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Writer's Dump 2021

Summary:

A collection of short scenes from various fanfiction ideas. Every day for the year of 2021 I'll be posting one new piece (and the first 'chapter' is a hopefully pretty comprehensive table of contents), but will probably periodically add more in the future.

Constructive criticism is strongly encouraged, because this is to get me back to my old skill level after over a year of writing little to nothing.

Chapter 1: Table of Contents

Notes:

As the work summary said, this is pretty much an exercise for me to write something every day. I'm asking for feedback to try to help me get better. Getting a job that works really long hours has made making time for writing hard, and as a result, my ability has tanked, and I want to get back to where I was before I go back to work on any of my larger works. I hope the table of contents is self-explanatory enough, but if anyone needs any clarification, I can give it.

Some of these stories are currently unnamed, or the name might be kinda funky, so I'm totally open to suggestions. I'm also open to suggestions for more scenes/snippets, but the guidelines for those will be listed at the end of the table of contents.

And if you're someone who returns to see what comes next, lemme know what story you're following. I'd love to know what people like more, and AO3 statistics don't break traffic down by chapter. And if you have any contextual questions for any scene, feel free to ask, and I'll be happy to answer as best I can without revealing big spoilers!

(Also please note that these snippets may not necessarily in chronological order)

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

1. Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan
Fandom(s): Until Dawn, Man of Medan
Rating: Teen
Archive Warning(s): Creator Chose Not to Use Warnings
Character(s): Sam Giddings, Mike Munroe, Alex Smith, Brad Smith, Julia, Conrad, Fliss Dubois
Relationship(s): Alex Smith/Julia, Sam Giddings & Mike Munroe
Additional Tags: Sam and Mike are badassesSam and Mike need therapyMike has itSam does notSam and Mike are so done with this shit, Canon Typical LanguageMan of Medan storyline but with Sam and Mike thrown in
Summary: Julia's cousin Sam hasn't been the same since she came back from Blackwood Mountain last February. Julia and Conrad agree that they should try to help her have some fun, and invite her on a diving trip, along with her best friend and fellow survivor, Mike. It's supposed to be a nice and relaxed (albeit a little crowded) day on the ocean. But of course, it can never be that simple.

2 - Julia invites Sam on the trip. 1/1/21
5 - Alex and Brad meet Sam and Mike. 1/4/21
10 - Sam and Mike discuss how he copes. 1/9/21
32 - Sam and Mike come clean about the Blackwood Mountain incident. 1/31/21
64 - Mike escapes Olson. 3/4/21
88 - Sam and Mike learn the truth about Manchurian Gold. 3/28/21
109 - Escaping the room. 4/18/21
135 - Sam snaps Mike out of it. 5/14/21
153 - Mike hallucinates. 6/1/21
180 - Brad asks Sam about wendigos. 6/28/21
350 - Brad asks Sam what happened on the mountain. 12/15/21

 

2. I Will Always Watch Over You
Fandom(s): Tales of Symphonia
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Warnings Apply
Character(s): Kratos Aurion, Lloyd Irving, Raine Sage, Genis Sage, Colette Brunel, Sheena Fujibayashi, Zelos Wilder, Presea Combatir, Regal Bryant
Relationship(s): Kratos Aurion & Lloyd Irving, Kratos Aurion & Raine Sage
Additional Tags: Basically the game but Kratos's PoVKratos cares, Raine knowsKratos is sorry
Summary: Kratos always assumed that his son died that night on the cliff. A trip to Iselia when the Chosen received the oracle, however, reveals otherwise. And even if Lloyd never finds out, he will always watch over him.

3 - Kratos arrives in Iselia. 1/2/21
18 - Raine finds out. 1/17/21
55 - Kratos recognizes Lloyd. 2/23/21
82 - Raine confronts Kratos about Kvar. 3/22/21
106 - Kvar's speech. 4/15/21
144 - Lloyd asks Kratos if he has kids. 5/23/21
165 - Kratos kills Kvar. 6/13/21
192 - Aftermath of the betrayal. 7/10/21
207 - Raine debates if she should tell Lloyd. 7/25/21
285 - Lloyd finds out Raine knew. 10/11/21

 

3. Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU
Fandom(s): Skulduggery Pleasant
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Warnings Apply
Character(s): Valkyrie Cain, Skulduggery Pleasant, Fletcher Renn, Ghastly Bespoke, Dexter Vex, Saracen Rue, Anton Shudder, China Sorrows, Billy-Ray Sanguine, Fergus Edgley, Nefarian Serpine
Additional Tags: Prison CampsAU, everyone knows about magicwar makes strange bedfellowsEdgley family history is a bad bad thingso many nods to the original series
Summary: For years, sorcerers have been bound and sent to prison camps as soon as they even show signs of having magic. Somewhere out there is a Resistance, led by a living legend.
Stephanie's Uncle Fergus was taken to the camps when she was five years old, and her Uncle Gordon was killed under suspicion of helping the Resistance when she was eleven. Now, nearly a year later, it's her turn to be taken away. Not long after, she's broken out by the leader of the Resistance, Skulduggery Pleasant himself, and now she's part of a fight to win back not only the freedom of sorcerers worldwide, but her own freedom to return home.

4 - Stephanie and Fletcher talk about the Resistance. 1/3/21
7 - Stephanie's rescue. 1/6/21
24
- Valkyrie meets the Dead Men. 1/23/21
34
- Everyone learns the truth about Lord Vile. 2/2/21
48 - Stephanie's binding symbol is removed. 2/16/21
66 - Valkyrie talks to Serpine. 3/6/21
78 - Valkyrie meets Fergus. 3/18/21
87 - The fallout about Lord Vile. 3/27/21
104 - Stephanie's capture. 4/13/21
119 - Valkyrie leaves to get her name sealed. 4/28/21
148 - Valkyrie snaps Skulduggery out of it. 5/27/21
184 - Stephanie and Fletcher learn about names. 7/2/21
198 - Valkyrie runs into Carol. 7/16/21
260 - Discussing Erskine Ravel. 9/16/21

 

4. Loophole
Fandom(s): Constantine (TV), Lucifer (TV)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): John Constantine, Lucifer Morningstar, Chloe Decker, Mazikeen Smith, Linda Martin, Amenadiel, Dan Espinoza, Trixie Espinoza
Relationship(s): Lucifer Morningstar/Chloe Decker, John Constantine & Lucifer Morningstar, John Constantine & Chloe Decker
Additional Tag(s): John is a cunning little shitEarth HoppingLung CancerJohn dies but it's finenot Legends compliantghost John Constantine, AU Lucifer season 4
Summary: John's smoking has caught up with him, and he's been given a few months, tops. To avoid getting dragged to Hell, he travels to Earth-666, where anything divine or infernal can't touch him.
Chloe took the news better than she expected. Lucifer was actually the Devil, and... she was okay with that. But just when she was getting used to the idea, everything is thrown on its head again when she meets John Constantine, a dying self-proclaimed warlock who claims to know Lucifer.

6 - John dies and comes back as a ghost. 1/5/21
13 - John finds out Faust is on Earth-666. 1/12/21
17 - Dan finds out John's a ghost. 1/16/21
31 - John arrives on Earth-666. 1/30/21
37 - John teaches Chloe how to summon him. 2/5/21
52 - Chloe asks John to save Trixie's class. 2/20/21
61 - John talks to Linda. 3/1/21
71 - John saves Trixie's class. 3/11/21
94 - John and Amenadiel argue. 4/3/21
117 - Chloe confiscates John's cigarettes. 4/26/21
147 - Trixie can see John. 5/26/21
182 - Lucifer tells John to protect Chloe and Trixie. 6/30/21
225 - Linda asks John about his future. 8/12/21
267 - Maze saves John from Nergal. 9/23/21
319 - John confronts Michael. 11/14/21

 

5. The Mutation Situation
Fandom(s): Marvel Cinematic Universe
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Peter Parker, Tony Stark, Bruce Banner, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Thor, Clint Barton, Shuri, Pepper Potts
Relationship(s): Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Pepper Potts, Peter Parker & Shuri, Tony Stark/Pepper Potts
Additional Tag(s): MutationMisunderstandingPeter Parker whumpI thinkI don't really understand whump, Parent Tony Stark
Summary: Peter thought he was done mutating after the spider first bit him. But then he wakes up with what seem to be tiny spider legs coming out of his stomach. He turns into a giant spider creature, but is found in a very bad position where the Avengers think Peter Parker is dead and the spider thing killed him.

8 - Peter fully mutates. 1/7/21
14 - Tony brings Peter home. 1/13/21
21 - Shuri arrives. 1/20/21
44 - Flash steals Peter's pills. 2/12/21
69 - Peter becomes human again. 3/9/21
84 - Aunt May finds out. 3/24/21
108 - Peter returns to school. 4/17/21
134 - Peter wakes up different. 5/13/21
171 - Peter's escape. 6/19/21
205 - Tony and Peter talk. 7/24/21
269 - Tony realizes Peter is Peter. 9/25/21
339 - Pepper gives Tony some advice. 12/4/21

 

6. Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover
Fandom(s): Umbrella Academy (TV), X-Men: Evolution
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Luther Hargreeves, Number Five, Allison Hargreeves, Diego Hargreeves, Klaus Hargreeves, Ben Hargreeves, Viktor Hargreeves, Charles Xavier, Logan, Scott Summers, Jean Grey, Ororo Munroe, Rogue, Kitty Pryde, Kurt Wagner, Hank McCoy
Relationship(s): Luther Hargreeves & Number Five, Luther Hargreeves & Kitty Pryde & Kurt Wagner, Viktor Hargreeves & Kitty Pryde, Luther Hargreeves & Hank McCoy, Scott Sumers/Jean Grey
Additional Tag(s): the Hargreeves are 16except Five who's 58AdoptionFive disappeared but Ben is alive, Luther and Five are twins, insecure Luther Hargreevesgood brother Fivehe looks out for his family even though he's a dickall it took to avert the apocalypse was good parenting, three cheers for Charles Xavierthis was written before Viktor came outhe will be trans later in the fic but will still be referred to as Vanya for a while because he hasn't had a full gender epiphany yet
Summary: Charles Xavier has known Reginald Hargreeves for years, well aware of the Umbrella Academy. After visiting and finding one child jumping at shadows, one so withdrawn she barely even looked at him, and two almost always at each other's throats, he realizes there's a lot more going on here than the public is made to believe. With the law on his side, he's able to rescue the children, bringing them to the Institute where hopefully, they can find a sense of normalcy. But when Five, the Hargreeves child who went missing three years ago, suddenly appears at the mansion, claiming to be from the future, from an averted apocalypse, things are about to get a lot more interesting.

(I'm sorry it took me so long to fix Viktor's name in the tags, and to add that explanation, I keep thinking about it at work and totally forgetting by the time I get home)

9 - Luther gets a new bed. 1/8/21
11
- Diego snaps. 1/10/21
16 - Kurt and Kitty retrieve Luther's record collection. 1/15/21
20 - Hank has a talk with Diego. 1/19/21
40 - The Hargreeves arrive at the Institute. 2/8/21
73 - Vanya tells Charles about Diego and Luther's arguments. 3/13/21
97 - Charles 'adopts' the children. 4/6/21
112 - Five returns. 4/21/21
157 - The intervention. 6/5/21
183 - Five finds out what happened to Luther. 7/1/21
242 - Luther defends Klaus. 8/29/21 (marvelmeg)

 

7. Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective
Fandom(s): Harry Potter, Skulduggery Pleasant
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Valkyrie Cain, Skulduggery Pleasant, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Draco Malfoy
Relationship(s): Valkyrie Cain & Skulduggery Pleasant
Additional Tags: Sorceryfor once Harry's not a prodigy at somethingbut Ron isDraco Malfoy redemption, somewhere between Death Bringer and Kingdom of the Wicked
Summary: The Ministry denies any claims that Voldemort is back. In an effort to give his students an extra advantage in the inevitable war, Dumbledore calls in a favor from an old friend. Now, it's Skulduggery and Valkyrie's job to find out which students have an affinity for sorcery, and to train them to hone their skills.

12 - "On a scale of Scapegrace to Mevolent, how bad is this Moldy guy?" 1/11/21
15
- Skulduggery and Umbridge argue about a field trip. 1/14/21
22 - Skulduggery and Valkyrie's first class. 1/21/21
43 - Valkyrie explains a few disciplines to the Golden Trio. 2/11/21
67 - Skulduggery and Valkyrie arrive at Hogwarts. 3/7/21
86 - Ginny asks Valkyrie about Tanith. 3/26/21
102 - Draco practices with sigils. 4/11/21
130 - Arriving at the Sanctuary. 5/9/21
162 - Using the shadow furnace. 6/10/21
186 - Ron does sorcery. 7/4/21
217 - Valkyrie gives Draco a chance. 8/4/21
241 - Hermione debates studying with Draco. 8/28/21
264 - Valkyrie explains why they're not learning earth magic. 9/20/21
293 - Lord Vile is loosed. 10/19/21

 

8. Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU
Fandom(s): Primeval (TV)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Connor Temple, Hilary Becker, Abby Maitland, Nick Cutter, Jenny Lewis, James Lester, Danny Quinn, Sara Page, Matt Anderson, Jess Parker, Emily Merchant, Helen Cutter
Relationship(s): Connor Temple/Hilary Becker, Connor Temple & Abby Maitland, Matt Anderson/Emily Merchant
Additional Tags: vampiresRex is a pygmy dragonsupernatural AUeveryone hates vampiresvampire!Becker
Summary: Dimensional gates are opening, leading to worlds occupied by a variety of supernatural creatures. These gates, known as anomalies, are handles and contained by the ARC, but after losing Stephen Hart to a pack of hellbeasts, Lester decides to hire a new security team. The core team has an irritating habit of risking themselves for each other, but no one would be stupid enough to go back for a vampire... right?

19 - Becker meets the team. 1/18/21
27 - Becker finds out why Connor doesn't like him. 1/26/21
47 - Becker helps rescue Jack. 2/15/21
63 - Connor finds Becker, corrupted. 3/3/21
77 - Becker stops himself from attacking Connor. 3/17/21
96 - Becker refuses to feed from Connor. 4/5/21
125 - Becker can't visit Connor in the hospital. 5/4/21
160 - Becker almost corrupts while Connor's gone. 6/8/21
195 - Becker is left to take care of Sid and Nancy. 7/13/21
286 - Helen's captured Becker. 10/12/21
313 - Connor finds out Becker is half-corrupted. 11/8/21
333 - Connor and Abby come home. 11/28/21
345 - Emily almost stakes Becker. 12/10/21

 

9. Dead Space Experiment (Untitled)
Fandom(s): Dead Space (Video Games)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: Creator Chose Not to Use Warnings
Character(s): Isaac Clarke, Ellie Langford, John Carver, Robert Norton
Relationship(s): Isaac Clarke & Ellie Langford, Isaac Clarke & John Carver
Additional Tags: non-con body modification, necromorphs, Isaac and Ellie are not an item, Norton is a dick, but what else is new, Canon Typical Language, Canon Typical Violence, Isaac is a regenerating necromorphI bullshat a bunch of sciencejust go with it
Summary: Ellie promised herself she'd never set foot on the Ishimura again. But Isaac went missing, and she owed him, so she'd find him, no matter what that meant.
Isaac was kidnapped by a Unitology scientist determined to find the perfect balance between human and necromorph, being subject to an experiment that leaves him as necromorph while retaining his human mind. Trapped on the Ishimura, unable to communicate with anyone he cared about, Isaac begins to lose hope that he'll ever get home.

23 - Ellie finds Isaac on the Ishimura. 1/22/21
26 - Isaac and Carver talk on the Eudora. 1/25/21
35 - Isaac becomes human again... kind of. 2/3/21
58 - Isaac vs. Norton. 2/26/21
81 - Bad monsters aren't dead. 3/21/21
105 - Norton abandons Isaac. 4/14/21
139 - Quarantine on Callisto Station. 5/18/21
158 - Isaac's incident on the Oberon. 6/6/21
190 - Isaac and Ellie are recruited for the Callisto mission. 7/8/21
220 - Fallout of Norton's death. 8/7/21
279 - Ellie finds Isaac (Isaac PoV). 10/5/21
311 - The experiment. 11/6/21
329 - Ellie finds out Isaac is missing. 11/24/21

 

10. Not Your Normal Neighborhood
Fandom(s): Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Dadsona, Amanda, Robert Smalls, Craig Cahn, Brian Harding, Hugo Vega, Damien Bloodmarch, Mat Sella, Joseph Christiansen, Mary Christiansen
Relationsip(s): Dadsona/Robert, Dadsona & Amanda, Dadsona & Craig Cahn, Dadsona & Brian Harding, Dadsona & Hugo Vega, Dadsona & Damien Bloodmarch, Dadsona & Mat Sella, Dadsona & Joseph Christiansen, Dadsona & Mary Christiansen
Additional Tags: Dadsona's name is Tobysupernatural AUcursesshapeshiftersspecifically polymorphs with I based heavily on symbiotes for their true form, basically a mobile puddle of gooRobert is a retired Hunterall dates except the ones with Robert have no romantic attachmentsso they're not really datesjust outings with friendsToby is really good at making friends even though he's an awkward beansupportive Robert Smalls, Mary is an awesome friend
Summary: Toby Miller is no stranger to the supernatural. His college roommate was a werewolf after all. But maybe moving to the cul de sac was a little much, even for him, where all his neighbors are different supernatural creatures. All of them except the mysterious Robert Smalls, who Toby really wants to get to know better. A jealous witch, however, tries to get in the way, and now Toby has a curse to work around in order to keep his relationship. But to his surprise, Robert is amazingly supportive, doing what he can to help Toby.

25 - Toby reunites with Craig. 1/24/21
33 - Toby gets cursed. 2/1/21
38 - Toby and Craig hang out after the game. 2/6/21
53 - Toby cuts himself whittling—again. 2/21/21
72 - Craig explains a few things to Robert. 3/12/21
93 - Robert and Toby cuddle. 4/2/21
115 - Saul comes to Maple Bay. 4/24/21
138 - Amanda meets her college roommate. 5/17/21
166 - Toby helps look for Duchess Cordelia. 6/14/21
185 - Toby is insecure. 7/3/21
212 - Robert finds out. 7/30/31
245 - Cuddling post-curse. 9/1/21
259 - Helping Amanda unpack. 9/15/21
296 - Amanda and Eva talk cryptids. 10/22/21
318 - Toby asks Damien a question. 11/13/21
366 - Toby's first shift. 12/31/21

 

11. Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder
Fandom(s): Primeval (TV), Warehouse 13
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Hilary James Becker, Myka Bering, Pete Lattimer, Claudia Donovan, Steve Jinks, Artie Nielson
Relationship(s): none
Additional Tags: AU post-Primeval season 3Claudia is nosyanomalies are not artifactsno matter what Artie saysBecker likes guns
Summary: After Connor, Abby, and Danny were lost to the past, the ARC started to lose its footing. At the death of Sarah Page, it went under completely, leaving Becker out of a job. Until he's approached by a woman introducing herself as Mrs. Frederick, and hired by an agency in charge of tracking down dangerous artifacts with almost mystical properties. Even after dealing with holes in time and tracking and containing dinosaurs, this seems a little farfetched, but Becker finds himself introduced to a world of endless wonder.

28 - Claudia finds Becker's file. 1/27/21
42 - Becker debates taking the job at the ARC 2.0. 2/10/21
51 - The Warehouse team goes to the ARC. 2/19/21
74 - Anomalies aren't artifacts. 3/14/21
100 - Connor and Abby at the B&B. 4/9/21
118 - Becker shoots evil Artie. 4/27/21
146 - Becker thinks he doesn't belong. 5/25/21
177 - Becker gets drafted. 6/25/21
210 - Touring the Warehouse. 7/28/21
289 - Connor and Abby come home. 10/15/21
326 - Becker in the hospital. 11/21/21
354 - Visiting Sarah's grave. 12/19/21

 

12. Detour Through the Hellmouth
Fandom(s): Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Dean Winchester, Xander Harris, Buffy Summers, Willow Rosenberg, Rupert Giles, Dawn Summers, Cordelia Chase, Spike, Angel, Anya Jenkins, Daniel "Oz" Osbourne, Tara Maclay
Relationship(s): Buffy Summers/Angel, Buffy Sumers/Spike, Willow Rosenberg/Daniel "Oz" Osbourne, Willow Rosenberg/Tara Maclay, Xander Harris/Anya Jenkins, Dean Winchester & Xander Harris
Additional Tags: HellmouthPossessionmostly canon Buffy but with DeanXander was the butt monkey, Giles knows BobbyDean took a wrong turn on the way to HellLilith isn't happy
Summary: Dean's deal is up, and after being hunted by the hellhounds, he's dragged to the pit. Except he gets stuck in the mouth of Hell, spirit latching on to Xander Harris, against either of their wills. Now Dean's a voice in Xander's head that can sometimes take control, and it's up to the Scoobies to figure out how to get him out and back in his own body,

29 - Xander hears Dean for the first time. 1/28/21
41 - Dean takes control for the first time. 2/9/21
60 - Xander comes clean. 2/28/21
83 - Lilith is coming to Sunnydale. 3/23/21
110 - Buffy asks Dean about his deal. 4/19/21
137 - Dean tells Xander about Sam. 5/16/21
172 - Dean starts to train Xander. 6/20/21
204 - Giles calls Bobby. 7/22/21
300 - Xander asks about Bobby. 10/26/21
314 - Dean talks to Bobby. 11/9/21

 

13. Man, Woman, or Beast
Fandom(s): Dragon Age: Origins
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Female Mahariel, Alistair Theirin, Morrigan, Leleian, Zevran, Sten, Ohgren, Shale
Relationship(s): Female Mahariel/Alistair Theirin
Additional Tags: Trans Female CharacterTrans Mahariel, Werewolvesmodified werewolf curseAlistair becomes king and marries VaniVani has throat problems because of a spell mishapAlistair ADORES Vani, white mabari named Alabaster
Summary: After losing her friend Tamlen to the darkspawn taint, and nearly dying of it herself, Vani Mahariel is conscripted into the Grey Wardens, where she meets Alistair. Gathering an army behind them, they work to stop the Blight, finding solace in each other at the world comes crashing down around them.

30 - Alistair gushes about his wife. 1/29/21
39 - Vani brings Alistair to meet her clan. 2/7/21
45 - Alistair meets Vani. 2/13/21
56 - Vani and Alistair talk. 2/24/21
70 - Vani gets ready for the Landsmeet. 3/10/21
91 - Alistair speaks with Keeper Marethari. 3/31/21
113 - The party discusses Vani's lycanthropy. 4/22/21
128 - Morrigan knows. 5/7/21
140 - Vani's first full moon as queen. 5/19/21
175 - Vani talks about Alistair with Merrill and Fenarel. 6/23/21
202 - Vani gets ready for her wedding. 7/20/21
215 - Morrigan heals Vani's poisoning. 8/2/21
298 - Duncan saves Vani. 10/24/21
317 - Alistair looks for Vani. 11/12/21
332 - Vani start teaching Alistair elvish. 11/27/21

 

14. The Witch's Daughter
Fandom(s): Supernatural
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Castiel, Bobby Singer
Relationship(s): Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester/Castiel
Additional Tags: non-con body modificationcursesgender-swappingSam doesn't know for quite a whileDean knows magic but hates using itCas doesn't understand the importance of genderDean is referred to as 'Dana' in Sam-centric chapters before he finds out
Summary: THEN: When the Winchesters investigate rumors of a witch in a small town in upstate New York, Dean mysteriously goes missing. The witch wants a daughter, and she'll do anything to get one.
NOW: Eight years later, Sam is out of the hunting business, working on his law degree when Bobby calls to tell him his dad went missing. After accepting that Dean had to be dead six years before, he didn't want to lose his father, too, even if they were on rocky terms at the best of times. A case brings him back to that town in New York, and he comes face to face with the witch. After she's dead, he meets her daughter, a woman called Dana who claims to have been kidnapped several years ago. A woman with a grudge, survival skills, and a knack for hunting, Sam takes her with him. But there's something... off about her. Something's he's missing.

36 - Sam confronts Dean. 2/4/21
50 - Dean reminds Sam he's the magic expert. 2/18/21
80 - Sam finds Dean. 3/20/21
103 - John knows. 4/12/21
131 - Dean and Ruby talk. 5/10/21
164 - Bobby finds out. 6/12/21
200 - Dean confronts Cas. 7/18/21
239 - 'Dana' gets a haircut. 8/26/21

 

15. Primal Spirit
Fandom(s): Jurassic World
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Owen Grady, Claire Dearing, Blue, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Indominus Rex, Rexy, minor OCs
Relationship(S): Owen Grady/Claire Dearing, Owen Grady & Raptor Squad, Owen Grady & Indominus Rex
Additional Tags: connections to naturenot Fallen Kingdom compliantIndominus redemptionIndi just needs some love
Summary: Everyone has a Primal Spirit, some ability to connect them to nature. Over time, it's been forgotten and most people never realize or cultivate it. Owen Grady has grown up surrounded by the idea of the Primal Spirit, and spent his whole life honing his, developing a powerful and intense connection to animals, one that only deepens after getting the job at Jurassic World. His raptors are his girls, his family, but when he hears a cry for help from the mysterious Paddock 11, that family is about to grow a little bigger. (Or a lot bigger, it depends on who you ask)

46 - Owen helps Claire discover her Primal Spirit. 2/14/21
49 - Owen enters Paddock 11. 2/17/21
54 - Claire tells Owen that Indi escaped. 2/22/21
59 - Owen first hears Indi. 2/27/21
68 - Claire releases the raptors. 3/8/21
92 - The new guy falls into the raptor paddock. 4/1/21
120 - Owen returns to the island. 4/29/21
151 - Owen realizes he adopted Indi. 5/30/21
159 - Coordinating a poacher hunt. 6/7/21
193 - Claire officially meets Rexy. 7/11/21
275 - Looking for Rexy. 10/1/21
352 - Indi's new enclosure. 12/17/21

 

16. Avatar: The Banished Prince
Fandom(s): Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Zuko, Iroh, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Aang, Mai, Monk Gyatso
Relationship(s): Zuko/Mai, Sokka/Suki, Zuko & Iroh
Additional Tags: Avatar ZukoAlternate UniverseobviouslyAang died in the iceberg but visits Zuko in dreamslet's pretend the Avatar can bend in the Spirit WorldZuko learns airbending from Gyatso in the Spirit WorldAzula is a bitch
Summary: Prince Zuko has been searching for the Avatar for a long time. It's become his only purpose, the only way for him to restore his honor. But when he finds that he's the Avatar, he suddenly has no idea what he's supposed to do. His uncle's only advice is to follow his heart, so he decides to turn against the Fire Nation, his own people, to help free the rest of the world from their tyranny. Learning from a kind but firm teenager, a blind twelve year old, and a dead monk, he decides it's no longer about honor. It's about doing what's right.

57 - Zuko finds a waterbender. 2/25/21
65 - Mai learns more about Team Avatar. 3/5/21
79 - Team Avatar goes to Earth Rumble VI. 3/19/21
101 - Zuko meets Aang. 4/10/21
133 - Zuko tells Iroh he's the Avatar. 5/12/21
173 - Zuko and Iroh need a change of clothes. 6/21/21
206 - Azula tracks Zuko down. 7/24/21
253 - Zuko meets Gyatso. 9/9/21
266 - Ozai finds out. 9/22/21
327 - Zuko doesn't want to fight his father. 11/22/21

 

17. Crash Land on Lian-Yu
Fandom(s): Arrow (TV 2012)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Oliver Queen, Felicity Smoak, John Diggle, Thea Queen, Roy Harper, Laurel Lance
Relationship(s): Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Thea Queen/Roy Harper, Oliver Queen & Thea Queen
Additional Tags: AliensOliver is an alien AUpart of a series of AUs where Oliver's a different non-humanShedding, ShapeshiftingOliver is basically a shapeshifting lizard from spaceCanon-Typical Violence
Summary: When Oliver Queen washed up Lian-Yu, he was dying. When an alien's ship crashed in the waters near Lian-Yu, it was stranded. Killing the original, the alien takes Oliver Queen's form and fulfills a promise to continue living, to return to Starling City. Making it his mission to right the wrongs of the original Oliver's father, the new one takes on the mantle of the Arrow, determined to save his city and keep his identity, both as the vigilante and as an alien, a secret.

62 - Oliver reflects on how he's changed (physically). 3/2/21
76 - Dig explains Christmas. 3/16/21
90 - Thea and Oliver talk. 3/30/21
111 - Oliver's ship is found. 4/20/21
136 - The alien becomes Oliver Queen. 5/15/21
169 - Oliver doesn't want to return to Azipra. 6/17/21
201 - Oliver comes home. 7/19/21
320 - Sara knows. 11/15/21

 

18. Catra: Princess of Power
Fandom(s): She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Catra, Glimmer, Bow, Queen Angella, Perfuma, Mermista, Frosta, Entrapta, Adora, Scorpia
Relationship(s): Catra/Adora, Mermista/Sea Hawk, Catra & Bow & Glimmer
Additional Tags: Catra is She-Ra AUCatra has issuesBest Friend Squadlargely follows the seriesCatra's just trying her best herebut being a good guy is hard
Summary: Catra was just trying to have fun afternoon out with Adora. It's not her fault the skip crashed. And it's not her fault that stupid sword turned her into a princess. But she's given a chance to get revenge for all the pain the Horde put her through over the years, and she takes it. Sure, she's working for the Rebellion now. Sure, she's technically a princess now. But it's all a means to an end, she doesn't actually like these dorks.
She doesn't. Really.

75 - Bow and Glimmer realize Catra's issues with Angella. 3/15/21
85 - Catra gets the sword back. 3/25/21
98 - Catra meets Angella. 4/7/21
121 - Getting ready for Princess Prom. 4/30/21
152 - The aftermath of Thaymor. 5/31/21
188 - Catra and Angella talk. 7/6/21
235 - Catra and Adora at the Sea Gate. 8/22/21
299 - Angella's sacrifice. 10/25/21
334 - Catra learns her origins. 11/29/21

 

19. There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption
Fandom(s): X-Men: Evolution
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Pietro Maximoff, Evan Daniels, Wanda Maximoff, Charles Xavier, Ororo Monroe, Erik Lehnsherr
Relationship(s): Pietro Maximoff & Evan Daniels, Pietro Maximoff & Wanda Maximoff
Additional Tags: RedemptionPietro deserves betterso does WandaSwitching SidesPietro is a closet nerdBisexual Pietro Maximoff, foul language because they're teenagers
Summary: After so long of being ignored by his father, Pietro had jumped at the chance to prove himself. But maybe he'd made the wrong choice. After an intervention from Evan and the professor, Pietro begrudgingly leaves the Brotherhood, moving to the mansion, even though he has no intention of become an X-Man. But when he starts to get a real feeling of family, of belonging... maybe becoming an X-Man wouldn't be that bad after all.

89 - Evan has an epiphany. 3/29/21
99 - Charles convinces Pietro to visit Wanda. 4/8/21
122 - Pietro opens up to Charles. 5/1/21
142 - Pietro is a closet nerd. 5/21/21
167 - Pietro's first night at the Institute. 6/15/21
187 - Evan finds out about Wanda. 7/5/21
231 - Pietro first visits Wanda. 8/18/21
252 - The Brotherhood confront Pietro. 9/8/21
301 - Amanda becomes Pietro's lab partner. 10/27/21
325 - Pietro tells Magneto where to shove it. 11/20/21
358 - Pietro apologizes to Evan's parents. 12/23/21

 

20. Secret of the Kaiju
Fandom(s): Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Godzilla, Original Characters
Relationship(s): Godzilla & Original Female Character
Additional Tags: bullshit scienceFriendshipShapeshifting (kinda)Monarch sucks
Summary: Chelsea Dylan's father had a theory about the kaiju, that they had the ability to hide in plain sight by taking on a human form. After a lot of ridicule, he took his own life, but she's been defending his theories with everything she has. She thought she'd never make a friend, pushing people away because they thought she was crazy. Until she met Gareth, a new kid in school who doesn't agree, but has never called her crazy. The guy who helps her try to put together the pieces that don't add up, to prove the theory true or false, once and for all. But all this digging puts the two of them on Monarch's radar, and Gareth, as it turns out, has some secrets.

95 - Chelsea meets Gareth. 4/4/21
107 - Chelsea learns the truth. 4/16/21
126 - Visiting Serizawa's grave. 5/5/21
143 - Chelsea remembers how she knows Serizawa. 5/22/21
176 - Gareth helps Chelsea escape Monarch. 6/24/21
194 - Chelsea has questions. 7/12/21
234 - Gareth and Chelsea discuss Dr. Dylan's research. 8/21/21
304 - Gareth leaves. 10/30/21
338 - Years later... 12/3/21

 

21. Beetle and Catastrophe
Fandom(s): Miraculous Ladybug
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste, Plagg, Tikki, Alya Cesaire, Nino Lahiffe
Relationship(s): Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Adrien Agreste, Alya Cesaire/Nino Lahiffe, Marinette Dupain-Cheng & Plagg, Adrien Agreste & Tikki
Additional Tags: Kwami swap AUall temporary holders keep their MiraculousAdrien wears the earrings as pinsPlagg has deep seated insecuritiesLove Square
Summary: In another world, Adrien Agreste is given the Ladybug Miraculous, while Marinette Dupain-Cheng is given the black cat Miraculous. Now, as their superhero alter egos, Beetle and Catastrophe, it's up to these two teens, with the occasional help from another hero or two, to stop the evil Hawkmoth from turning innocent people into akumas. It's up to them to save the world.

114 - Marinette won't abandon Plagg. 4/23/21
129 - Adrien meets Tikki. 5/8/21
145 - Marinette meets Beetle. 5/24/21
155 - Marinette (temporarily) gives up her Miraculous. 6/3/21
161 - Marinette meets Plagg. 6/9/21
174 - Adrien learns he should capture the akuma. 6/22/21
189 - Marinette meets Master Fu. 7/7/21
197 - The first fight against Stoneheart. 7/15/21
222 - Marinette steals Adrien's phone. 8/9/21
268 - Marinette feels guilty about Stoneheart. 9/24/21
288 - Post-Stoneheart. 10/14/21

 

22. Small Town, Big Secrets
Fandom(s): Eureka (TV)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Zane Donovan, Jo Lupo, Jack Carter, Nathan Stark, Allison Blake, Douglas Fargo, Henry Deacon
Relationship(s): Jo Lupo/Zane Donovan, Jack Carter/Allison Blake, Jo Lupo & Jack Carter
Additional Tags: Paranormal AUI know the title is the series taglineJack and Zoe are the only humans in Eurekavampire!Zanewerewolf!Lupowitch!Allisonthe others are warlocks, technically two stories shoved togetherZane and Jo eventually end up in different universes with no supernatural creaturesZane ends up in canonJo ends up in the post-Founder's Day timelineas usual I bullshat a lot of sciencebut there's magic too
Summary: Eureka is a town with many secrets. It houses some of the most brilliant scientists in the country, does top secret work for the US military, and oh yeah, no one who lives there is human. Until Jack Carter rolls into town with his daughter. Jo Lupo, his werewolf deputy, and her vampire on-again-off-again boyfriend, Zane Donovan, tend to find themselves in all kinds of trouble. But there's no trouble quite like wormholes into separate but parallel dimensions, dimensions without magic. Things get weird, things get wild, but in the end, it's just another day in Eureka.

116 - Zane's stuck in his lab. 4/25/21
123 - Zane sees Jo shift. 5/2/21
150 - Jo tells Jack the truth. 5/29/21
168 - Zane is invited into the Smart House. 6/16/21
181 - Everyone finds out about Zane. 6/29/21
203 - Zane secretly watches over Jo on the full moon. 7/21/21
209 - Jo tells Zane about werewolves. 7/27/21
221 - Jo has questions. 8/8/21
257 - Zane drinks from Jo. 9/13/21
309 - Werewolf-Jo protects Zane. 11/4/21

 

23. My Car Broke Down
Fandom(s): Warehouse 13, Transformers Prime
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Breakdown (Transformers), Claudia Donovan, Steve Jinks, Pete Lattimer, Myka Bering, Artie Nielson
Relationship(s): Claudia Donovan & Breakdown (Transformers)
Additional Tags: The Human Factor didn't happenBreakdown broke downhuman-alien friendshipClaudia's a decent mechanic, Breakdown is a good guypost-Predacons Rising, but no one knows Breakdown's alive so he's stranded
Summary: After her last car got totaled, Claudia decided to try her hand a fixing up an old junker. Sure, maybe an armored car was a little excessive, but it was the closest car she could find. After fixing it up, almost good as new, she's more than a little shocked to find out that her car talks. And that her car's name is Breakdown. And that he's an alien.

124 - Steve finds out about Breakdown. 5/3/21
141 - Breakdown needs a medic. 5/20/21
156 - Claudia asks Breakdown what happened. 6/4/21
178 - Breakdown gets a medic. 6/26/21
196 - Claudia finds out Breakdown can talk. 7/14/21
254 - Breakdown chooses to stay. 9/10/21
359 - Claudia tracks down MECH. 12/24/21

 

24. Teen Wolf/NCIS crossover
Fandom(s): Teen Wolf, NCIS
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, Ziva David, Tony DiNozzo, Timothy McGee, Abby Scuito, Donald Mallard
Relationship(s): Stiles Stilinski/Derek Hale, (background) Ziva Davie/Tony DiNozzo, (background) Timothy McGee/Abby Scuito
Additional Tags: werewolves are knownnot a lot of people like themStiles joined NCIS instead of the FBIferal!Derek HaleCommunication Issues, Derek is framed for murder again
Summary: Stiles finds a job at NCIS, placed on the team of one Leroy Jethro Gibbs. It's all pretty standard, stopping bad guys and saving lives. But things get a little less than standard when a feral werewolf is brought in under suspicion of murder. A very familiar feral werewolf. Stiles knows there's no way Derek murdered someone, and now it's his job to prove it, and to get Derek back to his old self before anyone decides to put him out of his misery.

127 - Derek is brought in. 5/6/21
154 - Stiles pleads Derek's case. 6/2/21
191 - The team meets Derek. 7/9/21
208 - Derek is left with Ducky. 7/26/21
290 - Derek meets Abby. 10/16/21
336 - Stiles calls Scott. 12/1/21

 

25. Avalon: Web of Magic/Skulduggery Pleasant crossover
Fandom(s): Avalon: Web of Magic, Skulduggery Pleasant
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Valkyrie Cain, Skulduggery Pleasant, Emily Fletcher, Adriane Charday, Kara Davies, Ozzie, Dreamer, Lyra
Relationship(s): Valkyrie Cain & Skulduggery Pleasant
Additional Tags: Avalon magic is a specific type of magicyes Valkyrie elves are realyes I know I write too much Skulduggery PleasantMagic
Summary: Valkyrie and Skulduggery have been given a new job by interim-Supreme Mage Damocles Creed: find the source of unknown, powerful magic in northeastern America. Travelling to Pennsylvania, they find themselves at a particular nature preserve where some of the animals are less than normal, and the girls that work there and protect it are anything but ordinary. The Dark Sorceress is dead, and everything should be fine for Earth and Aldenmor, but there's a new darkness rising, and the Mages of Avalon are going to need a little extra help in order to face it.

132 - The mages meet Skulduggery and Valkyrie. 5/11/21
149 - How Skulduggery knows Ozzie. 5/28/21
163 - Creed gives the Arbiters their newest job. 6/11/21
223 - Adriane notices Valkyrie and Skulduggery lurking. 8/10/21
246 - Valkyrie and Emily talk about their dark sides. 9/2/21

 

26. Ragtag Team of Heroes
Fandom(s): Miraculous Ladybug, Danny Phantom, Ben 10, American Dragon: Jake Long
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Danny Fenton, Ben Tennyson, Jake Long, Tikki, Minor Original Characters
Relationship(s): None
Additional Tags: DemonsTeam UpSecret IdentitiesAged Up Charactersthey swear now because they're all adultsthey're all kind of idiots
Summary: The world is facing a demonic threat the likes of which it's never seen before. It's seen superpowered villains, ghost kings, dragons, and even aliens, but it's never seen anything like this. An international council is formed, and they gather together four of the best heroes they can find. It's been years since any of them have had to save the world, but the world needs them and it needs them now.

170 - Marinette puts the pieces together. 6/18/21
179 - Everyone discusses their powers. 6/27/21
199 - Jake gets recruited. 7/17/21
216 - Danny gets recruited. 8/3/21
230 - Marinette gets recruited. 8/17/21
243 - Ben gets recruited. 8/30/21
294 - Danny makes a portal. 10/20/21
349 - The briefing. 12/14/21

 

27. The Other Human Factor
Fandom(s): Transformers Prime
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Original Human Characters, Megatron, Starscream, Knockout, Soundwave, Shockwave
Relationship(s): Desiree (OFC) & Megatron, Jessie (OFC) & Starscream, Lexie (OFC) & Knockout, Roxanne (OFC) & Soundwave, Nanami (OFC) & Shockwave
Additional Tags: the Cons get their own humansFriendship(eventual) truceDesiree knows no fearJessie is probably bad for Starscream's healthKidnapping
Summary: Despite the drastic difference in numbers and resources, the Autobots have beat the Decepticons at every turn, with no apparent explanation. The only notable difference is the presence of the human children, so Megatron gives it a go (he can kill them afterwards if they get too annoying). They all get a little more than they bargained for, and they certainly weren't looking to make friends.

211 - Kidnapping the girls. 7/29/21
214 - Meeting the Decepticons. 8/1/21
218 - Desiree and Jack talk. 8/5/21
224 - The girls get lunch. 8/11/21
229 - Lexie worries about her dad. 8/16/21
249 - Desiree waits for a parent-teacher meeting. 9/5/21
262 - The girls leave school through the back. 9/18/21
270 - Starscream proposes the idea. 9/26/21
280 - Noticing the Autobots' kids. 10/6/21
303 - Desiree talks Megatron into a truce. 10/29/21
328 - Escaping the Autobots. 11/23/21
355 - Lexie asks Knockout about Breakdown. 12/20/21

 

28. Here Be Dragons
Fandom(s): DreamWorks Dragons (Cartoon)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Toothless, Stormfly, Hookfang, Meatlug, Barf, Belch, Hiccup, Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruffnut, Tuffnut
Relationship(s): Toothless & Hiccup, Stormfly & Astrid, Hookfang & Snotlout, Meatlug & Fishlegs, Barf & Belch & Ruffnut & Tuffnut, Hiccup/Astrid
Additional Tags: Barf and Belch's human form is conjoined twinsHuman Transformationmodern dayReincarnationnot Hidden World compliant (I haven't seen it)
Summary: It's been well over a thousand years since dragons and Vikings started living in harmony. But as society has grown, dragons have had to withdraw, falling into little more than legend. At a certain age, dragons are able to take on a human form, and those belonging to the riders of Berk so long ago have found the reincarnations of their old friends. Now it's off to high school, but there's a danger lurking ahead. Not everyone thinks dragons are only myths, and these hunters just might be on their trail.

213 - Toothless and Stormfly argue. 7/31/21
248 - Toothless meets Stoick. 9/4/21
282 - The dragons discuss how to rescue Toothless. 10/8/21
310 - Telling the humans. 11/5/21
324 - Toothless wakes up post-capture. 11/19/21
337 - Toothless and Stoick talk. 12/2/21
347 - The rescue. 12/12/21

 

29. Here's a Baby
Fandom(s): Venom (Movie 2012)
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Warnings
Character(s): Eddie Brock, Venom, Ann Weying, Dan Lewis, Original Female Character
Relationship(s): Eddie Brock/Venom, Ann Weying/Dan Lewis, Eddie Brock & OFC, Venom & OFC
Additional Tags: Surprise AdoptionEddie and Venom adopt a childFamily
Summary: After a nightly patrol ends in Eddie and Venom saving a little girl from her abusive family, she is left in their care.

219 - Eddie's meeting with the guidance counselor. 8/6/21
232 - Eddie talks to Izi about the pictures. 8/19/21
276 - Izi has a nightmare. 10/2/21
316 - Ann and Dan talk to Eddie and Venom about Izi. 11/11/21
364 - Eddi officially adopts Izi. 12/29/21

 

30. Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Fandom(s): Marvel Cinematic Universe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Loki, Phil Coulson, Daisy Johnson, Melinda May, Leopold Fitz, Jemma Simmons
Relationship(s): Loki & Phil Coulson, Loki & Daisy Johnson, Leopold Fitz/Jemma Simmons, Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Additional Tags: cross-posted from fanfiction.net, basically AoS plus LokiFound FamilyLoki found somewhere to belongMagicnot compliant with the Disney+ Loki show
Summary: Instead of being sent to Asgard after New York, Loki's handed off to S.H.I.E.L.D.. Being placed on Coulson's team is less than idea for anyone involved. But it's this or Asgardian execution, so Loki can't really complain. Coulson, however? He can complain a lot.
(As this story is already in progress and public, these will include future ideas, pieces from side stories, and scrapped scenes. Some of these ideas may have been retconned in one way or another)

226 - Aftermath of Ward's betrayal. 8/13/21
233 - Loki gets a little magic back. 8/20/21
244 - Trying to break Loki's fever (Bonus: Fever). 8/31/21
256 - Sif tells Loki about his mother's death. 9/12/21
265 - Getting back on the Bus. 9/21/21
272 - Loki leaves the Cage. 9/28/21
278 - Coulson's reassurance (Bonus: Curse). 10/4/21
287 - Early morning on the Bus. 10/13/21
292 - Fitz-Simmons explain the curse (Bonus: Curse). 10/18/21
302 - Skye tries to comfort Loki. 10/28/21
307 - Loki mourns his mother. 11/2/21
322 - Skye is shot. 11/17/21
335 - Supervision (scrapped). 11/30/21
348 - Coulson confronts Loki post-berserker staff (old version). 12/13/21
351 - May confronts Loki post-berserker staff (old version). 12/16/21
357 - Loki picks up the staff. 12/22/21
361 - The deal. 12/26/21
365 - Loki gets a haircut. 12/30/21

 

31. Teen Wolf Synths
Fandom(s): Teen Wolf
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Derek Hale, Stiles Stilinski, Scott McCall, Allison Argent, Lydia Martin, Jackson Whittemore
Relationship(s): Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, background Scott McCall/Allison Argent
Additional Tags: Synth AUProtoypeArgent, Inc. designs and builds synthsa lot of people don't like synths
Summary: Synths have been around for a long time, but there hasn't seemed to be a whole lot of progress. Even now, it's still easy to tell the difference. Some have motion tics, faltering voices, or ultimately fail to simulate emotion. They've always unsettled Stiles. But now there's rumors of a new prototype that escaped Argent, Inc., one that can flawlessly blend in. Then his best friend is bitten by a werewolf, and the two events end up being a lot more related than anyone expected.

227 - Stiles finds out about Derek. 8/14/21
238 - Discussing the deal. 8/25/21
273 - The prototype escapes. 9/29/21
330 - Stiles tells Scott. 11/25/21
360 - The offer. 12/25/21

 

32. Consequences
Fandom(s): Detroit: Become Human
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: Creator Chose Not to Use Warnings
Character(s): Connor, Hank Anderson, Markus, North
Relationship(s): Connor & Hank Anderson, Markus/North
Additional Tags: Father/Son Relationshipmute!Connordisabled!Connorkind ofRevengeConnor did not deserve this
Summary: Connor deviated, and everyone knows it. But not everyone cares. Some still see him as the deviant hunter he used to be, and they want revenge. He's captured and placed inside an old, obsolete and decommissioned child's model with damage to its vocal and audio processors and coordination. Shutting him down would have been merciful, they said. But going from the strong and agile RK800 to this... That felt like a fitting punishment. He manages to escape, and eventually tracks down Hank, but he had no way of telling him who he really is.
Hank fell into another depression after Connor just disappeared one day. They split up on a case, and Connor just... never came home. But one day, a damaged android kid arrives on his doorstep. Kid can't speak, can barely hear, and some mobility problems mean he can't write. But it's clear the kid needs someone, and for whatever reason, he attached to Hank, so he's got little choice.

228 - Connor wakes up. 8/15/21
237 - Connor finds his coin. 8/24/21
247 - Connor is brought to Kamski. 9/3/21
261 - Connor comes home. 9/17/21
274 - Car ride home. 9/30/21
295 - Hank reflects. 10/21/21

 

33. iZombie/Veronica Mars crossover
Fandom(s): iZombie, Veronica Mars
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Logan Echolls, Chase Graves, Veronica Mars, Liv Moore
Relationship(s): Veronica Mars/Logan Echolls
Additional Tags: Chase Graves is Logan Echollsnot-Veronica Mars season 4 compliantZombiesReunionChase is doing his best, he's not a total douche
Summary: Chase Grave didn't always go by the name Chase Graves. Once, he was known as Logan Echolls. But after a series of events in his hometown of Neptune, he wanted to leave it all behind him (even though it meant leaving the girl he loved). He joined the military, became a zombie, and ended up the leader of the zombie population of New Seattle. He thought his old life was a thing of the past... until a certain spunky blonde sneaks into the city.

236 - The reunion. 8/23/21
251 - Veronica and Liv discuss Chase/Logan. 9/7/21
283 - Chase finds out why Veronica's in New Seattle. 10/9/21
344 - Liv asks Veronica if she'll tell Chase about Renegade. 12/9/21

 

34. A Different Kind of Vampire
Fandom(s): Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester, Buffy Summer, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, Cordelia Chase, Daniel "Oz" Osbourne, Rupert Giles
Relationship(s): Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Additional Tags: Supernatural vampires and Buffy vampires both existvampire!DeanAge Regression/De-Aginga spell makes the boys teenscross-posted from TTHFanfic
Summary: Dean was turned into a vampire a while ago, but he's adjusted relatively well. Now the boys find themselves in Sunnydale, with a whole new breed of vampire and a girl that knows how to handle them all too well.

240 - Buffy discovers the boys' living situation. 8/27/21
258 - Dean almost loses it. 9/14/21
277 - The Scoobies find out about Dean. 10/3/21
321 - On the way to Sunnydale. 11/16/21
343 - The Scoobies find out the Winchesters are coming. 12/8/21
362 - Dean realizes Buffy was in Heaven. 12/27/21

 

35. Fin
Fandom(s): Detroit: Become Human
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Connor | RK800, Gavin Reed, Hank Anderson
Relationship(s): Connor/Gavin Reed, Connor & Hank Anderson
Additional Tags: Mermaidsor mermen I guessKidnappingNon-Con Body ModificationGavin Reed and Elijah Kamski are siblings
Summary: The night Gavin and Connor were supposed to go on their first date, the android never showed. Gavin was angry, hurt, and betrayed, but when Connor never showed up for work afterwards, he just became concerned. After three months, the search is called off, and Connor is presumed dead. Gavin, who had been throwing himself into his word to avoid thinking of what could have been, is forced to take a vacation, and finds himself in an aquarium in Chicago where they're showing their newest attraction: mermaid androids. And the last thing he expected to see was a face he thought was gone forever.

250 - Gavin finds Connor. 9/6/21
255 - In Gavin's bathtub. 9/11/21
263 - The breakout. 9/19/21
271 - Connor tests his new legs. 9/27/21
281 - Why Connor's staying with Gavin. 10/7/21
291 - Post-breakout reunion. 10/17/21
305 - Connor returns to the station. 10/31/21

 

36. DNR
Fandom(s): Detroit: Become Human
Rating: Teen
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Gavin Reed, Elijah Kamski, Connor | RK800, Chloe | RT600
Relationship(s): Gavin Reed & Elijah Kamski, Connor/Gavin Reed, Elijah Kamski/Chloe (background)
Additional Tags: Temporary Character DeathGavin Reed and Elijah Kamski are siblingsGavin's been through some real shitandroid Gavin Reedand he's not happy about it, Identity Crisis
Summary: DNR: Do Not Resuscitate. A medical order to not revive a patient after their heart stops beating.
Gavin spent a long time hating his brother. Perfect, brilliant Elijah, who can do no wrong. After nearly twenty years of no contact, they finally start to make up. But after an accident takes Gavin's life, Elijah's not about to just let him die. A record of Gavin's personality and memories are uploaded into a new, experimental model of android, but rather than being grateful, Gavin's just pissed. He never wanted anything to do with androids, much less become one. Now he has to learn to navigate the world in this new body, plagued by questions of who he is. Lucky for him, a certain RK800 is finding himself willing to help.

284 - Gavin finds out what happened. 10/10/21
297 - Gavin starts to have an identity crisis. 10/23/21
312 - Connor figures it out. 11/7/21

 

37. INS
Fandom(s): Helluva Boss
Rating: Not Rated
Archive Warnings: Creator Chose Not to Use Warnings
Character(s): Blitzø, Stolas, Loona, Millie, Moxxie, Octavia
Relationship(s): Blitzø/Stolas, Millie/Moxxie, Blitzø & Loona, Blitzø & Millie, Blitzø & Moxxie
Additional Tags: Terminal IllnessBlitzø is a good dador at least he tries to beBlindnessDeafnessParalysisSensory ShutdownStolas is gonna do everything he can to keep his boyfriend alive
Summary: It started with a missed shot. The occasional blurriness. The squinting. Moxxie joked he must need glasses, but when he finally agreed to get checked out, it's much, much worse. Impish Neurological Shutdown, one of the rarest terminal genetic disorders. First his eyes will go. Then his ears. Then he'll go numb. Then paralyzed. And once it reaches his diaphragm, he'll suffocate and die in choking black, silent void. But not if Stolas has anything to say about it.

306 - Blitzø's diagnosis. 11/1/21
308 - Stolas takes care of Blitzø. 11/3/21
315 - Blitzø is put on a ventilator. 11/10/21
323 - Blitzø wakes up. 11/18/2
331 - How Blitzø survived. 11/26/21
341 - Blitzø has a panic attack. 12/6/21
353 - Stolas finds out. 12/18/21

 

38. Primeval Superpowers AU
Fandom(s): Primeval
Archive Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Character(s): Hilary Becker, Connor Temple, Nick Cutter, Claudia Brown, Jenny Lewis, Abby Maitland, Stephen Hart, James Lester, Sarah Page, Danny Quinn, Matt Anderson, Jess Parker
Relationship(s): Hilary Becker/Connor Temple, Nick Cutter/Claudia Brown, Matt Anderson/Jess Parker
Additional Tags: Superhero AUHelen is a bitch (what a surprise)Canonical Character Deaths
Summary: A small percentage of the population possess powers most people could only dream of. When holes in a time begin to appear, and creatures from the past (and future) make it into ours, a group of such people find themselves gathering together to put a stop to them.

340 - Jess learns the truth. 12/5/21
342 - Matt comes clean. 12/7/21
346 - Matt restarts Convergence. 12/11/21
356 - Becker finds out he's dying. 12/21/21
363 - Nick saw his own death. 12/28/21

Notes:

GUIDELINES FOR SUGGESTIONS:

-Please only scenes for pre-existing stories. I've got 46 different story ideas and counting, so I'd rather not add more to my plate with that
-I'd prefer you make suggestions/requests for a scene on a chapter with a scene from said story, to make keeping track of everything easier, rather, than here in the table of contents
-Please avoid anything smutty in suggestions, because those will be ignored. I don't particularly like writing smut, and I'd like to keep this around a T rating

Keep in mind that I might not use a suggestion if it doesn't fit with the plot I had in mind for that particular story, or it is something else I might not be comfortable writing. If someone makes a suggestion and I use it, and it's not something I've already thought of myself, I will give credit after the date here in the table of contents. But if you suggest something, see it posted later and it doesn't have your name next to it, please don't be offended, I just probably had the idea already. And also, please note that it might take me a while to get to, perhaps even several months. I'm not going to try to commit to having certain pieces done by a certain date. I don't want to end up letting anyone down as a result

Chapter 2: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 1

Summary:

Julia convinces Sam to come on the trip

Chapter Text

To say Julia was excited would be an understatement. She was going out on an undiscovered wreck, with her boyfriend, who actually wanted her to meet his brother.

"You're gonna pull a muscle if you keep grinning like that," Conrad commented, seated next to her at the bar. "And you look a little deranged. As soon as Sam sees you, she's gonna run."

Her smile fell and her eyes narrowed slightly. She knew Conrad was only joking, but... "She's not made of glass, Connie." Despite her own words though, she suddenly wasn't so sure.

Their cousin hadn't been the same since she came back from Blackwood Mountain. She used to be so outgoing, so full of life and strength, but after what happened last February... it was like she was a different person, almost like a shell of who she was. She was better than she was when she first came home, but she still cut herself off from almost everyone, family included, only talking to the only other survivor, a guy named Mike. Julia had never met him, but at least Sam had someone she talked to.

"Maybe not," he agreed. "But still, try not to look psycho."

She was quiet for a second, tapping her finger on the glass of her bottle. "You think everyone would mind if we brought her along?"

"I don't know how big the boat is. It might get..." He trailed off, his face turning thoughtful. "We'll make it work. If she wants to come."

Almost as if on cue, a slightly younger blonde walked into the bar, making her way over to them and sitting, not looking at either of them. Her shoulders weren't hunched, which was a good sign, but she was stiff, and kept her expression neutral.

"Hey, Sam," Conrad greeted.

"Hey," she replied, a slight edge to her voice. She ordered a simple water before finally turning to face them. "So... why did you wanna meet up?"

"We just wanted to, y'know, check in. See how you were doing," Julia responded.

Sam's entire body tensed and she said, "I'm not talking about it."

"We weren't gonna ask you to," Julia reassured her. "But I thought maybe it'd be a good idea to get you out of the house, maybe have some fun?" She paused. "And speaking of fun, Connie and I are going on a diving trip in a few weeks. My boyfriend Alex is gonna be there, and so is his little brother. We were wondering if maybe you wanted to come with?"

"Sounds a little crowded," she replied plainly, and Conrad turned to give his sister a 'told you' expression, before looking back at Sam.

"We'll figure something out," he told her. "I'll call the captain in the morning, get it sorted out."

"I'm not really a diver," Sam tried to protest.

"So?" Julia asked. "You can at least, y'know, go out on the water, get some fresh air and some sun. It'll be good for you." She smiled.

Sam sipped at her water, and Julia could practically see her trying to work out a way to get them to leaver her alone. "I appreciate what you're trying to do," she finally said slowly. "But I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Conrad said plainly. "You used to be a big outdoorsy type. You loved rock climbing, and as far as I know, you haven't done anything actually fun like that since whatever happened on that mountain."

She winced, grip tightening on her water. "We're not talking about it," she repeated.

"If you come with us, just on this one trip, we promise to never ask again, alright?" Julia suggested. She nudged Conrad's shoulder. "Right, Conrad?"

He nodded. "Totally."

It was clear that Sam didn't believe them, but at least some of the tension seemed to leave her. "Okay," she finally said. "On one condition."

"Name it," Julia responded, resting her elbow on the bar as she turned her whole body to face her cousin.

"I get to ask Mike," she told them. "Either he goes, or I don't."

Julia raised a brow, but didn't comment. She'd tried teasing Sam before about Mike, and the attachment the two seemed to have to each other, but every time she did, Sam got defensive and hostile. In hindsight, she knew that it had to be the fact that the two had survived a traumatic experience together. She didn't know details, but she knew that people died on the mountain that night, people Sam knew.

"Deal."

Chapter 3: I Will Always Watch Over You 1

Summary:

Kratos arrives in Iselia

Chapter Text

Kratos landed gently on the grass before hiding his wings. The Chosen would receive to Oracle soon, and Lord Yggdrasil had tasked him with ensuring she completed her journey. All he had to do was meet her at the temple, and protect her until they got to the Tower of Salvation where she would become Martel's new vessel.

He felt his chest tighten as he realized he recognized this area. From where he stood, he could see the cliff where Anna and Lloyd had fallen, all those years ago. An irrational part of him wanted to look for some sign of either of them, but he knew there was no way they would have survived. He had struck Anna down himself, and Lloyd had been only an infant, an easy target for the monsters in the forest.

He traced the path from the cliff down, where he knew his family would have landed. He'd searched the area for hours, but had never found any sign of them, not even the bodies. The town of Iselia was nearby, but there was no way that Lloyd could have made it that far, even with Noishe's help, and no one would have been wandering the forest that late.

Shaking his head slightly, Kratos turned his back to the cliff. There was no point in dwelling on that night; his family was dead and there was nothing he could do to change that. No matter how much he wanted to. "I'm sorry," he whispered. He started walking just as the light from the Tower appeared. The Chosen would be brought to the temple soon, but he could stand to be a little late. He needed to clear his head.

Chapter 4: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 1

Summary:

Stephanie and Fletcher talk about the Resistance

Chapter Text

Stephanie set her tray down, dropping into her seat with a scowl. Two weeks, and already she was tired of this place. The beds were uncomfortable, the food was barely passable as food, and there was nothing to do but sit around, miss her family, and want to go home.

She was just starting to poke at what she thought was supposed to be meat loaf when the boy sat down across from her. He was a few years older than her, blonde, with hair that somehow defied gravity, even without magic. He'd tried talking to her before, but she'd largely ignored him. Renn, she thought his name was.

"You're Stephanie, right?"

She shoved a chunk of mystery meat into her mouth, pointedly not looking at him.

"You know, it'd probably be a lot less boring here if you have someone to talk to," he commented.

Stephanie sighed. She hated that he had a point. "Fine," she grumbled around the meat-like glob in her mouth. Once she swallowed, she said, "Yeah. I'm Stephanie."

"Fletcher," he replied with a grin that had no place in this hellhole they'd both found themselves in. "I'm a Teleporter."

"You mean you were a Teleporter," she corrected.

He shrugged. "Once I'm out of here, I'm sure I'll find a way to get my magic back."

She stared at him dumbly for a second. "How the hell do you expect to get out of here?" she asked. "Once you get sent to the camps, that's it. They don't just release people. We'll get old and die of old age in here, if nothing else kills us first."

"You're just a ray of sunshine, aren't you?" He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "I'm talking about when the Resistance breaks into this place." He grinned. "We might even get to see Skulduggery Pleasant himself."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Skulduggery Pleasant is a myth," she told him. "He's just a scary story parents tell their kids to keep the hate and fear going. I mean really. A living skeleton? That's a little ridiculous, don't you think?"

Fletcher shrugged. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see," he said. "Bet you ten bucks they come in the next week, and another ten if we see the skeleton himself."

"I don't have any money," she said plainly. "And neither do you."

"You can owe me, then," he said with another grin, getting up just as the alarm sounded to signal that the lunch hour was over.

Chapter 5: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 2

Summary:

Alex and Brad meet Sam and Mike

Chapter Text

Alex had never met Sam, but he knew a lot about her. Everyone knew about the Blackwood Mountain Incident, and from what Julia had told him, she was one of the only two survivors. Eight people went up, only two came back down. The other six were supposedly killed, but one of the bodies had never been found.

Julia had told him how withdrawn Sam had been, and how worried she was about her, so he didn't hesitate to agree when she brought up bringing her cousin along. He just hoped there was enough room on the boat.

"Hey, so... you said these two are the Blackwood Survivors, right?" Brad asked, hauling some of the gear onto the boat.

"That's what Julia said," he replied. "But don't mention that, okay? Julia wants Sam to be able to relax and forget about it, so just... keep quiet about that, alright?"

"Got it," Brad said with a nod.

Both brothers turned when they heard footsteps on the dock. A young man and a young woman, both around Brad's age, stopped in front of the boat.

"Are Julia and Conrad not here yet?" the young woman, supposedly Sam, asked, looking around.

"Not yet," he replied. "You're Sam, right?"

"Yeah," she told him. She motioned to the guy beside her. "This is Mike."

"Hey Mike, I'm Alex," he introduced, holding a hand out. Mike took it, and Alex was shocked to see that two of his fingers were missing. He saw Mike's eyes dart towards his hand before back to Alex as he let go, almost seeming to challenge him to say something about it. "So, have you ever dived before?" he asked instead.

Mike shook his head, seeming to relax a little. "No," he replied. "And I think me and Sam are just gonna stay up here on the boat, if that's okay with you."

"Fine with me, man," Alex said with a shrug.

Sam eyed the boat warily before looking at the brothers. "Are you sure we're all gonna fit?" she asked. "It won't be too crowded?"

"Well..." Brad started slowly. "I don't know about the rooms below deck, but there should be room up here. It just might be a little bit of a tight squeeze, y'know?"

The blonde nodded, and Alex couldn't help noticing her stiff posture. Julia was definitely right, Sam needed to relax. "Any idea when Julia and Conrad are supposed to show up?" she finally asked, and almost as if on cue, they all heard a car door shut, and saw two people heading down the dock toward them.

"Hey, you made it!" Julia said with a grin, pulling Sam into a hug. "I kinda thought you'd bail on us."

"She tried," Mike said before Sam could even open her mouth, earning a glare. "But she told me about it first, and I talked her out of it."

"Good man," Conrad said with a nod, patting Mike's shoulder as he passed, getting onto the boat, followed closely by Julia. "You guys coming or what?"

Sam looked hesitant until Mike squeezed her shoulder gently, stepping onto the boat. With a sigh, she joined him. Now they just had to wait for their captain to show up, and they'd be all set to go. The weather was nice, the waters were calm, and they'd be far away from any kind of trouble. It would be a nice, fun, stress-free day for all of them.

And from what little Alex knew of what happened, God knew Sam and Mike deserved it.

Chapter 6: Loophole 1

Summary:

John dies and comes back as a ghost

Chapter Text

Chloe frowned when she looked at the caller ID. The hospital. Before she could answer, Lucifer spoke up from over her shoulder. "Why would the hospital be calling you?" he asked.

"Because John changed me to his emergency contact when you never answered you phone," she replied simply before picking up. "Detective Decker."

"Hello, Ms. Decker, I'm... I'm sorry, I have some bad news about your friend, John," the woman on the other line said, and Chloe's heart sank. She knew that John hadn't been doing well, she'd practically had to force him to check into the hospital. When she and Lucifer had last visited, he'd been coughing up enough blood that he looked almost as white as the sheets under him.

"Is he okay?" she asked. She held up a finger when Lucifer opened his mouth to silence him. "He'll be fine, right?"

"Mr. Constantine already had a very advanced form of lung cancer when he checked in," the woman informed her. "There was nothing we could do but make him more comfortable, and... he passed, about half an hour ago."

Chloe's hand flew to her mouth. She'd known it was only a matter of time, he'd practically started their first conversation with the fact that he had terminal cancer, but he'd been so casual about it, it was like it wasn't real.

"Thank... thank you for calling," she said softly.

"You can come collect his belongings at your earliest convenience," the woman told her. "I'm very sorry for your loss."

After hanging up, Chloe looked up at Lucifer. "John's dead," she whispered.

"Oh, is that all?" Lucifer asked. "I thought something bad happened."

"Something bad did happen!" she exclaimed. "Your friend just died, how can you just—?"

"Lay off him, luv," a familiar voice said and she whipped around. Standing on front of the bar was John Constantine himself, hands in his pockets like nothing was wrong. "He knew it was coming."

Chloe just stared for a moment.  "You... what... how? The hospital just called, they said you were—"

"Deader than a dodo?" John asked. "Well, they're not wrong."

Before Chloe could ask for clarification, Lucifer stepped in. "We told you than nothing divine or infernal on this Earth can affect him. That means no Heaven or Hell for dear Johnny boy."

"So you're... a ghost..." she guessed slowly.

"Precisely," John replied. "Though I'm a little surprised you can see me. Luci, I expected, but you..." He shrugged. "Must be a Miracle thing."

Chloe frowned slightly before turning to Lucifer and shoving him slightly. "You could have told me!" she exclaimed. "Either of you!"

John had the decency to look at least a little sorry, but Lucifer just blinked. She sighed, knowing better than to push the issue with the Devil. "Well... no more lung cancer," she finally said.

"Definitely a plus," the warlock agreed with a grin. "Now, what's the case?" he asked, looking pointedly at the file. "I've been cooped up in the hospital too long, I'm dying for something to do."

Lucifer laughed, and Chloe just groaned.

Chapter 7: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 2

Summary:

Stephanie's rescue

Chapter Text

The wall exploded, and Stephanie ducked. People were yelling, guards were rushing in, and a fireball whooshed past her ear. Not wanting to end up barbecue, she ran, hiding behind an overturned table.

It had to be the Resistance. Fletcher was right, but what were they doing here? Why break into this camp? She peeked around the table at the fight, and watched as people threw fire, pushed the air, and even shot beams of energy from their hands. A woman with a sword was running along the wall.

An irrational part of her wanted to join the fight, but she knew that all that would do was get herself killed. Even without the binding symbol tattooed on the back of her neck, she had no training, no combat experience. She'd last maybe two seconds before finding herself burnt to a crisp or with a hole in her chest. But she didn't want to stay here, either.

She caught a glimpse of Fletcher, swinging a broken table leg at one of the guards, and bit her lip. She couldn't just leave him to fend for himself, could she?

"Are you Stephanie Edgley?" a smooth, velvety voice asked, and she jumped. Whirling around, she came face to face with a blank skull. She shrieked in surprise and scooted back until she hit the table. He was real. Skulduggery Pleasant was real, and it looked like he'd led the charge into this camp for her. "Don't be afraid, I'm here to get you out of here." He reached a gloved hand toward her, and she looked from it to his skull and back again.

"I..." she started. She looked back to where she'd seen Fletcher. "My friend..." She couldn't leave him here, not after he was the only one to actually help get her through these past few weeks. "He was a Teleporter," she blurted. Whenther they could use that or not, with him being bound, didn't matter right now. If she was getting out, he was too. "Stupid blonde hair, he was attacking a guard last I saw."

Skulduggery just nodded and looked over his shoulder. "Ghastly!" he yelled, and a scarred man looked over. "Find the Teleporter! Blonde, fighting a guard!" The scarred man nodded and ran back into the fray. Skulduggery turned back to her and shook his hand impatiently. "We need to go." Another wall exploded and a wave of shadows sent several sorcerers off their feet. "Now."

Chapter 8: The Mutation Situation 1

Summary:

Peter fully mutates

Chapter Text

It happened at the tower.

He was alone in the living area, the power was out, and everyone was off somewhere else when a blinding pain ripped through Peter. The small protrusions in his side shot through his skin, long and thin, with a single bend almost like... a spider leg. His sweatshirt tore and fell, and he screamed in agony, the sound turning into a loud, shrill screech as his scarf fell, and his mouth molded around the large, black fangs. His arms were coated with a hard, black substance, and they squeezed until they matched the legs in his torso in width. His legs followed soon after, and his stomach, already coated with the same substance—the same exoskeleton—hit the floor. He screeched again when he felt his stomach cinch, and looked down to see that his body had segmented.

His vision went fuzzy after that, and when it cleared, everything was so much sharper, the colors more vibrant, with some he didn't even recognize. The multiple angles were a little jarring, though.

Peter slowly tried to stand, balancing on legs he wasn't sure would support his weight. Maybe that's why there were eight of them. His clothes were a tattered mess on the floor, and blood dripped from his fangs. They must have dug into his mouth when it was changing, but he hadn't felt it over the pain of his new legs tearing out of him.

He managed to get upright, but just barely. He was shaking, both from fear and shock, so badly that he could fall over at the slightest push. He'd known something was wrong that morning, why didn't he say anything to the others? Now he was a giant spider, and he wasn't sure if he could talk, and none of the others were around.

The lights flashed on as the power returned, and Peter whined, ducking his head, which had remained segmented from his thorax. He wished he could close his eyes, or even just blink, but he didn't have any eyelids. The Avengers were assembled in the elevator, and for a second, they all stared, first at Peter, and probably the blood, then at his torn clothes in shock. Tony was the first to react, raising an arm already bearing a gauntlet, light growing brighter by the second. There was a look of sheer rage and pain on the billionaire's face, and Peter immediately knew how it looked. With the power out, none of the cameras had worked, and FRIDAY had been offline, so no one had seen his transformation. No one had seen Peter Parker turn into a giant spider creature.

So all they saw was the monster that they thought killed Peter Parker.

"Tony, wait!" Bruce said, pushing the other man's hand down, despite the green fading in and out of his face.

"Why?!" Tony snapped. "That thing just...!" There were tears sliding down his face now, and Peter took a small step backwards, freezing when Clint had an arrow pointing at him and Natasha was aiming her gun.

"I know," Bruce replied. "But we don't know what it is. We don't know if there are more of them, and we need to find out. Maybe we can stop these things from killing other people if we know what they are, and where they're from." His face hardened. "We owe Peter that."

Tony glared at Bruce, then at Peter for a long time. "Fine," he finally ground out.

"Maybe we can even get some information out of it," Clint commented. "It seems smart enough to at least know moving would be a bad idea right now."

Peter was shaking again, and his legs almost slid out from under him. They weren't going to kill him, but... what were they going to do with him?

As soon as he had that thought, Natasha was pulling something out of her belt and throwing it. It slid directly under him, and a painful shock shot through his body before he lost consciousness.

Chapter 9: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 1

Summary:

Luther gets a new bed

Chapter Text

"You don't seriously sleep in that, do you?" Five asked with a cocked brow.

Luther frowned, looking at the bed. Five was on his own bed, a large book open in his lap, elbows resting on his knees. "It's bigger than the one I had at the Academy," Luther said quietly.

Five's eyes narrowed. "Of course that bastard made you sleep in a bed way too small." He looked at Luther pointedly. "I bet you haven't had a single good night's sleep since you got here. Hell, probably since you got that big." He gestured to his twin. "And the posts are bending, for Christ's sake. What're you weighing now, 300?"

"450," Luther muttered, shifting uncomfortably. He sat on the bed in question, wincing as it creaked under his weight.

"It's probably going to come apart any day now," Five informed him. "You need to talk to the professor about getting a new bed, or I will."

"It's fine, I don't want to bother—" Luther started.

"Me it is, then."

-

"Hello, Five," the telepath said without looking up. "What can I help you with?"

"You know, it's a little unnerving when you do that," the man in a child's body replied. "I'm here to talk about Luther."

Charles looked concerned as he met Five's eye. "What's going on?" he asked.

Five's jaw set, and he blinked onto the professor's desk, leaning in close. "What's going on is that my very tall, very broad 400 pound brother is stuck sleeping in a twin bed. Did you not even think, when you brought him in, that he might need something a little bigger?" Charles opened his mouth to speak, but Five cut him off. "And don't spout some bullshit about making sure everyone is equal, because they're not. No one else gets stuck sleeping in a bed they don't fit in." His hand twitched toward the letter opener beside him, but a remarkable amount of self-control kept him from reaching for it. "You're going to order one."

For his part, Charles didn't look the least bit intimidated, even though he had to have known all the various things Five was thinking about doing to get him to cooperate. "I'm sorry," he replied, sounding genuinely apologetic. "I wasn't thinking, and as he hasn't said anything, the fact that something was wrong never occurred to me." He steepled his fingers and leaned forward, inches from Five's face. "I'd like to ask that you not threaten me in my own home," he said. "All you had to do was ask."

-

Five was once again sitting on his bed, book in his lap, when he saw Logan and a delivery worker hefting a thick, queen sized mattress into the room. He smirked to himself.

Chapter 10: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 3

Summary:

Sam and Mike discuss how he copes

Chapter Text

Sam hung back from the others, making sure to keep them in sight. "So, how do you do it?" she asked quietly, glancing over at Mike.

"What do you mean?"

"How do you just... act like everything's fine? Like nothing happened?"

He shrugged. "I see a therapist," he answered simply.

"A therapist," she said doubtfully. "Uh-huh, and how are you not locked up? Because wendigos sound pretty insane if you haven't seen one."

"I lie. About that stuff, at least. I tell her that Em and Matt died because Josh's prank went wrong. I didn't tell her that Josh was the maniac, so that's my excuse for Jess, Ash, and Josh," he told her, his voice remarkably calm for the topic.

"And Chris?"

"Bear attack."

Sam frowned. "Wait, so if you're lying about all this, then how can the therapy possibly be helping?" she asked.

Mike was quiet for a moment, the only sounds being their echoing footsteps in the old ship and Julia and Alex arguing ahead of them. "Mostly we talk about Hannah."

"Oh." It was no secret Mike felt guilty for Hannah and Beth's disappearance, and it probably only got worse once they figured out what really happened to the twins. "And that helps? Everything?"

"A little," Mike replied. "I... I felt responsible for everything that happened that night. Josh pulled that stupid fucking prank because they went missing. And we all wouldn't have been hunted if..." He looked away, idly rubbing the stumps of his fingers. "If Hannah hadn't been trapped down in the mines and turned into a wendigo." He took a deep breath. "My therapist is kinda... helping me through that. The prank that started it all."

"Mike, it wasn't your fault," Sam told him, stopping and grabbing his arm. "It wasn't even your idea. Yeah, you went along with it... but you didn't make Hannah run off. And how were we supposed to know they'd fallen down into the mines?"

"You say that like you don't feel guilty, too," Mike stated, and Sam frowned. She did. She could have told Hannah what was going on, maybe gone after her with Beth. Maybe with three of them, someone could have made it back. "It wasn't your fault, either. I can give you my therapist's number if you want it. Just... make sure to get your story straight before you call."

Sam paused. She'd never liked opening up to someone like that, laying all her thoughts, fears, and issues out in the open for someone to analyze. But she'd seen the looks people have given her when she got back. She knew how sorry Julia and Conrad felt for her, and she knew Alex and Brad were probably walking on eggshells around her.

She was tired of their pity.

"Fine," she said. "But let's wait until after we get off this creepy ship, okay?"

"Deal," Mike replied easily. He looked around, frowning. "Hey, Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Where'd your cousin go?"

"... Fuck."

Chapter 11: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 2

Summary:

Diego snaps

Chapter Text

Diego scowled at his mashed potatoes as he heard the remarks get louder and louder. 'Just ignore them,' the professor had said. Yeah, well the professor wasn't the one getting heckled every day just for being different. Maybe if he left that damn mansion every once in a while... Sure, he cared more, and actually tried to help Diego and the others, but sometimes Professor Xavier really reminded him of Dad.

Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a group of football players surrounding Luther. He was surprised by the balls these kids had, but they probably knew the same thing Diego did: Luther couldn't fight back, not without causing a huge scene. He was hearing a lot of the same things he'd told Luther himself, before Mr. McCoy had put things into perspective. But unlike with Diego, Luther couldn't just take a swing at these kids. He couldn't fight them, they had to be the picture of 'mutants not being dangerous to humans'—even though he and his siblings were something else entirely.

Then the shoving started, and the torn look on Luther's face made his scowl deepen. Sure, the guy had been the Umbrella Academy poster child, the picture of self-control—he was Number One—but even he had his limits. It was only a matter of time before he snapped, and all hell would break loose.

Diego's hand tightened on his fork. He wanted to go over there, tell them all where to shove it, and maybe get Luther somewhere he could calm down, but he was so angry he knew the words would catch in his mouth. He'd be lucky if he could even get out 'stop'. He started twirling the fork in his hand.

"Diego, no," Scott warned.

He turned and glared at him, adjusting the grip on his fork. He tossed it forward, heading for Scott, right between those covered eyes before veering off at the last second, shooting behind Diego to pin one of the guys—Duncan, he thought his name was—to the wall by his shirt. Turning around again, he smirked as the three footfall players stared at him. He gave them a sarcastic grin and a half salute before looking at Luther. The boy looked relieved, mouthing 'thank you', before nudging through the space the jerks had created in their stupor, leaving the cafeteria. Probably going out for some air.

"That was stupid!" Scott hissed.

"Wh-wh-what w-w-w-was I s-s..." He stopped, glaring bitterly as he felt the heat rise to his face. His stutter hadn't been this bad in years, but the stress that had built up for the last few weeks finally blew its top, and it was like all the work he had put in flew out the window.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and he looked up to see a very stern looking teacher. "Diego Hargreeves? A word, please."

Chapter 12: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 1

Summary:

"On a scale of Scapegrace to Mevolent, how bad is this Moldy guy?"

Chapter Text

"So, on a scale of Scapegrace to Mevolent, how bad is this Moldy guy?"

"His name is Voldemort," Skulduggery said. "Or more commonly known as He Who Must Not Be Named. And I'd clock him at around Baron Vengeous."

Valkyrie scrunched her nose. "'He Who Must Not Be Named'? What kind of dorks are we helping?"

"Or You-Know-Who," he added. "They thought he was so bad that they were too afraid to even say his name."

"God, what would they have called Vile and Darquesse?" Valkyrie blurted. The silence hung for a second before she decided to change the subject. "Wait, if these kids already know magic, then what are we supposed to be teaching them?"

"It's a different kind of magic, Valkyrie. They're different from us, different from warlocks, and even witches in covens."

"But the girls still call themselves witches?" Valkyrie crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat as they neared the train station. "I'm guessing their power doesn't come from their names, either?"

"No," he replied.

"How many different kinds of magic are there, anyway?" she asked. "First I thought there was just us. Then you tell me about warlocks, and then witches. And now this."

"Several. There's one with a different source, a place called Avalon, but that magic is incredibly exclusive."

"I'm not even gonna ask," she said. "But if they already know their magic, why teach them ours?"

Skulduggery slowly rolled into a parking space, turning the Bentley off. "Because they've just found themselves in a war, and sorcery is one thing we can give them that Voldemort doesn't have. He may not be as destructive as Lord Vile or Darquesse, but he can still kill a lot of people before he's stopped. Not to mention that their government is denying he's back altogether."

"I'm sorry, they're what?"

He nodded, getting out of the car, and she followed suit. "You'd be surprised what people will do when they're afraid. They're doing whatever they can to discredit Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster, and the boy who saw Voldemort's resurrection, Harry Potter. They're not getting the backup they need in a fight that could kill them all."

"So we're helping them figure out how to throw fireballs when the bad guys are waving little sticks?"

"Precisely," he replied. "Our first step is determining who can access our particular branch of magic, and then we'll go from there."

"What if someone wants to be anything other than an Elemental?" Valkyrie asked, hefting her bag over her shoulder. "I'm not really qualified to teach Necromancy—"

"You're barely qualified to teach Elemental magic."

"Oi! I can teach beginners at least. But you trying to teach Necromancy would be just... not good for anyone."

"I could teach it, just not by example," he stated simply. "To a point, any magic can be taught simply by explanation, as long as one has the aptitude." He pulled a pocket watch from inside his jacket. "We should hurry, the train will be leaving soon. We're heading to Platform 9 3/4."

"9 3/4?"

Chapter 13: Loophole 2

Summary:

John finds out Faust is on Earth-666

Chapter Text

Chloe set the folder down on the counter, spreading the contents out. John stood across from her, and she was still trying to figure out how he could lean on it, while the papers moved right through his hands.

"Any particular reason you wanted to bring this case home?" the dead warlock asked with a quirked brow.

"It sort of... toes the line toward your kind of weird, and I didn't want to be seen talking to myself at the station," she explained. "So, over the past few days, children all over LA have been falling into comas. No one can figure out why, and considering most of the kids belong to politicians and big business owners, some people are thinking it's a targeted—what?" John had gone stock-still, and if he'd had a physical body, his face probably would have paled considerably.

"That's not possible," John muttered, skimming through the papers Chloe had laid out. He looked up at her, and for the first time since she'd met him, she could see a flicker of fear in his eyes. "You need to get your daughter out of the city as fast as you can."

"You know what this is?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. If John was scared, she figured she probably should be, too.

"It shouldn't be possible, but... this is a spell, developed by a man on my Earth, a couple years back," he told her. "The kids are alive, but sooner or later, their bodies are going to start shutting down without their souls."

"Wait..." she said slowly. "What do you mean, 'without their souls'?"

"That's the spell, it removes a human soul from the body. Souls are powerful things, why do you think demons deal in them?" He paused. "Well, Earth-1 demons, anyway. But they can be used to power very, very strong magic, but the problem is that once they're used up, the soul is gone." He clenched his fists. "So you have to get Trixie as far away from here as you can, as quickly as you can, and let me deal with this."

Already trying to come up with an excuse to send Trixie to her mom's place, Chloe couldn't help but ask, "But why children?"

"The purer the soul, the more powerful the magic, and no soul is purer than a child's."

"Okay... Okay, so we track down the guy behind this, you do your thing, and I'll... I'll see if I can find something to pin on him," she said, trying to plan.

John shook his head. "No. I'm going this one alone." Before she could argue, he continued, "Before he left, I promised Luci I'd look after you and your daughter, and the best way I can do that is to keep you out of Felix Faust's way."

"Felix Faust? That's his name?"

"If it's the same guy I ran into before, yeah," he said. "Nasty fellow, brilliant wizard, and overall pain in the arse. But I don't understand how he's even here."

"Maybe he 'Earth hopped' like you did?" Chloe guessed.

"That'd make sense if Chas hadn't blown him up with a grenade," John muttered. "I'll find him with a tracking spell, fix this, and get those souls back, but you need to leave here, Decker. Please."

He vanished before Chloe could argue.

Chapter 14: The Mutation Situation 2

Summary:

Tony brings Peter home

Chapter Text

Tony looked around frantically as he flew, scanning for any sign of Peter, coming up with nothing. He wouldn't be out on the streets, that was a no-brainer, but where could a human-sized spider even hide?

"God, I'm sorry, Pete," he whispered, veering off towards a block he was pretty sure was almost completely abandoned. His scans finally picked something up, with traces of human DNA. Landing in the alley, he lifted his repulsors, using just enough energy to light the area, and sure enough, there was Peter, at the end of the dead end, staring at him. He was almost completely still, except for one of his legs twitching. Tony was pretty sure the kid would bolt at the slightest movement.

"Kid," he said gently, and a jolt went through Peter's body. Tony wasn't well-versed in spider body language, but he had a feeling maybe he was surprised. "I'm so sorry. We messed up, big time, I know that. We locked you up, and that was wrong." The suit opened, and he took a step toward him. "Please home come, Peter. We'll find a way to fix you. I promise."

Peter didn't move for a moment, though his leg did stop twitching. Eventually, he took carefully measured steps, stopping in front of Tony. He nodded once, and while it was incredibly unnerving to see, Tony smiled.

-

"Holy shit..." Clint breathed when Tony was done explaining. "Peter?"

Peter took a hesitant step back, and Tony placed a hand on the smooth surface that was his abdomen, trying to provide reassurance. "It's okay, kid," he told him, and somehow, Peter seemed a little less stiff.

"Tony, please say you can fix this," Steve said, looking at Peter with heavy concern.

"I'm going to try," he promised. "I'm gonna call Shuri first thing in the morning, see if she can help."

Peter let out an unexpected screech and shook his head frantically.

"Peter, she can help," Bruce said, trying to calm him. "And the more people we have working on this, the faster we can make you human again."

Peter hung his head in what they assumed was reluctant agreement, before looking up at Tony. He didn't move for a minute, save for a little bit of nervous fidgeting, before slowly making his way past the Avengers to the residential hall.

"I think he may be tired," Thor commented.

"I would be, too, after the last couple days he's had," Natasha commented. "But do spiders even get tired?"

"He's still got some human DNA in him," Tony said, looking at the doorway. He sighed. "It's late, we... we should probably get some sleep. FRI, remind me to call Shuri tomorrow."

"You got it, Boss."

Chapter 15: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 2

Summary:

Skulduggery and Umbridge argue about a field trip

Chapter Text

"I will not permit you to take these students to your 'Sanctuary'!" Umbridge snapped. "Our cultures have been separate all these years, having the two of you here is bad enough!"

Harry looked like he was about to argue, but Valkyrie motioned for him to stop. Skulduggery could handle this on his own.

"You 'won't permit me'?" Skulduggery asked, tilting his head. "I'm sorry, Dolores, but you seem to be under the impression that I answer to you. I answer to myself, and occasionally take the advice of people around me. Your advice, however, is stupid. I'd like to remind you that I'm a teacher, as well. I teach sorcery, and a field trip to the Irish Sanctuary, the center of a Cradle of Magic, would do them far more good that just classroom learning."

Umbridge's face, impossibly, tightened more, and Valkyrie thought a vein was going to pop. She was just barely holding back a smirk. She was surprised steam wasn't coming out of the hateful toad's ears.

"Be that as it may, they should not all be leaving for such a foreign place with only you for supervision!"

Valkyrie couldn't help it. She snorted. "'Foreign place'?" she asked. "It's Ireland. Some of the kids here are from there."

"I was talking about being among you people," she sniffed, and Valkyrie rolled her eyes.

"I believe they'd enjoy it much more with us than here with you," Skulduggery said. "Friends of mine will be around, as well, so the kids will be perfectly safe. Perhaps you've heard of them? The Dead Men?"

Umbridge paled, and Valkyrie was already wondering what stories she had heard. "I still forbid—!"

"Ah, one final point, Dolores," Skulduggery said, holding up a finger. "We're going over Christmas break, and I don't know if you realize, but you have no jurisdiction over what they do off school grounds, when school in not in session." He turned on his heel, leaving her sputtering behind him, searching for a legitimate argument. "Come along children, we've got a field trip to plan."

-

"That was bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed in awe.

"So we're really going then?" Hermione asked, looking excited. "We're going to the Irish Sanctuary?"

Valkyrie nodded. "We are."

"While we're there, you'll be able to meet other sorcerers with other disciplines," Skulduggery told them. "Neville, a good friend of mine named Dexter Vex can help you hone your energy throwing."

"And China can help Draco with studying symbols," Valkyrie blurted, immediately wishing she could take it back.

Skulduggery was quiet for a moment, and the students seemed to feel the tension in the room. "She could, if she feels so inclined," he finally said. He looked at Hermione. "We could probably break into the Necromancer Temple and see if we can use their shadow furnace to make you a ring of your own, or whatever else you'd like to store your power in."

"I don't know how I feel about breaking into a temple..." the witch said.

"No one's there anymore, it will be fine," Skulduggery said. She didn't look convinced.

"Finbar and Cassandra would probably love helping Luna, too," Valkyrie suggested. She frowned slightly, looking at Ginny. "I'm sorry, the... the only wall-walker we know is evil now..." She looked away, not wanting to see whatever emotions played across the redhead's face.

"And Ron and I will just keep studying with you, then?" Harry asked.

"I suppose you could meet my friend Ghastly, as well," Skulduggery pondered. "He's one of the Elders, though, so of course he must be treated with the utmost respect. If you want him to like you, I recommend referring to him as 'Your Majesty'." Valkyrie just barely contained a laugh. She had to see how this would play out. "Now, everyone go pack your bags, and meet us back here. Valkyrie? Call Fletcher and have him pick us up at the train station.

"We're not driving?"

"Valkyrie, we can't fit nine people into the Bentley. Besides, I had Ghastly get it moved back to my house," he told her.

The students began to disperse, but stopped when Ginny spoke up. "Where are we going to be staying?"

"My house, of course," Skulduggery said simply.

Chapter 16: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 3

Summary:

Kurt and Kitty retrieve Luther's record collection

Chapter Text

"Holy cow..." Kitty breathed once Kurt teleported them outside the Umbrella Academy. "This is, like, even bigger than the Institute..."

"Ja... Now come on, we have to do this fast!" He teleported them both inside. "We don't want to get caught."

Kitty nodding, adjusting her grip on the empty box. "So..." she said quietly, looking around the foyer they'd arrived in. "Where do you think he keeps them?"

"His room?" Kurt guessed.

"Okay, probably, but like, where is that?" the brunette asked. "We could be looking around for hours, and I really don't wanna run into their dad."

Kurt shuddered at the thought. After the stories they'd heard, they both knew they never wanted to meet Reginald Hargreeves, but this was important.

"Can I help you?" a voice asked, and both teens stiffened, slowly turning toward the staircase and expecting the worst.

They were not expecting a chimpanzee in a suit.

Kurt was the first to recover. "We, uh... we're Luther's friends. From the Institute."

The chimpanzee nodded. "Xavier's, yes. How are they doing, all of them?"

"Good," Kitty said, finally finding her voice. "I mean, I think something's going on with Klaus, but I don't really know. We don't talk or anything. Oh! And Five showed up a couple weeks ago out of nowhere."

The chimpanzee's eyes widened slightly. "Number Five has come back?"

"Yeah, and he's like, really cranky," Kitty told him. "So, uh... who are you, anyway?"

"My name is Pogo," he told them. "I've helped take care of the children before they left." Surprisingly, he didn't sound at all bitter that they were gone. He looked at the boxes the teens were carrying. "Now, what did you come for?"

"Oh, right!" Kurt said. "Well, Luther misses his record collection, and he said they all left too fast for him to pack it all. So we wanted to surprise him."

"You wouldn't happen to know where he kept them, would you?" Kitty asked hopefully.

-

"Whoa," Kurt and Kitty said in unison as they walked into the room. The room itself was fairly normal, but there was a wall-to-wall shelf filled with vinyl records, a phonograph sitting atop it.

"We do not have enough boxes for these," Kurt said in dismay.

"Yeah, like... how are we supposed to pick which ones to take and which ones to leave?" Kitty asked.

"Let me take care of that, I'll be back in a moment," Pogo told them, turning to leave. "You just start packing."

Once he was gone, the two looked at each other. "A talking chimpanzee?" Kitty whispered. "No way I was expecting that!"

"I know, right?" Kurt replied. "But at least he's helping us, and at least he's not Mr. Hargreeves."

"Totally."

Not long after, Pogo returned with a few boxes nestled inside each other. "These should do nicely. I noticed you didn't use the front door, so you must have a quick way to travel back to the Institute. I hope this helps."

"A lot, thanks!" Kitty said with a smile, brushing her fingers across the worn spaceship sticker on one of the boxes.

"You're welcome," Pogo replied, watching them pack the rest of the collection. "Give the children my regards, would you?"

Kurt nodded. "Will do. Thanks again!"

And with that, he and Kitty left, taking the records with them.

Chapter 17: Loophole 3

Summary:

Dan finds out John is a ghost

Chapter Text

"Good news, luv," John said, appearing in Chloe's living room. The blonde jumped, looking up to see him standing casually with his hands in his pockets. "Faust's dead, and I made bloody sure this time. Those kids should be waking up as we speak."

"Oh my god..." Chloe whispered in relief. "If I could, I would definitely be hugging you right now." She gave a humored smile. When it dropped, she asked, "How can you be sure, though? You said before that your friend blew him up."

"That he did," John replied with a nod. "Cost him one of his souls, too. But we never saw the body. This time, I made sure to leave one behind, but I promise you, that's the last we'll be seeing of Felix Faust."

"And he won't be coming back as a ghost, like you?" she asked. "If he's from another Earth, then he shouldn't be sent to Heaven or Hell, right?"

John nodded. "Which is why I banished his spirit back to Earth-1. All that's left is a burned husk of a body."

"A body that I'll have to investigate," Chloe said dryly. "And a lot of time I'll be wasting following leads I know won't go anywhere, but I can't exactly put in the case report that a ghost killed him."

The ghost in question gave her a cheeky grin. "Good luck with that one." His expression turned genuine. "But isn't it worth it, to keep your little girl safe?"

Chloe nodded. "You're right. Thank you."

"Who are you talking to?"

Chloe and John both turned to see Dan standing in the open doorway, looking both confused and concerned.

"Dan! What, uh, what are you doing here?" Chloe asked.

"I just wanted to let you know that those coma kids started waking up," he said cautiously, walking in. "So who were you talking to?"

"Uh... myself?" Chloe said, and John sighed.

"You are a terrible liar, Decker," he said, shaking his head. "Just give me a second." He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath he didn't need, and Dan suddenly jumped, staring... directly at John.

"What the hell?!" he exclaimed, looking from John to Chloe and back again. "You... I don't understand, I thought you died."

"I did," the warlock responded, walking straight through the coffee table. "But thanks to a loophole I found, I managed to save my damned soul from going to Hell. I've been helping Decker on some cases, including this one." He paused. "By the way, if someone reports a burned corpse in the next couple days, good luck trying to find the killer."

"You killed...? I don't... How?" Dan asked, still staring.

"Magic, mate," John said. "And the man deserved it, he's the one behind those comas."

"It's... a long story," Chloe said, and Dan finally looked away from John, but looking no less stunned and confused. "All of it."

Dan was quiet for a long time. "Well..." he said slowly. "I guess it would explain why you got over his death so quickly."

Chloe nodded. "He showed up at Lux right after the hospital called."

"Wait, so Lucifer knew?"

"Of course he did," John stated. "He's the bloody Devil." He looked at Chloe. "I'll let you have this one, luv. I'll come by later to check in."

"John, don't you dare—" But he was gone before she could even finish her sentence.

Chapter 18: I Will Always Watch Over You 2

Summary:

Raine finds out

Chapter Text

"You know Lloyd, don't you?"

Kratos glanced over to see Raine approaching him. The others were fast asleep nearby, and the seraph was on watch. He'd assumed that Raine was asleep, as well...

"I don't know what you're talking about," he told her.

She crossed her arms. "You're different with him than you are with the rest of us. Stricter, but more attentive to his mistakes." She paused. "Is he your son?"

"What?"

"You got very dodgy when he asked you if you had kids," she stated. Her tone turned soft. "And I saw you when we went to his house, at his mother's grave."

Kratos stiffened. Everything else, he could have explained away: he focused on Lloyd's technique because he was also a swordsman, his aversion to the topic of children was none of their business. But there was no explaining away the way he'd stood at Anna's grave that night.

"What happened?" she asked gently.

He was quiet for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "We were fleeing the Desians, and we became separated. When I realized they'd fallen down the cliff, I went to look for them, but there was no trace."

"So why haven't you told him?" Raine asked. "He's wondered about you for almost as long as I've known him. He loves Dirk, but it bothers him not knowing anything about his birth father."

"We have a mission," Kratos stated. "Lloyd gets distracted enough as it is, and he needs to focus if he's going to help, like he keeps saying he's going to." He sighed. "He grew up well. For being self-taught, he's good with a sword. He's kind, but smart when it counts. He owes all of that to the dwarf who raised him. He's better off not knowing."

"You think you'll disappoint him?" Raine asked, sounding slightly shocked.

He wouldn't say it aloud, but he did. He gave up on everything after he'd lost them, he'd joined Yggdrasil and Cruxis, and now he was guiding an innocent girl to her death. For all the things Lloyd probably assumed of his father, Kratos doubted he met any of those expectations. "I don't want him distracted," he repeated, but Raine didn't look convinced.

"So you're just... not going to tell him?"

"No," he told her. "And neither are you."

She looked about to argue, but some flicker of emotion must have shown on his face because she backed off. "Fine, I won't." She turned to go back to her bedroll. "But I really think you should."

Chapter 19: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 1

Summary:

Becker meets the team

Chapter Text

"You understand what it is we do here?"

Becker nodded once as he strode down the hall beside James Lester. "Yes, Sir. You handle the effects of the Gateways that have been opening before they get too out of hand."

"We call them anomalies here, but yes," his new boss said. "Our job is to contain whatever comes through, prevent any incidents, and keep the general populace in the dark." He stopped and turned to Becker. "You don't sound surprised."

"I know what a cover-up looks like, Sir, and I was on the scene two years ago with the juvenile leviathan," he replied. "There had to be more to it."

"And you understand your job, I assume?"

Becker nodded again. "Keep the team alive. I read the report on Stephen Hart." He paused. "And I know why you hired us, too."

"Do you, now?" Lester asked with a raised brow.

"You need durable foot soldiers, people who can take a hit from a hellbeast and get back up, people who can fight back." He gave wry smile. "And you needed someone expendable."

Lester nodded, satisfied with his answer. "Good. Now, I believe it's time you meet the team." He led the other man into the main area where the core team was gathered. "I would like you all to meet your new security team leader. His job is getting you back alive, so do try to listen to him."

The blonde man—Nick Cutter, according to the files Becker had been supplied—raised a brow. "Really," he said dryly.

The young woman, Abby Maitland, glanced over and took a double take, and the black haired man with her, Connor Temple, froze. Becker could hear the boy's pulse pounding in his ears.

"You can't be serious, Lester," Connor said. "He's a vampire!"

"Yes, I'm well aware, and I do remember your history with them, but if you want to keep working here, Temple, you'll put your personal feelings aside and deal with it," Lester all but ordered. Connor looked like he wanted to argue, but said nothing.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Lester?" Abby asked. "He can't come with us if we have to go through an anomaly, it's too dangerous. For all of us!"

Becker stepped forward. "That's a challenge we'll face if it comes to it." He leveled his gaze on each of them, one by one. He'd nearly faced corruption once, he knew what it was like, there was a chance he'd be able to fight it back. "But for now, just let me and my men do our jobs."

And almost as if on cue, the detection alarm went off.

Chapter 20: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 4

Summary:

Hank has a talk with Diego

Chapter Text

"Diego, could I speak with you for a moment?"

Diego scowled before clearing his face and turning. "Sure thing, Mr. McCoy," he said. He followed the teacher into the library.

"I'd like to talk to you about how you've been treating Luther," Hank said, and Diego's scowl returned.

"What, he tattled to a teacher because I hurt his feelings?" he asked. "He's a big boy, he can deal with a little teasing."

Hank shook his head. "Actually, it was Vanya. She was concerned, so she told the professor, who then came to me. Words can have a far greater effect on someone than you may realize."

"Like I said, he's a big boy," Diego snapped.

Hank sighed. "He's also a teenager, uncomfortable in his own skin in a world that won't accept him," he said. "And you, as his brother, need to consider that. We're all different from most people, I know you know that. But you and most of the others can hide those differences. Luther can't, he falls into the category that Kurt and I do: visibly mutated. Or altered, in his case. And while Kurt has his image inducer, and I have no need to leave the Institute unless I want to... Luther doesn't have those options."

Diego scoffed. "So I'm helping him get used to it, then."

Hank shook his head. "No, you're hurting him. From what I understand, this was an unexpected result of a traumatic incident, and treating him like this, rather than supporting him, isn't helping him heal. He shouldn't 'get used to it,' he should be able to grow comfortable enough with the way he is for it to not bother him. And he needs your help with that, Diego, not your cruelty."

This time, Diego paused. He hadn't thought before about the incident being traumatic for Luther. Hell, he barely thought about the incident at all. But looking back... it was bad enough for him and the others, seeing Luther lying there, skin blistering and boiling from the chemicals, the erratic beeping of the heart monitor when they finally got him home, the flatline...

But how many times through that had Luther woken up and they didn't know? How much was he aware of everything? And then, waking up... They'd all heard him scream, and Diego had taken what happened and turned it against him, instead of trying to help him through it.

"I'm s-such an asshole..." he muttered.

"Language," Hank said. "And while you're not exactly wrong... you can change that. I'm not asking you to treat him like glass or walk on eggshells around him. Just... think before you speak. Have his back if someone else says something. Be the brother he needs you to be, rather than the adversary he doesn't."

"O-okay..." he said quietly. "Sorry."

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," Hank stated kindly.

"Right," Diego said with a nod. He stood to leave, but paused in the doorway. "Thanks, Mr. McCoy."

Chapter 21: The Mutation Situation 3

Summary:

Shuri arrives

Chapter Text

"Oh, my god."

Peter's head shot up, snapping towards the elevator. Shuri walked in slowly, staring at him in what he assumed to be a mix of fascination and concern. He looked back at Tony.

"Sorry, kid, but if I told you she was coming, you'd just be hiding in your room, even though she's here to help," the billionaire stated.

That's still mean, he clicked. Tony gave an apologetic smile.

Natasha looked at Shuri. "He figured out he can—"

"Click his fangs in morse code," Shuri said excitedly. "Oh, Parker, you genius!" She strode over, setting down her bag. "How are you doing?"

I'm a giant spider, Shuri, how do you think I'm doing?

"Right, well, hopefully we can do something about that," she replied. "But first, I have some questions."

Peter paused. Can we go to my room?

"Sure," she answered, starting down the hall. She stopped when she realized Peter wasn't following her. She turned, raising an eyebrow in question, when Peter started down the other direction. Following curiously, she arrived just as the door opened, leading to a very dark room, covered entirely in webbing. As Peter entered, the lights turned on, but only about 20%.

"Peter doesn't have eyelids anymore, so too much light at once bothers him," FRIDAY supplied helpfully.

Shuri looked around, gently running her hand over the thick webs. They were remarkably soft, but thicker than an average web—understandable, considering Peter's size—and much stronger. "How long did it take you to do this?"

About a day, Peter replied, and Shuri noticed his spinnerets twitching, perhaps a nervous habit.

She nodded. "Do you have any idea how this happened?"

He shook his head. I just woke up one day with spider legs starting to grow out my stomach. Then this happened that night.

Shuri waited patiently for his clicking to stop, thinking it over. "Perhaps there was some sort of unusual stimulus shortly before that would have accelerated your mutations. A recent fight, maybe?"

Peter gave his best approximation of a shrug. He took a few steps back into the darkness, and Shuri immediately realized what he was doing.

"You do not need to hide," she told him. "As Tony said, I am here to help. The more I know about your current situation, the sooner I can try to work on something to make you human again. Is there any human anatomy left?"

Well, there's my head being separate from my thorax, he clicked. And I kind of have vocal cords, I think. I can't speak, I don't have a mouth made for that, but I can... screech, I guess.

"Did it hurt?"

A lot.

The princess frowned. She wanted to help, but at least for the moment, she didn't have the slightest idea how. Tony probably had biometric scans of all of the Avengers, so she supposed the first stage would be comparing his old biometrics to his new ones. How much human DNA was left, and how much was engulfed by the spider. "This may take a little while, so I'm very sorry," she said softly. "But I promise that Tony and I will do our best to fix you. Okay?"

Shuri could just barely make out his nod in the darkness. Thank you.

Chapter 22: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 3

Summary:

Skulduggery and Valkyrie's first class

Chapter Text

Valkyrie sat on the desk, watching the door and waiting for the first students to trickle in. She and Skulduggery had been settling in during the feast—Skulduggery didn't have to eat, and Valkyrie had eaten on the train—so neither of them had met any of the students, nor did they know what the kids were told about them. Skulduggery had finished his crash course on the wizarding world for her, and the school, so she had a decent idea of what to expect. First would be the fourth and fifth year Gryffindors. She briefly wondered how they'd treat her as a teacher, being only a year or two older than them.

Finally, the door opened, and she glanced over at Skulduggery, motionless in the corner. Wanting to give the students a little 'surprise' their first day.

The first kid, a girl with fiery red hair, stopped in the doorway, looking confused. "Um..." she said. "This... this is Sorcery, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Valkyrie replied. "You're in the right place."

"Where's the professor?" the girl asked.

Valkyrie shrugged. "You're looking at her."

The girl looked even more confused, stepping to the room. "I... don't understand," she said. "Professor Dumbledore said there were two new professors, Pleasant and Cain, teaching Sorcery."

"I'm Valkyrie Cain," Valkyrie introduced. "Skulduggery Pleasant is my partner." She nodded to the skeleton, who looked up and waved. The girl shrieked. A few other students had entered by now, all looking just as startled as her.

"So sorry to alarm you," Skulduggery began.

"No, you're not," Valkyrie interjected.

He ignored her. "Welcome to your first Sorcery class. Yes, I know, I am indeed a skeleton, but please take your seats." He motioned to the desks. Too stunned to speak, they sat.

Valkyrie watched the rest of the students trickle in, eyes lingering for a second on the boy with the scar. Harry Potter, if she wasn't mistaken. How could this scruffy looking teen be the one to defeat this mysterious Lord Voldemort?

Then again, how could Valkyrie be the one to end the world?

Once everyone was in their seats, Skulduggery moved in front of the desk. "Good morning, everyone. Now, I'm sure you have questions, some of which may be answered in due time. But first: role call."

Valkyrie watched as each student responded to their name, trying to commit them to memory. The girl who'd walked in was Ginny Weasley. That shouldn't be too hard to remember, considering her resemblance to her brother, Ron.

One of the girls, Lavender Brown, raised her hand. "So... why are we learning sorcery? I don't understand, we already know magic."

"Bad things are coming," Valkyrie said, "and we wanted to give you an extra advantage." Some of the students looked dubious, and Valkyrie realized that they probably believed their government, their Ministry. She hoped they'd change their minds fast, or they'd be in for a nasty surprise.

"We'll start with some basics," Skulduggery told them, "but our first few weeks will be a crash course in our history. There are several different kinds of magic, with several different origins, and if you don't learn from the mistakes of the past, eventually someone is doomed to repeat them. And I genuinely hope that none of you become the next Mevolent."

He turned his head slightly to look at Valkyrie, and she met his gaze, understanding his unspoken words: Or we'll have to hunt you down ourselves.

"Not everyone can do sorcery, though," Valkyrie continued. "So after our history lessons, we're going to see who does, and who doesn't. People who use our kind of magic are referred to as sorcerers, while people who don't are referred to as mortals." A few hands raised, and she added, "Yes, we do age and die, just at a lot slower rate." The hands went down.

"I don't," Skulduggery commented, met first with silence, then a few nervous laughs. "Currently, the only type of magic we can teach you by example is Elemental magic. The other type, Adept, is a lot more variable, but both Valkyrie and I are Elementals. I can teach you the theory of many other branches, which we can discuss later in the year." He looked at Valkyrie. "A sign-up sheet next month, I think."

Valkyrie nodded. "Sounds good to me." She looked back at the class. "Don't be discouraged if you can't do it. It's nothing you're doing wrong." She noticed Ron nudge the girl beside him, Hermione, who glared in response. "And don't give up if you can't do it at first. It takes a while, and a lot of practice, but if you find that you can do sorcery, then by the end of the year..." She clicked her fingers, fireball igniting in her hand. The class stared, and at first she wondered how these kids who knew about magic could be so amazed by a single fireball, before remembering that they needed wands for their magic, and she was literally holding fire in her hand. Letting it go out, she lowered her hand.

"But, as I said, we'll be starting off with a history lesson. We know about your history, your wars and your tragedies," Skulduggery said, and Valkyrie noticed him looking directly at Harry. From his expression, it looked like he noticed it too. His skull turned just a fraction, and Valkyrie knew he'd returned to looking at the class as a whole. "Now let us tell you ours."

Chapter 23: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 1

Summary:

Ellie finds Isaac on the Ishimura

Chapter Text

Ellie swallowed thickly as she stepped onto the ship. Her time here had only been brief, but the memories were flooding back nonetheless. Fighting necromorph after necromorph, trying to find Isaac, hearing them crawling in the vents. Even now, she swore she could hear them.

Kicking a disembodied necromorph arm out of her way, Ellie raised her weapon before checking her tracker. According to the signal, Isaac was close, but she couldn't see him through all the wreckage. "Isaac?" she called out, hoping there were no more of those awful creatures around to hear her.

The sound in the vents abruptly stopped, and Ellie froze. She aimed her weapon at the vent opening and waited. Only a few seconds later, a necromorph crawled out. It didn't dart out like it was going to attack her, but she wasn't going to give it the chance. With expert precision, she fired, and one of its arms was sliced clean off. It shrieked in pain, but made no move to try to crawl towards her. Or maybe slither, with only one arm and a long tail at the end of its torso. The stump started twitching, and to her horror, she watched the arm regrow.

She took a step back, never lowering her weapon. If there were necromorphs still on the Ishimura, then she had to find Isaac, and fast. She checked her tracker again, and it said Isaac was... right in front of her. Her heart sank as she looked back at the creature, seeing the rig fused to its back for the first time. Tears came to her eye, and her weapon faltered. The necromorph... Isaac... didn't take the opportunity to attack. Instead, it—he just watched her. "Oh God, Isaac," she whispered.

Arm now fully healed, he propped himself up carefully, watching her. After a second, he dove forward and she screamed, firing blindly as she ducked. The shot missed him, and he went sailing over her. Colliding with another necromorph.

Ellie watched in amazement as Isaac moved, albeit clumsily, between her and the other necromorph, raising his tail in an almost threatening manner. When it charged Ellie, he shot forward, slicing at it with the talons at the end of his arms. One of its flailing arms came off, and the pilot finally snapped out of it and fired, taking out its other arm, immediately followed by its head. When she was sure it was dead, Ellie looked back at Isaac, who was now frozen to the spot, looking up at her.

"Isaac?" she asked softly, taking a chance and kneeling down to his level. "Is that... really you?"

He stared at her for a moment before slowly nodding, and despite the situation, the absurdity of the image made Ellie laugh softly. "My god," she said after a moment, reaching over and gently touching his face. It was wet, but not quite rotten or pussy like she would expect a necromorph to feel. The eyes staring back at her were white, the same as those she'd stared down before, back on Titan station as they killed her friends. But there was no hostility in his body, just what looked like hesitation, and maybe even fear. "What happened to you?"

Chapter 24: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 3

Summary:

Valkyrie meets the Dead Men

Chapter Text

Valkyrie stood next to the wall, tray in hand. The aesthetic wasn't much better than the cafeteria in the camp, but the atmosphere was so much nicer. People were smiling, cracking jokes... relaxed. Here, she could almost pretend nothing was wrong.

She took a deep breath, eyes landing on a table where four men sat, two teasing each other, one shaking his head, and the last looking completely stoic. Skulduggery had never properly introduced her to them, but she'd picked up that they were the rest of the Dead Men, a strike team back in the war with Mevolent, according to Fergus. He'd advised her to stay away from them, of course, but she'd decided to join this fight. She might as well learn a bit more about the people she'd be fighting alongside.

She walked over, hands clutched tightly around her tray. If she'd been holding the sandwich itself, it probably would have turned to mush by now. "Can I sit here?" she asked hesitantly, and they all turned to look at her. She wanted to duck her head and turn around like she hadn't said anything, but the two who'd been teasing each other slid apart, leaving a space open for her. The scarred man, the one she'd heard Skulduggery call Ghastly, gave her an encouraging smile. Setting her tray down, she sat.

"So, you're the Edgley girl," the blonde said. "Dexter Vex," he introduced, holding out his hand with a lopsided smile.

"Valkyrie Cain," she replied.

The stoic man spoke up. "So you've decided to join the fight."

She nodded. "I have. I want to go home, to my family, and I can't do that unless the mortals imprisoning sorcerers are stopped. So I'll do whatever it takes."

Dexter nodded. "A good plan," he agreed. He pointed to the man on Valkyrie's other side. "That's Saracen Rue. The ugly one is Ghastly Bespoke, and Mr. No Emotions over there is Anton Shudder."

"Nice to meet you," she said.

"So polite!" Saracen said with a teasing grin. "Dexter, you could learn a thing or two from this kid."

"Don't call me a kid," she said, eyes narrowing.

"Well, then, Valkyrie," he began, still teasing. "Is there anything you want to know?"

Valkyrie looked at him for a moment. Ever since her escape, she had had so many questions. How did her family history make her special? Why were they working with China Sorrows? What were their plans? What was Fergus doing here, if he wasn't fighting?

"Who was that in the armor?" she finally asked.

The Dead Men looked at each other before Ghastly finally spoke. "That was Lord Vile," he told her. "What do you know about the war with Mevolent?"

"Only what they taught us in school," she replied. "But a lot of that is probably skewed to paint sorcerers as the bad guys, right?"

"Well, Mevolent was very bad guy," Dexter stated. "And he had three generals by his side: Nefarian Serpine, Baron Vengeous, and Lord Vile. We're able to keep a close eye on Serpine, no one knows where Vengeous went, and everyone thought Vile died until about five years ago, when he showed up again. He's a Necromancer, all his power stored in that armor of his, and he could decimate a battlefield single-handedly."

"We had a rule," Ghastly told her. "You don't go up against Vile alone. You gather an army behind you and hope someone gets in a lucky shot. We thought he was gone, and then one day he just... appeared again."

"That's not the real Lord Vile," Skulduggery stated, walking over.

"And how would you know? You never even faced the man," Dexter shot back.

"Because Vile wouldn't work for mortals," he said evenly. "He would decimate them, along with us. No, someone found his armor, and the Sentinels are using him to try to scare us off."

The others didn't look convinced, and Valkyrie frowned. Skulduggery had saved her life, gotten her out and listened when she asked for Fletcher to be rescued too. But if Dexter was right and he hadn't faced Lord Vile, then how did Skulduggery know for sure?

After a moment of quiet, Saracen spoke up. "We can return to this later, someone needs a little more fun. After being cooped up in a camp for a couple weeks, you shouldn't get stuck talking shop all the time." He rested his head in his hand. "Tell us about your cousins. They've got to be a pair of terrors if they're Fergus's kids."

Chapter 25: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 1

Summary:

Toby reunites with Craig

Chapter Text

"Hey! Bro!"

Toby stopped and turned, surprised to see the familiar man jogging toward him, baby strapped to his chest. Amanda stopped a second after he did, brows furrowing in confusion.

"Craig?" Toby asked in shock, unable to stop himself from staring. Craig had always looked fit as hell—werewolf metabolism and all—but now he looked like he actually put some work into his physique and god, it showed. He suddenly felt very self-conscious of his own scrawny build.

"Dude, it's been ages!" he exclaimed, pulling him in for the best bro hug he could, considering the baby in the way.

Toby found himself at a loss for words for a moment. "You... look good," he finally said lamely, earning an elbow to the ribs from Amanda.

"So you're the famous Craig," she said with a grin. "Dad told me all about some of the stuff you got up to in college. Did you really steal a goldfish?"

Craig returned to grin. "That was all your dad," he laughed. "I just provided the distraction."

"It was your fish we were replacing!" Toby exclaimed indignantly. "Don't pretend to be innocent." He sighed. "Please ignore Amanda, my very nosy daughter." He motioned to the baby. "And who's this little sweetheart? You babysitting?"

He shook his said. "Nah, dude, River's mine."

"Is she a werewolf, too?" Amanda blurted. "Do you have a tiny fuzzy baby on the full moon?"

Craig raised a brow, looking at Toby.

"It came up, I had to explain," the brunette replied sheepishly. "But she knows not to tell anyone."

Craig nodded for a moment. "So, what're you doing on this side of town, anyway?"

"Oh, Amanda and I just moved into the cul de sac," he explained. "We're getting to know the neighborhood."

To Toby's surprise, the werewolf seemed to physically relax. "Thank god it's you," he said.

Toby's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you're already in the know about the supernatural," Craig replied. "And our little neighborhood is crawling with them. You already know about me. Brian, over there," he pointed to the house Toby had been told belonged to the large man, "is a werebear." He pointed to the next house. "That's my place, and that's Mat, he's a siren." He continued to point to each house in turn, skipping over the one Toby and Amanda just moved into. "Joseph's a demon, and his wife Mary's a witch. Pretty sure she summoned him, and their creepy kids." Skipping over the next house, his finger landed on the black, Victorian looking building. "Damien's a vampire, not that hard to figure out, and Hugo's a shapeshifter."

Amanda frowned. "What about that one?" she asked, pointing to the one he'd skipped.

Craig pulled a face. "Robert. He's human. A Hunter, who's supposedly retired, but the way he watches us sometimes, I dunno."

Toby nodded softly to himself. Craig was right, of anyone to move to the neighborhood, he and Amanda were probably the safest bets, and he just hoped they'd be okay with him being human. If Craig didn't like Robert, he doubted anyone else did, too, so what if that made them not like humans in general? Would he be okay? Would Amanda be okay? Should he hang garlic in front of his door? Get a silver doorknob? Did silver even work on werebears?

"Dude, calm down," Craig said, placing a hand gently on his shoulder. He'd always been great at noticing when Toby started to spiral. "You'll be fine, alright, bro? Just be your doofy awkward self, and they'll all like you in no time."

"And if they don't, we figure out how to kick their asses," Amanda said with a proud nod. Craig laughed, and Toby just sighed.

"Amanda, language."

Chapter 26: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 2

Summary:

Isaac and Carver talk on the Eudora

Chapter Text

Isaac dropped down onto one of the beds, leaning his head against the post. He thought he'd left this shit behind. That mission to Callisto was supposed to be his final one before retirement. He thought he'd holed up where no one looking would find him, but then Ellie needed his help. She hadn't abandoned him back on the Ishimura, there was no way he was abandoning her.

"Hey, Clarke!"

Isaac looked up to see Carver leaning on the door frame, arms crossed. "Hey, Carver," he replied. "Long time, no see."

Carver pushed off the wall, walking over and sitting next to Isaac, leaning on the other post and turning to face him. "Didn't think I'd ever find you on a spaceship again."

"I didn't think you'd ever find me," Isaac retorted. He paused. "How did you find me?"

"Ellie told us, in her last transmission." Isaac bristled, and he continued. "Hey, before you get all pissed off, how were we supposed to find you on our own? You hid yourself pretty well."

"Why me, though?" he asked. "Ellie knew I was done, that I wanted nothing to do with any of this shit anymore."

Carver shrugged. "I figure it probably has to do with the Marker," he responded. "Why else would she specifically call out the necro-man?"

Isaac frowned. "Hey, I told you last time not to call me that." He looked down at his hands, idly picking at his sleeves. "Does anyone know?"

"What, about you and the necromorph thing?" Carver asked. "Far as I can tell, maybe Norton, but that's it. I heard him make a couple dead man cracks on our way to pick you up."

Isaac froze, and he felt the familiar itch under his skin as his body was getting ready to change. He took a deep breath, focusing on that until the itch went away. "And he's alright with me being here?"

"He kind of has to be," Carver replied. "Ellie apparently said we needed you, and the woman's stubborn as hell and won't take no for an answer."

Isaac huffed a laugh. "Yeah, that sounds like Ellie."

"Look, you're gonna be alright, right?" the soldier asked. "If there're any Markers where we're going..."

"What, you think I'll lose control and try to kill everyone?" Isaac asked plainly. The silence Carver gave him was answer enough. "The Markers don't control me, that's the whole reason Floccari picked me for his fucked up experiment." He paused, trying to think of the best way to explain. "I can read the symbols, and I can hear the Hive Mind. When I'm... y'know... I can feel the pull of it, but not strong enough to force me to do anything. Just strong enough to notice. You don't have to worry about me going crazy."

Carver barked a laugh. "Clarke, we always have to worry about you going crazy," he stated. "But good to know you won't flip your shit on us." He stood, offering Isaac a hand, which he took. "Now c'mon, Captain wants to see you."

Chapter 27: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 2

Summary:

Becker finds out why Connor doesn't like him

Chapter Text

Becker was just finishing cleaning his gun when he heard the heartbeat. Quick, but accompanied by calm breathing. Light footsteps, but not purposely careful.

Abby.

He didn't react until she was about ten feet away. Humans tended to get a little unnerved when he responded to their presence a little too soon. He looked up, turning toward her and raising a brow. None of the team had ever just approached him out of nowhere, so there had to be a reason she was here.

"I... wanted to explain something a little bit," she said, meeting his eye. She, Cutter, and Lester were the only humans to do that. Everyone else looked away, and while he understood why, it made Becker a little uncomfortable. "What Connor's issue with you is."

"Everyone has an issue with vampires," he stated dryly. "I'm used to it."

The blonde sighed in frustration. "Yes, but normally Connor wouldn't. It's just that... a few years ago, something came through an anomaly with this... altered vampire virus, dangerously close to corruption. And that virus ended up killing one of his best friends."

"And he holds vampires responsible," Becker guessed.

Abby frowned. "Not quite," she said slowly. "But you do kind of remind him of all that, and that's why he doesn't like you. I'm trying to talk to him about it—"

"Why?"

"What?" she asked, startled.

He frowned, trying to find the words the avoid sounding like he was throwing himself a pity party. "Why does it matter to you? You know why my team was hired."

"Just because you're a vampire doesn't mean you're not a person," she argues. "You drink blood, sure, and your heart doesn't beat like ours do, but just because you're not human doesn't mean you don't deserve to be treated like one."

Becker was quiet for a minute. "You're the first person I've ever heard say that."

"And that's a damn shame."

Chapter 28: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 1

Summary:

Claudia finds Becker's file

Chapter Text

"Hey, Hilary!"

Becker stiffened as soon as he walked through the door to Artie's office, seeing Claudia sitting in the chair, feet propped up on the desk with a file in her lap. He didn't even need to ask what the file was.

"Where did you get that?" he ground out.

"It wasn't easy," the young woman stated. "Why couldn't you have an electronic file like everyone else."

"Precisely so that people like you wouldn't go snooping into my history."

"Come on, professional dino wrangler?" she asked. "That sounds like the coolest job ever, why wouldn't you tell us?"

He kept his face carefully blank. "Did you get to the part about why I left?"

She nodded. "Yeah, the place shut down when some team members went missing."

"Their names were Danny Quinn, Abby Maitland, and Connor Temple," he said, somehow managing to keep the emotion out of his voice. "They weren't just team members, they were my friends. And they didn't go missing, they... they were trapped in the past. We don't know what era, but they were following a psychopath named Helen Cutter, and we have no idea if they're dead or alive. We went on four rescue missions, but none were successful."

Claudia's face fell further and further. "I'm so sorry," she said. "I had no idea."

"And you weren't supposed to," he snapped.

She had the sense to look guilty. "Do you think they're still alive?" she eventually asked.

Becker was temped to not answer. But he hadn't spoken to anyone about this since he'd left the ARC, and it might feel good to just talk to someone. "I don't know," he replied honestly. "It's been several months, and there could be any number of predators that could kill them." Though hopefully not those predators, he added silently. "The ARC couldn't keep running after the core team was gone. It closed, I was out of a job, and that's when Mrs. Frederick found me."

"And that's when you wound up here," Claudia finished. "I'm... really sorry for what happened to your friends. Maybe one of those time holes—"

"Anomalies," he corrected.

"—will open up again, and they'll come home."

Becker was quiet for a moment. He'd had that thought himself several times, but each time, he'd pushed it down. Getting his hopes up would only lead to disappointment.

"This stays between us," he said, giving Claudia a meaningful look.

She nodded, handing over the file. "I promise."

Chapter 29: Detour Through the Hellmouth 1

Summary:

Xander hears Dean for the first time

Chapter Text

What the shit?

Xander jumped, looking around, trying to find the source of the voice. He was alone in his bedroom. He thought so, at least. And the voice sounded like it was coming from in his head, but he'd never heard it before in his life.

"Hello?" he asked tentatively.

I thought I was supposed to be in Hell, and this ain't it, the voice said, seeming to not even be listening to Xander.

"Hello?" he asked again, louder this time, even though he wasn't sure it would even make a difference.

What?  the voice snapped.

"Who the hell are you?" the brunette asked. "And where the hell are you?"

Dean Winchester, the voice said. And I think... I might be inside your head.

"Wait, hold on, what?" Xander asked, starting to wonder if maybe all the shit going on in Sunnydale had finally driven him crazy.

Look, I don't get it either! Dean yelled. But I can feel every time you move, but I can't move myself. I see what you're seeing, but I can't control any of it. Only logical explanation is be getting stuck in your head, I just don't know how.

"That's logical?" Xander asked incredulously. Now he was sure he was crazy.

Look, where are we?

"Sunnydale," he replied slowly, not even knowing why he was entertaining his own insanity. "It's a hellmouth."

Of course it is, Dean said, sounding both frustrated and understanding. I got stuck, didn't I? But that doesn't explain how this happened. Shit.

Xander frowned. He could easily be crazy. Or this guy Dean really could've gotten lost on his way to Hell. Weirder things had happened in Sunnydale. The next logical step would be to go to Giles, see what he knew about it, but he didn't want the others to look at him like he was nuts. He'd give it some time, and if Dean didn't go away, and if it somehow started to make sense, then he'd tell the Scoobies. But for now...

"I'm Xander."

Chapter 30: Man, Woman, or Beast 1

Summary:

Alistair gushes about his wife

Chapter Text

Alistair scowled at the nobles in the court. It seemed like all they could talk about these days was how he needed a 'proper' queen. They were even starting to suggest he free Anora from imprisonment and marry her. As though his wife weren't fit for the throne.

Maker's breath, even after three months, it still gave him a rush to be able to call Vani his wife.

He knew why they disliked her, and from a political view, it made sense. She was an elf, for starters, and it was made known early on that she wouldn't be able to produce and heir—though very few people knew the reason why. They didn't consider her 'feminine enough' to be a queen, either, regardless of the compromises she'd tried to make.

For as long as he'd known her, Vani had always been a woman of practicality. Until their wedding day, he had only ever seen her in armor, and even then, she looked uncomfortable in the dress she'd worn. It had been a fight just to get her in chainmail during the Blight, and only after he argued that fighting darkspawn was a little bit different than hunting in the Dales. She'd kept her hair mostly shaved, because then it couldn't be grabbed by any adversary or snag on any tree.

But she'd agreed to compromise. As uncomfortable as they made her, and as impractical as she found them, Vani had promised to wear a dress in public appearances. She'd agreed to grow her hair out some, and at the moment, it was maybe an inch longer than Alistair's. The king had a feeling that would be as long as it was getting, but still, it would just have to be good enough for everyone else.

Alistair couldn't care less how she looked, she'd always been beautiful in his eyes. He'd promised her once, what felt like a lifetime ago, that man, woman, or beast, he would always love her as long as she was her. And that still held true to this day.

Barely paying attention to the conversation around him now, he thought he heard something about her 'savage' habits. They actually opposed her blood pendant from her Joining, and while he hadn't been present for that particular argument, he'd heard stories, and Vani had been unable to speak for days afterward. They considered the fact that she still went hunting to be completely taboo, that a queen should remain in the castle, doing only her duties to Ferelden. Alistair knew she missed the freedom of the Dales, and he never wanted to make her feel trapped, so he'd told her that whenever she wanted to go out hunting, or just enjoy nature, she could. He just asked that she inform him first so he wouldn't worry.

He knew, for example, that she was out hunting right now. She might even be on her way home, through the back garden, straight into the kitchen to decide with the royal cook how to prepare whatever she'd brought back for dinner. He just had to wait for this stupid meeting to end so he could go find her and see her beautiful face, her gorgeous smile.

Morrigan had called him 'whipped' once. And while Alistair would never say it to the witch's face, she was completely, absolutely correct.

Chapter 31: Loophole 4

Summary:

John arrives on Earth-666

Chapter Text

The first thing John noticed when the light faded was the grand piano. That was just about the only thing he could really register before his chest tightened. Hand flying to his coat pocket, he withdrew one of the many tissues he'd grabbed before his departure. The taste of iron filled his mouth.

"I appreciate you not getting blood on my floor," a smooth voice said, and John looked up to see exactly the man he'd been looking for. "What are you doing here on my Earth, Johnny?"

"Dying," he replied, slowly rising to his feet. As expected, the Devil made no move to help him.

"I'm sorry, what?" a female voice asked, and for the firs time John noticed the blonde woman by Lucifer's side. She looked from the warlock to the Devil and back again. "What do you mean, 'your Earth'?"

"Multiverse, luv," John stated. "Infinite number of parallel worlds, side by side."

The woman eyed him suspiciously, and John was pretty sure she thought he was crazy. After a long moment, she held out her hand, albeit hesitantly. "I'm Chloe Decker," she said.

"John Constantine," he replied, taking her hand, grinning. The disgusted and concerned look on her face reminded him that he probably still had a lot of blood in his mouth. He was growing far too accustomed to the taste.

"Johnny here is from Earth-1," Lucifer told Chloe. He turned back to John. "And so I ask again. What are you doing here?"

"Turns out smoking is bad for you," he joked. "And considering infernal law..."

"Oh, you sneaky little man," Lucifer said with his own grin. "So you're going to die here, then?"

"That's the plan."

Chloe looked more and more confused by the moment. "Okay, someone explain what 'infernal law' means. And why you came here to... to die."

"My soul was damned to Hell a long time ago," John told her. "So when I die, a demon named Nergal is supposed to come and collect. But there's this little rule where nothing infernal—or divine, for that matter—has any domain over something, or someone, from another Earth. So if I die here on Earth-66..."

"You... don't go to Hell?" Chloe guessed.

"Bingo."

Chapter 32: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 4

Summary:

Sam and Mike come clean about the Blackwood Mountain incident

Chapter Text

"What the hell is going on here?" Julia asked. "I mean, I saw Alex. I mean, more than one Alex."

"There were these... hands, coming out of the floor," Fliss stated. "And this ritual place, with pools of blood."

Sam and Mike shared a look. "None of that was real," Mike told them.

"What are you talking about?" Conrad asked dubiously.

"We found these documents lying around," Sam said. "And they all point to Manchurian Gold not being any kind of treasure at all. It's some kind of bioweapon, and hallucinagen. So nothing we've been seeing or hearing is real."

"So when Mike pulled a gun on us..." Alex started.

Mike nodded. "I wasn't seeing... any of you. I was seeing a group of wendigos."

Brad's brows furrowed. "Wendigos? Are those some... Native American myth?"

Sam gve a humorless laugh. "Not so much a myth," she said. "You can believe us if you want, or think we're crazy, but that's what happened. Up on the mountain that night." A sudden heavy air seemed to fall over the group. She could tell by the looks on their faces that they never expected her and Mike to come clean about it. Frankly, she hadn't expected it, either. She looked at her cousins. "You remember how Hannah and Beth disappeared, right?"

Julia nodded. "Yeah, we offered to help search for them, remember?"

"Well, it turns out they fell into the mines. Beth died, but Hannah..." Sam looked to Mike, unsure of how to explain all of it.

"There's this legend, of a creature called a wendigo," he said. "It happens when someone resorts to cannibalism, specifically on Blackwood Mountain. From what we understand, the wendigo spirit comes and possesses someone after they eat another human, and turns them into a wendigo. They're these... perfect killing machines. Hannah, she..." He paused, taking a deep breath. "She survived the fall. She was starving in those mines for weeks, so she... ate Beth. And became one of those things."

"And then she hunted us down..." Sam added. "When Josh brought us all back up there last February, he was trying to prank us, scare the shit out of us with this fucked up horror movie scenario, but then the wendigos came, and everyone... everyone else died."

Silence hung over them all as the others looked at each other, clearly trying to determine whether they thought Sam and Mike were crazy. On the one hand, they'd all seen some fucking up shit already, but on the other... according to what the two just said, none of that had been real.

"So these... wendigos..." Alex started, and Sam considered it a win that there was no mocking tone to his voice. "If they're so badass, how did you two escape?"

"With a lighter and a lot of luck," Mike replied. He looked about to continue when they all heard loud banging nearby, and what sounded like Olson yelling. "But right now isn't really the time to continue this, let's get off this fucking death trap first, okay?"

Chapter 33: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 2

Summary:

Toby gets cursed

Chapter Text

"You!"

Toby looked up, startled, to see a woman across the park glaring at him, pointing, with her hair swirling around her, despite the fact that there was no wind. Which could only mean one thing.

She was a witch.

"Um... can I help you?" he asked hesitantly, really not liking the way she was looking at him.

"What makes you so special?" she hissed, stalking over. "What the hell does he see in you?"

Toby blinked owlishly. "I don't understand..." he said.

"Robert!" she snapped. "I've been trying to grab his attention for months, and yet you move in, and within a few weeks you have him wrapped around your little finger!" Her fists clenched before she raised them, grinning wickedly. "But I know just how to fix that. Robert hates cryptids, so all I have to do is make you something he despises." Her hands began to glow. "Transformo!" she yelled, and a deep blackness shot out from her hands, surrounding Toby. He felt like his body was starting to melt, and in mere moments, he was nothing more than a black puddle on the ground.

'What?' he tried to said, but no words came out. He had no mouth, no vocal cords, no means of speaking at all. He wasn't even sure if he could move.

"There," the witch said with a smirk. "See how much he likes you now."

"Vanessa!" Toby heard a familiar voice yell, and despite having no eyes, he was able to see Mary run over, looking more than a little pissed. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," the woman huffed.

"Don't pull that on me, change him—" But she had already disappeared with a pop. Mary sighed heavily and got down on her knees, looking at Toby. "I'm sorry, sailor," she told him. "I had no idea Vanessa would get that kind of crazy idea. I can't undo it, because it's not my spell, but we'll figure something out."

Toby felt himself quivering, and he had so many questions he wanted to ask, and just got more and more frustrated that he couldn't.

"It looks like she turned you into a polymorph, but without any instinct or training, you have no idea how to transform, do you?" She paused. "I'll bet you don't know how to even move. How about this: We get you to Hugo, see if there's anything he can do. He's probably got some polymorph blood in him."

Toby wanted to nod, wanted to show her how much he agreed. As it was, he just put every effort into tensing, hoping that she would see any kind of response as a confirmation.

Mary nodded. "Alright then," she said, pulling a large jar out of her bag. Toby didn't want to think about what used to be in it. She helped scoop him in. "Let's go, sailor."

Chapter 34: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 4

Summary:

Everyone learns the truth about Lord Vile

Chapter Text

"Fletcher, I need you to get me as close as possible," Skulduggery told the Teleporter.

Fletcher gulped. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Because I really don't want a shadow stabbing through my stomach."

"We'll be fast, you'll be fine," he said, and Valkyrie frowned. There was something... off about his tone. From the looks the other Dead Men were giving each other, she was pretty sure they agreed. "But this is our only way of stopping him, do you hear me?"

Fletcher stared at him for a moment before looking back to where Vile was wiping the floor with their forces. They had no idea how many might already be dead. He looked back to Skulduggery. "Okay," he finally said, holding a hand out. Skulduggery took it, and they were gone.

Valkyrie peeked over their cover to see them reappear right behind Vile. Skulduggery seemed to grab him for a second before letting go and he and Fletcher teleported away. Once again, they appeared, Skulduggery grabbed him, let go, and this time, Fletcher brought him near the others, but not quite back to them. The Teleporter just ran over to them, nearly collapsing against the wall.

"Are you okay?" Valkyrie asked. "What happened?"

"What's Skulduggery doing?" Ghastly asked Fletcher, who just pointed back over his shoulder at the skeleton. They looked over, and were surprised to find that Vile had stopped fighting, and was now staring straight at Skulduggery.

Skulduggery almost seemed to be ignoring him as he moved his arms, and for the first time, Valkyrie noticed that Vile's gauntlets were missing. Her eyes widened, and she looked back to Skulduggery just in time to see him click the latches into place.

"What the hell is he doing?" Dexter muttered in disbelief, leaving cover and making for his friend. The others followed.

"You should get out of here," Skulduggery told them, not looking up. He gaze was levelled straight at Vile. "Get as many people as you can, and go."

"What are you talking about? We're not leaving you!" Valkyrie exclaimed.

"Skulduggery," Ghastly said slowly. "Why are you wearing Vile's gauntlets?"

He was quiet for a moment, looking at his friend before saying, "I'm sorry." Before anyone had the chance to ask for any kind of clarification, he raised his arms, pointing them at Vile. Almost immediately, the general froze, and to everyone's surprise, the shadows started slowly pulling away, peeling off in strips and flying toward Skulduggery, rebuilding around him.

Lord Vile lowered his arms, waved them away with a surge of shadows, and headed for the middle of the battlefield.

Chapter 35: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 3

Summary:

Isaac becomes human again... kind of

Chapter Text

Isaac blinked slowly as he sat up. The lights were bright, and it was cold.

Wait... Cold?

He sat up, hands quickly examining what they could, and he was just happy he had hands. Hands, legs, hair... Holy fuck, the doctor had done it.

"I see you're awake, Mr. Clarke," Dr. Celiceo said, walking in with Ellie trailing behind.

"Oh my God, Isaac..." Ellie breathed, a smile slowly spreading across her face.

Isaac couldn't help but grin back. "Doctor, I don't know how to thank—"

"I wouldn't go thanking me yet," she said, and his smile slowly dropped.

"What do you mean?" Ellie asked before he had the chance. "He's human."

Dr. Celiceo frowned. "Not... quite..." She sighed. "Mr. Clarke, while I was able to help change your body back, your genetic structure is just... too corrupted. There's still a very high risk of another transformation. I did what I could, but..."

"Wait, what did you do?" Isaac asked. "And can I have some actual clothes?"

"Right, of course, they're underneath the table." She and Ellie both turned so he could change while she talked. "The problem was that while you had both necromorph and human genetic code, the necromorph outnumbered and overpowered the human. That you had any humanity left at all is a miracle, and probably what kept your mind intact. In order to change your body back, I had to strengthen the human cells. I was able to pull your old CEC file and create a synthetic copy of your human cells. I then injected you with said cells and let them do the work. But as there is still necromorph DNA in you, which I am unable to do anything about... Well, as I said, another transformation is likely." She turned when she heard him stop moving.

Isaac clasped his hands and brought them to his mouth to think. "So you're saying I'm still technically a necromorph. I just look human."

"I wouldn't put it that way, but in all technicality... I suppose so," Dr. Celiceo conceded.

He was quiet for a long moment. "Do you have any idea what'll cause another change?"

"I would assume a moment of high stress, either physical or emotional, that would get your body working harder," she suggested. "But I don't think this is a miracle I could perform a second time."

"So the next time he transforms, there's no going back?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know about that," the doctor said, "but we can't know for certain until it happens. You may gain the ability to shift between the two forms at will, only time will tell."

Isaac nodded slowly. It wasn't as good as he'd hoped, but... "Thank you, Dr. Celiceo. For doing what you could."

"You're welcome, Mr. Clarke," she responded. "I just wish there was more I could do."

Chapter 36: The Witch's Daughter 1

Summary:

Sam confronts Dean

Chapter Text

Dean was just finishing cleaning his gun when the door slammed open.

"Jesus, Sam!" he snapped.

"Were you ever going to tell me?!" Sam yelled.

"Tell you what?"

Sam scowled, slamming the door shut. "How about that deal you made last year? That you're going to Hell in six months? Or how about the fact that you've been lying to me this whole time?" Sam dropped heavily down onto his bed, looking Dean dead in the eye. "Were you ever going to tell me, Dean?"

Dean froze, and was well aware he was probably sporting the 'deer in headlights' look. "How?" he asked.

"Ruby," the younger Winchester said bitterly. "I had to have a demon tell me."

"Dammit, Ruby..." Dean looked back at Sam. "Sammy, I'm sorry. Honestly, no, I wasn't planning on saying anything."

"Why?"

"I didn't want you distracted," he said. "We needed to find Dad, and get the yellow-eyed demon, and if you knew, you'd spend all this time and focus on how to fix me when that wasn't what's important. And now... what kind of a dick move would it be to tell you just to have you lost me again in less than a year?"

"Dammit, Dean, there's gotta be something we can do," Sam said.

Dean glared. "Don't you think I've tried? But I can't. That bitch made sure of that." As soon as the words left his mouth, Dean leaned forward, putting his head in his hands. "Nothing I can do will fix this, Sammy. I'm stuck like this, so it's not worth worrying about." He bit his lip. He was not gonna cry, not right now.

Sam was quiet for a moment, probably taking in the pathetic sight before him. "What happened?" he finally asked softly.

Dean sighed, trying to subtly wipe his eyes, and looked up. "I got up to get something out of the vending machine outside. I didn't bring a gun or a knife, and it was dumb, and stupid... She found me, brought me back to her house, gave some speech about always wanting a daughter, then did... this. I've looked into counterspells, I've looked into hormones, but this bitch knew some powerful stuff."

Sam frowned. "You still should've told me."

"Maybe," Dean conceded. "But like I said, I didn't wanna end up distracting you from the endgame here, and then things just kinda kept coming up. Bobby knows, he cornered me and weaseled it out. Dad, too, but I have no idea how he found out."

"Wait, Dad knew, and he didn't say anything to me?" Sam paused before shaking his head. "Of course he didn't."

"He was being practical," Dean informed him. "Just... drop it, alright. There's nothing you can do about this, or the deal, because if I try to worm my way out, you die again, and I'm not letting that happen." He nodded toward the books on the table. "And we've got work to do."

Chapter 37: Loophole 5

Summary:

John teaches Chloe how to summon him

Chapter Text

"Hey Decker, you picked my stuff up from the hospital, right?"

Chloe jumped, looking up from her book to see John sitting on the arm of the couch. Even though it had been over a month since he'd died, she still wasn't used to him just appearing out of nowhere. After recovering from her shock, she glared at his cheeky smirk. "Yeah, I did. Why?"

"I'm gonna need you to get my lighter," he told her.

"Why?" she asked, sticking her bookmark in her book. "I'm pretty sure you can't even touch it."

"Just humor me, luv," the ghost said, and she sighed, going into the garage where she'd buried John's bag. She didn't want Trixie digging around and finding his occult objects he got from who knows where that did who knows what. She shuddered at the memory of touching the mummified hand when she'd been looking inside.

Pulling the bag out, she carefully dug through it until she found the lighter. She took a moment to examine the engravings before bringing it back to the living room. She was slightly surprised to find John waiting in the spot she'd left him. She held it out in her open, looking at him expectantly, wondering what he was planning.

John placed his hand above the lighter, palm splayed, facing downward. He closed his eyes. "Liga animam meam in conspectu oculorum meorum est illud, ut ego sum, ubi possunt summoneri opus." As he spoke, the lighter began to float, spinning slowly, etchings glowing a fiery orange. She glanced up to see the warlock's eyes now open, glowing the same color. He lowered his hand and the light faded, lighter dropping back into her hand.

"What did you just do?" she asked.

"Well, I don't plan on spending every second of the rest of your life following you around, so I figured I'd give you a way to contact me." He motioned to the lighter. "I bound my soul to that so that if you need me, you can summon me with that."

She was quiet for a moment, processing what he said as she pocketed the lighter. "Why are you doing this?" she eventually asked. "You don't really seem like the protective type."

He shrugged. "I promised Luci I'd watch out for you and Trixie once he left." She crossed her arms, unconvinced. There was more to it, she knew it. His body language went from casual and relaxed to uncomfortable and closed off. "Back on Earth-1... I let a lot of people down," he finally said. "People were hurt, people were killed, a little girl was dragged to Hell..." He fell quiet, and Chloe could practically see him trying to compose himself. "I failed a lot of people in my life Decker, ruined a lot of lives. Figured now that I'm dead, I might as well try to get something right."

"So... Trixie and I are your attempt at redemption?"

He huffed a laugh. "I never thought about it like that, but... sure sounds that way, doesn't it?" After a moment, he said, "Well, I'll let you get back to your book then, find out what else there is for a dead man to do around here. And remember..." He looked at the pocket where she placed the lighter, then directly at her. "You need me, you call."

And then he was gone.

Chapter 38: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 3

Summary:

Toby and Craig hang out after the game

Chapter Text

Toby frowned, easily reading the uncomfortable and almost strained look on Craig's face. The woman practically hanging off him probably didn't help.

Amanda leaned over and whispered, "Full moon," and her dad's eyes widened minutely in realization. Craig had amazing control, to keep human form this long while the moon was out, but he definitly didn't look happy about it.

"Hey, Craig, do you wanna get some air?" he asked, and the werewolf gave him a weary but relieved smile.

"I could definitely go for some fresh air, bro," he stated. He looked at the woman. "I hope the girls behave for you tonight," he told her.

Toby looked at Amanda. "Amanda, please don't break anything I'll have to buy, and please get home by a reasonable hour."

"No promises, Pops," she said, but winked.

He nodded and turned to Craig. "Alright, bro, let's go."

-

A short drive found them back at the softball field, and Craig was sweating by now, looking absolutely miserable. Toby looked around, and, seeing no one, said, "You can probably, y'know... let loose now. No one else is here, and anyone passing by after might just think you're a really big dog."

Craig snorted, and as though the dam had been opened, a tremor went through his body and he dropped to all fours, form shifting with sickening cracks and grunts of pain.

Toby had forgotten how awful the process was.

Once he'd finished shifting, Craig dropped to the ground, rolling on his side and breathing heavily. Shifting tended to wear him out, and after however much stress it put him under to hold human shape longer than he should have, the guy probably needed a decent rest.

Toby had an idea and grinned. "I'll be right back," he promised, going back to the car and digging around until he found a softball. Tossing it up and catching it, he walked back over to his old friend, whose eyes were now on the ball. Sometimes he seemed less like a wolf, and more like an oversized dog.

Playing with it in his hands while Craig just watched it Toby said, "Hey, you remember that party we went to that got busted?" The werewolf let out a huff that he interpreted as a laugh. "We got out fast, and you shifted and pretended to be my giant dog. Then we stopped, and I talked to the police to try and avoid them getting suspicious, and ended up convincing them I was going to take the police exam, and that you were going to be my K-9 dog." He laughed. "It took us twenty minutes just to get back to our dorm just five minutes away." He smiled, resting his elbows on his knees. "The good old days, huh?"

The brunette was quiet for a long moment, unsure of what to say, when Craig stood and nosed his hand with the ball in it. He laughed again. "Alright, alright, fine," he conceded, winding up. "But I'm warning you now, my throw hasn't gotten much better since college." Hurling the ball as far as he could across the field, Toby grinned, watching Craig lope after it. Between getting used to the neighborhood, learning more about his new neighbors, and whatever seemed to be going on with Amanda, Toby felt like it was one stress after another after another recently. Not to mention his big gay crush on Robert. It was nice to have this small, quiet and relaxed moment, just playing catch with his best friend.

Well, fetch, but still.

Chapter 39: Man, Woman, or Beast 2

Summary:

Vani brings Alistair to meet her clan

Chapter Text

"I want to go with you."

Vani's head shot up in surprise as she finished packing her things. It was an approximately four days' journey to the Hinterlands, and she'd been intending to stay with her clan for a week. But Alistair was the king of Ferelden, he couldn't just take off for two weeks.

"Alistair..." she started. "You're the king."

"I know," he told her. "But I think Ferelden can survive a couple weeks without me. I'll appoint someone to do my duties while I'm away." He gave a soft smile. "I want to meet your clan, Vani, your family. I spoke with your Keeper once, when I gave the Hinterlands to the Dalish. But I know they're important to you, and I want to get to know them."

Vani studied his face for a long moment before smiling. "Okay," she finally said. "But no guards. No royal party, just you and me."

"Agreed," he said. "We were Grey Wardens, we can look out for each other." He grinned. "We killed an army of darkspawn, and an archdemon, I think we can handle a few bandits."

-

Merrill was the first to spot them.

"Andaran atish'an," she greeted with a smile, hugging Vani. Her smile fell when her gaze landed on Alistair. "Your Majesty," she said coolly.

"Merrill..." Vani warned.

"What do you want with our clan?" the other elf asked sharply.

"I'm not here as the King of Ferelden," he told her. "I'm here as Vani's husband, I just wanted to... get to know her family more. She spends so much time among my culture, I wanted to get to know some of hers."

Merrill didn't respond for a long time before turning on her heel. "I'll go inform the Keeper, then," she said. "I'd go see Master Ilen about a new bow, that's looking a bit worn."

The couple watched her go. "Should we stay here and wait?" Alistair asked.

Vani shook her head. "The Keeper will find us." She nodded to the left. "Come."

He followed her to the aravel Master Ilen had set up.

"So good to see you, lethallan," the older elf said with a smile. He looked at Alistair, and unlike Merrill, his smile remained. "Hello, Your Majesty," he said respectfully. "It's nice to see that Vani has finally brought you along with her."

"Please, just Alistair is fine," he said, mildly surprised at the lack of hostility from Ilen.

"Very well," he said with a nod. He turned his gaze back to Vani. Or more specifically, the crossbow on her back. "I think you could use a new bow," he told her.

She frowned. She'd pried this crossbow out of the hands of a dead darkspawn in the Tower of Ishal, and it had served her well throughout the Blight. The strap was worn, she had to constantly tighten the bowstring, and the wood looked on the verge of breaking, but saying goodbye to it would be like letting go of an old friend. "No," she said emphatically.

"Alright," he said kindly. "At least let me repair it."

She nodded, removing it without hesitation. She trusted Master Ilen completely with the care of her weapons. She knew he would take good care of it, and it was likely to be returned to her as good as new. Perhaps in even better condition than she'd found it in. "Ma serannas, Master Ilen," she said softly, handing him the crossbow.

"You're welcome, da'len."

Chapter 40: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 5

Summary:

The Hargreeves arrive at the Institute

Chapter Text

Luther looked at the large building before him. By no means was it bigger than the Academy, but Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters definitely seemed a lot roomier than he'd expected. Glancing behind him, he frowned. Diego looked defensive, Allison presented a confidence he knew was fake, Klaus looked terrified, Ben looked nervous, and Vanya was staring at the ground, glancing up on rare occasion to look at the building.

The gates opened, and Professor Xavier's chair rolled forward. Luther took the unspoken prompt to follow, his siblings falling into step behind him. "I'd like to welcome you, officially, to the School for Gifted Youngsters. I think you'll find you'll be able to settle in quite nicely." He gave them a reassuring smile. "The students should be returning from school soon, and they can show you to your rooms."

"Wait..." Ben said quietly. "Where are you going?"

"I have some paperwork to fill out in regards to your move," he told them. "Don't worry, I won't be far." He wheeled down the hall, leaving the six kids standing awkwardly in the foyer.

Barely a minute later, the doors opened and a group of teens their age came piling in. Klaus jumped, gripping Ben and Diego's hands. The kids stopped, and the two groups stared at each other for a moment before a red haired girl stepped forward, hand outstretched.

"You must be the Hargreeves," she said. "I'm Jean." Luther took her hand, giving it an awkward shake. She didn't seem to mind. She looked over her shoulder. "Hey, Scott? Could you take the boys to find their rooms?"

"Sure thing," a boy with red tinted shades said. He looked at Luther, Diego, Klaus, and Ben. "C'mon, it's just upstairs and down the hall."

The siblings, Jean, and Scott ascended the stairs before splitting off into two groups. The boys followed Scott while Allison and Vanya trailed after Jean. Luther noted that Klaus still hadn't let go of the other two, grip still tight enough to turn his already pale knuckles white. To avoid the awkward silence, Luther spoke. "I'm Luther," he said. "That's Diego, Klaus, and Ben."

"I hope you guys like it here," Scott said. "Where are you from?"

All four boys paused, looking at each other. None of them wanted to talk about the Academy. Klaus had been mentally tortured, Diego borderline emotionally abused, Ben never wanting to do any of the things their dad had forced them into, and Luther was just waking up to just how messed up their time with him was. That was not a topic of discussion upon first meeting someone.

Seeming to read the room, Scott nodded. "Alright, that's fair. Well, whatever it was, I hope it's better here at the Institute."

"It already is..." Klaus said quietly, and the other three siblings stared at him. That was the first thing he'd said since they'd left the Academy.

"Good," Scott said with a smile. "Now how about we get you guys settled in, huh?" He led them down the hall, stopping in front of one of the doors. "We usually share rooms, so you can pair off." He motioned to the door across the hall. "And you'll be nice and close to each other."

Klaus looked at Diego and Ben, biting his lip, and Luther already knew exactly what he was thinking. "What about three to a room?" He didn't miss the slight relief in his brother.

"I can talk to the professor about that," Scott said, eyeing Klaus. Or, at least Luther assumed he was, considering the angle of his head. Hard to tell anything under those sunglasses. "But are you sure? Luther, you'd be in a room by yourself, don't you wanna...?"

"I'll be fine," he said, more confident than he felt. It was a brand new environment, surrounded by people they didn't know, and even though he was the one to ask for Klaus, Luther had to admit it stung to know that they'd rather crowd in a room of three than share with him. "We roomed alone back home anyway."

Scott was quiet for a moment, just looking at him before saying. "Alright. Why don't you start unpacking? I'll talk to the professor, see about getting a third bed in there, and you can explore the Institute as much as you want. We'll find you when it's time for dinner."

"S-sounds good," Diego said before Luther could speak, sending him a look that said 'I can speak for myself, thank you very much' before opening the door and entering the room with Ben and Klaus. Scott gave a small wave before heading down the hall, leaving Luther standing in the hallway, painfully alone.

Chapter 41: Detour Through the Hellmouth 2

Summary:

Dean takes control for the first time

Chapter Text

Get down!

Xander barely had time to react as the stream of fire just missed him.

Pay the hell attention, Harris!

He scowled wishing he could yell at the stupid voice, but right now, he had more important concerns. Like not dying.

"Xander, get out of the way!" Buffy yelled, and he realized he was still right in the demon's path. He jumped to the side, feeling the heat on his back.

You're going to get us killed! Dean snapped. You know what? Screw this.

Xander felt a tug, and suddenly his body was moving withotu his consent. Was Dean...?

Xander could only watch as Dean piloted his body out the line of fire, grabbing Buffy's discarded shotgun, loaded with iron bullets. With a precision Xander never had, he checked the ammo, lifted it, aimed, and fired with deadly accuracy. He dropped the gun, ducking out of the way as one of the demon's minions went for him, reaching for something on his belt before cursing. Maybe a knife he was used to having in his own body?

The lesser demon took the moment to dive at him again, pinning him to the ground. Dean pulled his legs in, bracing against the ground and kicking up, knocking the demon off, and effortless rolled into a crouch. Xander noticed the broken fence right around the time Dean did. Dead pulled it from the loose earth, stabbing it into the demon's chest and watching as it fell to the ground.

Both males were suddenly struck by how quiet it was, and Dean slowly turned to see the rest of the Scoobies staring at him. Or Xander, anyway. Dean withdrew, and Xander stumbled at the surprise of suddenly being given the reins again.

"Xander?" Buffy asked slowly. "What the hell was that?"

He wasn't sure, but he swore he heard Dean snicker. Good luck explaining this one.

Chapter 42: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 2

Summary:

Becker debates taking the job at the ARC 2.0

Chapter Text

"Hey, Becker, you okay?"

Becker looked up, a glance at the clock revealing he'd been staring at his Tesla for five minutes. Myka looked concerned.

"Fine," he said stiffly, but as usual, the woman saw right through him. After receiving a very pointed raised brow, he sighed. "With Connor and Abby home, the Ministry is thinking of reopening the ARC," he told her. "They offered me my old job."

"That's great!" she said. When he gave no reply, she added, "Isn't it?"

He gave a heavy sigh. "I don't know. I'm glad Connor and Abby are back, I really am, but the ARC... They do important work, necessary work, and my training and expertise is something they want back on the team."

"But...?"

He ran a hand through his hair, unsure of how to explain. "I'm not entirely sure I want to. I don't want to just abandon Connor and Abby after they spent over a year alone, but I don't... I don't want to abandon this place, either. All of you." His gaze drifted back to his Tesla. "This place is my home now, I've built a life here... but the ARC might need me."

"But you don't know if you want to go," Myka concluded, earning a nod. "Well... As we've seen, anomalies sometimes open up here on this side of the world, too, and it helps to have an expert on our side. So maybe you could help us keep on top of that? They can give us access to their resources, you could report to them if something happens. Maybe talk to Mrs. Frederick, see what she has to say."

Becker stared at her for a long moment. The more he thought on that, the better the idea sounded. He'd take a few trips back to Britain, keep on contact with his old friends, but be able to still live here, working as a Warehouse agent, with the new life he'd built for himself.

"Thank you, Myka," Becker said gratefully. "I think I will."

Chapter 43: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 4

Summary:

Valkyrie explains a few disciplines to the Golden Trio

Chapter Text

Valkyrie glanced down at the sign-up sheet Skulduggery had made the night before. Elemental was on there, of course, and Necromancy made sense. But the list was a lot more extensive than she'd expected. Energy throwing, wall-walking, sensitive, vitakinesis, electrokinesis, even teleportation. The only thing missing seemed to be a Gist—though she knew there were tons more she'd never even heard of—which she understood and agreed with completely. They'd be giving a rundown of each discipline this week, and students could make their decisions and sign up for what focus they wanted.

Taping the sheet to the door, she stepped back inside and sat on the desk while Skulduggery stood to the side, on the phone, probably checking in with Ghastly or Ravel.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the first to walk in, which was no surprise to Valkyrie, but many of the teachers—other teachers, she was still getting used to that—were shocked when they heard. But Harry had a dedicated determination, Ron seemed incredibly curious, and Hermione was always asking questions, wanting to learn more.

"So, that's the discipline sign-up sheet, then?" Harry asked, looking back at the door. "What's vi... vita..."

"Vitakinesis?" she guessed, earning a nod. "It's basically healing. I cracked a tooth once, and not long after, it was good as new. And I—" She stopped for a second, reliving the moment Melancholia had sliced her to ribbons a lot more vividly than she'd expected. "—I broke a lot of bones in the past few years, and a good friend of ours fixed me right up." She smiled, and it was surprisingly not as painful as she'd been expecting to talk about Kenspeckle.

"And what about... necromancy?" Hermione asked hesitantly. "Isn't that death magic?"

"Technically yes," Valkyrie started, fiddling with her ring. "It draws its power from death, yeah, but a lot of time it's more shadow magic." She reached out, pulling the shadows toward her. "I'm primarily an Elemental, but I dabble a little in Necromancy." She let go of the shadows. "Skulduggery might be able to explain better than I can, but Necromancy is stored in an object, like my ring, and you can do all kinds of things with shadows. You can use them as weapons, barriers, transportation... I still haven't learned how to shadow-walk yet." She frowned. With Solomon who knows where, she doubted she ever would.

"Wait, then how can you teach it if you don't know it?" Ron asked.

"Skulduggery said that basically all sorcery can be taught from a technical perspective without doing the actual magic," she explained. "So even though we're both Elementals, we can provide the building blocks for more advanced use. And I think Skulduggery's trying to find a way to get some of our friends here who can help the more practical part of it."

"Do we have to wait until after you explain everything, or can we pick something now?" Ron asked.

She shrugged. "I guess you could pick now, if you wanted." He nodded, went to the door with his quill, and scribbled his name on the sheet. Walking back in, he said, "I really want to try Elemental magic."

Valkyrie grinned. "Smart choice, Weasley."

Chapter 44: The Mutation Situation 4

Summary:

Flash steals Peters pills

Chapter Text

Peter fiddled with the cap of his pill bottle. Today had been way too stressful, and he knew the drug keeping him human was flushing from his system. He needed one, and he needed it now.

Just as he was about to open it, the bottle was snatched from him, and Peter looked up to see Flash looking smug, waving the bottle at him mockingly. "I don't know what kind of drugs you're taking, Penis, but I can't wait to see what Principal Morita has to say about it."

"I have a note, I need those!" Peter shot back, reaching for it, but Flash jerked it back out of reach.

"Uh-huh, just like how you have a Stark internship and know Tony Stark," he said condescendingly.

Peter's gritted his teeth. He'd had this argument with Flash a thousand times already, so he knew he wasn't going to win it, even though he was right. "Flash, I'm serious," he said. "Give me the pills."

He sneered. "These are probably what's helping you do so well in gym class these days," he commented. "Think I'll keep them."

"Hey, dude, what's going on?"

Peter's head shot up to see Ned approaching. He was sweating and probably looked really pale, so how Flash hadn't gotten the idea that he needed to give the pills back yet was beyond him. "Pills," he told Ned, feeling his chest tighten. He could practically feel the legs ready to shoot out of his torso. "Flash stole them."

Ned turned on Flash, putting himself between the bully and Peter. "What the hell?!" he yelled. "Give them back!"

"What are they even for?" Flash shot back. "I've never even heard of..." He squinted at the label on the bottle. "Enzaban Aboxamine."

"Peter has a really rare condition," Ned snapped. "Mr. Stark made those for him to help."

Flash raised a brow. "Really? You're saying Tony Stark made pills specifically for Penis Parker. I don't think so." He opened the bottle, turned it over, and to Peter's horror, ground the pills under his heel.

That did it. Peter turned and bolted, heading for the gym that he really hoped was deserted. He just barely managed to get the door closed behind him when the pain hit and the legs emerged. It wasn't quite as painful this time, but he fell before he could right himself on eight legs, cracking his head on the ground.

He froze when he heard the door open, turning slowly. Relief flooded his body when he saw it was only Ned.

"I can't believe he did that," the boy said, shaking his head. "I mean, I knew Flash was a douche, but... Your phone's in your bag, right?" Peter nodded. "I'll call Mr. Stark."

Chapter 45: Man, Woman, or Beast 3

Summary:

Alistair meets Vani

Chapter Text

The only things Alistair knew about the new recruit Duncan had brought was that she was Dalish, a fierce warrior, and a woman of few words. He briefly thought of going to look for her when she hadn't found him in the ten minutes since Duncan had returned, but an argument with the Circle mage waylaid him. Besides, if she was being brought into the Grey Wardens, surely she was capable enough to find her way around Ostagar. There was a good chance she was just looking around.

During the tail end of the argument, he saw someone approaching. Dark hair shaved down to her scalp, unfamiliar armor, and the telltale pointed ears of an elf. That must be her, then.

He watched the mage storm off before turning to her. "Hello," he greeted. "You must be the new recruit."

She nodded. "Vani," she said in a quiet, rough voice that contrasted greatly with her proud posture. She studied him, and he was struck by the unusual violet of her eyes. "And you are Alistair."

This time it was his turn to nod. "That's me," he said. "I assume you've been getting to know the place?"

"Yes," she said. She looked over her shoulder, down the ramp and out into the camp. "Mabari," she said simply.

His brows furrowed as he tried to decipher her meaning. Woman of few words indeed.

"Voice problems," she explained at his confused expression, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking. "Sorry."

"So you... were at the kennels, with the hounds," he guessed, and she nodded. She looked... sad. "The kennel master told you about the sick one, didn't he?"

She nodded again.

"If he asked you about the cure, we are going into Wilds," he assured her, and she relaxed slightly. "Have you met the other recruits? Daveth and Ser Jory?" The way her nose wrinkled told him all he needed to know. From what Alistair had gathered, Daveth could be a bit crude, and Ser Jory was a little... traditional, when it came to who belonged in a war.

"Well, Vani," he said with a smile, hoping she'd make it through the Joining. "Welcome to the Grey Wardens."

Chapter 46: Primal Spirit 1

Summary:

Owen helps Claire discover her Primal Spirit

Chapter Text

"You're sure you wanna do this?" Owen asked.

Claire took a deep breath and nodded. "I am."

He nodded. "Alright, then. Take a seat."

"There aren't any chairs," she pointed out.

"Yeah, but there's a ground." He sat, and after a moment, she huffed and followed. At least she wasn't wearing white today. "Alright, first, I want you to close your eyes." To his surprise, she did without question. "Now look inside. Look deep inside, for that basic, innate force."

Her brows furrowed. "How—?"

"You've gotta let go," he instructed. "All that tight control, rigid structure to everything, you have to let it all go. Primal Spirit is all about heart and instinct. You have to open yourself up for it before you can find it."

"Okay," she said, taking another deep breath. "Okay." Very slowly, her posture relaxed.

"Just keep that focus on finding that spark," he told her. "When you find it, you'll know."

Claire opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of Delta screeching inside the paddock. She jumped, eyes snapping open.

"It's alright, it's just Delta, she's—"

"Angry," the redhead said breathlessly.

"Yeah, how...?" His eyes widened slightly and he huffed out a laugh. "Holy shit, you've got an Animal Primal Spirit! Lemme try something." Girls? I want you to try to talk to Claire, alright?

Angry red-haired lady? Charlie asked, and it took a lot for Owen to not laugh. He just smiled wryly.

She's not angry, Charlie, he told her. But yes, her.

Can she hear us? Blue asked.

That's what we're about to find out.

LADY!

Claire jumped again.

"You heard Charlie?" he asked.

She frowned. "Not quite... It was more... a feeling. Curiosity and impatience, I think?" She grinned. "But I did it!"

"You did it!" Owe affirmed, standing and offering her a hand. "Animal Primal Spirit, did not expect that from you." He looked her in the eye when she stood. "But I need your help, now that you get it."

"What do you need?" she asked, curious but apprehensive.

"I need you to get me into Paddock 11." He held a hand up when she tried to argue. "I hope you get now that these animals are more than just assets. They're living, breathing creatures, and the one you've got in there needs help. I've been talking to her from the viewing center, but if we're gonna make any progress, she needs to know my smell."

"You want me to approve you entering an enclosed space with the Indominus," she said dubiously. "Owen, you'll die."

"She won't kill me," he told her. "I'm just about the only person she trusts, but being completely isolated in that paddock isn't good for her. Please, Claire."

She was quiet for a moment, and he could practically see the gears turning in her head as she shifted back into coporate mode. "I'll see what I can do," she finally said.

Chapter 47: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 3

Summary:

Becker helps rescue Jack

Chapter Text

"Becker, you can't go through," Connor argued. "There's something about the anomalies that corrupts, and I... I don't want to lose you."

"You won't," Becker promised. "Trust me. But we don't know what's on the other side, and I'm not leaving Abby there alone to find her brother." Before Connor could argue anymore, he stepped through.

The hunger hit him in waves, drying his mouth and throat and twisting his stomach to almost painful degrees. His grip tightened on his gun to anchor him, and he could smell Connor the second he stepped out. The man's heart was beating dangerously fast and Becker could smell the fear.

"Are you...?"

"I'm fine," he snapped, with a little more hostility that he'd meant. "We have to go."

He forced himself to ignore the hurt expression on Connor's face. He didn't deserve that, he'd done nothing wrong, he was just worried about his boyfriend. But Becker's nerves were being tightened more and more by the second, and soon it would take everything he had just to hold onto his sanity. Whatever essence the anomaly contained, it was stronger than he'd been expecting, and it stayed in his system, festering. They had to take care of this quick.

He took off after Abby, keeping his attention split between her and Connor, making sure neither were too far from him. He had to keep them safe. That was his duty, his purpose, his anchor.

"Jack!" Abby yelled, hands cupped around her mouth. Becker caught up to her and grabbed her arm, turning her to look at him and putting a finger to his lips. "My brother is out here!" she snapped.

"I understand that," he said evenly, "but you're not going to be of any help to him if you're dead, and we're not alone out here."

Abby's expression dropped and her eyes widened, looking around. "Where?" she whispered.

Becker's eyes darted to the ruined buildings around them. "Everywhere."

"Would it kill you to wait up?" Connor asked, panting, and Becker and Abby both shushed him. "What?" he asked quietly.

Becker just moved forward slowly, subtly herding the humans behind him. If Jack was alive, they had to find him fast. He could smell blood fiends, and something rotting. Something undead—even more undead than he was—was here, too. Training his ears, he finally heard the faintest sound of a human voice, crying out in pain.

"I think I've found him," he told them softly. "Follow me, but be careful."

It wasn't long before they found the small cavern Jack had fallen into. The boy was screaming his lungs out, no doubt attracting everything for nearly a mile around.

"Jack, be quiet!" Abby hissed. "We're here to bring you home!"

"Abby?" he yelled.

Becker turned to Connor. "Connor, find some rope, get down to him if you can and bring him up."

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Connor asked, sounding worried.

Becker holstered his gun, rolling up his sleeve. "There are too many blood fiends around for you to get back to the anomaly safely." He pulled a large knife out of its sheath on his belt.

"Becker, no, you can't—"

But the knife was already digging into the vampire's forearm, drawing a lazy trail of blood. It drove him even crazier, despite knowing the blood was his own, but someone had to draw the fiends away, and at this rate, Connor and Abby were probably safer far away from him.

"Rescue Jack," he told Connor seriously, wincing as he brought his palm to the gash, spreading the blood over his skin to provide a larger scent marker. "Get home." And before Connor could say a word, he was gone, already hearing the sounds of blood fiends hot on his heels.

Chapter 48: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 5

Summary:

Stephanie's binding symbol is removed

Chapter Text

Stephanie followed Skulduggery into the office, where two people were waiting for them. One was a man in sunglasses, and the other was... her. The woman who had branded her, the most beautiful woman Stephanie had ever seen. The urgency of the war and her escape drifted away. Whatever this woman decided to with Stephanie, she knew it had to be best. Her branding was what the woman wanted, and if she brought her back to the camps, that would be alright. The woman would take care of everything.

Her thoughts were suddenly derailed by a gloved hand over her eyes. "Quit it," Skulduggery said from behind her, sounding terse. After a moment, he removed his hands, but this time, Stephanie didn't go ga-ga when she saw the woman. "Stephanie, this is China Sorrows."

Stephanie's eyes narrowed and she turned to Skulduggery. "What's she doing here?" she asked. "She works with the Sentinels!"

"They think I do," China said smoothly.

"She's our mole," Skulduggery explained. "She's how we found out about you."

"She branded me!" Stephanie snapped. "How am I supposed to be any good to the Resistance if I don't have any magic."

"That's where I come in, darlin'," the blonde man said, pulling a straight-razor from his pocket. She backed up on reflex, hitting the false frame that filled out Skulduggery's clothes. "Billy-Ray Sanguine, at your service." He gave her a cheeky grin, flicking the razor open.

Stephanie gulped and once again looked to Skulduggery.

"It's alright," he told her. "While I'm normally against trusting sociopaths with a violent streak, in this case, you can trust Sanguine. And I'll be here the whole time."

Sanguine walked over, and Stephanie kept her eyes on the blade until he was right in front of her. "Gonna need you to turn around," he informed her. After a long moment of hesitation, aware of the eyes—and sockets—on her, she did. Having a really bad feeling as to what removing the binding symbol entailed, she pulled her hair to the side, hearing him give a hum of appreciation before she felt the cold blade on the back of her neck. She tensed, biting her lip as the straight-razor dug in, cutting off the skin with a practiced precision.

Skulduggery put his hands on her shoulder. "I'm sorry," he told her. "It's the only way, without causing irreparable damage."

"Enough of the other Sentinel sorcerers are fluent enough in the language of magic to recognize when a binding symbol is tampered with," China stated. "I couldn't just change it even if I wanted to. So, while incredibly barbaric, the only way to remove it is to remove the symbol entirely."

Stephanie felt tears prick her eyes as the razor went deeper, slicing off more skin, and she let out an involuntary pained sound. Skulduggery's hands tightened, and the second Stephanie felt the skin fall and heard the disturbing slap of it hitting the floor, the skeleton pulled her in closer, pressing a bandage against the wound. "You did well," he told her gently. "Now, come on, let's get you fixed up."

Chapter 49: Primal Spirit 2

Summary:

Owen enters Paddock 11

Chapter Text

Owen took a deep breath as he stepped into Paddock 11. He could practically feel all the eyes on him from the viewing center, and he could feel Indi's curiosity, even though she made no move toward him. Indi? he projected.

Rather than with words, the Indominus replied with a feeling of apprehension and hesitance. His brows furrowed. In the back of his mind, he wondered if Claire was picking up on them, too.

When it was clear he wasn't leaving, he was hit with a feeling of resignation before there was a loud thump. The trees rustled, and the first thing he saw was the teeth. Very large, very sharp, and in the perfect position to snatch him and swallow him whole. The fact that he trusted this very dangerous creature probably didn't reflect well on his sanity.

He saw that her skin was green, the same as the trees around her, and his jaw dropped when he saw them slowly turn white. She could camouflage. She inched closer to him, stopping suddenly. Her head tilted ever so slightly, and Owen got the feeling she was looking up at the observation window. Claire was probably nervous about how close Indi was to him, and she probably projected that without knowing it.

"What are you doing so low to the ground?" he asked out loud, figuring the people above would want to hear something. It probably looked weird, man and dinosaur just staring at each other in silence.

There was a long pause. Don't want to scare you.

"What?" he asked, confused. Indi, you don't scare me, okay? And I've never had the chance to see you. "You can come out," he added aloud. "It's okay."

Another feeling of hesitation, but very slowly, her head rose, and he could finally see more of her. Spines on her neck, osteoderms on her back, and arms longer and stronger than he expected, all a beautiful white. She looked down at him with deep orange eyes. Despite her size, she reminded him a lot of his raptors when they were little. Shy, but curious. Intelligent, but nervous. He was suddenly reminded of how young she was, just three years old. Three years old, raised in isolation, never interacting with another living being...

And seeing her full size, he had the horrible realization that this enclosure was much too small for her.

-

"You need to build a bigger paddock," Owen told Claire as he entered the observation center. He motioned out the window to where Indi was now watching them. "You have to realize that this is way to small for her. She's only three, and she's already bigger than the T-Rex, who has a lot more space than she does."

"I didn't realize she was so big," the redhead said softly, staring out the window, but unlike the fear Owen expected, he only found awe in her expression. Opening up her connection to her Primal Spirit had done wonders for how she viewed the animals on the island, so he was confident that the woman no longer saw Indi as just an asset. She may have been made by InGen, but she was just as alive as the rest of them. "I'll do what I can, Owen, but a bigger paddock means more money, so I'll need time to work things around on how we can manage this." She put her hand on the glass, looking at Indi with a softness Owen had never expected to see on her face. "You're right, she deserves better."

Owen thought for a moment. "What if we cordon off a section of the northern plains for now? Let her live there in the meantime? I'll stay with her, keep her from running off or just killing anything she can find, and I'll bring my girls so they don't get antsy and try to escape."

"Yes, we don't want a repeat of the Great Escape of Fall 2014," she agreed. "Okay, I'll work out the details. Just tell me what you need, and I'll make it happen if I can."

Owen was pretty sure he'd never felt more gratitude and appreciation than he had at that moment. "Thank you," he told her, looking out to the Indominus. She was finally going to be treated right.

Chapter 50: The Witch's Daughter 2

Summary:

Dean reminds Sam he's the magic expert

Chapter Text

"I think we're looking at a bad luck curse," Sam said, pouring over the information they had.

Dean raised a brow, glancing up from the gun he was cleaning. "Nope, it's a karma hex."

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. "And how would you know?"

Dean rolled his eyes. "Kidnapped by a witch, Sammy," he reminded him. "I'm the expert on magic here. And think about it." He set the gun down, resting his elbows on his knees. "Harper Pickard ran a meat processing plant, getting pissy about people complaining. He falls in a meat grinder. Jenny Leivanne headed a deforesting company. A tree falls on her. And Lars Bylar is a known animal abuser. He gets mauled by escaped zoo animals, animals that didn't harm anyone else while they were on the loose. Karma hex."

Sam thought it over. "Okay... so we're looking for an environmentalist witch?" he asked.

Dean shrugged. "Looks like. Now we just have to figure out the next target, and see if we can trace them back to the witch."

"You think there'll be more?"

"Do not underestimate the power of an angry hippy with magic."

Sam nodded, quiet for a moment. "So... what did she teach you?"

"What?"

"The witch. Did she just teach you the rules and stuff, or do you know any actual magic?" he asked.

Dean bristled. This was a conversation he'd hoped they'd never have. "Sammy, don't go there. I don't wanna talk about it."

"If you know anything, anything that can help us—"

"I said no, Sammy!" he snapped, turning away. "Just drop it, okay?" He grabbed his jacket, sticking a knife in his belt and storming out the motel door before his brother could respond.

Chapter 51: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 3

Summary:

The Warehouse team goes to the ARC

Chapter Text

"I'm sorry, I can't let you in."

Becker scowled. "Rogers, I cleared it with Lester, now let us through."

"Sorry, Captain," the new head of security said, "but while you got cleared, they didn't." He motioned to Pete, Myka, Steve, and Claudia behind him.

"They're my team," Becker argued. "Where I go, they go." He turned around. "I told you that you didn't all have to come."

"No way I was missing this!" Claudia exclaimed, and Steve mouthed 'sorry' to Rogers.

"Artie said he can handle it back home for now, and if the ARC and Warehouse 13 are going to be working together, then I think we should get to know the place, right?" Myka suggested.

When Rogers didn't budge, Becker sighed. "Just call Lester, will you? There's something infecting people, originating here, and if we're going to do our job, we need to get inside."

Rogers studied them for a moment before calling Lester. After a brief moment of quiet conversation, the man waved them through. Claudia practically dashed through the doors, making Becker start to regret his decision to let them come.

"Claudia, get back here!" he yelled after her. When she didn't slow down, he hung his head. At least she was running down the main hall, and this was anything like how it used to be, she should be headed straight for the command center. Leading the rest of the group through, he found himself looking at an even larger version of the detector than the one Connor had built a few years ago. An unfamiliar young woman was sitting at the controls.

"You must be the Warehouse team," the woman said, standing. She walked over to Becker, holding out her hand. "Jess Parker."

He took her hand. "Captain Becker."

"You're not going to get a first name out of him," Claudia informed her from behind the detector. "I had to dig out his file to find out."

"Where are Connor and Abby?" the brunette asked.

"Abby should be in the menagerie, and I believe Connor might be with her," Jess answered. When no one moved, she added, "Take your first left, down the hall, and up the lift to the third floor."

"Thanks," Pete said with a smile as they left.

"So, this is the new ARC then?" Myka asked. "Why do they have a menagerie?"

"I have no idea," Becker replied as they got to the lift. "The old ARC didn't have one."

Once they reached the third floor, they stepped out and stared. There was a lab, but beyond that they could see the observation center, where they could see Abby with Rex on her shoulder, looking out at the menagerie.

"Abby!" Myka greeted, stepping out, and they all made their way to the observation center. The blonde turned, and she grinned when she saw them. Rex chirped, jumping off and flying down to the main animal area.

"Oi! Forgetting about someone?" Connor asked, standing up. "Didn't think we'd be seeing you here so quickly, did we?"

"You have to tell me more about that detector," Claudia begged. Connor opened his mouth to respond, but Becker cut him off.

"First, we need to know more about this Artifact," he said. "What is it, what exactly does it do, and where did it go?"

"Well, we know it came through an anomaly," Abby informed him. "We've recently heard about groups of people who travel through anomalies—"

"Like Helen did," the captain interjected.

"Yes. So I think it might have come from them. It's a stone, about as big as your palm, really rough, but it's got a green tinge to it and some carvings," she said. "From what we can tell, or more specifically, Matt, it looks like it gives people certain... animal traits. A few physical features, sometimes behavioral traits."

"Sometimes dinosaur, sometimes not," Connor added helpfully.

"How many people has it infected so far?" Steve asked.

"Right now, just Matt, one of the security team, and a bystander we've got holed up in an office," Abby said. "But we lost the stone in the process, we have no idea where it is."

"Okay, we'll have to talk to Matt," Myka said.

At Becker's confused look, Abby said, "He's the new team lead. And he's down in quarantine. Said he doesn't want to end up hurting anyone."

"Wait, you said it gives people animal-like features and behaviors," Pete started. "What's—?"

"Raptor," Connor and Abby said together.

Chapter 52: Loophole 6

Summary:

Chloe asks John to save Trixie's class

Chapter Text

Chloe paced back and forth, ignoring the looks she was getting. Trixie was inside that bank, with her whole class, and the men holding them hadn't given any demands yet.

"Anything?" Dan asked, looking just as panicked as she felt as he ran over.

She shook her head, crossing her arms. And that's when she felt it, shifting in her pocket. "Oh my god," she whispered. She pulled out the lighter, gripping it tightly.

"What's—"

She shushed him, focusing on the dead exorcist. "Come on, John," she whispered, voice breaking. "We need you here, now."

And just like that, he appeared in front of her.

"What's going on?" he asked seriously, all traces of his normal sarcastic nature gone.

"There are some people holding up the bank, and Trixie and her class are inside, on a field trip," Chloe explained quickly, not noticing the confused look on Dan's face.

"Who the hell takes a field trip to the bank?" John asked. Shaking his head, he added, "Nevermind."

"Chloe, who are you—John," Dan guessed.

John turned, like he was only just now noticing Dan. "Oh, right." When Dan was looking directly at him, he said, "Sorry about that."

"How did you get here?" he asked, staring. He seemed to still be struggling to grasp the 'ghost teleportation' concept.

"Save that for later, mate," John replied.

"You need to get them out," Chloe told him. "Can you do some kind of... I dunno, mass teleportation spell?"

"Not without leaving the SWAT team scratching their heads," he said. "But I should be able to get them out. Trixie will be fine, Decker, I promise."

"Do whatever you have to," she said.

Dan nodded, looking at John. "Get our daughter out of there."

John nodded. "Be ready to get them away from the building once they get out. It could get a little ugly in there."

And per John fashion, he disappeared before Chloe could ask what that meant.

Chapter 53: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 4

Summary:

Toby cuts himself whittling—again

Chapter Text

"Sorry to tell you this, but I don't really have any organs for you to steal this time," Toby joked as Robert got out of the truck. The older man just laughed, tossing him a small block of wood. In typical Toby fashion, he fumbled, dropped it, and just stared down at it in defeat for a second before bending to pick it up. Robert was already set up in the bed of the truck when he stood back up.

"C'mon, get your skinny ass up here," he said, and Toby grinned, climbing in next to him. He couldn't help but smile when Toby's leg brushed against his, and the polymorph didn't immediately jerk it back. They were making progress in the physical contact department.

Toby started carving the block he'd been given, just as slowly and meticulously has he had the first time. He stopped for a second, looked over at Robert, and said, "Thanks. For, y'know... not being weird about this. And bringing me back here." And not ending it with me, the ex-Hunter figured Toby was thinking.

"Nothing to be weird about," he replied easily with a shrug. A lie, but the look on Toby's face when he said it was worth it. "Now shut up and get to carving."

"Yes, sir," the brunette said cheekily, but dutifully turned back to his block.

Robert looked to his own, deciding on a panda. Amanda's birthday was coming up, and as her dad's boyfriend, he figured he should give her something, and the kid would probably get a kick out of it. Every so often, though, his eyes darted back to Toby. He didn't want a repeat of last time, Toby didn't handle pain well.

A good twenty minutes passed in silence before he heard a hiss of pain. Another glance back revealed a cut across Toby's index finger, and Robert was just setting his knife and carving down to get the first aid kit when he saw how intently Toby was looking at the injury. His tongue poked ever so slightly out of his mouth, and very slowly, what looked like a wet black film spread over the cut, settling flat to the skin and changing color. In a matter of seconds, it was like the cut was never there.

"Holy shit," Robert breathed, and Toby jumped.

Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, he said, "Uh, Hugo's been teaching me some stuff. He said some shapeshifters can heal their injuries just by shifting, so I thought maybe I could... y'know, fix it."

"You fixed it, all right," Robert confirmed.

"Is that weird?" Toby asked hesitantly, and Robert suddenly realized that maybe Toby wasn't as okay with it all as he seemed.

"You're weird," he told him, and Toby's shoulders hunched and he looked away. "But I thought you were weird back when I first met you in Jim and Kim's."

That got him to relax. "Jim and Kim's..." he said. "Where's there's neither a Jim nor Kim..."

"Only a Neil," Robert finished, and the two of them laughed. Maybe Toby wasn't okay yet. But he was getting there, and Robert promised himself that he'd be there with him every step of the way.

Chapter 54: Primal Spirit 3

Summary:

Claire tells Owen that Indi escaped

Chapter Text

"Owen, she escaped," Claire said over the phone.

"What?" he asked. "How?"

"She tricked us," she told him. "She actually made us think she already escaped and took advantage of the open gate." She ran a hand through her hair. "Two men are already dead, and I don't think that'll be it."

"Indi wouldn't do that," Owen argued. "She knows better. I thought I taught her that."

"I think they were accidents. They were both crushed. But if she doesn't realize how easy it is for her to do damage, a lot more people could die. ACU is being deployed to catch her, but..."

"Claire, you can't let them catch her."

"I know that," she argued. "I've seen Hoskins with the raptors, I'm pretty sure he sees her as just a giant weapon, too. You need to get back here and find her."

"Don't you think I tried?" the man snapped. "But they're blocking me at every turn."

"Who—"

"InGen. I guess they worked some sort of deal with the military to approve weaponizing my raptors, and, knowing how much I don't want that and how much of a mess I'll make it for them, they wanted me far away from the island."

"Oh, my god, Owen, you have to get here now," she insisted. "The last thing I felt from Indi was fear, worry, and a lot of stress. I think she's nervous about the fact that she hasn't seen or heard from you in a little while, and she went looking."

"Dammit..." Owen was silent for a moment. "Okay, Claire, I need you to listen to me very, very carefully. I need you to get my bike, let the girls out, and follow them until they find Indi. And then I need you to convince her to come back to her paddock. Tell her I'm coming, and that I'm okay."

Claire froze. "You want me... you want me to release the raptors," she breathed.

"Tell them what I told you to do," he advised. "Indi doesn't completely understand spoken English yet, so you're gonna have to rely on Blue to do the translating. She understands, and she'll help you."

"Why... why would she do that? Just because you asked her to?" Claire asked, floored. Owen had a much deeper understanding with his animals than she knew, even now. If he could actually get Blue to listen to someone else—

"And she likes you," Owen added. "She thinks you've got spunk."

She didn't know how to respond to that. "Okay... so now I just have to get to them, and let them out without anyone knowing, am I understanding that right?"

"Pretty much. Radio Barry, he'll fill them in on what to do so they'll be ready when you get there. I'll keep doing what I can to get back to the island but... Claire?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't let my youngest hurt anyone else, okay?"

"I'll do my best."

Chapter 55: I Will Always Watch Over You 3

Summary:

Kratos recognizes Lloyd

Chapter Text

The boy's eyes caught him off guard. Weary, determined, and all too familiar.

"Lloyd!" he heard the Chosen yell, and for a split second, his heart stopped. He couldn't possible be... could he?

But he could think that over later. He moved between the boy and the brute, sword raised to parry the larger man's weapon.

"Who are you?" the boy asked, and Kratos glanced behind him.

"Get out of the way," he ordered, but the child—Lloyd—didn't listen. He pulled himself up slowly, propping himself up with his swords. Kratos's eyes landed on the exsphere and... he'd know that damn thing anywhere.

It was Anna's.

The fight was quick after that, as was convincing the Chosen to let him be her guardian during the trial. He'd tried to argue that Lloyd stay behind, but the boy was stubborn. Kratos had a job to do, and he couldn't be distracted worrying about the boy who might be his long-lost son.

Idle conversation in between battles revealed that he'd been adopted and raised by a dwarf, in the midst of the Iselia Forest. The timeline was right, the location matched up... This boy, this foolish, stubborn child was indeed the son he had lost all those years ago. The son he had missed every single day.

For a moment, he thought about saying something, but quickly decided against it. In another time, in another life, maybe. But as it was, he had a mission, one he could quickly tell went against many of his son's values, and he couldn't let the past get in the way of that.

No matter how much he wanted to.

Chapter 56: Man, Woman, or Beast 4

Summary:

Vani and Alistair talk

Chapter Text

Vani stared into the fire, legs pulled close as she scratched behind Alabaster's ears. Even if Alistair shunned her, even if he told the others and they all treated her differently... at least she had her dog.

She heard someone plop down on the mabari's other side, but she didn't even glance over, just watching the dancing flames, wondering what she'd do if everything went wrong. Could she return to her clan? She couldn't just... abandon the fight against the darkspawn, could she?

She knew she couldn't. It was her duty, her obligation, and she'd never forgive herself if she did.

"So... explain it to me," Alistair said, and the elf jumped, looking over at him. He was a fair distance from her, with Alabaster between them as a sort of barrier.

She looked away. "Explain what?" she asked softly. "I'm a woman."

"Yes, but you—" The man stopped, seeming to be trying to collect his thoughts. "You call yourself a woman, that is how you identify yourself," he stated, matching her in volume. She nodded. "But your... your body is male." Vani couldn't be sure because of the light of the fire, but she could have sworn Alistair was blushing.

"Does not matter," she said. "I feel like a woman. I always have." Her hands clasped around her legs, thumbs idly dancing. "I have voice problems because Merrill tried to help."

"Merrill is... a mage from your clan?" he guess, earning another nod. "And I assume the spell was to make your voice more feminine?"

"Yes," she replied. "It worked, somewhat, but damaged my throat." A long silence stretched between them, and she glanced back at him to see that he was studying her. She couldn't help but curl a little tighter around herself. He had to be cataloging every feature that he could identify, now that he knew, as male. The shape of her jaw, her lack of curves... everything that had to be glaringly obvious now.

"Do you feel trapped?" he finally asked, startling her. When she didn't answer, he fumbled, "I mean, considering how you feel, and the... the parts you have, and the ones you... don't, um... I'm sorry, I'm explaining this terribly..."

"Always," she responded, even softer than before. All her life she had felt wrong. Renaming herself, changing her voice, and informing her clan had helped, but it had never healed the ache she felt when she'd seen the shapes of other women's bodies, the sounds of their voices... she never really fit.

As though sensing her distress, Alabaster rolled onto his side, his back pressing against her hip. She smiled slightly before her face grew serious again. "Are we different?" she asked, hoping those three words conveyed everything she was trying to ask: Does it matter what my body is? Does that change the way you feel? Are you disgusted? Can we still be together?

Do you still love me?

Alistair was quiet again, but the look on his face told her this wasn't like the previous hesitant or uncomfortable silence. This was familiar, his analysis of what she said to understand what she meant. "No," he finally told her with a soft smile. "This doesn't change a thing." He leaned over the dog and kissed her cheek. "Man, woman, or beast, I will always love you, as long as you're you."

Vani felt lighter than she had in a very, very long time.

Chapter 57: Avatar: The Banished Prince 1

Summary:

Zuko finds a waterbender

Chapter Text

The entire tribe looked on their guard as he approached. A cursory glance revealed that there were no men in the village. Only women and children. There was a very quick pang of guilt at the realization that all of their men were probably off fighting the war, but he squashed it down.

"I need a waterbender!" he announced.

A girl and a boy, presumably brother and sister, glared at him. "You took all our waterbenders," the girl snapped. "There aren't any more in the South Pole!"

There was something about her tone... She was hiding something. He took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and carefully controlled his dispersal of energy, just as his uncle had taught him, before thrusting a flame toward an old woman. It would burn out before it would even come close to touching her—Zuko came here to find a waterbending teacher, not to hurt anyone.

"Gran Gran!" the girl yelled, arms thrusting out, and a small wave of water hit the flames, putting them out in an instant.

Zuko lowered his hands. "I thought so."

"Why do you need another waterbender?" the boy asked, placing himself between his sister and Zuko. "Haven't you taken enough from us?"

Iroh stepped forward. "Why my nephew has forgotten to mention," he said, giving the teen a sideways glance, "is that he is the Avatar, and he need someone to teach him waterbending."

"Why, so the Fire Nation can do even more damage?" the girl asked scathingly.

Zuko's fists clenched again. He didn't know what he was going to do. He wanted to return home to Father, to use his powers for the good of the Fire Nation, but deep down, he knew Iroh was right. His father wouldn't welcome him back with open arms, even if he had mastered all four elements by then. This quest had been a fool's errand, a way to assure the banished prince would never return.

Zuko just wanted to do the right thing.

"No," he said.

Neither teen looked like they believed him. Why did this have to be so hard?

"Yeah, right," the boy said. "How do we even know you're telling the truth?"

Zuko's eyes narrowed. How was he supposed to prove—

Gyatso's training.

Zuko took a deep breath, trying to release all the tension like the monk had taught him. He swiped his arm to the side, but rather than flame, a gust of air blew over the children huddled together.

"Is that proof enough for you?" he snapped.

The girl watched him for a moment, and a little of the hostility seemed to leave her. "I barely know the basics," she stated. "I'm not really a teacher, and I'm the only waterbender in the whole South Pole. You'd have to go to the North Pole for that." Her face hardened with determination. "And you're taking me with you."

"What?" her brother yelled. "Katara! You can't go with them, they're Fire Nation!"

"And he's the Avatar!" she retaliated. "If I can get to the North Pole, I can learn, Sokka. I don't trust him, but this is my only shot!"

"And what if they deliver you to the rest of the army?" Sokka challenged.

She looked back over at Zuko, studying him for a long time. He didn't know what she saw, but her face softened ever so slightly. "I don't think he will," she replied.

"Well I don't trust him!" Sokka snapped. "So I'm coming with you."

Zuko raised a brow. He'd come for a waterbending teacher, not a pair of kids to cart around up to the North Pole. But then again... if we was with two members of the Water Tribe, maybe he'd have better luck convincing someone to teach him.

"Fine," he said, and he noticed his uncle smiling.

Chapter 58: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 4

Summary:

Isaac vs. Norton

Chapter Text

Isaac grunted as he rolled in the snow, pain blossoming in his stomach from the kick.

"Norton, what the hell?!" he heard Carver yell as he pushed himself up.

"Stay out of this Carver!" the captain snapped. "This is his fault! This... freak made us come down here, put us all in danger!"

"I'm not the one that led Danik to us," Isaac ground out, grabbing his gun and climbing to his feet. He paused when he saw the laser sight on his chest.

"Not one more move," Norton ordered. Isaac watched as the dot slowly moved up his chest, blinking sharply when it met his eye. He froze. "Yeah, that's right. I know."

Isaac didn't dare move, closing the eye the laser pointed directly in, trying to ignore the flashes of a tight, enclosed machine, with a needle slowly creeping forward. "Norton, don't do this..." he said quietly.

Norton continued on like he hadn't heard him. "I know that most injuries, all you have to do is turn back into a monster and its fine. Broken bone, hole in the gut, lost arm... even stopping your heart. But Ellie told me, the one thing that'll put you down for good, is a bullet." He tapped his temple. "Right here."

Isaac's heart sank. Ellie told Norton how to kill him? Yeah, he'd shut himself away after Callisto, but was she really that angry with him?

"We need him," Carver pointed out. "Isaac's the only one who can destroy the Markers, so if we're gonna even have a chance at—"

"We're not stopping the Markers, Carver, we're going home," Norton snapped. "This whole mission is bullshit."

"This 'whole mission' is Ellie's," Isaac said, falling silent when he saw the man's hand twitch toward the trigger. He could feel the itch under his skin, the dead thing he was underneath his human disguise wanted to break free and either kill Norton or just run.

"And she's wrong!" he argued. "There's nothing here we can do! If there people who made that stupid machine couldn't do anything, why does she think we can?"

Because she's not a quitter, Isaac thought, not daring to voice it with that gun just a twitch away from putting a hole in his head.

"Norton, just put the gun down, man," Carver said, hand slowly reaching toward his. Norton turned his gaze to the sergeant, and Isaac took his chance.

With a speed he didn't know he possessed, his hand flew back to his gun and he fired, watched Norton's face go slack as the bullet went through his eye and out the back. The body fell, and Isaac watched it crumple before falling to his knees, dropping his gun and his arms wrapped around himself tightly. Too much stress, too much intensity, too much...

Just too much.

He felt like his skin was crawling, waiting to burst, and he was just barely holding on. He curled in on himself, touching his forehead to the snow in hopes of calming himself down as his breathing grew labored. He couldn't lose it, not now. He'd made it this far without changing—not including getting out of the cage, but that was on purpose, it didn't count—and he had to prove, to himself more than anything, that he had control over this. He wanted to be the man that could turn into a necromorph Ellie saw him as, not the necromorph pretending to be human he felt like.

He was vaguely aware of someone kneeling in the snow beside him, and felt a hand on his shoulder. "Hey," Carver said. "C'mon, get it together, Isaac. We gotta get back to Ellie and Santos. It's just us now, and we got a job to do."

Isaac nodded softly, relaxing slightly. His body calmed, and he let go of himself, resting his hands on the ground for a moment before moving to stand. A hand appeared in his view, and he grabbed it, gratefully accepting the help as he stood.

"Thanks, Carver."

"Yeah, yeah, don't get all soft on me," the soldier replied with a laugh. "Now let's go."

Chapter 59: Primal Spirit 4

Summary:

Owen first hears Indi

Chapter Text

Owen slowed his bike to a stop when he was hit with an intense wave of anger, fear, loneliness, and frustration. It was a similar to what he got sometimes from his girls, but so much more powerful. He turned, realizing it was coming from the mysterious Paddock 11. It was relatively close to the path he took from the raptors to his bungalow. A big new attraction everyone was talking about, but no one had much to say.

But whatever was in there, it wasn't being treated right.

Hello? he sent out tentatively. He wasn't met with words, but he was filled with a curiosity and confusion that wasn't his own. And there was strange kind of innocence to it, even though the size of the paddock walls said it was probably anything but.

He had to get inside, to see what was calling to him. And whatever it was was crying for help. But he didn't have anywhere near the clearance to be able to do that. He'd get shut down immediately.

Are you okay? he asked, and there was just more confusion. It probably didn't understand his words as word, so he projected more feeling into them. Are you okay? he asked again, adding a strong feelin of concern, and this time there was a touch of sadness in the response he got. That's a no, then.

He pulled his bike over to the side and strolled casually toward the paddock, trying to overhear some of the workers that were still raising the walls. He couldn't believe they were doing the construction with the animal still in there. The noise probably wasn't doing it any favors.

"I can't believe it's this big already," one worker was saying, and Owen quickly ducked out of sight to avoid detection. He really wished he had his raptors' skills in stealth.

"I know, right?" another replied. "We were supposed to have more time before it would need more work, time for them to be able to set up some temporary offsite location for it."

The first worked nodded. "Yeah, I'm not sure how safe I feel working up there. I swear I can feel that thing watching me. I don't wanna be lunch, dude."

"This whole thing better be worth everything Masrani's putting into it," the second commented. "I heard it was multi-million dollar investment."

The first one whistled. "Holy shit, we better be getting a huge bonus for our troubles, then," she said. She looked back at the paddock. "And huge health coverage, too. I am not dying for this thing. No way is the Indominus Rex gonna get a piece of me."

Owen blinked. Indominus Rex. What a goddamn name.

Chapter 60: Detour Through the Hellmouth 3

Summary:

Xander comes clean

Chapter Text

"Explain."

Xander hunched his shoulders as everyone stared at him, sinking into his chair. How the hell was he supposed to explain the hunter that got trapped in his head on the way to Hell?

"You've never fired a shotgun in your life," Willow stated. "How did you do that?"

Just tell them, Dean said.

"Easy for you to say, asshole," Xander muttered without thinking, freezing once he realized his friends were staring at him. "I, uh..." He took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain. Dean provided no help. "So... there was this guy Dean and he ended up selling his soul, and a couple weeks ago, he got sent to Hell, except he got, um... stuck. In me. My head!" he rectified quickly. "My head, he got stuck in my head, and he's been this voice just... always there, and now apparently he can take over, too. That's new."

No one looked like they believed him. They probably thought he was crazy.

Fine, let me do it.

Xander felt the tugging sensation again, and just like earlier that night, his body stood without him behind the wheel.

"Look," Dean said, and both males could tell the others noticed his change in posture and tone. "I know you think Xander's crazy, and I get it, I would, too. But the truth is, yeah. I made a deal with a demon, sold my soul, and got trapped here on my way down."

Buffy raised a brow. "So... 'Dean'..." She still didn't look convinced. "What do you want?"

"Honestly?" he asked. "I wanna get back in my own body, get outta Sunnyhell, and make sure my brother doesn't do anything stupid."

Giles's expression changed. "Dean Winchester?" he asked, and Dean looked at him sharply.

"How'd you know?" he asked suspiciously.

"Bobby Singer is an old friend of mine," the Watcher said slowly. "I heard about what happened. This shouldn't be possible..."

"Yeah, you're telling me," Dean agreed. He looked at the group as a whole. "Well, since everyone knows now, maybe we can figure out how to get me the hell outta here. Pretty sure Xander would appreciate it." And before anyone could say anything, he withdrew, giving Xander the reins again.

"Oh my god, that's weird," he said.

The others were quiet for a minute, but at least they no longer looked skeptical. Oz was the first to speak.

"Huh."

Chapter 61: Loophole 7

Summary:

John talks to Linda

Chapter Text

John scowled at the door in front of him, wanting to just turn around and leave. But he had a very strong feeling that Lucifer, Chloe, or even Ella—even if the latter didn't know his full story—would just drag him back here anyway. So with that in mind, he knocked.

"Come in," a woman's voice called from the other side and he opened the door, leaning slightly on the doorframe. The woman, Dr. Linda Martin, was already in the chair, legs crossed, clipboard in her lap. She waved to the couch. "Take a seat."

It took more effort than John wanted to admit to keep himself upright, and he practically fell onto the couch once he got there, devolving into a coughing fit.

"So what's going on, John?" she asked.

He raised a brow. "Luci didn't tell you?" he asked once the coughs subsided.

"He told me you were from another Earth which, honestly, is still sinking in, and he told me that something was wrong," she responded. "Really, really wrong. So please, talk to me."

John studied her for a long moment before leaning forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "Look, doctor, I've done all this before, so you can stick whatever fake niceties you've got right up your own arse. I've been sat in the circle, I've had my head shrunk, I've had my mind fried, and I gotta tell you, none of it worked."

"You... went through electroshock therapy?" she asked, frowning now.

He nodded. "Yep. Tied me down, stuck the nodes to my head, and zapped me 'til I couldn't think," he told her. "And I'm still the same sodding train wreck I was when I went in."

"Maybe you need a new perspective," she suggested.

John stared her down, but she didn't budge. He shrugged. "Alright, what the hell." Maybe if he dumped everything on her, she'd realize how much of a lost cause he really was. "My mum died in childbirth," he started. "My dad blamed me for it, beat me every night. I got into the occult when I was a teenager. My sister left, abandoned me with the old man and it got to the point I almost offed myself. Got deeper into the occult and I moved out. Pretty sure I started a fire that killed 47 people from a drunken spell, and ended up ruining my best mate's marriage." His eyes darkened. "I got a little girl sent down to Hell, damning my soul with her. I can still hear her screams sometimes. I tricked a friend into housing a hunger demon to kill it, a friend who trusted me. I've used people over and over, used a girl named Zed for her visions, which turned out to be from a brain tumor, and I'm pretty sure pushing those visions like I made her just made it worse." He looked down at his hands, wishing he had a cigarette, but Chloe had confiscated them, and he hadn't had the opportunity to buy more. "I ruined a lot of lives, doctor, and I'm too much of a coward to own up to my own mistakes. So I ran, without saying goodbye. I left a note and my medical records, but I didn't see either of them, Zed or Chas, before I left. I came here to escape a mess I got myself into, and I'm just a dead man walking anyway, so I don't know what you think you can do."

Dr. Martin was quiet for a long moment. "I think I understand."

"Oh? Do you?"

"It's not that you don't think you can be helped," she said kindly. "You don't think you deserve help. You think you deserve to suffer, since you ran, right?"

John stayed silent.

She nodded, almost to herself. "Okay," she said, startling him. Was she really going to try to untangle all of that, when he'd laid it all out in the open? "Let's start with something easy and go from there. Tell me about Zed."

Chapter 62: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 1

Summary:

Oliver reflects on how he's changed (physically)

Chapter Text

Oliver stared at himself in the large mirror, taking in every detail. Every blemish, every scar, and it would be so easy to just shift it all away. The Oliver whose form he'd taken all those years ago had been scar-free, so all he had to do was go back to that. But, ignoring the fact that people would question how he suddenly looked years younger... he just didn't want to.

Each scar was a reminder of the journey he'd taken, the growth into the new Oliver Queen, replacing the one who'd died on the island. He was just a replacement, a copy, but he'd be damned if he didn't live up to the promise he'd made to a dying man.

He lightly touched the mirror, letting the human shape fall away until he was looking into his own reptilian, acid-green eyes. Smooth skin gave way to emerald scales, his tail curling around him. His nictitating membranes slowly glossed over his eyes, and he went back to studying the image in front of him.

His mentor had warned him against taking one particular shape too often, too many times. It had warned him that doing so could start to change his very anatomy. He'd keep all his organs, his scales, his tail, things like that, but... He was looking distinctly more man-shaped. His head was rounder, and he could almost make out some humanly proportionate muscle definition under his scales.

But it wasn't like he was ever going back to Azipra anytime soon.

He almost laughed at the fact that he didn't even think of his own planet as 'home' anymore. He'd taken the life of Oliver Queen—both figuratively and literally—and it had become his. There were days where he felt like an outsider, when he felt like John and Felicity were scrutinizing him, looking for any sign of the alien underneath the man, or when he started shedding, but others... He really felt at home here.

Speaking of shedding...

Oliver started gently rubbing the patch of skin on his bicep that had started to peel. He'd been taught at a young age, and learned from experience, that just picking at the skin would do more harm than good. As annoying and uncomfortable as it was, especially when taking on a different form, it had to be eased loose as naturally as possible.

"Oliver?"

Oliver froze, already beginning his transformation when Felicity stepped in.

"Hold on, stop," she said, and he did, shifting fully back into his true form. "You look... different, than before."

He nodded, trying to find the best way to explain. "Side effect of being Oliver Queen for so long." As was the fact that even his voice was starting to sound the same, without even putting any effort into it.

Felicity nodded as though she understood, but he knew she didn't. She'd probably ask a ton of questions later, but she just reached into her purse, and he raised a brow ridge when she pulled out a rock about the size of a baseball, some edges smooth while others were varying degrees of roughness. "I uh... I figured it was probably around the time you'd start shedding, so..." She set it on the desk. She looked down at her feet, and her face started turning red. "I bought it from a reptile care website."

Oliver couldn't help it. He chuckled, walked over and picking up the rock. He turned it over, finding a side of medium roughness, and tested it against the patch of shedding skin. To his pleasant surprise, some skin started slowly detaching from the new layer below it. This would probably half the time it took to shed. "Thank you," he said genuinely, setting it back down. He'd use it more later. The humans tended to get a little weird when it came to his shedding habits.

"I just... I noticed how uncomfortable you looked last time, so I wanted to help," she told him. "Well... I'll just leave you to it, then. Should I tell Thea you're working late?"

Oliver shook his head. "No, I'll be going home soon. I just... needed some space, for a little while."

The woman nodded. "Okay then," she said. "Goodnight, Oliver."

"Goodnight, Felicity."

Chapter 63: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 4

Summary:

Connor finds Becker, corrupted

Chapter Text

Connor wrung his hands nervously as they entered the hallway. There were so many doors, and he had no idea if Becker was even behind one of them at all.

"We'll find him," Abby assured him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

But will he be okay? Connor thought, starting down the hall. The vampire had been held captive for the past three and a half weeks, and this place was the first solid lead they'd gotten, but even so... he might not even be here. He might have been moved. He might be—

Connor felt a flood of relief when he looked through one of the windows and saw him.

"Guys, he's in here!" he shouted before opening the door, Abby and Danny right on his heels.

Becker was held upright by chains hanging from the ceiling, the toes of his boots barely scraping the ground. His skin was pale, almost white, making the blackened veins stand out even more.

"Becker...?" Connor whispered, fearing the worst, and jumped back when Becker's head shot up. His fangs were longer than any of them had even seen, and a low, animalistic snarl ripped from his throat. His eyes were pure white.

They were too late. He'd been corrupted.

Connor dropped to his knees, staring at the vampire who had once been his boyfriend. But he knew Becker was long gone. Once anything went fully corrupt, there was no bringing them back.

"I'm sorry, mate," Danny told him softly as Becker struggled against the chains. "I really am." He looked back at the soldiers that had followed them in. They all looked varying degrees of unnerved to physically ill. Every single one of them was a vampire, and they were probably all thinking the same thing: That could have been me. "You know what to do."

Connor's eyes widened at those words and he shot to his feet, placing himself between Becker and the soldiers. "No!" he yelled. He didn't even know what he was doing, there was no way he could take on ten vampire soldiers, but all he knew was that he couldn't let them touch Becker. Even if he wasn't exactly Becker anymore.

"Connor," Abby tried. "He's not—"

"I know!" he snapped. "But..." He looked back at the still struggling vampire. "I can't just give up on him, Abby."

Abby looked at him for a long time. "Okay," she finally said, turning to the soldiers and ignoring the look she was getting from Danny. "Knock him out, bring him back to the ARC. We'll... find somewhere to keep him until we know what to do."

They all looked at each other before raising their guns, set to tranquilize, in unison, all firing. No one knew how much it took to knock out a corrupted vampire, and no one was taking any chances.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Danny said. Connor had no idea. "So," the older man continued. "Who's telling Lester?"

Chapter 64: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 5

Summary:

Mike escapes Olson

Chapter Text

"I'm not afraid of you," Mike said calmly.

"You should be," Olson shot back, banging his sledgehammer on the wall for good measure. "We took your gun, you're all alone here, and I have this nice, big hammer."

Mike's eyes hardened. "Ever hear of the Blackwood Mountain Incident?" When he received no response, he continued, "Eight kids went up to the mountain for a weekend getaway. Only two came back down. The rest of them died, and those remaining two saw some real shit." His gaze didn't waver as he said, "Sam and I are the Blackwood Survivors, and believe me, there is nothing you, or any of your little crew, can do that would be anywhere near what we went through that night."

"We'll see about that," Olson said darkly, and Mike got the distinct feeling he was threatening him. He didn't have a gun, he didn't see an easy escape route, and he knew that just staying still wouldn't get him anywhere, but he was faster than the fisherman, especially if he held onto that giant weapon. He could escape, find a weapon of his own, find the others, and get them all out.

Hopefully, he'd live up to that promise this time.

Miraculously, his opening appeared when one of the other men—Junior, he believed—approached, possibly with information about the others. Olson's back was only turned for a moment, but a moment was all Mike needed.

Once there was a space big enough for him to fit through, he dashed forward, ducking as soon as he saw the sledgehammer move. A second later, he heard it hit the wall where his head had been a second ago. Hard.

Mike just ran, hearing Olson yelling behind him. He wasn't going to catch up any time soon. But Junior might.

The other man's footfalls seemed to be getting closer, and Mike cursed. Glancing back would waste seconds he might not have, so he just kept pushing forward, reaching his arm out to grab a pipe, using it to pivot around the corner before taking off without losing much speed. He heard Junior hit the wall behind him.

Navigating through the wreckage was easy, and when he came across a giant hole in the floor, he didn't think. He just jumped.

He missed the other side by inches, and his hand immediately shot out, wrapping around one of the rebars from the floor below. He bit back the cry of pain as it jolted his shoulder, but he somehow managed to push himself up onto the metal floor. Breathing heavily, he glanced back up. Junior was staring down at him in disbelief and anger. Mike didn't blame him. He didn't expect to make that save, either.

He was pretty sure the man wasn't going to chance trying to follow him down, but when Olson caught up, he might just be crazy enough. So once he caught his breath, he took off running again, calling for the others.

Chapter 65: Avatar: The Banished Prince 2

Summary:

Mai learns more about Team Avatar

Chapter Text

Mai sat against the rock, absently rubbing Druk's back while he slept in her lap. She looked at Zuko, who sat by a tree, completely still, eyes closed.

"So, what's he doing?" she finally asked.

"Technically?" Sokka asked. "Airbending."

"Right..." she replied dubiously.

Katara sighed. "Because the Fire Nation killed all of the Air Nomads..." Her eyes narrowed and she glared at Mai, but the other girl didn't respond. If she was trying to get a rise out of her, Katara would have to do better than that. A lot better than that. "Zuko has to rely on the Spirit World to learn airbending. One of his past lives apparently guided him to a monk named Gyatso."

Mai continued to watch in silence, not even giving any acknowledgment that she heard Katara. She noticed the brunette looking frustrated out of the corner of her eye, but she wasn't here for her, or her idiot brother. She was here for Zuko. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to betray her whole nation, but Zuko had had a point. Something was wrong with the Fire Nation, and indifferent as she was to most things, it wasn't sitting right with her.

Not to mention how much she knew it would bother Azula.

"So... you guys have just been traveling the world, on foot?" she finally asked. "No... real plan?"

Sokka looked about to argue, before shutting his mouth petulantly. He crossed his arms, and Mai figured she was right.

"The plan is to help Zuko master the elements," Katara snapped. "That's why we're on our way to the Earth Kingdom. He'd learning airbending, Iroh's helping him get better with his firebending, I'm teaching him waterbending—"

"You?" Mai asked.

The waterbender bristled. "Yes, me!" she argued. "We trained together at the North Pole, and... you know what? I don't have to explain myself to you!"

Mai shrugged, and it looked like her response, or lack thereof, was only bothering Katara even more. She wasn't actually trying to antagonize her, but she was just so... emotional. Outspoken.

The group fell into silence, and a few minutes later, Iroh returned from his search for tea leaves.

"Ah!" he said as he sat across from the teens around their fire pit, where the tea pot was already waiting. "I don't think I ever asked. Mai, how is your family doing?"

She shrugged, watching as he started the fire for the tea. "They're okay," she answered. "Dad's overseeing Omashu, Mom's taking care of Tom-Tom."

"Don't you think they're worried about you?" he asked.

"They know I can take care of myself," she told him.

"But do they know where you are?"

She paused at that. She didn't think they did. She didn't leave a note, any indication of where she was going... "No," she said, ending the conversation.

What felt like ten minutes passed in awkward silence before Zuko opened his eyes, stood, and walked over to them.

"So, how'd it go?" Katara asked.

Zuko just grinned, moving his arms in front of him, and shortly, a sphere of swirling air gathered between his hands.

"Hey, you did it!" Sokka exclaimed, patting him on the back.

"He has been working on that particular move for weeks," Iroh explained to Mai.

Zuko lowered his hands, the air snuffing out in an instant and plopped down next to Mai. "Also, guys, Gyatso says hi."

"Any idea what you'll be learning next?" Katara asked.

He shrugged. "Apparently I 'have to learn how to ride it', but I wanna try to convince him that maybe we should focus on something a little more helpful."

"Ride on it?" Sokka asked. "Ride on what?"

"On that stupid sphere," Mai spoke up, and they all stared at her. "What? We've got some really old paintings at home with some airbenders riding around on them."

"I honestly did not expect you to contribute to the conversation," Sokka said bluntly.

Mai stayed quiet after that, watching the others. Her hand inched towards Zuko's, and she thought about what being here meant for her. Once their fingers touched, she felt the Avatar's hand wrap around her own, and she allowed herself the smallest of smiles.

Chapter 66: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 6

Summary:

Valkyrie talks to Serpine

Chapter Text

Valkyrie frowned as she watched the man across the room. Dark hair, green eyes, and most notably, a locked gauntlet on his right hand.

Nefarian Serpine. The man who'd killed Skulduggery and his family.

Making a decision, she crossed the room and sat down opposite him. He studied her, raising a brow.

"You must be the Edgley girl," he said.

"Cain," she correctly, maybe a little more sharply than she needed to. "Valkyrie Cain."

Serpine interlaced his fingers, resting his chin on them as he watched her, looking amused. "Well, then," he said. "What can I do for you, Valkyrie Cain?" He said her name almost like he was mocking her. She didn't like it.

It took her a moment to figure out how to ask what she wanted. Serpine just continued to watch her in amusement, which only made her more angry. "What are you doing here?" she finally asked. "You hate mortals, why fight for equality with them?"

He shrugged. "It's that or serve the Sentinels, and I'm not going to be working for mortals. I'm only one man, I don't have any delusions that I could take them all on on my own."

"But when we win...?"

Serpine laughed. "Oh, to be that young and optimistic. If we win, then yes, I'll probably turn on you all, bring the Dark Gods back."

"So why does Skulduggery let you stay here, even knowing that?" she asked. "And you killed him and his family. I don't get it."

"Because he needs every capable soldier he can find," Serpine replied with a smirk. "And loathe as he probably is to admit it, I'm a very capable fighter. I've picked up quite a few tricks over the years."

Her frown deepened. "He doesn't need you, though. And after—"

"When most people join this little crusade, Pleasant has a... motto, almost. 'It doesn't matter why you're here, and long as you'll fight for us. What you when al this is over... we'll worry about that when we get there.' Quite a motivating little speech, isn't it?" Serpine asked. "But I bet you're wondering why he doesn't just kill me anyway. Surely one man wouldn't make that much of a difference?"

"He has every reason to," she muttered.

"I was on the losing side of the war, it's true. I have some... controversial ideals, so it's natural that a lot of people hate me." He leaned in. "But for every person hates me, there's almost as many, if not more, that hate your friend. Everyone follows him because he's a good tactician, and a fairly decent leader. But my death, which would be seen as a cold-blooded revenge killing regardless of the circumstances, would be all these people need to start a coup."

"So he has no other choice..." Valkyrie realized. "That's just... not fair."

Serpine laughed. "Not fair? Welcome to the real world, Ms. Cain. Nothing is fair here."

Chapter 67: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 5

Summary:

Skulduggery and Valkyrie arrive at Hogwarts

Chapter Text

"Wow," Valkyrie breathed, staring up at the castle. She'd seen a few by now—not to mention the fact that she spent a lot of time in what was basically a mansion—but she had to admit that the structure in front of her was impressive.

"Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Skulduggery stated, straightening his tie. "A bit different than Serpine's castle, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh," was all she could say as she studied it. It was so much fancier. Towers, courtyards, and a grandiose entrance... much nicer than the more fortress-like castle Serpine, and then the Revengers Club, had holed up in before. "We're seriously staying here for the next nine months?" she asked.

He nodded. "They even have an office and sleeping quarters for us. Well, sleeping for you, meditating for me."

"Kinda like we're real teachers."

"We are real teachers," he pointed out.

A thought occurred to her. "We have a curriculum, right?" she asked.

"I thought it would be more fun to plan as we go," he commented, strolling toward the entrance. She watched him for a moment in disbelief before jogging to catch up.

"That," she started, "is probably one of the worst ideas you've every had, and that includes that time you let Melancholia take you apart."

"I wouldn't go that far," he argued. "And it wasn't that terrible, you did get her to release me."

She scowled, knowing this argument would only go in circles. "But I didn't know it would work," she muttered. She paused once they stepped into the castle, suddenly on edge. The second she passed through the door, her Necromancer ring became ice cold.

When he noticed she wasn't following him, Skulduggery turned. "What is it?" he asked.

She pointed to her ring. "Someone died here," she told him. "Maybe a lot of someones."

"Oh, no, don't worry," Skulduggery assured her. "The castle is also inhabited by ghosts. They all died years ago. From what I understand, they hang out in the Great Hall, right over there," he pointed, "during the Sorting."

"And Sorting is...?"

He sighed. "I told you about this on the way here. The students are each sorted into one of four Houses, which determines where they sleep, when their classes are, and Quidditch teams. Things like that."

She wasn't going to ask about Quidditch. She'd probably figure that out in due time. But... "Wait, so the students are basically put into school-created cliques? And no one thought that was a bad idea?"

"Apparently not, it's been happening since the school first started. Now come on." He motioned for her to follow as he headed to the stairs. "Our things should already be in our quarters—thanks to the house elves—so let's get settled in."

She nodded, following him, before what he said sunk in. "Hey Skulduggery? One more question."

"Hmm?"

"What's a house elf?"

Chapter 68: Primal Spirit 5

Summary:

Claire releases the raptors

Chapter Text

Claire took a deep breath as she approached the raptor paddock. The girls were already in place, ready to be released, and Owen's bike was parked nearby.

All four velociraptors looked antsy, wanting to run, to hunt, to find Indi. Claire just hoped they could do it without any more casualties. Human or dinosaur.

She stopped in front of Blue, pushing down her nerves as she was watched by unnervingly intelligent amber eyes. The raptor could probably smell her fear. And she had little doubt she was projecting it, too.

"Okay, so..." she started awkwardly, but Blue seemed to give her her full attention. "Indi is out there somewhere. We need to find her before ACU does and bring her back without anyone getting hurt."

She heard a growl to her left when she mentioned the ACU, accompanied by a spike of anger and annoyance. Delta, she was pretty sure.

"But ACU is out there, and they'll do whatever it takes to bring her in," she continued. "And we can't let that happen. But..." She took a deep breath. "If we do run into them, and they turn their guns on you... don't attack. Just run."

Blue blinked at her and huffed, unimpressed.

"I know the four of you are fast," Claire told her. "But a bullet is faster. And while you could all do some damage, there are more people out there than you could take without getting hurt, or killed. If they see you as a threat, they will open fire."

Blue huffed again, and Claire sighed. She knew it was pointless to ask that. Despite the intelligence and communication skills the raptors possessed, they were still animals. And she'd just tried to convince an animal, and apex predator at that, to go against her basic instinct when she felt threatened.

At least she could say she tried.

-

Claire froze when she saw the laser-sights appear on the raptors' backs. As one, they all looked back, tensing at the weapons pointed at them, and the countless soldiers aiming them.

"Wait!" she yelled, even though she wasn't quite sure if she was talking to the men or the dinosaurs. Her heart was beating a mile a minute as she watched, dreading the worst. Echo was growling, Charlie looked ready to spring, and Delta was baring her teeth, but Blue... Blue looked completely calm. And to Claire's utter suprise, she swiveled her head towards her, stared for a moment, chirped at her sisters...

... and ran.

Chapter 69: The Mutation Situation 5

Summary:

Peter becomes human again

Chapter Text

"Peter!" Shuri said excitedly. "I think we've done it!"

Peter's head shot up.

"That's right, kid," Tony said, setting a bottle of pills on the table. "You're gonna be human again, and these will make sure you stay that way."

If Peter could, he would have cried. As it was, he watched as Shuri retrieved some of the pieces of meat they kept in the freezer for him. "We just have to wait for this to thaw, and we can get to work."

-

With a little help from the stove, it didn't take long for the meat to thaw enough for Peter. Tony let a few of the pills drop into his hand, crushing them before sprinkling them over the meat. Peter couldn't help making the comparison to getting a dog to take medication.

He was on it immediately. The pills had no taste, as least over the meat, and almost immediately, he felt the pull on his middle four legs. They shot back inside him, and the exoskeleton on his remaining limbs cracked, split, and fell away, revealing the arms and legs underneath. He felt the crack along his abdomen, and a weird sloshing that he thought might have been his internal organs.

He almost threw up at that.

Peter's vision went dark, and he felt his fangs pull back into his mouth, making way for human teeth. He coughed as his throat changed, tongue regrowing, and when his vision returned, the colors were dimmer, and the fractured angles of eight eyes were replaced with the binocular vision of two.

"M-Mr. Stark...?" he asked quietly. His voice was raspy, and his throat was dry, but they were words. Human words, not needing to be deciphered by a series of clicking. His eyes started to water, and he began to cry. "Mr. Stark, I'm... I'm human!"

Tony kneeled down, arms wrapping around him tightly. Peter returned the embrace, just glad he could. He held on tightly, and couldn't stop smiling. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shuri covering her eyes, and became keenly aware of the fact that he was naked.

His mentor seemed to realize the same thing and chuckled. "Come on, kid," he said, standing and helping him up. He didn't even wait to be asked to help Peter balance. After so long of walking on eight legs, two might take some adjusting to again. "Let's get you some clothes."

Chapter 70: Man, Woman, or Beast 5

Summary:

Vani gets ready for the Landsmeet

Chapter Text

Vani scowled at her reflection as she blew a strand of midnight black hair out of her eye. It was just long enough to be a problem, but she was pretty sure the nobles would throw a fit if she tried to cut it any shorter, and she didn't want to make things more difficult than they already were for Alistair.

"You look beautiful," Imogen, her handmaiden, told her with a smile. Vani was pretty sure it was supposed to be a compliment. But Vani wasn't most women, and she preferred the dangerous, capable beauty of a warrior to the softened, weaker beauty of a queen. She would much rather be wearing her armor than the silk pile of fabric Imogen held.

The younger woman set the dress down carefully over a chair and reached for two small sacks, each about the size of an apple. Vani arched a brow as Imogen brought them to her. She looked a bit flustered now. "One more thing, before the dress..." she started. "I was thinking that, perhaps to convince the Landsmeet of your qualifications as queen, you should..." She held up the sacks helplessly.

Vani's eyes widened the second she understood what the human meant. She filled with rage, body shaking as she shouted, "No!" and stormed out of the room, in nothing but the slip she was to wear under her dress. She was fuming as she stalked down the halls, ignoring the stares of the servants as she arrived at the room she was looking for. She was vaguely aware of Imogen running after her as she burst open the door.

Alistair looked up in surprise as he was inspecting the royal armor he was to wear to the Landsmeet. It looked eerily similar to Cailan's. His expression quickly turned to one of concern as he saw his wife, seething with rage in nothing but her undergarments, and a huffing Imogen leaning on the doorframe.

"Y-Your Highness!" she exclaimed, out of breath, bowing. Vani clenched her fists.

"What's wrong?" Alistair asked. He placed a hand on Vani's shoulder, and despite her rage, she felt herself calming slightly.

The elf nodded her head back to Imogen, to let the girl try to explain. It was embarrassing and insulting enough to even just be proposed the idea, there was no way she was saying it.

With the king's attention on her, Imogen shifted uncomfortably. "I... I know that many of the nobles question the queen's ability to... be a queen, so I thought that maybe..." She held up the sacks helplessly.

It took Alistair a solid twenty seconds before it dawned on him. "You... wanted to put those in her dress?" he asked incredulously, with a laugh. One look at Vani, though, made him stop. She didn't see it as humorous as he did.

"It's a costume," Vani said scathingly, and she saw Imogen's brows furrow in confusion. She looked back to Alistair, waiting for him to put the pieces together.

"Oh," he said softly. He looked to Imogen. "Using those would be using... bad costume props," he tried to explain. "And wearing a costume means dressing as something you're not."

Imogen's eyes widened immediately. "Oh. Oh, Maker's breath, I wasn't thinking... I'm so sorry, Your Majesty!"

Vani forced herself to calm the rest of the way. Imogen hadn't meant it. She wasn't trying to be rude, she wasn't trying to be offensive. She wasn't the nobility that harassed her at every turn, she was just an innocent girl, trying to help.

She gave Alistair's hand a small squeeze before pulling away from him and heading back to the door. "Let's go back," she told her, hoping Imogen understood that she wasn't angry anymore. "But first..." She took the sacks from her handmaiden and tossed them out Alistair's open window.

The king laughed, while his queen went on her way back to continue getting ready, while Imogen just stared in stunned silence.

Chapter 71: Loophole 8

Summary:

John saves Trixie's class

Chapter Text

The first thing John did when he appeared in the bank was find Trixie and immediately put his finger to his lips when he knew she saw him. It wouldn't help anyone if she immediately tipped these bank robbers turned hostage takers to something being amiss.

She gave a barely perceptible nod, and the ghost found himself grinning. "Good girl," he said quietly, even though the men wouldn't hear him. Not yet.

He turned to get a good look at what he was dealing with. Three men, all in the stereotypical all-black getup, ski masks and all. One front exit, and a door to the back, where he was willing to bet there was a back door. That seemed the safest way to get them out, but he still had to distract the men without any of them getting trigger happy.

"I don't know about this," one of the men was saying. "I didn't sign on to kidnap people."

"Yeah, well, tough," one of the others snapped. "We're all in this together now. Just keep an eye on the kids. We do this right, no one has to get hurt."

"Good," the first guy muttered. "I don't wanna shoot any kids."

John listened to them bicker, glancing back at the door to the back. Drawing on all the fury and hate inside him, he reached out, and the doorknob slowly started to move. Poltergeist energy was more fitting for slamming doors, rather than quietly sliding them open, but if he wanted this to go smoothly, the men had to be none the wiser until it was too late. He kept the door just barely cracked, the latch less than an inch from the hole, completely unnoticeable unless someone pushed on it.

He knelt down in front of the teacher, who looked like she was just a hair away from a panic attack. He had to be very, very careful with this. He focused on making himself audible first. He'd never tried this before, and he'd only just mastered becoming visible to a select few people instead of everyone or no one, but if this was going to work...

"I need you to keep absolutely quiet, can you do that for me, luv?" he asked softly, and by the way the teacher stiffened, but no one else reacted, he had the feeling he'd done it. "Now, don't be afraid." He made himself visible, and she gasped. One of the men turned, glaring, but he looked straight through John. "He can't see or hear me," the warlock assured her. "Now, I'm going to need you to do exactly what I tell you, alright?" he asked. She nodded slightly, and bless the woman, she made it look like she was just stretching her neck. "Good. See that door over there?" he pointed to the door he'd opened. "It's unlocked, and all you'll have to do is push it. I'm going to distract these tossers, and the moment their attention is on me, I need you to gather your students and get them through that door. Tap your finger if you understand."

She tapped. She had the same look of fear she did before John spoke to her, but there was something else behind it. Determination, strength. If this woman managed to quietly herd twenty some-odd eleven year olds out of a hostage situation, she definitely deserved a raise.

John nodded. "Alright, then." And with that, he made himself invisible to her again. He walked over to Trixie and knelt to her level. "You help your teacher, alright? Get all your classmates out, and let me worry about those guys." He nodded his head over his shoulder and the miraculously still arguing kidnappers. She gave another near imperceptible nod. He stood, walked over to the kidnappers, and recited a spell. The lights flickered, and a shadowy figure, and illusion conjured by the warlock, darted in and out of view, keeping the now panicked men's attention away from the class. He looked back at the teacher, and said, "GO!"

She must have heard him, because she immediately moved over to the door, gently tapping it until it pushed open. She made frantic moments for her students to follow her, and Trixie helped a few along. One of the kidnappers turned, immediately raising his gun and yelling for his friends. "Praesidio!" John yelled, thrusting an arm out, and a runic circle of fire appeared between the students and the men, absorbing the bullets before they could hurt anyone.

Even the teacher froze at that, and it was Trixie's urgings that spurred the rest of the class on, making it out the door unharmed. John was pleased to note that the bank staff was able to follow.

Now, it was just him and these prats.

He made himself visible, letting the protection spell drop. All their captives were free, and it wasn't like they could hurt a dead man.

The three men jumped when he appeared, immediately firing, but he just gave them a cocky grin as the bullets passed through him and hit the wall.

"Nice try," he said. "My turn." He once again drew on that poltergeist energy and the door the hostages had left through slammed shut. Several objects rose off the desks and flew towards the men. He watched in amusement as these grown men tried to fend off flying staplers and paper clips.

John glanced out the window to see SWAT moving in. Abruptly dropping everything, he casually put his hands in his pockets. "Bank robbery, hostage taking, and destruction of government property. I'd say you boys are in for it."

Surprisingly, one of them found it in him to argue. "We... We didn't do this!" He waved his arm to the chaos around them.

John considered it for a moment. "Mm, maybe not." He grinned, tilting his head slightly. "Too bad no one will ever believe you."

He vanished just as SWAT rushed in.

Chapter 72: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 5

Summary:

Craig explains a few things to Robert

Chapter Text

"Dude, you look like you're about to glare a hole right through that shot glass," a voice said to Robert's left, and he glanced over to see Craig Cahn taking the stool beside him. Craig turned to Neil. "Just a water, thanks."

Neil raised a brow, but poured him the water and slid it over.

"What're you doing here?" Robert asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you set foot anywhere near a bar before."

"Well, I'm not here for the drinks," Craig conceded, taking a drink of his water. "But.. Toby was freaking out, so I thought I'd explain a couple things."

Robert called for another shot and turned to look at him. "Like what?" He frowned. "Wait... what's he freaked out about?"

"Well, for starters, he's afraid he's giving you all the wrong signals," the werewolf replied matter-of-factly. "He likes you, trust me, he really likes you. He gushes about you all the time. But the thing you have to know about Toby... he's not that big on physical contact. So he's not the kinda guy who's gonna lean against you, or hold your hand, or anything like that. But he's really afraid that's giving off the wrong idea."

Robert paused. Toby had definitely avoided handshakes, ducked a high-five, and shied away from more than a few attempts at bumping shoulders. But... "He touches you just fine," he said, doing his best to not sound petulant.

Craig laughed. "Well, duh. We shared a college dorm, we've seen each other naked hundreds of times, that drops a lot of boundaries." He smiled. "Look, just be patient with him. He'll get there, he'll get more comfortable with you the more you know him." He paused. "Except hand-holding. Toby Miller is very much not a hand-holder, and he will make that clear."

"And you're telling me this because...?" he prompted. He figured the last thing any of the cryptids in the cul de sac wanted was to help an ex-Hunter, in any way.

"Because, like I said, Toby's freaking out," he explained. "He's convinced he's pushing you away just by being him, but he's never been good with people, has trouble using his words sometimes, and is kind of convinced that he'll fuck everything up eventually."

Robert took a moment to absorb that. It was definitely a relief to know that the responses he'd been getting had nothing to do with him, and that he still had a chance. He just hoped he didn't fuck it up, either. He had a history of doing that, and he wanted to break that habit.

And from the way Craig was studying him, judging him, he had a feeling that even his Hunter instincts and all the firearms and silver in the world wouldn't protect him from an angry werewolf if he ever broke Toby's heart.

Chapter 73: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 6

Summary:

Vanya tells Charles about Diego and Luther's arguments

Chapter Text

Vanya heard the yelling as soon as she turned down the hallway. She couldn't hear the words yet—she wasn't trying, and wasn't too keen on actively eavesdropping on her brothers' fight—but she knew the voices well enough by now.

As she neared, Diego turned on his heel, stalking down the hall, knocking into her roughly with his shoulder. She stopped and turned, but he didn't look back or apologize. Not that she ever expected him to.

She looked back down the hall to see the tension and anger leave Luther's body, and he turned and went into his room, the door closing softly behind him. She was honestly surprised that their yelling hadn't drawn a crowd, but except for her, the hallway was completely deserted.

When she passed by Luther's door, she slowed, focusing her hearing like the professor had taught her, and she stopped completely when she heard the sound of quiet, hitching breaths, muffled, probably behind his hands. There was an occasional small sob, and Vanya's fists clenched. After years of quiet observation, Vanya could tell just how much the result of the accident bothered Luther, but she'd never seen it get this bad.

She had to do something, but she knew Diego would never listen to her.

-

Vanya paused outside the professor's office. Even after the past two months, during which she had learned to open up more, to have her own voice, to feel equal, all she could imagine, staring at that open door, seeing the professor at his desk, was Dad, doing whatever work he did, either completely ignoring her or flat out telling her to leave.

"Ah, Vanya," Professor Xavier said, looking up with a reassuring smile, which she knew was probably for her benefit. Jean had told her that she had a habit of projecting her doubts without realizing it. "Come on in, take a seat." He motioned to one of the armchairs, and she sat. He moved to sit across from her. "What's the problem?" he asked gently.

She frowned, playing with her sleeves. "It's Diego and Luther," she finally said. She knew it needed to stop, and nothing would happen if nobody did anything about it, but getting herself involved suddenly seemed a lot scarier now that she was doing it. Vanya wasn't good with confrontations. "Diego keeps... he keeps saying awful things to Luther, and they get into so many arguments, and Luther gets hurt by it, a lot, and it has to stop..."

"What does Diego say?" he asked.

"He calls him things like 'freak', 'ape man', 'monkey boy'... But Luther has serious body issues, considering... everything," she started. She bit her lip, unsure if she should share what she heard. "And a few minutes ago... I heard Luther crying, in his room. And Luther never cries."

Professor Xavier was quiet for a moment, and Vanya suddenly wasn't sure she should have said anything. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention," he told her.

"You'll take care of it?" she asked hesitantly. "Get Diego to stop?"

"I'll do what I can," he assured her, and Vanya found herself trusting his word.

Chapter 74: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 4

Summary:

Anomalies aren't artifacts

Chapter Text

"So, what've we got?" Claudia asked curiously.

"Looks like people have been seeing strange fractured lights," Artie started, and a pit began forming in Becker's stomach. "And a couple people are even saying they're seeing dinosaurs."

"Is anyone dead?" Becker asked, and everyone turned to him.

"One," the older man replied. "And it looks like some sort of animal attack."

Myka frowned. "So it... creates things that look like dinosaurs, that attack people and disappear?"

"No, it doesn't," the captain said. "It doesn't make things that 'look like' dinosaurs, and it's not even an artifact."

Claudia's eyes widened. "It's a time hole."

He didn't bother correcting her, opting to just nod. "That's right."

"Wait, time holes?" Pete asked, brows furrowed. "What does that mean?"

"You all wanted to know what I did before I came to the Warehouse. This is what I did. Rips in time open up, dinosaurs make their way through, and it was my job to help contain them and send them back," Becker snapped. "You're all staying here, out of the way."

"Like hell, we are," Myka argued. "We're not letting you go alone, especially if it's as bad as you're saying it is. We're a team, Becker."

"My last team was trapped millions of years in the past because of this," he snapped. "Friends and colleagues of mine died because of this. I'm not letting you become more casualties."

"And if you go without backup, you'll be a casualty," Steve pointed out. "So like it or not, we're all going."

Becker wanted to argue, but the man had a point. He had no idea what came through that anomaly, but it had already killed at least once. He didn't know how dangerous it was, he didn't know how much damage it could do, and he'd always had a team behind him before, even if that team was just a group of scientists and civilians. Going in, uninformed, without any kind of backup was suicide.

"Fine," he finally relented. "But bring real firearms. A Tesla's only going to make it mad."

Chapter 75: Catra: Princess of Power 1

Summary:

Bow and Glimmer realize Catra's issues with Angella

Chapter Text

Glimmer groaned as she walked to her room, trailed by Bow.

"Wow, your mom was mad," he said.

She just nodded. She, Bow, and Catra had engaged the Horde in their last mission, and they'd had a few very near misses that somehow Angella heard about. She tore Glimmer and Bow a new one, and it probably didn't help that Catra, like always, didn't show.

Glimmer opened her door and was immediately knocked to the floor. She blinked, stunned, before registering the yellow and blue eyes incredibly close to her face.

"Catra!" she exclaimed, and the other girl backed up, but only slightly. She was studying Glimmer carefully, but quickly, and she almost looked... worried. They'd never seen her worried before.

"Catra, what's going on?" Bow asked, trying to gently pull her to her feet, but she ignored him.

"Are you okay?" Catra asked Glimmer, and Glimmer frowned.

"Uh... yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, and Catra stopped, rocking back on her heels. She stood and offered Glimmer a hand, which was also very out of character for her. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing," Catra snapped quickly. "I just..." She didn't bother finishing her sentence before turning and stalking off down the hall to her own room.

"That was weird..." Bow commented.

"Yeah, no kidding," Glimmer replied softly, staring down the hallway their friend had disappeared down. "She saw us both in the fight, she knows we were fine."

Bow was quiet for a moment before his eyes widened in realization. "She knows we were okay after the battle, but... she didn't know about after."

"Bow, what are you talking about?" Glimmer asked.

He frowned, pulling Glimmer into her room before starting to pace. "Think about it for a second. Catra almost never shows up to those meetings with your mom."

"Well, yeah, pretty sure we all know how she feels about authority," Glimmer interjected dryly.

"But the couple times she has... haven't you ever noticed how tense she gets when your mom actually talks to her?" he continued as though he hadn't heard her. "Especially when she's angry."

Glimmer froze as realization dawned. "You don't think... she actually thinks my mom will hurt one of us, does she?"

"Remember last week?" Bow asked. "She literally stepped between the two of you when you guys started shouting. Not a lot, but... like she was trying to protect you."

"But why—? Shadow Weaver," Glimmer realized grimly.

"Yeah," he nodded. "She was the closest thing Catra had to a mom, that's probably what she thinks moms do."

"Oh, my god, we have to do something," the princess stated. "Mom keeps getting more and more frustrated with her, and she has no idea what's going on, and... Bow, you go talk to Catra. I need to go tell my mom."

"Glimmer, I don't know if that's a—" She teleported away, to find her mother, before he could finish.

"—good idea right now," he finished slowly, hanging his head in defeat.

Chapter 76: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 2

Summary:

Dig explains Christmas

Chapter Text

"Merry Christmas, Ollie," Thea said, smiling as she put a small, wrapped box with a bow on top into Oliver's hands. He looked at the box, then at her, and she just watched him for a moment before sagging a little and walking away.

As soon as he was sure she was out of sight, Oliver made for his room, pulling his phone out of his pocket. Dialing the now very familiar number, he waited. Once the other line picked up, he said, "John, Thea just gave me a little wrapped box. Why, and what do I do with it?"

John chuckled. "It's a Christmas present, Oliver. You open it."

"Right... Christmas..." he said slowly. He'd heard the word a few times, and realized that he really should have researched it.

"Come by my place, I'll give you a crash course."

-

Oliver had never been more grateful for John Diggle than he was in that moment. The man managed to teach him things any human child would know without complaint, without treating him like a child.

"Okay, so Christmas is an annual holiday, December 25th," the human explained. "Basically, it's about family, and togetherness, and the season of giving."

"And people give each other presents," he guessed, earning a nod. The box, which turned out to be a new, probably expensive, watch sat on his bedside table at home. He glanced into the living room before looking back at John. "Why is there a tree in your living room?"

"That's a Christmas tree," he replied. "You guys haven't put one up yet?" Oliver shook his head. "Alright, so Christmas trees are one of the decorations people put up."

"Why?"

John was quiet for a moment. "I'm not really sure," he said honestly, and Oliver made a mental note to look that up later. "But a lot of families have a tradition of putting up an evergreen tree in their house. Sometimes it's real, sometimes it's fake, but then they put lights, and ornaments, and tinsel on them."

"Tinsel?" Oliver asked.

"Give me one minute, I'll be right back," John told him, and Oliver waited, confused, while he left the room, returning shortly with a large box. Looking inside, he saw long strands of wires with little bulbs on them, a shiny, almost fuzzy rope, and lots of different items with strings or hooks. "Christmas lights," John started, holding up the wires. "Tinsel." He held up the rope. "And Christmas ornaments."

Oliver slowly reached into the box and pulled out a small, wooden replica of a ring of leaves, with a bow on the bottom. "We have some of these at home," he said. "Big ones, with actual leaves, not like this."

"Wreaths," John supplied helpfully. "Another Christmas decoration." He picked up another ornament, a painted plastic ball on  a ribbon, and went to the tree to place it on one of the branches. He motioned Oliver over, and the alien walked to the tree, gently hanging the small ornament on another branch.

"Anything else I should know?" Oliver asked.

"A lot, probably," John said with a grin, and Oliver just groaned. "I'd look some stuff up, because there are probably traditions other families do that I don't know about. I do know the Queens usually have some giant Christmas party at some point."

"Which I will pretend to be sick for," he stated. He'd done that for the last two events  the Queens had held, and tried to come up with excuses to avoid just about anyone. Thea was distant enough that she probably didn't notice, and he managed to avoid Moira for the most part, but he was pretty sure that Laurel and Tommy, the two people who had known the original Oliver the longest, were starting to suspect something was off. And human culture was still so new to him that he knew he couldn't be convincing enough at a large party.

"You have to face the public sometime," John pointed out. "You can't hide out forever."

"Why not?" he asked. "Maybe people will just think that that's how Lian-Yu changed Oliver Queen."

"Because Thea deserves a brother, for one," John said. "And the public's only going to get more and more pushy, the less they see of you. And if someone gets too curious and follows you somewhere... they could find out the big secrets."

Oliver groaned. John was right. "Fine..." he relented. "But just promise you'll help buffer Laurel and Tommy. I don't think I'm really convincing enough for them yet."

"Deal."

Chapter 77: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 5

Summary:

Becker stops himself from attacking Connor

Chapter Text

Connor tried to ignore the sounds behind him as he read. The rattling chains, the inhuman growls, the sounds of an angry, corrupted vampire being teased by a fresh meal, just out of reach.

He knew the others thought what he was doing was pointless, and he was only putting himself in danger. But there had to be a way to get Becker back, he just had to find it, and until then, they'd keep him alive.

Connor sat in the room for an hour, every day. He used to just watch the vampire struggle, but it hurt too much to watch. He started bringing a book, or his laptop. He just hoped that being with Becker long enough might trigger something that could bring him back to himself.

Connor's eyes widened when he heard the chains strain and snap, but didn't even have time to turn before Becker was on him. Too petrified to even cry for help, he could only watch as those long fangs came at his neck...

But the second they pierced his skin, Becker recoiled, as though he'd been struck. He let go of Connor, backing away, and when Connor raised a hand to the cut, the vampire turned his head away.

The next sound to leave him was a very distinctly human cry of anger and frustration.

Connor's eyes widened and he stood, a grin spreading across his face. "Becker?" he said hopefully, taking a step forward. Becker took a step back. "It's okay, it's me," he continued, and that was when Danny came bursting in, gun drawn.

"Back away from him, Connor," he ordered as the military team filed in.

"No!" he yelled, standing between Becker and the others. He was painfully aware of how precarious his position was, back to an angry and corrupted vampire. "He's still in there!"

"Connor—" Danny started.

"He started to attack me, and he stopped," Connor argued. "He stopped himself, and he's the one backing away. That's still Becker, we just need to... I dunno, help him somehow!"

Danny didn't look convinced, but a few of the soldiers nodded to each other. One whispered something, and another left the room, returning quickly with one of the blood rations. He tossed it on the floor in front of Becker, and Becker was on it in an instant.

Connor turned and watched. It was the messiest feeding of a ration he'd ever seen, and though the captain's eyes didn't change, and he didn't look any less defensive... he didn't seem as hostile.

"Alright, then, fine," Danny finally said, crossing his arms. "So what do you suggest we do?"

"Just... keep him in here?" Connor said, unsure. "And let me talk to him." He saw the older man's eyes flick to the broken chains. "And don't chain him back up again."

Chapter 78: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 7

Summary:

Valkyrie meets Fergus

Chapter Text

"Fergus?" Valkyrie stared. She hadn't expected to see her uncle, a very unlikable man from what little she remembered, who had been taken away seven years ago, among the Resistance.

"So you have magic, then," he said, and he sounded disappointed. Maybe not in her, but just... in general.

"That tends to be why people get sent to the camps," she replied. She was quiet for a moment, realizing she had no idea what to say.

He seemed to be in the same boat before finally saying, "I heard about Gordon. We never really saw eye to eye, but... I'm sorry he's gone."

"Me, too," Valkyrie agreed.

"How are my family?"

She bit her lip, trying to think of the most delicate way to put it. "Well... Beryl ran, shortly after you were taken away. She found out about the Edgley family history, and that we're watched closer than most people, so she bailed."

"And Carol and Crystal?" Fergus asked. It was remarkably telling that he didn't seem very surprised at his wife's—well, probably ex-wife by now—actions.

"Beryl left them in the house," she said. "Mum and Dad took them in. I think they're better people, now that they live with us." She paused. "With them," she corrected. "No offense."

Fergus frowned. "I know I wasn't the greatest father, and Beryl wasn't very good, either. We tried, but... I'm glad they have Desmond and Melissa in their lives now."

"They seemed happy, back before I was taken," she assured him. "What are you doing here, though? I wouldn't have thought you'd be fighting in the Resistance."

"I'm not," he told her. At her confused look, he continued, "My magic isn't strong enough to fight with. This is the best I can do." He clicked his fingers, and Valkyrie saw a spark. "But they broke me out for the same reason they broke you out. I'm an Edgley. Pleasant was very disappointed at how little I could do."

"So what do you do around here, then?"

"Someone has to keep track of things like supplies, but everyone with strong enough magic is better suited to the front lines." He shrugged. "I'm no good on the battlefield, but I can tell you where every scrap of food we have comes from, or how and when we got things like bedrolls and blankets." He paused. "They're not putting a child out on the front lines."

"Not yet," she said. "Skulduggery says I have a lot of training to do before I even see the front lines. He did tell me to take a name early, though. So I did. From now on, you can call me Valkyrie. Valkyrie Cain."

"I think I'll stick to Stephanie," he commented, and she scowled. She turned to leave, to go find Tanith and see if she could teach her how to fight, before stopping.

"Wait... if you're here... why don't you have a name? Aren't you afraid of someone controlling you?"

He shook his head. "I do have a name," he told her. "I have to. I just haven't told anyone, because no one needs to know."

Chapter 79: Avatar: The Banished Prince 3

Summary:

Team Avatar goes to Earth Rumble VI

Chapter Text

Zuko grimaced the longer the tournament went on. The Earth Rumble VI was supposed to help him find an earthbending teacher, but the only candidate right now was the Boulder, and he didn't want to spend any time in the man's company. He was annoying and arrogant, and seemed like he'd be a terrible teacher.

"This is pointless," Mai said, next to him.

"You think everything is pointless," Katara replied plainly.

"No, I think Mai has a point," Zuko agreed. "We were wrong, there aren't any good teachers here."

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!" the host yelled. "The Boulder vs. your champion, the Blind Bandit!"

The entire group was stunned to see a small girl enter the ring.

"She can't really be blind, right?" Katara asked.

Mai studied the girl for a second. "No, I think she is," she stated. Zuko raised a brow. Was Mai actually... interested in this?

"I think she's going down!" Sokka yelled, receiving a sharp elbow to the ribs. Holy crap, she was.

Zuko watched the girl as she stood completely still, sightless gaze fixed on the Boulder, who looked ready to charge. The girl made a slight foot adjustment, and suddenly the Boulder was doing a split, and he just watched in amazement as she cleanly and sharply shot him out of the arena.

"She listens to the earth," Iroh mused behind Zuko, and the Avatar had to agree. She listened to the earth, knew her stuff... A glance to the side showed the slightest smile on Mai's face before she wiped it completely to her normal stoic expression.

"You think she'd be a good teacher?" Katara asked.

Zuko stood as the host offered the chance to challenge the Blind Bandit. "Only one way to find out," he said.

"Zuko..." Mai warned, grabbing his sleeve.

"Avenge the Boulder!" Sokka yelled, and Zuko sighed, pushing him to the side.

"I'll be fine," he assured Mai, heading up to the ring.

He was not fine. The Blind Bandit shot him out of the ring in three seconds flat.

Chapter 80: The Witch's Daughter 3

Summary:

Sam finds Dean

Chapter Text

Dean leaned against the window, peering out to see the black car parked across the street. Dad's car.

Suddenly much more alert, he looked closer. He couldn't see Dad, but there was a brunette man getting out, checking a gun before locking it and heading straight for the house.

"Sammy?" he whispered, not daring to hope. The second he lost sight of him, Dean pressed himself against the wall, trying to stay out of sight. The witch would come to see who was at the door, and if Sam had remembered Dad's training, he'd shoot first, ask questions later, and Dean didn't feel like getting a bullet in his brain, too.

The door banged open, and Dean heard the witch shouting. The gun went off, but he could still hear her. His heart sank, and he whispered, "Manete!" with the image of his kidnapper clear in his head. Grabbing a kitchen knife, he stalked in the direction the shot had come from. It had been several years since he'd seen his family, but nobody messed with Sammy while Dean was around.

The witch was frozen, and Sam's gun was pointed at her, but before he could shoot, Dean threw the knife, watching it sink into the small of her back. As she fell, Sam shot her, probably just for good measure.

Then, to Dean's surprise and aggravation, Sam turned the gun on him.

"What the hell?!" Dean asked.

"You used magic to hold her in place," the hunter snapped, and Dean wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or proud his brother was being careful.

He settled for annoyed.

"Yeah, because I saw you barging in here, guns blazing, and I hated the bitch anyway," Dean snapped. "And you couldn't kill her if she killed you first."

Now Sam looked confused. "Wait, you're... her daughter, though," he said slowly. "Why the hell would you want to help kill her?"

"Because she's not my mom," Dean responded bitterly, crossing his arms. "She kidnapped me years ago  and decided she wanted to raise me." He thought about telling Sam the truth, but there was no way he'd believe him, and he didn't want to deal with the awkward questions or weird looks. He just wanted to get out of here, and on the road, back in the family business. "I played the good daughter because I was waiting for the right moment, but it never came." He shrugged. "Not until you got here, anyway."

"Right..." Sam started, and Dean had a feeling he wasn't quite convinced.

"Look, I just wanna get out of here," he told him. "Put as much distance between me and this place as I can. Maybe kill some evil sons of bitches while I'm at it." He nodded at the gun, pretending he didn't know for sure. Pretending he didn't know who Sam was. "You a hunter?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"Perfect." Dean grinned. "Let's go."

He left Sam staring, slackjawed, as he left the house he'd been held captive in for eight years behind him, heading for the car he associated with home.

Chapter 81: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 5

Summary:

Bad monsters aren't dead

Chapter Text

"I don't know if this is a good idea," Isaac said. "Who knows what could be out there?"

Carver shook his head. "Bad monsters are dead, Isaac, we won."

Isaac wanted to believe him. He really wanted to believe him, but... "No, Carver, something doesn't feel right."

Carver stopped at just looked at him for a second. "We took down the moon," he said, gesturing with his gun. "No moon means no more Marker signals means no necromorphs."

Isaac frowned. He could still feel something, taking up space in his head, and if the Marker signals were offline, then surely he wouldn't still be getting them. He brought a hand up, not even noticing the palm digging into his eye as he tried to focus on it. For as long as it had been imprinted in him, Isaac had done hid damnedest to block out to signals from the Marker. He'd ignored them, pushed them aside, fought against them, but now he needed to know if they were still there.

Their lives could very well depend on it.

His head buzzed, and he could see the symbols flashing behind his eyelids.

"Isaac, stop!" he heard, and felt his hand yanked from his face. "What the fuck are you doing, man?"

He was quiet for a minute. "Carver..." he said slowly. "I don't think it's over."

"What the hell are you talking about, of course it's over," Carver retorted.

Isaac shook his head. Taking a deep breath, he looked at the arm Carver was holding. The skin almost seemed to decay, hand melting into a sharp spike that covered his lower arm. "No," he said softly. "I really don't think it is."

Chapter 82: I Will Always Watch Over You 4

Summary:

Raine confronts Kratos about Kvar

Chapter Text

"Did you do it?"

Kratos glanced up as Raine approached him. Genis and Lloyd were asleep, and Colette, who no longer needed to sleep, was off a ways, by the lake, out of earshot, even for her.

"What do you mean?" he asked, though he had a bad feeling he knew exactly what she meant.

Raine lowered her voice, despite the fact that only Kratos would hear her. "Did you kill Lloyd's mother?"

Kratos made sure to keep his face carefully blank. "Yes," he said.

"You said that you became 'separated'," Raine accused. "And if you don't give me a good reason as to why you killed her, I'm going over there, waking Lloyd up, and telling him. Right. Now."

He didn't speak for a moment, and Raine glared, turning to make good on her word. "Kvar removed her exsphere," he confessed. "You heard what happened to Marble in Iselia. You saw Clara in Palmacosta. When an exsphere without a key crest is removed from a human body, they transform into a monster." He turned his gaze to the sky, trying to keep any trace of emotion out of his voice or expression. "She almost killed Lloyd. She came back to herself, very briefly, and..." His fist clenched. He shouldn't be telling her this. He shouldn't be saying any of it. But now that he'd started, he found he couldn't stop. "She begged me. She begged me to kill her, for the sake of our son. So I did." He was quiet for a moment. "When I told you they fell, that was the truth. I was fighting the Desians that had come after us, and by the time they were dead..."

"Lloyd and his mother were gone," Raine concluded.

He nodded. "Yes. I searched for hours, but I can only guess that by that point, they had already been found by the dwarf. He took Lloyd in, and he buried Anna."

"And you were left alone." He stiffened. "How have you just... held onto that, all this time?" she asked.

Not well, considering he'd turned his back on the world Anna had loved, the world he'd met her in, to follow Yggdrasil's plan, blind with grief. And now that he was leading an innocent girl, one of the best friends of the son he thought he'd lost, to her death.

Anna wouldn't have approved.

"I take everything day by day," he lied.

"And even after all that... you still won't tell Lloyd," she said quietly in disbelief.

If she knew, she'd understand. After everything he'd done, everything he was going to do, it would only hurt Lloyd to know the truth. But Kratos had fallen too far after Anna's death. Lloyd was better off not knowing.

He wished he could be the father Lloyd probably imagined him to be. He wished he could be the man Anna saw him as. But it was too late. It had been too late as soon as he'd run her through with his blade.

"No," he said simply, ending the conversation.

Chapter 83: Detour Through the Hellmouth 4

Summary:

Lilith is coming to Sunnydale

Chapter Text

Son of a bitch!

"What?" Xander asked, not bothering to lower his voice. The others looked at him.

"What what?" Cordelia asked, crossing her arms.

"Cordy, shut up," he said offhandedly, before saying, "What's going on?"

Willow was the first to make the connection. "Oh," she said. "Dean."

Those electrical storms that have been happening recently? They're demonic omens, Xander, Dean warned. Something's coming. Something big.

"Big like what?" Xander asked, but rather than get a response, he was pulled back, reduced to a passenger in his own body.

"We have a serious problem," Dean said.

"You think?" Buffy asked, raising a brow. "There's something off about these storms, and considering what Giles has heard about crops and cattle a few miles out of Sunnydale—"

Dean's head shot up. "Crops and cattle?"

"Yeah, crops failing and dead cattle," the Slayer replied. "Giles said his contact warned him it was bad."

"Hell yeah, it's bad," Dean agreed. "Those are demonic omens, and like I just told Xander, something big is coming." His eyes widened slightly in realization. "I think Lilith figured out I got stuck."

"Lilith is the demon who's supposed to own your soul, right?" Willow asked, earning a nod. The Scoobies were adjusting remarkably well to Dean abruptly taking the reins. "So she's probably coming here for you."

"We have to get you out of Xander," Buffy added. "But we won't let her have either of you."

Dean nodded. "Thanks for that," he said. "Salt's not gonna work, never has on Lilith, but maybe we can at least trap her."

"I'll make some calls," Giles said. "See if any of my Hunter contacts have any ideas." He left to his office.

"You better not be calling Bobby!" Dean called after him. "If only we had the freaking Colt..."

What Colt? Xander asked.

"What Colt?" Oz echoed.

"It's a demon killing gun," Dean explained. "Sam and I used it on the demon that killed our mother. Damn thing was stolen, but it would've killed Lilith for good."

"So now we just hope Giles comes up with something?" Cordelia asked with a huff.

Dean shrugged. "In the meantime, though... We get a lot of firepower. Maybe we can't kill her, but a lot of guns and a lot of traps might slow her down."

Chapter 84: The Mutation Situation 6

Summary:

Aunt May finds out

Chapter Text

Peter paced in his room nervously, picking his was carefully through his web. Tony had called Aunt May to tell her what happened.

Tony had called Aunt May. And she was coming here to see for herself.

He didn't want her to see him like this, it was bad enough when Ned came over. What if he scared her? What if she ran? What if she hated him?

He just wished he was small enough to hide in the vent. But he'd tried that already and gotten stuck. He was pretty sure Clint wasn't letting him live that down any time soon.

"Your aunt is here, Peter," FRIDAY told him, and he stopped. He wanted to groan, but the most that came out was a quiet whine. "If you don't go out, Boss is going to come looking for you," the AI pointed out. Peter hung his head before moving towards the door, FRIDAY opening it for him.

Where are they? he clicked.

"The main living room," FRIDAY replied helpfully.

Peter paused for a moment before gathering his nerves. No going back now. And at least if she saw him, she'd know he was okay. Just... a giant spider.

"Oh my god," he heard when he turned the corner into the room, and looked up to see Aunt May standing there, eyes widen, covering her mouth. "Peter...?" she whispered.

Peter froze, and he felt his spinnerets twitch nervously. He wanted to run. He wanted to get out of here, as far from Aunt May and whatever she might have to say as he could.

"Pete," Tony said, and Peter heard both the comfort and the warning in that single word. If he tried to run, he'd be in big trouble. So he stood his ground, even as Aunt May took a few shaky steps in his direction.

"Peter," she repeated, dropping to her knees when she reached him. She slowly raised a hand, cupping the hard, smooth surface of his face, mindful of the fanged mouth and grouping of eyes. "What happened?"

"We don't know what caused it," Bruce started, "but something jumpstarted more mutations from the spider bite. He transformed here, and it... didn't go over well, but we've been trying to find a way to get him back to human form."

"We're making progress," Tony added, "but... we're not quite there yet."

"You should have told me, a lot sooner," Aunt May told the Avengers, standing. She placed a hand gently on Peter's abdomen, and she might as well have been hugging him with how much better it made him feel. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been? He could have been hurt, he could have been dead, I didn't know!"

"At least we didn't tell you when it first happened," Clint pointed out. "We... kind of thought Peter was eaten by a giant spider, instead of... being the giant spider. So that probably would've freaked you out more."

When Aunt May, wasn't placated, Natasha stepped in. "You're right, we should have told you," she conceded.

She nodded sharply, glaring at them all, and each Avenger looked varying degrees of guilty. Finally, Tony said, "You should see his room. He's got... interesting taste in interior decorating now."

Peter wished he was able glare.

Chapter 85: Catra: Princess of Power 2

Summary:

Catra gets the sword back

Chapter Text

"Catra, we have to go!" Glimmer yelled, trying to pull her onto the ship.

Catra pulled her arm away sharply. "No!" she snapped. "Adora still has the sword!"

"That sword isn't worth your life!" the princess argued.

Catra's fists clenched. Glimmer wouldn't understand. She'd never understand. She'd always had a stable, comfortable home. But Catra had betrayed the Horde, so she wasn't welcome here, and she was only accepted in Brightmoon because she was She-Ra. So without She-Ra...

She didn't have anywhere she could call home. She needed to get that sword back. By any means necessary.

Catra turned and ran back into the building, ignoring her friends yelling after her. She hoped they'd do the smart thing and leave, let her find her own way back. But Bow and Glimmer—and the rest of the Princess Alliance, for that matter—were stupidly loyal. They'd either wait for her, and probably get caught, or worse, try to come after her. And probably get caught.

"Catra."

Catra froze on the walkway as Adora stepped into the light, the sword clutched tightly in her hand.

"Adora," she replied.

"You have to get out of here," Adora told her, and she stared for a second in astonishment. They were enemies, and Adora was just willing to let her go?

"I'm not leaving without the sword," Catra told her, glaring. Adora would never understand, either. Perfect, prodigy Adora.

Adora shook her head. "I can't do that, Catra," she told her. "Just... Shadow Weaver's going to be here any minute." Her tone had turned pleading. "I don't know what she's going to do when she finds you, so just please... please get out of here before she does."

"I'm not leaving," Catra repeated coldly, holding out her hand, "without the sword."

Adora stared at her for a long time, but Catra held her ground. She was right, Shadow Weaver could walk in at any second, and despite anything she said, she was terrified of the woman.

They both stiffened when they heard several footfalls approaching on Adora's side. "Adora, please," Catra said softly.

Adora looked torn, and only hesitated for a second before tossing her the sword. She caught it with practiced ease. "Now go," she all but ordered.

Catra didn't hesitate. She turned and ran, the comforting feeling of the familiar sword back in her hand.

Now it was time to go home.

Chapter 86: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 6

Summary:

Ginny asks Valkyrie about Tanith

Chapter Text

"Hey, Valkyrie?" Ginny asked, and Valkyrie looked up. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead," she said with a nod, taking a seat across from her. A book lay open on the table, and Valkyrie was seriously wondering how she managed to find what she needed so fast without any help.

"Well, a few," Ginny amended. Valkyrie motioned for her to go on. "So... how did you get involved in all this? You said you were twelve when you first met Profe—Skulduggery?"

The older girl couldn't help but grin. These last few months had been hilarious, seeing her friend constantly referred to as 'Professor Pleasant'. Granted, it became a little less funny when she heard 'Professor Cain', but it was even funnier to watch the study group struggle to adjust to first names. "That's right."

"What happened?"

"Well, my uncle died, and I was attacked in his house by someone looking for the key to an ancient, powerful weapon," she stated. "Skulduggery saved me, and I joined him to find Gordon's killer, and we ended up saving the world. I got drawn in, Skulduggery taught me magic, and we saved the world a few more times."

"What do your parents think about all this?" Ginny asked. "They've got to be proud of you, right?"

Valkyrie paused. "Actually... they have no idea. My reflection comes to life, and it stands in for me. They think I'm normal, maybe a little weird, going to school every day and not getting into trouble, while I'm really learning magic, combat, and taking down criminals or almost dying."

"I think they'd be proud of you," she commented. "I don't know your parents, and I obviously wasn't there for anything that happened, but I heard a few people in the Sanctuary talk about the time those dark gods broke through to our world?"

"The Faceless Ones," Valkyrie confirmed.

"And you fought them off," Ginny continued, almost in awe now. "You killed two of them and sent the third back where it came from. I can't imagine keeping something like that from my mum and dad." She was quiet for a moment, and when she spoke again, her tone was more hesitant. "I also have another question. When you mentioned that the wall-walker you knew was evil now... What did you mean?"

This time it was Valkyrie's turn to be quiet. She didn't like talking about what happened with Tanith. But... she supposed she did owe the redhead an explanation as to why she was the only one not getting a tutor for her preferred discipline on this trip.

"Tanith Low was a good friend of mine," she started. "She was kind, a great fighter, and a lot of fun. She was like a sister to me, but... about a year and a half ago, there were these things called Remnants released. Evil spirits that latch onto someone, turn them basically into a psychopath. No conscience, no remorse... If one bonds to you for four days, it's with you forever. We managed to capture all of them, except..."

"One bonded with Tanith?" Ginny guessed.

"Yeah," Valkyrie said quietly. "She's been on the run, killing people and just causing trouble, and... well, like I said, she's the only wall-walker we know."

"I'm sorry," the redhead said. "Do you think there's any way you could ever get her back? The Tanith you knew?"

"I don't know," she said doubtfully. "But we have to catch her, first. And that was never going to be easy."

Ginny paused, thinking for a moment. "If you still haven't found her, in about three years, after I leave school, and the war with You-Know-Who is over, I could help you look."

"Really?" Valkyrie asked.

Ginny just smiled. "I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it."

Chapter 87: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 8

Summary:

The fallout about Lord Vile

Chapter Text

"Uh oh," was all Saracen had the chance to say before the doors opened and Skulduggery Pleasant walked into the office.

Or at least, Valkyrie hoped it was Skulduggery.

The door slammed shut as Ghastly pushed the air, before Skulduggery was pinned to the wall. Dexter's hands lit up, Tanith had drawn her sword, and Anton's hands twitched, as though he were ready to make room for his gist to come out.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Dexter finally asked when the skeleton said nothing.

"It was time to come back," he said, the calm in his voice not fitting at all with the situation.

"How did you get Vile's armor to come to you?" Valkyrie asked, really hoping he wouldn't say what she thought he would, even thought the pieces were fitting together far too easily.

He hesitated. "I knew that once a part of the armor had returned to its rightful owner, the rest would follow."

Ghastly pushed harder on the air. "What do you mean, 'rightful owner'?" he asked lowly.

"Exactly how it sounds," Skulduggery stated. "You've asked how I knew it wasn't the real Lord Vile we were fighting." He took a moment to look at each one of them individually. "I knew because I was the real Lord Vile. Just give a chance to explain."

"You're staying right where you are," Ghastly told him, not lowering his arms.

A pause. "Fair enough," Skulduggery conceded. "Those of you who fought alongside me in the war, you remember what I was like, when I first came back. Fueled by a deep, neverending rage."

"We remember," Saracen said blankly.

"It was... overwhelming," Skulduggery continued. "All I wanted to do was kill, destroy... so I went to the Necromancer Temple—I'd shown a knack for it before—and discarded my name, my whole identity, and took up the armor and mantle of Lord Vile."

"That means you fought alongside Serpine," Tanith said incredulously. "How could you do that after what he did?"

"I became a different person entirely," he said. "Lord Vile became a separate entity from the man I am today. And Vile didn't care whose side he was on. He just wanted to kill as many people as possible. Fighting for Mevolent was just... a convenient way to make that happen.

"I'm not going to blame what I did on a separate personality, or call myself innocent. I fell as far as I did because of my own actions, and have no one to blame for the destruction I caused but myself."

"You killed my mother," Ghastly accused.

He nodded solemnly. "I did," he agreed. "And countless others. Allies, friends... it didn't matter, no one mattered anymore. But that doesn't excuse anything. I take full responsibility, and once this war with the Sentinels is over, I'm willing to face the consequences for all I've done."

"Why don't you face them now?" Dexter asked, and his hands began to glow brighter.

Anton spoke up. "Because we need him." Everyone turned to stare at him. "Regardless of everything he's done in the past, he's the one who has kept this army together. A lot of people don't like him, but it's been Skulduggery's leadership that's gotten us this far. We can't afford to lose him at this stage."

The rest of the Dead Men looked at each other, clearly not liking the idea. "Fine," Ghastly finally said. "But the moment we win this thing, we're all going to have a long conversation. Don't try to work your way out of it, either."

"You've known me for a long time," Skulduggery said. "I said I would take responsibility and—"

"I don't know you at all," the scarred man snapped, storming out of the office. The rest started to trickle out, not looking at Skulduggery, who had been free the moment Ghastly left. Only Valkyrie remained.

"Valkyrie..." he started.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "You could have told me. You should have told me!"

"Keeping that secret had nothing to do with you," he said, but she wasn't sure how much she could trust what he'd said. She knew Ghastly, Saracen, Dexter, and Anton were more angry than her, because they'd seen the thing Lord Vile had committed, but she was just hurt.

"You're my best friend," she said softly. "And that's... that's not something you keep from your friends. I understand why you didn't tell the others, but... What, you thought I would have judged you? Hated you?"

He said nothing.

"I don't hate you," she told him. "I understand... more than you know, actually."

"What does that mean?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No," she snapped. "This time it's my turn to keep a secret from you." She moved past him, without even a glance back. She knew she'd probably hurt him. She'd turned her back on him, the last one to leave when the rest of his friends turned on him, even if it was for a good reason.

Right now, though, she couldn't bring herself to feel bad about it.

Chapter 88: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 6

Summary:

Sam and Mike learn the truth about Manchurian Gold

Chapter Text

"Hey, Mike, come take a look at this!" Sam called, and Mike walked over, temporarily abandoning his search for a sign of where the others had gone.

"What did you find?" he asked, taking the paper she handed him.

"Turns out Manchurian Gold isn't treasure, she told him as he read. "And it would explain a lot."

Mike nodded, sighing in relief. "So there are no wendigos on this ship."

"No," Sam replied, shaking her head. "It's all been in our heads. I'll bet this is what happened to all the crew. And the wreck Julia and Alex dived..."

"They did say it was all shot up, these people probably saw it coming and thought it was a dragon or something," Mike guessed. "We have to—" He cut off when he heard a familiar shriek echo through the ship. "They may not be real, but they sure sound it," he muttered.

Sam nodded. "They looked real, too," she agreed, remembering her earlier 'encounter'. "But you're right, we need to find the others and tell them. Hopefully before someone get hurt."

"Or dies," Mike added grimly.

"Yeah."

Mike pocketed the paper. "We need to figure out some way to... remind each other, in case we start to hallucinate. It's one thing to know they're not here... But it's a whole different thing to see one." He held up his gun. "And I really don't wanna end up shooting any of you."

"Yeah, I think that'd be preferable." She thought for a moment before knocking a knuckle on the metal wall slowly, three times. "We hear that, we know we're hallucinating."

Mike nodded. "Alright. Any idea how to find everyone else? I'm not gonna just run around yelling with those fishermen looking for us."

Sam frowned. "Very carefully," she said, and froze when she heard footsteps. She pressed her back against the wall next to the door, flicking off her flashlight, Mike taking up position on the other side.

She relaxed and sighed with relief when a familiar face came into view. "Conrad!" she whisper yelled, peeking out into the corridor and waving him in.

"Oh thank god," he said softly, entering the room, and Sam turned her flashlight back on. "You guys are okay?"

Mike nodded. "How's your ear?"

"Stings," Conrad replied. "But that's not important. Have you guys seen the others?"

Both shook their heads. "No," Sam said. "But we have to find everyone, fast. The longer we stay here, the more danger we're in. We need to find a way off this ship."

"Yeah, no shit," Conrad agreed.

Chapter 89: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 1

Summary:

Evan has an epiphany

Chapter Text

Evan lay on his bed, tossing his basketball into the air and catching it, frowning. It had been over a year already, but in quiet moments like this... he missed Pietro.

He knew he shouldn't, the speedster was the enemy, but he couldn't help remembering the two of them passing the ball to each other as they practiced in preparation for trying out for the basketball team. He remembered his parents taking them both out for dinner when they made it.

He remembered all the times Pietro has stayed the night with him when they were kids, and realized that he'd never gone over to Pietro's. He'd never met his father until that thing on the moon.

Pietro had always been dodgy about his family, never going into too much detail. His father was always away, and he never spoke about his mother. And he ignored any question as to why he was put in foster care.

The other boy had always been cocky, but until recently, he'd never been a snob. He hadn't put himself above everyone else, and Evan realized that it was only then, after his powers manifested and he acted out, that Magneto took any interest in him.

That was when he got bad. He turned from a cocky but decent kid, to an arrogant snob, to what Evan was pretty sure was a supervillain in training. It had taken a long time to go from seeing Pietro as a friend to seeing him as an enemy, and he didn't like a second of it.

Call him sentimental or childish, but he just wanted his best friend back.

He remembered the basketball games they played, where his parents would always invite Pietro over for victory barbecue or consolation pizza after every game. He spent every other weekend at their house, and his parents always made sure to take Pietro out somewhere for his birthday, because though no one said it, they all knew Pietro's family wasn't going to.

But that old friendship was gone. Pietro was so desperate for his father's attention that he went bad, and it hurt to see. The Pietro Evan knew wasn't a thief. He wasn't a bully.

His frown deepened. Despite everything, he just felt bad for his old friend. No matter what he did, the only reason Magneto paid attention to his son was because he could use him. He'd practically abandoned him, eventually dumping him on a foster family until his powers manifested. But that wasn't what family did.

Evan sat up. There had to be something he could do. Something he could say. If he could just make Pietro remember who he used to be, maybe he'd get through to him. Maybe he'd get him to realize he was just being used.

And maybe, just maybe... he could get Pietro to make the right choice and leave the Brotherhood.

Chapter 90: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 3

Summary:

Thea and Oliver talk

Chapter Text

Oliver heard the door open and dug his head into his pillow. "I said leave me alone, Felicity," he said, voice muffled by the cotton. He just wanted to lay in this heat, to get some energy from his sun lamps after the shit-show that was revealing himself to Thea.

When he didn't hear her leave, he lifted his head to glare, but was surprised to find that it wasn't Felicity in the doorway.

"Well..." Thea said after a long moment of silence. "I guess this explains Christmas."

Oliver just stared, before finally saying, "I thought you were mad."

"I was," she replied, walking in. "Really, really mad." She sat on the edge of the bed, tucking her legs in and facing him.

"So what changed?"

She shrugged. "I had a talk with Laurel. She put some things into perspective."

Oliver sat up, leaning back against the headboard. "What kind of things?"

"Well, she pointed out that you were still the same Ollie that helped me build up Verdant. The same Ollie who helped me with my drug problem, and the same Ollie that saved lives." She tucked some hair behind her ear. "It was... kind of hard to stay mad after that."

Oliver was quiet for a moment. "But I killed your brother," he said slowly, not understanding. Even with all the good he'd done, for her and for Starling in general, there was no denying the fact that he had killed the real Oliver Queen.

Thea bit her lip. "You did do that, yeah. Why?"

"My ship crashed in the waters off of Lian-Yu," he started. "I made my way to the shore and found him. He was dying of exposure, and there was no way he was going to make it. I had no way of getting home, so I knew I was stuck here on Earth. So... I killed him, mostly out of mercy."

"Mostly?"

"There couldn't be two Oliver Queens running around," he explained. "And killing the creature you're taking the form of is the only way to absorb some of their memories. I promised I'd take him home, so... in a way, I did."

Thea nodded, thinking it over. "So he probably would've died anyway?"

"Almost certainly," Oliver confirmed.

"That... that was another thing Laurel mentioned," she told him. "If you hadn't showed up, it would've just been me and Mom. But... just because you're not the same Oliver that left on the boat, that doesn't mean you're not my brother. You care about me like he did, you watch over me like he did... You did bring him home."

Oliver was stunned. He hadn't expected this. He hadn't expected anything close to this, he'd been preparing for the moment government agents would come knocking at the door to take him away and study him.

The last thing he'd expected was her acceptance.

"So..." she said after a long moment of silence stretched between them. "Can I see?"

"What?"

"Can I see?" she repeated. "Lizard-you?"

Oliver had to laugh at that, shaking his head, and as he did, the human shape he'd claimed as his own second skin dropped, revealing the shiny scales underneath.

"Whoa..." she muttered, staring. "I have... so many questions."

"Maybe let's start with one or two," Oliver replied, internally over the moon that Thea Queen, his little sister, didn't hate him for what he was and what he'd done.

Chapter 91: Man, Woman, or Beast 6

Summary:

Alistair speaks with Keeper Marethari

Chapter Text

Alistair watched as Vani spoke to the man she'd called Master Ilen. She smiled as he handed her back her crossbow, and it was remarkable how happy that one little thing could make her.

"It is good to see her again," a voice said to his left, and he jumped, turning and coming face to face with Keeper Marethari.

"Andaran atish'an," the king fumbled. He knew his pronunciation was all wrong, and he probably sounded closer to a toddler trying to say it, but he was trying.

Marethari looked at him for a moment before speaking. "Andaran atish'an," she returned. "I see Vani has been teaching you elvish."

He nodded. "I'm not very good at it, I'm afraid," he told her.

The Keeper nodded, and he wasn't sure if it was in acknowledgment or agreement. "Why are you here?" she asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Why have you come here to our lands?" she asked. "Shemlen typically avoid contact with the Dalish unless they want something."

"I wanted to meet you, your clan," he told her. "All of you are probably the most important thing to—"

"Second most important thing," she interjected.

"I'm sorry?" he asked, brows furrowing.

"I have never seen her look at anyone the way she looks at you," Marethari told him. "You make her happy, and that's more than any of us can ask for. It was hard to let her go, but we had no choice. She would have died from the taint if she hadn't joined the Grey Wardens."

"And instead she saved us all," Alistair commented. "She did all the heavy lifting, I just sat by and looked pretty," he joked, but the smile fell when all the elf did was raise a brow. "Sorry, it... Sorry." He looked at the camp set up around them. "I told... Merrill, I think her name is? I told her that I just want to get to know more of Vani's culture. She spends so much of her life in mine, it's only fair. And I want to learn."

Marethari was quiet again, studying him. "There is more," she stated. "Why else are you here?"

"I..." He sighed. "I know it's a bit late, as we're already married, and I... I don't know if elves do this, but... I wanted to ask for your approval. Of us."

"It is a bit late," she confirmed. "What would you did if I did not give it? Leave her?"

"Never," he said firmly. "I'd be sorry about it, I'm sure, and I know she would be upset, but... I love her, and she loves me. I'm sorry, but I wouldn't throw away our happiness just if you didn't like it."

To his surprise, she smiled. "Good," she said. "I assume much of the human nobility do not like your marriage?"

"For several reasons," he confirmed. "But I don't care."

Marethari gave a small nod. "Very well," she said. "You have my approval. But the clan is a family. I am not the only one you must seek approval from."

Chapter 92: Primal Spirit 6

Summary:

The new guys falls into the raptor paddock

Chapter Text

Owen watched in horror as the kid fell into the paddock. All four of his girls had focused in on him in a second, and he didn't like the feelings he was getting off of them.

WAIT! he yelled, but they didn't listen. Not even Blue.

He ran to the gate, slamming his hand on the button and trying to make eye contact with any of them. Anything to get them from closing in on the new guy.

Blue! he tried. Back up, stand down! He's not food, he's not prey, just let him go.

She paused for a second, and her sisters looked at her curiously. They moved again a moment later, but that moment was all Owen needed to crawl through the small opening and enter the paddock himself, placing himself between him and the raptors.

"Hold your fire!" he yelled up to the ACU team on the walkway. The raptors stopped advancing, before Charlie chirped.

Play the game, she reminded her sisters. She crouched slightly, and Delta hissed. The important part was that their attention was on him.

"Do not fire!" he continued to the soldiers. "You put 12 amps in these animals, they're never gonna trust me again." His gaze turned to his beta. "Blue," he told her. "Stand down."

She snapped at him, but didn't take a step. She knew the game. They all knew the game. When anyone else besides Barry—especially Hoskins—was around, they had to pretend they didn't understand him as completely as they did. They had to act less intelligent than they really were, because Owen didn't know what the military would decide to do with them if they found out. They had to pretend that they would turn on him, kill him. It was disheartening, but necessary.

"Hey!" he snapped back. "What'd I just say?" Good job, Blue. Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. "Delta, I see you. Back up!"

Delta growled, but he had a feeling the anger, while very real, was directed at Hoskins, who was no doubt watching them, rather than him.

"Alright, good," he said, even as they slowly closed in on him. "Charlie, stay right there." Without turning his back, or even averting his eyes, he told Barry, "Close the gate."

"Are you crazy?" the man asked, and Owen almost smiled. He was picking up on this pretty quickly.

"Just trust me," he said calmly, taking very slow steps back as the raptors advanced.

"Close the gate!" he heard the kid yell, sounding panicked. Owen couldn't say he blamed him.

He heard Barry hit the button, and turned his full attention back to the raptors. On my signal, he told them, charge.

There was concern, a little confusion, some worry, and an I hope you know what you're doing from Blue. He sent back a small feeling of amusement.

Trust me. He took another step back, making sure to time it correctly. NOW!

He dove back under the gate just as it finished closing, and he winced slightly at the sound of four compact killing machines hitting steel bars. Barry helped him up, and he whispered a quick, "Thanks," before dusting himself off.

He turned back and almost laughed. The new guy was still catching his breath, and Blue was behind him, crouched low with her face pressed into the bars.

Blue, he chastised, but there was far too much amusement for it to carry any real weight.

Chapter 93: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 6

Summary:

Robert and Toby cuddle

Chapter Text

As invested as he was in the movie, Robert couldn't help glancing over at Toby every once in a while. He'd taken up his normal position with his arms propped up on the back of the couch, while Toby sat next to him, knees pulled into his chest.

But about twenty minutes in, Robert had noticed Toby inching closer every so often. He knew from that weird talk with Craig that he had to let the smaller man take things at his own pace, so he didn't react. He wanted to properly wrap his arm around him, but Robert really didn't want to scare him off.

They'd almost reached the climax of the movie when he felt a small bump against his side, followed by a slight weight. Without moving his head, he glanced down to see Toby now curled up against him. Did he move his arm down? Keep it where it is? Draw attention to it? Ignore it?

He decided to just wait until after the credits finished rolling.

He felt Toby shift a couple times, but was genuinely surprised to find him still inching closer until his head was resting against Robert's arm—he was a little too short to use his shoulder as a pillow.

Toby was still quiet when the DVD switched back to the menu, and he didn't move. Slowly and carefully, giving the smaller man plenty of time to move if he wanted to, Robert moved his arm, wrapping it around Toby. He had to stop himself from grinning when Toby just responded by moving closer.

They sat like that for another five minutes in silence, the only sound being the DVD menu music. Robert was pretty sure Toby was falling asleep, but as long as he was comfortable, Robert was willing to risk the crick in the neck he'd get in the morning.

"Hey, could you turn that—?" Amanda wandered into the room, looking mildly annoyed. She stopped at the sight of them, and just grinned, giving Robert two thumbs up. She walked over to the TV, turning it off, and backed out of the room, still grinning, still giving the thumbs up, and in the new silence, he could hear the sounds of very faint snoring.

He wanted to bring Toby back to his bed, where it would no doubt be more comfortable than sleeping on the couch, maybe adjust to make himself a little more comfortable. But he was content, Toby was asleep, and Robert didn't want to break the magic of that moment.

Chapter 94: Loophole 9

Summary:

John and Amenadiel argue

Chapter Text

"You shouldn't be here, John."

John's head dropped, and he set down his drink. "Bloody hell, you sound like Manny," he muttered as he turned, coming face-to face with Amenadiel. "You'd rather I get sent down to Hell, then? Y'know, I never did like you angel types."

"You don't belong on this Earth," Amenadiel told him sharply.

"Kind of the point," he retorted. "I'm not getting sent downstairs, and this was my only way out. I'm a dying man, Amenadiel, and I'm dying here."

"Go home," the angel ordered.

John smirked, leaning forward. "Make me," he said cheekily. He picked his drink back up and downed it. "Look, like it or not, Amenadiel, I'm here to stay."

"It was your own actions that caused your soul to be condemned," the angel stated. "You have no one to blame but yourself, and you should accept responsibility for what you've done."

"You don't know anything about what happened," he snapped. "But Nergal's not getting me, I promise you that."

"So your plan is to just wander Earth-666 as a spirit until the end of time, then?"

He shrugged. "Why not? Maybe I could go around haunting your sorry ass."

Amenadiel glared. "Why are you making this so difficult?" he practically growled.

"Because like I've said probably a thousand times now, I'm not going to Hell," John informed him. It was like talking to a brick wall. "But now, also to annoy you, I suppose. I never liked you angel types."

Especially after Manny, the bastard who seemed to be trying to build him up, only to break him back down. He'd finally started to trust the guy, only to be betrayed, and it left a sour taste in his mouth. But he'd be damned if he let Amenadiel in on that little fact.

"I see you two are getting along," a voice said dryly, and both men turned to see Maze by the elevator, playing with one of her knives.

"He needs to go home," Amenadiel argued, and John almost laughed. Arguing for following the rules, to a demon?

She shrugged. "He's not hurting anyone."

"He's disrupting the natural order!" the angel snapped. "When a human dies, their spirit gets sent to Heaven or Hell, they're not... left here to wander."

"There's nothing that says I can't," John stated. "S'called a loophole, mate." He stood from the bar, shooting him one last cheeky grin. "So I'm here to stay," he told him. "Get used to it."

The moment was ruined when he coughed up probably about half a cup of blood.

Chapter 95: Secret of the Kaiju 1

Chapter Text

Chelsea was surprised to see the boy in the chair beside hers when she walked into the chemistry classroom.

"Um..." she said as as she sat down, unsure of what else to say.

"I'm new," he told her. "Gareth."

"Chelsea," she introduced, still a little thrown off. She'd spent so long ridiculed by her classmates that she'd grown used to always sitting by herself, working by herself. Having someone just suddenly beside her would take some getting used to.

She took out her supplies while the rest of the class trickled in, subtly sliding her textbook in between them. She wasn't sure if he had one, and she didn't mind sharing.

"Hey, new kid!"

Chelsea and Gareth both looked up to see Kai, one of her many tormentors, turned around in his seat to look at them. "I wouldn't go making friends with her. She's kind of a freak, and really insane."

Gareth raised a brow, looking unconvinced.

"Seriously. She's got some weird, messed up ideas about the monsters," Kai continued.

"Kaiju," she interjected, almost tiredly. "They're called kaiju."

"Whatever." Kai rolled his eyes. "Anyway, just... stay away from her, if you know what's good for you."

The bell rang, and he turned back around, but Chelsea swore she felt Gareth watching her the entire forty minutes until class was over.

-

"Hey."

Chelsea looked up from her lunch, startled as a tray landed across from hers. Gareth sat down.

"What are you doing? I thought—"

He raised a brow. "You thought that idiot was gonna scare me off?" he asked. "I wanna know what he meant about your ideas about the kaiju."

She frowned. Anyone overhearing this would start mocking her, and any hopes of a friendship with the new guy would go right down the drain once he heard. But...

"My dad was a scientist," she started. "He studied the kaiju. Godzilla, Mothra, Rodan... He even tried scheduling a trip to Skull Island once to study Kong... But he had this theory. There would be times where sometimes they'd just... fall off the map completely. And during the MUTO incident a few years ago, it looked like there were a few too many things Godzilla took into consideration. So there had to be... something. He hadn't figured out how it would account for the conservation of mass, but he theorized that kaiju could change their shape in order to hide. That there was even a chance they could become human, hide in plain sight."

"And people think you're crazy because of this?" he asked, as though there was nothing wrong with her statement.

"Well, I get... really defensive about it. My dad was ridiculed a lot by the rest of the scientific community." She went quiet for a moment. "A few years ago, he couldn't take it. He... killed himself. But I can't stand the way people think he was just the crazy old scientist who completely lost it. Someone has to be in his corner." She looked at him. "You... don't think I'm crazy, though?"

He shrugged. "I think you're wrong," he told her. "But I don't think you're crazy." He poked at his food. "There are tons of theories out there about the kaiju, and I've heard way crazier."

Chelsea stared in disbelief. He didn't think she was nuts? He wasn't making fun of her? He wasn't holding her dad's ideas or suicide against her?

Holy shit, had she just made a friend?

Chapter 96: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 6

Summary:

Becker refuses to feed from Connor

Chapter Text

Connor froze as the building started to come down around him. He didn't have time to make it to any of the exits before it came crashing down. This was it.

"Connor!"

The scientist was still processing what he heard when the support beam tipped. He braced, but the impact never came. Instead, Becker stood above him, holding the beam in place.

"Get out of here," the vampire told him. Before Connor could protest, he said, "I'll be fine, just go."

Connor bit his lip, not wanting to leave Becker alone, but he was running out of time. "Okay," he finally relented, getting up and running as fast as he could. He was pretty sure it was sheer luck that got him outside.

"Connor!" Abby exclaimed, wrapping her arms around him. "Where's Becker?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the building came down. Connor's heart stopped. "He's still in there..." he said softly. "I... I have to go get him." He turned, shaking off Abby's grip, but two of the soldiers grabbed his arms and held him in place.

"It's not safe," one of them told him.

"Becker's in there!" he yelled, panicked, and once the dust settled, both vampires looked at each other and let him go. Without any further delays, he ran to the wreckage, picking his way toward where he was pretty sure Becker had been. He could hear the others following him, making their way carefully through the rubble.

Connor was just about to start pulling at his hair in panic and frustration when he heard a groan. He ran as best he could to the source, and couldn't help but grin. He was pinned by concrete, covered in dust and dirt, and probably injured, but he was alive.

Well, undead, but still.

"He's over here!" he yelled, and soon after, the concrete was being moved and Connor helped drag Becker out of the way. Abby helped him support the captain on their way out of the debris, and he saw one of the soldiers who'd held him back on the phone. Probably calling an ambulance.

"Connor...?" Becker said weakly. He probably had a few broken bones, and was bleeding in a few places, and didn't look like he was healing. That couldn't be good. "Are you okay?"

Connor nodded. "I'm fine, you idiot," he said with a relieved laugh. A thought occurred to him, and he rolled up his sleeve, holding his bare arm out, ignoring Abby's wide eyes.

Becker blinked wearily for a second before realization dawned and he pushed Connor's arm away, hissing at the pain the movement caused. "Don't do that, Connor," he said quietly. "Someone will bring some blood rations soon enough, I'll be okay."

"But—"

"Never offer your blood to a vampire," he said, shaking his head. His voice was weary but firm. "You don't know what you're doing, and I don't want to hurt you."

Connor frowned. He didn't think Becker would ever hurt him, so what did that mean?

Before he could ask any questions, an ambulance pulled up and Abby jogged over, retrieved the blood rations, and brought them back. Despite how clear it was that he needed them, he drank slowly and carefully. Connor had seen some of the other vampires dig into their rations, get blood everywhere, but he hadn't ever seen Becker spill even a single drop.

The wounds didn't look like they were healing yet, but Becker looked like his strength was returning. He looked healthy again—or as healthy as a vampire could, anyway—and that made Connor smile. Becker was going to be okay.

Chapter 97: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 7

Summary:

Charles 'adopts' the children

Chapter Text

Luther looked at the man in front of him, frowning. He hadn't been sure how to feel about him the first time he met him, but now, with Professor Xavier offering to take them in, he was at a complete loss.

A few months ago, his gut reaction would have been 'no', but he'd caught some of their reactions once the idea was mentioned. Diego had seemed... slightly less angry. Klaus had grinned at the idea. Grinned. Even Allison looked like she wanted it. The only one who didn't seem excited was Vanya.

Vanya wasn't special, Dad was clear on that from the beginning. She didn't have powers, she wasn't an actual part of the Umbrella Academy, she just lived there with them. Vanya was just... ordinary.

And this place Professor Xavier was offering to take them was a school of the extraordinary. Gifted youngsters, he called them. People with powers, just like them. A place that, according to Dad, Vanya wouldn't belong.

But Luther had started paying more attention. Dad treated them well, so he couldn't understand why they all wanted to leave so bad. But he was starting to get an idea of the unfair standards they were held to. He saw Diego's anger for what it was: jealousy, and a frustration that he wasn't enough. He saw behind Allison's mask: getting everything she wanted, just by rumoring it, was boring, but still a compulsion she wanted to stop, but didn't know how. He saw what it did to Klaus: the nightmares, the jumping at shadows, the sheer terror of the dark. He saw how much Ben hated it: trying to get out of missions, trying to convince them to not make him use his power.

And he saw Vanya. He saw how much she was just... naturally excluded in almost all of their activities. How isolated she was, how much Dad tended to ignore her. How much would he put her through? How much would he take out the anger of losing the Umbrella Academy on her?

"No," he said, looking the apparent telepath in the eye. He could hear his siblings start to protest around him, Diego's voice quickly raising. "Not unless Vanya comes too."

The hall went silent. Luther glanced to the side to see Vanya staring at him. It looked like she hadn't expected him to stand up for her. He'd have to get better about that. He was Number One, after all. Looking after his siblings was in the job description, even if they were all the same age.

"Of course," Professor Xavier said with a soft smile, and Luther was wondering how much of his thoughts the older man had heard. "I made the offer to all six of you."

"And Dad's just gonna let you take us?" Allison asked, a hint of skepticism in her voice. "Just like that?"

"I have a legal team waiting if he tries to fight it," the professor told him. "He hasn't treated you right, and it's time that stopped. Go on and pack your things, I'll go have a talk with Reginald."

The group dispersed, the others dashing up to their rooms to pack as fast as they could. Soon it was only Luther and Vanya. Luther moved toward the stairs, pausing and looking down at his sister. She almost looked like she was still in shock.

Just as he was about to turn around and head up, he heard a quiet, "Thank you."

He just smiled.

Chapter 98: Catra: Princess of Power 3

Summary:

Catra meets Angella

Chapter Text

Catra strode toward the queen with an air of confidence she wasn't entirely sure she felt. She knew what she wanted, she knew what she was going to say, but with probably dozens of guards in the room, all it would take was one wrong move.

"She-Ra..." the queen breathed in disbelief.

Catra stopped when she reached her. After a brief moment of debate, she went against everything she was and kneeled, transforming back from She-Ra. She had to play this right.

She'd completely forgotten about the insignia on her belt until Angella tensed, opening her mouth, probably to yell to the guards.

"Look," she interrupted, deciding to stand. "I know what you're thinking. Yeah, I was Horde soldier, so what?"

The guards all tightened their grips on their weapons, probably ready to move at the slightest notice from their queen. Glimmer and Bow ran over, flanking her.

"Mom, I can explain!" Glimmer exclaimed.

Catra ignored them. She ignored the soldiers. It was just her and Queen Angella. "I don't really care one way or another about the Rebellion," she said. "But I'll join you. It sounds like you need She-Ra, and I want a little payback against the Horde."

She forced herself to hold eye contact with Angella. If she were back with the Horde, she'd be severely punished for talking to Shadow Weaver like this. She was pretty sure her ears were going back, so she was really hoping no one here was well-versed in feline body language.

She remembered the unfair standards held between her and Adora. Standards she would never face here. She remembered being completely frozen to the spot, unable to move anything but her eyes as she waited for Shadow Weaver to finish with her. Watching Adora succeed every time she failed.

From the look on Angella's face, she didn't trust her, and Catra couldn't blame her. "Look, as long as you're fighting the Horde, ruining their plans and just messing up their day, I'm in. All I care about it taking. Them. Down."

Angella looked conflicted. Catra knew the Rebellion couldn't turn down the help from the legendary warrior She-Ra. She'd decimated tanks single-handedly and made an entire squad retreat. They needed her.

"Very well," the queen said stiffly. She looked to her daughter. "Glimmer, I am holding you personally responsible, should anything happen."

Glimmer nodded. "You got it, Mom." She suddenly grinned, grabbed Catra's arm with one hand and Bow's with the other, and the next thing Catra knew, they were in a lavish hallway.

"Where are we?" Catra asked with a raised brow, glancing down the corridor for any signs of attack.

Glimmer and Bow just looked at each other, grinned, and Bow opened the door.

"Your room!"

Chapter 99: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 2

Summary:

Charles convinces Pietro to visit Wanda

Chapter Text

Pietro's eyes widened and he shook his head. "No. Nope, no, no, nuh-uh, no way."

"Pietro," Professor Xavier started calmly. "I think it will help both of you."

The teen ran a hand through his hair. "You don't understand, she'll kill me. Actually kill me. She's unstable, she's dangerous, she—"

Professor Xavier put a calming hand on his shoulder and he stopped almost instantly. "That's all from your father," he said. "He put that in your head, and just like everything else, you need to let it go, form your own ideas and opinions."

"You don't understand, I just stood there and watched while they dragged her away." His eyes drifted to the floor. "She was crying, begging for me and Fa—and Magneto to help her, and we didn't. We let them take her, and she's been there, locked away, for eight years."

"Which is why the two of you need to talk it out," the professor told him. "She can't work through her anger and pain, and you can't work through your guilt, if the two of you never meet."

Pietro opened his mouth to deny he felt guilty, but there was no point. The man could just read his mind, and he'd made a deal with Evan to try to be a little more honest.

Besides, his therapy sessions with Professor Xavier probably said it all.

"She'll kill me if she gets the chance," he repeated. "She won't care about trying to talk it out, she'll just take it out. On me. And she can mess with my powers, so I can't even just get out."

"Take some deep breaths." Pietro realized he might be on the verge of a panic attack. "Why don't you come with me, and you can wait outside while I go in to speak with her? I can ask her if she'd like to talk to you, how she'd feel about it, and if she's willing, you can come in, and if not, we can try again at a later date. How does that sound?"

Pietro paused. It... didn't sound like a terrible idea. It didn't necessarily sound like a good one, but it wasn't terrible.

But he was not his father. Magneto would turn his back on the chance to mend things with Wanda. He'd leave her locked away, pretend she didn't exist. And that wasn't who Pietro was, not anymore. He wasn't, as Logan liked to call him, a Magneto mini-me. He was better than that.

"Okay," he finally said. "Okay."

Chapter 100: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 5

Summary:

Connor and Abby at the B&B

Chapter Text

Abby and Connor sat close together on the couch, looking around like they couldn't believe this was real. Becker didn't blame them. He kept expecting to blink and see them gone.

"How are you feeling?" Myka asked them.

"We're... we're fine," Abby said with a shaky smile. "Just need a good shower and we're all set."

"You're lying," Steve said, and by how he immediately snapped his mouth shut and looked away, Becker was pretty sure he hadn't meant to say that. It was just a reflex by this point.

At Abby's raised brow, Becker said, "Steve can tell when people are lying. But really, how are you?"

"Um... a bit overwhelmed," Connor admitted. "In shock... But a shower does sound nice. Haven't had one in over a year."

"What happened?" Abby asked. "What is this place? Why aren't you with the ARC?"

"The ARC was disbanded after the both of you and Danny disappeared," Becker told them. "I was out of a job, until I got called here."

"This is Warehouse 13," Claudia explained. "You could call it America's Attic, if the Smithsonian hadn't taken it. We track down objects with... unusual properties, and we snag 'em, bag 'em, and tag 'em."

"Unusual properties?"

"Well, there's a brush that turns you blonde, a compass that traps you in a separate dimension, a telegraph that makes you kinda go insane..." Pete responded. "Yeah, I know, weird, right?"

"We were trapped in the Cretaceous period," Abby stated. "Not much gets weird after that."

"Can we see some?" Connor asked. "Go to this... warehouse?"

"Why don't you two get cleaned up, then we'll see about that," Becker suggested. Artie probably wasn't gonna be happy about it, but they deserved it, after everything. A little magic, after a year of hopelessness.

Claudia nodded. "I'll go have a chat with Artie about it," she said, on the same wavelength as Becker. "And I have... so many questions. When you guys are ready, I mean."

Abby smiled. "Thank you." She turned to Becker. "So. Where can we get a decent shower and a good cup of coffee around here?"

Chapter 101: Avatar: The Banished Prince 4

Summary:

Zuko meets Aang

Chapter Text

Zuko didn't know how, but he knew immediately that he was dreaming.

He looked around, finding himself in what looked to be one of the Air Temples, before it was attacked by the Fire Nation. The place looked deserted, and his footsteps, which felt like they should have echoes everywhere, were the quietest of whispers.

"Hey!" a voice called, and he stopped, turning to see a young airbender, probably no older than twelve, sitting on one of the balconies, looking down at him. The boy jumped off, slowing his descent with the air, so that he very lightly touched down.

"Who are you?" Zuko had to ask.

"I'm Aang," the boy replied. "I'm one of your past lives." He was quiet for a moment, looking around.

Zuko frowned. "So how are you here?"

"Well," Aang started. "The way I understand it, the Avatar has a connection to all the previous ones. And you needed help, so... here I am."

"What do you mean? What help?"

"You need to learn airbending," he told him. "The Avatar is the master of all four elements. But there's no airbenders left to teach you. I'm not a master, so I'm not really the best person to do it, but..."

"But...?"

"Have you entered the Spirit World at all yet?"

Zuko shook his head. "I have no idea how."

"Okay, so... you do it through meditation," the airbender explained. "Just calm your thoughts, focus on it, and you'll find yourself in the Spirit World. Or, that's what someone told me, anyway. I never got the chance to go to it myself."

Zuko's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Aang suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Uh... maybe we can talk about that some other time... But my old airbending teacher, Monk Gyatso, should be in the Spirit World. So he could probably teach you. Not by example, since spirits can't bend there, but..."

"So when I find this Monk Gyatso, he'll just... teach me airbending?" Zuko asked dubiously. "After everything the Fire Nation did to the Air Nomads?"

"He will if you're the Avatar, and if he knows I sent you," Aang said with a smile. "He wasn't just my mentor, he was a really good friend. So tell him I said hi, okay?"

Zuko awoke before he had the chance to respond.

Chapter 102: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 7

Summary:

Draco practices with sigils

Chapter Text

Draco studied the notebook full of symbols and their uses, sitting in the Room of Requirement. That notebook had cost an old book from his father's library on dark magic, and while he was pretty sure he wouldn't notice it was gone, if he did...

Draco shook his head, shoving those thoughts to the side before returning to the notebook. He rolled up his sleeve, examining his arm to show no signs of any markings. China Sorrows had done an amazing job, and at Valkyrie's request, she'd tattooed almost every sigil she had on her own body.

"There are a few you'll never need," she'd said. "And it wouldn't be worth the risk."

He hadn't asked questions.

Out of curiosity, he rolled up his other sleeve and tapped the matching symbols on his triceps. Before moving his arms, he leaned over to consult the notebook again, and swung his arms wide. A wave of blue energy flew from them, taking the head off one of the dummy's from the earlier DA meeting.

Rolling his sleeves back down, he couldn't stop himself from grinning. He hadn't been particularly good at anything they'd learned to do all year, even though he had shown signs of sorcery. But he'd picked up on identifying symbols immediately, and once he heard about how they could be used, he knew that was what he wanted.

He flipped a few pages to see some of the sigils he didn't have on his body. China had explained how she had these all over her library and apartment. Some moved furniture, some created a shield, and there was even a trapdoor sigil hidden somewhere under the carpet. Those, he'd need to practice.

Pulling some parchment and his quill from his bag, Draco began carefully copying the trapdoor sigil. He wouldn't be able to test it, and honestly wasn't sure he wanted to with his first time drawing it, but he needed to get it right. "Sigils are precise, if you're off even just the slightest bit, it can be a disaster," she'd told him, and the way Skulduggery had sighed and Valkyrie had shuddered, he knew there had to be a story behind that.

He spent five minutes trying to carefully copy what was on the page, but when he was done and went to compare them, his was a little too wide. He crossed it out before trying again.

He'd been working on the trapdoor sigil for an hour when someone walked in.

"How's it going?" Valkyrie asked, walking over. She glanced at all of his rejected attempts and frowned. "Not great, huh?"

He huffed a laugh. That was putting it mildly.

"China said they had to be exact," he told her. "If they're not perfect, they either won't work, or won't work the way you want them to."

"Yeah..." Valkyrie said, drawing out the word. "Did we ever tell you about the disaster that was Skulduggery's façade tattoo?"

"No," he told her, setting his quill down. "Is that why you reacted weirdly?"

She nodded. "So, you've see the façade. False face to cover his skull in public. Well, when he first got it, things... moved. It got loose, it got droopy... There was one time his mouth moved up to his eye socket and his eyes ended up in the back of his head. It was disturbing. You wanna know what was wrong with it?"

"What?"

"It was a millimeter off in depth," she told him. "One millimeter. So when China says they have to be precise..." She looked again at his failed attempts. "She means it."

Chapter 103: The Witch's Daughter 4

Summary:

John knows

Chapter Text

Dean watched as Sam went into the nest first. He wasn't comfortable with that, every fiber of his being was screaming at him to protect his brother, but he couldn't act on it. Sam didn't know, and Dad didn't know, so he had to just keep playing the part of Dana, the witch's daughter.

He'd just finished coating his bolts in dead man's blood, moving to take off after Sam, when John spoke.

"Dean."

Dean froze in his tracks. Very slowly, he turned back to look at his father. The two just stared at each other for a second before Dean asked, "How long have you known?"

"Since Sam mentioned the witch," he said. "Too much of a coincidence." He shook his head. "And I'd know that cocksure attitude anywhere."

"I'm not cocksure," Dean argued. He looked back in the direction Sam had gone. "Now, look, can we talk about this later? Because right now, Sammy's heading into a vampires' nest alone."

Without waiting for a reply, he took off.

-

"I'm assuming Sam doesn't know?" John asked, leaning on the doorframe.

Dean didn't look up, focusing on taking apart the gun in his hands. It was comforting, familiar. A routine that, after all this time, he could still do with his eyes closed. "Nope," he said. "I don't know if he realized what town he was in when he found me, and I didn't give him a timeframe." He paused, looking up. "How'd you know, really?"

"You fight the same way you did before you disappeared," John told him. "Only a little less sloppy. You still talk the same way, move the same way, and god are you protective of Sam."

"I've got eight years to catch up on," he stated plainly. "Besides, that's my job, right? Watch out for Sammy?"

John frowned. "Dean..." he started, his tone a strange mix of aggravation and concern.

"Don't," Dean said. "Just... don't."

If sixteen year old him had heard the way he talked to his father, he'd probably have an aneurysm. But he wasn't Dad's little soldier anymore. He was his own man, even if it did take being turned into a chick and being held prisoner for eight years to do it.

Chapter 104: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 9

Summary:

Stephanie's capture

Chapter Text

Stephanie frowned when she heard the knock on the door. Well, it was about that time, then.

Her mum opened the door to see Parker Cite, their usual Sensitive. Two Sentinel guards flanked her.

"Good morning, Melissa," Cite said with a smile. "May we come in?"

Melissa stepped aside, watching as Cite entered the house. "Good morning, Parker," she said, and Desmond stepped into the room, face falling.

"Is it May already?" he asked.

"Afraid so, Desmond," she replied. She glanced around the room. "Is that a new couch?"

"It is," Melissa said. "I don't mean to be rude, but I was about to make breakfast..."

"Oh, of course!" Cite said. "Don't worry, we'll only be a moment. Could you call the twins, please?"

"I'll do it!" Desmond said, turning to leave to find Carol and Crystal. Stephanie didn't blame her father for his reaction, as exaggerated as it may seem. He'd seen his own brother dragged away by the Sentinels, detected by Cite herself.

Cite turned to Stephanie. "Alright, dear, you first."

Stephanie sighed and held up her hands, palms up. Cite hovered her own hands, palm down, over Stephanie's, a few centimeters above. She closed her eyes, and they suddenly shot open, her body going rigid for a second.

Melissa's hand went to her mouth as Stephanie was still processing what just happened. She glanced over to see the twins in the stairway, her father behind them. Everyone was staring at her.

"Steph, no..." Carol whispered.

The guards reached for Stephanie, and she resisted on instinct. Their hands gripped her arms tightly, and she found herself unable to remove them.

Cite looked back to Melissa. "I'm sorry, Melissa, but you know the rules."

"No!" Desmond yelled. "You can't take her! Not my Stephanie!"

"Please," Melissa begged. "She won't do anything."

Cite shook her head. "It's out of my hands. Stephanie has magic, Sentinel law states that she has to go to a camp."

Crystal took a step forward, but Carol grabbed her arm. Stephanie was glad. She didn't want to see either of her cousins, who she'd come to view as sisters, hurt trying to help her. She didn't want to see her parents hurt for trying to argue.

"It's okay," she said, her voice hollow. "I... I'll go."

Cite turned to her and smiled, and Stephanie wanted to punch those perfect teeth out. "I always knew you were a sensible girl, Stephanie."

Chapter 105: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 6

Summary:

Norton abandons Isaac

Chapter Text

Isaac watched for a second as Norton started to walk away.

"Norton, open the cage," he said.

The other man paused for a second, glancing at him, responding with a simple, "No."

"What?"

Norton turned. "If you wanna die here, now's your chance!" he snapped. "I'm taking control of this mission again." He turned back to the door, resuming his exit.

"Hey! Where're you going?"

Once again, Norton stopped, and actually walked back, looking him dead in the eye, and said, "Saving Ellie." He gave a cocky salute as he left.

"Norton!" he yelled, banging on the cage door. "Norton, get back here!"

But Norton didn't return.

Isaac's fists clenched, and he looked at the space between the bars. He had to get out of here, and he had to get out of here now.

He grabbed onto that rage over Norton abandoning him and let it ripple through him. He tossed his gun through the bars before his hands disappeared, hearing it clang on the metal grill floor. He fell, but managed to hook one arm in the small window, hauling himself up and through once he was fully changed.

He landed hard on the floor, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He wanted to track Norton down, and he wanted him to pay.

Chapter 106: I Will Always Watch Over You 5

Summary:

Kvar's speech

Chapter Text

It took every ounce of self control Kratos had to stop from running Kvar through with his sword, right there. Standing before him was the man behind everything. If it hadn't been for the Angelus Project, if he hadn't removed Anna's exsphere...

Kratos wouldn't have lost everything.

"That exsphere was cultivated on host body A012, human name, Anna," Kvar was saying to Lloyd, and Kratos had almost forgotten how much he hated hearing Anna referred to as just an experiment. A test subject, rather than a living, breathing human. Kvar gave Lloyd a sick smirk. "Your mother. She took it and escaped the facility. Of course, she paid for her crime with her life."

Lloyd tensed beside him, hand going to his sword. "You killed my—"

"Now, now, don't blame me," Kvar said nonchalantly, and Kratos wanted nothing more than to swipe that smirk off his smug face. "I'm not the one that killed Anna."

Oh no.

"Your father did."

Kratos's hand twitched to his sword, but it went unnoticed. Any second now, Kvar would give him up and ruin everything. The plan, his mission... what little relationship he had with his son.

"Liar!" Lloyd yelled.

"Please," Kvar scoffed. "When her Key Crest-less Exsphere was removed, Anna turned into a monster and your father killed her. Pathetic, don't you think?"

"Do not speak ill of the dead," Kratos snapped, and while Kvar's smirk grew a fraction and Raine's eyebrows raised, no one else seemed to pay attention. Lloyd was too worked up, and the others looked like their primary concern was holding him back from a fight they couldn't win. There were too many guards.

What he wouldn't give to see that man stabbed by the very 'inferior beings' he mocked.

Kvar just laughed. "Who cares?" he asked. "They were both just a couple of filthy humans. Worthless maggots."

"Don't you ever talk about my parents like that!" Lloyd snapped, and now Colette and Genis were holding an arm each, pulling him back as Kvar's guards advanced.

"Lloyd, no," he heard Colette whisper.

Kratos continued to glare hatefully at the Grand Cardinal. Kvar could slander his name all he wanted, call him whatever he liked. But he wasn't going to get away with what he said about Anna.

It was probably a good thing Sheena arrived when she did, or Kratos might have ended up doing something they'd all pay for.

Chapter 107: Secret of the Kaiju 2

Summary:

Chelsea learns the truth

Chapter Text

Chelsea couldn't help but look around as they were led down the hall. She caught glimpses inside the rooms, computers and charts and maps, all in relation to tracking the kaiju. If she hadn't been just apprehended by these people, she might even be impressed.

A quick glance behind her, before she was shoved along, revealed Gareth's stoic, unreadable face. If he was nervous at all about being captured by Monarch, he didn't show it.

They were led into what looked like some kind of conference room, a man in military fatigues waiting for them, arms clasped behind his back.

She and Gareth were shoved to the ground, on their knees, and she scowled. She glanced at her friend again, and his gaze was locked on the man. There was a flicker of emotion that went through his face before he covered it with that same blank expression. She was surprised when he spoke.

"Admiral Stenz," he said. "The army is still working with Monarch? I would've thought after the incident with Ghidora, you'd realize you needed to back off."

"On the contrary," the man replied, and Chelsea didn't understand why they were talking like they knew each other. "Countless people died when the kaiju awoke, and those could have been avoided if we had more involvement."

"Oh, you mean another oxygen bomb?" Gareth retorted. "Because that turned out so well the first time."

Chelsea couldn't take it anymore. "Okay, what is going on?"

Stenz glanced at her before looking back at Gareth, tilting his head slightly. "You haven't told her?"

His silence was apparently answer enough.

"Told me what?"

"Don't..." Gareth warned. He looked back at her. "Chelsea, you don't want any part in this, it's dangerous."

"Chelsea Dylan," the admiral said like he hadn't spoken. "You've been following your father's research, despite everything that happened."

"I need to prove he wasn't crazy," she said, clenching her fists.

Stenz actually smirked. "Oh, he wasn't. He was onto one of Monarch's most closely guarded secrets, and we couldn't let that information be released to the masses."

Chelsea stared as the information sunk in. "He didn't commit suicide. You... you killed him. You murdered my father and let everyone think he was insane!" Tears pricked her eyes in anger and fear. "Is that why you grabbed me and Gareth? Because we were getting close?"

"Gareth?" Stenz said, looking back at the boy. "Is that the name you're using now?"

"Just let her go," Gareth said, ignoring the question. "She won't say anything, she can drop the research. Whatever you want with me, she has nothing to do with it." Stenz didn't look like he was going to budge. Gareth's eyes narrowed. "If Dr. Serizawa was still alive, we wouldn't be having this conversation."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Yours, god dammit!" he snapped. "If you hadn't almost killed—" He cut himself off. "If you hadn't set off that bomb, he wouldn't have had to set the nuke."

Stenz must have caught Chelsea's confused expression, because he said, "You still haven't caught on? Your friend here's been keeping secrets from you. In fact, he's been lying to you. I don't think he'd help you track himself down."

"No..." she said quietly, slowly looking over at him. Gareth's head was down, and he wasn't looking at her.

"You're a smart girl, Chelsea," Stenz said. "How did you not realize the boy you were working with was really the king of the monsters himself?"

Chelsea was still staring at 'Gareth' and saw him tense.

"Isn't that right... Godzilla?"

Chapter 108: The Mutation Situation 7

Summary:

Peter returns to school

Chapter Text

Peter clutched the note tightly in his hand as he stood outside Principal Morita's office, the reassuring weight of his pill bottle in his sweatshirt pocket. He really hoped the man wouldn't ask questions. There was a lot of stuff he really didn't want to explain.

"Peter," he heard once he was bidden entry. "Good to see you're feeling better."

Peter nodded awkwardly. 'Feeling better' was putting it mildly.

"Yeah, I... I was really sick, and it was really rare so I was under observation by Mr. Stark," he said, not looking at the principal, but he could imagine the look he was getting. "Stark Industries is branching out into rare disease research, and because I'm already there sometimes for my internship..." He realized he didn't know Principal Morita's view on the legitimacy of his internship. "They watched over me there, and they treated me, and now I'm on this medication for it." He handed over the letter and took out his pill bottle to show him. "Mr. Stark said to call him if you have any questions about it."

Principal Morita was quiet as he read over the letter. "I see," he finally said, setting it down. "And what was it, exactly, that you had?"

Exactly what he didn't want him to say. "That's... private information," he said hesitantly. "It's not contagious, so no one else is at risk, and I'm medicated for it. I just need to be able to have my meds on me and I'll be fine."

"And if something happens?"

Peter paled. If something happened, there was no explaining it away. If something happened, it was all over. "It won't, but... calling Mr. Stark would probably be the best thing. He can take care of it from there."

He knew he was being dodgy. He knew he probably seemed incredibly suspicious, but there was no way he was telling his principal that he'd spent the last several months as a giant spider.

Principal Morita looked at him for a long moment, glancing down at the letter, then the bottle, then at Peter. "Alright, Parker," he finally said. "Get to class. It's nice to have you back."

He smiled, relaxing a little. He knew Principal Morita was probably going to be calling Mr. Stark the moment he set foot out that door, but he knew Mr. Stark would take care of it. "It's good to be back," he said.

Chapter 109: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 7

Summary:

Escaping the room

Chapter Text

Alex turned as soon as the door shut on them. "Hey!" he yelled. "It's pitch black in here! Give us a light!"

Mike shook his head. "Come on, man, they're not gonna—"

He cut off when the door opened and one of the men handed him a flashlight before closing it again.

"Oh..." Alex said, clearly having not expected that to work. "Thanks."

"Wow..." Sam muttered. "Interesting kidnappers we've got here." She looked around as Fliss lit a lantern. "Where the fuck are we, anyway?"

"It looks like some abandoned ship," Mike said. "I'd say... World War I or II era."

"And what makes you so sure?" Julia asked, crossing her arms.

He shrugged. "I've got an uncle who's got a passion for war history. He spent a whole weekend once giving me a crash course on the history of American battleships. I honestly don't remember most of it, but I'm pretty sure this is from one of the World Wars."

"Okay, great, so we know what kind of ship we're on, so what?" Julia asked.

"Well, we should probably make a plan," Conrad suggested.

Fliss crossed her arms. "I don't know if you've noticed, but we're not exactly in a position to be making any moves here."

"We need to get off this ship, back on the Duke, and get out of here," Alex said.

"Except that it won't run without the distributor cap they took," Fliss pointed out. "The Duke is dead in the water without it."

"First order of business should be getting out of here," Mike said. "We're sitting ducks in this room, we have to find a way out. Once we do, then we can start discussing how we're getting off the boat."

Sam nodded. "One step at a time. Any ideas?"

"I say we look around, see what we can find to help us get out," Alex suggested.

The others nodded, spreading out, and it only took a minute for Conrad to start pushing an old desk aside. "Look!" he called in a hushed whisper. "I think I just found our way out of here."

Mike immediately started examining it. He'd had enough experience breaking open old barriers in the sanitorium, he'd almost call himself an expert.

"What do you think, Mike, can we get it open?" Sam asked.

"It'd make a lot of noise," he warned. "But yeah."

"We don't know where that goes," Fliss stated. "Is that a risk we're really going to take?"

"Anywhere's better than stuck here," Sam told her. She looked at the group as a whole. "We need a distraction. Someone to make a lot of noise to cover what we're doing."

"I got this," Conrad told her. "You guys just focus on getting that open." He headed for the door, and started banging on it an yelling.

"Alex, I need your help," Mike said, waving the other man over. "On three, we kick. One... two... three!"

Both men kicked the rusted grate, and it came off easily.

"Awesome!" Alex whispered.

"Celebrate later, we need to get out first," Mike advised, moving out of the way. "Everyone in, now!"

Sam went in first, the others following closely behind. Once they were through, Mike followed, pausing only to pull the desk back into place, sealing their entrance just as their captors ran in.

Chapter 110: Detour Through the Hellmouth 5

Summary:

Buffy asks Dean about his deal

Chapter Text

"Hey, Dean, can I ask you a question?"

Dean glanced up from the gun he was loading. Buffy had paused in gathering her own weapons while the others had begun debating where to best hole up for the time being.

"Shoot."

"Why'd you do it?"

He paused, setting the gun down. "Sam was dead."

"Your brother?" she asked for clarification.

He nodded. "He... He got stuck in this stupid... I dunno, fight to the death audition bullshit to lead the apocalypse. He was almost out, we were almost there, I could've saved him... But I was too late. Nothing I could do when I reached him."

"So you sold your soul to bring him back." She looked at him with pity, but raised a brow. He didn't like feeling that look gave off.

"Don't look at me like that," he snapped. "He was my brother, what was I supposed to do?"

She was quiet for a moment. "Maybe let him rest."

He clenched his fists, resisting the urge to throw something at the Slayer. "You don't get it!" he yelled, ignoring the attention he was drawing from the others. "Sammy's all I've got! I couldn't just... He was 23 years old, Buffy. He had his whole life ahead of him, I couldn't just let him die because of one slip up. Better me than him."

"Don't say that," Buffy snapped. "Don't ever say something like that. You're worth just as much as your brother is, you shouldn't just... give up."

He shook his head. "You're an only child, you won't get it. But I wasn't even supposed to be around in the first place. I was dying, and my dad made a deal for me. I should've been dead anyway, I was just... fixing the natural order."

"And now you're here."

"And now I'm here," he echoed.

Chapter 111: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 4

Summary:

Oliver's ship is found

Chapter Text

"Oliver, you're gonna wanna come take a look at this!" Felicity called.

"What?" he asked, walking over. He froze when he saw the image on the screen.

"That," she replied, pointing with a pen to the very clear picture of the coast of Lian-Yu, with an unidentifiable shape on the shore. The article was titled 'UFO Found in North China Sea?' She looked at him. "Please tell me that's not yours."

He just stared for a second, processing what it could mean. "No, that's... that's mine," he confirmed quietly. "This is not good."

"There's no way they can trace it back to you, right?" John asked, coming up behind him. "You landed here years ago." He paused. "They're not going to find the other Oliver's body, are they?"

He shook his head. "I dragged it into the ocean as soon as he stopped breathing. But once this gets out... Once people start talking about it, there might be some people who can put the pieces together. Oliver Queen goes missing for years, and he's found on the island of Lian-Yu, where they found the ship. Oliver Queen returns home pretty different from who everyone knew. Like he was another person."

"You... could play the trauma card..." Felicity said slowly. "Five years alone on an island would change anyone. So... Dig's right, right? They can't find you from the ship?"

"As long as my DNA is no longer on record and the doctors stay quiet..." he said softly.

Felicity blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

He sighed. "I can change what I look like, change into anyone or anything. But I can't change my DNA. That will always be different. The closest thing you could trace me to is a gecko. But when they found me on that island... After I got back to Starling, when I was in the hospital, they did blood tests. Naturally, something was a little off. I... scared the nurses, and the doctor, into silence, and I told them to erase all records of my blood test."

"But you don't know for sure," John guessed.

Oliver nodded. "Yeah. So all it would take is one of them finding this article, calling whoever they need to call, and..."

"Hello, Area 51," Felicity finished softly.

Chapter 112: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 8

Summary:

Five returns

Chapter Text

Luther dropped his spoon back into the bowl when the sky lit up. There was a weird tingle in the air, and he felt almost compelled to go outside and check.

The rest of the Umbrella kids were already out there, along with about half the other students at the Institute. There was a tear in the sky, and a figure almost seemed to be pushing through it, but the flashed made it too difficult to see any defining features.

Luther's expression switched from confusion to concern when a body dropped from it, landing hard in the grass, and the sky returned to normal almost instantly. Jean was the first one over, turning the figure, who looked to be a young teenager, over and checked his pulse.

Luther froze once he saw the boy's face. A quick glance at his siblings told him they were seeing the same thing he was.

"Am I crazy," Klaus stared, "or... did Five just fall out of the sky?"

-

The Hargreeves siblings all crowded into the med bay, waiting for Five to wake up. It seemed almost impossible, for their brother who had disappeared three years prior to just reappear out of nowhere.

They all perked up as one when Five groaned, sitting up.

"Five!" Luther said. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Five looked at them, an expression of disbelief crossing his face before it left, his all too familiar bored and slightly condescending look taking its place. He looked around the room, ignoring Luther's question, glancing down at himself in the bed.

"Shit..." he muttered. "Shit, shit, shit." He looked at the others. "What day is today?"

"Saturday," Allison said slowly. "Five, where—"

"No, the exact date," he interrupted.

"March 27th, 2021," Ben told him, and Five looked visibly relieved.

"Okay," he said. "Okay, good. We have time."

"Time for what?" Luther pressed. "What's going on? What happened? Where did you go?"

Five looked at him, as though really noticing him for the first time. "Luther?" he asked. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Don't avoid the question," Vanya said. "We were all worried. We thought something happened."

Five sighed, leaning back in the bed. "Fine. I time travelled. I saw the apocalypse. A lot happened after that." He looked down at himself again. "I must have gotten the calculations off... I... should not be thirteen right now."

"Wait, how old should you be?"

"Fifty-eight," he said offhandedly, thinking. The others just stared. Allison put a hand to his forehead, which he swatted away. "I'm not sick."

Diego held up a hand. "Okay back up a second, what did you mean about the apocalypse?"

"The world ends, fourteen years from now," he said. "So we have time to stop it. A lot of time. I don't know how it ended, I just know I wound up in a decimated world, alone." He frowned. "Where are we? This doesn't look like the Academy."

"That would be because it isn't," a voice said from behind them, and they all turned to see Professor Xavier wheeling in. "You must be Number Five," he said. "I'm Professor Charles Xavier, and you're here at my Institute for Gifted Youngsters. I brought your siblings here not too long ago."

"Institute for..." Five muttered. "Okay. Okay, something's changed. You were all still at the Academy when—" He cut himself off.

"When what?" Diego pressed.

"Nothing," Five deflected. "It's nothing."

Professor Xavier frowned, and Luther realized he might be reading Five's mind, and finding out exactly what their brother was keeping from them. "You and I have much to discuss," he finally said.

Chapter 113: Man, Woman, or Beast 7

Summary:

The party discusses Vani's lycanthropy

Chapter Text

"So... how does this work?" Alistair asked, sitting across from Vani at the campfire.

Vani pulled the blanket she'd been given around herself more tightly. "Don't know," she said. "But it wasn't normal."

"Nothing about a werewolf curse is 'normal'," he stated, and Morrigan shot him a glare.

"What she means is that this curse seems different than the one we encountered in the Brecilian Forest," the witch said, looking at Vani. "Do you not?"

She nodded. "They didn't change back until Zathrian lifted the curse. Not on their own."

"There shouldn't have even been a curse at all," Leliana pointed out. "It should have broken, just like the others."

Morrigan thought for a moment. "Perhaps it is because you are a Grey Warden?" At the confused looks she received, she said, "The taint of the darkspawn that courses through your veins may have altered the effects of the curse."

Vani frowned. "So there's no cure."

"But you changed back anyway," Alistair pointed out. "So... maybe it's over?"

"Or not," the elf told him. "We don't know, Alistair."

"Perhaps we could go back," Leliana suggested. "Ask the keeper if he can—"

"No," Vani interjected suddenly. "No. We carry on. We don't backtrack."

"But—"

"Every day spent moving back to the elves is a day lost," she said calmly. "We continue to Orzammar. We recruit the dwarves. We fight." She looked at Alistair. "We lift my curse when the Blight is over."

Alistair wanted to argue. He wanted to help her, she'd looked almost in pain while she'd been transformed, but Vani was the most stubborn woman he'd ever met. She'd fight him tooth and nail—and potentially claw—if he even suggested they put their journey, their mission, on hold.

"Okay," he agreed. "Okay. But if you... get furry again, we'll have to stop. Scaring off our allies won't do us any good."

She nodded. "Alright." She stood, still keeping the blanket tightly around herself. "Alistair, where is my armor?"

"Your tent," he told her, and she smiled, pecking him on the cheek as she passed.

Chapter 114: Beetle and Catastrophe 1

Summary:

Marinette won't abandon Plagg

Chapter Text

Marinette frowned when she realized that Plagg hadn't moved from his spot by the Miracle Box after she de-transformed. She'd said farewell to Tikki and given the earrings back to Master Fu, to deliver to Beetle later, but since they'd beaten Style Queen, Plagg hadn't said a word.

She was worried.

"Plagg?" she said, walking over and sitting next to him. "What's wrong?"

He didn't speak for a minute, just sat there. "You're a really great Ladybug," he commented.

"Thanks," she said, starting to smile before it clicked. "Wait... you don't seriously think I'd just... drop you, and switch, did you?"

"Why not?" he asked. "You're great at it. Maybe better than Beetle."

"I don't care," she told him, and he looked up in surprise. "I could be the best Ladybug in the world and that wouldn't change the fact that you're my kwami, Plagg. Not Tikki. Not any of the others in the box. You." She smiled at him reassuringly. "We're a team. You and me. Nothing will change that. I'd never just abandon you."

The look on his face broke Marinette's heart, and she couldn't help but wonder what kinds of things his previous holders had said or done. "You promise?" he asked, and she had never heard him sound as vulnerable as he did just then.

"Of course," she said, gently nudging him toward her. He didn't even pretend to fight her about it, which was remarkably telling of just how bad he felt. "I promise." She smiled again. "Now come on, let's go home. If we're quick, I can probably stick a ring of cheese bread in the oven before dinner."

He perked up at that, and floated into the air, seeming to forget all about his mood just a moment ago. "Well why didn't you say so?" he asked. "C'mon, Marinette, let's go!"

She laughed as she left, waving goodbye to Master Fu. She giggled as she maneuvered him into her purse while he tried to belt out an off-key song about how much he loved cheese.

Plagg was her kwami, and he had been since day one. She didn't know what his previous holders had done to cause such a deep insecurity, but she promised to do everything she could to prove to Plagg that he was her friend, and that she'd never abandon him.

Chapter 115: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 7

Summary:

Saul comes to Maple Bay

Chapter Text

Toby froze in his driveway, seeing Robert and another man staring each other down. Robert looked hostile and defensive.

"You must be really out of practice," the other man said, shaking his head in an almost disappointed manner. "So many cryptids, all in this cul de sac, and you didn't notice a one."

"I knew they were there," Robert ground out. "But I told you, I'm retired."

The man scowled. "So being retired means letting a werewolf run loose, or leaving a vampire free to feed?"

"Craig's too nice to hurt anyone, and Damien's a vegetarian, for Christ's sake," Robert snapped.

"And the demon?" the man asked. "You can never just let a demon go, Robert. You send it back to Hell, you taught me that."

"Joseph doesn't eat souls," Robert said. "I don't like the guy, but he makes Mary happy, so whatever."

The man shook his head. "To think, I used to look up to you. And look at you now, Small. All alone, surrounded by monsters, just waiting for one of them to snap and tear you to pieces."

"Um..." Toby finally spoke up, and both men turned to look at him. He realized that neither of them had known he was there. He looked at his boyfriend. "Robert, who, um... Who is this?"

Robert was quiet for a minute, walking over and pulling Toby to him. "Toby... this is Saul Graves. He was an old hunting buddy of mine."

Toby gulped. "Hunting, as in...?"

"Yeah."

Saul looked from one man to the other, and Robert subtly moved himself between the other Hunter and Toby. "I don't believe it," Saul muttered, shaking his head. "He's one of them, isn't he?"

Toby found himself frozen to the spot, and he could feel himself start to destabilize. He took a few deep breaths, putting all his effort into keeping his form together.

"What is he, Robert?" Saul asked, not taking his eyes off Toby. "He's not a vampire. Not any kind of thrope. So what'd you fall for? Demon? Witch? Shapeshifter?"

Toby whined, and that was all the warning he could give before his body gave out on him, and he melted to the ground as a black puddle. He quivered when he saw Saul's gun out and trained on him. It looked the same as the one Robert had showed him, the one that he used in his old hunting days.

"Saul, back the fuck off!" Robert yelled, and Toby clung to Robert's leg, wrapping around it so tightly he feared he might be cutting off his boyfriend's circulation. But that was something he could worry about later, when he was so terrified for his life. "No one here is hurting anyone, and definitely not Toby. So get back in your car, drive off, and take your bullshit somewhere else."

Saul's gun didn't waver, even though it was technically pointed at Robert's leg. Finally, he lowered it. "This isn't over," he said, turning around and walking away.

Toby couldn't stop shaking until the man was completely out of sight. Once he was, the polymorph finally relaxed, loosening his grip on Robert's leg as he slowly lowered back to the ground. It took another minute before he could reform his human shape, hands tightly gripping Robert's wrists.

"We have to warn everyone," he said once his vocal cords had formed again. "Now."

Chapter 116: Small Town, Big Secrets 1

Summary:

Zane's stuck in his lab

Chapter Text

Zane tapped his fingers on his desk, watching the clock. He couldn't leave for another twenty minutes—he really had to learn to stop pissing off a warlock—and he was meeting Jo for dinner in thirty. Granted, it was only a casual thing at Café Diem, but still. He at least needed a shower.

He turned his gaze on the doorway, which was just barely shimmering. If he tried to go through it, which he had, twice, he'd just bounce off. How Stark managed to implement the Invitation Rule on a door in a public space, he had no idea, and he'd bound the damn thing, so even if they wanted to, no one could remove it for him early.

Out of boredom, he checked his calculations for the seventh time. 94% chance of success. 0.004% chance of disaster. And, in his personal opinion, 100% chance of getting Stark off his ass about the project.

He was just about to start his eighth check when his phone rang.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Zane," Sheriff Carter's voice came through the speaker. "Where are you right now?"

"My lab," he responded dryly. "I'm stuck here. I've been stuck here for hours."

"So you haven't been anywhere near the... psychic... plant lab place?"

Zane rolled his eyes. "Neurobotany? What part of 'stuck here' do you not understand?"

There was a pause. "Wait, like magic stuck?"

"Yes, Carter," he said. "Magic stuck. Stark put up a barrier at the entrance to my lab. I still can't leave for another..." He checked his watch. "Seventeen minutes. Why?"

"Well... there's some funky stuff going on, and some of it looks like your research on, uh... mental connections to the quantum field."

Zane's brows furrowed. "Wait, someone actually found a way to connect their minds to the plants? Completely?"

"Well, we've been getting spontaneous plant growth with magic radiation all over town," Carter told him.

"Fine, I'll see what I can find from here," he said, hanging up. He frowned, sending Jo a quick text.

'So I guess dinner's off?'

He set it down, prepared to wait while he did some digging. To his surprise, it went off a few moments later.

'Sorry. After we fix the plant thing?'

He chuckled. 'Okay, but you owe me an extra blood packet.'

'Fine.' He could practically see her eyes rolling. With a grin, he turned back to his computer, ready to find out exactly what the neurobotany lab was doing with his research.

Chapter 117: Loophole 10

Summary:

Chloe confiscates John's cigarettes

Chapter Text

John sat in the chair across from Chloe's desk, tapping a cigarette against the box in his hand. He'd dug up some of his own evidence on her current case, but considering his methods, he wasn't about to just take the information to Dan.

He was just about to light the cigarette when it was plucked out of his hand. His head shot up.

"What are you doing?" Chloe hissed. "You can't smoke in a police station!" She frowned, grabbing the whole box.

"Hey!" he snapped.

"You shouldn't even have these," she continued.

He raised a brow. "What, you think it'll kill me?"

"That's not funny!" she said.

He grinned. "It's a little funny." His grin slipped and his hand went to his pocket, just barely getting the tissue to his mouth before hacking up more blood. Chloe raised a brow pointedly. "Shut up."

"No more smoking," she insisted, pocketing his cigarettes. "You might be dying, but you could at least try to keep yourself alive a little longer."

He rolled his eyes. Arguing with her wouldn't get him anywhere. "Where's Luci?" he asked instead.

"In the interrogation room," she said.

Both brows rose. "You left Lucifer alone in an interrogation room with a suspect?"

"He's not alone, Dan's there to supervise."

He blinked. "You left Daniel Espinoza to supervise the Devil. Nothing made you think that was a bad idea?"

Chloe was quiet for a moment before bolting toward the interrogation room. John chuckled, coughing again as he stood, making his way to the observation room. He really didn't want to miss this.

Chapter 118: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 6

Summary:

Becker shoots evil Artie

Chapter Text

Becker drew his Tesla without hesitation. He'd heard that something had happened to Artie, something was wrong, and seeing Pete and Myka forced to their knees, hands tied behind their backs with a gun slowly moving between the two of them only confirmed it.

"Give me the dagger," Artie said, holding his free hand out.

"I don't think so," Becker replied coldly.

Artie's grip tightened on his gun. "Give me the dagger, or they die."

He froze, and the gun slowed before pressing against the back of Myka's head. Becker's mouth went dry, but he kept his expression neutral.

"You're not going to let them die, are you?" Artie continued. "Or are you just going to stand there, do nothing, and fail them? Like Abby? Like Connor? Like Danny?" His mouth spread in a cold, sinister smirk that had no place on Artie Nielson's face. "Like Sarah?"

Becker's grip tightened on his Tesla for a moment. Artie, the real Artie, would never use his past against him. The real Artie had considered him part of the team, even with his baggage, and had flat-out told him that he wasn't to blame. Whatever he wanted with the dagger couldn't be good, from the way he was demanding it. And the real Artie would rather die than be responsible for, quite possibly, the end of the world.

He slowly released his grip on the Tesla, holding his arms up in a surrendering position.

Artie smirked. "Good boy. Now put it down. Slowly."

"Alright, alright," Becker said, slowly kneeling, reaching out to place the weapon on the ground. He noticed that Artie's gun was now trained on him. Pete and Myka were both shouting protests, but the blocked them out. He had one shot at this.

As soon as the Tesla touched the ground, his hands flew to his concealed holster on his hip, drawing his handgun and firing before Artie had time to react.

Or so he thought.

Artie cried out, dropping to his knees with a new hole in his upper right chest—just barely missing his lung. But he'd managed a lucky shot, and Becker felt the bullet rip through his side. One hand immediately went to the wound, the other still holding the gun. He was dimly aware of Myka shooting an elbow under Artie's chin as he came down, likely rattling his brain and quite possibly knocking him out.

Pete immediately ran over to him, hands still tied behind his back. "Becker, holy shit, are you okay?"

Becker nodded. "I'm fine," he ground out through the pain. He slowly reached for the sheath on his back and used the dagger to cut Pete free. Myka ran over as soon as she was sure Artie was out cold, and he cut her free as well before handing her the dagger. "Hide this somewhere safe," he said. "I don't know what he wants with it, but if he was willing to kill the both of you..."

Myka wordlessly took the dagger and ran off, probably still reeling from what just happened. Becker knew he'd have a Moment about it later, but he'd had to shove all that aside, to get the job done. It was what he always did.

"That's not Artie," Pete said, and his voice shook. There were tears in his eyes. "It's not him!"

"I know that," Becker assured him. "And I didn't hit anything vital. You need to tie him up, bring him to Mrs. Frederic, and figure out what happened."

Pete wiped his eyes. "Okay," he said with a nod, going to Artie and pulling handcuffs out of his pockets. They'd find something better later—they all knew Artie would be able to pick them easily—but this would have to do for now.

"One more thing," Becker called out, and Pete turned. "Maybe help me get to the hospital, yeah?"

Chapter 119: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 9

Summary:

Valkyrie leaves to get her name sealed

Chapter Text

Valkyrie took a deep breath before sneaking to one of the secret entrances to the base Skulduggery had shown her once. Only a handful of people knew about it, and with how late it was, she highly doubted anyone else would be up.

She brushed her hand over the symbol carved into the wall, wincing at the sound as the wall slid open. After another look around, she stepped through.

She could make it. She was almost there.

"Stephanie," a familiar voice said, and she turned. Fergus stood in the doorway, which had yet to close. "Where are you going?"

"What are you doing here?" she asked instead.

He shook his head. "Where," he repeated, "are you going?"

"Out," she told him.

His eyes narrowed. "You know how dangerous that is. Get back inside."

"Can't do that," she argued. "I need to go."

"Why?" he asked instead.

She bit her lip. "I can't tell you that," she told him.

"Tell me, or I'm taking this to Pleasant," he warned.

That gave her pause. If Skulduggery found out what she was doing, where she was going, he'd ask questions she really didn't want to answer. But she had to get her true name sealed. She couldn't let herself become the sorcerer who killed the world. "I found out my true name," she finally told him, and his eyes widened. "I won't say how, and you understand why I won't tell you what it is." She shifted uncomfortably. "I can't let anyone control me, Fergus. I won't be anyone's puppet."

"So you're going to get it sealed, then," Fergus guessed, and she nodded. "You don't think Professor Grouse can do it?"

"I don't want to bother him," she told him. "He's busy enough with injuries from battles, recons, and rescues. And... I don't want him asking questions. This is my problem, so it's my job to take care of it." She paused. "I just... don't know how yet."

"Neither do I," Fergus informed her as soon as her expression turned hopeful. "Do you even know where to start looking?"

She hesitated. "No," she confessed. "But the longer I stay here, the more I risk someone else finding out. If I can seal my true name, though... Skulduggery once told me that a sorcerer who knows their true name has powers we can't even dream of. Direct access to the source of their magic. If... If we can get that on our side, if I can end up doing all those things... Fergus, this war could be over. We could all go home."

Fergus was quiet, and for a moment, she thought he was still going to stop her. When he said nothing, she turned and started walking again.

"Wait!" he called, and she sighed, stopping and turning. Instead of an argument, he reached into his jacket pocket and handed her a small wooden ball with a ridge of some sort down the middle. "Take this."

She slowly took the ball, looking at him quizzically. Every moment spent here was another moment where she could be caught, but... "What is it?"

"A cloaking sphere," he told her. "Twist the two halves, and it'll create a bubble where anything inside will be invisible while it's active. You might need it."

She looked at it for a moment before storing it in her jacket pocket. She looked back at her uncle. "Thank you," she whispered, turning and continuing on.

As she left, she could have sworn she heard him say, "Good luck."

Chapter 120: Primal Spirit 7

Summary:

Owen returns to the island

Chapter Text

Owen shouldered his way through the crowd, ignoring the protests, ducking oncoming dimoprhodons.

"Oh god, Owen!" Claire exclaimed over the panicked crowd, running over, relieved. "Thank god you're here."

"What's going on?" he asked.

"We tried to find Indi, but I think she panicked, and the raptors ran—"

"Wait, they ran?" he asked, brows furrowed.

She nodded. "I asked Blue to. If ACU started treating them like a threat, they needed to run, or they'd get gunned down. So they did. And Indi disappeared. She camouflaged once she saw ACU coming, and ran off into the trees. We lost sight of her near midnight, and now no one can find her."

"What about—" He ducked another dimorphodon, pulling Claire to shelter. "What about this?" He pointed to the sky.

She ran a hand through her hair. "I'm not sure. There was some kind of breach in the aviary, and they got out, and... Owen, this is a mess."

He nodded. "Follow me, and stay low."

"What are you doing?" she asked as he started to move from cover, but followed.

"We need to find Indi and the raptors, preferably before whoever else is still looking does," he told her. "Especially if it's Hoskins."

"For their sake or his?" Claire asked as they ran. He didn't answer.

-

"Indi!" Owen yelled. He could feel her nearby. Her stress, and her anger, and her fear, and her sadness all hit him in waves.

Owen? he heard in his mind, and sighed with relief. Claire gave him a questioning look, and he nodded.

"You can come out, it's just us," he said. "ACU is on the other side of the island."

Where are we going? she asked.

He paused. Where could they go? So much of the park staff saw her as a monster, they'd shoot her dead for her mistakes. Granted, those mistakes had gotten people killed, but she hadn't known any better.

He turned to Claire. "She's asking where we're going. But we can't take her back to the park, not right now."

Claire shook her head. "No," she agreed. She thought for a moment. "The north end of the island. There's no facilities or attractions up there, it's not open to the public at all, and none of the staff has any reason to go looking. We can bring her there for the time being, until things calm down."

"The north end," he repeated. "Where the volcano is?"

"It's dormant," she assured him.

"I'm not worried," he informed her. "I just needed a landmark." He looked into the trees. You hear that, Indi? We're heading up north.

Okay.

He looked around, expanding his Spirit to try to find the raptors. Girls? he asked. Can you hear me?

Charlie was the first to answer. Owen! You're home!

He couldn't help but smile. That's right, Charlie, I'm home. Where are your sisters?

We split up, she told him. Angry red-haired lady told us to run, so we did. We had to split up so they couldn't find us.

Can you find them?

He received a feeling of confidence. I think so, she told him.

Okay, we're going to the north end of the island. Find the others and wait for us at the volcano.

I can do that! she assured him, and his awareness of her faded as he reeled his Spirit back in. He turned to Claire. "I found Charlie. She's going to find the other raptors and meet us at the base of the volcano."

"Owen, that could take days to get there," she told him.

Almost immediately after she spoke, a bone white head seemed to appear in the trees. It was honestly mildly horrifying that she'd been so close and they'd had no idea. Indi lowered her head.

On, she said.

Owen blinked. "You want us to...?"

Yes.

He laughed, walking over and wrapping his hand around one of the osteoderms on her neck.

Claire gaped as he carefully climbed onto the Indominus's neck. He grinned. "You coming?" he asked, reaching a hand down to help her up.

Chapter 121: Catra: Princess of Power 4

Summary:

Getting ready for Princess Prom

Chapter Text

"Princess Prom!" Glimmer yelled excitedly.

Catra blinked at her. "Princess what?"

"Only the coolest event for all princesses in Etheria!" she exclaimed, handing Catra a scroll.

Catra opened it curiously, and raised a brow when the scroll just kept going. And going. "I don't get it," she said plainly. "We're in the middle of a war, how do you have time for this? What happens if the Horde gets in?"

"No entry without an invite," Bow told her. "The invite is for a princess and her plus one, no exceptions. And besides, it's a neutral event. No conflict allowed."

Glimmer nodded. "Princess Frosta is hosting it this year, in the Kingdom of Snows." She grinned. "And we need to give you a makeover!"

"No," Catra protested. "No way."

"You can't go in that," Glimmer pointed out, motioning to her clothes.

Catra shrugged. "Okay, so I'll go as She-Ra."

"I... don't think they're gonna let you bring the sword in," Bow commented, and she glared.

"Come on, Catra," Glimmer said. "Just... give it a try, okay? For me?"

Catra's eyes narrowed. "No. I'm not going."

"You have to. You're She-Ra!"

Catra crossed her arms. No way was she budging on this.

-

Catra shifted uncomfortably in the dress Glimmer had stuck her in. It was long, it was floofy, and it was not practical for a fight. She didn't care about what the rules said, she wasn't comfortable if she wasn't dressed practically, just in case.

"Mm, no," Glimmer said, pulling over another dress that Catra glared at as she practically ripped the current one off.

The new dress was dark red, and shorter, with short sleeves. It wasn't super fancy like the last two Glimmer had made her try, but still. It was a dress.

"Glimmer," she said, pulling it off and not caring that she was standing in the middle of the room in her underwear. "I'm not wearing this stuff."

"Just for one night," Glimmer protested.

"No," she said heatedly. "What are you not getting about the word 'no'? I don't care what you say, you're not getting me in another dress. I just won't go."

There was a knock on the door, and both girls turned to see Bow enter the door with something draped over his arm. Catra scowled. Great. Another dress.

"I think this might be more your style," Bow suggested.

She glared. "No. I just said—"

Bow moved his arm so the clothes he held spread out more, and she stared.

It wasn't a dress. Bow had brought her a black suit. She stepped forward, taking the jacket to get a better look. A white shirt was underneath it, and the fabric in her hand was a deep, midnight black, smooth, and not at all stiff. Very maneuverable. It wouldn't get it her way if she had to fight.

"Bow," she said quietly, a grin slowly spreading across her face. She wasn't good at 'thank yous'.

The boy in front of her just grinned back. "You're welcome," he said.

Chapter 122: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 3

Summary:

Pietro opens up to Charles

Chapter Text

Pietro was quiet. If it weren't for the very reason he was here, Charles would have been concerned at the talkative speedster's silence.

He watched Pietro cross his arms and glare, just as he had the last three times Charles had brought him in. One hour, every day, in an effort to get the boy to talk, to work through everything he felt and had gone through. The professor wasn't a licensed therapist, but he had to work this carefully if he wanted Pietro to open up. Charles knew Pietro's father, and he'd seen how he acted, so he was at least a little clued in to what was going on.

"I don't know why you bother," Pietro finally said, about ten minutes in. "You're just wasting your time."

"Just because you haven't wanted to talk about it yet doesn't mean you won't," Charles pointed out. "And I'm willing to wait. We'll take this at your pace, Pietro."

"I don't get why you won't just read my mind," he shot back.

Charles frowned. "I prefer not to pry into people's minds if I don't have to," he told him. "And talking about it isn't just about informing me of what's going on. It's about getting it out, and helping you work through it. I'm just asking you to let me in."

Something in Pietro's eyes changed, but Charles couldn't be sure what. "You don't know what it's like," he snapped, but it lacked the usual bite to it.

"So tell me about it."

For a second, he thought Pietro was about to close himself off again, but he was surprised when he said, "After Wanda, he just left. He was barely there to begin with, leaving the two of us alone all the time, just going off to do... whatever. He didn't even notice when she started shutting everyone out, cutting me off." He paused. "She stopped going to school, stopped talking to me, but he didn't care. Not until she blew her top, and every time she got angry, something blew up. I probably almost died four times, but it wasn't until he had to deal with it that he just... dumped her off in that nuthouse."

"And how did you feel about that?"

Pietro looked down at his hands, seeming to be collecting his thoughts. "I didn't like it. I mean, angry or not, she's still my sister. But I was scared. I was scared of her, I was scared of what she could do. And I... I didn't do anything when they dragged her away. I just stood there with Father and watched."

"But you regret it." It wasn't a question.

"I... yeah." He ran a hand through his hair. "She was gone, Father was gone, and I got left in the house, all by myself. I had to learn how to make my own lunches at eight years old. I had to get myself up, get on the bus, basically had to take care of myself until—"

"Until...?"

"Until Evan started talking to me," he said. "I never told him any of that stuff that was going on, but I got invited over all the time, treated... treated like part of the family." He balled his fists, letting out a sharp, humorless laugh. "But I threw all that away, didn't I? I turned my back on the one person, and his family, that ever gave a crap about me because I just... tried to get something I'd never have. Not really." He paused. "Magneto never wanted me. He just wanted what I could do."

"You didn't throw it away," Charles assured him. "Who do you think it was that came to me and asked me  to talk to you?"

That caught the boy's attention. "What?" he asked, brows furrowed. "Evan...? But I thought..."

"You didn't give him enough credit, Pietro," Charles said. "Trying to see you as the enemy wasn't nearly as easy for him as he made it seem. And he thought that you deserved a second chance."

Pietro frowned. "But I don't," he said plainly. "I got him arrested, remember?"

"And that is something the two of your should talk about," Charles advised him. He looked at the clock. "Dinner should be ready soon. Will I see you back here again tomorrow?"

He was sure Pietro was going to argue with him, so he was genuinely surprised to hear a quiet, "Sure," before the speedster took off toward the dining room.

Chapter 123: Small Town, Big Secrets 2

Summary:

Zane sees Jo shift

Chapter Text

Zane frowned when he found himself outside the sheriff's office. It was late in the evening, the door should be locked, and no one should be in there, but...

Lupo had been acting weird lately, and he was determined to find out why. She wasn't busting his ass all the time anymore, she was actually civil sometimes, there was that weird marriage comment the other day and he had no idea what that was about...

And today she'd seemed sick. Really, really sick, and worn out, and miserable, and he didn't know why, but he didn't like it.

So here he was, outside the sheriff's office, where he'd seen her duck into just five minutes earlier. He stared at the doorknob, wondering if he should really go in, before steeling himself for the ass-kicking he'd probably get in just a few seconds, and turned the doorknob.

Jo Lupo stood inside the holding cell, the door closed and locked. Zane smirked when he noticed she was naked, until he registered that she was covered in sweat. She was breathing heavily, but considering how she'd been all day, all Zane was was concerned.

"Lupo...?" he said tentatively, and he head shot up, eyes wide in surprise. Zane took a step back in shock to see they were bright amber.

"Zane..." she breathed, but before she could say anything more, her face screwed up in pain and her back arched.

All thoughts came to screeching halt when her very bone structure started to shift, and he could hear her trying to breathe through the pain. Hair—no, fur—sprouted over her entire body, covering her as her body continued to change. After an incredibly painful sounding minute, he wasn't staring at the head of GD security anymore. He was staring at a large, black wolf.

No. A werewolf.

Zane could only stare as the wolf shook itself, stretching, before its eyes locked on his. Every strand of fur seemed to stand on end, and its growl sent waves of terror through him. He took one step back, then another and another, never taking his eyes off the wolf. Logically, he knew it probably couldn't get out, the cell was locked, but...

Finally, he turned on his heel and ran out the door.

What. The hell. Was that?

Chapter 124: My Car Broke Down 1

Summary:

Steve finds out about Breakdown

Chapter Text

Claudia hit the hood twice before opening the door and jumping into the driver's seat, saying, "Let's go!"

Just as she buckled herself in, the engine roared to life, and Steve clambered into the passenger seat.

"Follow that pickup!" she said, and Steve gave her a weird look. She glanced over at him and grinned. "You're gonna wanna buckle up, Jinksy."

Before he could speak, Breakdown floored it, and the armored car raced down the road, easily tracking the pickup with the artifact. The pickup swerved into tight traffic, and Claudia cursed.

"Can you keep on him?" she asked.

"No problem," he replied, and a display opened up on his dashboard. "Thanks for installing that artifact tracking software."

"No problemo, dude," she said.

"Claud..." Steve said slowly, and Claudia realized she'd forgotten he was there. "What's going on? Is your car... talking?"

"You didn't tell him," Breakdown said dryly. "I thought you told him."

"I was gonna," she said petulantly. "But there was never really a good time to say 'hey turns out that car I fixed is a talking alien robot'."

Breakdown snorted, and Steve just stared.

"I'll explain when we get back to the Warehouse," Claudia promised. "But just... trust him, okay? Breakdown knows what he's doing."

Steve just stared for moment. "We're in a high speed chase on a crowded motorway in a car named Breakdown?" he asked.

"Just relax," Breakdown said easily. "And hold onto something."

Claudia leaned back in her seat, holding the sides, and just laughed when Breakdown took a hard left that sent Steve just barely avoiding smacking into the window.

Chapter 125: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 7

Summary:

Becker can't visit Connor in the hospital

Notes:

I got my second vaccination yesterday, and spent most of my day asleep, so I didn't have a whole lot of time (hence how short it is)

Chapter Text

Becker paced back and forth in the central hub of the ARC, running a hand through his hair. Connor was in the hospital and there was nothing he could do but wait.

"Hey, Becker, I'm going to go see how Connor's doing," Sarah said. "Do you want to come with me?"

He stared at her for a moment. "I can't," he said plainly.

Her brows furrowed. "I'm sure he'll want to see you."

"I can't," he repeated. When she didn't seem to get it, he said, "Vampires and hospitals don't mix."

"Oh..." she said quietly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking, I just..."

He shook his head. "It's fine. Just... give him my best, alright?"

She nodded. "Of course. I'll call you with an update as soon as I can."

He smiled. "Thank you, Sarah."

Chapter 126: Secret of the Kaiju 3

Summary:

Visiting Serizawa's grave

Chapter Text

Chelsea frowned as she followed Gareth—she just couldn't bring herself to call him 'Godzilla' while he was in human form, that was just weird—through the streets. She didn't understand what they were doing in Japan, and he'd barely talked to her since they'd arrived.

The more they walked, the more frustrated she became. He wouldn't tell her where he was going, she couldn't read the damn signs, and she couldn't ask anyone around where they were, because no one spoke English.

"Okay, seriously, where are—" She cut off when she saw the graveyard ahead of them. Now she was just confused. What human could he possibly know that he'd want to visit?

Wordlessly, Gareth made his way down the rows of graves until he arrived at his apparent destination. How he knew which was the right one, she had no idea.

He slowly knelt in front of the grave, and just like she had seen a few times in movies, he pressed his hands together in a praying position, dipping his head. He said something quietly in Japanese. He sat there for a moment before standing, gently resting a hand on the gravestone.

"Who... who is that?" she asked tentatively.

He was quiet, and just when she thought he wouldn't answer, he said, "His name was Ishiro Serizawa."

She paused. He'd mentioned that name before, with Admiral Stenz. But even before that, the name had sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it. "Um... what was that you said?" she asked. "And how did you know him? Have you done... this... before recently?" She motioned to his human body.

He shook his head. "No," he told her. "No, Dr. Serizawa was a scientist. He studied me, followed and recorded my behavioral patterns. He was... probably the one human I could have called an ally. Maybe even a friend." He stopped, looking at her. "Wait. In all discussions about the incident with Ghidorah, in all the public reports... No one mentioned his name?"

"No..." she said tentatively, and actually took a step back at the sudden rage that crossed his face.

"That's bullshit!" he hissed. "He gave his life to fix your government's mistakes. He gave his life to save me!"

"You... said something like that, before. When we were held by Monarch," she said. "What happened?"

"Did they at least report the oxygen bomb?" he asked, and she nodded. "Well, what they apparently didn't tell you all is that while it didn't kill Ghidorah, it nearly killed me. I had to retreat to a hidden pocket far below the surface to regain the strength, but humanity still needed me to fix their mistakes for them.

"So they decided to supercharge me. They readied a nuke, and were going to shoot it into my sanctuary, I believe, but something went wrong. So it was hand delivered, by Dr. Serizawa. Once he stepped out of that minisub, or maybe even before... he had no chance. But in order to save my life, he gave his." He looked back to the grave. "I had to say goodbye." His fists clenched. "Everyone should know the sacrifice he made. Humanity doesn't deserve what he did. I... I can't put into words what I owe him, and what you all owe him."

Chelsea was speechless. She felt a spike of anger, though. He was right, everyone deserved to know. "The army messed up," she said quietly. "The point was to take out both of you, but Ghidorah was the big threat and it didn't do anything to him, and totally screwed over our chances after what happened to you. They probably don't want to publicly admit just how badly they messed up."

"That's not excuse," he said quietly. "Ishiro Serizawa was a hero, and he deserves to be recognized as such."

"No arguments here," she told him, tentatively placing a hand on his shoulder. She allowed a small smile when she saw him relax minutely. "We'll find a way to get the word out. Get him the respect and recognition he deserves. Okay?"

He nodded. "Okay," he whispered.

Chapter 127: Teen Wolf/NCIS crossover 1

Summary:

Derek is brought in

Chapter Text

"Hey, Stiles, you're kind of an expert on werewolves, right?"

Stiles looked up from his computer to see Tony leaning against his desk. "Yeah... Why?"

"Because you were part of a pack back in Beacon Hills?" the senior agent asked.

Stiles sighed. "What do you need to know?"

"Well... turns out someone spotted a feral werewolf fleeing the crime scene, probably right after it happened, and we think we got it," Tony told him. "Gibbs wanted to hold it somewhere until we can get it put down, and McGee suggested getting your opinion."

Stiles frowned. He hated the law that allowed law enforcement to put down feral werewolves. There was no proof that ferals could be brought back to themselves, but no one had ever really tried, either.

"Where is it?" he asked.

"Interrogation room," Tony said, nodding for him to follow.

-

Stiles walked into the observation room, and he froze once his eyes landed on the viewing window. Ziva, Tim, and Gibbs were already in the observation room, watching the werewolf—who Stiles recognized immediately—struggle against the chains holding him to the desk.

Fangs were bared, body thrashing, but just a second after Stiles saw him, the werewolf froze in place. Bright blue eyes scanned the window, and Stiles wondered if he could see through it.

He was pretty sure he could once those eyes locked on him.

"I've never seen blue eyes for a werewolf," Ziva said. "Do you know what that means?"

"It's... a really rare thing," he said slowly, not wanting to get into it.

Tim looked from Stiles to the werewolf, who, to everyone's surprise, had shifted back to human form, though his eyes remained the same and gave off the same aura of tension. "Stiles..." he said slowly. "Do you know him?"

Stiles nodded slowly. "His name is Derek..." he said quietly. "He, uh..." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "I was part of his pack. Y'know, the only human member of it." He hadn't taken his gaze off the werewolf. "Christ, Derek..." he breathed. "What the hell happened to you?"

He was aware of all the eyes on him, before silently walking out of the observation room and into the interrogation room. Derek just watched him, not making any move against him. He just stayed still, tracking his every movement.

"Derek?" he said slowly, and the werewolf tilted his head ever so slightly. "Can you understand me?" He frowned when he received no acknowledgment. He sighed. There had to be a way to get him back. There had to be.

No way he was letting them 'put him down'.

Chapter 128: Man, Woman, or Beast 7

Summary:

Morrigan knows

Chapter Text

Vani blinked slowly, trying to remember what happened. She and Alistair had gone to light the beacon, and they'd reached the top to find an ogre. The other Wardens were in the midst of an epic battle with the horde, and it had been up to her and Alistair to alert Loghain's army that it was time for them to attack.

There had been more darkspawn following them. She'd been shot. There had been a large crash, and then... nothing.

Now she was in a small cottage with no idea where she was or how she got there.

"Ah, you are awake," a voice said, and she jumped, immediately grabbing the covers and covering herself. It was then she noticed she was in nothing but her undergarments.

Her eyes widened, and she froze, her eyes finding the source of the voice, the witch they'd encountered during their Joining. Morrigan, she was fairly certain. But this woman knew. She'd seen everything.

At her silence, Morrigan continued. "I have already seen it, as has my mother. We had to remove your armor in order to heal you. Now, I understand why a woman would masquerade as a man, but why, I wonder, would a man masquerade as a woman?" She paused, studying the defensive look Vani was sure she was wearing. "Unless, of course... you really are a woman."

Vani nodded. "Where...?"

"We are in my mother's hut," Morrigan told her. "She rescued you and your friend from that tower as the battle raged, and we took care of you both. Your friend, the idiot, is outside."

"Alistair is alive?" she asked quietly.

"Quite," Morrigan replied.

Vani nodded softly. "Does he...?"

"He does not know," the witch told her. "He has seen nothing, and I have not told him. Nor will my mother, I assume."

Vani just nodded again, balling her hands into fists around the sheet she covered herself in. "My armor," she finally said, and Morrigan motioned to the chest next to the bed. "Thank you," she told her.

"'Twas my mother's idea," she said offhandedly. "I may have left you there were it my choice."

Vani shook her head. "Thank you," she repeated more emphatically.

Morrigan considered her for a moment, and finally said, "Ah. For not saying anything to your friend."

The elf nodded.

"'Tis not my secret to tell." And with that, Morrigan exited the hut, leaving Vani to her privacy to get dressed.

Chapter 129: Beetle and Catastrophe 2

Summary:

Adrien meets Tikki

Chapter Text

"What's this doing here?" Adrien asked, seeing the small jewelry box on the table. He picked it up, opening it. There were what looked like a pair of red earrings with black spots, almost like ladybugs, sitting inside, and a pink orb of light flew out of them, and after it faded, a small red creature with a black dot in the middle of its forehead appeared.

"Hello, Adrien!" it greeted cheerily in a female voice.

"What are you?" he blurted.

She smiled. "I am a kwami. My name is Tikki."

"How did you know my name?" he asked.

Tikki giggled. "I know a lot of things. But I'm here to give you a power, the power of creation." She motioned to the television. "Only you have the ability to stop Stoneheart."

His brows furrowed in confusion. "How?" He shook his head. "My dad's gotta be pranking me." He paused. "No way, that's not right. He had no sense of humor."

She flew in front of his face, grabbing onto his nose. "No one can know I exist, Adrien," she told him. "I must remain a secret."

He nodded and she let go. "Okay, but... I'm stuck here. How am I supposed to do anything?"

Tikki frowned. "I don't usually condone breaking rules, but... you must find some way out." She looked at the window. "You just have to be careful. Your father must never find out."

Adrien followed her gaze through the window. He looked back at her. "Okay. So, how do I do this?"

"You must defeat the akuma," Tikki told him. "You have a power, Lucky Charm, that will give you what you need to do the job. To transform, all you have to say is 'Spots On'."

"My father would probably kill me if I pierced my ears," he muttered, but quickly fixed the problem, securing each of the earrings, now completely black, to each side of the collar of his jacket. "Tikki, Spots On!"

"Wait, no, Adrien, I wasn't—" Whatever she had to say was cut off by her being sucked into the earrings, now used as pins.

Chapter 130: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 8

Summary:

Arriving at the Sanctuary

Chapter Text

The group earned a few stares as they walked through town, but Valkyrie wasn't surprised. It wasn't often that Roarhaven saw any newcomers, and never in groups as large as this.

She knew without even looking at any of their faces that the students were more than a little disappointed. They'd probably been expecting a lot more than a drab, unwelcoming town with a stagnant lake when they heard 'community of sorcerers'. She wished that there was still the Sanctuary in Dublin. At least that one was nice.

"Um..." Hermione started. "This... isn't exactly what I had in mind when you—"

"I know," Valkyrie said. "Roarhaven isn't really the best example of sorcerer towns. Sorry about that."

"Roarhaven mostly keeps to itself," Skulduggery informed them. "Most sorcerer communities are very welcoming, but Roarhaven is home to many who have a... different opinion on the way things are run."

"Different how?" Harry asked.

"They think we're superior to mortals," Valkyrie said. "And that we should be ruling them. Not everyone here thinks that, but... enough people. The Irish Sanctuary wasn't even originally here. It was in Dublin until it got blown up."

"Why would someone blow up the Sanctuary?"

"That's what we're still trying to figure out," Skulduggery said. "But likely to get it to be moved here. But! We didn't bring you all here for some detective work." They had arrived at the Sanctuary. "We brought you here to see a little more of our side of the world. The better part of that side." He opened the door and they followed him in.

Valkyrie had forgotten how chilly it could get in here until she saw a few of the others shiver a little. She even heard Harry and Ron clicking their fingers to try to generate a spark.

She couldn't believe that even with Ravel and Ghastly in charge, they still hadn't installed a proper heating system.

"Detective Pleasant! Detective Cain!" she heard, and turned to see Tipstaff walking toward them. He glanced at the students. "And who are they?"

"They're some of our students," Skulduggery said. "We thought we'd take them for a field trip here, show them around our side of things."

"While that's a nice idea, you realize that this should have been approved by the Elders," Tipstaff chastised.

"I'm sure Erskine and Ghastly won't mind," Skulduggery said, and continued walking. When he realized no one was following, he stopped and turned on his heel. "Are you waiting for an invitation? Come on." He resumed walked, and after a moment, the students jogged to catch up.

Valkyrie threw Tipstaff an apologetic smile, and he just stood there, shaking his head.

Chapter 131: The Witch's Daughter 5

Summary:

Dean and Ruby talk

Chapter Text

"Are you just going to keep lying to him?"

Dean scowled as he stopped walked. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he turned. "What are you talking about, Ruby?" he snapped.

The demon crossed her arms, raising a bow. "You know what."

"No," Dean argued. There was no way she knew. She couldn't. "I don't."

"Really?" Ruby asked. "You're gonna try to pull this, Dean?"

Dean froze. First Bobby, then Dad, and now... Ruby. "How?"

She rolled her eyes. "Please. I'm surprised Sam hasn't figured it out yet."

"Don't," Dean warned. "Don't you dare tell him."

"You don't think he deserves to know?" she asked. "He lost you back when you were kidnapped, he's gonna want to know you've been back."

"Yeah, and he's gonna lose me again, so you're going to keep quiet, got it?" Dean snapped. "We have a job to do. He can't be distracted."

She huffed a laugh. "You're an asshole," she told him. "Seriously."

"Maybe," he agreed. "But I can keep being Dana as long as I'm still here."

"Sam's going to be pissed when he finds out," Ruby pointed out, almost sounding like she actually cared. "And he will find out."

"Why do you even care?!" he shot back.

Her eyes narrowed. "Because you boys are my only chance to kill Lilith, and Sam needs a clear head. And if he's too busy being pissed at you..."

"We'll gank her," Dean stated. "Whatever it takes. If I make it, somehow, then sure. I'll tell him then."

"I'm holding you to that."

Dean rolled his eyes, turning and heading back to the motel room.

Chapter 132: Avalon: Web of Magic/Skulduggery Pleasant crossover 1

Summary:

The mages meet Skulduggery and Valkyrie

Chapter Text

Adriane heard them before she saw them. She whipped around to see a man and a woman—the same man and woman she'd seen skulking around town and on the edges of the preserve—approaching.

They were both tall, and the man was incredibly thin with curly dark hair and a hat pulled over one eye like a detective, and the girl had long hair as dark as Adriane's. He wore a suit, but she was in a sweatshirt and jeans with a peculiar pendant.

And neither of them seemed to care that they were trespassing.

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" she asked evenly, not daring to look away to check that all the animals were hidden from sight.

The man cocked his head slightly. "What are you doing here?" he countered in a smooth voice. The woman with him raised a brow, but Adriane wasn't sure if it was directed at her or the man.

"My grandmother is the caretaker here," she shot back.

"What's going on?" she heard Emily behind her. She glanced back to see the redhead and Kara, followed by Ozzie, approaching from the hidden entrance to the glade.

"These people are trespassing," Adriane said tersely.

Kara looked from her to the newcomers. She walked over to them. "You're going to have to excuse her, she's a bit paranoid. I'm Kara Davies, and you are...?"

"Sorry for my friend," the woman said. "He's not great at first impressions."

"I am phenomenal at first impressions," he argued.

The woman rolled her eyes, but before anyone else could speak, Ozzie walked over to them and blinked.

"Skulduggery?" he asked in disbelief, and the girls were surprised that he spoke to these strangers. All the magic here was supposed to remain a secret!

"Ozymandius?" the man asked in return. He knelt down to look the ferret in the eye. "Since when were you this furry?"

"Since when did you have a face?" Ozzie retorted, and the man laughed, bringing up gloved hands to tap his collarbones, and to Adriane's horror—as well as Emily's and Kara's—the man's face seemed to retract, revealing nothing but a skull underneath.

The woman didn't look fazed. "You know a ferret?"

The man stood. "He was an elf, the last time I saw him."

She scowled. "You told me there were no elves," she accused.

"Not in our dimension," he corrected. He looked around. "Ah. So this preserve is the source of the magic, then."

"A preserve?"

"No, just the portal that opens in it," he answered. He looked back at the girls, who were still staring in shock. "Ah, yes, sorry. My name is Skulduggery Pleasant. My associate here in Valkyrie Cain."

Emily was the first to find her voice. "Um... nice to meet you?"

Chapter 133: Avatar: The Banished Prince 5

Summary:

Zuko tells Iroh he's the Avatar

Chapter Text

Zuko sat in his quarters, staring at the table in front of him. All this time... these past two years, and the answer had been right in front of him the whole time.

He shoved his face in his hands, trying to take deep, calming breaths like his uncle had taught him. He was the Avatar. But what did that mean?

He could master the other elements—though he wasn't sure how he was going to learn airbending—and use them for the good of the Fire Nation. Prove he was worth something to his father. But... something about that just sat wrong with him, but he couldn't figure out what.

"Zuko?"

Zuko jumped, whirling around to see Iroh enter his quarters. "You've been in here for hours," he said. "Are you okay?"

The teen debating just staying quiet. It was his problem, his situation to be dealt with. But...

Loathe as he was to admit it, no one gave advice quite as good as his uncle's. And he could probably trust him to keep a secret.

"I..." he said quietly after he was sure the door was closed. "Uncle... I'm the Avatar."

To his credit, Iroh didn't look surprised, or upset, or angry. "Ah," he said in that frustratingly understanding tone. "So. What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know," he confessed. "But I should be able to go home now, right? I mean, my mission was to find the Avatar and—" He gave an almost hysterical laugh "—here I am!"

"Zuko," Iroh said softly. "Your father wanted to track down the Avatar to kill him. And I am not so sure that that would change just because the Avatar is his son."

"Father wouldn't..." Zuko started, but the words caught in his throat. Ozai had challenged him to an Agni Kai for his disrespect. If he saw him as a threat to the Fire Nation rather than a boon...

Iroh gave him a sympathetic look, but said no more on the matter. "What are you going to do now?" he asked.

"Well, I need to master the elements," he started.

"And after that?"

Zuko hesitated. "After that I... I don't know."

Iroh nodded. "First, we need to get off this ship." At Zuko's confused look, he added, "We'll much less conspicuous traveling and looking for a teacher for you as two travelers than on a Fire Navy ship."

Chapter 134: The Mutation Situation 8

Summary:

Peter wakes up different

Chapter Text

Peter groaned when he woke up. His stomach hurt, and he had a headache, and his whole body was sore.

At least it was Saturday.

"Hey, Peter, you getting up?" May asked, poking her head in.

He grunted.

"Okay," she said. "Well, I'm working a double shift today, so there's leftover lasagna in the fridge and a ten on the table for pizza."

"Thanks," he mumbled, pulling the blanket over his head.

There was a moment of quiet. "Are you okay?"

"Still tired," he lied.

More silence. "Alright. Well... call if you need me, alright?"

"Mm-hmmm," he said. He poked his head out from the blankets. "I'm going over to work with Mr. Stark tonight, remember."

She nodded. "Don't push yourself, though." She motioned to his face. "You look a little pale."

"Just tired," he repeated. She frowned, and he thought she was about to protest. "Please, go to work. I'm fine."

"Okay," she relented. "Have a good day, Peter."

"You too," he said, and she gave him a smile and left.

Peter snuggled himself back in his blankets, wrapping his arms around his stomach. His eyes widened and he shot up in bed and ripped off his shirt. There were four bumps, two on each side, on his abdomen, with what looked like black... claws poking out.

He got up, walking over to the mirror to get a better look. He frowned. He didn't know what to do, and he knew the smartest thing would be to tell someone. But...

Maybe it would go away. Maybe it was just some weird Spider-Man thing. And if it was normal, and would go away, and he'd e fine.... he didn't want to worry anyone.

He realized that that was probably a really stupid mentality, but he could handle it himself. He'd be fine.

Right?

Chapter 135: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 8

Summary:

Sam snaps Mike out of it

Chapter Text

"Mike!" Sam called out when she saw him turn the corner, and he froze, immediately drawing his gun. Sam herself froze on pure instinct.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Julia looking like she was about to panic. "What is he doing?" she asked.

"He's hallucinating," she replied quietly, never taking her eyes off her friend's gun.

She could practically hear the frown in Alex's voice. "Wait, but he knows—"

"Fear takes over," she said. "Fight or flight doesn't always leave room for rational thought."

"So what do we do?" Conrad whispered.

"All of you, back up. Slowly," she ordered. "Go into the first open room you can, or around a corner. Just get out of sight."

"What about you?" Fliss asked.

"I'll be fine," she assured them. "Now go."

After a frustrating moment where she thought they weren't going to listen to her, she heard their footsteps retreat. She saw Mike tense, eyes darting from one to another almost faster than she could track. But otherwise, he stayed completely still, gun trained solely on her.

Once it was just the two of them, she slowly moved to the side, next to the wall, never taking her eyes off the weapon that tracked her. Once she was close enough to touch the steel wall, she slowly raised her hand to it, knocking loudly on it with her knuckles three times.

Mike blinked a few times, face scrunching up slightly in confusion.

"Come on, Mike," she muttered, knocking again.

This time, it was like a haze was lifted. His shoulders sagged and his gun arm dropped as his other hand came up to rub his eyes. "Sam...?" he asked after a moment.

"Oh, thank god," she said. "I didn't think that was going to work for a second there." She turned. "It's all good, guys, you can come back!"

Almost immediately, the others came back around the corner. "You good, man?" Alex asked.

Mike nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Sorry, I..."

Conrad shrugged. "We get it. At least you didn't shoot any of us."

"I don't get it, how'd you just... snap out of it?" Julia asked.

"We came up with a signal," Sam told her, knocking on the wall again. "Anything we tried to say, he'd hallucinate as... the sounds those things made. Any attempt to get closer would look like an attack. But that... Good to know it works."

Mike nodded. "Still, we need to get that distributor cap and get off this fucking ship as soon as possible."

"No arguments here," Conrad agreed.

Chapter 136: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 5

Summary:

The alien becomes Oliver Queen

Chapter Text

The alien stumbled out of the water, turning back to the ocean where its destroyed ship now rested. It cursed under its breath. Now it was stranded on a strange planet, with no idea where it was or how to get home.

It made its way along the beach, trying to come up with any kind of solution. Little was known about Earth, and it was so out of the way that it rarely showed up on any navigation maps, and the alien was pretty sure it had heard a rumor that they hadn't even mastered intergalactic travel yet.

It wasn't too keen on finding out what they'd do to it if they found it.

It had probably been walking for about ten minutes when it noticed a figure lying on the shore. The figure, very likely a human, was barely moving.

After a moment of hesitation, the alien approached it.

The human looked up, and its eyes widened, trying to back away. The alien studied it. It was showing all the signs of being close to death, most likely of exposure. The human didn't have long.

Making a decision, the alien got to one knee in front of the human, just watching it, listening to a panicked babble it didn't understand. After a long moment, the human's tone changed, from panicked to pleading. The alien realized that the human must be seeing it as its only chance. From the way it had washed up, it didn't look like it belong here, and the alien was fairly certain this wasn't its home.

That gave it pause. This human was just as stranded as it was.

"I'll get you home, I promise," the alien said in its native tongue. The human wore an expression it interpreted to be confusion. The alien slowly reached out, in what it hoped was a gentle manner, grabbed the human's head, and bowed its own.

Scales gave way to smooth, pale pink skin. Muscles and bones shifted, and while its form was still changing, it snapped the human's neck. The second it did, the second the human died, the alien was flooded with memories and emotions that didn't belong to it. A new identity.

Oliver stood, looking down at the human whose life and form he'd taken. "I'm sorry," he said softly in English. Over the several faces he was seeing in his mind, there was a clear picture of another human, a woman, in a sinking boat, whisked away from him. No, from the man he'd just killed. There were feelings of grief, sadness, hurt, and anger. He closed his eyes, trying to sort through the onslaught of memories for something that made sense, settling on one of the last things the man had experienced before washing up here.

A life raft. His father. The notebook. The gunshot.

Oliver knelt back down to the lifeless body, reaching into the pocket his memories told him the book was, and removed it. It was empty.

Stuffing it in his own pocket for further investigation later, he grabbed the dead Oliver's legs and started dragging the body into the sea.

Chapter 137: Detour Through the Hellmouth 6

Summary:

Dean tells Xander about Sam

Chapter Text

Xander stared at his ceiling, finally giving up on trying to sleep.

"Hey, Dean?" he said quietly.

Yeah?

"Tell me about Sam."

There was a pause, and then the Hunter snorted. What, you want me to tell you a bedtime story?

"Come on," Xander protested. "You died to bring him back, I just wanna know what kind of a person he is."

Dean sighed. Fine, he said. Sam's a big nerd. He'd get along pretty well with Willow, actually. Helluva lot smarter than me, kid went to Stanford.

"Your brother graduated from Stanford?" Xander asked.

He didn't get that far, Dean told him. Our dad went missing. I dragged him on a trip to find him, and when he got back... There was a long moment of hesitation.

"When he got back, what?"

Silence.

"Dean?"

When we were just kids, our mom died. Sam was only six months old. A demon killed her, and our dad got us out and we lived on the road. Dad became a Hunter, and he was teaching us, too. Sam didn't like the life, so he got in a huge argument with Dad, then left and didn't look back. He was happy, and I came and dragged him back into the shit. When he got back, his girlfriend was killed, exactly the same way our mom was.

Xander frowned. "The same demon that killed your mom killed his girlfriend?"

Yeah. He came with me after that, and we kicked ass. I knew Sammy always had my back. He's smart, he's efficient, and he's got a good heart. Dean was quiet for a second, and Xander could practically feel the frown. God, I hope my death didn't change that.

Xander blinked. "Hold on. You really think maybe nothing changed, after—and correct me if I'm wrong—he saw you torn apart by hellhounds? Knowing that you went to Hell to bring him back?"

It better not have, Dean snapped. If I get my body back and find out he's done something stupid, I swear to God I'll kill him myself.

"Uh-huh," the teen said dryly.

Just go to sleep, Harris.

Chapter 138: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 7

Summary:

Amanda meets her college roommate

Chapter Text

Amanda had just finished unpacking her last box when the door opened. She glanced up from the blanket she haphazardly tried to lay flat on the bed. "Hey!" she greeted with double finger guns.

"Hi," the dark haired girl said, walking in. "You must be Amanda."

"That's me," she said with a grin. "Eva, right?"

The girl nodded. "That's me," she echoed Amanda with a little bit of a smile. "Nice to meet you, roomie."

"Hey, you need help unpacking?" she offered, before realizing the girl didn't have much with her.

"I'll be alright, I travel light," she informed her. "But thank you."

"But... your college supplies?"

"I'm buying them here," she said. "My family moves around too much to be able to make time for buying college things. My dad left me some money for it."

"Want help finding stuff? I bet we could find some good deals if we looked," Amanda said.

Eva gave a small smile. "I might take you up on that. Just be warned, my pickup is kind of... old. So it doesn't look like all that much. It still runs pretty good, though."

Amanda couldn't help but laugh. "You wanna see old pickup, you should see my dad's boyfriend's car." She stopped immediately, realizing what she'd just said, but Eva didn't react at all.

Okay, cool. New roomie was cool with the gay.

She sat on her bed, watching Eva. "So. What kinda stuff are you into?"

"Art," Eva replied, and Amanda laughed again.

"No shit!" She was grinning. "But like, what kind of art?"

"I mainly sketch," Eva told her. "But I paint sometimes. What about you?"

"Photography," she answered. "I've been taking photos since I was a kid."

"Can I see some of your work?" Eva asked.

"Only if I can see some of yours."

Chapter 139: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 7

Summary:

Quarantine on Callisto Station

Chapter Text

"Hazardous anomaly detected. Quarantine activated."

Isaac jumped, raising his gun and scanning the room for vents when the blast doors slammed shut. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the others doing the same. They hadn't actually encountered any necromorphs since landing on Callisto station—Isaac's own incident on the Oberon notwithstanding—but they'd seen signs of them.

Several tense minutes passed, and nothing happened. None of them relaxed, until it dawned on Isaac and he lowered his weapon, head dipping with a deep sigh.

Ellie caught on a few seconds later, and she was covering her mouth, trying—and failing—not to laugh. She was grinning at Isaac, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

Captain Terrill followed shortly after, and while he kept himself more composed than Ellie did, his eyes danced in amusement, and he shook his head with a smile.

Only Carver didn't get it, and he glanced over to see everyone else with their weapons down, and his eyes narrowed. "What are you guys doing?" he hissed. "C'mon, get serious, there're probably necromorphs about to close in on us any second!"

Ellie shook her head at him, but was actually laughing this time, unable to form words.

Terrill was openly grinning now, and Isaac frowned at his teammates' amusement at the whole situation. "You wanna tell him?" the captain asked.

"No," Isaac said flatly.

"Tell me what?" Carver snapped. "Seriously, what's going on with you guys?"

Ellie was, frustratingly, only just starting to calm, and Terrill just looked over to Isaac.

The engineer sighed again. "I'm the hazardous anomaly."

Ellie started laughing all over again, and this time Isaac glared. He looked back over at Carver to judge the younger man's reaction.

Carver frowned, seeming to think on that for a moment. "Son of a bitch," he said with a small laugh of his own, shaking his head. "Fucking hell, Clarke, is this gonna happen every time we go into a quarantine section now?"

Isaac went quiet for a minute. He hadn't thought of that.

"Fuck."

Chapter 140: Man, Woman, or Beast 8

Summary:

Vani's first full moon as queen

Chapter Text

Alistair sighed as he made his way down the hall to his chambers. That meeting had lasted far longer than it had needed to, and now all he wanted to do was just curl up with his wife.

He frowned when he opened the door. The room was dark, illuminated only by the light of the full moon from the window, but their bed was strangely empty. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, and once it was fully shut, he head a deep huff to his right.

He jumped, recoiling and bringing a hand to his pounding heart when he saw that dark shape, just out of the light of the—

"Maker's breath, Vani," he gasped. "Did you have to lurk?"

The werewolf huffed, moving over to the side of the bed, probably having waited there until he had come so that there wouldn't be a risk of the door opening and revealing her to whoever happened to walk by. Vani's curse was an even closer kept secret than her body was.

Alistair disrobed and got into bed, and frowned again when he saw that Vani was just watching him, but had made no move to follow. "Are you coming?" he asked.

Vani looked at him, the bed, down at herself, then back at him again.

"I'm aware," he retorted. "But that doesn't change the fact that this is your bed too. A little fur doesn't change that."

Vani huffed what he knew to be a laugh, and he watched her approach the bed, carefully climb up into it, and settle in. The mattress dipped, but the bed made no protesting sounds.

"See?" he asked, rolling over to look at her properly. "Was that so bad?"

Vani adjusted herself slightly until she was nearly pressed against him, her hear resting against his chest. He smiled, wrapping an arm around her, running his fingers through the slight fuzz that was her short fur. Vani's eyes slowly drifted shit, and her breathing evened.

Alistair carefully kissed the top of her head, doing his best not to wake her, and settled himself in.

Maybe not what he'd expected when he came in here, but as long as he was in bed with the love of his life in his arms, he didn't care.

Chapter 141: My Car Broke Down 2

Summary:

Breakdown needs a medic

Chapter Text

Claudia paced, running a hand through her hair, biting her lip. Breakdown was leaking blue fluid. Energon, he called it. Cybertronian blood.

And she didn't know how to stop it.

"What can I do?" she asked, looking at him as he lay in the barren landscape that surrounded the Warehouse, but out of sight from any passersby.

"Stop pacing, for one thing," Breakdown said weakly. "You're making me dizzy, kid."

She stopped immediately. "No, but I mean about that," she said, gesturing to his wound. "How do I stop it? How do I fix you?"

"Claudia, I'm gonna need an energon infusion, and that's not happening," he told her.

She clenched her fists. "Why not?"

He laughed, but it shortly turned into a cough. "Because even if we found some, there's no one around to refine it," he stated. "I've been scanning for Decepticon signals since you first got me back online, and I haven't found anything."

Her frown deepened before an idea occurred to her. "What about the Autobots?" she asked. "Just because the Decepticons seem to be gone doesn't mean they are, too. If the war's over, maybe that means that they won." She paused. "Unless they made it back to your planet..."

He shook his head slightly. "Nah. Last I knew, Autobots don't have access to any kind of space bridge."

She nodded. "Okay. So I just find the Autobots, get them here somehow, and make them fix you."

"You make it sound so easy."

She forced a smile. "Hey, we live in a world of endless wonder. Maybe we can score a miracle."

-

It took some digging—even more than it had taken to track down the Warehouse years ago—but she finally found a lead. There was an old missile silo that was destroyed 'under mysterious circumstances' a few years ago, despite being reported abandoned. And there was even an internet rumor or two of mysterious cars that seemed to come out of nowhere in the area. And there was one person who had made regular trips to the sile before it had been destroyed.

Agent William Fowler.

Finding his number took barely  minute, and now she was pacing outside again, waiting for the man to answer.

"William Fowler," the man answered.

"Agent Fowler, my name is Claudia Donovan, and I need your help," she said. "I need an Autobot medic in South Dakota, right now."

"I don't know what the hell an Autobot is," the man said, and Claudia almost believed him.

"Cut the shit, I know," she told him. "And I have a friend, an alien robot friend, who's really hurt and needs medical attention and I can't do anything for him. So do whatever you have to do, and get whatever Autobot medic you know out here. Soon."

She hung up before he could say anything else. She didn't want to waste any more time talking. She could answer any questions he had later. After Breakdown was taken care of.

Claudia wasn't losing anyone else.

Chapter 142: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 4

Summary:

Pietro is a closet nerd

Chapter Text

Bobby frowned, crossing his arms as he leaned back against the couch. He understood that they should try to help Pietro feel more welcome, really. But he was just so... annoying. He just pushed everyone away, and didn't even bother trying.

This whole thing was a two-way street, and no matter how much Bobby and the others put into it, they wouldn't get anywhere if the speedster didn't budge.

He was still stuck on that about five minutes later when he saw Evan pass by the doorway.

"Hey, Evan?" he called.

Evan backtracked and poked his head in. "Yeah? What's up?"

Bobby frowned, unsure of how to word his question. "How do you put up with him?" he blurted.

Evan blinked before laughing. "Dude, I've known him since we were kids. You just gotta find something you're both interested in."

"Yeah?" Bobby asked. "Like what?"

Evan grinned. "Invite him to D&D night."

"What?"

-

After talking it over with the rest of the group, Bobby and Jubilee tracked Pietro down. They weren't sure if Evan with messing with them or not, but it was at least worth a try.

They found him on the couch, reading a book for English class, flipping the page every ten or so seconds.

"Hey..." Bobby started awkwardly, and Pietro glanced up.

"What do you want?" he asked, raising a brow. "I'm kinda busy."

"We, uh... we hold a D&D night every other Friday," Jubilee said, "and we were wondering if maybe you wanted to join?"

Pietro studied them both for a moment, and they waited for him to laugh in their faces. They frowned at each other when he was gone in a gust of wind, but were genuinely surprised when he returned with a folder and a small bag.

A dice bag.

He slammed the folder on the table and actually grinned, with no trace of his usual arrogance. "Count me in."

Bobby just raised a brow and picked up the folder, flicking it open. It held character sheets.

Six of them.

Evan really wasn't kidding when he said this was a good idea.

Chapter 143: Secret of the Kaiju 4

Summary:

Chelsea remembers how she knows Serizawa

Chapter Text

Chelsea leaned back against one of the large spines behind her, taking in the fresh sea air. She wondered how long it'd take them to get back home. She had no idea where they were right now—aside from in the middle of the ocean—and no clue how close they were to the US. They just had to find a place on the west coast to arrive, then Godzilla would retake his human form, and they'd find some kind of transportation back to New York.

Simple... right?

With nothing to do, she decided to go over everything that had happened in the last couple days. She'd accepted that Gareth was Godzilla maybe a little too quickly, but it did hurt that he'd been lying to her. But she got it. He was trying to hide, of course he wouldn't help her actually find him.

She tapped a finger on her knee. How many people really had any idea how intelligent he was? How emotive. How human, even when he was still a giant reptile. He'd shown such strong grief, gratitude, and anger at the cemetery, and from everything Chelsea understood, she backed him on that. Before her, Ishiro Serizawa was probably the closest thing Godzilla had ever had to a friend. The only human on his side.

The only one to understand.

"Holy shit!" she exclaimed, eyes widening, and the movement halted. Her entire body vibrated with the questioning grumble from Godzilla. "I know where I know Serizawa's name!"

Tension she hadn't realized was there relaxed, and they started moving again. He gave another questioning grumble.

"He was the one person to believe my dad," she said. "The one person who didn't call him crazy. I overheard them sometimes, on video calls. Dr. Serizawa was going to help him with his research, but just asked him to keep it quiet. For your sake." She smiled softly. "He really did always have your back, huh?"

Another rumble.

"Small world," she continued. "If he knew... I think he would've stuck up for my dad. Maybe tried to go against Monarch, or, I dunno... Do something. He was a good man." She paused. "What was that you said at the cemetery?" She bit her lip, trying to remember. "Saraba... tomoyo?"

A smaller grumble. She was pretty sure it was in agreement.

Chapter 144: I Will Always Watch Over You 6

Summary:

Lloyd asks Kratos if he has kids

Chapter Text

"Do you have any kids?"

The question caught Kratos so off guard he almost stopped walking. As it was, he only raised a brow. "Why do you ask?"

"Just... you were so cold in Palmacosta," Lloyd said, and Kratos wasn't sure if he was imagining the accusation in his son's voice or not. "About Dorr, and what a father would do, and think. You don't have kids, do you?"

What a father would think... Kratos knew exactly what a father would think. He knew what Dorr was going through, he understood more than anyone else here what it was like to know the pain of losing a child, and to try to fool himself into thinking that child was alive. To do anything, imagine anything to make the pain of that loss go away. But unlike Dorr, he hadn't had the luxury of entertaining those fantasies. He'd had to move on and accept the loss, as much as it had broken him.

And yet, in a twisted sense of irony, Kratos had been the one whose child was still alive. He'd dropped the idea of ever reuniting with Lloyd years ago, and yet here he was, being glared at by the very son he'd thought he'd lost. While Dorr was the one who'd actually lost his child. At least he hadn't had to live with the grief. At least he'd joined her.

Kratos was tempted to answer hime honestly. He was tempted to explain everything, but he couldn't. Too much had happened, and Lloyd deserved to keep whatever image of his father he'd crafted. He didn't deserve to face the disappointment that was the truth.

"We have to move on," he said instead, ignoring the question.

He didn't notice the way Raine was watching him as they left.

Chapter 145: Beetle and Catastrophe 3

Summary:

Marinette meets Beetle

Chapter Text

"Okay, so I have... powers," Marinette said aloud to herself. It was clear by now that Plagg couldn't hear her. Or at least he couldn't respond. She glanced down at the ring she'd put the finger on to see it was black again, with the green paw print. It must be different to show that the kwami was inside it than when he wasn't. She pulled the stick from its place on her belt. "So... what do I do with—?" She pressed a button and was surprised to see it extend, propelling her up in the air before tipping, landing her on the street. As soon as her feet touched the ground, the stick returned to its normal length.

"Whoa..." she said, trying to catch her balance. She was not expecting that. "So... Montparnasse tower..." she said to herself, beginning to run. It would take a long time for her to get there on foot. But maybe... She pressed the button on the stick again, letting it extend and take her up with it, when she was high enough, she returned it to its normal length, flipped it, and extending it again. It was like pole vaulting... repeatedly... without ever hitting the ground. And oddly enough, while it was utterly terrifying, it was kind of... fun.

She realized that she really should have been paying attention to where she was going when she smacked into someone swinging from the rooftops on a... yoyo?

She somehow managed to land on her feet, but the boy was spread eagled on the ground on front of her. "I'm so sorry," she said, helping him up. The boy had messy blonde hair, green eyes, and a costume somewhat similar to hers, but red with black spots. Like a ladybug. This must be the 'other guy' Plagg told her about. Sure enough, there were the earrings, used as pins on the collar of his suit. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he assured her. "Guess I'm not the only superhero around." He grinned. "Great to have a partner, though."

Marinette furrowed her brow. His kwami hadn't told him he'd have a partner?

"I'm... Beetle," the boy introduced. He nodded, as though affirming the name. He must have just come up with it. "Yeah, Beetle. That sounds good." He chuckled. "Couldn't really go with the obvious Ladybug. That sounds like more of a girl superhero name."

Marinette couldn't argue there.

"But what about you?" he asked. "What's your name?"

"I'm..." She paused. She had no idea what to call herself. "I'm sorry, I didn't really come up with anything."

He shrugged. "It's okay. Cat girl like you, you've got tons of options." He grinned.

Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not going with 'Cat Girl', though."

"Fair enough." He was stopped from saying anything more when there was a loud crash. Both new heroes looked over to see a building in the distance begin to fall. Without hesitation, Beetle hurled his yoyo, wrapping it around a column on top of a building, swing up to the roof.

"Where are you going?" she called after him.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, looking back at her. "To save Paris!" And with that, he was off.

Marinette sighed, looking down at her stick. "You can do this, you can do this," she chanted quietly to herself. She extended the stick, following Beetle the same way she'd been traveling before she slammed into him

Chapter 146: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 7

Summary:

Becker thinks he doesn't belong

Chapter Text

"Hey... Are you okay?" Claudia asked.

Becker glanced up, setting his gun down on the coffee table. "I'm fine," he told her. "Why?"

"You've been cleaning that gun for the last hour or so," she said.

He raised a brow. "You've been standing there watching me for an hour?"

"No, but I did walk by an hour ago," she told him, sitting in the chair across from him. "I know you like that thing, but I feel like this is a little much."

He was quiet for a moment, trying to figure out how to say what he wanted to say. "Do I really belong here?"

Claudia frowned. "What does that mean?"

He sighed. "When Mrs. Frederick drafted me, I was told that there were several artifacts that had popped up in the UK, and a liaison would make things easier. But I move out here, and suddenly there's nothing. Artifacts literally everywhere but the UK."

"Not everywhere," Claudia started to argue.

"Claudia, Pete and Myka were sent to a research station in the Arctic Circle last week," he pointed out. He looked down at his gun, wondering if he should clean it again. Going through the motions was therapeutic, and possibly something he could really use right now. "And you've already got perfectly good teams in place. You and Steve, and Pete and Myka. I don't... fit."

Claudia was quiet, and he glanced up to see her frowning. "You don't seriously think that, do you Becks?"

"I've felt remarkably out of place every time I'm sent out with one of you," he confessed. "Like a temporary replacement, just to make me feel involved." He picked the gun back up. "You've all got a dynamic together. I don't fit into that."

Claudia's frown deepened. "Becker," she said quietly. "You're one of us. I promise. You're not 'out of place', or an outsider, or anything like that. You're a Warehouse agent, just like the rest of us. Maybe things didn't go so good at whatever your last job was—" He just barely kept himself from flinching "—but it's different here. Promise." She smiled, and he returned it, even though his heart wasn't in it.

From the look in her eyes, she didn't believe it for a second, but just nodded, got up, and left the room.

Becker was pretty sure this wasn't over, though. Not by a longshot.

Chapter 147: Loophole 11

Summary:

Trixie can see John

Chapter Text

John sat in the middle of Chloe's living room, staring at the remote on the arm of the couch. His eyes narrowed, but the thing didn't move an inch. He didn't get it, he'd made a mess of Lucifer's penthouse earlier, much to the Devil's annoyance.

He'd already tried picking the thing up with his hands, but they just went right through it. He'd tried lifting it, he'd tried shoving it, hell, he'd tried blowing on it out of sheer exasperation, but nothing worked.

He took a deep, unnecessary breath. What made this time different? When he'd been in Lux, he'd been angry. He'd been arguing with Amenadiel about his presence on this Earth, again, and in his frustration, he'd made several bottles of various alcohols fly out from behind the bar and slam into the walls.

"Bloody hell," he muttered, shaking his head, wondering how he could be so stupid. All of the spirits he'd been hired to banish back home, all the dead people causing trouble... all of them had been angry. He latched onto the frustration of his earlier failures, his irritation at himself for being so slow, and just like that, the remote went flying toward the door.

It bounced off the wall—and John was surprised it didn't break, considering the force with which it had hit—right next to the door as it opened, and Chloe stood there, flinching at the noise.

"Hello, Decker," he called, and she picked up the remote, glaring at him before looking down.

That was when John noticed the girl. He'd never met her while he'd been alive, but she was easy enough to recognize from the pictures on Chloe's desk: Trixie.

"Mommy, who's that?" the child asked, looking up at Chloe. John raised a brow, slightly taken aback, and the detective seemed just as shocked as he was.

"Well, monkey, that's, um..." She looked from Trixie to John.

John stood, shoving his hands in his pockets, walking over, not paying attention to the couch he walked through. "You must be Trixie, then," he said. "I'm John Constantine. I'm a friend of your mother's."

"Friend might be pushing it..." Chloe muttered.

Trixie looked at him for a minute. "Are you a ghost?" she asked.

He couldn't help it. He laughed. "That I am, luv," he told her.

Chloe frowned. "Wait, how can she even see you?" she asked. "No one else can see you."

John shrugged. "She's your kid. Guess being a Miracle's genetic."

Chapter 148: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 10

Summary:

Valkyrie snaps Skulduggery out of it

Chapter Text

Valkyrie's fists clenched when she saw Vile start to rise on a wave of shadows. Someone had to do something, anything to keep him from leaving.

Taking a deep breath, she shouted, "Hey!" and Vile turned. Ignoring the protests of the rest of the Dead Men, she latched onto the air, pushed, and shot forward like a cannonball.

She was maybe three meters from him when a shadow rose and almost lazily batted her away. She tumbled through the air, head over heels before landing hard on her back. But the slow footsteps toward her told her that she'd done exactly what she meant to. She'd gotten his attention.

She was just starting to stand when a shadow wrapped itself around her throat and lifted her into the air. It began to tighten, and almost immediately she was gasping for air, trying to pull at the shadows in vain. "Skulduggery..." she choked out desperately. "Please..."

Vile didn't speak. He just watched her, another tendril of darkness covering her mouth and nose, preventing her from even trying to breathe.

Valkyrie was still trying desperately to pull the shadows away, but felt the strength leaving her. Her gaze never left Vile's mask, and she tried to see the skull within, but couldn't see past the armor. But she knew he was still in there. Somewhere. She just had to find him.

She felt tears prick her eyes, and just as the darkness threatened to consume her, the shadows withdrew and she fell to the ground, landing once again on her back.

She coughed, a hand coming to her throat as she took in as much air as she could. In her peripheral vision, she saw liquid darkness drip to the ground, collecting in a puddle that seemed to start evaporating.

A gloved hand—with no gauntlet in sight—entered her field of view, and she grabbed it. She was pulled gently to her feet and immediately pulled into a tight, bony hug.

"Thank you," Skulduggery whispered in her ear, and she smiled, closing her eyes to try to prevent the tears from falling.

She'd brought him back.

Chapter 149: Avalon: Web of Magic/Skulduggery Pleasant crossover 2

Summary:

How Skulduggery knows Ozzie

Chapter Text

"So, how do you know the ferret?" Valkyrie asked. "You said another dimension, but I thought there weren't a lot of known dimensions."

Skulduggery shrugged. "People don't really talk about Aldemor much," he told her. "It's full of magic, and various magical creatures, but compared to many others, it can be seen as fairly primitive. It... became involved in the war the Mevolent for a while."

"How?"

"A Shunter on Mevolent's side found her way there on accident," he told her. "One of ours followed the dimensional frequency, and a few battles were fought there. They tried to recruit some of the more... nasty creatures to their side, and as a result, starting messing with the magic of the world."

"And then the Dead Men showed up near Farthingdale," Ozzie commented.

"Dead Men?" Emily asked.

Skulduggery nodded. "It was what they called the military unit I was a part of. They wanted to send a small team to investigate. So off we went, and the elves of Farthingdale treated us well." He looked at each of the mages. "I see the Fairimentals went looking for Avalon again."

"You... know about Avalon?" Adriane asked, sounding somewhat suspicious.

"And the Fairimentals?" Kara added.

"We were asked a few times to help out with that," he said. "But we had more pressing matters at the time. And, like I said, no one really talks about Aldenmor, so the request was mostly forgotten."

"Even though it was Avalon you were looking for?" Adriane raised a brow.

"That's not where our magic comes from, so it wasn't a priority," he told them. "By the time the war was over, and everyone was moving on with our lives, Avalon became irrelevant." He tilted his head slightly. "I'm sure I would have gotten to it eventually. But what about the prophecy? Did it come true?"

"Prophecy?" Valkyrie asked. "They've got Sensitives over there?"

"I'm not sure where the prophecy came from. One will follow her heart. One will change utterly and completely. One will see in darkness. Pretty vague, as prophecies go," the skeleton commented. He turned his attention back to the teens. Emily was shifting uncomfortably.

"Nevermind that," Valkyrie said, picking up on the redhead's discomfort. "If this place has some kind of connection to Aldenmor, or Avalon, or whatever, and has for a while... then why did Creed send us here now?"

Skulduggery tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Why, indeed..."

Chapter 150: Small Town, Big Secrets 3

Summary:

Jo tells Jack the truth

Chapter Text

Jo frowned when she felt the first wave of chills go through her. She thought she'd had more time, why hadn't she been paying attention?

Running a hand through her hair, she paced restlessly. She thought she would've had her own place by now. Somewhere she could hole up on the full moon. But here she was, in the bunker, with Jack right upstairs. She couldn't change here, werewolves didn't exist in this universe, and Jack didn't know, she wouldn't be able to hide it from SARAH... but the office was too far away. She'd never make it in time.

Making up her mind, she took a deep breath, clenching her fists and heading for the door.

"Are you feeling alright, Jo?" SARAH asked.

Jo winced, hoping Jack hadn't heard. "I'm fine, SARAH, I just need some air."

There was a pause, and then the door popped open with the depressurizing hiss, and she practically ran outside, up the stairs, and deep into the woods.

She stumbled to a stop as the familiar pain overtook her, now coated in a sheen of sweat. She just managed to get her clothes off when she started to change.

-

"Uh... Jo?"

Jo groaned and sat up, opening her eyes to see Jack standing above her, pointedly looking away. It took a solid few seconds for her brain to come back online, to shake away the last of the animal. Then it clicked.

She was in the woods, naked after a full moon shift, and Jack was right there. How much did he...?

"What did you see?" she asked warily, looking for something to cover herself with. Jack shoved her discarded clothes at her without turning his head.

"Well, uh..." the sheriff started as she got dressed. "I'm probably hallucinating, because I just saw a huge black wolf... turn into you. I know that sounds crazy, but—"

"It's not," she told him softly. When he finally turned to look at her, his expression was one of confusion.

"What?" he asked.

"I, um..." She frowned, unsure of how to explain. "Okay, you know how there are different timelines?" He nodded. "Okay, well, turns out there are also different parallel universes, each with their own... variations. I'm not from this dimension, or this timeline." She took a deep breath. "The Eureka I'm from is full of supernatural creatures. I'm a werewolf."

Jack raised a brow. "Yeah, right," he scoffed.

She scowled. "Carter, you just saw me change back," she snapped. "How else would you explain that?"

He opened his mouth to retort before stopping and frowning.

"Yeah, I thought so."

Chapter 151: Primal Spirit 8

Summary:

Owen realizes he adopted Indi

Chapter Text

Are we going to meet her?

Owen's brows furrowed in confusion as he heard Blue's voice. Meet who?

The creature you've been spending a lot of time around lately, Blue replied. You smell like her a lot.

Are you leaving us? Echo piped up, a feeling of deep sadness accompanying her words.

No! he assured her. No, no, no, she just needs help. She's young, and scared, and she's not being treated right.

Are we going to meet her? Blue repeated. You care a lot, so shouldn't we?

Owen paused. He did care about Indi. A lot. She was big and scary and dangerous, but she was young, she was nervous, and in her own way, innocent. She was like a large, scaly child, and she needed someone to actually care.

I guess so, he told her.

He almost jumped at the three sources of childish glee.

New sister! Charlie exclaimed.

When can we meet her? Delta asked.

Is she gonna be moved here? Echo asked.

Owen turned his focus to Blue. Rather than the overwhelming sense of joy that he got from her sisters, he felt a fondness and respect, and some anticipation.

He paused for a second, as Charlie's words sunk in. 'New sister'... He almost laughed. Without realizing it, he'd ended up adopting the Indominus Rex.

Chapter 152: Catra: Princess of Power 5

Summary:

The aftermath of Thaymor

Chapter Text

Catra and Adora stared at each other, surrounded by smoke and ruins.

"Adora..." Catra said, grip tightening on the sword. "Just... come with me."

Adora shook her head. "Catra, what are you doing? The Horde is your home."

Catra's eyes narrowed. "No," she argued. "The Horde has used me, abused me, torn me down, and now I have a way to get back at them."

"That's... a little excessive," Adora tried. "Just because sometimes Shadow Weaver yells at you..."

Catra bristled. "You think all she does is yell at me?" she hissed. "She does a lot more than that, Adora, and I'm pretty sure that one of these days, she's going to kill me." She held up the sword. "But not anymore. I'm fighting back, and if that means joining the princesses, then fine."

"No, this is just a misunderstanding, Shadow Weaver wouldn't—"

"Oh my god, Adora, open your eyes!" Catra yelled. "She's using you, they're all using you, don't you get that? I mean, geez, does this look like some kind of enemy stronghold?" She motioned to the ruins surrounding them. "It's just a village! I would've thought that was something you'd care about!"

Adora frowned. "There's more to it, there has to be," she said firmly.

Catra wanted to slap her. "Adora!" she snapped. "Look around you! The only opposition you had was the three of us!"

"No," Adora told her. "You're wrong."

Catra just stared at her. How could she be so oblivious? "I'm walking away," she told her. "For good. You can come with me, or you can turn around go back. But if you do, I'm not following. And I won't hold back the next time we meet."

She only watched as Adora shook her head and backed away into the smoke, out of sight.

Chapter 153: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 9

Summary:

Mike hallucinates (alternatively titled Sam snaps Mike out of it: Curator's Cut)

Chapter Text

Mike tightened his grip on his gun as he turned the corner. He didn't know where all of Olson's men were, they could be anywhere, just out of sight. He just wanted to find the others, get that distributor cap, and get the fuck off this ship.

He immediately froze when he heard it. That very distinct, unmistakable cry that haunted his nightmares. His gun shot up as soon as he saw them.

Wendigos. A whole pack of them. He wished he had a shotgun, anything better than this little handgun he carried. Still, if any of them made any move against him, it was better than nothing. He wouldn't be able to escape them, not this many, but he could go down fighting.

He didn't even breathe when he heard the one in front screech again. One behind it made some kind of noise, and it turned its head. To Mike's surprise, all of them began backing away. All except the one.

In the back of his mind, something was telling him that something wasn't right here, but he couldn't place his finger on what, and he didn't have the luxury of time and safety to figure it out.

Once they were completely out of sight, he returned his gaze to the one that remained. He made sure to keep his body completely still, except for the gun, which never left the wendigo.

It reached up slowly, not toward him, and hit the wall. One... two... three. Something about that felt familiar, and he frowned, trying to remember. One... two... three.

He blinked, and the image of the wendigo faded, and all he saw was Sam. His gun hand dropped, and he rubbed his eyes, trying to help clear them. "Sam...?" he asked.

"Oh, thank god," he heard her say in relief. When he looked back at her, she was wearing a tired smile. "I didn't think that was going to work for a second there." She turned. "It's all good, guys, you can come back!" she called down the corridor, and the others slowly came into view around the corner. They must have been the other wendigos he'd seen.

"You good, man?" Alex asked, sounding concerned.

"Yeah," he replied with a nod, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I..."

Conrad shrugged. "We get it," he assured him. "At least you didn't shoot any of us."

Julia was frowning, brows furrowed. "I don't get it," she said. "How'd you just... snap out of it?"

"We came up with a signal," Sam informed her, knocking on the wall again. "Anything we tried to say, he'd hallucinate as... the sounds those things made. Any attempt to get closer would look like an attack. But that..." She shrugged. "Good to know it works."

Mike nodded. "Still," he said, "we need to get that distributor cap and get off this fucking ship as soon as possible."

"No arguments here," Conrad agreed.

Chapter 154: Teen Wolf/NCIS crossover 2

Summary:

Stiles pleads Derek's case

Chapter Text

"Director, please," Stiles said, just barely keeping himself from pacing in the man's office.

"Stilinski, you know the law," Vance stated.

Stiles clenched his fists. "You're right, I do. And the law gives us the right to execute a feral werewolf—which is just... all kinds of effed up—but it doesn't say that we have to."

"He killed a naval officer!" Vance snapped.

"You don't know that!" Stiles countered. "Yeah, he's feral, and yeah, he was found near the crime scene, but that's not proof. Until we get concrete proof, it's all just circumstantial. And we don't condemn on circumstantial evidence."

Vance crossed his arms. "DiNozzo told me you said you know him," he stated. "I think this case is a little too personal for you."

"Maybe..." Stiles conceded. "But you're right, I know Derek. And there's part of him still in there, and the Derek Hale I know wouldn't just murder someone."

"Once a werewolf goes feral, they're gone," Vance argued.

"Not Derek," Stiles shot back. "When I went into that interrogation room, he recognized me. He was just like any other feral, snapping and growling and struggling, but when I walked in, he calmed down. He even shifted back to human. I'm telling you, Director, Derek isn't our guy, and 'putting him down' would be murder."

Vance was quiet for a long moment. "I'll have a talk with the rest of your team," he finally said. "And we'll keep Hale in holding until we make a decision. I'm not making any promises, Stilinski, but if you're right..." He sighed. "For now, just... stay with him. Keep him calm, if you can. We need the interrogation room, and no agent is going to want to go near him."

Stiles nodded gratefully. "Thank you," he said.

"Alright, go on, and send Gibbs in here."

"Yes, sir," Stiles said, heading for the door. He paused just before opening. "Sir?"

"Hm?"

"I know werewolves," he said. "I know them really well, I was a part of a pack and my best friend is an Alpha. If everyone agrees to give Derek a chance, and we go hunting this new werewolf... we do it my way."

The silence almost made Stiles fidget, and he was just starting to regret the tone of his voice when Vance finally spoke.

"Agreed."

Chapter 155: Beetle and Catastrophe 4

Summary:

Marinette (temporarily) gives up her Miraculous

Chapter Text

Marinette stared at the screen in horror. She could have done something. She should have done something. She didn't know what, but somehow she felt like this was her fault. She knew more about the situation, because her kwami had had the chance to explain more than Beetle's had. She knew about capturing the akuma. She should have asked Plagg how it worked, just in case. She should have—

"Marinette, it wasn't your fault," Plagg said, snapping her out of her thoughts. "It's not like it was just your job. What could you have done, really? It was Beetle's job to capture the akuma, not yours."

"But he didn't know how," she said. "I could have... I dunno, used my Cataclysm on it. That could have worked, right?" Before he had the chance to reply, she groaned, slapping her hand to her face. "This is a total catastrophe."

Plagg frowned. "Look, it's not entirely your responsibility. You're the backup, he's the one that has to fix everything."

Marinette looked down at the ring on her finger. It still looked very out of place. "I can't do this, Plagg, I told you. I'm not cut out to be a superhero. If I'm just the backup, it shouldn't be too hard to find another one, right?" She reached for the ring, and Plagg's demeanor completely changed, going from laid back but slightly concerned to sheer panic and urgency.

"Wait, no, Marinette, don't—"

When the ring was off her finger and back in its box, her room was suddenly filled with silence. She looked at the box for a brief moment. "I'm sorry, Plagg," she said as she put the box in her drawer. She'd slip it to Alya tomorrow, somehow.

She was done as a superhero.

Chapter 156: My Car Broke Down 3

Summary:

Claudia asks Breakdown what happened

Chapter Text

"Hey..." Claudia started. "Can I ask a question?"

"Shoot."

"How'd you get so beat up?" she asked. "I mean, you were a total junker when I found you. I just would've thought you'd be able to take care of yourself."

Breakdown's laugh surrounded her as she sat, curled up in the passenger seat. "Yeah, you'd think. Her name was Airachnid."

"You got your ass handed to you by a robot chick?" the redhead asked with a raised brow.

"That 'robot chick' is also a giant spider," he commented. "I'm pretty sure the only reason she didn't tear me apart is that she picked up an Autobot signal, and she's got a gear to grind with one of them. I made it out of the forest, in vehicle mode, and then I got towed to the junkyard you found me at."

"But she did get your eye—er, optic," Claudia pointed out.

She was met with a few seconds of silence. "No," he finally said. "Humans did that."

Her eyes widened. "Excuse me, say again? Humans took you down?"

"They got the drop on me!" he snapped defensively. "Then they hauled me off to their secret facility or whatever and decided to start taking me apart. They didn't get very far, but..."

"But they did get your optic," Claudia finished. "Damn... Do you know the name of whatever group got you?"

"MECH," he replied. "I don't know what happened with them, but I hope they get what they deserve one of these days."

Claudia was already pulling out her laptop. "MECH, huh?" she muttered before looking at the emblem on his dash. "Don't worry, they will."

Chapter 157: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 9

Summary:

The intervention

Chapter Text

Klaus shifted uncomfortably as everyone just stared at him. The professor, Logan, Mr. McCoy, his siblings... All eyes were focused solely on him.

"Something you'd like to tell us, kid?" Logan asked, raising a brow.

"No..." Klaus said quietly, rubbing his arms absently. It was cold. Why was it so cold in here? Was Bobby doing something?

"Then what's this?" Diego asked, dropping a plastic bag on the table. Klaus just stared at it, and it took a lot of effort to not reach for one of the tablets inside.

He was quiet for a minute. "Vitamins?"

"Vitamins don't smell like ecstasy," Logan said plainly, and Klaus's shoulders sagged.

He hung his head, only looking up when he felt a large hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, we're not angry," Hank told him softly. "We're just concerned. This isn't good for you, and it can lead you down a long, dark road."

The tone in his voice and the look on his face made Klaus want to cry. He'd never gotten that kind of care from Dad. If Dad had found him with any kind of drugs... he'd probably have locked him in the crypt again.

"I just..." He looked away.

"You just what?" Ben asked.

He rubbed his arms, not looking at anyone. "They keep it all away. The ghosts. I don't... I see them everywhere, all the time, but when I'm high, I can't see any of them." He ran his hands through his hair. "You don't know what it's like, all these dead people calling to you, reaching for you... I can't focus in class, I can't do homework, I can't sleep!" He dug his palms into his eyes and his shoulders shook. "I just want it to stop..."

"Klaus..." he heard Luther say, and he could practically hear the guilt. As always, it looked like Luther was blaming him for anything and everything wrong with their family.

"Save it, Luther," he said. "S'Dad's fault, he stuck me in a fucking crypt with a bunch of bodies and didn't let me out for hours."

"Language," Hank chastised.

"Klaus," Charles started. "I wish you would have come talk to me. One of the things we learn here is control. If you let me, I can help you learn to block them out when you don't want to see them. This isn't the way to handle it."

Klaus was quiet, staring at the floor. He didn't want to. He didn't know if he even could, but...

"Okay," he whispered. "I'll try."

Chapter 158: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 8

Summary:

Isaac's incident on the Oberon

Chapter Text

When the nightmare woke him, it took Isaac a second to figure out where he was. Right... The Oberon. The investigative mission to the abandoned Callisto Station.

He blinked a few times, trying to full wake up, and realized a second too late that the soldiers around him were waking up in a panic, and more than one weapon was pointing at him.

Oh, hell... He'd transformed in his sleep.

The first of the bullets hit him in the abdomen, doing no real damage, but one of them got in a lucky shot with a plasma cutter and took one of his arms. Curling his tail under him, he sprang, crashing through the vent cover, even as his arm started to regrow. He heard the bullets follow his path, but quickly cut off.

No one wanted to shoot holes in a spaceship.

The yelling followed him, but he wasn't surprised. He wasn't exactly being quiet in his attempt to escape. He just needed somewhere quiet. Some place he could be alone, and calm down, and change back to his human form. But with the whole ship on high alert now, he wasn't sure how likely that was.

He stopped, listening to the voices below. They were going to look for all possible entry points to the vents, cut off his escape routes. When he tried getting out of the vents, he'd be met with a shit ton of bullets, and it wasn't exactly unlikely that someone would get lucky and get him right in the head.

Moving a lot more carefully, he made his way through the ventilation ducts, listening for the other crew members. It took a solid five minutes, but he finally found himself at a vent with no one around. If he remembered the layout of the ship right—and he did—this would lead to a supply closet. No one would think to check this one, right?

Wishing he had hands, he broke the vent cover and crawled through. Empty. Good.

He was just focusing on staying calm, and holding onto a clear image of his human form when the door opened, and he froze.

"Thought it was just you," Ellie said, and he relaxed. "I'll go let the captain know then, okay? You just concentrate on changing back."

The fuck do you think I'm trying to do? he thought.

Ellie turned to leave, but Isaac's head shot up when he heard a pulse rifle charging up. Pointing the weapon at him, face hard, was John Carver, one of the members of the squad Isaac had been assigned to.

Ellie moved herself between them. "Carver, put your weapon down."

"Out of the way, Langford!" Carver snapped, but Isaac blocked him out. Very slowly—too slowly for his liking—he regained his human form, and glanced back over at the doorway. Carver still stood there, but his weapon was down and he wore a gobsmacked expression.

"Carver, I..." Isaac started, but frowned. His voice was still rough from the transformation, and he didn't know where to even begin.

"I'll explain," Ellie told them both, starting to lead Carver away. "Isaac, why don't you go tell the captain what happened, and then try to get some more sleep, alright?" And with that, she and Carver were retreating down the hall.

God, Isaac had no idea what he'd do without that woman.

Chapter 159: Primal Spirit 7

Summary:

Coordinating a poacher hunt

Chapter Text

Owen frowned at the map in front of him. "So they're over on the west side," he said quietly. "We need to track them down, and we need to clear the animals out."

"From what little the keepers can tell, these guys look professional," Claire pointed out. "They know what they're doing, they're not going to be easy to find."

Owen nodded. "C'mon, I have an idea."

-

Claire's eyes widened as they approached the connected I-Rex and raptor paddock. "Owen, no..."

"Relax, I've got it covered," he told her, entering the paddock. With an exasperated sigh, she followed.

Owen? Blue asked, already sensing his emotions. What's wrong?

"Girls, we've got poachers on the island," he told them, speaking aloud for Claire's benefit.

Poachers? Indi asked, confusion practically radiating off of her.

Picking up on the confusion, Claire elaborated, "They're people who illegally hunt animals to sell them for parts. Like elephants for their tusks."

"We need to round them up, contact the authorities, and send them on their way," Owen said. "They're on the west side. Triceratops territory," he added for clarification.

Let's eat them, Delta suggested.

"No, Delta, you're not eating them," he said, shaking his head. "I want the four of you to herd them toward Gyrosphere Valley. We'll close that off to the public, get everyone out." He looked up the much larger dinosaur in the paddock. "Indi, I've got a very important job for you, so listen closely, okay?"

Okay.

"We want to make sure that these poachers can't get anything else while the raptors are sending them our way. So your job is to clear the area of all the other dinosaurs," he told her. "Scare them off, chase them, I don't care, just get them out of the way."

"Owen..." Claire said quietly, and he caught her nervous look.

"And please don't decide to have a snack, okay?"

Chapter 160: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 8

Summary:

Becker almost corrupts while Connor's gone

Chapter Text

Becker had almost caught up with the hellbeasts when his body went cold, his thoughts growing clouded, causing him to stumble, nearly dropping his weapon.

"Becker!"

His head shot up with an involuntary growl. He was vaguely aware that his fangs were bared, slightly longer than normal.

Matt slowed to a stop, eyes never leaving the vampire. "Snap out of it!"

Becker growled again, the sound of Matt's heartbeat pounding in his ears. All he wanted to do was grab him, dig his fangs in—

No. He wasn't an animal. He wasn't corrupted. Not all the way, at least...

He blinked a few times, his head clearing, and his fangs retracting back to their normal length.

"What the hell happened?" Matt asked. He shook his head. "Nevermind, later. We've got some hellbeasts to catch."

-

"So what happened earlier?" Matt asked, raising a brow. "Thought we lost you for a second."

Becker's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you...? Oh." He realized when he'd had that feeling before. He'd experienced it only twice. Once shortly after he'd been turned, and once after he'd been held captive and tortured by Helen Cutter.

He'd started to corrupt.

"You miss Connor, don't you?" Matt asked.

Becker frowned. Matt knew that, though. Everyone knew that. "Yes..." he said slowly.

"And that's a cause for vampire corruption, right? Extreme loss?"

"Well, yes, but... I didn't lose him, he's still alive," Becker argued.

Matt raised a brow. "Do you really believe that? He's been in God knows which hell dimension for months. I don't want to be that asshole, but how likely is it, really, that he's still alive?"

Becker felt a growl start to build in his throat, and his fist clenched. He just barely held it back, but stood, turned on his heel, and punched the door on his way out, not caring about the dent he created.

Chapter 161: Beetle and Catastrophe 5

Summary:

Marinette meets Plagg

Chapter Text

Marinette watched the news from her room fearfully. "I hate first days at school," she muttered. She glanced down to see a small box on the desk in front of her. It looked like the kind of box that might contain some kind of jewelry, but she'd never seen it before. Had her parents left it there for her for some reason?

She picked it up, opening it to reveal a thick ring. It was black, and oddly enough, it had a green paw print on it. Before she could study it further, a green orb of light appeared, floating out of the box, stopping in front of her face. When the light faded, what looked almost like some tiny, floating cat, laying down midair, awoke, stretching. Marinette had difficulty deciding on if it was cute or terrifying.

She settled on terrifying. It was a flying kitten, for crying out loud. That wasn't normal! "Flying kitten!" she squealed, well aware that she probably sounded ridiculous.

It huffed. "Excuse me, 'flying kitten' has a name."

"Flying kitten talks!" she exclaimed, looking for something to throw.

The flying kitten blinked. "This... is not what I was expecting." He flew around the room, dodging everything Marinette threw at him. "This is pretty quaint, actually." His eyes settled on her sewing kit. "Oooh, shiny!" he said, examining the scissors. Then the yarn caught his eye, and almost like a normal cat, he reached out to bat it. It knocked off the desk, and he followed it to the floor, batting it around, leaving a general mess. Marinette took the opportunity to trap him in a jar while he was distracted. He looked up at her, laid on his back, tiny arms crossed behind his head. "Okay, whatever works for you, Marinette."

She stared at the tiny creature for a long moment. "What are you?" she finally asked. "And how do you know my name?"

"I'm a kwami. I know these things," he replied boredly.

"A... kwami?"

"I grant powers," he told her. "Yours is the power of destruction."

"Power of...?" She shook her head. "I don't need any help destroying things... But what are you even doing here?" She stopped herself. What was she doing? Whatever this 'kwami' was, he was freaking her out. "Mom! Dad!" she called out.

He shook his head, moving through the jar, in front of her face. "No one can know I exist," he told her urgently. He suddenly looked a lot more alert. "Not your parents, not your friends, no one."

Marinette paused, slowly lowering the door to her room. "So... I guess I'll ask again... why are you here? And what's your name?"

He sighed. "I'm Plagg. Long story short, that thing out there wrecking everything is an akuma. You've got the power to stop it. Well, you and the other guy."

"Other guy?"

Plagg nodded to the ring, still in the box on her desk. "That's not the only Miraculous, you know. There's a pair of earrings, and the ones with them are the only ones that can capture the akuma. Purify it, too. But every superhero needs a sidekick, right?"

"I still don't understand, why me? The only power I have is... super-awkwardness." She paused. "But Alya might be a good fit! That's my friend. Well, I think she is. But she loves superheroes, she'd probably jump at the chance to be one. You should go talk to her."

Plagg shook his head. Why did he have to get stuck with her? She seemed nice enough, but he just wasn't sure they'd mesh. "Nuh-uh, no way. You were chosen, so you're the hero."

She looked back at the box again, and picked up the ring. To her surprise, it had turned silver. "So what am I supposed to do, exactly?" she asked, slipping it on. She wasn't really fond of the way it looked on her finger.

"Well, the akuma's in some kind of object," he told her. "So either you or the other guy break the object the akuma's in. Then they capture it, purify it, and then it's over. Oh, and your superpower is called Cataclysm. It destroys whatever you touch. You get one use, then five minutes and you change back."

"But I'm not supposed to let anyone see me change back?" she asked for confirmation.

"Yeah. Not even the other guy," Plagg said. "After you use your power, I start to run out of energy, so you can't transform again until I get my energy back. Usually with food."

"What kind of food do you eat?"

"I love cheese," he informed her. "Especially camembert!"

Marinette frowned. Camembert wasn't exactly something she could easily get her hands on, working in a bakery. "I'll... do what I can?" She stopped, shaking her head. "What am I talking about? I can't do this!"

Plagg's shoulders slumped. She was going to be a difficult one. He might have to try to take a gentler touch this time around. He had no idea what Master Fu was thinking, this was more up Tikki's alley... "You have to," he told her. "You just gotta say 'Claws Out'."

"Claws Out?" she asked, but before she could do anything else, Plagg went flying toward the ring, almost like he was being sucked in.

Chapter 162: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 9

Summary:

Using the shadow furnace

Chapter Text

Hermione frowned. "I don't understand," she said. "You said the old Necromancer Temple was here. This... This is a graveyard."

Valkyrie laughed. "Yeah, that was my reaction, too. Come on."

She and Skulduggery led Hermione through rows of graves until they reached a crypt. Valkyrie opened the gate and motioned Hermione inside with a flourish. Hermione rolled her eyes, but stepped in warily.

To her surprise, there was a set of stairs she was led down. They took her through several halls and corridors—empty halls and corridors—to a room with what looked like a giant forge in it.

"This is the shadow furnace," Valkyrie told her. "You've got whatever you're gonna put your power in?"

Hermione nodded, pulling a necklace with a clear crystal.

Valkyrie took it from her. Looking back at the furnace, she muttered, "I hope this thing still works."

It took a few tries, but soon enough, they got the furnace working and Hermione watched a stream of shadows flow from her to the crystal, which promptly turned a deep, midnight black. Hermione picked it up, put it on, and immediately shivered at the cold.

"Yeah," Valkyrie said. "Takes some getting used to."

Hermione nodded. "Why is this place abandoned?" she asked. "Where did all the Necromancers go?"

Valkyrie was quiet for a moment. "Well..." she started. "The Necromancer Order is kind of centered on a religion of like... death flows into life, life flows into death, that kind of thing. From what I understand, when you die, your soul goes into what they call the Great Stream, and eventually it comes back as someone new."

"But there's something that they tend to leave out when discussing it with outsiders," Skulduggery chimed in. "The Passage. What I guess you could call the Necromancer Rapture, of sorts. The intent is to 'block the Stream so that the living and the dead can exist side by side'. No one would ever die."

Hermione's brow furrowed. "But... how would they even try blocking it?"

"As Solomon, my mentor, put it, 'a massive influx of souls'," Valkyrie continued. "Their savior, the Death Bringer, would kill about half the population all at once to block the Stream. And a while back, they found their Death Bringer... kind of. A girl called Melancholia. We stopped her, obviously, but after that, they closed this Temple down. The Necromancers in Ireland scattered to other countries."

Hermione immediately took her necklace off. "If that's what it means to be a Necromancer, I'll find something else, thank you very much."

Valkyrie grabbed her wrist before she could make any kind of move to throw it. "You don't have to believe in their religion to use the magic," she said. "I don't." She gave a smile. "And you have an affinity for it, Hermione. It'd be a shame to just let something go that you could be great at."

Hermione looked at her, unsure. She wanted to excel, of course she did. She wanted to excel at everything she did, but...

But Valkyrie was right. She still used Necromancy, despite apparently having dealt with the worst the Order had to offer.

Valkyrie let her wrist go, and after a moment, she put the necklace back on.

"Can we go back up, now?" she asked. "I don't like it down here."

Skulduggery nodded. "Of course." He turned on his heel and started walking. "Follow me."

Chapter 163: Avalon: Web of Magic/Skulduggery Pleasant crossover 3

Summary:

Creed gives the Arbiters their newest job

Chapter Text

"The two of you are heading to America to investigate a new magic signature the Sensitives are picking up," Creed told them.

Valkyrie scowled. "You can't order us around, we don't work for you. We're Arbiters, not Sanctuary detectives."

"What kind of signature?" Skulduggery asked.

"That's what you're supposed to find out," Creed told him gruffly. "Find out what it is, if it's a threat, and report back."

Skulduggery cocked his head thoughtfully. "Alright, we'll go."

"We'll what?" Valkyrie asked, whirling toward him.

Ignoring her outburst, Creed nodded. "You're dismissed."

-

"Why are we listening to him?" Valkyrie asked once they left the High Sanctuary.

"This new magic signature has me intrigued," he told her. "I'm wondering if it has any connection to what you can do."

Her brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"No one knows exactly what kind of magic you use, yourself included. Without a true name anymore, your magic comes from somewhere else. I want to know if this is where your magic actually comes from."

"You really think it might have something to do with me?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It couldn't hurt to check."

She groaned. "No... Don't say that. You just jinxed us!"

"I did not," he said, his head tilted ever so slightly.

"You did!" she argued. "If we die on this trip, it's your fault."

"Fair enough."

Chapter 164: The Witch's Daughter 6

Summary:

Bobby finds out

Chapter Text

Dean tested the weight of the gun in his hand. It had been eight years since he'd last held one, since he'd fired one. Sam was our running an errand for Bobby. And he could probably come up with something to tell Bobby if he was caught. But he needed to practice. He didn't want to rely on magic. He wanted to ignore it. All it did was remind him of what that bitch did.

Ignoring how his vision began to blur, he raised the gun and fired. The bang was satisfying enough, but the sound of the bottle shattering made him smile. Eight years, but he still had it.

He raised the gun again. Aim. Fire. Aim. Fire. Aim. Fire. And every time he shot, he hit his target.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Dean jumped, head snapping toward the source. He hadn't even noticed Bobby leave the house.

Dana time. "I just... I figured if I was going to keep hunting with Sam, I should know my way around a gun."

"Uh-huh," Bobby said, looking at the bottles Dean had just shot. He didn't sound convinced.

"Beginners luck?"

"Bullshit!" Bobby snapped, stepping closer. "Who are you really? You don't act like some witch's brat." He looked Dean in the eye before the latter quickly looked away. There must have been something familiar in them because Bobby's arms suddenly dropped in shock. "Dean?" The involuntary flinch probably told him all he needed to know. "What in the hell happened?"

Dean suddenly felt like a child, being interrogated by a parent. "What I told Sam was true. That bitch kidnapped me in the middle of the night when I was sixteen. She really wanted a daughter, so she stole a kid she didn't think anyone would miss and did this to me." He motioned to his very feminine body, gun still in hand. "She kept me there for eight years. Didn't let me leave, started teaching me magic... Then Sam showed up and ganked her."

"And you never said anything?"

Dean shook his head. "No way. Sam's hunting the demon, just like Dad. He needs to be focused on that. He can't be distracted trying to fix me."

"You gonna tell him after?"

"I dunno."

Chapter 165: I Will Always Watch Over You 7

Summary:

Kratos kills Kvar

Chapter Text

"I won't lose to you inferior beings!" Kvar hissed as he raised his staff.

Kratos stepped in, thrusting his sword into the Desian's chest. "Feel the pain of those inferior beings as you burn in Hell!" he growled, twisting the sword.

Kvar cried out in pain, but despite that, he wore a cruel smile. "No matter what you do, you won't avenge that human woman, Kratos. She's dead, and you're the one who killed her." His eyes flickered to Lloyd, whose attention was divided. "He doesn't even know, does he?"

Kratos twisted his sword again, rage boiling. The only thing stopping him from slicing the man to pieces was the questions that uncharacteristic behavior would bring. "You don't talk about her," he said quietly. "What happened to Anna was your fault, Kvar."

"You can... live in denial... all you want," Kvar gasped as the pain grew. "But we both know what... really happened that night."

Kratos pulled his sword out for a moment. "Yes," he said evenly. "We do." With that, he thrust again, aiming directly for the heart, killing the man instantly.

He just wished he'd had more time. Kvar needed to suffer what he'd done. To Anna, to Lloyd, and to all the other innocent victims of his cruel experiments.

Not for the first time, Kratos wished he could follow his son's idealogy. Abandon the plan, regenerate the world, and rid it of Desians to create a time of peace.

But this had been too many years in the making. Yggdrasil had too many expectations, and Kratos knew he had to meet them.

He watched Kvar slide off his sword and unceremoniously drop to the floor with cold eyes. At least he was dead now. And the world was ever so slightly better for it.

Chapter 166: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 8

Summary:

Toby helps look for Duchess Cordelia

Chapter Text

Damien ran a hand through his hair, pacing in the shelter. "She could be anywhere," he said, slightly panicked. "Anywhere in town. She might have even gotten on a bus and be on her way anywhere in the country!"

Toby blinked. "She's that smart?"

"Even smarter," Damien told him. "We have to find her."

"But how?" the brunette asked. "We don't even know where to start looking. We—" He stopped, brows furrowing in thought.

Damien actually stopped pacing and looked at him. "What are you thinking?"

"Do you have anything of hers?" he asked. "I... might have an idea."

"There's her favorite cushion," the vampire said helpfully.

"Can you go get it? I wanna try something."

Damien nodded. "I will be right back."

Toby watched him hurry down the hall, then pictured the bloodhound his neighbor had had when he was growing up. A four year old good boy named Bowie. He let his human form fall as he slowly dripped back onto the floor as a black, gooey puddle. He focused on every detail he could remember, just like Hugo had taught him, and slowly, he began to take form again.

Skin and fur was just finishing forming when Damien walked in. He took a double take for a second before it clicked. "Ah," he said.

Toby walked over to him, acclimating much faster than he thought he would to having four legs. Without prompting, Damien lowered the cushion to his level, and he sniffed it. He was immediately flooded with all kinds of unfamiliar smells, and it took him a moment to process it at. Once he was done, he walked toward the door, trying to track any smell from the cushion.

Once he found it, he took off, Damien hot on his heels.

Hopefully they'd find her soon.

Chapter 167: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 5

Summary:

Pietro's first night at the Institute

Chapter Text

Pietro scowled at the ceiling above him. Granted, there were no cracks in it. The room was probably twice as big as his old one at the Boarding House. The bed wasn't lumpy. And he knew he didn't have to worry about the house coming down at any second if Lance got pissed off.

But he was surrounded by goody-goody X-Men. All that talk the professor had given him before... honestly, it felt like just talk. He might've been his father's old friend, but he didn't know anything. All that bullshit about friendship and family and belonging was just that. Bullshit.

He knew he didn't belong here. He just didn't. Everyone here was always so caring, so helpful, so... noble. But from a very young age, Pietro had been taught to only look out for number one. The only person he could count on was himself. The only person to ever have his back—

Except that wasn't strictly true. He wouldn't be here in the first place if it was.

He'd remembered those post-game dinners with the Daniels'. He'd remembered the sleepovers, the outings on his birthday where no one ever brought up his family, but still managed to make him feel special. He'd remembered the family that he'd once been sure cared about him more than his father did. That had probably still been true, until he blew it.

But he didn't. For whatever reason, Evan vouched for him. And now he was here.

His bag was still half packed. He hadn't really had a whole lot to begin with, it wouldn't take long for him to get it all packed and be out the door before anyone even noticed what he was trying to do. A few seconds, max. It would be so easy...

He wasn't sure what was stopping him. He should leave. He didn't belong here, with all these goody-two-shoes. He was selfish, arrogant, and rude. He should leave before word got out, get back to the Boarding House, or find his father and prove that he was—

Was what? Good enough? Worthy? A son he could be proud of?

He'd never been any of those things, and knowing Magneto, he probably never would be. But here... maybe he could fake it 'til he made it. Maybe... just maybe he finally had somewhere he belonged.

And wouldn't Magneto just hate that his own son joined the X-Men?

Chapter 168: Small Town, Big Secrets 4

Summary:

Zane is invited into the Smart House

Chapter Text

"Ow!" Zane hissed as he ran straight into an invisible barrier.

He didn't get it. He'd been in Carter's house dozens of times, why—

Right. Different dimension. He'd never been in this Carter's house.

"Zane, you okay?" Jo asked, turning.

He scowled, crossing his arms. Tapping his finger on his bicep in irritation, he muttered, "Carter need to let me in."

Jo's brows furrowed in confusion. "The door's— oh."

"Yeah," he said. "Oh."

Jo crossed her arms, mirroring him as she thought. She was exactly like his Jo. Except that she didn't get a little furry during full moons.

"Hey, SARAH?" Jo asked, glancing up at the ceiling. "Could you let Zane in?"

"But the door is open," the smart house said, confusion in her artificial voice.

"Yes, but can you invite me in?" he asked, on the verge of rocking on his heels. This was getting very annoying, very frustrating, and he realized that he'd need all of his friends—or the alternate versions of his friends—to invite him into their houses all over again. A process that had taken weeks in his own dimension.

"Of course," SARAH said, not even asking questions. "Please come in, Zane."

Zane took a step... and rebounded off the barrier again.

"Okay, what the hell!"

Jo stifled a laugh. "I guess it really has to be a resident of the house," she said with a grin. "Not the house."

He glared. "I hate you, Lupo," he muttered.

"No you don't," she said. "Hold on, I'll be right back."

Zane watched as she walked into the kitchen, out of sight, returning a moment later with Carter. The sheriff wore a shit-eating grin.

"What's the matter, Zane?" he teased, and the vampire was really regretting telling him about the dimensional shift. "The door's open."

Zane's eyes narrowed. "I've been standing out here for two minutes Carter, are you going to let me in or not?"

Carter looked like he was actually taking a moment to think about it, and Zane's hands tightened around him arms.

"Alright, sure," he finally said. "Come on in, Zane."

For the third time, Zane stepped forward, and this time he crossed the threshold with no problem. He heard laughing from the other room.

"I hate all of you."

Chapter 169: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 6

Summary:

Oliver doesn't want to return to Azipra

Chapter Text

Oliver frowned when he heard it. Their cloaking shields were still up, but he'd know the sound of an Azipran spacecraft anywhere.

"Ollie?" Thea asked quietly, looking at him.

"Wait here," he said, making his way to the clearing they'd surely land in. He heard Thea's footsteps behind him.

Her jaw dropped when the cloaking shields were lowered. "Are those...?"

"Let me handle this," he said softly, stepping out into the clearing. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Thea watching, but she wasn't making any move to follow him.

The doors opened and the ramps lowered, a pair of aliens exiting. They both froze when they saw him, and it had been so long it almost took him a moment to recognize them.

"Traze?" he asked softly in his native tongue. "Aris?"

Traze actually recoiled in shock for a moment before its tongue darted out, taking in his scent. "Holy... Khal?"

Aris blinked. "You're actually alive..." it breathed.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Oliver asked.

"No one has heard from you," Traze said. "The signal from your ship went dead, and you never made any attempt at contact. It's been years."

"So what are you doing here?" he asked, confused.

"We came to find your body," Aris told him. "We were finally able to locate your exact spatial coordinates where you lost contact." Its tone changed, becoming much happier. "But this is great! You can come home with us."

Oliver remained silent, a small frown forming on his face. His old friends wouldn't know what it meant, anyway.

Traze titled its head. "Hold on..." it said slowly. "Why are you still... looking like that?" It gestured to his body. "We're alone out here, aren't we? There aren't any natives to see you."

He sighed, dropping his human form, and Traze and Aris stared.

"What have you done?" Aris whispered, no doubt cataloging every change that had occurred over the last few years.

He shrugged awkwardly. "I... had to fit in," he said vaguely. "That meant taking a human form a lot longer than recommended."

"None of the mentors are going to be happy," Traze said. "I don't know if it's even possible to return to normal after..." It gestured helplessly at him.

Oliver shoved his hands in his pockets. For years, he'd given up the idea of ever returning to Azipra. His ship was gone, humans hadn't even come close to mastering intergalactic travel. He'd been stuck. Now he was being provided with that chance, but...

He glanced over his shoulder and saw Thea standing there, watching him. Her arms were crossed, shoulders hunched... and there were tears on her face. She couldn't understand their words, but it probably wasn't hard to put the pieces together.

Traze and Aris followed his gaze and tensed the second they both saw Thea.

"Oh no," Traze muttered.

"Traze, leave her alone," Oliver warned before it could even reach for the weapon on its hip.

"It's a native!" it hissed. "Earth is a planet known for its intolerance, we can't let it leave and alert any others before we leave!"

Aris pulled on his arm. "We're going, now!"

"No," he said, resisting.

"No?" they asked in unison.

He shook his head. "No," he repeated. "I'm staying."

"We're trying to bring you home, and you don't want to come?" Traze asked incredulously. "I don't understand."

Oliver sighed. "This is my home now," he told them. He gestured back to Thea. "Thea's my family. My sister." Before they could argue, he said, "I took the place of the human Oliver Queen. I've made a home here—"

"Based on a lie," Traze interjected.

"The people who matter know," he told it. "Everyone in my life who really matters to me knows what I really am. Tell everyone back on Azipra whatever you want, but I'm not going back. I'm sorry."

Traze bristled. "You're abandoning us for an alien planet?"

"I'm staying with my family," he retorted.

If it had known about the human practice, Traze probably would have spat at him. As it was, it just turned and stalked toward its ship, powering it up.

Aris looked at him for a moment. "You're happy here?" it asked.

He nodded. "I am," he confirmed. "I have a home here, a family... and I have a duty."

"And it's really what you want?"

"Yes."

Much of the tension leaved Aris. "Alright then," it said. "Live a good life, Kha—Oliver."

Oliver smiled. "You too, Aris. Keep an eye on Traze, don't let it hurt itself too bad."

"It's been my job to watch over it since we were hatchlings," Aris replied. "Maybe I'll come back sometime, without Traze, and meet this family of yours."

"I'd like that," he replied, and he watched as Aris returned to its ship, and both rose, cloaking and disappearing into the night.

He was still looking at the sky when he heard Thea walking up behind him.

"You're not going home...?" she asked tentatively.

Oliver turned to look at her, returning to his human shape. "I am home."

Chapter 170: Ragtag Team of Heroes 1

Summary:

Marinette puts the pieces together

Chapter Text

Marinette didn't know how she didn't realize it earlier. All four of them had been gathered to fight this new darkness, but none of them had ever actually appeared in any confrontation. There was no Marinette, no Jake, no Ben, no Danny. Just Ladybug, the American Dragon, a plethora of aliens, and Phantom.

They'd all made quick escapes right beforehand, and none of them had addressed the fact that none of the others showed up, because they'd have to explain what they were doing there.

But the dragon sounded exactly like Jake. All of the aliens had an emblem on them that was identical to the one on Ben's watch. And swap some colors, and Phantom looked really familiar.

She frowned to herself, glancing at the others. Ben and Jake were in an intense game of ping-pong, with Danny watching on the sidelines. She was a little surprised that a hole hadn't been blown in either of the paddles left.

How did none of them know? How did none of them realize?

"Hey, Tikki?" she said quietly, even though none of the men were looking at her. "I think I should tell them."

"Marinette..." Tikki started.

The woman turned in her chair, pulling out her phone and pretending to talk into it. "We all need to come clean, and I don't think any of them realize it yet."

"So you figured it out," Tikki guessed.

"Yeah, I— Wait, hold on, you knew?" she asked.

The kwami giggled. "It wasn't that had to figure out." She grew more serious. "But you know the rules, Marinette. No one must know."

Marinette ran a hand through her hair. "That might have applied when we were all kids," she said quietly. "But this is different. There are no other Miraculous around. No Miraculous holders just... a ragtag team of heroes. We all have to trust each other, so that means knowing each others' identities. Even mine."

After a moment, Tikki nodded. "Alright," she agreed. Peeking around Marinette's shoulder, she giggled. "You might want to wait until after their game, though."

Marinette turned, just in time to see the ball heading straight for her face.

Chapter 171: The Mutation Situation 9

Summary:

Peter's escape

Chapter Text

Peter's head shot up when the alarm went off. Somehow, intruders got into the Tower.

He started pacing in the glass cage nervously, wanting to get out and help. Granted, if he managed to escape, the others would probably just kill him on sight. He needed to get out, find a place where the Avengers couldn't find him, and try to figure out how to get himself back to normal.

The power cut, and Peter was surrounded by darkness before the dim emergency lights kicked on.

But the electronic lock of his cell had disengaged.

Seeing his chance and not wanting to waste it, he pushed it open carefully with one of his front legs. When he didn't see any of the Avengers, he crawled up the wall and onto the ceiling. No power meant FRIDAY was offline, so he didn't have to worry about avoiding her cameras... unless it abruptly kicked back on.

His best bet was leaving through one of the back entrances, because it led to a group of warehouses and he was less likely to be seen by any stray passersby. Assuming Parker Luck didn't kick in, of course.

He'd made it down to the fourth level when a dark shadow appeared in the hallway. It didn't notice him immediately, but as it neared, Peter realized he didn't recognize the man. This must be one of the intruders. And anyone who wanted to risk breaking into the Tower had to be dangerous and definitely didn't have good intentions.

Without even understanding how he did it, Peter shot thick webbing from his spinnerets and stuck to the man's back. He pulled the man, who'd started screaming as soon as he saw him, up to the ceiling, wrapping him in a cocoon of webbing, much like he'd done as Spider-Man, and lowered him to the floor before severing the web. He knew the others would handle these guys themselves, but old habits die hard. Even when you're a giant spider.

Peter encountered two more intruders on his way down, dragging each one along and making sure their cocoons were securely attached to each other. Peeking his head out into the front hall, he found it empty. Tossing them lightly onto the floor for his friends to find, he turned and hurried down the hall, still on the ceiling, to get to the exit.

Whether he helped them or not, he was pretty sure they wouldn't react to his escape well, and he didn't was to be fried, dismembered, or squished.

Chapter 172: Detour Through the Hellmouth 7

Summary:

Dean starts to train Xander

Notes:

Entries might not be as long or as good for the next few days. My grandfather passed away today, so I'm dealing with that, but I'm not going to stop writing. Just... if things don't seem quite up to snuff, that's why

Chapter Text

"You're sure you wanna do this?" Buffy asked dubiously.

"No," Xander said immediately.

He could practically feel Dean rolling his eyes. Relax, the man told him. You're not even doing anything this time. Just pay attention.

"Right..." he said quietly, giving over control.

Dean rolled his shoulders. "Alright, let's get started. Xander, pay close attention to everything I do, got it?"

Yeah.

"Make sure you don't go easy on me," Dean told Buffy, and he could feel the spike of Xander's alarm.

The Slayer shook her head. "I don't think so. I'm the Slayer, you don't have whatever strength or agility or whatever that you normally would, and that's my friend's body you're wearing. I'm not breaking one of Xander's arms just because you want to show off."

Break my arm? Xander said nervously.

Dean laughed. "Alright, fair enough," he conceded. "Start slow, then?"

Buffy nodded. "Getting the muscle memory built up sounds good to me." She took a fighting stance, and Dean mirrored it.

Buffy moved in with a punch, and both Xander and Dean knew she was only using a fraction of her speed and strength with it. Dean ducked to the side. "First lesson," he told Xander. "Don't get hit."

Gee, thanks.

"I'm teaching you how to not get hit," the hunter said, rolling his eyes. "See the strike, move away."

Buffy came in with a high roundhouse kick, and Dean ducked under it.

"If you get hit hard enough—" He got cut off but a strike to the gut, just hard enough to know them wind out of him.

"It's all over," Buffy finished

Chapter 173: Avatar: The Banished Prince 6

Summary:

Zuko and Iroh need a change of clothes

Chapter Text

"You realize you'll be recognized as soon as we even get near a town, right?" Katara asked as they walked. Zuko opened his mouth to argue, but she continued. "And no, it's not about that scar. Honestly, that's easy enough to explain. But you're in a Fire Nation uniform. Anyone and everyone is going to either run as far as they can, or attack you."

"I can take them," he snapped.

She raised a brow. "Right, because the Avatar fighting a bunch of innocent civilians sends a great message."

"They're not innocent if they attack first," he argued.

Sokka crossed his arms. "To them, you're just a Fire Nation soldier come to ruin their lives. They're going to defend themselves."

"But I'm not going to—"

"They don't know that," Sokka emphasized. "There's an easy fix, just get new clothes."

"They're right, Zuko," Iroh told him, and he scowled. "We have to find a way to blend in."

He narrowed his eyes before finally relenting. "Okay, fine. But where?"

"We're going to have to steal something," Sokka said, earning a disapproving look from his sister. "What? It's not like we can just walk into a store and ask for new clothes for our Fire Nation 'friends'."

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering if taking these two along was really worth it. Surely he could have found someone to teach him waterbending elsewhere. He didn't need the North Pole did he?

But it was a little too late to send them back, and as much as they annoyed him sometimes, he didn't want to just abandon them. They—or at least Katara—were doing him a favor, the least he could do was return it.

"First farm we find, we'll check out the clothesline," Sokka continued. "Nab some stuff, and then you'll be fine." He paused. "But maybe get a haircut, too."

Zuko glared.

"Or not."

Chapter 174: Beetle and Catastrophe 6

Summary:

Adrien learns he should capture the akuma

Chapter Text

"She still hasn't picked out a name, huh?" Adrien asked, watching as Tikki went from platter to platter that Adrien had laid out. She passed over the fruit and vegetable platters, but stopped in front of the cake. She floated in front of it with a big smile, indicating that this was definitely the right choice before digging in. He smiled. "You know I can't just start carrying slices of cake around with me, right?"

Tikki paused in her eating, frosting covering the spot on her forehead. "I like cookies, too," she informed him. Adrien laughed a little as she returned to her cake.

"Any kind of sweets, huh?" That earned a nod. He smiled a little, but that smile dropped when he looked back at the television.

"Just as Paris is about to celebrate our two new superheroes, a new wave of panic has hit the capitol." There were several videos of black butterflies, much like the one that had left Ivan's paper, flying into people, turning them into still versions of the creature he'd been turned into. "Dozens of people are being turned into stone monsters. It's simply unbelievable! These stone people are still like statues. What will happen next? Will they come to life or be frozen forever? We simply don't know!"

Adrien stood, panicked. "I thought we defeated him," he said. "What's going on, Tikki?"

She dropped what was left of the cake on the platter. "Did you capture the akuma?" she asked.

"Capture...? What does that have to do with these stone beings?" he asked.

"An akuma can multiply," Tikki told him. "That's why it must be captured. If that boy's emotions become negative again, then the akuma will turn him back into Stoneheart! He'll control these stone beings and bring them to life to be his army."

Adrien's legs gave out and he fell back onto his couch. "So this is my fault, then?" he asked. "Because I was too impatient and transformed because you could explain all that?"

"It's okay, we can still fix this," Tikki told him. "It was your first time, you were bound to make some mistakes. You can capture Stoneheart's akuma successfully this time, I know you can!"

"Are you sure?"

Tikki nodded. "I'm sure. You wouldn't have been given the Miraculous if you weren't up for the job."

"Thanks, Tikki. So... do we just... wait until that guy turns back into Stoneheart, then? Because we probably can't find his akuma until then."

Tikki paused. "That's true. All we can do is wait."

Chapter 175: Man, Woman, or Beast 10

Summary:

Vani talks about Alistair with Merrill and Fenarel

Chapter Text

"Of all the humans in Ferelden, you had to marry their king?" Merrill asked as she and Vani headed further into their camp.

"He wasn't," Vani told her.

Merrill frowned, and Fenarel laughed as he approached. "He was only a Grey Warden, just like you. He wasn't made king until the Blight ended, right?"

Vani nodded.

"Still!" Merrill said. "I don't understand why you would want to marry... that." She gestured vaguely behind her, where Alistair was talking to the Keeper.

"He's kind," Vani started. "Sweet. He understands." She gave a soft smile, one neither Merrill or Fenarel were sure they'd ever seen on her. "He know what I mean. He..." She looked over at him, expression full of love. "He knows me, and he loves me. All of me."

"I'm sure it's a ploy," Merrill argued. "He's taking advantage of you, Vani, just like all shems do, especially the nobility!"

She wasn't expected the flash of anger that went through the other elf. Her entire body tensed, her eyes narrow. "He was not nobility," she snapped. "He slept in a barn. With dogs." Her fists clenched. "Alistair has never been privileged, and has never taken advantage of anyone. You will not talk about him like that, and you will not treat him like delltash!"

Merrill blinked. She'd never seen Vani outburst like that. Her voice had even started to go more hoarse than usual near the end.

"She's sorry," Fenarel said quickly. "I'm sure His Majesty is just fine, if you really love an trust him." He looked at Merrill. "Maybe we should try to get to know him better after he's done with the Keeper."

She was quiet for a long time. "Fine," she finally muttered.

Chapter 176: Secret of the Kaiju 5

Summary:

Gareth helps Chelsea escape Monarch

Chapter Text

The second the alarm went off, Gareth moved, grabbing Chelsea's hand and pulling her to her feet. His hand was almost unusually warm, and when she looked down, she almost thought she saw a blue tinge.

"Come on!" he yelled, drawing her out of her thoughts as he started to run. She opened her mouth to speak, and he added, "We'll talk later, but right now we have to go!"

He had a point. She followed, growing concerned as his hand grew warmer and warmer, and now she knew it was practically glowing.

They were forced to stop when they came to a line of armed guards. Gareth yanked her behind him, standing between her and the soldiers.

"Stop right there, and we won't hurt your friend," one of them said, and Chelsea heard boots running from the direction she and Gareth had just come from.

"No," Gareth said defiantly, and Chelsea froze when all the men raised their weapons in unison. Before they had the chance to fire, Gareth opened his mouth...

And blue fire blasted out. Most of the soldiers made it out of the way in time, but two were caught in the blast, and Chelsea's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't move.

"Come on!" Gareth yelled, pulling her sharply, and she almost threw up as he pulled her over the charred corpses.

Holy shit... He really was... Her best friend, her only friend, the only person to not call her crazy... He really was Godzilla.

All she could do was follow dumbly as he led her through a maze of hallways. When he seemed certain they were alone, he breathed that blue fire at the wall, melting a hole in it that he pulled he through into the sunlight.

He ducked under a rocky outcropping, pulling her with him. "We need to get as far as we can, as fast as we can."

She just nodded dumbly before noticing the glisten of sweat covering her friend. "Wh-What's wrong?" she managed.

Gareth paused, almost like he hadn't realized he was sweating. He let go of her hand, and took a deep shaky breath. "They didn't know I could still use my atomic fire in human form," he said softly. "I can, but..."

"But...?"

"But the radiation builds up really fast," he said. "If I don't disperse it, and soon, I could go nuclear."

She blinked, trying to absorb that information. "Disperse how?" she asked quietly.

He ran a shaking blue tinged hand through his hair, eyeing the quarry around them, no doubt looking for the best way out. "Well..." he said. "Gaining 164,000 tons should do it."

Chapter 177: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 8

Summary:

Becker gets drafted

Chapter Text

Hilary Becker sat sideways on his bed, feet resting on the floor and his elbows rested on his knees. His chin sat on top of his clasped hands. And, just like every night these past few months, grim thoughts plagued his mind, filling him with grief.

Danny… gone. Abby… gone. Connor… gone. Sarah… gone.

He wanted to throw something, once again feeling at fault. It was his job to ensure the safety of the team, and he had failed. Danny, Abby, and Connor were trapped millions of years in the past, and Sarah had been killed during one of their attempted rescue missions. He had then handed in his resignation, but Lester seemed dead set on keeping him on board. This proved to be futile, however, when the ARC was shut down. Without the scientists that made up the core team, the ARC was just a waste of government money, as no one seemed to be able to fill the positions. And now, here Becker was, unemployed and feeling as though he had failed his friends.

They were counting on me to save them, he thought. And Sarah was counting on me to protect her. His fists clenched tighter, fueled with anger directed at himself. Part of it, though, was saved for Helen Cutter. Wherever—or that, whenever—that woman was, Becker hoped she was suffering, if not dead.

He glanced down at his phone when it vibrated, eventually picking it up. “Becker,” he answered immediately.

“Ah, Captain Becker,” the voice on the other end of the phone, the minister, said. “I apologize for how late it is, but there’s a business proposition open for you.”

“With all due respect, Sir,” the captain began. “I’m not quite sure I could deal with whatever protection detail you want me on at the moment.”

“Oh, no, this has nothing to do with protection detail, I promise you,” the minister replied. “The British government had decided to ally itself with America in an important matter.”

Becker was surprised to hear the small click of another phone being picked up on the line. “It’s alright, minister, I’ll take it from here.” And with that, the phone was abruptly hung up.

What the hell? he thought, shaking his head.

“Captain Becker,” a female voice said from behind him. It was the same voice that had just picked up the phone.

“What do you want?” he asked automatically, turning to see an African American woman with a rather large man behind her.

“As I’m sure the minister has told you, America and Great Britain have allied each other against a growing worldwide problem,” she informed him.

“What’s that got to do with me?” Becker asked with a raised eyebrow, hand sneaking to the pistol he kept underneath his otherwise unused pillow.

“No need for that, Captain,” she replied, eyeing his hand. “I understand that you’re currently between jobs, and I’ve come with a proposition.”

“What kind of proposition…?” he asked suspiciously.

The woman smiled. “A world of endless wonder.”

Chapter 178: My Car Broke Down 4

Summary:

Breakdown gets a medic

Chapter Text

Claudia finally stopped pacing when a swirling green vortex appeared in front of her. Fowler must have pinged her phone to find her exact location. She'd figure out how he'd broken through all her firewalls later. Right now, there was more important business.

Breakdown had lost consciousness five minutes ago.

She stood between Breakdown and the vortex when she heard the heavy footsteps on a Cybertronian. The Autobot medic, and she could already imagine the shitshow about to go down if she wasn't given time to explain.

She stood her ground as a large robot came into view. White and red, blue optics, carrying what she assumed to be a medical scanner of some sort.

The Cybertronian stopped in his tracks, optics widening slightly. "Breakdown...?" Claudia barely heard him mutter. He put his scanner in what she'd come to learn was his subspace, before his hands turned into blades.

"No!" she yelled up at him. "You came here to help him, so help him."

"I didn't know—"

She rolled her eyes. "Look, I know all about the war you've got going on, and I know Breakdown was one of the bad guys. But he's not now, and I'm guessing the war is over anyway. So just... save him."

"There's a lot you obviously don't know, little girl," he scoffed, and she bristled.

"Um, little girl? I'm 24," she said, crossing her arms. "And I know more than you think I do. But I fixed him up after he got left to die, we became friends, and I do not give up on anyone I care about. So I don't care how you feel about him, war's over, he's not your enemy anymore, and he needs your help."

The Autobot looked down at her for a long moment, studying her. "You're responsible for anything he does," he told her sharply, his hands going back to normal as he retrieved his scanner.

"That's nothing new," she replied, and finally stepped away so he could begin his examination. "But if you let him die... I'm holding you responsible."

She was pleased to find there was something in her tone that had him pausing.

Chapter 179: Ragtag Team of Heroes 2

Summary:

Everyone discusses their powers

Chapter Text

"So what's it like?"

"Huh?" Ben asked, looking up to see Danny watching him.

Danny motioned to the Omnitrix. "Y'know, going alien?"

"What's it like going ghost?" he asked in return.

Jake plopped down in a seat between them both. "Pretty sure he asked first," he commented.

Ben looked to Marinette for help, but she just shrugged. He sighed. How would he even begin to explain it? "It's... amazing," he finally said. "There are so many aliens just programmed in here, and it's like I've got all these powers I can choose from. Just one push and bam! Superhero. Sometimes I'm really fast and everything feels like it's slowing down. Sometimes I'm a genius. Sometimes some of my senses are off the charts, and sometimes some of them are just gone."

Marinette's brows furrowed. "What do you mean, gone?"

"One of the aliens in here doesn't have any eyes," he explained. "But it's got this kind of sonar that it uses instead. But its sense of smell is totally off the charts. It was one of the originals, back when I first got this thing."

"Originals?" Danny asked.

Ben nodded. "Yeah, when I first found the Omnitrix, there were only ten aliens on it I could access. But sometimes it would just... unlock another one. It'd just happen randomly, or it would absorb the DNA of an alien I was near... It's got the DNA of thousands of aliens in here." He crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Alright, ghost boy, your turn."

Danny scowled. "Don't call me 'ghost boy', I got enough of that as a kid. That was what people called me before I managed to get them to call me 'Phantom'." He paused. "So... did I ever tell you how I became half-ghost in the first place?"

"Nope," Jake said.

"Well, my parents built this portal into what's called the Ghost Zone. It's this dimension filled with ghosts. Anyway, it didn't work, so I went in and hit some kind of switch. Next thing I know, I'm a ghost. It... really freaked me out, duh, but it was a little better when I changed back to human."

He paused again, and glancing over, he could practically see the wheels turning in Marinette's head. "You died..." she finally said slowly.

He winced. "I guess, kinda. I mean, I came back, obviously, but not all the way. Um... when I go ghost, it's like I get lighter, like I might just float away. And I get cold, but it's not bad, if that makes sense. Like, it's really cold, but I like it being really cold." He turned to Jake. "Your turn."

"Hey, I'm not part of this," he said.

"You are now," Ben jumped in. "So. What's being a dragon like, Jake?"

Jake thought for a moment. "Freeing," he finally said. "Sometimes it's kinda like that's how I'm supposed to be. Like my human body is some kinda disguise." He shrugged. "I feel strong, I feel powerful, and I feel like I can do anything."

Three pairs of eyes turned to Marinette in unison.

She held her hands up. "Hey, that's a little different, don't you think?" she asked. "You guys all change into something else. I'm just... a woman in a leotard."

"Yeah, a woman in a leotard with a kickass yoyo," Jake pointed out.

"Who can jump from rooftop to rooftop," Ben added.

"And spawn whatever you need out of thin air," Danny finished. "C'mon, there's gotta be something you can share about what it's like to be Ladybug."

She ran a hand through her hair. "Okay, so... I feel lighter, kind of like Danny, but not quite the same. I'm suddenly so much more limber, more flexible, and definitely more durable. I've been thrown across streets and into the ground, and walked away fine. And when I use my Lucky Charm, it's like there's something that clicks in my brain. It can take a minute for the situation to set itself up, but I can just... suddenly know what I'm supposed to do with it. How I'm supposed to use it, what else to use it with, and approximately how it'll go."

"Cool," Ben said with a grin, and Danny and Jake nodded.

Marinette raised a brow. "You're all kinds of aliens, you're half- ghost, you're a dragon, and I'm the cool one?"

"Enhancements or not, you're still ultimately human, and you keep up with us no problem," Danny commented.

"And you'd probably still kick all our asses," Jake chimed in, and she had to laugh at that.

Chapter 180: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 10

Summary:

Brad asks Sam about wendigos

Chapter Text

"So... about these wendigos..." Brad started, and Sam raised a brow.

"You're asking about this now?" she asked quietly. "With that fucking psychopath looking for us? You want to know about wendigos now?"

He was silent for a moment, and she thought it was over. But when he finally spoke, he said, "Yeah. I guess."

She studied him as they walked. "Fine," she relented. "What do you wanna know?"

"What makes a wendigo?" he asked. "You said something about cannibalism and a spirit?"

"Well, from what we understand, there are these spirits floating around the mountain, and if you eat another human being, it possesses you." She held up a hand when he opened his mouth. "No, I don't know how. Most of the stuff we know, we learned from a notebook left by this old guy that tried to help us."

"What happened to him?"

"... He didn't make it."

"Oh," Brad said. "I'm sorry. Do you know—"

"Saving another friend of mine," Sam told him. "Not that it did any good. Chris didn't make it back to the lodge..." She sighed. "You're not supposed to kill a wendigo. Trapping them is fine, but if you kill them, that spirit releases into the air and circles the mountain until it finds someone else. I don't know if it manipulates someone to be more likely to eat someone else or what, but..."

"Wait, trap them where?" Brad asked. "It's a mountain."

"Yeah, a mountain with an old abandoned sanitorium," she informed him. "I don't know how they got out, but... The old guy had them trapped there. All of them except Hannah..."

Brad reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry about your friend. I'm sorry about... all of them. Mike said you guys escaped with a 'a lighter and a lot of luck'. What does that mean?"

"A surefire way to kill a wendigo is to set the fucker on fire," Sam said. "We were trapped in the lodge, and Hannah was there, and Mike and I were the only ones left... There was a gas leak. We managed to keep her attention divided between the two of us, and we managed to get out, and Mike tossed his lighter behind him. The whole building lit up like the Fourth of July."

"Wow..." Brad muttered. "Sounds like you guys did get lucky."

"Yeah..." she said softly. "We did."

Chapter 181: Small Town, Big Secrets 5

Summary:

Everyone finds out about Zane

Chapter Text

Zane tried to hold up a hand after he dropped, but he barely had any energy to lift it. He needed blood, and he needed it fast, but there was no way he was going to be able to get it. Vampires didn't even actually exist in this dimension.

He knew exactly what was coming next. They'd drag him to the med bay, hook him up to a bunch of machines, and have a whole lot of questions when—

-

BEEEEEEEEEEEP.

Zane's eyes snapped open at the sound. He hadn't even realized he'd lost consciousness. And even that shock was fading quickly, unconsciousness threatening to overtake him again.

"Zane?" Allison asked sharply, and he fought to stay awake.

"Hm?" he asked groggily.

She pointed to the heart monitor, looking genuinely perplexed. Carter, Jo, and Henry stood on the other side of his bed, looking various degrees of confused and worried. "I'm gonna need you to explain that."

Zane slowly tried to sit up, barely having the energy. Jo reached over to help him.

"No, Jo, don't—"

The second her hand touched him, he was gripping her wrist like a vise. It took every once of willpower to not bring her arm to his mouth and sink his fangs in. He finally managed to force himself to let go, and instead of recoiling like he expected her to, she slowly pulled her hand back, eyes never leaving him.

"Zane...?" she said softly. "What's going on?"

"I..." How would he even begin to explain?

In that one moment of thought, Carter managed to grap him and get him in a sitting position before bouncing back, leaving Zane blinking for a moment as he tried to register what happened. God, he needed blood so badly.

He could barely even string thoughts together, and he saw Henry's mouth moving. The man was saying something, but all Zane could hear were the heartbeats around him. It was nearly deafening.

He swallowed, closed his eyes, and took a few unnecessary breaths, trying to focus. "You're not gonna believe me," he finally said.

"Zane, you're talking to us while you're flatlining," Jack said plainly. "Trust us. We'll believe you."

"Fine," he said, and looked at the sheriff. "I'm a vampire."

Jack laughed. "No, seriously."

"I am serious," he snapped. "Look, it's a long story, and I'd be happy to explain it, but I need some blood, right now, or I'm gonna pass out or go feral on someone."

"And going feral means...?"

"Exactly what you think it means."

Allison nodded. "Okay. I'll be right back. But after that, you're telling us everything."

He just sighed, watching her go. He didn't look at Jo. He didn't even want to know what might be going through her head right now.

Chapter 182: Loophole 12

Summary:

Lucifer tells John to protect Chloe and Trixie

Chapter Text

John was scowling at the alcohol on the other side of the bar he couldn't drink when Lucifer said, "John, I need to ask a favor."

John raised a brow, swiveling to looked at him. "Well now," he said cheekily. "Hell must be freezing over if the Devil's asking me for a favor." He expected Lucifer to laugh.

He didn't.

"Luci..." John said slowly. "What's going on?"

Lucifer was quiet for a moment, almost like he was collecting his thoughts, and John wondered if Hell really was freezing over. "I'm going back," the Devil finally said.

"Back, as in...?" John started.

Lucifer nodded. "Down to Hell, yes."

"Why?" the warlock had to ask.

Lucifer sighed. "You saw what happened," he said. "And it will keep happening unless the demons have their king. I need to keep them in line, and the only way to do that..."

"Is to go back to them," John concluded. "Damn." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "So what do you need from me?"

"There are, of course, demons who will still rebel," he said. "I'd almost be proud, if it wasn't against me. But they might come up to Earth anyway, and if they do that, they're likely to come after those I care about the most."

"Chloe."

"And her spawn, yes," Lucifer told him. "So I need you to protect them."

John blinked. "You're leaving them with me?"

"You're the best man for the job."

"Do I have to remind you about Astra?" he asked.

Lucifer shook his head. "You won't let that happen to them."

John studied him for a moment. He'd never seen the Devil look so grim, so serious... so desperate. "No, I won't."

Lucifer gave the smallest of smiles. "Take care of them," he said.

John opened his mouth to speak when the elevator door opened and Chloe stepped out. He looked between the two and teleported to Linda's empty office to give Lucifer the privacy to say goodbye.

Chapter 183: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 10

Summary:

Five finds out what happened to Luther

Chapter Text

"Holy shit..." Luther heard Five breathe.

He paused, shirt in his hand. His brow furrowed for a moment before it clicked. In the last four days since Five had fallen from the sky, he hadn't once seen Luther without his shirt and overcoat. He hadn't seen what Dad had done.

"Don't," Luther said. He didn't meet his brother's eye.

He could practically feel Five's eyes on him as he studied him, trying to piece it together. "Dad did that?" he finally asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft, and Luther flinched, grip tightening on his shirt, wanting to hide behind it, for all the good it would do. He finally looked up to see the expression on Five's face. On anyone else, Luther would call it sympathetic, but Five didn't do sympathy. Luther couldn't place it. "What happened?"

"He... he save my life," he muttered, looking away.

"Bullshit!" Five snapped, and Luther actually jumped. "Whatever happened, whatever nearly killed you, Dad could have found a dozen other ways to save you."

"But he—"

"He turned you into an experiment, Luther!" Five yelled. "Christ, no wonder Diego is on your case about Dad all the time. He did this to you, how can you defend him after that?"

Luther looked down at his hands. "I wouldn't be here now if it weren't for him."

"You probably wouldn't have been in whatever situation caused this if it weren't for him," Five countered.

Luther didn't have a response to that. When he thought Five was done, he pulled his shirt on and lay down on his side. The only way he'd fit in this way too small bed.

Silence stretched between them for several long moments before his twin finally said, "Does it hurt?"

He shrugged, trying to ignore the creaking of the bedframe. "Sometimes," he said. "But it's fine."

"It's not—" Five cut himself out with a sound of frustration. "Y'know what? Fine. Keep dealing with it yourself. Whatever." There was a pause. "Goodnight, Luther," he said, and there was a small flash of blue light accompanied by the small whumph of air rushing to fill the space Five had just occupied.

Chapter 184: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 12

Summary:

Stephanie and Fletcher learn about names

Chapter Text

"How are they able to control us so easily sometimes?" Stephanie asked as Skulduggery showed her and Fletcher around the base.

"Quite easily," the skeleton responded. "All they have to do is know your name."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone has three names," he told her. "A given name, a taken name, and a true name." He looked at her. "Do you know what your name is?"

"Of course I do," she said. "Stephanie Edgley."

"Wrong."

She scowled. "I think I'd know my own name."

"Stephanie Edgley is your given name, the one your parents handed you when you were born. Someone who knows your given name and knows what to do with it can have some degree of control over you. That's why you take a name. It binds and protects your given name."

"So what's my true name, then?" Stephanie asked.

He shrugged. "I don't know. No one does but you, deep down in your subconscious. If someone knows your true name, they can have complete control over you. You become little more than a puppet."

"Why couldn't they control Fletcher like the rest of us?" she asked. Both looked over at the blonde.

"I changed my name when I ran away, before the Sentinels got me," he informed them. "So I guess that counts as taking a name, right?"

Skulduggery nodded. "It does." He looked back at Stephanie. "When taking a name, it's important to pick something that suits you and defines you. You might already know it, whether you realize it or not. It's important to think long and hard when taking a name, it stays with you for centuries."

"What made you pick the name 'Skulduggery Pleasant'?" Fletcher asked. "You weren't... born a skeleton, were you?"

He laughed. "Not at all," he said, but didn't elaborate further.

Stephanie frowned to herself. If she was staying here—and she was—she had to take a name, sooner rather than later. A name that suited and defined her...

She was going to need a little while to figure this one out.

Chapter 185: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 10

Summary:

Toby is insecure

Chapter Text

When Robert walked back into the bedroom, Toby was crying.

"Whoa, hey, what's wrong?" he asked, rushing over. He reached out to put a comforting hand on Toby's shoulder, but frowned when the smaller man just flinched away.

Toby curled into a ball, not looking at Robert. His shoulders shook as he frantically tried to wipe his eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered in a shaky voice.

Robert frowned. "For what?" he asked.

"For being so... pathetic," he said quietly. "For being weak. Not being strong enough for you. For letting myself get cursed." He sniffled. "I understand if you hate me."

That rendered Robert speechless for a long moment. From the look on Toby's face, it was too long.

"No," he said quickly. "No, I don't hate you, you dumbass. Christ, Toby, if I hated you I wouldn't be here right now."

"But... you deserve better," Toby insisted. "Someone you don't have to step in and protect. Someone who can take care of themselves, who doesn't just... burst into tears sometimes. I know I'm everything you don't want, Robert."

"Is that what you think?" Robert asked, concerned. "What, you think you're some kind of burden or something?" Toby nodded. "You're not!" the ex-hunter argued. "You're probably the best dad in this entire cul de sac, you've got a huge heart, you're fucking adorable... I fucking love you, Toby Miller."

Toby was quiet for a moment, taking that in. He ducked his head. "But you hate cryptids," he muttered. "And now I—"

"I don't care," Robert told him. "It wasn't your fault that witch decided to go crazy and curse you, and it's not your fault you're a polymorph. But being a polymorph doesn't change who you are as a person, Toby. And puddle of goo or not, you're still the same dork I met at the bar."

Toby was quiet for a long time as he slowly calmed down. "You... you mean all of that?" he asked hesitantly. "No punchline?"

"No punchline."

Seemingly without warning, Toby wrapped his arms about Robert tightly, burying his face in the crook of his neck. "I love you, too, Robert Small," he mumbled into the older man's shoulder.

Chapter 186: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 10

Summary:

Ron does sorcery

Chapter Text

Valkyrie sat on the desk, watching the students who had split off into groups. On one side of the room, students were pushing at air, while on the other side, they were clicking their fingers, trying to generate a spark.

Skulduggery was over with the air pushing kids, giving tips and pointers. All the same things he'd taught her when she first started learning.

Her eyes drifted back to the group clicking their fingers, which included Harry, Ron, and Hermione. None of them looked like they were having any luck.

She found herself wondering just how many of these students had the ability to do sorcery, and how long they'd be given to discover it. Just because they could do wand magic didn't mean they could throw fireballs, after all, and anyone who couldn't would just be wasting their time.

"Whoa!"

A startled shout shook her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see that the room had gone silent, eyes on Ron. His eyes were wide and he was just staring at his hand.

"Well done, Weasley," Skulduggery commented.

Valkyrie grinned, jumping off the table and walking over. "So, you did it?" she asked.

"Yeah," he breathed in disbelief. He clicked his fingers again, and frowned when nothing happened. He tried again and again, but there was no spark.

"Hey, relax," she told him. "It takes time, and stress and pressure don't exactly make it easy. But you're the first person to make any progress. And I mean in the entire school. You, Ron Weasley, are the first Hogwarts student to show any kind of aptitude for sorcery."

She watched as her words sunk in, and a grin spread across his face. She clapped him on the shoulder, gave him a thumbs up and another grin, and headed back to the desk.

She kept her eyes on the redhead, waiting to see if he could do it again. She hadn't thought she'd be that great a teacher—she didn't have nearly enough patience for it—but she was proud, and genuinely happy for him. From everything she knew, the Weasley family was huge, and he was the second youngest. From the look on his face when she'd told him no one else had managed anything, she was pretty sure he'd never been told he was the best at something in his life.

She clicked her own fingers softly, watching the spark but not feeding any magic into it. She watched it fizzle out, and turned her gaze back to the class, once again wondering how many students they'd still have by the end of the year.

Chapter 187: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 6

Summary:

Evan finds out about Wanda

Chapter Text

"Yo, you didn't tell me you had a sister!"

Pietro stiffened and he slammed his book shut, looking at the doorway as Evan wandered into their room. In less than a second, Pietro was up, shutting the door, and back on his bed.

"Where did you hear that?" he asked, slightly panicked. If anyone else heard, if anyone found out about Wanda... With the way these people were, the second they found out a mutant was being incarcerated, they'd probably try to break her out or something. And if that happened, he was a dead man.

"I just overheard the professor and Auntie O talking about her," he said. "Something about some kind of visit coming up?"

Oh. They were trying to get clearance from the staff to let him in to talk to her. His heart pounded. This was real. It was going to happen. For the first time in years, he was going to see his sister.

The sister he'd abandoned.

"So c'mon man, spill." Evan sat on his own bed, leaning forward.

Pietro ran a hand through his hair, trying to settle on a good lie. But... he'd been making an effort to be more honest. He was trying to be a better person, the least he could do was answer a simple question.

"I... haven't seen her in years," he finally admitted. At Evan's questioning look, he continued, "When her powers started to manifest, when we were little, she'd... she'd throw these tantrums, she'd get so mad, and things would go flying, things would break... I got hurt. One day, Magneto decided he didn't wanna put up with her, so he locked her up in a crazy house."

"And you haven't gone to see her at all?" Evan asked, eyes wide.

Pietro shook his head rapidly. "No way," he said. "The last time she saw me, I was watching them cart her away while she was screaming for us to help her." His shoulders hunched slightly. "This doesn't leave this room, but Wanda terrifies me. I feel like the second she looks at me, I'm going to die."

Evan's brows furrowed. "Wait, so then why is there any kind of visit happening?"

He was quiet for a moment. "Because... we have a lot to work out. The professor thinks he can keep the peace, and I got the okay to get the hell outta there if I need to. She's scary, she's angry, she's violent, but... she's still my sister. And just letting her get locked up was... so far from okay."

"Is that why you never mentioned her before?" Evan asked. "I mean, all those times we hung out as kids, all those times you came over for dinner, I had no idea you had a sister."

Pietro nodded. "Be honest, Daniels, what would you have thought if I told you my twin sister was in the nut house?"

"She's your twin?" he asked. "Wow, I was thinking, like... younger sister. Damn, man..." He looked up. "But you're gonna work on things? Try to make up?"

Pietro frowned. "Why does that matter so much to you?" he asked.

"Dude, sometimes I wish I had a sibling, maybe even a twin," he said. "So the fact that you have that..." He shrugged. "I dunno, I guess I just want it to work out. This whole thing's a brand new start for you. Maybe it can be a new start for her, too?"

Pietro was quiet for a moment. "Yeah," he said softly. "Maybe..."

Chapter 188: Catra: Princess of Power 6

Summary:

Catra and Angella talk

Chapter Text

Catra's tail flicked idly back and forth as she sat at the windowsill, sword carefully laid in her lap as she looked out.

"Catra?"

She managed to not jump, but her hand wrapped around the sword's hilt and clutched it tightly. She couldn't believe she'd allowed someone to sneak up on her. That never would have happened in the Fright Zone. Bright Moon was making her lose her edge. It was making her soft.

"Your Highness," she gritted out.

A moment of silence passed between the two as Angella sat next to her, giving her enough room that she didn't feel boxed in.

"I spoke with Glimmer," she finally said.

"Yeah?" Catra asked. "You yell at her again?"

The queen sighed. "No," she said softly. "No, I didn't." Catra glanced at her, but Angella's gaze was to the sky. "I'm sorry."

Catra blinked. "Huh?"

Angella looked at her with a gentleness Catra had never known before. "I'm sorry for making you feel so upset, so wary. I worry about Glimmer, I worry about Bow, and I worry about you. We're at war, and regardless of what you can do, the fact remains that you're children. I get worried when Glimmer takes risks and puts herself in danger. And when I get worried, I can lash out."

"I noticed," Catra replied dryly.

The queen gave a soft chuckle. "I imagine you did." Her tone grew serious again. "I never gave any thought to the fact that you did, indeed, grow up in the Fright Zone. You were probably trained as a soldier from the moment you could walk." She looked back to the sky. "I know that it can't have been easy. A life of competition, of a life of violence, a life of fear."

Catra bristled. "I have no idea what you're talking about!" she hissed.

"Glimmer told me about Shadow Weaver," Angella said, unfazed. "And I can only imagine what that woman has put you through. I understand now why you feel the way you do. Why you act the way you do. But I want you to know that I would never do anything to harm any of you. I will be upset, I may yell, but I would never be like her. I promise you."

"Right..." Catra replied, unconvinced.

Angella gave a soft sigh and stood. She gently rested a hand on Catra's shoulder, and the teen hated how she flinched at the touch. "I know you don't believe me now," Angella said in a tone Catra couldn't identify. "But give me time, and I'll prove to you I speak the truth."

She pulled her hand away, and Catra just watched as she walked away, down the hall.

"Goodnight, Catra," she said in that same unidentifiable tone.

Catra turned back to the window, looking out to the Whispering Woods. "Night," she muttered.

Chapter 189: Beetle and Catastrophe 7

Summary:

Marinette meets Master Fu

Chapter Text

Minutes later found Marinette downstairs, her dad, Tom, humming the national anthem cheerily as he finished putting a batch of macaroons in a box. He handed her the box with a bright smile under his bushy mustache.

"Dad, these are so awesome!" Marinette exclaimed.

"Glad you like them," Tom replied.

"Thank you so much," Marinette continued. "My class will love them. You're the best!"

"We're the best," Tom corrected, ruffling his daughter's hair. "Thanks to your amazing designs." He picked up the sketchbook that had been open on the counter, revealing the same design on the box. Marinette had little doubt that it was also decorated on each macaroon. She hugged him tightly, and in doing so, dropped the macaroon box. Tom, thinking fast, stuck his foot out, catching them before they landed and went everywhere. He kicked them up into his hands before returning them to Marinette.

"Thanks," she said sheepishly, keeping a much better grip on them as she kissed both her parents goodbye. "See you tonight!" she called over her shoulder, running out the door. She managed to just stop herself from running into traffic as a car sped by. She sighed in a mixture of relief and exasperation. This was going to be a long, long day. When she looked up, she gasped. The light to walk was still red, but there was an old man slowly making his way through the crosswalk, seemingly unaware of the coming car. Thinking fast, Marinette ran into the street, grabbed the man by the hand, and pulled him toward the sidewalk, tripping on the curb in the process.

"Thank you, Miss," he said as she sat up, rubbing her head. No real damage done, but the box had landed on the sidewalk and opened, macaroons going everywhere. She counted eight on the pavement, and the rest were all jumbled in the box, far from the nice, neat order her father had placed them in. The man surveyed the mess. "What a disaster," he commented.

Marinette frowned as the light turned green and people started walking, stepping on the macaroons that fell out of the box. Plastering a smile on her face, she stood. "I'm no stranger to disaster," she assured him. "Besides, there's still a few left." She held the box out to the man, and he took one.

He took a bite and smiled. "Delicious," he told her, and despite the previous events, she beamed.

Her smile dropped, however, when she heard a bell in the distance. "No, I'm gonna be late!" she exclaimed. She bowed to the man quickly. "Have a nice day, sir!" she said before running off, hoping she could get to class before the final bell rung. As she left his sight, the man pulled out a small box, a miniature version of the one hidden in the gramophone. "Thank you very much, young lady," he said. He'd just found the first of the new Miraculous holders. No stranger to disaster... It might be an unusual pairing, and possibly even a risk, but the man was confident that this young girl would be up for the challenge.

Chapter 190: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 9

Summary:

Isaac and Ellie are recruited for the Callisto mission

Chapter Text

Isaac scowled at the man in front of him. "What the hell makes you think I'm gonna go anywhere near anything Marker related?" he snapped.

"Because you know them better than anyone," the man said. "You know how to build them, you know how to break them, and we need your skills on this mission. Mr. Clarke, we need your expertise."

"Like hell, you do," he said. "I'm done with all this shit. I've already seen two necromorph outbreaks, I'm not looking to find myself in the middle of a third."

"So help us shut it down!" the man retorted, raising his voice. He took a deep breath, regaining his composure. "Mr. Clarke. We don't know where these Markers come from. We don't know how they work, so any time one pops up on our radar, we want to shut them down."

"Yeah?" he asked sarcastically. "Bet the Unitologists love that."

The man smiled humorlessly. "They're not fans of our operation, no. But while we don't know what Convergence is, we know it's bad news. So we want it stopped."

"So go ahead," Isaac told him dryly. "But leave me out of it."

"Isaac," he heard from beside him, and he jumped, only then remembering that Ellie was here with him. "If you want to help stop all of this, this might be your chance."

He shook his head. "This sound just like the Aegis Seven and Titan. Just another Marker, not anything to do with the source. Leave me out of it."

The man regarded him for a moment. "If you do this for us," he finally said, "we'll leave you be afterwards. No matter what happens with the Markers in the future, any involvement from you will be of only your choice. You can live out your life, wherever you please, leaving the Markers, the necromorphs, and Convergence behind."

Not as behind as you'd think, Isaac thought to himself.

"All you have to do is agree to this one final mission."

Isaac was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. "I want a contract," he finally said. "I want it in writing, ironclad, that you'll leave me the fuck alone after this." When the man nodded, he looked back at Ellie.

She raised a brow. "Don't even think about telling me to stay behind," she told him, and he couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm going, too. Everyone needs a little backup they can trust, right?"

"Very well, then," the man said, standing. "I'll get that contract written up, and in a few days, Warren Terrill, the captain of this operation, will contact you." He nodded. "Thank you for your time."

And with that, he left.

Chapter 191: Teen Wolf/NCIS crossover 3

Summary:

The team meets Derek

Chapter Text

Stiles's gaze kept shifting from Derek to his team and back again. The others looked varying degrees of wary—except Gibbs, who he was pretty sure wasn't wary of anything—but at least Derek wasn't growling anymore.

Progress.

"So..." he said awkwardly. "Team, Derek. Derek, team."

Derek just stared at them, posture stiff and defensive. When Gibbs stepped forward to sit across from him, he growled.

"C'mon, Sourwolf," he groaned. "Play nice, I'm trying to convince them not to kill you."

To his surprise, while Derek didn't stop growling, he did get quieter.

"You're sure about this?" Tony asked.

Stiles nodded. "I am. I know Derek, he's not a murderer. He didn't do this."

"He's feral, Stiles," Ziva pointed out.

"Not completely," Stiles told her. "You all saw him when I walked in. Hell, look at him now!" He clenched his fists. "Derek's not all the way gone, I can bring him back, and I'm going to prove he's innocent."

"You don't think your judgment might be a little clouded?" McGee asked.

Stiles shrugged. "Maybe," he conceded. "But I'm still right. And I got the Director's okay on it." He looked at Gibbs, who still hadn't spoken a word. His eyes were on Derek, studying the werewolf. "Boss?"

He was met with a long silence.

"Okay," Gibbs finally said. He looked at Stiles. "If Hale didn't do it, that means we've got another feral out there."

"Or just a murderer werewolf who found a convenient scapegoat," Ziva commented. She tilted her head slightly. "So, werewolf expert, what do you think?"

Stiles paused. Even Gibbs was looking at him, waiting for an answer. He knew the older man was testing him, like he'd tested all the others before, and it just made him more nervous. Derek's freedom rested on his shoulders. Derek's life rested on his shoulders. "We run the investigation like normal," he finally said. "Have Abby run all the evidence, learn what we can from Ducky's autopsy. If we have a couple suspects, focus on any that might be werewolves."

"And where do we put him?" Tony asked with a raised brow. "We can't exactly let him roam free around the building, and there's no way we're letting him loose until we've got proof."

Stiles glared. "So 'innocent until proven guilty' doesn't apply to werewolves, too?" he asked. Tony had no response to that. "Someone stays with him at all times," he said. "We take shifts, maybe introduce him to Abby and Ducky. Someone has eyes on him, and he stays protected." He clenched his fists. "I don't want to risk anyone just looking for an excuse to kill him. We're doing this right, and that means no one else dies."

There was a beat of silence before Gibbs nodded. "Alright," he said standing up. "Stilinski, bring him to the bullpen."

Chapter 192: I Will Always Watch Over You 8

Summary:

Aftermath of the betrayal

Chapter Text

Kratos watched and Lloyd and the others escaped with the Renegades. They were weak, they were beaten, but they were escaping with their lives.

Good.

"Renegades," Lord Yggdrasil said with disdain. "As irritating as ever. Still, it is of little consequence." He looked at Kratos. "Kratos. Let us leave." And without waiting for a response, he vanished.

Kratos looked back at where his son and the others has gone. He knew he'd blown any chance he'd ever have at an actual relationship with his son. He had broken what trust they'd built, and he had little doubt Raine would tell him the truth. She didn't owe him anything, especially now.

But he'd do what he could. He could check in with Yuan, who would clearly have more communication with Lloyd. He could try to help from the shadows, point them in the right direction. He hadn't wanted to betray them, but he'd been in this so deep that he couldn't just turn his back on it all.

But he'd done his part. His job had been to deliver the Chosen to the Tower of Regeneration, and he'd done exactly that. It didn't matter that the transfer didn't happen, and now he could make his own decisions. Take his own actions and be the guiding hand they needed.

The look on Lloyd's face once the boy realized what was going on twisted his stomach. He'd never seen such an expression of hatred, betrayal, and hurt. He'd known it was only a matter of time, but somehow it still caught him off guard.

He doubted he'd ever earn back Lloyd's trust, or his respect. He could never be the father Lloyd wanted. But he'd do what he could.

"Don't die, Lloyd," he said quietly before leaving, following Lord Yggdrasil.

Chapter 193: Primal Spirit 10

Summary:

Claire officially meets Rexy

Chapter Text

Claire stood in front of the viewing window, looking out into the trees. This was the kind of space Indi would need in her new paddock. She was supposed to get even bigger than the T-Rex—Rexy, Owen had started calling her.

She studied the scenery, trying commit to memory what kind of things Indi might need, and how much space.

A feeling of curiosity flooded her mind, stronger than any feeling she'd picked up from the animals here at the park. Her eyes drifted to the clearing, and there she stood, the queen of Jurassic World.

The two just stared at each other, and she tried to project her own feeling of interest, like an attempted greeting.

There was a slight jolt of surprise, and Rexy tilted her head slightly, studying Claire through the glass. The feeling of curiosity changed into one of intrigue.

"Whoa," she breathed. The feelings she was getting from Rexy were strong, raw, and somehow both simplistic and complex. There was age, elegance, and strength. She was so different from Indi, the raptors.... any dinosaur she'd been around.

It was amazing.

"Hey."

Claire jumped, turning to see Owen standing by her side. "Owen!"

Owen nodded back out at Rexy. "Decided to say hi?"

"I came to get a look at T-Rex Kingdom," she told him. "As a size reference for Indi's new paddock. And she just... came over." She was quiet for a moment. "She's different."

Owen raised a brow.

"I don't know how to explain it," she continued. "But everything I got from her is stronger. Raw."

"Primal," he said.

"Yeah."

Owen looked back out the window as Rexy lumbered away. "You're right, she is different," he told her. "My raptors and Indi are the only ones I can get full sentences out of, but I'm usually able to pick up a word or two from even the pachys and the trikes. But her? Not a peep."

"Why?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Who knows? I think it might be because she's from the original park."

Claire's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"So much modification and refining has gone into the animals these days," he told her. "And their training and handling makes them more accustomed to humans. They can pick up on behaviors and they've heard a lot of human speech, they probably picked up a few words here and there. But everything I know about Jurassic Park says that they just filled in the gaps, that's it. No actual modifications. Nothing 'extra'. And after they were born, all the animals were just... put in their habitats and left to their own devices except feeding time."

"And you think that's why her emotions project stronger?" Claire asked.

He nodded. "Think about it. Without all that modern DNA in her system, except for some frog, that's old genetics. Ancient, long before human involvement at all. It's power, it's raw, and it's bared out in the open to anyone who can pick up on it." He glanced back at her. "You might actually have a stronger connection with her than I do."

"What do you mean?"

"My Primal Spirit is focused on distinct communication. Words," he explained. "Specifics. I can still pick up emotions, especially from my girls, but not as strongly as you do. But yours is rooted solely in emotion. She doesn't project any words, but you're a lot more open to receive whatever emotion she's broadcasting than I am."

She frowned. "But you get exact feelings from the raptors," she pointed out. "And you said that was how you found out about Indi."

"I have a bond with the raptors, I helped raise them. And Indi had enough raptor in her that her emotions were kind of... on a frequency I was already tuned into," he said. "But from anything else, any emotions I get are relatively dull. I know what they feel, but I don't usually feel them to my core."

"Like I do," Claire said quietly.

"Right," he confirmed. He gave a short laugh. "Who would've thought you of all people would be so emotionally in tune with dinosaurs?"

She tried to glare, but she couldn't stop the small smile from spreading.

Chapter 194: Secret of the Kaiju 6

Summary:

Chelsea has questions

Chapter Text

"Can I ask a couple questions?" Chelsea asked after they left the cemetery.

He glanced at her, all anger from before seemingly gone. "I'm surprised it took you think long to ask," he commented. "Shoot."

She opened her mouth, but suddenly wasn't sure what she should ask first. "So, how does... this... work?" she finally settled on, gesturing vaguely at him.

"If you're asking how it's physically possible, I couldn't tell you," he told her. "I have no idea where all the extra mass goes. But kaiju... after we reach a certain age—I can't give you an exact number—we can the ability. Me, Mothra, Rodan..."

"Could Ghidora do it?" she asked.

He scowled at the name. "I don't think so," he said. "First, he was from space, the same rules don't apply. Second, how the hell would something with three heads be able to change into one human?"

"DID?" she guessed. "But, um... How many times have you done this?"

"Only about five," he said. "I usually ended up staying in the background, not really drawing attention to myself. That's kind of the whole point."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I do this to get some privacy," he said. "Especially now, after the thing with the MUTOs, and then Ghidorah. There were too many eyes on me, and..." He looked back over his shoulder, even though the cemetery was out of view. "I'd lost the only human I could trust. The ocean is a big place, with plenty of places to hide, but the longer I was hidden, the harder they'd look."

"And then I come along and ruin everything," Chelsea mumbled.

"Hm?"

"I said, and then I come along and ruin everything," she repeated. At his look, she explained, "The whole point was to hide from the prying eye, especially Monarch. Then you meet me, I drag you into my father's research, and I get us caught. By Monarch."

"It was good while it lasted," he commented. "But there's something good that came out of it."

"What do you mean?"

He gave her a small smile. "I have someone in my corner again."

"Yeah, but I can't do a whole lot, I'm only a teenager," Chelsea pointed out. "Dr. Serizawa was an influential scientist."

"Which you can be, one day," he pointed out. "You can do anything you want to, Chelsea."

That made her smile. Her expression turned thoughtful. "One more question."

"Shoot."

"Why a high schooler?"

He laughed. "Be honest," he said. "Would you have thought to look for the king of the monsters in high school?"

Chapter 195: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 9

Summary:

Becker is left to care for Sid and Nancy

Chapter Text

Becker tossed his keys onto the counter and sank down into the couch when he reached it.

Connor was gone. The anomaly had closed, meaning Connor, Abby, and Danny were trapped in some kind of hell dimension. Why couldn't Helen have escaped through any the of less volatile planes?

Becker wished he could have followed. He'd wanted to follow, but Connor made him stay.

He looked over at the shelf by the television, with all Connor's nerdy DVDs, his figurines, and the signed Star Wars poster he hadn't found anywhere to put up yet. He could feel his eyes burning, and the next thing he knew, he was crying.

"Dammit, Temple," he said softly, putting his head in his hands.

Something knocked against his boot, and the small snuffling sound made him look down to see Nancy, one of Connor's rock moles, nudging his foot. Sid ambled over an looked up at him, head tilted. He made that strange chirp-squeak and nudged his other foot.

"No," he said quietly. "Connor's not coming home."

At those words, his shoulders started shaking, and he shoved his palms into his eyes. He forced himself to calm down. With Connor gone, these two were now solely his responsibility. He didn't know what they'd be doing with Abby's pygmy dragon, but he wasn't letting Sid and Nancy get taken away to who knows where.

Connor would never forgive him.

Taking a few unnecessary breaths, the vampire moved down onto the floor, where Nancy immediately settled into his lap. Side tried to climb on one of his legs. Neither were allowed on the couch. He ran his hand over their shells. "I'm sorry," he told them softly. "I'm sorry I couldn't save him."

Sid chirp-squeaked again and moved up until he was right by Becker's hip. He snuggled in, curling up like an armadillo, and made a small, sad noise.

Not long after, Nancy did the same, and Becker's heart broke.

They realized their daddy wasn't coming back.

Chapter 196: My Car Broke Down 5

Summary:

Claudia finds out Breakdown can talk

Chapter Text

Claudia grinned as she walked into the garage. Between artifact retrieval and inventory in the Warehouse, it had taken her well over a month, but she'd finally done it. The old junker she'd found was fixed, cleaned, polished, and ready to drive.

If she could ever figure out how to start the thing. And if there was a way to remove the cannon up top. That was a little much.

She got into the driver's seat and started feeling around the wheel, but she couldn't find any kind of key hole. There was some insignia on the wheel, one she didn't recognize. It, along with the rest of the dash, suddenly lit up, making Claudia jump. How had she done that?

"What the scrap?" she heard, the voice surrounding her, like it was coming from the car itself.

"Holy Toledo!" she exclaimed, jumping out and slamming the door. "What the hell was that?"

The engine revved. "Where am I?" the voice asked.

"Um... South Dakota?" she said, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from. It still sounding like it was coming from the car. "Who said that?"

"I did," the car said, and she stared for a moment before stepping forward. "I don't understand, I thought I was gone."

"You, um... I got you from the junk yard. You were in... you were in pretty bad shape, so I fixed you up. So... how are you talking?"

There was a moment of quiet.

"You fixed me?" the car asked.

She shrugged. "Yeah. It was a fun little pet project. Do... you have a name?"

"Breakdown," he replied, and she snorted.

"What, so Breakdown broke down?" she asked. "What are you, anyway?"

"I'm a Decepticon," he told her.

"Uh-huh, and that's... what, exactly?"

It got quiet again, and even though there were any eyes that she could see, Claudia felt like Breakdown was studying her.

"It's a long story, kid."

Chapter 197: Beetle and Catastrophe 8

Summary:

The first fight against Stoneheart

Chapter Text

The other half of the class was still in the stadium when Stoneheart arrived, standing on the top of the stands. "Kiiiim!" he yelled, causing all the students to look up. "So, who's the wuss now?!"

Everyone else ran, but Kim was frozen in place as Stoneheart jumped down, landing dangerously close to him. He tried to run, but tripped. Before Stoneheart could grab him, though, a red-clad figure landed between them.

"It's not nice to pick on people smaller than you are," Beetle chastised.

"I guess you're talking about yourself," Stoneheart shot back. He went to swat and the hero, but Beetle jumped out of the way, dodging every hit that came his way. Eventually, he jumped, letting his yoyo loose, hoping to wrap around his head or something to pull him somewhere. His aim was off, however, and the yoyo just smacked the villain in the forehead. The impact caused Stoneheart to glow, and then he grew.

"Uh oh," Beetle muttered. "Where are you, partner?" he called out.

Marinette watched nervously from atop the stands. She didn't like seeing Beetle fighting all on his own, but what was she supposed to do? Her power was supposed to be destruction, but she didn't want to hurt anyone. "I can't do this," she said to herself. Her thoughts were cut off, though, when Stoneheart threw one of the football goals. Following its trajectory, she saw Alya in its path. Beetle hurled his yoyo, catching it on one of the posts. To everyone's surprise, including his own, he was able to pull it back just enough to avoid hitting the girl. The moment was short lived, however, when he was grabbed by Stoneheart.

Alya looked up to see Marinette standing there. "What are you waiting for?" she called up. She held up her phone. "The world is watching you!"

She gulped before gathering her nerve. She once again extended her stick, propelling herself forward and once she was on the ground, she swept it under the villain's legs, catching him off guard and making him lose his balance. He dropped Beetle, but as Stoneheart fell, he grew again.

"What the...?"

"Hitting him just makes him grow bigger," Beetle informed her. "I found that out the hard way."

Marinette nodded. "I'm really sorry I took so long, Beetle."

"It's cool, kitten," he told her with a wink.

"Not calling myself Kitten, either," she informed him. "So, what do we now?"

"How about we use our powers?" he asked. "Lucky Charm!" He tossed his yoyo up, and in a flash of light, an object dropped down into his hands. "A... wetsuit? How is this supposed to help?"

Marinette looked around before her eyes landed on the villain again. "He never opens his right fist," she said.

"And that helps us... how?" Beetle asked, still looking around. She noticed his eyes lock on something every so often.

"What if the akuma is in whatever he's holding?" she proposed. "We just have to open his hand, get whatever that item is, and break it."

"What are you talking about, breaking something?" he asked, confused.

She stared at him for a brief moment. "Your kwami didn't tell you what you're supposed to do?"

"I... got a little excited about being a superhero, I guess," he confessed sheepishly.

Marinette sighed. "Well, mine told me that we have to break whatever item the akuma is in, and then you have to capture it."

"Capture it? How?"

"Don't look at me," she said defensively. "My kwami never told me that part. He probably expected yours to tell you."

She saw him bite his lip. "Sorry, Tikki," he said quietly. Tikki must be the name of his kwami, then. He looked back at Marinette. "So, we have to get the item and break it. Sounds easy enough."

"Except for the fact that it's in a rock fist," Marinette reminded him. "So, do you have any ideas?"

Beetle nodded. "I think so." He put the hose by their feet in the wetsuit before wrapping the yoyo around Marinette's legs. "Trust me, 'kay?" And for some really bizarre reason, even though she'd only just met him, she did. Marinette was grabbed by a stone fist midair, and felt the wind slightly knocked out of her. Okay, she hadn't quite been expecting that.

With her still in Stoneheart's hand, Beetle launched himself toward the creature, causing him to open his right hand. A crumpled piece of paper fell to the ground.

"Okay, we're both caught, now what?" Marinette asked.

Beetle looked over at Alya. "Hey, you! Could you, y'know...?" He nodded his head in the direction of the water tap. Luckily, Alya seemed to get the memo and ran to it, turning it on. The water ran through the hose, into the wetsuit, which expanded, forcing Stoneheart to drop the hero. Without wasting any time, he ran over to the fallen paper, ripping it. A black and purple butterfly flew out of it, flying away. Marinette watched it, worried. She didn't know what would happen, since it wasn't captured, but there was no way for her to do anything, since she had no idea how to even direct Beetle into doing so.

She felt the rock fist around her suddenly loosen and she was falling. She landed hard on her butt, and so did Ivan. A few seconds later, the rocks disappeared. Beetle looked much more relaxed, and Marinette saw the ripped paper by his feet become whole again. "Hey, Beetle!" she called, before pointing to the crumpled paper. He looked at it, and when she held her hand up, he tossed it to her. She walked over to Ivan as he looked around, looking confused.

"What's going on?" Ivan asked. "What am I doing here?"

"Wow," Marinette said as Beetle walked over. "You're... really good at this."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "Couldn't have done it without you, kitty cat."

She shook her head. "Not Kitty Cat, either."

He shrugged. "You're gonna have to pick something soon," he commented. "Hey, how come you didn't use your power?" he suddenly asked, and she looked away.

"I... My power is destruction. I destroy what I touch. So... I was afraid, I guess," she said honestly. "What if I hurt someone?"

"I don't think you would," he told her. He held up a fist, and nodded at her encouragingly. She smiled back a little and her fist met his.

"Pound it!" they said together, and somehow, it sounded... right.

Almost immediately after, Beetle's pins started to beep. Most of the spots were already gone. "You should get going," Marinette told him. "You're about to transform back, and no one can know our identities. Not even each other. Your kwami told you that, at least?"

He nodded slightly. "Yeah... See you again soon, Alley Cat!" And with that, he was gone, swinging away.

"I'm not—oh, whatever." She shook her head before turning to look at Ivan. She uncrumpled the paper and read softly to herself, "You haven't got the guts to tell Mylène you love her. Wuss." She frowned, walking over to Ivan and kneeling next to him.

"Kim wrote it," he told her. "He makes fun of me."

Marinette offered him a comforting smile. "You shouldn't get so upset about this," she told him encouragingly. "There's no shame in telling someone you love them."

"Uncanny, amazing, spectacular!" a familiar voice exclaimed, and Marinette looked over to see Alya with her phone out. "Are you gonna be protecting Paris from now on? How did you get your powers? I've got a ton of questions to ask you, Miss, uh...?"

Marinette had started to walk away, but she paused, turning back. She still didn't have a name for herself. Crap. "Um..." She laughed nervously. "I'm... still working on that. But my partner, his name is Beetle. He's... he's probably the one you want to talk to." She plastered a smile on her face before extending her stick, rising above the stadium and letting herself fall toward the roof.

Chapter 198: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 13

Summary:

Valkyrie runs into Carol

Chapter Text

Valkyrie knew she was taking a huge risk. Being anywhere near her house was dangerous, there was no telling when Cite would be around, and she might be able to sense Valkyrie's magic just by proximity, and the cloaking sphere would be useless.

But she had to make sure her family was alright.

She looked around as she walked. Things had changed since she'd been taken. She'd been gone for four years now. Her family might not even recognize her if she showed up on their doorstep. Not that she was planning on it.

She was just passing a fast food place when someone was walking out. She glanced over and stopped. "Carol?" she whispered, even though she knew her cousin wouldn't hear her.

Carol looked absolutely miserable. She'd gained weight—too much weight—over the years, and she looked on the verge of tears.

Valkyrie knew she should turn and walk away. She had to move on, to find out how to seal her true name, and she couldn't risk getting caught. But...

She quickly crossed the road, following her cousin until they were by the pier. She looked around, and once she decided they were alone, she twisted the halves of the cloaking sphere toward each other, and the bubble retracted.

"Carol?" she said softly.

The blonde jumped, turning toward her. Her eyes widened. "Stephanie...?" she breathed.

Valkyrie stuck the cloaking sphere back in her pocket, walked over, and hugged Carol. "I've missed all of you."

"How... how are you here?" Carol asked. "I don't understand."

When she pulled back, Valkyrie said, "A few weeks after I was taken to a camp, it was broken into by the Resistance. I've been with them basically this whole time."

"You're fighting the Sentinels?" Carol asked.

Valkyrie nodded. "Yep. I'm even learning magic from Skulduggery Pleasant himself."

"The living skeleton?"

"That's the one."

"Wow," Carol said softly. She looked Valkyrie up and down. "You look great."

"Thanks," she said with a small smile. "How have things been, is everyone alright?"

"Well," Carol started. "Crystal's gotten really skinny... Probably dangerously skinny, but she keeps wanting to lose more weight, and I just... I don't know what to do." She frowned. "I want to help, and I can't, and I eat when I'm upset, and look at me. I'm fat." She wiped her eyes. "But your mum and dad are fine. We all miss you, all the time, and we all tell Alice what a great—"

"Alice?" Valkyrie asked, confused.

Carol blinked. "Oh," she said. She smiled. "You've got a little sister. Her name's Alice, she's really sweet, and we always make sure to tell her what a great big sister she's got."

Valkyrie found herself grinning. A baby sister. She had a baby sister!

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, Steph, because I am, but... what are you doing here? Isn't this dangerous?"

"Yeah," Valkyrie admitted. "I have some... important personal business that I couldn't take care of with the Resistance, so I went off on my own for a while. And I know it was probably a stupid thing to do, but... I wanted to just make sure everyone was okay." She gave a smile. "But I'm gonna make sure we end this thing once and for all. Then I can come home, and we can just... all be a family again."

"You really think you can do that?" Carol asked.

Valkyrie nodded. "I do. I don't know when, but I will come home. I promise."

"Can't wait," her cousin said with a smile. "I guess you have to get going?"

She nodded again. "Please don't tell anyone I was here." She started to walk off when she paused. "Fergus is there, too. In the Resistance."

"Dad is?" Carol asked quietly. "How is he?"

"He's fine," she assured her. "Grumpy, but fine."

Carol gave a small laugh. "That sounds like Dad. Take care, Stephanie," she told her. "Be safe."

"I'll do my best," she promised, and walked off into the night, reactivating the cloaking sphere.

Chapter 199: Ragtag Team of Heroes 3

Summary:

Jake gets recruited

Chapter Text

Jake frowned in confusion at the knock at the door.

"You expecting anyone, Jake?" Haley asked from the couch, visiting for the weekend.

He shook his head. "Not that I know," he said, opening the door.

"Jake Long?" the woman at the door asked. She wore a nice suit and sunglasses.

"Uh... yes?"

"My name is Agent Sylvo," she told him, taking her sunglasses off. "May I came in?"

Not knowing what else to do, Jake just stepped aside. Agent Sylvo stepped inside.

Haley raised a brow. "Geez, Jake, what'd you do?"

Agent Sylvo smiled. "He's done nothing wrong. You must be Haley." Without waiting for a reply, she turned back to Jake. "Mr. Long," she started, and he grimaced. "We need your help."

"My help?" he asked. "Why me?"

She sighed. "To put it simply... our world is under attack. There are these being from some alternate dimension that some people have closely compared to demons, and we need them stopped."

Jake blinked. "Uh-huh..." he said slowly.

"We're putting together a team," the woman continued. "A team to take these things down, find the source, and stop it once and for all. And we want you on it."

"Why me?" he asked.

"Because we know you'll be able to hold your own, with your dragon powers," she told him.

"Oh. You know."

She nodded. "We know."

"But... The magical community needs the Am-Drag," he pointed out. "I can't just... take off."

"Jake," Haley said, completely turned around and resting her arms on the back of the couch. "I'm the reserve American Dragon, remember? I got this. You go on and save the world, 'kay?"

Jake thought for a long moment before turning to Agent Sylvo. "Alright," he agreed. "I just gotta let a few people know I'm gonna be gone."

Agent Sylvo nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Long. We'll be in touch."

Chapter 200: The Witch's Daughter 7

Summary:

Dean confronts Cas

Chapter Text

"Why?" Dean snapped, cold irritation in his voice.

Cas's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why what?" he asked, and his genuine tone just pissed Dean off even more.

"Are you seriously asking that question?!" He gestured to his body. "Why the hell would you bring me back like this?"

"I don't understand," Cas told him.

"As a woman, Cas," he said tersely.

"But that's the body you died in," the angel stated. "It's the one you've had for the past twelve years. I assumed it was the one you were used to."

"Just because I'm used to it doesn't mean it's what I want!" he said. "Hell, Cas, I'm a guy! This?" He motioned to himself again. "This is not a guy's body! I want my body."

"I'm sorry," Cas said, and Dean could almost imagine he meant it. "There's nothing I can do about it now. I didn't realize how important it would have been."

"Of course it's important!" Dean snapped, fists clenched. "All of this is wrong. All of it. I haven't actually felt right since I was sixteen, before that witch got me." He hated that his eyes were starting to burn. "God dammit, Cas, why don't you get that?"

Cas was quiet for a moment. "I didn't realize how important gender could be to humans," he said. "A body is a body, I assumed that was enough."

"Yeah?" Dean asked. "Well you were wrong." The first tear fell, and it only made him angrier. "It wouldn't have been that hard, would it?"

"Before, no," Cas confessed. "Reconstructing your body while you weren't in it would have been easy."

He nodded. "Okay. So just kill me again, fix it, and bring me back."

Cas shook his head. "I can't do that, Dean."

"Sure you can, I've got a shit ton of guns. And knives. Take your pick."

"I can't do that because you're too important," he elaborated. "It's too risky. I'm sorry, Dean."

Dean just glared at him, not trusting his voice now. He didn't want the angel to hear how choked up he might get. Without another word, he turned on his heel and stalked away.

If Cas couldn't be bothered to help him, why should he?

Chapter 201: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 7

Summary:

Oliver comes home

Chapter Text

Oliver stared out the window, fully aware of the woman in the hallway, watching him. He didn't look at her, because looking at her would instigate a conversation, and there was still too much for him to sort through in order to have any interaction with anyone the old Oliver knew.

He wondered if she was one of the faces that had flashed through his mind when he'd killed the man. He couldn't immediately identify any of them, and he hadn't had any time within the past five years to sit down and sort through everything. All the people he knew, all the places he'd been, experiences he'd be expected to 'remember'...

The door opened, and the woman walked in. "Oliver?" she whispered. Oliver turned to look at her, his face remaining neutral. The two stared at each other. He was pretty sure she looked overcome with emotion, which gave him time. Eventually, a name slotted into place.

"Mom..."

She seemed to snap out of it and approached him, wrapping her arms around him. He stiffened, expecting an attack of some sort. But when her grip did nothing more than just hold him in place, he relaxed. Sara had done this after they found each other, he recalled. It was a human gesture of affection. Very slowly, he brought his arms up to wrap around her, as well.

"The doctors say I'll be able to bring you home soon," she told him.

He just nodded. "Okay," he said. He tried for a smile. "Can't wait."

-

Oliver had spent the entire night sorting through everything he'd gotten when he first transformed. 'Mom' was the name given by a child to their carrier. 'His' mom's real name was Moira.

He hadn't been able to get a good grasp on what kind of person Oliver Queen was supposed to be, and before being rescued, he hadn't had to worry about that. The only person he'd met that the old Oliver knew was Sara, and she'd had enough problems of her own to deal with without worrying about however different he might be.

He was once again looking out the window as the car took him to the large mansion he was certain belonged to the Queen family. He ran through the people he was supposed to know once again. Mom. Dad, already dead. Thea, the sister. Laurel, the girlfriend. Tommy, the best friend. He couldn't help but marvel at the relationships humans formed. Mated pairs joined for the primary purpose of procreation. They were usually friends, but there was almost never any 'love' involved, and hatchlings had no close ties to their carrier, sire, or broodmates. Family was not a priority like it was here, and he didn't know how he'd manage to handle that.

He was quick to grab his case after the car stopped and he was let out, and followed the driver up the steps and through the door. He saw Mom—Moira—approaching him, but coming from another direction was an unfamiliar man.

"Welcome home, Oliver," the man said, holding out a hand to shake. Oliver did so, but just stared at the man. He had no idea who he was. "It's damn good to see you."

"Oliver, you remember Walter," Moira said. "Your father's friend from the company."

"Right," he said. "Walter." He gave the man a smile. He had no memory of him.

Footsteps on the stairs caught his attention, and he looked up. Thea.

"Ollie?" she whispered.

"Hey, Thea," he said with the same smile he knew the old Oliver would have given her.

She came flying down the stairs and nearly threw herself on him in a hug. He caught her easily, and he just knew that he wanted to protect her. Anything he could do, he would.

"I knew you were still alive," she whispered.

He just smiled.

Chapter 202: Man, Woman, or Beast 11

Summary:

Vani gets ready for her wedding

Chapter Text

Vani scowled at the dress she was presented with. She shook her head.

"Come on, Vani," Leliana told her as the handmaiden holding the dress—Imogen's—shoulders slumped. "It's your wedding day, you must wear a dress."

Vani shook her head again. "No," she said.

"It's beautiful, though!" the bard exclaimed. "And it's just for one day."

"Beautiful will not do me good in a fight," she pointed out.

Leliana laughed. Imogen looked horrified. "It's your wedding day, Vani," Leliana repeated. "Don't go into it expecting a fight."

"Please," Imogen said.

Vani raised a brow at her and looked back at the dress. "No."

Imogen looked like she was about to cry. She was probably already hating her job as the queen-to-be's handmaiden. "But..."

Leliana set a hand on the girl's shoulders. "It's alright. Let me handle this." She smiled reassuringly before looking back at Vani. "It is only for a few hours," she said. "I know you are uncomfortable out of your armor. But imagine how you are going to look in this dress!"

"I don't care," Vani pointed out.

"You don't want to be beautiful?" Leliana asked.

"I don't want to be vulnerable."

Leliana smiled at her. "My dear friend, you would not be vulnerable even if you walked out there naked. You know Alistair is waiting for you. Please, just put the dress on, and go out and see him."

Vani was quiet for a long moment. The nobility would only bear down on Alistair even more if she showed up to their wedding in her armor. She knew there were many compromises she would have to make, and she would make them for Alistair. Within reason. He'd lost his mentor, who he'd respected more than anyone else, his brother, and now the weight of a kingdom rested on his shoulders.

The least she could do was wear a dress for a few hours.

"Okay," she finally relented. Imogen's stiff posture relaxed, and Leliana clapped excitedly. "But do not play dress up. I will wear the dress, and that is it."

The look on Leliana's face was already making her regret her decision.

Chapter 203: Small Town, Big Secrets 6

Summary:

Zane secretly watches over Jo on the full moon

Chapter Text

Zane hung around outside the sheriff's office until the moon came out. He waited a few extra seconds before slipping inside.

The big, black wolf was pacing in the cell, and she growled as Zane as soon as she smelled him.

"Hey, hey, calm down," he said, but she only growled louder the closer he got. "I'm just here to make sure no one else finds out."

The growling didn't let up, and even though he knew she couldn't understand him, he continued on.

"Yeah, I know the door's locked, but I got in." He shrugged. "Anyone else gets curious, they're gonna come in, see you naked, and then see you change. And I'm sure you'd find some way to blame me for it."

He reached into the small bag he'd brought and opened a package of frozen meat. Steak, he was pretty sure.

Jo's growling stopped for a second and her ears perked up at the sound of the tearing plastic, and her eyes locked onto the steak.

"You want it?" he asked, and found himself so grateful she probably wouldn't remember this. She'd probably actually kill him if she caught him treating her like a dog. "Here." He tossed it into the cage, and she immediately dug in. He watched, equal parts intrigued and disturbed, before grabbing a chair and seating himself in front of the cell, about a foot away, and turned to face the door. He pulled out his book and starting to read, hearing the restless movement behind him.

Spending all night in a tiny holding cell couldn't be fun for a wolf.

-

The sun was just starting to show through the windows when Zane picked up his bag, put the chair back, and slipped out, unnoticed by the antsy werewolf. Ideally, she'd have no idea he'd even been there.

It'd be his little secret.

Chapter 204: Detour Through the Hellmouth 8

Summary:

Giles calls Bobby

Chapter Text

Giles paced in his office, waiting for the phone to be picked up. "Come on, pick up the bloody phone," he muttered.

"What?"

"Hello, Bobby, this is Rupert Giles," he started.

"Hey, Ripper, been a while," Bobby Singer said.

"I have some questions," Giles said. "About Dean Winchester."

There was a pause. "Why?" Bobby finally asked.

"He was dragged to Hell, correct?" he asked, ignoring the question.

"Yeah," Bobby told him. "Why?" he repeated.

"What, um... What would you assume the likelihood to be of a hellbound soul getting stuck on the Hellmouth?" Giles asked slowly.

A longer pause. "What happened?"

Giles sighed. "A student here are Sunnydale, one Buffy's friends—"

"The Slayer?" Bobby clarified.

"Yes. The boy, Xander... he appears to be... partially possessed by... at least someone claiming to be Dean," Giles said.

"Define 'partially' possessed."

"Well," Giles stated, "he's not the one in control all the time. Or even most of the time. Xander describes it as Dean living inside his head. He can hear him speak, and Dean can sometimes take control."

"So, what, you're saying Dean got lost?" Bobby didn't sound convinced. Giles didn't blame him, it sounded ridiculous.

"I'm saying he appears to have gotten stuck."

"If it's actually Dean."

"We holy water tested him," Giles said helpfully. "There was no reaction. Is it possible?"

"Son of a bitch..." Bobby muttered. "Let me talk to the kid."

"Tomorrow," Giles told him. "It's late."

"Tomorrow," Bobby relented. "Or I'm driving down there myself."

Chapter 205: The Mutation Situation 10

Summary:

Tony and Peter talk

Chapter Text

"Hey, kid," Tony said, knocking on the door as Peter finished pulling his shirt on. "You decent yet?"

Peter opened the door. He grinned. "Thank you, thank you, Mr. Stark," he said.

Tony smiled easily in return. "No problem." He nodded to the bed, smile dropping. "Sit. We need to talk."

Peter's brows furrowed in confusion, but complied. Tony looked mad at him. But why would Tony be mad at him?

Tony stared at him for a long moment before saying, "Why the hell didn't you say anything?"

"Huh?"

"May said that the morning before it happened, you felt sick," he said. "You knew something was going on, why wouldn't you tell anyone? Christ, Pete, we almost killed you."

Peter looked down at his hands. "I know... but I didn't want anyone to worry..."

Tony raised a brow. "Because making us all think you got eaten by a giant mutant spider is so much better."

"I didn't know what was going to happen..."

"So it just came out of nowhere."

"Well..." Peter looked down at his hands. "I kind of... started to have the legs..."

"What?"

"There there these little... I dunno, mini-legs in my stomach, when I woke up, and then later the fangs happened..."

"And that's why you had the scarf," Tony guessed.

"Yeah..."

Tony shook his head. "Next time something weird starts to happen, just tell us, alright? That could've ended really badly."

"I know..."

Tony sighed. "Look, kid, I'm not mad." He paused. "Okay, I'm a little mad, but only because you were being an idiot."

"I'm sorry..."

"Just don't do it again," Tony said, his smile returning. "Now, c'mon, why don't you call you aunt, let her know you're alright?"

Peter nodded, then frowned. "She's gonna be mad too, isn't she?"

"Probably."

Peter groaned.

Chapter 206: Avatar: The Banished Prince 7

Summary:

Azula tracks Zuko down

Chapter Text

"Oh, wow," Azula said with a laugh. "So it's true. You really are the Avatar."

"What do you want, Azula?" Zuko asked sharply.

She continued on like she hadn't heard him. "Honestly, when Admiral Zhao sent word, I almost didn't believe it." She grinned. "That must have stung. All this time, you were looking for the Avatar, only to find out it's all been a waste of time."

"Are you here to kill me?" he asked, ignoring the looks from the others.

Azula laughed. "Kill you? No, no, Zuzu, I just want to bring you home," she told him.

He heard Sokka snort behind him. "Zuzu?" he asked quietly, but Zuko didn't even look.

"I'm not going back," he told her.

She pouted. "And here I thought you'd be jumping at the chance to return to the Fire Nation and restore your honor. We could use the Avatar on our side, Zuko. All you have to do is come with me."

If she'd made that offer months ago, he might have taken it. He might have gone with her without a second thought, abandoned the world just to try to make his father proud.

But not anymore. He'd seen exactly what the Fire Nation did to the rest of the world, how they invaded and conquered and subjugated. He didn't want any part in it.

"No," he said. "What the Fire Nation is doing is wrong. They're not spreading peace and prosperity or whatever other lies they tell everyone. The Fire Nation is tearing the world apart." He narrowed his eyes. "And it's the Avatar's duty to restore balance."

She scoffed. "Looks like someone's spent a little too much time with our 'dear' uncle," she said, shaking her head. "It's a shame, Father would have welcomed you with open arms."

"No, he wouldn't," Zuko argued. "And I know that now. I'm not going back, Azula. If you want to take me back, you'll have to drag me."

A wicked grin spread across her face, and he was already taking a defensive stance in response. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Chapter 207: I Will Always Watch Over You 9

Summary:

Raine debates if she should tell Lloyd

Chapter Text

She didn't understand. Kratos had made it clear that all he wanted to do was make sure Lloyd was alright, to protect him, to watch him grow. He'd never wanted to hurt Lloyd in any way.

Then again, it was pretty clear now that Kratos was a liar.

Raine started to question everything he'd told her. That Lloyd was his son, she knew he was being honest. She picked up on his micro-expressions, his body language, his attitude, and it all lined up in a way impossible to fake. But everything else...

Kvar had confirmed that Kratos had been the one to kill Lloyd's mother, and that it was because she'd become a monster, but what about the rest of t? Had he really gone back and looked? Or had he just walked away?

If he was being honest—though that wouldn't explain why he'd betrayed them all—at least it explained why he didn't want to tell Lloyd. If he did care about what the boy thought of him, he wouldn't have wanted him to know. And the feeling of a comrade betraying them had to hurt significantly less than a father.

She'd promised Kratos she wouldn't tell Lloyd, even though she was pretty sure he should know. But she'd made that promise under the assumption that he was their friend. She had no obligation to keep it now.

Raine looked over at Lloyd, who was still fuming over it all. Angry at the lies, the betrayal, and what had happened to Colette... Telling him would make it so much worse, and she wasn't sure she wanted to do that. He had enough to deal with.

This could wait.

Chapter 208: Teen Wolf/NCIS crossover 4

Summary:

Derek is left with Ducky

Chapter Text

Stiles frowned even before the elevator doors opened. He knew Derek was going to hate autopsy for so many reasons. The smell, the strangers that might come... and Stiles wasn't going to be there with him.

Once the doors opened and he exited, he looked back to see Derek still standing there. Stiles sighed, reaching his hand in to stop the elevator before it closed. "Come on, Derek."

The werewolf just shook his head, nose scrunched up.

"I know, it smells awful in here, but I have to go for a while and I'm not letting them lock you up again." He nodded toward the autopsy doors. "Ducky's in there. You remember Ducky, right?"

Derek gave a quiet sigh and after a moment, stepped out to follow him. He seemed very reluctant, but Stiles still counted it as a victory.

"Hey Ducky!" he called as the two of them entered autopsy.

"Ah, Stiles!" the old man said with a smile. "I was wondering when you were going to get here." At the younger man's confused expression, he explained, "Tony told me I'd be watching Derek while you went back out."

"Right," Stiles said with a nod. He turned to Derek. "Please, just... behave. Most people here still think you're dangerous." A pause. "Okay, you are dangerous, but I mean to us." He placed a hand on the werewolf's shoulder. "Please don't let me be wrong, okay?"

Derek leaned into the touch slightly, and Stiles figured that was the closest he'd get to a confirmation. Regardless, he'd take it.

Stiles turned to Ducky. "Okay, just... No sudden movements, no loud noises." He gave the medical examiner a meaningful look. "No treating him like an animal."

"Of course," Ducky agreed readily.

Stiles gave him one final look, patted Derek's arm once, gave a final, "See you later," and left.

-

Ducky leaned over the body that had just been brought in, beginning the Y-incision but glancing occasionally at Derek as he did so. The man had barely reacted to the other agents entering autopsy to bring the body, and they hadn't said anything to him before leaving. Compared to what he'd heard about Derek's arrival, he figured that was considerable progress.

Derek's nose was still slightly scrunched up, but he wasn't audibly complaining.

"Yes, I suppose it wouldn't smell very good down here, to a werewolf's nose," the old man commented. "The smell of the bodies even gets to some of the agents sometimes, I can only imagine what it must be like for you." He glanced over, trying to read the wolf's expression. Despite his aversion to the smell, he hadn't looked away from the body, even as Ducky had been pulling the flesh back. "But it's not the bodies, is it?" He glanced over at the small shelf of various cleaning chemicals. "Ah. The antiseptic."

There was a slight lull for a moment, the only sound being the bone saw as one by one, the ribs were severed in order to be removed.

"I must admit, I can't say that I've ever met a werewolf before." He paused. "Then again, maybe I have, and just haven't realized. Stiles mentioned you were born a werewolf, so that says that your kind has existed for at least the past few decades. Taking the legends from various cultures, however, that most likely means that werewolves have been around for centuries." His next look at Derek revealed the wolf with a slightly confused expression. Ducky thought on that for a moment before chuckling. "I'm used to the person I'm talking to not talking back," he said with a smile, nodding down to the body.

Derek's posture stiffened, and he growled slightly. Perhaps that had been the wrong thing to say.

"I'm well aware you're much more intelligent than a corpse," he assured him. "I merely meant that I'm not going to be upset or offended if you don't answer."

That seemed to do it. His posture relaxed again, his growl dying in his throat. Ducky smiled to himself. This wasn't nearly as hard as the others had been expecting it to be.

He turned his attention back to the body, and was just removing the liver, noticing its slight discoloration when he heard movement and suddenly felt a presence behind him. He turned, slightly surprised to see Derek suddenly right behind him, looking intently down at the body. He inhaled deeply, frowning and looking back at Ducky. He opened his mouth, but when all that came out was a quite whine, he snapped it shut and scowled.

It appeared he was far further along in his recovery than any of the others had anticipated. His actions, however, begged the question: What was it he'd been trying to say?

Chapter 209: Small Town, Big Secrets 7

Summary:

Jo tells Zane about werewolves

Chapter Text

"Explain this to me one more time," Zane said, arms crossed as he leaned on the door frame.

Jo scowled at him. "Fine," she said, her words clipped. This was probably the fifth time he'd had her go over this now. "I am from a parallel dimension. My dimension has magic in it. I am a werewolf. An accident sent me here, and now I can't get back."

"Right," he said, studying her. He had to know she was telling the truth, and that she wasn't crazy. He'd seen her shift. "So how does it work?"

She looked at him blankly. "What do you mean, 'how does it work'?"

"What are the rules?" he clarified. "Y'know, just the full moon? Are you still in control? Is silver bad?"

"Why does it matter?" she asked.

Zane shrugged. "Scientific curiosity. Humor me."

She sighed. "In order, it's usually just the full moon, but a buildup of stress can cause a shift the days before or after. Control? Not on the full moon. Stress nights, usually, but not the full moon. It draws out the most primal instincts. Sometimes I get vague memories of things that have happened, but for the most part, it's a blank. And silver... it depends on the purity of it."

"So, you're basically all animal when you turn?" he asked.

"Shift," she corrected. "And yes."

He nodded, absorbing this. "Anyone else know about this?"

She shook her head. "No one. So you better not say anything, Donovon."

He gave her a cocky smirk. "Yes, ma'am," he said, and she was already dreading the worst.

Chapter 210: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 9

Summary:

Touring the Warehouse

Chapter Text

“So, a captain, huh?” Claudia asked, finally breaking the silence.

“Yes,” the man answered simply.

“Where did you work before you came here?” Pete asked, trying to make conversation.

“That’s classified information,” Becker replied.

“Oh, come on,” Claudia whined. “This place is the definition of classified.”

“Leave him alone, guys,” Myka warned them both. If he wanted to keep secrets for now, that was his thing. He’d only just met them, and maybe what he’d done was something personal.

“Alright, Claudia, Steve, you guys show Becker around the place,” Artie told them. “Pete, Myka. We got a ping.”

“A ping?” Becker asked, raising an eyebrow as he left the office and headed down to the bulk of the warehouse, following Steve and Claudia.

“That’s what we call it when an artifact comes on our radar,” Steve supplied helpfully.

“So, this place collects artifacts that are somehow dangerous and keeps them away from the public?” the captain guessed.

“I thought you would’ve been a little more skeptical,” Claudia observed. “Pete and Myka were, and Steve wasn’t sure what to think.”

“This isn’t all that strange to me,” Becker replied simply. Compared to his old job, this was definitely not surprising. That, however, was not something he was ready to share yet.

“Alright, then, Mr. ‘I’m Ready For Anything’, time to show you some of the artifacts that gave us quite a bit of trouble,” Claudia said, hooking her arm in his, much to his chagrin. Steve followed behind, mouthing ‘sorry’ to the captain, able to clearly tell that Becker did not enjoy Claudia linking on to him like that.

“Here, we have Rheticus’s Compass,” the redhead told him. “This trapped my brother in an alternate dimension for years. I managed to get him out, and that’s how I wound up here at the warehouse.” Becker got the slight hint that she was trying to prod him for information about what he did before coming to the warehouse, but he wouldn’t fall into her trap. She sighed at his lack of response and pulled him to another shelf. “This is Shakespeare’s Lost Folio,” the young woman continued. “This was Jinksy’s first artifact. If you touch one of the pages, you start to die like the person in the picture. The only way you’ll survive is if you say that character’s dying line before the page burns.”

Becker raised an eyebrow, which Claudia took for skepticism. “You honestly don’t think this stuff works?” she asked. “I thought it ‘wasn’t all that strange’. Too much for you?”

“Not a chance,” the man replied, eyes scanning the shelves. They were filled with so many seemingly random items. He could tell that Claudia was about to try to weasel information from him again, so he promptly steered the conversation in a different direction. “What does that one do?” he asked, pointing to the compact nearby,

“Oh, that,” the redhead said with a grimace. “That would be Lizzie Borden’s compact. Looking into it makes you want to kill the person you love.”

“We’ve also got Marilyn Monroe’s hairbrush that turns your hair blonde, a pair of bookends that switches bodies, and Ulysses S. Grant’s flask that makes whoever drinks from it think they’re an actual union soldier in the Civil War.”

“We found that at a Civil War reenactment,” Claudia supplied. “You would not believe how hard it was to find!”

“I can imagine,” the captain replied dryly.

“I wonder what you’ll be whammied by first…” Claudia mused.

“Whammied?” Becker asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

“It’s what we call it when you get affected by an Artifact,” Claudia replied. “Like when Jinksy here got hit with the Folio, or Pete went psycho-bonkers because of the telegraph from Telegraph Island.” She paused. “Oh, and that time Myka switched bodies with Alice Liddell.” She shuddered.

“Alice Liddell, as in Alice in Wonderland?” Becker asked.

“The one and only,” Claudia said. “She was trapped inside Lewis Carroll’s mirror.”

"Which is... where?" the captain asked.

"Technically broken," Steve began "But we managed to get a shard and stick it back in the Dark Vault."

Already anticipating Becker's next question, Claudia jumped in, "The Dark Vault is where we keep the really dangerous stuff. I mean, like, really bad. It's creepy in there."

"Noted," the brunette man said with a slight nod. "How big is this place?"

"Dunno," the young woman replied with a shrug. "Hard to tell, since it keeps growing all the time,"

"What do you mean, 'growing'?"

Claudia laughed a little. "Yeah, it confused me a little, too, at first. But the Warehouse has to keep growing to make room for all of the artifacts when they keep coming. Can you imagine if this place was just crammed? Not good. I mean, the statues of Zeus and Hera have this whole negative energy between them. It caused a huge electrical storm in here."

Becker simply nodded again, absorbing the information. Just like his job at the ARC, he had a feeling it would take a few days for everything to fall into a routine. He almost frowned at the thought of his old job but quickly stopped himself. If he gave away anything, he could already tell that Claudia would pick up on it and swoop in for more information.

He quickly pushed the comparison to Connor out of his mind.

He put his hands in his pockets. "So," he began. "I believe I've spent enough time in here for one day. I'd like to catch some sleep, if nobody minds."

"It's only five-thirty," Steve commented.

"Jet-lag," the captain explained. "It's twelve-thirty in London." He wasn't nearly as jet-lagged as he pretended to be, but he needed to think, to process.

To convince himself he wouldn't fail them like he failed Sarah, Danny, Abby, and Connor.

"There's the B&B," Claudia told him. "Come on, I'll show you." With that, she led the way out the Warehouse and to the cars.

Chapter 211: The Other Human Factor 1

Summary:

Kidnapping the girls

Chapter Text

Desiree Newton sat on the steps of her high school, twirling a pen between her fingers. He gaze was focused at the ground in front of her and a loose strand of auburn hair found itself in her face. Sighing, she tucked it behind her ear, not bothering to try to fit it back into the thin ponytail it had previously been in. Why bother?

The pen fell from her hands, dropping down the steps before rolling into the road. She groaned when it was run over by a car. "Damn..." she muttered. "That was my last one." Glancing at the clock, the brown-eyed teen decided it was probably time to head home. Standing, she slung her bag over her shoulder and started walking. She tended to take back roads, as they were never as crowded. She noticed a tin can on the ground and kicked it as she walked. The only sound she heard was the clanking of tin on asphalt.

Another sound soon met her ear, however. The engine of a car. Glancing behind her, she saw a black and purple, angled car speeding toward her. She ducked out of the way, about to cuss the driver out when the vehicle skidded to a stop and its parts began to shift. The car turned into a giant robot.

"Holy shit..." she muttered as a mechanical hand wrapped around her and a swirling green vortex appeared behind her captor.

-

Jessie Hale ducked behind the wall of a house. She had just gotten on the bad side of a group of some pretty big guys. Her friends jokingly called her a Chihuahua, since she was always picking fights she probably couldn't win. They always said that one of these days, her luck would run out.

She was pretty sure today was that day.

One of the guys had made a rude comment about one of her friends, and Jessie had jumped to her defense. Unfortunately, the guy didn't take that too well. He had a few friends, and now they were all after her. She was pretty sure at least one of them was armed. She didn't exactly live in the best neighborhood.

"I'm so dead..." she muttered, but immediately covered her own mouth when she heard something. Listening closely, she identified it as an engine. Peeking around the corner, she saw a black and purple car parked on the street. She walked over to it, wanting to get a better look. It seemed pretty cool. She just hoped it didn't hold any more thugs.

She stopped dead in her tracks when it became a giant robot.

"You're coming with me," the robot said, grabbing her and dragging her toward the swirling vortex that had just appeared.

-

Lexie Quinn wiped the sweat off her brow with an old towel. She hadn't exerted herself or anything, but this overheating engine was warming up the whole garage, even with the door open. She'd finally managed to get it fixed, but now she definitely needed a break. She was about to head inside when the sound of a smooth engine hit her ears. She smiled. An engine that smooth couldn't have too much damage, could it?

She turned to the entrance of her family car garage, and as soon as she saw it, her eyes lit up. Rolling in was a beautiful red and white Aston Martin with yellow hubcaps. When it stopped, she approached, running her fingers gently over the hood. It was a beautiful car.

Snapping herself out of it, she said, "Um... Can I help you?"

"Yes," a male voice said. "I believe you can." As soon as the words were uttered, the door opened and seatbelts pulled her inside. Before she could scream, a gas was released that made her drowsy. Before she knew it, she was out.

-

Nanami Takahata sighed as she stood, walking away on her oriental sandals. She knew the other people around her would be wobbling, but she'd practically grown up with these traditional clothes. Her parents had often stuck her in various kimonos and yukatas since she was little. Today, she had just finished with a group of teens who wanted to know the 'authentic Japanese experience'. For a week, they would be wearing traditional clothes, eating real Japanese food, and following Japanese customs. It was an odd arrangement, but it brought in the money.

She sighed and leaned back on the wall. Sometimes she wished she could just a normal teenage girl, not stuck in tradition like this. She had never even worn jeans. It was a small luxury to all the other people she knew, but it would be freedom for her.

Deciding to take a walk, risking hearing people talking about her and teasing her for her yukata, she quietly left and headed down the long pathway to the road. She lived pretty far out of the way, so it would be awhile before she would run into anyone else. Maybe if she was lucky, this would be a nice, silent trip.

She'd made it a bit far down the road, with no one in sight, when an odd noise from behind stopped her. A light behind her made her turn, shocked to see a large green vortex. To add to the surprise, a tank was rolling through it... and headed straight for her. Backing up slowly, she hoped it would stop. It didn't.

She turned and ran. Unfortunately, she only made it a few steps before tripping. These shoes were not made for running... Another odd sound could be heard behind her and a large shadow blocked out the light. Turning, she saw a large red light, possibly an eye, staring down at her.

-

Roxanne Farris sighed, twirling a strand of long blonde hair around her finger. She had just left the mall, and as expected, she was weighed down with bags. Contrary to popular belief, however, it was not all clothes and shoes. She just made sure to display those near the top. About half of her purchases were non-perishable foods and toys for poor children. She felt really bad for the needy and tried to help when she could, but at the same time, she had a reputation to uphold. People couldn't see her doing things like this.

She set her bags down, giving her arms a rest. Looking up at the clock outside the mall, she gritted her teeth. One of her friends was supposed to be here by now to pick her up.

She picked her bags back up as she heard a car approaching. As it stopped in front of her, she stared, confused. Had her friend gotten a new car without telling her? But the next thing she knew, the car became a robot with its hand wrapped tightly around her.

Chapter 212: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 11

Summary:

Robert finds out

Chapter Text

Toby quivered under the bed, watching the legs pace back and forth. He'd been 'missing' for four days, and he'd asked Mary and Hugo to keep theirs mouths shut about it while they figured it out, but he knew that it was driving Robert mad and making Amanda panic. What could he do? He couldn't take care of Amanda. And Robert...

Robert hated cryptids. And thanks to a pissy, jealous witch, Toby was exactly that. A polymorph, Mary had called him, and there was no fixing it. He could eventually, supposedly, look human again, but right now, he was little more than a mobile puddle of black goo.

But his family didn't deserve this.

After a long moment of gathering his courage, he moved from his hiding place. He was still quivering, but stared up at Robert, even though the man probably couldn't see that. Robert's eyes narrowed and his hand reached behind his back, probably for his hunting knife. Terror gripped Toby, but he pushed it aside.

'Robert?' he tried to ask, but just like before, no sound came out. Of course. No mouth, no vocal cords. Just goo.

As soon as the knife was out, Toby forced himself forward, latching onto Robert's foot, using his grip to climb his boyfriend's body. Robert couldn't stab him now, but more importantly, he needed to make sure that Robert could know. He could have let Mary handle it, but he felt like it had to be him. He needed Robert to know that he didn't leave. He didn't disappear. He was here.

He felt Robert struggle, try to pull him off, but Toby just held on. He held onto his shoulders, concentrating on slipping a tendril out, reaching for Robert's ear. He slipped it it, like he'd done dozens of times with his finger, just waiting for the man to slap it away.

Please, he thought. Please understand.

Robert was still and silent for a long time. "Holy shit," he said softly. "Toby?"

All the stress drained from him, the relaxation causing him to drip to the floor.

Robert kneeled down, hand reaching for the goo. "How the hell did you become a polymorph?"

Chapter 213: Here Be Dragons 1

Summary:

Toothless and Stormfly argue

Chapter Text

"You're going to get caught," Stormfly told him.

Toothless looked back at her and shook his head. "I'm careful, trust me," he said. "I know he's out there, Stormfly, they all are."

"He won't recognize you," she stated. "He won't be the same. It's been well over a thousand years, who knows how many lives they've all lived? How much it's changed them?"

Toothless sighed. They'd had this argument dozens of times in the past few weeks. He'd felt this pull that he was sure was coming from Hiccup's reincarnation—Meatlug had felt the same thing about Fishlegs back in the late 1500s, but they hadn't been able to track him down without drawing attention—and he was determined to find him.

"I have to try," he told her. "And things are different this time. We can change now. We can get to know them."

Stormfly tilted her head. "Them?"

He huffed. "Don't try to tell me you don't feel Astrid. Everyone else has felt their human recently. We can find them, and we can meet them. Get them to remember!"

She just looked at him for a long moment. "You really think it's going to be that easy?"

"I didn't say it would be easy. But we can do it. We will do it." He turned back to leave.

Stormfly sighed. "I'll look into getting us the stuff we need, then," she said. "Like clothes."

Toothless nodded. "Thanks, Stormfly," he said, and then he was off, hiding in the shadows down the mountain, to steal into town and watch for the best friend he'd lost so long ago.

Chapter 214: The Other Human Factor 2

Summary:

Meeting the Decepticons

Chapter Text

Jessie looked up at the metal titan carrying her. The giant robot that had grabbed her had turned into a car. From the looks of the wings on his back, he probably turned into some sort of aircraft.

"So..." she began slowly, not enjoying the awkward silence. "I'm Jessie. What's your name?"

"That is none of your concern, human," he growled. She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Look, if I'm understanding this right, we're stuck with each other. So you either tell me your name, or I'll have to call you something like Mr.-Giant-Flying-Robot-Thing."

The large robot sighed. "Fine. If you must know, my name is Starscream."

"Huh," she commented. "Weird name."

He glared down at her from the corner of his optic. "I'll have you know that it's a fine Decepticon name!"

"Decepti-what?" Jessie asked as he set her down on the console he set himself up at.

Starscream made a noise that sounded like a mix between a growl and a groan. "We come from the planet Cybertron, along with our enemies, those known as Autobots. We've been at war for a very long time, and that is all that you need to know."

Jessie rolled her eyes. "Well, aren't you just a pocket of sunshine?" she muttered.

-

Lexie studied the large machine as he carried her through the halls. "I'm Lexie," she told him.

"Knockout," he replied simply.

The human looked for something to say to fill the silence, so she simply said, "Nice paint job."

Knockout straightened up a bit again. Clearly, this guy had an ego and greatly valued his paint job. "Good to see someone around here has good taste," he commented offhandedly.

"So..." the frizzy haired girl said, looking around. "What's your story? I mean, what is this place, what are you, and why did you kidnap me and those other four girls?"

"My, my, someone's a bit nosy," Knockout said with a small laugh. "You know what? Why not? We are Decepticons, one of two Cybertronian factions, the others being Autobots. We come from a planet called Cybertron, and we and the Autobots have been at war for millennia. Our war killed our planet, and now we're here, taking our battle to yours. This is the Decepticon warship, known as the Nemesis, and you are here in hopes that you can aide us somehow."

"Us? Help you?" Lexie asked, genuinely curious. "But you're giant robots, and we're tiny, squishy humans. What could we do to help you?"

"Mm, what, indeed," the Aston Martin replied. "Yet the Autobots have their own human allies, and despite their meager numbers, they constantly defeat us." He sighed. "In truth, it was Starscream's idea. Lord Megatron approved it, and now here I am, stuck with you." He looked at her. "Keep quiet and out of the way, and we'll get along nicely."

-

Nanami stared up at the robot that had taken her. She had wanted her life to be a bit more than kimonos and tea ceremonies, but she didn't expect that she'd be kidnapped by a tank that turned into a robot.

"My name is Nanami," she told him. If what she had heard was correct, she and the other girls would be here awhile, and she'd be stuck beside this giant tank thing. It couldn't hurt to have a name to put to the one eyed face. "What's yours?"

He turned to look down at her. "Your query is... logical. You may call me Shockwave."

"So, Shockwave, what is it that you do around here with all these... other giant robots?"

"We are Decepticons," he told her. "I am Megatron's chief scientist."

The Japanese girl nodded and said no more. She didn't want to risk saying something she shouldn't, not while one large, metal hand was wrapped around her and it was far too easy to crush her.

-

Roxanne gripped the edge of one of the metal plates around her that made up this giant robot's shoulder. He was, after all, made of metal, and she was terrified of falling off. She relaxed only a fraction when the robot stopped in front of a console of sorts with a large holographic looking screen. "So... who are you?"

The robot was silent before a voice laced with static said: "Soundwave." The voice seemed to belong to the much larger robot they had originally been brought to.

The blonde looked at him for a moment when he didn't say anything more. "I'm Roxanne. So, that was a recording of that big guy, right?"

"Lord Megatron," Soundwave 'said', this time using the voice of the thin, silver mech that had taken the other blonde.

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "So, you don't really talk, do you?" He shook his head.

This will be fun...

-

Desiree crossed her arms and leaned forward, resting her chin on crossed wrists. She was still in the grasp of the giant robot that had grabbed her.

"I'm gonna ask again, big guy," she began. "Who are you, and what are we doing here?"

"You have quite a bit of nerve, for a human," he replied with a laugh. "Most humans would tremble in my very presence."

"Yeah?" Desiree asked. "Well, if you're gonna squish me, you're gonna squish me, and I can't stop you, either way. And besides, if you took the time to send someone to grab me, for whatever reason, you need me. Maybe not me specifically." She looked up at him. "Yeah, you could just kill me and get another human, but wouldn't it be so much easier, and waste a lot less energy by keeping me alive."

A smirk crossed the robot's face. "You're smart for a human, albeit a bit annoying."

"So I'm going to ask again. Your name?"

"That's quite direct," he commented. "I am Lord Megatron, leader of the Decepticons."

"Name's Desiree," the human replied simply. "So, Lord Megatron, what do you need me and those other girls here for? You don't really look like a 'people person'."

"All in due time," he said simply. A beeping reached his audios. "Now, quiet, human." He looked at the screen. "What is it, Soundwave?"

Almost immediately, a video feed appeared on the large screen in front of him. It showed other, unfamiliar giant robots attacking the drones she had seen around the ship in some sort of mine. "What's that?"

"Autobots!" Megatron hissed, though she doubted he was addressing her. "Soundwave, open a ground bridge! We cannot allow Optimus access to that energon mine!"

Desiree just watched with confusion as the other robots continued to attack the drones. They were clearly winning. She looked back up at her warlord captor. "So that's why you need us..." she whispered. "To beat those guys." She didn't know how she was supposed to do it, but they'd come to that when they got there.

Chapter 215: Man, Woman, or Beast 12

Summary:

Morrigan heals Vani's poisoning

Chapter Text

Vani hissed in pain as she brought her hand to the wound on her side. It didn't feel quite right. The skin was too warm.

"Vani, are you alright?" Alistair asked, but she waved him off. She'd need a better look, and she cared too much about him to let him see her shirtless. She couldn't lose him.

As soon as she entered her room in the inn, she removed her armor, followed by her shirt underneath. The wound was almost bubbling, the skin surrounding it a sickly green. The darkspawn's blade must have been coated in poison. She wished she had studied healing more.

She heard the knob turn and scrambled for the blanket.

"Relax," Morrigan said, stepping in. "'Tis only me."

Vani still didn't strop the blanket until the door was closed. "Hurts," she said.

"I would imagine," Morrigan commented. She placed her hands near the wound, which started to faintly glow. "You had best take care of yourself in battle."

"Poison," Vani said, watching her work. "Didn't know."

After a moment, Morrigan pulled her hands away. Vani smiled at her in thanks. "You are welcome," the witch replied.

Chapter 216: Ragtag Team of Heroes 4

Summary:

Danny gets recruited

Chapter Text

Danny was just returning from a patrol when he saw the man in the suit on his doorstep. He flew in through the upstairs window, invisible, before transforming back and phasing down to the front hall. The man knocked, and Danny waited a few seconds before opening it.

"Hello, Mr. Fenton," the man said. "Or should I say... Mr. Phantom?"

Danny froze.

"May I come in?" He didn't wait for a reply before stepping inside.

Danny closed the door, finally finding his voice. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Agent Davitt," the man said. Danny must have tensed further, because he said, "I'm not from the Guys in White, or anything like that. I'm not here to capture you or study you, though I do know who you are."

"Then what do you want?" Danny asked suspiciously.

"Your help," Agent Davitt said. "The world is facing a threat the likes of which we've never seen before, and we need help. We're putting together a team to stop it, and we'd like you on it. You've saved the world yourself a couple times, I hear."

"What kind of threat?"

"The best we've been able to describe them is demons," Agent Davitt told him. "They come from an alternate dimension of sorts, and we need them stopped. That's what we're asking you to do."

Danny was quiet for a long moment. Amity Park was better than it was when he was a kid, but it still had a ghost problem. Could he really just leave? Saddle his friends with the job of protecting their town while he went off fighting demons?

"We really need you in on this, Mr. Fenton," the agent said. "I understand you have obligations here, but you have a larger obligation to the world."

That made Danny frown. "Okay, I... I need to get things settled for while I'm gone, make sure Amity Park is all set, then I'm in."

Agent Davitt nodded. "Thank you," he said, handing Danny a card. "Call this number when you're ready." And without another word, he left.

Chapter 217: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 11

Summary:

Valkyrie gives Draco a chance

Chapter Text

Valkyrie studied the boy in front of her. He looked genuine, at least.

"You can't seriously believe him," Ron said. "After everything he did!"

She was silent. She knew better than most that someone shouldn't be judged solely on the things they'd done in the past. China had once led the Diablerie, and even led Skulduggery's family into the trap that killed them, but despite all that, she still helped them save the world. Skulduggery had become a killer, doing horrible, evil things during the war, but he was trying to make up for it. And Valkyrie herself... She'd killed people and was even destined to destroy the world, and she was doing everything in her power to prevent that. In comparison, a little schoolyard bullying was nothing.

"You get one chance," she said eventually. "One. You'd better not let me down."

"I won't," Draco promised.

"Can we talk to you?" Harry asked pulling her away. "I'm tell you, we can't trust him. He'll run straight to Umbridge the first chance he gets."

"That's why he's not joining the DA," Valkyrie said. "Not yet. For now, we can just be in our sorcery study sessions. It's not against the rules, so there wouldn't be anything for him to report."

"The others aren't going to like this," Hermione warned.

"Tough," the older girl responded. "Everyone deserves a second chance. No matter what they've done."

Chapter 218: The Other Human Factor 3

Summary:

Desiree and Jack talk

Chapter Text

Desiree scowled when she glanced up to see the black haired boy approach her, setting his tray down beside hers.

"What do you want, Darby?" she snapped, finally looking him in the eye.

Jack was quiet for a moment, seeming to ponder the question before saying, "Why did you go back?"

"What?"

"Why go back to the Decepticons? Jack elaborated. "I mean, they kidnapped you. And after you were free, you went back to them. Why?"

She was quiet for a long moment before sighing. "I don't expect you to understand, but my home life was bad. The Nemesis... it became home. And while it was only because they had to keep us alive and at least comfortable enough to make sure we didn't make trouble, the Decepticons took care of me. They—and the other girls—became family. Sure, they're giant metal titans that could crush us like bugs, and my 'partner' sometimes has a hair-trigger temper... but I've never felt safer than I do with them."

Chapter 219: Here's a Baby 1

Summary:

Eddie's meeting with the guidance counselor

Chapter Text

"Whatever this is about," Eddie muttered as they walked through the door, "it has to be your fault."

MY FAULT? Venom asked. HOW IS IT MY FAULT?

"You're a bad influence," Eddie retorted. "Now shut up." They approached the reception desk. "Eddie Brock," he told the woman. "I'm here about my daughter, Izi." She pointed to a door. "Thanks." They went over and knocked.

"Come in!" a woman called. They opened the door. "Ah, Mr. Brock! Thank you for coming in, please sit." As they did, she removed a folder from her desk. "She's been drawing these in her free time. Her teacher is concerned, and frankly, so am I." She opened the folder, spreading out the pictured. The first thing Eddie noticed was that each one had a large portion of black. And some red.

Oh god. Izi was drawing Venom eating people.

HOW SWEET.

"I'll talk to her," Eddie promised.

"I know it must be hard, raising a child alone—"

WE ARE NOT ALONE.

"—so if you need any help..."

"Thank you," Eddie jumped in before Venom could continue. "But we're fine. We'll be okay." They reached for the pictures. "Can I take these?" At the counselor's confused look, he added, "So I can show her what's wrong."

She nodded. They grabbed the drawings.

THESE ARE GOING ON THE FRIDGE.

Chapter 220: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 10

Summary:

Fallout of Norton's death

Chapter Text

Isaac was still reeling from what happened when he and Carver found Ellie and Santos.

"Isaac!" Ellie said with a grin. The smile slowly dropped as she looked around. "Where's Robert?" she finally asked.

Isaac was quiet for a long moment. "I shot him, Ellie," he finally said.

She staggered back. "What?"

"I'm sorry, I... I had no choice," he told her.

"No choice?" she asked.

"He betrayed us," Carver said. "He tried to kill Isaac."

Ellie glared at both of them. "No, he—"

"He was going to shoot me in the head, Ellie," Isaac said, an edge to his voice now. He lowered his voice. "He knew, and he said that you told him."

Ellie stared at him for a moment before bristling. "You think I wanted him to know how to kill you?" she asked.

"Did you?"

"No!" she yelled. "I told him so he knew you might still need help!"

Isaac's brows furrowed. "What?"

"You can heal almost any would and regrow any lost limb," she said. "On the surface, you sound invincible, except that you're not, and I didn't want him to just abandon you if you needed help."

"Your plan kinda backfired," Carver stated.

Isaac met Ellie's eyes, and some of his anger began to fade. She hadn't been after him or out to get him. She'd been looking out for him. Just like she'd always done.

And she didn't need his bullshit right now. Necessary or not, he had killed her boyfriend. He needed to give her time, not grief.

Chapter 221: Small Town, Big Secrets 8

Summary:

Jo has questions

Chapter Text

"So... vampires," Jo finally said.

"Yep," Zane replied, not looking up from his work.

"And an alternate dimension."

"Yeah."

"With magic."

"M-hm."

She was quiet for a moment. "Is there a me over there?"

"Jo, if there wasn't, how would I have known who you were in the first place?" he asked. "There's a version of everyone over there. Dr. Stark is even still alive."

"Really?"

He nodded. "Yeah, and he had an annoying habit of locking me in my lab."

"Which I'm sure you deserved," she commented with a grin.

"Debatable." He paused, looking up. "What do you really want? I'm sure you're not here just to ask me about my world."

"Well..." She pulled over a chair and sat, watching him. "Actually, I wanted to ask about us."

"What about us?"

She frowned. "Well, actually, you and the other me. Were you two... y'know, together?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"And... was she a vampire, too?"

"Actually, she was a werewolf." At her raised brow, he added, "No, seriously." After another long moment of quiet he said, "Okay, what do you really wanna know?"

She took a deep breath. "Were you and her... y'know..."

"Dating?" he asked. "Yeah."

He didn't expect her expression to fall. "So I'm just a replacement, then."

"What?" he asked. "No! Jo, it's not like that."

"Then what is it like?" she asked, crossing her arms.

He opened his mouth to speak, then stopped. Was it like that? He wasn't getting home, that was fact. There just wasn't magic in this world, so he'd never see his Jo again. But this one... He wasn't just using her as some kind of stand-in, was he? That wasn't who he was.

"Thought so," she said, leaving before he had a chance to respond.

Chapter 222: Beetle and Catastrophe 9

Summary:

Marinette steals Adrien's phone

Chapter Text

"This is a nightmare!" Marinette exclaimed. "An absolute disaster!"

"M-hm," Plagg agreed cheekily. "You know what we have to do now, right?"

"You're... not suggesting stealing his phone...?" she said slowly.

He shrugged. "Do you really have a choice?" He grinned. "You did call him 'hot stuff'."

Marinette groaned, shoving her face in a pillow. "Fine..." She took a deep breath. "But we have to be fast, because of the dedication."

"We'll be fine," Plagg assured her. "Catastrophe could probably get to the school faster than Marinette, though."

She nodded. "Right. Plagg, claws out!"

-

She made it into the building without being seen, and slipped into the boy's locker room. "Claws in," she whispered.

Once Plagg was out of the Miraculous, he draped himself over her shoulder. "Gotta plan to find it?"

She stared at the identical rows of lockers. "I..."

"Wow," he said, and she couldn't tell if he was mocking her or not. "Something you don't know about Adrien."

"Shut up," she muttered, face starting to go red. She dug her phone out of her pocket, staring at it before her face lit up. After a few quick taps, she waited a few seconds and heard a ringing from the next row over. She moved over to it, hanging up before it was sent to voicemail, and tried it.

Locked. Of course.

"Now what?" she muttered, but Plagg just lifted off her shoulder, floated through the locker door, and opened it from the inside. "Oh my god, you're a lifesaver," she said, digging through Adrien's bag for his phone. It would only take a few seconds, then she'd be out of there, and it would be like nothing ever happened.

Except that she couldn't unlock his phone.

She started to panic when she heard voices on the other side of the door get louder. Was it really over already? Fumbling, she almost dropped the phone, but Plagg grabbed it in time, shaking his head and dropping it into her purse. "We gotta go now," he said.

"I can't just... take it, can I?"

Plagg crossed his arms and raised a brow. "Hot stuff," he reminded her.

"Right." And with that, she was off.

Chapter 223: Avalon: Web of Magic/Skulduggery Pleasant crossover 4

Summary:

Adriane notices Valkyrie and Skulduggery lurking

Chapter Text

The first time Adriane noticed the pair, she was on her way home from school. The tall man seemed unusually thin, but that was all that really stood out.

The second time she saw them, they were lurking around the preserve. There was something off about them, but she wasn't sure what. She just knew she didn't like it. Those two gave her a really bad feeling.

She ducked behind a tree, trying to listen to their discussion. They were up to something, she knew it, she just didn't know what. But after everything they'd all been through, she wasn't about to let these two newcomers barge in and ruin everything. They'd beaten the Dark Sorceress, they'd beat them, too.

When she didn't hear anything, she risked a peek around the tree. The man was holding his hand up, and the air around the two of them seemed to shimmer.

Like magic.

She bristled. She had to find the others.

Chapter 224: The Other Human Factor 4

Summary:

The girls get lunch

Chapter Text

Lexie groaned as she leaned against the wall. Knockout had gone to fight an Autobot for one reason or another, and Soundwave was out scouting for something, so she and Roxanne were left with Desiree and Megatron on the bridge.

"Will you be quiet?!" the warlord yelled. Between the two humans he'd been stuck babysitting while their 'guardians' were gone, the noises they were making were unbearable.

"Give them a break," Desiree said from her place on the central console. "I don't know if you realize this, but humans need to refuel, too. But we don't live off of your stuff, energon. We need food. And water, we need that, too. You don't feed us, we die in three weeks. Don't give us water? We die in three days." She crossed her arms. "So either get us some food, or let us go down and get it ourselves."

"And let you run off? No, I don't think so," Megatron replied.

"Look, why don't you have one of your drones—Vehicons, right?—take us to some sort of fast food place? We go to the drive thru, grab our food, then come back here," the redhead argued. "We're in and out. We'd be back in what, five minutes?"

Megatron glared down at her, but it was clear the human wasn't backing down. She was odd, but as long as she didn't do anything to jeopardize the mission, he would keep her alive. He admitted, she amused him. "Fine," he finally relented, realizing the truth of her statement. These humans wouldn't be much good to them dead. He accessed the ship's comm link. "Shockwave, Starscream. Bring your humans to the bridge."

Minutes later, they arrived, placing Nanami and Jessie with the others. The Decepticon leader then looked at a nearby Vehicon, one he knew was a grounder. "You! You're taking the humans down to get something to eat."

"Yes, Sir," the Vehicon said before transforming and opening his doors. The girls climbed in and Starscream was sent to the ground bridge console, grumbling as he put in coordinates to drop them off.

-

Jack Darby sighed as another group of stuck up teens drove off. At least this time, they paid. He was on edge, though, when he saw the vehicle approaching. He'd seen the Decepticon drones often enough to recognize one. So... why was it coming through the drive thru?

"W-Welcome to KO Burger, where every patty's a knockout," he said and heard a few giggles, to his surprise. They sounded like teenage girls. But what would they be doing inside a Decepticon? He quickly put that out of his mind as they began to order.

"Uh, we'll have five bur—no, sorry, four burgers and one salad. One Diet Pepsi, two root beers, a Sprite, and a lemonade? All large. I think that's—no, wait, you guys have slushies, right?"

"Uh... yes?" Jack answered, getting more confused by the second.

"Okay, scratch one of those root beers. One blue raspberry slushie, please," the girl who was apparently speaking for the others said.

"Okay... $23.98 at the window, please," he said. He almost froze when the vehicle pulled up, but there was a pause before the window rolled down. A red haired girl sat in the driver's seat, though she looked like she had just slipped in.

"Can you give us a minute?" she asked before reaching into her pockets and pulling out a few bills. Jack could see a few people behind her passing up some coins and another few bills. The black haired girl next to her handed her the final amount before the redhead handed the money to Jack. "Thanks," she said with a smile as he passed her the food. She was still passing out the food when the tinted window rolled back up.

Chapter 225: Loophole 13

Summary:

Linda asks John about his future

Chapter Text

"So, what are you going to do?"

John raised a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you're not going to Heaven or Hell," Linda elaborated. "That was your whole plan, I get that. But... doesn't that mean you're just going to wander the earth for all eternity?"

He shrugged. "Guess so."

She frowned. "Eternity is a long time, John," she pointed out. "You don't think maybe you'll get bored? Maybe end up driving yourself insane?"

His expression hardened. "If you think, for one second, I'm setting foot back on Earth-1, you're off your bloody rocker," he told her.

"That's not what I said," she said calmly. "I only meant that you should start thinking about how you're going to spend eternity. The rest of us are all going to die eventually, and we're not going to be hanging around."

"Luci will," the warlock pointed out.

She nodded. "And that is remarkably unhealthy thinking."

His brows furrowed. "How?"

"You're basing the rest of your life—or, afterlife—around a single person," she told him. "And that, with time, will become incredibly toxic."

"There's also Maze and Amenadiel," he pointed out. "Why are you so worried, anyway?"

"It's my job."

"You stopped getting paid after I died."

"As your friend," she finished. "And as your friend, I want to ask you to think very carefully about how you plan to spend the rest of forever. Be prepared for what's going to happen to all of us, and know where you'll go from there. Don't let it catch you off guard. Maybe you won't be dragged down and tortured by Nergal, but I'm sure an eternity of loneliness is its own kind of Hell."

Chapter 226: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 1

Summary:

Aftermath of Ward's betrayal

Chapter Text

Several pairs of eyes drifted toward the Asgardian as the room around them dropped several degrees. He was eerily still, cross-legged in the chair.

Ward's betrayal affected them all greatly, but Loki seemed to take it the most personally.

Not that Coulson blamed him. From what he had been able to piece together, betrayal hit Loki hard. And he'd seen firsthand how difficult it was to gain his trust... and now how easy it was to lose it.

"Should we, like, say something?" Skye asked quietly.

May shook her head. "If we try to get through to him now, we'll just push him further away."

Coulson nodded. "She's right," he said. "We don't need his trust. We need his rage."

Chapter 227: Teen Wolf Synths 1

Summary:

Stiles finds out about Derek

Chapter Text

Derek cursed as he stumbled into the burnt out remains of the Hale House. He'd been careless, and now there was damage to his leg motor. The skin over it would heal quickly enough, but that wouldn't help the mechanics underneath any. And unless he wanted a bad limp, or worse, severe permanent damage in the future, he had to do something about it now.

He had to remove his pants, but as there was no one out here with him, that wasn't much of an issue. Sitting carefully on the stairs in his boxers, he stretched his left leg out, pulling the skin back to reveal the blue cybernetics underneath. Several wires were frayed, and part of the knee below it had caved in slightly. The wires were an easy fix, but he had to do something about his knee. The frame would sort itself out within a few hours, but he had to do something to keep it from grinding away at the rest of his leg to prevent further damage.

Satisfied that he at least knew what the damage was, he slowly made his way to one of the only rooms still mostly intact, this one with a lock on it. Inserting the key, he stepped inside and sat on the table, reaching for the tools in the bin beside him. He's had to get pretty good at self-maintenance, fast. He hadn't trusted Argent, Inc. since the day they released him. Hell, he hadn't trusted them since the day they built him. So there was no way in hell he was trusting them with his repairs.

Sifting through the bin, he scowled. It looked like the only way he was going to be able to keep the joint from grinding with absolute certainty was to pry it off while it settled back into shape before putting it back in place. This wasn't going to feel good.

-

Stiles approached the Hale House, still not entirely sure what he'd said or done wrong. Was Derek one of those 'synths-are-living-creatures-too' weirdos? He'd never said as much, but then again, he'd never said he wasn't, either.

"Derek?" he called, and he jumped when he heard a loud, pained curse. He rushed inside, trying to find the source. He immediately went inside the opened, unlocked door and froze in his tracks.

He'd found Derek, alright. But the man was seated on a table, leg up, pulling back a bent sheet of metal from his knee while it was sparking.

"Oh, my god..." he muttered, and suddenly it all made sense. Derek wasn't just some sympathizer. He wasn't just pro-synth. He was a synth. And then it really dawned on him.

Derek was the prototype.

He'd had no idea. There had never been any hint whatsoever that Derek wasn't actually alive. Every other synth Stiles had ever seen made it obvious that it was 'almost there, but not quite'. Jerky movements, skipping voices, stiff expressions or posture... But Derek didn't have any of that. Then again, maybe that was why Argent, Inc. wanted him back.

Derek was glowering at him. "So?" he asked sharply, his voice so harsh the human actually flinched. "Are you going to turn me in, then?" He placed the sheet of metal on the table next to him, jumping off the table but keeping all weight off his left leg. Stiles briefly found himself wondering what kind of damage would occur if he tries to put pressure on his leg while it was missing a piece.

"I..."

"After all, I'm not actually alive, right?" he asked scathingly, and Stiles just stared. "I'm just a machine," Derek snapped. "A piece of property." That time, Stiles felt like he'd been slapped.

"No, you're—"

"Really? Because that's what you've been saying about synths basically since the day I met you!" the werewolf accused. "So fine! Go ahead, call them. Tell them where I am." His face hardened into a cold, indifferent mask, but Stiles could have sworn he saw pain—simulated pain,  that was—in his eyes. "I'll be long gone by the time they get here."

Chapter 228: Consequences 1

Summary:

Connor wakes up

Chapter Text

"He's awake!"

Connor's vision was slow to come back online, and his audio processor must have been damaged, because sound was fuzzing in and out.

He didn't recognize any of the faced around him, but they all wore identical expressions of hate and disgust. He also noted that they seemed much taller than they should have.

"... lucky we still have... lying around," one of the voices said, and Connor frowned.

'I think there's something wrong with my audio processor,' he tried to say, but no sound came out when he opened his mouth. His vocal processor was malfunctioning, too...

"... wondering what happened," the woman continued. "Markus may trust... terrible things. You... trusted. You were a deviant hunter and... programmed to... end this from the inside. End us." She shook her head. "I don't care... really changed. You deserve... getting, RK800."

He frowned, trying to fill in the missing pieces. Somehow they knew about what CyberLife had planned for him, and they didn't trust him, or forgive him for the things he'd done before he deviated. And they were finding a way to punish him for it. But how?

"... obsolete model," she told him. "... limited mobility, coordination problems, damaged audio processor... vocal processor... no compatible parts..."

That took a second to sink in. They'd... placed him in an old model, presumably one of the early YK series, if their size difference was anything to go by. Weaker than his RK800 body, more difficult to manage with damaged sensory input. And because the model was obsolete, there was no way for him to fix or replace those damaged part.

"We couldn't get the synthetic skin to work," she continued. "... happy accident."

'What are you going to do to me?' he tried to asked, but once again, no sound. He tried to project the message wirelessly, but he couldn't find a signal to bounce off of.

"... took a vote. I... deactivate you, but... outvoted. But this seems to... better option. You get to suffer." She clasped her hands behind her back. "Once one of the most advanced... barely functioning." She turned to speak with someone, and he dropped his gaze.

He looked at his hands, which were indeed shiny and white. They were shaking slightly.

He had to get out of here. He had to find a way to escape, and he had to get some help.

Chapter 229: The Other Human Factor 5

Summary:

Lexie worries about her dad

Chapter Text

Lexie frowned as she sat on the edge of an empty medical berth. It didn't escape Knockout's attention.

"What's wrong?" he asked curiously.

She was quiet for a moment. "I was thinking about my dad," she confessed. "I was all he had left. Me and the shop. And I just realized that he probably thinks I ran away. And that thought might break him. I'm worried."

"You think he might offline himself?"

"He might be thinking about it." She looked at Knockout. "I have to go check on him."

"We might be able to pull that off," Knockout said slowly. "But you have to make him understand that you're staying with us."

She nodded. "I can do that."

Chapter 230: Ragtag Team of Heroes 5

Summary:

Marinette gets recruited

Chapter Text

"Ms. Dupain-Cheng?"

Marinette looked up from the dough she was kneading. An unfamiliar woman in a pantsuit was watching her patiently.

"One second," she said, and once she was done, she asked, "How can I help you?"

"I was hoping we could have a talk," the woman told her. "Are you free soon?"

She nodded. "We close in just a few hours."

The woman nodded back. "I'll return in a few hours, then."

-

"So... what did you need?" Marinette asked as the woman led her to the park to talk.

The woman handed her a card with a phone number and a name: Agent Gabriella Mansey. "I work for an international agency specializing in protecting the world from global threats. We're facing one like we've never seen, and we want you on our team."

Marinette blinked. "Why me?"

"Ladybug has save the world hundreds of times by now," Agent Mansey said. "We need her to help save it again."

"N-no, you've got it all wrong, I'm not—"

"We know, Ms. Dupain-Cheng," she said. "We know who you are, and we know what you've done. The world needs Ladybug again."

Marinette was quiet for a moment. "What kind of threat are we talking about?"

"Some people would call them demons," Agent Mansey said, removing a folder from her briefcase. She opened it, spreading a few photos. "We don't know where they come from, just that it's another dimension. We don't know what they want, but they've caused enough damage that we want them out. Will you help us?"

Marinette took a deep breath. It had been a long time since she'd been Ladybug, but if the world needed her again, how could she say no?

"I'll do it."

Chapter 231: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 7

Summary:

Pietro first visits Wanda

Chapter Text

Pietro froze at the door. This could go wrong in so many ways.

"It's alright, Pietro," Charles assured him. "Remember, if you feel truly in danger, you can leave."

The speedster nodded slowly. He knew this was important, and he'd agreed to try, but his incredibly dangerous, incredibly unstable sister with a grudge against him was beyond that door.

"I'll go in first, tell her what's going on," the professor continued. "I'll let you know when she's ready."

"Okay," he said quietly as the door opened, and Charles wheeled in. The boy caught only a glimpse of Wanda before the door closed again.

Those few minutes of waiting felt like an eternity, and all he could picture was his twin screaming and crying for their father to come back as she was dragged into the building. He remembered watching the building get smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. He'd been terrified of her, but he hadn't wanted to just abandon her. He'd never wanted that.

He'd just wanted her to get some help, to find some control.

She's ready, he heard in his head, and he took a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside.

Wanda's whole body was rigid, a stance of aggression. Her dark hair was cut just above her shoulders, and it fell messily in front of her eyes. He felt her gaze on her, and he wanted to shrink away.

"Pietro," she said quietly, but her voice was full of hostility.

"Wanda," he whispered, forcing himself to take a step forward. "I... I'm sorry."

Her eyes flashed. "You're sorry?" she snapped. "Sorry? I've been locked up here, alone, because you and Father abandoned me!"

He gulped. "I didn't want to leave you behind," he told her. "You just... you were out of control. I... I was scared, and Father convinced me it was for the best. I just wanted you to get some help."

"So it was my fault?" she asked harshly, and his eyes widened as she started to struggle. All it would take was just a second of one hand being even remotely free, and she could do all kinds of damage.

"Wanda," Charles interjected. "He's come here to talk, not to fight with you. Please, hear him out."

Pietro opened his mouth to speak. But when those hateful eyes turned back to him, he remembered all those outbursts when they were children. The damage she'd done to the house, how she'd hurt him. That time she almost killed him.

He was gone before she could even twitch.

Chapter 232: Here's a Baby 2

Summary:

Eddie talks to Izi about the pictures

Chapter Text

Eddie had just finished arguing with Venom about the drawings when the children cam piling out of the building. He thought he'd been pretty convincing, but it was still very likely that the symbiote was going to find a way to stick them on the fridge anyway.

HERE SHE COMES.

"I see that, thanks," he muttered. They got out of the car, and when Izi ran over, they bent down and hugged her. Venom snuck out a tendril and quickly wrapped it around her arm before withdrawing.

They walked around the side of the car—he was still grateful Ann let them borrow it to pick Izi up—and Eddie helped her inside. After getting back into the driver's seat, they turned around.

"The guidance counselor called us in," he told her. "She's worried. Do you know what?"

Izi looked down at her shoes.

"Izi..."

"She doesn't like the things I draw," the little girl muttered.

They nodded. "Izi," he started. "Little kids aren't supposed to draw stuff like that. It's brutal and it's violent, and you were never supposed to see that."

"But it's you guys saving people," she protested.

He sighed. "It's also us killing people. And that's not a good thing. We're not always a good person. Seeing that kind of violence in the mind of a kid is really scary to a lot of adults. So... maybe don't draw these in school anymore, okay?"

Venom's head took shape at the end of a tendril from his shoulder.

I THINK THEY'RE LOVELY, he said.

"You are not helping!"

WE'RE PUTTING THEM ON THE FRIDGE.

"Venom!"

Izi giggled as the two continued to argue, and despite himself, Eddie couldn't help the small smile.

Chapter 233: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 2

Summary:

Loki gets a little magic back

Chapter Text

Loki schooled his features to cover his confusion. As far as he knew, he hadn't done anything wrong. He hadn't violated the conditions of his agreement with S.H.I.E.L.D..

So why was he here, outside the office of the new Director?

Confident his confusion—and nerves—were hidden, he opened the door and stepped inside. Coulson stood behind the desk. A familiar remote lay in the center.

"Don't get too excited," the human said. "It's not coming off. It'll be a long time before that."

"If ever," Loki added the unspoken words.

"But you did earn this." Coulson picked up the remote and pressed a small button.

Nothing happened for a brief moment, but before Loki could ask, he felt a small, internal spark. Something familiar that he hadn't felt in a long time. Though it was barely anything, Loki could see the action for what it truly was.

An immense show of trust.

He'd have to experiment later to see just how much he'd regained. But for now, there was only one thing for him to do.

He looked Coulson straight in the eye, offered him a rare, genuine smile, and said, "Thank you."

Chapter 234: Secret of the Kaiju 7

Summary:

Gareth and Chelsea discuss Dr. Dylan's research

Chapter Text

"... so he figured there had to be a way for them to hide."

Chelsea was still shocked that Gareth hadn't once called her nuts, and that he was actually listening to her explain her father's theories.

"Because otherwise we would have found them by now?" he asked.

She nodded. "Exactly. The kaiju have been around for millions of years, but until the last few, we barely knew anything about them. There were documented sightings, sure, but they were like sightings of Bigfoot. There wasn't any proof, they might as well just have been myth. But humanity has explored this world nearly top to bottom. We'd have come face-to-face with them a long time ago."

"We know more about the moon than our ocean," Gareth pointed out. "They could've been hiding down there."

"Godzilla, sure," she conceded. "Maybe another one or two we don't know about. But Mothra? Rodan? Kaiju like the would never survive, hiding at the bottom of the ocean. She's a giant bug and he's literally a fire bird. Volcanologists would have found Rodan ages ago if he didn't have a way of hiding."

"And you're saying that the kaiju have been taking a human form?"

She nodded.

"How?" he asked. "I understand what you're saying, and it makes sense in terms of discovery, but how would it be physically possible? That's literally thousand of pounds of mass that just goes... where?"

Chelsea frowned. "I... I don't know," she replied. "But that doesn't mean—"

"I never said that meant it was impossible," he interrupted, holding up a hand. "Very unlikely, yeah. But if you want to prove your father's theories as correct, you're gonna have to find the answers to those kinds of questions. No one will take it even remotely seriously unless you can explain how."

She sighed. After a moment, she asked, "Will you help me? I know you think I'm wrong, but..."

He shrugged. "Why not? Maybe I'm the one who's wrong, who knows? Only one way to find out."

She smiled. "Thanks," she said sincerely.

Chapter 235: Catra: Princess of Power 7

Summary:

Catra and Adora at the Sea Gate

Chapter Text

"I don't get it," Adora said with a frown.

Catra glanced at the blonde, then scowled when the energy from the sword slowed. She tightened her grip on the hilt and concentrated. Slowly, energy poured from it to the gate, fixing it. Healing it.

"Why just... betray us?" Adora continued. "The Horde is your home, your family, and you spend a few hours with these people and suddenly... this?" She motioned to Catra. "Princesses are evil, Catra."

"The Horde is evil," she shot back through gritted teeth. "All they're doing is hurting people. They're not trying to bring order or anything like that, Adora, they're taking over, and they're just running over anyone who gets in their way."

She heard the crackle of a stun baton behind her. "They're filling your head with lies," Adora tried. She sighed. "I don't want to use this, but I will if I have to."

"I'm not going anywhere," Catra snapped, and cried out in pain when she felt the shock. Electricity coursed through her body and she fell to one knee, but despite everything, she kept the sword up.

People were counting on her. She was the only one who could heal the Sea Gate, and if she didn't, the Rebellion might be done for. Glimmer and Bow might be done for.

For the first time in her life, she felt truly, genuinely cared about. She felt like she had somewhere she might just end up belonging. And helping those people who cared about her filled her with an unfamiliar fuzzy feeling. But she liked it, and she didn't want it to stop.

She tried to block out the pain. A few more minutes.

She just had to last a few more minutes.

Chapter 236: iZombie/Veronica Mars crossover 1

Summary:

The reunion

Chapter Text

Chase kept his face carefully blank as he looked down at the crowd. He'd called for the new Renegade to turn themselves in, and he could see the hate in so many eyes. He could feel the anger boiling, but he pushed it down.

Couldn't they see he was just trying to do what was best for them? More people being snuck into the city put them all at risk. There were more humans that might turn against them, or they'd be scratched, and they'd have even more mouths to feed. It was a delicate balance, and he was still surprised he was able to stay somewhat on top of it.

Slowly, the crowd dispersed, and he ignored what little he could pick up of their angry grumblings. He just had to calm down. Getting angry wouldn't help anyone. All it had ever done was gotten him in trouble.

The crowd was mostly gone, and he turned to leave before hearing, "Logan?"

He froze. It had been a long time since he'd heard that name. And it had been even longer since he'd heard the voice who said it.

Slowly, he turned, almost not believing it. But there she was, arms crossed, brow raised, exactly like he'd imagined she'd turn out. Still short, still blonde, still beautiful.

Veronica Mars stared at him for a second with an expression of disbelief. She started forward, and some of his soldiers moved to stop her.

"Let her through!" he called, and they parted. He headed for the stairs off the podium, and they met in the middle.

"Holy shit," she muttered when she reached him.

"Veronica, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"What am I doing here?" she retorted. "What about you? You disappear off the face of the Earth, and now you're here in New Seattle, supposedly in charge of all the zombies. God, there are zombies, Logan!"

"I know," he said, and steered her toward a more private area. "A lot happened," he told her. "After everything in Neptune, I just wanted to get away. I changed my name, got a new life, and then... stuff happened."

"Right," she said. "Chase Graves. What the hell kind of name is that?"

"What are you doing here?" Chase repeated instead. "How did you even get into the city?"

Veronica crossed her arms and leaned up against the wall. "After everything I've heard, I'm not telling you a thing."

"Veronica..." he started.

Her eyes narrowed. "I just came here because the clues to my dad's last case led to New Seattle. I'm following up so I can put it to rest. But I don't snitch, not when you'll kill them."

Chase paused. "You heard about that..." he said slowly.

"Kinda hard not to," she snapped back. She sighed. "Look, I didn't come here to fight. Just let me work the case, get the evidence I need, and I'll be out."

He didn't want her to leave. He'd been the one to leave her, but he hadn't stopped loving Veronica for a second. He wanted her to stay, and he wanted to catch up. He didn't want to let her go just yet.

"Tell me how I can help," he found himself saying.

Chapter 237: Consequences 2

Summary:

Connor finds his coin

Chapter Text

Hank was at the station, leaving Connor alone with Sumo. Connor was pretty sure Hank had told to dog to watch him, but he wasn't surprised to see Sumo napping next to the couch.

It was fine. He'd proven he could take care of himself. As long as he was careful, at least.

He wandered through the house, finally ending up in front of Hank's bedroom door. He knew it would be an incredible breach of privacy, but... there was a part of him he couldn't explain that wanted to know if the man kept anything of his after he disappeared.

The knob twisted easily in his shaking hand. He nudged the door open, stepping inside. He had a few hours, but he wouldn't be longer than ten minutes. In and out, a quick look. That was it.

He frowned to himself when he saw no mementos of himself. Then again, maybe Hank just wanted to forget about him.

His eyes landed on the nightstand, and for a second, he thought he was imagining it. But no, it was there. His quarter. His quarter, which had fallen out of his pocket the morning before he'd been taken. Hank had kept it.

Connor reached for it, taking the familiar coin in his hand. It was exactly as he remembered it. He left the bedroom, closing the door behind him, and went back to the living room.

His excitement must have been exacerbating his motor skill problems, because it took a few tries to get up on the couch. Once he was settled, he held his hand flat, the coin in his palm, and heard the small tink of metal hitting plastic whenever his hearing fuzzed in. He sat there like that for a long time, and slowly, the shaking stopped.

Staring intently at the coin, he slowly moved his fingers, trying to roll it across them... and it fell into his lap.

He scowled, picking it up and trying again. He knew it was futile, there was too much irreparable damage to this model, it didn't have the motor skills the RK800 had, and it never would. But he was tired of all the stumbles, the broken dishes...

It was unlikely he was ever getting out of this body and back into his own, but he could at least try to better it.

Chapter 238: Teen Wolf Synths 2

Summary:

Discussing the deal

Chapter Text

"They'd leave us alone, just like that?" Stiles asked, unsure if he'd heard Scott right.

"That's what they said," Scott replied.

"Okay, then let's do it!" the human exclaimed. At the raised brow he received from the werewolf sitting in his chair, he added, "What? It's just a synth, it's not like it'd get hurt. Besides, it sounds like they just want to see what they did right. You know, what really makes the thing tick."

Derek's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Stile, do you know what people do to 'machines' that they want to find out how they work? They break them apart."

"So? Like I said, it's not like it's going to hurt." He shrugged. "And at least this way, we're safe. Everyone actually living in Beacon Hills is safe."

"Except the prototype," Derek muttered.

"Did you miss the part where I said 'living'?"

He was not prepared for the book to be slammed shut, or for Derek to practically launch himself out the window.

"Uh..." Scott said eloquently, staring after him.

"What's his deal?"

Chapter 239: The Witch's Daughter 7

Summary:

'Dana' gets a haircut

Chapter Text

"Hey, Sam, you got any scissors?"

Sam looked up from his laptop to see Dana sitting on her bed, taking her gun apart and putting it back together. He'd long since learned to stop asking how she knew how to do that.

"Uh, not on me. Why?"

Ignoring his question, she pulled out a knife—okay, where did she get that?—and headed for the bathroom. When she didn't com out after a few minutes, and there was no sound from inside, he grew curious.

His questions were answered when she came back, sporting a shoddy attempt at a crew cut. The find on her face as she ran her hand through it prevented him from saying anything about it. That could wait.

Chapter 240: A Different Kind of Vampire 1

Summary:

Buffy discovers the boys' living situation

Chapter Text

Dean shoved his mug behind the microwave as Sam answered the door. He was wiping the blood from his face when he heard, "I can't believe you guys actually live here."

"Hi to you, too, Buffy," he replied sarcastically, picking his mug back up once Sam closed the door.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.

"Right now? Wondering why the hell and eighteen-year-old and a fourteen-year-old are living in a hotel room?"

"We're not—" Sam started, but Dean shook his head.

"We can't really rent an apartment, and we weren't exactly planning on staying for a long time," he told her.

"Well, you're not staying here any longer."

Dean laughed. "You kicking us out of town?"

"I won't wanna have that argument," Buffy replied. "But I talked to my mom. And she said that if Willow was right and you're living out of a motel—which you are—then you can stay with us. Mom knows I'm the Slayer, we have an extra room, and I kinda already told her you're a vampire."

There was a beat of silence.

"I'm sorry, you what?" Dean asked.

"Hey, if she was going to make the offer, I thought she should have all the facts. Instead of 'surprise, blood bags in the fridge'!"

Chapter 241: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 12

Summary:

Hermione debates studying with Draco

Chapter Text

Hermione wrapped her fingers around the black crystal that hung from her neck, already uncomfortably used to how cold it was. Draco sat at one of the library tables, leaning over a notebook. She knew it contained images and descriptions of all the symbols that invisibly covered the blonde's body, along with hundreds more. And while she did intent to focus her sorcery studies on necromancy, she still wanted to at least have an understanding of the language of magic.

But that would require asking Draco Malfoy if she could study with him, and while she didn't fear him, their history gave her the idea that it wouldn't end well.

"Are you going to say something, Granger, or do you plan on standing there, staring all day?" Draco asked without looking up.

Hermione frowned, approaching him. She looked down at the notebook. "How many of these do you have?" she found herself asking.

"A lot," he answered vaguely. "I'm not sure about the exact number, but China spent a day carving them."

"Did it hurt?" Hermione asked.

He shrugged. "Not really." He looked back down at the notebook. "You wanted to study these too, didn't you?"

"Yes," she told him. He shrugged again and slide the notebook between them.

Hermione studied the pages in front of her, and she occasionally glanced at the boy next to her, trying to find some sign of the hidden symbols. But there was no trace.

"Ask what you're going to ask," he said dryly.

She frowned at being caught yet again. "Where is this one?" she finally asked, pointing to the symbol on the page that induced enhanced strength.

Draco silently tapped his knuckles. The small sigils glowed red for the briefest second before disappearing.

"What about this one?" she asked, pointing to one that apparently protected thoughts from a psychic attack.

His fingers went to his scalp.

They spent the next twenty minutes like that, studying the sigils, and Draco showing Hermione where each one was.

Chapter 242: Umbrella Academy/X-Men Evolution crossover 11

Summary:

Luther defends Klaus

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Luther frowned when he turned the corner. Duncan Matthews—a guy he was really starting to dislike—had Klaus practically cornered.

Klaus could be twitchy at the best of times, and right now, he looked ready to full-on panic.

Taking a deep breath, Luther approached them. "What's going on here?" he asked, causing both boys to look at him.

"None of your business, freak!" Duncan spat. The kid had balls, but he had to know that Luther's hands were tied. He couldn't take any action against him, or he'd get expelled at best.

But this was his brother.

Luther stepped between them, gently nudging Klaus behind him. The smaller boy looked up at him, a little confused, but his panic seemed to the dying down.

"Outta my way," Duncan said.

"No," Luther told him, fully straightening up, losing the stoop he'd adopted to make himself seem less threatening. Human or mutant, no one messed with his family.

That actually made Duncan pause, and Luther wasn't positive, but he thought he saw him gulp. "Yeah?" he asked, voice wavering only slightly. "What're you gonna do, huh? The second you touch me, they'll come to arrest you."

"Who said anything about touching you?" Luther countered, standing his ground. "I can stand here all day, Matthews."

Duncan scowled, and the next thing Luther knew, the human was raising his fist, and tried to punch him. Luther caught the fist easily in a firm but careful grip.

"I could break your hand, right now," he commented.

"They'd arrest you, and then come after all the other freaks at that institute!" Duncan said, but his voice lacked any real strength to it.

"Only if they could prove it was me," Luther stated, letting go with a light shove. Nothing too hard, just enough to send him stumbling back a few steps. Duncan met his gaze for a few seconds, but when Luther didn't back down, he turned and ran.

Luther turned to look down at Klaus. "Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.

Klaus was quiet for a minute, just staring at him. "You," he finally said, "have been spending way too much time with Five."

Notes:

I know it took a long time for me to get to any of these, so I'm sorry marvelmeg, but I hope this was worth the wait. (It just took me a little while to be able to get in the right headspace for this idea, sometimes it's just hard to write things even if I really want to) It might be a little different than what you'd expected, but literally the first thing that popped into my head when starting to brainstorm all those months ago was Luther being vaguely threatening and then being told he'd spent too much time around Five

(Also, I know you suggested maybe Ben being the target, but I feel like Klaus is one of the easiest targets among the siblings because of his kind of twitchy nature after being locked in a crypt for hours on end)

Chapter 243: Ragtag Team of Heroes 6

Summary:

Ben gets recruited

Chapter Text

Ben looked at the man in front of him. An old guy, probably just a little younger than Grandpa Max, holding a briefcase.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

The man nodded. "You can, actually. May I come in?"

Ben blinked, looking at him again. He looked harmless enough. Then again, so did Grandpa Max. But unless he had some really advanced weapon hidden in that briefcase, Ben could easily take care of himself if it came down to it.

As he stepped aside to let the man in, he frowned slightly at the realization that that thought had actually crossed his mind.

"So, what can I do for you?" he asked.

The man took a moment, eyeing their surroundings. "I suppose I should get right down to it, then. My name is Agent Halden. The agency I work for needs your help."

"What agency is that?" Ben asked suspiciously.

"We have no name," Agent Halden told him, making Ben roll his eyes. "But our focus is solely on helping people. Something we know you are quite familiar with, Mr. Tennyson."

"Uh-huh..." Ben said slowly, trying to subtly cover the Omnitrix on his wrist with his sleeve.

"Our world faces as a threat it's never seen, from an unknown dimension," the man continued. "We're setting up a task force to take them down, to save our world once more. And we want you on that task force."

Ben frowned. "How... how'd you know...?"

Agent Halden smiled. "I have connections with the Plumbers," he said. "They sent me your way. We'd be honored to have you."

"Alright," Ben agreed. He glanced at the Omnitrix. Looks like he'd be going hero again.

Chapter 244: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 3

Summary:

Trying to break Loki's fever (Bonus)

Chapter Text

"We need more ice!" May called down the hall as she pulled her hand away from Loki's forehead. It was still way too warm.

"102," Simmons said quietly, looking down at the thermometer.

"How the hell is he still alive?" May asked as Skye and Fitz returned with bags of ice, dumping them into the tub.

"He's one stubborn son of a bitch," Coulson said, walking in. Before anyone could ask, he added, "No luck. We don't have any way to contact Asgard."

"What about that Heimdall guy?" Skye asked. "I thought he was supposed to be watching Loki at all times."

"Doesn't he work for Odin, though?" Fitz pointed out. "I don't think he'll care."

Skye shifted the ice, covering Loki more. "So, what, we just keep icing him? We're gonna run out eventually."

Simmons looked down at the thermometer again. She was quiet for a moment before... "102.7."

Chapter 245: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 12

Summary:

Cuddling post-curse

Chapter Text

Robert's arm loosely wrapped around Toby's waist. The smaller man stiffened, and Robert tried to rub soothing circles in his waist. He knew exactly what the problem was. Toby had never let him touch him once he even began to 'melt'. The younger man was always afraid t hat once Robert felt it, once Toby began to literally slip through his fingers, it would ruin everything. Once it became tangible that Toby had become a cryptid, they very thing Robert hated, he ex-hunter would leave.

"It's okay," Robert whispered. "You can let go. I don't care."

He almost took it back, thinking he had said something wrong when he heard a choked sob and felt the form pressed against him start to shake. Before he could speak, though, Toby began to 'melt'. His body began to lose substance, descending to the sheets, Robert's hand still over him. Mere seconds later, he was laying next to what Toby loved to call a 'puddle of goo'.

Chapter 246: Avalon: Web of Magic/Skulduggery Pleasant crossover 5

Summary:

Valkyrie and Emily talk about their dark sides

Chapter Text

Valkyrie walked over to Emily, hands shoved into her pockets. "So," she said. "Mind telling me what the prophecy Skulduggery was talking about was?"

Emily looked down at her hands for a long moment. "One will follow her heart," she finally said. "One will see in darkness. And one will change, utterly and completely." She started anxiously rubbing the heart-shaped gem on her wrist. "Adriane followed her heart and found her home here. And Kara is so different from how she was when we first met her."

"Meaning you 'saw in darkness'?" Valkyrie asked, earning a nod. "What does that mean?"

Emily took a deep shaky breath. "It means... I became the dark mage," she said, and Valkyrie frowned. "I was taken over the magic of this creature called the Spider Witch, and I just wanted more and more magic, so I took, and I took, and I..." Her eyes watered.

"Hey, hey," Valkyrie said quickly, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "You don't have to say anything else." When Emily finally looked up, she gave the redhead what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "What you did back then... it doesn't matter. It's who you are now that counts."

Emily didn't look too sure.

"Trust me, I know what I'm talking about," the woman informed her. "I... went bad, myself, about eight years ago. I had this inner darkness, a being known as Darquesse, and I let her loose. I gave in, and she... I almost ended the world. So I understand more than you know, Emily."

"I killed Ozzie," Emily choked out. "Or, I thought I did. I took his magic, and..."

"I killed my sister," Valkyrie said, the words almost catching in her throat. She still hated herself for that, and would rather never acknowledge that it happened, but her brief stint on the dark side made her turn away from the people who loved her and only wanted to help for five years, and she'd be damned if she let anyone else go through that, too. "I brought her back, but... For a few brief moments, my little sister was dead. And when I brought her back, her soul was broken. I had to fix it." She looked at Emily. "But never forget that you have friends here, friends that clearly love you. Don't push them away if they try to help. Okay?"

Emily glanced at the others. Ozzie was talking with Skulduggery, and Kara and Adriane, seemingly deep in conversation, glanced back at her every now and then.

"Okay," she finally said. "Thank you, Valkyrie. I think I needed to hear that."

Chapter 247: Consequences 3

Summary:

Connor is brought to Kamski

Chapter Text

Connor's legs were drawn up to his chest as he sat in the backseat, Hank's music fading in and out. The only word he'd managed to catch before they left was 'Kamski', and he was starting to panic. The last time he'd seen the man, he'd almost killed an innocent woman.

But his hearing was getting worse, he knew Hank could tell. And as much as he really didn't want to meet Kamski again, he really didn't want to go fully deaf.

When they arrived, Connor fumbled with the seatbelt release, finally clicking it just and Hank opened the door. He almost lost his footing getting out, cursing internally before following the man to the door.

A Chloe answered the door, actually looking slightly surrpised to see them. Or him, more specifically. She waved them inside, and he scowled when he was only able to pick up "... with you shortly."

He leaned against the chair, not wanting to try to climb into it only to have to jump out again. He stood there for two minutes, watching the door until it opened and Elijah Kamski approached them. The man stopped, looking at Connor, and said, "The YK100A." He walked over and knelt down to Connor's level. "I... deactivated." He glanced back up at Hank, asking a question the android couldn't hear.

Connor scowled at once again being left out of the conversation. He hated his broken vocal processor, he hated his malfunctioning audio processor, and he hated how inconsistent his motor skills were.

More than anything, he wanted his old body back, no matter how impossible he knew it was.

A tap on his shoulder made him jump, and he turned, nearly falling if not for the gentle hand on his elbow, stabilizing him. He looked up to see Chloe, a kind and concerned expression on her face. So different from the blank, complacent expression of the one he'd nearly shot those months ago.

Chloe held up her hand, and Connor watched the skin retract from it. She held it out invitingly.

He stared for a second. He had no wireless connection, but... could he...?

He took her hand, and immediately her voice filled his head.

"Are you alright? Lieutenant Anderson said you're having difficulties hearing."

Connor gaped for a solid ten seconds before composing himself. "Chloe?" he asked, hardly daring to believe he could actually interface with someone.

Her expression turned to one of shock, and she nearly dropped her hand. He saw her mouth move the same time he heard her again. "Connor?"

Connor was vaguely aware of movement behind him. Hank whipping around to stare at him, he'd guessed. He felt his eyes burning slightly, and the tears soon began to fall. He hadn't realized how much he needed someone to understand who he was. He tightened his grip on her hand. "It's me," he told her.

"What happened?"

And he told her. From getting kidnapped, to being transferred this model, to his escape and subsequent return home. He watched as she relayed the message, and he turned slowly to look at Hank.

The older man was looking at him with an expression of guilt that twisted painfully at something inside Connor. He reached out with his free hand, grabbing Hank's in what he hoped was a sign that he wasn't upset. Not with him.

Looking back at Chloe, he said, "Can you tell Hank that he shouldn't feel guilty? He didn't know, and I had no way of telling him."

Chloe nodded with a smile, and told Hank.

Hank just shook his head. He looked back at Kamski, said something Connor could barely hear but was unable to make out, then turned back to the android and said, "We'll fix this."

Chapter 248: Here Be Dragons 2

Summary:

Toothless meets Stoick

Chapter Text

"Hey, Dad, this is my friend Theo, from school. We're working on a history project together," Hiccup said as he walked into the house.

Toothless followed curiously, but stopped short in the doorway. There, in the kitchen, was the massive frame of Stoick the Vast. Never had it occurred to the Night Fury that the father of Hiccup's reincarnation would be the reincarnation of Hiccup's father.

The last time Toothless had seen him, it had been through a haze he half-remembered. And then his motionless body, among all that rubble...

And Toothless had done that.

"Hey, you okay, bud?" Hiccup asked, turning to look at him in concern, and he took a deep breath. Hearing the familiar nickname was reassuring. It made him feel better.

"Fine," Toothless lied, finally stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He was still staring at Stoick. The man's hair was cut short, and his beard neatly trimmed, but it was unmistakably the old chief of Berk.

Hiccup shot him a concerned look. "Okay..." he said slowly. "I'll, uh, go upstairs, get what we need. I'll be right back, we can set up in the living room." He leaned closer. "Dad's not a huge fan of first-time guests upstairs."

Toothless just nodded, and Hiccup made his way up the stairs.

Stoick was studying him, and he found himself shifting uncomfortably under the gaze.

"So the legends are true," the man finally said, and it took everything Toothless had to not jerk back at the implication. He couldn't know. There was no way he could know...

"Wh-What legends?" he stammered.

"Dragons becoming human," Stoick said plainly, and Toothless's eyes widened. "Oh yes, I know," he continued. "I remember."

"I... don't know what you're talking about," the dragon said, almost meekly. The others would be laughing if they could see him now, but none of them understood the guilt he felt over what he'd done. It had been centuries, but he'd never forget that look of hurt on Hiccup's face, the loss on Valka's, and how unnaturally still Stoick had been when Toothless had come to his senses.

"You're a bad liar, Toothless," Stoick told him.

Toothless just stared. "How...?" he started, but was unsure how to finish the question. How did he know? How was he able to remember? How much did Hiccup actually know?

How much did he hate him?

Stoick sighed, and looked like he was about to speak when Hiccup returned.

The teen frowned, looking between his father and his friend. "Did I miss something?" he asked.

"No," Toothless told him, dragging his gaze away from the man he'd killed so long ago. He looked at the supplies Hiccup seemed to be struggling with. "Do you need any help?" he asked.

"Help would be great," Hiccup said with a smile, handing half of his load to Toothless.

The Night Fury followed him into the living room, feeling Stoick's eyes boring into him the whole way.

Chapter 249: The Other Human Factor 6

Summary:

Desiree waits for a parent-teacher meeting

Chapter Text

Desiree scowled as she waited outside the principal's office. She didn't regret punching that guy Vince for a second. But she did regret that there was probably going to be yet another explosive argument between the principal and Starscream, resulting in her practically dragging the Seeker's holoform out of the office.

The minutes ticked by, and she watched the other students slowly trickle out. Jessie popped by, dropping into the seat next to her.

"What'd you do this time?" she asked.

"Punched Vince," the redhead replied.

Jessie laughed. "About time someone did!"

Desiree huffed. "Yeah, and it's probably getting me another detention and I'm almost definitely gonna have to drag Starscream out of the office kicking and screaming."

"He here yet?" the blonde asked.

Desiree raised a brow. "Do you hear any arguments from the office?"

Jessie paused. "Fair," she conceded. "So it's just a waiting game, then?"

Desiree nodded. "Yep."

They sat there for another five minutes as the last of the students left the building. Desiree was just about to say 'screw it' and leave when the door opened. She opened her mouth to speak...

But the figure walking down the hall was not the slim form of Starscream's holoform.

The man was tall, broad, and gave off an air of authority. His salt and pepper hair was cut short, his eyes were a shade of brown that almost looked red in the lighting, and as he drew nearer, she saw the minute scars around his mouth.

He didn't even look at her as he passed, but her jaw dropped. When the office door closed behind him, Desiree whirled to look at Jessie, whose eyes were just as wide as her own.

"That wasn't..." the other girl started, eyes darting back to the door.

"I think so," Desiree responded in a state of shock.

Jessie lowered her voice. "I thought he hated holoforms!"

"He does."

Chapter 250: Fin 1

Summary:

Gavin finds Connor

Chapter Text

Gavin rolled his eyes as he wandered through the aquarium. You're overworking yourself, Tina told him. Go take a vacation, she said.

And now he was here, in fucking Chicago, surrounded by a bunch of fish.

It was a highly recommended attraction, with more than one coworker suggesting he visit before he left Detroit. There was a shark tunnel, a tank of horseshoe crabs that could be pet... if you've been to one aquarium, you've been to them all. As far as Gavin was concerned, the only big draw this place had was its new attraction, one he had actually laughed at when he heard.

Mer-androids. They were actually building these plastic fuckers in the form of mermaids. It was just too fucking ridiculous.

He scowled when he approached the tank. There was a group of people, mostly kids and excitable teenage girls,  crowding it. He sighed, strolling over, just to see what all the fuss was about.

There were three of them, swimming back and forth in front of the guests, all with long hair, gills on their necks and ribs, delicate looking fins on their forearms, webbed hands, and brightly colored fins. Each one had a swirling blue LED on its temple, like every other android Gavin had ever met.

He stopped in front of the glass, just watching, wondering what the world was coming to to make these things even exist. Especially with the way things were going for androids' rights. Shit, was this even legal?

Gavin was about to turn and walk away when something else caught his eye. A dark shape near the back of the tank, blurry from the haze of the water. But one thing that was very clear was the little dot of glowing red. There was a fourth android in there, and it wasn't happy.

After a moment, the android jerked, almost like it had been struck, before slowly, almost timidly, moving forward on a strong, iridescent blue fin with a light blue dipped tip. Gavin looked up to the rest of the android and nearly dropped his phone.

Two very familiar chocolate brown eyes stared back at him.

"Shit..." Gavin muttered, taking a step closer. The android put a hand against the glass, revealing both his webbing and arm fins to be the same blue as his fin. Without thinking, Gavin slowly brought his hand up to meet it.

Those brown eyes stared at him helplessly, and with his free hand, Gavin dialed.

"Whaddya want, Reed?" Hank Anderson's voice said.

"I found Connor."

Chapter 251: iZombie/Veronica Mars crossover 2

Summary:

Veronica and Liv discuss Chase/Logan

Chapter Text

Veronica sat across the table from Liv, stirring her drink and the other blonde ate... whatever was in that bowl, she didn't really want to think on it too much.

"You and Chase Graves?" Liv asked between bites, raising a brow. "How did that happen?"

Veronica paused. How much could she really say? From everything she understood about the situation, the transition form Logan Echolls to Chase Graves had been a relatively quiet one, and no one was supposed to know. And while she liked Liv... she couldn't just go spilling that secret, could she?

Then again, if he found out that Liv was the one who snuck Veronica into New Seattle, he'd kill her on the spot.

"He used to be someone else," she said. "And I mean that literally, his name was Logan Echolls."

Liv frowned. "Echolls... Where do I know that name?"

Veronica paused. It hadn't even occurred to her that Liv might know the story. Then she felt stupid, why wouldn't she know the story? It had been national news.

"Famous actor Aaron Echolls killed a teenage girl," Liv eventually remembered. "The trial was all over the news."

Veronica nodded. "Yeah... Her name was Lily Kane. She was my best friend, and she was Logan's girlfriend at the time."

"Why did he—?"

"Can we please not talk about that?" Veronica requested.

Liv nodded. "Sorry..."

Veronica took a deep breath. "So, after a while, Logan and I dated. We were kind of an on-again, off-again kind of thing, and then when school ended, when we were out of college, he just... vanished, without a word."

Liv looked at her. "But he still loves you," she guessed.

"Probably," Veronica admitted. Logan had always been incredibly passionate about his feelings for her, even when they were fighting, and Chase had looked at her the same way he always had: like she was his world.

"I'm surprised he hasn't scratched you, then," Liv said, and that made Veronica frown.

"What do you mean?"

Liv shrugged. "Turning you so he can be with you. Sleeping with you would change you anyway. And that sounds exactly like something Chase Graves would do."

Veronica blanched at the image Liv had of the man she knew. "But the Logan Echolls I know would rather die than hurt me," she argued.

"He's already kind of done that," the other blonde pointed out.

"You know what I mean."

Chapter 252: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 7

Summary:

The Brotherhood confront Pietro

Chapter Text

"Yo, Pietro!"

Pietro stopped, turning to face what remained of the Brotherhood.

"Don't tell us you're actually one of the X-geeks now," Lance said.

Pietro glared. "And if I am?" he asked.

"Why, man?" Todd asked, frowning. "Why leave us for those goody-goodies?"

"You wouldn't get it," the speedster muttered. His fists clenched. It wasn't their business. They didn't know the way he felt, and they were never going to. Especially now.

"So explain it," Fred snapped.

"No."

Lance took a step forward. "If you're really one of them, you know Mystique isn't gonna be happy."

He rolled his eyes. "Screw Mystique. And screw Magneto."

The brunette's eyes widened minutely, and then he laughed. "Oh, I get it," he said. "This is all about sticking it to your old man, isn't it?"

"No!" Pietro said defensively. It wasn't about Magneto. It was about him. It was about finding himself as a person, and not having to be the perfect little soldier boy his father had tried to mold him into. He wasn't a Magneto mini-me. He was Pietro.

And he'd be damned if he let anyone take that from him.

Lance's eyes were just starting to roll back in his head when Pietro heard footsteps behind him.

"Alvers giving you any trouble, Pietro?" Scott asked, crossing his arms.

"Piss off, Summers!" Lance shot back. "This is between him and us."

Scott shook his head. "You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us."

The two brunettes stared at each other for a long moment, Scott's hand coming up to his shades threateningly. Finally, Lance backed down.

"Tch, whatever," he said. "Let's go, guys."

Pietro watched them go. When they were out of sight, he looked at Scott. "I didn't need your help," he muttered.

"Maybe," Scott conceded. "But you're one of us. If you need us, we'll be there."

Pietro frowned, unsure of how to react to that warm feeling of belonging.

Chapter 253: Avatar: The Banished Prince 8

Summary:

Zuko meets Gyatso

Chapter Text

"Calm your mind," Iroh instructed gently. "Open your consciousness to the world around you. Feel it in every fiber of your being."

Zuko frowned slightly, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. This was hard.

"Now, open up your spirit," his uncle continued. "Feel the spirits around you, and let them flow through you. Let yourself go, Zuko."

Zuko took a deep breath, and with the exhale, he suddenly felt lighter. Almost weightless. He looked around, and there was his uncle, still guiding him through some calming exercises. And...

There was his body.

Zuko lifted his hands, which were now transparent. He'd done it. Somehow... he'd done it.

He looked around, familiarizing himself with the place. The Southern Air Temple. The site of a massacre so many years ago. The place Aang grew up. He'd hoped that being in a place so connected to one of his past lives would help him, and he was pleased to see that he'd been right.

He frowned slightly. Now what? How was he supposed to find Monk Gyatso now that he was here?

"Hello?" he called, his voice echoing.

There was no response.

"Great," he muttered. "I need to speak to Monk Gyatso!" he tried again. "I'm the Avatar, I need someone to teach me airbending!"

No reply.

He was just about to scream in frustration when a cloud of fog surrounded him for a moment, and when it blew away, an old man stood in front of him.

The two watched each other for a long moment.

"Are you... Monk Gyatso?" Zuko finally asked hesitantly.

"I am," the man replied.

Zuko's shoulders slumped in relief. "Oh, thank god. I need an airbending teacher."

"You're a firebender," Gyatso observed.

"Well, yeah, but—"

"The Fire Nation destroyed this place," the monk continued, looking around. "They killed my people."

"Aang told me you could help," he said.

That got Gyatso's attention. "You spoke with Aang?"

Zuko nodded. "He came to me, in some kind of dream, and he told me you could teach me airbending."

"And what would you do with it if I did?"

The prince thought for a long moment. "I'd do what's right. I... I don't think I know what that is yet, but I'm trying."

Gyatso pondered that for a long time before a smile finally spread across his face. "Very well," he said. "We'll begin with some breathing exercises."

Chapter 254: My Car Broke Down 6

Summary:

Breakdown chooses to stay

Chapter Text

Breakdown slowly came to in what looked like some abandoned warehouse. It was not, however, the Warehouse.

"Where am I?" he muttered.

"Hanger E," Ratchet said. "The newer Autobot base, after Megatron blew up our last one. But now, it's just me here."

Breakdown raised an optic ridge, moving to sit before a hand held him in place, maybe with a little more force than necessary.

"You're still in recovery," the medic said. "You're not moving until I say you do."

"Why are you even helping me?" he had to ask.

"He's helping because I told him to," a female voice said, and he glanced over to see Claudia standing on an overhang. "And apparently the war's over and there's a truce now." She shrugged. "Surprise!"

Breakdown took a long moment to process that. "So you guys won, huh?"

Ratchet nodded. "We did," he said. "The others are back on Cybertron. Knockout is with them."

"You guys took the doc prisoner?" he asked.

"No," Ratchet said. "Actually, he switched sides at the last moment."

"Huh."

There was a moment of silence before Claudia spoke again.

"Wait... if everyone else is back on Cybertron..." she said slowly. "You must have a way to get there, right?" She looked at Breakdown. "You could go home!"

Breakdown thought on that. Part of him longed to go home. To return to Cybertron, to be home, to help rebuild...

But there were no artifacts on Cybertron. No crazy chases where people did unexplainable things. No Warehouse team.

No Claudia.

Even as he looked back at her, he could see the implication setting in as her excitement dimmed. Him going home would mean leaving her, and he'd gotten a little attached to the spunky human.

"Nah," he said, and she brightened. "Think I'll stay."

Ratchet looked at him, almost in disbelief. "Alright," he said slowly. "It's your choice."

Chapter 255: Fin 2

Summary:

In Gavin's bathtub

Chapter Text

Gavin frowned at the sight before him. He'd filled his bathtub as much as he could, but it was still just too small, and it was clear by the look on Connor's face that he was uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry," he said, really hoping Connor could understand him. It was a stupid thought, of course he could understand him, but sometimes... the way he looked, the things he needed, and the fact that he couldn't even talk made him wonder if they hadn't fucked with just his body when they'd taken him. "It's... It's all I got."

Connor blinked at him, and he had that awful feeling again.

"I'm... I'm just gonna—" He turned to leave but a wet hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. When he looked back, the android was shaking his head frantically, gently tugging him closer.

He made a short series of clicks before stopping and frowning.

"Shit, are you trying to talk?" Gavin blurted.

Connor nodded with a frown.

A grin slowly spread across Gavin's face. "Holy fuck, you can understand me!"

Connor looked at him with his brow slightly furrowed, head tilted, as if to say, 'Why wouldn't I?'

"I didn't know if they did something to your head, too," he confessed. He carefully wrapped his hand around the android's, briefly lamenting how he couldn't thread their fingers together like he'd dreamed of so many times. "We'll fix this," he promised.

Chapter 256: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 4

Summary:

Sif tells Loki about his mother's death

Chapter Text

As she was about leave, Sif, paused. "Loki," she said, beckoning him forward.

He raised a brow, staying where he was. "I'm staying here," he said plainly.

"I'm making you come back to Asgard," she said. "Though I should."

He paused, finally stepping toward her. "What?"

Sif looked at him for a long moment in what almost looked like... pity. "Before I left, I wanted to inform you... the queen is dead."

Loki felt his insides grow cold. "Dead?" he asked quietly. "When? How?"

"Malekith's forces," Sif told him. "They broke into the palace and killed her. It was shortly before Thor came to find you." Seeing his anger building, she added, "He must have kept it silent to keep you focused."

"So why are you telling me?" he asked suspiciously.

If he didn't know any better, Loki would almost say that her face softened. "I do not like you, and I certainly do not trust you, but... regardless of blood, the queen was still your mother. You deserved to know."

And before he could even utter a broken thank you, she stepped back and was swept up by the Bifrost.

Chapter 257: Small Town, Big Secrets 9

Summary:

Zane drinks from Jo

Chapter Text

"Zane!"

The vampire hissed in pain when he turned to look at Jo. A fallen beam stabbed through his lower stomach, and even the slightest movements sent jolts of fiery pain rocketing through his body.

"Are you alright?" the human asked, concerned. She held his face in her hands, and he had to really focus to hear her words over the thrum of her heartbeat. "Zane, say something."

"Ow..." he managed with a weak grin.

Despite the situation, she returned the smile. "Does it hurt?"

"What do you think?"

"Right, dumb question," she muttered. "But this... it's not going to kill you, is it?"

"No," he told her. She sagged in relief. He hated to ruin that, but... "But the blood loss might."

"Shit," she muttered. She reached for a piece of broken glass.

Zane's eyes widened when he realized what she was planning. "Jojo, no..." he tried to warn her.

She brought the shard closer to her arm.

Despite the pain, he tried to sit, crying out in agony when the beam shifted in his gut. "Stop, you don't know—"

"You said you wouldn't be able to stop," she said, slicing a line carefully in her forearm. "But I trust you."

She held the arm out to him and he closed his eyes. That, however, was a bad idea, because all it did was put more focus on the tantalizing smell.

If he were in his own world, he'd never be doing this. Then again, the other Jo would never offer. Werewolf blood was toxic to vampires, but this Jo... she was human.

And she was offering...

Ignoring the stabbing pain, he grabbed her arm, pulled it to his mouth, and drank.

Chapter 258: A Different Kind of Vampire 2

Summary:

Dean almost loses it

Chapter Text

Dean tried to focus on the page in front of him, but the words were starting to blur. His gums were throbbing and a heartbeat thudded in his ears—a heartbeat that wasn't his.

He slammed his book shut, ignoring the brief spike of the heart rate and the eyes he knew were focused on him. Now that he was hyperaware, the lights seemed blinding. He put his head in his hands in hopes of blocking some of it out.

He really, really wished Sam was there. Or at least the car with the cooler.

"Dean?" Willow asked, and the thudding grew even louder. His entire body stiffened when her hand landed on his shoulder. The smell hit him like a freight train.

He had to get out of there.

Before he could even think, he was on his feet, out the door, down the hall with his phone out. His head was swimming as he dialed.

"Sammy, I need the cooler," he said as soon as the line picked up. "Now."

"Please tell me you didn't," Sam responded, and Dean could hear the keys. He just hoped he didn't run into a cop and get stopped for driving at fourteen.

"No!" he said sharply. "But I might if you don't get here soon."

Chapter 259: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 13

Summary:

Helping Amanda unpack

Chapter Text

Toby watched as Amanda started unpacking her things, upset he wasn't able to help. He was barely holding it together as it was. His daughter's new roommate would probably think he was a terrible dad if she heard.

He reached for one of the boxes to hand to Amanda, but rather than grabbing, his hand molded around it. He quickly pulled his arm back, holding his half-melted one with his solid one. This was bad.

He jumped slightly at the gentle touch to the small of his back, but relaxed when he saw Robert's reassuring smile. He was able to calm himself enough that his hand reformed properly, and he was able to try again. This time, his hand closed around the corner of the box with no trouble, and he handed it to Amanda with a bittersweet smile.

Chapter 260: Untitled Skulduggery Pleasant AU 14

Summary:

Discussing Erskine Ravel

Chapter Text

"You're saying Erskine is behind all of this?" Dexter asked, with a raised brow.

"All of it? No," Skulduggery answered. "But a lot of it."

"Who's Erskine?" Valkyrie asked tentatively.

The skeleton looked at her. "What do you remember about the man you were brought to, when you first arrived at the camp and China carved your binding sigils?"

"He was tall," she started, then frowned. "Or maybe short. Or... no, maybe average height? And he had... he had hair. I think." She looked at him. "Why don't I remember?"

"Because he got his hands on a very powerful crystal," Skulduggery stated. "One that erases him from anyone's memory he wants as soon as he's out of sight."

"So why doesn't it work on you?" Tanith asked, looking up from polishing her sword.

"His thoughts aren't structured like everyone else's," Ghastly answered. "There's not a Sensitive on the planet able to read his mind, and if you're talking about the crystal I think you are, then I'm not surprised it doesn't work on you, either." He paused. "You're sure it's Erskine?"

"I am."

"Okay, I ask again," Valkyrie tried. "Who is Erskine?"

"A very old friend of ours," Saracen shared. "He was one of the Dead Men. We thought he was dead..." He looked at Skulduggery. "You're saying he's been working with the Sentinels this whole time? Why?"

"My best guess?" Skulduggery offered. "He's waiting for a chance to turn on them and take over. He's never been the biggest fan of mortals, despite how much he tried to hide it. He has to have some plan..."

"But things won't be any better if he takes over," Anton said. "We'd just live in a different kind of fear. We need to stop him."

Skulduggery nodded. "We do. So now we have two missions. Take down the Sentinels. Take down Erskine Ravel."

Tanith set her sword down. "Here's an important question: how are the rest of us supposed to deal with the whole crystal thing? Will we not know he's there anymore the second he's out of sight? Will it make us forget this very conversation?"

"I don't know," Skulduggery admitted. "So for now, leave Erskine to me."

Chapter 261: Consequences 4

Summary:

Connor comes home

Chapter Text

It took nearly two days for Connor to make his way to 115 Michigan Drive. This broken body needed frequent rests, couldn't make long trips, and he did his best to stay out of sight. Anyone who caught him could easily send him straight back to the people he'd just escaped.

It was nearly midnight by the time he got to the door, but Hank's car was in the driveway. He was home.

He staggered for a moment at that realization. He was home. He was safe. He felt his eyes start to water, but he ignored it, choosing to knock on the door. His audio processors had fizzled out again, so he had no idea how loud he was knocking, and he had no way of knowing if Hank was coming or not. Hell, he has no way of knowing if the lieutenant was even awake or not.

He just continued to knock until he finally heard the tail end of some angry curses and the latch clicking. He lowered his hand, and when he saw Hank, as pissed off as the human looked, his composure broke.

Tears streamed down Connor's cheeks, and he lost his balance, throwing out a hand to Hanks pant leg for balance.

"Shit!" he heard. "The fuck...?"

Hank knelt down to his level, and Connor could see just how bad he looked. The man was exhausted, and he looked absolutely wasted, and the android had a sneaking suspicion that his disappearance was behind that.

"Who are you?" Hank asked.

Connor opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Right. His vocal processor was broken. He frowned.

"Can't talk?"

Connor shook his head.

Hank ran a hand through his hair. "Christ..." he muttered. "... go? It's late... sleep, kid."

Connor frowned, trying and failing to piece together what Hank was trying to say. He wiped his eyes and carefully stood. How could he even begin to explain when he didn't have any way to communicate?

He finally settled on just looking up at Hank, silently pleading. If he could just step inside... If Hank would let him in, he was sure everything would be okay. He could figure something out, a way to fix everything, as long as he had the security of his home.

"Fine," the man finally said. "You... just for tonight."

Chapter 262: The Other Human Factor 7

Summary:

The girls leave school through the back

Chapter Text

Lexie was about to head out when her phone rang. The Decepticon emblem flashed on her caller ID. "Hey, guy, hold on," she told the others, stopping them before picking up. "What's up?" she asked.

"Around back," the familiar voice of a red Aston Martin came through the speaker.

"Why?" Lexie asked."

"Autobots out front," he replied. "I don't know if I'm in their sensor fields, but they will recognize me if I pull up right next to them."

"Right," she said. "Be there in a minute." She hung up before looking at the others. "Our ride's out back." She looked out the window, spotting in the blue motorcycle.

Chapter 263: Fin 3

Summary:

The breakout

Chapter Text

North met Markus's eye and nodded before they both dropped from the window. According the the aquarium map, they weren't far from where they needed to be.

One minute and twenty-seven seconds later, they stood in front of the tank. The androids inside were in stasis. The three grouped together were absolutely stunning. But they weren't the targets of the breakout.

Markus climbed up to the top of the tank, where whatever... keeper they had could get in and out if they desired and held a hand out for North. She took it, quickly following.

"Oh, my god..." North said wirelessly when she finally saw him.

He was exactly like she remembered him, but at the same time, so drastically different. Same hair, same face, same freckle pattern... but the fins were new. She'd seen the picture Detective Reed had taken, but it still caught her off guard.

"We need to wake him up," Markus said.

North nodded. "Connor?" she sent wirelessly, but it was just pinged back to her. They must have taken out his wireless receiver, or at least altered its signal.

She frowned, looking around. "Markus?" she asked. "Could you get me that pole over there?"

A few moments later, a long metal pole was in her hand, and she was dipping it into the water, prodding Connor's side. It took a few jabs before he opened his eyes.

He jumped back, staring at the pole before following it to see North and Markus standing there. He froze for a moment before hesitantly approaching them. They both reached a hand down, deactivating the skin there, to pull him up to sit on the platform.

"Connor?" Markus tried as soon and their hands touched.

"Oh, my god," Connor said, his body sagging as he settled on the platform. "I... I didn't know I could still interface with anyone who wasn't..." His eyes drifted back to the water. "They removed my wireless receiver," he told them.

"What the hell happened?" North asked.

"I was taken," he replied. "They... they caught me off guard, and captured me, and they... did this to me. Then they stuck me in this tank for humans to gawk at..."

"Until Detective Reed found you," Markus told him. At the look on Connor's face, he added, "He's the one who contacted us. And now we're here to get you out."

"Get me out?" Connor asked. "How?"

"Josh and Simon secured a water truck," North told him. "We just have to get you there." She paused. "What about the others? Are they like you?"

He shook his head. "No, they were built that way. They're all perfectly happy in here."

North paused, and looked at Markus. They'd come back for them at some point, show them they could be free and get them out. But for now, they had a mission.

"How are you planning on getting me to the truck?" Connor finally asked.

Markus glanced at Connor's fin. He looked at North. "I'll take his arms, you can get his fin."

She nodded, immediately grabbing the smooth scales while Markus grabbed under the ex-deviant hunter's arms. Connor let out a strange click of surprise.

"We'll be out soon," North whispered. "And Lieutenant Anderson is waiting to see you."

Chapter 264: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 13

Summary:

Valkyrie explains why they're not learning earth magic

Chapter Text

"Why aren't we going over earth magic?" Ginny asked.

"Because bad things happen when it comes to earth magic," Valkyrie responded. Before anyone asked for clarification, she added," It's a last resort. One of my friends... We were fighting, and he was about to be killed, so he latched onto the ground, and he... he ended up stuck as a statue for two years. Earth magic is dangerous."

There was a long silence. "Is he alright?" Hermione asked.

"He's fine now," Valkyrie said. "But no one, not even the most brilliant mad I know, could guess how long it'd last. He could've been a statue for a few hundred years. Anyways, let's get started." She took off her ring and handed it to Hermione. The girl visibly shuddered. It wasn't hard to tell that she didn't like the cold feeling it gave. That was why they didn't hold these meetings in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Chapter 265: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 5

Summary:

Getting back on the Bus

Chapter Text

Loki was barely conscious when the Bus landed, seeming to be using all his energy just to remain upright on his knees. He was also blue. Very blue, and when he slowly lifted his head, his eyes were blood red.

May was the first to move, pulling him to his feet, careful to avoid skin contact. He was already freezing through his clothes, she didn't doubt his skin was cold enough to do damage.

Nobody else moved, staring at May practically dragged the mostly limp alien onto the plane, heading straight for the med bay. They'd all seen the ice dome around the Academy from the air. May didn't doubt that took a lot out of Loki and that's why he had reverted back to what she assumed was his true form. With how reluctant he was to talk about his history, she wasn't quite sure how he planned to explain this to the others.

But that could wait. For now, he needed to rest.

Chapter 266: Avatar: The Banished Prince 9

Summary:

Ozai finds out

Chapter Text

Firelord Ozai glared at the messenger cowering below him. "Say that again," he said lowly.

The messenger gulped. "Um..." he started hesitantly. "A-Admiral Zhao sent word that he's found the Avatar. It... It's Prince Zuko."

The flames around the Firelord flared, causing the messenger to shrink back. "Is he really?" Ozai mused, masking his fury with a severe calm. "Why hasn't Zhao aprehended him yet?"

"He, um... He proves to be elusive," the messenger said. "The admiral also reported that he's traveling with a pair from the Southern Water Tribe, and... General Iroh, as well."

"Ex-General," Ozai corrected.

"Right. S-Sorry..."

Ozai watched the messenger for a moment before the man finally understood and scurried off. "Azula," he said.

"Yes, Father?" the princess asked.

"Track down your brother," he said. Several Fire Navy ships had supposedly been taken down. He'd have to give the boy another lesson in respect and obedience. "I believe it's time he comes home."

Chapter 267: Loophole 14

Summary:

Maze saves John from Nergal

Chapter Text

John felt the air shift, and was suddenly hit with a bad, bad feeling. He swallowed before turning.

Nergal stood in the middle of the room.

The warlock froze. "How the bloody hell...?" he muttered.

Nergal narrowed his eyes. "You think you're so clever, John Constantine," he said. "Thinking you can get out of this by just running away."

"Worked for a while, didn't it?" he asked, hating how strangled his voice was.

"But now I've found you," the demon stated. "And I'm bringing you back where you belong."

Flames were just appearing in John's hands when a figure stepped from the elevator. Intricate knives flipped effortlessly as the figure walked into the light.

"Maze..." he said quietly.

"Sounds like someone's a little far from home," Mazikeen said.

"I've come for Constantine," Nergal said. "Once I have his soul, I'll be on my way." He made to move towards John, only for Maze to step in the way.

"I don't think so," she said, shaking her head. "He stays. You go."

Nergal stared at her for all of a second before lunging. Maze dodged, but pulled him into a tight hold, blade pressed against his throat.

"This doesn't concern you!" Nergal snapped.

"My Earth, my rules," Maze argued. "And I say he stays. Capiche?" Her hold tightened just a hair, the blades dangerously close to drawing blood.

At first, John thought Nergal was actually going to argue, before the demon finally backed off. "Fine," he said. He glared at John. "I forfeit my claim on your soul."

"And Astra?" the ghost asked.

Nergal smirked. "The girl remains mine," he said before disappearing.

John stared at the space he'd just occupied before what just happened caught up with him. He'd been dangerously close to being pulled back, to being dragged to Hell and have all his planning be for nothing. And he'd been saved. By Maze, of all people.

"Why?" he couldn't help asking.

She paused before shrugging. "Eh, you make things less boring around here."

Chapter 268: Beetle and Catastrophe 10

Summary:

Marinette feels guilty about Stoneheart

Chapter Text

"For the time being, all of the stone beings across Paris have remained completely still," Nadja Chamack said over the news. "Police have been cordoning off the areas."

"We won't stop until we get these people back to normal," Mayor Bourgeois was promising. "But for now, we're not making much headway."

The screen cut back to Nadja. "Paris is relying on our new guardian angels to save us. Our lives depend on them."

Marinette froze for a second, staring at the television. Her grip on the bowl she was holding tightened. She heard her father set down his dish. He put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know how upsetting and scary this is, but don't worry, sweetheart, we've got two superheroes looking out for Paris," he reassured her, and her thoughts went to the box in her room, hidden away in a drawer. She wanted to sink through the floor. "And the best way of helping them is show that we aren't scared, because we trust them."

She really wanted to sink through the floor.

"But what if they fail?" she asked quietly. She knew she should trust Beetle to get the job done correctly this time. His kwami probably told him how to do it once he transformed back. But she'd only end up screwing things up. Marinette Dupain-Cheng, human disaster. Whoever decided that she should be a superhero needed their head checked.

Tom thought for a brief moment. "Then, I'd come and save you." He grabbed a baguette and held it like a sword. "Super Baker to the rescue!"

Marinette couldn't help but giggle at that. "Thanks, Superdad," she told him, hugging him. She kissed his cheek before going to run up the stairs.

"What do you want me to do with the rest of the cheese bread?" her father asked, and she paused. She'd made that cheese bread for Plagg, but since she was going to be giving him and his Miraculous to Alya, she didn't really have any need for it anymore.

"You and Mom can have it," she told him. "I wanted some yesterday, but I think I made too much." She really hoped that was convincing enough.

"Are you sure?" he asked, and she nodded.

"I'm sure." She flashed him a quick smile before climbing the stairs to her room. She grabbed her purse and was about to leave when she paused, looking back at the drawer. She walked over and opened it, picking up the small box. She almost opened it. But then she remembered how much she had screwed up, and without another thought, she placed the box in her purse before leaving for school.

Chapter 269: The Mutation Situation 11

Summary:

Tony realizes Peter is Peter

Chapter Text

"Boss, the creature escaped while the power was out, I'm sorry."

"What?!" Tony snapped into the helmet. He was glad that FRIDAY was back online, but now he was just angry. That thing had eaten Peter, they'd had it in their custody, and after one stupid break in by a group of idiots, the thing escaped.

"The power cut must have disengaged the locks," the AI continued.

"And you're saying it was smart enough to figure out it could leave," he stated.

"It must be."

"Dammit..." he muttered, heading to the front hall to regroup with everyone. He didn't want to be the one to break the bad news, but someone had to.

When he arrived, they were all standing around, looking puzzled. Tony opened his mouth to speak when he saw the intruders.

In the center of the room. Incapacitated. Tied together in thick webbing.

The pieces started to fit together a little too well and Tony felt his gut twist.

Peter had been acting slightly strange the night it happened. The only remains left had been his clothes. The spider had taken a weird interest when Tony had watched Star Wars when he was on duty.

The thing was a giant mutant spider, for God's sake.

And now this.

Tony's fists clenched, and before anyone could ask, he was flying out the door. He'd made a huge mistake, now he had to fix it.

He just hoped he'd be able to find Peter before something really bad happened.

Chapter 270: The Other Human Factor 8

Summary:

Starscream proposes the idea

Chapter Text

Starscream grumbled bitterly to himself as he tapped a claw on the console, stuck on monitor duty. He had just barely avoided being beaten within an inch of his life. Again. He needed to do something to get back into the warlord's good graces, and fast. He needed to come up with something that would give them an edge against the Autobots. What did they have that the Decepticons didn't? Well, besides more relics. All they had were meager numbers, no doubt a small supply of energon, human children they had to take care of...

His optics widened in realization. The humans! Despite their fleshiness, those three children had caused them all loads of trouble. They had, after all, been able to board the Nemesis during the dark energon issue... That human, Jack, had escaped Airachnid alive, despite their sheer difference in skill. The young girl, Miko, had unlocked the data cylinder... And that very young boy, Rafael had knocked the Decepticons off the Autobot trail far too many times.

As much as he hated the thought, and knew that Megatron would, as well, he knew what would give them an advantage. They needed human pets of their own.

-

"And just why, Starscream, would I allow a group of humans onboard this ship?" Megatron asked. His voice was filled with a deadly calm that terrified the poor Seeker. If he didn't make his case strong enough, he was fragged.

"P-Please, Lord Megatron," he began. "As loathe as we all are to admit it, the Autobots have defeated us many times... Often with their human allies. We have superior numbers, resources, and firepower."

"And you believe that the humans are behind this?" the large mech asked with a raised brow.

Starscream hesitantly nodded. "Yes, my liege. And... if we find them to not be useful, we can always terminate them."

Megatron thought on this for a moment before looking at the other officers he had summoned, Knockout, Soundwave, and Shockwave. The one-eyed tank met his gaze. "Starscream's idea is logical."

"Very well, then," he said, turning to face the screens. "We will acquire a group of humans." He smirked. As disgusting a thought as working together with some of the native species was...

This could be very interesting.

Chapter 271: Fin 4

Summary:

Connor tests his new legs

Chapter Text

"You ready?" Gavin asked.

Connor gave a nervous nod, reaching his hands out for Gavin to take.

Gavin held his wrists, helping him slowly off the bed. The second the android's weight was entirely off the bed, his leg buckled and Gavin moved to catch him.

"S-Sorry..." Connor said quietly. "My current programming is having a difficult time integrating my legs..."

Gavin found himself once again cursing those assholes who'd kidnapped Connor and done this to him. Even now, if one looked closely, one could see he was different, and these people had been efficient enough that they couldn't just transfer his memories to a new, fully intact RK800 model, even if they had one. He would likely always have his gills, and trying to remove his arm fins or the webbing between his fingers immediately caused him pain.

"Not your fault, Con," the detective told him, helping him right himself again. "Just take it slow."

Connor nodded a little again, trying to take a step. The second he lifted one leg, however, the other buckled again. Gavin caught him again, guiding him back to the bed.

"Why isn't this working?" Connor muttered.

"You just said your programming was having issues," Gavin pointed out.

"Yes, but it shouldn't continue to be an issue. I'm supposed to have legs, this should be easy," Connor argued.

"And it would be if you hadn't been kidnapped and modified so fucking much," the human stated. At the look on Connor's face, he sighed. "Look, none of this is your fault."

"You shouldn't have to deal with this," the brunette muttered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Gavin told him. "I just told you, it's not your fault."

Chapter 272: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 6

Summary:

Loki leaves the Cage

Chapter Text

It was a test. It had to be a test.

Coulson had left the door to the Cage open, and Loki knew it couldn't be an accident. But there was no way the agent was going to just let him leave, with no chaperone, especially when he was still uncuffed. So the only logical explanation was that it was a test.

He'd been sitting there, staring at the open doorway for ten minutes when Ward passed by. A few seconds later, the man backed up, looking at him. "You do realize the door is open, right?"

Loki thought for a moment before standing. Well, at least now he might have someone to blame if it turned out he failed.

-

"It's about time you came out here!" Fitz exclaimed with a smile as Loki entered the lounge.

Simmons grinned. "Coulson gave us the good news."

"How's it feel to not be cooped up in some tiny box all the time now?" Skye asked, leaning forward from her seat on the couch.

His skepticism must have still been clear on his face, because Simmons said, "After Coulson heard about what you did, he decided to give you a bit more of a chance. After you helped save him from Centipede, it wouldn't be quite fair to keep you locked up, now would it?"

"And no handcuffs, I see," Fitz chimed in cheerfully.

Loki looked at them, slightly baffled. He knew he'd formed something akin to friendships with them, but he hadn't expected them to be so glad for him. It was an unusual feeling, but not an unwelcome one.

"How is Agent Coulson?" he eventually asked, and everyone's smiles fell.

"Not well, I don't think," Skye answered. "He hasn't really left his office. He was... pretty bad when we found him."

"I remember," Loki said. "I was there, if you recall. He seemed to be in better shape when he returned to the Bus, though."

"That's the thing about S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, though," Ward commented, walking over. "We're taught to compartmentalize."

Loki couldn't stop the slight smirk that played across his face. "It appears I'm in good company, then."

Ward rolled his eyes. "Coulson's tough, though. He'll be fine."

"I hope so," Skye muttered, echoing Loki's own thoughts.

Chapter 273: Teen Wolf Synths 3

Summary:

The prototype escapes

Chapter Text

The prototype ran. The second he was out of Kate's sight, he bolted, and he didn't stop for nearly an hour. He needed to get away. He needed to get away from them, from her...

From everything.

It wasn't until he reached the forests of Beacon Hills that he realized he still had his tracker.

An old, burned house came into view. There had to be something he could use... Something to cut it out.

Ten minutes of searching finally turned up a knife. The prototype sat on the stairs, taking deep breaths, preparing himself. This was going to hurt.

Without another thought, he dragged the knife down his left forearm, gritting his teeth against the pain. After pulling back his synthetic skin, he used the knife to pry off the outer plating to reveal the small, blinking device. He didn't know if the tracker had a range, or if it only held records so far back, but regardless, he needed to get rid of it now.

His grip tightened on the knife. If he did this wrong, he could damage the circuitry in his arm beyond his abilities to repair. He'd need to return to Argent, Inc. to get fixed, and this would all be for naught.

But it was worth the risk.

He carefully cut it out, hissing in pain every time the knife grazed against the more sensitive circuitry. Dropping it on the ground, he crushed it under his foot and carefully tested his motor skills. He didn't appear to have done any damage.

Satisfied that everything was in working order, he carefully set his arm plating in place and folded the synthetic skin back over it. He watched as it slowly knitted back together. No other synth—that he knew of, anyway—could do that.

But he was built to integrate, and humans healed. Werewolves at an even faster rate.

Once his arm was back to normal, he stood and carefully wandered the old house, wary of the damaged wood. There was clearly a bad fire here, and it made him curious. Whose house was this? How did the fire start? Did anyone die?

Nearly an hour of exploring saw him back on the steps. He had to figure out what to do now. There was every chance they'd follow his tracker's last signals here. If he stayed, they'd find him, but... This was almost the perfect place to hide out. It looked like nobody had even been out here in years, so his sudden appearance in town might be able to be explained away... somehow.

The prototype paused. If he did go into town... if he interacted with the humans, he'd need to be careful.

And he needed a name.

Chapter 274: Consequences 5

Summary:

Car ride home

Chapter Text

Connor frowned as he looked out the window. Kamski hadn't had any compatible audio processors or wireless receptors on hand, but he was working on them. There weren't any spare parts lying around for long-obsolete models.

The YK100A. The original child model in its alpha testing stage. No wonder there were so many bugs and glitches, he was surprised it was still running at all. He wondered just how much work that group of androids had put into making sure he suffered.

And then the matter of his old body. They'd have dumped it by now, and all spare RK800 models had been scrapped after the revolution. They were husks, empty shells... But an empty shell he really needed. Kamski had promised to build him a new one, but to make it to the same specifications could take months.

"... three days," he caught Hank saying, and he smiled gratefully. At least he'd be able to hear properly in three days.

And he'd finally be able to go to Markus about what that group had done to him.

Chapter 275: Primal Spirit 11

Summary:

Looking for Rexy

Chapter Text

Claire couldn't believe this was happening. Jurassic World had been open for years without any real incident, and now the T-Rex was loose.

Guests had been quickly ushered into restaurants, on vehicles to the hotels, and a few were even taking shelter in the veterinary barns near the petting zoo.

"Claire, we need to find her," Owen said over the radio as she headed to the observation center to get a better view of the island. "No one's gotten hurt yet, but if anyone dies, ACU isn't gonna care that she's the face of the park, they will kill her."

"I know," she told him. She knew they had to find her first. They had to save her. Rexy was the face of the park, she was the only animal they had from the original, and most importantly... she'd become Claire's friend.

Finally reaching the best vantage point she could find, she scanned what she could see until she noticed movement in the trees on the west end. Could it be...?

The redhead took a deep breath, just like Owen had taught her. This was so much farther than she'd ever projected before, but Owen had told her that her bond with Rexy might be almost as strong as his bond with Indi.

Closing her eyes, she sent out a silent plea, hoping it would catch the old dinosaur's attention.

Dozens of responses came at her, and she nearly staggered. She still needed to work on targeting... She sorted through each emotion sent at her, but none of it was what she was looking for. She sent the plea out again, remembering the intrigued feeling she'd felt when she first met Rexy. She sent that out, hoping she'd recognize it.

She did.

It was hard to decipher exactly what she received back, but there was such familiarity to it that she knew it had to be Rexy.

After analyzing what she got, she said into her radio, "Owen, I think she's following someone. She's on edge, anticipating something, and enjoying herself." She glanced at the trees again. "It looks like she's on the west side, how fast can you get there?"

"Not fast enough," he said.

She froze. This was worse than when Indi panicked and got out. At least she hadn't actively hunted someone. This was an apex predator she wasn't sure they could reason with.

But she had to try.

A feeling of slight concern shot through her, and she realized her panic must have projected. Concern and curiosity. The anticipation was lowering, but she seemed even more on edge.

Had Rexy actually... stopped her pursuit out of concern for what Claire felt? There was no way...

Now time to try another exercise she'd been working on. Focusing on the viewing platform of T-Rex Kingdom, she tried to send out the image, hoping to get the message across that Rexy needed to return home.

Several long moments of no response made her worry. She had no way of knowing what was going on, anything could be happening out there...

And then she saw it. It was just a quick flash, but while the image was blurry and the colors were off, she recognized the ruins of the old visitor's center.

"Owen," she said, taking the stairs two at a time to get to her own new bike. "She's near the old park."

Chapter 276: Here's a Baby 3

Summary:

Izi has a nightmare

Chapter Text

IZI IS CRYING.

Eddie blinked as he woke, jolting back into awareness so suddenly that they shot up in bed. He scowled. "You didn't have to flood me with adrenaline. Jesus..."

SORRY. BUT IZI'S CRYING, the symbiote repeated.

And then he heard it. Soft whimpers from the next room. Getting out of bed, they stretched once before heading for the little girl's room, Venom's concern mixing with his own.

"Izi?" he said softly when they opened the door.

She was curled into a tight ball, covers tangled around her as she trembled. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she said, "Daddy... no..."

"Shit..." Eddie muttered, rushing forward and putting a hand on her shoulder to wake her up.

Izi shrieked as she awoke, blue eyes wide as she tried to scramble back, only succeeding in tangling herself further in the blankets.

"It's okay," Eddie assured her gently. "It's just us."

Izi blinked, clarity slowly falling over her face as Venom snaked out a tendril from their shoulder to look at her.

"YOU HAD A NIGHTMARE?" he asked.

She nodded.

"About your dad?" Eddie asked.

She nodded again.

"It's okay," he told her again. "You're safe now, remember?" They sat on the bed next to her, pulling her into their lap. "You're away from him."

"WE ATE HIM," Venom reminded her helpfully.

Eddie glared at the face at the end of the tendril now wrapped around Izi. He sighed. "Point is, he can't hurt you anymore."

Izi nodded softly, cuddling into his side. "You'll protect me?" she asked.

"Always," they both promised.

She seemed content with that answer, settling in, and slowly, her breathing evened out and she was asleep again.

Eddie leaned back against the headboard while Venom's face retreated from the tendril, which spread over the child like a blanket.

Chapter 277: A Different Kind of Vampire 3

Summary:

The Scoobies find out about Dean

Chapter Text

Dean scowled as he strolled through the cemetery. He didn't even know that whatever they were looking for would be in this one. What the hell kind of town was Sunnydale that it needed twelve cemeteries?

He glanced down at his phone, but there weren't any texts. No one else had found anything, either.

He stopped when the telltale sounds of fighting met his ears. He took off, honing in on the sounds until he could see Buffy grappling with some kind of demon.

Dean grabbed the thing's arms, pulling them behind it to give the Slayer a few free swings.

The blonde kicked it once in the chest, once in the gut, and finished by taking its head with her fallen axe.

Dean reared back as it came dangerously close to his face. "Christ, Buffy!" he said as he dropped the demon. "Be careful, you almost got me with that thing."

"Sorry," she said.

"You're bleeding," he commented, nodding to where her arm had been slashed. He took a casual step back, trying to distance himself from the smell. Buffy and her friends weren't half bad, they were some nice backup, and he wasn't about to out himself to them. The less they knew, the better.

Buffy glanced down at the gash. "Huh," she said. "How'd you...?" She looked up, studying his face, and Dean really didn't like how much she tensed.

"Buffy..." Dean said in warning, taking another step back. She followed. "It's not what you think." It's exactly what she thinks, Dean argued silently.

"Dean," she said with a false calm laced with danger. "It's dark. My sweater's black. How did you know?" She took another step. "Smell it?"

"I..." He sighed. "Yeah, fine. I smelled it. But—"

He was cut off by the stake, thrown with expert precision, that embedded in his chest. He blinked at it for a second, looking at Buffy just as the pain hit.

"Jesus Christ!" he yelled, ignoring her stares. He was vaguely aware of the approaching footsteps as he pulled it out, dropping it to the ground.

"What. The hell. Are you," Buffy asked slowly.

"He, um..." Sam started, reaching Dean's side. "He's a vampire, but different than the kind you guys know," he explained quickly, watching the others warily. "He's been one since before we got here, and he still goes to school."

Willow's brows furrowed. "What do you mean, different kind?"

Dean sighed, picking at his ruined shirt. "Look, let's just... get back to the library, we can explain shit there. Alright?"

Buffy studied him for a long time. Probably sizing him up, weighing everything she already knew. "Fine," she finally said. "But this better be good."

Chapter 278: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 7

Summary:

Coulson's reassurance (Bonus: Curse)

Chapter Text

"I'm not going to make it, am I?"

Coulson looked up from his paperwork with a start. Loki had barely left his room for the past week and a half, and he hadn't spoken a word in days. But there he stood, in the doorway, physically regressed down the three years old.

"We still have time," Coulson said, but he was even sure about his own words.

"Three days," Loki stated. "And as far as I know, Fitz-Simmons still haven't made much progress."

"We'll figure it out," Coulson promised. "You're going to survive."

"Because you don't want to be the one to tell Thor I've died on your watch," Loki deadpanned.

"No." Coulson shook his head. "Because you're one of us."

Chapter 279: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 11

Summary:

Ellie finds Isaac (Isaac PoV)

Chapter Text

Isaac watched as Ellie boarded the Ishimura, staying hidden in the half-covered ventilation ducts. She was here to find him, she had to be. That was the only possible explanation for her returning to this horror ship.

The beeping from her handheld device, which only grew louder the closer she got to him, confirmed that, and he wanted to tell her to turn back, to leave. It was too late for him now. Even if he still felt human, there was no telling how long that might last. Just because he could ignore the Hive Mind now didn't mean it wouldn't get stronger, that he wouldn't get weaker.

There was every chance that it would only be a matter of time before he went native. And he didn't want Ellie anywhere near him when he did.

But he also wanted to make sure she stayed safe. He wasn't the only necromorph on the Ishimura, and from the sounds around him, they knew she was here.

Very carefully, as quietly as he could, Isaac followed Ellie from the vents, never losing sight of her.

"Isaac?" she finally called, and hearing her voice made him pause.

He shouldn't. He really shouldn't, it was a terrible idea, but.. Maybe there was some way she could help him. Maybe she could help get him out of this mess.

With that in mind, he crawled out of the opening. He made his movements slow and careful to avoid provoking her, but the second she saw him, she fired, and as much as it hurt, he was proud of her aim as his arm was sliced clean off. He shrieked in pain, bracing himself as the arm began ro regrow.

He watched her step back, her weapon still trained on him, but he made no move to follow. She glanced down at her tracker, and he could see her face fall. So she finally figured it out.

"Oh God, Isaac," she whispered, voice catching, her weapon starting to drop.

He was about to try to give her some kind of acknowledgment when he saw movement behind her. Another necromorph getting ready to strike. And she was so focused on him, she never noticed.

Unable to warn her, he just dove, knowing how it must look even as she shot at him and missed. He collided with the other necromorph knocking it off course. He settled himself between it and Ellie, almost daring it to try again.

It did, and he managed to slice off one of its arms before Ellie came to her senses and killed it. He froze, looking up at her for a long moment. What was she going to do?

"Isaac?" she asked softly, hesitantly lowering herself to his level. "Is that... really you?"

He was so struck by her faith in him that it took him a moment to respond. He nodded, and the brunette actually laughed a little. "My god," she said when her chuckles died down. She slowly reached out and touched his face. She looked at him for a long time, and he just stared back, wondering what she was looking for.

This was a very dangerous position for them both. If Isaac suddenly went nuts, Ellie was well within range for him to stab her several times over. If Ellie saw something in him she didn't like, her plasma cutter was just a twitch away from taking his head.

"What happened to you?" she finally asked.

He really wished he could have answered.

Chapter 280: The Other Human Factor 9

Summary:

Noticing the Autobots' kids

Chapter Text

"Hey," Jessie said, elbowing Roxanne. "Do those three look familiar to you?"

The taller blonde looked over. "Oh my god," she said. "Those are the Autobots' kids!"

"So what do we do? Do we tell the 'Cons?"

Roxanne stared at her for a moment. "Are you crazy? If anyone, especially Megatron, finds out, they'll be dead before you can say 'roll out'. No, this stays between us. Us and the others."

"Right," Jessie agreed.

Chapter 281: Fin 5

Summary:

Why Connor's staying with Gavin

Chapter Text

Hank frowned as he leaned against the bathroom door. Connor wasn't looking at him, instead staring down at his hands while his fin twitched lazily in the tub.

"Why?" he finally asked.

Connor looked up, brows furrowed. "Why what?" he asked.

"Why the fuck did you wanna stay here, in Reed's tub?" the human clarified. "Instead of coming home? Shit, I miss having you at home, kid."

Connor was quiet for a long moment and Hank didn't think he was going to get an answer. "I... didn't want you to have to be faced with that happened every singly day," he finally said. "I thought that seeing what happened would make you blame yourself for the fact that I was taken." He started lightly picking at the webbing between his fingers, a new nervous habit. "But it wasn't, Lieutenant. And I don't want to be a burden."

Hank's frown deepened. He'd thought he'd lost Connor all those months ago, he didn't care what physical state the kid was in right now, as long as he was alive. He just wanted the android to come home.

"I'm sorry, Hank," the android continued quietly. "It's nothing against you. It's just... easier for me to stay here while I get my bearings."

"Kamski's working on a new set of legs for you," Hank stated. He tried really, really hard not to sound pushy. "Will you come home then?"

Connor nodded. "I will. I promise."

Chapter 282: Here Be Dragons 3

Summary:

The dragons discuss how to rescue Toothless

Chapter Text

"Shit!" Stormfly muttered, kneeling down to get a better look. She carefully picked up the dart by its base and her eyes widened.

"Dragonsbane..." Meatlug whispered, staring at it. She looked at Stormfly. "You don't think they have him..."

"Why else would he have not come back yet?" Stormfly asked. Her gaze drifted back to the dart. "Dragon hunters found out, and they have Toothless."

"What do we do?" Barf asked.

"Go after them?" Belch suggested.

Hookfang nodded. "We go after them, we hunt them down, and we give them hell."

Stormfly frowned. "No," she said. She held a hand up to try to silence their protests, having to punctuate it with a harsh glare to get her point across. "They're probably prepared for each and every kind of dragon there is," she told them. "If they can take down a Night Fury, what do you think they'll do to the rest of us?"

"So what do you suggest?" Meatlug asked.

"We tell the humans," the blonde said. "Toothless told me that Stoick knows. He knows about us, and he remembers everything. We get him on our side, we tell the others the truth.... And then we all mount a rescue mission together."

Hookfang barked a laugh. "Yeah, because that guy will be so willing to help the dragon that killed him."

"He doesn't blame him," Stormfly argued. "The two of them talked, and the chief knew that it wasn't Toothless's fault." At his raised brow, she glared. "Look, you wanna go after these guys without help, be my guest. But they're experts, Hookfang."

"Like she said," Meatlug added softly. "If they can take down a Night Fury... Our alpha dragon... They've got ways to stop all of us. We have to do this right."

He scowled, glaring at the two of them for a moment before finally relenting. "Fine," he muttered.

Stormfly nodded. "Alright. We'll each contact our riders, get them to meet somewhere, and we can explain. We agreed?"

They all nodded once before splitting off to find the humans.

Chapter 283: iZombie/Veronica Mars crossover 3

Summary:

Chase finds out why Veronica's in New Seattle

Chapter Text

"Why isn't your dad here?"

Veronica frowned. "What?"

Chase shrugged. "You said you were working on your dad's case," he explained. "So why are you here instead of him?" At her look, he added, "Look, I'm not complaining, I'm just saying... It'd make more sense, I thought you were out of the PI business."

She laughed humorlessly. "I'll never be out of the PI biz, Logan," she told him, and he didn't bother correcting her. It was Veronica. She could probably get away with calling him 'Nancy'.

"Fair enough," he said. "Still."

She was quiet for a moment. "Dad's gone," she finally said. "When I said it was his last case... I mean it was his last case."

"It wasn't the case that killed him, was it?" Chase asked. "Because if it was—"

"No," she interjected.

"If it was," he continued like she hadn't spoken. "Then you need to leave it alone."

Her eyes narrowed. "No," she told him. "This was important to him. It needs to get solved, and I'm the only one who cares enough to do it."

"Then let me help," he said.

"How could you help?" she asked, crossing her arms. "You've never exactly been a great detective."

"No," he conceded. "But I have resources I can let you use." He looked her in the eye. "Please, Veronica. I just wanna keep you safe."

She met his gaze, studying him. He hoped she understood. That was all he'd ever wanted.

"Fine," she finally said.

Chapter 284: DNR 1

Summary:

Gavin finds out what happened

Chapter Text

Something wasn't right. Gavin knew that for sure long before he even opened his eyes. He felt funky, but oddly enough, he wasn't tired. And he was always tired when he first woke up.

When he finally did open his eyes, he felt his insides go cold. Numbers flashed in front of his face, and the words "Loading OS," "Checking Biocomponents," and "Initializing AI Engine" had him panicking.

"What the fuck?" he exclaimed, shooting up when his vision cleared. Really cleared. Everything looked sharper than it ever had in the past.

"You're finally awake," he heard a relieved voice say, and he whipped around to see his brother standing in the doorway. Elijah looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept in days.

"What," Gavin started lowly, "did you do to me?"

"I didn't have a choice," Elijah told him.

Gavin's eye's narrowed, and he jumped when he was suddenly shown a readout of the other man's vitals. "Eli... Tell me you didn't put me in a fucking android body."

At Elijah's hesitation, he bristled. Just when he was about to open his mouth again, the billionaire spoke. "What choice did I have?"

"What the hell does that mean?" Gavin asked.

Elijah took a deep breath. "Gavin... There was an accident. You didn't make it."

Gavin's insides went cold again. "Explain," he said, not liking how much his voice shook.

Elijah ran a hand through his hair as he began to pace. "Three weeks ago, there was a fire. You happened to be on the scene and, like an impulsive idiot, you ran inside to try to save a little girl." He took a deep, shaking breath. "She made it, you didn't."

"So how am I here?" he asked, even though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

"Do you remember those scans I've been doing recently?" he asked. At Gavin's annoyed nod, he continued, "I was mapping out your brainwaves. Recording your memories. Making a digital record."

"So I'm, what, some copy you just downloaded into some tin can?" he asked harshly.

"You're not a copy!" Elijah snapped back. "And what else was I supposed to do?"

"How about let me stay dead?" Gavin said. "Shit, did it not occur to you for one fucking second that I wouldn't want this?"

Elijah looked at him. "I just started getting my brother back," he said. "I wasn't about to just lose you again."

Gavin barked a bitter laugh. "Yeah?" he asked, getting off the bed. "Well you just did."

And without another word or a look back, he stormed out.

Chapter 285: I Will Always Watch Over You 10

Summary:

Lloyd finds out Raine knew

Chapter Text

"You knew?!" Lloyd snapped.

"I did," Raine told him.

"How long?"

"Shortly after we left Palmacosta," the half-elf told him. "I thought he was acting a little strange, and I confronted him about it."

"You knew this long and you didn't say anything?!" Lloyd asked.

"I made a promise," she said. "And after the Tower of Salvation, I didn't think it was necessary. It would only make you angry, I thought I could wait until this was all over with. But I was going to tell you, Lloyd."

"You shouldn't have kept that from me!" Lloyd said. He looked on the verge of ripping out his hair.

"Calm down," she said. "This doesn't change anything."

"What do you mean? This changes everything!" he exclaimed. "Kratos is my father, and if that one Desian was actually telling the truth, Kratos killed my mom, Professor."

"I know he did." Lloyd froze, but she continued. "He told me, afterwards. He did it to save your life." Before he could start to argue, she added, "I'm not defending him. But there's no point in you getting even angrier when you don't need to."

"And it doesn't change who you are," Colette pointed out helpfully. "You're still you, regardless of who your real father is. And that'll never change. Okay?"

Lloyd took a deep breath, and it was a relief to see the effect her words had on him. "Okay," he said. "Okay, fine." He looked back at Raine. "I'm still not happy with you, Professor."

"I know, and I understand," she said. "I just hope you understand I was doing what I thought was best."

Chapter 286: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 10

Summary:

Helen's captured Becker

Chapter Text

Becker blinked as he slowly came into awareness. His wrists were shackled above him, just barely hanging him off the ground. The walls around him were blank, and the only window was on the door.

"Hello, Captain Becker," a familiar voice said over the loudspeaker, and his hackles rose.

"What do you want, Helen?" he practically snarled. "Where am I?"

"All in good time," the madwoman told him. "I thought stopping Nick would fix things. I thought it would stabilize the rifts."

"And nothing's changed!" the vampire snapped.

"I know that!" she snapped back. "But the ARC has to be stopped one way or another."

He shook his head. "Operations aren't just going to stop because I'm missing, Helen."

"No," she replied. "But they will come looking for you."

Becker actually laughed at that. "I thought you were meant to be smart. No one's coming for me. I was hired to be disposable."

"Except that you're not," Helen pointed out. "Not to Connor. And not to the rest of the time. They'll come for you, Captain. And when they do... I'll be waiting."

Chapter 287: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 7

Summary:

Early morning on the Bus

Chapter Text

Loki had returned to the Cage that night, having nowhere else to sleep, and awoke the next morning feeling oddly refreshed. He stood and stretched, catching a glimpse of his sleeves. He hadn't noticed before, what with everything that had happened, but the fabric was slightly torn and covered in a fine layer of dirt. He frowned, brushing himself off as best he could, away from his bed. This must have been from his skirmish with the Centipede soldier the day before. He wished someone would have said something.

He needed something new. He wasn't sure exactly how he'd go about doing so, but he'd find a way.

For the moment, at least, he decided to find something to eat. He'd bring up his need for a new wardrobe later. Right now, he was famished.

Once he found himself in the kitchen area, he found himself completely at a loss. The clock revealed that it was almost seven. He'd always been a fairly early riser, so it didn't surprise him. Unfortunately, that meant that everyone else was unlikely to be awake, and loathe as he was to admit it, he might need a bit of help. A Midgardian kitchen was a foreign thing to him, and thanks to how he grew up, his cooking knowledge was unfortunately very limited. It made him feel ridiculous. He understood how most of the technology on this plane worked—at least, enough to use it—but he was completely out of his element, and he felt like a fool for it. He often learned by watching, and he'd never even thought to watch anyone cook thus far.

Well, he'd just have to do his best.

After a minute or so of rifling through the cupboards, he found a yellow box with an image of a bowl on the front. The bowl was filled with small rings, and the box was labeled 'Cheerios'. He turned the box over, and upon discovering that there were no instructions, he assumed he was supposed to just pour it into a bowl and then eat it. One side showed an image of the small rings in a spoon, so he'd have to go searching for one of those, as well.

A few minutes later found him sitting at the counter, bowl of Cheerios in front of him, box carefully closed and back where he'd found it. As he ate, he discovered that the food had a strange, but not unpleasant taste to it, and was very dry.

He couldn't help but wonder where he would go from here, in relation to his role on the plane. He was a tool for them to use, he had no illusions about that. He'd been informed of that on day one, that was his purpose here. But now... he was friendly with much of the team, he was given a bit of freedom... he'd told Skye he wanted to belong, he wanted to be one of them. Was this a step toward that? Could he actually have a real place here, in this place he'd decided to call home?

"You know, you're supposed to eat that with milk."

It took a lot of self restraint to avoid jumping as he turned to see Skye behind him, leaning against the wall. Glancing at the clock, he discovered it was just after 7:15.

His confused expression caused her to laugh. "Okay, so, usually what you do," she began, finding the box and her own bowl, pouring it in, "is you pour it in first, and then after that, you pour in some milk." She finished with the Cheerios, putting them on the counter beside her and walked over to the fridge, where she pulled out a carton of milk. She poured it into the bowl, and soon her bowl was filled with milk, Cheerios floating in it. She capped the milk, put it back in the fridge, grabbed a spoon, and sat down to eat. "It's pretty dry, right?" she asked him, eating a spoonful. He nodded, and she told him—with her mouth full— "Milk really helps with that." Loki was truly fortunate in this case that he'd grown up with Thor. He'd grown quite fluent in what Fandral had started calling 'the language of the full mouth'. A mouthful in and of itself, but he'd made that declaration when they were children, and it had, unfortunately, stuck. To this day, apparently.

"You have no idea what to do in a kitchen, do you?" Skye asked after she swallowed. "I mean, you grew up a prince, and you're eating dry cereal for breakfast."

She had a point. "The last time I was in a kitchen, Thor and I were stealing bits of food because we were hungry in the middle of the night."

"Long time, then?"

"Very."

Skye stretched, and when they were both finished, she took their bowls and spoons to the sink. "I wash, you dry?"

"That sounds fair," he replied, and Skye turned the water on.

"You know," she said as she started. "I'm not like, a five star chef or anything, but I might be able to teach you how to make something better than cereal or a sandwich. Like, maybe an omelet tomorrow or something."

Loki paused at that. Skye was already going to teach him how to properly work a computer at some point, and now she was offering to teach him to cook? He was over a thousand years older than her, but his knowledge of Midgard, while fairly extensive, did not include the more mundane aspects of life, such as cooking. "Tell no one of this," he told her, taking the first bowl to dry.

Skye winked. "Your secret's safe with me, man." She glanced at his suit. "You need new clothes," she commented.

"I'm aware," he replied dryly. "However, this is all I own, other than the clothes I arrived here in. And I would sooner throw myself out that window than put on another one of those sweatshirts."

He glared when she started laughing.

Chapter 288: Beetle and Catastrophe 11

Summary:

Post-Stoneheart

Chapter Text

Marinette dropped back into the school bathroom just as her Miraculous ran out of power. Plagg came swirling out of the ring, landing in her outstretched hands.

"I can't believe we did it...!" she breathed, a grin slowly spreading across her face.

"Not cut out for this, huh?" the kwami challenged tiredly.

Marinette laughed a little. "I guess I do have a knack for destruction."

"You did good, Marinette," he said in what she felt was a rare show of sincerity. "I mean it."

"Thank you," she said. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she could do this superhero thing, as long as she had Beetle with her. And as long as she had Plagg by her side.

"I would totally give you a thumb's up if I had thumbs," he told her.

She giggled. "Thanks, Plagg." She thought for a moment. "I can't really carry cheese bread around with me everywhere, but... what about little mozzarella balls? Would those work in a pinch?"

"Cheeeeeeeeese," he agreed sleepily, making her giggle again.

"Okay," she said, gently slipping him into her purse. "Let's see if they've got some mozzarella balls in the cafeteria."

Chapter 289: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 10

Summary:

Connor and Abby come home

Chapter Text

"Anything?" Becker asked Claudia, his gun never dipping from the anomaly before them.

Claudia took out her Farnsworth and he could vaguely hear the discussion. He kept his gaze on the flickering lights, looking for any sign of movement beyond.

He wasn't letting anyone die from this. Not this time.

"Nada," the young woman told him. "Pete and Myka got nothing."

"And Steve?"

"Still nothing," she confirmed. "So, what could we be looking at here, Captain?"

"Anything," he said simply. "We don't know what period it goes to, it could be raptors, or saber-toothed tigers, or..."

"Or those future predator things?"

He stiffened slightly. "You know about those?"

She shrugged. "I did some digging." She paused, looking at the anomaly. "What's happening there?"

There was movement. Something was coming through. Becker adjusted his aim, finger just ghosting over the trigger when two figures came stumbling into view. Two human figures.

"I don't believe it..." he whispered.

Claudia stared from Becker to the two and back again, a grin slowly spreading. "No way," she said slowly. "That's not..."

"It is..." he breathed, lowering his weapon.

There, in the middle of the street looking a combination of dazed and relieved, were Connor and Abby.

"What are you waiting for, go on!" Claudia urged, and he handed her his gun before jogging over to them.

"Becker?" Abby asked softly.

Becker pulled them both into tight hugs, unable to believe this. They were home. They were safe.

But someone was missing.

"Where's Danny?" he asked, looking between the two of them.

"We... got separated," Connor told him. There was a roar behind him. "Can we maybe have this conversation later? We might be being followed by an angry, territorial Spinosaurus."

"Right," Becker said, leading them back. He took his gun back. "Claudia, take them to the car.

"Who—" Abby started.

"We can explain everything later," Claudia said. "But right now, let's let him deal with this, okay?"

"No, we should help, we can help," the blonde argued.

"You probably need rest," Claudia insisted. "I know you don't know me, so you have no reason to trust me, but you guys look dead on your feet, and if you try to handle a dinosaur now, you'll probably get yourselves killed." She lowered her voice. "And he just got you back. Do you really wanna do that to Becker?"

Chapter 290: Teen Wolf/NCIS crossover 5

Summary:

Derek meets Abby

Chapter Text

Derek's nose scrunched as soon as they exited the elevator.

"I know, Sourwolf, I know," Stiles said, leading him down the short hall to Abby's lab. He knew Derek was gonna hate it. They could already hear the music out here, and with all of the tests she did in there, there was every chance it would be unbearable.

But Derek needed to meet Abby. They couldn't take him in the field with them, and he needed to be left with someone they could trust while they were out, and it was better for him to already know her.

As soon as the door opened, Derek growled, halfway into his beta-shift as he covered his ears.

"Abby!" Stiles yelled over the music.

"Huh?" she asked, turning. She looked from him to Derek and back, and he could tell the exact moment it clicked. "Sorry!" she said, turning her stereo down. After a moment, Derek started to relax.

"Derek, this is Abby," Stiles said, motioning to the woman in front of them.

Abby grinned. "So this is Derek? He doesn't really look feral."

"He's not completely feral," Stiles explained. "Just... kind of feral. He's still in there, somewhere."

"You're totally sure?"

"He literally stopped growling when I walked into the room," he said. "I'm sure."

"Huh." She turned back to Derek. "Like Stiles said, I'm Abby. This is my lab, but it probably doesn't smell that great to you, huh?" She motioned them both to the door and followed them out. "Better?"

Derek blinked at her.

"Better," Stiles confirmed for him. "You wouldn't mind watching him sometime if I have to head out into the field, right? Vance let me take him kinda off the hook, but he has to be supervised at all times, just to be sure."

"Yeah, I can totally do that," she replied with a smile. "So long as he doesn't mind?"

Stiles looked back at Derek, who looked a little bit more relaxed than he had when they'd first arrived down here. "I don't think he will," he finally decided.

Chapter 291: Fin 6

Summary:

Post-breakout reunion

Chapter Text

Connor swam nervous laps in the tank while the truck drove him... somewhere. He wasn't entirely sure where they'd be taking him. Certainly not his home. People would notice a large water truck parked outside Hank's house.

It was eerie. The only light in the whole tank, surrounded on all sides by the metal plating of the truck, came from his LED, giving the water a very faint, hazy yellow glow. Even back in the aquarium, after the staff left for the night, there were the emergency lights. With no light, no sign of anyone else around, he was completely alone.

And it scared him.

It took four hours and thirteen minutes for them to arrive. Simon and Josh opened the door in the back of the truck. His optic sensors immediately adjusted to the change, allowing him to see Hank and Gavin standing there.

"Shit..." he vaguely heard Hank say, voice muffled by the glass and water between them.

Connor swam right up to the glass, looking at both humans. He didn't realize until this exact moment just how much he wanted to be held. To feel someone's arms around him, to feel protected and safe.

The others finished setting up a ramp, and they carefully slid the tank down to ground level. Connor immediately went up, head breaching the water before he leaned his arms over to edge. Now he'd be able to hear them better.

"Shit..." Hank swore again, and rather than looking at Connor's face, his eyes were locked on that bright blue fin.

Connor opened his mouth to try to reassure him that he was okay, he wasn't hurt and he was just happy to be out of there, but all that came out was, of course, a series of clicks. He frowned, hanging his head.

His arms slowly dropped, and he sank back into the water. He wasn't looking at them now. Aquarium or no aquarium, that didn't change the fact that he was a freak. An aberration. A... creature.

And he didn't know if there was even any way of fixing this.

Chapter 292: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 8

Summary:

Fitz-Simmons explain the curse

Chapter Text

They had about fourteen days left.

Loki had locked himself in his room with a stack of books. He'd gotten to the point where he didn't want anyone to see him. If they didn't fix it within the next week, that wouldn't really be an option.

"Please tell me you have something," Coulson told Fitz-Simmons.

"We've made... some progress," Fitz began.

"We think it's feeding off of his magic," Simmons continued. "That's why it hasn't affected any of us."

"So just cut him off again," Skye suggested.

Fitz shook his head. "It might work, but if it doesn't, all that energy could just flow straight into him and..." He made a pop sound.

"No more Loki," Simmons finished.

Chapter 293: Harry Potter and the Skeleton Detective 14

Summary:

Lord Vile is loosed

Chapter Text

Valkyrie stared in horror as the shadows began to leak from the case.

"Get everyone out of here," Skulduggery told her as quickly as he could. "And then stop me. By any means—" He was abruptly cut off as the shadows hit him full force.

She only had a few seconds. "You heard him," she told the others. "Go!"

"We're not leaving you!" Hermione protested. She had to see the threat that Lord Vile was creating. Yet she still stayed. If it wasn't such a stupid move, Valkyrie might actually admire that. As it was, though...

"You have to!" Valkyrie exclaimed. "He's too dangerous; Vile makes Voldemort look like some petty criminal." His focus was now on them. Even though she knew he could follow easily—and probably would; Darquesse was his only worthy opponent—she gathered the darkness around them and shadow-walked. She didn't care where, it just had to be away.

They ended up in the crate she and Skulduggery had fought the dragon in. "Hide," she said. "Before he follows."

"What makes you so sure you can take him on your own?" Harry asked. Her face hardened.

"Because I'm just as dangerous."

Chapter 294: Ragtag Team of Heroes 7

Summary:

Danny makes a portal

Chapter Text

All four of their phones went off simultaneously.

"Boston," Marinette read aloud. "Three."

"Anyone know how far Boston is?" Jake asked, but Danny was already bringing up a map.

"Uh... looks like two more hours by plane?"

Ben frowned. "How are we supposed to make it there?"

"How fast by dragon, alien, and ghost?" Marinette suggested.

Jake snorted. "What, you think we can fly faster than a plane?"

"Wait..." Danny said slowly. "I think I might have an idea. Maybe."

"Maybe?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "See, I've never actually tried it before. Technically."

"The hell does that mean?" Jake asked.

"Why are you being so cagey?" Ben asked.

Danny sighed. "I... Let's just say I met a future version of myself when I was a teen. Evil future version, but... he could open portals to and from the Ghost Zone."

"So?" Ben said, confused.

"You want to open a portal from here to the Ghost Zone, and then from the Ghost Zone of Boston!" Tikki piped up, peeking out of Marinette's purse.

"Exactly," Danny said. "So just... gimme a second." He closed his eyes as a glowing white ring appeared around him, splitting and transforming him into Danny Phantom as he raised his arm, palm facing forward. For a second, it didn't look like anything was going to happen, but a few swirls of green smoke finally appeared, gathering and growing to form what could only be described as a portal.

"Whoa," Jake breathed.

"I don't know what we might run into on our way there," Danny warned, "so you guys better suit up."

They nodded.

"Dragon up!"

"It's hero time!"

"Tikki, Spots On!"

Chapter 295: Consequences 6

Summary:

Hank reflects

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Hank took a shaky breath as he glanced back at the kid—Connor—again. How had he missed it?

Sure, he was a few feet shorter, couldn't talked, and lacked any clearly identifying features, but now that he knew... it was so easy to see his boy behind the YK100A. The absurdly straight posture. The desire to help. The strong air of innocence despite everything he'd been through. He was just so... Connor, and Hank couldn't understand how he hadn't figured it out before he heard Chloe say it.

She'd told him that Connor wasn't upset with him for it, but the kid had a history of trying to not make him worry, even if it meant flat-out lying. He had no idea how much he could really trust that statement.

He wanted to pull over, pull Connor into a tight hug. He wanted to scream at himself. He wanted a drink. Thanks to what those douchebags, whoever they were, Connor was almost deaf by this point. His ears barely worked. He couldn't say a damn word. He'd been stripped of so much of what made Connor consider himself useful.

He couldn't chase or interrogate suspects. He couldn't investigate crime scenes. And Hank had no idea if he had whatever capabilities he needed to comb through information on desk duty.

Connor had defined himself by his job, and he couldn't do that. He hadn't been able to do that, and Hank had no idea what he could ever do to make up for that. To make him feel better. Useful. Loved.

Hank glanced back at him again as he turned onto Michigan Drive, a frown tilting his lips down. Connor was trying to seem calm, unshaken. But it was the little things, the things so very intricately Connor that told him otherwise. His gaze was set firmly out the window, almost pointedly avoiding looking at Hank. His little mood light was an angry red. His fingers danced slightly in his lap, like he was rolling an imaginary coin over them.

The second he got inside, he was calling Markus. Markus could help him find the assholes that did this to his boy, and then he'd make them pay.

Notes:

***To clarify, "He'd been stripped of what made Connor consider himself useful" is not my opinion of any disability. I write in limited third, and this is how I believe HANK would think about this, the words HE would choose***

Chapter 296: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 14

Summary:

Amanda and Eva talk cryptids

Chapter Text

"Question."

"Shoot."

Amanda rolled over onto her stomach, resting her chin in her hands as she looked at her roommate. "What's your issue with monster movies?"

Eva frowned before setting down her pencil. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Amanda shrugged. "I dunno, you just get... prickly whenever I bring them up. Not scared or anything, just... annoyed. Maybe pissed off. So what's the deal?"

Eva chewed her lip for a second before answering. "You have to promise to not think I'm nuts," she said.

"Deal."

The other girl took a deep breath. "Because they ruined my life."

Amanda's brows furrowed. "Monster movies?"

"Monsters. Cryptids."

That made Amanda pause. Evan knew the Big Secret. Where did she even go from here? "How?" she finally asked.

Eva raised a brow. "You're not acting like someone who just found out monsters are real or their roommate is crazy."

"I've met a few cryptids in my time," she replied simply. "They're not all bad."

Eva scowled. "They are when your father is a Hunter. Always moving your family around, never letting you put down roots. He put the job before us. Always."

"Wow..." she breathed, unnerved at how much that sounded like Robert's situation before he retired.

"I would've had a normal life if it weren't for those things," Eva continued.

Amanda frowned. She'd taken a strong dislike to terms like 'those things' about cryptids ever since her dad's curse. "Not all of them do things that require hunting. Hell, shapeshifters are practically harmless."

Eva paused. "You know one."

"I know several," she countered. "All good people, in their own ways. Literally, the vampire is a vegetarian."

"How does that—Nevermind, I don't care," Eva said quickly. "Even if some cryptids are okay... there are too many out there that motivate Hunters to come after all of them." She crossed her arms. "I think I'm gonna talk to the RD about getting a room transfer."

Amanda's face fell. "What? Why?"

"I came here to HIA to get away from all of that," she replied. "I'm sorry, Amanda, but... I need space from everything supernatural, and I feel like you're gonna be on my case until we graduate about this now."

"I want you to understand," Amanda insisted before pausing. "But... I get it. I'll back off. Just... don't shut the idea down completely. My dad's a total goof, and I don't really like the idea of my roomie suddenly hating him." At Eva's confused look, she added, "Long story."

They were quiet for a long moment before Eva finally spoke again. "Fine. Okay." She took a deep breath. "Just... this whole thing is why my dad didn't come to help me move in. He was too busy getting ready for a possible job in Maple Bay."

Amanda's blood ran cold. "Maple Bay?" she asked.

"Yeah, it—oh."

The two girls looked at each other, and everything clicked together. Her dad's text the other night. Robert's assurance everything would be fine. But with a wariness she wasn't used to seeing in the older man.

Her eyes slowly drifted to the label on one of Eva's portfolios.

E. Graves.

"Fuck."

Chapter 297: DNR 2

Summary:

Gavin starts to have an identity crisis

Chapter Text

Gavin sat stiffly at his desk, staring at the screen without actually seeing what was on it. He was too aware of everyone around him. He knew they were staring, not that he blamed him. He came back from the fucking dead, with no explanation why. Of fucking course they were staring.

He scowled as yet another notification popped into his vision. He still didn't know how he was supposed to dismiss them, they just timed out.

Geez, couldn't Eli have at least programmed me to know how to do that?

He froze. Elijah had programmed him. He wasn't human, he wasn't real, he was a cheap imitation of a real man who died. The original Gavin Reed, the real person, was gone. This Gavin? This... piece of metal and plastic?

All he was was a copy. A long string of zeroes and ones put into a body built to look like a man who could barely stand the guy who... built him... on his best days.

He ran a hand through his hair, closing his eyes and wanting to just shut the entire world out. He wasn't Gavin Reed. He couldn't be. He was Elijah's desperate effort to make up with a brother who despised him. He was a tool. He was property.

He wasn't a person.

He didn't know who he was.

He barely understood what he was.

Chapter 298: Man, Woman, or Beast 13

Summary:

Duncan saves Vani

Chapter Text

Vani groaned softly as she slowly sat. She was in the Keeper's tent. She frowned. How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was...

Her eyes widened, and she scrambled to her feet, quickly losing her balance and stumbling. She could hear voices outside. Keeper Marethari, and an unknown man. She had the vaguest, fuzzy memory of his voice, but she couldn't place where, when, or why.

Once her head stopped spinning, she made her way out of the tent. The Keeper and the unfamiliar man, tanned skin, turned to look for her.

"Ah, you're awake," the Keeper said, a hint of relief in her voice.

"What happened?" she asked. "Tamlen?"

The Keeper's eyes turned sad. "We don't know," she told her. "You were lucky Duncan found you when he did."

"Tamlen?" Vani repeated, looking at the human this time.

"Was he a companion of yours?" he asked. She nodded. "I'm afraid I don't know. You were the only one I found. I brought you here as soon as I could, but if your friend Tamlen was in the same condition as you, there's not much hope."

"I'm looking," she said, looking at the Keeper.

Marethari shook her head. "I can't allow you to do that, da'len. We already almost lost you once, you won't make the trip. My magics have healed you, but you're still too weak to go out into the forest."

"He's not completely healed," Duncan told Keeper Marethari, and Vani bristled.

"She," the Keeper corrected.

Duncan was quiet for a moment, but to Vani's surprise, he didn't give off an air of judgment. Just thoughtfulness. He was just taking in the information. He looked at her. "I'm sorry," he told her. He looked back to the Keeper. "As I said, she's not completely healed. She's suffering from the Taint of the darkspawn, there's not much even you can do."

Vani's brows furrowed. She felt a little dizzy, maybe a little weak, but there was no way she was sick enough that even the Keeper couldn't do anything for her... right?

"Your Keeper and I will discuss your cure," he said, as though he understood what she was thinking.

Keeper Marethari looked at her. "How are you feeling, da'len? Truly?"

Vani thought for a moment. "Not great," she confessed. "But good enough."

"Then find Tamlen," she said. "Bring him home, where we can heal him, too. Take Merrill."

Vani nodded. "Thank you, Keeper," she said before leaving to find the elf in question.

Chapter 299: Catra: Princess of Power 7

Summary:

Angella's sacrifice

Chapter Text

"The only way to fix everything is to get the sword back," Catra said, looking up at the center of the portal. "If I do that... everything can go back to normal. Everyone can go back." I've screwed enough things up for everyone, at least let me fix this.

"And you'll come back, too?" Angella asked.

"Sure," she said, knowing full well she was far from convincing.

Angella grabbed her shoulders. "Catra, no. I can't let you do that."

"You don't exactly have a choice!" she snapped. "Look, I don't want to step into some freaky portal, but it's my sword, and it's the only way I have of stopping all of this."

The queen shook her head. "No. This isn't the way, this isn't it. Not for you."

Catra's brows furrowed. She didn't like the feeling she was getting. "What are you talking about?" she asked, a pit forming deep in her stomach.

"Do you want to know a secret?" Angella asked as though she hadn't heard her. "I am a coward."

"What? No way!" Catra argued. Sure, she'd thought that at first, always staying in her palace while her troops went off to battle, but... she was cautious, and she was careful. And if she was a coward, she wouldn't be here, right now.

"I've always been the queen who stays behind," she continued, almost echoing some of the teen's thoughts as she stepped away. "Micah was the brave one. And then Glimmer." Catra could hear the emotion in her voice. "Oh, Glimmer... So much like her father. And once again... I stayed behind, letting her make the hard choices. Letting her be brave for me. I told myself I was being responsible, but I was just scared." She turned to face Catra. "And then I met you."

"You mean She-Ra."

"No, Catra, you," Angella told her. "An ex-Horde soldier, so full of life, and spirit... You were rough around the edges, yes, but you have a good heart. And you were never scared. You inspired us. You inspired me." She walked over and pulled Catra into a hug, and that pit only grew. "Fear has never been an obstacle for you," she continued. Very slowly, she pulled away. "And now, I choose to be brave."

Catra felt the woman's lips on her forehead and her eyes widened as the realization set in, but before she could take a step, Angella had already taken off.

"No!" she yelled as she watched the queen of Brightmoon, the leader of the Resistance, and the closest thing to a mother she'd ever known fly into the portal.

Chapter 300: Detour Through the Hellmouth 9

Summary:

Xander asks about Bobby

Chapter Text

So, who's this Bobby guy?

Dean thought about how to answer that question, his pacing never pausing. He'd told the boy about Sam, and glossed over what happened to both of his parents.

"He's probably the closest thing Sammy and I have to a father," he finally said. "When Dad thought a hunt would be too dangerous for a pair of kids to be there, he dropped us off with Bobby. We learned a lot of things from him, and he..." He shrugged awkwardly. "And some days I think he cares more about us than our dad ever did," he added in a mutter.

So why didn't you want Giles calling him?

"Because I'm a big boy, Xander, I can take care of this on my own," he said.

'On your own'? Dude, you're being helped by a Slayer, a Watcher, a witch, and a werewolf.

"I meant, without his help," he clarified. "And yeah, I know I probably should've told him I'm not in Hell, but what good was that gonna do? He's got his own work he's gonna do, Sam's probably still hunting. I'm not getting in the way of either of them."

But don't they deserve to know? Xander asked. Sam's your brother, and it sounds like Bobby kinda raised you. They're your family, Dean.

"Which is why I didn't wanna bother them!" he snapped. He finally stopped pacing and sighed. "Look, I screwed up a lot of things for Sam. So no matter what—if Bobby hasn't said anything already—I don't want him knowing."

The only reason Bobby knows is because Giles had his number, the boy pointed out. None of us know how to contact Sam.

"And it's gonna stay that way," Dean said. "I'll track him down when I'm back in my own body."

Chapter 301: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 9

Summary:

Amanda becomes Pietro's lab partner

Chapter Text

Pietro leaned back in his seat, tapping his pencil on the table as he waited for the teacher to finish passing back their tests. He'd never really cared about his grades—once Magneto had shown that he hadn't really cared one way or another, it stopped mattering—but he'd told the professor that he'd try, and part of him really wanted to know if it paid off.

When the teacher placed the paper, facedown, on his desk, the man raised a brow. Pietro returned the expression as he looked at the exam.

100%

"Holy shit," he breathed.

"Good job," he heard from his right. He turned to see a dark-skinned girl smiling at him. "I've heard a lot of things about you, but no one mentioned you were smart."

He snorted. "Yeah, because no one knows." He paused, frowning. "Why are you talking to me?" he asked. "Just about everyone hates mutants, and I'm kind of an asshole on top of that."

The girl laughed. "Because I've also heard you're not nearly as much of a jerk as you like to pretend you are."

His frown deepened. She almost looked familiar. He was pretty sure he'd glimpsed her around the Institute a few times, but he knew for a fact she didn't live there. She was usually with Kurt...

"You're Amanda, right?" he asked. "Kurt's girlfriend."

She nodded with another smile.

"You realize he's just being nice, right?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Maybe. We'll see." She glanced around the room. Pietro followed her gaze to find the nasty looks he was getting. Most of them hated mutants, and those who didn't still hated him for one reason or another, and there weren't even any other X-Men in his chemistry class. "I'm pretty sure Mr. Jefferson is going to have us pick lab partners today."

"And you noticed that no one's gonna be jumping at the chance to be mine," he said dryly.

"Well... that, and chemistry's not exactly my best subject," she told him. "Maybe you can give me pointers. But I'm not gonna leave you to do it all alone, either, don't worry."

He thought on that. She seemed nice enough, she didn't mind that he was a mutant and his whole history... and it'd be nice to work with someone who wouldn't just use his newly discovered smarts.

"Deal," he agreed.

Chapter 302: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 8

Summary:

Skye tries to comfort Loki

Chapter Text

Skye slowly opened the door and her eyes were immediately drawn to the overturned chair on the floor by the camera. A second of searching found Loki on the floor, leaning against the wall, giving her a blank, dead stare. She sat across from him without a word.

After a few moments of awkward silence, she said, "How're you doing?" When he didn't answer, she continued. "I'm sorry about your mom. I... can't even imagine what that must feel like."

"You're right, you can't," he said venomously. "Having never had a mother, you could never understand."

Skye had been about to speak, but her mouth snapped shit. Of all the things she'd thought he'd say, she hadn't expected that.

"Is that all you wanted, to express your pity?" he asked harshly. "Well, you've done so. Leave me."

"I just wanted to help..." she muttered before standing and leaving, trying to blink away the tears.

Chapter 303: The Other Human Factor 10

Summary:

Desiree talks Megatron into a truce

Chapter Text

"You have something to say," Megatron stated, glancing at the teen sitting on the edge of his control console.

"Yep," Desiree confirmed. "Thanks for noticing. It's a question, really. Why are you still at war with the Autobots? Knockout gave us a basic history, but things are different now. There was a social class issue? Technically, you're all refugees now. The council or whatever that wronged everyone is probably long dead, or at least disbanded. And Cybetron is gone."

"The energon supply," he told her. "There is a limited amount hidden on this and other planets."

"Limited amount, my ass," she argued. "Seems to me like there's more than enough to go around, you guys are just hoarding it. Are you trying to starve the Autobots out of this? I don't know if you've noticed, but they're resilient as shit. So all you're really accomplishing is a lot of pointless Vehicon deaths."

"I will not be seen as weak by Optimus!"

She rolled her eyes, not at all fazed by his outburst. "It's not weak, it's practical. He'll respect that. I'm pretty sure he's been wanting this whole thing to be over for years, and he'd be more than willing to accept a truce." She paused. "And speaking of Prime... maybe you should take a page out of his book."

"What are you talking about?" he snapped.

She shrugged. "If there's one thing you have to admit, Optimus Prime is a good leader. All the other Autobots would die for him on the spot if necessary, and not one of them has tried to kill him. He doesn't lead them with fear, Megatron. He's earned their respect, he doesn't command it."

He raised an optic ridge. "You think Optimus is a better leader than I am?"

"Well, he doesn't have a second in commander trying to kill him all the time."

"Because he's not dealing with Starscream," the Decepticon retorted dryly.

She crossed her arms. "Maybe if you weren't threatening his life all the time, he could actually be the actually decent air commander he's capable of being."

Megatron said nothing, trying to find some kind of flaw in her logic.

"We can just start from the truce and go from there, okay?" she suggested. "Baby steps, Megs. Baby steps."

Chapter 304: Secret of the Kaiju 8

Summary:

Gareth leaves

Chapter Text

"I guess it's time I get going," Gareth said, and Chelsea frowned.

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Monarch knows where I am," he told her. "They know what I look like. If I stay here, Admiral Stenz won't stop until he finds me again, and I think we can both agree that I can't let that happen again."

He was right. She knew he was right, and asking him to stay would be selfish, and probably dangerous, but... "You're my only friend," she told him.

"And you're mine," he pointed out. "But me leaving is the safest option, and you know it, Chelsea. Monarch's probably gonna track you down again, but after they figure out you have no idea where I am, they'll leave you alone."

"But won't you be on the run?"

"I'm on the run now," he argued. "When I said it was safer, I meant for the both of us. I'll be harder to track in the ocean. And you won't have to look over your shoulder all the time." He gave her a lopsided smile. "Maybe I'll come back after Stenz kicks the bucket."

She gave a weak smile back. "You better."

He was quiet for a moment before saying, "So what are you going to do now?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, confused.

"You know for a fact that your father was right," he said. "You know what really happened, and you have the kind of knowledge now to prove his wasn't crazy. What are you going to do with that?"

She stared at him as the implication sunk in. "I think I'll keep the real truth to myself," she said. "I know what happened, and for now, that's enough. I'll try to follow his research the old fashioned way. I'll look into Dr. Serizawa's works. Maybe I can find some way to help you, like he did."

His smile grew warm and grateful. "You can do anything you want to, Chelsea, remember that." He turned to leave, but stopped. "I'm glad I met you. People like you are the reason humanity is under my protection."

And before she could even begin to formulate a response, he was gone.

Chapter 305: Fin 7

Summary:

Connor returns to the station

Chapter Text

Connor's fingers tapped nervously against his leg. His webbing made it impossible to calibrate with his coin anymore, and it bothered him much more than he expected it to. He hadn't realized just how much it calmed him down until this moment.

"You're gonna be fine," Hank told him. "And anyone says anything about it, you fucking punch them."

He frowned. "I don't want to be written up on my first day back," he said, and Hank just laughed, leading him inside.

The second he stepped into the station, he felt everyone's eyes on him. Chris and Tina looked like they were at least trying to be discrete, but some of the others, especially unfamiliar rookies, were openly gaping.

He put his hands in his pockets, trying to be subtle. The collar of his coat covered his gills, and his sleeves covered the fins on his arms, but they must have known. He knew Hank and Gavin had told Fowler, and there was probably some sort of memo so that the people who knew him knew what happened. But to these new officers, he was the same kind of sideshow attraction he'd been at the aquarium.

That realization stopped him in his tracks. He was free from all of that now, but they had taken something from him, something he couldn't place, and he was never getting that back. He was the 'plastic will gills' now. No one would care about any accomplishments he made anymore. This was what he would be known for now.

And that knowledge stung.

"Hey, Connor, are you okay?"

He blinked, and noticed for the first time that Chris was now right in front of him.

"Yes," he said, knowing full well he was far from convincing.

"Uh-huh," the man said, clearly not believing a word. He gave a reassuring smile. "It's good to have you back, we missed you, man."

Connor's brows furrowed. Before he could stop it, a click left his voice modulator, and he ducked his head in embarrassment. Evidently that still wasn't fully worked out of his system. "Sorry..." he said quietly.

"It's fine," Chris assured him before lowering his voice. "Gavin told us they did some pretty thorough shit. I'm not gonna pretend to understand it, but I'm sure it'll take a lot to get through it. It was a lot of conditioning and trauma, and that takes time."

That gave Connor pause. He hadn't thought of it like that. The clicks had been his only way of communication for months, it made sense that he might revert to it for now when startled or overwhelmed. And having his body and very programming modified so drastically without his consent... That was traumatizing.

"Thank you, Chris," he said, trying to return to smile. After a second, he was pretty sure it became convincing.

Chapter 306: INS 1

Summary:

Blitzø's diagnosis

Chapter Text

Loona sat in the waiting room, scrolling through her phone and looking every bit the disinterested teen. But she kept her ears perked up, trying to listen in on Blitzø's appointment.

He'd said he was feeling a little under the weather, but whenever Blitzø was sick, he practically acted like he was dying. So this was something else, and the fact that he'd specifically told her he wanted her to wait outside worried her.

Millie commented that she'd notice him squinting sometimes. Moxxie has said that on their last job, he missed an easy shot. He'd joked that maybe Blitzø needed glasses. Loona really hoped that's all it was.

She didn't like the alternative.

She listened as her adoptive father skirted around everything, before finally admitting some blurriness in his vision. The doctor was quiet for a long time. Too long.

"You are aware that INS is genetic..." she started, and Loona's heart sank.

INS. Impish Neurological Shutdown. The incredibly rare, inexplicable genetic disorder that slowly shut down an imp's body, starting with the vision and ending in total body paralysis and suffocation.

There was no known cure.

One night, when he'd gotten totally shit-faced, he'd talked about it, and how it killed his father and his great-aunt. 'Nasty business,' he'd called it. 'Watching 'em just... waste away, and there's nothing you can do, unless you wanna end it for them quicker.'

"Yeah..." she heard Blitzø say. "I know."

"You knew even before you came in, didn't you?" the doctor asked softly. "It's why you didn't want your hellhound coming in."

"She's my daughter," he snapped. "But... yeah. Didn't want her to worry."

"She has every right to worry, there is no cure," the doctor said. "The most I can do is enforce you take it easy to slow the progression."

"How long do I have?"

Loona flattened her ears, humming slightly to drown out whatever might be said. She didn't want to know. He was her adoptive dad who was supposed to continue to annoy her even when he was in some old folk's home. He wasn't supposed to die in his prime just because his genetics said 'fuck you'.

She didn't want to hear a number. She didn't want to make it real.

Several more minutes passed before the door opened and he walked out. She tried to school her features to her normal indifferent aloofness, but she must have failed, because he said, "You listened?"

"Yeah..." she said. She could feel her eyes start to water, and gritted her teeth as she tried to force them back. He looked so... calm. Like he'd already accepting he was a dead imp walking. "Fuck, Blitzø, how can you just... be okay with this? You're dying!"

Loona knew she was making a scene in the doctor's office, in front of all the other staff and patients. She knew she was probably throwing a tantrum like a toddler. She didn't care.

Her dad was dying.

"What do you want me to do, Loony, just sit around and mope until I kick it?" he asked. "Until I can't, we keep on like always." He plastered a smile on his face, and she almost believed it. "Just... don't tell anyone else, okay?"

"Okay," she lied.

Chapter 307: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 11

Summary:

Loki mourns his mother

Chapter Text

Coulson and Ward watched the camera feed from the Cage. Since Sif had left, Loki had been concerningly quiet.

The alien stood in the middle of the room, shoulders tense. Seemingly without provocation, he lifted the chair and hurled it at the camera, causing the screen to go black. A cry of frustration and anguish echoed throughout the bus.

Ward reached for his gun. "I got this," he told Coulson.

"Wait," the older man said.

"Sir?"

Coulson paused. He knew why Loki was so upset, but was it his place to tell? "Give him some time alone. He... got some devastating news." When Ward just gave him a questioning look, he finally explained, "He just learned that his mother is dead."

Chapter 308: INS 2

Summary:

Stolas takes care of Blitzø

Chapter Text

Blitzø scowled as he sat in the bed, everything around him just vague, dark shapes in a slightly less dark void. He gave himself two more days, tops, because it all went dark.

He hadn't realized until he'd really started to decline just how much everything he did relied on eyesight. Scrolling Voxtragram. Texting. Channel surfing. Fuck, he even people watched when he got really bored, but now...

At least it'll only be for a few more months, he thought to himself dryly.

He could hear voices outside, down the hall, just quiet enough to keep from being clear. Stolas and... Millie, it sounded like. And he thought he caught the word 'dinner'.

He appreciated Stolas's determination to take care of him now, he did, but the bird was taking it a little over the top, in his opinion. He was just blind, he wasn't a total invalid.

Not yet, at least.

He just sat and continued to wait until finally, footsteps approached and the door opened.

"And how are you feeling, Blitzy?" Stolas asked.

"Blind as a fucking bat," he replied dryly. "And, y'know, dying. There's that, too."

He didn't have to see Stolas's face to know he was frowning. "Please," the prince began.

"We've been through this, Stolas," Blitzø argued. "Pretending nothing's wrong isn't gonna help anyone." He turned to face that tall, thin shape in front of him, tilting his head up to where he hoped Stolas's face is. "I'm dying," he repeated. He refused to let his voice crack.

"I don't accept that," Stolas said.

That actually made Blitzø snort. "Yeah, well unless you've got some super secret cure to INS hidden around here somewhere, we're shit outta luck." He tried for a smile. "Just get over here and help me eat, alright?"

Chapter 309: Small Town, Big Secrets 10

Summary:

Werewolf-Jo protects Zane

Chapter Text

Zane tried subtly glancing around, looking from something, anything to help get them out. The doubles were just as smart as the originals, so it definitely wasn't easy.

And it didn't help matters that somewhere out there, Jo was loose. Fully shifted, full of anger, and probably ready to kill. And even if most of them weren't really people, per se, there was still every chance of an innocent getting caught in the crossfire of an angry werewolf.

"What are you doing?" the Carter-double asked, watching him.

"Just looking around," he lied.

The Carter-double drew his gun. "Try again," he said, but before Zane could respond, they both heard a loud, low growl to their right.

"Shit," he muttered just as a large black wolf came barreling around the corner. She skidded to a stop between him and the Carter-double, and Zane had to take a second to stare.

She was planted firmly between the two, back to Zane, teeth bared, haunches raised, a dangerous growl coming from deep in her chest.

Was she... protecting him?

Chapter 310: Here Be Dragons 4

Summary:

Telling the humans

Chapter Text

Stormfly tapped her finger restlessly on the table, aware of all the eyes on her. It had been one thing to say that they should tell the humans, but another entirely to actually do so.

'You can do this,' Meatlug mouthed encouragingly, and she almost smiled.

Taking a deep breath, her eyes wandered to Stoick, leaning against the counter as all the children crowded around the table. If the humans thought she was nuts, at least he could back her.

Part of her wanted to make up some kind of lie, to drop the idea entirely. But Toothless's life could very well depend on it.

She took a deep breath. "The first thing you should know is that we're dragons," she started, and the second Snotlout started laughing, she wanted to punch him. The only thing stopping her was the table between them. "After dragons reach a certain age, we can take on a human form, and we did. To find you."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut had started laughing now, too. Fishlegs's brows were furrowed, and Astrid clearly didn't believe her. The only one to not seem to dismiss her claims outright... was Hiccup.

"Why us?" he asked.

"You can't seriously buy this," Astrid said. "Dragons?"

"Why us?" he repeated.

"Because you've all had lives before these ones," Stormfly said. "A long, long time ago, you all lived in the town of Berk. Dragons and Vikings lived together, and you were our friends. Our riders. And now that we've found you, we need your help."

"Prove it," Snotlout finally said.

Hookfang looked ready to set himself on fire, but Stormfly shook her head. With Stoick being nice enough to host this little meeting, she wasn't about to destroy his house. But how to...?

Meatlug blinked a few times, her eyes changing from her human chocolate brown to the full yellow of her dragon form. The back of her sweater moved, and eventually there was a tearing of fabric as her wings broke through. She stopped her shift there, letting the humans take it all in, before fully retaking her human shape.

"How... the hell did you do that?" Tuffnut asked.

"Dragon," she replied simply. "We just told you that."

Astrid crossed her arms. "So, if you're really dragons, why do you need our help?"

Stormfly mimicked her look. "Because there are dragon hunters out there who apparently know where we are. And we need help if we're going to rescue Toothless."

"Toothless?"

She smiled. "Theo's actual name." She looked at Hiccup. "You gave it to him, actually."

Rather than comment on the name, he frowned. "Wait... dragon hunters have him?"

Her smile dropped and she nodded. "They do," she confirmed.

"So that's why this was so urgent," Stoick said.

"Dad?" Hiccup asked. "Wait, you knew?"

"We'll explain everything later," Stormfly said. "But for now, please... will you help us?"

Chapter 311: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 12

Summary:

The experiment

Chapter Text

It took a few moments for Isaac to recognize his surroundings after he came to. Once he did, he immediately began to panic. Somehow, he was in the med bay, back on the USG Ishimura.

"What the fuck?" he muttered, trying to sit up before realizing he was strapped down.

"Ah, you're awake!" a man's voice said, and Isaac turned his head to see a man in a lab coat.

"What the fuck am I doing here?" he snapped.

The mane grinned. "Why, you're here to help my research, Mr. Clarke," he said. "My name is Doctor Floccari, and I've been studying necromorphs for some time now. Their connection to the Markers is something that we as humans cannot begin to comprehend, but you... you're special."

"What, because they fucked with my head?" he said sarcastically.

Floccari's eyes lit up. "Your mind was touched by something divine, Mr. Clarke. You see, I believe there must be a way for us to tap into those Marker signals and connect with them. To be a part of something larger than us. And that is where you come in." He started fiddling with some equipment. "With your unique brainwaves and how in tune with ther Markers they are, I believe man and necromorph can merge."

Isaac's blood ran cold. "You better not be suggesting what I fucking think you're suggesting."

Floccari just grinned. "Congratulations, Mr. Clarke. You're about to spawn an age of elevated humanity."

"Like hell I am!" he yelled, but he was unable to do anything as the doctor began attaching wires to him.

Once he was done, Floccari went back to the machine. "Welcome to the new age," he said, flicking the switch, and Isaac's vision went white with pain.

Chapter 312: DNR 3

Summary:

Connor figures it out

Chapter Text

Connor frowned slightly as Gavin walked into the building.

Gavin Reed. Whose funeral they had all attended.

"What the actual fuck?" Hank asked, and Connor immediately scanned him.

His eyes widened slightly when, rather than simple vitals, he was met with energy output readings, functional capacity, and the serial 'GR100' under his name.

Somehow, Gavin had become an android.

Kamski had to be behind this, in one way or another, but the question was how? How was it even possible?

Before he even knew what he was doing, he was on his feet and heading for the detective's desk.

"Good morning, detective," he started.

"Fuck off, tin can," Gavin growled back.

Steeling himself for the response he knew he'd get, he said with a lowered voice, "I'm not sure you should be calling that when the phrase now applies to you, too."

Gavin's head shot up. "The fuck did you know?"

"I scanned you," he said. At the look he received, he added, "I had to know how it was you came back from the dead." His tone softened. "What happened?"

"None of your fucking business!" Gavin snapped.

Connor sighed. He should have expected this. But... at the same time, this had to be so disorienting and unnerving for the detective, who probably had no idea how to navigate any of his new systems. Did he know how to monitor his thirium levels? Did he have any precautions in place for his stress levels?

"You need help, detective," he stated. "You likely don't know how to take care of yourself now, and I can teach you."

"Why would you want to?"

That gave Connor pause. Why did he want to help? "I suppose... I just know how it feels to be so lost and not understand much of the world around me. And I know there must be a lot now that you don't understand. Please, just let me help you."

Gavin's eyes narrowed, and Connor figured he was thinking it over. But the detective was a smart man, and Connor knew he'd come to the right conclusion.

"Fine."

Chapter 313: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 11

Summary:

Connor finds out Becker is half-corrupted

Chapter Text

Becker trained his gun on the nethercat, growling to keep its attention on him. He just hoped it would keep focusing on the other predator in the room, rather than chance going after the easy prey.

The nethercat took a step toward him, and he bared his fangs. Immediately, he felt them lengthening, and his hunger spiked as his vision lost all color, living creatures with strong hearts gaining a sort of aura around them. The nethercat's fur stood on end, and it lowered itself in preparation for an attack.

Becker dropped the gun, meeting it halfway and letting his instincts take over, rolling with the nethercat, ignoring its swipes, barely feeling the gashes it opened in his arms. When their momentum slowed, he maneuvered himself on top, using his even more enhanced strength to hold his prey in place while his fangs ripped into its throat. He was vaguely aware of the gurgling sounds it made as its strength left it. The aura around it faded, but the scent of its blood kept his focus on the new meal in front of him.

"Becker...?" he heard, and his head snapped up, a snarl directed at whoever was interrupting him. After a brief moment, the voice registered in the deepest part of his brain, and faces slowly came back into focus. Connor was staring at him in horror.

"Connor..." he whispered, but the black haired man had already bolted.

-

Becker had been in the armory, staring at the wall for half an hour when familiar footsteps sounded behind him.

"What was that?" Connor asked in a shaky voice. "Out there, with... with the nethercat..."

The vampire slowly turned, and it took everything in him not to wince at the look the human was giving him. The fear and hesitation almost mirrored how he'd looked at him when they first met, and it twisted something inside Becker's undead heart.

"That time that you were lost was... rough for me," he started carefully. "I got lost..." He looked down at his hands. "When it comes to corruption, vampires have three main ways we can go. A strong burst of negative energy, like the ones from the anomalies. Starvation. And... an incredible sense of loss. When I thought you were gone, I..." He sighed. "It was hard to hang on to my humanity. Matt can attest that I lost it a few times. I came back to myself, obviously, but..."

"But now I'm back..." Connor said slowly. "So... it shouldn't be an issue anymore. Right?"

"It shouldn't be," he responded. "I spoke with a few people, and they think that with how many times I've come to the brink, that there's something... unhinged inside me. Given the right circumstances, I can easily lose control again."

Connor was quiet for a minute, and Becker was just waiting for him to say that he couldn't handle that, that they were done. "But you pulled yourself back," the man finally said. "When you heard me, you came back."

"That's... true..." Becker said, unsure of where he was going with this.

Connor took a deep breath. "So, it's... a complication, sure. But we can work through it. Together."

Becker blinked. "Really?" he asked, dumbfounded.

"I'm not just going to abandon you when you need me," Connor told him, and Becker couldn't help but smile.

Chapter 314: Detour Through the Hellmouth 10

Summary:

Dean talks to Bobby

Chapter Text

Dean stared at the phone that was held out to him. He'd known Giles was going to make this call, he'd known this was going to happen, but actually being face with it was a whole different ball game.

Take the phone, Xander told him.

Taking a deep breath, Dean took the phone. "Hey, Bobby..." he started, wincing at how nervous he sounded.

"Dean? That really you?"

"It's me," he said, running a hand through his hair. "And don't worry, they already did a holy water test. They wouldn't let me do the silver test, but I guess that makes since, because no one wanted to cut Xander up."

"Is Xander that kid you're stuck in?"

Dean made a face. "Don't say it like that," he protested.

"But you're alright? You're safe?" Bobby asked.

"As safe as you can be on a Hellmouth," he replied. "But at least I'm not in Hell. We're working on a way to get me back in my own body, but we're not having a whole lot of luck."

"I started working on that, too, I'll let Ripper know if I find something," Bobby told him. "We'll get you back to normal, kid."

"Ripper?" he asked, confused.

It's this whole thing from when Giles was younger, Xander supplied. I'll explain later.

"Look, uh... Bobby? Don't tell Sammy about this, alright?" Dean requested.

"I'd have to find him, first," Bobby replied, sounding slightly bitter.

Dean frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It means that idjit completely fell off the radar after you died," Bobby told him.

Dean took a deep breath. "Okay... First order of business, getting me back to normal. Then, we find Sam. Then I kick his ass for being a dumbass."

Bobby laughed. "Good to have you back, Dean."

"Not back yet, Bobby."

Chapter 315: INS 3

Summary:

Blitzø is put on a ventilator

Chapter Text

Moxxie paced the room, just barely keeping himself from pulling his own hair out. His boss was just laying there on the bed, completely motionless and unresponsive. Blind, deaf, numb, and slowly becoming paralyzed. From the doctor's timeline, it could reach Blitzø's diaphragm any day now, and then it would be all over. Stolas had refused to leave his side, but now there was a meeting he was unable to skip, so he'd left Moxxie, Millie, and Loona taking shifts.

He couldn't believe this was even happening. For the last few months, he'd had to watch as Blitzø slowly declined, heading steadily further toward an imminent death sentence. He'd started to regret all of the criticism, the arguments, the barbed comments... Now, he'd give just about anything to have his boss interrupt him and Millie. He didn't even care what they'd be doing.

He stopped in his tracks for a split second when he heard labored, gasping wheezes. The clear sound of someone trying desperately to get oxygen, and unable to get it.

"Sir!" he yelled, knowing full well Blitzø wouldn't hear him as he ran over, desperate to do something.

Loona heard him, practically breaking down the door. Her eyes went wide when she saw him before she rushed forward, knocking Moxxie out of the way as she leaned over her adoptive father, looking for something she could do. She settled on chest compressions while Moxxie dialed.

"Your Majesty?" he said softly. "It's happening."

He didn't even have time to hang up before a portal opened next to him, and Stolas appeared, sweeping Blitzø up and bringing him through another one.

-

Blitzø lay in the hospital bed, hooked up to what seemed like a dozen different machines. But what kept everyone's focus was the hose attached to his face, the tubes going in his nose and down his throat.

"That machine is breathing for him?" Millie asked.

The doctor nodded. "I don't know what else we can do, or even if there's a cure to find, but yes, for the moment, the ventilator will breathe for him while his diaphragm is unable to move."

Moxxie took a deep breath. "If... If this keeps him alive, will the paralysis keep progressing?" He didn't like all the eyes on him. He didn't like placing this thought in anyone's heads. "Will it reach his heart?"

"Don't fucking say that!" Loona snapped.

"I just..." Moxxie started, trailing off as Millie put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's a reasonable question," the doctor assured him. "And we have machines that can pump his heart, but we can only run them—"

"You will run them as long as you need to to save his life," Stolas said in a clipped tone.

The doctor blinked. "Of... Of course, Your Highness."

Chapter 316: Here's a Baby 4

Summary:

Ann and Dan talk to Eddie and Venom about Izi

Chapter Text

"You really going to keep her?" Ann asked, sounding understandably concerned. "Eddie, you can barely take care of yourself, how do you expect to take care of a child?"

Eddie sighed. "I know," he said, having expected this reaction. "But the only place she feels safe is with us. Ann... We can't just abandon her."

"She's right, though," Dan pointed out softly to avoid waking the girl in the other room. "Do you even have a place for her to sleep that's not the couch?"

"There's a spare room we can clean out," he said. "Look... you didn't see what we saw. This girl was terrified of her father. Shit, she's seven years old, and she ran to us when we showed up."

"SHE'S STAYING WITH US," Venom added.

"But do you have the things you need to take care of her?" Ann pressed. "She's not a pet, she need a room, food, clothes... what about school?"

Eddie sighed. "We'll figure that out later, alright? And I think the school, whichever one she goes to, will understand her needing to take a few days off to get settled after her father died."

"WE GOT THIS."

Eddie nodded. "We do."

"At least tell me you know her name?"

"Isabella," he stated.

"BUT SHE LIKES BEING CALLED IZI."

Chapter 317: Man, Woman, or Beast 14

Summary:

Alistair looks for Vani

Chapter Text

Alistair kept a firm grip on his sword hilt as he made his way through the forest, ready to draw it at a moment's notice. There was no telling what would be out here, and he didn't want to be ambushed by rabid werewolves while he was out here alone.

He was worried, to say the least. Vani had left for a hunt three days ago and hadn't returned. She'd been gone for a while before, but the longest it had taken her was a day, and that was because the turn in the weather had make traveling difficult.

He froze when he heard a sound in the bushes in front of him. As the sound grew louder, he took a few steps back.

Out stepped a werewolf on all fours. But unlike many others they'd encountered, it wasn't attacking him. It gave him the time to take in its appearance.

The werewolf's fur was shorter than that of any other animal he'd ever seen. The fur seemed dark, but the skin underneath looked practically white. There were markings on its face that looked oddly familiar. While he watched it, the werewolf just met his gaze, studying him.

Very slowly, it approached him, rising to its full height on it's hind legs when it reached him. He never took his eyes off it, and they widened in surprise when brown met deep violet.

"Maker's breath..." the man whispered, taking a chance and reaching up to touch its face. As soon as his hand made contact, the werewolf flinched away. Alistair saw was almost looked like... sorrow, and pain in its eyes. "Vani...?"

It took several steps back, returning to all four legs and looking away. That was all the answer he needed. The werewolf—Vani—looked like she was about to run off into the woods, where she'd no doubt been hiding since she'd first been afflicted.

Alistair took a few steps to follow her. "Don't leave," he told her. "Come back to camp, we'll find a way to cure you."

She shook her head, taking another step back. Once again, Alistair followed. He reached out tentatively, and when she didn't attack, he put his hand behind his ear and gently scratched the near-bare skin. Despite how she was no doubt feeling, she leaned into the touch.

Alistair knelt down, knowing he was putting himself in a very compromising position if she decided to attack, and pressed his forehead to hers. "I promised you once, and I'm not going back on it," he said softly. "Man, woman, or beast, I will always love you as long as you're you."

Chapter 318: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 15

Summary:

Toby asks Damien a question

Chapter Text

"Hey Damien?"

The vampire looked up from the bouquet he was arranging. "What is it?" he asked curiously.

"This may sound like a dumb question... but you maybe also get it all the time," Toby started. "But... how do you manage to be a vegetarian, with the whole, y'know... vampire thing?"

Damien laughed. "No, it is a completely understandable question," he said. "After all, how can one drink blood without causing harm to a living creature?"

"Exactly," Toby said, then realized how that sounded. "Sorry."

He waved a hand. "It's perfectly fine. I worked out a deal with a few blood banks. If they ever have an excess, I will buy it, and in the meantime..." He walked over to the ice box and pulled out a bottle, gently tossing it to Toby.

The shorter man fumbled with it for a moment before turning it to read the label.

"Tomato juice?" he asked, confused.

Damien nodded. "I know it sounds strange, but it does function as a substitute if there's no acceptable blood on hand."

"Acceptable being... that it's not in something still alive?" Toby guessed.

"Exactly. Sometimes I may need to combine it with an iron suppliment, but it does the job."

"Wow."

Chapter 319: Loophole 15

Summary:

John confronts Michael

Chapter Text

"Who are you?"

The man in front of John turned, a nearly convincing expression of confusion on his face. "Why, whatever do you mean?" he asked mockingly.

"You're not Lucifer," John told him. "I know Luci, and something's not right. So who are you?"

The man looked at him for a moment, and John thought he was going to continue with the lie before he laughed. "Wow, you're smarter than I gave you credit for," he said, now speaking in an American accent. "Come on, what gave me away?"

John cocked a brow. "And give away your tells before anyone else can pick up on it? No, I don't think so. Again, who are you, and what are you doing here?"

The man face turned mock offended. "You mean he never mentioned me?" he asked. His face turned hard. "I'm Lucifer's twin, Michael. And frankly, I'm here to ruin his life."

"By impersonating him?" The warlock crossed his arms. "You want to make people think he hasn't made any progress at all. Why?"

"That's not really any of your business, Johnny-boy," Michael told him, laying on his fake Lucifer accent at the nickname in a mocking tone.

John's eyes narrowed. "This isn't going to work, you know. Decker's smart."

"Doubtful," Michael stated. He snapped his fingers and grinned. "And good luck trying to tell her."

The ghost glared, focusing on Chloe to teleport to her, but all he felt was a resistance that actually sent him stumbling back. He looked at Michael. "What the bloody hell did you do?"

Michael laughed. "It's called a ghost barrier," he said. "I know I can't directly affect you thanks to your little loophole, but I can prevent a ghost, any ghost, from being able to make an appearance around certain people."

Despite everything John had seen in his life, the grin on the angel's face sent a chill down his spine.

"Enjoy spending eternity here alone."

Chapter 320: Crash Land on Lian-Yu 8

Summary:

Sara knows

Chapter Text

"Sara, there's something you should know," Oliver said, regretting the words the second they left his lips. He should have stayed quiet. He should come up with a lie.

But this was Sara.

"What is it?" the blonde asked, turning back to look at him.

"I'm not who you think I am," he said slowly. "Or... what you think I am."

"I know," she said.

That caught him off guard. "You know?"

"Ollie, you barely had any idea who I was, and you have to admit you acted pretty weird," Sara pointed out. "And I may have seen you shed a couple times when you thought I wasn't there."

He just stared. "You knew this whole time, and you never said anything?"

"Why would I?" she responded. "We had a lot on our plate, and in comparison to that, it wasn't that important." Her tone softened. "I figured the Oliver I knew before wouldn't make it. I barely did."

"And you didn't tell anyone?" he asked.

She actually snorted. "What, that Oliver Queen was some shapeshifting lizard? Like anyone would believe me."

Chapter 321: A Different Kind of Vampire 4

Summary:

On the way to Sunnydale

Chapter Text

Dean tapped his finger against the wheel impatiently, waiting for the light to change. He was hungry, and while he had a blood bag in the trunk, he wasn't going to pull over on in the middle of the highway. They still had a good hour before they reached Sunnydale, California, and considering how many deaths the town had had in the past years, he didn't want to delay any further.

"Hey, Dean, you okay?" Sam asked, noticing his impatience.

"I'm fine!" he snapped. After a brief pause, he grumbled, "Just hungry, okay?"

"Do you want me to drive so you can—?"

"No, I don't want you to drive!" he replied. "Look, we'll be there in an hour, and everything'll be fine, okay?"

Sam didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? Because I can—"

"Jesus, Sam, I'm not a little kid!" Dean yelled, hitting the gas as hard as he dared without damaging the car as soon as the light turned green. "I can take care of myself!"

"Like you did last week when you almost bit Bobby," Sam replied, raising a brow.

Dean glared. "Hey, you know we just got back from a hunt and I got shot after that! Besides, Bobby had some blood in the fridge. I was fine." He turned the wheel sharply, just narrowly avoiding mixing the exit. "So, what's up with this Sunnydale place, anyway? A lot of people died in the last few years?"

Sam nodded. "That's not it, though. It's the way they died. Some of them have apparently been completely skinned. They didn't find the bodies, just... skin."

"What, so there's a bunch of shapeshifters running around?"

Sam sighed. "I wasn't done. There's also reports of werewolves, witchcraft, and, well... a lot of people turn up dead with no blood and holes in their neck."

"Sammy, you can say the word, you know," Dean deadpanned. "Vampires. They have vampires."

"Yeah..."

"So how come no one's taken care of it until now?" Dean asked.

"Everyone keeps saying it's 'already taken care of'," Sam replied.

Dean shook his head. "Doesn't sound 'taken care of' to me," he stated.

"Me either," Sam agreed. "But... guess we'll find out when we get there."

Chapter 322: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 12

Summary:

Skye is shot

Chapter Text

"She's been shot!"

Loki stopped in the doorway, heart sinking. Skye lay in Coulson's arms, and she looked like she'd already lost too much blood.

"Keep her upright!" Simmons ordered.

"I got no pulse," Coulson told her.

"She's... she's lost to much blood, I don't..."

Loki was by their side in an instant, wishing more than anything that he had access to his magic. If he could use the healing magic his mother had taught him, then he might be able to save her. But as far as he knew, the remote was back on the Bus so even if he wanted to, Coulson wouldn't be able to help.

He clenched his fists before an idea came to him. He lowered his hand to her wound. He could practically feel Coulson glaring at him, almost daring him to make a wrong move.

"I have an idea," he said, forcing a tone of calm into his voice. He took a deep breath, letting the cold spread through his hand. He gently touched a finger to the bullet hole, and the blood froze solid, sealing the wound for the moment.

"How did you...?"

"It won't last," Loki warned. "She needs proper treatment." He looked to the scientists. "Fitz-Simmons, what do we do?"

"Put her in there!" Simmons said, pointing to the large machine in the room.

"Do we even know what this thing is?" Ward argued.

"It's a hypobaric chamber and I said put her in there!" Simmons snapped. "Now!" She looked to Fitz. "I need to get her temperature down."

Fitz nodded and ran to the machine controls as the others lifted Skye carefully into the machine.

All it took was one look for Loki to realize something was wrong. "What is it?" he asked.

"There's something wrong, the temperature controls aren't responding," he said, voice laced with panic.

"What about the pressure?" Simmons asked, running over to him once the chamber was sealed.

"That's... that's responding better, but..."

"But that's not enough..." Simmons finished softly, looking at Skye under the glass.

It didn't take as long as Loki would have expected for him to make a decision. "Open it," he said.

"What?" both scientists asked, stunned.

"Open it," he repeated, really hoping they'd just listen. He didn't have time to explain, and while he could rip the lid back off, it wouldn't be able to seal again.

May studied him for a second before nodding. "Do it," she said.

Once there was a hiss of released pressure, Loki let the cold come back and directed it into the chamber, coating the glass with a thin layer of frost. Once he took his hand back, the chamber closed and he sagged, watching his blue hand turn pink.

He just hoped he'd managed to buy her enough time.

Chapter 323: INS 4

Summary:

Blitzø wakes up

Chapter Text

Loona's ears perked up for the first time in weeks. Underneath all the machinery, there was a very, very faint sound... almost like a thump.

A weak, but steady thump.

"Oh, fuck..." she muttered, jumping to her feet and running over to the bed, putting her head to Blitzø's chest.

Tha-thump.

There was no way. It wasn't possible. But...

"Hey!" she yelled. "I need someone in here!"

The doctor rushed in, looking at her, confused. "What—"

"I can hear his heart," she said quickly. "On its own, without the machine. Is he actually alive?"

The doctor's brows furrowed slightly before he approached, taking a stethoscope and holding it to the imp's chest. His eyes widened. "Oh my god..." He looked at Loona. "This shouldn't be possible."

"I don't care if it's fucking possible," she said. She looked back at Blitzø, tightly gripping his hand. She was suddenly aware of the burning in her eyes, and she was pretty sure she was crying.

She was pretty sure she couldn't threaten the doctor into silence.

"Hey, Dad," she said quietly. Her eyes widened in shock when she felt the tiniest of squeezes back.

"Hey, Loony..."

Chapter 324: Here Be Dragons 5

Summary:

Toothless wakes up post-capture

Chapter Text

Toothless blinked groggily as he slowly came back into consciousness. He didn't recognize his surroundings, and that immediately put him on edge.

He tried shaking his head, only to find it fixed in place with metal clasps. His wings were pressed tightly to his body, and his tail was locked against the floor, his mouth held shut with a steel muzzle. He was completely immobile.

Completely helpless.

"Well, well," a woman's voice said from the speaker above him. "Looks like our little dragon is awake."

Toothless narrowed his eyes, growling.

"Oh, yes, because that will get you so far," she snarked. "You are ours now, Night Fury. And with you, we'll find the rest of the dragons and purge them from this world. Your time ended long ago, and it's time you realized that."

He tried to thrash against the restraints, to open his mouth just enough to let out a plasma bolt, but he couldn't move. He ignored the woman's laughter. He had to get out of here, the others would come looking for him, and he couldn't risk them. He was a Night Fury, the Night Fury. He could do this on his own.

But how?

Chapter 325: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 10

Summary:

Pietro tells Magneto where to shove it

Chapter Text

Somehow, Pietro knew he was coming. The man had to have known about his betrayal, but it had been months. Surprisingly, it only stung a little to know that he still wasn't very high on his father's list of priorities.

"Pietro, stop this nonsense."

The teen's shoulders tensed, as much as he tried to hide it. He wasn't afraid. He wasn't.

And yet a shiver of cold still swept through him as Magneto descended on them, helmet pointed clearly in his direction.

"Pietro..." he heard Evan say behind him, and he knew what they were all thinking. They were worried he'd turn on them. Go back to his father's side, continue to try to gain his approval.

But that wasn't who he was anymore, and he shoved the hurt that they had such little faith in him to the side. He forced his gaze to remain on the man striding toward him.

"You know where you belong," Magneto continued. "You know that you're far superior to the humans that they protect. You belong by my side, son."

Pietro's eyes narrowed. Months ago, he might have caved. He might have believed him, might have thought that his father wanted him around. Maybe even that he loved him. But he knew better now, and if he went back, he'd just go back to being a pawn in Magneto's game.

And Pietro Maximoff was nobody's pawn.

Steeling his nerves, he strode up to the man he'd once spent so much time and energy trying to please. He blocked out the disappointed whispers behind him, and the feelings they brought.

"You've made the right choice," Magneto told him, holding out a hand.

Pietro raised his own hand, slapped it away, and to the likely relief of the rest of the X-Men—even those who would chastise him for his language later—he said, "Fuck off, old man."

Chapter 326: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 11

Summary:

Becker in the hospital

Chapter Text

Becker scowled into the Farnsworth. "Do we have any idea what we're looking for?"

"It looks like FDR's cigarette holder," Pete said. "He had polio, so we think maybe it starts paralyzing people."

"Actually, it was Guillain-Barre syndrome," Myka piped up.

"Why does that matter?" Becker asked, running a hand over his face. "I'm going out of my mind in this hospital, just... find the cigarette holder and neutralize it."

"We have to do it fast," Myka informed him. "Guillain-Barre moves up the body, and if it goes untreated, it can make it to the diaphragm."

"So you're telling me I'll suffocate," he said, fist clenching around the hospital sheets. He'd heard so many stories about previous artifacts. Steve almost suffocating from Shakespeare's Lost Folio. Claudia almost boiling from the inside out from Godfrid's Spoon. Myka almost being aged to death by Man Ray's camera. Pete almost frying from the Spine of Saracen.

And he was going to be taken out by a damn cigarette holder.

"No," Pete assured him. "We're gonna find it."

Becker sighed, pushing down the fear. He'd faced down dinosaur, future predators, and giant evolved ants, but at least those, he could do something about. He could fight back.

But now, he couldn't even walk.

"Hurry," he said.

Chapter 327: Avatar: The Banished Prince 10

Summary:

Zuko doesn't want to fight his father

Chapter Text

"I can't do this!"

Sokka and Katara gave each other a look. Iroh was watching him carefully, Toph crossed her arms, and Mai raised a brow.

"Can't do what, Zuko?" she finally asked.

"I can't take on the Fire Lord!" he practically shouted, starting to pace. "I haven't trained enough, I'm not strong enough, I can't—" He faltered. "I can't fight my father."

"Seriously?" Toph asked. "You're gonna let the world burn just because you don't wanna fight your dad?"

"I didn't say I don't want to," he countered. "I said I can't."

"Zuko..." Katara started.

He turned to look at her. "No. I can't take him on. I can't fight him and win, especially not during the comet."

"Sure, he's a Firebender, but so are you," Sokka pointed out. "And you're the Avatar."

Iroh stood, placing a calming hand on Zuko's shoulder, effectively stopping the Avatar in his tracks. "You can do this, Zuko. You are no longer the child you were back then. You are a young man now, and as we've all seen, you can do anything you put your mind to."

"But not this..." he protested quietly.

"You have nothing to be afraid of," Iroh told him. "Remember, you are never alone. We will always be here if you need us."

At the looks the others wore, Mai said, "Before Zuko was banished... his father challenged him to an Agni Kai." She lowered her voice. "It's how he got his scar."

Katara's eyes widened. "His father did that to him?" she asked.

"No wonder he's scared..." Sokka muttered.

"I can hear you!" Zuko snapped, the candles around them flaring. "And I'm not scared! I..." He made a frustrated noise and stalked off.

"So..." Toph started. "Should we go after him, or...?"

"Give him some time alone," Iroh said. "He needs to think. Before he can even think about battling his father, he has to be able to overcome the trauma of what he did."

"We don't have a lot of time," Sokka muttered. "So he better do it fast."

Chapter 328: The Other Human Factor 11

Summary:

Escaping the Autobots

Chapter Text

The second the ground bridge started up, Desiree tapped Jessie and nodded to the swirling vortex.

"As soon as their backs are turned, we book it," the redhead said.

"Now?" Roxanne asked in a hushed voice.

"It's the ground bridge or sneaking out into the desert, take your pick," Jessie pointed out. "We know the 'Cons are on the other side."

"Plus, if we give them an approximation of the Autobots' location," Lexie started, "there's no guaranteeing Megatron won't decide to, I don't know, bomb the hell out of them."

Desiree nodded. "If nothing else, we have to keep the other humans here safe. But we also need to get the hell out of here." After giving the others a meaningful look, she received four nods.

"Now!" she said, and the group made a break for it, ignoring the protests of human and Autobot alike, expertly dodging anyone and anything that tried to get in their way.

"You're going to get yourselves killed!" they heard Ratchet yell. Desiree had to laugh.

When they arrived through the bridge, there was a battle, and Nanami immediately pointed to a rock to shelter behind while they figured out their next move.

"Okay, oh great leader," Jessie said, looking at Desiree. "What now?"

She thought for a second, peeking around to study the battlefield. Arcee and Bulkhead were kicking the tar out of Starscream. Soundwave and Wheeljack were going at it. Knockout and Bumblebee were practically running circles around each other. And of course, Megatron and Optimus were locked in combat, their focus solely on each other.

"We need to get someone's attention," she said, and almost as if on cue, a Vehicon spotted them. He didn't say anything, but he looked like he had to do a double take. He, and all of the others, probably thought they may never see the girls again. He transformed, racing over and skidding to a stop, popping his doors open. The girls clambered inside.

"Lord Megatron," they heard him said through his comm. "I found the girls. Permission to bridge them back to the ship?"

"Go," was all the warlord ordered, and a second later, another ground bridge was opened in front of them and they were driving through.

Chapter 329: Dead Space Experiment (Untitled) 13

Summary:

Ellie finds out Isaac is missing

Chapter Text

Ellie tapped her finger on the table, frowning. It had been weeks since she'd heard from Isaac, and while that wasn't always entirely unusual... something about it just sat wrong with her.

An unfamiliar man approached her, and she raised a brow as he sat down at the café table across from her.

"Ellie Langford?" he asked.

"Who's asking?" she countered.

"Someone trying to locate Isaac Clarke," he said, and that made her pause.

"So you come to me," she said slowly. "Who do you work for? CEC? EarthGov as a whole? I'm sure you've got loads of resources you can use to track him down."

"He's missing," the man told her. "After the incident on Titan Station, we've been keeping an eye on you both, but he fell off the radar a few weeks back."

"And what makes you think I can find him?" she asked.

He paused. "We did pick up a quick burst of signal from his rig, just a few days ago before we lost it again. It came from the planet cracker USG Ishimura."

Ellie's blood ran cold. "He wouldn't go back there again," she told him.

"I know," the man said. "We think he was taken there, and if he hasn't reached out to you, it's likely he's still trapped there somehow. There's something jamming our signals, preventing us from running a scan, and considering everything that went down there..."

"You're all too scared to set foot on the ship," Ellie guessed. His lack of answer was enough.

Ellie had promised herself that she would never return to that ship. All it brought was death, destruction, and heaps of trauma. It was a place she wanted to spend the rest of her life forgetting.

But this was Isaac. They would owe each other for the rest of their lives.

"Fine," she finally said. "I'm in."

Chapter 330: Teen Wolf Synths 4

Summary:

Stiles tells Scott

Chapter Text

"Dude, you're not gonna believe this!"

Scott jumped when Stiles tumbled through the window, looking very out of breath.

"Holy shit!" he said. "Stiles?"

"It's Derek," he panted.

Scott's brows furrowed. "What's Derek?"

"The... the prototype," Stiles explained, picking himself up from the floor. "The one Allison's dad told you about. The one that escaped."

Scott's jaw dropped. "It's Derek?"

"I know, right?" Stiles asked.

"Wait, how do you even know that?" Scott asked. There was no way the man would have just told him... right?

"I kinda... found him when he was doing repairs, or maintenance, or whatever you call it." He sat heavily on the bed. "The guy literally had his leg opened up, and I saw a lot of circuits."

"Derek Hale is the synth prototype..." Scott muttered as it fully sank in. "No wonder he got so pissed at you."

Stiles nodded. "So, what do we do? Turning him into Argent, Inc. will get them off your back. And he's never really liked either of us. But..."

"He's still a person, and they'd probably kill him," Scott finished, remembering how Derek had lashed out at them.

"Do you know what people do to 'machines' that they want to find out how they work? They break them apart."

"Dude, we can't," Stiles said.

Scott shook his head. "No way," he agreed.

But now how were they supposed to get Argent, Inc. off their backs?

Chapter 331: INS 5

Summary:

How Blitzø survived

Chapter Text

"So tell me, Doc," Blitzø started, tapping his finger restlessly on the hospital bed's rail. "Not that I'm not fucking glad I am, but how the actual fuck am I alive? INS is a death sentence."

"For any imp without access to state of the art medical facilities, yes, it is," the doctor informed him.

Blitzø frowned. "I don't get it."

"The ultimate cause of death from INS is asphyxiation," he explained. "The paralysis reaches your diaphragm, making you unable to breathe. We bypassed this by putting you on a ventilator, which breathed for you. The paralysis then continued upward, reaching your heart, so we hooked you to a machine that manually pumped it for you. And once it worked its way up... it faded."

"So you're saying that Blitzø is literally the first imp to ever survive INS?" Millie asked. "Ever?"

The doctor gave a wry smile. "No imp has ever been provided this kind of medical care before," he stated, sending a glance Stolas's way.

"When can he come home?" the prince asked.

"I'd like to keep him for just another day or two," the doctor said. "Just to make sure there's no risk of a relapse, and that he is actually healthy enough to go home."

"Fuuuuck..." Blitzø leaned his head back against the pillow.

"However long you need to make sure he's safe," Stolas agreed, ignoring the imp's glare.

The imp nodded. "We'll let you know the moment he's cleared for release." And with that, he left.

"And you're... sure you feel alright?" Moxxie asked, eyeing Blitzø's tapping finger.

Blitzø followed his gaze and forced his hand to still. "Yes, Mox, I'm fine. A little tired, but fine." He was quiet for a moment, uncomfortable at all the stares he was getting. After a moment, he looked at Moxxie, Millie, and Loona. "Hey, would you guys mind just... giving me and Stolas a minute?"

The three exchanged looks Blitzø couldn't identify before filing out of the room, leaving him alone with Stolas.

"Yes, Blitzy?"

"... Thanks," he said slowly. "For... all of this." He waved an arm around the hospital room lamely. "I'd probably be long dead by now if it weren't for you."

Stolas gently took his hand, and Blitzø was too focused on the sensation of contact to bother trying to pull away. "Of course," he said softly. "I could never let you die, Blitzy. Never." He leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Now, get some rest. You need it."

He smiled softly, stood, and slowly pulled away before leaving the room.

Chapter 332: Man, Woman, or Beast 15

Summary:

Vani starts teaching Alistair elvish

Chapter Text

"Andaran atish'an," Vani said slowly, sounding out each syllable for him. "Enter this place in peace."

"An... Andaran atish'an," Alistair mimicked even slower, frowning at what he was sure was abysmal pronunciation.

Vani just gave him an encouraging nod. "Very good," she told him.

"No it wasn't," he said. "I've always been terrible with languages."

She shook her head. "Your first time," she said. "You're doing fine." Her helpful smile turned slightly sad. "We do not have many rules," she explained. "Only phrases."

"Because much of your language was lost..." he guessed softly, and she nodded. "I'm truly sorry about that."

"You did nothing wrong," she told him. "You are not responsible for history's mistakes."

"But..."

She put a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him. "Ar lath ma," she said, just as slowly as she said the first phrase.

"Ar lath ma," he repeated, feeling confident he did better with this one. "What does that one mean?"

She gave him another smile. "I love you," she said simply.

Chapter 333: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 12

Summary:

Connor and Abby come home

Chapter Text

Connor's face lit up at the sight of the man rushing toward him. A year in a hell dimension, and the thing he'd missed most was most definitely his boyfriend.

He grunted slightly at the impact as Becker reached him and wrapped his arms around him, and he could hear Abby laughing to his left. He immediately returned the hug, enveloped in a feeling of safety and home.

"I can't believe it..." he heard Becker mutter, and the taller man buried his face in Connor's neck. His eyes widened slightly as some of the soldiers raised their weapons, trained on their captain, while others, more familiar faces, tried to get them to lower them.

It was then that he realized how this must have looked. A vampire's face so precariously close to a human neck. All it would take, especially in the grip he was in, was a quick shift of position and he could be as good as dead. But he knew better. He knew Becker was just scenting him, likely assuring himself that Connor was really here.

Then he felt a drop of something hit his skin, and his brows furrowed. He tried to pull away slightly to get a look at Becker's face, but Becker only responded by tightening his grip. Then the shaking started, and he realized that the strongest man he knew, who always held in his emotions... his Action Man... was crying.

"It's okay, Becker," Abby said softly. "We're home." She gave a small smile. "He's home. And we're both safe, and we're here to stay."

"I missed you every day," Connor whispered to him, ignoring the fact that all of the other soldiers could likely hear him. Becker needed to hear it, and that was what mattered. "But Abby's right. We're home, and we're not going anywhere. I promise. Alright?"

He felt the vampire's slight nod, but he didn't release his grip until a throat cleared behind him. When Becker turned finally pulled away, he hastily wiped his face and turned. Connor didn't recognize the man leaning against the car.

"Maybe we should do this back at the ARC, yeah?" the man asked.

Connor looked to Becker for an explanation.

"Matt," he told him. "Our new team lead after... everything." He paused. "Where's Danny?"

"He's not back here with you?" Abby asked. At the shake of Becker's head, she added, "He went on ahead of us, through another anomaly to follow Helen."

Becker nodded slowly. "So it's likely he's... gone, then."

"We don't know that," Connor said sharply. "Maybe he just hasn't found his way back yet."

Becker nodded again, this time in the direction of one of the cars. "Matt's right, though, we should get back." His mouth upturned ever so slightly. "We have a lot to catch up on."

Chapter 334: Catra: Princess of Power 9

Summary:

Catra learns her origins

Chapter Text

"Light Hope!" Catra shouted angrily, storming through the building. "Light Hope, where are you?!"

"Hello, Catra," the hologram said, appearing before her. "I was not expecting you for training today, but this shows an uptick in your dedication."

Catra's shoulders tensed. "I'm not here for training," she growled. "You know what I really am, don't you? Where I came from?"

Light Hope didn't speak, seemingly frozen.

"Answer me!" Catra snapped.

Light Hope turned, looking at her for a second. "It is true," she finally said. "You are not of Etheria. Not entirely."

Catra froze. "What...?" she whispered. She'd been hoping that Shadow Weaver had just been lying to her, trying to make her doubt herself like she always did. She thought she'd finally found her place in the world, figured out who she was...

But she didn't know anything.

"After Mara's failure," Light Hope said, "the First Ones needed a warrior, someone to protect the good of the universe. A new She-Ra. But none were compatible with the Sword of Power, and it was clear that they would need a new plan."

"So what did they do?" Catra asked, almost hesitantly.

"They made you," Light Hope said. "They mixed the DNA of a First One and a native of Etheria, and despite the odds, it worked. You were bonded to the sword. You were to become She-Ra, and you were sent here, where you could do what you were made for."

Catra's blood froze in her veins as her heart sank. Made for. The First Ones engineered her. She wasn't born, she was just... made. A last-ditch effort experiment. She wasn't a First One, she wasn't Etherian... once again, Catra didn't belong.

"Catra," Light Hope began, but she didn't want to hear it.

"No!" she snapped. "I don't wanna hear it, just leave me alone!" And she bolted out the door on shaking legs, biting her lip to avoid the sobs building in her chest as tears spilled down her face.

Chapter 335: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 13

Summary:

Supervision (scrapped)

Chapter Text

Loki smirked, drumming his fingers on the table he was leaning on. The two young adults working in the room—Fitz and Simmons, he believed—already seemed somewhat skittish. His presence seemed to only make it worse. And that amused him to no end.

When the Cage was in use, he wasn't allowed to remain alone. Coulson and Ward were performing the interrogation. May was flying the Bus, and he wasn't allowed anywhere near the cockpit. Sky wasn't even a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

But he doubted that this was what Coulson meant by 'supervision'.

Both of them were working on some sort of project, but every time one of them glanced over at him, the fumbled, almost dropping whatever they were holding. He intimidated them, understandably so. He wasn't even up to anything right now.

But they didn't need to know that.

Chapter 336: Teen Wolf/NCIS crossover 6

Summary:

Stiles calls Scott

Chapter Text

"Hey, uh, Scott? You wouldn't happen to know what happened to Derek, would you?" Stiles asked, leaning back in his chair. "After I left Beacon Hills?"

"He got more moody than usual and took off a year or two later, why?" Scott asked.

"Any idea where he went or what he did after that?"

"Nope," Scott told him. "He just completely fell off the radar. What's going on?"

Stiles paused. "We, uh... We may have found him."

"'We'? Who's 'we'?"

"... NCIS," Stiles answered.

He could practically hear Scott's hand dragging down his face. "What did he do?"

"Nothing," Stiles told him quickly. "I think. But someone's framing him for murder."

"Again?"

Stiles almost laughed. "Yeah, Scott, again." He paused. "He... also might be a little feral."

There was a beat of silence.

"What?" Scott asked. "Stiles, if he's feral—"

"Everyone's already given me the speech," Stiles snapped. "But he's in there, Scott. He legit actually calmed down when I walked in, and he behaves now." He paused. "Mostly."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. I really don't think he did it, and I'm trying to put together any kind of timeline that can help me find his alibi," Stiles told him. "So if you know anything..." He took a deep breath. "If I can't prove he didn't do it, they're probably going to kill him. I've got my boss and my team on my side, but I'll bet the FBI can't wait to get their hands on him."

"I don't know, Stiles, I'm sorry," Scott said. "But... maybe I can make a few calls. See if anyone else knows anything."

Stiles sagged in relief. "Thanks, Scott. Really."

Chapter 337: Here Be Dragons 6

Summary:

Toothless and Stoick talk

Chapter Text

Toothless was still wide awake on the living room floor when he heard a set of heavy footsteps on the stairs. After a long moment of thought, he slowly got up, doing his best not to disturb Hiccup's sleep as he snuck past.

The light was already on in the kitchen when Toothless arrived, and Stoick was pouring himself a glass of water.

"You want something?" the man asked, not even turning around.

"How did you—?"

"I told you, I remember everything," Stoick said, grabbing another glass and filling it. "And that includes never letting a dragon sneak up on me." He held the second glass out for Toothless to take. When the dragon did nothing but stare, he sighed. "You watched me pour it, Toothless."

Toothless finally grabbed the glass, taking a seat at the kitchen table. He carefully mulled over his words before saying, "When you said you remember everything..."

"Yes," Stoick told him. "I remember the fight with Drago Bludvist and the Bewilderbeast."

Toothless hung his head, gaze focused on the glass. "So you remember that I killed..." His voice caught in his throat.

"I remember that the Alpha had you under its control," Stoick told him.

Toothless idly rubbed a finger along the rim of the glass. "And made me kill you," he whispered.

He heard Stoick heave a deep sigh. "Toothless, look at me." Very slowly, the Night Fury looked up. "I don't blame you," he told him. "I never did."

Toothless's brows furrowed. "But... how? I..."

"You weren't in control of yourself," the chief explained simply. "And you were there for Hiccup when it counted." He nodded back toward the living room. "Do you plan on telling him?"

"I don't know..." he replied. "I... That was the original plan, find our riders, remind them who we are, and... I don't know, reconnect? But now..." He looked back down at the glass. "He's happy. He's got a great life. Maybe... maybe dragons are a complication he doesn't need."

Stoick studied him for a moment, and it took everything Toothless had to avoid fidgeting under the scrutiny. "It's been over a thousand years, and you'd just let that go?"

"I'm not going to just leave," Toothless replied. "But he's the best friend I've ever had. His happiness, and his safety, is one of the most important things to me. So if protecting that means not telling him I'm a dragon, then... fine. That's just how it is."

Chapter 338: Secret of the Kaiju 7

Summary:

Years later...

Chapter Text

Chelsea walked out of the building, fist tight against the handle of the briefcase. The presentation had gone well, all things considered. No one had laughed at her or mocked her research. To her utter surprise, she'd been taken seriously.

Her dad would have been proud.

There would always be people who wouldn't believe her words without solid proof, and that was okay. She knew how insane it sounded. But she also knew the truth.

You can do anything you want to, Chelsea, remember that.

She couldn't believe how far she'd come, from the 'crazy' teen to respected scientist in what felt like such a short amount of time. And it might never have happened if she hadn't met him.

"Hey!" a slightly familiar but unplaceable voice called. She frowned, pausing, and turned.

A young man, about her age with dark hair jogged over. He glanced down at the briefcase in her hand before meeting her eyes with bright, familiar amber.

She almost dropped the briefcase. It wasn't possible... was it?

"After all this time, I get the silent treatment?" he asked, breaking her out of her stupor.

"Gareth?" she whispered.

"Stenz got canned last year," he said. "I figured it would be close enough, and I just managed to make out your name a few times in the stations." He looked at the briefcase again. "You gave a presentation."

"Yeah," she said, still a little in shock that he was here again. "It... It went better than I thought it was going to. I just wish my dad could have seen it. And... And Dr. Serizawa."

He gave a small smile. "I checked a few things before I found you," he told her. "The truth about his death is public record now."

"It took a lot of digging, but I made sure."

"Thank you," Gareth said.

She shook her head. "No. Thank you."

Chapter 339: The Mutation Situation 12

Summary:

Pepper gives Tony some advice

Chapter Text

Tony paced back and forth in his lab, on the verge of pulling his hair out. He'd brought Peter back to the Tower three days ago, and other than those few times where he needed to eat something, he hadn't come out of the new room he'd taken at all. He knew the kid was hurting, and he had no idea how to help.

"Tony," Pepper started. "You need to come up and eat something. Please."

He shook his head. "I can't do that, Pep. I need to figure this out, I need to do something... Peter's miserable, and I don't blame him. I need to help him, and that means finding a way to make him human again."

Pepper frowned slightly. "Can you do that?" she asked him. "Honestly, are you able to do that?"

He stopped his pacing and just looked at her. She was probably right, he was more the tech guy, and he wasn't sure anything he could build would really help Peter at all. "I think he's scared of us, and I don't blame him, but... I don't want him to be, and I feel like the only way for that to happen—"

"Is to make him human again," the redhead finished. "I know. But in the meantime... maybe just try spending some time with him. Show him you're not angry, and that you and the others really aren't going to do anything to him. I think that's something he really needs to hear right now."

Chapter 340: Primeval Superpowers AU

Summary:

Jess learns the truth

Chapter Text

Becker could feel his muscles straining to keep the counterweight in place. If he had to stand here much longer, it was very likely he'd lose his grip, drop the weight, detonate the bomb, and kill them both.

There wasn't enough time to walk Jess through defusing the bomb.

"Jess, you need to get out of here, now," he told her.

"I'm not leaving you here alone!" she argued.

"I will be fine," he told her as calmly as he could, already running through a list of what he could do to survive. At least the building was empty, so he could risk the explosion and no one would be hurt... if he could just get Jess to leave. "But I might not be if I have to focus on keeping you safe, too. So get out of here, leave the building, and let me know as soon as you're clear."

"But—"

"Please, Jess."

She stared at him for a moment before nodding. "Alright," she finally agreed. "Please stay safe." And with that, she bolted.

It took four and a half minutes for her to get out, and in that time, his arms began to shake with effort. He had to do this fast. Faster than he'd ever done it before. And he needed to make it to the window.

Becker took a deep breath and was already shifting by the time he let go of the weight.

He was only halfway done when he made it to the window, body still shrinking, feathers still forming, but by the time he broke through the window, heading the thud behind him, it was enough to keep him airborne. He felt the heat against his back and his tail feathers were singed, but he let the air below him buffet him upwards as his form stabilized.

His eyes immediately trained on Jess, standing far enough away but still in full view of the building, and he knew he had to land, to shift back, and explain. He could already see the tears running down her face.

Lester was going to kill him for this.

Pressing his wings tight to his body, he dove, flaring them at the last minute to allow for a gentle landing. She barely seemed to notice him until he started to grow.

"What...?" she whispered in a state of shock.

"I can explain," he started. "But you can't tell anyone about this, do you understand?"

She just nodded dumbly.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about the ARC," he told her. "The files on the team are missing a few details."

"Like the fact that you can turn into a bird?" she asked with a near hysterical laugh.

"Among other things," he answered. "Maybe you should sit down." He helped her to a bench. "Every member of the original team, before... before things changed, had powers. Abby can speak to animals, and Connor's brain can run like a computer and connect to almost any piece of technology."

"And you... you can shapeshift?"

He nodded. "When the ARC was redesigned, Lester decided to keep all of this a secret. No one was supposed to know, but..." He looked up at the building. "I didn't really have much of a choice." He looked back at her. "Can you keep this a secret?"

She was quiet for a moment before slowly nodding. "Yes," she told him.

Chapter 341: INS 6

Summary:

Blitzø has a panic attack

Chapter Text

Blitzø woke to complete darkness.

Immediately, he began to hyperventilate, feeling around for something, anything other than just the blankets he was under. "No, no, no..." he whispered in a panic, feeling his eyes water. This couldn't be happening again...

There should be some light, any light, even if it was just the lights from outside, or something under the door from the hall. But all he was met with was pitch black.

He curled into a ball, his tail wrapping tightly around himself as he cried. He couldn't go through all of that again, the complete sensory depravation was torture. Trapped in his own mind, unable to move, hear, see, or even feel...

He'd rather die for real this time than go through that again.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed as he sobbed before a door opened. He buried his face further in his knees, not wanting to look up only to not see the form in front of him.

"Blitzy...?" He heard the prince make his way to the bed, felt it dip as he sat. "What's wrong?"

"S'dark..." he whispered in choked voice. "Everything's dark again..."

There was a slight pause, and Stolas gently lifted his chin up. "It's alright," he said softly. "Open your eyes."

"I can't, Stolas," he said, and he knew he'd kick himself later for the weakness, but right now, he couldn't care less. "Not again."

"Please, Blitzy?" Stolas asked. "You're okay, I promise."

Very slowly, Blitzø opened his eyes... and saw four glowing red orbs looking down at him. There was a small light coming from the adjoining bathroom. He couldn't stop the choked sob. "Holy shit..." he whispered.

"I'm so sorry, I should have thought," Stolas told him, wiping the tears. "I'll go open the curtains." And he did just that, and Blitzø was suddenly bathed in the faint light of the pentagram in the sky. "Better?"

"Much."

Chapter 342: Primeval Superpowers AU 2

Summary:

Matt comes clean

Chapter Text

"So you're from the future," Becker said skeptically.

Matt looked at him. "After everything you've seen, everything you can do, is it really all that surprising?"

Becker's eyes narrowed slightly. "You know?"

"He knows," Abby confirmed.

"So, what, you just hopped through an anomaly and hoped to end up here... why?" Lester asked.

"Something is going to happen in this era," Matt said. "Something to do with the anomalies, and this world is going to die. Humans will be forced to live underground, because everywhere above ground is entirely inhospitable and dangerous."

"And you just stumbled upon an anomaly to take you to the exact time you needed to be?"

Matt paused. "Not exactly," he said, pulling a small pocket knife out. Very slowly, to avoid any more alarm than necessary, he slowly brought it to the back of his neck, cutting very carefully and removing the small device embedded under the skin, hissing in pain as it disconnected.

Lester's eyes widened slightly. "What on earth...?" he muttered.

Matt held up the bloody device before setting it on the desk. "It's called an inhibitor. It keeps me from using my powers, but it also has the happy side effect of hiding them from anyone who can sense it."

"And what, exactly, would those be?" Abby asked.

"He can open anomalies," Lester said, watching him warily.

Matt nodded. "For as long as I can remember, I've been able to open them, but I can't control where they go, and I can't close them. At least, not long-term."

"Why not?" Becker asked.

Matt almost laughed. "It wasn't exactly encouraged," he stated. "So I haven't had many chances to practice. Getting here was the one thing I got right, but it nearly put me in a coma."

"Was the... the inhibitor just to hide from Lester?" Jess asked.

Matt looked uncharacteristically uncomfortable. "No..." he said slowly. "I've never been great at controlling them. I've opened anomalies on accident before. It was just turned off to get here." He looked down at the device. "I don't have a way of turning it off, so..."

"So you just rip it out instead," Abby said with a raised brow.

Lester sighed. "Great," he muttered. "Perfect, wonderful, now we have the risk of anomalies opening anywhere and everywhere if Matt has a bad day."

Matt's eyes narrowed. "I never asked for this!" he snapped, and everyone was taken aback by the show of genuine anger. He took a deep breath. "I never asked for this," he repeated in a calmer tone. "But if I can, at least I'll make it useful."

Chapter 343: A Different Kind of Vampire 5

Summary:

The Scoobies find out the Winchesters are coming

Chapter Text

Buffy rolled her shoulder as she stood, coughing. "Eugh, I think I got some in my mouth," she said with a shudder. She sputtered a few times as she bent down to retrieve her stake, brushing off any of the dust that had landed on her.

Cordelia made a face. "Ick..."

Xander nodded. "I take your ick and raise it and raise it an eww."

When Buffy was satisfied that she had gotten rid of all the vampire remains stuck to her, she looked at them both. "Okay, I think we're done for the night. Y'know, I'm still kind of surprised you came out tonight, Cordy."

"Well, with everything looking like it's picking up lately, I figured I might as well learn something," she replied. "It's not like you're going to be around all the time. I mean, you already died once, right?"

There was a brief moment of awkward silence.

"Yeah... thanks for pointing that out," Buffy deadpanned. She just shook her head, pulling her phone out and dialing Giles.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Giles, it's me. I'm heading home for the night, okay? If anything else shows its undead face, it's only going to be dark for another hour or two."

She heard a sigh on the other end of the line, but there was a sort of tired smile in the man's voice. "Alright, then. Get some sleep, Buffy. But before I forget: I've heard there are some hunters on the way here."

"Hunters like... hunting deer and stuff? Or hunters like that guy last year that went after Oz?"

"More the latter," he replied. "Apparently, they've heard of our... history, but don't know about the Slayer."

"They're going to," she assured him. "And they're gonna be out of here pretty soon. I can handle Sunnydale, Giles. I don't need help from some guys that call themselves hunters. Do you know their names?"

"At the moment, no," he replied. "Though we may soon find out."

"Gotcha. G'night, Giles," she said before hanging up. She looked back at Xander and Cordelia. "So, apparently some people that hunt the stuff I fight are coming."

"Wouldn't that be a good thing?" Xander pointed out. "I mean, some help would be nice."

Buffy raised a brow. "People who hunt things that go bump in the night when I have a werewolf and a witch for friends? I don't see that ending well. So the big idea is to get them out of here. We just have to make Sunnydale seem like the most normal place there is. Easy, right?"

Chapter 344: iZombie/Veronica Mars crossover 4

Summary:

Liv asks Veronica if she'll tell Chase about Renegade

Chapter Text

"Are you going to tell him?"

Veronica looked up, brows furrowed. "Who?"

"Chase," Liv explained, lowering her voice. "Are you going to tell him I'm the one who got you into the city?"

Veronica stared at her for a moment. "What? No!" She shook her head.

Liv actually sagged in relief, and Veronica felt hurt.

"You thought I'd just give this whole thing away?" she asked. "You do a lot of good for a lot of people, Liv, and I'm not going to just send you up on the chopping block!"

"Sorry, I just... I wasn't sure you'd wanna be keeping secrets from him, after you two finally reconnected," the zombie explained lamely.

Veronica actually laughed. "You wouldn't believe the number of secrets I've kept from him, and that he's kept from me. I'm not going to delude myself into thinking I can change his mind. He's changed a lot, but he's also very much the same, and one of Logan's most notable features—other than his anger management problems—is his stubborn streak. It would take way longer than I have here to convince him."

"He did that to Mama Leone once he found out she was Renegade," Liv said. "How you can... I'm sorry, but how can you seriously care about someone like that?"

Veronica took a deep breath. She understood where Liv was coming from. But she probably knew Logan Echolls, or Chase Graves, or whatever he decided to call himself, better than anyone else in the world. And he may have been brash, angry, and rude, but he was ultimately a good man. "I'm not defending what he did, I know it was wrong," she started. "I know it was all kinds of messed up. And I'm not asking you to forgive him, I'm not asking you to like him, just... take a second to look at this from his perspective.

"He is the only person really in charge. He's responsible for all the safety and wellbeing of all the zombies in New Seattle. He's responsible for feeding all of them. There's a shortage of brain tubes as it is, and she was bringing in more mouths to feed. As awful as it is, he had to set an example."

Liv glared. "You sound like you're actually defending him," she accused. "He murdered her."

"I'm not defending what he did," Veronica insisted. "But... he's not a monster. He's not some cruel dictator. Liv, he's just a man trying to hold the world together by himself."

Chapter 345: Untitled Supernatural Primeval AU 13

Summary:

Emily almost stakes Becker

Chapter Text

"Whoa!" Connor yelled, stepping between Becker and the mysterious woman who'd come through the anomaly. "Hold on a second!"

The woman was holding the sharpest stake any of them had ever seen, eyes locked on Becker and full of hostility.

"You realize what he is," she said slowly. "Yes?"

"I know," Connor said with a nod. "But we don't stake vampires here, not unless they've done something really, really wrong."

Her eyes narrowed. "Them existing is wrong."

Connor looked ready to continue arguing, so Matt gently nudged him to the side and said, "Things are a little different here." He gave her a quick up and down glance. "You live in one of those other hell dimensions, don't you?"

"I travel," she stated plainly.

"Well, we don't have the same kind of corrupted energy here that a lot of them do," Matt told her. "Most vampires are just like you or me, for the most part. Just... a wee bit dead."

Connor snorted and Becker actually rolled his eyes.

The woman looked from Matt to Becker and back again. "Vampires are dangerous," she said.

"So are humans," Matt countered. "Look, I don't know who you are, or what you've been through, but trust me when I say Becker is on the level. He's not like whatever you've encountered in the past. He's one of us."

Chapter 346: Primeval Superpowers AU 3

Summary:

Matt restarts Convergence

Chapter Text

"We did it..." Connor breathed in disbelief. "We actually did it!"

"We stopped it," Abby said with a grin. "We saved the world, didn't we?"

"Not quite," Matt said, and they all looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Emily asked slowly.

He looked at the rubble where the anomaly once was. "Philip's anomaly ended Convergence early."

"So?" Becker asked.

"Convergence is a natural phenomenon, we don't know the effect that ending it before it's time could have, both short-term and long-term."

"So what do you plan on doing?" Abby asked.

He took a deep breath and looked back at them. "I'm going to restart it."

There was a long beat of silence as everyone stared at him.

"What?"

"Are you crazy?"

"You saw the kind of chaos it caused!"

"I know," he replied calmly. "So we're going to take precautions. Now come on, we need to get back to the ARC."

-

"Jess, I need you to bring up the coordinates of all the anomalies that opened earlier," Matt said as he entered the hub.

"Why?" she asked, already typing.

"Just trust me."

"He's going to open them," Abby called, and Jess paused.

"I'm sorry," she said, slowly turning to look at him. "You're what?"

"Convergence needs to happen, Jess," Matt told her. "Even though we stopped Philip's anomaly, I don't think it was enough. He still changed a force of nature. I need to change it back."

Jess frowned. "I hope you have a plan..."

He nodded. "I do. But I need those coordinates first. And then I need a message sent out to all military forces in the surrounding areas. Give them a quick briefing of what we've got going on here, and tell them to clear out the area and wait on standby."

"You're going to make sure there are no civilians around them to be hurt," Becker realized. "And sending out the military to neutralize whatever comes through." He looked to Jess. "What's the closest one to the ARC?"

"The car park," she said immediately.

Once all the coordinates were tracked, Matt nodded. "Alright. I want you to tell me as soon as they get into position."

Jess nodded.

-

It was several hours before everything was ready. Matt stood in the car park, where he'd been told the anomaly opened before, Emily by his side, Becker behind them with his EMD at the ready.

"You're sure you can do this?" she asked.

"Each anomaly has its own frequency," he told her. "I just need to find those frequencies and open them."

"But that many at once?"

"What choice do I have?" he asked. "I have to set things right." He took a slow deep breath, raised his arm, and closed his eyes. He just had to follow the frequency. He raised a hand, palm facing forward, found it, and pulled.

He saw a flickering light behind his eyelids, and the telltale resonating sound of an anomaly. He slowly lowered his hand.

"Okay, Jess. Coordinates, now."

Chapter 347: Here Be Dragons 7

Summary:

The rescue

Chapter Text

Toothless's eyes—just about the only things he could move, with how locked up he was—were closed in resignation. These people knew dragons surprisingly well, and if they could get to him, they could get to the others. He just hoped Stormfly would do the smart thing and keep them all away from here.

He wasn't sure he'd ever felt so hopeless.

He didn't know how much time had passed before he heard the yelling, and shortly after that, an alarm sounded. He cracked his eyes open, and a flashing red light filled the room. It couldn't be... could it?

Once again, he tried to move. He fought against the restraints, to no avail, making a loud, frustrated noise. If it was the others... they needed to know how to find him. He had no idea how many rooms this place had, and the longer they stayed, the more danger they were in.

He was still fighting against the restraints when the door opened. He looked up, stunned to see the humans filing in quickly, catching a quick glimpse of the other dragons, in their dragon forms, still in the hall.

His eyes locked on Hiccup, and he watched as amazement slowly turned into recognition.

"Toothless...?" he whispered, and his ears tried to perk up against the bindings. "We have to get you out of here." He rushed over, feeling the restraints around the Night Fury's head, looking for a way to open them. "No..." he muttered, and Toothless figured he must have found the lock.

"Let me."

Toothless watched as Stoick approached, and without hesitation, the large man grabbed the headpiece and pulled it apart. He may not be a Viking anymore, but he was no weaker than he'd been back then.

It wasn't long before Toothless was free. He shook his body a few times to get rid of the stiffness, and growled as soon as he smelled the people who'd captured him approaching. He made for the door.

His breakout was complete, and now it was time for payback.

Chapter 348: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 14

Summary:

Coulson confronts Loki post-berserker staff (old version)

Chapter Text

Loki leaned back calmly in the familiar chair as Coulson stalked in.

"What the hell are you doing?" the agent snapped.

"I've no idea what you're talking about," Loki replied coolly.

Coulson's eyes narrowed. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You're being reckless in the field. I thought you stayed here to avoid execution. Why are you so eager to die?"

"Why, Agent Coulson, I didn't know you cared."

"I don't. I just don't want to be the one to tell Thor that his brother died under our watch." Coulson placed his hands on the table and leaned in. "So why?"

"The truth?"

"If you're capable."

Loki was quiet for a long moment. "I've stopped caring. Whether I live or die, it's stopped mattering. But if I perish, I refuse to let it be by Odin's decision."

Coulson studied the god's face, searching for any sign of deception. All he saw was a rare show of vulnerability. As soon as he saw it, however, the familiar cold mask settled back into place and once again, Loki became unreadable.

"Anything else?"

He'd gotten everything he could out of the god today. No sense staying any longer than he had to. Without another word, he turned and stalked out of the room.

That brief crack in Loki's defenses gave him a lot to think about.

Chapter 349: Ragtag Team of Heroes 8

Summary:

The briefing

Chapter Text

Marinette sat at the table, looking at the two men with her. None of them had spoken much since arriving, but if they were as confused and freaked out as Marinette was, she wasn't surprised.

She just wanted an explanation, but they were still waiting on one more person to arrive.

Finally, a man was led in by who she assumed was another member of this mysterious agency.

"I'm sure you're wondering why you're all here," the agent said.

"You said something about demons," one of the men, the Chinese was, said. He had a New Yorker accent.

"What kind of demons?" Marinette asked. "No one was really clear on that."

The agent nodded. "Unfortunately, we don't know much about them, ourselves. All we know is that they seem to come from a different dimension than our own, and they've been attacking major cities and killing people as a result. We don't know why they're here, and we don't know what they're planning, but considering everything they've already done, we can assume it's nothing good."

"So... what do you expect us to do?" the man who'd just been led in asked.

"Fight them," the agent replied. "Push them back. Make them regret ever coming here, and prevent them from coming back. We will supply you with all the resources you need." He looked at each of them. "Well, I suppose introductions are in order. You may call me Agent Halden, I will be your field coordinator."

When he didn't speak any more, the other dark haired man cleared his throat awkwardly. "Um... I'm Danny. Danny Fenton."

"Ben Tennyson," the brunette man said.

"Jake Long," the Chinese man said.

"I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng," Marinette introduced. She looked back to Agent Halden. "So... what do you want us to do first?"

Chapter 350: Before Dawn on the Ourang Medan 11

Summary:

Brad asks Sam what happened on the mountain

Chapter Text

"Hey, Sam?"

Sam looked up from her seat on the floor to the brunette in the bunk across from her. "Yeah?"

"Can I... ask a question?" Brad asked.

"Depends on what it is," she replied, already preparing for the worst.

Brad was quiet for a minute, and Sam couldn't be sure if he was choosing his words carefully or just trying not to be sick. "What happened? Up on that mountain?"

She tensed. "A lot of bad things," she said stiffly.

Brad went quiet again, and Sam hoped he was ready to drop the subject. "Alex told me that people died up there."

"Those were the bad things," she snapped. She brought her knees in close, loosely wrapping her arms around them. "I lost a lot of good friends up there, and I don't wanna talk about it. Got it?"

"Right," Brad said. "Got it. Sorry."

Chapter 351: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 15

Summary:

May confronts Loki post-berserker staff (old version)

Chapter Text

Coulson hadn't been gone five minutes before May entered, not bothering to sit, just like every other time she'd 'visited'.

"Talk," she said.

Loki glanced up at her with a raised brow. "About...?"

"What you told Coulson," she replied. "And what you saw."

He didn't need to ask what she meant. "Why, Agent May, I didn't know you cared."

"Cut the bullshit," she growled. "You could have used the staff, either on them or on us. But instead, you looked scared. Why?"

"I heard Agent Ward had a negative reaction to a simple piece. How did you manage to handle the fully assembled staff unaffected?" he countered, trying to deflect.

"This isn't about me," she told him. "I won't ask again." When he didn't answer, she prompted, "Does it have to do with why you wanna die?"

He stiffened for a second, eyes snapping to her. He forced himself to relax. "I don't want to die," he said in an even voice. "I simply don't care if I do." May's harsh glare never wavered. "Very well. You want to know what I saw? I saw the day I learned I was a monster." May quirked a brow, but Loki didn't offer any more information. This time, he fought to school his features. He'd already told the woman more than he was comfortable with.

A few more minutes passed before May finally turned, leaving Loki in silence.

Chapter 352: Primal Spirit 12

Summary:

Indi's new enclosure

Chapter Text

"Holy shit..." Owen muttered as he stepped into the new enclosure. It was even larger than T-Rex Kingdom now, with a good balance between foliage and open space for Indi to hide or sunbathe as she please.

It was perfect.

He looked back at Claire, still grinning. "Thank you," he told her.

She just smiled back. "You haven't even seen the best part yet," she said, walking over to an alcove nearly entirely hidden by various flora. She brushed some aside to reveal a tunnel. At Owen's confused look, she elaborated, "This tunnel leads underground to the raptor pen. It's too small for Indi to get through and risk another escape, but the raptors can come and go whenever they please, so she never has to be lonely again."

"All she has to do is call," he finished, looking down the tunnel. "They're all gonna love it. I noticed the crane's gone."

She nodded. "Yes, I realized that as she continues to grow, she's going to want to hunt, and she can't really hunt a cow on a crane." She walked over to a patch of open space and brushed aside some of the plants with her feet. "For now, we've got the same setup here that we do for Rexy for feeding, but we're going to work on a way to get a feeding system like the pigs for the raptors."

Owen just stared at her for a long moment.

"You have no idea what you've done for her, Claire," he told her.

Chapter 353: INS 7

Summary:

Stolas finds out

Chapter Text

To say Stolas was surprised to see Loona at his door, Blitzø's arm draped over her shoulder as the other two, littler imps trailed behind would be an understatement.

He blinked. "Yes?" he asked, ushering them all inside. He tried not to let the fact that Blitzø didn't even look at him sting.

"We need your help," Loona said.

"I'm fine," Blitzø interrupted.

"You can't even see, sir!" Moxxie shot back.

Stolas looked at him. "Come again?"

Moxxie looked up at him. "Your Highness... have you ever heard of INS?"

His heart sank. He'd heard some of his staff mentioning it before. He didn't know much, but he did know it was terminal. "Are you saying...?"

"He has it," Millie confirmed, and Blitzø tried to glare in her general direction. "He's already hit the full first stage."

"Blindness," Loona supplied when he didn't respond. "Next come deafness, then numbness, and total paralysis."

"And suffocation..." Moxxie added quietly.

Before any of them could say anything else, he opened a portal to the hospital he'd taken Octavia to whenever she was hurt. They had the best care in all of Hell, they might find a way to give him a fighting chance.

He ushered them in, and Blitzø was loudly complaining about not being informed about what was going on when Loona passed him to Millie and Moxxie. She turned to Stolas. "I need you to take care of him," she told him. "He needs someone who can watch him and make sure he doesn't hurt himself. But someone has to run IMP, or he'll try to do it himself."

Stolas nodded. "I understand," he told her softly.

Chapter 354: Welcome to a World of Endless Wonder 12

Summary:

Visiting Sarah's grave

Chapter Text

"Don't be strangers!" Connor called to them as they left the ARC.

"We won't!" Claudia assured with a wave and a grin.

Myka smiled, but paused when she noticed Becker lagging behind. She slowed until she matched pace. "Are you alright?" she asked quietly.

He started slightly, as though he hadn't even known she was there. It took him a moment to answer. "I'm fine."

By the time they'd reached the exit, everyone had picked up on the man's mood.

"Hey, Becks?" Claudia asked. "What's up?"

"I think..." he started slowly. "There's somewhere I want to go."

"Name it."

-

The air was chilly, which wasn't surprising. Becker was fully aware of the others standing a decent distance behind him, and he appreciated the privacy they were giving him. He liked them, he trusted them, but he needed to do this alone.

He looked down at the carved stone, hands in his pockets. "I'm so, so sorry," he said softly. "You weren't supposed to be hurt. You weren't... you weren't even supposed to come with me." He closed his eyes, taking a breath to try to keep his voice from catching.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I couldn't protect you, and then I ran, and I know I can't make up for that." He took another breath, and opened his eyes, looking at the name so carefully carved into the stone. "But I'm doing okay now, I think. I have a new job, and the ARC is back up and running. You'd like it." He smiled ever so slightly. "I think you'd definitely like Myka. The two of you would've gotten along.

"I'd like to think you'd be proud of what I'm doing, and what Connor and Abby have achieved," he continued. "They made it back after a year in the Cretaceous." His smile dropped. "I'm sorry you didn't get to see them come home..."

He was silent for a long time, glancing briefly behind him to see the others still waiting. Not a single one of them looked impatient.

Finally, he kneeled in front of the grave, gently running his fingers over the name. "Wherever you are now, I hope you're happy." He stood, turning to go.

"Goodbye, Sarah."

Chapter 355: The Other Human Factor 12

Summary:

Lexie asks Knockout about Breakdown

Chapter Text

Lexie chewed her lip as she watched Knockout work on... something for Megatron. She wasn't entirely sure she even wanted to know what.

But there was a question that had been eating at her ever since she'd overheard some Vehicons a few days ago.

"Hey, Knockout?" she started.

"Hm?" he asked, not even looking up.

She took a deep breath. From the context she'd been able to pick up, the mech she was about to ask about wasn't around anymore. "Who was Breakdown?"

Knockout froze for a moment before setting his tools down. When he looked at her, his face was unreadable. "Where did you hear that name?" he asked.

"I heard a few Vehicons talking a couple days ago," she said. "And that name got dropped a few times. I tried asking around, but everyone just gets weird about it, and Starscream told me to ask you."

Knockout was quiet, and for a second, Lexie thought he wasn't going to answer her. "Breakdown was my best friend, and my partner," he told her. "My laboratory assistant, too. We came here to Earth together on Starscream's order—this was when Megatron was in a coma—and joined the fight here."

"What happened to him?" she asked softly.

His eyes hardened. "Airachnid," he growled.

"She's... she's that eight-legger copter-con, right?" Lexie prompted.

He nodded stiffly. "Airachnid has always been out solely for herself, and she'd use anyone to get what she wanted, and dispose of them when she was done."

Lexie's eyes widened. "She used him?"

"We didn't even find enough pieces of him to hold a proper service," he said, uncharacteristically softly.

"I'm so sorry," she said. Just looking at Knockout, she felt guilty for having ever brought it up. She could have just kept pressing the others, or just asked Soundwave if he had any video files she could learn from. In an attempt to cheer him up, she asked, "Can I ask what he was like?"

Knockout seemed to calm, if only slightly. "Breakdown was a fierce warrior, and a loyal friend," he started. "Honestly, looking at it from a moral standpoint, you might say he was one of the best of us."

"What do you mean?"

He huffed a laugh. "You've been around the Decepticons enough by now to know that we mostly look out for ourselves and don't give much thought into anyone else. But Breakdown... he's probably the one mech this ship has ever seen to actually make friends with the Vehicons, and to actually show that he appreciated them. He'd thank them, he'd try to leave some kind of gift if he knew their sparkday was coming up... But he also had a bit of a temper, and quite the rivalry with Bulkhead."

"Why?" Lexie asked.

"Let's just say they have a history."

Chapter 356: Primeval Superpowers AU 4

Summary:

Becker finds out he's dying

Chapter Text

"Well, Doc," Becker began, watching the redhead walk in. "What's the verdict?"

Finnegan O'Connor looked up from his clipboard. "There's... no real easy way to say this." He took a breath and looked the captain in the eye. "You're dying."

It took a few moments for the words to sink in. "Dying? What do you mean, I'm dying?"

"I sent a blood sample to a friend of mine in a genetics lab," Finn informed him. "And he told me... the cells are deteriorating. Your molecular structure is destabilizing. It would explain the sudden partial shifts, and the pain. Your body's trying to hold itself together, so it tries to adjust to the state of your cells."

Becker was quiet for a long moment, grateful that the younger man stopped speaking. "How long've I got?" he finally asked.

"A year, maybe less," Finn replied. "If you manage to stop shifting completely and avoid excessive strain."

"Less, then," Becker stated. "And there's no way to stop it?"

The med student shook his head. "Not that I know of. I assume you're not leaving?" Becker shook his head. "Then you should tell the others."

"I'm not doing that," the captain told him.

"They need to know."

"They need to focus on their work. Which they can't do if they're constantly worried I'm going to keel over," he argued. "When I really can't go out in the field anymore, then I'll tell them. But until then..."

Finn sighed. "I don't agree with that, but... it's your life. Your decision. I will say this, though," he added as Becker went to leave. "You should really tell Connor."

He left without giving a reply.

Chapter 357: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 16

Summary:

Loki picks up the staff

Chapter Text

He picked both pieces up and snapped the broken sides together, joining them to become a single staff once more. He gasped as the wind rushed out of him, as though he'd been struck. He grimaced. Just like that, he was back in the palace, staring up at the man who'd claimed to be his father.

"So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me?" he'd asked, voice trembling with emotion.

"Why do you twist my words?" Odin had said. He'd sounded pained, but what he'd felt was nothing compared to Loki.

His voice had risen. "You could have told me what I was from the beginning! Why didn't you?"

"You're my son," Odin had lied. "I only wanted to protect you from the truth."

That had made him snap. "What, because I-I-I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?" he'd choked out through unshed tears. He'd covered it with a mask of rage, advancing on the Allfather. "You know, it all makes sense now, why you favored Thor all these years. Because no matter how much you claim to love me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!"

"Loki, put the staff down," a woman's voice said, pulling him back into the present. He found himself staring at the hardened face of Melinda May. He looked down at the staff and dropped it as though he'd been burned. But even though he was no longer touching it, his own words kept playing through his head, over and over: the monster parents tell their children about at night.

Chapter 358: There Are No Fast Lanes on the Road to Redemption 11

Summary:

Pietro apologizes to Evan's parents

Chapter Text

"I can't believe you talked me into this..." Pietro muttered as he waited on the steps of the Institute with Evan.

"C'mon, man, it's gonna be fine!" Evan assured him.

Pietro arched a brow. "I got you arrested, Evan," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but that was ages ago."

The speedster shook his head. "That doesn't matter."

And the looks on Evan's parents' faces when they drove up looked inclined to agree.

When the car parked and they both got out, there was a long moment of awkward silence. Pietro felt like he was being judged and found guilty for every wrong he'd ever committed. He'd forgotten how that kind of disapproval and disappointment felt.

With his father, it was always that he wouldn't live up to his expectations. But with Mr. and Mrs. Daniels, it felt like he'd let them down, and they they were only disappointed because he wasn't living up to the potential they saw in him. It was an awful feeling.

"So, we going or what?" Evan asked, breaking the silence.

Mr. Daniels was the first to look away from Pietro. "Just toss your bags in the trunk," he said. He forced a smile, and somehow that felt even worse than the disapproving glares.

Evan took his bag from him and put it in the trunk, nearly shoving him into the backseat. Once everyone was seated again, Mrs. Daniels started driving.

Another ten minutes passed in painfully awkward silence before Pietro spoke. "I'm sorry," he blurted. He knew Evan had to be looking at him in disbelief. Mr. Daniels had turned in his seat to look back at him, and Mrs. Daniels was glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

"Sorry?" Mr. Daniels prompted.

"Yeah..." Pietro said. "I'm sorry for framing Evan." He hunched his shoulders slightly. "I'm sorry I got him arrested, and I'm sorry I blew just about every chance you tried to give me. You took care of me better than my own family and I pay you back with the biggest 'eff you'."

"Wow," Mrs. Daniels said, and Pietro looked up to see a much more genuine, kind—albeit slightly teasing—smile on her face. "Pietro Maximoff actually apologized."

"I'm impressed," Mr. Daniels said with a matching grin. And Pietro's confused expression, he said, "Evan already told us everything."

"If we didn't understand and forgive you, we wouldn't have let you come home with us for the holidays," Mrs. Daniels pointed out. "But it was nice to hear you say it. Thank you, Pietro."

Chapter 359: My Car Broke Down 7

Summary:

Claudia tracks down MECH

Chapter Text

"Gotcha!" Claudia exclaimed softly as she finally found what she was looking for. She leaned closer, and the more she read, the more her mouth dropped.

"Hey, Claudia, are you okay?" Steve asked, walking in to see her staring with huge eyes at her laptop screen.

She shook her head, turning the computer for him. "Look at this," she said.

His brows furrowed. "MECH?" he asked, confused.

"These are the guys that mutilated Breakdown," she clarified. "They tortured him and tried to take him apart, and they're still active."

"What?"

She nodded. "Yeah. These guys are still around, still pulling all this stuff they shouldn't, and we need to take them down."

"Whoa, hold on," he started. "We're talking about a whole government agency. A small one, but still. How do you expect to just take them down?"

"I leak what I've got," she explained. "They tried to steal a prototype nuke that could've decimated five states. They're out of control, and need to be stopped, Steve." Her eyes hardened. "They took Breakdown apart once. They could try it again."

Chapter 360: Teen Wolf Synths 5

Summary:

The offer

Chapter Text

"What are you doing here?" Scott asked, watching Allison's aunt approach him.

She laughed. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "I'm the one who sent the note." She smirked and gave a nod. "That's right, Scott, I know exactly what you are."

"I... I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered. He'd known werewolf hunters with out there, and this would explain why Derek was warning him so heavily against the Argent family.

Kate crossed her arms. "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you. We're not in the business of hunting, typically. But you see... there is something you can help us with."

"What?" he asked, confused.

"You know that Argent, Inc. builds synths," she started. "We happened to lose a very valuable prototype, and we're hoping you can help us find it."

"Why me?"

"Well," she said. "When we built it, we were testing a new werewolf model. It might try to approach you, form a pack, if it hasn't already. All I'm asking is that if you find it, you let us know."

Scott frowned. "Why is this so important?"

She raised a brow "Did you not hear me when I said prototype? It's a very valuable piece of equipment, Scott, and we need it back. So. Will you help us, or are things going to get a little difficult?"

Chapter 361: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 16

Summary:

The deal

Chapter Text

Loki leaned against the wall, a silent observer to the argument in front of him.

"And what in the hell makes you think we'll keep him?" Nick Fury, the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., asked Thor heatedly. "Were you just not paying attention this whole time? Look outside!" He pointed through the window, where cleanup crews were slowly trying to get rid of all the dust and debris. Rescue teams were searching for trapped survivors... and the bodies of those who had perished. "All of this is because of him!" This time, his accusatory finger found Loki himself.

Thor shook his head, surprising both the accuser and the accused. "I know Loki," he insisted. "I was raised alongside him, I know him well. And this... this does not make any sense!" He looked at Loki. "You told me, up on the Bifrost, that you never wanted the throne. Why would that have changed?"

Loki paused for a moment. Thor was more observant than he gave him credit for. However, Loki wouldn't simply fall into line like he knew his brother wanted. So he wore a nonchalant mask and simply shrugged.

"I don't believe that for a second," the blonde argued. He turned to Fury. "I know what he did to your world was unforgivable. But I do not think his will was his own. It may have been his actions, but he was not the one behind this invasion."

This time, Loki couldn't help but stare. For as long as he'd known him, Thor had never been this observant.

Fury raised a brow. "What makes you so sure he wasn't just having a bad day?"

"Because this is not like him," Thor said. "Yes, Loki can be dramatic and a bit self-righteous. But he would never go so far as to attempt to enslave an entire world."

"Why not just take him back to Asgard then?" Fury asked, fingers steepled, leaning forward on his desk. "Why do you want us to keep him so badly? I'm sure you could just as easily explain all of this to them."

"Loki will not get a fair sentencing in Asgard," Thor stated plainly. "He has done terrible things there, and no one—not even the Allfather—would give him a chance. No one would believe him, and I do not know if my word would truly be enough to pardon him."

"Define 'terrible things'."

This time, Thor hesitated. "He... took the king's position when I was banished and sent the Destroyer after me to prevent me from returning."

"The incident in New Mexico."

"Yes," Thor confirmed. "He attempted to use the Bifrost to destroy Jötunheim."

"So, he tried to kill and entire world, but trying to enslave another, that doesn't sound like him at all?" Fury asked, disbelief clear in his voice.

"There were circumstances..." Thor began before realizing that he was getting nowhere. "Please," he said, resorting to begging. "If I bring him back to Asgard, they will sentence him to death for his crimes."

"And you think we won't?"

Thor seemed to have no answer for that, which didn't surprise Loki in the slightest. He was honestly surprised the big oaf was able to last this long into the conversation. "You could make use of him!" he finally said, as though he had come up with the perfect answer to all their problems.

"And how do you figure that?" Fury asked, echoing Loki's own thoughts.

"Your primary concern is the safety of your country, yes?" Thor asked, earning a nod. "Loki can help you! If nothing else, his past actions may allow him to provide an idea of what the enemy may wish to do next. He could help you prepare."

"And what makes you think he'd even want to?" Fury challenged. "Or even that he won't try to kill us all as soon as you go home?"

"There are ways of sealing his magic. He would be no different than any other Asgardian."

"Still able to bench-press a car, then," the human said. "He wouldn't need magic."

This time, Loki felt he needed to make him opinion known. He held up his shackled hand, jangling the chain a bit to get some attention. When both men were looking at him, his eyes drifted down to his muzzle before back to them. After a moment, Thor approached with the key, removing the metal contraption.

"Ah, much better." He took a brief moment to relish in the freedom before speaking. "If I were to remain here... what would my restrictions be? Magic bound, I'm well aware of that. But what else?"

"Cuffed at all times," Fury answered immediately.

"Already done," Loki countered, holding up his shackled wrists.

"Heavy guard, 24/7," Fury continued. "And you'll be locked away in some deep, dark hole you can't get out of until we need you. After you're done, you go straight back in."

"Do I have a say in my own fate?" Loki looked at Thor. When there was no answer from him or Fury, he said, "I'd prefer to stay here. In Asgard, I'd be lucky if I took two steps into the palace before someone killed me. And if I made it before the Allfather, he'd simply sentence me to execution."

Thor looked to Fury. "Please, consider it."

"I'll consider it," the human replied.

Chapter 362: A Different Kind of Vampire 6

Summary:

Dean realizes Buffy was in Heaven

Chapter Text

Dean's heart sank when it clicked. He'd known there was something off about Buffy since she'd come back, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He thought that, having been to Hell himself, he'd be able to understand, maybe help her.

But the more he'd watched her, the more he realized that she wasn't acting like she was recovering from the trauma of Hell. She looked like she'd been dropped into Hell, and that could only mean one thing.

"Oh, shit," he muttered.

Sam looked at him, brows furrowed. "What?" he asked softly, trying not to be overheard.

Dean looked at the others, all deep in discussion about the Big Bad of the day. They wouldn't miss the two hunters for a few minutes. He led Sam into the kitchen.

"We didn't pull Buffy out of Hell," Dean told Sam once he was sure they were out of earshot.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked. "She jumped into the portal, she had to have ended up in a Hell dimension."

Dean shook his head. "No, Sam. She died. That doesn't mean her soul got sent through."

"No..." Sam said, shaking his head. "No way."

"Sammy, she's not happy to be back," he said. "And that can only mean one thing."

Sam looked back at the doorway. "We ripped her out of Heaven," he whispered in disbelief.

"Yeah," Dean said quietly. "We did."

Chapter 363: Primeval Superpowers AU 5

Summary:

Nick saw his own death

Chapter Text

Nick paused as he made his way through the rubble. The flames, the smoke, the wreckage... He'd seen this before.

He knew what was coming.

Taking a deep breath, he continued on. He'd learned a long time ago that trying to fight fate only made the outcome worse. He had to play his part.

First, he had to find the artifact. He had to take it from Helen, and make sure Connor got it. It was important, it had given him the briefest flash of a glowing version of the matrix. He didn't know exactly how useful it would be, but getting it out of Helen's hands was the more important thing he could do now.

He hid it in a pipe before shaking her awake. Pretending he didn't know where the artifact was, he led her out of the room, and he already knew the gun was in her hand before he turned.

"I'm sorry, Nick," she started. "I can't let you go."

He sighed, turning. "I know," he said.

"You saw this?" Helen asked softly. "I thought you couldn't have visions of me."

"Looks like this moment was a little more powerful than you," he told her.

She was quiet for a moment before pulling the gun back to cock it. "I am sorry, Nick. I wish there was another way." She aimed. "At least it didn't come as a surprise."

Helen fired.

Chapter 364: Here's a Baby 5

Summary:

Eddie officially adopts Izi

Chapter Text

Eddie was nearly bouncing on his heels as he waiting outside the school for Izi to come out. He tried taking a few deep breaths, but Venom was just as excited as he was, enhancing his own excitement.

He really hoped Izi would like this.

Four agonizing minutes later, the children started pouring out the doors, and Eddie had to struggle to keep Venom from poking his head out to look for the little girl.

"Eddie!" he heard, and their face split into a grin big enough to rival the symbiote's.

"Hey, kiddo," he said. "How was your day?"

SHOW HER.

"It was good," she replied with a smile.

EDDIE, SHOW HER.

"What's that?" Izi asked, pointing to the folder in Eddie's hand.

EDDIE!

Ignoring the alien's yelling, he said, "This has a very special piece of paper in it."

"How's it special?" she asked.

"Well—" he started, but was cut off when control of their arms was yanked from him. In the struggle, the paper fluttered out of the folder, landing by Izi's feet.

Izi picked it up curiously, giggling slightly at her guardians' fight. She could hear Eddie muttering under his breath, cursing Venom in creative, child-friendly ways.

It took a few seconds for Izi to realize what she was holding, but when she did, she looked up in shock and awe.

When Eddie finally had control of their arms back, he noticed Izi looking at them. In her hands was the adoption certificate.

"Surprise?" he said, trying to judge her reaction.

That one word seemed to break her out of her stupor and she shrieked with joy, throwing her arms tightly around them. "Thank you, Eddie!" she exclaimed. "I love you!"

He chuckled. "Love you, too, kiddo."

Venom slipped a small, faced tendril out between them, hidden from any observers. "LOVE YOU, IZI."

Chapter 365: Loki and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 17

Summary:

Loki gets a haircut

Chapter Text

Loki couldn't believe he found himself in this situation. The Bus was on autopilot while he sat cross legged on the floor, May sitting on the couch behind him with a pair of scissors in her hand. Who knew she knew how to cut hair?

About a half hour passed before she was done. She stood, moving to stand in front of him. He took this as a cue to stand. May studied his face. "Hmm, it's a start," she said. "If we're lucky, no one will connect the dots with shorter hair and a change of clothes."

Loki couldn't resist the urge to reach up and feel how short she'd cut it. Just above the collar of his ruined suit. It hadn't been this short in a long time. In fact, he was fairly certain it had been Before. "Agent May," he said as she began to leave. She paused. "Thank you," he told her sincerely.

As she walked out the door, Skye slipped past her with a pile of clothes in her hand. She set them on the couch beside him. He looked down to see a pair of jeans, a simple dark green sleeveless shirt... and a grey hoodie with the S.H.I.E.L.D. emblem printed on the back.

"Want me to go open a window?" she asked. He glared.

Chapter 366: Not Your Normal Neighborhood 15

Summary:

Toby's first shift

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

"What's going on?" Robert asked when Hugo opened the door. "Is he alright?"

Hugo just grinned at him. "He's more than alright," he told him, leading him down the hall and into the living room. A familiar puddle of black goo lay in the middle of it.

As soon as Robert walked in, the puddle—Toby—quivered in what the retired hunter assumed to be excitement and started moving from side to side. Robert was getting a 'hurry up' vibe from that.

Hugo motioned him to take a seat, so he sat on the couch and glanced at him. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Just watch."

Robert turned his eyes back to Toby, and his jaw dropped as the puddle started to take form. It was slow, taking several minutes, but by the end of it, his brunette boyfriend stood in front of him. Fully naked.

Toby was grinning. "I did it!" he exclaimed.

"Fuck yeah, you did!" Robert replied, standing and pulling him into a hug. "So proud of you," he said in his ear.

He couldn't let Hugo think he was going soft.

Toby abruptly pulled back, his eyes practically sparkling. "I have to go show Amanda!" he said, moving to go.

Robert laughed. "Toby? I think you're forgetting something."

"What?"

Robert gave him a quick up and down glance, and Toby went beet red.

"Right."

Notes:

And that's it! 365 days, 365 snippets. Happy New Year, everyone!