Title: Nowhere to go
Fandom: Phantasy Star Online
Rating: PG
Content/artist notes: White/Graphite pencil sketch on toned paper, featuring my HUmar and FOmar player characters, accompanied by a short fic (~300 words). Vaguely implied m/m pairing.
Summary: Vol Opt may be just a computer, but it's still got some deadly tricks.


Something about that Force - the sudden flicker of expression in his usually empty dark eyes, maybe - had cried out for reassurance. And Raven had given in - a bit too easily, perhaps.

He always seemed to give in to Lucius.

And so the words had slipped out before Raven could stop them, as he clawed at the strange devices that disabled Lucius’s Techniques and imprisoned him within their field. “I will get you out of there!”

The electronic aura made his hair stand on end; and though the devices creaked, Raven could not tell whether he was making any headway. He had never seen anything like this before.

He cursed - the space contained within the disabling devices was too small for him to risk using his swords, and ripping the consoles apart instead was taking too much time. So he punched, and he kicked - anything he could think of to break through that barrier.

For some reason, this half-spoken promise mattered, more urgently than any other in his life.

Lights flickered and danced as Vol Opt searched for them, verified their positions. The persistent whirr of the giant computer grew louder. It was accompanied by a sharp crack as one of the devices finally gave way under Raven’s grasp.

Somehow he knew it was already too late. Raven cast aside the shattered device, reached through the gap, and seized Lucius’ hand as the explosions began around them.

The force of the blast threw them against the wall.

Lucius shuddered against him, but Raven did not let go. His head ached and his body throbbed - but Lucius was there in his arms, and they were both still alive, somehow. And he could not let go. Not until he could think again, until he stopped hurting.



Artist notes: No references for this one, it was mainly to vent frustrations and free up my creativity. (And really, I just wanted to draw lots of long flowy hair.) I am not a very good writer but I do enjoy doing it, and I feel like it gives my art a little bit more context. Summer is always hectic at my job so my head has been full of fuzz for the last month or so - hoping with this piece I can get back into the swing of things!

The cut text and title come from the Mines/Vol Opt music in PSO. The ambient music tracks for the Mines are "Empty Space Out of Control" part 1 and part 2, with the boss music being "The Crazy Program" and "You Have Nowhere to Go".