✦ kingdoms fall, kingdoms rise ✦

[Vivika]

𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶...

𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙲𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽 𝚅𝙴𝚁𝙸𝙵𝙸𝙴𝙳.

𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙰𝙱𝙰𝚂𝙴?
[𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙲𝙴𝙴𝙳]

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀
xxx𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻.

[Vivika]

𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙵𝙸𝙻𝙴...
𝚂𝚄𝙲𝙲𝙴𝚂𝚂

𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥
𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚠 ↴↴↴

[Vivika]

𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘: 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥
𝘍𝘐𝘓𝘌 𝘊𝘖𝘕𝘛𝘌𝘕𝘛𝘚: Successful integrative training as surmised from civilian interviews below. Operative adopted the alias "Kodi" for the season's long training session on-field.


"Oh.. um, Kodi? He's nice... really nice and sweet. A little awkward and stumbles over his paws a little... alright all the time
━ but you gotta love the dude... like you can't hate him, really. Wait, why do you ask? Is he in trouble?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx- Unnamed molly from the Southern Villages


"Y'know, I didn't think much about him. Cats these days... always lazing around under the sun, hoping food will come to 'em without
any effort. Sheesh. But that tom. He's something. Works hard. Polite enough. Decent. Helpful. Not something ye see often."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx- Unnamed Village Leader


"Kodi?? Duuude, he's awesome. Literally the coolest cat ever. I don't know where he came from, but yeah. Doesn't matter. He's
my best bud. Literally. Shy around the ladies, but I'll take it. Want an introduction by any chance?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx- Unnamed tom from the Southern Villages

[Vivika]

𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗘: 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗥
𝘍𝘐𝘓𝘌 𝘊𝘖𝘕𝘛𝘌𝘕𝘛𝘚: Handler reports and observations. Operative proves to exceed expectations.

𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴: [redacted]
𝙶𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁: Male
𝙰𝙻𝙸𝙰𝚂: The Kingfisher
𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴: 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐕𝐈𝐈, 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐅
𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙻𝙴𝚁 𝙾𝙱𝚂𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂:
The Kingfisher has proven to be a remarkable success. His tenacity and ability to switch between various personas is incredible. By far one of the most successful trainees in our program. He recently infiltrated one of the Southern Villages, and located all known cats sympathetic towards the Rebellion. It was a success. The village leader had not even suspected that Kingfisher was an operative. I look forward to deploying him onto the field more often. With him in our arsenal, I estimate we will be able to weed the rebels from among us by the end of the year.


𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴: [redacted]
𝙶𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁: Male
𝙰𝙻𝙸𝙰𝚂: The Kingfisher
𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴: 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐗𝐋𝐕, 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐅
𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙻𝙴𝚁 𝙾𝙱𝚂𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂:
His mind is truly incredible. Dates, faces, everything. He remembers it all. His skill is improving at an unprecedented rate, and he has displaced some of the finest minds of the kingdom. His loyalty seems solid and unmoved, although I've noted that he is having trouble sleeping at night. It's affected his performance, despite it being hardly noticeable. I will have a word with the healer, Riel, concerning this. It should not be an issue.


𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴: [redacted]
𝙶𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁: Male
𝙰𝙻𝙸𝙰𝚂: The Kingfisher
𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴: 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐋𝐗, 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐅-𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋
𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙻𝙴𝚁 𝙾𝙱𝚂𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂:
Operative is exhibiting signs of restlessness and paranoia. I have requested that he remains back at base for a few sunrises and see what it does for him. The healer suspects that he's cracking under all the pressure of the various personas, and recommended that he rest. I believe it is not the case. Our training does not fail. The Kingfisher will not fall.


𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴: [redacted]
𝙶𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁: Male
𝙰𝙻𝙸𝙰𝚂: The Kingfisher
𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴: 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐗𝐋𝐕𝐈, 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐅-𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋
𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙻𝙴𝚁 𝙾𝙱𝚂𝙴𝚁𝚅𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂:
Operative has defected. I repeat the Kingfisher has defected.
All known operatives have been dispatched to locate him and to terminate him upon sight.

[Vivika]

𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶...

𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙰𝙱𝙰𝚂𝙴 𝙴𝚇𝙸𝚃𝙴𝙳

[Vivika]

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And a few personal journal entries from a certain molly! <33

[Vivika]

Stars, I miss him.

They call him Kodi now. But they know nothing about him. Nothing.

To some, he’s the cheery tom with a joke and a light chuckle tucked away for every situation. The awkward, lovable one in the background, always willing to lend a helping paw, always mindful of others. To them, he’s the tom with a heart for those around him, who falls hard and fast in love. The one who dreams of finding his soulmate and starting a family.

To others, he’s a menace. The object of their worst nightmare brought to life. A phantom and a wraith, surrounded with shadows and deception as his sword and shield. A secret weapon used by the King. An assassin, who strikes from the comforts of one’s own home. A friend one moment, and a harbinger of death’s sleep the next.

But he’s none of those.

I should know.
He’s my brother.

[Vivika]

They turned him into a weapon. A chameleon. Training and conditioning… stars. I’ve read the files… the records. He’s adaptable, capable of switching from one persona to the next, ever fluid and changing. Whatever he needs to be, he becomes.

Stars.

I’m so sorry, Dez.
It should have been me. Stars, it should have been me.

I would rewind time, rewrite the stars, recite that silly poem you liked so much… just to have you back.

[Vivika]

Do you remember, Dez? Would you?

Stars, you were so afraid of water back then. A little splash would send you howling with fear. You were brave, yes. Foolish, yes. Unflinchingly bold and at the same time half-insane. You liked stargazing and silly mythical stories about the sirens who absolutely do not exist. You loved poems and created absolutely terrible ones and insisted on reciting them to me. Every. Single. Night.

We also argued a lot. At least once a day. You fought me on every single thing, whether the water was hot, cold or stars forbid… lukewarm. Or when was the best time to hunt. Or sleep. Headstrong and passionate… you never liked being told what to do. You were the realistic to my idealistic. The heat to my frost.

You were real. Genuine.
And the most loyal and dependable cat I knew. When the skies came crashing down, you were there.

I wish you were here, now.

I should have… No, I shouldn’t have done what I did.
I didn’t think the King would find out. I didn’t think at all.

But I’m getting close, Dez. I’ve looked through your files, and started gathering evidence ━ clues to find you.
I’m so close. I know it.

[Vivika]

They were coming for him.

The cream-furred tom ducked through the undergrowth, slipping underneath a low-hanging branch. His pawsteps were steady, soft blue eyes trained on the horizon… and crimson spilling down his shoulder. He needed to get to that cave… there’d be a place to hide there.

A flicker of motion to the side. Another operative? He froze, muscles stuttering. No, no… just another tom, giving a friendly wave with his tail. What was that tom’s name again? Corinth… Calyx, no Cillian? Stars, he couldn’t think.

He angled his bad shoulder out of sight and returned the wave, passing a pleasant smile. Simple and instinctive. Innocuous.
Wasn’t that the point? The number one rule of the regime he was working for.

No.
Worked for. Past tense.

Shaking his hand, he gritted his teeth. He wasn’t working for them anymore. Never. He was no longer the Kingfisher, tasked with ‘fishing’ out all the King’s enemies. He was done. Finished.

His gaze wandered over his shoulder. The village had been swarming with operatives… his ‘friends’, but no longer. If they found him… there was only one consequence for treason. Death.

And he wouldn’t go down without a fight.
He dragged a long breath in, quietly scanning the horizon.

There.

The cave blinked into view. Dragging a long breath in, he slipped inside. A quick glance around, and he collapsed on the cool stone, pressing his cheek against the ground, squeezing his eyes shut.

Stars, his head hurt. And his shoulder. Especially his shoulder.

All the running, fleeing… the days bled into each other. Each indistinguishable from the next, each alias bleeding into the next. The Kingfisher. Kodi. Bear. Leo. A name he could hardly pronounce. Azaire. He was… a villager, an assassin, a diplomat, an illegitimate prince, a rogue… a fugitive wanted by the King with a price over his head. He was━

“Dez?”

His eyes shot open. The voice… feminine. A molly. And also light-furred… she took a step closer.

“Don’t move.” A low growl slipped from his throat as he staggered to a defensive position. His shoulder burned, and the world was spinning. Spinning in a dozen shades of colors, spiralling out of control.

“Stars, Dez… it’s me.” Her voice caught, eyes pinned on his. “Don’t you remember?”

Remember? What was she━
Those eyes… one jade and the other blue. One jade and one blue. Over the ocean hues. He blinked, trying to clear his head. But those words came back, trickling in…

One jade and one blue.
Over the ocean hues.

Just like the dove that flew
Under the rain’s dew.

Colors flooded his vision, scents assaulting his senses, like a watercolor canvas dissolving into a dispersion of colors. Images, past and present, colliding. A river. Something about lukewarm water. Hunting. Screams piercing the night. Impérial guards. A confession. Fire. Poetry.

Poetry.
Poetry.

It clicked.

Those words… a poem?

One jade and one blue.
Over the ocean hues.

Just like the dove that flew
Under the rain’s dew.

“... remember that I love you,” he whispered. The final lines. A groan slipped past his jaws as he leaned back to take a closer look, eyes flitting up, brows furrowed. Uncertain.

“Ali?”


// thank you so much for reading, ahh! i hope you have a lovely day! <3