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#backflip onto a land mine and explode
aikidoheroine · 3 years
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Tenmaki -Understanding-
Backflip, backflip, backflip
Tenko Chabashira, Ultimate Aikido Master (Or a variant of it anyway) kept twisting and edging backwards in fluid motion; sounds of air cuts passing by her. If one were to slow down, they could see knives being the thing making the sound through the air. Knives courtesy of Maki Harukawa, former Ultimate Babysitter, current Ultimate Assassin.
The two are locked in what was going to be a simple spar, but it grew to become a heated battle because Tenko is as aggressive with her mouth as her kicks and punches entail.
It all started 1 minute ago.
“Say Maki-chan, being alone and aloof from everyone else…that is no way to live! You should make friends and try to unburden yourself! If you like someone, you should be able to trust them, right? That’s what friends do. They trust each other.”
Tenko had no idea what caused Maki to explode, but she found herself dodging knives. Where is Maki even keeping those knives, Tenko has no idea. She lost count after 29. Doesn’t Maki carry 30? usually? At least, that’s what Kokichi said once. But who knows if that was lie. Almost everything out of that clown’s mouth is a lie in some sort of fashion.
After the 7th flip, Tenko lands on her feet, thankful that she felt the knife rain finally come to an end (that’s going to be a mess to clean up later), but the rain of pain came to her. Maki, despite her thin body shape, is surprisingly agile. Agile enough to close in on Tenko in seconds with another knife (There’s the 30th one), and strike at Tenko.
While Tenko acknowledges Maki is faster, and possibly stronger (Tenko witnessed the girl lift a 100 pound rocket launcher like was nothing), Maki lacks in ways Tenko excels at.
Namely, reflexes. Tenko already knew Maki would have closed the gap between them; its what Maki does, unconsciously or not (Assassin perks, maybe). Even before Maki began the strike, Tenko moved just as fast and with one hand, grips Maki’s wrist holding the knife, and the other one, she strikes an open palm right onto Maki’s chest.
The impact was quick. Maki dropped the knife and coughed her breath out. But she wasn’t out, not by a longshot. She didn’t earn the title of Ultimate Assassin by cowering under simple blows. She retaliates as quickly, leaping; she catches Tenko’s neck with her legs and twists her sideways, pulling both of them down. Tenko landed on her back (Thankful for the mats, otherwise that would have hurt), while Maki lands on her 4 feet like a cat. She grabs the fallen knife with her teeth (What are you Maki, a dog?), and leaps onto Tenko’s lap, about to swipe again at Tenko.
Tenko’s reflexes save her again, able to block the swipe by forming an X with her hands, and pushes them on Maki’s neck; narrowly avoiding the swipe and keeping Maki back. Maki however, persists and pushes forward, twisting her mouth and lips to grab the knife from the hilt and pushes down to try and stab Tenko.
“This is…ridiculous!” Tenko yells, teeth grit. She’s able to move her legs and lifts them back to wrap around Maki’s neck, and then pushes back with both arms and legs. “Off Maki!”
Tenko’s strength and position helps in this case, and she’s able to get Maki off her, one last push gets Maki to flip backwards and skid a little back; though she sprints back at Tenko with no intention of letting the Aikido Master get up.
Tenko does manage to get up. As soon as she got Maki off her, she spun herself in a manner similar to breakdancing, then users her legs as a weight, and lifts herself back up like a trampoline swing. “Aha!” And quickly, back on the defensive she is, as Maki dropped the knife from her mouth, back to her hand and goes for a flurry of strikes and swipes.
Tenko thankfully is skilled enough to parry each one, hands balled to fists, she punches the strikes away from dealing any real damage; though the constant clashes, and being pushed back got to Tenko.
She formulated a plan; simple and to the point. ‘Steady…steady…now!’ finding just the right time to counter, Tenko instead, ducks under one of Maki’s swipes, and sweeps her leg, knocking Maki off-balance. Tenko then leaps and grabs Maki by her sides and slams her down “HAAH!” no mercy for the Assassin.
Once Maki hit the mats (and pretty damn hard. Tenko did not hold back that one time), the force of the impact gets her to drop her knife, and Tenko then sits on Maki’s lap and holds her two arms by her wrists. Neutralization, success.
“…Phew.” Tenko let out a sigh of relief. Now that the 'spar’ finally stopped, she realized just how fast her heart is racing, and the sweat she fells all over. It was a quick fight, but still, it put her on edge. Maki was using real knives. It could have hurt her, or worse. “I would normally say that was fun spar Maki-chan, but you were using real weapons! I could have been hurt!” Tenko said with a frown. “I apologize for any rudeness in my earlier comment, but I meant what I said.”
“…You actually managed to beat me.” Maki said, surprised. She didn’t make any motion to try and get out; she admits defeat. “…I guess that makes it 2-1 for now, still leading.”
Tenko would have been flattered, under normal circumstances, but not this time. “Please don’t flatter me Maki-chan; especially when you don’t mean it.”
“…” Maki grumpily stayed quiet, not even looking at Tenko anymore. “I don’t rely on others Chabashira. I’m an Assassin, get it? I kill people; for a living.” she sighs, and decides to look at Tenko “Whether my target is innocent or guilty, it doesn’t matter. I silence them forever, get paid, move on to the next one. I don’t feel anything, I shouldn’t, feel anything; especially friendship or…anything deeper than that.”
“…You don’t believe that.” Tenko said. “I can tell Maki-chan. Not just by words, but your body. You put on a brave face, threatening anyone, always trying to be intimidating…but I see it. At the table, at the trials, when you see other people talking like friends, like Shuichi and Kaito. You have that look of sadness in your face, showing your true emotions.”
Whether Tenko’s words hit Maki or not, Maki didn’t show it. “Its not your problem to solve.”
“Maybe not.” Tenko admits as much. “But this isn’t an assassin’s mission, is it Maki-chan? We’re trapped, with other people. People that regardless of how you and I feel about, have to work together to get out of this mess.”
“Akamatsu tried. You saw how that worked out.”
Kaede…It may have been more than a week since then, but to Tenko, its like it happened hours ago. Its still vivid in her head. The imagery, Kaede’s look of despair as death slowly took hold of her, and nobody was able to do anything about it. Spectators to an execution no one wanted, for a crime Kaede didn’t even want to commit.
To Tenko, a defender of justice, protector of the weak; it was an insult to her pride and honor.
“I don’t need to be reminded of that.” Tenko said. “But I have never doubted Kaede-chan’s words. To get out of here alive, all of us.” her eyes drooped a little. “…I admit that while I don’t show it, I am afraid of what may come next.”
“I’m not.” Maki replies bluntly.
“Liar.” Tenko frowns again. “In this fight we just had, you told me otherwise.”
Maki didn’t say anything to that, staying strangely quiet. Tenko took this is a queue to continue. “Every swipe, stab, every movement you did…it wasn’t normal for you. Your movements were quick, but sloppy. With determination, but no end goal. Every attack has shown to me that you’re afraid, desperate to exit this confounding prison that Monokuma created against our wills.”
“If you were really aiming to kill me Maki, you would have done so much easier than what you showed me today. I know full well your capabilities to end a life. You did not end mine…so I know, that you are afraid too, for what comes after death here, is facing your own death; and that terrifies you.”
“As strong as you are…facing death, that should never be done alone.”
Maki bit her lip, annoyed and…admittedly showing her fear now, if only a little. “Strength of my own is all I know Chabashira. I never had to rely on anyone else but myself.”
Tenko nods. Her grip on Maki loosens “I know this…I know you are strong Maki-chan.” She lets go of Maki’s wrists, and looses her own hands, relaxed…comfortable. “But someone that has always fought alone, will never know the strength of fighting alongside others. The kind of strength Kaede wanted from us.” Tenko gets off Maki’s lap and stands up, still staring at her, but now a gaze; A strange mix of sorrow and hopeful “The kind of strength I want to hope, can get us to escape with no more victims or murderers. Back to where we belong.”
“…” Maki didn’t move from her spot, though relieved Tenko got off her at least. “…You never spoke with Akamatsu. Why are you holding her in such a strong regard?”
“…” Tenko takes a step forward and slowly sits next to Maki, looking opposite of where Maki is. “It is true…we only spoke once, before the murder of Rantaro. I suppose its not really about Kaede herself, as a wonderful person I’m sure she was; rather…” Tenko bit her lip. “What she represents to me.”
Maki raised an eyebrow, confused. Clearing her throat, Tenko continues.
“As someone that upholds protecting the weak, the innocent, seeing Kaede die the way she did, in such a cruel, unfitting matter…God you have no idea how badly I wanted to crush Monokuma and those damn cubs of his. But it would have been for nothing. I know that, I felt that…but I still wanted to. Because Kaede deserved better; killer or not of that degenerate Rantaro; she wouldn’t have done that if Monokuma had forced us to this evil game of his.”
As she spoke, Tenko’s sadness turned to grief, to anger, to hopelessness. Tears nearly threatened to leave her eyes, and they did. “This killing game goes against everything I believe in; and I hate it. I hate the very idea of it. Comrades and friends being forced to kill each other for some sick proof of an ideal is no way to live; no matter if the whole world wants to think that way, it being acceptable doesn’t mean that it should be ok for anyone to not question it. We question drugs, we question the morality of mental health, but we don’t question abuse? murders?” Tenko shook her head. “We are Ultimates. We bring hope to those that can’t do so, in odd ways, yes. But we still do our parts every day, with hard work and determination.” Tenko shook vividly as she said this. “Monokuma took that hope, and twisted it to something of pure evil; all for laughs.” she stood up again, wiping her eyes from the tears and the sniffs. “I can never forgive a person like that, or anyone that supports such actions and ideals. So for that…I have to fight to keep us together, to work together and live another day. Kaede would have wanted that. I, want that.” Tenko greatly emphasizes in her grief.
“…” Maki didn’t know what to say. What could she say? Tenko’s speech caught her off-guard. In truth, Maki never really thought of it that way. A simple life, compared to Tenko’s complex one. To kill, and to protect.
’…Would killing the mastermind truly end this?’ Maki thought to herself. 'Who’s to say someone else will take their place? Someone with equally twisted ideals?’ history shows as much. You kill one dictator, 2 more pop up someone else. Its like killing ants in a way.
’…Have my killings served any purpose, I wonder…’ Maki mused. 'Were they for the greater good? Or for the selfish ambitions of another? …did my actions caused others to die?’
…Well, whatever the answers to that, it doesn’t matter now. Too late to look back on done deeds. But maybe this once…
“…Hey.” Maki got up, and grabbed her knife. She pockets it. “…Tomorrow, same time?” Maki pauses for a moment. “…No knives.”
Surprised, Tenko looks at Maki wide eyed and mouth agape “Maki-chan…?”
Maki stands up and dusts herself off. “I’ll see you then…Tenko.” With that, Maki leaves the Gym, leaving a flabbergasted Tenko behind.
Though once she left, Maki looks at her knife, her own reflection in the silver blade. ’…Fight for others…its not my thing. I doubt it could ever be my thing.’ Maki pockets it again. 'But…maybe just this once…I can try, if only for Tenko, and Kaede. I am an assassin, that will never change. …Yet, would the kids at the orphanage…would they admire me if they knew what I did? What I’ve done?’
Himiko, Angie! I made friends with Maki-chan! I got her to acknowledge me as a friend!
That’s great Tenko! Atua has blessed you indeed!
“Oi, don’t let it go to your head!” Maki yelled angrily, yet couldn’t help herself to smile…if only once.
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“Wow, thank you so much, Goryuck! I didn’t expect something like this, but this is such a sweet surprise! I’m going to cherish this forever!”
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solalunar-eclipse · 3 years
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Scars You Can’t See - Chapter 8
Chapter title: Countdown
Word count: about 3500 words
Author’s Note: I tried to make this one slightly more light-hearted, but we’ll see if that worked out! Also writing fight scenes is difficult.
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...
At this rate, it was honestly a miracle that Tails hadn’t had to buy a new carpet yet.
Thankfully for Sonic’s sanity, his little brother’s determination to preserve their house meant that he’d been given lots of free rein to run around outside whenever he felt like leaving. He’d also been given fewer chores lately, as Tails knew from experience that Sonic did not thrive on order and routine like he did.
It had been three days since their visit from G.U.N. and their last contact from Omega- and Team Dark in general. Though he never said as much, Sonic was really having an issue with the fact that Tails had gotten to contact his friend twice by now, while he hadn’t heard from Shadow in ages. He tried his best not to worry, but it had just been such a long time since he’d spoken with the other hedgehog.
And Omega had said that Shadow was struggling...had practically had to relive one of his most traumatic memories….
Sonic decided that he didn’t care about any of the hybrid’s usual thoughts about expressing emotions or vulnerability- the second he got to see Shadow for real, that guy wouldn’t be able to escape the hug he had coming. The hero was practically determined to drag his friend (because they were friends, no matter what Shadow might say) to a therapist, too, since Chaos knew the guy needed it.
The blue hedgehog slowed down considerably and began to stalk through the forest instead, trying to get the majority of his anger out through his legs and movement. It wouldn’t do for Tails to see him like this…
Sonic’s thoughts circled back to how his hands were tied by what he’d promised Shadow- the hybrid had been so insistent, but now Sonic regretted agreeing not to go after G.U.N. Truthfully, the only reason he hadn’t broken his promise already was because while Tails was an incredibly clever and talented person, he could never forgive himself if the young fox got hurt. Otherwise, he would absolutely have long since blasted into G.U.N.’s headquarters, grabbed the commander by the front of his military uniform and told him in no uncertain terms that he had better stop hunting Team Dark and he’d better do it immediately. The hero had had enough of his friends suffering while he was forced to sit safe at home and wait.
His phone buzzed then, pulling him out of his tangled web of thoughts. Tugging it out of his windswept mess of quills, he saw that it was Tails calling and of course picked up immediately.
“Yeah, lil’ bro, what’s up?” he asked, hoping that most of the frustration had left his voice by now.
“Uh, Sonic?” the fox said, sounding pretty tense himself. “Since those agents came to our house a couple of days ago, I managed to hack into G.U.N.’s main server and now I can see some of what they’re doing- mostly where the organisation's sending people and all that.”
“Epic!” Sonic cheered. He began to wonder- could they use this to help their fugitive friends?
“Well, yeah, it would be...except that they’re sending an entire squad to our house. Like, right now.”
His grin froze in place. A squad of soldiers? The hero almost felt a grim sort of delight in that- finally, he’d be able to vent some of his frustration on the organization that had caused this whole mess. He hoped the house would remain standing, though. Tails had built it around a tree from scratch and was really proud of it. 
Sonic decided he’d work that out once he got home, and just a moment later, a sonic boom exploded across the landscape as he took off. 
Once the hero arrived at home, the duo began to set up the house’s various defense mechanisms- since they were a) very famous, b) hated by one of the most powerful supervillains in the world and c) one of them was an engineer, it was only natural that the house would be at least as well defended as a high-security bank vault. Sonic practically bounced around the house as he helped activate certain parts of their machinery, nervous tension running high. G.U.N. wasn’t going to be pulling any punches this time, he was sure of it.
Tails, by contrast, was absolutely calm. The fox was ridiculously mature for his age, and Sonic suspected that he instinctively knew by now when he needed to counteract his elder brother’s wild energy. Once everything was set up, the two built a makeshift barricade as a last resort at the front door, and waited.
Thankfully for Tails’s sanity, it didn’t take long for the trucks to arrive. 
As the three trailer trucks parked outside his house, ten soldiers poured out of each one, while several technicians began to set up some sort of weird-looking prototype laser device. The fox laughed for a second at the sight of it in a way that sent a few chills down Sonic’s spine. His brother could be downright terrifying at times.
Tails scoffed. “Please. That laser doesn’t have the power output to break my shields….wait.
“What the heck?”
The four technicians had begun to hook up the laser to- of all things- one of Eggman’s old power cores that he usually used in his bases. 
The young engineer tugged at his tails in frustration. “That’s so dumb! Sure, it might boost the laser’s strength, but there’s at least a twenty percent chance it’ll blow up in their faces! A small machine like that wasn’t made to withstand the amount of power it takes to charge an entire Eggman base!”
Sonic blinked and looked at his brother. “Those aren’t bad odds….”
“They aren’t good ones, either! I’d never let someone use a creation of mine with a one in five chance of failure. It’s just embarrassing! And it shows how far behind their engineers are!” Tails’s fur was fluffed up in outrage and irritation.
The hero almost laughed. “That’s what you complain about first? Not the fact that they’re gonna try and blow up our house?” he asked, his tone light. He snatched up the fox and rushed them both away from the front door as a precaution- that was definitely going to be their first target.
Sonic pushed Tails into the highest room in the house, before launching himself out the window and curling up into a deadly sphere of razor-sharp spikes. He vaguely heard one soldier yell something in a panicked voice, but didn’t pay much attention to it. He slammed into the ground, still in a ball, and tore off towards the laser cannon at top speed, leaving a cloud of dust behind him as he went. 
Irritatingly, the soldiers’ gunfire spattered all around the cannon, making it impossible to tear the thing apart. Sparks flew across the ground as Sonic careened around it before jumping up into a running stance and taking off in their direction. The air snapped around him as he broke the sound barrier and landed a furious kick on one of the trucks, denting the heavy steel and flipping it onto its side.
Sonic stumbled as a loud explosion rocked the ground, but kept sprinting after a glance assured him that Tails’s shields had held against the blast. The hedgehog smacked one man’s rifle out of his hand, the sheer speed of the blow bending it in half (and was almost certain he heard a distinct ‘why do we keep fighting this guy with guns?’) before he moved on. 
A dozen soldiers were on the ground either unconscious or groaning in pain by the time someone thought to radio for reinforcements- which they’d apparently had on standby ready to be helicoptered in. The blue blur wasn’t sure whether this high estimation of his fighting skills was something he should be proud of...or not.
The fur prickled on the back of Sonic’s neck as a humming noise filled the air.
A moment later, he threw himself to the ground as a red-hot laser carved a wide arc above him, slicing through the area where his midriff was a few seconds ago. He heard a faint yell of outrage from inside the house above all the noise, and stuck out his arm for a quick thumbs-up to Tails. 
A couple of seconds later, one very familiar and well-used earpiece landed in the dirt next to him as the laser swung back across the battlefield to refocus on their shields. Sonic shoved it into one blue ear before running up the side of the second truck and backflipping to land behind several soldiers. “Miss me, guys?” he asked smugly, before smirking and delivering several well-placed blows to said soldiers’ kneecaps that left all three doubled over on the ground. None of them had even seen him as he moved, which was really a testament to Sonic’s skill.
Tails’s voice crackled to life in his ear as he sent another person flying. “Awesome job! By the way, they’ve already fired the cannon three times, so either their luck is going to be great with this next one, or else…”
The cannon’s shot breached the shields, but Sonic noticed as he ran that its casing was burning red-hot, and- 
A shockwave blasted out from the cannon, making all four of its attendants fly into the air, yet in the seconds before they hit the ground, Sonic had time to:
Heave a lengthy sigh at their overestimation of the cannon.
Decide that even if they were working for G.U.N., a life was still a life.
Run around and safely place all four of them inside of a truck...
And avoid the explosion as it tore up the ground within a ten-foot radius of the machine.
(The hero had known for quite some time that being the fastest thing alive meant that he could do some really cool tricks.)
Dirt exploded in all directions, leaving a crater and a smoking lump of metal on the ground. Unfortunately, though, the house’s main defenses were down, and any second now, the helicopter would be there with enough soldiers to take out the rest. And his little brother was still inside...
As though he’d heard the hedgehog’s thoughts, Tails’s voice crackled to life through the speaker. “Sonic! The reinforcements are almost here- we can’t take them all, even if I come out there!”
“Not happening, pal, not unless you’ve got your mech.” Sonic insisted, putting on his ‘big brother’ voice. “Hey, wait- where’re they going?” he asked suddenly, watching as the remaining soldiers retreated to take cover behind one of their trucks. That wouldn’t really help them, but Sonic knew that they knew he couldn’t take the whole organization on by himself.
“They’re waiting it out until the rest arrive...but we won’t be here by then.” Tails said, sounding confident.
“And why’s that, pal?” He folded his arms, keeping one eye on the soldiers.
“Because-” and here Sonic suddenly heard a loud roaring noise coming from the back of the house, “-we’re going to get out of here!”
That was when the Tornado soared directly over their heads.
The G.U.N. soldiers certainly tried to shoot the plane down, but of course, they couldn’t keep up with Tails’s expert flying. Bullets embedded themselves into nothing but trees as it flew away into the forest, a blue streak taking off after it at top speed. Sonic kept up with the red biplane easily, just waiting for the right moment to...there!
He launched himself off a particularly well-placed branch, flinging himself high into the air before landing perfectly on the wing of the plane. “Alright, Tails,” he yelled, trying to make himself heard over the roar of the engine, “where to now?”
The kitsune winced and tapped his ear. “Earpiece, remember?” he asked, and Sonic cringed, realizing that he had forgotten what it was like to wear the little speaker while on the Tornado.
“Ahah, gotcha.” he said sheepishly. “So?”
Tails sighed, but not in an irritated manner. “Angel Island- nobody can find it if Knuckles wants to stay hidden. I called him up while you were out front and he said we could crash there.”
“Oh, sweet!” Sonic said happily. “It’ll be like a sleep...over…”
He trailed off weakly, suddenly remembering their home. “Sorry about the house, pal...I know ya worked hard on it.” The hero ran a hand through his quills, unwilling to meet the other’s eyes.
“It’s okay.” Tails said bravely. “I brought a few things-” he gestured to the backseat- “including all my blueprints, so I can always build us another. And besides…” here he leaned forward, catching Sonic’s eye, “home is wherever we are, so long as we’re together.”
The blue blur quickly nodded before looking down pointedly at the biplane’s wing, hoping strongly that Tails didn’t notice that his eyes had begun to glisten just a little more than usual.
(He did, though.)
Knuckles was happy to see them, of course, if a little less obviously so than usual due to the circumstances that had forced the two into this situation. The guardian immediately began to move the island to a new area where it would be hidden from view, while Sonic and Tails just relaxed and looked through the various items that the latter had thought to bring: a spare pair of shoes for Sonic, a toolbox and the aforementioned blueprints for Tails, plenty of food for the three of them, and of course lots of important technology.
As Tails left to go check on Knuckles, the blue hedgehog stretched out on the grass and heaved a deep sigh. What he’d give to know how Team Dark was doing right now…
Two days later, he found out.
The very moment that the team released the video, all three inhabitants of Angel Island sat down to watch it on Tails’s screen. The fox had been constantly monitoring the Internet for anything about the other team, especially their social media, so of course he was alerted the second anything came up.
Before they started the video, the hero had been vibrating with energy. 
By the end of the section about the ARK, he was completely still, his eyes as wide as they could go.
Tails paused the video there, as the massive wave of responses was already starting to flow. Sonic blinked back to reality to discover that his nails had nearly torn holes through his gloves- that was how tightly he was clenching his fists. He rolled his shoulders, trying to get the tension to leave his body, but he couldn’t stop thinking.
How in the name of Chaos did Shadow watch that?
They agreed that Tails would watch the rest while the other two stepped up to support their friends, and support they certainly did. Both of their tempers were running hot, and more than once the fox, glancing over their shoulders, had to remind them that caps lock was not going to be helpful right now.
Not long after Team Dark had stopped responding to questions, Sonic and Knuckles sat back down to view the other part of the video. They watched in shock as the peace and power of that meeting was violated, people arrested just like that, and yet neither of them had heard anything about this event.
Immediately afterwards, the latter got right back onto his phone and started typing out absolutely vicious responses to some of the more ridiculous conspiracy theorists. His violet eyes were narrowed in anger as he tore into their ideas- while he might not be able to convince the people themselves, he could hopefully stop more from being sucked in.
Sonic, meanwhile, just lay half on his side in the grass for a minute, trying to restrain the urge to scream. Why hadn’t he done more damage to G.U.N. when he’d had the chance? Why hadn’t he been able to see that this ran so deep?
Sonic turned his head to the side to look at his brother. “Tails?” he asked, trying to keep his voice under control. “Where’s Team Dark gonna go next, d’ya think?”
The kitsune frowned. “I don’t know...but if I had to guess, they’re probably trying to figure out how deep this whole problem goes. That’s what I think we’d do if we were in that situation, at any rate. To find that kind of stuff, though, they’d have to head straight to Central City and hack directly into G.U.N.’s mainframe...which would be incredibly risky on a good day.”
Sonic shot upright. “What if they are gonna do that next?”
Tails shook his head vehemently. “After running away from the entire organization for so long? That’d practically be a suicide mission! Even if they somehow managed to escape with the information, G.U.N. would be able to hunt them down in no time!”
The two brothers stared at each other. “But that sounds like them….doesn’t it.” Tails sighed, looking down at the grass.
“Knux!” Sonic yelled, rushing over to where the guardian sat. “We have to hang around Central City, man. If the team’s gonna head anywhere, it’ll be there. And if they’ll be in that much trouble by the time they get out of there, we have to be there to pick them up.”
Knuckles leveled him with a stare so flat it put sheets of paper to shame. “Sonic. Literally three days ago, I helped you guys escape G.U.N. and we have been hiding ever since. And now you want me to move my island, with the last ruins of my tribe’s temple and my Master Emerald, within reach of an organization that would give anything to be able to take it all for their scientists to look at.
“No. Way.”
The hedgehog widened his stance. “Knuckles.” he began, stabbing a finger at the ground for emphasis. “Literally ten days ago, Team Dark escaped G.U.N. all by themselves and have been on their own ever since. And now you want us to leave our friends, and remember, your girlfriend at the mercy of that organization, for the sake of a giant rock.
“Yes way. Absolutely.”
Knuckles scowled and blushed, avoiding Sonic’s stare after that mention of Rouge. “I guess….if we stayed away from the city itself and out of sight….”
Tails decided that this was a slightly safer moment to chime in. “I’ll try and monitor the airwaves in the area- we can move away if we think they’ve noticed us!”
“All of this is assuming that they’re even actually there.” the echidna replied, seeming slightly irritated at being outnumbered. 
“It isn’t the most logical place for them to go.” Tails agreed. “It’s ridiculously dangerous, and G.U.N. probably knows that. But, it’s also their most powerful building, which means that it’s going to have all of the more recent files there.
“While this video is some damaging evidence, it’s not nearly enough to permanently damage their standing overall...they definitely have the cash to sneak out of this level of bad press. A bigger release- now that we know this isn’t a one-time event- is definitely the best way to deal with them. And what better way to do it than to find all their super-secret files at the source?”
Sonic sighed. “Plus, I’ve got a feeling G.U.N.’s gonna underestimate that team’s habit of suffering to save others.” His shoulders sagged slightly at the thought, but he felt a little bit of the weight lift off of them when Tails leaned against him slightly with an understanding look.
The echidna watched them sympathetically for a moment before remembering that he was supposed to be arguing against them. “Well, why don’t they just go back to whatever place they busted first? That sure wasn’t in Central City.”
Sonic rolled his eyes. “It’s ‘cause they’d be expecting them there, knucklehead. Never return to the scene of the crime. That’s what they say in all the TV shows, right, Tails?”
“Well, while this is not a TV show, Sonic, you’re right.” the kitsune said, sighing. “That’s another reason for them to go to Central City.
Knuckles gave a mixture of a sigh and a growl, stalking back to the altar where the Master Emerald floated. “Fine. But if this goes south, I am blaming your-” he pointed a vicious finger at Sonic- “spiky butt for all of it.”
The hero grinned at his friend in a way he knew got under his spines, and was rewarded with a huff and another grumble. Yet the island still began to move, shifting eastward from the center of the country towards Central City. 
Hold on, guys. Sonic thought, feeling properly hopeful for the first time in over a week. We’re on our way.
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am-i-right-marines · 3 years
Text
Prompt: A Random Idea I had
Rain.
Mud.
Lightning.
Darkness.
The epitome of trench warfare.
John-117 wasn’t a stranger to these natural elements, but admittedly he didn’t typically experience them in this context all together.
The Spartan walked along the five foot wide trench with his MA5B Individual Combat Weapon System at the ready. To his right was a concrete steel-reinforced firing-step about four and a half feet off the ground, as to allow Marines to fire over the parapet of the ten foot deep concrete trench. To his left, a concrete wall occasionally broken up by the entrance to a dugout containing a few dozen bunks or ammo crates. He watched a pair of marines climb up onto the firing step and take position by a mounted machine gun. The Master Chief recognized them from last week.
“Will you shut up?”
“‘Who’s Bob?’ The hell kinda question was that? Haven’t you heard of a first name?”
“Your first name is Private, you’re gonna be Private all your life.”
Private Schmegeggy and Private Rosen.
The pair had charged a trio of Elites that had pinned down a Corpsman in a shell crater as he tried to help the artillery officer that had been caught in the blaster. With a few close calls, the pair of Privates had rescued both men and returned to friendly lines.
John could respect that bravery. As such, when Rosen glanced over at him as he walked by, he nodded at the young Marine, who’s face broke into a smile and nodded back.
John understood that he was considered a hero to the ranks. A very long successful mission record, plenty of eyewitness accounts of “heroism”, and the Office of Naval Intelligence’s Section Two hyping up his achievements with propaganda had led to him being one of, if not the most revered human alive.
Just because he understood it didn’t mean it didn’t confuse him. A soldier didn’t deserve the title ‘hero’ just for doing his job. But, he did what was needed of him. Sometimes people needed a hero, be they real, fictional, willing, or unwilling.
The Spartan walked down a set of stairs to pass under a pillbox that spanned over the top of the trench and was partially buried to hide it from Covenant air strikes. Inside the pillbox was an M68 Gauss Cannon along with two M247H Heavy Machine Guns, capable of being manned by just four marines; Two for the M247s, and two for the M68. There were several dozen just like it in the outer defense ring of Firebase Romeo.
Firebase Romeo may have been called a Firebase, but it was more like a fortress. Three rings of trenches with a dozen pillboxes each, artillery batteries between those trenches in concealment holes, several dozen M79 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems mounted on the base walls, countless heavy machine guns, ten M808C Scorpion Main Battle Tanks, a dozen M12 LRVs, the list went on.
Making a turn down another trench, John made for the main section of the Firebase, only to stop. His instincts started screaming at him.
Something’s wrong
Something’s wrong
Somethi—
“Incoming!”
The trenches sprang to life, Marines diving for cover, looking out for incoming fire, dragging comrades to safety.
John’s eyes immediately found the barrage of incoming plasma bombs, and subsequently deduced where they had come from.
A nearby ridge line with heavy foliage concealed the dozen or so Wraith tanks that had fired the barrage, and he could already see readying a second barrage. He blinked into his HUD and connected to the comm channel the artillery crews used to communicate.
“Romeo Battery Command, Sierra-117. Eyes on hostile armor. Request One Round, followed by Battery Fire For Effect at following coordinates.” The Spartan blinked again and transmitted said coordinates to the Battery Commander.
“Confirmed Sierra, standby.”
A pause. Then a single boom.
“Shot! Over.”
A few seconds.
“Splash! Over.”
The Wraith rounds finally landed as he saw the single artillery shell land in exactly the right place. Crouching down against the trench wall just to be safe as dirt and residual plasma washed over him, he spoke again. “Splash confirmed. Fire For Effect.”
“Understood, Firing For Effect!” And a second later, deafening booms started echoing over the trenches as Romeo Battery opened up with everything it had. John saw fire erupt over the Wraith line followed by a second plasma barrage before several explosions in the tree line as the line of Wraiths went up in purple flames.
Blinking into the open-comm frequency, John caught the next major problem.
“Pillbox 17, hostile infantry in sight, north-by-northwest. Contact. Contact.” Followed by the sound of both heavy machine guns in the pillbox opening up.
From closer to him, John heard Private Rosen scream. “Here they come!”
As he quickly made his way back to the outer trench, John reconnected to the Artilerry Frequency and examined the open field the UNSC Corps of Engineers had created when constructing Firebase Romeo that the Covenant were now crossing. Open, muddy ground with little to no cover. Hundreds upon hundreds of Covenant infantry and vehicles charging across No Man’s Land.
“Battery Command, Sierra. Recommend adjust firing position by twelve degrees East.”
“Understood Sierra, adjusting. Keep your heads down.”
Shells started flying overhead leaving trails of fire in the sky, slamming into the Covenant lines.
John shouldered his MA5B and added his own fire to the roaring staccato.
No shots missed. Two Grunts. An Elite. Even a Brute.
He heard the anti-air cannons on the base walls open up, followed by the sound of Banshee engines screaming. “Strafing run!”
John dozen to the ground as his shields started draining from high-power plasma strikes. As he stood up, he watched a pillbox detonate in a ball of green fire as a Fuel Rod blast detonated the M68’s power cell.
The Master Chief spotted Private Rosen staring in fear at the fireball approaching and then turning to run.
He’s not gonna make it.
The Spartan launched himself down the trench and grabbed Rosen’s wrist, flinging him into one of the dugouts and covering the entrance with his own body to protect the other marines inside.
His shields shattered. Heat washed over him. He heard a grunt of pain escaped his lips as small bouts of flame slipped past, but nothing more. When the flames passed, he moved away without another word and returned to the firing step.
“Master Chief, we just received an E-BAND transmission from a Ranger unit on a nearby hill-“
And then leaped out of the trench as he spotted a Brute Chopper zipping towards him. He sprinted towards the vehicle, sidestepped the spikes it shot at him, then grabbed the Brute in the driver’s seat as it drove by. He tore it from its seat and took its place.
“-assist if you can.”
“Mayday! Kilo 279, I’m hit!”
“-Delta Two Bravo, Mine Strike!”
John spotted the flaming Pelican descending through the clouds, and knew he had a decision to make.
Kilo 279...
or the Rangers.
Not enough time.
John revved his engine as Kilo 279 slammed cockpit-first into the dirt, running over Covenant troops in the process. He depressed the triggers on the handles and mowed down more. Then he spotted the Locust.
Pulling a grenade from his belt, he primed the detonator and shoved it into the wheel-well before leaking into the air and pulling backflip as the Chopper slammed into one of the Locust’s legs and detonated, destroying the siege-platform.
John landed at a kneel with one fist on the ground and tilted his visor upwards.
“The Demon-!”
Spartan Time kicked in.
His MA5B practically teleported into his hands.
Body after body dropped to the dirt.
The Spartan shot forward and grabbed a Jackal by the throat, throwing it at a pair of Sangheili that were charging him in slow motion. As the Jackal took flight, John whirled and emptied and entire magazine into a Brute, then tossed his rifle onto his mag-clamps on his back.
No time to reload.
Magnum in his hand without even realizing, he downed three Jackals and a pair of Sangheili with one mag.
As time sped up again, he became aware of a shout from behind him.
“Cover the Chief!”
He didn’t have to look behind him to hear the dozens of marines and the crew of Kilo-279 rallying behind him.
Then engines screaming. Shouts of joy.
“Hell yeah! Air support!”
John looked up as a flight of B-65 Shortswords swooped low over the valley and dropped napalm on the Covenant advance. A second flight focused on the Covenant armor, dropping Mark 208 High-Yield Gravity Buster bombs.
And then nearly all of them exploded.
Covenant point defense weapons had shot them down. A Covenant frigate lowered through the clouds, and John tensed. Not even he could deal with that. Not from the ground.
“Sierra-117, Vindication-Actual. Standby for MAC strike.”
—————
So, this is a thing. I don’t know what it is but I like it.
See if you can spot the movie references I dropped in here!
Also, @ladywolvesbayne , I think you might like this one because of how badass John is.
And you asked to be provided with this, @cloakedinfall !
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Link
Summary: While the Teen Titans (Cyborg, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven) are taking down some of Slade's robots, they bump into a robot that isn't a robot--in fact, it's a kid, about their age, with black spiky hair and a domino mask under the Slade black-and-orange faceplate. It's Slade's apprentice, Dick Grayson, rescued from the circus after his parents' death when Batman wasn't around for him. Dick (or his villain name, Apprentice) has never tangled with heroes before, but he's not going to let Slade down. If only someone had warned him that nobody can stand up to the Teen Titans.
Excerpt:
“Okay, Titans, just like we planned,” Cyborg raised his sonic cannon and pointed it at the door.
Whoever Slade was, he’d sent villain after villain to destroy the Titans, but now he’d changed tactics, and was trying to steal a series of computer chips from tech companies around the city. The Titans had staked out Wayne Tech, ready for Slade’s next robotic army assault. Cyborg and Beast Boy were down on the main storage room floor, ready to fight off the creepy robots with their identical forms and blank masked faces. Starfire and Raven were both in flight, covering all possible other entrances and exits to the room.
They could hear a loud, repeating banging sound as the robots beat on the door. Starfire powered up, eye glowing green. Beast Boy nodded at Cyborg and turned into a T-Rex, ready for whatever was coming through.
“Here it comes!” Cyborg said. “Raven, shield us!”
Raven’s magic washed over them, a black shield against which shrapnel from the door scattered harmlessly. The shield flashed away, revealing an army of Slade’s robots standing in the doorway.
“Titans, go!” Cyborg yelled.
Beast Boy roared and stomped into the fray, tearing robotic limbs to shreds with his T-Rex teeth. Cyborg stood behind him, firing blast after blast of his sonic cannon into the robots. One of the robots was different than the others, he noticed. It was smaller, more agile. Most of the robots were big, lumbering tanks that would keep charging forward until they met their goal or got destroyed. This robot was light, and Cyborg watched it cartwheel one-handed out of the way of one of Beast Boy’s swiping attacks. Cyborg pivoted to face it, but it was fast. It almost danced around him, the way it moved. It leapt into the air, making a grab for the chip, when Cyborg finally caught it in the leg with the sonic cannon. It wasn’t a good enough hit, though. The robot still had both legs, and it kept coming. It reached into a pocket and threw something at Cyborg. The something exploded on contact, clogging up Cyborg’s sensors with smoke and ash. It almost destroyed his power cell in one hit.
“Star!” Cyborg coughed.
“I see it,” Starfire said. She flew over Cyborg’s head and attacked the smaller robot. It turned and ran from her, towards one of the walls. She threw starbolt after starbolt at it as it ran, then it ran up the wall a few steps, did a backflip over her head, and threw another something at her. The explosive force slammed Starfire into the wall as the robot jumped away, heading for the chip again. Cyborg fired another few sonic cannon shots, but it rolled and ducked like none of the other robots could.
Raven swooped down, putting herself between it and the chip. The robot froze for a second, as if sizing her up. “Azarath metrion zinthos!” Raven said, and the floor panels under the robot’s feet began to rise, shoving it away as they formed a protective wall around the chip. The robot pulled out another device, one that looked like a gun. It shot at Raven, and she threw up a shield to protect herself, but the robot hadn’t been aiming for her. It was a grappling hook, and the robot used the line attached to her makeshift wall to swing under it and grab the chip out of the security force field.
“It’s got the chip!” Cyborg yelled. “We can’t let it take it!”
The robot launched itself back towards the crushed lab door and the safety of numbers, but Beast Boy had left the robot army not much more than a pile of parts. He was now an octopus. “Got you!” Beast Boy said, grabbing the little robot with a few of his arms. The robot pressed a button on its belt and Beast Boy yelped and twitched as electricity flooded through him. He dropped the robot and collapsed, shifting back to himself as he did. Raven used her power to raise the rubble into the air, blocking the robot’s escape. The robot turned to face the Titans, the only one of its peers left standing. It pocketed the chip and raised both fists, ready for a fight.
“This one is…smaller than the others?” Starfire frowned.
“That doesn’t mean it’s any less of a threat,” Cyborg scowled. He fired another sonic cannon blast, but the robot had already moved. It had used the grappling hook to connect to a vent close to the ceiling, and was making a run for it. Before any of the Titans could stop it, it was inside the vent and on the move.
“Throw me!” Beast Boy said. Cyborg picked him up and launched him. Beast Boy turned into a mouse mid-flight, and landed inside the vent. “It’s heading for the roof!” Beast Boy yelled back, already on the move following the robot.
“Then let’s go get it,” Raven said. She raised her teleportation raven to encircle the three of them.
“Wait,” Cyborg frowned. “Did any of us get hit?”
“I for one was hit most strongly, but I am fine,” Starfire said.
“Beast Boy’s blood is green, Star’s is orange, Raven’s is black, mine is blue,” Cyborg said, tracing one finger through the sticky red pool on the chip platform. “So whose is this?”
“The robot… It’s not a robot,” Raven said.
“Do you think it is Slade himself?” Starfire asked.
“Cyborg to Beast Boy, it’s not a robot,” Cyborg spoke into the communicator. “We’ve got to try and take him alive. We’ll meet you at the roof.” He nodded at Raven, who cloaked them. They reappeared on the roof. It was night, and the huge WAYNE TECH sign glowed white in the darkness. The vent clattered open as Beast Boy emerged as a badger holding onto one of the not-robot’s legs with his teeth. The not-robot landed a solid kick to Beast Boy’s face and tried to escape, but it was surrounded by the Titans, with weapons hot. The not-robot raised a weird-looking gun of some sort, attached to his wrist, but Starfire swooped down and crunched it into useless dust with one hand. “I believe we have caught you,” she said, keeping her grip on his wrist. The not-robot suddenly tensed and threw her over his shoulder, slamming her head-first into the ground and leaving a crack in the rooftop cement. He ran at Cyborg, fists raised.
“Dude, you do not want to fight me!” Cyborg said. “We know you’re hurt, and your fists won’t—hey!” After a few futile punches from the not-robot, he’d given up and tried his electrical attack on Cyborg, who just barely managed to dodge it. The not-robot didn’t even pause, he just ran for the edge of the roof and threw himself off of it.
“Raven!” Cyborg yelled.
“Got him,” Raven said. Her eyes glowed white as she held up a sphere of energy, trapping the not-robot inside of it. He struggled against it for a few moments, tried out a few gadgets on it, before seeming to give up. He slumped on the floor of the sphere.
“So…what do we do now?” Beast Boy sat up, rubbing a bump on his head.
They took the not-robot back to the Tower, careful not to let him out of the sphere until they were ready. They dumped him in a secure room, but nobody wanted to be in the same place as him. He was tough, and probably strong enough to take any of them down in a one-on-one fight. The not-robot sat in the secure little cell, and the Titans watched him from a connected window.
“Should we…turn him over to the police?” Beast Boy asked.
“I’m not sure,” Cyborg frowned. “We’ve been fighting Slade for so long, I don’t think we can afford to miss out on whatever we can learn from this guy.”
“Who is he?” Starfire asked.
“He’s not Slade, that’s for sure,” Raven grumbled. “Maybe Slade finally decided to find some new friends.”
“He looks like a robot,” Beast Boy shrugged. “With the faceplate and all…are we sure this isn’t just one of Slade’s fancy new toys?”
They looked down into the room, where the not-robot was ripping his shirt sleeve into pieces and tying them around his leg. There was a little red stain on the floor below him.
“Huh,” Beast Boy said. “Well…okay.”
“He is injured. Should we not help him?” Starfire asked.
“We can give it a try,” Cyborg shrugged.
“Not it!” Beast Boy tapped his nose. “I do not need to be alone with that guy. My head’s gonna hurt for a week.” He rubbed the bump where the not-robot had kicked him.
“Starfire, you think you can handle him?” Raven asked.
“Surely,” Starfire said. “Though I may require additional instruction in your Earth medicine.”
Loaded up with a box or two of medical supplies, Starfire opened the door to the room. Without even taking a moment to hesitate, the not-robot stood and leapt at the door, but Starfire held him back with a starbolt. The not-robot faltered, and took an awkward step back onto his hurt leg. The security door closed, the the not-robot slumped sadly.
“For your leg,” Starfire said, as brightly as she could. She held up the boxes of supplies. The not-robot didn’t move, he just seemed to stare at her from behind the faceless mask.
“You are hurt,” Starfire said, pointing at his leg. When he’d tried to escape, he’d ruined his own makeshift bandages. He took a hasty, nervous step away from her, holding up his fists.
“No, I am not here to fight you,” Starfire shook her head. “I am here to help. I will not hurt you.”
The not-robot froze for a long, horrible moment, considering her. Then he sat against the wall and tucked his hands behind his back, as if promising he wouldn’t hurt her, either. Starfire came closer and examined the injury.
“I will have to remove some of this material,” Starfire said. The pant leg was torn and bloody, and the armor was preventing her from seeing much more. The not-robot didn’t comment one way or another, so she removed the metal plate armor and used a thin beam of energy to slice away the torn fabric. The not-robot stayed very still as she did so, clearly not entirely convinced she wasn’t going to hurt him.
There was a long, angry slice of red where Cyborg’s sonic cannon had grazed him. “You are lucky,” Starfire smiled. “If you were less agile, you would be missing the whole leg.”
The not-robot continued his silence as she gently wiped the wound with a damp cloth and bandaged him. “There you go!” Starfire said. “Does that feel better?”
The not-robot nodded carefully. “…Thank you,” he said, after a long hesitation. His voice was muffled behind the mask.
“Oh! You can talk?” Starfire tried not to sound as surprised as she was.
The not-robot nodded slowly.
“Um…” Starfire looked up at the window for help. Cyborg just shrugged. “Um, my name is Starfire! It is nice to meet you,” she said.
“I’m Apprentice,” the not-robot said. He took off the faceplate mask, revealing a secondary domino mask beneath it. He looked about 15 years old. His hair was black and spiky, but a little misshapen after being under the helmet for so long.
“It is…nice to meet you,” Starfire said again, awkwardly. She looked back up at the window, where the other Titans were kind of flailing around unhelpfully.
“Aren’t you going to kill me?” Apprentice asked dryly.
“What? Of course not,” Starfire said, confused. “We—”
“Don’t talk to me,” Apprentice said. He pulled his legs up and hugged them to his chest, with only a slight wince of pain as he did so.
“We can help you,” Starfire said. “Are you inured anywhere else?”
“You don’t care. It doesn’t matter,” Apprentice said, glaring at her from behind his knees.
“Perhaps I could—” she reached towards him and he visibly flinched away from her. She looked back up at the window once more. The Titans had disappeared. She squinted, trying to confirm this, when the door opened again and Cyborg came into the room, leaving Beast Boy and Raven outside. The Apprentice turned back into a ball of rage and energy until the door sealed shut, trapping him once more.
“My dude, we caught you, fair and square,” Cybrog crossed his arms. “You’re not getting out of here.”
“So I’m supposed to stop trying to escape?” Apprentice spat angrily.
“I’m Cyborg,” Cyborg said.
“I know who you are,” Apprentice glared. “I know who all of you are. The Teen Titans…” he scoffed and shook his head. “You’ll never stop Slade. No one can.”
“So are you a showoff, or do you have a broken arm?” Cyborg said.
“What?” Apprentice went white.
“You do all your fancy cartwheels, but you haven’t been putting weight on your right arm,” Cyborg said. “You keep it held close to your chest as much as you can. You’re doing it right now.”
Apprentice hastily dropped his arm and held it behind his back.
“Did we do that?” Cyborg said, a little softer. “I’m sorry. I thought you were a robot, and, you know…”
“Robots don’t stop until you break them,” Apprentice sighed. “Yeah…I know. But it’s fine, and anyway, you didn’t do it.”
“Wait, you came to the secure weapons facility with a broken arm? Why?!?!” Cyborg gestured angrily.
Apprentice just glared back at him in silence.
“We can hook you up with a cast,” Cyborg offered.
“I can’t fight in a cast,” Apprentice said.
“You can’t fight like this, either!” Cyborg gestured again. “What is your problem?!?”
“Cyborg,” Starfire said, putting a hand on his shoulder, “perhaps we should try a different approach.”
“I won’t talk,” Apprentice interrupted quickly. “I may not be a robot, but I won’t—I mean, I…I won’t…you can’t—”
“Woah, woah, slow down. We’re just trying to help you,” Cyborg said.
“No, you’re trying to soften me up so I give away Slade’s secrets,” Apprentice said. “I won’t do it. So you might as well kill me now, because I won’t talk, no matter what you do to me.”
“No one’s going to kill anyone,” Cyborg started to say, but the door opened again as Raven and Beast Boy entered with the x-ray machine, and Apprentice launched himself at the Titans with complete disregard for life and limb.
“Titans, careful!” Cyborg said. “Beast Boy, don’t—”
“I can take care of myself,” Apprentice wrenched his broken arm away from Beast Boy and ran for the door, which Raven sealed with her magic just before he got there. Apprentice beat his fist on the door, just once, and leaned against it heavily.
They were finally about to coax the dejected Apprentice into the x-ray machine. “Dude, you’re covered in broken bone scars,” Cyborg frowned as he looked at the readings. “Half your ribcage is messed up.”
Apprentice just grit his teeth in response, staring pointedly up at the ceiling.
“Slade sure sends you on a lot of missions, doesn’t he?” Beast Boy shrugged.
Apprentice refused to answer, he just kept glaring at the ceiling like it was personally responsible for his failures.
“I’m not sensing any kind of mind control,” Raven said, touching her temple as she felt around with her magic.
Apprentice snorted at that, laughing a very teenager-y laugh. The hollow sound echoed in the secure room. It made the Titans shiver. Apprentice wasn’t some evil adult villain, he was the same age as them. He might as well have been laughing at one of Beast Boy’s jokes, he sounded so normal.
“And I’m not detecting any kind of mechanical control, either,” Cyborg continued.
“Maybe I just work for Slade, okay?” Apprentice sighed. “Maybe, just like you all chose to be ‘heroes,’ I chose to work for Slade.”
“How did that happen?” Beast Boy scoffed.
Apprentice clammed up again.
“Wait, I’m picking up something,” Cyborg frowned. “A signal of some kind, originating outside the Tower. We—”
Apprentice rolled out of the examination bed, took a small device from his ear, and smashed it onto the ground with one heavily armored boot. He didn’t stop until the device was completely destroyed.
“—and, the signal’s gone,” Cyborg sighed, snapping the plate on his arm closed again. “Let me guess, that was so Slade could communicate with you?”
“I don’t have to talk to you,” Apprentice raised his fists.
“Let’s end this,” Raven frowned. She drew herself up to full height and stood in front of Apprentice, who glared up at her as he held onto his fighting stance. “Apprentice, was it?” Raven raised an eyebrow.
Apprentice just glared up at her and clenched his fists a little more tightly.
“Raven, you do not have to do this,” Starfire said quietly.
“If anyone has a better plan for figuring out what Slade wants before he blows up the whole city, I’m listening,” Raven said.
“Do it,” Cyborg nodded.
“Whatever it is, I won’t let you,” Apprentice said desperately, backing up against the wall. “I won’t talk. It won’t work. Don’t—what are you doing?”
“Best Boy, can you hold him?” Raven asked.
Beast Boy turned into a gorilla and grabbed Apprentice in a hug, holding him still.
“Don’t! Stop! Let me go!” Apprentice struggled in the tight grip.
“Ow! He bit me,” Beast Boy grumbled.
“Azarath metrion zinthos,” Raven breathed, and she closed her eyes as she drifted into Apprentice’s mind.
She opened her eyes and found herself standing in a circus tent. Everything was tinged brownish-grey, more with Apprentice’s emotion than with age. Raven looked around. It was a strange, creepy place. There was a tightrope, but the netting below it had been replaced with a pile of crushing gears. There were gears everywhere, Raven realized—they lined the floors of the animal cages, they made up platforms and audience seating…
It was deathly quiet, except for a repeated shing…thunk sound. “Hello?” Raven called. “Apprentice? Anyone there?”
The shing…thunk sound stopped for a moment, then it picked back up again. Raven followed it around a corner, to where a boy in a blue uniform sat on one of the giant gears. He had spiky black hair. Raven watched him draw a small, thin knife from one of his pockets—shing—and throw it across the room, where it landed in a wooden target with deadly accuracy—thunk.
“Apprentice?” Raven asked.
“Huh?” the boy looked up at her and smiled. “Are you looking for someone?”
“Are you Apprentice?” Raven asked.
“My name’s Dick,” the boy shook his head. He jumped down from the gear and did a lazy backflip towards her. “Who’re you?”
“I’m Raven,” Raven said. “What is this place?”
“You don’t know?” Dick’s smile dropped. He gave her a sad look. “You should probably go, then. You don’t belong here.”
“I can’t go until I find Apprentice,” Raven said. “I need to talk to him.”
“I can show you around, I guess,” Dick shrugged. He led her through the circus, pointing out the attractions as they went. If he noticed the creepy stillness, the emptiness of the circus, the dark energy flowing around them, he didn’t say anything, and it didn’t seem to dampen his smile.
“This is where I grew up,” Dick was saying. “I used to do an act with my parents, before.”
“Before what?” Raven asked.
“Just before,” Dick said, smile never dropping. Now it looked more like a facade, though. Like an act. Like he was performing for her benefit. “Anyway, after it, Master found me. He’s been training me. That’s what I was doing when you found me.”
“Training?” Raven asked.
“Yeah,” Dick said, and he moved quickly then, the way Apprentice had. Knives appeared in his hands like magic, and he threw them at her. She raised both arms to shield herself, but they whizzed harmlessly past her. She turned, and saw Dick had made a perfect outline of her in knives behind her on a wall.
“Can we have some applause for the audience volunteer?” Dick beamed and raised his hands wide, turning to face an invisible audience like he’d performed an excellent trick. Then a shadow slammed into him from the side, hitting him in the chest and knocking him to the floor. “Ouch,” Dick winced from where he’d landed in a pile of rubble.
“You know the rules,” Apprentice growled.
“I know. I’m sorry,” Dick hung his head.
“Get up,” Apprentice held out his hand and helped Dick to his feet. “Sorry doesn’t matter.”
“I know,” Dick said, accepting the help and standing up.
“Apprentice,” Raven said. “Why are you working for Slade?”
“I already said, I don’t have to talk to you,” Apprentice growled. “What makes you think I’d be more willing in here?”
“Tell me what he’s planning, and I’ll get out,” Raven said.
Apprentice crossed his arms. “It’s my mind. You’ll get out anyway.”
Dick pulled a short stick from a pocket, which extended into a long bow staff. “Sorry,” Dick smiled apologetically at Raven. Then he leapt at her with the staff.
Dick stabbed and jabbed at her again and again. It took all of her concentration to fend off his attacks, even though as far as she could tell, he didn’t even have powers. Dick somersaulted away from her and grabbed a chair and a whip. “The lions have nothing on you,” Dick grinned. Raven flew up into the air, out of his range.
“Now that’s what I call high-flying!” Dick said. He dropped the props and clambered up one of the tightrope poles like a monkey. “But can you do this?” He swung down at her, and kicked one of his shoes to reveal a knife coming out of one of the toes. Raven dodged it and used her magic to detach the ropes holding up the bar. Dick fell, and Apprentice leapt into the air to catch him before he hit the gears below.
“Look, I don’t know what Slade’s planning. He doesn’t tell me that stuff. Will you just get out of here?” Apprentice set Dick down and glared up at Raven.
“No. Why are you working for him?” Raven asked.
“There was nobody else after,” Dick said.
“Shut up,” Apprentice said.
“Slade said he could be like a father to me,” Dick said.
“I said shut up,” Apprentice growled at him.
“He protected me,” Dick said, looking up at Raven.
“He’s going to hurt a lot of people,” Raven said. “That’s why my friends and I need to stop him.”
“This is why we’re not talking to you!” Apprentice said. “You’re just going to stop me too, like you stopped all those robots.”
“No…the Titans don’t kill people,” Raven said.
“Oh, sure you don’t, you just invade minds and try to poison me against Slade,” Apprentice rolled his eyes. “Much nicer.”
“Master could hurt a lot of people, though,” Dick said quietly. “He cares about you, and he still hurts you. Imagine what he could do to people he didn’t care about.”
“You know that was for training!” Apprentice rounded on Dick angrily. “Once I’m good enough at fighting, he won’t be able to hurt me anymore. That’s the whole point.”
“Slade can’t hurt you while you’re with the Titans,” Raven said.
“Wanna bet?” Apprentice scowled.
“If that’s why you’re working for him, because you’re scared of him—”
“I’m not scared,” Dick said, at the same time Apprentice said “Of course I’m scared.” They looked at each other, then both looked up at Raven.
“Keep talking,” Dick said.
“Shut up,” Apprentice said.
Raven made a solid attempt. “You don’t have to do what Slade says anymore. You’re safe from him here, we can—”
“We’re not listening!” Apprentice roared. He grabbed Dick by the shoulders and threw him into the gears, then leapt down after him. “This is what happens to us because of you! You make us weak!” Apprentice pummeled Dick with punch after punch, not giving him time to get up.
“Stop it!” Raven swooped down and tried to pull them apart.
“You’re the one who’s weak!” Dick got a grip on Apprentice and pushed him into the pile of gears. As they fought, they began sinking into it, like quicksand.
“I’m not the one who says ‘thank you’ to my captors,” Apprentice pulled Dick’s hair.
“I hate you!” Dick jabbed an elbow into Apprentice’s side.
“I hate you!” Apprentice got the upper hand and put it around Dick’s throat, squeezing, seeming not even to notice as they sunk deeper between the gears.
“Let him go!” Raven yelled, trying to get a grip on them with her magic, but they slid out of her grasp. She tried to grab Apprentice’s shoulders, but his head turned around backwards and he grabbed her with both hands, pulling her down into the gears. She struggled to pull away, but more hands appeared, grabbing her, pulling her down into the darkness and the crushing weight—
“Get out!” Apprentice yelled, and Raven opened her eyes. She was back in the secure room with the Titans and Apprentice, still being restrained by Beast Boy.
“Slade can’t hurt you in here,” Raven said. “He can’t even hear you.” She gestured at the broken communications device where Apprentice had crushed it on the floor. “Why are you so desperate to get back to him?”
“He’s all I have,” Apprentice said, giving her a pleading look behind the domino mask. “Why won’t you let me go?”
“He’s not training you for anything, he’s just using you as a punching bag,” Raven said. “At best, you’re a human shield.”
“I’m not listening to you!” Apprentice screamed and slammed his head backwards into Beast Boy’s forehead.
“Ow!” Beast Boy couldn’t keep hold of him, and Apprentice dropped to the floor. He lunged at the door, trying to figure out how to open it.
“You’ll never get out,” Cyborg said. “That door is reinforced with the best security I know how to make. You’d have to be some kind of genius to hack out of—”
The door opened and Apprentice bolted down the hall like a scared rabbit.
“Get him!” Cyborg said.
“What happened to ‘he’ll never get out?” Raven raised an eyebrow.
“We can update the security after we catch him!” Cyborg groaned.
Apprentice was learning his way around their powers. He dodged starbolts, anticipated Beast Boy’s animal changes, and sealed himself in their living room, jamming the door mechanism to buy himself some time.
He had to shield his eyes against how bright it was. The room was basically all windows. He went to their massive communications screen and controls, trying to open a line to Slade.
“Slade, it’s me,” Apprentice said. “I need help. The Titans got me, but I can escape, I know it. I need—”
“Whatever you need, you must hope the Titans will provide it,” Slade’s face appeared on the screen, larger than life and imposing as hell. “You are no longer welcome, my old apprentice.”
“What? But Slade, I did everything just as you said. I didn’t tell them anything. I’ve even still got the chip!” Apprentice took it out of his pocket and held it up.
“You’ve been with the Titans for multiple hours now. That is more than enough time for you to have been compromised,” Slade said. “We had a good run, but I’m afraid I can no longer trust you.”
“Master, you can trust me,” Apprentice said, almost in tears. “Please, I—”
“If I see you again, I will kill you, Dick,” Slade said. “Goodbye.”
“No,” Apprentice fell to his knees as the computer screen turned off. “Wait, don’t…” But it was too late. Slade was gone, and he didn’t want Apprentice back, even if he could finish escaping from the Tower. Which didn’t seem likely, as the Titans were already busting down the door to the living room.
Apprentice stared down at the chip. If he’d just refused the mission to go after it, the pain from Slade’s punishment would already have gone away by now. He clutched it close to his chest. Surely, he could still deliver it. Even if Slade didn’t want him, he’d want the chip, right?
“Drop it,” Cyborg said, pointing the sonic cannon at him. It wasn’t a suggestion, it was an order. There would be no more orders from Slade anymore. Apprentice dropped the chip and stared down at it. In a matter of hours, Apprentice had become less valuable to Slade than this piece of computer technology. Apprentice was envious. He wanted to smash it into a million pieces.
“Hands in the air,” Cyborg said.
Apprentice obeyed. “This is your fault,” he said quietly, staring at Raven. “If you hadn’t captured me—”
“Then Slade would be one step closer to taking over the city,” Raven said.
“Guys, I think we really took out Slade’s second in command!” Beast Boy beamed. “Titans rule!”
“So,” Apprentice sighed heavily, hands still raised. “What are you going to do with me now?” Unfortunately, it was seeming increasingly unlikely that they were going to kill him.
“Um…” Beast Boy looked at Cyborg.
“That’s…a good question,” Cyborg said.
Apprentice just sat there, motionless, keeping his hands raised, staring down at the chip. Apparently, he had all the time in the world to wait for their answer. It wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go.
I hope you enjoyed! This was just chapter 1. You can read the rest on my AO3, @OccassionalStorytelling. Link above!
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sad-sweet-cowboah · 4 years
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My Little Secret part 10
Summary: You find yourself into trouble really quickly, and thankfully Arthur shows up in the nick of time. You’re learning more about vampires every day, and the more you learn, the freakier things become.
Warnings: Blood, bodily injury, violence
Your heart leapt to your throat. Without a moment’s hesitation you spun around and ran. Boots hitting the concrete hard as you willed your legs to sprint as fast as they could. Everything around you became a blur. Your first thought was to get out where people could see you. The exit of the alley was just fifty feet ahead.
Your ankle rolled, sending a jolt of pain up your leg. You yelped and fell to the ground, the solid rock beneath ripping the wind from your lungs. The sharp throbbing radiating in your ankle was almost dizzying as you attempted to pull yourself up.
However, you couldn’t even get that far. A powerful force slammed into you, pinning you against the wall to knock the breath out of you once again. The back of your head collided with the brick, and an explosion of stars erupted in your vision as even more pain overtook you. You blinked rapidly to clear your vision, focusing on the being in front of you. The vampire glowered coldly at you, his mouth splattered with darkened blood. The coppery scent hit your nose and twisted your insides uncomfortably.
“You smell good…” he growled, his voice rough like sandpaper. “Full of fear… my favorite.”
His hand, quick as a bullet, covered your mouth as soon as you parted your lips. Before you could even say or do anything to stop him, his face immediately went for your throat. You closed your eyes and flinched as the needle points of his fangs grazed your skin. Your screams drowned behind his ice cold skin.
A split second passed and a loud THUD echoed against the close walls, and his presence disappeared immediately. You opened your eyes and turned your head to see a new figure had tackled your assaulter.
Except it wasn’t new. You’d recognized that dark red shirt. It was Arthur.
Relief flooded over you. Though soon replaced with confusion as their entangled bodies became a blur, unable to tell what was going on. In the blink of an eye, a silhouette pelted midair through the alley as if it were a football. It achieved quite a distance before slamming into the ground and sliding to a stop. Arthur’s figure came into focus for you, standing protectively in front of you. His opponent stood back up as well. Though too far for you to clearly see him, you heard an inhuman hiss.
Arthur repeated the sound, sending a shiver up your spine. “Back off fledgling, she’s mine.” He growled deeply.
“I don’t play by the rules, asshole!” the other responded, his voice a mere echo. In an instant you lost sight of his silhouette, but Arthur moved. Moved so quickly that it could have been a trick of your mind. The two of them became a blur again as their bodies collided.
You couldn’t follow their movements; simply too fast for human eyes to decipher. Darting back and forth and bouncing against the walls of the alley. Growls and hisses similar to cats fighting, if those cats were ten times their normal size. You could only wait with held breath, hoping Arthur would be the victor in this fight.
More seconds passed, and finally they separated. Arthur’s figure landed gracefully just a few feet away from you after flinging the other vampire further from you. He quickly yanked something from his belt and threw it so swiftly you could have missed it if you blinked. A fraction of a second later, the sound of liquid splattering the ground filled your head.
You blinked, letting your eyes adjust. The darkened alley was colored even darker with what looked like blood and… whatever else. Your eyes widened.
The aggressiveness vanished from Arthur as he turned around to face you. “Y/N, you okay?”
“Did…did he…explode?” you whimpered, turning your eyes to him.
A touch of contempt shadowed Arthur’s face. “Yes. Vampires don’t die too gracefully.”
You swallowed the bile that rose in your throat. Your stomach did constant backflips in reminder of what you just witnessed. “How did you…?”
He sighed, kneeling down to you. “Wooden dagger to the heart. One o’ the things that ring true from the legends…” he stared directly into your eyes. “The hell you doin’ back here anyway?”
“I…I was helping some drunk guy,” you explained timidly, glancing back toward the slump in the direction you came from. The drunk was moaning quietly. “He stumbled back here, I just wanted to make sure he wouldn’t find himself into trouble.”
“Instead you found yourself into trouble,” Arthur grumbled. “I told ya to be careful, Y/N. You know it ain’t too safe here.” His tone was full of disapproval.
“I know,” you sighed, avoiding his gaze. “I just didn’t want the guy to get hurt…”
You felt his stare on you, and you couldn’t turn to look at him fully yet. It was stupid, you knew that now. But you didn’t regret it. Still, you knew he wasn’t happy with you.
A long moment passed before he sighed. “’Spose I can’t blame ya for wantin’ to help…”
You turned to meet his gaze again, noting the softness in his blue eyes. He reached out to gingerly rest his hands on your neck. You let him. “Did he hurt you?”
He tilted your head very carefully to the side as his thumb smoothed against your jugular vein. Checking for bites. “H-he slammed me against the wall,” You stammered. “My head hurts really bad…”
Arthur’s hand immediately went to the back of your hand, his touch feather light as his fingertips roamed against your scalp. Even the lightest graze was painful, and you flinched away from his touch. He moved his hand away.
“No blood.” He stated, though that was the least of your worries.
Your leg twitched, reminding you of the injury to your ankle. You bent your leg toward you, wincing as the rim of your boot cut against your swollen skin. A small moan slipped past your lips as you attempted to move it.
This caught Arthur’s attention. He rested his hand on your calf to halt your action. His palm slowly slid down your leg and lifted it just above your ankle to brace your foot against his thigh. With cautious movement, he slowly slid your boot off to get a better look. Even in the dim, your ankle was practically twice its size and significantly darker with bruising.
“Can you move it?” he asked.
You flexed your foot just a centimeter. It was incredibly painful and you cried out. “I think it’s broken, Arthur. Or very badly sprained.”
He swore under his breath, and glanced left and right before looking back to you. “I’m gonna try somethin’…”
Before you could ask what, he raised his hand to his face. His mouth opened and two fangs suddenly flicked out. Your eyes widened when he bit onto his wrist. “What’re you –”
He pulled his mouth away and turned the inside of his wrist toward you, two deep puncture wounds flowing dark with fresh blood. “Drink this.”
You stared at him. “What?” was all you could utter. “No –!”
“Jus’ trust me, Y/N,” he said softly. “’Fore it closes up.”
“Are you trying to turn me?” was the next question.
“No, ‘course not. Jus’ drink n’ you’ll see.” He continued, a slight urgency in his voice.
Every part of schooling in your mind screamed no. It was unsanitary and didn’t make a lick of sense. But Arthur has yet to give you a reason not to trust him. You took a deep breath and grabbed his arm, pulling it to your face. Your lips locked onto the fresh wound, blood spilling into your mouth. It was… different than human blood. While the initial taste was the same, there was a tangy hint underneath the sharp metallic, and it tasted…good.
You sucked on his wrist, allowing the blood to fill your mouth and slide down your throat. Within seconds the blood stopped flowing as the holes in his skin closed, however you selfishly licked it clean before he pulled away from your grasp.
The pounding ache in your head slowly began to vanish, so did the dull throb in your ankle. The residual nausea had also begun to dissipate. You glanced at your ankle that still rested on Arthur’s leg, and blinked in surprise to see it was no longer swollen. You experimentally flexed it, expecting pain and finding none.
“Holy shit…” you uttered, turning your attention back to Arthur. “What…did you do to me?”
“Vampire blood heals humans,” he explained, sliding your boot back onto your foot. “No matter what the affliction.”
“Are you serious?” you gasped. “So you have healing powers?”
“Yes, one o’ our lesser known abilities,” he responded. He shifted to take your hand and help you up. “Jus’ don’t go blabberin’ ‘bout it.”
You stood up easily, staring at him. “Arthur, that could change the world!” you exclaimed.
He gave you a rueful smile. “I know, sweetheart. But the world ain’t ready for vampires.”
“Do you know how many lives you could improve just with that?” you asked.
Arthur sighed heavily. “I know, Y/N. Problem is people will take advantage. Humans are a selfish species, I know that better n’ anyone.”
You opened your mouth to create a counterargument, except your mind completely blanked. It was a true statement after all, people could be ruthless selfish monsters when presented with power. You made a face and closed your mouth, shaking your head. “Well… I guess then I should say thank you, for saving me again, and healing me.”
“Jus’ don’t make it a habit o’ runnin’ into dangerous people, vampire or not,” He lightly joked, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his phone. “You go back to the bar, I’ll catch up in a moment.”
You gave him a somewhat suspicious look.
“I promise, jus’ gotta make sure this mess is cleaned up. N’ make sure your drunken friend goes home without memory of what happened.” He told you before he turned his attention to the screen.
You nodded silently. It made sense after all, wouldn’t want to leave a bloody mess that anyone could come across. The drunken person began to stand and stumble around, though you wondered if he would have any memory of tonight once he sobered up. You began working your way back toward the original entrance you’d first found. Back onto the busy street surrounded by citizens unknowing of what just happened. Arthur’s blood had given you a boost of energy and shrouding your mind with a better mood. It was almost as if the ordeal had been hallucination. You glanced up at the streetlights, watching as the condensation that hung in the air shimmered beautifully like glitter.
You’d never seen such detail before.
You made it back after another moment, glad to be around people. Sam honed in on you like a tracker, a little concerned as you’d disappeared. You assured her you were fine, and Arthur came back a few moments later. It appeared as if he’d never gotten into that fight; not a hair out of place, no spots of blood, and not even any indicators of puncture wounds on his wrist.
You three didn’t stay much longer afterward. Your mind was too heavy with the events that unfolded earlier. Despite having your mood lifted, the memories remained. Even with another drink to somehow dampen your thoughts, it didn’t work. Whatever affect Arthur’s blood had on you seemed to override any additional alcohol to your system.
Arthur knew you were bothered, despite how much you tried to keep it hidden. He took the liberty of asking Sam to wrap it up for the night, and she complied without an argument.
---
Sam had dropped you and Arthur back at your apartment around midnight. After bidding one another a farewell, you hastily made your way back inside. Arthur was in your heels.
Once passing the threshold and flooding your living room with light, he asked, “You alright?”
You turned to look at him. Physically you were okay thanks to him, mentally your mind was muddled with thoughts. Arthur being a vampire was one thing, but meeting another tonight seemed to set the reality for you. You could have been seconds away from being another victim on the 6 o’clock news.
“Kinda, I guess,” You sighed. “All of that was just really surreal.”
He nodded in understanding. He stepped closer to wrap his arms around you, pulling you into a tight embrace. His cool skin was welcoming against you, and you leaned into him with gratuity. A few seconds of silence ticked by before he spoke again. “Glad I got to ya when I did. Wouldn’t know what to do if I was too late…”
You shuddered involuntarily at the thought of it. A vivid flash of memory struck through your mind as you replayed the scene for the hundredth time that night. His voice, so protective over you… “What did you call him? Fledgling?” you asked, peering up at him.
“Means baby vampire. New.” He explained while releasing his hold on you. “They’re reckless n’ dangerous, don’t know the flow o’ things. He’s one of them who keep killin’ n’ drainin’ folk, or was.”
You frowned slightly. “How do you know that?”
Arthur hesitated, a shameful look briefly crossing his face. “I…was trackin’ him. It’s part o’ my job.”
“Your job?” you repeated. “So what is it that you do exactly?”
“Guess you could say I’m a bounty hunter. I hunt lawless vampires n’ bring ‘em to justice, one way or another.” He spoke with a sigh.
“So you hunt other vampires…” you recapped, folding your arms. “But why tonight?”
He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, briefly avoiding your eyes. “Truth is I needed to be in Saint Denis anyway. Was gonna go after our initial plans, but since Sam offered, thought I could try to take care o’ business real quick n’ enjoy the rest of the night. Obviously that didn’t work out in anyone’s favor.”
Annoyance sat like a rock in your stomach. You should have just declined Sam’s invite and stayed in watching movies all night. You sighed heavily and flopped onto the couch, leaning back and placing your palm on your forehead. “I just want one normal date…” you moaned quietly.
“’M sorry, I shoulda said no earlier,” Arthur apologized, mirroring your thoughts. “Then I wouldn’t have put you in harm’s way.”
“Guess it doesn’t matter now,” you mumbled, keeping your eyes fixed to the ceiling. “I guess your night’s freed up then?”
“’Spose so, do ya want me to stay or leave?”
That was a good question. You weren’t annoyed with him, just the situation. Though that did nothing to mask the other unidentifiable whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. A terrifying experience that made the encounter with Tom seem like a skinned knee. You’d asked Arthur to stay with you then, even when you two were still just acquaintances. Something about his presence seemed to relax you.
Perhaps it was selfish to keep him around this time. However, the thought of sleeping alone tonight seemed unnerving. A silly and childish fear spurred by what you once thought were movie monsters. You knew other vampires couldn’t get into your house without an invite, yet the haunting thought loomed over you like a shadow.
You fixed your gaze to him again. “Please stay.”
He nodded. “’Course, darlin’.”
You weren’t tired by a longshot, but you changed into your pajamas anyway. You felt somewhat more comfortable and returned to the couch, opting to cuddle while turning on the TV. You didn’t feel like turning on a movie, but late night shows set a relaxing mood. Arthur had an arm wrapped loosely around you while you leaned on him, neither of you speaking for a while as your attention was turned to the TV. Despite having no body heat, it was nice to lean against him. His cool skin was somehow soothing even in your air conditioned home.
It was around 2 am when your eyes began to grow heavy. You hadn’t realized you dozed off until you suddenly felt his strong arms hoist you up like you were nothing. You opened them and peered up, making a small noise to catch his attention.
“I’m not tired yet…” you mumbled.
He chuckled in response. “Don’t gotta lie, sweetheart. ‘Sides, I think your bed’s more comfortable than the couch.”
You didn’t argue nor protest, allowing him to carry you down the hall and to your bedroom. He lay you gently atop the mattress before flicking the light on. Your body responded faster than your mind did, expelling a large yawn as soon as you hit the plush comforter beneath you. You met his gaze again as he stood next to you, an unsure look on his face.
You held your hand out, beckoning him to join. He however slightly frowned, and you spoke, “Not ready for you to leave yet, Arthur. Just stay until I actually fall asleep please.”
You had to remind yourself he originated from a different time. Sharing a bed with the opposite sex most likely meant something other than innocent conversation to him. Though you had to wonder as an outlaw how much of society did he actually conform to. He had no qualms about sitting on your bed the first time he was here, although it was when he caught you in a low moment. He was also a gentleman to you however, and most likely wanting to keep things clean for now.
After a long moment passed, he finally made up his mind and rounded over to the other side, carefully climbing on next to you and held his arm out again. You gratefully entered his embrace, resting your head against his shoulder.
Silence surrounded you for a few minutes. His thumb rubbed gently against your shoulder in a soothing motion. The movement from earlier had woken you up slightly, and you peered up at him again.
“Still can’t believe you healed me.” You said quietly.
He met your gaze, a half smile crossing his lips. “’Spose it’s better than takin’ you to the nearest ER and spendin’ the night there with a possible concussion n’ broken ankle.”
You hummed in agreement, reaching to rest your hand on his chest. “That would have been a fun situation to explain to Sam,” You giggled slightly, and then remembered a moment from earlier. “By the way, what was with that question you asked her?”
“Hm?”
“About her last name, or whatever. Do you really know her family?” you clarified.
“I knew her ancestors. John Marston n’ Abigail Roberts. They had a son named Jack. They was a part of our gang. John was my brother, did a lot for him n’ I helped him get out, provided a better life for his family. He had a ranch called Beecher’s Hope, not too far from Blackwater,” he sighed, his eyes drifting to stare at the wall. There was a distant look in his blue eyes. “Reason why I asked is cause your friend looks a lot like Abigail.”
You blinked at him. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “People say some genes can carry through generations. I’ve been ‘round long ‘nough to see kids grow up to look like their great-grandparents. Thought it was too much of a coincidence so I wanted to ask.”
“That’s amazing.” You commented, your thoughts wandering back. You remember learning about John Marston in that museum and in Shady Belle, how he left the gang in favor for a more conventional lifestyle. You also remember he was gunned down as his past demons caught up with him. You however never made the connection that Sam was a descendant of John. Did she herself know?
Arthur’s words however echoed in your head. “You helped him get out,” you repeated. “What exactly happened with your gang anyway? All this information I found out and nothing about how it ended.” you asked, though your voice was plagued with a loud yawn.
“A long story, one that I’ll save for another time,” as you began to protest, he shook his head. “You’re tired, sweetheart.”
You sighed in frustration. You hated to admit it, but he was right. Fatigue was creeping back up on you, and you wanted to be fully awake for this. It seemed like every time you learned something about him, it would create a whole new myriad of questions for you to ask. “The more I find out, the less I know about you every day, Arthur Morgan. You’re an enigma.”
“I guess,” he said with a smile of faint amusement. “Though I still can’t imagine why you’d be so interested in an ol’ fool like me.”
“Interesting, handsome, mysterious, sweet…” you paused when another yawn overtook you. “My savior.”
He placed a kiss on your forehead. “You’re too kind, sweetheart.”
You smiled tiredly, snuggling closer to him.
“By the way, I should mention this now,” he began, prompting you to look up at him. “Since you’ve had my blood, you’ll feel much stronger for the next day or so. Your senses will be heightened too, and…” he trailed off, averting his gaze and clearing his throat. “You’ll have some, uh, interestin’ dreams later.”
You tilted your head in curiosity, piecing together the things he mentioned. “What do you mean?” you asked.
“Uh, sexual.” He clarified rather bluntly, hesitant to look at you again.
You stared at him. You hadn’t expected that answer. “Wait, really?”
He nodded, eliciting a soft sigh and laying his free hand upon yours. “Known effect of vampire blood…ain’t sure why, sorry.”
You weren’t exactly sure what to think of that. Though your mind began to wander, and a nearly vivid image of him nude unwrapped in your mind. It wasn’t a clear view, it however reminded you of something. A dream of the same type just recently. Your face flushed with that memory, partially in shame for your brain in even concocting such a scenario when you’d barely even begun to know him.
But wait…
It seemed familiar, too familiar. You traced back to when it occurred, over the same night that Tom assaulted you. That following morning those abrasions and bruises seemed to have disappeared, as if they’d been healed overnight.
“Wait, Arthur…did you heal me the night that Tom attacked me?” you inquired.
A swift look of guilt overtook his expression. “I did…I slipped some drops into your tea. I know it weren’t right, n’ I almost didn’t do it. But seein’ ya look so troubled, couldn’t help it,” he sighed deeply. “Was a split second decision.”
First he glamored you, then he healed you, without any knowledge to you. Your stomach churned at the thought and you released a shuddering sigh of your own. He’d glamored you so you wouldn’t remember seeing him drinking blood that first night, that of which you were grateful for. Healing you after Tom…you remembered feeling much more content than you thought afterward. There was no leftover mental trauma that would be expected after such a violent experience. No scars to remind you of the way you’d hit the asphalt. He’d protected you that night, and had done it once again in some strange way.
It was a weird turn to rationalize it, but you couldn’t think of any reason why he wouldn’t. He saw you suffering and brought help in a way he knew that would help.
And that following day was when you shared your first kiss.
“Arthur, you didn’t give me your blood as part of a rouse to make me fall for you, did you?” you quirked an eyebrow in suspicion. “Planting immoral dreams in my brain…”
He gave you an incredulous stare. “No Y/N. It ain’t a love potion, I promise you that. Wouldn’t even do that to ya if it were the case.”
“That’s good to hear,” you said, meeting his gaze. “Because I’m not afraid to say I have a crush on you, Arthur.”
His expression softened as a smile touched the corner of his lips. His hand left your shoulder to stroke your hair in a smooth, rhythmic motion. “Glad to hear that, sweetheart.” He murmured to you.
“Still, I’d like a heads up next time…” you mumbled, beginning to feel drowsy once again. “Any other surprises I need to know about?”
His chest vibrated with a light chuckle. “No, not at all. Ain’t gotta worry ‘bout nothin’ else.”
You nodded and closed your eyes, enjoying the gentle tugging of your hair. A soothing motion that only enhanced the heaviness on your eyelids. “Then I want a normal date, okay?” you managed to say despite how raspy your voice was becoming. “Just you and me, no restaurants, no last-minute Saint Denis trips…”
“Whatever you want, darlin’.” He answered you.
His sweet voice echoed in your mind before you’d succumbed to the fatigue weighing you down.
---
Thought I’d provide a treat for my followers. I finished two chapters at the same time so enjoy!
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Voltron: Next Generation
Eventful Days: III
Word Count: 2937
Caleb had turned around to lift his hands in mock surrender. There was no way for him to see what had happened. 
Two soldiers, dressed in identical gray armor with purple insignias on the front chest plate, had taken Caleb by surprise. One of them knocked the butt of their weapon into Caleb's back, holding him down at gunpoint. The other had charged towards Kova, still sitting in the cruiser. With a boost from her jet pack, Kova had jumped away from the soldier chasing her. Unfortunately, she couldn't see inside the screen of the helmet, but they could see her. The crew onboard the Galra ship took quick pictures to send to their Emperor. 
While Captain Scars-a-lot had said he would get the girl, he never specified which. He had only assumed. Even now, he wasn't sure that she was the girl. 
"Captain," A voice from the doorway said. The Captain turned, already growling at the wormling who would have to grovel at his feet for interrupting him, but the threats quickly died on his tongue. The broad-shouldered man strode to the helm where the live feed of the soldiers' helmet cams was rolling. 
"My Emperor." The Captain bowed his head, placing a closed hand over his heart. "I was not aware of your presence." 
"If your men are incapable of handling her," The Emperor said, staring at the wincing Captain. "I will not hold it against you." The Captain's eyes opened in surprise, expecting a threat. 
"She is but a little girl." The 'little girl' had come out of her initial shock and summoned a shield, pushing the soldier away from her. With a backflip and an assist from her jet pack, she had landed just behind the other soldier and beat them away from the young man they were holding down. With both soldiers barely standing and the boy out of commission for a while, the girl summoned her bayard. It formed into a long, curved sword. 
"That 'little girl' is Paladin of the Black Lion," The Emperor crossed his hands behind his back. "Her skills in combat are almost unrivaled, by human or otherwise."
"Who could rival her?"
"The young man your soldiers beat to the ground." The Emperor's smile, the only thing not covered by a dark shadow, had grown across his face. "And he's only there because he was caught by surprise."
Back on the space rock, Kova was shielding Caleb from above while glaring at the pair of Fire soldiers. Caleb, on the other hand, was trying to blink away the double vision. Groggily, Caleb lifted his head, taking out his bayard in return. Balancing it precariously on his knee, Caleb aimed and fired. He didn't know which of the three small soldiers he had hit, but he hit one of them. 
"Jax to Coeus, I need assistance." Caleb fired another shot, missing the smaller soldier by a few inches. "Repeat, Jax to Coeus, I need assistance."
"Coeus to Jax, we hear you." Activating her helmet cam to show the bridge what she was seeing, Caleb fired one more time. He had hit the smaller soldier directly in the chest plate, sending them back with a scream. The taller one of the two, the one that had come after Kova, hadn't been deterred by this. Instead, he sped up. Kova's shield had blocked the soldier from attacking her head-on, but it took away protection from Caleb. As the tall soldier landed in a crouch, he grabbed Caleb's leg and pulled. With almost no effort, Caleb had been thrown to the other side of the cliff. Kova honestly didn't want to stab someone today, but if she had to. The sword in her hand glinted dangerously, much to the soldier's dismay. With bold, almost clean strokes, Kova lowered her shield, grabbed the handle of the bayard, and swung at the soldier. He jumped away, thinking he had jumped away just in time, evading Kova's erratic swings. He took one last jump backward before getting his head knocked on by a rock in Caleb's hand. Turning around, Caleb and Kova were back to back as the smaller soldier ran around them in circles, pushing them further from the edge. 
"Locate the Galra ship." Kova was panting. 
"Liz."
"On it." Liz had busily been typing away codes for each of the cameras on the outside of the Coeus. There was nothing but deep, dark, and lonely space around them. "I don't see anything, Colonel."
"Keep trying." Shiro had summoned the other teens and Kenny into the bridge when Kova's plea came through. "Hang in there. Remember your summer training sessions."
"This isn't desert sand being thrown in our faces, Dad," Caleb muttered. "It's space rock dust that refuses to fall completely." 
"Oh, hello there," Kova said, her bayard morphing again. It changed into a sharpshooter rifle, similar to the one Uncle Lance had taught her to use a few years back. Aiming, Kova found the body of the smaller soldier and fired. The soldier fell to the ground as Kova's bayard returned to its original form. "On the count of three, jump out. Ready?" Caleb nodded his head behind her and steeled himself. 
"One?"
"Two."
"Three!" The pair shouted at the same time, jumping out of the dust cloud. Kova was apprehensive, searching around the hole for anyone else. She had noticed the soldiers were gone, but it didn't put her at ease. 
"Gah!" Caleb's voice. Directly behind her. Turning around, Kova could only glare. 
Caleb was held in a chokehold with his hands pressed into his back by someone else. The man had dark brown eyes and dark hair that bordered on black. The man's pale arms were exposed in a sleeveless gray vest and tight dark gray pants tucked into calf-length boots. As he turned up to stare the girl, he made sure Kova saw the sharp fangs in the man's exposed smile. Switching hands on her bayard, Kova held it up as it morphed again. It elongated vertically to form a longbow. Pulling the string back, an arrow made of purple quintessence had formed. 
The teens onboard the Coeus were on the edges of their seats, hoping the audio wasn't as bad in quality as the video. Neither Shiro nor Kenny could make out the face of the strange man holding Caleb captive. 
"What do you want?" Kova growled, glaring at the man with intensity. Liz glanced at Shiro before looking back. Kova knew this guy?
"Oh, come on now," The man said much too casually for Kova's taste. "I'm just seeing what I was replaced with. No need to throw a fuss."
"Let. Him. Go. I won't ask again."
"I'm sure." The man's smile never wavered, even when the quintessence arrow created a dent in the wall just behind his head. Kova pulled back the string, another arrow forming. 
"That was your only warning." 
"You're no fun, Ky." The man grabbed both of Caleb's cheeks and turned this face towards his own. "Tell me the truth, is she always like this?" Caleb didn't respond. With an exasperated sigh, the man turned to meet Kova's glare. "I have every intention of letting him go."
"Then do it."
"I will." The man shifted on his foot. "As soon as you answer a burning question of mine."
"No."
"Then say goodbye to your so-called brother."
"You wouldn't dare." Kova aimed at the man's head. Caleb knew Kova's aim was good, but that was on Earth. How good would quintessence arrows hit him in zero gravity? The man froze behind Caleb, studying Kova's movements. 
"How about a proposition?"
"No."
"Oh, come on, Ky. You'll like it."
"Stop calling me that."
"You can ask me your question first if you'd like." The man's toothy grin returned, watching Kova try not to have a brain aneurysm. She stood unwavering for a few minutes, thinking carefully. "She always did this," the man whispered to the teen in his clutches. "Think so hard, her brain explodes from the pressure."
"If you are who I think you are," Kova started her question and the man perked up. "Are you the leader of the Fire?" 
"Aww, I knew your question would be carefully worded like that." The man, who had been resting his head on Caleb's shoulder stood to his full height, showing off two long scars on his cheeks. "I am who you think I am, and I am Emperor Yorak of the Fire." 
On the Coeus, Shiro slammed his fist onto the face of the console at the helm, making everyone jump. Kenny was startled, but he couldn't tear his eyes from the screen. Soon enough, every teens' eyes returned to the screen. To Kova's encounter. 
Kova was shaking her head, wrinkling her nose. Yorak, as they had come to find out, was tilting his head to the side, almost as though he was trying to figure out what Kova was doing. Caleb tried shaking himself free from Yorak's grasp, but it was instead tightened. 
"Little Ky doesn't know what to do now that her greatest fear was confirmed," Yorak said mockingly. 
"Stop calling me that!" Kova all but shouted. "What's your question?"
"Finally." Yorak overdramatically sighed and rolled his eyes. "My question is simple, Kyla." Kova sneered, almost near tempted to fire again. 
"Kova, don't," Caleb whispered, hoping he could hear her. 
"Yes, Kyla, listen to your so-called brother." Kova stayed silent, trying to press down her anger. "Tell me, Kyla. Have you forgiven our dear old parents and me for leaving you behind and alone?"
Kova thought she was prepared for the question. She thought she could handle it, but knowing Kenny was onboard and listening made it harder. 
Pulling back the string harder and letting it go, the arrow flew towards Yorak's stupid smiling face as he let go and pushed Caleb forward. Beaming himself up, he wasn't around to see Kova's internal and soon physical struggle as she collapsed onto her knees. 
Yorak had arrived in his private chambers as the Captain looked on. The quintessence arrow hit its mark, leaving a small slice on Yorak's right cheek. 
"My Lord!" The Captain had been watching the entire exchange. "I'll have soldiers deployed immediately! The girl should have answered your question!"
"There's no need, Seklok," Yorak said, wiping the blood from his cheek. "This was answer enough." 
"But my Lord—"
"Are you questioning me?" Yorak had turned to look down on the Captain, who had bowed his head. 
"No, milord." They stood there for a few seconds. Seklok, or Captain Scars-a-lot, whichever you prefer, was afraid the Emperor would punish him for disobeying orders. 
"Leave me be."
"Yes sir." Quicker than space mice afraid of the light, Yorak was alone. At least he had the satisfaction of breaking her down. 
The Lions had returned to the Coeus, and all Kova wanted to do was sleep. She was walking with a limp because unbeknownst to her, Caleb hadn't properly set up his weapon. The pushback had fallen entirely on Kova's knee, which the initial adrenaline had numbed. 
"Kova, Caleb." Shiro's stern voice came from down the hallway. "In my quarters. Now." 
Following Shiro, the door closed behind them. The room they had walked into was a room the teens had just passed by since it was in the way of the bedroom. Set up like his office back home, Shiro stood behind the console that stood in for his desk and laid his hands on it. Staring at the teens, he was trying to find a point to start his tirade. 
Outside the closed doors, the other teens had their ears pressed into the crack, hoping to pick up on some sort of conversation. Allie thought it was strange, but she joined right in. Kenny hadn't moved from the chair in the bridge, staring ahead blankly and no one wanted to bother him while he was lost in thought. 
"Where do I even begin?" Shiro began. There were no chairs, so the teens were forced to stand. Kova had her head bowed while Caleb was staring at a spot in the wall. "You can't just decide that you can pick and leave without informing me first. I had to find out from Ken. What would've happened if I hadn't responded to your call in time?" 
"Dad, can we—" Caleb tried to say.
"I don't ask for much. Just to be informed is enough, but then this bombshell happens." Shiro turned to Kova's bowed head. "How are you going to explain this one away? It's one thing to disobey my orders, but it's another if you don't deny what he said."
Kova mumbled something under her breath, leaving Caleb wide-eyed. Turning her head up a little, Shiro could see Kova's eyes were closed. 
"What was that?" Shiro fed into the anger she was trying to control. 
"Open the classified trio," Kova said, opening her eyes. Caleb could swear that you could've heard a pin drop if there was one. 
"No." Shiro's voice was a warning. 
"I told you before, this team won't fight against an enemy they know nothing about."
"Why do you need the files opened? What's your evidence?"
"What more evidence do you need?" Kova scoffed. "Keith is alive after all these years, Yorak is Emperor of the Fire, and this marks our third Fire attack." Kova's voice grew louder with every word, with more power than the last. 
"Those files are classified for a reason!" 
"And the team should've been informed from the start!" 
"Opening the trio will expose too many loose threads."
"And opening only one will lead to forcibly opening the others!"
"Kova, I'm not opening any of the case files."
"He called me out by birth name. Did you let me stare at his picture for fun?" 
"Kova."
"Opening the trio will do us more good than harm. We'll know what we're looking for."
"You were allowed to look at the files because you're my kids."
"Oh, so not because I'm part of the problem?"
"You aren't part of the problem."
"Then authorize. The opening. Of the files." Even limping, Kova didn't lose her attitude. Shiro didn't appreciate it as much. 
"I'm your dad. This is for your safety, Kova."
"It's a good thing I'm not even your kid then!" Caleb clapped a hand over his mouth watching as hurt filled Shiro's eyes. Kova had looked away from his eyes, knowing she'd break otherwise. She was breathing hard. The teens outside had looks of shock on their faces. No one said a word for a good minute. The constant hum of the ship filled the void, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to drown out the voices of the past. 
"Kova," Shiro began. 
"Open the case files," Kova muttered, refusing to meet Shiro's eyes. "Cake needs to know what happened to his dad." She looked up to meet Shiro's eyes, fighting back tears. "Kenny needs to know what his brother got into." At the mention of Kenny, Shiro shook himself out of his stupor. 
"I am not authorizing the release of the trio."
"Give the team the full authorization," Kova's threat began. Her fists were balled at her sides. "Or officially expel me from the Garrison." 
Outside the doors, Cake and Liz audibly gasped under their breath. Allie was shocked too but confused at the reactions of the others. Liz, who had been listening from above Cake's head, pushed herself away from the door. Cake met her eyes and nodded her understanding. An unspoken agreement between the engineers. With a deep breath, Liz calmed her thoughts and returned her ear to the door. 
"One way or the other, I'm telling them." Kova hadn't moved. Neither had Caleb, who was frozen in place at Kova's ultimatum. Shiro's eyes widened briefly before he sighed and broke his gaze from Kova. 
"To your rooms. We'll reconvene in the morning." Shiro watched as the teens walked towards the door and left. 
Liz, Cake, and Allie had ducked to either side of the doorframe, hoping the Colonel wouldn't see them. Kova and Caleb marched past them without a word, nor any sort of acknowledgment they were there. Kova looked angrier than any of them had ever seen her. In a rash attempt for some sort of information, Liz grabbed Caleb's arm before the pair entered their respective rooms. Caleb's baby blues met Liz's brown ones and she visibly became more flustered. 
"I'm sorry, Cap, I just, uh," Liz looked on in a wide-eyed stare. A shake of her head and the words came more smoothly. "We had a few questions." Caleb sighed, leaning on the doorframe outside his room. Kova had already gone inside. 
"Is her threat real?" Cake asked, and Caleb's shoulders sagged. He nodded, resting his head on the wall. 
"Will those files help us defeat the Fire?" Liz asked. Caleb nodded again. Allie knew it was her turn, but she couldn't think of a good question. Not when Caleb looked exhausted. 
"Will the opening of the files delay our arrival at the space mall?" She asked. Caleb could only stare at her, lifting his head. He smiled and let a small laugh escape. He shook his head. Pushing himself off the wall, he waved at the other teens and walked into his room. Allie, Cake, and Liz stood in the hallway. When they left, Allie insisted on taking the first shift. Between her and Liz, they should be able to care for Keith until he wakes up from this coma, taking a few hour shifts. 
If he ever wakes up.
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just-the-mage · 4 years
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Ala Mhigo
The heat of battle nearly overwhelmed her.  The resistance had been discovered...but they just needed to hold out for a little while longer.  Just long enough for the women and children to escape.  
Evangeline reached out with a hand covered in a gauntlet of black steel, easily bypassing the guard of the Garlean soldier.  Her hand gripped to his fully masked face, clinging to it as if it was magnetically attracted.  Darkness swelled from her palm, enhancing her strength once more as she closed her hand, crushing the man's helmet and face in one swift motion.  She tossed his corpse to the side and scanned the battlefield, moving her now bloody gauntlet to the hilt of her sword.  She drew it forth-a massive sword of black steel with edges lined with glowing yellow runes.  
The others seemed to be holding out well enough-Solenna was only a few yalms to her left, flitting across the lake that lay in the center of Rhalger's Reach, firing off flashes of elemental spells in all directions.  Her feet barely touched the water, the air beneath her carrying her gracefully towards another group of Garlean soldiers.  Evangeline couldn't help but smile at the sight.  Solenna was unparalelled in her talent for red magic.  She made every fight look like a dance, weaving the delicate balance between darkness and light into her movements, her magic, and the swift piercing death her rapier brought.  
Evangeline casually cleaved another Garlean soldier nearly in half, sending his body tumbling into the dirt at her feet.  His blood decorated her armor now.  She moved to look for the others, but a yelp caught her attention. Her eyes barely caught a glimpse of Solenna as she flipped backwards, soaring through the air away from...Zenos Yae Galvus.
"Solenna!!" Eva cried out, making to run in her direction.  Her path, however, was blocked.  There were more Garlean soldiers here than she had expected-more than just a scouting party.  This had been fully premeditated.  A wall of dark garlean armor hemmed her in, soldiers approaching from all sides, carefully holding their blades towards her poised to strike at once...and they did.  But each and every blade stopped short.  A wall of shadows rose to meet them, surrounding Evangeline, encasing her in darkness, runes of red and black spiraling across the bubble that protected her from the Garleans. 
"Get out...OF MY WAY." She screamed, the darkness around her roiling with her fury.  The soldiers stumbled back, directly into the blades of darkness that punched up through their armor from the black pool swirling underneath Evangeline's feet.  The platoon collapsed around her, impaled by seething darkness, their empty eyes staring up at the sky.  The sky over Ala Mhigo.  The sky they tried to take from Ala Mhigans.  Evangeline immediately broke into a run, moving towards Solenna as she danced with Zenos.  
 Solenna dodged effortlessly around Zenos's wildly slashing blades, the winds carrying her well clear of his reach.  Electricity lit up upon her fingertips, and she threw her armo forward, emitting a bright red bolt of crackling power that struck Zenos directly in the chest, causing him to stagger backwards, spasming.  He righted himself, only to find his armor exploding out from his chest, fire consuming the entire front of his body and blackening his skin in the blaze.  With that, Solenna was upon him.  A blur of motion that Evangeline could barely make out at the distance she was from the two of them.  Her rapier pierced his arm, his side, gouts of blood spouting from his open wounds.  
And that's when he started laughing.  
Evangeline could hear it even from yalms away, a haunting, horrible laugh that chilled her, spurred her forward.  
Solenna pressed the attack, blasting him backwards once again with a gust of air.  
Evangeline was almost upon them now-she was so close, just a few more yalms and she would bring her wrath to bear upon Zenos.  She noticed something though...out of the corner of her eye.  A flash, a glimmer on Zenos’ body.  Something so subtle Solenna had missed it in her eagerness to end the threat to Ala Mhigo.  
Evangeline stopped, shadows pooling towards her, and outstretched her hand.  A thin thread of darkness emitted from her fingers, hurtling towards the battle, until it wrapped around Solenna, a barrier of deep darkness that thrummed and hummed and stopped Zenos’s hidden sword as he pulled it from his side, slashing towards Solenna’s stomach.  
Zenos struggled, attempting to break the barrier, but couldn’t seem to find the strength.  He drew back his sword, bashing and slashing at the barrier, a petulant child in his rage.  His laughter turned to screams of fury, echoing through the reach, almost overpowering the roar of battle.  Evangeline drew back her hand, stepping forward to join her ally...but she felt a hand on her shoulder.  A whisper in her ear.
 “Time to get some sleep, Evangeline.” 
 No...Evangeline looked down.  A blade protruded from her stomach.  It had pierced cleanly through her armor, utterly destroying it and sending blood spattering across her torso and the ground in front of her.  She knew that sword....that voice…
“Fordola...you bitch…” She could feel herself getting weaker.  The lifeblood seeping from her body onto the ground.  She fell to her knees as the traitor pulled her sword from Evangeline.  
“I will end the resistance.  Now.  And I will start with your girlfriend.  You just sit back...and watch.”  
Tears began to flow, mixing with the blood pouring from her mouth.  “Stop…” she said weakly, as Fordola approached the dark barrier.  
Or she would have, if a pair of heavily armored feet hadn’t collided directly with her skull.  A pair of feet followed by a full 7 fulms and 2 ilms of Au Ra fury that drove Fordola directly into the ground. 
Andreas Adeliger leapt backwards, executing yet another perfect backflip and landing cleanly a handful of fulms from Fordola, who was now clearly unconscious.  He stepped forward to finish her, his spear raised in the air.
“Solenna…” Evangeline was able to utter, her vision fading.  
Andy turned to her.  “What?” 
“HELP SOLENNA!” She yelled, reeling.  
He turned, his eyes set on Zenos as he continued to batter away at the shield.  “I’ll be right back.”  He growled.  “And don’t you dare die on me.”  He seemed to yell something else, but she couldn’t be sure what.  She couldn’t really hear anymore.  For that matter, she couldn’t really see anymore either.  Evangeline’s vision faded to black and she felt her body slump to the ground.  Maybe it really was time for some sleep.  
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This was so much fun to write! Hope everyone enjoyed :) The characters in question are mine (Evangeline) @eremiss (Solenna) and @antihypnophobia (Andreas).
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Dithering is so fucking neat.
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eyeofthewolfe · 7 years
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Evil Zane Chapter 11 & Epilogue
Can the ninja save Zane AND themselves? Find out in the conclusion of the Evil Zane Fanfiction!
All other Chapters plus The Story Of Echo Zane: here
Chapter 11
Before Titanium Kai could douse Nya in a wave of flames, she projected her own wave of water to surround the fire blaster, and then with a flick of her wrist and intense concentration, she willed the water to engulf all of the robot and conceal it in a sphere of water.
The robot tried to use its blaster, but the only thing that came out of the hole were bubbles.
The water ninja pushed her hands towards each other, and the water particles began to apply pressure onto the titanium ninja. There were loud crunches as the metal strained under the pressure. Nya narrowed her eyes and focused on crushing the robot.
Suddenly, the robot began to glow. Nya blinked in surprise but kept adding more and more pressure. Titanium Kai’s metal was turning more orange-yellow by the second, and the pressurized water did not enjoy touching the robot. A hiss grew from the sphere as the water began to forcefully evaporate around the glowing robot. Soon, the water couldn’t physically be a liquid around the immensely heated metal of the robot’s body. With exasperation, Nya released her element and the steam broke apart, clouding the robot from Nya. Taking in breaths, she watched in horror as Titanium Kai walked through the cloud of steam, his body now a fire yellow and deadly hot to touch. Nya grabbed her sword, but she knew she didn’t stand a chance against an enemy she couldn’t touch.
________________________________________________________ 
Kai was fighting valiantly, somehow still brimming with energy, but his disadvantage of two swords against one was starting to take its toll. His red suit was turning scarlet with blood oozing from cuts he earned when Titanium Lloyd outsmarted his defense. Kai pushed forward, though, ignoring the wounds and the dreaded thought that he couldn’t beat something with more offense than him that also couldn’t tire.
In the midst of their swords clanging against each other, Kai leapt into the air and used Titanuim Lloyd’s chest as a backboard to backflip away from the robot. Mid-flip, he kicked the robot in the face and it stumbled a few paces backwards. Kai landed and swung his sword out to get balanced.
The robot evened itself out as well. Kai lifted his sword, and prepared to charge, but the robot lifted its swords and suddenly a surge of green electric energy filled the lining of the sword. “Nice decoration, roboto!” Kai mouthed off to the robot before rushed forward and swinging his blade. The robot easily deflected it, but Kai screamed in pain.
When the two swords collided, the lightning ripped from the sword through Kai’s sword and into his body. The pain was instantaneous and excruciating. The fire ninja stumbled backward and the shock stopped, but his energy felt drained and his body was sore.
Titanium Lloyd raised his duel swords, each sparking with the green lightning, and Kai felt powerless against the robot.
 __________________________________________________________
Each punch landed, and every move was performed perfectly, but Lloyd knew deep down that his strength and agility were no match against a robot that was practically built physically twice his size and also couldn’t grow tired. It wasn’t looking good for the green ninja.
In a desperate move to destroy the robot, Lloyd released a huge surge of green energy that exploded on and in Titanium Cole. For a moment, the robot froze, and Lloyd thought he had shut it down.
Lloyd was hilariously wrong. Everything metallic surrounding the two fighters jolted towards Titanium Cole and pieces of scrap metal landed on the robot, creating a suit of sharp scraps that made hand to hand combat seem impossible. Lloyd stepped back and hoped his hands and feet were going to survive this fight.
 ___________________________________________________________
“So is this what a girlfriend going ghost feels like?” Jay snorted to himself as he waited for the invisible Titanium Nya to attack his electrified body.
 _________________________________________________________
The large fingers delicately tapped the button PIXAL instructed to press, and a dark red glow shone on Cole’s face as the power source and motive chip drive opened up and the chip ejected itself from Zane’s hardware. Cole extracted the piece and replaced it with the new one and tapped the same button as it closed up. Cole turned to PIXAL and showed her the corrupted power source. “Do we need this?” he asked.
“No,” the robot responded. “Good,” Cole remarked as his fist lit up and he crushed the motive chip. “That was for the Overlord,” he growled at the dust that made up the old corrupted chip.
Cole turned his attention back to the nindroid. “Please work, please work, please work..” Cole pleaded to the robot as he could hear Zane’s systems get rebooted.
Sensei Wu, Misako, PIXAL, and Cole all stared at the nindroid as his eyes shot open.
“- I get corrupted by the Overlord!” Zane yelled as he sat up, his blue eyes shining full and bright. The four onlookers flinched, and Zane, sitting straight up, began to blink and look around. He turned and looked at the group tensed a few feet away, and Zane’s gaze landed on Cole. “Cole, why am I on the counter of the main console in the bridge?”
Cole almost broke the main computer when he lunged on the robot, his eyes filling with happy tears. “ZANE!” He grabbed the robot and easily lifted him and placed him on the ground, all awhile giving him the biggest hug of all time.
“I don’t understand,” Zane went on as Cole released him. “I was just talking with Jay about deactivating me, what just happened?”
Cole laughed. “Oh, you’ve missed a lot. But we need to explain later- we need to go help out our team so they don’t get destroyed by Titanium versions of us.” Zane’s mechanical eyes widened.
“What?!”
 ___________________________________________________________
Every spurt of water Nya shot at Titanium Kai was no match for the heat its metal stayed constant at. She tried whacking the robot with her sword, but now the blade was melted and attached to its right arm. She was backing up, desperately looking for something to help her, but found nothing. The robot approached and she heard the click as it activated its fire blaster. Nya shielded the blast with her water, but the strength of the flames pushed Nya to the ground. Nya tried to create a water force field, but the robot was smarter. It lifted its red hot hand and brought it down for a killing blow. Nya squeezed her eyes shut and sent a silent prayer to her parents.
There were loud crackles and pops and an unexpected cool breeze brushed Nya’s sweating face. With a gasp, Nya shot open her eyes and saw Titanium Kai frozen solid, a temperature so cold that even its metal heat couldn’t melt. Nya gasped and turned to see none other than Zane reaching his hand down to help her up. “Looked like you were in a heated fight, so I decided to cool it off,” he said with a smile.
Nya grabbed his hand and pulled herself up and she dashed into Zane for a hug. “I thought we lost you!” she cried with a broad smile.
“He has no idea what you are talking about,” Cole said over Zane’s shoulder to Nya, who released the nindroid. “But we need to deal with more evil robots before we recap Zane’s evil phase to him.”
“My evil phase?” Zane questioned, his voice shooting up in nervous fear.
“We’ll explain later,” Cole waved off the subject. “Don’t sweat it.”
“I can’t physically sweat-“ Zane started, but was cut off when Lloyd went flying backwards just in front of them.
“Now is not for explaining or sweating!” Nya said as Cole tossed her two hand blades and he unsheathed a scythe of his own. “Now, we fight!”
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Lloyd painfully used his casts to push his aching and cut body off the ground as Titanium Cole approached the fallen ninja with huge fists of metal. Lloyd lifted his cast to protect himself, but a shadow over head caught his attention.
A similarly shaped figure landed in front of the green ninja. “Hey Titanium Me! Nice fists, mind if I show off mine?” Cole grinned as his fist exploded in the orange glow. The robot raised its huge fist of scrap metal and brought it down on Cole, who stopped it with his own fist.
The metal shattered on impact. The robot sauntered backwards, clearly shaken with the unexpected contact. Cole cracked his neck, clearly not phased. “Oh, do you want more?” Cole asked, lifting his energy filled fists. The robot stuck its hands out and its magnets swung two cars, one on each side, to slam on to Cole. “Cole, look out!” Lloyd yelled at the black ninja.
Cole stuck his fists out, and the cars shattered and broke into pieces on impact. Lloyd shielded his face from debris, but his heart skipped a beat. There had be a reason why Cole was this powerful- it was insane what he could do with those new fists.
“Alright, games are over!” Cole yelled as he sprung into the air and slammed his fists on the robot from above. The impact was so strong that Cole slammed the robot into the pavement.
Cole back tracked and helped Lloyd to his feet. The green ninja cautiously glanced at Cole’s fists, for he never wanted to be at the other end of those in action.
 ___________________________________________________________
Kai knew he was about to die. Every time his sword made contact with one of the two swords extending from the arms of Titanium Lloyd, a jolt of incredibly painful shocks surged through his body. His entire body was sore and hard to move, but he had to keep defending himself from the robot’s constant swings and thrusts. Just when he thought Evil Robot Lloyd was going to get him for good, his sister materialized next to him with two blades.
“Are you crazy?” Kai spurted out, as Titanium Lloyd turned to her. “Not as crazy as you!” Nya laughed as she deflected the two electrified swords. Kai waited for her to scream in pain, but she didn’t even mutter a squeak. She kicked the robot and broke into combat, two swords versus two knives. Kai watched fascinated with his sister’s skill. Her knives made contact with the swords multiple times, and Kai could see the green electricity surge into her, but she didn’t even flinch. Instead, she pressed on, determined to defeat the robot.
The robot still held its ground, but Nya was fighting up a storm. The energy seemed to increase, but Nya didn’t falter. In a sudden move, Nya flipped backwards to give space before shooting a powerful spurt of water to cover the robot.
The electrified swords short-circuited and fried, and the robot went with it. The robot was overcome with its own shock, and it dropped like a stone. Nya lowered her twin blades and turned to her brother. “Sorry, it looked like you were struggling.” Nya said while cutely cocking her head to the side.
Kai shook his head, confused and amazed. “I mean…I was doing okay…but- how did you not react to the lightning shocks?!” he asked in bewilderment.
Nya’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Well, I am dating the Master of Lightning…” Nya answered slowly, and with a wink, she turned to check on the others, leaving Kai in a state of more shock than Titanium Lloyd could have given him.
 ___________________________________________________________
Every once in a while, Jay would feel a tug somewhere on his body and he would hear a loud popping sound as Titanium Nya blinked into sight. Jay would try to attack, but the robot was so nimble and quick that she would duck and return to being invisible. Jay was starting to get frustrated, and his elemental energy was tiring fast. He kept glancing over his shoulder, looking desperately for signs of the cloaked robot.
As he turned, he heard a crunching sound from behind him. With a loud shout, Jay spun around and shot a powerful blast of lightning toward the source of the noise.
His lightning was absorbed into a huge block of ice where Titanium Nya was trapped. Jay felt his heart skip a few beats as he turned to see Zane, whose face was struck with fear and amazement.
“Zane!!!” Jay bellowed and he raced to the recovered friend. Zane put his hands up and yelled for Jay to stop. Jay froze, and looked down at his body, which was still covered in electricity. With a giggle, Jay stopped the shield of lightning and embraced Zane. “Man, am I glad to see you!” Jay giddily told the nindroid.
“As all of us!” Lloyd said as the team ran up to Zane and Jay. Lloyd and Zane shared a hug, followed quickly by Kai.
Zane looked around at the damage of the main square of Ninjago City. Smoke from the destroyed Techno Dragon climbed into the sky, and metallic scraps decorated the ground everywhere. Titanium Kai and Nya were entrapped in ice, Titanium Cole was beaten literally into the ground, Titanium Lloyd was short-circuited, and Titanium Jay had a huge dent in its face. “So, what just happened?” Zane asked the team. “And why are there evil versions of you all built and loose in Ninjago City?”
Jay laughed and clapped Zane’s back. “Oh man, where do we start? It’s a long story-“
“Then you better make it quick!” A new voice spoke up from across the ruins. The team turned and saw the Mechanic lean down and pick up Zane’s old armor. “Did you really think I didn’t plan for you pesky ninja to somehow fix Zane? I made sure I was ready to finish this once and for all, even if Zane were to betray me!”
“Betray you?!” Zane almost screamed in shock. The Mechanic slid on the armored chest plate and placed a little earpiece on his left ear and a blue screen activated in front of his face.
“You may have won round one, ninjas! But you are not prepared for round two!” The mechanic tapped something on his mechanical arm, and the Titanium Ninja around them stirred.
“That’s impossible!” Kai gasped as they watched the robots rise from the ground, break through ice, and raise their weapons, no matter how damaged they appeared.
The Mechanic cackled and hit another button. The Titanium Ninjas all put away their martial arts weaponry and each activated ray guns on their arms, all aiming toward the ninja group.
“This doesn’t look good for us,” Cole murmured as the robots moved closer.
“Wait!” Jay whispered harshly. “Zane, they were programmed to obey commands from you!”
“What?!” Zane gasped, staring at the robots.
“That’s right!” Nya agreed. “You said you were the one with the override command! Stop them!”
Zane looked around nervously. “I don’t remember a thing about what I did! How am I supposed to stop them?”
“Use your mind, Zane!” Lloyd said as he braced for a painful impact of a ray gun blast.
“Uhh-“ Zane murmured as he faced the robot’s and their deadly blasters. “Stop.”
The robots continued to move forward.
“More force Zane!” Kai demanded. “Say it like you mean it!”
Zane nodded and turned back to the Titanium Ninjas. “You all, stop at once!” he ordered with a bit more confidence.
Titanium Cole faltered, but continued to approach like the others.
“Maybe it doesn’t work anymore.” Zane spoke, but Cole grabbed Zane’s shoulder. “Titanium Me heard you and it listened for a second. You need to force them to stop, or else we all are about to be fried!”
“You can do it, Zane!” the blue ninja called out in support.
The Titanium Ninja all stopped, their weapons raised and ready to fire.
“We are all going to die,” Kai murmured to himself.
“Titanium Ninja-“ the Mechanic ordered, smiling at his victory. “FIRE!”
“TITANIUM NINJA, LOWER YOUR GUNS.”
The robotic ninjas all instantly lowered their weapons and stood at the ready. The real ninjas all gasped and turned to Zane, who was staring confidently at the five nindroids.
The Mechanic’s jaw dropped. “How….?”
Zane pointed a finger at the Mechanic. “Titanium Ninja- arrest this man!”
“What?!” The Mechanic screamed as the five robots turned and rushed toward the cyborg. “No! Nooooo!”
The robots grabbed a hold of him, ripped off the armor plate, and dragged him toward Titanium Zane. “Let go of me! I order you to release me!” the crook screamed at the robots, but they didn’t even flinch. They threw him at the feet of the first nindroid.
“You!” The mechanic spat. “You ruined everything! You nasty piece of hardware! You tricked me into trusting you and then you turned on me and made my creations turn to scrap or against me!” The Mechanic cried. A few police officers who were hiding during the fight rushed over and grabbed the criminal and handcuffed him. “Don’t think this is the end, you ninja! You haven’t seen the last of me! You can’t get rid of me that easily!” He was pushed into a cop car and his shouts of anger were now muffled.
The team all burst out into laughter. “I swear,” Jay laughed. “All villains practice the same defeat speech!”
“At least he’s going back to join all the other prisoners at Kryptarium.” Nya said with a sigh of relief.
Lloyd walked up to his robotic version. “What are we going to do with these guys?” he asked, tapping on Titanium Lloyd’s forehead.
“Yeah, if you’d ask me, it’s kind of creepy having robotic versions of ourselves somewhere in the city.” Kai snorted, glaring uneasily towards his robot clone.
Jay walked up to Titanium Jay and gasped. “Why is there a huge dent on the left side of my face?!” Behind him, Cole chuckled.
Zane stepped forward. “I don’t think Ninjago has room for more nindroids. Especially when the real versions of these robots are already in existence.”
“So what are you going to do?” Cole asked.
Zane turned to the robots. “Titanium Ninja, enact order code 1021129514. Engage immediately.”
The robots all configured their feet to form rocket blaster and one by one, they shot into the sky.
“What’s order code 102…blah blah blah?” Jay asked.
Zane smiled weakly. “It’s the code of self-destruction. They are going to fly into space and then explode, to ensure no harm is done.”
Nya cocked her head. “How did you know that order code existed?”
“Because,” Zane said as he turned back to the team. “That code exists for me.” The team all shared a shocked look, for they never knew Zane had a self-destruct code.
“And we will never need to use it.” Cole smiled as he patted Zane’s shoulder. “It’s good to have you back, you shiny tin can.” Zane smiled at Cole in response.  
The ninja turned to the destruction. “Well,” Lloyd said, clapping his hands together. “Looks like we have some picking up to do! Jay, can we bring this scrap metal to your parent’s junkyard?”
Jay grinned. “Oh, it will be an awesome early birthday gift!” Jay squealed with happiness as the team went to clean up.
Zane had a different plan. He made his way through the piles of scrap until he reached the armored chest plate that apparently he wore while he was evil. He stared at the black metal and red décor, trying to remember what occurred, but his memory drew a blank.
“What are you doing?” Cole asked Zane as he looked over his shoulder.
“I want to remember,” Zane said, almost painfully. Cole was taken aback. “What? Why?”
Zane turned to the Master of Earth, but kept his gaze on the metal armor. “I feel like I should be punished for my behavior, and the memories of what I did should be enough of a consequence to prevent me from any other similar actions in the future.”
Cole grabbed the armor and his hands lit up like magma. He tore the armor in half, shooting out red sparks as the décor shattered. He tossed the metal pieces behind him and turned to Zane.
“What you don’t remember wasn’t you.” Cole told the robot. “The Overlord is the one who needs to be punished. He took you and made your motive his motive, so don’t blame yourself. Blame the Overlord.”
Zane nodded. “If I ever see his face again, he’ll be sorry he messed with me for the third time!”
Cole laughed, an action he hadn’t of done in a while. “That’s sounds more like my brother.”
The two ninja smiled as they looked across the smoking destruction, ready to clean up the mess and return to normalcy. Zane may not remember any moments of his brief time as Ninjago’s greatest villain, but he knew something in him has changed. He felt more willing to help, more motivated to help his friends- his brothers and sisters- in protecting those who cannot protect themselves.
 “You were built to protect those who cannot protect themselves.” -Dr. Julien
___________________________________________________________
Epilogue
 Lloyd stretched his arms out as the nurse returned to his bed. “Well, Lloyd, I still don’t understand how your arms healed completely in a fourth of a time it should have, but I guess I’ll just hand it to being an elemental master of energy.” She smiled at him warmly. “You are good to go!”
“Thank you,” Lloyd answered politely as he slid out of his bed. He was about to leave the room when the nurse called his name again. He turned back.
“Down the hallway, room 213, someone has been talking about you all week. He checks out in about an hour.” She said with a warm smile and then returned to her paperwork.
Lloyd smiled and walked down the hallway and stopped at the door marked 213. The door was cracked open, and he could hear the muffled voices of adults mixed with a very familiar kid. Lloyd cracked the door open some more and peered into the room.
“…I promise! I was the first one to sign the Green Ninja’s casts!” the little brown haired boy said to what Lloyd assumed was his parents.
“That’s great, Nelson!” a warm, motherly voice spoke.
“I can’t imagine the Green Ninja breaking both of his wrists though,” the father said as he ruffled the boy’s hair.
“He said it was an accident, and those happen. But he also told me to help others, and you can be like a ninja! Without their cool moves, of course!” Nelson began to punch and kick the air while making stereotypical ninja sounds. Lloyd chuckled softly.
“Nelson, that all sounds great. Now, are you all packed? You are? Amazing. Let’s see if we can check out a bit early.”
Nelson looked over to where Lloyd couldn’t see. “Mom, let me help..” Lloyd saw Nelson disappear past the crack. Lloyd smiled to himself and backed away towards the staircase. He was about to disappear through the stairway door when Nelson’s door swung open. Nelson was pushing a wheelchair that held his mom, and the entire family had a huge grin on their face, Nelson with the largest.
The little boy instantly recognized the teenage ninja. “Lloyd! Mom, Dad, it’s Lloyd!”
Lloyd smiled and waved, and the family did the same. Nelson pointed at his legs and mouthed, Look! No casts! before wheeling his mom over to the elevator. Lloyd paused when turning to go down the stairs before changing his mind and joining Nelson’s family for a trip down the elevator.
 ___________________________________________________________
“THAT’S SO UNFAIR!” Jay wailed as he desperately slammed his fingers on buttons of his controller. “You said you didn’t know that fight combo- you lied to me!”
Kai laughed out loud. “The best element is the element of surprise!” The fire ninja cackled as he fiercely attacked his controller with his fingers. “You are about to get Kai’d!!”
“In your dreams Fireboy!” Jay teased as he pressed his favorite fight combo in the game, but his character was slammed by a third character. Jay watched as his character lost his last life. “What?! I WAS ABOUT TO DESTROY YOU ALL!!!!”
With a laugh, Nya tapped on her controller and her character attacked Kai’s character so quickly that his fingers couldn’t react in time.
“Player 3 wins!” The announcer called out as Kai fell backwards with an angry groan. “When did you get so good at this game?” Kai asked his sister as he stared at the ceiling.
“I dunno Kai,” Nya raised an eyebrow and winked at Jay. “When did you get so bad?”
Jay snorted as Kai sat up instantly with his jaw dropped. “This is Fist 2 Face 2!” Kai gasped. “This is my best game!”
The blue ninja shrugged. “Not any more, your sister just stole that title! And didn’t we decide that the loser of best out of 5 would go get more snacks?” Jay taunted while lifting up his chip bowl.
With an aggravated groan, Kai snatched the bowl and stomped out of the room. He paused at the door. “Nya, you better watch out, I’m still warming up! And you both know what I’m like when I’m on fire!” With that, he vanished down the hallway.
Nya and Jay bust out into laughter and Nya fell into Jay’s lap. They laughed for a good bit at Kai’s temper, but when they stopped laughing, Nya gazed up at the bruised teenager. “How are you feeling?” She asked, eyeing the cuts and bruises on his face.
Jay smiled. “Oh I dunno, I could be still contagious.”
The girl ninja instantly sat up. “Oh my gosh, I forgot about your flu! Are you all better?”
Jay laughed as he took her bruised hands.  Nya smiled and gazed up at the young Master of Lightning. “Well, I sure hope so, for your sake,” he said a bit quieter. They both leaned in, eyes slowly shutting, when-
“Loser of best out of 9 gets drink refills!” Kai declared as he barged into the room. Nya and Jay flinched and shot apart, but Kai didn’t see it. He plopped down in his spot next to Jay and placed the full bowl of chips on the ground. He stuffed a handful into his mouth and picked up his controller and turned to a shaken Jay and Nya. “Well? Are you playing or not?”
 ___________________________________________________________
Misako approached Sensei Wu as he closed his pocket watch and slipped it into his robes. “Dr. Saunders has called in and he wants the ninja’s help to set up the new Elemental Master exhibit.” Misako noticed Wu’s look as he peered up at her from under his hat. “Is it time?” She asked softly. Sensei nodded as he took his walking staff from leaning against the wall of his quarters. “Do not tell the ninja where I am headed, this is something for me to deal with and me alone.” Misako nodded. “I am meeting up with Ronin and Dareth to move our belongings into the Temple of Airjitzu. I’m actually headed there right now.” Misako told Wu, and then they both fell into an awkward silence.
Sensei tightened his robes and fixed his hat. “I best be going. I can’t be late.” He turned to the door, but Misako softly took his arm. Wu turned to the older woman, whose eyes were soft. “Be careful. Last time you faced this enemy, it almost killed you. Please come back in one piece.”
Wu nodded, his gaze soft as well. She lightly kissed his cheek and they both exited his quarters.
Wu made his way off the landed boat and began his journey to the old monastery, not realizing he was kicking off the ninja’s next huge adventure and battle of good versus evil.
 ___________________________________________________________
It had been about a week after Zane had been fixed. The nindroid had restored PIXAL into his mind, and they spent hours just talking to each other. The ninja had all taken turns telling Zane about his short-lived evil phase (“You totally went emo!” Jay said). The only one who hadn’t of spoken was Cole, whose face was always shrouded in pain when asked to share, and couldn’t even say five words about the experience. That scared Zane, for he felt like his evil alter ego had done something that really hurt Cole.
However, life had returned completely back to normal. Lloyd was getting his casts off, while Jay, Nya, and Kai were gaming. Wu was taking a mini vacation somewhere classified in Ninjago, and Cole was chilling in the ninja’s quarters. Zane was wandering the halls, talking with PIXAL. He paused when he saw Cole lying in bed from the doorway. He tapped the doorframe.
The Master of Earth leaned his head back and saw the robot. “Ah, Zane. Just the guy I want to see.”
Zane towards Cole’s bed. “Really?” he asked.
Cole nodded and sat up. “Look, I’ve been struggling telling you my experience with you being evil because…” Cole tried to speak, but Zane could hear Cole’s throat tighten. “Because…”
“Because you were the one who was supposed to destroy me.”
Cole gaped at the robot. “How…how did you know?”
“Well, based on that new power you discovered that allows you to break anything you hit, I would assume it would have been your duty to destroy me if all else fails.”
Cole looked down at his hands. Zane sat down next to the hurt ninja. “Did it ever come close to it?” he asked softly.
The black ninja nodded. “Twice. I had you in my grasp and I was about to punch your face in… but I couldn’t. How could I hurt you, you are my brother. You’re more of a family I’ve ever had in my whole life. I couldn’t just destroy you with my bare hands.”
As he said this, his voice cracked and rose. Zane has never seen Cole cry-he was always tougher than it- but now he seemed broken on the inside.
Zane didn’t know what to say in response, but instead pulled him into a hug. For a long moment, the two brothers embraced each other as tightly as they could.
“Oh!” Cole suddenly exclaimed and reached into a drawer. “Lloyd found this and decided that you should have it. I keep forgetting to give it to you.” He pulled out a familiar picture frame and handed it to Zane. With gentle hands, Zane accepted it and gazed at the picture.
With a gasp, he saw the image of his father, standing side by side with the Original Zane and the Falcon in the middle. Zane smiled and looked back at Cole. “Thank you Cole. This means a lot.”
Cole smiled as Zane looked back at the picture. Suddenly, the nindroid had a thought. “When you all were talking about saving me, there was a mention of another….” Zane looked up and his speech faded off. Cole was holding another picture frame, rustic brown, that held a picture of someone he never had seen before.
“Zane,” Cole said as he presented the frame to his brother. “Meet Echo Zane, your actual brother.”
Zane took the frame a stared at it. “He is the one that sacrificed his individual life to save yours.” Cole continued. “He’s the hero that rescued you.”
The robot delicately touched the glass that encased the photo. “He looks just like me…” he murmured.
Cole tapped on his back where the new motive chip was kept. “It’s because he is you. Your memories mixed with his heart. You are now stronger than ever before.”
Zane held the two photo frames next to each other. “I’m not really original Zane, and I’m not Titanium Zane anymore, but I’m also not Echo Zane. What does that make me?” he asked Cole.
“Simple,” Cole said with a smile. “You are Zane.” Zane smiled, satisfied with that answer.
“So, Zane, where do you want to put those?” Cole asked, looking at the pictures. Zane smiled and looked over at Cole. “I have the perfect place.”
 ____________________________________________________________
As the ninja got into their new suits to go help Dr. Saunders with the museum, Zane situated his newest pictures on his small bedside table, so that every time he would go to sleep and wake up, he would remind himself of who he is -and what purpose he has. With that, he would never become corrupt again.
____________________________________________________________ 
Miles off of the western coast of Ninjago, the Lighthouse sits seemingly untouched for years, yet there is no sign of dust or cobwebs. TAI-D, the cleaning robot, still completes its job everyday as it cleans the tall home from top to bottom whenever and wherever it is needed. The lighthouse is uninhabited except for that small cleaning robot, that is, save one other.
If someone were to stumble upon this tucked away lighthouse in the ocean, they would find the door unlocked, beckoning strangers, almost, and they would enter a spotless yet empty home. The basement is sealed for good so all of the blueprints of the past owner for scary and monstrous vehicles and inventions for the future that had already come would be locked down there forever.
But the real treasure is in the top room, at the highest floor, where a rusted robot sits at the window, as if waiting for something. His rusted brown eyes stare blankly out towards the horizon so he will forever see every sunset and all the beauty that comes in day and night. But the incomer will notice that unlike TAI-D the cleaning robot, this robot is unmoving, non-reactive, and maybe even useless.
However, scripted on the wall next to the window reads out the truth of the special robot who will forever keep watch his lighthouse home. Even though the robot is forever disabled from returning to life, deep within his software the rusted android knows that he too, is a hero.
 “Here lies Zane, a robot who gave his life to serving and saving Ninjago. Though he never could complete his motive in his physical form, he lives it out in spirit, and will continue to do so not only as an echo, but as a source of the life that protects the people of Ninjago who cannot protect themselves.”
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smut-camren · 7 years
Text
Show Me How To (Chapter 2)
Lauren carries Camila to her bedroom like she weighs nothing to her. Her cock, still stiff and buried inside the woman’s drenched cunt, reacts to every motion, every jolt, and every time Camila clenches around her. Camila wraps her arms around Lauren’s neck and kisses along her cheeks, her neck, and to her ear. The dark haired girl almost trips. Good thing she has a tight grip on the railings.
She pants, not from climbing the stairs but because Camila is focusing in on all of her sensitive spots. And her pussy—so warm and tight and wet—is so addicting. Finally, Lauren kicks down the door to her bedroom and eases her down on the bed. She pulls her cock out, grunting as its rigid length slaps her stomach. It’s still wet from the mix of her and Camila’s cum. “Uh, wow…”
Camila smirks and spread her legs wide open. “You did all of that, baby.” She husks in a seductive tone that makes Lauren’s legs weak. “Your big meat sliding in and out of my wet cunt felt so good. Don’t you want to do it again?”
Her words have a startling effect on Lauren, not aware that she likes dirty talk. In fact, she can probably come just from it. The dark haired girl swallows hard and grips the base of her meat. “What do I do next?” She asks the more experienced woman, who makes herself comfortable on Lauren’s bed.
“Let’s see. What do you want to do, Lauren? Do you want to fuck my pussy again? Or do you want to fuck my mouth?” Camila crooks her finger and Lauren is drawn to it. She crawls towards Camila, her dick bobbing against her stomach. Lauren hovers over Camila and swallows hard. “Or do you want to put your big dick between my tits?”
Camila’s filthy mouth is driving Lauren to the point of madness, she just knows it. She sucks in a breath. All the choices look so good, and Camila is so sexy. Lauren’s head reels. She can’t decide, so she asks. “What do you want, Camz?”
The woman raises her brow at the nickname but says nothing of it. “You can’t keep asking me what I want, Laur. You need to take charge. That’s what I’m here for—to teach you how to be more comfortable with your cock.” She winks and cups Lauren’s thick meat, weighing it in her palms. “Just pick one, babe. We have time. I bet you we can do everything you want throughout the weekend.”
Lauren stares at Camila’s features for a moment. “I think… I want to have brunch.” And as if on cue, both their stomachs growl. Camila laughs and kisses Lauren’s cheek, and the dark haired girl kisses her neck and shoulders.
“So you carried me up to your bed for nothing?” She teases, watching Lauren put on a pair of sweats, not caring if her bulge shows. “Or were you just showing me how strong you are?”
Lauren grins and takes Camila’s hand. She’s still naked, and Lauren definitely doesn’t mind, as they head downstairs. She even allows herself to watch the woman’s body jiggle with every movement. Once in the sunny, spacious kitchen, Lauren looks into the fridge for something to eat. “I’m on a diet since I’m a cheerleader and we have a competition coming up. It’s only fruit and veggies for me.” She looks back to Camila who is still very, very naked and sitting up on the bar stool. “What do you want to eat?”
Camila hums. “So that’s why your cum tastes sweet.” She hops off the stool and approaches Lauren. Her hand slides along her thigh, then up to the bulge of her cock. “I’ll have what you’re having.”
Lauren’s throat bobs and her hardness throbs against Camila’s warm palm. She remembers what Camila’s teaching her—that she’s supposed to be the more assertive one, not only because of her penis, but probably because she’s so god damn shy. Lauren closes the fridge door and tugs Camila over to the breakfast bar. She leans against it and cups the woman’s neck, pulling her in for a deep kiss. “Stroke me.” She husks, and her jaw clenches when Camila deftly takes her penis out.
Her fingers curl around the thick meat and pumps, firm yet gentle. Lauren pants each time she squeezes the sensitive head. “You’re really good at that.” Lauren comments, her hips undulating to thrust into Camila’s skillful hand. She kisses Camila again, her plump bottom lip gliding against Lauren’s tongue. She has yet to bust, and she feels extra proud of herself for lasting longer.
Camila kisses down Lauren’s jaw, to her neck where she sucks hard on her pulse point. Lauren shudders, her arm coiling around Camila’s hips, hand on the swell of her ass. She grips it tight, groaning at the way Camila’s flesh spills out between her fingers.
Precum gathers on Camila’s palm as she rubs it across the pink tip of Lauren’s shaft. “Let me see your cum.” Camila purrs into Lauren’s ear. She sucks her lobe and Lauren trembles. She fucks into Camila’s hand, and with a choked grunt, she explodes. Her jizz shoots out in ropes, landing on Camila’s hand and on the kitchen floor.
Lauren catches her breath, her stomach tensing as Camila milks out the rest of her load. She watches the tanned woman lick her semen-drenched fingers. “Mmmmm,” she hums, making Lauren’s cock twitch. “Tasty.”
After Lauren wipes her cum off the floor, they both find something to eat for real. After a bowl of fruit and muesli and yogurt shared between the two of them, Lauren tells Camila that she has to practice her dance, and that she can stay and watch if she wants. Camila obliges.
They head downstairs to the basement. It’s Lauren’s dance studio, and it’s fully equipped with wall mirrors, top of the line sound system, and a flat-screen television in case she wants to watch choreographies on YouTube. There’s even a stripper pole, just for kicks.
Camila plops herself down on the couch with a clear view of Lauren as she plugs in her iPod on the stereo dock. She stretches, does simple steps, while praying to the dance gods that she doesn’t mess up while Camila watches her. The song switches to a more upbeat song and that’s when Lauren really dances.
She swings her hips in seductive waves, her body pops and locks, she does backflips, and she loses herself in the bass and treble of the song. By the time the song ends, Lauren is now facing Camila, her chest heaving as she catches her breath. The older woman is staring, jaw slack and her legs tightly closed together. “How did I do?” Lauren wonders, and Camila’s greedy kiss is the only answer she needs.
The older woman yanks Lauren’s clothes off enough for her cock to spring out. She grasps Lauren’s dick and leads her to the couch, but the dark haired girl resists. She grabs a cushioned bench and situates it in front of the mirrors. She straddles it, her cock pointing upwards. “Come here. Turn your back towards me.”
Camila straddles the bench as well, in the position Lauren wants her in. She eyes the dark haired girl from the mirror, her breath hitching when Lauren scoots forward and presses her warm erection against her back. “I want to see you ride me, Camz.”
Swallowing hard, Camila stands, positions her pussy over Lauren’s dick, and sinks down on it. Her eyes never leave the mirror. “I’ve had sex in front of a mirror before.” Camila says. “But not like this.”
“Is this better?” The young dark haired girl asks, a bit hopeful. She bucks, her cock deep inside Camila.
She nods and grips Lauren’s arm that is wrapped around her waist. Camila brings it up to her bouncing tits as she moves faster, grinding and fucking herself on the dark haired girl’s thick meat. “I love it. I love seeing your big dick stretching me open.” Camila throws her left arm behind Lauren’s head so she can see the mirror. With her right hand, she parts her plump pussy lips and shows Lauren the way her cunt stretches to take her cock in.
“God yeah, that looks really tight.” Lauren kisses along Camila’s sides, and along her jiggling boobs. She latches onto it, mouth and tongue sloppily flicking at the soft, sweaty skin. Lauren loops her arms around Camila and covers her hand with hers. She finds the woman’s clit and pinches it, grunting when the brunette woman gasps. “I can’t get enough of your pussy,” Lauren says, all honest and eager to make Camila feel good. “You’re mine for a few more days, Camz. And I’m going to make you feel so amazing…”
At this, Camila moans, low and deep. Her hips grind harder, her thighs vibrating with the constant pressure on her clit. “I’m coming!” Camila shrieks, and for Lauren, the sight is definitely something to behold. Camila’s eyes are squeezed shut, and her tits bounce as she rides out her orgasm. But most of all, Lauren’s eyes lock on Camila’s quivering pussy that soaks her dick, down to her balls. Lauren grips Camila’s tits for leverage and pounds into her. Within a few thrusts, Lauren is blowing her load, pumping Camila full of her sperm.
Lauren eases out and kissed Camila’s neck. Her cock is finally limp, but for a reason completely known to her, she feels that this is not the last time she’ll get hard. “You know what happens after a workout like that, don’t you?” Camila asks with a raised brow. “Time for a shower, Lauren.”
Yep, definitely hard again.
Lauren feels pretty proud of herself for resisting Camila long enough to get clean again. After their shower, they now smell like mint and vanilla. Camila brings her weekend bag up to Lauren’s room and gets dressed in a pair of panties and an oversized shirt. It’s a simple ensemble of clothes, but it makes her more desirable, at least in Lauren’s eyes. Camila’s long, tanned legs, her sculpted calves, and her delicate ankles peek out from past the hem of her shirt. Lauren still can’t believe she’s hers for the rest of the long weekend.
They snack on frozen yogurt and popcorn while they take a break from sex. Together they watch some movie which Lauren doesn’t really care for, but Camila looks interested, so she says nothing about it. She’s currently on the bed, legs spread, Camila sitting between her legs. Her back is pressed against Lauren’s front, and her proximity allows her to inhale in the scent of Camila. Sure, she used her body wash and so they smell pretty much the same, but there’s something about Camila’s skin—her softness, her heat—that sends signals all over Lauren’s body until she’s rock hard and horny again.
Lauren says nothing. She simply wraps her arms around Camila’s lithe waist and pulls her close. She buries her face against the crook of her neck and shoulder, lips parting slightly to taste the cleanliness of her skin. Camila hums and locks their fingers together, which Lauren takes as a sign of consent. She slides a hand up Camila’s shirt, palm grazing her strong thighs, up to her stomach. Her abs tense as Lauren scrapes her fingernails lightly across her tummy. She keeps mouthing at her neck, then up to the back of her ear. “I’m sorry I can’t resist touching you.” Lauren husks, warm and low against Camila’s cheek.
“No need to apologize.” Camila pants, her arm looping around to rub Lauren’s neck. “You can touch me whenever you want. Take me, bend me over, whatever. Take charge of me, Laur.”
Lauren bites her lip at this. Her hands move higher to cup her soft, perky breasts. She weighs them in her hands as she licks the shell of Camila’s ear. Lauren pinches her nipples, and rolls them between her fingertips until they’re stiff and firm. “Your tits are amazing.” Lauren’s says in awe. “They’re so perfect and god…” She touches Camila’s chin and makes her face her, before kissing her lips. “I love touching them.”
“You’re so gentle with my tits.” Camila comments. “You can rough ‘em up. Slap them, pull my nips and bite them. I like it rough.” She reaches back and finds Lauren’s erection as it sticks out from the garter of her boxers. “I want this sliding between my tits.” She growls, squeezing Lauren’s cock.
Lauren grins and squeezes Camila’s boobs once. “You wanna get titty-fucked?” She asks. For some reason, she’s not overly-conscious about every single thing now, and it’s liberating. To speak filthy words into Camila’s ear makes her feel good because her words makes Camila tremble, causes her breath to hitch, and her back to arch into Lauren’s touch. Lauren lays Camila down on the bed and yanks her shirt off, leaving her lacy lavender panties on, but nothing else. She plants her knees on either side of Camila’s chest and humps her still-clothed cock against her body.
“Give it to me.” Camila purrs, all sex kitten-like. Her lacquered nails drag against Lauren’s curves, then up to grasp the dark haired girl’s breasts. Lauren bites her lip and lowers her boxers to allow her dick to spring out. Camila playfully licks her lips against the underside of Lauren’s cock. It twitches on its own accord, seeking out more of Camila’s hot tongue. “See? Your cock wants my mouth. It wants you to stick it down my throat, make me gag on it.”
“God…” Lauren huffs and grips the base of her penis. She slaps the underside of it against Camila’s titties, before sliding it against the valley of it. The head rubs the woman’s chin, and when she wraps her full lips against Lauren’s cockhead, the dark haired girl has to lean against the headboard so she won’t fall over. She swallows hard. Her skin heats up. She keeps her eyes trained on the way her dick disappears in Camila’s mouth, while her tits surround her shaft in warm tightness. Lauren swears she can feel Camila’s faint heartbeat as she thrusts, or is that her own pulse, beating through her cock?
No matter whose pulse it is, it inspires Lauren to reach for the small bottle of baby oil under her pillow. She squirts some all over Camila’s tits, and she massages them all over her soft mounds. “Yeah, slick those titties up,” Camila murmurs, her tongue sticking out to trace the eye of Lauren’s cock as it streams out precum. She then oils her cock, and rests it against the valley of Camila’s breasts.
“Squeeze ‘em,” Lauren says, and Camila obeys. She creates a tightness that takes Lauren’s breath away. “That looks so fucking good, Laur.”
Lauren fucks her tits slowly at first. The sight of her cock peeking out the top of Camila’s mounds drive her crazy. She can watch her dick appear and disappear in Camila’s tits for days, but she won’t. For now, she wants to come. She wants to see her jizz flying out of the tip of her cock, coating Camila’s tanned skin, her tits, her face, her mouth.
Lauren pumps her hips a few more times. She pinches Camila’s stiff nipples, tugging them as she fucks her tits. Camila keeps her bistre eyes locked with hers, and her tongue sticking out to flick against Lauren’s cockhead. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Lauren pants raggedly, and she humps her harder. Her cock pulses, and she busts, her cum streaking out in white ropes while she keeps thrusting against Camila’s tits.
“Come all over those titties,” Camila husks, squeezing Lauren’s balls until she finishes coating her skin with her hot load. “Mmmmm, I love how you come so much.” She says as she swirls Lauren’s sperm all over her tits and stomach. Camila grips Lauren’s dick and kisses the tip, before the dark haired girl groans and slumps to the side.
She rests for a few minutes before sitting up again, only to see Camila rubbing one out. Her hand is between her legs, furiously rubbing, while she tugs her nipples roughly. Lauren watches, slack-jawed, before catching herself. It’s only civil to reciprocate. So she yanks Camila’s knees apart and slides her still erect cock into her tight hole. The woman gasps but keeps rubbing her clit.
“That’s it, rub that sexy pussy.” Lauren whispers as she thrusts all the way to the hilt inside Camila. She leans forward, her body flush against hers as she pounds into her.
Camila arches her back and moans, and Lauren grins to herself. She kisses her on the mouth to swallow her whimpers, and moans as Camila comes, her pussy clamping down on her thrusting meat. Lauren slows down but keeps her cock moving in and out of her slippery pussy. “Yes…” Camila groans, her arms tight around Lauren’s neck. “You’re getting really good at the fucking thing.”
“I had a great teacher.” Lauren says, and Camila simply laughs and pulls her in for a slow, deep-burning kiss that leaves Lauren wanting more.
They order takeout and eat it naked on Lauren’s bed. Cartons of Thai food litter the floor by the time they’re done. Then together they take another shower, Lauren soaping up Camila’s tits while the woman does her dick. The dark haired girl resists busting her load, instead ends their shower quickly. “Let’s go to bed,” Lauren offers, and Camila shrugs.
So they’re lying down, Lauren’s cock stiff against Camila’s lower back. She wraps her arms around her stomach and kisses the back of her neck. “We don’t have to fuck especially if you’re tired.” Lauren murmurs.
“Your cock is still hard, Laur.”
“I know,” she shrugs, even if Camila’s not facing her. Lauren buries her face against her neck, her hand resting on her boob. Camila hums and wiggles her ass against her cock. “But that can wait. I mean, we still have tomorrow, right?”
Camila stays silent for a few moments before reaching back and facing Lauren. She rolls on top of her, lips against Lauren’s as she sheaths the dark haired girl’s cock in her warm cunt. Lauren cries out, her hands gripping her ass. “Sure we can wait, but your cock stays in me all night, got it?”
Lauren lets out a choked laugh. “God… Yes ma’am.”
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ffxivruhneamariyo · 7 years
Text
Final Chapter
“The whole world can become the enemy when you lose what you love.”
-Kristina McMorris
Celie’s PoV -
I shouldn’t have let that foolish girl go on her own. I had been watching over Allegro since..her fight. Seeing this poor girl...broken like this I couldn’t help but shed tears for her. The lights were off as I entered her apartment, and it was deathly quiet except for a quiet sound...whimpering sobs. I walked to the back of her room and all I could see was a small fragile figure under the covers, trembling.
“Allegro..darling. Speak to me.” No Response.
I stepped over to the bed and slowly and gently removed the covers from her, and the sight before me broke my heart. Allegro was curled into the fetal position, hair messy and unkempt. Her eyes were red and her cheeks and face wet from her tears. Allegros legs were red from where her hands had been gripping them, scratch marks from how deeply her nails dug. She looked up at me and I couldn’t help but shed a few tears as I sat next to her.
I pulled her close to me and my heart shattered as she began crying even harder. Her wails I’m sure will echo in my heart forevermore.
“Darling...tell me...how did it happen? I will pass no judgment. But I want you to talk to me.”
She shuddered in my arms and I heard her sniff. She opened her mouth and explained through choked sobs.
“Its all my fault.”
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Allegro’s PoV, Earlier that Day
I was packing my stuff in the E.R.A household early in the morning. Too early for anyone to notice if I had left. I had talked to Bexy and Mist and the others about doing a contract for this...but I couldn’t bear myself to bother them. They all had so much going on, loved ones they cared about. I couldn’t endanger anymore lives than needed. No. This was my own problem..
As I arrived in Tailfeather, I began shaking. Would my uncle hold up his end of the bargain? I had no clue..but we’d have to hope he would. I hadn’t informed Celie where I was going, and I didnt intend to tell her. I couldn’t endanger her either. I wandered out of the village and into the fields as I gripped my fists tight. My nerves were getting the better of me. I had to calm down..
The spot he called for was secluded and wide open. For anyone to hide would be bizarre, but I suppose there were a few thick trees. 
Then I saw her, in the middle of the field. And untied. 
Why? This was beyond suspicious but...I let my emotions get the better of me. I rushed forward to her and she ran to me when she saw me, but...she stopped and yelled.
“Totoqi! Run! No!”
I immediately turned around and saw two masked men running towards me, daggers out. I immediately flung the linkpearl to her with a toss that Sylvia had given me in case of emergency. Just as one of the men, I believe was another Miqo’te, thrust forward with a dagger I jumped up, landing on his arm. I jumped off of it and backflipped into a kick to the mans chin. The other man, a Hyur, sliced at me, barely knicking my shirt as I stepped back. I slammed my hands down and propelled my feet up, slamming both feet into his chin also. I had to keep my distance being 2 on 1! The Miqo’te charged again as he got up, and the other man charged as well. I immediately ducked at the Miqo’tes thrust and grabbed him by that same arm and swung him into the other and the dagger I took from him and flung into the Hyurs neck. The Miqo’te got up in a rage and screeched at me. I put my hand out and gave him a “Bring it” motion as he charged. I closed my eyes a bit and collected my aether.
Do as Celie told you, restraint. Picture an egg. Don’t break it!
Just as he jumped, and was intending to stab down into my head, to him I had vanished from the spot. I had jumped over him, using my electrical pulse technique and stopped behind him as I slammed my foot down onto his head, trying to keep one of them alive. The sound of thunder slamming down echoed as he was knocked out and fell.
But where was my uncle? Neither of these men were him..where is he? 
“Oh my lovely little niece. Did you really think I’d play nicely?”
I immediately felt the air grow heavy as his chuckle echoed around me and I immediately looked behind me as I heard a striking sound and a choked out sound.
“NO!”
The moment I turned around I saw it. My mother had run from her spot and jumped behind me, and I saw the sword through her. My uncle was in front of her, her blood running down the sword toward him. 
“Oh..I didnt intend to kill you first dear sister, Ruhne, but I suppose this is a bonus.” 
My eyes wide open and I shook. He ripped the sword out heartlessly as he flung her blood off of the sword.
I ran to her as she fell to her knees and he jumped back as I grabbed onto her arm. 
“M-mom! Why?!”
She just turned her head to me, tears running down her face. Her eyes..looked just like mine.
“Darling Totoqi..a mother’s love..has no limits.”
She then slumped down and tears ran down my face as she fell into my arms. I put a finger to her neck and I still felt a pulse.
“You..”
I muttered as I gently placed her down and looked at him.
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Allegro’s body started producing an immense amount of static. The very air around her crackled as her rage climbed. The sound of electricity could be heard in her uncle’s ears, but he only laughed.
“Really now? You seemed to be a bit more of an ice queen before. I guess now your a little more ANGRY aren’t you?” He continued to chortle as his face turned maniacal. 
“Oh my darling niece. That won’t sto-” He was cute short as a thunderclap struck and he felt what to him felt like a boulder slammed into his stomach. He choked out blood as he looked down and Allegro’s fist had connected with his stomach and he cringed.
“W-wh-”
Another thunderclap echoed as her leg slammed into his shin and a crack was heard as the bone shattered. 
“You will shut the hell up for once!” Allegro shouted, but he quickly sliced at her and she jumped back out of the range of it, but the sword grazed her stomach and left a small cut as the static danced across it. She bared her teeth as her eyes were a bright purple, glowing incandescently. He let out a rage filled roar as he flung two daggers at her that he held from his waist and she jumped to the right and then left to dodge, but she didn’t see a third one thrown and it cut across her arm and she cursed out.
“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” She screamed out as her fangs bared, her eyes wild. She charged at him and he swung his sword low, panicking a bit as hit plan began to go awry. She jumped over it and landed a right hook on his face and a tooth of his flew out. He spit out more blood and slammed an arm down on her head and she let out a cry as she backed off. She held her head as she took in the sight of him. She couldn’t use too much more of that aether, but all she could see was red. Allegro couldn’t control herself as she roared and charged at him once more, he couldn’t move due to the broken shin, but he hobbled at her as she swung his sword down.
“YOU’RE A DISGRACE TO OUR CLAN, YOUR MOTHER WAS A WHORE WHO DEFILED OUR BLOO-”
He was cut short as the sword swung down, but Allegro had dodged to the right, and in one swift movement she charged her fist with all of the aether she had left and slammed it hard into his throat and electricity fizzled through his body and thunder exploded from the two of them. Dust and dirt flung itself into the air around them, and as it dissipated the sound of cracking could be heard as his windpipe had been crushed...and his head had been blown clean off. The body of her uncle fell to the ground as soot fluttered down. IT was a sight similar to the dragon fight..her aether had burned that man to a crisp.
Allegro was breathing heavy as she dropped to a kneel and wiped blood from her nose. Exerting herself had caused a mild nosebleed, but it didnt seem to phase her. She looked over the corpse of her uncle and spit in his direction as her eyes widened as she remembered her mother. 
--------------------------------
Allegro’s PoV 
I had nearly forgotten in my rage..I had been so blinded. 
I ran back to my mother laying on the ground where I had placed her and lifted up her head as she coughed out. The stab wound bled out onto the ground from her stomach, and tears began to fall as I started to panic.
“M-mom. Mom look at me!”
I gently shook her as she opened her eyes. All she could muster was a smile and stared at me. Her hand raised to my face as she caressed and held my cheek.
“Oh Totoqi...you’ve grown into such a strong young woman...Im so proud of you.” she choked out as she spit up more blood.
I shook my head as more tears fell. I could feel pain in my chest as I held her and looked at her.
“M-mom don’t talk! I can take you back to Adelle or Sylvia. Anyone! Cicero! Someone! Just don’t talk!”
Mom shook her head as tears ran down her face. She put her hand on the back of my head and pulled my face close to hers, as our foreheads touched and she forced out a chuckle.
“You know with this wound honey I won’t make it,” She coughed again as she chuckled with a disturbingly warm smile.” The day you were born was such a happy day for me. Your older sister couldn’t wait to hold you...but I just couldn’t let go of you. You were absolutely beautiful with your bright blue eyes, and a hit of moon keeper in them.” She smiled as more tears rand down her face.
She rubbed her hand through my hair as I sobbed. I couldn’t lose her! No!
“Totoqi..smile for me.” She pleaded. I could see in her eyes she wanted it badly.
I forced a smile as tears ran down my face and I nodded. 
She smiled and pulled me close to her again as I held her. 
“My darling little Totoqi...I love you so much.”
My eyes snapped open as with those words...she took her last breath. Her arm fell from me and she slumped down. 
No...no! NO!
---------------------------
Celie’s PoV
I had known that foolish girl would’ve left without me! I saw signs of her little area in the E.R.A household that signaled her departure, and I had told her of where the duel was to take place. I have to get there soon!
I ran out of Tailfeather as I skidded to a stop...and saw a sight that explained it was too late. Allegro was holding the body of..what I assumed to be her mother. I glanced over to a burnt area of the grass and saw...what was left of a body. Electrical burns. I looked over and took in one dead man, and another that was knocked out. I ran over closer to Allegro but came to a stop as I took in the sight. She just kept..rocking back and forth as her mother laid in her arms. The wails coming from her...will echo in my heart to this day. I knelt down next to her and tapped her...and she looked at me immediately and was sobbing. “I failed..Celie. I couldn’t protect her.” 
I gazed at her broken face and pried her hands from her mother and picked her up and held her close. She just began wailing in my arms as I held her. Ill never forget...the cries Allegro let out. The cries...of someone who I thought of as my daughter. 
After she had cried herself to sleep in my arms I lifted myself up still carrying her. I took her back to her adoptive father, Hubert. His face said it all, one of a heartbroken father as he took her into his arms and nodded to me.
I will do the deed..I couldn’t leave it to Allegro. I couldn’t bear to let her do it.
So I took myself back to the field and found her mother. I grimaced as I nodded to myself and picked up her mothers body in a bridal carry and took her back to Tailfeather.
“Bury her outside town..I want her mother to be close to her.” Hubert had told me before I left.
So I did...a small makeshift gravestone outside the village. I buried her mother, and as I finished I knelt down in front of the grave and put an arm over my heart.
“Miss Ruhne...I will watch over her..as if she were my own daughter.” A tear ran down my cheek as I wiped it and sniffed. I took a beautiful flower Hubert had given me, a periwinkle lily, and placed it before the grave.
With this wish and prayer...I will look after Allegro. Mark my words.
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