Poppy Playtime and SCP Foundation crossover would be really interesting to see now that I'm really thinking about it.
Like, the player is actually a D-class who was never an employee there in the first place or the player is someone who did work there once upon a time and got into some sort of trouble that landed them as a D-class.
The 05, after finding out about this, decides to send the player there for one reason and one reason only: to gather intel.
The player is sent in with a body camera (or at least some sort of camera that provides 24/7-hour feed), an ear piece so the researches can talk and order the player around, a backpack, a second set of clothing within the backpack, and food (more like snacks though) to last a week. If rationing well, a week and a half.
Whether player choices would be different or the same, the ear piece would go out, the camera would go out due to being smashed, the toys that are killed are left alive due to orders from the researchers, or even if they decide to send a new MTF squad they put together BECAUSE of what's within is not something I know.
Hell, the researchers (maybe even the 05) would probably want the Doctor (Harley Sawyer) alive just because they're curious about him and his experiments.
Thinking about it, that would be so ironic. The hunter becomes the hunted. The researcher becomes the object.
Whatever happens afterwards is not something I have any idea of.
In whatever case, this idea just would not leave my head.
I can see Shaun's grandma and Timon's ma being apart of a grandparents club. I think they'd get along!
Uhhhhh I thiiink you probably meant Shaun’s Aunt/Timmy’s mom cuz I don’t think Shaun HAS a grandma 😭
But I can definitely see those two getting along and having a MOTHER’S club! It’d be interesting to see the vast difference between a wild animal (Timon’s Ma) and a domesticated one (Timmy’s mom). Also now I’m picturing Timon meeting Shaun and Timmy and that’s funny as hell
in the dusk the blood is dark
knives go blunt, hope a spark
lightning strikes thick and fast
still they come screaming past
if some die by nails turned to claw
well war makes monsters of us all
Revy took a silent breath as she crept through the snow with her pack. Although she wasn't a Direnor by blood, she developed their sense of being a successful hunter and warrior through her mother. The wilds of Uskar were wide, but full of danger that could creep up at any moment. Food was always a gamble to acquire, but Revy held faith in her skills, her spirit, and the support of her pack.
"Watch closely," Borghild whispered to Revy as the pair watched Boof from the other side of the frozen meadow. Deer were grazing on some twigs off the trees. The Avalanchel hound was waiting for the signal from his human. As soon as it was given, he would chase one deer in her direction. This would give Revy the chance to strike their prey with her weapon. "Breathe steadily. Only when you're ready."
Revy blinked only once in anticipation. The air was chilling, but she was prepared. The deer were massive, but it lead to a unique problem to solve. Unless one was incredible lucky, arrows would have difficulty taking down her prey at the first strike. For Direnor's, one could transform into a mighty beast to wrestle their prey down, but for Revy, she only had to tools in her hands, and the body and mind to support herself. She readied her axe. The blade would be able to get off a deep and long cut if she could strike properly. Feeling the shift in the air, she felt it was time. Throwing her hand down, she gave the signal to her companion.
"GRRR BARK BARK BOOF WOOF WOOF!!!" Boof charged out of his hiding place and toward the deer. The dog was smart, and chose the biggest prey. The larger the prey, the more meat for his family. He nipped at the heels of the buck, and led it right to Revy.
Revy wanted to impress her mom. She wanted to do her friends and family and clan proud. Give her little brother a symbol to look up too. Praying for her energy to not fail, sparks flew around her axe as she jumped from her cover, and with a mighty swing, she sliced off one of the back legs off the deer.
As soon as Revy sliced off the leg, the buck went down into the snow. It struggled to get back up, but Boof took this as his opportunity. He chomped his large jaws around the deer's throat, and pulled, hard. With a crack, the buck's neck snapped and then he released the prey. Sniffing it to make sure the buck was dead, Boof then sat on his haunches, and wagged his tail, awaiting his praise.
Revy waited for the electric magic to stop sizzling around her axe. She only recently discovered her new talent, and it was still difficult to find an instant off switch on it. Sheathing her weapon, she ran up to Boof, kneeled down, and hugged him around his neck. "You were amazing boy! Great work! You can have the whole leg I cut clean off!"
The Gerudo woman had recently turned twenty. Her growth was fast through her teenage years, now just coming over Borghild in height. With a smile, she gave her mom a grin. "How'd we do?"
"Boof boof bork!" Boof licked Revy's cheek several times as he stood on his back legs, putting his fore paws on her shoulders. Even though the dog was older in age, he still could hunt with the best of them. Panting, the dog then resumed his original sitting position.
"I think you and Boof did perfectly," Borghild smiled at Revy's accomplishment. "However, I think you need to be really careful with the electricity, sweetie. You don't want to accidentally electrocute yourself or Boof now."
"I know. I just feel I need to practice it now. Last thing we need is to be in a real fight, and for it to not be completely under control."
Revy gave a small grunt as she heaved the deer over her shoulder. "How long do you think we can keep this deer going on for?"
"Between your father and Trygve, we'll be lucky if it lasts us a week and a half." Borghild laughed, knowing how much her men loved meat. "I'm beginning to believe your brother eats more than your father."
"Bork!"
"Excuse me, your father, your brother, and your dog."
"Well, they are just hungry boys at heart." Revy grinned down at her companion. "That includes you too boy~"
"Bork!"
"Next time, I think you and your brother will do just fine hunting together without my supervision." Borghild tromped back through the snow with Revy and Boof. "What do you think?"
"That better not happen soon. He's only seven mom. You know how long I had to wait. It was exhausting just waiting for the years to count down."
"Ha! I meant he observes, and you hunt." Borghild laughed. "He still turns into a grizzly when he gets too excited or scared."
"Well, we know the real reason why we have to wait till we're of age to come out here." Even now, Revy kept her eyes open for the slightest sign of the scourge of the undead to rise. She took her lessons and stories on Frost Ones deadly seriously. The Gerudo hoped that it would be a safe trip back to the wall.
"Hopefully the reign of the Frost King will soon be over," Borghild sighed as she kept her hand on her blade at all times. "We both know that the King and Queen have been working with the rulers of Hyrule for a solution. Though, nothing can be done unless we first find where his lair is."
"When that happens, I'll lead the packs to strike him down myself." Revy gave herself a proud bump on the chest. With the growth of age, her dream of being a hero never faded.
"When that happens, we'll formulate a plan before you go charging in." Borghild booped Revy on the nose. "You're too reckless like your father sometimes. Remember what I told you all these years. A female bear only charges when protecting her cubs or feeling threatened." Then she added. "Otherwise, thinks carefully before striking her prey."
Revy's mouth was a gap as she gave a pout. "I-I'm not reckless! I just give it my all sometimes. I have YOUR brains you know."
"Oh? Then what did you call diving into the freezing cold river after that huge sturgeon after I told you not to?"
"I call that a moderate success. I caught it, didn't I?"
"You caught it, but you had a cold for two weeks." Borghild snorted in amusement. "Do you call that a success?"
"....It was completely worth it."
"See? Reckless and stubborn, just like your father."
"But I wouldn't have caught it without calculating its pattern. Like you do. So I think it evens out."
Reaching the wall, Scarlet kept watch. The Gerudo woman wore shining white and thick iron knuckle armour, her battle axe shimmering silver in the snowy sun. Seeing the two woman gave her relief. Her daughter and Borghild traveling out into those wild wilderness gave her heart pause every time they traveled out. She instructed the men on the wall to open the gates. Jogging down the steps, Scarlet was glad her helmet gave her plenty of heat in the icy temperature. "Congratulations on the hunt you two. There wasn't any complications, was there?"
"No mother. There wasn't. As you can see, I did just fine." Revy received a bark from Boof, the dog wagging his tail. "Correction. We did a good job."
"Bork!" Boof agreed with his human, both of them did a fine job.
"Revy here is getting to be a fine hunter." Borghild complimented her daughter. "I know she's eager to please and wants to fight Frost Ones, but I'd rather her be a scout or a hunter." She then added. "Though her and Boof make a great team, Scarlet. You should have seen them take down the deer."
"I bet it was amazing. You better run along kiddo."
"Moms. I'm not a kid anymore. I can handle myself as a fighter and I don't need the nicknames anymore."
"You'll always be our little girl."
"The only reason I'm letting you get away with that is because no one else is around to hear that." As Revy ran off with Boof, Scarlet gave a sigh. "She's grown up so fast. And she's set her sights for accomplishments so high."
"I know, I think it's good that she has dreams and wants to make something of herself, but..." Borghild sighed as she watched Revy head toward the house with Boof. "I just don't want her to get hurt or feel like she's failed."
"I don't think she'll ever believe herself to be a failure. It's getting killed that worries me. Don't really have anyone else besides her."
"Aw, come on now, that's bullshit, you got me and Rat." Borghild nudged Scarlet in the shoulder. "And little Trygve."
"I know... It's just..." Scarlet looked out to the wilderness. How many times had she thought about just walking out and never coming back? "I don't have a Voe or even a Vai in my life. I gambled everything on Revy. If I lose her... I can't lose her."
"If you want a Voe or a Vai, then there are plenty of eligible folks here, Scarlet." Borghild walked with the Gerudo back to her position. "Maybe you should settle down with a grizzly. I got a few friends I could introduce you to, unless you prefer your partner less... furry."
"I don't know if anyone would want to be with me, furry or not." Scarlet had been given the nickname the cold iron giant. The metal armour, obviously, but also how she seemed to brood and be introverted around Uskar. When people challenged her to feats of strengths, she usually beat them with indifference. She only tended to show excitement with people she found interest in, but they had yet to show interest in her back.
"You should go after her. I'll make my final rounds here than head back home."
"Don't give up, all right? Someone will come along." Borghild assured Scarlet and then chased after Revy. The girl was becoming a fantastic hunter, but still could not skin a deer that well. Besides, she wanted her girl to keep the fur to make into a blanket. As she neared the house, Rat was there with little Trygve, trying to teach his son how to polish a knife.
"Now, lad, you have to learn to take care of your weapons, because if you don't, they won't take care of you." Rat was carefully showing the boy how to sharpen the dagger, then wipe with clover oil for a finish. "Understand?"
"Yes, Daddy."
It seemed though, that Revy had not yet returned to the house. Borghild knew how her daughter liked to show off, and exactly where to find her.
~
Lex pampered her face with makeup after cleaning her lips. She took satisfaction looking back at the man she just drained. It was like he never felt the touch of woman before. Well, probably not of her caliber. Turning her body back to him, he was entranced by her tits. Lex gave them a bounce to keep his attention. “Ok big boy, a deals a deal.”
The man in question was a Hasai soldier, having been recently transferred to the Uskar defence force. Before that, he was bragging about fighting pirates. “Well, the details are simple. We fought a group of pirates on the black sea.”
“I want complicated details. Specific map points. The goddamn beards on your opponents if you have to. That’s what I worked for after all~”
“Hmmm, damn right you did. Alright, kid. I’ll tell you what you wanna know.”
Ever since she hit the ripe age of 18, Lex had being using her skills as the ‘most attractive woman of Uskar’ for the past two years to acquire information from sailors and travelers on any information that could lead to finding her mother and Seer. Every lead she marked on a makeshift map. She felt confident that she was narrowing in on a location. Giving the Hasai man a deep kiss, she moved him quickly along out of the brothel.
Daddy Bakura let her travel to Hyrule for five months to be with Revy and get a change of pace from Uskar. During that time, the white haired Gerudo learned as many tricks and trades in exotic businesses to get any man to talk. Sex was ok, sometimes great, but it was mostly just a tool for her. She was still waiting for one of the princes to take up her offer of some beautiful love making.
Today her sister was supposed to arrive in shore with Uncle Corsaire. Maybe they could exchange information if Liz was in a good mood. Almost never was these days though. How her sister made Prince Halvar her boyfriend with her constant travel was a complete mystery to Lex. Didn’t stop her from trying to convince the prince to settle down with a more stay at home girl.
Going outside, Lex noticed Revy carrying a massive deer into town. “Oh cool! That’s a big boy you got there!”
Revy gave a chuckle, not above flexing her muscles in front of the townsfolk. She liked to contribute and give hope where she could. “Yeah, it wasn’t that much of a challenge.”
“Ok Ms. Hero. Let’s all bow in your glowing righteousness.”
“Haha. Liz arrive yet?”
“No, not quite. I think she’ll be home soon though. Grandpa misses her. And I bet Halvar cries himself to sleep due to the worries he has over her.”
Revy gave a cheeky grin back. “You’re just jealous he doesn’t cry over you~”
“Well he totally should.”
It was never easy for Corsaire to be away from his wife for too long. After this journey, the captain was eager to stay at home for a few months. It would not be so bad to run some new sea tactics with the recruits for a while and let the others do a cargo trip. However, Orana asked him to take his niece, Liz, back home safely for Seer's sake. Having the little tyke follow him everywhere after Seer's kidnapping was annoying for a while, always having to watch her. Though, she did surprise him at her determination to get better, to be the best she could be. So it was vigorous training consisting of sword fighting on the top yards, swinging on a rope while aiming to shoot, and most of all, how to take a punch and get back up. The girl preserved all these years, and was now a fine sailor. The ex-pirate was still concerned about sailing to Uskar. The sea ice was getting harder to penetrate with each voyage. Soon, even the upgraded ships from Danjur would not be able to pierce it.
"Miss Frode," Captain Corsaire stood at the wheel and then called her forth. "Guide us to the port. I need to be ready to receive the royals."
"Yes sir." Liz called out, taking the wheel. The years had been hard on her without Seer being a light in her life. She made a pact with her sister and Revy to rescue Seer and defeat their mother. All these years of training was hard on Liz, but her fiery determination made her fiercely dedicated to improvement. A few years back, Prince Halvar asked her on a date. The young Gerudo accepted, and despite not being able to see each other often, they somehow made it work as a couple. Liz gave out orders to the crew, just like she was taught, as they pulled into the docks.
Halvar was there to see Liz. He was pacing back and forth, impatiently, trying to peer onto the ship to see her. He waited until she was of age to ask her to date. That was Rat's rule, and had been Seer's rule before... well, before he was kidnapped. His family never lost hope that Seer was out there somewhere, still alive. As soon as the ship was docked, and the planks were set to unload the cargo, Halvar bolted up onto the boat and looked for the beautiful Gerudo.
"Liz!!!" Halvar ran up to her, swung her around, and planted a deep kiss on her lips... and then turned blood red, and put her back on her feet. "I... um... I missed you."
A few of the crew whistled on the boat.
"Knock it off, that's my niece!" Captain Corsaire barked at them. "Do your damn jobs and unload the cargo before we all get frostbite."
Liz gave the crew a look of pure murder for the catty whistles. If they wanted that particular fantasy they could go bother her sister. Turning back to Halvar, she gave a warm smile back. Deep kisses was as far as they had taken their relationship so far, and perhaps a little cuddling from time to time. “I’m glad to see you too. You’ve been ok?”
"Been on more hunts and scouts, fought a couple of Frost Ones, but it's odd." Halvar shrugged his shoulders. "Lately, we haven't seen too many of them. We're not sure if the Frost King is having trouble finding more bodies or if they're not approaching because of our allies now. Either way, we're a little grateful for the break." He then asked. "But you, I'm sure you have some adventures to tell everyone?"
"I'm glad that the Undead King of the North is letting his grip loose. As for me, I helped lead my first engagement against Adda's pirate forces. We interrogated one of the prisoners we took in hopes of finding Dad. All we learned is that Adda's forces are placed strategically so that a long search would be disastrous to try and break her power up. I just wish we could find a proper location. That way we could save our resources and go in hard."
"It's been so long now." Halvar thought back to the day of when everyone learned Seer had been taken by Adda. Liz and Lex were beyond consolable for a while, until swearing to get their father back. Then, it was a race against time. "I'm sure your search will come to a close soon, but... have you given thought to what you're going to do if you catch Adda?" Halvar knew better than to refer to Adda as Liz's mom. She always gave him a glare for that.
"I want to kill her, but Lex is still salty about that whenever I bring it up. So I'll just settle with her facing the courts of Danjur, Hyrule, and Uskar." Liz squeezed her fist just thinking about it. She spent so many years preparing for the day, dreaming in detail about her revenge and bringing justice.
"Either way, the courts of our kingdom, Danjur, and Hyrule will all arrive to the same verdict; death." Halvar walked with Liz off the ship the docks. "For now, let's focus on a more happy note, your return home. Besides, I have something for you." The prince fidgeted slightly as he approached the guards waiting on him. No matter where he went, Halvar still had protection. Grasping a wrapped package, he undid the string and there was the traditional courtship gift; a cloak of fur. Turning back to Liz, Halvar held it up for her to see, blushing darkly. "I... I hunted this when you left for sea and have been working on sewing it into a presentable cloak and um..." He offered it to Liz, hoping, praying she'd accept, as he said the age old line. "I offer you this gift of courtship... if you'll accept?"
Liz froze up, her mouth hanging open. Such a public display of affection was so bold of Halvar. Was this the same man she left behind on her training? She thought from a pure intellectual viewpoint on this, as it helped her calm down. Don't panic. He loves you. You adore him. Most of all, he has your trust. That's right. You trust him. He won't leave or hurt you. Snapping back into reality, Liz realized she must have left him hanging on an answer for a while due to the worry that started to form on his brow. "I'm so sorry. You just sprung it up. Yes. I accept."
"Oh thank Rotar." Halvar released the breath he was holding. She just stared at him for a moment, and for a brief time, the prince thought Liz was going to run back onto the ship and sail away. He then smiled widely and wrapped the warm cloak around her shoulders. Liz was not like the other female Direnors who would only accept a white cloak, no, she preferred the darker colors. For that reason, he had hunted for weeks until he found the perfect shade of red-brown for his girlfriend. "I... I hope you like it."
"I do. You took the time to carefully choose the fur for me. I'm grateful for that." She gave him another kiss. Lex and Revy were running to the port, the latter still carrying the deer, when they saw Halvar offer his courtship. Lex gave a small pout. "Great, lost that love boat."
"Lex. You never HAD that love boat. And chin up, you can still score one of the older brothers. Maybe."
"Thanks for the confidence Rev."
With big smiles, both girls ran to Liz. Revy threw her deer to one of Halvar's guards and they each hugged Liz. "Good to see you!"
Liz hugged them back, trying to keep a professional air about her with so many people arriving at the dock. "Good to see you both as well."
Lex gave Halvar a wink. "See you finally did it. Congrats on netting my sister~"
The guard nearly fell over when Revy simply tossed him the deer without warning.
"It was her choice to accept or not." Halvar turned red again at Lex's comment. "Besides, I feel so lucky to have her at my side. She's a good woman, a strong woman."
"Bork!" Boof nudged Liz for pets, being demanding. He was the fluffy, adorable one, he should be the center of attention.
Revy held Boof back, rubbing his neck. "You can have pets later boy."
The white haired Gerudo gave a mischievous grin, eying the young couple together. "So when you two gonna bang one out?~"
Liz's expression grew with pure horror. "Don't say shit like that so loud!"
Lex received a hard punch to the shoulder from her sister for that. "OW! Settle down! Just a joke!"
"Whu-whu, we um, we uh..." Halvar blushed dark red all the way up to his ears. Intimacy was still foreign to Liz and him, and he was not about to make advances just yet. After all, it was the lady who said yes or no. The last thing he wanted was to get slapped.
"I can always teach you what a lady wants~"
"THAT'S IT!"
Liz tackled Lex to the ground, and started to slap at her face, with Lex giving giggles and grunts. Revy quickly intervened, pulling the sisters away from each other. "Hey, hey, hey! Enough! Lex, no trying to make Halvar hard and your sister mad!"
"Fine, geeze."
"You are insufferable sometimes Lex."
"But you love me anyways~ And if it wasn't for my knowledge of pleasing men, I wouldn't have come up with an accurate map on tracking mom down."
That caught Liz off by guard. "You've been doing what?"
While the prince was used to the sisters fighting a bit, he was not prepared to hear what Lex said about pleasure.
"I think... I'm going to um..." Halvar gestured to the land. "Yeah, I'm going to go and wait over there. That seems like a grand idea."
"Yeah! I've been getting information from sailors and travelers who seen mom and her forces. I've narrowed it down to a triangle of coordinates."
Liz wanted to argue about her sister whoring out to get information, but she was too tired to argue. "I'll take a look at it later. Just stay out of trouble. Have you seen Bakura?"
Lex took a sigh. "He's been doing 'deep mediation' out by the cave. Can't get him to come out some days. Kind of sad, but he says it he'll find Daddy through the 'spirits'."
Revy clapped her hands. “Well, we better get going. Who wants to help me skin this deer?”
~
In three days, it would be seven years. Seer felt of the calendar with his fingers and sighed. He was older now. Adda had never released him. Despite his pleas and trying to find means of escape, nothing ever worked. The one kindness she did allow him was that old mage. He could listen to Liz and Lex through her magic. At least he was able to keep tabs on their lives. Still, it was not the same as holding them close, giving them kisses on the forehead, and fixing them a decent meal. He wanted to feel their warmth on his hands again. Though, his little girls were not so little anymore.
Outside of the magic barrier that gave that hid her paradise, Captain Adda flicked the wind waker to open the imaginary gate that allowed her to sail safely to her paradise home. Her latest skirmish was bloody and brutal. Every once in a while she had to put her foot down on the island she controlled. Rebels were such a nuisance. Her trade agreements were fair, so who cared if she was a little hard on them. Everyone was finally at peace. Besides the major continents, she ruled the oceans. Flicking the wind waker again, her ship went past the barrier as it closed. It took another good hour to sail to the island's north port side.
Docking, she took another hour greeting her people, handing out and ordering who got what food and drinks, made orders for her lieutenants to carry out, and got herself a martini. Finally, she opened the door to her chambers, giving Seer a whistle. "Miss me handsome?"
"No."
The longer his time on the island, the more bitter Seer became towards Adda. He would begrudgingly amuse her with sex, the random conversation, and sometimes have to accompany her to see the rest of her people. That he hated the most, feeling like a pet on a chain once more. She wouldn't kill him, but rather keep him alive to torment him with the fact that he could not get away with her.
"Oh don't be like that." Adda sat down on the bed, yawning with exhaustion. "Tell me, girls treating you ok? Little Beck wanted to see you do whale tricks with a ball. Went on about seeing it in a book. I think the little gal likes you.”
"I'm not a pet." Seer snapped at her with a glare about the whale tricks. "And I'm not going to play with a ball for fish. You got me doing that already."
"She was just a six year old girl with a curiosity. What's up your ass?" Adda slugged back her drink and fell back on the bed. "It's not like you been shot recently or anything. Now that's something to be cranky about."
"I'd rather be shot than have to stay here. Then again, you know that, I've told you that, but it's like you have too much saltwater in your ears to properly listen." Seer got up off the bed, in a particularly bad mood since the anniversary of his kidnapping was coming up. "Tell your people to stay the hell away from me. I'm going for a swim." He then stopped and added as an afterthought. "Do not join me."
"They're just ordinary folks. You really want to be the one to crush the dreams of little girls who never seen a man transform into a whale? God, you are such a pussy. You want me to shoot you? I can do that, right now."
"Then do it!!!" Seer turned around, screaming at her. "I've been trapped here for seven damn years now, Adda! I haven't held my girls, told them I love them, I have no freedom! I'm a slave again! Shoot me, right here, through the heart! Put me out of my misery! Your crew missed the first time, but I doubt you will!" He demanded. "Do it! I can't take another day of hearing my girls from that blasted ball saying they're wondering if I'm dead or alive, hearing them cry because of me!"
"Oh fuck you, you blind piece of shit." Adda rose to her feet. "I had a plan. A really simple and easy plan that kept the girls safe for a while. I own the fucking oceans now. I am the Queen of the seas. I'm the greatest Gerudo chieftain that's ever lived. My people are happy. They're in a state of nirvana that has never been seen before. And all those that stand against me have no possible power to beat me or my forces. And I was going to give that to the girls. I knocked on your door to bring all of you with me. But you acted like a petty child. You ran from Hyrule, cheating me years to track you down, than you had the gull to tell me to leave. This 'suffering' you're feeling is nothing. I missed thirteen years, and now the additional seven years on top of that. Now that they're tough and smart woman, maybe they'll find there way here. Grow the fuck up, or shut the fuck up." Curious, she handed him an unloaded, cocked gun. "What you gonna do about it? You wanna rob them of one of their parents?"
"You're nothing but a murderer and a greedy soul who decides all your wrongs are righted by what you do for your people. Think what you want of me, but my girls will never be like you. Besides for all I know, you didn't want them." Seer sneered at her. "Dump them with me to get back at Bakura. Classy move, mother, using your daughters like they're dispensable. That's all they are to you, something to use." When Adda handed him the gun, Seer frowned at her. "You think I'm an idiot? This isn't loaded. I spent years with Corsaire on a ship, I know an unloaded gun to a loaded one." He threw the gun to the side with a huff. "The only reason you won't give me bullets is because you still want your toy at your side. Just like the girls, that's all I am to you; an object." The blind Direnor stomped outside, tossing his shirt and pants wherever before the water hit his feet. As soon as he was neck deep, he started to shift.
"YOU DON'T KNOW ME!!! I NEVER USED MY GIRLS!!! I SAVED THEM!!! HOPE YOU DROWN OUT THERE!!!!!"
The moonlight fell on the ocean as Seer swam around. All the life he ever found in the calm area of water he was free to swim in were the odd colourful fish that came and went. So, on this night, it was a shocking sight when he chanced an encounter with a whale under water. It was colourful as a rainbow, and had angel wings on its back.
Seer had never seen another whale here, despite his many years of swimming trying to find an exit.
"Can you understand me?"
"Hmmm? Of course I can understand you. Nice night for a swim, isn't it."
"Oh, I agree, the water is very nice this night." Seer felt relieved, but wondered if he was about to lose his break on sanity. Either way, it supposed this was not too bad. Talking to an angelic whale was the least of his worries, even if he was going insane. "I don't suppose you're a... messenger? The wings?"
"I'm the Wind Fish. Who are you?"
"Wind Fish? I think I've heard of you in Hyrule's tales..." Seer then realized he was being rather rude. "Oh, my apologies. My name is Erling Frode, but my friends call me Seer. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
The Wind Fish looked deep into Seer, his tone unchanging. "You seem tired Seer."
"I think tired is an understatement, Wind Fish." Seer, in reality, felt exhausted. He wanted to give up. Holding onto hope was such a lost cause. Adda would never let him go. "I'm trapped here and I cannot leave to see my family. No matter what I do, I cannot find freedom. My only way out of this place is death, and I'm denied even that."
"What is your wish for life?"
"My wish for life?" Seer repeated. "What I would want if I could have it?"
"You have great pain in your heart. What wish is on your mind? What do you dream of?"
"I only wish to be with my girls again, my family, back in Uskar." Seer sighed heavily. "I dream of hearing my girls laugh again instead of crying for my sake. I dream of us fixing food together in the kitchen again. I dream of telling Alexandra and Elizabeth to stop arguing and go do their chores. Memories of the past mix with what I want for the future. Seems silly, doesn't it?"
"Not at all. Dreams are a beautiful thing. And it's funny how they can come true. I have to go now." The Wind Fish started to fly away, surging out of the water and above the defence ships on the surface, not seeming to mind getting spotted or not.
"H-Hey, wait!" Seer shot up toward the surface after the Wind Fish. Though by the time he breached, the Wind Fish was already long gone. He couldn't sense him anymore. Dejectedly, Seer just lounged on the surface of the waves. "Don't leave me here alone..."
Seer heard a voice echo in his head. "You are never alone Seer. And your heart won't feel alone for long. Now wake up. Wake up…. Wake up….."
~
Seer woke up in bed, rested like never before, but both a hopeful happiness and yet some sadness in him. Beside him, Adda was stirring in bed, drying her face.
Seer did wake with a jolt. Was the entire encounter a dream?
"... either I drowned and you came to fetch me, or I fell asleep in the waves again."
"You went for a swim and than you must have came back yourself. I went to bed before you came back." Adda was oddly monotone this morning.
"Oh. I don't recall." Seer sat up in bed, rubbing his head, feeling for a knot or a scrape. No, he definitely did not knock his skull. The entire encounter must have been a dream. "I don't remember much... I must have stayed in my other form too long again."
"Did you have any weird dreams last night?" Adda kept her attention away from him, still looking to her left at the wall.
"I'm certain I did, though I'm not able to recall them all. Why? Talking in my sleep and disturbing your beauty rest again?"
Adda didn't give him a smartass remark. "I dreamed I wanted to be with girls and I wasn't a monster to Bakura. It was so... peaceful. I wanted it to be so real..."
"Sounds like you wish to turn back time." Seer stretched his body, feeling stiff from being in his other form.
"Maybe. I saw this... giant colourful fish in the sky. No idea why. It asked what I wanted. I said to have the family I always wanted and-" Adda paused. For a moment of vulnerability she shook with emotion before reeling it in. "Forget it. The whole things stupid. I just got this feeling I'm going to see them again soon."
"You have the family you've always wanted out there, Adda." Seer pointed in the general direction of the door. "You even told me it was your dream to create this paradise for the Gerudo."
"That's different. I'm their Queen. A Queen who was chosen for this life. I'm talking about being a mother to my own kids."
"You had that chance too, before you pursued the war." Seer fixed his long hair back into a tail. "Just like Scarlet did."
"Don't say her name." Adda turned to him, her brow curling with anger. "I'm tired of having the same argument with you over and over regarding my choices."
"Then let me go and you'll never hear my voice again to remind you of said poor choices."
"So you can lead your forces right back to me? No thanks."
"Now you're the one being stupid. I don't even know where the hell I am."
"That's the whole idea. To keep your pod of savage whales away from the innocents of this island."
"Those savage whales don't attack innocents, only those who dare to hurt their own." Seer retaliated at her remark. "You took the girls, and in return, we attacked."
"I had the right to those girls. If you really thought I was a monster, you would have killed me in that ice cold water, or here in my sleep." Adda spat back bitterly.
"Just because you're their biological mother doesn't give you any right to them. The people who love them, take care of them, doesn't have to be blood to be their family." Seer argued with narrowed eyes. "And I never said you were a monster." He leaned a little closer and said bluntly. "I just hate your guts. If I killed you, Lex would hate me. That's the last thing I want. I think more of those girls than you ever will. I gave my life to them. You? You decided to make yourself Queen and to hell with everything else. Want me to shut up? Then turn me loose."
"I was going to make them both royalty of the seas. You have no idea about what I think of them." Adda snorted back. With a shrug of her shoulders, she tried to change the conversation. "You wanna stop talking and fuck for a while?"
"Well, you screamed at me to drown yesterday, so I think I might go back out for a long swim and see if that happens." Seer replied sarcastically. "Seeing you're a self proclaimed queen and all, I think you can handle waiting to fuck for a day or so." He then added, just to mess with Adda. "Besides, Bakura is a better fuck than you."
"Seer, don't be an ass." Adda pushed him to the side and went to her wardrobe. At Bakura though, she turned her head to him. "You did not."
"He slapped my ass, I buried my face in his abs, the rest is history."
“Tell me than. What did it feel like?” Adda stared coldly at him.
"Why do you want to know? Jealous I'm a better lay?"
“To see you bullshitting me. What was it like Seer?”
"A fight for dominance, that's for sure. You know Bakura has a fetish of grabbing the neck a bit?" Seer was going off of what he sensed from the man. While Seth was always in the back of Bakura's mind, the other soul residing in the assassin's body still influenced a few actions. For once, Seer was grateful for his powerful sense of smell and echolocation. He could read Bakura's body language and predict his thoughts without a single word. "Burying my face into a pillow, muffling my moans just until he senses I'm ready to cum. Sometimes, he even denies me that, wanting me to beg a little."
“You know what it was like for me? It was knowing that he the someone I could trust. He made me feel vulnerable like no other man. When he fucked me, I didn’t care about anything else. Because he was naive enough, stupid enough, or maybe kind enough to be so open and gentle too.” Adda punched Seer back onto the bed. “But you would have said that if you ever made love with a man like Bakura. You’d know he made you feel complete.”
"Now that's a steaming pile of shit right there, Adda," Seer actually snickered. "Because if you were so complete with him, then you really screwed up by leaving him, and better yet, dumping his daughters with me. You know he told me he wanted to kill you for what you did to him? Making him lose years of his daughters' lives too? Isn't it funny how these things turn out." He was now full out laughing, almost a hysterical tint to it. "And you! You kidnapped me out of petty revenge! Not on him, but on your own daughters!!!"
“Shut your fucking mouth Seer.” Adda was so close to beating the life out of the man. How many times did she have to say her case over and over? Bakura threatened her. Hurt her deeply due to that psychotic personality in him. How could she ever leave her kids with him?
"Oh, I thought I was fucked up, but compared to you? Nah." Seer managed to get his laughing under control and then got up off the bed. "I almost, almost feel sorry for you, Adda." He walked outside to the beach, feeling the sand underneath his toes. "A lonely paradise is all you have now."
“And a lonely prison is all you have. If I’m not happy, I’ll make sure you’ll never be either you prick.”
"Heh, you might keep me trapped here forever, but remember this, Adda," Seer was not going to let her get to him. Oddly enough, the tiny break of hysterics might have been what he needed to release some stress. Besides, the dream he had with the whale left him feeling optimistic of sorts. "Whether I die here or see my girls again, at least I know I have their love."
“You robbed me of that chance for twenty years. I’ll earn their love soon. And with you stuck here, you can’t stop me.”
"It's your own fault for dumping them off without a word." Seer countered. "Think that all you want, Adda. Though you're forgetting that I'm not the only one who loves Elizabeth and Alexandria."
Adda whirled on Seer, decking him hard against the face, knocking him out. She was so sick and tired of listening to his bullshit. No more. She was going to give her girls the world.
I'm tutoring a girl who's in her third year of high school. I help her with English and Spanish language and literature. Okay, she really likes Marvel but she hasn't seen many movies. Yesterday we were talking about Infinity War and here's what she said:
Her: I really like this guy who was in Black Panther's country...
Me: which one?
Her: you know... That Jon Snow with an arm missing.
Me: ... You mean Bucky?
Her: YES!
She called Bucky "Jon Snow with an arm missing" and I don't know how to feel about it.
Liz lead Halvar into his bedroom. His whole family threw a celebration for their victory over Adda and rescuing Seer. The Gerudo officer felt a large weight fall off her shoulders. She felt like she closed a dark chapter on her life, if not a whole book, and was ready to move on. Now, she had new things to focus on. Like keeping promises. Leaning in, she gave Halvar a kiss.
“So, you ready fox boy?”
"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Halvar tried to keep a straight face, but a wide grin was staring to spread across his face. Now it was their time for each other, no more interruptions or overbearing sea captains or crew members. This would be a special night for the two of them. The prince had been courting Liz for a while, with the intention of marriage.
“I got my dad back, Adda’s dead, Revy is going to be alright, and we don’t have Captain Corsaire breathing down our necks. I’m more than ready.” Liz quickly undid her top, smiling a cheshire grin to her boyfriend. “You want the honour of taking off the bra?”
"You know, these things were designed to torture men, right?" Halvar tried to unhook the bra with little success, getting frustrated. Finally, he leaned forward and bit the fabric with his sharp teeth, ripping the material and proceeded to yank it off Liz's body.
Liz’s breasts jiggled very slightly, and Halvar got a giggle out of her. She jumped on the bed, and slowly took her pants off. “Pull that tail out~”
"Wow... I mean, I knew you had big boobs, but... just seeing them jiggle like that is... very nice." Halvar tried to find the proper words, but his mouth ran dry at the sight of Liz's body. "Tail? Why are you so obsessed with my fox tail?"
“I like it ok? It’s fluffy.” Liz felt a tinge of embarrassment. Why did she like Direnor anatomy so much? “I’m sure Lex has bigger... and that’s my own business on why I like your fluffy body.” Liz carefully took her bottom off, becoming completely bare now.
"Doesn't matter... you're my beautiful desert goddess." Halvar nuzzled her throat, very tempted to nibble on her. "Your skin, your hair, your body... you're absolutely stunning and so sweet too."
Liz caressed his ear, giving in, and finally letting out a moan of pleasure. “You’re my handsome man. So loyal and good to me.”
Halvar had another weak spot besides his tail, and that was his ears. When Liz rubbed over one, he purred loudly and promptly nipped hard on her neck, an obvious sign of testing the jugular for mating.
Liz gasped, and her right hand pull on Halvar tight. Her body pushed against him, begging to feel his skin against hers. “Take your clothes off.”
"Why don't you take them off for me?" Halvar ran his tongue over her throat, laving the spot where he bit. "It's much more fun that way."
“Very well my prince~” Liz pushed him down, carefully unbuttoning his shirt piece by piece. She slowly kissed down his chest, finally earning that tail to come out and wag. With a light smile she pulled his pants and underwear down. The Gerudo saw him naked before, but now, under these circumstances, it made her heart flutter.
"Like what you see?" Halvar asked Liz, not shy at all. Direnors were not so modest like other cultures. Since one had to shift, and returned to their human form naked, there was never time for embarrassment during the heat of battle. "I know I'm not as tall or muscular than my brothers."
Liz slowly grabbed his shaft, carefully massaging it up and down its length. “Well... that may be true, but you certainly have a bigger length and girth. Your brothers aren’t so modest in the hot springs. And, my dear Halvar, you are wiser as well. You knew this moment would have much more of an impact by keeping it from me till now.”
Carefully, Liz leaned close, her hot breath coating the prince’s member. “I... hope this is how you’ve always dreamed we’d start.”
"You're flattering me." Halvar was not going to deny that he liked the praise and encouragement. As Liz's touch and breath traveled down south, the prince flushed cherry red. "I... um... like the idea, but you don't have to do that. I know some women find it distasteful."
“Well... maybe I want a little ‘dirty’.” Leaning down, Liz tried to suck her first dick. She applied a little teeth at first, but tried to think back on her sisters drunken talks on pleasing men.
‘Noooooo, you gotta suck on it, like a lollipop. Really get that TONGUE rolling about!’
So she listened to her sisters advice. The Gerudo lathered the tip with her tongue, popping on and off with her lips.
"ROTAR, HANDEH, AND FUCKING SEX IN THE SPRINGS!!!" Halvar did not mean to yell, but the sensation surprised him as much as the pleasure. His hands dug into the sheets, his claws ripping the threads. He was not used to this. Besides, he was not really used to seeing Liz in her birthday suit either. Gritting his teeth, Halvar tried to keep his hips from bucking upward. "Sh-Shit... Liz... y-you better---FUCK!!! s-stop or I'm n-not going to last... shit, shit, shit, overly long!"
"But I don't want to hurt---FUCK!" Halvar jerked as Liz's double administrations caused his cock to leak out a dribble of pre-cum. His tail was highly sensitive, but his ears were doubly so. He wanted to give into those feral instincts, but there was the thought of Liz not being a Direnor. Mates were usually rough with each other, biting, clawing, claiming every inch of skin with a mark. If he did this with Liz, he was liable to hurt her. Halvar wanted to be careful, but by Handeh and Rotar, she was tempting him. A loud growl rumbled in his throat as he pulled her hair back roughly, causing her throat to be exposed. He ran his tongue over her skin as his other hand slipped behind her legs and teased at her folds. He could smell her arousal and it was driving him crazy.
“Oh!” Liz gasped as Halvar yanked her back. He was rewarded with a growl of approval. “Halvar. I can read people, so I know what you’re thinking. You’re worried I can’t handle all your power, but I can. I’m Gerudo after all. We’re synonymous with power, so-Ah!” Liz bit her lip, her fold becoming quickly soaked. “T-tell me what you want.”
"I want to lick you, bite you, and mark you all over, inside and outside, so everyone else can smell me on you." Halvar wriggled one finger inside of Liz, teasing her inner walls while his thumb pressed on her clit. "I don't want any other males or females to have any doubt that you're mine... only mine..." His words were mixed with a possessive snarl as he bit, hard, on the junction between neck and shoulder. "Before I do that... I want to taste you..." Without warning, Halvar grabbed her hips, pulling her up to where her buttocks rested on his chest, her legs up in the air. He buried his face in her pussy, and started to lick with his rough tongue.
“Oh fffffuuuuuuuuck~” Liz couldn’t stop Halvar, even if she didn’t want this amazing feeling. Her hands gripped the bed sheets as Halvar swirled around. His tongue was so thick, and he was stuffing his face in all the right spots. “Yes! I want it you Halvar! No one else can do! I want that royal fox to mark me as his own! Oh holy hell Halvar! That’s so good!!!”
She was wriggling and moaning, and her body was responding well to his touches. Those sounds were music to his ears. Laving his tongue over her clit, Halvar then shifted Liz to on her knees, pulling her ass upward so her face planted into the bed sheets. Rubbing his length over her moist folds, he licked his lips as his hands snaked around to fondle her breasts. She was so soft, so warm, and smelled divine. His instincts were in overdrive, wanting to please but wanting to claim as well. The prince's more animalistic side was in control now. His teeth sunk into her shoulder as his hands squeezed her breasts, rolling the nipple with his thumb as he sunk his cock into her heated passage with a loud growl.
Liz gave a scream of pleasure, her body quaking at Halvar gripping her and sinking is teeth into her. Was she bleeding? She certainly was when he finally penetrated her. “H-halvar~”
The Gerudo could only mutter as she had her head stuffed into the mattress. “I want to be fucked like a canine...”
It was always a fantasy of Liz’s, though she’d never say it out loud. She loved her fox prince so, so much. To make Halvar more encouraged, she pushed her ass towards the prince to take his cock in deeper. It was a pain she was rather getting used to more and more by the second.
"Rrrrrr..." Halvar simply held Liz in place, making sure to lick over the bite marks. If she was overly eager, he would not last too long. It was taking all his constraint to keep from climaxing now. The way she felt was simply heavenly, and he wanted this to last for a good while. However, when Liz moved her backside against his hips, his hips snapped forward, nearly causing his claws to rake into her skin. She was tempting him, the minx. Her words were making Halvar feel feral, hearing how she wanted him to take her just as he was, a canine. If that's what she wanted, then the prince would give it to his mate. Shoving her head down into the mattress, he slammed forward, holding onto her hips so she could not squirm away from him.
Liz’s eyes filled with hearts. Gods. Was this why her sister went to the brothel? Why her mother picked out men like her papa? The officer almost wished she had sex earlier with her boyfriend. A little giggle of hysteria from the lust left her lips. Maybe she was more like the rest of the women in her family then she’d care to admit, at least in this department. Her whole body was vibrating with no end in sight as Halvar held her close. She didn’t understand the need to dirty talk before hand, but it easily left her now in a need to egg her lover more on. “Ooooo Halvar, you’re so hard~ You’re such a beast. M-more!”
Halvar would ensure his mate received the best pleasure. She seemed to be responding eagerly thus far, and had no complaints. No matter his roughness, she responded with dirty talk, encouraging him and asking for more. His claws pinched the skin on her hips as he continued his rougher movements, his chest draped across her back. Breathing heavily, there was no way he was going to last much longer. Liz had not yet reached her orgasm, so he had to push her over that blissful edge. Holding her in place, Halvar gyrated his hips while flicking her clit with a finger.
Liz could barely turn her head to look him in the eye, but the look she gave Halvar was unlike any he’d seen from her before. She was bright red in the cheeks with a shade of crimson that rivaled her hair, constantly grinning, a little teary, but clearly having the time of her life. All her professionalism was thrown right out the window. “Can you get more furry? How flexible is that tail to get around my neck? I need you to pound me harder.”
More furry? Halvar had something click inside of his head. So that was what his mate was wanting. The prince never considered Liz what Lex called a 'monster fucker'. True, he could not couple with her in his true fox form. Though perhaps, he could give her some part of what she wanted. The Direnors did have a form which allowed them to use their brute strength when necessary. So, that's what he would give her, and then, she'd be highly satisfied. With more fur upon his body, and with a more feral appearance, Halvar wrapped his tail over Liz's back and around her neck.
Liz felt his cock lightly expand inside her pussy, and her mind drowned in wonder. “Oh SH-Ack!” She was cut off by Halvar lightly chocking her. Gritting her teeth, she clawed into his tail as Halvar fucked her like a monster. Finally, her eyes rolled as she orgasmed, being overtaken by love and lust. Her juices drenched the bed and Halvar’s dick. “F-f-f-f-fuck oh fuck.”
The prince was not too far behind his mate. His climax caused a fresh puddle of semen to leak out of Liz. Inside and out, just as he promised, Liz was his and no one else's. The emotions and feelings overwhelmed both of them, leaving exhaustion to take hold. As tradition, Halvar was now fully shifted into his fox form and licking over the bites or bruises he dealt upon Liz due to the coupling. Curling around his mate, Halvar nuzzled her gently, wanting to keep her warm.
Liz had to take a good five minutes to realize she was resting against Halvar’s full fox form. His body felt so good to lean on. “I... that-incredible.”
That was exactly what it was. “Was it true your dad had to last three days straight?”
Unable to talk in this form, Halvar simply nodded his head to Liz's inquiry. His parents' sexual escapades were legendary, it seemed. His tail wagged slightly as he tilted his head, wanting to know if she was all right and enjoyed herself.
“Well, that’s because he had something to prove. We don’t. Not to each other.” Liz kissed his nose. Truth was, she wasn’t sure if she could go another round. “Wag your tail if you want this to become a habit~”
Halvar's tail wagged so fast it made a thudding noise against the ground.
“Well, I think you made me find a new passion.” Liz purred close, dozing off to sleep. As she did Halvar eventually turned back, holding onto Liz’s natural warmth, and wrapped his arms around her.
Negotiation in a Fiery Alliance: Ch 1. The Lord of Hyrule’s Quest
Klinge closed his bathroom cabinet, coming face to face with the mirror in front of him. His eyes dilated upon looking on his face. This was the face of Malik. He was a human being again. Only two weeks in his new humanity, he was still in awe at his transformation. Taking his right hand he felt his cheeks. He was warm, soft even, and the metal arm felt cold upon touching it. Taking a toothbrush, he went a little overboard. Hygiene was something he never had to keep up with before. Finishing up, he washed his face, and wiped himself clean. The water felt chilling on his face, so he was glad he dried himself down. Walking back to his room, he looked around his new quarters. Covarog had provided him a new massive tower for his sake of lord ship. It would take some time before he finished building a house for himself and Asakonigei. Speaking of which, he watched his beautiful wife sleep soundly. Leaning back onto the bed, he leaned over her, giving her a soft kiss.
"Nhmmm..." Asakonigei stirred slightly on the mattress from the kiss. Ever since Klinge had turned into Malik, her husband, he had trouble learning how to be... human again. It was highly amusing watching him complete everyday tasks. When Asakonigei reminded him of little things he had to do, Malik almost seemed perplexed. "Mhmmm... it's too early." Asakonigei grumbled lightly as she pulled the covers up over her heard. "I don't want to get up just yet. Come back to bed, it's warm and soft here."
"What if I warm you up instead." Tearing her blankets off, he hugged her close, giving her slow kisses on her face and neck.
"HEY!" Asakonigei protested when Malik yanked off the blanket and then smothered her with love. "Goodness, what's gotten into you this morning?"
"I'm just in a good mood? Can't I hug my beautiful wife?"
"Snuggles, kisses, and compliments?" Asakonigei grinned at him, teasing a little. "No, no, you're definitely up to something. What is it this time?"
"Well... I was thinking we could do that thing that you are so good with your mouth this morning~ I can treat you well after in return~"
"Ooo, I see you're trying to butter me up to get what you want." Asakonigei giggled as she ran a finger from his chin to the center of his chest. "And I get a treat too? Well what if I want my big, thick, and hard treat first?"
Malik's hands rubbed the hips of his charming wife in return. "You're the mechanic. You should know ever engine needs to be revved up first."
Asakonigei was in the process of taking off her pajamas when there was a knock. Groaning aloud, the Kovina glared at the door. She scowled and fixed her top.
"Whoever is at that door, I'm going to throw them out the window."
"Not if I do so first." Malik grumbled, giving his wife a deep kiss and a spank on the ass to keep her wet and waiting. Grabbing a robe he covered himself up as he opened the door, glaring at whoever ruined his morning now.
Ralnor stood outside Malik's doors, his face as stoic as ever, even at the man's glare. The secondborn prince had his hands clasped behind his back, his face not betraying any emotion.
"The queen requires your presence." Ralnor then added. "Now."
"Does she now? I can tell that you won't make her wait, will you." Malik turned to his wife before Ralnor could give an answer. "This sounds like business. I suppose I'll see you after work?"
"Rrr... fine." Asakonigei flopped back on the bed, sulking. "I know you have to go, but I don't have to like it."
"I wasn't interrupting anything... was I?" Ralnor tried his best not to smirk. "Don't keep the queen waiting, commander."
"You were. And it's Lord Malik to you now, Prince Ralnor." Klinge quickly got his new attire on. It was a fine suit and clung close to his body, and tight chainmail underneath, but still a far cry from his shells that he wore as an undead. The fresh air was a foreign concept to him. As he walked with Ralnor, he tugged at his collar, never finding the right pace for the perfect fit. "Do you know what this is about?"
"Hmm, since you are now a lord, that occupation comes with newfound responsibilities." Ralnor thought it was rather funny to see the old commander rather vexed about being interrupted with Asakonigei. "The queen has a task for you to complete for her. Since our queen is with child and cannot leave the castle, and our king refuses to leave her, she has personally asked you to do this for her."
"What?" Malik actually showed he was startled, for the first time in Ralnor's life. The Gerudo Lord knew he new occupation would hold new challenges, but he did not expect to take them on so soon. "Covarog is not one to stray away from his responsibilities. Even with Zarazu pregnant."
"While that may be true, the king refuses to leave with Zarazu this close to her due date." Ralnor shrugged his shoulders. "His reasoning is that he will not be absent during the birth of their second son. The queen requested the king be present, as it is Lorleidian tradition for the husband to support his wife during childbirth."
"Zarazu just- never mind." It seemed Zarazu and Covarog shut everything down the moment she found out she was pregnant with her boy. Why would her third child, or any child, be any different? Arriving at the court room, Malik strolled in. He exchanged a view glances with some nobles. His transformation and new title had stirred the political environment around the castle. "Queen Zarazu. King Covarog. I am here upon your summons."
"My brother and his queen have been trying for a child for the last five years." Ralnor reminded the commander. "So they're bound to be... careful."
As soon as the pair walked into the court room, Ralnor bowed politely to his brother and Zarazu. The queen was sitting in her chair while Covarog stood beside of her. He had his hand on the hilt of his sword, always on alert for danger. Covarog knew some of the nobles, as well as any other enemies, may try to harm his wife and unborn children. So, he was not going to leave her side, even though Zarazu was more than capable of protecting herself. Ever since Klinge had turned human, into Malik, Zarazu was without her personal bodyguard most of the day. Covarog did not like it and did not trust anyone else enough to guard her besides the captains, and Kelly and Tulilad had their own duties to attend to during the day.
"Thank you for arriving so promptly, Klinge---Lord Malik. I apologize, I'm still getting used to the new name." Zarazu smiled at her friend. "Please, sit."
Murmurs traveled at his name change. Sitting down, Malik adjust his seat. “What is the business at hand, ladies and gentlemen?”
"We have a task for you to complete since our queen is now with child." Covarog told Malik as he hesitated to leave Zarazu's side. She gestured for him to do so, and the king then presented Malik with a scroll. The writing on the scroll contained new trade agreements for the Kikai Empire, as well as helping the Hasai build a new alliance with Danjur. Since the Kikai Empire was recovering from the hydra poison blow, there was still some aid required. "We need you to be an ambassador for Hyrule as you travel to the Kikai Empire and Danjur to help build a stronger alliance for future generations."
Malik gripped Covarog’s arm. This was startling news. “This is why you aren’t doing this yourself, isn’t it.”
"That is not necessarily true, Lord Malik," It was Zarazu's turn to speak this time. "You asked to be instated to the title of lord, and with that title come responsibilities. My king has started to repair the burnt bridges of the past with the Kikai Empire and has already built a strong foundation with the kingdom of Danjur. However, it is now your turn to show us that you can handle the pressures of being a lord and look past the bias which might cloud your vision for our children's future. It is better to have peace, than to have war." Then she simply asked him. "Are you up for the challenge?"
Malik felt the pressure of everyone eying him. Nodding, he took a bow to his Queen. “Of course. I’ll prepare at once to leave with my wife. Is there anything special about this case I should know about in advance?”
"You will have assistance with the Kikai Empire and Danjur, Lord Malik, I will not send you into uncharted territories alone." Zarazu assured her friend. "My sister, Zizi, and her husband, Kahli, have graciously volunteered to go with you to the Kikai Empire as well as Danjur to help establish a good relationship and to make a notable impression." The queen then interlocked her fingers and smiled brightly, a little impish look on her face. "And I have arranged transportation as well."
“Kahli? Why him?”
"Do you know any other Hasai who will tolerate you for the sake of their wife?" Covarog tried to hold back a snort. "Or will agree to be near you?"
"My king..." Zarazu gave her husband a look, who instantly shut his trap. "What my king is trying to say, Lord Malik, is Kahli is our best option at the moment. He is married to my sister and has good standing in Hyrule. He can vouch not only for the kingdom of Hyrule, but also his own people."
“Very well....” Malik rose, incredibly annoyed by this assignment, but it was his duty. “What transportation did you have in mind?”
"Pojiji's old earth dragon, Ari'phompha, has graciously volunteered to transport Zizi and Kahli to their destination, so I asked Nubi'ahlus to escort you and Asakonigei," Zarazu elaborated. "So there will be no delays or set backs taking a road. Kahli was most concerned about being on hazardous roads with the threat of bandits, mudslides, so on and so forth, so I indulged his request for more conventional transportation."
"You will spend one day traveling to the Kikai Empire on dragon back, and three days there to negotiate means of trade and other concerns for the alliance." Covarog continued. "Then you will spend the next three days traveling to Danjur, and spend three days there before traveling back home."
A knock came to the door. Kahli came in with his wife. The man wore respectful robes in black. “Queen Zarazu. Our preparations our complete.”
"Thank you, Kahli." Zarazu stood from her seat to greet her sister, Covarog instantly going to help her stand. "My king, I am fine."
"You're pregnant."
"I'm not two tons of fun just yet, I can walk."
"... all right."
"Zizi, you look well!" Zarazu hugged her baby sister with a bright smile. "Hard to believe Manaco is going to be a big brother already. He's barely over a year old."
"Who's fault you think that is?" Zizi nudged her husband with a grin. "Kahli failed to tell me about his 'spring season' and couldn't keep his hands off of me."
"I think Covarog has a spring season everyday." Zarazu giggled with her sister. "Another boy? Girl?"
"It's another boy." Zizi patted her belly. "But so far, no hot flashes like I had with Manaco."
"Maybe that means the kid will be a Zemlja like you."
"Who knows, we'll see."
"Are you sure you're okay going? I can always send someone else."
"No, no, sis, I got this. Besides, my husband is going and he needs my support."
"Very well." Zarazu smiled at Zizi. "Do you need anything else?"
"I think we're all ready, and we're grateful that you're taking care of Manaco for us while we're gone."
"I took care of baby dragons, and you are as a baby, I can handle Manaco."
Kahli held Zizi close, not liking the stares of the nobles. “We’re very excited for the newborn. As well as your support.”
"I'm the queen, though I am also Zizi's sister. Of course I will support you both." Zarazu noticed how close Kahli was holding her baby sister. She recalled Zizi telling her that once more, Kahli's instincts were in overdrive since she was pregnant with their second child. The queen thought it was slightly amusing. "Please, let me know if there is anything else you need before you leave. Lord Malik and his wife, Lady Asakonigei, will be accompanying you."
Malik smiled fondly at the name. “I like the sound of that. Lady Asakonigei.”
Just before any more fun could be had, another knock came, followed by mechanical clanks. To everyone’s surprise, the Android, T0-D entered the court room, having somehow having gotten past security.
“Statement: Greetings meatbags! Especially you fat one. I hope your pregnancy isn’t an issue Zizi.”
"... what is that thing doing here?" Zizi did not hide her disdain for the robot, crossing her arms. Ever since T0-D kidnapped her, the Zemlja was not trusting of the robot despite the friendship with Zannah. She growled at him, "My pregnancy won't stop me from turning you into a pile of nuts and bolts if you get within ten feet of me. Stay over there, you pile of scrap metal."
"Tod... we talked about this." Zarazu groaned in annoyance as the robot made his entrance. She tried her best to be civil. "There are protocols in place. You must announce yourself to the guards who will escort you here. This is the agreement. If you do this again, we're going to have to report it to Zannah."
"Your owner knows this, we discussed it." Covarog was not pleased either, especially since the robot loved to challenge security any way possible. "You follow protocols when you visit here, we follow protocols when we visit your empress. It's disrespectful for you to come bounding through here."
"Please, Tod, don't do it again."
“Amusement: Oh, you know it’s all in good fun. And why have protocols if your guards can’t even spot me? Seems foolish to waste time.”
Kahli held his wife close. Her distaste was his own. “T0-D, why are you here?”
“Statement: Emperor Zannah sent me to intercept you. A trip to the Empire is no longer required.”
“Why is that?”
“Quarry: Are you broken Kahli? Did you malfunction? No? Than don’t interrupt, and I’ll tell you.”
T0-D’s eye went from blue to red, and back to blue again after issuing his insult. “The Empress is traveling directly to Danjur for an open negotiation. She can’t wait for Zarazu to join her.”
"My queen, unfortunately, cannot join your empress at this time." Covarog said through gritted teeth to the robot. "My wife is pregnant and for her safety, as well as my future child, cannot leave the castle."
"Please tell Empress Zannah that I send my deepest apologies, but my king is right." Zarazu told T0-D. "We have tried for a child for so long, we cannot take any risks by my venturing beyond the castle."
"In her place, we are sending Zizi and Kahli, who Zannah knows, as well as Lord Malik and Lady Asakonigei."
"Quarry: Lord Malik?"
Malik cleared his throat. "We fought against each other at the end of the war."
"Exclamation: Ah! You certainly look much better. You're no Zarazu, but my Empress will make do. Zarazu, would you like me to record a message for my Empress?"
"Yes, please, T0-D, I think recording a message for your empress will be suitable. I'm sure she can understand the situation I am in currently, and it will be better to explain for her." Zarazu nodded her head. "If you have any other questions before I record, I will answer them now."
"Excitement: I'll need a ride with one of the dragons. I'm sure Zizi and her husband will love my company."
Malik did not like the android either, but he knew that his Zizi would NOT be able to handle her buttons being pushed for a day of travel stuck with the machine. "You will ride with me Android. I'm sure my wife will find you fascinating. She's a Kovina."
"Curiosity: The members of the metal tribe. I suppose it will be the closest thing to transcending your meatbag status. Zarazu, you may record your message now."
"If he tries to get on Ari'phompha, I'll push him off." Zizi grumbled under her breath to her husband. "I don't want him touching me, near me, and if he makes one more joke about me being 'fat', I'll figure out by some law of Zemlja magic to dismantle him."
Zarazu pulled T0-D aside to record her message.
"Empress Zannah, I hope you are well. I regret to inform you that I will not be able to attend this alliance meeting with you in Danjur. I am now with child after trying for over five years. My king and I have both agreed that for my safety and the safety of the future heir, I cannot leave the castle grounds. In my place, I am sending my younger sister, Zizi, and her husband, Kahli. You are both acquainted with each other, so I know this will make the proceedings easier. Accompanying them is Lord Malik and Lady Asakonigei, who are on good terms with Danjur. I hope to be seeing you soon."
T0-D's eye went from white, back to blue upon finishing the recording. "Statement: The recording is stored. I'm sure she will be glad you sent Kahli. And for what it's worth, I'm sure you will deliver another little 'bundle of joy'."
Zarazu then returned to her husband's side. "Please make any last minute preparations, and be safe. I will be awaiting news."
~
"You know, when you accepted this title of 'lord', I had no idea we'd be traveling outside of Hyrule." Asakonigei was excited. "I've never been anywhere except here and Lorleidi. I heard Danjur has these... these metal machines that are like... living! And these things called engines! Do you think they'd let me mess with..." The Kovina was rambling, almost having a skip in her step. "I cannot believe Zarazu wants me to present my suits of armor for them. Do you think they'll like them?"
Malik nodded, finishing packing his bags. "I'm sure they will. As long as we stay behaved. I hold the reputation of the entire country on my shoulders. As far as Zarazu is concerned, I am the country."
"Do you think we'll have time to... ourselves?" Asakonigei asked him as she placed a brand new piece of lingerie on top of Malik's pile of clothes. Black, silk, and very revealing, all of her husband's favorite items in a piece of lingerie. "Because I'd hate for this to go to waste..."
"I'll make the time." He leaned over to give her a kiss, and shut his bag. "You seem excited to explore Danjur culture. How do you feel about the Hasai?"
"I'm curious about the Hasai, but I don't want to upset you, love." Asakonigei then told him. "I want you to be comfortable first. I can always learn from a book, but if you don't want me near them, then I won't go. You're my main priority, my love."
"Unfortunately, you'll be exposed to them, no matter what. And I'm sure you'll have no problem with them as much as I do. It's history on my part. And to my dismay, I'm certain, unlike Zizi, your first exposure to them outside of Kahli will make you love them..."
"What makes you say that?" Asakonigei halted Malik from packing for a few moments, taking his hands. "You know I'll be on your side."
"Your love as a gear head will make it so..."
Walking to the courtyard, T0-D was chatting it up with Nubi'ahlus. "...honestly, I don't understand your worries. Surely even you must understand fire is the most attractive element. Any dragon would be glad to be your mate."
Turning to the door opening behind him, he waved to Malik and his wife. "Greetings: Oh Lord Malik. Nubi'ahlus and I were wondering if you had rusted with the time you had taken to arrive. Even Zizi could roll her way over on her stomach faster than you."
"Fire is probably most attractive to Hasai culture, metal person, but in Lorleidian dragons, it is the soul." Nubi'ahlus explained to the robot. He was very curious, sniffing the man who... was not a man. It was confusing for him. "We must resonate with each other."
"Oh... my... spirits." Asakonigei sucked in a sharp breath when she saw T0-D. "What is that?!?!"
"Answer: I am combat and communication Android, designated T0-D. I work in the service of my Master, Emperor Zannah of the Kikai Empire. I have lived for thousands of years, originally designed by ancient Shiekah, but in time, have been modified by Hasai engineers. I am one of kind, and very proud of my programming. Humans have called me dangerous, intelligent, and joy to be around. I understand the human biology and mind to handle people effectively."
"That means he's good as a killer, or just getting under other people's skin..." Malik huffed, ignoring the android to get his bags loaded.
"You're a moving piece of metal! You can talk but you're not alive, and oh my spirits, look at those gears!!!" Asakonigei was definitely excited, approaching T0-D with curiosity and not having any qualms about touching the robot. "You're made out of such fine materials, look at the quality of craftsmanship! What is the power source? How exactly how the metal not degraded with time? Do you have magical components? What about---"
"Asa, please..." Zizi groaned as she ran a hand down her face. "Now is not the time."
"But it's a... it's... living but not living! I've never seen anything like this!"
"You can pester the asshole later, for now, we need to get the dragons prepped."
"Correction: I do not posses an asshole, like you do Zizi. Tell me, is yours located by that hole on your face? Would explain the fecal matter that spews from your mouth at times." After delivering his insult, T0-D turned his attention back to Asakonigei. "Intrigue: Why I have a master core in both my head and my chest, as so if one is damaged in an unlikely event, I can still function. The ancient Shiekah held a deep potential for the ultimate blend of magic and technology. And the metals found in the original Hasai homeland held a metal known as Cortosis. Very interesting metal, as it grants me an immunity to low to medium level voltages. I am indeed living, in my own way. I find your fascination of me to be most interesting, given the uneasiness Zizi and her sister view about their false philosophy of my life."
Just for that insult, Zizi threw her bag at him, the pregnancy hormones getting the best of her.
"I ought to bury you so deep in the ground that you'll never claw your way out, you piece of slag!"
"Zizi, calm down, you don't need to stress the baby." Asakonigei told her friend. "I know you two don't have a good relationship, but can we try to be civil for the sake of this alliance?"
"Hmph. Tell that to the thing."
Asakonigei sighed and shook her head.
"Well, for your information, um..."
"They call the thing Tod."
"Tod," Asakonigei then told the robot. "I am a Kovina, I control the metal elements of the earth." She demonstrated by pulling particles from the ground, forming a ball of silver. "So it is in my nature."
Kahli hurried his wife onto the dragon, getting her away from the environment.
T0-D was heavily intrigued. "Excitement: A truly amazing ability. It is so enjoyable to find a Lorleidian who has a power not rooted in in the ground."
Malik groaned. "Great. You do puns too. Alright, both of you on the dragon."
"I'm going to find a way to kill him, I swear." Zizi grumbled to her husband as Kahli helped her onto Ari'phompa. It was a little awkward with her big belly in the way, taking a couple of tries to get comfortable. It did not help things that her back was killing her from the extra weight. "Hate that damn thing."
Asakonigei climbed on Nubi'ahlus, settling in behind her husband. She assured Malik that Nubi'ahlus would fly safely and not as rambunctious as Ba'puu. She knew her husband was not overly fond of the queen's water dragon, due to his sassy personality.
"I will make sure as soon as we arrive in Danjur, you are treated to a spa my flower." Kahli helped Zizi up, holding her tight and close once they were packed and on board.
"Thank you, Kahli." Zizi sighed, rubbing her back. "As long as I'm with you, I'll be okay. That thing just pushes my buttons." She then purred at him, giving a light tug on his chin. "But a spa would be no fun if you weren't there with me."
"Good spirits, by the time you're fifty, you're going to have team of kids for a game of ball if you keep it up." Asakonigei snorted at Zizi's flirty ways. "Then an army of grand kids."
"I don't mind having a large family." Kahli nipped at Zizi's neck. He'd enjoy massaging her all over once they were airborn.
Malik helped his wife up, and waited for the Android to get on the saddle with them. "I believe we are now ready for take off."
"Hrm, with the way your spring seasons are, I think Asa's prediction might come true." Zizi yipped slightly when Kahli nibbled at her neck. That was one of his favorite things to do, and she still was not used to it. If he was wanting her to get horny midair, then he was certainly getting her ready for it. "Maybe next time, we'll try for a little girl."
"Come on, Tod, Nubi'ahlus doesn't bite unless I tell him to." Asakonigei patted the seat on the saddle behind her. "Unless you plan on walking there."
"Statement: I'd be a very undesirable snack. Could even suffer an iron overdose."
T0-D climbed aboard, sitting around the couple. Malik made sure everyone was secure before waving back to Zarazu, who was sitting by the balcony.
Zarazu was watching with Covarog as the two dragons took off into the sky. The queen had given her sister an enchanted mirror to alert her of when the group arrived in Danjur. She hoped everything would go smoothly...
Monsters: Ch 1. Where Monsters lie, Innocence Dies
Ralnor had been in his office all day. There was much work to be done. Though, occasionally, there was muffled whispering. Some of the staff thought that the second crown prince was talking to himself. Others wondered if his office was haunted by an old ghost. His spies, however, knew exactly what it was; the monster in the walls. A story floated around in the circle of Ralnor's spies, saying he sent a group to the old tunnels to find more information about a supposed creature sneaking around in the underground catacombs. When the scouts did not return, all that was found of them were dismembered body parts. Supposedly, the prince was the only one who could see or speak to this horrible fiend in the dark. Somehow, he managed to appeal to this monster's better nature... or maybe he was feeding it his enemies. Either way, the spies never dared to say a word against their master.
Miranda finally grew close enough to the spies to listen to stories they shared. A story of a monster in the walls, she didn’t think anything of it, until one day, on a return trip to the castle, she smelled something coming from a sewer grate. Investigating she came across a decayed corpse of someone wearing a Hylian emblem. What really creeped her out, was what she thought she heard a growl coming from deep in the darkened sewage tunnels. Running back to her boss, she did not have the experience yet to not speak her mind about the rumours. “My Prince. There’s something I wish to discuss with you.”
"... did I not ask you to knock before entering my office?" Ralnor did not even look up from his paperwork, continuing to write with his quill. The whispering disappeared as soon as the girl stepped foot in the room. He would have to remind Klinge yet again to discipline the kid. She had to learn there was a proper way to address a situation. "What is so urgent that you must interrupt my work, Miranda?"
“I’m sorry my lord.” Miranda gave a bow. She did her best to adjust to all of Ralnor’s rules. “I heard rumours about a monster under Hyrule. I didn’t think anything of it, but I discovered a corpse of a soldier coming from the sewage system. I think there’s a threat to the security of the people my lord. If the rumours are true, this has been going on for a while. The corpse I discovered had unique bite marks, nothing like any normal animal. I have reason to believe that this is either a very rabid creature, or something far more dangerous, like a real monster.”
"You really believe that story of a monster in the underground?" Ralnor chuckled at Miranda's words, brushing off her worries. He had to save face. No one could know about the creature in the catacombs. "Listen, if you're such a child to believe in fairy tales, then perhaps you'd be better suited to be a babysitter than a scout." The second prince glanced up from his paperwork, only once to look at Miranda. "A decomposed body may look like he has unknown bite marks due to the rats chewing on the flesh. I wouldn't be surprised if this supposed 'monster' of yours is perhaps a disposed exotic pet, like a crocodile."
"I-I'm not a child sir!" Her long ears drooped like a puppy who had been scolded. "Regardless of why or how it happened, there's a dead body of a soldier of this nation found in the sewers. I doubt he just got there for exploration’s sakes and eaten by some swamp dragon. We should investigate it further, to prevent anyone else from getting hurt!"
"My men know better than to wander around in the catacombs." Ralnor stated as he dripped wax onto a letter and then stamped it with his seal. "Whatever reason he was down there for, he obviously did not listen to me nor cared about the danger of the old traps. Those tunnels are as old as Hyrule itself and full of peril. The men know not to venture down there and I don't want you going in there either. That is final."
Miranda was about to say something, but stopped herself. Her ears continued to droop. “Yes sir...”
"Now, run along and remember to knock next time." Ralnor reminded the young girl. As she started to exit his office, he said, "And I better not hear of you in those tunnels. I want you alive and well."
“But you said nothing was down there.”
"There's nothing but traps, and I won't have you fall into one because of your insatiable curiosity."
“Ok.” Her ears shot back up and she hopped back to the Prince when she remembered her second objective for entering his office. She handed him a journal containing private dark thoughts of a tutor and bowed. “My last mission my lord. Turns out there was indeed a plot to blackmail your youngest sister.”
"I figured as much." Ralnor's hunches were almost always correct. "And you took care of the problem?"
“I don’t hurt people sir. Just ‘borrow’ all the evidence you need.”
"Very well. I'll see to it that the problem is fixed." Ralnor then instructed her. "Go train with Klinge."
“Yes sir. Thank you sir.” She bowed again and bounded off, not picking up any other presence near by.
Later on in the evening, the servants were avoiding Ralnor's office. Once more, all of the maids swore there was whispering. Perhaps his office really was haunted. After a long night finishing up work, the second prince strolled through the hallway with a book in his hand about ancient poisons.
Miranda couldn’t shake the feeling in her heart about something being terribly wrong. If Ralnor wouldn’t do anything about it, than perhaps Klinge would.
“Klinge! I have news to report!”
Klinge was in his office looking at the clock tic by. Every second going by another reminder of his life never able to end. The Dark Elf barely broke him out of his trance. “Yes Miranda?”
“I found a body in the sewers of Hyrule! I heard rumours of a monster in the underground of Hyrule, so I believe something is incredibly off about this.”
Klinge sighed softly. “So you believe any rumours about a monster now?”
“I know, I know. It’s exactly what Ralnor said, and he was incredibly shady about the subject. He didn’t care that a soldier of Hyrule was ripped apart! I know it was no crocodile.” The Dark Elf slammed her hand on the table. “I know about the rumours that come from Ralnor’s office. I also know there’s major hush-hush with the thieving society around a group that “shall not be named” in Hyrule! My gut is telling me there’s a great danger in Hyrule!”
Klinge pauses to consider it. He too had heard the rumours, but never found the evidence for it. It did make him curious though. And a body of one of his men had to be taken seriously. “Very well Miranda. At the least, we shall recover this body you found.”
Miranda’s eats shot up through her white hair in excitement at being taken seriously. “Thank you sir! I’ll take you there right away!”
Little did the two know that Ralnor had eyes and ears everywhere. There could be no trouble for the underground. What this world knew of monsters had to be limited. When Klinge and Miranda arrived to the body site, there was evidence of blood and decayed flesh... but no corpse.
Miranda was nearly distraught. “It was here!”
Klinge took note of the blood, and stain that dragged backwards into the tunnel. “I believe you.”
Picking up a piece of wood, he turned it in a makeshift torch and handed it to Miranda. “Follow me.”
He stepped into the sewer and started to investigate the blood trail.
The sewer went deep into the heart of Hyrule, yet connected to it was plenty of routes into the catacombs. It was a death maze without a map. Some of the tunnels had caved in over the years and others promised a grisly end with the remains of bones. It was an eerie feeling like the two of them were being watched. Not even rats dared to dwell in this place.
Miranda felt a chill run up her spine. This place felt old, but no longer empty. Klinge however felt nothing for this place. It was just another maze. “Interesting. Anything could be hiding in here.”
Miranda didn’t like the implication of that. Her mother always told her stories of boogeymen hiding in the dark to make her behave as a child. “But you think something is in here?”
“Catacombs this large are like a labyrinth. And labyrinths always hold something...”
Klinge walked to the walls, reading very old Hylian inscriptions.
The text on the concrete wall spoke of how the catacombs used to be a burial ground for the common wealth. The farmland was too precious to sacrifice as a graveyard, so the people were buried here to save space. It warned not to disturb the dead or trespass on their grounds. Promises of demise would greet those who did not respect the wishes of those who had already passed on into the next realm. As the two journeyed deeper into the catacombs, bones started to make up the walls....
The undead warrior glared at the signs. He knew no demise worse than the fate of his undying existence. The dead had no thoughts or messages to give. Miranda really do not like all the skulls that made up the walls. "Klinge. I don't like this place."
"If you see any Statlfos or Redead, stay close and remember your training."
"Klinge, what if we enter the Shadow Temple."
"That's near Kakariko Village. Nowhere near here."
"But-"
"Hush. Keep your ears and eyes open, and your mouth shut."
The Dark Elf did as she was told. Both continued down further and further.
The shadows moved without warning. Water dripped from the ceiling, causing a faint echo throughout the tunnels here and there. Though there were some unsettling signs. More corpses littered the tunnels like the one before, but different signs of death. One unfortunate soul was wrapped in what looked like spider webbing, drained of blood. Another had a hole the size of a melon in his chest, as if something huge had pierced him. Perhaps the grossest was a corpse that had been partly digested and then regurgitated. Bones were scattered across the floor in all directions.
It was too much for the Dark Elf, and she threw up. She could steal from men, make jokes at Bokoblins and criminals screaming for her death, and even swing a punch at some creep. That was fun. That was adventure. This was no adventure. This death all around her clashed against her more innocent viewpoint of the world. Klinge examined the bodies closely. “Take our your camera and capture the evidence. Now.”
Miranda took out her pictograph box and started to take pictures of the corpses. It only held black and white photos, but they were clear enough, the flash going off for each photo taken. Klinge could have sworn he’d seen signs of these attacks before. Did a Gohma spider lay the web? It was a monster big and terrible enough to do the kind of damage to the first two corpses, however, the third corpse didn’t fit its M.O.
The first flash from the camera revealed a tail, slinking back into darkness, fading as the light did. The second flash displayed a pair of red eyes observing from the shadows, narrowed and angry. The third flash sealed Miranda's fate as a figure emerged from the blackness too quick for the eye to see. Clawed hands snatched the elf, unseen to both Miranda and Klinge.
Miranda let out a scream as she was taken, dropping the camera. Her mind raced to her sick mother and how stupid she was for coming here.
Klinge wiped around, his mind racing at this sudden attack. “Miranda!”
Grabbing the torch he ran after her, frantic to find her. “Miranda! Hold on!!!”
As Klinge ran through the tunnels, it was like a rat trying to find its way out of an endless maze with no exit. A dark laugh echoed and taunted him from all directions. Miranda was still alive... for now. She was still screaming and perhaps now, crying too. When the commander ran into a connector, there was a small streams of light from lit torches hanging on the side of the walls. Five options of a path awaited him.... yet Miranda's dagger fell from above to the floor with a clatter, causing the undead to look upward.
A monster was hanging from the ceiling.
Those coils seemed to have no end from what little light the fire provided. The tiny elf was wrapped from neck to ankle with black scales, still moving along her skin. The expression on her face was one of shock and absolute terror. One hand emerged from the shadows and then another, placed expertly on the stones. Then the face of horror slowly crept from the darkness with a demented grin and flickering tongue. Indeed there was a monster beneath Hyrule.
"Come to slay old Bonegrinder?" The creature actually laughed, highly amused as a single claw traced over Miranda's cheek. "Or does he have two new playthings? He so does love to play, you see, chase and chase and chase until he gets them and they scream, so lovely, yes, the screams..."
Miranda’s tears would not stop falling from her face. Her mouth quivered in terror. “P-please. N-no.”
Klinge studied this thing that slivered from the darkness. It had the body of a serpent, and an upper body of a humanoid. It was indeed a monster. But so was Klinge, and the Undead would not be intimidated for the sake of Miranda.
He summoned his bow and arrow, taking aim. “Return. My apprentice. Now.”
"Oh, this your pet? Pity, pity." Bonegrinder's huge body moved freely about the columns holding up the ceiling. The monster did not even seem worried about a weapon. "Don't you know, you're supposed to keep pets on a leash? Otherwise, if it goes out into the wild, it just might get..." He flicked his tongue again, that mouth full of jagged teeth so close to Miranda's face. "Eaten."
“I am Klinge. Blade of the Gerudo. The Slayer. Identify yourself.”
Miranda gave a light scream. “No, no, no, no! Klinge, please help me. I-I want my mom.”
Klinge looked her in the eye, the first time in years he tapped his bow in worry. “Everything is going to be ok Miranda. You’ll see her soon.”
"Oooh, the undead one, the tool of the royals, the gloomy, ever depressed, hollow shell of a man who wishes nothing more than to depart from this realm... but can't." The monster chuckled darkly as Klinge kept the arrow raised and ready to fire. "Yes, yes, Bonegrinder knows all about you, he can feel your surprise. Let's see, what else does he know? Oh yes, he knows you fought with Zelda all those years ago, and... right..." His upper half twisted upside down, a lopsided callous grin on his face. "You let her kill your wife. No wonder you blame the queen, when you really should blame yourself." He shook a clawed finger at the commander. "And now, you're letting this little pet come in here? Where danger lurks around every corner? Tsk, you must not care at all what happens to her." The snake man's jaw unhinged, his mouth impossibly large. "Maybe she'll be a good snack, resting in Bonegrinder's belly until he tires of her."
Miranda screamed aloud, hollering at the top of her lungs for safety and her mother. Klinge felt his dark side rise within him. This abomination was old enough or clever enough to know about his life. Worse, it mocked him. It mocked every fibre that made Klinge what he was. The Undead warrior made a promise that he would destroy this thing. But first, he would save Miranda. This snake was close enough for Klinge’s magic to work. Hopefully she wouldn’t suffer.
In his wrath, he was completely silent. Raising a fist, he clenched it and pulled back, energy spears generating from behind the snake to pierce his tail and mouth. If the gods listened, he prayed they’d allowed him to catch Miranda safely.
The spears did indeed pierce the snake, causing him to drop Miranda. The elf was not totally unharmed, broken bones and bruises from Bonegrinder's coils squeezing her so tightly during the struggle. Though, the attack did not kill the monster. No, it merely made him... laugh? It was a maniacal laugh, one devoid of sanity. Slithering down from the ceiling, the fiend removed the spear from his mouth, a gaping hole there. Creepily, the skin started to patch itself back together, as if the wound had never been there in the first place.
"Oh, you stupid tool..." Bonegrinder's jaw locked back into place with a malicious smile. Those red eyes leered at him as his tail started to snuff out the torches. "You know that you cannot kill what is already... dead."
Klinge caught Miranda with one arm, the Dark Elf falling unconscious after being released. This thing was like him? Then let it see the light. He threw up a wall of dark fire at Bonegrinder. With great intensity, he ran off with Miranda back to the surface. He couldn’t fight with her here. So instead he would retreat.
Bonegrinder did not pursue the two intruders in the catacombs. No, the undead commander would report back to the second prince. There was no need for concern, everything would play in his favor. After all, the prince would not deny him. Ralnor was smart enough to know not to cross a monster. Licking the outside of his jaws, he murmured to himself, "Run, run, undead... run away back to your master."
Klinge promised he’d be back. Arriving at the castle, he dropped Miranda on Doctor Boveir’s operation table. “She needs a physical examination and mental care when she wakes up.”
"Good goddesses, Klinge, what happened to her?" Doctor Boveir took a look over the tiny elf's body and winced aloud. "She has multiple fractures. I'm going to call in a Dusa to help me... what happened?"
“Fix her.”
Doctor Boveir frowned and decided not to ask further questions. He first administered a light sedative to keep Miranda asleep, because she would be in a high level of discomfort after setting the bones. Once the on call Dusa arrived, the two set to work about healing the dark elf.
Klinge walked to his office. Miranda would be safe while with the doctors. Sitting at his desk he let his anger fester deep inside him. The silence made him more angry.
It was not long before Ralnor knocked on Klinge's office door. The second prince heard from his spies that the commander and the dark elf traveled down to the catacombs. He had strictly ordered for no one to be down there for any reason.
“Come in Prince.” Klinge didn’t even need to see who was behind the door to know who was coming.
Ralnor opened the door and then shut it behind him with an angry slam.
"I explicitly ordered that no one went into the catacombs, Klinge. That includes you."
“You think you have power over me?” Klinge squeezes his fists together as he held both elbows on his table. “Tell me. What was that thing I discovered.”
"I am your prince, the least I demand from you is respect! You have free reign on whatever you wish to do, who you want to kill, what you say to others, I don't stop you, but when I give an order, I have good reason for it to be followed!" Ralnor snapped harshly at the commander. "... what do you think you discovered?"
“I investigated the death of one of my men. I don’t allow my soldiers to be discarded like one of your spies Ralnor! I followed a trail to the catacombs. I found a monster by the name of Bonegrinder.” When he saw a visible reaction from Ralnor at that name, Klinge nearly exploded in anger, rising from his chair to walk around his desk and face Ralnor. “What do you know about it? Because you do know something about it. You are going to reveal what you know to me, now boy.”
"One of your men who defied my orders, defied your orders. No better than a traitor." Ralnor had grown cold and callous as he aged. It seemed like his best kept secret was now at risk of being known. Klinge and Miranda had traveled deep enough into the monster's territory to encounter him. "... thanks to you crossing into his domain, I fear now what I'll have to do to appease him." The second prince took a deep breath and tried to tame his ire. "Bonegrinder is an ancient monster from the lands of Omisha; an Anagari."
“My men? Are you speaking of a dead man, or Miranda? And what do you mean appease?”
"Whoever traveled down into those catacombs defied my orders, and thus is no longer my concern." Ralnor then snorted. "Miranda insisted on pursuing the evidence she found when I told her not to do so. She's next in line for insubordination. I'll deal with her later." The prince then explained to Klinge with a dry laugh. "Appease? Did you not see him, Klinge? Or did he move too fast for you do to so? That creature lurks in the underground catacombs and is the hidden head of crime. Anyone who displeases him is eaten. Thieves, black market items, drugs, prostitution, all of that? He rules." He frowned at the commander. "He's older than he looks too. Way older."
Klinge slapped Ralnor across the face. He was completely livid with his nephew. “Your actions disgust me Ralnor. You will not dare lay a hand on Miranda. That girl only did what she thought was the noble thing, and followed my orders to pursue it further. And now she has suffered enough for that. You have not only thrown away your honour by lying in bed with a monster, but a kingpin? What would your brother think? Your wife. Your father .... or your children.” Klinge clenched his fist, reeling in the fact he wanted to beat the life out of the prince. “You allow this thing to fester in Hyrule, to control you, to make you number 2. It seems that’s the place you feel suited to isn’t it. Now tell me, before I spill your secrets out to them all, why you allow that thing to ensnare you.”
Ralnor grunted when Klinge slapped him but stood his ground. This was nothing he had not suffered through before. The blow to the face caused his lip to bust and a trickle of blood to run down his chin.
"... because he can't be killed." Ralnor said lowly, a dark glare on his face. "And I won't risk the lives of my family for an idiot commander and dimwitted dark elf who don't realize exactly how dire this situation is." The prince would do whatever was necessary to ensure the safety of those he cared for, no matter what the price. "It's better to placate a monster than to risk it's ire. I learned that from you."
"Heheheheh..." A voice snickered from inside the walls. "Little prince, did you send this undead twig after Bonegrinder? Oh, he had fun watching the elf scream and the festered pile of flesh twitch from her cries. Won't you send more? You know old Bonegrinder so enjoys the... snacks... that dare to cross into his home."
If looks could kill, Klinge would already be in the next realm.
"... even if I say no, you're still angry." Ralnor spoke in a soft voice. "I gave orders to my men not to cross into the catacombs. You heard me doing so."
"Can't you keep your dogs on a leash? Better yet, why don't you just use dark magic to keep this tool in order?" Bonegrinder inquired, his voice coming from a different direction this time. "It would be easy, Bonegrinder could show you."
Klinge looked down at Ralnor, and the Prince felt an aura from him he never felt before. This wasn’t simple anger, or disappointment. This was something far more dark inside Klinge. “Get. Out.”
That warning could have been for either one of them.
"Hehehe, did old Bonegrinder touch a nerve, corpse?" The snake monster chuckled from inside the walls. "He will be watching you. Nothing you can hide from him."
Ralnor wiped the blood off his chin and turned on his heel. Exiting the office, the second prince walked to his bedroom to check on his wife. With a relieved sigh, he found Cass fast asleep with little Ukuri in her bassinet. It was late but sleep would not come to him, he knew this. Taking his sleeping daughter into his arms, Ralnor sat against a stack of pillows on the bed and silently kept watch.
Klinge went to the darkest reaches of his mind. This thing had festered itself too deeply in the lives of Ralnor and the family to be kept alive. It kept had insulted him too far to be allowed to live. And it claimed to be unkillable. Klinge decided that this was his final challenge. He would slay Bonegrinder. Or it would consume him. Klinge cracked his knuckles as he got to work writing out his plan. “Oh he may try.”
