Chapter Text
She was back!
The next few moments were a blur as he pulled her into a tight embrace. Tears leaked down his face as he held her close, unintelligibly babbling his disbelief. He oscillated between the urge to hold her tightly in his arms and the need to examine her to make sure she was really okay, which must have given her whiplash as he hugged her, pulled away just to look at her (and yes, she was really there!), and then pulled her into a hug again.
Nimona froze when he had first grabbed her, but she was now laughing and grinning wider than he had ever seen her, both pleased and taken aback by his dramatic reaction to her appearance. He asked her a million half-formed questions, and she answered none of them to any degree of satisfaction.
She was just as confused about what had happened or how she has survived as he was.
“I wasn’t sure I would live,” Nimona admitted a few minutes later as things settled down and they sat on the couch in the lair. “I thought maybe I could, but I wasn’t sure.”
A heavy weight settled in Ballister's chest as he closed his eyes. Slowly, he opened them again. “Just... please don’t do that again.”
She gave him a toothy grin. “You got it, boss.”
It was her tone and the glimmer of familiar mischief in her eyes that lifted the weight from his chest. She was really here. She was really okay.
He had hoped that she could have survived the blast, but he had never allowed himself to believe it was a possibility. It hurt too much.
And now she was here.
“How long was I gone anyway?” she asked.
Ballister’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “You don’t know?”
Nimona shrugged. “Time was kind of funny until recently. When I finally started to become more myself, I wasn't feeling stable and couldn't keep a form for long, so I stayed away from the city. When I started to feel stronger a few days ago, I came here."
“Are you feeling strong now?” he asked, a sense of panic twisting his insides. What if she only looked okay? What if she was still hurt?
She rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, I promise! I’m as strong as ever.” And to prove her point she shapeshifted into a gorilla and flexed her arm muscles.
Ballister sagged in relief. “That's good. But I think it took you longer than you think. You’ve been gone for 15 years, Nimona.”
“Seriously?” she she exclaimed, her gorilla mouth hanging open. She paused, and then shook her head with a smirk. “Not bad, boss. You actually had me for a second.”
Ballister chuckled, unable to help himself. “I learned from the best smart-ass I know.”
She grinned at the compliment, transforming back into her human girl form.
“It’s been almost two months,” he told her. “A lot has changed. The new king was crowned, the Institute is dealing with a lot of political pushback, and the city is still rebuilding from…” he stopped himself when he saw Nimona's muscles tense as she looked away.
He continued on anyway.
“The city is still rebuilding from when the Director tried to destroy half the city for her own crusade," he finished. "The city owes you everything, Nimona .” He placed a hand on her shoulder and and waited until she looked back up at him. “Countless people would have died if you hadn’t saved them.”
She rolled her shoulder, causing his hand to fall away. “She wouldn’t have used that gun if I hadn’t lost control in the first place,” Nimona said quietly. “I caused a lot of damage.”
“You weren’t trying to hurt anyone,” Ballister countered, but they both knew that wasn’t completely true. Nimona had been aiming to hurt one person in particular.
When Nimona didn't respond, Ballister swallowed, his throat sticky with emotion. She was really okay, wasn't she? What if she was still in the same amount of emotional pain she had been that day?
"Nimona, I know you are used to handling everything on your own, but if you ever do want to talk, you know I’m here for you, right?”
She gave him a small, sad smile. “I know. Thanks, boss.”
It didn’t feel like enough. He has spent weeks imagining what he could say to her if he could, and now here she was sitting in front of him.
“I’m sorry,” he continued. “I’m sorry for what I said. I should have just trusted you. I should have listened better and tried to understand. Instead I ended up doing what everyone did to me. I know it’s not enough, but I’m really sorry-”
He was cut off as Nimona flung herself across the couch and wrapped her arms around his middle, her face pressed to his cotton tunic.
“You understand now,” she said in a whisper. “That’s what matters.”
He wrapped his arms tightly around her and Ballister took comfort in the gentil rhythm of her breathing. They stayed like that, just sitting on the couch together soaking in the other's company. Ballister realized in that moment that everything was going to change. He had to take care of her and keep her safe and happy. He had to make sure that she never got to that dark place again, and that she never doubted that he would be there for her.
There was a flash of pink, and suddenly the comfort of another human body was replaced by a heavy slimy feeling with way too many appendages.
He pulled away slowly and gave the creature in his arms an unimpressed look. He didn’t mind the shapeshifting, but he knew her well enough to know when she was trying to annoy him.
She grinned at him, all eight tentacles wrapped around him. “What?” she asked. “Octopi give the best hugs!"
“I draw the line at octopus hugs.”
“Oh, but you’ll put your head in a shark's mouth?”
“Of course. Who doesn’t want to do that at least once?”
Nimona laughed, turning into a small weasel, and scurrying out of his arms. She ran up the back of the couch before settling there, looking down at him and maintaining the weasel shape.
“So, what have you been up to while I’ve been dead?” She asked nonchalantly as she scratched her ear with her back paw. “You haven’t been doing any evil plans without me, right?”
“No, no evil plans.”
Nimona paused, her weasel face falling. “Aww boss, don’t tell me you're a knight again. You’re better then that place!”
“No, no, I’m not a knight,” he reassured her quickly.
That seemed to surprise her as she cocked her furry head to the side. “You’re not? But didn’t you clear your name?”
“I did. They wanted to knight me again, but I refused. I can’t pledge my loyalty to something that I don't believe in. The Institute is going through a reform. The people are mad. The Institute promised to protect them, and people gave them their loyalty, only for the Director to kill the Queen and then turned a canon in it’s own citizens. Things need to change.”
“Finally! Did the people rise up in a bloody revolution, storm the noble houses, and chop off everyone's heads?” she asked eagerly.
“Thankfully no.”
“Damn… why not?”
"There were riots and rallies, but the Institute promised to listen to the people and started to make some initial changes, so things have calmed down a little since then. I might have also helped a bit. I was able to shed some light on the situation and I ended up becoming a sort of ambassador for the commoners."
“Your diplomacy ruined a revolution, boss,” she sulked.
“There might not have been a revolution, but things are changing, Nimona," he insisted. "Instead of focusing on monsters and the wall, the Institute is starting to look at the real problems in the city. The people are demanding that the budget that went to new weapons and defenses be put towards welfare programs, and the new king seems to be listening. Commoners are allowed to become knights, and certain political groups are pushing for even more than that."
She morphed back into a girl, still sitting precariously on the back of the couch. “That’s great and all, but it’s still the Institute. They never really change."
“You might be right,” Ballister said. “It’s been less than two months and we'll have to wait to see if enough changes can be made to actually make a difference. I’m not blindly putting my faith in them anymore. Question everything, right?”
Nimona nodded without her normal snarky response. He proudly realized that he must have actually surprised her.
“But I think things are changing and I hope they will continue to change. People were willing to listen when I told them who you really are.” Nimona tensed and Ballister worried that he had done something wrong but he pressed on quickly. “I explained that it was the Director who was framing you, not the other way around. Since everyone saw you save the city, that was the proof they needed. You’re a hero to them, Nimona.”
Nimona snorted. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
Ballister opened his mouth to protest, but Nimona cut him off.
“But thanks for sticking up for me and defending my honor and all that knightly bullshit, boss,” she said with a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I wouldn’t expect any less from you.”
“ Nimona …" he trailed off. He was uncertain how much to tell her now, or if he should wait. She did just get back and she might need rest. On the other hand, the thought of her not knowing how appreciated she was ate at him. "I think I need to show you something. I know you just got back, but are you up for a road trip?”
Her eyes lit up as she jumped off the couch. “I’m in! Where are we going?”
“It’s hard to explain. You’ll see when we get there.” Ballister stood up and then paused, looking down at her. “You’ll still be recognized by your wanted posters. Can you turn into something less conspicuous so we wont get mobbed?” he grabbed his cloak and threw it over his shoulders. He then tugged his hood over his head. He was still a recognizable figure and he didn’t want people stopping him on the streets.
There was a flash of pink and he heard wings flapping. Nimona landed on his shoulder as a small pink parakeet.
“Ah yes, mobs and their fire and pitchforks. I’m familiar with those. You sure you want to avoid them? They can be kind of fun if you know how to mess with them.”
Ballister signed. “Not those kind of mobs- You know what. It will all make more sense when we get there.”
He had taken the subway that day and walked the rest of the way to the tower. He usually used Ambrosius's car to get around, but his boyfriend needed it for work today. The walk wasn’t far to the subway and they didn’t pass many people.
He asked her multiple times if she really felt good enough to travel, or felt weak at all, but she just brushed off his concerns with an eye roll. It was a strange sight to see on a parakeet.
After boarding the subway, He found a train car at the back that was unoccupied so they wouldn’t be bothered.
Nimona took the seat across from him as a lynx and used the seat cushion to sharpen her claws. He gave her a disapproving look, but held back a lecture on defacing public property for now.
“So if you're not a knight, and your not a villain, what are you doing?” Nimona asked. “More of that diplomacy crap?”
“Basically. There is a new movement called the Democratic Endeavor for Society’s Progression And Inclusive Representation. Instead of just a monarchy, we are pushing towards a parliamentary democracy.”
“And you lead this group?” Nimona asked skeptically.
“Gloreth no, I’m an ex-knight, not a politician. I am supporting their cause and trying to use any influence I have to get people to listen to us.”
“And… to be clear, you didn’t name the group, right boss?”
“Umm… no? Why?”
Nimona cracked a large grin on her cat face and Ballister could see all of her sharp teeth. “Because the Democratic Endeavor for Society’s Progression And Inclusive Representation,” she rattled off from memory, “has the most unfortunate acronym.”
Ballister frowned in puzzlement, but then it clicked.
Nimona cackled. “D.E.S.P.A.I.R. Holy shit, the irony! Glad you guys are at least aware enough to know it’s a lost cause!” she laughed hard, doubling over in her Lynx body until she transformed into a monkey so she could grip her sides in laughter.
“How did no one catch that?” Ballister asked himself
“I hope you didn’t already make T-shirts!” Nimona howled.
“Well, the group hasn’t been around for very long,” Ballister said defensively. “And even with the unfortunate name, I think we are fighting for a good cause. This is the first group that has ever tried to push for common people to have any kind of position of power in the government."
Nimona 's laughter slowed and she used her monkey paws to wipe her eyes. “I bet the monarchy hates that.”
“We've had a lot of pushback, but the majority of the common folk support it. The noble houses are divided, and the new king has been… hard to read on what he does and doesn’t support. I’ve been trying to get another meeting with him, but it's been difficult. Then there's another group who has a lot of power right now with the noble houses. They think that the crown is getting weak and that democracy will cause the government to become unstable."
“That sounds like the Director,” Nimona said.
Ballister nodded. “The group is calling themselves Gloreth’s Guardians of Truth.”
“Of course they do,” she said with a sigh as she slouched in her monkey form. “You humans make everything so complicated. Can’t you just… not do government?”
Ballister chuckled. “And live in the woods forging for food with no rules or money?”
Her eyes lit up. “Yeah! Why not? I’ve done it.”
He shook his head in amusement. “I don’t think anyone is going to go for that.”
“Can’t be any worse than foraging on the streets for food with no money following rules that only benefit the rich. At least you would all be equal.”
Ballister paused. She had a good point. Even with the Democratic Endeavor for Society’s Progression And Inclusive Representation's ideas on how to change the government, things still wouldn’t be equal. This would be just one step towards equality, but they still had a long way to go.
“So you don’t think Democratic Endeavor for Society’s Progression And Inclusive Representation-"
“Come on, just call it D.E.S.P.A.I.R., you know you want to!”
He groaned. “Fine. So you don’t think D.E.S.P.A.I.R. will work?”
She blinked and shifted into her teenage human form. “Who knows, boss? I’m just a kid, what do I know about politics?”
He gave her a deadpan look and she grinned mischievously at him.
“It’s not the worst idea,” she admitted. “Any power taken away from the monarchy and given back to the people is good. But it’s still supporting Gloreth’s kingdom, which was built on intolerance of anything different and the belief that common folk can't be trusted with power. As long as the Institute exists, and things like that exist-" She waved to a screen beside them which played an advertisement for a cologne. The male model wore shining armor as he mounted a horse and smirked sexily at the camera. He charged with his lance towards a dragon and speared it directly in it's heart. The advertisement faded to black and the cologne bottle appeared on screen with the tag line: Unleash your inner valor. Nimona rolled her eyes. “As long as those things are still around, things won’t be equal. And the people in power are not going to let you change things so easily.”
Ballister winced as he watched the advertisement replay again. How did Nimona live in this city where every corner had advertisements depicting people wanting to kill her? No wonder she was the way she was: chaotic, unapologetic… lonely.
“I know it won’t be perfect," Ballister said as he refocused his attention on her. "But I think we can make a difference. At the very least, we can make it so there are less street kids stuck in orphanages and that people can have a change for a decent life.”
Nimona placed her hands behind her head as she leaned back. “Hey I’m just the side kick. You’re the boss, boss. Whatever your dark heart desires,” she said with a wink.
He grinned, but then found the expression slipping off his face.
For the first time in his life, Ballister looked at her, really looked at her. He took in the powerful millennial old creature before him and saw a new depth to her. She’s lived longer than he could comprehend, been hundreds of different creatures, and had experiences that he could only dream of. She must have been watching humanity from the shadows for so long. What did she think of them? She probably didn't have many positive opinions. And yet, here she was, choosing to be around him. She even seemed willing to help him, even though she owed him and humanity nothing.
She was amazing.
Nimona's face fell as she eyed him in concern. He was reminded of the look she gave him when he was first starting to piece together that she was the shapeshifting creature from his foggy memory. Like she knew as soon as it clicked, he would never treat her the same again.
“What?” she asked, squirming uncomfortably in her seat. “You’re looking at me weird… like you're kind of freaking out.”
"I'm not freaking out."
Her eyes narrowed in disbelief.
"I'm not, I promise. It just... hit me how awesome you are."
Relief flashes across her face and she relaxed with a smile. "You only figuring that out now, boss?"
Ballister chuckled. “I'm sorry, I'm slow."
"Eh, it's okay. You're only human."
He laughed and it felt freeing to just talk with her a laugh. Ever since she came back, he felt lighter than he had in his entire life.
He knew things were not going to be easy. He still had a lot of work to do before he was proud of the city he lived in. He also had a lot of things he still needed to catch Nimona up on, both politically and in his personal life. He didn't even get a chance to tell her about the Followers of the Phoenix, but that was probably best for another time. He didn't want to overwhelm her.
"Well," Nimona said with a stretch. "You got your work cut out for you, boss. It sounds like I'll be doing a lot of sidekicking. Just point me in the right direction. You still have that hang up about murder?"
"By hang up, do you mean the fact that I don't like it?"
"Yeah."
"Yes, I do."
"Fine," she said with a loud sigh. "Party pooper."
He smiled. "I'm glad you're willing to help. I really want to make this city a good place to live for everyone, including you."
Nimona shook her head in amusement. “That's sweet, boss, but don’t worry about me. Just stick to the stuff you can actually change.”
Ballister was about to protest when the subway announced their stop. If she thought that things couldn't change for her, then no argument from him would be enough. He would just have to show her.