#Logan can get taken away by a gust of wind

[b3achysurfer]

Logan yk damn well… 😕🤦‍♀️

[logarhythm-bees]

To Unearth and Back Again; ⛅Chapter 19

Chapter Eighteen | Table of Contents | Chapter Twenty

See ronithesnail's absolutely wonderful art for this story!

Why must we all conceal What we think, how we feel? Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide?

-Reflection, Christina Augilera

Before the mouth of the cave by a few meters was a small plush bookworm, a tiny book sewn to its chest and a little bowtie and monocle around its neck. 

“Oh no.” Roman said. “I am not falling for this again.”

“Ah. That would be mine.” Logan said. “It’s more a caterpillar than a worm really, but a book-caterpillar doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as well, does it?”

Roman looked at him with a raised eyebrow while Patton cooed.

“His name is Sherlock,” Logan added, coughing into his hand. 

“Aw!” Patton said, leaning into Logan’s side. “That’s so cute!”

“Cute or not, I’m not touching it.” Roman said. The world immediately decided to throw hands with him by blowing a gust of wind– and the plushie– into his face.

Roman groaned, reaching for his sword and standing back as another plush was taken over by light and grew gigantic and animate.

Something was different about this creature, though. Muffet and Benjamin had remained relatively similar to their plush-like state in appearance, but the bookworm grew darker and longer, becoming a stripe of black. Its little caterpillar legs, though they remained short relative to the body, became pointy and sharp. 

The monocle became alight with a white glow, emitting a beam like a flashlight, and the bowtie unfurled and shifted into two small wings on the creature’s back. 

“It can never be that easy, can it?!” Roman yelled, brandishing his sword at it. 

The creature completely ignored him and flew into a tree.

“That’s…new,” Virgil commented.

The creature shook itself out, stabilizing its body, and turned back towards the group. 

“Ayo?” Roman yelled at again, trying to draw its attention. “Monster dude, you there?”

The creature titled towards him like it heard him, but continued flying through the air aimlessly, bonking into trees and the mountain ahead of them. It barely even minded when it bumped into the walls, just shaking its head and moving in another direction.

“Okay, this is just weird.” Virgil commented. “Any suggestions, Logan?”

“Perhaps we can just go past it,” Logan commented. He sighed put. “Maybe the key to defeating this one is simply to…ignore it.”

He sounded sad when he said it, but he kept his face stable, motioning for the others to follow him at a distance, as he began creeping under the creature.

Logan walked slowly but surely under the beast, and for a moment it seemed like he would indeed make it to the other edge, but then it turned to him abruptly, catching him in the light of its beam. Logan barely had a second before it roared, tilting its head back and then charging ahead at him.

Logan yelped and ran as fast as he could, leading it away from the group. The creature pursued him, and Roman watched and worried, wondering if he should jump in, but Logan ran behind a tree and the creature froze.

It looked around for a second, seeming to question where Logan had gone, before rearing back in an imitation of shrugging its strange pointy shoulders and going back to flying around slowly without a care in the world.

Logan crept back over to the group, which had now backed away and was watching the creature from a distance. “Strange,” he said. “It seems to only be able to recognize what is right in front of it, and when it sees something it may perceive as an enemy, it attacks without hesitation.” Logan paused, watching the creature bump into another tree. “It is strange to see a creature with front-facing eyes have no peripheral vision. Typically, predators have eyes on the front of the head to help them better pursue their prey.”

“Cool.” Virgil retorted flatly. “So what do we do?”

“I’m not sure,” Logan mumbled, hand to his chin in a ‘thinking hard’ position. “It seems to know when we get near, and it charges if we get in front of its beam of light.” He clicked his tongue, spinning an imaginary pencil in his hand.

“I could try just…shooting at it?” Logan wondered aloud.

“Worth a shot,” Thomas replied, “do you think we should stand back?”

“I’d advise it, Thomas.” Logan said. “I do not want any of you to be hurt.” His eyes floated over Roman and Virgil for a moment longer than necessary, and then darted off towards the creature.

He raised his hand and sent a blast to the creature, who screeched as soon as it was hit and turned quickly towards Logan. Learning from the first time, Logan ducked behind a tree, and the creature seemed to forget he was there, turning and flying away.

Logan returned to the group. “So that didn’t work.”

“You don’t say,” Roman retorted with a raised eyebrow.

Logan looked down at his hands, biting his lip. “Maybe it’s me?” He questioned. “Perhaps it can sense the magic, and that’s why it attacks me so fast.”

“I can give it a shot!” Roman volunteered, perhaps too eagerly, as Virgil set a hand on his shoulder and tugged him back. “This is dangerous, Roman,” Virgil hissed, and Roman pouted. He wanted to fight!

Virgil let out a sigh of exasperation, but the nerves began to take him over, and the noise came out shaky. “Alright. At least let me come with you.”

They crept together towards the creature, staying close to the trees in case they needed to hide. Roman lead and Virgil followed, slowly coming closer and closer to it, nerves running increasingly high in response.

“This is about as far as Logan got,” Roman said, pressing heavily against a tree trunk. “Let’s hope we’re different.”

Virgil had a hand on his arm, ready to tug him out of the way. This turned out to be an extremely good plan, because as soon as Roman took another step forward, the creature shone the light directly and him and prepared to attack.

“Not different! Not different!” Roman panicked as Virgil grabbed him and pulled him behind the tree, both of their backs flat against it as they tried to catch their breath. “Not a good plan,” Roman coughed. “I’d rate it a two out of ten.”

They made their way back to the group, and Patton raised his arms like he wanted to hug them and then thought better of it. Roman was really getting tired of the feeling of his chest every time Patton did that.

“I could try?” Patton offered meekly. Logan shook his head, and Thomas also shook his head, except he shook it far harder than Logan did and set himself into a dizzy spell.

“No, no. I think I have a plan. It’s based on evidence this time.” Logan said, hitting a flat palm with his fist in a signal of confidence. “We do not seem to be able to approach the creature without it attacking, but perhaps we can trick it into attacking itself!”

“That’s smart, Logan!” Patton encouraged. “But…how do we do that?”

“Perhaps I can use the magic this world has given me to create a mirror,” Logan said. “I’m not sure how it works, but the magic seems to be light-based, and mirrors are simply a reflection of light.”

“It’s a good plan,” Thomas said. “But be safe.”

Patton kissed Logan on the cheek, and he smiled nervously back. Stepping back towards the creature, Logan held up his hand, trying to create something akin to a mirror.

The magic in his hands seemed to lead him towards a shield, and he followed it, forming a thin curved layer of enchantment in front of him. It was not particularly strong admittedly, but staring through it to the other side, there was light bouncing off of its surface, aiming the sunlight onto the ground and trees instead of onto Logan.

“Here goes nothing,” Logan said, inching closer to the creature. It was still floating like a balloon and bumping harmlessly into trees and rocks, but Logan knew well now that it could do plenty harm, and he was cautious as he crept closer and held his breath.

Moments of waiting passed in what felt like years, heartbeat pounding in Logan’s chest Roman swore he could hear it even from this far away.

The creature at last turned towards Logan, its beam of light drifting along the ground, and the whole group of adventurers held their breath as the floodlight landed on Logan and the creature roared in its terrifying guttural sound.

Logan held the shield up through fearful breaths and closed eyes, reflecting the light back at the creature. It screeched, turning immediately around. 

The whole forest seemed to let out a relieved sigh.

The creature circled one spin more before looking back into the mirror, almost as if it was studying itself, and the roar bubbling in its throat became dulled, drifting off into a whine as it seemed to resolve something within itself, and drifted forward until it touched the surface of the mirror and its beam was being reflected back into its face.

As it touched its face to the shield, the light of the monocle changed from a blinding beam into a soft book-light glow. In a flash, the light encompassed the creature, and then it burst into a cloud of butterflies. A little wisp of blue appeared from the wall of white wings, and then Sherlock came tumbling out. He was back in his normal form, little bowtie and all, and Logan darted forward, catching him in his arms. 

“Hi, Sherlock,” Logan said softly, cradling the plush. “It’s good to have you back to normal.” He hugged it close, as if hiding his relief, and Roman pretended not to hear as he smiled.

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Car theft crisis plagues Canadians (BBC) Logan LaFarniere woke up one October morning in 2022 to an empty driveway. His brand new Ram Rebel truck was missing. His security camera captured two hooded men breaking into the pickup in the dead of night outside of his Milton, Ontario home, and driving it away with ease. A few months later, that very same truck appeared on a website of vehicles for sale in Ghana, an ocean and some 8,500km (5,300m) away. A pandemic-related global car shortage increased demand for both new and used vehicles, leading to a spike in car theft. Canada is feeling that problem acutely. In 2022, more than 105,000 cars were stolen in Canada—about one car every five minutes. Among the victims was Canada’s very own federal justice minister, whose government-issued Toyota Highlander XLE was taken twice by thieves.

Beryl Leaves Millions Without Power in Houston (NYT) A day after Tropical Storm Beryl struck Houston with deadly force, flooding roads and highways and killing at least four people, officials in Texas were struggling to restore power for millions of residents as hot weather returned to the region. The storm, which made landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane around 4 a.m. on Monday, weakened as it passed through the sprawling city and its suburbs. But the force of its winds still left Houston residents reeling for the second time in two months after a deadly system of thunderstorms crashed through the city in May. The storm had sustained winds of 65 m.p.h. as it passed through Houston but also produced damaging, hurricane-force wind gusts above 80 m.p.h. in and around the city. That was enough to rip branches and topple trees across the city. Beryl brought heavy rains to Houston. Floodwaters filled many of the city’s drainage bayous to the top of their banks and, in some cases, overtopped them. Elsewhere, sections of highways and underpasses filled with water. Officials said at least 47 people had to be rescued from high water. Once the storm moved on, the biggest issue for Houston residents became the widespread lack of power. The main provider, CenterPoint Energy, said on Monday that more than 2 million customers were without electricity and officials did not immediately provide a timeline for when people could expect to get power back.

Tropical Storm Beryl Spawned a Symphony of Toads (NYT) Amid the cacophony of pelting rain, exploding fuse boxes and cracking tree limbs, another sound followed Tropical Storm Beryl across the Houston area on Monday: The mating call of the male Gulf Coast toad. This species of toad is rotund, about the size of a tangerine, and speckled brown with a vanilla-colored belly. But you don’t see them as often as you hear them. On summer nights around Houston, they chime in a competitive chorus. But it’s unusual to hear them during the day. Beryl seems to have changed that, though. As the storm crossed the metro area on Monday morning, the call of the toads echoed from flooded street corners.

Insurers in the Medicare Advantage program pocketed $50 billion making questionable diagnoses that triggered extra taxpayer-funded payments. (WSJ) Some diagnoses were outright wrong, including for potentially deadly illnesses for which patients received no subsequent care, as well as for conditions people couldn’t possibly have, a WSJ analysis of Medicare records found. Often, neither patients nor their doctors knew about the diagnoses. Medicare Advantage, in which private insurers oversee Medicare benefits, was designed to provide healthcare more economically, but instead it added tens of billions of dollars in costs, researchers and some government officials have said. One reason is that insurers can add diagnoses to ones that patients’ own doctors submit. Medicare gave insurers that option so they could catch conditions that doctors neglected to record.

Pamplona’s 2024 running of the bulls (New York Post/Sky News) The Pamplona Bull Run 2024 continues the tradition of one of Spain’s most exhilarating and historic events. Held from July 6 to 14 as part of the San Fermín Festival, the bull run attracts thousands of thrill-seekers from around the globe. Every morning at 8 a.m., six bulls are set loose from their corral to charge through the narrow streets of the old town towards the bullring. Participants risk their safety by sprinting ahead of the bulls, aiming to stay close, creating an electrifying and perilous display that has enthralled spectators for decades. Six people were injured on the first day of the annual bull run. The festival was made famous for many English speakers by Ernest Hemingway's 1926 novel “The Sun Also Rises.”

Jean-Luc Melenchon: Star of France’s hard-left poses problem for election victors (Reuters) France’s left has a Jean-Luc Mélenchon problem. The towering firebrand of France’s hard-left, Melenchon’s France Unbowed (LFI) party won the most seats of the leftist alliance that scored a shock victory over the far right in Sunday’s snap legislative election. His party’s top position gives him a credible claim to be France’s next prime minister. But his hopes of dragging France sharply leftward appear dead after mainstream party chiefs quickly ruled out forming a coalition with a tax-and-spend, pro-Gaza figure who many in France view as an antisemitic radical. Melenchon, who denies accusations of antisemitism, “is the most divisive figure within the NFP,” said Socialist leader Olivier Faure, referring to the New Popular Front (NFP) leftist alliance. Other members of the NFP, speaking on condition of anonymity, were even more frank. “Melenchon is a problem,” a Green party lawmaker told Reuters.

Russia Strikes Children’s Hospital in Deadly Barrage Across Ukraine (NYT) Ukraine’s largest children’s hospital was destroyed by a Russian missile on Monday, shaking Kyiv, the capital, with images of bloodied and injured children, and sending hundreds racing to the scene to help clear twisted metal and smashed concrete in a desperate search for survivors. The hospital strike was part of a barrage of bombings by Moscow across the country, including one of its deadliest assaults on Kyiv since the first months of the war. At least 38 people were killed across the country, including 27 in Kyiv. More than 100 people were injured. The Ukrainian air force said it shot down 30 out of the 38 missiles launched by Russia during the attack, which began in the midmorning.

Myanmar’s ethnic rebels say they captured an airport in a new setback for the military government (AP) One of Myanmar’s most powerful ethnic minority groups battling the military government said it captured an airport serving the country’s top world-class beach resort, marking the first time resistance forces have seized such a facility. Residents of the area in the southern part of the western state of Rakhine, along with local media, also reported the seizure of Thandwe Airport, also known as Ma Zin Airport, about 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of Yangon, Myanmar’s biggest city. It’s the latest major setback for the military government that took power in 2021 after ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Armed resistance to military rule is taking place in much of the country, led by pro-democracy militants as well as guerrilla groups affiliated with ethnic minorities.

The Yen Is Plunging. So Is Japan’s Defense Budget. (NYT) The yen’s collapse this year to a nearly four-decade low is undermining Japan’s plans for its largest military buildup in postwar history. The government has slashed orders for aircraft, and officials warn that further cuts may be imminent. Japan buys much of its military equipment from American companies, in transactions done in dollars. The government’s purchasing power has been drastically eroded by the yen’s diminishing value. Japan’s currency headache comes at a critical juncture. The country’s large boost in military spending was intended to fortify defenses as Tokyo confronts mounting missile threats from North Korea and other challenges posed by China, including fears of a potential China-Taiwan conflict.

Rescuers search for dozens buried by an Indonesian landslide that killed at least 23 people (AP) Rescue workers dug through tons of mud and rubble on Tuesday as they searched for dozens of missing people after a landslide hit an unauthorized gold mining area on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island, killing at least 23 people. More than 100 villagers were digging for grains of gold on Sunday in the remote and hilly village of Bone Bolango when tons of mud plunged down the surrounding hills and buried their makeshift camps.

A departing Israeli general condemns violence by Jewish settlers in the West Bank (NYT) Maj. Gen. Yehuda Fuks, the outgoing chief of Israel’s Central Command, on Monday condemned rising “nationalist crime” among Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank and criticized the Israeli government for efforts to financially cripple the Palestinian Authority, which administers some areas of the occupied West Bank. At a departure ceremony, he said that Israel’s security relied on a “strong and functioning” Palestinian Authority and expressed dismay over the settler violence in the territory, which is home to about 2.7 million Palestinians. An extremist minority, he said, was undermining Israel’s reputation internationally. “That, to me, is not Judaism,” he added, “at least not the one I was raised upon in my father’s and mother’s home. That is not the way of the Torah.”

House keys carry symbolic weight for Gaza families repeatedly displaced by war (AP) On his key chain, Hassan Nofal keeps the keys to two homes. One is to the house of his grandparents in what is now southern Israel, which he says his family was driven out of by Israeli forces in 1948 and to which they’ve never been able to return. The other is to Nofal’s house in northern Gaza that he had to flee last year after Israel launched its campaign of bombardment and offensives in the territory. Over the nearly nine months since, Nofal and his family have been uprooted four times, driven back and forth across the Gaza Strip to escape the onslaught. Nofal said he is determined to make sure his key doesn’t become a keepsake like his grandparents’. Israel’s assault in Gaza has driven some 1.9 million of the territory’s pre-war population of 2.3 million Palestinians from their homes. Most of them have been uprooted repeatedly since then, fleeing over and over across the length of the strip to escape a series of ground offensives. Each time has meant a wrenching move to a new location and a series of crowded, temporary shelters. Along the way, families have struggled to stay together and keep a few possessions. In each new site, they must find new sources of food, water and medical treatment.

3,013,413 (WSJ) That’s the number of people TSA said it screened Sunday—a new record and the first time the total of daily travelers topped three million. In recent weeks, cheaper flights, a stronger dollar and younger people eager to vacation have helped fuel some of the busiest air-travel days ever.

[perspective-series]

Kingdom Perspective (21) (Final)

By: @arc852 and @hiddendreamer67

Warnings: Fear, panic, kidnapping, keeping/treating people like pets, threats, and unwanted touching/grabbing

First Chapter || Previous Chapter

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Just as the trio had fallen asleep, there came an insistent knocking at the door.

 Roman groaned, eyes opening slightly as he glanced over at the door. Who on earth was knocking at this time at night? He got up, being extra careful not to jostle the two humans and went to open his door, cracking it open just a tad. “Hello?”

“Ah, Prince Roman.” The royal sorcerer gave a low bow. “I hate to disturb you at such a late hour.”

 Roman tensed, going from surprise to a strong glare in under a second. “What do you want?” Roman growled out.

“There was a mistake in my spellcasting.” Dee explained, attempting to use his silver tongue. “A catastrophe in my lab, quite a mess as you can imagine. And those poor humans were caught in the thick of it- mainly hallucinogens, you understand- and when they came to the wretch-er, charming little vermin were spouting off lies about me left and right.”

 Roman continued to glare at him. “...I see. Well, we must inform Logan of this immediately.” He closed moved out into the hall without opening the door much more than it already was and closed it behind him. He gave Dee a tight smile. “Shall we?”

“I’ve already informed Logan.” Dee assured him. “After all, my loyalty lies first with the throne. King Logan sent me here to clear their tiny heads.”

 Roman narrowed his eyes. “Right, well, I hope you don’t mind but I want to speak with Logan first before I do anything. Just to make sure.” He motioned again for Dee to walk in that direction. There was no way he was letting Dee have his humans.

“Prince Roman, while this is an urgent matter, the King has asked not to be disturbed.” Dee took a step forward. “Stand aside so I can complete my orders.”

 Roman only stood up straighter, moving so he was blocking the door even more. “No.”

 “Roman.” Dee put a single gloved hand on Roman’s shoulder, giving him a sickeningly sweet smile. “You really don’t want to do this.”

 Roman pushed Dee’s hand off of him. “I’m not letting you get your slimy hands on them again.” 

Dee paused, taking in Roman’s demeanor. It seemed the giant was going nowhere anytime soon.

“Very well.” Dee straightened up, taking a step back. “Have it your way.”

Without warning Roman was suddenly thrown to the side, pushed by an invisible force as Dee directed the shadows in the hall to overthrow the prince’s balance.

 “Gah!” Roman cried as he was thrown to the ground. He hit it with a large thud. “Help! Guards! Logan!” He started shouting.

Dee pushed his limbs forward, and a large gust of wind blew open the heavy double doors.

Virgil jolted awake, shocked by the sound of the doors slamming open. He paled, recognizing the intruder as he strode in like he owned the place.

 Thomas too, jolted awake at both the sound of the door and at Virgil moving. He stared into the darkness, realizing with dread that the giant coming into the room was Dee. And, looking around, Roman was nowhere in sight.

 Roman stood up and-knowing he had no chance to stop Dee as long as he had his magic-ran quickly towards Logan’s room, passing several guards on his way, who he pointed in the right direction.

Dee paused, for a moment too shocked to continue forwards. “...Thomas?”

“You stay away from my brother!” Virgil shouted, getting in front of Thomas.

Dee’s expression fell back into its signature smirk. “If you two are so close, I can certainly oblige keeping you together.” He lunged forwards, taking the two into a tight grip of his fist.

 “Ah!” Thomas cried out in pain as he was shoved against Virgil and Dee’s fingers. He did not miss the feeling of being confined in the slightest. “Let-Let us go!”

“No!” Dee squeezed tighter, feeling the human’s forms crush together in his grasp. “I am never letting you go, never again, you hear me? You are mine. I decide your fate, I am in control, and I. will NOT. be SILENCED!” 

With this last phrase Dee’s voice had escalated to a roar, pounding through the human’s ears. The room became darker, the shadows swirling around under his command and with it came a howling wind. The sorcerer cackled, reveling in his victory. At long last, he finally had his human back.

 Thomas grit his teeth hard, Dee’s grip making him unable to cover his ears. The giant screaming made them screech with pain and he had to shut his eyes in order to take it. Even so, he wouldn’t be surprised if his ears were now bleeding.

 “Dee…” Thomas tried after a moment. “Please, take me but at least-at least let Virgil go.”

“I’m not giving up leverage so easily.” Dee sneered, his voice tainted with a dark echo as his true form continued to be revealed. “Your little brother here will be just another pawn to keep you in line, suffering the consequences for your transgressions should you try to escape me twice.”

“You’re insane!” Virgil screeched, trying to bite Dee’s fingers but lacking a good angle.

 “No! Don’t hurt him!” Thomas shouted, practically begging. “Please, he doesn’t deserve this!”

“ENOUGH!” All three heads turned to see a furious Logan standing in the doorway, surrounded by many members of the castle staff as well as his brother.

“Ah, your royal highness, I-” Dee frantically tried to disguise himself, reeling back the dramatics and tucking the humans behind his back.

“Chancelor Dee, royal sorcerer, chair of all magical proceedings at the regal council,” Logan listed off the various titles held by the slimy snake of a man as he strode forwards, “by the power vested in me through the royal blood of the Sanders line, I hereby denounce you of your position and revoke your magical privileges.”

“NO!” Dee screeched, the shadows and wind dissipating rapidly and leaving only the shell of a man who fell to his knees, begging at the king’s feet. “Please, your highness, have mercy. This is not how it appears-”

“Spare me the theatrics.” Logan rolled his eyes, waving a pair of guards over. He got enough dramatics from his brother. Holding his hands outstretched, Logan caught the humans when the guards forced Dee’s hands open, painfully yanking them behind the former sorcerer's back.

 As Thomas found himself in Logan’s hands he let out a long sigh of relief and clung to his brother, still shaking from the entire affair.

 Patton looked at the scene worryingly from Roman’s hands. And Roman wasted no time when everything was done to be at Logan’s side. He leaned in close to the humans. “Are you okay?” He whispered.

Virgil found himself low on breaths but he managed a nod. Hopefully just some bruising.

 Thomas also nodded and Roman let out a sigh of relief. He looked to Logan. “You gonna banish this snake yet or what?” He asked, eyeing Dee.

Logan nodded, turning to the prisoner with an ice cold gaze. “For your crimes against the throne and its affiliates, you are no longer welcome within our borders. You shall be escorted to the northern mountains where you to live out the rest of your days in solitude and never to disturb another person, human or giant, as long as you live.”

 “And if you do,” Roman added, getting in real close. “I’ll personally make you regret it.” He threatened.

“oooOOooh, the spoiled brat’s mad I touched his toys.” Dee sneered, having no use for his charm anymore. 

Virgil grit his teeth, feeling the urge to punch him as his fists clenched at his side.

 Roman, feeling much the same, handed Patton to Logan and then reeled back his fist, punching Dee straight in the face.

 “Whoa!” Patton yelled, not having expected that.

Dee looked just as shocked, his nose already bent to the side and beginning to bleed.

“...ow!” Dee said incredulously. 

“Roman, I thought we agreed violence was unecessary.” Logan murmured, keeping his voice down while there were whispers from the crowd behind. “That being said, I support your decision.”

“HIT HIM AGAIN!” Virgil yelled, the notion causing Dee to flinch back in preparation.

 Roman rolled up his sleeve. “With pleasure.” 

 “Roman, I think that’s enough.” Patton said, despite the fact he liked seeing Dee get punched the first time.

“Stop!” Picani seemed to agree, hastily rushing forwards. “Stop this at once, your highness. You have a reputation to uphold.”

 Roman huffed but put his arm down, crossing his arms. Sometimes he really hated being the prince. He looked to the guards. “Fine, then. Just get him out of here!”

The guards did as requested, hastily dragging the injured Dee away from the scene of the crime.

“In the morning we will release the call for a new royal sorcerer, or sorcerous I suppose.” Picani explained. “But in the meantime… off with you!” Picani waved at the crowd that had gathered, dispersing them. 

 “That...was stressful.” Thomas admitted and Patton went over to check on them. 

 “You can say that again.” Roman huffed. He turned to Logan. “At least that’s over with now though. He won’t be able to hurt them anymore.”

“Indeed, and with him taken care of I know I shall rest easier.” Logan gave a yawn. 

“I know it has been an eventful evening, but perhaps it is best you all head off to bed.” Picani suggested gently, leaving the decision up to the king.

“I agree.” Logan nodded. “Some rest will do us some good.”

 “Yes, I believe it will.” Roman said, he turned to the humans. “Come on you two.” He motioned for Virgil and Thomas to climb on but they hesitated.

 “Roman.” Patton got his attention. “Can we stick together? For tonight, at least?” Patton asked and Roman blinked.

 “Oh! Uh...Logan?” Roman asked, looking at his brother.

“Where, Patton?” Logan looked to the humans in his hands. “Would the three of you like to accompany myself, or Roman?”

 Patton looked up the giants. “...Both of you?” He asked.

 “Both? Uh...I mean, I’m down for a sleepover.” Roman turned to Logan.

“It seems a bit juvenile, but I think it’s appropriate.” Logan agreed. The bed was certainly large enough.

“I’ll increase security outside this door and make sure you’re not disturbed.” Picani said, giving a bow. Logan gave him a nod of thanks.

 Roman waited until Picani was gone to speak. “So...how do we do this? Do we all share the bed? Sleep on the floor?” Roman suggested. 

“Share the bed.” Virgil voted. “That thing’s like an ocean, there’s plenty of room.”

 “You have a point, Virge. Even with all of us on it, there will still be plenty of room.” Roman looked to his bed to make sure and nodded. “What do you say you Royal Bookworm?” Roman nudged Logan.

Logan rolled his eyes good-naturedly, walking over to the four poster. “I’ll take the right side. The three of you can have the middle pillow.”

 “Sounds good.” Thomas spoke, while Patton squealed.

 “Yay! Sleepover!” He exclaimed. Roman chuckled and made his way over to the bed, smoothing it out slightly and then motioning for Logan to get in.

Logan set the humans down, settling in himself. “Everyone comfortable?”

 “Yeah.” Thomas said with a smile, snuggling into Virgil. Patton, on the other hand, was already in the middle of climbing up to Logan’s chest. He settled down with a smile.

 “Now I am.”

Logan’s heart leapt up his throat, looking down at Patton fondly as he placed his palm gently over the tiny human.

“You coming, princey?” Virgil teased.

 Roman smiled and rolled his eyes fondly as he got into bed as well. He settled down and laid on his side to see the others better. “Everyone all settled in?” Roman asked.

 Thomas nodded and Patton hummed happily into Logan’s chest.

“Yup.” Virgil confirmed, nestling closer to his brother.

“Goodnight then.” Logan spoke aloud into the darkness, earning a chorus of ‘goodnight’s in return.

Yes, the evening had been filled with frights, as had most of the human’s separate lives through the giant world. But all three had experienced joys here as well. No matter what the morning brought, be it a new foe, a way home, or perhaps even the news this would become their permanent residence, the group was unafraid, because they were ready to face any challenges that arose together.

[anamaleth]

Corrupted

read on ao3

Characters: Virgil, Deceit; corrupted versions of a Roman and Remus fusion, Logan and Patton

Summary: It wasn't supposed to be like this - but there was nothing Virgil and Deceit could do about it. An accident caused their friends to become something that wasn't them anymore - twisted and dangerous versions of themselves that the two of them were barely able to escape. Hiding away in a barricaded room, the only comfort they have is each other. 

Includes: Deceit and Virgil that can be interpreted as romantic or platonic; Angst and Hurt/Comfort; Threats of Violence; Cussing; Unsympathetic Roman, Remus, Logan and Patton? They aren’t really themselves but still.

---

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

There should be six of them – four of them living together on ground-level where sunlight was streaming in through open windows and laughter and music was filling the rooms at all times. The happy little family living their ordinary and perfect little life together.

And two of them, the outcasts and abominations, banished; locked away in the basement. No light, no music, just the two of them stuck, with an everlasting reminder of a time that had long since passed.

A time where there had been three of them, when they had been their own family, demented and terrifying but perfect in their own crazy way.

Two of them terrorizing the other four – that’s what it was supposed to be like.

There weren’t supposed to be just five of them.

Two separate parts of the same coin weren’t supposed to melt into one again after being forcefully broken apart for a reason a long time ago. The force of this horrifying amalgamation wasn’t supposed to destroy everything around it, to defile that which was good and to enhance that which was harmful.

There weren’t supposed to be three beings, twisted and tainted, hunting the two that hadn’t been corrupted.

The one that had changed wasn’t supposed to come crawling back to the place he had once called his home. He wasn’t meant to be there anymore, not meant to be a refuge looking for comfort in a place he had turned his back on so long ago.

And yet here he was, desperately holding on to his lifeboat, a person he was starting to love again.

Virgil had placed his head in Deceit’s lap. Deceit was running his gloved fingers through Virgil’s hair. It had been an eternity since the time they would’ve last done something like this, and yet they found themselves settling back into this dynamic.

They weren’t sure how long it had been since they had fled to this room, how long they had been hiding already, but time seemed relative now that they had found each other again.

“Are you really sure they can’t get in”, Virgil asked. He couldn’t help it; couldn’t push the thought of them being found out of his mind.

“The door is barricaded,” Deceit assured him, his voice still gentle despite having to repeat himself for the millionth time, “I checked. They can’t get to us.”

“What if…” Virgil started. He was talking fast despite the exhaustion: “What if we’re just hiding away from something that will never stop hunting us? Maybe we’re just delaying the inevitable! Maybe we’re doomed to-”

Deceit removed his hand from Virgil’s hair and interlaced their fingers instead, making Virgil snap out of his spiralling monologue. “It’s not inevitable. We’re safe in here. And there’s still a chance that everything will be okay,” he said.

“I used to be able to tell if you’re lying almost effortlessly,” Virgil remarked. “You’re harder to read now.”

“A lot has changed. But you know that I would never lie to you,” Deceit promised.

“What about Santa?” Virgil asked, a smile spreading on his face.

Deceit chuckled softly and shook his head. “That’s different and you know it is.”

“Then what about the collector’s edition of The Nightmare Before Christmas with the Jack Skellington plushy that you ‘totally weren’t getting me for my birthday’ because it was ‘way to expensive’ and ‘not necessary because we could pirate the movie anyway’?”

For a moment, all their fears were forgotten. There was just the two of them, teasing each other with smiles on their faces and no thoughts of the impending doom lurking just outside their blocked door.

A chilling gust of wind swept through the room, ripping their perfect moment away from them as the room temperature dropped.

As a scratching sound was heard on the door. Virgil felt himself tensing up in an instant.

“This is ridiculous! It’ll only be more painful if you hide! That door won’t hold for much longer. Just give in already, maybe we’ll be more merciful then,” threatened a voice, a terrible mixture of two different ones, rising and plummeting in volume and pitch.

“Shut up,” Virgil groaned, overcome with annoyance. He had heard those empty threats way too many times, to the point where they did nothing more than to occasionally plant seeds of doubt into his mind; he found himself questioning if they were right from time to time but he never gave in to the uncertainty.

He wasn’t a “poor anxious baby”, not a scared child - he was irritated and wanted nothing more than to finally be done with this. Virgil tightened his grip on Deceit’s hand.

“Alright then. But I’ll be back. And next time, you will wish you had taken this plea bargain. Next time, you will wish you were never born at all!”

Finally, the voice ceased; Creativity, or what was left of it, left them alone once again.

Looking up at Deceit, Virgil stopped dead in his tracks: “You’re shivering.”

“Still totally warm-blooded. It’s not freezing cold in here at all.”

Virgil rolled his eyes. “So much for never lying to me”

“I’m totally doing this intentionally. It’s absolutely possible for me to control when I’m like this” Deceit was hissing out his words at this point.

Virgil sat up, took off his hoodie and wrapped it around the two of them as he pulled Deceit into a hug.

“Sharing body temperature might not be as effective as a heating lamp, but I’m sure as hell not going up there to get one.”, he explained, ”Take off your gloves. Maybe I can warm your hands.”

Deceit briefly hesitated before doing as he was told, sighing softly as Virgil took his hands into his own, yellow scales pressing against pale skin.

“You don’t need to hide your scales when you’re with me,” Virgil said in a hushed voice.

Deceit didn’t respond, he simply nestled closer to Virgil, giving in to the drowsiness creeping up his body. He was fast asleep in next to no time.

He looked so peaceful with his mouth slightly open and his chest rising and falling slowly and steadily. Virgil knew how exhausted he was, how hard he was trying to hide the fact that he desperately needed a break; he wouldn’t dare to wake him.

“Kiddo? Why would you even try to hide? We are your family, Virgil! You belong with us!”

There he was again. This wasn’t fair. None of this was fair.

Something inside of Virgil was itching to get up and fight this terror once and for all. He knew he shouldn’t - of course he did - he hadn’t just spontaneously lost his common sense, yet he still had to restrain himself.

“Please, Virgil. Don’t do this to us. To me. How do I deserve this? Am I not good enough for you, anymore?”

Virgil’s fingernails dug into the palms of his hands. This isn’t Patton, he told himself. And although he was certain that he was right, hearing those words in a voice that had once belonged to his best friend was painful.

“I can’t believe you would turn on us like that. I thought we were friends. I thought you loved us! But it turns out that was all a lie! You’re nothing more than a dirty liar, just like him!”

At least his voice was clearly distinguishable from Patton’s at this point.

“Fine! If you wanna be like that, go on! But you are going to burn in hell for it!”

‘Yeah, you better run,’ Virgil thought bitterly.

After that, things seemed to go back to normal for a while – at least as far as “hiding away from twisted and horrifying versions of your friends that are only there because of an accident” could be considered normal.

It wasn’t that Virgil had been lulled into a false sense of security - because nothing could have prepared him for this – but when a new voice was heard outside their door, everything inside of him was screaming to either run away or destroy what had made them suffer for way too long.

“You must be aware of the fact that you cannot hide away in there forever. So why don’t just GIVE UP NOW AND END THE WAITING?! IT DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE TO PROLONG THIS ANY FURTHER!”

Virgil flinched as the screams grew louder. Oh no...They had gotten Logan, too. It had been naïve to hope that somehow, he’d have found a way to escape – yet Virgil hadn’t lost hope until now.

“Fuck…that was him, wasn’t it?” Deceit whispered.

Virgil hadn’t noticed him waking up. Though sleeping through those screams did seem impossible. Neither of them knew what to say. After all, nothing they could say would make this any easier.

Virgil nodded. It pained him to acknowledge it, but saying it out loud would have been even worse.

Deceit and Virgil held each other close, drowning the awful torment out. At least, despite everything, they had each other.

[sluggerbot-2-5]

Sides in the Imagination.

Warning: A little bit of Angst

This is my idea of everyone going into the imagination but something bad happens. Some backstory for better understanding on what happens is while they're in the imagination, Virgil comes across a batch of flowers. Little does he know that these flowers can be very dangerous. They are actually something Roman made in his spare time, but Remus added a few kinks without telling him. They're called Fire Begonias.

Why are they called this? When wind hits them the petals lite themselves aflame and don't shrivel away. It's quite a beautiful sight actually. But being around it too long can have a few lasting side effects. What it does is if you take in its aroma too many times, then you'll be filled with a fiery rage. You'll have outbursts, your temperature will increase dangerously high, burn other things with a touch of a hand, etc. You can quite literally blow up from the effect of these flowers if not taken care of. And to Remus, this is quite amusing when it's unsuspecting villagers. But it becomes a serious issue when it takes effect on one of his close friends.

"Easy kiddo, try to calm down.". "Don't tell me to calm down. And don't baby me either. I'm a grown man, so why you start treating me like one.". Patton gasped. "Oh, I'm sorry Virge. I didnt mean to-.". Virgil then completely blew up at Patton. "Just shut up! When are you gonna get it through your thick skull that I'm not some defenseless little kid that you need to protect 24/7?" Everyone was in shock at what had just happened. Roman spoke up first. "Virgil, what the hell has gotten into you?" He turned him around to face him then held him by his upper arms. Virgil struggled to try and get out of his grasp. "Let go of me asswhole!" Roman had concern in his voice but also anger. "Not until you answer me. What the hell is wrong with you?" Logan stepped in to keep Roman in check. "Roman, don't be so harsh. You'll make it worse.". Logan held one of Roman's hands while the other was on virgils wrist. Roman turned to face Logan. " He can't just talk to Patton like that." "I know but harassing him for answers is not the best way to go at it either!"

"Oh no". Remus spoke softly. "What? What is it?" Deceit turned to him. "I know what this is and he needs to stop now!" Remus started running towards them. "Why what is it?" "Get everyone a good distance away from him. I'll get Roman." Deceit did as instructed while Remus rushed to his brother. "Let go of me dammit!" Virgil shouted at Roman as he still struggled. Remus came up behind him to get him off of Virgil. "Roman let go!" "What? Why?" "Just do it goddammit!" Remus pulled on his brother's arm desperately.

He let go but not because he was told to. It was because his hand was burning. "Ah! What the hell? Virgil, you're burning up." Remus stopped him before he could reach for Virgil again.

"Roman it's not safe here. You need to listen to me. I tampered with your Fire Begonias and this is what happens." "You what?!" He wanted to yell at his brother but he wanted to help Virgil more. Virgil started to have steam coming off of him. He looked at Remus with daggers. "You did this?" He shouted angrily. He then started to yelp in pain. " Aaagh!" Virgil backed away, screamed and pushed the palms of his hands against his eyes as they started to sting. Roman rushed over to try and help his friend in need. Remus followed him. "Roman you need to let him be!" Roman went up behind him but Virgil wouldn't let him touch him. "Get away from me!" "No, let me help-". " I said GET AWAY!" Virgil swung around angrily. A gust of wind and fire blasted both Roman and Remus back fifty feet. Virgil then ran away, afraid of how he had hurt his friends. Where he ran there were footprints burnt into the ground.

The twins were on the ground for a while before Remus was the first to get up. He turned around to find that Roman had burns all over his suit. Remus wasn't too bad as he was behind him. He stood up and looked down at Roman who was wincing in pain. Dumbass, he thought. He offered a hand and helped him up. "Thanks". Roman said. " No problem. Are you okay?" Roman tried to shake it off. "Yeah, I'm fine." They both chuckled a bit. Remus then placed a hand on his shoulder and narrowed his eyes as his voice dropped quickly.

"Good." Right after he said that he sucker-punched him in the gut. Roman fell like a stack of bricks, clutching his stomach and coughing. "Agh, what the-" "You're such a prick!" "Me?! You just punched me in the gut!" "Within reason too." He ran his hands threw his hair in frustration. "Why can't you listen to me for once? You pushed him over the edge! This is what you get for trying to be the hero all the time." He groaned in annoyance. "Hey, I'm not the only one at fault here.". Roman said while trying to stand up. "You're right, you're not. The only difference is that I took responsibility for my part." He said as he rolled his eyes with his arms crossed. Deceit, Logan and Patton came running around the corner out of breath. Patton spoke first of the three, "Oh thank goodness, you're okay." The twins barely acknowledged them as they continued to argue. "You could have told us what was going on sooner!" "I did! And then you proceeded to ignore my advice and continue to hassle him. So who's really to blame here?" "Guys-" Logan interjected but was cut short by both the twins yelling at him to shut up. "I was only trying to help him!" Roman defended. "No, you weren't. You were trying to fix him!" "What?!" " You do it all the time. You see people's flaws as problems so try to fix them. That's the thing with you Roman.

You think that you can just fix people but you can't!" Remus had gotten very loud and increasingly upset as Roman tried to defend himself. "When have I ever tried to fix someone?"

"ME!" Remus cried.

This silenced Roman and protests the others even thought of making. Remus turned away crying and clutching himself tightly. Roman, in an effort to comfort him, spoke up and reached out to his brother, "Remus..." but it was slapped away. "Don't." He wiped his tears away with his arm. "I'm going to be alone. And wherever I go I don't want you following me." Remus walked away to who knows where. As long as it was far away from Roman. Roman stood there not knowing what to do. He wanted to respect his brother's wishes but also wanted to go after him. As if seeing the conflict in his mind Deceit put a hand on his shoulder. He gave him a look of pity and concern "Don't." He said. Before Roman could respond, Deceit spoke. "You've done enough.". Roman sighed in defeat feeling absolutely awful. Logan and Patton then rushed to him to attend to his wounds from before. Deceit turned and started to walk off. " Where are you going?" Logan asked calmly. Deceit peered over his shoulder and with a solemn voice said, " To go repair the damage Roman did," he paused and waved off. "Take care."

[kumeko]

Title: for old time’s sake

A/N: For @supersonicsidekick, for the @xmenholidaygiftexchange! So I didn’t know these two had a friendship before this but now that I found out about Baby!Ororo and Gambit, that is the most precious thing and I have to find their comics. I hope you enjoyed this! (I’m not quite confident on my Ororo characterization…)

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Slipping through the skylight, Remy landed noiselessly into the attic. Or maybe he should call it a greenhouse—with the amount of plants Ororo hosted in her room, he almost felt like he was outside again. The leafy foliage hid any traces of their owner, save for her soft humming and the quiet trickles as she watered them. 

 “Sneaking back from another crime?” Ororo asked and he tried not to jump. Of course she noticed. Maybe it was the slight chill that entered the room along with him or maybe her plants told her. He wouldn’t put it past them, he’d seen stranger things.

 “Ma reine, you wound me.” Remy clutched his heart as he strolled deeper into the room, catching the briefest wisp of her long white hair and long yellow skirt. He pushed past a long leaf until he finally spotted her. “All I do is steal hearts now.”

 “And I just make it rain.” Standing next to a leafy fern, Ororo snorted. Her blouse’s sleeves were rolled up her arm, bunching around her elbow. Her long skirt swayed as she moved. “I’m not a queen anymore.”

Not that anyone could tell by looking at her. Despite her back-alley origins, there was a natural poise to Ororo. Her posture was perfect, back straight, shoulders rolled back, head held high. Even her movements were filled with grace and she practically twirled from one plant to the other. He heard that she and Kitty used to go to dance classes together and he could see it, a fluidity that was impossible to unlearn. “I don’t believe it. It is not something so easily lost.”

 “Does that charm ever turn off?” Ororo laughed, completely not buying it. She looked at him over her shoulder, eyebrow raised. “You’re a better liar than that.”

 "Ah, but one does not lie to their friends," Remy replied with a Cheshire grin.

 Amused, Ororo raised a brow and played along. “So we’re friends?”

 “Unless you want something more.” He couldn’t resist waggling his eyebrows. When her mouth pinched in disgust, denial on her lips, he held up a hand. “I cannot control my magnetism, madame, but I must refuse. I am a taken man.”

 A half-truth. He’d been around long enough to see romances fizzle out, to see love flicker out like a dying flame. Friendship outlasted it all and it was something he wouldn’t risk for a whim. Besides, he liked what they had. There was a comfort in her attic, a haven that he’d thought he’d lost long ago. A level of bliss in listening to her talk, in having her hold his hand, and know that nothing more was expected, that nothing else was needed other than a warm smile.

 “Rogue must have her hands filled with you.” Ororo sighed, a hand on her hip. Despite her words, mirth coloured tone and she set down her watering can. “I’ll pretend to believe you. Why’re you here?”

 He wondered if he could make her laugh again. It was a game with her, sometimes. To see how much of her inner child he could pull out. How far he could push before she reverted to a proper lady. Remy shrugged with a carefree smile. “To visit a friend, of course.”

 “At this time of night?” Ororo glanced up at her skylight. Beyond the small frame of glass, the stars gathered in the pitch dark sky. Turning back to him, she gestured at him. “And in that outfit?”

 Remy glanced down at his clothes and winced. Well, that gave the game away. Perhaps he shouldn’t have worn his usual thieving outfit and just changed into it after. “That obvious?”

 “Completely.” Ororo crossed her arms, her expression deadpan. “And I had to live through Logan’s ‘Patches’ phase.”

 Ah. Well, that was certainly a memory. Jubilee still liked to wear an eyepatch on Halloween and ask Logan if he could recognize her. Perhaps Remy was losing his touch, spending so much time with the do-gooders of the world. Rubbing his neck, he just came clean. “I need your help.”

 “I suspect it’s not the ‘good’ kind.” Ororo frowned, her lips pursed. “Will this involve stealing?”

 “Will it?” Remy mused, rubbing his chin. “It’s not stealing, per se. I suppose you’ll have to come and find out, ma chere.”

 Her frown grew deeper. “Remy.”

 “Fine, fine.” Remy sighed, shoulders slumping dejectedly. “There’s a vault full of very sensitive materials. Including Sentinel research. I thought we could just pop over and see what we could get.” And perhaps help himself to some of the finer things in the safe, but he didn’t have to reveal that.

 “That…” Ororo paused, doubt colouring her voice. She bit her lip. “That would be most useful.”

 “The deaths we could prevent. The lives we’d save.” Good. She was wavering. He gave a disappointed shrug. “If you’re too rusty—”

 “I’ll do it,” Ororo cut in aggressively. Was she angrier at him or at herself? Was it worse to know the trap or to be caught in it anyways? Despite her trappings, there was still a little bit of that street urchin in her, the child with enough guts to try to teach him how to pickpocket.

 “Excellent. I’ll see you on the roof for our midnight tryst, ma chere.” Whistling, Remy strolled casually over to the skylight. A gust of wind pushed him up before he could jump and he winced. It was a little deserved, he had to admit.

 Still, he couldn’t stop the wide grin on his face, the way his pulse raced. It’d been a while since he’d slunk in the shadows himself, using all the tricks of his trade. Maybe they could make a contest out of it, for old times.

 He liked to think he’d win.

[spacemilkies]

Bart Allen x reader

summary: He’d ran to the past purely by the determination to unselfishly prevent the future from fallling into ruin.

For that for that act of valor, wasn’t he allowed this one selfish want ?

Notes: It took me awhile to come up with something. Sorry for the lateness. Here’s a little snippet drabble thing.

When he’d first appeared he wasn’t quite sure who was more surprised. Naturally he managed to send the premature flock of superheroes into a mild panic.

That wasn’t entirely intentional. So far into the future calculations were somewhat accurate at best. Nathaniel had planned for the when, but the where was more abstract in nature.

So yes, Bart was equally as astonished to not only find the machine in working order but to find himself at the center control panel of Mount Justice?

Now that was crash.

All his idols were in attendance.

The creative and instinct driven Beast Boy.

The premature and determined Robin.  

And oh man, the notorious Nightwing in the flesh.

And then there was you.

For a moment Bart wished for nothing more than looser suit to drag away the spandex from red itch crawling up his neck. The poster on his wall had depicted you as an older hero, matured in both your talents and prowess. But there had been plenty of opportunities for him to imagine what it might have been like to fight beside you.

Share the excitement and spoils of victory.

If only he’d been born a few decades earlier.

If only you hadn’t-

The time capsule hero jerked in response,“Careful now, watch the claws!”

As part of the infamous Allen lineage, all speedsters relied on that split second decision where time slowed to their advantage.

It separated life from death.

Freedom from capture.

“Now that would have not been crash. Seriously Robin ? I have your action figure man. “

Bart shook a non threatening fist from his perch atop the massive screen. He’d narrowly managed to avoid quick shot of cable. The young hero hadn’t even been aware of his speed inclement yet smartly chose to go after his legs.

He couldn’t put it past the detective.

It was obvious that his window of opportunity would have dwindled. During his fanboy episode the startlement had worn off.

And now he was outnumbered.

… yet still a little crash.

Yeah, he expected to feel the mode shortly after.

But damn did he enjoy going head to head with the best of the best.

Sure, they were still in their youth and nothing compared to what they would be in the future but damn wasn’t it still a thrill.

No one could blame him for at least attempting to shift out of the bindings. His vibrations only managed to encourage the current Robin to tighten the ropes further.

Bart wasn’t entirely certain that he hadn’t taken a bit of pleasure in the act.

“You’re from the future? Ha, right dude.”

Bart’s attention whipped over to the green meta human, taking in the distinctively furry texture of his skin. Funnily it had been a small detail the cameras managed to miss when capturing his likeness.

“Oh man, Beastboy if only I could get started on you.” Unfortunately, Bart had seen enough movies depicting the consequences of speaking so openly about what was to come.

No, he would need to be sensible here.

Regardless of how easy it would be to drag these chump- eh- heroic deities.

“Look, no hard feelings. I’m one of you!” His hand twitched from the desire to bring it to his chest in emphasis. “ Name’s Bart Allen. You know, of the Barry Allen legacy? Really, the speed should have been an indicator.”

Among the skeptical faces it was yours he kept darting to the most. He couldn’t help it. You were just so young and so here.

And right in front-

Oh well … was right in front of him before Robin had taken the initiative to cut in between, effectively severing the point of contact.

Bart would have been more baffled had he not understood the root of the protective stance.

It didn’t help that bat family was incredibly rich.

They just had to be eligible bachelors to boot.

Speaking of the family, where had the older bat flown off to?

“Dude if you’re honest we can figure this out. And then you can go.”

Bart tried extremely hard not to roll his eyes but it was painful. The littlest bat really needed to brush up on his interrogations. The summation of this little group was only the junior leagues.

Once he really got started talking they were going to have to draw out the majors.

“What if he is? It wouldn’t be the craziest thing to happen here,” your voice trilled over silence.

Okay, maybe crossing spacial dimensions was a little different but it was the future! He obviously shared some connection to the Flash- grandson did he say?

All you were saying is that you couldn’t rule out the impossible without considering the possibility.

Your gaze flickered uncertainly to the bulky machine sitting like a quiet observer.

Beside you Robin scuffed I’m firm disbelief. Granted it too a lot to get the junior detective to think outside of the realm of possible. You were starting to think he was being a bit close minded.

The two of them had barley known one another for twenty minutes and you could already feel the bad blood thrumming under the veins. It was obvious that Bart knew something they didn’t but was it so inherent that Tim would react out of instinct ?

“Not you too,” he groaned. He caught your eyes from the side. “A tourist ?”

Okay, that was an odd thing to call oneself given the situation. It was hard to determine what was more concerning.

That fact that a kid would travel so lightheartedly into the past without considering the consequences or how easily accessible it was for him to do so.

Beastboy settles his arms across his chest,”I don’t know man. I mean, yeah, I’m green but from the future? That’s a little crazy.”

“Batman will deal with him,” Tim reasoned under his breath.

As subtly as you could, you reached for him, finger tips just skimming the callouses of his own. While his face didn’t portray emotion, your loose grip tingled with the ripple of calm you were trying to make mutual.

Unbeknownst to you, the red haired speedster followed the minuscule movement with a grimace.

“Easy, Robin. If he travel from the future he must have accumulated quite the thirst. Barry’s grandson, right? That’s quite the journey.”

Bart watched Nightwing with interest as he reapplied with a glass of water in hand. Bringing his tied hands up, he accepted it with a shallow nod. He was a little thirsty but more in the lack of proper clean water kind of way and less of a time travel exhaustion.

It wasn’t until he’d taken a few sips before the subtle insinuation of the offer became apparent.

Now he was realizing how one graduated out of the Robin role.

“Ah, you’re not really worried about the culprit. You just want this.” Bart probably added more of the wanted specimen than necessary when he spit heartily into the glass much to the grimaced disgust of some of the observers. “There you go. Authentic DNA of the Allen family. Just don’t go cloning anyone.”

His gaze widened comically at the thought. “Oh man, that’d be so crash though. Surely Dick Grayson could figure out the proper cloning sequence. Just ask Connor.”

It had started off as a joke and tumbled horridly into a snowball effect after that. What could he say? Once he got started talking, it was just downhill from there.

To say the hero was affronted would be putting it off lightly.

“I know all of you guys? Future guy remember ?”

He gestured to each member individually.

“Dick Grayson.”

“Garfield Logan.”

“Newly appointed Robin, Tim Drake.”

And then there was you. Your eyes were already comically wide by this point as if already knowing your fate.

It didn’t matter really. He was immediately overshadowed by Beast- Garfield was who didn’t find it very crash to be the last one to get he knowledge party.

By the end of it all, he’d left the heroes more confused than the moment he’d arrived.

His ride had unfortunately arrived before he alleviate some of their obvious worries. The tell tale sound of the dimensional portal gate called out the name of another rememberable hero, but he was already shaking past the restraints before the computer could finish the introduction.

Besides he had his own history to change.

And somehow managed to alter his own future in the midst of it.

With the current Flash properly save and hopefully alive in his future, he was more than ready to return to a brighter more lively lifestyle.

When he returned, you were all better prepared for his arrival. Not so much for the older man that ‘Impule’ had hastily referred to as his great grandfather with no little excitement and current Flash and Kid Flash in tow.

It was like a backwards family reunion.

Nightwing’s analytical results had proved the impossible, well possible. Bart Allen was a direct descendant of the Allen family.

The red haired future superhero seemed to take the news with the strongest stride, not doubting his truth for a second. Part of you felt for him, this had to be his only chance to properly meet the senior Flash.

Regrettably, the meeting was cut relatively short as his urge to go home out ran the present desires. He was still an erratic variable of the future and had no place here.

A few hugs were exchanged amongst family, the current leagued Flash expressing his anticipation on meeting him again in a proper timeline.

You found yourself longing for the same. Eager to see his origin and watching the child become what you’d witnessed today.

“Well this has been crash, but gotta run.”

God, were you not looking forward to the puns though. A mutual groan rumbled amongst the gathered crowd in agreement.

Impulse had nearly disappeared into the awaiting machine before his body staled as if forgetting something. After saving the life of a hero you couldn’t imagine what other time altering event he could have on his agenda.

Then his gaze locked with yours.  

Your hair fluttered behind you from the sharp gust of wind from, a noise of shock barely escaping your lips before his swallowed it down.

Somewhere behind you the sound of Tim’s shock tried to reach you but it was lost to the soft press of lips molding against your own.

Then it was over.

And you were left wading in a pool of soft baby blues.

“Oh man, I wish you could have married me instead of Drake.”

And left you stranded.

“Now I should really get going. Be nice to me in the future!”

He raced back to the machine with a sloppy salute, before sliding inside the machine. The only sound it gave was a clank of metal as the latch sealed.

And then the silence stretched on for several seconds.

“Isn’t he supposed to be in the future by now,” Garfield asked unhelpfully.

“He better be.” You felt Tim appear at your back, his growl echoing a darker intent.

There was a drawn out groan, as the metal protested the slow opening of the door. It was likely the slowest you’d ever seen and of the speedsters move as Bart reluctantly stepped out of the machine.

Something told you he wouldn’t be returning home anytime soon.

A sheepish smile pulled at his lips as his gaze darted across the room.  

“Anyone else feeling the mode?”

[today-only-happens-once]

With Great Power - Chapter 3

Title: With Great Power – Chapter 3

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Fic Summary: Thomas Sanders is just a regular social media personality. But when he gets bit by a spider during filming one of his YouTube videos, his whole life is about to turn upside down—whether he (or the aspects of his personality) want it to or not. Platonic LAMP/CALM + Character!Thomas. Spider-Man AU (but more the concept of Spider-Man and contains no spoilers for any particular movie/comic series).

Word Count: 3503

Warnings: violence, cursing, blood, attempted kidnapping of a child, dangerous driving/passenger behavior, bruising, nausea, food mention, custody battle mention. 

A/N: I didn’t expect this chapter to go the way it did. It became one of those “characters sometimes have minds of their own and I get taken for a joyride as a writer” kind of chapters. Thank you so much to @creativenostalgiastuff​ for looking this chapter over for me since I was extra doubtful about it. Also, if some of this gets confusing it’s 100% my fault. It got hard to put the picture and sequence in my head onto paper. Yikes.

Tags: @captain-loki-xavier @magicpanda31 @the-peculiar-bi-tch @mining-pup @band-be-boss-blog @asexual-trashbag @samathekittycat @why-should-i-tell-youu2 @theobsessor1 @always3charcoaltea @changeling-ash @logical-princey @crimsonshadow323  @flickering-raven@smokeyrutilequartz, @dontbugmeimantisocial, @soijusthavetoask, @marvelfangeek09, @vigilantvirgil, @princelogical

…

Thomas paces in front of the office building. It’s mostly overcast, the sky a flat gray color that promises rain. The office was tucked away in a more run-down section of Gainesville, which certainly helped with the affordability of the location. The wind is picking up a little and Thomas tugs the hood of his gray sweatshirt up over his head against the chilly breeze. In the back of his mind, he’s grateful he had enough sense to grab it and a scarf from the hook in the hallway on his way out of the building.

He breathes in through his nose, out through his mouth. He looks out at the parking lot, wondering briefly if maybe he could just go home. Tell Joan he wasn’t feeling well. Then again, Thomas can’t be sure they’d even believe him. Especially after he just effortlessly stopped a bookcase from falling on them with one arm. He should have listened to Patton and Logan and stayed home today.

Thomas groans under his breath and rakes a hand through his bangs to push them out of his eyes again. He stops pacing and leans back against the brick wall. Just a few minutes out here to get his heart to slow back down to a normal pace and then he’d go back inside and pretend like everything was fine. He’d at least get through filming today.

Thomas watches absently as a dark green van pulls into the mostly-empty parking lot. There’s another cold gust of air and Thomas tugs his scarf up over his nose to brace against it. The van pulls into a spot several yards away, and Thomas sees a young woman climb out of the driver’s seat.

She looks like she’s maybe only a handful of years older than Thomas, a frazzled ponytail swishing behind her as she opens one of the passenger doors. She fusses with something in the backseat that Thomas can’t see until she emerges with a toddler—big glasses and a flop of blonde hair—propped on her hip. He seems to be babbling about something to the woman, clutching onto her shirt. She says something in reply to him, then adjusts his glasses and kisses the top of his head before setting him down on the pavement. The little boy is looking up at her and grabs her hand, his babbling continuing.

Thomas smiles faintly at the sweet display. He fishes his phone out of his pocket, wanting to give the family some privacy instead of staring at them. He scrolls through Twitter for a moment, smiling as he notices a fan’s artwork of Patton making pancakes. Thomas retweets it, adding a comment of “omg I love this so much! Thank you!”.

“Hey, what are you doing here? What are--no!”

The shout from across the parking lot grabs his attention immediately. Thomas looks up and shoves his phone into his pocket. A car that Thomas hadn’t noticed pull up has parked itself beside the green van. But more concerning than that are the two large men, one of whom has the little boy’s arm in a tight grip. The other steps in front of the woman as she lunges to grab the boy.

Thomas is halfway across the parking lot before he’s even fully processed what is happening.

“You can’t take him!” The woman begs. The little boy starts screaming and thrashing, but his strength is no match for man holding onto him. The woman shoves against the man in front of her with all her strength, but he only stumbles back a step or two before he roughly shoves her into her car.

Thomas is sprinting. “Hey!” he shouts, trying to get their attention.

“You’re hurting me!” the boy’s voice is panicked.  

“Hey!” Thomas yells again. This time they seem to hear him, as both men’s heads swivel up and focus on him. “Let them go!”

Both men spring into action, one of them lunging to intercept Thomas as he sprints up and the other—the one holding the boy’s arm—dragging the screaming child towards the car. Duck! Something yells in his mind and Thomas drops on instinct, feeling a fist fly over his head as he does so.

He can feel his heart pounding in his chest now for an entirely different reason. He tries to kick out blindly against the man directly in front of him, taking up his field of vision. The boy’s screaming sounds distant now to Thomas, but he can also hear the woman shouting something too. At him? At the boy? At these two men? Thomas doesn’t know.

Thomas feels a foot connect hard in his stomach and coughs, gritting his teeth. “He’s just a kid—” Thomas tries to implore, but cuts himself off as he narrowly dodges something flying towards his jaw.

He blows out a hard breath. He blinks quickly, his senses flooding with a suddenly alarming clarity. The woman is trying to beat the man dragging the boy away, the boy still thrashing to get his arm free. It’s all Thomas has time to process before the first man growls in the back of his throat and charges Thomas.

He’s moving… slower than Thomas would have expected. He dives out of the way, kicking a leg out to trip him as the man stumbles past him. He trips face first into the pavement. Thomas doesn’t wait to see if he gets up. He can still hear the yelling distantly through the blood rushing in his ears.

Thomas watches the man a few yards away deliver a sharp elbow to the woman’s face. Thomas rushes up behind her, catching her from behind as she stumbles back. Thomas gently nudges her forward to help her regain her balance.

“You okay?” he asks, panting.

The woman is holding her nose, blood seeping through her fingers. She turns angry, desperate green eyes onto Thomas and shakes her head. “He’s taking my baby! I think he’s taking him to John and--” she pales even further.

“John?” Thomas asks, confused. The woman’s explanation is cut off by the slamming of a car door. Thomas looks over in time to see the boy clamoring over to the window, slamming his small fists against it as he screams his head off. He looks scared. He’s screaming for his mom.

Thomas reacts.

He reaches the car at the same time the man dives into the driver’s seat and slams it into drive. Tires scream against the pavement, the smell of burnt rubber stings Thomas’s nostrils. He lunges for the rear passenger side door handle just as the car peels forward. But his hand makes contact. And it’s all Thomas really needs.

He yelps as his hand sticks to the car door and he gets pulled along towards the parking lot exit, his feet sliding and scraping against the pavement. Thomas grits his teeth and does his best to kick himself up onto the car. He manages to get one foot up on the trunk of the car, and with another try, he gets the other leg up too.

He releases a fast breath. He glances down long enough to see the road burn had scraped a hold down the side of his jeans he’d been wearing, but he doesn’t feel any pain from it. He has bigger things to worry about right now anyway.

Thomas has one hand still on the back door of the sedan, kneeling on the trunk of the car. The little boy in the back seat is turned around and stares at him through the rear windshield with wide, awed eyes. Thomas tries to flash him a quick reassuring smile before he realizes that his scarf is still covering half of his face.

The wind as the car speeds out of the parking lot whips at the strands of Thomas’s hair peeking out from under the gray hoodie. Thomas pulls his hand off the door, a flash of gratefulness flooding him when he’s able to do so instead of staying stuck. He stays low to the car as he shifts to steady his balance on the trunk, leaned up against the rear windshield.

Thomas locks eyes with the driver through the rearview mirror seconds before the car swerves, fishtailing out of the parking lot. Thomas feels the shift and braces against it. His feet on the car and his hands against the back windshield keeps him from sliding off the car.

Thomas sees the flash of surprise quickly overcome by frustration as the driver accelerates down the road away from the building. Thomas’s eyes start to water against the sting of the wind. He blinks to clear them.

The boy is still staring at him. His screaming has stopped. Get him out, get him out, get him out. It’s the only thing Thomas can think about right now. If he could get him out while the driver is occupied, even better.

Thomas locks gazes with the young boy, then looks pointedly towards the door on the left. The boy frowns in confusion for a second, following Thomas’s gaze, before his eyes widen in understanding. He nods quickly, scrambling over to the door.

Thomas’s heart is in his throat, choking his air a bit. He stays low to the car and shifts over slightly. The car swerves dangerously again but Thomas stays latched onto it. He sees the driver slam an angry hand against the wheel.

He gets a hand free at the same time he sees the boy pull the lock on the door Thomas had pointed him to. The driver shouts something Thomas can’t make out. The boy kicks the door open and scrambles out.

Thomas lunges to catch him as he tumbles out the door, his knees sticking to the car as he throws himself over to catch the kid. He wraps his free arm around the boy’s midsection, barely managing to keep him from faceplanting into the pavement whizzing underneath them.

“I got ya,” Thomas grunts. He feels the car lurch as the driver slams on the breaks. Tires scream against the pavement again. Thomas hoists the kid up—he really weighs almost nothing—and presses low to the car as the young boy scrambles to climb into his back. “Don’t let go!” Thomas urges him.

“Okay!” the boy yells in his ear. Thomas coughs slightly as the boy’s grip around his neck tightens.

God, please don’t stick, Thomas thinks as the car surges to a stop in the middle of the road. He pushes up and jumps off the car. The brief moment of sheer relief that floods him when Thomas doesn’t stick to the vehicle is short lived as he trips when his feet hit the pavement. The boy on his back is surprisingly light to Thomas, but it’s still enough weight to throw off his balance a bit.

Thomas hears the sound of the car door opening and he swivels to face the car as the driver climbs out. Thomas holds out an arm as he hears the boy gasp, tighten his grip, and press his face into Thomas’s neck.

“Whoa,” Thomas says to the driver, facing him to place himself between the driver and the little boy. Thomas starts backing up out of the main road towards the sidewalk. “He’s just a kid, man.” He risks a brief moment to glance around. The road is a two lane main street, with local shops and businesses lining both sides. Cars from both directions have come to a full stop. Patrons and shop owners have started to file out onto the sidewalks, staring at the altercation.

Shit, Thomas thinks, and he tugs the scarf a little further up his face. Several people have started—or were already—filming and taking pictures with their phone. In some ways, Thomas knows it’s a good thing. Because the driver has noticed too, and he hasn’t moved any closer to them.

The driver seems to follow Thomas’s gaze around to the increasingly thickening crowd around them and pales. He shoots a sharp glare at Thomas. Thomas instinctively wraps an arm back around towards the kid to protect him before the man ducks back into the driver’s seat. He tears down the road.

Thomas watches the car for a moment as it races around a right turn and disappears. He can hear people murmuring, and he hopes that at least one of them caught the license plate. He had forgotten to check.

“Is he gone?” the boy asks in a small voice, pulling Thomas out of his thoughts. Thomas drops a little so the boy’s sneakers are firmly on the ground before he gently pries his small hands off from around his neck.

Thomas turns to him and gives him a small smile—seconds before he remembers half of his face is still hidden from the scarf. “Yeah,” Thomas tells him. “He’s gone. You okay?”

The boy nods, but Thomas can see him rubbing his arm—the same one that had been grabbed in the parking lot—and bruises already peeking out from under the sleeve of his green Ninja Turtles shirt. Thomas’s stomach rolls a little, but he tries to distract the boy from it.

“What’s your name?”

“It’s, um.” The boy rubs at his eyes under his glasses, knocking them slightly askew on his nose. “Um. Mommy calls me Mikey because. Um.” He looks down at his shirt and points to the turtle with the orange eye mask.

Thomas smiles again. “Is Michaelangelo your favorite?”

The boy’s eyes light up a little—Thomas can still see tears in the corner of them—behind his glasses. “Yeah! He’s the best.” He peers a little closer at Thomas. “Do you have a favorite Ninja Turtle?” He glances at Thomas’s sweatshirt before he can answer and tilts his head a little. “Oh. You have a spider on your shirt. Do you like spiders more than turtles?”

Taken aback, Thomas glances down. Sure enough, there’s a small white spider on the left side of his hoodie. It was part of the branding. Ironic choice of sweatshirt today, Thomas, he thinks wryly to himself.

He’s about to answer when a flash of camera light makes him suddenly very aware that there is still a crowd surrounding them, pressing increasingly closer.

“What’s going on here?” says a booming voice. Thomas’s head jolts up and he sees a police officer breaking through the crowd with the woman from the parking lot.

For a reason he can’t entirely place, Thomas is suddenly overcome with the understanding that he has to get away, and he has to get away now. He knows he should maybe stay and answer questions—Thomas didn’t do anything wrong, and he’d do it all again if given the chance—but he’s suddenly extremely aware that they will ask questions he can’t answer.

I’m sorry, you just… stuck to the car? Thomas can’t explain it to them. And he really doesn’t want the public attention as some sort of freak of nature.

Questions that might be dangerous to him, depending on how they react. After all, dozens of people saw him riding on the back of the car and catch a kid as he fell out the door of a moving vehicle.

“Mom!” the boy shouts when he sees the woman, and he breaks from Thomas and barrels towards her. She’s sobbing as she kneels down on the ground and grabs Mikey in her arms, pressing kisses to his head and checking him over.

The police officer stops to watch them, and Thomas uses the distraction to duck back into the alley a few feet to the left.

He starts running.

…

Hot water rains down against his back as Thomas stands in the shower a few hours later.

He hears his phone buzz on the counter, and he knows it’s probably another text from Joan. Thomas had made his way back to the parking lot, jumped in his car, and drove home. He’d barely remembered to send a text to Joan with a quick, Hey I got really sick all of a sudden and didn’t want to get you sick so I went home. Super sorry. :( before he’d started the car. Maybe would Joan would buy it or maybe they wouldn’t. Thomas feels like he’s running on autopilot. The events of the last fifteen minutes flashed behind his eyes the entire drive home.

Joan had told him not to worry about it, texting him that they’d drop by later to check in and they’d take care of filming what they could. I’ll get Camden to come help. Just focus on getting better, dude. Thomas couldn’t explain why that made his stomach twist.

The steam and heat from the shower is a welcomed reprieve from the biting cold that had seeped into his muscles after the whole incident with the car. Thomas doesn’t know how long he’d been standing under the hot spray but it was also helping with the tightness between his shoulder-blades. He didn’t want to get out. These three walls and curtain made a comfortable safe haven from everything Thomas knew he’d have to confront and deal with and he didn’t feel ready. He didn’t feel ready for any of it.

He’d never liked change. Nobody does, he reminds himself. But he’d even made a YouTube video about how he hated change, and how it hard it could be for him. And Logan had told him once, there’s change you can control, and change you cannot control. And the whole point of the video had been about taking advantage of the change you can control to make the change you cannot control more bearable.

Thomas sighs and shuts off the water. He’d tried that today. He’d tried being normal despite the weird change his body seemed to be going through and it ended up with Thomas intervening on an attempted kidnapping and then running from the police so he wouldn’t have to answer questions.

What was he supposed to do when “normal” may not be an option anymore? When it feels like everything—everything—is going to be changing whether he wants it to or not?

Thomas grabs the folded towel off the counter and dries off, rubbing it through his hair after he pulls on pajamas. It’s late afternoon, but Thomas doesn’t plan to be going anywhere else today.

He flips on the television for background noise as he pads over to the kitchen to preheat the oven. He’d forgotten that the last thing he’d been watching was the news yesterday, and Thomas nearly drops his box of frozen mozzarella sticks  when he sees Mikey’s face on the screen. The headline blow reads LOCAL STRANGER SAVES BOY FROM KIDNAPPING OVER CUSTODY BATTLE.

Thomas freezes as the familiar little blonde-haired boy is speaking into the news anchor’s microphone. “—an’-and he caught me and pulled me up and then he jumped off and didn’t let the bad guy get me. And then he asked me about my name and we talked about Ninja Turtles.”

Despite himself, Thomas smiles a little. The news anchor laughs lightly as the camera zooms out to show both her and Mikey. “Do you have a message for this mystery stranger?”

Mikey seems to think about it for a moment, then grabs the microphone from the news anchor and holds it in both of his hands. “Thanks for saving me, Mr. Spider-Man.”

Thomas can’t help the surprised laugh that bubbles up his chest. Spider-Man? Thomas wonders at the same time he hears the news anchor, her voice barely picked up from the mic that the boy is holding, asks the same question.

Mikey nods. “I call him that because he didn’t tell me his name but he was wearing a spider and I think he likes spiders more than Ninja Turtles but that’s okay because he saved me.”

Thomas feels his chest squeeze with an unexpected affection even as his vision blurs in the corners a little. Thomas wipes at his eyes, surprised a little at the surge of emotion that expands in his chest.

“Well,” the news anchor says with a smile as she takes the mic back, “You heard it here first. Local “Spider-Man” is at least one kid’s hero tonight. Back to you, Bill.”

Mikey’s words echo in Thomas’s mind as the news switches to talking about the weather. He saved me.

[sometimeswritingsometimesdying]

The Superheroes Against The Storm- Chap. 2

So, forget what I said

A/N: alrighty, so, people seemed to like the first chapter, and that inspired me to write another one, so here ya go. ps. Dee is probably OOC, so, sorry for that, I’m not used to writing dark sides

Pairings: Eventual Logicality and Prinxiety, platonic everything else, although that may change

Word count: idk, more than 12 words tho

Warnings: Panic attack, talk of burnout and possible death i think?, thunderstorms, sympathetic deceit and remus, cursing, and a lil’ angst. Let me know if I miss something!

Taglist: @soul-of-a-vixen, @mellow-yellow-nutella Let me know if you want to be added!

Chap. 1

Virgil was angry.

Correction. He was furious.

A raging storm, if you will.

Point is, things were going downhill, and pretty quickly. And it was the fault of two dumbasses.

Goddamnit. He leaves for two days, and this happens.

The storm above the city became even more vicious, the wind strengthening and the rain falling faster and heavier. Virgil was unbothered. He was accustomed with it. Perhaps even enjoyed it. As far as you could enjoy being soaking wet, but you know.

He quickened his pace until he reached an old apartment building, which was basically falling apart by this point. It may have been it’s suspicious, almost magnet-like, tendency of attracting storms to cause that damage, but the landlord could care less. Virgil opened the door and ran up the stairs. He reached a door down the corridor with a rusted tag that read 11. However, he didn’t notice the tag, after all, he had known it was there for years, but what he did notice was Dee’s scared yelp when he kicked down the door.

“Damien Thomas Travieso, I leave you alone for two days-“

“More like a week, but keep going-“

“And this happens?” Virgil showed Dee his phone, where a photo of a flower was shown. Correction. The flower was, well, deformed.

“A flower isn’t meant to look like that.”

“Yeah. No shit.” Virgil and Dee glared at each other for about five seconds.

“Look in my defense-“ He was interrupted by a yell coming from the other room. Honestly, with how much they yelled, it was weird that their neighbors hadn’t complained yet.

“IS V HOME YET.” Actually, now that he thought about it, they had no neighbors. Well, except for one hold granny who could barely hear.

“YES YOU TRASH GOBLIN NOW COME OUT OF YOUR ROOM.” The quote unquote “trash goblin” emerged from his room and, when he spotted Virgil, started beaming. Well, that was before he saw how intense Virgil’s glare was, and how Dee looked pretty annoyed already.

“V! You’re back!” Remus walked over to the couch and sat beside Damien. They shared a look that said this is going to be a long talk.

“I leave. For TWO DAYS-“

“a week.” Damien mumbled.

“fine, a WEEK, and you go out there and distort-“

“It’s not my fault-“

“yes it is, Remus!” Virgil stopped pacing to look at his friend. “I told you not to use your powers while I’m gone because I can’t cover for you, but no! You go out there and now there’s going to be people coming after us, and they’re gonna find us and they’re going to take you away and I won’t be able to-“

Damien stood up and walked over to Virgil. He had learned how to deal with on-coming panic attacks a long while ago.

“V, look at me. Breath in, and breath out. Good. Like that.” Dee brought Virgil to sit on the couch between him and Remus. “We’re going to be fine. You’ve always protected us, but we’re able to fend for ourselves too.” Dee side eyed Remus, who was eyeing the candle on the table with a certain hunger. “Or, well, I’m able to.”

Virgil snorted slightly as Remus reached out to take a bit out of the candle. He would be fine. He had probably changed it into melted chocolate or something of the sort already.

“Yeah, you’re right.” Virgil rubbed his face. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Remus asked. It would’ve sounded sincere if the other two didn’t know Remus had actually lost the topic of conversation.

“having so little faith in you two.” He stopped a second. “Well, one of you.”

Dee snorted and Remus just took another bite out of the candle.

“Think you can calm the storm outside now?” Dee asked.

“Oh yeah.” Virgil stood up and walked over to the window. The storm was in fact still raging on, so he raised his hands and a gust of wind came into the apartment. Then suddenly the window shut and the storm dispersed.

The meteorologists of the area would wonder about the sudden end of the storm for a week. At most two weeks.

They’d forget about it eventually, and the data recording this event would eventually disappear.

The trio had to keep a low profile after all.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, a chirpy Patton and a content Logan were strolling around the park nearby the laboratories. Logan had proposed a short walk to clear their minds during breakfast, and who Patton to refuse a walk through his element? Or, well, one of them.

“So, Patton, what has happened while we were out of touch?” Patton hummed quietly as he watched the little bird that was perched on his hand.

“Not much, really.” Patton shrugged, turning back to Logan after the bird had taken flight once more. “I arranged the house a bit better, a couple plants here, a couple birdfeeders over there. You know, the typical stuff.”

“And… you?” Logan asked. It was an unsure ground to walk on, but Patton merely sighed and looked ahead.

“Better. Yeah. It got… better.” Patton started messing with the handmade bracelets on his arm. A gift from a few kids who would come by his house every once and again. “certainly regained some life.”

Logan give Patton a questioning look. “Patton, you can tell me if it becomes too much again. We could always try to work from your place if it happens to-“

“Don’t worry about me, Lo, I’ll be fine.” Patton turned to him and smiled a smile that rivaled the sun’s. “See? I’m fine! Things won’t go like last time.”

Logan still looked unsure. “How do you know that, Patton? There are thousands of things that can impact your health here, and it would be much safer if-“

Logan stopped talking as Patton raised an eyebrow at him. He sighed and took of his glasses to clean them. “Look, Patton, I know that you think you feel well now, but who knows what’ll happen tomorrow?”

“Many things, Lo. Many things can happen.” Patton smiled softly. At what, exactly, was unknown to Logan. “But, they haven’t happened yet. And they won’t. Look at me.” They stopped walking and Patton turned towards Logan. He may have forgotten how tall the other was, because he had to crane his neck to look Logan in the eyes, which may have given him a disadvantage in looking serious. Logan would later argue it gave him an advantage in looking cute. “I’m right here. And I’ll be fine.”

Logan looked at him for a couple seconds. “I’m still getting some plants for your guest room, however.”

Patton rolled his eyes and started walking once more. “Fine, but nothing that suffers inside apartments.”

“Fair enough.”

As they kept walking through the park, the birds would chirp as if greeting Patton, to which he would happily smile at.

“You know, Lo, you don’t seem so concerned about those pictures. Isn’t that the whole reason you asked for my help?”

Logan rubbed the back of his neck. “Indeed, but I believe it would be best if we informed a certain Prince before starting our research, no?”

Patton laughed. “That boy. Could never stay out of the picture for long, could he?”

“I believe he thinks life would be boring if he didn’t almost die at least once a week.” Patton laughed again. “No seriously, you have no idea how many times he has shown up at my door exhausted after using his powers too much.”

Patton’s brow furrowed. “I thought he had sworn off using his powers?”

“You know him, he can’t stick to self-promises for longer than a month. Plus, he thinks he’s found a new track for that-” Logan nodded towards Patton’s general direction. “thing.”

Patton’s eyes looked at Logan in shock. “You can’t be serious.”

Logan looked at him with a sad smile. “That boy has never given up, and he won’t start now.” Logan stared up ahead where a young man with fiery red hair was deeply concentrated on his hands. “Plus, is it so unbelievable for others to be out there?”

Logan smiled at Patton as he walked towards the young man, which left Patton to shake out of his state of shock to follow after him.

[sidespromptblog]

Deceit’s Hunger: Part 6

Part One, Two, Three, Four, and Five

“Why?” It’s Roman’s voice that snaps Logan out of his shock, the creative side is still standing but his palms are pressed flat against the top of the desk that he had been writing his ideas on.

Faintly Logan can see a raw shudder moving Roman’s shoulders, the prince’s head is tilted down looking at the desk before he lifted his head up to stare right over to Patton who hadn’t moved since his declaration. Patton’s face had taken on an ashy look, as a sheen of sweat slicked his brow and tears swam in his eyes.

Roman, however, looked furious as his fingers slowly curled into fists. His brown eyes were burning with a righteous kind of anger. Something which Logan could understand right now.

“What in your right mind possessed you to think that threatening and scaring someone so badly that they nearly starved to death was alright?!” Roman’s booming voice shook his room, and instinctively Logan grabbed onto the creative side’s desk as Patton tried to steady himself against the doorway.

“Roman please-”

Before Patton could even finish the sentence Roman once again cut the other off with a violent sweep of his hand.

“Don’t Roman me, Patton! All of your talk about accepting Virgil and trying to see things from other people’s perspective and you..you do this!” The room trembled again as Roman continued to shout, it was like an earthquake was focused on just this room and this room alone.

Looking over to Roman, Logan could see that he was now beyond furious at this point, if this kept up then Roman’s room would likely tear itself in half with the force of Roman’s emotions. Although, he well knew that if it was his room it would be reacted much of the same way as Roman’s would, but for now Logan couldn’t dare to think about Patton’s confession or how it even made him feel right now. It was much better to just suppress those feelings and carry on with how he had been before.

“I..I can explain!” Patton tried to say as he gripped the banister tight as another tremble wracked the room violently, the tears blurred his vision, blocking out Roman’s angry expression and Logan’s cold and detached one. It felt almost worst to see Logan’s expressionless face. It would have made more sense for him to snap at Patton, for Logan to finally be angry at him, but now...now Logan couldn’t even look at him without shutting down his brain and his emotions.

Somehow that hurt a lot more than Roman’s anger.

“Please!” The words burst out of his mouth again, and just as they did so he could feel his throat clogging with emotions, like he was attempting to swallow down a bite of food that was too big for him.

A wounded sound left him as he watched Roman shaking his head, as he watched the creative side rounding his desk putting himself next to Logan as soon as Patton tried to pleadingly look over to the logical side.

“I don’t want to hear it, Patton, until Deceit gets better and until Deceit decides whether or not you can be forgiven… I don’t want to see or hear from you.” Roman’s voice that had been burning with anger was now icy cold, and Patton felt more and more tears welling up inside of him. Begging him to release them and to show the others that he honestly was really sorry, but opening his mouth nothing came out. He felt his breathing hitching as something inside of him started to ache, it felt like Roman had stabbed him with his words.

It hurt, and the worst part was, was that he knew that he deserved to feel this pain. He had hurt and almost led to Deceit’s death, without him even meaning to. He’d hurt someone, he’d become someone’s villain without even knowing it.

That feeling though, didn’t take away the tug he felt as soon as Roman had finished speaking, like a gust of wind trying to push him back. Patton tried to dig his feet into the carpet, but it was as good as trying to tie oneself down in the mists of a tornado.

His back slammed against the hallway wall with a surprising amount of force as the door slammed shut in front of him, looking up he caught a final glimpse of Logan. Turning his head away from the door and towards Roman who raised a hand touching the logical side’s shoulder in comfort. When the door finally slammed shut, Patton let the tears that had been welling up gush out, streaking his cheeks as he clamped his hand over his mouth.

His body shuddered with sobs, the force of which made him feel like he was about to throw up, he had messed up, he had messed up big time and really he didn’t know if there was any possible way that he could even fix this. So he cried as selfish as it was for Patton to cry about himself, his nails dug into his cheeks as he kept his hand clamped down over his mouth, refusing to allow himself to be heard by Logan and Roman on the other side of the door.

In the end, Patton wasn’t certain how much time had passed until he finally stopped crying, his body felt like he had run a marathon, his legs felt like they had been made of jello making him have to steady himself on the wall as he stumbled up to his feet. He wasn’t entirely certain as to where he should go now. He didn’t want to retreat back into his room, the living room would only remind him of the fact that he was now alone, and Virgil..Virgil was probably with Deceit if his antsy actions before were anything to go by.

So in the end, he found himself where this had all started, he found himself in the kitchen with his back resting against the cabinets as he sat on the floor.

It seemed like only yesterday he that he had confronted Deceit when the other had been scrounging around in the fridge like a rat going through a trash can, despite himself he had been suspicious of the other’s behavior and he had acted on that. For fear that somehow Deceit was going to do something to his family, he remembered looming over the deceitful trait, and he remembered spitting his threat at the other until something had crossed the other’s face.

He hadn’t known what the emotion on Deceit’s face was, not until he’d heard Logan interrogating Roman. It had been fear, Deceit had been afraid of him, and Patton had used that in a misguided attempt to protect his family.

Now they couldn’t even bear to look at him.

Tagged:

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@la-fandom-freak

@virgil-angsty-sanders

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@silver-owl413

@redundant-statements-for-400

[the-gay-in-the-way]

A Thread of Doubt

(Okay, so this is something that I felt kind of compelled to write while I was working on the third part of The Great Boop War of 2018. Reason being that it kind of adds on some extra context to some of the stuff that happens in there.)

(So I figured I’d just go ahead and make this beforehand while the iron was still hot and the ideas were fresh in my mind.)

(You can see this as a stand alone or a spin-off or whatever, but the basic thing you need to know is that it takes place in the same universe as the Boop War, the Utensil War, and Why be Sad When You Can be Even Sadder.)

(It all coincides together and you can read all of them to get some extra context and little references in each one that comes from a different one.)

(Also, there’s a particular line in here that I have Virgil use and it comes from this person right here and their really interesting idea that inspired another really cool person to create an awesome fanfic on Ao3 called Persona that I very much recommend.)

(Also, also, there are a couple of songs I reference in this that I recommend you just generally check out. They’re pretty cool, in my opinion.)

(Myth me-Chilly Gonzales, Roundtable Rival-Lindsey Stirling)

(Anyways, let’s get on with this. Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy the story.)

Deceit had been helping Patton with the dishes one morning when the moral side had suddenly asked him if he’d like to watch Virgil work that day.

Deceit hadn’t been entirely sure why they were going to watch Virgil work, of all things, but he had been intrigued enough by the question and Patton’s enthusiasm that it hadn’t taken much convincing to make him come along.

And so, Deceit soon found himself standing beside a visibly excited Morality as they both stood inside of Virgil’s bedroom.

“So, do you know where the entrance is? Or are we waiting for Virgil now?”

(Technically, you don’t have to read this part. But I recommend that you do so that you can understand the universe as a whole a little better. It’s what I’m gonna be using in most of my stories so...)

(You know, just as a warning. Read or don’t, it’s your choice. There will be another line and a set of these parenthesized comments where the detailed exposition ends and the rest of the story continues.) 

All sides had a particular “Realm” within the Mindscape they were individually in charge of. Each Realm was attached to the main House/Hub by a specific entrance within each side’s bedroom. The entrance would then lead to a mirrored version of the bedroom and house within the other Realm. And, when you exited the house, you would enter the actual bulk of the Realm itself.

Logan’s Realm was the Memory Library(where all of the subjects, books, movies, music, roles, and lessons Thomas had ever learned/experienced before were kept) and the entrance was behind a secret bookcase door that could only be opened by solving a particular puzzle within the room that Logan changed once every week.

Roman’s Realm was the Imagination Plane(where all of Thomas’s ideas and dreams were kept and, for the most part, created) and the entrance tended to change depending on the day. Sometimes it would be through a wardrobe, other times it would be through a magic mirror, and every once and a while it would be through a painting or a book. Finding it was part of the fun, according to Roman.

Deceit’s Realm was the Memory Archives(where all of Thomas’s actual memories were kept and carefully sorted, organized, and maintained) and the entrance was through a fake wall right across from his bedroom’s door.

Patton’s Realm was the Heartscape(where everything Thomas held dear to his heart like his love for his friends, a collection of his most precious memories, his most deep seated beliefs, and almost all of his emotions as a whole were kept and maintained) and the entrance was through a simple door covered in pictures and stickers and little splashes of paint over in the corner of Patton’s bedroom.

Virgil’s Realm was the Nightmare Plane(where all of Thomas’s fears, doubts, concerns, nightmares, and troubling thoughts were all kept, created, and very carefully maintained) and Deceit didn’t actually know where the entrance was.

(Okay, that’s all the detailed exposition)

(Back to the main story)

Nobody had ever gone to Virgil’s Realm without him or Thomas just sinking them into it, so the other sides weren’t really sure where Virgil’s Realm entrance actually was.

And, whenever someone asked, Virgil would always just say that it was better they not be able to go in on their own anyways.

The Nightmare Plane was a dangerous place, even with Virgil being there to keep them safe.

If they went in without him, nobody was really sure how well that would turn out.

So it was simply one of those things that everyone quietly thought about but never did anything to figure out.

Except, apparently, it wasn’t.

Because Patton was smiling at him and walking towards Virgil’s bed with a confidence that spoke volumes about how much time he spent in the anxious side’s space.

“Virgil showed me where the entrance was a long time ago. And I know where he’s gonna be today, so you can just follow me and I’ll take you where we need to go.”

Deceit blinked in surprise and had to physically keep his jaw from dropping when Patton reached a hand under the overly long sheets of Virgil’s bed, pulled the blankets up and away from the floor, and revealed a very thin black wooden door where the underside of the bed was meant to be.

And then Deceit felt a little like smacking himself.

Of course, the entrance was under the bed.

It was the Nightmare Plane, were else would it be?

Patton grinned at him and waved a hand.

“C’mon, I wanna get there before he starts!”

And, with that said, Patton opened the secret door and slid easily through it.

Then it closed with a startlingly loud slam behind him and Deceit had to take a moment to remind himself that this was Virgil’s Realm Patton had just gone into and the anxious side would never let anything bad happen to them if he could help it.

So, after taking a single long and steadying breath, Deceit made his way to the side of the bed and opened the small door.

It didn’t creak or do anything particularly ominous which surprised him a little.

And it stayed open when he started to slide through it.

It only slammed shut again when he was safely past it.

“There you are! For a second there, I wasn’t sure if you followed me or not.”

Came the muffled voice of Patton from...

Somewhere.

Deceit couldn’t see anything.

Which said a lot considering how good his night-vision usually was.

But he was still on his stomach and, when he raised his head a little, he could still feel the low ceiling/bottom of the bed above him.

Then, suddenly, there was light and it took a moment for Deceit to adjust his eyes enough to clearly see Patton crouched on the floor and looking at him sideways through the thin open door.

“Don’t worry, this is just the bed in Virgil’s other room. So, you can come out now.”

“Oh. Alright then...”

And Deceit shuffled his way out from under the bed, looking around the room with some curiosity once he entered it.

Although Virgil had let them into his Realm a few times in the past, they had never really gone anywhere past the living room before.

The rest of the Realm was far too dangerous, according to Virgil.

“Okay!” Patton said with a firm clap of his hands that made Deceit jump half a foot. “Let’s get going before we miss anything!”

Deceit didn’t bother complaining as he allowed the other side to pull him along.

He simply remained silent and continued to look around the only Realm he’d never really had the chance to explore before.

The main house looked, for the most part, the same.

Just with the additional decorations that tended to vary between each side’s spaces.

The living room, once they reached it, looked as it always did.

Although, there was now the addition of a pile of random pillows and blankets strewn all across the floor.

It looked like a massive pillow fort had attempted to manifest only to somehow miss its mark and just end up collapsed all over the place.

Patton went straight past the mess with only a bit of a fond smile thrown over his shoulder as any sort of acknowledgment.

Deceit kind of wanted to ask about it but didn’t get the chance when Patton reached the front door and swiftly pulled it open.

And Deceit felt chills run down his spine as he and Morality entered the true Nightmare Plane and all that that would entail.

Patton didn’t hesitate when a strong gust of wind pushed at them threw the door and only laughed in delight as he stepped easily through, his hand still pulling Deceit along behind him.

For a moment, Deceit was too afraid of what he’d see to look away from the other side’s back.

But then he started to hear the sounds of something that surprised him.

Crickets chirping.

A breeze gently rushing through leaves.

Water flowing from somewhere nearby. 

So, hesitantly, Deceit looked up.

And was met with a sight that he would easily call one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen.

Outside of the house was a large circular clearing, surrounded by trees.

Within the clearing was a medium-sized pond attached to a waterfall that came from a river leading into the shadows of the surrounding forest.

Next to it was an absolutely massive willow tree with little glowing purple lights gently floating around its swaying limbs.

Small, almost glowing, white flowers dotted the grass like little fallen stars.

And above it all, was a breathtaking view of the sky.

The moon was large and full, surrounded by too many stars to count in a swirling mass of color like Deceit had never seen in anything other than Logan’s pictures of far off galaxies.

Gentle golds and oranges mixed with vibrant blues and purples.

The stars made patterns like no real constellation ever could.

“It’s nice, right?”

Deceit looked quickly back down at the one standing beside him, and realized with a start that they had stopped walking at the edge of the pond.

He took a quick glance and saw that the water was so clear and still that he could see the sky reflected within it.

It was like standing beside a tiny galaxy.

“No.” He breathed. “It’s horrible.”

Then there was the sound of a familiar laugh and Deceit looked up to the willow tree nearby.

“So shocked you lied, huh? I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Virgil walked through an opening in the limbs created by, seemingly, the limbs simply moving themselves for him.

He looked as he always did, though he did seem slightly more relaxed than usual.

Even his eyeshadow seemed just a tad softer than normal.

 “You shouldn’t. I can think of something better to express my shock.”

The anxious side let out a small snort in return as he finally reached the two and came to a stop beside Patton.

He let out a rather long-suffering sigh and directed a baleful glance at the other.

“Hey, Pat. I didn’t realize you were gonna be bringing someone with you today. If I’d known I would’ve made this place a bit spookier or something.” Virgil said with a shrug before bringing a hand up to rub at his neck a little awkwardly. “I’ve got an image to maintain, y’know.”

And Deceit felt the smallest of twinges within his chest.

He understood Virgil’s mindset quite well.

“Nobody cares if you’re scared.” He’d once said to him after a rather heated debate between the sides had ended with Virgil using his voice and control over shadows to intimidate them all into listening to him. “They care if you’re scary.”

Virgil could easily be seen as one of the most caring of the sides.

Both for Thomas and the others.

But he always seemed so dark and mysterious and scary.

That it had been hard to notice before.

Though, that time was passed now.

And they were all famILY.

So Virgil didn’t need to be scary anymore.

This was something that Patton, and now Deceit, wanted to prove to him.

That was, after all, why Patton had brought Deceit with him in the first place.

He’d been trying to find good opportunities to bring the others in and show them around without Virgil being able to stop him beforehand.

And that opportunity was now, so he was going to milk it for all it was worth.

Patton grinned widely at his best friend and released Deceit’s hand before leaping forward and giggling when Virgil instantly caught him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Virgil. You’re already beautiful in my book, so I don’t know how making this place look any different would make your image change.”

Deceit smiled behind his hand as Virgil’s face turned a very pale shade of pink.

“You’re doing this on purpose aren’t you. I swear you’re the worst, Pat.”

The anxious side’s grumbles were only met with more giggling and some quiet snickers from the peanut gallery.

Then he sighed in a way that sounded, incredibly, even more long-suffering than before.

“Alright, I get it. You’re making a point and trying to reveal my soft and squishy underbelly to the others. That’s fine and all but I actually do need to get some work done today. Thomas is having a good time with his friends so I’d rather take care of it now than worry about it later.”

With the reminder of Virgil’s work, Deceit straightened and Patton let go of the side he’d jumped at to instead face him head on with an excited grin on his face.

“Right! Sorry, yeah, let’s go!”

And Patton ran past Virgil and over to the willow tree, the other sides trailing slowly behind him.

The two stayed silent as they walked but Deceit did give the anxious side a gentle nudge to the arm that was returned with a soft smile.

The gesture spoke volumes, and needed no words to get the intended message across.

When they entered the small enclosed space created by the willow tree��s limbs, Patton was already settled within a little cushioned hollow in the tree’s roots and Deceit took a moment to look around at the floating lights as they idly made their way around the area.

“Alright, get comfortable you two. I’m gonna be at this for a while and I’d really prefer it if you didn’t interrupt anything.”

“Don’t worry! We’ll be good, right Deceit?”

And Deceit nodded as he took a seat in the hollow beside Patton.

“Of course not.”

He didn’t bother making himself tell the truth.

Virgil could tell when he was lying and when he wasn’t.

Indeed, he simply nodded in understanding and took his place standing in front of them.

For a moment, everything seemed to still and take a breath.

Then Virgil took his own breath and sat down on thin air.

Deceit blinked in surprise and watched with no small amount of curiosity as liquid shadows dripped from Virgil’s fingers.

The shadows moved around him and slowly solidified into a piano and a bench.

Then he started to play and Deceit felt something well up in his chest.

And when Virgil started to sing this song that he had never heard before, he felt a little like crying.

“Myth me.”

Patton’s quiet whisper startled him a little and he turned to look at the other side who looked just as affected by the music as he was.

“What?”

Deceit whispered back as quietly as he could.

“The song. It’s called Myth Me. It’s one of my favorites when he works on these threads.”

And that’s when Deceit finally noticed them.

Long, delicate, and glowing white threads filled the air around Virgil like some kind of intricate work of art.

The threads thrummed quietly alongside the music and some seemed to simply loosen and fall apart, disappearing into the air like mist.

“Oh.” 

Was all Deceit could think to say in response.

And that was fine.

The two remained silent for a long time after that.

Simply listening to Virgil as he played and sang.

Occasionally, more shadows would seep from his fingers and take on the forms of featureless humanoids that would play other instruments alongside him.

And the threads continued to loosen and fall apart.

Until all that was left were the tautest of strings.

That was when Virgil stood from the piano and took his place beside it.

A violin quickly formed in his hand and the piano, alongside almost all of the shadows around him dissipated into thin air.

Then Virgil started to play.

And the ethereal calm that had filled the clearing moments before was snapped alongside dozens of the threads as Virgil played a song that sent a thrill of excitement and fear through Deceit’s body.

He felt Patton press close to him and listened closely as the side whispered in his ear once again.

“Roundtable Rival. It’s one of the best at breaking lots of threads at once.”

Deceit wasn’t surprised to hear that.

He watched as the strings continued to snap, letting out impossibly loud cracking and booming sounds that matched the music perfectly each time.

Virgil danced around the threads, and the shadows that played beside him, like he was being carried by the music itself.

With each snap of a thread, blindingly bright light flashed across him and only seemed to intensify with his playing.

And Virgil continued to play that song and so many more until most of the threads were gone.

Finally, Virgil stopped, took a deep breath once more, and let all of the shadows and instruments he had summoned disappear into thin air.

Then Deceit jumped almost a full two feet into the air when Patton leaped up and started to clap with a cheer.

“That was amazing, Virgil!”

The anxious side smiled a little crookedly and rubbed his neck again.

“Thanks, Pat.”

And Deceit found himself quickly nodding along as he stood alongside the moral side.

“No, that was terrible. I hated every second of it.”

And Virgil seemed slightly surprised by the praise but smiled genuinely at the both of them.

“Thanks. I’m glad you guys enjoyed yourselves, I guess.”

And Patton rather suddenly squealed before launching himself at Virgil once again.

Virgil, bless his heart, leaped forward and caught the excitable side without hesitation.

“We have to go and get cookies now! You deserve so many cookies! All of the cookies! I love my dark strange son so much! He deserves all of the cookies in the world!”

Deceit chuckled into his hand as Patton continued to ramble while Virgil just silently carried him away from the tree with an expression of utter defeat and quiet embarrassment on his face.

With one final glance back at the beautiful clearing they were leaving behind, Deceit followed the two emotional sides back into the house with a peaceful smile on his face and a slightly altered view on his family’s resident worrywart.

(Here’s a link to the next part of the CAP Series.)

(A Bed of Links:)

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Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/cerillen

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[stanjaaones]

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[sanderssidesfanfiction]

Not-So Tiny Sides: An Introduction

A/N: Quick note, this series (provided it becomes a series) will have a separate tag list than my other lists, even the general one, as I am well aware this type of story is not everyone’s cup of tea. This will feature age regression (whatever you wanna call it, that’s what it is at the end of the day), so if you don’t like it then feel free not to read it. That being said, if you do read it I hope you like it! And if anything else needs to be listed in the warnings, let me know!

Warnings: Curses (the magic kind, not the swearing kind), fire, panic attacks

This was a bad idea. No one knew what had possessed Roman to bring all of them on one of his escapades, but nevertheless, he had, and now everyone was dealing with the resulting fallout. Logan was grumbling about a sore arm from having to shake off several different kinds of gremlins which seemed to love climbing on him. Patton was drooping and limping slightly from having a bad fall when crossing a river using stepping stones. Virgil was muttering under his breath and was looking around pensively like anything might attack them at any second.

Only Roman was truly enjoying this adventure by this point, it having taken most of the day and now being late evening, and his enjoyment was somewhat (dare he say severely) dampened by the others’ grumbling and general negative attitude.

“Chin up, everyone!” Roman declared. “We’re almost to the Dragon Witch! Once we defeat her then we can go home and celebrate!”

Patton perked up a bit. “Celebrate? How will we celebrate?” he asked.

“I was thinking we could have a party, with lots and lots of puppies, and we’d get in our comfiest clothes and have a movie marathon!” Roman said, swinging his arms wide as he explained. “It will be glorious!”

Patton grinned and Virgil didn’t mutter quite so venomously, so Roman was counting that as a success, until the sky darkened and a sharp wind picked up. Roman turned from where he was observing his friends to where they were headed, to find the Dragon Witch flying low and coming directly at them. Roman drew his katana and held a hand in front of everybody else.

The Dragon Witch landed about ten feet in front of them with a final gust of wind from her wings. Storm clouds had rolled in. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t our precious Prince Roman. Haven’t you bothered me enough this week?”

“I have come to vanquish you once and for all, you vile beast!” Roman exclaimed. “No longer will you bother the villagers of my fair kingdom!”

The Dragon Witch laughed. “How cute,” she drawled. “And you brought backup with you, did you? That’s just too funny! But my patience wears thin. Evidently I’ll have to teach you that you can’t keep running to me every time you want to fight, dear prince. But how?”

“Roman, why are we doing this?” Logan whined. “This is utterly pointless, we can’t do anything against something that size! Are you telling me that we came all this way for nothing?”

“Stop being so childish, Logan!” Virgil snapped. “At least you haven’t been fighting panic attacks all day!”

The hair on the back of Roman’s neck stood on end when the Dragon Witch chuckled. “Oh! There’s an idea...yes...that should do nicely,” she said, baring her teeth in a smile. “Those of you whom my peace defiled, I curse thee with the mind of child!” she chanted this three times before breathing a burst of flame toward them.

Roman shrieked in surprise. That was certainly new. They all ran back and away from the flame, in various stages of shock and fear. The smoke from the flame didn’t rise, but instead clouded around them, so thick none of them could clearly see each other. And then the unthinkable started to happen. Roman could have sworn he heard Logan...crying? “No,” Logan whimpered. “No no no no no! I wanna go home!” he exclaimed.

“This is bad,” he could hear Patton exclaim from somewhere nearby. “Uh, g-guys? I think...I think I might need a little help here...I’m not feeling so good...”

All Roman could hear from Virgil was fast breathing and groaning, along with the occasional deep breath. And Roman was freaking out. This had never happened before, he had never been cursed by the Dragon Witch! That was something he thought she wouldn’t dare do! But now here he was, with three panicking friends stuck in a smoke he couldn’t see through, and...and...and...he didn’t know how to help them.

Roman sank to his knees and started to sob. He didn’t know what possessed him, but there were too many things going wrong and everyone was going to be mad at him and it was all his fault and he just wanted everything to stop stop stop until he could think this through, but there was no way to do that, and that just made him cry harder.

Hyperventilating in the middle of a smoke screen was a bad idea, but Roman couldn’t stop, and as spots swam across his vision, all he could think was that he never regretted bringing everyone along for an adventure more.

When Roman woke up, he was back inside the Mind Palace, in the common room. He sat up from where he was laying-was it the floor?-and groaned.

“Oh, good, he’s awake!” Patton exclaimed from somewhere nearby. The moral trait came into his field of vision. “How’re you feeling, kiddo?”

“Head hurts,” Roman said, rubbing his temple with the heel of his hand. “Wha’ happened?”

“Your stupid adventure nearly got us all killed is what happened!” Logan exclaimed from the couch.

“Logan!” Patton chastised. “Not nice!”

Logan huffed and leaned into the couch, sticking his thumb in his mouth with a scowl. “Don’t listen to him, Ro, he’s just upset right now,” Patton soothed.

Roman felt a knot loosen in his stomach, though he didn’t know why it was there in the first place or what was going on. His head still felt fuzzy even though it should have been clear by now, and he was starting to get confused. He didn’t have a concussion, did he?

“Hey, Ro, don’t freak out, okay?” Patton asked. “But when you confronted the Dragon Witch, she put some sort of spell on all of us. It’s messing with our heads a bit and causing what’s commonly known as age regression.”

“Hmm?” Roman asked. “Wha’s that?”

“It’s the reason your head’s feeling fuzzy and your words are slurring, kiddo,” Patton explained patiently. “Apparently you and Logan got it worse than Virgil and I, or at least that’s how it looks right now.”

Roman’s eyes pricked with tears and he felt horrible, like he might get sick. “This ’s all my fault!” he wailed.

“Oh, no, shh shh shh!” Patton shushed. “No, it’s okay, kiddo! None of us knew this was gonna happen! You can’t blame yourself!”

Patton hugged him and Roman leaned into the hug for all he was worth. “Oh, Roman’s up?” Virgil asked, walking into the room.

“Yup,” Patton said, pulling away from the hug and Roman’s composure wavered. “You have Logan’s dinner?”

“Yeah. You know we’re gonna have to do something if he keeps sucking his thumb, right? He’ll ruin his teeth,” Virgil said.

Roman went to stand but froze halfway up. His pants were rubbing him in the exact wrong way and his shirt didn’t feel right at all. Why was he wearing this? It felt absolutely dreadful! He sat back down tugged on his shirt, trying to get it off him as fast as he could.

“What’re you doing?” Virgil asked him, walking over.

“Shirt’s wrong,” Roman grunted, pulling at it again. “Need a soft one.”

Virgil made a confused noise. “Uh, Patton? Do you know what he’s talking about?”

“Oh,” Patton said with a wince. No! Roman knew what that wince meant. “Ro, I’m sorry, but all the soft shirts are being washed right now. You’re going to have to make due with that one for now.”

“No! It feels wrong!” Roman exclaimed. Couldn’t Patton see that?! He needed a soft shirt!

Virgil backpedalled out of the room as Patton started to talk again. “Ro, it’ll only be an hour until the laundry’s done, I’m sure it can wait until then--”

Roman cut him off with a frustrated scream. He didn’t want this shirt, this shirt was wrong and bad and why couldn’t Patton understand that it almost hurt?!

Patton kept trying to speak but Roman continued to scream. He almost didn’t catch the quickly approaching footsteps, but he most certainly felt Virgil yanking his shirt off over his head and pulling one of his own down Roman’s frame.

Roman stopped screaming as Virgil helped Roman with the arm holes, and then helped him change his pants as well. “Do you want my old hoodie, too?” Virgil asked.

Roman silently nodded.

Virgil smirked and said, “Uh-huh? Okay, be back in a minute.”

Patton stuck a finger in one of his ears. “Roman? No more screaming, okay?”

Roman just nodded. He didn’t need to scream, the shirt Virgil had gotten him was just the right amount of soft, and the pants weren’t perfect but they were pretty close.

Virgil came back and threaded Roman’s arms through the hoodie, and Roman let the sleeves fall halfway over his hands like sweater paws. He rubbed a hand on his cheek and sighed. “Feels nice,” he said.

All he got in response was Virgil laughing and Patton shaking his head, letting out a low breath. Patton stood and helped Roman stand as well, only to lead Roman to the couch. He frowned, and opened his mouth to speak, when Patton cut him off. “Virgil and I need to talk, since right now we’re the only adults in the room. You two need to stay here, and if you really can’t find a way to occupy yourselves, feel free to call for us, but no screaming our names like you’re dying, no fighting, and please, for all the love in my heart, stay on the couch.”

With that, Patton and Virgil left the room. Roman was still very confused about what was going on, and he wasn’t sure this wasn’t all just some concussed dream. And to top it all off, Logan was scowling at him. “This is your fault, don’t be mistaken,” he hissed.

Roman looked over at him. “I know,” he said softly. “‘M sorry.”

“Oh, you’re sorry,” Logan said with sarcasm. “Because that takes all of this go away, doesn’t it? That means that I didn’t really have a panic attack in the middle of nowhere, that Virgil didn’t have to bodily carry you back here, that Patton wasn’t only keeping himself together by a thread because everyone else was worse! Do you have any idea what kind of damage you’ve done?!”

Roman leaned away from Logan, trying to get away from his very obvious anger while still listening to Patton’s instruction. “I only just got up...I didn’t know...” he whimpered.

Logan scoffed. “You don’t have to know all that to know you screwed up!”

Roman again felt like he might be sick and tried his absolute hardest not to cry. He could tell he couldn’t hold it off for long, though, so he said, “I need to go to the bathroom,” and left quickly.

The second he was inside the door his tears were falling. He shut the door behind him, locked it, and sank to the floor against it. His breath was heaving in his chest but it barely got a chance to stay before it was shoved out. He was breaking down, hopelessly upset in the bathroom, and he would have laughed at the irony of the parallels between this and Virgil’s behavior if he could find any humor at all.

He didn’t know how long he sat there, bawling his eyes out, but he eventually was able to calm down enough to breathe normally, and no one had yet to check on him. Shakily, Roman stood, looking himself over in the mirror. He looked like a mess, he couldn’t leave the bathroom looking like this!

There was movement and a sudden presence from the corner of his eye and he turned to find Virgil sitting on the toilet lid. “Virgil!” Roman shrieked.

“You realize you’re not gonna be able to look like you’re fine with a little finger-combing, right?” he asked, oblivious to Roman’s concern.

“What if I had been going to the bathroom in here?!” Roman asked, trying to fix his hair all the same.

Virgil rolled his eyes and stood, walking over and conjuring a comb, running it through Roman’s hair. “Risk I had to take. We couldn’t find you for half an hour, this was the only locked door in the Mind Palace.”

Roman felt a bit of guilt at hearing that, but no more than what he had felt before. “It’s all my fault,” he sighed.

“No, it’s not,” Virgil said. “We could have not gone with you. I could have kept my mouth shut. Logan could have kept his mouth shut. There’s too many variables to blame yourself for all of them going wrong. I’m not gonna blame you when you’re so obviously beating yourself up over it already.”

Roman rubbed at one of his eyes as Virgil finished combing. “It is my fault, though.”

“It could have been a lot worse; do you want me to tell you how?” Virgil asked.

Roman shook his head. “No...”

“Are you gonna stop blaming yourself, though?”

With a sigh Roman said, “Yeah...”

Virgil chuckled. “Do you want to see Patton? He was worried about you, kid.”

Roman shook his head. “Wanna stay with you.”

Virgil blinked. “Wh...why? I thought I just annoyed you?”

“You don’t judge,” Roman shrugged. “I dunno. I wanna stay with you.”

Virgil sighed. “Well then,” he said, moving to unlock the bathroom door. “I’ll keep you close.”

“How?” Roman asked skeptically. If Patton could whisk Roman away, he would.

Virgil got a glint in his eye as he walked back over, scooped Roman up so he was resting more or less on his hip, and walked out of the bathroom.

Roman squeaked in surprise but didn’t ask to be put down. He just wrapped his legs around Virgil’s waist and hoped for the best.

Patton was talking with Logan a ways away but rushed over when he looked up. “Roman! What were you thinking?! I told you to not leave the couch!”

“The kid had to go to the bathroom, lighten up, Patton,” Virgil said. “He lost track of time a little, is all.”

Patton’s eyes narrowed. “Are you lying to me?”

“I did lose track of time,” Roman insisted.

Patton looked between them slowly, before he sighed. “Ro, I’m glad you’re okay, but please don’t do that again if you can help it.”

Roman nodded seriously.

Patton looked over to Logan and gestured over. Logan rolled his eyes and came closer. “Logan, what do you say to Roman now that we know he’s okay?”

“Sorry I told you it was all your fault,” Logan muttered.

“What was that? I’m not sure he heard you,” Patton said.

Logan turned red and Roman quickly said, “I heard him, I heard him!”

Virgil laughed. “It’s getting a little late, I think all of us should go to bed,” he pointed out.

Patton glanced at the time and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. “Goodness, yeah, we’re never gonna get up tomorrow if we don’t go to bed now! I’ll take Logan, you take Roman?”

“Sure,” Virgil said, carrying Roman to his room.

Roman was placed gently on his bed and he blinked slowly as Virgil moved around the room, picking things up, opening drawers, and grabbing lots of things Roman was sure Virgil was pulling out of thin air. “Ready to change into your pajamas, kid?” he asked.

Roman squirmed. “Could I...could I stay in these?” he asked softly. He wasn’t sure why, but he loved getting to wear Virgil’s hoodie. It made him feel safe in a way he couldn’t describe.

Virgil looked at him sideways briefly before saying, “Sure, kid. If it makes you happy. Under the covers?”

Roman obediently crawled under his blanket and sheets as Virgil came over, putting a comb and shirt on the nightstand. “I found you a soft shirt, and here’s a comb for your hair tomorrow morning. I guess you won’t be needing pajama pants, so I can put those back, and if you promise to brush your teeth extra well tomorrow morning I won’t have you do it tonight.”

“I promise,” Roman said, yawning.

“Good. Now get some sleep, Princey, who knows what might happen tomorrow, especially with this curse going on,” Virgil said, ruffling Roman’s hair. “And. One last thing.”

Roman looked up at Virgil confused to find a dark purple dragon with a cape and a witch hat being held out to him. Roman was torn between groaning and grinning, so he settled for just taking the object out of Virgil’s hands. “It’s yours,” Virgil said. “At least until we fix this whole thing as a reminder that we’ve got your back, and after this is over as whatever you want.”

The dragon was just the right amount of soft when he hugged it, and he gave Virgil a smile. “Thanks,” he whispered.

“Don’t get sappy on me, kid,” Virgil laughed. “Good night.”

“‘Night,” Roman replied, drifting off to sleep.

[thesarcasticside]

Millennia-00010101

Space au starring Virgil, a succulent from outer space.  

Characters: Roman, Virgil

Warnings: Swearing, some fear, the words dagger and cop are used

AO3     Chapter 1  Previous Chapter  Next Chapter  

00010101

A sharp headache swarmed around Virgil’s head like planetary rings. The bright white of the ship’s control room prickled at his senses. He swept his roots across the control panel, looked out at the expansive sky surrounding the docked ship, and decided he would not be missed.

Dei’dra was already inside the large building in the center of the city. Virgil could not quite recall what sort of conference this was, though he was sure it was actually very reputable; it was hosted by a very famous cosmic entity, though what he was called by humans he could not quite remember, something about some old human mythological figure maybe.

Virgil knew he would not be able to leave the ship, but he could at least exit it. He did not exit through the main entrance. Instead, he climbed up through some maintenance hatch on the very top. It was a difficult climb, but that was a good distraction from the swarm inside his mind. Placing his hand onto the hatch, he unlocked it and pushed it open, arms shaking from the strain. Wind gushed through him, pushing him aside and dispersing into the ship.

The sunlight hit his face; instantly the debris swept away from his mind and a heavy weight slid off his shoulders like a pebble rain draining down his body. Still, a small dagger remained at the front of his mind, as his eyes twitched open and closed, and a low drumming held the back of his head. He climbed out of the hatch fully and laid himself down on top of the ship, letting his fuchsia beams dim and his mind wander far from him.

The surface of the ship thundered as it shook under the weight of footsteps. Virgil shot upwards, as if he never slept at all, and searched for the source of the vibrations. He tilted his head up and saw a tall pale figure standing over him.

Virgil scanned him over quickly, noting his near translucent white skin freckled in soft pink spots, his dark monolid eyes, and a crown of external frilly gills surrounding his face like a mop of curly ginger hair. He wore a long and flowy garment with a red sash diagonal across his chest. He stood as he was floating in water. His eyes glared at him as if trying to be stern, but his features to Virgil were neither fierce nor intimidating.

“Hey! You there! What are you doing?” The man said, as his face fell at the end of his sentence, unsure if this was his place.

“I’m minding my own business. What are you doing?”

The man looked back at the ship he was standing on. Head down, the frills on his head shivering like a gust of wind blew through them. Eyebrows furrowed—was he worried about something? Someone?—Eyes dark amidst his pale skin, the ghosts of veins tracing his face. The man stretched his back up, chin placed up higher.

“I am Roman, Prince of Rhodorium,” Roman decided to restart. Be polite. Be courteous. Be firm. “and you are trespassing on top of private property inside a restricted parking area.” Explain yourself. He cannot misunderstand. “I will need to see your identification, as I must escort you to the guard station!”

He was allowed to—no, it was his duty to do this. This person is trespassing. He is supposed to protect the conference. This person is trespassing. That was what he was told to do.

Virgil deflated slightly and dug into his hoodie, searching for his identification card. When he found it within the 6-inch depths, he handed it over to ‘Roman.’ “I’m one of Dei’dra’s comps,” Virgil’s voice dug deeply into the air, “Just getting some fresh air.”

Roman looked over the card carefully, “ANX?” Roman looked at Virgil closely, lingering on his grey hoodie and decaying vines swept over one of his eyes. “Haha, nice try. Trying to disguise yourself as an android to get a free ride, oldest trick in the book.” Roman reached for one of Virgil’s limbs, “You’re going to have to come with me.”

Virgil shuffled away from him. He tried to say something to correct him, but even Virgil could not make out what he tried to say.

“Hey now, if you are really that desperate for a ride, I am sure we could figure something out. I really wouldn’t have picked his ship if I were you. There are a lot of bad rumors going around about this lady and her company.”

It took a lot of force for Virgil to stop himself from shaking. What if Virgil just told this guy what was going on? He looked like some sort of space cop or something. If Virgil just spilled his guts, poured his heart out, wrote out every secret Dei’dra held, what would happen then? It was as if his throat was going to burst.

He hung his head low, softly like a snowdrop. In a deep static-y rumble, Virgil said “whatever rumors you’ve heard, there’s probably truth in them.”

“Uh… What?”

“She’s…” Virgil could not say. He did not have the words to describe it all, to articulate what she was doing. He wanted to tell him. Oh, he wanted to tell him. Most of all, he wanted to be taken away from her.

The silence was long enough that Roman decided to continue the conversation.

“Hey, what planet are you from anyway? Are you trying to get back home? Don’t worry, people get stranded all the time. Plenty of ways to find your way back home.”

Where was Virgil from, anyway? It took him a terrifyingly long moment to remember. He could feel the soft plants and moss below him at his fingertips, soft hums and murmurs. Gentle ‘I love you’s lingered on his dull skin. It took him much too long to say “Aerth”

“Earth? The human one?” Roman asked.

“No, Aerth. That’s the Common name they gave my planet.”

“Aerth?” Roman squinted, riffling through the planetary lessons he should have paid much more attention to back when he was training to become a prince. “Aerth…” he repeated to himself, tapping his chin with his webbed fingers. A giant wave of recognition flowed through him.

Virgil flinched as Roman straightened, his body language prepping for a fight.

“How are you from Aerth!? There was a huge war there years ago and a lot of the Aerthians…” Roman looked at Virgil closely, then looked down at his feet, staring at the ship. “That! That bitch!” And Virgil was very much afraid of the giant pale man pacing and shifting his arms as if he was going to punch somebody. “The rumors are true! All this time, with no evidence to incriminate her and here you are! I need to tell Thomas right away! You! Come with me!”

While Virgil was quick, Roman caught him off guard, grabbing his arm. Though Virgil expected it to be much tighter, Roman’s grip was still inescapable. Roman almost got him off the ship before Virgil began to scream, flailing out of Roman’s grip and digging his limbs into his chest.

Roman twisted back around and saw something glow under Virgil’s clothes. Let go, Virgil fell back on his rear, the device still running its course through him. When the pain would not stop, Virgil tugged away his shirt and touched the device directly with his roots, trying to stop it from blaring.

“What the—what is that?” Roman asked, and Virgil shot his gaze up at him, the pain forcing anger into him.

“You think I wouldn’t have called in Dei’dra sooner? What do you think this is? Shit, she’ll know that I talked to you. Idiot!” He berated himself more so than anything, digging his head into his limbs, shaking. “Idiot!” He sobbed again.

Roman kneeled down and held the end of one of his limbs firmly, a comforting pressure. Virgil could sense a soft determination, hope of some sort.

“Anx, I am so sorry. I got carried away. I did not realize—but worry not, brave knight, I will bring you justice. Just you wait. But to do so, I will need your help. If I cannot bring you to safety, I will bring safety to you. I need evidence to incriminate her. Is there any lead you could give me? Anything at all that you can do before we must part ways… temporarily?”

It was as if Virgil was able to slow time at will, stuck in a trance, staring into Roman’s dark colored eyes. He could feel the pain numb, receding like ocean waves on the shore. The hustle and bustle of the city faded in a soft crashing buzz as Virgil studied every spec, every pixel, every splotch of color on Roman’s face. So carefully he looked, he could paint this exact moment. Yet as it became sewed into his eyes, he found that to ever carve it out of his chest and onto paper would be too painful to bear. Here Roman was, leaning towards him, offering him a hand, an escape.

It was like he was bathing in pure sunlight.

Overwhelmed, Virgil swiped the hand away as he scooched backwards towards the ship’s hatch. Roman frowned, and Virgil found that terrifying.

“Find Logan Craeft—he’s a graduate intern working for her. He’ll… He’ll get you in. I can… I can try and get you your evidence. I know her network inside and out. I have been trying to find a way to expose her. I just need more time.”

Roman lowered his head. He gently reached out his hand again. Virgil, reluctantly, delicately set some roots bundled together into Roman’s palm, like a bouquet of wilted flowers. Roman touched Virgil’s ‘hand’ gently to his forehead. Virgil, confused, did not understand the significance of such a gesture to Roman.

“Don’t worry; I will save you and everyone else she has hurt and taken from their homes.” And Roman retreated, nodding his head in goodbye. His dark eyes dragged Virgil’s soul with him as Roman turned around and left.

When Roman faded from view, Virgil felt like he was floating. Everything felt unreal, and Virgil dared not let any negative thoughts come closer. For once in this life, Virgil dared to hope, dared to believe that he could trust, and dared to feel something in his chest for another being that was so potent that Virgil felt like he was going to die.

Virgil stared at the hatch. He felt rooted in place, glued to the roof of the ship. Never had residing in Dei’dra’s company felt so appalling—because now he had a taste of sunlight and the thought in his mind that this was not how things ought to be.

It took him forever to do so, but Virgil entered the ship again.

[swanqueeneverafter]

22. Tallahassee, Pt.1

Storybrooke. Present. Blanchard Loft's Door. (Mr. Gold knocks on the door with his cane. Emma Swan opens the door.) Mr. Gold: “Ready to go, Miss Swan?” Emma: “Almost.” (Henry Mills approaches.) Henry: “Do you think it will be cold where we're going or warm?” Emma: “I think layers are always a good idea.” Mr. Gold: “I thought the terms of our agreement were quite clear. You owe me a favor - you alone.” Emma: “I'm not leaving Henry here with Cora lurking around, so either we both go or we both stay.” (Mr. Gold thinks.) Mr. Gold: “Then we'll have to purchase another plane ticket, won't we?” Emma: (Taken aback:) “Wait. We're flying?” Mr. Gold: “Don't worry, I'm covering expenses, even the new ones.” (Mary Margaret Blanchard approaches Henry and helps him with his jacket.) David Nolan: (Coming down the stairs:) “You're a real gentleman, aren't you? (David gives a bag to Emma and walks over to Gold:) All right, Gold. You're going out there with my family. Just know if anything happens to them—” Mr. Gold: “Then you'll what? Cross the town line? And David Nolan will hunt me down in his animal rescue van?” David: “I'll be devastated. This isn't a threat. It's a request. Take care of them.” Mr. Gold: “I promise no harm will come to your family. After all... we have a deal.”

Storybrooke. Present. (Inside a car, Mr. Gold is driving out of town.) Henry: “So, where are we going?” Mr. Gold: “Logan International Airport.” Emma: “I think he meant after that.” Mr. Gold: “Let's just take things one step at a time shall we?” Emma: “Do you really think that shawl's gonna work?” Mr. Gold: “Well, if it doesn't, and I revert to my cursed self, we're all gonna have some problems. It'll work.” (Mr. Gold's car crosses the town line, and a blue light shimmers over him.) Emma: “So?” Mr. Gold: “My name is Rumplestiltskin. And we're gonna find my son.” The Land Without Magic. Past. Portland, Oregon. (Emma exits a building, checks to see if anybody is watching her, breaks into a car and steals it. As she drives away a man pops up from the backseat of the car.) Man: “Impressive. (Emma screams:) But really, you could've just asked me for the keys. (Smiles:) Just drive. It's fine.” Emma: “I just stole your car. Your life could be in danger.” Man: “Neal Cassidy.” Emma: “Yeah, I'm not telling you my name.” Neal: “No, I don't need it to have you arrested when the robbery's in progress.” Emma: “Emma. Swan.” Neal: “Good name.” Emma: “So do you just live in here, or are you just waiting for the car to be stolen?” Neal: “Why don't I tell you over drinks?” Emma: “Excuse me?” (Turns to look at him and unknowingly runs a stop sign.) Neal: “Hey! Eyes on the road.” Emma: “I am not having drinks with you. You might be a pervert.” Neal: “I might be a pervert, but you're definitely a car thief.” Emma: “I said I was sorry.” Neal: “You didn't, actually.” (Police sirens.) Neal: “Oh.” Emma: “Damn it.” Neal: “That's why I said, ‘eyes on the road.’”

(Emma pulls over the car.) Neal: “Screwdriver.” (Emma gives him the screwdriver and he puts in the keys, climbing into the passenger seat.) Police Officer: “License and registration.” Emma: “Hi.” Neal: “Terribly sorry, officer, but this is actually my car. I'm... I'm trying to, uh, teach my girlfriend how to drive stick.” Police Officer: “She's got a lot to learn.” Neal: “I know. But, you know... women.” (Emma looks at him.) Police Officer: “All right, I hear you. It's a warning... this time.” Neal: “Yeah. Thank you so much.” (As the police officer leaves, Emma turns to Neal.) Emma: “What are you, some sort of a misogynist?” Neal: “You're welcome. Go, go. We got lucky.” Emma: “ ‘We’? This isn't your car either, is it?” Neal: “Hmm?” Emma: “I stole a stolen car?” Neal: “Now how about that drink?” (Smiles.) The Storybrooke Dock. Present. (David, Mary Margaret and Leroy have just released Hook from the hospital.) Hook: “You didn't even ask me about my recovery.” Mary Margaret: “How are you feeling, Hook?” Hook: “Come closer and feel for yourself.” David: (Pushes Hook backwards:) “You wanna lose the other hand? Where's the ship? Come on. Archie told us; it's shielded somehow, isn't it... mate?” Hook: “Aye. That it is. Follow me. I don't know what you expect to find. Cora won't be there.” David: “Maybe she left something behind that will tell us where she went. Let's go.” (David pushes Hook forward) Leroy: “No funny business. I'm watching you, pirate.” Hook: “Yes, dwarf. That should deter me from any malfeasance.” Mary Margaret: “Oh, don't worry, Leroy. He'll help us.” Hook: “What makes you so sure?” Mary Margaret: “Because you're a pirate. You know which way the wind blows, and right now, it is gusting towards us.” Hook: “Oh, I see where your daughter got her gumption. (Looks at David and smirks:) Follow me.” (He pushes Leroy aside and climbs the invisible stairs that lead to his ship.) Hook's Ship. Present. (David is climbing down the stairs that lead onto the main deck.) Leroy: “You sailed this ship from our land. Can you sail it back?” Hook: “My ship? She's a marvel. Made from enchanted wood. We weathered many a storm together, seeing many strange glittering shores. But to travel between lands, she must go through a portal.” David: “Yeah. What do you know about Cora's plans?” Hook: “Cora's not the most communicative of lasses. But let me tell you this: whatever malice she has in mind, her weapon of choice is in here.” (He taps on something that is covered by a cloth. Leroy removes the cloth from the object to reveal a cage. He looks inside to see the Giant, Anton.) Mary Margaret: “Who's that?”

Hook: “Remember the giant at the top of the beanstalk? Cora used magic to make him travel-sized. Whatever she intends to do with him, it's important.” David: “Oh, I think you know exactly what she intends. You're holding out.” Hook: “Well, either have your lovely wife torture it out of me, which I promise will be fun for both—” (David grabs Hook by the throat.) David: “Why don't you and I have some fun?” Hook: “I don't know what she's planning. (Holds up a key:) Why don't you wake the bloody giant and ask him yourself?” (Mary Margaret takes the key to the cage from Hook. She opens the cage.) Mary Margaret: “Hey. (Anton wakes up; startled:) It's all right. You're safe now. (Anton climbs out of the cage:) What's your name?” Anton: “Anton. Where's that witch?” Mary Margaret: “She's gone.” Anton: “What did she do? She made me small.” David: (Grabbing Anton's shoulder to turn him around:) “Come on. Let's get you outta here.” Anton: “You.” David: “Me?” Anton: “You! Uhh!” (He uppercuts David. David goes flying backwards over a railing on deck.) Mary Margaret: “David!” Leroy: (Running toward Anton) “Hey! Hey, over here, you big—” Anton: “Aah!” (He throws Leroy down the stairs of the ship; causing him to hit his head. Anton walks down the stairs. David pulls a gun from his holster, but Anton kicks it away. An arrow whooshes by Anton's shoulder and grabs his attention. He turns to see Mary Margaret pointing a loaded bow at him.) Mary Margaret: “Step away from my husband.” Anton: “You may have me outnumbered, but this isn't over. (To David:) You think I forgot what you did? I didn't. You'll pay for your evil. I promise you'll pay!” (Anton runs off the ship.) Storybrooke General Hospital. Present. (Belle is sitting in a chair watching television.) Bill Godwin: (On television:) “Hey there, folks. Bill Godwin here. Be sure to tune in to ‘Good Morning, Storybrooke’ every day at 7:00 AM. And now back to ‘Expose.’” (Ruby enters, carrying a basket.) Ruby: “Hey.” (Belle turns toward Ruby. There's a period of silence as Belle wonders what she wants.) Ruby: “You don't remember me, do you?” Belle: “Um... sorry, no I... I don't.” Ruby: (She sets down her basket and sits in a chair next to Belle:) “I'm Ruby. (She turns off the TV:) You used to come into my granny's diner a lot before. Anyway, I... thought you could use some comforts from home. (She reaches into her basket and pulls out a book:) You were always telling me about Jules Verne, so I brought you my favorite—’The Mysterious Island.’” Belle: (Belle takes the book:) “Thank you. Well... were we really friends?” Ruby: “Yeah, we were.” Belle: “Then tell me the truth. Before I was brought here, I was hurt. I was bleeding, and then this man came. And he... he healed me. Then I saw him hold a ball of fire in his hands. How? How is that possible?” Ruby: “The nurse said that the tranquilizers can give you wicked nightmares.” Belle: “No, I know what I saw. And I don't need any more tranquilizers or—” Ruby: “Belle—” Belle: “Don't call me that. Why does everyone keep calling me that? I don't— (Belle is grabbed by the severe nurse who tries to restrain her:) I'm fine, I don't—” (King George/Albert Spencer enters in the background; unseen by the others. He stands silently watching the struggle.) Severe Nurse: “Take it easy. Take it easy.” (She finally gets Belle back in her chair.) Ruby: “Has she been like this the whole time?” Severe Nurse: (She injects Belle with a tranquilizer:) “More or less. We've had to keep her heavily sedated. Okay, let's get you back to bed. Now here we go. (She gets Belle to stand:) There.” (She begins to lead Belle back to her room.)

Albert: (Making his presence known:) “Everything all right in here?” Ruby: “Everything's fine, Mr. Spencer. Since when do you care?” Albert: “Oh, I don’t. Just enjoying the suffering of others is all.” Ruby: “Well, that sounds more like the man we all know and despise.” Albert: “Charming as ever, wolf. When you’ve lost everything like I have, you’ll know exactly how it feels.” Ruby: “You lost everything because you wouldn’t let Snow and Charming live their lives. Reveling in the misery of others is no way to live.” Albert: “Perhaps you’re right. But then again, misery does love company.” Land Without Magic. Logan International Airport. (Emma, Henry, and Mr. Gold are going through security.) Henry: “Have you ever been outside of Storybrooke before, Mr. Gold?” Mr. Gold: “No.” Henry: “Are you nervous?” Mr. Gold: (Holding back anger:) “No.” Henry: “Are you worried about meeting you son?” Mr. Gold: (Explodes:) “No, Henry, I'm fine.” Emma: “How about we talk about this later, kid? We're next.” Henry: “It must be really hard not to use magic, being like everyone else.” Emma: (To Mr. Gold:) “You've gotta put your shoes in.” Mr. Gold: “How terribly uncivilized.” (Henry goes through the metal detector. Mr. Gold puts his shoes in the x-ray machine bin.) Security Officer: “Uh, scarf and the cane go in the basket.” Mr. Gold: “What?” Security Officer: “Scarf and the cane go in the basket.” Mr. Gold: (To Emma:) “I can't.” Emma: “You have to.” Man Waiting in Line: “It ain't rocket science, buddy. You ever been on a plane before?” Mr. Gold: “Have you ever been impaled upon a cane before?” Emma: “My... father's a little nervous. We're headed to a family reunion. Sorry.” Mr. Gold: “Your father?” Emma: (In a lowered voice:) “Just put your shawl in the bin. I'll help you get through.” Mr. Gold: “If I let this go, I could forget who I am.” Emma: “I'm not gonna let that happen.” Mr. Gold: (After pausing for a moment to consider what Emma has just said, Mr. Gold let's out a sigh:) “Okay.” (He puts his cane and shawl in the bin. Immediately, he feels pounding in his head and becomes physically unstable. He manages to make it through the metal detector with Emma close behind. She quickly pulls the shawl from Mr. Gold's bin and places it back around his neck. Emma stares at him with a concerned look; seeking reassurance that he is all right. Though winded, Mr. Gold nods.) Henry: (Unaware of the situation:) “Guys, there's a Cinnabon's here!” (Henry runs off as Mr. Gold composes himself.)