A sideblog to collect all of my writing pieces! My main blog is HiddenDreamer67. AO3 Account I also co-wrote a variety of fanfictions which can be found here: @Perspective-Series.
This week I'm posting a snippet I apparently wrote two years ago??? Dang time flies. This is a short lil' borrower drabble for the Obey Me fandom about when Mammon suspects someone is stealing his stuff.
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Mammon, despite what his brothers might think, wasn’t stupid. He only cared enough to put his brain to use when it benefitted him. Give him the right incentive, and Mammon could do anything. So when his stuff started disappearing from the privacy of his own sacred bedroom? Well, it was only a matter of time before the avatar of greed caught the culprit and reclaimed what was rightfully his.
At first, Mammon had taken the obvious route of accusing every single one of his brothers, earning several various bouts of anger in return. Asmo insisted he was above such a petty crime, Satan was nearly brought to fists at the mere accusation, and no matter how many anime figures he held hostage Levi refused to admit to touching any one of Mammon’s own precious trinkets. Beel, with his bottomless stomach but wide open heart could never tell a lie to save his life. He blatantly denied touching a single crumb of Mammon’s secret snack pile. (Of course, not a great idea to reveal to Beel the existence of said secret snack pile, but Mammon would cross that bridge another time). Belphie was still on the exchange program in the human world, and Lucifer…
Okay, admittedly, he hadn’t asked Lucifer.
By then it was time to move on to plan B: cameras. Reviewing the evidence, it was clear there was some sort of vermin traipsing about his space! No way that was gonna fly! Mammon was furious. What, a lil’ mouse thought it could waltz right into his bedroom and take whatever it pleased? Immediately the cogs in Mammon’s mind got spinning, working overtime to devise a way to rid himself of his tiny thief problem.
And that’s what led to this triumphant day: Mammon slammed open his bedroom door, looking oh so pleased with himself as the bell continued to jangle and indicate his trap had caught something.
“Gotcha!” He proclaimed, strutting over to the covered box. “You stupid little rat, betcha thought you could outsmart me, huh? HA! No one steals from the great Mammon and gets away with it! I’m gonna dismantle whatever little nest you’ve hidden away my treasures in, and as for you, ya nuisance, I’m gonna-” Mammon ripped the cover off, his sentence petering off as he peered into the trap. “...huh?”
Inside the trap was not the rat or mouse he had been expecting. Instead, it appeared to be… a human? Did humans come this small?
“Oi!” Mammon yanked the cage up by its handle, bringing it to eye level and throwing its occupant to the ground. “What the heck is this? Who are ya and why are you so punny?”
Why, this girl couldn’t be larger than Mammon’s hand, and she just sat there trembling and gazing back up at him. He frowned, giving the cage a good shake and jostling her further.
“Hello? I’m talking to you, bite sized!” Mammon sneered, still infuriated at all his stuff going missing. “What’s up with ya? And hey, what’s the big idea, coming in here and stealin’ what doesn’t belong to you? HUH? Ever thought about that?”
“I-I…” She gaped like a fish, her tiny frightened voice no higher than a whisper.
“Maybe I outta teach you a lesson.” Mammon huffed, reaching up to fiddle with the spring lock.
“No! Please!” She cried out, but Mammon snapped her up with deft fingers. She was absolutely miniature in his hand, like holding a frightened lil’ bird. And just like a canary, she began to sing, hurriedly explaining herself as if her life depended on it. “I’m sorry, I- we’re only supposed to take what won’t be noticed, I never meant for-”
“What, so that makes it okay to steal from me?” Mammon argued, a bit peeved that someone was using the same logic he used to justify taking his brother’s valuables and selling them online.
The little person frantically shook her head. “No, no I know it doesn’t, but I was just hungry, and you hadn’t touched it for a few days, and-”
“And what?” Mammon scrunched up his nose. “You decided to scrounge around for scraps? Gross! Why didn’t you just head to the kitchen instead of being a sneaky freeloader?”
The intruder just blinked up at him. “I… I’m not exactly a welcome guest.”
“Sure ya are.” Mammon declared. There was no way in hell he was gonna let this lil’ freeloader continue to just leech off him. If they were gonna stick around, Mammon was gonna make them everyone’s problem. “C’mon, I’ll show you where Lucifer hides the good stuff.” Mammon explained, heading out towards the kitchen.
New Witcher AU where Witchers are Giants and hella badass and more reclusive than usual so not everyone knows they even exist.
Summary: Jaskier, new out of bard college and without a muse, goes wandering the continent and hears tale of Giant monster slayers. He doesn't believe it, until one night when he's nearly killed by one himself.
AO3 Link here
It all started when Jaskier was down on his luck in a charming backwater town called Posada. The lovely people of this tavern didn’t seem to appreciate Jaskier’s wonderful lyrics about abortions. Arguably, the words themselves were clever enough, but the content was admittedly dry. It wasn’t the bard’s fault- while studying at Oxenfurt, Jaskier learned how to play just about every instrument in existence with a focus on the lute, and also could identify any musical note with his pitch perfect hearing. But figuring out what to write about in his songs? Well, that’s the very reason why the academy sent bards off to discover their muse, and so far all Jaskier had discovered were muddy roads and piss poor ale. Hardly masterpiece quality.
But as Jaskier was shoveling bread into his trousers (a bribe from angry patrons who threw it at the stage in hopes of shutting him up), Jaskier’s perfect ears happened to overhear a conversation of note happening at the bar.
“A giant, you say?” Jaskier butted into the conversation, ignoring the irritated glares both parties sent in his direction. “He sounds quite intriguing.”
“Leave the fantasies in stories, bard.” The man who was sitting there and started the tale spat. “This giant is no man. It’s a beast, over a 100 storeys tall, destroying everything in its path-”
“Goodness, 100 storeys? Really?” Jaskier had already whipped out his songbook and was jotting this down. “Did you measure it yourself, then? Or am I not the only one guilty of a bit of exaggeration around here?”
“Why’s it matter how tall the thing is?” The barkeep scrubbed angrily at a sticky spot on his wooden shelf. “A giant’s a giant.”
“Yes, well, I’ve considered many a bed partner a giant of a man, but it seems you’re dealing with another realm entirely.” Jaskier rested the quill against his mouth. “I just want to make this clear when I write the tale. Is the fellow the sort where I’d feel like a child standing up to his hip, or the more fabled kind where I’m lucky to be spotted next to his boot? I say, does he wear clothes at all? Or is there a giant nudist in our midst terrorizing wives and children-”
The patron, clearly having had enough of Jaskier’s ramblings, slammed his beer down on the table. “This isn’t a joke!” The man yelled, silencing the bard and half the guests with his outburst.
“Oi.” The barkeep paused his work, giving the patron a glare. “Take it outside if you’re gonna get rough.”
The patron grumbled, but sat back in his seat, this time addressing Jaskier with a normal gruff tone. “This thing could level a village without even realizing it. All of Wakefield had to evacuate a fortnight ago when we saw the beast on our borders, half the fields trampled and our livestock so spooked they'd stopped producing.
“A monster had been picking off our hunters one by one, the men who came back swore they saw a tree come to life, some sort of forest spirit pissed off we were in its lands, they said. It commanded the birds and the wolves, sent brave men cowering back with tails ‘tween their legs, it did. There were some who wanted to leave then, but those were our homes, we weren’t about to leave because of some ol’ spirit.
“And then, one day, things took a turn fer’ the worse. The giant showed up, got into a fist fight with the spirit. It tore that monster limb from limb it did, leaving parts of it scattered at the town edge. The hunting parties that had been out in the woods that day never returned, torn or trampled just like that spirit.”
The man’s eyes had sunken, looking like a soldier who had returned from war when none of his comrades had. “By then, with the previous torment of the spirit, we were picked clean.” He murmured. “The few of us left figured it was safer to leave with our lives than piss off a creature so mighty the ground shook as it walked. I stared in the face of death that day, and could feel those soulless yellow eyes peering into ‘me soul all the way to Posada.”
The man shook his head, slowly but surely nursing his drink. His tale was done, and he wasn’t eager to tell it again.
Jaskier, unfortunately, had never been sensitive nor subtle. “...but it killed the spirit, right?” Already he could feel the inspiration brimming under the surface, a tale of a tragic guardian angel gone wrong.
“And our men.” He said through gritted teeth. “Or did their lives mean so little you’ve forgotten them already?”
“Well, to be fair, I didn’t know them personally- Woah!” Jaskier hastily took a step back as the man got to his feet, shoving the chair back and advancing steadily on Jaskier. “I- that is to say, I’m sorry for your loss? Look, all I was saying is that if there was no witnesses, it’s still entirely possible that nasty spirit did them off, which suffice to say would make you at least a little grateful to the-”
This is as much as Jaskier got before the man had grabbed him by the collar, pulling him up to meet his snarling expression.
“Oi! Outside!” The barkeep ordered, shuffling them both out the door. The man refused to release Jaskier on the way out, causing the bard to stumble along until they reached fresh air. Jaskier had only a moment to appreciate the sunlight before a fist was painfully colliding with his face.
“Okay, ow.” Jaskier grimaced, blinking back spots as he was shoved to the ground. He rubbed at his jaw, looking up at his tormentor. “Some parties would argue that was a bit harsh.”
Jaskier was never known for keeping his tongue, and here it once again proved to bite him in the ass as the man reared back and kicked him in the gut. Jaskier doubled over in pain, clutching his stomach to cradle the sensitive organs for a few minutes before the throbbing subsided. When finally Jaskier dared to uncurl, the man had disappeared, likely inside for another drink.
“I think that went rather well.” Jaskier breathed, voice still a bit wheezy from the light beating. The bard stood up slowly, dusting himself off to maintain his beautiful silken trousers, even if the blue color had already faded from weeks of travel.
“Well, where to next?” Jaskier thought to himself, adjusting his lute on his back. “Can’t go back in there, oh no, I doubt they’d want to be graced with my presence anymore anyways.” Jaskier sighed, turning instead to the road out of town and already longing for a comfortable bed. “Hmm, let’s see, shall we venture North this time around? I hear Lyria is lovely this time of year.”
When one only needs to convince themselves, the choice of destination can be an easy one. Jaskier set off with all his worldly travel possessions, the coin pouch still dangerously low. If Jaskier had any survivalist skills, perhaps he could save a bit of coin catching a rabbit here and there for a meal instead of spending a hefty sum on rations when the market allowed. Instead, Jaskier had to contend himself with a few handfuls of mostly innocent berries and occasionally going hungry when left to his own devices.
“Oh, what shall we do with the drunken sailor~” Jaskier traveled with a tune this fine afternoon, amusing himself with a few vocal warm ups. What town was north, anyhow? Jaskier rarely bothered with maps, choosing instead to trust where the road took him. It only grew uncomfortable when towns were several days' travel apart, as Jaskier was not fond of sleeping out in the wilderness. The unfortunate night when a squirrel had crawled inside his bedroll with him was enough of a fright for the novelty of sleeping under the stars to wear off.
As the sun drew lower in the sky, it seemed tonight would be one of those unfortunate nights. Jaskier sighed, resigning himself to set up camp. Jaskier decided against a campfire, deeming it too much effort on a night when the air was already warm enough. Instead Jaskier just scoped out a spot by a tree still within sight of the road, hoping the well trodden path would ward off natural predators but the tree cover would provide assistance against becoming a target for highway robbers in the dead of night. Not that Jaskier had much of value on his person but he imagined it wouldn’t be pleasant to wake up to being frisked with a knife to his throat.
When a suitable spot had been found (or a spot as good as he would get before he lost all daylight), Jaskier laid out his bedroll. He oiled the strings of his lute, making sure the instrument was well cared for after a day of heavy use in the tavern. When his most precious possession was set aside for the night Jaskier finally tucked in, ready for a well-earned rest.
Thump.
Jaskier paused, for a moment certain he was imagining the faint tremor he felt through the forest floor. Just as Jaskier wrote it off as a figment of his active imagination, it happened again. And again.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Jaskier sat up, clutching the fabric of his bedroll to his chest as the thumping only seemed to increase in intensity, now joined in tandem with the sound of shaking branches and creaking tree trunks as if the forest were being forced apart by something absolutely massive.
Quickly but quietly Jaskier exited his bedroll, heart pounding in his chest as he clutched his lute. What the devil could that be? Was it coming this way? Jaskier debated the sanity of taking a moment to pack up his bedroll, for it had cost a good handful of coin. Would it be better to try and hide, or run like a hellhound was at his heels? Before Jaskier could make up his mind, a massive form suddenly came crashing through the branches from above, falling quickly towards where Jaskier’s bedroll still lay. On instinct the bard let out a distinctly unmanly scream, scrambling further towards the tree trunk he was hunkered against to avoid being crushed.
At the sound of Jaskier’s scream- his very loud scream, curse his amazing lungs for always drawing attention to himself- the form in the sky stumbled, snapping more tree limbs like twigs as it finished crashing into the earth not even a full body length in front of Jaskier. The break in the forest canopy allowed a little moonlight to shine through, and Jaskier began to make out the shape of the intruding object which connected up to something far, far above him that couldn’t be spotted.
A boot. Jaskier had nearly been crushed by a gigantic boot, and it was only then that Jaskier remembered Wakefield was the closest form of civilization close to Posada. This was the giant that may or may not have torn greater men limb from limb, definitely tore a gigantic tree entity limb from limb, and terrorized a surviving population into leaving the only home they had ever known.
“...Fuck.”
Jaskier flinched, startled as a deep voice came rumbling down from above. Though it was all encompassing in its intensity, Jaskier got the distinct feeling that it was meant as no more than a murmur. The bard’s breath hitched in his surprise.
“You can talk?!” Jaskier’s head whipped up to try and face the intruder, scrambling to his feet to get a better view without his trusty tree blocking out the light. In the night sky, the giant was little more than a terrifying, looming shadow blocking out the stars. Far above, a pair of yellow, glowing eyes focused directly on Jaskier, pinning the bard with their gaze and leaving the human feeling even smaller than usual.
“I- sorry.” Jaskier continued, realizing that with a wince what he had exclaimed was quite rude, and offending a giant would not bode well. “It’s just that- well I’ve never met one of your kind before.” Jaskier raised his voice while continuing to ramble, watching as the giant began to lean closer. Not exactly ideal but maybe the giant was simply hard of hearing? Jaskier tried to stay in a positive line of thinking and less on the line of him being torn apart as soon as giant fangs got within bard-biting distance. If it- he- really did have fangs at all.
To be at the foot of such a massive individual reminded Jaskier of what it must feel like to humble oneself before the goddess of Death, pathetically lacking in your final moments as you were judged by an almighty being greater than yourself. To put it lightly, the sight was as awe-inspiring as it was terrifying, especially when Jaskier realized he had been frighteningly close to meeting Death tonight himself. This giant was like a living mountain, experiencing a world far larger than Jaskier’s own and one in which Jaskier’s continued existence was inconsequential.
“-rumored to have a bit of fae blood on my mother’s side myself.” Jaskier found he had continued to ramble without any awareness of what he was saying. “What was I talking about? Oh yes, I’m not racist- woah!” Unprepared for the giant’s shifting, Jaskier was startled by the sudden quaking of the earth and promptly stumbled onto his ass. What had been nothing but an adjustment of the giant’s footing had thrown Jaskier’s balance off completely.
“Sorry.” The giant apologized, saying his second word of the night. While the giant ominous stranger chose his words wisely, Jaskier had already spewed several thousand. Not too out of proportion for most conversations Jaskier held, actually. His previous roommates claimed Jaskier was just a fan of his own voice, and well this was not entirely the cause of Jaskier’s never ending dialogue he didn’t deny the melodious quality of his own vocal cords.
“It’s quite alright!” Jaskier hurried to assure him, standing up and once again patting at his clothes to dust them off, more out of habit than necessity. “Not my first tumble, no harm done to the bard, not tonight, no sir.” Jaskier’s tumble had also been caused by his own shaky legs, still quivering a bit as Jaskier forced himself to remain standing.
The giant hmm’d, those golden eyes tracking Jaskier intently. The bard got the distinct impression that the giant could see the bard a lot more clearly than Jaskier could see him in the low night light, like a predator stalking its prey. “You’re not hurt?”
Jaskier shook his head in confirmation. “Nope, fit as a fiddle. A lute, if one were to be more accurate, though it doesn’t roll quite off the tongue, does it? Bit of a nasty fright you gave me there in the beginning, quite a first impression.” Jaskier gave an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his head. “And here I was, poking fun at a man in the tavern a way’s back for telling tall tales! Really tall tales, mind you. Are you really 100 storeys tall? Sorry, that’s probably rude. I’ll go first, I’m 6 foot, though my lithe figure makes it hard for others to tell. I doubt you have the same struggles, oh mighty mountain man.”
“Hmm.” The giant ignored Jaskier’s question, if there even was one in that linguistic mess. (Jaskier himself wasn’t sure; in desperate times, the bard’s tongue tripped over itself.) “Stay near the road. Light a fire next time.”
“I- yes, that is- sound advice, right there.” Jaskier saluted, in no position to disagree with anything the giant told him to do. With a nod in his direction, the giant began to move. The shadowy figure blocked out the stars once more, causing Jaskier to flinch as he was briefly cast in darkness as the giant picked up a leg to set it down, what, miles from here? Jaskier quickly crouched down, avoiding the boot in front of him as it lifted as well. The boot’s journey up was slow and meticulous, as if the giant were being extraordinarily careful as he lifted his foot from the grove, but Jaskier put his arms up to protect his neck regardless as stray twigs were inevitably tumbling down where the giant’s foot dislodged them from the canopy.
A few moments later, Jaskier’s racing heart began to calm, no longer feeling as though he was immediately going to get squashed into a bardly pulp. Jaskier could scarcely feel the rumblings in the distance, the only evidence left of the giant’s intrusion was a wider hole in the tree branches and the scuffed up large patch of dirt left behind by the boot print. Jaskier panted, pressing his hand to his chest as he fought to process all that had happened in the last, most exciting minute of his short life. “What the fuck just happened?”
The Crossover No One Asked For But Got Anyway Pt. 5
@showrunnerihardlyknowher owns Edix. Markus and Caden are my bois.
AO3 Link Here
This is Pt 5: Caden Deserves Love
Word count: 1,431
Caden’s entire world had been turned upside down. Here was a creature who abandoned him one moment, plunged him in the river the next, and now coddled him against his chest? Edix was an unknown, a stranger who frightened Caden. He didn’t know what to expect with Edix, and that made him dangerous. Caden felt absolutely terrified in his presence, like his heart was that of a jackrabbit.
And yet… as Caden was held against Edix's chest, he couldn’t help but note that Markus never held him like this. There was a gentleness to Edix’s movements that Caden had never experienced before. What was this feeling, this warmth in his chest as Edix fretted and petted over him? It was unfamiliar, but not unwelcome.
Caden shifted, squirming a bit as his wet clothing rubbed uncomfortably. “Ah … I’m sorry.” Caden apologized, looking forward again towards Edix’s chest, too embarrassed to face the giant directly.
“Hmm?” Edix stroked a hand down Caden’s back, calming the human further. Edix’s own pet was never this docile. “Whatever for?”
“I…” Caden didn’t have an answer for that, but clearly he must have done something wrong in the first place to get thrown into the river. In lieu of an answer, Caden merely shrugged, not wanting to remind Edix of anything that he may or may not have done wrong.
Before Edix could prod more for an answer, a loud rumbling noise could be heard emanating from Edix’s stomach. Caden startled, surprised by the sudden sensation vibrating through him from the close proximity. At the sight of Caden’s expression, Edix laughed, further displacing the human.
“It seems I’ll have to look for something to eat.” Edix observed, standing up with the human still in his hands. Caden shuddered, hoping he was not on the menu. Several creatures of the forest would quickly make a meal of a little morsel like Caden, and Edix’s sharp fangs were no joke. Thankfully Edix’s attention had turned away from him, instead focused on heading back the way they came to scour around the abandoned campsite.
“I-I think we’ve got jerky!” Caden was quick to offer, wanting to ensure he was off the list of edible items. Hopefully Markus had anything even remotely edible in the satchel that was left behind. “Possibly some bread as well, though it would be a bit stale now. Usually Markus keeps a day's worth of rations on hand to tide us over.”
Edix nodded as if he was listening, already setting Caden down to sort through the bag himself. “He’s a hunter?” Edix observed, pulling a few instruments out that confirmed this suspicion. The amount of sharp objects and tripwire packed in a single bag was quite impressive. For now, Edix set these aside, focused instead on filling his stomach.
Caden nodded in confirmation. “Yes. He hunts for sustenance, as well as service. Others pay him for the parts he harvests. Markus also tends to clear out beasts in the forest, because it’s not very safe for anyone out here.”
“Especially not for you.” Edix said disapprovingly, taking a tentative bite of some dried meat. Edix grimaced, but continued eating. “What is your relation to this ‘Markus’, anyhow? Did he track you down like one of his many other catches? Or perhaps snatch you up as bait for a larger find?”
Caden shuddered, imagining himself strung up in a trap like a live hunk of meat. “No, nothing of that sort.” Caden assured Edix, thankful to avoid such a dark trajectory for his life. Who knows what could have transpired if Caden was found by someone more cruel than Markus? Already whenever they went to the marketplace Caden could sense hungry eyes following him, traders and rapscallions eager to get their grimy hands upon his tiny person. It left Caden feeling unsettled, like his worth was nothing more than a trinket to be passed around the firepit. At least with Markus he could safely hide away in a bag and avoid those who wished him harm.
But just what was Markus to Caden, anyhow? Markus had never bothered to explain what he thought of Caden in explicit terms, and fearing the response Caden never asked. It was alright, their relationship was built upon tentative truths and unspoken neutrality. Caden knew better than to hope for more; he was grateful for any kindness Markus was willing to give him.
So caught up in his own musings, Caden didn’t notice at first when Edix gave a startled cough, briefly choking upon his food. The venandi’s hand traveled down to clutch at his side, where a sudden tearing had ripped open his uniform. Caden took notice when a grimace formed, Edix appearing to be in much pain.
“Are you alright, Edix?” Caden asked, giving Edix a wide berth in case the venandi suddenly had to act and Caden was caught underfoot. Caden jogged around to the side, looking up at the torn seams where Edix still kept his hand pressed. There, beneath Edix’s fingers, several large gashes in Edix’s skin could be seen, already bleeding and soaking the fabric around them.
“You’re bleeding!” Caden gasped, paling as the crimson substance began to drip through. Even though Caden traveled with Markus and saw all manner of animal insides torn open, the little human felt sick to his stomach as he watched Edix’s wound get worse. “What- what’s happening?”
Edix grit his teeth, fangs catching his bottom lip. “It appears someone aboard my ship has decided your Markus needs to be punished.”
Caden frowned, not understanding even as he began to feel a sinking, all encompassing dread. “What do you mean? What’s Markus have to do with this?”
“During a dimensional altercation, the two host bodies are linked.” Edix explained. “I spontaneously was harmed and therefore the source must be an attack on Markus’ end of the link.”
Caden’s mind came to a screeching halt. Markus was injured. Edix was injured. Shit, what did Markus usually do about an injury? If he helped Edix, would that help Markus too? Were they both going to be okay?
Unable to just sit there and think about the endless negative outcomes, Caden poured his energy into what he could do in the moment, sprinting towards the satchel left lying on its side.
“Where are you going, pup?”
Caden ignored Edix’s question, diving into the bag and scouring around. It was dark inside the leather satchel, but Caden’s eyes quickly adjusted to the familiar surroundings. It also helped that Edix had already sorted out most of the belongings as he searched for food. Caden found his prize tucked away at the bottom, hidden within a fold of the thick fabric. Caden grasped the roll of bandages and pulled it out towards the entrance. Before Caden could retreat further, Edix’s hand wrapped around his body, searching fingers finding Caden inside the bag. Quickly Caden grasped onto the bandages to keep a strong hold on them as he was plucked up and out into the light.
Caden blinked, squinting for a moment in the sunlight as he was brought up to eye level with Edix once again. “We have bandages.” Caden explained, wanting to offer them up afraid he’d drop them. Instead Caden hugged them to his chest like a gigantic pillow, making it slightly difficult to see around the large fabric roll.
Edix chuckled, his eyes fond but his smile belittling. “Oh pup, that’s very sweet of you, but entirely unnecessary. See?” Edix held Caden out further, allowing Caden to reluctantly get another look at the wound. Edix’s spare hand was still pressed there, but the blood flow had slowed, the cuts beginning to naturally scab over.
“It stung for a moment, but it was mainly surprising.” Edix assured him. “It seems your Markus has seen fit to cooperate, for the betterment of both of us.”
Caden fidgeted, still feeling on edge and jumpy at the notion of either giant being harmed. “I just want to help, both of you. It pains me to know you’re hurt and sit here doing nothing. Won’t you at least bandage yourself? It’s unsafe to leave an open wound.”
Edix let out a long sigh, as if very inconvenienced by this request, but to Caden’s surprise Edix lifted him up to place a kiss upon Caden’s head. The human’s little mind was wiped blank of any thoughts as Edix set Caden gently on the ground, taking the bandages from him with ease.
“You’re too sweet for this world.” Edix informed Caden, lifting up his shirt and bandaging his torso.
The Crossover No One Asked For But Got Anyway Pt. 4
Time is a social construct
@showrunnerihardlyknowher owns Edix and Jacob and Talan. Markus and Caden are my bois.
AO3 Link Here
This is Pt 4: Fuck Talan Pt. 1
Markus listened carefully to the announcements, first trailing through regular occurrences like the weather or daily menus. Jacob tried to engage him in conversation again, but Markus just placed a finger to his lips and tilted his head towards the corner where the sound originated. He struck gold when the announcement began to explain an error in some sort of experimental system (Markus wasn’t able to understand all the complicated lingo). The gist of it seemed to be a transmutational body swap, and warned against potential new stowaways who would need to be locked up until they traded places back, lest their bodies come to harm.
“Shit.” Markus cursed, carefully extracting his legs from the bed and standing up. “I don’t do well in chains. Whelp, looks like it’s time to blow this joint.”
“Wait, you can- hold on!” Jacob screeched, his little voice raising to an annoyed shrill as Markus prowled around the rest of the room. “Where are you going? What the hell are you talking about? Don’t tell me you can actually understand that gibberish.”
Markus paused, glancing back at the human. “What, like it’s hard?”
Jacob untangled himself from the blankets, looking embarrassed. “Of course it’s hard! Not like they taught me ‘how to decipher alien code 101’ in high school. Not that geometry’s been doing me much good, either.”
“Hmm.” Markus shrugged. “Just figured you’d pick up a thing or too. In my experience there’s not much else to do while being held captive.”
A silence once again fell over the pair, Jacob clearly having nothing to retort to that. Few people did, honestly. It’s part of why Markus preferred the woods to civilization. With a shrug, Markus resumed his search for anything else of use in a cat fight.
“I uh… haven’t caught your name.” Jacob reminded him.
“I didn’t throw it.” Markus waited another moment just to let Jacob squirm, throwing the human a teasing grin. “It’s Markus.”
It was at that moment the door to the room suddenly burst open. A sleazy cat with blonde hair and grey ears came waltzing into the room, acting as though he owned the place. The venandi looked downright greasy, which was impressive given the amount of disgusting grooming these creatures must get up to on a daily basis.
It seemed that Jacob was no big fan of this feline, either. The moment he entered the human went stiff, little eyes darting around for a place to hide. It was just such prey behavior, so much like Caden back at the start, that Markus couldn’t help but feel a spot of pity for this little human too.
“HEY, UGLY!” Markus called out in its native tongue, lobbing the metal sphere he had acquired at its face. The cat seemed more outraged by the comment than the lump of metal colliding with its skull, sending the cat sliding backwards into the door. With a ferocious hiss, the cat got back on its feet, lunging directly at Markus.
“How DARE you!” The hoity cat sneered, blindsided by a punch to the throat. The venandi wheezed for a moment, darting beneath Markus’ arm to try and kick his legs out from under him ineffectually. “You inconsiderate pest. Filthy vermin like you aren’t worthy of touching a thing in Edix’s chambers.”
Markus turned back to address Jacob, his arms preoccupied with struggling to hold down the cat creature. “Do you know an Edix?” Jacob just shrugged, no recognition evident in his features.
Markus was used to dealing with feral, stupid creatures, but he underestimated the venandi. The cat dug his claws into Markus’ flesh with ease, causing the giant to release him with a grunt as he felt his side get ripped to shreds. Caught off guard, Markus soon found himself tackled by a supremely pissed off scientist.
“Hey- HEY!” Markus yelled, feeling the enemy continue to claw at his skin and leave oozing gashes. Damn, now he’d have to get blood stains out of this shirt again. “Didn’t you hear the announcement? If harm comes to me, harm comes to them. Get off or your friend gets it, at your hand no less.”
It was then the venandi seemed to come back to himself. He looked down at his claws in horror, peering at the wounds across Markus’ body in trepidation not for the giant before him but for a far superior being on another world who would now be wearing identical gashes. The feline shuddered. “What have I done?”
Taking advantage of the cat’s confusion, Markus kicked his legs up to latch onto his opponent’s stomach and flip them both over, leaving Markus straddling his foe. While he may have convinced the venandi that minimal blood loss was necessary for the sake of its- companion?- Markus wasn’t going to take any chances. He gripped the creature’s wrists and pinned them firmly above its head, letting out a low growl of intimidation. The slippery furry tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but Markus had enough experience with wrestling mystical beasts to not let his opponent get the upper hand.
“How do I get out of here?” Markus interrogated him.
“Go fuck yourself.” The creature spat. While Markus admired their attitude and would have likely said the same had their positions been swapped, the giant did not hesitate to lift the venandi’s head by his hair and slam it back against the metallic floor.
“I’m asking nicely.” Markus griped. “Cooperate and I don’t need to leave a bloody mess on your friends’ floor.”
The cat’s already sickly looking features paled, seeming to finally understand who had the upper hand here. However, the next quip came as a bit of a surprise. “We’re not friends.”
Markus blinked, a bit caught off guard by this declaration. It certainly didn’t add up with how the cat had been acting thus far. “Seems like you care a lot about your not-friend’s well being.” Markus pointed out. Not that he minded; if this venandi’s complicated work relationship kept Markus in one piece, he’d take it.
“Edix is an incompetent coworker.” The cat spat. “He’s delusionally soft and a pisspoor employee.”
“And you sound like a bundle of laughs yourself.” Markus retorted. “Now how do I get off this ship?”
The trapped venandi had the gaul to laugh in his face. “You really think you have any chance of freely escaping here? You, a dirty, vulgar, pathetic-”
“You do remember who’s on who, right?” Markus raised an eyebrow. The venandi pursed his lips like he swallowed a lemon, clearly unwilling to admit defeat nor give any more valuable information.
Markus sighed, instead once again turning his attention to the third (albeit tiny) occupant of this room. “Oi, Jacob.”
The human was out of sight for the moment, slowly peeking around the pillow at the sound of Markus’ voice. “Y-yeah?”
Whelp, shit. Markus must have scared the lil’ bugger. Probably wasn’t making a great first impression here, bleeding all over the place and tackling a familiar figure in Jacob’s life. No time for manners here though, Markus mused. “Do you know the way out of here?”
Jacob frantically shook his head. “We uh, might be in the middle of space.” The human brought up a slight roadblock in the whole ‘escape the compound’ plan. Not that Jacob wasn’t on board with the idea of getting out of here, mind you, but he wasn’t eager to throw himself into the cold vacuum of space, either.
“Hmm, puts a damper on things.” Markus admitted. An enclosed space filled with feral enemies was not how Markus wanted to start his morning. Then again, if this ‘Edix’ was so valuable, it sounded like Markus couldn’t be killed in the meantime, and there had to be a way off this vessel in case of emergency. Perhaps the odds were still in his favor.
Of course, it was at that moment the cat slipped a wrist out from under Markus’ grip, taking advantage of the giant’s distraction to reach into his lab coat pocket and pull out a sharp device which he promptly shoved into Markus’ arm.
“Mother-FUCKER!” Markus roared, a current of electricity running up his limb and startling him into releasing the venandi completely. The cat leapt to his feet, wielding the tiny shocking device in Markus’ direction like one would a sword, not a few inches long rod.
“Stay back!” The cat hissed, its hair all on end like a deranged puffball. “Don’t come a step closer! I’m not afraid to use this!”
“What about your not-friend, the coworker?” Markus said through gritted teeth, still clutching at his wounded arm. That thing hurt like a sonofabitch, and it aggravated his injuries into bleeding more as well, leaving a puddle on the solid tile flooring.
The cat rolled his eyes as if Markus were the biggest idiot on the planet. Er, space station? “A shock to the neural system doesn’t travel across body doubles, idiot. Only physical or fatal wounds.”
Well, that made no sense, but then again neither did any of this. The short of it seemed to be that the cat had no apprehensions using his zappy stick on Markus, which put a bit of a damper in his escape plans.
Talan, for that was the venandi's name (as evident on his nametag prominent upon the lab coat), narrowed his eyes, tail flicking back and forth slowly in irritation. Talan kept a wary gaze upon Markus, ready for another attack, but Markus stayed put, not willing to test the venandi’s twitchy trigger finger just yet.
“Alright, now here’s how this is going to go.” The cat stood up to his full height, smoothing back his hair like a self-righteous douche. God, Markus hated people like him. The kind who used sneers and insults to try and keep themselves in power. On the streets, it was always refreshing to settle a debate with an asshole with a punch to the face, and Markus was rearing for another round. “You’re going to come to the brig, nice and quiet like. Behave yourself, and I won’t have to punish you, hmm?”
“Someone’s feeling real brave with his lil’ wand out.” Markus muttered, purposefully making sure the cat didn’t understand his musings. “A shame ‘behavin’ ain’t in my vocabulary.”
Did somebody say Gt superhero/villain content? 😈This was a one-shot fic I wrote for @showrunnerihardlyknowher a couple months ago for a trade and this was the prompt:
"a hero/villain type of thing in which the hero becomes tiny as a result of a fight that's now very quickly going south before villain shows up and takes all the other foes out. of course when he sees what's happened to the hero though, he has no desire to kill them, but he also doesn't have any desire to return them to their normal size >:3c"
Word Count: 3,262
(minor character death warning)
This battle, suffice to say, was not going well. Captain Freeze winced as one of the many Forces of Evil threw him down through three stories of the laboratory. Clearly a minion opponent judging by the standard maroon uniform, but the super strength still left an aching in his back that Freeze was sure he’d feel in the morning. Unfortunately, the Captain didn’t have any time to pity himself. The icy superhero got to his feet, dusting off his light blue and white costume and readying his hands to blast a few icicles at his masked opponents that sauntered through the door.
“Such a chilly reception.” One of the feminine minions teased, a bit odd considering the Forces of Evil weren’t exactly known for having a sense of humor until they climbed up the villain pyramid scheme. Captain Freeze always thought of the minions as just some poor kids who got recruited by the wrong organization post-power development, stripped of their identity and used as tools for taking down governments.
Then again, these ‘poor kids’ were now trying to skewer him with his own icicles, so… Captain Freeze could only feel so sympathetic.
“Well it wasn’t exactly a warm welcome.” Captain Freeze bantered right back, dodging an energy blast from the woman.
“I can fix that!” A third enemy ran into the fray, eyes ablaze with a pyro’s touch. Oh damn. Quickly Captain threw up an ice wall, watching as the little maniac began to melt through it with ease.
Freeze grunted, a large chunk of debris grazing his side when it was thrown by the strength opponent. The concrete block soared further into the lab where the Captain winced at the sound of equipment being shattered. Orion Enterprises wasn’t going to like all this destruction to their lab, but Captain Freeze was a little more focused on living long enough to minimize the damage. Hopefully the minions hadn’t just unknowingly destroyed the lifelong pursuit of a cancer cure in those petri dishes.
“How about we take this outside, kids?” Captain Freeze tested the waters, daring to hope there was something in here valuable enough that the minions would want to grab and run.
Sadly, his opponents only seemed spurred on by his statement, sensing the hero’s weakness. The heat signature boy began forming a fiery ring to surround Captain Freeze and make the glacial superhero sweat. Freeze shot his own icy blasts out to dampen the flames, coughing as smoke began to fill the enclosed space.
Distracted by the heat trap, Captain Freeze failed to dodge another energy blast straight to the chest. Freeze found himself soaring backwards, colliding with a lab shelf and sending a mix of chemicals tumbling down upon him. Perhaps reacting to the extreme heat conditions of the room mixed with his own abnormal body structure, the chemicals produced a burst of light that temporarily blinded all occupants.
Captain Freeze, who was known for running quite cold, began to feel a searing heat emanating from within his chest. He cried out, clawing at his ribs as the blazing sensation traveled outward to the very tips of his fingers and toes, clouding his brain and leaving Freeze in a discombobulated, seizing mess.
Then, just as suddenly as the sensation had taken over, it vanished entirely. The captain lay on the floor, panting heavily as he fought to get breath back into his lungs. Freeze stared up at the ceiling, blinking spots out of his eyes. The room had gone dark, the electric lights likely blown out by the explosion, perhaps the flames as well. A ringing had overtaken Freeze’s ears, diminishing his hearing capabilities.
Even in his very shaken state, Captain Freeze began to rally, reminding himself that he was a superhero, a preserver of good in the world. If he fell, so would justice. With a groan, Captain Freeze sat up, only to... well, freeze.
The captain was no longer looking out at a desecrated lab- or rather, he was, but it was hard to tell based on the walls towering over his person. What looked like an unclimbable mountain was nothing more than a lab table pushed into the wall. The structure casting Captain Freeze completely in shadow was only an old lab stool, legs the height of a several story building.
Captain Freeze gulped, looking down at his diminished stature. He’d heard of size-shifting supers, of course, but never one that could affect the size of objects outside themselves. What had the Forces of Evil done to him? Or, was this a side effect of the secret experiments performed this far down in the Orion Enterprises facility? Just what were the scientists attempting to accomplish with such dangerous chemicals?
By this point, the ringing in Captain Freeze’s ears had all but left, leaving behind a rolling thunderous noise. With a start, Freeze realized that it wasn't a storm at all, but voices, amplified to an impossible volume. It was as if god was speaking directly to the Captain from the heavens, if the voice of god sounded like three young adult delinquents in spandex.
“-did you do?!”
“-just vanished in the smoke-!”
Freeze winced, fighting off the urge to raise his hands to his ears and block out the roars as his enemies’ volume grew in their frustration. This was important; they were talking about him, weren’t they? Clearly the Forces of Evil didn’t intentionally steal his height; this was just a freak accident.
I’ve got to get out of here. Captain Freeze reminded himself, formulating a plan. Where could he go? The league? His superhero allies would be his best bet of survival, surely, but it wasn’t as though he could take the subway in this condition. It’d be a miracle if Freeze even got out of this building in a timely fashion. Not for the first time, Freeze was envious of his colleague SuperHuman’s speed and flight abilities, which would certainly be more useful in this emergency.
The Captain was quickly pulled out of his musings when an entire wall of debris he was taking cover under got yanked up into the air, faster than a fighter jet taking off. Captain Freeze gasped, staring up up up at the strength henchman, who had been intimidating in stature even back when Freeze wasn’t missing the top 5 feet of his body. The muscled oaf blinked, looming over the captain and casting the trembling hero in his shadow.
“Found him?” The confused minion called back to his companions, never taking his eyes off the miniscule Captain Freeze, who flinched at the sound of the goliath’s voice. “He’s… smaller.”
“Smaller?” The two other henchmen came running over, sending tremors through the ground that made Freeze flail about like it was an earthquake. A loud whistle came from the heat demon. “Holy hell, snow got short!”
“What do we… do with him?” The energy girl rubbed at her head, befuddled by this strange turn of events. “I mean he’s pint-sized now, but he could still be dangerous.”
“Nah, look at him.” The heat one brought his foot back, and all of a sudden a tennis shoe was rushing at Captain Freeze like a train. Immediately Captain Freeze lifted his arms to freeze his opponent in his tracks… but his icy blasts did nothing. The shoe didn’t even stutter in its course, catching him off guard and sending the bruised hero tumbling a few feet. Freeze lay there, a panting mess, shocked at the idea of not being able to properly utilize his powers at this size. The superhero’s chances for survival were quickly dwindling.
The hothead let out an amused chuckle. “So much for captain buzzkill. Hey muscles, wanna do the honor?”
Muscles shrugged, lifting a shoe above the still prone Captain Freeze, clearly indifferent to the idea of squashing a human life beneath his heel. Freeze let out an uncharacteristic yelp, rolling to the side just in time to avoid becoming a carpet stain.
This was bad. Captain Freeze tried to stumble back, make a run for it, but no matter where he turned the Forces of Evil were ready for him, pinning him in their little circle with their feet. Energy blasts and flames rained down from above, clearly meant to make him dance like some sort of jester. With every dodge, Freeze could feel his energy waning, knowing at this point the minions were just messing with him for their amusement. It was only a matter of time before he slipped up and was caught off guard and killed by a blast or a kick or a-
“Late to the party, am I?”
Or a villain.
Suddenly, everyone in the room froze, caught off guard by the well-dressed figure sauntering into the room. Well, Freeze could only assume he sauntered, his vision quite limited from the floor. Freeze recognized that obnoxiously suave voice as possibly the only person who could make this situation worse: the Captain’s personal arch nemesis.
Whenever Captain Freeze stood ready to defend the law, Doctor Orion appeared to tear him down. Orion possessed powers of telekinesis, leveling buildings with a single thought. The man was dangerous to everyone around him. While Freeze had fought his whole life to train his powers for good and prevent civilian damage, Orion flung debris around like it was a game. He toyed with people’s lives like they were puppets to dance for his amusement. Captain Freeze had been the only one capable of stopping Dr. Orion in his tracks, and even then his ice walls were nothing but a temporary measure. And now… Captain Freeze looked down at his miniscule hands, a cold dread seizing him as he realized he was no match for his greatest foe.
“Doctor Orion?” The girl raised an eyebrow.
“Of Orion Enterprises.” The Doctor grinned, twirling about his cane with a flourish. “Seems you’ve forgotten. I’m hurt, truly, that you’d attack my namesake without inviting me.” He held out his cane, casually knocking another petri dish onto the ground to shatter. Dr. Orion actually held no affiliation with Orion Enterprises, and kept the title solely to provide the corporation with bad PR on a regular basis.
The heat boy rolled his eyes. None of the minions liked Dr. Orion, because he was always too stuck on his obsession with Captain Freeze to pay the rest of the Forces of Evil any mind. “You’re a bit of an obvious choice, aren’t ya? Gotta give us new kids a chance to slip under the radar all stealth-like.”
“...So I see.” Dr. Orion looked pointedly at the several story gaping hole in the ceiling, and the associated carnage beyond. “Well, lost invitations and lack of basic stealth operative practices aside, you lot can stop getting your panties in a twist. I’m not here to stop you, I just wanted to join in on your tomfoolery, trespassing and general destruction of property. What dark secrets have you unearthed in these halls of hell today, hmm?”
The three henchmen shared a glance between each other, coming to a silent conclusion.They’d get paid the same rate back at headquarters regardless of who squashed the pest.
“Take a look for yourself.” The henchmen stepped aside, gesturing to where their tiny captive was cowering. “Your little pretty boy is pretty puny, eh?”
Dr. Orion’s eyebrows rose straight into his hairline, shocked as Muscles kicked the prone, 5-inch tall Captain Freeze in his direction, the little figure rolling to a stop just at Orion’s toe. The villain gawked down at his nemesis, so pathetic at his feet, beaten and bruised and breathing heavily.
“You three did this?” Dr. Orion stated, his face kept unnervingly blank. Clearly, the henchmen had already taken several jabs at the defenseless hero.
Yes, defenseless indeed. So miniature next to Dr. Orion’s loafers, he could crush Freeze beneath his heel with a single twist of his ankle. It was a small miracle that the Captain was even still alive at this rate, a true testament to the hero’s will to survive. How pitiful, the effort Captain Freeze must have put into defending this laboratory only to end up shrunken and defenseless thanks to the very experiments he fought to protect.
“Well.” Dr. Orion finally said, eyes on the hero but addressing the henchmen who had brought his hero to the brink of death. “It seems I am here to stop your fun after all.”
Dr. Orion lifted a finger, and the shards of shattered vials rose up into the air at his telekinetic command. The crystal-like fragments twinkled in the air, mesmerizing in appearance before with a flick of his wrist the blades went flying into the henchmen’s necks with ease. For good measure, Orion sent the glass back through his opponents, aiming for every crucial organ within the span of a few seconds.
Three corpses collapsed to the ground, dead to the world. The thud of the closest one sent a new shudder up Captain Freeze’s spine, remembering just why Orion was viewed as public enemy number one.
Dr. Orion was unfazed by the young lives he had just snuffed out, more focused on adjusting the cuffs of his shirt and checking for any blood splatters on his outfit before turning his attention back down to the miniature superhero. “Now, let’s take a closer look at you, hmm?”
As the doctor now pointed his finger in Freeze’s direction, the hero felt the familiar sensation of being manipulated by Orion’s powers. The captain grimaced, his stomach dropping as he was raised what felt like several stories up to float at the supervillain’s eyeline. Determined not to appear as weak as he felt, Freeze stared defiantly back at Orion. The doctor, on the other hand, had an unreadable expression as those giant eyes seemed to stare straight into Freeze’s soul.
Perhaps this would be a good time for banter, but Captain Freeze’s brain was a bit blank at the moment. Instead, he asked the only question on his mind:
“...are you going to kill me?”
Dr. Orion raised an eyebrow, surprised at the hero’s absurd question. “Come now, Freeze, do you take me for a fool? If I wanted you dead, why would I annihilate all these villainous lackeys and force myself to go through the paperwork back at headquarters?”
Captain Freeze tried to shrug his shoulders, but it was difficult when the telekinetic field kept him fairly stationary, only able to move at the Doctor’s whims. “I don’t know, a flare for the dramatic? Seems like you’d want to do me in yourself, after all these years.”
“Well you’re almost right.” Dr. Orion casually rubbed at his chin. “I suppose… it didn’t feel right, ending our lifelong feud with you crushed like an ant. You’re too vulnerable in this state, it wouldn’t be fair.”
Fair? Captain Freeze let out a disbelieving laugh, once again astounded at his enemy’s actions. Was this a dream? Because almost nothing that occurred today made a lick of sense. “You’re showing me mercy?” Captain Freeze clarified.
“Easy there, pint-sized.” Dr. Orion’s gaze narrowed, slipping back into his villainous banter. “I can still change my mind.” Just to prove it, Orion idly twirled his fingers, making Freeze float in a figure eight for his enjoyment.
Freeze’s next chuckle was a lot more hesitant, as Orion’s villain persona was intimidating at this stature. Captain Freeze had met that hardened gaze across a battlefield millions of times, exchanging quips back and forth, but now as Freeze was measured by Orion’s stare he found himself to be lacking. Not exactly a good measurement to find in the eyes of your enemy. “Well, I’ll certainly soften my punches next time you and I go toe to toe.”
Dr. Orion's slow grin was equivalent to the cat that caught the canary. “Who said you’d be returning to the battlefield?”
“...eh?”
“I’m afraid you’re far too vulnerable at this size.” Orion sighed, drifting Captain Freeze closer to his person, dusting his own attire off and searching for a good place to hide the tiny hero. “It’s not as if I could leave you alone, the rats will find you, be they Forces of Evil or even just literal vermin at your scale. Given the fact I’m a wanted criminal, I can’t exactly waltz back to your hero friends either.” Not that he’d want to; the idea of keeping a tiny Captain Freeze all to himself was growing more and more appealing. Ooh, this might actually be quite a fun development!
“Orion-!” Freeze gasped, finding himself suddenly dropped out of the air to fall into Orion’s shirt pocket.
“Oh, you’re like a little ice pack!” Orion startled, then smiled, gently placing a hand over Freeze’s enclosure and smothering the protesting hero. The core temperature of Freeze might come in handy later on. Orion was already imagining how relaxing it would be to come home from a day of chaotic crime and rest on the couch with his frozen hero cuddled up against his neck… of course, he could do without the many harmless punches.
Dr. Orion gave one more pat to his pocket. “Settle down there, Captain, don’t want to waste your energy.” The hero was still injured, after all, and would need first aid when they returned to Orion’s abode.
“Orion, stop this!” Freeze yelled, stumbling to keep any semblance of balance as the villain began to saunter out without a care in the world. “I- the hero league will come looking for me!”
Dr. Orion hummed, pretending to consider his point. “Oh will they?”
“Yes! They care about me!”
“And how will they know where you are?”
Freeze paused at that very excellent question. “The- the tapes! Surely there must be some sort of security footage in-”
Freeze was cut off by Orion’s chuckle, which in this position was all-encompassing and rumbled through Freeze’s core. “Oh Captain, my Captain, how naive of you to rely on the goodness of others. The very corporation you fought so hard to protect today will be your undoing.
“Why do you think such an experiment was performed so far down into the facilities?” Dr. Orion paused for dramatic effect. “Based on the evidence I’ve collected, this facility is conducting illegal practices, which means if any of these experiments come to light, Orion Enterprises will fall. Your precious Hero League would never agree to turn a blind eye; the second Orion Enterprises approaches with evidence, the heroes will contact law enforcement and launch an investigation. You really think a billion dollar corporation will risk its existence on one singular, puny hero?”
Captain Freeze was quiet for a long time, rocked back and forth by the steady rhythm of Orion’s steps. “You’re lying.” He said finally.
“Am I?” Dr. Orion shrugged, jostling his passenger slightly. “Or is that just what you need to believe?” Dr. Orion picked at a fingernail, dramatic even when Freeze couldn’t see his actions. “If any footage of today’s battle exists, Orion Enterprises won’t do a thing. They’ll cover it up like all of their heinous deeds, and your heroes will keep helping them accidentally with their strict upholding of the law. A vicious, two-faced cycle in your black and white world.”
Dr. Orion gave a laugh, rubbing his victory further in Freeze’s face. “And yet here I am, the most wanted man in the world, now your sole savior! How’s that for your moral compass, hmm?” Orion was most definitely pleased with this arrangement, hurrying forward and eager to get home with his favorite prize.
The Crossover No One Asked For But Got Anyway Pt. 3
Yeah this time I'm late because I'm very sick and feverish don't worry about it I plead the fifth this is definitely Monday
Shoutout to @showrunnerihardlyknowher for reminding me to post this and also for letting me steal her OCs for this fic (Edix and Jacob).
AO3 Link Here
This is Pt 3: Edix is bored and Caden is nearby
Edix, for his part, spared the curious human not another spare thought, intent on his own mission. The pair who originally set up camp obviously had picked this location with the stream in mind because it was only a few paces away. Edix settled down on the stones along the edge, cupping his hands to bring the water to his lips and take a few slow, careful sips. This Edix did several times to quench his thirst.
Unfortunately, no matter how much Edix tried not to focus on it, he couldn’t get the image of someone else currently in his bed, touching his stuff, perhaps even threatening his human-
Without even realizing it, Edix had begun to growl, his claws itching for a fight as if he was about to shred the trespasser galaxies away. With a huff, Edix tried very hard to control himself, smoothing over his ears to calm down. There was quite literally nothing Edix could do at the moment to save his pet. He just had to blindly trust that a stranger who was willing to keep one human would be willing to not immediately kill another.
And if this Markus did hurt his human… Well, Edix would just have to hunt him down through the multiverse and tear him limb from limb.
It was during this particularly vengeful train of thought that a pattering of little feet behind Edix caught the Venandi's attention. He was baffled to watch as the human from earlier appeared through the underbrush, out of breath from likely sprinting the distance from the camp to here. Humans were always running away from Edix, not the other way around. Even his own darling pet only ran towards him when another Venandi was nearby, but as far as Edix could tell there was no one else in the vicinity.
“Just…. One moment.” Caden panted, doubling over with his hands on his knees. “Phew, you’re fast. Could you try to wait up, next time? Not exactly easy for me to follow on foot.”
Edix huffed at this human’s audacity. “Why should I wait? I hardly know you, and in fact you’re proving to be quite annoyingly persistent.”
Annoying- not the ideal descriptor when dealing with giants. “I apologize.” Caden winced. “You’re right, but I… I need help.”
This intrigued Edix, for who knew humans could be rational? His human hardly ever knew what was good for him, let alone acknowledged he needed Edix’s help.
“I don’t know what’s going on.” Caden admitted, wiping his hair damp with sweat away from his forehead. Caden approached the stream, ready to wet his own throat with a bit of a drink. “All I know is that I went to sleep next to Markus, and in the morning, you were there instead. But you sounded like you knew what you were talking about, with the sols and the Unidex and other things I didn’t comprehend. And you were also right when you said I couldn’t survive on my own. I need Markus, so… could you please help me get him back?”
At first, Edix gave no response, instead contemplating the tiny form before him. Edix rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Granted, this human was obviously stupid, but his polite demeanor was worth recognizing, and Edix had to admit it must take a tremendous amount of courage for the little human to approach him on so many occasions when Edix could kill him with less than consious effort. Edix’s human had no reason to distrust Edix, and yet even that adorable human could be found trembling with fear more often than not (well, that or poorly repressed anger- the little one was prone to temper tantrums, as of late).
“As I stated before, your Markus will be returned to you, regardless of my actions.” Edix explained. “He and I switched places due to a lab malfunction. No need to be alarmed, this is standard procedure.”
Caden considered this information with a frown. “But why was Markus chosen?”
Edix rolled his eyes. “He wasn’t chosen, it was a random chance across the multiverse.”
“Oh.” Caden’s eyes lit up in understanding. “So, you and Markus will switch back?” Edix gave a nod. “Then, would it be possible for me to stay by your side? Please? I can try to pull my weight, or at the very least be as little of a burden for you as possible. I’m pretty good at that.”
Now this, Edix had to see. He raised an eyebrow, amused at the human’s antics. “You?” Edix smirked. “And what exactly can you do that makes you so worthwhile?”
The little human stumbled when a giant finger came and pressed against his chest. Caden rubbed at the spot he was touched, surprised the irritable stranger could behave so gently. It was clear Edix had experience handling creatures of Caden’s stature, and that only furthered Caden’s resolve to stick by Edix until this whole mess was resolved. Unfortunately, proving his worth to Edix himself would be another matter entirely.
“Well, ah…” Caden was ashamed to admit he wasn’t prepared with a great answer. “Um, I’m quite good with arithmetic? And planning. Markus sometimes lets me see the map, I’m getting better with directions. I can also set up my own camp, and I try to help with the larger site as well.”
Oh, watching the human fumble was adorable. Edix grinned, laying down on his stomach and resting his chin atop his propped up palms. His tail began to twitch slightly, growing excited as he got the same urge to mess with this little being like when he and his pet started a game of chase.
For all the things Caden listed, Edix was plenty capable of doing them himself, but there was still one thing left the human could provide: entertainment. So with this thought in mind, Edix reached out a hand and batted Caden into the stream.
The human let out an adorable startled cry, clearly caught off guard when he was suddenly flying through the air only to land in the stream with a splash. Caden sputtered to the surface, arms flailing frantically as the human struggled to keep his head above water, the gentle stream bobbing him along like a floating leaf.
To Caden himself, the scene felt far less playful and tranquil. He had slipped off the rocky ground, catapulted through the air with an uncomfortable amount of force and plunged into the unpleasantly chill depths. Not the best swimmer, Caden’s efforts to avoid drowning were hindered by the ever-flowing water, seeking to push him along and shove his head underwater.
Caden tried to paddle back towards the shore where Edix waited, watching him with a playful glint in his eye. Caden coughed up water, calling out to the only person who could help him now.
“E-EDIX!” Caden waved his arms about, trying to get Edix’s attention despite the fact that the Venandi’s gaze was already locked on the struggling form. “Help me, please!”
Oh, even when struggling to stay above water, Caden chose to use his manners. Edix let out a pleased little purr, his heart softening as he watched the human flail. The poor darling looked so much like his own pet, so out of place in the world and in desperate need of a caretaker.
“Oh, come here you poor thing.” Edix cooed, reaching his hands into the stream to cup around Caden. He lifted the shivering human out of the water, opening his fingers just enough to let the runoff back into the water. Edix pulled the human to his chest, taking note that his prank had such spectacular results. This human truly was weak, with how cold he had grown in just a few moments submerged. Edix rubbed softly at Caden’s back, gently urging some warmth back into the small frame. It was certainly regrettable that Edix had been separated from his own beloved pet, but perhaps in the meantime things wouldn’t be all bad.
“...could you…” Caden paused, coughing again to dispel any water from his lungs. He shuddered, thankful for the hands that saved him, even if they were the same pair that pushed him in the first place. “Could you not do that again?” Caden pleaded quietly, shyly looking up at Edix.
Well, how could Edix refuse, when this Caden human was looking up at him with such an adorably desperate plea? Edix always did have a soft spot for cute, vulnerable beings. “Well, I suppose we’ll have to find something else to do to pass the time then, won’t we?” He said, unable to resist the idea of teasing this domesticated human further while he waited to return to the ship.
The Crossover No One Asked For But Got Anyway Pt. 2
Somebody hound me to put this thing on AO3 so it's actually easy to find this thing lol. Also a reminder Jacob and Edix belong to @showrunnerihardlyknowher (as does Talan, who shows up but not yet).
This is Pt 2: And They Were Roommates (Markus & Jacob)
Markus woke up to the sensation of a warm bed and a soft pillow. With only these clues on hand, Markus felt properly intimidated. No good ever came from luxury given for ‘free’, Markus had learned that the hard way; not to mention, Markus didn’t remember being offered such a bed, which meant some deranged kidnapper took it upon themself to … gently swaddle Markus in blankets?
Whatever their nefarious purpose, Markus was not going to be caught here unaware. He quickly sat up, feeling the blanket pool at his waist as a soft cry was muffled by the fabric, a tiny creature caught up in the cascade.
“Ah, shit.” Markus winced. It wasn’t the first time Markus had woken up in a tizzy and forgotten to take account of Caden’s position. To his credit, Caden was disturbingly small in stature, so Markus could hardly be blamed for accidentally packing Caden away with the bedding more than once. At least nothing truly traumatic had happened to his human companion yet, and here on this suspicious bed of luxury there was an even tinier chance of harm befalling the little one.
“They got you too, eh?” Markus rubbed at his hair, watching as the squirming bundle went suddenly still. Markus was preoccupied with patting himself down, checking for his weapons. Not a single one of the hunter’s dozen was accounted for. Not altogether surprising when dealing with a kidnapping, but frustrating nonetheless.
Instead, Markus turned his attention to the rest of their surroundings, taking in the white walls with a wary glance. It was so… bland. A fair bit of color originated from some foriegn flora sat atop a table, but the large majority of the room was tasteless mixtures of grey. There were a fair number of foriegn machines as well, unassuming as they emitted irregular beeps and flashes that were minimal but irritating to Markus’ senses.
“Where the fuck are we?” Markus murmured. “Did you see anything last night? I was out like a light. The sons o’ bitches must’ve used a tranq or somethin’.”
Now the giant turned his attention to the nightstand by the bed, rifling through a drawer that was left partially open. Convenient, because Markus spotted no handles anywhere to open the darned thing. The contents brought no light to their situation, however Markus began weighing the unknown objects anyways to see if any had a good heft to them or a sharp edge to make a makeshift weapon. He had a feeling one would be needed before the day’s end.
It was only after Markus selected a large spherical object for a projectile that he realized the kid had yet to say anything. “You alright there, little fella?” Markus turned back to the blanket blob, a little human face now peering out from beneath the fabric.
Markus blinked. That… wasn’t Caden.
---------------------------------------------
Jacob, giving the current trajectory of his life, was no stranger to waking up with a healthy level of paranoia. He started off his young adult life by being enlisted in the military during a cataclysmic alien invasion (no cat pun intended), only to find himself taken captive- adopted?- by one of the invaders. The very same cat who tore his brothers in arms limb from limb used those same bloodthirsty claws to scratch gently at his head and that bloody mouth to nuzzle gently at his person. Jacob was taken onto the creature’s alien vessel, probably lost lightyears into space away from Earth by this point, if the giant cats had even spared any of the planet. Most days Jacob found himself overcome by anxiety, terrified of what the future may hold or when his giant cat would finally play a bit too rough and tear him to shreds.
But this… this was new.
Even in his wild alien invasion-related dreams, Jacob had never expected to wake up in bed with a new giant. When he had been thrown off the man’s chest, Jacob had been understandably upset at his cat companion for starting the human’s day off with an unhealthy dose of heart attack, but as he was struggling to untangle himself from blankets and waiting for the inevitable claws to come ‘help’, Jacob heard something that shook his entire world view.
“Ah, shit.”
It took a few minutes to sink in, the rumbling voice all encompassing just like the giant cats were prone to do, but there was a very critical difference here: this giant was speaking English. Jacob could understand every single word rumbling over his head with ease. Usually, new giant figures terrified Jacob enough to stick close to his captor- what was that phrase, an enemy known is better than the unknown?- but here, after so long with nothing but crazy cats murmuring alien nonsense in his face, Jacob was desperate for any sort of dialogue, even if it was with a crazy lunatic.
Jaw nearly touching the floor, Jacob dared to lower the blanket and gaze upon the man rifling through the nightstand compartment. He was more muscular, with suntouched skin and black scruffy hair. Though his feline roommate was more lean, the skin tone and hair colors were nearly identical, and for a bizarre moment Jacob wondered if this was his cat-captor who had somehow transformed into a humanoid version of himself. The idea was ludicrous, of course.
...unless…
Well, if this was his cat captor who could apparently change forms and understand him all this time, they were going to have words, mind you. Proper words. Maybe talk about the fact Jacob was sick and tired of all that weird shit he kept trying to shovel down Jacob’s throat.
Jacob smacked himself upside the head, trying to get a grip. Even if aliens were real, and furries took over Earth, that didn’t mean said furries suddenly had the ability to transform into humans at will. That’s where Jacob drew the line.
But then who was this stranger, and what the fuck was he doing in their bed? Jacob frowned at the dude, trying to make any sense of this at all. There’s no way in hell his usual jailor would leave him alone with a stranger for the night; his captor was way too cuddly for that. Did this giant break in, steal the bed (and Jacob) and then just fall asleep? Who does that?
It was at this moment the giant turned his eyes upon Jacob, and Jacob remembered the primal fear of being at an unknown predator’s mercy for the first time. The giant’s eyes widened, then narrowed in suspicion.
“Who the fuck are you?” The giant’s murmur washed over him like a chilly wave.
Jacob gulped, fighting the urge to just bury back into the blankets. It wouldn’t do any good, and then Jacob wouldn’t be able to watch for any reaching arms. Not that watching would do any good either, it’s not like Jacob stood a chance against this goliath. Jacob couldn’t even get off the bed by himself, it was pathetic.
So caught up in his own mental tirade, Jacob had forgotten that he actually needed to speak words out loud if he wanted to communicate. The giant raised an impatient eyebrow, clearly not as tongue-tied despite also being in the dark. “What, cat got yer’ tongue?”
The irony of the phrase caused Jacob to burst into a startled laugh, which only made both eyebrows raise in confused surprise. Great start, Jacob, the giant’s going to think you’re a mental weirdo.
“I- sorry.” Jacob said, flinching when the towering giant leaned closer, his shadow casting over Jacob.
“Gonna have to speak up there, little one.” The giant rumbled. Oh, right, that made sense. Jacob wasn’t used to raising his voice except to shout violent indignations at an unyielding captor. Polite conversation with a greater being eluded him.
“Ah, not to be impolite, but uh… who the fuck are you?” Jacob raised his voice. “How did you get here? Why can you speak english? What are you doing-”
“Oi.” The giant cut him off. “I asked you first. Name, your deal, where is this place. Spill.”
Jacob’s mouth twitched, annoyed at the way he was being undermined already. “My name’s Jacob.” Jacob introduced himself. “I’ve been a captive of one of the … er… cat aliens for… I dunno, a while now.”
“Cat aliens?” The giant frowned.
“Yeah, uh, about your size?” Jacob put two bent fingers up on his head. “Got two furry ears, that’s what the points in their helmets are for. A big ol’ tail, too. Fur on the ears and tails is different from their hair though. Never got why.”
Markus was beginning to get a bad feeling about this, and it was only solidified when a metallic voice echoed throughout the walls as an announcement played across the sound system.
The giant cursed to himself, finally recognizing the dialect. “The Venandi.”
I stole @showrunnerihardlyknowher 's OC, Edix, and I made him swap places with my Markus so the two giants are in the wrong settings and interacting with the other person's tiny human and it's great.
This is Pt 1: Edix and Caden become Best Friends
Caden, outside the safety of his colony walls, had become a light sleeper. It wasn’t paranoia, per se, but Caden was well aware of the food chain out in the wilderness and how low he fell on that totem pole. Of course it was helpful to have Markus around to scare off most predators, but Caden always harbored the fear that one of the stupider creatures would still be curious enough to sniff Caden out in the night.
So when Caden awoke to the feeling of something furry brushing against his face, he just about had a heart attack.
The poor human scrambled back on his hands and knees, frantically trying to put as much distance between him and the thing while his eyes darted around to assess the situation. In place of the giant camping companion Caden has fallen asleep beside, a massive stranger dressed in an unrecognizable fashion slumbered on. The furry appendage which had startled 10 years off Caden’s life seemed to be a tail, casually flicking about in a lazy feline fashion. Curled up as the stranger was, Caden could also spot the stranger’s face, with furry ears protruding from its head to match the tail. The creature yawned, showing off fangs that could easily rip Caden to shreds with ease.
The trembling human kept his hands pressed tightly to his mouth. While he desperately wanted to call for help and ask Markus where the hell are you when I actually need you, Caden also didn’t want to draw the attention of the half-giant / half-monster that took up residence at their camp. Unfortunately, despite Caden’s silent pleas, the cat being’s yawn was a predecessor to him giving a wide stretch, slowly joining the waking world.
The cat monster, known more formally as Edix, woke up with a frown, the surface beneath him feeling far more terranean than his chambers. Worse yet, Edix clutched his hands to his chest and couldn’t feel his pet’s familiar form. Immediately the venandi sat up, scanning his surroundings for any sign of the little human. He was indeed surface-bound, on an unknown planet with appropriately sized flora to his own stature (as opposed to the distinctly miniature plants found at his human’s origin).
It was then the venandi caught a flicker of movement. Edix quickly turned to watch the sneaking escapee freeze. With a narrowed gaze, Edix locked eyes on a tiny human form, but definitely not his human.
Caden noticeably gulped, trembling as the giant predator stared him down. Well, no point in hiding now. “MARKUS, HELP-!”
Before Caden could even finish his terrified cry, the creature had pounced, pinning Caden to the ground beneath his claws and sending all the air out of Caden’s lungs. Caden wheezed, pushing against the appendages as if he ever stood a chance against someone so large.
The cat’s gaze was cold, darting across Caden’s form like he were some mildly interesting bug. It was impossible to tell what was going on inside his captor’s mind, but there was none of the usual feline playfulness that came with a game of chase. “You can speak.” The giant rumbled.
Caden’s eyebrows shot up, ashamed that he was equally surprised at the notion this giant hybrid could speak. Surely Caden would have moved past his species biases after being surprised by Markus’ sentience the first time around.
“Er, yes, I can- and so can you, it seems.” Caden stammered, weakly pushing against the claw still pinned against his chest. “Do you mind loosening your grip there? If that’s the case, we can talk things out like civilized people, can’t we? No need to tear me limb from limb, as it were.”
Edix let out a small snort of amusement, but didn’t remove his claws. Instead, he sniffed the air, but only came back with the scent of the human beneath him. It seemed no other little creatures were in their vicinity. Considering this information, Edix tapped his free fingers thoughtfully, leaning closer to the human who seemed inclined to put as much distance between them as possible.
“Where is your owner?” Edix inquired.
Caden blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“You speak Venandix.” Edix observed. “You must have been in custody of a venandi for quite some time.”
Caden shook his head, growing pale at the notion of disappointing a very sharp-toothed giant. “I- I don’t know what that is? I’ve never heard of those things.”
Edix gave a thoughtful hum. Perhaps instead this was a planet which had been colonized some time ago, and the language stuck around but the history didn’t. “Where is your caretaker?” Edix inquired further. “A little thing like you couldn’t possibly survive in these environmental conditions alone.”
Rude, but fair. Unfortunately, Caden was wondering that himself. Surely Markus would have heard the brief scuffle? And why would he leave Caden alone for such a lengthy period of time? “I… he’s around.” Caden averted his gaze. “Back any moment, I imagine. We were just packing up camp, we didn’t know anyone lived here, terribly sorry to- intrude?”
“What?” Edix furrowed his brow, looking annoyed at such a stupid suggestion. “Why the fuck would I live out in the wilderness? This certainly isn’t a base of operations.”
Caden licked his lips, in uncertain territory here. “Then… Why were you asleep at our camp?”
Edix thought over the information presented, and finally it all clicked together. The venandi let out a small curse under his breath as he remembered the memo aboard the ship last night, indicating a dimensional shift experiment would be taking place. Though often harmless, occasionally other occupants of the vessel would find themselves swapped between time and space with another lifeform. The effects were often reversed in a short period of time, provided the lifeforms that swapped were still alive when the counter experiment was run.
“Your caretaker will be returned to you in a matter of sols.” Edix declared, releasing the human as he sat back on his heels. Edix was already annoyed at the prospect of spending any amount of time on this forsaken rock and not with his human who would need proper care. The giant clenched his fists, already imagining the hell he’d reign on this ‘Markus’ were he to lay a single finger on his defenseless human in Edix's absence.
“I… wait, did you do something to Markus?” Caden panted, rubbing at his chest as he watched Edix stand up. “H-hey! Where are you going? Sir?!”
“Edix.” Edix corrected, not looking down at the human as he listened for the closest source of running water. “My name is Edix.”
“Oh, right, my name’s Caden.” Caden paused to introduce himself. “Now what’s going on? What are you doing? Where’s Markus?”
“Your ‘Markus’ is currently aboard one of Unidex’s ships.” Edix was beginning to wonder if it would be worth it to crush the human beneath his boot, annoyed at the endless stream of questions already. “There was a brief dimensional shift courtesy of another department’s experiments. Please accept Unidex’s sincere apology for the brief inconvenience. As for myself,” Edix took a step forward, “I’m parched.”
“Oh!” Caden hurried to gather his meager belongings. “I’ll go with you!” He turned around, ready to follow Edix to the best of his ability, but the giant had already left him in the dust.
I’m still figuring out a title for this work as a whole, but here’s part 3 of the chronicles of the human outcast Caden and the mysterious giant Markus!
Caden didn’t sleep at all that night. He stayed up late into the dark hours, peering into the bonfire’s glow as he contemplated how things had changed so quickly. The flames no longer towered high above him, the embers now just tall enough for Caden to convince himself it was a regular fire pit, if a fire pit was twice the size of town square.
Caden let out a long sigh, thinking about how just 24 hours ago he had bid Elizabeth a good night, worried what might happen to his best friend when the wretched letter was discovered come morning. Caden didn’t envy Elizabeth, knowing that should the author be revealed there would be great consequences. Last night Caden hadn’t gotten much sleep either, tossing and turning as he debated whether or not to out his friend. Visions of Elizabeth being tossed to ravenous monsters plagued Caden’s guilty conscience enough that when the sun rose Caden vowed to keep his lips shut. In the end, his vow was for nothing.
The human lad tensed, listening to the howls of beasts off in the distance. Closer still, Caden could hear the steady in and out of Markus’ breathing. It was strange, how peaceful it became to listen to that powerful rhythm, gusts of air sucked in and out without even a spare thought. So much power contained in a single being.
Markus could have crushed him with little to no effort, snapping his limbs between those mighty fingers, now curled casually (comfortably?) against his chest as the giant lay beside the fire. Markus, were he more beastly, could have ripped him to shreds and tossed his remains to the forest dwellers. Markus could have even wiped his hands of all responsibility, leaving Caden to his fate tied up against that stake in the clearing.
For this week’s prompt, I got to bring to life @tinyenthustiast ‘s wonderful OCs, Cornelius and Elowyn! (A pirate captain and a flightless fairy). They’re so much fun to play with and I’m honored to write about them. Enjoy!
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“The locals were speaking ‘bout an Isle o’ Fairies.”
“Fairies?” Cornelius leaned in, listening to the gossip his men had picked up at port.
“Aye, just a few knots to the southeast and yer’ there.” The man confirmed. “Could be a load of hogwash, if ye ask me. Just another local legend.”
“Could be.” Cornelius agreed, but he tossed his ale back all the same. “We set sail in the morning.”
The men voiced their consent, following their captain’s lead and drinking their own cups dry. While Cornelius was an eclectic sort, he never led his crew astray; everywhere they went, every rumor they followed, some hidden treasure always awaited. Usually it was a stash of gold hidden by tales meant to drive sailors away, but occasionally Cornelius would strike truth and come aboard the Bloody Siren with a new unicorn or a grindylow.
As the man strode confidently onto the shore with a bird cage in hand, Cornelius had a good feeling this journey would be a success. Already he could see unnatural glowing amongst the tree branches, and taking in a deep breath Cornelius felt a pleasant magical tickling at his nostrils.
“Watch the ship.” Cornelius ordered his first mate, striding into the jungle alone. No one dared interfere with the captain on a hunt. Cornelius worked alone.
The pirate captain was silent as he stalked through the jungles of the so-called Isle o’ Fairies, keeping a tuned ear out for anything unusual. That was how Cornelius caught the unicorn back in his glory days; at that time, it had been a misplaced whinny, too much resembling the faintest hint of a siren.
This time, it was the frantic chirping in the branches, so close to that of a songbird that if you weren’t listening for it you’d never tell the difference.
Cornelius followed the sound of their little twinkling voices, listening to the calls grow in urgency. A bush nearby was shaking as if by itself, the interior giving off a faint glowing hue. With a grin, Cornelius dared approach a few more paces, preparing to dive and catch the fairies off guard.
Unfortunately, it was the pirate who found himself startled as a half dozen glowing pixies darted out of the bush, moving too quickly for him to catch even with battle-honed reflexes. Cornelius stomped his boot, throwing his hat to the ground in his furious outburst.
“Blast!” Cornelius cursed, scowling at the bush that, until recently, had held such an abundance of fantastic creatures. It was his own foolhardiness that had cost him everything; the little beings must have sensed his approach.
With a sigh, Cornelius picked up his hat and began to carefully dust it off, placing the expensive garment back on his head.
Now back at square one, Cornelius would need to restart his hunt entirely. With the proven existence of fairies, he would need just one to add to his collection, and then the fairytale fanatic could leave this island. In the meantime, Cornelius would not rest until one of those magnificent winged critters was safely stored aboard his ship.
The pirate captain lowered himself to the forest floor, examining the bush in which the pixies had hidden. Was it a nest of sorts? Would they return? Perhaps it would be worth setting a trap. They must frequent this area often, for some of their residual glow was still left behind on the plant.
Eager for any more helpful knowledge on these rare creatures and their habits, Cornelius parted the branches, shocked to find one staring right back at him fearfully.
“...Oh.” Cornelius felt a sly grin growing on his features. “So they left you behind, did they?”
The fairy chirped up at him, stumbling back in fright. Before it could fly away like the others, Cornelius lunged forwards, wrapping his hand around its fragile little form.
“Oh, shush.” Cornelius hushed it, numb to its struggles as it fought to free itself from his grasp. Cornelius brought it closer to his face, in awe as he studied its features. The little fae appeared to be not unlike a shrunken little lady, with long dark locks and enchanting green eyes narrowed at him in such a pouty little glare that it made Cornelius chuckle.
The captain turned her around in his hand, taking in the wings which drooped over his knuckles. They were both pale and withered, the purple hues of a possible glow now long since gone, if it was ever there.
“Aaaah.” Cornelius nodded in understanding, lifting one of the wings with his free fingertip. The fairy stiffened in his grasp, ceasing all her struggles. “I see now why you didn’t fly with the others.”
Well, it mattered little to Cornelius. A defective fairy was better than no fairy at all; perhaps even better than a normal fairy, because this one couldn’t escape.
“Not to worry, little one.” Cornelius explained, gently placing the fairy into the birdcage. “Where we’re going, you will never have to fly again.”
This week I was delighted to use @showrunnerihardlyknowher ‘s OCs, Greyson and Thomas, who first appeared in this wonderful oneshot: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27108463
Summary: The drakainian prince Greyson has taken the newest addition to his horde, a terrified human named Thomas, back to his lair.
girl u KNOW im a predictable bitch and need to know everything about Caden and Nameless-Giant-Whom-I-Already-Adore (plus uuuuhhhh caring prompt "let me take a look..." if that gets anything going for ya)
Bro you know I was so hype to get this ask! It seems a lot of people to read more about my bois, who are now officially Caden and Markus. :D
Part 1 | Part 2 (here) | Part 3 | Part 4 tbd
Summary: After being sacrificed by his people to the beasts of the village, Caden finds himself rescued by a giant and taken back to Markus’ campsite.
“Let’s have a look…” The giant murmured, and once again Caden found himself in front of his scrutinizing gaze. Caden squirmed, not liking the way the massive bonfire made the shadows dance across his captor’s face. He liked it even less when he caught the glint of a knife twice his size in the corner of his eye. “Oi! Sit still, would ‘ya?”
Caden whimpered, trying to do as instructed lest he be punished for disobedience. After all, the fingers curled around him could at any moment squeeze together and crush his ribs. That imagery was terrifying and did nothing to ease Caden’s internal panic.
“Good lords, your heart’s beating faster than a sprite.” The giant sighed, his thumb brushing atop Caden’s chest, taking in the younger boy’s pulse. “Settle down. I’m not going to harm you, alright?”
“Mhmm.” Caden gave a stiff nod, his eyes never leaving the blade clutched in the giant’s other hand, hovering nearby and pointed in Caden’s direction. “What uh… what’s that for, then?”
“Well, I imagine it’s not pleasant being all tied up.” The giant brought the knife closer, his gaze intense in his focus. “Now don’t move and I won’t nick ya.”
“Easy for you to say.” Caden murmured, stiffening as he imagined all the ways the tiniest slip of the giant’s wrist could lose Caden an entire arm; a blade that size was quite the formidable weapon. Nevertheless, Caden did as instructed, breathing as steadily as he could when he felt the steel tool come between his arms and glide along, cutting the thick ropes with ease.
“Told ya.” The giant gave a cocky grin, repositioning to aim for Caden’s legs. This knife cut through the ropes as if they were nothing.
Caden cleared his throat, forcing himself to breathe as he brushed the scraps of rope together. The open palm Caden was cupped in shifted as the giant repositioned to put the knife away.
Of course, Caden wasn’t sure if he was any safer now that he was free of his bonds. After all, Caden was still in the hands of a gigantic stranger, alone in the dangerous woods with no way to defend himself if things turned ugly. What did this giant want with him, anyhow? He seemed… human, or human enough, but given Caden’s track record that didn’t mean he’d be granted any mercy.
The giant hummed, his attention fully on Caden once more, tilting the human back and forth before his eyes. Caden stumbled, grasping one of the nearby knuckles to keep himself balanced. After all, he was still mindful of the fact he was several dozen feet off the ground, even as the giant sat upon the ground. Caden rubbed his arm, unnerved by the sensation of Markus’ fingers occasionally brushing against his side, as if Markus himself wasn’t even fully aware he was doing it.
“You got a name, kid?” The giant asked, first to break the silence.
Caden blinked, not expecting the question. “Um, Caden. My,- my name’s Caden.”
The giant nodded. “I’m Markus.” With introductions out of the way, Markus lowered his palm to the ground, causing Caden to shoot him a confused glance.
“Are you… letting me go?” Caden questioned.
“Letting you go?” Markus raised a disapproving eyebrow, glancing between Caden and the darkened forest surrounding. “Kid, if you want to be torn to shreds, that’s between you and the banshees. The woods aren’t exactly friendly at the best of times, least of all when the sun goes down.”
“O-oh.” Caden flinched, looking to the trees with fright as if the shadows themselves would prove hostile. A loud sigh was heard above him, and Caden felt himself nudged in the back by Markus’ finger.
“I’m just setting ya down, need my hands free.” Markus instructed, watching the human hurriedly depart onto the ground with an amused smirk.
Caden shifted his weight, watching Markus take off his gigantic backpack and set it on the forest floor with a thud, the trembles in the ground making Caden stumble slightly.
“So… what are you doing out here? Do you live here?” Caden glanced around, taking in more of their surroundings. There was the roaring fire in the middle of the clearing (hard to miss, really), and the bag Markus was currently rustling through. And… that was it.
Markus shrugged. “‘For the time being.”
Caden frowned. What a depressing response, after all this clearing wasn’t exactly a home. But then Caden came to the horrible conclusion that even with Markus’ meager possessions and patch of dirt on the ground, Markus was still doing better than himself.
Caden had nothing. He owned nothing save for the clothes on his back, no tools to help him survive out in the wilderness. After all, Caden was never meant to survive. As far as his home was concerned, Caden was already dead. He wouldn’t be welcomed back. In fact, if he tried to return Caden didn’t doubt they would throw him to the beasts a second time, and the next creature to find him was likely to be more bloodthirsty.
It hurt, knowing everyone who had ever known Caden viewed him as a traitor and a liar. Caden had cried out for their sympathy and gotten nothing but blank stares. Who does that? What use were rules that could be exploited so readily? Caden shuddered, thinking of any individuals who were sacrificed before his time. Were they too innocent? How much unnecessary bloodshed was on the elder’s hands?
“Hungry?”
Caden blinked, broken out of his musings by the rumbling tones of Markus’ voice. “Pardon?”
Markus held a scrap of bread between his fingers, to the giant a miniscule portion but to Caden a loaf the size of his head. It was ripped off of a larger loaf still held in Markus’ other hand, clearly what he had been searching for in the bag. Markus offered the scrap in Caden’s direction.
The human paused, carefully considering the offer. He should probably eat, but with the events of the day still weighing heavily on his mind, Caden found himself without much of an appetite.
“Take it.” Markus advised. “It’ll help.” Caden gave him a confused glance, to which Markus only shrugged. “When your burden is heavy, I find it’s best to focus on surviving. Then the rest will follow.”
Caden blinked, surprised at the wisdom in Markus’ words. “Are you a mind reader?” He asked, stepping forward to carefully grasp the bread.
Markus chuckled, releasing the bread into Caden’s grasp. “You’re not exactly subtle with your brooding.” Markus teased, taking a bite of his own loaf almost as large as Caden himself (not a pleasant comparison). “Besides, it’s not hard to guess what you’re thinking with the day you’ve had. I’ve been there.”
Caden bristled, a bit peeved that Markus would pretend to understand his plight. “You’ve been kicked out of the only home you’ve ever known and sacrificed to beasts?”
Surprisingly, Markus gave a nod. “Something like that.”
Caden blinked, having not expected that response. He stammered for a moment, searching for the right words to reply, before settling on none and filling his mouth hesitantly with bread. It was a bit stale, and perhaps flavorless, but with nothing better to do, Caden diligently nibbled on his own loaf. At the same time, Caden tried to tune out the sounds of munching far above his head that did nothing to help Caden’s lack of an appetite.
“I’ve only got one blanket.” Markus spoke up again, drawing Caden’s attention upward to make eye contact. “But you could probably sleep in the bag tonight. Didn’t exactly think to bring tiny accommodations with me wherever I travel.”
“Oh, uh…” Caden glanced at the bag, having not even thought of something as trivial as sleeping arrangements. It hardly felt relevant in the grand scheme of Caden’s current miseries. “I’m not really tired.” He admitted, for despite the exhausting events of the day, Caden was still on edge with the fear of what might happen to him in the night outside the safety of familiar walls. There were the beasts prowling the forest, and Markus himself could still be a very real threat if Caden’s luck turned.
Markus squinted, considering Caden’s response for a moment. “You’re not gonna run off and get yourself killed in the night, are ya?”
Caden took the time to truly consider the question. Of course he didn’t want to get himself killed, but given the opportunity, would Caden run from Markus?
“No.” Caden shook his head with confidence. “Not tonight.”
Markus snorted. “Alright, the offer still stands. Stay near the fire at least, it keeps the rabble at bay.” Having given his last words of advice, Markus pulled the blanket out of his bag, setting the bag closer to the fire for easy access. It was a small detail that Caden appreciated, even if he still didn’t plan to take advantage of it. Markus himself curled slightly around the fire at a distance, almost as a barrier between Caden and the outside world.
Or a way to keep me in, Caden reminded himself. It was easy to forget that Markus was virtually a stranger. Caden knew nothing about this giant or his motives, only that Markus had spared him when it could’ve been so easy to abandon him entirely or kill Caden himself. What did Markus have to gain helping Caden? And what would Markus expect of Caden come morning?
“Goodnight, Caden.” Markus murmured, his eyes closed as he settled in.
Caden sat by the fire, giving his savior a contemplative glance. “...goodnight, Markus.”
Summary: Valentine visits the gardens and finds an unexpected fae visitor. They strike a deal.
Word count: 843
Just a lil’ snippet to show Valentine and Cam interacting in the beginnings of knowing each other! Didn’t actually get too much into the wish/deal consequences because I figure that’s a future thing I want to use. Feel free to send in more prompts from my bingo card below! Also check out my writing blog @hiddendreamerwriting for more of my work!
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Valentine was taking a stroll through the royal gardens, just past the petunias, when he came across a peculiar sight. The fae child, Cam, sat alone among the blossoms, appearing to play with the stems.
“Fae girl!” Valentine called out. She sat up straighter, clearly hearing him but refusing to turn his way. Well, that was downright rude. “Whatever are you doing out here without your charge?”
“I was told to go where I please.” Cam answered easily.
“Your Garth is under my jurisdiction.” Valentine reminded her, stomping over in a huff. “And I never said you could go anywhere.”
“I’m not under your jurisdiction.” Cam shot him an irritated glance. “No human commands me. On occasion, I simply respect my friend’s wishes.”
“A friend.” Valentine laughed. “How ridiculously simply you phrase it.”
To Cam, perhaps it was a simple gesture of goodwill. But to the rest of the world, the very idea of Fae and humans being on civil terms, let alone friends, seemed to be nothing more than a forgotten dream. Valentine was raised all his life to be cautious of his supernatural neighbors, knowing that the Fae often brought devastation and heartache to any human who fell into their clutches. The kingdom of Vesper was teetering on the brink of war, magic versus mortal in a fight for the right to survive. As such, it was simply astounding to Valentine that the farm boy had managed to tame a Fae at all- even if Valentine’s advisors were quick to argue that a Fae could never truly be tamed.
“Are all fae so carefree in choosing their allies?” Valentine asked, wondering if he himself could coerce such a strange being to his side.
Cam dodged his question, plucking a rose from the garden. “I hardly think you’re deserving of an answer.” She replied, shifting the prickly stem carefully between her fingertips.
“Hey, that flower is mine!” Valentine protested, pointing to the displaced rose clutched in her hand.
“It was never yours.” Cam insisted. “Once it was my sister’s, now it’s of the world. You humans want to own so much that’s never yours to own. Why must you take, and take, when so much is freely given?”
“You speak in riddles, fae.” Valentine frowned.
Cam gently brushed the rose’s petals. “Perhaps. But no matter what language I speak you never seem to understand.”
“Does Garth?” Valentine asked, sitting down on the bench. Cam continued to sit amongst the bushes.
“…I’m not certain.” Cam admitted. She looked up at the young prince. “Why are you here?”
“I could ask you the same question.” Valentine countered.
“I asked you first.” Cam reminded him.
Valentine huffed. “Well, I live here. You’re trespassing.”
“I’m visiting.” Cam didn’t bother to negate Valentine’s claim. She looked across the many plants, glancing at the glass walls which enclosed them. “This garden gives a semblance to my home, however small that resemblance may be.”
“Your home?” Valentine peaked up at this new information. “You’ve never mentioned it. What’s it like?” After all, no human had ever journeyed into the land of the Fae and lived to tell the tale to Valentine’s knowledge. It certainly seemed like too mystic a place to be compared to a common greenhouse, even one as regal as Valentine’s home estate.
“You ask a lot of questions for someone who doesn’t answer in turn.” Cam’s tone turned chill, taking on part of that ethereal quality that drove so many humans away. Valentine was too bravely stupid to be turned off by her less human qualities, knowing Garth could keep the fae in control.
“I don’t have to answer your questions, I’m the prince.” Valentine put a hand to his chest for emphasis.
Cam shrugged. “If royal lineage locks lips, perhaps mine ought to stay shut as well.”
“You-? Wait, hold on a moment!” Valentine leaned forwards. “Are you… do you mean to tell me that you’re some sort of fae royalty?”
“Now what did I just say about questions?” Cam gave a knowing smirk, entirely too human. It was clear she had spent too much time with Garth.
“Alright, alright, very well- what do you want?” Valentine asked. If the Fae Girl was going to play tricks, Valentine was willing to play along.
“Hmm.” Cam plucked another rose. “A great many things, to be certain. And also, in some ways, nothing at all. But in this case, I think I’d prefer a favor.”
Valentine squinted suspiciously at her, not knowledgeable on the ways of fae. “What sort of favor?”
“I’ll be kind.” Cam sighed. “Suffice to say it will be non-lethal. Is that acceptable?”
“Non-lethal?” Valentine clutched at his heart, his expression turning quickly towards outrage. “You were threatening me?!”
“Not yet.” Cam raised an eyebrow. “Would you prefer lethal?”
“No no, non-lethal is fine.” Valentine hastily corrected. “But you are an incredibly vile creature and these answers better be worth it.” After all, he didn’t like the idea of staying indebted to a fae for long.
A cold chill blew through the greenhouse. “Noted.”
Spara was right; this was insane. Not only were they dealing with a giant unpredictable beast, but the stakes were high if they were caught as well. Marshall shuddered at the prospect of yet another round of Calder’s wrath.
“The coast is clear.” Marshall whispered, leading the charge regardless. His keen eyes peered around corners, checking for any of the royal guards on their patrols near the cavern entrance. Marshall waved Spara on, the two young men keeping a keen ear out for any unexpected visitors in the night. It seemed lady luck was on their side; they reached the caverns without any interference. Both crept down the staircase, footsteps light and not making a peep. Just before the stairs opened up into the ledge, they paused.
“Do you think it’s awake?” Spara whispered.
Marshall listened intently, shaking his head. “It’s asleep.” After all, he had grown quite used to the creature’s snores when flanking the slumbering beast on the way back to the city.
Sparta nodded, murmuring under his breath and letting an orb of light appear in his palm to see and confirm the report. The giant was slumped against the back wall, dead to the world as its chest continued to blow huge gusts of air on a whim.
“Be careful.” Marshall warned. Spara scoffed; he was always careful.
The cavern walls were decorated with several ledges like the one the boys were standing on, winding all around the perimeter for previous access to prison cells. With the new renovations, several of the pathways lower down had been cut off, limiting the amount of danger Kitlevians would hopefully face.
The current ledge Spara travelled along was at the same level as the giants head, craned back in a way where the giants head rested against the wall and the pathway led to an exposed space behind the giants neck.
Spara’s hand went to his knife, the usually brave prince feeling on edge as he felt surrounded with the giants head forming a roof above. This close, spara could hear the giants every movement. The shifting in is sleep. The growling of its stomach. The hitching of its breaths.
Wait… Spara listened closer, confirming that the breathing had become uneven, almost as if the creature was crying in its sleep. Was the beast having a nightmare? What could be so terrible that it frightened a beast?
Unfortunately, Spara might be about to find out.
“Here goes everything.” Spara murmured, putting up mental barriers to protect his own sanity. If this went poorly, Spara could lose himself. He tried not to think of all the other horrible things that could go wrong- what if the giant woke up?
But Spara was not going to sit by and let the kingdom fall to ruins. He would discover the beasts plot himself, his curiosity was too strong.
“You better not drive me insane.” Spara hissed, before placing his shaking palm against the beasts neck.
Instantly, Spara was flooded with an overwhelming amount of information. This was not the mindless bleating thoughts of a sheep; this beast had thoughts, dreams and sentience all so complex and foreign Spara feared he may drown trying to make sense of it all.
Spotting something familiar, Spara dragged himself into the memory of when the giant first woke up in the caves. Watching the events unfold from the eyes of the giant this time, Spara could feel the emotions of the beast: indignation, wrath, and most prominently, fear. Spara shuddered, feeling as though a fear so great might overwhelm him entirely.
Spara dug further, trying to get a sense of where all this fear was coming from. He saw Magdalene, hovering food and water barrels towards him in offering, but Spara felt more scorn for her than usual. Over and over the glowing orbs of the cavern seemed tied to the giant’s hatred as well. Why? Why?
“Dect dectla teche.”
It felt like an answer, but Spara didn’t understand what it meant. He dug further, looking back into the giant’s past, only confused further by the images which came to surface.
“Laureli Huilou Valentine!” An unfamiliar elderly figure proclaimed, in a sparkling ballroom the likes of which Spara had never seen. Laughter. Faces, familiar to the giant but not to the Kitlevian. A golden crown was offered to Spara, but before he could take it the memories shifted.
A great scaly beast. A girl dressed in pink petals. A great crackling noise, the ground beneath Spara falling away to send him plummeting into a glowing chasm-
“Magic is dangerous.”
Spara gasped, stumbling out of the connection and falling with a lack of grace onto the ledge beneath him. Spara knew with complete certainty that memory hadn’t been spoken in Kitlevian. But then …
It seemed Spara wasn’t the only one jolted out of the connection. The giant above him shifted, letting out a loud groan. Spara froze, terrified as the gargantuan person before him shifted without any knowledge of his presence.
It seemed as if time stood still for a moment, Spara still feeling the after effects of the fear inside the giant’s mind. He trembled, begging whoever was listening that the giant wouldn’t find him in such a vulnerable state.
Thankfully, while startled by the connection break, the giant didn’t seem to notice the mental (or physical) intruder; with a sigh, he slumped back once more, sending some rock debris scattering down onto Spara.
Spara flinched, stuck trying to process out his next move as he listened to the giants breathing and even out in sleep once more. Waiting longer than was strictly necessary, Spara crept out along the edge, hurrying back to his worried friend.
Summary: Caden is sacrificed to the giant in the forest for a crime he didn’t commit. The giant who finds him is mostly confused.
Word count: 1,243
Had a lot of fun with these characters and can’t wait to work with them again, be it for another bingo prompt or something else. Feel free to send in more prompts from my bingo card below! Also check out my writing blog @hiddendreamerwriting for more of my work!
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“Shall one of our own turn against the tide of the Almighty, punishment is mandatory. To preserve the fate of the many, that traitor must be sacrificed to our greatest enemy. Only then will their spilled blood cleanse the region of the dark shadows cast by their treachery.”
Caden had memorized the ordinance since he was a babe. Caden knew the rules, the no-nonsense commandments and the punishments set for each crime, terrified of the fate that would befall anyone who stepped out of line. Indeed, though the judgement was fierce, the penalty did its job; no one dared speak out against the elders, for fear of the monstrous beast that could sometimes be spotted lurking at night outside their city walls. The city wasn’t always the happiest of places, but it was safe, and that’s more than most humans could expect in a world of such cruel beasts.
But here Caden was, the first human to be sacrificed to the enemy in over a decade- and he wasn’t even guilty of the crime. It had been Elder Shawn’s daughter who wrote the blasphemous letter, but when it came time to make an example out of someone Caden quickly learned that innocence was of no consequence. Eager to spare her life, Shawn accused Caden, and the elders rallied around one of their own, deaf to Caden’s pleas.
The poor lad shifted, the ropes around his wrists beginning to chafe after so many hours tied to this pole. Caden had been brought out at sunrise, to the chorus of cheers from the people who had raised him and grew up beside him for 22 years. Now the sun was setting. His voice was hoarse from screaming for mercy, knowing no one would come. Caden was too far for the village to hear his cries, regardless. His throat was parched, lacking any water to quench his thirst.
But worst of all, Caden could feel faint tremors in the earth, rhythmic like footsteps.
Here is my gift for @short-on-main for the G/t secret santa event happening over on @secret-shifters! Hope you enjoy! :D
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Sharon checked and double checked her bag, making sure all of her heist gear was properly sorted before heading into the bank. She was cool as a cucumber as she slipped by security, heading for the women’s restroom. From there Sharon shimmied into the loose ventilation shaft that she had prepped a few days prior. Not a peep was heard as she braced against the metal walls and began descending into the underground vaults. Yes, everything was going fantastic.
*flitters in with a screech, carefully landing in hair to not get tangled* fig *clears tiny thoat* I am ghost bat annon. I come with well wishes and the hopes for fruit. - 🦇 annon |Will you feed the bat?| {Fig} {Strawberry} {Peach} {Melon} {Other}
