Pyrotechnics (Willow X Wilson) (A Don't Starve Fanfiction)

~9~

     "Your majesty," Ombre said as he materialized in front of the throne. The King's demon had returned, unable to infiltrate Willow's mind. The King looked up, the hound bracing himself to speak.

     "Did you find anything?" Maxwell asked, lazily shifting his eyes back and forth.

     "Not much," Ombre reported. "I did learn something interesting, though. You'll most likely understand it."

     "Spit it out, then. I've got all eternity." Maxwell laughed half-heartedly at his own quip, knowing that he DID have all eternity.

     "She has powers. Fire resistance, respectively, and she doesn't know their source. Did you grant them to her?" Ombre asked, Maxwell sitting with better posture. He was interested.

     "Shadows, no. The only ones I gave powers to were Wendy and Wilson." Maxwell replied. The hound nodded.

     "Where are they from, then? She fell into a furnace without dying, for shadow's sake!" Ombre yelled. "It's impossible. Have you ever had another like that?"

     "No. I've never seen anything like it." The King answered. "I'm very curious, though. I want you to find her and bring her here."

     "Now? It's daytime!" Ombre said, the king resting his head in his hand.

     "Of course not. Wait until she's asleep, then drag her away. Simple." Maxwell puffed on his cigar, blowing the smoke to the side. "Or must I ask my associate?" The King asked, the hound lowering its ears.

     "No, sir. I can do it." Ombre replied, his head lowered. "Anything I can do for you until then, your majesty?" The hound perked back up, standing on all four paws.

     "No, go and rest. I have a feeling that Lady Willow won't be passive about her capture." The King ordered, his lips twisting into a cruelly sadistic grin.

     "Another thing, sir," Ombre said, The King sighing. "What are you going to do if they attempt to overthrow you, as previous ones have and failed?"

     "Oh, nothing, dear Ombre. They won't make it long enough to reach me, but I've got my eyes on Higgsbury. He seems well-suited to be my heir." Maxwell laughed. "Go on, then. Tell the council my plans and if you see Charlie, say hi for me, will you?" Ombre chuckled.

     "You know very well that she doesn't stick around anymore." The hound reminded his owner, Maxwell sighing.

     "Maybe, just maybe..." The King said, mostly to convince himself. Charlie hadn't been in or around the Shadow realm for years, but each night she'd awaken and search for new victims outside it. She hadn't claimed any of the new survivors yet, which Max had found surprising. No matter- even if the mortals did manage to escape Charlie's grasp, they'd be claimed by the other horrors that lay ahead of them. They just did not know it yet.

~Time Skip~

     "Now that we've established a central base camp, we're going to need a leader." Melinda said while straightening up a pile of sticks. They had constructed a fire pit, Wilson throwing together a machine that helped them create more advanced tools, materials and structures. He'd called it a 'science machine', and despite it's blatantly uncreative name, everyone found it quite amusing how Wilson would carry out conversations with himself while working on it.

     "I agree. We won't get far if we're always squabbling about who makes the executive decisions." Wendy chirped quietly. "Who should be the leader, then?"

     "There's only one of us here that knows what it's like to live out in the wilderness, and that's Willow," Wilson responded, hammering a piece of metal into place on his machine. "It should be her."

     "I simply don't agree," the pyromaniac answered. "I had the added benefit of being near a city, of which I was able to steal items from various stores. And something tells me that there isn't a general store anywhere nearby." Willow argued. "You, however, possess the know-how and skills to create machines and structures that no mortal should be able to comprehend. I say it should be you, Wilson."

     "Me?" The scientist answered, taking a break from working and crossing his arms. "I'm not really a 'leader' sort of person. I'm flattered, but I'm not very good at what I do. And even if I was, I'm still socially awkward and have no social skills applicable to this situation."

     "Silence, all of you. We should take a vote." The librarian reasoned, everyone agreeing. "All in favor of Willow, say 'I'." Only Wendy and Wilson answered, Wendy's response quiet as a mouse. "All in favor of Wilson, say 'I'." Wolfgang, Wigfrid, Willow, and Melinda all spoke in unison.

     "Then it's settled. Wilson, we're at your command." Melinda spoke, everyone walking to her side and looking at their leader, waiting for instruction.

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A bit shorter, but important nonetheless.