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riverboundao3ff · 4 years

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Riverbound, Chapter 15

Your name is MALLEK ADALOV and you think you might have to stop your friend from committing murder.

One moment everything is totally perfect (or at least better than it’s been in some time): your favorite person in the whole world is here in your arms, your foreheads pressed together, their beautiful eyes shining with warmth and affection, and now…

Well.

They’re not screaming or running for the door with weapons drawn or anything, they’re just… silent. Cold. Something in the way their face is set is so unnerving and completely unlike anything you’ve seen from them before. It’s a little scary to watch.

You need to bring them back to reality. “You know that guy?”

They grimace. “Unfortunately. His name’s Zebruh Codakk, and he’s the worst kind of sleazy, manipulative, preformative lowblood ally on this whole planet. Honestly, what the hell did Scratch have me on when I made friends with that dude?”

“Is he dangerous?”

“He likes to invite vulnerable, hiveless lowbloods into his ugly-ass mansion under the guise of hospitality and then just… have them slave away for him. What other choice do they have? What can they do, call the drones?” they spit. “Diemen and that girl with the broken leg are definitely in there.”

Anger rises up inside of you, hot and wild, but you push it back down and force yourself to think rationally about this whole situation. Alright, so a gross, potentially dangerous highblood has your buddy, some injured little kid, and who knows how many others in his prison-hive. Storming the place and demanding Codakk release them is out of the question. You’d just get the drones called on your ass, and even though you wouldn’t get culled because of your place on the hemospectrum you’d still get a mark on your record. Things would turn out even worse for your dear friend.

“We can’t do this alone,” the alien says just as you come to the same conclusion.

You bite your lip. “Will your… group be up for it?”

“Taking down somebody who willingly and happily abuses his power over lowbloods? They better be. Or I’m going in there myself.” Determination lights them up from the inside out. Your bloodpusher skips a beat as the moonlight coming in through the blinds touches their pale skin to a thousand different colors of pink and green and gold.

You hop up from your chair. “Not without me you’re not.”

The alien beams up at you, and you really want to kiss them but now’s not the time. Man, if Snakedad is watching you from the afterlife you just know the old guy is cussing you out for letting your bloodpusher do the thinking. This strange, incredible person is going to be the death of you, but for some reason you can’t bring yourself to care.

:::

Everything moves pretty quickly after that.

You let the alien borrow your palmhusk to text Tyzias, who contacts everybody else to let them know what’s going on. If this is going to work, the rebellion is going to need all hands on deck and a ton of good luck. This isn’t going to be like the stuff they’ve done in the past-- you hacking into whatever mainframe as a favor, or having that goldblood-oliveblood duo blow something up. This was going to be an actual face-to-face confrontation.

The teals have class all night, and according to Daraya there’s no way she and Lanque can sneak out at the moment, leaving you and the alien to sleep the day away so you don’t go insane from anticipation.

:::

The following night everybody meets up at Tyzias’s hive to discuss the game plan, exchange weapons, and in a couple of cases sweep the alien up into a bone-crushing hug.

“You will not BELIEVE how much we missed you!” the oliveblood, Konyyl, bellows. It’s a damn good thing your friend’s ribs are healed, because the strength of the hug they’re receiving from the girl would have definitely caused some damage if they weren’t.

“I don’t think they’re breathing,” her goldblood partner notes. What’s his name again? Addara? Ajadda? He kind of looks like an anime villain, but he’s got some sick-looking tech on his person that you’re already itching to ask him about. “Yo, shorty. Blink twice if you need help.”

“I’m okay,” the alien wheezes. They pat a giant muscle on Konyyl’s left shoulder before being set down.

“You better be! We were worried sick about you!”

“I wasn’t.”

“Yes you were, you FUCKING LOSER.”

“Okay, maybe I was a little concerned after you didn’t show up for flavordisk dinner…”

The alien just laughs and pats his arm. “I missed you too, ‘Daja.”

“Hmph.”

Polypa shows up just as Tagora and Lanque start getting into a heated discussion about horn care. You both nod to each other-- you don’t really know her that well, but if she’s your crush’s moirail then she’s cool.

The sound of somebody clapping their hands together several times catches your attention. “Okay, bitches and bastards of the jury, listen up!”

You turn to see Daraya and Tyzias standing on the loungeplank. You’ve met Tyzias a few times before through Tirona, but you’ve never had a chance to talk directly with Daraya.

How old is she? Six? Whew, you just know this kid is gonna get a good ass-whoopin’ from Ursama when she gets back to the caverns.

Konyyl snorts. “What’s the gender-neutral version of a bitch or a bastard? Bitchtard?”

“Both bitch and bastard are gender-neutral. Trust me, I’m non-binary,” the alien says.

“Okay, cool.”

Daraya rolls her eyes. “The plan is simple. Our dearest off-worlder friend shows up at Codakk’s doorstep looking to catch up. They locate Xicali, the chick with the broken leg, and if possible, where the rest of the prisoners are being kept. Thanks to our tech-savvy associate Azdaja, we will know where the alien is at all times. Once they give the signal, we break in through the windows, find them and the prisoners, and escape before the drones are called.”

The alien raises their hand. “What’s the signal gonna be?”

“How about something cool? Like, ‘Rebellion, attack!’ or something like that?” Konyyl suggests eagerly.

“No!” Daraya yells, throwing her hands up in the air. “Just… whatever feels right, okay? It doesn’t have to be anything complicated!”

“How about ‘My trauma is chronic, my ass is iconic’?” Lanque offers.

The alien bursts out laughing. “Oh, yes, I am so using that.”

“That’s not cool enough!”

“Can we please focus?” Gorjek begs.

“Fine, fine. How are we dealing with Zebruh’s lusus? It’s a horse… zebra… thing,” your friend explains lamely. “I dunno but he’s big and strong.”

“Lanque and I will handle the lusus, we’ve been doing that stuff since we were little. Konyyl, Azdaja, and Stelsa will all be taking on Codakk if things get messy. The alien, Polypa, Tagora, Mallek, and Tyzias will help the prisoners get to safety,” Daraya explains.

“Of course, things are subject to change,” Stelsa adds.

“Yep.”

“All of you need to be ready for anything. We don’t know what’s in that hive of Codakk’s, and we don’t know what tricks he’s got up his sleeve,” Tyzias says, looking each and every person in the eye. “This is unlike anything we’ve ever done before. But we’re strong, we outnumber him, and most importantly, we’ve got a teleporting alien on our side.”

“The teleporting alien is a big advantage,” Tagora agrees.

“Yeah…” Your friend shuffles from foot to foot, looking a little uncomfortable. “And guys? I know Zebruh is a piece of shit, but let’s keep the violence to a minimum, okay? No killing unless… unless absolutely necessary. Please.”

Konyyl and Azdaja groan in annoyance, and you give them both a sharp look. They quickly shut their mouths and nod to the alien.

Sometimes, highblood privilege just isn’t something you can bring yourself to resent.

“Alright, folks.” Tyzias claps her hands together with an eerie smile. “Let’s go show this nooksniffer exactly what we think of him.”

Azdaja helps the alien fit the mic to the inside of their ear, and off you all go. The ten of you are a formidable force, but that doesn’t stop you from feeling a twinge of nervousness as you head down the sidewalk, breaking up into small groups to avoid suspicion from other people. A bunch of all highbloods or a bunch of all lowbloods together wouldn’t be a problem, but a group of trolls from all across the hemospectrum? That’s bound to raise a few brows.

You manage to slide in next to the alien and Polypa. “So, how’d you two meet?”

The pair glances at each other, and your friend giggles. “Well…”

“They helped me out of a sticky situation during an assignment of mine. We ended up going on a pretend date, which kind of turned into a real date. Then we just… never stopped, I guess,” Polypa mutters, amusement making her smile and bump her moirail’s shoulder.

“Huh. That’s actually kinda cute,” you admit. “What was the assignment?”

“Well, I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”

Her tone is casual, but you know without a trace of doubt that she’s being completely serious. “Got it.”

Up ahead, Lanque turns his head ever so slightly and mouths assassin.

If you hadn’t known Lanque and his body language for several sweeps before now you wouldn’t have seen anything, but you did, and the knowledge makes you lowkey nervous. Your friend is safe with Polypa, right? You know they’re capable of bringing out the gentle side of some crazy dangerous people, but to be actually dating a frickin’ assassin is a whole other game.

“You can tell him how you stabbed me when you tried to kill Tagora,” Lanque calls back.

“You can tell him how you bit my arm so hard it cracked the bone,” Polypa shoots back with a sneer.

“Sounds like a personal problem.”

“I hope you have nerve damage in your shoulder.”

“You have nerve damage in your thinkpan--”

“Guys,” the alien huffs. Amazingly, they both shut up.

The rest of the walk to Codakk’s hive doesn’t get any less tense, but the distance between everybody shrinks until you’re all walking together as a single group. You, Lanque, Stelsa, and Konyyl take the lead. All around you, the properties are getting bigger and fancier. Snakedad once told you that this area would have been your home had you not insisted on your apartment. You kind of want to go back in time to give your younger self a high-five for not being a pretentious motherfucker like these losers.

“We can swing by Elwurd’s after and see if she’ll let us get drunk,” the alien suggests.

A general murmur of agreement rises up from the rebellion, before everybody turns to look at each other in confusion.

“... Do we all know Elwurd?” Daraya asks.

Azdaja blinks in surprise. “I know Elwurd.”

“I know Elwurd,” Lanque agrees.

“Same here,” Tagora says.

“Who knows more people? The alien, or Elwurd?” you joke.

“Don’t compare two extroverted legends,” the alien boasts. “Oh, okay. We’re almost there.”

You turn to look around Konyyl to see a sprawling hive perched on top of a hill. It’s sleek, modern, and so cringeworthy to even look at you audibly groan.

“I bet this dude pays somebody to wipe his ass,” Azdaja snickers.

“And jerk him off at the same time,” Konyyl adds.

Tyzias clasps the alien’s shoulder and turns to fully face them. She looks worried but proud. “You got this. Is the mic all set?”

“Testing, testing, one two three,” Azdaja mutters into his headpiece. “You read me, alien?”

“Loud and clear, my guy,” your friend assures him. “Can you hear me?”

“Sure can.”

“Epic.”

Daraya gives a rare smile. “All right, everybody spread out in the thicket. Let’s smash the highblood supremacy!”

The rebellion does just that. You end up going along with Azdaja and Konyyl, because when shit hits the fan you want to be the first one to know and the first one inside the hive. Konyyl seems a little wary when you crouch down in the bushes with her and the goldblood, but Azdaja just smirks at you before muting his mic.

“... What?” you ask suspiciously.

“Is it hard, simping for the alien? I mean, it’s pretty obvious you don’t wanna be here. Think you’re gonna score some if you pretend to give a shit about lowbloods?” he jeers.

You hiss as loudly as you dare. “My friend’s in there, asshole. You really think I wouldn’t be sticking my neck out like this if I didn’t give a shit?”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

Konyyl coughs into the crook of her elbow. “Ooh, burn.”

“As for the alien, you’re gonna be eating your words when I get in their red quadrant,” you say boldly. “In fact, we almost kissed before all of this went down.”

Azdaja just laughs. “You’re cute… for a cerulean. But if you knew anything about them you’d know that humans don’t do quadrants. Sure, they’re dating the assassin chick, but that’s just ‘cause it’s platonic. There’s only one more opening for a romantic partner after that.”

Something like fear freezes you in place. What?! Oh, no!

You swallow around the dryness in your throat. “Shouldn’t you be focused on what the alien and Codakk are up to?”

“Relax. They’re just catching up at the moment.”

Don’t fucking lose it, Adalov. Save it for fighting. “Tell you what. Since you obviously think I’m not good enough for them-- which I’m probably not, I’ll be honest-- let me take on Zebruh. Alone. Then you’ll see that I really care about lowbloods and our friend.”

Azdaja and Konyyl look at you, then at each other, and then back to you before simultaneously grinning like purrbeasts who got into the cream.

“He’s all yours. Good luck, true blue,” Azdaja agrees. He actually looks impressed, which sends a hot thrill into your guts.

Konyyl nods thoughtfully. “Ten boonbucks says the punk gets pulverized.”

“Twenty.”

“Twenty-five.”

“... You do know this is your money, right?”

“What happened to ‘what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is yours-’?”

“Wait!” Azdaja stiffens, signaling for his partner to be quiet. “Shh. Something’s up.”

Both you and the oliveblood are instantly on edge. Azdaja cups his ear to hear the mic better. None of you move or speak for several moments.

Finally, Azdaja nods. “Get ready. The alien just said something about a… guests’ quarters.”

“The prisoners,” Konyyl growls. You nod.

“Adalov, text the others. Tell them to charge at my command.”

You want to clock him right in his nasty rat face for ordering you around, but you keep it cool and do as he says. Immediately, you receive a string of affirmations from everybody. Not for the first time, you’re amazed at how a bunch of trolls from all different castes and walks of life could come together for a common cause. Sure, some of these people made you want to jump off the roof of a tall building, but hey. What’s comradery if not lowkey wanting to punch the fuckers you hang out with every now and then?

Azdaja surges to his feet and wheezes out a laugh. “Now! Oh, man, they actually took Lanque’s suggestion, that’s funny--”

You shoot off the go-ahead in the group chat and take off in a dead sprint. The three of you chose a spot that was fairly close to the back of the hive, so as far as you’re aware you’re the first one to reach it. What you’re currently charging is the basement, which is good for what you’re about to do.

A few body-lengths away, you choose one of the windows, brace yourself, and dive in horns-first.

The glass shatters with minimal resistance. You land in a roll before stumbling to your feet, ignoring the little pricks of pain in your knees from glass splinters. Thankfully the basement stairs are like, right there, so you take five at a time right on up and bust through the door--

right into the kitchen, scaring the piss out of some poor bronzeblood.

He yelps in terror and jumps back, dropping the laundry he’s carrying to shield his face. “Gah! Please don’t hurt me!”

“I’m here to help,” you promise. “Where’s Codakk?”

“U-Upstairs!”

“Thanks. If you want to leave this place, now’s your chance.”

“Wait, what-?”

You’d love to stay a little while longer and help the poor kid get his stuff and go, but somebody must have triggered an alarm, because a shrill ringing hits your ears the second you hear another window shatter.

Ah, shit. Here we go. You scramble out of the kitchen, nearly tripping over your own shoelaces. Out of the corner of your eye you see Polypa ushering a trio of rustbloods out the front door. All three of them looked like they haven’t slept or showered in nights.

Across the huge living room is another set of stairs, this one carved from some kind of fancy stone. You fly up them, bloodpusher racing, only to realize once you reach the second floor that you have no idea where you’re going.

“Ow, Zebruh! Let go of me, dammit!”

You run around the nearest corner, and you skid to a halt as you face a long hallway lined with numerous rooms.

And trying to wrangle your friend into one of them is Zebruh Codakk.

They snarl and kick at his knees, even as the indigoblood’s claws draw blood from their arms. “Don’t shove me around! I’ll teleport you into a black hole, bitch!”

“I’m trying to protect you, you tiny bastard-!” Zebruh hisses before shoving them way too hard into the doorframe.

The alien’s head hits the wood with a thunk and they collapse in a heap on the floor.

You’re not sure what happens immediately after that, but when you regain all of your senses you’re tearing into this guy like it’s your last chance to beat anybody’s ass. There’s dark blue blood on your hands. Somebody snarls like a wild barkbeast, and it isn’t until you take a big bite out of an ear and taste cold that you get that it’s you.

Zebruh kicks you off him. He’s wide-eyed with shock, or at least he is until he focuses on you and he screeches in rage. “What the fuck!”

“You’re gonna regret ever putting your disgusting hands on them,” you spit, rising to your feet. “Trolls like you make highbloods everywhere look like monsters. But I bet you’ll never even realize that for all your pretend support for lowbloods, you’ll always be a nobody.”

“They’re my friend too! And who are you to say that? You’re just some privileged cerulean!” Zebruh shoots back.

“Oh, shut up,” you snort.

A pained whimper rises from behind you, and you glance back to see the alien using the wall for support as they get back up. Their head looks fine, thank Gog, but they look concussed. You want to rip Codakk’s head from his shoulders.

“Zebruh, don’t you… don’t you get it? We’re here to help the lowbloods you trapped in here,” they manage to say.

“What? They’re not trapped! I’m helping them by giving them a place to stay!” Codakk protests. “Look, I’m sorry I shoved you too hard, I should have known you’re too weak--”

“I. Am. Not. Weak,” they snarl, taking you by surprise. Hazel eyes flash with anger. “You have no idea what I’m capable of. I’m gonna help take down this shitty society, for starters. I’m gonna make it better for everyone, even assholes like you! Because I care, Zebruh!”

“Babe, that’s treason-!”

“Don’t call me babe. There’s only one guy who gets to call me that.” They push off the wall and raise their head defiantly.

At the end of the hallway, you see the others starting to gather to watch the showdown. Zebruh’s ears pin back-- or at least the one that isn’t completely shredded. He’s starting to look desperate. He knows he’s outnumbered, and it fills you with utter glee.

“I’m just doing what’s best for everybody. Because of my status I can help lowbloods reach their full potential. It’s just the natural order of things,” he tells the alien.

They laugh without humor. “The natural order of what? Slavery? Oppression? You became the exact thing you say you hate and you don’t even know it.”

“I-!”

“No. This ends tonight.”

Zebruh slinks back in terror. “What… what happened to you? You used to be so kind. We had something, I know we did.”

Your hear Lanque howl with laughter. “As if you’d ever be good enough for them!”

“Seriously,” Polypa snickers. Everybody else joins in, and despite the soreness of getting clawed up by an indigoblood you feel stronger than you’ve ever felt before.

“Listen to me,” the alien orders. “I never wanted it to be like this! I tried to get you to understand, but you refuse to even hear the voices of people who you say you care so much about. Maybe you’ll get it eventually. But I’m leaving now. Polypa, is everybody out?”

“They are.”

“Good.”

They limp back towards the group. You quickly catch up to them and let them lean against you for support.

“I thought we were friends!” Zebruh pleads. There’s actual sadness in his voice, and it’s music to your ears. “I thought…”

The alien turns and glares back at him. “You are not my friend. You never were.”

It’s just two sentences, but they carry an infinite amount of weight coming from them. You feel like you’ve been sucker punched even though you’re not the unlucky guy on the receiving end of those horrible words.

Damn.

The rebellion leaves triumphant, but that doesn’t stop you from noticing the tears trickling down the alien’s face, every bit as harsh to your bloodpusher as acid rain.

#daaammmmnnnn #homestuck #hiveswap #pesterquest #hiveswap friendsim trolls #riverbound #mspa reader #the guardian #the rebellion #hell yeah #c15

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