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king-of-better · 4 months

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FINAL of ALL: VS -VERSUS-

The Big Order Room erupts in cheers for the announcement of Hana’s pregnancy and the joint wedding of Gai & Mikoto and Mamoru & Hana. Volfogg & Piggy present Mamoru and Hana with a visual record of footage he recorded back when he was assigned to guard Mamoru, showing the boy courageously protecting Hana.

Mamoru asks what Hana was saying before, and she admits she thought she had the seed of the New Machine Species inside her. Her health had been off before Jupiter, and she had thought her symptoms matched Mikoto before awakening as Zonuda, she had avoided taking Fly-D5 for that same reason, fearing she would become Zonuda aboard the cramped transport. Mamoru is reminded of when she first saw his abilities, and was scared, not because he was an alien, but because she thought he was an alien who had replaced him, but they promise to be there for eachother. They have been married 11 years, and now 2 have become 3.

The two couples are the centre of attention. Renais recalls her first meeting with Gai after becoming a cyborg, where everything about him aggravated her, feeling he couldn't understand her, as she believed Liger had abandoned her mother. Ikumi understands her, as he had once judged Mamoru for having bonds on earth, he also points out to Renais that he and Mamoru are both older than her now, but she still views them as kids. Ikumi understands now why Renais told him to treasure his parents, feeling a kinship, Alouette sees that both of them see themselves as shadows to the blinding suns.

While his siblings discuss their wish to attend the wedding, Shoryu notices Mic is down, Gai guessing he is worried about Goldy, the only one beside Genesic Galeon and the Genesic Machines not yet restored. Mikoto watches Gai joke with the Mobile Unit and is joined by her fellow GGG Green operators Swan, Kazuo and Entoji, who tease her that she's finally able to be lovers with Gai as the threat is finally gone for good, she's surprised they know of this promise, made by Gai when she decided to join GGG after he reawoke. She's embarrassed, but thanks her colleagues for their constant support of her. Taiga and Geki drink non-alcoholic, nearby are an already drunk Yamajii, Akamatsu, and Yang, Akamatsu gets aggravated with Liger again. Keita and Hinoki watch in bemusement. Sakura is in bed, not used to moving, and Urchin and Tamara need some time to rest. Keita suggests they join the joint wedding, but Hinoki isn't sure, remembering what happened to Kaede and Yanagi after their own impromptu wedding, but Keita firmly insists they can't take those things as jinxes. She thinks of Lamia for a moment, but then remembers her desire to finish Miyako’s work and end Algernon, and agrees.

Orbit Base Deck 3 releases Galeon, Gai and Mamoru wish it well, but now that it has finished self-repairing they were told by Rice to let it find them so they can return it to its proper place. Mamoru and Hana go for a checkup, while Gai and Mikoto have a moment, and she returns to him her pendant, which she had found on Repli-Earth after the battle with GaoFighGar. Confusingly though, it now appears brand new, and contains the high-shool photo of Mikoto the original pendant had had, but that that was lost when Mikoto became Zonuda, the photo it had contained when he lost it was of her in her GGG uniform. Mikoto had left it with her uniform after finding it, it had remained on Kushinada, so it was returned to its “natural state” at the Orange Site. This reminds Gai of how only his Cyborg eyes could see the image of his mother, though youthful, something also achieved by THE POWER. He feels a strange sense of gratitude to Triple Zero, and wonders if it is possible to return to his own “natural state”, confusing Mikoto. He tells her he wants to go back to space exploration, to go further beyond Jupiter, and wants her to come, after the battles are over. She thought they already were.

In the Yokohama Sepulchrum, the others are confused by two Rice’s having accidentally offset himself in time using Tempus, Rakan understand this means Galeon is coming back, the future Rice has already taken it back, then arrived in the present too early. To the other's chagrin, the Rice’s decide to make an ensemble performance.

Born in India, Rashad Singh is now a member GGG America, stationed at UN Alpes Base on the Moon at the location where, in 2005 six of the 7 Magnificent Primevals fused into the Primeval Fusion and fought King J-Der, then in 2009 the Alpes Base was established as part of Project Z, initially as a resupply point and after the Invisible Burst an observation post on Jupiter. Rashad has now spotted an orange glow resembling that of the Conqueror King, on the moon, and the staff must raise the alarm.

On J-Ark’s bridge Ikumi is sharing refreshment with J, who finds he now enjoys earth's food like Ikumi. While genuinely glad Earth has avoided the Red Planet’s fate, J has decided to leave, not feeling at ease on a planet with no need for a warrior, but Ikumi intends to stay on earth, J knew this, but hopes to fight alongside him again someday, though Ikumi wishes he would just rest. Their peace is disrupted by an alarm ringing out.

The alert, along with all communication with UN Alpes Base, is suddenly cut off. Taiga order a probe sent by the Intelligence Division, Entoji already has one 140 seconds out. Yamajii reports sorry dense Z0-Similar readings from the base, Hinoki confirms as the probe relays video, that Alpes Base is mass producing Zero Robos. Gai cannot understand what is happening, but sees on the feed a tiny figure, the probe destroyed before it can get closer, but he knows that is the Conqueror Acolyte.

Sakura warns of what is coming, as she enters the Main Order Room, the Blue Planet’s own Conqueror King. The Ushiyama Brothers make their own dire announcement, all of the GaoMachines and Kakuseijin V2 have all been sabotaged, every unit without a Super AI has been disrupted. Akamatsu's mind turns to Urchin and Tamara.

It is obvious what has happened was deliberate. A flammable substance was mixed with the G-Liquid and Linker Gel, igniting and causing heavy damage, it is obvious given recent events an Algernon afflictee is responsible. Not only are the manned units unusable right now, the Carpenters are also sabotaged, and the internal security cameras are sabotaged. Big Volfogg secures the Super AI units to J-Ark, and the warship deploys to the area. Akamatsu has Wadatsumi and Yamatsumi follow behind, then immediately heads off.

He is greeted by his father, but quickly meets with Taiga and Gai. Also present are Mamoru, Ikumi, Mikoto, Renais, Keita and Hinoki. Hinoki reports no evidence of Tamara and Urchin leaving the ward. Swan is prepping Algernon examinations for the full crew, though so far only 26% were checked. Yang is working on something with Nozaki, Inubozaki, Hirata and the Maintenance Division, Liger having put them to work on the Genesic Machines. Akamatsu sees the plan, but Gai points out the issue, all of their Control Cores were damaged, they can't currently operate. Akamatsu loses composite before Liger can explain the actual plan. The Cores are repairing themselves, but how long it needs is anyone's guess. Mamoru worries Galeon won't wake up, Akamatsu accidentally guesses the plan is to have one person each undergo Fusion with each Genesic Machine. Gai questions how that's possible. Mamoru, Ikumi, Mikoto and Renais already expected this, thanks to their G-Stones, J-Jewel or Semi-Evoluder status, but Keita and Hinoki are surprised, they're just Dual Kinds, but it's their special brains that are important, not their physical abilities, replacing the special neural networks of the Control Cores, their Dual Kind abilities are the key, the G-Stone and J-Jewel fulfill the same purpose, J could theoretically do it, but they think he's better in King J-Der. Ikumi recalls J complimenting Keita as a warrior, motivating him to accept, Hinoki agrees as well. Yang believes the preparations will be ready in the 40 minutes it takes to reach the moon. Taiga knows they are giving them little warning against an unknown Conqueror King, but he trusts in them. Mamoru will Fusion with Genesic Galeon, Ikumi with GadgetGao, Mikoto with ProtectGao, Renais with BrokenGao, Keita with SpiralGao and Hinoki with StriaghtGao, and it will be brought together by Gai, as Final GaoGaiGar. Taiga explains the name is due to their intent this be the last battle. Taiga is having painted in GadgetGao he mark of GGG Gathering, the symbol he wears as Special Chief, combining the emblems of Gutsy Geoid Guard, Gutsy Galaxy Guard and Gutsy Global Guard, and emblem on gold, green and blue. Everyone pledges themselves to this battle. Gai prepares himself for this enemy, who he hasn't seen, but knows who it will be. After all, he and they always knew they would become enemies.

J-Ark arrives at UN Alpes Base. ShoChoRyuJin is shocked at the sight, Big Volfogg struggles to detect any sign of the base staff. Just before they can deploy, J-Ark is fired on, but Tomoro minimises damage using Generating Armour. J too now knows the identity of the Blue Planet's Conqueror King, and gazes down at the familiar form wrapped in dawn flames. The form of Betterman Cataphract.

6 (Cont)

Mamoru is about to lead everyone in Fusion, but Gai interrupts, as Hana amhas arrived from Branch Order Room, to tell him to absolutely come back to them. He promises he will, kisses her forehead. He switches into Purification Mode and uses Fusion on Genesic Galeon, and the others go the their respective Genesic Machines and declare their own Fusion.

As Wadatsumi is still enroute, hostilities have broken out. Mega Fusion in King J-Der, and lands, surrounded by ShoChoRyuJin, GekiRyuJin, TenRyuJin, SeiRyuJin, Big Volfogg, Big Porc-Auto and Mic Sounders XIII on Stadio 7. Aside from the King of Braves, all of GGG is here to fight. With 26 Zero Robos detected, the Mobile Unit and Intelligence Division leave Conqueror King Betterman Cataphract to King J-Der. Ougu expresses dissatisfaction with the opponent, but Gajumaru knows they planned for the King of Braves to be unavailable. Sara had brought them to Orbit Base, Hiiragi ripped open a bulkhead, Yewya and Lamia took care of sensors and witnesses, Rakan introduced the flammable substance to the G-Liquid and Linker Gel, while Rice and Gajumaru did the same aboard Kanayago. All this in order to welcome the Time of Patria. Rakan enquires after Lamia's health, thanks to the Dawn Aura he is tolerating Ortus easily, even as Cataphract’s core. This Ortus seed, unlike the one Lamia previously used, was trivial to obtain thanks to Rakan Synthesising Forte Seeds, and the Dawn Aura meant they could form the uktimate Betterman. Rakan accepts Lamia's resolve, but Yewya realises the meaning and is perturbed. A J-Quath is launched, but the fusion of Ortus, Ougu, Turbo, Ahriman, Pondus and Lume dodges. The Brave Robos also find their foes very quick. An attack launched sees use of the Mirror Shield, Protect Protector and Crystal Shield, but all prove useless, and Stadio 7 is blown apart. The Brave Robos are now certain the Somniums have truly fallen to Triple Zero. J, the only one capable of hearing both of them, expresses regret for the situation, as warriors he felt worthy of fighting alongside have fallen so late to Triple Zero, nonetheless promising to repay his debt to Arma and Gai through saving them. He attacks point blank, only for Lamia to reveal that they have not been controlled by the Dawn Aura. As J attempts to process this, Cataphract splits, and King J-Der is struck by Ougu's Flying Saber, Ahriman’s thrusts, Turbo's wings, Pondus’ gravity manipulation, Lume’s oscillations and Ortus’ fists. King J-Der resists, but the Somniums regroup, and launch another attack. Before they can hit King J-Der though, the attack is blocked by GadgetGao striking Turbo, BrokenGao meets Ougu, ProtectGao to Lume, StraightGao attacks Pondus, SpiralGao Ahriman and Genesic Galeon clashes with Ortus.

The Braves marvel at seeing the Genesic Machines, which have Linker Gel used on them so the pilots can withstand the Gs. While Keita revels in the movement, Hinoki marvels at the information she can see right now. Ortus tells Mamoru not to presume he can resist his power, Mamoru stunned by how different Lamia is. A Double Flying Saber comes down, Mamoru dodges and causes it to fall, and Lamia's natural enemy emerged, and engages the Double Fusion into Final GaiGar, Mamoru finding sharing sensations with Gai a little awkward. Ortus demands to see the Root of Evil’s true power, but Gai demands to know why they have done this first. J reminds Gai that when they used THE POWER against the Z-Master none of them were corrupted, Gai argues they still shouldn't be able to resist this long, so Rakan reveals his experiments,collecting residual Triple Zero after each battle, using it on animals to observe the process of becoming Conqueror Acolytes, she could develop a Pectofolex that counteracts Triple Zero, and has now modified it to keep the power of Triple Zero without the Corruption. As Ortus’ power of creation is the opposite of Triple Zero, they coexist. Gai demands to know what this Conqueror Emperor plans for this power, only being told it is for the time of Patria. They show an image of a flower garden where UN Alpes Base had been, an Animus Garden, the base staff on the ground with flowers sprouting. Hinoki recognises Rashad from training, and demands to know why Lamia would do this. Because humans are evolving, the Somniums will perish, so they need a farm to grow Animus Seeds. As Tamara and Urchin are recovering, meaning humanity can eliminate Algernon, Hinoki recognises her work as part of the cause of this. Gai tries to reassure her, but she, Keita, Mamoru and Ikumi have all felt a sense of camaraderie to the Somniums after many battles, and thus find this situation a betrayal. Taiga reminds them not to lose hope, reminding them that they must, as always, fight enemies to humanity, be in it extraterrestrial or neighbours on earth, and fight to the last breath of humanity. Everyone in the Branch Order Room agrees, and Taiga orders the FINAL FINAL FUSION.

Final of Final Fusion commences, and what is born is not the first Mecha, Genesic GaoGaiGar but the ultimate one, Final GaoGaiGar. Ougu unleashed Sanctus again, and inside Ortus, Lamia promises to spare no effort, biting into Nebula and Aqua seeds, adding those transformations to those of the 5 others, forming Betterman Cataphract Kai. The two giants clash. Akamatsu confirms with Hana and Alouette if the G-Armour is ready, but it needs 70 seconds, but Akamatsu is just glad that the final tool they had been preparing for GaiFighGar will still get to see use, after modifying it for Genesic afterwards, though an additional modification was made now. Humans aren't the only ones watching, as at Alpes Base Sara watches from the Animus Garden, she holds a black seed, and prepares to use it, Socius Terra, the seed sprouted from Deus. As she is about to consume the seed, on Wadatsumi, Alouette reports the G-Armour is ready. Gai calls for the Goldion Armour, Akamatsu declares the activation, and Taiga gives approval.

7 (Cont)

Hana removes her left glove as Alouette does her right, raising their hands as the triple approval sees their terminals flip over to safety device consoles. Together they Safety Relieve the Goldion Armour by placing their palms on the consoles, which read their handprints. Wadatsumi Mirror Catapults 6 of seven G-Blocks, Hana controls 01, 02 and 03 as Alouette controls 04, 05 and 06. Final GaoGaiGar uses the Gadget Feather, escaping the battle with help from ShoChoRyuJin and Big Volfogg, who reside to let Betterman stop GaoGaiGar, they are flung back, but the job is done. The Ul-Tech Engine shaped G-Blocks, but with a gold glow and 3 pronged tetrapods, these have been made in collaboration between GGG branches worldwide. Plasma Cables radiate from the G-Blocks and connect to each part, Broken Connect to G-Block 02, Spiral Connect to G-Block 03, Protect Connect to G-Block 04, Straight Connect to G-Block 05, Gadget Connect to G-Block 06, Galeoria Connect to G-Block 01, and the Goldion Armour is formed, as plasma light flows from each G-Block into a pair of Plasma Wings. The sight surges Lamia's hostility, as Final GaoGaiGar can now move so fast as to approach lightspeed and, decrying Betterman for only seeing them as a food source, attempts to use the Goldion Nails, but Lume once again blocks them with her aura. She then enhanced Turbo’s speed so it can attack Final GaoGaiGar in the rear, but the King of Braves matches the speed, the two move so fast King J-Der cannot deliver support.

Akamatsu wants G-Block 07 launched, this block is so large it needs to be launched by exploding catapult, but the Ushiyama Brothers cannot get a lock on in order or actually get it to Final GaoGaiGar, as it moves too quickly. Taiga has them hold off before Akamatsu can order a reckless launch, and Akamatsu sees there is wisdom in patience right now.

Final GaoGaiGar and Betterman Cataphract Kai keep clashing. Rakan launches a Flying Saber, but Mikoto blocks with Protect Shade. Ikumi activate as Gadget Tool, Renais striking using Will Knife, but Ahriman catches it, but a Broken Magnum frees them from the restraint, followed by Keita’s Spiral Drill, Pondus slows its speed by gravity manipulation, then Turbo unleashed compressed oxygen via Nebula, channelling Psycho Voice as Lamia declares Gai’s time is done, but Gai rejects this, they will be the ones to die, repelling via Genesic Aura. Mamoru, astonished by what he experiences, wonders if Gai is always like this. The rage Gai shows is contrary to the kind brother he has known.

Betterman Cataphract Kai lands where Alpes Base had been, winded by the power of the Genesic Aura. Rakan is impressed by the power of the Root of Evil, Gajumaru and Hiiragi shocked by the speed, and Yewya and Rice note they only resisted thanks to the Dawn Aura. Lamia declares they will draw out his true power, Rakan sees he has accepted fate. Gajumaru spots Sara on the surface, she tells him she is ready, and consumes the Socius Terra Seed.

Seeing Bettermen unable to move, Akamatsu orders G-Block 07 launched, the last G-Block is around GaoGaiGar's size, or possibly a little bigger. Together the 7 minds pilot Final GaoGaiGar and Arm Connect, G-Block 07 rotates and the outer cover burst off, exposing a giant right arm, the Marg Arm, two titanic turbines move with the Broken Magnum, and the giant hand opens into 5 fingers with Goldion Hammers at the end, on the palm the face of the Super AI controlling them, this is the Goldion Finger. This final hyper tool causes Final GaoGaiGar to instantly glow gold, the ultimate evolution of the Goldion Nails. However, the enemy is equal, to it, now combined with Socius Terra, it has taken a new form, the Ultimate King of Superbeings, Betterman Cataphract Terra. Mirroring it's foe, it's right arm also bears a large object, the Socius Terra arm. Gai refuses to back down.

The Socius Terra Arm is like a flower bud, and Sakura starts sensing something, the fear she has of the flower blooming.

Lamia urges Sara to bloom the flower for the Age of Patria, and it is opened, and the orange flames are absorbed into Betterman, the giant turning platinum, the petals a light pink, and produces a black vortex within. Rakan gazes in wonder until Yewya warns their opponent approaches, Hiiragi throws Zero Robos at Final GaoGaiGar, but they are swiftly made light, before even touching the Goldion Finger. Rice recognises the danger, but Lamia is prepared to die to bring the Time of Patria. The Platinum Betterman charges the Golden GaoGaiGar, an attack to make into light meeting an attack send beyond, and lock hands, but the two attacks are cancelled out, Gai believes they still have options. Ikumi activates the Bolting Driver, Mamoru equipping the Genesic Bolt, the intensity of the Genesic Bolt sends Betterman back. The Somniums regroup even as Renais equips the Broken Bolt, Gai using it on the lunar surface to create a huge crater, the gouged out rock flung at Betterman, but the Socius Hand makes it all disappear instantly.

Swan detects what has just happened is the same ST Bypass type seen on Jupiter, though they can't guess where it was sent. Yang tells the shocked Akamatsu that it's possible none of their attacks will work, as Sakura warns of the coming of the Blue Planet’s King of Ruin.

With both attacks failed, Gai decides to create distance, but Betterman is gaining. Renais rebukes Gai’s kindness, she would have used the Broken Bolt to destroy Cataphract from inside, but understands it now.

It feels as though the fight will go on forever, but Betterman changes path, heading for Wadatsumi, 30 seconds is all it needs to reach it, but King J-Der immediately stands in the way, firing a full volley followed by a J-Quath, just barely being swallowed up before hitting, and then vanishing himself, Ikumi screaming for J and Tomoro as King J-Der vanishes into an ST Bypass.

Sakura continues to say the Blue Planet’s King of Ruin is coming, but she is not looking at Betterman. No one has the time to listen to her though, as Wadatsumi vanishes into the ST Bypass, Hana quietly calls for Mamoru, who freezes. Mikoto is shocked to lose everyone, Renais cannot believe she is losing her love and her father, Hinoki cannot believe Lamia would do this, and Keita is just shocked. Pained, Lamia notes it has still not happened. Yewya senses his grief, and questions if doing all this for the Time of Patria is truly necessary. Knowing she is keeping her own thoughts in check out of loyalty to him, Lamia steps forward. As one, ShoChoRyuJin, Big Volfogg, Mic Sounders XIII, GekiRyuJin, Big Porc-Auto, TenRyuJin and SeiRyuJin jump between their captains and Betterman, shielding GaiGaiGar as another ST Bypass swallows them. Gai lets out a scream of rage, his eyes glow a burning orange. Lamia senses the time has finally come, the Blue Planet’s King of Ruin wmhad awakened. The final battle between the King of Braves Final GaoGaiGar and the King of Superbeings Betterman Cataphract Terra is upon us.

8 (Cont)

The Golden King of Braves begins to glow in a dawn Aura. Goldy, Renais and Mikoto recognise the sensation as their power increases, and Gai charges, it is GaoGaiGar Vs Betterman. There is nobody to witness the titanic struggle. Sakura's voice rings out from somewhere the name of Betterman Cataphract Terra’s ultimate technique, Psycho Finale. The ST Bypass in the palm of the hand is swung down, Final GaoGaiGar uses the Goldion Armour to dodge again, causing more lunar bedrock to be lost into spacetime, and Final GaoGaiGar grips Betterman Cataphract Terra in the Marg Hand, and unleashes the Goldion Finger, but the power is again absorbed by Socius Terra, and the two titans again stare each other down. Gai demands to know why Lamia killed GGG, they could have found a way to coexist without Algernon if they worked together. Since exploding in rage he hasn't heard Lamia's thoughts, not have his allies, too shocked by the loss of all of GGG. Mamoru tries to tell Mikoto there ought be a chance they’re alive, so they have to win and asks Betterman how to get them back, he snaps her, Hinoki, Keita, Renais and Ikumi out of their shock. Renais remembers she can't let J, Liger and Porc-Auto down, Keita realises Mamoru should be feeling worse than everyone else, Hinoki realises she should know for sure if it's her fault Lamia did this. 6 if them have now gained clarity, but Gai is still in a rage, using a Straight Drill, and continues striking, avoiding using the ultimate tool, and the Somniums feel overwhelmed. Turbo’s wings move to strike GaoGaiGar’s neck, but the jaw parries, then Ortus' Double Firing Sabers stab at the head, but the Goldion Armour lets it dodge. Mikoto equips the Protect Bolt, wrapping a barrier around around the moon and Betterman, trapping them. Rakan and Hiiragi see they are trapped, and Gai prepares to make the Betterman Light, even as Mamoru tries to say they need them alive. An ST Bypass appears last second, Betterman appearing behind GaoGaiGar they prepare to welcome now the Time of Patria, and thrusts again the Double Firing Saber, but are blocked by G-Blocks 01 and 06, which shatter, wrapping both fighters in energy, as Gai has the remaining G-Blocks strike at Betterman.

Lume cannot block all the damage, the barrier vanishes, and and the Goldion Finger comes down at them. Lamia recalls how Seeme died to protect him, though Yewya seems content to be is shield, as she becomes light. Seeing the threat of the Goldion Finger, Ougu's Flying Saber sever the right arm at the shoulder, Renais and Goldy telling Gai to just keep going. Still driven to kill, a Spiral Drill thrusts, Ahriman wraps around to constrict it, but is wrapped up as well and pulled off Rice’s thoughts stop. Keita kicks up to rip off what remains of Ahriman, then tries to come down on Betterman, but Turbo blocks and blasts it off, Keita’s voice fades as Hinoki yells for him. Her own pain comes out as SpiralGao explodes, ripping off Turbo, Gajumaru sacrificing his presence for the sake of the combination, leaving Sara to Lamia, Sara to is consumed in grief. Socius Terra moves to crush GaoGaiGar’s head, but Mikoto blocks with Protect Shade, both the left arm of the King of Braves and the right arm of Betterman both explode, Mikoto trying to tell Gai what she wants for her honeymoon before being cut off, Gai and Lamia both yell in rage. Pondus delivers a supergravity kick as Hiiragi expressed sorrow as he lives humans, but Ikumi rejects that as they won't be livestock, using GadgetGao detaches to block and tear apart Pondus, but is crushed, Mamoru calling out to his partner, as his consciousness fades Ikumi reflects that he really is glad he became friends with Mamoru, and pilots the bird, turning it into Will Knife form, and unleashes J-Jewel power to pierce into Pondus. Hiiragi falls silent, as GadgetGao is totally flattened. Mamoru yells with a fury matching that of Gai, two wills controlling the King of Braves with only a right leg. Gai demands to know why Betterman is going so far, Hinoki demand to know if Lamia really won't let them overcome Algernon, delivering a dropkick, but Ougu blocks it, Rakan's last thought being admiration of their adaptability, but saying the Root of Evil must be destroyed, as the Flying Saber severs off StraighGao and Ougu and both explode. Lamia lets out a thought of regret, not having wished that fate for the Somnium's hope, as Hinoki loses consciousness, seeing a vision of her brother Mario, and calls out, he turns around and looks like Lamia, but she cannot process this as she fades. Lamia declares to Vivele that he will destroy the root of evil, hidden in the King of Braves, the final Conqueror King. A Psycho Voice is sent out, GaoGaiGar dodges by leaving behind all the remaining armour, leaving just Final GaiGar.

Mamoru is still enraged, but Gai is at least capable of questioning Lamia's words, as Final GaiGar is wrapped in orange flame, the very image of the Conqueror King, opposed to the Conqueror Being Betterman Ortus, also wrapped in orange flame. The Conqueror War is about to come to a conclusion, as Conquror GaiGar faces Conqueror Ortus. They clash continuously, each attempting to destroy eachother, as Mamoru refuses to believe Gai is the Conqueror King. Lamia explains that as Gai is an Evoluder, the corruption of the Dawn Aura manifested differently. Lamia shows through full images that Gai couldn't possibly have escaped Triple Zero, but has resisted until now, as every one of his cells is assimilated with a tiny G-Stone, he is still in the process of being corrupted even now. Mamoru asks the question, why the did they awaken Gai as the Conqueror King, as it is clear all of this fight has been to cause this. Lamia explains the enemy within the root of evil is both treasure and toxin to them, so they must deal with the contradiction before departing as their last task. Mamoru questions this statement, as Lamia says until the Conqueror King is destroyed they cannot welcome the Time of Patria. Ortus is now wholly on the defensive. He can tell he is reaching his limit, recovering from using Ortus the first time should have taken centuries, he recovered early due to the coming of the Conqueror King. Mamoru now doesn't understand what the Time of Patria is. GaiGar pierces Ortus and rips apart the Pectofolex orb, defeating the King of Superbeings, which fibrises, and Lamia knows a final end is coming for him.

Gai begs to know if this is truly the end he wanted, not glad in victory, merely sorrowful, but suddenly Rice, Betterman Ahriman declares they haven't reached the conclusion, looking totally unscathed, wrapping around GaiGar, aided by another Mamoru didn't expect to see again, Galeon. Rice took a detour while returning Galeon, coming to this future moment rather than immediately returning Galeon to the past. GaiGar throws him off and declares himself the Conqueror King, ruler of cosmic law, shocking himself. Ahriman, unable to risk any further damage, takes Galeon with one of the few remaining Tempus Seeds.

From the remains of Ortus comes Betterman Aqua, as part of Lamia’s last gambit, declaring to the Conqueror King he will end things, but the Conqueror King declares he will be the one doing so. Aqua seeps into GaiGar with a torrent of water, removes himself from Aqua and swings down at Gai with a solid right arm, Gai cannot move, but summons up G-Power to defend, but his body isn't shining green, but in orange flames. Gai knows now what Lamia has been saying to him from the very beginning, he has been unknowingly A Conqueror King this whole time, and knows what he must do, but the power of the Conqueror will not let him. Mamoru, fused into Galeon, can only watch, and Lamia is clearly the one who will lose to Gai’s power, until he pokes to hesitate, hearing the voice of his most precious person, lost in the battle, begging him not to lose. Mikoto's voice calms Gai’s heart for a moment, he swears to fight with courage to the end. Lamia's claw sinks into Gai’s chest, a feeble blow from an exhausted Somnium, but Gai offers no resistance. Mamoru sense through their shared Mechanoid body the Animus Flower appear from Gai’s head, blocking out his serene smile. Lamia trembling tries to takes the seed, but is too weak, even as he says he must take the Patria seed, with a regret that Mamoru senses, and knows what he must do. He Fusion Outs, and descends as a green angel, to man with a green flower out of his head, and the deathly white Somnium, and, tears on his cheeks, takes the seed born of the gem of life, and carefully plucks it. He knows those with courage will win in the end.

A woman stepping out of the medbay to return to duty astonishes everyone who sees her, returning to duty only a week after regaining consciousness, but Tamara Gogol has returned to work. She arrives at the Biomedical Engineering Lab, Hinoki greets her, surprised but Tamara is happy, after being cured of Algernon thanks to Hinoki. Hinoki is, despite the damage to StraightGao, unharmed. Renais, Mikoto, Keita and Ikumi are safe as well. Clearly this is the work of the Somniums, who knew they must awaken Shishioh Gai as Conquror King, but did not wish harm to others in the process, not one of Gai’s friends was harmed, even those who vanished in the ST Bypass.

A week ago, in part of Alpes Base, Mamoru stands beside Gai, holding the Patria Seed, and Lamia takes the fruit. Rakan, Yewya, Gajumaru, Sara, Hirragi and the first Rice surround him, having survived The destruction of their Betterman transformations, and then escaped to this space by Socius Road. Another window opens, depositing Ikumi, Renais, Mikoto, Keita and Hinoki, already aware of the situation. Hinoki tells Lamia she did believe in him, Keita jokes he thought he was doomed, but Renais demands to know where the agents made into Animus seedbeds are, but Ikumi knows it was an illusion, the agents are just unconscious. Mikoto clings to her love’s body. Lamia thanks the child of light, Mamoru saying he now understands their goal, his expanded consciousness as past of Final GaiGar enabling him to fully receive the information from Lamia and make the choice he needed to. He knows if Gai had been told of the plan, it wouldn't have worked out, because he needed to awaken as the Conqueror King. They witness in space and ES Window open, and J-Ark emerge, Ikumi relieved to see him, as is Renais, as Wadatsumi and the Brave Robos emerge behind. Mamoru is brought to tears to see them back, Goldy too is safe, just a face on the moon with the Core Blocks, but they can be restored, everyone is alive, and the Brave’s chest starts to move. The battle finally over, everyone returned to Orbit Base. Tamara’s return has come just as Hinoki is resolving the last thing, talking to Gai and Mikoto. Gai has no further traces of Triple Zero, and is in excellent health. This lines with what Mamoru had learned, that the Somniums sought a special seed, Patria. Mikoto questions how Gai is alive after producing an Animus Seed. Hinoki explains the G-Stone, the gem of life, is literally a crystallisation of the lives of the people of the Trinary Solar System, the G-Stones in Gai’s body were corrupted before he was, and resisted for so long, but if he had been ignored then there would have been no knowing when he would become a Conqueror King, thus the Somniums had had to awaken him so he wouldn't be a threat to their beloved humanity. The G-Stones manifesting as an Animus Flower had purged the Conqueror King power out of Gai’s body. Mikoto asks if they can safely breed now, Hinoki confirms Gai is now closer to a Semi-Evoluder like Mikoto, their children are not guaranteed to be Evoluders. Mikoto is noted by the news and hugs Gai tight, he realises he truly did hear Mikoto's voice to make him stop, only because she was a Semi-Evoluder was that possible. Gai thinks this time his rewards has come not from God, but Betterman. Hinokie realises The Somniums are separating from them not just because of her cure for Algernon. 10 years ago Algernon had broken out en masse, and without the Somniums acting as antibodies, humanity would have perished, but this time a handful were infected, a sign humanity no longer needed to rely on the Somniums, and that is why. She tears up a little, knowing this is why “her brother” is leaving.

In the Andes in the Altiplano, is the world's largest Sepulchrum. Rice and Rakan have gathered almost all the world's Somniums here, for the first time in 2000 years, there are approximately 1000 of them there. Lamia, unable to see or stand due to the physical tax of the battle, speaks to Yewya, seeing through her eyes, as they prepare to bring the Time of Patria. Yewya knows Lamia's time is limited, and intends to care for him until then. Once no more Somniums come, the 7 who have fought together prepare to start things at last. Sara holds out the shining emerald seed of Patria, and consumes, a light appears in her abdomen, then spreads into the ground, opening a portal on the ground, a Patria Gate. It is time for them to travel through, to an untamed dimension. Rice leaps in, Hiiragi uses his strength to carry the weaker in, Rakan goes after a few hundred have, and tells the ancient Lamia he shall not forget him, Lamia wondering if one day Rakan will pick up the mantle of Ortus, Rakan promises to do so if needed. Lamia tells Yewya to go too, he intends to see them off with Pachira, Bodaiju and Seeme. She keeps herself from arguing, seeing a change in him, and wishes him well with her sister and steps through, a new duty is hers. When most are through, Gajumaru offers Sara his hand, as they prepare to cross to another dimension where humans will need them, as they came to this one long ago, but Sara tells Gajumaru to go, she has to keep the gate open, if she moves the gate will close, she cannot cross through. Gajumaru turns to go, but then runs back, and holds the girl he loves, promising to stay with her. They are watched by the fibrous shape of a man, who asks them to watch over a beautiful future.

Hinoki suddenly stops, Keita asks what the matter is, but she decides it is just her imagination.

Sakura gazes down at earth, tears on her cheeks, and wishes a farewell to the dream people.

#gaogaigar vs betterman

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therxtking · 5 months

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So does Gordon believe he'd only be genuinely beautiful if he were a caniquus?

Yeah pretty much. He feels like that's the only way he'd be able to genuinely feel good about himself. It's like the ugly duckling story but where the swan hatches in an alligator nest and never runs away, so as a grown up they're tiny and disformed compared to their family. And when they finally meet other swans who call them beautiful, he doesn't see the similarity or kinship. He still acts and thinks like an alligator.

#king gordon #gordon #answered #asks #Gordon actually grew up drawing what he'd want to look like as a caniquus.#It's changed a ton over the years obviously but he has the design.

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ifyouwereamelodymeg · 2 years

Text

Dramione (non-)drabble prompt: Demeter

So, yeah, this went well past the 500-word limit I was using for the others. And I guess I probably could've been strict with myself and written a different version of it that stuck to the limit, but I enjoyed this prompt a bit too much to want to do that. I figured that since I'm not actually writing for the LDWS event, there's no real restriction on me, so I've gone gung-ho and written freely for this one.

Again, @simplifiedemotions is my darling and my dream for betaing.

Title: Mother

Prompt: Demeter

Rating: G

Words: 1560 (ha)

- - -

Helen Granger has lived an astoundingly ordinary life for the last thirty-eight years. Check off the boxes: a charmingly average childhood, an unassuming little dental practice in outer London, a two-up/two-down on a quiet street, and a lovely if sometimes slightly vague husband.

Totally ordinary, by all accounts.

The only thing she considers truly extraordinary about her life is her daughter, but then don’t all parents believe that about their children?

And if, over the years, Hermione has done a few things that have made Helen tilt her head — found ways into places no developmentally-normal three-year-old should be able to access, or reported a little too much kinship with Matilda Wormwood and her telekinetic powers — then… Well, just because one is unable to explain something doesn’t mean it’s inexplicable in the absolute. And normal is a spectrum, after all.

But the woman sitting in Helen’s living room right now…

Minerva.

She isn’t normal in the slightest.

- - -

When Hermione was eight, she started ballet classes. Helen took her to see Swan Lake at the Royal Opera House, and Hermione spent the next month pirouetting around the living room, transforming from maiden to swan and back again.

- - -

When Hermione studied Ancient Greece in Year Five, Helen assumed it would be Athena who caught her eye. But no. She came home from school full of questions about Persephone, bound to split her time between over- and underworlds.

“Why did she eat the pomegranate seeds if she knew she’d be trapped?”

“Why do you think?”

Hermione’s forehead creased in thought too thorough, too careful for a ten-year-old.

“Maybe she wanted to stay, but she knew her mum wouldn’t understand. So she chose to eat them. I think she wanted part of her life to be there."

- - -

During a family holiday to Portugal last summer, Helen and Hermione worked their way through the entire His Dark Materials trilogy together, squished up on a sunbed by the pool.

When they reached the parts about Lyra crossing a bridge in the sky, about Will stepping through a window in the air to find another world beyond, Hermione prodded her to read faster, desperate to turn the page and see what these strange new places might hold.

- - -

It’s a process, understanding that her daughter exists between two different lives now.

“She’s just gone off to boarding school,” Rob says. He always has been better at taking things in stride than her. “She’ll be back for the holidays, just the same.”

He’s wrong.

Every time Hermione comes home, term after term, she seems a little more torn, a little more stretched between the life she was born into and the one that she has to fight to be a part of — this world full of culture that Hermione didn’t grow up knowing, full of people who didn’t think to introduce her into their ranks with any real degree of empathy or provision for her lack of familiarity.

Full of shitty little rich boys with blond hair who call her names and tell her she doesn’t belong.

On the surface, most of the stories she brings back are glorious, all wonder and excitement, but Helen knows there’s more to it than that. She can sense the blank spots in Hermione’s tales where she’s letting details slip through the gaps, and with each one that passes, Helen feels like she recognises her daughter a little less.

How is she meant to understand someone who lives their life so divided, spinning out of reach through a world that she can’t touch?

- - -

Hermione’s sixteen now, and bad things are happening on the other side. She doesn’t say it quite so plainly, but Helen can read between the lines on this one, and…

And she can’t take it anymore.

“You’ll be in danger if you go back there, won’t you? Tell me the truth, Hermione, please!”

“I’m fine, Mum. Hogwarts is safe. And Harry needs me to—”

“What could that boy possibly need from you that’s so important?” Another silence that Helen knows is born from her daughter holding something back. She breathes deep and lowers her voice, gentler now. More reasoning. “If you just stayed here, if you didn’t go back to school for now, maybe you’d be—”

“Mum!” Hermione blanches. “I have to go back! I belong there.”

“You belong here.”

“Yes, I do, here too, of course, but I can’t just leave Hogwarts. I can’t ignore that part of my life.”

“Well, you ignore this part!”

Hermione recoils like she’s been slapped, face crumpling. For a moment they’re both frozen, as if someone’s immortalised the moment on some awful red-figure amphora — a moment of tragedy to rival the best the Greeks had to offer.

Then time starts up again, and the barest of movements is enough to send everything crashing to the ground.

“Hermione…”

“It’s okay. You didn’t mean it. I know. It’s… It’s okay.”

It’s not okay, though. They’ve shattered, too thoroughly to fix before Hermione departs for school the next day.

Through the term, her letters are stiff and succinct.

Christmas is a quiet affair.

And when she comes home for the summer, everything feels…wrong.

- - -

The Sydney sun is warm on Monica Wilkins’ face, and she can’t help smiling. This was a good move; things feel simpler here than they did back in England.

- - -

A year, a hidden war, and half a rewritten lifetime all pass by in a blink.

Her mind belongs to Monica, but, more and more, her heart is making its way back to being Helen’s.

She relearns her daughter through fresh eyes that have discovered how to see a life from two sides, and though she has no memory of how things were before, she has the feeling that it’s all a bit clearer now. She understands more, she thinks.

Because she’s Monica, and she’s Hermione’s mother, and the two don’t overlap. Not really. But that doesn’t mean that either feels any less true.

- - -

Christmastime rolls around again, the first they’ll be spending as a family since… Actually, the first ever, as far as Monica can remember.

They lead strange existences, all of them — fragmented but somehow not lacking in fullness for it. Less broken, more mosaic, made up of different pieces that never really touch but still form a whole, colourful, sometimes challenging, always beautiful picture.

They’re building it up, bit by bit, visit by visit.

And this time, Hermione brings a new piece to add to the image. There’s a man with her now, tall and pale and black-clad. Blond. A little sharp-featured, if Monica’s judging.

He seems uncomfortable, this Draco fellow. Nervous, perhaps? She can’t blame him; theirs is an odd family dynamic to come into, no doubt, and she can tell from the way Hermione explains the contents of their kitchen to him that he’s been a one-world man up until now.

But he’s trying — it’s clear in the way he endures Wendell’s well-worn lecture on the politics of the Australian Football League. God knows no one could sit through that for any other reason.

“The two of you are happy, aren’t you?” Hermione asks during a quiet moment, after presents and before dinner. Her face is scrunched up in a way that Monica understands without recognising. “I didn’t completely ruin your lives by sending you here, did I?”

“Oh, honey.” Their hands find each other. “Of course you didn’t. Look at us — we’re very happy.” A squeeze of her fingers. “Are you?”

Hermione doesn’t answer for a moment, her eyes soft on Draco where he sits across the room.

“I wasn’t expecting him,” she murmurs at length. “I mean, I had to figure out how to live between the two worlds, but he was so deep in his that for a long time it seemed like we’d never be able to understand each other.”

“What changed?”

“So many things. He reached out, and we met in the shallows. Both chose to eat the pomegranate seeds.” A laugh springs out of her, just unchecked enough that Monica might call it giddy, and her face shines wheat field gold. “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”

At the raise of her voice, the subject of their conversation looks over towards them. He’s bearing the expression of a man expertly harangued, but Monica’s motherly eye has been growing back in rather well over the last few months, and she doesn’t miss how things shift as he catches sight of Hermione’s smile: the flicker of a blink, like maybe he’s still a little stunned by her; the creasing of his eyes and the twitch at the corner of his mouth as he shakes his head in her direction before turning back towards Wendell.

A good man, Monica thinks. Awkward, taciturn, but good. Someone who’ll be there for Hermione when she’s off in that strange other space she inhabits. Letting her go is easier this time around than Monica imagines it’s ever been; once dinner’s been and gone, she waves the two of them away, just as any mother would, and it feels quite marvellously everyday.

Ordinary.

Of course, her daughter is truly extraordinary, but then don’t all parents believe that about their children?

She closes the door with a smile and makes her way down the hallway towards the kitchen. Maybe, if she’s lucky, Wendell will have already set the kettle boiling.

- - -

Previous prompts:

Zeus

Athena

Hera

Poseidon

Apollo

#dramione #dramione fanfiction #draco x hermione #mother #prompt: demeter #dramione last drabble writer standing 2022 #ldws 2022

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oneprompt · 3 years

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Hi 💕 I'm so happy to see another op blog 🌻 can I request Zoro falling in love with an uncultured and oblivious reader? I mean like she didn't understand the world much because she's lived in her little island all her life and joined the strawhats. I thought it'd be curious to see a sweet girl taking our marimo's heart 🥺 Ty Ty Ty 💚

authors note : hello ! im more then happy to participate as a new blog <3 and i’d be thrilled to write such a thing ! the idea of reckless and somewhat ‘ mean ‘ characters x oblivious and kind is always very cute , a ton of fun. i just did headcanons + a small drabble , hope that’s okay.

Zoro x Oblivious/Naive! Reader Headcanons

• It was almost annoying how sweet you were, so harmless... at least to the naked eye. The day Zoro saw you in action for the first time was a sight he’d never forget. It was odd, almost. Even when you were fighting, whacking marines down one by one.. you still had that innocent expression on your face. Why were you so nice? And the way you apologized to the men you were beating down was even weirder. It didn’t match the rapid swing of the weapon that stayed in clutch of your hands. What sort of aspiring pirate has manners like that!? Usopp was kind, yes, same with Chopper but you were on a whole new level. It was cute but it also bothered Zoro, to a degree.

• With your background, you were bound to confuse things and make wrong assumptions. Wether the way you reacted to Franky’s appearance in Water Seven, not seeing anything wrong with his lack of clothing, or the way you would try and drink the cups of sake Zoro would forget about, mistaking it for water. It was cute, a lot of the crew found your mishaps and almost childish esque knowledge to be cute, Sanji and Robin especially. Zoro found it to be the cutest thing, he felt his heart squeeze everytime you giggled in embarrassment or turned red as Nami had to educate you on certain things.

• Yet, Zoro did his best to hide his interest in you. What did the worlds best future swordsman need some country bumpkin for? Plus, it’s not like Zoro was a huge romantic in the first place. Alas, it was impossible to keep under wraps. The way you freely clung to your crew members, or even giving them small kisses on their cheeks, that prevented Zoro from being capable of hiding how flustered he’d get.

• At first, he assumed you were some sort of moron, having no problem with being touchy with people. But no! Apparently, it was a regular thing to do in your village, something strictly platonic. Zoro was both relieved but also disappointed. He was relieved due to how close you were with Sanji but he was a tad grumpy that your small pieces of affection didn’t mean anything.

• Zoro would eventually make an attempt to confess or at least suggest such feelings, mainly at the force of Nami and Usopp. He tried numerous times with the help of the pair, only to have you giggle and reply with a care free smile.

• Now, no way you were this stupid! You were twenty for christ’s sake... how could someone of that age, regardless of surroundings be oblivious to a deceleration of love?

• Even if your oblivious nature annoyed him to the core, he would do his best to keep such a clean mind for you. He’d scold Brook if he asked for your panties, and would certainly beat Sanji if he tried anything weird with you.

• The day you actually confess, Zoro won’t believe you. He’ll assume you just mean your heart yearns for him in a platonic way, in the most harsh jab of platonic kinship.

• When you two actually start going out, Zoro is left in crippling debt to the navigator. Nami definitely had to sit you down and explain in depth about how Zoro viewed you, about what he meant everything he said he ‘liked’ you. Zoro is more then grateful to have you as his s/o now but now his pockets ache with severe emptiness.

Zoro x Oblivious/Naive! Reader Oneshot

Zoro had finally finished working out for the evening, his muscles aching with fatigue. He was heading to the Sunny’s garden to fetch some tangerines out of the garden. Fruit was always refreshing, especially after a hard workout.

As he opened the gyms door, he spotted you. Zoro couldn’t help but feel his cheeks prickle with a pink colour, embracing the sight of you watering the flowers you and Robin had grown together. You looked so cute, so joyous. The way your eyes could light up so much over a mere flower bed made no sense to Zoro. Yet, he loved it. He loved the faces you made when you were happy, your round eyes curling upward and shut as you laughed.

Sadly, for Zoro, his moment of admiring you would be cut short by the two biggest perverts on the Sunny. Is there even a moment in the day where they take a break off such a repulsive hobby?

“Y/n-san, can i see your underpants?” Brook asked, as casual as ever. Him and Sanji were oogling at the sight of your legs. The question visibly confused you as you raised your brows, mouth dipping into a small o.

“Why, what for?” You asked, looking up at the two men as you let the watering can rest at your feet. You had often seen Nami beat the two up over this question, and even Robin didn’t hesitate to glare at the two, causing a sudden cold chill to fill the area. Were you not supposed to? There wasn’t a huge deal with clothes, right? Nami always walked around in her bikini tops and Franky only ever wore his speedo.. It was okay, wasn’t it? Was it a representation of eternal friendship, you wondered. If so then why would Nami...-

“It represents a never ending love, Y/n-swan!” Sanji followed Brook’s statement with. He felt guilty for lying to you but was it truly a lie? You were only supposed to show your under clothing to the people you love!

An excited smile replaced your puzzled expression. “Really?” You stood up, “Is that why Franky shows his? Because he loves us?”

Brook and Sanji just nodded with overjoyed looks on their faces. Finally! They had a crew member who would do such a thing for them...

The soft expressions were immediately wiped away at the hands of Zoro. Zoro had kicked Brook’s head square off his shoulders, delivering his elbow to Sanji’s side in one swift move.

“Oi! Leave Y/n outta your perverted crap!” Zoro barked, crossing his arms as he snarled at the blonde and the skeleton. “Ya best leave them alone, unless you want Nami to find out.”

You couldn’t help but feel confused from the complicated scenario that unraveled before your eyes. Why was Zoro so furious? Why would Nami be upset over that, too?

“Thanks, Zoro! I think...” You murmured, unsure what to say. Were you supposed to be angry that he hurt your other friends? Or did he do the right thing...? You had no clue!

Zoro blushed at the sight of you, the way you gave him the most genuine smile a person could muster made his heart jack hammer into his ribs. You really had no clue how you made him feel, did you?

“It’s fine.. it’s what you’re supposed to do for the people you....love, anyway.” Zoro muttered, earning loud gasps from the men that remained on the ground. Yet, all your reaction carried was a bright smile.

“Really? I’m going to go hit Usopp, then! Nami always does!” You beamed proudly, as if picking up on some ‘wonderful’ advice from Zoro.

All Zoro did was sigh. How long would it take until you noticed him, until you noticed what he meant?

What a moron.

#roronoa zoro #one piece #one piece imagines #one piece x you #one piece x reader #one piece x y/n #zoro x y/n #zoro x you #zoro x reader #zoro imagines #zoro imagine #fanfic

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thecarnivorousmuffinmeta · 3 years

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What do you think would happen if one of the Cullens realized they might also be "in love" with Bella during Twilight along side Ed. Mates be damned (not like their marriages are gonna last anyway), and everyone's on the table (just 1 love rival, not at the same time buuuuut could you imagine the chaos? *cough*). The usual Bella eaten/killed by Eddy boi is def on the table obvie, but like do you think there's a chance he might concede to one of his family (or just any other alternatives)? -Sw

Oh boy.

Why I Don’t Think This Is a Possibility

That said, I have to caveat that I don’t think this is a very likely path (sorry, I cannot resist).

It’s true I don’t think any of the Cullen relationships will last in the long term, but I also don’t think they’re inclined to cheat on one another or fall apart at a moment’s notice. They’ve made it this long, several decades, but more, none of them realizes anything is lacking from their respective relationship.

Carlisle and Esme are very devoted to one another and don’t realize they have fundamentally conflicting values. Jasper and Alice think they fulfil each other’s needs and don’t realize that they share nothing in common. Rosalie and Emmett’s is the healthiest relationship in the house but don’t see their major issues (Emmett doesn’t really support or understand Rosalie and Rosalie loves Emmett mostly for his love of her).

My point being, none of them are going to realize it’s not working out anytime soon. They’re going to need a catalyst, and per the end of Twilight, one is coming. Either a confrontation with the Volturi occurs, Renesmee decides to leave, the Cullen lifestyle changes, or things with Bella go awry. It can be any number of things, and it will happen given time, but at the start of Twilight we haven’t hit that point yet.

There’s also the fact that of the Cullens, only Edward would do this nonsense, and even for him it takes Bella’s delicious blood to grab his attention. When she was an ordinary human, he was not interested in the slightest, not even in her gift.

Each of the Cullens (Sans Alice and Esme) is completely baffled by Edward’s emotional whiplash and attachment to this human girl he doesn’t even know. Bella only becomes a vague concept to them when she enters as a serious fixture in Edward’s life, but even then, they really don’t know what to think.

No one in the family will do what Edward did in Twilight. Look at this girl they don’t even know and say “Ah, yes, I’m in love.”

Now, that out of the way, let’s play ball.

Alice

This actually will work out shockingly well if only because I suspect Alice will come up with the pragmatic solution of “sharing”.

First, Alice is by far the closest Cullen member to Edward. He holds her in high esteem, feels a strong sense of kinship with her, actually confides in her, and sees her as a very close friend. Edward looks up to Carlisle and adores Esme, but it’s not the same.

If Alice sees herself as getting together with Bella I don’t think she’d see this as mutually exclusive to Edward having Bella. Alice cares deeply for Edward’s happiness, far more than she does Bella’s general existence, and I think the idea of entering a joint marriage with Edward and Bella would be very appealing to her.

She’d have to ease Edward into it, of course, as he’d balk at the very idea of it, but I think he’d see it as a strengthening of his and Alice’s relationship as well as having the wonderful Bella. Better yet, Alice can be physical with Bella while Edward can go compose music about their love.

As it is this... This is kind of what happens in canon.

Alice tells Edward that not only is he in love with Bella, but that Bella is going to be her best friend, so he better not muck it up. She has to ease him into the idea of being in love with Bella throughout the first part of Twilight. Then, when the relationship is solidified, Alice is right there introducing herself as Bella’s new BFF. Bella’s friendship with Alice throughout the series is extremely homoerotic and I imagine it remains so after Breaking Dawn.

Edward is very pleased that Bella counts Alice as her best friend, Alice being far and away his favorite sibling and the one he approves of Bella spending time with (generally, when she’s not foiling his schemes).

I don’t think Alice and Bella will ever have sex, per se, but I imagine they remain quite physical with each other and Edward looks on with approval thinking to himself that this is how all female friendships should be.

And if Jasper has the nagging suspicion his wife is cheating on him then he’s not functioning quite well enough to put it into words just yet.

Carlisle

Edward would lose his mind.

First, Edward is very into Carlisle, and for all he insists his feelings are filial they sound remarkably romantic. I’d drop a quote, but it’s pretty much every time Edward thinks of Carlisle in Midnight Sun. More than that, Carlisle is the man Edward aspires to be, someone he sees as profoundly more good than he could ever hope to be.

Edward projects a very similar personality onto Bella herself.

So, I imagine if Carlisle sits Edward down and says, “Actually, Edward, I have fallen in love with this Bella” Edward feels very conflicting things all at once.

On the one hand, this means Esme/Carlisle is collapsing. Edward personally brought those two together and adores the idea of their relationship. Their relationship is what he hopes his and Bella’s will look like and is to him the married ideal of a perfect Mother and a perfect Father.

Carlisle/Esme alone falling apart would give him a complete existential crisis. That’s not allowed to happen.

And then that Carlisle wants Bella Swan for himself?! Edward would be faced with the immediate,horrifying, thought that for all Carlisle is a vampire he would be the perfect man for saint like Bella. Carlisle and Bella deserve one another, would be perfect together, and Edward should not begrudge them that.

On the other hand, Edward himself is in love with Bella, and while he thought he could nobly leave her, now he has to nobly stand to the side and watch as Carlsile and her marry. It’d be a very romantic and tragic thing to do, but there’s leaving Bella to her human life, and then watching her up front for the rest of eternity while bitterly hiding his feelings.

More, Carlisle will turn her. If Bella is his true love, then there’s no question of that. Edward’s seen where this goes with Emmett. He will destroy Bella Swan to be with her forever, and Edward will have to live with the shell of Bella Swan staring back at him, fucking his father, forever.

I imagine Edward desperately pretends to concede to Carlisle, to be happy for the pair of them, but as things progress and Bella’s permanent position in the family looks more and more likely, he loses his mind. He’ll snap and there is no telling what he might do.

My money’s on him mercy killing Bella while she’s still human behind Carlisle’s back. He’s sobbing while he does it, but he just can’t let Bella be tarnished by vampirism, and now he will carry this tragic, terrible, secret for the rest of time.

Whether Carlisle was going to turn her or not is up to debate. Given he turned none after Emmett, I think he learned his lesson from Rosalie and would be more than willing to let Bella go, even if he loves her, should it mean he would not force something she does not want and does not understand upon her.

That said, I think he’d never tell Edward his feelings for Bella, as that would ruin Edward’s fledgling relationship with the girl. This is Edward’s first brush with love and seems to be the only romantic love he’ll ever have. Edward has been so miserable for so long that Carlisle would easily give up his own happiness for Edward.

So, more likely, Twilight would happen anyway and Carlisle would spend the entire time being utterly miserable and pretending he’s perfectly fine. LOOK HOW HAPPY HE IS, ESME.

Emmett

Edward tattles to Rosalie immediately.

He loves Emmett, but he knows Emmett can’t possibly be serious about this, and more, fundamentally doesn’t understand how wonderful and amazing Bella is. He wants to turn her into a vampire, clearly, Emmett doesn’t know what’s best for the girl.

More, a man who would so easily break his marriage vows (even to Rosalie), does not deserve Bella Swan.

Edward watches Rosalie and Emmett’s marriage utterly disintegrate with a juice box filled with mountain lion blood and swoops in on Bella while Emmett is thoroughly distracted. Edward then gaslights Bella into believing Emmett is dangerous and despises her, making Emmett the new and improved Jasper.

Esme

Esme would never tell Edward or likely even realize her feelings for Bella herself. If she did though, she would give up the possibility of a future with Bella Swan in a heartbeat for Edward’s happiness, which means everything to her.

Esme will have no regrets, won’t even smile sadly at Bella, because she has Carlsile as her consolation prize and she gets to see the joy in both Bell and Edward’s faces which is far more important than having Bella to herself.

Esme would live vicariously through Bella and Edward’s relationship as well as the very existence of Renesmee.

Like Alice, this is one of those things that’s pretty much canon. I won’t say anything for Esme’s feelings, it’s more that Esme ships Bella with Edward (and mostly because Edward himself comes to obsess over her), but she does seem to vicariously get her joy through their nuclear family within the Cullen family.

Esme is a very strange person.

Jasper

Edward would attempt to murder Jasper or at least severely injure him. Jasper would be the ultimate threat to Bella, not even a man unworthy of her but not a man at all, and exactly what Edward needs to protect Bella against.

Alice tries to stop the fight, to no avail, and Edward will ultimately lose (despite all his confidence). I imagine Jasper doesn’t kill him, but tears apart his limbs, and uses Edward’s lack of mobility to kidnap and then turn Bella.

Bella has no idea what’s happening and the next thing she knows she’s a vampire and Jasper is telling her they have to leave the area (as he must now leave the coven).

Edward tries to track them down for the rest of eternity. He will get vengeance upon Jasper and save Bella this terrible demonic existence forced upon her. Of course, he ends up lost in Rio.

Rosalie

Edward would tell her that her feelings cannot possibly be real. Bella is a woman. More, Rosalie is unworthy of Bella in every possible regard, even more so than Edward himself.

Basically, Edward would lay into Rosalie in a way that he never has before with all of his venom. He will do everything he can to sabotage Bella’s opinion of Rosalie before Rosalie can even get a word in edgewise. He is successful at it due to Bella’s perilously low self esteem (much the reason he was successful with this endeavor in canon).

Rosalie and Edward get in a vicious fight and I imagine Rosalie eventually confronts Bella, making an opportunity to do so, and both warns her away from Edward, tells her everything, and offers to turn her despite Rosalie’s own mixed experiences.

Rosalie and Edward probably then fight and it quickly turns into something that’s very serious. If Edward wins, he murders Rosalie in the heat of the moment, and then leaves the coven in horror over what Carlisle must think of him now. If Rosalie wins... I don’t think she will, she cares for Edward far too much and would never truly be able to aim to kill or maim.

Edward disappears, drowning in his self hatred, and returns to find Bella Swan at some later date unable to resist the call of her scent. Depending where she is in her life, he likely murders her human husband if she has one and dvours her, as Alice prophesied so long ago.

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prurientpuddlejumper · 3 years

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Don’t Look! [Part 4]

<- Part 3 | Part 5 ->

Frederick Chilton x Reader

@we-are-all-just-a-bit-crazy’s lovecraftian horror AU, with a bit of my own twist on the origin story. Emotional hurt/comfort. Body horror. Hugging your body-horror monster boyfriend.

3,386 words

Once upon a time, there lived a man who had everything: great wealth (built on the backs of exploited workers), a grand estate, a beautiful wife, and many mistresses waiting in the wings. Yet after years of trying, he failed to produce an heir. Determined that his money could buy anything, the man scoured the world, searching for a solution. One day, his extensive resources brought him to an ancient castle in Lithuania, where the last descendants of a noble bloodline offered him a devil’s bargain—a book, a summoning ritual. He did not ask questions. His wife was finally with child.

The Chilton legacy was secure.

The moment Frederick was born, the life was sucked from his mother—a human sacrifice for his soul crossing into this world. That was what his father told him, at least. Frederick had no memory of clawing his way through the veil between worlds, of being anything other than an ordinary child with a distant father, a young, blonde stepmother, and nannies instead of friends. Until the changes began. Allison (or was it Kayla at the time?) fainted in the living room when he staggered in, screaming as smoke boiled from his skin, begging for help. His father only wrinkled his nose with disgust and calmly explained what he was.

“You must learn to hide this, Frederick. Never let anyone see you this way, or it will destroy the family name.”

And so, he learned the transformation’s schedule. Prepared for it. Knew how to hide it away and never let anyone get close enough to see the real him. But it wasn’t good enough. Try as he might, nothing Frederick ever did met his father’s expectations for the perfect son he had gone through so much trouble to produce.

Frederick grew into a bitter and lonely man with no one to care about, or who cared about him. He kept the world at a distance, hiding his shame behind expensive suits and lavish decoration.

Never once did he consider that he was not alone in this world at all.

***

I see him as one of those pitiful things sometimes born in hospitals. They feed it, keep it warm, but they don’t put it on the machines. They let it die. But he doesn’t die. He looks normal. Nobody can tell what he is.

This is how Will Graham describes the Chesapeake Ripper.

Every therapy session with Graham, every conversation overhead, the puzzle became clearer. At first, Chilton merely believed that Dr. Lecter was guilty of unethical practices—manipulating Mr. Graham in the same way he had manipulated Gideon. He felt such kinship with Hannibal. Learning a bit of dirt on him brought the ever-so-superior doctor down to his level, gave him something to lord over him—a little implied blackmail to strengthen their friendship.

They both had secrets to hide.

Dr. Chilton never would have guessed the final puzzle piece to convince him fully that Hannibal was the Chesapeake Ripper would be the one everyone else laughed at.

“I brought you here to bear witness,” Graham said to Gideon through their adjoining cells.

“To tell Jack Crawford that I sat in Hannibal Lecter’s cobalt blue dining room? An ostentatious herb garden, Leda and the Swan over the fireplace. And you, having a fit in the corner.”

Chilton perked up and quickly shared the audio feed to one of the junior therapists assisting him. You were reliable at editing his audio files, clipping and exporting segments he wanted to keep, but he was avoiding you at the moment. This was proof—irrefutable proof that Gideon had met Hannibal Lecter the night he went searching for the Ripper.

After his conversation with Graham concluded, an assistant was sent down to coax more information from him while Chilton’s research team listened in, keenly taking notes.

Gideon was not finished dropping bombshells.

With a casual lilt to his voice as if talking to a friend over dinner, he began to describe the Chesapeake Ripper. Skin like volcanic ash, reflecting no light. A red glow to his eyes. Black claws as long as steak knives. Antlers breaking through the inside of his skull, punching through the skin. All black as night—a form that shifted in the shadows, ever tricking the eye, unwilling to be known.

He’s the Devil, Mr. Graham. He’s smoke.

“Great. Gideon is delusional,” one therapist snorted. “On the bright side, this completely undercuts his malpractice case against you.” She patted Chilton’s shoulder. Chilton flinched.

“We should start him on antipsychotics. What do you think? Doctor?”

Chilton’s face turned ashen white. “Y-yes, certainly,” he muttered, staggering to his feet.

He moved for the door, but crumbled halfway there, pain ripping through his leg as sharp thorns grew beneath the skin. It was daylight. No. No! The transformation should not be starting for hours—he had plenty of time! He gasped out as another shock tore through him, barely containing a cry. His body convulsed.

“Doctor!” A therapist and a guard rushed in to help him to his feet. “Where does it hurt? If this is a complication from your surgery, we need to get you into intensive care right away.”

“No,” he brushed them off. “Only… psychosomatic. I need to— ah!” He gritted his teeth, mind racing to the one person he did not want to turn to, but the only one he could, and barked, “Get my secretary!”

***

Smoke was rising off of his burning skin by the time you rushed into Chilton’s vacated office. His eyes were wide with panic, but greeted you when you entered with—not relief, perhaps, because he was every bit as terrified as before, but with the anticipation of being rescued. His eyes pleaded.

“H-help. I cannot make it stop.”

You managed to get him into your car. The sun’s orange rays seemed to chase the beast away, clearing his skin and stopping his wracking convulsions long enough to cross the employee parking lot without drawing stares. He insisted on taking the back seat so he could hide—and to put more distance between you in case he lost control.

His chest rose and fell like a rabbit in a cat’s mouth.

“The way he described Dr. Lecter—anyone would think it was a metaphor! That he was crazy!” Chilton’s breath was raspy as you drove, glancing back at him through the rearview mirror. He kept trembling, small patches of scaly skin appearing at random then swirling back inside. One pupil was a pinprick. His tongue occasionally became serpentine and got in the way as he frantically spoke. “But it was too specific, the details. Familiar. I always knew there was a connection between Dr. Lecter and me—a reason we were friends. It all makes sense now!”

“Hey, it’s OK,” you said, trying to sound soothing, though you had no idea what he was talking about.

“Don’t you understand? Lecter is like me!”

“That’s good, isn’t it? That means you’re not alone.”

“Hannibal Lecter is the Chesapeake Ripper!” he shouted, and a spine tore through a seat cushion. “A cannibal, if Will Graham is to be believed, and loathe as I am to admit it, Graham is an excellent profiler. If the Ripper and I are the same… then that means I—”

“You are nothing like that!” Forgetting the damage his demonic tantrum was doing to your faux-leather interior, you had faith in him. He was a little withdrawn and more than a little vain, and it had garnered him an icy reputation around the hospital, but now you understood why. He wasn’t evil or malicious. He was frightened.

“God help me,” he murmured.

***

As soon as the garage door closed behind you, he scrambled from the car (scratching the handle), and retreated inside. He didn’t invite you to follow him home. But he didn’t forbid it, either, and you wanted to be there. All you had were panic-scrambled memories from the first time that made his transformation worse in hindsight than it was. Or maybe better. You didn’t know, and you wouldn’t know until you saw it again with clear eyes.

The electric kettle rumbled on its stand, hissing steam as you searched through Frederick Chilton’s surprisingly extensive tea collection for something herbal and soothing. Chamomile, you thought. With honey. Surely that must be good for demon-monster-werewolf things?

The sun was about to set and he was still reeling over Hannibal, and just as much from the premature transformation the revelation had triggered. And every time he cried, “This is not possible. How can this be possible?” the next convulsion was more intense.

He would probably just burn himself on tea.

A painful whimper came from somewhere in the house, and you followed it to a tiny panic room that opened behind a bookshelf. It was only about seven by nine feet with concrete walls and floors, bare except for deep scratches of varying age, like an animal trying to escape. The few chairs inside were metal. Difficult to break. Frederick faced away from you, staring at a hand that was too large for the rest of his body, capped with long black claws.

“Oh no, this will not do at all,” you tutted, shaking your head at the barren space. “How about I bring in some blankets? Let’s get you comfortable.”

His whole body shook. “You should go.”

“No. No way, not after seeing this prison cell. I am not leaving you like this.”

“I do not want to hurt you.” His shoulder jerked. A spike tore through his shirt.

“You won’t.”

“Seeing it again… will not be therapeutic for you,” he hissed, another spike breaking through. “Go before it is too late.”

“No!”

“Damn it! I am a monster—there is proof of that now! The FBI has no idea what it is dealing with!” Chilton began to pace the small cell, thoughts racing, features morphing into something grotesque and alien. “Does Hannibal know about me? Can he sense it? Is that why he confided in me? I always thought it was professional respect—hah! God, what if he…” A painful convulsion halted his pacing and brought him to one knee, gripping his side. His attention snapped back to you. “This is… dangerous,” he warned, then hacked violently. Fleshy, snake-like projections spewed from his mouth, and he quickly turned away again, hiding his face. “You should… you should be nowhere near all of this! You should not be here! Why did I let you inside?!”

A roar of anguish ripped through the air with enough force to push you back through the panic room door, just in time to avoid being impaled on half a dozen spines as they shot from Chilton’s body like lances. Chips of concrete clattered to the ground as they penetrated the walls. He screamed again, writhing to get free, but found himself trapped by his own violent transformation. Like an animal, he struggled and clawed at himself as if his rational mind had been overtaken by raw, volatile emotion.

“Take it easy. You’re going to hurt yourself,” you tried to calm him, but you couldn’t stop your voice from shaking.

This was worse than last time. You were sure his spines weren’t half as long when you saw him in his office—even Chilton seemed surprised to be pinned.

You lifted your hands, palms toward him in a steadying gesture, and took a step back into the concrete room.

“Stay back!” he howled, thrashing. “Get away!”

It was tempting. Every muscle in your body wanted to follow his advice and run far away from the indescribable horror before you. But his eyes were still green. Were still terrified. And you had an inkling of why it was worse this time. Maybe he would hate you later for imposing, but it seemed more important right now not to leave him feeling… like a monster.

“It’s OK.” You took another step closer.

“No!”

“You’re not going to hurt me. I trust you. Shh, shh… I’m not afraid, see?”

Rigid spines sprayed from his back and shoulders in a 180-degree arc, leaving only his front accessible. You ducked under one and followed its trajectory to where it met the wall. It wasn’t just pinned by pressure—it had struck the wall with enough force to dig into it like an iron rod. Sawing through might be the only option for getting him unstuck. You wondered if that would hurt. Were there nerves in his spines? You stepped over the next one as you drew nearer.

“You should be afraid! I am just like him!” Chilton tried to turn his head away as you traversed his network of thorns and stood in front of him.

His face was almost entirely inhuman. Tentacles cascaded down from where a nose should have been, and when he opened his mouth in a snarl, they parted like wriggling eels—each with a life of its own—to reveal a jaw that split his face open vertically, crowded with rows of sharp white teeth. The more agitated Chilton became, the more dramatic the effect. Each time he spoke, you caught a flash of teeth that sent shivers racing down your spine. But you continued to move closer anyway, within snapping range.

“Hannibal and I… we are the same. Please—I do not want to become him. Do not let me hurt you!”

“You are not the same. You’re not a killer.”

Chilton let out a choking cry that was all too human. “I killed that nurse,” he said. Concrete groaned as his spines grew longer. A crooked horn sprouted from his head. “I killed Elizabeth Shell.”

“You… you didn’t kill her.”

His breath quickened again. Tentacles sprouted and died and resprouted from his face in a constant fevered motion. “I knew Gideon would kill! I lowered security! I knew what would happen—what I needed to happen to prove that he was the Ripper! I may as well have plucked her eyes out with my own hands and… and feasted on her organs. God… I am the Ripper,” he wailed.

“No…” It never occurred to you that Dr. Chilton would have done such a thing knowingly. Maybe there was something dark inside him that this creature was reflecting. It hurt to acknowledge, and yet maybe you both needed to. “You made a mistake. You did a bad thing, but… Gideon was already a killer. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I drove him to it, manipulated him… I am just as responsible as he is. I am a monster.”

“A monster wouldn’t feel this guilty! You made a mistake, but you won’t make it again, will you?”

Tentacles and spines stopped sprouting. His form stabilized as his wet eyes looked off thoughtfully. He seemed so pathetic… so innocent, almost. Despite the intimating spines and claws that added danger and height to his appearance, his body had the same mass—leaving his frame gaunt and frail, with ribs sticking out prominently. Hollow.

You wanted to protect him.

You knew that was your job at BSHCI. You knew that was why Dr. Chilton suddenly needed a personal secretary when he never had before. Someone to sit outside his door, take his calls, and warn him when visitors wanted to see him. You’d never met the doctor before he was attacked by one of his patients, but you recognized the signs of trauma—the way he flinched easily, avoided contact at first, then the way he clung to you when you earned his trust. The awkward little smiles. The way his cheeks turned bright red when his fingers brushed yours as you delivered his coffee. You couldn’t help feeling protective. Falling in love, even.

Though it was closed for the moment, his mouth was a dangerous black hole with alien arms ready to pull prey inside. It seemed impossible to get close without being dragged into its teeth by instinct. You couldn’t imagine putting your face anywhere near it.

Another step, and your forehead touched his.

“I... I do not want to hurt you,” he pleaded.

“You won’t.”

You leaned into his arms, a hand reaching up to stroke the side of his face. It was covered in fine scales that glistened as if they should be slimy, but were smooth to the touch, like a snake. Sharper thorns sprouting from his skin seemed to retreat before your caress.

He trembled with inner turmoil, hot breath puffing against your chin. Your eyes darted toward the motion of one of his claws rising behind you, and all you could focus on were the way each sharp talon caught the light. You couldn’t be sure what he was thinking—if he was going to return your embrace, or prove to you that he was a monster. Would he slash you just to drive you away?

“I smell your fear,” his voice hissed accusingly.

For some reason, of all the reactions you could have had, you started to laugh. It was nervous and tight at first, but then building in confidence at the ridiculousness of the situation.

“You’ve got giant claws! Of course I’m afraid! But I’m not running, am I?”

You slid your hand from his cheek and trailed it over his bony neck and the ridges and spines of his shoulders, finding a path for your arms to twine around him. Cuddling closer, you nuzzled into the crook of his neck, hardly bothered by the writhing tentacles that draped down over you.

“I know you would never hurt me. You’re just going to have to keep showing me there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Shuddering, he breathed in your scent. All his senses were heightened by this form, and he was surrounded by you—your pheromones, your electric field, the radiant heat of your skin. It was like sinking into a warm bath with a glass of fine wine in his hand. He opened his palm and let his predator’s hand sweep harmlessly down your back, holding you close. He could sense the fluttering of your heart in his embrace. It was slower than a creature in terror—slowing the longer he held you. You were not afraid. And he could not imagine hurting you. Whatever he had been worried might happen, whatever awful things he might be capable of, he could never imagine hurting you. You were right. You didn’t have anything to fear.

He exhaled a long, steady breath of surrender. The long spines retracted, pulling out of the walls as they returned to their usual size. He could move again, but didn’t. Not for a long time.

“It’s OK. It’s OK,” you sighed. The scent of your hair was intoxicating.

Eventually, you had to part. Chilton’s eyes darted away as you did—the inky scales on his face emitted a soft bluish starlight, which you were certain was blushing. You could not coax him to leave his concrete prison cell, but he told you where to find some blankets he could live with damaging—linen closet, second floor, third door on the right—and let you make a cozy nest on the bare floors. You made tea, and only cringed a little at his attempts to drink it. It was late, then. You were sleepy, and he was exhausted. Emotionally drained. His mind still raced over everything, still not certain of your presence and inexplicable kindness. You sat in the pile of blankets and had him rest his head in your lap.

“Give me your hand,” you asked, extending yours.

A clawed, scaly hand slid tentatively along the floor. You took it. Held it gently, first observing the long talons protruding like daggers from each finger before slotting yours between them—nothing sharp there. You let out a long sigh and leaned back against the concrete wall. His breath hitched.

He’d never had his hand held in this form, you assumed.

He’d never had his hand held at all, in fact. Not in many years.

It had to be a trap, he thought. No one had ever loved him before. No one could—not like this. Yet, as he fell asleep to your fingers massaging his temple and the soft murmuring of your voice, he let himself believe it. You were always there, protecting him. Smiling at him in the morning.

When you woke up, Frederick was human again, still fast asleep in your arms.

#Frederick Chilton x reader #my writing

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diamondcitydarlin · 2 years

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Okay, but a B-15 and Loki enemies to begrudging friends road trip would have been so fucking fun.

Them getting trapped on the planet together, one with a more drawn out catastrophe, and then forced to be together for their ultimate survival and escape.

B-15 learning to respect a cunning and intelligent Loki who keeps managing to get them out of scrapes despite her viewing him as just another blight on the timelines. And Loki learning to respect B-15 as a gruff but resourceful woman who despite her apparent hate for him keeps, turning, back, to, help.

Getting to the core of both of them, why hate variants so much? Why do you want to get back so badly? Why do this at all? Why are we both sticking around with each other even though we swear we really hate each other and can totally go it alone?

B-15 helping Loki back to Mobius. And Loki helping her realise she's more than just a foot soldier for a faceless organisation.

You're getting mad for something that will never be >:(

Yes. This. GoD I WANT IT

In fact, in the fic I was working on that attempted to revamp season one (Chaos Theory) I've started setting up to do just that by throwing Loki and B-15 into a tight situation where they've only got each other to rely on LOL OOOPS.

“...you haven’t said anything for this entire ride, and I’m assuming that’s because you somehow blame me for this.”

He said it over his shoulder to B-15, conscious to some extent that he actually blamed himself for not thinking quicker, but even in the moment it was difficult not to project that onto her instead, make it into a superficial issue of her being inherently against him.

“No,” she scoffed, though only to his assumption of why she hadn’t breathed a word to him yet. “I’m trying to keep quiet so I don’t anger our captors.”

“Oh please,” he pushed, almost needing her to agree so he’d have some other target to direct his ire. “You absolutely do blame me for this, just as you have everything from the start.”

“Well if I did, I’d be well within my rights, wouldn’t I?” B-15 snapped back, a terse whisper under her breath. “Wonder where we’d be now if you hadn’t grabbed the Tesseract.”

“I’d be technically nonexistent and...you’d still be going about your endless career with the TVA.” He paused a moment, musing. “...might even be an Agent by now.”

A realization gripped him then, like a hand around his throat. It was a sense of familiarity that was neither welcoming nor comfortable, but a recognition of their kinship nonetheless. He knew, after all, what it was like to be overlooked, underestimated, held to standards that always seemed out of reach.

He felt he should say something. Acknowledge it.

“...I suppose it must have stung. My swanning in and becoming an agent from nothing.”

Loki wasn’t sure if an apology was due, as he’d had very little control over the particulars of the situation, but he hoped speaking it outloud, giving her some reason to believe maybe he understood would be sufficient.

B-15 was quiet for a beat, but ultimately she wasn’t keen to engage, whether it was the truth or not.

“That’s presumptuous. Maybe I didn’t care about it at all? Maybe not everyone cares or thinks about everything you do, all the time.”

The moment evaporated back into Loki feeling indignant, ready to rally back with something equally cutting to her, but their captors seemed to grow impatient with their noise. Some command in a language he didn’t recognize was enough to get the message across that they were better off being silent- for Loki, there were few methods of torture more grueling than that.

#b-15 #loki #b-15 x loki #idk that i'm going to continue this specific fic but I'll probably take portions of it and frankenstein it into something else at this poin #THIS WILL STAY #they are gay and they will be best friends

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ceescedasticity · 2 years

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Twelve Missing Princesses III

“Twelve daughters of the House of Finwë who might have slipped through the in-universe-historical-document cracks (plus one who DEFINITELY would not have)”

Part III: Excerpts from "The House of Finwë in Beleriand and Middle-earth" (tenth edition), Avallónë, 4.A. 1

Rochireth Craban and Ruisteth Brôgien

Caranthir's wife had both Nandorin and Avarin blood. She was called Alpheth: not for the swan as a graceful and delicate creature, but for the swan as a fearless and ferocious defender of its territory. She once chased Celegorm from Caranthir's house with a broom, and when need came was only more able with spears and axes, and the sword once convinced to take it up.

They had two daughters, whom Alpheth named Craban and Brôgien, and Caranthir later named Rochireth and Ruisteth. Rochireth the elder was well-known to the other Sons of Fëanor, and after coming of age she joined Maglor's cavalry, for she was indeed an able rider. Brôgien the younger was not quite of age, and was so shy of Noldorin formality she had never met her uncles; but like the bear her mother named her for she was a ferocious warrior once stirred to action.

When the Dagor Bragollach came, Alpheth fell in the rearguard retreating from Thargelion. Brôgien led the civilian train to Amon Ereb, and arrived safely. But she was still shy, and afraid to introduce herself, and in the crisis none of her uncles took any note of her except as a very young deputy. Upon learning of this, for reasons still unknown, Caranthir led his brothers to believe Ruisteth had died with her mother.

To the immense relief of her father and uncles, Rochireth was among the few who reached Himring from the Gap. She fought well and wisely in the retaking of Thargelion, and was awarded her own command. She led those warriors in the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and with them she was slain.

After the Nirnaeth he bid Brôgien lead those civilians of Thargelion who would go to the mouths of the Sirion or the Isle of Balar. These included none of Caranthir's closest household, so they knew not she was his daughter; many were Nandorin or Avarin, and Brôgien was taken for one of them. By the time of the Third Kinslaying, not one other living person knew Caranthir's daughter dwelt in the Havens of Sirion. It is likely only Brôgien herself could say whether she fell to her uncles' warriors or to their own swords; and she will not.

Galvornil Quildallë

Aredhel's daughter she called in secret Quildallë, for she had never seen or heard of such a silent infant. The children were close in age, with Lómion the elder, but Eöl bestowed a name upon Quildallë years before he so acknowledged Lómion: Galvornil, for he judged her to be of excellent metal. Like the metal for which she was named Galvornil was steely but flexible, and she did not clash with Eöl as Maeglin sometimes did.

For from infancy she watched Aredhel closely to observe how she in turn watched Eöl and knew his tempers and sought to sooth them; except that on occasion Aredhel would snap, and that was best avoided. Galvornil learned how to walk the maze of when to push and when to yield, how best to lie and if necessary confess lies, when to call on reason and when to make much of being his daughter, dependent on him. By the time she was of age she no longer realized how hard she fought not to fight, or why Maeglin might not be able to do the same, only that she was very weary.

Galvornil came not with Aredhel and Maeglin to Gondolin. While she fled Nan Elmoth with them, the descriptions of Gondolin held little appeal to her: All very pretty, but no doubt full of proud men with tempers she would have to study, and while she doubted the sorceries of the Golodhrim were any worse those of Eöl, she feared they were no better. It was just another place to be trapped in, and having grown up as she did she had an idea of the limited guarantees offered by kinship. She would rather find her own road.

Eöl looked at the trails diverging, and he chose to follow his wife and son, and leave his daughter to find her fate alone. She followed the dwarf-road, and was crossing the Ered Luin when she felt both her parents die in a matter of days. She wondered what had happened, and what had become of Maeglin, but she did not consider turning back.

Not eager to claim any of her ancestors, Galvornil long lived quietly in obscurity. After the War of Wrath, those elves of Beleriand who did not sail trickled east of the mountains, and she finally learned the fate of her parents and brother as it was told in Gondolin, and wondered if anyone had thought to ask what Maeglin thought he knew, about how marriage was meant to work, and explained what he was wrong about.

Later Galvornil came to dwell in Ost-in-Edhil, for if the emblem of Fëanor could be displayed without shame, surely no one would consider her a blight even if they learned the truth. She was long happy there, and came to share the few of her father's secrets that she knew, though without admitting her father's name.

But when Annatar came to the city he looked at her too knowingly, and made too-innocent remarks about Dark Elves, for Sauron knew Maeglin's sister at once. Galvornil believed he was truly an emissary of the Valar, and feared that he condemned her. But to her good fortune she was no jewelsmith, and Annatar had more important and interesting things to focus on.

When it became known that Annatar was Sauron, Galvornil was stricken, and concluded she could only be a danger to Ost-in-Edhil. If Sauron had broken Maeglin open, he could surely do the same to her; she was already terrified. And she still held her parentage secret, and so was vulnerable to blackmail.

So she went to Mithlond and boarded one of the ships sailing West, leaving Celebrimbor a letter to explain; and her kin learned she had been there only as she left.

Barawen Gilrodel and Bardhis Gilhíril

After Aegnor and Andreth wed in secret, they had three children, two daughters and a son. Andreth named them Barawen, Bardhis, and Bronadui; Aegnor named them Gilrodel, Gilhíril, and Gildor.

It was of great importance to Aegnor that his children not be known as half-elven. For if Finrod had doubted the wisdom of his marriage, Finrod who knew Andreth and loved well the House of Bëor, what reaction could they expect from the rest of the Quendi of Beleriand? Derision from the Noldor and disgust from the Sindar, Aegnor predicted. He trusted his close kinfolk of the House of Finarfin to treat his children well no matter how foolish they thought him, and so admitted the truth to them, but that was all. His kin were not sure that this was wisest, either, but they bowed to his wishes. The children were known in Nargothrond and among the Eldar of Dorthonion as members of the House of Finarfin, with vague anessë and no further explanation given; and they were made welcome there, and were much loved.

At this time no one knew of the Choice of the Half-Elven, but it held nevertheless; and each of the children of Aegnor and Andreth came to make that choice, though they understood not its significance. Barawen loved her elven kin well, but was more at home among the Bëorians, and wed one of them. Gilhíril and Gildor loved their mother's people, but their hearts were drawn to the songs and arts of the Eldar.

When the Dagor Bragollach came, all three were apart. Gildor was by chance in Nargothrond. Barawen was in Ladros, and joined the defense of the Men of Dorthonion. She fought well and bravely in that company, and in that company was slain and passed to the Halls of Mandos, and thence beyond the borders of the world. And insight came to Aegnor even as he fought his last fight, that his oldest child was gone and he would not see her again unless after the ending of the world.

Aegnor had sent Gilhíril from his side when he first saw the fires of the dragons coming, bidding her see to her mother's safety. Gilhíril did so, and brought Andreth and many other Bëorians safely to the Forest of Brethil. She would have remained there, but Andreth said: "Your father and sister are dead, and soon I will be dead too. We may yet all see each other again, if your uncle's hopes are true, but I do not know. But now you must go to your brother. Tell what truths you will and walk what roads you must, with my blessing." So Gilhíril left her mother for the last time, and not long after passed Andreth Saelind.

Gilhíril and Gildor were sent with their cousin Orodreth's wife Meril and son Rodnor Gil-galad to Círdan in Eglarest. And by Gil-galad's side they remained through tidings of Finrod's death, and the Nirnaeth Arnoediad, and the evacuation of the Falas to the Isle of Balar, and Meril's death, and hearing of the Fall of Nargothrond after that. After Círdan they were Gil-galad's most steadfast support.

And they were with Gil-galad when, early in the War of Wrath, Eönwë appeared before them to explain their Choice and ask them to confirm it, which they did. Only then did they admit the truth of their parentage, for despite Andreth's blessing they had never spoken of it, and save for their aunt Galadriel no other living person knew of it.

They stayed in Middle-earth with Gil-galad and Galadriel, and served them well in scouting and the finding of knowledge; Gilhíril could yet pass for a woman of the Edain, and often spoke to Men as one of them. It took time for them to come to an understanding with Elrond, but there was at last family feeling there, too.

Gilhíril and Gildor stayed past Gil-Galad's death and indeed to the fall of Sauron, and sailed West with the Ringbearers. Though all in that company were most welcome and eagerly awaited, there is a particular hope for their return: surely, with his children in Aman, Aegnor must consent to leave Mandos and meet them.

[Name meanings (theoretically):

Rochireth, S., 'knight'+fem. suffix

Craban, S., 'crow/raven'

Ruisteth, S., 'hearth'+fem. suffix

Brôgien, S. 'bear'+fem. suffix

Galvornil, S., galvorn+fem. suffix

Quildallë, Q., 'one who stays quiet'

Barawen, S., 'fiery maiden' (and a B-name)

Gilrodel, S., 'star lady'

Bardhis, S., 'inhabitant/native'+fem. suffix (and a B-name)

Gilhíril, S., 'star lady' with a different word for lady

(Bronadui, since I decided to work Gildor in here: S., 'lasting/enduring', and a B-name)]

#twelve missing princesses #other fic #tolkien

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jarienn972 · 4 years

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La Sirena

Captain Swan Supernatural Summer 2020

Posting day is here at last! I have been looking forward to sharing this new @cssns tale with everyone. The past 2 events have allowed me to experiment and stretch my creativity out of my comfort zone, inspiring me to create the world for this story.

This is the story of a disillusioned and lonely siren who chooses to defy her nature and rescue the sole survivor of a shipwreck, providing him shelter while he recovers. The two come from very different worlds but they find a kinship through`their similar failed expectations. My interpretation of the Greek mythology here has not been taken literally. In this story, sirens are shape-shifting sea creatures. Also, please note that the version of Killian written here is the young Lieutenant Jones so he does not have a hook. I know that there are some readers out there who prefer him to have the hook in CS fics so I wanted to make that clear if it is an issue for anyone.

I have to thanks @kmomof4 for being an amazing beta and I also want to thank @courtorderedcake for the absolutely stunning watercolor artwork she created for this story! (Edited to add artwork)

If all goes as planned, I’m hoping to update weekly. I’ll also be posting updates on AO3 and FF.net.

And here he go!

The Siren

For as far back as she could remember, this craggy spit of sand at the southernmost end of a narrow isthmus had been hers and hers alone. She had a nearly unobstructed view of the rock strewn bay as it blended into the deep blue sea at the horizon. Each dawn, she watched the sun rise to the east, basking in its glow until it sank beneath the waves at sunset, rarely encountering others of her kind - which was fine with her.

She'd separated herself from them decades ago, no longer content with doing Poseidon's bidding. She'd tired of using her song as a weapon, enchanting unsuspecting sailors until they leapt to their watery deaths as their ships were crushed against the boulders, their spoils lost to the depths. She'd long been told that it was merely what she'd been created to do, her beautiful voice simply a tool to serve the god of the sea. Her duty to Poseidon to rid the seas of the scourge of humanity.

Some time ago, she'd grown weary of her meager existence, gradually distancing herself from the pack. Her solitude had been her own choice, the years of loneliness easing the conscience that she wasn't supposed to have. These turquoise waters surrounding her cove provided all she needed - all except the one thing her heart desired most.

This day had begun like so many before it, low grayish clouds hugging the glassy surface of the bay. With scarcely a breeze, she knew these clouds would linger until the early morning sun rose high enough into the sky for its rays to dissipate them.

The water calm and clear, she'd decided to take a sunrise swim, wading into the gentle surf until she was deep enough for her land legs to transform into her muscular tail. The metamorphosis began at her waist, shimmering scales replacing her ivory skin as she dove beneath the surface with a flick of her fins. She was grateful for the unique physiology of her species which allowed her to breathe as freely in the depths of the sea as she could on land as it had allowed her the freedom to explore the hidden caves and reefs below the land she called home. She'd become familiar with every detail. Every pebble. Every blade of kelp. Every colorful fish that lived here amongst the coral. These were her friends, her confidants. Today, however, she sensed something out of place.

As she skimmed above the reef, her gaze was drawn upward to the streams of light that filtered through the ocean's surface, discovering a sight that didn't belong - a dark void blocking the light. The anomaly seemed too large to be any sea life from this bay and the shape unlike any ocean creature she'd seen - oddly rectangular but with two shorter and narrower protrusions sticking out from one side. It was also remaining strangely close to the surface… Whatever might this mysterious thing be?

Curious, she gave her tail fin a powerful kick to propel herself upward, poking her head above the waves a safe distance from the floating object. It may have been eons since she'd last used her voice to scuttle a ship into its grave but she could still recognize the long wooden planks as having belonged to such a vessel. Such wreckage was commonplace along these shores but what drew her attention was the human engaged in a desperate struggle to retain his grip on those still-buoyant planks.

She'd witnessed many a man plunge willingly into the depths under the hypnotic spell of the siren song but never had she seen one this close - and never had she seen one fighting to stay alive! She was transfixed by the human's struggle. Such an unusual sight - the flailing and raw instinct to save itself. She found it fascinating to watch - at least until the human's eyes met hers.

In that fraction of a second, she saw the fear in his stare transform into a glimpse of hope and now she was the one who was terrified. No human had ever seen her before, her nature screaming at her to drown this human and put him out of his misery. The problem was, her intuition was telling her to do the opposite.

It was becoming obvious that the man's strength was failing. There was no telling how long he'd been in the water but as his eyes fell closed and his grip went slack, she sprang into motion. She twisted and twirled her body towards the mysterious human, her fins and tail separating into six lithe tentacles, one of which encircled his midsection, raising his torso above the surf as she maneuvered them both to the shore.

She lowered him gently onto the white sand then drew her tentacle back into the sea as she regained her humanlike legs. Splashing her way out of the shallows, she made her way up the beach and dropped to her knees beside him although she had absolutely no idea what to do next. Tentatively, she extended a hand to touch the strange creature, oddly fearful that it might surge to life and bite her fingers off. When her fingertips at last made contact with the human's arm, they brushed against the tattered remnants of the cloth garments the man wore. He made no movement at her touch, boosting her confidence to proceed.

The majority of her kind were female and although there were a few exceptions, she'd rarely had the opportunity to be in close proximity of a male. This one lacked the long flowing locks of the males of her species, sporting dark hair cropped close to his scalp. She traced her fingers along his hairline and down across the exposed side of his face, bristling at the prickly whiskers that lined his jaw. Save for Poseidon himself, facial hair was unheard of, as was body hair. This human possessed a broad patch of wiry, dark hair across the exposed sections of his torso and a similar, though lighter coating covered other sections of visible skin on the man's arms and legs.

There was little doubt that he was the strangest creature she'd ever laid eyes upon.

But there was so much more that she could also see. The man was obviously injured. A trickle of crimson spilled over his forehead from what appeared to be a deep laceration along his hairline and she noticed dark purplish splotches dotting his pallid skin, the most prominent extending from his brow to the hollow of his cheek. The bruises showed only traces of yellowing, indicating that they were recent. His wrists were ringed with angry abrasions and she held no doubts that invisible wounds lay unseen. Whatever had this man suffered?

She hopped backwards as the human lurched awake, curling onto his side while choking and spewing seawater and bile. She'd not intended to flinch, but his unexpected movement startled her. She remained perched just beyond his reach as his fit settled and he dropped listlessly back to the sand, all the while staring at her with his haunting, intense blue eyes. He uttered but a single word before fading back into unconsciousness.

"Angel."

The Sailor

He'd been a bloody, damned fool to allow himself to be captured. The mission plans had been perfect. Liam had drawn them up himself and yet they'd still failed. Most of his landing expedition had been lost in the battle and the rest who'd survived had been captured along with him. All because His Majesty, King George, had insisted that they scout and survey a previously uncharted island that he'd now coined Neverland. The island may have been uncharted but it had been far from undiscovered as his team had found it teeming with bloodthirsty pirates - pirates who had been using the land's numerous craggy coves to stash their treasures.

On their second day after landing the skiff on the deceptively calm shore, they'd run afoul of a band of rapscallions, ill-prepared for the skirmish that followed. That had been his fault. He should have done more reconnaissance. He should never have blindly trusted the vague map and initial scouting report provided, even if they had come with his brother's blessing. As their lieutenant, it was his mission. His to lead and his alone to fail, not that any of it mattered right now…

He believed it to have been a week since he'd been taken prisoner, but in truth, he'd lost track of time. He'd spent most of his captivity bound, beaten and locked away in a foul smelling hole adjacent to the ship's cargo hold. He'd not laid eyes on his remaining crew in days, wondering whether they were in a similar predicament, were they even still alive. His captors had kept him isolated, perhaps because he was an officer in His Majesty's Royal Navy. He might fetch a ransom, should the king show favor upon him. If not, he feared he'd be executed without a second thought.

As each day passed, he was slowly losing hope that he might be rescued. Surely Liam would have learned by now that the expedition team had not returned to the rendezvous point. Would they have dispatched a search team? Did anyone even know he'd been taken prisoner? His dreams of one day captaining a ship himself taunted him as he wallowed here in this dank prison.

But as he did each day, he clenched his jaw and swallowed back the pain as he struggled to wriggle free of the ropes binding his wrists behind his back. His skin might be raw and the hemp bindings soaked with his blood, but he was Killian Jones and he'd be damned if he didn't at least attempt an escape.

The crew of this vessel had clearly been ordered to keep him alive, as evidenced by the swill they brought him as sustenance. The mangy pirates would show up periodically with a bowl of slop, untying his hands only long enough to gag it down. They cackled as he drank it, the contents never identifiable but he didn't dare think about that. He focused solely on the sustaining water it contained, avoiding thoughts of contracting dysentery or whatever other foul disease might be present.

On this day, he'd barely a minute to swallow their putrid offerings before the bowl was snatched away and his arms were yanked behind his back once again. He'd expected them to bind his wrists tighter as they typically did yet for some reason, the ropes didn't feel quite as restrictive. He wasn't sure what may have transpired, whether his captors may have been distracted, but he was certain that he'd not heard them secure the hatch either.

If he could find a way to get free… Find a sword and perchance - a way off of this miserable vessel… There were so many ifs but he had little to lose. At least were he to die fighting, he'd die with honor.

He'd not expected the sudden lurch that came next, his aching body slammed into the chamber wall as the ship's forward motion abruptly ceased. A boom reminiscent of a loud thunder crack echoed through the hull followed by the gushing of water into the void.

They'd struck something.

Was this what had distracted the pirates? Had they run aground on a sandbar or veered into the shallows in error? Oddly, he heard no voices resounding on the decks above. No orders shouted. No fearful pleas for aid. All his ears could hear was the creaking of failing wood and the pounding of his own heart.

It was life or death now for certain. This ship was sinking; he could feel the list to port and there was absolutely no way he was going to be dragged down to Davy Jones' locker on this heap. He felt along the cell walls for anything he might use to free his hands - a protruding nail or even a splintering board would help. As luck would have it, he chanced upon a bent nail which provided just enough leverage to hold the rope taut while he wriggled and contorted his hands until he could pull them free.

He shook his arms out of the bindings, grimacing as his muscles protested but he couldn't spare a moment to dwell on aching bones. While it hadn't reached the cargo hold yet, it was only a matter of time before it filled with seawater so his first priority was to get to the upper deck. He leaned his hip into the hatch, whispering a silent prayer that he'd been correct and it hadn't been fully secured.

The hatch fortuitously swung open as another violent tremor shook the ship, knocking him off of his bare feet. He was certain that the hull was fully breached as he crawled on hands and knees through the tight confines of the cargo hold in search of the spiraling steps that would lead up to the crew deck. He'd remembered to count his paces when they'd led him blindfolded to the tiny chamber so even in the darkness of the hold, he knew they must be around here somewhere.

Killian scrambled to his feet as his hand found the staircase and he scurried upward to the seemingly vacant crew deck. It was strange not to encounter another soul as he ascended through the open hatch. It was eerily quiet but nevertheless, he pressed on toward the midship staircase that would open onto the main deck. At least this deck had lanterns to illuminate his way as he dodged empty hammocks and hurried past the unoccupied bunks to get topside.

The late afternoon sun assaulted his vision as he emerged onto the abandoned deck. There wasn't a single man visible as his eyes swept his surroundings. He spied no one manning the riggings, no one in the crow's nest and most disturbing - no one at the helm. So these cowardly pirates had all abandoned ship, including their captain? So much for the captain going down with his ship…

He crossed the deck and vaulted up the steps to the bow, trying to get his bearings and determine the ship's position. He was only vaguely familiar with this expanse of the sea but there seemed to be a landmass on the horizon off of the starboard side. It was likely where the pirates had set off for although he saw no dinghies in the water. Something didn't seem to add up here.

From the bow, he was able to get a glance of the rocky outcrop they'd struck. It extended well above the surface and in broad daylight, should have been quite visible to the navigator. Experienced sailors would have known to steer away. Everything about this situation was confounding his brain but he had to concern himself with escaping this ship.

The ship shuddered beneath him as it began to slide free of the rocks. He slipped, bare feet unable to find purchase on the slick teak planks as he fell, driven into the side rail as the vessel leaned more to port. He clung to the still-sturdy posts separating him from the sea as his mind went into overdrive. Even if the pirates had left a skiff behind, he doubted he could launch it himself. And then there would be the problem of encountering these deviants again should he reach land but it seemed preferable at this moment to take his chances with the pirates rather than ride this sinking ship into the depths.

He needed to locate something that would float, not daring to attempt swimming that far in his weakened state. Maybe there was an empty barrel? A hatch he could pry loose? And he'd need a way to debark… Where would they keep their rope ladder?

He forced himself back upright using the railing for support. On Liam's ship, the rope ladder was dispatched from the aft deck and as this ship was of similar design to the Royal Navy schooners, he knew he was on the wrong end of the ship - and his good fortune had run out.

Too much water had now entered the ship's hull and she was beginning to break apart. The weight of the water tore the ship free of the boulder that had ripped through the hull and as it slipped deeper into the waves, a crack split the deck apart. Killian grasped wildly to the closest rigging lines he could find as the stern broke loose. The time for plans was gone.

He swung out of control in the tangle of ropes and pulleys, teetering precariously above the deep blue ocean. Damnit, Jones - what the hell have you gotten yourself into? He'd trained for dangers like this - for how to survive a sinking ship… He'd just never figured he'd be without a crew…

And out of nowhere, his chances of survival took a turn for the worst. A steel pulley swinging in tandem with him smacked into his forehead and he lost his grip on the rope. Stunned from the blow, he couldn't coordinate his limbs to reach for anything that would stop his fall, splashing awkwardly into the sea.

That sudden impact jolted him back to consciousness as sheer instinct took over. He was a strong swimmer under normal circumstances, but this certainly was not and to make matters more complicated, the sun would soon set. He could tread water in the dark all night…

There! his weary brain called out to him. There's a board… It will serve as a raft. Get yourself to it! His gaze caught sight of the planks floating a short distance from him. Hampered by the sting of salt water in his wounds, angry muscles that had been abused for too long and a steady stream of blood pouring from the fresh cut above his brow, the swim was arduous. He was near ready to faint by the time he reached the panel of three boards still somehow holding together. He used every remaining bit of his strength to drag himself atop it and collapsed.

Killian was thankful for calm seas as he drifted through the night although less thankful that the current had carried him away from the land he'd hoped to reach. By the time the first golden rays of morning sun crested over the eastern horizon, he found himself enveloped amidst a thin layer of marine clouds. He could no longer see any traces of the ill-fated pirate ship nor any visible land masses.

He'd fought valiantly to remain alert throughout the evening, fearful of losing his perch on the narrow planks but fatigue and injury were taking their toll. He struggled to raise his head as he succumbed to the blissful call of unconsciousness. As a man of the sea, he'd always expected that his death would come at the mercy of the sea. Perhaps he hadn't thought it would come so soon…

I'm sorry, Liam… I've failed you yet again… was the last thought he remembered as he gave in to the blackness.

He wouldn't recall slipping from the planks or the momentary struggle to pull himself back atop of his makeshift raft. The next time his eyes opened, he was certain he'd crossed over into the afterlife. An expanse of azure sky loomed above him and he felt the security of land beneath his back. He wouldn't have expected the aches and pains of his life tragically cut short would have accompanied him into the next life, but he'd never died before…

Of course, this could be but a dream. Exhaustion still weighed heavily upon him so this could all be a mere hallucination of a dying man - more so when he saw her. Killian couldn't make out the details of her face but there she was, cutting a figure akin to a goddess with tresses like the sun tumbling over her porcelain shoulders and bared bosoms. Such beauty could only be…

The words formed in his head: Are you an… Only one would cross his lips - "Angel?"

#cssns #cssns20 #captain swan supernatural summer #cs ff\#cs au ff #siren emma #lieutenant jones #la sirena #edit to add art

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