#i just think with all the rocket explosions right next to his face- soldier has gotta develop some kind of hearing problems

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

You know what, fuck you, I'm not listening to your bullshit anymore *takes out my hearing aids*

#soldier zoning tf out watching spy's mouth move with muffled noises of vague french yelling in the background #tf2 #team fortress two #just needed to point out that Im not actually a hearing aid user so correct me if im wrong about smth #or just wanna talk about mobility/hearing/disabled (?) aid and stuf!! #plz educate me #i just think with all the rocket explosions right next to his face- soldier has gotta develop some kind of hearing problems #i mean I got early tinnitus for putting my music a little too loud so #hearing aids #disability #tf2 soldier #disabilitymercs

[oliviajdjarin]

Chapter 16: An Understanding

Warnings: this one really isn’t bad, just a droid death and sappiness.

Author’s Note: Thank you to anyone who has supported this. We are almost there!

(If this is your gif please lmk!)

The sweet moment between the three of you was quickly ruined by a distant explosion, so the Mandalorian woman quickly rushed you all out after she quickly gave Mando a gift.

A Mandalorian jet-pack.

You had seen other Mandalorians use them in the past, and Mando seemed incredibly honored to have one, so if Mando was happy, you were happy.

The team followed the tunnel towards the smell of sulfur, trying your best to track the lava flats. You didn’t have much of choice. That was the only way out.

As you walked down the tunnels, you held the sleeping child in your arms, keeping him close to you. Mando walked next to you, stealing glances at you as you walked. You would glance back, but he would always face forward once more, trying to make it seem like he wasn’t starring. You would always smile at him when he would turn away, obviously embarrassed.

Who knew you could make a beskar covered warrior like that be embarrassed?

You felt at peace. At home. For once you actually had one. You didn’t even know how to describe the feeling. It’s like your anxious brain and beating heart finally subsided. Like your body relaxed, and you had nothing to fear. Sure, the team was still stuck in these tunnels and the exit would be swarming with stormtroopers, but you had backup. A team. A clan.

It felt like a new start.

Once you finally made it to the river’s edge, a boat was leaned up against the land. It had obviously seen better days and the droid inside hadn’t been used in a long time.

Great.

Mando and Karga tried pushing the boat, but that did no use, so Cara raised her rifle and shot the boat free from the hardened lava.

You smiled at her and chuckled, thinking about the fact she had outsmarted a Mandalorian and a well known Guild member. You were not surprised in the slightest.

You could’ve sworn she laughed back.

Everyone climbed into the boat, and by some miracle, the droid inside sputtered to life. It stood up, raising its paddle and dropping it into the orange liquid beside it. It then said some droid gibberish, which IG-11 presumed was a request.

“I believe he is asking where we would like to go,” IG said.

“Downriver. To the lava flats,” Karga said, and the droid set to paddling.

Mando was to your left, while Cara was at your right. The child had woken up once more, using his energy to chew on your thumb. Mando brought his hand up to his helmet, activating the thermal scanners.

“That’s it,” Karga yelled, pointing to the growing light coming from the end of the tunnel.

“We’re free!”

It had been a long time since you had heard something like that.

“No,” Mando said, squashing your elated mood.

“Stormtroopers. They’re flanking the mouth of the tunnel. They must know we are coming.”

“Stop the boat,” you said sternly to the ferry droid. The droid, however, gave no sign that he actually heard you.

“Hey,” Cara said firmly, walking up to the droid.

“She said stop the boat,” she said before shooting the droid’s head off.

You appreciated Cara’s act of defense for you, you really did, but it didn’t do any good. The boat kept moving.

There was no other way. You had to stand and fight.

You pulled your longspear from your back and tucked the child deeper into your arms. You had fought stormtroopers before, why would this time be any different?

“They will not be satisfied with anything less than the child,” IG said, and you turned your head to look back at him. Your confused expression accurately represented the feelings of the rest of the group as well.

“This is unacceptable. I will eliminate the enemy, and you will escape.”

“You don’t have that kind of firepower pal,” Mando said in reply.

“You wouldn’t even get to daylight.”

“That is not my objective,” said the droid. “I still have the security protocols from my manufacturer. If my designs are compromised, I must self-destruct.”

“What?” you asked the droid.

“I am not permitted to be captured. I must be destroyed.”

The droid looked at Mando and said, “Sadly, there is no scenario where the child is saved in which I survive.”

“No,” Mando said, moving closer to the droid.

“You’re not going anywhere. We need you.”

“Please tell me the child will be safe in your care,” the droid said, now looking at both you and Mando.

“But you will be destroyed-” you began to say.

“And you will live,” IG said. “I will have served my purpose.”

He looked to Mando and said, “There is nothing to be sad about.”

“I’m not…. sad,” Mando said, but you were no where near convinced. His voice was the only way for you to humanize him, and emotions were very easily traced on the voice. When you can’t see someone’s face, the voice is all they have. You had gotten good at that.

It seemed IG had gotten good at it too.

“Yes, you are. I’m a nurse droid. I have analyzed your voice,” IG said before coming to the child and brushing his hand along his forehead.

No matter how little Mando wanted to deny it, the droid was your saving grace.

The droid then stepped into the boiling lava, and started making its way down towards the exit.

You watched the droid with wide and curious eyes. You had never seen a droid be so… selfless. You had always seen droids as mindless robots who only acted out of survival, but this one gave its life for you.

You wished you could repay him somehow.

When the detonator on the droid finally exploded, the child in your arms lifted his ears and watched. Even though the droid had been there for a small time, he was still the reason you and the child were alive. It seemed like the kid was loosing a friend.

You could see the pain in his eyes, and you wished you could take it all away from him and put it into your own.

Once the boat finally drifted into the tunnel, you saw the bodies of the stormtroopers on either side of the bank.

Maybe this actually… worked?

But, like many… many… times before, the scream of a tie fighter ruined all chances of an easy departure.

“Moff Gideon!” Cara shouted before raising her blaster and shooting at the aircraft. Mando and Karga immediately joined her, while you used your longspear to shield you and the child from any blaster fire.

The ship’s canons rained fire on the group for a couple seconds before the ship went roaring completely over your heads.

“He missed,” Karga said in relief.

“He won’t next time,” Mando said. The ship was already starting to turn back around.

“He mentioned he knew you,” Mando said to you, referring to when he was trapped in the town not even an hour before this.

“Yeah….” you said.

“I’ve pissed him off,” you chuckled out, and Mando looked at you with a breathy laugh as well.

“Hey,” Karga said suddenly. “Let’s have the kid do the magic hand thing.”

Oh great, you thought to yourself.

“Come on baby! Do the magic hand thing,” Karga said to the kid while wiggling his fingers.

The child only giggled in your arms and waved back, and you let a light chuckle come out of your nose.

“I’m out of ideas,” Karga said.

“I’m not,” Mando said, turning around to get the jet-pack from the boat.

You watched him walk away with a slight smirk on your face. You believed in Mando more than anyone, and you prayed he had enough training to know how to use that thing.

You saw the tie fighter making its way back to you through the corner of your eye, but you continued to watch Mando. He attached the pack to his back and then locked eyes with you before shooting into the sky like a rocket.

You watched him with a beating heart as he flew right in front of the tie fighter, allowing it to go under his feet. He then hooked his grappling cable onto the wing and used the jet pack to propel himself onto the cockpit window.

Even though you were scared out of your mind, you still managed to smile at the sight above you.

Your Mandalorian was incredible.

Mando’s blaster did almost no damage to the cockpit door before Moff Gideon jerked the ship to the left. The ship was starting to spiral, and your awe quickly turned into worry.

Mando was holding on with everything he had.

He all of a sudden let go and went soaring through the air. The left side of the ship completely exploded, which sent the ship careening to the ground. It burst into smoke on impact.

Barely a second later, your Mandalorian landed before you in a slight crouch, before standing to his full height.

The smile on your face said it all.

He chuckled slightly at your shocked and happy expression before taking the child from you and holding him in his arms. You walked to stand beside him and stare up to his face, proud and joyful.

You got a Mandalorian.

Karga and Cara stood before you two with equally shocked expressions

“That was impressive Mando,” Karga said. “It looks like your Guild rates have just gone up.”

You grinned at Karga, enjoying his little tease.

“Any more stormtroopers?” Mando asked.

“I think we cleared the town,” Cara said with a laugh. “I’m thinking of staying around just to be sure.”

“You’re staying here?” Mando asked, equally confused as you were.

“Well, why not?” Karga asked. “Nevarro is a very fine planet, and now that the scum and villainy have been washed away, it’s very respectable again.”

“As a bounty hunter hive?” Mando asked, and you once again giggled at his bluntness.

“Some of my favorite people are bounty hunters,” Karga said with a bit of a chuckle.

“And perhaps”- he said while placing a hand on Cara’s shoulder- “this specimen of a soldier might consider joining our ranks.”

“And you, my friend”- he said while turning his attention back to Mando -“will be welcomed back into the Guild with open arms.”

Mando looked to the child in his arms, beaming up at him with utter adoration. He then looked to you at his side, and you gave him a smile that said I’m with you. With whatever you choose.

“I’m afraid I have more pressing mattors at hand,” he said, turning his head back to the child.

“Well you better keep watch of this one,” Karga said to Mando while gesturing to you.

“She could take your place at the Guild in a second,” he says, while snapping his fingers for emphasis.

“And she would do a damn good job,” he says, and you laugh in reply.

Mando gives a slight nod in agreement which only makes you laugh harder.

You can’t recall ever laughing this hard.

“Y/n,” Cara says, and you divert your attention back to her.

She is trying to look at you, but she just can’t meet your gaze.

“Listen… I… I’m really sorry. The Empire hurt me a lot and I just couldn’t…” she chokes out.

You could tell she was trying to apologize to you. For when your identity got revealed, for doubting your loyalty, or anything in between. She was obviously struggling, so you decided to help her along.

“Cara,” you said, and her eyes met yours.

“Your reaction was perfectly understandable. Truly. There is nothing to be sorry for,” you say, and a flash of relief skates over her eyes.

“I just saw how you were with Mando and the kid today and I…. I owed you an apology,” she said, and you smiled at her.

“Thank you, Cara. I’m glad we could come to an understanding,” you respond, and she smiles back at you. A genuine, relieved smile.

“As am I,” she says while leaning forward to caress the child’s ear.

“Take care of this little one,” Cara said to you and Mando. You gave her a respectful nod, acting as a promise that you would.

“Or maybe,” Karga added, “it will take care of you.”

You looked to Mando with a light smile, and you could tell he was grinning too.

The weight of guilt and shame had been lifted off of you. The people you cared for most forgave you. They looked at what you did right in the eyes, but looked past it, and saw you. You were sure it would take some time for them to completely trust you, but they were willing to try.

You couldn’t ask for anything more.

Tag list:

@leahkenobi @pinkninja200 @farfromjustordinary @440mxs-wife @bookloverfilmoholic @impala1967666

#din djarin #din djarin fluff #din djarin imagine #din djarin x reader #din djarin x you #mando #the mandalorian #the mandalorian fanfiction #the mandalorian x reader #the mandalorian x you

[onouwu]

Witch Heart Hunter

From far away, the low din of celebration from the residential area made its way through the large windows of a bare loft, a typically empty unsold apartment. Sounds of people about to welcome the new year melded with the ringing of car alarms and the manufactured happiness of radio pop. A bright shaft of moonlight shone through the overhead skylight, illuminating the brick interior and pristine hardwood floor where a pale brunette trespasser lies in a revealing blue dress with her wide brim hat covering her face, waiting. Time seemed to stop as Daisy laid on her back absorbing the sounds and vibrations of the city around her. Her heart thrummed in anticipation. Goosebumps raised on her bare skin at the thought of what was to come.

“I’m ho~oome!” Crystal announced, always heard before she was seen. Short blue-silver haired with a devilish smile like a fallen angel. Her frame was lithe and frail compared to Daisy’s taller stature and defined curves.  She materialized through a portal that appeared by their front door, revealing a beast of endless glowing blue tendrils on the other side before fading away into shadow. Looking up from her position on the floor, Daisy lifted the brim of her hat and gave her hungry look.

“Do you hear that?” Daisy sat up and cocked her head towards the city lights.

“Yes!” Crystal said “It’s like they’re begging to be taken,”

“Mmmh, I hope some do, the willing are fun to play with” Daisy let out “It’s been so long since we last feasted. We’d best be careful not to get overwhelmed”

Crystal laughed it off “You know, the hungrier I get, the stronger I am. Just guard the outside while I take my half and leave you the others, okay?”

Daisy just smirked as she got up “I’ll be counting”

The new year party goers were surrounded on three sides by towering evergreens, and to the north of their clearing was a partially frozen lake. A group of eight sat by the lakeshore, drinking beers, and listening to the radio for the countdown. A loner stood away from them on the ice, looking up at the moon and hugging himself for warmth. On a wooden log next to a crackling campfire, a couple sat kissing passionately. Scarves, gloves, and a white brassiere hung from the branches next to them like exotic flowers in the moonlight.

Daisy perched on a branch in the treetops, Crystal sat next to her, her excitement radiating off her as she peered into the crowd. And so, the pair sat and watched, waiting for midnight to strike when the group would converge. It was then that the witches would feed. “Get ready to say hello to the new year, folks! It’s currently 11:59!” The group hollered in response to the jovial radio host. “If you’re listening right now, I wish you good health, happiness, and safe travels home. We’ll leave it to the city timepiece to count us down. We’re signing off for the holidays! As always, stay safe. Stay inside.” To this, several of the group scoffed.

Crystal elbowed Daisy in the rib, interrupting her observation. She looked beside her to see Crystal, thighs straddling the branch they were on and swinging her legs without a care in the world.

“Hey Daisy, make it snow will ‘ya?”

With a bit of a laugh Daisy’s eyes fell shut and her right hand waved in the air with a bright blue glow. High above the treetops, a cloud swirled and grew. Soon, snowflakes fell to the ground above the opening.

“Hey check it out!” The partygoers oohed and aahed, momentarily distracted by the sudden snowfall. No one seemed to notice that it was only in their clearing that snow fell. As if on cue, their heads shot to the side as the first of many fireworks exploded in the distance. “Ten! Nine! Eight—” The group gathered around the campfire, bottles in hand. “Seven! Six!” The lovers finally separated. “Five! Four!” The loner slowly made his way to the group, avoiding the couple. “Three!” The snow fell harder. “Two!” The fireworks came faster. “One!” Crystal and Daisy stood. “HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

A sound like an explosion rang in their ears. The snowfall had evolved into a storm. A wall of ice sprung up from the ground, blocking the city skyline with what looked like a jagged translucent glacier encircling them. They began to realize the trap they had fallen into much too late.

These walls were soon dotted with portals to another realm where slippery glowing tendrils shot out and grabbed their helpless victims.

“All this energy is going to feed us for days!” Crystal cried out.

Daisy couldn’t think. All she could hear was the sound of the humans wailing and the ecstasy of feeding. She was drawn into the uproar by its momentum. It was hard for her to resist immediately draining the life from these trapped humans, but she walked along the ice wall to scout the area for any alerted human forces. Sure enough, it didn’t take long before she saw a bespectacled woman with dark skin in camos and a black tank top. Her long curly hair a crimson red and her eyes display an unsettling calm when looking at the witch’s trap.

Daisy heeded caution, but she could see from the well-developed physique of this woman that there was a lot of life in her that shouldn’t go to waste. She quickly raised her hand and formed a snowy tornado around her that instantly hardened into a cone of solid frosty ice.

“Ohh what a catch” Daisy let out as she slid down the ice tower and began walking toward the woman who stood eerily still despite her situation. Daisy took the cue however and didn’t get too close before she froze the woman’s feet to the ground.

“You’re full of delicious energy. What’s your name, sweetie?” Daisy let out joyfully as she felt the intense energy radiating off this woman – more than any human she has ever seen.

“Name’s Hilda, dead witch… I want you to scream it loud before I crush your throat” The woman let out. In an incredible display of strength, Hilda slammed her fists against the wall of ice and smashed a hole into it within a second.

Daisy’s heart jumped from seeing such a superhuman display of power, reminiscent of the witch hunters of old. She decided to quickly end it, and summoned sharp spears of ice beneath the woman to skewer her. However, as the ice shot up like a rocket, the woman freed her feet and moved from over the forming pillar, using it as leverage to leap toward Daisy.

Terror filled Daisy’s hungry eyes as Hilda landed within a few feet of her. Daisy could only form a flat wall before her and flee while giving herself a moment to figure out how to handle this mysteriously strong person. Daisy quickly summoned a blizzard behind her as she ran to gain more distance, but all she could hear was the cracking of the ice as soon as it formed. Every step she took those behind her felt closer. Her poor lungs started to wheeze while her heart slammed in her throat, filling her ears with its frantic thrumming.

She turned around to summon another barrier but was met with a heart-stopping gaze inches from her face and a deep agonizing pain in the pit of her stomach. the woman’s fist had just buried itself into her core and robbed her of what little breath she had.

Daisy dropped to her knees, clutching at her chest with one hand, croaking hoarsely as she gasped for air and heaved. This was a blow like she had never felt before. As she lay on the forest floor weak and breathless, she felt utterly helpless. She could only wonder what the woman had in store for her after that.

In her winded state, Daisy managed to roll onto her burning and aching stomach. She desperately clawed at the frozen earth.

“You’re pathetic.” A boot harshly turned her over onto her back. Daisy could only see the sadism shining through this woman’s cold and heartless gaze before she stomped on the pale bare flesh of Daisy’s midsection.

Daisy tried to curl into the fetal position but Hilda shoved her boot in harder, crushing her organs under the hard thick rubber of her boot.

Hilda knelt down and Sat on Daisy’s hips, the relief of that shoe leaving her body wouldn’t hast long before she felt a calloused hand wrapping around her throat and squeezing mercilessly

“Haahkk- aahk—" Daisy let out in a desperate plea for air, grabbing and forming icy shackles around Hilda’s arm. A bright blue glow came from her hands and the ice pushed upward to lift the hand. Despite the intense cold, the determined soldier doubled down her grip. The ice cracking, shards falling on Daisy’s body as her efforts proved futile.

“I hope you all make it this easy. Just give up so I can cut your heart out and add it to my trophy wall” Hearing that makes Daisy’s heart slam against her ribs as if trying to escape its fate, but while Hilda’s hand cuts off the vital route of blood to her brain, its efforts only hastened the end of her precious oxygen supply. Her vision blurred as drool overflowed from her lips. The thick blue veins in her neck standing on end, her purple face and throat bulging, looking as if her head would pop like a grape while she struggled to free herself.

“You know what… I can’t wait for that.” Hilda pulled out a knife, Daisy squirmed beneath the woman with all her might at the sight of the glossy silver blade, but to no avail. The last-ditch effort only brought a smile to Hilda’s face in its futility as her cold steel pressed against Daisy’s breathlessly squirming chest.

Daisy’s gaze rested upon that vengeful piercing stare as her vision faded, feeling the knife bite her skin. Despite her efforts to cling to consciousness and her frantic pleas to her eldritch patron, her body quickly calmed and succumbed to its fate. She could only lie there breathlessly while the cold blade slowly descended into her chest and inched closer to her pounding heart.

“Daaaaaayyyseeee, it’s dinner time” Crystal called out.

Crystal waited for a few seconds before getting impatient. She decided to see for herself what was going on and leapt up to a tentacle which she sat on as it towered above the icy wall “Ugh, don’t tell me you’re not sharing the-“ Crystal watched in complete shock as she saw Someone sitting on Daisy’s unconscious body, continuing to strangle her while slipping a knife beneath her ribs. That shock turned to a hot rage quickly before she lifted her staff and summoned a portal behind the woman

THWACK- massive and slick tendril sent the woman flying a few feet away from Daisy.

The woman let out a “GAH” as she bounced off the ground once and rolled to a stop on her stomach. Ignoring this, she raised her head and looked back to where she stood a moment before. A translucent blue tentacle undulated, its base emerging from a portal near Daisy’s supine body and its tip stroking her neck, another wrapped around the blade which twitched to the beat of the frantic organ writhing against its tip.

“Tsk, tsk. Oh, Daisy. I thought I taught you to last longer than that? Disappointing.” Crystal let out while Hilda looked up at her.

“Hello there! Who might you be, and how did you manage to do that?” Crystal pointed at Daisy.

“You’ll see” Hilda replied

“My friend Daisy back there is a bit of a lightweight, I admit. But still, I’ve never met a non-magical person who could do such a thing.” Crystal planted her staff on the ground and put her crossed arms on top of it. She perched her chin atop a forearm as she leaned against her staff, looking at Hilda with a pixieish smile. “Comeon… What’s your deal? I’d love to know before I… well, you know.”

Hilda, now on her feet, shot a death glare at Crystal. “Oh, you’ll find out what my deal is. Firsthand.”

“Dangerous and snappy! I love it.” Crystal said

Hilda took off and charged the witch where she stood. Crystal ripped her staff from the ground and held it out to her side as Hilda closed the distance between them. The redhead’s fist cut through the air like a bullet, inches away from Crystal’s neck but stopped short as she fell to the ground. She looked back to see a large tendril gripping her leg and pulling her back to the portal from where it came.

“Keep going, show me what you got, sweetie!” Crystal said while more slithered out from the portal and grabbed the woman’s body, slick and wet as they coiled around her limbs and slid down to her wrists and ankles

“Ngh!” A grunt of effort escaped as she struggled against them until she calmed down and let the witch close in. Crystal stood up against the bound woman.

“Looks like you were about to take my friends heart. If you want a witch’s heart so much, here…” Crystal grabbed Hilda’s hand gently and pressed it to her own chest. Her excited heart pounding into Hilda’s palm.

“You have mine already.” Crystal smiled

Hilda ripped her hand from Crystal’s body as disgust filled her eyes. Crystal’s own expression filled with disappointment

“Come on, don’t be so cruel… to yourself! It’s your last moment, don’t you think you should let yourself enjoy it?” Crystal said as she wrapped her arms around Hilda in a tight hug, closing her eyes to feel the nonverbal exchange between their pounding hearts, Crystal’s excitement and Hilda’s rage fueling eachother in every exasperated beat. The life in this woman made her drool, a powerful energy she had never felt before, all hers for the taking. A treat that must be savored. Hilda’s muscular body squirmed against her and moves her delicate and flimsy body around like nothing, held back only by the power of her spell.

After about a minute the captive woman stopped resisting, to Crystal’s disappointment.

“Mmmm, time to-“ Crystal opened her eyes to see Hilda staring down at her with a wicked smile. As she reached for her staff she felt the woman’s hand holding it, the tendril that was binding her wrist ending in a fleshy pulp.

“hey, give me that” Crystal let out as she backed off from arm’s length. The tendrils left Hilda’s body to Crystal’s horror, showing just how faithful her demonic deity was to her as it obeyed its new vessel.

Crystal’s heart sank, her legs began to shake as she weighed her options and held her composure.

“You think I need that? We speak telepathically, and you can’t understand the language of ancient Gods”

“Your guard dog speaks just fine… Nothing’s going to be quite as satisfying as what I am about to do to you now” Hilda let out as she raised the staff above her head. Crystal’s composure dropped and she fell back reflexively, crawling up to run, only to be tripped by a familiar slimy appendage. She frantically pulled at it to no avail

“What are you doing, stop!” she said to the demonic being, though she was met with silence.

Hilda approached with a grin from ear to ear. Crystal couldn’t stop herself from struggling in vain, putting on a pathetic show for her assailant. As Hilda closed in, Crystal puts her hand in front of her face. Hilda grabbed her wrist roughly and pulled her up. The staff glowed in Hilda’s hand and Crystal felt a warmth on her chest.

“Come on, you wanted to have some fun didn’t you?” Hilda let out, stabbing the staff in the ground beside her and grabbing the top of Crystal’s blouse, ripping it open and baring her naked body. Confused, Crystal looked down, her eyes widened at the sight -- her chest covered in the runes of a small portal into her body. The space inside the circle disappeared and Hilda’s hand reached in.

“Ahhh! Wait, wait!” Crystal cried out as she felt an intense pressure in her chest, the thrumming in her ears and body ceased.

Hilda grinned “You wanted to give me this? What a pathetic thing, I don’t even want it… now go ahead, do something, your arms are free.” Hilda let out harshly, sending a new explosion of agony through Crystal’s chest, radiating outward into her weary body while the woman’s fingers sank into the meat of her helplessly squirming life. As her fate set in, she stopped short of giving Hilda the satisfaction of token resistance for as long as she can.

“What a great stress relief, crushing a wretched witch’s heart” Hilda says with a twisted sense of amusement. Crystal remained silent, looking up and spitting in Hilda’s face.

“Come on, bitch, do something fun” Intense waves of unbearable pressure consumed Crystal as Hilda harshly pumped her heart.

“AHK!! Please!” Crystal let out, caving easily as she flailed and tried digging her fingernails into the intruding arm with all her might -- a smile cracking the frustrated frown on Hilda’s face. Crystal’s vision grew blurry, her head feeling light, but the cruel woman’s torment was fueled by her helpless struggling.

“I’d love to keep going but I need to finish what I started with your fri-“

Hilda’s words ended abruptly as a ball of solid ice slammed into the side of her head. When Hilda lets go and fell over unconscious, Crystal saw Daisy behind her, holding her own chest and panting heavily while forming an icy prison Hilda’s body

“Crystal… we need to be more careful” Daisy let out, sitting beside her partner, pulling her to her lap, watching over her while she took shallow labored breaths

Crystal couldn’t speak to tell Daisy how grateful she was to see her. As the portal on her chest closed, every heartbeat sent shockwaves through her body.

“Wh…what about her” Crystal mustered

“We’re going to study her… painfully. And figure out what this new power is.”

#cardiophile story #cardiophilia #heart

[quazartranslates]

Welcome to the Nightmare Game II - CH45

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

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Chapter 45: Star Death Reality Show (XXVIII)

His right hand slammed against the emergency close button, and his body rushed out with the instant acceleration from pushing off it. As if Qi Leren had thought about the plan in his mind for a long time, he opened a hand and threw a grenade behind him without looking, sprinted out like an arrow leaving the string, and repeated this old trick when he rounded the corner, throwing down another hand grenade!

Two consecutive explosions shook the corridor like a tottering boat. Qi Leren threw himself to the ground, feeling the turbulent heat flow from the corner and blow his hair into a mess.

He coughed twice on the ground, got up, and ran away again.

Leviathan didn't catch up, and Qi Leren who had already run to the floor where the arsenal was located finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The research institute was huge, and it would take "extraordinary luck" to run into that monster again. However, he didn’t know whether Leviathan had a sensitive sense of smell... Qi Leren looked back, and the world was immersed in a bright silence. This kind of terror hidden under the light was frightening.

He Yi had been parasitized by Leviathan, who was obviously Su He’s doing. He himself had said that he’d released the dangerous creature in the underground glacier. The octopus was similar to the alien queen in Aliens, much more difficult to deal with than the ordinary octopuses. What's more, it also had human intelligence... Hey, why did you listen attentively to He Yi just now and forget to smash his head?

Qi Leren walked on, and when he came to the corridor where the arsenal was located, he saw at a glance that Dr. Lu was poking around.

"Ah! Qi Leren! You’re still alive!" Dr. Lu excitedly ran out, "How is it on your side? Have you seen Su He?"

"Have you met Du Yue?" Qi Leren asked.

Du Yue also ran out of the arsenal and took Qi Leren's arm: "Qianbei! I thought you were going to die! Thank god! You can't die!"

Hey, what did this kid say? Qi Leren lamented Du Yue, who was too agitated and incoherent, and patted him on the shoulder in comfort.

"Why is that guy so stalker-ish?" Dr. Lu muttered with a bitter expression.

Qi Leren said with a straight face: "He can hear you."

Dr. Lu's face went white with fear, staring at him, looking overwhelmed.

"I’m just scaring you, he should be gone." Qi Leren pondered that Su He seemed to have too much free time. He was acting as both a prison guard and a Devil, and he also had a lot of beautiful subordinates. No matter how much he divided his time, he couldn’t do everything. He shouldn’t be idle enough to come here to peep at how a group of wannabes did in their task.

Dr. Lu was relieved and complained, "Don't scare me all the time."

Only Du Yue, who had never seen Su He, wondered: "Who is Su He?"

Dr. Lu quickly waved his hand: "A super terrible Devil, who is cruel, cunning, and ruthless, the worst in the universe! Your qianbei was killed by him before, and his death was miserable. You could say he’s a freak!"

Du Yue was taken aback: "So bad…"

Qi Leren, who had died miserably: "........"

"Yes, your qianbei's boyfriend is grief-stricken, and he’s still wandering the world, unaware that he’s still alive."

Du Yue was dumbfounded again: "Ah, my qianbei has a boyfriend? Isn't it a beautiful woman? Qianbei said that she was particularly beautiful!"

Dr. Lu looked at Qi Leren silently. Qi Leren, who had once talked with this youth about first loves while they were watching Annie, coughed twice: "Don't talk about this now, I have something very important to say: in the glancer beneath the institute..."

Forcibly changing the subject was successful. Qi Leren locked the door of the arsenal, briefly explained the previous events, and skipped a lot of things. He only told the two people about Su He's saying that he had released Leviathan from the underground glacier, and told them about his previous fight with the monster.

"We need a temperature below minus forty degrees? Awesome, our temperature regulating clothes only guarantee that we won't lose heat in environments above minus 30 degrees. Once the temperature drops below minus 30, we won't last long, and even worse when it reaches minus 40. If you cool down that much, you may as well sign your will. To tell the truth, it's quite amazing that you can still insist on not wearing gloves..." Dr. Lu looked at Qi Leren's bare hands and then at his own hands in thick gloves and couldn't help showing envious eyes.

Qi Leren moved his fingers. Although he was cold, he wasn’t frozen. He had good resistance to cold now, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have escaped just now.

"I can't think of a way to deal with it now." Qi Leren walked around the arsenal to find the weapons he needed. "Shall we set a trap and blow it up here?"

"You can try, but if there’s an explosion in the arsenal...……S/L Data can't save you from the fire after the explosion," Dr. Lu worried.

There were indeed difficulties. There were too many explosives in the arsenal. If the explosion lasted for several seconds, even if he saved here, the resurrected Qi Leren would still be blown to pieces.

"What should we do then?" Du Yue looked sad.

Qi Leren was also depressed, and he had to worry about another question: "How much private time do you have left?"

"This is reset at 8:00 every morning...I only have half an hour left." Dr. Lu was even more sad.

"Me too." Du Yue was also worried.

Qi Leren looked at his privacy time that was less than half an hour, which was also a headache.

After the privacy time ran out, the invisible camera that followed him would ignore his instructions and shoot him from 360 degrees without any privacy. In this way, he could neither use unscientific skill cards indiscriminately nor discuss things with Dr. Lu.

If only this thing had been blown up when Mark blasted it with a rocket launcher... Unfortunately, he had used the "Prophet's Heart" at that time and he was unscathed. Sadly, even the camera was preserved.

"Where are the others?" Qi Leren asked Du Yue.

"They ran away, and then I only met Dr. Lu," Du Yue said sullenly.

"Don't worry about them, you can't stop them from dying." Dr. Lu squatted on the ground heartlessly. "Think about how to get home alive first. By now, this task is definitely not C-level. We might say there is also an A. This Leviathan looks much more difficult than the crazy lady of B-level. "

Of course, Qi Leren thought. This Leviathan was released by Su He in order to force him to level up. However, now he didn't even know what the principle of a half-field was, because his teacher Chen Baiqi hadn't expected him, a loser student, to break his shell. In her prediction, this wouldn't happen for a long time.

The plan couldn’t keep up with the changes

"Let’s think about it again... This amphioctopus is intelligent, strong defensively, fast, and aggressive... I’m afraid it’s also very strong, and ordinary weapons can't handle it. I’ll try the rocket launcher next time." Qi Leren was also very worried about this weapon that he had never used before. There was no instruction manual for weapons here, and Chen Baiqi had never taught him how to use it.

Dr. Lu and Du Yue looked at him with eyes full of doubts.

Qi Leren coughed: "Let’s think of another plan, I don't think this is foolproof."

Qi Leren’s biggest reliance was the Prophet's Heart given to him by the Prophet, but the cooldown time of this item was as long as 24 hours. To try to wait for this to finish its cooldown, Qi Leren didn't think they could spend 20 hours safely.

Then what else can I do...

Glacier.

Underground glacier.

This word jumped into Qi Leren's mind without warning, and he suddenly remembered what He Yi had said before he died: "...Even if it’s frozen in the extremely cold environment of minus 40 degrees, it will not die, but will only go to sleep. It’s like the amphioctopuses’ soldier ant, and its fighting capacity far exceeds that of the workers. Leviathan is different from the ordinary octopuses. As long as it senses the approach of living creatures, it will be forcibly thawed..."

He Yi wanted to express the danger of Leviathan, but if you thought about it carefully, wasn't this its weakness?

40 degrees below zero wouldn’t kill it, but it would go to sleep. If he could lead it back to the underground glacier and then escape quickly, so that Leviathan, that couldn't sense the biological atmosphere around it, went to sleep, then he could wait for the Prophet's Heart to cool down before going back and killing it.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this may be the only way.

"I have an idea," Qi Leren said into the silence. "The danger of confronting it is too great. My idea is that I’ll lure it into the underground glacier and let it return to its dormant state again."

Then Qi Leren explained his reasons, and discussed specific measures with Dr. Lu and Du Yue. The biggest problem was that Leviathan has intelligence, and it was difficult to set traps for it.

"We haven't been to the underground glacier. I don't know what the terrain is like. If it’s an underground crevasse or a huge underground lake, even you will be in danger. Why don't we try the laser corridor, surely it isn’t stronger than steel plates?" Dr. Lu also had an idea.

Du Yue nodded at the side: "Yes qianbei, it’s too dangerous for you to lure it to the underground glacier."

"He Yi knew about the laser corridor, and that I can pass through it. It would be difficult to lead it into that trap... But it reminds me that we need to find the others. After making sure that they haven’t been infected by the octopuses, I want to send them out of the research institute first, and then re-seal the basement of Annie's house. If they’re running around here, they could easily be killed by Leviathan," Qi Leren said.

The corner of Dr. Lu’s mouth twitched: "I think they aren’t already done for."

It was hard for Qi Leren to refute.

"But if you want to lure it to the underground glacier, will it be fooled?" Du Yue asked.

Qi Leren tried to maintain a strong smile: "Yes."

Only on this point, Qi Leren had full confidence. He would be able to taunt the monster’s ire towards him. As long as the laser corridor trap wasn’t in front of it, this monster would be like the most loyal boyfriend, only watching him in a crowd, abandoning all temptations and running towards him.

The two EX lucks, Dr. Lu and Du Yue, were just like wild flowers and weeds on the roadside, which were ignored by this single-minded monster.

This kind of thing had happened so many times that Qi Leren was used to it.

Time passed by, and there was only ten minutes left in Qi Leren's privacy time. The three people discussed how to explain it to the audience later, and unanimously recommended that Dr. Lu pretend to be the anchor, so that he could think of his lines quickly.

Dr. Lu wore a tearful expression as he auditioned:

Ladies and gentlemen of the audience, I have bad news. Just now, XXX went crazy, together with XXXX. Then they were all killed by Qi Leren and God. This god-like Qi Leren is neither a special soldier of the military nor an interstellar mercenary. Please believe that he is just an actor... Oh no, a lead singer of a tone-deaf band. Next, the lead singer of the strongest band in history is going to fight the boss. Please look forward to it.

"You really seem like a default actor. Come on, is this filming?" Anchor Lu said with disgust.

The heavy-hearted Qi Leren was not in the mood to make jokes and rolled his eyes.

He didn't want to waste any more time, so he could quickly took care of Leviathan and then set off for Ning Zhou in Purgatory.

Qi Leren pondered it. He could only use Save/Load now. Secretly Observing and Rain Day Laundry were cooling down alongside Prophet’s Heart. There were still Pleasing Rations left, but according to his experience, this monster was not in the range of creatures that could be bought off.

Then there were these weapons. Qi Leren picked up a rocket launcher and weighed it on his shoulder. Dr. Lu opened his mouth and said, "Wow, have you used that?"

"No, but I was shot at with one and hit straight on," Qi Leren said.

Dr. Lu looked at him with an expression of "I know you’re acting, but for the sake of friendship, I will barely cooperate with you." Only Du Yue, who was stupid, sincerely praised: "Qianbei is so powerful!"

Qi Leren glanced at the time. It was the early morning of the fifth day. Let's make it quick.

Dr. Lu considered his physical condition and suggested that Qi Leren rest for a few hours to refresh himself. Anyway, the door to the weapons room had been locked by him, so there was no need to worry about Leviathan breaking in.

In the past, Qi Leren might have thought about it, but now he was full of thoughts about Ning Zhou and refused this proposal.

Dr. Lu sighed: "Well, suit yourself. In fact, I’ve thought about waiting in this arsenal until the army arrives and rescues me. Either way, it can't get in."

Qi Leren was not so optimistic. The monster would come up with a way to break into the room sooner or later. Here, he could only wait to die, and...

Suddenly there was a slight noise above his head, as if something was crawling in a pipe. The three men looked up and looked at the metal ceiling above their heads, and fell into a strange silence.

Qi Leren suddenly thought of a problem.

The air of this large underground research institute was unexpectedly clean, and there was no staleness of air being trapped. Its exhaust facilities were obviously operational.

Qi Leren's eyes turned to the vents in the corner of the ceiling. There was a metal shutter one meter square. It seemed that the sound of something crawling had come from there!

-----

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[detectiveidiotboy]

His Time In The Commonwealth IV: Danse

so as my beloved fanfiction, The Black Widow’s Waltz, comes to an end, i’ve decided that i am going to re-release the backstory chapters as their own stand-alone fic, since they read well as their own story. before that, i thought i might do a fun little thing where i release each of the companions backstories as their own post here on tumblr under the tag #his time in the commonwealth.

i had to take a break from posting for mental health and to deal with some things in my home life, but i'm back now! and with me comes the continuation of this mini-series. now, on to part 4!!! Danse's story.

The walk from Listening Post Bravo to Nordhagen Beach took three days. Had Danse been in top shape and traveling in his power armor, he was certain he could have made the trip in less than two, but speed wasn’t a priority in this mission; this was a pilgrimage.

It had been twelve weeks since his banishment, eighteen days since he’d last had contact with Nate, and seven since the Prydwen had been destroyed.

Danse had only learned about the attack the day before his journey began as he was attempting to trade with a nearby settlement. Nate had been his only source of supplies since he’d begun his self-imposed isolation, and since Nate had stopped showing up to visit, Danse had been left to ration his dwindling supplies until there wasn’t anything left to eat. He had considered allowing himself to starve to death down beneath the earth - continuing his existence was a waste of resources now that he wasn’t even able to serve Nate or the Brotherhood - but that plan only lasted two days after his last meal.

Nate had told Danse to stay alive. Nate had given him orders to care for himself until he returned because Danse was special to him. Danse understood what he was: he was a tool, a synth, a man-made creation meant to serve and obey humankind. If he could not be of use to the Brotherhood directly, then the next best thing he could do was dedicate himself to serving one of their best. Really, if he were honest, the idea of being Nate's personal synth wasn't unappealing to Danse. If anything, it wasn't fair to Nate that Danse be kept around to tempt him into violating Brotherhood rules. Sexual relations with machines was strictly prohibited, as was homosexuality, but Nate carelessly disregard both rules when it came to Danse, and Danse couldn't be more grateful. He was an abomination, therefore it wasn't his place to question a human such as Nate; Nate wanted him alive, and in good health, and because of that Danse had packed a bag with the few things he had to trade and walked to Tenpines Bluff.

As soon as Danse arrived, he was met with guns and suspicion.

“Stay back,” The settler warned, warding Danse back with the barrel of a rifle. “We don’t want nothin’ to do with you or your freak of a friend.”

Danse had been aware that Nate had a… reputation around the Commonwealth. He’d been a witness to several violent (bordering on psychotic) outbursts from the man. However, he had accompanied Nate several times to this particular settlement, and the people there had never been hostile before.

“I… am sorry for any confusion,” Danse said, licking his lips. He was severely out of practice after two weeks of near-total solitude, “Paladin Nate is not accompanying me at this time.”

The settler narrowed their eyes at Danse. “You…  don’t know where he is, do you?”

“I have not had contact with Nate in weeks,” He confirmed. The sights came down after a moment of deliberation and the settler sighed.

“Jesus, I’m sorry,” They stretched their head with a hand. “Look. You just missed your buddies, but you should probably keep clear of them - they seemed to think you might have teamed up with Nate when the ship was attacked.”

“Ship? Which ship?” Danse felt his stomach drop, the pieces of the puzzle having presented themselves yet he dare not assemble them.

“The big one you lot got up by Nordhagen,” They said, expression turning from tired to something almost pitying. “You really don’t know what happened? The whole ship was blasted out of the sky. Damn near everyone in Boston had to have seen it - what, have you been livin’ under a rock for the past week?”

“There was an attack on the Prydwen?” Danse asked, taking a panicked step forward. The settler adjusted their grip on the rifle and Danse reminded himself that even without power armor, he was a large and unfamiliar man to these people. “When? Who?”

“About five days ago, I think,” The settler said. “We just heard about it when the survivors came through and raided our supplies - grilled me and my wife for hours about everything we knew about Nate.”

Danse’s heart stopped beating, he was certain of it. Why would the remaining Brotherhood want to know about Nate? The answer was obvious, blindingly so, but Danse couldn’t bring himself to even think it. Nate was Brotherhood, through and through - it was not the place of an Institute machine to question the loyalty of a flesh-and-blood human dedicated to the betterment of humanity.

Swallowing, Danse forced himself to put on a brave face and ask his question. “Was Paladin Nate there at the time of the attack?”

The settler actually laughed, though the question wasn’t funny and neither was his answer. “Was he there? I’m sorry but if what your pals said was true, he was the one that blew the damn thing up.”

Danse had ended up leaving his supplies with the settlers. There was at least 250 caps worth of ammo and scrap in the sack, but it would just weigh him down on his journey. The settlers insisted that he at least stay for dinner and leave in the morning, but Danse saw the state of their garden after the Brotherhood had been through and politely declined. It would be a waste to force humans to part with anything valuable to sustain the functionality of an obsolete machine. He had completely forgotten his hunger anyways; all that mattered to Danse was finding out if what he’d been told was true.

By the time he was close enough to see the empty spot in the sky where the Prydwen should be, he had his answer. Travelers, settlers and raiders alike had confirmed the story with identical depictions of events. According to the few witnesses left, Nate had walked onto the bridge of the ship with a gun and, without speaking to anyone, began assassinating high-ranking members of the Brotherhood, starting with Elder Maxson. The bloody massacre ended with Nate walking into the engine room and detonating an explosion - one that most likely came from the very mini-nukes that Danse had helped Nate secure.

Danse had tried to withhold judgment - he should wait to hear what Nate had to say. The descriptions all came second hand, after all. The Brotherhood survivors had all either retreated or were being treated in what was left of the major settlements. And the description of Nate that he was being given didn’t sound like his friend, his trainee, his partner one bit.

Except…

When Paladin Danse first met Nate, he had been backed against the wall by several hundred feral ghouls threatening the lives of his scouting team. While he would likely be fine so long as the fusion core in his armor held, Hayen and Rhys were vulnerable. He’d already watched the ghouls descend on Keane, tackling the knight in waves. Danse had shot them down, but it was too late. Keane never came back up.

So when Nate walked into the scene, rocket launcher in hand, and blew half of the mob to dust before Danse could finish warning his team to check their fire, he had been inclined to ignore the sinister, psychotic look of glee that Nate wore as he ripped apart the ghouls. Hell, Danse had delighted in it, feeling his men had been avenged. The moment the battle was over and those steel-blue eyes locked onto his, Danse knew he had found someone special.

Nate’s reputation hadn’t quite formed yet, but from the handful of missions that Danse accompanied him on it was clear to tell he would make a fine soldier. He was resilient and a fast shot; anything that stood in his way he took down. It was as if the man was made for the Brotherhood.

Danse offered Nate knight-ship several times before he was taken up on his offer. Nate rarely came to visit when he was in Cambridge, and when he did it was almost always to trade or ask for spare jobs to make a few extra caps. It was only when the Prydwen came rolling through that Nate seemed to seriously consider Danse’s offer. It was strange - Danse feeling honored for Nate to join his ranks rather than the other way around.

Nate made him feel a certain way, something he hadn’t felt since Cutler. Danse could watch Nate fight for hours, muscles flexed under his vaultsuit as he clubbed in the head of a ghoul or gunning down a cluster of synths. His nights were often spent imagining exactly what it would look like if it was his neck that Nate was crushing between those smooth hands and not some random raider. It was foolish, and wildly inappropriate behavior as Nate’s sponsor.

Maybe that was what made him overlook some of the man’s more obvious flaws.

By the time Nate was inducted into the Brotherhood, his reputation as a ruthless and cunning man had become fairly well known. Maxson was willing to overlook Nate’s violent past thanks to a combination of Danse’s vouching and the fact that most of Nate’s targets were shared with the Brotherhood. He had infiltrated and collapsed the Railroad, dismantled the Institute's hold over Diamond City, and struck down the mayor of a mostly-ghoul city in east Boston. His methods were harsh, but they were necessary - at least, that’s what Danse told the Elder.

“Still,” Elder Maxson had said. “It’s best we keep an eye on him. I’m not sure if our new recruit’s heart is in the right place.”

“Believe me, sir,” Danse had told him, “I would trust Knight Nate with my life.”

“That may be so…” Maxson said, “but I still have my doubts. It’s best not to take the word of a known liar at face value, and Nate has quite the reputation of betrayal.”

The truth had been there the entire time. Danse recalled the first time he had met someone who knew Nate outside of the Brotherhood, a young woman by the name of Curie. It had been shortly after the destruction of the Railroad and just before his induction into the Brotherhood. She had seemed nervous around Nate, agreeing a little too quickly to what he said and keeping her eyes on him the entire time. Haylen had taken to her rather quickly, both girls having bonded over shared medical knowledge, and Danse remembered well what she had to say when asked if she liked traveling with Nate.

“Oh- o-oui… I mean…” Her fingers tightened around the cup of tea she had been sipping at. “Monsieur is… complicated, in his motives. I am sure he has good reasons for what he is doing… I simply must trust him. He has done so much for me already.”

Danse had felt her words were foolish. She was lucky to have so much of the man’s attention, and it seemed strange that she didn’t recognize that. Less than a week later Danse watched as Nate dragged her into an abandoned shack, barred the door, and set the house on fire. Later, Nate informed Danse that the girl had been a synth and that he was only doing as the Brotherhood instructed of him. Danse had been forced to agree - despite the vast wealth of knowledge that Curie held, her existence was far too dangerous to be tolerated.

The screams that came from the house as the woman burned alive haunted Danse no matter how many times he reminded himself they were from an artificial being. For a while he wondered if synths could simulate humanity so closely as to feel pain; he had his answer now, he supposed. That girl had died in agony.

The Nate described to Danse during his expedition to the beach was far closer to the Nate in those memories than the idealized soldier that Danse had stuck in his head. The Nate who had eyes like Cutlers and spoke to him as if he were human, even after his synthetic nature was revealed. The Nate who had kissed him in the center of the old radio station on their first official mission into the Commonwealth. The Nate who would disappear for months at a time and then reappear at a moment’s notice, ready to drag Danse along on whatever new quest had taken his fancy. The Nate who never slept in the same bed as Danse after he came around for a quick fuck. The Nate who was rumored to have murdered his girlfriend a year prior. The Nate who had set his previous partner on fire when he was done with her, then walked across the field to press a loving kiss to Danse’s lips as she died. The Nate who had promised Danse to be there for him after his exile only to leave him to waste away in solitude. The Nate who had destroyed the Prydwen.

They were all the same Nate.

When Danse finally made it to the airport, he was surprised by just how familiar it seemed. The carnage had been mostly scraped away by local settlers, leaving behind only the hollowed out remains of training camps and supply stations. The opportunity for a new settlement hadn't been lost on the local population; by the time Danse arrived there were already the makings of several homes under construction. Upon arrival Danse was recognized by his uniform and a handful of the new settlers offered him their condolences. He was shown the way to the resting place for those who had been recovered - little more than a mass grave dug behind the airport marked with scattered crosses and hung holo-tags. It was more than Danse had been expecting. The locals he had met in this area before had despised the Brotherhood with a passion - the fact that they hadn’t just left the bodies to rot while looting everything they could hold from the abandoned stores was a genuine surprise. He walked along the grave sights, checking the tags for names he recognized. He found several, but Haylen and Rhys weren't among them. Whether that meant they were still alive or among the hundreds of nameless casualties, Danse would never know.

Danse turned away gifts of food and offers for a place to rest. His body was at its limit, exhausted and starving, but anything put into it now would be a waste. All of this destruction and death was because of him; he was not the victim, but rather the perpetrator. Danse intended to answer for his sins against humanity.

After politely asking for a moment alone from the concerned settlers, Danse left to walk through the empty airport. He had hoped that there would be something left of the Prydwen on land for him to do this in, but the majestic ship was resting with many of her inhabitants at the bottom of the bay. So Danse found the next best place - the first-story storage area that had been cleared out. He retrieved his pistol from his jacket pocket and knelt down before pressing the end of the barrel to the hollow of his temple.

“I am asking for you to do the human thing here, Knight,” Danse pleaded, knees on the cold, damp ground of the listening post.

“And I’m telling you I don’t want to,” Nate had argued, stubborn as ever. “I like you, Danse, synth or not. I’m not ready to give you up just yet. I need you to stay alive.”

The words had felt so kind at the time. Danse, who was nothing more than a machine lamenting the loss of what it had never really owned, had leaned into those words. They became his anchor, his world, his reason- no- his excuse to keep on living. Looking back on them after seeing the graves of his fellow soldiers - some hung with the hats of squires who were too young to have been given tags yet - he saw those words for what they were: selfishness. Nate acted for his own sake. He served no one but himself, and he had used Danse in every conceivable way. What else should Danse have expected? It was the nature of a machine to be useful to those who took advantage of it.

Danse was a foolish, treacherous, malfunctioning thing, but the very last act he would commit would be a human one. If reincarnation was something that existed for synths, he hoped he would get a chance someday to be more than just a cheap imitation of humanity.

“You know, I’m not an expert with pistols or anything, but I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to put that end there.”

The gun dropped from Danse’s forehead. He unclenched his eyes and turned to face the newcomer.

“Mind your own business, Scavver,” Danse said wearily, though still managing to push through some of his commanding tone from a previous life, if only so he didn’t prolong this longer than necessary. He could already feel his resolve wavering.

“Aw, come on, man,” The person in the doorway stepped into the room, arms stretched out behind his head in a relaxed pose. A pair of mirrored sunglasses reflected Danse’s haggard appearance back at him. “Haven’t the guys around here had to bury enough bodies this week? Why add to the trauma?”

Danse’s eyes narrowed, but he did stand up and put this pistol back in his pocket. “You make an excellent point,” He said, headed for the door. “I will relocate myself to a more remote location as not to disturb the population.”

“Thaaaat’s not quite what I meant,” The man blocked the exit with an arm and refused to stand down, even as Danse towered over him. “Actually, I have a proposition for you - nothing weird - I promise-” He said, holding out his hands in a show of good faith. Danse used the opportunity to sidestep the stranger and walk out of the old hanger and into the hallway. The man scurried behind him. “So, I can imagine what is going through your mind right now - who is this guy? How did he get to be so handsome? Why doesn’t he want me to blow my brains out in an old-world aircraft hangar?”

Danse ignored the man, which did nothing to stop his ranting.

“In order - My name is Deacon, I moisturize daily, and I want you to join my super awesome resistance movement to take down the rat bastard known as the Sole Survivor of Vault 111-” Danse stopped dead in his tracks. “-though I suppose you were close enough to know him as Nate, right?”

Danse turned to look over the man - Deacon, as he claimed to be. He was bald, as evidenced by his ill-fitting wig sagging just enough to show his absent hairline. He was dressed like a civilian, but up close Danse could see the ballistic armor plates hidden under his flannel shirt. There was a look about him that Danse recognized from some of the scribes, specifically the ones who had been tasked with recon. His eyes twitched at Danse's every movement, and the slight tremor in Deacon's fingers pointed him in the direction of a pistol tucked into the stranger's pants line. In short - Danse’s summary of the man was that there was more to him than just a scavenger with delusions of grandeur.

Still, he turned back around.

“Even if what you are saying is true, I cannot in good conscience accept your offer,” Danse said, continuing his long walk. Deacon kept up pace beside him.

“Really? You’re still loyal to him even after he turned half of your buddies into flaming corpses?”

Danse felt rage hit him in a wave, but years of emotional control stayed his hand. Still, he faltered in his gait. “Nate is dead to me," He said with all the contempt he had left in him. "Should I have the opportunity I would gladly put that monster down myself. My issue is not with your cause, but rather with myself. I am a synth. Taking me into your organization would be too great of a security risk.

“Oh, right, that. Yeah, I already know about that, don’t worry,” Deacon said flippantly. Danse pushed open the double doors leading to the exterior of the airport, and despite letting the doors fall back on Deacon, the man kept following. “I asked a whole bunch of the Brotherhood guys if they wanted to join up, but most of them turned tail and headed back to the capital. But there was always this one guy who they kept mentioning, yeah? A pal of Nate's who turned out to be a synth. The guy was supposedly still running around in the Commonwealth, one M7-97.” Danse took a deep breath, hating every second he spent listening to this man speak. “That’s you right? See, I figured if I hung around here long enough I’d see you. Nate isn’t exactly… good to his friends when he’s done with them. And I’d say blowing up the Prydwen was about as done as done gets.”

“As stated, I am no longer affiliated with him,” Danse said, pausing at the water’s edge when he realized there was no shaking the persistent little pest. “If you are looking for intel on his current location, I have nothing to offer you. Last contact was precisely eighteen days ago at Listening Point Bravo.”

“Oh nah, I didn’t expect anything like that,” Deacon said, coming up beside Danse. He reached down for a rock in the sand and skipped it along the bay. “I just figured joining up with us might be a decent enough alternative to suicide.”

“It is not suicide, it is turning off a broken machine,” Danse clarified. He couldn’t see the man’s eyes, but he was almost certain that Deacon rolled them behind his glasses.

“Well, when that machine is sentient, we call it suicide,” He said with a sigh. “Look, man, I know what you’re going through, believe me.”

Danse’s eyes narrowed, no longer able to keep his contempt from his face. “How could you possibly know that? The Brotherhood was humanity’s best hope for a better future, and because of my malfunction its ranks have been compromised, possibly irreparably.”

Deacon fell down onto his ass, stretching out so his bare feet were caught by the waves as they lapped the shore. “I know 'cause you’re not the only one he’s stabbed in the back,” Deacon said, looking out across the water. “I was part of the Railroad.”

Danse’s neck snapped to the side, looking down at the man. His mouth opened in a prepared lecture about the folly of mistaking synths for human beings and the role of the Railroad in humanity’s doom, but he saw Deacon remove the sunglasses from his face and for the first time he was looking into the other man’s eyes.

“Nate took us out in the dead of night. No one saw it coming,” Deacon continued. “He was a new agent, but the higher-ups put a lot of faith in him, because someone they trusted had recommended him - me.” Deacon looked back towards the waves, propped up with his hands behind him. “Look, I’m not gonna sit around and babysit you. If you want out, there isn’t much I can do to stop you. But right now, I’ll be honest, the only thing keeping me going is revenge, and that’s a hell of a lot better than being dead.”

Silence fell between them. Danse had no idea what to say to all that. On the one hand, he was perfectly happy with the destruction of a dangerous underground movement such as the Railroad, and on the other, the parallels between his and Deacon’s story were not lost on him. Danse knew that the right thing to do was to decline Deacon’s offer - possibly even take the synth sympathizer down with him before he caused any more harm - and continue with his plan to terminate his existence.

But Danse didn’t want to die, or whatever one would call it when a synth ceased to be. And more than that, he didn’t want Nate to keep on living. There were hundreds of people on that ship - men, women, children . Not all of them were good, Danse was well aware of the unsavory types that were often attracted to the military lifestyle, but none of them deserved to die the way they did only to end up buried hundreds of miles from home in a mass grave.

Maybe it was selfishness, maybe it was revenge, maybe it was raw, human (or at least human-like) emotion, but Danse finally came to his decision with a decisive nod of his head.

“Okay.” He said. “Tell me what you need me to do.”

#fallout 4 #fo4 #fallout 4 danse #danse fallout 4 #paladin danse #danse fallout #fallout danse #fallout 4 fanfic #fo4 fanfic #fallout 4 fanfiction #fo4 fanfiction #fallout fanfic #fallout fanfiction #my writing #the black widow's waltz #fanfic #fanfiction #fallout #his time in the commonwealth #tw: suidice

[duhragonball]

Hellsing Liveblog Ch. 35-40

This is the one-part “Xanado”, and the five-part “Final Fantasy”. 

So last time, we saw a Millennium team led by Rip Van Winkle take control of a British aircraft carrier, which forced Hellsing to send Alucard to deal with the situation.   He accomplished his mission, but now he’s stuck on the boat by himself, because vampires can’t cross running water.   I suppose Hellsing would have arranged a second aircraft to pick him up, but they’ve got bigger problems on their hands.   Just as Alucard finishes off Winkle, reports come in of communication breakdowns all over Great Britain.  Military, intelligence, police, all out of reach.  Integra recognizes this as Millennium’s next move.    By taking out the communications networks, they ensure a clear shot for their invasion force to move in.   But how did they pull this off?

Simple, they did it the same way they arranged all those vampire attacks during the summer, and the Valentine assault on Hellsing Manor, and the Brazillian Police raid on Alucard’s hotel suite, and Lt. Winkle’s takeover of the H.M.S Eagle.    They convinced a bunch of Brits to betray their country in exchange for being turned into vampires.   The only real surprise here is the sheer breadth of treachery this time around, as Millennium must have created dozens of sleeper agents throughout the country, each tasked with hijacking or sabotaging key defense systems.  And Vice-Admiral Penwood’s command is no exception.    Those a-holes who gave Integra a hard time earlier?   Turns out they were in the tank for Millennium all along, and now that the invasion force has arrived, they’ve revealed their true colors.   At first, they’re pretty thrilled to have captured Integra Hellsing herself, but she calmly informs them that they’re minor league vampires at best, and they’ve foolishly revealed themselves in the presence of expert vampire hunters.

And Walter calmly slices them all up with his magic wire powers.  Cool.

But that’s not going to stop the one thousand vampire soldiers currently heading into British airspace.   I think the most striking visual in this part of the story are the expressions of sheer excitement on these guys’ faces.  They’re just so thrilled for what’s about to happen, and when you consider how long they’ve waited, it only makes sense.   It’s almost infectious, until you recall just what it is they’ve come here to do.  

Meanwhile, Alexander Anderson watches the Millennium blimps roll in.   Oh, right, I forgot about him.    Back in chapter 25 he was still in Brazil, trying to locate Millennium’s HQ, but all he found were human agents trying to stop him, which he found rather insulting.   Then Maxwell contacted him to explain what he learned from the summit with Hellsing, and he ordered Maxwell to come to London in preparation for a great crusade.   But unlike the Crusads of old, their enemy is not Allah, but Mars, since Millennium is so devoted to war.   Anyway, Anderson’s here and ready to rock.

Meanwhile, the people of London finally spot these blimps rolling in, and it’s pretty horrifying stuff.   We’ve already seen the carnage that can be wrought by a few vampires, and now it’s a thousand vampires, and they’re all Nazi soldiers to boot.   The sense of dread here is just palpable.

Aboard the flagship (flagblimp?) the Major starts giving his men their orders, and they even have a stupid invasion handbook for the occasion.   Warrant Officer Schrodinger lost his and has to share with the Captain.   I suppose this is intended to alleviate the tension, except, no, it really doesn’t.    These guys are all horrible monsters in every sense of the word, and they’re about to do awful, unspeakable things.    Schrodinger’s comic relief moments only make it worse.

The Major gives an extra-long speech for the occasion, basically outlining all the buildings and people in London that he wants his men to destroy (tl;dr: “all of them”).  He then assigns Lt. Zorin Blitz to take one of the blimps with a contingent of men and head for the Hellsing mansion on the outskirts of town.   She figures that’ll be an easy gig, since Alucard is away, but the Major warns her not to underestimate Integra Hellsing or Seras Victoria.   He doesn’t exactly explain his concerns about Seras, but the mere fact that she’s Alucard’s servant is probably reason enough to be mindful, and Integra is Alucard’s master, and she comes from a long line of vampire hunters, so the Major considers them both to be archenemies on the same level as Al himself, despite their inexperience. 

So the Major explicitly orders Zorin to go to the mansion but not to attack.   Her task is to observe an wait for the Major’s order.    This will be important later.

Then the Major orders a bunch of V-1 and V-2 rockets launched at London.   I mean, geez, were the hundreds of vampire soldiers not enough?  Did he think he needed to soften the city up first?  

Then the troops jump out of the blimp to begin their assault.  They look like they’re parachuting down, but I don’t think any of them are wearing parachutes, since they shouldn’t need them.  It’s almost pathetic the way they talk to each other with all of this professional military talk and congratulating each other on a successful landing.    London is virtually defenseless and this is a slaughter, not a battle, but they’ve been psyched up for this for 55 years.

Back at Penwood’s base, Integra warns him to flee before the main invasion force arrives, but Penwood insists on remaining at his post.   He confesses that he’s completely incompetent, and he only has this position because of his inherited title, but he refuses to abandon his duty, since that’s the only honorable thing he can do.   Integra leaves him a gun with silver bullets and wishes him well as she heads for her own duty.    Penwood orders his men to evacuate, but they refuse, since Penwood can’t actually operate any of the equipment here.

So now we get an extended sequence of Milennium marching through London, basically sacking the city and slaughtering anyone they meet.   This is accompanied by the lyrics to “Akuma Stocking” which I think was used in the anime adaptation as well.   There’s a lot of gory scenes here, but the three main visuals that stuck with me in the anime are these:

First, this motherfucker eating a baby.   

Second, all the Londinian civilians they bite end up rising up and transforming into ghouls, who then join in the slaughter.    It’s easy to forget about ghouls at this point, but Millennium never forgot.   Their artificial vampires can’t turn virgins into new vampires, and I think that may be by design.   They were counting on their victims rising up to compound the horror.    

Third, just a lot of bayonet-usage going on here.   You’d think they’d be content to bite and shoot people, but these guys seem to enjoy hoisting up their prey to show them off.   It’s a horrific nightmare and there’s no end in sight.   

Integra and Walter speed home as fast as they can, but they stop to take out a Millennium soldier in a shootout with London police.    She can’t save the cops, but she does avenge them.

Back at the Naval base, Penwood sends out a final transmission as he expects the enemy to enter his post at any moment.    His men are all dead, with the last one shooting himself to avoid becoming a ghoul.  He tells anyone who can hear him to resist and do their duty.    Then he recalls his first meeting with the young Sir Integra.   Back then, he found it ridiculous that a 12 year old should be in charge of Hellsing, but she quickly puts him in his place, and established that she would be asking him for favors from then on.  

But Penwood won’t be granting any favors to the Kraut bastards who storm his post.  Instead he sets off the explosives they set up earlier and I guess they all die together.   I wouldn’t have thought an explosion would kill these vampires, but they are a lot less formidable than Dandyman or the Valentines.   Luke couldn’t regenerate his foot, for example.

When Integra shot that one vampire, she gave away her position, and now Millennium is on her trail.   Just when it seems they have a clear shot at escape, someone blocks their path, and Walter tells Integra to take the wheel and find another route.    He’s going to stay behind to fight this guy, but he doesn’t think he can hold him off for long.

Integra does as he asks, but orders him to return alive “at all costs.”   Hmm.

Walter uses his wire power, but it turns out this is the Captain, and he’s apparently powerful enough to foil his attack.    Walter recognizes him, presumably from when he and Alucard fought the proto-Millennium in the 1940s.

And then the Major flies along in his blimp and confirms it. 

Meanwhile, Integra gives the Last Battalion a merry chase, but eventually she crashes the car and seems to be cornered.  One asshole tries to get closer to finish her off, but she decapitates him with her sword.

His comrades accuse her of being a “sore loser” and tell her to give up, but she mocks them all for being cowards who surrendered their humanity.  She’s hardcore, she’s hardcore.

But before she can fight all these vampires alone, somebody comes along and throws a bunch of blessed bayonets at them.   These did a number on Alucard and Seras, but they didn’t cause any lasting harm.   Seras was even able to pull them out without too much trouble.   But this shithead just disintigrates on the spot.  Remember, the Last Battalion’s main advantage is their number.   Individually, they’re not terribly impressive, at least as vampires go.

But yeah, it’s Alexander Anderson, along with his two sidekicks, Heinkel Wolfe and Yumiko Takagi, the stars of Kouta Hirano’s earlier manga, “Cross-Fire”.   We’ve seen Heinkel in Hellsing before, but I think this is Yumie’s debut here.  They chastise Anderson for interfering, since they were only sent to observe, but Anderson is too fired up by Integra’s fighting spirit, and he wants to kill some vampires, dammit.

Turns out there’s quite a few of these Iscariot guys here, maybe all of them, but Anderson starts doing a whole routine with them, as they chant all this stuff about how they’re assassins in the tradition of Judas, the disciple who betrayed Christ.  I’m not sure I get much of this, but it’s nice that Hirano put some thought into Section XIII as the super-secret death squad of this fantasy version of the Vatican.

And that’s all we have for now.   

#2021 hellsingliveblog #hellsing #sir integra hellsing #alexander anderson #walter c dornez #seras victoria #sir shelby penwood #the major #the doctor #warrant officer shrodinger #the captain #zorin blitz #heinkel wolfe #yumiko takagi

[msmarvelwrites]

The Winter Ghost - Part 16

Info: A Devastating car crash causes you to lose your memory and start over. The only thing left in the wreckage was the horrific nightmares which plagued your mind. If you knew what today would entail you would have just stayed in bed. But you didn’t and because of that, everything you knew was about to change.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Warnings: swearing, violence, mentions of death, fluff. 

W/c: 2.3 k  

A/n: Welcome back, and Happy Labour Day! We’re winding down here folks, but I’ve got some spicy chapters coming up... Thats all I’m going to say about that. But honestly, the biggest of thank you’s to @cutie1365​ for editing those parts because they were rough. I embarassed myself quite afew times. Anyways, enjoy babes! 

The sun burned into the cabin windows causing the dust that hovered stagnant in the dull room to sparkle. Bucky had tossed and turned for the past few hours, trying to rest his eyes, but it was to no avail. Instead of torturing himself further by counting ceiling planks, he groaned out of bed and shuffled into the kitchen. It appeared he wasn't the only one having trouble sleeping. 

Steve and Wanda hovered over Vision as he sat at the kitchen table, typing into the laptop. 

“Sergeant Barnes, I’ve located Agent L/n” The android spoke, freezing Bucky in his tracks. 

“You found Y/n?” He stumbled over his feet, joining the three of them as he watched the small red dot on the screen blink slowly. There you were. 

“Okay, that's not too far from here. Maybe a half hour right. Keep your comms on, I’ll get packed and head out now-”

“Alone?” Wanda spoke surprised. 

“I can handle a couple of Hydra picks. And I’m not risking what happened to Nat to happen again.” 

“That's not really up to you, jerk.” Steve sighed. “I’m with ya… Till the end of the line, remember?” 

Bucky’s eyes softened at that, watching as a small smile pulled at the corner of Steve's mouth. His relationship with his best friend had been a little rocky these past few weeks to say the least. But for the first time in a long time, he trusted him. Completely and fully. Bucky wasn't alone, not any more. 

“Alright, punk. Let's go get her back.” 

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

You squeezed the trigger, wincing as the machine in your hand clicked. 

Silence. 

You pulled it again, but same as before nothing happened. 

“Oh, baby. You're even more ruthless than I remember.” Tommy taunted, holding up the clip in his hands before springing from the floor, charging at you. You quickly dodged him, sending him into the wall behind you. 

“You’d really shoot me? After everything we’ve been through. Bucky Barnes must have some pretty good moves. Remind me to ask him when Hydra gets their little pet back.” 

You growled, “Take his name out of your mouth.” 

“And what about you, baby. Has it been in yours?” He cooed, lunging at you and hammering a stiff punch to your jaw. You stumbled back a few pases, but ultimately regained your balance. 

“I trusted you. I loved you!” You screamed, rocketing your leg forward and sweeping it under Tommy’s legs, knocking him down. He gasped on impact, clutching his chest for air. 

“Tell me,” He wheezed. “When he touches you, do you think of me?” The small smirk on his thin lips disappeared as you brought your boot down on his throat. He choked and gasped for air, but none came. For a moment you wondered if this was really who you were. A killer, nothing but a numb shell of a woman he had left behind. 

You watched as his face turned a deep shade of purple. He furiously clawed at your leg begging for air. It would be so easy. With your strength and a little more added pressure you could completely crush his windpipe. Hell, you're sure you could rip his head clean off, but you didn't want blood on your new combat boots. It’s funny, all this time you were thinking Bucky was the monster. Yet here you stood, Tommy’s life in your hands and there was nothing you'd enjoy more than watching his eyes roll back into his skull. Just like before, only this time there would be no second chances. 

The commotion outside the small room had your head snapping up and away from your prey. Gunfire echoed through the hallways, causing you to freeze. As the footsteps neared your room, you made your decision. Tommy would get his one way or another, but not if you died first. 

Reluctantly you lifted your boot off his now bruised and raw throat. He drew a jagged breath as the air rushed back into his swollen lungs. You grabbed the mag from across the room and reloaded the gun with a deep click. 

“Not a word.” You threatened Tommy, pressing the pistol into his head behind him. If you were going out, it was going to be a bloodbath, starting with his.

The metal door was torn from its hinges in an explosion of dust and concrete.

“I’d pull the trigger if I were you, doll.” His familiar husky voice boomed. 

“Bucky?” You all but whispered. 

“We’re not killing anyone.” Steve spoke from beside him as he and Wanda walked through the dust filled room. 

“You came.” You swallowed down your exhaustion you only now realised was there.

“Of course we came. Couldn't leave my best girl. All though, now I see you can take care of yourself just fine.” Bucky chuckled. You couldn't help the smile that spread across your lips as relief filled your lungs. 

“They're gunna’ to kill you.” Tommy coughed out. Bucky’s eyes shot to his, and as if it was the first time he had really realised he was in the room. 

“Oh, you must be Tommy. You know, heard great things, but now that we're meeting - officially- I have to say, I’m disappointed.” He took two wide pases to the quivering man, looking down on him. “You're shorter than I thought you'd be.” Bucky half joked. 

“Go on Winter Soldier. Do what you do best. Show her who you are.” He breathed, more confidence in his small voice now. He truly had a death wish.

“With pleasure.” Bucky seethed. You prepared yourself for the gruesome image that was about to unfold but the next thing you felt was Bucky’s hands on either side of your arms. When you opened your eyes, his were soft. 

This time, you knew who initiated it. You wrapped your hands around the back of his neck and pulled him down to you, crashing your lips onto his. They were soft and rough all at once as he drank you in. His flesh hand quickly lost itself in your hair as he pulled you in deeper. He kissed you softly, but you urged for more, desperate and craving to make up for lost time. He chuckled darkly at your attempt, holding you tight to his chest. He wanted nothing more than to hold you like that and never let go, but there were bigger things at play. Reluctantly, he pulled away as you gasped for breath. 

“Wanna get out of here?” Bucky breathed, taking your hands in his. You nodded, completely lost in thought. 

“Please.” He signed, following Steve and Wanda out of the room. 

“You can't just leave me here!” Tommy shouted. 

“Don’t worry, darling. Hydra’s going to take care of you. I mean, you let me get away, but I’m sure they’ll understand. After all, historically Natzi’s have been known for their forgiveness...” You grinned, turning on your heel and coming face to face with him.

“Y/n, please. Baby, you gotta’ help me. I'm sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” Tommy begged. His meak words caused you to grit your teeth. 

“I want you to remember this when they’re torturing you… I could have killed you. Easily- without regret. But you deserve so, so much worse.” You signed, slapping his face mockingly. You turned on your heel, as his words hit your back like a threat. 

“You're a slut, you know that. No one will ever love you like I did. You'll always be a sad, broken, pathetic bitch. Lucky your family fucked off when they did before they could see you grow up to be such whore.”

You stopped dead in your tracks. Bucky watched you carefully as you gnawed on your bottom lip, pleading with your eyes. He met your silent question with a shrug of his shoulders. Swiftly you turned and before Tommy could understand what was happening you took a fistful of his polo shirt and instantaneously collided your fist with his cheek, knocking him out instantly. 

“God damn, you're beautiful.” Bucky breathed, causing you to giggle. 

“Lets get the fuck out of here.” You spat, watching Tommys limp body crumpled on the floor. It took everything in you not to finish the job right there. Luckily Bucky was there to pull you away. 

You were quickly rushed through the hallways, avoiding the Hydra agents who writhed in half conscious pain on the floor. A nice touch by Wanda, who most likely sent them to their personal hell on earth. A few of them had bullet holes in their appendages but nothing fatel. 

“Why aren't we killing them again?” You asked under your breath to Bucky. 

“Steve thinks if a bunch of Hydra agents wind up dead ittl’ alert his friends back in New York. We’re trying to keep a low profile.” He explained, clenching his jaw. “Doesn't mean I’m not tempted to rain down fire on these sons of bitches. But he’s right.” 

“But they know how to replicate my serum now. What do we-”

“We’ll keep close tabs on them. Right now we need to get you out of here. We’ll come back when we regroup.” He resaured you, pulling you close. “You're my mission. You've always been my mission. Can you just let me save you?” He chuckled. 

You shook your head, a smile spreading on your lips. “I don't need a knight.” 

Bucky flashed that lopsided grin you missed so much, “How bout’ a Sergeant?” He asked deeply, sending a chill to blossom through your body. 

“I’ll get back to you.” You spoke sheepishly. 

“Sam says the jets fired up. He and Vision are on the tarmac just out front.” Steve spoke, leaning you out the doors and into the burning sunlight. The four of you ran across the pathment as Steve helped Wanda into the aircraft. Wanda wrapped her hand around yours and pulled you up, but before you could climb in, the sound of gunfire exploded through the air. 

In the time it took you to turn around, it was too late. Bucky had taken the blow of two bullets fired from the disheveled Hydra agent across the tarmac. Your heart stopped as another round of bullets sprayed through the air. Wanda screamed your name as you pulled away from her and threw yourself in front of Bucky, absorbing the impact. In a flash of red, you disintegrated the bullets, turning them to dust before you. 

“Get him out of here.” You ordered, turning for a moment to assess his injuries. Steve and Sam reluctantly pulled Bucky onto the jet leaving you to face your demon. The agent smiled wickedly. 

“Leaving so soon, Y/n. Family reunion not all you thought it was going to be?” He snearned. 

“Family. Is that even a word you understand?” You spat, closing in on him. He was only a few yards away. The man shrugged and tucked his gun away. 

“Maybe not. How about some words you'll understand?” He spoke coolly. 

“Выхлоп.” Exhaust. The word echoed around your mind, a memory pulling at your heart. 

“Отражение...тоска...забытый...горящий...призрак...пять...замороженный...мост…  чувство вины.” 

Reflection...Longing… Forgotten… Burning… Ghost… Five… Frozen… Bridge… Blame.

Images flashed through your mind. The inferno of your childhood home. Tommy’s lifeless body tipping over the bridge… Your mom and dad, the way they smiled. You're sisters giggle. Your mission… Finally, numbness washed over you as you hung your head in exhaustion. 

You took two steps closer to the man, your heart pounding in your chest. 

“Are you ready to comply?” He questioned curley. 

“Yeah, that doesn’t work anymore.” You breathed, snapping your head up to meet the man's horrified face. Crimson flames erupted out of your hands as you lifted him off the ground. With the flick of your fingers, the bones in his legs snapped, an ungodly sound of crunching willing the air. He screamed in pain as you threw him like a ragdoll into the side of the building. 

You shook your head, physically trying to rid yourself of the daze Hydras trigger words had sent you into. Bucky calling your name from behind knocking you back to reality. You ran towards the jet, climbing in and trying to steady your breathing. 

“Are you okay?” Steve asked, astonished. 

“I think so.” You replied, just as shocked as he was. 

“Those were trigger words. Just like Bucky had. How did you fight it?” He spoke. 

You looked to Bucky who only blinked at you. You had your answer before you even spoke. 

“Bucky. I just remembered Bucky.” You breathed, squatting down beside him and holding your hand over his wounds to relieve his pain. 

“I knew it.” He groaned, feeling the ache slowly dissipate into thin air. 

“What?” You chuckled, taking a seat beside him and pressing your lips to his temple. He signed into your touch and leaned his head onto your shoulder.  

“Knew you couldn't leave me for dead. You’ve got my six.” He explained, repeating his words from the other day. You smiled into your lap and rolled your eyes. 

“Yeah, yeah. I thought it might be a dick move. But we’re even now.” You sighed, nudging him a little.  His eyes fluttered closed as he began to doze off. His wounds surely repairing themselves while he slept. You wondered if he could hear how fast your heart was beating as you watched him nuzzle into you. 

Of course, he did. He smiled softly, knowing he made you feel the same as you did him. Though he wondered if he was pushing his luck to imagine he could take that thought one step further.

.......................................................................................................................

A/N: So, #fuck tommy. Telling him off in this was honestly therapeutic lol. I really hoped you guys enjoyed this one. As always, please like and reblog of you’ve read it. And feel free so leave some feedback, its alwasy welcome! 

@projectcampbell​

@kalesrebellion​

@calwitch​

#msmarvelwrites #marvel #marvel fanfiction #marvel fanfic idea #marvel smut #bucky x reader #bucky barns imagine #bucky barns x reader #bucky barnes #bucky x y/n #bucky barnes reader insert #bucky #bucky barnes smut #bucky barns x y/n #bucky barns fanfiction #bucky x steve #bucky x you #bucky x female reader #bucky fanfic #bucky barnes x reader smut #bucky barnes reader #marvel civil war #wintersoldier #winter solider fanfiction #thewinterghost #winter soldier x y/n #the winter solider x reader #bucky imagine

[self-proclaimed-chaotic-good]

Science & Faith | Carlton Drake x Reader (5/?)

Words: 1980

A/N: Kind of losing motivation in writing this series, so I'm going to try and post what I have already written and try writing other things. I technically have more than half of this series finished, but I might do some editing on them before posting.

-

The Return Part One

- Original Universe -

Carlton woke up on the cold floor of the lab. The air was musky, the lights above him burnt out. He heard hurried footsteps from the other side of the room, followed by a firm hand on his shoulder. He flinched, scooting away to get a better look at the room as his eyes began to focus. Three figures stood around him, all in some sort of costume and a few he recognized as some variation of Spider-man’s suit.

“Where’s Stark? And Spider-man?” Carlton mumbled, holding his head to stop the spinning.

“You’re gonna have to be more specific on which Spider-man you’re asking for,” the tallest one said, crouching down next to him. He had brown graying hair, unkempt with a trimmed stubble, but his blue eyes were familiar. “I’m Peter Parker.”

“That… no… so the Collider did work.” Carlton righted himself up and stood with the help of the other Peter. “You’re a bit older than the Peter Parker I knew.”

“You’re Carlton Drake, aren’t you?” a girl said, looks to be about her late teens or early twenties with blonde shoulder length hair and a white and pink Spider suit.

Carlton nodded, dusting himself off.

“He’s Carlton Drake?” a boy around her age said in disbelief, wearing a black and red Spider suit. “The Carlton Drake I knew was this blond white elitist guy who’s been looking to grant immortality or something to rich people.”

The girl shrugged. “Well, I honestly heard of him as the husband of Doctor (Y/n) (Y/l/n). You know, CEO of Life Foundation? They collaborate with Stark Industries to create customized cybernetic limbs and growing fully functioning organs in labs. They’re pretty badass.”

“Peter! Gwen! Miles!” a little girl’s voice called out, “It looks like the entire area had been caught in the blackout and there’s no signs of this lab being in use for years.”

A little girl in a white shirt and black vest ran in, followed by a stomping arachnoid robot and a man dressed like he was from a noir film in the forties.

“There’s no sign of Doctor Octavius or Kingpin anywhere here. Where should we go first?” the man asked in his deep voice, his face covered with a black mask.

Peter held up a hand to his chin as he thought. “This doesn’t make any sense. I could have sworn I saw this collider powered before we all arrived here. There’s still heat radiating off of it, but the whole place looks deserted,” he mumbled to himself.

Miles subconsciously mirrored him, placing a hand on his chin to help him brainstorm. He frowned for a moment before his face brightened, turning to Carlton.

“You mentioned Stark, as in Tony Stark, right? Since we’re in New York, he’s someone that could help us with this, right?” Miles suggested.

They exchanged a glance and shrugged. “It’s worth a shot,” Gwen said.

“How are we gonna reach him?”

“We’ll just have to go straight to him,” Carlton said. “To Stark Towers.”

-

As Dora dug further into the old research of Doctor Otto Octavius, she could see where things could go wrong immediately. The energy needed to be controlled in a stable environment and with too much power, it could become unstable and break the barriers of the other dimensions. Was it possible that the doctor’s accident had been connected to this collider project? Hopefully, it was never completed or else someone could get their hands on it.

There was a knock at the door, one of the researchers reminding her to take a break. They all planned to head towards the bar and relax and think of what to do next. Dora kept the files on the collider in her bag and followed them out, sparing one last glance at the picture of you and Carlton on his desk before locking the office door behind her.

She wasn’t much for drinking, but when they poured a glass for her, she readily took a sip of it. Carlton’s descent into madness stressed the hell out of her, making her question whether she was still part of the good guys or were in cahoots with the bad guys. All she wanted was to help people, maybe even find the cure for cancer. Then, her family was threatened, so what else could she do? She was unable to tell anyone what was happening. Nothing to her friends or family. She noticed how estranged she had become as a result of this and had to slowly patch things up with her life outside of Life Foundation.

“Hey, Dave, turn that up!” one of the regular bar patrons shouted, pointing at the TV.

The bartender reached over and turned the volume up as everyone gathered around the bar. Dora looked up, her eyes widened at what she was seeing. A sudden earthquake shook New York and caused a massive black out. There were no seismic activities prior to this, so scientists were still looking into it.

“Jesus, what the hell happened?” someone muttered next to Dora.

“Who the hell knows,” another one said.

Dora quickly whipped out her phone and texted you, hoping that you were okay.

-

Your eyes were attacked by a bright light as you slowly came to. The last thing you remembered was standing in the streets when you fainted. Why did you faint?

You heard a door sliding open, followed by clicking heels. “How are you feeling?” asked the doctor.

“I’m… a bit dizzy,” you managed to say.

The doctor nodded, explaining that she was going to perform a few tests before giving you a cup of water. “Miss Pepper saw you unconscious in your car through the security cameras and sent a small team to retrieve you. Do you mind telling me what happened?”

You sat up slowly with the help of the doctor and frowned. “I was clocking out for the day when traffic suddenly stopped, um… there was some kind of blackout. An explosion had happened a couple miles away and affected the whole area.” The doctor nodded, waiting for you to continue. “Then… I got distracted by something in the sky. I don’t know what it was, but I had a feeling that it was heading straight to Stark Towers. And then, I heard a voice…”

You frowned, trying to remember who it was. Your mind had an answer, but it was impossible. Carlton was dead, but it sounded just like him. It looked like him, dressed up in his usual dark gray suit that he would only use for conferences and company dinners, but at the same time he seemed different.

“Who was it?” The doctor asked.

“It’s crazy,” you said, not wanting to say anything further.

The doctor smiled. “We’re in a building owned by a man with an iron suit. One resident has powers originated by a glowing alien cube, another can turn into a green hulking monster when he’s angry, then another was a soldier from World War Two that had been kidnapped to be their mind controlled assassin, kept in a cryochamber until they have some use for him. I can go on and on. You know, just saying, so we both are on the same page of what crazy is.”

You took a deep breath and nodded, exhaling slowly. “I thought I heard… I saw my ex,” you said, staring down at your hands.

The doctor tilted her head. “How is that cra- ”

“He’s dead,” you said quickly, almost bitterly, “He’s been dead for months.”

“Ah.” She looks down at her chart, then back at you. “Well, you can rest up first. Mr. Stark wants to speak with you and it may explain what you saw. And trust me when I say that you need all the rest you can get. Doctor’s orders.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

She nodded, turning to let you rest. Walking out of the medical area of the floor, she was immediately met with the sight of five new people in costumes and a man in a dark gray suit that looked oddly familiar. The man was arguing with Tony, demanding to see you. She cautiously walked in, holding your medical chart close to her. Tony spotted her and smiled.

“Ah, Doctor Cho, any updates?” he said, wanting to get out of his conversation with the man.

“Yes, they are in a more stable state and everything else seems fine. They just need some rest,” Doctor Cho said, emphasizing the last word to the man.

“Can I at least see them?” The man asked, stepping towards her. “They’re my fiance.”

Doctor Cho frowned. “They haven’t mentioned anything about being engaged. What was your name again?”

“Carlton Drake.”

She exchanged a look with Tony who stepped in between them. “We need to discuss what happened,” he said, “And maybe, just maybe, I’ll let you see (Y/n).”

Carlton sighed. “Fine.”

Tony took them to the communal floor where he brought up a projection displaying cameras and news reports about the black out before heading towards his bar to pour himself a drink. After taking a sip, he walked back and brought up another screen. He pointed at Carlton, then brought up a video of a rocket explosion at Life Foundation. Carlton’s face twisted in confusion as he watched the news report of the accident and his passing.

“(Y/n) doesn’t say much about their life back in San Francisco, but I always do background checks on my employees. There had been a few pap pics of the two of you over the years and the most recent one in Singapore a day before one of your spaceships crashed,” Tony said, “Can you see why I can’t just let you see (Y/n)? In our universe or reality or whatever you want to call it, you’re dead.”

Carlton stepped back to process this, his eyes glued to the news coverage of his demise. They spoke of all the things he had done in this parallel universe, good and bad. And there were a lot of bad things that he felt weren't being revealed.

Peter stepped forward, explaining what had happened that led him to this universe and the others followed one by one. They were all in activities unrelated to Kingpin when they were sucked into this portal and spat out here. They all turned to Carlton, wanting to know what happened to him.

“I… me and the other Tony Stark and the other… Peter Parker was looking into Kingpin and found his lab. The collider was headed by Doctor Olivia Octavius- “

“So Doc Ock was a woman in your universe,” Tony muttered, earning a glare from Carlton for purposely interrupting. He held his hands up and gestured for him to continue.

“She activated the collider and through the scuffle, I got thrown into the chamber. I tried to shoot the panel when she blasted the power capacity to its fullest. I’m not sure if the other Tony Stark was able to destroy the panel in time, but I still ended up going through the portal.”

Tony hummed. “Very interesting. Well, if it was me, I would have gotten the job done,” he commented, downing his drink, “But because he is the alternate version of me, then he’s bound to be brilliant because from the readings I got, the source seems to be coming from here.” He brings out a 3D map of New York and zooms it towards Doctor Otto Octavius’s old laboratory. “If the portal from your universe had gone off, you would have all been teleported to that universe instead. That being said, our Doc Ock died years ago and Kingpin had been sitting in jail during that time. Maybe someone’s been squatting in that place or maybe the collider redirected all of you here. Either way, this needs to be fixed.”

#carlton drake x reader #doctor carlton drake #carlton drake #carlton drake imagine #dr carlton drake x reader #marvel imagine #venom imagine #venom movie #science & faith #science & faith series #into the spiderverse inspired

[concussed-to-pieces]

The Mettle Of A Man; Part Five

Fandom: Fallout (4)

Pairing: Eventual Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor

Rating: Holy shit M.

AN: Enjoy!

Part One: ArcJet

Part Two: The Prydwen

Part Three: Orders

Part Four: Finding Brandis

It was supposed to be simple. Clear out Weston Water Treatment. Start a new settlement at Oberland Station. Backhand wrinkled her nose. Partially in irritation, and partially to ward off the foul smell of super mutant.

  “If I'd known the place was infested I wouldn't have agreed to this shit.” She grumbled to the paladin in power armor beside her. “Rob could have been a little more generous with his count, I feel.”

  Danse chuckled, “Don't try to act tough, Knight Vega. You're still here, right? It's only a couple of super mutants.”

  “A couple, he says.”

  A bullet whizzed over her head, interrupting the easy back and forth between the two of them. Danse gritted his teeth and readied his laser rifle. “For the Brotherhood!”

  They easily picked off five mutants and two hounds, and Backhand pumped her fist in victory when a sixth mutant fell to Righteous Authority . However, then she heard something that sent her into a panic. Her whole upper body jutted heedlessly out from behind cover, stealth mods deactivated from her motion while she searched frantically for the source of the beeping. “Wait, Paladin wait! ” She yelled, grabbing hold of his arm as he thundered by and barely missing getting her fingers crushed in his elbow joint. His momentum dragged her along with him and she hurriedly dug her boots into the dirt. “There's a fucking-!”

  Danse’s huge gauntlet clamped onto one of the many straps on her combat armor and without so much as a look out , he hurled her up over the road and into the deep pond beside the treatment plant. The super mutant suicider screamed in triumph, “ Die, metal man! ”

  Backhand landed in the pond with an undignified splash, brown water pouring into her nose and mouth as she sank like a rock to the bottom. The following explosion sent shockwaves through the water and Backhand struggled to hold her breath.

  Danse, oh God Danse, please be alright!

  She finally broke the surface, eyes stinging from the acrid water. “Paladin Danse!” She coughed, hauling herself back up the banking. Smoking chunks of super mutant were scattered everywhere , green flesh burned brown and black. The suit of power armor was toppled over on its front. “ Danse! ” Backhand almost fell in her haste to get to the paladin, skidding to her knees beside the power armor.

  Her Geiger counter started to click loudly.

  “Shit, Paladin, c'mon! You've dealt with worse than this, you got cooked by a fucking rocket! Don't do this to me!” She pleaded, fighting with the manual release on the back of the suit. The fusion core was shattered, otherwise she could have just half-twisted the handle and popped him out easy. Backhand was stuck doing this the hard way. “Fucking answer me Paladin, please! ”

  “That's not...soldier-appropriate language, Knight.” A choked cough came from the half-crushed helmet. “Can you get the back open? I can't really...it's very heavy in this thing.” He rose onto his knees with one hand propping him up, leaving Backhand more than a little impressed. “A Brotherhood soldier's conditioning requirements are somewhat rigorous, Knight. Now please. The back.” Despite his reassurances he sounded strained.

  Backhand tore the plate metal over her knuckles on the rivets around the manual release wheel in her haste to get it undone, breathing a sigh of relief when she finally swung the back plate up out of the way. Danse pulled his head out of his helmet, got to his feet, and promptly collapsed.

  Backhand swore again, rolling him over. It seemed like his armor had taken the brunt of the impact but he got rattled around inside it like an old world pinball. She'd griped about the lack of padding in their undersuits the very first time she’d seen them, ‘ stupid military branches, always cutting corners. ’

  “Paladin, you still with me?” Backhand Vega, shittiest knight the Brotherhood has to offer. “Why the fuck are all your jumpsuits dark orange and brown , I can't tell whether you're bleeding or not!” She yelled in frustration, mostly to herself. At least that suicider had been the last of the mutants to deal with. “Alright, okay. You're out. Oberland it is.” She sighed when he didn't reply, slinging Righteous Authority across her chest and heaving Danse onto her back. Thank God for all that conditioning work so she'd been able to move her own armor frame back in the day. She may be in shape but Danse was by no means a small man.

  Getting over the damn hill to Oberland left Backhand almost spent. Half-carrying, half-dragging him up the station stairs at the end was torment, her calves screaming bloody murder. She dropped him on the bed and left her supply satchel on the ground, rummaging through it for her Stims. Some Rad-X probably wouldn't hurt either, it had been a mini-nuke that exploded next to him.

  “Knight Vega...” Danse mumbled blearily a few minutes after she inserted the Stim needle into one of the ports in his jumpsuit, the paladin obviously coming back around.

  Backhand couldn’t stop the way she snapped at him. Now that the terror for her companion had faded somewhat, she was left feeling exhausted and irritated. “What the hell were you thinking? You could have been obliterated by that asshole!”

  “Where are we?” Danse muttered instead, trying to sit up.

  “Oberland. Lay the hell back down, stupid idiots don’t get to sit up.” She pushed his shoulder and Danse’s back hit the mattress with a wheeze of rusty springs. “Don’t move.” She growled, using one of her shoelaces to hang the bag of Rad-X from the rafters and then hitching the end of the tubing to the needle still in his arm. Danse grunted, the dazed look on his face making Backhand extremely nervous. “Paladin, stay conscious.” She waved her fingers in front of his eyes and Danse jerked to attention. “Stay with me.”

  “I am, Knight Vega.” He retorted while his eyes drifted shut. “Right here.”

  “Ah ah, no napping.” She tapped his cheek and his eyes rolled open again. “Stay with me, Danse.” Backhand repeated, a little softer this time.

  “I am , Knight Vega.” Danse murmured. “Endured worse than this, remember?”

  “Doesn't mean I'm not going to worry.”

  Danse closed his eyes just enough to squint at her. “About me? You’re the one with no power armor. I’m supposed to be managing you , Vega.”

  …

  “Yeah, frickin’ bang-up job there ked.” Backhand retorted. “Coulda’ lost a hand in your elbow joint when you whipped past me like a bat outta’ hell.”

  Danse noted with a faint flash of amusement that apparently her accent thickened when she was wound up. “My hearing is not in peak condition. Specifically, telling where the sound is coming from can be an issue in my helmet. Proctor Ingram can only tweak it so much.”

  “That would have been good to know beforehand, Paladin.” Backhand said icily, her motions sharp and angry as she shed her combat armor breastplate. Her gauntlets followed suit, discarded in a pile on the floor. She was soaked to the skin, Danse noticed hazily.

  His head was pounding again, vision slowly becoming more and more unfocused. “Tell me about what it was like, Knight. Before the…before the war.” Danse slurred, trying his hardest to change the subject and stay awake.

  Backhand bit her lip, pulling the bedroll up a little higher until it was underneath Danse’s chin. He wasn’t sure whether she intended to simply ignore his question.

  “It was green.” She said softly, putting his wondering to rest. “There was always someone in your business. People were on top of each other most of the time. I mean, I was in the military so cramped quarters were normal for me, but for civilians…it was pretty hellish. In the mornings once we’d had breakfast, I would take Shaun outside to the front lawn and he would roll around on his little blanket. The neighbors were walking their dogs or mowing the lawn or something, we would all make small talk about the weather.” Backhand stopped talking and sighed heavily, tapping at the bag of Rad-X to keep it flowing.

  “What is it, Knight?” Danse hated the cold sweat that always broke out when he took Rad-X, but right now it was a necessary evil.

  “I think a lot of folks were a little intimidated by me.” She theorized. “I mean I was a young veteran, and pretty quickly became a single mother. Unheard of. For a while after I moved in I still had the eyepatch from my discharge incident, then a pair of super dark sunglasses, which definitely didn’t defang my appearance.” Her smile was melancholy and she brought her fingers up to her eye, tapping the area beneath it.

  The silence stretched on. Danse knew he needed to be patient. It’s not as if he could go anywhere, and it was fascinating to hear about pre-war from someone who had actually been there.

  “I told the neighborhood kids that I was a pirate and showed them all how to make newspaper boats and hats so they could be pirates too.” Backhand smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I modified one of my old MLCE packs so I could carry Shaun around the cul-de-sac with me when I jogged. Didn’t have the money for one of those baby carriers or even for a stroller after the divorce, so the pack had to do. He would put his little head down on my chest and sleep. Wasn’t bothered by all the motion or anything, just like his mommy.”

  Her pain was still clearly raw, even after however much time had passed. Danse didn’t know what to do, so he wiggled a heavy arm free of the sleeping bag and rested his hand on her own. She squeezed it back wordlessly, her jaw working.

  When she spoke again, she sounded more steady. “I can’t say that it was bad . The environment was safe and quiet. Everyone in Sanctuary Hills looked out for one another. Even if it was more motivated by curiosity and nosiness than an actual desire to help.” Backhand mused dryly. “The milkman couldn’t leave an extra bottle on your doorstep without six other people knowing. So exactly like the military.”

  “Sounds similar to the Prydwen.” Danse remarked, sick to his stomach a second after he said it. How many people must know about Maxson and I? He realized, swallowing hard to fight the sudden rush of nausea. He hadn’t thought about it at all, more than content with the illusion of privacy one usually maintained in the Brotherhood. The most obvious evidence of their dalliances was the busted mouth Danse always seemed to end up with, and those instances happened far too often for everyone to write it off as Danse just being clumsy or careless when he shaved.

  I bumped it. He grimaced as he recalled his weak explanation back on the Prydwen, the way Backhand had narrowed her eyes at him.

  Besides, he knew that he’d worn his excuses thin at this point. Trying to explain away the teeth marks Arthur left on his upper arm that one time was more than enough of a chore. He had looked like he’d been savaged by a feral, so at least he could understand the concern to an extent.

  “Hey, you alright? All the color just dropped out of your face.” Backhand noticed, her brows drawn in worry.

  Danse nodded, fixing his attention on the guttering lantern beside the bed instead of the wrinkles on her forehead. “Tell me more?” He asked eventually.

  “I miss the convenience of food. Even with the shortages, there used to be a grocery store on practically every corner.” She sounded wistful. “Shaun hadn’t really started solid foods yet, he was only just beginning to leave the twenty-four-seven nursing program. Not a minute too soon, the little bugger would suck me dry.”

  “You breastfed your child? Isn’t that-” Danse stopped himself, feeling uncomfortable. Normally breastfeeding was considered incredibly dangerous, for the baby and the parent. But before, when the radiation wasn’t so prevalent…things must have been different. “It’s none of my business, I suppose.”

  “No no, I get it. I know that nowadays trying to raise a child is tough enough without the added dangers of the irradiated environment. It was simpler back then. Could just unbutton your shirt and go to town, instead of having to unbelt all your armor and find a safe spot so that Junior can get lunch in.” Backhand grinned.

  Danse flushed a little at her frank speech, sternly telling himself not to dwell on the idea of her with an infant on her knee like some housewife from the pre-war mags. He had no recollection of his own parents, or siblings if he had them. Familial musing was not familiar territory, but it never failed to leave him with a sad ache in his throat. The same ache that assaulted him when he thought of Cutler-

  Backhand hissed in pain and Danse snapped out of his slide into melancholy, watching with horror while she peeled off her other glove. “Shit, I didn’t even feel that.” She grimaced, spreading her fingers. The sheet metal on her gloves was ripped through in some areas, and it had apparently taken a few healthy chunks out of her knuckles and the backs of her hands. Blood dribbled over her palm and Danse felt… odd .

  “Knight Vega, what happened?” Danse asked in confusion.

  “I was in such a hellfire hurry to get you out of your gear and the fusion core in your suit was busted. I uh...I don’t really know.” Backhand admitted. “I went panic mode and muscled the manual release as fast as I could, basically.”

  “The manual…” Danse trailed off as she wiped some dried blood away with the hem of her undershirt. “You need to bind that. Your knuckles-”

  “Nah, I’ll be fine.” She flapped a bloodied hand at him. “I’ve had worse.”

  “It’s irrelevant whether you’ve had worse, the fact of the matter is that right now, you’re the one who needs to protect us.” Danse shot back, a little annoyed with her carelessness. “Who knows what could be lurking out there? Everything in the neighborhood must have heard the suicider explosion.”

  “Ah, okay. Sorry, I’ll…you think a Stim would put this back together? Or should I save those for later?” She asked hesitantly.

  “Did you take any Stims from the Prydwen?”

  “No, I didn't want to take any resources from you guys.” Backhand shuffled through her pack, carefully counting out everything that she had. “I only have three Stims left. Wasn't expecting this detour.”

  Danse cursed under his breath, pushing to sit up by propping his back against the wall. The Stim that she had given him was doing its job, of course, but it would be several hours before he was fit for duty again. Anything could happen in that time. “Come here.” He ordered, disliking the sideways look she gave him. “Let me see your hands.”

  “H-Hey, I'll probably be fine. It's no biggie.” She protested, putting her left hand into his own all the same and then wincing. Danse, his brain jerkily reminding him that he was probably being a little too rough, nearly dropped her hand when he tried to casually loosen his grip. Alright, maybe he did spend more time than necessary in his armor. The truth of the matter is that Danse felt like a raw nerve without the comforting weight of plate metal on his body, exposed and too… soft .

  “I'll wrap this.” He decided aloud after several moments of careful manipulation to make sure her fingers weren't broken. Danse flipped open the small pouch by his hip, tugging out a tiny roll of bandaging and a nonstick gauze to dress her knuckles. “What? A Brotherhood soldier is always prepared.” He huffed when he noticed Backhand staring at him.

  “I gotta' get one of those.” She said, gesturing at the pouch. “Is that included in the suit? Or do they come separate from the requisitions officer?”

  “I can put in a supply order for you, if you'd really like one. It has...look, there's loops here. You could hitch it to your combat armor.” Danse loosened the bag and showed her the plethora of MOLLE straps on the back, chuckling a little when she made a clumsy attempt to snatch it out of his hands. “Mm, nice try. I've been around Haylen and Rhys. You've got nothing on either of them when it comes to pilfering my supplies, Vega.”

  “Can’t blame a girl for trying.” She grinned ruefully. “I really ought to be nice to you. After all, you saved me from pretty certain death.”

  “I did?” Danse thought back momentarily and then remembered gauntlet slamming shut on the strap, whichever strap, doesn’t matter, shoulder-ribs, just be enough to hold her weight --He felt his face go hot recalling the unwarranted contact between them. “It was a…reaction. Sometimes I think I move too quickly for my mind to keep up.”

  “Lucky for me, I guess! Maybe the Sarge's bandanna is rubbing off on you.” Backhand got to her feet, stretching her arms over her head. She had peeled her Vault suit down and tied the sleeves around her hips again, the fabric pulled tight from her motions.

  Danse forced his eyes elsewhere, the sweat on his forehead having nothing to do with the Rad-X. What the hell is the matter with you? He scolded himself. Since when do you ogle women like this?

  “Do you think we should stay here tonight, and try to get to your armor tomorrow?” Backhand asked.

  “We have to. I’m not leaving it there indefinitely.” Danse cringed as he thought of the state his armor would be in. “I would like to go after it tonight, but I am…not in peak condition.” God , that stung to say. Whether he liked it or not, it was the truth.

  “ Hell no, not tonight. I’d rather let you sleep off the Stim and Rad-X, have you in fighting shape bright and early tomorrow morning.” Backhand gave him a look that was actually fond and the ache mounted up in his throat once more. “I’ll take first watch.”

  “Put your armor on!” Danse barked as she moved to the door, his voice harsher than he had intended. “You--I-I mean, you need to be prepared, Knight.” He tried to play it off, tried to relax his posture a little. He had nearly stood, shaky fingers crushing the rotted windowsill to try and support his weight.

  She waved her bandaged hand at him, as if to say hush , but still buckled her chest plating back on. Danse knew her moments of insubordination should have been worrisome. Had he gotten too complacent, too used to the less stringent requirements of fieldwork?

  He did let Rhys and Haylen slide. He just couldn’t stand the two of them dancing around each other anymore, it was maddening. Rhys talked a great game, he always had, but Danse would have to be blind not to notice the knight’s care for their scribe. It wasn't technically against regs, of course, but Danse knew if anything he ought to put his foot down. As their senior ranking officer, if the relationship went south between them he would be dragged into it. It was hard to justify it though, when he saw the two of them all curled up with one another.

  Better that they enjoy themselves now. Life could be so incredibly short.

  …

  “Hey, what’s your deal with the muties?” Backhand asked curiously. He had gotten a boatload of pre-war nonsense out of her, she figured she had earned at least one question. “You lose one of your own to them or something?”

  Danse made eye contact and Backhand’s breath caught in her throat. He looked positively worn, fragile , like all the life had gone out of his body. With an expression like that , she expected a great (if sad) story. All she got was a soft “ Yes ,” spoken in a voice thick with emotion.

  When it became apparent that that was the end of it, Backhand cleared her throat and readjusted the dingy pipe pistol in her hands. She proceeded to methodically count her bullets, trying not to make him feel like she was waiting for the rest. The experience left her shaken. She had thought Danse to be the typical soldier, but it was obvious now that there was much more to him than that. He clearly cared deeply for the wellbeing and safety of each member of his team, possibly too much for him to escape unscathed. He was one of those , she realized, practically a kindred spirit to her dearly departed senior officer Sergeant Cathan. Courageous, firm, the shelter in the storm. A true embodiment of everything a soldier should strive to be.

  “ I could not feasibly promise anything…it was not within my power to promise. ”

  She noticed Danse pull the bedroll up around his shoulders as if he was cold. There was a sharp wind that blew through the old station on top of the hill, but Backhand, New Englander to the end, barely felt it. She leaned on the worn bannister of the stairs, her eyes squinted against the darkness as the stars brightened overhead.

  There was more rustling from behind her and she assumed that Danse was doing his best to make himself comfortable on the old mattress, his frame a bit… large for the task. Backhand snuck a peek and was relieved to see him curled up in her bedroll, his back to the wall and eyes closed.

  She hoped that Paladin Brandis made it to the Prydwen safe and sound (and that her armor was still in one piece). She may have hoped a little harder that Brandis was already giving Maxson a run for his money. The idea of Maxson being thrown off his game made her snicker quietly to herself.

  Her good humor faded all too quickly when she recalled that there was nothing keeping them out here and away from the Prydwen once they finished cleaning up Weston. If something shifty was going on between Danse and Maxson, it wouldn’t be long before they were back in the thick of it. She cast another glance at the large man after she heard him mumble something, watching him shift around in the sleeping bag. There was an odd vulnerability to him when he slept, which she remembered all too well from their time in the police station.

  The wan sunlight hadn’t woken him as she scribbled her note, but he stirred when she placed the paper down on the floor beside his head. His bedroll was bunched uncomfortably at his elbows and she took a selfish moment to kiss his forehead and then tug the fabric up around his shoulders. It couldn’t hurt, she reasoned with herself. He had hummed in his sleep and snuggled down into the warm embrace of the bedroll. It made it incredibly difficult to leave, even with the two Mister Handy units cheerily patrolling the courtyard. If something happened…

  Well, it didn’t really bear thinking about. Backhand had the feeling that this wouldn’t be the last time she and Danse would meet.

  …

  Backhand woke him for his watch shift at almost exactly two hundred hours. She looked fatigued and Danse ignored the protest of bruises on his body in favor of more quickly freeing up the mattress. “Got it warmed up for you.” He yawned, chuckling when she poked him in the ribs.

  “I bet you did, you big furnace.” She teased, her eyelids already drooping. “Nothing to report, sir. All’s been quiet.”

  “Carry on, Knight.” Danse saluted out of habit, scooping her combat armor up off the floor and beginning to adjust it to fit his own body. Once he was in some semblance of protective equipment, he snuffed the lantern on the bedside table and took his place at the window. He borrowed Righteous Authority from her, seeing as his rifle was back with his power armor. Probably lying on the ground, covered in super mutant gore. Danse frowned unhappily.

  His night vision had always been impeccable, with or without his helmet. Danse scanned the landscape for threats, glad that they at least had the high ground. If anything tried to attack, he would know well before they arrived.

  The Commonwealth was almost peaceful at night. Once all the raiders had bedded down with one another and the ferals had retreated to their holes, a tenuous calm reigned that was usually only broken by clans of ambitious super mutants or radscorpions.

  Danse rested his weight gingerly on the wall, afraid that it may not be able to support him in its decrepit state. Thankfully it held fast and he relaxed after a moment. His pulse was still quick enough for him to be slightly anxious. It was a normal leftover from using a Stim, but he disliked the feeling; epinephrine and adrenal-sour in his mouth while his heart slammed a tattoo on his ribs.

  Danse fought the desire to shake himself, certain that Backhand wouldn’t appreciate being woken up by the percussion of poor-fitting combat armor. Though she had mentioned that her son could sleep through anything, “ just like his mommy .” He imagined being on the front lines, getting your meager rest wherever you could and going for weeks without seeing a real bed would probably do that to a person. Lord knew he had a hard time readjusting to the quiet safety of the Prydwen after clocking lengthy stints of fieldwork or skirmishes with the Enclave.

  He had dreamed of Cutler again. Danse exhaled slowly through his nose, fighting the tremble of his hands. Mercifully the dream had faded well before Backhand woke him. He wasn’t sure how he would have reacted to being shaken awake while still in the grasp of his memories. He shook his head, propping the barrel of Righteous Authority up on the windowsill. He couldn’t go on like this, haunted by the echoes of a man who had ceased to be. True, they had a bond. A bond which Danse had naively believed was unbreakable. But when Cutler had gone missing…

  Danse was no stranger to horrifying experiences. Centaurs, super mutants and ferals plagued his nightmares, nightmares which inevitably led to an enormous super mutant hive in the Capital Wasteland...

Part Six

#fallout 4 #fallout four #paladin danse #paladin danse x sole survivor #paladin danse/sole survivor #paladin danse x f!sole #fallout #bethesda #video games #BOS #brotherhood of steel #canon-typical violence

[lovelyirony]

stranger with maybe rhodeytony in an au where rhodey and tony drift apart after MIT because obie pressures him to cut ties,,,and then they meet again after a couple of years and its breaks tony's heart that the man he loves has become a stranger?? actually yk what this isn't a prompt because its so specific and i feel rude asking you to write smth so specific but yeah i have this idea and i wanted share it with you

no like this is a good idea 

-like maybe they’re really good friends and tony can’t help but look at him as if he’s hung the galaxy 

-because someone like rhodey is so special in this lifetime, how couldn’t he have moved the stars? looked like a god returned, gently touching down to earth and looking at tony as if he has all of his love and attention 

-tony makes a mistake. 

a big one. 

-tony kisses rhodey behind a door and then it’s found out and well--obie finds out 

-obie advises that tony ditch rhodey and tony won’t because why the hell would he? 

-but people talk and obie spreads it around and people look at rhodey who has to staunchly deny it because he needs this position badly and tony pleads with him not to go because bad things happen 

and rhodey gives him a look because his family found out and his dad is “disappointed” and his mother is looking at different times to go to church so that no one has to look at her and 

“Bad things have already happened. Will this really make a difference?” 

Rhodey knows it’s cruel but he’s feeling cruel and Tony’s face goes slack because why had he trusted Rhodey? Why was he the one who moved stars and invented new constellations? 

“I guess not to you,” Tony says, voice sharp and biting. “Have a hell of a time in Air Force.” 

It is done. Severed. And Obie pats Tony on the back and says there are lots of pretty girls in the world because he didn’t need someone like Rhodey to...taint his role in society. 

“You mean taint my role in the company,” Tony bites back. “The only reason I’m even here is because Howard wants the business to stay in the family and nothing else. If I wasn’t his blood I’d be kicked to the curb by the time I was eight.” 

(And Obie gets a strange look on his face. A strange, strange look.) 

But Tony does what the future does: he tries to move on. And it’s hard because everything reminds him of Rhodey these days, down to his music taste and how Dum-E keeps looking for someone else and sometimes when he gets up Tony almost feels a press of a familiar body against his and he’s not home. 

This wouldn’t be his home anyway. They’ve fucked it completely up. 

No one talks to Rhodey about the rumors. The last time someone tried to, Rhodey had them flipped over to their backs and his teeth were bared with threats dripping down into the face. 

He’s terrifying. He’s one of the top recruits the superiors have seen, and he doesn’t seem to necessarily give a damn about anything but the mission. 

“That’s all that matters,” Rhodey will say, and they like that because secretly it feels horrible to send men off to die but if you can convince them that they themselves don’t matter in place of a nation, then you’re pretty set to go and you can tell the grieving family that and hopefully none of them see past it. 

He remembers the jokes that Tony used to say, the way that he cooked breakfast in the morning. He misses Tony. But he feels the shame burn at the back of his neck when only his sister will write him letters usually, and he moves on. 

You move on. And you hope like hell that whatever is following you doesn’t keep up your own pace (or give you nightmares). 

-

Years pass. Tony still thinks about Rhodey. Rhodey still thinks about Tony. 

No one calls Rhodey “Rhodey.” He goes by Jim. 

They engineer their crossing-paths to avoid each other or barely glance. 

(Tony thinks Rhodey still looks gorgeous. 

Rhodey still likes the way Tony talks with his hands.) 

- 

Tony Stark disappears. 

Rhodey knows he’s alive. He fucking knows it. Everyone says it’s a great mystery, he’s the next Jimmy Hoffa or Amelia Earhart. 

He manages to convince the US military that it’s not a waste of time to look for perhaps the man that could help save the world one day. 

“Is this personal?” One of the commanders asks. “I’ve heard certain rumors.” 

“Rumors,” Rhodey responds flatly. “Are you also in the habit of believing stoned out teenagers when they call in aliens, Commander?” 

“No.” 

“Then there’s your damn answer.” 

-

Tony is alive. He’s also incredibly pissed that he’s stuck in a cave and will most likely die, but he’s doing his best to ensure a possibility of not doing that.  

He remembers Rhodey telling him at MIT that he could survive just about anything after Tony fell down two flights of stairs in a frat house with nary a scratch. 

Different circumstances, although the cave is probably about as dirty as a frat house. Hell, it might be cleaner. 

Yinsen knows about him. About how Tony might still be in love even if he resents him and how really he understands the situation and how scared he was, but now’s not the time. 

-

Rhodey sees an explosion. He starts flying. 

There’s a man walking alone. Shirt over his head, stumbling. 

“Get your canteen out and have it ready, I think we found him,” Rhodey barks. 

His heart soars despite his plea for it not to. 

Tony is weak. He falls into Rhodey’s arm and it feels like home after a long time to him, but that’s not--it’s not quite right. 

Jim doesn’t say anything. He gets Tony to the helicopter and leans him against a seat and has someone else pour water for him. 

“Thank you,” Tony rasps out. 

“You okay?” One of the soldiers, Walters, asks. 

“Better than the damn Friends reruns,” Tony pants. 

Rhodey hides a laugh. 

- 

Tony gets back home to a silent home and he’s happy to just lay down and let Jarvis be concerned about his fluid and food intake. 

“Your heart...you created a new one?” 

“Helped,” Tony says. “Better for me, right?” 

“Depends on your definition, Sir.” 

Tony supposes that that is correct. 

He goes to a base to talk about his capture because they want to know all about it and how he escaped. 

Tony doesn’t feel much like saying that. He instead listens to men call Rhodey “Jim,” and realizes that life cannot go back to what it was and that Jim goes for drinks on Fridays and avoids looking at Tony on purpose for a variety of reasons, but Tony thinks one reason is that Tony nearly ruined his life. 

He also announces that he’s stopping weapon production because there’s a rat and that’s just not a legacy he wants to upkeep. 

“Until you find the weak link?” Rhodey asks. “You know that the company is the top provider for the US military.” 

“Permanently,” Tony answers, tone clipped. “My past is war, my present does not have to be. I’m sure you could get Hammer cheaper. Just like in college when it came to Smirnoff or Grey Goose. Might be a bit shit at times, but gets the job done.” 

-

Tony leaves and aches to ask Rhodey about what happened between them, but that’s not really something that he should be asking so he doesn’t and instead he leaves. 

But then two days later they send Rhodey. 

“I hope they know this is the least effective way to convince me,” Tony says. “And it’s not going to work.” 

“That’s what I said,” Jim says. “But they don’t listen.” 

“Well come on in if they’re wasting your time and mine.” 

Jim notices that there are no personal touches. Art is not picked out by Tony because he knows that Tony secretly hates modern art because it doesn’t feel like anything to him. There are sleek counters and no pictures and Tony is tired and wearing an old MIT sweatshirt that looks like....

It’s his. 

“How are you?” Jim asks awkwardly. 

“Oh I’m doing just peachy,” Tony answers, voice tight and strained. “How is the army treating you? You having a hell of a time?” 

“So far.” 

It’s silent after that. 

But Tony’s been thinking and Rhodey knows he’s never silent for long. 

“Why was the military looking for me?” 

He stops.

“You’re a valuable asset.” 

“That’s not it,” Tony says. “I’ve read their files on disappearances. I’m as good as dead when it came to the Ten Rings. So what happened?” 

“I knew you,” Rhodey answers. “I remember that you had a weird affinity for surviving through all kinds of bullshit. So I didn’t really think that you had died.” 

Tony pauses. 

It’s an awkward silence. 

“Okay,” Tony says. “Okay.” 

-

Rhodey goes back and says that Tony managed to get a few good shots in. 

He doesn’t say anything about Iron Man and shoots down suspicions that it’s Tony Stark, who he calles “Tones” sometimes if he’s slipping or tired. 

He also gets called Rhodey. 

It’s really not a surprise when he submits his two-week-equivalent and starts in Stark Industries as one of the rocket scientists. 

(And if there are rumors that War Machine is Colonel Rhodes, he’s not exactly going to confirm or deny.) 

#i got....carried away #ironhusbands #rhodey #tony stark #GOD THE DIFFERENCE OF JIM VS RHODEY #IT'S HEART-BREAKING #tony and rhodey :( #rhfe #rhodeytony #lovelyirony writes

[grimmhorizen01]

The Black Devils Attack Boston

Jack was like a lot of people, just trying to survive whatever Boston threw at him.

Unlike everyone else however, he usually had the advantage. Be it, in a gun fight or in a conversation, he usually came out on top.

As his back rested against a steel barricade that was slowly being chipped away by gunfire, his only thought was, ‘where the hell is his support’.

Which as he looked to his left finally arrived.

When he first saw her fighting against the Mechanist’s robots, he thought for sure she was gonna end up scrapped.

But she didn’t, with his help at least.

As he watched Ada sprint over the hill, her twin Gatling lasers revered up and unleashed hell upon the would-be raiders.

“SHIT ROBOT” he heard one of the raiders shout, and in turn he peaked around the steel barricade and fired at the now standing raider, who’s head soon came clean off.

“Ada get some rockets in there!” he shouted.

Since he first meet Ada, he’s tweaked with her weaponry and her frame, usually a Assaultron frame wouldn’t be able to carry more than two weapons, but with a little steel here and little bit of construction grade servos there and bam, better lift and higher achievable speed.

Which allowed her to carry at least one heavy weapon, and most of time it usually was a modified quad barrel rocket launcher.

An right on queue, one high explosive missile nails a raiders and pulverized his entire upper body.

“FALL BACK” one of the raiders shouted and soon the remaining raiders ran as bullets and lasers picked off the slower of the bunch.

“I’m not detecting anymore hostile sir. We are in the clear” her voice echoed throughout the collapsed building of Boston.

“Ok, let’s get moving”, Jack walked towards the now empty road and soon began searching the raiders for anything good.

“Ada, what do we have plan today?” He asked as he heard the robot move closer to him.

“The Slog has a problem and would like you to come and helped them with. We are also low on aluminum and adhesive.” She listed off a few more which he nodded at.

“Sir can I ask you something?” As Jack finished searching the last raider, he looked back at Ada.

“Go ahead” he signaled for them to move on to the next block.

“Why do you continue to have me travel with you? You have other companions, yet you continue to have me with you.” Her question made Jack looked at her before sighing.

“Ada is that building clear of hostiles?” He scanned the building as it groaned with stress and waited for her answer.

“Yes sir” she answer and soon followed as he entered the building.

As he closed the door behind them and pushed a metal desk in front of it.

After making sure it wasn’t going to open, he sat in a nearby chair and took off his helmet and bandanna.

His ran his hand against his face and felt the all to familiar scars, the most prominent was the three that ran down the right side of his face.

“What I wouldn’t give for some fucking shampoo” he sighed as he ran his hand through his unkept hair.

“Ada the reason I keep you around is because of your personality, you know what it like to loss someone and you know how it feels to want revenge. Also you don’t fucking complain every time I go on a scarp run” he sighed as he leaned back against the chair which creaked with the weight against it.

“If you say so sir” she sighed as she sat down against the floor, both of her Gatling lasers disconnected and fell to the floor, which allowed her the ability to attach her claws.

As he watched her disconnect the Gatling lasers he slowly stood up and walked over to her and grab said claws from a pack on her waist.

“Here let me help”, he squatted beside her an waited for her to lift her wrist up and extent them.

Once she did, he connected the joints together and once connected, she tested them and once certain that they work she leaned back against the wall an sorted through the bags on her back and her waist.

“Ada how are we doing on ammo?” Jack asked as he leaned back against the same wall Ada was and watched as she sorted through every single item they had collected so far.

“We are low on .44 and .50, if we head for Diamond City we should make before another raiding party arrives”.

Right as she said that a distant voice could be heard, “Sir the scouts said they went in there!”

“Shit” Jack immediately reached into a side pocket and grabbed a fragmentation mine and chucked it at the door and hopped over a coach.

Ada on the other hand, disconnect her left claw and reattached one of the Gatling lasers.

“COME ON OUT WASTELANDER!” Whoever these guy’s were, they were bad news.

“YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES TO LEAVE THE BUILDING BEFORE WE COME IN THERE!” Silence, Jack wasn’t going to give up that easily.

And that’s when he heard the very distinctive sound of a vertibirds.

“Ada ready weapons, this is either gunners or rouge brotherhood” he looked over at Ada and saw her connect the other Gatling laser, before kicking the claws over to Jack.

“Weapons primed and ready sir” as she spoke all three of her weapons locked on to the door way.

“Sir I don’t think they leaving” As Ada listen in on the enemy, she soon heard heavy foot steps walking closer and closer.

As Jack watched the door he soon came up with a very dumb idea, as he looked straight at the door he reached down to this thigh and grabbed a flare.

“Send them in” the voice shouted, an soon plasma started nailing the metal door, which soon began to melted upon contact.

‘Please be gunners’, Jack thought as he watched the door melt away he quickly ducked under a plasma bolt and in retaliation lit the flare and threw it out the door.

After a couple second of silence, a voice came over the radio, “shells inbound general”.

And soon whatever was out there was destroyed, he even heard the very familiar sound of crashing vertibirds.

As Jack stood up, he immediately got hit by large ball of heated plasma which luckily ricochet off of his chest armor and made him crash against the wall.

As an armored foot stepped forward towards them, the mine Jack placed detonated and seem to cripple the armored individual.

As Ada watched Jack hit the wall, her processors went into overdrive as she smashed into the now crippled armored giant, and with her entire metal chassis, pinned the man to a nearby wall and unloaded 2 entire fusion core into their head.

Ada wasn’t letting another person die because of her, if anyone was going to die it wasn’t going to be them.

“Fuck” Jack cursed as he stood up and ready his weapon towards the door and soon saw a set of red eyes peering through the smoke cloud.

“Enemy armor, watch out!” He shouted as a large black gauntlet reached forward with a plasma pistol and soon began to unload upon them.

“Die wastelander scum” a staticky voice echoed.

Ada leaned back and turned around to see a hulking suit of heavily modified X-02 power armor, in its hand was a fully automatic plasma pistol with sprayed Jacks position with glowing hot green projectiles.

As she aimed both Gatling lasers at the foe, her audio receptors soon pickup the loud foot steps of power armor and began to unload her own weapons on to them.

As the assailant tried firing again a rocketed soon hit their hand and detonated the pistol in their hand.

As the plasma slowly melted the mans metal hand, he sprinted forward and crashed into Ada and soon began crushing one of her Gatling lasers and as fast as lighting it was ripped off of her joint and thrown to the side.

As Jack watched he reached for his rifle an fired at the metal giant which sent a dent into the helmet.

“Why don’t you just die mutie?” The man dropped Ada, who slumped over, and walked over to Jack and as soon as he got close, Ada shot up and fired a rocket into the mans back.

The man, surprised by the robots resilience, turned and pulled out another plasma pistol, this one however wasn’t automatic instead it was a plasma thrower.

As he did, time slowed down to a crawl as Jack watched the metal man soon pull the trigger, as he stared at them, he soon pushed through the pain and grabbed his ripper and charged.

“GET THE FUCKING HELL AWAY FROM HER!” Jack shouted as he dashed forward and jammed the ripper into the power armors armpit and soon felt as it tear right through their arm, and hopefully the insides.

As Ada watched Jack sprint forward with the ripper, her visual receptors soon went blank as plasma hit and melt away at her armor plating.

All Ada could do was listen as she was blinded by the plasma, she soon heard a loud crash as well as the sound of a ripper hitting metal repeatedly.

An then nothing, only the sound of sizzling metal and heavy breathing.

As Ada sat against the wall, she soon heard the sound of foot steps and a flare being lit and thrown.

“Ada report” Jacks voice echoed through Ada’s damage audio receptors.

“Visual and audio receptors compromised, repairs needed. Left hand joint destroyed. Sir I think it might be a good idea to head home”

“Ok, fuck. Brotherhoods inbound, we’ll head to the Prydwen, gotta tell Arthur about this” Ada listen as Jack stepped closer to her and soon felt his hands reach under her arms and lift, which with her help allowed them to move outside.

After 10 minutes of waiting and scavenging, Ada finally registered a friendly vertibird, “sir they have arrived”.

As Jack watched the vertibird land, he watched two knights exit the craft and secure the landing zone.

“Knights get over here!” Jack shouted at them and they listened.

“What is it Sentinel?” One of the knights ask as she looked around at the crater filled streets.

“Get the robot on the vertibird” he point at Ada and then looked at the other knight “and you come over here”.

As the knight did as she was told, Jack took the other knight to the building he and Ada had defended.

“Soldier tell me, do your recognized these guys?” He pointed at the remnants of the power armor.

The knight walked forward and examined the bodies and after a minute of poking and prodding, he came back with and answer.

“well if I’m right sir, these guys are Enclave, sir we need to tell the Elder” Jack nodded and walked outside and made his way to the vertibird with knight following behind him.

After making sure Ada was secured to the craft, he signaled to the pilots lift off, “pilot get us to the prydwen on the double!”.

As Jack waited for the prydwen to come into view, he could only think of Ada, her chassis was heavily damaged and her left arm joint was entirely destroyed, and until he got her back to somewhere with tools, she was blind.

“Sir prydwen coming into view now” the co-pilot yelled.

After docking with the Prydwen, Jack instructed the two knights to take Ada to his room an he headed for Arthur.

“Sentinel, I hope this is a emergency” Arther yawned as he stepped out of his room.

After Arthur took a sip from his mug he looked at Jack and waited.

“Arther, about a hour ago, I was attacked by, what a knight tells me, the Enclave” Arther tired expression soon faded as he stared at Jack.

“They seem to want something from me I have no clue what, but they seem to have been trailing me for who knows how long” by now they had made it to Kell’s.

“Captain, alert the crew. We have an old foe to confront” Kell’s nodded and soon announce to the entire crew about they’re current situation.

“Sentinel go to your quarters. Get some rest, tomorrow I’m sending you in a recon mission. If these bastards are here than we need to crush them before they can gain a foot hold on the Commonwealth” the Elder turned and looked out unto the Commonwealth.

As Jack sat in his room, he stared at the now semi disassemble Ada, who only had her main chassis, legs and right arm attached, as her armor plating was set aside and being worked on by Procter Ingram, God bless her for being able to do so.

Her left arm was an entirely different situation.

“Ada system report” Jack asked as he grabbed a screwdriver and tighten a loss pair of circuitry.

“Visual marginal, audio receptors have been restored” Jack sighed as he stared at Adas head and looked at it.

“God damn it what the hell wrong, I’ve changed the lenses, repaired over half the circuitry in your body, and still you can’t see?!” Jack angrily throw the screwdriver into a nearby dart board.

“Sir I know you don’t like this option but, you might hav-“Ada heard him smash his hand against something, by the sound it was probably metal.

“Ada, No. I’m not going back there, if those bastards are still tracking me, they’ll easily be able to kill me down in that factory”

As she sat there, her processors ran a multitude of calculation an as she did her system alert her to something, “Sir I have detected a fault in a subroutine”, whatever Jack was doing soon stopped as he ran over to her and plugged his pipboy into the side of her head.

“No wonder you can’t see”, Ada soon heard him sigh as he rewrite whatever faulty code there was.

“Huh interesting, seems like someone got creative an upload a virus into your system”Jack soon found the fault and examined the code to see if there was anything to lead back to the hacker.

“odd though it seems to only have effected you subroutines when in actuality it should of detonated all of your heavy ordnance?”

Ada wasn’t very happy with that response, but before she could say anything Jack spoke up.

“I can’t seem to get rid of the thing in its entirety unfortunately, it keeps replicating itself, it doesn’t seem to want to destroy itself which explains why your still here and not in pieces”, after that the problem seem to resolve itself as Ada soon was able to see Jack standing in front of her.

“Ada report” Jack voice held concern as he watched his friend stand an exam her surroundings.

“All systems are green excluding armor and one of my subroutines. The virus seems to be updating faults in my code that allowed whomever to hack me in the first place”

“Ok than. If it gets out of hand tell me, I think I know a way to at least limit it for now. Hopefully” Jack watched Ada moved her arm and her Gatling laser.

“Sir I’m still missing a arm and a working hand joint”, Jack nodded as he looked back at the semi decimated arm, everything lower than the elbow was completely destroyed.

“Unfortunately I can’t repair it we’ll have to head back to red rocket for a new arm, which is going to be a bitch to make!” He groaned and stood up and said he’d be right back.

As Ada waited, she began running a scan of her software and once again received a alert.

[SYSTEM ALERT: Archangel Online...]

As the text rolled across her HUD, she watched as both her ammo and armor counter flicker and change ever so slightly.

Archangel? I don’t remember Jack installing this or is it the...?

[Archangel: Visual Systems, Online 100%]

[Archangel: Defensive Protocols, Online 75%]

[Archangel: Repair Subroutine, Deactivated]

[Activate?] [Yes] [No]

#Fallout 4 #Fallout #sole survivor #Enclare #Ada #Short Story #stuff i came up with while on the road #Brotherhood of Steel #Minutemen #Sole Survivor

[seeksstaronmewni]

Samurai Jack Season 5 in Review: EPISODE XCVI

Things can change greatly when one is open enough to see the truth.

As the episode’s TV spot promoted (as with earlier TV spots for the season in general), it’s time for the Scotsman episode of Season 5! Enough said.

NOW, as the Scotsman proclaimed, “NOW we... CHAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!!!!!”

This’s the first episode in Season 5 to be rated TV-PG-V (for “moderate” violence), although it’s not really that violent. It clearly could be TV-Y7-FV, but I guess that Cartoon Network is concerned about easily imitable violence such as kicking and punching (unlike Disney Channel/Disney XD), so it may never be TV-Y7 again.

NOTE: Obviously, I started working on this post on Memorial Day of 2020 in honor of our dear Scotsman. Anyway, I’m curious as to what was going on with the Scotsman’s family and what they were plotting, during the time that we’re focusing on Jack and Ashi... but we still have 40 episodes to come until the series is complete. I was too busy or lazy to finish the post before the end of the day or month (for that matter, I was mostly inactive on it for 6 months), but I’m slowly back on it, so WACH’OUT!

We start with Aku’s place... which appears much more barren than it was in EPISODE I. The episode is another Andrews-Tartakovsky duo-boarding. Just the sound of wind, but no mist full of demons for some reason. Perhaps some bombing or missile attack cleared Aku’s yard?

A tank rolls over to the edge of Aku’s yard. A soldier within signals the other tanks to advance with his horn. These tanks are designed by the late and great Chris Reccardi and @heydusty​.

The camera streaks further back to reveal another army of men riding a 20-legged, rhino-like creature, in armor similar to the exterior of the tanks. He signals his army with his horn, too.

How about another army, then?

Signaled by a woman with her bagpipes, she leads her army...

a whole army of women

Talk about girl power... compared to The Powerpuff Girls, which stopped in 2019 and wasn’t nostalgically correct enough for the last 3 seasons anyway.

Whichever one I find most attractive all depends on which hairstyle looks most attractive... like the one in the bottom right corner. Aside from that, they pretty much all look and sound the same.

The sound of wheels grows audible. Who is that man in the wheelchair?

He has a machine gun for his left leg. Slowly, the camera, defocused except on his leg, eases out.

“Ha ha! We found him!”

It is, indeed, the Scotsman. The hype-inducing Scotsman!

And he’s pretty much ready to fight!

Well... except for one thing...

“I take you out for a day of battle, and you’re dressed like you’re goin’ dancin’!”

She’s kind of bashful. Isn’t she, Scotsman?

Flora was apparently out of appropriate uniform... not that it’s the time for dancing, or dance-fighting, however they intended to take Aku down face-to-face. She looks kind of hot, but this’s not the time to be thinking about fashion or a sultry appearance.

“That goes for all of you.”

“Cover yourself!” the Scotsman yells; “You’ll catch your death of cold!” He definitely cares about his daughters--I know not how many he has, but it’s an army’s worth--but I don’t think that they’re really cold at all.

What season is it, anyway?

(Oh, and, for the shot above, Flora has tiny dot eyes X3)

“Now”, the Scotsman proclaims, “we... CHAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!”

“EYAAAAHHHHH” he shouts excitedly, as Flora drives him into battle.

The Scotsman’s army rolls into battle, firing with some nicely-colored smoke.

*p-powaa-p-p-powaa-powaa-p-powaa-aa*

Yep. There’s that more familiar Universal/Hanna-Barbera explosion, like one would hear in Seasons 1-6 of The Powerpuff Girls, serving as the sole sound effect for this shot and repeating itself. Joel Valentine’s uses of these classic explosions are probably different from those on Sound Ideas’ Universal & H-B sound libraries as these’re cleaner in quality.

The armored creatures apparently shoot some pretty hot snot out of their trunks, leaving us to wonder what this particular animal ultimately is. That classic Anime whistle (kind of sounds like “SHELL SCREAMING WHINE DOWN”) becomes audible as the bunch of hot snot falls toward Aku’s place.

“It seems we are under attack”, Aku overhears. “Under attack?” Aku highlights, beginning to consider use for this opportunity as he slowly stretches his beard. Aku takes a peek at the war through his own kind of TV or something. “Perhaps annihilating this scum will break me out of my...

me-lai-i-i-i-i-se.” Aku streak immediately upward.

Meanwhile, the Scotsman was firing HIS LEG gun... (footage that the last TV spot advertised for the coming of Season 5 in March, well before this episode itself was advertised, also showing the same footage)

Not sure at what HIS LEG gun was firing, since Aku wasn’t out, until...

*bwssss! wb-wb-wb-wb!*

...Aku rockets out of his place...

...trailing blazing fire as he turns into a giant ball...

...bowling his way over all of the tanks. The armored creatures on which 1/3 of the army rides are next!

“You know what?” The Scotsman said, come to his senses. “This was a bad idea! Time to go, girls.” Protective of his many daughters,  the Scotsman knew what to do in such a disastrous moment: “I’ll stall him while you escape.”

“I’m sorry, old man; I think you are lost.”

Just as Aku was about to make the annihilation complete, a voice froze him: “Hold it! You’re not goin’ anywhere, you big buffoon”. Not knowing who this guy was at all, Aku looked down upon him... and he seemed pretty serious, even though he met not this guy before at all.

“The samurai is still out there, inspirin’ people by the thousands!”

“I ain’t lost, y’ tree ogre!” The Scotsman talked back, pushing his insults further and further. “After all these years, you’re powerless against him... afraid to show yourself ‘cause you know he’s out there, and you can’t do anything about it!”

“Ah ha ha! You’re just a big baby! Why don’t you go cry to your mama--”

Aku was not in the mood for being “roasted”.

*wshiiiiiing*

A third of a sword flung out of the explosion.

Aku burned him.

*psst*

Aku burned him good.

Those catchlight-y eyes don’t lie, Flora.

OK; “highlights” would be the more common term.

This’s why I began writing this post on Memorial Day 2020.

When you roast Aku, Aku roasts you back.

“Why did he bring, up, the samurai?”

A relative question: If Aku cares no longer, what else has Aku to do with his life? Must he be evil? Some centuries worth since he started ruling... I guess that the Scotsman was just trying to make Aku upset, when he could speak a better conversation than mostly insult him.

Flora stabs the remainder of the sword into the ground by his ashes. There is some inscription on it that should be interesting to decode. I wonder if there’s an Easter egg in its words...

“I be back--and in me prime, no less!”

BOOM! Souls don’t die! Of course, rather than probably being in Heaven, he’s more of a ghost who’s still able and willing... by Celtic magic, which apparently connects to the inscription on his very sacred sword. “We’ll find Jack” he plots, “and finally defeat that BIG BABY!”

Anyways... one night, probably very far away from wherever Aku’s place is, Ashi was doing some thinking.

She grew up with her mom, who claimed that Aku created everything, but now she met Jack, who told her that Aku had the world ravaged.

Ashi was raised to believe that “The samurai is the poison killing the land”... as if Aku even cared at that point; she never even met Aku. Jack’s wisdom begat conflict in her mind: “If you... let go of (your) hate, you will see the truth.”

At least it’s an otherwise peacful night.

Well. It was.

“I have questions, mother.”

Ashi began to hallucinate (or it was some kind of weird fever dream... I know not) as the moon turned into her mother’s mask. “The samurai sleeps”, she slips through her mouth. “Kill him in his slumber before he wakes!”

“How DARE you?!”

I suppose this’s what comes of wishing for the moon.

Ashi was not ready to act on instinct as this samurai saved her life, but her vision was merciless. She had questions (and had the... moon failed??? Well not the moon, just her mom), and frankly one could question if she or her mother knew who exactly the samurai was and what he looked like. She was apparently secluded from the rest of society and we know little of her life growing up, so of course she’d have questions.

From there, that very island, Ashi’s journey began, and the next morning Jack found a sea dragon to continue the journey.

Although the dolphin chirps act as a faint, echo-y sound in the scene, they stand out as more unique recording than the stereotypical Hollywood Edge recordings one would hear pretty much everywhere else, like in Spongebob or whatever.

The sea dragon submerges into the ocean and makes a giant leap into the sky! Not sure why, but it probably got them closer to land.

ANIME LINES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It might not seem too noticeable, but the animation right here looks a bit... tight/slow-paced or whatever. Korean animation’s been thinning out on ln-betweens since, like 2016 for some reason, but they still put more effort on this Cartoon Network Studios project than most right now.

“I shall not forget your kindness.”

The sea dragon gives him a snort and a roar of... gratitude?

Jack and Ashi finally made it to a bigger land (and probably not just a bigger island). Now where would they go from here?

“Goodbye.”

It looks like Jack was just going to part ways.

I’ll continue working on this post later, preferably/almost daily if not weekly. (I’ve just been very slow mentally and more autistic this year than I ever realized)

#samurai jack #scotsman #the scotsman #chris reccardi #cartoon network studios #cartoon network #hanna-barbera cartoons #hanna barbera cartoons #sara kipin #sheldon vella #stephen destefano #genndy tartakovsky #april 2017 #toonami #adult swim #[as] #[adult swim] #aku #action #ashi #samurai #Celtic magic #memorial day

[x-avavarts-x]

A final fantasy fanfiction for my oc and her family.

Characters: Cor Leonis, Laura lucis caelum (my oc), Dariolus Amicitia(my oc)

Warning!!

 My national language is not English. I apologize for the spelling and grammar mistakes.

I can't find a good name for my story and probably changed its name.

Summary:

When your flesh and blood are mixed with pain and you are nurtured with it, you dedicate your whole being to those who were trying to improve your suffering by touching their love. What's wrong with you? It does hurt to lose these loved ones, even thinking about it bothers you. At that time .. you grab everything to stop the destiny .. like a bird stuck in a cage and trying for freedom, you knock yourself on the door and the wall to find a way ... and if you find it. Nothing can stop you, even if it is a God!

Part 1:

The city was drained of fire and blood. All the people were fleeing under the brutal barrage of gray soldiers of smoke and fog, but many were in pain and death. The magical wall that had settled a hundred years of peace in itself was gone. The beautiful city of Insomnia was rapidly decaying, and the gorgeous crystal trapped in its white heart with the chains hanging between the earth and sky. Eventually, Alderkapt got his dirty wish. An army of glaives .. a traitor who gazed at this destruction with a smile !! The sun was moving rapidly to the horizon to not see this bloodshed. I was dragged here and there in the midst of this devastating storm. I have asked Dario many times to let me go. My dad needed me, but he said I wasted my time. I knew ... I was touching my father's death, Dario was trying to figure it out in a closed and I wasn't so dumb as to not understand it. Everywhere in the palace was taken the MTs and the soldiers. I was sure I could handle kill them. But Dario thought it was just a show to figure out where we were! However, this was not the whole story. We have been identified. By some MTs that have thermal visibility, probably! Because they were attacking us precisely, even though we were behind the wall. As soon as they attacked, Dariolus shielded himself and sent me back. He didn't have the strength and the empty hand tried to get those MTs out of the way! Like many other glaives, he had magic attached to my father ... and his lack of magic was a strong sign of the king's death. I don't mean to be so stupid that I wouldn't cry over knowing my dad's death. no !! That was not true. My discomfort was severe, but it was never free of emotions! I showed my sword and run to Dariolus:

"Get down !!"

Dario's quick reaction to my side made it easier and faster to separate those two MTs from their heads! I seized my sword and got worried about Dariolus' arm:

" Are you injured?"

He wrapped his arms around me to better protect me:

" It was on time! So don't worry, let's go!"

As he held me in his arms, he began to run, and so did I. The majestic palaces of the citadel were filled with blood and corpse. And it was nothing but torment for the soul! The sound of a rocket colliding with a building nearby prompted me to listen and sit with Dario for a moment. Because of the ultrasonic wave of the explosion, the windows of the corridors break down and throw at us. Dario's hands could not fully protect me and broken pieces of glass injured my body and Dario's hand. I had it, but I took it in my mouth. Dario quickly pulled those glasses out of his arm and knelt down on me, his worried look on the jars dying my blood, his anxious eyes staring directly at me:

"It's Nothing. Take a deep breath, okay?"

My eyes went to the blood coming from his arm. This guy was completely sacrificing himself for protected me!! How could I weep and cry for these efforts like a spoiled baby girl? I looked at him again. I smiled at him, a smile that was unending pain:

"Get it out, boy! Don't you guys say I'm scared !!"

Holding my hand with his hand to release those jars freely, pressing his hand to ease my pain! I was determined not to get it, but when he pulled out the first glass, I was overwhelmed by the intensity of pain. And so he pulled out the rest. I felt like my flesh was cut with those pieces of glass. And again it was Dario's hands that surrounded me. I got up in my place fast, but my body was cold because of the pain and stress I had. Dario clearly felt this as he took off his leather jacket and dropped it on my shoulders. I turned my head towards him and tried to oppose him, but I felt no time to shout! I was so slowed down by the weakness that Dario ran and slapped me behind him. Sometimes he would have to find a safer route for me to leave, but no way was safe. Suddenly he opened the first room we were near and he sent me in first and then he himself! I was staring at him. We remained silent for a while. He stood behind the door to see if the corridor was open. But it didn't take long for me to come:

"That's useless. We must go the secret way !!"

I turned my head around the room with my eyes! I went to the walls of the room to find out exactly where the secret was !! I held my hand close to the wall and hoped. But there was nothing !! I desperately turned to Dariolus:

"This room has no path!"

he pressed his lips and look at me. He was worried and this was clearly visible on his face. You weren't scared. Maybe you were scared. He was afraid that he couldn't defend me or something happened to me !! I wanted to calm his down, but again the sound of the explosion forced us to sit on the floor! I turned my head to the broken window. We had to get out of the building, otherwise, it wouldn't be clear! It seems as if he is thinking like me as he rushes to grab my arm and hand:

"Come, Laura !!"

I got up in pain and ran after him. He stepped up and kicked the window so hard it fell in place and fell into the balcony! He went out first to make sure there was no danger and pulled me out! He went to the fences and stared at the balcony of the armchair!

" We have to go that way."

Before he could finish his spoke, I hugged his back and knocked Pointe Warp down, both landing on the balcony. I leaned on my hand until I got up. The pain was much worse and my resistance was useless. I left myself on the floor and wrapped myself in:

"damn it!!"

"Wait for us to leave here, okay? stand up!"

Underneath my arm, he grabbed me for a millennium and lifted me up. I didn't disagree and stood. My gaze stared at insomnia that burning in the fire. The attack on the monster and the cannon fighters had the same thing on the ground. Dario was looking for a way to go down, and I was staring at a city that my father had for himself for years to protect it, but now he was gone and his city was burning and burning! I turned my head to Dario and went to him"

"Let me jump, Dario, I can get you off the ground !!"

He looked at me a little. He wanted me to confirm my word. But I don't know why he attacked me. My arm tightened and threw me to the side. I slipped on the rocks on the balcony floor and quickly turned around to figure out the reason for it, but ... My eyes were wide open in amazement. I was shocked to see his face. Blood was coming from his corner and he was smiling !! I was so shocked that I couldn't get up. A piece of iron was torn off his back and struck out of his chest. Dario's red blood slipped from that iron and slipped into the ground slowly. My face shriveled with anxiety and shouted with all my might:

"Dario!!"

But he didn't answer me. His eyes were closed and he was left behind. Its release was equal to its fall from the ruined balcony !! I ran to him with heavy sadness and boundless panic and jumped from the balcony. I took the tension with a single point warp and landed on the ground again with another point warp. He was on my huge but his eyelids were closed. I couldn't control my emotions, my voice was shaking but there was no crying yet ... I shook his head to open his eyes:

"D-Dariolus ..!"

The pale smile opened his bloody lips. His breaths were hard to release but he barely spoke:

"Protect you ...was the biggest .. h-honor ..for me! Get out.. from ... the city ...!"

His head dropped on my hand. My gaze was still staring at his face, I hesitated to catch his pulse. He was gone, just against my eyes. Hearing the loud roar of the invading monsters I jumped into myself. I left Dario on the floor. By the way .. that iron was in his chest and I couldn't pull it out! I got up from my place and ran with all my might. I knew so much that my lungs were short of breath. My dad died.. and a close friend of thirty years had injected into my heart so much that I didn't feel any pain in my body. I reached the parking lot at the palace. My eyes wouldn't calm down, but it wasn't time. However, I had no control over this negative and painful feeling. I grabbed my car's cover and pulled it over to the other cars and sat inside. By touching the car scanner, I turned it on and left the palace as fast as it could. I left, I abandoned everything .. my father .. Dariolus. I took a deep breath and raised the recording. Until I hear the sound of these explosions. Dragging the car left and right, I was trying to save myself from the crumbs. Nobody knew where I was or no one was following me !! my gaze stared at the road, After all ... after many years of tears, I let myself go out. My face was cold and soulless, and my father's voice, as well as Dario's, rang in my ears. Unlike the past ... I had enough power to turn my sadness into hatred and a motive for revenge !! I took a deep breath and swallowed my cry. I needed both senses and speed to get out of Insomnia. Crying would not make anyone alive for me !!

I kept the car next to the fuel station. I took my hat off the chair and put it on my head. I brushed my hair through the hole in his back to keep it fixed. I didn't want my face to be known ... it was easier that way! I turned off the car and went downstairs, handed over the burning to the person in charge of the station, took my passer-by bag from my pocket, and went to the small market in the station, got a can of ice cream, a packet of biscuits and then got back in the car. As soon as I sat down and closed the door, my cellphone was connected. I looked at the monitor and saw its number! It was Cor. slowly started the car and threw it on the road. As soon as I left, I replied:

"Yes, dear?!"

"Where are you? are you okay?"

I paused and replied:

"Yes. I'm coming to you."

"Your sound is vibrations!"

I paused again, and my voice's trembling was due to my weakness:

" Where are you?"

"In the camp"

"Before dawn..."

Before I could finish my speech, the road and the car both turned around my head. I closed my eyelids and squeezed:

" I'll get it myself!"

"Stay where you are, Laura! Characteristic that the situation is not good!"

"There is only half an hour left!"

" The situation may get worse, you may have an accident! Dariolus isn't ahead!?"

Dario .. I took a deep breath and drank some coffee, pressed my foot on the accelerator pedal, and increased my speed to complete the half-hour route in a quarter:

" No, he.."

Not continuing my sentence, Cor understands what I wanted to say. He answered in a low voice:

"I'm sorry."

And answered shorter than he:

" I'll see you soon!"

I didn't wait for his answer because I knew that Goodbye don't memorize and this tradition is not in his culture at all. I drank coffee again so I could control my dizziness. There was a long way to go, 12 hours of driving with bleeding .. How was I alive? !! I laughed a little and wiped the cold sweat on my forehead with the back of my hand. Even Dario's coat couldn't take the cold off my body anymore. I turned on the car's heating system so that I could keep my eyelids open by warming my body. I was numb from the pain and my body was completely numb. For the first time, I held the pheromone of the car with both hands so that I could maintain the balance of the car at that high speed. And finally, that damn road and that long journey came to an end. I turned the car on the dirt road and made my way to the camp, parked the car behind the tents and turned it off, got out of it, and leaned on it. The first person who came to me was Monica. Apparently, she was able to escape from Insomnia. She stood in front of me and said something I didn't understand at all. My ear was whistling and it was as if a song had been sung in my head. I just smiled, but that smile soon faded. I could no longer control my body, felt the ground collapse under my feet and I fell to the ground with my eyes closed involuntarily!

Monica's gaze was on the colorless face of her princess:

"My Lady??"

She wondered why The princess didn't answer. Seeing her sudden fall to the ground, anxiety and horror settled in Monica's eyes. She reacted quickly and grabbed Laura's head and held it before hitting the ground. She sat down next to her and hugged her. By slowly, slapped one side of her face:

" Majesty??"

But Laura's lack of response to Monica's requests was nothing short of disgusting! She put her hand on Laura's side so that she could lift it more easily, which noticed the warmth and wetness of her clothes. She slowly brought her hand out and stared at it. Her princess was bleeding, she turned her head to the few Glaives that was watching them, she almost raised her voice:

" Don't stop there, let's take princess inside the tent !!"

He came out of his tent because of the noise in the camp, He couldn't focus on his work., he was also worried about why Laura wouldn't arrive, he knew her well !! Laura is driving so fast and professional that according to her calculations, she should be here now! He turned his head slowly to where the glaives were going. Very seriously and keeping his style, he turned his head to see what had happened. Laura's car was there !! And that was the only thing that was recognizable to Cor! His usual frown grew thicker and he walked towards the group that had gathered. Probably a factor as to why they're doing so poorly. Slowly, he pulled the glaives aside and stood in front of Laura! Seeing her unconscious face, his anxiety was hidden in his frown! He sat down next to Monica and caressed Laura with his hands and got up. As the marshal got up, the glaives opened the way for him to pass sooner! Monica got up at the foot of the marshal and followed him to receive the orders given! Cor started at Laura's face again for a moment. She was so pale that even a child could tell how bad she was. Invisibly, he pressed Laura to his huge and placed her hanging head-on his shoulder slowly:

"Potion, first aid, potion! Soon Monica"!

"Yes, sir!"

It was Monica who answered firmly and explicitly. She distanced herself from Cor in order to provide these devices sooner! From there, Cor had taken Laura to his tent. Her cold body lay on the bed and stretched her legs, pulled Dariolus' jacket out of tension and threw it down on the bed, put his chair next to the bed, and sat down. He raised his hand and gently caressed Laura's hair, which was irregularly spread on her face:

"Laura? do you hear me?"

He called out to her in the hope that if she woke up, her place would be safe and well. But Laura was completely in Report. She had no consciousness, not even a small amount! It didn't take long for Monica to enter The marshal tent. She had a box in her hand and had the help and first aid, stood next to The marshal in a military-style:

"Sir!"

Cor paying attention to Monica at that moment, he took one of the potions. he put his hand on Laura's abdomen slowly and turned it slightly towards himself. He used one potion, but he was not satisfied with one and knocked on the second potion on her. The same whimper caused both Cor and Monica to calm down. Laura lay down on the bed again:

"Go make something strong for her, Monica!"

"Yes, sir! Should i have soup?"

"It does not count!"

" Obedience."

She left the tent with military respect. She was wondering what kind of soup to make, which is suitable for the princess! Cor's gaze was still on Laura's face. Monica was told what had happened. He knew he had lost his friends... and he was sad that he couldn't be there to serve! At least Laura's life was news to alleviate some of his pain. He took a deep breath and slowly got up! He wanted to go to the maps to give the new orders to the soldiers and their hunters, but he stopped again with a slow moan of Laura. He turned and stared at her again. It was as if she was regaining consciousness! He came back next to her until she felt better:

"Come on .. You ar safe now!"

#ffxv #ffxv oc #final fantasy xv #ff15 #laura lucis caelum #cor leonis #my oc #my fanfic #ffxv fanfiction #ffxv fanfic #final fantasy xv fanfiction #cor x reader #cor x oc #cor x laura #laura aesthetic #aesthetics

[lady-daydream]

A little bit more about Zadkiel - FNV OC

-She’s was around 21 when she got shot but is 23 now

-Her name means the angel of forgiveness/mercy/freedom

-Her weapons of choice are:

A sniper rifle- since it’s quick , keeps her a distance away from danger but also she knew she a good shot it’s efficient and give those who deserve it a quick and merciful death.

Old glory- The old Melee weapon gifted by Ulysses was what symbolised her a freedom from her old actions. The bird symbolising freedom also helped with that. She also feels like it fits perfectly in her hand and swings nicely when the enemy gets a little to close.

Rocket launcher/ Shishkebab - when things seem to get to hairy these are her go to’s

-She has dark skin, light brown eyes with out blinded, with a scar alongside her right forehead from the bullet wound. She also has three tattoos , a hollow small heart over where her heart was, a circle with two horizontal lines through the middle of it on the back of her neck, the first one she got on an NCR base when she turned 16, the second she got on one of her leaves and it was both a symbol of forgiveness but also served as an almost target on her neck saying she accepted when death arrived it would arrive. She has also got a crown tattoo on the inside of her left forearm to show her support of the kings.

Her past:

-Her mother was a simple and peaceful settler in a more religious based community similar to The New Canaan. Her father was originally a mercenary working as a caravan guard. After meeting her mum her was happy to leave his old more violent past behind and stay with her mother working as a guard/go to sheriff for the community. He didn’t want kids just due to him believing he wasn’t fit for being a parent however when Zadkiel was born he happy accepted his paternal role. She was named Zadkiel due to its meaning of forgiveness by her mother seeing her birthday as a forgiveness of her fathers violent past and her mother’s nativity.

-When she was 7 however her pregnant mother along with most of the community were killed. While the guards were dealing with a situations the people sitting and preying during ‘Sunday service’ were barred into the building and it was set alight by raiders. Zadkiel and her father were late to the service since he was about to deal with the situation but the other head guard told him he could handle it then Zadkiel started stropping about not wanting to go. The few guards that survived the attack along with her father couldn’t save anyone in the church. He wasn’t religious before but went to the services to make his wife happy and see it as a peaceful break. Afterwards he abandoned religion as a belief altogether. The silver cross he wore seen more as a burden that had his wife name Lydia engraved into it

-After that, her father set off with her. Though unwilling to return to his violent past he knew that it was the best chance if there survival due to his skills. He took on bounty’s and any job where a gun for hire could be found. Though he would normally leave Zadkiel at there camp sometimes she would come along sitting on caravan carts or walking along. Her father taught her to shot once they hit the road her first kill was when she was 10 when she shot a raider when they were attacking her father. They stuck even closer after that, however they both wore face covers or masks to hide there identity due to word that the raiders were still searching for them .

-However when Zadkiel was 12 her father who had been burying his hatred and need for revenge became sick of having raiders and mercenaries hunt the two of them both so he handed his cross with her name engraved into it by him over to Zadkiel before leaving her in the care of a caravan trader he trusted,  then went to as many of the raider groups he could find as either planted explosives or just sniped them off. In a few months he had destroyed 15 raider camps. Some closer towards the Mojave which catch the NCR’s attention. They offered him a place in their ranks. One where he could do what he did with protection and with a purpose as well as fighting a good cause alongside a decent wage due to his skill helping him jump a few ranks. Knowing that his job as a merc wasn’t gonna last forever he agreed. Returning to Zadkiel calmer and with a goal to be a better person for her, with the thought being a soldier was one of the better ways a man like him could do that.

-After that Zadkiel became an NCR base kid, either exploring and observing training on base, talking to the groups of soldiers that seemed happy to talk to her or listening to the slightly watered down stories the soldier had to tell. That or she was in her fathers shadow. The both of them still wore face covers even though they were considerably safer, but after a while people got used it it.

-Zadkiel father had taught her how to shoot and how to use her own size and high in an actual fight. However it was only after multiple comments from other supervisors and trainers alike that mentioned her shooting ability as well as her ability to handle herself in a fight, that he even considered her joining the army. After bringing it up with Zadkiel hesitantly, a bit wearily due to disliking the idea of his daughter becoming a soldier, she was excited to join and started officially training when she was 15.

-It was quickly found that , likewise to her father, she was an extremely skilled sniper in the making. However she had no interest in explosives. However her father didn’t mind as his love of them was replaced by her own love of medicine. And though she wasn’t the best she knew enough to keep herself and those around her safe and alive. She also gain enough physical strength from training that she was a fearful opponent in hand to hand or a simple Melee fight, so much so that with the mask on and her build people mistook her for a guy. She didn’t mind and due to her somewhat quiet nature (another quirk that she had picked up from her father as well as from the many days they would travel in silence or the times they would have to stay quick in order to sneak through dangerous territory) she never corrected them, others did that for her.

-As she was training her father moved slowly up the ranks until he reach a point where he was on base more so than on the battlefield. Mostly he moved from base to base a lot however both Zadkiel and him kept together, her helping the medics or being sent on missions where her sniping skills would always come in handy. Briefly however the both of them did got stationed in the Mojave. Zadkiel was briefly stationed with first recon. She even met a much younger Boone who was a lot more friendly. However they only saw each other briefly not giving each other a passing thought, her mask and skill the only thing being remembered.

-She dated every now and then throughout her NCR life, including a cute nurse who said he was once an new Canaan but they split due to his conflicting views on her skills at violence undoing all the good she did. She also dated a a female caravan trader for a while who looked pretty in a dress and had an amazing aim however the distance wasn’t kind to either of them. While she was in 1st recon she started flirting with one of the snipers there but they passed away before things could get anymore serious than drinks in Freeside.

-She enjoyed her place in the NCR, enjoying the fact she could use her strength, Wit and intelligence to help protect people as well as make her father proud. However as she spent her leaves helping others where she could when she started hearing stories of the NCR not being able to protect the roads , of supplies not reaching soldiers of settlements being forced into joining. However she shook it off - rationalising it as the best option out of a bad lot. However soon after she was moved from 1st recon  the Bitter springs massacre happened. She quickly began losing more and more faith in the NCR. She was only 20 but had served for 5 years. She brought up the war crime to her father but her father dismissed it as an accident that happened or the NCR just doing the best with what they had. Normally she would believe him and a part of her wanted to, But a part of her couldn’t be so forgiving. Over the next month constantly arguing and butt heads with her father she couldn't stand herself being part of the problem. She took nothing but what she carried in her pack and after finishing her mission she walked away. From her old life. And everything that was held in. And she ditched the mask leaving it in the desert.

-She still wore the cross but still never considered herself religious,  But she kept it hidden as if I soldier had been told to keep an eye out for a girl with a cross engraved it would be a give away and life asked she would use her mothers name.

-Her father originally didn’t start looking for her. He thought originally she just needed to cool off. He knew what it was like to need to have a break from your life. However after a month he started to worry, putting word out. Thinking either she had run off or  worse. When they found her mask it put a stop to the NCR search. However he never stopped looking. Guilty he had lost the last thread of his old life, as well as losing the one person he trusted the most. For the rest of his life he hoped she had just run off and found a peaceful life like he had had once, regretful that their last conversation was hateful.

-Once she left, Zadkiel worked any job that would accept her. From bodyguard to farmer, to caravan trader and even as a medic. She tried to avoid mercenary work, knowing her skill might travel via word back to the NCR. However after a year she got bored of staying in the same place and when the option of being a courier opened up she jumped on it with no hesitation. She started working mostly in the Mojave, mostly message from settlements to settlements, enjoying seeing families getting messages from each other or food and supplies. Then came a job for a certain platinum chip.

After Being Shot:

-When she woke up from the bullet wound she couldn't remember anything about her old life. She couldn’t even remember her name. She guessed correctly that the one of name on her cross was her name using Zadkiel as her first name and Lydia as a second name. 

-The shot itself has left some permanent damage. She couldn’t speak more than a sentence without being unable to speak and confused. She was blinded in her right eye which was her previously dominant shooting eye. She also had a permanent pain from the bottom of her ribs to her left hip where benny or one of the khans with him had kicked her into her own grave. She got used to the pain in her leg and though it slowed her down and made her less agility she still had the strength she had before. She also had to reteach herself how to snipe but due to muscle memory she picked it up quickly. She also slowly got her voice back, being able to speak more and more as time went on. She found once she found the right words she was pretty good at charming and talking her way through a situation. However she much preferred the silent intimidating tactic or staying silent altogether.

Her views on different factions:

-Goodsprings: Part of her doesn’t believe she deserves the grace of being saved, thinking there must have been a reason she had been shot and left for dead. However the kindness the community had made her want to help as well as mend any bad deeds she had done before losing her memory. She will regularly go back to Goodsprings with supplies she can spare of offer free service as her way to say thank you as well as reminding them that if they ever need help to always ask.

-Primm: Her first interaction with NCR after she had reawoke. She felt like she was being watched constantly. The doctor had commented that the scars and her build could indicate that she used to be a soldier but with nothing else to go on it didn’t really lead to much. She kept her head down. However when helping Primm find a sheriff she called the NCR for help thinking there values would protect the town the most. She wishes later on that she had found a way to make the town independent. The citizens also were friendly but side eyed her after doing this making her feel more like an outsider.

-The NCR: As mentioned before her relationship with the NCR was born out of good values and principles. However after hearing stories of the greed and lack of empathy towards those she’s knew she had wanted to join to protect she left. However she put more blame on the higher ups than the individual soldiers and still respected them. However after the bullet wound, history seemed to repeat itself. She started to help the NCR again after meeting Boone. However before she committed to much ,stories of the NCR reached back to her. She choose to keep a distance but still helped when possible . Helping get supplies and helping medics when possible as well as taking our bounties. After she quickly and easily took care of the three bounties the base had available she went to the first recon group and told Corporal Betsy that Cook-Cook was dead. Zadkiel was approached by Lieutenant Gorobets offering a place but she refused stating she was glad she could help but didn’t really want to get to involved. Unbeknown to her  Lieutenant Gorobets knew who she really was due to have seen her face briefly while she had worked at first recon when she had got attacked and it had slipped briefly. He was also let on by her sniping skills which made her stand  out . He didn’t push but would always keep an eye out if she was on base since he remembered her father mentioning to look out for her after he had passed a year after her disappearance.

-The Legion: Maybe it was subconsciously hatred from her life before or maybe even her own forgiveness and mercy could only go so far. She believes a society is defined by how it’s most vulnerable are treated. The Legion treat their most vulnerable like objects to kill, fuck or rule over. She has mercy for who were once legionaries but saw the wrong of their ways and found a way to leave however their were few of those that abandoned the Legion were hunted down and killed. When she arrived at Nipton, and after forcibly stopping herself from attacking them all, knowing she was seriously outnumbered she tried to get those on crucifixes off cause even though they were powder gangers no one deserves to be crucified. She couldn’t save any of them. She will always try and heal any victims of Legion and will save as many slaves as possible. Eventually she and Boone killed Caesar letting Boone have the final shot. Finally casting her view that everyone deserves mercy and learning that forgiveness is measured subjectively not objectively.

-The Kings/The Followers - The two groups she stands for more than anything. She uses her medical knowledge to help out were she can, as well as bring supplies. Seeing the followers as just people helping others. However she actually has just as strong of a liking to the Kings - so far as to offer to be the Kings personal bodyguard herself. She is a king herself and will do odd jobs when possible. She didn’t get on with Pacer but she believed in the kings views on independence. She got a crown tattoo on the inside of her left forearm as well to show that she really did believe in the kings as well as the independence of freeside. She will cover it if she knows it would cause a dispute such as when she visits NCR territory however she happily shows it elsewhere.

Those she’s close with: Boone, Arcade, Raul and The King and Julie and Rex

-Boone; Her first companion. At the time she first met him she still could only talk more than a few sentence tops at a time and she had original gone to met Manny however when she saw him it was almost a complete hit of nausea and nostalgia over something she couldn’t remember. She got the same feeling with Manny as well. Originally she was neutral about Boone, respecting him due to recognising he was NCR however there was an hollow emptiness mixed with a overwhelming feeling of resent and anger wherever he went. Battling her own resentment over Benny she could emphasis enough to agree to help him find the person who sold Carla. She still had the images of those at Nipton on her mind when she found the Bill of sale. She couldn’t justify  Jeannie May Crawford's actions, furthermore lying about them. She let Boone have his Justice. However when she got back up she notice that nothing had changed that he was still hollow and angry. So she offered for him to come along, more to keep an eye on him to make sure that his anger didn’t become apathy, but also because she felt like if she could help him find peace that was the least she could do, knowing the only way she was gonna help him was by exposure over time. Over time she found him a good friend, and one of the few people she felt safe around. A part of however enjoyed the presence of someone who wasn't burdened by the expectations of forgiveness and would happily fuliful revenge if she couldn't. She helped him find mercy in himself by returning to Bitter springs and in return he listens, and answers bluntly but honestly what he thinks is the answer to any question she askes. He only kept one lie from her and that was that Lieutenant Gorobets had pulled him aside when they both were at Camp McCarran . At first he thought they were gonna ask him to re-join and was ready to turn him down, however he had enough respect from the Lieutenant to hear him out, and he was told who Zadkiel used to be. He told him not to let on that he knew. Only to keep an eye out for her, as a last wish for her passed away father. Boone remembered the mask and her presence at 1st recon briefly. He agreed to keep it a secret, tailoring his answers in hopes that the small hints he gave would jolt memories. On very rare occasions they do, however time did the most work. However Boone worries that she is going to be struck with the same feeling of guilt he felt when she finds out her father has passed.

-Raul- Raul was the closes thing she had to a father figure after she lost her memory. She knew that a lot of people saw him more as a grandfather figure however, maybe it was his accent the subconsciously reminded her of her father, or his habit of tinkering that she had watched her own father do when he had free time, or maybe it was the sarcastic humour but she always felt comfortable talking to him or just spending time with him. She wasn't the only one that felt the same, Raul blamed it on her looking like an older and more hardened version of Gabriella. However the both of them didn't mind. On very rare occasions they have been heard calling each other mi Padre and Mi hija. If one gets injured, the other one is close by, if one needs something the other ones  already on the way to get it. When Zadkiel started getting nightmares with snippets of memories was found more frequently with Raul telling him what she remembered, him cheering her up by joking or talking her mind off it. He had seen enough ghoul slowly turn feral and lose all memory so he wasn't phased by her own memory loss, knowing at least she could get it back.

Other Random Facts about her:

-She forgave and let Benny go twice. Boone was with her both times and asked both times if it was more the case she couldn't do it and needed him to take the shot. She had come to terms that she was just an unfortunate victim in the incident, and that anyone could have been in her place. Not to say she didn't want to have revenge, to make him pay from taking her past and causing her to go blind. However she showed him the mercy that he never showed her in hopes that he would change, as well as with the thought that with out his actions she never would have met the people she would call friends today. Despite this most of the companions keep an eye out for anyone in a black and white check suit, more than happy to bring justice for there friend if he even thought of causing trouble.

- She is both friends with Ulysses and Joshua Graham. Not friendly enough to take a bullet however they enjoyed each others company. With Ulysses she felt extremely guilty about the harm and damage she had caused to the divide. And when they were fighting she believe she deserved punishment. She didn't blow up any faction however late at night she sometimes thinks would it have been better to blow up both the legion as well as the NCR and let there be independence. With Joshua she always felt a little uncomfortable being in his presence. Maybe it was the fact that she was an old NCR soldier and he was a Ex-Legionary that caused the distance. She slowly over time learnt to forgive his past and will happily sit and talk with him. She feels slightly off about his adoption of Religion to justify his violence. However after Daniel gave her a copy of the bible and a few lines of it brought back memories of the past she asked them both. When Joshua mentioned the community she had been born in she felt the same nostalgia  feeling she had felt with Boone. Learning it had ben destroyed she concluded her family were probably dead. 

-She is a vegetarian. It wasn't due to values it was more that even as a young girl meat would cause her to be violently ill. She also lost most of her taste after being shot, including the ability to feel temperature. She often burns her mouth. 

Hey I'm sorry this took longer than expected, to make up for it I've made it a bit longer and explained on some of the things written down. This one is for  @jayofsunight  I hope you all enjoy and if you have any asks or requests for companion reactions or anything to do with my OC just comment or send a message my way. I hope you have an amazing day, love you all <3 xx

#fallout #fallout nv #FNV #fallout boone #Fallout oc #fallout raul #fallout ulysses #fallout joshua

[laurazepamwrites]

The Chemicals between us - Ch.9

If Talon had no idea they were under attack they certainly did now as Reinhardt was the first to charge in, hitting the gate with such force it bent far inwards, a huge swing of his hammer sent it crashing across the ground. Instantly his shield was raised as Talon finally got their bearings and returned fire. Bullets ricocheted across the courtyard as he slowly pushed forward covering his team as they got into position. Torbjorn threw his turret down breaking Talons fire momentarily allowing the flank to race forward and take cover. Dva propelled her Mech forward of the shield, bullets harmlessly peppered the thick metal which she returned in kind creating a bigger opening for Team B to advance. From her vantage point on the hill Ana scoped out the scene, she quickly took down agents who took a chance of leaving their cover. She noticed a figure appear on the rooftop of one of the buildings and saw the glint of light reflect from their scope. A wave of nausea hit her like a punch to the gut and she felt the memory of pain from the ghost of her eye and momentarily she was back in that fated sniper duel with Amélie Lacroix or whatever sad monster that wretched scientist had made her into. She fought to focus on the present and the now and took aim at the sniper only to watch them be flung high into the air thanks to one of her daughters rockets.

 ‘Snipers on the roof.’ She heard Fareeha say through the communicator.

 ‘Ana?’ Morrisons concerned voice came in clearly.

 ‘I’m fine. It wasn't her.’

 ‘Ana-’

‘I said Im fine.’ She snapped back, looking through her scope. She spotted two Talon agents sprint from their cover towards the nearest building. She took aim and fired, one of them falling as the other smashed the button to open the huge metal grate, as it rose she glanced the metal legs of a Mech, she fired again, cursing as the bullet missed the agent by inches as he dove under the grate. Cursing to herself she spoke into the comms ‘Mech incoming northwest building.’

Morrison fired a round before ducking back behind his cover ‘Dva, Pharah. You're up! Reinhardt give me an update!’

 ‘I can't hold forever.’ He replied, his shield slowly splintering with cracks. Behind him Zarya and Roadhog took out flankers feeling particularly brave or stupid to approach. Roadhog had the double task of making sure his own idiot didnt do anything particularly brave or stupid but for now he seemed too entertained loading grenades into the surrounding choke points..until he got bored of doing that at least. He launched his hook and dragged forward an unfortunate agent, scrap metal exploded in his face showering blood against the sudden burst of shattered light as Reinhardt's shield finally gave way leaving them exposed. Zarya instantly bubbled the huge Crusader as Roadhog grabbed a laughing Junkrat and dragged him behind his huge frame.

 ‘The fuck am I going to see now?’ He complained loudly.

 ‘When has that ever mattered to you?’ The large Junker replied curtly.

 They both flinched as a projectile impacted close by them destroying Torbjorn's turret in the process much to the engineers despair. Junkrat growled as he brushed rubble from his hair.

 ‘What matters is getting in that building which is happening way too fucking slow for my liking.’

 ‘Go right ahead, be meat shield!’ Came Zarya's voice over the sound of bullets and shrapnel.

 ‘Ladies fucking first!’

 ‘He has a point we need to push forward’ said Reinhardt. ‘Dva can you give us an opening?’

 ‘Dvas got her own thing going on right now!’ she shouted as the Talon Mech burst out of its shelter, she swerved hard as it charged her, spinning to face it and launching a stream of projectiles. A glare of blue light radiated as they hit it; of course it had a shield.

 ‘Pharah you seeing this?’

 ‘I heard you liked a challenge?’ Pharah cooly replied. Dva smirked at the rival Mech and clanged her own Mechs arms together in an invitation to battle. ‘Bring it on’ she muttered.

 The Mech charged at her again, this time predicting her movement and turning the same direction as her, DVA cursed and pulled up hard scrapping her Mechs underside against the metal of Talons and sending sparks flying. She launched into the air and used the momentum to propel herself downwards and fired on the enemy Mech, its blue shield slowly showing signs of cracking. Pharah continued her own barrage on it until it turned its attention towards her and launched itself into the sky. She allowed herself to drop a few yards before launching again on the Mechs opposite side whilst Dva flanked it, a hard impact followed by another hit her hard on the shoulder and wing sending her spiralling in the air, Pharah gasped and dropped as she corrected herself and glanced a fresh sniper taking aim at her. She fired a concussive rocket at them as a bullet flew inches past her helmet and watched as the blast sent them flying off the roof and hitting the ground hard. She had the dark thought of hoping it was the french woman.

 ‘Pharah behind you!’

 She launched herself hard into the air and felt the Talon Mech narrowly avoid her. Sensing the opportunity she took aim at one of the chargers on its back and fired. Her rocket hit its target and the following explosion caused the Mech to falter off course and crash heavily into a ground, the blue glow of its shield finally disappeared. Her and Dva both paused before throwing everything they had at the Mech as it struggled on the ground before finally succumbing to their onslaught, Dva caught the shrapnel in her defense matrix as it exploded and breathed a heavy sigh as Pharah landed beside her.

 ‘I totally planned that.’ She said to the Helix Soldier

 ‘Uh huh..’

 There was further success at the gate as Reinhardt's shield had finally recharged and with a triumphant laugh he charged forward blindly into the nearest group of Talon combatants, Zarya swore loudly in her native tongue and managed to bubble him just in time before they gained their bearings and opened fire on his exposed flank, her huge weapon glowed brighter with the extra charge.

 She grinned menacingly and fired a large projectile into the soldiers, the blast sending them flying and leaving a small smouldering crater in the ground. Reinhardt collided against a wall stopping him in his tracks and swung wildly as he twisted to face his foe, nearly toppling over from the weight of his hammer and he found his enemy already defeated.

 ‘Oh..’ He said, failing to hide the disappointment in his voice.

 Zarya smirked and patted his arm as she walked by him, ‘You did good old man.’

 Across the courtyard Tracer and Genji dashed through what was left of Talons rear line making quick work of them, with the courtyard and surrounding grounds clear of hostiles the teams rejoined in front of the main building.

 ‘Any casualties?’ Morrison asked surveying the wreckage around them.

'My turret..!' Cried Torbjorn.

 ‘My wing got busted, if we need more aerial support we’ll have to rely on DVAs Mech alone.’ Fareeha said, sounding frustrated.

 ‘Be glad it's just your wing.’ Came her Mother's voice through her comms.

 ‘We got lucky but don't drop your guard. We don't know for sure what we will find inside.’ Said Morrison.’ Torbjorn, remain outside and keep watch, keep Zarya and Dva with you. Winston will remain on our high ground, Pharah go and join him. Tracer? Head back to the Orca and get her ready to fly us out, don't take off until I signal you.’

 Tracer holstered her twin pistols and gave a wink and salute as she dashed away, gone in the blink of an eye. Morrison turned to the Junkers. ‘Once we’ve assessed what's inside you’ll get to work. We have eyes on you so no funny business.’

 ‘Yeah yeah..’ Junkrat waved him off. ‘Lets get a move on then.’

 The heavy metal doors groaned loudly as Reinhardt pulled them open, the purpose of the compound long disused and forgotten, the buildings cleared of its past. Large metal crates now replaced the facilities and desks of the military personnel who once worked here. Scratches and dents marked the floor where heavy Mechs lifted the crates to and from their transport. Morrison approached one such crate and inspected the insignia emblazoned upon it, Talons insignia. He wrenched the heavy lid off and dropped it unceremoniously on the floor as he peered inside.

 ‘What have you found?’ Asked Ana as she rejoined the main bulk of the team.

 ‘What we expected.’ Replied Morrison as he moved aside to allow her to see, inside was four large assault rifles. McCree pulled the lid off another crate and found similar weapons, he gave a low whistle, ‘Lotta fire power in here..’

 ‘Where do you think its going Jack? To different cells or something much larger?’ Ana asked, her voice anxious.

 ‘Larger like an Army?’ Reinhardt frowned at the crates upon crates of weapons,  Jack shared his concern and pressed his finger to his comms. ‘Winston we need access to whatever files or footage Talon have stored here. Try and find where these weapons are going to.’

 ‘I'm on it.’ The Gorilla replied.

 Ana slung her rifle over her shoulder, ‘I’ll find Talons systems here and assist Winston, Ill alert you when we are finished.’

 Morrison nodded in agreement. ‘Fawkes? Set up your charges, I think there is enough gunpowder in here to destroy every weapon in this place.’

 Junkrat frowned at him. ‘Er..you what mate?’

 ‘The whole reason why you are here Fawkes.’ Jack replied coolly.

 ‘Yeah got that part but ever heard the saying ‘waste not?’ You got a fuck load of fire power in here and you want to get rid?’

 ‘Talon cant have it.’ Jack said bluntly

 ‘Yeah I'm getting that mate, but what I'm saying is why don't WE take it?’

 ‘My thoughts exactly.’ Said McCree as he pulled a rocket launcher from its case.

 ‘Put that back!’ Morrison snapped at him and turned to Junkrat. ‘Don't think ive not thought about it. Our resources are low and we have next to nothing compared to what Talon have, but for all we know each weapon in here could be marked and traceable and I cant risk our base any further.’

 Junkrat made a whining noise ‘Just a few crates of gunpowder mate?’

 Jack cocked his rifle in warning and glared at him through his mask, Junkrat grinned and raised his hands in defeat, ‘Fair play mate, I’ll go keep meself busy.’ He nudged Roadhog with his elbow, ‘C’mon, lets go play.’

 McCree appeared at Morrisons side as the Junkers started pulling miscellaneous wires and charges from their supplies, a warm glow of light appeared in his visor and the smell of rich smoke hit his nostrils as McCree lit a cigar.

 Jack gave an aggravated sigh, ‘I’m concerned Fawkes is going to bring this place down with us inside but really I should be worrying about your addiction blowing us up.’

 ‘I’ll be careful.’

 ‘You are literally leaning on a crate of ammunition.’

 McCree gave a heavy drag before stubbing out the cigar on his prosthetic, the embers dying as they fell softly to the ground. ‘Kids gotta point.’

 ‘I know, but we can't risk our security any further. Winston has gone to great lengths and pushed Athena to her limits to make the base appear abandoned after Talon attacked last time.’

 ‘That how they get agent information?’

 Jack nodded solemnly and glanced at Jesse who was now dusting ash off his metal hand seemingly unaware that his old mentor was behind the deaths of former Overwatch agents. As far as he knew Gabriel was dead and Jack wanted to keep that knowledge secure until the time was right. They both remained silent and watched as Junkrat carefully set his explosives around the building.

 ‘Jack?’ Ana’s voice came through his comms.

 ‘What have you found?’

 Anas voice sounded concerned ‘You need to see this.’

 Jack frowned towards the back of the building where Ana had headed off to, he signalled to McCree to keep watch on the Junkers as he headed in her direction. He soon found her in a small office filled with old military files and a large computer with Talons insignia, Ana was frowning deeply at the monitor, her face aglow with the light of the screen. Jack scoffed ‘Do you think their pens have their symbol on? I don't think even Overwatch was this pretentious.’

 Ana did not respond instead beckoning him over and moving aside so he could see what had her looking so concerned .

 ‘Winston found the files regarding the weapons, they're encrypted so he sent them on to Athena to open but we also found this..’ Ana opened a folder and clicked on a video file, ‘This was from three days ago, The Aircraft that Genji saw? Well we know have confirmation of whose Talons guests are..’ She pressed play and soon Jack was sharing her frown as he watched Sanjay Korpal leave the aircraft, clearly on friendly terms with his Talon host as they grasped hands and laughed at some unheard joke and was led into the main building.

 ‘Do we have any footage of their meeting?’ Jack immediately asked when the video ended.

 ‘No, whatever was said was done in secret.’

 A low growl came from his throat, ‘This isn't the first time Sanjay has appeared in Talons affairs.’

 ‘We need to assume Viskar is also involved Jack, their methods are controversial enough to suspect them.’

 Morrison grunted in agreement and straightened up to leave. ‘I think this may well be our next step, send those files to Athena and any other footage they have, once we get back to base we-’

 ‘Jack theres something else you need to see.’

 Her voice made him stop and turn, her expression a mix of seriousness and concern, ‘This is the only file I found of this Jack so it may be a one off but this concerns me.’ She opened up the file, another video, and pressed play.

 It was night time and a fine rain was falling over the military compound giving the footage a misty atmosphere made more so unsettling by the orange glow of the security lights. The main gates opened slowly and the red lights of a large truck reversing into the compound came into view. Talon agents jumped out the back of the truck, pulling out a ramp and aimed their weapons to whatever resided inside, they appeared to be shouting orders. Slowly, nervously a figure stepped out onto the ramp and looked around their new surroundings as they carefully walked down from the truck, their hands bound in front of them.

 ‘Thats an Omnic.’ Stated Jack.

 ‘A civilian Omnic..’ Corrected Ana.

 They continued to watch as seven Omnics were marched out of the truck, each bound and captive and ordered into the smallest building within the compound. The vehicle parked up and its driver got out, greeting another agent and laughing as they playfully aimed their weapons at the retreating prisoners. The footage ended.

 ‘What are they doing with civilian Omnics?’ Jack asked.

 ‘There is nothing that I can see here that tells us but they were moved on a day later via aircraft, no information as to where but maybe Athena will find something.’

 ‘Or maybe I will, I’m going to check that building.’ Said Jack as he stood up. ‘Whatever it is its not good, do you remember Zarya finding anything out about missing Omnics in the town?’

 ‘Omnics disappear all the time Jack, the locals wont care what happens to them.’

 He sighed in reply. ‘I’ll let you know if I find anything, and be ready to move out soon. I got a feeling we’re on borrowed time now.’

 Jack was halfway through the door as Ana called after him, ‘And yes Jack, Overwatch was      very    pretentious. You especially.’

                        ------------------------------------------------------------

 ‘So how you figure out how to do all this stuff?’ McCree asked Junkrat as he sat on a crate watching the Junker work.

 Junkrat was lying on his back as he pulled at some tape and snapped it with his teeth, using it to stick a charger unceremoniously onto some low piping, ‘Dunno, just..figured it out as I went along?’

 ‘Gotta be more to it then that, not exactly easy work.

 ‘Its not?’

 ‘I don't know if you are being sarcastic, ignorant or egotistical.’

 Roadhog scoffed ‘Sometimes its all three at once.’

 ‘Fuck you.’ Junkrat replied as he stood back up, he rubbed the back of his neck as he considered McCree. ‘I dunno its like..its like ive always been good with making stuff and ya know..quickly learnt its best to make stuff that fucks over anyone that wants to steal, kill or y’know..other things.’

 ‘Must a been alot of trial and error..you don't just learn chemicals, engineering and mechanics up like that.’

 ‘I didnt blow half me fucking body off if thats what you are getting at Lone ranger.’ Junkrat replied getting annoyed, ‘Actually tell ya what just assume I did, might get ya to fuck off.’

 ‘Thought you was starting to like Kid.’

 Junkrat smirked at him as he picked up a large coil of wire, ‘Ya might be hot Cowboy but im not ready to start making friendship bracelets and getting matching tattoos with ya.’

 ‘Ya know for someone so loud and in your face you are really closed off.’

 ‘You don't give Hog such a fucking grilling.’ He complained as he backed out of the building trailing the wire behind him.

 ‘Naw Im sure a whisky and cigar together, me and the big guy will be the best of friends.’ Laughed McCree as Roadhog walked past him but he quickly lost his smile and averted his gaze as Roadhog pause to glared down at him before following his partner outside. ‘Fucking terrifying..’McCree muttered to himself, he looked up as Morrison returned, walked by and left the same way as the Junkers without saying a word.

 ‘No one wants to talk to me today,’ He grumbled to Reinhardt as the giant crusader kept post at the door.

 ‘What?’

 McCree sighed ‘Nothing..’

 Outside Junkrat continued complaining as he set up his explosives on the large grated power supply at the side of the building, Roadhog had ripped the metal grating away like paper allowing Junkrat to pry open the metal casing to get inside. The large cooling fan sounding even louder as he started pulling away at wires. Roadhog watched and wondered for the millionth time if Jamison actually knew what he was doing or was simply relying on luck.

 ‘Like, where does he get off?’

 ‘What?’

 ‘Him in there, asking stuff.’

 Roadhog shrugged ‘People ask stuff.’

 ‘Don't like it.’

 ‘Tough.’

 ‘Tough!’ Junkrat replied mockingly ‘And where's he off to?’ He asked as he spotted Morrison cross the courtyard and entering the far building.

 ‘For not liking questions you ask alot..’

 Junkrat glared at him and turned back to his work with a sullen look, without looking he patted at the utility belt at his waist and found the tool he was looking for in one of the pockets, ‘Ah fuck.’ he muttered as the small screw driver tinkered as it hit the floor, as he reached down something towards to back of the building, just by the fence caught his eye, like a shadow of someone moving.

 ‘See that?’

 Roadhog turned his head to where the younger Junker was looking, ‘See what?’

 ‘Saw something, something moved.’

 ‘Maybe the Shimada?’ Roadhog offered.

 ‘Yeah..yeah probably.’ Junkrat replied though he sounded unconvinced. Preferring Jamison to keep a level head whilst working on explosives in such close proximity was in his best interests so Roadhog gripped his hook in his hand and made his way down the side of the building.

 ‘Cheers mate!’ Junkrat called after him as he picked up the screwdriver and settled back into unscrewing parts off the supply and soldering wires carefully to the large explosive he attached to it, a few minutes passed as he felt a presence behind him. He was unaware of Hog returning but sometimes when he concentrated hard enough he couldn't hear or notice other things around him, and sometimes he heard everything, was aware of everything. It was certainly hard keeping up with himself. ‘Took ya time.’ Junkrat turned to his partner ‘I know was probably me just getting..’ But it was not Roadhog standing over him. It was a tall hooded figure dressed in black holding a menacing shotgun in each hand, one pointing at Junkrats head. The creepiest thing about him was the bone white skull like mask covering his face.

 ‘Who the fuck-’ Began Junkrat but was quickly silenced as the shotgun was cocked. The figure spoke, a mans voice that rasped like the words were struggling to leave his throat.

 ‘Stand up slowly, keep quiet or I end you.’

 Junkrat narrowed his eyes at him and grinned menacingly. ‘Counter offer mate. You fuck off now or I detonate this big ol bomb ive just made.’

 The man gave a strained cough like laugh, ‘We both know you don't have the guts to do that, so unless you want to see yours you come with me.’

 One of Junkrats greatest strengths was being underestimated, it had got in out of many grave situations that a bomb or fire could not fix and he had learned how to size up a person quickly especially when it was a confrontation. Threatening to blow himself up along with this mysterious man wouldn't cut it, it would also mean killing half of the team which annoyingly he did not want to do, so he acted dumb.

 ‘Yeah fair do’s im not gonna do that, just tell me who you are n what you want.’

 ‘You know what I want Rat.’

 Junkrat looked at him with confusion, ‘My amazing services? Tell ya what mate you’d be doing me a favor getting me away from this lot.’

 ‘Get up, hands where I can see them.’

 ‘Alright no dramas I'm moving.’ He got up slowly, hands in surrender and eyed up the creepy mask.

 ‘Y’know I reckon me mates mask is scarier.’

 The stranger remained silent and pointed one of the large guns towards the fence, the other remained aimed at his head.

 ‘Right-o got the message, where we off to then?’ He started to move slowly backwards to keep his eyes on his kidnapper and making his slight limp purposely more pronounced.

 ‘Keep moving.’

 ‘Look if this is about Sydney that suit had it coming double-crossing me.’

 ‘Keep quiet.’

 Junkrat laughed, ‘Good luck with that one, gonna tell me who you are?’

 It was the strangers turn to laugh as he seemed to glide the difference between them and press one of the guns to Junkrats temple, ‘Me? I’m a ghost.’

 ‘Yeah? Funny don't believe in ghosts.’ He flashed a wicked grin at him, ‘Believe in Hobbits though.’

 The mask stranger tilted his head in confusion when suddenly a blunt force walloped the back of his knee causing him to crumble to the ground, dropping one of the shotguns. Junkrat leapt over him immediately and before the masked man could grab him he was suddenly met with the sight of an angry looking bearded dwarf holding a hammer high above his head.

 ‘You gotta be kidding me..’ WHACK!

 Junkrat tore into the courtyard and was met with the confused faces of Hana and Zarya. ‘Problem! We gotta problem!’

 Zarya glare at him, ‘If you say we have less than two minutes till your bomb goes off I snap your spine.’

 ‘I nearly got fucking kidnapped by some creep in a halloween costume and the only one that notices is the little guy?!’ Junkrat shouted at her before spotting Roadhog run out from behind the Mech storage. ‘And you’re fucking useless!’

 ‘Wait what's happening?’ Hana asked

‘Time to go!’ Torbjorn shouted as he ran up to them and hastily started picking up parts of his broken turret, he pressed a finger to his comms, ‘All agents we got a Talon agent still here, not sure if i killed him or not but he nearly went off with the boy.’

 ‘Yeah thanks i fucking owe you one mate. No thanks to this cunt here..’ He added bitterly to Roadhog who wheezed heavily as he rejoined them.

 ‘Fuck- wheeze- you.’

                  ----------------------------------------------------------------

 Jack pulled the doors open to the building seen in the security footage. The lock on the door was easy enough to break off with the butt of his rifle and from appearances did not look as if it was to hold anything important with such light security measures. The lights automatically flickered on and he was greeted with the sight of a huge metal pen with a much more heavily bolted door, It instantly put him in mind of caged animals and left him with a sour taste in his mouth. He circled the pen looking for anything to suggest where these omnics had been taken, but it was just an empty room with a prison cell, in the back was the shell of a murdered Omnic, its parts ripped out and head smashed in, more likely left here as a warning to the Omnic prisoners to refrain from resistance. Jack shook his head at the sorry sight. His comms crackled in his ear.

 ‘Jack?’

 ‘Here Ana.’

 ‘I have eyes on the Omnics being moved on but nothing to say where. This place seems to be used for holding only, I think our work here is done.’

 ‘Agree, start to move out. Fawkes should nearly be-’

 ‘All agents we got a Talon agent still here, not sure if i killed him or not but he nearly went off with the boy.’

 ‘Torbjorn give me a location!’ Jack shouted as he ran out the doors and desperately looked around.

 ‘Main building, all accounted for.’ The engineer replied.

 ‘Winston, Tracer?’

 ‘I'm here and so is Fareeha, er commander?  My scanner seems to be picking up some slight disturbance..’

 ‘Keep an eye on it, Tracer do you copy?’

 ‘Yes Sir?’

 ‘Fire up the Orca, stay put until I give the clear but be ready to move as soon as I say.’

 ‘Yes Sir!’

 Jack rounded the corner and found the team gathered near the main gates, ‘Wheres the agent?’

 ‘Gone Jack.’ Stated Ana, her biotic rifle ready in her hands and hawk like gaze scanning her surroundings.

 ‘Gone? What do you mean gone?’

 ‘Torbjorn went back for him but he was gone, Genji is searching for him now.’

 ‘Fuck!’ Shouted Jack then turned to Fawkes. ‘What did he look like?’

 ‘Fucking weird mate.’

 ‘Meaning what?’

 ‘Meaning he’s dressed up like he’s going to a fucking funeral and went to buy a fucking halloween mask on the way!’

 Jack stared at him, ‘Did he give you a name?’

 ‘Didnt get to fucking pleasantries mate whilst he had a massive fucking gun pointing at me fucking head!’

 Morrison ignored his outburst and turned to Ana, the look on her face confirmed his fears. They needed to get out of here.

 ‘Commander!’ Winstons voice shouted through his comms.

 ‘What is it?’

 ‘Talon ship inbound!’

     Shit..  

 ‘What's their ETA?’

 ‘Ten minutes Commander!’

     SHIT!  

 ‘Tracer! Orca, now!’

 ‘You know what this is      really    filling me with confidence being protected and or held captive by you guys.’ Junkrat said sarcastically

 ‘That bomb of yours better be ready!’

 ‘Oh its done, got the detonator right here.’ Junkrat replied waving a device that resembled a small remote control. ‘There's just one problem with it,’ and with that he pressed the button. The response of the rest of the team was immediate with shocked gasps, curses and flinching but no loud explosion or shockwave came. Junkrat laughed, ‘Its not connected yet, fuck overreact much?’

 ‘Im going to kill him.’ said a wide eyed Zarya.

 ‘Get in line.’ said Morrison, ‘Can you get it ready to blow in ten minutes?’

 ‘Please, I can do it in five.’ Junkrat replied cockily.

 ‘You got two, Rutledge do not leave his side and Winston?’

 ‘Yes Commander?’

 ‘Prepare a signal surge, oh and your shield.’

                       ------------------------------------------------------

 Roadhog stood silently Scrap Gun and hook in hand and ready for action as his partner made quick work to finish his bomb.

 ‘Ya know this might be one of the biggest ive made.’

 Roadhog grunted. ‘Just a bunch of small ones connected together.’

 ‘Which results in a big explosion, fuck keep up mate.’

 ‘You finished?’

 ‘Yeah just…’ He stuck his tongue out in concentration, ‘Done. I’m done! Let's blow this popsicle stand!’ He giggled at his own joke.

 Roadhog grabbed him around the shoulder and began pulling him towards the main gate, he wanted to get Jamison out of here quickly, not just for his own sake but for the fact he had just made a very large explosive alongside crates upon crates of weapons and ammo which he held the detonator for. They were joined by Winston and Fareeha who had made their way done from the high ground as soon as Winston gave his warning. Soon the hum of engines reached their ears and the Orca came into view from atop the trees and descended into the courtyard. Tracer lowered the storage hull and Hana wasted no time propelling her Mech inside.

 ‘Talon ship inbound! Lets go go go!’ Tracer shouted through the comms.

 ‘Wait!’ Shouted Ana, ‘The Orca is not equipped for aerial battle, Winston's shield can't cover us.’

 ‘I could get one of those Launchers..’ Offered McCree

 ‘Thats not an option!’ She snapped in reply.

 ‘Its not?’ asked McCree and Junkrat at the same time.

 ‘We’re not going to have a dog fight Ana, we’re going to let Talon come to us.’ Said Morrison.

 Reaper snarled as he pulled himself up from the ground using the half wrenched off grate to the power supply and on impulse aimed his gun at the explosive the Junker had made. He could bring them all down with him, just like in Switzerland. He considered and ignored the pounding in his skull before lowering his weapon. Damn that dwarf! He could hear Sombras taunting even now. He faded like smoke and moved like a shadow away from where Overwatch had regrouped, no doubt Genji will soon be scaling the rooftops searching for him. Morrison will be barking his orders, McCree will be a smartass. So predictable. He watched them unseen from the shadows, even Ana's gaze passed over him on occasion. He should have knocked the junker out, no matter. Coming here was simply to see what laughable attempt at resistance Morrison had created and to test the waters on getting the Junker. It would be of no concern if they got away this time, he did not even care if Talon lost this small cache of weapons. He was in this for one thing only; blood. He could wait, part of the hunt was being patient and biding your time. Now thanks to the good Doctor and the sadistic scientist he had plenty of that. He gripped his weapons tightly as the damn ape made his appearance alongside Amari’s kid, something long lost in him stirred, shimmers of a faint memory of laughing children. He shook his head and snarled. Gabriels memories taunted him daily, he was no longer that man. He was barely even human anymore. Reaper looked up as the low deep hum of an engine caught his attention and the Orca came into view. He watched as they began to load, and mused to what Morrison planned. His ship was inbound and would be here any minute, did they have it in them to face another gunfight?  Would Morrison be that reckless or had his ‘death’ made him similar to the creature Gabriel had become? He watched a few moments more and still the Orca had not departed. He could hear Talons ship approaching, a ship equipped with weapons and from what he could remember the Orca was not built for aerial battle. He sensed a trap..

 A sudden jarring white noise erupted in his ear, growling he ripped his ear piece out. He hissed as he threw it aside in frustration, knowing damn well that Overwatch had just blasted a signal to over run Talons communications. He looked up as his ship flew overhead and watched the turrets take aim at the Orca as it finally began to take off, watched as the gangway slowly came down.

 ‘I fucking hate that monkey..’

 Winston leapt from the Orca and landed upon the roof of the Talon assault ship, the sudden counter weight sending them spinning. He slammed his shield generator onto the roof of the ship and quickly leapt away.

 ‘Wait you idiot!’ Reaper snarled as the pilot panicked with the sudden appearance of a huge Ape and opened fire..within the shield. The bullets ricocheted and peppered the ship with holes, the glass canopy cracking like ice under the rain of metal.  The Orca descended as Winston climbed aboard with haste and quickly began to rise back into the air as Talon attempted an emergency landing. The shield splintered and fazed from sight, atleast the fools had ceased fire upon themselves. Reaper knew a lost cause when he saw one and had began to glide to a safe distance as soon as Winston had leapt into the air, abandoning his men to their soon to be fiery fate.

              ---------------------------------------------------------------

 ‘Everyone buckle in!’ Shouted Lena as Winston climbed on board.

 ‘Fuck no I aint missing this!’ Junkrat shouted as he hung near the closing gangway, a loose seat belt wrapped around his living arm in a mockery of safety measures, the detonator gripped in the metal one.

 ‘Fawkes you wait till we’re at safe altitude!’ Morrison barked.

 He ignored him, a wild grin on his face and eyes ablaze. Any second now…

 ‘Jamie!’

 He blinked and turned to the sound of his name and the sensation of touch on his arm where Hana had taken hold of it.

 ‘What?’

 ‘Sit down or you’ll knock yourself out!’

 He laughed ‘Totally worth it.’

 ‘Sit down or  i’ll knock you out.’ Warned Roadhog.

 Junkrat hissed at them in frustration and begrudgling untangled himself from the belt and quickly sitting down and belting in properly, he twisted himself to watch the destruction from the window. ‘Come on already!’ He shouted.

 ‘Three Hundred metres till safe distance..’ Said Tracer.

 ‘This is gonna be beautiful Hana!’ Junkrat grinned.

 ‘Two hundred..’

 ‘Hey Jamie?’

 ‘Yeah?’

 ‘One hundred..’ Tracer warned

 ‘Let me press the trigger with you?’ Hana asked.

 Not exactly a request he heard before but it didnt take him long to decide to let the girl have a bit of fun. He giggled and held the detonator toward her, ‘Get ready then.’

 ‘Altitude reached!’

 ‘Now Fawkes!’ Morrison shouted.

 ‘Ok Hana on three. One..two..’      Click.  

 Reaper shielded his eyes and dug his clawed gloves deep into the bark of a tree as he braced against the sudden smack of the shockwave and the heat that followed. Clouds of flame rose into the air accompained by a deafening roar, the talon airship along with its crew swallowed by the smoke and fire. More bangs and explosions sounded within the fiery cloud as the ammo and gunpowder was destroyed. Through the smoke and searing heat Reaper watched the Orca disappear further from view. He cracked his neck and sighed in frustration, drawing out a small phone from a pocket on his long black cloak.

 ‘Mission failed. Pick up required.’ He rasped

 A pause..

 ‘Negative..target lost...oh before I go, how about finding more competent soldiers?’ He cut the call and watched the skies a moment more, ignoring the grip of fumes in what remained of his throat and the heat which was growing steadily stronger before he turned and faded into the smoke around him.

   ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 It was approaching early evening as Mei watched from Winstons laboratory window as the Orca returned to base, Lucio and Brigitte where already at the landing site to welcome them back and she supposed she had better join them, no doubt Morrison would want a mission debriefing as soon as possible and Winston had pre warned her of going through Talon documents Ana had grabbed on their retreat.

 ‘Heya Mei!’ Brigitte greeted her cheerfully as she joined them.

 ‘Hi, I take it no casualties? I don't see Angela.’

 ‘Nah nothing serious, few grazes maybe but no need of a stretcher this time.’ Said Lucio

 ‘Do you guys know how things went?’ Mei asked.

 ‘Not much, dad says the mission was a success and we may have a few leads but not much else-Oh here we go!’

 The back of the Orca opened up and the sound of Hanas mech greeted their ears as it heavily trudged to the garage, its arm waving at them as she went by.

 ‘Well thanks alot Frosty the mission sucked!’ Sniped Junkrat as he walked past her and clasped hands with Lucio

 ‘Excuse me?

 ‘Yeah we lost Torb. Was very sad actually, Briggs taking it pretty well bless her..’

 ‘...Are you..? What?!’ Mei looked from him to Brigitte who appeared to be scolding at Reinhardt over his armor. She craned her neck trying to spot the swedish engineer.

 Hana laughed as she joined them ‘He’s messing with you Mei. Torb lost his Turret thats all.’

 Mei shot them both an icy glare and ignoring them went to greet Winston instead. ‘Dude I think she’s gonna seriously mess you up one of these days.’ Lucio lightly warned him.

 ‘Can’t resist mate, shes fucking funny when shes pissed off.’

 Ana, make sure everyone is unloaded and in briefing in one hour.’ Said Morrison as he headed towards his office.

 ‘You heard him children.’ She said clapping her hands. ‘Weapons in lock up and get those scrapes and bruises seen too. Fawkes that means you too!’

 Morrison near slammed the door to his office and took a moment to take a couple of deep breaths as he calmed himself, He turned slightly to lock the door and sat down at his desk and accessing his computer.

 :      How did Reyes get wind of our mission?  

 The reply was not immediate, he tapped the desk impatiently and as the minutes passed he decided to get ready for the briefing. As he was about to leave the room he heard a      ping    from his desk.

     :Because I told him. Dont be rude I let you guys walk right in.'  

 Morrison swore loudly.

     :You could have cost us the mission.  

 The reply was much quicker

     :And it could cost me my life!  

 Morrison paused.

     :You knew the risks when you got into this.  

     :And so did you ‘Sir’. Im in too deep to ruin things now. Im doing the job you both gave me and im sorry. I really am but I have to give them information too.’  

     :A warning would have been appreciated.  

     :And how would that look when you are too well prepared for their surprise arrival? You need to chill out Jack, nothing wrong with abit of problem solving to keep your old mind fresh.’  

     :What are they doing with the omnics?’  

     :Don't know. Gotta go now, bye bye!’  

 Morrison stared at the screen before lowering his head and rubbing his temples. The mission had been successful and they had completed what they set out to do. Fawkes was not a big a liability as expected and they had a lead on Sanjay Korpal. So why did he have this pit of dread simmering in his gut? His mind involuntarily drifted back to the remains of the dead Omnic and a shiver ran down his spine

#meihem #junkmei #overwatch #junkrat #jamison fawkes #mei ling zhou #fanfic

[seanshumblehome]

The Secret Trio in:The Sons of Liberty (Part 4 - Assault on Black Stone).

       After spending the rest of yesterday resting and acquiring any gear they might need for the hike, Jake called in some favors from magical residents in San Fransokyo he had saved awhile back, Danny conversed with local sprites for information about Black mountain, while Randy got a map of Black mountain and prepared all of his ninja equipment.The plan was simple, head out at sunset, find the base hidden within Black Mountain, stop whatever they where doing there and destroy the base.It was a simple plan, but they knew that it’s execution would be less than simple and far more complicated.They met back at the hotel, it was still a few hours before sunset so they decided that catching some extra sleep before heading to Black Mountain.Randy and Jake fell fast asleep but Danny laid in his bed, his mind to restless to allow him to fall asleep.He stared at the ceiling thinking of home, of his friends, of his family, of Sam.The Sons of Liberty might not know them, or where they are, but if they knew who he was, who Randy and Jake where, then finding their families and friends wouldn’t be too hard afterwards, he hoped that the Sons where too focused on whatever they where doing to care about capturing their families or friends, but as he continued to think and stare off into space he felt that old familiar feeling creep up from the back of his head again.

“We don’t need them, don’t you see, we could stop them all by ourselves yet you refuse, why?”

“Because if I let you loose you could very well decide no to come back.”

“How much have we been through huh?! Even after a year you still don’t trust me, after all the power I have given you.”

“Trust is earned, may I remind you what happened the first time I let you take control?”

“...“

“You hurt so many people that day I had to hide, the moment I thought you where going to do some actual good for us you went and pissed it away, your lucky I didn’t rip you out and throw you to void.”

“...“

“If you have nothing else to say then let me sleep so I can do my damn job.”

      Danny rolled to his side and closed his eyes content that he had but him back in his place.

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“I just wanted to show you how it felt, how strong we could really be.”

“I know, and when it comes to that, I will.”

      Danny once again closed his eyes and within several minutes, he was as fast asleep as his fellow hero’s where.

“Three hours later.”

      The loud aggravating beep of the hotel room alarm clock rang out through the room stirring the boys from their sleep, after grabbing a quick bite to eat and drink and a bathroom stop the boys began to make their way to Black Mountain. Thankfully it was only an hour flight to Black Mountain, but knowing that they might have scouts posted to keep an eye on things, they planed only to fly to the edge of the forest then hike the rest of the way, avoiding any hostiles that could sound the alarm.It plan was set, the trio made their way to the roof and took off for Black Mountain.

“One hour later“

      Though he had flown at night before that was usually in New York, but San Fransokyo’s lights only stretched for so far, but thankfully his keen dragon eye’s helped navigating to the edge of forest, the trio landed and moved to cover behind some trees.

“You think they have scouts this close to the city Danny?” Randy whispered.

“Maybe, but I don’t want to find out, we’ll keep low and move cautiously got it, if they spot us we could very well never get another chance to learn what they’re doing by with nukes.” Danny whispered back.

“Then let’s quit sitting here and get moving yo.” Jake whispered as walked past them.

      The boy’s began their slow hike up Black Mountain, staying off foot paths and avoiding clearings.Danny took point, leading Randy and Jake up the route he had chosen to get to the base, using the map Randy had gotten to insure that they where staying away from any landmarks or foot paths.Suddenly Danny stopped and crouched down.

“What do you see, Danny?” Randy whispered as he looked over his shoulder.

“We’ve got headlights up ahead, looks like a truck or something.” Danny answered.

“We gonna take ‘em out?” Jake whispered.

“No we let them pass.” Danny whispered back.

      The trio sat in a ditch and watched as the truck pulled up, their suspicions where confirmed when a soldier pointed a gun out the passenger window and scanned the tree line with a flashlight, the truck then slowly drove off allowing the boys to crawl out of the ditch and continue towards the base.

“How close are we to the base Danny?” Randy asked.

“If the map from the file is right we’ve only got three miles to go.” Danny answered.

      After several minutes the boys reached the top of a hill to see what looked like and outpost with a large gate behind it leading into Black Mountain itself.

“So I’m guessing that’s the place where looking for?” Jake asked.

“Yeah that would be it.” Danny answered.

“It’s gonna be tough sneaking into that place.“ Randy said as he starred at the gun emplacements and patrolling guards.

“We might not be able to sneak into that place at all.” Jake said nervously.

“I’ll scout it out and see if there’s a way we-” Suddenly a crack rang out across the night sky as a bullet blew a chunk of tree into splinters that showered over him, “Sniper! Get down!” Danny shouted as they all rushed to cover.

“Hey maybe if we’re lucky they didn’t hear the shot,” Jake said optimistically before a loud siren began to ring out, “Nevermind, they heard it.” He said as he slumped in disappointment.

“Danny, you wouldn’t happen to have a shield power would you?” Randy asked nervously as 50. caliber bullets flew over their heads.

“Yeah I do.” Danny said as he formed a small glowing shield in front of him.

“Can you make it big enough for Jake so we can fly in there on his back?” Randy asked.

“Yeah, why?“ Danny asked in confusion.

“Well let’s quit sitting here and get moving!” Randy shouted as he climbed onto Jake’s back.

      Danny nodded and rushed over, after climbing on Jake he took to the air as Danny’s shield formed around them.As they took to the air bullets began bouncing off Danny’s shield.

“Ha yeah boy, you sucka’s ain’t getting through this ghost homies shield!” Jake boasted as he got closer to the outpost.

“Uh guys I should probably tell you something about the shield.“ Danny said concerned.

“Ah it’s fine Danny, what could go wrong.“ Randy gleefully replied.

      Just before he could respond a rocket struck the right side of the shield, the force of the explosion sending them careening towards the ground, but shield caused them to bounce off the ground with a comically loud boing as they smashed through a wall of the outpost and next to some parked HMV’s.

“I was going to say is that the shield can protect from physical harm, but if gets  hit hard enough, it’ll bounce.” Danny said aggravated as got up and he rubbed his head.

“Thanks.” Randy and Jake said simultaneously as they got up.

      Bullets began flying past them, quickly Danny raised his shield again just as a heavy machine gun began spraying their position with bullets.The trio quickly moved to cover allowing Danny to drop his shield.

“Danny there’s no way me or Jake can fight with that machine gun blasting us!” Randy shouted as bullets plinked away at their cover.

“I’ll handle the big guns, just make sure that the gate to the mountain doesn’t close or all of this  would be for nothing!” Danny shouted over the gunfire.

      Danny leaped out from behind cover and flew towards the first machine gunner, drawing both gunners fire while Randy and Jake rushed towards a small control room.Danny kicked the gunner in the face knocking him unconscious. Danny turned the machine gun towards the second gunner, ripping him to bloody shreds with a single spraying of bullets.With the machine guns silenced Randy and Jake waved Danny over.

“How are the doors?” Danny asked as he approached.

“They’re open, but who know’s for how long.” Randy answered nervously.

“Then let’s get in there!” Danny shouted as he ran towards the open gate.

      Randy and Jake quickly followed behind as soldiers began closing in on their position.As they entered Randy stabbed the gates control panel forcing it to close the gates.As the gates locked with a metallic thud, the boy’s faced each other.

“Well guess we can’t leave through the front then.” Jake mentioned as he heard guards beat against the locked gates.

“Then we’ll leave through the back once we’re done here.” Danny said as he approached an elevator.

“Oh this is just great.” Randy groaned sarcastically.

      The took to their places in the elevator, after hitting one the buttons the boys watched the elevators closed, followed by the awful feeling of descent. This is it, the belly of the best.

To Be Continued in Part 5.

#rc9gn #Danny Phantom #american dragon jake long #secret trio #randy cunningham #danny fenton #Jake Long