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youssefguedira · 2 years

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Yusuf is there when Nicolò enters the old temple, not a vision of him, no portal behind him that will take him somewhere Nicolò cannot follow yet again before he has the chance to reach him, just Yusuf. He's alone, his head tilted upwards and eyes closed, illuminated by the shafts of sunlight that fall through the cracked ceiling. The sight of him - here and safe and whole, finally, after everything Nicolo's fought through to reach him - takes his breath away.

"Nico," Yusuf says, and opens his eyes to look at him. He smiles, and he's still Nicolò’s Yusuf, even after everything that's happened.

Nicolò can't wait another second, then, sheaths his sword at his back and walks up the stone steps towards him. Yusuf's smile widens, and then he's stepping into Nicolò's already open arms, laughing. "I missed you."

"Missed you too," Nicolò says. He kisses Yusuf's temple, holds him close. "So much, Yusuf, you have no idea-"

Yusuf leans back, cupping Nicolò's face in one hand. "I know. It's okay. I'm here."

But Nicolò knows him well enough to know something's wrong. "What is it?"

"It's not over, yet." Yusuf steps out of Nicolò's arms and back a few steps, leaving him cold. "There's so much more you don't know yet, but we're running out of time. He will return, soon, and we're not ready."

"Tell me what I need to do," Nicolò says immediately. He can't bear the idea of Yusuf disappearing again, not now when he's finally here, when every other time Nicolò has tried to reach him he's been a second too late. "Anything, and I'll do it, whatever it is. Just tell me what you need."

Yusuf smiles again, sad. "It's not you, Nico. We need more time. And I can buy it, but-" He cuts himself off.

"Then I'll help you."

Yusuf shakes his head. "You don't understand. For this to work, I need to reform the seal, and I can only do that by" - there are tears in his eyes, now, and dread running down Nicolò's spine - "by sealing myself away along with it."

Nicolò realises just a moment too late what that means. "Yusuf-"

"If I seal myself here, in the past," Yusuf continues, "when you return to our time, it will be just strong enough to hold. You will have the time you need to finish this. And once all this is over, the seal can be broken in our time."

"I can't," Nicolò says. "There has to be another way. This can't be it."

"It's the only choice we have," Yusuf says. "I cannot - this was always my path, Nicolò."

She's manipulating you, Andromache had said, the goddess. She's using Yusuf to make you do what she wants, can't you see? If Nicolò hadn't understood then, he does now - neither of them ever had a choice in this. Yusuf was chosen because Nicolò would follow him anywhere, and Nicolò was chosen for the same reason.

Nicolò realises something else then. "If you seal yourself here, you'll be trapped for thousands of years."

"I'll be asleep," Yusuf says, soft. "It'll be like the blink of an eye. So when this is all over, you'll have to come wake me up." He smiles, then, even through his tears. "Just like old times, no?"

And before Nicolò can say anything else, the air around him begins to glow gold, condensing around Yusuf, who tilts his head back and closes his eyes, and Nicolò cannot move, frozen in place by something beyond his control. All he can do is watch as the light gathers around Yusuf, blindingly bright, until Nicolò cannot see him anymore. Whatever's holding him releases, and he runs towards Yusuf even though the light hurts his eyes, and just as he reaches out the light fades.

Before him is what looks like a crystal, tinged orange, clear enough that he can see Yusuf inside, his eyes closed. He looks like he's just sleeping, like this is one of the mornings Nicolò had had to wake him but had paused for a moment just to watch him.

Nicolò lifts his hand to the crystal. It's freezing cold when he touches it. Yet again, he's too late.

"I'll come back for you," he tells Yusuf, even though he knows Yusuf can't hear him. "I swear it. I'll finish this, and I'll come back for you." His voice is trembling, but he can't let himself break down now, not when there's still work to be done. The faster he finishes his task, the sooner he can wake Yusuf.

(Nile is the first to ask when he returns through the gate, waiting for him with Andy, Quynh and Sebastien nearby. "Where's Yusuf?" she asks, looking behind him - the plan had always been that Nicolò would bring Yusuf back with him, after all.

Nicolò can't bring himself to say it out loud.)

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It feels like an age before Nicolò returns to the temple, now in the present. It's over, finally - the five of them have sealed the demon king away for good. The others are outside.

The crystal is overgrown with vines, now, just like their old favourite meeting place on the island where all of this had started. Its surface is scratched and clouded with age, but Nicolò can still make out Yusuf inside it, looking exactly as he had when Nicolò left him in the past. He hates to think of the crystal here, alone, for so much time.

There's a glowing mark on the crystal's surface that hadn't been there before. Nicolò approaches it carefully and places his hand over the mark.

Almost immediately, glowing cracks begin to grow from where his hand touches the crystal, spreading across the whole thing until it's glowing as brightly as it had when it was formed, but he can't look away. When the light dies down, Yusuf hovers in the air for just a moment before whatever spell had held him there finally breaks, and he collapses, but Nicolò is there to catch him, sinking to his knees and cradling him close. He doesn't move for a moment, and Nicolò is terrified, because what if something had gone wrong-

Yusuf gasps awake, his eyes fluttering open. He looks around frantically before catching sight of Nicolò above him, who nearly sobs with relief, holding him impossibly closer.

"Nicolò?" Yusuf whispers, his voice hoarse. Nicolò nods, unable to speak just yet, blinking back his tears and brushing Yusuf's curls away from where they've fallen into his eyes.

Then Yusuf asks, "Did I oversleep?" and Nicolò has to laugh even though it comes out sounding more like a sob, kisses his forehead and smiles. "It's over, then?"

"It's over," Nicolò confirms, and then, "I love you."

Yusuf sits up and wraps his arms around Nicolò's neck, buries his face in Nicolò's shoulder and holds on tightly. "I love you too."

(When they return, Nile is the first to them, hugs Yusuf so tightly he laughs, and then it's Sebastien's turn, then Andromache and Quynh both.

They choose to stay on the surface, all six of them. And neither Yusuf or Nicolò are the same people anymore - sometimes Nicolò wakes screaming, sometimes Yusuf gets a distant look in his eyes and it takes a worryingly long time for him to come back to himself. Sometimes there are things Yusuf still can't tell Nicolò, and vice versa.

They make it work, though. They find a quiet place in the woods, far away from the temple and any danger, and they're safe, and happy, and together.

It's all Nicolò's ever wanted, really.)

#neon writes #posting this separately in an attempt to unbury it a little #the old guard #kaysanova #ANYWAY guess whos playing skyward sword. thats right folks this is ANOTHER different zelda au #ive condensed the entire thing into this because im not going to write much else for it #but. the plot:#nicolo and yusuf are childhood rivals-to-friends-to-lovers. at the time when Shit Goes Down they're coming up to the point where they have #to pass a specific test to become soldiers/knights/whatever. the wing ceremony if youre a zelda fan but theyre both participating. anyway #they both win (andromache and quynh are two years ahead of them nile and booker are the year below but they're all like. adults. not 17)#anyway they win and go on some kind of flight around the clouds because the kicker is that this takes place on a sky island and they get #around by riding giant birds i love ss. anyway while they're flying around (victory lap or something) yusuf mentions weird dreams he's been #having. then a giant tornado appears things happen yusuf falls below the cloud barrier separating the land from the sky nicolo is thrown #from his bird. wakes up explains this to andy who is like Well Shit. cue epic quest to find yusuf who has some destiny shit to do #gods and all that. its not important #but theyre trying to defeat an evil demon king before he comes back. merrick with horns can be the visual for that. nicolo spends half of #his time chasing after yusuf who always has to leave before they can talk. maybe quynh isnt with them on sky island and is the one guiding #yusuf instead i dont know anyway eventually nicolo has to do some hero stuff and all that. and this happens when theyre running out of time #as a kind of last resort. but then nicolo nile booker andy quynh defeat The Evil and rescue yusuf and its all good #the plot of this isnt very well thought out. i just thought about that scene with zelda and then about them and had to make this about it #enjoy #the reference to yusuf oversleeping is bc there's a bit in skyward sword abt link always sleeping in and then having to wake zelda and it #causes me 10 psychic damage so i had to adapt it here. that line is the whole reason this fic exists

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mae-dwrites · 11 months

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Taking Flight - Chapter 15 - Conference

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October 8

Camilla stepped up to the front of the conference room, while it was one of the smaller ones it held fewer people than it usually did. But she had promised not to reveal the Paris situation to more people than necessary. Camilla easily slipped into thinking of the young heroes, it was something that happened often over the past year.

Over the past few weeks, she had been meeting with the France President and the Mayor of Paris, trying to figure out how to best handle the week-long stay of French students. She got to finally speak to Ladybug once the groups had been finalized. Camilla had not been prepared to see the gir- young woman again.

Camilla sighed, she had aged in a way she’d seen in hundreds of heroes, but kids? Ladybug had possibly seen more than young adult heroes ever had, she could only imagine what it would be like to see Chat Noir face-to-face again. Camilla had watched the videoes of the Ladyblog and newscasting. They’d become more brutal, more dangerous, it was a relief to see some easier ones. Their suits had changed as much as themselves having more prominent armor.

Camilla looked up to the few in the room: Sparrow, Uncanny Valley, Mercury, Knight Owl, and Majestia. Knight Owl sat at the end of the table, her mask conveying nothing, just as she liked it. Majestia to her right, politely waiting arms folded on the table. Next to Majestia was Uncanny Valley, sitting similarly, her eyes while calculating, taking it all in, held a softness. On Knight Owl’s left was her sidekick, Sparrow leaning back in her seat clearly not liking the seating arrangement. In front of Sparrow is where Mercury sat, his blue suit giving a faint–almost pulsing–light.

“Thank you for coming even under the vague explanation,” Camilla straightened her back as she welcomed them. She pulled down on her vest, a comforting movement, helped her to relax from the anxiousness that built up.

“Thank you for having us,” Majestia gave a nod, Uncanny Valley did the same movement.

“What she said,” a laidback response from Mercury, Camilla could feel Sparrow roll their eyes. Mercury’s hand sat lazily on the table, lightly tapping the wooden surface. While he looked calm with his head leaned back a little he was far from it.

“What is it about these French students that we must meet,” Knight Owl rested her elbows on the tabletop, leaning forward. Camilla never liked to talk about it, not that she did with anyone outside of French government leaders and the Parisian heroes themselves.

“There is something that has stayed in the confines of Paris, I’m not entirely aware of how much of the population outside of Paris knows but neighboring cities and towns know of the city’s struggles,” Camilla spoke her back now a rod, unbending, she could do this. “That being of a, a magic war happening within its limits.”

Majestia tensed at the word magic, Knight Owl’s head twitched only the slightest, and Uncanny’s eyes flashed and she blinked as she processed the information. Sparrow and Mercury had the most movement in terms of the reaction that Camilla could see.

Sparrow’s head snapped up looking at Camilla and she could only assume the young hero was making glances at Majestia with the way their head was angled. Mercury jolted up, while Camilla couldn’t see his face she just knew his eyes were wide, eyebrows raised. The kid was very predictable once you got to know him.

“Please go on,” Majestia spoke before the silence overtook them.

Camilla reopened her computer everything was already open and set up for her briefing, “Paris has been emotionally under siege by the villain known as Hawkmoth.” Camilla went through images of the villain from the butterfly face to the Queen Wasp or Miracle Queen. She brought up Mayura, “As of his big attack he has had an accomplice on the field. She has been spotted out on rooftops, usually around the time of Akuma attacks. The heroes,” she brought up images of the two heroes, Ladybug on the left and Chat Noir on the right, “Have chased her down a total of three times to no avail.”

“Those are children,” Knight Owl stated. Her modified voice seeping with anger, “Why are children fighting alone?”

“According to what Ladybug told me herself, she and her partner were given these jewels at the beginning by a “Guardian” of these jewels. He did not interfere nor did he guide them, he only gave a rule and a mission. They could not know each other’s identities, and to retrieve the Miraculi he lost.” Camilla pulled up the Ladyblog, she had been given access to when she had first met with them.

“The Ladyblog,” Uncanny Valley’s head tilted as she took in the image of the screen.

Camilla nodded, “This is a blog run by a fan of the heroes in Paris. She is one of the most reliable sources, sometimes she posts things not entirely related but for the most part almost all information is posted here. Other than official websites by their government.”

“May I?” Uncanny looked to Camilla. The woman nodded to her, Uncanny’s face went blank after that, her eyes having a light glow that brightened every once in a while.

“Again children, and with no training no less,” Knight Owl growled from her seat. Majestia rested her hand on her arm giving a small smile.

“Fifteen and fourteen to be specific,” Uncanny spoke up, her face filled with worry.

“What,” came out loudly from Majestia, Sparrow, and Mercury. Camilla deflated, as she looked at the faces on her screen again.

“How do you know?” Mercury asked.

“Their suits are made by magic, they can jam technology or not work with them. And the magic function to conceal their identities is for human minds. My face recognition worked, but I do not know how well,” Uncanny looked at everyone. Uncanny’s mouth became a thin line while her eyes whirled, still processing information, “They’re done a lot, seen a lot.”

“You’ve already gone through it all?” Sparrow asked leaning against the table.

“No, I’ve played many of them but I took a detour. Most of the team was revealed last month, soon after security footage was leaked, while many speculated from what parts of running camera footage were going it was only confirmed by this leaked footage,” Uncanny blinked.

“That’s what I was going to head into next, the temporary heroes were…young.” Camilla sighed “I knew Ladybug was young but you can’t blame her for choosing younger people. How can she when the only clue she’s got is that the terrorist is an adult?”

“But Uncanny was able to figure out the heroes' identities no problem. Why can’t she do the same with the Hawkguy?” Mercury looked between Uncanny and Majestia.

Uncanny shook her head, “All of the images are unclear, grainy, taken from afar. And the Butterfly face is of no help, even if I got lucky enough to be able to match his face the effects of magic for a young person versus an adult may be different. From what I can gather younger people have limitations, adults do not have such adversities.”

“What about the woman?” Mercury asked.

“Again all of the videos and photos are too blurry, even if I tried to piece them together it would probably be for nothing,” Uncanny took a deep breath. “Magic is tricky, sometimes I can see past it, sometimes I can’t. There are too many variables.”

“What about the revealed heroes,” Sparrow spoke up.

“There were only five,” Uncanny Valley stated her eyes lit up with the glow spinning. “All but one coming from one of the classes that won the trip to come to New York City.” Uncanny hummed to herself before quietly saying, “Interesting.”

Camilla cleared her throat bringing the attention back to herself and the screen. As much as she loved when the younger heroes took some charge, wanting to help, wanting to come to a solution even on their own. She still had more to go over, and these younger heroes were still children.

“That is part of what this is about, the trip,” Camilla looked everyone in the eyes, or at least hoped she did with the three whose faces were concealed. “There are three classes coming from Paris, two from cities close by, and one from much farther.” Camilla swallowed, avoiding fidgeting. She looked from the computer back to her teammates, “These children have triggers, most of them anyway. They can spiral depending on the specific trigger, Hawkmoth surprisingly does not take advantage of this, usually. There have been three times in total.”

Camilla tapped search, tapping in The Plucker. She heard Sparrow snicker at the search.

“The Plucker? Seriously, what kind of name is that?”

“Sparrow do not laugh, this is obviously one of the people who got turned into an..Akuma due to their trigger,” Knight Owl scolded the young one. Sparrow straightened up, gave an apology and to not do it again.

“The names can be laughable, the suits or transformations they are forced to undertake can be too,” Camilla spoke out. “But those looks can be deceitful to their power.” Camilla went to the main screen and swiped down to a rectangular icon. The previously dark tablets inform the heroes lit up, showing the same article that was on the screen.

Uncanny reached for the device without a reaction, like Majestia and Knight Owl. Sparrow’s head snapped at the device as if she forgot of it. Which wouldn’t be too far-fetched. Mercury jumped in his seat, having not noticed the device there before. He usually wasn’t a part of small group meetings like this.

Sparrow’s shoulders shook, signally her quiet laughter. Mercury kicked her sit as he picked up the tablet, before Sparrow could retaliate in any way Knight Owl spoke her name in warning. Sparrow huffed before turning to the device to read the civilian's report of the…Akuma attack.

Uncanny quickly read it before exploring other parts of the blog, looking to know more and understand. Soon the other heroes would finish, Mercury shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He and Sparrow take a few deep breaths.

Camilla holds her elbows face blank as she looks at them. Uncanny and Majestia had an understanding in their eyes, and while Camilla couldn’t see the other three she could feel it.

“Why do you need us for this trip?” Sparrow asked finally. She wasn’t talking about all of them, but of herself, her sister, and Mercury.

“The classes from France will be staying with your school, most of them at least. I arranged for all the Paris students to specifically be with or around your classes for this,” Camilla explained. “You will watch over them, be there if they need your help. We do not any of the students of France to be in any danger during their stay, but we want to watch the Parisians in particular.”

“So why am I here if they’ll be her class?” Mercury spoke up.

Knight Owl stood up, taking attention away from Camilla, “Camilla did bring up to me that it would be far more beneficial to have you know each other's identities, and in light of this situation, I believe it would be foolish for me to refuse that request.”

“Excuse me?” Sparrow stood up. “I am not letting him know who I am.”

“If he isn’t comfortable with me knowing I don’t think we should fight about this,” Mercury interjected before adding, “but if it’s necessary then maybe we should comply Sparrow.”

Sparrow faced Mercury fists clenched, “I don’t think it’s necessary.”

“Sparrow,” Knight Owl came behind Sparrow. “It would be easier to know his identity and for him to know yours for the mission. It could make future missions or fights easier as well.”

Sparrow slowly deflated, facing her head away from her mentor. While it was standard for her to hide her identity from basically everyone she liked it for herself. There was no one to look down on her, she was just Sparrow. Everyone liked him, and Jessica was a civilian girl that mostly blended in with her fellow New Yorkers.

She didn’t want more people to know, it should be her choice. But like usual, for the mission, it wasn’t a choice.

“Fine,” Sparrow stated. She looked over at Uncanny who gave her a smile, it relaxed Jessica a little bit.

“Are you su-”

“He is sure,” Knight Owl interrupted Mercury. Mercury tensed at the stare he felt from Knight Owl.

“Awesome,” Mercury let out weakly.

Sparrow brought her hood down before pulling the mask down, and Mercury tapped a button on one of his circular stabilizers, unconcealing his face.

“Jessica?”

“Allan?”

Uncanny giggled as she changed into her civilian persona, Aeon.

“Aeon?”

“Who else?” She smiled at him. Allan flopped back in his seat, pulling his hands down his face.

“I thought Sparrows and Knight Owls were guys?” Allan looked over at Jessica and Knight Owl for an answer. He knew Jessica didn’t have a dad, so either her mother was Knight Owl or she was recruited by Knight Owl. Second one didn’t seem so good.

“That’s what we appear to be to others,” Knight Owl said. Allan waited a moment but turned back to Camilla when it was clear Knight Owl was not going to continue. Which fair enough.

“So we’re watching over the Paris kids?”

Camilla nodded, “Majestia and Knight Owl already live in the area, they will be notified of anything as soon as possible. Usually, I would only meet with the students at the end of the trip, but I will be here the entire week. We will be meeting with Ladybug as according to her she will be on the trip.”

“What about Paris,” Majestia asked a light frown on her face.

“She has her ways, she would not leave it completely defenseless without its much-needed heroine. Besides the city would have Chat Noir.” Camilla stated firmly, her head raised just the slightest bit. She got to experience her using a portal to bring the France President, the mayor of Paris, and herself. Camilla was confident the girl would use the same thing to go back to Paris if needed.

Uncanny Valley, who had turned back, frowned looking at the tablet and then facing Camilla. She opened her mouth but thought better of it. Majestia put her hand on Uncanny’s shoulder, “What is it my daughter?”

“I don’t know if I should speak on the matter as it may have changed between the time President Hombee spoke to Ladybug and the Monday following.” Uncanny rested her hands in her lap and looked at the table in front of her but not really seeing it.

“What would have happened?” Camilla sat next to Uncanny, resting her hand on the machinic girl’s other shoulder. Uncanny faced Camilla, a light nervousness on her face.

“Chat Noir will also be attending the trip, whether Ladybug knows that detail I can not tell.”

Camilla’s lips became tight for a moment before nodding, “Ladybug may know he won’t be in Paris at the time but not that he is on the trip. I stand by my statement, she would not leave the city completely defenseless.”

Knight Owl's fists tightest where she sat. It was obvious she did not like the sound of this, but she kept quiet. She finally spoke up after a moment of Mercury and Sparrow looking over the blog, “As long as they cause a recuses in our city I don’t care what they do. Just tell them to stay in line.”

“Of course they will,” Camilla nodded before turning back to speaking to the younger heroes.

Bruce sipped his cup of coffee looking between things that didn’t add up. While none of them seemed to be related a part of him said they had to be.

Back in January, Flash sensed an anomaly in the Speed Force, but he couldn’t find anything. So did Wally West, but didn’t find anything either. In May everyone felt something off, but the speedsters said it was nothing. That if anything it had to of been some “Universe bad vibes,” they didn’t say the exact same thing but they both said almost the exact same thing. It made Bruce suspicious of their reactions toward this.

Then before that in April, their monitors picked up an anomaly in space. When their space-surviving allies checked there was nothing, but one of them did catch a glimpse of a pink-red blur. They searched for months wondering if they could find it. There was a similar affair last year in October, orbs of some sort picked up on their sensors, floating above Europe at a mostly slow pace leaving Earth. But when someone was able to check it was gone and a swirl of pink and red was all they caught.

It frustrated Bruce to no end, but Shanghai had to be the most frustrating. His daughter had been near the city so after the night she investigated, it was multiple days later when she met Ladydragon. She explained in detail many things but she still kept a whole lot to herself. Cassandra had determined that she was not a threat but an ally, and while he trusted his daughter's judgment in people he did not trust this new hero. She was young and did not take orders.

There wasn’t much to work with in terms of finding out what happened that night in Shanghai, but one thing stands clear magic was involved. People had died and yet they walked around living and breathing. This was beyond the pits and that made it dangerous. He needed to know how, what, or who was responsible for this. They could not walk around free, they were a threat if they could control life.

But one thing not related to this, that shouldn’t be whatsoever was that President Hombee was going to be in New York City for the whole week of French students coming. She never was there for the whole week, no president usually was. So it was odd that she would be. Something was up with those students that Victory, the President of their country felt she had to be there for their entire stay.

It was very off-putting.

Bruce went to take a sip from his mug to find it empty. Disappointing. He sighed setting the mug on his desk.

He looked over at Diana’s order and message she had sent as of recent.

“Father.”

Bruce looked up to find his son in front of him, he had not heard him come in. Perhaps he should come home earlier like Alfred says he should.

“Yes Damian?” Bruce started sorting through and reorganizing the papers in front of him.

“Cain has arrived on a surprise visit,” Damian spoke in his ever-formal voice. His voice did not have the same venom it carried when he first arrived. As he saw all around him as his next challenge. Now there was a light layer of affection that Bruce believes Damian hasn’t noticed.

Bruce stood up and started putting the reports and notes away, “I will be down shortly.”

Damian nodded with a very light “Tt.”

Bruce watched his son walk for a moment, “Damian.” His son straightened his back, as if it weren’t already perfect, and faced Bruce.

“Yes, Father?”

“Thank you,” Bruce gave a smile, or tried to. Damian’s chest lifted and the ghost of a smile was on his face, but it was clear in his eyes. Damian nodded, “Of course Father. I will see you when you join us.”

And with that, Damian left Bruce to put away his papers. Bruce let out a light sigh, not exhausted or worrying, he felt content. His daughter usually called before coming home to the manor, but it was just as enjoyable for her to surprise them.

This rabbit hole could wait.

#The bat part of maribat is finally coming #taking flight #knight owl #majestia #uncanny valley #sparrow #victory #camilla hombee #mercury #maribat #maribat fic #maribat fanfic #maribat damian wayne #maribat bruce wayne #ladydragon #maribat cass

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