Sailor Moon - The Order of Black
Chapter Thirty One: Loyalty and Justice
Originally published 09/11/2015
AN: Just in case you clicked the most recent like in your alert email, this is actually "Part Two". Make sure you read Ch. 30 first!
It didn't take long for the rest of the Senshi to arrive. Corey was sure to summon Titus, just as he said he would. He still wasn't sure what Usagi was talking about, but he didn't like how it sounded one bit. It seemed crazy to be second guessing her mere hours after their friendly chat, but here he was doing it anyway. Her earlier attack was born of fear, anger and grief, he knew that...but it still stung because he knew it was true. I have to find a way to defuse this conflict before we wind up in open war with the Order of Black; too many lives are at stake. I only wish I knew what Usagi has planned for Titus…
The cat was his typically abrasive self, unconcerned with appearances or feelings. "Might we get this over and done with quickly? I should be working on locating Chibiusa."
"Yes," Luna agreed, from her place beside her charge, "What's this all about, Usagi?"
Corey watched her carefully, content to listen in the early going. It had taken him a few years, but he'd finally begun to realise what a useful thing silence could be.
Usagi studied Titus quietly a moment, her fingers locked together in her lap. "You lied. Again."
The cat was quick to frown. "I did? To one of you?"
"No. To Rinjirou. About me, and the future."
He appeared genuinely confused by her accusation. "And...?"
"And that's not how we do things." Usagi's voice remained neutral, not her usual cheerful register or her gritty, angry tone of earlier. "You had to know I wouldn't approve, Titus."
"Of course, but…I'm a spy. That's what I do, and Rinjirou was-"
She cut him off with another flat response. "You're not a spy. Not anymore. Yes, you once served my mother as her spymaster, but that was a long time ago. You claim to represent me now…and I never asked you to lie for me."
"Neither did your mother." His ears flattened slightly, the only hint of a reaction. "I lied so she never had to."
"And yet she managed it quite well regardless," Luna murmured, more disappointed than anything.
"That's your defence?" Usagi asked, folding her arms across her chest. "You were doing me a favour by lying on my behalf?" She shook her head slowly. "What would make you think I would ever want that? I don't. Not with Rinjirou. Not with anyone."
"Rinjirou." Titus' tail twitched briefly as he glanced around the room. "Our prospective enemy, Rinjirou."
"A prospective ally," Rei retorted. "One you very nearly turned against us with your lies. Luckily for us, Usagi was able to convince him she knew nothing of your schemes."
"My schemes were the only thing that secured his initial cooperation. Yes, I lied and told him what he wanted to hear, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if I knew it would keep you all safe."
An uneasy churning sensation sprang up in the pit of Corey's stomach. I really don't like where this is headed. He was dismayed to see little support for his friend in the room. Ami had been quiet from the start and was avoiding Titus' gaze entirely; that seemed to indicate guilt. Somewhat ironically, Titus' only other potential ally was probably Minako...but his girlfriend looked downright uncomfortable right now. She's not looking forward to having to choose between me and Usagi again. Unfortunately, I don't know that we can avoid it now.
"Did Queen Serenity know every detail of every operation?" Luna asked. She sounded more curious than anything, making her intentions difficult to gauge. Corey suspected she'd side with Usagi in the end, out of obligation if nothing else. Artemis too.
"She knew enough," Titus replied, rather haughtily. "As I said, she didn't want to know every detail." He glanced sidelong at the ponytailed blonde in the centre of the room. "She understood the world far better than you seem to, at least."
Makoto leaned forward in her seat. "You're a Guardian Cat, Titus, just like Luna and Artemis. You're supposed to give us guidance, mentor and advise us. You're not Queen Serenity's spymaster anymore and you're not running the show. No matter what your over-inflated ego tells you."
"We certainly don't need you alienating potential allies and turning people against us," Rei agreed coolly.
"Is that what I've been doing?" Titus actually sounded amused. "How odd. Here I thought I'd done an admirable job of preserving your collective images after that mess you found yourselves in six months ago."
The Revenant Knight; Corey remembered him well. 'Prime Minister Hayashida' turned most of Japan against us with one, simple illusion, but Titus found the proof that exonerated everyone.
"You say I run around as I please, doing what I will? It's because none of you have the stomach to do what's necessary. I freely admit a lot of what I do is unpleasant, but it is always with your well-being in mind."
"What about your lies to Corey, and us?" Rei's accusation was calm, quiet…but direct. "Were they all told for our well-being?"
The Guardian Knight sat up, eyes narrowing warily. "Now, hold on-"
Usagi didn't give him a chance to continue. "You've continually ignored my wishes, despite knowingfull well how I like to do things." Her voice was calm but authoritative; he imagined it was what she must sound like as Neo-Queen Serenity. "You say none of us have the stomach to do what must be done, but we got by just fine on our own for five years, Titus. No lies or manipulation; just honesty and openness."
"By Selene!" The cat, rather unexpectedly, burst out laughing. "And people call me arrogant! Oh, my dear…you really are as naïve as I feared, aren't you?"
She was clearly unhappy with his mocking tone. "Don't-"
"If only the world were as black-and-white as you seem to believe. No difficult choices, no balancing acts between what's just and what's necessary. Wouldn't that be grand?" Titus' eyes narrowed into slits in an instant. "Wake up, Usagi. Your new enemies are the very people you've sworn to protect. They see you as the invading conquerors this time and, as you've found out today, they're willing to do whatever it takes to stop you. Perhaps you can convince a token few like Rinjirou of your good intentions through honesty and openness, but you all need to accept that you're not coming out of this with clean hands. Not this time."
Corey cringed. I feel your pain, buddy, and you're not wrong…but that's the dumbest thing you could have said right now!
Any emotion drained from Usagi's face. "You nearly ruined our alliance with Rinjirou before it could begin, and you've displayed a continued disregard for my leadership as Sailor Moon and Heir to the Moon Kingdom."
He resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. Oh, hell…the Poli-Sci speak can't be a good sign.
"You need to learn that this isn't the Silver Millennium, Titus, and I'm not my mother. You can't keep on flouting my directives and acting as you see fit without consequence."
The cat met her stare unflinchingly. "You already have a consequence in mind, then?"
Artemis took a few steps towards him, clearly uncomfortable himself. "Titus, don't."
"Sorry, old friend. I never was very good at toeing the line." Titus stared back at Usagi, head cocked to the side. "Well? Let's have it."
She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but I can't allow your transgressions to go unpunished. Consider yourself on a mandatory leave of absence. You're no longer welcome at Senshi meetings, or the command centre." A faint, barely-there tinge of irritation finally crept into her voice. "Perhaps some time on your own will finally break through that arrogance of yours and convince you I'm serious."
Corey had heard enough. "No."
She whipped around to face him, clearly surprised. "No?"
"No." He rose from his chair slowly, a familiar fire beginning to burn in his heart. This isn't right. "That's not gonna happen."
Titus' tail twitched again, the fur on his back rippling up and down his spine. "Corey, don't do-"
"Shut up, Titus." He locked eyes with Usagi and stepped forward into the loose circle they'd formed with their chairs. "You're mad because he lied to Rinjirou? The same guy who tried to kill Rei a little over a week ago?"
The miko was the one to answer. "I'm not holding that against him, Corey, so why are you?"
"Because you seem to be valuing him higher than Titus, who's already proven his loyalty countless times over!" He raised his hand and began ticking items off on his fingers. "He found proof of your innocence after the Revenant Knight framed you. He was the first to find Mercury when she fell into that hole. And sure, he lied to Rinjirou to secure his aid, but in doing so he gave you all a heads-up about the Order fielding Constructs!" A faint smile flashed across his lips as he glanced at his friend. "I know he can be a smug little asshole at times, but his heart is always in the right place."
"The right place?" Makoto sputtered. "Corey, aren't you forgetting the fact he lied to you for years? He messed with your head, stole your memories, and tried to ruin your relationships with the rest of us. He tried to prevent you and Minako from remembering your love for one another!"
The Guardian Knight nodded calmly. "Yes, that's true. He did do all of that and more…because it was what he thought he had to do for the greater good. Being wrong doesn't make him a villain, Mako. It makes him human like the rest of us." He immediately resisted the urge to curse loudly. "Only he's a cat…"
"But he still did it," Rei protested. "His intentions don't magically change that!"
Corey met her glare with a defiant one of his own. "I'm not holding that against him, Rei, so why are you?"
Silence followed for a few seconds as his friends seemed to think over his words. Surprisingly, it was Ami who spoke first. "Titus likely saved my life in that pit. I was pinned under debris, and without his help those Constructs probably would have found me first. Despite the lies, I think it's clear he does have the best interests of his friends at heart."
"But that's just it," Rei said quietly. "Most of us aren't his friends, are we?"
Titus' didn't shy away from her glare. "Evidently not."
"Yet he continues to give and give anyway." Corey was sure he could feel the mood of the room shifting. Slowly but surely he was reaching them, winning them over. What was it Usagi said? Take the argument, lay it all out in the open, and then bang out a compromise that satisfies everyone. Halfway home!
"You're the Guardian Knight of Justice," Luna countered, choosing her side. "How can you be alright with such deception, even for the greater good?"
"It does seem like a slippery slope," Artemis agreed, a little less confident. "Isn't that exactly what the Outer Senshi would claim? The ends justify the means?"
Corey closed his eyes, remembering Corval's lessons from Honour. "Justice is an ideal, true, but good doesn't have to mean nice. You do what you have to do…within reason."
"That sounds like a cop out to me," Makoto muttered.
"Maybe it is," he conceded, "But you all trust me not to go too far, right?" As he got a series of nods, he gestured towards Titus. "Why doesn't he get the same benefit of the doubt?"
Usagi sighed heavily as she shifted in her seat. "Because Titus has never been entirely honest, Corey, whether you want to admit it or not. He hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt. His entire approach is at odds with our core belief in honesty!"
This is starting to feel like I'm smacking my head against a wall, he thought sourly, realising his earlier sense of triumph may have been premature. What the hell do I have to say to convince you?!
"I'm sorry, Corey, but I'm putting my foot down. Titus has to learn his place."
There, he realised. That's what this is all about. "Right. I get it now."
Her nose crinkled up in confusion. "You do?"
"I do...and it isn't fair. Certainly not just. In fact, it's blatant hypocrisy!"
A brief surge of anger seeped through Usagi's serene mask. "Excuse me?"
"You've been more than happy to have Titus lying and scheming all along…so long as you don't have to know about it!"
"Have you heard a word I've said?" she retorted, her voice rising in pitch and volume. "I don't want him to lie. Ever!"
"You say that," Corey countered, "But you were happy enough to go along with his 'sick brother' act to get Ami back in Tokyo, weren't you?"
Usagi's mouth opened to retort but snapped shut again just as quickly; it seemed he'd made his point.
"Let's be honest, Usagi, this has nothing to do with principle. It's all about asserting your authority." He let his voice soften. "You want to be a strong, decisive ruler, without becoming complacent and weak like your mother. I get it, I really do…but this isn't the way to go about it."
She remained silent, but he saw the hurt in her eyes…and it hurt him for having caused it. I'm not going to back down now, though. She's wrong!
Minako cleared her throat awkwardly, finally breaking her own silence. "I'm not so sure about this, Usagi. Sure, Titus lies, but it's never been about hurting us. We're-"
Rei took up the fight for their leader. "We don't lie, Minako. We're supposed to be better than that!" She glanced at the cat with what looked like sympathy for the first time…but it didn't last. "Perhaps we have benefited from his lies in the past, but we can't just ignore them forever. That would make us hypocrites!" She shook her head with fierce determination. "We don't need to sink to the same level as those we fight."
"Corey, I…" Minako studied her hands intently, unable to look at him; Rei appeared to have reached her. "Titus may mean well, I don't think any of us are disputing that, but we're better than that. I mean, lies and manipulation? It's just Beryl, or Metalia, or Mistress 9 all over again. We don't use their tactics because we aren't like them. Does that mean Titus has no place with us? I…I don't think so, but I just…I don't know what to think!"
His earlier sense of unease returned. Corey had expected her decision, of course – she was too dutiful not to side with her fellow Senshi – but it would be a lie to say it didn't hurt a little. If I can't even convince Minako, what chance do I have of swaying Usagi?
Her ponytails waggled in the air as she shook her head, a touch of exasperation entering her voice. "Come on, Corey. Surely you can see that he can't just continue doing as he pleases with no consideration for or input from the rest of us?"
Unfortunately, the McLeod anger was beginning to set in. Along with his stubbornness. "It's worked out just fine so far."
She let out an irritable sigh. "Do I need to remind you that Chibiusa's been kidnapped? Rinjirou's got information we need and his help will be invaluable. Unfortunately, thanks to Titus' previous actions, he absolutely refuses to work with him again." Her eyes lingered on the cat. "I agree, nobody here is implying you don't mean well, Titus, but you need to learn to work within the system and follow instructions. You nearly cost us any chance of cooperation with Rinjirou. Then where would we be?!"
"That's what this is all about?" It was becoming clear. "Kill two birds with one stone? Prove to yourself and everyone else that you are the queen-in-waiting…and show Rinjirou that Titus has been punished? You're throwing him under the bus to ensure he helps you!"
"This is about Chibiusa!" Usagi seemed to have dropped all pretence at remaining calm by this point. "We need Rinjirou's help if we're going to get inside, and-"
"You're fools to trust him," Titus muttered. "He's had his own agenda from the beginning. This is and always has been an alliance of convenience for him."
"Nevertheless," Usagi said flatly, "We need him if we're going to get inside undetected."
"Undetected?!" Corey cried, unable to believe what he was hearing. "You're talking about assaulting the Order of Black's headquarters with every Senshi in tow! You're kidding yourself if you think you can avoid casualties with that sort of plan!"
Luna leapt between them hurriedly, joined by Artemis. "Please, both of you, this isn't helping!"
"What other choice do we have, Corey?!" It was a plaintive cry, laced with fear, grief and defeat. "Do you honestly think that's what I want? Of course I don't! That's why I sent you with the Outer Senshi last time!" Her head slumped forward slowly, and she sighed yet again. "Give me a third option. Tell me your plan."
"I…" He had one, but it was a last resort. One born of desperation and his drive to avoid a repeat of the Sanctuary. "I just…we need to think about this, we need to-"
"I have thought about it!" Her anger finally boiled over as it had earlier. "I won't leave Chibiusa in an Order cell a moment longer than I have to, and if you can then you must not care for her as much as you claim you do!"
It's useless, he realised wearily. She's too caught up in her concern for Chibiusa. She's stopped listening to me. Titus' words from earlier echoed through his mind. He was right. I'm the last Guardian Knight of Justice, perhaps ever. I have no queen to serve, no kingdom to protect. All I have is justice.
Minako leaned forward, fiery determination in her eyes. "I know you're angry, Usagi, but that's not fair to Corey and you know it."
Luna nodded quickly. "Yes, Usagi, try to calm down. Getting angry won't help the situation."
Minako's trying to stay on the fence, he thought, just like I have…but it's no longer possible. I can either go along with this madness, or take a stand for what I feel is right. He took a deep breath…and let his head fall forward in a nod. "Just a little while ago you told me to learn from the Sanctuary. To make sure it didn't happen again."
Usagi studied him warily. "Yes…?"
"You're not listening to me," he murmured. "Just like your mother. You're too close, too emotionally invested to see the truth. You're going to get a whole bunch of people killed…on both sides." He was ready. Ready to make up for Corval's mistakes…and for his own. "After I regained Corval's memories I swore I would never again stand idle. I swore I'd keep you all safe, and I will; even from yourselves." He locked eyes with Usagi a final time as he straightened up. "Because it's the just thing to do."
Minako rose slowly from her seat, her eyes widening in fear. "Corey? What are you-"
"I love you, and I'm sorry." He swept Titus up in one smooth motion and turned to the rest of the girls. "I'll bring Chibiusa back, I swear." With that said – and a heavy heart – he blinked away…
…and reappeared as planned in a small clearing along the edge of the Hikawa Shrine's courtyard.
"By Selene!" Titus swore, attempting to wriggle free from Corey's grip. "A little warning next time, if you please! You know how I feel about…" He trailed off, apparently realising where they were. "Why the shrine? What are we doing here?"
"Creating that third option." He set the cat down and stepped forward onto the familiar stone tiles. "Now, where is he?"
"He? You mean Rinjirou?"
"Bingo." Switching to English all but cemented his break from the Senshi in his mind. I might as well call myself Guardian Justice again. Hell, if Titus was ginger we could pretty much wind back the clock a good year. A momentary pang of guilt and fear took hold of his heart as he thought of his friends. I hope they understand, Minako especially. I'm not paralysed by fear like I was as Corval, but I do love her…and I hope there's an us to come back to when all this is done.
Titus studied him curiously for a moment, then suddenly brightened and nodded approvingly. "Ah, I understand! You're really quite a lot brighter than some give you credit for!"
"Thanks, I…hey!"
"You intend to recruit Rinjirou to aid you and you alone in infiltrating the Order's headquarters," the cat continued, without missing a beat. "In doing so, you prevent open warfare and deny the Senshi the use of Rinjirou's information, making it all but impossible for them to follow us. Brilliant!"
"Damn it," Corey muttered, a little disappointed that his plan had been deciphered so quickly. "How do you do that?"
"Trade secret."
"Of course."
They wandered across the courtyard towards the shrine itself, Titus leading the way as they looked for the former Black Paladin. "You are sure about this, I hope."
Corey glanced down at him. "You're not getting cold feet, are you? Especially after you convinced me I need to start thinking more like Justice."
"Not at all. I just wanted to make sure you weren't."
He realised that, surprisingly, he was strangely centered. Calm. The Guardian Knight of Justice. "I wish this wasn't necessary but I don't see another way. Usagi's not herself; none of the girls are. We couldn't even sway Ami and Minako, your two most likely supporters, into openly speaking up for you." That was quite a depressing thought. "We're on our own, buddy, just like the old days."
Titus indulged in a rare wink. "And I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be, Corey, but by your side. Lead on."
Corey eventually found Rinjirou near the main hall, broom in hand. Titus made the decision to keep out of sight at first, skirting around the perimeter and approaching from the shrine's roof. It was with some trepidation that he approached the robe-clad man, well aware that this wasn't going to be easy.
Rinjirou's cold blue eyes snapped up and looked him over cautiously. "Can I help you?"
It was a friendly enough greeting but Corey had learned to read body language a long time ago. He's shifted his weight to the balls of his feet and spread them a little further apart, ready to move if need be. He took a deep breath and nodded. "You can...Rinjirou."
There was definite distrust in his response. "Have we met?"
"We have, though I wore a very different outfit during our time together in Brussels."
"Brussels?" At last, recognition dawned on Rinjirou's face. "Ah, I see. The Guardian Knight."
Here goes nothing. "My name is Corey McLeod...and I need your help."
Rinjirou let out a derisive little snort and turned around. "No."
"Please," Corey called, as he watched him walk away. "Five minutes, that's all I ask."
There was a flash of black fur as Titus dropped from the roof to land at Rinjirou's feet. "Five minutes is a pittance for someone as presently time-rich as yourself."
Rinjirou turned back to Corey, his voice icing over immediately. "I want nothing to do with that lying bastard, and that includes you."
"Come now," Titus protested, the fur on his back standing on end. "You can't say you weren't using me as much as I used you."
"I don't deny it," he agreed, "But you gave me your word, on your honour, that your princess had no desire to crown herself Queen of Earth."
The cat's tail swung back and forth in agitation. "Well, it is technically true."
"It was a lie no matter what you say, and I have no time for liars."
Only one thing for it, then, Corey thought, raising his hands. "Fine. You want the truth? We're not all that sure exactly what happens. Yes, Sailor Moon becomes Queen of Earth, but we don't know how it happens, or why. She certainly doesn't want to rule." A lingering pang of guilt hit him hard; Usagi's usual calm, good-natured façade hid a young woman who was barely twenty-years-old…and deathly afraid of her own future. "She's only doing it because she feels she has to, that it's her destiny." The reality was it largely came down to Mamoru and Chibiusa."Because it means those she cares about most in this world will be with her forever."
Rinjirou didn't reply, but he hadn't walked away either; that had to mean something.
"The truth is, the Order of Black wants us dead…and we have to defend ourselves." It was something of a gamble, but he didn't have much left to try except the direct approach.
"Corey, don't-"
He ignored Titus' warning and met Rinjirou's stare head-on. "We attacked the Sanctuary, going after those creatures you encountered with Titus, and a Black Paladin was killed. It was an accident, and I didn't want it to happen...but it did."
"You tell me you killed one of the people I want to save to, what, convince me to join you?" Rinjirou snorted in clear amusement. "That's some talent for negotiation you've got there!"
"I told you the truth so you'd understand how serious I am about this-"
"Sure thing," Rinjirou said, with a dismissive laugh. "Do me a favour and get lost. I've heard enough."
Corey grit his teeth, resisting the urge to punch him in the face. That wouldn't be very just, though, would it? "I'm the Guardian Knight of Justice…but there's no Moon Kingdom left for me to defend. You said when we first met that we turned a blind eye to Earth in the past, and maybe that's true. Maybe we were too caught up in our own problems that we lost sight of what was most important. But that was then, and this is now; Earth is my home too, and I want to protect it as much as you do."
Rinjirou remained silent, but the deep scowl was gone from his face; that had to be promising.
"That includes innocents like Chibiusa. She plays no part in this. Her only crime was being born; wanna try and tell me that's fair?"
Finally, genuine empathy. "No, of course not, but-"
"You say Black Paladins are honourable warriors, that they're not all bad people? Prove it. Help me save an innocent life. Help me prevent all-out war."
Rinjirou shook his head. "Say I do believe you, which is a big ask…why are you here now? Why would you go against your own princess?"
"Because she's wrong."
His eyes widened in surprise. "What did you say?"
"She's wrong…and I'm not one of her Senshi, no matter how badly I may want to be." An odd, warm sensation spread out slowly from Corey's heart, filling every fibre of his being. Despite the remaining fear and uncertainty he felt, he knew this was right. This was just…and it felt good to make the right decision after all this time. "I'm the Guardian Knight of Justice, and I have a higher duty than that. I have to be better, I have to be more…even if it means going against my friends. I don't want to see any more deaths, Rinjirou, and this is the only way I've got of preventing them."
A good thirty seconds went by in silence as Rinjirou studied him, cobalt eyes searching for answers in Corey's. At last, he cleared his throat…and gave the faintest of nods. "What do you propose?"
Yes! The Guardian Knight calmed himself immediately; he didn't want to blow it after finally getting through to him. "We go in quietly and get Chibiusa out ourselves. No deaths, and as few injuries as we can manage. Without her, the Senshi will have no reason to attack; perhaps that will give us a chance to open up a dialogue."
"I swore I wouldn't turn my weapons on my fellow Paladins," the other man murmured. "They're as innocent in this as your Chibiusa; pawns being misled by their masters."
"Pawns can still kill a complacent opponent," Corey countered. "They may not know all of the details, but they've made their choice. Now you need to make yours."
Rinjirou frowned back at him. "I'll go along with this…but only because more Paladins will likely die if your Senshi friends go in and level the place."
"Thank you," he replied, genuinely meaning it. "I give you my word any fighting will be a last resort."
"Good." A short sigh followed. "You may be a bastard, Corey, but I get the sense you're an honourable man, in your own way…and I can respect that. When are we doing this?"
It won't be long before the girls figure out where I've gone. That means we have to move quickly. He took a deep breath of his own and forced it out again, banishing any lingering fear and doubt along with it. "No time like the present, right?"
AN: Well, there you have it. It took me nearly three weeks but I finally finished one of the most crucial chapters I think I've ever written. I admit to being of two minds about it; I'm proud of Corey and Titus especially, two characters I dreamed up from nothing that have come to mean a lot to me and, in my opinion, stand alongside those characters we all love from the show on equal footing. I post this chapter with some trepidation that the warm reception a lot of you have given them will disappear given their actions. I don't write to tell you how to feel, of course - I want everyone to come to their own conclusions - but I hope it's at least clear that, as I've tried to address with the greater Order/Senshi conflict as a whole, there IS no truly right or wrong argument here. Usagi isn't wrong to fear for Chibiusa or want her immediate release, just as Corey isn't wrong for opposing any kind of frontal assault. At the end of the day, it's ideology...and I guess you'll all form your own opinion of who's right and wrong based on your own experiences in life. I'll just cross my fingers I haven't destroyed three fics' worth of goodwill for Corey and Titus with a measly 10,000 words, lol.
Aside from that there's not much to say. Big thanks to sailorv1986 and especially metalgear for their feedback on a crucial scene (you can probably guess which one!). I was seriously struggling in places and your notes made a big difference guys, so thank you. Two of my regs from way back who are still with me. I really appreciate your continued support. As ever, I picked up a couple new faves between updates so thank you for that as well, you know who you are. I even picked up a couple faves for Last Guardian Knight Act I and II, so if you're still reading...thanks so much!
The good news from here is I'm FINALLY done with this epic-length two-parter (in my head) and I can move on to some scenes I've got noted down involving Corey and Rinjirou, my two OCs. Prepare yourselves, for the snark is strong and they're only rough drafts! I'll try and keep the wait a little shorter this time, too ;-) Back with more soon, as always.
Lisseas