I opened my eyes slowly, the sun glinting through my eyelashes as I sighed. A satisfied sigh greeted a small smile that spread across my face. "I did it..." I exhaled, staring up to the sky, the sunlight filtering through the leaves up above indicating the time was late morning.

Then, pushing myself up onto my feet, I quickly took off in a swift jog towards the hideout, my feet tapping rapidly on the ground, the noise barely audible as I whisked through the trees and hopped over roots, in hopes I wouldn't encounter any demons that would delay my arrival.

I arrived through the opening to the massive tree base and glanced around frantically. "We need to catch up to Norman..." I murmured, running towards the house everyone from Gracefield was staying in. I grabbed hold of the handle to the front door, yanking it open.

I was immediately greeted with near hundreds of expectant faces of all ages. Emma stepped towards me, eyes sparkling in both worry and expectation. "So?" She asked, grabbing onto my hands. "Were you able to make the promise?"

"For real this time?" Several young kids asked, inching towards me with suspicious expressions.

I nodded, my smile widening. "Yeah!" The room erupted into happy cheers as soon as I answered with equal enthusiasm. "We'll be able to escape to the human world without anyone being killed or chased!"

"Hooray!!" They exclaimed, Jemima and Alicia hugging my legs, catching me off balance.

"Oh!" I asked, looking left and right, once I finished waving my arms around to right myself and keep from crushing the children behind me with my dummy thicc *ss. "Day and time?"

"You were gone about 12 hours." Zack hummed, stepping forward from the back of the crowd. "It's November 7th, 2047."

I suddenly caught sight of Yuugo from the corner of my eye as he sighed, Dominic piggybacking him while Yvette and Chris clung onto each of his legs like Koalas, giggling hysterically. "That albino brother of yours has already left for the royal capital." Yuugo spoke with a straight face, as if he was unaware of the fact he was currently being used as a jungle gym. "Glasses and Bean are still looking for those demon buddies of yours." He finished, still using Gilda and Don's nicknames.

His redhead friend stepped forward, in a similar situation to the ravenette, with Rossi and Mark sitting on his shoulders. "-And the extinction plan seems to be progressing steadily and favourably." Lucas finished with pursed lips.

I nodded, seeing a handful of the older Goldy Pond children missing. "Where's Oliver, Paula, Gillian, and R...the others?" I asked glancing around to see if they were just out of view.

Reina smiled, lifting Alicia and Jemima off of my legs. "Grabbing horses, along with Poppy and a few others." I opened my mouth to speak as the crowd began to disperse, before I was cut off by the headband guy.

Zack sighed as he arrived besides me, placing his hands on his hips. "If you're wondering about that emo boyfriend of yours-" I kicked him in the shin roughly but he continued without even a wince. "-He's probably still off sulking somewhere."

"I'll go grab him-" Yuugo offered, but I raised my hand, cutting him off with a sigh.

"I don't think he needs you to drag him here by the collar. I'll go knock some sense into him." I grinned, slipping my bag off of my shoulder. "Can you pack my bag in the meantime?"

Yuugo cocked an eyebrow. "I'm not your-." I pushed my bag into his chest before he could finish, turning on my heel and dashing away.

"And grab me a demon disguise too-!" I called as I ran, sending the distressed adult a glance over my shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. You got it, kid." Yuugo scowled, waving his hand in dismissal as he slung my bag over my shoulder.

"Thanks, servant!!" I called over my shoulder as I ran away with a chortle, Yuugo irking.

"Servent?" Lucas snorted, raising an eyebrow as he glanced to his friend on his left.

"Shaddup." Yuugo muttered angrily, throwing Lucas a deadly glance. "At least I'm not a mother."

Lucas winced, seething air from his teeth. "Low blow."

——-

I knocked on the door to the library before opening it slightly, peeking my head in to see if he was sulking in there. Alas, to my dismay, he was nowhere to be seen. "*SHOLE, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE US LATE-!!" I called down the hallway as I slammed the door closed with a sigh. "I've already checked his room, the first aid room, the armoury, the shooting range, the kitchen, where could he-"

"So you succeeded, then?" The ravenhead hummed from behind me suddenly, as if appearing out of nowhere.

I spun around to Ray with a nod before cringing at his unruly appearance. "Geh- you look like death."

"Gee thanks." Ray mumbled, glancing to the left before looking back to me. "What about the reward? He asked, his gaze slightly unnerving as his eyes lacking their usual spark of emotion.

"It was no biggie." I hummed, pushing my hands into my pockets. "We need to head off now, if we're going to stop that genocidal albino bud of yours!" I yelled, gesturing for him to follow after me as I turned and ran down the hallway. Ray sighed but obliged, jogging lightly behind me.

"The suicidal genes must run in the family." Ray muttered as we ran back to the front, thinking I couldn't hear his words from my position a few paces ahead of him.

"Oh, says you." I raised an eyebrow, the ravenhead recoiling in surprise as we arrived at the crowd of children clamouring at the front door as they waved goodbye to everyone.

Pushing my way to the front, I knelt down on my knees as the younger ones shifted on their feet anxiously as they watched Emma, Ray and the others leave, until only I was left. "Hey, Jemima!" I patted the younger girl's head as she stared up at me with big, adorable, worried eyes. "No matter what happens, we'll save you, okay? And we'll come back safe and sound."

"Pinky promise?" Jemima asked cutely, raising her pinky as we began catching the attention of everyone else.

"Pinky promise." I repeated, linking my pinky finger around hers, dwarfing it completely in size.

Alicia approached me from the side, tugging gently at my shirt. I turned to her with a hum, tilting my head in question. "Y/N..." Alicia murmured. "If you break the promise, can you promise something else?" She asked.

I smiled. "Sure! Anything you want." I reassured her, unexpectedly falling into the little girl's traps.

"Your cookie rights." Alicia smirked evilly. "If you break any of those promises, you share your cookies with us." I shivered in fear.

"Well... I mean..." I stuttered, glancing about nervously.

Alicia smiled dangerously. "You said anything, didn't you, Y/N?" Her dangerous smile turned quickly into an innocent pout. "You wouldn't go against your word, would you?" She asked, her bottom lip trembling.

I blinked twice before laughing. "You guys learned from the best. Okay, fine. If I don't manage to save you no matter what, or if I don't manage to make sure everyone comes back, I'll let you have my cookie rights." I smiled, standing up from my crouch on the floor as the children let out a cheer. "-for a week." I concluded with a smirk.

"Awhhh-" The children suddenly exclaimed, their expressions of joy flipping quickly. "No fair! You swindler!!"

"Fair's fair, and you never specified how long I have to give them to you-!!" I exclaimed, heading out the door with a wave.

"Dammit." Alicia tched, crossing her arms with a frown, Jemima giggling as she watched her friend. "She really is the best at avoiding responsibility."

And then we were off, heading outside of the hideout where we encountered the missing Goldy Pond kids +Poppy riding horseback, leading a few extras for us to ride. I hopped onto the one Chris was leading, placing my feet in the stirrups, grateful to see they were a suitable length. I undid the lead from Chris's horse and looked around as everyone pulled themselves onto their own steed.

I raised an eyebrow as I caught sight of Ray as he looked about dumbly, standing still in the middle of the clearing as the people around him quickly dispersed to their own steeds. I thought for a moment before sighing in exasperation. "You didn't learn how to ride, did you." I muttered and Ray blew his bangs out of his face as he spoke, placing his hands into his pockets.

"I'm sure I can figure it out." He shrugged.

My eyes ran over the anxiously awaiting children as their horses pranced, and I sighed loudly. "We don't have time for that. Hop on with someone-." I looked around to find someone willing to ride with the ravenhead, only find that everyone was already on their way, glancing back to me over their shoulders. 'Bastards'

"Well?" I stared at the dumbstruck emo, backing my horse up towards him. "Don't know how to get on?" I snorted as our situation dawned in his eyes. Ray shook his head suddenly, a determined expression befalling his face. He hoisted himself onto the back of the horse without my help, righting himself on the saddle.

I began to urge the horse to move before stopping, with an irritated sigh. "You're going to fall off like that." I muttered at Ray's posture as he elected to grip onto the bottom of the saddle with both hands.

"Would you rather I-" He sputtered and I groaned.

"Don't start with that. We gotta move." I cocked an eyebrow with a smirk. "Not that I wouldn't mind seeing you fall off, as that would be hilarious."

Ray paused as I turned back around to face the front, taking hold of the rein in both hands, before his hands hesitantly wrapped around my waist, lacing his fingers together tightly to fasten his grip while barely making contact with me as I urged the horse into a gallop.

"Took you long enough." Zack remarked with a smirk as we caught up, turning an amused eyebrow towards us.

"Shut up." I growled, my ears burning bright red. I caught Emma watching me with a giggle and flipped her off over my shoulder, which to my dismay, only made the ginger laugh harder. At least she nearly fell off her horse in doing so.

"Enough talking everybody!" Oliver's voice cut through the crowd from up ahead. "Time to let these babies fly!"

I cringed at his words. "He sounds like a car enthusiast talking about his car like it's his child." I cringed, Ray snorting at my comment, causing me to remember where his arms currently were, my cheeks turning bright pink once again.

We sped up our pace, the woods and anything inside it blurring by. After quite some time both Ray and I's tense posture relaxed, after Ray nearly fell off twice for making minimal contact with my waist.

"Hey..." Ray began and I hummed in recognition of him, beckoning for to continue speaking. "Do you still have my scarf?" He asked, his head turning to the side as he watched the scenery go by.

My posture stiffened for a moment. "Yeah. I think it's in my bag somewhere." I hummed, steering my horse after Emma. "Why?" I inquired, throwing the ravenhead a quick glance over my shoulder. "Want it back?"

Ray hesitated before speaking. "No, you can keep it." He murmured embarrassedly, pausing once again as our horse leapt over a large tree root and he had to press his chest against my back, tightening his grip around me to avoid dying, something I wanted to do in that moment. "I-" He began once our horse's footsteps steadied, pulling his warm chest away as he righted himself, his arms loosening from around my waist. "I was just..." his voice quieted to a mumble. "Wondering if you were still mad at me..."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise as I steered the horse around a large tree that obstructed our path. "I'm not. I still managed to make the promise, after all."

Ray sighed. "Okay." He hummed, and I was certain he'd be fidgeting if it wasn't for trying to keep himself from falling off the horse. "That's good then, I guess..." His voice trailed off slowly.

"Oi lovebirds-!!" Oliver called from the front of the group, my attention snapping to him. "You two are going to fall behind if you don't stop flirting and pick up the pace-!!"

"We're not-!!" I began, but faltered as I heard no attempt of rebuttal from Ray. "Just shut up, Oliver!!" I yelled, my cheeks dusted pink .Alas, the entire ride after that was quiet.

——-

"Wait." I stated as I caught sight of the army of demons as they marched, pulling my horse to the front and addressing everyone else.

"A demon army..." Nigel and Poppy spoke nervously, in awe at the unbelievable size of the trail of soldiers that disappeared into the horizon before it ended.

Gillian's eyebrows scrunched together. "A huge one. Where are they heading to? The royal capital?"

"No..." Zack hummed in thought. "They're moving in the opposite direction."

"No way-" Ray exclaimed in shock behind me, his arms only now leaving my waist. "Are they looking for our hideout??!"

I nodded stiffly. "Yeah. Ray, Emma, and I will walk on foot the rest of the way to the capital." Oliver and a few others looked about to argue but I cut them off. "You guys should go back, and take our horses with you. Warn everyone at the base to prepare, just in case."

Emma nodded. "You've already escorted us this far." She smiled reassuringly. "We'll be fine, and we'll definitely make it on time to stop Norman."

"First thing's first, though..." Ray sighed, swinging his legs to the same side of the saddle and hopping down easily as if he'd been riding his whole life. "That army is bad news."

"Show off." I muttered under my breath, raising an angry eyebrow.

Zack was already off his own steed, standing beside the ravenhead as they both surveyed the seemingly endless trail of demon soldiers. "This is surely just a fraction of them. And judging by the scale... this is probably the capital's army that Norman drove away."

"If they are..." Poppy's eyes widened in worry. "Does that mean they saw through Norman's plan?"

"No,"  Yuugo sighed, dismounting from his horse along with Lucas. "We can't know that yet... -but, if that giant horde discovers the hideout...it won't even compare to the damage we could've  suffered when the Ratri clan attacked without Y/N's aid."

"Don't worry." My voice cut through the tension surrounding everyone, unknowingly ceasing their worry, albeit for only an instant. "They'll be fine... in the end..." I finished, my voice trailing off. "And so will Ray, Emma, and I. So you guys can go back and check on everyone back there."

"Y/N-" Yuugo hummed, his lips twitching. "Lucas and I can go with you-"

"Us three will be good enough. We're strong, and you know that." I grinned, "We'll see you soon, anyway. Just get back fast, okay? And evacuate as many as possible."

"-Evacuate-??" Oliver and Lucas exclaimed.

I nodded. "And even if there are still some left and you get caught, get out of there right away. They'll be fine." Yuugo, Lucas and Oliver still looked unsure. "I'm going to need you guys to trust me again, okay?" I smiled, hopping down from the horse. "This is the beginning of the end, hmm? We're so close!! Just a little more, okay?" I smiled.

Yuugo sighed. "Yeah, yeah, Y/N. we got it." He patted my head with a groan. "You're weird future seeing ability, or whatever." He then leaned down to be eye-level with me, a scary expression on his face. "But you better come back alive. Or I'll kill you."

I raised an eyebrow with a chuckle. "Yuugo, that's not how it works-"

The adult harrumphed, crossing his arms. "Then I'll hide my secret stash in another place."

I grinned with a shrug. "I'll just find it again."

Yuugo irked, his eye twitching. "I'll make Reina and Gilda take away your cookie privileges."

"Then I'll just take yours." I spoke dangerously, my eyes wide as I dared Yuugo to try me.

"-We'll start a swear jar." Ray's voice cut through the crowd.

I frowned. "That again?" I crossed my arms with a disappointed sigh. "You've got to be more creative than that." I huffed with a shake of my head. 'Oh please lord not the swear jar, anything but the swear jar-'

"No need." Ray smiled, grabbing his bag from the horse's saddle. "Because there isn't anything much worse then that, for you."

My eyes narrowed. He has me there. "Oh f*ck you. I don't plan on dying anyways." I grabbed my bag from the amused emo teen, reaching in and grabbing the demon's disguise from inside before yeeting the bag back at him roughly, happy, at least, that he nearly fell over trying to catch it.

"Then, we'll be on our way." I waved, my lips pursed, as everyone else in the clearing stood dumbstruck as they had a conversation with their eyes.

'How the hell can someone be both so bad and so good at handling Y/N?' They all thought worriedly.

'It's because they share the same suicidal braincell.' Poppy sighed, shaking her head.

'I think I'm going to follow after them-' Yuugo's expression read as he crossed his arms, squinting.

'Yuugo, no.'

(A/N: it's only about 1,700 words today- BEFORE EDITING IT'S NOW OVER 3,100 AHAHAH- but this seems like a good place to stop. We're approaching the end of the story!! 

Even after it's over, though, I may write headcannons and the like. But don't count on it. I may make other people write them, if they're willing. Wait, that's actually a good idea-

After the book ends, or any time, actually, I've decided that you can send me one-shots. They can be unedited or edited, idrc, but I will be expecting you to do most of the work 🤩🤩

I will then be choosing the good ones- likely all of them, as long as they aren't super inappropriate or make some sense, (I will edit as needed), and putting them at the end of the book, crediting the author or source, of course, HEHE.

Follow me on Instagram @thefricksidontgive and send me a dm if ur interested!! (If you can't on Insta, though, send me a private message on Wattpad to talk about it, lol.) We also have a pretty cool groupchat on there, too. 

AHAHAHAHAH a little self-promotion is good...right 🙈✨✨ (lmao I swear this is the last time I talk about my insta here-)

ANYHOWW BYEEEE 💀💀

C Y'ALL TMRWW 🏃‍♀️💨💨)