Les Miserables
Tahana shuddered as Javert and his dæmon left, the doberman pausing to nod at her before leaving. She slowly walked back over to Jean, resting her head on his knee. The former convict ran a hand through the hyena's fur, trying to reassure her.
'It's okay, Hana.' He muttered. 'You're fine, we're fine.'
She shuddered again, thinking of the prison where she always kept just far enough away from him to hurt. Carrying objects back and forth between prisoners, only allowed to visit her own human when a delivery was for him.
'What if he gets us, Jean? I haven't exactly got a mayoral form.'
He tutted slightly, stroking her back again. 'No one in the town has said anything about your form, Hana. I doubt Javert will notice.'
They both know it is a lie, both know it is Javert's job to notice, to remember the dæmons of convicts who went missing. If anyone will catch them, it's the inspector.
With a sigh, Jean stands, heading for the door. They need to be mayors again.
'After you, Goeie.' He says, using her fake name.
'Thank you, Monsieur Madeline.' The hyena smiles, licking his hand as they leave the room.
Teise looks down at the Seine, balancing on the edge of the bridge. Javert runs a hand over her face, smiling slightly. Teise looks up, resting her head against his hand.
'We can't go on, Alain. Not after this.'
He nods, smiling sadly. The Doberman pressed herself closer to his side as he wrapped an arm around her body. Javert sits down, holding her closer, pressing his face into her neck.
Teise looks down at the river again, shuddering slightly. It looks cold, so cold and the fall will definitely be painful. She doesn't want to do it, doesn't want to leave her Inspector but she knows they can't not, can't stay in a world where Valjean is allowed to continue.
'It'll be fine, Teise.' Javert mutters into her side. 'We'll be fine.'
'Love you, Alain.'
'Love you, Teise.'
With that, they push off, falling toward the water. Teise digs her claws into his shirt and Javert wraps his arms around her, holding her tightly. The tumble downward, the wind whipping against his clothes and her fur, causing them to tighten their grips even more.
Inspector Alain Javert and his dæmon Teise die together, leaving the world of Jean Valjean.
Impian forces himself not to shudder as the lizard dæmon crawls off her skin and toward her human. The man drops some money then walks off, not saying anything to Fantine. The swan raises her head slightly, watching as her human shudders where she is laying.
'Are you okay, Tine?' He mutters, waddling over to her and resting his long neck along her arm.
'How could this happen to us, Pian?' She whispers, not moving to comfort her dæmon. 'How could our life go so wrong?'
Impian shakes his head, looking up at her. 'I don't know, Fantine. At least Cosette is being cared for.'
Fantine nods and the two of them smile, thinking of their wonderful girl. Thank the lord for the Thenardiers. Without them, their poor daughter would be starving right now, the two of them unable to do anything about it.
Fantine finally raises a hand to stroke her dæmon's head. He leans into it, the two of them craving affection after the ordeal they have just had. They stay there, not moving, just taking in the other's touch and trying to relax.
'All dreams come to an end.' Impian mutters finally, tears falling from Fantine's eyes.
Awan falls to Cosette's feet as she bumps into the man, the two of them to distracted by each other to look where they were going. His dæmon, a bright macaw, flies down to stand next to her.
Awan tries to move his wing but he has scratched it in the fall. Cosette bends down to pick her up, at the same time the man does the same with his dæmon. As Cosette reaches for Awan, her hand brushes the macaw and Awan feels an unfamiliar hand ruffle her feathers. The feeling is not unpleasant but is strange. Both she and the macaw freeze slightly before their humans pick them up and turn around. Cosette hurries to her Papa's side, her dove dæmon leaning out of her arms to brush heads with Tahana, Papa's hyena dæmon.
Later, when they are fleeing from Javert for reasons unknown to them, Awan flies alongside her human on the way back to Rue Plumet.
'Cosette?' He began, when they entered the garden. 'Will we see that boy again?'
His human tilted her head to watch him, holding out a hand for him to land on. 'I don't know Awan. But I certainly hope so.'
Vojta rests on the windowsill, looking down at the blood seeping into the street. Marius is sat on a chair, just far away enough for it tug on their bond but close enough to not hurt. They are not looking at each other, both lost in their memories and thoughts of their friends, dead.
When Marius shudders, she finally leaves the window, flying towards her human. He doesn't even look up as she lands, looking over his shoulder. Cosette and Awan stand there, eyes wide. They are stood like they want to come forward but are holding themselves back.
Marius shudders again, a tear falling down his face. 'I'm sorry my friends. I'm sorry Enjolras.'
Vojta beckons to the other two and they come running forward, Cosette bending down to face her love. He stares blankly at her, not taking in Cosette's face. She raises an arm slightly so Vojta can perch on it, the feeling one of pure love when she touches her. Awan flutters over to Marius' shoulder, trying to give the same comfort.
The four of them sit together for a few moments, taking in each other's love. It won't bring his friends back. But it helps.
Loka snarled as Pije jumped on her back, cackling once before jumping away into Grantaire's arms. The snow leopard growled at the drunk as he ran away with his koala dæmon.
'Careful.' Enjolras says from next to her. 'I'm beginning to think you like him.'
'Who? The human or the dæmon?'
'Both.' Her human rolls his eyes, leaning over the battle plans. Most of the Amis are crowded around Marius, listening to him and Vojta babble on about the girl and her dove dæmon. It scares Enjolras a bit to imagine touching another's dæmon.
'Well, if I like them, so do you.'
Enjolras scoffs, drawing lines across the plans. He needs to know exactly where everyone will be when Lemarque's funeral procession passes. 'Let's agree to disagree, shall we.'
Loka laughs slightly, sitting back on her haunches. They are silent for a few seconds, before she rubs his head against his hand. 'Are we ready for this? Really, Apollo?'
He smiles slightly, stroking her neck. 'As ready as we'll ever be. It'll be fine, people will join our cause.'
'What if they don't?'
He shrugs, looking around. 'They all joined.'
She licks his hand. 'I suppose. For France?'
'For France.'
Ploaie glanced across the courtyard at Vojta, his eyes dropping slightly. Éponine places a hand on his flank, turning her dæmon around to face her father and Talaivan. The Shetland pony glances at the macaw, one last time, before facing the pig dæmon. Talaivan sneers slightly, glaring across at Marius and his dæmon.
Ploaie and Éponine listen to the plan, taking in how they are going to rob the house down Rue Laile. Éponine and Ploaie will go ask for help at the door, getting the man out of the house to 'help' Montparnasse down the street. While he is gone, Thénardier and the others will sneak in and take everything.
The group disbands, promising to meet back at sunset. Thénardier glares at his daughter once before following the others down the pub. Éponine sits down, resting her head against Ploaie's leg.
'Ponine? You okay?' She looks up, smiling instantly at Marius.
'Of course.'
'I'm going to the cafe. Want to come?'
She nods, taking his hand and standing up. Vojta flies to Ploaie's head, resting there. The two of them follow Marius, Éponine gently stroking her dæmons flank.
He might not yet but Marius would notice them. One day.
Ciriya runs through the streets at Gavroche's side, the two of them laughing as they head toward the cafe. The revolution is close now and the Amis are busy getting ready. But Courfeyrac and Grantaire are always happy to spend a few minutes playing with him and Enjolras will stop and listen to him for a moment or two.
Ciriya shifts as they near the cafe, going from a German Shepard to an eagle, flying ahead of her human. She briefly nuzzles with Ploaie as he passes before flying up the stars. Gavroche spares time for a hug with his sister before following.
The cafe is in a frenzy, the Amis rushing to try and get organised. Enjolras runs past them, Loka growling at other dæmons to make them be quiet. Courfeyrac and Combeferre are sat with their dæmons, a wildcat and a labrador, looking over plans and frowning. Marius is checking the guns, Vojta leaning over his shoulder. Grantaire and Pije are in the corner, drinking wine.
Gavroche runs over to Courfeyrac, who instantly wraps an arm around his shoulders before gently pushing him towards Grantaire. Ciriya shifts into a wildcat, pouncing on the koala.
They like it here.
Talaivan and Variyavan stand together, watching the man with the hyena dæmon walk away with Colette. Cosette, whatever. The donkey bows his head, brushing his nose against the pig's head. Talaivan nudges him once before pushing him away.
'At least it's one less mouth to feed.' The pig mutters, turning away slightly.
'You could have got more money.' Variyavan says, moving to stand at his human's side.
'Next time, we will.' Thenardier smirks as Talaivan takes her place next to him.
His wife rolls her eyes. 'You better. Now hurry up, we're opening soon. Éponine, go get Azelma.'
The little girl nods, Ploaie running beside her. The unsettled dæmon runs to both his parents as they are going, briefly taking their forms before leaving as a puppy at Éponine's side.
The four of them set up as normal, getting ready to scam as many people as possible. Éponine and Azelma are stood ready when they come back, prepare to run about and pickpocket. As usual, they ignore the boy in the other room, the crying not good for business.
They open a little earlier than normal, making more profit from stealing than from selling. That's just how the world works.
Grantaire would have stayed down, would have sheltered amongst the wine bottles, if he had any brains about him. But Pije, clinging to his shirt, started trying to drag him up the stairs. The gun shots a few seconds before had caused them to cling to each other and now, without knowing if any of their friends are still alive, they are making their way up to see them.
Enjolras and Loka are the only two still standing. Combeferre and Courfeyrac are lying on the floor, their dæmons gone. 'R? What are you doing?'
Grantaire smiles, a small, sad smile. Pije speaks for him. 'Standing with you. If you permit it.'
Enjolras only nods, letting the drunk and his koala dæmon stand next to him. As Enjolras raises the flag, his hand grazes Pije's back. The koala turns, grabbing for Enjolras' arm while his human lets a hand brush against Loka's back. They stand there waiting for the guns to go off.
Grantaire falls to the floor as Enjolras is blasted backwards. The leader falls out the window, Pije clinging to his shirt. Grantaire lies next to Loka, one hand fisting in her fur.
Pije fades, held tight by Enjolras.