wanted you to- Ah, there she goes.”

You came back with a box contained with aid kit.

“Let’s change your eye patch too.” He sighed in defeat. You tilted your head. “What’s wrong?”

“I wanted to pamper you today, but instead, you had to busy taking care of me again.” He sulked while putting his weight on your back and putting his chin on your head.

“This is my duty as your wife.”

“You’ve been doing this since you’re 'my little sister’.”

“Well that’s right, but it’s still my responsibility to take care of you right?”

He didn’t really like it, but he gave up. You put off his old eye patch, and like always, you changed it into new. Kyoujurou loosened up his robe, showing his bare back once again. You started to smear oint treatment on his skin.

“Are you mad?” You teased him while applying the oint.

“No.”

“Looks super mad to me.” You laughed, and he pouted, propped up his chin with his palm. “Don’t be mad, this is my obligation.” You quietly write 'I love you’ behind his back. He got the message and turned around.

“You sly.” He caught you in his big arms and showered you with kisses everywhere on your face.

After treatment, both of you sat on the engawa, just looking outside while enjoying the morning spring sun.

“Hey, how about you retiring?” Kyoujurou started the conversation.

“I… Still think about it. I still able to fight, and have no serious injury unlike you-”

“I wanted children.” He goes straight to what he desire most. “I wanted their mother to be by their side when they grow up. Being a Demon Slayer or Pillar is really high risk. I… I’m not ready to lose you, not after what we’re going through. You’ve done so much.”

“You wanted child?”

“Only if you could bear with it.”

“Of course, it’s my wish too after all.” You twined your finger with him while leaning on his shoulder. “I will rethink about retirement and ask Oyakata-sama.”

“Maybe two or three children.” He played with your fingers. “I could imagine Father played with them, Senjurou having nap with them. They ran around at this yard. I will make our children into great Demon Slayers or at least, has great swordsmanship, just like their mother.” He snuggled on your head.

“Well, I could imagine them saying 'I will burn you’ to the demons and 'Wasshoi’ parades.” He laughed.

“It’s good if it’s more merrier!!”

You chuckled and leaned more on him. His shoulder was warm and really comfortable, fitted to your small head.

“Are you still tired? How about your hips?” He looked at you yawning.

“A little stiff, but I’m fine. I probably should take a nap.” You rubbed your eyes. He smiled and pulling your head onto his laps.

“Since you always lend me your laps, it’s my turn to return the favour.” You blinked in brief moment but then nodded and positioned yourself. “Well, my lap isn’t soft, unlike yours.”

“It’s okay. I like my new pillow.” You smiled and closed your eyes, slowly drifting in your dreams. Kyoujurou gently caressed your hair, and kissed your cheek.

You never thought it will be a happy end like this. Your world already crushed into nothing when you were a newbie Mizunoto and found out your family was murdered. But when Kyoujurou came, he rebuild your world again, from crumbles, until slowly made it into endearing and beautiful world once again.

It is such a blessings for you, from the day he saved you until you fully became the part of this family.

You didn’t realize that both of you saving each other. Kyoujurou really thought you saved this family when he almost couldn’t resolve the situation in his house anymore. He thinks that you brought warmness once again inside his family. You brought love, pierced thorough his self defense smoothly and find his true self, accepted all of him.

Both of you never realize, you bring that fortunate together. You and him shared happiness and sadness, laughed together, cried together, and fought together.

It’s just the beginning of your journey.

[nimmy22]

A Mistake: Chapter 10

Rick was disposed of on Friday. He has been dead for three days.

Raccoon High school ~ 8:00 AM Monday

Heading to her locker, Cara found her friend already waiting for her. Claire stood leaning against the locker, bouncing a ball back and forth. She had a far-away look, chewing her bottom lip. she didn't notice Cara approach. Her mind occupied elsewhere.

Hiding behind a pillar, she spent a few minutes preparing herself for the act before the filming started. There were no second takes in real life. She had only one chance, and that was it. It was now or never. Blowing her bangs out of her face, she gripped her bag tighter and approached Claire.

Feeling cold sweat trickle down her neck, Cara tried to calm her breathing. she resisted the all-powerful urge to run in the opposite direction. She wondered if Claire figured out the truth about what her most trusted friend had done to Rick in the Arkley mountains. Claire looked bothered, and the likelihood of Rick being the reason was high.

"Hi," Cara called out with a smile that Claire matched with her own.

"I was starting to think you weren't gonna show your face around here." Cara's heart fell. She gripped her books tighter to keep them from slipping through her clammy hands. Alarms went off in her head. Did Claire know? Rick wasn't yet reported missing by his mom as she had eaten the lie up for now.

"What? Why wouldn't I?" Cara hid her grimacing face in her locker, pretending to look for something. She struggled to swallow the thickness at the back of her throat.

"Mr. Augustine is subbing in for the first period. That fucker is notorious. No one is setting foot in that class while he's in there." Claire growled, throwing her ball extra hard into the lockers across from them. The sound drew several sleep-deprived eyes for a few seconds.

The tension left Cara's shoulders, and she exhaled slowly. "I could use some normalcy in my life right now. Bad teachers are normal." Cara mumbled without thinking.

Giving her the side-eye, Claire stepped closer, caging her friend against the lockers. "Something you’re not telling me? Something definitely happened." Claire tilted her head, narrowing her eyes as she regarded her friend.

Cara's mouth went slack for a moment. She racked her brain for a way out of these questions. It was hard to think through the alarms blasting in her head.

"Is it bad for me wanting things to be back to the same dull routine? Routine is safe, but what's happening around here recently isn't. Bank robbers taking hostages. And before that, the kid who drove his car into a tree and burned to death. And lastly, my runaway almost-boyfriend. I would like a week where nothing bad happens."

Cara couldn't bring herself to mention her missing parents, getting assaulted in the woods, killing someone, and the endlessly piling bills. How could she possibly say anything without digging herself a depthless hole?

"Oh yeah, Rick. So weird what happened with him. No one just up and leaves like that. Apparently, he wrote this note about going to his dad's place and left. But his mom can't get in contact with her ex-husband either." just like that, Claire backed off, and Cara was thankful.

"Maybe he got fed up with this town."

"Or maybe you smashed his heart with a nasty rejection, and all he could think of was getting the hell outta here. Shame though, you could've gotten yourself a man."

"Hey! he didn't make a move while we were alone together. Maybe you just read all the signs wrong. he was not interested in me from the start."

'Lies. Lies. Lies.' Cara screamed in her head, but on the outside, she maintained a playful expression.

"Impossible! I'm good at reading people. Like, wasn't I right about that one guy who was sniffing around my bike? He was saying he was just checking it out, but I knew he would try to steal it. Guess who ends up sitting at the back of my brother's cruiser? the view he's got now doesn't include a sky."

"That was one time," Cara scoffed, making her way to her first class.

"Your point is?" Claire raised an eyebrow, hands resting on her hips.

"My point is, your ability doesn't seem to delve deeper than surface stuff because you missed some real shit about Rick," Cara said bitterly.

"What do you mean?" Claire watched her friend with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open.

"Oh, you forgot to mention how funny and adorable Rick was- is. When I saw him at the trails, I was immediately hit in the head with how handsome he was. Please, keep hooking me up with great guys like that, and I'll bleed them dry with my rocking charm. They'll never know what hit em."

"don't worry, I'll find you a nice hunk to make up for our runaway boy. I'll make sure you got a date for that fundraising party they're gonna have at the station. My brother got us invites."

"That's cool. I... can’t wait," Cara said as she stood in front of the classroom.

"Are you actually going in?" Claire grabbed her friend's arm.

"Yeah, why not? one bad teacher isn't the end of the world."

"Goddammit, fine, I'm coming with you. You’re such a bad influence on me,"

"Only the best." Cara giggled but remembered the problem at hand. One of many. She turned to her friend. "Hey, Claire,"

"Yeah," Claire answered as she dug into her backpack for a pencil.

"Do you think I could stay with you for a few days?" Cara said in a low voice, her finger fiddling with a hole in her jeans.

"Fuck yes! We haven't been able to hang out for a while. In fact, Chris will really appreciate somebody staying over with me. He's been gone a lot these days, especially at night. Work isn't as clear-cut anymore. what's up though?"

"My parents are out of town. I'm scared someone might break in while I'm alone." Cara lied, grimacing internally with every word. she hated lying to her friend. Still, there was no way she could tell Claire that she is being evicted.

The rent was already late. Late for months. The landlord was already fed up and refused to give her more time. She couldn't come up with even a quarter of what was owed, and an eviction notice was posted to her door last night. With her parents still MIA, she couldn't save her home. While it wasn't the happiest place on earth, she grew up there and had some fond memories amongst all the bad ones. The staircase was her favorite place to play as a child. She would meet up with the other kids there, and they would play for hours while their giggles and shouts echoed floors below. It was a time of innocence, moments of joy away from their abusive homes.

"Girl, I'll protect you. Come on over whenever. You don't even need to ask." Claire giggled, balancing the pencil on her nose and crossing her eyes. "Claire bear will take good care of you."

"Thanks, Claire, you the best," Cara meant every word. This was the only truthful thing she had said in this conversation.

----------------------------- 4 PM

On her way to the bus stop, Cara made a mental list of all the things she should pack from home. This was likely the last time she will be setting foot there. Obviously, she couldn't take any furniture, not that anything was worth more than curbside pickups.

Just as Cara reached the bus stop, a light drizzle of rain began. It reminded her of that night. The night she had the misfortune of meeting the infamous captain of the STARS. While she had seen and experienced some horrible things since meeting him, nothing was directly his doing. Those hitmen would have tried to kidnap Sherry, Rick would have tried to rape her, and her parents would have left whether or not she had met him. He helped her several times, and she had to acknowledge that he may be an ally she could trust. But he still had control over her life which frustrates her.

Stepping into the bus shelter, an advertisement caught her attention. Cara approached the poster, her eyes skimming over the print with increasing interest.

Participants wanted for clinical trials at Raccoon General Hospital to test the efficacy of a new drug. Each participant will be paid a starting amount of 900$ at the beginning of the study if selected. More details will be provided after the extensive selection process. All interested parties must complete an application and submit it to the secretary of Dr. Sandford on the third floor of Raccoon general hospital, room 312.

The money stood out to Cara, so much so that she walked out into the rain with a destination in mind. The money wasn't much, but it could help her get by for at least a month or so. she needed a little booster until she could sort out a job. She couldn't survive just on babysitting, especially since the Birkins hadn't called her at all this week. They've been too quiet, and she was starting to miss Sherry.

---------------

With dripping hair and drenched clothes sticking to her like a second skin, Cara finished filling in her details while the clipboard rested on her thighs. Using the number of the phone Wesker had given her, she filled out her contact information.

The rain had not let up, only coming down harder. It was soothing to hear the rain periodically hitting the windows. She was the only person in Dr. Sandford's waiting room until the secretary sauntered back in and rolled her caked eyes at Cara.

"Still here? Oh, take your time its not like I enjoy staying back past my shift. You must be something desperate. Why don't you visit one of them shelters, you know, the ones for troubled runaway teens." she said through loud, open-mouthed gum chewing. A generous amount of red lipstick coated her front teeth. It was a wonder how she did not taste it.

"All done!" Cara chirped, skipping to the secretary's desk. She slid the clipboard over the counter with a big smile earning her another eye-roll. she could almost feel the cash already in her hands, and nothing could dampen her mood. Making her way to the door, Cara hoped she would be selected for the study.

"Oh? so you do have a home. But on that side of town. It might as well be a cardboard box in a back alley." the secretary snickered as she looked over Cara's application, twirling her Coiffured hair. She held the form carelessly, pulling out the piece of gum in her mouth and sticking it on the corner of the paper.

All Cara wanted to do was walk up to the older woman's face and smack the smug look off her face while screaming every profanity she could think of. Instead, she grabbed the bottom of her shirt and gave a generous squeeze. Water spilled all over the polished white floors. "Sorry, I can't afford to catch a cold."

----------------------------

Cara sat curled up on a couch next to Claire, a cozy blanket laid over them. The only light in the room was the flashing of the T.V as shots were fired. Half the popcorn in the bowl was on the floor as they kept tossing the kernels in each other's mouths and missing every single time.

"I gotta go pee, be right back," Claire declared before hopping over the back of the couch and jogging to the bathroom. Pausing the movie, Cara stood up to stretch.

As Cara started clearing the popcorn mess, her phone rang. She knew it could only be Wesker or Dr. Sandford calling. Without wasting time, she stumbled off the couch to grab her phone off the coffee table. in her hast, she ended up sending it sliding beneath the couch. "Fuck!" she hissed.

Peeking below, she couldn't see it. Using all her strength, she flipped the couch over to reveal her phone sitting in a pile of dust. She didn't recognize the caller's number and squealed. Taking a deep breath, she answered the call.

"Hello?" her voice shook, hands clammy. Short of breath, she had to remind herself to breathe.

"This is the FBI. We are calling regarding an arrest warrant made for you." A young boy spoke. He couldn't be older than her.

"Oh yeah?" Cara clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes. These little fuckers chose the worst time to mess with her.

"Have no worries, Miss. We can have all the charges withdrawn from your record. But first, we need you to confirm your social insurance number for us."

"Oh, sure. It begins with....1234 go fuck yourself," hanging up, Cara covered her face with her hands. she felt stupid for worrying over something that turned out to be a prank call.

While she enjoyed hanging out with her best friend, the wait was slowly killing her. She wanted to do something about her situation ASAP but was stuck watching the rented movie Claire nagged about all day. What calmed her nerves a little was that Claire had agreed to go job hunting with her the next day.

Cara fixed the couch and threw herself on it with a sigh, tossing the phone beside her. Leaning back, Cara rested her head and closed her eyes.

Her eyes flew open as the phone rang again, with another unknown number. With an eye roll, Cara answered. "Listen, you little shits. Find someone else to-"

"I guess your mother was too busy snorting drugs to teach you any respect. I suppose you weren't desperate for the money after all," Cara recognized the secretary's haughty voice, her eyes widening like saucers. She mouthed a half dozen curses before collecting herself.

"I am so sorry, mam! someone was prank calling-"

"Did I ask? Despite you being such a low grad choice, you've been selected. I have no idea what low standards the doctor has that he will take just about anyone. Come to the same place Wednesday at 6 PM sharp and don't be late."

"Thank you. Thank you!" Cara cried, bouncing on the couch.

"It's only 900$," With a click of her tongue, the secretary hung up.

Claire came back from the bathroom and watched with raised brows as her friend bounced around. Not knowing what her friend was happy about, Claire joined her in jumping on the couch. Together they broke into a fit of hysterical giggling. She was glad to see her friend less troubled.

-----------------------------

Cara sat in a small crowd of twelve selected participants around a meeting room at the hospital. She was the first to arrive, eager to remedy her situation as soon as possible with the soon-to-be easy cash in her hands.

"During the experiment, you will be required to stay in an assigned room. Contact with the outside is strictly prohibited. Until we state otherwise. Many competitors out there will do anything to steal our research. As such, actions will be taken to prevent any and all data leaks. My team of researchers will monitor all medication's administration, and You may not refuse any doses given." Cara and several others scoffed at the scientist, Dr. Stanford.

Grey-haired, tall, and plump with dark skin, this man was the definition of sketchy. His ambitious eyes were calculating as they hardly spent time on each individual. His clothes and lab coat were immaculate, crisply pressed.

"Hey, I am not trying to be a lab rat for big pharma here," A man yelled, spittle flying out of his mouth. His clothes were worn, hair disheveled and dirty.

"You will receive your initial payment of 900$ now and then $2000 at the conclusion of the study. Any questions?" No one else spoke up. No complaints. Everyone's eyes gleamed with the prospect of additional money in their pockets. Cara couldn't deny how lucrative the amount was despite the sketchy situation.

The study would last only three days. Three days of absolutely no contact with the outside. Three days and she would have $2900 in her hands. It was good to be true.

---------------------

30 min earlier.

Wesker stood at the loading area behind the hospital, leaning against the wall. Behind his shades, he watched as the two men loaded his cruiser with boxes of donated medical supplies. Once they were finished, the men returned inside.

Under the guise of checking over the contents of the boxes, Wesker peered inside to locate the reason he was here in the first place, A yellow folder of classified information about the newest test subjects. The job was clear. He would wipe any traces left by the research project and prevent any future missing person cases from being fruitful. Without opening the folder, he placed it back in the box and closed the trunk. Trust Umbrella to begin the cleanup operation before the first injection was administered. They like to cover all their bases.

With his hand on the door handle, Wesker paused. Something felt wrong, but he couldn't figure it out. Taking cover behind the car, he took out his gun, surveying the rooftops for a sniper. He waited several minutes, yet nothing happened.

Seeing no danger to himself, he lowered his gun back to its holster. There was no visible threat, yet he couldn't shake off the sense of danger. Frowning, Wesker wondered if Umbrella's paranoia was getting to him.

Making his way into the hospital, he began a search but didn't know what he was looking for.

Something was very wrong.

[heistmaster69]

pariet lilium

pariet lilium

pariet lilium~by @heistmaster69​

4th Year Draco Malfoy x OC fic. 

~so uhh um I was maybe watching a video about dark academia while writing this and may have gotten a BIT carried away~

gif by @fairylightwishes​ all credit to them!

~

Frankie and Cher sat in the back of Potions class while Snape droned on about the effects of crushed versus shaved Bicorn Horn on the end result of a Pepperup potion.

“-now you see that’s exactly what I was talking about. Muggle movie stars are much more attractive than boys at Hogwarts-”

“Leonar-” 

“-Dicaprio, yes.” She whispered.

“Frankie that man is gorgeous-”

‘So fine-”

Cher let out a sigh, while Frankie continued. “All the boys from Dead Poets Society-”

“So it’s decided then-”

“Yes. I’m saving my virginity until I’m of age and Leonardo Dicaprio can come and take it fro-”

“Miss. Reed.” Snape deadpanned. “If you and your friends would be so kind as to stop squealing about muggle boys in my class-I would appreciate it. That will be five points from Slytherin.” 

Cher kicked Frankie under the table. 

“My bad, professor.” She murmured, putting her palm under her chin and turning back to her notes. 

Potions had to be her third favorite class, Frankie didn’t mind it at all, it’s just, she was a little distracted, recently. It seemed like her single-ness was beginning to get to her and she found herself daydreaming during class. She didn’t want to be as obsessed as she was, but Frankie couldn’t really help it. She wanted the movie-scene first kiss and the romance novel passion, as unattainable as it is, she craved it. 

But the thing is-Frankie never let herself daydream about people she knew. In reality, none of the people she’s liked would ever like her back, and it just hurt her because she knew that no one would ever have feelings for Frankie as she did for them. Every time she let her walls down she got hurt. 

A lot of the people Frankie has met have made sure she knows that she will never be as valuable, never as loved, as beautiful, as successful as others because she wasn’t as thin as others. Frankie loved herself. But her ‘friends’, her family? It seemed like they hated her for it...

~ 

Magic had always interested Frankie. Being a witch or wizard usually goes over the heads of purebloods, with the mere prospect of having the gift coming so naturally to all of them. Frankie’s isolated upbringing, rarely seeing her parents and being brought up by a strange yet kind tutor who instructed her in all sorts of topics, ranging from basic arithmetic to discovering Frankie’s magical abilities. Ms. Selwyn, around Frankie’s parents, and Kendra, during her tutoring sessions daily during childhood. 

These memories with Kendra have a warm haze to them, and whenever Frankie reminisced, a smile would find its way onto her face. We would stand together in the garden, during the golden sunsets, and she would say;

“Magic is an incredible gift, it is beautiful and infinitely important. We hold the power of the universe in our hands.” 

Young Frankie would stare wide-eyed, confused, and tug on the side of Kendra’s robe,

“Ms. Kendra, what’s the universe?” Frankie would ask.

“The universe is everything.”

“Everything? How much is that?” 

Kendra would smile so gently and kneel down beside Frankie, grasping her small hands and gesturing towards the sky alive with color.

“More than we could ever know.”

Kendra knew the power purebloods held with the Ministry, after all, the Selwyns and the Reeds were a part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. The Ministry was still hypnotized by the status and the blood purity that these upper-class families held and overlooked the small laws broken by the elite, so Kendra and Frankie would practice small magic in their free time-in secret. The Reeds would never want their precious-little-delicate-perfect-pureblood baby daughter learning anything but the proper protocol for stuffy dinners with the Prewetts, the Malfoys, the Greengrasses, the Bulstrodes, the Parkinsons, the Notts, the Flints, or any other sort of perfect families that they could put in their larger-than-life estate. 

Nevertheless, Kendra would take Frankie into the garden behind the mansion, near the rippling brook by a big oak tree. They would sit in the shade of the branches and Frankie would learn about everything her family didn’t want her to know. She learned about the inequality between purebloods, half-bloods, and muggleborns and as Kendra told her of the First Wizarding War, Frankie felt her heart shatter into a thousand pieces. How could someone think they were any better than another human being due to their blood? Their lineage? How they treat those supposedly ‘less than’? This realization caused a rift to form between Frankie and her parents-the entirety of what being Sacred 28 pureblooded perfection was. 

She despised it.

Kendra warned her though, she spoke softly the words that shoved Frankie into a vault, locked her away, and threw away the key.

“I don’t know if this will ever change.”

Little Frankie blinked quickly, her wide eyes sore and puffy from tears. “Why?” She cried. 

“They will never relinquish the privilege that this supremacy gives them.” Kendra let out a deep sigh and placed a tender hand on Frankie’s shoulder. 

“I think you’re wrong, Miss Kendra.”

“I hope I am, Miss Frankie. I think you could make a difference.”

This upbringing of acceptance and wonder from Kendra instilled a unique view of magic in Frankie. She saw it as a privilege and took an interest in a side of magic that tended to be overlooked until necessary. Frankie liked to create spells and potions. Specifically, she had a fixation on wandless magic. It was crazy to her-she could create life from her hands. How so many of her friends and peers overlooked this, she understood but wished more people wouldn’t call people like her Loony Lovegood. 

Anyways.

Frankie hid a tattered mahogany-colored, pleather-bound journal in her pillowcase. This journal rarely let the safety of her room, only transferring annually between her estate and Hogwarts. It was never shown to a soul, and it contained her life’s work in what could barely be considered spell-creation. Notes and random scribbles littered the pages, but if it were ever to be lost, Frankie would lose everything she’s done since she was six years, four months, and thirteen days old and Kendra told her about spell-creation. She thinks she would cry.

~

“Oi Francesca-” A voice called.

“-you’re not allowed to call me that, Blaise.” Frankie chuckled as he jogged up to her, stopping to lean against the wall with a smirk.

“I don’t care, you’re Francesca to me. Anyway, Potions, what happened in poti-” Blaise looked over his shoulder and shouted to Theo. “Oi Theodore, get your arse over here!” Blaise had a thing for using people’s full name-even if it’s not really their name, (ie Daphnessa/Pansleigh.) Frankie rolled her eyes as Theo strolled, shoulders taut, up to Blaise

“Frankie, what happened in Potions? You love potions, you’re always talking about how Potions is a really cool way to learn about how magic affects the world-”

“-Potions is a super cool way to learn about how magic affects the world-” Blaise interjected, wrapping an arm around Theo’s broad shoulders.

 Theo turns to Blaise with a sarcastic stare at him. “Yeah, that.”

I want to have a stupid dumb kiss already. Which is stupid dumb and I don’t even care but I’m horny for love.

“Oh, yeah I-I didn’t sleep well last night.” Frankie choked out.

“It was kind of a relief, your constant enthusiasm about Snape’s class is alarming.” Theo snickered. Blaise snorted as he and Theo sauntered towards the Great Hall. Frankie let out a breath and followed soon after the two boys let for lunch to get to the common room.

~

Frankie’s boots tapped gently against the cold stone floor of the dungeons. Dust hung low in the air, illuminated by the amber glow of hanging torches that littered the walls. The dungeons are always shown as a dingy, disgusting place but Frankie found the common room comforting. She stilled in front of the entrance and spoke softly the password. 

“Labebantur anguis.” 

The wall dragged inwards with a low scraping sound, revealing her home. The estate is not a home, the estate is merely her stage, acting as the perfect daughter for an audience of haughty purebloods. This common room was perfect, smelling like pine and cotton and the perfect temperature. Green rugs and plush couches in front of a fireplace, tables and booths next to an espresso machine and a tea kettle. Arching windows and pillars showcasing the beauty under the Black Lake. This is home.

She stepped past the commons and walked up the winding stairs to the shared dormitories. Cher laid on Frankie’s bed with Daphne with parchment and quills set out on the emerald silk sheets.

“If you two spill ink on my bed one more time I’ll hex you in your sleep.” Frankie shrugged out of her robe and fell back onto Cher’s bed. The two girls giggled and returned to their subsequent conversations.

Cher was gorgeous. She radiated kindness and had an aura about her that made her seem impenetrable, yet she was humble. She had a crooked smile that never failed to bring one to Frankie’s face. Her eyes shone with emotion and were a deep brown that glimmered at all times. She was incredibly brilliant and the top of many of her classes. With the exception of Potions, Frankie held that spot proudly. 

Everyone says that perfect Hermione Granger, the “brightest witch of her age”, is the top of every class, but ever since she had to use her time to deal with the two rambunctious children that are her friends, she holds strong at about fourth. Frankie had to admit, she had a burning jealousy of Granger. She managed to befriend Potter in her first year, as well as make friends with many of the teachers, ace her classes, and save the entire school three times by now. Not to mention, she was also very pretty. This envy flared its deep green color whenever Frankie so much as heard the name Granger. 

“Earth to Reed?” Frankie snapped out of her covetous haze and met Daphne’s eyes. “Pansy’s bringing up lunch, get started on your essay, like, now.” 

Frankie tipped her head in agreement and reached into her bag to pick out her Astronomy notes. “Five sheets of parchment? Is Professor Sinistra trying to kill us?” 

“I think I might just use one sheet for every word: Sorry, I, Don’t, Want, To.” Cher counted on her fingers with a snort.

Daphne tugged at her bottom lip with her pinkie. “Maybe Frankie can use one of the spells from her secret journal to erase this essay from Sinistra’s mind.”

“That spell already exists, you toad.” Pansy swung the door open with several food items floating behind her, a slice of pumpkin bread levitating into Frankie’s waiting hands. “It’s called Obliviate, it has murderous side effects, and, next week it’s Reed’s turn to get the food.”

“Thank you Pans,” Cher cheered, mouth full of a danish pastry.

“Plus, the boys were bugging us to sit with them more often.” Pansy sat beside Frankie, parchment in hand. Daphne rolled her eyes.

“It’s one day a week, they’ll get over it eventually.”

“The students at Uagadou are so lucky. They have a good Astronomy program and they live in a cloud.” 

Cher scoffed. “They don’t live in a cloud, Pans, They live in a castle-that’s on a cloud. It’s very particular.”

“I want to live in a castle.”

“You idiot, you do.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you bloody mean?”

“Nothi-whatever-what are we doing for Hogsmeade tomorrow?”

~

Draco. Bloody. Malfoy. 

He walks around the school all high and mighty, like he owns the place, yet he acts like a right prat to many of its inhabitants. It’s like the boy was born with a stick up his arse. Yet, Frankie knew how he was raised, not that it’s an excuse. He doesn’t want to be the way he is, but he’s not some broken boy for her to fix. 

She’s had many conversations in the common room with Malfoy after nights of nightmares. She’s shared hugs that linger a second too long and strange glances during lectures. His stone grey eyes held an emotion behind them that she couldn’t understand. It made her uncomfortable, the strange buzz on her skin where his hand met. The fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach when they got too close. She didn’t like it. It made her feel like a creep.

She sees the way he looks at Cher. Frankie doesn’t compare to a golden, legs-for-days goddess with a waist the same circumference as Frankie’s thigh. Besides, a Malfoy should be with someone the same physical caliber as him. Frankie’s mother prayed to the ghost of Merlin that Frankie would blossom into a beautiful flower, but as her mother continuously reminded her, 

“You are a disgrace. Nothing but a weed in a garden of perfection.”

It’s not hard to believe. Many pureblood parents held a disdain for their children in private. Frankie was lucky to have someone like Kendra. Other teenagers didn’t have anyone. Frankie was lucky, not special. A mere weed, removable by a weak pull. A thorn on an otherwise perfect rose, fit to be plucked, ignored by onlookers.

Draco Malfoy was never written in the stars for someone like Frankie. 

Not that she liked him or anything. He was, as stated before, a right prat. A good looking one, but a prat nonetheless. They didn’t talk much, at all, instead seeking solace in the late hours of the night, a deep bond hidden from their friends. How could two people who were supposedly so perfect, be so broken?

~

pariet lilium.

chapter two

[dbzebra]

Surpassing the Strongest

Im back on Marten bs lol

This is something Ive wanted to do for a while now. A 28th World Tournament / End of Z retelling, which focuses on Goten’s plans to follow in his fathers footsteps like Goku originally planned back in the Buu Saga. Ignores DBS obviously.  Anyway this is just a oneshot for now but may possibly make it into a longfic.

Enjoy!!

May, Age 784.

Ten years of peace had passed since Majin Buu's defeat.

The cool spring air blew in from an open window of Orange Star High School. Son Goten was lost in thought as the lecture droned on from in front of him. He couldn't hear what the teacher was saying. Rather, he didn't really care. He wanted to be outside and enjoying the day. Flying around or out on a date.

Ya know, something that was actually fun.

Something, anything but being cooped up in a stuffy building all day on such a nice afternoon. If Goten closed his eyes, he could feel himself soaring through the clouds on the Flying Nimbus, the wind in his hair and the whole world below him. Ever since he learned to fly, it's been his absolute favorite thing to do.

"Man, I wanna go to the beach!" Goten whined to himself and continued daydreaming about the endless possibilities of summer fun when he heard two kids whispering from the back of the classroom that piqued his attention. Super sensitive hearing really came in handy sometimes!

"Did you hear? Mr. Satan won't be participating in the World Martial Arts Tournament next week. He announced his retirement yesterday."

"What, really?! Maybe I should enter then. Now I'll actually stand a chance."

"Noooo! Mr. Satan can't retire!" Another kid chimed in, slamming his fists down on his desk in despair. "He's my hero! The strongest guy in the whole universe!"

"It's true man. I saw it on TV. He's all bald now too. Mr. Buu is gonna sweep with him gone. He's unbeatable next to Mr. Satan!"

"Awww… Yeah, you're right. Buu is unstoppable! He's never even been touched in a fight once!"

Goten snickered to himself. If only they knew the truth. "Speak for yourself. Me and Trunks almost beat him when we were fused together!"

The more Goten thought about it, the more it intrigued him.

He always loved the World Tournament, ever since he was a kid. Growing up, Goten loved hearing stories from his dad, Yamcha and Krillin about their fights from the old days. He collected all tons of World Tournament merchandise over the years, most notably of which were figures of every finalist leading back to the very first Tournament. The premium edition figurine of his father as a teenager during the 23rd Tournament was his most prized possession. He had to send in like one hundred postcards to a sweepstakes to win. The day he got the letter in the mail saying that he won, he almost flipped.

The news of the upcoming Tournament re-ignited a fire in the young Saiyan.

"Maybe I should enter! I'll run it by Mar later..."

__________________________________________________________

The final bell rang as class was let out for the day.

Goten stretched his arms out wide upon walking out the front doors of Orange Star High with an extra pip in his step. It was finally the weekend!

He spotted his girlfriend leaning against one of the pillars at the front gate, sporting her signature twintails. She was waiting for him! He grinned and picked up his pace a little bit. Marron twirled a strand of blonde hair in her fingers as she absent-mindedly watched a capsule-plane go by from above. 

Being a sophomore, sixteen yer old Marron was on the cheer squad and wrote for the school newspaper. Like most girls her age, Marron loved shopping, but her true passion was writing. It all started when she used to read fantasy books and write in her diary as a little girl. She hoped to work for a big fashion designer as a writer when she got older.

"Hey there, gorgeous." Goten said while he snuck up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

Marron flinched in surprise, but lit up when she heard her boyfriend's voice. She swung around and jumped into his arms, planting a kiss on her boyfriend's face. "Goten! It's great to see you!" Marron said and kissed him again, just for good measure. He definitely wasn't going to object.

“You too! So how was class?

“Boring. I’m starting to see why you and Trunks skip all the time.” Marron huffed, and then playfully poked his chest. “I guess being a delinquent like you has its perks~!”

“Told ya!” He said with a cheeky grin, eager to tell her about what happened today. “Anyway, ready to go?”

Marron smiled and grabbed his hand affectionately. A date was just what she needed right now. "Sure! Where are we going~?"

"There's an ice cream stand near the park about three blocks that way." He replied, gesturing over his shoulder with this thumb. "I'm friends with the guy who runs it!"

"Sounds great! It's such a nice day out! And I don't have to be home anytime soon anyway, so we have the whole afternoon to ourselves!" Marron chirped and playfully pulled him along.

After a bit of walking, they reached their destination . It was one of the more popular spots, so there wasn't a surprise there was a line.

"If I don't get something in my stomach soon, I might just eat my own hand!" Goten whined, his stomach growled almost as if it was agreeing.

"I'd pay to see that." Marron laughed.

Soon enough, it was their turn.

"Well well, look who it is! My number one customer!" The man at the stand said. He was an older man, about Goku's height. He had a kind face with short grayish hair. "Welcome back, Goten!"

"Hey Mr. Sherbert!"

"On a hot date?!" Mr. Sherbert said as he winked at the two teens. "You'd better treat her right, you hear?"

"Yeah! I'd never do anything bad. Right Mar?" Goten grinned. Marron blushed a bit from next to him.

"So what can I get for you two kids today?"

Goten already knew what he wanted; he had thought about it on the way over. "You first."

"Hmm..." Marron scanned the options until she found just the right one. I'll take a medium sized scoop of mint on a waffle cone, please." Marron said, eyeing the green-colored ice cream in the picture.

"Comin right up, miss! And how 'bout for you, big guy? The usual?"

"You bet!"

The older man laughed out loud. "I'd expect no less! A triple deluxe cone of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate with rainbow sprinkles, comin' right up!"

"How much do I owe ya?" Goten said, digging into his pocket for his wallet.

"This one's on the house, kid." Mr. Sherbert said, waving off Goten's attempt to hand him money.

Goten and Marron both looked shocked.

"What, really?"

"Yep. Don't worry 'bout it."

"Wow! Thanks a lot!"

"Just make sure you show this nice young lady a fun time on your date, okay?" Mr. Sherbert said with a kind smile, as he and Goten shared a laugh.

"I promise!"

After that, Goten and Marron got their food then took a seat on the grass in the park across the street and ate their snacks together.

"So, tell me. What's the big news?" Marron asked as she finished off her food, feeding off his anticipation. She could tell it was something big- whatever it was. "You've been antsy all afternoon!"

Goten fell backwards onto the grass and put his hands behind his head. "Well, I heard something interesting in class today!"

"You mean you actually paid attention?"

"Nope!" Goten declared without hesitating one bit. 

Marron rolled her eyes with a giggle. She expected that response. 

"It's about the World Martial Arts Tournament."

"Oh yeah!!” Marron exclaimed. “That’s next week, right? What happened?"

"Mr. Satan retired. And I'm considering entering. I’m sure Trunks and my dad will too.”

Marron gasped and clasped her hands together joyfully. "Oh my God, Goten, you totally should!" Marron exclaimed, putting her hands on his knee. "It would be so cool! Plus, it'll be like a little vacation for us!"

"You really think so?"

"Of course! You'll do great!" Marron declared happily. She gently took his large hand in her smaller ones and stared deep into his eyes. "You've been training so hard these past few years. I know that better than anyone. You said you wanted to surpass Goku someday, right? Well this is your biggest chance. I’ll be your cheerleader the whole way!” Marron declared that as if it were a love declaration.  But it didn’t matter what place he came in. To her, Son Goten was already number one. 

Goten liked the sound of that. He sat up and stole a quick kiss from Marron's lips when she wasn't paying attention. He pulled back and saw that the blonde was staring down at her dress, a scarlet-red hue covering her cheeks from ear-to-ear.

“You're the best, Mar. And you're right. I'm entering. And I'm going to win!"

"W-W-Warn me before you do that! I-I-I wasn't ready!" She stammered out, fixing her hair to distract herself from the sudden kiss. It was only a moment, but she felt the love and appreciation he had for her in it.

A sly grin made it's way onto the half-Saiyan's lips. "Okay then. I'm warning you now."

Marron didn't have time to react as she screamed with laughter when he pounced on her a moment later. They fell back onto the grass together and started making out, not caring who saw them.

_____________________________________________________________

It was almost dusk when Goten and Marron parted ways for the night. As the young Saiyan approached his home in the mountains from above, the sky had become a brilliant orange and red hue. It was like a wild flame slowly dying out into the calm darkness of the night. Sunsets were always soothing for him. When he was still a small child, Goten used to watch the sunset and think of his dad, wondering if he saw the same sunset from Other World. 

Goten dropped down onto the grass in front of his house; smoke coming from the chimney. Goten smiled widely. He could smell dinner from here! "Oh boy! My favorite! Nothing beats Mom's cooking!"

“I’m home!” Goten called upon walking in.

“Hey kiddo! Grab a seat, it’s chow time!” Goku waved to his son, already seated at the table.

Chi-Chi placed the last plate on the table and then sat down herself. “Welcome home, honey!”

Goten sat down and together the family of three started eating. Chi-Chi paced herself while the boys ate in typical Son fashion-- as if it were their last meal ever (and seemingly never even came up to breathe). Chi-Chi sighed with a smile. She was used to it by now. 

“Man Chi-Chi, you outdid yourself! This is really great!!” Goku exclaimed and went back for a fifth helping. “Your food is the best in the whole world!”

Chi-Chi touched her cheeks, bashfully smiling. She was even blushing a bit. “Oh, stop teasing, Goku. You're embarrassing me!”

“I’m serious!” Goku continued.

“Um, Mom…” Goten started hesitantly. He scratched the side of his cheek, thinking how to word his next question. “Sorry to ask this so suddenly, but… can I take a week off from school?” He said and then braced himself for the ‘no.’

Without flinching, Chi-Chi put down the tea she was sipping and smiled. “Planning a romantic getaway with your girlfriend~? I don’t mind, but if something happens are you prepared to take responsibility? A girl’s virginity is a special thing, Goten!” 

Goten instantly did a spit take. He hacked and coughed and Goku patted him on the back. Once the teen caught his breath, he went pure red from embarrassment. Or was it from shock? Probably both. 

“What I do with Mar is none of--- W-Wait! There’s no romantic getaway!” Goten practically shouted. 

Talking about that type of stuff with Trunks was one thing, but it was the absolute LAST topic of conversation Son Goten ever in a million years wanted to have with his mother. 

“Oh honey, stop being so dramatic. I’m no fool. I know how much you two love each other, it’s only natural!”

“Mom! Enough! I’m not talking about this with you!”

In the years since Buu, most things didn’t bother the Son matriarch anymore. Chi-Chi let things slide. She even started wearing her hair down or in a ponytail more often than not. And became brazent with her playful teasing. Too brazent for Goten’s own good. First Gohan, now him. Goku almost felt bad for them. Almost. He found it amusing. 

Goten slapped his cheeks and quickly shook off the image before his mind could wander any further to any thoughts that might make him not able to ride the Flying Nimbus anymore. 

“Besides, 18 would kill me, revive me with the Dragon Balls, and then kill me again!!” Goten said, getting a laugh from his parents. They were laughing because they knew he was right. 

“Of course, honey. Now what’s the real reason?” She knew Goten would likely skip anyway. Goten didn’t think she knew, but she did. She was smarter than she looked. But still, she appreciated that he came to them first, whatever the reason was.

“I want to enter the World Tournament.” Goten declared, surprising both of his parents. 

“I’m in too!!” Goku replied with the same confident grin his son had. Goku had a feeling Goten would. “There’s this guy I’ve been keeping an eye on lately. He’s got some insane power within him, more than he realizes. I have a hunch he’ll be entering the Tournament next week.”

Though he didn’t say this aloud, Son Goku had another reason he wanted to enter the Tournament. A lesson that his master had taught him long ago. 

“A hunch?” Chi-Chi asked, somewhat worried. She had gotten used to the peace again. They all had. The last thing she wanted was another creep with an inflated ego dragging her boys into another universal death battle. “Sounds like bad news to me.”

“No need to worry. This guy’s totally pure of heart.” Goku replied, easing his wife’s fears.

“So who is he then?” Goten said, in between heaps of food. “Do we know him?”

Goku flashed his signature wide grin. “Sorry! Not telling. You’ll have to wait and see for yourself!”

Goten slouched back in his seat and frowned. “That’s lame. You’re no fun.”

“We’ll have to train for the Tournament just to be sure! I have a feeling this is gonna be a fun one!”

“Yeah!” 

“I had a feeling this day would come sooner or later.” Chi-Chi said, sighing slightly. It was tough for her seeing her baby boy growing up into a man. He was almost done highschool, in a loving committed relationship, and now following in his father’s footsteps as a fighter. Soon he’d be out of the house and out on his own. The thought almost made her tear up, but she supported him nonetheless. The Son matriarch excused herself from the dinner table to hurry into the hall closet and pulled out a large white box with a bow on it. 

Upon returning, Chi-Chi glanced to Goku for a moment and then handed her son the box. “I know your eighteenth birthday isn’t for a while, but I… we wanted you to have this before your big day. I made it myself.”

Goten raised an eyebrow at the box, shaking it slightly. It didn’t sound like a game or anything like that was inside. Now he was really curious. He carefully lifted the lid off of the box to see a brand new gi. His current one was fine and all, but it was getting a little too small and worn out over the past months of consistent training. 

“Whoa! This is…” He gasped.

It was an orange gi, much like his father had worn for decades. But what made it different from Goku’s was instead of blue, Goten’s new gi had a black undershirt, and matching black belt, wristbands and boots. 

Goten smiled as wide as could be as he lifted the gi out of the box to get a better look at it. “This is great! Thank you so much! I’m gonna go try it on!!” He said and ran to his bedroom to change. 

Goku and Chi-Chi idled about in the meantime, cleaning up from dinner when the teenaged Saiyan returned shortly after. 

Chi-Chi’s eyes lit up like stars while Goku proudly beamed from beside her. 

“Oh, look at you! You look so handsome!” Chi-Chi gushed, fussing all over her son despite his protests. “You look just like your father did when he and I reunited at the Tournament all those years ago! Ahh, those were the days~!”

“Yup! Lookin’ just like his old man!” Goku said. “Except for the hair!”

“Hey! Don’t hate!” Goten whined. “This hairstyle is stylish!”

Goten had recently changed his hairstyle to stand out from his father. Instead of his father’s signature palm-tree hairstyle, Son Goten let his hair grow out. It still shot out in most directions, but was now much longer and shaggier, reached the back of his neck. He liked it a lot more. Even better, Marron said it made him look super cute. So he decided to stick with it!

“Training begins tomorrow!” 

Goten smirked. He couldn’t wait. 

The next day, Son Goku came into Goten’s room bright and early, ready to start. They didn’t have much time to prepare! He found the teen was curled up in a ball, clutching his pillow for dear life. 

“Rise and shine, kiddo!” Goku swung open the curtains, bringing the hot bright rays of sunlight right onto Goten’s face. 

Goten winced and half-opened one eye. “...Dad? It’s ...7 AM! On a Saturday. Come back in like three hours.” Goten grimaced and then pulled the covers over his head, hoping his father would go away. It was too early for this! He was in the middle of an awesome dream too! 

“No way. We’ve only got six days till the tournament! We’re gonna train for three days, and then rest for three days.” Goku said and yanked the covers off the bed entirely. “We’re getting breakfast out on the road, so get up or you’ll miss it!” 

Goten groaned even louder than before, finally sitting up. The teen rubbed his eyes and yawned loudly. His hair shot out in every direction even more so than normal. Under most circumstances he wouldn’t mind early morning training, but his bed was too comfy to leave it right now! If he went back to sleep now, maybe he could continue the dream he was having! “Can’t today be a rest day?”

“Nope. Now be outside in ten minutes or your mother said no dinner for you!” Goku grinned teasingly, knowing that was his son’s weakness.

“Oh come onnn! That’s--. Ugh. Fiiine!” Goten whined. “Cheater.”

After brushing his teeth (still half asleep) Goten threw on his new gi. Knowing how their sparring sessions usually went, he hoped it wouldn’t get destroyed after not even having it a full day. 

He tiredly dragged his feet out to the kitchen where his mother was waiting for him. 

“Never shoulda entered this stupid Tournament…” He mumbled to himself and yawned again. 

Chi-Chi shook her head, laughing. “Oh hush. It’s not that bad. You know how your father gets in times like this.”

“Yeah, yeah. He could’ve at least waited another hour though!” Goten said and then went outside to see his father talking with Gohan as little Pan ran around at their feet.

“Oh, hey Gohan!” Goten said happily. 

“I see Dad’s puttin’ you through the ringer, huh?” Gohan chuckled when he saw his brother drag his feet out onto the grass. “I was down that road plenty of times growing up.” 

Goku had traded his signature orange gi for a blue gi with dark bluish-green pants, black shoes and orange wristbands. He still dearly treasured the Turtle School colors, but wanted something different for a change. 

“Uncle Goten!!” Pan cried happily. The toddler wore a little red gi, a present she got from Goku and Chi-Chi for Christmas the previous winter. Pan jumped into the air and came flying at him like a football player trying to take down the quarterback. 

Goten braced himself for the hug just as Pan slammed into him, laughing. “Hey, squirt!”

“I’m not a squirt, I grew two inches!” 

Pan giggled. She loved her uncle so much. He was like a big kid, but also an adult! Pan didn’t really get how that was possible, but she just wanted to be just like him. He showed her all the funnest games, and always knew all the coolest places to go! Plus whenever he visited he always snuck her candy when Gohan wasn’t looking. 

“Guess what Uncle Goten? Daddy says I can enter the World Toonament!” 

Goten couldn’t help but laugh at her pronunciation of the word tournament. “Wait, what? You’re sure it’s okay if she enters, Gohan?”

Gohan nodded. “When she heard Mr. Satan used to be the Champ, it’s all she wanted to do. Videl and I agreed that since there’s no threats anymore, it wouldn’t be a big deal. There’s no Junior division this time, but we’ll all be there anyway. So no harm done.”

“You’re right about that! Besides, I think she can give Goten a challenge!” Goku said, winking up at Pan. 

Pan tugged on Goten’s pant leg. “Is it true you’re comin’ fishin’ with us?” 

“Sure is, Pan! Come on! You can ride on my shoulders!” Goten said and picked the little one up. She felt so tall!

“Alright, we’re heading off!” Goku said. Pan cheered while Goten smirked and pumped his fists. Now that he was fully awake, he was ready for action.

Gohan trusted his father more than anyone else in the world. He went over to affectionately pat his daughter’s head. “Bye, Panny. Be good for Grandpa and Uncle Goten!”

“Okay Daddy!” 

And with that, the three were off. Gohan watched them go and then went back inside for his morning coffee.

The three followed the dirt path to a pretty meadow nearby. Dew glistened on the blades of grass, as the sun continued making its way over the mountain horizon. A river gently flowed into a waterfall that spilled into a sprawling crystal clear lake.. It brought back a wave of nostalgia for Goku as he could remember the countless times he went here to fish with Grandpa Gohan growing up. 

Goten placed Pan down and stretched as the toddler immediately ran over to the river’s edge and stared in awe. 

"Alright before we start training, whaddya say we get some breakfast? I’m starving!" Goku said, already prepping. 

"Sure! I got it covered! I’ll get us some fish!”

"My favorite!” Goku said. No matter how many times he ate Paozu tuna, it didn’t get old.

In the meantime, Goku gathered firewood and then fired a tiny ki blast to start a fire. Pan helped by throwing sticks to make it bigger. He placed three large wooden stakes over the fire, one for each of them to roast their breakfast on. 

Goten got down to his boxers and dove into the river. It was cold, yet refreshing. If he wasn't fully awake yet, he was now. The teen swam around a bit until some huge fish caught his eye. Common for this area, the Paozu fish were at least five times his size, and normally blue and white in color (but there were other colorations as well). Four of them spotted Goten at once and rushed towards their prey, each with the intent to swallow him whole. 

Goten became motionless, waiting for the right moment. As the first approached, he swam down and kicked it in the side, killing it instantly. The teen then disposed of the other three aquatic attackers in a similar fashion.

Goten swam around and gathered his food. One for each of them and one extra! They could split the last one. 

With their breakfast caught, the three generations of Sons sat around the fire, enjoying the morning together while they ate their breakfast in typical Saiyan fashion. 

Goku burped and rubbed his stomach upon finishing. “Man, that hit the spot! Now it’s time for training!” 

“I wanna train too, Grandpa!” Pan exclaimed. 

Goku ruffled Pan’s hair, making her giggle. “You like flying, right?” He asked, knowing the answer already. 

“Mhmm!” The four-year old gleefully said, raising her little hands into fists. 

“Alright, well how about this? I want you to fly around the world as fast as you can!”

Pan’s little eyes lit up. “Really? Okay! Can Uncle Goten come with me??!”

Goten laughed and knelt down to be on eye level with the toddler. “I’d love to, Panny, but I gotta train! Next time I’ll go with you! And I’ll show you something real cool!” 

“Pinky promise?” She said, holding up her little finger.

“Of course.” Goten grinned and they shook on it.

“Alright, bye Grandpa! Bye Uncle Goten!! I’ll be back soon!!” Pan waved and took off to the east. 

Once Pan was out of sight, the Son boys could truly focus on their training.

“So, what’s on the agenda??” 

"Okay, Goten. First, I need you to power up as high as you can possibly go." Goku folded his arms and smiled confidently. "I know things have been easy in these peace times, but I wanna see the progress you've made. You've been training primarily with Trunks, right?"

Goten nodded. "Yeah. At first it was pretty casual but these past two years or so we've really gotten serious."

Goku had full faith in his son. Though Goten was suppressing his energy, Goku could feel the sheer amount of power he had within him. In his fight with Buu, even as a child, Goten showed glimpses having more potential than even Gohan. At only seven years old, he became a Super Saiyan just by sparring for fun. And when fused together, Gotenks was one of the strongest fighters in the entire universe.

"...Alright, then. Here goes!" Goten smirked. He then took a deep breath and let out a mighty roar as his power skyrocketed. "HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

A wild golden aura erupted around the teenager's body while lighting violently sparked around him. Goten's muscles bulged somewhat while his shaggy hair stood completely upright, becoming sharp and jagged. First, Goten's eyes turned to an emerald green. Then, his dark black hair became the signature golden-yellow. The lightning increased in intensity as Goten didn't stop there and kept powering up until a burst of light shot from the teens body.

There stood Son Goten in a fully-powered Super Saiyan 2 state. The splitting image of his father. His facial features were relaxed and he was in complete control of his energy; a far cry from ten years ago when he had gotten carried away at the Tournament.

"How's this?" Goten asked, smirking slightly. “At first, it took a lot of rage to transform, like I had to picture Majin Buu hurting Mar or Mom again. But it’s easy now!”

"Amazing, Goten! Wow! I'm so proud of you!" Goku beamed with pride at how far his son has come. At only seventeen years old, Son Goten had mastered Super Saiyan 2. Goku wouldn't be surprised if he was on the edge of unlocking Super Saiyan 3!

"Me and Trunks are just about equals."

Equals?! They were equals? If that really was the case, Goku could truly put his worries about leaving the earth to the next generation to rest. "No wonder You got so strong so fast!"

"How would you compare us to Majin Buu? Like a ballpark."

"You mean the evil one? Hard to say exactly, but you're definitely stronger than Vegeta and I were at the time. If both of you attacked together at full power, you could have possibly beaten him before he split good from evil and lost most of his power. But you know more than anyone how unpredictable Buu can be. Even though he's good now, you have to be careful. If you get matched up against him, you can't afford many mistakes against a guy like that.”

Goten pumped his fists happily. "Right! Thanks, Dad! So, what now?"

"Power down to normal. Goku said and slipped into a fighting stance. "Let's have a quick spar. This time, no transforming.”

"Huh? Are you sure? But you'll kick my ass!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I'm gettin' old ya know! Now come on.” 

Goten nodded and after a deep breath, his hair and eyes returned to their normal black color. He clenched his fists and then slipped into a fighting stance. “Just watch the gi, okay? It’s brand new, and I was hopin’ to surprise Mar with it.”

Goku smirked. “Sure. I’ll let you have the first move.”

“You’ll regret that!!” Goten instantly burst forward, appearing as only a blur. He swung a volley of powerful kicks directly at his father's face.

Goku smirked as dodged with ease but Goten was relentless. Kick after kick he didn't stop. That continued until Goku grabbed Goten by the leg, and prepared to counter. "Got ya."

"Not so fast!" With his other leg, Goten swung but that too was caught. Goten squirmed and fought to break loose, but Goku’s grip only tightened. Growling, Goten spread his arms wide, unleashing an Explosive Wave at point blank range. 

Goku was hit dead on and lost his grip, staggering back somewhat as Goten landed. "OWW! Good one! That actually hurt! But I'm not even getting started yet!" 

Goku vanished from sight and reappeared behind his son. Goten swerved around just in time to see his father pulling his fist back, ready to strike. 

However the blow went right through his son as if it were an illusion. 

“An afterimage...” Goku said, smirking.

Two copies of Goten reappeared to Goku’s side. Then, the real Goten appeared from above and swung a ferocious kick at Goku, but that too was nothing but an illusion. 

“W-What?!” Goten exclaimed and jumped backwards, searching around for his father’s energy.

“I invented that move! Ya gotta be better than that!!” Goku said from a few yards away, smiling mischievously with his arms crossed. 

Goten ran towards Goku again, but this time Goku vanished completely. The teen flipped backwards just as Goku came into sight, narrowly dodging the counter. Goten burst forward and immediately slammed Goku in the back of  the head, this time hitting finally it’s mark. 

Goku was sent careening down towards the ground, but he caught himself and safely landed on his own two feet. He winced, rubbing his head where Goten hit him. “He’s tougher than I remember!”

Goten continued his assault, flying down towards his father and firing multiple energy waves at Goku.

Goku deflected the blasts away from himself, sending the blasts far away from the fight to explode in the distance. Goten charged a bigger blast in his left hand, firing it directly forward. Goku stayed absolutely still, waiting for Goten's blast. At the last moment, Goten curved the blast up and it exploded into multiple blasts that shot in every direction, wildly zig-zagging around without any sense of direction or course. 

Goku watched each blast intensely, waiting for the right moment. 

“He’s distracted!” Goten blasted forwards, head first, at full force, slamming directly into Goku’s back. 

Pulling his arms back into the signature pose, Goten his hands together. “KAAAAA… MEEEEE…” The blue energy began to build as Goten’s ki spiked. “HAAAAA… MEEEEE…”

Goku recovered and came to a sliding halt on the grassy terrain. The Saiyan hadn’t felt this excited in years. Goku smirked and raised his power level to match Goten’s. Just then, Goten vanished. 

Goku’s eyes widened and crossed his arms over his face, just as Goten appeared in front of him.

“HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

The blast hit Goku dead on, creating a super massive explosion that could be felt all the way at the Son house from far away. 

Goten jumped backwards to gain distance. The teen hovered there, his senses on full awareness, waiting for his father to emerge from the smoke. A palm-tree hairstyle and bluish-green gi appeared through the smoke soon enough, completely unharmed. He was smiling! 

“I see you’ve finally mastered the Instant Transmission. Great work!” Goku grinned, folding his arms. 

The Instant Transmission technique. Goten had asked his father to teach him the attack about two years ago when he started his training. Right around the time he started dating Marron. Goten motives were as clear as day.

“Yeah! Thanks again!” Goten said.

“You won’t fool me twice with that move though. Come on, let’s keep going!”

“You bet.”

They rushed each other at the same time and collided. A powerful yet invisible tremor shook the area as their fists met. The father and son duo crashed blow for blow as they rose higher in the air. Their attacks grew more intense the higher they went.

Eventually they disappeared, and could only be seen by the tremors echoing throughout the grassy training grounds. 

At first, Goten traded blows evenly with his dad, countering each blow with ease. But as their struggle continued, Goku slowly raised his power and started overwhelming his father. He managed to land a crushing blow to the gut, making Goten falter. Goku went to punch him but Goten phased out of the way, reappearing some significant distance away and hid his energy singal. 

“Now’s my chance!”

Goten got into position and powered up to full. In an instant he pulled his hands back, charged two blue blasts of ki in his hands and fired. The beam exploded in a marvelous blue light, hitting its target dead on. “Gotcha.”

Goten waited for movement. But when the smoke cleared and Goku was gone! The teen growled when he saw his father simply dusting off his gi on the grass below. 

“Dammit! He’s not even hurt!” 

To Goku’s own surprise, he was just a bit out of breath.  ”If I’m not careful, he actually may get the advantage. He’s even further along in his training than I originally thought.” He smirked and then raised his hands close to the center of his face with his fingers spread out toward his eyes. “This was fun, Goten, but you’re not winning this fight.”

Goten braced himself and shut his eyes. “Oh crap!”

“SOLAR FLARE!”

A blinding white light exploded from the Saiyan father’s body as if a second sun was right there on the battlefield with them, covering everything in sight. 

Despite being temporarily blind, Goten’s other senses kicked into high gear. He felt where Goku was going to appear and attempted to counter, but missed every attack. Goku simply side-stepped or caught everything Goten threw at him. 

Goku smirked, reappearing right behind his son. "Come on! Focus! You're better than that, Goten!" He said right before flipping behind Goten and kneeing his son right in the back.

Goten was flown forward as he grunted from the impact of the hard hit, trying to regain control of his body as his sight finally began returning to him. 

Goku pursued his son, pounding him into the ground causing cracks and the ground itself to rise up from the impact. Goku then grabbed his son by the legs and threw him into the air. Goku flew straight up, stopping above Goten. He threw a punch at Goten but Goten managed to duck, countering with a jab to the gut.

Goku vanished and kicked his son upwards, and with a flare his energy unleashed a monstrous kiai that had Goten flying backwards, unable to recover. 

A boot connected with the boy’s face and he was sent shooting towards the ground yet again. 

“Try and stop this one!!” Goku cried and unleashed a volley of rapid-fire blasts. Goten’s head was still spinning from the kick, so he didn’t have time to block the dozens of golden Ki spheres that crashed into his body one after another seemingly without end. 

Finally, Goku built up one last, super-large energy ball for the final attack. 

Goten had just enough time to land on his feet and catch the ball of ki. He grunted as he felt himself being pushed back, but with a flare of his aura--almost turning Super Saiyan until he remebered the rule, managed to send it flying away. A massive explosion echoed from afar where the impact was. 

Goku floated above him with his hands on his hips, smiling proudly. 

Goten heaved and huffed, now feeling exhausted as if he sweat from his brow.  He really could have kept going, but decided against it and shook his head. “I’m done for now. You win....” He said and plopped down on the grass.

The fight was over. Goku grinned and flashed dual victory signs. “You did amazing, Goten. Really had me there!” 

“One of these days, I swear, the shoe is gonna be on the other foot!” Goten declared in between heavy breaths. At least his gi didn’t get ruined. 

“And I think that day will be sooner rather than later.” Goku smiled and sat down next to Goten on the grass as they waited for Panny to come back. 

Only six days remain until the 28th World Martial Arts Tournament begins!

[docholligay]

A Dispute

Another release for my birthday week! This was commissioned by @katrani a while ago, for “Mamoru and Haruka have a disagreement about cars” and I took in all the holligay directions. I hope you enjoy! 

“What the hell are you talking about?” Haruka tried, poorly, to keep the disgust off her face, and then stopped trying at all. It was the worst kind of pomp, in her mind, when people talked about things they had no idea about, and even worse when others backed them for no reason.

And, she would reflect, if she were given to reflection, that she should have expected it--Mamoru was a rich kid, raised in society right alongside Michiru. In another world, they might have been meant as a match for each other. (On this last point Haruka did not dwell too deeply, as it always caused her to get angry at someone, and sometimes that someone was her.) For Haruka to challenge him directly at a party, where glasses clinked together, filled with bubbles, each one popping at the surface and shouting its exorbitant price tag into the sky, where she would only ever be on a tourist visa, and never be a real citizen, that was madness.

But sometimes, breeding aside, wrong was wrong, and Mamoru was intensely wrong about this, in the way that only a man raised with words and pedigree and no actual knowledge might be.

“Haruka.” The sweet tones of her wife’s voice floated into her ear, but Haruka could not hear them, vexed as she was by the misdeeds occurring at the table, the sound of a motor overwhelming everything else in her head.

“Based on what, your boner?!” It was not a thing she would normally have said at such a table, but the rough and beer-stained ones she shared with the guys from the garage. Good manners had, however, fled. “The only thing Lamborghini has going for it is the Transformers tie in. And not even I liked Age of Extinction. How could you pick that over something like McLaren, or Koenigsegg, which might be the actual winner, or even, hell, Saleen, if you want to go just for sheer balls to try. I mean, I guess, if Lamborghini’s all you ever heard of, then it makes sense. ”

Mamoru looked somewhere between insulted and personally distressed, Usagi at his side, staring into her cake. Haruka felt bad, for a moment. It would upset Usagi, to have them fight, and it would upset her more that Michiru’s parents would fall on her like starved dogs on a slice of ham any moment now. She was going to get Michiru into a fight and make Usagi cry, all in one night.

Haruka shrugged. “I mean the Gallardo Balboni does have that retro charm to it, I guess.”

Well done, Haruka.

“We, of course, apologize, Mamoru,” Michiru’s mother smiled her viper’s smile, “You can take a dog out of the junkyard, so they say.”

“Mother is simply confused that anyone could render passion for any subject that is not created on a runway in Milan,” Michiru gave a peal of her false laughter, playing to the crowd, “When we were there last, I scarce think she saw the sun.”

“Well, Michiru,” Her mother raised her glass, “We all have our vices, I suppose,” she smiled also to the table, who were watching the game of ping pong with a mixture of fear and delight, “Michiru has always been taken by charity, we simply never expected it to take her.” She laughed. “Haruka, you are very knowledgeable on the subject, I imagine spending your life on a oil-stained floor might do that. Now,” she nodded, “if you go for any higher subject, I assure you, you will find no such argument from her.”

“Oh and Mother, what could possibly be more edifying than discussion of your latest scarf acquisition? We are all so very riveted. That is one of the very pillars of a fine education: Music, Art, Literature, Silk Scarves.”

She laughed, in the way Haruka hated, the way the was more like a knife than anything resembling joy. It was her fault, again, that they were fighting, because Haruka couldn’t keep her mouth shut, but she could never keep her mouth shut.

She wanted to hit something, but she just kept it inside of her, and let it hit whatever it wanted there.

__

Mamoru shifted uncomfortably in his chair, wondering if there was any way to stop the battle in front of him. It gave him pause, not just for Haruka’s sake--he had seen this happen to Haruka before, and had heard the things more polite members of society did not say to her face, but snickered behind her back instead--but also for Usagi’s. Haruka had spent years having those sorts of things slung at her, but Usagi...Usagi was new to all of this.

And Usagi was not like Haruka, who was angry and tough, who would roll all of this off her like it was nothing. Usagi was gentle and soft and easily hurt, and Mamoru suddenly doubted himself for having brought her at all.

But maybe they wouldn’t notice Usagi, so much, with Haruka in the room. She made herself an easier target, with the way she argued, and Usagi, so far, had managed not to burst out into anything that would bring her to the front of their minds.

But now, looking over at her while Michiru and her mother traded jabs, Mamoru wondered if she wouldn’t break the spell and cry out. Her lip wobbled as she looked over at Haruka, who was staring straight ahead as the parry and thrust of their conversation went on. Mamoru was used to it--the Kaiohs were quick on their feet, dangerous and noteworthy opponents, and it was always a little bit of a relief to see them take after each other instead of anyone else.

It was strange, the way fate worked. He never would have guessed that it would be Michiru, the girl who had learned the deception of class while the rest of them still felt like children, who would be part of the destiny of the world. He might have guessed anyone else, in fact.

He had been a little scared of her, as a child. He was a little scared of her as an adult, in his most private thoughts.

He had always known he was something different, inside, but even in knowing that, in every inch of his soul, he had failed to see it utterly in her, and this puzzled him.

But none of that mattered now, the only thing that mattered was that Mamoru feared, in any moment, that Usagi might redirect the attention to herself.

Everything happened so fast.

Michiru laid in a snipe about her mother’s lack of self-sufficiency.

Her mother suggested, teeth bared, that Haruka might serve as Michiru’s beast of burden.

Haruka looked down at her plate.

Usagi’s mouth opened in a wail, protesting that Haruka was nice and had once fixed her chicken clock.

And then, suddenly, all eyes were on Mamoru. He had not remembered jumping up onto the table, nor throwing the rose in between Michiru and her mother. It was as if muscle memory had simply kicked in, and though he was sure, history being a strong indicator of the future, that he had given an excellent speech, he could not recall what it might have been, as all eyes turned to him.

The older Kaioh looked confused; the younger, witheringly unimpressed.

But both of them did stop talking about Haruka, he noted, in the car on the way home.

That was heroism, of a type, he assured himself.

___

She sat near the corner of the bar, back to the door, which surprised him, somewhat. He thought she’d be more suspicious, a more natural solider than that, but she did not seem such a soldier sitting by herself, wearing a worn raglan, her red sneakers dirty under the cuff of her jeans.

Mamoru approached her awkwardly. He didn’t know how to talk to Haruka--he didn’t talk to most people well, if he was honest, and Haruka did not make herself easy to talk to. Mina liked her, but Mina also hated Mamoru, so it seemed it seemed to make a certain amount of logical sense that Haruka wouldn’t like him.

Usagi liked her too, but Usagi liked everyone.

“Hey,” He sat down at the seat next to her, where she sat, looking up at the baseball game on the TV and sipping a beer, “Uh...how’s it going?”

Haruka looked at him with a puzzled expression. “What are you doing here?”

He looked around the bar, dark and colored only by the buzzing neon lights of beer signs hung on the wall, set off by the decorative mirrors and tin signs of different cheap breweries, and felt the stickiness of the bar top in front of him.

These things considered, it was an excellent question.

“I...I came to talk to you,” he cleared his throat and raised one finger to the bartender, “Uh, one beer please, Miss.”

The bartender looked up at him and snorted. “Anything in particular, or just the general concept of beer?””

Haruka gave a deep, throaty laugh, and indicated to a tin sign behind the bar. The bartender nodded and poured something pale gold into a glass and set it in front of him. It occurred to him, now, that wasn’t sure when the last time he drank beer actually was.

He drew out his wallet, and Haruka stopped him. “My treat.” She set the money on the bar, and nodded at the bartender, who was studiously ignoring eye contact with Mamoru, to keep it.

“Thanks, honey.” She picked it up and quickly walked away to the important business of cleaning glasses.

“Thank you, Haruka.” Mamoru looked awkwardly around the bar, and then puffed out his chest, looking at her with what he thought was confidence. “You know, you and Michiru have really changed my perspective, that’s a brilliant gift the two of you have bestowed, and I am forever grateful for it. I never noticed, in my blindness, how many gay couples surround me, every day, even now--”

“This is a gay bar.”

“What?” Mamoru looked around again, like a stunned prairie dog unable to spot the hawk.

“The name of the bar is The Outfield, Mams.” Haruka chuckled into her beer. “So did you just come to thank me for showing you gay people are real?”

Mamoru, it must be said, did not particularly like Haruka. She was abrasive, unmannerly but not in Usagi’s charming way, and she always made him feel somehow small and emasculated. All the being true, he could not very well tell Usagi that he hadn’t apologized for causing her harm. She had been insistent.

That Mamoru did not truly understand how he had cause Haruka harm was a moot point.

“I came to apologize to you.” He laid his hand on her forearm, and Haruka’s eyes flicked up at his face, her eyebrow cocked, and he removed it.

“For what?”

“For bringing undue attention to you at the dinner. I shouldn’t have given anyone the opening to go at you.”

Haruka fiddled with her beer bottle, peeling away the label. “Naw, it’s my fault. I should keep my mouth shut I’m just,” she sighed and looked away, “ ..fucking stupid sometimes.”

Mamoru nodded, “It’s true, you could benefit from being more judicious in your words, sometimes, and I think I could maybe help you with some helpful tips on how to engage with that particular social class. I’ve made a real study of--”

The bartender set another beer in front of Haruka. “It’s on me.”

“Femme mercy saves my life again.” She brought the bottle to her lips.

“I am sorry, Haruka,” he looked down at his untouched beer, which would remain so, “I didn’t mean to cause you trouble.”

Haruka nodded. “It’s okay. Thanks.”

Mamoru leaned forward toward her. “But I also think you haven’t considered the angular visual interest of the Lamborghi--”

“THERE YOU GO, THINKING WITH YOUR DICK AGAIN, CHIBA.”

[trevdawggg]

Esoterica

A Sailor Moon fic by your beloved trevdawggg!

The best I feel I can classify this piece is “somewhat tongue-in-cheek.” Villains. A plot to defeat the Sailor Senshi. The Senshi...handle it.

About 3300 words under the cut.

“Empress Badness, you sent for me?”

“Yes, Admiral Mineral. I demand an update. Have your macho insecurities managed to destroy that troublesome oaf Sailor Moon and her comrades?”

“No, ma’am.” Beads of sweat raced down Mineral’s incapable face. “I apologize.”

“I knew as much.”

“From your mesmerizing crystal ball that foresees all?”

“No, Admiral,” she sighed. She stroked the middle head of the lowly demon slumbering against her throne, eliciting a venomous purr from its throats. “The divinations of the Venom Clairvoyance Crystal are formidable, yes, but so is the consistency of your incompetence.”

“I apologize, ma’am.”

“Quit saying that. Just say ‘I’m sorry.’ Sacrificing sincerity for flimsy formality!” Badness’s raven locks of hair billowed like flames. “Actually, I’m more insulted that you’d think I’d fall for that. I should do away with you right now!”

“I didn’t know that, your majesty! You give me far too much credit to think my narrow mind has ever had to value sincerity!”

“Now I really want to kill you.” Badness’s eyes gleamed, even through the dark veil adorning her face. Then she narrowed them at him. “But…the Venom Clairvoyance Crystal senses a glimmer of possibility from you. A plan with a grain of potential?”

Mineral dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief. “Yes, your majesty. My minion Esoterica and I have devised a plan to fool Sailor Moon and bring her and her friends down.”

“Oh?”

“We’ve researched Sailor Moon’s history extensively and it seems that whenever the Sailor Senshi are faced with an enemy organization that takes longer than a week or two to defeat, she inevitably undergoes a power-up.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Of course not, your majesty. You are our beautiful, venerated Empress Badness and it is we who follow you—”

“No, you idiot. I meant I don’t understand the relevance of this information.”

“Oh. Well, we intend to deceive Sailor Moon into believing she has received a power-up capable of defeating us. When it fails her in her time of need, our window of attack shall open. Then we’ll hit them hard and wipe them out.”

“The Sailor Senshi are not fools. How do you intend to achieve this?”

“My minion Esoterica is a master of deception. Disguised as a mysterious benevolent entity, she shall dupe them.”

Badness smirked behind her veil. “I admit I’m impressed. And you conceived this plan on your own?”

“Absolutely, your majesty.”

CRASH!

“Your majesty! You threw the Venom Clairvoyance Crystal at me!”

The throne-side demon stirred.

Empress Badness glowered. “There was…a fly on the wall. Be gone with you, and do not fail.”

Admiral Mineral promptly teleported from the throne room without another word. Badness turned to her throne-side demon and tickled its dorsal fin. Its three heads raised upward and each blew a venom bubble that floated into the air, eventually merging into one large one that then hardened into a new crystal ball.

“Cool.”

***

Admiral Mineral returned the model airplane he had been admiring to the shelf above his desk. He then teleported across the creepy cave office to where his minion pored over a laptop with a notepad at her side. He peered over her shoulder. “Esoterica, how are our plans progressing?”

“My plans are progressing well.” She continued working without a glance up. “With this handy thesaurus website, I will produce nonsense phrases vaguely thematically related to each Senshi’s powers. Authentic Sailor Senshi attack names. They will never suspect a thing.”

“Bravo, Esoterica, your technical prowess and connivance are unmatched.” He snickered. “Although, I thought the plan was to upgrade Sailor Moon only.”

“And why can’t the other Senshi get upgrades too?”

“Esoterica, are you challenging me?”

Confused frustration flashed across Esoterica’s face, with pained compromise in hot pursuit. “Of course not.” Then with restrained bitterness she added: “Sir.”

“Good.”

“But…imagine having the option on hand to see each of those girls in their own state of fooled.”

A vitriolic grin spread across Mineral’s face. “I like it. You need to make contact with Sailor Moon soon and get this underway.” “Oh I already did that.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I caught her on her way to school this morning. I donned the angelic wings and backlit myself.”

“And? What happened? How did it go?”

“Oh, she bought it, no prob. I told her when the time came I would give her the power to defeat her new enemy. And that I would ‘reveal all’ at Ichinohashi Park this evening.”

“Perfect! I shall observe at a safe distance until it is time to strike!” Mineral broke out in a vicious cackle.

“One mustn’t look a gift-card in the mouth!” Esoterica joined the cackle.

“I’m sure that means something!” Their awkwardly dissonant cackling echoed through the cave office for a while longer.

***

“Are we sure about this, Usagi?” Looking up at Usagi from the edge of Ichinohashi Park’s fountain, Luna’s eyes held a blend of concern and doubt which Usagi had seen too many times to count. Not even Ami could count THAT high, she figured. Maybe Setsuna could. Perhaps later she would ask her how high she can count. Probably it would be a number no one had ever heard of before!

“USAGI!”

“Relax, Luna! Artemis sounded confident. Why can’t you be?”

“I’m worried about YOU.”

“Oh c’mon! Like it’s the first time I’ll be given a new wand and magical phrase. Chill out!” Usagi waved a dismissive Senshi-gloved hand.

“That wasn’t quite my concern—”

“Hush! There she is!”

Luna turned around to see a figure floating above the fountain, awash in golden light with wings spread wide.

“We meet again, Sailor Moon. I bring glad tidings of a new power awaiting you. Y’know, like I mentioned this morning.”

“I remember! And I look forward to using this new power to uphold love and justice!” Usagi clenched a fist of resolve over her brooch. Luna sighed.

“Then I bestow upon you the Splendor Stick!” With a flourishing brandish, Esoterica offered an oblong purplish object with one slightly bulbous end to Usagi who still wore an expression of rising to the occasion. Luna gawked for several reasons.

“When faced with your enemy, call out this phrase! MOON SPLENDOR RAMIFICATION.”

“Okay!” Usagi hesitated for several moments. “Are they, like, on the way? Usually I’m in the middle of losing a battle when I get a power-up.”

Luna face-pawed.

“Ah yes, the tried and true Jesus X. Machina. Well, I’m sure your foe ADMIRAL MINERAL will be here ANY MOMENT.”

“Who? Oh, that’s his name. I forgot.” Usagi scratched her head with an embarrassed giggle. Luna slinked away, shaking her head. She would watch from afar where she could see clearly and hear nothing.

“Yes, Sailor Moon, my divine powers sense that HE COULD APPEAR ANY SECOND.”

A terrified, animalistic shriek came from behind Usagi. She whirled around to see Admiral Mineral hoisting Luna into the air.

“Ha! Now I’ve got your cat, Sailor Moon!”

“What are you doing?!” Esoterica yelled with exasperated shock. “The cat’s not part of the plan!”

Mineral ignored her and cackled. “Now, Sailor Moon, I shall—”

“MOON SPLENDOR RAMIFICATION!” Usagi pointed the Splendor Stick at Mineral. Much to his surprise, it began to emit a curious glow. Then, in an instant, a concentrated beam of blinding light erupted from the end. Mineral froze in shock.

“Well, fuck it, I guess,” Esoterica muttered to herself. “Oh, Master Admiral Mineral! NOOOO!” She flew through the air and intercepted the beam’s path before it could hit Mineral. Her body was engulfed in the white light.

“Esoterica! Damn it! You fool!” He dropped Luna who scampered to safety.

The light died in an instant. Esoterica’s wings and outfit had been incinerated, revealing a young human woman with long blonde hair.

“Esoterica…you’re…a human…” Mineral was dumbfounded.

“Oh, uhh…Sailor Moon! Thank you for saving me! From! My brainwashing?”

“I didn’t brain—” Mineral struggled. “I thought—but you’re—”

Esoterica turned to him with a shit-eating grin before extending an open-palmed hand to the sky. “Venus Crystal Power, Make UP!”

As the glow of Minako’s henshin subsided, Mineral began to cautiously step back. “You were…”

“—fooling you? Duping you? Bamboozling you? Yes. And now that I’ve finished your sentence and my act, we will now finish you.”

Mineral turned to flee only to come face-to-face with six more Sailor Senshi. He was now completely surrounded.

“No! This isn’t fair!”

“Oh, did MY plan backfire on you?” Minako cooed.

“But that attack! It was real!”

“Never judge a book by its words, son.”

“Allow me to elucidate on what she…means,” said Ami, stepping forward. “Words—as in our attack phrases—merely serve to help us focus our power, if needed. Just like how Sailor Moon can focus and channel the Silver Crystal’s power through any object she chooses. We could use any words. Or none at all.”

“But what fun would that be?” asked Minako as she leaped in the air. “Loquacious Salacious Bodacious!” The Love-Me chain materialized, rapidly coiling through the air around her before she cast it at Mineral. It encircled him, pinning his arms to his sides and his legs together.

“Release me! I’m supposed to win!”

“MINERAL.”

Admiral Mineral fell silent at the booming voice declaring his name. His legs buckled. He couldn’t have turned to face her if he tried.

“Admiral Mineral, you have failed me MISERABLY.” Empress Badness emerged from a pillar of flame and slowly advanced toward him, paying no mind to the Sailor Senshi.

“Your majesty, they infiltrated us! I couldn’t have foreseen it! Please, have mercy!”

“Mineral, I believe it is high time…that you remember.” Badness fixed violet eyes on Mineral’s pitiful visage as he finally turned and reluctantly met her leer.

“What—what do you mean?”

Badness cast off her veil. The figurative malnourished gerbil in charge of Mineral’s memory nearly croaked attempting to process the familiarity of her revealed face, but Mineral still couldn’t quite place it.

“Here’s a refresher. Mars Crystal Power, Make UP!”

“No…no-no-no-no.” Mineral started inch-worming away across the ground.

“That’s right,” said Rei, stepping out of another gratuitous pillar of fire to conclude her henshin.

“YOU’RE A SENSHI TOO!” Mineral screeched.

“You pitiful, pitiful…” Rei cut herself off. “Pluto! Are you able to finish the process?”

“Of course.” Setsuna stepped forward, holding her Garnet Rod aloft. “Dust mote resident of time-space! I now restore your full memories!”

“Wait!” Minako stepped forward, leaving Setsuna looking wholly confused. “I made fake attack names for everybody!” She sped to Setsuna’s side, presenting her with a slip of paper. “Here! Use it. Just, y’know, for an added jab at him.”

“Oh, um. Certainly. Mineral, I now resurrect your memory!” Setsuna cleared her throat. It was for Minako, after all. “Skeletal Burden Oasis!”

Unnerving urple smoke swirled around Mineral as his pupils dilated. Then the smoke vanished with a snap.

“I…” Mineral brought a hand to his clammy forehead. “I am…Jadeite…”

“Okay, and that’s the show!” Rei leapt into the air. “HOT TANGENT!”

Jadeite stopped, dropped, and burned, screaming in terror.

“Ugh, Rei! Wait! I have a new attack to bestow upon you as well!”

Rei glanced down at the slip of paper Minako urgently proffered. “I am not saying this.”

“I invited you to participate in this plan! DO this for me!”

“Minako! What’s mine?!” Mako hollered.

“Here’s Ami’s, too!” Minako balled up their paper slips and launched them through the air.

Mako caught them. “Wanna combo, Ami?”

“Well…it is Jadeite…” Ami considered. “Let’s!”

“Redwood Backfeed Mincemeat!” Mako thrusted a fist toward Jadeite.

“…Data Fata Morgana!” Ami extended her arm along Mako’s, fingers splayed. An electrified blizzard crackled and howled in front of them and consumed Jadeite. It suddenly burst out of control and rushed back at the Senshi.

“Minako! Here!” Hotaru pole-vaulted into the air with her Silence Glaive and caught her paper slip. “Ragnarok Transient Shelter!” She sliced the air in an arc over her head with her glaive. A translucent domed barrier materialized around the Senshi and absorbed the berserk combo move. Unfazed by the crackling, dissipating blizzard, Michiru looked at the slip of paper Minako now offered to her in supplication. She sacrificed a silent pause.

“It comes to me now that I’ve misplaced your place setting for our victory supper, Minako.”

“It’s for a good cause, Michiru,” said Haruka, cocking her head.

“Michiru, you read the case file on Jadeite?” Minako inquired.

“It did pass before my line of vision.”

Minako’s face was suddenly grizzled. “I had to call him sir.”

Michiru breathed inscrutably, not looking at anyone in particular. Swift and silent, her hand and glance sliced the air in equivalent vectors. “Bourgeois Rampart Tide.”

A glimmering, immaculate wave of sea water washed across the vague crater in the middle of Ichinohashi Park.

“Aaaand now you, Haruka!”

Looking at her paper slip, Haruka condensed into a cold grimace. Michiru peered over her shoulder.

“Ara, Haruka, it’s for a good cause.”

Minako’s entire aura welled up with what Haruka recognized as impending subterfuge. “Haruka, do you realize—”

“Brooding Mustard Meteorology,” Haruka quickly spat. A World Shaking heavily disheveled the Ichinohashi crater.

“Um, guys?” Mako piped up. “I’m all for dumping on this asshole, but he’s gone.”

“He escaped?!” Minako was immediately on the alert, her brain already paving a new road to justice.

“No, she means we DECIMATED him, Minako,” Rei said with a note, or rather a symphony, of exasperation. She didn’t spare Minako a glance, instead focusing on her current project of extracting debris from the hair of a sniveling Usagi.

“She’s right,” said Ami, tapping away on her computer. “We successfully atomized him.”

“Oh,” Minako relaxed. “Well how do ya like that.”

Everyone seemed to silently fixate on the odd hush of a light, mundane breeze.

“Minako, a word.” Rei broke the silence as she flicked the last speck of crud from Usagi’s right odango, eliciting a minute bounce of recoil concurrent with the staccato note of Usagi’s last sniffle.

Minako could recognize just by smell that Rei had more than one word in mind. “Gosh y’know, me too! Rei, you didn’t even use the attack name I created for you! Gosh, I say!”

Rei twitched. “Stopping you from having all your carefully planned fun pains me to the core, but I feel like ‘Ramshackle Bullshit McFuck’ would have been a clear indicator that something was up.”

“Well, you were last on my list and I figured you might not attack until after the reveal! And I was right!” Minako beamed. “Besides, look who we’re talking about. He didn’t even question that I tracked down Sailor Moon on her way to school. And won her trust before the first bell! You give Jadeite too much credit.”

The others began moving away. Haruka moved to do the same but an open hand gliding to her forearm from Michiru stayed her. They would observe.

“AINO. MINAKO.” Rei’s nostrils flared over the mental chasm of a loss for words. She would not admit defeat to this blonde stick rattling her Zen cage. “DO NOT ACCUSE ME OF GIVING JADEITE CREDIT FOR ANYTHING. I AM TRYING TO FAULT YOU!”

“Oh c’mon, Rei! You know I’ve always got my finger in the pulse!” Then she wagged an admonishing index finger. “Besides, that temper right there almost blew our cover a few times. Aren’t you the one who was loosy-goosy with that crystal ball?”

“Temper? Have you met any of our enemies?! And I was throwing the crystal ball at YOU! Trespassing in my throne room!”

Minako leaned in, hand cupped to ear. “I’m sorry, where?”

“In the throne room!”

“I had to supervise your acting. Clearly, I was justified—”

“Mimicking old westerns in front of the living room TV does not make you an AUTHORITY—”

“Well, being school festival queen in fourth grade doesn’t make you a star actress—”

“We weren’t in—I didn’t even know you in fourth grade!”

“But you WISH you knew me in fourth grade!”

“That’s not—What does that even—” Rei steamed. “I should Ramshackle Bullshit McFuck you!”

Minako batted her eyelashes. “Araaaa.”

Haruka fumbled for her car keys.

“And, Rei, might I add that you got to play with that demon. I don’t have a cool memento like that.”

“I did not play with it, Minako! And Setsuna already returned it to its rightful dimension after we dismantled the fake headquarters.”

Minako paused. “Wait, really? You did that already? Before we even flambéed Jadeite? Why would you do that?”

“Well, we figured—”

“—that my plan would be an undoubted success?” Minako’s eyes welled, swallowing the top half of her face.

Rei sighed.

“You trust me! You really trust me.”

“Trust is a strong word, Minako—”

“Nonsense! You trust me!” Minako hooked arms with Rei.

“Get out,” Rei said, although much calmer than she had been.

“Well, I trust you too, Rei.” Minako sported her prideful beam. “Honestly, I only spied on your throne room to marvel.”

“Get out,” Rei repeated, a smirk poking through.

“Really! Did you see yourself in that getup? On that throne? You owned it!”

They strolled together toward the crater where the others (minus Haruka and Michiru, now homebound) had been kicking and rolling debris to refill it for the past while. Rei tossed her hair with her free arm. “I suppose you’re right about that.”

“Totally! If you were born for any role, it was that one!”

“Okay, Minako.”

“I swear I heard jingle bells, ‘cos you were slaying.”

“That’ll do, Aino.”

Minako sighed but grinned. “Right. Loud and clear, Hino.”

EPILOGUE

“I was fine with removing Jadeite this way,” began Setsuna as she pushed another boulder into the crater with her Garnet Rod. “But the rest of the time-space spring cleaning cannot be this complex.”

“We understand. We do appreciate your bending the rules and facilitating a creative extermination,” said Ami, tossing an armful of smaller rocks into the crater.

“It’s no worry. Honestly, the rules essentially died with Serenity. Now let’s finish this up or we’ll be cleaning time-space unto infinity!” She winked.

Hotaru face-palmed.

“Oh, here’s Rei and Minako,” said Mako, flinging a small boulder over her shoulder. “Hey guys! Wanna give us a hand with cleanup?”

“Where are Haruka and Michiru?” Setsuna asked.

“They, uh, Haruka had to get Michiru home,” Rei responded.

Minako scoffed pleasantly. “Haruka had to get Haruka home.”

“Well let’s finish up here so we can do the same,” Mako said, scooping up a couple more boulders to toss.

“I’ve got a better idea.” Minako wore another grin as she waved a slip of paper in the air before her. “I have an attack name for a combined group move. If we join our powers together we can restore the park to its normal, beautiful state.”

“Big of you to think of that plan,” Rei remarked with a cocked eyebrow.

Mako dropped her boulders. “Let’s see it.”

They passed the paper slip around, and after some pronunciation clarification for Usagi from Ami, they all closed their eyes to mentally focus their powers together. They each extended an open hand over the crater.

“Voracious Platitude Insemination!” they cried in unison.

A dazzling spectrum of colors enveloped the crater. When the light-show subsided, Ichinohashi Park was restored to its former glory.

“Yay! We did it! I pronounced it right!” Usagi glomped onto Rei.

“Mama Setsuna, how are we getting home now anyway?” Hotaru asked. “Oh wait, can we rent bikes to ride home? Like last time?”

“Or if I ‘rent’ time-space we’d be home in no time,” Setsuna offered.

Hotaru face-palmed once again as they all shared an enduring fit of rosy laughter.

“Oh, hey, by the way, Setsuna. How high can you count?”

THE END

[beaflower77]

Help Me !

The attack came early, swift and brutal. No one truly noticed where they had weaseled in from. Or who was not patrolling them. So sudden it had happened, taking all off guard during a particular warm, balmy night. It took all but three seconds for anyone to actually register what had happened, and by then, the dwelling of the Lord and his people were under severe, maniacal attack. 

One moment, the evening was warm, serene, with a light breeze blowing, wafting about. Light chirping, tweetering lingered through the sulfurous evening air, laying tranquil lanquidity on lords, ladies, the few elflings inhabiting their dwelling. The next, all hell broke loose. Allowing birds easy access to the sky, fleeing in rapid flight, screeching, taking to the air. Elves frozen in terror, stunned, running hither, nither for flight, some little niche to hide, shelter, to stay alive, to sequester away in, scared of being found out, or standing ground with no other alternative but to fight, to kill and survive with whatever methods they had at hand.

“Can you believe it? Look at her.,” the newly visiting ellith asked her companion, rebuking the only woman in attendance. “She is definitely not fit to be here.,” the ellith continued. Sneering, sticking her nose in the air, agreeing with her companion, “I hear, she tried to have Lord Lindir’s elfling.,” quietly the second young ellith whispered. “No!,” the first fathomed, shocked for a moment, then snickered, snorted a little too loud. “Look at her. She thinks she is so clever to be able to wear a gown of that color! Why, it does not even lay well on her. Just look at those hips. So wide, so undignified. Does not anyone assist her? How she thinks Lord Lindir would even dare look her way, is beyond me. Let alone, to choose her to produce an elfling!” The other ellith glanced at the lone woman kneeling beside a little wooden cradle, playing with the occupant within, and lingered her superior gaze down the path where the woman sat, “Well, her hips are not that wide, but, I still could wager the woman could fit a whole cow inside her womb.”

They had a ball with that remark. Secretly laughing away in merriment, the two young, uncouth ellyth giggled, jested over Beatrice, her obvious unelfish figure. Little did they know, certain other elves overheard their tete-e-tete.  And as Haldir watched on unawares, he kept these thoughts to himself. Some ellyth could be quite nasty, he thought, watching the two whisper back and forth. Rude, he even ventured to himself. Little do they know whom they jest at, or whom that woman is married to.

Haldir surveyed the grounds surrounding the beloved city of Imladris, the elves standing, walking about, quietly talking, murmuring, laughing with one another, enjoying their company. Haldir was not immune to conversation, but rather than feel the absolute need to take part in every waking moment of raptuous talk, he enjoyed his solitude, much like Imladris’ own Captain Athlidon did. 

Sitting back, taking in the surrounding parties, watching, eyeing male and female alike, his gaze, his eyes, and thoughts turned toward Beatrice. I am still quite positive she was one of the females who had spied on myself and fellow companion bathing not so long ago, Haldir agreed with himself. As Beatrice played silly human, childlike games with Gwingnis’s infant elfling, Haldir secretly glanced back and forth between her and Lindir, and enjoyed the evening’s strong refreshment. Taking in Lindir’s amused, animated countenance with friends, acquaintances he hadn’t seen or heard from in many years, Haldir could not but wonder, did Lord Lindir desire one of those? Those elflings? With Beatrice? Had that topic of discussion even been broached yet, or had it been stifled once and for all?  

Haldir continued to wonder these thoughts and continued to scrutinize Beatrice. She obviously brings joy here. And to him. She has made it this far, Haldir thought to himself. How far will Lindir take her? How far can she take herself? And Haldir watched. And as he watched, the young, immature ellyths continued making, poking fun at one they did not even know, nor seem to care about. If Lord Lindir could hear them, Haldir mused, he would not be pleased at all. Lucky for them they are too far from his ears to hear, or react from. I just might have to box their ears myself, he imagined. Leaning against the wall, Haldir noticed another elf slowly, purposefully striding toward his same, lone wall. “Haldir.,” Athlidon nodded, gesturing to the ellith beside himself. “My wife, Gwingnis.,” he introduced proudly. As Haldir gracefully bowed to Gwingnis, all he had to say was, “Athlidon.” And Haldir proceeded to lean once again against the wall, joined by Athlidon, as Gwingnis smiled down at her elfling and caretaker, Beatrice. 

Sitting, kneeling before the tiny elfling, Beatrice cooed, played patty cake and other similar nonsense with Gwingnis’s infant, while the little elfling’s parents, enjoyed a little time to themselves, a needed respite. The night was fresh, warm, inviting, most straying out and about late into the evening. Elves moved, sauntered, talked and enjoyed the happy, pleasant, contented calm before the approaching storm. 

As soon as it started, several things happened at once.

With a loud, forceful rumbling, orcs invaded, advanced throughout in a steady, thundorous downpour over the concrete bridge that separated the wasteland from the civilized world built in secrecy. Many shrieks were heard throughout, many slippers, boots suddenly paraded the paths and walkways, running, scattering, hiding, seeking weapons, or shorter blades for closer combat.

When it began, the first thing crossing minds of both mother and caretaker, was a look of utter shock, turmoil, despair. Their eyes locked onto each other, Beatrice’s and Gwingnis’. Take her, hide her, run, run, find shelter, hide, I will find you both. Go Beatrice. Run, run, please, get away from here, this madness. Do not let yourselves be caught. Go!, urged Gwingnis, recognizing the futile attempt to cross the path herself, gather her elfling or help her friend. “Get away from here! Go!,” Athlidon urged his spouse, commanded her. “No!,” was Gwingni’s reply. “I will stand with you!,” as she found, grabbed hold, picked up, an already abandoned sword laying close by. “Beatrice will take her to safety. Our daughter will be safe with Beatrice!”

I will take her, I will hide her, I will keep her, keep her safe for you. I will do this!, thought Beatrice, trying with her face, her eyes, to convey these words of love, of loyalty to the elflings’ mother, for Beatrice could do no les than that. Gathering the bundle tightly to her bodice, Beatrice sought Lindir’s eyes for help. Knowing there was no chance of a rescue from him. Lindir caught her eyes for that instant, knowing what she carried on her person, and within. Mouthing the words, Io te amo. With such calm, one would think nothing was amiss that night. “Go.,” Lindir softly commanded from not more than six feet away, and suddenly, pointedly turned to clang his sword off an orc blade, cleanly, neatly slicing into the flesh of his opponent.

But for a moment Beatrice panicked. Pure chaos clamored round her. Not knowing where to turn, where to flee, looking round her, the fighting, the running, the screams, horrific screeching. Three seconds. Three seconds Beatrice knew, that was all it ever took, to take in an entire situation. Then Beatrice ran. She ran pall mall, dodging brutal, screaming, crying jammed up traffic. Spotting, spying two of her other little charges, “Faelor!,” Beatrice yelled, not knowing if her voice could carry over the clamorous fighting, the panic. “Faelor! Galearon! Galearon!,” she screamed, hoping they could hear and respond. They didn’t. Their Ada heard her. “Remove yourself from me, Faelor! Go to Beatrice! Take your brother! Go! Run!,” “No Ada! No!,” cried Faelor. Galearon looked on, cowering behind a pillar in panicked turmoil, and proceeded to weep.

Shoving little Faelor off his person, pushing him towards Beatrice, she grabbed at his tunic, “Faelor!,” Beatrice cried. “Come on! Where’s Galearon?!,” as she tugged, and tugged against his will to leave his Ada to fight alone. Spying Gaeleron hiding, she swiftly motioned for him to come to her side. Grabbing him, Beatrice ran with both the little elflings, while holding the littlest against her chest, inside the marbled halls of protection, only to find inside it was not much better. Dodging, forever dodging it seemed, till they found their way to some empty bedchamber high above the outside mess.

“Get in here!,” Beatrice hissed at them, shoving them forward, looking over her shoulder for any other nightly intrusion. The bedchambers’ great wardrobe was unusually filled with much of some unknown ellon’s robes, tunics, boots and other paraphelia. “What is all this crap?,” Beatrice demanded of no one. “That is a bad word Beatrice.,” Faelor insisted on informing her, as she assisted him up and in. “Shush.,” she replied. “Squeeze in there.,” shoving aside large, heavy garments. “What a mess.”  Galearon kept his mouth still, instead finding, reaching over, winding his fingers round her thigh, as she too climbed in. “Mama.,” he said only, in such a tiny voice, inching himself closer against her skirts. She forgot to close the chamber doors. Outside, emitting from the hallways, were sinister, foul sounds and smells. She forgot. She forgot to close the chamber doors. Crap, Beatrice thought, I cannot, I shouldn’t go out now. The four stayed that way for some moments. When at last some quiet came, the sound of small foot patterings could be heard. Beatrice spied through the crack in the doors of the wardrobe.

She saw the two ellyths that had insulted her earlier, running back and forth, up and down the hallway. In that dreadful moment, Beatrice made a decision. “Stay here. Be quiet.,” Beatrice told, instructed the two elflings, scrunched up behind clothing, handing the infant elf off to Galearon “Don’t go.,” said Galearon. “They are not nice to you. They are mean to you.,” Faelor mentioned, as Beatrice climbed out, was about to close them in. "To leave them out there, exposed, would be meaner.,” Beatrice reminded Faelor. “Mama.,” pleaded Galearon, and she had to swallow, not to reply. “Stay here. Stay still. Quiet now.,” Beatrice insisted.

Looking up and down the hallway, finding no one yet, the ellyth scattered by again. They looked shocked to see Beatrice standing in the hall. “Come here you two twats.,” Beatrice commanded in a hushed tone. They didn’t register her insult, nor understood. Shoving them roughly, the ellyths fell over each other into the room, as Beatrice tried quietly to close the door. “Help me.,” Beatrice demanded, starting to push a small desk in front of the doors. “That will not stop them.,” the one said, while the other looked around for some safety. “Get in there.,” Beatrice told them, nodding off her head to the wardrobe.