Felinis: Can you believe this fic is almost 100k? I never thought I'd get anywhere near that point.
The smell of antiseptic and medical equipment haunts the air as men in masks stir about vials. The Krytian on the slab lays empty and mostly unconscious. One of the men in medical masks grins as he runs a current through the vial and the liquid inside sparks.
"It works!"
"I can hardly believe it." A woman says in shock. "None of the gathered catalysts prior had nearly as much stability without processing."
The man laughs happily. "An excellent specimen. A miracle for us alone!"
An eager man holds up a scalpel. "Let's open it up! I'm eager to study."
"Fool!" A new voice breaks and they all freeze. "Do you not see this is a golden goose? You would kill a premature goose?"
"I - I'm sorry sir." The eager one stutters.
"Keep it alive for now, but under strict surveillance." The man runs a hand on the Krytian's head. "I want to see what happens with a little time. By all accounts this thing should be dead, yet it lives." A moan grips the Krytian's lips as another needle draws blood. "Oh, it's alright. You won't even remember this. Be careful not leave any visible injuries we need to return the princess's pet back unharmed."
"Yes, sir!" All the workers salute.
"Oh, but by all means, experiment."
Yuri finds himself dragged out of the trunk and shuffled into an office. Rita and Karol him and Yuri nods sluggishly.
"Hey, Yuri what's wrong with you?" Karol asks when he notes the almost dead look in his eyes.
"That's just the sedatives. We're sorry to do it, but all detained Krytians are to be sedated while in transit." Yuri finds himself on a couch and he can't quite remember how he got there. "He should be just coming off the last dose." The tweedles set down three large stacks of paper on the table. "Now, we need to go over your offenses Mr. Lowell."
Yuri just sighs. "Sure."
He doesn't listen as Leblanc goes on and only gives attention to ask for food. He's famished and the knights reluctantly bring him a plate to scarf down. "Continuing on, we will review the particulars of your 18th crime."
"Please do." Yuri says taking another bite.
"Is it true that you threw a knight sent to collect the taxes into the river?"
Yuri paused and licked his lip. "Wow, I'd forgotten about that. Was that you, Tweedle A?"
"That's right! I was in bed with a cold for three whole days thanks to you." Adecor shouts.
Yuri huffs looking at the stack. "...How many more of these are there? This is getting pretty boring."
Karol rests his elbows on his bag. "...I wonder what'll happen to me."
"So, I'll write you have "no signs of remorse" in the report then..." Boccos says scribbling on his paper.
"Where's that do-nothing captain of yours, anyway? What was his name? Schwann?" Yuri doesn't think he's ever seen more than a glimpse of that guy.
"You dare mock our captain? Sir Schwann is a legendary hero and a veteran of the Great War ten years ago." Leblanc bellows.
Rita snorts and leans back. "So basically, his eminence would never stoop so low as to deal with nobodies like us."
"Quiet, I say! Quiet! Getting on to your next offense-" Adecor is stopped by the opening of the door and the knights turn stiffly and salute.
"Y-your Excellency Commandant Alexei! To what do we owe this pleasure?" Leblanc stutters.
Yuri looks in shock as the commandant walks in with a tanned Krytian woman in tow. Why would a Krytian be with the commandant? More importantly… why is does she looked shocked to see him.
"All your crimes are hereby pardoned by the good graces of their Highnesses Estellise and Ioder." Alexei says with a devilish grin to Yuri.
"What? But these foul criminals have disturbed the peace of the empire!"
"The Imperial Knights thank you for rescuing Prince Ioder and protecting Princess Estellise. Frankly, it's surprising to see you again Yuri Lowell." The man's eyes look up and down and Yuri sees the Krytian tense beside him. "Your appearance has changed since your time in the knights. It's surprising to say the least."
The Krytian woman walks up and holds a bag to his hand. "Please take this."
"We've got no need for this. It's not like we did those things for the sake of the Knights." Yuri scoffs.
Take this and look inside. We can't speak here.
Yuri sighs. "But, then I suppose it be rude to ignore your request…" He takes the bag and feels the note inside among the coins. "What about Estelle?"
"She has just given her consent to be returned to the imperial capital." Yes, but knowing Estelle not because she wants to.
"What?" Karol exclaims before his spirits falter. "...Well, I guess she is a princess, after all."
"The Princess is waiting at the inn. We would be pleased if you made an appearance." Alexei says as he leaves with Krytian woman trailing behind. "Oh, and I do recommend you getting a proper collar. Walking around unmarked is quite distasteful."
"Of course." Yuri grits. They walk out a few minutes later onto the streets of and Yuri notes the bitter looks from the people.
"So Estelle's going back home, huh." Karol says sadly.
"You don't have a problem with this, Yuri?" Rita says probably having the same suspicions as him.
"It's not my decision to make."
"Well...I guess that's true, but-"
"More importantly, where are we?" Yuri's been trapped in a trunk for the past day-and-a-half so he can't say anything looks familiar.
"This is the city of Heliord. Geographically speaking, it's located between Torim Harbor and the city of Dahngrest." Karol proclaims proudly. It was only just recently built. It's still a very new town. If you follow this road to the east you'll hit Caer Bocram, where we were earlier. Cut through the west and go to the northwest to reach Dahngrest."
"I see...well, maybe I'll have a look around the town a bit." Yuri says touching the bag in in pocket.
"...I've got my own business to attend to." Rita says waltzing off towards the barrier blastia. He leaves Karol behind and ducks best he can beside a wall and pulls out the note.
Son of Lowell,
I must be brief, but I am certain you have questions you'd like answered. My real employer would like to meet you outside of town tonight. You'll know where to go. I advise you to do your best to not cause any more scenes. You're being watched.
Yuri drifts his eyes around the city and notes one of the plainly dressed townsfolk standing in the distance. The man has been trailing him since Yuri left the building and the woman hammering off to the side has been subtly looking over at him. "So that's how it is." Yuri stops and notes a familiar scent in the air. Figures Flynn's in a town crawling with knights. "Repede, you got any idea what's going on?"
"Sadly, no. But, that book you stole. I was reading it and I think I have something you'd like to hear." Yuri gestures for the dog to keep going. "There appears to have been another group in the Geraios civilization typically regarded as a sub-branch of Krytian. They're called Entelexeia." Right, the thing Repede mentioned before! The Lowell project mentioned them also.
"You think I might be one of them?"
"Hard to say." Yuri decides it's best to keep moving and walks forward trailing the scent in the air. Flynn should be able to help him figure this out. He sees the blonde talking with Ioder in the distance and waves. "Hey. Blondies, good to see ya."
"Yuri, please watch your speech in front of His Royal Highness. You could at least show due courtesy to the gracious pardoner of your crimes."
Ioder raises a hand. "It's okay, Flynn. Miss Estellise and I acted of our own volition."
"You've already heard about Princess Estellise then, I see." Flynn says.
"Yeah, I heard."
"Yuri, I thought that traveling with you would be to Her Highness' own benefit, but..."
"The royal family can't be allowed to romp all over the countryside without restraint." Ioder says.
Yuri snorts. "That's not very convincing, coming from you."
"Haha, I apologize. But now especially, it's undesirable for the royal family's concerns to be brought into the public eye."
"Concerns? You mean whether you or the Princess is next in line for the imperial throne?"
"Your Highness!" Flynn exclaims gesturing subtly to their surroundings.
"There's no use hiding any details from him when he already knows so much." Ioder smiles. "The Imperial Knights are backing my own ascension to the throne. Meanwhile, Miss Estellise has the support of the Council."
"She's a princess, after all."
"Yes, her relation may be a distant one, but she's unmistakably of royal blood."
"That's gotta be tough for the Knights, too. Even if she's the rival of their candidate for the throne, it's not like they can just stop protecting the Princess, is it?" Yuri says and Flynn is hiding his obvious desire to cover Yuri's mouth.
"Yuri, this matter is-"
"I don't know anyone odd enough to be interested in information like this." Yuri says placing hand on his shoulder slipping his hand down the base of Flynn's collar. He rolls his eyes at Flynn's flushed cheeks but sees he got the note. "See ya around." Tweedles attempt to fight him once more, something about honor of the knights or some shit, but he bats them off so easily that he wonders why they even bother.
The sun is setting soon and he walks in to see Rita and Karol checking in. "Hey, don't leave me out."
Rita raises a brow and turns to him. "Hey, I thought you went to see Estellise?"
"She seems to be asleep already." He lies. "She must have been exhausted today. I didn't want to wake her up. We can still talk tomorrow."
"Right. Why don't we all return to our rooms then." Karol says with a little yawn.
Yuri stretches out as he heads up the stairs. "Sounds good to me." Maybe he'll have a snack too. Geez, is this one of the side-effects these new appendages? Yuri personally can't stand always feeling this hungry. Maybe it's a Krytian thing?
Karol's out like a light and Yuri tries to think of the best way to sneak out of here. This is one case where Yuri has no clue what to do. Heliord's built elevated off the grounds with knights posted everywhere. The only way out of the inn is the front door and while Yuri has always been one for climbing this is a stretch even for him. Yuri smirks and opens the door before Flynn even has a chance to knock.
"How do you always know when I'm coming?" Flynn chuckles for once out of his heavy armor.
"Because you smell like freshly baked brownies."
Flynn crosses his arms still smiling. "I thought I smelled like cake and hazelnut?"
"Lately you smell more like a brownie." Yuri shuts the door. "So what's up?"
Flynn holds up a deck of cards. "I figured we could play in my room."
"Sure." Flynn guides him to his room and they sit so that they're both facing away from the window. Yuri scans the room and nobody else seems to be hiding with them while Flynn shuffles and cuts the deck. "Really? Cards was the best excuse you could think of?"
"It's not like we could go to a bar." Flynn huffs.
"That is a terrible idea for many reasons." Yuri says holding up the cards with a poker face. "Any idea on how I can slip away?"
Flynn sighs. "Sadly no. Heliord is the most secure city in the empire. Even more than Zaphias." Flynn sets down a card and smiles giddily. "How 'bout some wine?" Flynn says loudly enough that anyone listening outside would probably hear.
"I could go for some." Yuri says and Flynn gets up fetch some. Yuri eyes the window trying to scan for signs that somehow, they're being watched. It would be impossibly hard, but it could be managed with enough skill. He stands up and looks around and determines that the coast is assuredly clear. Well, they aren't crazy enough to hang from his window like a spider at least.
Flynn walks in muttering about the poor selection of wine. "How could they not have red? It's red! It's the quintessential form of wine."
"Let me guess, no Merlot?" Yuri say as Flynn sets down a bottle of Chardonnay laughing at Flynn's reaction as he crosses his arms and pouts. Yuri signals the windows are clear and Flynn nods.
"Yes. There is no Merlot." Flynn points behind the door and Yuri gets the idea. So, camping in the hall, huh? Great. "This is a violation of my most basic human right!"
"This is proof that you need to deal with your drinking problem."
"I don't have a problem!" Flynn shouts as he steps close enough to whisper in Yuri's ear. "There's a woman parked right outside your door."
"Yeah, you do, Flynn." Yuri laughs and leans in on Flynn to whisper. "Just one?"
"I do not! I only drink-"
"More than you need to." Yuri interrupts and Flynn huffs.
"I think they're rotating. A man followed us to the room." Flynn whispers. "You're insufferable."
Yuri snorts enjoying this a little too much given the circumstance. "Well, you're a tightwad." They sit on the couch eyeing the door. "Great, and there's no way to get the timing without letting them know. The window any good for getting out?"
"Why do I even put up with you?" Flynn huffs dramatically.
"Because, I'm pretty and you know you love me?" Yuri jokes.
"The window is over a hundred feet off the ground. That's too stupid even for you. Besides, remember what happened with Francis?" Flynn whispers and pours two glasses shouting. "Shut up and drink!"
"I was eight when we did that!" Yuri takes the glass and smells the wine. They don't sip and stare at it. "You think they would drug it?"
"No. That's too much prep and they don't have reason to." Flynn says, but Yuri notes the man is still not drinking. "So poker?"
"Sure, why not." Yuri says placing his cup down. Yuri tries to smell his surroundings and see if he can pin the person outside, but without visual he can't be sure. "Really? Not even a rope to get down?"
Flynn shakes his head as the continue to carry a fake conversation. The real one hides in whispers and gestures. They can't stay silent too long and there is still no plan on how to get out. The sun has been set for more than a few hours when a voice breaks in his head.
Where are you?
Yuri stops mid-sentence Flynn grabs his arm in concern. "Yuri?"
He snaps shaking his head. "It's nothing just a little tipsy." The wine is still untouched on the table. "Whoever arranged this meeting is asking where I am."
Flynn narrows his eyes. "Maybe we should stop?" With a fake laugh, he looks at the door in frustration. "Then we need to hurry and get you out."
"No way! I'm still good." Yuri sings. "But, we still don't know what to do."
Flynn silent a frustrated groan as they both lean back trying to figure a plan. "Yuri, you're totally drunk! Your face is flushed."
"So yours." The whole charade is getting exhausting. Yuri's eyes drift over and notes that Flynn looks tired. The poor guy has to be exhausted from work and Yuri is cutting into his precious sleep.
Flynn idly sighs and looks at Yuri in a way that makes the Krytian feel awkward. "I was wondering, why'd you put your hair up?"
"Oh, that. It was irritating my antennas so I put it up."
"It looks good." Flynn's pink again and Yuri's not sure why.
"You should sleep."
"But, we still haven't snuck you out."
"If this person really wants to see me they'll contact me again. For now, you should sleep." Yuri drags Flynn to the bed when he refuses and sits on top of him demanding he sleep. Flynn fights him about it insisting it's okay, but eventually just gives in and they fall asleep on the bed together.
Felinis: Let me just say that of all the gay moments I have ever written this scene which has absolutely nothing sexual in it at all feels like the gayest thing I have ever written. It feel like top tier gay and I don't know why