Chapter 1: A Terrible Wednesday
Chapter Text
Harry Dresden finally found a moment to relax, between various jobs and training his new apprentice, the man hadn’t had much time to rest. Unfortunately for him, there wasn’t going to be much of it, as he entered his apartment his behemoth of a dog, Mouse, seemed to be acting off. The large animal seemed both on guard and relaxed. Harry’s wards were still up so nothing that shouldn’t be able to get in should be there… Except for the wounded woman that was laying on his couch, Mouse approached her quizzically then started to nuzzle against her arm.
“You get even bigger? Bloody hell, Catra would have a heart attack if she saw you.” The woman spoke, petting the dog gently.
It was then things clicked, she was definitely much older than she should be considering the time since he last saw her, and the streak in her hair was dyed a wine red. “Merula? Is that you?”
“Some detective you are, mate.” The witch groaned, she had just gotten fully redressed, even if her shirt and jacket were ruined, a large stain of blood at the torn shoulder. “Sorry for usin’ your first aid supplies, but… Big green bastard fucked me up… Ah,you’ll see eventually.”
“Hold up. See what?”
“You’re a Chosen, Harry.”
“You did not just reference those books at me.”
Merula stared blankly at him, it was then he remembered what universe she came from. “Okay well, first off, I’m a terrible choice. And second, I don’t have time to be a Chosen, I have a job, actual cases too, and an apprentice-“
“Look, I don’t make the rules, besides you’ll probably be gone like a week at most, your world doesn’t move at that fast a rate.”
“That’s great but what if I still don’t agree to it?”
“Grabby hands portal takes you. Whether you like it or not. Just glad I had time to warn you, I’m supposed to be your guide but..” She gestured to the injured shoulder, “...Damn that hurts, look, I sent out a message for the rest of my old team… Don’t know who’ll answer but...”
She just groaned after that, Harry hadn’t stocked back up on anything stronger than Tylenol.
“Didn’t I do my time by helping your crew out before?”
“The bastards in charge don’t really think like that.”
Dresden just sighed “Sooo, how long do I have?”
Merula pointed behind him, and Mouse barely had time to let out a warning snarl before Harry Dresden was ripped from his own universe.
Dresden found himself laying on his back, thankfully managing to hold onto his staff. As lines of lights marked their way along the buildings, he noticed soon that his clothes had shifted, his trademark coat was now stylized, jet black without signs of wear and had a glowing strip on the inside, light blue. Similar with his clothes, though those seemed to be replaced with a bodysuit of some kind… He then remembered what was tied to his belt. No longer in a bag, Bob The Skull instead was connected to Harry by a couple power cables for lack of a better term.
He disconnected the skull, which was now more a geometric art piece shaped like a skull.
“Hey boss.”
“Get a good rest?”
“I don’t know, mostly feeling confused now, but also a bit sexy.”
Haruhi awoke in what appeared to be some kind of medical room, attempting to spring up from the bed she was on, she found her leg was chained to it. “What the hell?”
“Sorry about that,” a rough voice spoke, drawing Haruhi's gaze to the corner of the room, where a rugged man in military gear and an eyepatch, with a shard of shrapnel in his head stood. “My second-in-commands idea, only allowed it to shut him up.”
Haruhi was confused to put it mildly. “Where am I? And where’s my uniform?” She said, realizing she was wearing a medical gown.
“You’re on Motherbase, kid, and don’t worry, we had one of the female soldiers change you.”
“You could tell I was a girl?”
“Yeah, all I had to do was pick you up, not hard to figure out.”
“Huh.” She shifted in her spot. “Kinda cold in here.”
“That’s because you’re only wearing a thin layer of fabric, kid. Now how did you get on our platform?”
Haruhi recounted the last things she remembered before waking up, which just led to more questions.
“So it’s like… Sex free gigolos?”
“Pretty much.”
“Right well, if you say you don’t know, I believe you. Folks here call me Big Boss.” He then takes a large vape-like device and hands it to her. “Phantom cigar? It’s strawberry.”
She hadn’t planned to take it until he said the flavour.
A man wakes up in a vast desert, as information flashes inside his eyes, he smiles and sits up with a bold. “Dadbot 69 is turned on. Nice.”
He looks around, far in the distance there is a tower surrounded by some kind of walled settlement, and in the other direction… A man in some kind of armour is approaching him. “Are you alright, citizen?”
He stands, a conflict in his programming ticking away. “This is not my home, how will DAD get to JOB? If DAD doesn’t get to JOB then how will DAD come home to spend quality dinner conversation with WIFE and DAUGHTER.”
“Well where are you from?”
“Town, USA. Of course.”
There’s a long pause, from the armoured man. “Well, you’re in the Mojave wasteland… So let’s get you to one of our NCR camps and then we’ll try and find this… ‘Town’...”
Aboard a large ship that floated in the space between realities, a portal appears, Josie Saltzman stepping out. She made her way to the bridge, a device in her hand. Upon arrival, she found only three other members of the alliance.
The Ork, Kaptin Bluddflagg, snorted at her, his ‘choppa’ in hand. It was bloody, Josie found that interesting. The Ork spoke. “Did yaz git da’ whats-it-thing?”
“The Handlink? Yes, all I had to do was beat up some scientist. Did you succeed in your personal time wasting- I mean, your ‘totally not a waste of time’ goal to kill Merula?” The Kaptin growled his reply. “Didn’t think so.”
The Ork nearly lunged until Xigbar moved between the two. “Calm down, no need for us to be offing each other… Yet.”
“Whatever.” Josie rolled her eyes, before looking to the throne in the center, and to their leader, Tsukasa Kadoya. “So, you finally going to tell me why I’m collecting trinkets?”
“Because I believe they’re all connected to a greater prize.” He spoke in a most arrogant tone.
“And how do you know that?”
Tsukasa smirked. “Simple… There once was a Chosen named Gold Roger, before he was stricken from the records, he revealed everything to me.”
Chapter 2: Proving Grounds
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Harry Dresden was hauling ass, that was usual for him, but this time it was from Tron. The evil controlled version from the sequel, and his powers were risky in this place to say the least. Unfortunately for him, he was unknowingly headed for a dead end. He found out quickly enough though, attempted to scramble up the completely flat surface in front of him to no avail. Turning to face his foe, he’d have to risk it, and began to gather his power, as evil Tron approached, doing that whole villainous slow approach.
As he was about to unleash a spell when something slid open on one of the walls, a hidden panel moved to reveal a small dark tunnel, this drew both their attention. This however was a distraction as from atop the building across from this, a small figure lept, attacking the evilized Tron, who takes a few hits but just barely. The figure moved in a cat-like way, and that was all the proof really needed, but Dresden assessed further. Grey skin, weird horns, the first thing he saw here that appeared to be in its mid-adolescence. Yup, this girl was definitely not a local.
As the fight turned more to Trons favour, Dresden realized what had been the girls plan, she was forcing an opening, because a few feet away was a massive drop. With a roar of “Ventas Servitas!” A burst of wind knocked the reprogrammed Tron over the edge, the agile girl able to keep herself from going over.
She sat on the edge looking over as Dresden walked over. Pre-emptively bonking the skull on his hip as a warning not to say anything… Uncouth. “I'm guessing you’ve been following me a while. Why not just show yourself?”
“Purrhaps I needed to know if you were predator, or prey.”
“And did you get an answer?”
“You are not prey. Yet.” She then gave the tall man a beaming smile, it was cute but really just served to confuse Harry.
“Anyway. The names Harry Dresden, Wizard.”
“I’m Nepeta!”
As the two introduced each other, they both failed to notice the portal forming or the spectral hands that reached out. Until said hands grabbed them by their ankles and yanked them both in screaming.
Iroh sipped the tea, it had a soothing flavour to it, as he looked at the large blossoming tree. “I must again thank you for finding me, Estelle.”
“Oh you really don’t need to,” she responded, “we couldn’t just leave you on the ground to the mercy of the monsters.”
“Speak for yourself.” Her small companion mumbled.
Estelle turned and gave an offended sound. “Rita! That’s a very rude thing to say!”
“It’s just suspicious is all, he doesn’t recognize anything around? But we find him on the road between Aspio and Halure?”
Estelle is struggling over words when Iroh speaks again. “That is fair of you to think like that, and there’s little I’ll be able to say to change your mind, which means all I can do is hope my actions prove my nature. All any of us can ever do really.”
Rita slumped a bit, but nodded in agreement, she wasn’t really that distrustful of the man anyway. The mage was just being protective of Estelle.
Grimmjow awoke on the cold stone of the cell, looking around it, things just were awful here. There was mocking words being hurled at him from across the way, and before the Arrancar could tear through the bars and slaughter the one who dared to say such things, there was a sound of several people approaching.
“There wasn’t supposed to be a prisoner in this one!” Two armoured figures appear, arguing about his presence.
“Well there is! We still have to get the emperor out of here!”
“Fine. Prisoner back against the wall!”
Grimmjow was intrigued to see where this was going, so he did. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”
The group unlocked the door and started to move through the cell, the old man, this supposed emperor stopped in front of him. An unimpressive specimen of a human. “Let me look at you.”
“What?”
“Yes, yes, I’ve seen your face before. You have an interesting fate ahead of you.”
Lotor sighed as watched the ruin atop the mountain grumbling from the fight within. “Now tell me, why exactly is Madara taking so long with this?”
“Don’t know, don’t care.” Hakuno replied, she sat calmly, using her powers to bring up a projection of Solitaire of all things. “But if it really matters that much, go help him.”
“You know you’re not a lot of fun to be around.”
“My two wives would disagree.”
He rolled his eyes at that. “So far I’ve only seen Tamamo, something happen to this Nero woman?” He watched closely, the ever-so-slight twitch at the side of her lips. “Did I strike a nerve?”
“You should drop this subject now, unless you’d rather return to the ship as an even better example of deadweight.” There was heavy emphasis on the ‘dead’.
Chapter 3: Trials And Trivializations
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Grimmjow entered the arena for what would be the last time, even as the amulet seemingly tugged at the pocket it resided in, he had decided that fighting for show was worth much more of his time. He raised her arms to taunt the audience, they weren’t a fan of his particularly brutal matches, well maybe brutal wasn’t the right word… Cruel was probably more accurate
And now he was about to exact that on the ‘Gray Prince’ who looked to be on the warpath, as the audience cheered at this arrival, Grimmjow rested his hand on his blade, when things suddenly changed.
The audience went silent, and the Gray Prince clutched his skull, screaming pain and collapsing over, then came a greenish magic that slowly but surely stripped out the orc’s life force, draining him until he was emaciated husk. An old man stepped into the light. “A Chosen? How fascinating.”
Grimmjow gripped the handle of his sword. “So this is your doing then? Who the hell are you?”
“I am called Shang Tsung, and I can’t really take all the credit, the crowd was taken care of by my friend here.” From the gateway, an absolutely massive gorilla entered, and Grimmjow could feel it attempting to pry into his mind. “He goes by Grodd.”
Dresden sat on a dirty chair, his shield bracelet activated, in a partially destroyed building, having set Bob down looking out toward the already damaged city. Nepeta was scraping images into a wall, humming to herself as she went. “So, you’re a troll, right?”
“Don't make me keep repeating it.”
“Righto then, just different from the ones I’m used to, ” Harry sat back as much as he could, while still putting magic into the shield, it was the only thing keeping the ghostly hands in the portal. “Can’t believe these things came for us right away.”
“Did you not know it was a pawsibility?”
“Nah, only ones I've ever seen were at earliest hours apart, though I guess I never really asked Merula much about her crew’s other trips.”
“Fur real? Not even once?”
“We were busy at the time.” That’s when Bob started yelling, actually sputtering over his word.
“We got-g-gotta j-jet Boss!”
The two humanoids looked over, both’s eyes going wide as they saw the immense monster through the fog. And then it started walking, in their direction, Nepeta lunging for the skull gathering the legless associate up as he started to scream “Godzilla!”
Dresden dropped the barrier and Nepeta bolted in first, with Bob in tow, Dresden barely getting in before Godzilla unleashed a blast of radioactive flame.
Rogue awoke with a groan on the cold ground, looking up at an unfamiliar skyline, a strange dome over the city. She was just sitting up when a figure in a bright blue outfit ran over to her, kneeling beside her and she saw the suit had car related details, especially the helmet. “Where…”
“Easy, you fell outta the sky. Surprised that you seem to be uninjured. Dropped quite a ways.” The man spoke, and Rogue was surprised by the Scottish accent, she didn’t know why, she just was. “Oh, and welcome to the domed city of Corinth!”
It took quite a lot of energy from the Arrancar to withstand the constant psychic assault while defending against both the sorcerer's spells and Grodd’s raw strength. He had drawn his blade mainly to fend off the gorilla, who was surprisingly agile given his size, while attempting to hit Shang Tsung with a Cero, though due to Grodd messing with his head he was only able to fire off weaker blasts.
It was then the psychic gorilla leapt into the air, preparing to smash the Arrancar flat, if he could, when a voice rang out. “Forzare!”
And Grodd was suddenly smashed against the opposite side of the arena from where the voice came from. Harry Dresden stood there, bracing his staff, before collecting himself to speak.
However Bob spoke first, still rested in Nepeta’s hold. “Good job, Hair -y! Eh… Eeeeeh…”
The wizard stared at the skull for a second. “Oh! Like H-A-I-R. Cat hair. I get it.”
Nepeta petted Bob, to which he purred of all things.
He was somewhat worried about the personality shift, as that came with change of ownership, considering Dresden hadn’t given him to Nepeta nor was he dead which would make the spirit up for grabs. Oh well, bigger threats to deal with. “Shang Tsung, and Gorilla Grodd!”
“You know them?” Nepeta asked, quite surprised.
“I read a lot of comics, and sometimes I watch Murphy play Mortal Kombat.”
The two villains focused their gaze on Dresden for only a second, before Grodd mentally spoke to Shang Tsung alone. The sorcerer grumbled. “I suppose you’re right, these aren’t our Chosen to deal with, we have other options for the amulet’s role.”
He created portals with ease and soon Shang Tsung and Grodd disappeared, Dresden and Nepeta jumped down into the arena but suddenly heard “Stop, criminal scum!” And Grimmjow led them into the arena’s waiting room, sealing it behind the group.
“Alright asshole!” The Arrancar got in the face of the wizard. “I didn’t need any help! I was having fun back there ‘til you got involved!”
“You know just once, a polite response to something I do would be nice… And no you definitely did need my help.”
“What?!”
“You were about to be a damn pancake.”
As the two bicker, Nepeta set Bob down, and took out a notepad. She started to doodle something while merely saying. “Fascinating.”
Later, the retreated pair found themselves retelling these events before the rest of the alliance. Tsukasa was rather surprised to see those sent for the amulet return empty handed, though as Shang Tsung explained the situation, he was surprised for other reasons. Looking to the cloaked figure to his left. “So they must be drawn to our targets as much as they are drawn to us and each other…”
Before looking around at the other members of their alliance the old man smirked at their leader before he spoke. “Oh, Grodd and I have one more piece of information, don’t we friend?”
The psychically powered gorilla grunted, then communicated with the others. “They have the spirit of intellect with them.”
Tsukasa let out a laugh. “So that’s why Snyde was actually eager to get involved, exposing something like that to the multiverse… Didn’t expect a third player in this game. This will be fun.”
Chapter 4: Good Men Don't Go To War
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“DAD thinks this place could use a True Value hardware store.” Dadbot said, as he walked along the New Vegas strip. The confused and befuddled NCR Ranger assisting him in his wandering still trying to figure out why the robots guarding the place just ignored the bald man.
“DAD should head in there.” He pointed to one of the buildings, and the ranger just shook his head.
“No one gets into the Lucky 38, trust me, many people have tried. Including plenty of the NCR’s best.” However this didn’t seem to matter to this ‘Dad’ who the ranger watched walk right up to the door and enter. What he didn’t see was Dad disappearing into a portal on the other side.
The Ranger waited for 3 whole days.
Iroh twisted the direction of Rita’s fireball when the monster that attacked them sprung off sideways, helping it narrowly avoid the trees, though perhaps the strange sense he was feeling laid beyond them. The young mage was still doing as best as possible to rapidly unleash her spells, while the multi-limbed creature pursued Estelle in something of a circular pattern.
When the creature was finally downed, it started to dissolve into a bubbling sludge. The old firebender kept his distance. “I have a guess that isn’t normal.”
“Most monsters don’t come out of portals either.” Estelle pointed out, it took a lot for Rita not to point out that the princess was pointing out the obvious. Thankfully something else got the mages attention
“And that is even less normal…” She pointed to the trees as spectral arms burst forth, grabbing Iroh and pulling him toward a portal, Rita grabbed onto the old man but her grip slipped when the hands seemed to actively shake her free.
Estelle rushed over to her as the portal closed behind Iroh.
Soon enough the old firebender was getting himself to his feet, when a strange-looking young woman ran up, yelling back to others, though it was hard to hear what the troll was saying over the explosions in the distance.
Nepeta was panicking when the portal spit out another to their team, if Dresden’s stories from the previous team were to be trusted, screaming out to get Dresden’s attention from both the battlefield and the yelling of Grimmjow, who had the unconscious body of their fourth team member, a being that introduced itself as ‘Dad’ to the team. When Harry put a hand on the man’s shoulder this ‘Dad’ fellow immediately passed out.
So all-in-all, while the Gundams were cool looking and Dresden would be sure to inform his buddy Butters about the giant robots, this leg of their journey was an absolute clusterfuck.
As Nepeta was able to get Iroh standing, that was when the alliance attacked.
“Ignarious!” Josie spoke the words a ball of flame heading towards the Chosen, easily deflected by Iroh, though it in fact was only to serve as a distraction, as a rain of crystal-like bullets came down over the group, those able to deflect and shield just barely escaping the attack as Xigbar appeared beside the girl.
“Still only two? Gonna run away as well?” Grimmjow goaded them on, only for Xigbar to point behind the arrancar as Madara attacked, Grimmjow only barely managing to dodge, the two beginning to focus on each other exclusively. The shinobi of the alliance gaining the upper hand rather quickly, forcing the arrancar backwards towards the other Chosen.
Josie pulled a blade out and when she went to move on the Chosen, her body jerked for a second, and then she sliced at Xigbar. Who mostly looked annoyed.
Haruhi walked down to the cell that, currently, contained Quiet, watching the young woman for a second before turning her gaze to Big Boss as stood there. Watching as well, but there seemed something off about it, there was always something off about him when she thought about it. But this time it was because the man wasn’t actually watching Quiet, he was staring in her direction, staring passed the sniper.
The teenager approached casually. “Hey, Boss.” She spoke calmly. “The need you up top.”
The man shook a bit as he returned to his senses, giving her a grunt of acknowledgement, as he was heading up, that's when he saw the portal forming behind Haruhi. He tried shooting at it, but the hands grabbed the girl despite that, Quiet tried to pull her back but had to let go for fear of hurting Haruhi. Soon she was gone, with as little explanation to any of them as when she first appeared.
When suddenly Josie struck at her own ally, Dresden’s eyes scanned the ridge of the battlefield as best as they could from this low vantage point and caught sight of a blonde girl focusing and soon collapsing backward, possibly the person in the driver's seat of the witch now. But more importantly was the figure that caught the woman, completely hidden in its grey hooded robes, the shape of the being was humanoid, but something was off. There was armour beneath the robe. There had to be.
“Hey! Man who looks like he’s desperately searching for his lost fedora!” The voice came from Josie, so it was the blonde, Dresden hated her already. “Knock this bitch out,” Josie's body was beginning to shake. “I can’t hold her for long!”
As Dresden obliges the request, damn near breaking Josie's nose in the process, Ino Yamanaka found herself back in her own body, looking up to the hooded figure. The helmeted face and voice just didn’t match. “Welcome back, Miss Yamanaka.”
“You were right… There’s something else in her head, not just like two personalities, but something… Powerful.”
“So she was right, there is a reason to worry.” Ino could hear the smile in their voice. “Now then, shall we take our leave?”
Ino nodded and the two stepped backward into a portal.
As they left, Dresden watched, feeling Nepeta tug at his sleeve to get him moving into their own portal before it snatched the, now five gathered, Chosen on it’s own. The team found themselves thrust out into what seemed to be an arrival room of sorts. Harry Dresden’s eyes narrowed at the place they stood, and the images on the screens made him come to a realization. “This… This is a cursed place.”
As he spoke those words, Riker and Worf entered the room with several security officers, all with phasers drawn. The wizard grumbled under his breath. “Fucking TNG.”
Chapter 5: Careful, Icarus
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Harry Dresden sat pouting in the starship’s brig, having caused a bit more of a stink than he intended by demanding Dad and Iroh get medical assistance. How was he supposed to know they were already intending to do just that? Or that, as it turns out, ‘Dad’ was in fact a robot of sorts… Which in hindsight made the whole ‘twitch violently then pass out when Dresden touched his shoulder’ situation make a lot more sense. Though it seemed like Dresden’s magic and it’s usual negative reaction with technology was so far inconsistent. He was able to cast magic while literally turned into data when he and Nepeta were in Tron, and despite several attempts, he couldn’t hex himself free.
Soon however the security team was dragging a stunned Grimmjow down into the cell ahead of him. Dresden smirking. “So what did he do?”
“Kept trying to fight the acting-captain.” One of them said, which for a few seconds Dresden didn’t acknowledge, then it hit him like a truck.
“Wait!” One of the team stopped to look back at him. “What do you mean ‘acting-captain’?”
The Blue Ranger had given Rogue the opening, goading Tanaya-7 into chatter, boasting of his heritage to catch her off-guard and forcing her to move defensively. Without lowering her visor. The mutant dove in, placing her hand over Tanaya’s mouth, draining that woman.
It wouldn’t kill her, the cybernetics in Tanaya saw to keeping her alive, but it proved the theory that she wasn’t fully machine. Rogue looked back at her ally. “Couldn’t have done that without ya’ Suge.”
“Oh, I know.” Flynn chuckled, then his gaze moved up to a nearby platform. “That a friend of yours?”
The fox-eared woman he saw up there started to laugh. Soon enough, Tamamo said. “One Chosen, this won't even be worth it.”
With a snap of her fingers, Tamamo summoned Hakuno’s digitized army. Only the faceless puppets, not true Servants but they’d be serviceable. “We’ll be taking your little transformy toys.”
The other Rangers ran up beside Rogue and Flynn, the Red Ranger said. “Over our dead bodies!”
Tamamo smirked. “That’s the plan”
Merula Snyde downed the beer she found in Dresden’s fridge, setting the soon empty bottle down before grabbing another and moving back to the wizard’s couch. His apprentice, Molly, rolling her eyes at Merula. “You know he’s not going to be happy about you drinking all his beer.”
“I don’t know how to properly word how little I care.” While it wasn’t much of a joke, Merula’s response did get a laugh out of the girl, though in the chair nearby, Dresden’s brother was still quite serious. Even with Mouse resting his giant doggy head in his lap.
“Not to be rude,” Thomas said. “How long has it been for you since you were here? Because you were a child last time I saw.”
That took a few moments for Merula to nail down the exact answer. “Time’s a bit funky, especially in the space between worlds… I was sixteen and now I’m… I wanna say 22.”
Suddenly the dog began to growl, whipping around to face the dimensional wanderers spot, as a daemonic blade is soon pressed against her throat. “Damn it, Merula.”
The former witch raised her hand to the others as they stood to face the armoured being now behind Merula. She looks up. “Hey, Troy, how's life?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know why I’m here!” Troy Bolton was attempting to not cry as he spoke. “How could you do this? They’ll strike you from the records for this!”
“If they can prove it… Though I suppose Greater Chaos wouldn’t send you if they couldn’t.”
There was a long pause, Merula looking up at her ally, his tears landed on her face, and then she smirked. “Tell them I demand the Trial Of Wills.”
“There’s a threat to the multiverse going on, they can’t set that up.”
“And? As soon as I demand, they have to do it. Which means I’m free until then, need to recruit after all.”
He took the blade away from her, expression changing from sadness to nearly annoyance. “Of course you’d request an entire tournament to prove your innocence.”
Chapter 6: Waltzing With Ruin
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Dresden burst onto the bridge as much as he possibly could with the guards still trying to restrain him, Acting Captain Riker turning to the commotion. “I said I wanted to speak to him before we released-“
“You’re flying into a trap!” The Wizard yelled, getting everyone’s attention with that one.
“What are you talking about?” Riker sighed.
“Those things that attacked the station and took Picard, I’m pretty sure they’re with our enemies, you need to change course right now-“
“I regret to inform you,” Data spoke from his console “We have already arrived.”
The ship dropped out of warp, and into a field of wreckage, and where a massive mess of a ship loomed in their view. “The ship is hailing us, sir.”
“Answer them. You, Dresden, right?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re staying for this.”
And soon the screen was dominated by the nasty visage of the massive Ork, Kaptin Bluddflagg. “Ahoy, ‘Umies.”
“Identify yourself!” Riker spoke, Bluddflagg snarling at the commend. “And why did you take the captain?”
“The names Bluddflagg, and youz don’t need dat detail, ya we’s got wot we needs ‘ere… But, me and da boyz like dat shiny ship a’ yourz” Alerts started to appear on various consoles.
“Impossible,” Worf said, confusion obvious in his tone. “Boarding parties beaming in, through our shields.”
The Kaptin continued “So we’d gonna take it! Oh, and dat must be da Chosen’s Weirdboy, right?” The Orks eyes traced over to Dresdens spot. “Oi, da biggest and da baddest of da alliance is joinin in!”
“Sir, reports of boarders include a long-haired man in armour similar to ancient earth cultures, and a… Giant psychic gorilla.”
Dresden sneered “Ran into both of those before…”
“Guess it be my turn to be headin’ ovah, been to long since I did me some propah krumpin!” The Ork disappeared from the screen.
--
On the alliance’s main base, Josie collapsed against a wall as she stepped from the portal, blood dripping from her mouth. Lotor quickly approached her. “Are you alright? No one has had such a reaction…”
Josie started to mumble quietly as he got close.
“I can’t understand you Josie, speak to me.” He looked back at Xigbar, Shang Tsung and Hakuno, only the Nobody giving any reaction, he looked concerned but didn’t offer anything more than a shrug.
The next word from Josie was just loud enough to be audible. “...Feed…”
And then she lunged at the alien man, revealing two rows of razor sharp teeth in the process.
--
Along with Worf, Data, and Riker, Dresden made his way through the halls of the ship, using wind spells as much as he could. “I really wish I had a gun or something right now!”
“If you find a spare phaser, use it.” Worf said in his usual tone.
“Fine! How far are we from my team?” Dresden directed the question at Riker.
“The medbay is just down the hall, the older man and the girl should still be there. Your android is in engineering, that’ll be harder to get to.”
The three Starfleet officers fired their phasers at several Orks, Dresden only throwing up his shield at the very moments they were needed.
They could see the medbay entrance, torn open, however the Ork that had done that soon was forced back out. In a ball of flame. Dead.
Iroh and Nepeta emerged soon after
“That can’t be safe to do on a spaceship.” Dresden mused.
--
In the casa de Dresden, Merula stood once the blade was away from her throat. “Since you brought their eyes here, Troy, I best be hitting’ the ol’ dusty trail.” A swirling green portal appeared where Dresden’s bedroom door was. “And there’s my ride.”
Troy sighed. “I don’t know what you’re planning but I know I don’t like it.”
Merula just rolled her eyes, and then Troy was gone as suddenly as he appeared. Her gaze turned back to Molly and Thomas. “You guys take care of yourselves.”
“You do the same,” Molly said with a smile. “Make sure you can come visit.”
“Yeah, I’ll consider it.” And so Merula left, the portal snapping shut behind her.
“I think I'm going to...” Molly trailed off, having been thinking aloud
Thomas raised an eyebrow. “What? You going to pray for her or something?”
“No, I’m going to ask my dad to.” She grinned, “That’ll probably have a bit more power to it.”
--
At this point they were pinned, the Ork had a massive gun and just kept firing, never seeming to run out of ammo, the crew so far was stuck behind Dresden’s shield. And that was becoming hard to hold up, he could see and feel it weakening.
“Damn, where’s Grimmjow when you need him?!”
Maybe there could’ve been an opening for Iroh to use his abilities but it would be too risky, Dresden didn’t want to make the call that could get an old man killed.
That’s when the portal appeared behind the Shoota boy, and with a loud noise, an energy blade severed the greenskins head from its body. Falling forward, their rescuer was now visible.
Dresden dropped the shield, and gave a sigh of relief. “Holy shit…”
“What? No ‘Thank you’?” The armoured figure spoke with a chuckle, before she deactivated the Darksaber. “How’ve you been Harry?”
“Been better, Sabine.”
Another figure stepped out, if his own helmet hadn’t been attached to his hip, Dresden wouldn’t have recognized him. Hell he barely did in that moment. “Evan? That you?”
“Oh, neat, it really is the same Dresden!”
--
Josie sat against the wall, blood covering the area around her mouth, she was shaking and confused. Xigbar knelt down, checking her over. “Hey, kiddo, you with us?”
“I don’t.. I didn’t…”
“I know, kiddo, I know.”
Soon, the leader of the alliance entered the room. “Is she back in control?” Tsukasa asked, genuine concern in his tone. “And how did this happen?”
Shang Tsung took the moment to speak “We believe the remaining essence of Famine was activated by the movement between worlds, temporary, and not true control.”
“And how do we stop that from happening again?”
“She travels through the corridors of darkness with me, obviously boss.” Xigbar said, now cleaning the blood off of Josie.
“Is… Is Lotor…” The girl continues to shake.
“Hakuno is seeing to him, he will heal fine.” Tsukasa spoke, before he and Shang Tsung took their leave.
“They’re gonna… Gonna kill me for this..”
“As if, you’re too useful. ‘Sides, I won’t let ‘em”
“Why…?”
“You remind me of someone is all.” Xigbar shrugged. “Though if this is happenin’ then I gotta make a move or two early.”
Chapter 7: Raison d'être
Chapter Text
“Come on, man! There’s no way you don’t love this!” Evan gunned down another Ork, as the group made their way toward the shuttle hangar, where the members of Alliance were currently. He looked over at Dresden. “Star Trek, Star Wars, 40k! This is some peanut butter in my chocolate, just throw in Halo and Mass Effect, and you would have every nerd achieve orgasm across the multiverse, like that”
He snapped for effect, Dresden rolling his eyes. “I’m just more of a DS9 guy.” He reluctantly murmured. “Where the hell is Grimmjow?”
As if in answer, there was a massive shudder that ran through the ship, the group continuing through hordes of Orks. “Days like this make me wish I took Mab’s offer,” Dresden muttered as he started to feel the effects of overexerting his magic “The boost of being Winter Knight would be nice.”
He ignored that tingling sensation in the back of his head, assuming it was Lash trying to establish herself while in the multiverse, if his last journey was anything to go off of she was weak outside of ones close to their own. Nepeta looked over. “What is this Winter Knight?”
“How do I put this… Mab makes you a peerless hunter, a killer extraodinaire,” He noticed the troll’s eyes starting to widen in interest “But! It costs you your freedom, you live to serve the Winter Court, not to mention the history of psychopaths that had job kind of ruined it’s reputation.”
“Still though… You fur just wishing you took it.”
“Yeah, but I’m a glutton for punishment! Fuego!” Flames ripped down a hallway, frying the charging Orks. Another violent shudder through the ship.
Riker taps his badge. “Status report!”
A voice came over the line “That weirdo from the group that beamed keeps trying to fight the ancient dressed man and.. Sir, I've never seen an alien life form with these sorts of bizarre abilities.”
As the group made their lower, soon enough DAD emerged from the door to the main engineering section, hoisting an Ork over his head and throwing it hard enough that it indented the wall on the side of the hall. “Ah, there is DAD’s friend, DAD was very confused when he woke up here.”
“Well that’s our crew so far, I’m pretty sure.” Dresden said to both Riker and Sabine. “Minus Grimmjow, I guess we’ll save him…”
“First things first, is dealing with the invaders.” Worf interjected.
“That Bluddflagg, or whatever, is in the cargo bay right? Drive him off and that should mean his goons too.” Evan tried to suggest, which gets a judging silent reception from Sabine “Come on now, there’s no need for that.”
The gathered Chosen and the Starfleet officers move their way further down to the cargo bay section, Bluddflagg resided, as those that could fight the Orks engaged the troops, some of the biggest so far, Dresden made the charge with Bob back on his hip. Getting the big Orks attention with a “Forzare!”
The lance of pure force shot forward, cracking hard into the greenskin, who started to laugh after getting knocked back. “Finally! A real fight on ‘dis humie ship!”
Bluddflagg raised a massive gun, and opened fire, tearing holes in steel walls, dangerously close to ripping open the hull of the ship. Each blast took out Starfleet soldier and Bluddflaggs own Orks, without a sign of care.
Dresden had to act fast, charging in again, unleashing a jet of flame through his staff, but unlike his goons, the lead Ork slowly took damage. And just as he started to tap into Lash’s hellfire, something kicked him hard in the back and straight to the floor, Dresden tried to get up and another kick to the side, flipped him onto his back.
Kamen Rider Decade loomed in his magenta armored glory, placing a foot on Dresden before his gaze turned to the Ork. “This is against my orders!”
“Da boyz needed a fight! Dey’s gettin’ real antsy!”
“And they will have it later! Activate your return portals before I eliminate you, Grodd and Madara for this!”
“Yes… Warboss…” The Kaptin gritted his teeth and disappeared obediently.
“You! We’re going to-Agh!” As Dresden tried to posture, Decade stomped down hard on his chest, not enough to break anything but damn close.
“Do you even know what your goal is? I know Snyde convinced your guide to abandon duties, but the greater powers are fickle anyway.”
“What are you…. Merula is meant to be our guide, she's just injured!”
“Is that what she told you? I suppose it’s easier than the truth” The smirk could be heard through the helmet. “Merula is one of the creators of our little party, of course, she betrayed me. Once I was an Unbound I became ‘too dangerous’ for her to control. Fractured the whole thing, took her loyalists with her. You're out in the multiverse, my dear detective, not to stop the Deadly Alliance, but to put an end to our little civil war… Good luck.”
Dresden attempted to strike at the Kamen Rider, but the world fell away beneath him as a portal appeared…
Chapter 8: Quiet Japanese Town
Chapter Text
Harry Dresden sat cross-legged on the ground within the grounds of the shrine. And the strangest part to all onlookers was that it was in the pouring rain. Though right now there was only two, Grimmjow yawned as he waited, while Rogue was slightly more concerned, opening an umbrella and heading over to him “Listen, Suge, I get y’all are upset about your friend but…”
As she trailed off, Dresden looked over, and he’s just very clearly been sitting there pouring. “She made a whole secret cabal and didn’t invite me!”
Grimmjow started laughing as he overheard this, while Rogue pinched the bridge of her nose. “That’s what’s got you upset? Not her lyin’ bout it?”
“Obviously not, it’s a secret cabal that I’m not part of, it’d be weird if she wouldn’t lie, I just think I should’ve been consulted, after all I did to help her.”
—
Catra stood before the plinth where the crystal sat, adjusting the cloak she’d been given… She knew it was important, that it was a symbol of a terror and fear that would have been in the world they failed the most but… Black with red clouds seemed silly for a secret organization like this.
Reaching out, she placed her hand on the crystal, and the room around her fell away. Replaced with the rocky emptiness of a dead world. It was a projection of course, even if it felt real. She was standing still in reality, even as her projected form walked toward the other figures. “Please tell me you called this meeting for a good reason, Erza and I have a date tonight.”
Merula nodded, but also laughed, sitting on a small boulder. “No worries, it won't be a long one,” the young woman looked around as the other figures started appearing. “As long as everyone’s on time.”
“Always am.” Terry said, as he took to leaning against a ruined pillar while the others gathered around.
“To business then… First we have a new member.” Merula gestured to the left, as Rafael Waithe finished his approach. “And that ties in to my next point… They found out I brought him, and his brother, back from the dead.”
“Shit.” Catra groaned.
“So, as agreed, I have called for the trial.” Merula sighed. “Including myself, I’ll need 15 to represent my interests.”
“You can count me along that,” Raf spoke, to which there was a murmuring of agreement.
“Thank you, Raf. But with our plans, I can only spare a few of you. Which brings my total so far, if all goes to plan, to 6 I think I can trust.”
Terry gave a nod “You’ll need me in the field, so I’m guessing that’s yourself, Catra and Raf from among our group. Sabine will see it as the right thing. Dresden as well… Then who else?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. For now, other business… Iskandar!”
The armoured form of Iskandar Khayon nodded, his cloak hanging over one shoulder now. “Our associate, the Yamanaka girl, has confirmed it… Famine yet lives on within the Saltzman child.”
“Well, that’s gonna complicate things!” One of the figures spoke out of turn, much to only Iskandar's annoyance, the Master of Masters, who looked more than a little silly with a cloak over his own.
The Bearer Of The Curse simply grunted in agreement.
“We’ll have to bring Ino in, that’s good enough of a test, and she’ll need the protection.” Merula stated first off, “As for Famine…”
—
While the other two watched over Dresden while he pouted, Nepeta, Haruhi, Iroh and Dadbot made their into the quiet town, moving through the shopping district adjacent to the shrine. Nepeta stopped before a sign, mumbling to herself as she read it… She knew she didn’t know this language, and yet, she could read it fine. That was convenient but still bothered her.
“Meat dimension?” Haruhi spoke, making Nepeta almost jump, the girl had been rather silent up to this point “Weird advertising, but if it works it works. Plus, it’s decently affordable…”
Haruhi patted herself, and came to a realization, as she looked at the fatigues she’d been wearing on Motherbase. “Right… Wallet was in my room… Sorry…”
“You’re apologizing fur no reason.” The troll spoke how she felt on it
“I just figure I’d be the only one with yen on me.”
Nepeta shrugged, she was only sure about herself but she was the outwardly least human. “Purrhaps.”
“Let’s keep moving, the old guys are probably getting impatient.” As the two started back towards the others, the machine man was looking around
“This place really could use a TRUE VALUE hardware store.” He said to Iroh, who had a flat annoyed expression. There wasn’t much that Dadbot added to a conversation, but before the quartet could continue, a man approached them.
“Alright,” the man flashed a badge. “Look, I don’t wanna do this, ‘specially since I’m not a damn beat cop… Anyway, I’m Detective Dojima, I’m sure you’ve seen the news, so I gotta ask what two older guys are doin’ wandering around in the rain with teenage girls.”
Before the others can interject, Haruhi steps forward “Oh! What? You got a problem with our dads, huh?! See I told you this backwater shithole would be full of a bunch fucking hi-“ She’s stopped as Iroh placed a hand on her shoulder.
Playing along, he spoke “Now, dear, what have I said about jumping to conclusions?” He looked to Dojima “I’m sorry, she’s just protective.”
Dojima nodded, desperately trying and failing to hide how mortified he was about his faux pas. “Right, uh, and she’s yours too?”
He pointed to Nepeta who just said “Adopted.”
Iroh nodded and spoke, placing a hand on Dadbot “My husband and I were just looking for the nearest lodgings, for us and some of his extended family. They’re admiring the shrine right now.”
Dadbot nodded, while it was rough to deviate from his programming he knew the value of this deception “That is correct, HUSBAND.”
“You’ll, uh, the Amagi Inn is really the only place, media circus has waned a little so there should be rooms..” He then gives the four directions, before making himself scarce.
They head to the shrine, and inform the others. Once they drag Dresden out of his sulking, the full group of Chosen make their way to this Amagi Inn.
Even once the rooms were settled, Dresden couldn’t relax, still annoyed, upset and a bit hungry, he took to wandering the area, but never straying too far. Nepeta insisted on going with him, and she was getting bored quick. “Why does this both-fur you so much?”
“Honestly? It doesn’t… And that’s the weird part. Like, Merula’s lying to me, outright, but I can’t figure out why. I’d have joined her in a heartbeat, she’s my friend…” The tall man sighed “Which means she’s been protecting me. Fuuuuuuuck!”
“Your furiend purrtecting you is bad thing?”
“Because it creates way more questions!”
“That’s purrpawsterous.” And after a pause between the two, Nepeta slumped “Okay some times I furce the puns.”
Chapter 9: Hate Conquers All
Chapter Text
Some years prior in a cosmic sense…
“I told you that you wouldn’t want to see this!” Merula yelled, her voice process through her helmet as she dove to the side, the large blade slamming into the ground where she had been standing.
“No! It’s… I can get through to him, I’m sure of it!” Troy asserted his point once more, the sound drawing the attention of Artorias, or rather, the mindless destructive force that was once him. “Art! You know me! It’s Troy! That’s Merula… We’re your friends damn it!”
Artorias lunged at Troy, who brought up his shield, but the attack never landed, cut off as a voice echoed “Swirling Rider Kick!”
Present day, more or less…
It was a couple hours since his realization, but Dresden wasn’t thinking about that, as it was the guys turn in the resort's hot spring. Slipping in was not the easiest for a man of his height, but he still got deep enough into the water, and let out a sigh.
“So then, this is our plan? Just wait for the bastards to show up?” Grimmjow questioned from his spot along the edge, while trying not to eye too much of the wizard nearby.
“If they’re anything like the Horseman then… Yeah pretty much.” Dresden shrugged, looking at the older men of the group for agreement.
While DAD simply sat there on the side, still trying to fight his own programming for the sake of the charade, Iroh gave a nod “And besides, nothing wrong with enjoying a perk the job hands you.”
“See, he gets it.”
Grimmjow just rolled his eyes, he wasn’t exactly built to relax. “What about your friend?”
Dresden just waved dismissively. “Look, I know what the Alliance’s boss was trying to do, and yeah, it bothers me that she kept me in the dark but… I still trust her.” This gets a questioning look from both Grimmjow, and DAD. “You guys wouldn’t get it, you don’t know her. She gave up everything to stop Apocalypse, so whatever she’s doing, there’s a good reason.”
He sank as much as he could into the water, and closed his eyes, thankful no one felt the need to respond, assuming they all had people who, whether they liked it or not, they thought similarly about.
Just outside of their room, Haruhi shifted to open the door while carrying the small basket worth of sodas, and grumbled as she entered. This gets the attention of Rogue and the other teen girl. “Oh, if you want alcohol, they’re not going to sell it to me.” She said to the older woman, who chuckled a bit, and set down the drinks “Um, just got big brands, didn’t look like they had anything interesting that was local.”
“Well this place is a bit podunk, aint it?” Rogue chuckled a bit as she took a drink, sipping on it.
“I used to live in cave, so…” Nepeta shrugged, flipping through channels on the room’s television, then looked back “I can’t not call it an impurrovement.”
“Gotta be honest, Sugah, I don’t know how to respond to that.” There was a pause after Rogue spoke, before the three began to laugh.
Across the town, a man named Adachi laid on his bed, staring up at his ceiling. Boredom was constant, and whoever was interrupting his fun needed to be found.
“Well, aren’t you pathetic?” Looking over, there was a fox woman standing in his apartment, looking at him with disgust, Adachi scrambled over to grab his gun, but there was a bolt of energy and the world went dark.
When Adachi came to, no idea how long he was out for, he was tied to a chair. Two figures stood before, a teenage girl, and… Well the other didn’t look much older, but definitely had the attitude of an older bitch. He sneered and said “You little whores better let me go or-“
There was a hard crack across his face, and then a man with purple skin and, while most had been fixed, with a particularly nasty scar was along his throat, entered his vision. Lotor rubbed his knuckles a bit “Now, now, that’s no way to speak to ladies.”
“We really need this asshat?” Josie finally spoke, looking between the other two alliance members, and Hakuno sighed.
“Unfortunately. Well, his power anyway.” She shifted her stance “As much as Tsukasa would prefer another from this world, he’s the only one currently stable enough. Lotor, prepare him for the binding.”
Josie walked up as Lotor went through the supplies for the ritual, grinning and baring her recently acquired razor sharp teeth. “We’re going to have fun with you.”
–
Morning eventually broke, the team slowly awakening, starting with DAD at 6 am sharp. “Ah, morning!” He got up and prepared himself and decided to enjoy the morning air. As he stepped outside, he noticed, sitting on the ledge, a young woman. If he was recalling correctly, it was the innkeepers daughter, she gave him a polite wave as she seemed to be heading off, given the uniform he presumed, to a school. A nice normal interaction. “Ah. A lovely day.”
That was when a gunshot fired, hitting him directly in the chest, the Dadbot didn’t even stumble back, just turning his gaze from the peaceful view of the town to Adachi. “I see, you must be a member of the Deadly Alliance. Combat protocols: Activated.”
While others had been up already, it was the gun shot that had awoken Dresden, as he threw on his pants hurriedly and rushed outside. Only to see DAD toss a detective against a tree, which revealed a purple skinned man, who chose that moment to signal someone else.
Two figures emerged, Josie and Hakuno, both looking rather amused. Deciding to finally deal with DAD, Josie launched a fireball but this was safely redirected as Iroh emerged.
Hakuno rolled her eyes at her associate, then let out a burst of energy, knocking everyone on their asses, but much to both his and Dresdens surprise, the Dadbot didn’t shut down.
“I suppose I should have specified to not shoot the robot. Well, time to engage it seems, we need the energies of this realm, so stand aside or be destroyed.” Hakuno delivered that last part, with little enthusiasm.
“How about we make it a bet?” Dresden stood, a bit shakily from the energy wave that knocked him over, he looked between Hakuno and Josie, ignoring their new toadie… Or whatever Adachi was supposed to be to them. “You win, we let this place slide, I win and well… I want something important.”
He didn’t need to finish, there was an unspoken offer that moved between the three magic wielders. Adachi looked between them all with pure confusion. “You assholes gonna let me in the big se-”
With a gesture, Hakuno erased the man’s mouth, her own turning into a malicious grin “You want a true name? Cheeky.”
“Well, since I’ll need something equal in value, what else wou-” Hakuno cuts him off “You’ll get the kid’s”
“What? Why mine?” Josie whips around to face her supposed ally
“Because you’re far lower on the ladder than you realize.”
It was then with one gesture, Hakuno changed the game, wireframe walls appearing, separating the chosen as they all piled out, as well as the members of the Deadly Alliance “First through the maze to the center of the tower,” she said wire friend took the shape of one “Will be the victor, if two arrive from opposing sides, lethal force is approved.”
The group separated, and while most others from the enemy side, Josie in particular, focused on victory, Adachi was given the order to hunt, and while he did manage to put a couple flesh wounds into Dresden, Grimmjow soon came up behind him, and quickly dispatched the killer detective, by ripping his heart out.
Rogue would eventually, after finding herself on a school roof, be confronted with Lotor. “I suppose we must fight.”
“Nah, we don’t have to, Sugah, pretty face like that, wouldn’t want to bruise it.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.”
“Includin’ whatcha bosses plan is?”
“Almost everywhere. But I do value my life.”
Thanks to her superior senses, Nepeta knew Josie had transported up to right at the end, of the maze, to ensure a fight, and that the one bumbling through was an illusion.
And waiting invisibly, Josie didn’t expect the full bore rush of a teenage troll slamming into her.
The two clatterd and flailed across the floor, until Josie managed to get up, readying a spell, only for Nepeta to pop the claws of her gloves, and stab the other teen right in the side. “You think I’ve not hunted dangerous purrey befur?”
Nepeta pulled her blades out, slicing Josie open just a bit more. But also the witch stumbled back she started to mutter “Feed” over and over, even though she looked panicked
Josie fumbled for small device, and hit a button on it, even as Nepeta rushed at her once more, then the building began to stake, as a swirling portal appeared “I just signalled an exit, enjoy the drop.” Are the words Josie managed to choke out before running away.
As Josie fled for the portal, Nepeta wanted to pursue, but the collapsing structure would get them both even if she did catch the other girl, so she turned to make the leap outward… That’s when the sound hit, something like a whistle moved through the air… Then came the pain, Nepeta realized she’d been hit just as she’d kept from the tower… No… No ‘hit’ was too gentle… Whatever was shot at her had torn through her guts. Thankfully the hellish pain soon went numb, even if it did mean she was going into shock.
-
Dresden caught the falling girl, taking the brunt of the landing himself, not that it mattered. He could feel the heat of Nepeta’s blood soaking through his shirt. “Hey, hey, stay with me kid…” He forced himself to stand, his own injuries going ignored as he made it partway up the hill. “Just..Just focus..”
Cradling her now in his arms, he could see the young troll girl’s eyes losing light, there were footsteps then a gasp. He didn’t look up but he knew it was Haruhi, that meant there rest of the team wasn’t far behind her. “Oh… Oh god…” She started to move closer “Is she…”
“Stay back.” He spoke, as an idea clicked in his head, a price he could pay in exchange for the girl’s survival. The rest of the team arrived in time to be hit with the surge of magic when he first said the name, Dadbot’s machine body going unresponsive, the robotic man unable to intervene even if had understood what was about to happen.
“Suge, what the hell are you-” He cut off Rogue by speaking the name again, another wave of magic, but with this one came a cold and bleak sensation.
Frost appeared on the grass, the blood even starting to freeze, as Dresden spoke her name one last time. Reality tore briefly as Mab, his own world’s Queen of Air and Darkness, stepped out of a portal before. “You better have a very good reason for summoning me.”
He gritted his teeth, took a breath and spoke. “Save the girl, and you’ll have your Knight.”
It was as the twisted gleam of amusement filled Mab’s eyes that he realized he couldn’t move, and as she took Nepeta from his arms cradling her similarly, that Harry realized something even more important.
He fucked up.
Big.
“So tell me, child.” Mab spoke deceptively softly to Nepeta, as Dresden struggled to speak and protest. “If I save your life, will you serve as my Winter Knight?”
Everything ached in Dresden as he tried to stop this, to clarify his true meaning. It was supposed to be him… But that didn’t matter, he panicked and misspoke, and the Winter Queen was going to abuse that. And then, weakly, Nepeta nodded.
In a bluster of cold wind and snow the two disappeared, the grip on Dresden let him go. He stared off into the distance, unable to even think.