Y'all… we made it! The first time in four or five years I've finished a story, which I finished on my birthday so happy birthday to me lol. I can honestly say I didn't anticipate it becoming this long of a story!
It was meant to be five chapters and maybe 10000 words.
It's now twenty chapters (18 is split into three parts due to enormity) and pushing 61000 words. Chapters were meant to be 1500-2000 words and now chapter 18 reached 7654 words.
Thank y'all so so much for sticking with me through this trash heap lol. (I call it that but I'm actually pretty proud of it!). Your comments have made all the difference!
Welcome to the finale! Enjoy the ending of "Off to a Great Start", and be sure to follow the Adventures of An Idiot (And the Idiot Is Me) series to be notified when I update again!
And yes, I am a proud Samurai! CoryxKenshin for the win!
The ankle breaker didn't disappoint. As usual, CoryxKenshin's videos were pure gold. The perfect blend of memes and original content. I wasn't sure really how much time had passed as I watched, but sure enough someone knocked softly on the door right as I clicked on one of my favorite videos of Cory's. "Shadow?
"It's open." As the door creaked open, I looked up. "Hey Tech."
The trooper stood fidgeting in my doorway in his blacks, having shed his armor and keeping only his googles. Dang without all that he was a lot smaller than his brothers. I still did not want to take a punch from him though. His blacks may have been loose but I could tell he had muscle under that. He peaked around the doorframe, trying to see what was on the screen without stepping into my room. "What are you watching?"
"A dude playin' a horror game about workin' in a gas station at night."
"Can I join you?" he asked, looking almost certain I'd refuse. "That is… would you mind if I sat beside you?"
"Course you can, mate. I told you earlier you could. Come on in," I said, tilting my head to indicate the spot next to me.
Tech eagerly walked in and plopped down beside me, crossing his legs under him. "You like watching people play games?" he asked, adjusting his googles and scanning the screen.
I leaned back on my hands, legs stretched out in front of me. "Oh yeah. I like playin' them too, but when it comes to horror games I leave that to others. I'm a sandbox, open world, and lore type of gamer. I like exploring new lands and filling my head with worldbuilding information. Helps me with my own stories."
Tech glanced at me. "You've mentioned your stories twice before. Once at dinner and once before I went to shower. Do you write often?"
"You could say that," I chuckled, a smile crossing my face at one of the silly meme edits Cory added in. "I try to write every day, otherwise my characters start yellin' a bit too loud, demandin' to be let out. Havin' around… five hundred characters yellin' at you gets a bit overwhelmin'."
"That's a lot of characters! How do you keep them organized?" Tech asked, attention now fixated on me rather than the screen as he shifted to face me.
"Ha, I don't," I said with a laugh, shaking my head.
"But how do you keep their personalities apart? That is, how do you write through each one's eyes? It must get difficult when working with a plethora of different people of different mindsets and ideas."
"Honestly… I don't know myself. I just… know how they would or would react. It comes naturally, most of the time at least." I laughed again. "You know, one time I was havin' a bit of trouble writin' through one character and thought to myself, 'Oh, I'll just ask them how they would respond'. Only to realize that I couldn't ask him because he wasn't even real!"
"Really?" Tech asked, half laughing himself.
"Aye!"
"That's interesting! I have heard of authors experiencing such a phenomena before, but never met one who could confirm this! What kind of stories do you write?"
"Oh, mainly nonsense. It's a weird science-fiction and fantasy blend. There's advanced technology stuff, but also dragons and magic as well as gods and goddesses. I mainly enjoy makin' original species and environments and frolickin' in those, or doing found family stories. Bigger adventures are fun but shenanigans are better. The less plot I have to deal with the less likely I have to deal with the imminent attack of a killer plot hole." I snorted. "Well, I say that, yet most of my stories are full length with hella worldbuildin' put into it. Characters, environments, species, and so on."
"You design different species?" Tech asked, surprised. "Is it a difficult thing to accomplish? I mean, you must take diet, habitat, locomotion, and other such factors into account for their morphology."
"Sometimes it's hard, and I have to put a decent amount of research into them, but other times it just… happens. I can't very well explain it," I said, shrugging.
"How do you decided what creatures to mix together?" Tech asked, fully invested in me now. I'd be a liar if I said his gaze didn't make me feel fuzzy inside. It was always nice to have someone who was actually interested. Who cared what you had to say. As a creator, it made all the difference.
Hell, most of my story universe wouldn't even exist if that single person hadn't taken an interest in my creations and interacted with me. She had been the only one back then to show any interest. Come to think of it… I probably would have quit a long time ago had she not commented on my work. Likes and favorites did nothing, comments was where it was at.
But my excitement got the better of me with Tech's question, and I realized I'd been borderline rambling about how sometimes I know and other times I spin a wheel. He probably didn't expect me to go this indepth. He was probably just asking to be nice. He probably didn't really care what I was saying… and now I was no doubt annoying him.
I trailed off, a small frown digging into the corners of my mouth.
The engineer immediately scooted closer, an action which greatly surprised me as did his next words. "Please go on, this is very interesting!"
I gave a soft laugh. "Sure I'm not botherin' you with this? You can just tell me to stop if you want."
His brows furrowed. "What? You aren't annoying me! Why would you think something like that?"
"People have shut me down in the past, called me annoyin'. My own best friend at the time straight said they didn't care about my 'Mary Sues', a term used to insult a character with back character buildin'. How was I to know what was good or bad, I just started writin'. Left scars, so now I worry I bother people when I start to ramble," I admitted, looking back at the screen to avoid meeting his eyes. A small snort escaped me at the loud 'It's sweepin' time!' edit Cory added in as he began to sweep the floor.
That poor man. How long was he stuck sweeping?
"You aren't annoying me," Tech assured me, sounding somewhat confused. He hesitantly reached out, like he was going to lay his hand on my arm, but seemed to think better of it. "I find it fascinating how you use different animals and blend them into one."
"Eh, sorry, Tech," I said, shifting and rubbing the back of my neck. "Old habits die hard, ya know? I know lettin' one person's words haunt you is stupid but-"
"If it hurts you in such a way, it is not stupid, Shadow," Tech said firmly, reaching out again but this time resting a hand on my arm. "You weren't in the wrong for sharing. They were in the wrong for telling you what they did. And you certainly aren't in the wrong for feeling hurt. Especially when it was someone's opinion you valued."
I stared at him, unsure how to respond to that. It wasn't that I hadn't heard it before, I told myself they very thing more often than I cared to admit, yet it was hard convincing yourself of your own worth. But when those encouraging words came from someone else's mouth… well it hit different.
A true, honest smile spread across my face. "Tech… thanks. I mean that." I snorted softly. "No sarcasm from me for once. Whad'dya make of that?"
He smiled back at me, brown eyes warm and soft. "You're welcome, Shadow." He let go of my arm. "And may I just say, too, that I for one find your imagination to be quite spectacular. Engaging in creative pursuits is great for mental stimulation."
"Stimulates my rage half the time," I laughed dryly. Especially with the Caroline Accommodation design.
Does it really need to be absolutely perfect? What are you scared of? A sailor hunting you down and yelling at you because the fire locker is in the wrong place?
Thought crossed my mind. I just want to be realistic.
It's fiction! On another planet! In another universe! You've got dragons flyin' about, species that die and come back, floating islands, the fucking Farlands, a seven layered realm called Aether which connects the godrealm, afterlife, and dreamverse all in one pyramid like structure and can be accessed through special portals in the waking world, and to top it all off, the Network! Is a boat design really your biggest worry?
It's a ship!
Same difference!
Now that's just blasphemy!
"Are… you thinking about something?" Tech asked tentatively.
"Sorta. Why?"
"Your face shifted between multiple expressions and your ears and nose were twitching," he pointed out.
Oh, right. How could I forget what my face did whenever I thought about my stories? "Yeah…" I answered with a sigh. "My face does that when I brainstorm. Or argue with myself. Probably looked crazy."
"No no!" Tech rushed to reassure me. "Talking to yourself can be healthy."
"That's a relief, because I mutter dialogue to myself on the daily."
"I see! What are some species you've created?"
Well... how to answer that without screwing myself over in the future if we did end up going to Kelusia? Demons? I mean what are the odds we'd end up in the Dark Depths, or Aetheria in general? "There's a nightmarish creature I made, called a Depth Demon. They aren't mortal, don't sleep, don't eat, don't breathe, and can't be killed. They haunt the realm of nightmares, stalkin' through the shadows. Watchin'. Waitin'. Always ready to pounce. They shapeshift and mimic voices, become your worst fear or your closest friend. Monsters."
His eyes had grown wide. "What do they look like?"
I paused the TV. That way I could focus fully on Tech. "Now these bastards I went a bit crazy with. The primary base was a creature from folklore called a Wendigo, but I added shadows, snakes, smoke, fire, and raptor. The body is humanoid, but horribly emaciated, skin wrapped tightly over muscle and bone. The head is nothing but a rotting predator skull, the long muzzle lined with sharp, bloodstained teeth, two sets of horns twisting backwards and out to the side, empty eye sockets that leak tar. Impossibly elongated limbs are tipped with massive claws dark as night and sharper than any knife. A mane of smoke, fire, and ash surrounds his neck while tendrils of shadows writhe at its back like ghastly tentacles. A long tail tipped with the head of a venomous snake has eyes of molten rock, the same fire burning deep within monster's core. The Depth Demon itself has various slits in the skin from which the bright light escapes, giving the beast an even more sinister appearance. They're also nine feet tall."
Tech had been hanging onto my every word, eyes wide with wonder and a bit of fear. "And this is a creature you designed?"
I nodded. "Yep!"
"That's… Shadow, how did you ever come up with such a beast?"
My mind's more twisted than a corkscrew. Not to mention I watch horror games for fun and used to watch Nightmare on Elm Street to fall asleep. Still sleep with my Freddy cosplay sweater. That shit is nice and soft. "Horror fascinates me, how humans react when the lizard brain takes over. It's quite entertainin'."
"Isn't it?" Tech chirped, smiling now. He looked excited that someone had an interest in it as well as him. "We claim to be evolved but when we get scared, we become like any other creature. The primal side of our minds regain control and drive our actions. We are no better than the animals we pride ourselves to be above."
"You get it!" I looked back at the screen. "So, wanna continue watchin' the Let's Play?"
"Of course!"
I grinned and hit play again.
"Tech! Where'd ya go?" Wrecker yelled from the other room.
The engineer shot a questioning look at me. I nodded. "You can call him in too."
"In here, Wrecker!"
Wrecker, also clad in just his blacks, appeared in the doorway and a grin spread across his face. Him I definitely would not want to take a punch from. Buff boy! I noticed almost immediately how his muscles weren't defined or toned, but more solid mass. The kind of muscles one got from a life of using them, not just daily trips to the gym and steroids. Strongman type, not body builder.
Not gonna lie, my "hug" urge had just shifted into high gear. He looked quite nice to hug and snuggle with. To hell with screwing Wrecker, or any of them for that matter, my Greysexual ass wanted cuddles.
"Well well, what are you two doin' in here, hmm?" the giant teased, wiggling his eyebrows.
"We were doing nothing of the sort you were insinuating!" Tech protested indignantly, and I had to stifle a laugh as his voice broke.
Oh, poor guy. Wasn't his fault Wrecker was… well… Wrecker.
"You two in a room alone, sittin' close, probably nerdin' out together." Wrecker laughed, leaning on the doorframe as he shook his head. "How romantic!"
Tech glared at Wrecker, fists clenched as he grew red. Fumbling with his words, he turned to me. "I... I do apologize for..." He gestured vaguely at Wrecker who still stood laughing. "That."
Holding in my own laughter, I managed, "I think I'm the one who needs to be sorry for you. That is your teammate."
"Aw, c'mon, Haran'ika!" Wrecker happily ducked into my room. "You know I'm a delight!"
"Whatever you say, big guy," I snickered, flashing a smile at him.
"So, Shrimp, what are you two doin'?" Wrecker teased Tech as he stood by his brother. Hellfire, he was even taller from this angle. The fuck went into his genetic code?
"Watching a video, obviously," Tech growled, still red in the face as he gestured stiffly towards the screen.
"Oh, obviously," Wrecker chuckled, crossing his arms. I tired hard not to stare at his muscles but was failing. Horribly. Unfortunately, Wrecker noticed. "Like what you see, Haran'ika?" he teased, grinning deviously.
"Aye."
The demolition expert looked shocked at my straight forward answer and sputtered for a moment. "Huh?"
"I like muscles and I'm not ashamed to admit that," I said with a small smirk. A flustered Wrecker was a funny Wrecker. Better drive it home. "After all, I worked hard to get my own." I brought my arm and flexed.
"You've got bigger arms than Cross!" Wrecker exclaimed, crouching down beside me and feeling the muscle. "They're solid!"
"They are… impressive," Tech mumbled, staring at my arm.
"You go to the gym a lot?" Wrecker asked, enthusiasm spreading across his face.
"My neighbor drug me there a couple times, but when I say a couple I can count the number of times on one hand. These aren't gym built, they were gained from application."
"I like 'em!" Wrecker announced, letting go of my arm.
"Why thank you!" I laughed, dropping my arm. "You can join us watchin' the video if you'd like, Wrecker."
Was Tech pouting?
"Seriously?" Wrecker asked me, practically bouncing as pure excitement spread clear across his face. He quickly sat down on my other side, causing me to be a bit squished between the two troopers. Not that I was complaining, I was quite comfy between the two commandos. Eyeing the shredded posters on my wall, Wrecker gave me a playful nudge that nearly sent me into Tech. "Nice art work, Haran'ika!"
I grinned, shoving at him. Unsurprisingly, the mass of muscle that was the demolition expert didn't budge. "Thanks, Wrecker!"
He shoved me back, which, unsurprisingly, resulted in a tussling match between us. This match I found quite a bit more enjoyable that my first match with Hunter since armor wasn't stabbing into me. However, this man was straight solid and he was heavy. Like heavy heavy. I went like I was wrestling a tiger or maybe even a damn walrus. Even though he was taking it very easy on me, I was having a hard time. I'd wrestled Tom in the Tintin fandom fiasco, so I'd held my own against men twice my strength before, but Wrecker was Tom on steroids.
We rolled into Tech, causing the nerd to get drawn into the brawl. Luckily for me, he seemed to take my side in the fight, pulling Wrecker's arm away and allowing me to try and jump on the demolition expert's back. Not that it mattered, Wrecker quickly managed to pin us under him and now laid parallel across us. Tech lay pinned to my right, stuck on his back with Wrecker's legs across his front. I, meanwhile, was stuck on my stomach with the bulk of Wrecker's torso on my back. Thankfully the man was kind enough to keep most of his weight on his elbows as to not utterly crush me.
I coughed, the breath nearly squeezed out of me regardless of him being on his elbows, before looking back up at the screen. I recognized this part. Ignoring Wrecker literally on top of me, I wheezed, "Hey! This is where shit goes down!"
Sure enough, as the strange man entered the store Cory screamed, ducked behind the counter, and proceeded to laugh at himself. I laughed as well, since no matter how many times I watched this it always cracked me up.
"What is going on in here?" Hunter asked, appearing in the doorway, also clad in his blacks. His eyes narrowed when he saw Wrecker sprawled over top of us. Crossing his arms, the sergeant raised an eyebrow and tapped his foot questioningly.
I gulped. "Er... we're watching a Let's Play."
He stepped inside enough to see the screen. "I see."
Don't do it. Don't you even dare say it. "Wanna join?"
I wasn't kidding about the Caroline draft frustration. Three years and thirteen designs, and I am STILL not pleased with the damn ship.
Also, the video of Cory's that I'm watching is: "What would you do if this man walks in and you're working alone | Night Shift"!