Queen's note: Heading into Doom Eternal completely out of order! Mwahaha! ...also yeah, Heather's the new baby for DoomDad. She's just... such a tiny nugget. I just had to let the traumatized baby have a new dad.
Garnets
Chapter Fifty Four:
Flowers
Heather was… awake, and admittedly more than a little bored now that she realized the others in the room were dosing or napping. On a different sleep schedule then her.
Drawing had finally lost her interest as she looked around. And she did not have her data pad to talk to Vega. Fiddling with her new pretty mask for a bit, Heather realized that John was not slumped at the table by the big window moon side. He was just hunched as he worked on his craft thing!
She watched him sit up, roll shoulders and stretch his back. Looking down at what he was working on before looking around. Seemingly to check that Lily and Samen were still asleep in one of those big bags like chairs. He looked at Heather and she perked up at the head tilt motion that seemed inviting. Scrambling to her feet and bouncing over. Not really aware of the squeaky sound she made, but was happy when her giant guardian smiled at her.
Climbing up onto the same big bench he was sitting on. She felt the rumble the Demigod was making once Heather placed her hands on his back, smiling wider as she pressed the side of her head against his back. Feeling the odd chuckle, and could almost imagine what it might sound like.
Affection.
Like that!
She still had no idea what that thing was that John did. Yet it felt nice and vibrated through her in a way Heather could pretend she could hear for a moment. But it felt nice, and there was enough room for Heather to stand on the bench behind John. She peered around his right side, then scooted to his left side to watch what he was back to working on.
John's arms were too big for her to easily watch around them. So Heather stood a moment, thinking hard before making a soft sound as an idea popped up. Her big guardian gave his odd chuckle for some reason, as Heather moved to be behind him. He did not seem to mind or notice somehow as she grasped the dark green shirt on his back behind John's shoulders.
Heather had to use a lot of muscles she was not used to, climbing on someone was not like swimming around the dock. She could brace her bare feet on John's lower back and pull herself up over his right shoulder, scrambling for a second as he shifted into more of a hunch again. Heather found that she could pull herself up over his hunched and then partly on his right shoulder. Heather poked at a few of the thicker scarring that was beside her, exposed on the side of John's neck. Wrapping both arms around his neck to hang on and rest her own head on her arm. Not noticing at first once she had settled on the spot over his shoulder that John was slowly straightening up a bit once more, having helped her get into a balanced spot.
John tilted his head, one eerie blue eye glancing at Heather, but he seemed to be quite happy as the man smiled. The scars on his face pulled to make it lopsided, but shifted the dremel tool to his left hand. Reaching up to put his right hand over Heather's head, gently rubbing his fingers through the now clean dark blond hair. The girl made a small happy sound without realizing it, leaning into the warm palm. Heather shifted on his back to get into just the right spot to both watch and get the head rub.
Hold on good up there? John carefully signed, glancing to make sure Lily was still in her nap with Seman. As well as that the crochet hook she had been using was to the side.
Got hold! Heather signed excitedly… with both hands and promptly slid off down John's back, then down to the ground. Angry, insulted little sounds squeaked and huffed out behind him in a way that made the big man start shaking as he tried really hard not to laugh out loud.
John turned partly, looking back as Heather stood up. Staring at her hands and flexing her figures as if insulted or betrayed by her own grip.
Why were some humans so cute?
John turned off the dremel tool, to both sit back farther on the bench and reached around behind him. One large hand gently grasped Heather by her side and pulled her back up, then around into his lap now that there was room. The smaller girl was more sitting just on one of his thighs, looking around as John reached for the safety glasses that Lily had left behind when she was playing with the dremel and practicing first on bits of wood. Rounds from the craft store a few days ago.
Heather looked up as the somewhat too big clear glasses were settled over her.
Keep on. Will protect you. The not quite man signed around his new human, giving her head another fond pet. John waited until she nodded, holding the glasses in place before looking around at what he was working on.
There were a lot of different bits of wood that both John and Lily were practicing on from earlier. Then when Seman got interested in crochet, Lily had let John take over fully to show the boy the basics she knew before they both dozed off. John was working now on something else.
This piece of wood was clearly shaped, something that was a part of… something familiar. Heather was not fully sure why, but it looked familiar. She watched as the big arms settled around her, though his right arm gently squished Heather against John's currently soft belly and front in a half hug. She let go of the glasses to hug his forearm back, wiggling happily at the positive attention she had been starved of since her mother vanished.
It took a second before John could move his arm again, but did not mind as he all but purred, giving a deep affectionate rumble before moving to grasp what he was working on. Pulling it a little closer and angled just slightly so he could work on it better and let Heather watch. She was more than a little amazed as he could shift the tool seamlessly from left to right hand so easily. Each motion of the dremel drill grooved smooth lines into the red colored wood, following the black lines on the wood.
When he paused to stretch his back, the tool set down, Heather could get her wiggles out. The girl climbed up, not quite standing on John's lap to take a good look at the wood piece. What is it?
Present for Lily. John signed back, turning the piece over in his hands to see where else there was black markings he had to do. Keep secret?
Heather really liked Lily, she was nice to her and made really good macaroni and cheese! I can keep secret!
Good. John smiled, giving her head another pet. Heather grasped his fingers, getting her new guardian to scratch lightly on the back of her head. It was not the same, but seemed like this was something alike to a thing Heather was used to, and John was happy to indulge.
Really, he would strip a mall out for his new humans if they asked. Yet they seemed to think there was so much now for them?
Is Lily's birthday coming up? Heather asked after a quiet few minutes.
John nodded, not exactly sure but she said it was in December? Coming. In December.
Birthday and Christmas! Heather wiggled until tucked against John, not seeing it was because someone had opened the doors to this lower area of the Fortress. The girl was thrilled at the surprise hug! Can make all presents! For everyone! Lots of drawing.
John relaxed his grip, recognizing Valen. Mildly surprised that he did not have one of the infants with him. The Argenta man paused to give both Lily and Samen a little head pat where they were sleeping before coming to the sole table in the room. Looking around but seemed to approve of how it had been changed to something the kids could safely be in. As well as be in if there was ever an intrusion, as this room could now only be controlled by the Atlan Cascade.
Valen walked through the former ammunition room to sit across from the Slayer. Smiling as Heather then noticed him.
Grandpa! The girl signed.
Valen sighed as John gave a chuffing chuckle. Lily just had to get all the kids onto calling him that. He carefully signed as he spoke in a low voice. "Hello little one."
Have something for you! Heather wiggled, taking the most difficult way off the bench and sliding under the table to scoot herself back to where she had been drawing. John awkwardly tried to not bonk her with a knee and then watched her scramble away.
"You brought them back, better get used to the odd craziness of the young." Valen noted, he did not need to really warn as this last week of preparation was rather busier with the awake younger humans and the two babies. Though thankfully Lily and Vega both were oddly masterful at keeping them entertained and out of the way of the Argenta until the adult humans were strong enough to come out of stasis.
Vega even more so, the colony AI was more then happy with having humans around to not just take care of but already had lesson plans for the youngest and the infants. Hells the AI had the humans almost all on the same schedule!
Valen was not sure how an Atlan like Vega was that experienced with children of different ages. Riggs too was deft and happy to help. Yet the evidence was clear. The immortal glanced over to make sure the other two in the room were still peaceful as he spoke, knowing his king would hear him over the soft (to him) buzz of the tool. "I've narrowed down the likely spots to find the needed Celestial Casing. Or an old mold for one, and I can make one here. We have half of the parts needed here after all."
John looked up in surprise, having been expecting to spend the next few days or week finding the things needed for the Celestial Locator after hearing what they needed might likely be in pieces. You have?
"Just the core," the Argenta man set something on the table he had been holding. It was a soft golden color, almost different shades of swirling gold really, as it looked like different kinds of gold had been carefully looked over the surface. It sounded too light being set on the table, to be solid. As John shut off the tool and tucked the rifle stock away, he could see grooved lines in the sphere. As Valan had handled it bare handed, the Demigod slowly reached out to pick it up, definitely felt hollow, but almost sounded like something almost… sloshed faintly inside.
What is? John asked, watching in his peripheral as the small one came back. This time on the other side of the table.
Valen shifted a bit, letting Heather climb up beside his left side. "Something rare, something… expensive that even you can't replace easily. So don't break it."
Heather looked up, seeing a data pad on the table now, and her eyes widening at the shimmering gold thing. Pretty!
Valen chuckled, pulling the tiny human into his own lap for a moment. Speaking and signing around her, going slow with the new to her, Argenta signs. Mostly to let her keep learning. "Pretty but an important tool. Be respectful of it, little one."
Heather nodded, eyes widening a bit more as John was turning the golden ball in his hands. Letting her see it for a moment, then she looked around the table. Present?
Hid it. Keep present a secret still? The scarred man asked, getting an enthusiastic nod back.
"Can I speak with my king for a while, little flower?" Valen asked, giving the small girl an affectionate head pat. Also accepting the offered paper, it looked like an attempt at her drawing his helmet from hazy memory. A wonderful attempt and not too bad for her age, even had what might be her ideas of his armor?
Can I have a hug first? Heather signed the question, looking back up at Valen. Making a happy soft sound as he closed his arms around her, head ducking to press and then rub his cheek against the girl.
"Go get your hug from your new sire, and shoo," Valen chuckled, letting the girl go as she wiggled, then just took the shortcut under the table again.
John set the core down, looking around and grunting in mock shock as his left leg was grabbed. The not quiet man growled playfully as Heather batted at his grasping hand. Only to climb up so as not to miss another hug, snuggling against the broad chest as Valen was bringing up whatever he needed on the data pad. The demigod hummed at her for a moment before lifting and setting Heather on the ground. Offering her own lost datapad that had been on the table.
Heather made an interesting sound as she noticed a message from Vega. Asking if she would like to play with him on the tablet-like datapad. Going to sit quietly on one of the large bean bag like seats. Belly flopping onto, and then almost sinking fully into it. Well and truly distracted by Vega in a short time, she was a good girl and was trying to not eavesdrop by facing another direction.
"Mm?" John turned his attention to Valen, absently rolling the core and listening intently to the faint sounds it made.
"Illkana, what's left of it, is the most likely to find a Celestial Locator." Valen offered the datapad, showing slightly updated maps. Likely not fully updated as both of them had spent so long in hell. "So would the holy city of Taras Nabad."
Would there be my sentinels there? John signed, tilting his head as he looked at the somewhat ruins in the images.
"Possibly, though as likely as that is, there could be surviving blinded loyalists to the Maykrs, or a new faction." Valen noted, huffing as he could use a lot more information.
Angels. John signed as he remembered those oddly deft things
The once commander snorted and nodded, "It's almost a guarantee that there will be several Maykr Angels on what's left of Argent D'nur. As soon as they see you, the Kahn Maykr herself will know you are back. And then the order, whatever the Deag have turned into will know."
Can kill them if I find them. John smiled a wide toothy smile that was darker than the way he would express around his humans if they were awake. Something a bit more… not feral exactly, but blood thirsty.
"There is that old law," Valen half warned, half noted, "Though I doubt that any of the Deag have blood in them that used to be their own. Let alone Sentinel blood. It could still be used against you depending where you kill them."
The Slayer snorted, not all that impressed.
"You've been given divine blood, primordial energy and blood." Valen also noted, smirking at the face that was aimed at him. "Like the Wraith Mothers… depending on how you really come back. You could circumvent that old law."
How? John sat back, crossing his arms, arching an eyebrow at Valen.
"I know you don't like to push your will too much out on others," Valen reached over to take the pad and bring up something else. "You left several things in Exultia, and your old Crucible in that titian at Illkana. I think you need to find that, the forge in Exultia and whoever is around loyal before showing up at the original Sentinel Prime city, not the colony world."
Valen set the data pad down before settling his arms on the table to look at his king with his good, black eye. "It's time to remind the surviving Argenta, and whoever is there, that you are a god Bi'Jay. John. Not just a war king no matter what name you chose to go by now."
Those eerie blue eyes flashed green at that for a few moments. The Slayer looked rather unimpressed.
"You are a primordial being now. Not just an immortal like me." Valen pointed out, "Acknowledged by a wraith. I would much rather have half a platoon of Sentinels loyal down to the soul, to you, protecting this Fortress of Doom, and…"
Valen shifted, looking pointedly to the side to draw John's gaze. Staring at where Lily was asleep with the boy.
The Demigod blinked, and then tilted his head. Stronger Night Sentinels that were his, to have them protect his new soft humans. His flower. The Slayer glanced at the happily obvious Heather was.
Flowers?
"If we're lucky that the Maykrs, and the hell priests, did not purge them all." Valen noted, tapping one of the points on the rough plan he and Mila had worked out. "If you can find an unaltered, architect sorcerer, even a novice one can help us make the Fortress resistant to the false goddess."
Oh.
That was a good idea!
John's eyes blinked back to his normal blue. He had completely forgotten about those specialized Argenta, the ones that helped design and make cities as well as Fortresses like his own. Find one… can put an engine in a city.
Valen arched an eyebrow over his blind eye as it was his turn to be surprised. "Well… there's an idea… both Illkana and Exultia would likely have the needed engines if they were not pulled into hell. An architect on top of that would be an excellent idea. We can use the broken moon to hide the city and Fortress. Gather useful, loyal Argenta and humans and have a place for the survivors that are worthy to stay. Others can be sent to the Wraith Gaia if you don't like them."
Only because Lily and the kids had been so excited about it before, John thought of the bigger scale of the cities of the Argenta. The kids and Lily could have bigger space for growing things, their aquariums and pond ideas with.
He blinked and signed a question as a half broken memory popped up, then started to filter back to him. Exultia had a sleeping Wraith, right?
Valen stilled, thinking about it before nodding. "Yes… there was. Not one of the mothers I gave up. She was in hibernation just beside your vault, or in it, if I remember right. Almost under your old throne room."
She gave me the skull. John remembered, it was after killing the first Titan and the Divinity Machine incident. The hidden Wraith he stumbled across was the only creature not looking at him with worship, or that strange look the Maykrs at the time had. In all honesty he thought it was some kind of old retired Wintherin that Novak had hidden in the city. John would not admit that to even Valen, that for the first few months he had just... pet the big sleepy head. Scratching around the aged seeming horns. Not minding and even happy when that big head rested in his lap.
John was sure he spoke some of his last words to that creature before the primordial started forcing its way out of his throat instead. That was about when he found out the creature that slept almost in his old vault was Wraith, not some old Wintherin type with two sets of wings.
Of all other primordial beings, he liked that one the best. Mostly because she had been happy to just let him be when he was still raging. Some grooming attempts aside when the Slayer had come covered in demonic blood. No attempt to control, to use or manipulate him. Just listening to the new War King's venting to himself and then softly speaking primordial to help him to learn it.
If that seemingly old wraith was still alive, John would see if he could do something.
The demigod smirked. He would find out how to get the whole city. She could just sleep in there. Sentinel energy was supposed to be just passively collected from what came off the wraith, right?
Remind them I am a god? John signed slowly, reaching to mess with the golden core again. Watching the swirling patterns on the surface of the sphere.
"Yes, ideally before the Maykrs notice you there." Valen considered and smirked at a thought. "Having two crucibles, one your back and one at your side would also help with the impression of your return."
"Hmm…" John thought, his mind fully switched over to the military gears. I need my baby, Viola.
"That girl was at least half as stubborn as you," Valen laughed slowly in a low tone, "She would likely be waiting for you. Though you might get tossed around the hatching grounds in retaliation for leaving her alone for so long after."
John winced, he would definitely need to make sure his armor was in top shape for that meeting.
"Before you confront the Maykrs, I want to take Lily to get a wolf." Valen spoke after pause, leaning back to check the younger humans had not moved from their spots. "If she's going to live longer, it would be good to make sure one of the pups growing up with her. Not just having phantom wolves protecting her off and on."
That… might not be a bad idea.
Will not force my Flower off Fort. John signed with a frown, there were far too many risks and he knew Lily was scared to leave the Fortress again still. Even in the empty craft store more than a few times the young woman pressed against his side until sure it was safe again.
"I'll track a litter down to bring back if need be then. Would be good for the others too." Valen chuckled, thinking of Galin. "Once you're ready, I'll help to make sure your armor can handle and buffer you as much as possible from that… reunion if Viola is still alive."
John sighed deeply, he realized he would need to make sure his armor had the parts over his arms again. Though likely that would not stop the likelihood of lacerations. Should bring Haco, Asin or Zanin. Or two of them.
They were big enough and had experience, plus also could pick him up. This was going to hurt no matter what he did.
Reviews!
Red Viy [48]: HI AGAIN FREN! I thought I scared you away! and you're right, never underestimate the lazy moments of a doom demigod sleepy quiet times are rare
Red Viy [49]: Right? I think he would be writing what memories he has with Vega. Admittedly a lot of healing/therapy is going to be semi in the back ground of the story for now.
Red Viy [50]: To angry to die, too suborn to die, too spiteful to die until he became a demi god, then some weird shite happened. Now he can keep coming back...and hell is frightened because they can't get rid of their only predator.
Jaidencampbell29: O_0 Oh bloody heck, thanks for the heads up! I'll get that fixed up this week! Thank you, hopefully you enjoy the rest of the story!
