Chapter Text
After a long heartfelt reunion with the scions and G’raha Tia, Hottataru sets out once more. Except, this time, it’s not for an adventure. It’s for vacation. Thancred, the twins, and Ryne all agree to join Hottataru for a nice trip out to The Source. That is, the lake. Not the actual Source. That’d be too easy.
With everything that’s happened, they thought they deserved it. Saving the world was awful, after all. Hottataru, for one, can still taste the light on the back of his tongue if he focuses hard enough. Which is never fun. A little traumatizing, honestly.
“And the nightmares begins.” Emet murmurs, shielding his eyes from the sun as he watches Ryne test the edges of the lake with a hesitant toe, “At least that infernal cover of light is gone. I may not enjoy the fact that literally all my plans have fallen through in regards to the First, but there’s definitely parts of it that benefit me all the same.” He sighs heavily.
“Did you hear something? The wind must be carrying voices. How eerie.” Thancred huffs, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it over a branch nearby. It was rare to see him without every layer of armor strapped to him. Though, it was understandable that he’d want to remove it. Emet himself was having issues with the heat as well.
“Ha ha, very funny. Fine, I don’t particularly want to interact with any of you anyway.” He had no choice but to come, despite not really wanting to. At least it was a nice distraction. The scenery was pretty, the birds sounded more cheery than they had any right to be. But that’s all it was, a distraction.
After all, he still had a job to do.
“Hottataru!” Alisaie yells from the beach, pulling Emet from his thoughts. The buffoon was currently trying- and failing- to set up a tent. Which would be amusing if it wasn’t equally infuriating. This was the man who laid low Lahabrea, who bound him, who thwarted a rejoining… struggling with basic tasks. “You should show us how to catch fish with our hands, like you did back in the Steppes!”
That gets Hottataru to perk up, abandoning the tent. He leaves a trail of armor behind him, tail thrashing about in excitement as he sprints for the lake in nothing but pants. Emet hadn’t seen him ever without his armor. In fact, Hottataru even slept in it, as far as Emet could tell.
Did they really consider him no longer a threat? So much as to let their guard down even a bit? Well, that just worked in his advantage honestly. He knew couldn’t kill Hottataru, but, if he wore down on their defenses he would be able to wreak havoc later on.
Hottataru wades into the water, not even looking as he punches through its crystal-clear surface to snatch a fish. It was something he was born to do, since it seemingly came to him so easily. If only he’d become a fishmonger instead of the bloody Warrior of Light.
“I have a feeling that by the time he’s done, we’ll have enough fish for the next week.” Alphinaud huffs, peering at the others. Though Ryne was covering her eyes she could be seen peeking through at Hottataru. Bashful little thing, wasn’t she? “...Well, we’re not going to learn sitting back at the shore! It’s very rare for our friend to try and teach us.”
However, his actions don’t match his words since he just hesitantly plucks at the hem of his shirt.
“Oh, for the love of-” Alisaie shrugs off her outer coat and kicks her boots off, wading out into the water to Hottataru. When Hottataru sees one of them finally joined him, he smiles and immediately pushes a fish into her hand. It takes a moment for her to understand what to do with the creature, before she twists its neck to break it.
“Gods.” Alphinaud wondered if there was a gentle bone in his sister’s body. Both Hottataru and her combined were a nightmare, especially in battle. “Well, I can’t be outdone. Ryne, wish me luck, I’m more likely to get beaten with a fish than catch one.” He says a silent prayer and strips to his pants as well, running into the water and yelping at how cold it was.
Ryne fidgets for a long moment. It’s clear she wanted to join the fun, but she didn’t want to get wet. But when a splashing fight ensues instead of teaching- because of course they couldn’t focus for more than a minute- she quickly follows everyone in.
Her efforts are rewarded with a cheer, before Hottataru promptly picks her up and dunks her. All the teens take this as war and the warrior of light is dragged under the waves. Would he ever see the light of day again?
Part of Emet really hoped not, consequences be damned.
“Hey, if you’re going to bother us with your presence why not lend a hand Ascian?” Thancred drawls, leering at Emet. “There’s a whole camp to set up, and as I’m sure you’ve observed… well, your other half isn’t all that good at it.” In fact, Thancred knew that if Hottataru was left unattended that he’d just sleep in the dirt with a blanket thrown over him. He knows this because he found Hottataru doing that on several occasions.
“If I help, will you promise to not talk to me for the next week? I think it’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.” Emet hums, hand on his cheek as he peers at Thancred.
“Hells, that’s practically payment for your labor. By all means. Go ahead and pretend I don’t even exist after this.” Thancred chuffs, watching Emet bring his hand up. A snap is all that’s needed to conjure up a few pitched tents and an elegant little fireplace.
...Emet needed to figure out how to turn this situation in his own favor. Every moment spent with this group was yet more time wasted. They’d proven that they could be potentially useful. But they refused to be used, so they had to be discarded. If there was anything he was good at, it was building a plan up slowly, and watching it take effect with time. That’s why he was the architect. But it felt like, tied up as he was, he didn’t have the luxury of time any longer.
Which meant that, somehow, he would need to get in touch with Elidibus. The both of them together would be able to quickly build some sort of solution, and in the meantime mayhap he could-
A shadow falls over him and he blinks out of his thoughts, looking up with a start. Hottataru towers over him, sopping wet, his eyes piercing and expression carefully blank.
“....Do you need something from me?” Emet hisses, the hair on the back of his neck standing as he feels amusement bubble through the connection between them. That blank expression cracks into a wild grin, and the next second Emet finds himself being hoisted up and carted off towards the lake, “Put me down, you absolute clown! Do not think I see what you’re trying to do-” He struggles valiantly, but alas, Hottataru is… a lot stronger now than he was before.
Blast this infernal connection. Damn this entire situation. He hopes this fool burns alive-
Emet absolutely does not let out an undignifying yelp as Hottataru tosses him into the lake. But the act in itself earns varying cries from the teens Hottataru has reared, the majority of them slightly horrified.
“Was that truly necessary?” Emet barks, springing from the water and looking rather like a wet cat. The answer he gets is laughter- laughter- from Hottataru, childish amusement pushing through the connection and brushing with his emotions. Gritting his teeth, Emet surges forward. He’s not sure what propels him to retaliate in such an immature way, but he grabs Hottataru and drags the man in. The result is a battle waged anew, and soon enough even Hottataru’s gremlins join in the war.
By the time it’s all resolved, Emet cannot help but wonder what is wrong with him. To be influenced into… playing. Zodiark help him, he must have caught some of the idiot when they connected. At least he doesn’t have to suffer for it, unlike the morons who dragged him into such infantile buffoonery. With a snap, he’s dried off where they’re still shivering at the biting night air.
“You know, if there’s anything I’d never thought to witness, it’s an Ascian getting into a splash war with-” Thancred starts, but Emet cuts him off.
“I thought we weren’t speaking. ” He hisses back, moving to sit as far away from the others as he could. It wasn’t that far.
Chuffing, Thancred turns his attention back to the shivering fools warming themselves with the fire.
“At least you managed to somehow catch a few fish, despite all the playing around you did.” He looks over everyone there, Alisaie bubbling with laughter at that.
“We’re nothing if not efficient, you know. With everything we’ve been through, you’d think you’d know that better than anyone else, Thancred.” She grins at him while Hottataru nods in agreement beside her. Those two just fed one another’s worst sides, didn’t they? “I’m just surprised that old fogy joined in at all.” Looking back at Emet, her impish grin stretches into a sinister smile, “And now look at him, pouting because Hottataru definitely won.”
“It’s not really wise to provoke the ascian, Alisaie.” Alphinaud clears his throat nervously, eyes darting between his twin and Emet. At least one of them retained some semblance of sense, “Be it that he may be bound to our dear friend, I’m fairly sure Emet-Selch is still just as capable as he was before.”
“That’s a lot of anxious talk from someone who tackled and pulled him underwater not even that long ago.” Alisaie drawls, Ryne covering her mouth and giggling beside her. Alphinaud just huffs, blushing and not dignifying it with a response.
“Your brother is right.” Emet can’t help but interject. It was stinging his pride more than he’d like to admit that they were just brushing him off as defeated when he was still very much alive and capable. Despite knowing that it’d be better to have their guard down, he found that he liked it more when they were constantly on edge around him. “I’m no less powerful than I was before, and the only person I can’t kill here is the Warrior himself. It would do you well to keep that in mind.”
That sucks the happy little mood right out of the group. Good. Emet just smiles at them, earning an eyeroll from Hottataru. Brat.
“He’s just brooding.” Hottataru murmurs, earning looks from everyone, “Ignore him.” He was more than a brat. What Emet wouldn’t do to choke this whelp’s pathetic life out of existence. No one here deserved to live more than before. They’d failed his tests and he would have them eliminated for it, eventually.
The mortals of this time were no less or more than they had been before. They were still found wanting, mere shadows of the Amaurotines before them. Pathetic, squealing little things.
As they had before, Emet’s thoughts turn to that of Elidibus. As soon as they were alone , that’s when he’d act. Undoubtedly Elidibus would be taken aback, but surely he’d be pleased that the pest haunting all his plans of late was under Emet’s domain. The same soul who had made a mess of their plans in the distant past bound to him in the present. Hydaelyn herself won’t be able to sever this connection without losing her most valiant champion to the lifestream itself.
But when would he get that opportunity?
“Hottataru, I’ve been curious…” Ryne murmurs, looking up at the Warrior with round eyes, “After this, what do you plan to do? Go back to the Source?” She pushes a lock of damp hair behind her ear, and Hottataru hums.
“Probably not. I’ll stop in for a brief moment to visit Tataru and Krile, since Tataru would snap my neck if I kept her waiting too long, but I’ll come right back. Kinda want to see what this place is like when it’s not bathed in constant light.” He nods to Ryne, who seems immensely relieved to hear this.
“Oh, good, I was… a bit worried, if I’m being honest. There’s something I want to investigate later on, and I might end up needing your help with it.” She murmurs, so softly spoken. Though she was a lot more courageous now than before, she couldn’t seem to get rid of that shy streak.
“In that case, I’ll be sure to return quickly. Though, like I said, I probably won’t stick around the Crystarium… I’m sure you won’t have trouble finding me.” Hottataru gives her a gentle smile and she easily returns it.
..And the opportunity falls right into his lap. Emet is careful to keep his face neutral, even as a flicker of joy through their connection draws Hottataru’s attention to him. They’d be alone soon enough, and once they were far enough away from the Crystarium and any of the Scions he’d be able to act. Maybe he could finally get things back on track, then. Hopefully.