Hidden (Nod x Reader)

Chapter 2

"Oh, damn," the slug whispered to the snail.

I stood there in silence for a moment before laughing. "No, that's ridiculous. I don't have—"

MK wrenched my shirt halfway up. "Hey! What the hell—" My protest cut off when she lifted her own shirt, revealing a birthmark on her abdomen. I looked down to see the very same one on my waist.

MK pulled our clothes back into place. My lips parted. "I...I have a sister?"

MK nodded and wrapped her arms around me once more. This time, I didn't fight it. I hesitantly circled her with my own, then exhaled harshly and pulled her close to me. "Oh my god."

"As touching as this is," the slug interrupted, "we really must be going."

MK and I disconnected. I narrowed my eyes. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

"The name's Mub," he replied, then gestured to the snail with an eyestalk. "That's Grub. We are the keepers of the pod," he said haughtily.

I raised an eyebrow. "Okay. You do realize I just found out I have a sister, right? And I don't know when the last time I saw her was? I think we deserve some time to—"

"Hey," MK said gently. "We'll talk later, okay?"

I chewed the inside of my cheek before nodding. "Yeah, okay."

"Mount up," Ronin commanded. "We need to head to Nim Galuu's. We don't have much time."

"Can y/n come?" asked MK. There was no mistaking the pleading in her eyes.

Ronin's gaze flitted over to me. "If y/n wants to," he said, something like humor in his voice.

I looked at the ginger next to me, then back at the general. I nodded. "I'm in."

Since Sparrow had an injured wing, Nod, MK, and I ended up cramped on Nod's bird. Ronin rode with the mollusca. As little personal space as I had, I did not want to trade places with the man.

Nod narrowly avoided a tree, and I clutched tighter to his waist with a yelp. "You idiot, you're going to get us killed!"

"I thought you'd be used to this type of flying," he called back. "You're a racer!"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine with this kind of flying as long as I'm the one doing it."

We flew in silence for a few moments before MK spoke up from behind me. "So, y/n, you've been here for the past few years?"

I nodded. "Yep."

"And you don't remember anything?"

"Nope. I woke up outside Moonhaven one day without a single memory—other than my name, of course. From there I joined the Leafmen for a good few months and then...then I left. I started racing, and I've been doing it ever since."

"Wow." MK was shocked. "Well, we were all so worried. Mom, Dad..."

I turned to look at her. "Will you tell me about them?"

Instead of replying, she gasped. My head swiveled around to see what she was looking at, and my jaw dropped. Ahead of us was a forest of decay and ruin. A sea of charred black trees with crumbling branches stretched out as far as the eye could see. A steady fog embraced them as well as the rotted floor.

"Nod, perch your bird," Ronin commanded.

The two birds settled on a live tree on the border. "What did that?" MK asked. She dismounted from the bird, trying to get a better look.

"Mandrake," Ronin replied. "Queen Tara's power always kept him in check. Now nothing can heal what he destroys. Except for that pod." He looked at the bud in MK's arms. She clutched it tighter to her chest.