aiko's otter den

black cat's curses - Blake Belladonna is not a faunus.

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13. epilogue

Blake Belladonna was not a faunus.

She’s sure of this now, as the world rewinds. She was not and would never be a faunus. Even as her body suddenly hurt like a gaping maw chewed and swallowed each piece, she knew.

And her heart thudded even as it tore in two.

She was Tailmon, and she was something else, someone else, even when a little white blur touched her with gloved paws.

The world opened before her and a thing without words, shining even in the darkest shadows, blinded her until time ceased to exist.

Meicoomon’s sobs faded away. The warm silver light stayed, and she remembered.

For a moment, she had hatched alone. For eternities, she wandered alone. She fell into the monster’s castle, and he taught her. He corrupted her; he cracked. He didn’t break her.

Hikari let her heal, and she grew and freed herself. She was better, different.

But why was she this?

Something laughed, dancing through the air. “Isn’t that yours to decide?”

Wizarmon’s gloved palm squeezed her paler one. “You have choices now, Tailmon. Blake.”

“Don’t you?” she asked. She was afraid to open her eyes. If she looked at him, she’d bend and fall back into the old world, her old life. Blake felt her stomach revolt at the idea.

He laughed. “Maybe I’ll go into the cycle, but my time is long up, anyway. It has been for a while. I’m just very stubborn, you know.”

She remembered. “I hope you’ll be happy wherever you go.” She said that instead of i miss you because she didn’t. She can’t, really.

“I’ll certainly try to be.” He patted her hand. “Open your eyes, Blake. You need to grab Ruby and get going.”

Blake didn’t want to, but she did it anyway and the world was awash over her eyes. It’d be beautiful if it didn’t fill her with dread. She looked to her left. Piercing blue eyes stared at her, certain and forgiving.

“You need to go,” Tailmon said, steady as stone. ‘I’ll take care of Hikari now. You need to take care of our worlds.’ She turned away. “Or they’ll merge like this again. You’ll suffer again.”

“Can’t have that,” she replied

The digimon laughed, and slowly Blake turned right. Ruby floated a distance away, like she was in the sea. Her silver eyes didn’t blink, staring off into the space as if it would tell her salvation.

With legs like lead, she pushed herself over and wrapped her arms around Ruby’s waist. No response. She swam with one hand and grunted in exertion.

Nothing. They were stuck.

Then the world cracked.

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Ruby stirred at the chill of wind over her nose.

It felt wrong somehow. She slowly curled her fingers, stretching her arms and rolling her shoulders.

Blake grunted next to her, and Ruby opened her eyes.

They weren’t inside Ordinemon, unless the digimon suddenly grew trees. They must be out, but where?

Pain laced every muscle, but Ruby was a Huntress. Accepting pain was for normal people. She slowly stretched into a sitting position and saw Blake slumped against a tree. She shook her gently, and Blake groaned and opened her eyes.

“We did it!” she said in a whisper.

“We sure did something.” Blake looked around, pensive gold through the trees. “I appeared here, to my parents.”

“You did?” They both slowly got to their feet as Blake nodded, cat ears twitching.

“I think it was just the place I needed to be. But it means we’re definitely not near Beacon anymore.”

“Well, that’s—”

A branch snapped on the ground. They both tensed into fighting positions until the hulking form of Ghira Belladonna made his way into view.

“Dad?” she blurted out. Her father blinked in surprise before managing a smile.

“Something told me to come here,” he says. “There are a couple of young girls looking for you, too.”

“Aw spirits,” Ruby moaned. “Yang’s gonna tell dad! I gotta stop her! Which way?” She took off before either of them could stop her.

Blake swallowed as her father smiled, a bit sadly. “We have a lot to catch up, don’t we?”

“Yeah,” she says, looking at her hands.

Calling Beacon could wait. Maybe she could have peace right here at home. Just for a moment, of course.

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