#you can't tell me he doesn't have a treehouse somewhere

[cosm1cl]

i have a head cannon that as spider was growing up he didn't spend as much time with either the scientists or the sully's as we've been led to believe, but rather he was out doing some mysterious third thing half of the time.

like i see him only going to the sully's for maybe a couple hours before neytiri kind of ushers her children away from his company, and instead of heading back to the labs he just kind of wanders off into the forest on his own. that boy is neglected as shit so it wouldn't surprise me that no one would really follow up on his location much, even as a small child, and he could come running back to the lab, exopack basically flat, and not a single eye would be batted in his direction. i mean it wouldn't take long for him to realise he could just spend hours out in the wilderness on his own without being interrupted, so why wouldn't he?

[sincerely-nines]

you said you wanted to hear about the au?

it's a decently sized one and yet to be completed, I made a couple mcyts fantasy creatures basically. Pearl is a naiad, Lizzie is an axolotl mer of some kind, Witch Gem, and of course cod mer Jimmy.

There's a lot going on in it from human Joel and axolotl Lizzie to naiad Pearl and witch Gem shenanigans, but you wanted to hear a little about scaridarity/jimmy specifically so here we go.

Scar is a faery, living in a treehouse similar to his s9 starter base in a small fae society tucked away deep in the forest. A peaceful life and he usually makes a living selling cookies and baked goods and various trinkets. He's a salesman with a silver tongue and before you know it you've given up half your diamonds, your shoes and your own weapon and you have an "ancient cursed sword" in your hands, that sort of just looks like a lightly used regular iron sword that was dug out of a dungeon somewhere.

Jimmy is a mayor of sorts, but not quite? A leader to a group/small town of human-cod hybrids (like him!) and regular cod in the swamps. The town is the number one producer of slime, but is not very large or well known. Not directly related to Lizzie but definitely sees her as an older sister figure and Lizzie sees Jimmy as a younger brother figure.

Originally, Scar ends up lost from straying from the paths for a bit too long. He ends up at the edge of Jimmy's section of the swamp, and buys up a bit of the slime for a bit lower than what Jimmy would usually have it priced as—but his smile and demeanor were too hard to refuse. Plus, there was no extra issues of packaging and transport, he provided the shoulder boxes himself. A couple diamonds missing wouldn't hurt anyone! He'd just replace them himself if he got in trouble, and how could he ever say no to that pretty face.

He ends up finding his way home, but coming back for more. It might make a new interesting recipe to add slime to his cookies! (Even if Jimmy insists it's toxic for fae or really anyone's consumption. Bit boring if you ask him, why not take a little bit of a risk?) A couple of the odd trinkets Jimmy offers and brings him for his visits would make a pretty penny to resell too.

It develops into more of a genuine friendship and less of a questionably beneficial trading partnership, Scar bringing all sorts of odd things from land, tellings his tales of adventures and introducing his own traditions, and Jimmy introducing him to their traditions from the greater ocean empire along with bringing odd foods, rare plants and other things.

Eventually, I think the realization of feelings would start from Scar's side. I mean, yeah he did kind of scam the guy, and he does feel bad about it, but now he's the one who can't resist the others smile. Jimmy just thinks it's normal, I mean, it's a fae he's talking to. It must just be excitement about learning about things from land! Hearing about the newest tall tale, or having him taste test some new products (some even specifically made to be suited to Jimmy's tastes!).

They'd start doing silly courting rituals, both somewhat subconsciously and then completely consciously, except they're both a bit weird from the other side. Scar can't bring Jimmy onto land to spin him around, Jimmy probably leads Scar into the water and tries to drown him forgetting he doesn't breath water like most normal merfolk do. I haven't decided on what exactly, but they'd both probably work in a way where it's hard for the other to tell what's going on. "Why are they doing that?" Is probably the first immediate thought. Some would be obvious to the other though, like mating dances from Jimmy's side and both bringing each other gifts.

But I think they'd have a silly first kiss late at night with the moon hanging full in the sky, Scar sitting at his usual dock and Jimmy leaning on the dock to reach.

sorry this turned super long, I have so many thoughts about this au :D I promise if you made me explain gempearl or shadowbeans the essay would only get longer (my friend rye helped me come up with some of the gempearl stuff though)

AWWWW THEYRE SO SILLY i love when theyre unknowingly courting each other it's always such a silly trope it always is such a pleasure to hear and read about, it's hilarious Jimmy almost drowned Scar

[givemeyourcrunchbars]

Sequestered

Fern x f!reader

If there are any warnings I need to add, please let me know :)

The weight of the crown on your head was too much to bear today. You gently set it down onto the grass, next to you in the shade of the giant oak trees above you.

If someone were to ask you what it's like to be a princess, you would say it's a curse. For the past 15 years you've been raised, your father was stern and barely paid any attention to you. Suffering from neglect, you slowly watched him become more and more corrupt with power, forcing the entire kingdom to stay within its walls. As far as the common people knew, the outside was a mysterious place not to be messed with.

That's what power does to people. To have all these abilities at your hands, is a great responsibility. But most rulers toss those away, like a bag of trash being disposed into the garbage can.

You sighed, gazing across to the opposite side of the clearing you were sitting in. You raised your head to look up at the sky. Oh, what I would do to have a different life...

The rustling of leaves caught your attention. You gasped, quickly backing away into the shelter of the trees. Dad can't catch me being here!

"Hey."

You froze as relief washed over you. It wasn't your father.

You weren't allowed to leave the kingdom. Finding loopholes wasn't easy, so you didn't know what you'd do if he found out.

Carefully, you stood up, squinting at the figure standing at the opposite end of the meadow. Slowly, they- or it- stepped into the sunlight. You recognized him from your past adventures. Fern the Human.

"Hi," you replied warily. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know," he said. "Just exploring." Fern wore the same expression he did normally, a blank set of eyes and his mouth set in a straight line.

You nodded, your eyes darting around the clearing, at anything but him. You rarely interacted with outsiders, especially since you weren't allowed outside of your kingdom. So you didn't know how to act. All your social skills started chipping away because you were forced to stay inside all the time. "Princess duties".

"I haven't seen you around here before," the grass boy remarked. "Who are you?"

"Who am I?" I repeated. That was a good question. Every single decision I've had to make and every emotion I've had was decided for me. So much so, that I wasn't sure there was any "me" left.

"I'm Y/N," you replied. Fern tilted his head.

"Where are you from?"

"Um." You struggled to find the words. He couldn't know about the kingdom, or else you would find yourself kicked out. What was even the purpose of telling him? It could only end badly. His curiosity would get the better of him, driving him him to see the kingdom for himself. Would Fern even try to save us?

Even though you wanted to rescue your people badly, the thought of them roaming around aimlessly in the Land of Ooo scared you. They barely knew anything about the outside, and the only information they did know altered their perspective to think of it in a bad light. Besides, what could Fern do to help? He's just one person.

"It's none of your business," you ended up blurting out. "I have to go." Your father wanted you home for the evening anyway. For what, he didn't say.

You turned away before you could hear Fern's reply, dashing off into the dense forest.

Taking a deep breath, you began to form an image of a raven inside your mind. Shapeshifting was still something you weren't good at. You were supposed to follow a certain set of rules as a princess, one of which being that you couldn't shapeshift into your raven form in the presence of other people. It was seen as impolite.

Focus on shapeshifting! You commanded yourself. Finally, you were able to fly, ruffling your wings a bit. You missed being able to soar.

"Wait!" Fern's voice yelled from behind you, his footsteps trodding through the layers of leaves on the forest floor. You sighed, flapping up to the tree tops and taking off. A feeling of dread gradually grew in your chest, facing the reality that you had to go back to your secluded life, with people that ignored and misunderstood you.

As the dark green leaves of the forest zoomed by beneath your feet, you began to wonder whether you should've listened to what Fern had to say. Eh, it probably wasn't important.

Directing your thoughts back to your destination, you vowed to come back to your happy place as soon as possible. It helped clear your head. Hopefully, Fern won't be there next time. The idea of talking to people made you uncomfortable. The people that you've trusted in the past have all either broken your trust, or just didn't care about you at all.

There's a crown here in the bushes, Fern observed, lifting the heavy piece of gold. It was a big ring, with an arm extending upwards, holding a small, rugged black crystal. Interesting.

Turning it over in his hands, something strange caught his eye. A carving on the back of the crown. It was barely illegible, but Fern could make out one name. Y/N.

"Where is your crown?" The Raven King hissed angrily. "The suitors are already here!"

"I don't know, Dad!" You frantically racked your mind, trying to remember where you had left it. A princess' crown was a part of her, as a role model and a symbol. But this time, it represented worth.

"Why are you making me marry someone I don't even know anyway?" You hurriedly glanced at your father, brows furrowed. Your father had invited a group of suitors to compete for your hand in marriage. They desired only the princess' heart, but it wasn't true love, like what you dreamed of as a child. They just wanted land, wealth, and power. Marrying you was their key to a happy life. Without your label as a princess, they would have no opportunity at all.

"You know very well why!" Your father growled. "This is going to be beneficial for the kingdom! Don't you want me to prosper?"

You started walking down the spiraling staircase that lead to the main hallways, unable to stay calm any longer. "I want the people to prosper," you replied, sending a spine-chilling glare to your father behind you. Before he could respond, you stomped away, into the main hallway where a line of antsy suitors stood waiting.

You definitely have a thing for walking out on people.

"Heya, Fern!" A boy wearing a worn, dual-toned green backpack greeted Fern, holding open the door that had separated the two just moments before. "Jake just made some meatloaf! Want some? It has your favorite- I mean our favorite garnishes." Finn grinned.

"No thanks," Fern replied, distracted. His eyes wandered all around the giant treehouse that stood over him, almost menacingly. Despite what Fern wanted to think, there was something about it that made him uneasy. When he thought of the treehouse, he thought of Finn, which in turn caused him to obsess over the fact that he wasn't Finn. Then who was he?

"No probs." Finn sounded a little disappointed, but cheered up when Jake called out that the meatloaf was ready from somewhere inside the house.

"By the way, can I ask you something?" Fern asked, taking something out of his backpack, which tumbled to the ground, causing him to groan in frustration. Finn turned back to his grassy friend while taking a plate of food from the unseen Jake. "What's up?"

He gasped when he saw the golden crown gleaming in the sunlight. "That belongs to one of the princesses!" He picked it up and handed it back to Fern.

Fern nodded, stowing it in his backpack. "I found it in the forest near Tree Trunks' house. I think this girl dropped it," he said.

"Whahf girl?" Finn said, trying to chew meatloaf at the same time. "PB? Fire Princess? Slime P?"

"No." Fern shook his head. "I've never seen her before, and honestly," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "She was scared of me." He sounded frustrated, his voice trailing off.

"Dude-"

"Why doesn't anything ever work out?!" Fern said in anguish. He curled his fingers in and out of his palm, trying to release the tension trapped in his mind.

"Calm down, dude," Finn exclaimed. "I can help you find her, don't worry! I've never seen this crown before either, so we can go together." He placed a hand on Fern's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"No!" Fern protested. "I wanna do it myself," he said, softer. "Can you just tell me how to find her?"

Finn looked taken aback for a second at his grassy friend's outburst, but nodded regardless. "You can ask the Candy People and the other kingdoms, they probably know who owns that crown." He handed Fern a map of the Land of Ooo, sketched out on a yellowed piece of paper.

Saying their goodbyes, Finn left Fern on his solo quest to find the mysterious princess.

The long and chaotic day was finally over. You sank down to the floor, your back against the door to your room. You stared at the king-sized bed. I hate this. I hate everything.

After you left your father standing on the stairs, you had awkwardly walked into the main hall. But that must have been the last straw for your father, because he still didn't join you, even after five minutes. He ended up sending a replacement to accompany you after a long time of waiting. You wished that the suitors didn't keep glancing at the spot where your crown was supposed to sit while you stood with your hands clasped in front of you, staring at the doorway your father was going to follow you through.

I still have to get the crown back, you thought. Where did I leave it? The only place I would've lost it would be... Then you realized. The clearing! Of course! Oh no, I have to go there right now!

You raced over to the small window in your bedroom, peeking your head out. Seeing practically no one outside, you transformed into your raven form and hopped on the windowsill. Suddenly, an object was hurled at you from below. Looking down, you saw a small child chucking pieces of corn at you.

"Get out of there, you stupid crow!" He yelled. Close enough.

You carefully flapped your wings, flying high above the kingdom. As soon as you were out of reach, the child gave up trying to knock you out of the sky and returned to his home, resuming the quiet atmosphere the kingdom always held during evenings.

Night had almost fallen over Ooo when you finally arrived at your meadow. Landing in the spot where you had sat earlier that day, you turned back into a human and rummaged through the bushes for your long lost crown. As the minutes ticked by, you began to grow more frustrated. Where is it?! If I lose it forever, I'm done for.

"Huh?" You said out loud. Prying apart the branches of a blueberry bush, you found a few grass blades attached to the rough leaves, reminding you of Fern. You stood up. Why not just see if Fern had it? He wasn't the scavenger type, but something as mysterious as an unknown princess' crown was sure to fascinate him.

Ugh, the sun is setting. You sighed in defeat, vowing to visit Fern the next day to take back the circlet. Another day that's ending, another gloomy morning to look forward to. But this time, you had a mission to accomplish.

[atlas-tries]

The Mourning Tree || Chapter 2: A(n Attempted) Murder of Bros

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Summary: Remus reveals something to Roman to see what his over-dramatic brother will do.

Warnings: somewhat unsympathetic Roman, violence, swords, dead animals, Remus playing with dead animals, blood and gore, medical descriptions, injury, self stabbing

Word Count: 7513

Notes: This chapter gets even more serious, so once more, please tread lightly. I'd love to hear what y'all think!

"You'll never guess where I got this."

Roman barely looked up from his sketchpad when Remus spit a dead rabbit on the floor of the treehouse that afternoon. It was nothing in comparison to the other things that he'd been bringing in as surplus, but Roman still scrunched his nose at the pungent odor. "Probably from some poor rabbit’s burrow where the babies could see it all," he replied, fussing over the detailing on his dragon's scales.

Remus just smiled down at the bloating corpse, poking at it with his fingers as if it were slime. “Even better than that!”

“Somewhere you weren’t supposed to be but were anyway?”

"That’s hardly a guess, how is it supposed to be fun if it isn’t a crime?" He bounded over to Roman and looked down at his drawing from above. "Ugh, still going with your unicorn horns and dragon tails? Come on, RoRo, you can't tell me this is all the spice you've got in that head of yours! You should at least try and capture the essence of the more interesting thing I eviscerated there!" He poked at Roman's forehead hard.

Roman swatted the hand away, amusement only slightly outweighing his annoyance. "If you found something more enticing, then why drag this back here instead? And is that a knife in your side?"

Remus looked like he'd forgotten it was there in the first place. He yanked it out, sending green spurting out his side and onto Roman. "Thanks for reminding me! I still need to figure out what makes rabbits work from the inside out. The other thing interrupted me, and right when it was getting interesting!"

“I’m running out of ways to say how revolting you are. And you are going to pay for my dry cleaning!” Roman barked.

Remus seemed to get an inkling of inspiration. Roman’s eyes grew wide. Ninety-five percent of the time, inspiration and Remus were a very bad combination in close quarters, and before Roman knew it, Remus had grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him toward the door.

"I didn’t mean with me still in them! Unhand me, you ape!" Roman cried.

"Mmm, nah!" Remus said. "And you know I'm more of an Eldritch horror than an ape. Oh Roman, you wound me!" He put the back of one hand to his head like he would faint in true Southern Belle fashion and swung Roman over the edge of the door with the other. Roman quickly latched on to the ladder before his grip could loosen. "Even with tentacles in all the right places, I still don't have enough arms to get everything I want back here. That's where you come in!" Remus peered down at Roman with that ever-amused twinkle in his eye.

"Wait, you expect me to help you get whatever it is you were torturing back here?" Roman cried. Remus smiled dangerously from where he squatted in the doorway, raising his lower half and wiggling like he was ready to pounce. Roman scrambled down the ladder, but he wasn't quick enough to dodge his other half careening into him. Roman barely had enough time to summon a trampoline below them before they both got concussions.

Remus just giggled, bouncing face down on the trampoline with his arm slung over Roman, who landed on his back. Distantly, he noticed he was still holding on to the entire ladder. Wonderful. "Aww, I was looking forward to slapping the ground, but for my pitifully frail little brother, I guess I'll make an exception and do that later," said Remus.

Roman just laid there for a moment, stewing in his ire. He was getting dreadfully tired of dealing with Remus's antics, but his curiosity burned brighter by the minute. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Oh, the other thing? That particular project is perfectly capable of moving itself here anyway. No no no, we're going on a wabbit hunt!" Remus exclaimed. He rolled off the side of the trampoline, landing with a dull thud against the ground. He bounced back up to peer over the edge at Roman. "And now you have no choice but to come with me, Elmer Dud!"

Roman sat up and tossed the now-useless ladder aside. "Fine," he grumbled. The treehouse could be fixed later, and maybe going with Remus now meant that he'd be more tolerable in the evening. "On one condition: you tell me what in the world you found that could possibly walk here. Knowing you, it's probably seeking revenge."

"Oh, wouldn't that be a surprising twist! But no, he's far too drab for something like that."

Roman's blood ran cold. "He?"

Remus just cocked his head to the side and tugged at Roman's leg, who scooted to the edge of the trampoline. "You heard me. And wouldn't you know it, he's been here every day for the past week, moping around like a sick ostrich sticking his head through the castle gates. Too bad he wasn’t trying to copy what the French revolution did to their nobles, I really wanna see how my headless trick would work in his neck of the woods," he replied with a little giggle. Roman saw his nail beds were stained blue around the rims. How had he not noticed that before?

"Remus. Tell me, right now. Did you fight Patton?" Roman slowly asked, getting off the trampoline.

Remus just grinned wickedly, preening his nails with a bent, rusty nail he conjured. "It was more of an ambush than a fight, but it was still fun. Why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?"

"What did you do?" Roman asked, getting more and more unsettled. It was very much like Remus to get to do what Roman wanted to do before Roman got to do it. He needed the satisfaction of getting all of these toxins out of his system with the very one that put them there. He didn’t want to do it just yet, though; he didn’t trust himself not to do something very regrettable to Patton.

"Oh, we just played a little game together, that's all!" He shoved the pointed end beneath one nail.

"Is that all?"

"I didn't kill him, if that's what you're asking. I know, I passed up a real opportunity."

Though Roman knew who Remus kept company with, it wasn’t like him to lie. He hadn't killed Patton. Hurt him, sure, probably pretty badly. But Roman knew how Patton got when he got determined to do something, which meant he was still looking for him. And knowing Remus, he probably gave the dolt a map leading straight to him. "Please tell me you didn't give the dolt a map leading straight to me."

"Alright, I didn't tell him where you are."

Roman groaned and put his head in his hands. "You did, didn't you."

Remus clapped. "I did! But don't worry, I got very creative with my words," Remus replied. "Obfuscating here, perverting there, shoving the whole affair through a meat grinder ... oh, you should've seen the look on his face when I threw that rabbit skin at him!"

Roman settled a little. Maybe Remus's antics had thrown Patton off his game enough for Roman to evade him for at least the rest of the month. "I hope you're right about that, because if not, I'll be sure to use you for live leviathan bait."

“You know I’d love to do that even if you weren’t trying to threaten me,” Remus guffawed and smacked Roman's shoulder. He shot him an odd look, almost like he knew what was dancing through his head. "Looks like we're more alike than you'd like to admit, RoRo."

Roman couldn't bring himself to disagree.

---

After suffering the pains of being cut and stitched like a new suit, Patton found himself reinvigorated with Logan’s easy to understand interpretation of Remus’s clue as he sank into the Imagination for the second time that day. "Alright Patton, we're looking for the tallest tree," he told himself, scanning his surroundings intently with one hand on his hip and the other shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Let's see, that's the castle on the right, oh there's a little town over there! I never noticed that before! Aww, it's so cute from this far away! I wonder if there are villagers there?" Patton took a moment to ponder on that.

"Agh, focus, Patton!" he chided himself, gently smacking his cheeks. "Tall tree, tall tree, where can you tall be ..." Far off to Patton's left, one scrubby bit of green poked higher than the surrounding forest. “That’ll do!” He set off in that direction and did his darndest to keep his eyes trained on the destination ahead.

Thankfully, Patton's intended path had him following the river upstream, so the way wasn't too hard to keep track of. That turned out to be a real godsend when the squirrels showed up. They were just too cute not to follow, what with their little cheeks rounded out with chestnuts. They got substantially less cute when they started throwing the prickly chestnut burrs at him. He managed to cover a lot of ground in a very short time just running away from them (and from prickly chestnut burrs).

The next two hours of the journey were much less interesting. Patton's legs had long since started to ache from the constant uphill trudging, but he was nothing if not determined to reach Roman by the day's end. He whistled and sung back to the birds in the woods to help pass the time and attempted teaching them a simple tune. So far, none of them matched his refrain, but he was more than happy to try filling the air with something other than the melancholy rush of the river beside him.

Patton was beginning to think that he'd made a wrong turn at Albuquerque when he spotted a trampoline peeking out from the foliage to his right. "Oooh, now there's an idea I can jump for!" he squealed. He ran as quickly as he could toward the trampoline, clambering over all manner of shrubbery in his latest attempt to have some childlike fun. Between the third and fourth joy-filled bounces, he noticed something on the ground near the trampoline. "Huh, a rope ladder?"

He stopped bouncing long enough to confirm that this was, in fact, a rope ladder. One look up told him where it came from. "Well that's a little silly. Who would build a treehouse with a ground-bound rope ladder?" he mused, plopping down on the trampoline and loving the way he sprung up before properly settling. "Eh, I'll figure it out in a minute." He jumped back up with a giggle and let his impulses take over, bouncing as high as his tired legs would let him before falling back on top of the trampoline.

The high from bouncing was wearing off, allowing Patton more brainpower to really take in the environment. His gaze was drawn to the treehouse; it poked a bit above the rest of the foliage, likely enough to get a good panoramic view of the Imagination. He instantly sat up. Was this the tallest tree?

Had he finally made it to Roman??

Some nebulous feeling between relief and dread settled beneath his ribcage. Patton had been waiting for this for so long, but now that the moment of truth was upon him, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words. He took a deep breath and started with a simple, "Roman? Kiddo, are you up there? It's Patton."

Only shrill tweeting met his question. "Roman?" he called again. "Please, I just want to apologize." Still no reply.

Patton sat down on the edge of the trampoline. Roman didn't even want to talk to him. He must have cut the ropes as soon as he saw Patton coming. He was back to square one. "Oh gosh," he softly said, "what if he never talks to me again? What if he ducks out ...? Oh no ..." Patton hugged his knees to his chest. It felt like he was drowning in all the tears he had cried in the past week as he struggled to take a breath. And now, here he was, adding more salty drops to the overflowing bucket.

Patton had no idea when the sun decided to droop so low, or when the birdsong decided to phase into the soft chirps of summer crickets and tree frogs. All he knew was that he'd run out of tears to cry. His limbs were stiff when he uncurled himself and got down off the trampoline. He stared at the ladder. "I guess you really don't want me comin' up there, do you?" He picked it up, rubbing at the smooth, worn slats. He looked up at the treehouse one last time. The inside was dark. A fresh crack split across his chest. "Alright then."

Patton had nearly sunk out when he heard a voice from beyond the trees. Roman?

He frantically clawed his way back up before he fully arrived in the communal area, the force hurting his arms and chest, but it was a small price to pay to find Roman. He took a moment to let the pain settle down and tried not to breathe in any stray grass or bugs. Mustering the rest of his strength, he shakily stood up, dusted the front of his polo off, and searched in the direction he thought he heard the voices from.

Just on the other side of the ancient tree and next to the riverbank, a campfire's soft glow shone through the foliage and danced in the river's reflection. Patton's heart skipped a beat. That had to be Roman! Patton walked as quickly as he could to reach his wayward Prince.

"—didn't figure it out after all, or he'd have been here by now. At least that means I can’t kill him, not that he doesn’t deserve it."

Patton froze, his heart and body sinking quicker than a bottomless boat on a stormy sea. He put a hand to his mouth to silence the shuddering sobs threatening to give his position away. Roman really didn’t want him in his life anymore, and to such an extreme as to end him. Despite the overheard ultimatum, Patton couldn't move from where he sat crumpled behind the ancient tree.

---

Roman was really starting to get a headache.

Remus had been telling him about his encounter with Patton nonstop for the past six hours now. They hadn't even accomplished what they set out to do; all the noise scared away any rabbit within a 40-foot radius of them. And now here they were, devoid of anything to roast but still sitting side-by-side in front of a small campfire.

"Puh-lease, you killing anyone? You’re all bark, RoRo,” Remus chided. "Doesn’t matter though, I told you he wouldn't remember. He's nowhere around here! And yet you still insist that I am in the wrong?"

"Obviously I insist because you keep bringing it up. What do you think would happen if he found us?" Roman cried.

"Ooh, I can think of lots of fun stuff that could happen! Just imagine all the murder we could do, all the sex we cou—"

"Spare me the details." Roman was really getting a headac— no, scratch that. He was getting a migraine.

"Come on,RoRo, loosen up and have some fun!" Remus shoved at Roman's shoulder. Roman didn't respond. "Do you seriously think I'd just give him a map straight to you? I'm not that evil," Remus squawked.

"Yes, you are," Roman bitterly replied, glaring at the fire.

The sounds around them suddenly seemed too loud and cramped in the empty space. "Do you really mean that?" Remus asked in an uncharacteristically quiet tone. Roman felt Remus's eyes on him.

Roman grimaced but met Remus's unsettled gaze. He sighed. "No, I ... I just want to be angry," he said.

Remus frowned. "Too bad, I love having such a fitting regard! And from you of all sides! But if that's all, you've certainly been doing a bang-up job of being angry. Get it?" he gleamed, wiggling his eyebrows. "Because of the orgy I was suggesting?"

Roman groaned and smiled sourly. Though the past week had been an Ordeal in every sense of the word, Roman was grateful to his brother for sticking with him; Remus's presence made it a little easier to cope. The two sat in companionable near-quiet, just basking in the flickering firelight while Remus made whatever noises happened to cross his mind. It was strange, really, how a moment like this with company like Remus could feel so peaceful. Roman started humming a tuneless melody that gently rose above the river's babbling. If he thought about it just right, he could perfectly tune the water and the crickets to match his pitch.

A bird fluttered down from her nest above them and twittered along with Roman in perfect harmony. He held out a finger for her to perch on, which she boldly took. Remus just grinned, slowly moving toward Roman with his eyes trained on the tiny creature. Roman quickly flitted his eyes back and forth between his brother and the bird, his tune mounting in dreaded confusion.

Finally, at the apex of the melody, Remus quickly snatched the bird from Roman's hand and stuffed the shrieking animal into his mouth whole. "Wh— Remus! Why in the world did you eat my only backup singer?!" Roman cried.

Remus swallowed. Roman shuddered at the sight of the bird struggling beneath Remus's skin. "Uh, because I wanted to?" He burped up an oddly pristine feather, catching it between his fingers like a playing card. "Ooh, pretty!" He tossed it into the fire and looked at Roman. "Just make a new one, it's not that big a deal."

"It was, too! I was right in the middle of a song, and you can't just interrupt a showstopping performance with your boorish behavior!"

"Showstopping? Showstopping? It would've been showstopping if you'd blown needles out of your mouth while singing about naked Aunt Patty and spiders and entrails! Now that would be a performance to remember," Remus crowed, reaching out to touch the flames.

Roman cringed at the thought. "For you, maybe. But for the rest of us? Uh-uh. And nice try, Rem, I fireproofed the fire."

Remus scowled briefly. "Ah, you can't stop me from being me forever, RoRo," he replied, looking off into the distance. "One day, I will self-immolate to Taylor Swift's Shake It Off and it will be glorious."

"You're madder than the hatter."

"Says the one who believes in his own delusions of grandeur."

"Whatever."

Roman didn't want to think about just how true that was. He was a hero, wasn’t he …? He closed his eyes and started humming to himself again to discourage any wayward thoughts from arising and making a fool of him. At the edge of his senses, he could almost hear someone sniffling.

His eyes shot open. He turned to look at Remus, who regarded him with uncharacteristic disgust; it almost seemed like he was offended that Roman would ever think he would deign to have feelings like that in the first place. Sure enough, the source of the sound was coming from behind them. Remus's eyes grew wide with anticipation, then excitement, as he turned to face it.

Roman summoned his sword and slowly crept toward the tree, humming progressively softer to mask his movement. The source suspected nothing, still crying softly behind the foliage. Roman was right on top of the hidden side. He carefully, silently parted the foliage and was met with gray on blue. His anger flared and without warning, he slung Patton through the brush and onto the ground in front of him. Before Patton could react, Roman was already pinning him to the ground with the edge of his sword at Patton's neck.

Patton wriggled a little beneath Roman, trying to get free without agitating the blade. "R-Roman!" he squeaked.

"What. Are. You. Doing here, Patton?" Roman growled.

He barely registered Remus bounding up beside him. "Ooh, it’s already time for round two?" he said, his newly summoned Morningstar glinting oddly in the firelight. "I'm definitely getting in on this action!"

"Stay out of this, Remus!" Roman yelled.

Much to his surprise, Remus backed off with a sulk. “Ugh, fine, but I’m not going to stay away forever. I want another turn!” He fell back on the ground with a little pout.

Roman turned his attention back to Patton. "Now answer me. Why. Are. You. Here?"

Patton took a moment before spluttering, "I-I came here to apologize to you." Roman narrowed his eyes. "F-for what happened that night."

"You're … sorry? Is that all you came here for? Well I've got news for you, Padre," Roman leaned down beside Patton's head so he could be certain he heard him, "your little 'sorry' isn't going to be enough this time." He dug the cutting edge a bit deeper, just enough to break the skin, and rose up just enough to be face to face with the terrified side beneath him.

Patton stiffened under him, eyes blown wide. Roman could feel him hyperventilating as the smell of copper wafted up between them. "Roman, please, what can … what can I do t-to make things right?" Patton pled, choking a little but trying not to move.

"You can die by my blade." And in that moment, Roman meant it.

Patton glanced around before meeting Roman's eyes again. "Y-You don't mean that!" he cried.

"Don't I?" Roman slowly raked the cutting edge about an inch across Patton's skin. His expression contorted, mouth agape in a silent scream as fresh tears rolled down the sides of his face. Essence languidly poured from the long line he'd cut and dripped off the sword’s edge. It glowed softly where it pooled in the low light. The sight made it so much harder for Roman to keep his resolve, but he didn’t let it show.

"There's got to be something else, anything else, please!" Patton gasped.

Roman knew what he wanted. He knew what he needed. But it was still so hard to put it into words, even though he had every last bit of leverage at his disposal. Still, he found himself stringing them together despite the haze of his frustration.

"Tell me what I need to hear."

Patton just looked confused and scared. "Wh! What do you need to hear?"

"Tell me you made a mistake siding with that evil snake!” he shouted, eyes burning as red hot as smoldering coals.

“Oh, so he’s evil, but I’m not?” Remus whined.

“Shut. The ever-living fuck up, Remus!”

Patton gave a pained look and refused to meet Roman’s eyes. Roman itched to end this, to either work up the will to actually do the deed or to leave it be and disappear where Patton couldn’t find him. But before he could decide, Patton spoke. "I did make a mistake. But it wasn't by trusting Janus," Patton blubbered, hiccuping softly and grimacing when that made the blade move against him. "I didn't defend you when I knew I should have. I dismissed your feelings like they didn’t … didn't matter, even after saying that I needed you on my team. I … just wanted everyone to get along, but I only managed to let you down."

Roman eased the blade back a little. Patton continued, "Since that night, I've felt nothing but guilt over how I handled everything. If you want proof, just look under my shirt. But that's not the point. I ... I don't blame you for being mad at me, and I understand if this still isn't enough to make up for everything that I've done." He sniffled and cracked a small smile. "Do what you need to do." Patton closed his eyes, craning his head back to expose more of his still-bleeding throat.

Roman didn't realize he'd been crying until a teardrop fell onto Patton's face. Getting revenge would be so easy. Patton wouldn't fight him if he chose to snuff him out right here, right now; he was trying so hard to look peaceful about it despite his terrified shivering. "I can't do it," Roman muttered. He flipped the sword aside and rolled off Patton, holding his head in his hands and refusing to face him. "I just can't do it."

“Ooh, snack time!” Remus said, trotting over to them and picking up Roman's sword. He lapped at the essence on the cutting edge, making sure to cut into his own tongue for good measure. "Mmm, not bad, Patton," he said, turning to stare at the father figure on the ground. Blue and green dripped from his chin. "Were you going to finish that?" He motioned to his neck.

Patton tried to turn his head to look at the twins, breath hitching when it aggravated the wound. Instead, he rose with some difficulty, crawling over to sit in front of Roman. He put a gentle, timid hand on Roman's. "Whatever you need from me kiddo, I'll give you," he said, his voice somewhat scratchy, but with enough tenderness to make Roman's own heart clutch. He looked at the hand, and then up to Patton. His essence was soaking heavily into his shirt. Had he actually cut that deeply …? He looked away.

Roman sighed. "Give me the rest of the week to figure it out, that's all I ask," he finally replied. He highly doubted that all his animosity would vanish in that short time frame, but he had to at least try to do the heroic thing. He had a standard to keep, and he was nothing, if not determined, to keep it thusly.

Especially after nearly losing his grip on it enough to kill someone he cared about.

Patton smiled at him. "Alright, I can do that," he replied. He shakily rose, stumbling toward the most nearby tree and wiping at his neck.

Roman, though still upset, couldn't just let him flounder off and bleed his way through the forest until he got to a sink-able spot, even if the closest one was right around the base of the tree. He was almost entirely sure that Patton didn’t know about that stipulation in the Imagination, and he didn’t want to risk Padre bleeding out before he figured it out, even if he thought that would take hours to do. "Patton, wait."

Patton turned back. "Yeah?" he asked. Remus bounced up to him to lick the essence directly flowing from the side of the cut. He dabbed his fingers in what had already escaped the wound and spread it over his face. "Ow, Remus!" Patton’s cheeks flushed a bright red.

Even Roman felt like that was a little over the line. "Oh my God, could you please, for once in your life, stop being a disgusting cannibal," he said, getting up.

Remus latched on harder, going so far as to use his tentacles to hold on to Patton as well. He grinned wickedly, blue and green glinting off his teeth. "I can't just stop being me, RoRo! I stayed to the side long enough while you two had your fun, so wouldn't the brotherly thing be to shut up and let me have my turn? And besides, it's not like I'm gonna hurt him. Now. Not any more than you did." He smoothed the back of his hand over Patton's cheek.

Roman just groaned and strode over to them. He put his hand on Patton's flustered head, willing the Imagination to let him sink through right here. It obeyed his command, and Patton quickly sunk out of the Imagination, leaving Remus behind like gum scraped from a shoe.

"Hey, I wasn't done!" Remus cried, scraping himself off the ground and shooting an overblown glare at Roman. He took to licking some of the essence off his face and fingers with a tongue that was far too long and still dripping green.

The sight was a little unnerving. "You might not've been, but I certainly was. Though I have to admit, it was pretty great seeing the look on Patton's face when you did that," he said with a slight smile.

Remus's scowl quickly turned delighted. "Now that was showstopping! It could've been even more spectacular if you didn’t wimp out at the end."

"For you, maybe. I, however, have actual standards for decorum."

Remus shot him a condescending look. "Don't even pretend that you didn't want his head just as much as I did for a hot minute there, RoRo. We both saw what went down. Oh, I should've gone down on him too while you had him pinned. Get another kind of head," Remus said, wiggling his eyebrows and twirling his mustache.

"No. Just, no."

"Oh, lighten up, you pitiful puritanical Prince!”

"Hey, I am the light one here, I wear the white in this relationship!" Roman was really getting a headache, but at least the burdens that had settled on his shoulders felt a little lighter now.

---

Patton had been lying face down on the living room floor for around five minutes now. It felt like so much longer. Since he landed here after being forced out of the Imagination, he just couldn't summon the energy or the stability to really move. That nasty cut on his neck was still oozing. The carpet was ruined and so were his clothes. The rough carpet fibers scratched at the aggravated wound. If he focused a little more, he could almost feel wetness soaking through the bandages on his arm. So, here he was, bleeding out where everyone could find him. He could only hope that when someone did find him, he wouldn't just be a corpse.

He heard soft squeaks come from the staircase. The universe was answering his plea! "Patton?" came Virgil's voice. "Why are— OH MY GOD." Those squeaks turned thunderous. Patton felt the thump of Virgil crashing down on his knees beside him. "Patton, what happened?!"

Patton gave a little hand wave. "I'm alive. Virge, I need you to go get Logan," he rasped. He felt around for Virgil's hand, settling once Virgil met him halfway. He gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I'm alright. Tell him to bring the first aid kit."

"But I can't just leave you here! Can you stand? No wait, that's a stupid question," Virgil cried. Virgil reached under his arms, lifting him off the ground with a bit of difficulty. The room spun quicker than Patton thought possible. His whole body felt like jelly, and he held onto Virgil like a drowning man grasping a lifeline. "LOGAN!" Virgil yelled.

Before Patton knew it, Virgil was nearly dragging him toward the stairs. He tried to keep up, really he did, but his legs couldn't comprehend that stairs existed in three dimensions. After tripping over the first step, Virgil stopped. "LOGAN, HURRY!" Virgil yelled again.

"What do you— oh." Logan stood wide-eyed at the top of the stairs. In an instant, he was next to Patton. "Patton, what happened?"

"I got Roman back," Patton spluttered.

"That's wonderful, but I was referring to the gash on your neck. Never mind, we can discuss this more once you're stitched up again. Virgil, help him sit down with his legs in front of him. It'll take both of us to carry him to my room." Patton barely had the strength to go down slowly when Virgil guided him down on the first stair. "Good, now do as I do."

Patton remained pliant when they put their arms beneath his arms and knees and tried his best not to puke from the momentum of being hoisted like a fancy sack of potatoes. In no time at all, they crossed the threshold into Logan's room. The two lowered him onto a chilly steel table in his bedroom that was barely big enough to fit him laying down.

"I really don't wanna think about what else you use this table for," Virgil said, pacing nervously but rarely letting his eyes wander from Patton. "Ugh, this is too much like last time ..."

"Virge, I'm not gonna kick the bucket this time. Logan knows what to do," Patton replied.

Logan summoned a pair of scissors and some gauze. "This time, at least. Virgil, I need you to apply pressure to the wound while I further assess Patton's condition," he said.

Virgil nodded. "Oh, uh, okay."

Logan motioned for Virgil to put his hands over the gauze. He complied, and Logan pressed on top of Virgil's hands to give him an idea of what kind of pressure they needed. It was a little hard for Patton to breathe, but not enough to strangle him. "Good, just like that," he said, eyeing over the surrounding areas. Logan seemed to notice something peculiar but made no remarks about it otherwise. "I'll have to cut you out of this shirt to make sure you don't have any other substantial wounds," he said, not waiting for a reply before snipping the fabric.

Patton frowned. "I’m not hurt anywhere else. Aww, I liked this shirt," he whined as Logan cut through the collar. "But okay. Just don't cut through the hoodie, it's special." It was very hard to talk with Virgil pressing on his windpipe, and the pain from the movement it produced didn’t help either.

"Alright, but I can always get you another one. This one might be ruined." Logan carefully untied the hoodie with a look of mild disgust, trying not to get any of Patton's essence on his hands as he draped them to the side. He peeled the shorn halves of the shirt back, revealing one long, thin crack breaking over Patton's scar. "A fracture?"

"Yeah, overheard Roman saying something I wish I hadn't. Should heal in a few days."

Logan nodded. "Alright, I will take your word for it. Virgil, you can release the pressure for the moment."

Virgil looked hesitant to stop but did as Logan asked. "Just hurry, L. You can't die on me again, Pops," he said softly.

Patton smiled. "I won't, I promise." He took Virgil's hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll have to numb you to do these sutures. I can't risk you flinching every time I make a stitch like with the last one and from the looks of it, those might need to be redone, too," said Logan. He conjured a bottle of rubbing alcohol and another small wad of gauze and cleaned the area around the gash. "This may sting a little," Logan said, summoning a syringe with clear fluid in it. He flicked the bubbles out of the needle and pressed it to the edges of the cut.

Patton tried not to squirm as he injected the anesthetic, but it still had him wincing with every jab. "Needle-less to say, I'm sew sorry if I slipped a stitch, and after you did such a good job on them."

"Please don't make me regret learning how to suture wounds in the first place," Logan said. He took more gauze out and pressed it to the cut. "While we wait for the anesthetic to take effect, would you care to enlighten us on how you came to be in this state?"

"It all started when Mom and Dad moved to Florida—"

"Patton. Please speak plainly," Logan interrupted.

"Oh, how the turntables," Virgil mumbled.

Patton's smile fell. He really didn't want to frame Roman as the bad guy here; his anger toward Patton was perfectly justified given the circumstances. Plus, he was pretty sure Roman wouldn't have actually killed him in cold blood. "As long as you both promise to stay calm," he finally said. The two nodded. “I guess I must’ve snuck up on Roman and I guess he thought I was a predator, so he got a little rough. But it's alright! It was just an accident." Remembering how red Roman’s eyes blazed made him less sure of that assessment.

Virgil looked slightly more relieved, but still held an unsettled air about him. "Man, he could've held back a little. He really messed you up," Virgil said, looking to the door, then back at Patton. "I mean look at you, you're still gushing essence!"

"I wouldn't call that gushing, but the fact that the wound is this deep is quite unnerving. The anesthetic should have taken effect by now," Logan said, conjuring a small needle held in those same weird scissors and removing the soiled gauze. "Please stay as still as you can while I'm working. That means no talking or swallowing until I'm done."

Patton gently nodded, and the room was spinning again. Logan made quick work of this round of sutures, sewing with practiced ease. Virgil rubbed little circles into his hand. Whether it was to calm himself or to calm Patton, he didn't know. The unearthly quiet in the room made his racing heart pound uncomfortably loud in his ears. He briefly wondered if either of the other sides could hear it, too.

Before long, Logan was cleaning him off one last time and sitting him up on the edge of the table. Patton was trying his darndest not to fall off. Thankfully, both Logan and Virgil held him steady until the dizziness stopped. Virgil even sat beside him, holding him snugly against his side. Patton practically melted against him. "Here, this might help with the dizziness and nausea," said Logan. He summoned a glass of juice and handed it to Patton.

"Thank you," said Patton, sipping at the juice. Mmm, apple. The simple pleasure was a welcome juxtaposition to the rest of his day.

Logan took Patton's wrapped arm and started unraveling the bandage. A few of the smaller cuts looked a little aggravated and moist, but the stitches there appeared undamaged. Patton breathed a sigh of relief that he wouldn't have to go through this a third time. "That is a relief. I will wrap this up," Logan said, already winding gauze back around Patton's arm.

Patton giggled and opened his mouth to bring it up, but it was Virgil that said, "Did you just make a dad joke?"

Logan's eyes widened. "I was merely stating a fact," he curtly replied.

"Sure, Teach," Virgil responded, giving Patton a little pat.

Patton finished his juice with a smile on his face. Surprisingly enough, he felt like everything was a little more stable now. Maybe apple juice was the solution to all of life's problems. He was almost comfortable enough to doze off against Virgil, just listening to his and Logan's antics. However, it wouldn’t do to impose more on Logan by falling asleep here. Plus, he still needed to touch base with Janus to be sure that he was settling into their communal hub smoothly. As soon as Logan finished bandaging his arm up again, he asked, "Alright, do I have clearance for takeoff, Doc?"

Logan dismissed the supplies and their remnants and took the empty glass from Patton. "From a strictly medical standpoint, I would not recommend flying any aircraft so soon after a wound like this due to the nature of the movements you would need to perform," he replied, flushing a bit at the end. "It occurs to me that may not be what you were asking about. If you meant is it okay to leave, then yes. There is no further treatment I can perform at the moment except ice for the bruises on your back.”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t wanna put you two out any more than I already have,” Patton sheepishly replied.

“Very well, then. I do suggest that, at very least, we accompany you to your room to be sure you don't further injure yourself in transit," Logan said.

"Seconded," added Virgil. "I can’t deal with a repeat of last time."

Patton shuddered a little remembering how he'd shattered all those years ago.

Logan nodded. "Let's go."

The two held Patton steady as they helped him off the table. It was a new experience walking through the threshold sideways like a crab, especially when Patton's legs were only just getting used to the idea of moving front to back. Still, despite the odd finagling through his and Logan's doors, Virgil and Logan safely escorted Patton to his own room.

"Alright, and let's lower him," Logan said, helping Virgil sit Patton on the bed, "and done. Great job, Virgil." Virgil just shyly scratched at his cheek, trying to hide a blush. "Patton, I believe your next course of action should be putting on some pajamas and settling into bed for the night. Where do you keep your pajamas?"

"Oh, um, you don't have to get me any, I can probably get my own jam-jams," Patton replied, attempting to get up from where he sat. Virgil and lingering vertigo quickly stopped him.

Logan huffed. "You're in no condition to do that right now. Now, where do you keep your pajamas?"

Patton deflated a little at his own inability to move. "Bottom drawer in the bathroom. Can't miss it," Patton replied. He survived encounters with Roman and Remus in the same day but couldn't even do this one insignificant thing for himself in the aftermath. How pathetic. And now, just like earlier, his family was having to scrape him off the sidewalk again and devote even more time to fixing him up.

Virgil nudged him gently. "Hey, don't look so down, Popstar. We're happy you're alive, you know," he said.

Patton looked up at Virgil. "I know, thanks Virge. I wanna be alive for all of you, too. I just hate that you two have had to waste so much time and energy on me."

"It's worth it," Virgil replied. "I don't know what I would've done if you kicked the bucket again."

Patton couldn't help but still feel a little guilty about everything. "I couldn't do that to you. I love you all too much to do it again." He smiled as he reminisced. "I love seeing your cute faces in the morning, when you're all still waking up. Every tired 'good morning' and every little yawny smile makes me so happy. And I love hearing the banter you and Roman and Logan get into, and seeing when you're really into your music, or when Logan is nose deep in studies that interest him, or when Roman gets in a creative fit," Patton replied, leaning against Virgil again. "I love you all so much, and I would do anything for you if it means I can see you all being happy and getting along."

"That was so cheesy I think I can smell it, Pat. But, uh, I appreciate that," said Virgil with a lopsided grin.

"I daresay you've proven that sentiment in the past twenty-four hours," Logan said, a cat t-shirt and blue pajama pants in hand. He set them down beside Patton and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "And I daresay I have once again proven to be a valuable asset to this team."

"You're more than just a valuable asset to this team, Logan. You're an important part of this growing family," Patton said, resting his hand on top of Logan's.

Virgil went pale. "Wait, what? How? Who's joining?" he frantically asked.

Patton tensed in response. They still hadn't told him about what exactly happened since that first night. He was surprised Virgil didn't notice the change in the broom closet. Logan took over from here. "We can discuss this more tomorrow when Patton is feeling better. For now, let's all get some rest. It's already past midnight and we all need sleep," he said, motioning for Virgil to follow him to the door.

Virgil, still a little unnerved, got up and left the room with a curt little, "'Night, Pat."

"Goodnight, Virgil. Sweet dreams," Patton called after him.

Logan turned to Patton. "I trust you can dress yourself without assistance?" he asked.

Patton gently nodded. "Yeah, I uh, I should be able to handle that. Go get some sleep, Logan, you've earned it."

"Very well then. Goodnight. Try not to move your neck too much."

"Alright. Oh, um, before you go …"

Logan turned back. "Yes?"

Patton thumbed at his khakis. "Earlier, you looked like you noticed something about this," he said, gesturing to the cut on his neck.

"Ah, that. I was merely wondering how you managed to get more of Remus's essence on you. If that's all, then," Logan said, turning to leave. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, sweet dreams," Patton said as Logan closed the door behind him. He almost forgot about that part, but his burning cheeks didn’t. Holding his face in his hands, he let himself fall back on the bed. The tiredness hit him without warning as he slogged out of essence-stained khakis, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

[ladylofspades]

This story takes place in the events of OPERATION: I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S.

A Codename: Kids Next Door story.

Those not familiar with the movie Codename: Kids Next Door: Operation ZERO and series episode Operation I.N.T.E.R.V.I.E.W.S, please be warned of spoilers ahead.

One day and twelve hundred hours.

That much time -- though short -- has passed since the fall of Father and the disappearance of the Delightful Children from Down the Lane. Just as such time has passed since Nigel Uno was informed of his place as the Earth's representative in the Galactic Kids Next Door.

Amidst the overall victory of the kid organization, crimes against children by tyrannous adults didn't seem to seize. Every day, kid operatives scatter from respective treehouses or home bases to the destination of their missions.

One such mission was that of Sector TW, in a public park.

Hiding in one of the trees were Numbuhs 32 and 34, both armed with their customized S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R.s and protective headgears. What felt like hours to the two operatives was, in fact, thirty minutes precisely; and yet, there had been no sign or any communication with the twin operatives and their tactics operative, making their waiting time feel more than a day.

It's been hours since we last heard from Numbuh 37, thought Numbuh 34 to herself, watching her teammate replacing old batteries for the talkie with the new. It isn't like her to just go off the radar like that.

"Numbuh 37! Do you read me!" Numbuh 32 called out, thumb pressing the button of his talkie, earning a static noise after releasing the button. The leader of Sector TW let out an impatient groan.

"No luck. Her comms might be off." Numbuh 34 sighed in frustration, removing her headgear just to wipe off the perspiration on her forehead before putting her headgear back.

Panting from both walkie-talkies sounded off, prompting the two operatives to pull their talkies out.

"This is Numbuh 35B to Sector Leader. Guys copy?"

"This is Sector Leader. Any updates?" Numbuh 32 replied, with Numbuh 34 sighing in relief.

"Yeahp! We found Numbuh 37 in an abandoned treehouse a few blocks down --"

"-- but we need backup." Numbuh 35A interrupted, before a pouting Numbuh 35B scooted beside him and both simultaneously added, "Medical backup."

A beat dropped. Numbuhs 32 and 34 looked at each other with frowns of concern, before the former held the talkie near his lips. "Alright, we'll request a dispatch immediately. Can you tell us the exact address, if any?"

As instructed, the twins indicated their location to Numbuh 32 and 34, with the latter jotting down the address. After a quick once over from the twins, the sector leader looked to Numbuh 34, who responded with a thumb-up.

"Copy that. Let's meet at the med bay. Great job, you two."

The talkie let out a static. == some time later ==

The twin operatives fidgeted their fingers while they waited, until they heard running footsteps heading towards them. Hands on their weapons, they simultaneously looked at the source and found disheveled Numbuhs 32 and 34.

"We came as fast as we can," Numbuh 34 panted, hand resting on the wall for support.

"Any updates?" Numbuh 32 asked, taking deep breaths after meters of running. He frowned in concern as the twins both shook their heads.

"She hasn't woken up yet --" Numbuh 35A replied.

"-- but we're told that results will be here soon. They told us to wait until she does." Numbuh 35B concluded. Both of their teammates nodded in understanding before they settled in the chairs next to the twins.

"I heard what happened to... them." Numbuh 32 started. "Were there any--?"

The twins sadly shook their heads, as they said their replies one after the other.

"It's a pretty deep hole --"

"-- so there's no way they all could've survived."

Numbuh 32 crossed his arms in deep thought, while Numbuh 34 had her face buried in her hands.

== somewhere the void ==

White.

White everywhere.

Nothing beyond the horizon, if there's any horizon at all.

Not even a speck in the distance.

Nothing but endless, blinding white.

That is, until Numbuh 37 bowed her head, her hands now becoming more opaque and clear. She slowly lifted her hands to her eyes, nose cheeks, lips... everything seemed to be alright, save for a bandage wrapped around her head.

One hesitant step forward, then the other, she continued to wander into the white void, searching for any opening, door or sign that can lead her away from the whiteness.

When her foot landed on the ground one more time, the scene began to shift before her.

Wh-What's going on?

The white earth below her disappeared, causing her to float in the air. And the scene before her made her eyes widen. Her heart beating rapidly against her ribs.

It was an amusement park in ruins. Then and there, she spotted them. Descending down water slide were her best friend Nigel Uno and, to her horror, the Delightful Children from Down the Lane. They were facing off in a life-or-death fray in that log cart, until Nigel backed away.

Tears started to form in the corners of her eyes.

No... No...

Helplessness filled within her, as she watched the whole thing unfold.

The Delightful Children are --- NOOOOOOOOOO

Her hand reached out desperately, but she felt as if something was pulling her back, preventing her from going forward.

She frantically struggled against the invisible bonds holding her, as she watched what became the cruel, irreversible fate of the Delightful Children from Down the Lane.

Nigel hung onto the signage for support, as he watched his enemies fall continuously, their screams echoing in the abyss below.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Numbuh 37 shrieked and wailed, her limbs struggled in many directions. Tears continuously gushed out from her eyes. Nose unceasingly ran. Her shoulders shook furiously. Her hands slowly lifted up to cover her face.

In her wasted, strangled voice, she cried, "GET ME OUT! THIS IS NOT REAL! THEY CAN'T BE GONE. THEY CAN'T BE!"

She buried her face in her hands -- and for the first time in her life, feeling not giving a care to what becomes of her.

They can't be gone.

I promised that I'd find a cure.

I promised that I'd help all of you get back to normal.

I promised.

I... promised...

The scene reverted back to the white void.

Body curled up on the floor, face buried in her hands, Numbuh 37 continuously wept until they were soft sobs.

"T?" Sounded a hesitant male voice.

It's one of their voices! ... but she doesn't want to hear it.

"Numbuh 37?" A stern-sounding and concerned female voice called out.

She can't let their voices echo in her mind now. Not when they are --

"Sis, how long are you gonna stay curled up like this?"

She felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her body to stiffen.

That touch...

She recognized it all too well. And the one who would give warm touches and hugs like that would be --

"D-David?"

Numbuh 37 slowly moved her hands away from her face until her the blinding light greeted her, causing her to flinch with a hiss. Her eyelids opened slowly until she was face-to-face with blurred figures slowly becoming more lucid. Tears continued to flow as her eyes panned and absorbed their appearances individually.

The matching dark berets bearing an inverted red triangle with the letter Z. The mission attire with a mix of military and samurai influences. And their wearers?

A short, blond boy with an air of firm leadership. With his recognizable carrot nunchaku, he's clearly proficient in the art of Karate.

A tall, golden blonde girl with a firm but kind aura about her. By how she held her umbrella, she has an air of a disciplined swordswoma -- swordsgirl.

A dark skinned boy that radiated a fun-loving soul. With a playful air to him combined with his boxing gloves, he's the type who can shift from fun-loving to dangerous when needed be.

A plump, brunette pig-tailed girl with a fun, big sister-like air. And, judging by her weapon of choice, with an experience in the culinary arts.

Then the one who touched her shoulder.

The very person who taught everything she needed to know.

The very individual who loved her dearly ever since she was born.

The very person who inspired her to become a Kids Next Door operative.

*plip plip*

That tall brunet boy sporting his favorite red turtleneck and military attire before he and his team disappeared. Resting beside him was his trusty eraser-tipped spear.

His emerald green eyes stared into Numbuh 37's, tears slowly forming at the corners. Right after he nodded slowly, in an instant, the young girl lunged at him with a tight hug-- a hug that the boy yearningly returned.

"I missed you," she cried into his turtleneck, before she looked at him with a couple of sniffs and a teary smile, "so much."

A pair of lips kissed her forehead before holding her once again, not letting her go. Patting her head lovingly, David replied, "As do I, sis." He gently tucked strands of hair from her face, smiling at her tenderly. "As do I."

"When can we get a turn?" The dark-skinned boy called out in a playful tone. The rest of the quintet, save for David, all looked at him with pouts. David held his sister tighter.

"Way t'ruin an emotional moment, Lenny," the tall brunet boy pouted. Lenny gave a hearty laugh.

"Sorry, man," Lenny chuckled, wiping a tear from his eye, "but you're not the only one who misses her, y'know."

David looked to everyone, who all nodded in agreement. With a defeated sigh, he releases Numbuh 37, who walked over to Lenny.

"Your bro's STILL real greedy about you," Lenny playfully pouted at the girl before giving her a tight hug. "A stingy dude till the very end."

Save for David, the blond boy and the two girls muffled their laughter, covering their mouths with their hands.

"Ohmigosh! Finally got to make you laugh, Bruce! FINALLY!" Lenny pointed at the blond boy, who cleared his throat after.

"What's that supposed to mean? You think I can't get a good laugh?"

"You've been too proper your whole life to laugh at all, dude."

"I can have a good laugh," Bruce retorted, facing away from him with a huff and crossed arms. "You just didn't get a chance to see it." This earned a laugh from Lenny.

"Give our leader a good ol' hug, will ya, T?" Lenny gently elbowed the girl, signaling her to go to him.

"I... have grown taller now?" She hesitantly said, fidgeting her finger.

*recorder scratched*

Clearing his throat, amidst the muffled laughter among his teammates, Bruce turned to Numbuh 37, unimpressed. "Yes, you clearly did," before he made a soft chuckle. "About time, Tania."

Numbuh 37 (nickname Tania) lunged at him with a hug, which he stiffened at first before reciprocating the hug with a couple of pats on her back.

"Nice to see you again, T," he whispered, earning himself some small giggles.

Tania looked at him with her cheerful smile -- the same smile he remembered all too well all those years ago. "Nice to see you again too, Bruce."

"OOOkay, my turn~" The pigtailed girl grabbed Tania away from Bruce, much to the latter's dismay. She inhaled then exhaled heavily, a sign that she was going to ask an important question. "How are the lollipops, T?"

"Really?" The blonde haired girl raised a brow, crossing her arms and tapping her foot in disbelief. "This is our chance to talk to her properly, and that's what you wanted to ask her, Constance?"

"As if you've something else just as important to ask her, Ashley," Constance said with her tongue stuck out, earning a 'Hmph!' from the blonde-haired girl. "So, how were they?"

"They're... tasteless," Tania deadpanned, but was surprised to hear laughter from Constance. "W-Wait, you're not mad?"

"Why should I be?" The pigtailed girl laughed, taking off her glasses to wipe her eyes before putting it back. "It's made of water and some preservatives to keep 'em intact. Adding flavors to it will just destroy the lollipop's purpose, y'know."

Constance circled around, looking at Tania from head to toe. "And it did work!" She clapped.

Both of them heard someone clear their throat, and turned to Ashley. Constance moved aside, and gestured Tania to the blonde-haired girl.

"Tell me you kept your regime like I told you before," Ashley started, "because if you didn't--"

"I did... senpai~" Tania beamed, making Ashley feel flustered by how she was addressed. But the blonde girl knew that it wasn't wrong. "Years pass, and still keeping true to what you taught me."

Ashley placed a hand on Tania's shoulder and gave a small smile, before pulling the latter into a hug. "That's a relief."

"Ash, you done?" Lenny called out.

"You always have to -- Lenny, what's happening to you?"

Everyone turned to the dark-skinned boy who was slowly dissolving away. And he wasn't alone.

Bruce closed his eyes in understanding and let out a sigh. "I think... we have accomplished our last mission." Everyone in Sector Z nodded in sad agreement, then turned to the wide-eyed Tania.

"Last group hug?" Lenny raised his remaining hand, his voice slightly shaking.

Without hesitation, Tania lunged onto Lenny, followed by Bruce, Constance, Ashley and David. The group didn't budge and remained that way, tears falling down their cheeks with few sniffs.

"I guess I'm goin' first," Lenny scratched the back of his head. "T, don't stay too uptight and learn to chill every once in a while, 'kay? Don't be too much of a stick in the mud, like our stick in the mud leader over here." He gestured a thumb pointing at Bruce, who seemed to be fuming in irritation. "See ya guys. Numbuh 0.4 signing off." With a final salute and a teary smile, Lenny dissolved into nothingness.

Tania felt a pat on her back, for her to face Constance. "Don't starve yourself and eat lots AND LOTS of good food, alright?" The latter instructed with a doting finger. "And don't leave for missions with an empty stomach. I remember you doin' that before, so don't do it again, got it?" With a nod from the younger girl, Constance knew that it was finally okay to leave. "Better keep boxer boy company." She added with a laugh before she looked at them with a teary smile and her own final salute. "Numbuh 0.5, signing off."

Ashley bumped elbows with Tania before placing a hand on her shoulder. "T, just remember this: the past doesn't define who you are." She quirked a small smile. "It's the choices you make. I mean," she looked to the last remaining members of Sector Z before turning her attention to Tania, "most people in your position would've chosen to quit. And yet, you decided to still join, even risk your life in missions just to find the cure... even if it's all for naught." Ashley rested her forehead on Tania's. "You're one of the noblest people I know. Follow your instinct and it'll lead you to where you're meant to be -- may it be with the Kids Next Door or not." Taking a step back and with a final salute, "Numbuh 0.3," she inhaled, while keeping herself composed, "signing off."

"Ashley took the words out of my mouth," Bruce walked over to Tania, placing a hand on her arm. "But..." He inhaled deeply before turning to her. "Don't be afraid to fight for what's right. Lead others when no one else can... I'm sorry." Eyes widened in shock, Tania watched the fearless leader of Sector Z... sniffle and sob quietly. Hesitantly she embraced him tightly, with Bruce returning it. "I'll miss this the most. These hugs." He whispered in her ear, before parting from her. "Ever since the beginning, I knew you have great potential to be an operative -- going as far as going against Father or us." He flinched at the last word, before he shook his head. "Never forget the true mission of the Kids Next Door, Numbuh 37. No matter what." With a firm salute and a few sniffs, he concluded, "Numbuh 0.1, signing off."

As she watched Bruce dissolve, Tania didn't turn to the last person with her.

"Sis, I don't have much time left," David gently urged her, "please, look at me." He earned a shake of the head. With a sigh, he walked over to her, just for his sister to move the other way. "I seriously don't have time."

"That's why I don't want to face you!" She cried out before her legs gave in. "Y-You'll... You'll leave me... for good!" She turned to him with a tear-stained face and runny red nose. "I'm so scared that when you say your last words, you'll disappear like everyone else! Not just that..." David did his very best to stay composed amidst the thoughts of the irreversible fate awaiting him. "I didn't get to find a cure that can turn all of you back to normal. And then Nigel, he... he just let you..." She wailed at the mention of her best friend's name.

Strong arms wrapped around her in a gentleness she missed for more than a decade, and will miss from this moment on. All she could do now was snuggle into the warmth that will never comfort her from now on. Tania inhaled the scent of peppermint on her brother's turtleneck, her head resting on his chest. The tall brunet boy inhaled the strawberry scent on his sister's hair, while rubbing her back.

No words were exchanged that time. It wasn't necessary.

David gently rocked her while humming the lullaby he used to sing to her when she was a baby. He rested his head on top of hers and planted a long kiss, as she finally wrapped her arms around his torso.

As soon as she felt him dissolve away, Tania shut her eyes firmly, wrapped her arms around him in the tightest she could.

"Please don't leave me! PLEASE!" She begged, and all she got were a few sniffs and a silent sob. "PLEASE DON'T GO!"

He remained silent amidst her begging, until he finally spoke in a shaky voice. "I love you, Tania. I've loved you even before Mom gave birth to you. My precious little sister... my little Niah..."

Her wailing prevented her to say anything else. But he saw right through her -- her last unspoken message. Her hands tightly gripping his shirt, her head resting on his chest then looked up straight at him with glistening eyes... he let out a teary smile and a nod, before his own shoulders shook as he struggled to tighten his hold around her.. even when he knew it was futile.

Her legs gave as soon as she found that all she could hug was air.