#thank you all for reading

[hasello]

Baby Blue (25/25) END

(first/previous)

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for reading this little story (not so little in the end, it's 89 pages - my biggest project!). Loved making it, it was very fun! I learned a lot too. You guys are amazing and I love you as always! <3

Also this is so late, it's embarassing. I had such an artblock with this comic, but when I got inspired again I've decided to just wait till I finish and make a big update. So yeah!

[lovelbear]

Alright, now that fable is coming to an end, I have appreciation to give out!!

First off to the amazing cast that has tried their hardest to make a Comprehensive and Cohesive Story for the fans while trying your best to keep up with vods and everything else you have put into this story to make it what it is, a massive thank you. Thank you for all the laughs and cries that came with your stories. Thank you for the fun bits or random headcanons that have come from this story. I can not wait to watch what all the cast does in future projects! It's been so fun to watch all the characters grow and change!

And chat, you all also deserve a thank you. I have never felt more welcomed in a community than I have in this community because of you guys! You all have helped make this Fandom feel welcoming and amazing. I get so excited when I get to see all the fun things you guys create or share. Whether it's art, cosplays, headcanon's, or au's. You all help make this community what it is and you help make this place feel like a safe space for people like me who up until a few months was scared of saying things in chat or in the discord. You guys are all so kind and I can't wait to see the art/cosplays/stories/headcanon's you all make in other similar projects.

[ms-all-sunday]

the introduction to the scene has first franky running after robin (he's annoyed, at least, or angry.) and rob lucci asserts that it's okay to leave them together because they must have absolutely no hope at this point.

it starts with robin telling franky iceberg survived, and that leads him to comment "you act tough, but you have a heart like anybody else". it's a good observation to make, and it's the same one you can make about franky.

he then lists consequences, consequences of their actions here, consequences of the governments actions, and this scene is a lot like the one with usopp and franky. currently, franky is poking at every nerve robin has, she doesn't want to be told that what she's doing is going to affect things. he manages to poke at her the same way he did usopp, and tom remarks that the problem with franky is that "he's too honest", which is the function he serves in these scenes.

"if I'm with them it'll only bring them suffering" blamed for the actions of a government you can't control and of oppression you can't control.

frankys dub voice actor does a good job here, speaking softly, not only hope but comfort laced into his voice- a deliberately soothing presence in a situation nobody but the government is to blame for.

rob lucci asserts that franky and robin can't have hope, but franky continues to have hope for the both of them, continues to give robin comfort, because he's lived through oppression and through suicide and through toms death. existence isn't a crime, and he knows it because he's lived through enough to know it to be true. he extends that solidarity- solidarity, not pretending like hes better than her or that she's an other that he can't understand

w7, ultimately, is a story about trauma and survival and what surviving looks like when you have all of that trauma- it pulls absolutely no punches, but expects you to sympathize and believe in these characters (franky, usopp and robin) anyways. and the extent of the solidarity and love given between the characters that are struggling is unparalleled- and the narrative subtext of frankys queerness here, that franky is queer and on top of everything that that is some part of the reason he understands robin, it's beautiful.

to me, this is the only narrative that matters.

[charlietheepicwriter7]

Hey, Little Songbird

Final Chapter - AO3

Three days after the defeat of Gabriel Agreste and the arrest of Lila Rossi, Felix was invited out for ice cream by his classmates.

A little flustered, he’d agreed without thinking. Rationally, there was little reason to why Lê Chiếninvited him to join, and even less of a reason why Felix accepted. There was still too much to do in the wake of Hawkmoth’s arrest; lawyers to speak to, statements given to police and press alike, entertaining his mother who’d overtaken his home to take custody of Adrien… Frivolities like ice cream socials couldn’t be entertained.

Despite that idea, Felix found himself smiling under the sun, surrounded by classmates as they all took turns at the food cart.

Couffaine and her girlfriend—a few days of diligent study only unearthed a few of his classmates names, not all—stepped out of his way, a sundae to share between the two. He approached the ice cream stall and—“Where is your menu?”

The man, Andre or something similar, smiled merrily. “Ah, so this is your first time at Sweethearts Ice Cream? Allow me to explain.” Picking up his scoop, Andre started to fulfill his order despite Felix having never ordered anything. “Sweethearts Ice Cream has a special ablility; to connect the hearts of two people in love. The harmony of two hearts in love influences the flavors of the ice cream. And there!” With a flourish, Andre offered him his waffle cone ice cream. “Blackberry for her hair, blue bubblegum for her eyes, and black cherry for her secret you keep in your heart.”

“…This is a terrible business model.” Despite his words, Felix paid the man and took his cone. “I don’t even know who this could refer to.”

“Really? You have no idea?”

Nearly dropping his ice cream, Felix whirled around. “M-Marinette!? When did you get here?”

“Just now,” she said, squeezing up beside him at the counter. “Hey, Andre.”

“Marinette! You’re ready to give Sweethearts Ice Cream another chance then?” Andre grinned at them both. “Or… would you two like to try my Couples Sundae? It’s free for new lovers.”

Felix flushed, a protest frozen in his throat. Fortunately, Marinette could still speak. “No, thank you,” she said, voice pitched higher than usual. “Just a regular ice cream, please.”

“Of course, of course.” Changing his scoop for a fresh one, Andre started on a new waffle cone: a base of yellow with dark chocolate, with a scoop of bright blue on top. “Banana for his hair, cotton candy for his eyes, and…” He flipped the cone over and dipped it in chocolate, “…a dark chocolate shell, since you broke through his.”

Blushing, Marinette accepted her ice cream. Felix offered her his arm and escorted Marinette towards a bench separate from the class, who were watching them. Lê Chiến even offered Felix a grin and a thumbs-up, to which he awkwardly returned with a nod.

“How…” She paused to take a bite of her ice cream, dark chocolate snapping between her teeth. “How has everything been? I’m sorry for not being in class the past few days, but it’s been so busy…”

“I can only imagine.” Marinette—or rather, Ladybug—has been in and out of the police station as often as Adrien was, giving her statement. Between that and the press conference Mme. Bustier stopped class to let them watch yesterday, if she’d spent more time as Marinette than Ladybug these last few days, Felix would French-kiss Rossi. “It’s been quiet, especially once Ladybug announced that Gabriel was Hawkmoth. Ms. Bustier tried to make us talk about our feelings, but everyone’s still a bit too shocked to discuss it.” After all, it wasn’t every day when you discovered your classmate’s father was the terrorist who turned you into a supervillain. Reporters had hounded their class from the moment the news dropped.

They were even worse towards his family.

“The school’s talking about shipping in a therapist for us,” Felix explained. “Not only that whole Akuma Class nonsense, but also because we were in direct contact with a terrorist for months on end. So, you have that to look forward to when you get back.” Rossi was allowed unrestricted access to vulnerable minds for over half a year. There was no doubt his class needed therapy… including Marinette.

“At least she’s been expelled from the country,” Marinette said, sighing. “Honestly, that was harder than giving my statement ten times over. The Prime Minister wanted her trial on French soil. I had to argue with the Prime Minister! All for Lila.”

“Why?” Felix would never do anything to help Rossi.

“News of her involvement is going to drop any day now. People are already trying to attack Gabriel in his cell; when the mob of public opinion finds out about her, they’ll start trying to get her too. At least this way she’ll be tried back in her home country, by people who were never directly affected by her actions.”

Felix didn’t like it, but “It’s understandable. People are also trying to get to Adrien, despite his innocence.”

Marinette nodded, half-expected that. “How is Adrien? I haven’t heard from him at all.”

“One of his photographers leaked his phone number, so Mom took his phone away so he wouldn’t have to read all the vile filth people send him. He’s getting a new one soon.”

It wasn’t that Felix didn’t understand why people were so upset. Gabriel turned Paris into a battleground and friends into foes, but… the police had already released a statement denying Adrien’s cooperation regarding Hawkmoth, yet there are still hateful phone calls and texts coming in at every hour from people who wanted someone to blame. At least Mother was keeping a record of who sent the more illegal messages: the threats, the doxing, the… suicide baiting.

Their family lawyer would be well fed in the coming months.

It was hard with Adrien in his house. Awkward. Despite Adrien’s frame-job, he was still family, and Felix was someone who supported his family. But that didn’t mean Adrien was forgiven. Felix didn’t forgive, and he’d never forget.

Surprisingly, the tabloids were kind towards Felix. He made no effort in hiding his involvement in the case, both as the whistle blower for Hawkmoth and as a hero involved in the final take down. Mother had cut out some particularly flattering articles out to hang in their manor parlor, but fortunately the threat of arrest and restraining orders kept most of the rats away.

“How’d Adrien take it?” she asked.

Felix bit his ice cream, so he’d have time to answer. Damn that ice cream man. It was delicious. “He didn’t believe it at first… didn’t want to believe it. He’s seeing a therapist on Friday.”

Marinette wrapped her hands around her ice cream cone. “Poor Adrien…”

“He’ll recover; he’s stronger than you think. He’s already made plans to hang out for the weekend.” He gestured at Alya and DJ Boy, leaning against each other and sharing a sundae. Alya caught his eye and waved. “Everyone’s going to be okay now.”

“Yeah.” Marinette drank in the sight. Not just Alya and her paramour—though they earned a smile for finally making up—but their other classmates as well. Felix had never been invited to a class outing before, but even though they’d broken up into subgroups of couples and friends, everyone looked happy. “We’ll recover.”

The sun shined down on them all, warming skin like a heated blanket. Felix studied the melting treat at hand. “So. Ladybug?”

She flinched.

“I haven’t told anyone,” he reassured. “I understand why it’s a secret. I understand why you didn’t tell me. But…” He sighed. “I’ve been keeping this to myself for days. Can you please just… confirm?”

She took a deep breath. “Yes.” She peeked at him from the corners of her eyes. “This is me, confirming. Yes.”

Okay. A shiver ran through him. Marinette was Ladybug. His best friend was a superhero and trusted him enough to be a superhero too.

He was in love with Ladybug.

As was Chat Noir. And half of Paris. Shit.

“So, what gave me away?” she asked.

“Little things. Nothing anyone else could put together.” Little things that added up into the big picture. The way Ladybug knew he’d worn a hoodie earlier that day, the inherent trust she had in a man she previously punched in the face, the way she looked at him. But most importantly, Felix felt that she’d wanted to get caught, that Marinette had wanted him to know she was Ladybug, and that was what removed the block in his mind preventing him from realizing.

“Small mercies,” she muttered. “Did you really think I was Rena Rogue?”

Felix hid his face in his ice cream. “…It made sense at the time?”

She laughed at him. “Alya’s never going to let you live that down.”

Alya? Why would Alya care—? Oh. He felt his face growing red and it had nothing to do with the weather. “She really won’t, will she?” He asked, sounding faint.

“Yeah, you really dropped the ball on that conclusion. You should have heard her complain! “Your boy is so stupid, how do you even stand him?””

And now Felix was blushing for a different reason. Her boy?

“—I tried to keep her from talking about it in front of the other temporary heroes, but I think Viperion knows. Carapace definitely does.”

“Did she complain in front of Hawkmoth too?” he grumbled, wishing he was wearing a hoodie to better hide his face. “Throw Rossi into the loop while she’s at it? Maybe my mother would like to know all my follies?”

“Oh! Speaking of your mom—” Marinette pulled a chain out from under her shirt. His breath caught in his throat. She’d kept it on her person? “You can finally return this to her.” Threading the wedding ring off her necklace, she placed it his hand, its matching pair resting on his finger.

He squeezed it, the smooth ridges cutting into his palm… and returned it to her. “Keep it. It’s exactly where it needs to be.”

“What? But this is the entire reason you were here!” She tried to give it back again. “It’s your family ring!”

“It’s my family’s wedding ring,” he corrected. “And while most would consider this too forward of an approach, the realization that you’re the most eligible bachelorette in Paris is making me react… strongly. So, I was thinking about a spring wedding? After we graduate Lycée, of course, so it would be a long engagement—”

Marinette covered his mouth, face blush red from the tips of her ears to the neckline of her shirt. “What!?” She asked, voice cracking. “M-M-Marriage!? Felix, we can’t…”

“Well, yes, not right now. That’s why I said after Lycee.” Obviously. “I don’t see what the issue is? My family has had arranged marriages for centuries, and we like each other. Right?” Had he misidentified her feelings? She always acted sweet with him and blushed when he flirted, but what if he was wrong? What if he humiliated himself and ruined their friendship in one swift move—

“Of course I like you, but you haven’t even asked me out on a date yet!” She burst out, causing the rest of the class to glance over. She buried her face in her hands and continued, voice muffled, “Dating comes before marriage; I can’t believe I have to explain this to you!”

Oh. That was the issue. Gently pulling her hands away, he dabbed at her tears with a handkerchief. “I’m sorry, Marinette. I got ahead of myself.” Alya glared at him from over Marinette’s shoulder. Nosy overprotective reporters, getting in everyone else’s business… “I didn’t mean to pressure you. What I mean with the ring is… a promise. I would love to be in a relationship with you, if you’d have me.”

She looked up at him from underneath her lashes. “A promise?”

“To stay by your side and support you in your endeavors.” His family’s marriage vows echoed in his mind, passed down from his grandparents, from his grandfather who was so in love with his grandmother that he couldn’t think of a world where she wasn’t his equal. “As long as you stay by my side and support me in return. To lift you up through the hard times and rejoice with your success. To be equals in all things. That’s what I want to promise you.”

Tears budded in her eyes. “To stay by your side… to be equals… that’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“Then, would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend? And going out on a date with me?”

Her tears ran down her face, but her smile lit up the entirety of Paris with her joy. “Yes. I’d love to, Felix.”

Taglist: @graduatedmelon @novicevoice@dur55@kris-pines04@18-fandoms-unite-08@moonlightstar64@bee-a-garbage-shipper@sol-o-shade@kittyotakunoir666@tinyterror333@allieoftheenemy@marichat00@xgxmxtx@two-faced-biatch@feliciakainzofspades@evil-cricket@emilytopaz@spicybelladonna@chocolateherringtacofan@user00000003@wannajointhecrabcult@happymonster-pants @duquesapincarrasca  @throneoffirebreathingbitchqueen  @sxltinette @kittydemon9000 @thetrashypanda423 @unoriginalmessess @toodaloo-kangaroo @troycattribunny@nikipuppeteer

[starrysnowdrop]

Wolmeric Week 2023

#8: Aymeric Day

From the Lord Commander’s Personal Log

2nd Sun of the Sixth Umbral Moon, Year 5 of 7th Astral Era

Today, as the Lord Speaker of the House of Lords and the Lord Commander of the Temple Knights, I breathe a momentary sigh of relief as the blasphemy known as Profane Fafnir was defeated yesterday evening, with the much needed and greatly appreciated assistance of Count Artoirel de Fortemps and the Warrior of Light, Hali Aloke. Though the star is still very much in danger, and anyone can still turn into a blasphemy at anytime, the main threat to Ishgard has been averted, for now at least.

Yet, as just a man, I am struggling with keeping my composure.

I have recently been informed that the Scions of the Seventh Dawn have a plan to avert the Final Days and save our star. In a few days time, they will be flying on a starship to the edge of the universe, in order to confront the entity known as Meteion. Which means, that Hali will be fighting the greatest enemy she has ever faced, and with the highest of stakes… that all life on the star will end. The Warriors of Light and the Scions are the only ones that can save us all. To the Fury, I pray that she returns home safely, and that this will not be the last time that I will ever see her. I desperately hope that my prayers will be enough to keep her safe.

‘Tis rather infuriating… once again, I am forced to remain behind, while everything lies in her hands. This time, an unimaginable burden rests upon Hali’s shoulders.

Therefore, though I believe she is no longer in danger from the Ishgardian populace, now that the situation with the Church moving forward has at last been addressed, I will still refrain from voicing my feelings aloud to her. I would only be burdening her further if I were to tell her now. She needs to focus on her duty, not on matters of the heart.

And yet… when I see her face, her sparkling eyes and her sweet yet brilliant smile, I must will myself from allowing the words to fall from my lips.

Hali… she still has no idea how much she means to me, how much I want to tell her that I love her. I want to take her into my arms and never let her go. But that would be too selfish of me. She does not need to know this… not yet. Someday, perhaps. Until then, I will always hold her in my heart, I will love her from afar, all on my own. That must be enough for me.

[solalunar-eclipse]

Sonic Boom - S3E17

Chapter title: Gotta Go Fast!

Summary: It's about time for a second race! Tails used his Build-It Box to make cars for his friends a while back, and they all competed to see whose was the best. Apparently Shadow already has a vehicle he'd like to use, though…?

((So, if anyone's wondering what on EARTH this intro is about, just know that it is all the fault of both @teamxdark and @dragon-spaghetti for introducing me to the insane crackship that is Shadave. I hope you all enjoy being cursed (blessed) with the same experiences that I have had.))

AO3 Link

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[Episode opens on the six heroes sitting at a table in Meh Burger.]

Shadow sighed, pressing his thumbs to his temples. He looked very much like someone who was desperately trying to understand something despite strongly suspecting it wasn’t actually possible. “Please, remind me again. Why do you eat at this place so often when every last one of you—and yes, that does include you, Sonic—can make food that is infinitely better?”

Sticks shrugged. “It’s a whole lot easier than making food ourselves, and that matters way more than how it tastes.” she explained.

“But—but surely there is someplace else you could go to eat? It would be farther away, yes, but the food might actually be good and the floor might be clean. Sonic could get takeout from the other side of the island and it would still arrive hot if he stored it in something!”

The blue hedgehog in question shook his head, holding up his hands with an expression on his face that suggested he was about to impart some piece of incredible wisdom. “Shadow, don’t you get it? Eating bad fast food is a bonding experience! We all get to complain about it together! And besides, we’ve been coming here for so long that it’s kind of a tradition now. We can’t just stop!”

Shadow dropped his head into his folded arms, letting out a pained groan.

Unfortunately for him, he didn’t get very long to vocalize his despair, as Amy interrupted him with a polite call of his name. “Shadow? Would you be so kind as to get me some napkins? Meh Burger ketchup tends to make a bit of a mess, and I forgot to grab some earlier…” she explained sheepishly.

“Of course.” he said, and was already out of his chair before he noticed something about the napkin dispenser across the restaurant floor.

[Cue a visual of a dotted line going from Shadow’s eye to the empty dispenser, complete with a blinking outline where the napkins should be, but aren’t.]

The android sighed. “They’re all out. I’ll go ask the person at the counter to refill it.”

“Um, Shadow, wait, it’s okay—” Amy began, not wanting him to suffer the apathy of Dave the Intern, but it was already too late.

At the counter, Dave was currently resting his elbows on its surface and scrolling away on his phone, oblivious to the world around him. He double-tapped on someone’s post, disliking it, before making to scroll again, only to be interrupted by a calm “Excuse me?”

The intern lazily glanced upwards, his ever-present retort of “I’m on break” ready…but it died before he could ever say it.

This was because he was experiencing what could only be called a bisexual awakening.

The hedgehog on the other side of the counter had his arms folded in a way that perfectly framed his fluff of white chest fur. As Dave continued to look upwards, he noticed the polite, neutral, yet confident expression…the deadly yet elegant swoop of the black and red quills…the way the hedgehog’s ruby-red eyes shone ever so slightly golden in the sunlight…

Dave shot to attention so fast his spine cracked, barely noticing either that or the way his phone clattered to the floor. “Uh—yessir!” he squeaked, his voice breaking several octaves in the process. “Is—is there anything I can help you with?”

“Yes, please.” the hedgehog said, with a voice that was just the right kind of rough to be incredibly attractive. “My friend requested that I get her some napkins, but the dispenser seems to have run out. Do you happen to have any extra?”

Dave’s eyes widened. “Absolutely! Here, I’ll get you some!” he said eagerly, reaching under the counter as quickly as he could. Snatching up far more napkins than were necessary, he pushed a whole stack into the hedgehog’s hands (and promptly turned bright red when their fingers brushed momentarily). 

Thankfully, the hedgehog didn’t seem to notice, and simply inclined his head with a quiet “Thank you.” before turning and walking away. Now left all to himself, Dave stared after Shadow as he walked away, while the next phase of his awakening began.

More specifically, the phase known as “bi panic”.

[The intro sequence goes off without a hitch yet again—is this a new record? As usual, everybody gets their own cool intro, plus the team shot at the end.]

[Dr. Eggman does his villain reveal without the green screen this time, which means it doesn’t have an opportunity to stop working! …however, what does break instead is his Egg-O-Matic, which slams into him and knocks him fully out of frame halfway through his maniacal laugh.]

[The intro then continues on, before ending with the title of this week’s episode.]

[Camera opens on Soar the Eagle, in the midst of reporting.]

“Well, folks, it’s probably been at least a year since the last time we held a race here—nobody at the studio could really be bothered to check—but it looks like it’s happening today! Again! The Second Probably-Annual Hedgehog Village Race!”

[Cut to the six heroes, who are standing off to the side watching this take place.]

Shadow frowned. “What’s all this about a race?”

“We all built cars last year with Tails’s cool Build-It Box!” Knuckles explained, practically vibrating in place with excitement. “And then we raced them to see whose was the fastest!”

“Since it’s apparently a thing to hold races annually, the mayor wants us all to do it again for ‘the tourism board’ or something.” Sticks added. They jumped into a fighting stance, their eyes bright. “I don’t care about any of that, I just wanna prove that my car’s the best! I’m gonna win this time for sure!”

The android’s expression softened at the sight of his friends’ eagerness. “Well, would you all care to show me these vehicles of yours?”

All five heroes immediately let out various shouts of agreement, before racing off in different directions to grab their cars. Shadow smirked and rolled his eyes, settling into a slightly more comfortable standing position to wait.

Sticks was the first to return, their all-terrain turtle-style car racing over the bumps in the ground with ease. Sonic, Knuckles and Tails all pulled up around the same time, having used their speed, massive tires, and technological tricks (respectively) to get there as quickly as possible. Amy pulled up last, since she took great care with her pink convertible to ensure it didn’t suffer any damage whatsoever.

A brief montage ensued (complete with a backing track in which the voice samples only consisted of “look at these cool cars” edited in different ways). Tails demonstrated the various abilities of his vehicle, and Knuckles flipped his truck several times on purpose to flaunt its second set of tires. Amy did a few laps in her convertible, showing off its handling, and Sonic did twice as many laps in nearly the same amount of time, just to prove he could. Meanwhile, Sticks hid their car in various places and challenged Shadow to find it—which only became difficult after they banned him from using infrared or electromagnetic sensors.

Once they’d all had their fun, Shadow asked a slightly strange question. “Do you have to use a car in the race?”

Amy grinned at him, folding her arms. “Shadow, if you’re trying to call your skates a racing vehicle, you should know that won’t work. Sonic would win the race by a mile if he got to run in it, but this is about proving whose car is the best! We already know you’re fast without one.”

But Shadow just shook his head. “No, I mean—if I were to use a legitimate vehicle, with wheels and all, but it wasn’t a car, would that be allowed?”

Tails furrowed his brow in thought. “That sounds fine to me…what do you guys think?”

The rest of the team made various noises of agreement, at which Shadow looked almost surprisingly delighted. It was the brightest expression any of them had ever seen on his face, and that alone was enough to convince the other five both that they had made a great decision (when it came to their friend) and possibly also a terrible decision (when it came to the race).

Suddenly, he shot them all a wickedly sharp smile, activating his skates. “I’ll see you all at the race, then…” Shadow replied, before dashing off and leaving a distinct sense of foreboding in his wake.

“Soooo…what do you guys think he has planned?” Sticks asked, once that had all settled in.

Sonic shrugged. “I dunno, probably something weird. He was being really cryptic about it. Like, more than usual.”

“I haven’t seen him smile like that ever.” Knuckles added. “I think this race might actually be really good for him! It’s been ages since he’s gotten into some wild shenanigans with us, it’s about time we had some more fun like that.”

“You’re right, Knuckles.” Amy said, smiling up at him. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he brings to the race.”

About an hour later, everyone was lined up and doing their last few checks on their cars before they set off. All of the old contestants were there—Dave, TW Barker, Eggman…even Leroy the Turtle.

Sonic put on his special racing helmet, flicking his ears a couple times to make sure they’d gone through their notches alright. Since their last race, he’d managed to spray-paint a few cool designs on it; everything from a pair of interlocking rings to his own name in a bold, jagged font could be seen. (He’d also carefully hand-painted five dots on the inside in yellow, red, pink, orange, and black. One was a little newer than the rest, and all of them were kept secret from the others. Cool heroes like him weren’t supposed to be sappy, after all.)

Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise made heads perk up all around the track from whatever it was they were doing, searching for the source of the racket. After a moment, Sonic managed to figure out that it seemed to be coming from the nearby forest…

And then—out of nowhere—a sleek, black motorcycle burst out of the undergrowth, fishtailing in a way that suggested its owner knew exactly what they were doing, before pulling up into the lineup right alongside Sonic’s own racing car. Its engine growled once more before slowing to a stop.

Now that he could see it closely, Sonic noticed the clean red detailing along the sides, as well as the glowing golden designs that marked it as a piece of Ancient technology. Seated just above the back wheel was a glowing, pulsing golden ball of pure chaos energy that seemed to be the source of the designs along the rest of the bike. 

The driver wore a jumpsuit, gloves, and boots so black they practically seemed to absorb light, save for the glimmering golden zipper down the front of the suit and the equally golden rings around their wrists and ankles. Their entire head was fully masked by a black helmet, marked only with a single line of golden Ancient text along the back, near the bottom.

It was only then that Sonic realized his mouth was still hanging open, at which point he immediately shut it.

A low chuckle came from the driver, and they stepped off the motorcycle, raising their visor to reveal none other than Shadow himself, who looked like he couldn’t decide whether to smirk so smugly he’d risk getting kicked or to grin like a child in a toy store. “Nice, isn’t it?” he said, clearly proud.

“Ohmygosh—ohmygosh—OHMYGOSH, WHAT?!” Tails shrieked, launching himself at the bike. “Shadow, what is this, and why have you been keeping it from me? I thought we were friends!” 

Shadow scoffed lightly. “I’m showing it to you now, aren’t I? Besides, I can’t have you knowing all my secrets at once. I’d like to think I deserve a dramatic reveal every once in a while, after all.”

“Where did you even get this?” Tails asked, his eyes and smile still so wide it nearly looked like it might hurt.

“This is my old motorcycle from back when I fought in the war. They’re powered by the user’s chaos energy, and each member of the force I was part of received one. It was…an old hobby of mine, taking care of this. It’s been a long time.” Shadow’s expression grew more and more pained as he spoke, and Sonic took that as his cue to intervene. 

“So, you’re gonna try and beat the reigning champ with half the wheels I have, huh?” Sonic boasted, pointing a thumb at his chest to indicate exactly who said champion was.

Shadow raised an eyebrow. “Why am I not surprised that you were the one to win the last race.”

“Well, it was him or Eggman!” Tails piped up. “Sonic’s definitely the better option there.”

“Gee, thanks, Tails.” Sonic huffed. “‘Better than Eggman’ is such a great endorsement.”

“Anytime, Sonic!” the fox shot back, complete with an evil grin.

Shadow chuckled quietly. “He’s not wrong, though. Eggman would have been even more insufferable than you had he won, so I suppose we should all be grateful. I certainly am.”

Sonic narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “Now I can’t tell if you’re insulting me or being genuine.”

“A bit of both, if I’m being perfectly honest.” Shadow replied, flipping his visor back down. “Enough standing around, now—the race is starting soon. Make sure you’re ready. I want to face you at your best.”

The hero jumped into his car, a big smile beginning to spread across his face. “Oh, believe me, you will! I’d never bring anything less than my A-game!”

“Ey, this is a race, not a ‘best rivalry banter’ competition!” Sticks yelled from her place a couple of spots over. “Let’s get to the part where we actually, y’know, race?”

[The screen is split into six sections, each showing one of our heroes as they rev their engines, ready to take off.]

The mayor climbed atop a small stool, holding a checkered banner in his hand. “Three…”

Sticks slid her camouflage into place, and Tails flicked several switches.

“Two…”

Knuckles gripped his steering wheel tightly, while Amy flashed her headlights.

“One…”

Shadow rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck as Sonic’s foot hovered millimeters over the accelerator.

“GO!”

All of the competitors took off, tearing down the path and into the woods as quickly as they could. Sonic and Shadow immediately began vying for first place, their wheels threatening to grind together as they each fought to pull ahead. 

That was nothing compared to the animosity with which Tails rammed Eggman’s car, however, leaving massive scuffs in the pristine white paint job. “That’s for scaring my brother last episode!” he yelled, teeth bared in a feral grin. Eggman yelped, stomping on the accelerator in an attempt to escape the fox’s wrath.

Meanwhile, Knuckles and Sticks were having a friendly competition to see who could go the most off-road and take the riskiest shortcuts without technically deviating from the course, which was actually going surprisingly well. Dave and TW Barker, on the other hand, were both too distracted with sabotaging each other to focus on enacting any really effective villainy. To be fair to them, they were soon also distracted by the fact that Amy was taking swings at both of them with her hammer whenever either of them threatened to break a rule. 

And Leroy the Turtle…listen, he was doing his best, but…he really shouldn’t have brought a regular bike to a car race.

Back up at the front, Sonic was drifting around corners like a pro, showboating with winks and smug grins as he did so. “Hey Shadow, how’s that dust taste?” he called out, having to fight not to let his voice be whipped away by the wind.

At first, Shadow didn’t reply, and Sonic frowned. Had he really managed to take away Shadow’s knack for snappy comebacks with such a by-the-book remark?

Then, as he drifted around the next corner, practically running on autopilot, he saw Shadow tear past him on the inside of the turn, leaning so low to the ground that his elbow practically brushed it. Sonic had only ever seen something like that happen in movies, and his jaw dropped once again. 

“I don’t know, you tell me!” Shadow shot over his shoulder, pulling into the middle of the path in a clear attempt to block Sonic from regaining his previous position, and that was what snapped Sonic out of it.

The blue hedgehog burst out laughing, letting out a wild cheer of pure exhilaration. And though he couldn’t see it, he just knew that Shadow was smiling under his helmet too.

Not far behind them were Tails and Eggman, both still locked in bitter combat. Tails was pulling out all the stops, launching every possible road hazard he had in his arsenal, from spiked balls to straight-up bombs. Eggman was giving as good as he got, though, deploying movable shields and retaliating with laser blasts. 

Tails growled softly to himself. “He dodges everything I throw at him! How am I supposed to get the jump on Egghead if he predicts all my moves?”

Suddenly, his eyes widened. “Wait…the jump…of course! Why didn’t I think of it before? I might’ve designed this to be an obstacle, but it can help me too!”

Tails slammed his hand on a big button near the edge of his dashboard, watching as a massive star-emblazoned spring shot out and landed ahead of Eggman’s car, forcing him to shift lanes in order to avoid it.

“Ha!” the doctor cackled. “Missed again!”

“Bold of you to assume I was aiming for you!” Tails cried. “You forgot this fox can fly, Egg-breath!”

And with that, his car hit the spring, soaring high into the air. Within seconds, Tails had calculated exactly what he would need to do in order to land in front of Eggman, and then how to herd him off the path entirely so he would be disqualified, and then all he’d need to do would be to pour on some speed and—

—just as he reached the peak of his arc, something smashed into his car, blowing it completely in half. Without the right weight to maintain his momentum, Tails’s car smashed into the road far off from where he was expecting…which would’ve been alright on its own, if it weren’t for the fact that it couldn’t, well, drive anymore. 

Shaken, the fox peered out of the wreckage just in time to see Eggman blast by, laughing evilly as a giant laser cannon retracted back into his vehicle. “Better luck next time!” he called, revving his engine as he blasted into the distance. 

Tails stared after him for a long moment, his eyes wide and pupils tiny. It wasn’t until Eggman was out of view that he sank to the ground, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his tails around his shins.

Hopelessness began to sink in further as he heard more engines coming towards him from far in the distance, and he hid his face in his arms. Stupid—he should have known better than to deviate from his pre-planned maneuvers! Now he’d be forced to sit here and scrape together the broken pieces of his car as the other contestants rushed by…

Wait—but—weren’t the engines supposed to be coming from the other direction?

Suddenly, Sonic’s speedster car skidded to a stop beside him, followed shortly by Shadow’s motorcycle. The blue hero leapt out of his car, rushing over to Tails and lifting him up with ease. “You okay, Tails?” Sonic scanned his little brother for injuries nervously. “You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Just my pride.” Tails sighed, his ears visibly drooping. Sonic set him back down and ruffled his hair gently.

“What happened?” Shadow asked, having removed his helmet in an effort to better look over the fox’s car. “We just heard the announcer say that your car was hit by a laser and wanted to make sure you were alright.”

Tails startled at the second half of that sentence, his eyes growing wide yet again. “You…but I thought you wanted to win the race?”

“Lil’ buddy, I wasn’t just gonna leave you behind! I need my best bro with me, not blown up in the middle of a race!” Sonic insisted.

Shadow frowned. “And you’ve done so much for me, there’s no chance that I’d pass up an opportunity to return the favor.”

Tails grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. “Awww, you guys…”

“Now then,” the android said, “what exactly happened here?”

The engineer sighed. “I tried to deploy a spring so I could leapfrog Eggman, but he blew my car in half with a big laser cannon while I was still in the air.”

Sonic smacked a fist into his other palm. “Well, there’s no way we’re letting him get away with that! We’ve gotta get your car back in the race!”

“And how, exactly, am I gonna pull that off? It’s literally in pieces, and I don’t have the Build-It Box with me for repairs!” Tails gestured over to said pieces unhappily.

Sonic’s determination didn’t falter for even a second. “You remember how you guys helped me win last year? I think it’s about time I returned the favor.”

Tails’s fur practically stood on end. “You don’t mean—?!”

Sonic grinned and gave him a thumbs-up. “Just promise you’ll rebuild them later, ‘kay?” (In the background, Shadow raised an eyebrow, before seemingly resigning himself to this plan.)

“I promise!” Tails cried, bouncing up and down in place. “And you guys can ride with me too, if you want!”

Shadow gave him a small smile. “That sounds perfect. Now let’s not waste any more time—the doctor is already far ahead, and we need to catch him.”

Quickly, the three rebuilt Tails’s car, replacing his wheels with Sonic’s and patching up many of the worst scrapes and breaks with parts from Shadow’s motorcycle, along with a new Chaos-fueled turbo engine in the back to make up for lost time. (Shadow had requested a non-Meh Burger meal afterwards to make up for all the energy he would lose, and Tails had more than happily agreed.)

Sonic climbed into the passenger’s seat next to Tails, while Shadow donned his helmet once more and teleported onto the roof, where he took hold of the converters that would power the turbo booster on the back. “Are you ready, Shadow?” Tails called.

“I’d never be anything less.” Shadow’s smirk was practically audible.

And with that, the car took off.

Tails steered it through the various tight bends that Sonic and Shadow had previously traversed, with little bursts of power from Shadow to help guide it around particularly difficult turns. Before long, they found themselves gaining on Eggman, who had slowed down to a more leisurely pace (although he hadn’t stopped in front of the finish line like last time—he didn’t earn his doctorate by not learning, after all).

The young engineer smiled in a way that suddenly reminded Sonic that his brother had descended from carnivores in a way that hedgehogs had decidedly not. “Hey Eggman!” Tails barked. “This time, it’s the fox that’s hunting you!”

Eggman screeched, stepping on the accelerator as hard as he possibly could and firing a barrage of lasers back at Tails. At that moment, Shadow cut off the Chaos engine, making the car drop back and all the lasers miss. 

“Oh, so that’s how it is, hm?” the doctor yelled. “I suppose they do say ‘if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it’!” 

With that, he activated his giant laser cannon, popping it out of his car and charging it up rapidly. “Sonic!” Tails cried. “I need you to hit the big red button as many times as you possibly can!”

“Wait, Tails, are you serious?” Sonic asked. “I thought people were never supposed to hit the big red button!”

“Yeah, but I knew you’d wanna do it, so I made it so you can. Now hit it, and don’t stop!” 

Sonic mashed the button as quickly as he could, continuing to do so even as a humming noise coming from the front of the car grew louder and louder...

The muffler on Tails’s vehicle split, unleashing a laser blast of his own that stopped Eggman’s dead in mid-air. “What?!” the doctor yelped. “How?”

“Guess you’re gonna need to fix that now, huh?” Tails shot back, in lieu of a proper answer. “Shadow!”

Suddenly, Tails’s car blasted forward once again, courtesy of Shadow’s energy reserves. Eggman was too stunned to even react at first, and by the time he did, it was far too late. The other three were already most of the way through the forest, and he only caught up enough to watch them from a distance…as they crossed the finish line far ahead of him.

“No!” Eggman cried. “Not again! Ugh!” He pressed a button on his console. “Orbot? Cubot? Prep the ice cream. Fudge swirl. And if you value your gears…do not talk to me about the race!”

And with that, his Eggmobile flew him back to his tower, grumbling all the way.

Meanwhile, over at the finish line, Shadow had slid off the roof and was currently being supported by Sonic and Tails, all three wearing various triumphant smiles. Amy was there to greet them, having been disqualified once she caused a two-car pileup. (She wasn’t actually disqualified for causing the crash, but rather for getting out of her own car to have a proper smackdown with TW Barker and Dave.)

“Hey, where’s Knuckles and Sticks?” Sonic asked her.

“Oh, I think they’re still having fun playing demolition derby with their cars.” Amy explained, rolling her eyes fondly. “But good job, you three! I saw it all on the cameras!”

“Even the part where I embarrassed myself by getting all sad?” Tails asked, cringing.

“You didn’t embarrass yourself.” Shadow replied, sounding more noticeably tired than usual. “You made a mistake. It happens. Now you’ve learned from it, and you even won the race in spite of it.”

“Exactly! Thank you, Shadow!” Amy exclaimed, seeming quite proud for some reason.

Sonic zipped off, snatching the trophy from the mayor’s hands, and rushed it back to Tails with a big grin. Amy took up the role of ‘Shadow support structure’, allowing Sonic to lift Tails onto his shoulders as the fox held his trophy high in the air. 

“Yeah! We won!” the fox cheered, over the sound of Sonic’s whooping. 

The blue hedgehog grinned up at his brother. “What do ya say we go grab some burgers to celebrate?”

A loud “AHEM” abruptly came from Amy and Shadow’s direction, making both Sonic and Tails whip around to stare at a suddenly giggling Amy and a distinctly unamused Shadow.

“I believe I was promised something other than that?” the android remarked. “I refuse to let all of my flavor reception programming go ignored, after all.”

The brothers gave Amy twin hopeful looks, making her sigh. “Very well, you’re all invited over to my place for a meal. But!” She raised a single finger in the air. “You two are going to handle getting Knuckles and Sticks over, and you’re helping out in the kitchen wherever you can.”

“Just promise me it won’t all be health food, and you’ve got yourself a deal.” Sonic held out the hand that wasn’t supporting Tails to shake on it.

“Deal!” Amy declared, taking his hand and shaking it firmly.

“Alright, now let’s get this show on the road!” Sonic cheered, making Tails laugh with delight and the other two smile, the euphoria of winning spilling out onto everyone and brightening all their moods.

And with that, the four headed off to Amy’s house, ready to celebrate their victory together…and without putting up with Meh Burger.

[The show freeze-frames, and then fades to black. Then the credits roll.]

[karatekels]

Just updating my best friend about my accomplishments (he doesn't understand but he supports, and finds me decent quality TIG movies):

[zensations35]

Viral Paradox (TVA Loki Part 6)

Here it is. Complete. The final chapter. I'm wrapping things up here, there is a LOT of time travel and Loki being sick and injured. See part 1, part 2 , part 3, part 4, part 5, to catch up. Things you'll find in this chapter: -sick/injured Loki doin his best -Oh sh*t moments -Loki being an angsty brother -ofc more Tony/Loki banter

Part 6: 

Monday

At the Earth hospital, Loki enchants the room to prevent anyone in contact with Thor from catching the virus. He assumes the forms of various medical staff, checking in on him for the next 24 hours until he’s certain Thor will survive. He scavenges for medical supplies to stitch up his larger wounds--the ones that will take longer to heal. He shouldn’t go timehopping while bleeding out, should he?

When it’s safe for him to go, Loki takes the portal to the past, vowing that if Thor dies at the hands of the humans, Loki will break every bone they have, as well as all of the rules in the damned time travel book to save him.

First, he must take care of several things. When the Avengers showed up to slay the Variant, Loki realized what has been happening over the past few days. And now it’s time to make them happen.

First, the antidote. If he had the pouch with him during the Variant battle, he would have surely lost or broken it. Luckily, he didn’t have it anymore. Because he’s about to go back and steal it from himself.

Sunday 12pm

Loki makes sure to “Hh-hxst!” stifle his sneeze has he wanders through the halls. He covered himself with a hooded sweatshirt--where are all the cloaks?? It says “I am Iron Man,” on the front and “Get me a cheeseburger”  on the back. Loki has no idea why this outfit even exists. Well, now he’s less conspicuous. He saw Natasha roaming around stuffed in a similar outfit, hiding her red nose and snuffling into a sleeve. Perhaps they will mistake him for her.

No glamour, though. If he sneezes it off, that would be more noticeable. Which “hh-kkk…EXSHT!” he seems to be doing quite a lot. 

He rubs his nose with the back of his clothed arm and whisks by his past self. He makes sure not to bump into him, only clamping a hand on his former self’s shoulder after a distracted sneeze. 

“Bless you,” Loki says, quickly dipping his fingers into his past coat pocket and scooping out the vials.

He hurries away, winging past a flustered Pepper who is too focused on getting to Loki, she doesn’t notice him melding into the shadows.

A bit of weaving through the halls, Loki finally comes upon a swiftly-improving Tony, strolling through the tower, munching on a snack.

Loki slinks up next to him. “Stark.”

Tony bites a tiny slice of string cheese and pulls it with his teeth. “What’s up, dust bunny?”

“You seem to be recovering quickly.”

“Yep. Told ya. Same as Pep. It gets real bad and then,” he snaps his fingers, “Poof. Gone.”

Loki rubs his lips, “Indeed. Well, I must request a favor,” he halts them and pins his gaze on Tony’s cheese. “If you are not busy, that is.”

“Mmm…if it involves continuing this conversation, then I am very very busy.”

An eye roll. “It’s important, Stark.”

“Fine,” Tony shoves the rest of the cheese stick in his mouth, “Ooo hab my fool attnshn.” 

Loki grumbles. Working with this man is such a chore. 

“In a few hours, I will have to leave. I need you to send Thor after me.” Loki presets the correct tempad and gives it to Tony.

Tony takes it from him, turning it around to inspect it with a frown. “This looks like a garage remote from the 80s.”

“It is very advanced technology.”

“Whatever you say,” he tucks it away.

“The first setting is for Thor. Send him immediately after I depart.” Loki takes a breath, “HixSGGghh!…eh…*snf*” he brushes a tendril of hair out of his face. “The second setting is for the villain’s castle. Wait until you are all well before you use it. There will be a battle, you need to be on your game to win.”

“And, you know all of this how?”

“I don’t know why I continually must explain time travel to you.”

“So, you’re saying you’re from the future right now.”

“Yes.”

“And you’re telling us to come save you, because I’ve already done it.”

A nod.

“You realize how this sounds, right? Like are you actually listening to yourself?”

“I do realize, yes.”

Tony frowns. His gaze flickers up and down Loki’s body. “You look like shit.”

“I’m quite sure. Hek-ISZZHHhh!” 

“What if I decide to just not do it.”

“It’s already done, Tony.”

Tony’s arrogance flickers, casting a shadow of concern over his eyes. He uses the tip of his finger to tug at the sleeves of his sweatshirt, taking in the poorly stitched wounds, the purpling skin of his face and neck. 

“Dude, what happened?” 

“A battle with far worse injuries than mine.”

“Thor?”

Loki nods. 

“Is he…”

“Thor lives, thanks to you--” he points at the tempad, “coming to our rescue.”

Tony looks from the remote to Loki. “You care about him then? You admit it?”

Loki grunts, shunting his gaze dismissively. “Of course I do.”

“Great!” Tony pockets the tempad. “I’ll give him your love. Now, go to..I dunno, a time hospital or something. Yeah?”

Loki laughs as he walks away. Yes. A time hospital.

He pads around the kitchen, knowing it’s empty, and snags a few granola bars and a small box of milk. He would wonder at this, if he weren’t 10000% exhausted. Best to just not complain. Food is food.

Loki tugs his hood and sinks into the shadows, watching his past self and the Avengers peter about.

He’s picked a good location to wait for the group to kick him out. Here he can rest for a while, hidden within a nook, glazed with a perception filter. Simple magic, so simple some races have been able to mimic it with technology. But, it will work for the few hours Loki needs to wait.

He settles in against the wall, scrubbing his nose and muffling sneezes and coughs into the sleeves of his hoodie. He may be visually hidden but, hhhe needs to khh--ih! Keep quiet--MSH-ksz!” 

Dammit, he’s doing himself no favors. 

He stuffs one of the granola bars into his mouth and watches Banner drag himself to and fro. Dear Stars, why don’t they all just rest?? It’s not like they have to stop a Variant Hel-bent on stealing the mind stone to resurrect his dead brother, or stop a deadly virus from killing the most powerful superheroes on the planet. 

Sigh. 

Finally, the big argument happens and his past self is kicked out. Stars, watching himself is so detestable. Once the tempad portal closes, Tony grabs Thor’s arm and they hurry into another room. Hm. Good on Stark. Didn’t hesitate in keeping his word. 

Loki stands and brushes crumbs off his pants. He feathers his fingers over his mouth as his breath snags, “Hhhih-iszzzhh-hhh…” Stars, even his sneezes sound exhausted. Fatigue is spreading like fog throughout his body. His eyelids just want to close, his muscles want to loosen, his bones want to crumple to dust so that someone can find his ashes and make all the decisions for him.

Snap out of it, you mewling quim! 

He pushes the threads of his remaining energy into his legs and heads to Banner’s lab. 

Loki steps into the laboratory, or more like sways through it. He thumps against a table and nearly loses the fight against gravity, stumbling on his feet. 

He presses his fingers to his temple in a web, taking sips of air. 

Get through it. You’ll be able to rest soon.

Indeed. 

His eyes swing around the lab, seeking Banner. Around a corner, he finds the Doctor tinkering with the equipment. Well, between fits of the smallest, breeziest sneezes Loki’s ever heard. 

“Ksch! I’Ktsh! TshH! ExsCH!” 

This is how the mighty Hulk sneezes? Like a wet kitten?

“Banner,” Loki’s voice cracks on a small wheeze.

Bruce turns, face flushed pink, mouth curling into a glower. “Loki, what--” his neck cranes, shock pooling in his eyes. “What the hell happened to you? You just left.”

Loki waves a hand, forcing himself to walk without hissing. His ribs revolt and he swallows a pained moan. “Time travel. Bit finicky.”

Bruce glares, “Did we kick your ass?”

“Heh, you’d think, wouldn’t you? But no.” Loki lifts the thumb-sized vial, red liquid swirling within. “I have your cure.”

“There’s nothing I’ve found that will cure this.”

“On your world, correct. But I come from Asgard.”

“Right,” Bruce rubs the back of his neck with his palm. “Well, you’ll forgive me if I don’t snatch it right from you and guzzle it.”

“This will save your life, Banner.”

Bruce’s face pops to life. His eyes are steel, fingers squeezing tight. “This…this virus will…kill me?”

“Ahm, yes? You’ve seen what it’s done to Rogers--”

“I’m not the same as Steve. The…other guy…he’s never let me…Izsch! IXch! Hnn-SxCH!” he paws at his nose and gives his head a tiny shake. 

“Have you even tried to transform?”

“Not something I make a habit of. Especially in the middle of a city.”

“Hm. Well, you might find the attempt futile very soon.” He holds out the vial to Bruce, who immediately recoils. Something circles in his eyes. Wonder.

Loki feels his spine turn to iron when he realizes what Banner is thinking. “You…you can’t be serious.”

Bruce rolls his lips, eyes locked onto the vial.

“You can’t honestly be considering--”

“Don’t.” Bruce growls, heat in his tone. “You have no idea…”

“I know that if you refuse this antidote, you will continue to spread the virus. It will not be contained without intervention. And it will kill others."

Bruce snaps his gaze to Loki’s. He looks like a promise has been ripped from him in the night. 

Stars, do all of these Avengers have such a collective death wish? Rushing off to fight every battle, silently wishing for an ending that won’t come. It’s not glory that fills them, but duty.

Loki won’t have it, though. He pushes the vial into Bruce’s hands. “You will drink this, if I have to force it down your throat, as I did to Rogers.”

“I doubt that would go over well with the other guy.”

“I’d love a rematch.” Loki points to the vial, “Take it. I won’t leave until I see it pass your lips.”

Bruce chuffs, shaking his head as he uncorks the vial. “For the timeline, right?”

“Yes. Of course…” For the timeline.

Loki leaves the lab, staying hidden still, thumbing the tempad. He still hasn’t figured out where the virus originated from, but perhaps it matters not. All he has to do now is to go back to last week and tell Potts to convince…

Loki stiffens, staring straight ahead.

Fuck.

Oh fuck! 

Loki snarls, stomping the ground with a boot, splashing the marble floor green with a starburst. He curses himself as the memories flood him.

Stars. He can’t believe he didn’t see it. Didn’t even think…

“I got this from Pepper…”

“Pep gets sick all the time.”

“She almost died....”

This is it. The virus came from the future--through Loki.

And he can’t change it. It would cause a paradox. He has to go back in time and speak to Pepper. And in doing so, he will give her the virus that eventually gets Loki sick as well. 

It is absolutely absurd. 

How did she survive without…

Another snap of realization. Loki’s hand dips into his pocket, palming the vials he made for himself and Thor. 

“And then, poof! All better!” 

Of course.

Last Tuesday 

Loki hopes he doesn’t run into Stark. He’s not bad at glamouring as a mindless Starkbot, but he’d much prefer his true form. Once he catches Potts alone--sitting at her desk, working, of course--he drops his glamour. The weak tech is easy to disable, cameras, alarms, communications. Loki also can’t resist adding a dramatic flare by dimming the lights.

Pepper sits up, alert.

Loki shifts in the shadows, timing his reveal just right. 

When she sees him, her eyes flame to life. She heaves herself from her seat. “What--” she marches toward him, “are you,” she winds her hand back, “doing here?!” and slaps him clean across his injured cheek.

“Stars, madam, do I look in any state to be assailed?” 

Pepper folds her arms. “I think I would slap you even if you were dead.”

He touches the cheek she struck and comes away with a brush of blood. His eyes widen and he looks at her hand, flecks of it on the tip of her finger, under her nails. Barely noticeable. But, enough to transmit the virus when she touches anything. 

That’s it then. There was truly no avoiding it.

“Hm. yes, well,” Loki opens his pouch and shows her the vial.

“What’s that?”

“An antidote for the illness you are about to catch.”

“What? How do you--”

“I come from the future.” Loki flicks his gaze to the steps. “The Avengers will return from their mission within two days. It will be successful. Stark will request to study the scepter.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“To prove that I am indeed from the future.”

A snort. “Yeah, okay.” 

“One day from now, you will fall very ill. You will be dying.” Loki turns the vial in his hand, the liquid bubbling inside. “This will save your life.”

Pepper frowns. “Yeah, I’m not gonna drink that.”

Loki holds up a finger, “One day. Twenty-four hours. You will be ready to do anything to improve. Even drink this.” He grasps her hand and folds her fingers over it.

“Once you are well, you will know I speak the truth. And when I come again, you must convince Stark to believe me.”

She blinks and shakes her head. “You really expect me to trust you?”

Loki chuckles, “Not today. Only when you are desperate.” Loki checks his watch. “Thirteen hours from now.” He watches Pepper’s face pale. He points to the vial, “Also, do not tell Stark about this. He will surely destroy the antidote, and you will die.”

Her face blanches, white as a sheet, freckles popping out like seeds. She stares after Loki as he opens the tempad portal. She will believe him. She already has.

“Two days, Potts. I’ll see you then.”

The End of the Journey

The portal opens into the same hospital room, days after the battle. Thor brightens when he sees Loki.

“Oh, thank the Stars,” Thor sits up, dangling his feet over the edge of the bed. “Get me out of here, Loki.”

A laugh. “As you wish.”

Thor struggles to stand, prompting Loki to assist, draping an arm across his shoulders. With joint effort, Loki lifts his brother and they hobble into the tempad portal.

“Ngh…” Thor winces, leaning hard on Loki. Loki can’t help but chuckle.

“You’re loving this, aren’t you?” Thor smirks.

“It is quite the turn of events.”

They step through out to a cloudless sky, red clovers dusting the ground.

“You brought me back.”

“It’s as good a place as any. We are out of sight.”

They stagger toward a craggy ledge, Thor’s weight pressing down on Loki’s shoulders.

“Hnn--” Thor sweeps an inhale through his lips.

Loki stiffens, “Oh, no, don’t you dare. Not when I’m--”

“HHRReh-SHHHuuu!” 

Lightning envelops them both, grinding Loki’s teeth, setting his synapses on fire. His eyes squeeze shut and he shudders.

Once it fades, Thor paws at his nose, “Apologies, brother.”

“Not like I haven’t been struck by your lightning before.”

“*sndf* You don’t deserve it this time.”

“I always deserve it.” 

Loki eases Thor down on the edge of the cliff, then takes a seat next to him, head sagging into his cupped hands.

Thor’s meaty hand warms Loki’s back. “Loki, what you have done…what you are doing, I never thought you capable of such kindness.”

“Be careful of getting wet, brother. Sugar melts.”

Thor chuckles. “You still do not believe yourself worthy.”

Loki pulls his arms back, bracing himself at an angle to stare into the dappled sky. “I will never be worthy. You know this.” Loki’s lips crack apart, a rustle of air whisking into his chest, “Hh-EIZZSHhhh-eh!”

“Do you have any more of the antidote?”

Loki holds up a finger, “One more.”

“Then take it.”

Loki manifests two goblets of wine and dumps the last antidote into one of them, making sure Thor doesn’t see which. He hands one cup to Thor and takes the other.

“You’re the one who almost died. And you've been ill for longer than me. You need it.”

Thor growls. “No. I am healing fine. Give me yours.” He reaches for Loki’s goblet, then pauses. His brow furrows and he retracts himself. “I know you. The cups are already swapped. You know I would exchange them.”

Loki gives him an indignant frown. 

Thor smirks. “Your tricks grow tiresome.” He drains his goblet, smacking his lips and then wincing at the sour aftertaste. He blinks and then glowers at Loki, “Damn you. You knew I would assume deceit.”

Loki smiles into his cup, “The trick about being predictable is to know people will assume you are lying.”

Thor glowers. “That was your last one?”

“Truly. I had to give mine to Pepper Potts.” He wings his arm to his face, pressing his nose against his skin, “XxxssshhhG! ISZH-ghheh…” he sags against Thor, breath stuttering, waves of fatigue lapping at the cave of his consciousness.

“You had better get well,” Thor growls. 

Loki’s voice is cadenced with exhaustion. “You will see me again, alive and well--though I won’t remember any of this.”

“Why?”

“Time travel. I am technically also a variant of this timeline.”

“Then why fight for it?”

“B…” Loki looks up at his brother. The brother who taught him how to block punches, how to always be vigilant, who bandaged his injuries when they had done something stupid and didn’t want Father to know. The brother Loki sang to when they were out on missions and Thor missed their mother.

Loki looks into his lap. “Would that I could stay. Help you with the grief that is to come. But, we’ll meet again.”

Thor covers Loki’s hand and squeezes it. “You are a good man, Loki. I see the change in you.”

“Change?” Loki chuffs. “If this has taught me anything, it is that I will never change. I am the same as the variant we just fought. Trying my best to revive what I’ve destroyed.”

Loki stands and offers his hand. “Come, let me take you back to the tower.”

Thor lets Loki help him stand, both heartsick, lashes dewy with tears. 

There’s a finality to his voice that breaks him. It feels like he and Thor were crossing a bridge, lingering--tiptoeing--toward each other. And then the middle collapsed, stranding them both on opposite sides of the world. 

Loki opens the portal, and they separate once again. 

[mercurydancer]

An Unexpected Chance Pt 21

Snapshots of the Creation of a New Sith, the creation of Balance, and a reminder of a time that was.

_

          Maul stood there for a moment, taking in the body at his feet.

          Pre Vizsla had put up a hell of a fight.

          He ran his fingers over the line that crossed his nose and ran between his eyes and gave a soft hum. He’d definitely remember this one. Maul turned then and focused his attention on the others and blinked.

          Jango had tackled someone, and it looked like a few of the Vode had brought others to their knees. Maul walked towards them, the Dark Saber still thrumming in his hand. Maul felt the power, felt the energy, and knew that he would be examining it later, but for now he kept it ignited with his Teacher’s saber, Purple and Black, and walked towards the one that Jango was pinning.

          And found Bo-Katan.

          Maul blinked.

          He blinked again.

          “I knew that you were not precisely your sister’s biggest fan…but I had not thought you would join a cult that was interested in destroying her,” Maul said idly. Jango blinked at him, and then looked at the one he was pinning down properly, shifting his grip so he could see her face when she looked up, defiance burning in her gaze.

          “Well…” Jango said softly. “What do you know…”

          Maul wiped the blood from his forehead idly, looking around. There were more from Pre Vizsla’s group that had decided to join than he had anticipated. They stared at his armor, and they looked to Jango, looked to the Vode in their own armor, their own symbols, looked to the members of Death Watch they may or may not remember… They knew he was one of them. But they did not know who. Maul looked them over, and then turned to the Vode and the Mandalorians that had sent the ones that had rebelled into the dirt.

          How interesting. They all seemed to be marked for Bo-Katan. Maul hummed quietly and slowly crouched next to her, looking to Jango.

          “Thank you,” he said.

          “My pleasure,” Jango grinned, teeth bared in something like threat. Maul approved.

          “Do you think you can hold her for just a little longer?”

          Jango dug his elbow down as though to prove how much he had her, Bo grunting, sending a look to him that was poisonous.

          “Thank you,” Maul said and stood. He walked over to Pre Vizsla’s headless corpse and flipped open his comm, holding it up so the body was visible behind him and called Satine, his Teacher’s saber at his belt.

          Her face appeared in the comm, exasperation and anger visible, only to drain into something like shock as she took in the dead body behind him, her expression falling into something like horror and fear. “Is that…” she paused, “what has happened to Pre Vizsla?”

          “I killed him,” Maul said easily, and watched as that look changed to horror. “He was the leader of Death Watch,” Maul said, and that look shifted, broke, something like shock, something like disbelief, and Maul held up the Dark Saber so she could see it, “so I killed him and took Death Watch from him.” He held up the comm higher so she could see, recognized the way Death Watch had frozen the fear, the worry…

          “Death Watch…” she repeated, gasping, fear in her voice and looked to Maul, “but…”

          “I have no intentions of killing you,” Maul said, “nor do I have intentions of taking over Mandalore. You may rest easy in your bed, Satine. To give you a bit more certainty in my words I have a gift for you.” He walked over towards Jango and Bo, watching as she attempted to pull away, to fight, as Jango pinned her harder. Maul crouched down and showed Satine Bo, and the gasp that sounded from the Duchess was momentarily shattered.

          “Bo,” she breathed.

          “He’s lying!” Bo-Katan yelled, “he kidnapped me, it’s a trick, Satine, he…”

          Maul looked to Jango and gestured for him to stand her up. Jango did so, revealing the armor, and Maul showed Satine the helmet that had been knocked to the ground that fit Bo, and then slowly walked to show Satine the others, show her their symbol. Bo’s symbol.

          Bo said nothing. She knew that it was over.

          “It…it is true then,” Satine breathed, and her voice was choked, “she was…she was moving against me…” There was a long pause, and Maul watched as she stared into his eyes, and there was something so… “She meant to kill me?”

          Maul was silent for a moment. “I do not know,” he said finally. “But I am going to be returning them to you. What you do to them is of no concern to me. They did not follow the rules of sacred combat. They are no longer Death Watch, and they are no longer Mandalorian. Their Manda is tainted, and so they are of no use to me.” Bo yelled, inarticulate, angry, Jango forced her to her knees. “You can expect them shortly, I believe,” he looked to the Vode. “But we will not be on Concordia for much longer.”

          “Where are you going?” Satine asked, “where…”

          “None of your business,” Maul answered easily, raising a brow. “You hold no power here, Duchess. Now, Satine, that is all. Please don’t attempt to call me I shall simply hang up. Consider this a peace offering. Goodbye.”

          He hung up and made a brief gesture. “Wrap it up.”

          “Mand’alor!”

          The call was followed by a salute, Maul saluted back.

          It was the most uncomfortable thing he had ever done.

          The prisoners Maul saw to himself, gesturing to the ones that had detained each of Bo’s people and working with them to bind them. Not maliciously, Maul saw no point in that, but certainly tight and with bindings that he himself would struggle with. And then he found his brothers.

          Maul walked to Feral and Savage, who looked him up and down and then smiled, saluting.

          “Stop,” Maul commanded.

          They laughed.

          “What are we doing, brother?” Savage asked.

          “We are seeing what Pre Vizsla and his lot have given to us, and then we are going to fill in the gaps,” Maul hummed.

          “How are we doing this?” Feral asked.

          Maul smiled.

_

          Savage watched as the members of Death Watch helped bring the last of their resources into their massive atrium, and Maul walked amongst them, looking it over. The prisoners had been brought to a ship, entrusted to a Vod called Iisa, as well as a code that would allow him to contact Maul directly. He took three of his own, a Halaisian Mandalorian called Manut, another Vod called Ridge, and a Brother named Fang, all of them easily containing the bound and disgraced Mandalorian prisoners.

          It was the quickest and most efficient dispatch that Savage had ever seen, the remainder of Death Watch so willing and able to follow the one that had won the saber. Savage couldn’t complain. Tests of strength were common, but he thought that it was the sight of the loyalty Maul inspired in the rest of them that made them so willing to follow.

          Maul took in their resources and his mouth thinned, before he looked to Jango. “How long do you believe this would sustain us?”

          Jango hummed quietly, before shaking his head. “Not long enough.”

          “Well,” Maul said, humming. “I know our first order of business.” He paused for a moment and then looked to Jango. “Wish me luck.”

          “You don’t need it.”

          Maul laughed and dipped his head to Jango, and then to Soln, and then to Feral and Savage himself. They followed.

          Maul paced to the front of the gathered Mandalorians, Brothers and Vode, and stared out at them, Savage to his right, Feral his left, Jango and Soln behind them.

          “Mandalorians, Brothers, Vode…” he said, standing before them, “I am Maul…and I am going to bring you to victory.”

          The cheers had started to begin.

          Savage was proud.

_

          Feral had not expected this, staring down at a world that seemed to be made of lava, Maul before him with his arms behind his back, an air of indifference pouring off of him.

          They were about to destroy and simultaneously liberate a Criminal Empire and his brother was acting as though they were about to go to the store. Feral looked to him, taking in the way he stood there, the profile, and wondered quietly about the little boy that had been. The little boy that he had loved and mourned in equal measures. Maul looked to him then, and he watched as the expression of boredom shifted to a small smile, and Feral found himself beaming.

          There were moments, after all, where that boy showed he was still there, and ultimately Feral could not deny that he loved his brother, and he did trust him.

          Maul dipped his head towards the lava, and softly, quietly, “That is the planet where I grew up.”

          Feral froze, recognizing that he was not the only one, Savage also freezing. And then, a hand sank on his shoulder, and he turned to look to Jango, turning a bit more to see more of the same face, younger than the one that Maul knew they referred to as the ‘rough draft.’ Vode, ones he knew. Rex, Wolffe, Kote, Fox… They had been taking names more commonly now, mix of cultures, mix of styles, and Maul was proud.

          But he was also letting his mind drift.  

_

          “There, sir?” Rex asked, and Maul found his nose wrinkling. Rex had been the first to find Boba, the first to actually talk to him, and the one that had grown used to talking to him. “Sorry, I meant you lived there, Mand’alor.”

          Maul looked at him. Rex’s expression was unapologetic and amused. Maul rolled his eyes. But it was a kindness. His mind had stopped spiraling.

          “I did,” Maul said simply. “My Master stole me from Dathomir and took me here.” He paused, his head tilting, “I don’t know that it was an improvement.”

          “I think it might have been a downgrade,” Savage said softly, taking a step closer to him and Maul found himself smiling. Jango’s hand hadn’t left his shoulder. “At least on Dathomir it is not covered in lava.”

          “Unless you go to the volcanos,” Feral added, “though that is far.”

          Maul gave a soft sound in recognition, “Here…the lava always flows…and the air is poison.” He paused, looking to them, “buckets are preferable.”

          “Understood,” came the response.

          Wolffe walked up next to him, quiet, “What was it like?”

          “Lonely,” Maul said softly.

          “How do you mean?” Fox asked.

          “I was alone with a droid…for most of my childhood,” Maul said. “I was three years old before I knew what I looked like…and that was only because of the window.” Maul was quiet for a moment before looking to the Vode and his gaze was sharp. “My Master was the one that commissioned you. I believe…that a great deal of your training was built from mine.” He was quiet for a moment, very aware of the silence, of the way the Vode were looking at him.

          “Does…” the question was soft, hesitant, even as Kote finally asked, “does that make you ori’vod?”

          Maul blinked.

          “What?” Maul asked.

          His brothers, however, were brightening, and Maul turned to look at them, something almost horrified…

          “If you claim him as vod, then that makes you vod’ika,” Savage said, and his grin was all teeth.

          “I’d take that,” Kote said with a grin.

          “VOD’IKA!” Savage took Kote up in his arms and squeezed him, the man laughing aloud, fighting to be able to press his forehead against Savage’s horns. Maul watched with something unfolding within him that might have been pride and might have been something else.

          The Brothers had been the first to truly integrate with the Vode. They understood the challenges in a way that the others could not, warriors trained for battle, unused to kindness from anyone except each other, kept underneath another group that controlled them…could kill them at a whim… Maul stood there with the slowly dawning realization that if he did accept this, if they did stand with this, it would unite their peoples in a way that was…unprecedented.

          Maul could and would accept it.

          He looked to Jango, who was staring back at them with something pained in his eyes, something thoughtful.

          “There is no reason to believe that all is lost,” Maul rumbled quietly, his voice soft. “Not all with forgive you…but they have accepted my own acceptance of you.”

          Jango took that in for a moment before quietly, “they know you’d keep me in line.” The smirk he gave was sharp and Maul rolled his eyes.

          “I would kill you,” Maul returned and Jango laughed.

          “So,” Wolffe said from where he was currently wrapped in Feral’s hold, his brother beaming, even as Wolffe was clearly trying to struggle out, “what’s the plan here?”

          “Go in, take their resources, kill who we must, free their people that have been enslaved…” Maul said blandly, walking towards them. Feral let go of Wolffe, Savage letting go of the others. “Black Sun is arrogant, and they are susceptible to their long-standing tradition of accepting visitors. So…we shall visit.”

          “Are we going to stay here?”

          Maul hummed, looking at the planet that filled their viewscreen. “Once was enough,” he said. “No. We are going to take a small group at first to see them in order to keep their guard low, and then we are going to swarm. You all will accompany me, naturally?”

          “Manda’lori’vod!”

          Maul stared at them.

          “Stop that.”

          Jango lost his shit.

          Rude.

          In the end it was a simple matter to take over the Black Sun.

          Maul had destabilized them before…he had been younger then. Younger and under his Master. Now he stood as the head of a criminal organization that they were gutting. Maul periodically shifted his gaze to Feral, who was still laughing at his brother. Teaching his brothers how to create their own Kyber had been one of his better ideas, followed by teaching them how to make a saber.

          It had been a good day. Upon realizing how much Maul…how much the Holocron that Maul had left taught them it had only seemed right, and so they had learned, and Maul had dueled them. They were still unable to beat him, but they were good, and they were strong…

          And Savage was very good at following cues.

          Maul turned his attention to the singular being left alive, peering at the Falleen that had been appointed temporary Head after Savage had…ah…disposed of the others.

          Maul did not know how long he would be left alive. He was not planning on creating an empire of criminals after all… But Black Sun imported their supplies. They had enough to keep their empire running which would be good enough, Maul rather supposed, for his own purposes.

          Soln had thought so, as had the Armourer and Jango when he had fully laid the plan out for them, and it had kept his newly acquired Mandalorians busy…and rather happy. They were out there now, partnered with Vode and Brother alike, keeping them grounded with what they needed to do. Those with a Debt, those that were Enslaved to Black Sun would be freed. Those otherwise…well.

          They would be dealt with.

          But that brought Maul to another point, a hilt that still dangled upon his belt and he had quite forgotten in the need to keep hold of his very newly formed Death Watch, in the need to make sure that the people would be fed.

          Maul walked out of the palace, gesturing towards Feral and Savage, the both of them nodding and following. For all Feral’s teasing he also was quite good at following cues, and the smile that was on his face was warm.

          Maul stood with the lavas to his back and commed his Teacher.

          “About time,” Mace Windu said and the smile on his face was warm…and then he realized where he was standing. Mace blinked, and then focused on Maul. “Where are you?”

          “Mustafar,” Maul said, “we have taken over Black Sun.”

          Mace stared at him.

          Maul stared back.

          “I’m coming to get that.”

          “We shall be here for another few days,” Maul said idly, “we are freeing the population and taking their supplies.”

          “Where?”

          Maul was quiet for a moment, “in my travels…I found a planet that was once occupied by the Sith. It is no longer, and it is… Dark, but…” Maul paused. “There is a Nightbrother Settlement upon it, one that I was able to help start. They have been raising the kittens they have taken with them, and I have been able to reconnect with them… It no longer feels as it does. They are excited to accept others into their settlement, and to receive their Brothers.”

          Mace took that in, and Maul watched as he smiled. “So,” he said, “do you plan to recreate the Temple?”

          Maul frowned. “No,” he said finally, “the Sith Temple that was there was one of the first things that was destroyed.”

          “Destroyed?” Mace asked softly.

          “I told you a long time ago,” Maul said softly, “the Sith is mine to destroy just as it is to preserve. The Sith that I grew up with, the Sith that I was taught…” Maul was quiet for a moment, “I believe that I have found something different. Something that can be sustained, something that can be nurtured… I am going to attempt…something quite revolutionary.”

          “If anyone can do it,” Mace said and then paused, “remember, Maul, you can always call. You are always welcome.”

          “If…I was to take an Apprentice in the Sith…” Maul said softly, “do you think you would welcome them as well?”

          There was a pause.

          “You have an idea…”

          “When you come I will tell you,” Maul said, “but I believe…that we may be able to come up with something between us.”

          Mace dipped his head in acknowledgement. “I will see you soon, Padawan-mine. May Depa come?”

          “Yes,” Maul said. “It will be good to see her.”

          “She has missed you.”

          Maul was quiet for a moment. “Teacher,” he said softly.

          “Yes?”

          “You were a better father than Sidious ever was.”

          And with that he hung up and prepared himself to wait.

_

          Mace stood before the Fortress that at one point had been the Fortress of the Black Sun and stared.

          There were Mandalorians and Vode and Brothers everywhere and while initially a few of the newer Death Watch that Mace did not recognize had frozen, hands going to blasters at the sight of them, the Vode and the Brothers were quick to wave them down, calling their welcomes and their happiness at the sight of them. Death Watch went to their own business after that. This was good, as Mace still did not have his saber, and he did not want to leave everything to Depa.

          Depa was staring around with her hands on her hips, amusement obvious in every line of her face.

          “He always goes too far in trying to one-up me.”

          Mace laughed aloud, a hand on her shoulder. “Come on,” he said, “let’s find him so you can tell him that.”

          It turned out, though, that they didn’t have to go very far. Walking towards them from the Fortress, arms behind his back, and flanked on either side by Savage and Feral…was Maul.

          He looked good, and in fact looked happy. He approached them directly, Savage, and Feral beaming, and finally stood before them.

          Mace watched as Depa took the three of them in and then walked towards Maul, her gaze warm. “You need to get better at communicating, little brother,” she said, reaching out with soft hands and taking his face in her grasp, gently tilting it… Mace saw the mark there, the line from his nose leading up between his brows. “And you need to get better at dodging,” she said, running a finger up it, Maul snorting imperiously, rolling his eyes.

          “In my defense he was directly underneath me and almost sent the blade through my chin. I believe I actually managed quite well.”

          “Then I am glad,” Depa said, and then grinned, “what did you tell Mace, he was crying for five minutes after you hung up.”

          Mace gave a brief wounded sound even as Maul laughed aloud, and the smile on his face when he looked to Mace was warm and so happy. “Betrayed by my own lineage,” Mace said, shaking his head. “Maul leaves me to join the Sith, and you betray my confidence.”

          Depa hummed at him, raising her brows at him, and Maul laughed harder, Savage, and Feral both joining at that.

          Mace huffed his own quiet laugh and walked forward, Maul taking the saber that Mace had been missing and holding it out. Mace took it from him and holstered it, giving Maul a brief bow.

          “Congratulations Mand’alor.”

          “Not you, too,” Maul said immediately, and the laughter this time came from more parties than just the three in front of them. Mace found himself smiling as he realized that the Vode the Brothers and Mandalorians that were around him were clearly listening. “Get back to work,” Maul snapped.

          “AYE, MAND’ALOR!”                     

          Maul closed his eyes, his head tilting back and Mace could not help the laugh that spilled from him.

          “You always did try too hard to one-up me,” Depa said softly, smiling wide, “serves you right.”

          Savage and Feral laughed aloud, and there was a relaxing and a warmth that Mace could read within them that had not been there. They were clearly growing used to Depa, and Mace was glad.

          Mace was glad…

          “Walk with me,” Maul said, “we shall not be here long, but I wish to show you what I have found.”

          Mace followed, listening to Maul as he explained, watching the way he paused to interact with some of the Mandalorians, the pause to help with Brothers, or with Vode, watching the way that they followed him with their gazes, the calls that periodically came… Mace was proud. He slowly breathed it out, but it buzzed in the air around him, and he knew that Depa felt it, too.

          “So,” Depa said quietly after they had walked their way around the Fortress, after having met some of the ones that had been freed, watching the way they thanked their rescuers… “I heard that you might be giving me a niece or nephew soon,” she said, leaning against the railing, smiling at Maul, who shifted. “Do you have someone in mind?”

          Maul hesitated.

          “Not exactly,” he finally said, also leaning against the railing, Savage and Feral buzzing beside them, excitement burning. “But I have been having…visions.”

          “Visions,” Mace repeated softly, finding his mouth quirking in a smile, momentarily taking the moment to inspect the shatterpoints that had surrounded his boy since he had been a teen in desperate need of help, “better than the last ones I would hope?”

          “Oh yes,” Maul agreed softly, “much.”

_

          Feral stood at the edge of a precipice, a grin on his face even as he strained, feeling the pull and push of his Brothers all around, watching the Vode and Death Watch as they worked to help set the last piece upon a Temple that they had worked together to form. A Temple that was to be the beginning foundation of the Sith, a Sith that his brother had formed, a Sith that his brother was even now teaching.

          Feral’s attention turned to his brother who was amongst them, working together to lower the cap of the pyramid structure, a tradition that Maul had admitted to liking aesthetically, but so much else was different, even in comparison to the Jedi Temple.

          Maul had worked to allow it to be accessible to all, Force Sensitive and not, self-sustained and full of the sweeping and sharp angles of most Sith Temples, but none of the traps.

          At least…none of the more lethal ones.

          As the cap was finally lowered to the Temple, there was a spark a flash, and then a feeling of Flame, a feeling of Power in the same way as Maul.

          There was a Shrine deep within, Maul had built it with his own two hands, taking time and much will to do so, and it seemed that now that the Temple was complete the Shrine was waking up.

          Feral felt nearly giddy with it, a rushing in his spine, turning to look to his brother who looked to be in shock.

          Feral laughed aloud, grabbing hold of his shoulders and squeezing, shaking him briefly, gaining his brother’s full attention.

          “That is it!” he called out, “we have done it!”

          And the celebration began…

          And lasted for several days.

_

          Jocasta’s brows shot up at the sight of twelve armored men walking into her Archive, all of them with…

          Very…familiar…

          Horns.

          And then one of those men branched off, horns taller, prouder, almost like they were… And then the helm split in half and Maul reached up to take the helmet off, and he smiled at her when he saw her, dipping into a formal bow.

          “Hello, Jocasta,” he said, “I am here to steal the Sith Artifacts back.”

          “Like hell you are,” Jocasta responded, and when Maul blinked at her, Jocasta smiled, “you are taking them with permission.”

          Maul smiled back, a softening that had been rare, but had come easier, particularly after the past year. Jocasta had seen the small Nightbrother. He had often come into her Archive and Jocasta had been given the rare and beautiful opportunity to read a children’s book to a young one that had never been given the privilege.

          Jocasta still had the holos from that day, Maul sitting upon her lap, expression pulled into the most confused and bewildered frown that she had ever seen. He had warmed to the books, and had come periodically just to sit and read and to listen.

          And now she was staring at the grown man that had been, the grown man that had found himself possessing a handful of centimeters more than he had, enough to look down on her. It was an unusual thing, but Jocasta was proud.

          And she was more than happy to relinquish the Sith Artifacts back to the one they belonged to.

          Jocasta opened her arms and Maul allowed himself to be folded close, holding her tightly, before Jocasta pulled back, wiping at her eyes.

          “I am proud of you,” she said, “I cannot wait to see what you and yours will create.”

          Maul beamed at her, and she led them deeper into the Archives.

          The men that were eventually revealed to her were Brothers, as well as his own brothers, which Jocasta thought was probably just as well. The artifacts were Dark, and Maul went to each one, carefully feeling them out before he gestured for a person to carry them. It was specific, Jocasta realized, and when he finally had handed them all out Maul took his own, bowed to Jocasta, and then led the men out.

          Jocasta had never been happier to see artifacts taken from her archive. She had never been happier to relinquish them.

          She would have a good long discussion with him later on whether or not it was to keep and study or destroy. Maul was building something new. Where the old Sith Order sat was something she supposed would eventually be learned.

          Maul paused, turning his attention to two Guards that had been hovering on the edges of his vision, finding a slow smile spreading on his face.

          “Gentlemen, I will meet you at the ship,” he said softly, turning to them.

          “Brother,” the acknowledgement was warm and full, and followed by a brief dip of their horned helms, and then they were leaving. Savage and Feral waited as was their custom, but they left after Maul locked horns with them both.

          Maul stood there for a moment staring at the Guards that he recognized, whose feel burned through him. Maul approached quietly, following them as they shifted into a side hallway where prying eyes could not see them, and finally removed their masks.

          Alema and Liana stared back at them, their faces creased with smiles, and Maul found himself stepping towards them without thought. They each reached out, carefully cupping either side of his head, the Sith Icons that Maul was currently holding dividing them.

          “I’m sorry,” Maul breathed, “they’re volatile.”

          They laughed at him, wrinkles forming, and Maul found his mouth pulling into a grin.

          “I wonder who that reminds me of,” Alema hummed, her lips creasing into a wide smile.

          “Can’t be anyone we know,” Liana said, waving a hand.

          “Not at all,” Maul agreed softly, and they laughed, Alema leaning forward enough to press her forehead to his own, Liana doing the same on his other side.

          “We’re proud of you,” Alema breathed. “You’ve grown so much. So much…”

          “We’ll be hoping to see this Apprentice of yours when you find them,” Liana said, pulling back with a smile.

          “How did you…?” Maul paused then, blinking, and realization flickered. “Ah, yes.”

          “No one pays attention to Guards,” they chorused, and Maul could not help the laughter that spilled from him.

          “Thank you,” he said. “You may have an opportunity to meet them at some point. I have…an idea.”

          “I wait for the moment it will bear fruit, Lord Maul,” Liana said softly.

          Maul found himself standing straighter than he ever had.

          “We believe in you,” Alema said. “Remember your body is your own.”

          Maul put his forehead to theirs one last time, something tight in his chest…and then he finally walked away.

          And knew that he had grown.

_

          Plo was buzzing.

          He could barely imagine how Mace must feel, knowing that it was Mace’s own lineage, but…but.

          Plo had been there from the beginning, and he would now meet another.

          Maul had come back to the Jedi Temple…

          And he had an Apprentice.

          They knew that Maul had been training the Nightbrother kittens and similarly knew that they had still not been quite Sith. But this, this was different.

          Maul had followed the Force to her, something new in the way of the Sith, but something that Plo thought was a good choice. In a way, Maul had almost rescued her. It was the saving of a life and the teaching of turning pain into power, and the use of that power to save others.

          Two flames burned within the Jedi Temple.

          Plo wondered idly how many more there would be.

          He finally walked into the room that they had set up for them, finding a small crowd of people. Tiq, Anakin, Ahsoka, and the rest of the main Council, as well as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. And then of course, there was Maul and his Apprentice.

          Maul had taken a chair at the far end of the room, and seated upon his lap was a small Mikkian girl, her head leaning against his shoulder, clearly tired, but her eyes… Plo found himself smiling when Sith yellow met his, taking in the way she blinked, and the smallest of smiles stretched her face in return.

          Plo walked towards them as Maul noticed him and gave him a brief signal to come closer, his hand coming up to rest on her shoulder. It was a protective gesture, but it was also one that she could escape from easily if she chose.

          She clearly chose not to, instead closing her eyes and leaning closer into him. Maul gave her a very brief glance, but there was a slight smile on his mouth.

          Plo reached them, crouching down slightly to be on an even level with them. “Hello,” he said softly. “My name is Plo Koon, what is yours?”

          “Unlee,” she said, looking at him out of the corners of her eyes, and he could see the slight tension there. But that tension faded as she leaned further into Maul.

          “It is good to meet you Unlee,” Plo said. He gave Maul the briefest of glances and smiled, “tell me,” he said softly, “has your Teacher told you of the time that he wound up accidentally ripping the Tapestry of Light?”

          Unlee blinked, and her eyes when they focused on him were sharp and bright. “Nooo,” she said softly. “What did he do?”

          Maul huffed, rolling his eyes, but sat back as Plo told the story, soon joined with several other exploits that he had been involved with throughout his Padawanship, and then beyond.

          By the end of it Unlee was laughing, and the Sith yellow in her eyes was gold.

          Plo looked to Maul and saw the soft pride on his face.

          Perhaps there was something to this after all…

          Plo could not wait to find out.

_

           Unlee ran after Venom, the little Nightbrother laughing as he led her through a chase that went from one end of the Sith Temple to the other. Unlee laughed as she leapt after him, jumping between older Nightbrothers, and dodging Vode and Mandalorians as she did so.

          Unlee had never been able to do any of this. Had never had a young one to play with, had never known…what it was like to have so many people that smiled and laughed as she ran past and did not…did not try to hurt her… To catch her…

          They said…they said they did not want to hurt her…they said they loved her and Unlee was beginning to learn what that meant.

          Teacher Maul had taken her from the arms of her captors, of the ones that had killed her family and enslaved her, and showed her that she had power. And then he showed her how she could use that power and use it to stop others. Others that would hurt her… He had spoken about the protection of others… Unlee had not understood why.

          Running after Venom, hearing the sounds of Claw and Wail behind her, chasing not with the intent of hurt, but of gentleness and laughter…

          Unlee was beginning to understand this as well.

          So much was different.

          But she knew that she had to get to her Teacher soon, he was waiting for her.

          Venom led their run towards what the Vode, the Brothers and the Mandalorians called the Throne Room and Maul called ‘my prison,’ something Unlee had been greatly concerned about at first until she realized it was because Maul was actually not just the Teacher of the Sith, he was also the Mand’alor, the leader of his people.

          And he didn’t like it that much.

          Unlee thought that was silly, but she also found it amusing. She would listen and watch as Maul would talk with his advisors and delegate tasks so he could still teach her and the other young ones. Unlee had been afraid that the kittens would be upset that she had been chosen as an Apprentice and they had not been, but she had learned that their own religion and teachings were quite different. Maul was different, and as she grew older, as it became necessary to learn, Maul was telling her why.

          Unlee was learning how sad the story was, but as Maul often reminded her, as she often saw… It was one that ended much better… And Unlee was glad.

          They finally skidded into the high-ceilinged room that held the throne, finding Maul sitting with a single leg propped up on the seat, holding a datapad that he was idly thumbing through. He looked up as they entered, the slightest of grins on his face as he put his leg down and lowered the datapad.

          “Brothers, Apprentice” he acknowledged softly in that low rolling voice she had learned was amazing to listen to, and even better when pressed against his chest as he held her. “I see you have made it,” he stood then, his Sith robes black, the lack of armor that meant he would not be acting as Mand’alor today. She knew that meant she would have his undivided attention and she could not wait.

          He stood up then and walked towards them.

          The Brothers grinned and ran up to him, Unlee reached up to him and he took her hand in his, giving her a brief squeeze. “I am afraid I am going to have to postpone our session. I have one meeting that I am unfortunately unable to change.”

          “That’s alright,” Unlee said. She had learned by now that the only time Maul made her wait was when it was necessary.

          “Thank you for being patient,” he said, and looked to the boys. “Are you well?”

          “Yes!” they chorused, grinning. “Brother,” Claw called, looking up at him and Maul gave a soft hum, “do you know when Brother Savage will be back?”

          “He will be back within the week,” Maul said. “He is working with Brother Viscous. They have much to do in Coruscant.”

          “We miss him,” Venom pouted.

          “I shall be sure to tell him,” Maul said, and ducked himself low, looking between them all, “if it helps you to know, I miss him as well, but he will be back soon.”

          They hugged him, and Maul hugged them back, before he finally straightened.

          “Tell me,” he said, “have you been working on your lessons with Feral?”

          “Yes!” came the chorus, “he is wonderful! But Woya is a hard teacher!”

          “She is, but she cares about you a lot,” Maul said. “You need someone that challenges you. It is good to not remain complicit, and to rethink your own biases at times…”

          “That’s hard,” came the sigh and Maul grinned.

          “It is. Now come, we have work to do."

_

           Talon stood on the peak of the Temple, looking out over all that she could see and found that it was good.

          It had been a shock when Maul had come for her, had given her a Saber and watched…as she had freed herself. Talon had held the blade to his own throat, but he had simply watched her, and the realization…the inability… There was no want in his stare, no desire, even when he informed her that it had been a beautiful performance, she had known it was because of the blood that was around her…the violence she had unleashed…and she had been happy.

          Maul had offered her his hand and she had taken it and found herself in something she would have never believed she could have had, or would have found. A family, people that loved her, people that would fight and kill for her… And she would fight and kill for them.

          He had even given her a name.

          When Maul had told her about the custom of naming Apprentices in a traditional Sith fashion she had decided that she wanted one. Maul had told her that it was her prerogative to choose, that she had been gifted the ability to choose…and so Talon took that and gave it to him. Maul had blinked at her, and she had realized it was something he had no experience in. It had made her laugh and demand a name.

          Darth Talon he had finally gifted her, after what she realized was long thought and meditation.

          Talon loved it, and had put her old name, her old self firmly behind her where it would stay. She was a Sith now. She was a part of a growing order. She was surrounded by those who were kind.

          Talon felt the Force Nexus upon this planet, felt the dark and the power upon it, felt the way it had twisted to something fierce and powerful and joyful…and knew that this was home.

          It was a strange thing to realize after so long alone, after so long without a home.

          “Enjoying the view?” Maul’s voice came to her, and she blinked down at him, realizing that he had brought Unlee with him, the Mikkian girl holding her arms up. Talon lifted her up without thought, laughing.

          “What’s up sugar-pop,” she whispered at her, and Unlee giggled, her blue skin flushing purple with amusement. “I am,” she said, looking to Maul with a waggle of her eyebrows.

          Maul just rolled his own eyes.

          Talon laughed…and found that she was happy.

          Maul stared at the Holocron before him, one that he had not seen in years, and in fact had quite forgotten…

          The one that he as a child had carried with him, the one that he had spoken into, the one that had been just for Maul.

          He had given the one meant for the Jedi but this one…

          This one had been for him.

          Maul thought for a moment, taking it in his hands and hefting it. Maul was alone for once. Blessedly alone…

          It had taken time, but the Temple was finally populated with young Sith, and older Sith, Sith like Talon who were able to teach… Sith and young Jedi that had been brought to learn, just as he had sent Sith to learn from the Jedi.

          Balance…

          Maul did not know if this would work, but so far…so far it seemed to be. So far the Jedi had been helpful, had learned so much, and taught so much, and the ones within the Temple, the ones that were not Force-Sensitive had been so good at teaching care…

          Maul was creating something he could be proud of…

          And so, Maul looked at this Holocron, this message from himself as a child, and finally closed his eyes…

          And Reached.

          The sight of his own face was mildly shocking, combined with the youth in the features, the smile that spread those lips…

          “Thank you!” the Holocron said, he said, the child he had been… “Thank you…so much…” he swallowed, “I know… I know that you said you love me…but I did not know…I did not know how much until I…” he spread his hands. “You gave me so much. You gave us…you gave us both so much. I had so much…I had so much fun. I had fun, and I did not even know what it was… I had people that cared about me…when I did not know what that meant, when I did not know it was good…”

          That young Maul swallowed, and there were tears in his eyes.

          “I know I am about to go, I know…I am about to grow up, that I am going to be you, that I am going to be whole once again… But I needed to tell you that I love you too. I love you, too, and thank you…so much…for everything. Thank you for loving yourself enough to give us this chance.” He wiped his eyes. “I hope…I hope you know…that you deserve to be loved now, too. That you as you are… I listened to you sometimes, and you made me sad. I need you to know that you are loved, and I need you to know… That you are a good teacher… And I hope…I hope with everything in me…that you are happy, and that you know that your hands are able to make good things… And I hope you know that you are loved.”

          Maul watched as the Holocron turned off then, the message spoken into existence…and found his hearts were tight.

          Maul stood up slowly and finally left the room, walking towards the refectory, and finding the people that he had found, the ones he had won, and the ones that had followed him…

          He watched the way they acknowledged him, the warmth, the calls, the laughter, the beckoning…

          And softly…

          To a self that had been…

          “I do.”

[writing-makes-me-human]

your Love & Guests book is AMAZING! i saw your post asking for opinions and pleaseee no poly nete and aonung, I don't know if my heart can take after seeing how protective aonung is of the bond. Love your writing -- you're doing great sweetie!!

WILL THERE BE A POLY OR JEALOUSY TROPE:

Okay now my inbox has been blowing up and by blowing up I mean there were over 20 messages this morning and I had a heart attack because I thought I did something wrong haha!

Now I've been doing some debating and I've decided to go with my original plot line of the jealousy trope because I added up all the opinions and it was about 11 for jealousy and 9 for poly.

But if you were begging for poly don't worry! I have decided to do some more pieces on this idea that won't be associated with Love and Guests. It is going to take longer to get out though and I am sorry that you may have to wait a couple weeks for that BUT I promise you all I am writing as much as I can motivate myself too!

Oh and if you've sent me any requests I AM WORKING ON THEM, I am hard at work in my little writing sweatshop producing masterpieces ehehe

xx -human

[dilf-fuckersblog]

- RULES -

- Angst, smut, fluff. (more will be added)

- I will write for Corey Cunningham, Daryl Dixon, Norman Reedus, Andy Lincoln, Carl Grimes (aged up to 18+!!), Rick Grimes, (Maybe) Art The Clown, Arthur Harrow, Marc Spector, Jake Lockley, Khonshu, Steven Grant, Bowser, Luigi, Mario. (More characters are gonna be added soon..)

- I will write for general neutral, male, and female readers.

- I will not write anything that will make me very uncomfortable.

- Will not write for r*pe, weird kinks (like piss kinks), p*dophilia, etc.

- Do NOT rush me on my works.

- Will not write for minor x adult, or minor x minor.

- REQUESTS -

You all can always request something to me to write or just ask me something! If I don’t respond your ask then I might be busy :)

- Have a good day everyone! ❤︎︎

[shortpplfedup]

*hangs up 'gone fishin' sign*

[elwenyere]

Recollection (Codywan) // Chapter Three

Tags: Purge Trooper Cody, Post-Order 66, Inhibitor Chips and Reconditioning, Trauma and Grief, Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Accidental Voyeurism (kind of, see notes for this chapter), Mutual Pining, Getting Together, Soft Finish

Rating: E (for spiciness)

------

“And the memories seem to collapse when I get off script,” Cody added. “Then I get dropped into the next one on the path until they turn off the machine.”

Obi-Wan hummed, looking around at the shaking walls of the ship around them.

“What if we left the road entirely?” he asked. “We could choose a destination of our own.”

Read Chapter Three or Start from the Beginning

------

I am completely terrified excited to share this penultimate chapter: the last one before we can start the soft finish. Please check out the author’s note for chapter-specific tags and check in with yourself about your reading needs during these frankly awful times. <3<3<3

[willbyersapologist]

i love mike wheeler so much. i love him so much. so so so so so much. i love him sm I wish I could meet him and hug him and squeeze his cheeks until they turn red and shake him around like a teddy bear. i miss him and I can’t wait to see him again in 29 days even though I’ve never met actually met him. my account is a mike love page. if my username wasn’t willbyersapologist it’d be mikewheelerdefender bc that’s what I am. I am a mike defender. “he’s annoying” no he’s not you’re just tasteless. “he’s such a boring character” and you’re lacking a personality. Mike Wheeler invented the concept of iconic. he’s the moment. i wish everyone could just take a moment to try and understand bc there’s much more to him than most ppl realise. i love him so much and I’m so grateful he exists.

[plegdoctor]

Just Close Your Eyes - Hunger Games AU - Chapter 10: Winner's Interview and Chapter 11: Epilogue

Read here on ao3

[iblewthewhistle]

Justice

It has only been a few months and Frank has already found himself a somewhat normal routine in the Park household.

When he got a cellphone, it was normal for check-ins. They asked for only a simple emoji at the top of each hour, including a prearranged signal for help.

As he walked towards his home, something caught Frank's eye. It was Nick, the elder of the two Park boys. Quiet and shy, more likely to cry somewhere else. Good hearted, like his dad. Frank fervently hoped that Waylon would be a great influence on him.

And some older kid who shoved him violently to the ground.

Frank didn't even realise he was running towards the kid until his fist connected violently, and the brat was on the floor. He grabbed a handful of the kid's shirt, pulling him up, and raising a fist for another punch. "Don't you EVER fucking touch him again or I'll slice your fucking lips off. Do you hear me?"

The kid nodded quickly, whimpering. His friends didn't seem to know what to do. "Get out of here. And if I find out you so much as LOOK at my brother funny, I'll gut you all." Frank threw him to the ground. "Fuck off. Now."

As they scattered away, Frank knelt down to help Nick up. He had a bruise on his cheek, but seemed fine otherwise. "You okay?"

"Thanks, Frank," Nick sniffled, rubbing at his eyes. "You're wicked cool."

A ping echoed, and Frank pulled out his phone. "It's Dad." The words were still strange to utter. But they felt better every day.

"Don't tell him..." Nick pleaded softly. "I don't want him to worry."

Frank hesitated, and his thumb hit the goofy, smiling face. "It's okay. It'll be fine." He slipped his phone into his pocket, and looped an arm around his brother. "Let's go get some dinner, huh? I'm starving. And remember what I told you..."

Nick seemed to remember this, his eyes lighting up. "You didn't swear because swearing is bad."

"Fuckin' too right."