Author's Note: Yes, you guys, and another one *DJ Khaled's voice*. I had this chapter written out a while back.

And is it me, or are you guys getting error messages about my new updates? I tested it out and keeps showing that I have 8 chapters, when there's 12. I noticed that I'd have to either go to my FF profile page and directly click to the story that way or I'd have to constantly reload the page to get to the recent/newest chapter. Whatever the case, I'd reached out to the FF support team about this, hopefully they fix it right away.

Btw, I made an AO3 account, my username is The_OnlyJoice. I will be posting a couple of my stories there as well. Check it out.

Anywayyyys, hope you guys enjoy this chappie ._.

Disclaimer: I only own Inner.

Warning: Drama, heartbreak, fluff, action

Tattoo

ஜ۩۞۩ஜ

Chapter 13: Memory and Oblivion

"...There are some things we can never assign to oblivion, memories we can never rub away." - Haruki Murakami

Spud had been feeling off all morning. It wasn't the usual tiredness from staying up late gaming or cramming for a test he'd forgotten about. It was deeper—like something inside him was shifting, pulling him somewhere he couldn't see. The tattoo on the palm of his hand pulsed with a dull warmth, an ever-present reminder that he wasn't alone in his own head anymore. The charm bracelet Lao Shi had given him was supposed to help keep Inner's influence at bay, yet today, it felt different. The beads glowed faintly, as if struggling against something stronger.

He sat in the cafeteria, his tray of food untouched, as Stacey chattered beside him about an upcoming school event. He tried to focus, nodding at the right moments, but his mind was elsewhere. His body was tense, like it was waiting for something. And then, it happened.

The world around him blurred. The sound of Stacey's voice faded, and the cafeteria's noise dimmed into an unnatural silence. A sharp and unrelenting ringing filled his ears. The warmth on his wrist turned to heat, searing into his skin, and before he could react, everything went black.

When Spud blinked and opened his eyes, he wasn't in the cafeteria anymore.

He was there—three years ago.

Rain pounded against the pavement, the scent of wet earth thick in the air. The alley was shrouded in darkness, barely illuminated by the flickering light of a broken streetlamp. Puddles of murky water reflected the dim glow, distorting reality in rippling waves. Graffiti-covered brick walls loomed on either side, trapping them in a space that felt more like a cage than an escape route. Garbage bags, soaked from the storm, were piled against the walls, the stale scent of the city mingling with the metallic tang of blood in the air.

A younger version of himself stood in a dark alley, hands bloodied as he pressed them desperately to a figure lying motionless on the ground.

Trixie.

Her chest barely rose, her skin pale, lips parted like she was trying to breathe but couldn't. Jake was kneeling beside her, his entire body shaking. The front of her shirt was torn, the deep claw marks across her torso still seeping blood despite their frantic attempts to stop it. Jake was kneeling beside her, his entire body shaking. His hands hovered over her, trembling, unsure of what to do.

"No, no, no, come on, Trix," he whispered, his voice breaking.

Panic surged through him like wildfire, his dragon senses screaming at him, telling him she was slipping away. His throat tightened, his breath coming in short gasps as he pressed his hands against her wound, willing his fire to heal, to do something—anything—but it wasn't enough. "Stay with me," he begged, his grip tightening around her limp hand. "Please."

The creature that had attacked her—a Shadow Beast—had vanished back into the darkness, leaving only the lingering traces of its cursed energy. The beast had ambushed them in an abandoned subway tunnel, its elongated limbs and glowing red eyes cutting through the dark like a nightmare made real. It had struck so fast, so brutally, that even Jake hadn't been fast enough to stop it.

Spud remembered the horror of watching it knock Trixie off her feet, its claws raking across her body as she screamed. Jake had incinerated the beast moments later, but the damage had already been done. Trixie had collapsed, her breath shallow, her fingers twitching as she fought to hold on.

And Spud had remembered ever since.

It wasn't like he had forgotten. He had pushed it away, shoved it deep in the corners of his mind, trying to suffocate it with humor, distractions, anything to ensure it never surfaced. Because the truth was, every time he thought about that night, the weight of it threatened to crush him.

The promise he and Jake made was born out of desperation, guilt, and fear. They convinced themselves they were protecting her. They had done what was necessary.

Hadn't they?

As he relived the memory, a burning pressure built around his palm. The charm bracelet, the one meant to keep Inner away, was glowing violently, fighting against whatever force was pulling him deeper. Spud could feel her, could hear her—a whisper threading through his mind, sickly sweet and knowing.

"Oh, Spud," Inner cooed, her voice wrapping around him like silk. "Did you really think a few enchanted beads could keep me away?"

Spud clenched his fists. "This is my head. You're not supposed to be here."

Inner's laughter was soft, almost affectionate. "And yet, here I am." The darkness around him pulsed, growing thicker. "Because you and I both know… you want to hear the truth."

Spud squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to wake up. The bracelet pulsed again, a desperate warning, but Inner's presence remained. The repelling magic was working—just not enough.

"You thought you were protecting her, didn't you?" she mused. "That by distancing yourself, by keeping her out of danger, you were doing the right thing?"

Spud swallowed hard. "We didn't have a choice. That spell—"

His mind flashed to that moment—the ancient tome spread open on the wet pavement, pages inked in symbols that pulsed with forbidden magic. Lao Shi's voice had been stern, warning them of the consequences, but Jake had made the choice anyway. The spell had required a sacrifice of memory, a rewriting of fate itself. Jake had chanted the incantation in a language older than time, his dragon energy fusing with the magic to force life back into Trixie's failing body.

A golden light surrounded her, so bright it was almost blinding. For a terrifying moment, Spud felt something else—a shift in the air, like something unseen was watching and judging her actions. Then, just as quickly, the energy sunk into her skin, replacing what had been lost with something altered.

"Was a mistake," Inner cut in sharply, her golden eyes gleaming. "Trixie's wizardry was meant to awaken that night. She needed to die for her magic to be reborn. It was her destiny—but you and Jake stole it from her."

Spud's heart pounded in his chest. "No. We saved her."

Inner's smirk widened. "Did you? Or did you take away something that was meant to be hers?"

With a wave of her hand, the air between them shimmered. The world distorted, and then—

Spud saw her.

A vision of Trixie, but not as he knew her.

She stood beneath a full moon, power radiating from her in cascading waves of dark, celestial energy. Her black curls framed her face, adorned with silver ornaments. A crescent moon shimmered on her forehead, and her piercing lavender eyes glowed with untamed magic. Her presence was commanding, regal—otherworldly.

She looked like she belonged to the mystical forces around her.

"This," Inner whispered, gesturing to the vision, "is what she was meant to be. A wizard of unmatched power. A force beyond anything this world has seen."

Spud's breath caught in his throat. This was the Trixie that never was.

Inner stepped beside him, her voice soft but cutting. "And instead, she was kept weak. Untrained. Vulnerable. And you, Spud—you let it happen."

Spud squeezed his eyes shut, willing her voice away, but the damage was done. The seed of doubt had been planted, and Inner knew it.

"You can't change the past," she murmured. "But you can decide what happens next."

The bracelet burned one last time, flaring brightly—and then Spud's vision snapped back to reality.

He jolted awake, gasping, and was drenched in sweat. His wrist ached, and when he looked down, the charm bracelet was still glowing faintly. Its magic was clearly drained from the effort of keeping Inner at bay.

And yet, she had still gotten through.

ஜ۩۞۩ஜ

The next day unfolded like any other—at least on the surface. The trio had fallen into a rhythm of balancing high school life with their increasingly complicated magical reality.

Trixie spent most of her day caught between the mundane and the mystical. Classes dragged on, with teachers rambling about upcoming assignments, while her mind drifted toward magic training and the looming sense that things were shifting. She had lunch with Jake and Spud, but there was something different about Spud today—quieter, like he was carrying something heavy but refusing to talk about it. She didn't push, but she made a mental note to check in on him later.

After school, Jake had stopped by Lao Shi's shop, discussing spells and strategies while balancing his responsibilities as the American Dragon. Spud had retreated to his usual antics, cracking jokes, but even then, there was an edge to him that wasn't there before.

By evening, Trixie was back at their usual training space, bracing herself for another exhausting session.

The underground training chamber was eerily quiet except for the faint crackling of energy in the air. Trixie rolled her shoulders back, fists clenched as she faced Jake. Sweat clung to her skin, but she barely noticed. Her mind was too focused on the challenge in front of her.

Jake stood opposite her, arms crossed, watching her with that infuriatingly unreadable expression. Wisps of heat shimmered around his hands, his dragon fire crackling just beneath the surface, ready to strike. "You're hesitating," he said.

Trixie scowled. "No, I'm strategizing."

Jake's lips twitched. "Strategizing doesn't mean standing still."

She exhaled sharply and repositioned her stance. It wasn't like she was trying to hold back. It was just—something felt different tonight. Jake was pushing her harder than usual, his movements sharper, his critiques more direct. There was something almost restless about the way he carried himself.

But if he wanted to push her, she wasn't about to back down.

She summoned the energy from within, letting the familiar lavender glow build at her fingertips before thrusting it forward. A concentrated burst shot toward Jake. He dodged effortlessly, rolling to the side before launching forward in a counterstrike.

Trixie barely had time to react before Jake was in front of her, his fist engulfed in flickering flames, radiating intense heat as he swung forward. Instinct kicked in, and she threw up a defensive shield. The impact sent a sharp jolt up her arm, but she held her ground.

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Better. But you can do more."

She gritted her teeth. "Oh, you want more?"

Without warning, she shifted her weight and redirected the energy instead of blocking it. Just like he had shown her before, but this time—it worked.

Jake stumbled back a step, eyes widening in surprise. "Huh."

Trixie smirked. "Did I just—"

"Yeah." He tilted his head, a flicker of something unreadable in his expression. "You redirected it."

But she didn't give him time to recover. She charged forward this time, using the momentum of his stumble to land a palm strike against his chest, sending a controlled pulse of energy through her fingers. Jake grunted, his feet skidding slightly against the chamber floor before he recovered, eyes flashing with a mixture of surprise and challenge.

"Oh, so that's how we're playing now?" Jake smirked, flames curling around his fists.

Trixie grinned, stepping into a defensive stance. "You said I could do more."

Jake didn't hold back this time. He lunged, his body moving with dragon-enhanced speed, the chamber lighting up with golden flames. Trixie barely dodged, rolling to the side as the fire scorched the air where she had just been standing.

She countered with another energy blast, this one aimed lower, forcing Jake to pivot mid-attack. He countered with a quick sweep of his leg, knocking Trixie off balance. But instead of falling, she twisted her body, catching herself in a crouch before springing back up, launching another strike aimed at Jake's midsection.

He blocked it, but barely.

The fight escalated. Trixie used her agility, ducking and weaving between Jake's fiery strikes, her movements becoming more fluid and controlled. She wasn't just reacting anymore—she was predicting. With increasing precision, she countered every move Jake threw at her.

Jake, for the first time in their training, looked like he was actually being challenged.

Then she saw the opening.

As Jake stepped forward with another flame-imbued strike, Trixie feinted, shifting at the last second and using his own momentum against him. She redirected his arm just enough to twist him off balance, her free hand igniting with lavender energy as she slammed it against his shoulder, sending a controlled shockwave of force through his body.

Jake stumbled back, landing on one knee, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Trixie stood over him, panting but victorious. "Looks like I can do more."

Jake exhaled, shaking his head as he rolled his shoulder. "Alright, that was actually impressive."

She grinned, stepping back. "Oh, what? No snarky comeback?"

Jake pushed himself to his feet, eyes meeting hers. There was something different there now—something undeniable. "Nah. I think I like seeing you win."

Trixie hated the way her heart stuttered at that. Nope. Not happening.

She took a step back, shaking out her hands. She could feel the fatigue settling into her muscles, but she wasn't about to admit it. "Alright, let's go again. Unless you need a break?"

Jake chuckled, shaking his head. "I should be asking you that."

Trixie grinned. "Please. I'm just getting started."

Jake exhaled, rolling his shoulders. Then, instead of stepping back into position, he dropped down onto the training mat with a heavy sigh. "Alright, fine. Let's take five."

Trixie blinked, caught off guard. "Wait, you're actually agreeing to a break? Who are you and what have you done with Jake Long?"

Jake smirked, running a hand through his damp hair. "Hey, even dragons need to cool off sometimes."

Trixie breathed and joined him, sitting cross-legged on the mat. The air between them was still buzzing with the energy of their sparring, but now, in the quiet, there was something almost… easy. Comfortable.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Jake broke the silence. "You've really improved, y'know."

Trixie arched her brow. "Oh? No more 'you need to stop hesitating' speeches?"

Jake chuckled. "Nah. I mean it. You're getting stronger. Faster. More confident."

Trixie rolled her eyes, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Well, I had a decent teacher."

Jake scoffed. "Decent? Wow. That's the thanks I get?"

She nudged him with her knee. "Relax, Jakey. You're alright."

Jake shook his head with a grin before his gaze drifted, thoughtful. "Y'know, I push you so hard 'cause I know you can take it. And because… you're a part of this now."

Trixie looked at him, the weight of his words settling over her. "Yeah. I know."

He hesitated, then exhaled. "I guess I just… don't wanna lose anyone else."

The words were quiet, but they hit hard. Trixie felt something tighten in her chest. She wanted to say something, reassure him, but the words wouldn't come. Instead, she reached out and gave his hand a quick squeeze before letting go.

"You won't."

ஜ۩۞۩ஜ

The next day at Millard Fillmore High had been relatively normal—on the surface. Classes went on as usual, teachers droned on about upcoming tests, and students gossiped in between lectures. But beneath the routine, there was an underlying tension. Spud had been quieter than usual, a distracted look in his eyes that neither Jake nor Trixie could ignore. Trixie had considered pulling him aside to ask about it, but every time she tried, he brushed it off with a joke, deflecting like he always did.

By the time the final bell rang, the trio—now joined by Rose—made their way through the halls, preparing to head home. The halls were filled with the usual end-of-day shuffle—students gathering their things, laughter echoing from different corners of the school, the occasional sound of a locker slamming shut. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows over the school steps as Jake, Trixie, Spud, and Rose stepped outside, blending into the flow of students heading home. The warmth of the sun should have been comforting, but something about the air felt off.

Jake and Trixie both slowed, exchanging a glance. A strange tension had settled over the area, a subtle but distinct shift in the atmosphere.

"You feel that?" Trixie muttered under her breath.

Jake nodded, his shoulders tensing. "Yeah. Something's not right."

Spud, noticing their sudden change in demeanor, frowned. "Oh no. Please tell me this is just your way of saying you forgot to do your homework."

Then, without warning, the temperature dropped.

The noise of students chatting and laughing seemed to distort, warping unnaturally. The setting sun flickered—like a bad signal on an old TV—before everything stilled.

And then—they came.

Dark figures tore through reality itself, emerging from swirling rifts of shadow. Their forms flickered between solid and smoke, their glowing violet eyes locking onto their targets.

Jake's dragon instincts flared instantly. "Get ready!" he shouted, already shifting into a defensive stance. "Dragon Up!" After transforming into his dragon form, his hands ignited with golden flames, the fire crackling against the unnatural chill in the air.

Trixie moved without hesitation, her hands glowing with lavender energy. Rose drew her daggers, her grip firm, while Spud stumbled back, his tattoo burning against his skin.

"Okay, I vote we run," Spud blurted.

One of the creatures lunged. Jake reacted first.

He dodged, twisted, then countered, his tail sweeping out to knock one of the figures back before releasing a stream of fire. The flames struck the creature, causing it to let out a distorted shriek before dissipating into black smoke.

Trixie wasn't far behind. She moved with instinct, dodging an incoming strike and countering with an energy blast. One of the creatures reeled back, but before she could land another hit, another came from behind.

"Trixie, behind you!" Rose's voice rang out, sharp and focused.

Trixie barely turned in time. The creature was right there, claws raised. Then—

Something inside her ignited.

A pulse of energy unlike anything she had ever felt surged through her body.

She didn't think. She just reacted.

A celestial force unlike anything before erupted from her hands—brighter, stronger, wilder. It didn't just blast the creature back.

It erased it.

The moment stretched impossibly long, and the aftershock shook the air. Lockers trembled, the pavement cracked beneath their feet, and a low hum of power vibrated through the atmosphere.

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Then—

"Trixie?"

Jake's voice was cautious, his expression caught between awe and disbelief.

Trixie looked at her hands, which were still tingling with residual power. "Did I just—"

Jake wasn't just looking at her—he was staring. His eyes traced over her, wide with something raw and unreadable. It wasn't just shock at what she had done—it was awe, admiration, something deeper. The way his gaze softened at the edges, the way his breath hitched slightly as if he were seeing her in an entirely new light—it made Rose's stomach twist. There was no mistaking it. That was not how you looked at just a friend.

And Rose noticed.

Everything made sense.

The way Jake had been watching her. The way he had been training her, pushing her, protecting her. The way he was looking at her now.

Rose felt something twist in her stomach, but she had no time to process it.

Because more shadow creatures emerged from the rifts.

Rose shook off her thoughts, gripping her daggers tighter. Focus. Fight now, figure it out later.

She sprang into action as one of the shadow creatures lunged at her. With a fluid motion, she ducked, then slashed upward with her dagger. The steel made contact, but instead of cutting flesh, the creature's form rippled, its smoky body momentarily destabilizing.

"Great," Rose muttered. "That's not normal."

The creature reformed almost instantly, swiping its clawed hand at her. She narrowly dodged, pivoting on her heel before deepening her second dagger into its chest. This time, she infused the attack with a sharp burst of energy—a Huntsclan technique she hadn't used in a long time. The dagger pulsed, glowing a faint blue, and the shadow beast let out a guttural screech before disintegrating into nothing.

Rose exhaled, pulling her blade back, her heart hammering. One down. More to go.

Spud had backed himself against a pillar, barely dodging the swipes of another shadow beast. His tattoo flared, pulsing with something—Inner's presence lurking just beneath his skin.

"You could do so much more," Inner voice whispered in his mind.

"Nope, nope, shutting you out right now!" Spud shouted, hurling himself away from the attack.

Trixie, still reeling from the force of her new power, turned toward Spud just as Jake incinerated another creature. Her eyes darted between the growing number of enemies and her best friend struggling.

They needed to end this. Fast.

Trixie clenched her fists, feeling the lingering remnants of her celestial force still humming inside her veins. She didn't know how she had done it before—but she was about to try again.

Jake, noticing her stance, gave her a small nod. "Whatever you're about to do—make it count."

She took a deep breath.

And then—she let go.

A burst of brilliant, radiant energy surged outward, engulfing the battlefield in an overwhelming wave of power.

The remaining creatures screeched as they were swallowed by the force, their forms unraveling like threads of fabric being burned away. The entire area pulsed, the aftershock sending a heavy silence through the school grounds.

Trixie gasped, stumbling slightly, the world tilting for just a second. Jake caught her before she could fall. "Easy," he murmured.

The battle was over.

But Rose… Rose wasn't looking at the creatures anymore. Her gaze locked onto Jake and Trixie—the way he held her, steady and close, as if he had been ready to catch her long before she even started to fall. The way Trixie leaned into him, her fingers gripping his arm for support, their breathing syncing for just a moment, their world narrowed down to just the two of them. There was an intimacy there, something natural and unspoken, something Rose had never seen before—but now, she couldn't unsee it.

She was looking at Jake and Trixie.

And for the first time, she knew for certain.

She had been too late.

ஜ۩۞۩ஜ

By the time the battle ended, the golden hues of the late afternoon had faded, giving way to an overcast sky. The air had turned colder, and a steady wind rolled through the city, rustling the trees and sending a chill through the empty schoolyard. What had started as a bright, normal day had shifted into something eerily quiet, as if the world itself was holding its breath.

Rose stood on the rooftop of Millard Fillmore High, her arms crossed as she leaned against the railing, staring out at the city skyline. The wind tugged at her ponytail, carrying with it the distant hum of cars and voices below. But up here, it felt like a different world—a space suspended between what was and what could never be.

She heard footsteps approaching from behind. She knew who it was before even turning around.

Jake stopped a few feet away, hands shoved into his pockets. "Kinda dramatic, meeting up on the roof like this," he joked, forcing a half-smile. "What, you planning to give me a whole superhero speech?"

Rose didn't smile. She exhaled through her nose, letting the wind fill the silence. "No jokes, Jake. Not tonight."

His smirk faltered. He stepped closer but kept a respectful distance. "Alright. What's up?"

Rose turned to face him fully, studying his expression—the same boy she had fought beside, trusted, and loved. The boy she had always assumed was hers.

But that was before today.

"I saw the way you looked at her," she said, voice quieter now but steady.

Jake blinked. "What?"

"Trixie." Rose's grip on her arms tightened. "Back there, when she—when she did whatever that was. You weren't just shocked, Jake. You were…" She hesitated, then forced the words out. "You were looking at her like she was the most important thing in the world."

Jake inhaled sharply, but he didn't immediately deny it. That silence—that tiny, nearly imperceptible hesitation—was enough to make Rose's stomach twist.

She let out a bitter breath, shaking her head. "I should've seen it sooner."

Jake took a step forward. "Rose, it's not—"

"Don't," she interrupted, holding up a hand. "Don't try to explain it away."

Jake ran a hand through his hair, frustration evident in the way his shoulders tensed. "It's not that simple."

Rose let out a dry laugh, but there was no genuine amusement in it. She swallowed hard before whispering, "It's always been her, hasn't it?"

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The wind howled between them, carrying the weight of everything left unsaid. Below them, the city moved on, unaware of the unraveling happening above it.

Finally, Jake exhaled. "I never meant for things to get… complicated."

Rose looked at him then, really looked at him. "But they are."

Jake hesitated, but then—softer this time—he nodded. "Yeah."

That was all she needed to hear.

She turned back toward the railing, staring out over the skyline, arms tightening around herself. "I spent so long thinking that we—we were inevitable," she admitted. "Even after everything. But maybe…" She swallowed. "Maybe I was wrong."

Jake didn't respond right away. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet. "I don't want to hurt you."

Rose smiled, but it was trembling at the edges, betraying the tightness in her throat. She blinked rapidly, willing herself to keep it together. "I know." She glanced at him, her expression unreadable. "But I think you already have."

Another silence stretched between them, heavier than before. Rose clenched her jaw, but despite her best efforts, the weight of the truth pressed down on her. "I've been fighting for something that was never really mine, haven't I?" Her voice wavered, the words fragile, spoken more to herself than to him. "Do you even know how hard I tried to hold onto us? How much I wanted to believe that nothing had changed?" She let out a shaky breath, her arms wrapping around herself, not for warmth, but for stability. "But it did, didn't it?" Then, finally, Rose swiped at her eyes quickly, composing herself just enough before pushing off the railing, turning toward the rooftop door. "I need some time to think," she said simply.

Jake didn't stop her.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Jake stayed where he was, staring out over the city—his mind a tangled mess of emotions he wasn't sure how to untangle.

And for the first time in a long time, he realized that maybe, just maybe—things between him and Rose were no longer the certainty they once were.

Author's Note: Welp, looks like Rose and Jake are taking a break...will this be a temporary thing, or a permanent thing? And Inner and Spud's conversation was interesting, wasn't it? Anyway, see y'all in a week (probably less than that)