And the ground, as quickly as it expanded, it just falls out beneath your feet. And you’re falling. And you’re burning. And you’re being crushed by the shattered earth as it compresses down into the ground. And you hear an anguished scream come from something massive and furious, and all three of you have died.
Happy Candlenights @beeftrice! I had a lot of fun writing this, Roswell is severely underappreciated. Fic title is from the song 'Landline' by The Phoenix Foundation.
I want to hear something new ringing in my ears
(ao3 link)
When Roswell’s abode was obliterated by the Hunger when it came crashing down, Paloma took up the task of making them a new home with a little help from Magnus. Due to their kindness Roswell had a lovely bird-sized home filled with linen and cotton and wool bedding, with easily accessed nooks for them to keep all their sheriff items and other possessions. If Roswell could cry they probably would have when they were presented with the house, which stands near the roof of the sheriff's department, and when they woke up every morning they always looked at their home with a sense of pride.
It was hot when they woke up, as it usually was, so after refreshing themselves in the bath that sits outside their home they flew over to Ren’s place to see how she was doing. Roswell’s duties as Sheriff didn’t consist of much at the moment, and to make up for the lack of work they liked to check in on people in the town and make sure they were all doing okay. The town wasn’t in a bad spot, but people were starting to get bored, and that could often lead to trouble. All in all, they could rely on Ren to lend an ear and it was always nice to drop in and see a friend.
Ren was just opening the Davy Lamp when they flew up and landed on the railing.
“How are you doing today, Ren?” they asked, settling down a little. Ren picked her broom off its hook and smiled.
“As well as ever, Roswell. And yourself?”
“Pretty good. Anything interesting going on today, or just the usual?”
She chuckled. “A little more than usual today. Taako called me late last night, he’s coming over today to introduce me to Lup. I think he’s pretty excited, and I’d expect Paloma to make an appearance too. Y’know how she loves having someone around who will actually critique her baking.” Ren finished her sweeping and went back inside, gesturing for Roswell to follow her. “Come on in, I’ll give you some strawberry water.”
Roswell blustered a little. “Oh, there’s no need for that-”
“Come on, Roswell. It’s hot, and I know for a fact you don’t have much to do at the moment. Ten minutes won’t hurt ya.”
Ren had only just placed a cup down for Roswell when the door was flung open by a very animated Taako followed by a woman that could only be Lup, with how similar they looked. Surprisingly, their colourful entourage was followed up by one Magnus Burnsides, who waved sheepishly after the twins’ dramatic entrance.
“Ren! How are you, how’s the town? Holy shit, I need to tell you about this new recipe-” Taako started, and then the two of them were off, somehow switching in and out of Elvish as they talked.
Roswell laughed and shook their head, turning to Magnus who had taken a seat next to them.
“Roswell! It’s great to see you again, Refuge looks good!”
“Magnus, how have you been? What brings you to Refuge? I thought you’d be all busy rebuilding after the world almost ended.” Roswell asked.
Magnus shrugged. “It’s been a couple of months, and Taako wanted to introduce Lup to Ren and Paloma. When he mentioned that Kravitz, his partner, was giving them a ride to Refuge I asked if I could tag along and see if I could help out with anything.”
“Well that’s very kind of you, but Refuge suffered pretty little against the Hunger. I think Istus might have turned a kind eye on us, so as much as your help is appreciated there isn’t actually that much to do.” Roswell said, tilting their head when Magnus deflated a little.
“Is there really nothing to do? Even small jobs, I don’t suppose anyone has rebroken the chairs in your office?”
“No, they’re still intact.” Roswell tittered. “If you asked around I’m sure people would have a few little things, but nothing huge.”
Magnus sighed and sat back a little, watching Taako rope Lup into the cooking conversation and subsequently getting her and Ren chatting. He sighed. “I feel terrible about what you all went through there. I wanted to truly, deeply apologise for the damage that my relic caused you. I know what death is like far too well, and I hate that you were all caught up in that loop because of me.”
Roswell was silent for a moment, not quite sure how to respond. “Magnus, I understand where you’re coming from. The cup did a lot of damage to the people here, there’s no denying that. But I think you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone in this town who blames you for it. They remember you for you, as you were when you brought Jack and June to this town and as you were when you saved us from the cup. There will be a few who choose to hold onto anger and blame, but you can’t carry all of that on your shoulders all the time. No one could.”
Magnus turned away from the house fire that was the twins and Ren and gave Roswell a small smile.
“Thanks, Roswell. That means a lot.” Magnus took a breath and stood again, still a little downtrodden, but with a new conviction. “I remember Lup wanted to meet you, if you’re up for that?”
“I’d love to.”
…
The rest of the afternoon was spent catching up and of course meeting Lup, all the while snacking on treats that Paloma had brought up from her cottage when she appeared out of nowhere. It was a rush of activity after weeks of pottering along, and Roswell was glad of it. It was good to get some vigour back in the town, however small.
When Kravitz (Roswell had heard enough about him at this point to be able to pick the man out by sight) cut a portal in the courtyard to come and pick the trio up, they were sad to see them go.
“Magnus!” They called out before he went through the portal. “Come and visit again soon. Bring the whole crew, liven the place up. We all miss you guys.”
Magnus laughed. “Of course! Be well, Roswell.”
“You too, Magnus.”
And with another day gone, Roswell said goodbye to Ren and Paloma and flew back to their house, getting comfortable in their nest. All up until they went to sleep, they could only think about all the new ideas they had to bring a little life back into Refuge.
[id: WIP of some TAZ Balance fanart - specifically a faux album cover for the Eleventh Hour soundtrack. Its sketched out on some grid paper, slowly being filled in with colors. The inner image is gridded into smaller boxes, looking like a cross stitched or maybe knitted image of the town of refuge. The upper half of the image is of the main street in refuge, a dirt road leading towards a mansion with indistinguishable houses on either side. A large clock is on the left half of the town, and the sign for refuge hangs superimposed over the town. Below the town we can see a cave with a large track running across it, and below the track is a purple form creeping upwards, with a glowing orange at the top. Surrounding the town and the cavern is a large yellow bubble. The edges of the faux albulm are incomplete, but written down are the album title and subtitle: The Eleventh Hour, Music from the Adventure zone. End id]
I made one of these fake album covers for the crystal kingdom a good while ago. It turned out really nice, and i was in the mood to do another one! I had a few neat ideas floating around - so i figured SURE why not. Gonna have to work on some fonts tho and more designs for the interior.
UH if you're still taking art requests maybe a Ren?
I wasn’t planning on doing more art today, just doing the magnus and then moving on to my other artistic endeavors, but listen, I would kill a man for Ren, so you got me
Now usually Taako was down for pretty much anything when it came to his work at the B.OB. He was pretty used to traveling a lot and getting down and dirty. But this? This was bananas.
The town of Refuge was discovered some time ago by some seekers of the Bureau but there had been nothing at the time that would allow passage into this town. Now, Refuge had been a rustic western type town out in the Woven Gulch that used produce riches from their diamond mines long since dried up. Should be nothing special about that right?
That was true, honestly, save the enormous bubble surrounding the entire town. A bubble that nothing could get in or out. Trapped inside for the last seven years after being cursed by a mysterious magic user.
Now, however, they had discovered how to penetrate the bubble and get inside the bubble. The Tres Horny Boys, as they had jokingly called themselves once and it suck, were top of the list for this quest.
Taako was hesitate on most cases, before and after taking in Angus, but this sounded sketchy at best. They didn't know what to find inside or if they could get out. What if they couldn't get out?
Lup had laughed when Taako came to her with some paper work he had hastily drawn up stating she got everything and Angus if anything happened to him. Her laughter dried up in her throat when her brother's face was set in stony seriousness. She didn't want to, mainly because she didn't want Taako to think anything would happen, but she signed all the same.
Taako was a shitty dad, he decided fully, as he and the boys landed next to Avi to get launched out of yet another cannon. He decided this because...well he didn't tell Angus.
Oh sure he told the boy he had another gig, but nothing else. Not his doubts, not his fears. Not the fact he thought he might not come back and was going anyway.
Why was he going? Why was he doing this?
To keep the world safer so Angus could grow up in that safe world. Taako knew to never depend on another person, they'd let you down the second they get a chance, he had to dirty his own hands to get anything. He just hoped it was worth it...in the end.
The mission was just as shitty as Taako could have imagined and worse. It all started out so normally but it all went sideways in less than hour as they learned there was an extra side effect to this curse.
This whole town, and now them, was trapped in an endless time loop. They were forced to relive the same day over again. The same day...where they died at the end.
As the earth opened up underneath the trio, millions of things flew through Taako's mind. Once the panic and reasoning what exactly was happening passed, as the rocks came in on him, before the pain and end. What flashed before his eyes was his family.
Lup, Barry, Magnus, Davenport, Merle, Lucretia...Angus. Angus was the very last thing Taako thought before they woke up in a white space.
"I don't think so boys; let's take it from the top." A voice echoed and suddenly they were back at the beginning.
It went on like that for they didn't know how long before they solved this puzzle. Their deaths were countless and their souls worn down from experiencing so many. They defeated the sorcerer that actually had stayed to watch and revel in the misery of the town.
A man name Isaac, driven mad by his own powers in the end.
Along the way during this hellish venture they meet the goddess of Fate and became her emissaries under the idea it might help during this puzzle. It had and now it's done they didn't mind the extra titles. It wasn't something they were worried about.
When Taako finally returned home after /everything/ and after debriefing with Lucretia about the mission, he felt the weight of every single bit of it hit him when he laid eyes on Angus. It hit him like the world that swallowed him up, like the mining shaft that collapsed on top of him. What the fuck had he done?
"S-Sir?" Angus said nervously as Taako just stood in the entry way making no move to move but staring at him with this...terribly haunted look.
"Can I ask you for a huge favor?" Taako said in a raspy strained voice.
"A f-favor?" Angus repeated. "Sure! Of course!" Angus knew it had to be important if the mood was like this.
"I'm gonna act a bit weird in a minute, it's gonna, uh, be real off brand Taako kind of stuff. I'm gonna need you to not to ask me why." Taako said and his voice started to waver. "Not tonight, not ever. This is gonna be a forever thing, little man."
Angus didn't know how to respond to that, it was a bizarre request. Taako had always been an odd fellow and asking to be stranger felt like a stretch but...Taako's face was betraying emotions Angus had only seen rarely.
"Yes. I won't ask." Angus agreed. "I promise."
Taako staggered over to the boy and fell to his knees, as soon as his knees hid the ground the flood gates opened. Tears fell like over flowing streams, Angus didn't see it long before Taako gathered the boy in his arms and buried his face in Angus' shoulder sobbing.
Angus stiffened up and quickly returned the embrace as tight as he could as if he could hold the elf together with his hands alone.
"I...I'm so s-sorry." Taako sobbed in heart wrenching pain, torture in every breath. "I'm s-so sorry."
Taako repeated this again and again, wailing as if in incredible pain.
"Why are you-"
"You /promised/." Taako gasped as he tried to catch his breath.
Angus fell silently and couldn't help but join in crying with his new father, confused and upset.
Taako was like this for nearly twenty minutes and Angus regretted the promise he made. Taako did calm down eventually but only out of exhaustion and possibly just running out of tears.
Angus forced Taako up to his feet so he wouldn't just collapse on the entry way and helped the elf to his bed. He only left Taako to fetch him a glass of iced water and change into his pajamas. If any night needed a sleep over it was this one.
Angus was a Taako's teddy bear all night long; the elf didn't get any rest. Just starling suddenly and making sure Angus was still there and they were both alive and breathing.
Angus kept his word and never asked. He never brought it up and neither did Taako. Magnus and Merle had apparently been sworn to secrecy as well because they wouldn't talk. They didn't seemed as bothered by it, whatever it was, none of which sat well with Angus.
Taako didn't exactly 'get over' the whole Refuge thing but he did learn to deal and learn from his mistakes. He looked harder into missions, asked more questions, and stocked more items to help with anything he imagine might remotely happen. Taako knew better to do things halfcocked; he learned bigger badder spells that would have the world thinking twice about crossing him.
The biggest thing Taako did was have more real talks with Angus about how dangerous his work was, how sometimes he wasn't too hot for the danger levels. He was frank about why he was doing it though, because his family asked for his help, because they started this thing and because he wanted the best version of the world for Angus to grow up in.
Taako promised the kid he'd be around, unlike how anyone had been for the boy. Like no one but Lup had been for Taako. He wouldn't be going out with the biggest fight.
That was a year ago now.
Now Taako found himself inside Lucas Miller's lab he was bringing out the big guns. Spells left and right and clocking every crystals golem and robot in sight. At one point Magnus had stopped him from outright punching an enemy in the face lest it do something to his null suit.
Taako might not be thinking too clearly with the possibility of the world turning to pink crystal on his first Candle Nights with Angus.
Shit started going sideways when Merle lost an arm after grabbing a crystal Pan lied about and Lucas turning out to be a bigger lying prick than first thought. Then of course there were the ghost robots of Candle Nights past.
That's when they came into a bigger problem, Kravitz. It turned out this was the cat that had been embodying the crystal golems they've been encountering along the way throughout the lab.
Years later Taako will perhaps laugh that this first exchange with Kravitz was along the lines of:
"Hey thug, what's your name? I'm about to tentacle your dick!"
Today though, it was more or less satisfying to watching his new spell working so well.
After they forced Kravitz to the rift to the Astral Plane, they got to see what he actually looked like. And Taako liked~
Kravitz told them he was a Bounty Hunter in the service of the Raven Queen goddess of Death. The Grim Reaper himself had come to collect. Collect them specifically.
Kravitz explained that they were wanted for all the death tolls they racked up during Refuge and never having once checked into the Astral Plane. The Raven Queen could not abide by this and they had to come with him.
Taako was vaguely interested in coming in just to get to know that handsome man a little better, but a visit only not a stay was his offer. When he said that Kravitz became easily flustered to the point his face went skeletal.
Taako was digging the whole thing Kravitz was putting down but there was no time die when suddenly they had to deal with a giant ghost Fantasy Transformer called Legion that was hell bent on invading the Material Plane. So there was that whole thing to deal with and getting straightened out with Lucas' dumb ass meddling shit with magic he shouldn't have been touching.
After kicking ass and taking names, and Magnus trying to eat a rock; they squared away the thing with Kravitz and Taako left with a cute boy's Stone of Far Speech's frequency.
It helped to be heavily charismatic and leveraging the fact they helped shove Legion from whence it came after it got past Kravitz in the first place.
Taako dropped his umbrastaff and bag at the door as he kicked the door closed as finally came home. He was drop dead tired. Well...that was probably a poor choice of words at the moment, but felt fitting all the same.
Taako noticed Angus trying to peek around the corner from the hall and duck back around the way. For a detective the boy really needed to beef up his stealth stats some more.
"Hey blubbleh, miss me?" Taako called out and grinned when Angus shyly emerged from his hiding spot.
Angus looked anxious as he looked over Taako; given the last time the elf came home this beat he couldn't be blamed.
"I'm okay, pumpkin, I promise." Taako assured him and opened his arms which Angus gladly ran into.
"I missed you lots and lots." Angus mumbled into Taako's shirt.
"I missed you too." Taako said softly as he leaned down and kissed the top of Angus' head. "See? This why I told you to hang with Lup and your nerd uncle."
"I'm almost ten now, I don't need to be baby sat." Angus looked up at Taako pouting, you know like a mature young adult.
"Sure, but it'd be more fun right?" Taako ruffled the boy's curls playfully.
"Ngh!" Angus pushed away from Taako and stuck out his tongue, another trait of a mature person. "Yea I guess but I had a case I needed to finish documenting anyway."
"Work, work, work." Taako tutted. "Gotta have more fun, kid." Taako laughed at Angus' pout as he walked past him toward the kitchen.
"Cases are fun." Angus insisted.
"I bet they are, no doubt, but like...kid fun?" Taako said as he poured himself a glass of water.
"Like what?" Angus scoffed, taking a seat at the island bar.
"I dun know, shit, you're the kid, you should know that crap." Taako said taking a sip. "You hungry?"
"Let's order out, you just got home." Angus said, clearly seeing how tired Taako was.
"Yea...probably should." Taako agreed stifling a yawn. Who was taking care of whom here? "Fantasy Olive Garden? Still got that pasta pass going to waste."
"Sounds great!" Angus said.
Adventures were great but there was something about the domestic life that Taako had really found pleasure in. Goes to show how much he had been craving it growing he supposed, it was nice he could at least do it now.
"Hey Angus." Taako said as they got ready to head out a pick up dinner.
"Yes?" Angus said slipped on his little fancy boy coat.
"I love ya." Taako ruffled his hair as he left the house with the boy close behind him.
"I love you too dad!" Angus said, taking off ahead of Taako.
"What the fuck, I am so tired, stop runnin." Taako called after him.
Let’s start the @tazrarepairweek with some sweet lovers from Refuge.
Ash and Ren would be such a cute couple, and they will make more appearances during this week, even if I will be also using some other lesser known pairings as well cough cough spiderbard I hope everyone will have fun with this week!
