No Longer Them

by NotHoco

Summary:

'“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘳.”

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘖𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘳'𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦, “𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮.” 𝘐𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘦.'

Notes:

HI HI HELLO Welcome to a fic I've been working on for over a year! It's the first time I've ever finished a fic this big and I honestly couldn't have done it without my lovely friends who read it as I wrote each chapter, gave feedback, drew art, and overall showed massive support for this project (Y'all know who you are). Also shout out and credit to Sqwdkllr (Tumblr) for The Parasite's and the leaflings' in generals base concept and backstory. Go give them a follow they make awesome art!

Important note: Rusty as always in my fics uses He/She/They pronouns (I honestly usually default to whatever helps make the scenario less confusing in that moment). He also may seem out of character, which admittedly he does not act exactly like this in the games. I'm well aware of this! It's supposed to be just an expanded from his base personality because I always thought his personality would develop as he shifted from being an isolated freight ship into a member of society able to fully interact with others and see their lives first-hand.

Lastly the prologue and Chapters two, three, and four are a bit short, and old, and possibly boring, but I do think they add needed context. The first chapter I actually just wrote and basically just explains the backstory of this AU since originally this fic started out as drabbles for people with previous context of the AU to read. Anyways please bare with me as we get to Chapter Five I promise things really start to get going starting there. I will try to release those early chapters rather fast just to keep people engaged, and after that maybe...a chapter once or twice a week? Warning though this fic is LONG....but I hope you all enjoy it anyways :)

Please let me know if you have any feedback (just please be kind with any constructive criticism you might have)!

Chapter 1: Prologue

“You aren't Olimar.”

The only movement from the figure was Olimar's lips as it gave a simple, “Yes, I am.” In response.

It still had that stupid fake smile on its face. It smiled underneath the shadow the leaf protruding from Olimar's ear cast across his face. It smiled despite knowing its cover was undeniably blown now. It didn't care, it never cared.

The longer she stared at his mouth, chapped lips being curled into a mimicry of Olimar's once warm grin, the more she could feel her organs pulse, her blood boil.

“Do you think I'm an idiot?!” The words came out in a nearly feral sounding snarl, “You're going to look me in the eye and tell me you're him with leaves growing out of your skull?! Like the huge stem wasn't enough already?!”

The mandible in the corner of Rusty’s mouth twitched, scratching at his bottom lip in a possible attempt to settle him down. If Rusty felt it he didn't acknowledge it.

“I want…” He wanted Olimar back, “I want to…kill you. So damn bad.” His words broke up, barred by an ever increasing lump in his throat.

The smile never left its face, “But you won't.” 

There was no mocking or condescending edge to its tone, it believed what it said full heartedly, and it was right. Rusty was not a violent robot. He was sick of killing to survive. He could never harm Olimar, even if it was just the cold lifeless shell of his body being used like a costume for some monster’s stageplay.

Their knees suddenly gave out from under them, head hung in defeat as they began to cry. It was a dry sob, a pitiful amount of tears being squeezed from an artificial tear duct. He didn't have any water in his body to spare for this, and he could almost imagine the disappointment the parasite inside him must be feeling. He was so pathetic.