#because of this her body was then prepped to receive the crest of flames

[frozenartscapes]

Near-Death Experience - FE3H Fic

So if the title doesn’t give it away, things get dark. If gore isn’t your thing, I’d give this one a pass.

[Part Two]

---

“Ok, so this is going to sound...crazy.”

“My Love, there have been so many ‘crazy’ things from you in the past, that very little fazes me anymore.”

Byleth drew a deep breath. “Ok, so... You know how Rhea... My heart wasn’t...my heart until after Fhirdiad, and...” She paused. Why was this so hard? “It meant that for a time I could... Talk to the goddess. Erm, Sothis, to be exact.”

Edelgard blinked. “Sothis. The goddess,” she repeated, mulling the thought over, “What was she like?”

“Small.” Byleth winced. Though she hadn’t been able to hear Sothis for years, she could still imagine her insulted gasp at the thought. “Nothing like what the Church depicted her as. She had long green hair, pointed ears, and a tongue sharper than anyone’s. Even Claude.”

Edelgard said nothing, and at first Byleth thought she had lost her. But she had that look on her face. That haunted expression that crept up into her beautiful features every time a long-buried memory was dredged up. “Was she a child?” Edelgard uttered, staring off into oblivion in a manner that was beginning to worry Byleth, “Gentle, but mischievous? Acted immature, but had these moments that hinted at her being far wiser than her appearance suggested?”

“I... Yeah. How do you know that?”

“I...I think I met her, once.”

---

Darkness had become a welcome thing. Before, it hid all kinds of terrors that waited to do who knows what, but now... Now it hid all the gruesome sights her psyche could not bear to witness anymore. She knew it was all still there around her. She could smell it. She could hear it. Sometimes she could even taste it. The rot. The blood. The mold and mildew and stagnant water and the bugs and rats. She started closing her eyes when they entered the cell, carrying a small flame so they could pick out the few still alive from the corpses. Just a little bit of light, her soul craved it. But the light showed her what had become of them and she just... She couldn’t bear it.

She knew she would be joining them soon.

She no longer had the energy to move, to fight. The iron shackles around her wrists had cut so deep she could feel her bones grinding against them. So she tried her hardest not to squirm. She couldn’t remember a time when her body didn’t ache, when there wasn’t some part of her in searing pain, while another throbbed with a continuous agony. Every cut they made had been left to fester, stitched haphazardly and left exposed to the filth in the cell.

Every breath came weak and raspy, her lungs burning as if the air was on fire.

Her heart sputtered and lurched, stopping and starting at an odd and painful rhythm. Like a horse that had been shot by a poisoned arrow.

She laid on the ground, in the darkness. About an inch of stagnant water and goddess knew what else surrounded her. It must be raining - if it rained a lot the cell would flood just a little.

She used to love playing in the rain.

She had no way to tell if her vision was going black, but slowly, everything went numb, and the unpleasantness of the cell disappeared.

“Oh you poor thing. Rise, my Child. You’re safe now.”

A voice. She’d never heard that voice before. She blinked, realizing that the darkness was giving way to a strange, ethereal green light. Slowly, she pushed herself up - only then realizing that she had the strength to do so.

And the chains were gone. So was the cell.

She lifted her eyes further, and she saw her. Another child. She didn’t look that much older than her, but...she felt older.

“Another one, I see,” this strange child muttered, a disgusted look flashing across her features, “When will this suffering end?”

“Who...who are you?”

The strange child tilted her head. “Is it not obvious?” she said. Then she sighed. “I apologize. You’ve clearly been through a lot. My name is Sothis.”

Sothis. That’s when she noticed the ears - long and pointy. And the ceremonial robes. And the aura surrounding her.

“You’re the goddess,” Edelgard breathed.

“Ah, you’re one of the smart ones!” Sothis observed with a smile, “Figured it out in no time! I like you, Child.”

“Am I-”

“I’m afraid so,” Sothis interrupted, her voice quiet and comforting, “But fear not. You will not feel any pain, ever again.” She reached out a hand, and smiled a warm smile. “Come, Child. I’ll take you to the others.”

Edelgard reached, but something caught her arm before she could touch those slender fingers. Metal against bone. Searing pain shot down her arm. Both arms. Then her chest. Then her head.

She reared back, curling in on herself, screaming as white hot fire coursed through her veins.

“Dammit, those bastards,” Sothis hissed. But then her voice turned urgent, almost desperate, as she dropped to her knees before the Princess. “Listen to me: your fight is not over. I wish I could do more for you, I do. But your strength comes from within your heart, not from me. Live, Edelgard, you must. I’ll do my best to watch over you, I promise.”

Edelgard could only let out a choked sob in reply, and her vision began to cloud and fade as more fire consumed her from within. Sothis and the green light dissolved into nothingness.

And with a sudden jolt and a strangled scream, she awoke on that horrid metal table, ribcage torn open and copious amounts of magic pumping into her exposed heart.

When they threw her back in that cell, her body too weak and sore to move once again, she knew this time was different. Whatever fever dream she had before this most recent operation was gone, her memory such a fractured mess it was likely lost forever. But now, despite the pain in her lungs and the lurch of her heart, something felt different. Strength. Stamina... Something was keeping her alive.

She felt it flicker, move inside of her, and she managed to reach one hand out before her to allow it to gather in her palm, whatever it was.

Delicate little tendrils of purple magic swirled around her hand and mangled fingers. Funny...she never used to be able to do that...

She passed out again, but this time her heart kept beating.

---

“...El...”

“I’m surprised I remembered,” she admitted, “It all feels like a dream, but...” She looked to her wife, the woman who once was the vessel for the Progenitor God and while merged with her saved her life more than she could count.

El smiled. “She kept her word.”

#for some reason my brain was like #what if el DIED and was brought back to life by twsitd? #like...in a creepy science experiment way? #like she's the last of their lab rats so they NEED her #but she's suffering the same issues as the others did #so they develop brutal ways to rip someone back to the world of the living #she's the first one it works on #ooh new headcanon #because of this her body was then prepped to receive the crest of flames #i need to go to bed #before i think of any more angst #fe three houses #angst #fanfic #edelgard #byleth #sothis

[tmngoose]

Cause for Concern: an OC one-shot

Alternate Title: Hurt/Comfort Characters: Rikki, Red Fox, Jupiter Jim, Clem, Rikki's mom (mentioned) Tags: ANGST, Anxiety, Distress, Poor familial relationships, Abuse, Minor Injuries/bruising/scabs, Hurt/Comfort, Blanket forts, Lots of comforting, Additional Tags to be added... Summary: Rikki gets a letter in the mail and Red has a right to worry. Word Count: ~1,799 -x- A/N: I know what you're thinking. "Goosey! This isn't any of the updates you promised us >:C what's up with this OC baloney?" -- Ok, yes, but listen; I wrote this mainly to practice writing Red Fox and Jupiter Jim since I'll be (ahem) writing them very soon for a certain somethin'-somethin' (Also? I need to update Let's Make a Deal and this was good practice to get back into writing for Rikki). I won't be uploading this to my Ao3. Read Cause for Concern under the read more:

It started with a letter—a small black envelope that came in with the rest of the mail: the bills, the take-out menus, and the weekly Stock and Shop circulars.

It was addressed to Rikki, which was odd to Red since Rikki never received mail; at least nothing intimate.

"Hey, Rikki! You got mail today!" Red said as soon as the mongoose returned from her shift at Clem's. She presented Rikki with the black envelope, her tail swishing excitedly.

"That's for me?" Rikki raised a brow.

They settled down at the kitchen table. Red sat across from Rikki, who examined the mysterious piece of mail. There was no return address, and the envelope was perfumed with something that made Rikki's nose wrinkle. She turned the envelope over, and that was when she saw it; the ivory wax seal depicting the image of fang—her family's crest.

Red's grin shrank as Rikki tensed, the color draining from her face, "Well? Who's it from, Rik?"

"It's… ah…," Rather than answering Red, Rikki reached for their salt shaker and unscrewed the metal cap. She poured a perfect circle onto the wooden surface, then dropped the envelope into its center.

Suddenly, it burst into a column of purple flames.

"Oh, my stars!" Red gasped. Her red banded-tail morphed into a giant hand and reached into the cabinet under the sink for the fire extinguisher.

"Don't worry, it'll put itself out," stated Rikki, unbothered by the phenomena. "It's a hex message."

"A 'hex message?'" Red furrowed her brow as the flames flickered before them, contained within the circle of salt. "I've heard of chain letters cursing folks, but this is just plain rude! Who would do such a thing?!"

"My mom."

"Oh," Red's tail twitched. It was a touchy subject they never discussed, mainly because Rikki avoided any conversation regarding family relations—especially if they were about her mother.

When the purple flames disappeared—embers and all—a scorch mark was left behind; Rikki buffed it out with the sleeve of her hoodie. Now that the letter was 'cleansed,' she sliced open the side of the envelope with her claw and emptied a folded piece of parchment into her hand.

The apartment fell silent as Rikki read the letter. Red knew better than to pry, even if the suspense kept her at the edge of her seat.

"Mom wants me to come home—for a visit, not to stay," Rikki grimaced, "She wants to 'talk.'"

"When?" Red asked while Rikki calmly tore the letter into tiny squares.

"A-sap," Rikki brushed the bits of paper into her palm and stuffed them inside the pouch on her hoodie. She went over to the tiny coat closet by the front door and retrieved an old backpack that would suffice as an overnight bag.

"W-wait, you're leaving now?" Red pushed back her chair. Her stomach twisted, and a feeling of dread penetrated her bones. She had no idea where the influx of anxiety came from, but it was enough to get her fur to stand on end.

Rikki shrugged, "I can't keep the lady waiting."

"What about work?"

"I'll tell Clem somethin' came up. Besides, that's what PTOs are for..."

"Is everything alright?" Red's ears flattened, perturbed. "You're not in trouble, are you?" Why would she think Rikki was in trouble? Maybe Rikki's mother always communicated via hex messages. Perhaps that was just how yūrei's spoke to one another; a cultural thing.

Rikki didn't answer. She quietly stuffed her toiletries into a plastic baggie, then went into her bedroom to gather a change of clothes. The silence between them only told Red that she was right to fret about her roomie's well-being.

"… It's nothing, Red," Rikki answered, slipping her headphones around the back of her neck. "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine."

Red's unconvinced by the string of reassurance; they sound a lot like empty promises, "Rikki…."

"Red, I'll be fine," Rikki crammed her chargers and electronics into the small pocket of her backpack. "I should be back sometime soon-ish. We'll order sushi and throw ourselves a little party, ok?"

"… okay," Red stepped out of Rikki's way, reluctantly letting the mongoose pass by. She escorted Rikki to the elevator down the hall and playfully elbowed her in the arm, "Call me if you need back-up, yeah?"

"Whatever floats your goat, space ace," Rikki snorted as she waited for the elevator's arrival. She slung her bulky backpack over her shoulder, "And speaking of goats, I better call Clem…."

Rikki forced a smile as the elevator doors slowly closed. Red saw past the mongoose's attempt at feigning confidence; the distant, fearful look in her eyes gave her away. Red suppressed the urge to summon the elevator and prevent Rikki from leaving.

Red told herself that it was all in her head, the idea that nothing good would come from Rikki's trip to her mother's. She knew Rikki could take care of herself.

Rikki will be back before you know it, Red thought to herself. It'll be alright. I'm sure her mother's a lovely person...

__________

Rikki didn't come home the next day. Or the following day. Or the day after that. When Red tried reaching Rikki on her cell phone, her attempts led her directly to the mongoose's inbox.

Not even Clem heard from Rikki, although he was instructed to 'use her sick days if she ran out of PTO.'

Red kept herself busy with menial chores to steel her nerves and stop her imagination from crafting worst-case scenarios. When she wasn't cleaning the apartment, the yōkai volunteered at the community theater, ran errands, and hunted for Scor-Pion with Jupiter Jim.

"Why so blue, Red?" Jupiter Jim asked during one of their stakeouts atop the eccentric actor's apartment building. "You mustn't let Scor-Pion get you down. The elusive fiend will show himself soon enough!"

"It's not that," Red sighed. "It's my roomie/friend! She's been gone for almost a week, and I've lost all forms of direct communication with her! And even if I wanted to go searching for her, I have no idea where she could be!"

"Hm, that is quite the predicament. I wouldn't be surprised if Scor-Pion is behind your friend's mysterious disappearance!"

"I doubt it…," Red peered through her binoculars and scanned the city's skyline, hoping to spy Rikki. She perked up when she felt Jupiter Jim's hand clasp onto her shoulder, "Sir?"

"Have faith in your friend," Jupiter Jim consoled. "The universe is a vast place, yet we all find our way home sooner or later. We must welcome the weary when they return, but to do so, it's crucial to keep our spirits high."

Red smiled weakly at the profound piece of wisdom, "Thank you, Sir."

The mood was ruined when Jupiter Jim mistook an old lady with a green skin complexion as Scor-Pion. Fortunately, Red's prehensile tail was strong enough to hold the space adventure back from ambushing the strange senior citizen.

If only Red used her tail to keep Rikki from leaving...

_____________

It was Wednesday night. Red had finished washing the dishes and was now standing at the kitchen counter, prepping vegetables for dinner. She was so preoccupied with peeling potatoes that she failed to notice someone unlocking the front door.

And that someone was Rikki.

"Hey, I'm back," Rikki announced as she closed the door behind her.

"Rikki!" Red exclaimed, dropping the potato peeler and spud into the sink. She ran over to Rikki and hugged her tightly, "Leaping light-years, you have no idea how worried I was! You didn't call or text, and Clem said—"

Red froze. Her eyes darted from Rikki's black eye to the bruise on her cheek. Several small knicks speckled the side of her brow. They were scabs now, but the implication that Rikki had bled was still there.

So this was the kind of relationship Rikki had with her mother: a bad one.

Rikki isn't put off by the horrified look on Red's face, "Honestly? It's not as bad as it looks. In fact, I think things went better than I expected." She tried maintaining a modest tone, but it faltered.

I knew I shouldn't have let you go, Red frowned. Hesitantly, she tried reaching up to touch the bruise on Rikki's cheek.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Rikki said as she casually ducked away from Red's hand. "I had to take the long way back, and I'm kinda gross. Do you need the bathroom?"

"N-No, you go ahead. I'm making stew for dinner. Would you like some?"

"Naaah. I'm not that hungry…."

Red nodded, "Copy that." She watched Rikki's bushy tail drag across the floorboards on her way towards the bathroom.

The universe is a vast place, yet we all find our way home sooner or later…

"Hey, Rikki?"

"Hmm?"

"Welcome home…"

It's such a warm, simple greeting, yet it meant so much to Rikki. She got as far as the hallway before she grabbed onto the wall for support. She sank to the floor and curled in on herself, trembling.

In a split-second, Red's beside her. She held Rikki close, protecting her by wrapping her striped tail around her body. She never heard Rikki cry before; the mongoose is quiet with the occasional whimper that breaks Red's heart.

Red held her tighter, "… We can still order sushi if you want…."

Rikki sniffled, "Yeah, I-I'd like that."

"Heh heh, good! Honestly, I was getting tired of peeling all those potatoes!"

_____________________

Stacks of aluminum take-out containers are left on the kitchen table with empty plastic cups of soy sauce. They make good on their promise to throw themselves a party. So Red and Rikki dragged their mattresses out from their bedrooms and constructed a blanket fort around them.

Once their nightly bathroom rituals are completed, they pile into their fort. Red noticed a few more bruises on Rikki's forearms that were previously hidden by the mongoose's hoodie.

"Clem said he'd give me the day off tomorrow," Rikki said as she slid her phone underneath her pillow. "I told him I had a rough trip. He understands."

"Aw, that's nice of him," Red yawned as she rolled onto her side, facing Rikki. Goodness gracious, who would've thought all this worrying could be so exhausting...

"Hey, Red?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you," apologized Rikki, her voice hoarse. She stared up at the canopy of mismatched blankets and bedsheets, "I'm sorry I didn't keep you in the loop..."

"Don't worry about it, Rik," Red scooched over towards Rikki, "I understand."

They nestled against each other, their tails entwined--another layer of comfort. Red felt obligated to ensure Rikki fell asleep and didn't stay awake to think about whatever cruelties she endured at her mother's. Only when Red was sure Rikki was fast asleep did she finally allow her eyelids to shutter.

#rottmnt oc #Rikki #rottmnt Red Fox #Jupiter Jim #rottmnt Clem #(not a shipping fic! they are just roomies who care about each other I swear to pizza supreme in the sky) #tmngoosepost #tmngoosefic