prompts { 2022 } fictober

[iluvroadrunner6]

Going to do one fic a day in an attempt to buff my word count for this year. Is this dumb when I already have prompts that I'm working through? Maybe but I'm in for the challenge.



PROMPTS:
1. “I chose you.”
2. “Nobody warned you about me?”
3. “That was not my intention.”
4. “How would that even work?”
5. “No, anything but that.”
6. “Adaptable, I like that.”
7. “Check that again, are you sure?”
8. “Do you remember?”
9. “Sounds like a you problem.”
10. “It’s my name on the line.”
11. “Think! For once!”
12. “You’re making my head hurt.”
13. “I don’t want you to do that.”
14. “Yes. No. I don’t know.”
15. “What are you doing?”
16. “You’re looking, but you don’t see.”
17. “Are you serious?”
18. “I don’t think this is your problem.”
19. “Do we have a deal?”
20. “There’s only us.”
21. “I never said that.”
22. “Who said this is a good idea?”
23. “Not on my watch!”
24. “Is this safe?”
25. “You know I’d do anything.”
26. “I’m doing it, shut up.”
27. “That’s not why we’re doing this.”
28. “We all have our reasons.”
29. “You love this, don’t you?”
30. “I know what this looks like.”
31. “I’m not alone and neither are you.”

Request plurk
Completed: 31/31
Word Count: 63,823

Comments

10/3 ~ that was not my intention ~ felderwin ~ 3,428 ~ part 2

[brakewoman]

* * * * *

The moment passes, alone in the quiet of the woods. As they redress and prepare to fall asleep, Julia looks over at her with a wry expression.

“What are you going to tell Diego?”

“Diego and I aren’t anything,” Kady replies a little too quickly. “Nothing … real anyway. Not yet.”

“He wants to be.”

“That’s because he lacks a healthy sense of self-preservation.” Kady slumps back against the pillows, rolling onto her side to face Julia. “But I think he’ll get that this is about closure more than anything else.” There’s a beat. “Because this is about closure, right?”

Julia nods. “You were right. We couldn’t be us without Penny. At least not in the same way. But I’d like it if we could be friends, though. Rather than people who used to be.”

“Maybe.” Kady takes a deep breath. “Let’s get Penny back first. But … I think being friends could be nice.”

Julia nods. “Diego seems like a nice guy, rather than an asshole.”

Kady laughs. “No, he’s still an asshole. And a little fucked up. But … he’s good.” Nice and good are two different things. “I still don’t know what the fuck he’s doing in Shady Creek Run.”

“Maybe you should ask him one day. Seems to me like he wants to tell you. And maybe you want to tell him too.”

Kady closes her eyes, if only to avoid letting that thought settle in too quickly. It’s a lot of baggage to unload on one person, especially considering what Diego wants from her.

“Maybe. Let’s get this done first.”

* * * * *

Expositor West-Allen is there to meet them when they arrive, asking about the Sphere. And she’s also quick to tell them that no, they won’t be getting access to the Sphere today.

“The Sphere is one of the oldest relics in the Cobalt Soul’s possession. We don’t even like to admit we have it. The minute we got Expositor Quinn’s request, we transported it to a different location.” Iris glances between them with a sympathetic expression. “I’m sorry."

“Then why the hell did you have us come, anyway?” Julia demands, her face matching the bubble of anger forming in Kady’s chest. All that hope, just to get turned away at the door? The Cobalt Soul isn’t playing fair, and they’ve always played fair with her before.

“Because,” Iris begins. “We’re not saying no forever. We’re saying no for now.” Iris straightens a bit before placing a ledger down on the table in front of them. “If you’re willing to do some work for us—a lot of work for us—you might earn it.”

Kady wants to believe that. Alice has never done her dirty before. “How much work?”

“Enough until we know we can trust you with what’s in that sphere. The Age of Arcanum ended for a reason. We don’t enjoy reviving that magic if we don’t have to. So, show us you can be judicious with the power we’re offering you, and we can talk.”

Julia eyes the ledger on the counter. “Can we talk it over?”

Iris nods. “This will be here when you’re ready.” But there’s something about Iris’ tone that says she wishes they won’t be.

The two of them leave and sit on a bench across from the Valley Archive, staring up at the building decorated in the image of the Knowing Mistress. Kady sighs heavily before rubbing her eyes. “It might take years to earn that trust.”

“We could try to steal it?” Julia asks, glancing back at her. “I mean, how hard could it be to break into the Cobalt Soul? We just have to find out what branch it’s in.”

Kady shakes her head. “The Cobalt Soul doesn’t just employ monks and clerics. They pick up wizards sometimes. Necromancers. Meaning they’ll kill us, bring us back for the indentured servitude they’re offering now and we get nothing.”

Julia makes a face before sighing. “We’ll need a party.”

“Guess it’s time to get the band back together. If they’re even still alive.” Knowing some members of their original party, it’s hard to say for sure. “Or we drum one up in Shady Creek Run. Diego might help.” Kady glances over. “What about your wizard friend?”

“Zerxus?” Julia nods. “Yeah. I think he’d be willing to help us. I bet he wants to see what’s in that Sphere just as much as we do.”

“Okay. So we rally a team and get to work.” They’ve already waited five years. Hopefully Penny’s still out there and he can handle waiting a few more. “This could be fun.”

Julia laughs. “Just like old times. I’ll go get the job.”

As Julia heads back into the Cobalt Soul, Kady reaches down, fishing out her familiar piece of wire. She remembers reading, once, that there’s a chance a sending spell could reach across dimensions, but there’s also a chance it could miss. Worth a shot to try now.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, but Julia and I are looking for you. We’ll find you, Penny. We’ll bring you home.”

She doesn’t get an answer. But for now, that’s okay. She’ll try again tomorrow.