happilyeverbeginning | THE RESCUE ME MEME

WELCOME TO THE RESCUE ME MEME

Mugged, kidnapping, held hostage, imprisoned, arranged marriage – one way or another, your character needs a rescue pronto! This meme is about exploring all the different ways of rescuing, so mix and match your favorite tropes! Drop your character, your preferences, and whether you’d like them to be rescued, the rescuer, or both! This also doesn’t have to be shippy – save a friend, a family member, an enemy, or a complete stranger, because everyone could use a hero!

Original Flavor
Your standard save! Burst onto the scene! Take down the bad guys! Save the victim! It doesn’t have to be needlessly complicated to be fun!

Disguise The Limit
Work smarter, not harder. Instead of a big fancy entrance, disguise yourself as one of the guards or the big baddy themselves to sneak past and save the day. Hope you’re good at acting!

Teamwork = Dreamwork
This is about partnering up to save the day! Two heads, or more, are better than one – are you reluctant enemies working for the same cause, or do you all care about each other just that much?

Making Mistakes
You thought they were in danger, but… oops. A light misunderstanding, “it’s not what it looks like”, or your victim was the enemy all along! Better have a back-up plan, in case you make more trouble than you planned to solve!

Last Second Switch
You’re one of the baddies who was in on this from the start, but now you’re having second thoughts. Is the plan going too far, or did you wind up caring for the victim? It’s up to you to stop this at the last possible moment – or take advantage of your power and help the victim escape in a sneakier way.

Saving Screw-Up
You were trying to be the big hero… and instead you wound up in the same trouble as the victim. Now you’re sharing a jail cell, or tied up next to them, maybe they’ll even switch victims since you’re a better target! A for effort, at least?

Accidentally Awesome
You were just going about your business and suddenly stumbled into a crime! Sure, you could just walk on, but you’re not that type of person! Even though you don’t know anything about the situation, step in and show them your stuff! Your ordinary day just got a whole lot weirder!

It’s Up To Me
This is taking way too long – save yourself! Kick some ass, take some names, and then… run into the person or people who were trying to save you. Maybe you’ll be the one saving them instead!

Rescue Sex
Don’t you worry, dirty birdies, I got you. Nothing quite says “hot” like watching someone get extremely feral in trying to save you. Hey, if you don’t even make it home before the clothes come off, we don’t blame you.

Here are a few other small tropes to work with, and there’s even more here if you want more spice!

Seduce the guard/baddy into letting you go or grabbing the keys!
Minions saving baddy from heroes!
You’re saving a beloved pet, or a precious artifact!

Say it with me now… I NEED A HERO!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ At that, Maribelle opens her eyes and shakes her head. ]

You don't have to stop... if sharing this gives you any sort of comfort or ease, no matter how small, I shall proudly take this burden. It is the least I can do, for all the help you've given me.

[His gave a calm sigh, keeping his eyes closed.]

Are you sure? You may not be able to sleep well either.

[ Maribelle dryly gestures around them for some dark humor. ]

What makes you think I'll be sleeping well to begin with?

...Fair point.

[Sharing a bed with a killer, in a cramped cave in the middle of the night, potentially with enemies waiting just a mile or so away didn't scream luxury. The question was, where to actually keep taking this. Well, if she insisted on the handling his worst...

Eyes closed again, as he recalled the memories.]

My escape from there wasn't my first attempt. After about the fifth time, I realized I couldn't leave, not just yet, not with how weak I was. So I built areas to hide in, places no one else but me and my sister knew about. Even if one was found, they never guessed three more were set-up to replace them. They punished me of course with torture, but they could never outright kill me, all because they needed me for the results I was getting. They thought the benefits outweighed the risks.

My sister was ill though. She was too young for what they wanted, aimed to make a killer of her too. But one day...I saw her final moments.

[His body did begin to tremble a bit, as if being brought to that very place all those years ago, witnessing her complete erasure.]

She was gone in a flash, nothing left but a smoking crater. They forced her to use too much power, and she was gone. Knowing they lost their bargaining chip, they tried to keep me held down. What happened next was a blur from my anger--

[A lie really. He remembered it all, driving his blades into each of their bodies before running away. But such details would be left out.]

--But I was back to hiding in these small caves again, trying to just process everything. Back then, it was easy to just sleep it away. I'd see my sister smiling again, or give her a hug and tell her to be strong. Without it...I just broke. I even stayed out here, desperately thinking maybe she was transported elsewhere and not dead.

[The shaking stopped, yet he gripped Maribelle's hand harder than before.]

I hated killing. Still do. Probably goes without saying, I was just a puppet after all. Yet whenever I imagine their faces, think of what they did to my sister, it becomes so much easier.

[ She knew this story would contain more grief, but she hadn't expected outright horror as well! A... smoking crater?! What in all hells could have done such a thing? It makes her stomach twit and turn, and she can only hope the sister's agony was brief.

He's stopped shedding tears long ago, but it appears Maribelle will take over that for him, as fresh tears roll down her cheeks, making her a mess. She never lets go of his hand - instead, now she holds it with both of her own. ]

I'm so sorry... To think that such cruelty could exist, is something my worst nightmares could not have dreamt up... And to make you relive such terrors for my sake, to save me...

[He wasn't used to this, people feeling bad for him or giving him this level of comfort. He tried to dodge it whenever he could after Emmeryn helped him. No one but her and a few others within the castle even knew he existed, or even knew about his deadly skills. So having his hands held like this caught Hei off guard, enough that he turned around to face Maribelle.

And his eyes widened at seeing her tears, stunning him from forming any kind of response. His eyes broke of contact, as if ashamed, only to fall onto the hand still being held by Maribelle. Unable to really speak, he used his free hand to reach into his robe, and taking out a handkerchief to gently wipe the eyes of the woman comforting him.]

I...it might have been inevitable anyway. It's not your fault.

[ She allows him to wipe her eyes, though she can tell her tears won't be stopping anytime soon. How could they, when she's been listening to the saddest thing she's ever heard? She tries to calm down, taking a few slow breaths. She almost wants to hug him, but she doubts it would be accepted.

It takes another few quiet, awkward moments but she manages to find her voice again. ]

... I know my own apologies mean little, and what had happened was no fault of mine. But... such things, such words... are all I can offer. I can think of nothing else I can say or do that would help you, which only makes this all the worse.

[It's still so weird to Hei to have people genuinely sad about his story. Emmeryn was already hard to believe until he saw the results of her actions. This woman, he had expected to bicker with her every step of the way after their brief fight. Hell, even before then, given how those in a high position abused their power a lot.]

I don't quite know what to say either with all of this. But...maybe when we get back, you can try my cooking? One of the few other things I am good at.

[ ... Wait, what? While Maribelle's flood of tears doesn't really stop, the sudden offer makes her look up, startled. ]

Huh? ... Me, trying your cooking... would help you... feel better?

Well, more to make up for this mess, but...I wouldn't mind doing it for you. And it's not like I have anyone else to cook for, beyond the job I had to leave for this.

[It was one of the few ways Hei could openly display some level of trust and affection at least.]

[ It still seems like an odd offer, but one appreciates all the same. She doesn't quite smile, but there's something at he edge of her lips. ]

... Very well. Once we're safe and sound back home, I'd be honored to try your cooking. It's a promise.

Alright...good...

[He paused, not quite sure how to process a lot of this. Really telling of what his mind was like some days, given how his eyes were trying to look away from her face. He moves to turn back around, leaving the handkerchief with Maribelle.]

Keep it, or use my cloak if you still need something for your eyes. Already had plans to wash it anyway.

Ah... yes, thank you. I'll wash it myself when I can, it's only proper.

[ She begins cleaning up her cheeks and eyes, sighing. Now she has a better opportunity to calm down, though there's still plenty of time before they can depart. ]

THE RESCUE ME MEME

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