#crawling back up to the heights ive already reached with lots of work put into it

[nitunio]

my art actually upgraded quite a bit. still not back to my prime years but i can manage. looks passable enough for now. i wish it could return to being actually great

[fragmentedink-archived]

Hell to Pay: Part Forty-Six

I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, IX, IX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XVIIII, XXX, XXXI, XXXII, XXXIII, XXXIV, XXXV, XXXVI, XXXVII, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XL, XLI, XLII, XLIII, XLIV, XLV

cowritten by @lux-scriptum

A/N: trigger warnings for mentions of miscarriages

The pool had been exactly what Lev expected. Big, sleek, modern. Two diving boards, which Lev hadn't expected, one medium height and one close to the water, down at the deep end. Lev had curled up in one of the chairs and watched Nik sit on the edge of the pool, dangling his feet in the water.

Lev ate without complaint, even though he was back to broth. Being in the sun was nice. He meant to keep watching, but in the end he fell asleep. Someone had carried him to bed, which Lev didn't mind one bit.

When he woke up, though, he was sweating. Even just the little stirring of Lev waking had Nik waking up as well. Lev's head spun slightly, so he closed his eyes again and burrowed close to Nik, mumbling softly.

A hand ran through his hair. "You okay?" Nik asked. "You feel warm."

Lev shook his head. "I feel-" He considered that and then just ended lamely, "Off."

Nik sat up. "D'you want me to go get Ash?"

Lev considered that too. "Probably a good idea," he finally mumbled, not even opening his eyes.

Nik left, and Lev decided he would just wait, shifting uncomfortably. He felt hot. And cold. And just- wrong.

Lev rolled over as best he could when he heard Nik come back, Ash and Cameron both in tow. He stared at Ash as the angel checked him over. Eventually, Ash asked him, "Do you know what day it is?"

Lev blinked. "No one told me," he finally said, rubbing his face.

"Do you know who the current ruler of Liwen is?"

"Bay," Lev said after a pause.

Ash eyed him, and then, "How long did you have to think about that?"

"A little bit," Lev admitted. "I'm used to saying Mikel."

Ash squinted. "Fair enough. How do you feel? Is it hard to breathe?"

"Like crap," Lev muttered. "I just ache, and I'm too warm- and too cold."

"You should have let the heat take its course, in its entirety," Ash said irritably. "Your body is trying to right itself the best it can, whether you want it to or not."

Lev looked down guiltily. "Does that mean another heat?" he asked in a small voice. "And- do I need- do I need sex to make it work? I- we haven't talked about that. Any of us."

Ash wrinkled his nose. "Sexual intimacy is not an automatic requirement for heats. Intimacy comes in all forms, Lev. I'd have thought you'd understand this by now." He stopped; pinched the bridge of his nose. "No. You just need to let this run its course. You just need your mates' contact and closeness and to stop denying yourself what you need."

After thinking about that, Lev nodded, not even questioning Ash's inclusion of Cameron. "Okay," he agreed easily. At some point during this conversation, Nik had crawled in bed with him. Lev rolled over into him without thinking, sighing.

"Maybe next time you'll stop being so boneheaded and listen to me," Ash said.

Lev nodded against Nik's chest. Nik's arms went around Lev without hesitation. He didn't have to look up to know it was Cameron's hand in his hair.

"I'm assuming you're staying until his fever breaks," Cameron asked Ash, still stroking Lev's hair.

Ash must have said something, but Lev was too tired to care.

---

Amara shuffled back and forth on Cameron's porch. She'd already been to Ash's house, and Celeste had sent her here. Just seeing the pregnant healer had made Amara feel even more self conscious about her request.

She fled before Celeste could ask her why she wanted Ash. It wasn't that she didn't trust the witch. It was just that it was bad enough telling Ash she needed help, to tell someone she didn't know very well just was too much for her pride.

Before she could decide, the door swung open. "If you're going to sulk, come do it inside. I'm working on dinner," was all Cameron said.

Amara followed him without dispute. He wasn't wrong; she'd been sulking. Ash was waiting for them, though he narrowed his eyes, which were still glowing an eerie green, the moment he saw her. How he still had the magic to see was beyond her.

"Lev's not able to see anyone right now," Ash warned.

"I'm not here to see Lev. I'm here to see you." She stepped closer, and then went still.

Ash lifted a brow, giving a silent, well?

"I need your help," Amara finally said.

Ash gave her a sharp laugh. "Oh that is rich," he said. "First you and every single damned person I know go ahead and break nature after I beg you to not perform necromancy, and now you want a favor. Well, Amara," Ash said. "Seeing as how I am busy making sure Lev doesn't die again, why don't you go ahead and take a number and get back to me when I'm a little less busy trying to save your cousin. How about that?"

Amara opened and closed her mouth. He had a point. She'd put him through a lot, knew the damage it'd done to his body. The fact that he still had the magic to see, and heal, was amazing. She looked away.

"Ash, I..."

"No," he said, rubbing his temples. "What do you want? You clearly need me for some reason and I'd rather minimize whatever damage I can before you try to do something on your own and make it all the more worse. It is my job."

She lifted her chin stubbornly. "Cin and I have been trying for months to have a child," she admitted. "I- even before we were trying, I couldn't carry to term, but at the time it didn't seem to matter. I didn't want kids then." She pursed her lips. "I can wait, Lev's more important, but- I didn't know who else to ask."

Ash lifted a single, scrutinizing brow and clicked his fingers along the kitchen counter. "And why now?" he asked. "If you are trying to use a child to curb your impulses I swear it will be the last thing you do."

That stung, but- it was valid. She didn't have a response to that. "You don't have to help me," she said defensively, dodging his question. "I just figured you were the best person to ask." He was. He was the best, the safest course of action. And he was her friend, even if they both needled each other to the point of near cruelty.

"I am the best person to ask, but you didn't answer my question."

Amara could have drug it out, but Cameron didn't seem pleased. Not that he ever did, but- "I don't know," she finally admitted, defeated. "But plenty of people have had kids just because they were careless. I'm- I want this. I fucking moved."

Ash lifted a brow. "You moved?"

"I let Cin buy a house," Amara muttered. "We weren't going to raise a kid in that apartment."

"Congratulations on making one good move without help."

Amara grimaced. "If the answer is no, Ash, just say it. I'll figure something else out."

"What, you're allowed to torment me, but I'm not allowed to torment you?" Ash asked dryly.

To Amara's embarrassment, she could hear Cameron give a small snort.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Amara snapped, before wincing. Putting two assholes with short tempers in a room was ill advised on a good day.

"Well, suck it up," he said. "If you want my help you're going to have to suffer a bit."

"Listen, I'm not asking for free. I'll pay you for your help, Ash."

Ash waved her off. "I don't want your blood money," Ash replied. "I have my own."

"I have my trust fund, if you don't want my money. I've not touched it. Ever."

"If you want my help, you're going to work for it."

"Asshole," Amara bit out, but- she'd expected that. And deserved it, if she was being honest. "What do you want?"

Ash gave a little smile. "Let me think about it."

Amara threw her hands in the air. Even if she did expect it. "Fine." She might have gone on, but- "You said Lev can't see me. Is he alright?"

"He's sick," Ash said with a sigh.

There wasn't even an ounce of accusation here, but Amara felt guilty anyway. "Is he going to be okay?"

"We'll see," Ash said tiredly. "His fever just started. His body is trying to go through another heat without actually going through it."

Amara closed her eyes briefly. "Okay," she said softly.

"Are you prepared for what will happen if this goes south?" Ash asked pointedly.

She stared at him for a very long time. Eventually, she said, "As long as I can say goodbye- I'll figure it out. But he's not going to die." She set her jaw stubbornly. "He'll be fine."

"And I will do anything in my power to make sure he will be. We're in uncharted waters; nothing is certain."

"I know," Amara said, looking away.

"Sit down," Cameron said, setting two plates down. "Eat."

Amara flopped down with a huff. "Thanks," she muttered. After a few bites, she added, "With moving, it's been mostly take out for a few days."

"Do you need leftovers?" Cameron asked.

Amara paused, fork halfway to her mouth. "I-" In for a penny, in for a pound. At this point her pride was already more than smarting. "Yeah. If you have some to spare."

Cameron nodded, and started reaching for tupperware.

"You can eat first, you know," Amara muttered.

Cameron ignored her, so she just turned back to her food, picking at it.

"I'll do everything I can to help Lev," Ash said, startling Amara.

"I know," she said, blinking a few times. "I trust you."

Ash watched her for a long moment, reading her carefully. "You know I didn't tell you no," he said. "I'll help you, I was just being a dick, which, you kind of deserved. I'll just need some time, especially with Lev sick and you being. You. But we'll figure it out."

Amara rubbed the back of her neck. "I know," she repeated quietly. "It's just been a long few months. I trust you." She went back to eating pointedly.

Ash poked at his food as well. "Don't I know it," he muttered.

---

A day and a half later, Cameron was still doing damage control and nothing seemed to be going well either. Nik was on edge and not leaving the bedroom unless Cameron forced him out and even then it hadn't lasted long.

Lev's fever only grew; the sheets and blankets damp with sweat to the point of needing changed every few hours as well. Cameron was in the process of bringing Lev broth when he heard Lev's voice from the bedroom.

Considering he knew Nik was currently sulking out by the pool, and Ash was in the kitchen, it suggested that Lev was talking to himself- or hallucinating, more likely. He turned back to get Ash and then pushed the door open.

Lev was still on his side, looking up at nothing through his damp locks. "I missed you," he mumbled. "Where have you been?"

Ash slid Cameron a concerned look before moving over to Lev's side. He pressed his hands to Lev's face and looked him over. "He's burning up," he muttered, more to himself than anything.

Cameron put the food on the desk and watched at the footboard in silence.

"I'm sorry you're alone," Lev said.

Cameron wasn't sure if he wanted the answer to whomever it was that Lev thought he was talking to. Perhaps it was high fever that manifested someone from Lev's past, or someone he just thought he knew. Delusions left no good answers.

"I always worry, Darius," Lev said, with hints of sadness to his soft voice.

Cameron was startled enough that he blinked. "Excuse me?" he asked, without thinking.

Ash looked at him, a little surprised. "You know who he's talking to?"

Cameron opened and closed his mouth, and then promptly walked out of the room. The iciness under his skin was momentarily forgotten when he nearly ran into Nik, who stopped short and frowned at him. "You look like you've seen a ghost. You okay?"

"Go see Lev," he bit out. "He's hallucinating."

Cameron didn't give Nik a chance to respond to him before shouldering past him and going to lock himself in his office. He stopped short at the doors and looked at the nearest sentry. "I am only to be disturbed for an emergency or if it's Ash about Lev or Nik's conditions. Anything or anyone else, toss them on their asses. If you do not comply, your job will be terminated effective immediately."

The sentry nodded stiffly and it was answer enough before Cameron disappeared inside his office. He had the tumblers locked in place when he crumpled into a corner of the couch as a fox.

---

Nik bolted towards the bedroom the moment Cameron was out of his sight. Something was bothering the alpha but he wasn't currently sick with a high enough fever to be hallucinating, which made Lev priority.

Ash looked up when Nik appeared in the doorway, already ready to give orders. "I need to regulate his temperature."

"What can I do?"

Ash hesitated only slightly. "I want to get him in a bath. Are you able to be in the tub with him? I know-"

Despite the stiffness in his spine, Nik cut him off. "It'll be fine," he said, already unbuttoning his pants. "I'll do whatever you need me to do."

Ash looked to Lev, and carefully tugged on his hair. "We're putting you in the bath, okay? Need to break your fever and lower your body temperature."

Lev looked through Ash, maybe to the hallucination Cameron was talking about? He gave a small "Okay."

Ash hooked Lev's arm around his neck and hoisted him up, following Nik into the large bathroom. Nik had started the water while Ash watched Nik hesitate. He looked up. "Do I need to take everything off, too?"

Ash looked him in the eye. "Take what you want off. You don't need to get undressed if you don't want to. It's your body."

"But-"

"But nothing," Ash said, sharply. "Decide now. We need to get Lev's temp down."

He felt the blood drain from his face, but he shut up and dressed down minus the shirt. He got into the tub, only seconds before Ash put Lev in his arms. It didn't take much of Lev's listless touching for Nik to get the hint. His arms carefully wrapped around them once Nik got settled enough Lev wasn't completely on top of him. He pressed a kiss to Lev's shoulder. "Don't worry we're gonna make everything okay."

He wasn't sure who, exactly, he was trying to comfort, but Lev looked up at him all the same. "Nik?"

Nik tried for a smile, even if he knew it was falling horribly flat. "Hey Princess. Talking to anyone interesting?"

"Just Darius."

"Oh?" Nik asked, having zero clue who the hell Darius was. "And is Darius more interesting than me?"

"No," Lev said, looking down. "But I left him alone, like I left you alone. And that's not fair."

"...oh."

What the fuck was he supposed to say to that.

"I'm sorry," Nik said, tiredly.

Wordlessly, Ash went about pouring cool water on the both of them. Nik was far less happy about it, though he didn't whine.

"I'm sorry too," Lev whispered. "I shouldn't have left."

He didn't know which 'left' Lev meant, and he was too afraid of asking.

----

Cin hated to leave Amara alone, but Ash had asked him to come, and after what Amara had gone to talk to him about, he wasn't gonna say no. He realized how much it'd taken for Amara to come, and he was proud of her. As prickly and bitchy as she was, she was making progress in just being a better person

Probably, anyway.

He didn't bother knocking on the door, and instead went about tracking Ash down. The angel had been around often enough lately he could remember his scent.

The office he found was quite fancy. Ash looked over at Cin, eyes glowing green with magic. Cin had always found it a bit eerie, but he just waved curiously at Ash.

"You wanted to talk to me?"

Ash gestured to the chair beside him and said, "Have a seat."

Cin flopped down gracelessly. "Seated."

Ash leaned back and flung an arm across the back of the leather chair with irritable elegance. After thrumming his long fingers along the desk, Ash finally said, "I am assuming you know that Amara has come to see me, and I am assuming you're aware she wants a kid?"

Cin nodded. "She's wanted it for a while," he admitted easily. "Before the Lev fiasco. But we were talking about it. It's how I managed to talk her out of living in that awful apartment. Though I think, to an extent, that it's empty nest omega instincts, just a little. I just don't mind. I'm thousands of years old. No reason not to settle down."

Ash seemed to consider that. "You realize," he said, "if I agree to help her, there will be caveats. I will help if I suspect there be toxicity or instability in your home. No kid deserves that. " he paused. "No offense meant. I guess."

"That's fair," Cin replied. "I wouldn't agree to have a child if I didn't think we could handle it. And as much as Amara hates to accept help, I'm sure my brother, her sister, and Levant will all be lending a hand at some point or another." He considered Ash. "Is that what you wanted to tell me? That you want us to be sure we're healthy enough and ready to have a child before you'll agree?"

"Something like that," Ash said, wryly. He watched him silently, before, "Is there anything that I need to know? Like maybe why she would come to me now?"

"Oh, she miscarried last week," Cin explained. "And that's not the first time, both intentional pregnancies and not." He looked down. "She doesn't want your help out of pity. But I didn't realize she hadn't told you yet."

"I am aware Amara doesn't do pity," Ash said, face drawn. "But this might complicate things a bit." Ash pulled out a notebook and scribbled something on a piece of paper, handwriting barely legible. "I'll have to ask her some more questions." He looked up at Cin. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Not that I know of," Cin said after a pause. "I don't know if the miscarriages are a- a genetic thing, or an old injury. She's plenty scarred, everywhere, but- again, I don't know, and I don't think she does either." He paused again. "I know she's asking now, but I don't think she's ready right away. And I don't think she expects your help right away. She'd rather Lev live if you can ensure that."

"I can't ensure anything," Ash said, sounding pained. "I can only offer my help and my best. I'll do everything I can for Lev and i'll help Amara. I don't plan on doing anything right away. Especially if she just miscarried and has a tumultuous history of pregnancies already. Her entire lifestyle is going to have to change. I cannot in good conscious help if she keeps going the way she is."

Cin gave a little proud smile. "She's working on it. The last job she took was for Destris. Letting me buy her a house was a big step, I think." He leaned back. "But we're working on the rest."

Ash's little smile came back. "Then I guess she needs a job, then doesn't she." He leaned back. "I mean, I'm joking. Mostly. Though I am glad she's not, you know. Killing people for a living. Not exactly conducive for a healthy home life. But what would I know. My parents were executed and I was raised by a glorified mass murderer. At least she has that going for her, I guess."

Cin watched him for a long moment. "We'll do our best. She doesn't want her kids to have the same childhood she did. Her parents died doing the same job she has. Tu killed my parents, but then again- that's complicated in it's own right." Perhaps that was a bit too blunt, but... "I don't want us to be like either of our parents. And she doesn't either. We'll be better."

Ash stared Cin down. "I'll hold you to that."

Cin shrugged. "Okay," he replied easily.

---

They had managed to bring Lev's fever down enough he wasn't hallucinating, though that small success did little for the anxiety clawing at Nik's insides. Still they also managed to get Cameron out of his study, at the very least so he could make Lev chicken soup. If only so he didn't kill Nik for cooking in his precious kitchen.

Ash ended up pulling Nik to the side once Cameron came in with food. "You haven't been eating," he accused.

"Excuse me," Nik said. "How would you even know that. You can't even see."

Ash's face hardened to the point Nik almost winced. Right. That was probably unwise to say to one of the two people with an anal need to mother him. Ash grabbed his arm and yanked him unnecessarily close. "You are pregnant," he hissed. "You need to fucking eat."

Nik flashed a quick glimpse at Cameron across the room, but his focus seemed to be fixed on feeding Lev. He let out a sharp sigh and glared at Ash, and shoved him. Hard. "You are not my damn mother, Ash. Keep your opinions to yourself."

He wasn't sure if he were surprised or not by Ash grabbing his ear with lightning quick reflexes and dragging him the rest of the way out of the room. He pushed Nik to the wall, but he did it with such calculated carefulness that it only made Nik more annoyed. "It is not a damn opinion, and considering you are pregnant and Lev is sick and Cameron is being Cameron but squared, I have half the mind to force you to come home witn me where I can keep you under my roof with me twenty-four seven so I can make sure you-"

"Okay!" Nik snapped. "Stars, you micromanaging dickhead. I get it. I've been a little busy. I didn't just go 'hey, I'm growing this weird thing so I'm just going to starve it out. In case you hadn't noticed, my boyfriend was hallucinating and my other boyfriend is being a nutcase, but hey, I'm the problem, right?"

Ash's finger dug into his chest. "Currently? Yes. Because I happen to care about you the most, but you are also the biggest suicidal, neurotic mess I have the misfortune of knowing during a good day. I just want to make sure you're taken care of because I will not have a repeat of breaking your ribs because you decided to go off the deep end again." Ash's voice dropped. "You scared the living hell out of me. Don't make me find you like that again."

Tears of anger and regret and shame burned in Nik's eyes. He rubbed them away with the palm of his hands. "It wasn't like I did it on purpose," Nik said, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "And I didn't not eat on purpose. I've been a little busy."

"Just. Be careful," Ash said, stepping back. "I'll help if you want. But you need to take care of yourself."

"Yeah, okay," Nik sniffled, under his breath. "Fine. Are we done now?"

"Yes." Ash sighed.

And on that fantastic note, Nik slipped past him and went to crawl into bed up behind Lev. He pressed a kiss to Lev's heated shoulder and snuggled up against him and closed his eyes. He could feel Lev reaching out for Cameron. "I can't find Darius," Lev was saying. "Will you find him for me?" Cameron's hesitancy was palpable. "Please," Lev said. "I can't find him."

Cameron sighed. "I will see what I can do."

---

Cameron found his way back to the witch's house in the woods when Lev and Nik went down for their nap. It wasn't long after Cameron giving Lev his word that the fever broke and some kind of clarity coming back to Lev's eyes. He didn't think too much about that.

He didn't bother knocking on the witch's front door and walked right in, heading back to where he figured Cyrus would be. The bedroom.

The demon appeared from the kitchen. "What are you doing here? He's sleeping." When Cameron kept walking, he added, "The spell he did for you wiped him out."

Cameron, once again, ignoring the demon's commentary, kept walking back to the bedroom. Cyrus managed to be roused by the bedroom door opening. He was clearly trying to be polite when he said, "Can I help you?"

"Lev asked for someone," Cameron said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "How much would it be to perform that spell one last time?"

Tagging: @incandescent-creativity @idreamonpaper @lil-mis-red @ @solangelo3088 @halstudies @littleyellowdinosaur @caelisis

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Dragon Dancer IV: The Immortals

My shoes slipped on the wet floor as I scrambled to get up. “Zihang! Zihang!”

Ru’Yi was screaming her tiny little head off from where the loud noise and cold and wet were making her frightened and uncomfortable. I had bundled her against my back to carry her with me, expecting to find Nono and Zihang and teleport away, but instead I’d brought her onto the battlefield!

I knelt next to Zihang’s head. The door was six inches of thick solid metal but he lifted it off Nono first, letting it slide off his back.

Nono’s face was covered with blood, her eyes rolled back in her head. She seemed to be one taking her last breaths, dying of her catastrophic injuries in the middle of the open sea.

Zihang took us both to a safe corner and looked towards the burning cold storage room, “He’s alive right?”

“Yes.” I said.

As the word left my mouth, Lu Mingfei crawled out with difficulty, covered in tatter clothing and wounds. Black dragon scales peeled off his body. As a normal human he couldn’t survive a blast that large, but as a dragon, he would have no problem with the explosion or those monsters.

But he couldn’t stand up. His right leg was dragging and probably broken. He crawled his way to Nono’s side, grabbed her shoulders with trembling hands and stared into her eyes. “Don’t die!”

Chu Zihang watched in amazement as the words had their effect on Nono. She struggled to lift her head. Mingfei smiled with relief.

Two seconds later, Nono’s gaze sharpened and she slapped him hard in the face. “You run when you shouldn’t, only to come back when you shouldn’t!”

“Guys!” Chu Zihang shouted an alarm and stood up, brandishing the replica Spider Fang.

We all looked back to the fire and were shocked to find that the monsters were rising up among the flames. The dragon form of Mingfei could withstand the heat and so could they.

The diving suits they wore were shredded and burned away, exposing snake-like bodies wrapped in scales.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

They didn’t attack immediately but walked slowly, eyes scanning their surroundings like they were just waking up from a dream.

This group of hybrids were highly corroded by dragon blood, closer to dragons even than Death Servitors could be. Their heads were covered with bony armor plating. Some were humpbacked to accommodate their bulging muscles and some had their knee joints reversed like a grasshopper’s. Some had enlarged craniums to fit a larger brain.

An electric arc flashed in the passage and a gust of wind began to blow in the hall despite being indoors. The temperature began to fluctuate. 

“Quick! Let’s go!” Mingfei hissed.

Chu Zihang picked up Lu Mingfei and ran. I supported Nono. She was no longer bleeding and could walk, unlike Lu Mingfei whose leg seemed completely useless. I glanced behind us and the monsters eyes fixated on our position. They walked forward at first and then began to run after us.

I summoned my spear of light with nothing but my mind and sent it after them. It penetrated the abdomen of the closest monster and he fell, lay there for three seconds before rising again. 

Horrified, I summoned another and another. They rocked back with every strike, but the searing injuries only lasted a few moments before visibly closing!

We climbed of the stairs toward the upper decks. A few seconds later, we heard a high-pitched chant. The bottom cabin was completely turned into a sea of flames, and a wave of hot hair spewed out after us. In a short while, the ground was too hot to stand on.

Chu Zihang looked over his shoulder at the fire in disbelief and fear.

“Go!” Nono pushed him forward and stuck a plastic explosive on the red-hot steel staircase.

A few seconds later, the stairs leading to the bottom of the cabin shattered into hot bits of metal, but how long this would stop the monsters couldn’t be certain. There were multiple ways of getting around this ship and we could already hear the terrifying scraping sound from the outside as several monsters seemed to have torn the hull apart and were crawling up the outer wall.

Our ship had become a floating hell, complete with evil spirits rampaging in flames.

In the living area, we leaned side by side on the bulkhead. This part of the ship was the most remote and would take the longest time to reach. We heard no more sounds from the monsters. The four walls were made of steel and enclosed with a thick steel door. The ceiling height was so low that Zihang couldn’t stand up all the way and had to crouch.

I didn’t have any privacy and Zihang and Mingfei had to avert their eyes as I lifted my shirt, lowered my bra and pressed Ru’Yi against my nipple to keep her silent.

“Carli... can you teleport us...?” Lu Mingfei was breathing hard and trying not to show how much pain he was in.

“Yes but... you and Nono need medical treatment... and where I was going to take you was six hours from the nearest hospital!”

It looked like his femur was broken, a devastating injury that even a dragon couldn’t quickly recover from. Nono suffered from three penetrating wounds to her upper body.

Nono suddenly turned to him and grabbed his collar and pushed him against the bulkhead, her eyes fierce. “Why did you come back?”

Lu Mingfei was silent. 

I stood up. “Nono, please...” But I dared not approach. Deep in those dark red eyes, there was both anger and confusion and I didn’t want to get in between them.

After a long time, Nono let go of him and backed away to the other wall, sliding slowly down to the floor. Her eyes dimmed, and the ferocity, anger, and confusion disappeared. She hugged her legs and put her forehead on her knees.

I settled next to Mingfei. “How did she know you were going to leave?”

“I left her a good bye note...” Mingfei mumbled, expressionless.

“Shut up!” Nono interrupted. “A few things I hope you will remember well. First of all, I’m not just helping you to pay back a favor. There are a lot of things I can’t explain. I want to find answers too! Second! I don’t need you to be ‘responsible’. When I decided to join in, I knew the danger. I’m responsible for myself. Third,  I will not quit after you leave and go home and be safe. If you leave, I will continue to look out for you. Fourth! If you still want to leave, you tell me to my face! I don’t ever want to see that sort of letter for you again! Got it?”

She suddenly stopped talking and looked exhausted. I scooted over to her and checked her pulse. It was rapid and weak. “You need a doctor.”

“I know... you just said that...” Nono hung her head.

Lu Mingfei took out his phone and typed something.

“I can’t believe Fingel phone survived that explosion...” I mumbled.

“There are so many immortals, it would be useless even for Principal Anjou to come out and face them.” This time Fingel was sober, his voice unsmiling.

“Immortals?” Mingfei asked, eyes wide. 

I moved back to him to see what he was looking at.

Fingel had opened a document and hundreds of pictures flowed on the screen, including complex chemical formulas, alchemy specific text and symbols, and an X-ray scan of a mutated human body. It was the format of the secret archives of the Cassell College, and each page was marked with the words “Top Secret”.

This was a very sophisticated technology, including genetic technology, medicine, chemistry and alchemy. Some I could understand and some might as well been in Greek.

This set of technology would transform the volunteers, that is, the dragonslayers who have been gradually eroded by dragon blood and are about to lose their mind, into war tools for use. From a certain perspective, these monsters were already dead, but their heart still beats, and their combat effectiveness is stronger than before this sort of death. 

Back in the Middle Ages, when dragons were resurrecting one after the other, the secret party was backed into using such dark technology from ancient books, using humans as weapons and turning them into Deadpool to fight back.

Because the immortal technology was wholly immoral, the College kept it secret... but they still kept their precious victims.

The more we read the more we realized that these creatures were called immortals because they were virtually impossible to kill. Like Lu Mingfei in the middle of his dragon conversion, they could continue to attack even if their heart stopped. The brain was their only weak point, theoretically, their brain could be burned away and that would kill them.

In this way they were very similar to zombies, but these were zombies that could use high level Soul skills!

Chu Zihang was also reading, his face growing paler by the second. Lu Mingfei looked over at him and pushed him away.

Heavy footsteps and the sound of something hard scraping against the floor came from above us. Fortunately, my ruse worked and Ru’Yi was comforting herself with me as a pacifier. She was completely silent.

I remembered the immortal with the long heavy claws that attacked Mingfei. The only thing separating us was a layer of steel plate.

The footsteps stopped and we all tensed, clutching our weapons. 

It began to walk again, speeding up, but the sound of the footsteps never left our area. It was searching, circling, trying to pinpoint our position. It had found us, but how? My heart leapt in my throat and I willed my baby to be silent.

Mingfei was staring at the phone and then looked at me and pointed to his nose.

They could smell us? 

Mingfei started to exert himself to get up. He limped over to Nono and grabbed her wrist. Nono was furious, pulling away. The two didn’t make a sound, but they struggled and the footsteps above became more intense.

I turned to Chu Zihang who also got up. Our eyes met. It was only a matter of time before Ru’Yi started crying again. And unlike all of them, I now knew how to kill these monsters. 

By the time Lu Mingfei and Nono noticed our actions, we were too far away for them to do anything.

Zihang shut the door and locked it from the outside.

“I see you had the same idea.” I whispered.

“Your light spears can burn their brains. I can bring them to you. Just... don’t die.” Chu Zihang still had that innocent child like air, but he was also calm and serious. “If you, Mingfei, or Nono die,” he said, “Some people will be sad. But if I die, it won’t matter. I’m a person forgotten by everyone.”

[tickleraptorss]

i spent 15 minutes trying to think of a title for this fic and came up with nothing so it’s just called “untitled xbc au fic” fuck you

not a super long fic but considering i havent posted any writing in forever i guess this’ll do

this fic takes place in an au where the telethia and mechon don’t hurt people, but instead feed off of laughter. yea we all know where this is going. i dont actually like this fic all that much but ive been working on it for too long so. idk fucking take it.

word count: 1318

Shulk wandered through the brush of Makna forest. He’d dropped something earlier and was currently retracing his steps in order to find it, although quite unsuccessfully. He made a vow to himself to be more wary of his things, because nothing made him more nervous than walking through the forest by himself.

As he pushed bushes aside, he found a small clearing in the middle of the forest. He remembered that they had stopped here to rest for a bit, and thought maybe he had dropped it around here. He cautiously stepped into the clearing, trying not to make any sudden noises that could alert nearby creatures. Shulk tip-toed across the clearing, spotting the ether crystal he’d dropped. He slowly made his way towards it, until suddenly a branch snapped beneath his feet.

“Damn it!” He hissed quietly as he heard rustling in the bushes. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of a Phoenix Telethia, a rather small one, about a quarter of his height taller. He saw the Telethia’s wings flare up in excitement, and he started to feel very, very nervous.

“Oh, how cute!” The Telethia squeaked. “A little Homs! What are you doing out here all alone?”

“Uh… I-”

“Dropped something? That ether crystal over there, right?”

Shulk gulped, frozen in place as the Telethia picked up the ether crystal in its claws. Shulk nodded when the Telethia pointed at the small crystal, and was surprised when the creature handed it to him.

“Th-thanks…” Shulk stuttered, starting to back away from the Telethia.

“What are you so nervous about? I’m not going to hurt you!” The creature said. “I know we look scary, but we’re really gentle, I promise!”

“I-It’s not that!” Shulk shook his head. He turned to run, but was pulled back by the Telethia grabbing the back of his shirt and lifting him up. “Put me down!”

“Nope! You’re so tense, I can sense you’ve been carrying a lot of weight on your shoulders! You’ve gotta get rid of all that stress, because it’s not good for you to be so nervous all the time,” the Telethia lay Shulk in its lower set of arms.

“Please! Don’t!” Shulk pleaded, already knowing what the Telethia was planning.

“Don’t what?” The Telethia asked innocently. “Don’t… tickle you?” It laughed when Shulk nodded. “Why not? Don’t you looove being tickled?~”

Shulk’s face flushed a bright red as he squirmed. The telethia chuckled at him as it cradled him in its arms, while raising its other arms and wiggling its fingers in the air. Shulk squeaked, trying to curl in on himself.

“Aww, what’s wrong? I’m not even touching you!” The telethia teased, before it started scritching at Shulk’s belly with a single claw. Shulk let out a choked gasp and broke into snickers, swatting at the Telethia’s finger.

“Stahahap it! Noho!” Shulk giggled as the Telethia tickled him. The creature lifted his sweater up to expose his belly, tracing its claw along Shulk’s waist and lower tummy. “Nohohot there!!” “Not where, here?” The Telethia asked sweetly, continuing to trace tickly shapes against Shulk’s soft skin. “Too ticklish?” Shulk shook his head. “No? I guess you can handle it then!” The Telethia wiggled its fingers over Shulk’s lower belly, then started tracing its other hand up and down his side. Shulk’s giggles increased in volume significantly as he kicked uselessly against the Telethia’s hold. It didn’t help that the Telethia was covered in feathers, so every time he squirmed, he’d feel the soft fluff of the feathers brush against his back and sides.

“What a cutie! You’re so ticklish! I don’t think I’ve ever met a Homs as ticklish as you,” the Telethia teased. “Kitchy kitchy koo!~”

“Dohohon’t tease!!” Shulk’s laughter pitched as he unintentionally tickled himself by squirming against the Telethia. He tried his best to stay still as to reduce the tickly feelings, but found he couldn’t.

“Aww, are my feathers tickling you?” Shulk’s efforts against squirming certainly didn’t go undetected by the Telethia. It reached behind its back and plucked a loose feather from its wing, waving it in front of Shulk and smirking. “Something tells me you’re pretty feather-ticklish… perhaps I should test it!”

“No!” Shulk pleaded, trying to crawl away from the Telethia, only to be put right back into its arms. “Plehease! Don’t!”

“Begging already? I haven’t even started!” The Telethia chuckled as the feather made contact with Shulk’s right side, prompting him to squeal. “Wow, you homs really are feather-ticklish, aren’t you?”

The telethia stroked the feather up and down Shulk’s side, making him arch away from the soft touch. He tried curling in on himself, but the Telethia only held his arms above his head every time he tried, leaving him with no defenses. Shulk panicked when he felt the Telethia starting to remove his shoes, trying to kick its talons away from him with no success.

“Are your feet ticklish too?” The Telethia asked, laughing when Shulk shook his head. “I hope you’re not lying to me! You know what I do to liars?”

“Wh-what…?” Shulk nervously responded as the Telethia grabbed his ankle.

“I tickle them to death!!~” With that, the Telethia’s claws descended upon Shulk’s foot, scribbling and scratching at his sole. Shulk squealed loudly before trying to kick his trapped foot free, but to no avail. His laughter became high-pitched as he wiggled around in the Telethia’s arms. When the creature’s claws reached his toes, he all but shrieked.

“Ohoho… this seems like a real good spot!” The Telethia giggled to itself, taking the feather and sawing it between Shulk’s toes. When his laughter increased in volume, the Telethia gasped in awe. “Aww! Someone’s got ticklish toesies!!~”

“I D-DOHOHON’T!!” Shulk protested, trying to curl his toes in order to protect himself. It only succeeded in trapping the feather there, which certainly wasn’t helping. At this point his laughter was starting to becoming squeaky, which is exactly what he dreaded, knowing for sure the Telethia would tease him about it.

“Listen to those squeaks! Looks like someone’s a bit flustered!” The Telethia commented, tracing the feather up Shulk’s calves to the backs of his knees. His laughter died down a bit, but he was still kicking his legs in order to avoid the tickly sensation. The Telethia continued to coo at him, seemingly amazed at how ticklish Shulk was. Eventually, the Telethia stopped, leaving Shulk as a giggling, blushing mess in its arms.

“Seems like you enjoyed yourself,” the Telethia looked at its victim. “Actually, I think we should go on for just a little bit longer…”

Still flustered beyond belief, Shulk barely had time to process the Telethia’s words before claws were skittering over his ribs. The visionary shrieked in response, his squirming became more aggressive, and his laughter echoed throughout the forest. He tried desperately to block out the Telethia’s claws, but it was useless.

“Tickle, tickle, tickle!~” The Telethia cooed. Shulk squeaked at the creature’s words. “You’re too ticklish for your own good! Better watch out, or else others might start taking advantage of it… not that you’d mind, riiight?~”

“ST-STAHAHAHAP! PLEHEHEASE!” Shulk pleaded, arching his back when the Telethia’s claws made their way to the sides of his ribs. “THAT’S ENOHOHOUGH!!”

“Alright, I’ll stop now,” the Telethia lifted its hands, and Shulk let out a sigh of relief. He panted as giggles uncontrollably poured out of his mouth. When Shulk finally regained his composure, the Telethia released him from its arms.

“How was that?” The Telethia asked. Shulk didn’t respond. “Aww, c’mon! Don’t be all grouchy with me! Was it at least fun?”

Shulk paused, before reluctantly nodding. The Telethia leaned forward and gave Shulk a quick pat on the head, before it took off, probably to look for another victim.

As he watched it fly away, Shulk couldn’t help but think maybe the Telethia aren’t that bad.

[magic-marvel]

I Love to Hate You

Chapter 5

Prologue | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

Pairing: Peter Parker/Spider-Man x Reader

Summary: You don’t know what it is, but seeing him breathe makes you want to punch him in the throat.

Word Count: 2039

A/N: im crying??? its been so long??? im so sorry???

yall this update was originally like 5k words long or something like that so i split it into two chapters so its easier to keep track. im sorry for making yall wait so long i swear ive been working on it i just like had no motivation until last night to finish this.

WARNINGS: remember when i said i wasn’t gonna warn anymore and to take note of the previous warnings? yep.

It was 11:36 PM.

You awaited for the right moment, the perfect opportunity to execute your plan. There was no second chances, not even a plan B. This needed to go how you expected it to or it wouldn't work at all. So you waited.

11:38 PM.

You watched it fall in place, the pieces of a puzzle you already solved. You watched as Bruce left his lab for the night. He sent you a quick goodnight before going his way. He was the last to be in the common areas of the Tower, a few members were still awake in their respective rooms. But with Bruce now gone, you were able to exit the building without notice.

11:43 PM.

You walked into Peter's room, expecting him to be ready for the mission. He was asleep.

You grabbed his suit off the floor and slapped it against his bare back, he woke up with a scramble.

“Get up! We are going right now!”

Peter was groggy, visibly confused about the situation. But with sleepy eyes and tousled hair, he put his suit on. You waited in the same chair Bucky was sitting in this morning, the knife marks still etched as a chilling reminder to not get on his bad side. You were running your finger over the marks, feeling the indents when you heard Peter's suit shrink into place.

You looked up at him, finding he was without his mask. He looked over the floor with half lidded eyes, a trail of dried drool still on his cheek. His hair was an absolute mess, maybe the mask wouldn't be able to hold it down.

“There we go...” Peter bent down to reach under his bed. You watched as he stretched a hand, mindlessly reaching for his mask. But he grabbed it in no time, walking up to you while putting on the final piece of his suit.

“Bruce just left the lab, so we can go out the window now.” You spoke, already walking towards the glass pane separating you from the outside.

“The window? We can't just take the elevator?” Peter questioned.

You unlatched the lock, pushing open the thin piece of glass to the outside. You leaned forward, staring at the concrete street 12 floors below you. It wasn't the highest point, but it most definitely will do a lot more than tickle if you fell at this height.

“The cameras would catch us, my dad would be alerted. Since Bruce left to his room, we can go past the floor below us without him spotting us through the windows.”

You tugged at your sleeves, hoping they would fight off the bitter breeze that flowed through the window. It bit at your cheeks, causing a quick shiver to run along your body. You should have brought more layers.

“Okay, well hold tight then.”

You were leaning out the window when he spoke. You furrowed your brows, turning quickly once realization hit.

“Wait—what?”

Peter swooped you up with one arm, your body pressed tight against his while he climbed out the window

“WAIT, WAIT! I WASN'T READY—PETER!” You shouted before Peter took a dive out the window.

The air was sucked out of your lungs while you clung your arms around Peter's neck. You were rocketing towards the ground at a rate that you didn't think was possible, you felt your soul leave your body and trail back up to the room to watch its body splat on the sidewalk. Maybe your dad won't find out.

“Hang on!” Peter shouted over the rush of air, using his currently free hand to push under your thigh. He kept tugging until you finally got the idea, wrapping your legs around him like a baby koala.

It was in that instant, when you found a tight grip on him did you hear his webshooters go off. It tugged the both of you roughly into the opposite direction, had you not held so tightly you might have gotten a nasty hit of whiplash. It also helped that Peter held you securely in his arm, preventing you from even getting a wiggle out.

You clung to dear life, not for a second opening your eyes as you felt your body move through the air. Your ears popped, letting a rush of sound to flood in before you both took another dip towards the ground.

You had stopped screaming by now, nearly numb from the velocity and the rush of blood. Your muscles were locked in place, wrapping around Peter in hopes that you could melt into him for safety. He didn't seem to mind, at least he didn't make it obvious. So he continued swinging between buildings, not exactly sure where he was going but he was enjoying the trip while he still could.

12:04 AM.

Peter eventually let you down in an alley. Well, he intended to let you down.

“Hey, we're on solid ground.” You continued to hold on, face buried into his neck and eyes screwed shut. “...That means you can let go now.”

“No.” You uttered.

You held on, despite both of Peter's arms hanging by his side. You stayed snugged against him, your bottom slowly sliding down with the lack of support. You kept trying to adjust your grip, even wiggle your hips to get a better lock around Peter's waist. Nothing worked, and eventually your own strength failed you. You began to drop, but Peter managed to hold you up before then.

“C'mon, we dont have a lot of time. And I want to sleep.” Peter let go of you, making sure you could hold yourself up after that trip.

You let out a groan of frustration, staying close behind him before he would let you go do your 'mission'.

“Okay, so I'm thinking I'd check out the donut place and then just walk down the street a bit. I'll try and stall so maybe we can bait this guy out.” You poked your head out from behind Peter, checking your surroundings before stepping out yourself. You wobbled a bit, still trying to get used to solid ground. You hoped Peter hadn't noticed. He did.

“Got it, ma'am! I'll be on the rooftops!” Peter already began climbing up the side of a building when you called back to him.

“Call me 'ma'am' again and I'll shave your head in your sleep.”

“Roger that, ma'am.”

You threw your shoe at him, smacking him in the head before it fell back down to you. He continued crawling, giving his head a gentle rub. You hoped it hurt.

You slipped your shoe back on, now ready to walk the New York streets in an effort to catch whoever is behind the hack. Peter was to catch them, web them up and you would call your dad and Steve to take care of the rest. You thought it was a sound plan, something to prove to your father that you can be a valuable member of the team. Maybe even after this he would consider making you an avenger.

12:33 AM.

You walked down an empty street. Street lamps flickered above, giving a more lifeless feel to the empty sidewalk. Cars would drive by, the ones with tinted black windows made you weary. But they would drive away quickly, giving you a chance to breath again. This went on for some time while you walked. You took the long way to the donut shop, trying to extend your trip for as long as possible.

The old shop was a 24/7 vendor. You walked up to a window, someone sitting inside quickly got up to greet you.

“How may I help you?” The kind lady asked, her accent heavy with each word. You shifted on your feet, pouting your lips while staring up at the chalkboard menu behind her.

“May I have a half dozen box? Three glazed and the other three chocolate, please.” You responded to her in Spanish, hoping that it would be more comfortable in her own language. She gave you a wide smile as you spoke. The winkles in her warm features deepen as she watched you speak, even her eyes brightened with the sound of her mother tongue.

“Of course, honey. Would you like a drink too? It's cold out, my love. I could warm up a hot chocolate for you.” She asked.

Your own eyes lit up at the thought, you quickly nodded your head before speaking, “Yes! I would love that, thank you so much!”

She quickly packed a box with your donuts before sneaking away to grab a new mix of hot chocolate. You sat at a bench in front of the window and waited while she prepared your drink. The more you thought of it, the more you realized that she was right. It was practically freezing out, a hot chocolate would cure any shivers just by the mere thought.

And a box of donuts for you and Peter was a bonus, the late night snack should help you both stay alert for the rest of the mission.

The woman returned to the window, box and paper cup in hand. You gave her the money for both, but she tried waving off the extra amount for the hot chocolate.

You wouldn't take no for an answer, so you gave her the money for the hot chocolate and a generous tip. You left it in a clear box in the front, giving her a toothy smile and thanking her sincerely. She thanked you for coming, telling you to go home and warm up.

But you simply smiled at her, assuring you would. Choosing to simply lie rather than admit you weren't going home seemed simpler, it gave the kind woman a chance to soon forget you. You were another customer, a polite girl who made a quick stop for donuts and hot chocolate, nothing more.

You continued walking down the street, turning around random corners in hopes of luring someone out. You ate away at the donuts while taking tentative sips at the warm beverage, you didn't want to burn your tongue.

But soon, you became full, your drink felt cold. You were wandering aimlessly for some time, the box in your hand becoming an annoyance. So you sat down at a bus stop bench, pulling out your StarkPhone and quickly finding Peter's contact.

DIALING: LITTLE SHIT

…

…

The phone rang just twice before Peter picked up.

“What's up?” He answered. You shifted your phone against your cheek and settled the box down at your side.

“I got donuts for you. I ate all the glazed though, not gonna lie.” You replied, quickly popping the box open to inspect the chocolate donuts left over. You looked above you, trying to find the masked hero.

“Well, at least you saved me some.” Peter acknowledged. You found him climbing down a wall across the street. He kept his distance, not trying to associate himself with you for the moment. You both agreed that if he was seen with you now, that might scare off the culprit.

You got up from the bench, throwing your cold cup into a trash bin and leaving the box on the bench. “Alright, I'm gonna make another trip around the block. If nothing happens then I guess we should call it a night.” You sighed, disappointed that nothing has happened so far. It was cold, you were tired, and these assholes still haven't showed up. What a bunch of jerks.

“Sure thing, I'll still be watching your back.” Peter assured.

“Thanks, Pete.” You replied sincerely. He hummed in response, accepting your gratitude without any tease or jokes. You appreciated it.

Soon you both hung up, you kept walking forward trying to make it back around to where you originally started. It was later into the night, more people actually came out. Not exactly the type of people you'd wanna hang out with, but they were people nonetheless.

At least you weren't alone out here anymore. But then again, that's not always a good thing.

Chapter 6

I Love to Hate You Taglist:

@1dforeverandalwaysfan @sugakookiessss @embrace-themagic @zseonlydavinci @marvelous-musicals @4-a-m @spideyshoe @chemiste @lolidubs @missaubreychase @dust-finatic @pinkfairyfluff @honeyicouldntthinkofaurl @1enchantedfantasy1 @meoodle @sugakookiessss @peachysuris @imarockstar45 @pansexual-and-a-geek @hedwigthelegend @didanyonesaybuckybarnes @blossomingstan @pitubea1910 @smileyhollander @deafeningnerdkitten @loricwizardbluetoastedcake @feelingsareharddd @hellsmischievousangel @agentsinstorybrooke @localizedtrashcan @thenerdyrebel @toastedside @stevieboyharrington @fosteringmermaids @donkeysblog @greekdemigodwannabe @black-glitter-blood @ritivos @lilaqueenquinn  @sanniegirl1214 @huntermichelle @adorablyparker @maroongoon @bibegone @thumper-darling @alexlikescookies @seabassobrien @miguelstilinski24 @coolbonnieblr @lucislilangel @sickenlngdesire @magmas @srrymydood @ciellovesweets @hiddenaurora @abearindisguisecosplay @spideynblackcat @awspidey @carry-on-ms-believer @thefandomplace @hi-im-a-haley @littlemsrantsalot @bethanystan @ukulele-tea-and-ocean @bloodysleepy @sleeping-beau @itsellasinfinity @vampireloveandfun @jordmac @sundaewithacherryontop @pamplemousse-m @shortpplareclosertosatan @literallyjustnatalie @hawaiiantozier @tomsspideysenses @baconlover001 @alexisdemers03 @highlady-ofthe-summercourt @peter-prkers @radicalmeghan @ultradangerouspie @straya4lifemate @tonifrances297 @basicmarvelbitch @kawaii-girl-101 @dontstopxx

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Peter Parker Taglist:

@me-a-hopeless-romantic @tomsspideysenses @planetquill @i-am-a-sinner-666 @meliketozier

[axemetaphor]

Some Writing

I have little idea if this readmore will work because i'm on mobile but!!! I'm trying.

I wrote a bit of a something for my new fan character Unknown the Raccoon/Hedgehog [usually just called Unknown]; it starts right after they lost their memories and ends with them meeting Sonic. Kinda based on Forces (since that's what motivated me to even make Unknown!) but since ive been avoiding all spoilers it's probably not accurate lolol

Anyways—

Rating E10+

Contains mild injury, violence, and light swearing.

A hazy greenish-blue sky slowly comes into focus, partially obscured by the walls of tall buildings that rise far above their head, stretching up into the sky to brush against the clouds; the sun shines down brightly, harshly, and their whole body feels hot. 'How long have I been out here?' They wonder. They try to lift their arm, but it feels heavy, their movements sluggish. Their head aches, a dull ringing echoing in their ears, and the moment they try to twist their neck agony spears through their skull.

"Ow!" They yelp involuntarily, wincing and squeezing their eyes shut. "Oh, jeez, that hurts..." Slowly, they try to sit up, using their arms to both lift and support them. They're lying on something soft, squishy in places, covered in plastic. It feels like a lot of stuff with varying degrees of softness all wrapped in one very sturdy plastic wrap. It crinkles a bit when they move, a gentler sound than cellophane, but unpleasant nonetheless. Their eyes ease open again, and the sunlight seems slightly less harsh now. For a moment, they sit, blinking and looking around with wide green eyes. They're sat in an alleyway, in an open Dumpster practically overflowing with black trash bags. The alley itself is devoid of life, and the streets beyond it seem similarly abandoned. 'What's going on? Why am I the only one here?' Turning this way and that, they search for a clue. Finding none, they sigh, hopping down from the Dumpster, and their boots thud loudly against the concrete upon contact. Straightening up, they brush themselves off, feeling a little grimy. The walls ahead of them look equally dingy, rather run-down. 'Which way do I go?' They frown, squinting first one way, then the other. "Six of one, half-dozen of the other," they mumble, but then something catches their eye. There's a couple flyers tacked onto the walls to their left; curious, they turn that way and cautiously approach them. The city has the air of a place that really should be more busy than this—the silence is so obviously unnatural. Their boots thump with each step, the only sound heard at all. No birds, no insects dare make any noise, but why? They pause, reading the flyers, which they now realize are tacked on to the windows of what was—is?—a store, presumably. Distracting themselves for a minute, they peer into the store. Racks of clothes sit in a relatively orderly arrangement, but the shop itself is devoid of life. Their eyes slowly focus on their reflection rather than the contents of the store, and their ears prick in surprise. Leaning forward, they gently place a hand on their cheek, as if to make certain that that's their reflection.

Fluffy blueish-grey fur covers their entire body, with paler whitish fur outlining their eyes and the inside of their ears—which bear three piercings: two rings towards the tip of their ears, and one gauge piercing at the base—and covering their muzzle. Deep blue—almost black!—fur rings their eyes, with one little patch on their forehead and two stripes down their cheeks. Just beneath their chin, a plume of thick, fluffy, bright pale green fur covers their chest and neck. There's a rather tattered black rain jacket hanging from their shoulders, one sleeve half-ripped-off and the other completely absent. Form-fitting black jeans cover their legs, and are in a similar level of dishevelment. The only thing that remained intact was the studded belt wrapped around their waist, which bears two chains dangling off of it. Their gaze drifts back up to their face again, and they notice dried blood practically caked to their upper lip and around their nose; there's a dried smear of blood on one of their ears, too, right beneath one of the ring piercings. The thought 'oh, that must be the newest one' drifts through their head unbidden as they stare in mild confusion at their face. Somehow, everything about this is so unfamiliar... but how? This is their face, isn't it? So why doesn't it feel right? And how come they don't remember their name?

They close their eyes and shake their head, letting their hand drop back down to their side. "What the hell happened to me?" They think aloud, looking back at their reflection. Taking a step back, they tilt their head from side to side, checking out their spines. All are brushed to curve towards one side—their left—and the two on their right have a bit more curl in them than the ones on the left. Their gaze drifts down again, admiring their black combat boots. Flexing their foot, they realize the shoe has a steel toe, stained with blood. "Whatever it was, I guess I went down fighting." They laugh shortly, smirking, and look back up. Something else catches their attention now, a paper flapping in the wind, trying vainly to escape and flutter down the street. They reach up, gently smoothing it down with a hand, and examine it more closely. The top of the paper has the word "wanted" printed in all-caps, boldface, large font. Their eyes skim the page, automatically focusing on the chunk of text nearer to the bottom—several bullet points read "Name: Unknown. Age: Estimated 18 or 19. Height: 3'6" Reward: 100,000,000 rings," then several phone numbers. Their gaze drifts back up, and their eyes widen when they see the image accompanying this Wanted poster. Their eyes snap from the image, to their reflection, back to the image, back to the reflection. There's no mistaking it. The face in the photo, grinning smugly at the viewer, is none other than their own!

Instinctively they tear the paper down and rush to shove it in their pocket, frantically glancing about even though the street is deserted. Turning all about, they look for copies of the poster; finding none, they relax slightly, and run a hand through their hair, jamming the other in their pocket. "'Unknown,' huh..." they mumble. "Doesn't clear much up, but I guess it works...for now." Looking up, they frown. "Bigger problem—where are all the people? ...And why do I keep talking to myself?"

--•~

After an awful lot of hard work, Unknown finally made it to the top of the tallest building they could find, and they sat on the edge of its roof, wheezing slightly as they looked out at the city sprawling beneath them. The sky is still a cheery light blue above them, but they can see that, far ahead of them, a dark reddish-black cloud hangs over part of the city. A large part, too, and it's spreading. Some parts of the city are on fire, the smoke already darkening the sky, and something in Unknown's gut twists. No wonder the city is silent—it must have been evacuated. 'Guess nobody was checking the Dumpsters, though… or they thought I was dead.' Swinging their legs slightly, Unknown looks up, thinking carefully. The sky above is deceptively calm, unnervingly so—not even a bird dares disturb it. Looking back down at the dark part of the city, Unknown narrows their eyes, focusing intently. They can see, amongst the smog, some weird, slow-moving shapes that tower over the buildings. 'What on earth is going on over there?' Standing up, they swish their tail back and forth, mulling over their options. Either they run away from all the dark fiery stuff, and hope they can find where the city evacuated to, or they take their chances and head for all the chaos, because, well, why not? What even are the chances that they'd find the evacuees?

A strange curiosity consumes them, and they find their eyes drifting back to the hulking shapes almost crawling through the buildings. "I have to know what's going on over there," they think aloud, standing up. Turning around, they head for the opposite edge of the roof, then turn back around. Their eyes catch sight of a power line running from a building to the left of the one they're currently down into the sea of rooftops beneath them. Crouching down a bit, they brace themselves, take a deep breath, then sprint for the corner of the roof. Springing off it, they spin their arms a bit like a windmill, slowing them down slightly; reaching out, they grab hold of the power line, feeling it bend beneath their weight. Wrapping both hands around it, they twist their body to face the same direction as the wire leads, putting their feet in front of them. The wind roars through their ears as they slide down, squinting against the force of the air. After a short bit, they feel their grips start to weaken, arms shaking from the force of holding them still, and they crane their neck, looking for a good place to land. Right as the wire passes over a rooftop below, they let go, flailing a little; right before they hit the ground, they tuck into a roll, and somersault right up to the edge of the roof.

Without missing a beat, they spring to their feet, launching themselves off the roof to collide with the wall of a building adjacent to it. Scrabbling for a handhold, they fall a few inches before their fingers wrap around a windowsill. Hauling themselves up halfway, Unknown looks around for another place to go; spotting a decorative grate on a skyscraper across the street, they grin, then fling themselves from the windowsill. The wind screams in their ears again as they sail through the air, plummeting at an alarming rate until they collide with the grate several meters below where they were on the windowsill. The raccoon-hedgehog takes a moment to steady themselves, panting slightly, before beginning to claw their way up the grating towards the top of the building. After maybe five minutes, they can feel their arms start to burn and ache; pausing, they twist and turn, looking for a new place to go. To their left, a bit below them, is a balcony jutting out from a floor of the building. It has some potted trees and bushes almost directly beneath them, and after a moment's consideration, they casually let go of the grate, falling right into a bush. Rolling straight out of it, they brush themselves off, then dash for the opposite edge, hopping up onto the banister then springing off again; their feet collide with a roof below, and they fall into the landing, crouching down with their palms flat on the floor.

Unknown looks up, eyes searching the horizon as they get to their feet, blinking a few times. The red darkness is still pretty far away, but they can faintly smell its smoke now. Flicking an ear, they stretch briefly, trotting forward. 'Now what?' They ask themselves, looking around. To their left is a taller building with many, many windows and a rail branching off its roof, arcing down further into the city, maybe even directly to where they want to go; directly ahead, there's a shorter donut shop with a massive sculpted donut on top of it; on the right sits an apartment complex with a lot of balconies. The weirdly placed rail draws Unknown's attention, and they casually look down at their boots. "They're no SOAP shoes, but maybe they'll work..." The raccoon-hog muses aloud, heading towards their left. After a step or two, they break into a jog, then a sprint, dashing as fast as they can before vaulting up onto the lip of the roof and springing right off it. As they sail towards the building, their blurry reflection comes into focus in the windows, a grinning face with feet outstretched to take the brunt of the impact. The glass shatters so easily, thin sheets not meant for the force of a body or bullets, and they drop into a shoulder roll across the razor-sharp shards. Luckily their fur is so thick; they spring up, shake their fur out, and dash forward, hardly paying attention to their surroundings. This is an office building, with tons of cubicles all in the way, so Unknown hops up onto one of the desks then up onto the thin dividers and starts lunging from one to the other, headed for a set of elevators. Leaping off the last divider, they slam the "Up" button, then take a step back, breathing hard. The elevator whirrs softly, slowly growing louder as it approaches, until it lets out a gentle "ding!" and the doors open.

"Roof access...?" Unknown asks hopefully, ears perked, as they lean in and peer first one way, then the other, looking for the panel of buttons. Finding it, they step further into the elevator, wiggling the fingers of their right hand as they visually scan the controls, a grin lighting up their face as they spot one marked "R." Strutting all the way into the elevator, they press and hold the button, then step back and lean against the wall. The doors creak closed, and after a brief moment of stillness the elevator starts to ascend. Unknown leans back, crossing first their legs then their arms, looking at the ceiling. Their breathing relaxes to a normal pace, the pounding of their heart easing into a calm rhythm, just in time for the elevator to stop and let out another cheery "ding!" with the doors grinding open mere moments later. Immediately Unknown bounds forward, streaking towards the rail; hopping over a ventilation duct, they skid a slight bit before vaulting up onto the rail. Their boots collide with the rail, screeching loudly as the steel scrapes up against whatever metal the rail is made of. Wind rushes through their hair and that familiar feeling of weightlessness, like their stomach is lifting up into their ribcage. They pick up speed, and soon the city skyscrapers are a blur rushing past them, quickly darkening the further along they go. Looking up, Unknown realizes they're most definitely not under blue skies anymore; glancing back down, they spring off the railing a mere few yards before it ends, falling into another shoulder roll. Getting to their feet, the raccoon-hog pauses, looking first left then right.

Many of the buildings nearby are broken, crumbling and some are on fire. The sounds of chaos and destruction are much louder now, along with some very weird mechanical sounds. 'Is that coming from the huge robots I saw earlier?' Unknown wonders, looking up. A couple roofs over, they notice some smaller robots wandering around, almost like they're patrolling the area. Squinting, they try to make out just what's going on, too distracted to notice the robot creeping up behind them until—

"Look out!" Someone shouts, and a weight slams into Unknown. They yelp, tumbling head-over-heels with a stranger's arms wrapped around their shoulders. A gunshot is heard, then the sound of smashing metal, and the arms are lifted from them; scrabbling along the rooftop, Unknown scrambles to their feet, ending up in a slightly unsteady crouch with one hand pressed to the ground. Looking up, they see a somewhat-bruised blue hedgehog getting up a bit ahead of them. Without even missing a beat, he leaps up into the air, curling into a ball to smash through an air born robot. Before they can properly react, Unknown's head instinctively snaps around to see a different machine charging right for them. Letting out another yelp, they run off to their right, trying to escape it, but the machine isn't going to give up anytime soon. More are descending from the sky like metallic locusts, one thudding to the ground right in front of the sprinting raccoon-hog, who immediately drops into a sliding kick.

Surprisingly, they knock the robot right off its feet, and it detonates as the robot following Unknown mows right over it. Glancing over their shoulder, Unknown grins, an idea forming in their head; they begin to slow their pace, waiting for the robot to catch up a bit, before making a beeline right for a wall sticking up from the roof. Leaping up onto it, they take two steps upward before backflipping off of it to land behind their pursuer; their left leg lashes out, colliding with the robot and slamming it harshly into the wall. It collapses, and they land with a thump, turning immediately to see a different robot taking aim at them. 'Jesus, they never stop, do they?' Sprinting, they duck behind a ventilation duct, hearing bullets ping off of it, before they abruptly stop with a crash. Scrambling to stand, Unknown looks to see a bright pink hedgehog absolutely whaling on their former assailant. Paying little mind to that, they vault up over the ventilation duct, choosing to sprint towards their right. They see a red echidna punching straight through machine after machine, all surrounding him, and they tackle the nearest robot, surprising and distracting it. Unknown scrambles quickly to the top of its head, then springs off it just as two different machines shoot right at the raccoon-hog. They miss spectacularly; with an explosion the robot's head is gone, and Unknown lands neatly on top another robot to repeat the process. In no time, the robot's numbers dwindle drastically; Unknown leaps off the last robot's head just as the red echidna's fist collides with it, throwing it almost off the building. The raccoon-hog hits the ground a meter or so away from the red echidna, pulling themselves to their feet as the blue hedgehog and his friends all start to walk across the roof, headed for the center where Unknown and the echidna are.

Panting, Unknown pulls off their tattered jacket, slinging it over their shoulder. They've no clue why they didn't ditch it earlier, since it isn't useful at all, but at least they had a thin layer of protection, they suppose. Running a hand through their hair, they look over when the blue hedgehog calls out, "Not bad!" He grins broadly, stepping forward. The pink hedgehog and an orange fox follow him; the red echidna meanders off across the roof, looking like he's trying to find something.

"Who are you?" Intrigued, Unknown steps forward to meet the three halfway, and stares into the dark green eyes of their new friend. 'How is he not winded at all?' They wonder.

A mixture of surprise and confusion flashes across his face briefly before he smiles in a friendly manner and answers, "I'm Sonic! Sonic the Hedgehog." He extends a hand, and Unknown cautiously shakes it, a bit puzzled. "These are all of my friends," Letting go of Unknown's hand, the hedgehog takes a step back and gestures towards his company, pointing first at an orange fox. "That's Tails," The fox smiles and waves cheerfully. "That's Amy," a pink hedgehog holding an absolutely massive hammer steps forward with a smile.

"Pleased to meet you!" She interrupts Sonic to extend a hand to Unknown as well. They take it with a polite smile, still a little uncertain.

"That's Knuckles," Sonic continues, gesturing towards the red echidna, who turns at the mention of his name to wave casually. "And who are you?" Turning his focus back to Unknown, Sonic raises an eyebrow.

"Oh, uh—" they frantically think back to the flyer they found, "U-Unknown."

"Unknown?" Amy echoes, tipping her head to one side and looking perplexed.

"Yep," the raccoon-hog straightens up, feigning confidence and quickly changing the subject. "Hey, what's going on? What's up with all the robots and fire?"

"Oh, y'know, same ol' Robotnik stuff." To Unknown's surprise, Sonic shrugs it off. "We're gonna take care of it, don't worry."

"Uh—I—Can I help?" For a moment, they're caught off-guard by the nonchalance this colorful crew is displaying, but they've recovered as quickly as they can.

Sonic seems surprised for a moment, then grins broadly, looking around his group of friends. They all nod, smiling themselves, and the blue hedgehog turns back to Unknown. "Sure! Why not?"