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wandering-ghost · 1 year

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As promised for the @rottmnt-au-summit I wrote how Mikey meet little Godzilla! Enjoy! (Meme art is in development, some issues just came up so it may take a while, sorry.)

(Will soon be posted on my Ao3)

“Ow!” Mikey cried as his body was sent crashing against the wall, slowly slumping down as gravity took its course. A low groan escaped his lips as he finally hit the ground on achy limbs.

The events that lead to this current situation was not his fault this time. His brothers, best friend, and him were simply having a fun cannonball night. It was Raph who caught sight of the strange dog thingy and it was April who jumped into the portal to save said dog thingy from two weird mutants. His brothers and him then found a way to enter said portal and landed themselves in a strange hidden city under New York. April led them to where they took the creature and found new weapons to replace their old ones, now they were fighting a guy who’s name he already forgot about but made purple vines come out of the ground. Their mission to save the dog thingy wasn’t going really well with their admittedly poor attempt at fighting. But his brothers, or at least those who could still fight, weren’t giving up, so neither would he!

He was about to jump back into action to join his brother until something caught his eye.

A tiny reptilian looking creature was laying around a pile of rubble with green goo still dripping off it, it seemed to have been mutated alongside the fish man with a spiky body and plates along its spine. It was unusually small if the goat man wanted to use it for his evil plans.

Mikey slowly made his way towards the creature, kneeling down and poking it. The creature shifted a little before looking up at him with a curious stare. Mikey’s heart clenched at how adorable it was, “hey little guy,” he said, holding a finger out to see if he could touch it, “what are you?”

The creature sniffed his finger cautiously before churring and rubbing itself against him. Mikey giggled as it showcased its affection, scratching it under the chin with the little guy’s tail thumping against the floor.

“You’re adorable,” Mikey said, picking it up gently and holding it up to him, “why don’t you come with me yeah? It’ll be lots of fun I promise.” The creature simply tilted its head before chirping and snuggling alongside Mikey’s hands.

“Mikey!” Mikey jumped when he heard his name being called, he clutched the lizard thing to his chest and looked back to see his brother’s butts being handed to them by the goat man.

Mikey floundered around trying to find a spot to hide the lizard thing before giving up and risking his safe space. It’s at times like these he wished he carried around a pouch like Leo. “Ah fine!” He exclaimed, he gently placed the lizard thing in the space between his shell and shoulder, making sure it wasn’t extremely uncomfortable for him nor the creature.

When he found the placement satisfactory he rushed back into the fight, swinging around his brand new weapon aiming for the goat man but the fire demon inside the weapon had other plans and went off trajectory. Mikey tried to yell out a warning but it was too late and he crashed into Donnie, entangling them together, and dragging him around too.

“You fight like untrained buffoons, but under me, you could become true warriors!” The goat man exclaimed before shooting out a web of vines at them. Mikey ended up entangled with Donnie but the pressure against his shell and the lizard thing squished in there with spikes and claws was starting to hurt. “We don’t spend enough quality time together.” He said, nuzzling Donnie to try and distract himself. “Oh, please not now, Mikey.” Donnie huffed. “How are we going to save the dog thingy now?” April asked, “Donnie’s on it.” Donnie said, bringing his goggles down to inspect the area. His visors' alarms blared as the lab sparked with electricity.

“Wait a second!” Donnie exclaimed, Mikey yelped as the lizard thingy’s claws dug into his scales but he covered it up as shock from the sight of the lab. “Turtles, why are you trying to stop my plans? We are all in this together!” The goat man said, “Ah, hey, I don’t know if this is part of your plan, but the lab’s about to explode.” Donnie stated as they try to wiggle away from the now dangerous lab.

The goat man looked up to see the start of the explosion, mumbling something mikey couldn’t hear and was covered by a giant rock that landed in front of him. If he witnessed a death he’s going to pretend he didn’t.

“Little guy, can you do your thing and get us out of here?” April asked the dog thingy as they tried to break free, the thing yipped and teleported them out the building and next to the wall and brought them to the city.

Mikey drew out the symbol quickly and a portal opened, his family and him quickly entered and reappeared in the glorious city that is New York once again.

Mikey watched the little device break as it escaped his grasp, “oh no! Splinter’s doohickey!” He exclaimed, getting up and shifting his shoulder a bit to allow the reptile thing more space.

“Man,” April said, stretching her back as the dog thingy popped up and she caught it, “are you okay, boy? Or girl? You sure were good through all that mayhem. Hey mayhem! That’s a cute name.” She cooed. “We just defeated a boss villain. We’re heroes!” Raph said, striking a pose, all of them following suit. “We deserve a name like Mad Dogs.” “Mad Dogs?” Leo questioned, breaking character first. “You don’t think something like Ninja Mutant Turtle Teens or… I don’t know maybe - maybe we’ll keep brainstorming.”

A mosquito flew past them all before hundreds more came from the portal. “Huh, that can’t be good.” Donnie said. “We should go, people’s blinds are starting to open.” Leo noted as the sun started to rise. They all ran to their prospective homes, they waved April goodbye as she ran to her apartment complex and they located the nearest manhole to the sewers.

Mikey quickly ran to his room after hugging his brothers goodnight and ignoring Donnie saying it was morning. He zipped his curtains closed and quickly scooped the lizard thing out of his shell and into his hand. He sighed in relief to see it was relatively unharmed, the little guy looked around Mikey’s room in curiosity. “Hmmmm, what are you?” Mikey questioned, the lizard thing squeaked at him, wagging its tail before nibbling his finger. Mikey chuckled, “Welp! I have no idea what species you are, but from watching Wild Kratts and the documentaries donnie has made me watch, I can only guess you eat meat, maybe I’ll test to see if you can eat fruits and veggies too!” Mikey said, scratching the little guy who churred in delight.

Mikey looked around his room, trying to find something that inspired a name for the little guy before something caught his eye. An abstract painting he worked on inspired by, “Picasso!” Mikey exclaimed, “that’s what I’ll call you! Picasso! What do you think, little guy?” Picasso chirped in delight. Mikey giggles and spun around with Picasso in his hands, “we’ll have so much fun together, just you wait pico! You’ll love it here!”

Pico squeaked, chirping and churring in return to Mikey’s excitement. “Now, how do I hide you from my family?”

#rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rise of the tmnt #atomic pets au #my writing

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needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas · 3 years

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We've seen Riju and Sooga, what about Sooga and Yunobo?

Oh absolutely??? Sooga stop adopting the children

"And you don't ask Daruk for this because?..."

"I dunno. He just. Makes me nervous. He's THE great Daruk! He's so strong and brave and big. It makes me feel like I can't be near him or I'll make him look bad."

"Name someone who IS comfortable with their father nowadays."

Sooga retorted. Yunobo had asked him to join him to go gem hunting. You'd think a goron wouldn't need that. But he wanted something very specific, deep in a rock mine. Sooga watched as a lizard ran past him, before turning to Yunobo. He didn't know what to make of him, other than the fact that Kohga pitied him enough to have Sooga accompany him.

"I THINK it's around here...though, I've never seen it."

"So we're running a fools errand?"

"Maybe? But I wanna try anyway. Even though you get those...m...m..."

"Monsters?"

"Yeah, those. The moblin creep me out the most. Big pig snouts and nasty breath."

"Id be less worried about the ones you can see...versus the ones you can't."

Just then, a pack of keese seemed to fly out of nowhere, fangs bared and bodies aflame. With a quick swipe of his sword, they became nothing but monster parts. Sooga tucked his weapon away, sighing. Yunobo was in his shield, cowering. Sooga was already tired of him. He knocked on the shield to get his attention, and Yunobo chuckled.

"S-sorry, panicked. Let's keep going!"

Yunobo kept leading the way, further down the darkened tunnel. There were plenty of gems and jewels that glittered the cave walls, but none seemed to be what he was looking for. Sooga lit his emergency torch, and shone them across the walls. It was lovely in here, all things considered.

"May I ask, what IS this stone anyway? You have ambers, rubies, ive even seen diamonds."

"Its a REALLY special one. Its called 'Eldin's tear'. It's said to be tears from a dragon, upon meeting the goddess. At least, that's what the stories say."

Sooga gave a shake to his head. Goron stories. He'd never understand.

"What are they FOR anyway?"

"It's...uhm...for someone. Someone who's special to me. If they're here, I HAVE to find it."

Sooga couldn’t help but chuckle at that. Boy was soft as clay, but he had love in his heart. It was endearing to see.

"Ah. Someone...special."

"Yep."

"Is it someone...pretty?"

"Yeah, really-I mean, no!"

Yunobo hid his face in his big hand, and Sooga chuckled. Pathetic as he may be, he was at least kind in the heart. Yunobo suddenly stopped, sniffing the air.

"What? Why did you-"

"Something...smells different. Hold on, in here!"

Yunobo turned the corner, starting to dig at the wall ahead of him. Sooga peered from behind him, and saw three blue, round spheres underneath the rock wall. Yunobo grinned, turning to him, clearly excited.

"Sooga I think this is it! It's GOTTA be it!"

Sooga quickly drew his weapon. The spheres quickly revealed three, awful, old, snake like skulls. Sooga quickly stepped in between Yunobo and the monster, slicing through two of the heads. One more to-

"DAMMIT!"

One of the skulls dug its fangs into his shoulder. Motivated by the taste of his blood, a second followed suit, while the other went straight for Sooga’s face, barely giving Sooga time to block the incoming bite with his sword. He was in quite the amount of pain, but that didn't matter. Yunobo was the one to protect, not him.

"Sooga!"

"Go! Get back outside, I'll join you in a moment!"

Yunobo sat there, like a deer in headlights. Sooga was about to bark at him again, when he was pushed to the side, his body hitting the rock wall and making his new wounds flare in pain. The monster was trying to get to Sooga through Yunobo, but the boy sat there, arms braced up in defense, refusing to let the giant thing near him. When the heads suddenly started to attack in unison, Yunobo brought out his protection, smashing all of their skulls in one fell swoop. The body fell limp onto the floor, skulls shattered to pieces. Yunobo stood there, looking at his hands and trembling.

"I...I...oh my god Sooga!"

He turned around, helping Sooga to his feet. He made the motion to carry him, but Sooga pushed him away.

"You should have ran off like I said. You could've gotten hurt."

"YOU got hurt. Because of ME!you're bleeding everywhere!"

"Wouldn’t be the first time. But new scars to-oh my god you're crying."

Yunobo suddenly picked him up in his arms, starting to absolutely SOB.

"I GOT YOU HURT!! I'M SORRY! NO WONDER DARUK WANTS NOTHING TO DO WITH ME!"

Yunobo was crying because he was scared. Scared that he hurt Sooga. Scared that he was worth nothing, and was but a bane on this earth. Sooga knew his pain. He patted his back carefully, as if the boy was made of glass.

"Shh. It's okay. Look, put me down, I'll get us both fixed up. I saw one of them bit your hand."

"....i failed, didn't I?"

"We both did. But the wonderful thing about failure, is that it's crushing weight molds you for the better. Speaking of crushing-you're hurting my bones."

"Oh, sorry!"

Yunobo put him down, and they soon left the cave. They must've been here for a while, given that it was night time. Sooga patched himself up with his emergency gauze, before tending to the bite on Yunobo's hand. The boy was still sniffling.

"How about we make a stop before we go home? Get you something to eat? On me."

"B-but I got you hurt and we didn't find Eldin's tear-"

"You are not Daruk. You are Yunobo. You cannot always have grand feats like he does. You can only be you. Do you understand?"

Yunobo nodded, wiping his face with his wounded hand. He held onto his hand, having just the place in mind.

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

"You better have a good reason to drag me all the way out h-oh my fucking god."

Sooga and Yunobo had ordered quite a bit of food, and had eaten it outside underneath a tree. Yunobo had stuffed himself until he passed out, pretty much crushing Sooga. Suffice to say, Kohga didn't appreciate getting a call to pick him up.

"Master Kohga-"

"No. No, we are NOT adopting this one too. I got Mipha, you got Riju, that's enough."

"But he's a BABY?"

"I don't care, we are NOT adopting him."

"...pretty please with bananas on top? And whipped cream? And sprinkles? And-"

"Oh my fucking god- FINE. But you fucking gotta help me carry this 'baby' back home. Baby fucking rhino."

"Thank you, Master Kohga!"

"Thank me after he's fucked up all of our backs. We got a trip home, Sooga."

#asks #Kohga #Sooga #yunobo #sooga just saw a boy with issues and funny hair #was like 'is anyone gonna adopt this?'#and not wait for an answer

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little-ligi · 4 years

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Whumptober - No. 22

No. 22 - Poisoned Fandom - BBC Merlin Wordcount - 1553

Arthur raised his goblet.

“To a successful day,” he toasted.

“Hear, hear!” Gwaine called, downing the last of his goblet.

The others laughed but raised their goblets and sipped as well. It had been a long day, but a good one. They had rescued a village being tormented by a magical creature, half wolf, half lizard. Arthur himself had struck the killing blow and the villagers had been incredibly grateful, sending them back to Camelot with a brace of pheasants and a bottle of wine made by the village wise woman.

“More please, Merlin, my lovely purveyor of alcohol,” Gwaine sang, leaning back in his chair and waving his goblet.

“I think you’ve probably had enough for this evening,” Arthur told him.

He pouted, flicking his hair out of his eyes.

“Bet you can’t go the rest of the evening without having another drink,” Elyan said, flicking a bit of bread across the table at Gwaine.

Gwaine looked affronted. Percival nudged him with his elbow and Gwaine nearly fell off his seat. Although that could have been down to Percival’s strength rather than Gwaine’s intoxication.

“I think I’ll join that wager.” Arthur dug in his pocket and drew out a gold coin. He slammed it onto the table in front of him. “No more drink tonight.”

Gwaine groaned. Leon and Elyan fished coins out as well, laughing and adding them to Arthur’s pile. Lancelot gave a rueful smile but he was never one to gamble. Percival flipped a coin between his fingers.

“I wager he can,” he said calmly, patting Gwaine’s shoulder. “Faith in you, my friend.”

“Merlin?” Arthur looked up at him, he was grinning goofily. He pulled a face then got a coin from his own pocket, walked deliberately to Percival’s end of the table and dropped his coin down in front of the big knight.

The knights jeered and chuckled, Arthur raised an eyebrow.

“I’m in charge of the pouring, I’ll make sure he has no more,” Merlin said with a grin.

“Merlin!” Gwaine groaned. “Fine!” He looked around grumpily at the rest of the knights. Then snagged Leon’s goblet from beside him and drained it. “Starting from now.”

“That was the last of that wine anyway,” Merlin said, tilting the empty pitcher.

“Open the one the villagers gave us,” Arthur told him.

Merlin emptied the bottle of wine the villages had given them into the pitcher. Then came over and filled Leon’s empty goblet.

“Thank you, Merlin.” Leon took a sip, wincing and coughing slightly. “Ugh, that’s strong.” He shuddered and put the goblet back down.

“Aww, Gwaine, just how you like it!” Arthur teased.

Merlin plonked a goblet of water in front of Gwaine, some sloshing over the side at his overzealousness. Arthur was surprised Merlin didn’t end up wearing it, given the glare Gwaine sent him. Elyan clapped and laughed. Lancelot smirked and lifted his goblet, nodding to Gwaine satirically. Then jerked in his seat as Gwaine kicked him under the table. Elyan laughed harder and received his own kick.

Leon coughed, lifting a hand to pat his chest and rub at his throat.

“You alright?” Lancelot asked, putting his goblet down and leaning forwards across the table.

“Yes, just a tickle in my throat. It’s dry,” Leon said, coughing again. He picked up his goblet and had a large swig to try and alleviate the tickle. He pulled a face and pushed the goblet away. “That really is bad wine.”

“Merlin?” Lancelot turned to Merlin but he was already pouring a goblet of water from the other jug. He handed it to Leon, taking the offending wine away.

Sniffing it, Merlin pulled a face as well.

“So thanks, but no thanks to the homemade wine,” Arthur laughed, taking a sip of his own wine, which was still his first gobletful from the original pitcher of Camelot wine. “Throw it out, Merlin. Open another good bottle.”

Merlin sighed. “I’ll just go down to the cellars and fetch one, shall I?” He glared at Arthur. Arthur just gave him his princely stare and Merlin stomped out of the room.

Leon coughed again, Gwaine thumped him on the back, but Leon kept on coughing. Suddenly his hands flew to his mouth and he bent over double, coughing and retching. There was a loud scraping of chairs as the rest of the knights leapt to their feet.

Arthur grabbed Leon’s shoulders, pulling him upright. Blood tinged saliva was bubbling at the corner of his mouth, spilling over his lips into his beard. He was gasping, his hands clutching at his throat. His eyes were wide and terrified.

“Merlin!” Arthur yelled, hoping the servant wasn’t out of earshot already. “Someone get Gaius!”

Elyan sprinted from the room.

Percival caught Leon as he fell from his chair, shaking and convulsing. Together Arthur and Percival lowered him to the floor and rolled him onto his side. Lancelot knelt behind him, propping him up.

Gwaine stormed over to the table at the side of the room where Merlin had left Leon’s goblet of the homemade wine. He examined it closely.

“Poison?” Arthur asked, gritting his teeth in anger.

“Must be,” Gwaine replied. “But why? We saved their bloody village.”

Leon began gagging, his fingers scrabbling at his throat and the collar of his tunic.

“Loosen his tunic,” Lancelot suggested, Arthur was already trying to do so.

“Should we get him to drink some water?” Percival asked and Gwaine leapt towards the table, snatching his own untouched water goblet, spilling half of it in his haste to bring it down to Leon.

But Leon was gasping and didn’t seem able to drink. His face was turning red as he struggled to breathe, sweat running down his temples.

Arthur was beginning to panic by the time Merlin came back in, tossing the wine bottle from hand to hand. It dropped and smashed on the floor as Merlin noticed Leon. He ran to them and fell to his knees at Leon’s side.

“What happened?!”

“That wine was poisoned.”

“No!” Merlin’s hand fell to Leon’s chest, steadying him as he spasmed.

The door banged open again as Elyan reappeared. Gaius was panting with exertion behind him. He hurried over and Percival helped the old man down to his knees, moving out of the way so Gaius and Merlin could examine Leon.

“Elyan says he drank some poison?” Gaius asked.

“Yes, the wine’s over there if you need to see.” Arthur pointed at the pitcher. Gaius looked up at the pitcher and nodded then back down at Leon.

He opened his medicine bag, it was much more of a mess than usual, as if he had hurriedly thrown things into it when Elyan told him what had happened. He pulled out some dry herb sprigs, handing them to Merlin, who leapt up and dashed to the table, holding the twigs over a candle. They caught fire and Merlin threw his arm over his face, covering his nose and mouth with his elbow.

“Cover your faces,” Gaius said to Arthur and Lancelot. “You three stay back. You don’t want to breathe any of this in.”

Percival, Gwaine and Elyan backed away as Gaius, Arthur and Lancelot copied Merlin’s action. Merlin knelt back down, holding a bowl and handed the smoking bundle of sprigs to Gaius. Gaius waved them under Leon’s nose, making sure he breathed the smoke in.

Arthur saw why Gaius had told them to cover their faces when Leon leant forward and vomited violently into the bowl Merlin held.

“And again, make sure it’s all out.” Gaius waved the twigs again, patting Leon’s back as he gagged and retched, emptying the contents of his stomach. “That’s it. Merlin, cover that and no one touch it, the poison’s in there.”

Gaius dropped the smoking twigs into the bowl and Merlin whisked it away.

“Right, let’s get him to my chambers. I can analyse the poison and find an antidote.”

Percival and Elyan hurried forwards to help Lancelot and Arthur lift Leon to his feet. Percival wrapped Leon’s arm over his shoulders and hoisted him up. Arthur pulled Leon’s other arm over his own shoulders.

Leon groaned, his head lolling. Sweat was streaking his pale face and a small trickle of blood seeped down his beard, but he seemed to be breathing easier and was no longer choking.

“How did we end up with poisoned wine though?” Gwaine asked, picking up the pitcher and holding it at arm’s length.

“It was probably meant for you, Sire,” Lancelot said angrily.

Arthur growled. “I will not let him die because of me.”

“He shall not die, Sire,” Gaius assured him. “We’ve removed the poison from his stomach and I’ll treat him with a simple tincture of rue and yarrow first. Then as long as I can keep control over his heart rate and fever, he will stay stable until I have made an antidote. Then he should recover fully in just a couple of days.”

Gaius bustled out of the room, Merlin at his side with his medicine bag. Arthur and Percival carried Leon after them, Elyan hovering behind them to support if Leon fell.

“I think we’ll let you off the bet,” Lancelot said to Gwaine, putting an arm over his shaking shoulders. “We’ll all need a strong drink after this.”

#whumptober2020 #no. 22 #poisoned #bbc merlin #fanfiction #fic #leon whump #choking tw #vomit tw #knights of the round table #gaius #healing herbs #ligi writes

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haro-whumps · 4 years

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Ritual Sacrifice

CW: RITUAL SACRIFICE BABIES I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS SINCE THE PROMPT LIST CAME OUT, lady whumpee, dismemberment, panic, slight body horror(?)(just to be safe), semi-human whumpee, non-human whumper, trans woman naga caretaker, chains, blood

@whumptober2020

Marielle brushed her hands down her arms again, smoothing the thick lotion into her bronze skin so that it held an almost golden sheen in the candlelight. Her curly black hair had been pinned back from her face in a series of intricate, jeweled ornaments that matched with the rest of her glinting jewelry: the heavy earrings, the heavier arm bands and anklets, the necklace that was heavier still, and heaviest of all, the shackles.

She’d fastened them herself. It was not as though she had any real desire to run, or anywhere to run away to. Her tail twitched agitatedly at the thought, the thick pink and teal feathers flaring with her disquiet, but she twisted on her stool and forcefully smoothed them right back down. It was an honor, to serve in this purpose. And Marielle volunteering meant the other girls in the roost had another year to figure out a more permanent solution.

She picked agitatedly under one of her talons despite the fact that she’d bathed far too thoroughly to have left even a speck of dirt on her person. Then she preened the tiny, peach-pink feathers of her lower legs and ankles again, touched her hair, stood up, and began to pace. Her toe talons click-clacked against the wooden floor, digging into the grooves between the planks for purchase and filling the room with the only sound beyond the gentle swish of her clothes and the tinkling of her jewelry colliding.

Marielle had expected to be interrupted. Rushed. Hurried along. She hadn’t expected to be left waiting.

“Um, priestess?” she asked, rapping her knuckles gently against the doorframe. If we do not enact this soon, I fear I might reconsider my resolve not to run away.

“Are you ready, little Marielle?” The low, soothing pitch of the kindly priestess’s voice settled some of Marielle’s nerves. This priestess had been the one to teach religious studies during her school years, patient, sweet, familiar. Comforting.

“Yes ma’am,” she said, glad that her favorite schoolteacher was the one who would be guiding her. Really, any priestess would have been fine as long as they weren’t the skinny, wiry one who always dug her talons in whenever she gripped someone by the arm. But Marielle took comfort in the familiar voice.

The door opened and the intricate carvings of the priestess’s mask greeted Marielle, who smiled unconvincingly.

“Marielle,” she said warmly, softly, reaching out to squeeze two handfuls of her hair before cupping her cheeks. Although Marielle could not see her face, it seemed to her that the priestess looked… sad.

“Priestess,” she returned, leaning into her touch and bracing one of her hands with her own.

“Do you want to hear the words?”

Marielle snorted softly, a quiet rush of air, and shook her head. She knew. That her sacrifice would keep the greed-gods at bay for another year. That the life of one could preserve the lives of many. That she would be honored, venerated, and mourned.

She did not want to hear it. Did not need to.

So she lifted her wrists and let the priestess clip the chains upon the heavy cuffs.

And so we pass the point from which there will be no return.

She pondered, as the priestess led her through the ever-familiar pathways of their winding tree homes, if she ought to feel the truth of it all setting in yet. That she was going to die. That she was going willingly to her death. That her death was going to be a very bad one. Maybe, she thought as she walked the smooth wood of braided trees, she was numb from shock? Her mind’s desperate way of protecting itself.

A falling flower crossed her field of vision and pulled her from her thoughts, head raising to view its source. Her sister perched on the canopy. Traditionally, it was a woman’s mother who dropped the first flower. But Marielle’s mother never came to the marches, even when it was not her own kin on the trek.

Dozens, hundreds more descended in the first blossom’s wake, littering the path Marielle walked, a vibrantly orange bloom catching in her hair. It was just as easily dislodged when she reached the edge of the roost, spread her arms, and jumped.

Dropping was harder, weighed down by the unfamiliar jewelry, but the wind caught in the ceremonial glider as easily as her homely, family-spun one. The chains tethering her to the priestess were also new, Marielle generally preferring a bit more space between herself and a drop partner, but her tail fanned and caught the wind currents with enough precision that she was able to successfully drift down to the forest floor. Her toe talons sunk into the soft underbrush, and for an inane moment she pouted internally at the fact that she had just washed those.

Then the feeling evaporated, replaced by something much colder. Oddly enough, it was being down on the ground that set primitive, self-preserving fear through her. Nevermind that she was only there in the first place to bring those fears to life. She kind of wanted the numbness back now, please.

“Breathe, sweet Marielle,” the priestess murmured, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. The priestess’s glider sleeve covered Marielle’s back like a cloak, and she rested her head on her shoulder with a shallow nod. “It is not far to the altar now.”

And it was not. Last year’s blood, the years’ blood before it, still stained the holy stone. It was huge, square, too massive to lift and therefore something Marielle had never before witnessed, in her life high among the trees.

“In the center.”

Marielle climbed up, her tail flaring out to counterbalance as she perched awkwardly on it. It was uniquely smooth, entirely flat and level without a groove or grip in sight. Her toe talons scratched roughly against the unfamiliar surface, unsure of how to stand.

Or sit, as the priestess locked her right arm’s chain to one corner of the holy stone, and her left to the other. The priestess cupped her cheeks once more, bringing their foreheads together, and Marielle took a deep, shaky breath.

This was the last time anyone would ever touch her. This was the last person she’d ever see.

“Brave Marielle. We will miss you.”

Those were the last words anyone would ever say to her. This was it. It was over. Her life was over, why had she volunteered for this?! She didn’t want to die!

“No,” she gasped, “No, wait! Come back!”

But the priestess was already out of earshot by the time Marielle’s lagging tongue caught up to her delayed fears, talons sinking into soft bark as she carried herself back into the safe embrace of wooden limbs.

“No, wait! Wait! I change my mind! Wait!!”

Rustling, but not from above. Marielle went suddenly still, suddenly silent, as though the gods might not find her.

The greed-goddess that emerged was massive, shaped like a pig--or maybe a lizard--and it was lumbering, hulking, its stout legs crushing the brush. It was less “warty” than the simple state of it was that warts comprised the entirety of its skin, the reddish brown, leathery quality churning Marielle’s stomach. The goddess had no visible eyes to speak of, but its snout ended in giant nostrils that hovered just above its massive, filthy tusks.

The goddess rattled a nearby tree with those tusks, not hard enough to damage the homes above or the structural integrity of the tree itself. Just a reminder of its power, of the fact that it, and all the other greed-gods, could have their fill of Marielle’s people, should they ever fail to present the yearly offering.

Then the goddess turned its snout on Marielle.

“Please,” Marielle breathed, struggling backwards, wishing her ancestors had evolved wings. “Please, no.” Tears were budding in her eyes, the rattle of her chains loud in her drumming ears. The goddess set one massive, heavy leg upon the stone, air rushing over Marielle’s all-too-mortal skin. A tusk, big as Marielle’s thigh--bigger--slid beneath her knee, its snout twitching as it sniffed at her legs. Her breath was caught in her throat, the moment suspended, overwhelming horror choking her.

Then the goddess opened its mouth, two rows of glistening fangs revealed, thick, viscous saliva connecting the lower jaw to the upper. The greed-goddess’s fangs were chipped, rotting, some blackened by spots of mold, some pinkish with the blood of its last meal, some yellow or orange with age.

Marielle screamed.

The pain in her leg was blinding, worse than anything she’d imagined or feared. The goddess’s teeth were grinding against her bone, it cast her thoughts out, her wrists began to bleed where the shackles cut as she struggled mindlessly. She wailed, thrashed, kicked, anything to get away from the horrible beast rending her flesh, gnashing, eating her. Why had she been left conscious for this? Why wasn’t she knocked out?!

Just when she’d accepted that she would die from the pain before the goddess could even bite anything vital, a bellow of pain, too loud to be her own, shook the very treetops. It took Marielle’s lagging presence of mind a moment to catch up, that her ruined leg was no longer attached but also no longer trapped in the goddess’s maw.

The goddess was--tangled?--being--

There was a giantess here. Marielle had seen such people, slithering with their strange snake bodies across the forest floor. Always just glimpses, too far away to see anything meaningful, but she was close now.

The giantess had brown scales on her lower body, green where they caught in the light, and they were wrapped around the goddess’s heavy, massive bulk. Her upper body was more personable, with almond eyes in a sunlessly beige face half-hidden by strange, thin, straight hair. Silky, almost.

And oh, yeah, she had a massive boar spear clutched in both her hands.

The giantess let out a war cry, driving the spear into the goddess’s skull, where an eye might have been on a lesser creature. Black, thick fluid gushed, bubbling, as the goddess howled again. Its thick legs stomped, pawed at the giantess, but she was too firmly wrapped around it for its legs to loosen her grip. It tossed its head, nearly goring her (and a tusk did slice her side, the giantess’s blood a comforting, mortal red) but she held onto her spear and used it to leverage herself, riding the movement out.

Watching her move was captivating, enthralling even (although, that might have been the bloodloss talking). She was strange, and beautiful, and she’d just saved Marielle’s life.

She ripped the boar spear out and attacked the other side of the goddess’s face. Again, one nostril, again, the other. Once more, the final blow, right in the open mouth. Its wicked teeth crushed the spear, wood splintering, but the goddess--a goddess--was already in its death throes. The giantess curled herself around its middle once more, only barely avoiding having her skull crushed by its massive legs, and constricted, and constricted, and constricted, until the goddess went silent, and its body landed heavily atop the scaled coils on the ground.

The giantess rose slowly, arms outstretched, and lifted her face to the heavens.

“Behold Yuiko! Godslayer!!!” she crowed, and birds would’ve taken into flight had they not already been frightened away by the goddess.

“Uh,” Marielle tried, her breath still shallow and too-fast.

“Oh shit!” the giantess yelped with a snap of her head, shoulders suddenly hunched. “You’re still alive!”

“Y-yes?!” Marielle squeaked, alarmed by how quickly she slithered over, by the intensity of her focus.

“Okay, okay shit shit fuck uhhhhhhhh tourniquet!” she shouted, then wrapped her tail around Marielle’s mutilated stump and squeezed. She screamed, thrashing sharply at the fresh agony.

“Sorry! Sorry! I have to cut off blood flow so you don't bleed out! More. Gee, you little folk sure bleed a lot huh?” ‘S why I figured you were dead. Sorry about using you as bait, by the way. I just can’t get ahold of those motherfuckers unless they’re busy--I’ve seen way too many people die approaching them from the front y’dig?--and you seemed like my best shot. Fuck, that makes me sound like a total ass, huh? My--most sincerely--bad, my dude. Hey so my name’s Yuiko!”

“...Hi?” Marielle said, her mind reeling.

Yuiko grinned wide, black blood splatters on her face and up her arms, her eyes squinting almost closed with her smile. Marielle wasn’t sure if she was actually smiling back or not.

“Hey you’re kinda pretty, you know that?” Yuiko stated with the same manic bluntness. “Like all shiny ‘n shit.”

“That… might be on account of the jewelry?”

“Yeah that too. I’m taking some of that as payment for totally saving you and stuff.”

“You’re uh, welcome, to it?”

“Anyway, let’s get you off this rock, huh? Kinda mean of that other lady to strap you down like this ‘n shit.”

“We, have bargained a yearly sacrifice with the greed-gods, so they, do not take from us all.”

“Whack. We just hide and try to kill ‘em before they kill us,” Yuiko said, undoing the first chain from Marielle’s wrist and leaving it on the altar.

“You people, have been able, to kill them?” Marielle asked incredulously.

“Well hey hey, it’s not as easy as I just made it look,” Yuiko said, slithering to the other side of the sacrificial slab without loosening the end of her tail from Marielle’s stump. “Most people die trying, and we haven’t had a successful deicide in 30 years.” She made two Vs with her fingers and crossed them over her chest. “Until today!”

Yuiko uncrossed her arms and stared at the goddess’s corpse victoriously, her grin wide and boastful, but then she seemed to settle into something more contemplative. Marielle used her newly freed hand to undo the lock on her other shackle, fingers shaking as she did, since Yuiko seemed occupied.

“Hey if I drank goddess blood whaddaya think would happen?”

“I don’t think you should do that.”

Yuiko’s body undulated, and she tilted her head. “Okay, but like, just a taste,” she said, eyes not leaving the goddess. Her head snapped suddenly down, to the drying tar on her hands and arms, and she slowly lifted the back of her wrist, tongue poking out.

“Um, Yuiko?”

Her attention surged back onto Marielle. “Fuck! Right! You’re dying!” She rejoined Marielle at the slab. “Okay tell you what. I’mma carry you back to my burrow and get you to the village crazy lady.”

“What?” Marielle squeaked.

“She’s a healer?” Yuiko said, as though that explained it. “Oh, shit, wait, I can see why calling her nuts would not instill a proper confidence in you. Don’t worry, she is totally legit. I get my girl juice from her on the reg.”

“What are you saying?”

“Okay so you seem sorta outta it. Probs cause blood loss. Don’t worry about it though I will get you totes taken care of I just gotta figure out how to like, move, y’know, without letting you bleed out.”

Marielle stared at Yuiko, and Yuiko stared thoughtfully back, fingers in an L at her chin and smearing god blood on her face.

“Wait I got it!” Yuiko exclaimed, lifting her arms and pulling off her shirt by the back collar. “Oh hell yeah I am so fucking smart.”

Marielle watched her begin to tear the shirt mutely, wondering if maybe she was dead and this was just an acutely peculiar afterlife.

A sound in the woods had both their heads snapping up, breaths quickening.

“The gods smell blood; we gotta bounce!” Yuiko hissed, tearing faster, tying the tourniquet where her tail had been, and threw Marielle over her shoulder.

“Hey so you never told me who you are!” Yuiko commented, slithering across the forest floor at a dizzying speed.

“My name is Marielle.” It was the last thing she said before she passed out.

@killtheprotagonist

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zora-moyashi · 4 years

Text

<---- Prev

Core

“No I am not, just working on this Wolfbane file.”

"Ooo~ cool. Can we check out that book we were looking at before? Or does this place not work like a library."

Core

“I trust Shatter to bring it back, so yes you may borrow the folder.”

"Sweet thank you" She sits on the floor crosslegged flipping through the folder. "Which do you wanna get next tonic?" "Oh, um orion?" She flips to that.

Core

It was in the ‘adventure time’ au.

she looks to shatter who said that. "Ah, alright. Wonder if we'll meet fin. Its so weird meeting fictional characters haha! "

Core

“Well we just need to find this hunter.” Shatter said.

"Maybe its fin." She jokes. "Shatter would you do the honers of taking us there?"

Core

Shatter made a portal. “Says here ‘hunter princess’”

"Bubble gum! Kidding, is hunter princess what they call her?" She goes through.

Core

“It literally just says hunter princess, forest, adventure time au.”

"So helpful." She slides down a little hill in the forest. "Hunter princes! Wherever you are come here"

Core

“What do you want?” A voice sais

"oh uh, you have a gem?"

Core

“Yes I have the jewel you seek, but it’ll cost ya.”

"yeah, and what's that."

Core

“The feather of a cockatrice, get me that, and the jewel is yours.”

"Random. Why?"

Core

“It can heal cancer, and also be used as a spell ingredient.”

"what's this spell than?"

Core

“Turn people into stone.”

"sure.... whatever yeah we'll get that for you." chara waves her hand. "were can we find it?"

Core

“On a cockatrice, it lives in the desert.”

"k" she turns and they go to the desert "how big do you think this chicken is?" she asks shatter

Core

“18 to 50 feet, but my form is 25.” Shatter said

"that is a big chicken. we should bring it back for horror."

Core

“She would eat it, but watch out for it’s eyes.”

"yee i know sis, medusa chicken, i'm ready."

Core

“I have an idea, when we find it, I’ll turn into a mole and kick sand in it’s eyes.”

"sounds good. it is freaking me out a little that it lives in the desert."

Core

“Why?”

"well there's nothing here. it's not like it burrows, does it?"

Core

“Cockatrice are cold blooded, so it is perfect.”

"hmm, they must be pretty hardy." chara points "hey is that it?" in the distance there's a figure.

Core

Shatter looked and saw familiar plumage. “Yep.” She turned into a mole and dug underground

Chara laid low and watched

Core

She appeared in front of the bird and kicked sand

The bird shook it's head and glared at the mole relizing there were no eyes it got mad and looked for another victim

Core

Shatter assumed she got both eyes and turned back to normal.

The creature turned to their good eye, luckily shatter turned into a cockatrice just in time, the twos ability balancing out

(Stare down of the cockatrice.) Chara had been trying to sneak to the back of it and pluck a fether. She was close

Core

Shatter kept the cockatrice’s attention, though that wasn’t very hard since it turned out the wild one was male. (Sorry not sorry but he is trying to flirt)

(Lol) Chara gets ready to jump and right after she pluck it she did, right over the two of them and started to run to tonic.

Core

Shatter then attacked the male, showing she was NOT interested

"Woooo!" Chara runs and grabs tonics paw while waving the feather in the other hand.

Core

Shatter nodded and started to run off, noticing the male following.

Chara didn't look back so she didn't notice until she wondered what was making shatter as far back as she was.. "hurry up shatter?" She calls.

Core

Shatter used her wings to jump up and kick the male,

Chara heard the male cry out as shatter gouged his chest

Chara's curiosity wins and she looks back making sure to look low.

Core

Shatter killed the male, turning back. “He wouldn’t take a hint!”

"Oh I think he took it shatter haha!" She goes back and gets a couple more feathers for fun. "Alright let's get back."

Core

Shatter nodded, following

When they got there chara waves the feathers at the princess. "There you go. Why do you even have the gem if you're willing to give it up that fast?"

Core

“Getting the feathers is not that easy.” The woman said, tossing the blue gem to Chara

"OK better question, where did you get the gem?"

Core

“This lady with floating hair and glowing eyes gave it to me.”

"Didn't she tell you not ta give it away? Cause dang."

Core

“She told me find someone worthy.”

"Cool. Guess we win~" she sets the gem in, bright red color slowly dies down as it settles in. Chara spins the outside ring.

Core

It landed on pegasus

She showed shatter with a smile it glowed yellow.

" pegasus huh." Chara says "wonder what it'll be like"

Core

“Says Dracopedia AU, so more feathers.”

"well a'ight. not sure exactly what that means but i like surprises. let's go" chara says.

Core

“Also be careful, this au has my most dangerous forms

"eh, we're fine. we've got you."

Core

“True.” Shatter shrugged, making a portal to the mountains.

the three of them enter, it's late at night with a new moon making it pretty dark. the three of them made their own light for each of them. "okay, so, where is this thing?"

Core

“Well it lives in the mountains, so somewhere here”

"do these kinds of pegasuses... like, make nests?" chara asks

Core

“Kinda?” Shatter started, turning into an eight legged lizard large enough for Chara and Tonic to ride up the steep slopes. “They make large areas of flat stone to roost.”

"huh." chara hops on with tonic. "you have good night vision in this form shatter?"

Core

‘Actually it’s pretty decent, this is a Saharan Basilisk by the way’ she said, climbing up the slopes

they climb until they hit the top where it flatten out. there is a cliff in front of them they'd have to climb to get higher.

Core

Shatter looked around, sniffing the ground

the watch starts to glow indigo again. tonic holds it in a certain direction and it gets brighter.

Core

“I got a scent” Shatter said, turning the same direction. And bolting

tonic looses there balance almost falling off shatter's back. chara leans forward holding tight. "weeee! hahah " chara squeels.

Core

Shatter used her tail to help Tonic stay on as she climbed

shatter climbs up some of the cliff but than the sent is to the right. she can't see anything that way but the sent clearly leads that way.

Core

She turned to follow the sent, the basilisk’s eyes were small so this form mainly relied on scent anyway.

the cliff ended there, the mountain side dropping drastically. the sent came from inside the wall they climbed on, there was a spell of some sort on it it seemed as shatter touched it, the wall quivered.

Core

Shatter used her tail to snake the wall, again and again.

*smack

the harder she hit it the more it pushed back, like counter.

Core

Shatter growled at this. ‘You two get off for a second

there was a small ledge that they were able to stand on, though it was very thin they both did as they were told, tonic's light helping a lot.

Core

Shatter went over and started digging, something this form was great at

she could see that the spell was a bubble and went all around the protected area, even in the rock.

Core

Shatter bit at it, trying to tear

that was the most effective as the bubble's crease she made with the bite turned a light green

Core

She shook her head as she continued to bite

she eventually got through that, a bit more rock in her way before she could go into the grotto. shatter could hear sounds coming from in there. tonic inches their way over to where shatter was watching.

Core

Shatter dug through the rock with ease, once she made a big enough hole she went and got Tonic and Chara

the inside of this little hide away was quite nice. very cozy. there was a young looking Pegasus on the ground under some kind of animal pelt.

tonic and chara go in, chara looking around and finding gems. "oooo" she bends down to them and sees a little dragon there. much younger than the Pegasus. it was garding the gems

Core

“Dragonettes?’ Shatter questioned, confused. ‘They are domesticated so that must mean-‘ Shatter said before screeching as an arrow went through one of this form’s small eyes.

tonic jumped in surprise before bolting to where the arrow came from intending to rip up who ever did that's arm or whatever.

Core

He saw a male human. “Watch our you two! Basilisks are deadly, I’ve never seen one this far from the desert...” Shatter scratched the arrow out, blue blood stained that side of her face.

tonic bit into this guy's arm and pulled him to the ground.

Core

The guy had on armor. “What are you doing imp?! I saved you!” The man said, throwing Tonic into the dirt. Shatter heard this and hissed, raising her spines. She now could just barely see anything

tonic shook their head. "No! don't hurt her!" tonic growl/whines.

Core

“And why not?! They are dangerous!” The man yelled

Core

(He’s so cute argh!!! Shatter you better protect the bean!!)

"She wasn't hurting anyone." They say firmly. "Who are you?" Tonic asks sitting up. (Yee shatter, tonics gonna get in all kinds of trouble.)

Core

“It is after my steed! And I am Orion, rider of the winged horse.” He said.

"Funny that, we just met the representative of orion somewhere else." Tonic says quietly. "Do you mean that filly? It's hardly a steed."

Core

The horse seemed to hear this and charged at Tonic. Shatter heard the galloping and quickly got over Tonic, using herself as a shield.

Tonic being the skittish thing that he is jumped again. tonic tries to reason with the man saying they didn't know what they were doing and they were just looking for something. Chara saunters out of the cave thing holding the small dragon in her arms petting it as it purred watching the spectacle.

Core

It was a hatchling, fire red and covered in black spots, The man calmed down the horse, who and a golden collar with an indigo gem in the center. Shatter stayed over Tonic.

Tonic looked to shatter as if questioning if they should ask for the stone.

Core

Shatter nodded softly( Night)

"um... sir? That is actually what we're looking for." Tonic points to the horses neck. Chara steps over to them.

Core

“The gem? Do you have the ring?” He asked.

"Yes." Tonic nods as chara fishes it out of her pocket and shows him.

Core

“I see, well...” he took the gem out of the collar. “This is yours then.”

Chara's hands are full or else she would have taken it it, tonic takes it instead. "Why are you giving it up so easily?" Tonic asks

Core

“That barrier is not easy to get through, not to find it in the first place. You passed the test.” He said

Tonic looks unsure but thanks him anyway. Chara pats the dragons head until it hears the filly make a sound and flies over to it.

Core

Shatter turned back to her normal form, holding a hand over her left eye.

Tonic motioned for shatter to go down to their level

Core

Shatter was sitting down. “Oh, you are a shapeshifter.” Orion said “No shit Sherlock.” Shatter hissed, salty because eyes took forever to heal.

Chara giggles and goes up to pet the pegasus. Tonic heals shatter's eye with a drop of magic form their claw.

Core

“It needs to heal naturally, otherwise it may miss details.” Shatter explained to Tonic The Pegasus stomped a foot.

Tonic pouts and cuddles next to shatter instead. Chara copies the pegasus.

Core

Shatter sighed. “You two okay if we stay here until my eye heals?” The Pegasus snorted

"Fine with me" Chara says. Tonic shrugs

Core

Shatter laid down, closing her eyes. “You know, my core is blind.”

"Yeah? Why do you bring this up?" Chara asks while inspecting it's wings

Core

“Well, the first thing I ever saw was death, made me not want to see any more, but, I’m glad I can see you and Tonic.” Shatter said with a slight smile

"Awwwww~ break my heart, shatter!" Chara grins pulling at the wing to see how it bends. Tonic placed their head on shatter's belly resting with her.

Core

The Pegasus smacked Chara with its wing. Shatter continued to just chat. “Remember that other Nightmare? I think that’s because the Norse au shares the same creator as ours.”

"That so? Guess that'd make sense hm?" Chara shakes her head from the hit. Surprised by how soft the feathers are.

Core

“Yeah, in some of the aus with actual stars are limited, but rather interesting. One is where everyone is like opposite, then one where Dream and Nightmare swapped, one were the apocalypse happened, one with medieval kingdoms, and one where Geno and Dream made this deal.”

"What kinda deal?" Chara leaves the horse alone.

Core

“Not sure, but that au is a lot different from the others because of it.” Shatter explained

"Hm." Chara sits by shatter and starts to play with the loose rocks nearby. Orion and his pegasus head back to the hideaway

Core

“And one au, stars are bio weapons.” Shatter added

"Like you?"

Core

“No, no. Like robots with a soul stone core, you know, made by humans. Let me tell you that the one with the blades is ridiculously fast.” Shatter explained

"I'd bet. A star made only for fighting would really be something scary. So shatter, I'm a little foggy on bioweapons, it means using living things like germs or whatever to fight other living things? So even though they are made by humans they're still alive. Right?"

Core

“Well, it literally means ‘living weapon’ so anything alive, and they are.” Shatter said

"Uh-huh, how did they make them?"

Core

“Don’t know, I left fairly quickly.”

"Aw, that's too bad."

Core

“You would leave too if you were getting your ass kicked by something too fast to hit.” Shatter defended herself

"Not blaming ya, but it's still a shame. What was this star's name? Cause it's reminding me a lot of shadow lol"

Core

“C-5.”

Tonic fell asleep, "i'ma call her carma with a C. I hate the stupid code names. Anyway, what was your favorite place you've visited shatter?" Chara checks her soul with the small peice of gradients core sticking out of it still. The spread of the green seems to have stopped though. Lv 15.

Core

“Hmmm the jelly shroom forest.”

"sounds squishy."

Core

Shatter opened her eyes, the left one now healed. “So, ready for the next one?”

"i am but looks like tonic passed out."

Core

Shatter looked and chuckled, picking up the sleeping boy. “Well, next is dragon, so chances are it’s going to be here.”

draco's color glowed a silvery white with a tint of red. chara looks at it "i'll take your word for it, but i'd find it strange she'd hide two in the same world." tonic shifted in shatter's arms getting more comfortable.

Core

“Well, I told you before, this world is one of the most dangerous.” She reminded. “We should really stay here until Tonic Wales up....”

The watch's brightness stayed steady. "I say we go into their little cave if they'll let us."

Core

“We’re fine right here.” Shatter said, setting Tonic down.

"whatever. you know that thing could be out for hours. why don't you just wake them up?"

Core

“Because that is rude.” Shatter said.

"pfff, fine. maybe the dragon will come to us."

Core

“Not likely...” Shatter said

chara lays down with a huff.

Core

“Sorry, I know you are excited.”

she grunts as a reply.

Core

“Look, how about truth or dare in the meantime?”

"sure, how's that work? i made up shit when i played that with asy."

08/13/2019

"I never got to play with other humans. I just watched them sometimes."

Core

“Well, I say truth or dare, then you choose to answer something with only the truth or do a dare.”

"Uhhhh okay truth"

Core

“Are you using me?” Shatter asked, rather seriously

Chara was instantly shocked. She opened and closed her mouth unsure what to say.

"....uh.." she laughs it off. "I thought this was supposed to be fun?"

Core

“Yes that is the general purpose, But it is also good excuse to get answers,” Shatter said

She blinks. "And if I refuse to answer?"

Core

“You get punched in the arm.”

Chara groans. "Shatter! Come on! I don't even think I know the answer to that!"Tonic stirs from the noise before falling back asleep.

Core

“Then you accept the punch?”

"....I guess."

Core

Shatter punched her in the air hard enough for it to sting. “Your turn

She rubs her arm disheartened with a sigh. "Truth or dare?"

Core

“Dare.” Shatter said

"I dare you to wake tonic up so we can fucking leave."

Core

“Fine, Fine.” Shatter said, gently shaking Tonic. “Come on, wake up sleepy head.”

Tonic slowly shakes their head and blinks at shatter half alseep.

"Yes shatter?" He asks yawning.

"Shatter's being mean to me so I made her wake you up."

Core

“Sorry, “Shatter apologized, I promise you can rest on the way.

"Mmm, okay." Tonic wraps their arms around shatter's neck closing their eyes again.

Core

Shatter carried Tonic like a backpack. “You got the ring?” Shatter asked Chara

"Sure do." She holds it up as it shines brightly to the north.

Core

“Well, the sea orc’s lair is north..” Shatter said

"Alright." She walks that way. Unnaturally silent for her

Core

“Hey, Sorry if I made you upset.” Shatter said

She shrugs. "...It made me mad that I don't know the answer. Not your fault."

Core

“Oh, I see, well do tell me when you figure it out.”

"...fine." They see the orc's lair ahead of them. Murmuring can be found in that direction.

Core

It was a cave surrounded by water, Shatter turned into a lapras. ‘We have to be careful of rocs.’

"Yeah I'd assume seeing the name. Think they captured the dragon?"

Core

“No, rocs are giant birds, they might They to eat me in this form.’

"Well then get out of that form stupid?"

Core

‘What else do you expect me to use? Rocs will eat anything I do!’

"Try a laprass? How big are these things?" She looks around to see one.

Core

There was what looked like a cliff, at least 1500 feee tall, it opened an eye and stretched out it’s wings. ‘Shit!’

"WOOOW!" Chara squeals. "SO PRETTY!!!"

Core

The roc looked over, seeing shatter. ‘Shit! Shit! Shit!” Shatter hissed, diving down

"Shatter! Look how cool it is!"

Core

‘It’s not cool!’ Shatter said as the roc flew into the air, watching the water.

The roc blocked all light out from the sun that was coming up. "Shouldn't we just leave??? Why the hell are you diving?"

"I feel tree cover would be better!"

Core

The roc dove its talons into the water and caught a whale, easily lifting the giant mammal into the air.

"Yeah, like that." Chara dunks her head under trying to find shatter but she sees nothing untill she notices a faint light that she assumes was tonic on shatter's back.

Core

‘Wasn’t me!’ Shatter cheered as she surfaced, letting Chara on her back so they could head to the lair

Tonic shakes off like a dog and chara gets on with them. "How fast did you dive?"

Core

‘Fast enough apparently.’

"Yeah sure." They get to the shore of the cave. Chara hops off into the black sand.

muttering is much louder on the shore. Chara sneaks around to the edge of the cave.

Chara sees a big gathering of orcs circling something, chara's not sure what it is. She quietly relays that info to shatter.

(These are sea orcs)

"perhaps. If the gem's in there that'll make this difficult. How strong do ya think these are?"

Core

“Well, a freybug won’t work... but a naga will.” Shatter said before turning into a cobra with four arms and a scorpion stinger at the tail

"so we're just gonna crash that party?"

Core

‘Hell Yeah’ Shatter hissed slithering over

Chara follows, they notice them right as they enter the cave and start making screaming like sounds at shatter and chara.

Core

Shatter was highly venomous in this form and would paralyze her victims

One of the orc's came over (Wait so, the orcs are in the water in a cave on the island right?) Jumping out of the water and whipping their tail at shatter's torso knocking her of balance.

Core

The cave is like the one kyogre is in)) Shatter hissed as she used her four arms to spin back around

some of the orcs go on the land to attack, biting at shatter's legs. Another snaps at chara as she hops on it back

Core

Shatter quickly nabbed the one that was going to attack Chara.

It slams against shatter as the others do something similar as back up. Chara desides to go check what they were circling while they're destracted. Chara manages to get around most of them as they attack shatter. There's a big pool of blood fogging the area making it hard to see what's inside.

Core

There was a red gem in the water. Shatter’s teeth weren’t for tearing to she had to resort to her claws and stinger.

Chara darted into the fog grabbing for the gem she saw a glimpse of. As she waved her arms in the blood she hit chunks of flesh and bone. She eventually got what she wanted though it was covered in fleash. She swims up unharmed and calls "shatter! I got it let's leave!"

Core

Shatter turned back and teleported to Chara before teleporting to Tonic

they get out and the orc's aren't happy about that as they search for them, shatter and the others are on the other side of the lake, pretty safe from being found. "wooo! that was fun!" chara says as she wipes the gore off of the gem.

Core

“Sure, for you.”

"don't be like that. it's not like you got very hurt!"

Core

“True, but I was more worried about you.”

"yeah well you shouldn't be..... shatter? would you hate me if i was only using you?"

Core

“No, I don’t think I would, I don’t think I could at this point.”

"tch. well you should."

Core

Shatter shrugged, “it’s not the first time and it won’t be the last, I’m just glad you are actually a great friend.”

( there's the color list, i got rid of the dog and bull cause they're too similar to wolf and touros. )

Core

Shatter started to say something and sighed, before looking at what was next; (file above)

(so that's the dog? or what?)

Core

(Greater dog)

Core

“Yeah but this is a different kind.”

"Right. I guess we'll just have to see when we get there." Tonic says nuzzling into her shoulder.

Core

Shatter nodded and turned into a lapras again. ‘Come on Chara’

She makes not a sound and gets on the lapras's back.

Core

Shatter swam across the shore

Chara stands on her shell looking into the water

Core

‘Truth or dare’

Chara shakes with anger 'shut up.' Though tonic couldn't hear them they could see the tension between them.

"Ummm. Did something happen while I was asleep?"

Chara rolls her eyes. "No, it's none of your concern "

Core

‘I’m just trying to lighten the mood.’ Shatter said

'Because that worked so well before.'

Core

‘Ok, how about I make you something? Like chocolate?’

'Not hungry shatter. Like i said before, just forget it.'

Core

Shatter sighed as they reached the next shore

Tonic and chara get off, this shore is very muddy. The watch calls for the next stone with a pure red color. Tonic looks around "which way shatter?"

Core

“There are some plains nearby, drakes normally live there.”

"Oh, so there's many of them?"

Core

“Well there are tons of drakes, hydras are rarer.”

Tonic nods and starts trotting through the plains.

Core

They saw some creature’s run past

Tonic looks back to make sure shatter's there before they go close to the animals.

Core

Shatter was trying to make up with Chara

"Shatter! I'm serious, forget about it!" The drakes land near the group seemingly curious of them and the light.

Core

(Drakes can’t fly, they run)

( dheidbdksbd, kk. I was thinking of a different critter. Want to send me a pic.)

Shatter growled at the pack.

They sniffed and snarled at shatter's hostility

Core

Shatter turned into a war Drake, different from these Common Drakes, she had her tail down, a sign she wasn’t interested in a fight

They weren't wanting a fight either, but they did seem interested in shatter's transformation and tonic in general. One nudged against tonics head with its snout.

Core

Shatter raised her tail and growled, lowering her body, showing she was defensive about Tonic like he was a pup

It didn't listen to shatter as it pushed tonic to the ground starting to lick them. Tonic giggled pushing it away.

Core

Shatter growled at this, showing her disapproval to the pack

They back off, as this isn't their territory and they were just looking for food to bring back to their group leader (the hydra)

They start to leave and drag the prey they already had.

Core

Shatter growled softly. Before sniffing the ground

Tonic shakes off the slobber and joins shatter attempting to smell for the gem as well though they can't smell anything

Core

‘Got the scent, come on.’ Shatter said, running towards the source

They both follow quickly

Core

One of the packs look outs saw shatter enter their territory

It made a howl like sound and instantly a a new group of drakes came after the group.

(meet pickett)

august 14 leo

Core

Shatter growled and kept herself in between the pack and the others

08/15/2019

The pack reached them, nipping at shatter and roaring, telling them to get lost.

Core

Shatter had more armor and sharper teeth, but she was outnumbered.

One rammed into shatter knocking her over, the drake climbed on her and started ripping st her neck.

Core

Shatter used her strong back legs to tear at her attacker’s stomach, her long claws meant for traction on land, thinking quickly she turned into a Shedu, or a winged lion, the natural predators of drakes. ‘Ok, I’m done playing fair

The drake's belly was pretty ripped up and it backed away as much as it could looking up at the shedu. The other drakes still had a job to do, no matter what, so even though they hesitate they attack her again anyway. One got a good grip on one of her wings.

Core

Shatter spun around and attacked the Drake, swatting it.

the cerberus noticing the trouble it's pack was in, grabbed the gem hiding it in its mouth, and sprinted towards the group. It seemed to be able to talk through telepathy. It clearly wasn't it's power, but given to it by someone else. 'Get out of home' it growled like an angry child.

‘Not until we talk!’ Shatter hissed, roaring at some of the drakes

One of the cerberus' heads ordered the pack to back up. The head on the right said 'there nothing to say! Trespass!'

Core

‘Only to find you!’ Shatter hissed,

they relax except the head on the right. The one on the left asks 'what want stranger?'

Core

‘We are after the gem’s of Singularity.’

'Can't have, it master's' says the middle 'important to master.'

Core

(So far the highest points is 20 with the exorcist) ‘Yes, But we found her ring, and wish to restore it.’ Shatter said.

The heads talk amungst eachother before looking at the group silently. Chara grows sick of it. "Well??? Make up your damn mind! Can we have it or not?" The head on the left says 'must check worthiness' 'Destroy shedu nest.' The heads all nod in agreement.

‘You want me to destroy a Shedu nest? They are an endangered species, how about I do you one better? A bull hydra nest.’

(That tail tho) 'hydra's don't bother pack. Must be shedu.'

Core

‘Fine, But only one cub, I do not want to be responsible for the extinction of a species’

'Than no deal.' They nod and turntail.

Core

‘Ugh Fine, I’ll destroy the nest!’

'Good' head on right than says ' back before sundown or test failed.'

Core

‘Fine...’ Shatter huffed, letting Chara and Tonic on her back

They climb on and chara sticks her tounge out at the beast as they run in the direction of the nest.

Shatter flew up to the nest. ‘They didn’t say we had to kill the cubs...’ Shatter told herself as she tore up the fur padding that made the nest. (This is a white Shedu)

(A roc☝️)

There were four cubs shivering covered in their moms shed fur watching shatter confused. The Cubs had little fur and if they were to leave they would certainly freeze.

Core

Shatter changed the nest, destroying the old one.

One of the cubs grew more curious and went up to shatter, they'd never seen a non artic of their kind. It made a little cub sound as if questioning her.

Core

Shatter chuffed nudging the cub back before flying away

"...shatter?" Tonic asks. "I don't think... that'll be good enough for the cerberus."

Core

‘They said destroy the nest, and I did.’

‘They never said I couldn’t fix it later’

tonic shrugs and enjoys the ride, not sure about that.

When they get back the cerberus is instantly unpleased. 'Didn't do as asked!'

Core

Shatter landed. ‘Yes I did, you never said I couldn’t rebuild it, nor did you say I had to kill the cubs.’

The cerberus is angry about the miscommunication. 'You know what ment! No gem until what asked is done! Whole nest! We watch, do it right.' The one who game them telepathy also gave sight sharing.

( *gave them)

Core

‘Fine!’ Shatter hissed, flying back. ‘Chara, can you keep the cubs warm?’

"Yeah."

Core

‘Ok, Shatter landed by the nest. There were three cubs

'Where is the other one?" Tonic asks.

Core

Shatter looked around and saw it fell off the cliff. ‘Poor thing.’

"more like dumb thing." chara says getting off her back and gathering the other cubs.

Core

‘The wind up here is bad’ Shatter explained, waiting for Chara to get the cubs before tearing up the nest

"shouldn't have been so close to the edge." after shatter's done chara makes a bubble and puts them in it. than she puts a fire around it to keep them warm. the babies can't break the bubble but a mom surly could.

Core

Shatter made her work quick. ‘Can you leave them here in the bubble?’

"yeah, they'll be fine."

the cubs scratch at the walls of the bubble.

Core

Shatter felt deep guilt leaving, but got herself to do it

when they get back once again the Cerberus just glares at them. it spits out the gem onto the ground. it's given up on it's communication and considers them strong enough for the gem anyway. if the cerberus could have told them better it would have meant 'kill all the cubs available. but it didn't so pff'

Core

Shatter took the gem.

"alright then." chara holds out the watch to shatter.

Core

Shatter placed the gem.

it fit into place and started to call for the golden quezlequatle.

it was clear that that gem wasn't in this world.

Core

Shatter looked at the file, ‘I’ve never heard of this au’

shatter opens a portal to a very dark space similar to the void. in the distance there is flashing lights changing colors. "weird place" chara says.

Core

Shatter walked through, cautious

the other two follow and the portal instantly disappears as if it didn't ever exist. as shatter tries to make another portal she's unable to. she can still shapeshift though.

Core

Shatter paused

this place echos like crazy and chara's having way too much fun with it. she starts by stomping on the 'ground' and than starts yelling nonsense. "SHATERR! THIS IS AN AMAZING ECHO!"

Core

‘I can hear that.’ Shatter smiled

chara walks to the flashing lights and they emit a song per each structure. she taps one and it blinks off.

"Hm.. I bet we need to recreate a song. The question is what is the song." Tonic steps on a tile that makes a 'bloop' sound

Core

Shatter turned into a Chatot and repeated the sound

Core

(Crazy Idea: T.G. Au Dream and Nightmare would always fly at night together because it made them feel like all the pain of having to hide was gone, but one night Dream kept her jacket on and said she wasn’t in the mood, Nightmare shrugged it off and flew, Dream watching from the rooftops. The next night, Dream told Nightmare she was tired and it was overcast. This time her sister was concerned and asked if anything was wrong. Dream forced a smile and told Nightmare that everyone was ok. Later that night as the two slept, Dream had a nightmare where she was flying during the early morning and a wire net tore up her wing, she crashed down, exposed to humans who tore off the wing. Dream woke up in a cold sweat, pulling the blanket closer to her as she looked at her sister. The third night came and Dream still didn’t want to fly with Nightmare. “What’s with you recently?” Nightmare asked. “It’s nothing, I promise, you just enjoy yourself.” Dream replied. “Stop lying to me Dream! You haven’t been able to sleep, and haven’t been eating either!” Nightmare said to her sibling who tugged on her own jacket sleeve. “Why won’t you fly?” “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to tonight.” Nightmare went to Dream, picking her sister in the air. “Why are you continuing to lie to me?!” “I’m sorry!” Dream said as her jacket fell off, revealing her left wing was gone. Nightmare in shock landed, Dream quickly hid her bloody back with her jacket, looking down. “I’m sorry Nightmare...” It’s based on a new song I added ‘Two birds on a wire’)

As chara pushed more buttons something was chamging. The area they were in seemed to get smaller everytime something was pushed.

Core

‘Hold on...we might get squished’

Chara stops. "Have a better idea genius?"

Core

Shatter looked at the floor, before turning into Ironhide. Then stepping in the correct pattern. “Simple key puzzle, typical of Nintendo games.”

( look at this new boi I got.) Chara cocks her head as a way is opened. "How'd you know the melody though???"

Core

“The height of the plates, it’s minimal but enough that I noticed.”

Chara then noticed and huffs. "Fiiiiine" she goes through the gateway and is transported to a forest area with ghost like creatchers. Also there's a frog just sitting there. Chara goes over and pokes the frog. It makes a croak but doesn't move

Core

(The creature is Bioweapon!Killer) “An echo forest?” Ironhide asked

One of the ghosts came up to iron hide looking down at her.

Ironhide sat down. “Hey buddy

it made gurgling sounds and shrunk down seemingly sitting aswell. Tonic went off on their own to try to find clues to the gem. The watch doesn't glow in this au. Tonic comes appon a street with a bunch of traffic cones blocking the way.

Core

Ironhide turned into Plasma, her ghost type form.

A bunch of other ghosts that look similar with different colors gather around shatter. Chara picks up the frog and it turns into a small egg. If she puts it back down it turns back. "Hehe. Cool."

Core

“They are wisps....” Plasma whispered

#rp chain #ignore me #long

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xxpadfootxx · 4 years

Text

🐾Night Terrors & New Beginnings - Part 4 (Hidden Treasures)🐾

As soon as the Midoryas left her home, Haruka immediately jumped into the air with her fist raised excitedly. She felt like a giddy school girl again, adrenaline coursing through her veins and happiness forcing her to smile the widest she had smiled in a long time. Her doctor friend had indeed told her that the dragon that had attacked Izuku was thought to be a Night Fury but she hadn’t dared to believe it, they were just too rare, never seen and constantly moving at speeds faster than that of sound. She had worked with a lot of dragons but she had never ever seen a Night Fury before. She whirled around, the tea and treats forgotten on the coffee table and rushed for her office. Her eagle raised his wings and flew after her, swerving around the corner and landing on her desk beside her laptop.

Haruka leaned down and opened up one of her drawers, moving all of the papers and pens out of the way until she reached the bottom. Once she reached the bottom of the drawer she reached her fingers around the corner and pulled up, revealing a hidden compartment. She smiled as she pulled out a bow along with her phone and a quiver of arrows. She closed the drawer and stood up, moving to the shelf that lined the wall of her office. Her eagle ruffled his feathers and followed Haruka’s line of sight as she scanned the shelf. After a minute, the eagle cawed and flew over to the shelf, reaching a talon to point at a glass bottle that was filled with a pale green liquid. Haruka smiled at the eagle and plucked the bottle from the shelf, slipping it into one of the little pockets in her robe.

“Nice work Cassian! Are you ready to go?” The eagle cawed again and took off, following Haruka back through the living room and out into the backyard. Haruka’s backyard was a large spanning meadow that flowed into a forest at the back. Haruka strode through the tall grass of her meadow, Cassian coasting beside her until they entered the calming clutches of the dark forest.

_______________________________________________

Hours passed and although they had not found anything, Haruka never lost hope. She glanced up through the trees and watched as Cassian flew above her, scanning the forest floor for their prize. Haruka glanced back down at the ground and moved her way through the foliage, her eyes watching for any sign that the dragon had crossed through the area. Suddenly, Cassian dove down toward the ground in a sharp decline. Haruka paused and stood still, waiting for him to return. It was at least half an hour before the bird rose back into the sky and shot toward her, his wings beating the air frantically. The eagle landed on the forest floor and tilted his head to look more directly at Haruka. After a second of catching his breath, Cassian nodded to Haruka. The eccentric woman then leaned back and glanced around them, one hand resting on the pommel of her sword, making sure that nobody was around. After she was one hundred percent sure that nobody was around, she nodded slightly to Cassian. She then picked up her phone and called a friend. The phone only got through the first ring before someone picked up on the other end.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Emiko! It’s Haruka, Cassian has found something, can you please come over here and use your quirk on him?”

“Sure thing, where are you? I am over by the river that we passed a little while ago.”

“Perfect, I can meet you over there.”

Haruka then beckoned to Cassian who took off once more for the river. It only took a few minutes for the pair to reach Emiko, a friend of Haruka’s who was a fan of adventure and enjoyed helping Haruka with her odd jobs. Emiko looked up as they pushed through the brush and smiled at them, wiping the sweat off of her brow. Haruka trotted up to Emiko and Cassian landed on the ground beside them, his mouth open as he caught his breath. Emiko looked down at him and smiled at the old bird.

“Hello again, Cassian! Are you ready?” Emiko leaned back and stretched her arms above her head, sighing as a satisfying pop sounded from in between her shoulder blades. The bird nodded and stood up tall as Emiko leaned down with her palm out, her fingers glowing a faint yellow. Haruka smiled as she watched them, her mind flooding with the sweet memories of when she had met Emiko in middle school when she had accidentally turned Haruka into a lizard during lunch. It was after this incident that Haruka had learned that Emiko’s quirk was the ability to hide the true form of things by turning them into animals or objects with her fingers. Even so, they had become good friends with a taste for adventure and a love for all living things.

Now, Emiko pressed her fingers to Cassian’s side, careful not to damage his beautiful wings and stepped back after the glow had dimmed from her fingers. Her quirk took a moment to take effect as Cassian’s body began to change, his feathers falling off to be replaced with a hard exterior and his beak changing into a snout all while his body was growing into a size much larger than that of a bird. The two women stepped back to admire their work as the creature standing before them stretched his lavish wings and blinked his eyes as he grew reaccustomed to the world around him.

The Boneknapper dragon then shook himself, the bones that covered his body like armor clacking together until he settled back down, leaning down to look at the women properly. Haruka smiled and placed a hand on the front of his nose where a swirly mark lay. Once her hand met with the mark on his muzzle, both her hand and his snout began to glow with a soft blue hue. They broke apart after a minute and looked at each other lovingly before Haruka walked around to his flank where she placed her foot in the indention of one of the bones covering his back leg to hoist herself up onto his back. Emiko dug through her own leather bag and pulled out a small book. Raising her hand and allowing her fingertips to glow with the power of her quirk, she touched the book until it had reformed back into its normal shape, which was that of a dragon saddle. Once the saddle had reshaped in her arms, she threw it to Haruka who caught it and situated it on top of the Boneknapper’s back near the base of the neck so that the bones that protruded from that spot would not stab right through her. Once she was settled in the saddle she reached a hand out for Emiko and helped her up.

“Ready?” Haruka asked.

“Ready.”

Haruka patted her dragon’s neck and he raised his wings high into the air, his bones rattling together. Finally, he forced his mighty wings down as hard as he could and they were shot into the air. Cassian flew right into the clouds so as to avoid being seen by other people and Haruka pulled a long microscope-looking object out of her bag, leaning over her dragon’s side until it poked out from just underneath the clouds. Looking down into the forest below, she reached forward and placed her hand on the back of her dragon’s head, her hand starting to glow again.

“Tell me when you find it again, Cassian,” Haruka said, using the power from her hand to allow Cassian to see what she was seeing. The dragon sighed and his eyes darted around as he too looked down at the forest floor despite being above the clouds. This was how they had avoided detection for all of these years. They had been flying for a long time when Cassian suddenly perked up with a growl. Haruka looked to the left and saw it too. She patted him again and he tilted his wings so that they were then aiming for the ground once more. They landed softly in the center of a clearing. The wind swayed the grass and ruffled the water but it also carried the strong scent of blood with it. Haruka and Emiko pulled their shirts over their noses as the smell attacked their senses with the full force of a truck hitting a steel beam at full speed. Haruka’s eyes watered but she pushed past it and looked around the bloody clearing.

“Stay close, both of you,” Haruka said, looking back at both of her best friends. Emiko nodded and Cassian purred softly before sniffing the air and walking around. Despite the immense amount of blood in the clearing, there were no bodies which meant that either the dragon didn’t kill anyone or someone had removed all of the bodies. Haruka hoped it was the first option but really had no idea as she too started to walk around. Emiko took to the perimeter of the clearing while Haruka went to the center of the clearing to where the largest puddle of blood in the whole field sat. She knew this was dragon’s blood due to the fact that if any person had lost this much blood they would’ve been dead two times over.

Haruka leaned down and pressed her fingers into the mess to find that the blood was old. She saw a trail of blood leading a little ways away from the spot in three different directions and felt each one, her fingers running along the grass tips until they had developed a red tinge. She finally got to the third trail of blood that had branched off from the main puddle. It seemed like the weakest trail of blood and was barely visible as tufts of grass covered the path but Haruka ran her fingers over it gingerly anyway. She froze as her fingers came back slick and red. This blood was fresh. Haruka frantically looked around, her eyes roving over every crevice and ditch in the clearing, her ears alert and her skin tingling with nerves.

“Uh… Haruka?”

“Yeah?”

“I think that is what you are looking for.”

Haruka glanced at Emiko to see her staring up into a tree directly above them. Haruka gulped and slowly looked up to see the Night Fury looking down at them, its mouth split into a snarl, its eyes gleaming and its torn wings opened wide.

Haruka couldn’t find the strength to scream or move as the beast leaped down from the tree. The only thing stopping the dragon from landing directly on top of her was Cassian, who jumped over the river and batted Haruka out of the way with his giant paws. She landed a little rough on the ground but didn’t care, the adrenaline running through her veins masking the slight pain so that she didn’t even notice.

“Cassian!” Haruka cried out as the Night Fury roared at the Boneknapper, its teeth bared and its silver claws flexing into the dirt so that it left long ruts on the forest floor. It snapped open its wings wider as it snarled at Cassian, hoping to appear larger and more intimidating. Cassian was much larger than the Night Fury but Haruka knew better, her dragon would be no match for the offspring of lightning and death itself. With its wings wide open, Haruka could see the large slashes that covered the sensitive membranes all over and saw the blood seep slowly from its body whenever it moved. She knew why the dragon was attacking but she wanted some way to show that they would not harm it. She was about to say something along those lines to Emiko and Cassian when the Night Fury launched at her dragon from the left before ducking down and leaping onto his back from the right. Cassian yelped and whipped around, hitting his flank on a nearby tree to try to shake off the Night Fury.

Haruka only saw red as her dragon yelped again. She loved dragons and didn’t want to hurt this dragon, especially since it was a Night Fury but she couldn’t hold back anymore. With an angry yell, she focused on the dragon’s right front leg and used all of her brainpower to activate her quirk. She felt her quirk activate with the tiniest clicking sound in her mind and she tilted her head to the left with a swift jerk. Within the seconds she heard the sound of a bone snapping and the Night Fury let out a howl of pain, falling off of Cassian. Cassian went to pounce on the dragon but Haruka stopped him with a sharp shout.

The Night Fury looked at her in anger and blinding white horror as Haruka approached it, its wings flailing as it tried to sit up. It let out a strangled cry when it felt someone’s hand press against its flank. Haruka looked up at Emiko in shock as the other woman basically leaped onto the Night Fury and pressed her glowing fingers to its side, her breathing fast and rough as she tried to force the panic down. In less than a minute, the panicking beast had shrunk, its wings folding into themselves until they had disappeared, the dragon’s head shrinking and changing, and its body compacting and growing into soft, fluffy fur. Once the transformation was over, the Night Fury managed to shakily stand up on its three non-damaged legs and shake a little bit, its midnight black fur flowing with the movement. The dragon had been transformed into a big black dog with pointed ears, bright eyes, and a fluffy tail. It looked like a German Shepherd but it definitely didn’t act like one. The dog looked around, its eyes dilating and narrowing as it got used to the different eyesight. It shook its head and let out a severe snarl that didn’t even sound canine.

After a few moments of getting used to its new body, the dog looked up at the two women and the now huge Boneknapper dragon and pinned its ears in fear. It barked at them and bared its teeth as it backed away slowly into the foliage at the edge of the clearing.

“Easy, easy now, don’t worry, we won’t hurt you,” Haruka said, holding one hand out warmly, the other hand, holding her bow and an arrow between two fingers, the tip of the arrow glistening with the pale green liquid from the bottle in her pocket.

She didn’t expect the creature to believe her after what they had done to it but she just needed to stall it until they could trap it. She motioned ever so slightly to Emiko who was about to throw the net they had prepared for the Night Fury’s capture when the beast snarled at them once more and galloped away, nearly falling over on it’s injured legs but still managing to move fast enough to avoid capture. Without thinking, Haruka raised her bow and fired an arrow after the dog, wincing as she heard a yelp in the distance.

“No, wait!” Emiko said with her hand held out as if to stop the already long gone dragon from leaving. The pair ran after the dog, their arms pumping and their breathing ragged as they tore after the beast. They only stopped when they stumbled upon the arrow that Haruka had fired on the forest floor, the tip gleaming with a hint of blood. Emiko hung her head.

“Haruka, I am so sorry, I didn’t throw the net when you asked me to and I turned it into a dog so now it is going to be impossible to find again. I am so sorry, I messed up everything!”

Haruka placed a hand on her shoulder and Emiko looked up, her eyes shining with the beginning of new tears.

“You didn’t ruin anything, Emiko, in fact, you have made this situation so much better for us. I know exactly were that dragon is going, and now dragon hunters won’t have a clue how to find it. As an added bonus, the Night Fury may have shaken off my arrow but I still hit it, that dragon will be asleep in no time. We will see that dragon again, don’t you worry.”

Emiko gave Haruka a hug and smiled into her neck. She sniffled and leaned back to wipe her eyes clear.

“Thanks, Haru, but how do you know where the Night Fury is going?”

“Because it is going to the only place it can go, to the place where it can be understood and taken care of. Follow me, I will show you.”

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tyrannoninja · 4 years

Text

“The Sultan of Finback Isle” Excerpt

The below is an excerpted chapter from my self-published novelette The Sultan of Finback Isle, which you can purchase in Kindle format on Amazon.com.

After slamming his palm on the start button, Abdullah Kalua lowered himself to his PWC’s dashboard, popping his bronze-brown knuckles over the handles. He hooted a lyric from his favorite Hawaiian victory song as the untethered watercraft flew off from the flank of the FBI boat, the latter disappearing as a gray-and-blue speck on the azure surface of the equatorial Pacific.

He grinned with pleasure and rocked his head about, cheering for the breeze that flowed through his wavy black mane. His destination may have lain twenty degrees south and twenty-five degrees east of his father’s home archipelago—as indicated on the dashboard’s coordinate panel—but it felt fantastic to return to the tropics after almost three decades. Balmy as Los Angeles had been, its Mediterranean climate was too dry and the California current too frigid for Abdullah’s tastes.

Monique lagged ten yards behind him. He could hear only the faintest hint of her PWC’s jetting out water.

“Got to speed up, babe!” Abdullah shouted. “You’re being too cautious again!”

She sped up a mere three yards closer to her husband. “We’re taking enough risk with this already!”

“C’mon, girl, that’s what makes it fun! Admit it, who wants to enter this dude’s house the ‘proper’ way now?”

“Well, you sure don’t!”

From the horizon ahead rose a sliver of green beneath a halo of clouds. It swelled into a mass of overgrown hills and ravines grooving down from a flat plateau, with a blinding white band of beach at the bottom. To the left, the beach gave way to rocks beneath a low black cliff.

Holding his hands over his eyes in imitation of a surveying explorer, Abdullah hummed out loud an iconic tune from a certain movie score that John Williams had composed in the early 1990’s. “There it is! Magellan’s Finback Isle! Da-dun, da-da-dun, da-da-dun bong, bong, bong—”

Monique roared out an annoyed groan. “You sure chose the corniest theme for the moment!”

“What else would you have chosen for this particular island? How about the one from Jurassic World? Bong, da-dun, da-dun, la-la, la-la…”

He continued to “sing” out tracks from both films’ soundtracks until the splashing of his wife’s accelerating watercraft drowned out his voice. With a vengeful snicker from Monique, the starboard of her PWC’s bow thrust into the portside of Abdullah’s stern with a banging bump. One of his hands slipped off a handle over the jolt.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! These are government property, remember? Our taxes pay for their repairs!”

Monique pointed ahead with widened, horrified eyes. “Then you really should—watch out!”

The hull of Abdullah’s PWC grazed over the slanted face of a black rocky outcropping. The craft soared high into the air until its bow smashed into the cliff’s upper lip. Flung off his mount’s seat, Abdullah collided face-first onto the coarse trunk of a stout and palm-like giant cycad. The fronds of tree-ferns, club mosses, and pandanus trees clawed him as he bounced all the way down to the mossy floor.

A flock of scarlet honeycreeper birds fluttered in panic beneath the treetops. One screeched before disappearing in a burst of red feathers when a yellow-and-black blur intercepted it in one leap. Abdullah blinked thrice and squinted up from where he lay without spotting the creature again. He wouldn’t know for sure, but there weren’t supposed to be any wild cats on Finback Isle. Right?

Abdullah gave his arms and legs a shake to wake them back up. He winced from the strain of a hundred sores as he raised his torso up to his knees. All those scratches and cuts had ruined the tattoos on his shoulders and pectorals, erasing slices of the Arabic calligraphy that flowed parallel to the swirling Hawaiian lines. The kapa designs on his swim briefs had taken on almost as much damage.

He pounded a fist on the spongy earth. “Allah damn you all. These’ll cost over half a grand for my old uncle to fix. You hear that, local plant life? Half a goddamned grand!”

His voice bounced between the trees until it subsided under the rhythmic buzzing and whining of insects interspersed with the squawks of Polynesian bird life. One thing he did not hear was even the faintest note of his wife’s PWC. Had he fallen so deep into the island’s jungle, far away from shore? Or had the watercraft turned off? Abdullah prayed that Monique had switched it off herself rather than getting into an accident like his own.

Not that she’d dare get herself into an accident like this. The woman had always been too cautious.

Ferns rustled over the crackling patter of paw-like feet over the dead leaves of the forest floor. From the shadows within the undergrowth scintillated a pair of bright green, cat-like eyes. Below them glistened a maw of elongated canines drenched wet with saliva.

Abdullah dug his fingers into the moss beneath him and froze still, the sweat chilling to ice on his brow. There weren’t supposed to be any cats on this island. Much less big cats, like leopards or jaguars. Monique had promised him so, and she wouldn’t misinform her man like that. Would she?

It did not stride to him on the underslung legs of a cat, or any other mammalian creature. Instead, it crawled forth on legs bent outward like those of a crocodile. Its hide, golden orange with black mottling, sparkled with a hairless and pebble-wrinkled texture from the dapple of sunlight overhead. As the animal encircled him, swaying its tapered tail, it brushed his skin with the sniffing nostrils on its long square-chinned muzzle.

This was no cat. This was a lizard with the fangs of a cat, and possibly a dog’s sense of smell. Abdullah had seen something like this in a natural history museum when and he Monique first dated. He forgot its complicated name, but the sign had identified it as living in the Permian period tens of millions of years before the earliest dinosaurs roamed the earth. And it was almost certainly a carnivore that ate—

With a cry partway between a reptilian hiss and a cougar’s shrill roar, the creature launched itself onto Abdullah’s breast. He seized its neck with his left hand, his arm muscles buckling in their struggle to keep the fanged jaws away from his own jugular. Extending his right arm down to his tactical knife, he wriggled his fingers to pull it out by the hilt until the beast punctured his biceps with its front talons.

He pounded against the monster’s flanks with his knees. It did not even flinch once. Its jaws snapped an inch closer to Abdullah’s face with each heartbeat as the strength drained from his limbs. If he had no way of getting this savage prehistoric holdover off him, then he might as well have his mission doomed before it even began. Chief Fawal and his whole force would get off scot free, and everyone they ever wronged—not least of whom was his Monique’s own younger brother, as well as the boy’s husband—would rest in heaven unavenged.

With a cracking bang, followed by a spurt of blood and brains, the leopardine lizard rolled off Abdullah to lay limp on the earth. There stood over it the ebon silhouette of a tall svelte woman with a thick crown of Afro hair, steam still slithering out from her Glock’s barrel like a serpent.

Abdullah giggled, half nervous and half thankful. “That’s my girl! I must say, though, that was a risky shot. If you missed, you could’ve killed me.”

Monique lent her hand out to her husband with a smirk. “And you said I was too cautious.”

“I never said you always would be.”

He straightened his back and brushed specks of dirt and blood off his body. “So, what happened to you in the meantime? You found a safe landing place?”

After slipping her pistol back in its holster on the thong of her leopard-print bikini, Monique unsheathed a machete from her opposite hip. “A little to the north, near some old ruins on the beach. Stay close and keep your eyes on the foliage at all times.”

She crouched beside the dead creature’s tail and hacked it off in a double chop.

“What is that thing, anyway?” Abdullah asked. “Some kind of extinct lizard?”

“Don’t you remember seeing these at the museum on our first date? It’s a gorgonopsid. They’re more related to us than to lizards.”

“Right, they’re mammal-like reptiles, from before the dinosaurs.”

Monique hauled the gorgonopsid’s tail onto her shoulder. “They’re not reptiles, either. They’re synapsids, as are all mammals.”

Abdullah shrugged. “Whatever. They should have died out alongside their mainland cousins two hundred and fifty million years ago. Wait, I did get that number right, didn’t I?”

“Almost. Give or take an extra million years or so. Let’s get going, we don’t want another hungry Paleozoic relic overhearing us in this jungle.”

#writing #fiction #excerpt from my book #paleozoic #prehistoric #lost world #gorgonopsid #polynesian #african-american #poc #woc #black woman #interracial couple #spy thriller #adventure #police brutality #black lives matter

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goldstonegolem64 · 4 years

Text

Hope returns Chapter 48 I Spy by goldstonegolem64

Hope returns Chapter 48 Kevin by goldstonegolem64

Before the break out.

In the bridge of the castle of lions

Allura, Coran The paladins, Isara, Ezra , Asmo ,Matt, Ryner and Kolivan were all standing in the holo table

“ So Allura why are we all here “ Asmo asked

“ Well we have learned something quite alarming Pidge show them “

“ On it Princess” Pidge said as she send an image to the hole table that showed several Copies of Shiro, Jay and a weird mixture of the two

“ What are we looking at here ?” Isara asked as she looked

“ were looking at Advanced cloning Tech here and i’m going to guess that this is what we were called here for you to tell us that the empire is making Clones of Shiro and Jay an using them to pilot those. Copy Valkyries and they also my be used as new form of super soldiers do to the fact that they share the same Berserker gene as jay dose “. Ezra said with a smile on her face

“ Well love you just explained everything really quick’ Jay said with a look of surprise on his face.

“ Well it was kind of obvious. I mean one of them sounded like you but younger and edgier from what we heard.” Ezra said

“ Well seeing as Ezra has basically covered all the bases. What do you all think of are newest problem” Hunk said as he clapped his hands together nervously

“ The Fact that are blades on the inside didn’t know about this is disconcerting “ Kolivan said

“ Well the berserk thing will be a problem for are ground troops. But will manage seeing as long you guys handle the robeasts will be good “

“ Look we handle planet invading bugs. Some just give me some time to figure this out ok.” Isara said as she slowly started regretting her decision to join the rebellion. But she was already into deep now

“ sorry for bringing you into this Isara” Jay said

“ It’s fine I said yes to this . In return I want the blue prints to the Valkyrie and Insurance that the queen Slayers get the resources and funding we were promised once this new universal government is instated right princess “ Isara said

“ Of course Isara I always keep my promises “ Allura said

“ I already gave Ezra the blue prints to the Valkyrie ‘ Jay said

“ Thank you Both. Now what is are plan to hand this cloning problem we have

now”

“Well first we have to” Allura was cut off as the Alarm systems went off

[ Prisoner as escaped all personnel be on high alert ] beau said over the ship’s P.A system

Everyone was caught of guard. When they heard this

“ How did he get out he was in Cryo sleep” Allura said confuse

“i don’t know but we have to handle it now before anyone gets hurt “

[ too late Shiro ] Beau said

“ Well lets just stop them from killing anyone else “ Lance said

[Warning Berserker as been detected on board the ship all personnel on level three and four be on the look out an make it to a safe room or make your way to an exit.]

“Beau can we get a visual of what is going on down there “ Allura asked

[on it ] Beau replied as a screen appeared showing off a hallway Massive Black and white scaled toad with massive bull horns and gorilla like arms leaping through the halls smashing through doors and crushing anything that was underneath it.

[ Floor is clear of all personnel locking down the level four ]Beau said as he locked doors, put up barriers at each exit points and shut down the elevator.[We have it trapped Princess ]

“ Ok we have it trapped. but what now” Matt said as the door to the bridge opened and closed

“ Who just left?” Allure asked as everyone looked around the room and noticed that jay had disappeared

“ Where did he.Oh no” Shiro said as booked it out of the room and saw Jay enter entered . Shiro only saw Jay’s Back as their friend entered the elevator “Jay wait “ Shiro yelled as the elevator door closed Jay didn’t respond he just turned his head slightly to reveal crimson red skin and a yellow lizard like eye. Then the door closed. “ Beau stop the elevator “

[No can do Shiro Captains orders ] Beau replied

Shiro slammed his fist into the elevator door ‘ What are you thinking Jay”

In the elevator

Jay stood in the elevator breathing heavy and sweating. He body was switching back and forth between being his normal old self then to his berserker state which caused him to panic and leave the bridge in a rush “ What the fuck is happening to me “ Jay said as he looked at his right hand as it was double it’s normal length an size with Claws slowly coming out of finger tips . “ Then another croaking sound rang out causing Jay to fall to the ground as he began fully changing. He felt the floor of the elevator clutching his head as he felt his body stretching and could hear the yellow shirt he was wearing started to rip and tear as spikes started to line spine

The elevator door opened an out came a hulking Lizard man with a gator’s head wearing the tatter of a bright yellow long sleeve shirt and a pair of cargo pants stretched to there limits . They walked on two leg and slowly left the elevator . Their clawed feet clattered against the polished metal floors of the castle. it sniffed the air then let out a low anger an confused Growl seeing as this new foe smelled of the empire that was the enemy but it also smelled like him and of the of the pride his other half was friends with. They most figure this problem out

Beserker jay continued to walk switching from two legs to all fours and slowly creeped around the halls following the scent of this foe. As they stalked the empty hall the croaking and slamming got louder. As they turned a corner they saw a Massive toad slamming it’s fists into another barrier surrounded the broke bodies of sentries that tried to stop them. The beast let out a low hissing sound as it completely came around the corner teeth bearded

The toad berserker stopped slamming their fists against the barrier in front of them an turned around to see a Hulking beast standing at the other end of the Hall way. The toad berserker puffed up it’s chest slammed it’s fist’s into the ground and let out an world shaking croak. Followed by B-Jay letting out a roar of his own. Then the two Charged at each other.

Elsewhere in the castle

Shiro, lance ,Hunk and Keith were standing in the elevator

All of them were nervous seeing as they were about to run into a brawl between to Berserkers.

“ Alright everyone remember the plan “ Shiro asked as he put on his helmet

“ trying to lead that thing to an Airlock so Beau can rob it’s body of Oxygen” Lance said

“ An try to avoid hitting Jay “ Hunk add as the ship shock followed by two beasts roaring at each other.

“ I hope the other are ready for this Keith said as he readied himself for what’s to come

As the door open the four of them quickly stepped out of the elevator an quickly moved toward the source of all the noise. As they moved through the hall they saw the aftermath of the two beast left in their walk .There was holes in the Wall were dented doors were punched in and their were dents on the ceiling and there was small amount of blood splatters. As they got closer the sound of ,Thunderous roars of beast as punched and slashed at each other a mass of red scales an torn clothes was thrown out of the hall the four of them were about turn down . The mass Smashed into the wall denting it , It hit the ground with a loud thud. All four of them stopped in place as the Mass of Red Scales slowly got up. It towered over them.

“ Oh shit that is what he looks like “ Lance said kind of shaken by Seeing their friend as a hulking monster.

Beast shook their head then looked towards the source of the voice and saw The pride leader ,his brother, The blue one and the yellow one. They looked at them confessed for a few seconds before a massive blur of Motion Slammed into him sending back into the wall followed by the pain of having his back slamming into the Wall again followed by the Blur slamming into them Again an pinning them to the wall followed by the pain of being punched in the side rapidly. they let out a pained growl and began ripping into the back of his Amphibious Adversary. But their clays couldn't cut through the thick hide of his attacked. So they switch targets to the eyes they used their tail to stab into the right eye while he dug his clawed metal finger into the left

The toad beserker well out a scream in pain as they backed away quickly trying to back away only to have the beast grab onto their horns and repeatedly slammed their jaw into the ground before ripping off the left horn, An processed to use it like a club slamming it down multiply times . One hit braking off the other horn ,another hit bent in the metal arm another one dislocated a shoulder. An with each hit the Beast got angrier and angrier an only stopped when the horn broke.

An when the horn did brake they grabbed onto what was left of K-7′s right horn an let out a ear shattering roar in their foe’s face. Then let go of the horn an watched as the beaten Toad berserker let out a low fearful crock as they lowered their head in submission as they turned back to normal . Seeing this the beast let out another roar before letting their other half take control again.

Jay awoke and found himself standing in a random hallway. He looked down first and saw that his shirt was wearing was destroyed and the pants he was wearing were stretched out so badly that they were falling off only being stop by his tail . He then turned his head too the left and saw nothing . He then look to his right an saw Shiro, Lance , Hunk and Keith looking at something to their right. His front

“ What are you all loo” Jay stopped mid sentence as he came face to face with Shiro. But it wasn’t Shiro or it was but this one was younger, shorter no scar on the noise and they had four familiar looking cheek marks. Jay titled his head to the left in confusion of what he was seeing. An as he did that the pilot mimicked Jay then tilted his head to the right an the pilot did the same “ Oh this is weird “

“ What is weird Alpha ‘ The pilot said

Jay was taken a back by this “what is that about “ He asked inquesatively seeing as the person in front of him had tried to kill him twice now

The pilot’s face showed on his faces.” I don’t know but something in the back of my mind is telling that your in charge now” The pilot said

“ Ok then “Jay clapped his hands together Then looked towards Shiro Guys I don’t know what to do help me “ Jay said as he looked toward his teammate for help

‘ Alright me call the other an tell them that the problems has been handled “ Shiro said

A Few minutes later

Allura ,Coran and Ezra walked out of the elevator that had delivered them to level four .An waiting for them just a few feet away was lance

“ Good to see your alright Lance “ Allura said

“ Thanks for the concern princess it means a lot. Now if you all don’t mind follow me please ‘ Lance said as he started walking followed by the others

“ So what have we learned from the prisoner ?” Coran asked

“ Well their designation is K-7 . Also were working on get the information from him but it kind hard seeing as Jay is the only one that they talk to so you’ll have to ask him “ Lance said

All five of them walked into a huge room in it was Adam ,Hunk , Keith Shiro , Matt , Pidge, Isara, Kolivan , and several other rebel troops all standing in front of a Particle Barrier that was trapping a human man who looked like Shiro . Talking to them was Jay who was wearing what looked liked a green version of Coran’s outfit

“ Now my last Question do you remember how did you get off of the cryo pod?" Jay asked

" No one minute I'm fighting the Valkyrie next I Wake up and someone is pointing a blaster in my face and I reacted appropriately”

“ By blowing his head off “ Jay said as he pinched the bridge of his noise

“ when you say it like that it sound bad My Alpha “ K-7 said

“ Because it is a bad thing and stop Call me Alpha it’s weird dude just call me Jay that’s what everyone calls me “

“ Alright J-Jay do you need me to do anything else “

“ No just get some rest for now. “ Jay said

‘ Alright Sir “ K-7 Said

“ Ok “ Jay then turned an was about to walk but stopped when he saw Allura “ Boss your here good “ Jay walked up to Allura , Coran and Ezra

“ Hello Jay good to see that your doing fine after you just disappeared to fight are rampaging prisoner . Now Have you learned Anything from new friend over there “ Allura said as she looked passed Jay towards the clone standing there looking At Jay

“ It’s weird he wants to take but something is stopping them from talking. Maybe it something in the cybernetic in their body preventing them from spilling the beans on where he and his brother are being made or maybe something is suppressing that knowledge I just down know” Jay said

“ Well that’s not great to hear an I don’t feel like were going to get anything else from him if he can’t talk about it .Lucky for us we still hae his memories to look through so we might get the answers later”

“ An what are we going to do with him “ Jay asked as he turned his head towards the imprisoned K-7

“ We will decide that later as for right now. K-7 will be imprisoned here until we leave for the mission” Allura replied

As this was conversion was going on K-7 was just standing there listening. But unknown to him he wasn’t the only one watching them. An through a mixture of Cybernetics an Dark magic. Haggar and Zarkon were watching everything through the eyes of K-7

“ While that was entreating to watch but was he suppose to be captured My love ?” Zarkon asked

“ Yes he was “ Haggar said with a smile

“Ok But what if they just put him back in a cryo pod “

“ Then he will be put back to sleep and is no longer a use to us . But now that he is loyal to The Silver Paladins via his Berserker D.N.A, an the fact that he looks like the Black paladin they might just keep him around. An if they do then we will have a Man on the inside my dear” Hagger replied

As the two continued to watch the paladin the door opened Haggar’s Lab opened to reveal Harley and Quinn Dragging in an unconscious Thace

“ We found the Spy Lord Zarkon” Quinn said

“ Good now lets see what he knows “ Zarkon said with a twisted smile on his face

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awkwardnessandbaseball · 5 years

Photo

IT’S HERE!!!!

So many thanks to: @cspupstravaganza, @sherlockianwhovian, @lassluna, and @kieravanrenvie.

AO3 if that’s your jam.

Today you get the prologue and the first chapter, so read away, my pretties!

I'd Pick You (and Your Little Dog, Too)

A Captain Swan Pupstravaganza Story

Summary: According to everyone in the known universe, Emma Swan's dog is supposed to lead her to her soulmate. But she's not even sure if she wants that. Soulmates are pretty idealistic, don't you think?

Prologue:

The pounding of Emma’s heart matched her footsteps as she ran through the woods on the edge of Storybrooke. She did her best to ignore the pain in her back that her bookbag was causing her, slamming against her tailbone. She forced all thoughts out of her head, pointedly ignoring the bruise clearly forming above her jeans..

She just ran.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She felt it faintly, but she ignored it. A nagging feeling in her belly threatened to stop her in her tracks: she hated to make her brother worry.

But he’d be better off without her.

David was the golden child, a straight-A student and a natural athlete. He’d been their parents’ pride and joy, while Emma had been a troublemaker and a disappointment. She’d done well as a child, her competitive nature causing her to pit herself against her twin brother in every conceivable way. They were equals in many ways, though Emma’s true strength was in literature while David had understood long division a full two years before she’d begun to grasp the concept. But somewhere along the way, she’d started losing their imaginary competitions. She suddenly had to try to ace all of her tests, while everything still seemed to come easily to David.

She’d been a sore loser.

So instead of trying and disappointing her parents - and herself - she’d given up. Stopped going to class and started hanging out with the stoners by the football field. She’d lost track of the days and weeks.

And then her parents had died.

It was a car accident, it could have happened to anyone. But while David flourished in his grief, planning the funeral and contacting family members and even arranging hotel stays, Emma had only fallen further down the hole she’d dug herself.

And then the funeral came. One week after the accident, Nolans and Swans, humans and canines, from near and far had descended upon their home and Emma had hidden in her room, while David remained the center of attention.

She ventured halfway down the stairs during the small gathering after the service when she heard someone talking to David. She sat, eavesdropping.

“Oh I just know your parents were so proud of you, David. Your mother told me just last week about how you were running for class president, right? I can’t imagine you’ll still run. Oh you are? Yes, it is what they would have wanted. Where’s your sister? Still skipping class every day? Your mother was very worried about her, you know.” Great Aunt Ingrid lowered her voice. “Is it true they were out looking for her when they got into the accident?”

It wasn’t. Emma heard David’s firm No from her spot on the stairs, but the damage had already been done.

She packed a bag, only the essentials, and ran out the back door.

She reached the docks and stood, staring out on the water, unsure of what to do next. Her stupid phone kept buzzing in her pocket and she finally ripped it out, staring at the screen.

32 New Text Messages 15 Missed Calls

8 Voice Messages

All from David.

Shit.

D: Emma, where did you go?

D: I heard you on the stairs when I was talking to Aunt Ingrid. D: Where’s your necklace from Mom? I saw it on the nightstand this morning.

D: Did you run away?

D: Emma, please answer me. D: Emma, I can’t do this alone.

The last one finally got her.

She sighed, upset with herself for getting so carried away, for being so selfish. She was so embarrassed now, with the adrenaline leaving her system, and so tired.

E: Let me know when everyone’s gone.

It took three hours before she finally got the text.

D: Come home, Emma. Please.

She’d expected David to yell at her, to tell her how much he’d worried and to blame her for causing him more stress.

He just hugged her, cradling the back of her head in his right hand.

It was the first time his armor had come down. The first time Emma had realized that maybe, just maybe, her brother wasn’t handling this as well as she’d suspected. She thought about all the planning he’d done for the funeral and realized, apparently too late, that he’d probably been trying to avoid thinking about what had happened; trying to avoid thinking about the fact that their parents were gone, and they weren’t coming back.

“You can’t leave me like that, Emma. It’s just you and me now.”

She nodded against his shoulder.

“Just you and me.”

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

Four Years Later

“You’re… you’re moving out?” Emma asked, hoping her brother wouldn’t notice the slight crack in her voice at the end of the question.

“Just down the street,” David assured her. “It’s just… Emma, it’s time. We’ve been together for a while, it’s the next logical step.”

Emma loved her brother, and she was so happy that he was in love, but she just really didn’t want things to change. They were barely eighteen, had just gotten their own place together (Granny’s Inn had been nice, if a bit cramped, and this was an actual adult apartment) a year ago, and now… it was already ending?

She sniffed once and nodded.

“Okay,” she said.

“Emma, we can talk about this. I know it’s a lot…” David tried to catch her eye but she looked away.

“Nothing to talk about. I’m sure you and Kathryn are meant to be.”

A week later, Emma was helping David move into his fancy new one-bedroom apartment with its in-unit laundry and brand new appliances. She didn’t want to help, didn’t want to move things along any more quickly than they were already moving. But David was still her brother, and she did want to spend as much time with him as possible.

So she was helping.

They were driving in David’s truck on their last trip of the day when a small brown and white pitbull suddenly ran into the middle of the road. David swerved and missed her, barely coming to a stop before hitting a tree.

“What the hell was that?” Emma checked herself for any injuries but she didn’t feel anything out of place. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” David answered, but he sounded far away, like he was only half listening. Emma turned towards him and found him staring directly at the pitbull, who was still standing directly in the middle of the street as though she hadn’t just been nearly run over by a pickup truck. The dog was staring right back at David.

And then she ran.

David scrambled out of the car to chase after her and Emma followed as soon as her brain caught up to what was going on: this was David’s dog.

Emma had long since given up on finding her own dog, and her brother claimed he had as well. They’d made it this far without them, and David had a perfectly fine love life, soulmate or otherwise, so what did it matter? But Emma knew, despite the fact that he’d stopped talking to her about it ages ago, that David still hoped for a dog one day. Was her brother a hopeless romantic or total sap? It depended on Emma’s mood.

Dogs appeared in your life as if they’d been there all along, and they essentially became a fifth limb, always attached to you, an extension of your arm. There were rumors that long ago, long before Emma was born, dogs were just pets like cats or lizards or birds, and that their lifespan was much shorter. There were some stories, even, about people who couldn’t own dogs because they’d developed an allergy, which had never even make sense to Emma, who happened to be allergic to cats.

At any rate, it was hard for Emma to believe that there had ever been a time when dogs weren’t commonplace, when you needed permission to bring them to restaurants or stores or coffee shops. Perhaps those were just stories that had been passed down for so long that they’d lost any element of the truth.

The fact of the matter was that humans depended on dogs so much, even back then, that evolution (or magic or fate or whatever explanation you chose to believe) took over. Emma had only known a life that included seeing dogs at every turn. Their lifespans matched their human’s, and they served a much more important purpose than other animals in the world.

Dogs appeared in someone’s life when it was time. There was no other explanation, and it wasn’t something easily researchable. So people just walked along, dog-less, until they finally came across a dog on a walk, or they appeared at the person’s door, or they just came together in some other way. Everyone’s story was different, but the end result was the same: the dog chose the human. There were no loose dogs running around, so if you came across one, it was meant to be yours.

Emma followed David as he chased the dog into the woods just beside the road. It wasn’t a long run, but it was confusing (all the trees looked the same) and sweaty (Maine in the middle of August will do that). But finally, David’s dog led them to… another dog.

The other dog was also a pitbull, but he was bigger than the female who’d led them here. He was all black, save for a small white stripe down the center of his chest.

He was beautiful.

He was also trapped.

He didn’t make any noise, clearly not wanting to draw any attention to the trouble he was in. His front left leg was stuck under a pile of rocks. It looked like maybe he’d been digging a hole and the rocks had fallen on him, but Emma couldn’t be sure.

“Emma,” David whispered, bringing her back to the situation at hand. “These dogs are… they have to be…”

“David, not now. He’s stuck. Help me get him loose.”

The two of them moved rock after rock until finally the dog’s limb was freed. But Emma could see it was too late. He tried to move it, but he couldn’t put any weight on the leg. He looked at Emma, and he finally let out one long, low whine.

“We’ve gotta get him to the vet,” Emma said, scooping him up in her arms. He was heavier than she’d anticipated, and the walk back out of the woods wasn’t easy, but they made it to the truck - all four of them - in one piece.

While there were certainly vets in town with more experience than Ruby Lucas, there was no one the Nolans trusted more than the Lucas women. Ruby’s grandmother had taken them in after their parents’ accident, allowing the twins to stay together in their hometown. Ruby was already grown up and out of the house by the time the Nolans had moved in at fourteen, but she’d still become a pseudo-sibling. She’d gotten David his first job, cleaning kennels at the clinic, and there was no doubt that she was the person they’d be taking their dogs to for the rest of their lives.

“It’s probably best to amputate. There’s not much we can do for it, and he’ll be much more comfortable without dragging it around.”

Emma was surprised at the pang she felt in her chest.

“He’ll um… he’ll be okay, though? After?” Emma asked, and David reached over and put a calming hand on her shoulder. The other dog sat at his feet, poised and beautiful. Ready for anything.

“Yes, Emma.” Ruby smiled gently. “Is he… he’s yours then?”

“I guess so,” Emma breathed. “I didn’t… I don’t… We just found them.” She motioned between both dogs.

“That’s how it goes,” Ruby said with a smile. Her own dog, Toto, lingered in the back of the room, calmly watching her owner care for Emma’s new charge. Emma watched Toto for a moment, wondering at the connection that must be present between canine and human, before her attention returned quickly to the dog in front of her, staring up at her meaningfully.

“Okay, then let’s do it.”

Emma brought Rascal home a week later. The missing limb didn’t seem to bother him, and he was absolutely incredible. He seemed to know her habits already, waking up with her (or jumping on her when she overslept, which was more often than not), waiting patiently for head scratches and treats instead of begging, and he even slept right on top of her freezing cold feet at night.

It helped having him around when she missed David, and Emma couldn’t help but wonder if the fates (or whoever controlled this whole dog thing) had put Rascal in her path right when she needed him most: right when she was about to be alone for the first time.

Of course, David’s dog was not a fan of Kathryn. He’d named the dog Princess, because of her graceful, even regal, way of entering a room, but the truth was that she was just as playful and messy as Rascal. And Kathryn kept a clean house, one that didn’t include dirty pawprints on the couch from playing outside.

It took a while for reality to set in. Kathryn had found a dog, too, and named him Dodger. And while Dodger was athletic and handsome like David believed himself to be, he was also either too dumb or too stubborn, refusing to listen to anyone but Kathryn. And even that was iffy. David and Kathryn tried to keep the romance alive, but soon they began fighting over small things, like David leaving dirty dishes in the sink or the proper way to hang the toilet paper roll. Princess didn’t seem to like Kathryn, which didn’t help matters, and Dodger was completely indifferent towards David.

Over time, the small fights evolved into larger ones, and they realized they simply weren’t happy together. It became obvious that soulmates were soulmates for a reason, and they just weren’t it.

In David’s absence, Emma had even ventured down the dark path of romance and come out the other side just a little more broken than she already was.

When it was all over and David was moved back in, he pulled Emma into a hug, and they promised each other again the same thing they had at fourteen.

“It’s just you and me, David.”

“Just you and me.”

A low whine and a short growl sounded by their feet.

Emma sighed.

“Okay, just all four of us, then. Sheesh.”

#captain swan #cspupstravaganza #captain swan fanfic #cs ff #cs fanfic #IT'S ABOUT DOGS #AND SOULMATES #READ IT PLEASE

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kulpit · 4 years

Text

The 559th day

Verbena shook awake to the warmth of heated sand on his wings and back... he stirred, lifting up to look at the giant orb in the sky. He frowned, and he took note of the time. I slept in? The sun’s an entire 24 fingers above the horizon... and the dunes didn’t shift... He scans the desert. Nothing but the norm. Some sand had moved in the night’s breeze, but that wasn’t anything abnormal.

He shook his ruff, the little black onyx beads clattering against each other. He checked they were all still there, quickly counting out all 227. Good. I didn’t lose any. He smiled at the clear skies, and he smiled softly as the wind gently flowed through his luxurious braided mane.

He took step after step through the desert, finding a nice little spot that had been recently dug into. He stabs into the sand, ripping a little lizard out. He gobbled it down as quickly as he could. He sniffed the air, tasting a change in humidity. He takes a couple steps back and stands up on his hind legs, sniffing, and then surveying the horizon.

He plopped onto the sand on all fours again before scratching himself behind the ear with his leg. He searched around a small bit before coming across a cactus, which he cut open with his vicious claws. He ate the flesh and finally he buried the spare seeds. Oh Darkstalker’s talons how he wished that he knew how to plant things. But instead he knew how to nothing.

Time to go to bed. Sleep yourself to death Verb, sleep yourself to death. Reverse Psychology aside, Verbena finds a nice spot, burrowing into the sand. He smiles comfortably at the darkness enshrouding him as the sun set above, leading to wicked cold temperatures, and a feeling close to death.

Goodnight me. Oh, why goodnight me. Have a nice dream! Oh sure, you too! He silently told himself goodnight and whatnot before finally silencing himself and allowing sleep to enshroud him. Day 559, just like days 1, 2, 3, and so on. Nobody saw me out and about, and nobody died. At least not in my life. Just nice and alone like always.

Yeah that wasn’t entirely true, I’d find out later.

Above the surface, a distance away, was a SandWing with an invitation. An invitation he felt Verbena of the SandWings might deserve.

#wof roleplay #wof dragon #Verbena #Verb #wof: secrets in the shadows #Cairo #Lonely #He’s mister lonely #He has nobooooody #To caaall his oooooown #sits: apply #wof: sits

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etherealvoidechoes · 4 years

Text

Wandering Souls - Chapter 5 - A Rough Morning - XCOM 2 Fic

Seems as though Zhang can’t catch a break. A rude wake up call and then a bit of a squabble.

Have some time again to write so more Zhang centric fic! May have another chapter up later.

Ao3 Link

Also I’ve been forgetting to post the tags and rating for the fic since I’m putting it here under the cut. So here’s an image for that.

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“Hmm.”

Grumbled slipped from Zhang’s lips. He was fairly deep in his sleep, but the rays of sunshine were shining through the leaves and into the cabin. Dancing across his face.

“Ngh.”

Another grumble as he tossed and turned on his cot. The rays of light grew brighter, and he felt someone’s presence. Covering his hand with his head. He still wanted to sleep. He still wanted to rest.

“Go away.”

A sharp hiss came from him. He felt someone prodding his side. Prodding around one of his stitches. He swatted at them. The prodding stopped for a moment before it quickly came back.

“I said go away!”

He snarled, again swatting at the instigator. He curled up, trying to let his mind slip back to sleep. The prodding finally stopped. He let out a content sigh. His muscles slowly relaxing. Just as he was drifting off back to sleep, he felt a heavyweight on top of him. Then something sharp dug into his side. Something padded and sharp. Sharp like claws. He held back a cry of pain. Then something like a snout dug its way through his hands and pressed against his face. Wet. Humid. Fishy. Breath.

Zhang’s eyes quickly flew open. Curious, green eyes greeted him along with another huff of humid, fishy breath. A strange creature was on top of him.

“What the hell!?”

His eyes flashed a quick purple as he quickly let out a controlled burst of energy to knock the creature off of him. The creature let out a pained hiss as it was tossed off of of him, but it quickly recovered. Zhang quickly raised himself up only to find himself pinned back down by the strange creature. Its claws digging into his stomach as it shoved its snout in his face once more. Sniffing and huffing. Green slitted eyes studied the injured man.

Zhang’s eyes started to glow again as he clinched his fist.

“Get off of m—”

“TYCHO!” A gargled voice boomed.

The creature let out a pained hiss of a yelp.

Before Zhang knew it, the creature was pried off of him. He let out a sigh of relief as claws were out of his skin. He looked up to see who his savior was. That walking humanoid crocodile. Ty. They were holding the creature by its neck one-handed. It with squirming and hissing up a storm.

With the creature pulled off of him, he got a betting look at it. It looked no larger than a tiger. Milky white skin and a slender build. A set of quill-like fins were on its head and back. Pulsating. A bladed tail flicked about. It looked reptilian, skin as smooth as a snake, but flashes of sunshine danced along its scales. It was definitely something alien he had never seen before.

“Now get out of here!” Ty tossed it out the door effortlessly.

The creature sailed through the air, hitting and tumbling against the ground. As it recovered, it let out an angry hiss. Unhinging its jaw widely.

“Trouble maker.” Ty rolled their eyes. They turned their attention back to Zhang. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s fine.” Zhang shook his head. “I guess it was time for me to wake up.”

They shook their head and chuckled. “No, he’s in a trouble maker mood that lizard.” She looked over her shoulder, somewhat surprised to see Tycho back, lingering outside the door.

“Uh huh…” Zhang peered around them to get a better look at the creature. It was sitting outside the door, looking at him. He shook his head. Strange thing.

Zhang got up and stretched, hissing, feeling some stitches coming undone. Seemed like that lizard had done some damage. “Ugh, Helios won’t like that.” He thought as he rubbed the area.

He looked back at Ty. An intimidating, towering giant. “Thanks for prying him off of me. Ty? Is it?”

“Hmm?” Ty looked back at him. “Oh, welcome.” They gave a toothy grin. “You can call me Ty or Tayma.”

“Tayma? Hm.”

“Full name. Ty is just the short form.” They explained. Then they noticed his puzzled look and gave a hearty bellow of a laugh. “Feminine sounding, huh?”

“Not exactly what I was thinking,” Zhang shrugged, “but yes it sounds feminine.”

Ty let out another hearty laugh. “Just to clear things up I am female.”

“Uh huh. Noted.”

“The aliens had fun splicing me.” She stretched out her arms, showing off her reptilian visage. All traces of secondary sex characteristics were non-existent. Just scales and a thickened hide. “Look like a real freak show now, which is fitting.” She laughed.

Zhang raised a brow at how jovial she sounded. “Fitting?”

“I was in the circus. An acrobat and contortionist.”

“Really?”

“Yep.”

Taking a step back and making sure no one was in the way, Ty sprung in the air and quickly landed on her hands. Her back bending forward and her legs dangling in front of her.

“Still flexible as ever!” She proudly hummed.

“Huh.” That surprised him. How looks could be deceiving.

With little to no effort, Ty was back on her feet. “Guess one reason why I’m not as bitter as one would think I should be.”

Zhang shook his head and chuckled. “You have an interesting outlook on life.”

“So I’ve been told.” She gave a toothy grin.

“Well if your hungry, we got some fresh fish cooking.” Ty said.

At the mention of food, a slight growl could be heard. Zhang gripped his stomach. A hint of red appeared in his cheeks. “Sounds nice.”

“Also, I believe Helios left something for you at the foot of your cot.” She pointed.

“Hm?” Zhang turned to see. Looked to be some clothes and a towel. “Huh.”

“See you outside in a bit!” She said. As she turned, a deep growl came from her. “Tycho.” The creature was still by the door. “What are you still doing here? Get going!” Ty bellowed as she chased Tycho off as she left the cabin.

Zhang let out a chuckled and shook his head. “Strange.”

He sat back down onto the cot to gather his thoughts. What an interesting start to his morning. He was glad the few still in the cabin were mostly undisturbed by that mess. He wondered what the creature wanted. Then he wondered exactly where that creature came from. He didn’t remember seeing it in the group. Then he remembered. He had been out of it since their escape and was finally becoming more coherent.

“I have questions for Heliosssss aah…”

A hiss slipped past his lips as a headache was coming on. He closed his eyes tightly as the headache quickly escalated to a head splitting migraine. His hands quickly flew to his head. Purple energy spheres appeared around his head.

“Not sure if those three will make it.” A voice echoed in his head. “Even with the medicine, their bodies are just not recovering. We’ve already lost five this morning.”

“What? Who’s there!?” Zhang’s quickly flew open as he looked around. But no one was there.

“Brings out numbers down to 72 now?”

“Yes. As long as the others don’t take a turn for the worse. We may just lose those three.”

“Who’s there?” Zhang continued to look around, getting more agitated.

“Where did that one-eyed man go?” Another voice echoed in his head.

“Ah!” The headache grew. Zhang did his best to keep himself from crying out.

“You mean Flint?” Voices just kept coming. “He went scouting.”

“Solo scouting? That’s crazy!”

“He can handle it. Like Jackal.”

“I don’t trust him.” Again another voice came to his head. But he felt like he recognized this one. “Something about him.” A deep hiss came from them. “I’ll have words with Helios.”

More voices started swarming his mind. Causing his headache to grow worse. Just as he felt like he would lose himself, as quickly as it all started, it all faded away. Both the headache and the voices. Zhang’s eyes opened in a flash. His breathing tense.

“What the hell?” He said with a shaky breath. What was that? He raised his hands to his head as he tried to calm himself down. Something about what had just transpired bothered him. It felt so familiar to him, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. Then he noticed the purple spheres floating around him.

“What the.” He quickly turned to look at himself in the mirror. He could faintly make out his eyes were glowing. “My psionics? Active? How?”

He shook his head. He took a moment, a moment to concentrate and get his psionics back under control. It took a few moments before the orbs disappeared and his eyes stopped glowing. Once it was all under control, he let out a pained sigh.

“I don’t remember activating them.” He rubbed his face. “I must have been overhearing conversations. Reading people’s minds.” He shook his head. “Am I losing control over them? Again? Because my body is weak?” He looked down at his hands. Shaky. His gaze shifted to his chest. All the stitches and scars. He still questioned how he survived.

His mind slowly wandered to the darker places in his mind. “No, no, no.” He shook his head. Not the time. Remembering the pile of clothes Ty pointed out earlier, he scooted to the foot of the cot and picked up the pile.

“Some fresh clothes… and towels?” He examined the clothes. Flannel shirt and some jeans. Better than nothing for now. Then he noticed a note. He picked it up.

“We managed to find some clothes and towels. Some people had been taking a dip in the river to freshen up. Others gathering water to be heated for a sponge bath. Whatever you do, I will clean up your wounds and re-bandage them.” Signed Helios.

“Seems like he writes more clearly than he speaks. Interesting.” Zhang chuckled. He turned his head and sniffed. A quick grimace from and he turned his head. “Phew!” He was ripe as a rotten egg. “A dip in the river sounds nice.” He mused. He thought for a moment. He nodded. He felt like he would freshen up before eating.

He grabbed the items, got up, and left the cabin.

——————————————

Zhang took in a deep breath once he exited the cabin. The air was cool and crisp to his lungs. Nice and refreshing compared to the fishy breaths still lingering in his nose. There was no trace of that creature as he left the cabin. He hoped it stayed that way even once he got some answers from Helios.

Hearing chattering, he made his way over to one of the campfires. He figured Helios would be somewhere around there.

As he came closer, his ears twitched. He heard an all too familiar hiss.

“I don’t trust that silver haired freak. There’s something about him. His scent.”

A familiar, angry hiss.

He frowned as that crystalline being came into view. Even more so when he saw who they were talking to. Skiv and Helios. “I am not going to interrupt that conversation.” Talking to Helios would have to wait.

Zhang went over to a small group of people that was far away from Skiv. Far too early for a fight.

“Oh, the demon’s awake now.” Another hiss from Skiv. He had been noticed. There was no attempt to lower her voice nor hide her disdain. “I don’t trust him.”

“Skiv.” Helios hushed her. At least he was trying to keep their conversation private.

Zhang could feel her eyes on him. He did his best to block it out and her words. Words he has heard many times. Maybe talking to this group would help him block her out more. He did not want to hear Skiv’s voice any further.

As he got closer to the group, it was about 6 people. Two humans, a silver-haired man and a young female, one of the freed ADVENT troopers, and the other three that looked alien touched. He recognized one human. It was Clara, that girl that treated him last night. He wondered what they were doing as he noticed the two humans and the trooper fidgeting with something around the necks of the three aliens.

“Be more gentle!” One alien grumbled.

“You want this collar off of you or no?” The silver-haired man spoke with a Russian accent.

The alien grumbled and crossed their arms.

“Good. You can endure the pain just a bit more.” He chuckled.

As Zhang came closer and his eyes settled on their necks, he couldn’t help rub but his neck. He wasn’t sure why. “Collar…” He muttered. His eyes focused on the collars. Blocky like most ADVENT designs were. But something about it seemed familiar to him. It made him uncomfortable.

“Oh, you must be the ‘mystic’ guy.” The Russian noticed the newcomer. He looked up from his work to get a better look at Zhang. “Chilong is it? Fine work you did the other day.” He chuckled and grinned like a cheshire cat.

“Psionic not mystic, Dimitri.” Clara rolled her eyes. “And morning Mr. Chilong.”

“Same thing, kiddo.” He waved her off.

“No, it’s not!”

Zhang raised a brow. He had a feeling this man could be a troublemaker. Something about that grin told him everything he needed to know. “Yes, the ‘mystic’ guy,” he used air quotes, “and yes I’m Chilong. It was nothing.” He waved at Clara.

“Nothing?” Dimitri laughed. “You took out a whole party of those bastards!” He turned to look at the trooper. “No offense to you.”

The trooper shook his head.

“It was nothing.” Zhang repeated. He sat down.

“Pfft,” Dimitri chuckled, “humble one I see.”

A metal click. The collar Dimitri was working on popped open. The alien let out a gasp. Like popcorn, psionic energy sparked around them for a moment before quickly fading.

“Oh! That feels SO much better!” They rubbed their neck once the collar was pulled off. They raised their hands and fluttered their fingers. Purple energy orbs formed and floated around them. “No more pain and no more buzzing!”

Zhang’s eyes lit up at the sight. “Psionic dampeners?” No wonder those collars seemed familiar to him. They reminded him of the prototypes of the Mind Shields XCOM had put together. They worked but always let one’s head and neck feeling unpleasant. He rubbed his neck again just thinking about it.

“Yep.” Clara said.

“Annoying things.” The freed alien huffed. “Absolutely painful things.”

“Hm.”

“You almost like you’ve seen these before.” Though fiddling with the collar, Dimitri noticed him rubbing his neck.

“I have,” Zhang nodded, “and have experienced them.”

“Someone as powerful as you got collared?” He couldn’t believe that.

Zhang bit his tongue. “Damn it.” He cursed in his mind. He was letting himself get too comfortable. How to explain without revealing too much?

“There was a time,” Zhang searched for his words, “when I lost control of mine…” A strong memory came to mind. He let out a heavy sigh. “Saving a close friend.”

“Saving a friend?” Dimitri questioned.

“Yes.”

“Huh.” Dimitri studied him for a moment. Trying to gauge him. His eyes returned to the collar he was fiddling with. “Must have got you when you were distracted by the pain. Seen it before. Not pretty.”

“Something like that.” He nodded. Let them fill in the blanks. Even if they were far from the truth. Very far.

“But it seems like you have fine control over them now! Ha! Ha!” Dimitri laughed. “I guess you can ‘thank’ the aliens for tampering it for ya, huh?”

“I guess I do.” He shrugged. Far from the truth.

“Better to have that power on our side than theirs, right?” Dimitri grinned.

“True.” He could agree to that.

It wasn’t long until Clara and the trooper got the collars off of the other two. Some more psionic energy popping and sighs of great relief. Zhang wondered how many in the group has psionic abilities. How many had been collared? Thenn a thought crossed his mind. “I don’t remember having a collar on or it being removed.” He knew most of his memories while he was imprisoned were still fuzzy, but he felt like he would remember that painful sensation those dampening collars always caused.

“That should be the last of the collars.” Clara said as she tossed the collar aside.

“No, no, no!” Dimitri exclaimed. “Give that to me!” He hopped to his feet and went after it.

“What do you want that thing for?”

“Cannibalize it.” He answered. He picked up the collar. “Take it apart. For parts.”

“Doubt you’d get much besides some metal and chips.” Clara rolled her eyes.

“And a minuscule amount of elerium.” The trooper jumped into the conversation.

“Bah!” Dimitri rolled his eyes at the two as he returned to his seat. “There’s something in these things I can use. Give me that collar.” He pointed at the trooper.

“Here.” The trooper tossed it to him. He caught it.

“You’re weird.” Clara shook her head.

“Hey,” Dimitri shook his finger at her, “you’ll be happy I’m doing this… if I find what I’m looking for.”

“Sure, weirdo.”

“Ah youth.” He smiled. “You remind me of my daughter.” He gave her a playful flick on the ear.

“Hey!” Clara quickly retaliated with her own ear flick, which only caused Dimitri to flick her again.

Zhang couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched the simple little ear flick devolved into more teasing. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought they were father and daughter. He shook his head and smiled. Such a refreshing sight in such a bleak world.

“Are you even listening to me Helios!? He. Is. Suspicious. Dangerous.”

“Skiv! Hush!”

“Do not hush me!”

Zhang’s smile quickly shifted to a frown when he heard Skiff’s voice. He could tell she was purposefully raising her voice despite Helios’ attempts to hush her. It didn’t take a genius to realize why. He tried to block her out again.

“Uck.” Dimitri spat. “I see you gained Skiv’s ire.”

“Seems I have.” Zhang shook his head.

“She’s said some really ‘nice’ things about you.” He chuckled. “Lovely things.”

“So I’ve heard.” Zhang shook his head.

“Tch.” He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I like you. Think you should stay around despite her idiotic protests.”

“Thank you.” It was nice to hear, but would he still like him if he knew the truth?

“We CANNOT trust him!” Another outburst from Skiv echoed throughout the camp.

Zhang let out a gruff sigh as he closed his eyes. He could feel all eyes on him and Skiv with that latest outburst. He couldn’t ignore her words any longer. He had a feeling he would have to step in. Confront her. Even if there was a chance she would attack him.

“Skiv… calm down.” Helios tried his best to get the crystalline being to calm down.

“Why the hell didn’t he have a collar like the other psionics, Helios!?” She snapped. “What the hell were you two talking about last night!?” She snarled. “That stupid barrier of yours… I saw you two looking at me!”

“Skiv… please calm down.”

“Like hell I will!” She hissed. “That silver haired freak can’t be trusted!”

“Now, why can’t I be trusted?” Zhang finally spoke up. He got to his feet and turned to face her. He wasn’t surprised by the sight. Skiv was hunched over, that maw of her’s wide open and in Helios’ face. Looked like she was about ready to chomp his head off. And somehow Helios was calm. Questionably calm.

Skiv’s snarling stopped for the moment. Her eyes locked onto him, narrowing as she studied him. She withdrew her face from Helios, straightening herself back up. A deep rumble came from her throat. Her tongue flicked out. Her eyes shifted about, studying the encampment. All eyes on them. Perfect.

“Your ears finally working demon?” She marched over to him, shoving Helios out of the way.

“It’s hard to ignore your voice.” Zhang crossed his arms. “Now, exactly why can’t I be trusted?”

“Why can’t you be trusted?” She cocked her head to the side. “WHY CAN’T YOU BE TRUSTED!?” Another snarled outburst. She was soon in his face, maw open wide. A minor flinch, but he was mostly unfazed. “You’re an oddly powerful psionic freak that wasn’t collared!”

“You have an issue with my abilities?” Zhang questioned. There was a hint of doubt in his voice. He didn’t believe it was just that. But now he knew she had a poor opinion towards psionics in general. “I never asked for them.” He glared. “And I believe Jackal broke my collar. Helios?” He glanced at him. He hoped he was guessing correctly.

“Yes… she did.” Helios swiftly nodded.

“Hmpf.” She huffed. “That’s what they all say.” She hissed.

“And what is the other issue? There has to be more than just my ‘psionics’ for you to make such a scene.” He rolled his eyes. He took a step back, seeing that she hadn’t retracted herself yet. “Otherwise I believe you would have issues with the others in the group that also have such abilities.”

“Your scent.” She hissed.

“My scent?” Zhang questioned.

She retracted herself, closing her maw, but her tongue flicked furiously. She circled Zhang, taking in several deep, mouthy breaths. “Yes, your scent. You smell familiar to me. Look familiar to me.” A deep rumble came from her throat. With one swift movement, she closed in on him again, raising a clawed hand to his throat. “I don’t like it.”

Though outwardly, Zhang didn’t look too phased by Skiv’s hostility. Almost annoyed if not disappointed, like a parent to an unruly child. “Is that all?” He gently placed his hand on hers and moved it away from his jugular. Inwardly, his mind was racing. He smelled familiar to her. Looked familiar to her. That could mean only one thing, and he hated to even think about it.

“I look familiar to you?” He questioned. His mind was screaming at him for even asking that.

Skiv let out a grumble as he casually moved her hand away. No hint of fear she could pick up. She backed away from him. “Yes, you do. Something about that face of yours.” She started circling him again. “That silver hair.” She snorted. “The way you speak and that accent.”

“Mm hmm.” He just kept a close eye on her. A close eye on those twitching claws.

“I don’t like you, freak.” She hissed again. “Not one single bit.”

“The feeling is becoming mutual.” Purple energy flashed through his eyes for a second.

“Skiv!” Helios finally came over. “Stop this… nonsense!”

“Stay out of this Scales!” She took a swipe at him but purposefully missed. “This is in-between me and him.”

Helios hopped back, half expecting it, but was still caught off guard by the attack. “This is crazy!”

“And?” She snorted. “Getting rid of him would probably be best for all of us.”

“You are not… the one… to decide that.”

“Jackal ain’t here.” She chuckled. She soon got into his face “And I’m not taking orders from a twig like you nor Flint.” The crystalline jaw of hers slowly contorted into a grin. “Who’s also ain’t here.”

“That does not… matter. You are.. Not the judge… jury… and executioner.”

“Oh? You want to go, Scales?” She taunted.

One would think Helios would recoil from having someone twice his size in his face. And that hissing. But he was calm as ever. Though there was a hint of anger in his eyes. His neck scales and fingers twitched. Faint energy strings flowed from his fingers.

“Perhaps,” Zhang spoke up, “it would be better to discuss this… issue of distrust with everyone in the group?” He put himself in-between, mainly nudging Helios away from Skiv. “I leave the camp for a little while as everyone… decides my fate. Whether I stay or go.”

A small offer. Just something to hopefully defuse the tense situation.

“Hmm… Yes.” Helios quickly agreed. He quickly retracted his energy. “Yes… let’s not be to… hasty to… violence.”

“That speech…” Skiv snorted.

Her eyes refocused on the silver-haired man once more. Still so calm in the face of danger. Something about him seemed so familiar to her. Another deep rumbled came from within as she inched closer to them. Hands raised. Claws twitching.

“That sounds fairly reasonable!” Dimitri spoke up. He was still fiddling with those collars. “Sounds more civil too. Don’t need a damned fight.”

“Agreed.” Another spoke up.

“Chill out Skiv.”

Several others joined in. No one wanted a fight to break out. Last thing they needed was more injured trying to break up the possible squabble. And then there was a chance if they made enough noise, a scouting party may find them. They did not need that.

“FINE!”

A snarled hissed quieted everyone. Skiv lowered her hands and backed away from Zhang and Helios. She looked around. Her eyes narrowed on a set of people who had weapons pointed at her. “Traitors…” She grumbled. How could no one see this man a threat? Everything about him screamed suspicion.

“Rrr…” She hissed as she drew closer to Zhang, pausing when she heard someone cock their gun. “You’ll get your trial, but I promise I will kill you, given the chance.” She huffed.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Zhang narrowed his eyes.

Another hiss before she withdrew herself. Turning her back to him and marched off towards one of the campfires.

Zhang let out a sigh as his shoulders dropped. A mixture of relief and annoyance. But his heart was still thumping. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looked to see who it was.

“Sorry about that.” It was Helios. Though he looked calm, his shaking eyes told him he was just as stressed as he was.

“No need to apologize.” He shook his head. He turned to face him.

“I tried to defus—”

“Helios,” He placed his hands on his shoulders, “there is no need to apologize.” He shook his head. “You are not responsible for her actions.”

Helios’ locked eyes with him for a moment. His shoulders drooped, and he sighed. “Yes… you’re right… but I tried… to calm her.”

“I know. It is fine.” He looked over to where Skiv was. Sitting alone by the fire. Hissing at anyone that tried to approach her. “She’s out for blood. I can tell she is one that does not fear reprisal to cause such a scene. To try to rouse anger from me.”

“Yes, yes.” Helios nodded.

“Well,” he removed his hands from his shoulders, “I’ll be going down to the river to freshen up. Give everyone some time to think.”

“Ah you saw… the clothes? And towels?” Helios’ whole demeanor changed. His voice perked up. That worry in his eyes quickly disappeared.

“Yes,” he nodded, “very thankful for them.”

“I’ll relay that thanks… to the others… that found them.” He smiled. “And I will… check all your wounds… and re-bandage them… when you come back.”

“I would like that. And.” Zhang paused as he turned to show Helios his side. “You’re going to have to fix this.” He pointed at some stitches that went from his left hip up to his stomach. “Had a bit of an encounter with… Tycho? I think that’s the beast’s name.”

Helios’ fingers were already examining the stitches. Part of it was undone and there were a few claw marks. “Hmm… shouldn’t be too much—wait, did you say…Tycho?” His eyes lit up.

“Yes.” He nodded. “Strange, white and slinky lizard?”

“That’s him.” Helios swiftly nodded. “What did he do?”

“Gave me a wake up call.” He winced as Helios examined. “Thankfully Ty came to my rescue.”

“Hmm…Tycho…” Helios muttered. He stopped examining the stitches. “He’s been… extra curious… lately.” He rubbed his chin. “Especially… since… Jackal went to scout.”

“It’s a strange creature.” He shook his head.

Seeing Helios was getting lost in his thoughts, Zhang headed back over to where he left his items. He let out an annoyed sigh. He could still feel everyone’s eyes on him. Hear their murmurs. For a moment, he wondered if he should peer into their minds. Hear their true thoughts. He shook his head. He was better than that. He wouldn’t violate their privacy. Besides. There was the possibility his psionics were acting up. He didn’t need to tempt fate.

“Tch.” That Russian let out a deep laugh. “Skiv really wants your blood, Chilong.”

“It would seem so, Dimitri.” In the middle of picked up his stuff, he quickly glanced at him. Something about that grin of his unnerved Zhang. He noticed he dismantled the collars and was busy examining some metal.

“At least we all know how she feels about psionics.” He chuckled. “I guess I should expect a claw in the back sometime in the future, huh Skiv?” Skiv let out a hiss.

“Huh.” Zhang muttered. So Dimitri had psionic abilities too. How looks could be deceiving.

“Going to freshen up?” He noticed what he was grabbing.

“Yes.” Zhang nodded. “And to give everyone a moment of respite from that… scene.”

Another deep laugh came from the man. “Sure was some scene.” He slapped his knee and shook his head. “We’ll keep her from disturbing you.” He grinned.

“Thank… you.”

With items in hand, Zhang closed his eyes, blocking out all the murmurs and chatter. A moment to clear his mind and search. A little usage of his psionics shouldn’t hurt.

“Where? Where?” He muttered. He could sense all around him. Those out in the forest foraging. Scouting. And those who were at the river and streams. Too many people for him.

His ear twitched. His mindfocused. The sound of a bubbling brook greeted his ear. One where no one else was at. Just nature. His eyes opened. He looked to the east. Dense forest. It was a good distance away from camp. He would go there. He would be gone long enough for his fate to be decided.

His fate. He grumbled and shook his head as he started walking. “Like a tribunal.” He muttered under his breath. Old memories of his Triad days came to mind. He gave Skiv a wide berth as he passed by the fire she was at. He wasn’t surprised to hear a hiss from her. “To act so brazenly like that.” He shook shook his head. “She does not fear reprisal.” He mumbled to himself.

“Does not fear reprisal?” A deep growl came from Skiv. She overheard him.

“A–ARGH!” Zhang let out a choked cry.

“SKIV! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?” A rare, coherent outburst from Helios.

In a moment, in a blink of an eye, Skiv had Zhang pinned against a tree. The sheer and sudden impact caused some bark to crack and pop off. One hand was around his neck, holding him down. Her other hand was raised, ready to strike him down.

“DOES NOT FEAR REPRISAL!?” Skiv snarled the his words back at him. Her eyes focused on his face. Just a hint of fear on his face as he clawed at her arms. Gasped for air. A hint of purple energy surging through his eyes. His eyes. That scar over his right eye. And the one on his right cheek. “You…” Her claws tightened around Zhang’s neck. A bit of blood trickled down his neck. “YOU!”

#xcom #xcom 2 #xcom 2 fanfic #XCOM 2 AU #XCOM AU #XCOM Zhang #writings #writing #shaojie zhang #Fic: Wandering Souls #XCOM Fic

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georgecrecy · 5 years

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Charlie 5

“Ladies and Gentlemen! Ruffians and thieves from across the galaxy! Welcome, one and all, to the renowned fighting pits of the Hub!” The roar of the announcer bounced several times off of the surrounding rock, but the echoes were quickly squashed by the cacophony of hundreds of responding voices. The announcer held up all four of his arms to quiet the crowd from his position in the announcer’s box, his figure repeated by the massive screens which floated and circled the massive ceiling of the arena, projected by hovering transmit-a-bots.

With the noise of the many excited members of various species quieted down, his booming voice continued, “What an exciting lineup for the bouts today, with creatures and monsters from hundreds of worlds, all ready and rearing for a fight against our champions of the arena! Place your final bets, for now the fights shall begin! Send out the main event!”

Again, the arena erupted into roars, claps, and screeches as the many stands packed to the rafters all emphatically replied, many motioning for the betting girls to tally their last minute bets as they referenced their combi-pads. But all took note as a gate at the far end of the arena floor opened, and the seats shook in response to the pounding of heavy feet as a humongous bellow reverberated into the very core of everyone present. A huge, lizard-like monster thundered its way into the arena, and after an overawed moment of silence, the arena again erupted into frenzied applause. The thick scales were scored in places by fresh scars, and several drops of blood from the freshest of gashes, which glinted in the light cast down by the floodlights above. It roared again in challenge as another gate opened on the far side.

The green-uniformed and cat-like officer immediately found the grungy tavern he had just stepped into to be quite disgusting. The crackling and barely working lights could only hide so much of the grime and dirt which festooned every surface. His sensitive nose sniffed the air, and he could immediately tell that it had been a while since an inspector had visited the kitchens too, given the stench of mold and decay that wafted from that area. He was glad that his only need for being in here was sitting at the bar, slumped and nursing a glass of unknown but probably very alcoholic liquid.

Slipping delicately into the stained seat next to the dejected figure, he motioned away the tired-looking waitress, who pursed her purple lips disapprovingly and continued on to attend the few others in the room. The officer’s ears seemed to scan the room like twitchy radar dishes as his yellow eyes focused on the human seated next to him, inspecting the orange jumpsuit which had obviously long been in need of a wash. In a smooth voice the officer said, “You haven’t been taking care of yourself, James.”

Slowly looking up from the drink clutched in both hands, James looked up with bloodshot eyes over an unkempt beard at the officer beside him. Suppressing a belch, the miner replied as he looked back to his drink again, “Colonel Eahn, what bruh... brings a Colonel of the Vlexeene Guard to these parts?”

The Colonel’s eyes narrowed, but they betrayed pity in their yellow depths, “You do, James. Princess Saevi was heartbroken when she received news about Charlie, but she was even more heartbroken when you refused her calls. It’s not good form to keep a princess on hold, you know.”

James took another swig from his glass, and mumbled under his breath, which the sharp ears of the Colonel heard him utter, “Didn’t feel like talking.” The Colonel continued, “His Majesty called for a damn day of mourning for that big lug and you. When you didn’t show up for the proceedings, the Princess didn’t come out of her room for two days. The Queen Mother, the stars bless her, fretting about and suddenly being snappish to the servants. We are all worried about you, James. Your many friends are too, if your inbox messages are anything to go by.”

James, jolted as if by an electric shock, turned sharply to look at Colonel Eahn, though his eyes were unfocused and bleary, “How’d’you get in my mail, you nosy prick?” The Vlexeene merely smirked, ignoring the insult as he twirled a finger in his moustache. “Call it a friend’s prerogative, that and I had to track you down somehow. The king was breathing down my neckfur to find you, so I had my IT division hack into your accounts. That doesn’t matter though, what does matter is I have some news you need to hear, and we need you sober, come along now.” Throwing a few credits onto the counter, the Vlexeene grabbed the miner’s dirty jumpsuit and hauled him up from his seat, almost reeling at the heavy smell of sweat and cheap alcohol. James put up a bit of resistance, but the senior guardsman cuffed him a bit and sent him stumbling out the door. For the few patrons inside, most of which had been watching the two with interest, with their entertainment now gone were left to continuing their murmured conversations between themselves as the lights above crackled.

Outside in the comparatively bright sunlight, two more Vlexeene guardsmen flanked a jumpcar parked near the door, their uniform and chest insignia showing them to be of a junior rank. Both came to attention as the two exited, and both also wrinkled their sensitive noses in disgust at what the Colonel had brought out. He motioned to them for help, and James was quickly settled into the backseat in a drunken stupor. They found their own places in the car as the pilot Vlexeene punched in a set of coordinates. Once the air controls had been set to vent the overpowering stench, the jumpcar shot into the air almost vertically before joining the teeming mass of other air traffic. They headed towards the far side of the city, where a sea of large freighters and other ships were moored in their respective dockings. As they closed the distance, they could see that many of the ships swarmed with activity as goods and passengers were transported on and off, and dock workers worked in an orderly chaos, looked over by their foremans shouting out orders, or reprimands for those trying to get a lazy moment in.

The Vlexeene jumpcar set down in a quieter docking port where a brown, battered mining freighter sat moored. The colonel exited the jumpcar while the two junior guardsmen dragged the semi-unconscious figure of James out of the backseat. The four then proceeded to the ship, entering through a port which opened when the Colonel put his clawed paw up against the hand scanner to the right of the airlock door.

Through the bowels of the ship, the Vlexeene maneuvered their drunken cargo until they reached the spartan crew quarters, which at that moment was uncharacteristically strewn with dirty laundry and empty bottles. The two guardsmen set the miner down on the bed, and were glad to leave the smelly room and their charge when the Colonel motioned them away. He made sure James was comfortable, and then headed towards the cockpit, in part to get some coffee and wait for his friend to wake as much as to get away from the smell.

Several hours passed before James finally woke to the beautiful smell of coffee nearby, as well as a severe pounding in his head like he was using his old jackhammer on his own skull. Moaning in pain, he sat up from his bed. Getting up was just as painful, but he pushed past it and turned toward the head, his feet sending bottles careening. He was startled by a familiar voice which stated, “When you’re done in there, I got some proper victuals for you.” James swiveled unsteadily to see the green-clad Eahn sipping coffee as he leaned on the doorway to the cockpit, his eyes glinting with humor. The grizzled miner grumbled and continued on to his much-needed destination.

His head still pounding, James returned to the crew quarters, where the Colonel was waiting at the fold-out table. A steaming plate made from a carb-heavy food pack and a cup of coffee waited in the empty spot opposite the officer. James sat down and dug in hungrily, not looking at the Colonel at all, who continued to sip at his own cup. After a minute, the Colonel piped up to break the silence, “You know, you have to tell me where you supply your coffee. Since you humans introduced us to it, I’ve developed quite a taste, but we get the worst brew at HQ; it tastes terrible. This stuff is quite nice.” James continued to scarf the food down instead of answering, and the Colonel could only look on in pity. The man he had met during the festivities at the return of Princess Saevi to his grateful people was bright and cheery, always flanked by his gargantuan friend. They had developed a friendship when they had worked together on several mutual operations. The person now in front of him seemed but a broken shell in comparison.

He shook his head, and continued, “Look, I’m here on more than just royal business, my friend. I’m also here because of an investigation I’ve been looking into recently. To put it succinctly, it’s about Charlie.”

James slammed his spoon down on the table with a clatter, and stood up abruptly, startling the Colonel. Reaching out a paw, Eahn tried to object, “James, please don’t-” James grunted out as he stomped to the cockpit door, “He’s gone. Don’t you be darin’ to bring ‘im up. Thanks for the food, now get goin’.” As he put his hand on the door frame, the miner heard his furry friend quietly say, “I think he’s alive.”

James rounded on the Colonel, almost screaming at the top of his lungs with tears streaming down from already red-rimmed eyes, “I WATCHED HIM DIE, YOU FUR-FACED BASTARD! THEY KILLED ‘IM RIGHT IN FRONT O’ ME! HE AIN’T EVER COMIN’ BACK!” His shoulders slumped down as his head hung low from his expended fury. Colonel Eahn saw frustration, anger, and grief in his human friend’s eyes that he knew went deep, and he hoped to all in the heavens that he wasn’t wrong about what he had discovered. He shook his head again and stubbornly continued, “I think you saw a show, James. A horrid show, but only a show. Please, sit down and let me explain.”

He could see James shaking, trying to control an indeterminate rage. After several moments, the miner slowly made his way back to his seat across from the Colonel, his hands clenching and unclenching as he stared intently at the table. The Colonel nodded and cleared his throat. “Several days after we heard about… about it, I looked into the company. With all my years as a guardsman, I could tell that nothing about it’s operations seemed legitimate. I had my men look into the Adrax Laboratory, for one, and it seems they never received a Tilluxian for study.”

James’ intent stare swiftly switched to look right into the yellow eyes of the officer, who returned the stare as he continued on, “Leads dried up quickly after that. One of the doctors I thought might help and his family completely disappeared. I got the sense that someone found out about our little investigation and began to clean up. Several weeks passed with nothing. However, I was getting reports from Red Division, our intergalactic piracy task force? They were hearing about a brand new attraction in the Hub pits. Those blighters are always looking for something new for their short attention spans, and a few months ago they seemed to have found something big. From what our informants have been telling us, it’s a recently acquired Tilluxian Dragon.”

James now had the chance to narrow his eyes at the Colonel. “I knew that desk job was gonna set that mind to jelly, you fat, furry idjit. That could be any Tilluxian.” The Colonel straightened the front of his jacket as he scowled across the table. “I know you’re hurting right now James, but less of your insults would be appreciated. Now I am fully aware that Charlie isn’t the only Tilluxian Dragon in the universe, but there is a connection. The Vice President of Operations of Southtech, Crassus Jaul - who I believe you’ve had the displeasure of meeting - has reportedly been in contact with Takrex. The Lord Takrex. We’ve been trying to pin down that elusive Narx Rat for years. Financial records we obtained also seem to show a substantial sum going into Jaul’s personal accounts through various shell corporations around the time of Charlie’s execution. It took us three months just to discover that convoluted combi-trail, let me tell you, but we are sure it must be a payments from Takrex.”

The ears of the Colonel twitched in annoyance at the sound of more bottles sent scattering as James stood up abruptly and began to pace across the decking. Eahn could see that James’s mind was racing. His grief and anger had now been replaced by confusion, and for the first time in several months of guilt and helplessness, there was an inkling of hope. James then stopped abruptly as if stopped in thought, and again Eahn was startled when James careened towards the cockpit door in a flurry.

Before Eahn had fully gotten out of his seat, cursing when he nearly spilled the hot coffee down his impeccable front, James had returned to the common area with a combi-pad in hand. “Here! Here it is! This has to be important! Surely you can figure it out, you and your smartypants IT folks.” Eahn stood rather dumbly in response, hesitantly taking the combi-pad that James had been waving in his direction. Confusedly, he said, “Have what, James? What is on here?” The Colonel noticed the screen was covered in oil streaks from lots of use, and several parts were rather stained with questionable food or drink stains.

“Well, I got a head on my shoulders Colonel, I made a copy of all the documents those bastards sent me when I was doin’ their dirty work for ‘em. I can’t make heads or tails of all the accoutin’ stuff, but I know enough that a few things seem out o’ place in the inventories and order receipts for the Vashas, for instance. I just can’t put my finger on the rest of it.”

Eahn gingerly wiped the very dirty screen with his sleeve before opening several documents already cued up. Inventories, accounting records of several outstanding accounts, order receipts, mining survey reports, and a host of other records flashed by in a whir before Eahn had a chance to sit down and begin to translate the mess. He soon noticed issues with the breakdown reports of the mining equipment used by the Vashas, and the portfolio of the Yallarian colony just didn’t add up in his head. Looking up from the reports, he saw that James had seated himself on the edge of his bunk, leaning forward in anticipation and eyes that bored into the yellow slitted pools of the Colonel once he had looked up.

“Well James, I certainly agree that something is wrong with these operations, and these aren’t the only ones I’ve seen to be similarly ‘fishy,’ as you humans are apt to say. I’ll send these on to some agents of ours in the Guard, they might have some luck at deciphering this convoluted mess, but with any luck this might help us. In the meantime, whether or not it is our mutual friend, I believe we have a big lizard to save.”

James’ taciturn face, which had seemingly been stuck on that setting for months now, finally broke out in a wide smile.

He had done this sort of thing one or two times before, but he could never consider the earpiece to be comfortable. It was designed with Vlexeene ears in mind, so it didn’t quite fit right in his own human ear canal, where every step would send a dull and uncomfortable jab of plastee to remind him of its presence. However, the adrenaline coursing through his veins and the excitement of the situation were helping him ignore the discomfort. In front of James was the captain of a smuggling ship the Guard had tracked down but not arrested yet for the express purpose of this mission. Given that the fledgling operation had been relatively easy to uncover, and that the Lou-Maxi captain of the crew wasn’t the brightest star in the night sky made it so he wasn’t a high priority in the first place, and the perfect pawn to help get James into the Hub.

The miner smiled to himself as he saw Captain Choep eye him appraisingly up and down in a lopsided attempt at being intimidating, but his fleshy and iridescent cheek bags giving him a dumb bloodhound sort of look ruined the attempt at the outset. Instead of the usual orange jumpsuit, James had been outfitted with a faux-leather bomber jacket and dark cargo pants that he thought was ripped right from a certain Harrison Ford character. He was sure that this wrinkled imbecile wasn’t a fan of ancient Terran films though, who might otherwise blow the cover of this copyright-infringing smuggler’s costume.

The cheek bags didn’t help the squat captain add any intimidating qualities to his speech either, which was predominantly overshadowed by the amount of spittle that sprayed dangerously close with each grating word spoken. Fortunately for James, the translator box on his shoulder-strap didn’t have a salivary gland, as it worked the words into common. “Stho, you tbhink you’re wortbhy of my crew, eh? What can a human offer in muscle tbhat my Gruat can’t? What could any human oftfer to a crew, eh? Eh?” He warbled out a chuckle that was shared by the other crew on his ship, including the bulky Gruat in question. James crossed his arms and looked contemptuously back, drawling out, “Heh, I could go toe to toe with ‘im. But I ain’t here to fight so much as get you in on the ore tradin,’ which is what you’re lookin’ for in the first place, right? Least, that’s what my sources said. But if you don’t need my extensive knowledge on the inside track on the market from here to the Vega cluster, that’s on you. I got other folks that’d appreciate the leg up.” He turned to leave the gangway but was stopped short - as planned - when he heard the almost desperate plea of the captain behind him, “Waitbh! Maybe… maybe we can use you. Justh waibth a moment.”

James slowly turned back, an eyebrow raised quizzically. He could see the captain’s gears turning sluggishly inside an unimaginative brain. James looked about the rest of the crew, their eyes either on their captain in anticipation, or on him in undisguised suspicion. The Gruat was certainly eyeing him up, probably assessing his fighting prowess as only a former gladiator could, the varied scars about his body giving away the possibility. The large alien shrugged contemptuously and crossed both pairs of arms before looking towards the captain. James merely smiled inside, it’s only unlucky or stupid fighters that have so many scars, and even being in his more golden years James believed he could give this hulking muscle the run-around.

However, chief among the crew which caught James’ eye was an arthropod-like species from one of the darker parts of the galaxy, and underneath the flak armor was a jet black chitinous hide ending in at least eight jointed appendages, though one of which was missing from some battle. The compound eyes situated on the skull seemed to bore into James, and when he looked back, the eyes merely narrowed in heightened suspicion. He leaned toward the captain still deliberating and said quite loudly, “Tktktktktk! We should not trust this one Captain Choep! I do not like him! Tktktktktk.”

The captain waived away the suggestion, the bottom of his flabby arm undulating from the movement. “Bah, you thbink too much Argax! Sthop pestering me! As for you, human! What do you say to three percent?”

James didn’t even need to pretend to think, considering it was a pittance being offered for the position. “Three? What do ya take me for? A scrubber-bot? I’d be finding the best prices for our… wares…. I want eight.”

Choep blinked several times, a purple color creeping up his jowls. “Eight? Eight? Nah, you gothta earn eight, scrounger! Six, and no more!”

Again, James pretended to think, he was going to take it even though it was still a low offer, those listening in through his earpiece were depending on it. He looked back up at the rather underwhelming captain, who had swelled out his paunch to appear bigger, which was a common show of superiority among his toad-like people. To the grizzled miner it was rather laughable. Finally, James nodded once and begrudgingly said, “Fine, but i'll be wanting my fair share as time goes by.” The captain nodded back several times, as did some of the other crew members, though some looked glum at the fact they wouldn’t be toasting him off the dockyard as their hands gripped tight at their holstered combi-blasters. The Lou-Maxi looked quite pleased with himself as he said to his new crew member, “Good, now make shture you get back before too long with your gear, we’ll be taking ofth soon.”

James nodded stoically, and turned about to make his way back to the dive he had rented for the night at this backend port. In truth he hadn’t even bothered unpacking, partly because of the mission, and partly because of his suspicion for the cleanliness of the place. As he turned he locked eyes one more time with Argax the Anthropoid, its many eyes showing nothing but dislike and undiminished suspicion. He knew he would have to step carefully the next few months to avoid the ire of that one. But now phase one was complete of their plan, and soon he would be on his way to possibly finding out if Charlie was alive. Worming away at his consciousness was the idea that it was just a random Tilluxian that was unfortunate enough to have been picked up alive by the indiscriminate pirates, but the burbling spring of hope that had sprouted during the conversation with his friend Eahn would not fully allow the possibility. He shrugged his shoulders and sped up his step. It had to be Charlie.

It had to be.

The next several weeks were rather harrowing for the older miner, and the stress of the facade James constantly had to maintain was getting to him. But he continued on with a stoicism born from desperation and an end goal. Not helping the situation was the constant presence of the multi-limbed menace James sometimes referred to as “Stubby,” that being Argax the arthropoidal alien who seemed to dog his every step with a nasty specist remark and an even nastier glare. He could have had the luxury of talking to a friendly voice using the communicator temporarily embedded in his ear canal, but without the masking of many communication channels a station as big as the Hub would afford him, he couldn’t risk any illicit transmission being picked up by the smuggling ship’s sensors. But several months of work in his role as the inside man (in more than one capacity) went by quickly, and finally the inept Captain Choep announced to the crew that some shore leave at the Hub was coming up.

James cheered and clapped hands with the rest of the pirates, but inwardly he wished the place would become little more than space dust. The hollowed out asteroid was a den of some of the most villainous elements in the galaxy, filled with slave markets, brutal gladiatorial chambers, and a booming black market trade, all orchestrated by one loathsome being: the self-styled Lord Takrex. He held an iron fist over the good-sized pirate fleet he controlled, and was connected enough that he somehow skirted the attention of the systems big enough to take him and the well fortified asteroid station head-on. In the meantime, the systems and colonies most plagued by his nefarious bunch were not large enough on their own to defeat him.

Again, James found himself somewhat day-dreaming as the stars outside the porthole passed swiftly by, thinking of what laid ahead for him, and the reunion he desperately hoped might happen. That worm of doubt reared its ugly head again inside the pit of his stomach, overwhelming his reverie with a sour thought. It isn’t Charlie. It is some poor schmuck of a Dragon who they got their claws into. All of this will be for nothing. Or even worse, if it was Charlie, he had spent these long months in captivity and cruelly-delivered pain while James had been moping about from bar to dingier bar, not even bothering to try and find him or try to do something. The grizzled miner pushed the thought away, but not before a tear began to trace a groove down his cheek and into the stubble where the tousled beard had been several weeks prior. He looked back up into the porthole, but his reflection had been joined by a multi-eyed head!

Turning swiftly, a hand going to his combi-blaster, he found Argax looking back at him slyly from several feet away, taking up most of the doorway. His mandibles clacked out a chuckle. “Tktktktktk, slow human, I have killed Narx Rats faster than you. And what is this, your face is wet! Have you finally cracked under the pressure? Tktktktktktk.” James cursed his little moment, acting like some blubbering fool, but outwardly sneered at his recently-acquired nemesis. “I’m afraid not, Stubby. I was merely crying with joy at the thought of what sort o’ bug spray they might sell big enough to put you on your tubby arse. Or do you think they might have some really big fly swatters? It’s my first time there.”

Argax, already naturally tall, grew taller still as he stalked menacingly toward the leather-clad miner, his eyes narrowed in fury. “Tktktktktk! That is not my name, barkok! I will teach you to-” He was cut off as the pounding of feet on metal decking came down the corridor outside, and both turned to see one of the other crew, another Lou-Maxi named Lorg, as he stopped at the door, his portly frame out of breath but cheery. “Thbe Hub! We’re ath thbe Hub!” He hardly failed to notice the tension in the room, and as he did, he awkwardly paused before nodding to both, and continuing hurriedly down the corridor.

When Argax turned around, the first thing he saw was the barrel of James’ combi-blaster aimed directly at his face. Argax’s smile was venomous but he conceded the situation, backing out of the room slowly with a parting jab. “Watch your back, human, you never know what lurks in the dark! Tktktktk.” James kept the blaster handy as he said, “Cowards mostly, I suspect.” Argax’ smirk vanished, snarling as he turned and stamped noisily down the hallway.

The disguised miner holstered his combi-blaster with a tired sigh as he thought of the good timing. He was glad this mission would be over soon. A drop of salty water that soon fell to the dirty deck plate, however, belied the doubts that continued to harbor themselves in the dark recesses of his mind.

Read the other parts of the series!

Part 1: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183762132696/charlie-1

Part 2: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183787102041/charlie-2

Part 3: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183794906326/charlie-3

Part 4: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183805565796/charlie-4

Part 6: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183819131196/charlie-6

Part 7: https://georgecrecy.tumblr.com/post/183819391261/charlie-7

#hfy #haw #humans are weird #humans are space orcs #earth is space australia

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shy-violet-soul · 4 years

Text

Bite Me, Bit Fit!

Title: Bite Me, Bit Fit! Characters: Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester Summary: Dean is introduced to wearable fitness technology. It doesn’t go well. Rating: E for everyone Warnings: fitness-related fluff; canon-compliant violence Word Count: 1,500

A/N: I just recently got a FitBit™. Quite the handy little contraption - because my job is sedentary, the little buzzing reminders on my wrist are good for me to go take a walk. In the midst of a crazy moment, when that thing buzzed, I had to roll my eyes. Then it made me wonder what Dean would think of it. I took some creatively liberties with the actual functionalities of the app/device for the plot. Enjoy!

A/N: somehow this got completed deleted from Tumblr. ???

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Suspicion lasered out of Dean’s narrowed green eyes as he stood there, arms crossed over his chest, while Sam wiggled the slim box in his direction.

“C’mon, Dean. It’ll be good for both of us. It monitors exercise, your sleeping patterns…”

“None of which I do.”

“...Steps taken, water intake, calories burned...”

“None of which I care about.”

“And look - we can compete with each other on stats.” Not to be outdone, Sam whipped out his phone, swiping quickly to an app. “See? We can set up a ‘Step Showdown’ or a ‘Workweek Water’ challenge.”

Plucking the phone from Sam’s grasp, Dean scrolled through the app dubiously. “Does the ‘Weekend Warrior’ measure machete swings?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “Look, you were just saying how you needed to take better care of yourself.”

“No, you said that.” Dean extended the phone back to him dismissively. “All that fancy fitness crap is your wheelhouse, so go wheel yourself along.”

Pocketing his phone, Sam propped his hands on his hips and sighed as he looked down at the floor. “Well, that’s fine. I figured you wouldn’t be up for it. I mean, with you getting older, I’m sure competitions like this are more of a toll on you.”

“Whoa, hey, what?”

“It’s fine, Dean. I kept the receipt. I’ll get you a new heating pad for your shoulder or something.”

Dean scowled as Sam turned to walk away.

“You saying I’m too old?”

“Now, I didn’t say ‘old’. You just need to be...careful.”

“You’re the one that needs to be careful. I could still whip you five ways from Sunday, Sammy!”

“Dean, hey, it’s fine! We don’t need to have any stupid competitions on which of us is in better shape…”

Stomping forward, Dean snatched the box out of Sam’s hand. “Gimme that!” He glowered at the box for a moment before tossing it on the library table and digging out his phone. “What the hell is the app called?”

“FitBit™.”

“BitFit, fine. I’ll show you who’s in better shape,” he intoned, shooting his brother a glare. Sam merely raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture, then turned and hurried off before Dean could see his smirk.

*************************

Day 1

“Did you hit your step goal today?” Sam wanted to know. Dean scoffed where he sat at the kitchen table with his laptop.

“Uh, yeah. Like, hours ago.”

Sam frowned in surprise. “Really? ‘Cuz I literally just hit 10,000 after walking around the storage room all day.”

Dean blinked at his brother. “My goal is 3,000.”

“Dean!”

His brother cavalierly waved off his protest. “Hey, you said ‘step goal’. You didn’t say whose step goal.”

Bitch Face Level 1 volleyed at Dean as Sam tossed his hands up in disgust. “You can’t just change the goal after the challenge begins! That’s like cheating!”

“It’s not cheating! It’s...creative interpretation of the ground rules.”

“Dean!”

“Fine! I’ll change it to 10,000. Bitch,” he grumbled.

So validated, Sam sniffed in offense. “Jerk.”

Day 3

Jaws popping around a yawn, Sam headed for the kitchen and the coffee pot. The unknown case in Wichita Falls, with only blue-eyed victims missing their left eyes and their hair mysteriously purple, meant a lot of caffeine to fuel the lore research. He’d no sooner stepped down into the kitchen when a phone suddenly arrowed into his face.

“HA! Look at that!”

Sam sucked in a breath as he tried to slow his heart rate. “For cryin’ out loud, Dean!”

“Hydrate challenge...completed!” Dean crowed with a swaggering gesture. “Eight glasses, Sammy. Read it and weep.”

“You - Dean Winchester - drank eight servings of water, eight ounces each?” his brother side eyed him as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

Pocketing his phone, Dean brandished a plastic bottle aloft, shaking the dregs of water in it vigorously. “That’s right. And, no, some of it wasn’t beer,” he griped when Sam quirked an eyebrow at him.

“Good for you, Dean. You win this one,” he praised around a yawn as he trudged back to the library, Dean in tow. Dean pulled a laptop towards him as he sat across from Sam, sending him a confident smile.

“What can I say, Sammy? You shouldn’t mess with the master. Oh, and check this out!” Chugging the last couple of swallows, Dean reopened the app and added his latest bottle to his daily total. The app exploded in confetti and triumphant notes rang out happily. “Ta-dah! Gotta say, this BitFit is pretty cool.”

“It’s FitBit™, Dean.”

“That’s what I said.”

Too tired to formulate a comment, Sammy just smiled.

Day 8

“Uh-oh.”

Dean cracked an eye at the tinny sounding voice.

“We’re worried about you.”

Frowning his eyes open, Dean groaned as he turned his head and the muscles cricked up painfully. As much as he loved his Baby, sleeping here was hell on his body. He and Sammy had rolled into McCook, Nebraska yesterday after reports of three deaths proved weird enough to be their kind of thing. Three dead guys, working for the same company, burned to a crisp in at the same golf course and one eyewitness groundskeeper swearing he saw a lion at the scene. Awesome. Lore hadn’t turned up any ideas on the monster yet, and the hours on the road had caught up with him.

The device on his wrist buzzed, catching his attention as another “uh-oh!” chirped from his phone. Fumbling it up, Dean squinted as the app showed him a very sleep sad face emoji.

“You only got two hours of sleep last night. Remember - you’re at your best with eight!” the app notified dutifully. Dragging himself fully upright, Dean tossed the phone into the passenger seat as he headed to meet up with Sam.

“Shut up, fitness warden,” he grumbled, pulling back onto the road.

Day 10

The friendly blue band lit up and buzzed merrily.

“Congratulations! You’ve hit 250 steps this hour!”

Dean didn’t even flinch as he sprinted through the woods at full tilt, flames licking at his heels in advance of the unearthly roar behind him.

“Sammy!”

“This way, Dean!”

The creature dug its claws in, clots of dirt tossing up as it spun to track Dean when he turned a tight corner towards his brother. Snapping its jaws, it growled before giving chase once more.

“Uh-oh! Your heart rate appears to be elevated past the peak rate.” No shit. He could feel his heart pounding with every footstep, but when a blast of dragon-lion-monster breath hit the back of his neck, Dean poured on the speed. The ground beneath him rumbled, roiling and quaking in threatening earthquake omens as the chimera behind him roared again. Who knew Greek monsters could pop up in freakin’ Nebraska? “Doing cardio activity past peak level for extended periods hasn’t proved to be beneficial. Stay at the cardio level for maximum impact.”

“I’m about to maximum impact all over the place, godammit! SAM! I’m about to be cat-lizard food!” he blared out.

“Now!” Sam shouted, and his tall frame was suddenly there, crossbow at the ready with a hastily prepared iron spear locked and loaded. “Tuck and roll, Dean!”

His bad shoulder cracked ominously as Dean hit the ground, his trajectory scraping a Dean-sized swipe in the foliage as Sam aimed, fired, and ducked. The iron met the chimera’s spewing flames dead center, arrowing into the heart of the beast. A heartbeat later, it exploded into sparkling, burning bits that dissipated into purple-y, ashy clouds almost instantly. The earthquake stopped in its tracks, leaving the brothers’ spines twitching and ears itching.

The trees held nothing but silence as Dean wheezed for oxygen. He could feel his heartbeat all the way in his boots as he rolled over to check on Sam. Twigs poked up out of his ridiculous hair as he gingerly pressed against the knee he’d twisted a few minutes before, sucking at air like it was going out of style. Huffing out a sound that could have been a laugh, Dean nodded when Sam gave him a thumbs up. They did it. They killed the bastard. And they didn’t die this time. Although his lungs felt like they might make a liar out of him in a moment.

Then, into the quiet came two merry voices in stereo.

“Congratulations! You’ve hit 10,000 steps! Fastest record yet!” their phones chorused. Sam groaned as Dean sneezed a leaf out of his nose.

“Bite me, BitFit, you son-of-a-bitch!”

#Bite me bit fit #Dean Winchster #Dean #Sam Winchester #sam

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spmcomic · 5 years

Text

(a companion to this scene.)

They had left O’Chunks at the top of the hill. It seemed right, to leave him be, with his jar, and his shield, and his shrine. In the meantime the Count mulled over how small it all felt. If it weren’t for this small detour, it would simply feel like any other day. He supposed it would be hard to tell, for him; every day felt the same regardless.

Nastasia had begun speaking while he was distracted. He missed her first few words before he could focus in on her voice. “… go too far from here while he’s up there. It was a long way from camp, and he might not remember how to get back. ‘K?”

The Count blinked. “Yes, yes.” He paused, then straightened his back in resolve. “Nastasia, I think we should do something nice for O’Chunks,” he announced.

Nastasia stared at him. “We, um, just did the…”

“That’s not enough,” he huffed. “Nothing more than a moment out of our day? What else are we busying ourselves with?”

She bit her lip. “That’s a good point…”

The Count watched her. The sunlight shone off her hair in bright pinpricks and darkened her glasses. She was picking at her nail, the way she liked to when she wanted the Count to continue before she proceeded. But the question couldn’t seem to make its way to his mouth. He got caught on the tenuous connection between his mind and body and briefly examined the strange nature of converting thoughts to words.

“What do you think we should do, Count?” Nastasia asked, for him. But he didn’t have an answer, much less the question. He gestured helplessly.

He had watched O’Chunks fold a paper star each day without fail. He would no longer have that routine, he would no longer be working with his paper as the Count dragged himself out of the sleep-haze every morning. What could they possibly do to match up with this dedication?

“Can you narrow it down at all?” She was practically feeding him the conversation, but his mind had apparently decided to celebrate its single achievement for the day and quit while it was ahead. He opened his mouth, then gave up and closed it again. Somewhere, off to the right, a bee bumbled through the air. His ear twitched irritably.

“… Okay, um, do you want to look at the maps?” Nastasia prompted. It was so easy to become distracted by the act of listening, rather than actually listening.

“The… maps…” the Count nodded, squinting his eyes shut. The daylight warmed itself through his eyelids.

“I’ve been, y’know, making little notes. Which worlds have inns. Which ones are hostile. That kind of thing.”

The Count nodded again. “As soon as h-he returns… Thank you.” He rubbed his forehead, brushing aside the damp fluff. “Y-yes… We should be able to, ah, to return to previous worlds…”

Nastasia’s brow crept over the rim of her glasses. “Are you sure you’re up to it, sir?”

“Yes,” he mumbled. “Let us, er, move to the shade.”

“Oh, right. Yeah.”

She led his retreat to the cover of the trees. Their quills littered the ground, and would get caught in the fringes of his cloak, but it didn’t matter. The Count swept the fabric back and leaned against the nearest trunk. Their bark had a strange texture here, very geometrical. The stark corners dug into his back, but his cloak softened the edges. Even the thickest, bulkiest trees had an air of flimsiness about them. But the Count wasn’t heavy enough to budge them just by leaning.

Already the leaf-filtered light brought his eyes some relief. The Count considered his options. “We should not revisit a world with too many humans,” he offered. Nastasia nodded once.

“Yeah, so, that rules out a couple choices. Don’t want to take any unnecessary risks today,” she agreed, tapping her claws against the bark with a tiny scritch.

He fell silent. All the worlds in the last years looked so similar, in retrospect. He’d never be able to pick one to revisit. They were all empty. He grimaced when he thought of all the worlds they had visited and not searched. So much lost time.

Nastasia must have noticed the look on his face, because she leaned farther into his field of view. “Boss?”

“Yes, Nastasia?” He dragged his claw down his face. He needed to move, to occupy his rickety mind. He gently drifted back in the direction of their campsite. O’Chunks’ footfalls were a distant but steady noise from the hill. It would not take long to catch up to them.

She folded her hands behind her back as they walked. “Just, um, checking in. We should brainstorm some activity options before he catches up.”

The Count nearly snorted. “He would be much better at this…”

“Yeah, well, y’know. We shouldn’t ask him to make any calls right now.”

The Count nodded, but didn’t say anything else, and Nastasia gave up.

O’Chunks fell into stride beside Nastasia. “We headin’ back?”

“Yes. Nastasia and I have a matter to discuss.”

The grin was nearly audible. “Perfecting yer tic-tac-toe strategy?”

“Please,” Nastasia huffed. “We’ve moved on from that. Three dimensions is our next project.”

O’Chunks chuckled weakly. “Tha’ still falls under th’umbrella, lass.” The grass brushed under his dragging feet. The Count’s ears flicked at the sound. No, they simply couldn’t leave the day as it was.

They walked in comfortable silence. The Count struggled to yank his mind back into reality. The dappled light was certainly more tolerable than the bright clearing and the hill, but something about the air was irritating him. Nastasia referred to it as ‘allergies,’ his memory declared, unbidden. Holding up its prize as if it had picked a diamond from Jaydes’ own pocket.

Well, at least something had come back.

Their campsite had picked up a few curious critters, but O’Chunks chased them off without fanfare. Nastasia strode directly over to her backpack and picked it up, and nearly dragged the Count off into the trees. The Count glanced back over his shoulder at O’Chunks, who was rolling his eye and sighing. The Count blinked apologetically before he lost sight of the camp.

“’K, so,” she began, laying the two maps out on the grass. The Count squinted down at them. “I was making some mental notes while we were walking, and I have a few options for your review.” She motioned, so the Count crouched down further, tilting his head to one side to get a better look.

One map was blank. She tapped the marked map with a claw, drawing the Count’s attention to the ink. “According to my records there’s about half a dozen worlds that are marked for good day trips. We could always swing by a nice park…”

The Count sniffed and rubbed his nose once absently. “Perhaps. What is this world here?”

“Oh, that one had several different races in the town we visited, so we’d be safe. I made a note of its concert hall.”

“Classical music would put O’Chunks to sleep.”

“Ha, yeah…”

“Oh! I remember this one. I have an idea…”

It took only a short time to arrange. Or, it seemed like a short time, with the heaviness of the air. Packing the campsite was a blur of moving his hands around, picking things up and folding them or passing them to O’Chunks. Nastasia held the map out in front of the Count as he lifted his wand, focused on the location, and opened a portal. Nastasia confirmed the terrain was familiar, so they hopped through.

The shift in worlds was familiar by now. It was clearer here, farther into warm weather, but his mind did not clear quickly to match. Nastasia touched a hand to his shoulder and pointed off into the distance. “Just a little farther that way,” she said. He lifted his wand again, instead setting his mind’s eye to the horizon.

“Where in the dickens are the two o’you takin’ us?” O’Chunks asked, taking care to make the large step down from the Count’s only slightly misplaced portal.

“You’ll see,” Nastasia replied. “One more push, sir.” She directed him once again.

The final portal placed the trio just outside a small community built around a wide river. The Count led them around the outskirts out of habit, but the locals who did spot them simply moved on with their business. He didn’t bother pulling up his hood.

They came up on a dock leading out into the silent river. There was a pebble-skinned lizard creature with one too many arms slouched at a shaded booth next to a supply shack. It lifted its head and tasted the air with its tongue as O’Chunks took the lead.

“You just need to, um, rent the fishing boat and some supplies,” Nastasia informed him, taking her place slightly behind. She stuck her hand out to the side, so the Count took it gently between his claws.

O’Chunks glanced back at Nastasia, his brows furrowed. “Fishing boat? Issat what yeh dragged us all the way out here for?”

Nastasia and the Count both nodded once, one with a touch more enthusiasm than the other. O’Chunks sighed, but a fond laugh escaped at the end and he rubbed his face. “Alright. Guess we’re fishin’ today.” He shielded his eyes and looked toward the sky. “Looks t’still be late morning here, yeah? Plenty o’time.”

“Howdy,” the lizard greeted as O’Chunks approached, still shaking his head. Its voice was far more musical than the Count had assumed it would be. “What can I do for y’all here?”

“We need a boat,” O’Chunks counted off his fingers. “An’, uh, a fishing pole, and some bait… The usual?”

The lizard rested its head on an arm. “We only got one fishing pole left. Popular spot, today.”

“Tha’s fine,” O’Chunks rumbled, glancing back at Nastasia again.

They left their things in the nearly-empty shack, though O’Chunks took a moment to retrieve his hat. “Don’t want a sunburn,” he said. The lizard hopped down from its booth and led them to the farthest dock, where a tiny boat was tethered to a post. The dock was nearly underwater, so the three of them picked carefully across the puddles and clambered into the boat. The Count gently ran a finger along the surface; it wasn’t made of wood, but he had no idea what it could have been made out of instead. Their guide drowsily waved good-bye as they pulled away from the dock.

“Oh, there’s all the other boats,” Nastasia sighed as they paddled past a bend through the shrubs and found a crowd.

“I don’t mind,” O’Chunks shrugged, poking at their bucket of bait.

The Count put his hands on the outer rim of the boat with the beginnings of a smirk creeping into his eyes. “I will take care of it. Grab hold of something.”

O’Chunks grabbed the other side of the boat. Nastasia grabbed O’Chunks.

He had never pushed something this big before, but he felt the energy growing in his arms and hands and flowing down into the material of the boat. It drifted backward for a moment while he gathered his power, and then he released. The boat tilted back and shot across the surface of the water, barely weaving through the crowd gathered in the wide, still pool. The other two yelped as they surged forward, but the Count kept his hands on the side.

All at once they passed through the crowd and flew down the river on the other side. The current was stronger here, and would hopefully carry them down to the next quiet pond. In the meantime, the Count sat back, sweat slicking his head and hands. Nastasia and O’Chunks let go of each other and Nastasia took a rattled breath.

He grinned at them. “I haven’t moved that quickly in…” He trailed off. His mind had automatically reached for a memory that was not there. When had he last felt the wind whipping past him like that? A pit was growing in his gut, so he decided not to dwell on it.

“Well, I’m awake now!” O’Chunks laughed. The boat turned gently in a swirling current, so O’Chunks dipped his hand in the river and corrected their course.

Nastasia just groaned. The Count reached out and patted her hand gently. “Are you alright, Nastasia?”

“I’m fine. I just, um, wasn’t ready.”

“Looks like the next pond is coming up, th’water’s gettin’ real slow,” O’Chunks pulled his hat back up so that it shaded his eyes again.

“Yeah, even if this one’s full, we’re not jetting across again,” Nastasia said, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. “You look tired, anyway, boss.”

“Admittedly, I have not cast a spell like that before…” The Count leaned back as far as he could against the support of the boat, facing the sky, letting his hands and head cool in the breeze.

O’Chunks leaned over, looking into the distance. “Looks like tha’ was the fishing spot. There’s no one ‘ere.”

Nastasia followed his gaze, humming. “We might not get any bites, then.”

“Har, well, then we’ll ‘ave t’skip the fish ‘n chips fer dinner is all,” O’Chunks said as he began fumbling around with their fishing pole.

The Count stared up at the sky in their drifting boat while O’Chunks and Nastasia realized they hadn’t asked their guide for help, and quietly discussed the fishing pole. It took them a few minutes to put together both their half-remembered fishing rules, but he closed his eyes and listened as the picture became clearer. Keep the entire arc of your swing clear of any bystanders- the hook WILL snag on them; don’t pull too hard; put the bait on the hook in such-and-such a fashion; don’t rock the boat and scare away the fish…

…

“First there’s Gavina,” O’Chunks began. The Count startled. What time was it?

“Oh, you woke up,” Nastasia turned her attention toward him. Noting his confused blinking, she added, “It was only ten minutes, sir.”

“What are we talking about?” he mumbled.

“Me siblings. I was just gonna… tell some stories.” O’Chunks absently jostled the fishing pole in his hands.

The Count sat up, trying to escape the heavy buzzing in his head. “Please continue.”

“Gavina was the oldest sibling, after me. Her favored weapon was the battle axe, and her favorite of those was this axe that must have been the same size as her. She called it the Last Laugh, maybe because she wasn’t shy about brandishing it if me ‘n me siblings got going with the japes. It was just about the only thing that could stop the twins and Cait, heh. Actually, one time Gav pulled it out of its holster so hard it got stuck in the ceiling. Me mum banned her from wearing it in the house when she cut through the stair railing without even taking it out. And then she was banned from carrying it in every building after that, one by one. She was good with it in battle! But only because I had the others give her a wide berth. I could swear the thing was enchanted, it ‘accidentally’ saved her from attacks from behind so often.”

“Where did she get an enchanted axe? I thought your world didn’t have, like, enchanted items.”

“I had th’same question meself, but she would only wink at me every time I asked. Guess we’ll never know.”

“Tell one about the twins.”

The boat rocked gently as O’Chunks shifted his weight.

“All right. Next up are Grey and Nareen, the twins. Except they didn’t much look like each other, so no one we met believed them. And after Nareen grew her hair out and started dressing differently, everyone thought they were dating… Don’t give me that look, all seven of us were quick to correct them. Actually, the opposite happened with Sun and his wife. We met a pair of brigadiers who could not believe they weren’t siblings. And they look nothing alike! She didn’t have the O’Chunks family nose. Anyway, little Grey decided they needed to be rivals. But Nareen wasn’t the competitive type… Every time Grey picked up an activity, looking to compete with her, Nareen would move to the opposite kind of thing. Say, Grey picked up a sword. Nareen would go practice coordinating with other commanders. Grey decided to learn how to bowl. Nareen took up a music instrument. Putting their skill sets together, they had just about all the bases covered…”

O’Chunks tugged idly at the fishing pole. Nastasia had been right to expect not to get a bite, but it was just as well. They chattered for a bit about organizing teams.

The Count occupied himself with again attempting to whistle. All he had managed to do so far was make that strange spluttering noise. O’Chunks would look over at him, every few tries, amusement growing in his smile.

Nastasia paused. “Have you tried, um, folding your tongue between…” O’Chunks barked out a laugh and she buried her face in her hands. “I don’t know how I keep forgetting.” The Count glared at her while he spluttered again. O’Chunks passed her the fishing pole.

“I think yeh got a wee trill in there this time, Count.” Another glare, another hissing session.

“Me brother Sun is next. He was always hitting it off with the ladies harder than fifteen-year-old bread. And his lines were just as stale. But he gave such an earnest delivery that it was easy to believe he meant it anyway. One day, though… he was practicing with his bow when this woman walked by. Ah, stars, he made some comment about Cupid I think… She was so unimpressed that he panicked and said, ‘Sorry, I just flirted that out.’ And you can imagine how a pun went over with her, if she didn’t like the pickup line! After she suplexed him, he was just head over heels in love.”

Nastasia let out a harsh breath between her closed teeth. O’Chunks laughed and slapped his knee.

While Nastasia sat with the pole, O’Chunks dug their deck of cards out of his pocket. “Here, Count, I’m gonna teach yeh a magic trick.”

The Count sat up straighter, twisting his ears forward. “I thought you could not cast spells?”

He smirked. “Well, you’ll see. Here, pick a card.” He spread out the deck between his fingers. The Count chose the card on the farthest left side. O’Chunks held it up so the Count could see, but not him. Queen of diamonds. “Yeh got it memorized?” The Count nodded.

O’Chunks shuffled it into the deck. “Now, yeh see, some folks out there might not believe we humans can do much by way of magic,” he began, cutting the deck once, twice. “But! With good spirit, and the right amount of practice…”

“You have the wrong card.”

“What?” O’Chunks blinked. “I haven’t even shown you…” He flipped over the card. Three of clubs. He stared down at it owlishly. “How did yeh know?”

His frown grew deeper and he stared seriously at the Count. “Which card am I holding up?” He held a card out, facing away from the Count.

The Count closed his eyes, concentrating briefly. “Seven of clubs.”

“This one?”

A pause. “Jack of hearts.”

“This one?”

The Count frowned. “The three of clubs again.”

Nastasia stared between the two of them. O’Chunks set his jaw.

“Count… ‘Ave yeh been cheatin’ in our card games? Issat why yeh like Go Fish?”

The Count slapped his hands against the seat in outrage. “Of course not! Why would I cheat? Do I not lose half the time?”

“Yeh should lose two-thirds of the time!”

“That’s what I meant!”

“No, yeah, it would take the fun out of it…”

“Nastasia understands.” The Count leaned back again and folded his arms.

O’Chunks sighed and shook his head with a disgruntled growl. The cards went into the Count’s bag. Nastasia passed the Count the rod, and he dropped the baited hook off the side of the boat and watched it sink under the bright sparkling surface. He squinted and turned away, returning his attention to O’Chunks.

“Anyhow. Me youngest sister Cait enabled a whole lotta our nonsense. Thinking back on it, she might have been some kind of crazy mastermind, doing the whole thing on purpose. She always seemed the most clearheaded when we went out to celebrations or parties… She was just the worst singer though. She loved it, but none of us could hardly stand to hear it. And she was the one who remembered the lyrics best when all of us got hammered, of course. So she led the singing. I guess, when you’re that out of it, it dinnae matter anymore how on-key you were. Har har, imagine her, engineering all these situations just so she could have her fun without us ragging on her…”

The day’s activities were catching up with the Count. O’Chunks’ voice made a pleasant backdrop, a curtain of words over the blinding-bright light from the sky and the pool. He felt his body going slack, but it didn’t seem worth the energy to keep his posture, or to keep his eyes fully open. The light faded to a distant ring, off in the distance somewhere, behind O’Chunks’ recount of the wildest party his sister had gotten them into.

You’re just a weepy drunk is all, a voice said, somewhere in the darkness. The Count’s eyes drooped closed.

“Is that normal?” He knew how this memory went. Or, he thought he knew. It was already gone.

“Hm?” Nastasia’s concern called his attention back to the boat. “Did you say something, sir?”

The Count rubbed at his eye. “N-no…” Then with a tug and a jolt the Count was snapped back to the present. He swiped clumsily at the pole, but the fish was big, and fast, and had already pulled the stick off the boat. The Count flailed as he tumbled forward.

With a yank on the back of his hood, O’Chunks pulled him back over the side of the boat before the water could claim him. But the sudden movement rocked the boat too far, and the tipping sent O’Chunks reeling and Nastasia planting her legs on the floor for balance. In order to avoid tripping over her, O’Chunks leaned too far to the side, and off the side he went with a loud splash.

The Count froze at the side of the boat. What to do? Where was the pole? Ah, ahead, it was still floating on the surface. It was getting away. O’Chunks floundered, trying to get his head back above the water, casting deep ripples across the surface and knocking the plants on the shores about. The Count threw out his hand and pulled back on the pole, struggling against the strength of the fish. How big was this creature? The line was going to snap…

Ah, the line and hook were gone. The pole flew back to his hand effortlessly after that. O’Chunks had righted himself and was gasping for air.

“What ‘appened, Count!?” O’Chunks cried, paddling back to where their boat had drifted away, carried on the ripples.

“I-I…” the Count shrank back, pulling the pole back over the side of the boat to the seats.

O’Chunks sighed. “Doesn’t matter tha’ much. I needed teh cool off anyways. Help me back up.” He gripped the low rim of the boat’s side.

“Wait!” Nastasia called before the boat tilted wildly again, sending the Count and Nastasia tumbling to the floor. Nastasia sprawled across the Count’s chest and stomach, knocking the wind out of him. She got up first. “O’Chunks, push us closer to shore first. ‘K? You can give yourself a leg up.”

The Count laid on his back, squinting up at the sky. The midday sun beat down, casting bright rings that overwhelmed his vision. The boat gently rocked. But he was awake now, struggling to get enough air. It really was very warm. But he knew he would be cold the moment he took off the cloak.

The boat tilted more mildly, this time, and O’Chunks heaved his weight off the floor of the river’s shore back into the boat. Water sprinkled off his drenched clothes in a brief, cool shower. O’Chunks stood over the Count, blocking the sun.

“Havin’ trouble seeing, Count?”

The Count could not make out any details under O’Chunks’ shadowed silhouette. He simply grunted and sat up, pushing his hair back with a claw.

He jolted at the sudden cold weight as O’Chunks slapped his hat on the Count’s head. The hat dripped down his nose and ears, and the back of his head, down onto the hood of the cloak and his shoulders in wet trickles. He scowled.

“Now tha’s a picture I want in my head forever,” O’Chunks laughed. Nastasia put her hand to her mouth. But the shade did bring some relief. “Nassy, pass me the sunscreen.”

As she dug the bottle out of the Count’s bag, O’Chunks settled back down on his seat to begin another story.

“Al was me littlest brother, as you know. He was the only one of us who was any good at math, but the lad had not a single lick of common sense. As a wee babe, we always had to keep him in our sights. He always got into the strangest situations. One time when he was twelve… Sun must have put him up to it. He tried to climb on the statue in front of our pa’s office, like he wanted to ride the horse or something. But there wasn’t any room, so he just kept climbing, and he ended up on top of the hero’s shoulders. Har, the hero’s story is long, too… Ecmar, he was called. He was from our hometown. Anyway, Alastair couldn’t get down, so Sun and I sat with him until Gav could find a ladder. Not a lot of ladders, around our town… He never changed, all the way up until twenty…”

The Count tipped the drying hat back and freed his forehead from the damp stickiness. “You have known so many people,” he marveled.

“Yeah…” O’Chunks sighed and leaned back, setting the closed sunscreen container on the bench next to him. He traded it out for his water bottle. “Still miss ‘em. Always will.”

The Count and Nastasia sat silently. The Count was unsure how to proceed, and he knew Nastasia didn’t trust herself to tread carefully, after this morning.

“It’s jus’… it leaves behind a big hole in yer life, yeh know? Not just them, but everything yeh used to do with ‘em… Everything yeh used to know…”

“You have us now?” Nastasia offered quietly.

O’Chunks’ voice cracked. “Yeh just aren’t th’same shape as what they left behind. I love yeh guys, but, yeh can’t replace ‘em. You can only be somethin’ new.”

The Count startled at the sudden tears. He and Nastasia gawked at each other, for a moment. But he came to a decision. The Count floated over to the other side of the boat- it became even more lopsided, with the change in weight, but it didn’t tip. He sat next to O’Chunks and leaned against his side. Nastasia leaned around O’Chunks’ bulk to see what he was doing, and then followed suit. O’Chunks weakly put his arms around the two of them.

“What shall we tell that lizard creature about the missing hook?” The Count wondered idly, after a long time.

O’Chunks groaned and pushed his hat farther down on the Count’s head. “We’ll just tie on a new one.”

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#spm #super paper mario #paper mario #o'chunks #count bleck #nastasia #arc 4

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lord-dusk · 5 years

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Jurassic Emblem-Chapter 10

Scales are quite tricky to draw. Anyhow, there’s the second boss of the game!

Nifl was a cold, desolate land of snow,bones,ice,and blood. Frozen blood. It wasn’t quite the Kirby-esque happy place you’d thought it would be, after the Nifl-Muspell incident where Askran forces killed off warped versions of video-game protagonists and The elder Nifl princess Guunthra being roasted alive like some yummy Barbie-Cute pork. And the situation got particularly better when the sun-dragon Helios was frozen solid, condemning the whole area into everlasting night.

At least the stars and moon looked very charming and exquisite, white stellar bodies illuminating the aqua-blue sky.

Blue and Lucina were marching through the snow, huddling each other for thermal radiation. Blue, having grown up on a tropical island for much of her life, had borrowed Lucina’s scarf and cape for extra warmth(don’t get into that frappucino debate on feathers please). Lucina, having grown up in a desert country with enough rainfall to sustain a 15m-tall scythe-wielding flesh golem, found it rather uncomfortable trekking through the snow. Ryukami the mosasaurus had stayed behind at the ice-floes to catch up on some Nisioisin novels.

The raptors were marching onwards to the north of Nifl, sometimes passing by some shrubs and frost-covered rocks. Just when Lucina thought things were getting rather monotonous, she saw something rustle out of the bushes. Blue took notice as well and saw what appeared to be a penguin-like bird with white spots on its face waddling in a panicked manner before a fox-squirrel thing pounced on it and tore apart its head from its socket, crimson blood and pieces of esophagus and vocal cord spilling out unto the snow and dying it red. Blue and Lucina were eyeing the fox-squirrel as it dug heavy mitten-like foreclaws into the bird’s torso and stringy pink intestines splooged out. Lucina decided to look away and went on her way. Blue paid no attention to the carnage after that as well.

“That was a Repenomamus devouring a Great Auk,” Blue explained. “The world where I from, InGen didn’t simply revived dinosaurs, they brought back Paleozoic and Cenozoic fauna as well. Although if I were you, I wouldn’t dare pet a reppy.”

“Why? Are they dangerous?” Lucina asked. Blue can easily tell right off the bat that humans like Lucina had a profound desire to prod and hold small,furry mammals.

“Oh yes. Reppies are one mammal you do NOT want to pet; despite looking like a Pomeranian with mole-claws, they WILL try to eviscerate you; for a mammal from the Mesozoic they are quite big enough to eat small dinosaurs.”

“Hmm? I assumed mammals evolved after the demise of the giant lizards.”

“Actually, they co-existed with the dinosaurs, though they were bit characters in a world dominated by reptiles bursting with presence and charisma. Repenomamus was the biggest furry during its time, but most of its kin were barely any bigger than an Amiibo figure.”

“And that penguin-looking bird?”

“Uh-huh. That great auk was NOT a penguin-it’s actually more closely related to puffins than to the famous diving birds south of the Equator. Although, it was the the only auk that converted its flight power to swimming power completely, and those damn humans wiped its existence off the face of the Earth.”

“You know quite a lot about animals before the dawn of man, don’t you?” Lucina commented.

“I’m a creature from before man myself, though I wouldn’t be too surprised if InGen resurrected species routed by humanity, like the dodo and the gastric mouth-brooding frog.” Blue replied.

“Come to think of it, isn’t it harder to clone a mammal than say, a reptile or a fish?”

“Yes, Henry Wu of InGen has cloned mammals occasionally, but found it quite tedious because mammalian red cells do not have nuclei, where the DNA are located. You would need to find white cells, which are much less common than their red counterparts in a ratio of 2 to 12.”

“Reptiles and birds, on the other hand, have nuclei within their red blood cells, and Henry Wu is a genius when it comes to manipulating DNA.” Blue explained, frowning.

“Who is this Henry Wu that you speak of ?”

“Why, as a human being, Dr.Henry Wu is a tacky SOB who creates red-eyed, mangled-toothed fatherfuckers and is considered a most dangerous man with the most dangerous technology in the sad history of humanity. He attempted to use my blood to create a line of Indoraptors to sell off for military purposes.”

Seems Wu sounds a LOT like that sperm-slurper Validar, Lucina grimly thought.

The two of them chatted like this for the entirely of their walk until they reached Nifl Castle.

*********

Blue and Lucina had arrived at the castle of Nifl, but they were no guards to greet them. Well they were guards present-but they were frozen solid, and clusters of repenomamuses were busily gnawing away at the frozen body cavities.

I guess a species changes its behavior accordingly to the environment, Blue though as she and her partner pushed the gates open. They went inside the interior and up the stairs.

“Something tells me the weather outside isn’t the reason those soldiers were icicles,” Lucina said, walking behind Blue.”Would it be a bad idea to go into the kitchen wing and grab some potions for the upcoming boss fight?”

The charcoal velociraptor sniffed the solid,icy air. It stinged her nose. “I don’t see why not,” she answered. “though if you see some ANY creature, reppy or not, attacking you, don’t hesitate to knock their heads off.”

Blue waited at the second floor while Lucina brisky walked to the the kitchen downstairs. A few minutes later, she was back.

“Are you ready for certain? During the boss-fight there will be no pee-pee breaks, and no daddy in white shining armor with a shotgun and a motorbike crashing through the windows to save either of us. Understood?” Blue interviewed.

“No need for any of that,” Lucina replied. “Let’s get this over with. I feel as though my body is becoming a gelato cone.”

“Good. If my nose knows, she is just around the corner. Follow me.” the raptors headed to the corridor on the right and came across a door that read “Hrid’s Room: Out for Lunch”. They entered.

“Ugh. That was the fifth time someone has stepped in without my consent,” an icy voice hissed. “Do any of you thin-telligent organisms register the concept of knocking?”

A woman was lounging on an oblong bed spotted with various books. But not a regular woman. Her lower half was that of a boa’s, turquoise-green with purple stripes, and covered with icicles.Her hair-piece were icicles as well, and her Victorian-style corset colored electric blue and black made the entire “cool” effect perfect,considering her expressions suggested otherwise.

“What do you bipeds want?” The snake woman demanded. “Did you interrupt my inspirational reading just so you can become like those popsicles outside?”

“We just want to talk,” Lucina answered.

The snake snorted. “Don’t be honest with me, be honest with you. What you really came here for is my bloody limp body that you can use to nail onto this country’s gates like a crooked Christmas decoration. Is that it, O Exalted Princess?

“Why did you freeze the sun-god? Do you recognize the biblical effects the entire world will face?” Blue questioned, her face contorting in defense for her friend.

“Let me tell you this,” the Victorian boa began. “I am the future best-selling novelist Basilice, and I sincerely have no desire to kill you. But my mistress Sha’Rad Yuwi denied my request and forced to to sacrifice my writing skills for combative means. My writing may be on hold, but my mind is certainly not. Exalted Princess, have you ever actually considered the misery of your foes that killed them because you desired to make “everyone happy”?”

“.....You can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs,” Lucina replied.

“ ‘I want everyone to be happy,’ ‘let’s end all suffering in the world,’ those are lines that make me want to vomit out the Niflites I ate yesterday. Those are the shallow,one-dimensional philosophies of idiotic eukaryotes who do not face reality.” Basilice sputtered out. “The light is full of lies, lies! People willingly bask in the glory of light so they never again have to experience the truth of the darkness below! Light is harmful, harmful! And not just the fact that overdosing on UV light promotes cancer on light skin. Do any of you bipeds know anything at all about plants other than the vascular system in high-school?”

“When plants grow, they break down soil to suit their roots for sufficient nutrient intake,” Blue raised her hand in reply.

“Precisely! Around 400 million years ago, during the Devonian period, mosses and ferns were starting to grow onto rocks near the coastlines, and inevitably, these early pioneers of the new world crumbled the rock into fine soil which washed out into the sea over thousand of years, and do you know what happened? Vertebrates started choking! Fishes here and there had no idea how to cope with this influx of mud particles from the land, their gills clogged with minerals. This, combined with volcanic eruptions, consumed all the available oxygen in the water and there were massive, massive, casualties everywhere! Because fishes and run-off from terrestrial photosynthesis do not go well together! This catastrophe makes your petty carnage across Jurassic Park and Fire Emblem look like a squabble between toddlers in comparison. And you little humans use the opportunity to view more serious issues as a excuse to lounge in your chairs eating chicken nuggets.”

“So I killed him! I killed that sick son of a bitch Helios because he’s a major liar, and I’m going to teach everyone that people deserve bad endings, everyone!” Basilice took out her Dragonstone. “And if you girls are truly good character down to the nRNA sequence, you might be spared and see everyone in the world smothered in the darkness that is free of any lies! No more pain, no more sadness!”

Blue and Lucina prepared their weapons. “Let’s fight!”

#jurassic emblem #fire emblem heroes #jurassic world #blucina #blue(jurassic world)#lucina #basilice #fire emblem #fanfiction #nifl #and you thought plants were the good guys during AP biology in high school

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