#this is just the last ronin all over again | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

theyhavetakenovermylife · 3 months

Text

Peace Talk (Fluff/Angst) (18+)

TLR!Donatello x reader

A/N: I’ve had this idea for a while, so I finally decided to write. And in true The Last Ronin style, it gets angsty. Real angsty towards the end. I cried while writing that😭

Donnie and the reader are 24.

Warnings: Long, a slight feeling of impending doom, from friends to lovers, sex, death, loss of loved ones, cry warning at the end.

The quiet silence of the village broke, when the aircraft all you had been waiting for slowly descended down towards the open space, landing just on top of the large symbols of the Hamato clan, carved in stone and set into the ground. You felt the fabric of your clothes flap in the wind, squinting your eyes, trying to hide your face behind your hand as dust started flowing up from the ground, flying over you, your father, and all the other men and women that stood outside waiting.

Once the aircraft reached the ground, the hatch opened with a puff of air, before slowly lowering down towards the ground. And out the open hatch of the aircraft, came a pair of familiar faces. Faces you hadn’t seen for a long time, yet being excited to finally see again.

Your father greeted Master Splinter, bowing politely before him, you and all the other’s quickly following his lead.

“Master Shinichiro”, the old rat greeted your father, bowing in return. “It is good to see you and your family, my old friend. It has been far too long! You remember my son, Donatello?” Splinter turned his attention to the mutant turtle by his side, Donatello bowing for you and your father.

You felt your stomach tingle as you bowed for him. It has been around ten years since you last saw Donnie and his family. Back then you had been nothing but 14 year old teenagers, already far from the small kids you used to be, running around the Hamato village whenever he and his brothers came to visit the clan. The memories of hide and seek was still clear in your head, remembering how hard it used to be playing such a game with four ninjas in training. Not just any ninjas, but four mutant turtles with super strength and speed.

But you could still clearly remember that time ten years ago, where the first signs of maturity had started showing in Donnie and his brothers. Or most of his brothers. Leo, Raph and Mikey had found it hilarious to tease you and Donnie that summer, often making kissy noises whenever you and bow staff wielding would talk, all culminating with Donnie’s brothers trying to push Donnie into your arms by the river, ending with you and the purple clad turtle getting soaking wet and muddy. Master Splinter and your father had not been very pleased by that.

Back then you hadn’t thought much of the way the others would tease you, getting flustered when they wouldn’t listen to you and Donnie’s calls for them to quit, as there was nothing between the two of you. But now, as you stood before a 24 year old Donatello, you could not deny that you were in awe. Back then Donnie had been taller than his brothers and much skinnier, with a pair of glasses too big for his face. But now, he was not just tall but broad, the outline of muscles faintly showing through his black clothing. He had ditched the comically large glasses, opting for no glasses at all, his face ten years older with stronger features. Donnie was a man now. An incredibly handsome man. And as he stood up to his full height after bowing, his eyes meeting yours, you almost forgot how to breathe in the cold winter air, his now strong gaze holding yours, the hint of a smile playing on the corner of his lip.

“Of course. Greetings to both of you!”, your father said, waking you up from your small daze, reminding you of the time and place. “I look forward to a long and detailed chat once we have concluded the business at hand”.

“Ah, yes. The business of peace”, Master Splinter said, walking with your father, leading the way to your home down in the valley. You and Donnie walked behind them, listening in on their conversation about the peace talk that would take place with Oroku Hiroto and the Foot clan in the morning. Normally, it was during this walk to your family’s home, that you would catch up with the turtles. But not a single word was spoken between you and Donnie. Instead you would glance at each other, avoiding each other’s gaze once you noticed the other was looking. You felt heat spread across your face.

You listened as your father talked with Master Splinter about the celebrations the village would hold, once the peace talks were over, welcoming Splinter and Donnie to the village once more. However, something seemed off. There was a heaviness in the air. A darkness in the horizon, and though you could not yet see it, you could feel it. As if the light the morning should bring wouldn’t come the same way it used to. Donnie seemed to feel it too, his eyes flickering from you to the big bright full moon. There was something in the air of the Hamato village.

—

Over dinner, your father and Master Splinter continued their conversation about the peace talk with the Foot, with your father’s counselors and the other masters around them. You sat in silence and listened, and once again, you got that strange feeling that something was off. It felt like a pit in your stomach that just wouldn’t stop growing, making the rice in your mouth lose its taste.

As you lowered the small bowl of rice, you lifted your gaze and looked over the crowd of men before you, all deep in their discussion, none of them seeming to have the same strange feeling as you did. It was unnerving, making you shiver slightly, as if the room was getting colder as they spoke. You did not like the feeling.

You continued to watch the men as they talked, before you caught the eye of Donatello, sitting by his father’s side, resting his elbows on his folded legs, listening along in silence, the food in front of him untouched. Your eyes lingered for a moment, not a muscle moving in his face. You looked away, suddenly finding interest in the rice in front of you, poking slightly at it with your chopsticks, trying to figure out that growing pit inside of you.

Disappearing into your thoughts, you were suddenly surprised to feel someone sit down next to you. You looked up to find Donnie in the middle of crossing his legs beside you, his rice bowl and chopsticks in hand.

“Hey”, he smiled shyly at you, the sight almost making you forget that you were in fact surrounded by people.

“Hey”, you smiled back, feeling the heat in your cheeks once more, and the pit in your stomach becoming smaller.

“Long time no see”, Donnie smiled, nervously rubbing his thigh with one hand. You smiled when you noticed. It was a habit he had picked up back when he was young, often during so whenever you and he would talk alone together. Though he was a man now, he was still the Donnie you had known ever since you were young.

“Were long”, you smiled, trying not to let your smile overwhelm your face, already feeling your cheeks starting to hurt. “How have you been, Donnie?”, you asked, finally happy to be talking with him again.

“You know, I’ve had ups and downs”, Donnie said, staring at his bowl of rice for a moment, before giving you a genuine heartfelt smile. “But it’s really nice to see you again, (Y/N)”.

You bit your bottom lip, feeling light air fill your lungs. “It’s really nice to see you too, Donnie”, you smiled, watching in delight as his smile grew brighter, the two of you disappearing into your own world in the corner, looking into each other’s eyes. Memories of your summers coming back. The time at six years old, where you jumped around on your futon mattress in the middle of the night, screaming and laughing at the flies that gathered outside your fly net. When you were ten and climbed the threes in the forest. When you were twelve and you laid together on the floor, reading the same book together. Or when you were fourteen, and his brothers pushed the two of you into the river…

There was a loud eruption of laughter from the men, causing you and Donnie to return to reality, watching as they continued their descustions in a light hearted manner.

The strange pit returned in your stomach, and from the look on Donnie’s face, you knew that he felt it too.

“Have you heard where Hiroto wants to meet?”, Donnie asked you, leaning closer into your space so he could keep his voice low.

“No”, you answered, leaning your shoulder against his, listening keenly to what he had to say. “Where?”

Donnie threw a quick glance at the others, his unease clear before he turned to you once more. “A resting place”.

You felt the pit widen, just like your eyes. “I… don’t like that”, you muttered.

“Neither do I”, Donnie said, poking at his rice once more. “I’ve been thinking about it ever since we got the message”.

“What does your father think about it?”, you asked, throwing a quick glance in the direction of Master Splinter.

“He calls Hiroto young. He thinks it’s because his young and a little ignorant”, Donnie answered.

“Doesn’t sound wrong”, you muttered.

“No, it doesn’t”, Donnie said, resting his shoulder against yours while looking at the large group of men. “But I still don’t like it”.

And those words that Donnie spoke, which would stick with you in a way you had never thought possible…

—

That evening you tossed and turned on your futon bed, unable to fall asleep. Over and over you kept thinking about what Donnie had said. A resting place. Was Hiroto really ignorant that he would want to have a peace talk at a resting place? A resting place for the dead? It did not sound right. And the thought of letting Donnie, Splinter and your father leave in the morning with the other men made you feel uneasy. So uneasy that you ended up getting out of your futon bed, wrapping yourself in your warm night time kimono, feeling the cold winter air sweeping through the shoji walls.

Slipping out of your room, you slided the shoji shut, before walking down the narrow hall in your bare feet. You quietly passed your father’s room, continuing on past Splinter’s room, continuing til you came to the room Donnie was sleeping in. The same room he and his brothers used to share when they came to visit…

“Donnie?...”, you called out softly, hoping he could hear you. “Donnie, are you awake?”

You heard the sound of light footsteps against the wooden floor, before Donnie slided the shoji door open, rubbing his eyes with a tired expression, his night time hanging loosely onto him and his muscular form. That sight had you caught by surprise, staring a little too long.

“Are you okay, (Y/N)?”, he asked.

“Uhm, yeah, sorry…”, you said, shaking your head back to reality. “No, sorry, I couldn’t sleep. I’m a little nervous about the whole thing tomorrow”.

Donnie looked at you for a moment, his warm and friendly eyes taking in your features. A friendly yet tired smile making its way to his lips. “Wanna come in and have a sleepover?”, he asked. “Just like the old days?”

You smiled softly, nodding happily at his suggestion, remembering how fun it used to be, having sleepovers with him and his brothers when you were young.

Donnie moved from the door, letting you in, before sliding it shut behind you. It was strange being back in the room with Donnie without his brothers. Normally there would be four smaller futon mattresses scattered around on the floor, usually with a fifth one in case all you had made plans for you to spend the night with them. But now there was only one in the room. One large one, that proved just how much Donnie had grown over the last ten years.

Donnie noticed your quiet demeanor and the way you stared at the mattress, fearing that you were growing uncomfortable.

“If you want, I can go get another mattress for you?”, he offered, but you stopped him before he could go anywhere.

“No, no”, you said, not wishing your childhood best friend to go through any trouble for you. Especially not with tomorrow waiting for him. You shot him a smile, letting him know that you were in fact okay, also with the sleeping arrangement. “I was just caught up in my head for a moment”.

You went over to his large futon mattress, pulling back the covers in order for both of you to slided under it, getting comfortable in the mattress facing each other. It was like the good old days, when you and Donnie would go to bed before the others, laying beside each other with a book.

You looked at each other for a moment, before the two of you broke into a smile each, chuckling and giggling like you used to do, the position you found yourself in bringing memories from your childhood back like it was yesterday.

“Do you remember the last time we had a sleepover?”, you asked, your voice soft and low, not needing it to be higher with the small distance between you and Donnie.

Donnie chuckled with a nod. “Yes”, he smiled. “It was the night before the river”.

You laughed at the way he said it, enjoying the way his smile made it tingle in your stomach, with butterflies fluttering everywhere, making the pit of anxiety disappear. “I was so mad after that. So mad that I would stay in the same room with them the last night they were here”.

“I remember”, Donnie smiled. “I’ve never seen someone make them so scared just by yelling. They were terrified!”

“I was not that bad!”, you laughed, shaking your head.

“Not that bad? You even made Raph run and hide!”, he laughed, instinctively reaching out for you under the covers, letting his bag hand rest on your arm. “Even Mikey fell into the water when you started yelling”.

“Okay! Okay! Okay!”, you laughed, tapping a hand against his chest in a playful push, not moving his large form an inch. “Maybe I was that bad”.

“Yeah”, Donnie hummed, looking at you for a moment, his smile still genuine. “But I still liked it. It was fun”.

“It was”, you chuckled, thinking back on how you made Raph jump into the arms of Leo, before you and Donnie chased all of them back to your home, where your father and Master Splinter was enjoying tea outside.

Silence fell over the two of you for a moment, your hand still resting on his chest, in the open spot his loose kimono had created, showing you just how large and broad his plastron had grown. Broad and hard, almost in the same shape of a human man’s chest, with small dips and curves, along with scars from many battles. With your soft index finger, looking so small against his chest, you felt the old slashes, not noticing how your touch made Donnie tense up for a moment.

The thumb on your arm started to stroke your skin through the kimono in tender motions, as Donnie got a thoughtful look on his face, taking in your features while your soft warm finger moved over the lines on his chest.

“I’ve really missed you, (Y/N)”, he muttered, avoiding your eyes as he spoke. “So much has happened. Raph… That still hurts sometimes”. You felt the pain in your chest as he mentioned it. You still remembered the day you and your father got a message from New York City, telling you that Raph had been killed by the Foot. That had been a dark day in your life, but you could only imagine how dark it had been for Donnie and his family. “But seeing you again-”, he continued. “-it makes everything better again. It’s like being young again. Young and happy”.

“You make it sound like you’re in your last days”, you chuckled.

“Might as well be”, Donnie smiled, shaking his head at you in a playful manner, poking at you like he used to do when you were younger, making you laugh as it tickled. “24 hits hard”.

“Oh, how nice it was!”, you said in a dramatic manner, falling against Donnie in an even more dramatic way. “To be young!”

“Young and in love”, Donnie finished, freezing up the same way as you did when he said those words out loud. There was a long silence, before you dared to ask him what he meant by that.

“In love?”

Donnie let out a small unsure laugh, thinking his words through before he spoke. “Yeah”, he chuckled. “You didn’t notice?”

You bite your lip, shaking your head. You never noticed. You never noticed how he started to look at you when you were 10, how his brothers would tease him when you were reading alone, or that they decided to push you and Donnie into that river, in the hopes that it finally would bring you and Donnie the last bits closer. And just to tease him in general.

Normally Donnie would get flustered in a situation like this. He would try to hide, divert your attention, or maybe even try to tell you that he was just joking. But he did not. Instead he chuckled, slowly slipping his arm around you, pulling you a little closer, making your heart melt.

“Well, now you know”, he said. “Only took me, what, 14 years to tell you”.

You giggled, letting him pull you closer, continuing to trace shapes on his hard plastron. You could not deny that you had always found Donnie a little interesting, with his sweet personality absolutely charming. But it wasn’t until you saw Donnie step out of that aircraft that day, that you noticed how attractive he was. He had grown a lot over the past ten years, just like red wine. His strong jaw, his strong yet caring stare and big arms that hugged you closely. It made butterflies erupt in your stomach, warmth spreading through your body.

“You’re not mad at me, are you?”, Donnie asked in a low voice, watching you for any negative reactions, even as you were giggling.

“No”, you smiled, smiling up at his face. “I could never get mad at you, Donnie”.

Donnie bit his lip with a happy smile, feeling his confidence grow at your words. The arm wrapped around you dared tracing shapes on your hip and the small of your back, creating goosebumps under your kimono.

Silence fell upon both of you once again, as you were looking into each other’s eyes, enjoying this peaceful moment together, finally coming to grasps with the developing feelings that have been growing over several years.

Donnie’s head moved a little closer to you, and you found yourself leaning in, your eyes flickering between his eyes and his lips.

“Can I kiss you, (Y/N)?”, Donnie asked, his heart beating through his plastron and into the palm of your hand, his voice almost sounding like he was out of breath.

His question almost made you shriek in a happy surprise, but his close proximity to your face had you in a trance, with his deep brown eyes staring into yours. All you could do was nod with a small “yes”, almost forgetting how to breathe when he started closing the distance between you.

Donnie’s lips felt soft and warm against yours, as he met you in a tender and sweet kiss, your lips lingering for a moment, before you dived back in for another. And another. And then another. Soon you and Donnie found yourselves wrapped up in each other’s arms under the covers, your lips and tongues moving together as the kiss slowly became more and more heated.

A satisfied hum espaced Donnie, as one of your hands slided down his front, loosening his already loose night kimono in the movement. This caused him to pull you firmer against him, making you hike your leg up over his hip, feeling the fabric around you getting loose as well. Donnie let out a small rumble like growl, when he noticed how your chest was now almost revealed for him. A big three fingered hand made its way from your hip and up to your chest, sliding his hand under your kimono and grabbing onto your breast, making you moan against his lips.

With the hand on your chest, Donnie slowly pushed you backwards, until you were laying flat on your back. From here he sat up on his knees, towarding up over you, the cover following with him. From his position he looked down on you with an intense look, making heat flow straight to your core, the sweet scent of your arousal reaching his nose. With a small smile he started to undo what little of his kimono still clung to his body, before letting it drop onto the floor beside you. Excitement built up in you at the sight of Donnie towering naked before you. The toned muscles you had expected to be hiding underneath his clothes, flexing under your gaze, traveling over his body. Shoulders, arms, hands, thighs, torso and his now leaking cloaca.

With a smug smile, Donnie’s firm hands grabbed onto your thighs, spreading them apart as he pulled you closer to him with a small yelp, making your kimono ride up when he scooted you towards him, exposing your most intimate parts to him. A deep churring vibrated from his chest, his eyes scanning your face and body. Your lips plump and red, eyes blown wide with lust, and blushing cheeks. Covered with nothing but the remains of your night kimono around your waist and arms, your breast out in the open, your legs open wide, giving Donnie a full view of your slick flower, glistening at him.

Donnie leaned down over you, his face getting close to yours once again. “You’re beautiful, (Y/N)”, he whispered, before his lips met yours once more. You hummed into the kiss, meeting him with eagerness, wrapping your arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

One of Donnie’s hands moved down your side, reaching for your core, smiling into the kiss as you lifted your hips in order to meet his hand. He kneaded the skin of your thigh, before letting his finger slide between your slick folds, before slowly letting his thumb rub your clit in small light circles.

You pulled from the kiss with a pleasured sigh, looking down at what Donnie’s thumb was doing to you. It was an erotic sight. His large thumb on your small pearl, sending small waves of pleasure through your body, only getting stronger with every circle he formed on you.

“That feels good, Donnie”, you whimpered, spreading your legs even further for him, giving him even more space to work with.

“You have no idea how many times I’ve imagined you saying that”, Donnie said in a low voice, his lips meeting yours again, his fingers moving from your clit and down to your entrance, gathering your wetness on the way. Once at your entrance, he slowly pushed his finger into you, stretching you out over his thick digit. You gasped out loud, grabbing onto Donnie’s shoulder as he pushed into you.

Placing a kiss on your cheekbone, Donnie rested his forehead against yours. “You okay?”

“Yes”, you breathed out with a shy smile. “Your finger is just big”.

Donnie chuckled, placing yet another kiss to your forehead. “If you think my finger’s big, just wait for what else I have waiting for you”.

Before you could ask Donnie what he meant, he started moving his finger in and out of you, making you whimper. The wet noises of Donnie’s finger moving in and out of you only made you even more excited, thinking of you the situation you were in. You were laying in the guest room of your childhood best friend, with your legs wide open for him while he fingered. You were being fingered by Donnie. That thought sent another rush of heat to your cure, with Donnie’s heightened scent picking up on it straight away.

“You smell so good”, Donnie groaned, hitting his face in the crock of your neck, pressing kisses over your skin. You moaned when he started nibbling at your skin, making you squirm under him.

“Please, Donnie…”, you whimpered, your hips chasing his finger as you felt the small pressure build up inside of you.

“Please what, (Y/N)?”, Donnie asked into your ear, his voice low and raspy, making your head spin, unable to speak for a moment. “Use your pretty words, sweetheart”.

That new nickname made you whimper once more. You felt Donnie push out a puff of air against your skin, most likely in a chuckle at your reaction.

“Please, Donnie”, you whimpered. “I want you inside…”

“But I am inside of you”, Donnie chuckled, leaning back to look at your face, clearly enjoying having you whimpering under him. Curling his finger inside of you, he watched your finger contort in pleasure. “Or do you want something else inside of you? Tell me, (Y/N)”.

Your walls clung around his finger, every time he said your name. It was like you were high, with his words only bringing you higher.

“I need your cock”, you blurted out, making Donnie smile. You should have been flustered, and maybe even embarrassed by your words. But instead you found yourself desperate for Donnie to fill you up, even more than his finger was already doing. “Donnie, please”.

Donnie retracted his finger from you with a playful smile, before placing a passionate kiss to your lips. “Anything for you, (Y/N)”.

Positioning himself between your legs, wrapping them as far around his hips as they would go, before pulling you in for another passionate kiss, your tongues dancing together once again. Rubbing his cloaca up against your soaked folds, Donnie lined up with your entrance, getting ready to drop into you.

Taking one of your hands in his, Donnie placed them down on the mattress next to your head, stroking your hand with his thumb, looking deeply into your eyes.

“I love you, (Y/N)”, he whispered, his hot breath fanning over your face. “I always have”.

“I love you too, Donnie”, you whimpered, grinding yourself against him, chasing his lips. “And I will do so for the rest of my life”.

Donnie gave you a bright smile, before connecting your lips once again, moaning as the two of you continued to grind against each other. It didn’t take long before Donnie dropped into you, his large member stretching you out much further than his finger ever did. Your moan way loud against Donnie’s mouth, your nails digging into the skin of his shoulder. Donnie in turn groaned as he made his way between your tight walls, hugging him in a way he never thought possible, making his head spin in happiness, his churring getting louder.

Once Donnie was sure you had adjusted to his size, he slowly began to pull out of you, making you moan as he pushed back in.

“Fuck, you feel good, (Y/N)”, Donnie groaned, slowly spreading up his thrusting, making you hold onto his shoulders for dear life.

“Faster, Donnie”, you whimpered. “Fuck, please, Donnie”.

Donnie did as you asked, adjusting his hold on you, before thrusting into you at a rabbit speed, causing the sound of your skin slapping together to echo through the room. For a moment you feared that anybody would hear you, but all those fears disappeared when Donnie hooked one of your legs over his arm, continuing his attack on your sweet spot deep inside you.

You cried out in pleasure, feeling your climax getting closer, begging Donnie not to stop as your walls continued to close in around him.

Much to your displeasure, Donnie suddenly pulled out of you, but before you could complain, he quickly turned you over, placing you on your stomach. Lifting up the back of your kimono, Donnie laid himself on your back, wrapping his arm around your neck, using the other to slide under you, in order to lift your hip up off the floor, before reentering you from behind, nuzzling his head into the back of your neck, breathing directly into your ear.

Moaning you clawed onto the arm around your neck, your legs and toes curling as Donnie continued where he left off, thrusting into you at rabbit speed, pushing you closer and closer to the edge.

“I’m gonna cum”, you whimpered against his big muscular arm. “Fuck, Donnie, I’m gonna cum!”

“Do it, sweetheart”, he breathed into your ear, his low voice making you shiver. “Cum for me, (Y/N)”.

It only took a few more thrust before you came with a cry of pleasure, forcing Donnie to cover your mouth as he continued to fuck you through your high. His thrust became more and more frantic, before he came too, emptying himself inside of you.

With his last thrust, Donnie placed a kiss on your cheek, before slowly pulling out of you. You whimpered at the emptiness between your walls, as Donnie rolled over onto his shell, resting beside you, before pulling you in for a warm hug, pulling the covers back over both of you.

You snuggled up against his broad chest, feeling warm and comfortable in his strong arms. Donnie placed a hand on your face, tilting your head up to meet him in a sweet tender kiss, making you smile from ear to ear. But then he asked you a question that made your heart skip a beat.

“Do you want to come with me to New York once all of this is over?”, Donnie asked, holding his breath in anticipation as he waited for your answer.

You let out a shriek, not caring if you woke up your father, Master Splinter or anybody else for that matter. Throwing your arms around him, you pulled Donnie in for a happy hug, showering his face with kisses.

“I would love to, Donnie!”, you yelled, placing a long happy kiss on his lips, through his chuckle and laughter.

That night you and Donnie fell asleep in each other’s arms, dreaming of a life together in New York City. A life where you could be happy together, with no Foot clan or clan wars. Just you and him, enjoying the last of your youth, building up a life together. It was a dream you would never forget.

—

You waited in anticipation, watching over the snow covered landscape, waiting for the moment the men of the Hamato clan would return. Your father, Master Splinter, and most importantly, Donatello.

It felt like an eternity had passed since they left. That morning, you and Donnie had woken up together, hugging and kissing for as long as possible, before the two of you finally had to get up and get dressed. And now, as you waited for him and the others to return, you wanted to do nothing more but hug and kiss him once again.

The pit in your stomach from yesterday had disappeared, and now you were filled with happiness, waiting for the moment Donnie would come back, so the two of you could break the news to your father, letting him know that you would be moving to New York with Donnie.

You were excited. A life with Donatello. Your childhood best friend, and the love of your life. And you were more than excited to tell your father, knowing he would be happy that you had decided to get together with a member of the Hamato clan. But the waiting was killing you.

With the sun standing high in the sky, you finally saw movement in the forest, followed by men walking out between the trees, following the path that led from the forest to the Hamato village, pulling wagons and horses behind them.

Excitement flowed through you and many other people of the village. You were quick on your feet, running down the path to meet the men as they came. You were quick to notice your father in the front, but no signs of either Donnie or Master Splinter. But that did not stop you from running to your father with a big smile, excited for the news you and Donnie would be telling him in a short moment. But first you needed to find Donnie.

“Where’s Donnie?”, you asked your father, trying to look over his shoulder for the large mutant turtle. But your father did not answer. Instead he grabbed a soft hold of your shoulders, making you stand still on your feet, his glossy eyes looking into yours. Your shoulders tensed, a horrible thought trying to spring up from the back of your head, and the pit returning to your stomach once again, this time much stronger than before. “Dad, where’s Donnie?” But your father still did not answer you. Instead he swallowed, his mouth opening and closing with no words, as if they weren’t able to form.

With your father not giving you any answers, your fears started swirling in your head, the pit starting to burn a hole inside of you. You pushed past him, running through the men, looking left and right for your childhood friend and his father. Then you saw the wagon, covered with a mat, a large form underneath it, dark red blood dripping from the wagon and onto the white snow underneath.

With your cold breath forming clouds as you breathed, you slowly walked to the wagon, ignoring the distant calls from your father. At this point you could not hear them, with the fears lingering in the back of your mind. With a shaking hand and breath, you held onto the mat, pulling it back in a small yet jerky move.

The sound that escaped you made the birds fly from the trees, and the men jump in fear. Donnie’s limp body laid in the wagon next to his father, arrows covering every inch of their bodies, with their clothes soaked in their red blood. You clung onto Donnie, screaming and crying, tapping his cheeks as if there were a change it would wake him up. But nothing happened. No matter how loud you screamed his name, nothing happened. His cold body stayed lifeless next to Splinters, only Donnie’s arrow infested bo staff rolling out of the wagon and onto the snow covered ground, due to your rocking of his body.

You continued to scream as your father tried to get you away from the wagon, tears rolling down your cheeks in streams. You fought against your fathers arms, clinging onto the cold ones of Donnie, screaming as if you were in pain.

“I’m sorry”, your father tried to say as he finally managed to pull you away from the wagon, even though you fought to get back. He sniffled, a tear rolling down his cheek as he pulled you into a hug, letting you cry and scream into his chest. “I’m sorry, (Y/N). Hiroto tricked us. I’m sorry…”

92 notes · View notes

britt-kageryuu · 14 days

Text

Leo for some reason decided to stream at work using the AR system, he claims that it's because it's been pretty slow recently because of the relatively small amount of clients. So his model is dressed in blue jeans, black boots, a minty green shirt, a lab coat with an ID badge, his mask with shorter than normal tails, with a stethoscope around his neck. Sitting in a rolling chair next to a desk and shelves.

The stream can only see the front desk area, and all the paperwork seen looks like it written in an alien language because of a filter, and Leo wanting to mess with the veiwers. Including his Degree(s) on the hall, since they read as presented from a hidden city college/university.

River is there in her robot body disinfecting the waiting room, and organizing the books/magazines, toys, and Cafe station.

A notification goes off with a question about the comic books Donnie supposedly brought from a different reality.

"Oh The Ronin books. Yeah we all read through them, and all agreed while amazing, it was also quite horrifying to think of the scenario happening here." Leo says as he pulls a hard back book from a nearby shelf.

The cover is mostly dark gray, and black with some red. There's a figure in all black with a Katana and Bo staff strapped to their back, and a Sai and metallic Tonfa on a utility belt along with some pouches, and rope. There is a red moon with 'The Last Ronin' in white over top of it. There is some other words and the author and artists names in red and white, but the letters are unreadable, either it's to far from the camera, or the filter is messing it up.

"The other book is at home, Pops finished this one, and wanted to read the second book." Leo says as he flips through some of the pages, "Either way it's kind apocalyptic/dystopian with a mentally not Okay main character out for revenge for most of his family 'H' being killed because the other group 'O/F' didn't truly want a truce between them, or something." He stops at a page and reads it over, "Or that's what we figure, since it's implied that one of the O/F leaders claimed H broke the truce."

"Before anyone asks the reason I'm not saying the names of the families is because the H family is actually the same name as Our family name, and the O/F group are an actual group my family had a rivalry with like 500 years ago. They're still around but there's not a full on grudge anymore." Leo stresses this if only to make it clear no more answers will be given on the subject.

"Anyhoozle the family names are why Donnie believes this is from another universe, but again I don't want to look into it, or mess with things that might lead to trouble." He puts the book on the desk opened to a page with what looks like an explosion on it, "We had enough trouble with getting past our own problems with the other group. Some of their members had some screws loose, and came after us, we don't know why, just that we supposedly had an artifact of theirs. It was just a creepy teapot!" He slouches with a sigh/groan of annoyance.

Just then the sound of sliding doors opening could be heard, and Leo sits up and quickly mutes the stream. The audience is left to watch Leo talk to someone, with him leaning forward you can see his tail sticking out from a slit in the lab coat. He holds up a finger in a 'just a minute' motion, then gets up and goes behind the camera.

Someone can be seen trying to lean into frame, even wave their arm where the camera can see, but the person is not able to lean far enough into veiw. Though it's obvious when Leo returns because they jolt and jump back. Leo walks back into the camera veiw and hands the person a bag with presumably their proscription in it.

Leo talks with them for a few minutes, before the person leaves and he un-mutes the stream.

"Sorry, one of my clients who also watches the streams came in, probably because I was streaming and they thought they could sneak into veiw. Luckily I'm a nice guy, so they're not going to be blocked or banned from the stream, and our socials." Leo informs with some amusement. He sits back down with a slight bounce, and quickly checks the work computer on the desk.

"Unless another veiwer decides to try crashing the stream, let's go back to the books, now the first book, has a bittersweet end, but it leads into the second book which is like 10 to 15 years into the future. And it swaps from present day to the past to tell more of what happened with Ronin, and act as a teaching method for the next generation of the family."

Leo goes on to vaguely describe more parts of the books, all while purposefully ignoring the chat asking why they can't find the books anywhere. And some asking if Mandarin/Mikey wrote/drew the graphic novels.

---------------------

Masterpost

The chat/audience doesn't know their real names, but just incase someone didn't know Mandarin is Mikey. The ones asking about Mikey would be their Friends/People who know them.

#VTurtles!#vtuber au #rottmnt au #tmnt au #rottmnt leonardo #rottmnt leo #rise leonardo #rise leo #rottmnt fanfiction #tmnt fanfiction #rottmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #tmnt 2018 #rise of the tmnt #rise tmnt #vturtles!

20 notes · View notes

awakandanavenger · 1 year

Note

Hello! If you have the time, may I ask for a Natasha x former avenger reader fic? It takes place two years after endgame and Natasha and Tony are brought back to life by the power of science and magic (Idk maybe Strange and Banner worked together to bring them back, you decide how) and Natasha finds out reader went down a dark path from grief of losing Nat and has been doing vigilante stuff like how Clint was doing when being ronin. And she finds her and knocks some sense into her and it’s a tearful reunion?

Come To Your Senses (Natasha x g!nReader)

Summary: Natasha and Tony are brought back to life. Nat finds you while you're continuing Barton's mission as Ronin. She has to knock the sense into you to stop and come home.

Word Count: 768 (Still short but still longer than the last one)

Warnings - Mentions of reader being criminal but not sure if there is anything else? Let me know if there is.

A/N - As for the person who requested this, sorry it took so long to write, university is keeping me busy but any other requests you guys want to send I'll do as soon as I can! Remember ya'll, NO SMUT REQUESTS!

It has been two years since Thanos was defeated and honestly… I couldn’t care less if the world is safe once again. I have nothing left worth protecting now that she is gone. In fact, I do not care to the point where I’ve took it upon myself to continue Barton’s mission from during the time of the blip. I hunt down and slaughter every criminal I can find. At least then there would be some satisfaction for the world, and me.

Just now I am waiting to ambush a gang of criminals. They have been drug dealing and the usual shit. Still. They kill people who try and stop them so it is up to me to stop them if no one else can. I take my sword from my waist belt. But just as I am about to run inside and complete my mission, a finger taps my shoulder and I whirl around with sword aimed ready to attack whoever it was that tapped me but who I saw made me drop my sword with a loud clang. Luckily, none of the criminals inside heard.

“What are you doing here?” She asks. “No. Not possible. You’re dead.” I say not believing who is right in front of me. It’s my imagination surely! “It’s really me. I’m back. So is Tony.” I step forward to her and gently feel the locks of her red hair. “You’re real? But how?” “Bruce and Dr Strange came together and found a way to bring us both back to life.” Wait, what if this is a trick? What if this is a shapeshifter and is finding a way to get to me to kill me? I have made a lot of enemies over the last two years, so it is possible.

“You’re hesitant which is understandable.” “Damn straight. For all I know, you’re not really Nat.” She raises her eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “Well, for all I know, you could be a shapeshifter. Those exist.” “Well, I’m not that. When they brought me back my first thought was to find you. Bruce told me everything that’s been going on and where to find you. That’s how I knew.” It is true. Nat was always protective of me but still, everyone knew that. Then I got an idea. “Okay, if you really are Nat and not a shifter. What was the first moment we both shared when we realised we belonged together?” Only the real Nat would know. “The first moment we shared together was that night when I had a nightmare about the Red Room. You rushed to comfort me, and it was the sound of your heartbeat that lulled me back to sleep. The next morning you said if the sound of your heartbeat helps me sleep, you’d gladly stay forever.” It’s true. That was our first real moment that I admitted to myself that I’d love and take care of her from that point on.

Now that I am certain she is the real Natasha, I wonder why she even came back for me in the first place. “Okay, so my question to you Nat is why are you even here? Surely Bruce or Strange must know what I’ve been… am doing.” “That’s exactly the reason I came to find you. To stop you continuing your ‘mission’. Clint did the exact same thing but even he was able to put his dangerous behaviour aside when he got his family back.” “What? And you’re expecting me to do the same now that you’re back?” “I don’t expect you to do anything. It is your choice. I just hope you make the right one. If you do, I’ll be at the Avengers tower.”

That got me thinking. So, if I am understanding this correctly, she will take me back if I stop killing criminals. Hmm, I suppose I could change the mission so they get arrested instead because no way in hell am I stopping completely. Plus, if the Avengers get back together, that way in a way, my mission can continue but in the right way.

Just as Nat was about to leave, I grabbed her hand, and she stops. “You’re right.” And I explain my thoughts of wanting to continue but in the right way. Surprisingly, she agrees. “So, you’ll come back home?” She asks me. I sigh knowing she’s going to keep finding me until I agree to go back. “Sure.” I speak. In all honesty, I can’t believe I am going back, with Natasha no less. It’s enough to make us both cry of happiness knowing.

Hope you all liked this one! Don't forget, I still take requests and Nat isn't the only character I accept requests for. There is also Wanda Maximoff, Shuri, Queen Ramonda, Nakia and Okoye! NO SMUT AS MENTIONED! Hope to see your requests soon! :)

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha romanoff x y/n

128 notes · View notes

that-one-weeb-buts-its-the-main · 1 year

Text

Icon Duo| Ronin

✧▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬✧

Reader: female | Ronin & Reader (platonic | siblings)

Warnings: death :), some cursing, weapons, fighting, arguing, all that good stuff, nothing too detailed in the fighting.

Notes: This is because of two edits I saw on Instagram; am I ashamed? Maybe- But it's my hyper fixation and I get to choose it

✧▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ▬✧

"Get up!"

"Five more minutes!"

Ronin rolled his eyes, "Come on."

He pulled the blanket off Y/n as she groaned.

"We'll be late." He argued, causing her to groan and sit up and look out the window.

"It's not even light out."

"Leaf Men rise early."

"Good thing I'm not a Leaf Men." Y/n argued, reaching to grab her blanket, which he only pulled out of reach.

"You are as long as you live with me," Ronin ordered.

"Last time I checked, I don't have a choice in that." Y/n defended.

"Then you don't have a choice in this either." He argued causing Y/n to groan and stand up; "I promised our parents you'd be a Leaf Man, a good one at that-"

"That's a real annoying excuse- stop taking orphans in when you don't know how to care for them," Y/n defended, she only received a glare from her brother; "Can you go so I can get dressed now?"

He left, and with her blanket. Y/n sighed and got ready for the day; trousers, and a long sleeve that went just past her elbows before dressing in her armor. On her way out she grabbed her belt with her sheathed sword, quiver, and small pack, securing it to her belt she closed the door behind her with her foot and a yawn.

"We're late."

"No, everyone's just early."

Y/n earned another stern glare and eyebrow raise from Ronin, and once again she waved and rolled her eyes at it.

"Forgetting something?" He argued holding out her bow which she grabbed.

"no,"

"You're helmet."

"oh in your dreams Ronin," Y/n snapped kicking open the door with her foot where the chilly air of morning greeted her.

"It's uniform."

"Is it?" Y/n gasped; "Oh if it's that, then it can get a fat drink of poison and die too."

Ronin walked out following her, closing the door behind him; "What are you gonna do when you get shot in the head and die?"

Y/n whistled as two hummingbirds flew their way; "Just that Ronin, I'll roll over and die."

Y/n climbed onto her hummingbird, Ronin grabbing the reins of her bird; "When are you going to grow up."

"When you do." Y/n told, grabbing the reins back; "Good hunting."

She clicked her tonnage as the bird took off, Ronin sighing. What was he to do with her? She was sixteen; most Leaf Men started training early; though she was younger than most...all, she was younger than all Leaf men currently in training; and she was already on the field with real work, not just basic escorts; boggin fighting; killing the dreaded dark forest that ventured too far into the light. Y/n was good at that too; most summed it up to his work, Ronin leader of the Leaf man militia. It was really her; her restlessness to defy him, to be who she wanted to be.

What she needed to be was safe; Ronin had drilled that much into his own head; she needed to be safe, and he was the only one that could do that even with how well-trained she was.

"He just doesn't get it!" Y/n argued, "I don't want to be a Leaf Man!

She kicked up water as she stood on the lily pad.

"Being a Leaf Man is a high honor!" Grub defended, "I've always wanted to be a Leaf Man! Flying high with my brothers and sisters in arms!"

"Trust me it's a lot less glorious than it sounds." She argued flopping back onto the lily pad; water splashing up.

"Could you not splash around! Being around pods is a delicate operation." Mub argued.

"Right sorry." Y/n apologized, "I just don't get it! Grow up!? Grow up? I would love to grow up before I got shot off my damn bird! I want to be something! Do something!"

"Well, why not tell your brother that?" Grub asked.

"oh please, the only time I'm even allowed out of the house is if I'm 'being a Leaf Man.' Whatever the boysenberries and carp that means! He's...He's just so!-"

"-frustrating!" Ronin complained, "She's as bad as Nod! Worse, even! Runs off to do whatever and whatever she pleases! She'll get herself killed!"

The hummingbird was silent as Ronin sighed, lifting up a hollowed-out acorn filled with flower sap for the bird to eat, both at the Leaf Men headquarters stables. Y/n is nowhere to be seen; nowhere to be heard, and not even checked in for the day.

"She'll be the death of me," Ronin grumbled, pulling away the empty acorn to refill it for the bird.

Y/n came flying in quickly, hopping off her bird before it even touched the ground.

"Where were you?" Ronin argued.

"Not kissing your ass." Y/n told, "trust me when I tell you a lot of people do it."

"You were due an hour ago!"

Y/n didn't say anything and led her bird to her stall; already fed from some flowers on the way there.

"Y/n I'm talking to you," Ronin ordered, Y/n only continuing on her way, wet footsteps following her.

It was best not to ask as she vanished into headquarters halls.

"You're late again!" Ronin's second hand called, standing by the check-in cards.

"Oh no, I'm so scared." Y/n quivered, the act soon dropping as she went straight-faced, "Bite me."

He only laughed, "I got you anyway, and on time, well; on Ronin's on time."

He held out Y/n's check-in card, and she sighed; "thanks."

Placing it in the small slot for safe keeping she was thrown a piece of fruit wrapped in a leaf by him.

"What are you two fighting about now?" He asked, the two starting down the hall for daily assignments.

"The same thing, again."

"Hate to say it, but if you're going to leave; might as well leave. What good are you doing us if you don't want to be here?"

"That's brutally honest. Thanks."

They laughed; eating breakfast together. They made their way to the assignment hall, finding their names quickly. He was in Ronin's squad as usual, and Y/n...Y/n was joining him, causing her to groan.

"Think it's early enough to leave now?" Y/n asked.

"Ronin knows your here?"

Y/n nodded.

"He'll track you in a heartbeat."

"Damn..." Y/n mumbled.

"Scouting Partners then?" He questioned.

"Yeah. Before I have to hear Ronin lecture me for the whole day."

With it set: the two were scouting partners for the day, they made their way to the stables to grab their birds, and then meet up with the rest of the group. Then their daily debrief started; what was happening: how Boggin activity has been; increasing, as it always had been of late.

Y/n mimicked him behind the group: two other soldiers were trying not to laugh, yet it was increasingly getting harder.

"y/n." Ronin snapped.

She stopped, "You have something to add to the group?"

"If I say no can I go home?" Y/n asked, snickering coming from others.

Ronin's forever glared hardened, but it was soon let go, she'd probably get chewed out for it later.

"The queen chooses a new heir within the upcoming days, I need everyone at their best, and I mean everyone."

It was in the next few minutes that they took off. The sun was rising, it was one thing that was the real kicker of the job; seeing it every morning never got old. It brought back old memories.

"Can I!? Can I go with you!" A young Y/n begged, "please! Oh please!"

"And what are you wearing?" Ronin laughed, his helmet he couldn't find on her head, and her own hand-carved bow and hand-sewed quiver on her back.

"Please!" Y/n pleaded with her "I've been practicing my archery! I could beat you!"

"is that so?" Ronin smiled watching his sister nod excitingly, "You have to stay close, but alright-"

"Yes! Alright!" Y/n cheered, jumping happily into the air, a little too high as she hit her head, the helmet too big for her and hitting her head hard, "Ow.."

Ronin chuckled, "Come on."

He held out an arm as she jumped into his grasp, hugging her brother tightly.

Y/n smiled at the thought of it, she use to be so excited to go out with Ronin and sat in front of him on his bird, he hanging onto her tightly; her excitement usually got the better of her and she'd usually jump off at the bird before it fully landed, excited to explore the scouting area.

The times he did take her out when she was young, she had only been involved in one head-on Boggin fight. There was always a hiding place for Y/n if there was an attack.

Ronin and his group thought they had gotten the small scouting squad of Boggins until Ronin heard Y/n's scream, he rushed for the hiding spot just to see her gone. Ronin shouted for her, worry painting his face, another shout coming from her. He found not her but a Boggin; on the ground, dead. It was the rustled leaves that caused him to draw his sword and be ready to take the attack when Y/n ran out, face cut, and full of dirt.

"Big Brother!"

"Y/n!"

She had run into his arms, holding onto him tight, and he held on to her tighter before he pulled away to look at her.

"You're okay?" He asked, she nodded, she had a look of fear in her eyes, as she looked past him.

"Did...Did I do that?"

"Hey, it was you or him- look at me." He told holding her face, "You did nothing wrong."

"Promise?"

"With my only good eye." He promised, and he closed his right eye, "Wait it's the other one."

Y/n giggled as he smiled and picked her up, "Come on, I think that's enough adventure for you today."

Y/n's train of thought was broken when Ronin ordered birds to be perched.

"I want two in a group, keep tight and have each other's back." Ronin ordered, "Y/n your with me."

"I have a partner."

"That wasn't a recommendation," he ordered.

Y/n sighed looking at Ronin's usual second in command, "Good luck." he muttered.

"Thanks." Y/n sighed getting off her bird to follow her brother.

She lagged behind him slightly; mind other places.

"You're quiet." He commented.

"What?" Y/n asked.

"You, quiet," Ronin repeated, "What did you do now?"

"I didn't do anything." Y/n argued, "But being myself seems to really tick you off nowadays."

"Don't be dramatic," Ronin told.

"Easy to be dramatic when your brother hates you." Y/n defended.

"I don't hate you." He told hopping down from the branch.

"I feel like you do even if you say you don't," Y/n answered.

Ronin looked back at her, she wasn't lying, "Now why would you think that?"

"Honest?" Y/n asked.

Ronin nodded, "Honest."

"Promise not to get mad?"

"Promise."

Y/n sighed, setting down her bow against a stone as she sat down on it; "I think you just don't like me."

"That's your reason? I just don't like you?" Ronin questioned.

"Resentment." Y/n continued, "I think you resent me."

Ronin was quiet, "Well I don't so get your head in the game-"

"That's it." Y/n argued, "You're doing it-"

"Doing what exactly?"

"Not talking things out with me 'Well I don't so get your head in the game?' that's all I get?"

"What do you want me to do? treat you like a kid?"

"I want my big brother back! Not some! Some! Some stupid ass general!" Y/n argued.

"I am your commanding officer-"

"No!" Y/n stopped him standing up, "You're my brother! I don't love my commanding officer! I love my brother!-"

"I am your brother!"

"no! You're my commanding officer- you're never my brother not anymore!"

"You're being dramatic!-"

"It's how I feel!" Y/n defended, "You never talk about how you feel! Maybe we could actually fix things instead of arguing!"

"How I feel!?" Ronin argued. "You wanna know how I feel!?"

"Yes!"

"I do hate you! Does that make you happy?!" He argued; seemingly just trying to end the conversation by making her right, yet his words weighed heavy, "You won't take responsibility, you won't grow up, Our Mother-"

"News Flash Ronin our Mother has been dead for sixteen years! So don't drag her into this!-"

"And who's fault is that?!"

It wasn't meant to come out like that, yet it did. The silence grew thick, Y/n trying to hold herself still even though her body wanted to shake. Ronin opened his mouth to speak but retracted. Y/n made the first move in silence, grabbing her bow.

"Y/n I-"

Y/n was silent as she walked his way; running her shoulder into his without a care as she pushed on. Ronin sighed and followed her, lagging behind her he watched her tight shoulders push forward. The rest of their time was set in silence, painful silence when they regrouped with the others; there was only silence, and the few words spoken were necessary and bleak.

The silence went from hours to days. The days that led up to the queen's pod choosing the new heir were silent. Get up; get dressed, and leave. For most of those few days Ronin stood at her doorframe, the bed a mess, and her armor gone, her bird gone too. Up and out of there before Ronin could even wake himself up fully. The only time he really saw her was at the bird stables, or within scouting. She was quick to run off with another team member before he could comment.

"What's got you in a worse mood than usual?" Queen Tara chuckled, tending to a small little purple tulip, "Now I know your quiet, but never this quiet. It's scary almost."

"It's my sister, your majesty," Ronin answered.

"Y/n?" Tara smiled, "How's she doing?"

"Fine..." Ronin lied, as she looked at him cocking a brow up; "I don't know. I don't see her."

Tara frowned, "Don't see her? She's a little young to be living on her own don't you think?"

"She's sixteen." Ronin answered, "She's grown, and still lives with me, not that that's the problem,"

"Sixteen and Grown?" Tara chuckled, "When she was eight you were telling me she's not grown until she's one-hundred and one. What happened?"

"Nothing I can't handle."

Tara hummed, "Doesn't sound like a boy; you're hiding it, and If I know you and Y/n, you did something you regret; you both do that silent treatment to the whole world when that happens."

"We had an argument is all," Ronin informed tensing, "I said some things, I shouldn't have."

"Ronin, talk to her." Tara started, " There's one thing I know, and that's that she loves her big brother. She looks up to you, Ronin."

Ronin was silent, Y/n loving Ronin? Surely not after that argument. Big brother Ronin fails once again.

"Thank you for your time your Queen Tara." Ronin bid farewell with the bow of his head.

Tara only nodded as she watched Ronin walk off. He was deep in thought; conflict really, he messed up, he knew that. Yet explaining his feelings never came any easier than admitting he even had feelings. Ronin didn't, not in his eyes; he kept his emotions in some little box that he threw away the key to. His job was more important; keeping the people safe was more important, and that's what he did. That's what he tried. The parade showed how much of a failure he was. It made him feel that way again. It was meant to go smoothly; grab a pod, get out. Easy and simple. Easily and Simple is just saying things are black and white when nothing truly is. Y/n again; avoided him; someone that would usually calm his nerves, he only saw her once or twice, dressed in uniform, standing at her post; she was still, nothing but seemingly a hard glare, she looked like him; unfortunately.

The parade? A disaster-filled mess with a Boggin ambush at the center of it all, ending with a dead queen. Ending with a dead friend. Ronin was supposed to be there; Not Y/n.

"You'll be okay." Y/n told Tara, "You'll be okay, you'll be okay."

The Queen looked up at her half dead in Y/n's arms, "Do me a solid, stick with you, brother - can't imagine one of you without the other. The worlds lost with that duo."

Y/n couldn't help but smile sadly as tears fell down her face, it was like Tara to make jest in her final moments. She let out a cry as she fell limp in Y/n's arms.

Ronin had gotten there too late, he watching the queen fade away in his sister's arms. Y/n stood up trying to cover up her face from the girl in front of her.

"I'm...sorry-"

"Y/n!"

Ronin ran over, "Are you hurt?"

Y/n kept her body turned away, "Y/n please."

With a careful hand, her face was grabbed, and soon, he had her face between both his hands. He looked her over for injury, a few cuts here and there, a bruise would form alongside her lip, before she rushed into his chest, holding onto her tightly.

"The queen...I.I," She cried, holding onto him tight, "I. I didn't - It's. It's my fault."

"It's...it's not your fault. Look at me." He told her, she looked up at him with glossy eyes and a tear-stained face," it's not your fault, listen to me."

Y/n looked up at him, holding onto his forearms gauntlet, "Go back to Moonhaven, I need you to stay safe-"

Y/n shook her head, "Go back to Moonhaven-"

"No way," Y/n argued, "I can help- Ronin please."

"Y/n. Go back to Moonhaven. Please."

"Ronin-"

"Please."

Y/n looked up at him and nodded in silence, wiping her face of mostly dry tears with her gloved hands she started to back up, finally turning to make it to her bird, only to turn back and rush into his arms again hugging him one last time, he hugging her back, before returning to her bird. As she climbed up onto her bird, she looked at Ronin one last time before flicking the reins and she was off and into the air.

She couldn't help but keep looking back; she shouldn't be helping him in the first place, not after their argument, not after what he said. She couldn't help it at the end of the day; Ronin was the last thing Y/n had, and it went both ways. Or maybe it was the guilt, maybe Y/n agreed with her brother, maybe she did feel responsible for what happened to their Mother, now she had let the queen die, and her brother seemed next in line for the chopping block; he'd die fixing her mistake. It'd be her fault. She perched her bird on a branch, Moonhaven just below. She could continue forward, and then again, she could turn back; go and help her brother.

"Come on!" Y/n shouted, pulling her reins to turn the bird around and she was off in the direction she came from.

When she returned to the spot, her brother was gone, she looked around for tracks, but only found a slime trail that ended pretty shortly where some hummingbird tracks sat facing North.

She hopped on her bird, quickly flying in the direction of North. Luckily her ego wasn't so large that she stopped and asked for directions from multiple people who lived in the forest.

"Leaf Man? You're the first Leaf Man I've seen here." One told

"Oh no sorry dearie." Another answered.

"Nope sorry." The next apologized.

"Oh yeah, I seen a leaf man! with two slugs on his bird weird." A stickman answered.

"Can we be Leaf Men!?" A kid asked.

"yeah, can we miss!" A second kid asked.

Y/n backtracked; "Wait you saw a Leaf Man with two slugs on his bird?"

The stickman nodded, "Yeah, poor bird looks like it was struggling, they were going towards the races."

"Thank you so much, sir."

"no problem."

Y/n took off quickly towards the racing tree. Docking her bird just outside the game stables she walked in, she heard people talking she quickly took behind a wall.

"Kid thinks he can double cross me- he'll wish he never was born. We get rid of Ronin and the kid's easy pickings,"

Y/n unsheathed her sword quietly as she crept forward, quick to press the tip of her sword against the fancily dressed toad. His goons getting ready to fight at the sight of her.

"You wanna run that by me one more time?" Y/n argued.

"Well, if it isn't the dog that lives in Ronin's shadow-"

"Cut the crap before I cut your non-existent cock off." Y/n snapped, "Where's Ronin?"

"And why would I tell you-"

Y/n pushed the tip of her sword farther into his clothed back; not enough to pierce skin, but until his coat was cut, he croaked in fear.

"The good thing about being in the shadows is that no one realizes you till it's too late." Y/n threatened, "Now where's my brother?"

"He took the kid and that damn pod to Nim Galuu's !" He answered quickly.

"Who's the kid!" Y/n argued the sword was easily able to cut threw him right then and there.

"Nod! yeah! Nod he took Nod with 'em, and his gear! Had a chick with 'em and slugs"

"Go." Y/n ordered pushing the toad forward, "Before I have toad for dinner."

He growled at her, the gang members following. The toad looked around to look glare at her, but she was gone, on her bird, and already off to Nim's place. They had two birds, two slugs, and three people. They couldn't be far ahead now, and they weren't.

Screaming caught her ear as she quickly followed the sound through the forest. She had no idea she was flying into a large group of Boggin bats.

"Shit!" She cursed flying into the tree quickly for cover. No one luckily spotting her.

When the bats subsided, she took flight once again and to the ground where she heard the shouting.

"Did you see that!? I didn't think I could jump that high!"

"Jump out!"

Y/n jumped off her bird before it even landed and fell into the hole. The mouse stood on its hind legs, Y/n looking up at it as she snarled and growled at it, lurching at it even to scare it off, and with success she did, it ran it off back into its hole.

She sighed in relief and turned around.

"Hey! Y/n!" Nod cheered jumping down.

Y/n looked his way: "you're an idiot."

"Get it from you." He laughed, Y/n shaking her head.

"You're older than me. Remember?"

"Oh. I am aren't I?" He chuckled nervously, "Guess you do get it from me."

There was a thud, Ronin landing besides the two.

"I told you to go back to Moonhaven," Ronin argued.

"And I decided not to listen. With the most respect as possible, that is." Y/n answered.

"Woah. Wait, respect? Are you two actually cool for once?" Nod laughed, "Seriously?"

"Are you alright?" Y/n asked walking over to the knocked-out girl.

"Mhm. Dad- you'll never guess the dream I had. There were tiny men in the woods and talking slugs-"

Y/n stood above her with cross arms, Ronin and Nod coming up beside her.

"Aw, come on." She complained, "Did one of you split in half?"

"Do I really look like Ronin that much?" Y/n asked.

"Will you take that as an insult or a compliment?" Nod asked, causing Y/n to punch him in the arm, "Uh! Ow!"

"Should I punch you harder?"

"No! No, I'm good!"

Y/n helped the girl up.

"New seating arrangement, she's with me. You're with the slugs." Ronin commented whistling to call his bird.

"What! No fair!" Nod argued, "Have Y/n take one of the slugs!"

"Alright. Grub you're with me." Y/n told, whistling for her own bird.

"yes!" Grub cheered.

"No, Y/n's returning to Moonhaven."

"She didn't go back the first time, what makes you think she's gonna go back this time?" Nod questioned, the three looking Y/n's way, she tossing Grub on the back of her bird.

"Can I wear your helmet?" Grub asked.

"Yeah, to be honest, I don't like wearing it even," Y/n answered pulling it out from her satchel attached to her saddle and putting it on his head without care.

Ronin sighed; Nod was right about this.; "If she gets hurt that's on you."

"Come on its Y/n we're talking about." Nod laughed, "She'll bust Boggins up easily."

"Come on," Ronin told M.K. who followed him to his bird.

With weight distributed more even, travel was a lot easier. They were flying in silence for a while.

"So." M.K. spoke up, "Who is she? one of your soldiers?"

Ronin glanced back at M.K. and then toward Y/n; "Her names Y/n."

"Pretty name."

"It was our Mother's name," Ronin told.

"You're siblings?" M.K. asked, Ronin nodding; "You guys seem to have a good relationship"

"Looks can be deceiving."

"you're serious?" M.K. asked in disbelief, "She's a mini you."

"So, you've said." Ronin commented looking over at Y/n who was keeping idle chatter with the snail behind her, "She's got a lot of things I don't."

"Like?" M.K. asked as Ronin perched his bird, Nod and Y/n following as Ronin scouted the area out.

"Clear." Ronin told the bird taking off again, "She's got a heart, and compassion for everyone, even if you're her worse enemy,"

"Well, how bad is her worse enemy?" M.K. asked Ronin stopping the group one more time, before pushing forward.

"You're looking at him," Ronin answered.

"You? Her worst enemy? But you're her brother." M.K. defended.

"The ones that know us the best hurt us the worse," Ronin informed, "and I've hurt her pretty bad."

Y/n whistled to catch Ronin's attention, "Nim's place on happy hour?" Y/n called out to Ronin, perching their birds for a final time to overlook the overflow of people.

"I thought this was a secret Leaf Man Mission; how many people did the Queen tell about this?" Grub asked, "hey! How did you learn about us?"

Y/n looked back at her friend, "Oh I threatened to cut off that toad's-"

"that's enough." Ronin stopped her Y/n shrugged, and he sighed, rubbing over his face; that was his sister alright.

"Anyways he ended up croaking and telling me he saw you guys leave together."

"Wow." Nod spoke, "You know you should threaten people more often, I'd love to see that fight."

"I would too, but it's not a fight if I just beat people up." Y/n commented, "I'll see you down there."

"Hey! Wait up!" Nod called.

Ronin quickly followed the two, Y/n hopping off her bird and helping Grub off it after her, the others following close behind.

"He'll be able to help us right?" M.K. asked.

Y/n watched as Ronin nodded, "If that's what the queen said, then this is the best option we have."

"Can't we just stab Mandrake?" Y/n asked.

"If it was that easy I would have done it myself," Ronin commented Y/n shrugged.

"He has to be able to help us," M.K. reassured the group; "He's like the wise old man of the forest, right?"

"Oh please," Y/n mumbled.

"He's more of like the crazy uncle," Nod told, "He's real... what's the word."

"Theatrical?" Y/n answered, "Showy? Spotlight lover?

"Yeah, that." Nod smiled, "He can put on a good show."

Y/n was silent as they made their way through; parties weren't her thing, too many people close together, no space to turn, it'd get hot and sticky too quick. Not to mention she didn't really know how to act at a party. She pulled at her collar, it was getting hot, rubbing the back of her neck as if something was bothering her. Her eyes darting around for what seemed to be an escape.

"Come on." Ronin spoke, hand on the mid of her back, "You're lagging."

"I don't like this."

"I know you don't, just stay close."

Ronin was quick to guide her through the crowd and to the side where the rest of the group waited. She looked back at him.

"Thanks..."

"It's what I'm here for."

Y/n nodded, "Yeah..."

Ronin was quiet, keeping his sigh to himself; they'd have to talk about it eventually. But with them actively with no task at hand but waiting today was the first time they talked in a week. They just, stared, at each other in awkward silence, who speaks first?

"Ronin!" Nim called, breaking his train of thought, "The queen, did you hear!? This is terrible! What's going to happen to us!"

Ronin explained, the queen's passing, how, and what were the next steps. Y/n stood quiet during the whole thing, she watching her brother. Nim finally guided them through the tree.

"Are you alright?" M.K. asked quietly walking beside Y/n.

"I'm fine." Y/n told her, "Thanks...uh..."

"I'm M.K." She introduced.

"Y/n." Y/n spoke a small smile coming to her lips, "Nice to finally be introduced,"

"Same here." M.K. smiled back; "Us girls gotta stick together you know."

"uh, yeah." Y/n responded unsure, "Like honey...?"

"That's one way to put it." M.K. laughed, the two girls starting to lag behind the group, "friends then?"

"Friends?" Y/n asked.

"Yeah." M.K. spoke, "You have friends here right? or is there another term for it-"

"No, I. Don't think I'd ever have a girlfriend though," Y/n responded rubbing the back of her neck embarrassingly.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah,"

"you have one now," M.K. spoke a smile in her voice, punching Y/n on her armored shoulder as Y/n chuckled.

"Catch up would you two!" Nod called, Y/n quick to make haste with M.K. following behind her as they all squeezed into a lift which was lowered down.

"Welcome to the scroll rooms!" Nim cheered passing layers and layers of scrolls, "Everything here, past and present."

"So this conversation is being recorded?" Grub asked.

"Yep," Nim told, enthusiasm lacing his voice.

"And this?" Mub asked, sucking his eyeballs into his head.

"Yes," Nim answered.

"What about this?" They both asked, using their eyeballs and knockers, the ones you'd get as a kid on a string.

"Yes," Nim told, a slight change in his tone was subtle but was soon replaced as the lift stopped and they filled out.

"Ah ha!" He smiled, "Should be right here!"

He grabbed it thanking the bug who was carrying it and ripped it up, uncaring about the cleanup.

"Aw, man," Mub complained.

"you've read all of these?" M.K. asked.

"Skimmed mostly," Nim answered, "Now, blooming a pod."

Y/n started to wander.

"Don't go too far," Ronin commented.

"Yeah, yeah." Y/n waved him off casually walking to one of the rows, "Don't worry about me."

Ronin only sighed.

"Here! it is," Nim spoke, "now, let's see... good thing is, once the Queen picks a pod, it will bloom no matter what, but the pod must bloom tonight, at moonlight's highest peak."

"And if it doesn't bloom in the moonlight?" Grub asked, Nim shrugging.

"To be honest termites have been a problem," Nim answered showing the ripped-up scroll end.

"We won't have to worry about that." Ronin spoke, "We'll make a plan to get some energy back."

Ronin walked off, and the others followed him.

"Y/n!" Ronin called for her.

"I'm coming," Y/n called back, making her way back to the lift.

"Hey, before we go back up." Nim stopped her Y/n turning her way.

"yes sir?" Y/n asked.

"Sir? Come on we're family!" He cheered, which Y/n could only raise a brow to, and his response was a laugh, "I knew your Mother very well, we were like two peas in a pod."

"Nice to know she made a lasting impression." Y/n answered, "Sorry to tell you-"

"She's gone I know; I should be the one sorry," Nim told, "You look just like her you know; she'd be proud, Leaf Man's a high honor, and at your age, you're one the first."

Y/n smiled small, "...thanks..."

"Anyway, she'd asked me to give you this, when you came, came with a note and everything that when you came by you'd be ready," Nim told, passing a scroll up his arms and to Y/n which she took with caution, a red string around it to keep it closed, with a little note tied to it, "She had sent it before she past away, I assume just before you were born."

"What is it?"

"I don't know, not my story to read," Nim answered, Y/n looking at the red string tied around it.

She started to untie it, but he stopped her, "It's yours to keep, don't feel pressured to read it here."

Y/n stopped, "Thank you."

The two made their way back to the lift, she took her previous spot and looked down at the scroll in her hand, quietly fiddling with the note on the string, finally, she opened it, Ronin and her name wrote nicely on the small folded paper, then made it to the main halls again.

"eat something, get something to drink, get your energy back," Ronin ordered the group, "Whatever you do stay with the pod."

Nim was kind enough to guide everyone to food and water. Ronin went a separate way from the group, Y/n following her brother.

He stopped by a window, which was really just a hole in the tree depending on how you looked at it.

"I'll take the first watch." Y/n told; "You should go eat first."

"I'll be fine." Ronin answered.

Y/n nodded, "here."

Ronin looked her way, she holding out the scroll for him to take, "It's from Mom... Apparently, her and Nim were good friends or something."

"She patrolled around here a lot with her people." Ronin told her, looking down at the scroll he looked back out the window, "Nim gave it to you, must mean Mother wanted you to have it."

"It has both our names on it," Y/n responded.

Ronin returned his gaze to her.

"I couldn't imagine what she'd want to tell me," Y/n spoke, her voice low and filled with a solemn chuckle, "I don't know her, and she doesn't know me, wouldn't be surprised if it's a big punch in the face- anyways- just take it?"

Y/n shook her hand, gesturing for him to take the scroll, he finally took it from her grasp and set the scroll against the wall. She took a step back and turned around, starting to walk away.

"It's not your fault." Ronin finally spoke up.

"The Queen?" Y/n asked not bothering to turn back to face him, "I know...but I'll do better."

"I don't see what you could have better." Ronin told, "you did what you could, you got her farther than I ever would of, you did good..."

"Thanks," Y/n responded.

"But that's...that's not what I'm talking about."

Y/n turned herself to look at him; "I don't get it."

"Mom."

There was silence between the two, the sound of chattering in the background from the group of people.

"It doesn't bother me-" Y/n was quick to speak up.

Ronin chuckled under his breath, "You're my sister, I know when your lying."

"It's fine," Y/n responded "Really."

"Y/n I'm being serious." Ronin defended.

"So I am." Y/n told him, "I. I'm fine-"

"Fine would be not freezing in a crowd-"

"Just anxiety-"

"Which you get worse when somethings bothering you," He defended, "Fine would be arguing with me -"

"I got tired of it is all-"

"Fine would be me waking you up, not you checking into headquarters hours before I'm even there, Fine would you and Nod talking each other up the trees. You haven't made fun of me this whole time-"

"You're mad because I'm not making fun of you and annoying you?" Y/n argued, "What type of thing is that to get mad at? You asked me to grow up- I did-"

"Well stop it!"

"Stop what!?"

"Being me! Stop being me!" He blurted out finally grabbing her shoulders, the heated air deflating as he sighed.

Y/n looked at him, "Isn't that what you wanted?"

"No." He told, "I don't, I want my sister, not a commanding officer. I want the little girl that was excited about being a Leaf Man! The little girl that used to beg me to go on scouting missions with me, I want the old you back, and your stupid jokes."

Y/n's couldn't help but laugh, trying to hold it in, "And your impressions are even worse. I don't sound like that one bit-"

Y/n held a smile on her face, "You do."

Ronin shook his head in disbelief with a chuckle, "And I'm sorry, Mom had a choice, and she chose you, I would do the same, no matter how many times I would have to. I'd do anything to keep my little sister safe."

Y/n looked up at him, it's been a while since she looked at him like that, with hope, and joy, proud that he was her big brother.

"I love you." Y/n smiled.

"I love you too," Ronin spoke Y/n hugged him tight, and he hugged back kissing her forehead, they pulled away after "now, go eat something, I have a message to send to the other Leaf Men."

"I'll bring you something too." Y/n spoke a smile still on her face, backing out of his grip and running off to find something to eat.

"Woah! Where are you going?" Nod asked with a laugh, grabbing Y/n's wrist, "Not to mention your glowing like the sun- who'd you kill."

"I'm going for food," Y/n said.

"I'd be excited too- but you'll be here?" Nod asked.

Y/n nodded, "Yeah."

"Good," he spoke rushing off quickly, leaving her confused.

"Nod! Where are you- Where's the pod!" She called for him but he left too quick, she sighed and went on the search for food.

Grabbing enough for herself and her brother she went to find the pod, finding Grub and Mub standing in front of a dead fruit fly. She sighed when Mub had the pod.

"Oh did he just die?" Y/n asked.

"We were just talking to him, and then-" Grub started, as the ground shook, "The forest shakes at the passing of the humble fruit fly-"

The ground shook again as Y/n dropped her food, "Get behind me." She ordered the two, hand on the handle of her sword.

There was screaming as a mole came from the floor, and people scattered in fear; looking to hide, to keep themselves safe, all from the person who rode it; Mandrake.

"Well if this isn't a surprise!" Mandrake announced, "I wasn't expecting a party to crash!"

"get out of here!" Y/n ordered drawing her sword quickly.

"Y/n! Wow I haven't seen you since you were a baby!" Mandrake cheered, "Leaf Man! Your Parents must be proud!"

Y/n glared at him, "How is your Mother doing? Her and I, we were good friends after all -"

"Fuck off!" Y/n snapped.

Mandrake chuckled, as his steed circled around the group, "So rude to your guest, tsk, business is business I suppose, a good friend of ours left something very dear to me with your people, and I was told it was here with you."

"yeah! well, you can't have it!" Mub argued.

"Yeah! There's no way we're letting you hurt this pod!" Grub agreed.

"Hurt it?" Mandrake asked, almost as if he was offended, "No, I don't want to hurt it! I need it to live!"

"Well, we're the only ones that know how to take keep it alive!" Mub snapped.

"Thanks for the tip boys!" Mandrake smirked, his staff swinging quick to hit Y/n who luckily blocked it, pushing the strike back at him, he quickly jumped off the mole.

She swung at him, but he blocked, a sound of disapproval coming from his mouth.

"I thought you Leaf Men were better than this-"

"Oh shut up and fight me-"

"Y/n behind you!"

Y/n turned her head quickly to see the Mole's tale whipping her way, smacking her in the back and across the room into a pillar, where she let out a cry at impact and hit the ground hard.

"Thanks for the party, everyone!" Mandrake bowed, grabbing the two slugs with the pod.

Ronin was there too late, jumping from the upper balcony into the hole, a cave-in stopping him from chasing Mandrake any further. Jumping back out of the hole he looked around; looking for someone to yell at; Nod especially, he and M.K. had been glued at this hip; so he should have been there- then he spotted her; Y/n laying on the ground, her sword thrown across the room.

"Y/n!" He called, running her way, tossing his sword aside as he dropped to his knees, rolling her over into his arms, "Y/n, come on. Y/n!"

Her nose was bleeding, and a fresh cut above her brow and her eyes closed, and her chest plate armor cracked.

"Y/n!" Ronin shouted, "Y/n get up!"

He sighed in relief when she made a sound of pain, holding her close, she only pushed herself out of his grasp, her head hurt, and she felt hot, rolling onto her stomach she growled in pain, trying to get herself up to her knees.

"Y/n-"

She slipped, he quickly caught her, "I. I'm okay."

"Y/n please."

Getting to her knees her breath was heavy, and she leaned on Ronin to help herself up. He wrapped her arm around his neck and put an arm across her back, she finally opened her eyes the light blinding her.

"I'm okay," Y/n told him again holding her stomach.

"Ronin!" Nod ran in, M.K. behind him.

He ignored the two, "Is anyone here a healer!? Please! My sister needs a healer!"

A few people stepped up to the plate as healers, they being taken to a side room, Y/n holding onto her brother as tight as she could. She sat down and ripped off her chest plate as quick as she could, sighing in relief as she took in deep breaths. Healers getting to work on her quickly.

"Ronin I-" Nod started.

"You had one job stay with the pod!" Ronin argued grabbing onto Nod's shirt, pinning him against the wall, "That's the last part of the queen I- That anybody had! And I just almost lost the only other thing I ever had!"

"It's my fault!" M.K. defend Nod, as Ronin backed up, "The Queen gave me the pod, I should have been here with it."

"And you, I expected this from him, but from you?" Ronin told voice full of disappointment, "I expected more."

"I was here with it, I should have protected it-"Y/n spoke up.

Ronin snapped his head towards her, "Don't you start."

Y/n groaned instead of arguing back, as one of the healers applied a salve to the cut on her side, wrapping the cut up. Another applying the same salve to her cut brow bone.

"She'll be fine. Armor really helped you there, Miss." One the healers informed, "You'll be sore."

There was a sigh of relief all around, Y/n thanking the healers before they left. Y/n stood up, wincing as she started putting herself back together.

"And what are you doing?" Ronin asked.

"Well, we have to get the pod back." Y/n spoke, pulling the chest plate on and lacing it up, "you really think you were benching me?"

"And how do we do that?" Ronin asked.

"Easy." Y/n spoke, "we'll sneak in with disguises."

"Oh great. I'll go as a rat, and Nod can be my cricket lady friend. You can be a shrew."

"Hey." Nod complained.

"Not to mention I don't have any Boggin armor on hand." Ronin spoke, Y/n grabbing her sword which had been leaning against the wall.

"I know where we could get some." M.K. chimed in, climbing onto Nod's bird.

"I'm down," Y/n spoke walking towards hers.

"You're not going anywhere. Not like that." Ronin stopped Y/n, stepping in front of her.

"He took my only friends. I'm fucking his face up, not that it isn't already," Y/n defended pushing past Ronin and climbing onto her bird looking towards M.K. "I'll follow you."

M.K. nodded and looked towards the last two, "well?"

Ronin sighed.

"In my experience, six hands are better than two." Nim answered, "and you'll have eight."

"Come on," M.K. told Nod, his only response a shrug, hopping on the bird behind her as she took off faster than light, Nod's shout of surprise being left behind.

The siblings were quick to follow M.K.'s path. They made it to the edge of the forest. Y/n perched her bird beside M.K.

"Woah where are we?" Nod asked.

"We're not supposed to go out this far," Y/n told.

"No, you aren't supposed to go out this far," Nod commented Y/n rolling her eyes.

"Rules apply to both of us you know?"

"Right, Right," Nod nodded, "And guess who comes out here anyways?"

Y/n glared at him, "Oh, you!" He cheered.

"You come out here?" Ronin asked, clearly mad; "You'll get hurt out here- you know-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm not allowed out here because it's dangerous, yadda, yadda, ya." Y/n mimicked, "I go places I'm not supposed to go, and you don't share your feelings, seems like a fair deal to me."

"You'll be the death of me."

"You'll get a cool death at least."

"Come on," M.K. told, flying the bird off as Y/n shrugged following her.

They made it to the window seal, hopping off their birds Y/n looked through the glass.

"How'd you know about this place?" Nod asked.

M.K. didn't bother answering as they slipped in through a small crack in the open window.

"It's over there." M.K. pointed across the room.

"Let's make this quick," Ronin ordered, taking the lead and jumping down with ease, just to jump back up onto the high desk.

"See you on the other side." Y/n playfully saluted to the two, "Oh- and don't die Nod?"

He shook his head, Y/n easily made her way down, using a stapler on the floor to help her jump higher and onto the desk with ease.

"Can't jump as far as you use to?" Ronin joked.

"Oh please, I'm saving my best moves for the end." Y/n spoke, "plus- oo! ow ow!-"

Ronin went from joking to worried in a matter of minutes, Y/n holding her side as she hunched over, "y/n-"

She laughed, he glaring at her as she stood back up, "had to get you back."

Y/n pushed past him to go back to the edge with a smile, looking down, "Guys come on!" She called.

Turning back around Y/n looked around: "What is all this stuff?"

"Beats me," Ronin told.

"Hey, what's that?" Y/n asked happily wandering off, Ronin grabbing her arm before she could go.

"We're not touching anything, we're getting the boggin armor and getting out." Ronin told.

"Fine, I choose the forbidden place we go next time then," Y/n spoke, Nod and M.K. finally made their way up.

They carefully made there way across the desk, to the Boggin armor.

"You know some of this stuff I've seen-" Nod told.

"It's boggin armor, you see one you saw 'em all," Y/n told, stopped by one of the boards with pinned-up armor, she reached out for some.

"No, touching," Ronin told her.

"Seriously? how do you expect me to grab the armor then?" Y/n asked.

"hey this is my saddle!" Nod argued grabbing the saddle from the pin-up board, "Where are we-"

The ground-shaking cut him off, Ronin grabbing onto Y/n to steady the both of themselves.

"oh no." M.K. shook, the group turning there heads towards the giant that walked across the room.

"Oh!" Nod laughed.

"It's where this guy lives," Ronin spoke, the group rushing to higher ground.

"Wait you know him?" M.K. asked.

"yeah, he's a stomper," Nod answered.

"Stomper?" M.K. asked.

"Most come and go," Y/n informed, "This one's been here for years."

"why are they called stompers?" M.K. asked.

"Well there, like me and you, but, bigger, stupid, and stomp on everything," Nod told.

"And he's been obsessed with proving our existence," Ronin commented, "That'll never happen. Can't have his big feet stepping on Moonhaven, so we've been throwing him off our trail."

"Seriously?" M.K. aspirated her arms out gesturing to all the stuff, "But he's found all of this stuff."

"He only finds what Ronin 'wants' him to find." Y/n told, "I think the stompers could be helpful. I heard that there's a spray that could kill easily, easy for them to get and everything; it could just cover Mandrake's area in it and we'd be home free."

"bug spray," M.K. answered.

"I don't know, but if it kills Mandrake i could care less." Y/n told.

"But come on!" Nod jumped in, "You know how funny this guy is? Parading around the forest? Look. at. this. acorn."

M.K. clearly wasn't impressed with the impression.

"come on it's not funny-"

Y/n was surprised when Ronin jumped in faking holding his elbow in pain; "I.hurt.my.elbow."

"it's his life's work!" M.K. argued.

"Come on Y/n! You've run into him before!-" Nod tried to get Y/n to join in on the fun Y/n shaking her head with crossed arms, "Remember when he fell!"

"he's my dad!"

The laughter stopped

"Seriously?" Nod asked in disbelief, "So what? You shrunk down?"

"Yes!" M.K. shouted, "Which they know!"

Nod looked at Y/n and Ronin, "Seriously?"

"it's been a weird day for all of us," Ronin answered a smirk still on his face.

"Y/n?" Nod asked.

"learn how to read a room maybe dingleberry-brain," Y/n answered.

"You got a problem with stompers?" M.K. asked.

"A stomper stepped on my uncle," Nod answered.

"Oh, my god? seriously?" M.K.'s face full of concern.

"No." Nod laughed, M.K. groaning in annoyance, and pushing Nod hard in the chest.

"Too far?" Nod asked.

"Don't as me about too far, me and my brother joke about death," Y/n answered.

"But do it again, maybe she'll hit you harder," Ronin answered as Y/n covered her mouth in an attempt to hide her laugh. Ronin elbowed her playfully she pushing him back as they went their own way to get what they came for.

It was with ease that they pulled armor from the pinned display array.

"Hey!" Ronin called, Y/n looking back, Ronin hunched over hand out like they were claws, "How do I look?"

"Sad and depressing." Y/n answered honestly, "it suits you."

"Haha." He laughed sarcastically as Y/n laughed pulling on her own mask, covering her face fully

"Hey, you look better than you did before." He spoke Y/n pushing him as he laughed.

M.K.'s scream that came next broke their jokes, Y/n turning towards Nod: "It wasn't me!"

The continued screaming came as the three watched stuff come crashing down and the slow sound of a dog barking. Y/n rushed to the edge, M.K. being chased around. If that wasn't bad enough, the stomper was getting up.

"Go!" Ronin ordered.

Y/n jumped down with whatever she grabbed in hand, hoping to help M.K. and get the dog to stop chasing her.

"Come on!" Y/n shouted, grabbing M.K.'s hand to speed her up.

"I can't keep up!" M.K. shouted, tripping over her own feet, grip lost as her hand slipped from Y/n's hand, hitting the wooden floor.

Y/n stopped her running, sliding across the floor to a halt. She ran back towards her, quickly helping M.K. up to her feet.

"Go!" Y/n shouted, making sure to stay behind M.K. to keep her safe.

Ronin drew an arrow, aiming it at the oncoming Stomper.

"No don't hurt him!" M.K. shouted, pushing him off target, the arrow hit still, just unsure of where.

"Hey!" Y/n snapped at M.K., "watch it!"

"That's my dad!" She reminded.

"And that's my brother!" Y/n complained.

There was a crash, glass breaking, and the Stomper ran into its desk.

"Ow! I. Hurt. My. Elbow!"

Nod laughed, looking the way he pointed up at the Stomper: "Did you hear him!? He said it! Aw that never gets old!"

"Move!" Ronin ordered the group.

Y/n was quick alongside her brother to make it up back to the window seal. Nod and M.K. not too far behind.

The vacuum of wind caught everyone off guard, Y/n almost slipping from the sudden pull as Ronin grabbed onto her. M.K. wasn't so lucky and ended up being sucked into the vacuum. Nod made it up to the window seal.

"What do we do?!" Nod asked.

"You want us to go against that thing?" Y/n argued.

"No-Yes! I don't know!" Nod defended, "come on help me!"

Nod jumped back down, Y/n groaning and following.

"Y/n!-" Ronin called after her, she rushing after Nod.

Tipsy was one way to put the stumbling man, he slowly starting to fall.

"Nod!" Y/n shouted, pulling him from jumping across and onto the desk.

The stomper hit the desk, and M.K. was free with the break of glass. This guy sure did have a lot of glass in his house. Nod broke from Y/n's grip to rush after M.K. and Y/n made her way back up to the window seal.

"No ones dead." Y/n spoke.

"Surpisngly."

"Hey, I can't make everything perfect." Y/n told slipping outside and whistling for the birds.

Ronin joined her short after ordering the two to hurry, strapping the gear to the side of his saddle.

"You know after this." Y/n commented, "We should eat dinner."

Ronin raised an eyebrow, "Saving the forest? And your thinking about food?"

"Yeah," y/n told, "me and you, we should eat dinner like we use to. Whens the last time we did that? Sat down? And ate dinner that we made together? I liked when we did that."

Ronin was silent for a moment, they hadnt sat down for dinner since before Y/n started trainning to become a leaf man, it had to be atleast two? Two and a half years?

"Time goes by fast." Ronin commented, then looked her way, "I don't see why we couldn't do it again."

Y/n looked at him and smiled: "Yeah. It would be nice."

He watched as she looked back at her bird, smile faultering, she looked anxious.

"Hey," Ronin spoke up, She looking his way once again, his hand cupping her cheek, "we're gonna do it again."

Y/n was silent, "I....know..."

"You dont sound so sure that you know." Ronin pointed out; his next words ment to come out jokingly;"Dont tell me your scared."

Y/n's eyes casted down: "uh...no...No-"

"Y/n its okay to be scared-"

"Im not scared." y/n reassured, "I...I'm just..."

Ronin's thumb rubbed over her cheek in a soothing matter, he remembers when there Mother use to do it to him when he was young.

"Bile took...mom that day." y/n finally muttered out, "what if it takes you."

"Life can't stop because I go." He answered.

"Im being serious, Ronin." Y/n argued, pulling away from him and crossing her arms in matter comforting to her, "What happens if you die? What happens to...to the forest. To the leaf men..."

"The Leaf Men, the forest, it was here before both our times." He answered, "it'll be here long after,"

Y/n looked at him and nodded, arms stay crossed for a moment as she thought, "Yeah... okay."

They returned to there birds, "oh an Y/n."

Y/n turned her head, "yeah?"

"I'd never leave you alone. Even if I hated you, I'd never leave you alone."

"Promise?" Y/n asked.

Ronin gave a curt nod, "With my last good eye."

A smile was brought to Y/n's as she shook her head with a chuckle, Nod finally making his way outside with M.K. It was back to stern faces and hidden emotions, minds only focused on the task at hand; sneaking in sucessfully across enemy lines.

They hid their birds in the dead tree tops. Down below the boggin army marched. Dressing themselves in the armor - the stolen armor - they quickly joined the walking army, keeping close together.

"Smells like something died in here." M.K. complained.

"That's because something did," Y/n answered.

"Keep it down. We dont want to be noticed." Ronin ordered.

The group went quiet, Mandrake's half downed caslte of a tree came into view, Y/n found herself wearing a hard glare and walking faster than the rest of the group.

"Y/n!" Nod whisper-shouted after her, "Y/n!"

Ronin was careful to catch up, he grabbing Y/n's arm.

"You'll give us away." He argued quietly there pace slowing back down to normal.

"My friends are in there." Y/n defended.

"Rushing in will get them and all of us killed." Ronin told, "have patience."

"Im out of patience."

"Well make some more."

Y/n pulled away from his grip with a growl under her breath and kept pace beside him. Later, rather than sooner, they made it inside Mandrake's base, safe, together and still under the cover of surpise.

"You three go and find the slugs." Ronin directed, "keep the pod safe."

"What are you going to do?" Nod asked.

"I'll be the distraction." Ronin told.

"By yourself? No way." Y/n argued, "I'm coming with you. There's four of us, we split in half; no one goes alone."

"I need you to protect the pod." Ronin defended, "I don't trust anyone more than you for this."

"Ronin-" y/n argued.

"That's an order." He cut her off, Y/n's eyebrows knitted in anger.

"Fine." Y/n complained, defeated, "then you promise me, you're not going to do anything stupid."

He let out a laugh,pulling off the Boggin mask, "Stupid? Please it's me."

Y/n rolled her eyes as he tossed the coat to the floor. "Follow the trail."

Ronin pointed out the slime trail left behind by the slugs: "You'll find them easy."

Y/n nodded, "Now. Excuse me while I go have fun."

Ronin jumped off whistling loudly, Boggins turning his way, "I'm goin' to make this real simple! I run! And you try to catch me!"

"Come on, on me." Y/n ordered, leading the two to follow the trail of slug slime.

With every Boggin after Ronin, the trip was easy: the slime trail led to a cell in the ground. Y/n pushed the cover off.

Nod reaching inside to grab the first slug.

"This woman has got a grip!-" Mub cheered slurly, Nod pulling him up by his eyes.

"Oh, come on!" He complained seeing it was Nod; "You got to work on your grip dude its a bit womanly."

Y/n pulled Grub up while M.K. was handed the pod.

"You came for us!" Grub cheeded, hugging Y/n's legs.

"You're my friends. Why wouldn't I come for you?" Y/n asked.

"Well man after Mandrake whipped you into that pillar we thought you were dead!" Mub laughed.

"We did not!"

"Ub huh!"

"No!"

"Uh huh!"

"No!"

"Hey! Dead or not. Im alive." Y/n argued with the two, "we need to go!"

"The gaurds! There coming back!" M.K. told the group seeing the shadows getting closer.

"I have a plan! Everyone hide in there shells!" Grub told, he hiding in his shell, in the moment it sounded like a good idea sure; "oh...right! I have another plan!"

"Do it quick! Im going after Ronin from another angle-"

"He said your in charge!" M.K. argued.

"Right. I'm in charge. Get out of here with the pod, now!" Y/n ordered quickly running off, discarding the Boggin armor as she ran into a hall across from where they had come in.

Y/n was quick to find an opening, drawing the bow from across her body and pulling an arrow from her quiver to knock. Mandrake was boasting to her brother, pratically standing still, handing her the jackpot. Greed often spoils the jackpot, and it would again. She took the shot, a direct hit into his shoulder.

Y/n smirked, even that was to big of a celebration.

"Wow! Brought your dear sister to watch you die!" Mandrake smirked breaking the arrow at the entry point, he hissing in pain, "Kill her! Leave her bones for me: I want a new bow."

Ronin was quick to charge at him, sword unseathed, and quick to clash with Mandrake's staff, each pushing against each other with all there anger.

"You threatened my sister, so I'll have your fucking head." Ronin snapped.

"Oh, family!" Mandrake smirked, "can't live with them. Can't live without them. You know how that is: all alone!."

"I don't know I'll ask your son." Ronin argued, "Oh. Wait."

Mandrake's smirk went dark, anger, painting his face as his slashing became more furious, a frenzy of them full of anger, hard to keep up with; hard to block.

Y/n was on the run with what seemed half the boggin existence on her, she jumping from walkway to walkway leading them away. The doorway in front of her she'd figure she'd go through come out through another hall' loop around, yet Boggins came from the opening, she skidding to a stop to turn back around, her way blocked by the enemy. She trapped herself.

"Nowhere to run."

"and nowhere to hide."

Y/n backed up, almost slipping over the platform's edge, bringing her fingers to her mouth, she whistled loudly, and let herself fall off the platform, her hummingbird following in a dive after her. Grabbing onto the reins, she managed to catch her feet in the loops and pull herself into the saddle, she pulled the reins to level out the bird and guide it to a deep incline.

"Thank you!" Y/n aspirated, patting the bird on the side, they had been practicing that for a while, "Let's go get Ronin!"

The bird was quick to fly up despite the deep incline, the bird whizzed past the two fighting, past Nod and M.K. hanging from the ceiling holding onto the slugs, they where playing footsies with two guards chasing them, trying to make each other fall. Turning the bird around to make its way back down, Y/n pulled an arrow from her quiver, knocking it the bird flew back toward her brother and Mandrake. She was quick to take the shot, missing terribly as he dodged one of Ronin's attacks, he kicking Ronin back. She cursed to herself, pulling another arrow to knock, a Boggin coming up from behind Ronin, which Y/n quickly shot. Defending Ronin of extra oncoming attackers seemed the better route to go. Nod's whistle caught her ears.

"Come on! Hurry!" Nod shouted toward Ronin

"I got him! Go!" Y/n shouted the order, shooting a boggin grabbing onto M.K.'s legs, "get out of here!"

Nod looked her way on nodded, Y/n nodding back as she focused back on defending her brother.

"You know what to do girl," Y/n told to bird, they dived back towards her brother as Y/n jumped off her bird, her brother's bruises already forming.

She stood with him fighting Boggins back, "She's gonna loop back around! And then we jump!" Y/n ordered.

"Did you think of this specific situation when training her!?" Ronin laughed, back to hers.

Y/n laughed back, "Hey, who doesn't love fighting to the death! It's a great family outing!"

There was chirping; Y/n's hummingbird coming back around.

"Ready!?" Y/n asked, punching a Boggin hard across the face, ducking as another came after her with a punch, Ronin punching it instead.

"On you!" Ronin told, Y/n grabbing Ronin's arm as she ran off the edge, they landed on the bird, but not evenly, as it rocked and chirped in fear.

Ronin took lead, Y/n behind him.

"Hold on!"

The bird took off with speed, another steep incline Y/n held onto Ronin tight, and they made it out into the open air.

Ronin laughed, "Not bad at all!"

Y/n's grip started to slip from him, he looked back at her; their incline not helping at all as she was falling backward with a look of shock on her face. Shot in the back with an arrow.

"Y/n!" He called out for her, reaching his hand out, hoping to catch her, to no avail.

"Go!" Ronin ordered the bird, grabbing its reins to turn it back around, but it didn't listen and leveled out, flying quickly away; "Go back! Go back for her!"

The hummingbird continued at a face pace flying to catch up with the rest of the group that had escaped.

"Ronin!" Nod cheered, "You're alright!"

The broken look on Ronin's face told otherwise; he look away from the group.

"Where's Y/n?" Grub asked.

"Y/n..." Ronin started, "Didn't make it..."

"Oh," Mub answered.

It grew silent, Ronin's sister gone, Mub and Grub's best friend, their only friend really; gone. The idiot squad of Nod and Y/n dismembered.

"I'm sorry," M.K. offered her condolences, arm securely around Nod.

The trip back to Moonhaven was quiet, filled with saddening silence, the moon would be at its highest soon and the new Queen would be crowned. Almost to Moonhaven; a defense squad stopped them all lead by Ronin's second in command.

"It's glad to have you back sir." He told he wasn't the only one excited to have their commanding officer back.

Ronin nodded, "Have any Boggin's tried to attack Moonhaven?"

"No sir-"

He stopped himself, realizing the bird he was riding on; "Y/n is with you, sir?"

Ronin looked his way, a look that was all that was needed; "No,"

"Oh."

"Double defenses." Ronin changed the subject, "Mandrake will be coming for the pod."

His second-in-command nodded as they made it to the outskirts of Moonhaven. The pod would be safe inside the castle, guarded and taken care of. Nim was there, he knew about blooming a pod more than anyone else. It was the chaos before the storm; the last stand to save the forest and everyone within it. Everybody running around: armoring up, restocking arrows, and quickly sharpening their swords, Ronin ordered people around with haste: this had to happen, formations had to be tight and precise.

"Sir!" A leaf man shouted to grab his attention, "They're here!"

It grew silent as everyone looked at someone; it would be people's last days.

"You heard her! Out now!" He ordered, "Moonhaven does not fall!"

There were battle cries all around; soldiers rushing to their birds ready to take to the sky.

"You ready for this?" Ronin asked Nod.

"No!"

"Good!"

The fight was brutal; Boggins dropped like flies, and did Leaf Men, but it ensued, arrows flew through the air and swords clashed with clubs.

M.K. who was left to sit and wait; needed to help; she felt obligated; after all, if this pod didn't bloom, she'd be stuck here forever. So she rushed off with a bright idea, to get her dad involved, bat noises to draw away the Boggin's steeds.

Sure it worked, but Mandrake was already there; ready to claim his dark heir to the throne. Even with Nim and Mub trying to distract him, and pull him away he advanced, yet he was stabbed in the back, an arrow lodged deep inside his skin as he let out a cry and turned his head in anger.

"You miss me bitch!?" Y/n shouted, battered, bruised, bleeding, armor broken and missing; she pulled out her sheathed sword in the ready position.

"Y/n!" Mub cheered.

"You just don't die!" Mandrake shouted in anger pulling the full arrow from his back.

"Yeah well maybe don't shoot a soldier with her own arrow," Y/n smirked, "Plus imagine Ronin without me? He'd die, let's be honest."

His only response was to growl and run at her, she lifted her sword in defense as they clashed.

"not bad for a boggin." Y/n teased, Mandrake growling, if she got him mad enough- his hits became filled with fury, they were uncoordinated and spasm-like.

Finding the first wide opening she dodged to the side slashing his side and ending up on the side of the pod, she quick to take the offensive side and slashed, hit, and fought; he was tired from his anger, she pushed him hard enough to where he slid across the floor, even with his planted feet.

"Retreat while you have the chance," Y/n ordered; "Or I will kill you."

Mandrake came at her again; compassion was defeated by passion, he cursed her as he attacked with newly found energy and strength, her grip lost on her sword as it went flying across the room, landing and sliding across the floor. She glared up at him, just to be punched across the face and hard, knocking her to the ground, along with the wind out of her, before she could even try and get up she was kicked in the gut.

"You know what I love about leaves?" Mandrake asked, "They all fall to the ground and die! And you're dying all alone!"

Y/n tried to get up, as he raised his staff into the air, ready to end her life, by his hand. Two swords blocked the heavy hit that Y/n was expecting. Ronin and Nod holding their ground in defense, leaf men standing behind them defending the pod with shields.

"Alone is not the word I would use for it-" Ronin answered, "She's annoying, but never alone; not as long as I live!"

Y/n reached her hand forward grabbing the arrow that had been discarded beginning of the battle,.

"Then you'll all die!" He shouted, Ronin and Nod struggling against Mandrake's pressure.

Y/n looked back, moonlight soon to be encasing the pod she forced herself up as Ronin's and Nod's defense was broken, Y/n shouting as she drove herself into Mandrake's chest. Panting heavily as she pushed the arrow farther into his chest.

She pushed herself off him, breath still not caught as she walked him to take a step back, hand phantomly cupping in the arrow, unsure if he was to even touch it.

"I told you to leave." Y/n told holding her side, "and you didn't."

He turned to retreat, but he wouldn't get very far, not with death creeping up the steps of the palace to meet her newest addition. He made it to the stairs, but that was it, he fell to his knees, and soon his side followed as he died on the steps of Moonhaven's castle.

Y/n's body gave out after, exhausted, and tired. Ronin caught her, putting her arm around his shoulder.

"Did you know-" Y/n interrupted herself with her own coughing; it hurt and sounded deep, yet she managed to clear her throat, "Did you know...that...oh jeez...it's, give me a minute would you?"

Ronin only smiled at her exhausted state; she was beaten to hell and back, but alive.

"I don't know what you're going to say, but I know that I'm the luckiest brother out there," Ronin told causing Y/n to laugh in exhaustion.

Before she could reply, the room was filling with soldiers and civilians, and the pod was blooming. It was a happy moment laced with sadness; Queen Tara would be gone forever after this.

A warm yet phantom hand was placed on her shoulder, she smiled at the impression of the queen in front of her.

"You did good, hard to split up the icon duo isn't it?" Tara jested as they both smile, Y/n looking at Ronin and he looks back at her as they chuckled, then turned back at the queen, "You'll be amazing Y/n, I know it."

Y/n nodded, bowing her head in a final goodbye her eyes closed, Tara's last goodbye to her was a kiss to the head, motherly even. She was let go by Ronin, and luckily she could balance herself, joy filled her; her people were alright, her friends; her brother.

She raised her head, eyes opening as she looked towards Ronin who smiled proudly at her. Everyone was looking at her she chuckled awkwardly as she looked down at her feet- her armor white, with gold detailing; looking at her hands they were adorned with white gloves and golden leaf details.

"Wait! Did I just-" She asked looking at Ronin, who couldn't help but laugh at her expression.

Nim walked in front of her, "You're majesty." he bowed.

Y/n bowed back, and everyone followed quickly with a smile on their face.

"Never thought Y/n would be queen, the get-up looks good on her though," Nod murmured, Ronin hit him on the arm, "What it's a compliment- I'm jealous of the new armor."

Everyone rose to their feet, "okay I can't balance any longer-"

Ronin was quick to hold his sister up once again, they laughed as she leaned on him; "Moonhaven's lucky to have you."

Y/n smiled yet winced, "And I'm lucky to have the best brother, I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world,"

"how about a healer?" Ronin asked.

"Yeah I might trade you for that," Y/n answered both laughing, "But besides that- I'm one lucky sister, even if we do fight, and we say things we don't mean, and we hate each other. I know you'll always be there for me."

#epic 2013 x reader #epic 2013 #ronin epic #Epic 2013 x sibling! reader #sibling reader #Ronin x sibling reder #x reader #x female reader #female reader #Ronin x reader #I love it when my own work makes me cry #fanfc #Epic 2013 fanfic

127 notes · View notes

localguy2 · 1 year

Note

Oi may I please request some zane head cannons (I need some variety )

💡💡💭

Sure thing, here's a teeny tiny list of headcanon for your enjoyment:

- Heavy sleeper imo, probably the heaviest on the team, it may be confirmed that Cole snores, but in my eyes Zane will always be the heavier sleeper cuz of Crystalized and Seabound

- he's actually a pretty good leader, but self doubt and worry fuck him over more then anything, that combined with how his plans sometimes don't take into account the people around him makes him scared shitless of leading at times

- examples of mostly good leading is in Season 5 where he's mainly the one spear heading the team in Stiix, although to be fair to Zane, Kai did also fuck up a lot of his plans (*cough* making Ronin raise the price & unintentionally hitting him with the crane which broke his voice box *cough*)

- examples of bad plans/leadership is possibly Sons of Garmadon where he basically throws Cole under the bus to get into the SoG (poor Cole lmao), and while he did get a good amount of info for the ninja, in the end it ended up with him at the bottom of the canyon (although again to be fair to him, if it wasn't for Harmui then the Sons of Garmadon would have probably not found about his true identity)

- on the topic of whole SoG plan, he's really fucking embarrassed about it and is also really guilty, and he apologises constantly to Cole for it, because not only did his plan get his brother in danger, in his eyes it was all for nothing since he got beat by Mr.E and almost died for it, depression!

- sorta linked with the last one, Green Ninja complex! (this time Nindroid edition), Basically like Lloyd, he feels like he should be more responsible, as such he holds himself to ridiculously high standards at times, which can be a determent of his own health at times, physical and mental, physical as in throwing himself into danger, and mental as in not wanting to fail at anything, because in his eyes "I'm a nindroid, I should be much better at this then the avgrage person.", fun all round ey?

- Can communicate with PIXAL without having to say anything, basically messaging PIXAL just by thinking about it, which has lead to some very obscure and random moments where he and PIXAL break out into laughter all of the sudden (yes they have inside jokes about everyone including each other)

- will not allow himself any rest if any of the ninja is hurt in any shape way or form, and if everyone is injured? Well fuck me he's staying up for at least 2 weeks with no sleep just to watch over them, something that Wu doesn't approve of because he probably needs as much rest as the rest of the injured ninja, but he can't do anything since-

- Zane is stubborn, stupidly stubborn at times, if he's focused on a task oh he WILL get it done and he will not let shit get in his way

- has won a chess championship because he thought it would be an "intertsing expiernce.", he hated it because of how people showed up and asked for pictures and shit lmao

- has both the most and least amount of control over his element, most as in being precise and accurate with freezing his targets and landing his shots, least as in the Ice Emperor trauma overwhelming him and causing him to lose control sometimes (although with Quest for The Lost Powers, he's since regained full control over his element)

- when the others found out that he was a nindroid (and that he didn't have a mom), they all decided that the next best thing would be to make him the mom of team, as such they celebrate mother's day in his honour (he finds it weird but at the same time amusing asf)

- mother's day when he was dead after Season 3 was possibly one of the most depressing times for the ninja, >:)

- makes ice sculptures for everyone randomly, which sorta leads into the next action

- he's the "Shows affection through actions" type, he doesn't have a problem saying that he loves his family out right, but he prefers physical actions to show his affection (making ice sculptures, cooking a favourite dish, heck perhaps even knitting clothes)

- occasionally lets his falcon out just to talk and hand out with it, he loves his berb a lot since its his last link to his father

- an absolute Disney princess with animals, "Awwww look at this horrifying abomination!" *pets the creature* "Can we keep him? <:)"

- still chills out at the bottom of cold lakes (this task has become significantly easier ever since Nya became the elemental master of water)

- is locked in an endless war with Cole over the title of "biggest brother in the family", it is yet to conclude despite all the shit they went through

- speaking of big brother and shit, I see a lot of people talking about Kai and Lloyd or RGB siblings, and believe those are really damn good I can't argue about that, BUT, hear me out: Lloyd and Zane with Lloyd as the little brother and Zane the big brother.

I mean it's just waiting to happen at this point, shared trauma alone is enough to make these 2 understand each other really well, here's a few examples:

1) the overlord, they've both faced the overlord alone and they damn well know how terrifying it is having the weight of the entire world on your shoulders

2) loving thier fathers, and having to watch thier legacies be destroyed, Sensei Garmadon's sacrifice was all for nothing when Harumi brought back the evil side of him, and all of Julien's good work was now sorta in bad name because of the Nindroid army, after all the nindroid army was based on Zane's design, which was made by Julien

3) both are scared of what they might become, in Season 11 Lloyd is scared that he might becomes like his father, an Oni, which is one of the reasons he hates embracing his Oni side so much in Crystalized, and Zane is scared of becoming just lines of code (personal interpretation is that it's the Ice Emperor, the Staff's influence and Vex's manipulation basically render him a set of lines of codes, constantly repeating the same cycle of attacking innocents and trapping them in his ice)

4) they've both died, Zane god knows how many times and Lloyd briefly in March of the Oni (shared death expiernces hellll yeaaaah)

This headcanon is a hill I'm willing to die on proudly

- on the topic of the nindroid army actually, Nindroid hate SKYROCKETED during Rebooted, and Zane wasn't spared that hate, fortunately for him and unfortunately, most of the hate went away after he sacrificed himself, yeah he might be fuckin dead but hey at least the word nindroid now isn't ruined anymore!

- has a sort of secret agreement with Kai of looking out for each other constantly, while Kai is a goofball at most times, he and Kai both are extremely serious about protecting their family, thus they understand each other super well, if Zane needs to have a serious talk with anyone, it's not Wu or Cole or anyone else he goes to, it's Kai, and vice versa

- stays up the entire night sometimes because he's having an existential crisis about how he's gonna outlive all his friends and loved ones, have fun with that one

- and now for a rapid fire set of HCs when it comes to his relationship with the other ninja:

Lloyd - a little brother he has to protect at all costs

Cole - the best costumer he could ask for, if Zane opened a restaurant Cole would be there every single day, will cook 5 cakes for Cole's birthday

Nya - tech and fighting bestie, Nya used to be Samurai-X so she knows her way around technology, as such they love talking about the latest stuff from Borg, also fighting besties, aside from their elements working well together (and especially if Kai is there, helping melt Zane's ice for Nya to control) they also are the most dangerous and well coordinated duo on the team, they will bust out fighting moves like it's nothing, and they are especially good at pinching their enemies and overwhelming them with constant attacks

Kai - mature brother he can trust at all times without hesitation, they both easily have the most shared secrets out of everyone, a testament to show how much they look out for each other

Jay - video games and random talks bestie, Zane has no issue spending hours at a time just to listen to Jay talk about anything cuz he genuinely finds it fun, plus it kills the time if there's nothing better to do

Wu - Wu still has a soft spot for Zane (bring back that season 1 and 2 dynamic writers c'mon), and Wu has special tasks reserved for him, and some secrets as well (Lloyd and Cole also have soft spots in Wu's heart)

PIXAL - do I seriously need to explain PIXAL? I mean fuck she's literally the love of his life, she understands him more then anyone im the world, and she knows everything about him thanks to living in his head for a while (vice versa with how he knows everything about her since she lived in his head), she's also the one to repair him most of the time (and again vice versa), the love for each other goes way beyond a nomal relationship because they just understand each other so well, and if harm falls on any of one of them, the cookie will indeed, crumble like a stack of playing cards

Oh and also vehicle building besties loool

#ninjago #zane julien #cole brookstone #lloyd garmadon #kai smith #nya smith #jay walker #pixal borg #master wu #Fuck it tagging every member of the ninja team lmao #Zane is the blorbo of all time #I love himbb #thanks for the ask!

68 notes · View notes

mathmusicninja · 1 year

Text

TMNT Fic and Comic Recs

An ongoing list. Feel free to drop more in the notes!

(tw: strong language for the majority of these. Mind the tags and be safe!)

AO3 Authors:

T33la, (mostly ’03 with a heavy IDW influence), anything they write is great—a little spooky at times, but always with lots of comfort in the end. Personal favorite at the moment: “The Gauntlet” (but all of their stuff is seriously so good)

Flynne, (mostly ’03), I’m still reading all of their stuff (lots of one-shots with a few longer fics), but liking what I see so far, lots of really good hurt/comfort. Personal favorite fic at the moment: “Collector”

Halogalopaghost (halogalopaghost), (’03), mostly one-shots to fill in between the lines of canon. Personal favorite fic at the moment: “Doctor On Call”

AO3 Fics:

"Pretend that I Never Left" by redstringraven (sirimiri), ('03 x HZD), tw violence, during the Ultimate Drako fiasco, Mikey is taken to a different reality where animal-like machines roam the land and people live in tribes. Technically a crossover with Horizon Zero Dawn but no prior knowledge of the game is necessary! Mikey-centric long fic

"How to accidentally kidnap yourself several times over" by Camildeni, (Rise x '03 x '12 x Bayverse), instead of getting himself out of a sticky situation, Rise!Mikey accidentally brings more of himself into it. Very fun and creative

"Looking for a Furr-Ever Home" by The67ImpalaDragonChild, ('03), each of the boys gains a new companion through various means. Adorable, also has hurt/comfort and holiday feels

"Little Kid with a Big Death Wish" by remrose, (Rise), tw dissociation and suicide attempt, Leo-centric recovery fic after the movie, very well written and focuses on non-linear (but upward!) healing. Can be intense at some parts. Excellent hurt/comfort

“I May Be Invisible, But I Still Look Good” by Dandy (@dandylovesturtles), (Rise), Leo gets mystically separated from his body and his brothers go through a lot to get him back. Dandy also has other Rise one-shots that I enjoyed (especially “Tapping Out”)

"Underdark" by Nekotsuki, '03, Mikey-centric, a bit of a whump fic but with a happy ending, very well written and one I go back to a lot

“A Tale of Spirits” by unorthodoxx (@\unorthodoxx-page), (Rise x atla), I don’t usually do cross-fandom fics like this, but this one works for me. The Rise boys end up in the atla universe because of mystic stuff and no one believes them when they say they aren’t magic spirits.

“Ghost in the Shell” (’03 x Rise), “Fusions” (’12), “The Great Skittle Heist of 2105” (’03 au), and the “Please Just Let Them Hug” series (’03 canon compliant one-shots) by AmevelloBlue (@\amevello-blue). Good hurt/comfort

“Carapace” by SkeletalConstellation (@\kettle-bird), a Rise fic based on some events in the IDW comics

“Picking up the Pieces” by Andromedabrown, GalacticDreamer, ParvumAutomaton, (Rise) pretty long but has very intricate plot. Leo accidentally ends up mystically connected to his shattered sword and his brothers go on a wild adventure to get him back

“The Last Ronin Becomes a Discord Admin” by MelonPalooza (@\melonpalooza), (’03 x ’12 x Rise), a classic in the fandom. Has some great humor and drama. Also has a one-off crossover with “Ghost in the Shell” that was a wild ride.

“Sanctuary” by RealityBreakGirl, (’03), just a nice and fluffy one-shot, Donnie and Raph centric

“A truly French experience” by Get_dunked_off, (Rise), one-shot of Leo defending Hueso’s honor from rude customers

"Ice Cream Makes Everything Better" by mathmusic8 (yours truly :D), ('03), a series of canon compliant one shots to fill in some comfort gaps for the '03 show

"Wow, What a Coincidence" by mathmusic8 (me again ^.^), ('03 x '12 x Rise), a separated AU where the '03 boys get lost and each raise one of the Rise kids and then the kids all end up in the same summer camp. The '12 boys are camp councilors. Rise-centric. Crack fic treated seriously

Tumblr Comics:

“Cass Apocalyptic Series” by @\somerandomdudelmao, (Rise), fandom classic, bad future timeline comic, this series (the “Can you carry your uncles” episode in particular) got me interested in tmnt in the first place, canon compliant

“Aftermath” (also on AO3) by @\happyfoxx-art, (Rise), aftermath of the Rise movie, very good hurt comfort (no language!)

“Replica” by @\kathaynesart, (Rise), fandom classic, bad future timeline comic, canon compliant

“2 Arms Left” by @\intotheelliwoods, (Rise), the softest peepaw au in existence (until it isn't--mind the tags for later comics)

Tblsomedoodles (@\tblsomedoodles) does a combo of comics and fics, mostly Rise but also ’03. Has some adorable Rise x ’03 AUs

"Swantello" by @\tangledinink, (Rise), a rottmnt x swan lake crossover we didn't know we wanted

"Krang Infection" by @\abbeyofcyn, (Rise), set a year after the movie. Donnie gets a krang parasite that makes him go feral turtle for a while

"Unmutated Donnie" by @\onejellyfishplease, (Rise), Donnie ends up as an unmutated softshell turtle but keeps his brain. Very cute, fun, and Donnie's snoot is the best thing on the planet XD

"Kid Leo Au" by @\angelpuns, (Rise), when Leo came out of the prison dimension he accidentally turns himself into a kid, very cute and has good hurt/comfort feels

@\heckitall has a bunch of mini comics (mostly Rise, some '03): Masterpost. Also check out "What will it be" by clandestineclairvoyant for a fanfic of heckitall's "Same as it Never Will Be" comic!

#fic rec #comic rec #tmnt fic rec #tmnt comic rec #sorry for the tags y'all #mathmusicninja talks

62 notes · View notes

tmnt-obsessed-ace · 10 months

Note

Whats an opinion of yours that will make the rise fandom mad

Anon I have MANY

Rise Shredder is not nearly as scary as the fandom depicts him as (I would actually put him just above 1987 Shredder in terms of scariness) honestly the only time he actually felt like a threat was the last three episodes of season 2 when he wasnt a mindless beast. I personally think that his first official appearance in Many Unhappy Returns REALLY fucked him over. Like I get it the tone of the show is comedy but like, you have been building up to the big reveal in season 1, making Shredder this dangerous monster that could bring the end of the world. SO WHY WOULD YOU IMMEDIATELY RUIN THAT BY MAKING HIM A MINDLESS STUPID JOKE?

I dont care that he's a demon the FIRST OFFICIAL EPISODE HE APPEARED IN HE WAS TREATED AS A LITERAL JOKE! So thats what I'm gonna see him as until he is ACTUALLY THREATENING! The fact that Shredder is only seen for five episodes out of the entire rise series definitely doesnt help. (And yes I know season 2 was cut short when Rise was canceled and we probably would've seen more of Shredder being a LEGIT threat if that werent the case but Rise got canceled and thats all we got)

"But Shredder's an all powerful demon that took the entire hamato clan to defeat!" Doesnt excuse the fact that he was literally seen as a JOKE by characters in his FIRST APPEARANCE! They kept him at bay by TICKLING HIM!

Time for another one

The Rise turtles are weapons of war therefore they would be the most powerful turtles and could easily defeat their counterparts!

Thats just a load of bullshit. Yes the rise turtles were basically super soldiers but you could make the same argument about any of the other turtles (especially the 2012 ones) like just because the rise turtles were made on purpose doesnt make them any stronger than their counterparts. ESPECIALLY COUNTERPARTS THAT HAVE AT LEAST A DECADE OF PROPER TRAINING! Like did the fandom collectively forget that the rise kids had NO formal training for most of their lives? Like they were trained on Lou Jitsu movies. (Because training someone on highly edited and choreographed movies is an absolutely genius idea) the weapons of war argument means NOTHING against opponents that are properly trained NINJAS.

"But they have Hamato Ninpo! So that would make them the strongest!" Ah yes lets include the mystic powers the turtles only had FOR THE LAST TWO EPISODES OF THE ENTIRE SHOW!

Which again means NOTHING if they're fighting fully trained opponents

Also like the 2003 turtles can turn into DRAGONS? So the rise kids aint special

("Rise Mikey threw a skyscrapper!" He threw the TOP of a skyscrapper, not the entire thing. Stop using that bullshit as justification for saying that Rise Mikey would automatically win a fight against his counterparts, especially Ronin Mikey. Rise Mikey would absolutely get folded like a damn pancake)

I'll come up with more later

52 notes · View notes

dark-twist-fairytales · 9 months

Text

Shhh, this AU suddenly took over and I wanted to write this out really quickly

Anyways, fire water switch AU, but make it season 5

~~~

"So.. They think I may be the next master of water, which just seems a little ridiculous.. I hate the water." Kai said, from right beside Nya. The other's had just gotten back from their unsuccessful scouting for the airjitzu- or 'cyclondo'- scroll from Stixx. This, of course, brought Ronin, a busted Zane, and Nya selling her shares of the tea shop to Ronin. Fun times all around.

"Well, it makes sense, logically. I'm fire, father was fire. Mother was water, and you said you felt weird when Chen tried to steal powers from you..' Nya trailed off, with Kai giving a huff and sitting up rather quickly from his spot of laying on the bed.

"I'd rather get along with Ronin than admit I'm one with water." Kai said underneath his breath, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly. A sigh pulled from Nya at this, taking a moment to think while studying her brother from across the room. That's when an idea popped into her head, an equally mischievous smile to match.

"Remember that song that would put us to sleep at night? The one Mr. Cobswell sung?"

"The sea shanty sounding one?"

"Mhm."

"Why would that matter?"

Nya then stood up from the chair, humming and snapping in time to match the naturally fast paced song. "Oh, out on ocean the sailors heed, the warning of the night and sea. The wind, it howled, night on prowl, still they carried on." She moved closer to her brother, stopping the snapping in favor of messing his hair up, breaking it apart from gel and allowing it to fall to the side, soft waves in his hair.

"Nya.."

"For when they reached the shore, they cheer, for there it was, the smoke in clear. They had made it to the promised land, for where they sure will band.." Nya glanced to Kai in anticipation. A chuckle left the older brother.

"For where they sure will band." They harmonized easily, before Nya continued on solo: "For they know, the smoke will go, but there they know sea will show. For when the morning comes, the ocean leads the way."

"That's not the lyrics.." Kai chuckled out, with Nya cocking a brow with a cheeky hum. "Then, enlighten me."

"For they go, the smoke will clear, but they stay for the night to lear. As it carries on, the love for sea stays strong." Kai sung, with Nya giving a fake and prolonged 'oh', as if she didn't know. But, Kai continued on, ignoring Nya's 'oh', while moving to stand up.

"Stars and sea, they guide the way. Sails catch wind and fight, they may. While it's tough, waves are rough, it takes their hearts away."

"It takes their hearts away!" Nya joined in to harmonize the second time around, smiling brightly at her brother's sudden raise in joy as he grabbed Nya's hands, bringing her to dance.

"Never once, to harm a soul. Only take to give and more. Harsh the waves, the dark the night, only bring in light!"

"For they go, on the sea and more, knowing that their heart is sure. Loves lies in the sea and waves, and make it through the days." Nya and Kai belted out the last lyrics together, giggling at their own silly antics, as Nya ruffled her older brother's hair again. "You should wear your hair down more. The waves fit you better."

"Hush.."

"What task did sensei put you on?"

With that, Kai drug Nya outside to the lake and held up the bucket with the hole in the bottom of it, explaining what he was tasked to do. Even trying to show the hole in the bottom by scooping up water and watching the.. Both paused for a moment at seeing no water leaking out of the bottom, despite the bucket being clearly filled with water, and hole remained at that bottom.

"You wanna say you're not the water ninja now?"

"Oh, shut it."

#lego ninjago #ninjago #fire water switch au #ninjago au #kai smith #nya smith #my writing!

29 notes · View notes

cpunkhobie · 11 months

Text

Analyzing an entire song through roninpluralau lesgo ^_^

Song: Things to Do - Alex G

Ok so “only the cheapest things left for you” is a line for Donnie, because throughout his life he’s been the one to pick last. He picked his weapon last, he gets to be the one who deals with most of the after effects of his brothers actions. BUT it’s also a Ronin in general line, because throughout their life they were basically living off of leftovers from other people. Their favorite stuffed toy was stolen off a porch and their first blanket was a sock

“And the only thing I learned from you…” this is a splinter and ronin line specifically from Ronins feelings of splinter leaving them behind throughout their childhood. but largely with how splinter fucked up his own life before Ronin was born, and how they’re now dealing with the consequences of it. Sins of the father and all that

“I was asleep for days…” I’ve mentioned this briefly before but throughout Ronin’s life, largely due to trauma-related developmental issues, they’ve struggled with chronic fatigue and chronic pain. Pain to a lesser degree but the fatigue is really what hit them the hardest. When April first appeared in their home she helped with a lot of depression symptoms that came with their fatigue and generally helped them get up in the morning. This can also be related to Raph and Casey’s relationship, as Casey helped alleviate a lot of Raphs dissociation and anger issues, generally helping Raph feel more grounded and awake to the world

“The calculator will make the same mistakes…” 100% a Karai and Ronin lyric. It’s about generational trauma and repeating the history of their parents, and trying so hard not to repeat that history because they both love each other so much. But their parents loved each other once too, and they'll stumble and trip over some places but it’ll be ok in the end. It has to be. Also the calculator line being about how Ronin (Raph in particular) and Karai felt more like Machines or Soldiers being raised under their parents than actual children. “Yeah I see it in its face” is specifically Ronin @ Karai

Ok so if you’ve heard this song then you know that this part sounds like it’s pitched up/sung by a child so imagine this from child Ronin

“Hold on tight to this time this place…” so at Ronin’s old home them and Splinter only had a few months to a year of actual stability and safety before they were attacked by Shredder, where Splinter was almost killed. So this would be from the perspective of a younger Ronin talking to an older Ronin and reminding them that’s this won’t last. Since the period where Splinter, Ronin, April, Casey, and Karai all got to be together as a family was only for about a year or two before disaster struck again. “Cause everything you know will be erased” *Spoiler.*

“You were born inside your head…” They’re a system, they’re plural, all of them were quite literally born inside their head. This is a reminder that no matter how much they want to escape themselves that they can’t, that this is how they have always and will always exist, even if they don’t want to. Which is especially the case for Donnie and Leo. They will exist like this no matter how much they change. No matter what happens or how little they want to, they will persist, they will survive and live and persist. "Despite not wanting to" being especially true for Donnie. “That is where you’ll be when you are dead” they can’t escape themselves.

"You're just a boy you are no man..." they're just a kid. They've always just been a kid, they've never stopped being a kid. They've had to grow so much so quickly and no matter what they're not grown up yet. It's both a remorseful reminder but also a wake-up call to their own misplaced confidence in themselves. It's a smack in the face to say "you're a kid and you don't know shit" and that's ok. Because they're MEANT to be a kid. They're meant to be learning and making mistakes and they don't have to do everything right or know everything or be the most competent person in the room all the time. They're just a dumb kid. And that message is sympathetic but frustrating

"Nobody you know will understand" this is also about being a system. Being plural can feel so isolating because no one will understand the inner-workings and relationships in their mind as much as they do. They barely even understand themselves or how their trauma effects them. It's complicated and loud but so quiet to those around them. It's something constantly going on in the background that's invisible to other people. A vast innerworld that only they have access to. But it's also about how those different traumas effects each of them. How their life gets split up between 4 different people each with different ideas of how their life even happened.

Raph's experiences and Leo's experiences are so different from each other, and it's hard for them to mesh their memories in a way that's accurate to real life. This constant internal turmoil, "it's not what actually happened, but it's how it happened for me." Raph remembers getting the shit beaten out of him, he remembers hurting and hurting back and he remembers falling and getting up, and falling, and falling again and again and still having to get back up. But what Leo remembers is the way their dad cradled them and tended their wounds afterwards, he remembers how Splinter would bring meals into their room when they couldn’t get out of bed, how’d they chat over breakfast, how he sliced fruit for them, how he'd read to them and tuck them in. How their dad did this for them even on days where they knew he barely could.

They know it's not what technically happened, but it still happened. And it's hard for those memories to co-exist with each other, and even harder for other people to understand how those memories exist within each of them.

This in when it goes back to the regular singing voice.

"The only one that you have ever known.." it was just them and their dad for the longest time.

"The only one that you will ever know." They have to make a new home again, and again.

"Welcoming you back home" They find a new home, and they persist, persist, persist.

#jonah with a megaphone #tmnt #tmnt iteration #tmnt au #roninpluralau #I LOVE THEM SFM CANNYOU TELL

29 notes · View notes

theyhavetakenovermylife · 4 months

Note

Can you write about the Last Ronin where we were his girlfriend before everything went to shit and we meet him again but he also get to meet his child as well? Btw I frickin' love your fanfiction, I hope you keep expanding you work.🥹

16 Years: part 1 (Angst)

TLR!Michelangelo x reader

Part 2 (18+) Part 3 (18+)

---------

A/N: Thank you so much🖤 I feel like writing for TLR has opened whole new world of writing for me, and I will love to do more, even if I cry every time😭🖤 I had “Tout L'univers” by Gjon’s Tears playing on repeat as I was writing this, so when I tell you I was bawling my eyes out, I was BAWLING. For some reason I just had to make everything worse for poor Mikey😭

---------

Warnings: Spelling, The Last Ronin and The Lost Years spoilers, loss of loved ones, loss of child, mentioning of suicide, trauma, self hatred, crying (not just in writing, omg), and probably a lot more.

---------

For 16 years, Mikey had tried to live with the spirits of those he had lost. Trying to find peace with them, and let them be. But he just couldn’t. Mikey just couldn’t rest with all these faces he used to love surrounding him, knowing that he could not help them. Raphael, Leonardo, Casey, April, the Fugetoid, Master Splinter, Donatello, Gerel, Shaka. All of them haunted him, speaking to him, telling him what to do. His brothers even went so far as to belittle him for his actions and failures. Every. Single. Day.

But if there was one face that Mikey couldn’t handle around him, it was yours. He dared not to look at you, nor the child you carried on your hip. The pain from seeing the two of you, in complete silence, not speaking a single word, being the only ones that actually did as he asked - staying quiet and letting him think. He looked at you once, the pain of seeing you and the young child in your arms, was almost enough for him to end it all before he even made it to Korea.

But though Mikey never looked at you, he felt your presence with him everywhere he went. You always followed closely behind, carrying your little bundle of love, just like you did the day he lost you…

Mikey hated how clearly he remembered it. It had been absolute chaos. They never had a chance. Leo had told him to bring April and the Fugetoid, all making sure nothing happened to you. You, Mikey’s girlfriend, who had been in the second stage of your first pregnancy. You, the only woman that Mikey had ever loved. You, the only person who was willing to let him think of something, other than his horrible war of a family feud, and his so-called destiny. You, the love of his life, and the only reason Mikey has seen a reason to fight in the first place…

Mikey had lingered for too long. That’s at least what he told himself. He should just have done as Leo had said, and gotten you out of the building. He should never had hesitated. If he hadn’t, then maybe you wouldn’t have been caught in the explosion. Then maybe you, April… and the kid would still have been alive.

Mikey still remembered how strangely numb he had been when he woke up from the explosion. His body ached all over, but it was as if he felt nothing. You were all gone. There was no way any of you could have survived that explosion. Leo, the Fugetoid, Casey, April, you… and them. That was what Mikey referred to the long lost life as - them. Giving them a name would just slowly kill him over time, making everything harder than it needed to be. Almost as hard as it was so leave the ruins of your grave, without trying to look for your body. But as much as Mikey wanted to stay and look for you, he had to leave for the last family he had left, before they too were gone.

But like always, he was too late for that too. Donnie and Master Splinter was already far gone when he made it to Japan. That was Mikey’s breaking point, and the first time he wished to end his suffering. Everyone was gone. His friends, his brothers, his father, the love of his life and his unborn child. Mikey was angry. Not just at the world around him, but himself. He could just have stayed with the two of you. He could have found you and laid you to rest. Giving you, his brother, his friends and his child a proper burial. But he didn’t, and he hated himself for it.

Mikey hated himself everyday. He hated himself for not being able to protect you, and he hated himself for not taking care of you. And taking care of his own damn child. As he forced himself through the snow of the Japanese mountains, as he trained under Master Yip, when he momentarily went blind in Mongolia, and when he had to fight for his life in Ukraine, before finally defeating Death Worm in Italy, all Mikey could do was think about you and how hate himself. But soon he learned that there was only one way to make up for his mistakes. Revenge. Revenge for all that had been done to his family. Oroku Hiroto would have to feel the pain that Mikey had been feeling for the past 16 years. And that was what Mikey came to New York for. Revenging all of his family, especially the one that didn’t even have a name.

But as it has happened so many times, Mikey’s plans did not go as he intended. His first assault on Oroku Hiroto was a failure to put it frankly, leaving him wounded as he had to retreat to the sewers he once called his home. Here he intended to do what any honorable ninja would do - take his own life before the enemy could get him. But then, for the first time in 16 years, life had better plans for him, the universe deciding to keep him alive once more. Mikey’s wounds were so great, that he passed out of blood loss before any harm could be done to him. That was when Casey Marie found him, calling out for her mother, telling her to help.

Mikey woke up in a warm bed a few hours later. Confused, he scanned his surroundings, wondering if he was dead. It looked like the lair - his old home. But then he saw April, and for the first time the world shone a light upon him. April, his dearest friend, was alive. In all these years, she had been alive. He learned that she was not alone. Her daughter was there too.

“Is it just you and your daughter down here?”, Mikey asked as he slowly swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

“No”, April answered calmly, a smile spreading over her face. “We do live with two others. I really think you should meet them, Michelangelo. Right now they’re out in the sewers, looking for stuff to bargain with on the Black Market, but I think they could be home any time soon”.

And as if April’s words were magical, distant clatter of metal could be heard, alerting them to people entering the lair.

“Aunt April!”, the voice of a young man yelled, the volume of his voice getting stronger as he approached the room. Then he barged in, proudly holding up something in his hand. It looked like a little metal lump with wires sticking out all over the place. “See what I found! Can you believe it?! Someone just dropped this into the sewer! Don’t they know how much this is worth?! Idiots! Imagine the comic books I can get out of Tinker with this! I can finish father’s old collection!”

Mikey froze at the sight of the boy. It was not his impressive height he had for a teenager, nor the muscles on his arms that shocked Michelangelo, but it was the color of the boy's skin. It was green. Light green to be specific. Mikey’s eyes wandered over him, taking him in, ignoring the growing smile on April’s lips, or how the boy suddenly seemed to notice the large turtle’s presence in the room. Mikey’s mouth was dry as he saw the three slender fingers on his hands, his lack of hair, the outline of what looked like a plastron on his front, and the unmistakable shell-like shape on his back. And his eyes, strangely recognizable.

The boy’s hand fell to his side, the metallic object suddenly not seeming interesting anymore. His eyes wide as he took the stranger sitting on the bed. Mikey in turn just stared. The two of them looking with their mouths agasp.

“Yoshi”, a voice sounded out in the hallway, breaking the silence. Mikey’s heart almost stopped. He knew that voice. It was the voice he had longed for so long. The voice he had blamed himself for silencing. Yet there it was. Just outside the door. “Be nice to your aunt. She might be working…”

You froze in the doorway. Mikey almost broke down. It was the face he had forced himself to look away from for 16 years. The face of the silent woman that used to carry a baby around wherever he traveled. You looked older, but still as beautiful as the day he first met you. Your eyes sparkling with the same light he fell in love with, all those years ago.

“Mikey?” you whispered, holding back a sop as your eyes began to water. The mentioning of his name caused the boy’s eyes to flicker.

Mikey could only nod, feeling his heart pump his blood so fast that he was starting to get dizzy. You ran to him, hugging him tighter than you ever had before. His hands tightened around you, his throat knotting up, making him fight for air. He buried his face against the crock of your neck, feeling all of your muscles move as you sobbed against him. You cradled his head against you, holding him against you, tracing his head, shell, shoulders and arms.

“I’ve missed you so much, Mikey”, you sobbed, bringing his head up to look at you, before placing a quick kiss on his lips. That was what broke him. He returned your quick kiss with urgency before he broke down in tears, hiding his face against you once more. 16 years of fear and pain finally boiled over, Mikey could finally let it go. At least for a short while. He almost clawed at your clothes in order to get you closer to him. It was as if no physical connection was enough.

“I’ve missed you too, (Y/N)”, he choked out, letting the tears fall as your comforting hands made shapes on his skin.

“Mom?”

Still holding on to Mikey, you turned to look at the boy. The poor guy looked so confused, but Mikey had a feeling. The boy most likely also had. Both of them just waiting for her to confirm what they had already guessed.

“Yoshi, sweetheart”, you said, wiping a tear away, before reaching out a hand to him. “Come and say hello to your father”.

Neither Yoshi or Mikey said a word, staring at each other as he made his way over to you. April wiped one of her own tears away, before she left the room with a smile, closing the door behind her. It was time for the three of you to catch up.

You slowly moved out of the way, letting Yoshi stand in front of Mikey. None of them knew what to say. All they could do was look at each other, trying to calm their erratic breathing. Then suddenly, Yoshi launched forward, wrapping his arms around his father in a tight embrace, the tears rolling down his face. Mikey hugged back immediately, finally getting a chance to hug the kid he thought he had lost.

“I’m sorry, Yoshi”, Mikey choked out, trying his best to keep calm. “I’m sorry I couldn't take care of you and your mother”.

“It’s okay, dad”, Yoshi said, smiling even though his eyes were overflowing and his body was shaking. “I took care of her while you were gone”.

99 notes · View notes

coraliix · 2 months

Text

North Wind | Lloyd x OC

Chapter 6: Respite

9.64k words

Summary: Mari starts school and grows closer with her new friends. She later meets the green ninja.

A/N: Hey all, so sorry for the delay in posting this chapter — I couldn't get some parts of it right, and even now I still don't like how a few scenes turned out.

Regardless, I hope you enjoy!

(Side note: there is a bit of swearing in this chapter, more so than in the previous ones. It'll probably stay at this level the rest of the fic, with nothing too vulgar.)

——————————

The door bell chimed as someone came into the tea shop. “Welcome,” I greeted as they stepped further into the store. They gave me a polite smile and passed where I stood at the counter, striding over to look at the shelves displaying bags of tea.

Idly, I set about reorganizing the cash register, sorting through the bills and coins my last customer had given me.

It had been almost four weeks since I’d come to Ninjago City, and life was going well. I was settling in with Skylor nicely. I’d even gotten a job — with Skylor’s help.

Apparently, Skylor had an acquaintance that owned Steeper Wisdom, the tea shop I’d entered that first day I came to the city. (With my own bit of research, I learned that it belonged to Ronin — a “former” thief whose work I’d sort of admired, at least in my more naive beginnings of crime.) Somehow, she’d convinced him to offer me a job.

“Skylor, that’s incredible! I mean— how did you do this?” I asked. “I haven’t— I’m probably not the best choice for a new hire.” It was true. I’d never been hired anywhere else and didn’t have much of any work experience as a result.

She smiled at me, crossing her arms with a nonchalant shrug. She simply responded saying, “I have good connections.”

“Connections? You’re not involved with any gangs, are you?” I joked with a wry smile, nudging her with an elbow. When the words slipped out, I paused, unsure why I’d made a joke like that.

Skylor seemed to share the same surprise, red eyebrows raising slightly, but she smiled and laughed a bit. “No. My friends just have trust in me, and by extension, you,” she replied, giving me a warm smile.

I smiled a little at the recent memory, gratitude for my friend rushing through me like warmth emanating from a fireplace.

Once the customer had finished perusing the aisles and paid, I went back to sorting the money. Idly, I wondered if I’d ever meet Ronin. Despite owning this business, I hadn't ever seen the man around the shop. Since Skylor had pulled strings to get me hired, I hadn't seen him for any kind of interview before working, though I doubted he did that kind of stuff anyway.

Then again, people said not to meet your heroes (though I hardly considered him a “hero.”)

The shop didn't have much activity, but I surmised that it usually didn't. Its traditional look left it looking slightly out of place in the growing modern city that surrounded it, even with its bright neon lights.

It didn't seem like the type of place a thief would own. Another hour passed with little to do, but I wasn’t complaining. Soon after I closed the shop, I made my way to Skylor’s apartment.

She wasn’t there when I unlocked the door and slipped inside, but a text she’d sent me a few minutes ago explained that she’d get home a bit later than usual. My reply had been a simple text acknowledging hers.

Skylor had also told me she was bringing back some food from the restaurant for our dinner, so I set out to look over my things for school one last time, taking advantage of the time to change into comfortable loungewear as well.

Anxiety and apprehension pooled in my stomach at the thought of my first day tomorrow, but I comforted myself with the fact that no one here would know who I was. Over a few weeks of chatting with him, I’d learned Lloyd also went to Ninjago High School, along with his friend Nya. His other friends had graduated either last year or the year before, he’d told me.

A small smile rose on my face at the thought of having at least one friend at school. Not that I would’ve minded being on my own again, but it would be nice to know at least one person — someone who didn't know who my uncle was.

The soft patter of rain against the windows brought my attention to the sky, which had darkened slightly. This day was cooler than it’d been this past week, and the rain would no doubt stave off the evening’s lingering heat.

Unbidden and unwanted, the sound of Skylor’s footsteps down the hall drifted into my ears, carried along by the whispers that trailed after me more often as of late. I wasn’t sure why.

It was similar to when the whispers had first awakened all those years ago. When I hadn't been able to control them.

Choosing to ignore what that could mean, I stepped out of my room and grabbed a few blankets from a closet, setting them on the couch and turning the TV on with a flick of the remote. Me and Skylor decided to have one last relaxed evening together before I’d start school — and in her words, “Start getting stressed and burnt out.”

I flopped onto the couch, looking behind me at the click of the door unlocking and meeting Skylor’s slightly surprised face with a smile. “Good timing,” I remarked.

She huffed in amusement, kicking off her shoes and striding over to lay the boxes on the coffee table. “You have a knack for that,” she said, walking away to quickly slip into more comfortable clothes. She didn’t know the half of it.

Once she joined me on the couch, we settled on a comedy and started digging into our food. The movie was good enough, earning a few chuckles from us and coaxing out a laugh here and there.

An hour into the second movie we put on, I felt my eyelids droop. The soft patter of rain hitting the windows and the quiet scene currently playing wasn’t helping me stay awake, but I wasn’t falling asleep just yet. A glance over at Skylor revealed that she was half-asleep, draped over the couch arm and snoring lightly. I nudged her with my foot. “Wanna turn in?”

Skylor rubbed at her eyes, squinting at the screen. “Sure.” She yawned, sitting up and grasping around for the remote. Once she found it, she flicked off the TV, reclining with an exhale as her eyes drifted shut.

I flung the blanket off of my legs before I could be lured into sleep and sat up, joints popping in my spine and neck when I stretched my arms out. I looked back at Skylor, who was starting to doze off again. With a small chuckle, I gently shook her arm.

“Your back will regret sleeping on the couch in the morning,” I warned her, voice groggy with fatigue. “Especially in that position.”

A low grumble was all I got in response. But after a moment, Skylor sat up with a groan, rubbing at her eyes again. “Yeah, yeah,” she muttered to me, wrapping the blanket around herself burrito-style even as she got up. “Night, Mar,” she called over her shoulder, stalking to her room.

The nickname jolted me awake, its familiarity sending a shock to my core.

Hideo had called me that. The abbreviation of an already short name had made me laugh to myself whenever he’d said it.

Pathetic, that small, hateful voice inside my head said. You’re still shaken up by him?

“Night,” I heard myself say in a small voice, though it was too late for Skylor to hear, judging by her closed door. I stood in the living room for a while, jaw clenched and eyes burning. Eventually, I trudged into my room, pulled back the sheets and got into bed. My limbs were stiff as I did so.

Why can’t you just forget it happened? Are you so weak that it still affects you, weeks later?

I forced those thoughts out of my head, along with the ones about him. It wasn’t worth dwelling on. Nothing could change what he did or the fact that I was alone now. The sooner I accepted it and moved on, the better off I’d be.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and forced my tense muscles to relax. Seconds passed, then minutes, then what felt like hours. I blinked, eyes open and sleepless.

Sleep evaded me. I chased it to no avail; the luring lull of rest escaped my grasp.

Resigning myself to not getting any sleep tonight, I rolled onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. I didn’t know how long I spent like that, eyes blank while I fought to keep my mind from drifting to earlier thoughts.

In the end, I did fall asleep, but I wished I hadn’t.

Waves lapped gently at our ankles, feet wading back and forth in the water and sending ripples through the lake. We sat on the edge of a small dock, pants rolled up to our shins so we wouldn’t get wet. It was a silly precaution, seeing as our hair and shirts were already soaked from splashing each other a few minutes ago.

The moment was quiet. Silent, but comfortable. We didn’t say anything. We didn’t have to.

This day had been a quiet excursion on our own, away from our uncle’s watchful eye. He’d been busy finalizing some sort of deal in Ignacia — it didn’t matter to us. Whatever time we could get away from him, we took.

The small lake near our house had been our favorite spot to go together when me and Hideo wanted to escape reality in the three years after our parents’ deaths. We hadn’t been back here for months.

I could feel that Hideo wanted to say something. Although comfortable, the air was thick with apprehension and unspoken understanding.

By this point, it’d been a month since my uncle started my training. I turned fourteen a few months ago, but my young age didn’t matter to him — I would still be subjected to following his orders and enduring his harsh preparation.

Hideo knew this, of course, but the specific details were kept from him.

I didn’t mind that aspect of this ordeal. I’d rather my brother didn’t know about what I’d have to do under our uncle’s tutelage.

“Mar,” Hideo started saying. “I don’t want to go back.”

I knew what where he meant. Back to the house in the city. Back to our uncle. I felt the same, but I knew we didn’t have much choice. That didn’t stop me from feeling bitter about it, though.

“I know, Deo,” I said. There wasn’t much else I could say.

“Can’t we do something?” His voice was small and quiet.

I turned to look at him, noting the worried crease in his brow. A frown settled on my face at the sight. My brother didn't deserve this. He didn't deserve to feel scared, or guilty about what our uncle was doing or the plans he had for me.

Not for the first time, I cursed the universe for taking our parents from us, for condemning us to a life controlled by a man who wanted nothing more than power.

In that moment, I made a promise — not just to myself, but to my brother, too. “Hideo, look at me,” I said, turning my body to face him fully. Once he lifted his head to meet my eyes, I continued. “He can force me to train and work for him, but I’ll never let him hurt you. I’ll take care of us.”

My tone was firm and unwavering as I made the vow. Hideo’s eyes shined with dampness, a singular tear sliding down his cheek. Silently, I reached out to wrap him in an embrace. He sunk into my arms, pressing his face into the crook of my neck.

A fierce sense of protectiveness came over me then, and I resolved that I’d do anything — everything — to get us out of my uncle’s grasp.

With a gasp, I jolted awake. My muscles were tense, breaths coming in hard and body damp with sweat. It felt like I’d just finished running a marathon with the way my heart raced.

It was silent in the room; the only sound filling the space was my labored breathing and a muffled noise through the wall that told me Skylor was waking too. I bit back the choked gasps that made their way through my throat, forcing deep breaths through my nose.

Distantly, I noticed the stiffness of my cheeks and the bit of water that leaked from the corners of my eyes.

Getting up was difficult, to say the least. I concentrated on getting my breaths back to normal and trying to keep my thoughts from going back and dwelling on the memory I dreamt. Burying the dream away into the back of my mind seemed a good solution. After a few minutes, I slowly rose out of bed. Checking the time on my phone revealed it was 7:23 a.m.

Any bit of exhaustion evaporated — at least for now — as I bolted into movement. Great. First day and I’m already running late.

Even with all my preparation from the past few days, I rushed to get dressed, brush my teeth, and eat. Skylor was already eating in the kitchen when I came barrelling in, her pace considerably calmer than mine.

“Wake up late?” She raised a quizzical brow, taking another sip of her coffee.

A grunt was all I said in response, too busy stuffing food into my mouth to answer her properly. “Can’t believe it,” I huffed through mouthfuls.

Skylor chuckled, no doubt amused by the sight of me rushing around like a maniac. She glanced out the window, looking down with raised eyebrows. “Bus is coming.”

I cursed under my breath, downing the rest of the coffee I’d poured myself. Striding over to where Skylor sat at the small table, I gave her a quick side-hug and slung my bag over my shoulder. “See you later,” I said over a shoulder.

“Have a good first day!” she called out to me. I sent her a quick wave in thanks and I closed the door.

Hearing the screech of tires pull to a stop, I had to rush down the steps to get to the bus, which was already starting to pull away from the apartment entrance. An apologetic glance to the driver and I hastily slid into an empty seat.

My cheeks burned at the exertion and the slight embarrassment, and I sank further into the seat, turning to look out the window as we pulled away from the apartment.

——————————

The ride to school was short — around 10 minutes. It didn’t take long to get there, and once we did, students poured out of the bus. I hesitated near the steps to go inside.

A while ago, I met with the principal to get myself scheduled in time before classes began. He’d told me a student would show me around on the first day a few minutes before classes started, but what if I was too late? How long was “a few minutes”? What if they weren't here —

“Hey, you’re Mari, right?” A voice pulled me out of my brief panic, and I turned around to see a girl with short black hair pulled up into a ponytail.

I took a calming breath before I spoke, offering a polite smile. “Yeah, I am. Are you the guide?”

She nodded. “That’s me. I’m Nya,” she introduced herself, extending her hand with a friendly grin.

The name stuck out to me for a reason I couldn’t understand before I remembered that she must’ve been Lloyd’s friend, the Nya he’d mentioned. I took her hand and shook it. “Nya Smith?” I asked in clarification.

She raised an eyebrow at my question, but nodded. Glancing over at the entrance before looking back at me, Nya angled her head and scanned my face with scrutinizing eyes. I felt like an ant under her stare. It was strange.

“Do you know Lloyd Garmadon?” Her question was bluntly asked, the suddenness of it catching me off guard.

“Uh, yeah,” I said. “We’re friends. You’re friends with him too, right? He mentioned you,” I explained at her bemused stare.

Her eyes seemed to light up with realization at my words. “You met him in Jamanakai, didn't you? You’re that Mari?” she asked again, a devious grin creeping up on her face — though I suspected it was aimed at a certain blonde boy rather than me.

Nevertheless, my smile shifted into a slightly bewildered expression. “Yeah, I did. Does he talk about me a lot?” I joked. A small laugh left me at the thought.

Nya returned my laugh, though hers was notably more hearty, clearly knowing the extent of which her friend discussed me. (I wasn't sure how to feel about that, but I decided it was nice to know a friend liked me.)

“He sure does,” Nya replied with a chuckle, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye. “It’s nice that he made another friend.” She sobered at that, a sudden sadness and frustration mixing bitterly in her dark eyes.

Snapping out of her thoughts, she turned back to me, stormy eyes settling back to normal. She cleared her throat. “I guess we should probably start the tour,” Nya stated, motioning me to follow her into the school. I trailed after her, not wanting to lose my way.

The school wasn't as large as I thought it had been, and with Nya’s assistance, it wasn't very difficult to get a general grasp on the building's layout. She led me down the halls to my first hour, which had started a few minutes ago.

Before I went in, she grabbed a pencil and circled the physics class on my schedule. “We have it at the same time,” she explained with a smile. “Sit by me if you want.”

A grateful smile adorned my face at the offer. “Thanks, Nya. I’ll see you then.” She nodded, tossing me a wave before making her way to her own class. With a breath, I entered the classroom, my stomach doing flips as I stepped further inside.

Thankfully, the class passed without any issues. I relished in the anonymity I had now, aside from students’ mild interest in me at being new to the school. My next two classes went by smoothly as well.

Now at my fourth hour, I entered the physics classroom, seeing Nya sitting at a desk near the door. The seat next to her was empty. I glanced around the rest of the room, taking note of the way the other students had subtly spread themselves away from her — not enough to be glaringly obvious, but I still noticed.

A frown settled on my face, but I walked over to sit down next to her.

Nya looked up from her phone, a smile lighting up her features when she greeted me saying, “Hey Mari! How’ve your classes gone so far?”

I returned her smile and gave her a small shrug. “End of the world hasn't happened yet,” I told her, earning an amused smile. Class began shortly and ended as quickly as it started. (At least, it felt that way.) Now it was time for lunch, and I found myself hesitating to leave the room, unsure of where I should go, where I should sit.

Nya saved me from my brief moment of anguish by inviting me to eat with her and Lloyd. Another grateful smile passed over my face and I accepted, starting to follow her out the door.

“You get food from outside?” I asked her curiously. She turned to look at me, her steps unfaltering as she brought us over to the student parking lot.

“Usually,” she answered. “The food here isn't bad, but we prefer to just eat what we want.” She paused suddenly, her foot resting atop the curb when we reached the edge of the parking. “Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?” Her voice was a little hesitant.

I blinked. What was it with everyone and their mother having motorcycles lately? A snort huffed out of me at the thought. She seemed confused by my reaction, and I hurried to say, “Yeah, I have.”

“Oh,” she said. Then her face cracked into a grin. “Great! Let's go. We’ll meet Lloyd there.” She hooked her arm through my elbow and steered me toward her motorcycle — another beautiful vehicle, with its white exterior and elegant print.

The print stood out to me. It depicted Lady Iron Dragon, a woman of legend whose book I’d read countless times. “You’re a fan of Lady Iron Dragon?” I asked, taking the helmet she passed me.

Once again, her eyes lit up. “You know her?”

I smiled at her display of childlike excitement. “I’ve only poured over her book a hundred times,” I joked. “She’s really cool. I’ve loved reading her legend since I was little.”

Nya’s laughter rang out like a bell, her gleeful grin growing. “I’m liking you more by the second, Mari,” she teased, mounting the bike.

After I got on behind her, we headed down the city streets to stop at a small restaurant which was simultaneously connected to a dojo. A green motorcycle was propped up against a sign near the entrance. It instantly caught my attention.

Damn, it really does feel like everyone has motorcycles these days, I thought to myself. “Don’t tell me that’s Lloyd’s,” I scoffed playfully as we passed by it to enter the small store.

Nya snickered. “We all have bikes.” She paused before asking, “Wait, who have you met so far? Out of our circle?”

The question had me thinking a little, trying to remember each of Lloyd’s friends and matching names to faces. I let Nya guide me to a table, noting that she’d spotted someone and beelined a specific way. “I’ve met Lloyd, Zane, Cole, you,” I counted on my fingers, saying that last word pointedly, “And Jay and Kai.”

She nodded, setting her bag down on a chair. “Then you’ve met everyone. Well, almost everyone,” Nya corrected. “Come on, let’s order some food.”

I quirked a brow. There were more people in (what I thought was) their group of six? Following her, I spotted a certain blonde boy standing in line. We walked over to him. Nya tapped his shoulder, and he turned around.

“Nya, good timing. Do you usually get—” he started to say, but cut off when he saw me standing next to her.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention,” Nya said, a sly smile on her face. “I invited Mari to join us. That’s cool, right?” Her last words were a question, but she said them like she was daring him to challenge her — or like she knew something he didn't. I didn’t question it.

Instead, I waved — a little awkwardly, I admitted — at Lloyd, offering him a smile. “Hi, Lloyd. Nice to see you again,” I said.

He coughed a bit, an endearing pink dusting his cheeks as he returned my smile. “Yeah, same here,” he agreed, rubbing the back of his neck. “So, uh, are you guys going to order? I just put mine in,” he explained, gesturing to the waiting cashier.

“Yep,” Nya said. She strode up to the counter and told the cashier her order.

I held back, eyes scanning the menu hesitantly. “I’m not sure what to get,” I admitted with a slight frown.

Lloyd gave me a small smile. “Well, do you like sushi? Or maybe soup? The dumplings here are pretty good, too,” he suggested, listing off recommendations. “Not as good as Skylor’s, though,” he added, sending me a wink.

His casual kindness — and that little wink — caught me off guard, but it was far from unwelcome. An appreciative smile crossed my face, and I nodded. “Dumplings sound good. Let’s just hope Skylor doesn’t find out about our betrayal,” I joked back.

He chuckled a little, the pleasing sound making me smile.

After I stepped up to the counter and ordered, we got our food, quickly sitting back down at our table and starting to eat. Lunch period wasn’t long enough that we could be outside for long.

“So, Mari,” Nya started to say. “What’s your next class?”

I swallowed and wiped my mouth with a napkin. “History.”

Lloyd sat up straighter at that. “Who’s your teacher?” he asked. I tilted my head in curious confusion, but answered him anyway. “Mr. Ek.” His eyebrows rose. He glanced at Nya, who was carefully hiding a smile behind her drink.

“I have that class too,” he explained, pulling at the sleeve of his green hoodie.

“Oh, that's cool!” I said, smiling at his nervous mannerisms. “You better hope you’re not sat next to me,” I told him with a chuckle. “I can go overboard with history sometimes.”

He scoffed skeptically. “I know lots of history nerds. You can't be that bad.”

“I prefer the term 'history buff’.”

He snorted at my quip, watching me with an amused smile and relaxed expression. My smile matched his, lips around my straw as I idly sipped from my drink.

Nya clapped her hands together. “Alright lovebirds, we should get going. Lunch is almost over.” Suddenly, our laid back demeanors shifted into something not quite as relaxed. I felt my face heat up at her words, embarrassment — and something else I was not going to acknowledge — staining my face red. A glance at Lloyd revealed he was having the same reaction.

“Nya.” Lloyd muttered under his breath, an exasperated (or flustered?) tone to his voice.

Nya pretended not to hear him. “Ready to head back?” she asked me, rising from her seat.

My mouth flapped open for a few seconds before I cleared my throat. “Uh yeah, yep. Let’s go,” I told her, standing up and gathering my dishes together on the table. I looked back to Lloyd, offering him an awkward smile. “See you later, Lloyd.”

He nodded, pulling at the front of his hood. “Yeah, I’ll see you later, Mari,” he responded, waving goodbye as I followed Nya out the door.

Once we were out of earshot, I caught up to Nya. “What was that about?” I asked her, brows furrowing in bewilderment.

Her lips were curved in an amused smile, but when she glanced at me, she winced apologetically. “Sorry. I just like to tease him sometimes. I didn’t mean anything by it,” she said. She hooked a leg over the bike, handing me a helmet. “Though, it was cute seeing how you two talked with each other.” Mirth filled her eyes as they slid back to me.

I understood Lloyd’s exasperated tone from just now. “Nya, we only met a few weeks ago,” I pointed out. She shrugged, making a promise to drop it. Letting out a little snort, I hopped on behind her. Soon enough, we made our way back to the school and headed inside.

“Do you remember where your next class is?” Nya asked.

Quickly pulling out my schedule, I checked the room number, recalling where it had been. “I think so,” I said.

She squinted in doubt. “I can take you there, if you want,” Nya offered.

But I shook my head. “No, I think I can get there. Besides, you need to get to class on time, you delinquent,” I teased, nudging her with an elbow.

Her brow rose in mild amusement. “Ha-ha. They don’t even count tardies on the first day,” she said, waving at me as she turned to go to her class. I waved back, a small smile on my face. This day had been going well, so far. I hoped it’d stay that way.

Finding my next class wasn’t hard; soon enough I found it and walked inside. Desks were in neat rows, and students were looking at the board to see where their assigned seats were.

Mine was far from Lloyd’s, all the way on the other side of the room. In fact, I noticed that his desk was all the way in the back corner. Only one desk near him had someone assigned to it. A frown dotted my face.

I guess I wouldn’t be able to sit by him, after all. Nevertheless, I walked to my own spot, finding Lloyd’s gaze on me. When our eyes met, I sent him a sad smile. He gave a resigned shrug in return.

However, when the girl who was assigned next to him came into the room and saw where she was seated, there were immediate complaints. “I can’t sit next to him,” she pouted. “This is endangerment. He’ll feed me to his dad’s shark army!”

The teacher didn’t look too pleased with her complaining, but he nodded with a sigh. “I still need someone to sit over there,” he said. “Will someone switch?” His hand hovered over the clipboard, ready to make changes — but his face told me he was skeptical someone would volunteer.

Glancing around, I noticed everyone’s faces were wrinkled in distaste as they stared at Lloyd. It grated on my nerves a bit, reminding me of school back in Jamanakai.

“I will,” I said, grabbing my bag and standing up.

A confused look from the teacher told me he didn’t know who I was. He glanced at my name on the sheet, looking back up with a frown. “You’re the new student?” he asked. I nodded yes. His frown twisted in disbelief, but he nodded and scribbled something down. “Okay then.”

I slung my bag over my shoulder, walking over to where Lloyd sat. I could feel the pairs of eyes watching me as I did so, but I paid no attention to them.

“Hey, Lloyd,” I said to the boy when I set my things down.

His expression was one of surprise. Clearly, he hadn’t expected anyone to sit next to him. “Hi,” he said in reply.

I was consciously aware that people were still watching us with bated breath. An annoyed snort left me as I glanced back at the rest of the students. Turning back to Lloyd, I said, “Looks like now we both have easy choices for project partners.”

A small smile adorned his face, then. It made me smile, too. Once we started talking more, the silence hanging over the classroom dissipated, with people starting to chat with each other again. Distantly, I knew they were still watching us warily, but I never once turned my head back to spare them a glance.

The rest of the class period passed similarly, the two spheres of activity in the room holding their own conversations and atmosphere: me and Lloyd, and everyone else.

When the class was packing up, I quickly took a glance at Lloyd’s schedule, noting that we shared the same last hour, which was also our next class. “Hey, we have literature together,” I told him.

Lloyd glanced down at his piece of paper, eyes flitting over to mine as well. “Oh yeah, we do,” he replied, lips curving up into a smile. “That’ll be nice.”

I nodded in agreement. “We can walk there together,” I suggested, sling my bag over a shoulder.

“Are you sure?” Lloyd asked, hesitance seeping into his face. “I mean, you already— er, people will—” he stuttered. “People will start to think you’re… my friend,” he finished lamely.

A frown pulled my lips downward. “I am your friend,” I pointed out to him. “And I’m not bothered if people take offense to that. God knows I’ve already had to deal with my fair share of crap like this, but I don’t mind doing it again for a friend.”

Thankfully, he smiled at my words, though there was still a hint of something like guilt present in his expression. “Alright,” he yielded. “Let’s go.”

I smiled back at him. Before our first class together, I hadn’t really noticed how people seemed to part their way for him — and not in respect. Now, I was acutely aware that everyone was keeping their distance. Once again, a quiet, angry part of me began to simmer with ire. It was too familiar, the way people stared at Lloyd, with sneers and grimaces on their faces.

Lloyd, for his own part, acted like he didn’t even notice.

(Strangely enough, I thought I could tell that it did get to him. It was in the way he clipped forward, in his tense shoulders, in how he kept his eyes trained away from the crowd. I didn’t know how I knew — I just felt it, and could relate to it, on some level.)

An uncomfortable tension was brewing between us when we entered our last class together. But I didn’t want him to think my foul mood was because of him, so I quickly wiped my face free of any bitter expression. Instead, I flashed him a reassuring smile, and gestured to the array of tables open to sit at with an unspoken offer to sit together again.

Lloyd returned my smile, though his was a bit more reserved. Once he chose a table, I wrote our names down on the clipboard displaying the open seating chart.

It seemed gossip about a new student being friendly with the school’s outcast had spread quickly since our fifth period. People walked into the room and their eyes immediately darted to where me and Lloyd sat next to each other. Some whispered, while others didn’t bother hiding their glares.

I rolled my eyes. Would I have to deal with this everyday? “People are so judgmental,” I muttered under my breath, glaring right back at a particularly mean-looking guy who was sneering at Lloyd.

Next to me, Lloyd let out a sad chuckle. “I know, right?” he agreed, crossing his arms and looking forward.

“I mean, everyone knows your dad doesn’t terrorize Ninjago anymore,” I scoffed. “And it's ridiculous that people are shunning you specifically — as if his actions have any sort of bearing on your own.” My words finished with a bitter tinge to them. Taking a glance at Lloyd revealed he was sitting with tight shoulders and a clenched jaw. I frowned.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to bring the mood down,” I apologized quietly, eyes falling down to the desk. I silently traced the patterns in the wood, wishing I hadn’t said anything at all. Great going, Mari.

Lloyd peeked at me from the corner of his eye, shaking his head. “Don’t apologize. I can’t expect you to just ignore it. I just…” he trailed off, something unreadable seeping into his eyes. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, the golden locks falling back from his face as he leaned back. “I just wish things were different.”

Lips pressing in a thin line, I nodded in agreement. Honestly, it sucked. Seeing him so resigned and accepting of this, of being shunned and cast out purely because of who he was related to.

Not knowing what else to say, I sighed too, leaning backward until my back pressed into the chair.

The rest of the hour passed that way, with both of us silent and unease crawling under our skin. When the bell rang, Lloyd started packing his things, preparing to head out already. I gently reached out a hand to stop him.

I wanted to clarify that I wasn't second-guessing our friendship after today.

“I…” Suddenly, the words disappeared from my tongue. Instead, what spilled out was, “You don’t deserve it, you know.”

His eyes darted back to me, surprise filling them — most likely matching my own perplexed expression. “Thanks,” he replied softly. Lloyd stood there for another few seconds, my hand still on his elbow.

I retracted it after a second. “I mean it. And just to be clear, this doesn’t change anything. We’re still friends,” I told him assuredly.

A smile — true and bright and genuine — lit his features then. “I’m glad,” he said, eyes crinkling with a softness that (strangely) sent a jolt through my stomach. It was then I noticed how green Lloyd’s eyes were, a beautiful hue of rich emerald.

“I gotta go now. I’ll see you tomorrow, Mari, he said with a grin, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

A matching grin crept up my face, and I nodded with a wave. “See you tomorrow, Lloyd.”

Once he stepped through the door, I realized I should probably be going too. I didn’t want to miss the bus back home.

That thought made me pause, too. Home. When had I started referring to Skylor’s apartment as home? I thought about it while walking through the halls, sitting on the bus, and while climbing the steps up to the apartment.

Steam filled the air, floating from the kitchen all the way to the entrance. Skylor noticed me standing at the door, and started laughing, saying something about how she hadn’t expected her new recipe of soup to produce so much evaporation.

I just stood there, eyes round and glassy.

Home had been with Skylor ever since she got me settled into her own home, since she had brought that plate of potstickers for me when we’d reunited, since that first day we met, when she’d started a friendship with me free of expectations or suspicion.

Skylor’s laughs died down a bit when she realized I was still standing completely still. “You okay, Mar?” she asked, concern dotting her brow even with her lips curved in a smile that held back her laughter.

The sight made me smile, tears springing to my eyes. “Yeah, sorry, I just… Thank you, Sky. For everything,” I said, wiping my eye with a finger.

Her eyes softened, and though seeming a little confused, she smiled too. “You’re worth it, Mari. I’m glad we’re together now. No matter what happened to lead you here.” She stepped away from the kitchen, striding over to me and opening her arms.

I fell into them gladly, eyes squeezing shut as I buried my face into the crook of her neck. Skylor’s arms wrapped around me, hands rubbing gentle circles into my back, the soothing motion releasing that part of me that felt like a weight had been burdening me. Silent tears trailed down my face, but I let them.

For the first time in a while, I let myself relax from the crushing pressure of holding back my fears and emotions.

For the first time in a while, I let myself be free.

——————————

If Lloyd was going to be honest, he truly was thankful for his friendship with Mari. That first day of school, when she’d sat next to him and basically announced herself as his friend to their class — their whole school, honestly — had shocked him, to say the least.

And then she’d surprised him further with her kind words at the end of their last class. It had comforted a part of him he hadn’t realized still ached.

Lloyd smiled behind his mask as he thought back to that moment from a few days ago. It was different from how his friends reassured him — how he reassured himself. He always told himself that it was expected to receive that sort of treatment, but that he did enough as the green ninja that it made up for his father’s past actions.

But here was this girl, who didn’t know that Lloyd was one of the many saviors of Ninjago, and she told him that no matter what others said, it was unfair.

He and the ninja never assumed that everyone in Ninjago would thank (or even appreciate) them for their work in keeping the world safe — hell if Lloyd didn’t know how the government viewed them — but to know that someone ordinary didn’t fear or hate him was a breath of fresh air in a room full of poisonous gas.

Sounds of a conflict dragged his attention away from his previous thoughts to the streets below him. With his enhanced hearing and vision, he skimmed the streets for trouble. He could clearly hear three voices. Two of them belonged to men, while the other was female and —

“I said, leave me alone,” the lady said, and with a punch to his gut, Lloyd recognized the voice. It was Mari.

He flew over the rooftops as fast as he could, sprinting from one building to another. The voices sounded closer, and Lloyd scowled when he saw what the men were. A couple of muggers with pathetic morals and a sense of cocky arrogance.

Landing on the edge of a rooftop, Lloyd looked down, spotting the three of them. The two men were trying to corner Mari into an alley, but she faced them directly, holding her ground and taking a defensive stance. “Hang on, Mari,” Lloyd mumbled under his breath.

Leaping off the edge, he silently landed on the sidewalk across the street and started making his way over, keeping his sword sheathed. Even with his silent approach, one of the muggers spotted him. Not surprising, since Lloyd’s green gi didn't exactly blend in with the urban cityscape.

Regardless, he stalked closer, sizing up the two men. They didn't seem too dangerous — the only threats posed were the knives in their hands. Behind them stood Mari, whose hands were fisted defensively.

“You heard the lady. Leave her alone,” Lloyd warned the two thugs.

They snorted. “And go to jail now? No thanks,” one of them snarked, and then lunged at Lloyd with his knife.

Lloyd dodged it effortlessly, reaching out to pull the blade away and disarm him. A swift blow to his head and the guy was out cold. The other one scowled and glanced toward Mari. In a split second, Lloyd knew what was going to happen. “Get back,” he shouted at her, but it was too late by that point.

The mugger had grabbed her and was pressing his knife to her throat. Mari had tried to escape his grip but once she felt the cool metal on her skin, she stilled.

“Go away. And leave your sword here,” the thug demanded, “or I’ll kill her.”

A glare formed under Lloyd’s mask, and he didn't bother hiding the anger building in his eyes. Slowly, he reached back to pull his sword out of its scabbard, setting it on the ground and kicking it away. His eyes remained trained on the thug’s hand holding the knife, and on Mari as she took shallow breaths.

The man smiled smugly, glancing at Lloyd’s discarded weapon. “Now leave,” he repeated.

Lloyd huffed out a breath. Obviously, he wasn't going to leave. But he needed the mugger to think he was, so he could come back from behind and catch him off guard.

He tried to catch Mari’s eye, and once their eyes met, he sent her a look promising that he’d be back soon.

The criminal pressed the knife tighter to Mari’s neck, and she cried out as blood started to seep down the metal. “Stop,” Lloyd ordered, backing away with his hands up. “I’m going.” With a sigh, he reluctantly left the alley, crossing the street, though he kept his eye on the two of them.

Once he was out of sight — which also meant he was unable to see them, unfortunately — Lloyd hurried to the side of the street out of the man’s view and quickly scaled up the side of a building.

He cursed under his breath when he peeked over the edge and saw that the guy was still holding Mari with the knife to her throat.

“He’s gone, you can let go of me now,” he heard her say. He pleaded in his head for her to stop talking; Lloyd didn't want her to aggravate the man further.

“Shut up.” The man was apparently done scanning the surroundings and believed that the green ninja had left the area, so he released Mari. “Now give me everything you have, and quickly. I’m not stupid enough to believe that green freak won’t show up again,” the mugger barked out. He yelled at his accomplice to get up, but the guy was still out cold.

“Seriously, leave me alone,” Mari said again, looking far too calm for the situation she was in. She even went so far as to cross her arms and glare at the man in distaste. If Lloyd hadn't been so busy thinking of a new plan, he’d yell at her to stop escalating the situation.

“Just do what I say, bitch,” the man spat, his knife dangerously close to her.

Lloyd’s heart started racing, but he took a few, quick deep breaths to calm himself. Panicking would not help the situation.

“Do not call me that,” Mari snapped, growing visibly irritated, arms dropping to curl her fists at her sides. The action made the criminal sneer, stepping closer. For a brief second, Mari looked away from the man to look up at where Lloyd was perched up on the roof.

It was then he realized what she was doing: distracting him so Lloyd could ambush him. He stealthily slid down the wall and reached for his abandoned sword. Doing so let out a sound that announced his arrival as it scraped against the ground, but by that point, Lloyd had already pointed the tip of his sword in the criminal's back.

Mari quickly backed out of the thug’s range and stepped back to let Lloyd do his thing. (His thing being smacking the thug with the flat of his sword.)

It wasn't hard to disarm and restrain the assailant now that a civilian wasn't actively in harm’s way, and Lloyd soon had him kneeling on the ground next to his buddy, who was still lying unconscious on the floor.

Turning away from the two apprehended criminals, Lloyd looked back at Mari. Blood dotted the shallow cut on her throat. Lloyd grimaced. “Are you alright?” he asked her, taking a slight step closer.

She gingerly touched the wound, bringing her fingers away to stare at the blood that came away from the cut. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Her voice was steady, but Lloyd feared she could be in shock.

“Do you need any help getting home?” he offered, glancing over his shoulder to check on the two muggers.

Mari shook her head. “No, it’s okay,” she answered. She cleared her throat, tilting her head toward her assailants. “You probably need to get those guys arrested or something.”

Lloyd frowned. “Keeping a civilian safe is more important to me than doing the police’s job for them,” he scoffed. “They’re already on their way. Really, it’s no trouble,” he reassured, hoping she’d accept his offer. She’d told Lloyd that she lived with Skylor, which admittedly wasn’t that far, but he still wanted to make sure she got home safely.

“I’m good,” she told him again, eyes narrowing. Great, now she thinks you’re being weird. “I can get home fine.”

His fingers twitched at his sides. Blowing out a breath, Lloyd crossed his arms. “I insist, miss. It’s not the safest out here,” he reasoned. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted red and blue lights approaching.

The two muggers had been securely restrained, so he should get moving. He didn’t have anything to stick around for.

Except for her. For some reason, he was reluctant to leave Mari to head home alone.

She still didn’t look convinced with his offer, so Lloyd added, “Besides, I need to get away from this scene anyway.” Mari scoffed, preparing to retort back, and Lloyd gave her a sigh, growing tired with her careless refusal. “I won’t force you to let me drop you off, but I’d rest easier knowing you got home safe,” he admitted with a grumble.

Whatever protest Mari had been about to make seemed to die on her tongue. She glanced back at where police cars approached. “Alright,” she conceded with a huff. “Let’s go. Quickly. I don’t want to deal with the police.”

Lloyd quirked a brow at that, but didn’t say anything. He’d be a hypocrite to say he felt differently.

“Are you alright?” Lloyd asked again after a while of walking. The streets were quiet as they did so, but Lloyd kept a vigilant eye on the streets and up on the roofs. Mari sent him a look, raising a brow. “Your neck. You were bleeding, but it looks like it’s stopped now,” he explained.

She blinked. “Oh yeah,” she said simply. “Forgot about that. It doesn’t hurt too much anymore,” Mari told him, running a gentle finger across the shallow wound.

His eyes tracked the movement. A frown crossed Lloyd's face at the cut, lips pulling down tightly. “You need to be more careful,” he chided firmly. “Especially around these parts. This city isn’t always safe, you know.”

Mari gave him a sideways glance, looking none too happy about being scolded. “I am careful. I just got out of work late. And isn’t it your job to keep the city safe?” she volleyed, stuffing her hands into her pocket.

“We can’t always be everywhere all the time to stop crime from happening at all,” Lloyd countered. Distantly, he wondered why Mari was being so thorny with him.

“That doesn't mean it’s my fault some thugs decided to mug me,” she scoffed, shaking her head.

Lloyd said nothing in return. She was right, but that didn't mean it couldn't have been prevented if she’d been more careful. Nevertheless, he stayed quiet. For some reason, Mari appeared to be growing irritated, and Lloyd didn't want to anger her further.

They continued the walk in silence, with Lloyd scanning the surroundings every so often and ensuring nothing was lurking around the corner.

Eventually, they reached what Lloyd recognized as Skylor’s apartment complex.

“Well,” he said, “good night, miss.” She walked further ahead, not stopping for a second. Lloyd huffed out a breath and shook his head, turning to leave.

“Thank you.”

He looked over his shoulder to see Mari now facing him with hesitance in her eyes.

“For walking me home,” she said. “And for helping me earlier.”

Lloyd raised his eyebrows, a small chuckle escaping him at the sudden change of attitude. “It’s no problem, miss,” he replied smoothly, eyes filling with amusement. “Stay safe out there.” He watched Mari go through the glass door, and once she was inside, gave her a small finger salute before turning away.

His thoughts remained on her as he hopped over buildings and leapt onto the roof of a train, getting a ride closer to the monastery.

The interaction was strange, to say the least. She definitely acted differently with the Green Ninja than with Lloyd Garmadon. Funny, he thought to himself with an amused huff. She’s more prickly with the city's savior than its scourge.

——————————

It was the weekend, and me and Skylor had decided to take a little break from work and school to spend a day hanging out. There were loads of places to go in the bustling modern city of Ninjago, but I was aching for a chance to escape the metropolitan cityscape and relax somewhere more open, so when Skylor suggested a hike, I immediately agreed.

(However, a slight problem arose when I had to wear loose clothes for the hike, exposing the cut on my neck. Convincing Skylor that it was from falling onto the kitchen counter was a struggle.)

Even though we were already halfway into September now, the air was still humid in this area, up atop the mountainous hills far from the city.

The winding path we hiked on provided a good challenge for us. We were a little out of breath from the steep inclines, and I could feel my legs burning from the exertion. (Had it been so long since I’d worked out that I was already getting tired? I’d have to start again sometime.)

We were both fit and in good shape, I deduced — Skylor went to the gym, after all. Still, both of us decided to rest and take a breather after a while.

Taking a sip of my water, I glanced around the area, scanning the surroundings before allowing myself to drink in the beautiful sight we were making our way through. We sat on a couple of boulders that faced the edge of a miniature cliff, a small creek in the glen below providing a calm trickling sound.

“This place is beautiful,” I commented to Skylor after a minute. “I’m glad we came here.”

She smiled, capping off her own water bottle. “I used to come here a lot, before I owned the restaurant. I haven't been here in a while — I’m glad you like it,” Skylor told me, fanning herself with a hand.

I smiled and mimicked the action, feeling sweat sticking my clothes to my body.

At that moment, a breeze drifted lazily through the canopy of trees, providing a cool respite from the humidity. My eyes closed as I breathed in the gust of crisp air.

“That's strange,” Skylor remarked.

“Hm?” I hummed, not opening my eyes yet.

“That breeze. We’re under a canopy of trees,” she explained. “It’s weird that there's wind running through here.”

Opening my eyes, I noticed that her eyes were narrowed a bit, brow scrunched in thought. My head tilted to the side. “Yeah, I guess that's kinda weird,” I agreed absentmindedly. My gaze went back to take in the nice view around us, but I could feel Skylor’s eyes on me. After a while, I stretched my legs out and stood up. “Ready to get moving again?” I offered her a hand.

Skylor didn't move for a second, but then nodded and said, “Yeah. Let's go.” She clasped my hand and rose from her seat on the rock.

The rest of the hike was quite nice. We reached the peak of the small mountain and spent some time relaxing atop it before making the trek back down. By the time we reached the bottom, my legs burned and I was sweating all over, but any stress had been washed away.

All too quickly, our hike was over and we headed back home, washing off the day’s sweat. The remaining few hours before we’d tuck in for bed were surprisingly quiet — since we’d gotten back, Skylor had been in a pensive state.

I didn’t mind the quiet too much. It was a nice way to finish the day.

Once the sun set and the sky had faded into its inky black color, I decided to put on a show. Skylor was still in her room, so I sent her a text from where I sat on the couch letting her know in case she wanted to join.

She didn’t reply, but I shrugged it off, figuring she probably went to bed early. However, an uneasy feeling was twisting its way through my gut, so I quickly sent my whispers to check in on her.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, and I could feel from the wisps that she was perfectly still and motionless, probably still stuck in that reflective state. I heard her breaths and her heart beating, and relaxed.

Just as I retracted the tendrils of air, I felt her stiffen, and her demeanor changed. My brow creased in thought — and concern — but before I could listen for more, she’d gotten up and walked out of her room. I let the whispers fade into nothing, sending her a perplexed smile.

“You alright, Sky?” I asked, muting the show. “You’ve been quiet.”

“Yep. I’m fine,” Skylor answered smoothly. Her face and tone were relaxed, but I felt that there was something stirring in her thoughts.

I raised a skeptical eyebrow, but turned back to the show. “Gonna join me?” I flicked the remote back to the TV, unmuting it and going back to where I’d left off.

Behind me, Skylor hummed in thought. “Not tonight. But I did want to talk to you about something,” she replied. I paused the show again, turning back to her. She was inspecting her nails, her casual attitude making me think she was anything but.

“What’s up?” I asked. My eyes flickered between the show and her, but I decided watching both wasn’t working, so I turned the screen off completely.

Skylor glanced at me. Her mouth opened, but then closed. Whatever words she’d been wanting to say seemingly disappeared. Instead, what she said surprised me.

“What do you think of the Secret Ninja Force?”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

She shrugged, striding over to the couch and resting her arms on the back of it. “What’s your opinion of them?” she rephrased, watching me with a careful eye.

My face twisted in confusion for a second, but I humored her question anyway. “I don’t really have an opinion on them, actually,” I told her. “I mean, it’s nice they do stuff for the world and all that. They’re still vigilantes, though.”

Skylor stared at me, her eyes searching me. I shifted uncomfortably under her scrutinizing gaze. “Do you know anything about their powers? Or how they’re able to do what they do?”

Where was this conversation going? I couldn’t read what Skylor’s intentions were with these questions, and that unsettled me.

“Not really.”

That was a lie. But admittedly, what I knew was very little, and I doubted that telling her the truth would lead to anything besides trouble. I trusted that Skylor wouldn’t sell me out to the cops if I revealed I knew something about the ninja — anything that could help the police build their case on them — but I couldn’t afford not to be cautious. Especially because of what happened with Hideo.

My answer seemed to be different than what Skylor was expecting. Disappointment briefly flickered in her eyes. She frowned, but kept her features collected and (mostly) neutral. “You know, Mari,” she said, “I think that the sooner you open yourself up, the sooner you’ll feel truly free.”

With that, she retreated to her room again, leaving me sitting stunned on the sofa.

——————————

A/N: Whew, that was the longest chapter so far (and it definitely felt like it while writing, haha).

Dipped a toe into Mari's knowledge of the elemental powers in this chap, can't wait to dive deeper!

Thanks for reading!

——————————

Previous | Next

#lego ninjago #lloyd garmadon #lloyd garmadon x oc #lloyd garmadon x reader #ninjago fic #ninjago x oc #coracal's fics: north wind

8 notes · View notes

twilight-deviant · 4 months

Text

Fisk in Echo

Wanted to make a long post detailing my personal thoughts on Fisk's representation in the Echo series. I won't comment a lot on the series as a whole. It was good. Not gonna call it my new favorite show or say it breathed new life into an MCU that seems like it wants to die. But a good watch. Even if I did hope it would break more of the MCU mold with its MA rating.

But Fisk! Put Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson Grant Fisk on my screen, and I'm there, bells on.

This is just... a dumb long post I had to write for me. You can read it or parts of it if you want.

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

1x01

Willie on Willie Violence

They're never gonna tells us why MCU Fisk had Ronin kill Maya's dad. Stop asking. They're not gonna say. No, they're not gonna tell us why Clint did what Fisk asked either. I said stop asking.

They really reduced what could have been an important relationship between Fisk and Willie into literally nothing. Per the comics, he was Fisk's first friend ever, his enforcer. Nothing? NOTHING?! Also they changed his last name from Lincoln to Lopez. (Apparently, heroes can only be born from a married, two-parent household? Didn't know the MCU was Catholic.) "How much agency can you remove from one man?" MCU asks and answers.

I'm not saying the comics knock it out of the park with motive. The reason Fisk kills him is still vague. (Meaning the MCU had the chance to pick up the slack but just left it there.) Vague is still better than ignoring it entirely.

I assume comic Fisk was betrayed by him in some way. And while it doesn't take much provocation for him to kill his employees, I like to assume the motive was a little more substantial for a friend.

This is why these series need to be treated like television (instead of long movies) and given more than a handful of episodes.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Maya vs Daredevil

A pretty good fight scene, definitely. Even if it is intercut with special effects instead of practical effects. I've seen people make that complaint, and it's valid. I can't decide if the inclusion of a fight between them is meant to be a bone thrown to Daredevil fans, a nod to their fight in the DD comics with Echo's origin, or both. 🤔 But since this is a post about Fisk and I'm a Fisk/Matt shipper, moving on.

Ehehehehehehe~ 😈

"None of my men have ever held their own with him like that. You did better than even I expected."

So... in preparation for DD: Born Again, I have been (and honestly, still am) unsure of where the canon will be coming from. Disney recently pushed the Netflix-verse as legitimate, but I know it has to have a point where that will break off. There's no way it can be a 1:1 continuation. So while we can be a little more bold injecting DD canon into the MCU, I'm not getting carried away yet.

Anyway, the uncertainty of Born Again has made my shipper heart wonder where/when Fisk and Matt's relationship will be. Until Echo, I questioned if it would be scorched earth, start all over, meet for the first time again. But Fisk's line establishes he is at least aware of Daredevil. They have some form of history. I'm interested and anxiously waiting for specifics to unfold. ✪ω✪

In the meantime, it's nice having confirmation that both Fisk and Matt survived Thanos's Snap and existed in those 5 years. 😈 Not only does that play into the hand of my current fanfic, it doesn't outright contradict it either. In fact, it's kind of fun imagining an AU where Matt works with Fisk and then laying it over this Echo scene. Daredevil just so happens to be at a location stalking Fisk's competition? On the same night Fisk sends in his daughter*? Hm. Suspect. Certainly he's not ensuring her safety by sending no-kill boy. 🤔🧐 Ignore me. I'm making an AU of my AU over here. 😂

*[I actually have a hard time letting go of Fisk's role as an adoptive father in the comics versus "uncle" in the shows. I can't let this go. Maybe even... won't let this go?]

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

1x04

2008

So here's a very small nod that even I missed at first. In Maya's 2007 past (in Hawkeye and Echo), she is attending a regular, non-deaf school. Her dad says it's because they can't afford better. (Surely there are programs with grants? Whatever.) Now cut to 2008. Fisk picks her up from school, showing that she is on his radar and he is taking a more active role in her life. A testament to that? Maya is now wearing the uniform (with crest) of a private school.

Fisk isn't the best at love, and there's no denying that. (Look at Richard's life.) But it also can't be denied that he immediately took an interest in Maya and improving her situation. He loves in his own way.

Anyway... so this scene confirmed with its "2008" that Fisk has been active in New York for yeeeears. Literally since the beginning of the MCU itself. I won't say it changes a lot since DD 1x01 mentions the Chitauri Invasion of 2012 and how Fisk grew parts of his empire with construction companies rebuilding from it. But confirmation is nice, ya know. And it shows that even though Fisk's name was unspoken in 2015, he had already been in some form of power for at least 7 years.

And then, of course, the whole "beat up the ice cream man" thing. 🍿 I mean, again, Fisk's methods are not always right, but he will protect those he cares about and punish those who hurt them. And he will be excessive about it. RIP Anatoly. 💐

I see people, even writers, make excuses for Maya's action in this scene, for kicking the man. "Children watch and copy everything." Sometimes, yes, but children know the difference between right and wrong. Children don't just mimic bad actions. What I'm saying is I'm not going to pretend Maya didn't have a touch of dark side in her with or without Fisk.

There's no denying she is much darker and more ruthless than her comic counterpart. My mouth was quite agape to see her hurt the woodpecker and then lie about it. (There's a certain classification of people who hurt animals as children. 🤔) Not even Fisk was prepared for that part of her. Calling for another jacket, telling her not to be afraid. He thought of how other children would react and got it wrong. He wasn't wrong to think she would have an aptitude for bloodshed in her adult life.

I love Fisk calling her out in this episode, that she always knew what he was and that she killed for him without compunction. There was no remorse in the flashbacks. Per Fisk's own words: "You knew what you were part of at every turn. All the people you killed for me, did you plead for their lives?" There was no disgust towards Fisk until she found out he had her father killed. One of the (I think) producers of the show says he considers Maya a villain. Aight. I think she's more of an anti-hero now, but I wouldn't call MCU Maya an outright hero, I don't think. Remains to be seen what she does with herself.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

2021

Me watching the interpreter taken away: "Not the plastic hallway!" 🙈😂

DD S3 Fisk really found an MO he could live with. lol. No one else can but...

This old man is adorable wanting to have weekly dinners with his daughter. (✿◠‿◠) You definitely leave a girl wondering where Vanessa (even a recast Vanessa) is, but okay. Now invite your other three kids on Sunday. Pfft.

I can't believe the MCU made Fisk switch out his beloved Bach for Schubert's Ständchen. 🤣🎧 (That's okay. I actually like it more. Shh.)

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

The Man in Red

Is it such a silly stupid thing for me to grin about the fact that the first time we "officially" see Fisk in the series, he is wearing red? Yes it is silly and stupid. Imma grin anyway. 🙃

Sir, that is... that is Daredevil's color. Sir. Sir! 😆 (Fisk said, "Daredevil wore white in the comics. Something must be done.")

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Fisk Not Learning ASL

Okay so...

I think this is one of my two big sticking points in Echo's writing for him. I've already ranted to my friend about it over several texts. Fisk spoke more sign language in Hawkeye than he did in this series, and it's not like the why is some big mystery. It's sloppy writing, right? Right. It's a shortcut to contrast Maya's family in Fisk versus her biological family. Writers were like, "What's a quick, easy way we can show Maya's family does care for her more than Fisk even though they abandoned her after her mother and father died and offer nothing for it but an, 'I'm sorry'? Ooh, I know!"

Chula hated Willie enough to blame him for Taloa's death and cast him out at the cost of losing her granddaughter. "I'm sorry." Henry left her in NYC after Willie was killed, even knowing he was leaving her with Fisk. "I'm sorry." But everyone still speaks fluent sign language after 20 years, so they're better than Fisk. Did you get that? We want to make it very, very clear so you get that. 🙄

I have trouble conveying my frustration with this writing choice in words. At the very least, it's "tell, don't show." I don't need it spelled out that ordinary people are better than a serial murder crime boss. Neon sign flashing "Duh!" No one needed that spelled out!

And It was bad enough how blatant they were being, okay, but when they had Maya mention it outright at the end, word-for-word conclusion, oof. It's so... novice league. I almost get secondhand embarrassment from their ham-fisted delivery. Geez.

This man speaks Mandarin, Japanese, and some Spanish. For personal interest. He could learn ASL. You can believe the absolute worst in him and still believe he'd learn it as a method of manipulation, to make Maya think he cared. You actually have a larger burden of proof coming up with any reason why he wouldn't learn. "He doesn't care enough about her." Where's that judging cat picture saying "Pathetic"? I mean, I can sit here all day pointing over and over again at the fact he spoke more ASL in Hawkeye. So he... regressed... between series because he cares... less for her now?

Wait... he suffered a gunshot to the head. You don't think... *gasp* Maya hit the exact spot of his brain that held sign language? It's all coming together.

Uuuuuuuuuuuugh. We all have those bad writing moments we just ignore, and this is one of mine. Echo wanted a villain but they were too afraid of humanizing the one they yoinked from Daredevil. Get on their level, you cowards.

No one will ever touch your perfection, DD S1, my beloved.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Sunday Thursday Dinner

Do not let this man into your home. 🚫 He will look at your family photos and identify all of your weak spots.

jk I do very much enjoy Fisk's wide wandering eyes as he walks around the house, observing. It's so good. It reminds me (if anyone else knows the overlap here) of Vincent's character in Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Goren goes into a room and immediately studies any picture or book or object he can, learning everything about a person. It's exactly what Fisk was doing here, even if for reasons less than wholesome. I love when you can see the wheels turning in a character's brain.

I can appreciate a subtle flipping of authority between dinners. Fisk at the head of the table with Maya to his right and then the reverse of that. Nice.

Before this, if you said, "Yeah, I think Wilson Fisk would have a floral print picnic basket," you were LYING! No one could have predicted this bag. No one! You might counter with, "Yeah, but he didn't pick it out. A goon just put everything in there and handed it to him." Would you do that? Would you risk your life handing the Kingpin of all crime up the east coast a floral bag? You are so brave. You will be missed.

So there actually are a few bits of the show that make me think, "Okay, maybe Echo writers did watch Daredevil." It's The Little Things (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ When he brought wine, then Maya poured it out and he asked, "What happened to the Lafite?" I was ready to go "Rawr nooo. Fisk's character is supposed to be almost wine illiterate as a nod to his poor, uncultured origin." But wow, they saved it with his very next line being, "It came highly recommended." Okay, Echo. Echo, okay. For this, you get a point.

Handing the knife to Maya, so... mwah. 💋 It's arrogant, sure, and I'd be lying to say I hated that. But more than that, Fisk really is good at reading and predicting people. Forget muscle strength, THAT is his greatest asset. And he's not wrong. Maya doesn't (then or later) hurt or try to kill him again. He knows what it's like to let emotion take hold in the moment. That's why he understands and dismisses Maya shooting him. But he also knows she has a clearer head now. He feels no danger from her, knows she doesn't really want him dead. And he's right.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Casino

"I can't remember a time... when I haven't loved you like a daughter."

I'm glad someone finally said it. Boo on the uncle/niece bit. Not to mention how many motifs of this series hit better and harder with a father/daughter relationship. Tsk tsk.

An interesting exchange here...

Maya: "You isolated me. Told me you were the only one I could trust. But it was all a lie. Even with these contacts, you got them because you didn't care enough to learn to sign." Fisk: "I was there for you!"

✨He is not wrong.✨ Obligatory groan at the ASL mention and... He's not wrong. Like I mentioned earlier, Maya's family abandoned her. Literally the only person who tried to keep up with her was Bonnie (angel), and Maya shunned her. (Which wasn't Fisk's influence because we see her ignoring Bonnie's texts before Fisk had a hand in swaying her one way or the other.) Maya was isolated because her family abandoned her or she cut them off. And Fisk. was. there. for. her. Without him, she seemed intent on ruining her life and getting arrested.

Granted, you'd be justified saying she wouldn't have been in that particular spiral without Fisk killing her father. (Too bad we'll never know why he did it.) But Willie could have died in a manner completely unrelated to Fisk, and her family would have reacted in the same way, not reaching out or being ignored when they do. Do you see what I'm saying? Fisk legitimately was the only person in Maya's life besides her father.

I think about... the people Fisk has told the story of his father's death to, speaking as if this is a true continuation of Daredevil. That would be Wesley (not shown but a given). Vanessa when he wants her to understand him and his past. And Dex, as he pulls the man back from the brink in an effort to make Dex see their similarity and how no one else could understand him like Fisk. (Other people know about it, of course, but I'm concerned with those whom he trusted to tell.)

It seems like the motivation swings between intimate trust and manipulation. Or it could be both with Dex. Honestly, who can read Fisk's mind with absolute clarity? Either way, it's a very small group. It's not insignificant that he tells Maya.

Love Fisk doubling down on "Maya won't kill me." Tripling down? First the knife. Then leaving himself completely unguarded with the door open while she has a gun. Then giving her the hammer and daring her. It feels less arrogant than with the knife though. He still knows she won't kill him, but it also feels less... certain here. But I like him using it as a challenge, as a "Now or never." Kill him already, or stop threatening it every five minutes. Very Fisk of him. 👌

I can't... articulate what his choice of words means to me, but they clutch at my chest as he says, "Free me!" Killing him will not only free Maya to move forward in her life, it will free him. Babygirl, how much do you hate this life you're in? ಥ_ಥ

I think I need to make another Daredevil/Echo gifset. With Fisk here saying, "Free me!" against him daring Matt in 3x13, "Come on, kill me!" (Wilson, do we need to put you on a watch?)

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

The Little Things (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

I like confirmation that Fisk has a jet in the MCU. There's tiny mention of it in Daredevil 1x11. I want to see the jet. Yes, thank you. I don't know what I'll do with this, but I like having it.

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

1x05

Post Office

I'm sooooooooo normal about that old man. Really I am.

I like this scene. No real reason. But it is nice to watch socially handicapped Wilson try and conduct conversation like a normal person. Helping Chula pick up the mail.

I am VERY interested in a blink-and-you-miss-it line from him here. After Chula mentions losing her daughter.

"Yes, I've lost someone who I loved. It's the kind of pain you never quite get over."

*whom

I am gnawing at my keyboard. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?! Is it referencing something we should already know? Is it a nod to something yet to come, something Born Again will expand on? Is he just talking about how he "lost" Maya? Is it about his father? Is Vanessa dead in this universe??? What does it meeeeeeean?!?!?!?!

["Tell me!" Loki gif]

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Attempted Murder Spree

My second big beef.

I'm not gonna argue whether Fisk would kill people unconnected to his criminal underworld in order to hurt the ones that are. No, I think they got that part pretty accurate. Evidence abounds in comics and Netflix-verse. If he wants to kill Chula and Bonnie to punish Maya, I'd only ask why he didn't go ahead and round up Henry. This plan totally plays. (Actually, if we used only existing Hawkeye content for this MCU Fisk, it would be... less likely. He didn't threaten or go after Kate at all to get at Eleanor.)

What I find ridiculous is the notion he would attempt a massacre of the entire festival. Uh... what? Someone find me a single instance (comic or screen) where Fisk attempts such widespread death and destruction of innocents. By that, I mean with innocents as the intended target and not collateral damage.

When he bombed the Russians in DD 1x05, people were hurt, but from fallout, not intent. Though there are injuries, I'm trying to think if we get more than one confirmation of death. I don't doubt there may have been more, but... And you may want to point at the attack on The Bulletin, but, though terrifying, only three people died. And I'd posit the extra two were most likely to obfuscate that Jasper Evans was the real target. Unless we want to say Bullseye (Bulls-eye) missed a dozen times.

Anyway, I think this over-the-top plot point is us witnessing an MCU-ification of Fisk. Something they need to quash NOW. It's like... gah, they admit they want his character and want him to be a smaller scale villain, a "street-level Thanos," but they still want the high stakes of "aliens are killing citizens en masse." Well, no. You don't get it both ways. And it shouldn't be that way. Smaller scale means a smaller scale. Reduce everything but write it well enough that you still get that same feeling of anxiety and dread.

The episode plays exactly the same without that bit of OOC overreach. (All it did was give Henry and Biscuits something to do in the climax.) Like... literally. You can cut those scenes without affecting anything. Does that sound like good writing? No. Just like with the ASL bit, I think the burden lies on writers explaining WHY he would do this instead of acting like it's obvious and natural. And just because Maya turned him down? He'll massacre dozens of people? I, for one, am not convinced.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

The Trauma of It All

I already talked a bit about Fisk's experience being "healed" by Maya in this post. (By the way, was I the only one expecting it to heal his eye too? Ah well.) I could talk more on my annoyance of super powers that just do whatever the writers want them to in any given situation. But I breathe, center myself, and appreciate what I have been given.

I was pretty disappointed in Fisk's writing the whole episode (see point directly above) until this point. They got me back on board. They made a good decision with this final conflict and NOT having it be a physical one. While it makes Echo's writing feel all over the board, dehumanizing Fisk and the humanizing him again, looking at this one aspect feels so good for his character, for anyone who enjoyed his character before this series. Echo, you get... two points.

Visually, I love it so much. Except for the part where I want to take in every single detail of Fisk's childhood bedroom, but they cranked the fog machine too high. I see he is a Yankees fan (But what about those Mets, Spider-Man?) There's a toy helicopter in the window, a toy airplane on the chest of drawers, and a picture of a plane. Was anyone going to tell me little Wilson likes aircrafts or... There's a jar of marbles, jar of little animals. Very normal, cute room for a boy. Despite the disrepair and decay in the walls. This feels like it leans so much closer to Fisk's outright childhood poverty in the comics than just being lower class in DD.

OBVIOUSLY, I *chef's kiss* at the wonderful homage to the white wall/painting. High school English teachers could have a field day examining the symbolism. In DD 1x03, Fisk says the painting makes him feel "alone," and that emotion is perfectly captured here. We hear his parents on the other side of the wall, in the other room, but Wilson is alone in his bedroom, wanting it to stop.

I hate/love the despair and pain Fisk has being back here. I would never trauma dump on the internet. I'll just say Wilson Fisk continues to be a very relatable character for me. He is, all joking aside, very special to me, personally. And moments like this only strengthen the love I have for him. Also makes me want to slap around Fisk haters who refuse to take the time to understand him. Bah.

A small thing I like is that Fisk seems able to fully understand Maya in here. Whether because he just, ya know, understands ASL (she unlocked the sign language he forgot since Hawkeye ◉o◉), or because thought transcends speech inside his head, you decide.

(づ￣ 3￣)づ

I could speak for thousands of words and never finish conveying how much I love this scene. It was a very good call to go this route.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

I Am Petting the Loyal Henchman

The guy who helps Fisk, who points a gun at Maya, pulls him away, and puts him in a car before the police arrive?

This guy?

Give him a raise. He's very important to me, I decided. I'm going to call him Carl.

What are you about, Carl? Are you in it for the paycheck, or are you loyal to the boss? There is a Wesley-shaped hole in my heart that will never fill.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Mayor Fisk

Obviously excited for Mayor Fisk arc. There are a couple comic plots I've wanted to see Daredevil explore, and that's probably at the top of the list. (There is also Fisk and Matt working together in prison, but I'm less than hopeful we'll ever see it on screen.) I have so many questions about Fisk being mayor.

Do you think he'll still offer the job of Deputy Mayor to Matt??? Can he win honestly, or will he cheat? Can they show Fisk stealing an election without referencing ANY current events in the real world? Will the election be at the start of the series or mid-point, or will they save it (hopefully not) for a finale? Will they use this to set up future plots with Fisk?

I'm all abuzz with anticipation.

Only... over a year to Daredevil: Born Again! ╰(*°▽°*)╯

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

On the very off chance you read all of this post or skimmed it and didn't see me address something you're curious of my opinion on, idk, just let me know. I'll ramble all day. Clearly.

#Marvel #Echo #Daredevil #Wilson Fisk #Kingpin #My Post #I love......................... Fisk #(´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

8 notes · View notes