Strider Notes: We ended up cutting out two chapters of the 'In the Americas' because we were struggling to rp it. Like, worse than the Christmas stuff. XD So… that was the extent of our stint into America. For now, anyways. They may always visit later, after all. Anywho, we're going into fireworks now! It's going to be nice and cute~
LOVE IS IN THE AIR FOLKS~
Silverwing Notes: Writing in America is so bad we couldn't maintain our muse for this shit, pfft. Oh well, we got it out and we got enough cutes.
They came home from America being completely exhausted. The day after the trip to the zoo, they spent all day in the room with all of the other old guardians and government officials, creating plans and solidifying construction designs. They were there from nearly dawn, until dark, and then they turned in once everything was finalized.
Other countries were going to start opening up for Monsters to make homes there too- and they now had solid plans, and solid understandings, for what the monsters wanted and what they truly needed for good living situations. Tutors were going to be offered to those who wanted to move countries, and the governments were going to start working on communicating with Doctor Alphys to help humans better understand how to care for monsters and human turned monsters for when they got sick or ill.
Despite it being an absolutely exhausting venture- filled with lots of Linda's nasty lemon bars that she insisted everyone eat- it ended on a good note, with a positive impact on the future for monsterkind. Toki went home feeling extremely content with it.
The flight back had been pretty easy, less turbulence on taking off, though they encountered it when they got back. They slept most of the flight- or at least Toki did. She dozed off while the both of them had been talking about something.
When they'd returned back to the compound, Han had informed them that they had a couple days to rest, but then it was time for fireworks.
He had gotten hold of some information about a spot where one could see the fireworks clearly, but hear absolutely nothing from them. Which meant- he could watch the fireworks for the first time in a great many years. He spent those couple of days that they had to 'rest' having Papyrus help him plan a barbeque of sorts for everyone that would be coming. He'd dragged the tall skeleton off to town in order to get supplies for a traditional American barbeque, and they'd apparently spent some off hours off doing whatever in town while getting things for those that were coming.
It wasn't going to be a big group compared to what could have wanted to come- a hundred or so monsters out of a thousand and then some were wanting to come with for various reasons- but it was enough to warrant a large space. Which, thankfully, the clearing certainly was large enough to house so many.
That's where they were currently- it was the evening of the fireworks, which celebrated the beginning of summer starting the second week of June. The clearing was fairly large, and littered with blankets. It was on a steeply sloped hill, surrounded by dense trees on three sides. The cars were parked in rows at the bottom of the hill. It had a straight view over Ebott City where the fireworks proper would be set off, and really, there was no better location.
It was dusk out, well into evening, with the last of the suns rays coloring the sky a brilliant mixture of gold, blues, reds, and dark purples. Grillby had wrangled Sans into helping him cook- he was the designation grill master for the barbeque, and he couldn't quite manage six grills on his own, so, naturally, he asked his intended to help.
Muffet had even come along- and she had a small pastry stand set up to the side. She was selling her goods- which Toki really didn't mind. The frugal spider lady was nice, and muffin, despite being horribly, horribly scary at times, was actually remarkably sweet. Toki was quite fond of the spider cider too. The warm cider would be a good drink later on in the night.
Which was fine with Toki. She was sort of caught between Han and literally everyone else. They were up to something, she knew- that or Han as just overly clingy because Todd and his kids hadn't been able to make it to the fireworks today on account of Todd needing to do some things up at the Castle. Han had hardly left her side- and either recruited her into singing for the kids while he played his handy-dandy violin, or got her playing hide and seek in the trees with Thumper, Twitch, and a good chunk of the children.
He kept her busy, and busy had passed the time quite quickly. Still, she only had so much energy, and found herself starting to grow very tired during the last bout of hide and seek. Once she'd been found, she called a tap out, and waddled for their chosen spot. It was near the top of the hill so that the shorter monsters would be able to see the fireworks more effectively. It was necessary; given how many tall monsters she had in her 'party' of sorts, if they had sat lower, anyone behind them would have been completely blind.
Toki eased herself down onto the blanket while Han continued to search for the monster kids- the majority of which were running circles around him, darting from hiding place to hiding place. She reclined back slightly, resting on her elbows as she tried to catch her metaphorical breath. There were only so many hiding places she could fit now, and only so fast she could move to reach them.
Toki was quite thoroughly winded- but she'd had fun. And she took the reprieve from Han for what it was, and enjoyed her short stint of solitude while everyone was too busy to notice that she was alone. While Han was with her most times, the times that she wasn't, other monsters had drawn her over for socialization and catching up.
Though, she found herself joined by an exhausted Muffin moments later- the muffin shaped Great Dane sized spider coming to nestle into her leg like an over sized lap dog. Toki patted Muffin quietly, and laughed softly as Muffet gave a whistle.
The spider gave a canine like whine, and got to its feet again, before reluctantly bounding off to aid its mistress.
Once Muffin left, Toki quite enjoyed being alone on the blanket, even if the grass below her was hard and uncomfortable. She tilted her skull back to enjoy the color of the twilight sky, sighing softly in happiness.
However, Toki was not alone for long as none other than the father of her children approached her and her resting place.
"Toki, you don't mind if I take this spot by you, do you?" he asked gently, offering her a warm grin.
Toki tilted her skull over to him with a smile and shook her head. She wiggled over a little bit to give him some space, and padded the blanket beside her. "I don't mind at all. Please- I would love your company. I haven't gotten to see much of you today since we got out of the car. We've both been kept pretty busy though. I'm just trying to catch my breath a bit."
Papyrus eased down next to her, scooting close and then tugging her gently against him with one arm. "I'm glad!" He chirped. His chipper tone faded though, and he glanced to her, and then away, a bit of nerves making his bones tingle. "I... I wanted to talk to you about something very important."
"You're welcome to talk to me about anything, you know that." She purred softly to him. She leaned faintly into him, enjoying the warmth of his arm over her shoulders. "What is it you want to discuss, my love? Or is this something you'd rather do in a more private location?"
If it was serious, there was no telling if he wanted it to be out in public or not. If all else failed, they could go down to his Mercedes and talk there.
He looked at her for a long moment, mulling something over in his head. Then he eased himself from hugging her, and moved in front of her, resting himself on one knee before her. "Toki... You know I love you... and our children both... right?"
She eased herself up so she was sitting upright instead of reclining, and nodded to his question. "I know you do, and I- we- love you too." She smiles warmly. Toki wasn't sure what that was all about, but she waited patiently for him to speak.
He smiled and reached out, taking her hand tenderly into his own. "And you know that I'd want to make sure that you were safe with me, no matter what..."
"Of course." She nods, watching him with curious affection in her eye lights as she gently strokes his fingers with her own.
He looked at her, and then he reached up and rubbed his head. "Well... I... I want to make it official!" he told her boldly, before he turned and began to feel around his pockets. The hand holding hers soon joined the one searching his pockets when he seemed unable to find something. "O-Official... By asking you... T-Tokiko Nara!" He seemed to panic for a moment before he found what he was looking for. Papyrus reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a velvet box. "T-To marry me!" he told her, holding it out to her with both hands, his face tucked between his biceps, eyes shut tight with nerves.
She was stunned speechless for several seconds, and it took her a moment to realize that holy crap, he was serious. He had asked her to marry him. Toki certainly gaped, and it took her several long seconds to get her nonexistent brain functioning again.
When she could form words with her mind, Toki carefully lifted her hands. One took the box very carefully, while the other tilted his chin up so he would look at her. Hearts danced in her eyes, affection making her soul swell and her body tingle and buzz audibly as her sockets physically lit up in the brightest shade of liquid emerald. "Yes." She said simply, voice clear and firm. She didn't even have to stop and think about if it was the right time or not- it just was, and she knew it. "Yes! A thousand times over, yes, yes, yes!"
For the longest time, he was scared... Terrified that he had done it wrong. All he could do was hold his position and try his best not to tremble. But when she touched his chin, and she spoke her words, he felt a profound sense of relief flood him. Papyrus smiled happily and hugged her tightly, unable to do anything but laugh; laugh with happiness and utter relief.
Toki looped her arms around his neck and tugged, sending him sprawling across the blanket with her once more. She snuggled close and hugged him back, laughing gently with the ring box still nestled in her hand. "I love you," she laughed softly. "I love you so, so much you silly skeleton." Happy tears welled in her sockets, and she clung tighter to him all the same.
"I love you Toki... I love you..." he whispered into her as he held her, "I love you so goddamn much..."
"You are my world, Papyrus Aliquam Gaster." She smiled warmly. "I will love you until the end of time." Toki nuzzled into his neck, and laughed gently. "Lets get the ring on though, before I drop the box." Velvet didn't like to be held by bones. "Will you do the honors…?"
He smiled and took the box from her once he leaned back. He opened it and carefully pulled out the ring before he took her hand, and slipped the ring onto her finger. "Toki," he whispered, giggling weakly.
"Papy," She smiled at him warmly, eyes bright with the green hearts and tiny, happy glowing tears. The ring fit fairly well as her magic cushioned it and kept it in place, and she turned it gently with her finger. It was a simple, smooth band to mark their engagement. Toki's eyes watered all over again, and she flung her arms about his neck and clung tightly to him as they sprawled out on the blanket.
There was a click of a camera, and an out of breath Han grinned at them with his phone in hand. "This is going on the Internet and the Undernet." He grinned.
He held her tightly and peppered her with loving kisses as he rolled over, so that he was now the body pillow for her, his arms around her and not going to let go until she was content. He didn't even care that Han had got it on camera.
He knew Tenebris was hiding with a camera fixed on them anyways.
Toki was content to cling to him tightly, though she had to shift a bit so as not to squish the twins while lying against him. "By everything that is holy, I love you, you silly skeleton." She hiccupped happily against his chest, and then leaned up to meet his peppering of kisses with a deeper, actual kiss. Her teeth clicked gently against his own, magic pulsing and teasing softly over his bones.
Han grinned and took a few more photos for the collection, before beginning to post them to all of the social media sites. Oh yes- their engagement was going to go viral.
Wolfen let out a true wolf-whistle, which prompted a round of clapping once he drew attention to the both of them.
He held her tightly as they kissed, smiling up at her happily before he slowly sat up, hugging her tightly as he held her in his lap.
Han grinned, and took one more photo of them snuggled together. "Welcome to the family, Pap. More officially than last time. Heh- We're going to have to go out for a stag night." He liked the British term better than he did the American term. "Get you truly wasted."
Toki wiped her tears, content to cling to Papyrus while he held her. "H-heh. If you're taking him out for a bachelor's party, you'd better keep an eye on him, Han."
"Two eyes, as often as I can spare them." He grins cheekily. "Congratulations, you two."
"Nyeh heh heh heh." Papyrus laughed gently as he stroked Toki's head, his form glowing with happiness as he held her. "No. No Parties..." he told Han. "I just want as much time with Toki as possible."
Han simply smiled and nodded. "That's fine by me. Heh… We'll have the rest of both of your lives to see you sloshed anyways. You're going to have a lot of time with Toki." He grins, and wiggles the phone as it buzzes and dings. "By the way- you've already got about thirty people wishing you congratulations on your engagement already."
Toki flushed, and nuzzled close to Papyrus. "You didn't."
"I did." He grinned. "Hacked your Facebook and everything. Heh- alright. I'll leave you two lovebirds to your snuggling. You and your fiancé are adorable, Sis."
He blinked once, and then he giggled and hugged Toki tighter, kissing her head more and more as he cradled her close to his chest.
Toki smiled and twisted the ring on her finger. It felt right- cool and metal, though her magic was warming it up for her. She smiled and leaned up to kiss Aliquam again, her sockets fluttering closed as Han stepped away to give them some time.
Darkness fell, food was served, and Toki and Papyrus got free cups of spider cider from Muffet as congratulations on their engagement. Everyone was soon settled down with food and drink, and the fireworks began.
They were faint, barely discernable to Toki's range of hearing, but they didn't seem to bother Han at all. He sat beside her and Aliquam on the blanket, watching the lights pop in the darkness.
Toki enjoyed the fireworks tremendously. The display was supposed to be a long one, nearly an hour long- and she looked forwards to it. Every sound of wonder from the children and adults alike made the uncomfortable ground worth sitting on. She even caught Grillby making sounds of wonder from where he sat with Cae cradled against his chest. They were all piled together on the blanket, warm and comfortable in close proximity.
Han leaned over and tapped Papyrus' hand. "Pst… hey. Can I borrow your fiancé for a moment? I want to talk to her."
"But I'm cuddling with her." Papyrus might have whined just a little bit as he snuggled her closer to himself. "Will it take long?" he finally inquired.
"Maybe five minutes tops." He smiles. "You'll have her back before long, I promise."
"Think you can handle five minutes?" She tilts her head back to peer at Papyrus, and smiles warmly to both him and her brother. Her brother wouldn't interrupt unless he thought it was something important that he needed to talk to her about.
"Nyeh." He huffed, but relented and nodded. He helped her get upright, and gave her the blanket that they had been sharing. He was going to be fine without it for five simple minutes anyways. "Any longer and I'll come after you."
"Soldier's honor." Han patted his heart with a smile, and chuckled as his sister got to her feet. The monster-sized blanket swallowed her up hilariously. "C'mon, Sis." He offered his arm. "I'll make sure you don't roll your ankle in any holes."
"Thanks, Han." She gave him a smile, and looped her arm into her brother's own. "I'll be back, Pap."
"We'll be back." Han nods. He guides her away, towards the trees off to the side of the gathering. Once he's a fair distance off, he leans back against the trunk of one of the trees at the edge of the clearing and smiles slightly.
Toki waits patiently for a moment, before clearing her throat. "Papyrus was serious, you know. He will come find us if we're not back within five minutes."
"I know." Han simply sighed. "I'm just… Thinking. You're engaged now, Toki. That's… hell, that's amazing. I am super happy. I also approve. He's the best damn guy you've ever dated- and he isn't even human."
"I know." She sighs softly. Her eyes flit over to a bright flash of light in the sky, and she chuckles softly. It was the same orange as Papyrus' soul and his magic. "I love him. I love him a lot. I never thought I'd ever love someone like I love him, y'know? It just… is."
"That's how love is." He smiles slightly. "I think I know the feeling." A wistful look slides over his face. "Which brings me around to what I wanted to talk to you about. You're getting married eventually. Papyrus and you need the house to yourselves."
She turned to him sharply. "Just because I'm engaged doesn't mean that you're not welcome in our house, Han. Never. You've always got a place to stay with me. Always."
"I know. But you've got two little ones coming in soon." He stoops to pet his nieces or nephews, and smiles as his fingers are kicked. "It's time for you to start a family of your own. The next generation of clan leaders."
"That doesn't mean that you have to go, Han."
"I'm not leaving the village, Toki. I'm not… nearly stable enough for that." He admits quietly. "But…" His smile brightens. "Todd and I… we… We really like each other. His kids and myself get along great. Felix… Felix is amazing, and Rosie is just a doll. I'm attached." He admits. "And they are too. Todd and I have been talking, and… He'd like me to move in with him."
"Really?" She blinks.
"Yeah." Han admits shyly. "I spend most of my time there anyways. With how often Todd is gone up at the castle learning magic, we thought… maybe it'd be good to have another person around the house to help raise the kids, y'know?"
"I do." She nods slyly. "So it doesn't have anything to do with you liking each other, does it?" she grins.
He flushes bright under the next flash of light, and lightly punches her arm. "Oh shut up you. That… might be a little of it. But… He's happy. And I'm happy. And… we make each other happy. He makes some of the nightmares a little less…"
"Less." She agrees without him needing to explain. She reaches up and takes his hand in hers. "Baby bro, if you're happy, you go for it. Todd is a good, kind man. He will take care of you- and you'd damn well take care of him and those kids, or we'll be having a different sort of talk."
"I will do my best." He smiles brightly. "Rosie slipped up yesterday. I didn't tell you, but… She called me Papa. I don't think I've ever been so damn happy in my entire life, to be honest with you."
Toki beams. "I'm happy for you, Han. You're a good man- a good brother. We'll help you get moved in with him. I assume you'll want to keep your instruments at my place?"
He shook his head. "The school, actually. They've opened up a room for them- I get a full musical classroom soon. Not just the little one- more and more students are joining, and I need more space to teach them all. It's great, Toki. I haven't been this happy and hopeful in a long, long time."
"I'm glad, brother." She smiles warmly. "I've noticed too. I'm just happy that you're doing better and can finally find your happy place."
"Me too…" He sighed softly. Han shifted stepped forward to hug his elder sister, making her stoop down just slightly so he could press a kiss to her forehead, and to the scar over her skull. "You are the best big sister a guy could have, y'know?"
"I certainly try to be." She chuckled softly and hugged him back. The trees lit up with red light as a firework went off, and then fell dark once more.
Han stepped back from the hug after a moment and motioned back towards the group. "C'mon, we're probably running short on our five minutes. I don't want to get in trouble with Papyrus for keeping you too long, Sis."
"Oh I doubt he'd be too upset. You're my bro- and I always have time for you." She grinned. Toki turned to stride forwards, round about the time that Han jerked and lunged behind her.
Aliquam had watched her leave with her brother, keeping his eye on her to make sure she didn't trip in the dark. It truly hadn't bothered him much to let her go off- though he was feeling the terrible need to keep her tucked close to himself where no one could bother her. Part of that he blamed on some of his genetics, truly, for his Father had a more beastly nature than any skeleton that Papyrus had ever read about. The need to tend to his mate, to make sure she and their brood were safe and cared for, was incredibly strong. That feeling only grew stronger as each day came to pass.
The tall skeleton heaved a sigh and crossed his ankles, leaning back to watch the sky. Fireworks were something he could never forget. The stars themselves were amazing- absolutely breathtaking, in fact. But… Fireworks were something else entirely. The way the colors washed the skies in bursts of light and fire were mesmerizing, and he found himself briefly lost in the glow of one that lit up the same color as his soul.
"Aliquam." Tenebris scooted forwards to settle by his son. He leaned closer, to keep his words quiet and private, and then spoke again. "I want you to know that I am proud of you, my Son."
"You are, Father?" He tilted his skull, gaze flicking to the big monster. Tenebris' eyes were glowing faintly in the dark, pupils flashing with each bloom of color in the sky.
"I am." Tenebris nods quietly. He rumbles faintly, and adjusts his gloves thoughtlessly. "You have shown your honor in yourself, and in your family name today, for gathering up the courage to ask your mate to be yours. It… makes me happy, to see my youngest son forging a family of his own."
Papyrus smiles slightly. "You know, for a second I thought I had done something wrong, because she went quiet, and I was so, so terrified that she would tell me no… But then she tilted my chin up, and everything was right in the world." He sighed softly. "I am happy, Father. I am so very, very happy. Part of me has been gnawing at me to make a claim on her that others could see- a beyond just our children."
"That would be my doing, my son." Tenebris sighed happily, before rumbling and reaching up to rest a hand on Aliquam's shoulder. "Instincts are powerful, and you and Sans got them from me. You feel relief- and possessiveness, correct?" The instincts were not all that the skeleton brothers had gotten- and the blossoming growth of Toki's middle was proof of that.
"I do." Aliquam nods quietly. "I want to keep her close and never let go sometimes."
"You do well to control your instincts. Keep your logical mind in control- but don't be afraid to indulge them from time to time. It is… very satisfying." The elder monster chuckled quietly. A flash of bright purple caught his gaze, and he rumbled with a pleased sound. Fireworks, even as quiet as these, were hypnotizing to look at. "Despite a few learning missteps, you do well to care for Toki and your young, just as she does well to care for you."
"Sometimes she does too much," The taller monster sighed. "I worry when she exerts herself for my sake- or anyone else's sake. She is…"
"You love her. Worry is natural, Papyrus. We have known her for some time now, though. She is almost as stubborn and tenacious as you can be." He chuckled softly. "I can only imagine what your children will be like."
That simple fact made Papyrus laugh softly. "Truly, father, we will have our hands full. Though… I cannot wait to see them and hold them. I can feel them slightly, but… holding them will be the best feeling in the world."
"Holding your children is certainly an earth shattering experience." Tenebris looked down at his hands, and laughed quietly. "You were the smallest skeleton I had ever seen when you were born. You were barely the length of my palm- where Sans was nearly double your size, and yet you grew up to be taller than even your brother. I remember when I first held you. You grasped my thumb and held me with a strength I didn't think you could possess. Holding your child for the first time… your world zeros in on them, and they become your everything."
Papyrus chuckles. "Father, you're getting all teary eyed over memories again."
"Ah, forgive me." He does dabble at his eyes all the same, and chuffs to clear away any lingering sensations of tears. "You know how it is. Or, rather, you will at any rate."
The tall skeleton nods. "I can't wait." He chuckles.
Another flash of light comes up- but it is accompanied by a sharp crack Pop- and then the monsters on the hill below them are scrambling to their feet. Papyrus' eyes sharpen and he lurches to his feet, spotting Toki and Han as they tumble from the trees. His gaze locks on them, zeroing in as his soul thundered loudly in his chest.
And from around them pours humans in black clothes with bright red masks.
Tenebris' eyes widened upon seeing the familiar soldiers, and a feral, untamed energy surges from his mind to his soul, before filling his body with a rage-fueled adrenaline.
H.A.M.
They didn't have the chance to dodge. Pointblank, the bullet ripped a burning path through Han's chest, and lodged inside the back of his scapula.
He fell back, tumbling out of the tree line, and Toki went down with him, arms coming to try and slow his fall. Around them, chaos exploded as humans in black body suits and red masks poured out of the woods in a swarm.
Monsters scrambled to their feet as they were nearly overwhelmed, forced back away from the tree line by lashing weapons. It didn't take long before they were fighting back and human's fighting them in turn. Black bodies and red masks moved in a blur as monsters surged forth, coming to cut the dark shapes off from harming Toki and Han more.
But no one could stop. No one could drop down to help her, because they had to beat the men in masks back.
Han gasped and choked, sputtering iron flavored flecks of spittle up across his sister's shirt as she scrambled to see the damage.
Toki's eyes blazed bright, panic making her hands shake as she rolled him over. He'd been shot- in the right side of his chest. Red was all but spurting out of the hole, and she shoved her fingers against it, trying to stem the flow of blood. "No, no, no, no, no," Her voice sounded distant to her ears. "Han, oh gods, Han…!"
His eyes rolled slightly, staring up at her, through her, at something she couldn't see. "I n-n-need-"
"Shh, shhh, don't talk, just… Just stay with me Han. Please, please stay with me." She pressed her fingers harder, struggling up onto her knees so she could put better pressure on his chest.
There was so much blood, rushing out from under her fingers with each pulse of his heart. His arms didn't move, his body didn't move- but his eyes flicked between her and the sky behind her. "P-please don't make me go," he stammers. "P-please."
"You're not going anywhere. You're going to stay here- you're going to be okay." She looks up, frantically glancing for anyone who could help. Everyone is pinned down- oh gods, they can't do anything. There is no one- anyone who could come, even if she shouted. Everyone was engaged- there were guns being shot, knives being wielded, blunt weapons sparking against magically conjured ones. She couldn't find Aliquam amidst the warring masses- She couldn't even see the massive form of Tenebris from where she was on the ground. Time both flew and crawled- and it could have been seconds or hours before she could turn her face back to her brother.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." Her hands press harder against his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. It just wouldn't stop. "I'm sorry if this hurts- I'm sorry, oh god, I'm sorry."
"Toki-Toki, it… it doesn't." Han murmured. He swallowed shakily, eyes resting at half-mast. His face was rapidly paling, and he could… feel a stuttering in his chest. But it didn't hurt. He couldn't feel anything- anything beyond this draining feeling that was slowly sucking him away. "It doesn't hurt. I can't feel anything."
That… Was probably not a good thing. Toki's eyes welled with tears, and she tried not to burn him as her magic fluctuated wildly in her body. The bleeding wouldn't stop- it was spurting out between the bones of her hands, staining everything on her with the vibrant red she knew his blood contained. Under the flashes of the lights from the fireworks blossoming overhead, she could see the growing stain on his shirt, and how it wept onto her. Her belly was coated in spots of red, and Toki could find no comfort in the lessening of the sizes of the spurts from his chest.
She sniffed quietly, and a hand flicked up to clear her sockets. Blood smeared across her face- and she nearly gagged as she tasted it dripping down against her mouth. "Okay- okay, not hurting is… is good right?"
"Right… I… Don't make me go, please. I don't… I'm not ready…" His teeth chattered, and he choked again, blood bubbling up and clogging his airways. She tilted his head and shoulders to the side, and he choked blood out over her arm as she tried to help him breathe.
Moving him hadn't been a good idea. She couldn't see an exit wound- which meant the bullet was still somewhere inside of him. "You're not allowed to go anywhere." Toki's voice was shaky, for as firm as her words were. "I love you, bro, you're not allowed to go anywhere. Not at all."
"I'm not ready… Not ready… I was just… beginning to be happy."
"You're not going anywhere." She said firmly, words harsh and unyielding, as she pressed tighter against his chest.
"I'm not ready… Todd… Rosie… Felix…" He muttered. "Toki… don't m-make me leave them…"
"No one is going to make you do anything." A sob nearly escaped.
"P-please…"
Toki trembled and opened her mouth to assure him once more- but before she could say anything else, his chest shuddered under her fingers and he exhaled out a rattling gurgle. The blood stopped spurting between her finger bones- and Toki watched the gleam fade from his eyes as his body went lax and released all of it's tensions.
"Han?" No, no… he couldn't be- he couldn't…
But there was no response, not even as she shook his shoulder. The only thing that happened was the growing stain on his pants, proof of what she so wanted to deny.
"No!" She cried. Her magic lurched into him, and she tugged, trying to draw him awake and back to life with the warmth of her magic.
Instead, she drew out his soul. Her brother's soul was small, indicating he was not a boss heart- but it was the most beautiful shade of blue she had ever seen. He was so, so small and worn, and with a few scratches here and there along the surface- but he shown with the most beautiful glow she had ever seen in that color. Her brother had been a beautiful soul, full of life and luster even after all of the pain and guilt he'd had to deal with.
Her first time ever seeing his soul- and she watched as a terrible cracking noise pierced the sounds of battle around her. White marks crackled across the surface, highlighting his LOVE, HP, and his stats, and she watched with growing horror as he shattered in her hand.
His soul disappeared, falling into a broken pile of blue dust at her fingers, before blowing away with the air of the many moving bodies around them.
Her little brother was dead. He was dead and gone- and she couldn't fix that. She couldn't make it better. He had died, shattering to pieces in her hands after bleeding out in her lap. She had been completely helpless to stop him, to stop his pain, to stop him dying. She was always helpless against them- even with the training she'd had, she hadn't sensed them coming, hadn't heard them- not until the gun had went off and nearly deafened her as Han- her sweet, sweet, hopeful baby brother- had taken a bullet meant to take another life.
But… There was a part of her, a part of her connected to the primal hive mind that her bees communicated through that spoke to her and told her that there was, in fact, one thing she could do. One thing that would prove she wasn't helpless against the people that had murdered her little brother in cold blood.
She could make it even.
Her magic roiled and writhed in her body, heat billowing off of her. Monsters and humans alike backpedaled from her location as glowing green bees appeared around her, making a hastily formed shield around her.
Toki's mouth opened and she screamed, her magic skyrocketing as her pain mixed with a well of growing fury. Her face contorted, jagged teeth splaying wide in a horrifying howl of mourning for the soul that had been lost, rage and grief coating the ghastly noise as she called to something. Above that, an unholy sound filled the air. It was a high-pitched buzzing that deafened those around her. The humans close to her began to scream, covering their ears over their masks as eardrums ruptured.
Across the planes of existence, something answered her call to battle.
Toki clutched Han's body to her, cradling his limp corpse to her belly with one arm as hot tears streaked down her face. The other hand lifted, and she reached across her magic to the forms she could feel. Toki slashed down with her claws, and above her, in the sky, a whole tore its way into existence.
It was sloppily rent, but the edges were barely visible as a belch of brimstone and fire bloomed in the glowing hole she'd torn in the fabric of space. From the billowing smoke and roaring flames, the buzzing grew worse. Two forms appeared out of the portal.
They were some sorts of hell beasts, both of them. They had two long wings made of black chitin, with glowing green membranes that shaped them vaguely like a hornet's wings. For all of the buzzing noises, the wings were mostly stationary, only shifting ever so slightly. The wings disappeared under a mane of glowing green fire, from which the head and the body both extended. The heads were vaguely shaped like that of a honey bee- but made out of a stark white bone. The spot where the eyes would be were empty, save for glowing green dots that scanned the suddenly frozen crowd around them. The sockets long and seemingly torn down towards the end of the head, and the skulls lacked any antenna whatsoever.
Under the mouth, two long, bone like mandibles clacked and snapped, baring sharp serrated teeth as they parted and flexed. Two sets of horns curled from the skull. One was pointed and solid black, curling backwards in a titanic version of Toki's own. They cradled a blaze of green fire that curled up from the creature's forehead, running between the two ebony spears and joining back into the mane that cushioned the rest of the head. The second set were blackened and curled like a rams, with the underside of them glowing the same color as the dots in their eyes.
Six legs were attached to the thorax, each of them bony and barbed and a sort of color that rested between black and green. The feet on the biggest one were white- the feet on the smallest were black.
From the thorax, a long spinal structure extended, with ribs framing an abdomen made from the same ectoplasm that the wings were. The spine extended all the way to the end of the flying hell hornet's body- and then ended in long, glowing green stingers. The stingers dripped some green ooze, and it sizzled the grass where it landed.
They were nearly identical, save the colors in some spots, with the largest being fifteen feet, and the smallest being the same size as Toki. She could feel them, pressing in on the back of her mind. They were intelligent- and drawing from her the source of her grief and the fighting around them.
They made a choice- and they, the queens that they were, would remove the problem threatening the hive.
The smallest came down, wings fluttering violently as it came to rest near her. Monsters and humans alike scrambled away from the horrifying hell beasts hovering in the air, the group separating like water and oil to regroup. The smallest hovered close to her, but eyed the humans that lingered near to the human turned monster. The ones in the red masks- they were their targets.
The largest one opened her mouth- and a glowing green light began to blossom between the long mandibles that were ringed with fangs. A horrible screeching noise began echo as the power drawn from both the bee-beast and Toki began to gather and condense, turning into the beginnings of a green beam of magic.
The big one roared as the laser went off, and descended upon the crowd as bodies of humans were blown apart. The laser cut a swath in the group, flinging bodies here and there as trees cracked and groaned, leveling the forest just as much as it did the humans, before many of the humans were picked up and taken into the sky. Up and up they went- and then they were dropped, splattering across the ground in a mass of pulped flesh and bone.
Toki staggered where she sat, wobbling in place as her magic was depleted in that shot. Her vision swooned- but the sure pain and grief and burning rage compelled her to stay upright. These humans- no, these… These things, they had killed her brother, had tried for her and her babies. These things- they did not deserve anything less than death. It… it was wrong- she knew it. But she was lost- lost in the rage and grief and terror around her.
And the hornets were all too eager to comply and keep her from sullying herself with the task. The smallest turned, and latched onto a single man. The stinger sunk in as the mandible closed around his skull, and his body melted in half as the acidic burning poison in the stinger reduced him to nothing more than mush. He screamed for mercy the entire time, reaching a hand out for anyone to save him right up until his head was rent from his melting body, and flung away.
Toki could not look, however, or offer mercy. Her sockets closed tight, and she curled slightly towards her brother with a sob. It was sick- the fighting, the killing. It was sick, and it made her feel sick, so very, very sick. But the queens would not stop- not while her grief was so raw.
Someone shot a bullet though- and it made the big bee scream as it burst through the membrane of her wing. She turned with a roar of rage and descended upon them again, magic gathering for another blast.
The humans opened fire and surged forth, bravery found once more- and they swarmed to take out the one who had summoned the beasts.
A bullet made it past her wall of bees, and Toki shrieked in pain when it lodged itself in her shoulder blade. Her bees thickened, drawing forth more of her magic, and blocked any more bullets that might have came.
Her blood drizzled down, staining her shirt as her HP took a massive dent. She swooned in place.
Three more blasts rent the air, splattering humans across the grass- before Toki couldn't hold on anymore. Her vision darkened, and she slumped against her brothers' corpse, unconscious and unable to defend her self and her babies as her magic cut out. The air grew dark once more without the hellfire to light it, only lit now by the fireworks still popping and crackling across the sky and Grillby's enraged form protecting those he could.
As her wall of bees dissipated with her magic- and the massive beasts rending the humans to bits disappeared without enough magic to tether them to this plane of existence- her world fell dark and she knew no more.
Tenebris had been one who joined the fight, while Aliquam and Caeruleus had moved to getting all the villagers to safety. The beast fought the humans valiantly, but had not expected to see the hellish hornets be summoned...
It was terrifying and miraculous to witness at the same time. They made even the beast stop and take notice, seeing the larger creatures taking lives by the droves. The slaughter was bone-chilling, the noises of the hornets and the screams of those being slaughtered echoing through the night.
Gaster continued his fight until the hornets disappeared, witnessing as Toki collapsed.
Immediately his mind switched from kill to protect. He charged forward on all fours, bowling past any humans in his way to stand over Toki and Han, roaring and screeching as he protected them with claws, tail, and teeth alike.
The ammunition they turned upon the beast was not bullets- but long, thick-shafted darts. They bounced off of his tail, but stuck into his clothes and flesh with backwards facing barbs, and began to pump tranquilizers into him.
There were no monsters that could make it to him- not with the humans gathering around him in a broad ring with guns aimed.
He winced as the darts hit him and he shook his head before his eyes glowed and he screeched loudly as a flare of magic summoned forth a pair of large blasters.
The large blasters roared loudly, and unleashed a powerful blast to clear the area around them. One of them dropped down and took Toki and Han into its maw before it flew off quickly away from the fighting.
The other blaster stayed behind to protect Tenebris as best as it could.
The sharp darts were shot at the remaining blaster as well, though they did little against the solid bone like structure.
"Mama! Daddy!" A child's shriek split the air above the roars of fighting monsters and the crack-koom of guns. Thumper was at the edge of the clearing, sitting covered in dust and trying to detangle himself from his mother's shirt, and his father's pants. "N-No! S-stay away!" He couldn't get himself free- and there was a man looming before him with a gun.
The man cocked the gun, and took aim.
However, Tenebris had enough adrenaline running through him to propel himself forwards once more. He charged fast, leaping over the circle of humans that had him caged, and landing over the dust covered bunny.
Tenebris swung the blade of his tail at the human, giving a furious screech.
The man managed to get a dart off, lodging it inside of Tenebris' mouth, before he was rent in half by the bladed tail.
Thumper trembled, tears matting the dust of his parents to his gray cheeks, and the blood of the man spattered over him in a horrifying display of gore. He shifted and latched onto Tenebris' arm once he managed to free himself, his sobs coming out hard and heavy. "M-mama…" His Mother and his father were both gone, reduced to nothing but dust as they tried to protect him.
Barking in pain, Tenebris stumbled backwards and was unable to close his mouth until he pulled out the dart. He held Thumper close and began to growl, but he was growing weaker... Whatever was in those darts was clouding his mind, making his limbs slow to react. He was growing numb
With the last of his strength going into holding the child close, he slowly stumbled off the piles of dust backing until his legs stopped responding to him. At that point, his upper half had kept going and he fell with a crash to the ground, rattling and growling weakly before his eyes closed and he slumped, his arm falling from Thumper.
For a time it seemed as if the humans ignored the fallen boss monster and the child, and that gave Thumper enough time to free himself from Tenebris' grasp. He huddled near the monster's face, trying to rouse him again for fear of him turning to dust like his dad had done. "C'mon, M-mister Tenebris. Y-you've got to g-get up. You've got to…"
When the big monster failed to respond, Thumper tried nudging his shoulder.
Acutely aware of the threat, Tenebris let out a final, weak vocalization, but was unresponsive to Thumper's attempts to stir him.
Another firework lit up the sky, shining a beautiful indigo- and highlighting the shadows that closed in around them. Thumper turned his gaze over and looked on with horrified amethyst eyes as red masked humans closed in on them.
