#almost as though you needed to raise your central body heat to trigger opening the dams of heat for coldest parts?

[annabelle--cane]

being a somewhat strange person, your friends and family get used to hearing strange things about you rather quickly, until you say something that would knock an unsuspecting classmate or coworker flat but your well-acclimated closer companion simply nods and says "stands to reason," so there's a certain joy in occasionally saying something so unusual that your own mother of twenty-one years puckers her lips in shock and says "marina... that's not normal..."

[cutegirlmayra]

If you still are doing the meme prompt, can be the letter I with Sonamy? 👉👈

Always doing Prompts for you, Precious Anon! ;) Here we go!

Prompt:

It wasn’t looking so good.

Sonic clang to Amy’s hands, secured as tightly as possible to his own while the two felt the rock beneath them start to shatter and tumble down.

Sonic had to go Super. If he didn’t, the rest of the world would be broken up, thrown into the orbiting space, and then slammed back together to destroy any life that may have survived the separation.

The Control-Chip G.U.N had inserted into Shadow’s head against his will was messing with his mind. Triggering lucid PTSD dreams, Shadow secretly rebuild the Space Colony Ark machine, but this time… from the beneath the earth!

Shooting into the core, the world was beginning to disintegrate before the remains would clash and collide to end life on the planet as they knew it!

Shadow needed to be stopped! And Sonic had to put the pieces of the world back together through manipulating time, something that could tear him apart instead of the world!

However…

Learning about such a plan… Amy had run to stop him, pleading another way.

The small bit of land beneath them began to crumble to smaller sides, and they even felt some of their feet start dangling off the sides of their now small plot of stable ground, floating up towards space.

“You just can’t die! You can’t!” Amy begged, shaking her head as a true look of despair crossed her face.

“Sonic… I…” she looked down, the agony in her face said it all. The straining of her face back, the tightness of her squinted shut eyes…

“Amy, I’ve never met a girl with so much-” he cut himself off a moment, as her head shot up and his nerves kicked in…

But what was nerves to a sweaty hand that had to stretch out to grip her own tighter, making sure she wouldn’t fall.

“…erk, compassion!” he finally spat out, feeling the tugging on his arm as he felt more of his body start slipping off the rock.

Amy panicked, seeing him slide and watched as he dangled off the side, starting to slide her off too.

“W-woah!”

In desperation, she forced herself on the small crumbling rock and tried to hoist him up, but the ground was breaking around her. She looked around and couldn’t help but cry out in fright as her feet were losing their solid ground…

“I can’t lose you… and I most certainly can’t leave you like this!”

“Amy…” he looked torn, seeing Amy try against all odds to delay what he knew was inevitable.

“…Amy, I-”

Amy looked down, exerting all her force to try and hoist him up by getting on her feet as the last bit of her footing began to slip.

“Sonic… please, don’t…” she shook her head, not able to handle the intensity of his eyes, the moment she knew he had already made a decision.

And wasn’t back out from it now.

“I’ll always be your hero, Amy… even at the end.” He ducked his head, looking down.

Amy’s eyes widened.

She felt his grip on her loosen and kicked the remaining ground by her feet.

It shattered the earth piece and had her falling down with him, reaching out for him.

“SOOOONNIICC!!!” she cried out, as before he took off, he turned his head in a somewhat conflicting manner.

Closing his eyes for a minute in remorse, he looked up and knew he had to do her one better.

He allowed himself to reach out and take her, pulling her close and bringing himself up to her ear, her down to his face…

“I’ve always loved you...”

Amy’s tears floated above their fallen bodies, as those words of tenderness were barely heard above the whispering rapids of wind pelting against their bodies.

He broke free from her, as she once again reached for him, but the X-Tornado quickly caught her up.

“Sonic!” Tails circled to get him, but he leaned back and tried his best to smile for Tails, though it was certain there was pain in his eyes.

“Can’t do, buddy! I’m ending this mess!” He saluted him with some flare, before the emeralds circled him and he allowed his body to dive straight into the swirling, fire based core with whipping like vines of flames letting their hold go of the earth’s pieces.

Circling the central core of their planet, a fireball of molten rock, and drilled to be placed on the top of it, was Shadow’s new and improved death machine.

Amy hit the plane’s wing hard, before looking off and watching him turn Super, shooting himself straight towards the intensely surrounded building of molten rock…

“Tails!” Amy practically threw her body back to face him, still holding tightly to the wing. “We have to go back…!” her strength had all but left her now, but she wouldn’t give up just yet…

“Amy, he’ll make it through! Just like he always does. You’ll see!” Tails tried to comfort her, circling the planet but also trying to dodge debris in the air and the whipping flares that danced and lashed around, trying to grip on to earth that was drifting away.

It was as if the earth itself was trying to desperately hold onto itself, but failing to secure anything back down.

“No.. He’s sure of it this time! He… he said something… something he would never have even considered saying if this wasn’t the end! The real end! He’s… he’s going all out and there just-.. There just HAS to be a way to help him!”

She was losing it, breaking down but also sure that he was mentally preparing himself for not returning if this didn’t end well.

Tails looked back to her, having started flying away before seeing the sincerity on her face.

“Tails…” Her face held a thousand sorrows… but a thousand truths as well.

He looked ahead, contemplating her words…

“…He said it… didn’t he?” he looked down, his eyes showing the painful understanding of what Amy meant.

She nodded solemnly, but he didn’t need to look back and check.

He knew.

He raised his head up, determination in his eyes.

“It’s not gonna be easy, and we’ll probably burn up in the attempt, but…” he put on his best ‘game face’ and turned back to Amy, narrowing his eyes.

“Let’s save Sonic!”

She was elated, feeling some relief that she wouldn’t be useless and just stand around doing nothing.

Sonic did in fact help knock some sense back into Shadow, pulling the Maria Card and making Shadow realize his mirages and voices he kept hearing were the G.U.N’s ‘safety protocol’ in case he went rogue on them.

Enraged, Shadow was about to still blow up the earth, but once again, Amy jumped in into the fray.

“AMY!” Sonic exclaimed, a sudden rush of panic as he knew only the Chaos Emeralds were sustaining him in this heat.

Almost in relfex, he grabbed her in air and pulled her into the atmosphere the Emeralds had created for him to not burn up to rubble, and Tails had to quickly pull up, trying to help bring some of the larger pieces of earth back to the core.

He was actually helping quite well, grappling rocks and dodging Robots that Eggman let loose to help that were also just getting melted to shreds by the fiery flares.

Pulling them closer, the flares could latch on better to the pieces of flying, orbiting debris, and pull them in before they crushed the core in their atmospheric course.

“Shadow!” Amy, once coughing up a storm of herself to try and breath right with the little oxygen where they were, began to try her luck with convincing Shadow.

“It’s more than just this planet, isn’t it?”

He held his hand over the final button… the big red one that would end all life with a supernova…

“You yourself once told me… That all things have a course to run. But,… Being the ultimate weapon doesn’t mean you don’t have feeling! Weaknesses even!”

Sonic saw how Shadow’s back twitched at her words, and in an almost hysterical look, swung himself away from the button, “Don’t attempt to relate me with your kind!!! You were born into this world…” he opened his arms out before addressing her in a natural tone now. “You were raised among it’s inhabitants and spoiled yourself in it’s philosophies. You belong to this world… and it only judges you based on it’s standards… but I was not born! I was created! My beliefs don’t range with yours, nor do my standards! You poison all that would help you, you kill all that don’t comply! And you hurt that which frightens you! You create your own threats and enemies! You deserve what you’re getting!”

Amy’s face filled with horror, shaking her head as he heard him speak before he returned to having his hand over the button.

“Shadow, stop!!” Sonic dipped slightly more down, “It doesn’t have to be like that! You see it that way!” Sonic held Amy in his arms before she looked back up at him…

“You see the world as full of deceits and betrayals… but there is so much more to it then that. There’s things unexplained, untouched, and unimaginable here… There’s beauty, wonder, and hope. This life wasn’t made to live it in fear! Or sorrow!”

Shadow hesitated again, turning his eyes away a moment, seeing the image of Maria standing by the console, her hand up by her chin, and eyes shifting in fright…

He looked to her … and dipped his head back, as if trying to push Sonic’s words away.

“Everything you’ve ever done has been for yourself. Your own beliefs and your own ideals… but what about that person who taught you those things? Wasn’t she apart of this world too?”

“Enough! All you ever speak about is her… It’s all… It’s always about…” he leaned forward, removing his hand from the button and clutching his head.

The chip was starting to malfunction and began to be destroyed by Shadow’s own will power, forcing it obsolete.

“Hasn’t it always been… about the person you most care about?” Amy looked away from Sonic to Shadow, but he took a second to look to her.

Shadow’s head turned side to side, before finally belting out a cry as the chip was destroyed in his head.

Sonic quickly held out a hand and shot Shadow out into the space where the rest of civilization was clinging on for dear life, before holding Amy out in front of him.

“It tends to always end like this.” he smiled, but she didn’t know what he meant. “Me having to save you… Or rather… I’ve never been bothered by it.”

He suddenly kissed her, it was quick but sweet. As if making a sound would be too much, he simply kept it brief but to the point.

He seemed to happily toss her into the free-roaming atmosphere, startling her again before watching her fly out in the space surrounding them,… slowly turning to hold out his arms and start the process.

“Sonic… SOOONNIICCC!!”

He smirked as he heard her voice in the distance.

His lips moved ever so slightly…

                                                  “It’s always about a girl...”

The power blast he created spiraled the world, pulling people back and reversing time.

The earth spun around itself, before reforming it’s beautiful nature scenes and homes and valleys.

The entire world returned to normal… but the light that had surrounded the core faded…

Where was Sonic?

“We have to find him!” Amy started digging through the dirt, as Knuckles- having returned to normal along with his Master Emerald, pulled her back up and shook his head.

He remained respectfully on one knee as she covered her eyes and let him hold her for a moment…

                                                     “Hey, isn’t that my job?”

The two turned around.

“SOOOONIIICCC!” Amy reached out to embrace him!

But a hand went swiping up and stopped her from proceeding, keeping his arm locked on her shoulder as she flailed in trying to advance forward.

“Ohhh! Not again! I thought we moved passed that!”

“Passed what?”

Amy continued to struggle to move towards him. “T-the end of the world! You reversed time and changed the events of history! The world’s saved thanks to you! And you said you-!”

She suddenly stopped moving…

Realization hit her as she moved back.. Knuckles rose up and also seemed to acknowledge that something was off.

“Past? Saving the world? Don’t I do that every day?”

“Sonic..?” Amy held a hand out to him, but Knuckles quickly came up and pointed to him, accusingly.

“You mean.. you don’t remember Shadow’s Ark drilling into the core? Or the planet breaking up and about to crush the rest of any civilization left on this planet?”

Sonic whistled, teasingly. “Whooo… Sounds fun. But I think you two are confusing that one time with Dark Gaia with recent events. I trashed Eggy, not Shadow. And that old Ark has been out of the sky for years. You two really ought to watch the news sometime.” He patted, almost condescendingly, Knuckles’s head before showing some brotherly love and rubbing it a moment and hitting the side of Amy’s shoulder as he passed by.

“Try not to cry too much, alright?” he winked, a slight comfort before taking off… as usual, only a moment of his time unless adventure was presence.

Aloof and distant again,… But Knuckles and Amy slowly moved to turn back and look at each other, before looking to Sonic.

“Huh… I guess by being the epicenter of reversing time… he, himself… was also reversed back to before the event happened.” Knuckles shrugged, “Oh well.”

However…

Amy teared up, and fell to her knees, complaining by throwing a small tantrum and kicking her legs out as she wasn’t really sobbing or anything. More so just upset with the turn of events.

“HOW TYPICAL! He went and erased the most special and scariest moment of our lives where he finally told me how he felt! And he got away with it and everything-hing-hing!!! IT’S NOT FAIRR!!!” Amy threw her hands up before covering her eyes, as Knuckles was weirded out by her dramatic expression of herself.

“Uhh… a confession?” He blinked, not really believing her. “Well, you do tend to ‘live it up’ a little more than it really was.. but hey! How should I know? I was taking care of survivors while you and Tails were playing and goofing around by the Ark!”

Amy pouted, before remembering… “Tails! He knows! He’ll believe me!”

Tails had tried to bring it up with Sonic… “Hypothetically… w-would you.. i-if you thought you were gonna die and all… say… anything… to Amy?” He squinted one eye, trying to not make it ‘that’ weird…

But it was still really weird.

“To Amy?” Sonic raised an eyebrow, unsure of this topic.

He looked up for a moment from resting in the treetops, Tails sitting by his side on an adjacent branch.

“…I think I would say…”

Tails waited, his tails slightly twitching from side to side.

“…Make your life… worth it.” he held up his hand, as if pitching for a company logo.

Tails shook his head, rolling his eyes away from his friend. “Nevermind.”

“Why so curious?” Sonic smiled back to him, clearly playing with him.

“…I just thought… well, nevermind.” he rubbed the back of his head. “Amy can take things out of proportion.. but I’ll admit. She really does care about you.” Amy was technically the reason they went back, though Tails had already thought about turning around to save him anyway.

Amy just helped him have the courage to do it, and go against Sonic’s and his plan.

“Yeah… she’s probably the most compassionate girl I know.” he smiled, looking off towards the sky.

His eyes suddenly flashed to floating rocks in the air, fire streaming it before flashing back to the blue and the clouds in front of him.

He thought that odd, but something felt… familiar… in what he had just said.

“Huh, weird.” he itched his ear.

“What?” Tails looked back. “That she’s compassionate?”

“No. That you’re bringing her up.” he folded his arms, giving Tails a funny look…

“…WHAT?!?” Tails freaked out, “Nonono. That is NOT why I’m asking!” Tails waved his hands out in front of him as Sonic laughed, kicking a leg up.

“She’s really not your type, Tails.” Sonic continued to tease.

“She’s way not! SO not! She’s already planned to marry you!”

“…Does that matter?”

“N-NO! Of course not-!”

“Hahah! Calm down, Tails. I’m only messing with ya. Sheesh.”

Tails blushed a bright red, not liking to be misinterpreted and covered his body with his tails… slumping down.

“Hmph. Maybe you should just marry her.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing..”

(Second Prompt Meme: (x) )

[holocron-inthe-restrictedsection]

We Have Lost

Another criminal was approaching, and this one didn’t feel like he could be turned away with a simple Force suggestion. He stalked forward, working himself up to get his adrenaline flowing, ready to send bodies flying.

Barriss Offee allowed herself a faint smile. I’ll have to show him how it’s done.

“What’re you smirking at, Jedi?” the Gormak snarled, stalking towards her. The few other prisoners that had been gathered at the far end of her table scattered, abandoning their measly lunches to avoid the rage of the towering figure.

I am not a Jedi anymore, she thought. I’ll never seek to claim that status again. Traitors and hypocrites, the lot of them.

“Nothing much,” Barriss answered, taking another spoonful of the runny mash. “Merely seeing how close you think you can get before I’ll stop you.”

The Gormak guffawed, taking another step. “You can’t stop me. You’re nothing but a child.”

“A moment ago you called me ‘Jedi’. There are no children in the Jedi Order, don’t you know? Only pawns.”

The red frills that ringed his face shuddered as his features twisted into a scowl. “I got no interest in your grudges. I got my own to settle. Was a Jedi that got me in here. And since you’re the only Jedi available –” He made a grand sweeping gesture at the mess hall, and Barriss let her gaze wander about the wide space.

This prison certainly made one feel small and defenseless. The arching ceilings, ringed with auto-cannons and shock troopers, watching every movement of every prisoner, fingers hovering just above the trigger – it made Barriss feel trapped. That was the point, of course, and she had to admit, the architects who created the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center certainly knew their trade. However, that trapped feeling manifested in all beings here at one time or other, most often resulting in frayed nerves and twitching fingers anxious to pick a fight.

“Find someone else to settle your score,” Barriss advised. “You’ll simply embarrass yourself.”

The Gormak’s massive hands clenched and he rumbled as he took two steps forward. He drew back a fist –

Barriss raised her arm and felt the Force surge through her, wrapping around the criminal and holding him in place. He grunted in surprise, eyes narrowing in rage, arm still raised.

“You had your chance.” Barriss shoved with the Force, and the Gormak hurtled through the air, colliding with a Trandoshan halfway across the hall. The two toppled to the floor and were up in an instant, snarling at each other.

“I’ll kill you, Jedi scum!” the Gormak roared, backing away from the reptilian being.

“You can try,” said Barriss, mostly to herself as she took a drink of water.

The shock troopers were already descending. “Break it up!” One of them barked, brandishing an electrostaff at the Gormak. “Back off!”

The criminal seethed and teetered for a moment, his red eyes darting between Barriss and the weapon. Anger coiled around him, and Barriss braced herself for another assault, but he turned abruptly, making for a group of beings at the other end of the hall.

It did not escape her notice that four red-plated troopers had surrounded her, warily extending their electrostaffs. The captain of this particular group approached, blaster trained on her. Barriss met his gaze.

“Had fun with your Force trick, scum? You wanna see how well it works on us?”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Damn right it won’t.” The trooper gestured with the blaster. “Get up. Free time’s over.”

Barriss managed not to sigh, but with difficulty. Instead, she set down her spoon and rose slowly, so as not to startle the troops. These Coruscant clones did not have the same innate respect, loyalty, or admiration for the Jedi that their brothers on the front lines did. She appreciated that they weren’t enamored with the mere concept of Jedi, and seemed to actively dislike them. It suited her just fine; she was just another orange jumpsuit in a sea of beings who had brought harm to others.

Electrostaffs still humming, the squad escorted her down a long tunnel back to the echoing holding chambers. She stepped aboard the platform and was lifted high into the air. Her isolated chamber was almost at the top of the domed holding cells, and reinforced by a particularly potent ray shield.

Once she stepped into the room, the shield sprang up behind her, and she felt the guards’ immediate relief. They were afraid of her. It hung onto their armor like an odor, agitating the inmates around them. Barriss knew she could kill them if she wanted to. But she had no desire to end their lives; she was content with her imprisonment. After all, she had already gone through that which she wanted all Jedi to go through – a trial for their crimes, and a fitting sentence.

The Council had expelled her from the Jedi Order, and as such, she was now subject to the laws and penalties of the Republic. Just like Ahsoka. It had come as a surprise, then, that she was not sentenced to death. The prosecutor had been some other Admiral of the Republic forces, rather than the grudge-bearing Tarkin that had charged Ahsoka, and she had been more than happy to sentence Barriss to a life term in the high-security prison. There are worse fates.

Alone in her cell, she sat on the floor, folding her legs beneath her and settling into meditation. She found she enjoyed the time alone; it allowed her to sift through her thoughts, contemplating the hypocrisy that was the Jedi Order. Not for the first time, she considered how blind they all were – to plunge through the galaxy, sending troops to their deaths without a second thought, obediently following the Senate’s whims and tantrums. The Council claimed they would not sacrifice their morals to achieve victory, and so they allowed the war to drag on, letting worlds fall one by one to the dark side. They were only prolonging the inevitable ruin of the Republic. And so many more would die before that happened.

After some time of mediation, a tremor shook the Force. Barriss opened her eyes and frowned. Something…bad had happened. Some shift that she could not understand. A moment later, she became aware of two shock troopers returning, the platform rising towards her. It can’t be time for the evening meal yet…

And then she felt it: an awful, familiar, warm presence in the Force.

Barriss leapt to her feet and spun around just as the platform connected with her chamber and the ray shield dropped.

“Five minutes,” the clone said curtly, stepping back and allowing a Mirialan woman to pass into the cell.

“Of course, Captain,” Luminara Unduli said quietly. With effort, she directed her gaze to the girl before her. “Apprentice.”

“Master.” The word felt heavy on Barriss’ tongue.

Her former Master looked more tired than Barriss had ever seen her. The lines beneath her eyes aged her far beyond her years, and her mouth was tightly pursed. Could she truly have changed so much? It had been several months, but even so…

“I thought I knew what I would say to you once I was here,” Luminara mused. “But now I’m not so sure.”

“I didn’t think you’d ever come,” Barriss said.

Luminara nodded. “I wasn’t going to. The Council advised against it – they do not approve of me being here.”

“Then why are you?” The words came out harsher than Barriss intended.

The older woman was silent for a moment while she thought. “When I first began training you, I believed that I would prepare myself enough to let you go. That I would allow the time to come and go as it needed to, and while I would mourn, I would celebrate you.” Her focused sharpened, her voice taking on an edge. “But not like this. This is not the end I saw for you.”

“I had to do something. I could no longer be silent and participate in the actions the Council demanded.”

“You directly caused the death of others, apprentice. You almost caused a fellow Padawan to be executed for your crimes.”

“And the Jedi allow other beings to die by the thousands and believe they are doing nothing wrong.”

“We are fighting for freedom!”

“And what of the systems that seceded?” Barriss demanded. “The ones who see that the Republic is stagnant, that the Senate is full of fools dragging their feet in an attempt to line their own pockets. You aren’t allowing them to be free to establish their own government that isn’t corrupt! You’re forcing them to remain chained to a system that disregards the poverty of its people in favor of their own wealth! How is that freedom?”

Luminara’s reply was heated. “And the droid armies lead by Dooku’s minions? The armies that overrun peaceful settlements with no thought to survivors or cultures?”

Barriss shook her head and sat stiffly on the edge of her hard bunk. “If the Senate had offered aid to the seceding systems, they wouldn’t have had to rely on Dooku’s forces to ensure their separation.”  

“You are being naïve,” Luminara scolded. “This war is more complex than that.”

“But no one’s thinking it through! There are so many details that have been taken for granted, so many risks taken without any second thought. And we’re supposed to accept it.”

Barriss turned away from her former Master. Her blood boiled that Luminara did not see the injustice of it all. How could she defend the spiraling Order? This was the woman she had admired for so long? Barriss had craved Luminara’s approval, longed to be seen as competent and wise. And this is where we stand. The tightness of the cell seemed to press around her, shortening her breath. Barriss turned back and stared down the older Mirialan. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”

Luminara’s lips parted as though she were going to say something, but then she paused. A frown creased her brow and she glanced away, as though concentrating on a far-away sound. Barriss felt it then too; a shudder in the Force, long and continuous, growing each moment like the death throes of some wounded animal. Something was very wrong.

Without another word, her former Master turned and began walking back to the waiting platform. The clone captain had one hand raised to his helmet, most likely listening to some comm chatter.

“Alive. Very well. It will be done, my lord,” he said suddenly. He nodded to his companion, and they both raised their blasters.

“Captain, what’s –”

Luminara got no further. Several blue rings of energy erupted from the ends of the weapons, striking her in the chest, one after another. She collapsed on the floor of the cell, stunned.

“Master!” Barriss jumped forward, but fell to her knees as the captain hit her with a single jolt of energy.

The troopers rushed forward and seized Luminara, dragging her onto the platform and raising the ray shield behind them. Barriss lurched forward to see the platform rise to the highest chamber. She watched, wide-eyed, as the soldiers lowered the shield – even more complex than the one that held Barriss – and tossed the Jedi Master in.

As the clones re-shielded the cell and began their decent, Barriss’ legs gave out and she crumpled back to the ground. As she fixed her eyes on the cell above, the trembling in the force growing, and the realization crashed down on her in one moment of fascinated horror.

Jedi are dying.

 .

 For @finish-the-clone-wars writing Wednesday prompt “Prison”

[razzleberrypudding]

In My Way

-not my gif-

Imagine, You work with team flash from within the police force. One night while investigating a jewelry robbery you get between Leonard Snart (aka Captain Cold) and the exit and he shoots you in an attempt to escape, landing you in the hospital- nearly dead.

Word Count: 1816

"Dispatch, this is unit 397 responding to a call about suspicious individuals lurking around the Central City Jewelry Expo."

It was a one week special event. Jewelry from all over the country, extremely rare, valuable, and famous jewels, were now sitting on display in the Central City museum. An incredibly stupid idea according to you, with this city's track record with insane criminals, but nobody had asked you- you were just some beat cop.

"Barry?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't see anything, you can stand down"

A beat cop with a connection to the Flash.

"Sounds good, just holler if you need me"

You stashed your earpiece in your pocket as you slowly entered the museum. It was dark, still, and deserted.

"Dispatch, I don't see any signs of anyone in the museum. Gonna give it a quick look and then head out."

"Sounds good 397," your dispatch replied "be careful though, there's a possibility that this could be tied to yesterday's robbery."

"Snart never hits back to back like this.  He wouldn't have had time to case the museum anyway. The expo opened this afternoon."

Just then you heard a soft thud from further in the museum. Your hand instinctively went to your sidearm. Cautiously you moved further into the museum. As you neared the jewelry expo, located in a one exit show room towards the back of the museum, you heard another thud, and the sound of low voices. You thought you recognized one of them, but you couldn't be sure. You crept closer, drawing your gun.

"Hurry up, I wanna get out of here."

"Quiet you idiot."

You froze. You knew that voice. You slowly reached into your pocket and pulled out your Star Labs earpiece.

"Barry!" You whispered.

"Yeah?"

"It's Snart."

You slowly shuffled closer, trying to get a visual to confirm. Crouched behind an exhibit stand, you took a deep breath to steady yourself, before slowly peering out, hoping for a glimpse of Snart.

"Are you sure?" Barry sounded worried.

"Yes," you whispered, frozen in place, "I'm sure."

Standing not 5 feet in front of you, piercing blue eyes locked on yours, was Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold.

"Do not engage him! He's too dangerous."

"Too late," you squeaked as Snart stood, his eyes never leaving yours, "help."

"Well well well," Snart sneered "what have we got here?"

You were still frozen, crouched behind the stand. You couldn't move, couldn't even breathe. Those eyes, they had captured you without even trying.

"What, can't you talk?" His partner, Mick Rory, chimed in, "usually the useless cops at least tell us to put our hands up. It's one of the constants in our lives."

Mick took a step towards you and suddenly you were unfrozen. Your gaze snapped away from Snart and you raised your gun, pointing it at Mick.

"Don't come any closer. Just... stay where you are."

Mick raised his heat gun, pointing it directly at you, "you really wanna be careful where you point that thing."

"Mick..." Snart warned, "lets not do anything rash."

"I'm on my way," you heard Barry in your ear, "just hold on."

You moved to block the exit, the only exit, to the room. Your weapon still raised, you allowed yourself to look back at Snart. He was still staring at you, a slight smirk on his face.

"You're in my way doll," he crooned, gesturing with his cold gun, "please move."

"No way," you shot back, "you've terrorized this city long enough."

You could hear sirens in the distance, and they were clearly growing closer. Snart and Mick heard them too, and though Snart didn't seem to mind, Mick's grip on his heat gun tightened and he aimed it at you.

"Move," he growled, "or I'll move you."

"Now now Mick, let's be reasonable here" Snart sighed.

You raised your gun at Mick, "you're going to jail."

The sirens were louder now, almost right outside.

"Snart... we gotta go," Mick was agitated "I'm not going to jail."

He turned to pick up the bag and you cocked your gun, "freeze!"

Snart moved faster than you thought possible. One second he was just casually standing there, completely relaxed. But when you cocked your gun and aimed at Mick, everything had changed. Snart now stood tense and poised to shoot, his cold gun aimed at your heart.

"Calm down sweetheart," Snarts words were casual but his eyes and tone were ice cold, "just put the gun down."

Mick kept gathering things into the bag, including jewels.

Your finger started to tighten on the trigger, "I said fre-"

Suddenly your side exploded in a kind of icy pain and you fell to the ground, crying out and dropping your weapon. Snart had shot you. You watched as Mick picked up the bag and ran to the exit. He called to Snart but you couldn't make out the words. You felt someone beside you, but you couldn't turn to look. Someone was holding your hand, was it Barry? No, you could see Barry at the entrance to the expo.

"Get away from her!" He screamed, but it sounded like it was coming through water.

You felt someone squeeze your hand and then lean down.

"I'm sorry"

It was barely a whisper, but for some reason you heard it clear as day. Then Snart appeared in your vision, walking towards Barry with his hands up.

"Save her." Snart murmured "please."

And then Barry was beside you, scooping you up in his arms.

"Just hold on, please, hold on" he urged, but your vision was already fading to black.

---

Barry Allen waited in the ER waiting room. He was tense, tapping his foot, clenching and un-clenching his fists. He was gonna kill Snart. 

After Snart had shot you, Barry had rushed you to the emergency room and then rushed back out to apprehend Snart. But Snart was nowhere to be found. He had simply disappeared. And so he headed back to the hospital, this time as Barry Allen instead of the Flash. That was nearly 7 hours ago. You had been in and out of surgery, and occasionally a nurse would come out and update Barry on your condition, but that wasn't good enough. Everyone had been by, but Barry sent them home, promising to call if anything changed.

"Mr. Allen?" A nurse walked up to Barry and he stood.

"Please, call me Barry. How is she?"

"Mr. Allen- Barry," the nurse paused, "there's been a complication."

Barry sunk back into the chair, his heart filling with dread, "is she dead?" It was barely a whisper.

"Her heart stopped on the operating table. They managed to resuscitate her, but she's badly injured. We believe that without her life support she would die within minutes. We've had to put any future surgery on hold until she stabilizes. Mr. Allen," he looked up at the nurse, " you may want to prepare yourself for her..." the nurse trailed off.

"Can I see her?" Barry asked.

Though he had only known you a short time, he thought of you as a little sister. Barely 23, you were one of the youngest members on the force, and with your bright smile and easygoing personality, there wasn't a single person who disliked you. That plus your quick wit and sharp eye made you an obvious addition to team Flash. You had quickly grown close to almost everyone you'd met.

"She's in the ICU," Barry stood, "you should call her family."

"She doesn't have any, would it be alright if I call some of her friends?"

"Yes. She... she shouldn't be alone."

Barry pulled out his phone and sent Joe a text to tell everyone to get to the hospital, that he would explain once they got there. He followed the nurse down the hallway, to the ICU. They stopped outside of room 258.

"This is it Mr. Allen. If you need anything-"

But Barry wasn't listening anymore. Slowly he opened the door and walked into your hospital room. The heart monitor beeped softly. You were laying in a hospital bed, tubes running all throughout your body. Barry could barely look at you. Tears sprung to his eyes as he moved to your bedside. He sat next to you and reached out, holding your hand gently.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, looking down at the floor in shame, "I should've been there sooner."

He sat there, crying softly, listening to the machines breathe for you, beat your heart for you, and keep you alive. Minutes seemed like eternities. It was gut wrenching. Then, a quiet knock at the door.

"Mr. Allen?" It was the nurse, "there's people in the waiting room asking for you."

Barry stood and wiped his eyes before following the nurse out, casting one last look at you before closing the door behind him.

Seconds later the door opened again and a dark figure slipped in. It was Leonard Snart, cold gun and parka in tow. He stood against the wall right next to the door, silently, watching you with cold eyes. Slowly he shrugged off his parka, moving forward to drape it across the chair next to you, before sitting down. He just sat there, watching you. He sat the cold gun down on the stand next to your bed. Usually the gun would never leave his side, but now it made him sick to even look at it. What was happening to him? He looked you up and down as you lay in bed. You were just a girl, just some random beat cop. Why did he care so much about you. He reached up and brushed some of your hair out of your face. The door opened suddenly.

"What the hell?" It was Barry, then the sound of a gun being drawn.

"Step away from her!" It was Joe.

Snart pushed himself to his feet, hands raised above his head and backed away from you. His eyes flicked between you and the ground.

"What are you doing here Snart?" Barry all but growled, his fists clenched.

"Turning myself in." Snart got on his knees, still facing you, and put his hands behind his head.

Team Flash exchanged glances full off suspicion.

"It's no trick," Snart sighed, "just cuff me."

Joe walked forward and cautiously cuffed Snart, while Barry zipped over and grabbed the cold gun off the table.

"Well Barry, pipeline or police?" Joe asked.

"Pipeline. He's planning something, and I wanna know what it is."

Joe hauled Snart to his feet, "you shot the wrong cop Cold," he hissed.

"I know," Snart mumbled, turning for one last look at you before Joe pulled him out of the room, the rest of team Flash following, leaving only Barry in your room.

"I'm gonna make him pay for you," he whispered as he sat by your bed, "I'm gonna make him pay."

[mythicalmessenger]

Corruption Part 1

Next

HEAVY TRIGGER WARNING. Do not continue if you are easily triggered.

——-

All you wanted was to see Saeyoung be happy.

Was that so much to ask?

Things were going so well. He had finally started opening up to you, finally stopped ignoring you.

Every glance you shared now was full of a shy desire, a soft smile playing on your lips when he quickly glanced away. Every time your fingers brushed his, you felt a surge of electricity bolt through your body.

Things were changing so fast, but there were other matters that needed to be  focused on right now.  After everything was resolved, though…you couldn’t stop thinking about his beautiful golden eyes or the way he looked at you when he thought you weren’t looking. You grew more and more desperate for him, but you pulled those feelings in so that you could help him. Every step forward carried the promise of his arms, the joy of his kiss, the sweet relief of a lifelong happiness together. You rushed into your future with him with the same naivety and wholeheartedness that he loved you so dearly for. To be a family was all he couldn’t even dare to dream for, and you wanted to give him that and so much more…

So here you are, staring at the Mint Eye headquarters pensively. The building looms ominously over you both, casting a dark shadow on the oddly pristine grass.

You have a bad feeling about this, but you push that thought down.

Seven squeezes your hand reassuringly as you gulp with nervousness. He opens his map, showing you the route you’ll both take in and out. You can tell he’s worried about you being there with him, but you insisted on going with him. This wasn’t something he should have to do alone.

The way inside is way too easy. You sneak past a few guards and make your way swiftly towards the control room Seven had discovered with his hacking skills. As he hacks the lock system with his laptop, you glance around nervously. Shouldn’t this room be heavily guarded or something? You shake your head, clearing your worry away and steeling yourself for the mission ahead.

The lock clicks as the door creaks open. Seven pushes it forward, motioning for you to follow him silently.

You close the door behind you, frowning. It clicks closed. This room is dark, but it is illuminated by multiple glowing blue screens. Seven is staring at the display with an unreadable expression. You slowly walk over to him, staring at the computers mounted on the wall.

“This is,” Seven breathed, his brow furrowing in concern. “I knew it. This is where the server is.”

You glance over at him, blinking. “Do you think Saeran hacked into our system here?” you ask nervously.

“That’s very likely,” Seven agrees, walking over to the large black chair at the center of the display. His eyes swept over the keyboard.

“This computer probably hacked into my algorithm,” he mutters. You look over the screens, your eyes trailing across them slowly as different codes flashed across them. “Look at this keyboard,” Seven says, nodding towards the large keyboard on the desk in front of the chair. You look down, noticing that some of the letters are missing entirely. “The coating’s almost off. Someone’s been typing for a very long time here.”

You frown, glancing back up at the computers. Something catches your eye. One of the computers is shifting between different images of women you don’t recognize.  Suddenly, it switches to a photo of you from your facebook.

You raise your eyebrows in shock. The next few photos are all of you, walking around Seoul, going to the supermarket, entering Rika’s apartment…you gasp as your whole body stiffens.

Your outfit…that was the day that Unknown-no, Saeran- had lured you to the apartment. You were wearing your tan sweater with your black skirt and boots, hesitantly opening the door to Rika’s home. Your heartbeat quickens as you clutch your necklace. The next few photos are taken through the windows to the apartment. You were in the kitchen making dinner…sitting at the desk on your computer inviting guests…sleeping in Rika’s bed…

You part your lips to say something, but the images switch back to the women you don’t recognize.

I wonder if those were all the women he had tried to lure before? You wondered. They were smarter than me I guess…they didn’t fall for Saeran’s trick. But if I hadn’t gone to that apartment…I would never have met Saeyoung.

You bite your lip, feeling a mix of remorse and fear. It had all been worth it, there was no doubt there, but you couldn’t help but feel worried about the danger both of you were in now.

Seven runs his fingers through his hair, letting out a sigh as he looked over the computers. “God…where in the world did he learn how to hack…?” He places his hand on the desk, staring at a photo of Rika and Saeran when he was younger.  

The pretty blonde had her arm around Saeran’s shoulders. You noticed that her smile was different. You’d seen many photos of Rika, and she was always bright and bubbly. But here…she looks almost sinister. Her smile is kind of…creepy. Saeran isn’t looking into the camera; he’s smiling shyly at Rika, oblivious to the odd expression on her face. The photo makes you very uneasy.

Seven also looks uneasy as he stares at the odd picture. “Why did he have to learn this? I wish I knew,” he says forlornly.

Your uneasiness doesn’t go away. You shift on your feet nervously, glancing around the dark room. You’d spent enough time lollygagging. “First…if Saeran really used this computer, we better start transferring the materials,” you suggest. The photos of you would be transferred to Seven’s computer. You could mention it to him later.

Even though you felt panic rising in your chest, you took deep breaths, calming yourself down. You both needed to get what you came for and get the hell out of here as quickly as possible.

“Ah, right, I’m sorry,” Seven says, the distant look in his eyes vanishing. He turns to you, saying, “The toggle that I brought…” He digs through the backpack on your back while you’re still wearing it. “Here it is,” he says, pulling it out. “First, plug this into the one that looks most important.”

You grab the toggle, plugging it into what looked like the main computer. “Right, then, the password,” Seven muttered, tapping on his keyboard. Paradise. The computer chimed lightly and Seven chuckled. “Knew it. Too easy.”

You tap your foot, biting your lip again. You can't quell the uneasy feeling in your chest. Seven connects another cable to his laptop, opening a program called password macro, and starts murmuring codes as he types them. He opens a window on the computer, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose deftly with one finger. “THe most important information is usually the most recent one…so arrange everything in the latest order and start send…”

He is typing at what lookes like the speed of light. You smile lightly. “Are you transferring the information already?” you ask, impressed. “You’re so fast.”

“It’s what I do all the time,” Seven responds blankly. “I’m not proud of it,” he adds, not breaking his gaze at the computer. You think you hear a clicking sound behind you, but Seven’s voice catches your attention again. “But you have to watch over the transfer process. We have to do it fast, so you use 100% of the power. Then the central system might get over heated, so-”

“Don’t worry about that,” a voice cuts in. You jump, startled, and Seven freezes. “I attached a nice cooler.”

You both turn to face the man who had walked into the room. Before you can say anything, a loud bang erupts and pierces through the room. The bright flash blinds you for a moment. You yell, fear coursing through your veins.

Seven!!

(( Please check this out on Ao3 and give kudos + comment if you liked it! Seeing y’all’s feedback is what encourages me to keep writing so don’t be shy~))

[demonicsymbiote]

Spawn vs Robber. [Musings]

†+ Summer had shown its blistering face out the blue in Manhattan. The brick and iron monoliths that held the ants of the concrete jungle acted as giant mirrors for the sun's heat. One could literally see the steam rising from the baking streets. Busted fire hydrants sprayed cooling water where children and their parents jumped and played. Central park bustled with summer time bliss. Peddlers sold fresh baked treats and ice cream trucks posted up. Dishing out balls of cold, refreshing ice cream.

†+ Deep within central park, while the city enjoyed its summer, a young woman was wishing today would end. She and her three year old son was held at gun point by a drug dealing addict down on his luck. He needed a quick fix, a adrenaline boost.

“P-p-p-please! Don't hurt my boy!” She cried. Making herself a barrier between the loaded fire arm and her child's skull, where the barrel of the gun pointed.

The mugger raised his armed hand, ready to pistol whip the frightened woman. “Shut up! Just shut up! Just give me your purse..A-and your bra. Yeah..”

†+ Spawn just happened to be in the area when the robbery was underway. He watched from the shadow of a large tree. This wasn't his problem. He could careless what happened to the woman, robber or child. He was at the park to clear his head but it seems trouble always attracted itself to Simmons. He battled with himself whether to keep watching or jwalk away.

Suddenly, the young boy dodged past his mother and became the shield. Blocking the robber from his beloved parent. Tears was streaming down his face but Spawn saw in the boy the spirit of a fighter. Someone who would not let anyone hurt the ones he loved.

“Leave mah mommy alone!” The boy scream with all his might.

†+ The addict snickered at the boy's bravado and slapped the child away with no hesitation. The few teeth that the boy had projected from his now split lip. The mother tried to console her son but the robber shoved the barrel of the gun into her left breast. Pulling back the hammer.

“Aye, don't get antsy bitch. Money and undies! Now!” He demanded.

†+ The woman was frozen solid. Too scared to move. Not because of the man trying to rob her. But the brooding hellion that towered behind him. Spawn's emerald eyes were blazing. One thing he NEVER stood for was abusing a child.

“Hey!” The robber shouted. “You deaf or somethin'? Maybe I need to knock some sense into you too you dumb broad!” The man raised his hand to pistol whip the woman but he realized his gun was missing.

Confused, he looked left and right. Bullets then rained down before his eyes. The empty gun suspended in the air by a chain wrapped around the trigger guard. He spun around to see what was happening but Spawn was too fast. The Hellion clutched razor-like claws into his neck and hoisted him in the air. Blood dripped from his fingers. The robber tried to squirm but he knew he was going nowhere.

“You think your tough, you piece of shit? Your all strong and powerful with a fuckin' gun but what about now?! Beat me like your did the child! Slap me! Threaten me! DO IT! Grows some fuckin’ balls!”

†+ Spawn had achieved a almost heroic status to the people of manhattan. The woman knew who he was on first sight though he was only mentioned as an urban legend. She finally got her wits and picked her child up and nursed his wounds. At this point, the man was pissing himself in fear.

“God, please don't kill me man! I'm sorry! Please!” He begged.

Spawn drew the man's face near his. Volumes of necroplasmic clouds lifted from corners of his eyes.

“God can't help you now...Your ass is mine.”

†+ The boy came to, now seeing what was happening. It was Spawn! The guy who took the bad guys out! But he was hurting people. That wasn't very heroic. The boy jumped out of his mom's arms and wrapped his tiny army around the trunk of Spawn's left leg.

“Please Mr. Spawn, don't hurt him. He's not a bad guy, he's just hungry or something..Your a good guy! You don't hurt people!” He cried.

“Yeah man! Listen to the kid!” The robber agreed.

†+ The Hellspawn, after a tense moment, released his grip on the man. He managed to get himself up and he sprinted like a bat out of hell. The boy had a sparkle in his eyes. He saw his hero in action! His mother took his hand and pulled him away. Fearing that the Hellion would do to the boy what he was going to do to the robber. The boy, nearly jumping out of his skin from excitement, smiled.

“That's Spawn! He's a good guy!”

†+ Ends of his cloak gathered the bullets, loaded the gun and gave it to the frightened woman. Spawn's voice was directed completely at the woman who hesitantly took the firearm.

“Next time, carry protection. I won't be here all the time.”

He then headed back into the shadows of the overgrown trees where he vanished in plain sight. Later that night, the same robber had found himself on the outskirts of rat city getting high off drugs he and a half dozen goons stole from another drug dealer. Rats had scurried across the piss-drenched concrete. He had to take the edge off. Today wrecked him psychologically.

“...Fuck that costumed freak! Who does he think he is? Spiderman?!” He mocked. His allies all laughed in responses. “Yeah!” One said aloud. “If I was there I would have filled his stupid ass with more lead than a box of pencils! We run this city, not some freak in tights!”

†+ Suddenly, the air shifted from blazing hot to ice cold. The rats and insects that outnumbered people stopped moving. Even the bums that dotted the alley all got their things and moved away from the group. As if something bad was going to happen. The men grew weary. Scared.

“Th'fuck's goin' on?” The robber inquired. The posse of drug addicts all pulled out their side arms. Frantically searching for HIM. They could feel it. He was around. Spawn was somewhere near them. And they couldn't figure out where. Unfortunately, they did know that Spawn was there watching them the entire time. He followed the robber after he left the park and murdered every contact he came across. Leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

BOOM! A sniper round tore open a cavity into one of the men's chest. The group tried to run but all but the original robber had been gunned down before they could get back to the main street. The robber backed himself into a corner. Shooting shot after shot into the dark where he could see Spawn's outline.

“Come out, you ugly fuck! I know your here! You don't scare me!” He yelled.

The Hellspawn emerged from the thick of darkness. Ribbons of his cloak swayed around him. Chains slapped against the ground and brick walls crumbling the surfaces. He glided over the ground and as he done so, the robber emptied the last of his rounds into the shadowy mercenary. Close up, he could see that all his shots actually did hit him. Green ooze fell from the open wounds. But what kept him terrified was the fact that Spawn took a whole clip and didn't flinch a damn muscle. Spawn stood before the man who again was pissing himself. There was no one here to save his ass. Not even God.

“....You should be.”

†+ The sound of the man's screams echoed all through Rat City.