#but after shadowbringers he gets these flashes of Wait this makes me sad

[hqmillioncorn]

FFxivWrite: Day nine.......Yawn!

‘Hope bloomed from the abyss.’

cherrypit had been two years old for a very very long time. but sometimes you just get used to how things are for a while  then you dont get used to it 

Cherrypit knew he was different from the other kids.

It was a little odd to have never come across any other children risking life and limb to save Eorzea or at least none of the ones he and Babycorn had ever run into had ever been as young as him. 

Most kids he and his sister ran into tended to hang around in one place and when Cherrypit asked a group of them in Ala Mhigo if any of them also had an imaginary best friend that taught them how to harness the power of darkness within them most of them looked at him like his head had fallen off.

(don’t ask how he knows what that look looks like)

In Cherrypit’s experience it always ended up the same way.

He would meet some new kids (most of the time they would be a few years older than him Sometimes they would be much older than him) They would talk about how cool it was that Babycorn was the Warrior of Light and how cool it must be to travel around with her.

“My friend told me the Warrior of Light is super strong!”

“Did she really fight a whoooole dragon?!”

“That’s nothing!I heard that the Warrior of Light is strong enough to fight a hundred dragons by herself!”

“Bebe has done all that and more!!!!” Cherrypit answered in his own way. Sometimes it would be hard to decipher what his excited baby babble was really saying, in these sorts of situations only Babycorn and those really close to him would be able to understand him.

In the situations other kids understood what Cherrypit was trying to get across they would ask him what cool things he saw traveling with Babycorn. The story Cherrypit always told was the one about how he and Babycorn once had to go through a jungle once and fight a bunch of monsters. And also eat cheese!

Then he would tell everyone about the time Babycorn let him break a really big rock.

He would then proceed to demonstrate how he broke said really big rock.

Since really big rocks weren’t too easy to find, Cherrypit always settled for cracking the ground beneath them. “Ta-da!” Then Cherrypit would turn around, his arms in the shape of claws and his face twisted and distorted in all sorts of different directions.

Cherrypit had come to expect that most people ran away screaming after that.

Sometimes he would get lucky. There were a handful of children that were fascinated by Cherrypit’s terrifying feats, though those were few and far between and Cherrypit would almost never see them again after that since he and Babycorn were quickly whisked someplace else.

Cherrypit was too caught up in making his own fun to let something like that bother him.

However, after their adventures in the First were done and everyone was finally back home, he and Babycorn decided to wander Eorzea for a hot minute just to see how things had been holding up in everyone’s absence. That’s when Cherrypit noticed something. All the kids he’d talked to in the past were growing up. Some of them had even gotten a lot taller now.

Almost all of them immediately recognized Cherrypit. It wasn’t too surprising, he had hardly changed at all over the years. Cherrypit overheard some people say this to Babycorn, her only response was to laugh nervously before she got all quiet.

Cherrypit still wanted to play with the kids who were older now. He tried to make his arms and legs bigger so he would be taller. He couldn’t maintain a stable shape to them and they ended up scaring them off.

“Where are you going?” Most of Cherrypit’s full sentences by now were just echoes of other things people have said around him. By now though, he was used to saying this particular string of words, in that order.

Most of the time Cherrypit was too busy having fun and running around to worry about things like that. His life didn’t feel any different than it would have if he was older and he liked to be small enough to crawl into places. Then he could pop out and scare people with a big loud BOO!

It also helped that he had friends at home too!

All the stuffed dolls and toys he had were his friends! Babycorn had taught him to treat his toys nicely and they would be nice to him back. It was a harmless lesson Babycorn told him so he wouldn’t be too rough with his toys and break them. She never would have imagined that Cherrypit had some sort of special way with dolls that made it seem they were alive.

Though, according to Cherrypit they were alive. Nobody had ever asked his toys before him.

Cherrypit was also friends with the other kids at home. They didn’t find him weird or scary at all! Not Colala, not Gyosei, and not Linnet! They were all his friends! Linnet was even a big fan of the tricks he could pull off and was always amazed at how he pulled them off.

Colala was the most like Cherrypit, though he wouldn’t catch on until years from now. For now she was a really good friend that with both of their heights combined-could reach even the tallest shelf! And though Cherrypit had to be reminded multiple times not to chase Gyosei too much, he enjoyed waddling behind her.

Cherrypit didn’t really mind that he was stuck like this, at least, not all the time.

There was one day when Cherrypit had overheard that Lunya was going to invite her own little brother, Taro, over for lunch that afternoon. Cherrypit ran around on the ceiling in excitement all morning and when the afternoon finally came he waited outside in the bushes with Babycorn to say hello to Taro.

They’d already met beforehand and Cherrypit thought that Taro was the coolest guy he’d ever met since he saw Estinien do that cool backflip once.

“Where? Where?” Cherrypit zipped his head from left to right looking for any signs of him.

Babycorn held her brother slightly above the ground as his feet wiggled in the air. “I know you’re excited to see him Cherry, but why don’t we let Taro and Lunya have their lunch before you go and say hi to him?” She knew as much as anyone did that sibling hang-out time was not to be interrupted.

“Okaaaayyyy” Cherrypit whined.

Babycorn and Cherrypit waved to Lunya as she walked past them to go say hi to Taro. Cherrypit noticed she was wearing a pink sundress and he tugged on Babycorn’s skirt to ask her if he could have one like it too. Babycorn nodded and smiled, promising to get one for him later.

As she carried him back into the house, Cherrypit looked behind her to see that Lunya and Taro were standing next to each other, talking with one another. 

Cherrypit had never really noticed it before because Taro had never stood next to Lunya in all the times he’d played with him but now that they were next to each other. It was easy to see that Taro was much taller than Lunya was.

That didn’t make sense. If Taro was Lunya’s little brother, how could he be bigger than her?

Taro was talking to Lunya, and Lunya was talking to Taro. Lunya didn’t need to pick him up to talk to him. It looked like they were having a lot of fun.

If things had been different, would he had been tall too?

Maybe he and Babycorn would still be adventuring together? If he was taller he would have been able to walk beside her everywhere. They wouldn’t have had to hide everywhere. No one would run away from him when he walked up to them. He would have so many friends.

Cherrypit didn’t realize it at the time but he had somehow tapped into something he was never meant to see.

There was white everywhere he turned to look, except for the dark chasm near his feet. Cherrypit tried to look to see what was on the other side of the cliff. 

There, clear as day, was his family. They were laughing and talking with each other. His mama and papa looked just like he remembered them but Babycorn looked like what she looked like just a few moments ago. Next to her was someone Cherrypit didn’t recognize but he knew who it was.

It was him. An older him.

They all looked like they were having so much fun…

Cherrypit didn’t stay there looking for long. It took a few seconds for him to blink back to his reality. Babycorn was still carrying him. “I hope Lunya saves some leftovers for us! I saw her making these cute little cakes and they looked so yummmyy!” Cherrypit had seen her decorating them too! They had strawberries on top!

“Bebe?” Cherrypit tapped on his sister’s head to get her attention.

“Hmm?” When Cherrypit made a motion to put him on the ground she gently set him down, “What’s up? Oh! Do you want a snack?” It was almost snack time.

Cherrypit shook his head and put his hand above his head as much as he could. When he felt that wasn’t enough he stretched out his arm and let his other appendages come out too. Babycorn would have to reapply his bandages but they had a lot of those now, unlike before.

“Am I big one day?” Cherrypit asked.

“Of course!” Babycorn didn’t miss a beat, nothing had changed her mind that one day Cherrypit would be able to grow up and do whatever he wanted to do with his life when he grew up. “You’re gonna get soooo tall Cherry! I know you will! Maybe you’ll even be taller than me!”

‘I’ll cry if that happens…But if it's what Cherry wants…’

“Tall! Tall! Big! I;m gonna be…big!” Cherrypit jumped up and down and waved his arms in the air. If Babycorn told him he was gonna be big one day, then of course he was gonna be! One day! Maybe even tomorrow! “Yay! Yay! Yaaaaaay!” he cheered.

��Woahwoahwoahwoahwoaowa! Cherry w-wait! N-Not with your arms like that! Noooo not the ceiling!!!” Babycorn zipped to the left to dodge a piece of the ceiling falling on her. 

It went right through the floor and into the basement. She looked down at the hole that now lead downstairs. “...I hope Coco won’t fall into this hole too…”

[kaoru-takaida]

Shadowbringers Chapter:

HOLDING ON

*Shadowbringers spoilers, blood warning*

Kaoru sighs, leaving the Inn room. She looks over to see Alphinaud and Alisaie waiting for her. She walks over to them. "You're both up rather early." She replies. Alphinaud smiles.

"Good morning." Alphinaud says. "I take it you've a mind to leave this morning?"

Kaoru nods. "That's right." She begins checking the straps and belts on her outfit.

Alisaie purses her eyebrows. "You've only been a day. Do you really have to go so soon?" Kaoru looks at them. "Can't you stay a bell longer?" Kaoru takes a second to show her surprise before smiling.

"I wish I could. I really do, Ali. But a day here is a week on the Source right now. And I can't risk being away for too long." She puts a hand on Alisaie's head. "Alas, we'll have ample time to catch up ere long. Promise me you won't be too reckless." Alisaie sighs before shrugging. She removes Kaoru's hand from her hair.

She then puts a smug look on her face. "I can make no such promise." She crosses her arms, scowling. "You've little right to lecture ME about recklessness... when YOU'RE the one who's chosen to face whatever your doing on the Source all by your lonesome."

Kaoru chokes. Her jaw drops and a look of surprise comes to her face. She looks to Alphinaud who gives a sad smile. "Did you really think you could trick us? Twas you whom we grew and studied with. Are you really so surprised that we were able to detect your lie as soon as you said it?"

Kaoru purses her eyebrows, now a saddened look on her face. "I did not lie, perse..." She puts a hand of reasoning out. "Everything I had reported to you all was the truth. Wholefully and unwaveringly." She drops her hand, looking away. "However... Aye, you've the right of it in a certain respect... There were things I had elected to omit. But they weren't things I can openly talk about just yet."

Alisaie scowls, clenching her teeth and fists. Alphinaud scowls too, but he crosses his arms and puts a hand to his chin, thinking. "Urgh! I knew you were hiding something from us!" Kaoru says nothing. "Stop talking around the subject and speak plainly! I know you only do that when it's about something you've resigned to not sharing." Kaoru scowls now, looking at Alisaie.

"Then on that point, I'll have you know that I HAVE resigned to not sharing!" Kaoru argues. "As I told you. I can't openly talk about them just yet!"

"Does it have anything to do with your sickly appearance?" Alisaie asks. Kaoru remains silent. "You barely ate anything at the banquet, you look as though you've yet to sleep, you appear like you're about to fall over after a spell, you barely spoke a word to anyone else-." Alphinaud places a hand on Alisaie's shoulder.

"Alisaie." Alphinaud interrupts his twin sister. She stops, looking over at him. Kaoru does too now, her expression softening. "I am sure you have your reasons. And that you wish to endure on your own..." Alphinaud sighs. "If that is your wish, then we will suffer this discussion no longer." Alisaie scoffs.

"Alphinaud!"

He faces her, a scowl on his face as well. "Let it rest, Alisaie!" He snarls through clenched teeth. Alisaie takes a step back at Alphinaud's sudden loss of composure, mouth agape. He closes his eyes, pursuing his lips and exhaling, slowly collecting himself. "Tis clear she's no intention of availing us the details." He gives Kaoru a bitter look. "Twould be useless to pry any further..." Kaoru gives them both a hurt look before closing her eyes.

She turns and walks away, not looking back... From the shadows, mere fulms around the corner, eavesdropping, Tius sighs. He crosses his arms and walks away.

Urianger exits the Crystarium and walks onto the grass of the farmland area. He spots Tius, leaning against one if the gates. "Ah, Tius." Urianger walks over. "Hath thou prepareth for the journey in return to the Empty?" Tius looks up at him.

"Not just yet." He stood up straight. "I had a thing I needed to ask you."

Urianger tilts his head in question. "Pray, avail thy query."

Tius crosses his arms, scowling. "What is wrong with Kaoru?" Urianger looks like he'd been expecting Tius to ask, his face unmoving from the serious expression that was plastered there. "If there's anything I've learned about you since we first met is that your ability to hold secrets is infamous..." Tius looks down at the ground. "She told you what she refused to tell the rest of us, especially Alphinaud and Alisaie." He targets Urianger with his gaze. "And don't you try and lie. I'll know if you are."

Urianger sighs, closing his eyes and shrugging. "Aye. I am aware of thy uncanny ability to see through deception and falsehoods." Urianger looks at Tius, the serious face returning. "But answer me this, art thou truly ready to accept it?" Tius cocks an eyebrow. "Kaoru didst refrain on revealing certain tribulations. But only in hopes to lessen burdens on the minds of thee. She wishes to face her burdens alone."

Tius scowls, clenching his fists at his sides. "We're just worried! Especially Alphinaud and Alisaie!" Tius says. Urianger looks away, down at the grass, a pained expression on his face. "We just want to know what's going on..." He takes a second, closing his eyes before sighing.

"By thy wish, I shall bestow upon thee the truth." Urianger says. Tius sighs in relief now too. He then gives Urianger a determined looks and nods. Urianger scowls. "Twas on the eve of the celebration after the victory that was one in no small thanks of the efforts of thee and the other Warriors of Light." Urianger crosses his arms. "Kaoru then didst receive an urgent missive from Master Matoya. A missive that was sent in regards to a matter Mistress Krile and Tataru had unveiled unto her..."

A masked man steps into the darkened and quiet tavern of the Rising Stones. He looks around and spots the desk in front of the Solar. He remembers the info that was given to him. The targets were in the infirmary room next to the desk, to the left. If he pulled this off, he could earn his spot back in the Empire's Army. He pulls a pistol from a holster fastened to his belt. He turns the doorknob to the door, and gently opens the door. Inside, the targets were located. 3 Elezen, a Hyur, and a Mi'quote, all lie "sleeping" in beds, adorned in hempen medical attires.

He smiles. (This was too easy...) He thinks. (Whoever these targets were, they were fools to think they could stand against the Empire.) He looks to the smaller Elezen, both with the same face. But he could see a blue ribbon at the end of one of their braids. So HE was the one he'd heard of. The one who was responsible for the defectors in the Burn. He knew who his first shot would be. He aims the pistol, training it on the boy as he walked into the room. Twas hard to think him a political mastermind like the report said when he was sleeping soundly like a babe.

The man almost felt sorry for the kid. If only for a second. He cocked the hammer back on the pistol. He inhaled, placing his finger on the trigger. He began to exhale, and as he did, he squeezed the trigger. And a shot rang out. But the man chokes as a flash if pink light reflects the bullet. The pale pink light reflects over the boy and the bullet sticks into the wall above the boy's head. "What?!" The man shouts. The door creaks behind him and as he turned to see what it was, a flash of black and pink hair is seen.

It was the last thing he saw.

A short bit later...

Krile and Tataru run as fast as they can into the Rising Stones. A crowd has gathered a few feet from the door to the infirmary room. Krile and Tataru rush over and through the doorway. The scene made Tataru gasp in bewilderment. "Oh Gods!"

Krile gives a bitter look down at the scene. "Confound it..."

A bloodied corpse lay covered by a blanket in the floor. Arenvald is kneeling next to a very very deadpanned Kaoru, plopped on the floor and held in his arms. Her hands were empty but blood covered her gloves. And on the floor in front of her were glowing pink aetherial Chakrams, splashed with blood. Tataru puts a hand to her mouth. "K-Kaoru..." She says.

Kaoru looks over to them, mouth slightly agape and the same dead looking eyes trained in them, no expression in her face whatsoever. Krile scowls now. "Again?" She asked. Kaoru nods once, turning to face them. Some blood was splattered on her cheek and she chokes a bit before quivering. She then promptly faints into Arenvald's arms, her nose bleeding.

Arenvald tsks as her glowing pink Chakrams shimmer away. The second they do, five bubbles of pink light that were surrounding the Scions crack and shimmer away as well. "All this energy spent." Arenvald looks at Krile and Tataru. "She can't keep doing this! This is the third time!" Krile purses her eyebrows. She doesn't say anything. Only soaks up the horrifying scene. Tataru, teary eyed, steps forward.

"We should take her to Master Matoya at once!" She tells them, her hands up in panic. "She'll help her get back on her feet again. I know she will!" Arenvald nods at Tataru. She scoops Kaoru up into his arms and picks her up off the floor. He stands up, grabbing a blanket from the stack in the cupboard. He wraps the blanket around Kaoru, swaddling her, before covering the top of her head with the end, almost like a hood. He walks past Krile and out of the infirmary room, Tataru in tow.

Krile kneels down next to the man's body. She uncovers the side of the blanket. She checks the pockets. In the the pocket on his other side, a weathered envelope is folded. What surprised her most was what was on it. The Sigil from the Royal Family... of Garlemald. And inside was an order to find the Scions of the Seventh Dawn and terminate them...

[tacogoats]

I wrote a thing

huge thanks to @rhaemaya-valwynn for the inspiration :) 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20021077

Under the cut if you’d like to read it here! Obvious Shadowbringers spoilers ahead, do not read if you’ve not finished! Tumblr did murder the format, though. 

The door creaked open loudly, the lack of use made apparent through the awful drawn out noise. 

How long had it been since she had last been here? A year, maybe two? Time's passing was becoming increasingly difficult to track now that she was making regular trips to the First. Thinking about it made her head hurt sometimes. 

He chuckled softly beside her, amused at the heavy sigh that escaped her once she closed the door behind them.

"So all this is yours? I didn't take you for someone who would want for this." Emet-Selch, no... Hades scanned the mansion's main hall with an amused smirk.

Twelve forbid he would say anything that wasn't just dripping with sarcasm or mildly condescending. She sighed again, and he placed a gloved hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. "I jest, I jest. T'is… Quaint, compared to the Imperial Palace. Perhaps I will find it a pleasant change?"

"Oh, the pampered Emperor has to live like a savage. How terrible for you." She grins up at him, meeting his tone from earlier in kind. Now it was his turn to sigh.

But after the sigh, he matches the playful jab, "Oh, woe is me" he lifts the hand from your shoulder above his forehead, making a mockery of fainting as he slumps his shoulders slightly, "whatever will I do without my servants and my-"

She swats his arm gently before he really goes off. "The Maelstrom actually did send people to tidy up before I got back. And cook… and so on... I'm never here, so…"

He raises an eyebrow, "Too busy saving the world and all that, hero?" 

"Gods don't start calling me that again. Ugh."

He laughs softly, and while they could stay there all night going back and forth, he is the one to suggest a quick tour. 

He would never admit it, but he wants to see what she does with a space of her own. What would he find, hidden away from the eyes of everyone else? 

As Solus zos Galvus, he'd admittedly collected frivolous things. But then, he'd been an Emperor and had long grown bored with the world as it was. Having riches above and beyond what a lonely adventurer ever had meant he could have whatever he very well wanted. But she was not an Empress. 

Did she collect tokens of her many adventures? How many ancient ruins did she visit and keep mementos from? She was friends with every single Leader of the Eorzean Alliance; would they gift unto her riches? Would she accept them?

He followed her, inspecting every inch of the mansion he walked through. She had begun talking about how she disliked decorating, how it was far out of her comfort zone to dictate what looked pleasant or not. What if she had guests and they thought she had no style? 

He laughs softly, "Well, I could help."

She blinks in surprise and looks at him for a moment, then, "Maybe."

Her answer is unexpected, he merely shrugs to hide the surprise he feels. 

She goes back to talking about the mansion - as she starts showing him rooms. Many of them are simply guest rooms with some beds, a bit of furniture and little more. He asks who she would house with this, and she says servants were welcome to sleep here. 

She was always kind like that.

There is one question he wants to ask that tugs at his curiosity, but he waits for the right moment. For now, he follows her to what she calls the trophy room - that, her friends insisted she have. She leads him down a set of stairs, to what must be the basement. The trophy room is far from where it should be for the desired effect of one. 

She was always modest, too. 

"I don't much care for it, honestly. It feels like I'm physically gloating. Worse yet was when I started receiving things from fans! The worst thing I got was-"

One thing in the back of the room catches his eye, and all the attention that was focused on listening to her evaporates; an idea pops into his mind and he grins.

She stops when he makes his way to the grand piano she was given after her time in Haukke manor. With a tilt of her head, she speaks, watching him walk to it, "Do you want to know how I got it? I could never, ever hope to play the thing…"

He hums approvingly, still with his eyes locked to the piano. Once he reaches it, he begins to inspect it; running his gloved hand along the wooden frame and leaning closer into it.

"After I liberated Haukke Manor from the Lady… who… Well, let's just say she turned into some kind of voidsent after doing horrific things…" She pauses for a reaction, and he gives a 'mhm' - he's still listening. 

"After I defeated her, the Order of the Twin Adder recovered whatever they could. They asked if I wanted anything, y'know, Slayer of Ifrit and all that apparently gets-"

She stops when he sits down on the bench accompanying it and lifts the cover over the keys, watching him.

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth, that smile he always sports when he speaks in that overly confident tone. When he would speak to her of things she had never known of the world that came before - and yet, it was so much softer this time. He turns to her, and it widens, and then… He plays.

The song he plays begins slow, just a few keys in repetition. It warms her heart, it is soft and calming, slow and beautiful still. She had never truly been one to appreciate the arts, there was never time to do so in her busy life. 

And yet here she was, sharing her new experience with Hades. The thought crosses her mind, that it is with an Ascian, of all things, but it fades when the song suddenly changes. 

He is playing faster now, his fingers gliding across the keys - the song remains gentle and with a hint of sadness to it, but now more uplifting. Like remembering happier times even through sorrow. It brings a sad smile to her face. 

And then, with what must be the song's peak, she gasps as a white light strikes her vision.

She sees images- no, flashes of… memories-

Two robed people, like the shades that walk the ruins of Amaurot, stand together, hand in hand, but there is a black nothingness that surrounds them. She pushes against the memory, what lay beyond them, why can I not see the room- 

The memory snaps for but a second, another burst of white covers her vision- but she hears a voice, of who or what is speaking, she cannot be sure. It sounds feminine, in that strange but familiar singsong voice the shades spoke to her in. Yet, the Echo cannot help her hear it. 

Then another answers the first, and this time even though it is in that language she cannot speak, she knows who it belongs to. 

"Of course, my dear. How about your favorite, hm?" Hades answers, in a tone laced with love. Even with a mask on, something tells her he smiles as he speaks.

The Amaurotine that must be him raises a hand and snap-

White floods her vision, and Hades is looking at her with a sad, knowing smile across the room, still hitting keys, still playing that lovely song even as she disappeared for that moment - lost in something that she knew she once had…

He plays the last part of the song, his eyes never leaving her, and she knows now it is the ending, because he's played it before-

The song ends, and his smile never leaves his lips.

"I hope I may find other ways to help you remember, my dear."

She thinks on it a moment, before she knows what her answer will be. There was no magic involved here like the memory she saw. He learned this, and for what? She had a million questions for him, now. And yet…

With a smile to match his, she says...

"I look forward to it, Hades."