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a-lonely-tatertot · 3 years

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Finding Home

A/N: HIIIIIII IM BACK BOIS! Anyways this is a shorter chapter I didn’t wanna mess with outline so you get tiny chapter. sooo woot woot for like barely 2k words? But like the doc im writing this on is at like 19k and 29 pages i am in shock. trying to get back a consistent updating with this so uh yeah dont keep your hopes up tho- working on ch. 7 rn hope you enjoy! As always betaed by the glorious @bookwyrminspiration

words: 2208

tw: none

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Chapter 6: These Secrets Stain Us Red

They had gotten off the bus at the last stop before Kull, stepping out into the cold air. Sophie glanced at the trees in the distance turning orange and yellow. Distantly, she remembered when she was younger this was her favorite season, how the leaves would fall and crunch at her feet, and how it was actually somewhat bearable to be outside. She smiled at the memory as she held Linh’s hand, walking quickly to the gas station, her stomach already grumbling.

“Linh?” a voice called from behind them as they stood in line. Linh swung around, trying to find the source of who called her, nearly startling Sophie into almost dropping her water. The mystery person stepped out from behind a small cluster of people with an overly energetic wave. “Linh! It is you!” he called.

Sophie watched as Linh’s eyes landed on the man and her whole expression shifted. As opposed to the man’s own happiness, Linh seemed to put a wall between her real emotions and the rest of the world, her face betraying nothing. “Hey, Sameul!” Linh said in pretend excitement; Sophie knew that her words carried an undertone of malice.

This Sameul was not the man Sophie had seen in the memories, but from Linh’s reaction, he seemed to probably be involved in whatever Linh was in.

“That’s me,” Sameul responded, clearly not getting Linh’s annoyance like Sophie was. “Geez, it’s been what, how many months since I last saw you?”

“Yeah it’s been a while,” Linh said, her shoulders rigid and her jaw set. Who the heck is this guy? she thought. Their name was called and Sameul followed them to go pick up their food. Sophie tried not to feel trapped with the way Linh’s eyes darted.

Sameul smiled ruefully, “Last time I saw you you had a little backpack and were running out the door in the middle of the night.” Linh took in a sharp breath and stuttering to a halt, her tray of food almost dropping. Sophie raised her eyebrows, more confused than ever. There was a beat then a sharp ring interrupted the weighted silence and Linh’s eyes widened with relief.

“Oh Sam, I’m sorry, that’s her sister calling. She’s really gotta take that. Why don’t you come with me?” Linh asked, more of a command than a suggestion. Reluctantly, Sophie pressed accept on her phone, ready to unleash the crazy whirlwind of shit that she had found out on one completely unprepared Amy. “What up checking in blame Tina she was worried,” Amy said, boredom concealing her concern.

“Uhuh sure Tina was worried,” Sophie chuckled. “Anyways, Linh is being super suspicious.”

Amy made a startled noise, “O-okay then so not well.”

Sophie nodded even though Amy couldn’t see her, “Yup, also uh side note, totally did not watch another one of her memories.” “Sophie! It’s like you’re trying to do it on purpose!”

“It was an accident I swear!”

“Mhm, yeah, definitely.”

Sophie grumbled, “Oh screw off. Anyway, I was in this bathroom and her knuckles were all bloody like she had punched something. And then this guy came in and said that she wasn’t allowed to be reckless anymore, but from what I saw it was like she was living with some other runaway people I guess?”

Amy was silent for a moment. “Well damn.”

“Yeah,” Sophie agreed. “You shoulda seen her when this guy recognized her while we were getting food; she got like scary tense and for a moment I thought she was gonna water power him.” “Water power him? Really? That’s what you’re calling it?” Amy said. Sophie could practically hear her raising her eyebrow. “At that point just call it water bending.”

“I refuse to call it that.”

“How dare you; you’ve disrespected our childhood.” Sophie laughed. “But seriously,” Amy continued, and she knew she wasn’t going to like what she was going to say next, “Soph, what happened to telling her about the memories? Instead, you just spied more.” “She’s the one with the sketchy past!”

“That you don’t have any right to!”

“She’s been weird and I need to figure out why. Once I do I’ll tell her everything.”

“No, you don’t need to figure it out yourself! You need to talk to her and she will tell you if she’s ready to.” “Don’t tell me what to do Amy. She lied to me. The first night we were together we talked about how we got here and she lied to me like it never happened.”

“This isn’t war Sophie. Just because you’re scared, just because she lied doesn’t mean you get to invade her privacy. She’s not the enemy Sophie, she’s your girlfriend.”

Sophie hung up and her phone buzzed twice more while she watched Linh walk back over to her. This wasn’t Amy’s problem, this wasn’t Amy’s life, so screw her for trying to tell her what to do. She had the abilities and she was sure as hell going to use them. “Sam left,” Linh said with a clearly fake smile. “Said he should probably get back on the bus and didn’t want to intrude.”

At that Sophie raised an eyebrow, she didn’t need to use her telepathy to know it was a lie.

Stepping on the bus felt like placing the weight of the world on her shoulders. She knew that man was something to Linh, or Linh was something to him; maybe he was what Linh was running from. She didn’t have regrets when she reached carefully out to Sameul’s mind and glanced at what he said to Linh. Maybe she should’ve regretted it, but she couldn’t bring herself to. She needed to know, when she had left the Lost Cities it was her way of saying “I will not be lied to even if it seems better that way”. So much had been kept from her and here she was, getting things from the source instead of waiting for someone to tell her.

The words, “You haven’t changed Linh,” rang in her ears as she pulled back, not letting any emotions show on her face as Linh followed behind her. Linh didn’t say anything so Sophie didn’t say anything and they settled into a tense silence as the bus around them buzzed with noise. Sophie tried to think of something to say as the words played on repeat in her head but Linh beat her to it.

“You never told me much about Mari, about what she means to you,” Linh said. Each word seemed rehearsed as if she had said it in her head a thousand times before speaking the words into existence. “I didn’t know you cared,” Sophie responded quickly before she could think it through.

“Tell me about Mari?” Linh asked softly.

Despite what Sophie was hiding from Linh and what Linh was hiding from her, she couldn’t stop herself from talking. The words may have meant nothing as she rambled on about her life there, only meant to be a distraction, but she let them spill from her lips without hesitation. She talked of Tommy, Angie, and Mari, of her weekly game nights, of the regulars at the diner. The people she had come to love yet when the time came she didn’t hesitate to leave ‘cause she was scared. Scared of the permanence of it, scared she’d lose herself in the dream of it. And how when she burned those bridges all she felt was a gaping hole in herself. As she talked she thought of the people she had left in the Lost Cities; how she burned it all like she had when she was young and reckless and angry burning her mark, the moonlark, into the ground desperate to prove something, desperate to mean something. But now she was afraid of that, tearing everything to shreds, burning it to ashes because she didn’t know how to mean something to someone. She thought of what Amy had said and briefly wondered if she would ever be able to just talk about something instead of treating everything as a mystery she was destined to solve. Eventually, her words lulled Linh to sleep and she let out a soft sigh of contentment as she laid her head on Sophie’s shoulder. Sophie glanced at Linh, only allowing herself a quick look at her girlfriend’s soft and relaxed face before staring out the window watching the gravel pass, not allowing herself time for her guilt and sadness to rise. She wasn’t allowed those feelings. With every fiber of herself Sophie dreaded and couldn’t wait for the moment they stepped off of the bus into Kull, the town with as weird of a name as people.

An hour later, as the sun started to fall behind the trees and the sky began to turn dark, that moment came and Sophie found her entire body filled with anxiety. They made their way to the front, Sophie in front of Linh, her hand stretched behind her holding Linh’s hand like a lifeline.

They were the only ones getting off and within seconds they were left standing on the dirt road, the bus was long gone. The air was cold, and the wind blew lightly, tossing around Sophie’s ponytail. Neither spoke to the other, standing in silence, staring at the buildings in front of them. It felt like they’d break a spell if they moved, if they talked, so Sophie didn’t. But Linh did (a spell didn’t need to last an eternity in her mind, just for the moment that it was intended for). Linh squeezed Sophie’s hand three times, dragging her out of her haze to stare at Linh confused.

“It’s a human thing,” Linh said sheepishly. Distantly Sophie remembered Amy teaching her, three squeezes, “I love you”. Four squeezes back and Sophie had said, “I love you too.” She didn’t have time to think if it was a lie because with that she started walking, entirely on autopilot, the familiar route to Mari’s house ingrained in her mind. It was after hours, so there’d be no point going to the diner. So she dragged Linh down main street, taking a left about halfway down, and then it was another block til she found herself outside the door on the white porch of the bright mobile home with her whole body buzzing. It was almost too much to be there; staring at it again it was like nothing had changed. But something had, because she didn’t have a key, and so she knocked with all of the impulsive courage she had left.

Three rapid knocks.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five seconds.

The door opened with a creak.

It wasn’t Mari.

There was a man, about her height, hair pulled in a bun and silver bangs over glasses. He was familiar, why was he familiar? Linh drew in a harsh breath of air and squeezed Sophie’s hand as tight as she could. That was when the puzzle pieces fell into place. That’s when it all made sense. The man standing in front of her was someone she hadn’t seen in two years other than in the memories she had unrightfully stolen from him. The man standing in front of her, still with his signature silver, was Tam Song.

Amy’s phone buzzed next to her, pulling her away from rereading her homework question for the eight time. Ever since Sophie’s call and her following silence Amy couldn’t focus; she tried to distract herself, and pulled herself away from texting Linh and telling her everything Sophie had told her. It’s not my place, she would think. It’s not part of the plan. Her phone unlocked and she slowly processed the photo and message. It was a picture of Sophie leaning her back against the gas station with her hand holding her phone to her ear. It was just like her co-conspirators to be that dramatic they had to send a photo too.

-Operation Collect the Dumbasses-

Braincell Holder: You know we heard that call. Pure of Heart Dumb of Ass: I thought we said that I would start this conversation? No Thoughts Head Empty: Yeah well you took too long. Braincell Holder: Not the Point. The Mental Stability: And the Point? This felt too pointed, Amy thought. Way too pointed and directed at her. Her phone buzzed again. Braincell Holder: Having second thoughts? Only slightly, Amy thought, but no no this needed to happen. The Mental Stability: No Pure of Heart Dumb of Ass: Thank the fucking ancients we can move on No Thoughts Head Empty: We’ve got a Phase 3 to begin

Phase 3, which they already had planned, would be the hardest to set up. Everything had to be just the right timing and just the right place.

Incoming call from Braincell Holder

Amy smiled as she accepted the call and long red hair popped into the frame. “Where is she?” Amy asked.

The redhead grinned, “She’ll be here in a minute, you know how Mrs. Sparkly Justice is; she’s got meetings but she said she’s got a friend who wants to help.”

Amy smiled, their little band of conspirators and their plan was working better than she could’ve imagined.

“So,” Amy said, “Where do we start?”

#appologies for italics i missed #tumblr was being shitty and i wasn't gonna do it all #kotlc #keeper of the lost cities #amy foster #sophie foster #kotlc fic #kotlc fan fic #solinh #tam song #finding home #tater writes #kotlc sophie #kotlc amy #kotlc linh #kotlc tam

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artificialqueens · 4 years

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Follow Every Rainbow ('Til You Find Your Dreams), Chapter 6: I Have Confidence (branjie) - Writworm42

A/N: Thank you Athena for beta-ing, and Holtz for encouraging me even when I felt down about how long it took for this update. You’re both lovely <3

The train station was crowded and noisy, people rushing about from platform to platform, sitting on benches surrounded by luggage and restless children, or buying food and travel supplies at one of the many stalls in the main station hall. It was almost disorienting; in comparison to the convent, where everything was orderly, quiet, each person going exactly where they needed to be without rush or chaos or dilly-dallying. At the convent, even when every sister on the grounds was gathered in the same place, there was plenty of room left over, empty space filled with echoes of footsteps, a slight breeze whistling through an open window, the musky smell of old wood and stone. Most strangely of all, though, was that at the convent, Vanessa’s postulant uniform was common-place, just a regular dress like any other. But in the train station, somehow, it was different; there, it seemed to be the most noticeable thing about her, something that caused some to smile, others to scowl, all of them part ways to give her more room, either because they respected her or were afraid of her.

Why’s she dressed like that, mommy? a little boy behind Vanessa asked, only to have his mother shush him right away.

Because she’s going to be a woman of God one day.

It made Vanessa’s heart sink a little even as her stomach rose into her throat.

The truth is, she didn’t know whether she actually was going to be a woman of God. She didn’t know anything at all about the future, let alone what she was right that second. And from the vague answer Nina had given her, really it seemed like the older woman didn’t, either.

You’re going to be… Not quite a postulant anymore, but not a layperson either, Nina had shrugged. Think of it as a kind of ministry, I guess. A trial period to see where you fit better. At the end of the day, labels are kind of arbitrary anyway, right? This is less about what you are, and more about what your purpose in God’s plan is.

It was a cop-out, Vanessa knew that, but it was also an interesting proposition, one she couldn’t help but want to make sense of. So she had agreed, not because she was sure of what was happening, but because her instincts told her that maybe, just maybe, it would be a good idea to try to find out.

That didn’t make it any less nerve-wracking, though.

She plopped down into the seat in her compartment, staring intently out the window to avoid looking at the man staring intently at her from his place in the seat opposite her. It would be a half-day’s journey to her new employer’s house, which was plenty of time to think.

“Going somewhere, sister?”

Vanessa looked up in surprise at the man’s voice, head snapping in his direction. But he seemed unperturbed; he only smiled, his eyes sparkling with something Vanessa couldn’t quite make out the meaning of.

“Um… Yeah.” she stared back at the man apprehensively, her heartbeat quickening. From her experiences during outreach and even just now on the train, she knew there were two ways this could go: either the man was a creep, or just wanted to talk.

Apparently, it was the latter.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, sister.” the man softened suddenly, putting up his hands as if to surrender, show that he wasn’t a threat. “I just noticed your uniform and thought it was strange—I know your convent, I’ve seen nuns from it on the street, but I’ve never seen one of you travelling on a train elsewhere. Well, no one without a chaperone, at least. I was wondering why, that’s all.”

Vanessa breathed out in relief. “I’m actually going to do some… special outreach.” It wasn’t a lie, necessarily—in a way, this was outreach, considering the person who’d hired her had gone via the convent. And the man certainly seemed fascinated by the statement, his smile spreading even wider.

“Thought so.” he nodded. “You guys are good eggs. Always looking out for others. I think it’s great.”

Vanessa gave him a weak smile; if only he knew. “I dunno if I’d call me great.” she started, but the man just shook his head, cutting her off.

“Please, sister, don’t be modest. I know you’re young, and probably haven’t gone out on your own before. But there’s a reason you were asked to, right? Nothing you can’t handle, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.”

The statement hit Vanessa square in the chest, both familiar and surreal. God gives us nothing we can’t handle. It was meant to be an encouragement, a reminder of one’s power and potential in the eyes of God. Sometimes, though, it felt like a taunt–like if she couldn’t handle it after all, she’d failed something, because she was supposed to be able to get through it. More pressure, more reminders that she had more than just herself to be responsible to.

But now, looking at the man’s gentle eyes, the edge of softness in his smile, she felt her heart melt and the little affirmation sink in, plant a seed of support in her chest.

“I have a son like you, you know.” the man continued, his gaze ever kind, ever unwavering. “Well–sort of like you, I guess. He’s still a little shy of actually getting to the priesthood, even though he really wants it. He holds back, is the thing. Doesn’t believe in himself. Some people at the church told him that… well, let’s just say he’s not the kind of boy that they recognize. And he let it get him down. He’s still got a lot of work to do before he’ll let himself do what I know he can to break down those doors.”

“I think I’m having the opposite problem.” Vanessa snorted. “They ain’t tryin’ to keep me from gettin’ in, they tryna force me out.”

“How do you mean?” the man frowned, and Vanessa’s heart stopped. If she admitted the whole story now–whatever the story actually was–well, who knew what he’d think. What he’d see in her. What he would or wouldn’t say, and whether any harsh words or disappointed silence would be worse.

“If I succeed in this outreach, I probably ain’t gonna be goin’ back to the convent. An’ if I don’t, I don’t know if they gonna let me back in.”

“Ah.” the man nodded, and even though Vanessa still held her breath, still fe;t the anxiety of not knowing where a conversation was going, her heart didn’t stop completely, because it didn’t feel like a judgmental acknowledgement. It didn’t really feel like anything at all, except for a nod and a noise and a man who was still listening.

And for now, that was enough.

“I just… I dunno.” she continued, because fuck it, why not? “I feel nervous, ‘cause I feel like every time I think I found a place I can fit in, I’m wrong. In school I loved learning, but I wasn’t smart enough to be with the intell–internlec–the nerdy kids, the one who got things done in a book sorta way instead of the way I just liked to get my hands dirty to learn. In the convent, I was a spitfire and they liked that at first, but then I ain’t learn how to calm down and they didn’t think they could contain me no more. They said I could come back if I needed to, but… I feel like I’ll probably need to, not ‘cause I wanna, but because I ain’t gonna fit in here, either. ‘Cause I’m a failure.”

“You don’t seem like a failure to me.” the man got up, hesitated a little before Vanessa nodded, giving him permission to sit down next to her. “And you seem plenty smart. Like you know who you are and what you’re about, and know enough about yourself and the world to look at it realistically.

“You haven’t found out where you fit yet, but that doesn’t mean there’s nowhere you do. The most impressive thing is, you keep opening the doors and walking through them anyway, no matter who gets sour-faced about it. You don’t have it all figured out, but who does? I’m older than you’d ever think, but really, I’m all over the place, too. Just absolutely everywhere. It’s okay, sister–float through life for a while. Make your mark. Because I know you’re the type who makes changes wherever she goes, even if she’s not appreciated enough to be able to stick around to see them.”

“Thanks.” Vanessa smiled weakly, and for some reason she couldn’t decipher, a sense of peace settled into her chest, like she believed everything the man was saying–because somehow, some way, she did.

“There’s no such thing as someone who fits in everywhere. All those smart kids, all those nuns… They’ve felt the same way you have before. Probably still do. But if it helps, I think you’re the exact type of person I’d have wanted to watch over my son, when he was little.”

Wait.

“How did you–”

But then the PA chimed, a pleasant voice announcing the first stop, and the man got up, smiling one last time before heading towards the door of the compartment.

“My stop.”

“But–”

“Now arriving at Chapel Road. Chapel Road Station. Please make sure to collect all your belongings before exiting the train.”

“Good luck, sister.” he gave a little wave, his eyes tender, if not seeming a little sad that he had to go already. “Have confidence–I know you’re worthy.”

Like that, he was gone, leaving behind nothing but a warm, empty air and a sudden feeling that everything would be okay.

–

Vanessa climbed up the hill towards the house in the distance, her jaw dropping just a little further with every step she took. The closer she got, the more of the house’s–no, manor’s –size she could actually see, the more massive it appeared. In fact, it wasn’t even just that it was huge–the house was also incredibly beautiful, so perfect and awe-striking that it was almost as if it were from a dream. The path leading up to the house’s porch was pristine, well-lined cobblestones clicking under Vanessa’s feet without kicking up a single speck of dust. The house’s grounds were beautiful, too–the grass was cut evenly, flowerbeds neatly arranged, and shrubs all clipped level with each other, not a branch out of place. There was a cascade of ivy creeping down the side of the house, popping out bright emerald against the white stucco walls, yet controlled enough to seem to know not to cover any of the sparkling windows. And when Vanessa reached the front porch, she came face to face with the house’s wide mahogany doors, carved with elaborate detailing and sparkling with a gold door-knocker and a gleaming, immaculately-polished handle.

It was absolutely beautiful, and yet, when Vanessa took a breath, let everything sink fully, she realized that in a way, it was also…. Odd. Unsettling, even. Too orderly, too perfect, too good to be true.

Not for the first time, Vanessa wondered what kind of person she was about to start working for, what they were like and what kind of values they stood for. Somehow, even though the sights around her should have been an answer, they weren’t. Not for certain, anyway.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed away her doubts and reached up for the door knocker, pounding it loudly just to make sure someone– anyone –in that castle could hear her. Her prayers were answered almost immediately, the door unlocking and swinging open and–

“Oh.” Brooke stood in the doorway, looking about as shocked as Vanessa felt. “You’re…”

“Vanessa.” Vanessa stifled the sinking disappointment in her chest at the thought that Brooke didn’t remember her, sticking out a hand instead. But Brooke just smiled a little, shook her head.

“I remember.” she took Vanessa’s hand, shaking it firmly. “I was just surprised, is all.”

“Count me the same.” Vanessa laughed. “So you was the one who wanted a nanny from the convent?”

“I was.” Brooke nodded. “And you’re the one who Nina thought was fit for the job?”

“I am.” Vanessa straightened up proudly, despite the way her heart suddenly set to pounding for a reason she wasn’t quite sure of. “And you’ll see why pretty soon, I promise you that!”

Brooke smiled approvingly, gestured for Vanessa to come inside, and the minute she turned away to lead Vanessa on a tour of the house, the young postulant let out an internal groan so big she was almost afraid Brooke would hear.

I promise you that!

Way to sound cheesy, Vanessa. Just great. And what if she couldn’t deliver? What if Brooke never saw her strengths, never saw why Nina chose her for the job?

Have confidence, sister. You’re worthy.

She perked up as the man from the train’s voice floated in her mind, his face coming to her memory so vividly it might as well have been right in front of her. And just like that, that sense of peace, that everything would be okay, finally settled back into her chest.

The Lord worked in mysterious ways, that was for sure.

But maybe, just maybe, this was something Vanessa could handle, after all.

#rpdr fanfiction #brooke lynn hytes #vanessa vanjie mateo #branjie #musical theatre challenge #lesbian au #follow every rainbow #writworm42 #musical theatre au

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swooncraft · 7 years

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Write Weds - Cordate Pt 3

Chapter four here, is where everything started falling into place. I had found a clear understanding of our protagonist, Cordate, and found the rapid fire voice and style that was needed for this novel of action.

Tongue and cheek~

But hey, I had a blast writing this.

[Ch. 04]

As I raced over the blocks to circle around I updated Tourn through texts. We were use to having the disadvantage and working around using the team channel in case our opponents could listen in.

The buzz of the wine was wearing off. A headache seeped back into my head. I waited at the edge of the alley that lead back to our objective.

I stopped a woman strolling on her merry way, “'Scuse me, coul' I buy your hat? Sunligh's given me a migraine.”

The lady stopped and gawked at my bandages. “W-well.. I supp-” Before her words finished I shoved a bank note in her hands and took the sun hat from her head. She fumbled for words as I walked down the ally towards the lion's den.

“'Ere we go,” I said to the team channel while tossing my file into a dumpster. As I unbuttoned the top two buttons of my dress shirt someone stepped into the end of the alley. It wasn't a member of 9's team, 13 Hiro. “We s'uck in crossfire?”

Regency responded, “Yah. Our mission is smack in the center of the Hiro's and Lambda's game of capture the flag.”

“Opportunity shines, Quarda!”

I smiled gripping my crowbar, “Someone's en my way. Any 'ssist'nce?”

“We're pinned down pretty tight, Cord.” Right as Regency bluffed, Tourn shot me a text confirming he'd be there in a few moments.

“Shit,” I scowled as I pulled my ear bud out. The act was very necessary. “You're from Lambda, right?”

His grin was almost audible, “Tag's Lucite.” I liked the radiant way his blond hair nearly glowed in the sunlight, and his vivid green eyes. Lucite was tall and well dressed. “Heard you keep taking hits. You can walk away.”

Sometimes, being an adult can be worse than being a high schooler. Gossip is an incurable plague, but something you can fight. So I began pacing forward.

He responded by pulling out a quarterstaff. “I really don't wanna hurt a cripple. Go on home. Your team will understand.”

Like the meme goes, 'obvious troll is obvious.' Fuck him and his third rate compassion. At least it fueled me to strike with more force when I was in range. Lucite parried with his quarter staff. I cursed and attacked again. All of my rage and frustration wouldn't put Darth Maul in his place though. I changed tactics to put a little distance between us and nearly took one to the chin as I tried shifting gears.

“It's not gonna work,” Lucite huffed through grit teeth as he advanced his attack. The assholes in Sand who knew their way with a weapon were all arrogant. “We know you can't win with force, but whatever you're trying to come up wUGH-” A blur of black and leather dropped him to the ground.

I began to snort, thinking Tourn had arrived. But Tourniquet doesn't wear tight leather or weigh roughly a hundred pounds.

9 sat on her haunches over my opponent. “Don't espect uh thax,” crooked crowbar at the ready, I braced myself for her action.

For a long moment she only sat there staring at our common enemy. Then I saw it. Something clicked in her that turned her into a monster before she even moved.

9 leaned down and bit the bastard's ear off. I gawked as she spit it out and put it in a pouch on her belt. Very slowly and deliberately she turned her head up towards me. “That's the consequence. Right?” she wiped her mouth keeping her nearly black eyes on my sunshine irises.

I had seen a lot of things since joining Sand, but that was the single scariest thing. 9 was a psychopath. The question was obviously in her if she should or should not take that man's ear. There was a reason she was after me, but I didn't know why. All I could rationalize in those brief moments was that she was still upset about loosing her teammate, 7, when Vizy and Ani retaliated.

I steeled my resolve as best as I could. My fingers regripped the crowbar. I think the cold sweat gave me away because 9 smiled, “You should go home and rest, Doki.”

Who the fuck she thought she was, I had no clue. But her taunt caused a chemical reaction in my brain that made my blood pump. As I moved to act on my impulses two bursts smacked against the leather of her outfit. A disgruntled noise escaped her lips as I barely caught a glimpse of the two rubber bullets that ricocheted off of her shoulder and back. The next instant 9 rolled to her feet and withdrew. No matter how crazy she may have been, she knew her chances when she saw Tourn. Her exit was topped with a bow before she left our sight.

“Uhhgg, God, what happened?” Tourn stared at the victim.

“Crazy bi'ch,” I breathed, wiping my brow. The sunlight was burning a larger migraine straight into the center of my head. I didn't even notice my hat had fallen off. “Sta's?”

“We've gotta get the team out. Even with our noob, that's only enough leverage to get out safe.”

“Nah. No, no. We're gonna take e'rything.”

“Cord,” Tourn was a little more worried than frustrated, “We only need to-”

“Viz 'ould take it all! We're doing 'is.”

“You can't even talk straight, Cord!” Frustration won over the worry. Or so I thought, “Fuck's sake. How is your head doing?”

I grabbed my hat off the ground and shoved it on my head. Right in Tourn's face I stared hard. I wanted him to know this was happening. We hadn't had an upper hand in a long time. I wasn't giving it up, and the team shouldn't either. No matter how small the advantage, in my aching mind it just meant we had a level playing field.

Tourn threw his hands up. “Fine. Fine!”

Good. I stomped off in the direction of our teammates.

Neverland, California is filled with blocks, and entire neighborhoods in a couple places, of empty buildings. It segregates us from the citizens most of the time. Though, when we do cross the boundaries, like I mentioned before, they pretend not to notice. It's a perfect sandbox for our big game of cops and robbers.

Upon arriving to the store room of an abandoned market, Regency and Elbo told us they had taken out a stray Lambda trying to pass through. That was convenient. It made our odds even better. But something about a decent team like Lambda being spread out and unorganized bothered me.

Regency also added that he was sure both of our opponents were using Perks. “It was easy to tell Lambda used one. They ran smack into us expecting someone else, bugged out and retreated. Our objective's right next to the base they're defending. Can't say what the Hiro's got, but it's making Lambda crazy.”

His statement made me glad I wasn't the only one to notice the oddity.

My skull felt like it was splitting in half, but I bobbed a nod. They were in a bind. Given the same stacked odds, I'd be freaking out as well.

“You know,” Tourn broke the pause, “There's probly vigilantes on the way. Fucking Lambda's aren't great at playing quiet. When we f-” his words cut off when we heard someone moving up to the door.

“Could be the noob,” Regency hissed as Elbo got in position.

As soon as the footsteps neared the door sounds of a fight broke out. Elbo exploded through the door. Three men were in a tousle. Fear sparked in their eyes as Elbo charged them.

Mars made the best move, by shoving one to Elbo, followed by smacking the other with what looked like a tricycle tire. The absurdity reached all of us in Royal We. Regency barked a laugh and jumped out to make the fight end sooner.

“Must have been desperate to come for you guys,” Mars mused as he twirled the tire on a finger. “With the one I took down on my way here, that makes three?”

“You took one out by yourself?” Blame Regency's Britishness for not believing him.

Mars arched an eyebrow, “Yeah.”

“Four,” Tourn nodded adding Lucite to the count. Shaking Mars's hand he asked, “You're the noob?”

“Yeah, it's ah-” he glanced to me, “Mars. And I think I've proven myself to not be called a noob.”

Regency shook his head, “Beginner's luck. Wait 'til shit really starts happening.”

Mars rolled his eyes as Tourn addressed Regency's and my concern, “Desperate. Seems that way. We haven't seen them lately. Could be poor tactical adjustment when we appeared.”

I thought it'd been less than a month since we were up against Lambda, but regardless, Tourn's thought was realistic.

“Quarda, I like your hat!” I smiled and tipped the brim to Elbo. “Looks bad on you, but still nice hat.” He gave me a thumbs up as I sighed.

Back to business, “Ther's leas' three lef'. Elbo, Regens' an' me take th' base. Chourn, Mars, do our mission.”

The others looked to each other. Regency started to say something but Tourn cut him off, “I think we can do this.”

“Fast to get out before Vigilantes come,” Elbo nodded.

Regency added something with his British accent and Mars picked a few items from the downed opponents.

My head was going to explode if we didn't finish soon. Walking took most of my focus. The guys agreed that I would stay back and keep communication open in the chance our team channel was actually tapped.

If you asked me a year ago if I'd be able to run around town three days after a concussion I'd have laughed at you and told you how I'd do everything possible to stay off my feet, and help myself recover faster. There I was though, Doing everything possible to stay on my feet. To contribute.

Before parting, Tourn gave me a pill. He's good at reading people even if he's terrible at talking to them. We both knew that by the time it would kick in the dust would probably be settling, but it was still worth it either way.

With there being little I could do, I did what I knew. I found a security camera, pulled my hat off and bowed gracefully to the Voyeurs. None of us knew how many eyes were around the city until we raided the Scorekeepers. That's what those first dozen rooms were, just walls of monitors and recording equipment. They didn't miss a street, and it proved to be beneficial. The Voyeurs love it or else Sand wouldn't gain two new teams each year.

Placing the hat back on my head I realized how right Elbo may have been. People would love an underdog, and Royal We could be a hell of a team to root for. The viewers just needed to see we still had the spirit of the champions we once were.

The guys were already inside the warehouse. When I got through the door there were only two Lambdas, both had their hands up and were arguing to each other. Regency shut them up with a chunk of rubber to each man's thigh, “Christ, shut up. Where's your last mate?” I expected more elegance from the Brit, but I do suppose we were very likely strapped for time.

“Our.. Our last 'mate'?” Leader of Lambda shook his head, “You-They took us all out!” Leader was a well built man. His height was deliciously accented by athletic muscles, pretty brown eyes and a type of bedhead I had grown to like.

“So it's only the two of you?”

“You really don't understand the situation!” Leader was nearly panicked beyond reason.

I stepped forward, “We do. You los' uh roun'.”

“No. Look!” he reached for his pocket and nearly lost his arm as Elbo restrained him. A Navipalm fell from his hand.

I picked it up. Before needing to ask he told me the code to unlock it. The map was already opened on it. What was being displayed took me a moment to comprehend.

“See?! See!? They're everywhere! Then we charged into you guys! GG well played!”

The map showed a few dozen copies of the six 13 Hiros all around the area. The majority scattered around the warehouse, a dozen played strategically through the alleys, and a good number around their own base.

Regency looked over my shoulder and whistled.

As surprising as it was, it didn't seem like that big of a deal compared to being down three players for the past few months. It did get me to thinking about how many different types of Perks there were that I didn't know of.

Elbo took a little longer than he should have to take the queue to let the guy go, but he did at last.

My eyes flicked to Regency. He was an accountant in his old life. He fell just a little short in situations like this. What it was he fell short in was assertiveness-no. Confidence? No, no.. Strategy? As he inhaled to say something it hit me. His approach to people was terrible.

To quell a ramble of accented syllables from wasting our time I slunk past Elbo. Concentrating on each step, and the decisiveness of each sway of my hip. I poked at Leader's phone. Looked up, tipping the hat to reveal a sultry smile. Hiding the face splitting pain behind my eyes. Speak smooth, I screamed in my mind. “So raise your white flag,” I purred holding his phone up with the surrender page open. He swallowed and shifted on his feet as I moved closer. From my peripheral vision I saw his his teammate calm down as their nervousness evolved in unison.

Large yellow eyes looked up to his as I pressed our bodies together. “Go gather your team and take a week off,” the cell passed between our hands. I breathed him in, reaching up to whisper into his ear, “It's obvious you need the R 'n R.”

Don't mistake the act, the situation simply called for quick convincing. And I couldn't think of anything else that would get through to scared men as quick. It helped that he was handsome, but anything more than acting wouldn't have gone so smooth.

We are all lonely creatures in Sand. Relationships are hard to handle. I've heard stories of civilians dating burglars and the suspicion of what we do for a living being too much for the relationship. Some of the guys get hookers, I've heard that some of the female players don't mind being casual with their teammates. There's a couple teams that have working relationships between two teammates, but that can be a tricky.

Vizy and I had had a solid relationship. He was my first and only.

The seasons that passed since the last time I was with Vizy was too vast. So, maybe I played it too well with a hot breath in Leader's ear. And a gentle grip on his shirt. And with the flush that was spreading through my cheeks. Because he went rigid in more than one way. Just possibly I played it too well because Tourn cleared his throat as I slid down from my tip-toes.

I pulled the brim of my hat down, daring a glance at Tourn. We had a thing between us, but I couldn't follow through to be more than friends because I was still hurting over loosing Vizy. At least, that was the excuse each time we had moments that could have crossed the line. But there, in that moment, I crossed a different line, and it was obvious that Tourn wasn't happy with my act.

Everyone was frozen in the room except for Mars who had missed the event by a second. He caught on to the atmosphere in a moment, but must have not cared, “So, what's the deal?”

The Lambdas moved, “We're going...”

Regency stepped in their path, “Hold on, where's your flag?”

Leader pointed to what looked like a management office at the end of a simple set of stairs overlooking the floor of the warehouse. Tourn didn't let his eyes off of Leader as he left. The other Lambda mumbled a good luck as he opened his phone, likely to find his downed teammates.

After the door closed Tourniquet looked to me, “What the fuck was that?”

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow, “Was called for.”

“Right, Cord. That's exactly what we needed.”

“No'h now, Chourn!” I expected the pulsing in my head to grow, but the Oxy seemed to be kicking in.

“Will you two just have angry sex and shut the fuck up,” Regency exclaimed as he made his way to the stairs. “This whole team does nothing but argue and it's all cause of little miss bandages. Half of the time one of us wants to take her side, then the other doesn't, and vice versa. It's a fat lot of-” the door to the office slammed behind him, but we could still hear his muffled ranting.

“Okay, I don't get it,” Mars held up his hands holding in chuckles, “but that was damned funny.”

Elbo stomped over to our newbie, “It was! Lots of stupid like this all the time. I am Elbo. Is good to have you!”

Tourn and I exchanged a look as Mars found one of Elbo's massive hands to shake, “Pleasure's mine, Heavy!” After realizing his mistake of shaking hands with Elbo, Mars shook out his nearly broken hand, “So, Tourn and I got that bag from the other warehouse.” We all glanced to the duffel bag Tourn was carrying, “What's in it?”

“A lot of bullshit. Some codes that can get us different goodies. And cash,” Tourn replied.

“Then it's like Christmas. Instead of socks we get... Codes?”

“These codes are way better to get than socks,” Tourn smiled, “You ever buy a digital copy of a game, or expansion?”

Mars nodded with a shrug.

“It's no different. The codes are single use and will get us stuff like Perks, and weapons.”

I had taken a seat on some boxes while Tourn explained what capturing objectives can do for a team. Elbo felt the need to start doing pull ups on an exposed pipe.

Regency emerged from the office with a coal gray folder in hand and a shit eating grin, “What's that saying? 'If I were a betting man'?”

Mars nodded, a smile growing on his face, “What would you bet?”

The Brit waved the folder, “I'd bet this is as far as we get without any trouble.”

He was right. There was no doubt the Hiro's were still ready to put up a fight. And they were a high caliber team because they knew how to fight and work together. Don't get me wrong, Royal We can throw down, especially Elbo, but we were not only out skilled, we were out numbered. Five to six.

We didn't even get the chance to head to an exit. An Asian accent spoke through the door after a light rapping. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Elbo pulled a plank off of a pallet and moved towards the door. Regency finished stuffing the folder in our new duffel bag and zipped it up. Tourn grimaced an held his hand over his pistol's holster like a cowboy at high noon. Mars grinned, ready for more action.

We all waited.

The pounding on the door made my subsiding headache flare. I was done. Come hell or high water, shit was going to happen since they came to us. And after, either way the spat could go, I'd get some peace and quiet.

Tourn and Mars moved to stop me until we heard the muffled accent from behind the steel door, “I only want to talk. I am alone and unarmed.”

We all paused. It could have been a bait, trickery to get us into a trap. But the consequences were a drop in the bucket to the tsunami that my new headache was raging.

Tourn read me and simply said, “Don't.”

Mars looked between us.

Regency cursed under his breath.

Elbo was ready to bash skulls.

Not only did I open the door, but I flailed my crowbar at the fucking Hiro. It did nothing, I missed the first hit, and he caught it on my second swing. Rather then disarming me he just held it as I struggled to take it back. That was 13, strong in all senses; physically, in resolve, spirit, and mind. The fine lines of his angular Asian face placed him around his late 40s. 13's deep brown eyes carried a wisdom within them that was rare to a game filled mostly with 20somethings. The only hair on his head was his eyebrows and a short goatee.

13 stared each one of us down, “Let me speak.” He was as unarmed as we could see. The nun-chucks he keept at the hip of his martial arts garb were missing, but the naked eye is easily deceived. Same went for his solo status. The fishy part, the truth in his words, was the coal gray folder in his other hand.

Elbo was the first to say anything as everyone stood tense, “Allow China man to speak.”

The Hiro's eyes narrowed, “Not that it matters to you, but again, I am Japanese. I thank you, though.” His gaze turned to me, “Can I let your weapon go and simply talk?”

I said nothing. Visibly relaxing were words enough.

13 nodded his head and released his grip on my crowbar. He shoved the folder at my breast. I gripped it haphazardly as I walked backwards, not letting a single breath of his go unnoticed.

“I give this to you. As... Insurance.” I disliked how 'insurance' sounded in his accent. “Let us begin anew. We hope this marks your comeback, and will be ready for your rise.” His words were directed at me, but I didn't know what he meant.

Tourn stepped between me and 13, “I don't trust this. It's been a long time now, she-”

The Nippon raised a hand, “You don't have to. You already won,” 13 motioned a hand to the folder I was given. Then his expression grew thoughtful, “I do have words of caution, Royals. Some of the burglars will not play like we will.”

Without another word he turned and walked off. 9 stepped out of the alley he paced down and watched us carefully. One by one the four other Hiros emerged from the landscape and followed their leader.

Our victory was bittersweet.

#write wednesdays #everyday combat #cordate #royal we #swoon #novel #action

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