Chapter is not finished, not by a long shot, but OMG I WROTE SOMETHING. And it wasn't even like pulling teeth, even. Here's an excerpt, completely unpolished:

( Cut for those who don't want to be spoiled or spammed. )

Unbeta'd, but I wanted to get it out here since it's been such an eternity. This chapter was going to contain more material, but as I thought about it, the more I felt it should be put into the next chapter instead.

Epic, epic thanks to rageai ; without her soundboarding efforts, this story would have fallen into nothing.

Without further ado:

( Two years and six months overdue... )