Over the River and Through the Woods

# Description

Well, now I know what the Bad Batch need my help with: Accessing the coordinates to a planet that could very well be one from my original stories. To obtain that information, I need to lead them over the river and through the woods to the Vault, a magical cave that houses the coordinates. It's just a simple hike there and back. What could possibly go wrong?
Unfortunately... a lot.

# Summary

## Part One: Chapters 1-40

The story starts the morning after Off to a Great Start, with Shadow awoken by a shattered plate. After catching a few more hours of sleep, Shadow is retrieved by Sergeant Hunter and the pair have a brief conversation about the unfairness of the commando's situation before Trevor also joins them. When Shadow goes to finish packing their special, never-ending bag, Trevor gives Hunter a warning against playing with Shadow's emotions and the damage that may result from doing so, spooking the sergeant. Meeting the others downstairs, Shadow, who is now in the Beta form of Alphians, travels to the cafeteria with Wrecker and Crosshair to pack some food for the day.

With their food supplies topped off, the group sets off on the trail but not before Trevor gifts Shadow a switchblade given to them by one of the sailors in their previous fandom jump. However, a fight soon breaks out between Crosshair and Shadow when the marksman questions their loyalty to the sailors. Despite this altercation, Shadow still saves Crosshair from almost drowning after the commando falls into a river. However, after insulting Shadow and triggering their abandonment issues, Crosshair ends up back in the river and Hunter is forced to save him. While comforting Shadow after the altercation, Wrecker admits his crush to Shadow and they confess they also care for him, as well as the other members of the team (namely Hunter). Meanwhile, Hunter admits to the Crosshair and Tech that Trevor warned him about Shadow's abandonment issues, causing Crosshair to regret his actions earlier. The sniper, ordered by Hunter to retrieve Shadow, attempts to thank them for saving him only to be told off.

Later, after tensions have cooled, the group stops briefly at the mountain's summit and Shadow voices some of their concerns about the mission to Hunter. After Hunter soothes some of their worries, Shadow hints to him that they have a crush on him which greatly excites the sergeant. They team regroups and attempts to plan for the rest of the mission, only for Shadow to suffer another information flash which gives them worrying news: the Vault's mountain is now a volcano. On the way down, Shadow gives the group more information on the Alphian species such as their species origin and the ability of Alphians to revive up to thirteen times after a lethal wound. Before they reach the base, Hunter reveals to Crosshair in private conversation that he suspects Shadow may be a Realm Walker, which Crosshair initially brushes off but begins to seriously consider. The sniper the admits that while he doesn't like Shadow, they have gained his respect which gives Hunter hope for the rets of the mission.

Coming across a herd of Hillguides, the group rides them across the pastures to the farm of the ex-Jedi Sarah Fields. Greeting the older woman, Shadow and Crosshair depart to gather some strawberries from the patch. They initially fight once again, only for the fight to suddenly die when Crosshair blurts out that he's harsh and mean as a defense mechanism to avoid being seen as weak. Shadow, while still angry, tells him that as long as he tries to be nicer, even if it's sloppy, they will never demand perfection from him. With the barrier of perfectionism and threat of judgement removed, the pair reach an understanding and return to the others on more peaceful terms. Meanwhile, back with Sarah, the ex-Jedi tells Hunter that she too suspects Shadow is a Realm Walker. She also drops another bomb on the group: over the next mountain, the terrain changes to a jungle crater. Hunter receives one last surprise as Tech and Wrecker ascend to the barn loft in the form of a man who briefly appears, giving Hunter a grin and a wink, before vanishing and leaving behind only the smell of the sea.

Upon Shadow's return, the group learn that the Kelusian god of Adventure, Maxolyn, is now tracking their progress and has most likely taken a personal interest in their mission. Unnerved, the team travel to the small nearby stream to fish for dinner. Tech, however, gets sprayed by a skunk and Hunter and Shadow go to Sarah for something to get the smell off before he goes into the loft. When they return, Hunter takes Shadow away form the barn and confesses his crush to them and Shadow confirms they share his feelings. Crosshair and Wrecker both tease them when they return and after everyone has showered Shadow tells them about another major species on Kelsuia; Rageryans. Later that night, after switching shifts with Tech, Hunter and Shadow spend the night cuddled together.

The next day starts off with playful teasing between Hunter and Shadow, which Crosshair grumbles about. On their way to the next train, Sarah gives Shadow a canister of tannerite and Trevor pays them a visit in his Red Screamer form to warn that James called in Separatist reinforcements. The latter information causes an argument between Hunter and Shadow, with the latter refusing to hide while the others fight. Both Hunter and Shadow are hurt by the altercation, and Hunter eventually apologizes while Shadow agrees to try to snipe from a distance if at all possible. Reaching the summit, Crosshair is lost in thought about his conversation with Shadow at the strawberry patch and his uncertain feelings toward them. Like the others, he is greatly alarmed when Trevor endangers Shadow's life and forces them to shift into a dragon which depletes them of nearly all magic for the rest of the day.

Forced to resort to just their regular skills and limited lightsaber knowledge, Shadow finds themselves greatly relying on the others as the first wave of challenges from the crater strikes: a horde of dog-sized flying creatures called Clickers that are completely blind and reliant on echolocation. After being saved by Crosshair, Shadow leads the group into the forest and they attempt to hide in a hollow log. The log, however, tumbles down the densely vegetated hill and crashes at the bottom. There Shadow realizes the fanfiction nonsense is acting up again; they themselves now have purple hair while the entire group now has scorecard type projects that appear whenever they tap their chest. Written in English, which the Bad batch do not understand, Shadow reads out each of them but omits one of Crosshair's weaknesses, making the sniper suspicious. When he requests his pistol back, which he loaned to Shadow in the Clicker fight, Crosshair then erupts on them when he learns they shoved it into their waistband and now have a large burn on their hip. He then storms off to check the perimeter, with Wrecker hurrying after him after quickly comforting Shadow.

Shadow's wound is tended to by Hunter, with Tech distracting them by chattering about antennas. However, Hunter soon senses a recon droid and gives chase with Shadow close behind. The pair manage to catch up to the droid, but find about thirty droids nearby. Meanwhile, Crosshair and Wrecker argue about Crosshair's treatment of Shadow and in the argument Crosshair admits he does trust them, which alarms the sniper. Their argument is cut short, however, when Tech comms them with the news that Shadow and Hunter are in danger. In the ensuing fight, Shadow lends Hunter one of their sabers and, with the help of the others joining them, the group manages to dispatch all of the droids. After dispatching another squadron of B1s, the group sets off to find the nearby squad of B2s with Crosshair hovering around Shadow "like an apologetic wasp". They find themselves too late, however, as the entire 30-droid detachment has been destroyed by a gang of large feral boars. The group splits up to find the boars, and Tech confesses his crush to Shadow moments before they both are attached by a wild boar. After killing the one, Shadow sets a trap for the others with the tannerite and their rifle *Kindness*. With encouraging words from Crosshair, Shadow shoots the tannerite which kills the rest of the boars and gives the group lunch.

Staying behind with Hunter to skin the boars, playful flirting between the pair leads to Shadow giving Hunter the first kiss on his cheek. In turn, Hunter is the first to give Shadow a mark on their neck. Rejoining the others, Shadow surprises Crosshair by not only giving him his favorite portion of the kill (ribs), but inviting him to sit with the others, showing the sniper that they forgive him for his harsh words earlier. Making their way through the deepest, swampiest portion of the jungle, the group is attacked by a Howler which leave Tech with a sprained ankle, Hunter with a concussion, and Shadow with a broken leg as well as vicious scars across their back. With Hunter unable to switch their back, Shadow finds themselves alone with Crosshair. After seeing the exit-wound scar on Shadow's back causes by a bullet in their previous fandom jump, Crosshair furiously asks who hurt them and Shadow confesses what happened in the prior fandom. Shields lowered, Shadow also admits that the weakness they omitted from Crosshair's chart was "Insecurity". Although horrified, Crosshair admits that he doesn't mind that Shadow knows and the pair grow closer. After Maxolyn pops back up briefly to return Shadow's sabers from the murky water, Crosshair carries them back to the others much to Shadow's shock.

Almost out of the jungle crater, the group encounters a pair of massive cave spiders. Although Hunter and the others try to get Shadow out of harm's way since their leg is still broken, Shadow uses the last bit of their magic and sends a Kelusine familiar made of stone and moss to aid Wrecker and Hunter in the canyon. This greatly drains Shadow of energy and they pass out. While fretting over the unconscious guide, the Bad Batch are visited by Maxolyn who magically heals them all and gives Crosshair to use for a "rather big transformation". When Shadow wakes up, the group has left the jungle behind and is heading up the other mountain into a temperate rainforest climate. When Hunter begins to lecture Shadow about being reckless, Crosshair steps in between them and shuts Hunter down before the argument progresses. Later, after they reach the trail shelter, Crosshair attempts to bond more with Shadow by suggesting they clean their weapons together. However, it comes out wrong and Shadow leaves him behind to go off on their own. Nevertheless, Crosshair continues to try and eventually he and Shadow settle down a ways from the trail shelter to clean their guns. There Shadow admits to Crosshair that they do view him as a friend. Touched, Crosshair admits he's glad Shadow has his back.

Finishing up, they return to the others only for Wrecker to intercept them and take Shadow back down to a waterfall he saw. There the pair engage in a brief game of chase in the shallow, warm pool beneath the waterfall. The playful game then takes a heated turn after Wrecker offers to massage Shadow's back and the pair share their first kiss, after which Wrecker leaves his own mark on Shadow's neck. They are interrupted by Wrecker's comm, much to both of their displeasure, and they return to the others. They share a meal, with Crosshair giving Shadow his portion of ribs, before Hunter takes Shadow aside to talk to them about his feelings of jealously. The talk shifts when Shadow admits they can't restrain themselves as easily with Hunter compared to Wrecker, and after some sparring charged with sexual tension, Hunter and Shadow share their first kiss. Teased by Crosshair when they return, Shadow and Crosshair have their own charged interaction when Crosshair serves as a partner for some martial arts demonstrations. Once the demonstration is over, Crosshair takes the first watch shift while the others head to bed in the loft of the trail shelter.

As they sleep, Shadow suffers a violent nightmare where Crosshair is shot and killed by a commando at the entrance of the volcanic tunnel system. Holding him as he bleeds out, Shadow awakes screaming. Despite Hunter, Wrecker, and Tech all trying to calm them down, they stumble out of the loft and try to go alone into the woods. When Crosshair calls out to them but is ignored, he follows them. Desperate to get through to them Crosshair tells them he cares about them but doesn't clarify what way he cares. Hugging them, Crosshair almost gets through but when he learns Shadow saw him die, he tries to comfort them by saying they were making a big deal out nothing. Shadow takes it the wrong way, assuming the sniper doesn't believe them, and turns to leave. Still half in their nightmare, Shadow thinks Crosshair is a droid when he grabs their hand and scratches his face only to flee when they realize it wasn't a droid but Crosshair. Crosshair attempts to run after them only to stop and get Hunter in hopes he can handle it better. Nevertheless, he still goes after Shadow despite Hunter's orders to stay behind. As he runs into the woods, he comes to a realization: he too has a crush on Shadow.

Catching up to the distraught Shadow, Hunter and Tech both attempt to calm them down. In the resulting conversation, Tech reveals to Shadow that he thinks they are a Realm Walker. Unsure of what that is, after Tech's explanation Shadow confirms they are indeed from another universe. They then tell Tech about 99's death, as Tech was the only one of the Bad Batch to be close to him. Hunter sends Tech and Shadow back to the loft then confronts Crosshair who was hiding in the trees. Crosshair admits his feelings for Shadow to Hunter, then agrees to do "what needs to be done" to keep Shadow from hating themselves. Back at the shelter, Wrecker reveals to Shadow that he figured out they were a Realm Walker but didn't say anything to avoid spooking them. Hunter calls Tech back down and Crosshair approaches Shadow and lets them know that he still cares, even though he doesn't confess his crush. He then lies down by Shadow as further proof he doesn't hate them for scarring him. Encouraged, Shadow holds onto his hand and curls their tail around his ankle before silently vowing that they will do anything to prevent his death the next day.

# Characters

Below is the complete list of characters in order of appearance.

* Shadow Hyder
* Sergeant Hunter
* Corporal Crosshair
* Tech
* Wrecker
* Trevor Stu
* Scooter Clark
* James Kilroy
* Sarah Fields
* Whispering Wind
* Rising Moon
* Rumbling Thunder
* Wayward Hunter
* Oreo
* Maxolyn
* Zedanack

# Settings

* The Outpost
* Sarah's Farm
* The Vault
* *Havoc Marauder*