Hey Descendants,
Sorry in advance for how quickly I'm slapping this up. I'm heading out to a PENTATONIX concert and getting side eye from my husband and brother in law for holding up progress :)
We hope you enjoy!
-Another month passes-
"Fuck, that took longer than I wanted it too." T drags in another lungful of fresh air. "But I found you." He grins triumphantly as he continues to walk.
Hyades grins as walks in stride with T so she can pat his back, "Yeah, only took you three days this time. You're-"
"Hey better than the week I took that one time, and I found you having a picnic with Evie." T can't help but to blush.
"I was trying to say you're getting better." Hyades laughs, "Evie loves this game, except the whole staying outside thing."
"That's like the whole game." T frowns as he crosses his arms over his chest.
"Hence the picnic." Hyades laughs again, "It was the only way I could convince her to come join me."
"Ah, I thought it was just a salt in the wound type of thing cause I couldn't find you."
"I might be that mean." Hyades shrugs, "I've never thought about doing something like that." She rubs her hands together mischievously.
"Well hellova time to start being spiteful princess." T teases her.
"Not ah-" Hyades sighs and shakes her head, "Why do I waste my breath?"
"Great question." T nods his head, "I've been wondering that myself."
Hyades rolls her eyes. "I'm glad it only took you three days though." She looks down at her bag and the urgent letter it was hiding, "Gil's probably-"
"Yeah, I was thinking bout that… Maybe we can make the game a bit boring, but a tad bit safer for Gil's and Mal's sake, and do it by quadrants."
"Oh, I think Uma has a map!" Hyades offers, recalling all the things Uma had been trying to tempt her with so she'd come see the ship, "Maybe she let us borrow it so we can do boundary lines or something."
"Nah, just need to copy it. Wouldn't want to ruin her shit. She does enough of that on her own. Besides that way we can both have a copy, so neither of us can magically forget what quadrant were playing in."
"Good idea" Hyades nods with mock seriousness, "But I'm a writer, not a cartographer."
"It's a map, can't be much harder to draw then a leaf." T shrugs, "And some of those can take you the fuck down..." He pauses, "Well maybe not you, but still…"
"Oh, I didn't know you draw the herbs you collect."
"It's how I learned." T shrugs, before he turns and pulls out one of his notebooks. He flips it open, showing it to her. "Some of them look hella similar so I had to get the details right, or I'd accidentally lay myself out."
"Wow," Hyades smiles at the ink drawings, "You're pretty good."
T shrugs, "It works for what I need it too." He continues as he takes back the book. "Pretty sure I can whip us up some crude maps with an original copy."
"Are you heading there to drop off my letter now?"
"Yeah, that was the plan." T nods, "The sea three are pretty… Against this game, as is Mal."
"I like it." Hyades shrugs, "It's fun."
"It certainly has its ups." T chuckles, "And it's a time killer for sure."
"Ah, that's probably the part they hate." Hyades smiles as she looks up at the sky, "Its late, but we're close enough to town now. You go ahead and keep Gil company on his watch."
"Eh… I'd rather walk you home first." T shrugs, "After all what kind of hero would I be if I let the princess walk herself home." He snorts.
"Still not a princess…" Hyades rolls her eyes, "But Yensid's is nearby, I can stop there first and then head home. I walk that route all the time with no problems."
"Fair enough." T sighs, "Not a hero anyways." He chuckles.
"Oh no, you've said it now." Hyades laughs as she points to her ears, "I can't unhear it."
T rolls his eyes, "And I thought you weren't gonna waste your breath on denying your princessy-ness?"
"Go put Gil out of his misery." Hyades shoos T with a grin.
"Kay." T sighs, "If you insist." He shrugs. "See you sometime this week with another letter and map."
"Sounds great." Hyades waves, "See ya."
T throws up a hand over his shoulder. "Later." He continues on his way with a grin. Three days was a record since they had started playing this weird version of hide and seek. It had been just over three months since he started talking to Hyades, and though the rest of their friends seemed to loathe it, he and Hyades were getting on like no ones business.
He keeps to the sparse tree line circling town, rather than taking the path. It was his usual preference, the shadows never seemed to wane regardless of how close he got to people. His feet carried him down a new path through Atilla's territory. His eyes constantly scan his surroundings with the occasional break so he can practice his reading. With a smile he pulls Deez's letter to the Sea three out. He sounds out the words silently to himself, feeling proud when he finally makes out the first sentence. He grins. It had certainly been a great couple of months.
T breaks right, diving into an alley from the shadows of the last useful tree. He looks around, scouting for a way to the roof tops.
His heart freezes when he hears a short scream. It wasn't uncommon to hear screams and shouts, especially in this territory, but he knew that scream.
It sounded like Hyades. Just like the time he's shoved her down the well. He was pretty sure he'd know that scream until his dying day.
Without thinking, he turns on his heels and belts it back the way he came. His heart in his throat the whole time he's racing back. It doesn't take him long to hear Hyades in the distance. Her voice several octaves darker than usual.
"Stop it asshole. I said leave me the fuck alone."
Good. At least she was using rough language, though his heart jumped at the fact someone had the audacity to fuck with Hyades in broad early evening.
"Nah little miss, I know ah good place ta take ya. Got a guy real interested in meeting ya."
"I said no!"
"Come on now, I really don't mind doing this the hard way."
At the shouting, T pushes himself even harder, sure he'd never moved so fast and so slow at the same time. Who the fuck would want to do anything the hard way with a hot head fire princess?
"Do you even know who the fuck I am? Let me go now!"
"Holy hells-" The voice suddenly sounds surprised, followed by agonizing screams.
T's stumbles to a halt when he sees a flaming white inferno. He shields his eyes as he squints, able to just make out two indistinct shadows at its center.
"I told you!" Hyades screams from inside the raging heat, "I told you to let me go!"
"Shit." T blinks as he staggers back from the raging heat pouring over him in waves, saturating his clothes in sweat.
As suddenly as they started, the flames die, leaving Hyades standing in front of a strange looking pile.
T stares on in awe, eyes wide as a gust of wind sweeps away the pile in a swirl of ashes. His eyes turn oddly bright with the reality that the pile easily could have been him several months prior.
Hyades turns, her eyes wide and wet, flaming tears leaving soot on her face as she and T look gazes.
T blinks back. "Sup?"
"No…" Hyades shakes her head, "I didn't mean-" She looks down at her wrist where a sooty hand print could still be seen. The wind whips her hair around, momentarily giving the illusion of flames still dancing behind her.
T holds up his hands, not liking the wild look suddenly adorning Hyades features. "I can see that…" He offers slowly. "And I don't think it's a problem anymore… Don't you agree?"
Hyades takes a step back. One bare foot. Another step. Her makeshift bag bangs against her legs.
"Wait, no, don't-" T stops himself, not even bothering to finish when Hyades turns tail to run back in the direction of her crypts. "Great." He sighs as he scratches the back of his head. He turns back to the scorch marks and continues to stare in awe at the destruction Hyades had left in her wake. The pungent smell of embers still burning his nose. He sighs as he surveys the scene one last time before shaking his head. And here he'd been worried about her getting home safe?
"Fuck." T sighs as he shakes his head. What the fuck was he supposed to do? Should he risk it and follow after her? Or just go find her later, once she had time to cool down? Literally. He chews his lip in indecision. He takes a deep breath and turns away. If it were him who just incinerated someone he'd want time to calm the fuck down… From what he knew of Hyades she wasn't much different.
He could always deliver her letter. Deliver it, hang out with Gil for a bit, and then go check on her. He liked that idea. It seemed like the safest course of action.
So what did you guys think of this chapter? Do you like Deez and T's new game? And what about what Deez did? Were you expecting it? Surprised to see her actually kill someone? Surprised T stumbled on it? How do you like T and Deez' developing relationship? Let us know!
