Daughter Of The Revolution: Oh my Goodness! :D 5 reviews! You guys rock ;D Now, if only I can get that number on every chapter . . . and maybe more XD Well hope you enjoy like the last chp :)
Quickly kneeling down by the riverside Terra thrust his arm into the water, not really knowing if it'd do anything, but he had to try something to relieve the intense pain. It didn't relieve it, if anything it felt like it made it worse, but Terra took that as a good sign and so forced his arm to stay under the waters as he hissed out in pain, trying to keep his howls to himself.
Terra hadn't even noticed his tears falling from his eyes until they made ripples in the water his arm was covered in. The pain was unbearable, so much Terra had to bite into his bottom lip to keep in his cries of pain. Still, they were beginning to seep out; he could feel it every time he inhaled a shaky pained breath.
Terra hadn't even noticed the hurried footsteps coming towards him until he felt arms wrap around him and turn him around to pull him into a chest. At first Terra's instinct was to push the offender away, but his sight caught the gaze of his worried Submissive dad and so Terra collapsed in his grasp, his arm limp by his side, still aching with black veins.
And Terra cried, he cried into in his Submissive's chest bitterly. Eraqus doing nothing but holding his pup close and rocking him in his arms in a comforting motion. Xehanort had no right to do this to Terra, but Eraqus couldn't do a thing—after all, Xehanort was his Dominant.
"What . . . did he do to me dad?" Terra cried out in his parent's arms, just like some young pup who had scraped his knee against a sharp rock.
"Sshh, Terra, everything's going to alright, I'm here," Eraqus cooed his pup, stroking his strong back gently, hoping the pain the boy was feeling would soon fade.
Terra let out a pained gasp, making Eraqus look down at his limp right arm, the black veins were spreading, continuing to coil up his arm towards his shoulder and neck. Eraqus couldn't do anything for his pup 'cept wait out the pain with him.
It was all he could do, as the boy's parent.
"Roxas? Roxas are you okay?"
Ven peeked around a tree towards his twin who had been sitting in his nest, fuming for the longest time. Ven, cautiously, came up to his brother and wondered if he was in the mood for talking yet.
"How—How are you feeling Roxas?" Ven asked, coming up to his older twin brother.
"Still upset Ven," Roxas replied with a heavy sigh, looking at his brother with hard eyes.
"It's been a few days you know, it's okay to get over it," Ven tried by smiling sweetly, trying to make his brother feel better—he had only been trying after all.
"I love you Ventus, and when some dickhead decided to play with your feelings I get a little pissed alright," Roxas grumped, his eyes ever keeping narrowed.
"Yeah, but it wasn't just my feelings that were played with," Ven muttered to himself, glancing away from his brother.
"Did you say something?" Roxas asked, a little snappy towards Ven.
"No, not really," Ven lied, before looking concerned for Roxas whose features softened, like he was thinking of something sad. "Roxas . . . what is it?"
"It's just . . ." Roxas blinked with a sigh, his eyes only glinting as if water was glazing over them. "What's going to happen to you once you give birth to those pups?"
"What do you mean?" Ven asked, wondering why his twin had such a look like that on his face.
"You're so young alright," Roxas said, looking at Ven almost like he was hurt. "You're going to be a young dad to those pups and what's to happen if you birth Dominants?"
Ven shook his head, not understanding where his brother was getting at.
"You'll have to leave this section Ven," Roxas said, sitting up and leaning closer towards his brother with serious eyes. "You'll have to raise them in the Dominant's section—away from me, all alone."
"You mean you can't . . ." Ven swallowed, now realizing why Roxas had been so worried—he had a right to be.
"I can't go with you unless I too birth Dominants, but I can't carry pups remember Ven? You'll be all alone amongst those beasts, trying to raise those pups of yours," Roxas said, shaking his head and rubbing at his eyes. "If I can't find that Dominant of yours you'll be all alone, by yourself."
"Roxas," Ven whispered, he didn't like to see his brother tear up like this, but he couldn't help his own tears coming to glaze over his eyes.
"I've heard of young weak Submissives dying because they can't leave their pups to hunt, because they'd run off and they can't handle them," Roxas sniffed. "I don't want that to happen to you."
"But I'm stronger than you think Roxas," Ven pulled out a small smile as he knelt down to his brother and touched him gently.
"The Dominants will be everywhere!" Roxas said, his tone raising. "They could hurt you and your pups, they're like that. They don't care 'cause they're born without hearts."
Ven cast his eyes down, thinking of what his brother had just said. He was right, he had heard the same things and now he was scared. Scared of what was going to happen to him if he was left alone with his pups.
Ven's hand flew to his belly and felt the hardening flesh that had not yet began to protrude. He tightened his touch on it, as if trying to hold close to his pups that were already close enough to him as was. There was no way he could let them get hurt like that if they were indeed Dominants and Ven had this feeling in his gut that they were.
"Then what can we do?" Ven asked, his voice coming out strained from the hidden whines, Roxas quickly looking up at his brother who had tears beginning to fall down his eyes. "What can I do if I'm left alone with them? Roxas, I don't want that, but it looks like that's what's going to happen."
Roxas stood up and took his pregnant twin in his arms and held him close while Ven struggled to rub away his tears and hide his sobs in sniffs.
"I'll find him Ven, I promise," Roxas nodded. "I may have to be away from you for a while, while I search for him, but it'll be worth it if I can find him for you."
"Thank-you Roxas, but I can understand if you can't find him, really," Ven nodded, rubbing the tears away from his eyes.
"I'll find him," Roxas nodded, a silent promise leaving through his gaze towards his twin.
Ven smiled softly before wrapping his arms around his brother that he loved so much—that tried so much to make his life happy. Ven really couldn't ask for more.
The worst seemed to be over as Eraqus laid his pup down to rest next to the river. Terra had finally managed to pass out from the pain and Eraqus was glad. At least he'd be at peace should it come back.
Reaching over Eraqus dipped a piece of cloth in the river to take it over Terra's pained skin. He rubbed at his forehead and pushed his bangs aside to get the rest of his face soaked in the cool water of the river. He had watched as the black veins, that had wrapped themselves around his son's body, slowly disappeared, leaving Terra's own natural skin seen.
Still, Eraqus couldn't believe that the worst was over. He didn't really know what Xehanort had done to his pup. He hadn't done this to Xemnas when he came of age and began taking Submissives, and Eraqus was sure he wasn't going to do this to Vanitas when he finally managed to take his own Submissive—if he'd ever get out during the heat season.
Eraqus didn't know why Xehanort always seemed to pick on Terra the most out of their three pups. Hadn't that man been satisfied yet? He had mated him when he was far younger than most Submissives mating to Dominants, and on top of that he had pupped that Dominant three Dominant sons. What else could he want?
"He's finally passed out I see."
Eraqus turned to see Xehanort standing just a little farther behind him, staring at them as Eraqus took care of their middle pup. Eraqus quickly turned away from him to continue tending to the unconscious Terra.
"No thanks to you," Eraqus muttered, not liking at all what Xehanort was doing to their best-behaved pup, the one most pure out of the three.
"Don't give me that tone Eraqus," Xehanort said, coming up to place his hands on the Submissive's shoulders, not even commenting on how they tensed when he had touched him. "I told you I just gave Terra my blessing."
"And what the hell kind of blessing causes your own son to pass out from pain? !" Eraqus snapped at his Dominant, turning around to growl at him, though Xehanort ignored the sudden outburst from his mate.
"One that will make him stronger," Xehanort replied with a smile as he maneuvered around Eraqus towards where he had laid Terra, Eraqus quickly tensing as he watched his mate close in on their unconscious pup. "He was too passive, his heart too weak. I just gave him a little push is all, with my blessing."
Eraqus clenched his fists as he watched Xehanort bend down to lightly touch his pup's face, almost immediately, as he touched him, the black veins seemed to show again, attracted to the Dominant's touch. Terra instantly began groaning in his sleep and Eraqus was about ready to move to try and get the Dominant to stop touching the poor boy.
"You know," Xehanort said, brushing his pup's cheek with the backs of his knuckles before lifting his hand away, the veins disappearing with his touch. "Terra had always been my favorite."
Eraqus narrowed his eyes at Xehanort. He didn't know what his mate was planning; it was always hard to tell with him. Still, he kept on his guard and watched closely as he straightened, ever keeping his eyes on the unconscious pup of his.
"He never took to me like his brothers. Maybe that's why," Xehanort replied with a roll of his shoulders. "No . . . it had to be his purity. Unlike Xemnas and Vanitas, Terra wasn't swayed by anything dark. He was strong in that aspect of his life."
"And what?" Eraqus asked, his tone rising, not even caring if he was shouting at a Dominant, a very, very strong one. "You want to taint him? Is that it! He's just some game to you to pass your time! You won't let any of my sons alone will you!"
"Come now Eraqus," Xehanort chuckled lightly before stepping closer to him and letting his touch come to his mate's face. "You're overacting—don't you think?"
"Please don't touch me," Eraqus said, turning his face away, not wanting to look at the Dominant.
"I have a right to," Xehanort said with a frown. "You are my mate and I can do as I please."
"You're consumed by darkness," Eraqus said, his gaze towards the ground. "You always were. That's why you took me, because I was not swayed. I remember Xehanort, I remember it all. You tried to corrupt me by planting your darkness inside me—your dark seed. Xemnas and Vanitas were born corrupt, just like you wanted, each taking a part of me that I'll never get back, but not Terra. Terra was pure and I want him to remain that way!"
Xehanort chuckled, smirking as the Submissive said all this. It could be true or it could be false. Whichever it was, he was not denying it.
"You think you have me figured out don't you? My Submissive," Xehanort nearly whispered, once again touching his mate's face who, once again, turned away. "Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. But Terra's blood is mine, the same corrupt darkness you speak of flows in his veins."
"I don't want him to be like you," Eraqus whispered, feeling the Dominant's aura overpowering his, making him submit more.
"I'm sure," Xehanort replied before taking his hand and placing it on his Submissive's back, guiding him away. "Let's let him rest, shall we?"
Eraqus gasped, looking back to where he had left Terra. He couldn't leave him like that, but he knew what his Dominant wanted and struggling would be pointless and so he bowed his head and closed his eyes. Accepting it.
It was all he could do.
"What do you think's taking so long?" Riku asked, looking at Axel who only lounged in his nest, drifting off into his imagination.
"Dunno," Axel replied, keeping his green gaze upwards and into his mind. "You know how strange his family is though."
"That's why I'm so worried," Riku whispered, letting out a sigh before glancing upward at the sun.
It was high noon.
"I can tell you're worried. Why don't you look for him if you're so scared?" Axel asked, looking at Riku casually before glancing upward again.
"Yeah, it's been a couple of days since we've last seen him," Riku aid, nodding and standing up. "Maybe I'll do just that. You going to come help find our friend this time?"
"Got nothing else better to do, sure, why not," Axel shrugged before hopping to his feet and following the silverhead as they left their nests and journeyed out towards where Terra's family usually nested.
When they had come to ask Terra's dad if he knew where he had gone the two found that Eraqus was nowhere to be found. All that was there in the nests was Terra's little brother, Vanitas, and that guy was just as annoying as Terra's older brother, Xemnas. Axel and Riku didn't know if they should ask him anything.
"Hhh, might as well give it a try," Riku moaned, him and Axel turning to the dark-haired pup who quickly took notice to them, his golden gaze now upon them.
"Vanitas, have you seen Terra around?" Axel stepped forward to ask.
"Nope," Vanitas answered with a smirk. "Haven't seen him since he talked to father."
"Did anything happen?" Riku asked.
"Tch, no," Vanitas rolled his eyes. "All father did was give Terra his blessing, which Terra darted off after that."
"Blessing?" Riku 'mouthed' to Axel, both not really knowing if that word was a good word or a bad word in this family.
"Alright, then where's your dad?" Riku asked.
"Off with father somewhere," Vanitas said, motioning an uncaring wave. "I frankly don't want to know what they're up to."
"And Xemnas?" Axel asked.
"Off as well," Vanitas sighed. "Probably with his pups and Submissives. Who knows?"
"Great, what now?" Axel whispered to Riku who sighed.
"We'll just have to keep looking. I don't know about you, but I have this bad feeling right here in my gut, telling me that something happened to Terra," Riku whispered back.
"Same here," Axel nodded. "Well, it was a pain talkin' to ya Vanitas. See ya around."
"You too fuckers," Vanitas replied just as casually, waving them off.
Riku and Axel felt like they had pretty much searched the entire Dominant section, but that was impossible because the sections were huge, sometimes spanning out for miles until there's another clatter of Dominants here and there. This making the two believe Terra had just ran off without a word.
It was getting dark and Riku and Axel knew they'd have to give it a rest for a little while when the darkness came. It wasn't like they were sniffing out a heated Submissive or anything, nope, just another Dominant. A very dear close friend of theirs.
"I don't know about you Riku, but, if you want, you can go home while I continue searching for him," Axel said, turning towards the younger Dominant.
"No, he's my friend just as much as yours," Riku nodded. "I'm staying until we find him."
"Right," Axel nodded before the two continued.
They continued searching into the night, taking breaks every now and then. Dawn was quickly approaching and the two could see the sun rising. It was stressing them how they had spent so much time searching for Terra and yet they had not found a single clue as to where he was. Still, they continued on until they found something pointing to him.
"Hey, Riku, I'm thinking," Axel huffed behind Riku as they dragged their tired feet on, looking for their close friend, their brother Dominant. "Do you think he could have just ran off searching for that Submissive of his?"
"He knows he can't find him by himself," Riku replied, his aquamarine eyes keeping a keen lookout even though his body barely functioned from lack of rest. "He would have asked for our help first . . . unless he felt we weren't helping him like we should."
Axel let out a sigh, suddenly feeling that pang of guiltiness again. It hurt, what he had done, lying to his friends was something he never did, but he wasn't going to take back what he said. Not yet at least . . . he couldn't. Not if he didn't want to left alone.
"Axel!" Riku stopped in his tracks, alerting Axel as he pointed ahead of them.
"Terra!" Axel gasped, the two darting quickly over to the form lying on the ground, limp, next to the river.
"Terra!" Riku gasped, kneeling down as he and Axel helped sit the boy up.
"God what happened? !" Axel gasped, looking over his friend's form more worried than he had ever been.
"I—I can't tell," Riku said, shaking his head, trying to look for any injury, but finding none.
"Terra, Terra, wake up man. This isn't funny!" Axel said, slapping the brunette's cheeks in an attempt to wake him up, but he wouldn't. "He's not—?" Axel turned with a worried expression towards Riku who only shook his head.
"Feel," Riku replied, placing his hand over Terra's lips. "He's still breathing, just not waking up."
"Well why the hell not? !" Axel asked, a frustrated growl mixed in. "Who did this to him? !"
"I don't know alright!" Riku was just as frustrated as Axel, but tried to stay calm, for the both of them—something that wasn't working too well. "Terra, come on, wake up."
"Maybe we should get him to a doctor," Axel suggested.
"What doctor?" Riku asked. "Most of them are Submissive and we're not allowed in their section."
"Damnit!" Axel cursed, he didn't know what to do, neither of them did. "Then . . . then let's just get him back to the nests alright?"
"Okay," Riku nodded, what else could they do?
When the two had managed to make it back with Terra they placed him gently in his nest and paced around. In their minds still trying to figure out what had happened to him, though deep down inside both knew they'd never know if they couldn't wake the brunette up.
"What are we supposed to do now?" Axel asked with a groan, running his hands through his hair.
"I'll try and find a doctor alright," Riku said as he turned and darted off.
"Hurry!" Axel called back to him, Riku giving him a nod as he darted off to try and find someone.
Axel bowed his head and let out a sigh. For some strange reason he couldn't help but feel as if the events that unfolded were all his fault. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if he would have told Terra about Ven because he would have quickly left and missed Xemnas who told him to come to their little family meeting. Oh he didn't know, but he still felt this was all his fault.
"Hey," Axel looked up and turned towards Terra's form that remained completely still. "You hang in there alright?"
Axel tried to smile, to look on the brighter side of things, but so much crap has happened lately that he just couldn't. He sighed out and cast his eyes down in shame.
"It's not my fault is it?" Axel asked, glancing over at the unmoving Dominant. "Is it because I didn't tell you about Ven? If it is . . . I'm so sorry Terra. I'm so sorry."
"Damn it," Riku cursed, staring at the Submissive's section knowing there were plenty of doctors waiting to be taken to patients, he just knew it—a Dominant doctor was rare for them, it was sad, but true. "What the hell am I to do?"
Suddenly an idea popped into Riku's mind and he knew exactly what to do. So, turning on his heel, he quickly ran back home. It took him a while but as he reached home he found his mate feeding their pups their breakfast.
"Sora!" Riku gasped, running up to the jumping Submissive who hadn't expected seeing his mate anytime soon.
"R-Riku, you're back—early?" Sora said, watching himself as their pups quickly darted between his legs to run into their papa's arms.
"Papa!" the pups squealed as they ran up and grasped Riku's legs.
"Children, not now, please," Riku said, trying to sound calm to his pups in his distressed state—a state Sora noticed.
"Alright guys, off papa now," Sora motioned them to let go, and reluctantly they did.
"Awww," they all pouted as they bowed their heads and got back to their breakfast at their table.
"Riku what's wrong?" Sora asked, looking worried for his mate.
"It's Terra," Riku said. "Something's wrong with him and we need a doctor, but we can't find any."
"I see," Sora nodded. "I'll head over to the Submissive section and find one alright, but you'll have to bring Terra to the In Between section."
"I will," Riku nodded. "I'll take the pups so you can find one faster alright?"
"Alright," Sora nodded, giving his mate a quick comforting kiss before turning to say goodbye to his pups and then darting off.
"Alright little ones, follow papa, we're going to see uncle Axel," Riku smiled, the litters suddenly swarming around him and cheering.
Axel wasn't too excited about Riku's little ducklings following them towards the In Between section, but he didn't have time to complain as they took Terra there where the Submissives and Dominants were allowed to meet if they wanted to—this section was usually used for the heated season, but it could also be used year-'round.
When they had found a suitable place to lay Terra down they waited. Riku had asked Axel to watch the pups while he darted off to see if Sora had found anyone. Yeah—Axel realized right then he hated pups. They'd never listen to a word you said . . . and pulling at his hair was another story!
"Alright, alright! That's enough out of you five!" Axel growled, getting the brats to stop messing with his hair as he stood up and towered over them, daring them try and pull a strand now—bunch of shorties, just like their Submissive.
"Uncal Axel, why is uncal Terrwa sweeping?" one of the little girls asked, pointing to the Dominant who hadn't moved an inch since they found him.
"I—I don't know," Axel let out a sigh.
"Did he huwrt himself?" the youngest boy asked.
"We don't know!" Axel sighed, sitting back down and placing his hands over his face in frustration.
"Axel!"
Axel and the pups turned to see Riku coming back with Sora, and a doctor. Axel finally smiled, glad that they had found someone. Quickly standing up he watched the three run up, Riku quickly telling the Submissive doctor what had happened when they found him.
"Do you think you can fix him Vexen?" Sora asked, looking down at Terra's still body.
"I will when I know what happened to him," Vexen muttered as he knelt down and examined him.
Everyone waited anxiously as the doctor examined him. Once he was done they all looked at him expectantly, waiting for his diagnosis.
"Well?" Riku pressed, his patience quickly wearing out.
"It's hard to tell what's wrong with him," the blonde Submissive replied with a sigh. "It seems like his body had shut itself down into a state, almost like hibernation."
"Hibernation?" Riku and Axel questioned at the same time.
"Look!" Sora asked, pointing back towards Terra.
Everyone quickly turned to see what they thought was a flash of black murky veins appear across Terra's skin before disappearing beneath muscle. Everyone blinked in confusion, but eyes did widen upon seeing Terra's eyes slowly open to reveal empty sapphires.
"Te—!" Axel and Riku started towards their friend but stopped upon seeing his eyes slowly shut again, as if they hadn't even opened to begin with.
"What the hell was that? !" Axel gasped, something had happened to Terra because that just wasn't natural!
"I don't know," Vexen said, fingering his chin. "But I'm going to find out."
And so Vexen returned to Terra, taking more samples and checkups. He was just as confused as the others, but this wasn't natural like they thought and so it intrigued Vexen. He was going to find out what happened to this poor Dominant if it took him his whole life.