They had a map of camp locations.
They had three maps of three different camps, which looked roughly the same.
Outer walls.
Captain's tent in the center.
Prison area.
Barracks.
Training yard.
A building for cooking and eating.
An armory.
And an area of storage buildings.
Unfortunately, the letter T read before setting fire to the captain's tent didn't say anything about how or why the prisoners were separated in each camp. They couldn't even be completely sure there was a reason.
Other than the fact, T knew one of the soldiers he'd put down had recently been transferred from a camp to the one in the red lantern district, only to become a soldier there.
But each camp T visited had soldiers.
Was it because the three camps had prisons?
She looks around the table, eyeing her gathered family and trusted allies.
Her friends.
She clears her throat before she stands to better see the maps in the center of the table.
"I think we all may have the same question," she drums her fingers on the table, "do we continue to scout the camps, or do we start rescuing Isle Borns?"
She couldn't blame them for the tension, as all side conversations die.
It was a hard choice to make.
Do they spend more time gathering information, or do they act on the information they already had?
Both had dangerous consequences.
Consequences she could only imagine each one of them were currently weighing.
"Shadow?" Beam breaks the silence that had fallen over the table.
She isn't the only one to look at Beam curiously.
"Yeah," T turns to Beam from the back of Harry's chair with a look of confusion.
"What's your gut tellin' ya?" Beam crosses his arms.
Deez frowns as she holds up a hand to stop T, "before you answer," she pulls her hand back, "can I ask a couple of questions?"
T shrugs, "I ain't gonna complain."
A small smile crosses Deez's lips before she taps a hand against the table, "I was just wondering if you got a look at who was in the cages at the camps you saw."
T frowns as he drops his eyes, "no."
Deez bites her lip as she nods, "you couldn't be seen, and knowing you if you got a good look you wouldn't have been able to stop yourself."
She frowns as the weight of Deez's words settle on her like a chain dragging her down.
T wouldn't have been able to stop himself, but that meant that while he was there, the temptation to see more right in front of him-
He'd chosen to do his job.
Get in and get out.
It was like a punch in the gut.
How many times had she questioned T's ability to be smart about his choices?
But when the Isle needed him most, on every level-
He'd made the smart move, knowing they'd have a better chance together and with as much information as he could get.
The tips of T's ears darken. "questionz?"
"Sorry, yes," Deez fidgets in Gil's lap, her eyes move back and forth as if she were searching for something.
It was a look she knew well, her Baby Girl was looking for the right words.
"How long do you think we'll have after our first," Deez's brow furrows, "attack? Is this an attack?"
T snorts. "Can it be?"
And then he said shit like that.
She huffs as she narrows her eyes at him before she turns back to Deez, "I wouldn't call it an attack, though if anyone attacks us-" she tilts her head to the side as she shrugs.
"I believe the best term would be an extraction."
Deez nods, "that, yeah. So, how long after the first extraction do you think we'll have before it becomes impossible to continue?"
T's silent as all of their eyes settle on him.
That was a good question.
T frowns as he turns to her and then Beam, "we gonna have a third team ta pass 'em off to?"
Huh.
Another good question, she turns to Beam.
"Sounds like it," Beam nods.
"If ya be askin' 'bout ah third team," Harry leans back, tilting his head up to look at T, "do that be ah meanin' ya be thinkin' we should be ah hittin' two camps at once?"
"Tch, no." T shakes his head, "not on our first run. Can probably hit two tonight if we have four teams, though."
"Four?" James lifts a brow.
T nods, "distraction, extraction, return, and erase the trace."
She crosses her arms over her chest as she settles back in her chair, "where would everyone be best suited?"
T glances around the table with a frown, "Extractions have to be the largest and fastest. Deez for sure since she can just, ya know, man handle locks. An' Gil." He eyes the other boy.
Gil frowns, "I ain't fast."
"No," T nods, "but if any need carryin' you an' D are their best bet. 'Sides ya can play look out. Ya know like fifteen bird calls."
"Oh," he slowly nods, "yeah, I can do that." His arms tighten around Deez.
"Uma an' Beam should also be with you two. There's bound to be confusion, and we need people listenin' the first go through."
She catches Beam's gaze before they both nod, his face suddenly as stoic as she felt.
Confusion might be an understatement, but T made a good point.
After everything that went down at the Howler, there was a good chance no one would want to trust random people trying to bust them out.
Hell, they might not even trust her and Beam, but at least the Isle Borns formally under his wing might.
And they wouldn't have time to deal with people who didn't want their help.
"Hook an' James are defense in case shit hits the fan. An' D if necessary." T adds, "with Cat as leader of the return team." He turns to Yensid, "an if you wouldn't mind havin' a first aid center set up and prepped ta go, I'm sure Diz an' the Voodoo's can assist."
"Indeed," Yensid nods, "and I am sure anyone who is willing to learn a thing or two would be welcomed as well."
T nods, "more the better."
"My thoughts on the matter exactly," Yensid agrees.
"I can see if Big Murph and his crew would be okay leading the team that handles trace and erase." She offers as she starts taking notes.
"Works for me." T shrugs.
Her heart sank when she realized where T was setting himself up, and how he'd already assigned everyone else to different tasks.
And she hadn't missed the tonight comment, either.
Why was T like a hurricane she was trying to sail through?
She takes a deep breath before she looks up.
"Wait-" James eyes narrow.
"Hold up-" Beam turns to T with a glare.
"No." Gil says sternly as he slowly shakes his head.
Deez reaches up and gently pats Gil's cheek before she turns back to T without saying a word.
"You have got ten seconds to explain why letting you be a distraction, without any of us as backup, is a good idea." She glowers as she crosses her arms over her chest.
T tilts his head, "I'm more likely to survive if I don't have other people to worry about. And it leaves more people to do what we're there for. I can handle decoy."
Harry sighs.
She blinks as she watches her number one, surprised he hadn't been the loudest to object to this plan.
"Harry?" She asks when he still doesn't speak.
Harry takes a deep breath before he finally looks up from the table, "I don'nah be ah likin' it, but I don'nah think he be in the wrong either."
T looks down at Harry bewildered before it slowly turns into a shit eating grin and ruffles Harry's hair. "Didn't 'spect any of you to like it."
"Because it's stupid." Gil frowns.
"But it's not." Deez argues as she watches T, "distractions only work if you can get in and out quickly, so you can't have a team doing it."
T gestures to Deez, "Stargazer said it. Can't be wrong."
Yensid sighs, "It's not a bad plan. T knows the camps the best. And understands how to best operate within the shadows when necessary."
T rubs his hands together as a long forgotten devil-may-care grin tugs at his lips, "Trust me, Umes, I was born for this."
Beam snorts, "ain't anyone questionin' your ability ta be a pain in the ass."
'Oh," T's eyes brighten as he drops his fist into his open palm, "speakin' of-" He turns to Yensid, "Dragon's are loud an' are fun to fuck with cause they can only breathe so much fire 'fore they run outta air. Krakens are always on the move, they have the patience to wait for an opportune moment, an' can multitask even when they're pissed."
Yensid's eye's sparkle with amusement as his lip twitches, as the rest of them study T in confusion.
Everyone except Deez, who doubles over in laughter.
"Which is terrifying if you stop to think about it." T shakes his head.
"Very," Deez agrees as she struggles to control her giggles, "it also explains so much."
Her eyes narrow as she looks between T and Yensid.
What was-
Had T actually thought about what Yensid said about the difference between Dragons and Krakens?
She tilts her head to the side as she fights to keep her face stern, "so, what yer sayin' is, I'm better."
T turns to her, "as a level-headed leader? Yes. As-."
She grins as she holds her hand up, "nah, I'm good. That's all I needed to hear." She nods as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Now, unless anyone else has anything to add…" she looks around the table before she nods, "then let's get ready."
They weren't going to get perfect plans, not with the time crunch they were in.
And how long before they would lose the element of surprise?
Shan Yu wasn't expecting a bunch of kids to stand up to him, so the faster they struck-
She sighs heavily.
It didn't make the pit in her stomach any lighter.
She sighs before her eyes drift to the bag beside her seat.
One thing.
Such a small thing.
But if it worked-
Sea gods, please let her be right about this.
"Hey, T, can I talk to you for a moment before you go get ready?"
He turns in confusion, "sure Umes." He pauses before he returns to her side as the others file past.
What did you do?
"I um, well, I wanted to see something," Uma explains as she picks her bag up from the floor, "if you don't mind."
"Kay," he frowns.
Had he done something?
It couldn't have been the comparison-
Right?
Of course, it wasn't your contemplation of Dragons and Krakens, besides, she's not angry, she's nervous.
Huh.
My sentiments exactly.
He watches as Uma pulls a small cloth wrapped bundle from her bag before she holds it out for him, "here."
He studies the small parcel curiously as a slow grin pulls at his lips, "is it like an ink bomb?"
Faustina snorts.
Uma blinks, "Is it a-" her eyes narrow, "no, no it's not an ink bomb."
"Oh."
Why in the world would you think that?
Cause she was bein' careful with it…
Idiot. Though now that you mention it- Squid ink might be useful…
"You would think that though," Uma rolls her eyes, "and be disappointed that it's not."
"I mean, I can't milk squids for ink but-"
"Will you just open the damn thing!" Uma demands with a stomp of her foot.
"Kay," he blurts obediently as he pulls the string and the cloth falls away. "But she wants some now, so enjoy dealin' that."
He tilts his head.
An orb.
She'd given him an orb.
One that Deez made.
Oh.
Oh? Oh what?
He hated it when she used that tone.
Sorry, ignore me.
Done.
He stares into the glass ball, watching the way Deez's blue flames flickered and swirled.
He pokes at it curiously, "why-"
But before he can ask, the flames flare brighter and begin to swirl.
Blur.
Shift from blue to an almost blinding white.
He can't help his grin. He had no idea Deez could do this.
It was as if the flames were trying to consume themselves.
Just as suddenly as it started, it fades.
The flames inside were no longer blue, instead they were-
"How did I know your favorite color would be black?" Uma chuckles as she watches the strange dark flames dance peacefully in the orb.
His brows furrow at Faustina's gasp.
"The fuck-"
Uma smiles as she wraps an arm around his waist, "I wanted you to have your own."
"But-" his eyes drop to the strangely hypnotic black flames.
T.-T-T-T! Faustina rushes out excitedly.
"The blue one is Faustina's." Uma explains softly, "you're you, so yours is different."
His eyes widen as he drops his eyes back to the orb.
The very much not blue orb.
Awed.
"It's been killing me, not knowing how to help you. With thinking that you don't matter, don't exist." Uma takes a deep breath, "it took me a while to figure out how to prove it. But there you go."
He stares at Uma for a moment before his vision blurs and a lump forms in his throat.
He had no words.
This was-
This was so much.
He blinks before he crushes Uma to him, her laughter ringing in his ears as they trip and fall to the floor.
"Thank you," he whispers tightly as he hugs her closer, too relieved to give a shit about the tears or the crack in his voice.
"Of course," Uma grins as she wipes her eyes, "don't you ever forget that you're my Problem Child. Just like your sister is my Beauty Girl. I didn't need this to know that, but I hope it helps you accept it."
He grins before he kisses her like Harry kissed him.
Uma's eyes widen before she wraps her arms around him and holds him close, kissing him just as hard.
As if she were afraid she'd never get another chance.
When his lungs burn, he pulls back, "thank you." He repeats in a whisper before he's filled with an overwhelming urge to nuzzle her and easily gives into it.
"I love you." Uma smiles as she runs a hand over his head, "I will always do everything I can to help you see yourself the way we do."
More tears gather in his eyes and fall unheeded.
Jesus, he wasn't sure he'd ever felt so relieved before.
Couldn't remember the last time he could breathe so easy.
He was him.
Him.
Whatever the fuck he was-
He didn't care.
He was him, just like they kept telling him. Only now he had evidence.
A reminder.
Something he could hold onto.
Magic.
Fire.
It knew his favorite color wasn't her favorite color.
"Oh!" His eyes brighten as he quickly kisses her again before he turns and races down the stairs.
He was him!
He was real.
Who gave a fuck 'bout the rest?
He laughs happily, gleeful to hear Faustina echo him giddily.
No one that gave a shit about him.
No one who had treated him the same despite his countless doubts.
When he sees red, he lunges.
"Woah, be ah warnin' ah pirate-"
"Look! Look!" He shoves the orb in Harry's face.
Harry's eyes narrow before they widen with surprise, "them be black flames."
"I know!" He grins stupidly as he meets Hook's eyes, "It matches my soul."
"I ain'nah knowin' 'bout that," Harry snorts, "when ya be gettin' yer own?"
"It's what Umes wanted to talk about," he smiles brightly, "I'm not, not real."
"O' course ya be real." Harry's knuckles dig against the top of his head, "don'nah be dumb."
He laughs happily as he pulls the orb closer, coveting it.
"Nice ta be ah knowin' yer favorite color be black, though." Harry adds thoughtfully.
He snorts, "like ya couldn't have guessed."
"What? Ya be havin' loads o' depth." Harry taps the orb, "but the Ol' Man's magic colorin' don'nah be lyin'."
Faustina snorts derisively.
Depth. You?
His smile turns mischievous.
T. Whatever you're thinking-
"'Parenlty not," he agrees, "cause like fuck your shade-"
Teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
"-is my favorite color."
"Me shade?" Harry's head tilts to the side.
T, don't you dare-
He snorts as he pulls Faustina's orb from his bag and holds it out. "Seriously? What the fuck are ya lookin' at in the mirror?"
Harry's ice blue eyes blink before they widen, "me eyes? Me Pirate Princess's favorite color be me eyes?"
"I know right," He grins, "an' I'm the stalker."
I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.
Little liar, he mocks with unadulterated glee.
Get nailed to a cross, Tiglath.
A smile slowly curves Harry's lips, "I don'nah know how I be ah missin' that," he chuckles, "but it do be ah makin' me happy."
"Figured." He smirks.
See? It wasn't that bad.
…
…
…
Tina?
He snickers.
Harry grins as he pulls T into a side hug, "glad ta know ya be gettin' it. That be ah makin' me happy too."
His cheeks were starting to hurt.
It had been months since the last time he'd smiled so much.
"Never said I wasn't dense."
This chapter went from all serial to fucking kawii hella fast.
Which speaking of-
Finally! Amiright or amiright?
It only took T how long to finally understand he is own entity, all it took was some physical proof.
A reminder.
Something to hold on to when his doubts start to take hold. It makes me smile just thinking about it.
Like seriously, as his writer I'm so fucking happy for him. This meant the fucking world to him.
Which speaking of, in another story I could totally see Uma and T dating. I know it's a fucking trope of some kind-
But for the life of me I can't fucking remember…
Eh.
Either way, kinda ship the two of them a bit-
What do you guys think of that? See where I'm coming from?
Or do you just think I'm batshit? LMK!
Annnnnnnnnnnyways-
What do you think of their strategy?
Their tasks?
Think T put everyone in the right positions?
Or do you think he fucked up somwhere along the way?
Happy with this chapter?
Hated it?
I want to know so fucking bad
-Twisted