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witharsenicsauce · 4 years

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Chosen Stories From the War #24: Fly Like an Eagle, Run Like a Wolf

(Content Warning: This chapter contains brief descriptions of gore.)

The street was glowing with fire, the moans of the Lost carried through the desolate waste that was the remains of New York. The city had long ago been lost to the pods, and with said pods came the frankly beautiful plant growth that had begun to infest the streets, tinting everything natural green. Trees wrapped around buildings, roots cut across the roadways. New York, once the city that never slept, was now at peace with the call of the wild.

The firelight glinted off of Lars’s glasses as he and Cruzita sat on opposite sides of the fire. She had a Viper’s corpse laid out in front of her, and was using the tip of her black-bladed knife to split the delicate, scaled skin down the middle. Pulling apart the flesh, her skinny fingers dove into the mammary-like appendages on the Viper’s chest, and clawed out the still full venom sacs. Cruzita smiled joyfully and held them up. “Poison.”

“I see.” Lars chuckled at her enthusiasm. To the other Reapers she was a terror, but he had long since gotten used to her quirks. “What are you planning to do with it, Cruz?”

“I don’t know yet.” She put them delicately to one side. “Maybe taint my knife, but poison bullets are so useful too, and we haven’t had many of those.”

Lars looked down at the gun on his lap. “A game of poison paintball?”

“And a paintbrush for you.” She giggled, cracking open the Viper’s ribs with her bare hands. “With bristles made of Chryssalid antennae, and paint made of venom.”

“Perhaps.” He sighed. “Oh, part of me still misses my old paints, with colors that were bright and happy…”

Cruzita looked up at him, then at the large, empty-looking building they sat under. The windows were black, but every so often they flickered with activity. It let her know her comrades were still watching.

“When the war is over, perhaps I shall return to Larochette.” Lars continued. “If my old studio is there.”

“This war will never be over.” Cruzita, with one fluid motion, folded the skin from the Viper corpse and ripped it free; bloody, but in one piece. “Not while these monsters are still here.”

Lars sighed. “Cruz, you must-”

Her green eyes bore holes in him. “You have something to go back to, Lars.” She hissed. “I am not that lucky.”

“You have me.” He slid over beside her. She dwarfed him, but that was another fact he had accepted years ago. He reached for her bloody hand, entwining his fingers with hers. “This war will not be over until you free this hatred from your heart, mein chér.”

She looked past his glasses and into his blue-grey eyes. “This hatred is what keeps us safe.” She whispered. “It keeps me afraid, and it keeps me alive.”

Dhar-Mon would never admit that he saw things in the shadows.

Ugly faces (like his own) stared at him from corners where innocuous objects lay. He tried turning over in bed, pulling the covers over himself like a frightened child, but even then he could feel their evil eyes staring at him, watching him.

He’d had trouble sleeping before; this was in no way a new thing. But in his stronghold, he had always had the constant whispering of the Elders to reassure him that he was not alone. Even when they were berating him, insulting him for failure or even threatening to reclaim him, he was at least with someone. He was at least not alone.

Now they were gone. And now he was alone, and the demons were approaching fast.

Dhar-Mon’s large hand darted out from under the blanket and turned on his bedside light, sending the shadows scurrying back into hiding, as though they had never been there. He looked around for a moment, checking to ensure he really was alone. That seemed to only make it worse.

He glanced at the clock. 4:45. His sister would be awake soon, but she did not like being disturbed during her meditation, and the thought of asking his baby sister for help because HE had trouble sleeping...it was a humiliating prospect at best.

He pulled the blankets to his chin and took a shaky breath, his heart pounding in his chest. It almost exploded when someone knocked at the door.

Dhar-Mon had never been so terrified in his life, except maybe in the presence of his cruel mother, Abyzou. With his voice softer and weaker than he was used to, he called out “You may enter.”

The door slid open and a very sleepy Malinalli stepped inside. Her curly hair was wild and messy, and her green eyes were still clouded.

“Hey.” She murmured in a hushed voice. “Is everything okay?”

He paused. “...All is...well.” He was lying through his teeth. “What makes you question me at such an early hour?”

“I...dunno. Just felt something was wrong.” She shrugged. “I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep. Something just told me to come see you.” She blinked, her eyes finally focusing on him. “You look awful, have you slept at all tonight?”

He tried to say yes, but like a child, he felt tears welling up that he couldn’t stop. “...No.” He whimpered.

“Why? What happened?” Malinalli sat on his bed, looking so worried. It made him feel even worse, but now the floodgates were open.

“When the lights are off, and I am alone…” He sniffled. “I imagine shadows in the darkness, reaching out with great clawed hands to grab me in the night, where I will be...stolen away.”

Malinalli relaxed and let loose a soft chuckle. “Dhar-Mon, I...we’d never let that happen.”

“You would not get there in time.” He snapped. “I am...afraid to sleep alone.” He was dying from the shame. “My mind used to be consoled by the Elders’ presence. No matter how toxic, at least they were there…”

Malinalli reached out and grasped his hand. “There’s nothing wrong with being scared of the dark.” She chuckled. “I’d offer to sleep here with you, but that’d be weird I think…” He could swear he saw the hint of a blush on her face when she said it. In fact, he wanted to scream yes, please, sleep here. But that would be inappropriate. He was not his brother, after all.

She stood up. “I might have an idea. Are you dressed?”

He nodded. “In my sleeping clothes.”

“Good, follow me.” She took his hand and, with her tiny strength, hauled him to his feet. He felt safer with her hand in his.

She pulled him down the empty halls of the Avenger. Nobody was awake at this hour, except a few he could tell hadn’t gone to sleep yet. She made her way to the girl’s dorm, where Dhar-Mon stood outside the door, refusing to enter the sleeping quarters of so many women.

When Malinalli returned, she was holding something large and fluffy looking in her arms. She closed the door as quietly as she could, then held it out to him. “This is Glaucus.”

“...I beg your pardon?” He asked, looking down at the...stuffed...creature.

“I named him Glaucus because of his ears.” She lifted one of the animal’s fluffy ears. “They’re blue underneath. And so is his mane.” She patted the blue tuft of fur on top of it’s head. “Glaucus is my old stuffed horse.”

“A stuffed horse?” He took the plush creature from her hands. It looked cartoonish, with floppy limbs and huge, glass eyes that stared off into space. “...I have seen pictures of horses, Malinalli. There is no possibility this is the result of taxidermy.”

Malinalli laughed until she remembered she had to be quiet. “No no, it’s not. It’s supposed to look fake.” She clarified. “Stuffed animals are made to look cute and inviting. It’s comforting.”

He looked over the creature again. It was weirdly cute. “What am I meant to do with this?”

“It’s to sleep with.” Malinalli said. “You cuddle it in your sleep. It helps you feel safe.”

“And how is a stuffed horse going to protect me from the darkness of my own imagination?” He growled.

She almost seemed to deflate, the enthusiasm leaving her eyes. “Well I mean...it works for me.”

Seeing her without her beaming smile made his heart hurt in a way he did not know it could. Desperate, he looked over the creature again and smiled. “If you say it helps, Molly, then I shall trust your judgement. You have never led me astray yet, I doubt you would now.”

She smiled again, but looked nervous. “...You sure I never did?”

“I am certain.” He bowed. “Thank you for this generous gift…”

“Always, Dhar-Mon…” She looked like she wanted to say something else. “Um…have a good night, okay?”

“I shall try.” He said, almost sadly, as he watched her slip back into the women’s barracks.

Gur-Rai shook out his leg as Tygan unwrapped his bandages. “Thanks Doc.” The skin around the healed wound still tangled a bit, but overall, it was like he’d never even been bit.

“You can thank me by being more careful.” Tygan sighed. “It seems as though after every mission you end up here.”

“But how could I resist the calls for help by my fellow soldiers?” Gur-Rai chuckled. “Elena was in danger, Doc. It was I who saved her.”

“We need soldiers, not heroes.” Tygan stood and walked over to where Elena lay, her shoulder still bandaged tightly. “Hm. I might keep this on a bit longer. This wound has some tearing that’s making me nervous.”

“I understand, Doctor.” Elena nodded. “Is there any medicine I should be taking?”

“It looks as though we’ve cleaned it well enough. I don’t want to overuse our...very limited antibiotic supply.” He grabbed a tube of ointment out of the cabinet, as well as some bandages, and handed them to her. “This should be sufficient. Reapply this ointment and change the bandages at least once every 24 hours.”

With his bunkmates occupied by the doctor’s directions, Gur-Rai stood, stripping out of his hospital gown with little regard to anyone else in the room. He was wearing tighty-whities underneath, luckily, but it still earned him disgusted stares.

Tygan locked eyes with him, his expression more irritated than Gur-Rai had ever seen. “I will not return your clothes until you put the gown back on.”

Gur-Rai tied the gown around his waist.

Tygan sighed. “...Good enough I suppose.” He retrieved a cardboard box that looked as though it had been used many a time before and shoved it into the Chosen’s long arms. “Please, clothe yourself.”

Mox actually chuckled at that, and Elena smiled at him as he helped her to her feet. “Pratal…” She leaned over and said something that Gur-Rai couldn’t hear.

“I do not see why not.” Mox said loudly. “You are his second in command, Elena, not I. That is your call to make.”

Elena seemed to glare at Mox, but her gaze was not so much angry as it was nervous. As Tygan handed Elena her own box of clothes, she turned back to the Darkstrider. “Gur-Rai. Why don’t you report back to Volk with us.” She said it as if it were already fact.

Gur-Rai stopped, half-dressed, and peeked out through the neck-hole in his sweater. “...Beg your pardon?”

Elena looked away. “If you don’t want to, just say-”

“Oh I want to.” Gur-Rai insisted. “But I am confused, Elena. Didn’t you hate me bot but a day ago?”

“Was it not you who wanted me to give you a chance?” She smirked. “And last I remember, you have a couple of girlfriends in Reaper territory that miss you very much.”

“Oh, starlight.” He groaned, but it was mixed with a chuckle. “...Mox? You’re okay with this?”

“I believe it is a wonderful idea.” He said cheerily. “If the Reapers can accept me, they may surely accept you, Madron.”

Gur-Rai swallowed the beginnings of the lump in his throat. “...Okay then.” He smiled, and they could see the genuine happiness shining behind tears in his eyes.

When Dhar-Mon awoke again, it was 1:00 in the afternoon. Having not slept all night certainly messed up his circadian rhythm, but to be honest he was surprised he was able to sleep at all.

He looked over at the stuffed horse tucked under his arm. Glaucus, the blue and white pony, looked up at him with cartoon eyes that conveyed a depth he was honestly not prepared to see. He cuddled the stuffed animal closer to his chest. It was strangely warm, and smelled like marshmallows. When he closed his eyes, instead of the whispers of demons in the dark, he heard nothing but a strange, soft humming.

This clearly had to be some sort of magical artifact, one that Malinalli had enchanted with her healing aura to comfort him as he slept. He’d have to thank her better later.

There was a knock at his door, and as he muttered “come in,” the door slid open and Kon-Mai was already poking her head inside.

“Are you ill, Brother?” She asked, barging her way inside with an expression of worry on her face. “It is quite unusual for you to sleep so late.”

“I feel…” He sat up, rubbing his eyes. To be honest, he still felt drowsy from sleep, but he felt significantly more rested than he had that morning. “I feel well, Sister.”

She sat on the end of his bed, about to speak, before Glaucus caught her eye. “What is that?”

He hesitated at first, that apprehension he’d had when asking her about sewing coming back. Was it weak for a man to sleep with stuffed animals? Would she judge him? No...she was his Sister.

He handed her the stuffed horse. “A gift from Malinalli.” He admitted. “I have had...such difficulty sleeping alone since leaving the Elders’ embrace. I fear the darkness. This...tiny toy seems to have helped.”

“You fear the darkness?” She looked down at the horse. “...It is so cute.”

“It is a stuffed animal.”

“Taxidermied?”

“No, it is a synthetic creation, made cartoonishly in the shape resembling a living thing.” He sat up fully, sitting criss-coss-applesauce. “It is meant to bring comfort.”

Kon-Mai met his eyes again. “Does it help you, Brother?”

“With it, I was able to sleep uninterrupted.” He said. “I believe it has helped me…”

She held it at arm's length, a smile gracing her blue lips. “...What an adorable creature…” She looked to the door. “Malinalli gave this to you?”

“Yes, she did.” He said.

“Hm.” She handed him Glaucus and stood again.

“Do you desire one?” He asked. “I could ask her for another.”

“No.” She shook her head and started toward the door. “I have a better idea, Dhar-Mon...do you still want to learn to sew?”

The night, for once, was peaceful, quiet. Elena had not felt this kind of grace since Tomko had died. It seemed that the Earth had let out a breath she’d been holding. She reached out and took hold of Mox’s hand, and he squeezed hers.

The Darkstrider was behind them, his pace slightly slower as they walked silently into the camp, set up in the remains of 77th Avenue, right outside The Vermeer: a tall, curved and now very dank apartment building. In the road, Reaper tents lined the cracked pavement. Silent black forms could be seen moving about, checking on roasted Chryssalids and Vipers that lay on spits over the fire. Many of them did not see the Darkstrider at first, but once they did they stopped, stared for a moment, then disappeared again. None came to confront him, but he could hear them whispering.

Elena looked back at him. “You understand, it will take much more than my presence to get them to trust you. But it will help.”

“I’d be more worried if they DID trust me.” He chuckled. “I wonder if they recognize me.”

“I did.” Was all Elena said, before holding her silence a moment. “...Really though, unless they have been on a mission with you recently, they only know you as the Hunter.”

“So only Lars and Creepy Cruzita. At least someone-”

“Dunkelmarcheur!” A familiar voice called out to them. Mox waved over Elena’s shoulder at the familiar pair of Reapers sitting by a small campfire, one of whom was holding up the disembodied skin on a Viper.

“Well, speak of the devil, and she shall appear.” Gur-Rai grinned nervously at the sight of Cruzita, approaching her with the slightest amount of hesitation. She and Lars met the three of them halfway, and Lars reached out and shook Elena’s hand delicately. “Your wound?”

“It’s only flesh.” Elena assured him. “Didn’t touch your artwork, though.”

Gur-Rai turned to Elena. “Artwork?”

Elena seemed to hesitate. This whole being friends thing was already challenging for her, even moreso when it was with the man who was practically her ex-boyfriend’s walking corpse. But, she took a breath, smiled and gestured to Lars. “He does tattoos.”

“In my home country I was an artist, nearly world renowned!” He raised his voice far louder than a Reaper ever should, and it earned the group a few looks. “But when the war came to Luxembourg and I had to flee to a more defensible position, I had to find other expressions for my creative talents. Show them, Elena. Yours was some of my finest work.”

Elena sighed, dropping her gun and taking off her coat. Underneath her vest, curled around her spine, Gur-Rai could see the outline of red scales. She pulled aside her shirt just enough to show them.

“A dragon.” She said. “I am Dragunova, after all.”

Gur-Rai raised a brow. “Well well well, I was thinking of getting some ink done as well, Lars. It seems fate has brought us together.”

“Don’t you have to talk to Volk?”

“That I do. Shame.” He sighed.

“Oh that’s fine. We’re going to be here for a minute.” Cruzita jabbed her finger toward the pile of Viper skins and entrails, some of which was simmering clean in a bucket of boiling water. “Come find us when you’re done and I’m sure Lars will make your skin the work of art we all know it is.” She scanned his blue skin again, her eyes glinting.

“Um, yes.” He took a step back. With her hood down, he could see clearly now that, instead of perfectly white, her hair had some black patches in it, like lowlights. Her cheeks were sunken and her nose was turned upward so much, it almost looked skeletal. It reminded him of himself and for a moment, he felt a deep sense of pity. He wondered if ADVENT had touched her, too.

He looked up to the black windows of the Vermeer. He could feel the eyes watching him. Volk was waiting for him in there.

“I’ll be out in a jiffy.” He said. “Something tells me this won’t take long.”

Kon-Mai’s sewing kit was uncharacteristically cute for someone like her. It was a small, white, silk bag with purple flowers embroidered on it, held closed by a pearl button. When she undid the clasp, all of the needles and thread were tucked away neatly and nicely.

She plopped the supplies, and herself, onto Dhar-Mon’s bed, and they sat facing each other as Kon-Mai withdrew the supplies from their containers. The small pincushion and the thimble were the first to come out, then she laid some of the fabric from over her arm onto the bed in front of them. He recognized the patterns and cloths she had bought from the black market, as well as some other material: chunks of cotton?

She pulled out two markers, handed him one and a piece of fabric, and nodded. “Were you thinking of something specific?”

He shook his head. “I do not know what animals would be comforting to sleep alongside. A horse seems to already push the limits. And one would have trouble finding a companion in a lizard.”

“One never knows.” She mused. “Perhaps a lizard can be a worthy companion.”

Hm.” He grunted. “What are you making?”

“I think I shall make a hedgehog.” She took two large swaths of brown fabric and pressed them together, drawing the outline of what looked like a fat oval.

“A hedgehog is covered in painful spines.” Dhar-Mon said. “I do not see how that is soothing.”

“I like them.” She replied. “They are able to tuck themselves away at the first sign of danger, and camouflage themselves on the forest floor. A fine animal favored by evolution.”

Dhar-Mon harrumphed, but he saw her point. “...What about a koala?”

“Do not test me.” She growled.

“I wish you would speak of that day, if it was as traumatic as it seems to be.”

“It is not a day I want to relive.” She insisted. “Koalas are the spawn of demons, and I like hedgehogs more.”

He supposed that was fair. He stared down at his own piece of fabric: He already had a sleeping companion, but not content to just sit quietly and watch his sister work, he put the pen to the fabric.

“What animal would Gur-Rai like?”

Gur-Rai was still contemplating what tattoo to get as Elena pushed open the Vermeer’s great double doors. He could already tell that, in another life, this place had been extravagant. Now, the golden walls were crumbling and the chandeliers had fallen from the ceiling. The furniture seemed like it might have held out enough to be used again, but the rotten looking wound made him not want to test it. There were a few Reapers down here, sitting by the front desk, cleaning stocks of weapons.

“Alfred, where is Volk?” Mox asked. “We must report to him.”

One of the Reapers looked up in annoyance, and Gur-Rai wondered how good relations with the Skirmishers really were, even with Elena’s marriage to one. “He’s in the penthouse.” Alfred said. “As usual.”

“Thank you.” Mox nodded and led the way through the hall. Gur-Rai had to duck under some of the beams: this place was not built for a Sasquatch like him.

“I don’t suppose the elevator is working.” He asked, though he knew the answer

“You’re welcome to try it.” Elena shrugged. “But I think you might have better luck scaling the elevator shaft.”

“Gee, that actually sounds fun.” He smirked. “Maybe I’ll race you.”

“Maybe I’ll decline.” Elena rolled her eyes. “We’ll take the stairs, that’s enough climbing for me.”

The stairs were torture, especially with Gur-Rai being so tall that he routinely bumped his head on the floor above them whenever they came near to the door. Eventually, instead of following Elena and Mox, who were taking their sweet time like a couple of old timers, Gur-Rai crouched on all fours and bounded up the stairs like a cat, moving at twice the speed and leaving the other two in the dust. They watched him with a mix of indignation and wonder, Mox letting loose a chuckle.

“That man was never meant to be tamed.”

Elena nodded, completely silent at his comment.

The three met back up at the last door, when there were no more stairs to climb. Gur-Rai was leaning on the handle, ready to push open the door to the penthouse. “Ready?”

“I am ready.” Mox squeezed Elena’s hand.

“I am not, but I must be.” She smiled at her husband. “After you, Darkstrider.”

Gur-Rai opened the door, and the lights disappeared.

Well, really, the lights were still on in the hall behind him. But the entirety of the penthouse apartment was swathed in darkness. As his eyes adjusted, he could see bits of shape and movement, but even the faint light coming in through the many windows did nothing to ease the shadow.

Then a single light came on, from a desk in front of an old, brick fireplace that was currently out. On the mantle were trophies that made the Hunter inside Gur-Rai drool with envy: snakeskins of all colors, some obviously dyed, but some where the craftsmanship was so good, he couldn’t tell, other than the fact that he’d never seen a purple Viper before. An Archon torso hung on the wall, and an entire taxidermied Chryssalid sat in the corner.

Other than that, though, there were animals. Real, lifelike animals that looked as though they could jump from their mountings at any moment. There was a stag, a whole moose, a gnu (Gur-Rai really wanted to know how Volk got that one), several smaller animals, and even a wolf, frozen in a hunting position as though it was plucked out of time.

Then the big man himself stood up, whiskey in hand and smelling of alcohol. His dark eyes were trained right on Gur-Rai. “Elena.” He hissed. “God fucking dammit, Elena.”

“Volk, please don’t.” Elena sighed. “The Darkstrider was on the mission with us. He needs to be part of the report.”

“Why?” Volk walked around his desk and took a swig of his drink.

“Because it was he who saved our lives.” Elena insisted. “It was he who bested the Viper that came to kill me. I would be dead now, if it wasn’t for him.”

Volk looked over at Mox, who straightened up but avoided his gaze, and thankfully Volk was sober enough to avoid saying anything stupid. “Fine.” He put his drink down and leaned back against his desk. “What happened out there?”

“There were a lot more troops in the area than we bargained on.” Gur-Rai said. “At least two pods worth, mostly Vipers but there was a Sectoid in there somewhere.”

“I believe the Sectoid escaped.” Mox cut in.

“So that’s where all the fucking Viper meat came from.” Volk pinched the bridge of his nose. “If the Sectoid escaped, he’s gonna go running off to tell the Elders. And we just got settled here, too.”

“We have relocated before.” Elena assured him. “If we take a caravan up to Alaska and possibly buy passage across, Siberia is uninhabited.”

“We think. We have no idea what’s up in Siberia.” Volk said. “A merchant vessel isn’t big enough to carry the entire caravan. We’d have to split up, and I don’t want to do that.”

“Let’s not be hasty.” Gur-Rai said. “You may not have to leave. They didn’t indicate that they knew you were here, it looked like a regular old patrol.”

“Two pods worth of enemies?” Volk scoffed. “They knew. They were just looking for where we were specifically.”

“Maybe we could set up in Alaska.” Elena added. “I am certain the old base is still there.”

“It’s possible, but that’s just it.” He replied. “The base is old. And it’s small: our numbers have grown since then.”

“Hang on.” Gur-Rai leaned on one knee. “I say you and your people don’t have to go anywhere. This is your home. Protect it.”

“That’s fucking easy for you to say.” Volk spat. “You don’t have a home.”

“Volk.” Elena said in a warning tone.

“Don’t start with me.” He pointed at her. “I was okay when you brought home the Skirmisher. I even grew to like him, somehow. But no way in Hell is a CHOSEN telling me what I should and shouldn’t do with my people.”

“Well then, I suppose you just pick up all of your fancy trophies, throw them in a cart and drive across the ocean to the next place ADVENT will find you.” Gur-Rai shrugged. “You can’t run forever, Volk.”

Volk glared at him with cold, yellow eyes. “Elena, Pratal, step outside.”

“Sir-” Mox began.

“Out. Now. I need to speak to the alien alone.” He growled.

Elena looked to Gur-Rai, one eyebrow raised. He knew how much she cared for Volk, but he also knew that if he asked for help, she would step in and deck the old man.

He shook his head, gesturing towards the door. He would be fine. The old man didn’t scare him. That much.

The door closed, and the two were left in almost complete shadow again. Gur-Rai couldn’t help but feel like a child again, and Volk was the adult scolding him for being bad.

“Why the fuck are you here?”

Gur-Rai lifted his hands. “I can explain, Mr. Volikov, Sir. You see, I used to be-”

“I know.” He growled. “I know who you were. Who you’re not. Don’t come in here wearing Genji’s face.”

Gur-Rai furrowed his brow. “...Genji? His name was-”

“You thought his name was just Tomko?” Volk spat. “That’s what he liked to be called. That was the name his father left him. But HIS name was Genjiro.”

Genjiro. It did strike a deep, familiar cord with him. It also complicated things. “...I wasn’t a local, was I?”

“He certainly wasn't all white, that’s for sure.” Volk looked very sad for a moment. “That boy was the first taste of hope I had after the war. And you stole him from me.”

“I didn’t steal anything.” Gur-Rai hissed. “If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at the Elders who spirited me away.”

“Oh sure, and who you so eagerly served for 10 years!” Volk slammed his hand on the desk. “You came back to kill us!”

“I had no choice! You don’t refuse the Elders unless you have a death wish!”

“Then maybe you should have, at least they’d have killed you for good! Let Genjiro rest in peace rather than suit up his corpse!”

The words stung. Gur-Rai crossed his arms. “So now I’m the villain just for being born?”

“You…” Volk hissed. “...You know what? Yes. You should have died out there, with a bullet in the neck. And Genjiro Tomko should be resting in the ground.”

Gur-Rai swallowed the lump in his throat. “...The Commander has a different opinion.”

“The ‘Commander’ is a psychotic bitch who does what she wants.” Volk growled. “Sure, she’s the best hope we have for salvation. That doesn’t mean I have to like her, or her decisions.” He pointed to the door. “She may have power up in that Avenger, but I’m the boss down here.”

“Oh?” The ground had never looked so interesting before. “So, ‘Boss,’ what are my orders?”

“Get out.” Volk hissed. “And If I ever see your face in Reaper territory again, I’ll shoot you my goddamn self.”

“Oh don’t you worry, Sir.” Gur-Rai bared his teeth. They were glinting, even in the low light. “I was just leaving.”

When he emerged, he was surprised to see Elena and Mox were still waiting outside. Mox looked up, hopefully. “How was your talk?”

The look on Gur-Rai’s face must have given it away, because Elena sighed. “Oh, that man. If you want, I can-”

“No. It’s fine.” Gur-Rai said. “He has officially banished me from Reaper territory though.”

“He did, did he?” Elena crossed her arms. “Well I officially unbanish you.”

“Can she do that?” Gur-Rai turned to Mox.

“I do not question it.”

“Good man.” He chuckled.

Elena stepped forward. “Cruzita and Lars are undoubtedly still waiting for us.” She said. “Shall we go tell them what tattoo you want?”

In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten all about the tattoo. “I’d love to, if I did indeed know what I wanted.” He shrugged.

“Some sort of animal would fit you well.” Mox said. “I myself have considered getting a wolf, in honor of the Reapers.”

Gur-Rai saw Elena smile at that, and he crossed his arms. “Well, what’s a good hunting animal? I’d get a wolf as well, but I don’t think the pack leader would appreciate that.” He followed them as they began to descend that massive staircase, although it was a bit easier going down.”

“A beagle.” Elena chuckled.

“No.”

“They were used by human hunters for decades.” She said. “They were made to chase small animals like badgers and foxes.”

“Beagles may be cute, but my sister is more of a dog person than me.” He said. “Something cool. Elena, you have a dragon on your back. That is amazing.”

“Because my surname is Dragunova.” She said. “What does ‘Madron’ mean?”

“Well if you must know, it symbolizes status.” Gur-Rai straightened up. “You may call me Lord Gur-Rai.”

“Oh, my apologies, your lordship.” Elena rolled her eyes. “Well let’s see. You threw off the yoke of the Elders: what about a wild horse?”

He liked the idea, but… “Not quite.” He held a finger to his chin. “But that is a good concept. Something that symbolizes freedom?”

“A bird!” Mox cried. “A big, menacing looking bird. Perhaps a hawk or-”

“An eagle!” Gur-Rai snapped his fingers. “That’s it! Mox, you bloody genius!”

Mox seemed to beam at the compliment.

Dhar-Mon stopped his own project to watch his sister work. Her fingers were quick and nimble, tying each stitch as fast as a sewing machine could. She was deeply focused, her eyes glued on the task in front of her, her breathing deep and controlled. He wondered if she had always had this talent, or if this was yet another blessing from the Elders.

She stopped, putting the thread down and shaking out the fabric. “Camazotz gave me my swift hand.” She said, answering his thoughts. “But I do not think this is how he intended I use it.”

“Where did you learn this skill?” He asked.

“I believe I mentioned before…” She shook her head. “Perhaps I didn’t. It was a year after my birth. Do you remember the Great Battle of the Rhine Institute?”

“We were all present.” He said. “I remember. From the lowest grunt to us, the Chosen. It was our first time working in tandem with one another, and our first encounter with the entity that remained of XCOM.”

She seemed to ponder those words. “And do you remember the explosion?”

That was when he cringed. The Rhine Institute, one of ADVENT’s weapon production centers, was useful for it’s stockpiles of gunpowder, oil and just about anything flammable. Dhar-Mon and his brother had been able to stay clear of the damage, being able to make ranged attacks, but Kon-Mai had run straight in to stop the intruders herself.

“We did not know they had set up charges.” He murmured. “For a moment, I thought you had been lost in that blast, so intense it was.”

“I nearly was.” She admitted, and she took another piece of cloth and began slicing it into thin strips. “But my armor was shredded in the discharge. Though we won the day, my equipment was left unusable. Kompira helped me reforge my sword, but he did not know sewing, and he could not fully mend my armor.”

“And the Priests did not?”

“They could…but perhaps I was indignant. Something had been stolen from me, and I could do nothing but wait for it to be repaired? No, I wanted to take matters into my own hands: that was when I asked the priests to teach me.” She sighed. “...I wish I knew their names.”

He pondered that. “Did they have names?”

“I heard them whispered on their breaths in my stronghold.” She said. “It was not allowed, only those of the highest rank-”

“Only those who had proven themselves truly loyal could wear the honor of a name.” Dhar-Mon said. “And yet, I remember a woman at my stronghold whose name was Oinone.”

“I never bothered to learn the names of the priests that served me.” Kon-Mai said again, and it became clear that she was lamenting. “They were so far removed from me, and I saw myself as...above them.” She stopped cutting the cloth into strips and began to sew each and every rectangle of fabric onto the hedgehog’s back.

“...The circumstances were differing.” Dhar-Mon tried to assure her. “Had the Elders not been so cruel, perhaps you would have had the courage to reach out to them.”

“It was not for lack of courage.” She insisted. “It was...I genuinely felt as though there was no point. They would die. I would live. And now…”

“...And now?”

She shook her head. “...What name should I give my animal?” She asked. “Yours is Glaucus, apparently.”

“Malinalli gave him his name.”

“It is a male?” She chuckled.

“Well…” He blushed. “...I merely guessed.”

She chuckled and held up her finished hedgehog. “Mine shall be Nergui.”

“Nergui?”

“...It means ‘no-name’ in...Mongolian.” She seemed to have to think about that.

“You speak Mongolian?”

“You forget, Brother, my stronghold was in East Asia.” She still looked slightly bothered by it though.

“That is clever, then.” He admitted. “I shall let Gur-Rai name his.”

“What did you make him?”

Dhar-Mon held up the stuffed toy, it’s arms wide and outstretched. “It is an eagle!”

“I’ll do it anywhere you want.” Lars said. “But I do not like arms or legs.”

Gur-Rai raised a brow as he sat down beside the fire, beginning to peel off his armor. “Why not?”

“Because they have a tendency to go flying~” Cruzita giggled. She had emptied one of the venom sacs into a pot and had brought the liquid to a boil, and was now cleaning a syringe.

“It is true, in our line of work.” Lars added. “Losing a leg, losing an arm; it is not so uncommon, and my precious art will be lost with them.”

Gur-Rai smiled. “I was thinking something right on the back of my neck.”

“Perhaps where the neck meets the shoulders? I can do that!” ” He pulled out a menacing looking tattoo gun and some various ink colors: black, red, green, a bit of white, not much else.

“Need new art supplies, there?”

“Yes, actually.” Lars sighed. “But where oh where does the paint go? Oh that is right. To the absolute HACKS at ADVENT!” He spat. “They call that propaganda ‘art’! Please! I could fill my anus with paint and shit better art than that!”

Cruzita cackled like a hyena at that, and Gur-Rai had to admit he snickered a little. Elena rolled her eyes, obviously disgusted.

“Op jiddfer fall.” Lars said as he loaded up the ink in his gun. “How do you want?”

“An eagle.” Gur-Rai said.

“Ah, ah, that I can do.” Lars picked up a stick and began drawing in the cracked dirt of the ancient road. “Wings over your shoulders, spread out like this. Head against your neck, right on the nuque.” He drew out a design that reminded Gur-Rai a bit of a totem. “And the eyes, red. Like your own eyes.”

“I think mine are purple.”

“On your blue skin, they will look purple.” He shrugged. “I have it! Now, Cruz, the numbing juice?”

As Cruzita began to suck the boiled venom into a syringe, Gur-Rai stopped her. “I appreciate the offer, but I can handle the pain.”

“That’s what they all say.” She raised a brow. “Are you sure, Darkstrider?”

“Positive.” He nodded. “Believe me. The Elders have done worse. I’m used to it by now.”

The tattoo gun buzzed to life, and Gur-Rai found himself clenching his muscles, bracing for impact. The needle touched his skin, and Lars began the first line.

True, it was nothing compared to the pain the Elders had inflicted on him in that same spot, but the sharp pin ran over old nerves he’d thought were dead, and brought them back to life. He gripped his pant legs so tight he almost tore them, his sharp teeth biting down on his lip, drawing blood.

He felt a hand take his, then another. “I’m here.” Elena said. He could feel her, on his left, Mox on his right. He squeezed their hands, afraid that his nails would injure them, but they didn’t even flinch.

He opened his eyes once, and they drifted up towards the window of the penthouse, where he could see the faint outline of Volk watching him.

Go ahead, Old Man, he thought. Shoot me.

Volk held his gaze for a moment. Then he turned away.

The tattoo took a long ass time, but as Lars said, that was because he took pride in his work. At the end, when the needle rose from Gur-Rai’s skin for the final time, and Cruzita handed him a mirror to check how it looked, he had to agree the pain was worth it.

Lars had added a few extra red feathers falling from the bird, as well as bits of broken chain. The eyes, like he said, looked more purple than red, and the outstretched wings extended across Gur-Rai’s upper back and almost over his shoulder.

Elena grabbed a medkit and took out some petroleum jelly. “You mustn’t forget the aftercare.”

“She is right.” Lars said as he applied the jelly, and then a sticky gauze bandage. “Remove this after 24 hours.”

“That’s all? Don’t worry.” The Darkstrider grinned. “I heal quickly.”

“No you do not.” Mox chuckled. “I know.”

Elena’s comm beeped, and she sighed. “Firebrand wants us to return.”

“Then this is farewell.” Mox said, shaking Lars’s hand.

“I don’t like goodbyes.” Cruzita stood and hugged Elena, towering over the woman. “This is a ‘see you soon!’” She leaned over and hugged Gur-Rai as well. “And I still think that blue is beautiful.”

“I’m flattered, Miss de Vries.” He chuckled. “But please don’t turn me into a coat.”

“Oh don’t worry, human skin doesn’t keep well.” She made a face, then laughed. “Until next time, Darkstrider!”

They waved back to the two as Gur-Rai put his sweater and armor back on, and the trio set off to the extraction point. His back still hurt quite a bit, but the knowledge that the tattoo was there, that it was something the Elders could no longer take from him, that made him happy.

“Elena…” He leaned over. “Did Genjiro have any tattoos?”

Her brow furrowed. “Genji…? Oh.” She blinked. “Hm. We never called him by his first name.”

“Why is that?” He asked. “Not that I disagree with using a callsign. But Genjiro is so much more…” He waved his hands. “...fantastic.”

Elena opened her mouth and closed it again, pondering her next words. “...Truly? He didn’t like using Japanese at all.” She finally replied. “He claimed to have many bad memories from that place. He had hoped America would be a fresh start: he came here looking for his father.”

“Yes...‘Tomko’ was his father’s name.” Gur-Rai bobbed his head.

“Mm. Truth be told I didn’t like the name at first.” She admitted. “It always sounded too soft. Too...cute.”

“But I am cute, Elena~”

“You are what would happen if a giraffe partook in an extramarital affair with a shark.”

Mox barked out a laugh at that, and Elena smiled proudly at the joke she made.

“Okay, okay, fair enough.” Gur-Rai chuckled. “I like this new you, Elena. Much more open.”

“Open to insulting you? I agree, it’s cathartic.”

“The hazing makes the friendship stronger.” He said. “And I am happy that, if not now, one day I might be able to call you my friend.”

“Yes.” She took a breath. “I...don’t regret it as much anymore. Losing Tomko, that is. I still do but…” She laid back and stared at the ceiling. “...Darkstrider, do you truly think Tomko and I would never have worked?”

“Nah. Too much fire.” He chuckled. “I remember you kicking the shit out of me for forgetting your birthday one year.”

“You deserved it.”

“That I did. But you wouldn’t do that to Pratal, now would you?”

“No, but he wouldn’t forget.” She looked ahead of them, where Mox had taken the leading position and was scouting for enemies.

“...There was more to it, wasn’t there?” He asked quietly.

“...Darkstrider.” Elena said. “If you love someone...never go to bed angry.”

He blinked rapidly, trying to decipher the message. “...What does that-”

“A few days before…” She swallowed. “Before the battle, Tomko and I had a catastrophic fight, it almost ended us right there and then.” She looked up at him. “We...put it behind us, but so much was still left unsaid. So much tension. Tension I never let die.”

“What was the fight about?” He asked. He wanted to make a joke, but now was not the time.

“It was about...how do I say it? It was about our future.” She said. “Tomko did not want children, he made that very clear, and I thought I would agree but...I realized this after a while: I want to be a mother. I want to have children, have a family, have little ones of my own to raise.”

Ah. For some reason, that stung. Perhaps Tomko was still balking at it. “...Some things never change.” He said. “I’m not keen on fatherhood.”

She nodded. “When you said it would have ended between me and Tomko...I knew you were right.” She hugged herself. “Blyat’, did I not just say I no longer felt this guilt?”

He chuckled. “Elena, I may not be Tomko, but if you’ll allow me to speak for him…” He put a hand over his heart. “He holds no ill feelings towards you for wanting something so dearly. And he is...I am happy you found someone to share that dream with.” He hesitated. “Mox wants kids too, I assume?”

“He does.” She chuckled. “He said at least two. I said no more than three.”

“Your children will be a force of nature.” He blew a whistle. “Lookout world, the Dragons are hatching!”

“Oi, zatknis'.” Elena smirked and ran to catch up with her husband.

“Brother!” Gur-Rai called out as he knocked on the door to Dhar-Mon’s room, snickering to himself. Oh, his brother would be so pissed, probably rant for a bit about how “your body is a temple and tattoos are graffiti.” It was going to be amazing.

Instead of Dhar-Mon, though, Kon-Mai opened the door, covered in bits of cotton and with what looked like a hedgehog pillow pet in her arms. “You are home late, where were you?”

“Out.” He kissed his sister’s cheek as he walked in, and she grabbed him by the arm and pointedly put one on the top of his head, under which he squirmed.

“Flaunting your height, I see.”

“It is not my fault you are short.” She chuckled and sat back on the bed. Dhar-Mon was still in his pajamas, holding a stuffed horse and...something that kind of looked like a pancake.

“What’s that you’ve got, Brother?” Gur-Rai asked.

Dhar-Mon stood up, towering over the middle Chosen, and held it out proudly. “This is a gift for you, Brother, to protect you from the darkness while you sleep.”

Gur-Rai blinked, gently taking the...what was it? It looked like a bird, with really big wings and a fat, white head. “...Is this an eagle?”

“It is!” Dhar-Mon sounded relieved. “I was worried you would not recognize it!”

“I…” He laughed at the irony. “I love it, Dhar-Mon.” He looked up, staring right into his brother’s eyes. “It matches my tattoo~”

“Your what?” Kon-Mai snapped.

Gur-Rai tossed the stuffed eagle onto the bed and gently pulled off his sweater, then his undershirt, turning to reveal to them the eagle tattoo, wings spread wide across his neck.

His siblings stared at it for a good ten seconds, analyzing the carving drilled into their brother’s back.

“...I adore it.” Dhar-Mon proclaimed. “This art is reminiscent of the ancient human scribes! And the colors blend with your skin so well, Brother.”

Okay, that he hadn’t expected. Still, Gur-Rai felt a simmer of warmth as Dhar-Mon praised the artwork on his back. “I can’t take credit for this, Brother. The Reaper, Lars, did most of it.”

“Then Lars is a very talented artist.” Kon-Mai spoke up, her voice slightly softer. “Did it hurt?”

“Like a bitch.” He flinched as he put his undershirt back on. “And I have to keep it bandaged for a day.”

Kon-Mai nodded. “Will it need changing?”

“After the first day? No, I don’t think so. I have to wash it gently though.”

“If you so wish, I can assist you with that.” She sat back down, a slight smile on her face. “You seem so very happy, Brother.”

“Well, yes, I am.” He picked up the stuffed bird Dhar-Mon had lovingly made for him, and cuddled it close. “...You know, the eagle is the symbol of freedom.”

“So is a horse!” Dhar-Mon held up Glaucus. “And now we are free from the Elders. This is symbolic of our new lives.”

“Of course, Konnie had to go fuck it up. What’s a hedgehog supposed to be a symbol of?” Gur-Rai snickered.

Kon-Mai scowled. “A symbol of the pain I shall inflict upon you if you don’t shut your mouth.”

“Well you’re very prickly, Sister. It certainly suits you.” Gur-Rai laughed as she tossed the pillow at him.

Summary: This chapter begins with a snapshot of the Reaper’s daily lives outside of combat: Cruzita and Lars sit around the fire, discussing their former lives, and what will become of them when the war is over. Cruzita holds a deep hatred for aliens, and claims the war will not be over until all “these monsters” are dead. Back on the ship, Dhar-Mon is having trouble sleeping due to his fear of the dark, and Malinalli gives him a stuffed horse, Glaucus, to sooth his anxiety. Later, after he sleeps until 1:00 pm, Kon-Mai comes to check on her brother, and decides to teach him to sew by making stuffed animals together. We also see Gur-Rai and Elena’s wounds mostly healed, and as thanks for saving her, Elena invites Gur-Rai into Reaper territory to talk to Volk. They arrive and speak briefly with Lars and Cruzita, and find out Lars does tattoos, and that Elena has a tattoo of a dragon along her spine. Climbing the stairs of the Vermeer, the apartment building the Reapers are hiding in, Elena, Gur-Rai and Mox meet with Volk, who is not keen on having Gur-Rai there. After sending Elena and Mox outside, Volk reveals Tomko (the Reaper Gur-Rai was before he was taken) was actually named Genjiro, and Tomko was his surname. Following Volk kicking him out, Gur-Rai is consoled by Elena and Mox, who return with him to Lars, where he gets an eagle tattooed on his back. Once the tattoo is finished and the three leave to meet Firebrand, Gur-Rai and Elena talk more about the past: Elena reveals that she and Tomko had nearly broken up a few nights before he was taken, over the fact that Elena wanted children and Tomko did not. Returning home, Dhar-Mon presents Gur-Rai with a stuffed eagle he made, and the two poke fun at Kon-Mai’s hedgehog toy that she sewed herself.

(Hullo my dudes. I hope you’re all staying safe out there. This one was a cathartic one, even if there’s still a lot left unanswered and unspoken. But I think a big message of any XCOM fic you read, especially on this side of the river, is human or alien, anyone can change, and anyone can be kind. Just something to hold onto.)

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#xcom #xcom 2 war of the chosen #xcom 2 #xcom the chosen #chosen hunter #xcom outrider #xcom reapers

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slutforpoetryx · 6 years

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1-99

Thanks so much for all the entertainment cutie 💜💙1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk?Hmm I think it's pretty equal like a perfect combination of both. I don't like my cereal to be soggy or drown in milk but I also don't like it when it's "too hard" 😂 I like the right amount of crunch though 2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day?I love it, I really do. Those first few moments of being outside are super refreshing and awakening but after a while of being outside, well my face starts to numb so I don't even feel the wind anymore hahahaha3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books?I can only come up with 2 rn. I've used like tickets from the grocery store, even toilet paper 😂 oh wait I even once used a plastic ruler 4: how do you take your coffee/tea?I like my coffee with milk and 1 sugar cube, my tea either without sugar or 1 sugar cube but that depends on what kind of tea it is. I just don't like it too sweet but I also don't like too bitter so then I'll use 1 cube 🙂 as for the coffee though, I rarely drink regular like I prefer something mocha ish or coconut/bounty from a really good place in Leuven 5: are you self-conscious of your smile?Oh for sure, a little too much probably. I just think it looks weird or ugly. Also because I don't like my teeth, a few years back it was so intense I'd do everything to avoid smiling while showing my teeth. It was ridiculous. I did get over that in the sense that I don't pay attention to it anymore like I'm trying to show my teeth but I do still hate it 6: do you keep plants?Fake ones, orchids and we used to have cacti as well. We don't really do real plants anymore because we forget to water them and then it's just a sad waste. But I do love the fake ones a lot. They look real, brighten up the place and so on 🌵7: do you name your plants?I don't think I ever did 🤔8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings?Writing, definitely writing. I've always loved it, the paper doesn't judge yet you get to out what you feel and putting it into words, the mess of thoughts, can really straighten things out. I've been writing ever since I was around 14 so for about 6 years now. I don't do it as much as I used to but I still hold it dear ✒9: do you like singing/humming to yourself?Damn right I do!!! I sing and hum whenever I can, like no matter what I'm doing. Goes from cleaning to working for class to walking outside. At home they tell me to shut up though, since apparently my singing sounds like a cat dying ☺ luckily I still have the shower 10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach?I sleep on my back, side and stomach actually. It just really depends what I'm feeling that evening. Sometimes I can't fall asleep in a certain position and other days I can. It's weird really but I think my all time fav is like half stomach/half back. Also perfectly comfortable for the boobs.... Tmi sorry 11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends?Oh shit I don't know actually 🤔 hmmm probably how I got the nickname Nuno since it's like something only my friends know of and my man 12: what’s your favorite planet?I actually don't know that much about the planets. But mercury looks beautiful imo so imma go for that one 13: what’s something that made you smile today?I don't think I've smiled today 😂 waaaait no I did, when you sent me that you asked questions and then that you look forward to reading them oh wait a few things you said today made me smile actually 💕14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like?It would look modern but cozy and the old touch of it would be respected. There would be fake plants and carpets. Many pictures and art work up against the wall too. The kitchen would have a major rack of spices and herbs. Oh and a balcony with lights 🙂15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is!This is a dope one, the skin peeling off feet was pretty cool too though but I chose.....You become taller in Space. Another change to the human body in micro-gravity is that spine straightens out, as gravity is not pushing you down. In fact you can be up to as much as 5cm taller in the Space Station!!!16: what’s your favorite pasta dish?Definitely the pasta Arrabiata, the spice is just mmm 😩17: what color do you really want to dye your hair?I actually already have died my hair in colors I really wanted it to be. I've had red and blonde hair. For now I'm content with my own color but I might definitely change it up again at some point18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up.I've done so many dumb and funny things 😂 I am pretty sure the dumbest thing I've done that is always brought up is when me and my friends went on a trip for like a few days and I was drunk during the day, it was hot and we had tequila and what not so everything like worked a lot faster and heavier. But my friends had been flirting with some dudes there so I thought it was good to start cleaning our apartment so they could invite them over hahahaha I was a mess and I was vacuuming the couch that was covered in popcorn from the night before and it was just yeah, I still get laughed at for it 😂19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it?I've tried several times to keep an actual journal but for some reason it never really worked so I gave up on it 20: what’s your favorite eye color?Green, it's so special and mesmerizing. I've actually never seen the color irl cause it seems pretty rare and I also don't know many people but I just know and from what I've seen on pictures, it's the most perfect to me 😍21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces.It's like an eastpack lookalike for 10 euros, dark brown. I used it for everything. School, vacations, 1 day trips, festivals ... Honestly the quality was so bomb, actually still is cause I bought it a 2nd time 🙂 anyway, it ended up having holes at the bottom of the bag, it was ripping for real. The front pocket turned into a mess of melted throat tablets cause I put it against the heating next to me in class. Never opened it again. There were earphones in that and for some reason a spoon too 😂 I've been careful with it, thrown with it. Everything 22: are you a morning person?I wish I was, like I really wish I could get out of bed easily and start my day but instead I either don't wake up or I do as a zombie and need a lot of snooze moments 23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations?Watch tv series and movies, no doubt about it. It's my way of escaping life and I love it a lot 24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets?Yes there is, you 🙂25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into?I don't think I've ever broken into a place. Only an abandoned castle but it doesn't have doors so like..... But I've also had to climb through a window at home cause I forgot my key and no one was home so but does that even count idk26: what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit?Rn my black vans but I've only had them for over half a year now so it doesn't really count. However my first pair of vans ever when I was 12 something I wore with everything. They were my all time go to, super comfy and easy to put on. I wore them for years like at some point the side was coming loose and you vould see my socks like with both shoes even and I still wore them 😂 it was horrible, I was attached to them and couldn't let go. My mom had suggested throwing them away a couple of times but I refused. She eventually took matters into her own hands and threw them away. I fished them back and I still have them somewhere.....27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor?Vanilla mint or peppermint, either really 28: sunrise or sunset?I think both have their own charms really. I can't choose like the sunrise is the start of the day, early in the morning when the world is just waking up while a sunset is when everyone is coming alive. Both colors are vibrant, light up the soul 🌄🌅29: what’s something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing?I don't really know actually. I think it has to be when a friend of mine talks about how much he loves his gf, he absolutely adores her and like it's as if he's in heaven when he talks about her30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared?Yes, many times actually 31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks.Oh my... I love socks. I have so many different socks and it's just yes. I love weird socks, I have socks with a cactus on it but also with the brightest colors possible, dots all over or flowers. I had a period of time where I would wear 2 different socks 😂 I'm all about fluffy socks too to wear at home. I sleep with socks when my feet feel like ice cubes and I can't warm them up but halfway through the night I'll get crazy annoyed and take them off. White socks are weird and boring. They make me think of white dads wearing sandals..... 32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends.Have I ever been awake even after 3 with friends hahahahah oh wait I know. We were all asleep but I woke up once and found myself in like my own drool for some reason and I went like "oh fuck" so I moved my ass and made it seem like it wasn't from me just in case anyone would see it 😳33: what’s your fave pastry?Hmmm I love so many tbh. I think one of my favs is the one with frangipane in the middle like that shit is to die for. If they have it, guaranteed I'll pick that one 🤤34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it?I actually didn't have a stuffed animal, at least my fav wasn't one. I carried around a pillow case. My mom used to work at night and I couldn't fall asleep so my dad took my mom's used pillow case and put me to sleep with it. I never let it go again. It was white with blue stripes and I still have it. As for a stuffed animal, I did have one actually, called Stippel. A ladybug hahaha. I might still have it somewhere35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often?I do like those but never use them, I only use really simple and cheap pens because I don't write much anymore 36: which band’s sound would fit your mood right now?Hmm maybe A Day to Remember. Nothing too cheery but powerful or Papa Roach, same thing37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean?I like keeping it clean but rarely do so actually. Laziness gets the best of me 🙄38: tell us about your pet peeves!I think people desperately fishing for compliments is one and another is people making comments about another person's appearance. In the sense that it's often rude and with disregard of their feelings or the possible effects of it. I have more I think but these 2 come to mind right away 39: what color do you wear the most?Grey/black, I do try to wear more color since I've started to like that more and appreciate it too. However my closet is still mostly dark 40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you?I have a pair of earrings, cherries. My brother got them for me when I was younger, thought they looked cute and chose them for me. If I remember it right he even paid for it with the money he got for like birthdays etc so I cherish them dearly 41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving?That has to be "My favorite mistake", it's one of the last ones I remember reading. It's a really nice love story and also has a lot to do with letting your walls down and letting someone special in 42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it!I do actually, it's in Leuven. It's super tiny but it has like fake plants all over it and the front is entirely made of glass. There's a little bar and people can use iPads there. They have the best coffee I ever had tbh. Like so many special kinds too. They also have fresh smoothies and juices, along with a variety of tea43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with?My mom hahahaha 44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything?I actually don't remember a moment like that, things have been too much lately. Even in my sleep I haven't felt at peace 45: do you trust your instincts a lot?I never do actually or at least not a lot. I always think I'm wrong about everything and jusy have very little faith in myself and my abilities46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.I clogged the toilet, it was a shitty situation. I need to go to hell I swear 😂😂😂47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe?Lobster and goose liver, both include torture so I'm against it heavily. Have never and will never eat it 48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today?Probably the dark and being abandoned so yes both are still the same hahaha 49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought?I do like it actually and there's something very classy about records, I just love it. Hope to own one myself one day, a recordplayer. The last one I bought was for my mom actually, of Oscar and the wolf50: what’s an odd thing you collect?Screenshots ☺ hahahaha no idk I collected Little Petshop animals as a kid, Me to You bears and I still collect gems so 51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them?Robin Schulz & Richard Judge - Show me love 52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far?Oh the couple one where the guy looks at the 2nd girl and then the uh Joe Biden ones too idk many really 53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them?I've unfortunately never watched any of those but they are all on my list to watch actually, all classics and I love those 54: who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face?My mom's yesterday after leaving my dog at the vet.. She teared up badly55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point?I don't think I've ever done something truly dramatic to prove a point really 🤔 I don't recall anything at least56: what are some things you find endearing in people?- An amazing sense of humor- Listening skills- Care for animals- Adventure oriented- Respecting, being real- Honesty- ... 57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics?Hahahahaha this song always gets to me and does make me dramatically reenact the lyrics. I once sang this one with friends and we filmed it, tried to make our own music video on it. It was a flop for sure but we had the best time58: who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why?Jolien is the wine mom, also because she has a glass of wine often and I'm definitely the vodka aunt, it's me 😇 59: what’s your favorite myth?"According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves." - Plato 60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves?I love poetry, I've been quite busy with it myself at some point. I think Shakespeare's sonnets are some of my favs along With Edgar Allan Poe's. Both are true geniuses 61: what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received?I don't know if I've ever given a stupid gift, not to brag but I always go for something personal. Pick up on the things people mention and get them something like that so they're never really disappointed and also don't consider their gifts stupid. As for the stupidest I've ever received, I have no idea again. I'd say something like underwear but I actually love getting that so 🤷‍♀️ hahahaha 62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?I don't actually 63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be?My music I don't have organized, unless it's like a file on my laptop but my books are definitely all nicely put on their shelve and in a way that it goes from like the biggest book to the smallest 😂 so I'm not that strict but I also don't like for them to be in any other order than that so 64: what color is the sky where you are right now?Dark dark daaaaark blue. It's almost midnight so65: is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with?No one actually, I'm fine on my own and don't feel the need to hang out with anyone whatsoever66: what would your ideal flower crown look like?Pretty simple, faded pink with white or either bright/dark red with white. I think those are beautiful colors67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel?I love it even though it also scares me. It feels idk empty but like a peaceful kind, like the world has stopped spinning for a bit and you can really take a deep breath 68: what’s winter like where you live?It snows for like 3 days, the whole country is in panic. The ER is flooded, car accidents everywhere. The trains stop working and the busses don't show up. The rest is rain and cold 😂69: what are your favorite board games?Hmm monopoly, "mens erger je niet" (sorry don't know the English translation) and yahtzee 70: have you ever used a ouija board?No never and even though I'm curious, I'm also way too scared to try it because I believe in ghosts/spirits so much71: what’s your favorite kind of tea?Something forest fruit ish, it's perfect really. But I love many kinds. Citrus and red fruits, apple/cinnamon, earl grey, ...72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it?I definitely have to note things down but even that I often forget 😂 my organizing skills are uh not so present 73: what are some of your worst habits?Acting very childish is the worst one for sure. Aside from that leaving things messy and procrastinating are my other worst ones. Trying to work on all, bit by bit but old and bad habits die hard 😕74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns./ these are weird questions75: tell us about your pets!Vinkie: he's a bird that fell out of the nest into our garden but with the cats living here he would've quickly died so we took him in and took care of him, fed him and he's been with us for over 5 years now. Singing to us 🙂Whisper: he's an agapornis, mini parrot. He's something else. He makes a loooot of noise so his name is quite ironic. He has a big ass cage where he flies and climbs around in. Whenever there's music on he will whistle along. He jumps up when we walk by too fast but when the cat is sitting next to his cage he'll try to grab their tails 😂 same for the dogs.....Chanel: she's a rescue dog from Greece. She came to us as a foster but we all, my brother mostly, got attached to her so we decided to keep her. She's really smart, she knows how to open doors and even flip the keys. She follows her nose wherever it takes her, even if that means jumping over a 1m50 gate and take herself for a walk. We run after her nearly daily but she's a sweetheart. She adores to cuddle and is extremely soft. She's also made of elastic and has a crazy flexibilityIdéfix: my little man. Tossed in a dumpster in a plastic bag, comes from Spain. He's a real cutie, will do whatever to be able to be close to me and lie on my lap. He's also a little bastard that knows exactly how to jump on the table, dressoir, chairs and garden table. He snores and sighs like the cutest. He loves fruit and even pickles Sky: she's a cane corso, big girl. But a real sweety too. She loves cuddles and if she could then she would get on my lap as well which she actually does. She uses her size to her advantage to sit on top of Idéfix to get his spot. She drools like crazy when waiting for her food. She adores snow and waterAtalo: the boss at home. He's Idéfix's best friend. He's a very loyal dog, sometimes stubborn asf though. He is very gentle and will always take a treat with his tongue and not his teeth. He watches over his pack like a real guard dog and when crying he will wipe the tears away. He comes from Greece Lucky: we took her home with us when we went on a trip to Greece. She was only 2 weeks old and we bottle fed her. She's a real badass. She will smack me to let me know she needs food and she yells to get inside or go outside. She like sleeping under blankets close to whoever she's sharing the bed withJoy: she's a bully, she will slap the others when they walk by and she bites everyone who pets her but asks to be pet. She's a little fatty and looks really funny when she runs. Occasionaly she gets on my lap for cuddlesKyoko: I can carry her around like a baby and she will attack when I try to put her down cause she doesn't want that. She's really sweet and tries to cuddle with the dogs when they're near her. She does kinda live at the back of the house cause the rest is too busy for her 76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t?I guess summarizing but I wanted to take a break so I guess I don't have to do anything rn and can answer these questions to keep myself entertained and distracted 77: pink or yellow lemonade?Yellow well or orange 78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?Fanclub, they're fucking adorable and clumsy. I get why some might get annoyed by the little guys but I mean come on, they're just animated movie characters like the fuss was a bit too extreme 79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you?The person I love most has done many cute things for me. Took a picture of 2 flowers that reminded him of us. But he also writes stories, one in particular about Poppy and Wormy which warmed my heart. His entire presence is the cutest thing ever to me 🍅80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?They're dark brown, light green and cream color. I chose all because of their earthly tones and idk I like having warm, calming tones. Green also used to be my absolute fav color 81: describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of./ again really odd and I don't even remember their eyes..... Woops 82: are/were you good in school?I used to be in elementary, then started slacking once high school started. Got better again, started slacking again. Graduated high school, barely. Then dropped out of uni and trying to make it in college rn so we'll see how "good" I am once the exams have passed83: what’s some of your favorite album art?/84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones?I'm not planning on anything, even though I'm always thinking of it because of the love I have for tattoos but rn idk, I need to be more sure before I can say I have an actual idea. I want it to be meaningful but also not mainstream85: do you read comics? what are your faves?I don't hahaha, I'd love to one day though 86: do you like concept albums? which ones?I'm pretty sure idek what those are. Lemme google real quick, ok do I don't know any but the idea seems really cool to me 87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives?Every single Disney classic obviously. But also uhm 🤔 88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy?Is Banksy a movement? 🤔 cause then yes, aside from that I really have no idea how to interpret this question so please bare with my stupidity 89: are you close to your parents?I am really close with my mom, a lot more distant with my dad but it's okay90: talk about your one of you favorite cities.Venice; it's so dreamy there. It's almost unreal like the lives are so different there. The streets are made out of water most of the time, everything goes by boat or on foot. It's so beautiful like the buildings are really something else, incredible architecture. Very colorful and the little gardens here and there brighten it up. But also the squares are super cozy, benches and trees everywhere, surrounded by houses. When I went there it was raining so everyone was walking around with all different kinds of umbrellas, in the small streets there was the occasional bump and hair drag. I loved the small stores, they sell beautiful masks there that made me dream of a masked ball. And the food, my god the food 😩91: where do you plan on traveling this year?Nowhere unfortunately hahaha but it's okay, have many more years to come so I can wait 92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch?When I was little I didn't want aaaaaany cheese on my pasta and at this point in my life I prefer to drown my pasta in it. Just the way it melts ugh fuck it's perfect 🍝🧀93: what’s the hairstyle you wear the most?Loose hair, sometimes a ponytail or a bun 94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday?My mom, the 17th of December 😍🎉🎈95: what are your plans for this weekend?Studying my ass off for the upcoming exams that I'm extremely anxious about but oh well, can't escape it.... Unfortunately 🙄96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot?The last update I procrastinated for nearly 3 months.... So you tell me HAHAHAHA I know it takes hours and usually when I'm on my laptop, I really need it right then and there so it sucks and then I forget. The update took 4 hours so, you get it 97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house?Myer Briggs type: INFPZodiac sign: Aquarius Hogwarts house: I like to believe I'm Gryffindor 98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?I can't remember the last time I went hiking, I think it's been almost 2 years, yes something like that. When I went to Italy in 201699: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them.- Tell me you love me by Demi Lovato- I'll be good by Jaymes Young - Love the way you lie by Rihanna & Eminem- OK by Robin Schulz & James Blunt- Praying by Kesha- High hopes by Kodaline.... I love you 💙

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