A week before Leviathan attacks Brockton Bay, Armsmaster and the Undersiders are transported to another world together
The River Keeps Running
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[Complete] The River Keeps Running
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Rift 1.1
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Rachel
They're running away. She doesn't like that.
It feels cowardly. Fleeing, giving up, instead of defending her territory. They're going to keep coming after her now.
She wants to keep the dogs safe. She would have stood her ground, but the dogs could have been hurt.
She couldn't keep them safe. Not against poison.
She doesn't like it.
Now, the heroes are there too. Miss Militia and Armsmaster.
He hurts Judas. She doesn't like him.
He was hurt yesterday. He will be weaker today. Maybe they will hurt him again.
He tried to take Judas away from her. She hopes they do hurt him.
The Empire has caught up on them. They're not running anymore.
Good.
Running away might have been better, but it didn't sit right with her.
They're running away. She doesn't like that.
It feels cowardly. Fleeing, giving up, instead of defending her territory. They're going to keep coming after her now.
She wants to keep the dogs safe. She would have stood her ground, but the dogs could have been hurt.
She couldn't keep them safe. Not against poison.
She doesn't like it.
Now, the heroes are there too. Miss Militia and Armsmaster.
He hurts Judas. She doesn't like him.
He was hurt yesterday. He will be weaker today. Maybe they will hurt him again.
He tried to take Judas away from her. She hopes they do hurt him.
The Empire has caught up on them. They're not running anymore.
Good.
Running away might have been better, but it didn't sit right with her.
Rift 1.2
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It's a bomb.
There's a bomb in the church.
Maybe that's why the heroes were there. Lisa would know, but she breathed smoke from one of Night's smoke grenade and she's coughing too much to talk.
It looks like the heroes are trying to get the fight away from the bomb.
She should send the dogs away from it.
They should all get away from it.
"There's a fucking bomb!" she barks at Brian, but he doesn't hear her, too busy with Fog's attack to listen to her.
Krieg does, and retreats.
And then Taylor dodges one of Rune's slab of concrete, and it hits the bomb.
The bomb goes off.
There's a bomb in the church.
Maybe that's why the heroes were there. Lisa would know, but she breathed smoke from one of Night's smoke grenade and she's coughing too much to talk.
It looks like the heroes are trying to get the fight away from the bomb.
She should send the dogs away from it.
They should all get away from it.
"There's a fucking bomb!" she barks at Brian, but he doesn't hear her, too busy with Fog's attack to listen to her.
Krieg does, and retreats.
And then Taylor dodges one of Rune's slab of concrete, and it hits the bomb.
The bomb goes off.
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Rift 1.3
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
There is a tree.
The tree has exactly one human arm, and half a leg and face.
Black clothes and cowl. Night.
Brain fused with wood. Death was instant.
Looks like Lisa got lucky there.
Forest, lack of ruins. Spatial localisation has changed.
Tree species unknown. Not North America.
Shit. That's not good.
Lisa looks around her. The grass is weird, too, and there's something wrong with the light, but at least all four of her teammates are there, and they all seem to be alive and not fused with anything.
Unfortunately, Armsmaster is also there and not fused to a tree, while Rachel's dogs are conspicuously absent.
Armsmaster starts getting up from where he was thrown to the ground by whatever happened, but freezes, and Lisa follows his gaze for whatever caused it.
Part of the sky is white, a towering semi-circle of light painted over the sunset.
Planet has rings. Not Earth..
Shit.
There is a tree.
The tree has exactly one human arm, and half a leg and face.
Black clothes and cowl. Night.
Brain fused with wood. Death was instant.
Looks like Lisa got lucky there.
Forest, lack of ruins. Spatial localisation has changed.
Tree species unknown. Not North America.
Shit. That's not good.
Lisa looks around her. The grass is weird, too, and there's something wrong with the light, but at least all four of her teammates are there, and they all seem to be alive and not fused with anything.
Unfortunately, Armsmaster is also there and not fused to a tree, while Rachel's dogs are conspicuously absent.
Armsmaster starts getting up from where he was thrown to the ground by whatever happened, but freezes, and Lisa follows his gaze for whatever caused it.
Part of the sky is white, a towering semi-circle of light painted over the sunset.
Planet has rings. Not Earth..
Shit.
Rift 1.4
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lisa
"Dorothy, I don't think this is Kansas," Regent says.
Lisa ignores him.
"What the fuck happened?" Grue asks, and Lisa really wants the answer to this question. She was… Distracted, at the time.
"A fucking bomb," Bitch says, and Armsmaster nods.
"One of Bakuda's," he says. "It was missed during the first cleanup. I was going to try to disarm it. I'm unsure of what triggered it."
Word choice : I vs we. Was going to proceed personally to the disarmament.
Slightly stiff movements. In pain.
In pain, Tinker. Not completely healed from encounter with Trainwreck, only in field for lack of better options.
"Fucking Rune," Bitch growls.
There is a silence.
"Truce?" Brian suggests. "Until we find a way to go back? Preferably in one piece."
Lisa glances at Night's remains, still encased in the tree. They were very, very lucky.
"Acceptable," Armsmaster says.
Lisa is pretty sure she has a good handle on him, now. She thinks he will hold to the Truce, for now. He's alone against the five of them, and he's still hurt. He has nothing to gain by being underhanded. For now.
She will be ready when that changes.
"Dorothy, I don't think this is Kansas," Regent says.
Lisa ignores him.
"What the fuck happened?" Grue asks, and Lisa really wants the answer to this question. She was… Distracted, at the time.
"A fucking bomb," Bitch says, and Armsmaster nods.
"One of Bakuda's," he says. "It was missed during the first cleanup. I was going to try to disarm it. I'm unsure of what triggered it."
Word choice : I vs we. Was going to proceed personally to the disarmament.
Slightly stiff movements. In pain.
In pain, Tinker. Not completely healed from encounter with Trainwreck, only in field for lack of better options.
"Fucking Rune," Bitch growls.
There is a silence.
"Truce?" Brian suggests. "Until we find a way to go back? Preferably in one piece."
Lisa glances at Night's remains, still encased in the tree. They were very, very lucky.
"Acceptable," Armsmaster says.
Lisa is pretty sure she has a good handle on him, now. She thinks he will hold to the Truce, for now. He's alone against the five of them, and he's still hurt. He has nothing to gain by being underhanded. For now.
She will be ready when that changes.
Rift 1.5
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Colin
They spend the rest of the day combing through the clearing where they'd landed, looking for remains of the bomb.
They don't find any. He's not surprised. The effect of the bomb was obviously Manton-limited in some way, given the lack of rubble and walls.
The night comes quickly. The bomb went off early afternoon, and it was late afternoon when they came to. They must have lost time during the transfer, or it might be a simple case of time difference, like with time zone. Who knows how long days are on this planet, or where on it they are.
At least the air is breathable. It's… a start.
Night falls, and they resign to setting camp for the night, lighting a fire on the side of the clearing opposite to Night's tree, and boiling some water from a nearby spring.
The Undersiders set up a sleeping schedule, taking turns to keep watch. They don't suggest he takes one.
He doesn't sleep anyway. This isn't his first Truce, but…
There is a world of difference between fighting alongside an enemy and sleeping, vulnerable, as one looks on, awake.
The night will be long.
They spend the rest of the day combing through the clearing where they'd landed, looking for remains of the bomb.
They don't find any. He's not surprised. The effect of the bomb was obviously Manton-limited in some way, given the lack of rubble and walls.
The night comes quickly. The bomb went off early afternoon, and it was late afternoon when they came to. They must have lost time during the transfer, or it might be a simple case of time difference, like with time zone. Who knows how long days are on this planet, or where on it they are.
At least the air is breathable. It's… a start.
Night falls, and they resign to setting camp for the night, lighting a fire on the side of the clearing opposite to Night's tree, and boiling some water from a nearby spring.
The Undersiders set up a sleeping schedule, taking turns to keep watch. They don't suggest he takes one.
He doesn't sleep anyway. This isn't his first Truce, but…
There is a world of difference between fighting alongside an enemy and sleeping, vulnerable, as one looks on, awake.
The night will be long.
Rift 1.6
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Colin
Morning comes, and with it, hunger.
That was to be expected.
"We need something to eat," Grue says.
"Can you tell whether your bugs are toxic to humans?" Colin asks Skitter.
She freezes, and so do the strange, chittering swarm surrounding her. Colin doesn't recognize the species, which makes sense.
"I can tell if they have venom, and extrapolate," she says.
Not ideal, but still somewhat safer than trying their luck with fruits or berries.
"Wait," Regent says, sounding far too delighted. "Wait. Are you suggesting to willingly eat bugs like some kind of giant spider?"
"Bugs are very nutruitous," he says.
Some of Skitter's bugs lands near his hand, and he stabs them with a pointy stick to roast them over the fire, before handing the skewer to Skitter. She doesn't take it.
"It's your idea," she says.
"Those are your bugs," he answers.
She takes the skewer, and he focuses on cooking a second one for himself to give her some privacy as she eats.
"Armsspider," Regent says. "Or maybe Spidermaster. Wait. No. Spidey."
Colin gives him a bugs skewer.
Morning comes, and with it, hunger.
That was to be expected.
"We need something to eat," Grue says.
"Can you tell whether your bugs are toxic to humans?" Colin asks Skitter.
She freezes, and so do the strange, chittering swarm surrounding her. Colin doesn't recognize the species, which makes sense.
"I can tell if they have venom, and extrapolate," she says.
Not ideal, but still somewhat safer than trying their luck with fruits or berries.
"Wait," Regent says, sounding far too delighted. "Wait. Are you suggesting to willingly eat bugs like some kind of giant spider?"
"Bugs are very nutruitous," he says.
Some of Skitter's bugs lands near his hand, and he stabs them with a pointy stick to roast them over the fire, before handing the skewer to Skitter. She doesn't take it.
"It's your idea," she says.
"Those are your bugs," he answers.
She takes the skewer, and he focuses on cooking a second one for himself to give her some privacy as she eats.
"Armsspider," Regent says. "Or maybe Spidermaster. Wait. No. Spidey."
Colin gives him a bugs skewer.
Rift 1.7
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
They decide to follow the spring until they find civilization or, at least, a good place to settle and for Armsmaster to try to make them a way home.
Before, though, they take care of Night.
Taylor kept the bugs, the small, iridescent ones that aren't quite flies, away, but the day is getting warm, and she thinks the body might be starting to smell.
Armsmaster cuts the tree trunk with the Halberd, beneath the leg and over the half-face sticking out of the bark, and they bury it in the soft ground besides the spring.
They don't bother with a marker or eulogy. It's still more than she would have given any of them.
They start walking.
Three days.
Three days of walking, of awkward silences, or averting gazes while eating and stewing under their masks. Three days, and then Grue finally gives in.
"We can't stay like this forever," he says.
Armsmaster doesn't answers, but he does turn toward them.
"I've been wearing this helmet for days, now," Grue continues. "Same for the rest of us, save Bitch. Now, I trust my teammates, but you…"
There is a brief twist of guilt in her stomach. She knows she decided against betraying them, in the end, but it was the reason she joined them, and Armsmaster is there and he knows that.
If he decides to use it against her…
"I'll keep to the Truce," Armsmaster says, but Tattletale shakes her head.
"Nope," she says. "Don't believe you. We want collateral."
Armsmaster stays silent for a moment, and just as Taylor starts thinking he will refuse, thinking she will have to spend another day suffocating inside her mask, he takes off his helmet.
His hair are damp with sweat, and he looks like he needs to sleep for a week, and it makes him look strangely… Human.
"Colin Wallis," he says, like a peace offering.
Taylor takes off her mask.
They decide to follow the spring until they find civilization or, at least, a good place to settle and for Armsmaster to try to make them a way home.
Before, though, they take care of Night.
Taylor kept the bugs, the small, iridescent ones that aren't quite flies, away, but the day is getting warm, and she thinks the body might be starting to smell.
Armsmaster cuts the tree trunk with the Halberd, beneath the leg and over the half-face sticking out of the bark, and they bury it in the soft ground besides the spring.
They don't bother with a marker or eulogy. It's still more than she would have given any of them.
They start walking.
Three days.
Three days of walking, of awkward silences, or averting gazes while eating and stewing under their masks. Three days, and then Grue finally gives in.
"We can't stay like this forever," he says.
Armsmaster doesn't answers, but he does turn toward them.
"I've been wearing this helmet for days, now," Grue continues. "Same for the rest of us, save Bitch. Now, I trust my teammates, but you…"
There is a brief twist of guilt in her stomach. She knows she decided against betraying them, in the end, but it was the reason she joined them, and Armsmaster is there and he knows that.
If he decides to use it against her…
"I'll keep to the Truce," Armsmaster says, but Tattletale shakes her head.
"Nope," she says. "Don't believe you. We want collateral."
Armsmaster stays silent for a moment, and just as Taylor starts thinking he will refuse, thinking she will have to spend another day suffocating inside her mask, he takes off his helmet.
His hair are damp with sweat, and he looks like he needs to sleep for a week, and it makes him look strangely… Human.
"Colin Wallis," he says, like a peace offering.
Taylor takes off her mask.
Rift 1.8
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Taylor
They have to stop and waste half a day so that Armsmaster can do some tinkering.
Nothing that could bring them home, of course. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? No, he needs to do maintenance on his armor if he wants to still be able to use it.
Annoying.
They try to put the forced break to use by bringing fruits, berries and various kind of leaves to Lisa so she can try to see if any of them is edible. Eating bugs isn't actually that bad, now that she's gotten over her initial disgust, but they still need to complete their diet if they want to avoid vitamin deficiency.
Taylor is rumaging through a bush under a tree when she smells the most delicious thing she ever has.
It's coming from the flowers on the tree.
They are really weird flowers. Beautiful, but weird, facing upward, with a crown of black tendrils flowing down between the petals and the stem.
It smells so good, and Taylor takes a deep breath.
She's not sure why she was so worried, really. So tense. The Sun is shining high in the sky, and the white of the planet rings is amazing, and the flowers are so pretty, why wasn't she smiling?
The world is beautiful.
They have to stop and waste half a day so that Armsmaster can do some tinkering.
Nothing that could bring them home, of course. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? No, he needs to do maintenance on his armor if he wants to still be able to use it.
Annoying.
They try to put the forced break to use by bringing fruits, berries and various kind of leaves to Lisa so she can try to see if any of them is edible. Eating bugs isn't actually that bad, now that she's gotten over her initial disgust, but they still need to complete their diet if they want to avoid vitamin deficiency.
Taylor is rumaging through a bush under a tree when she smells the most delicious thing she ever has.
It's coming from the flowers on the tree.
They are really weird flowers. Beautiful, but weird, facing upward, with a crown of black tendrils flowing down between the petals and the stem.
It smells so good, and Taylor takes a deep breath.
She's not sure why she was so worried, really. So tense. The Sun is shining high in the sky, and the white of the planet rings is amazing, and the flowers are so pretty, why wasn't she smiling?
The world is beautiful.
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Rift 1.9
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Brian
"Something is wrong with Taylor," Lisa says, and Brian is inclined to agree.
The clearing they stopped in is suddenly… Noisy. Very noisy.
It's the bugs. They're all… Chittering, and moving, without any kind of pattern, and Taylor never did that before. He can't think of a reason she would.
"Is this normal behavior from Skitter?" Armsmaster asks, sounding considerably annoyed.
"No," answers Brian. "We need to find her."
Armsmaster looks even more annoyed, but he picks up his helmet and the Halberd.
"Let's get it over with," he says.
They find Taylor lying in the grass under a tree, staring at the bugs swirling over her.
She's smiling, honest and wide and happy, and if the bugs weird behavior hadn't been enough, this would convince him that something is wrong.
"Look how pretty they are !" she says, sounding far too cheerful.
"I think she's high," Lisa says.
"How?" Brian asks.
Lisa mulls it over.
"The flowers," she says. "Something with their smell."
Armsmaster's helmet can extend to cover his entire face and has air filters, so he goes pick Taylor up, and hands her to Brian.
"You're very handsome," she informs him, and Alec snickers.
"You're very nice, too," Taylor continues. "You're all very nice. You're the best friends ever!"
Brian is painfully aware of Armsmaster's presence, looking at them. This is going to be murder on their reputation.
"I love you guys," Taylor says, and she lets her head falls against his shoulder. "I'm so happy I decided not to betray you."
"Something is wrong with Taylor," Lisa says, and Brian is inclined to agree.
The clearing they stopped in is suddenly… Noisy. Very noisy.
It's the bugs. They're all… Chittering, and moving, without any kind of pattern, and Taylor never did that before. He can't think of a reason she would.
"Is this normal behavior from Skitter?" Armsmaster asks, sounding considerably annoyed.
"No," answers Brian. "We need to find her."
Armsmaster looks even more annoyed, but he picks up his helmet and the Halberd.
"Let's get it over with," he says.
They find Taylor lying in the grass under a tree, staring at the bugs swirling over her.
She's smiling, honest and wide and happy, and if the bugs weird behavior hadn't been enough, this would convince him that something is wrong.
"Look how pretty they are !" she says, sounding far too cheerful.
"I think she's high," Lisa says.
"How?" Brian asks.
Lisa mulls it over.
"The flowers," she says. "Something with their smell."
Armsmaster's helmet can extend to cover his entire face and has air filters, so he goes pick Taylor up, and hands her to Brian.
"You're very handsome," she informs him, and Alec snickers.
"You're very nice, too," Taylor continues. "You're all very nice. You're the best friends ever!"
Brian is painfully aware of Armsmaster's presence, looking at them. This is going to be murder on their reputation.
"I love you guys," Taylor says, and she lets her head falls against his shoulder. "I'm so happy I decided not to betray you."
Rift 1.10
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Brian
For a split second, he doesn't understand.
I'm so happy I decided not to betray you.
High or not, that kind of thought doesn't come from nowhere.
If she decided not to betray them, it means it's something she at least considered.
She told him she was attracted to him. Called them friends. Was it a lie?
Rachel looks furious. Feral. Alec clenches his fist. Taylor nuzzles deeper against the side of his neck.
Lisa doesn't react, and that, more than anything, lets Brian know he's right.
"I don't believe anything she says right now should be taken seriously," Armsmaster says, and he doesn't seem surprised either.
Skitter? You, especially, do not want to irritate me anymore tonight, he said at the Fosberg Gallery, as if there were history between them.
Pieces are falling in place, and Brian doesn't like the picture they make.
For a split second, he doesn't understand.
I'm so happy I decided not to betray you.
High or not, that kind of thought doesn't come from nowhere.
If she decided not to betray them, it means it's something she at least considered.
She told him she was attracted to him. Called them friends. Was it a lie?
Rachel looks furious. Feral. Alec clenches his fist. Taylor nuzzles deeper against the side of his neck.
Lisa doesn't react, and that, more than anything, lets Brian know he's right.
"I don't believe anything she says right now should be taken seriously," Armsmaster says, and he doesn't seem surprised either.
Skitter? You, especially, do not want to irritate me anymore tonight, he said at the Fosberg Gallery, as if there were history between them.
Pieces are falling in place, and Brian doesn't like the picture they make.