#ah the scene where the corpsing made the cut | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

votestaynight · 1 year

Text

15th day "Utopia" (scene 2)

I enter the darkness.

It's a room made of stone. The lights aren't on, but the room itself is glowing blue as if it's a living thing. "――An underground… temple…?" It might be used quite often as the temple isn't dirty with dust or mold.

…How deep is this? I look up the stairs I've descended. The staircase is built along the wall in an arc. It must trace out a perfect half-moon, as I can see the start of the stairs about ten meters directly above me――.

"―――――" Is it because there's no light? The arcing staircase that connects this underground and the outside world reminds me of a centipede crawling through this temple.

"…Mm?" And I notice the door. Under the stairs. The symbol in front of me. Beyond it, an entrance to darkness is open.

I approach the darkness as if drawn to it. I go through what appears to be an entrance into the place. Is it damp? The floor feels slimy and it's hard to walk on. It's like the time I cleaned the swimming pool at school. The feeling that bog moss covers the floor, and the feeling that my leg would rot every time I step in it.

"―――――!" I stop. It's because I'm scared by the nasty feeling of the floor, but more than that, because I smell an awful stench.

I plug my nose in reflex. The smell isn't momentary, but ongoing. …It's not the smell of meat. But it's not gunpowder either. Is this――formalin? The smell of medicine fills this room――

"――" My senses were numbed as soon as I came underground. I don't feel any chills or pressures anymore.

――But still. My heart beats like it's expanding to twice its size, And my hands are vermiculating like they're going to crumble into pieces. And the worst thing is―― My eyes have gotten used to the darkness.

――The darkness fades. A drop falls somewhere. Was that a signal? The things I couldn't see before are engraved into my eyes instantly.

"Ah――――――――" It is… A living hell that's somehow familiar.

There are corpses. There are corpses. There are corpses. There are corpses. There are corpses all around me. The smell of medicine covers the smell of death.

That's the cause of the dripping sound. The water is dripping into the corpses' mouths. The slightly opened mouths take in the water, and it must have been like that for many years as the lips are swollen and rotten, and the jaws are decomposing on some.

"Ah―――――Ah." I tell myself that this isn't happening. I don't want to think that such a thing can happen. But I can't deceive myself. I can tell in a second. Even though there are this many corpses… No one is dead in here.

"―――――They're… alive…" They're alive. These things that can only be perceived as corpses, these things that used to have human shape, are still quite alive.

…I remember a news story I heard somewhere. It was a story about a whale. About a guy who survived for a month after being swallowed by a whale. That huge creature has a huge digestive system to maintain its huge body. The great thing is, the creature has two of them. The first stomach is where it keeps all the fish it swallows. The next one is the one that digests all the creatures it stores.

So, the man who was swallowed lived for a month being slowly melted in the lightless, warm, stinking meat, lacking in oxygen. In the stomach full of dead fish, he lived for a month as his clothes and hair melted. A month, not knowing when he would be sent to the stomach. And then, some fishermen killed the whale. And when they were cutting it apart, a smooth and slimy human came out of the stomach like an alien.

――Yeah. It's a tragic story, but this is just as bad.

"――――――――Oh." Why are they alive? Every corpse is deformed and they lack too many of the human characteristics. No limbs. Those that have had them cut off. Those that have had the ends decomposed, leaving only the bone. Those who are ground down in the cracks in the floor. Those who have become homes to bugs, splattered on the walls. No matter how they came to be that way, they have no limbs remaining, and all of them are worn-out like rotten trees.

"――――――" I don't even need to know why. The corpses are being eaten by the coffin. I don't know how it works. It's just that the corpses are stuck to the coffin, and the coffin is sucking nutrition out of the corpses.

――The flow of life. The coffin is sucking up magical energy… no, something close to the soul. Slowly. So not to kill the ones it leeches off, and so as not to allow them to live.

…The sound of the wind that sounds like sobbing. It seems like screams coming out of the corpses' mouths. Their throats have already decayed and they cannot let out voices. It has already become just an organ to keep them alive.

But still, the corpses are crying out. In an almost inaudible voice, they scream with all their might. ――It must be the pain and the fear. They continue screaming, unable to stand losing their form and being eaten alive.

"[block len=9]" I hear a sound. The coffin in front of me gasps. Drooling. An eye drops off as it turns its neck towards me. But still――it stares directly at me.

"――――――――" The swollen lips move a little. It speaks in a voice that's not even a voice, Where am I? And asks me that question.

"――――――――" I'm right on the verge of screaming. No, I can't even scream now. Where am I? It doesn't say it hurts nor does it ask for help, but it just says it doesn't understand why it's here.

Is that the reason? He was like that before he realized it? He lived normally, went to sleep naturally, and was gasping here when he woke up? His limbs are already gone, sucked by that coffin, rotting away from the ends, unable to move――and he can only believe this is just a bad dream.

"――――――――" I might go insane. From this scene and from this terrible spectacle. But… why… …Why do I recognize them?

I have never seen them, but I recognize every one of the corpses. This is the first time I've seen them. They are people I shouldn't know. They are people unrelated to me. But… Why are they… (As if knowing me) …Staring at me――?

"Ah―――――Ah, ah――" And I have another question. Is it some coincidence, or do the sacrifices have to meet this condition? Why are all the corpses here children of the same age――?

――And then. "Oh――welcome, Emiya Shirou." Suddenly. I'm tapped on the shoulder from behind as if being greeted by a friend.

"―――――!" My body freezes at this sudden event, and I can't even turn around. But I don't even need to turn around to tell who the person behind me is. Kotomine Kirei. The priest of this church, the man who made this hell. And――a devil I must not meet more than anything else in this place.

"What awful timing. It was foolish of me to prepare food for you thinking that you would come soon. I was unable to welcome you last time, correct? I thought I was attending to your needs, but it seems we missed each other."

"―――――" I can't talk. The priest's hands are heavy on my shoulders.

"But I cannot approve of trespassing. If you do such things, you will end up seeing things you should not. Such as a truth that might send a relationship back to a blank page."

The priest's voice is more cheerful than I've ever heard it. Kotomine Kirei, standing behind me with his hands on my shoulders, is definitely smiling. "―――――" That's why… I'm frightened.

"What is it, Emiya Shirou? You came to talk, so it does no good for you to stay silent. I'm disappointed. Is this spectacle really so outrageous?"

The priest says inhuman things in a cheerful voice. Does this man not feel anything when faced with this? "Ug―――――" I don't even need to tell him this scene is outrageous――!

"Oh, that is cold of you. It is simple compassion to say that it is not even if you might think it unpleasant. After all, you guys are like brothers and sisters. I do not think they will be saved if you act that way."

"――――Eh?" Just now. What did this man say?

"――What did you say?" "I said that you and these corpses are fellow mates. By whatever means, you all survived that living hell. Even if you have no blood relations, I believe the connection is close to that of brothers and sisters… am I wrong?" "―――――"

I see. That's why I thought I recognized them. This is the continuation of ten years ago, And this place is the continuation of that hospital room.

――My head spins. Children who lost their homes and parents. They were supposed to be sent to an orphanage and stay there until they found someone who would adopt them. But I was adopted by Emiya Kiritsugu before that, and I did not know what happened to them afterward. I avoided thinking about it. The orphanage was the church on top of the hill, and I could have gone there anytime I wanted to.

But still, I hesitated. I felt it wasn't fair for me to get adopted, and then go see children who didn't get adopted. So if I was to meet them, it would be in town. We would meet accidentally, be able to talk normally, and we would be over the fire incident. I was looking forward to such a meeting thinking that we surely would meet as it's such a small town――so why have I not met even one of them?

"―――――Koto… mine…" "That is right, Emiya Shirou. If you had not been taken by Emiya Kiritsugu, you would have been one of them. Do you understand? You alone survived, once again. Everyone around you dies, but you survive. What do you think? Do you not think it is unfair?"

――My pulse returns. My frozen body defrosts in an instant.

"Oh no, I am not criticizing you. It is rather delightful. Emiya Shirou's survival abilities are impressive. Honestly, I did not expect you to remain until the end. "That is why――I have allowed you to be reunited with your brothers and sisters in your final moments."

"――――Y…"

"You really are lucky. I was planning to close this place up after today, so you barely made it. ――Ten years now. I kept them alive to feed the Servant, but it's coming to an end. I cannot hope to extract the same amount of soul as when I started, and there's no more need for food in any case. All that remains now is to kill you and your Servant."

"――YOU…!!!!!!!"

With that word, I break all restraints. I move my body which had been bound. I fling the hands off my shoulders, throw myself forward, and turn to face the priest――!

"Kotomine, you――!" I face him, placing enough distance between us. In that moment. I feel a powerful shock from behind me.

"Ah… Guh?" …That's weird. I can't breathe. A sharp horn is growing out of my chest. The horn looks like the head of a spear. …That's strange. How can a spear be growing out of my chest――

"Oh, I have not yet told you. I shall formally introduce you. This is my Servant." "――――" I turn to look back. There… A blue spearman is standing, piercing my chest.

The lance is pulled out of my chest. At the same time. A sharp pain runs through my head as if to burn my brain.

"Ah――ga, goh…!" …The floor is painted red. I'm lying on the slimy floor. I push on my arms to get up, but my body is too heavy. …I can't move. Not because I'm bound, but because I lack the things people need to move.

"Gi――! Tu, ha――!" The pain in my chest exceeds the blood loss's power to drive me unconscious. I can't pass out. I've taken fatal wounds several times before. They were all so bad that they even numbed my senses. But this is different. It's a fatal wound, but the pain is too real.

"Haa――ah, ah, gu――!" My vision spins. As soon as I black out from the pain, I'm awoken by the next pain. I can't feel my limbs. I can't even tell where I am. All I feel are pain, nausea, and the temptation that it would feel so good to just disappear.

"You did not kill him, right, Lancer? If you did, there was no point in keeping him alive until now." I can only hear voices. I have my eyes open, but I can't see anything.

"――I'll follow your orders. Even if they're disgusting ones." Lancer's voice shows no emotion. But I can barely hear it now.

"Fine. Then we shall prepare now. The Servant will know of the Master's danger. It should be about half an hour until Saber gets here." "Kotomine. This kid won't make it that long. You should at least stop his blood loss if you want him alive until then." "No need. I do not care if he dies."

…My mind starts to pass out. Pain finally overcomes my brain and allows me to faint.

"Agh, uh――!" I stop that by digging into my wound. ――The pain starts again. My fainting mind returns to the burning world again.

I want to die. I want to die right now if this pain's going to continue. I know that. I know that, but if I faint here, I also know that I'll die.

I can't even remember what I'm doing now. I feel like I'm floating in this white, burning pain. "Hah――Sa… ber――" But I grit my teeth and hold on to my disappearing consciousness.

――I can't let it end here. I can't retire so easily. I still have a promise I haven't kept. If I believe she is more important than anyone… I can't just disappear here――

When she wakes up, Shirou cannot be found. She thought he might be preparing a late lunch, so she makes her way to the living room, but she can find neither Shirou nor any lunch.

"…He has gone out alone again? I told him to tell me if he does so. Why does he not listen to me?" She complains to herself and sits by the porch.

"…Honestly. I know he likes to walk alone, but that takes away the whole meaning of our cooperation." She swings her legs, not knowing what to do. She soon loses interest in that and looks up as if pondering.

The whole sky is shaded in gray. The canopy of clouds is drifting slowly and an opening can be seen in the distant sky. It should be a clear sky tonight. Once the stars can be seen, tomorrow can be predicted. She still remembers how to read the stars, something she learned from her magus.

She only used it to ask if her way was right, but she thinks about predicting a certain person's future, just for tonight. And if possible, a bright future. She wants to predict the dangers ahead and guide him in the proper direction. The one she worries about is so reckless that she cannot sleep unless she does so.

"――Well. The problem is the stars that can be seen from this town…" Come to think of it, she has never looked up at the sky until this day. All she cared about was winning the Holy Grail War, and not reading stars for someone else. She knows it's not like her. But she still tries to read the stars, and she waits for nightfall to come. …Honestly, this is a big change in her thinking. She continues to stare at the sky, thinking it's just like the young girls in love she has read about in stories.

"Oh, Saber. Do you know where Shirou went?" "――!" Then. Suddenly, Tohsaka Rin appears.

"R-Rin…!" She gets up like a robot. "W-What is it? I-It is not like I am surrendering to Shirou…!" She says so with a red face. "Oh? Was I interrupting you?" Rin smiles in an evil manner.

She's living under the same roof, but even without that, Emiya Shirou and Saber's reactions are easy to understand. She's sharp when it comes to others, so she already knows about them. So of course, she's aware of what happened last night. No. They were in the same bed when she went to wake them up, so it was pretty obvious.

"――Well, I'll make fun of you later. Seriously, do you know where Shirou is? I was thinking about asking for his help since Ilya's fever seems to be rising." "Ilyasviel…? Did she not recover?"

"…No. I didn't tell Shirou, but she's almost at her limit. She won't be back to normal until the ritual of the Holy Grail War ends. Her capacity is extraordinary, but it's still filling up. There's still a bit of capacity left, so unimportant functions are still working. But once it's full, she will have to discard her least important function, which is her ability to be human. Ilyasviel is made to break down more and more as the Holy Grail War progresses." Rin speaks annoyingly, but Saber does not understand what she is trying to say.

"――Oh, it's fine. I said it in a way you wouldn't understand. Let's put Ilya aside for now. It's about Lancer. I found out who his Master is." "…! Lancer's Master has been identified?" "Yeah, well… I found out, or more like I knew it…. Lancer's Master was a foreigner dispatched by the Magic Association. I already knew that and I finally found her secret base earlier, but…"

"Rin. You should avoid such dangerous activities. If you found their base, you should have told me." "I was going to. But it seemed strange from the outside. I went in thinking it was empty. All I found were traces of blood and a left arm with no Command Spell. There was nothing else. I think the arm was cut off, but based on how much blood there was, I don't think the Master's alive. …Lancer's Master is already dead."

"――? Then Lancer does not exist anymore? They were defeated by another Servant after Shirou was attacked ten days ago?" "…I wish that's the case, but the bloodstains were older than that. Do you know what that means…?"

"――The Servant was not killed, and the Master was killed first. So a Master took the arm…. the Command Spell, and formed a contract with Lancer? But――"

"Shirou and I are the only remaining Masters, right? But Lancer still remains. Then that means a magus who's not a Master became one after stealing the Command Spell… but is that even possible, Saber?" "No. The transfer of the Command Spell can only be between Masters and Servants. No matter how superior the magus, he cannot become a Master by stealing the Command Spell."

"…I see. Then, one more question. Is a Master still a Master if they have their Command Spell and their Servant, even after the Holy Grail disappears?" "Eh… i-it is just as you say. As long as the Command Spell and the Servant remain, that magus retains the rights of a Master even after the Holy Grail War――"

Saber realizes the meaning of Rin's question and swallows her words. "Then you think that… the one who killed Lancer's Master and formed a contract with Lancer is…" "…Yeah. I can't think of anything else. In that case, Lancer's actions make sense. He seemed like his role was to inspect other Servants, right? Usually, they expose their true identity when they fight, but he wasn't even hiding his. So that must mean he was only there to collect information."

"――I feel the same way. He did not fight to the end even when he fought with me. Once they have used a Noble Phantasm, it should be a rule for the Servant to kill their enemy."

"Right. So Lancer's Master has another Servant. He collected information using Lancer and attacks with this other unknown Servant. It's a great strategy. …Well, I'm sure it was a pain for Lancer. He had to fight six Servants, study their techniques, and return to his Master. Fighting all six Servants to a draw… he's quite outrageous in a way."

Rin grows quiet and ponders. Did she follow suit? "―――――" Saber feels a chill for no reason. Lancer's Master has already been killed. An unknown Master who uses a heroic spirit of that degree just to collect information.

…And as the Master planned, the only Servants remaining are Lancer and Saber. If the enemy is such a person, is it not dangerous to leave Shirou by himself even during daytime? There were several enemies before. But there are no other enemies now. If they only have to defeat Shirou, the enemy might not follow their previous plan――

"Rin. Do you know where Shirou would be?" Once she starts thinking like that, it will not stop. She cannot leave Shirou alone. Even now, Shirou might be in a danger.

"…Eh? …Hmm, I don't know. I asked you because I didn't know, but he might be at Kirei's. He went off to talk to him before too." "To that church――?" "Hm? What's wrong, Saber? Do you have something against that church?" "…No. It is not that, but…"

That church is not a holy place. It is stagnated with death to the same level as the Ryudou Temple. The instant she regrets that Shirou might be there by himself… A vision of some other place pops into her head.

"――――" ――She glares into the distance. She looks in one direction, towards Kotomine church on top of the hill. There is no time. Saber leaps out to the yard and jumps onto the wall.

"H-Hey, Saber! What are you doing…!?" "――I am going to the church. Please take care of this place, Rin." Without even turning to Rin, she jumps off. She runs like a bullet.

"――" She reaches the place without stopping or slowing down. If anybody saw her, it would have just looked like a sudden gust of wind. The wind is clad in silver and blue armor. Saber is armed as soon as she sees the enemy's territory.

"―――――" She did not intend to arm herself. She had decided to arm herself once she entered the church. But she could not help it. As soon as she saw the church, her mind burned up and made her arm herself.

――Her chest is burning. The nausea that has been assaulting her is not hers. It is the chill coming from her Master, a hopeless scent of death. She does not know what is going on. The only sure thing is that Emiya Shirou is on the verge of death.

And there is no time. His wound could cause him to die at any second. That pain and the chill going around her body cause a sickening nausea. It is less than a thousandth of the pain Emiya Shirou is feeling. But she still cannot stop her nausea. Her Master is wounded that badly.

…He will not live. She will not make it even if she rushes with godspeed. He is dying right now, and she might lose her Master in front of her eyes――

The instant she imagines that, her rationality vanishes. She just has to rush to her master as fast as possible. If godspeed is not fast enough, she just has to break through the reason of God. And fortunately, this is God's house and her enemy is God's messenger.

"――――――――" Her angry glare stares down the church. She crashes through the door and enters the chapel. She does not see the chairs. She ignores the path, goes through the chapel, through the courtyard, and down the stairs leading underground.

――All that's left are the demolished walls and floor of the church. Incidentally, she is not that violent. She tried to open the door softly and did not put that much magical energy into her legs when she kicked off the ground. She merely could not control them. She goes down the stairs and reaches the underground temple.

――The sense of death is near. Actually seeing it, her anger goes over the limit. Anger toward herself and anger toward the enemy who did such a thing. "――Yo. I'm sorry, but this is it, Saber." She cannot even hear the voice of Lancer blocking her way. She is straining at her limits, and it seems she cannot loosen up no matter what happens.

Her master is down in the darkness. In the back room. In the middle of the room full of live corpses, he is on his stomach. …Blood is pouring out of him, and his gasping can be heard even in this temple. ――He is alive. All the while she is relieved, she shakes from having left him for so long in that state.

"Shirou――――" Saber heads to the back room. But there's a guard in front of it. Holding his lance behind him, the blue spearman looks at Saber with fearless eyes.

"Yo. I'm sorry, but this is it, Saber." "―――――" She does not hear his voice. So she does not stop. "…! You! Ignoring me, huh…!?" It is as one would expect from him to block it while he was talking. Lancer blocks Saber's surprise attack, but could not defeat its power as he retreats to the wall.

"―――――" But that makes the hindrance go away. There is no time to fight Lancer now. She has to save her master who is on the verge of death.

"Heh, is that kid that important to you? I don't mind――but in that case, you really can't leave me alone." Saber stops at the entrance.

"――What do you mean by that, Lancer?" "Well. I'm the one that stabbed him, but this is actually the second time I did it. He stayed alive the last time I did for some reason, so I 'pierced' him for sure this time."

"You――You used Gae Bolg on Shirou…!?" "Don't worry. I didn't hit his heart. But the curse is still there. ――Even you should know the curse of this lance. This is the 'lance of cause and effect', that reverses the cause and the effect. The one cursed by this thing cannot change their fate unless they have great luck."

"To put it simply, the wound made by the Gae Bolg cannot be healed. The one cursed cannot heal and bears the wound until they die. ――As long as this lance exists."

That changes the air. Saber's eyes finally regain intelligence. "――Ha. You finally understand? You want to save that kid, right? Then you'll have to settle your match with me first." Lancer's beast-like killing intent comes at Saber. It is true that Lancer is serious. But――

"Are you insane, Lancer? A lancer would fight a swordsman in this small room? I cannot believe such a foolish idea would come from you. …I shall let you go if you leave now. Leave that lance and disappear. I do not want to slay you in such an undesirable battle."

"Isn't that a more foolish idea? What kind of heroic spirit would discard their partner? I didn't pierce him to make some kind of a deal. ――I'm here to fight you, Saber."

There is no dishonesty in his words. Lancer does not intend to let either of them leave here alive. For him, this is the first and last battle where he can go full strength.

Lancer's wish is not for the Holy Grail. He wishes only for battles appropriate to heroic spirits. Such a simple wish that should have been easily granted to a normal Servant was never granted him until now. Therefore――he has no intention of losing out on what might be his last chance. Even if it happens to be an unfavorable situation for him.

"――All right. Then I shall just slash away that lance along with you." Saber readies her invisible sword and faces the blue knight. "Well said. To be honest, I'm glad you're the one that's left, Saber…!"

Lancer's lance runs like a flash of light. Saber confronts it straight on. The rematch begins with both of them executing powerful blows.

'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'

"Ah――haa, haa, haa, ah――" All I can hear is my own breathing now. I might have a fever that could burn someone to ashes, as it feels like my brain is already melting and pouring out of my ears.

'Stop stop stop stop'

"Ha――Haa, ah, haa, ha, ah――" Something's wrong. I don't have a brain anymore, but my body still keeps telling me about the pain and my head accepts it.

'Help help help help'

"Ah――, haa, ah, haa, ha, ha――" My head isn't the only thing that's empty. I don't know where my heart or stomach are either. The nausea is unbearable. There's nothing left to throw up, but the nausea increases without limit. I endure the infinite repetition with gritted teeth. …I can stay conscious. It's my pain, so only I have to endure it. There's no problem there.

'Give it back give it back give it back give it back'

"Ha――ah, ah, haa, ha, ah――" So, the problem is the voices. My head is empty and I can only hear my breathing, but these voices still echo in my head. I don't even need to think whose voices they are.

'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'

"Ha――aah, haa, ah, ah――" I'm going mad. Every time I hear their voices, I'm stabbed in the chest. It's not scary. I just don't have any way to atone to them.

'Hey hey hey hey'

"Aah――ah, haa, haa, ah――" No matter how much they beg for help and no matter how much I want to help them, I can't help them. I won't ask them to stop calling to me. It's just that no matter how much they call, I can't help them. ――That's why… I think I'll go crazy if this continues.

'Return it return it return it return it'

"――haa, ah, ah, guh――!" No matter how much they ask, I cannot assent. All I can do is to end it for them. I can only fix the contradiction of the living dead. I can only make the creator of this hell atone for his sins. I… …Can't take back any sad events or miserable deaths.

――That's my limit. A superhero only exists to straighten out what has already happened. …Who was it that said that? Since I denied those words, I am being cornered right now.

To be honest, I want to run away. I have no way to save them. I can only listen to them. I have no miracle to grant them. I don't have enough power to deny his claim that a superhero is only so strong. …Then, if… If I had a miracle that could save them, would I use it――?

"――She is here. Wake up, Emiya Shirou. Your Servant has arrived." …I hear a voice. It's coming from right behind me. But I can't hear what it's saying.

…My vision is blurry. There's nothing in front of me. All I sense are the voices asking for help and the figures that are already dead.

"…Hm. He is doing well, but he cannot match Saber as I expected. I need one more Servant either way. I do not care whether that happens to be Saber or Lancer――but I shall make a selection before that."

…I can't hear anything. But this man's voice echoes in my head.

"Well, it is time for your turn. Let us go, Emiya Shirou." ――My head is lifted. The man grabs my head and pulls me forward.

――That lets me feel the man behind me. The man has swallowed black corruption. His heart is black and it seems like he's surrounded by an unknown darkness. The black corruption reaches in from the outside world, and it's like a chain binding the man.

"―――――" I don't know what it means. Only one thing is clear. This man――Kotomine Kirei was just like me. His body had some kind of fatal wound, and he is compensating for it with that unknown "something". As I heal using Saber's powers… Kotomine Kirei is maintaining his corpse-like body with this black corruption――

"That is it, Saber. Lower your sword if you wish to save your master." …What is going on? My vision is still blurry and I cannot even raise my head.

"You too, Lancer. We are partners seeking the Holy Grail after all. We should not kill each other so recklessly. If Saber only came to pick this man up, I will gladly let her do so." A gloomy laugh.

"――Do you think I would believe those words coming from one who has killed Lancer's Master and is about to kill my Master as well?" …Who is he talking to? I can't hear the voice, but the sound rings through my fainting mind like a bell.

"Trust me. I do not wish to fight you. Things have turned out like this, but I will not interrupt you if you wish to seek the Holy Grail. From the beginning, my role is to determine the possessor of the Holy Grail. You two are more than qualified. Therefore, if you wish, I could give you the Holy Grail right here."

"――! Are you saying the Holy Grail is here?" "It is here. The Holy Grail exists everywhere. It is a shapeless vessel to begin with. Its completion depends on when, where, and what it is summoned in. This church is sufficient just to summon it."

"Of course, the Holy Grail is incomplete if there is more than one Servant remaining, but it should still be able to grant most wishes. If that is not sufficient for you, then you may continue fighting. I do not want that, but I shall accompany you if you choose so. Is that fine with you, Lancer?"

"…It's not. We don't need to go so far. We could decide the match right now if we wanted to." "In this situation? You are at a disadvantage in this room and Saber would not be able to fight if she is concerned for her master. I do not think this would be a satisfying battle for you."

A spitting sound. It seems the man has reluctantly agreed.

"…Fine, then let me ask you one thing. What is the Holy Grail? Isn't it not meant to appear until there's only one of us left? Did the thing that summoned us trick us from the beginning?"

"No, it is true. The Holy Grail will not appear until there is only one Servant left. But――the vessel in which the Holy Grail will appear is a different story. That is prepared with a shape from the start, and power flows into it until the Holy Grail is summoned."

"Since only two Servants remain, it should begin to acquire power as the Holy Grail. Is that not correct, Saber? You remained to the end in the previous war. You should understand what the 'Holy Grail' summoned in this land is."

"―――――" "Yes, the Holy Grail is always here and waits to be filled with the blood of the sacrifices. But do you not think that is sad? You do not need to wait until only one remains. It should be possible to grant your wishes right now. So there is no meaning in killing each other right here."

"…Yes. Your opinion is certainly correct. But then, who are you? Is your objective not to obtain the Holy Grail?"

"I told you that I am the selector. If an appropriate person exists, I shall gladly give out the Holy Grail. For that――I wish to hear from you, Emiya Shirou."

My body moves. My head is grabbed and my body is lifted. It… hurts. The wound in my chest opens up. The pain makes my vision go white.

"You――!" "Do not worry. I only wish to hear his answer. The Holy Grail only answers those who wish for it. It must interest you whether your Master is appropriate for the Holy Grail or not."

"――That is useless. Shirou does not seek the Holy Grail. My Master is not as lowly as you."

"Yes, he said so at the start. ――But that will not be his true opinion. As every man has his darkness, this man also has a dark side. For instance, did this boy truly curse nothing on that day ten years ago? Is he not shaking it off by forgetting what lay ahead?"

――. Hold on. What's he saying? The fire ten years ago has nothing to do with this. This is meaningless. Nothing should come out of it.

"I will open your wound. It is time for your confession, Emiya Shirou."

My back arches. My mind reverses like electricity is running through it. ――In place of my fading mind, a red vision appears.

Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop, stopstopstopstopstopstopstopstop…!!!! There's no meaning in this. No one will be saved if I remember this now――!

Everybody died. Everyone was dead. I was the only one wandering through the fire. The houses had burned down with burned up corpses under them, and sounds of crying came from all around. ―――――

'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'

I walked alone. I sought help and I wanted someone to save me, so I kept walking, not looking to the side. ――Stop. All the while. How could I think that no one was asking for help from me, when I could still move? ――Stop.

'Help help help help'

Yeah, I noticed. There's no way I couldn't have noticed…! I walked though it all.

I ignored the voices sobbing in pain. I ignored the voices going mad trying to escape. I ignored the screams of those not wanting to die. I ignored the pleas of mothers wanting me to take their children.

I even ignored the dying eyes that could not ask for help. I kept walking, only seeking help for myself――!

'Wait wait wait wait'

I was tired of looking at corpses. I was already tired of seeing people die in pain. I thought I couldn't save them. I thought they would die no matter what I did. That's why I never stopped. ――Stop.

'Give it back give it back give it back give it back'

I thought I had to live even a second longer because I had to go that far. If there were people who died without being able to do anything, As long as I could do something, I thought I had to live. ――Stop.

But my heart was almost crushed. I held back my tears and walked on in search of an escape. It was hard to live on while ignoring the pleas for help. I knew… It would be easier if I apologized, so I never apologized.

I believed… …That would be my only sincerity, as I could not do anything. ――Stop.

'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'

…And as I wished, I alone was saved. The only ones at the hospital were children unfortunate enough to be in areas near where the fire occurred. I didn't want to know about it, but the man in the white coat told me. In that area. I was the only survivor. ――Stop already.

I saw people dying in pain. I saw just as many sad people. Because there was a funeral for all those who died in a big building. Every kind of sadness and affection for those that died. I thought that… ――Just stop.

'Hey hey hey hey'

I had to remember every single bit of it. It's only natural. That many people wanted to be helped, and not one of them had their wish granted. So――since my wish was granted, I thought it was only natural for me to take on their deaths.

No. I could not hold my head up unless I thought so. ――No more…

'Give it back give it back give it back give it back'

That's why I frantically chased after Kiritsugu. For those I couldn't save and for the things I couldn't do, I admired a superhero who could save someone. What was me crumbled away as I ignored the pleas for help. I kept moving forward with an empty mind. ――No more.

'Please please please please……!'

The people I didn't save taught me that I had to go on.

…What was lost within all that? I just thought about going forward in place of all the people that died. I couldn't think of anything else. I sealed any memories before that so that I would never think about them.

People kinder than anyone else. Memories of those who were my parents. So as not to recall them and go back… …I sealed them tight, thinking I was already dead. ――Don't open it.

It's not painful. Emiya Shirou was happy, being adopted by Emiya Kiritsugu. So――

"――So… "You have never thought it was a mistake?"

I'm telling you, don't open that――!

"――!" Pain. The pain in my chest pulls me back to reality.

"Ha――ah, gu――!" My nausea doesn't stop. My limbs are numb, and my head is burning. My breathing is ragged.

'Return it return it return it return it'

Their voices are echoing in my head.

"Ha――guh…!" …I throw up blood. Is it because my body is dying or because I cannot endure those voices? My chest hurts. My chest hurts. My chest hurts. I can't plug it even if I try. What hurts is the pain inside. It will keep hurting as long as the memory is there, and it will never heal.

"――" Is it an illusion? I see a figure that should not be here. "――! Guh――!" So, I have to bear this. I can't think about wanting to die. If she is here even in illusion――I have to act like I'm all right――

"――It is a deep wound. It will be painful if it is not healed. You should not end your life bearing that." I hear the priest's voice. The voice is totally unlike him, filled with compassion.

"You said you do not need the Holy Grail. …But is that true? If you can redo what happened ten years ago, will you not seek the Holy Grail? You can save everything that was lost in that incident. You can eliminate that disaster, not associate yourself with Emiya Kiritsugu, and be your true self. Is that not the only way to save yourself?"

Redo the incident ten years ago…? Redo myself who survived by not saving anyone? No, more than that, if I could make that incident as if it never happened so that no one would be hurt――

"―――――Why…" I shake my head. I reject that vision with my burning head. I spit at my own weakness. Because――

'It hurts it hurts it hurts it hurts'

…I hear their voices. My fingers feel the wet floor. …Help. They all want to go back to that day.

"―――――" …Yeah. I wanted that too, though it can't have been as bad as you guys. Even after Kiritsugu adopted me. I went to the burned field often to look at the scenery. I went to the place where nothing remained, opened the door that didn't exist, walked through the hallway that didn't exist, and smiled at my mother who wasn't there anymore.

…I wanted to return to the days before it happened. I awaited the day when I would wake from this bad dream. That didn't happen and I accepted reality. But if I could obtain a world where it didn't happen and where nobody got hurt, that would certainly be――

"Now, answer. If you wish for it, I shall give you the Holy Grail." The priest with the Holy Grail says so.

'Return it return it return it return it'

If I wish, these voices will go away. Orphans like me. If fate had taken a slight turn, I would be there as well. So I don't even need to think about this. I don't need… to think about it, so why…?

"――I don't need it. I can't wish for such a thing."

I stare straight at the dead corpses. And I reject them.

――That is my answer. It doesn't matter what the Holy Grail is. I can't wish to regenerate the dead nor to change the past.

"…Right, you… can't redo the past. The dead won't come back. What's done cannot be redone. I can't wish for such a thing."

My cheeks are hot. Every time I say such a miracle is impossible, tears pour out from vexation. I wonder why 'miracles' wishing for such normal happiness are too much for people.

"The Holy Grail makes that possible. Everything will be as you wish." The priest says so. But I can't agree.

Even if I could redo the past, I must not take back what has already happened. Because if I do that, everything would be a lie. Those tears. Those pains. Those memories. ――That cold reality that hurts my heart, all of it.

There were people who died in pain. There were people who risked their lives to save others. There were people who mourned for the deaths. But then, if everything were taken back and it did not happen, where would all of those go?

The dead people would not come back. Reality cannot be overturned. To continue on remembering the pain and the weight… isn't that how lost things remain?

…People will eventually die, and death itself is sad. But pain shouldn't be the only thing that remains. A death is painful, but it also leaves behind bright memories. As I am bound by these people's deaths… As I am protected by my memories of Kiritsugu… I believe memories become constraints and change the people living now.

…Even if… They are memories that will eventually be forgotten.

"――This path… I don't believe it's the wrong one." "――I see. Then you…" "I don't need the Holy Grail. I can't stray from my path for the people I've left behind."

I declare so within my pain. I control the pain and my fading consciousness, and manage to stay up on my knees.

Then, I finally realize. …I can't hear the voices. The voices aren't echoing anymore. …I don't know how they took my answer.

But it is sad that they closed their eyes without a single grudge.

――That is… The answer her Master arrived at.

"―――――" The anger she bore until just a moment ago has disappeared. She is at a loss for words, staring at her Master.

'This path… I don't believe it's the wrong one.'

With his bloody body. With his ragged breath. Controlling his tears.

'――I can't stray from my path for the people I've left behind.'

He has apologized to everything he has stepped on, but he still declares that he will not change his path.

"―――――" Her vision wavers. She cannot breathe right either. She knew of his past. As Emiya Shirou has seen Saber's past, she has also seen his.

That is why she thought he would nod. No, she thought he had to nod. She wanted to say that it was not his fault. If he could hear, she wanted to say that it is not something Emiya Shirou should be burdened with.

But still, he denied it. No matter how painful the past, …One cannot redo it.

"―――――" She almost collapses. …Those words are too heavy for her. Making an oath and devoting everything you have to its accomplishment. She had felt that their ways were similar. But that was just conceit.

――Only she thought they were similar. They could not be similar. His mind is strong. And she, only able to deny his words, was wrong――

"――So, you choose your wishes over your savior." The priest lets go of the boy. He looks down at him in annoyance and walks past him as if he's lost all interest in him.

"――Then, how about you, Saber? That kid says he does not need the Holy Grail. But you must have a different opinion. Your goal is to use the Holy Grail to save the world. Do not tell me a heroic spirit like you will be as egotistical as that kid." Her heart is shaken by his question. The priest says he will give the Holy Grail. He will give her the Holy Grail if she has a goal and a wish she wants granted.

"Th――That… is…" There is no reason to refuse. She fought for that alone. She became a Servant for that reason alone. So――what Shirou said does not matter to her.

To obtain the Holy Grail, Saber―― "Then, I shall propose an exchange. Saber. Kill your Master with your own hands to achieve your goal. I shall give you the Holy Grail if you accomplish that." ――She would do anything.

"Eh―――――?" It is an unexpected proposal. She cannot understand it. It's not that she cannot understand his words, but such a choice has never existed for her.

"What? You should not hesitate. You can kill this kid before he realizes it. …First of all, he cannot be saved. Would it not be compassionate to kill him right now?" The priest steps aside. Before her is the door leading to the underground cemetery and a collapsed figure.

"Ah――Ah." She walks, as if drawn to it. She walks past the priest and enters the damp room.

"―――――" …This room is hell. He writhed in this place, and he was shown his dark side. And yet――he declined the priest's offer. "―――――" She places her hands on her sword. At her feet is her Master, breathing painfully.

"―――――" The end of a long journey. The Holy Grail she desired at the cost of her life. It will be granted just by swinging her sword down. After all, a Master and the Servant cooperate only until they obtain the Holy Grail. Even if it ends here――

"What is it? Why do you hesitate? It is for the Holy Grail.[vr] I believe it is quite a bargain." The priest's words are true. It is strange to hesitate now. But still… '――This path… I don't believe it's the wrong one.'[l] Those words will not leave her.

"I――I…" …It is vexing, but she isn't like Shirou. She wants to redo everything. On that day. There was someone better suited to become king, someone else to pull out the sword. And that person must have been able to build a more peaceful country――

That is her heart that holds her country dear. That is the doubt of the girl Arturia before she became a king. That mind… The mind she left behind on the day she drew the sword. "―――――" …Why did she not realize it before?

'――I can't stray from my path for the people I've left behind――'

That is her heart that holds her country dear. It is the mind of a girl before she became a king. But it is not the heart of the king. The only one the king believed in was herself. To deny that would be to deny everything she has taken away. ――Things lost will never return… Her master continued to appeal in his pain.

"―――――" His figure hurts her so much. What did she tell him? That she could not start a new life. She continued to refuse him, saying that she had a duty as the king.

What duty is that? To resurrect the destroyed country? To choose a more appropriate king? Or――does she only wish to make that destruction never have happened?

"――That is wrong." Yes, that is wrong. She was raised and lived as a king. There was no mistake. So――if the result was ruin, why could she not accept it? There are no regrets. If one can be proud of one's life, one should not wish for another chance.

"――I see now, Shirou." Shirou's lamentations pierce her heart. He said that the tears would go away. That the pain would go away. That the heaviness in her heart would go away as well… That is salvation by elimination. But… If everything were made to never have happened, what would happen to all the things taken away?

She has taken away many things and killed many. To bear the pain and regret it is the requiem. So if she wishes for another chance, it should be from this moment on and not from the past. If there is something she could not do… She should not go back to the past to accomplish it. But rather, she must start to establish the wishes that never came true from this moment on.

"―――――" But she is no longer a king as she has lost her country. So her wish should be for herself as he says――

――No. That is not something that should be wished for. It was her decision to become king. It was never painful for her. Even if no one understood or accepted her. She believes that what she desired was something she can be proud of. At the least. The girl pulled the sword out believing so.

――That is the answer. Just like him, that is the only answer she can be proud of.

"Yes――" …She remembers the oath that she made a long time ago. Something she has kept to herself. …She decided to fight. Even if it meant losing everything and fighting everything. "――I was the foolish one." The oath of the king to fight even in that condition.

The king protected the country. But the country did not protect the king. That is all. The result was cruel, but if there was nothing to be ashamed of in the process――

"――There was no need to seek it." She swore to accomplish her duties as king. Even if the result was her destruction, she fulfilled that oath until the very end. So――she does not need anything else.

――Yes. She did not want everything. From the beginning, there was only one thing she wanted. She lost many things to obtain it, but there was something she protected until the very end. With that in mind. Let her end the dream that was never granted.

"――I want the Holy Grail. But I cannot kill Shirou." Pointing her sword at her enemy, she says so from the bottom of her heart. "Wh――――at?" "Do you not understand, fool? I said I favor Shirou more than that thing."

…That's why her role is already determined. To be his sword and shield. And so――she cannot hesitate any longer.

"――Are you saying you do not want the Holy Grail?" "I do not wish it if it will dirty me. I already have everything I wanted."

…Yes. Everything was there. Her pride as a knight and her oath as the king. Even the dream the girl Arturia wished for.

I certainly heard those words. The confession of the girl who wished for the Holy Grail. She confessed that she no longer needs such a thing.

"――Sab… er――" Controlling my ragged breath, I call her name. …Even though I can't see her, I can tell she's nearby. The pain is subsiding. I don't know if it's because she's near me, but the wound is starting to heal up.

"…Can you stand, Shirou? Please take my hand if you can." "――Yeah… I can…" I take her hand. ――! My vision recovers. Energy starts to flow into my weak body.

"――Saber… this is…?" "Yes. Even the curse of the Gae Bolg will not be effective against you now. It shall heal completely if you stay by my side. But rather…"

Saber turns to look toward the underground temple. …Beyond the door. At the exit of this room stands the last Master, Kotomine Kirei, and Lancer.

"I see." He observes us as if seeing us for the first time. "You two are boring." He spits this out in an emotionless voice.

"It seems I will have to keep the Holy Grail after all. ――But that will be rather violent. The Holy Grail needs to be complete to grant me my wish. I am sorry, but you must die here, Emiya Shirou."

"――!" I try to stand ready, but my body still won't move. I can barely stand by taking Saber's hand. I can't fight like this and more than anything, I'll be a burden on Saber――

"You are worrying needlessly, Shirou. Please stay here. I shall be able to take on both of them." "Oh, you have a lot of confidence. Do you think it would be wise to run now, Lancer?"

"―――――" Lancer doesn't respond. First of all, Kotomine doesn't sound like he's in danger. He's just saying he's scared of us.

"Kotomine. I shall ask before I defeat you. What are your intentions? What do you wish as the supervisor of the Holy Grail?"

"――Well. To put it simply, I wish for 'entertainment'. But it's not something I need in a hurry. To be frank, I do not have much interest in the Holy Grail. But that matches my tastes. If there are no appropriate owners, I shall take it for the sake of the world."

"Ridiculous. What are you trying to claim, after killing a Master and becoming a Master yourself? You must have intended to obtain the Holy Grail from the beginning."

"――Nonsense, I came by it by chance. I killed Lancer's Master because outside magi are troublesome. I do not want outsiders to discover the true nature of the Holy Grail, so I had the Master leave at an early stage. But it would not have been smart to eliminate the Servant as well. I needed a piece to hasten the fighting, so I just borrowed Lancer's Master's rights as a Master."

Wha――then Kotomine became a Master by killing Lancer's Master…!?

"――I see. I shall not ask any more about yourself. But I will have you fulfill your duty as a supervisor. Where is the vessel? The vessel of the soul of this war?" "What? Do you mean you were hiding it without realizing it?"

He gasps in surprise. But only for an instant. After looking us over with pleasure, he snaps his fingers to bring in the last character.

"Wha――" The two tense up. Hard footsteps descend from above.

"――Well, it probably isn't necessary, but let me introduce him anyway. This is the Servant Archer. He is the heroic spirit that was my partner in the last Holy Grail War." …The golden knight appears. It is Gilgamesh, the king of heroes.

――The atmosphere changes immediately. Gilgamesh, appearing suddenly, crosses the temple and stands by Kotomine.

"――So? What are you going to do now, Kotomine? Are we settling the match with these nuisances here? I don't think this is good directing on your part."

"Do not say that. I was not expecting this either. I shall listen to your complaints later, so forgive me."

"Oh, if you understand, it's fine. But can you not do something about that vulgar man? I might kill him if he glares too much at me."

"――What the hell is this, Kotomine? That man is your Servant…?"

"Oh, I did not explain it to you yet. He is my Servant from the previous war. We shared the same feelings after the last war ended. Since he obeyed me and I prepared sufficient food for him to stay here, we ended up cooperating." "…So that's the reason for that disgusting room. Fine, but why didn't you tell me about it?"

"Do you think there was a need to? Or did you want to cooperate with him on your mission?" "――No way. I'd rather die than cooperate with that guy." "―――――"

…Now, there are three. Lancer is by the stairs, and Gilgamesh is standing in the temple.

"―――――!" There's no way we can win. We can't even match Gilgamesh, and we can't even run away if Lancer's there as well.

"Kotomine, you said you didn't know about him…" "Do not doubt me. I am a priest. I cannot lie." "…! That's not true! You said you couldn't ignore a Servant from the last war…!"

"Yes, I was surprised as well. I ordered Archer to stay here, but he disobeyed and went to attack you. It is only natural for you to discover me if you investigate Archer. Therefore, I had to come up with some sort of a plan. See? I did not lie to you at all."

"…!" I-I'm pissed…! That guy tricked me and I came straight to the enemy's base…!

"――So, you are Archer's Master?" "Correct. This is much like a repeat of ten years ago. Well, I was unable to witness the final moment since Kiritsugu had already defeated me. This will be the second and the last time I shall see you."

"――Answer me. Why does Archer still remain? What caused that fire? Why are you still alive even after being beaten by Kiritsugu…!?" Saber is angry as there's hatred in her voice. A question long unanswered. As if asking about the crime of the disaster ten years ago.

"I do not even need to tell you. Ten years ago――the Holy Grail was incomplete but full, and it was possible to obtain it. I merely touched it. You and Kiritsugu were powerful, so I wished for a diversion to separate you two. But I was surprised by the diversion that occurred."

"―――――" Hold on. Could that be…?

"――Then you caused that fire with the power of the Holy Grail…!?"

"Who knows? I think the Holy Grail would have done the same thing even if I was someone else. It is a thing of that nature. People call it an omnipotent vessel, but only blood, darkness, and curses fill it. You saw it as well, right? The darkness that spilled out from it when you destroyed the Holy Grail. It only spilled onto Archer. Archer would not have lost his way if you had not destroyed the Holy Grail."

"…Nonsense. The Holy Grail is a magical vessel that grants the wishes of its possessor. That fire must have been your wish…!"

"Only the result. The process was not what I had in mind. I only wished for people to be gone from that place. In any case, you lack imagination. Your wishes will be granted? That is fine, but how will your wish be granted? Did you think the world would change the instant you wish?"

"――" "I do not know about the original Holy Grail, but this Holy Grail is merely a vortex of power. It cannot make precise calculations or correct any inconsistencies. It is only pure power. It is like a great weapon. If the possessor wishes for great riches, it will kill everything around it to bring happiness to its possessor."

"Do you understand? That magical vessel is a defective item that can only grant the wishes of its possessor through a method called 'destruction'." "Wha――that is not what was promised…! Is the Holy Grail not something that will grant any wish to its possessor…!?"

"It is. The measures the Holy Grail takes are very reasonable. Letting one person survive means killing another. This world is one of equal exchanges. Wishing for some special event means feeding on something to make it possible. Wishes will not come true if you worry about harmony. It is merely a fluctuation dependant on the plundering of the weak. It is the most efficient fluctuation."

"―――――" …I can understand Saber's surprise. If Kotomine is telling the truth, this Holy Grail is far from the Holy Grail she wished for.

A power that only grants the wish of its possessor. The usurper that grants the wish of its possessor at the cost of everything else. This is the true identity of the omnipotent power given to the Master and the Servant.

"Then――the Holy Grail is…" "A poisoned vessel that eliminates everything but its possessor. You will know when you see it. It is a true curse."

"――And that delights me. Touching the Holy Grail is a dream for a man of the church. But this Holy Grail exists to kill everything, and to be able to control that――it is like a dream."

Saying that, the priest laughs. It's not a polite laugh like before. A laugh from the bottom of his heart… a holy laugh without any evil. ――That laugh forces me to realize. This man is not human. I cannot let him have the Holy Grail over anyone.

"――Then, this is goodbye. Take care of this trash. Lancer, take the boy. Archer, take Saber."

The priest turns his back and goes up the stairs. …The only ones left are me, and the two Servants. And Saber, standing as if to guard me, glaring at her enemies.

――Time passes. We have to defeat Lancer and Gilgamesh to escape outside. It's impossible to beat them. We have to do something and regroup, but――

"――Shirou" Saber mutters while looking at the enemy. "I know I am asking for something impossible, but please stay beside me." She grasps my hand firmly. ――That tells me she's ready.

"――All right. I'll do my best to follow you, so don't worry about me." I nod to her. …I can barely walk right now. Saber and I both know that. With that in mind――Saber has told me she will break through this. So what can I do but nod?

"…Yes. I trust you." She replies in a small voice. "――Now――!" Letting go of my hand, Saber runs to the temple.

The two figures react to her movement. "――!?" "Wha――!?" Only Saber and I are surprised.

――What happened? Lancer's lance that should have attacked me goes for Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh's longsword repels Lancer's lance as if expecting it――

"Sorry, I missed." "I see. Your lance must be pretty light." The two separate without any sign of hostility.

"Your target is that lowlife. You do remember that I'm in charge of Saber, right?" "Oh, that. Sorry, but I changed my mind. He didn't order me with the Command Spell, so I'm not gonna obey him." Saying so. Lancer faces Gilgamesh as if protecting us.

"Wha――Lancer, you are…" "If it's something stupid, don't say it. I'm not helping you or anything. I'm just following my beliefs." Lancer points his lance at Gilgamesh. He really intends to let us go.

"Well, I was at my limit too. I'm not nice enough to listen to his orders when he looks down on me this much. I'm cutting my ties with Kotomine right now." "Oh――you are breaking your contract with him? So you do not mind being eliminated now, even though the Holy Grail is right in front of you?"

"Don't treat me like you. I've never had any interest in a second life. …No, no hero is interested in such a thing. We're not attached to this world. We're just attached to the oaths we couldn't fulfill. Well, I guess a greedy apparition like you wouldn't understand."

"――I see. A man with a brilliant death has something different to say. So this betrayal is a result of your heroic pride as well, huh? Geez, following your beliefs sure is hard, Lancer." …The air behind him distorts. Weapons appear in empty space――

"――" "…Lancer. He has all the original Noble Phantasms. He is the king of heroes with the longest history. Even you cannot take him on head to head――"

"…Damn, I see. No wonder he's so conceited. He's the guy who destroyed his own country by just doing whatever he wanted, so of course he's twisted."

"Lancer, this is no time to be bluffing――!" "Just get lost. Who are you to give me advice? Don't think I'm on your side just because I protected you. …Geez. This is why I don't like well-mannered knights."

Lancer urges Saber to run. "―――――" Saber hangs her head for a second. "…Good luck. I shall return this favor." Taking my hand, she runs to the stairs.

"――Damn, I let them go." Gilgamesh just watches us go, not trying to follow us.

"…Oh? So Saber wasn't your target?" "Well, to be honest, such a match did not suit my taste. If you had not done this, I would have done the same thing."

We go up the stairs. …She must be worried about me as we aren't going up that fast. Ignoring our slow pace, the confrontation underground escalates without limit. The murderous intent continues to grow.

"What do you mean by that? Did you intend to let Saber go as well?"

"Of course. I had no intention to kill Saber. That thing is mine. But――I cannot stay idle if [wrap ʹext="I"]I want the Holy Grail. I need just one more Servant to die for the ritual to be completed."

A thousand swords appear. The golden knight grins. That's why he was able to block Lancer's surprise attack. Lancer wasn't the only one trying to launch a surprise attack on his ally.

"Damn――so this was your plan all along." "I told you. I would have done the same thing if you had not done so. You deserve praise, Cu Chulainn. This situation is ideal for me." The distance between the two decreases. Before I see them clash, we leave that place.

"――Ugh." I stop. My body tells me I'm at my limit.

"Let us rest here, Shirou. You cannot continue in your condition." "――Ye… ah. I'm just… causing you trouble… like this…" I move away from Saber and sit down on the grass.

"――!" The wound on my chest is still there. It's stopped bleeding, but the hole is still there.

"…I feel sick…" Even though the pain is gone, I have a hole in my body. Just looking at it makes me sick and I wonder why I'm alive like this.

"Shirou, let me look at your wound." Saber crouches and looks into my chest. …It's a bit embarrassing.

"Uh――no, it's all right…" "Excuse me――this will hurt a bit, but please bear it." Saber's finger runs across my chest. ――Then. I don't know why, but she places her hand over my wound and digs into it――

"Agh――!! ――!!" My body jumps. Saber's hand mercilessly digs into me and―― "You, wha――!?" She's digging into me with her bare hands. It should hurt. It should hurt, but――

"Huh――?" There's no pain. Rather, pain seems to disappear around the places Saber touches.

"I am done, Shirou. I restored magical energy to the sheath, so your wound should heal in half a day." Taking her hand off my chest, Saber looks relieved.

"Sheath――?" I don't understand at all.

"Saber. What do you mean by sheath? I think you mentioned it before, but could it be your sheath?"

Saber's sheath. The sheath of the sword Excalibur. The sheath of her sword is not Invisible Air. In the legend, the sheath of Excalibur was a Noble Phantasm that makes its possessor immortal.

But she shouldn't have that. King Arthur died in the battle of Camlann because that sheath was lost. Saber shouldn't have the sheath right now――

"Yes. My sheath is inside your body. It was my fault for not realizing that fact until last night." "In my body…? What's that supposed to mean? I don't remember anything like that. It's just ridiculous."

"Is that so? It was simple from the beginning. You summoned me, Shirou. It was foolish of me to think it was by chance that I was summoned."

"To summon a heroic spirit, one needs a symbol connected with that spirit. Since you are inexperienced as a magus and uneducated as a Master, you needed a connection that would overcome all those deficiencies. That was my sheath――the lost sheath of Excalibur."

"Uh――well, that may be true… But why would it be in my body?"

"…Kiritsugu probably put it in there. Emiya Kiritsugu used the sheath of Excalibur as the catalyst to summon me in the last war. The sheath is a Noble Phantasm that heals the possessor's wounds. He must have thought that it would be more useful for him to keep it."

"I have healing powers and I do not die easily. If the Master, who dies easily, has the sheath, they have a better chance of surviving the Holy Grail War." "…Then, Father survived the war because he was like me…?"

"Probably. And after the battle and after I disappeared. Kiritsugu wandered through the burned field and found a dying child. He had no healing powers, and even if he did, I assume it was too late. …So I believe there was only one way for him to save that child."

"――――" I unconsciously place my hand on my chest. …On that day ten years ago… I accepted death, looking up at the sky. My whole body was burned, and maybe it really was burned to ashes.

When Kiritsugu found a kid barely alive, he had to rely on what he had on hand. The sheath of the holy sword that protects the life of its possessor. He must have saved that dying life by implanting the sheath.

"…Then, it really is…?" "Yes. It has been disassembled and lacks its original form, but your body certainly contains the sheath. It is the cause of your healing powers."

"――B-But I almost died once. I was pierced by Lancer at school and――" …That's right. Someone saved me at that time. When I came to, there was no one there and all I found was a rock. I took the rock home because I thought it was something important, but is it still at my house right now…?

"That was before we made a contract, correct? The sheath is my Noble Phantasm. It does not exhibit its power as a Noble Phantasm until magical energy is channeled into it. You cannot obtain your immortality unless you make a contract with me."

"…Well, I am sure it will protect the possessor's life if any magical energy is in it, but it will be weak. I am sure fusing with the sheath was the only way to save a dying person."

"…I see. Um… I'm sorry Saber. Your sheath was used for something like this…."

"Please do not say such a thing. You are my Master, so it is only natural for you to use what is mine. And――I was happy when I learned about it. Even though I could not save anybody, I had saved your life."

"―――――!" Her smile is so brilliant that I have to look away.

"――Shirou? Does your wound hurt?" "No, that's not it! Just don't worry about it. There's nothing wrong with you!" I hide my blushing face and shut my mouth. There's no pain if I don't speak, but this is really awkward.

…I wonder how long we've been like this? Just as I start to calm down. Saber quietly says, "Kiritsugu was correct. He did not betray me." She says so as if regretting her past.

"…Saber?" "That Holy Grail was not what I sought. …No, I did not need the Holy Grail to begin with. Kiritsugu must have known that."

…Her murmur sounds more like a confession. Saber apologizes to a person she cannot apologize to anymore. And she looks at me to part with the wish she held for so long. She doesn't say anything. My heart understands just by being beside her.

…Arturia sought the Holy Grail. A lonely king who needed to believe that ruin was avoidable with the Holy Grail. ――If. A girl who wished for what would happen if she could redo the selection.

"Saber, that's…" "…I knew it. I knew I could not redo things. I knew it, but I still continued to deceive myself."

…But this is the end. Her long battle will finally end――

"Thank you, Shirou. I finally understand the path I need to take. …Yes. The Holy Grail and I are just dreams that must not exist."

She murmurs that she would still like to be forgiven. It was a mistaken wish, days that were not to be wished for, but… The weakness was just a passing dream a girl saw.

"――――" What should I feel, listening to her? Saber's answer is beautiful. A decision full of dignity and purity just like her. She is proud of her past and has accepted the end that awaits her. ――And now. Saber has decided to follow her oath until the very end.

"―――――" She doesn't even need to tell me what that means. She will not hesitate any longer. And I find that beautiful. A dark night. From the moment I was captivated by her figure in the moonlight――I have loved her.

So. Regardless of what awaits ahead, there is only one thing to be done.

"――Saber. Let's destroy the Holy Grail." I say so, throwing aside my attachment and my selfishness.

"――Yes. I believed that you would come to that conclusion, Master."

Saber nods in response. …I can't smile back at her. It takes all I have to suppress my heart, telling me I don't want this. But still――there will surely come a day when I can be proud of being trusted like this.

"―――――" I get up. Now that I've decided, there's no time to rest. It's clear what must be done, and the enemy is clear as well.

There's no time to stop. Today. We will end this long battle before tomorrow comes――

With Saber helping me walk, I make it back home. The wound on my chest hasn't healed yet. According to Saber, I should stay still for at least a few more hours.

"―――――" I bite my lip. I hate my body, unable to move when it's clear what needs to be done.

"…Shirou. Were you considering something rash just now?" "Eh――? N-No, I wasn't thinking about anything."

"I will get angry if you push yourself too hard. We will go into battle as soon as your wound heals. ――This will be our last battle, so let us face it in our best condition."

"…Right. We have to prepare and not be impatient." ――Where Kotomine went. How we beat Gilgamesh. There are many things to think about. I have to rest for now and prepare myself for later tonight.

At that instant, my mind stops.

"Eh――?" There's no sign of anyone. The air is different. Amidst the smell of burning, I can also smell the strong scent of blood――

"――" I run. I ignore my wound and run like I'm running away from the bad feeling I have. I run through the hall, turn the corner, and enter the familiar room.

――There. The scene before is me is anything but familiar.

"Toh… saka." My voice shakes. I don't know what happened. All I know is that Tohsaka is looking at me, breathing weakly.

"…Oh. You're home at last… Geez, I was about to go to sleep, you idiot." ――I don't know what she intends. But she's talking to me normally even though she has a wound that should make even talking difficult.

"Hey――don't talk, you idiot…! Damn, I have to stop the bleeding…! Saber, bring me towels, hot water, and a bowl…!" I order Saber in a panic. Saber nods silently and runs to the bathroom.

"――Bandages. Bandages and styptic――no, they won't do. Doctor. I have to get a doctor and do something――!" I pull out the first aid kit still in a panic.

"…No. I've treated my own wound, so I don't need a doctor. There's something more important though, right?" "Wha――" Tohsaka stares at me, breathing hard.

"―――――Tohsaka?" …I don't know what she's on about. But I nod, thinking that I have to listen to her for now.

"…Are you really okay? This is――" "It's fine. I can treat my own wounds. But――I'm sorry. You went off trusting me, but I couldn't protect Ilya."

"Eh――?" That finally calms me down. …Tohsaka is injured. …The living room is destroyed. And… Ilya should be here, but isn't.

"…Kotomine did this?" "―――――" She nods. …I don't even need to ask since he's the only one left.

But only Saber and I knew that Kotomine was our enemy. This must've been a complete surprise attack for Tohsaka. Because the seventh Master happened to be her teacher.

"…Don't apologize. Even you wouldn't be able to do anything if you were suddenly attacked. …In spite of what you said, you trusted Kotomine."

"――Yeah. I guess I was conceited thinking I could do everything myself." She coughs up blood. …Crap. I can't let her talk.

"…Let's talk later. Don't move for now. I'll treat your wounds and let you rest." "――Yeah, please. But I have to tell you something first. …Look, Shirou. This is my last piece of advice, so listen carefully."

"―――――" I don't want to hear words like that. But I nod silently. She's looking at me seriously with that wound of hers. I don't know if anyone would be able to stop her.

"…First. Kotomine's objective was Ilya. He must've known from the beginning that she was the vessel of the Holy Grail." "Wha――Ilya is the Holy Grail……!?"

"…To be more accurate, her heart is. Magi are people with Magic Circuits, but Ilya is a human made from a Magic Circuit. I think she will become the vessel to summon the Holy Grail as soon as there is only one Servant left."

"――Then, Kotomine took Ilya…?" "He took her. But… guh…! As long as Saber is still alive, the path won't open. Kotomine won't try to do anything to her."

"―――――" I can only hope so. Lancer isn't an easy Servant to beat either. He can't match Gilgamesh, but he might be able to at least run away. …I can only hope so. But I can't tell Tohsaka about that right now.

"All right. I'll go save Ilya, so you can depend on me." "…I see. Then, the second thing. I think Kotomine's at the Ryudou Temple. That's the best place to summon the Holy Grail. He'll be out of the church already, so he has to be hiding at that temple."

"――Okay. So Kotomine is at Ryudou Temple, right?" …It must be hard for her even to move her neck now. But Tohsaka gives a slight nod.

"Then this is the last thing. ――You won't be able to beat Kirei. Are you still going to fight him?" The question. This question is not asked as a friend called Tohsaka Rin, but as a magus who understands the situation.

#votestaynight #fate #fate stay/night #fate route

3 notes · View notes

rottenbrainstuff · 4 months

Text

BG3 playthrough - exploring Moonrise and the rest of the shadow cursed lands

Lots of spoilers beneath the cut

Ah! Feels so nice to be home and done the holidays and nestled back comfortably into my BG3 brainrot.

I’m really enjoying the dark urge flavour in Moonrise - it is creepy as fuck how everyone recognizes me. The audience with Ketheric was absolutely chilling for a resisting durge. For my run, this was the first big reveal I had that my past is even more worse and complicated than just being some random murder pervert who lost their memory. My poor tav. This whole tower is just horrible. Jk Simmons does a great job with Ketheric. I wasn’t sure what to expect considering the characters he usually plays, but he’s remarkably soft-spoken here, and I think that’s a great way to make a villain seem more frightening. There is SO MUCH dark urge stuff in here. Like I said before, I’m honestly sad I picked dark urge as my very first playthrough… I feel like I should have saved it for a later playthrough when I was feeling bored with the game. I unknowingly picked all the most interesting options to do first!

I do seriously regret playing Dark Urge as my very first playthrough though. I know the game warns you not to select it if it’s your first time, but I feel I just misunderstood the warning. I thought it was more of a warning that it makes the game harder for brand new players who are just figuring things out. I had no idea I would regret it because of the extra content it adds in that really objectively would have been much better if I had saved it for later. The two things I regret: reading spoilers about the dream guardian, and picking Dark Urge for my very first playthrough.

Anywho, I’m also cleaning up the little threads I have left on the shadow curse map… got Madeline’s journal for He Who Was. The internet sure likes him but I couldn’t help him punish Madeline: I was surprised to read the journal because of how clear it was that she didn’t fully understand the consequences and only made a mistake. This means I won’t get the raven gloves, sigh. (his raven is hilariously mean btw, be sure to use speak with animals the first time you meet them)

I found the approvals interesting for this scene. I had Wyll, Gale, and Astarion in my party. Wyll and Gale ONLY disapprove of me convincing Madeline to stab herself, and NOT if I tell Madeline the deaths were her fault (which I mean I think objectively they really are not, not in the way that He Who Was is blaming her for anyway). They don’t really care about what’s fair or not - they just don’t like it if it gets too messy! Astarion on the other hand disapproves of you telling Madeline it is her fault, or it isn’t. He dislikes either choice. He has no reaction if you make her stab herself. Interesting, interesting.

With my tav’s slipping grasp on his sanity, I wanted to do the option where you piss off He Who Was by making Madeline stab herself twice, as like, thinking of a clever way to harm this messed-up shadar-kai whose cheese has clearly slipped right off his cracker. My tav lately has been all about trying to do the right thing via a gruesome route. The dialogue with this route makes it seem though that you wanted to hurt Madeline and just got carried away, so in the end I went with forgiving her. Man how horrible, imagine dying an untimely death riddled with guilt about a mistake that you made that killed your friends, then some little elf shit comes along and animates your corpse in order to get off on your fear. This was a short and understated encounter and I kind of like that. I don’t know much about the shadar-kai so I am curious what mission He Who Was and the others were supposed to be doing in the first place, and how his abandoning of his post played out. I love how messed up this shadow curse is.

I also chatted with Thisobald. I was quite surprised to see that in my list of stories to tell him, I had the option to tell him a story about a village that thought I was their protector, but I massacred them all. Boy oh boy. I wracked my brain trying to figure out what the hell that was referencing. I was concerned maybe something was triggered wrong with the tiefling siege and the game has recorded that I killed them? Or do they mean the goblins in the blighted village that I attacked after I made friends with them? Or something else? What on earth? What did I do wrong?

I looked around online a bit… it seems other durge players have this happen as well. If you actually attacked the grove, you have a different story that specifies it was tieflings you slaughtered. This story is included at the very beginning of the list, which seems to be otherwise chronological. A warlock apparently has the option to tell a story about making a pact with their patron, something that happened before the game even started. So it seems the best guess currently is that this also is something that happened before the game started. Yikes. Poor tav. I’m trying my best to help you be better.

Played hide and seek with Oliver - I didn’t realize you can’t trigger the end of the game until you stop sneaking, so that “fun” game went on a lot longer that it needed to, wow. My tav really likes children so it was upsetting to run into this poor little ghost boy. I know he’s attached somehow to the Thaniel quest stuff, so I hope we can do something for him later when I tackle that plot point.

My oldest daughter who is playing finally saw the Emperor. I was waiting and waiting for that, because she had such a STRONG negative reaction to the dream guardian right from the get go, and was really weirdly angry about all the ambiguity and questions that they weren’t answering. She chose to try and kill them in the astral plane. I was so curious to see what her reaction would be when she found out that the reason they were being so suspiciously vague this whole time was that they were a goddamned mind flayer. Surprisingly…….. She’s pretty ok with the character now! Like, I think she might end up siding with it in the end, even. She’s totally ok with it being a manipulative, selfish, jerkass mindflayer…. She’s just happy it’s actually being honest now. LMAO. My oldest kiddo is funny. It’s been fun following along with her as she’s playing, but it’s also a little frustrating, because she misses SO MUCH STUFF as she whizzes through the game. She’s not concerned about completing every single detail. She is happy leaving things to discover in future playthroughs, and in fact has even left some things unresolved on purpose to try later on, ie, Ethel’s hut, the underdark, stuff like that. In a way I think that’s probably a better way to play it than what I am doing, where I have a ridiculous amount of logged hours but I’m still only about halfway through the shadow cursed lands and honestly there isn’t going to be a lot of new content for me to discover in the future beyond just little race and class dialogue variations. But it’s annoying for me, because I want to know what she did/said in certain situations, and her answer half the time is, I just didn’t find that! Lol.

Next up I guess is the tollhouse, then on to the house of healing after that. Can’t wait to get there - the soundtrack for it sounds demented. Or maybe I’ll go to the orthon and trigger Astarion’s second romance. I have zero regrets so far for giving Astarion one level of bard instead of leveling him up properly as a rogue. 10/10 would do it again. He even landed a vicious mockery on He Who Was.

#bg3 #bg3 playthrough #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 spoilers

1 note · View note

hellmouth-manor · 8 months

Text

dromio || cedric || ch2 body react

The scent of copper sits heavy on the back of Cedric’s tongue, carried through the air and into his lungs at the first inhale after stepping into the library. It’s sweet in the sort of way that should turn his stomach. It should, but it doesn’t. Instead, it feels familiar—like rough carpet under his palms; like long, late night car rides with the windows rolled down; like mall music echoing through empty halls. It sets his mind at ease.

At least, until he looks a little closer. It’s not the body very clearly lacking a head that unnerves him. He hadn’t really known Wakako all that well, and it would take something worse than that to turn his stomach at this point. It’s something else that slowly stirs in the back of his mind, sent out from where it’d been filed away to ever-so-politely deliver itself into his thoughts.

Cedric’s eyes glance over the rest of the group until he finds Hisashi. He’s not surprised to find that Hisashi is already looking back at him. Of course he would. There’s an unspoken understanding between them. It’s an instinct just as familiar as the smell of Poppy’s blood pooling on the floor. Ah. Right. That.

He looks back towards the corpse on the ground with no particular emotion on his face, in part because he’s already separated the two in his mind—Poppy the person, and the thing someone has left on the ground like a puppet whose strings have all been cut. (The other part was simply that he didn’t have many feelings about Poppy aside from… frustration.)

I pity those who don't understand or have the love of a family. Nothing can truly forge bonds like blood does…

Some ugly, bitter part of him stares down at the red pool and can only feel that frustration melt into vindication. What good is your blood doing for you now, Poppy? he thinks. The answer, of course, is: Not much. But Cedric already knew that.

Poppy’s lofty talk of family had made his stomach twist in ways that the scene in front of him could never. This scene, Cedric knows, is where blood will leave you. This is what happens when you put your faith into something that will always go running out on you at the barest hint of an escape. Maybe Poppy’s pity for him had been displaced. Cedric certainly wouldn’t be bothering with placing his anywhere.

But there are bonds other than blood—ones that far outlast it. Ones that Poppy was so fond of overlooking. Cedric looks around the group once again, noting (but not quite understanding) the apparent grief that other people felt. These are bonds didn't need blood. These are bonds will still be there, long past when the red stain left on the library floor is mopped up and forgotten.

His gaze drifts to Alou, as the man sits curled up in the chair with Micah by his side. Even here, Cedric won’t risk misplacing his pity. He still remembers what Alou told him, after Hisashi had been executed.

If Poppy was gone... I would feel very much like a ghost.

Well, Cedric thinks to himself, we both know you won't be haunting anything for too long. Poppy will be back soon enough, after all.

Finally, he looks back towards the other body curled up in a chair. The one missing its loud, obnoxious, very lively head. Maybe this is where his pity should go—to something with no eyes to see it in his stare, or ears to hear it in his words, or mouth to protest against it. To prove him wrong.

If it’s misplaced there, then maybe it doesn’t belong anywhere at all.

It would only make sense, coming from him.

#ch2 #reaction #cedric

0 notes

slasherwhxre · 3 years

Note

Already enjoying this blog! And love how you write the characters! Could we possibly get a continued version of the ‘catching feelings’? I’d kill to see more of that with Ghostface but with the more one-sidedness in there if you ever get the chance please! (Seriously though, asks aside, I’m realllly glad I stumbled upon you! You have no idea! Made my whole damn night!!)

that's so sweet! <3 very funny you'd say that, I had already written a continuation. I think you'll come to agree it's very one-sided lol

Masterlist

DbD Killers' Reaction to: Catching Feelings for You, pt. 2

|| Characters: Danny 'Jed Olsen' Johnson, Michael Myers, Frank Morrison

words: 2k whoops

[pt. 1] | [pt. 2] (here)

Danny 'Jed Olsen' Johnson:

It had been too easy for his liking, let him say that.

Poor bastards didn't even try to fight Ghostface back.

Not that it would've changed anything. When Danny had a plan, he always did, he'd execute it with near perfection.

Where the hell were you, though? He was getting uninterested while her waited on top of the closed hatch. Of course, it had opened thanks to him.

Danny tutted, you were never going to make it alive at this rate. He opened the hatch back up for you and was surprised at the action. God, when had he turned into this nice person?

Almost gagging, he hid behind a wall.

Soon, your exhausted frame walked over.

Finally, he was mad.

"You're terrible at this."

He popped up from his place. You let out a scream that he savored and fell back. A pained yelp escaped your lips when the cut on your lower thigh met the unnatural earth.

It worked. Little weakling.

"Gosh, see," He chuckled without meaning to. "Not only did you fall, but you fell on your injured leg!" He shook his head in mock disapproval. You squirmed, backing up while clammy hands slipped against the dark dirt.

He walked closer, in no hurry. "What do you want?!"

"You."

The unexpected response heightened the terror. "W.. what?" Your eyes pleaded with him, tears welling up. Ah, beautiful. He burned the image inside his mind before crouching down to your level, seeing eye to mask eye. "No need to be so shy."

"Please, don't-" You begged, words getting choked up in your throat.

He tilted his head. Huh?

"Don't take your picture?" He finished your sentence.

"Pic..picture?" Bewildered eyes looked at the hooded figure.

He looked displeased.

"Fine, but you have to see this one I took of you before."

Taking his camera out, he showed the photo. It captured the five seconds before you had first spotted him watching. You stared at the device like a deer in highlights.

"What, you don't like it?" He teased, slight surprise in his tone. "I'm offended, but I'll let it go." You hoped he didn't mean it.

"No, I-"

"What about this one?" He interrupted once more, the object showing another scene. "Now this. It's good. You have to agree." It didn't seem like he was joking.

You forced a nod, agreeing. "I knew it," He chuckled, "Great minds think alike." You did look excellent in that one, he thought, red was really your color.

He moved to the next one.

A horrifying sight stared back.

The corpse of one of your friends laid still while he stood behind it. "Ahh, not that." He scolded the object. "Unless you want to recreate that one with me." Wink. You couldn't see it of course, but it was the thought that counted, right?

"N. No, I don't-" Danny crossed his arms and puffed out air. "You're no fun."

The only enjoyment he had so far was and stalking you and watching you fall on your butt right in front of him. "Let's take a normal one then, for now."

The last part sent chills down your spine, but you knew there was no other choice but to let it happen. "C'mon," he gestured himself. "Get closer, I won't bite." No, he wouldn't, you reckoned, you'll stab me.

Moving your body besides the killer, you felt weak. Tired.

The blood loss was catching up and making your head spin. At the last second, he grabbed the side of your waist, pressing you into him before the flash went off.

You couldn't see but he was smiling from ear to ear under his disguise. The memorabilia was proof you were his, he'd show all the killers once he was back.

Michael Myers:

He knew the consequences and, he ignored them. Michael promised to do extra well in the next trial instead. You wouldn't be there hopefully, because the Entity counted on him.

In the present, had to follow his heart. Did that sounded right?

Stalking came easy, and it was enjoyable, sure, but much to everyone's disbelief, it had its limits. Even for the Boogeyman.

He knew that you knew already, everyone did. Following you around like a puppy got him some pretty weird stares. Not that you even looked back anymore.

Michael felt ignored.

Reaching another broken machine, you began working on it when another teammate emerged.

"He's watching you. Run, I got this," said Steve. You looked down, "I.. know."

"Well, go. Go get cover." His helpfulness insisted, looking out for you. "Otherwise, you'll be the obsession, he will-"

You interrupted him, feeling guilty at the persistence, knowing it'd be for nothing. "No, I think I already am. It's too late." The voyeur hadn't even spared the others as little as a peek the whole match.

Steve felt a chill.

"Well, that's bad news," Michael noted the sad manner he used. "Then listen to me, you have to-"

"No," you dismissed, the worry in his eyes was too much, "I don't think he wants to hurt me."

It didn't show thanks to his cover, but your words had brought an unknown emotion to his psyche. Were you right? Not even knowing himself, it was strange.

"That's because he's going to keep you for last!"

The fellow survivor raised his voice. Michael didn't like that.

"Wha-, why would he do that?" Suddenly, you felt your heartbeat spike up, beating right in your throat. Simultaneously, the alarm went off, indicating the doors to freedom were opening. It was all a lot to take in at once. "We gotta go right now. Follow m-"

His words left hanging in the air like his body. Michael swiftly grabbed the jock's throat and pulled him up above his height. A coarse yowl echoed throughout the Realm as you fell back with shock, instantly shivering. Covering your open mouth with shaking hands, hot tears forced their way down your cheeks. The Shape jagged his rusty knife inside.

It was over for him. It had been your fault. You had stalled him, hadn't taken his advice and in the end, he had taken the fall for you, sacrificing himself.

Michael felt glad that he hadn't lost his edge after all. You got him too close to it, he believed. Too close for comfort.

Throwing the man like a potato sack, he discarded the body.

You were right, Steve, you talked to the dead man internally, he did leave me for last. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.

The blood of the once-alive 19-year-old dripped down the pointy item in his grasp, your eyes never leaving the traumatic sight until he turned to your frozen and quivering physique. It was delighting to him that you hadn't even gotten up to run.

Now. A head tilt.

You met his cold eyes at last. What'd he do with you?

Frank Morrison:

He let you go that trial. Bet you hadn't expected that. Gentleman much, Frank?

Unfortunately, his infamy had backfired for the very first time.

You hadn't expected the rest of the survivors to come up to you, fascinated by his lack of wrath toward you. That and an acquaintance had asked him why he had taken mercy on the rookie. What are you implying? He had snarled at the unwanted murderer in Legion's headquarters. It irritated the leader that Ghostboy thought he could just barge in and question his motives. He didn't owe him or anyone an answer.

Much to his annoyance though, his friends were interested too.

Too bad. In actuality, he couldn't say why for sure. Could you blame a killer guy for wanting to make a good first impression?

"Do you have a crush or something?" Ghostface held back a giggle as he said the childish word.

"None of your business."

"That wasn't a no."

"It wasn't a yes either when you asked if you could come over."

"Fine," he threw his hands up, accepting defeat. "Point taken,"

Frank relaxed for a moment, relieved the surprise interrogation was finished. "But if you tell me," Stubborn fucker. "I'll leave and ask if I can visit next time I wanna hang out."

Hmm. Frank considered it for a moment.

A pretty good deal, had it been real. He took out a cigarette from his pocket. Julie, who had been listening, handed him his lighter.

"I can tell when you're bullshitting me."

Danny rolled his eyes beneath the mask. "Ugh, okay, yeah, good job. You called me out. So," he pointed his finger up as if to state a good point on his part, "As a reward, you get to be honest." Frank both groaned and snickered at the desperate attempt. "How dumb do you think I am?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

He threw his head back in frustration, looking at the abnormal sky above, wondering what he had done to deserve it all.

"Oh come on, I'm your friend! Humor me." The older man continued before he could respond. "Yeah, yeah, I'm not Legion, whatever, I know." Danny crossed his arms, mask tilted. Frank exhaled. "But I don't have to be Legion to tell her you're crushing on her." Frank's head hadn't turned that fast before in his entire life.

"You wouldn't."

"So, you DO have a crush on her."

He didn't answer that. No comments. Susie and Joey looked at each other with amused smiles. "Jules, you lost. Hand over your mask." Joey called out and the woman sighed. "Fine. Just don't tag dumb shit on it or I'll kill you." She wouldn't.

Frank looked off in the distance, being outed felt awkward. "Cat got your tongue?"

Danny furrowed his brows and mocked him. "Or did you finally ran outta snarky remarks?"

"Have you ever considered not everybody is as talkative as you are?" Guess he had been wrong.

"For your information, yes." He nodded at the man. "I have considered everyone is boring before."

"I'm not boring."

"Is that why you just left her?" The peeved man scoffed, still amazed at the former's actions.

"Couldn't have fucked her on the hook or something?" Frank's headache grew a metric ton. He threw away the remains of his cigarette and stomped on it, infuriated.

"Wait, I got it." He doubted that.

"You don't know how to kiss." The ghost gasped. "Oh, you poor thing," The imitated sadness was over the top. "You lead a gang and yet.." He shook his head, gesturing Frank. "Do you need lessons? But I have to say, I charge a lot."

"Listen, dumbass." The younger man grabbed the visitor's collar, nearly taking off his disguise. His friends were nonchalant at the development. "Fine, fine," Danny backed away.

"I'll just tell her you don't like her then."

His eye twitched in anger.

The out-of-place man knew no boundaries.

Despite fuming inside, he let go of his black clothes and moved aside to cross his arms and glare at him.

Danny could talk the talk, there was no win in arguing with a smooth talker.

Coming into the realization of what the now quiet man was doing, Ghostface put a hand over the mouth of his mask. "No," he breathed in. "No, it can't be."

Frank nodded his head as if to say Yes, it is.

"Not the silent treatment. Whatever will I do," He impersonated defeat right before his tone did a complete 180. "Actually, I know what to do, can 100% say you'll try to kick my ass for it. Anyway, already said too much, bye."

He hurried off like his words, stopping for a moment to wave a dark gloved hand back at Susie.

"Come visit again and do the thing you're going to do!"

You know I will, he said to himself as he walked away.

"Susie," Frank said, voice weary, "Stop encouraging him."

"Ghostie is welcome here." She retaliated, pouting. The rest had no input.

Anyhow, it was too late. Frank would kill him.

If he only could, he'd wish.

Too bad he'd find you before Frank. Entity was sure quick to push you into the hands of a psycho.

He wouldn't forget to mention the important detail after downing you. What? You'd say.

"Oh yeah, he's super enamored. I'm talking head over heels." He'd reply right before sending you back to the campfire.

tag list: @prettycutebunny

1K notes · View notes

sp00kworm · 3 years

Text

Black Oak (Part 2)

Pairing: Alcott Glyn (Headless Horseman) x Gender Neutral Reader

Warnings: Body Horror, Murder

PART 1

---

The police arrived about an hour after you had woke-up the whole village screaming. Peswick was far away from the nearest city’s response, and you sat shivering, wrapped in a blanket from the house, clutching it close as Mrs Shaw rushed to bring you a hot drink. She and her husband were dressed, but neither went into your house. They rushed back home, bringing you a cup of tea from their own kitchen along with a foil blanket for the shock. You weren’t allowed to touch the body, and you tried to ignore the swinging noise of the corpse as you sat perched on the front doorstep to your home, sniffling into the cup of tea. The police took off their hats as they stepped past your gate, and you watched as the crime scene investigation and forensic van pulled up behind them. The two officers nodded at Mr and Mrs Shaw before smiling as best they could.

“Would you like to come with us, please?” The male officer asked gently, “Lets go inside and we’ll get your statement of events, okay?” The female officer with him looked back at the tree and swallowed hard as Forensics suited up to remove the body and take evidence.

“Come on, Sully.” He ushered his companion as he helped you to your feet and nodded to your neighbours. He whistled and smiled as he opened the door for you, “Nice old place you’ve got here.” He complimented kindly, the corners of his eyes wrinkled with crows’ feet, “Mrs Finch used to live here. Are you a relative?”

You shook as the officer led you gently into the front room, “It…She was my aunty, distantly.” You whispered as you eased yourself back onto the sofa, clutching the lukewarm tea tightly, as though it was a lifeline in your grasp.

“She was a kind woman. Made a lot of oils out of her garden, but she had nothing but trouble and vandalism with this place. Kids used to make a mess of the sides of the house regularly.” He tipped his head to the wall where the fireplace was, “It was always on the chimney. She never did anything, but the kids called her a witch and all that trollop.” He shook his head.

“You haven’t introduced yourself.” Sue gave him a lopsided smile as she pulled out the clipboards full of paperwork to be completed.

“Ah, so I haven’t!” The officer dipped his head, “I’m Officer Perks.” He pointed to the blond woman with him, “And this is my partner Officer Sullivan.”

You nodded shakily licked your lips, “It was nice to meet you. Thank you for coming. I know...Its far.” A breathy sigh left you as Sullivan took out her pens from her vest and smiled.

“We just need an account of what you did this morning and if you knew the victim.” Percy offered as he sat on your couch, “Spare no details. Even something small to you might be important to us.”

Conflict burned in your throat and gut as you thought about what had happened, “I don’t remember anything of relevance from last night. I spent the night in bed. I’ve only just moved in, so I was exhausted.” You took a shuddering breath and continued, “I went out this morning to the tree and…and I looked up… and he was hanging there, without his head.” You looked into the tea in your hands, noting that it was now ice cold.

“How long have you been here?” Sullivan asked as she shorthand filled in the details on the paperwork, “You said you moved in recently?” Perks looked from the paper to you and smiled reassuringly.

“I moved in yesterday afternoon.” You whispered and Sullivan gave you a pitying look.

Perks shifted against the cushions, “Did you have anyone with a grudge against you or motive from where you used to live?” He asked.

“No one that I know of.” You answered as you put down the cup of tea, fighting the tears and upset.

“Okay so what time did you find the body?” Perks asked. You took a deep sigh and continued to answer the police officer’s questions well into the afternoon.

Perks and Sullivan could drink their weight in tea, it turned out, and you offered them many drinks over the course of the few hours. They had a couple each, pens scratching papers as they took notes and an official account of the events for the records. You looked out of the window as Sue and Percy signed the bottom of the page. Crime Scene Investigations were hoisting the body down from the thick black branch of the oak, working to preserve the noose he was swinging by. Three people held the corpse up as they cut the rope carefully, keeping the knot intact and bagging the rope before they got the body down into the bag on the stretcher.

“He’ll need to go to pathology to determine cause of death…though I think I have a pretty good idea.” Sullivan whispered, trying not to be heard as she eyed you sat across from them. Perks rolled his eyes and elbowed his colleague.

“Here. Let me draw the curtains.” Perks stood and reached for the curtains before drawing them over the forensics team dragging the body into the bag, impassive to the blood that stained their tunics and gloves.

“I think we have everything.” Sullivan announced as she stood up and took hold of both their mugs, “I’ll put these in the kitchen for you.” She offered with a small, pathetic smile.

Perks nodded his head as Sullivan as she left towards the kitchen. You heard her bang the cup on the countertop before you tugged the blanket closer and shifted uncomfortably.

“Thank you for your cooperation today.” Perks took his hat and tucked it under his arm, “I know these kinds of cases are very difficult to talk about. I have this card for you.” He held you out a green printed business card, “That’s the helpline for a couple of organisations and the other side has someone you can seek out if you would like some help talking through all this.”

You looked at the numbers vaguely before nodding and placing the card on the coffee table, “Thank you.” You replied quietly before Perks replaced his hat on his head.

“We’ll see ourselves out. Thank you once again and good afternoon.” He looked at his watch before he opened the lounge door and quietly exited.

Sue scoffed at him in the hall, “Come on. We’ve got these reports to write up.”

“Coming, coming.” Perks grumbled, “Nothing wrong with being nice. They just witnessed a damn corpse…” The voices trailed off as the front door closed behind the two of them with a bang.

Silence.

You looked to the curtains and stood up, letting the blankets finally fall from your shoulders as you fisted each side of the heavy curtains. They were old and embroidered with curling leaves. You tugged them open with a heave and watched the police vans trundle away back down the old stone roads, back towards the hills where they had come from this morning. With a deep breath, you tied the curtains back before taking one last long look at the gnarled, black oak in the garden, and heading towards the stairs for a shower and to get dressed. You hoped that a shower would wash away the sticky feeling of malaise on your skin and mind. Hot water usually purged bad thoughts, or so you hoped as you tried to erase the memory of the swinging corpse from the shrivelled branches of the old oak tree.

You shivered through the house after your shower, wrapped in a jumper and heavy jeans as you tried to navigate the halls without looking out into the garden. The memory of the body lingered with the burning feeling of the heavy box in the other room, filled with an old skull. It was a skull inside. A perfectly preserved ivory skull. The teeth were yellow with age on the enamel, and you looked to the table where the muddy box sat with the key in the lock. The headless creature had moaned and groaned as its head screamed from the other room. You turned and looked at the ornate metal decorations before daring to turn the key again. The lid popped open and flew back to reveal the skull again.

It sat perfectly still on the cushion, staring at you with empty eyes. With a deep breath, you dared to reach out and touch the skulls surface. It didn’t move. No magical energies tore out of the eye holes. It was perfectly still. It was just a skull. But the memory of it screaming and cursing inside the box was burned into your memory and you carefully picked the skull up, cushioning the bottom of its jaw before your strokes over the place where the eyebrows had once been when it was a man. It had to belong to the headless horseman, but why your aunt had it locked away in her home was another question entirely. You held the skull up to your eyes and peered into the bone of the eye sockets as you pondered your decision. There was a glimmer of gold inside the mouth which caught your eyes, and you dared to open the jaw wide enough to snatch at the shiny object. It was a single heavy golden coin which had been wedge between the back teeth. You looked at the old print and then quickly replaced it, wedging the jaw back shut as you placed the skull away on its pillow.

It sat and stared at you, and you stared at it, wondering what happened last night as you clutched at your head and sighed. You slammed the lid closed and snapped the lock closed before you placed the box in the centre of the table.

“What the fuck were you up to aunty?” You asked the air as you rushed to the kitchen to make yourself another drink. As you set the water to boil you continued to curse, thinking about the headless man who what invaded your home chasing the poor man who had ended up hanging from the tree in your front yard. The head had screamed ‘witch’ from its confines, but you had no knowledge about what it could mean. You took the hot water and made a drink before looking at the last few boxes of unpacking and scoffing, deciding that the day would be better spent researching what had slaughtered the man and hung him from your tree.

The village library was barely a few bookshelves put together and you sighed looking at the poor collection of books before you dated to approach the old librarian sat next to the desk. She had her own book open, some trashy romance novel set in the Victorian era, and she looked engrossed as she flipped the page and took another bite of her current tea cake.

“Hello?” You asked quietly in front of her.

The librarian jumped in her seat before she clutched at her chest and adjusted her glasses, “Dearie me! You scared the soul right out of me, love.” she took a moment to take a breath and close her book before she stood with a small wince and smiled, “What can I do for you?”

You could see the questions burning in her eyes. She no doubt knew you were the new person in town, and about what had happened at your home.

“I’m looking for some history books about the town. I wanted to try and get to know the place, but I don’t think there’s anything on the shelves.”

Her face pursed a little before she smiled again and pointed to the last one of the small walls of shelves, “There isn’t a lot but there’s a couple of books on the bottom shelf of the end one. For the records and such I’m afraid you will have to ask at the village hall. Rose keeps them in good nick there, lovely woman she is.”

“Ah, thank you.” You returned her smile and left her to her book as you went to the last set of shelves in the wall and started to rummage through the folklore and history books.

There wasn’t a lot, she was right, and you sighed after about twenty minutes of pulling out books. You tugged the last, thick history book from the shelf and dusted the cover to reveal a history of the local mines and hills. It wasn’t what you were looking for. You peered at the shelf again and huffed before there was a glimmer of silver lining at the back of the bookcase. You squirmed your hand to the back and plucked the small book from behind the tattered paperbacks. It was a pocketbook, stencilled with an old name in cursive, faded and marred with cage.

‘Maria Theresa Glyn’

You dusted the front and followed the name before looking around and tucking the book into your bag. You felt bad just taking it, but obviously the Librarian had no idea it was there, and the name was familiar to you. You remembered the coat of arms on the old teapot. If this was the diary of someone with the same name it might have clues, or so you reasoned as you plucked a few books from the shelf and took them to the counter after replacing the rest.

“Did you find what you were looking for, pet?” The librarian asked as you placed the books on the counter. She smiled and pulled out an old paper ticket to write your name onto. She poised the pen over the paper, and you told her your name before she copied it onto another for you and jotted the book codes down. She tutted at the date stamper and fiddled with it to get it to the correct date. Obviously not many people used the library.

“Yes, I found a few interesting things to have a flick through.” You told her as she stamped the tickets inside the books and stacked them in front of you.

“Well, you have fun...and be careful, huh? There’s a lot of weird and wonderful things that go on around here. It would be a shame if you forgot that, and something happened.” She smiled sweetly, but it sent shivers down your spine.

“Thanks. I’ll try.” You smiled awkwardly back at her before you took your arm full of books and made a quick exit back into the chilly air.

The village seemed to watch you as you wove between the avenue of trees, crunching autumn orange and brown leaves underfoot. The chill in the air mimicked their icy feelings. You were the outsider among them, and soon enough they’d come to hound you out of their home. You only hoped to solve what you had seen. There was no way a headless man was riding around taking heads...right? You tried to console yourself as you made it to your home, and past the gnarled black tree in the front garden. It was twisted and old, and the branches seemed to creak as a greeting on your return. A glare silenced it, or so it seemed, perhaps it was just the wind dying, but the tree went silent as you walked up to the door with your keys in hand. The door swung open when you unlocked it and you clutched at your books as the wind howled into the mouth of the house, screaming down the hall like a ghost before you kicked the front door shut, shivering. The old back boiler chugged in the background as you kicked off your boots and placed the books in the lounge on the small table by the chest.

When the chest remained still and silent you left to place away your bags and get a drink. You returned, rubbing your eyes as you opened the little journal you had found. It was penned with ink and quill, that much was obvious, and you ran your fingers over the woman’s name again before you touched the crest and went to find the teapot. You grabbed the porcelain handle and placed the two together over your lap. They were the same. The Glyn coat of arms. You placed the teapot down and opened the diary to look at the first passage. It was dated back three centuries ago, back when the alliance was beginning to form between the different races, monsters and humans alike, though you could tell this village hadn’t had such luxury. The entire populace was human, apart from the dairy farmers four miles outside the walls of the village. They were large goblins of some kind, cave dwelling and gangly limbed from years in the dark, but you had only seen them.

The first passage was written in neat, printed cursive, echoing the care the woman had taken to write her feelings and events down.

‘Today is the day of my birth. My birthday rather. I was given this journal by the kind Mister Glynn, as a gift, and so I find myself beginning to write down the events of my daily life, so perhaps I can look back on it and reminisce when I am old and grey.

Mister Glyn is a kind soul. He is part of the King’s Royal Entourage and the Commander of a large cavalry unit. Why he is in this small village is unknown to us all, but my father suspects it is because of the Wood Witch. Perhaps he has been tasked with taking her head? It is rumoured the armour he has is enchanted against such magic, but I feel as though those are rumours made about a dangerous and powerful man to excite fear.

He is nothing but polite to me. I suppose my father will want to marry me off to this one as well.’

The passages were perhaps a couple of pages maximum, and you flicked through the dates quickly, watching her words change from cold and indifferent to soft and loving of the man see always called Mister Glyn. It wasn’t until a year later in the diary that you saw his true name.

‘Alcott escorted me to the capital atop Mallor, his beast of a horse, though the creature seems to like me now that I bring him sugar lumps. Alcott wished to show me the city and its fruits though there is rather less fruit and more muck and grime. I am used to mud on my shoes, but I despised the odour of the place, much to his amusement. As I write, I can hear him snickering at me across the table.’

There was a few blotches of ink and another set of handwriting.

‘She stood in a man’s excrement.’

Their trip seemed peaceful, and Maria even attended a gathering at court. It seemed well until you found the final page in the diary, written across a page in shaky ink.

‘They took his head.’

There was no fond farewell at the bottom of the page or a cursive signature. It was stark and naked on the yellowed paper, like a bad omen forever preserved. You ran your fingers over the words before you flicked through the last pages seeing nothing but blood splodges and blackened dark blood at the corners. It smelt faintly of rot, and you recoiled from the smell as you looked at the empty bare pages. The back of the book was burned across the inside of the cover. It was mysterious but it seemed like Alcott Glyn had been killed. But by who? You had no idea but as you looked at the chest again and thought of the head inside you shuddered.

Alcott Glyn. There had to be a grave. You tugged your bag open and stuffed the book inside before you rushed out of the door, locking it quickly as you rushed towards the little church. It was at the top of the hill, sat in a mound of earth, subsiding on one side with props and scaffolding to try and hold it up. It wasn’t used anymore, the town hall was used to any religious needs, but it was haunting. The stained glass was dirty, and the front doors bolted and chained to prevent anyone entering. You rushed around the side of the church and looked at the dates on the graves and the dates in the diary. It had to be the 1700s. You thought back to your history lessons and tried to recall the date of the alliance war. 1774. You rushed around the small paths and glanced at the years, 1770, 1772, 1773... you looked at the gap where the 1774 stone should have stood. There was nothing, just unchurned earth and a set of roses growing from the floor. A troubling feeling settled in your gut as you meandered down the path to the back of the overgrown graveyard. There were old stones, crumbling and forgotten under blackberry vines and leaves. It was chance that you leaned down next to a short stone and looked at the faded name.

Alcott Glyn.

The name was chipped and faded, like the memory of the man. Vines grew in wild abandon over the grave, and the blackberry vines had taken over the base, winding around the whole stone with wide dying leaves. It was perfectly hidden and forgotten about. The village’s little secret in the secluded corner of the graveyard, forgotten and buried. Or apparently, not buried completely. The earth was turned over, like something had ruptured from the ground and burst free. It was a long patch of upturned soil, as long as you were tall, or even longer, and the earth and stones were wet, fresh with the rain from the evening and being upturned, as though someone had run a plower through it. Carefully, you ran your fingers through the earth, feeling the soil between your fingers before you took a steadying breath.

“Someone came out of this…” You breathed into the chilly air, your breath making mist with the cold as you stood and looked over the grave. You said it again before turning and bolting from the graveyard before the night could fall over the village.

When you reached home, you threw your bag onto the couch and grabbed the chest, prising the lock open to peer at the skull inside. It was sat, still as a statue, on the cushion, with the glimmer of gold between its jaws. You lifted it from the cushion, carefully, pulling it up to your face level as the sun set over the horizon, bathing you in a golden glow with the skull clasped between your hands. There was nothing but the distant hum of the hot water pipes in the old house to answer your stare. The skull did nothing. It sat in your hands as the sunlight died over the horizon and the night began to settle in. In your gut, disappointment settled with the cold reminder that you were holding a dead man’s skull. A real human skull. Carefully, you placed it back down on the cushion and sighed as you went to draw the curtains, ignoring the creaking of the gnarled oak tree outside your door.

The wind blew as you looked back at the head in the chest, positioned slightly skewed on the cushion. You chewed your lip and sighed before you stood over it again.

“Alcott Glyn.” You whispered to the skull. Nothing. The old electrics flickered for a moment, dimming before they brightened again. Silence, except for the hum of the back boiler. The breath you had been holding escaped and you turned away with a grumble before the lights surged bright and yellow, like the sun, before the bulbs exploded in a sudden thunder of noise. Glass shattered and flew across the carpet in a shower, and you gasped, covering your ears before you looked back at the cushion.

The head was sat, jaw agape, with two lights in the blackened sockets, rolling side to side. The little lights rolled like stoned before they settled on you and the open jaw began to jitter, chattering the yellowed teeth together loudly. The skull didn’t move, just snapped it’s teeth like a scared dog before it stopped, and the eyes dimmed. It was only a moment of silence before there were three heavy pounds on your door. With a gasp you rushed to draw the curtains, and gazed upon the creature stood on your doorstep, his steed kicking and throwing it’s head by the twisted roots of the black tree. The body stood there, breathing, its undead chest moving as though it needed the air.

“Alcott Glyn.” You whispered again with a dry mouth. All the moisture dried up from you and you tried not to shake as the skull slammed against the side of the box, it’s eyes glowing.

It shook and chattered its teeth before a voice screamed from between the open jaw, “Let me in, witch!”

Fear twisted your guts as you rushed to slam the chest shut on the screaming skull. It chanted inside the decorative metal, hollering about burning you at the stake before you took it to the front door. The horseman slammed his fist on the door again, repeatedly, as though he was going to tear it open, and you shivered as your fingers shook by the latch and keys.

The horseman began to bang repeatedly and the head in the chest slammed around, shaking your arms as you struggled to keep hold of it. You took a stuttering breath and unlatched the door, turning the keys before you wrenched it open. The headless horseman heaved puffs of misty breath up from the stump of his neck, his trachea flexing with the movement as the nerves of his spinal cord twitched and thrummed behind it, imitating life in his corpse body.

“Witch!” the skull screamed again, his head you realised as you stepped back, and the creature followed. His boots left muddy smeared marks on the wooden floors, and you looked down to see the crushed blackberries over the soles. Your heart pounded as you realised, he had crawled from the grave you had sat by earlier.

“I saw you by my grave. I will not do business with you again.” His voice came from his body this time, contorted and dark as it leaked from his lungs like a wisp.

“Business? What business have you?” You asked, voice shaking with fear.

The skull laughed in its box, a malicious and evil noise, dark and tempting, as though you were truly stupid for asking, “What business did we not have? Have you forgotten in your age, crone? Death and blood, that’s what you wanted, and I delivered it.”

“Who did you have the deal with?” You steeled yourself.

“You, you pathetic soothsayer.” He droned before his dead fist slammed the door closed, “Now give me my head. Our bargain is met.”

“I am not my aunty.” You tried, “I have no deal with you.”

The horseman stopped, his body stiffening as his horse brayed and screamed outside, kicking its hooves at the black oak with a great smash. The tree shook, shedding twigs, but didn’t fall. He stalked closer, the bulk of his frame blocking out the light from the moon and the electric fitting overhead.

“But you have my head.” The skull whispered from inside the box before he grabbed for the chest. He touched the metal of the latch and screamed, the noise escaping the corpse before you and the skull inside the box. It was an ear piercing, unholy noise which burned your ears and made your head swim in agony. The horseman clutched at his chest and the stump of his neck, his gloved fingers pressing into the gored wound of his neck as he wobbled towards the wall and grasped at it for balance.

“Fuck.” You cursed before you whipped the chest open and grabbed his skull by its eye sockets, hanging it over him as he slid down the wall and screamed again in agony, twitching against the wood.

“If I give you your head, horseman, will you indebt yourself to me? Your previous contract will be null, and you will only serve me.” You announced.

The horseman writhed before going deathly still. He laid like a corpse for a moment or two before shakily he braced his arm against the floor and pushed himself up. With a shudder he got onto his knees and kneeled before you, his neck dipped to expose the sore, congealed wound of his decapitation.

“I... I will serve.” The horseman gurgled.

“Then I give you your head to end your torment, Alcott Glyn.” You promised before you held his skull between your palms and lowered it to the spinal column of his body.

There was a great groan as the spine extended from Alcott’s body and snapped to the skull, holding it in place as the eyes burned bright with purple light, the colour of blackberries, rolling in his skull as he reached and clasped at the bone, howling as light burned from the base of his neck and enveloped his skull with a whoosh of purple fire. The fire abated quickly as the moonlight disappeared behind the curtains and the skull shimmered as muscle and tendons swarmed the bone, linking and covering the surface before the he howled, and skin crept from his neck to his face, covering the surface in a perfect alabaster coating. His eyes however, remained voids of black, the centres beautiful blackberry lights in the dimness of your home. Black waves of hair grew from his head, dripping over his shoulders like ink as he howled, leaned against the old wallpaper. They finished growing with a crackle of fire, purple flames licking at the ends before it disappeared, leaving a heaving, black eyed creature curled against the wooden floor.

Your mouth hung open as you watched the horseman shake against the wood, heaving as he reached to clutch at the hair that draped from his previously naked skull. The inky waves slid through his gloved hands and was quickly marred with dirt and blood before he peered at you through the curtain, looking at you with the purple lights in his irises which were sunken back into his skull. His lips parted before he took a deep breath, wheezing out dust and muck, coughing like a goose before he kicked the chapped skin and crawled closer to your feet. He only looked at you, staring before one gloved hand whipped out and snatched your ankle, holding it tightly in an iron grip.

“Bound to your bloodline again...” he growled, “Humiliating.” Before he pushed himself back and stood, swaying on his legs like a new-born deer as his balance came back to him. Having a head was a heavy burden.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.” You breathed as Alcott slammed the side of his head and beat dirt out of his ears.

“Of course, you don’t. None of you ever do. Now I’m bound here to you until the day you drop dead and rot. Why can you never let me die?” He growled in a worked-up fury, flinging his hands to the windows before he stalked to the door, his boots slamming against the wood. He swung it open, and his mount brayed in greeting, throwing its giant head back before it caught sight of you and snorted, bowing it’s neck like a graceful Swan.

“You are all the same!” The horseman shouted before the moon was revealed, a cloud moving away from its white surface. He shuddered and you watched the skin on his face disappear with the muscle, revealing the purple lights in a bare, burning skull. As the cloud recovered the moon, the base of his neck flared with purple smoke and fire, revealing the scar where he was decapitated, and his face reappeared.

“I gave you your head back, Alcott!” You shouted after him.

The horseman shivered and turned back to you, looking at you with his haunting eyes, both hands gripping the pommel and stand of the saddle, “How do you know my name?” He whispered in questioning.

With a small breath, you locked your lips nervously and ducked back to the table, grabbing the little diary from you bag before you stood on your porch and held it out to the wraith, “Maria wrote about you.”

He growled and snatched at the book, and you let him take it with a painful smile, “I know the townspeople killed you. They betrayed you. I don’t know what happened to Maria.” You confessed.

Alcott opened the diary and flicked through it before he looked at the night sky, “She lived in mourning the rest of her life. They institutionalised her after they found her carrying my head, wailing through the town. She died, high on cocktails of medicines, with her head buried in the soft soil of a flower bed.”

The revelation was something of a shock and you looked at the undead man in front of you with a bitter, pitying look.

“You watched her die, didn’t you?” You asked, barely above a whisper.

The horseman scoffed, “That was the curse after all. To terrorise the town for their betrayal. But not her. I used to try call to her from the window, but she never could bare to look at me. Eventually they gave her more cocktails and she stopped coming to the window all together.”

“Jesus Christ.” You cursed.

“Such foul language.” Alcott sneered as he snapped the diary shut in his gloved hand, “She died from the madness and grief. That is the fault of the town and its yet another reason to run into each of these homes and tear their heads from their bodies.” Alcott spat furiously. As fury overtook him you could see the white scarred seem of where his head had been replaced burning with smoke the purple fumes puffing from it like a new wound before his neck popped and cracked, sending his head to the left, hanging on by a thread of flesh to the other side. You let out a screech and clasped your mouth as the horseman gurgled and reached for his head, grasping it by the hair before he groaned and dragged it back into place, snapping the vertebrae back into place with a twist and a squelch of bloodied tissue. It cracked again quickly, and Alcott held the top of his hair tightly with a groan as the smoke poured from his mouth and his head twisted backwards like a ghoul, spinning on his neck before it snapped again and came free, rolling over the floor to your feet as a skull. The flesh and hair melted in waves of muck from its surface, and you shakily took hold of the skull again.

The horseman stumbled left and right as he reached towards you for his head.

“MY HEAD, WITCH!” He howled at you, but you dashed back up the porch steps and held it protectively.

“You are under my command. Anything against my wishes is against our contract...so you lose your head. Do you hear me horseman?” You blagged, hoping you were right, “So there will be no killing.”

“Evil, corrupt creature. I'll hang you by your feet and bleed you from the neck!” Alcott threatened as fire and smoke poured from his throbbing trachea. The smoke puffed before he went sent to the floor in agony, the black oak behind him creaking and swaying left and right as though the roots were snaking towards him. Sure enough, the ground rumbled, and the black oak’s roots exploded from the ground, snagging the horseman by his wrists and ankles hoisting him into the air as the branches hissed and his mount, Mallor, brayed and screamed, blood spraying over the fence from the horses broken throat.

It was a curse. You should have expected as much, but you shook as the tree cinched the man’s limbs, holding them tight before it pulled, making him scream in agony as his joints were pulled tight.

“Stop!” You screamed, and the tree stopped pulling, holding the horseman aloft still as it swayed and bent towards you, its branches touching your head as though trying to figure out who you were.

“He is mine.” You told the tree, “He will obey and submit to the laws of his contract.”

The tree groaned, it’s roots wiggling in the cold, hard earth for a moment before it dropped Alcott like a sack of grain and settled down quietly, smacking at the horse inching closer to its trunk.

Alcott touched at his neck as he rose, swaying as he cracked and snapped his joints back into place like a disjointed puppet.

“Are you going to play nice now?” You asked as the man wheezed in front of you. When he nodded you offered him his skull back and watched the skin and flesh cover its surface again before he snarled behind his curtain of overgrown hair, blackberry-coloured lights burning the void of his eyes.

“You truly are her kin if that disgusting thing listens to you.” He snapped as he headed for his horse and mounted the saddle with a quick bounce on one powerful leg, his thighs locking tight around the beast’s sides as it bucked and brayed. Alcott turned his horse and tipped his head with a wave of purple smoke and fire, “Call on me then, witch, and see what havoc I can wreak for you.” Alcott laughed bitterly as he turned Mallor onto the cobbled drive and rode onto the road, his face becoming bone and flesh intermittently as the clouds passed overhead.

“I’m not a witch!” You screamed after the horseman, but he was gone into the mist and the trees, unlikely to have heard you cursing against the stairs of the porch as you collapsed.

#headless horseman x reader #alcott glyn x reader #headless horseman x gender neutral reader #headless horseman #alcott glyn #dullahan x reader #dullahan #dullahan x gender neutral reader #monster x reader #monster boyfriend #monster boy #monster bf #monster boyfriend x reader #monster reader inserts #reader inserts #my writing #original works

155 notes · View notes

tooweirdforyou · 3 years

Note

I-I very much enjoyed your fic with the S/O having a mean & horrible ex. I-I was wondering if you could do one with Law, Shanks and Crocodile?? (It’s cause I too had a very horrible ex and it was very comforting to read your lovely fics) thank you so much and I hope you stay safe and have a lovely day 🥺💖💖💖💖💖

Law, Shanks + Crocodile And A S/O With A Mean Ex

A/N : I’m sorry this took a while, I really hope you all are okay, with having to experience and deal with exes like that :/

note : mentions of abuse / harsh words / names

no mention of specificity so I varied scenes.

Summary : these boys reacting to your mean ex coming by and talking to you.

Zoro, Mihawk, Ace » Here!

Law

Law is harsh. He is sadistic. He is angry. But yet, he remains calm. Though, he is quite the provoking type. He’s almost a Yandere.

It starts off on just coming onto an island in hopes to pick up some supplies. As much as the others focus, Penguin and Shachi are easy to get distracted and immediately made friends with a particular someone, while you were out with Law.

Once the crew regrouped at the coast, you and Law find Shachi and Penguin laughing with an unfamiliar person and your eyes widen at the sight.

“[ Ex Name ]?”

Almost immediately, laughter ceased and your ex turn to you with wide eyes before a sneer was seen, shocking everyone else once again.

“[Name]? What the hell are you doing here?” Your ex scoffs as they roll their eyes. “Everywhere I go, it seems it always links back to you, I swear.”

Your brows furrowed as you unintentionally took a step back, Law quickly noticing the said action as he narrows his eyes at the person.

“Who are you? What business do you have with [Name]-ya?”

“What business? Who the fuck are you?” Your ex then snaps in realization. “Ah, you must be the surgeon of death, captain of the Heart Pirates.” They began to cackle.

“Doctor? You went for a doctor after me?” They continue to laugh, you just gulping as they continue to take step by step closer to you.

Unknown to the group, Law was creating a giant room and his sword was ready to slice your ex apart.

“It makes sense you’d go for a doctor. Maybe he could find what the hell is wrong with your brain for even thinking about leaving me, you little—!”

Shutting your eyes and bracing for another physical attack from your ex, you widen them when you hear Law’s voice.

“That’s enough.”

SLASH!

“You really have the nerve to come to my crew, to walk towards my significant other, and dare attempt to hit them?”

Swinging his sword to rest on his shoulder, his eyes darken dangerously and a cocky smirk was found on his lips, nearly sending chills down everyone’s spine as they stare at your ex that was cut into two.

“What were you saying about them dating a doctor? Oh, that’s right. ‘To fix something in their brain’ was it? It was actually to allow me to heal any disgusting injuries that you both mentally and physically caused [Name]-ya.” Law corrects, pulling down his sword to cut a few more pieces from your ex.

Speaking of which, your ex didn’t say a word, mostly internally panicking at the sight of his limbs apart from each other, since he was witnessing first hand, the Surgeon of Death’s skills.

“Where is that arrogant attitude just now? What happened?” Law hums, tilting his head to the side before he continued to cut them piece by piece.

“Law.. let’s go..”

Law stands up hearing you and with a piercing glare, he sheathes his sword and stepped onto one of your ex’s hands, eliciting a whimper from them.

“Next time, I’ll break off your arms to make sure you can never even attempt to hurt [Name]-ya.”

With that, he began heading back to the submarine, guiding you along with him as the crew silently followed, the room disappearing and left your ex alone, all cut up.

And though you were in public, in front of the crew, Law willingly brought you closer to him. His movement gentle with you. Only for you, was he soft.

Shanks

Though Shanks’ looks are quite calm about all of this, his eyes say otherwise.

It would be when you are sailing around the New World, heading out to the Grand Line to meet with Mihawk with Shanks.

However, along the way, it seems something had occurred. A lone sailer, drifting across the water on a small boat passed out.

The kind gentleman he was, Shanks told the crew to pull him up and treat them. You almost didn’t recognize who it was, until they actually confronted you, and it seems someone still held anger within themselves.

“[Name]?”

You’d be shocked for sure, unable to say a word, just speechless that the person Shanks saved, turned out to be your ex that you left after they verbally abused you.

“Why the hell are you on Red Haired’s ship?... you don’t belong here..not on the famous, notorious one armed Emperor.” They were clutching their arm and had bandages all around them.

“I..” Before you could say anything, your ex continued to talk, unknown to the red-haired pirate Captain coming out himself.

“Even when we were dating, you always stood out. Not in the good way. You kept making trouble for me and everyone else, and just never belonged anywhere with anyone. I’m almost embarrassed I dated you.”

You simply look away, ignoring whatever he had to say, missing Shanks silent steps forward.

“You’re just an accident waiting to happen. Oh wait.. it already did.”

Before your ex could continue further, Shanks was already looming over them on the ground, the sharpest glare his eyes could muster. He didn’t even have to use haki to instantly intimidate your ex. You could tell from the fearful and shocked look across their face.

“My apologies, sir/Ma’am. I don’t think I heard you right. Could you repeat that for me?” His one arm would be gripping the hilt of his sword casually.

His face plastered the forceful and harshest grin you’ve ever seen.

“I know you couldn’t have insulted my beloved so casually like that, so I must kindly ask you to repeat your words once more. My dear [Name] is an angel and if you really have the guts to say further unnecessary things to my lover.. well.”

He began to unsheathe his sword and a smirk came over his lips.

“I can make you a nonfamous, one-armed asshole.”

Fully unsheathed, Shanks casually held out his sword, now crouching down to their level. “Would you like that?”

Hyperventilating at the thought of being cut by one of the Emperors, your ex simply screamed and ran over to the railing of the ship, before jumping off for his life.

You were just shocked, not quite sure of what to say or think but Shanks quickly snapped you out of it, his sword now sheathed and hand gently caressing yours.

“Hey, Angel. Let’s continue sailing and once we greet Mihawk, let’s have a party and relax. Okay?”

Crocodile

Crocodile is condescending.

He’d just sneer and scoff at your ex.

It’d be when you two are away for a bit, along with Mr. 1, Daz Bones. After Crocodile’s title as Warlord has been revoked.

You two were just together, Crocodile walking with you around the area and occasionally looking at a couple things through the display window, and if you looked at something a little too long, he’d immediately buy it for you, plus more, despite your attempts to stop him.

Now, this time, Crocodile and Daz had to discuss a certain topic that he didn’t want you to overhear, so he gave you some money and told you to wander around and buy yourself some things.

Not wanting to disrupt their important meeting, you agreed, and so you were simply just walking around the town on your own.

Unfortunately, had to bump into someone along the way. Literally.

About to fall on your ass, a hand caught yours immediately. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you! Are you okay?-“

Almost immediately, once the person recognized your face, they let go and caused you to fall anyways.

“[Name]?!” Clear confusion ran across their face as they immediately jumped back at the shock. “Why are you here?”

You barely heard them, feeling pain on your tailbone from the rough fall as you slowly stood up. “I’m here.. for none of your business..”

Coughing slightly, your ex scrunches up their face before rolling their eyes. “I can’t believe I almost saved you. Get out of my sight, [Name]. This town isn’t big enough for the both of us.”

“Why don’t you leave instead?”

Crocodile, making his way over with Daz behind him, stares down at your ex like he was inferior. Nothing more than a pest.

His cigar between his teeth and his giant coat hanging around his shoulders, which he took off and carefully placed around you once he was beside you.

“Tch. An ex-warlord? Pathetic. I can’t believe you’re actually going out with a man like him.” Your ex comments rudely, making Crocodile smirk a bit in amusement, walking towards your ex and gripping his throat with his large hand.

“A man like me, you say? Someone who is strong enough to even become a warlord. Someone with money and power that can easily take you down within seconds?”

Slowly, your ex began to lose all liquid in their body and was becoming wrinkly, due to Crocodile’s sand.

His smirk then drops to one unimpressed as he squeezed harder, until there was nothing left.

“You are undeserving to even be in my nor [Name]’s presence. Get lost, you pathetic waste of space.”

With that, Crocodile dropped your ex’s lifeless corpse and turned to you, with a soft expression. “Let’s go, darling. We’ll find you some new clothing.”

Hand pressed against the dip of your back, he gently guided you away from the scene and let Daz take care of your ex’s body.

Sorry for the delay, anon. I sincerely hope this was okay!

#tooweirdforyou #one piece #one piece x reader #op x reader #x reader #op #sir crocodile x reader #sir crocodile #one piece crocodile #crocodile x reader #red haired shanks #akagami no shanks #shanks x reader #one piece shanks #trafalgar d. water law x reader #trafalgar d. water law #trafalgar law x reader #trafalgar law #law x reader

891 notes · View notes

bitchwhoreofastorm · 3 years

Text

[based on a headcanon by @nemenalya ]

The boy with no name has died. A stiff wind's blown over High Hrothgar and swept him right off the edge of the cliff.

The other students are alerted by the screaming. The boy with no name's only friend in the world, a shy little lad who's been here only a year, stands by the cliff and screams and screams and screams. Since nothing fun ever happens in High Hrothgar the others are quick to gather around the normally-unpopular child. He's screeching something that goes beyond language, pointing frantically at the cliff and wailing bloody grief all the way to Sovngarde, and he keeps on screaming while his cohort gathers curiously around him.

There is a minute, a single minute, where all the students of Hrothgar stand around, and nobody says a word but for the lad who's screaming. There's a rule on High Hrothgar that speaking is strictly forbidden-- never adhered to, of course, except when Custodian Lundga is around-- but the boy is making such a racket that, after said minute and by unspoken consensus, it is agreed upon that the silence has already been broken. So, excited for a change of pace, they all together immediately start chattering, in loud voices to be heard above the wind and the screaming, of course.

"Why is he shouting?" asks Nhemakhela of Winterhold. "Are you alright?"

"You should slap him!" urges Telmo of the Reach.

"Why should I?"

"Make him shut up."

"My gods!" shouts Hoag of Morrowind, who's gone and lied down on his belly at the place where the rock opens into sky. His head hangs over the edge of the cliff, his thick black hair being tossed moppishly around his head. "Someone's dead down there!"

And at once every student of Hrothgar is on their bellies peeking over the side of the cliff.

"Gods!" cries Nhemakhela. "Is he alive?"

"With his neck at that angle?" asks Telmo.

With a sort of retching sound, Chemua of Morrowind, Hoag's sensitive second-hand, hauls himself off of the ice and staggers away.

"Do we go down?" asks Telmo.

"I call dibs on the corpse."

"Eeew."

"What was his name?"

"He was the mute one, ent got no name."

"Nay, he had a little friend, though. He'd know the name."

"Well? Bhag? What was his name? Bhag, quit screaming! What was his name? Bhag...?"

The conversation ends there, unfortunately, because Lundga Custodian of Hrothgar arrives with a large stick in hand and a mind to crack every noisy Tongue that's broken the mountain's vow of holy silence. Sensible woman, she tells them to leave the body where it is, she has Nhemakhela slap some sense into Bhag, she makes Chemua scoop up the sick off her nice white snow, she sends everyone scurrying off to go meditate on this experience. And she smooths down her fur cloak, sighs into the stiff wind, turns and shares a meaningful look with Paarthurnax, who's flown over to observe the scene with his mild drakeish curiosity.

"Didn't learn his feim," Lundga remarks to the dragon, which earns her a coarse reptilian laugh.

And then life returns to normal on High Hrothgar...

...

His throat is raw to burning, his fingers frozen stiff, but the boy still takes his careful sweet time hiking back to the cave. It's a sorry little hollow, near-uninhabitable as it faces right into the howling wind, which makes it perfect, for nobody but him would ever think to go there. He pauses at a ledge, looks carefully behind him, tip-toes across and around a large granite outcrop, to the entrance of the miserable niche. Pressing hard to the rock-face so as not to slip, he pushes aside the thick curtain of hides hanging over the cave entrance and moves into the warm space beyond.

"Well?" asks Bhag, the moment he enters. "Did it work?"

The boy no longer without a name gives his friend a sort of dazed grin. Not known for his speaking, voice still sore from all the screaming he's just done, he can do little more than nod vigorously.

Bhag-- tall for his age with his blond hair in braids, face ruddy-red from spending hours in the heat of the cave-- breaks into a wide smile. He rushes forwards and embraces the boy whose beaming face is the spitting image of his own. "So it worked!” he cries, with a hearty thump on the back. “What did I tell you, eh?"

"They called me Bhag," the boy says, voice muffled in Bhag's shoulder.

"You are Bhag," replies Bhag with a voice also muffled.

"I'm Bhag."

"Both, we both are. Now we’re both--”

"Bhag?"

The intrusive voice breaks them apart like cleaved rock and they turn to face the cave entrance.

Quite unannounced, Hoag of Morrowind lets himself in through the hide-door and brushes some snow from his chest.

"Bhag," Hoag says again, looking between the two. "And... Bhag. Huh! Now that's one more Bhag than I'd thought."

For a moment neither Bhag, not even the Bhag accustomed to talking, can think of a response to that.

What follows is a whole minute of awkward staring between them and Hoag.

And at the end of that minute Hoag goes, "Bah!", and shuffles over towards their fire to thaw his cold hands.

"How'd you know?" utters the boy now known as Bhag, face flushed red.

"I've seen corpses," replies Hoag. "I know corpses. And that wasn't a corpse of a man, was it?"

Neither Bhag can think of much of a response to that, either. They stand there, guilty, pressed tightly shoulder-to-shoulder, watching as Hoag thaws his hands over the fire. Hoag is much older than them, nearly at the end of his stay at Hrothgar, and despite his short stature he cuts an intimidating figure, what with his harsh face and his thick black caterpillar eyebrows.

"It's okay," whispers Bhag to his friend now also called Bhag. "Steep out there. We ought to kill him-- I'll push him--"

But Hoag, of course, hears, and Hoag barks out a laugh. "Save it," he says. "Nobody saw me come. And I shan't blab this secret of yours."

Neither Bhag can think of much of a response to that, either.

Hoag shifts on his feet. “Is that the thu’um?” he asks. “Makes you look like each other. Never seen anything like that… you made it up?”

“Bhag did,” says the boy now known as Bhag. “He made it.”

Bhag makes a modest snorting sound. “Ah, he made it. Taught me how to understand the words, like.”

“So, what’s the plan, then?” asks Hoag. “Now you’re both Bhag? Why?”

The boy now known as Bhag looks down at the fire, at Hoag’s dirty fingernails flickering in the orange light. He feels Bhag look at him, and he looks back at Bhag, and, having reached a mutual decision, Bhag speaks on his behalf.

“I don’t like talking,” says Bhag. “And I don’t like people.”

“I’m different,” Bhag adds. “I’ve always been different from others. Why they sent me up here. I’m a changeling, they said-- like a spirit?”

“I get tired,” Bhag complains. “Tired of your world that makes no sense. It hurts my head to try and work out why you do the things you do.”

“So we decided to share,” says Bhag. “Share the burden.”

“So we don’t understand them,” says Bhag. “Let them not understand us!”

“We’re not like you. Not nobles. Nobody’d miss either of us.”

“They’d be sufficed with one.”

Hoag listens to the tale attentively, watching them both close. Both Bhags find it impossible to imagine what he’s thinking.

“... Well,” says Hoag finally. “Bhag Two-Tongue.”

Bhag snorts out a flattered laugh.

“Bhag Two-Tongue,” Hoag repeats himself. “I’m leaving here soon. Me and Chemua are going back to Morrowind in a month’s time. Cause it seems to me that we have a problem much the same-- these Cyrod-worshipers, these dragon-faithful, cannot be understood by us.” With that famous cool aloofness that makes him the envy of all the boys, he turns away from the fire. “If you survive this mountain, if you don’t fall to your doom, come find me in Ebonheart. I could use more men with eyes enough to see what a farce this world is.”

And then, cool as frost, he slips out of their warm cave and into the tempest beyond.

“Religious, ent he?” asks Bhag, staring after the elder boy. “What’s all that talk about Cyrod? Well, they say he’s going to be a king one day.” He turns to his companion. “Morrowind, huh. East with the elves. We’d not be the strangest ones there, not with those two for competition... But what do you think?”

And the boy no longer without a name smiles. “Let’s go there.”

#fic #i will die before i put a decent ending on anything

64 notes · View notes

evnovia · 3 years

Text

— 8:54am

+ pairing. dabi x reader + word count. 1.174 + warnings. kinda explicit mentions of violence/wounds + author’s note. that one scene from the new suicide squad movie had me rushing home to whip this very random and unneeded scene up

Slashing through the neck of another hopeless officer, you shove his limp form into another burly man headed your way. His breathless gasp is cut short when you skewer your blade through both their bodies and effortlessly flick their dead weight off to the side as you push open the front door.

The overwhelming brightness of the light outside burns your irises, having become well accustomed to the dim interior of the police station. Your narrowed eyes scan the length of the empty street before you, nonchalantly searching for a taxi.

Trying to rub off the copious amounts of blood staining your skin only spreads the crimson colour over a larger patch of your arm, countering your attempts to clean up your ragged appearance. The torture you had undergone is horridly evident in the tattered, grisly state of your clothes, unveiling the open wounds festering in the flesh underneath.

It’s sure to be a pain in the ass later, but the adrenaline high from your murdering spree leaves you up in the mellow clouds, where your nerves fail to report the presence of the many lacerations eating away at your skin. Right now, all your concerns lie with the pint of ice cream you left waiting for you in the freezer, warning everyone in sight that their necks were on the line if they so much as looked at the frozen treat the wrong way.

To your despair, not a single soul stirs nearby—no pedestrians for you to threaten, no vehicles for you to highjack, no shops for you to snag some spare cash from. You spin around to head back to the station filled with fresh corpses before you spot a lone policeman rounding the corner of the building.

“Thank fuck,” you sigh, whipping a dirtied blade out from your belt and beginning to advance on the unsuspecting man. “I really didn’t feel like walking all the way back there. Since you’re helping me out here, I’ll end this quickly.”

He evidently catches wind of your voice, stiffening at your rapidly approaching figure. An illegally high-pitched screech rips through his vocal chords as he shakes his fists back and forth, hopping from one foot to another with his harsh features scrunched up in… elation?

You aim for his exposed neck to end the torment he wreaks upon your unsuspecting eardrums, but he swiftly dodges out of your line of fire. Huffing at the man’s agility, you suppress the tick raging near your temples from the delay in your plans. The weaklings inside the station were nowhere near this stranger’s ability.

Today’s officers didn’t prove to be as challenging as Shigaraki made them out to be, leaving you sorely disappointed by both their cowawrdly methods of torture and their physical prowess—not that you minded ripping this man’s jaw off in exchange for all your troubles. “If you don’t stay still, this might hurt a bit.”

When everything from the strands of his scraggly, unkempt hair to the royal blue fabric of his uniform begins to melt into a gray puddle, you abruptly halt in your advance. “Toga-chan?”

She howls out your name as her stark naked figure bolts into your arms with a force that nearly topples the both of you straight to the rough pavement. You carefully pocket your knife and delicately wrap what’s left of your outer coat around her shoulders, wiping the grime off her soft cheeks. “What’re you doing here?”

Toga giggles, snuggling deeper into your chest. “We’re here to save you, silly!”

Your hands around her torso tighten, still unfamiliar with the sudden throbbing that hammers at the organs within your chest. “Save me? We?”

Two towering men appear from the dark shadows behind the buildings, sauntering up to you. From the tophat and the creepy mask, you detect Mr. Compress flanked by a startled boy with jet black hair and scars covering the lower half of his face. Mr. Compress accusingly points his cane at you. “And to think Shigaraki made us come all the way over here for this.”

“He told you to save me? Shigaraki did?”

Mr. Compress hums his affirmation, and—without waiting for a response—wanders off to inspect the body count lining your bloody trail of escape, most likely to report back to Shigaraki. You stay stunned in your spot, shifting your gaze between the three of them before lamely spitting out, “I-I mean I can go back in there, the chains and ropes and everything are still there. You can come and save me as planned!”

Dabi’s deep chuckle sends a chill down your spine. “I don’t know, doll. The lack of armed soldiers guarding your cell kinda kills the fantasy.”

You can’t rip your eyes from the piercing cerulean that stares you down hungrily, exasperation and pride swirling in their depths. Stroking Toga’s locks in order to feel the pleased purring rise from her chest, you outstretch your other arm and flick your fingers as a signal for him to come closer. “I’ll let those idiots catch me again if it means you’ll come to my rescue.”

“It’s not the same.” He wolfishly smirks at your wicked countenance, features glazed over in a dangerous desire. Dabi stalks over, circling around you to bury his chin into the crook of your neck with his excessively warm chest against your back. “Couldn’t you let me swoop in as your prince charming for once?”

You croon, “‘M not sure if prince charming would be very inclined to burn down a police station with dozens of people stuck inside.”

“Ah, it seems like I never fit into that role from the very beginning then.” His hot breath fans over your ear, a tingling sensation racing over the lengths of your arms as goosebumps follow in their wake.

One of his hands sneaks their way underneath your jaw, directing your head towards him to slot his plush, dry lips against yours. His tongue traces the seam of your mouth, resorting to firmly nibbling at the corners until you grant him access past your lips, which he immediately takes advantage of. You groan, pleased with the way his tongue meshes with your own.

“That’s enough of that, you sickos.” Mr. Compress pops back out of the empty station, a hand resting on his hip. “Go get a room, preferably somewhere far away from poor Toga.”

One idle glance to the girl wrapped in your arms, making a home in the space between your collarbones, and all three of you recognize the far-off look in her eyes, coupled with the light blush dusting her cheeks. Her mind is definitely filled with delight at the extensive rivulets of blood dripping off your wounds. You stroke her cheek affectionately. “Toga-chan’s pretty little brain isn’t able to come to the phone right now, please leave a message after the beep.”

Dabi scoffs, sliding off your shoulder to waltz up to Mr. Compress’ side. “Better hurry back before Twice eats all your ice cream for breakfast.”

Your enraged gasp spurs the villains into action.

#my hero academia #boku no hero academia #bnha x reader #touya x you #touya todoroki #todoroki x reader #touya x reader #todoroki x you #bnha #dabi x reader #dabi x you

60 notes · View notes

daitranscripts · 3 years

Text

Blackwall Cutscene: Recruitment

The Lone Warden

Blackwall Masterpost

At the crossroads in Ferelden, a farmer can be spoken to about Blackwall.

Giles: Things used to be peaceful around here.

Special: I’m looking for a Grey Warden. PC: I’m tracking someone. A Grey Warden who might be in the area.

Giles: Ah, you must mean Blackwall. Good man. Kept us safe when the demons attacked.

PC: When the Breach opened?

Giles: The “Breach,” huh? All I know is things got bad when it opened. The Warden helped stop the demons while we got away. Without him, we would’ve… We took what we could from the farms, then the bandits came and stole all that. Made Blackwall mad as blazes, like it was the last straw or something. He conscripted the other farmers and headed after them. Down the road there. Haven’t seen them since.

1 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Bandits? [2]

Investigate: So this Warden helped you? [3]

Investigate: He conscripted people? [4]

General: I need to go find Blackwall. [5]

2 - Investigate: Bandits? PC: Know anything about the bandits? Giles: They were just a nuisance, threatening people along the paths for tolls and such. This time they robbed us blind. Guess the hole in the sky or Blackwall fighting demons spooked them. Made them want to stock up and run. Not sure why. Can’t exactly run from the sky. [Back to 1]

3 - Investigate: So this Warden helped you? PC: Blackwall fought off demons for you. Giles: He saved us. Stood shield out, cutting them down as they came. Like nothing we’d ever seen. Said it was his duty, fighting things like that. Didn’t ask for pay or nothing, even though Wardens can take what they want. That makes some people nervous, but I say they deserve it. Especially after I saw him work. [Back to 1]

4 - Investigate: He conscripted people? PC: Your friends were conscripted? Did Blackwall force them to go after the bandits? Giles: He could have. Wardens have that right, don’t they? Seems like fair trade for saving everyone from blights. Anyway, he didn’t force, he rallied. Said blights and demons are his job, but we’d have to learn to fight thieves like that ourselves. The boys didn’t argue. He really fired them up. PC: But not you? Giles: I’m old. And someone had to stay back. [Back to 1]

5 - General: I need to go find Blackwall. PC: I have to track him down. Any idea where Blackwall is now? Giles: Can’t say. They left down the road there, following the bandits. You find him, say thanks again for me. If I were younger, I’d have followed, no question. [6]

6 - Scene continues.

The PC approaches the little hut where Blackwall and a few farmers are standing around with weapons and shields. Blackwall is clearly training them.

Blackwall: They will make this a fight, not us. Blackwall: Line there. And there. No gaps. Blackwall: Keep focused. They’ll know what it means.

Blackwall: Remember how to carry your shields! You’re not hiding, you’re holding. Otherwise it’s useless!

The PC approaches.

PC: Blackwall? Warden Blackwall?

Blackwall: You’re not— How do you know my name? Who sent… (Shouts.)!

An arrow flies towards the PC, but Blackwall throws up his shield just in time for it to sink into the wood.

Blackwall: That’s it. Help or get out. We’re dealing with these idiots first! Conscripts! Here they come!

Bandits attack.

Blackwall: Hold the wall men! Make them come to me!

Bandit: You’re dead, bastard! Dead!

Blackwall: I wasn’t here to fight! Stop and think!

Bandit: Too late for that! You know how this ends!

Blackwall kills the last bandit and walks away, sinking his sword into the ground. He kneels by a corpse.

Blackwall: Sorry bastards.

He gets back up and addresses the farmers.

Blackwall: Good work conscripts, even if this shouldn’t have happened. They could’ve—well, thieves are made, not born. Take back what they stole. Go back to your families. You saved yourselves.

The farmers leave and the PC approaches again.

Plot-progression specific dialogue:

Pre-Skyhold [7]

Post-Skyhold [29]

7 - Pre-Skyhold:

Blackwall: You’re no farmer. Why do you know my name? Who are you?

Dialogue options:

General: Greetings are in order. [8]

General: That depends on who you ask. [9]

General: The Inquisition has questions. [10]

8 - General: Greetings are in order. PC: I know your name because I’m an agent of the Inquisition. I’m investigating whether the disappearance of Wardens has anything to do with the murder of the Divine. [11]

9 - General: That depends on who you ask. PC: I’ve been called a lot of things lately by a lot of people. Blackwall: Well, I’m talking to you. Stop dancing. Cassandra (if in party): We’re Inquisition, trying to find out why the Wardens disappeared and if it had anything to do with the Divine’ s murder. Blackwall: Wait. That gear. That’s Inquisition. PC: And we’re investigating whether missing Wardens are involved in the Divine’s death. [11]

10 - General: The Inquisition has questions. PC: I’m here investigating Grey Wardens for the Inquisition. We’re seeing if their disappearance has anything to do with the murder of the Divine. [11]

11 - Scene continues.

Blackwall: Maker’s balls, the Wardens and the Divine? That can’t—no, you’re asking, so you don’t really know. First off, I didn’t know they disappeared. But we do that, right? No more Blight, job done. Wardens are the first thing forgotten. But one thing I’ll tell you: no Warden killed the Divine. Our purpose isn’t political.

Dialogue options:

General: I wasn’t accusing Wardens yet. [12]

General: Is it killing bandits? [13]

General: Then where are the Wardens? [14]

12 - General: I wasn’t accusing Wardens yet. PC: I’m not here to accuse. Not yet. I just need information. I’ve only found you. Where are the rest? [15]

13 - General: Is it killing bandits? PC: What’s the Warden “purpose” got to do with throwing farmers at bandits? Blackwall: This was different. I was in the area recruiting. Fought some demons, then I heard about the stealing. [15]

14 - General: Then where are the Wardens? PC: So where are the rest of you? [15]

15 - Scene continues.

Blackwall: I haven’t seen any Wardens for months. I travel alone, recruiting. Not much interest because the Archdemon is a decade dead, and no need to conscript because there’s no Blight coming. Treaties give the Wardens to take what we need. Who we need. These idiots forced this fight, so I “conscripted” their victims. They had to do what I said, so I told them to stand. Next time they won’t need me. Grey Wardens can inspire, make you better than you think you are.

16 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: The treaties sound powerful. [17]

Investigate: Where might the Wardens go? [18]

Investigate: Why haven’t you disappeared? [19]

Flirt: So what’s next for us? [20]

General: Inspiring but fruitless. [21]

General: You’re giving me nothing. [22]

17 - Investigate: The treaties sound powerful. PC: I wasn’t aware Grey Wardens could take whatever they want. Blackwall: It’s complicated. If there’s a Blight, everyone has to help the effort to fight it. The treaties are ancient. Outside of Blights, it’s as binding as a clever tongue can make it. [Back to 16]

18 - Investigate: Where might the Wardens go? PC: Do you have any idea where the other Wardens could have gone? Blackwall: Maybe they returned to our stronghold at Weisshaupt? Thats in the Anderfels, a long way north. I don’t really know. Can’t imagine why they’d all disappear at once, let alone where they disappeared to. [Back to 16]

19 - Investigate: Why haven’t you disappeared? PC: Why haven’t you gone missing like the rest of them? Blackwall: Well, maybe I was going to. Or maybe there’s a new directive, but a runner got lost or something. My job was to recruit on my own. Planned to stay that way for months. Years. [Back to 16]

20 - Flirt: So what’s next for us? PC: Well thank you, Warden Blackwall. But now where does this leave us? [23]

21 - General: Inspiring but fruitless. PC: It’s been a pleasure, Warden Blackwall, but this didn’t help at all. [23]

22 - General: You’re giving me nothing. PC: You’re no help. I’m no further ahead than I was. [23]

23 - Scene continues.

Blackwall: Inquisition… Agent, did you say? Hold a moment. The Divine is dead, and the sky is torn. Events like these, thinking we’re absent is almost as bad as thinking we’re involved. If you’re trying to put things right, maybe you need a Warden. Maybe you need me.

24 - Dialogue options:

How can you alone help? [25]

Yes, join the Inquisition. (Warden Blackwall will join the Inquisition.) [26]

We don’t need a Warden. (Warden Blackwall will leave and not return.) [27]

25 - How can you alone help? PC: The Inquisition needs all the support it can get, but what can one Grey Warden do? Blackwall: Save the fucking world if pressed. Look, maybe fighting demons from the sky isn’t something I’m practiced at, but show me someone who is. And like I said, there are treaties. Maybe this isn’t a Blight but it’s bloody well a disaster. Some will honor them. Being a Warden means something to a lot of people. [Back to 24]

26 - Yes, join the Inquisition. PC: Warden Blackwall, the Inquisition accepts your offer. Blackwall: Good to hear. We both need to know what’s going on, and perhaps I’ve been keeping to myself for too long. This Warden walks with the Inquisition. [28]

27 - We don’t need a Warden. PC: Go your own way. A Grey Warden would just complicate matters. Blackwall: That’s your choice to make. I’ll do what I can on my own, then. Maker guide your path, wherever it leads. [28]

28 - Scene ends.

29 - Post-Skyhold:

Blackwall: You’re Inquisition. What do you want?

Dialogue options:

General: Greetings are in order. [30]

General: Many things. Answers, mostly. [31]

General: The Inquisition has questions. [32]

30 - General: Greetings are in order. PC: My name is Inquisitor [Adaar/Cadash/Lavellan/Trevelyan]. I lead the Inquisition. We’re investigating whether the Warden disappearance is connected to Corypheus and the Divine’s murder. [33]

31 - General: Many things. Answers, mostly. PC: The state we’re in, we need a lot of things. Right now, it’s answers. Blackwall: Then get to asking. Cassandra (if in party):The Inquisitor is here to find out why the Wardens disappeared, and if it had anything to do with Corypheus and the murder of the divine. PC: I’m the Inquisitor. Your fellow Wardens disappeared, and I need to know if it has anything to do with Corypheus murdering the Divine. [33]

32 - General: The Inquisition has questions. PC: I’m the Inquisitor. I have questions about your fellow Wardens. I need to know if their disappearance has anything to do with Corypheus and his murder of the Divine. [33]

33 - Scene continues.

Blackwall: Maker’s balls, that’s a mouthful. Wardens and who? And he killed the Divine? That makes no sense.

Varric (if in party): To me, neither, and I was there. Guy was caged by Wardens. Now he claims he’s gonna be a god.

Cassandra (if in party): It’s a creature that wardens once caged. Now it claims to be a god. Blackwall: Bullshit. I heard something about a dragon that looked like and Archdemon, but the rest?

Blackwall: I heard something about a dragon that looked like an Archdemon and something about Old God heresy, but that’s just madness. No, Inquisitor or not, you must have it wrong. This Corypheus, or whatever, is insane or lying. I’ve never even heard his name.

Blackwall: First off, I didn’t know they disappeared. But we do that, right? No more Blight, job done. Wardens are the first thing forgotten. But one thing I’ll tell you: no Warden killed the Divine. Our purpose isn’t political.

Dialogue options:

General: I wasn’t accusing Wardens yet. [34]

General: Is it killing bandits? [35]

General: Then where are the Wardens? [36]

34 - General: I wasn’t accusing Wardens yet. PC: I’m not here to accuse. Not yet. I just need information. I’ve only found you and heard of one other. Where are the rest? [37]

35 - General: Is it killing bandits? PC: What’s the Warden “purpose” got to do with throwing farmers at bandits? Blackwall: This was different. I was in the area recruiting. Fought some demons, then I heard about the stealing. [37]

36 - General: Then where are the Wardens? PC: I have leads on two Wardens, including you. Where is the rest of the Order? [37]

37 - Scene continues.

Blackwall: I haven’t seen any Wardens for months. I travel alone, recruiting. There’s little interest because of Haven, but with no real Blight, there’s no point conscripting. Treaties give the Wardens to take what we need. Who we need. These idiots forced this fight, so I “conscripted” their victims. They had to do what I said, so I told them to stand. Next time they won’t need me. Grey Wardens can inspire, make you better than you think you are.

38 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: The treaties sound powerful. [39]

Investigate: Where might the Wardens go? [40]

Investigate: You know nothing of Corypheus? [41]

Investigate: Why haven’t you disappeared? [42]

Flirt: So what’s next for us? [43]

General: Inspiring but fruitless. [44]

General: You’re giving me nothing. [45]

39 - Investigate: The treaties sound powerful. PC: I wasn’t aware Grey Wardens could take whatever they want. Blackwall: It’s complicated. If there’s a Blight, everyone has to help the effort to fight it. The treaties are ancient. Outside of Blights, it’s as binding as a clever tongue can make it. [Back to 38]

40 - Investigate: Where might the Wardens go? PC: Do you have any idea where the other Wardens could have gone? Blackwall: Maybe they returned to our stronghold at Weisshaupt? Thats in the Anderfels, a long way north. I don’t really know. Can’t imagine why they’d all disappear at once, let alone where they disappeared to. [Back to 38]

41 - Investigate: You know nothing of Corypheus? PC: So they name Corypheus means nothing to you? Blackwall: Well now it means I want to kill it., but I’d never heard the name Corypheus before you said it. [Back to 38]

42 - Investigate: Why haven’t you disappeared? PC: Why haven’t you gone missing like the rest of them? Blackwall: Well, maybe I was going to. Or maybe there’s a new directive, but a runner got lost or something. My job was to recruit on my own. Planned to stay that way for months. Years. [Back to 38]

43 - Flirt: So what’s next for us? PC: Well thank you, Warden Blackwall. But now where does this leave us? [46]

44 - General: Inspiring but fruitless. PC: It’s been a pleasure, Warden Blackwall, but this didn’t help at all. [46]

45 - General: You’re giving me nothing. PC: You’re no help. I’m no further ahead than I was. [46]

46 - Scene continues.

Blackwall: Inquisitor, hold on a moment. With this dragon and that thing…

PC: Corypheus.

Blackwall: Right. I know my Order had nothing to do with that, but it sounds like we should. And if I’m one of the last, I should help. I mean, whatever he is, if there’s any connection to the Blight, you need a Warden.

47 - Dialogue options:

How can you alone help? [48]

Yes, join the Inquisition. (Warden Blackwall will join the Inquisition.) [49]

We don’t need a Warden. (Warden Blackwall will leave and not return.) [50]

48 - How can you alone help? PC: The Inquisition needs all the support it can get, but what can one Grey Warden do? Blackwall: Save the fucking world if pressed. Look, maybe fighting demons from the sky isn’t something I’m practiced at, but show me someone who is. And like I said, there are treaties. Maybe this isn’t a Blight but it’s bloody well a disaster. Some will honor them. Being a Warden means something to a lot of people. [Back to 47]

49 - Yes, join the Inquisition. PC: Warden Blackwall, the Inquisition accepts your offer. Blackwall: Good to hear. We both need to know what’s going on, and perhaps I’ve been keeping to myself for too long. This Warden walks with you, Inquisitor. [51]

50 - We don’t need a Warden. PC: Go your own way. A Grey Warden would just complicate matters. Blackwall: That’s your choice to make. I’ll do what I can on my own, then. Maker guide your path, wherever it leads. [51]

51 - Scene ends.

#dragon age #dai #dragon age inquisition #dai transcripts #blackwall #ferelden #long post

20 notes · View notes

poliel · 3 years

Text

Adopted Egg

Yo, I wrote a thing based off the Adopted Egg AU!

While Boiling Bay wasn’t as bad as Sizzling Sands or Frosted Peak it was still pretty bad. All the lava made it too hot to be comfortable and the various aggressive and angry bugsnax made it a pain to traverse. But hey at least getting headbutted by a giant angry popsicle or hit point blank by a big scoop of seemingly frozen solid ice cream cooled Buddy off fairly well. And the ocean water was nice lapping around their feet as they wondered back down the beach.

Thankfully though their pack was full of bugsnax though, at long last they’d caught everything single one that could be found here now. Meaning they could finally head back to Snaxburg. … After a quick nap though because they’d been out and about for far too long. And dawn was still a few hours away so almost no would be out and about when they returned to town anyway. So they turned and started for the wreck Floofty had taken shelter in before they’d been convinced to return to town.

As they neared it, they slowed because… was that a skeleton? Shaking off the initial shock, Buddy picked up the pace, jogging the rest of the way over. Yep, it was a skeleton all right, nestled up deep in the shade and protection offered the wreck’s overhang. Its bones were a clean white, indicating it was fresh. The sand underneath it was a dark maroon, probably blood. But most intriguing of all was the egg it was curled around, lying on a little blanket, the edge closer to the skeleton marred with more dried blood.

Far too big to be an eggler even if this was an area they showed up in, the splotches of dark green and magenta on it made it pretty clear that it was a grumpus egg andthat it couldn’t have come from anyone in Snaxburg. Not that there’d been any real question about the latter given the skeleton curled around it. But… none of this really added up.

It wasn’t too terribly long ago that Buddy had been down this way and in this wreck, their sense of time was very off these days but it couldn’t have been much longer than a week or two. While it was perfectly possible a grumpus had washed up here on a raft or something, crawled their way up here and then died, presumably via injuries judging based off the blood, it wasn’t possible for their body to have rotted all the way to bones yet. And even if there was something around that could eat a corpse, the bones looked undisturbed and unchewed on in general. So… where had it come from?

They lifted their camera to take some pictures, being sure to get some from as many different angles as possible just in case they needed to look over the undisturbed scene again later. Then, careful of the weight of their full backpack, Buddy crouched down to get a better look. First, they poked skeleton and then leaned in to sniff it, learning nothing. Next, they pinched up some of the red sand and lifted it to their mouth. Gagging they turned their head to spit because while they’d definitely confirmed it was blood it tasted foul, whether that was because it was several days old or something else, they didn’t know enough to say, either way they regretted decided to taste it.

After shaking off their disgust, they turned back to look at the skeleton and its egg. They needed to investigate more but also… they couldn’t leave the egg out here unattended. It was possible it had already been left out too long and thus it was too late for it but they had no way to know that for sure right now so… with a sigh, Buddy picked it up before straightening. Holding it to their chest with one paw, they pulled Sprout’s buggy ball out of their pouch and then pushed the egg in there instead. While it was about the same size, the oblong shape making it a bit bigger, it was notably heavier, making its presence uncomfortably hard to not be aware of but they’d live.

They pulled their backpack off to shove Sprout inside for now. There was barely enough room for him and he didn’t sound happy as they zipped it up but he’d just have to deal with it for a little while because they had some more investigating to do.

Any evidence about the skeleton or how it had come to be there had long since been obliterated by the wind and sea, leaving the mystery disappointingly unsolvable. Buddy searched high and low all over Boiling Bay and then Shimmering Springs too for good measure and found a whole lot of nothing, not even any shed fur anywhere or more dried blood. There was a notable lack of snakpods that weren’t high up though, indicating it was likely the mysterious grumpus had found and eaten them before succumbing to their wounds and somehow rotting away to nothing but a skeleton.

It was nearing midday by the time Buddy decided to give up and drag themself back to Snaxburg. While they weren’t squeamish about skeletons or dead bodies in general, they’d rather not take a nap next to one if they didn’t have to. Besides they still had the egg and what to do with it to worry about.

The first thing they did upon reaching town was drop their backpack off in Lizbert’s hut. Almost everyone would be expecting food but they’d all have to wait a little bit longer. Next, they went to the research tent.

“There’s a skeleton out in Boiling Bay,” they said as they sidled up to Floofty at their work table. “It’s in the wreck you used to live in. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

Floofty looked up from the lollive they were dissecting with a sigh. “No. Even if I had any use for a skeleton, why would I leave it out there? And if you’re implying I killed someone, you’d also be incorrect. You can check around town to confirm everyone’s still alive if you don’t believe me.”

“Nah, I didn’t think you had anything do with it. I was just making sure since it’s in your old shelter and not many of the others ever go out to there.” Also if anyone in Snaxburg was responsible for it in one way or another they were near if not right at the top of list of likely candidates.

“Good. Now leave, I’m busy.” They lifted a paw to make a shooing gesture at them before looking back down at their work.

Buddy would’ve gladly left to go take a nap somewhere but they still had the egg sitting heavy in their pouch. Floofty wasn’t a doctor but they clearly knew some stuff and thus might be able to determine if the grumpling inside was still alive or not, thus saving Buddy another long trek up to Frosted Peak to ask Eggabell. So they pulled it out, placing it gently on the table. “I found this next to it. I figure you might be able to figure out if it’s been left out too long or whatever.”

Floofty paused for a moment before putting their tools down and shifting their attention solely to the egg. They carefully picked it up to hold up and turn in their paws, examining it from all angles. “Hmm…” The looked at Buddy again. “You found it next to the skeleton?”

“Yep. It’s really weird. Clearly, they died recently but… only their skeleton and a bit of dried blood are left behind. I looked everywhere for more but… there was nothing.”

“That is odd. Very well, I shall examine the egg. Later I would like to look over the skeleton as well.”

“Awesome. I’m going to go take a nap.”

They were awoken by the sound of raised voices. Their own fault for choosing to sleep in Lizbert’s hut with not only the door ajar but the window open as well. It was still annoying though. They could move and sleep elsewhere or close everything or heck, even just roll over and pull a pillow over their head to cover their ear holes but… what was everyone fighting about?

“…totally can take care of it by myself,” Gramble was saying, his voice two steps away from having a protective growl in it.

“Yeah, right.” Cromdo scoffed. “You’re half-starved and go wondering around and often outof town almost every night, no way you could take proper care of it and the grumpling when it hatches.”

Ah, they were fighting about the egg. Not surprising honestly but… why was it so hard for everyone to get along?

“So I should be the one to have it,” Cromdo continued.

“Hell no,” Beffica came in next. “You just want it for one your schemes.”

“She’s right.” Wambus, the only one not yelling so his voice was hard to make up from in here. “Ain’t no way anyone here would trust you with it.”

“Gramble and I are clearly the best suited to take care of it.” Wiggle. “Having a little grumpling might be the exact thing I need to spark my muse.”

“Uh, no offense Wiggle,” Beffica again, her tone making it clear offense was meant, “but taking responsibility for raising a kid is kind of a huge deal. Doing it because you want to ‘spark your muse’ is the wrong reason. And you know I hate to admit it but Cromdo’s actually right about something for once, Gramble’s barely keeping himself alive. Adding on taking care of an egg and then eventually a grumpling is a bit much.”

“Exactly!” Cromdo again. “Wait what do you…”

Gramble interrupted with a growl. “I can handle it. An egg is exactly what I’ve always wanted and now I finally got a chance and I ain’t letting any of ya’ll take it away from me.”

Wambus’ voice came in next. “Assuming you can somehow keep it alive long enough on your own, you’re going to teach it not to eat bugsnax and then it’s going to starve to death then.”

“Buddy already said after they finish publishing their story they’ll come back with food supplies for me so it’ll be fine.”

“Can I hold it?” Chandlo surprisingly cut in next. “Just for a bit.”

“Sure,” Triffany said, indicating she’d been the one holding it before.

The argument resumed after that but Buddy stopped paying attention as they rolled over and pulled the pillow over their head, muffling the voices to be near inaudible. They were curious about how it was going to play out but not enough to stay awake any longer for now. They’d ask for an update on it whenever they woke up properly.

They woke feeling not well rested – such was never the case these days and thus not worth trying for anymore – but good enough to go about their day and pretend they were fine. After forcing themself out of bed, they weren’t around town, doling out the fruits of their earlier hunting and donating everything left over to Gramble’s barn. They then returned to Filbo who was doing his rounds around town.

“What happened with the egg?” they asked as they fell into step with him.

“Oh uh… Floofty examined it and said it’s okay. And then as soon as word spread about it everyone fought about who should take care of it. No one wanted to trust anyone else with it for one reason or another. Eventually Chandlo suggested everyone could just take turns with it. Which no one was happy about at first but then we talked about it some more and that’s the best way to do it for now since everyone was fighting about who was going to adopt it.”

“Interesting solution. Who’s all taking turns with it?”

“Gramble, Wiggle, Beffica, Triffany, Cromdo, and Chandlo. I wanted a turn too but… Beffica pointed that I tend to be a bit uh… clumsy so maybe I shouldn’t have a turn since I’d probably break it or lose it or… something.” He let out a heavy sigh, sagging a little before perking back up. “She’s right though so… I don’t mind.” He’d never told a more obvious lie. “I can keep updated on it through just doing my normal stuff around town.”

“Hmm… it was great talking to you. I have something I need to go take care of though.”

“Uh… okay. See you later,” he said after them.

Beffica was in Filbo’s hut again, snooping. She jumped and even squeaked a little, as Buddy tapped her on the shoulder. “Oh, hey Bestie,” she said as she turned to face them. “Don’t sneak up on me like that.”

Buddy normally would’ve apologized but they weren’t very happy with her right now so they went straight to business instead. “You need to let Filbo have turns watching the egg too.”

“Uh… why?”

“Because he wants to.”

“But… he’s Filbo.” She gestured with her paws as if her point were the most obvious thing the world.

Crossing their arms as they stared at her, Buddy didn’t respond.

It took her a few seconds but finally she sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. If you think he can be trusted with it, I’ll talk to the others about him getting a turn too.”

“Good. Thanks bestie.” They lifted a paw to fist bump her turning to leave. They had tasks and stuff they needed to get back to.

Not even a full two weeks later and everyone in town had been scheduled into have a turn pouching the egg. Even Floofty and Snorpy, the two Buddy would’ve thought the least likely to want anything to do with it. And a few weeks later when they finally convinced Shelda to return to town it wasn’t long before she’d basically taken on a grandma role to the egg, having her own occasional turn with it.

Buddy was the only one who didn’t have a turn taking care of it. They were too busy running around doing stuff and working on their story. They’d hopefully be free of this cursed island soon anyway so there was no need for them to get involved with it much.

But seeing everyone start to get along around the egg was nice. There was still fighting and disagreements but overall everyone was trending towards being nicer to each other. It was more than Buddy could’ve asked or hoped for, hopefully it would continue into raising the grumpling once the egg hatched.

I'm ending it here because a lot of the other ideas proposed for the AU are pretty scattered timewise which would make it hard to cover them in this fic quickly and coherently. But know, post game everyone ends up living in one big house to take care of the egg and there's polyamory stuff and more eggs going on in the group.

#my writing #bugsnax #the journalist

38 notes · View notes

vegalocity · 3 years

Text

The Tinkerer (Red Groom AU)

It took me a hot second to decide who i wanted to be Miracle Max because there was no way I WASN'T gonna put that scene in this AU

I decided on Syntax bc the other spiders haven't shown up yet and so why not

The house was little more than a glorified workshop; there were shelves of research notes and half finished odds and ends puled up on an open wall near the back, and Xiaojiao was unsure of whether they should be approaching the front door or coming in through the workshop area. Especially since the front door had a very clear 'No Longer In Business' sign hanging from it.

All the same it seemed like Sandy had all the confidence in the world in this 'Tinkerer' as he was known. As his usual grin didn't waver as he shifted his grip on the Not-Monkey King's body and approached the front door. Xiaojiao fell into step beside him of course, and upon Sandy's polite knock stationed herself between her friend and the question of what will be coming next.

A small peek window opened and Xiaojiao was suddenly making eye contact with a pair of very bright green eyes, nearly bioluminescent in their vibrancy, surrounded by a pale purple complexion not unlike the late Spider Queen's.

“We're closed.” The Demon stated firmly.

“Are you The Tinkerer?” She asked in reply.

The demon at the door snarled with a mouth of sharp teeth. “I was. And thank you for reminding me of what that wretched Prince did to my reputation, Why don't you throw a handful of dirt in my face while you're at it! Scram.” he shut the peek window. And Xiaojiao was far less polite when she knocked.

“I said beat it! Or I'm calling the brute squad.” The Tinkerer opened the little window again and glared her down, but Sandy leaned in at the offer.

“I'm on the brute squad.” he waved.

“You are the brute squad.” The Tinkerer agreed.

“Look, we heard you were one of the best healers in the region with your experiments and we're in desperate need.” Xiaojiao tried again.

“What part of 'was' did you not understand? Past tense. I'm Not in that business anymore. Besides-” He scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Why would you want a disgraced tinkerer to have a look at whoever you've got in mind anyway? I might kill them.” he said that last part in a mocking tone, clearly imitating the Prince in the false posh accent. The only thing stronger then The Tinkerer's sarcasm seemed to be his bitterness.

“He's already dead?” She tried one last time, and this time the Tinkerer seemed interested. He leaned forward a bit to peer at the Not-Monkey King.

“He is, hm?” He paused for a second, eyes flicking into nothing as he thought something over, before eventually shrugging. “Sure, bring him in. I'll take a look.”

The little home indeed was as small as the door implied, and in the living space there was in fact an extra door that lead to the outside workshop area.

Scanning the room for anything flat enough to lay the Not-Monkey King down on, Xiaojiao eventually started to clear the table of books—and there were many books in this house.

“Careful with those!” The Tinkerer chided but as she turned to hand them off instead of a more average demon aggravated and ready to take the tomes from her, she was met with a pair of metallic prongs infront of her, not dissimilar to the legs of a spider demon, and peering to the side a bit she saw that indeed, they were sprouting from The Tinkerer's back.

...Huh... Spider Queen had let on that she was the only spider demon in the area, to think there was another of her kind so nearby without her knowledge before she'd died... The Tinkerer's spider legs sprouted from his back which WAS a little odd since she'd always been told the hips were the usual area for spider legs, but he was using the other pair to better arrange the table for Sandy to put Not-Monkey King down onto it, so it didn't seem like they were a hindrance. She placed the books in the spare two prongs and said tomes were carefully deposited on an empty chair.

The Tinkerer strode over to the body and hemmed and hawed for a moment. “Well I've certainly seen worse.” He continued to prod at the body, and the running clock began to hold over Xiaojiao's head.

“Sir we're in a rush here-”

“Never rush a scientist, Miss.” The Tinkerer responded evenly. “Nothing makes an experiment go wrong quicker than rushing the scientist.” He fretted over the body a little longer, and his attention was on the corpse still as he spoke again.

“So how much is this worth to you both?”

“All we've got is Sixty-five.”

The Tinkerer scoffed. “I never work for so little.” He paused for a moment, considering. “Except for that one time, but that was a very noble cause.”

Xiaojiao thought fast “Sir this is a noble cause.” Though no one ever said she was any good at improvising. “His wife cannot leave the house after the accident, children on the brink of starvation-”

The Tinkerer was unmoved. “You're not a gifted liar, are you?”

Fine, if she couldn't make this happen with sympathy she may as well tell the truth. “I need him to help me avenge my father. Murdered these last ten years-”

“Your first story was better.” The Tinkerer cut her off with a scoff. “Probably owes you money, doesn't he?” he turned away from the body to rummage through a crate of strange looking devices. “Now where did I put the- Ah.” He pulled out a pump looking thing. “Well if you're not going to be giving me a straight answer I'll ask him myself.” Her thoughts spluttered for a moment.

“He-... He's dead he can't speak-”

The Tinkerer chuckled. “Oh, so now you're the expert, miss?” he shook his head. “No, your friend here is only mostly dead.” He began to turn a few knobs on the device before gently prying the Not-Monkey King's mouth open. “There's a very distinct difference between mostly dead and all dead you see.” He began to turn the crank on the device and slowly the Not-Monkey King's chest began to inflate. “If he were all dead there'd only be one thing to do.”

“What would that be?”

The Tinkerer smirked “Go through his pockets and see if there's anything worth selling. But Mostly Dead, is Slightly Alive. So there's far more options.”

Soon enough he stopped turning the crank and lifted the device from the Not-Monkey King's mouth. After handing the device off to Sandy, whom helpfully carefully set it back inside the box, the Tinkerer leaned in close to the body.

“Hey! Hello in there! Hey- What's so important? You got anything here worth living for?” he then placed both hands and two of his spider legs onto the Not-Monkey King's chest and pushed.

At first the wheezing noise didn't sound like much of anything, but then Xiaojiao was able to make out-

“'True Love'! You heard him!” She leaned forward to examine the body herself for a moment, but other than the faintest moving of his words, the Not-Monkey King remained still. And peeking back up at the Tinkerer he looked pale, mauve skin suddenly more of a sickly lavender. “You couldn't ask for a more noble cause than that, sir.”

“Well Miss, true love certainly would be a noble cause of all noble causes.” He agreed, before blinking once and shaking his head. “But that's not what he said! I've been hearing mostly dead groans for the better side of thirty years now, and I know 'To blave' when I hear it.” He waved a hand dismissively as he turned away from her. “And since you seem like those whom may not know 'To Blave' is an archaic way to say 'to bluff'. So here's my read on things, you lot were gambling on something or another and he was cheating so-”

“Oh for the love of- You CanNOT be serious, Syntax!” a raspy voice piped up, and emerging from one of the small rooms was another spider demon, this one looking far more traditional, with the obvious mandibles and four green eyes instead of The Tinkerer's two.

“Huntsman I am in the middle of something can you just-”

“You're in the middle of making yourself look like an obstinate fool that's what you're in the middle of!” The other spider, Huntsman, approached and grabbed The Tinkerer (Syntax apparently) by the arm. “What kind of coward has my brother turned into that he can't even say the truth when he refuses to do what he poured his life's work into?!”

“You have no idea what you're talking about-”

“You head him,You know what he said-” Huntsman turned to the two of them and were it not for the sadistic gleam in his eye Xiaojiao would have thought he was honestly trying to help them. More likely he just wanted to see his brother squirm. “He's turned into a coward ever since the prince fired him! He's been stuck in a rut for months now!”

“Hey! You said you wouldn't bring that up! You swore you'd let that drop!” The Tinkerer's voice went shrill with anger, and the smirk on Huntsman's face widened, showing off his far more pronounced fangs.

“What? That you got fired? You got fired!” and then in a routine Xiaojiao would more expect out of a play than from a pair of fully grown brothers, Huntsman began to chase Syntax around the little room, loudly crowing 'Fired' over and over again while Syntax made vague noises of distress. Eventually Huntsman got hold of his brother again, and this time he maybe actually looked concerned.

“What would mother say if she saw you puttering about like this?! You know how much she went on about 'True Love' and all that ilk! And Sure Goliath was the only one who ever believed her, but you don't even have the decency to say why you won't help?!” Syntax had his hands clapped over his ears and seemed to be trying to loudly tune Huntsman's words out. “What, one good for nothing Prince gives you the boot and you don't have a reputation anymore?! Where in the world did your Spider Pride run off to because sure as anything else it ain't here anymore!” Wait he meant THIS prince, right?

“This man is Red Son's lover!” she cut in. “If you heal him he'll stop at nothing to stop the Prince's wedding!”

That gave both spider brothers pause, and something sparked to life behind Syntax's expression, he took a step away from his brother and leaned over the Not-Monkey King's body to lean in close to Xiaojiao.

“Hold on, hold on. I heal him and the Prince suffers?”

Xiaojiao leaned in and shot him as big a smirk as she could muster. “What's more humiliating than having your groom run off on the day of your wedding? He'd be mortified.” Syntax smiled back at her, and cackled.

“Now that is a noble cause.” a pair of his spider legs rummaged through the bin again before pulling out a set of adjustable glasses. “Give me the sixty-five, I'm on the job.”

“You're welcome.” Huntsman sarcastically called out before sitting down in a nearby chair and crossing his legs.

Sandy seemed to take an interest in him, wandering over beside the spider and striking up conversation, but Xiaojiao had her eyes on the Tinkerer, and her hopes.

–

“So that's gonna heal him up?”

“Something along those lines. He'll be more alive than he is now.” By this point all three of them were leaned in watching The Tinkerer put his last touches on the cure pill.

“Huh, chocolate coating and everything” Huntsman chiming in every so often for color commentary. “Of course you're enough of a petty bastard to pull out all the stops for revenge.”

“You should wait about fifteen minutes so everything's got time to settle.” Syntax continued as though he hadn't spoken, finishing up the pill and sliding it into a leather pouch. “Oh, and don't let him go swimming for awhile, about an hour or so.” He handed the pouch to Xiaojiao whom quickly slid it into her pocket, and Sandy lifted the body beneath his arm again.

“Thank you so much for this Tinkerer.”

Syntax rolled his eyes. “Just make sure someone sees the Prince suffering so you can send me a letter detailing it.”

And then they were off.

“Don't die!” Huntsman called out as they left.

“Have fun storming the castle!” Syntax added on.

–

“Think it'll work?”

“Do I look like a miracle worker to you?”

–

But soon enough they were at the mouth of the mountain entrance. A small wall the only separating Xiaojiao, Sandy, and their only hope from what was supposed to be about 30 demons.

Key word, 'supposed to'.

“Xiaojiao there's at least sixty men there.”

“What?!” She hissed and poked her head out the side to confirm Sandy's observation. And sure enough-

“I could probably take about ten on my own, how about you my friend?”

“Twenty, assuming we're fighting to incapacitate.” Sandy added on very carefully.

“Damn it all.” She hissed. Before glancing back down at the body. “Well, no matter, we've got him. He'll think of something.”

“Has it been fifteen minutes?”

“We can't afford to wait any longer. The wedding's in half an hour!” She shuffled with the body until he was propped up against the wall and took the pill out.

It slid down his throat quickly and concisely, possibly aided by whatever swallowing reflex remained in his mostly-dead state.

“How long do we have to wait, before we know the experiment works?”

“Your guess is as good as mine-” A voice between them interrupted Xiaojiao

“I'll tear you both apart! I'll take you both together-!” Sandy covered the Not-Monkey King's mouth to cut off his desperate threats.

“I guess not very long.”

“Hey, glad to see you awake!” She went for the friendly approach, he seemed sympathetic to her plight when they were about to duel after all-

When Sandy uncovered his mouth the man remained quiet. “Why won't my arms move?” he finally settled on.

“You've been mostly dead all day, friend.” Sandy calmly explained, Xiaojiao quickly adding on that they'd taken him to The Tinkerer to heal him up before Sandy cut back in.

“You know I feel kinda bad just calling you 'The Man in Black' in my head, but now that we know you're human it feels kinda weird to call you Monkey King too, so do you happen to have a name for us to call you by?”

The man paused again glancing between the two of them. “... Who are you two? Are we still enemies?” He glanced behind him. “Why am I resting on this wall?” but the his expression hardened over. “Where's Red Son?!”

“Okay I can explain-” Wait- “...No there's too much. Let me sum it up, but Sandy's right I'm gonna need that name first.”

"Xiaotian. Now tell me.”

“Well Xiaotian, Red Son's marrying the prince in about half an hour, so what we've got to do is break in, stop the wedding, steal your fire demon back, and make our escape. After I kill the Six Eared Macaque.”

Xiaotian's expression tightened and his fingers began to twitch nervously.

“I'll admit that doesn't leave a lot of time for hesitating.”

“Oh hey Xiaotian! You just wiggled your fingers!” Sandy chirped. “That's great!”

“I've still got something resembling the immortality Monkey King loaned me I guess.” Xiaotian agreed. “What are we facing against?”

“One mountain entrance, guarded by sixty demons.” She grabbed hold of his shoulders and lifted him just enough that his head lolled back and he could see the gate.

“Okay, what do WE have?”

“Your mind, my sword, Sandy's muscle.” …. well that sounded pathetic now that she said it outloud-

“That's it? That's pathetic."... but he didn't have to SAY it-

"Maybe if I had a WEEK I could think of a plan but this?” he shook his head slightly.

“Hey! You shook your head too! You're getting better!” Sandy was clearly nervous, with how bright and sunny he was trying to be. Xiaotian tilted his head to the side just enough to turn to see him.

“Your strength, my mind, and her sword against sixty men to stop the love of my life from getting married and then assassinated by a power hungry tyrant-to-be and you think a little head jiggle is worth celebrating?” He hissed and Xiaojiao was about to throw out a hand in Sandy's deference, but as usual the implied insult did little to dampen Sandy's hard earned chill.

“I mean I'd hardly consider it asking for a lot to have a little more to work with! if we had a wheelbarrow that would be something!”

Wait...

“Sandy what did we do with that Wheelbarrow those demon twins had?”

“I think we just left it there after they ran off.”

Xiaotian's expression pinched. “Why didn't you mention that earlier?” But nonetheless she could see the gears beginning to turn in his head. “Ugh... Maybe if we had a dark cloak I could do that plan but-”

“Yeah no, sorry about that, friend.” But Sandy it seemed had other ideas.

“Will this work?” a long dark cloak was pulled from behind him.

“W-... Where did you get that?”

“At the Tinkerer's! That Huntsman guy said it was made for his brother but it was too big and it fit me, so he said I should just take it!”

“Alright alright. Long Xiaojiao was it?”

“Just Xiaojiao is fine.”

“Can you pluck one of my hairs for me and hold it up?”

“Uhhh?”

“Trust me.”

So she curled a finger around a strand of hair and plucked it from Xiaotian's head before holding it up before him.

He blew gently on the piece and directed her to toss it forward.

There was a shower of golden sparks and the hair had turned into a staff much like the one he'd been wielding when they'd met.

“Alright help me up and I'll explain things.” It was a bit of a struggle, Xiaotian had to be sandwiched between Xiaojiao and Sandy “Can one of you attach that to my back?” Sandy reached down and did so.

“You can't even lift it!” Xiaojiao huffed.

“Yeah but they don't know that.” Xiaotian countered, and... she didn't have a counterargument. “So it's going to be a mess when we start this whole thing, one problem after another-”

“I'll say.” She huffed. “I've got three off the top of my head, when we're inside how do I find the Macaque, when I'm done with him how do I find you again, and when I find you again how do we all escape?”

Sandy whom had been basically holding Xiaotian's head up for him during this exchange, tilted the man's head to rest against his chest. “Come on Xiaojiao, lay off the guy, he's had a hard day.”

“Right, Sorry.”

Sandy bobbed Xiaotian's head in an approximation of a nod.

“Hey Xiaojiao?”

“What is it?”

“I hope we win.”

#Red groom AU #Monkie Kid #LMK #Qi Xiaotian #Long Xiaojiao #lmk Sandy #lmk Syntax #lmk Huntsman #mk Sandy #Princess bride Au #Spicynoodleshipping #Vega writes stories too

28 notes · View notes