A/N: Hope I didn't keep you guys waiting! We're three, now four, chapters in and I already have upwards of 200 favorites and 300 followers on this story. Wow... Just... Wow. That is completely bananas.
That being said, I did get a review that had a little bit of an issue with how I wrote Ranni's character too much like a child and not the scheming mastermind she is in the game. I did talk with them in DM's and sort of explained myself, but I also tried to get it explained in this chapter, at least in passing, though whether or not I did a good job of it will be up to you guys. Do let me know what you think.
I also finally decided to install Grammarly cause one of my friends knows I write and convinced me to try it, so I was like "Why not?", so you should be able to expect higher-quality chapters in terms of grammar from this point on, assuming I don't delete it at some point. Although, I've heard that the app can be a bit wonky, so if it fucked up somewhere, I'd appreciate it if you let me know.
With that said, I hope you guys enjoy it!
P.S. One last thing before you guys get to reading, I've been having some issues with the site. The traffic graph on all of my fanfics is broken and as of the last chapter, I haven't gotten a single view/visitor even though I've been getting favorites, follows, and reviews. Earlier today, I also noticed that the "properties" tab of my story is also broken but I'm not sure if that's the devs screwing around to try and fix the first issue or not. Or, it could all be on my end. If anyone knows what the issue might be, a PM would be nice.
Chapter Three: Great Enemy Felled
Blaidd was going to die.
The thought made her heart churn, but the more Ranni watched the battle unfold, the more certain she was of that fact.
The protective barrier that had enveloped Blaidd since the start of the fight, that had saved him from many a death blow, had long since shattered after a particularly devastating attack. His body was covered in wounds. Most were shallow, some were deep. An uneven mixture of skill and luck kept any from being fatal, at least for now. A horrid mixture of blood, sweat, and saliva poured down his face.
His mouth, once stretched into a wide, wolfish grin, was now set into something resembling a scowl, grimace, and a snarl all at once as his greatsword tore through the air with savage arcs. His blade met empty air more often than not, and if Blaidd was lucky enough for an attack to connect, it would merely cut shallow nicks into the monster's crystalline hide, if it hadn't glanced off entirely or been stopped by powerful limbs with jagged claws.
The glintstone, the shining crystals that lined the cavern floor and walls in various sizes, had empowered the monster. Its hide, once reminiscent of a common beast, was now harder than stone as dozens of sizable crystals erupted from its body. Its attacks, once powerful in their own right, now became overwhelming as primordial magic flowed through its veins.
Bastardized imitations of powerful spells were launched at Blaidd over and over again in an unending volley of projectiles and missiles. Glintstone Comets, Glintstone Icecrags, Crystal Barrages, Star Showers… Although it was hardly appropriate to call them spells, more akin as they were to raw discharges of magical energy, that didn't make them any less dangerous.
And still, despite it all, he kept fighting.
But that didn't change the fact that Blaidd was going to die!
'Coward.'
The insult fell upon her akin to the blade of an executioner for the umpteenth time in the past several minutes. Ranni knew that she alone could aid him and, at the very least, try to save him, but her frail, malnourished body refused to move.
At first, she assumed exhaustion, but that couldn't have been true. Adrenaline pumped through her veins with every beat of her heart. Her wide eyes, filled with alertness, gazed at the clash akin to a hawk. She knew, if she so desired, she might have very well been able to push herself to her limits, meager though they were, if she chose to.
No… She wasn't exhausted…
She was Terrified.
Only now did she realize the emotion was truly foreign to her. Never once did she ever recall experiencing it with such intensity before today. Many of her memories have been lost to her, but still, she remembered. The horrors of the Lands Between, and the suffering its people were subject to because of the hubris of the Demigods under the Golden Order.
Godrick the Grafted reigned with terror, massacring all Tarnished who wandered through his realm of Limgrave, all so he could stick their limbs to his ghastly form as a supplement for the power he naturally lacked.
Her younger brother, Rykard, ate countless warriors, damning them to suffer in eternal agony as they writhed upon his flesh, all so they could join his so-called family in a blasphemous endeavor to, not just overthrow, but to devour the gods themselves.
The Blade of Miquella, Malenia the Severed, in an effort to achieve victory against Ranni's elder brother, Radahn, doomed the entirety of Caelid to unending torture as Rot itself scoured the land, corrupting all it touched into horrid monsters that sought only to consume.
And finally… Ranni herself was solely responsible for all of it… She who had Godwyn the Golden, the treasured son of Queen Marika of the Golden Order, murdered in cold blood, killed in soul, and damned to be reborn over and over in an endless cycle of Living Death. She who led her very own mother to madness through the slaying of her own Empyrean flesh. She, who, whether directly or otherwise, had laid down the foundation for The Shattering, the war that would near-irreversibly destroy the Lands Between.
So, it was almost funny, that after all she had seen, all she had done, or at the very least all she had seemingly deigned to remember, was that she was scared.
Why?
What right did she have to feel fear? After the suffering she had seen and caused? Was it because she didn't remember? That the horrors she knew of were merely recalled as fact from a book and not an experience she had lived through? Was it because she was a child once more? That her mind, though many times older than her new biological body, was influenced by her youth, leading her to once again possess the mentality of a child, if only in part?
Was it because, for the first time in her life, she had been placed at risk away from the safety of her tower, her rise in Caria, that held no dangers besides books and tomes? Because she was under the genuine threat of harm outside of a controlled environment created to suit her machinations?
Or, perhaps it was because she had finally felt an emotion she'd not been graced with for a lifetime.
Hope.
With her mission complete and her loved ones dead or gone, Ranni was content to wither away in the Mantlean slums, only making a half-hearted effort to continue her new life.
But now, whether by coincidence or by destiny's design, she and Blaidd had been reunited at last. If she died now… she couldn't bear the thought. To be ripped away from him once more…
The thought terrified her.
She was brought out of her thoughts by a cry of pain. Her head, previously cradled in her hands as fearful tears dribbled down her cheeks, snapped up towards the source, only for her eyes to widen as Blaidd, having been clawed across the face by razor-sharp claws, tumbled to the ground as a hand clutched at his face.
"Blaidd!" she screamed. It was drowned out by the Glintstone Beast as it roared in triumph.
Ranni's eyes narrowed before her feeble limbs pushed her to her feet. The fear in her heart, once overwhelming, began to bleed away akin to frost when it met with a warm fire, replaced with anger and resolve.
Magic surged in her veins, yet she cared not for the strain.
Her arms spread wide as primordial forces whipped at the air around her, tugging at the rags on her body and throwing her disheveled hair into further disarray.
Then, with a wordless cry of tremendous effort, Terra Magica itself formed on the ground beneath her feet with a rune depicting the sigil of Raya Lucaria in all its glory. Her magic, already a force so tremendous her frail body could barely handle it, exploded within her as the spell designed to turn many a fledgling into true sorcerers enhanced her power and potential severalfold.
"Upon my name…" she began, gritting her teeth as the energy building within her began to overflow. "as Ranni the Witch… I declare thine life forfeit…" she gasped. "May thy body turn to dust… as thy very being falters under the might of the Dark Moon…!"
Pain.
All Blaidd knew was pain.
Ordinarily, pain wouldn't be a long-term issue, not for a Huntsman that had an active aura. The wound, however major it might have been, would be halted by the force of one's very soul, preventing any damage so long as it persisted. Of course, pain was to be expected, even with aura, but the agonizing sensation of tearing flesh or shattering bone would quickly recede before it disappeared altogether.
He could no longer afford the luxury.
It took all he had to simply stand, much less heft his greatsword and fight. Exhaustion was mounting and the aches in his muscles grew more apparent as time wore on. Sweat and blood, pouring from his forehead, stung his eyes and blurred his vision. His breaths, deep, gasping lungfuls born from the exertion, echoed throughout the cavern.
The battle was nearing its end, of this he was certain. It also wasn't much of a question as to who would emerge victorious. The Kymera was wounded, gravely so, and it howled in pain without end, but the agony only invigorated the beast further. Empowered by the glintstone as it was, the Grimm fought like a cornered animal.
Its attacks were wild and struck like lightning. He'd lost count of the many times its magical attacks had smashed into his aura before it broke, the many times its horns had crashed into his armor and the many times its claws had torn his skin and flesh.
Grimm hide was already tough on its own. Cutting into it was no trouble for a Huntsman, but an untrained individual would have trouble. Add the bone-platting found on Elder Grimm and you've found a near impenetrable barrier that would force anyone fighting it to get crafty. Add the glintstone that sprouted along its body? His blade could barely chip its hide, let alone cut into and damage it.
The gaping wound that he'd left on the Kymera's lion head where its left eye had once been, was now closed off after shining azure crystals erupted from its flesh. His only option was to aim for its underbelly. If he could drive his sword through the thin hide and its heart, he might be able to finally kill the bloody thing.
Unfortunately, the Grimm was making the task far more easily said than done. A lesser, younger Grimm wouldn't have given him such trouble, but the Kymera was intelligent. It could read his movements, and predict his attacks. It realized the new additions to its body were making it effectively unkillable so long as it protected its underside, and it did so vehemently.
His only saving grace was its severed wing. Having been bereft of any added protection to still allow the Kymera flight, he'd poured his aura into his blade and launched an aura arc, removing its advantage in one fell swoop. Of course, instead of the battle remaining impossibly difficult, it was now simply overwhelmingly difficult.
Still, Blaidd pushed on.
A barrage of crystals tore through the air. He spun his sword, deflecting most and shattering the rest as they crashed against his blade. Blaidd stepped as a destructive magical blast crashed into the area he once stood, shattering the ground and throwing dust into the air.
His sword snapped up to block the claws that would have torn his throat out when his momentum stilled. He swung his sword, chipping away a minuscule piece of crystal in a vain attempt to break the Kymera's guard. He was forced to fall into a backward roll as a torrent of glintstone flame scorched the stone floor.
The Kymera refused to relent in its attacks as dozens of tiny bolts of glintstone arced through the air and fell upon him, each as brilliant as a falling star. His sword raced to stop as many as it could, but for every few that were halted by his blade, one would slip through the cracks of his defense. If he was lucky, it would bounce off of his battered armor, but more often than not they cut tiny holes into his skin, like shrapnel from an explosion.
Blaidd grit his teeth and pushed forward. He slid underneath a burst of magic that streaked by like a comet. No sooner was he on his feet before the Kymera raised a paw. A whirling cyclone of unstable magic gathered around the limb, before the Grimm slammed it down, shattering the very earth with the attack.
Blaidd leaped into the air just in time to avoid the attack. Tiny shards of stone pelted his airborne form, carving shallow but painful fissures into his skin. He ignored the pain and raised his sword high. All he would need was one good strike to stagger the beast and he'd have the opening he needed. Blaidd twisted his grip and angled his blade. As he fell, he smashed the flat of his blade against the lion head like a mace. Crystal and bone alike cracked as the Grimm wobbled and swayed.
He took his chance.
The Kymera took a predictable swipe that was easily ducked under, before Blaidd thrust his sword forth, intent on tearing the Grimm's heart from its chest.
Then it screamed.
Blaidd stumbled as the noise crashed into his ears, accompanied by a barrier of raw magical energy. His sword was thrown back right as his steel met its hide, managing only a tiny prick. He was barely able to catch himself from tripping even with all of his energy spent trying to keep himself on his feet.
He had no way to avoid the claws that sought to flay the flesh from his skull.
Nevertheless, he forced himself to move. Blaidd threw himself back, moving almost unnaturally in an attempt to avoid the blow. It did nothing to keep the claws from rending his flesh from his forehead to his chin, but what would have been a killing blow was merely a severe injury. Still, he screamed in pain as the Grimm roared with what sounded like triumph. He could have sworn he heard someone call out to him but the sound, whether imaginary or real, was drowned out by his cries and the Kymera's roars.
The wound stung something fierce but he threw himself to his feet despite his body's protests, narrowly avoiding the Grimm's forelegs as they cracked stone where they fell.
The Kymera advanced.
Claws rent the very air, flames licked at his skin, and acidic venom dissolved steel and stone alike.
Blaidd fell back…
…And back…
…And back…
…Until he could no more.
Magical forces raised her high…
The aches of her body were cast aside…
A biting chill enveloped her form…
And shrouding darkness caressed her soul.
He fell to a knee, plunging his blade into the ground to keep himself from collapsing. The Kymera stood above him like a hunter standing over its prey, with pain, and relish in its eyes in equal measure.
Blaidd's body trembled as his legs tried and failed to get him to stand. He craned his neck up and stared into those baleful yet brilliant eyes of something that should have never existed.
A resigned breath left him as his head dropped, his strength spent. He would die here, there was no doubt in his mind. Still, even as the Kymera's maw opened and glintstone fire that burned with a fury built up in its throat, Blaidd allowed himself a small smile.
At least he would die fighting with his mind intact…
With a burst of frost and the absence of light…
Ranni's Dark Moon fell upon the world…
Swallowing all who would dare defy it.
He closed his eyes… and waited.
Then a familiar sound akin to shattering glass cut through all else.
Blaidd's eyes snapped open and he craned his neck, only for a biting freeze to wash over his battered form.
He couldn't stop the violent shivers that wracked his body, but he paid them no mind as his wide eyes beheld a sight he had never thought he would see again.
He watched, astonished, as a Full Moon Sorcery hurtled through the air.
The Kymera turned and opened its maw. Blasts of glintstone burst forth, smashing against the incoming spell harmlessly as the Dark Moon swallowed all in its wake. It crossed the distance in mere moments, crashing into the Grimm in a blast of arcane frost. The beast howled in pain as the moon exploded, scattering magical shards of chill ice around the cavernous chamber like stars in the night sky.
The glintstone that had sprouted along its back, once vibrant, glowing, and surging with magical energy, now lay dimmed and dormant. Any bastardized spell the Kymera tried to form would sputter out, bereft of the arcane energy needed to fuel it. It staggered and swayed as it howled in pain, leaving itself vulnerable.
Yet, instead of pushing his advantage, Blaidd turned his head further, searching for the source of the spell, only for his gaze to land on the collapsed form of the snow-haired girl he'd been trying to protect. Blood poured from her broken nose and painted her eyes red, twisting her expression into one of pain. Her limbs trembled from exhaustion as she tried to push herself to her feet, to no avail.
Their eyes met, and the girl rasped out a single word.
"N-Now…!"
The grip on his blade tightened.
His knuckles turned white beneath his gauntlets.
He didn't need to be told twice.
A second wind filled him with energy he didn't think he had left. His legs exploded, throwing him forward with previously unseen speed. Adrenaline coursed through his veins, pushing all thoughts of pain to the furthest reaches of his mind.
The Kymera's heads turned to face him, roaring, howling, and hissing as one.
Bolts of venom flew through the air. Each one narrowly missed as the faunus weaved through the onslaught, eating through stone wherever they landed.
He was upon the beast in seconds.
His blade fell upon the Grimm with a vengeance. The once indestructible crystals, now void of energy, shattered like cheap glass, scattering the broken shards as his greatsword cleaved its limb in two. The resulting shriek of agony was music to his ears.
Once more, Blaidd hefted his greatsword, ducking low as he angled his blade. Energy surged through his veins once more as he surged forward. The Kymera's remaining foreleg fell upon him, its claw tearing his left arm off just above his elbow with a violent spray of blood.
Even as the crimson liquid poured from the stump, even as he cried out from the white-hot pain, he refused to falter. Blaidd planted his feet, and with a war cry worthy of a champion spilling from his lungs, his greatsword thrust up into the belly of the beast.
With a single arm remaining, he raised his blade, and the Grimm skewered upon it, off of the floor and higher into the air, all as it howled akin to the souls of the damned. Covered in wounds as he was and lacking the aura to augment his strength, he threatened to buckle and collapse under the beast's weight. Sheer willpower alone allowed him to remain standing.
A final cry burst past his lips as he stood to his full height. The sickening squelch of steel tearing bloodied flesh met his ears as the blade sunk further into the Kymera's flesh. Black blood flowed from the wound like a river, coating him and his blade in dark sludge. It twitched and spasmed, and then, with a final torturous cry of pain, the Grimm ceased its struggles and fell limp.
The great weight of a beast nearly thrice his size disappeared as the Grimm disintegrated into ash as all Grimm do. The cavern was silent, save for droplets of blood and sweat dripping to the floor and his heavy, panting breaths.
He'd done it…
The realization hit him like a sack of bricks.
He swayed on his feet as a wide, relieved smile split his lips. Finally, his legs, threatening to crumble simply from standing, gave out. Blaidd collapsed to the floor in a heap as blood pooled around his form. Every inch of his body ached. His eyes stung from the bodily fluids that streamed into them. His matted hair, drenched with sweat, stuck to his scalp.
Despite it all, he laughed.
It was not the roaring, relieved, hysterical laughter one would expect from the faunus, but rather quiet, nearly breathless chuckles, for his out-of-breath lungs would allow nothing more. Still, in the absence of battle, a silence had descended upon both him and the girl, and his near-silent guffaws easily met both their ears.
His laughter abruptly halted as the adrenaline faded.
Only now did he realize how much pain he was truly in. Blaidd was acutely aware of the myriad of wounds that covered his body, be they lacerations or burns. His remaining hand scrambled to clutch at his stump in a vain attempt to alleviate the pain. The action only elicited an agonized cry as his straining fingers brushed against the throbbing wound.
Blaidd knew very well that he couldn't simply lay there. The wound would grow infected if he simply left it as was, or perhaps he'd lose even more blood than he already had. He idly noted that he had begun to feel lightheaded and his vision had grown blurry, more so than it already was, courtesy of the blood and sweat that had fallen in.
Then a sound met his ears, akin to the soft tapping of skin against stone, followed swiftly by the sound of something being dragged against it.
He turned his head. The very same girl, who he'd gone to such lengths to defend, was dragging her exhausted body across the floor with determination scrawled onto her face. His first instinct was to tell her to stop, that she should save her energy, but all that emerged from his throat was a wordless rasp.
Despite the apparent fatigue in her gaze, she pulled herself to him as quickly as she could, only stopping when her tiny head rested on his chest.
He couldn't even feel her weight settle atop him, so light that she was.
Yet, what she did next, surprised him.
The girl raised a frail, trembling limb, almost as if she were praying before a soft, golden glow emerged from her clutched hand. It was only when the warm energy blew across him did he recognize the action as an incantation. Almost immediately a sense of comfort washed over him, drawing out a relieved sigh. The aches and pains were still apparent and throbbing, though lessened. The spell had done little to truly heal his wounds, but, he noted as the fatal and severe among them began to close, it would at the very least save his life.
His gaze fell upon the girl once more, only for a small, if wry, smile to split his lips. She was out cold, the healing incantation having taken the very last remnants of any strength she had left.
This girl was a mystery. Her snow-white hair and sky-blue eyes told him of her heritage, though he could hardly believe it himself. She was frail, tiny even, and dressed in little more than dirty rags. He would never have imagined finding a girl like her in a place like this, much less in the state she was in. As his pale purple orbs took in her features, Blaidd even noted she looked familiar.
The realization struck him like a lightning bolt. The color of her hair, eyes, and skin might have been different, but this girl looked identical to his former mistress when she was still a child, perhaps many lifetimes ago, if not longer. The fact that this girl, whoever she was, had done the impossible, only cemented his arguably far-fetched theory as truth.
She had cast magic. Not just any magic, but a Full Moon Sorcery and an Incantation of the Two Fingers, the former of which had been developed by his mistress, Lunar Princess Ranni, herself, alongside her mother, Rennala of the Full Moon.
Blaidd had questions. Many, many questions. For now, however, he was content to lay there, with his remaining arm draped over the girl, softly caressing the crown of her head in thanks, as a single tear fell from his eye and rolled down his cheek.
His questions could wait. After all, because of her, he would have time aplenty to spare.
'Soft…'
That was Ranni's first thought as her eyes slowly fluttered open, adjusting to the morning sunlight that streamed through the curtains.
She stared up at the wooden ceiling, bereft of the crystals and stone of the underground cavern. Ever so slowly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position as her gaze fell upon the thick covers of the bed she now lay in.
It was incredibly warm. A far cry from Mantle's freezing streets or the dark chill of the wilderness. A feeling of safety and comfort enveloped her as she began the slow process of waking fully. The rags she had once worn in the place of clothing were gone, replaced by a clean, comfortable nightgown that was a size too large for her. An amused huff escaped her lips as her sleeves limply fell past her hands.
Ranni idly noted that she felt better than she had in a long while. She was well rested and the stinging pangs of hunger that had assailed her for years on end were finally, for the most part… absent. She drew a sleeve back, only to find a few bandages wrapped along her forearms. It was then that she noted that she felt barely any pain from the scratches and bruises she'd accumulated over the past several days. A dull, numb ache perhaps, but that was to be expected of healing injuries, and they were healing. A hand reached up to her face as she braced for the pain she knew would come, only for surprise to fill her as she lightly caressed her once broken, now set and neatly bandaged nose.
She noted that the room was fairly spartan as she looked around. Apart from the bed she laid on, a bedside table, a single, wooden chair placed beside the bed, and a few other pieces of furniture, there was nothing of note. Ranni's gaze turned towards the window. Her eyes widened at the sight.
She beheld a forest of gold, pale brown trunks raising crowns of leaves high above the forest floor. A breeze blew through the forest, rustling the branches, and causing a shower of gleaming rain to glide through the air. Beyond it all lay a blanket of pale yellow sand before an azure sea. Even from her where she was, Ranni could hear the soft crashing of waves upon the shore.
"It's quite the sight, isn't it?" a voice, laced with amusement, asked behind her.
Far from being startled, Ranni calmly turned towards the familiar voice that she hadn't heard entering the room. Ranni's shining blue eyes met pale purple orbs. The man before her was covered in quite a few bandages, though she could still see healing injuries and what would become permanent scars underneath. In particular, her eyes were drawn to the wound across his face, bandaged as well as it could be. Her gaze fell lower still, over the cotton shirt he wore and to the space where his left arm used to be, only a bandaged stump just above where the elbow had once been. In his right, and only remaining, arm, he held a tray holding a glass, a bowl, and a few slices of bread.
"Blaidd…?" she whispered before she could stop herself.
The wolf faunus responded with a warm smile as he approached, his heavy steps falling upon the wooden floor. He set the tray down on the bedside table, allowing the mouth-watering aroma to waft up towards her nose.
"People settled here by the sea a long time ago." he began in a soft tone. "Right now, we're on the edges of both the Emerald and Forever Fall forests. Apparently, along their edges, the two forests would begin to mix. Over time, evergreen and eternal red eventually became golden yellow. Or so I've heard." A soft chuckle fell from his lips once he was done.
After a moment, he lifted the tray and raised it towards her. Ranni sat up and it was placed in her lap. She looked down, taking in the sight and scent of the warm, fresh broth as tears stung her eyes. Once again, she craned her neck up and stared into those warm, loving eyes.
"We both have some explaining to do, don't we?" He chuckled as a tear, one of happiness and joy, rolled down his cheek, accompanied by a beaming, watery smile.
"It's good to see you again… Lady Ranni."
A/N: Aha! The Kymera is dead, and Blaidd and Ranni are reunited at last!
I felt a little... possessed... while writing the end of the fight scene. Like, it was late at night and I felt like I was drunk, or high, or something while my hands had a mind of their own. I was just really loving what I was writing and I ended up rooting for Blaidd even as if I was reading someone else's fic, even though I was the one writing it lmao. I even joked with my friend in a Discord call that I'd wake up the next morning, re-read what I wrote and it would go from "the best thing I've ever written" to "hot garbage". Thankfully, I still liked it the next morning, aside from a few alterations.
I also hope that bit of Ranni self-reflecting at least somewhat explained why I've written her as a "half-Ranni/half-child". She's still Ranni, but her toddler body is... well... a toddler body. She's basically a kid with the memories of an adult, so I tried to write her as a sort of child that's trying to act like an adult because of her memories, but mostly can't really handle it when shit hits the fan. Once more, no idea if I did a good job at it, but, hey, I'm here to learn. Also, shoutout to Pherix2003 for being chill with his review, and not just calling my fic shit. If you guys have an issue, please, be like this guy.
And I know that some people might be a bit confused as to why the Kymera's magic faded after Ranni's spell hit it. I decided to have that happen for two reasons. One: it sounded hella cool in my head, and two: it's because Ranni's Dark Moon draws in spells and cancels them out in the game, implying a form of magic negation. As for the healing incantation, I decided from the get-go that I wanted Ranni in my fic to know more than just Glintstone, Carian, Cold, or Full Moon Sorceries. As to how she learned the incantation and other spells I'll eventually have her use? I have an explanation in mind for that, I swear, though it'll take a while for the story to get there, assuming I don't change it by that point. (Yes, I'm still writing by the seat of my oversized clown pants)
Honestly, though, I just hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. I think that's all I want to say this time around. If you enjoyed this chapter, I kindly ask that you leave a favorite, follow, and/or review. All of those things help motivate me as they let me know I'm making content that people enjoy. That goes doubly so for any criticism that anyone has. If anyone has anything to say to me about this fanfic, whether good or bad, I'd love to hear it. My PM's are also always open and I'll be sure to respond to any messages I get. That being said, I'll see you all next time.