#but the other night I wanted to draw him getting rescued lol
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Found you ☀️
#spnfanart#destiel#destiel fanart#dean winchester#castiel#wiggleart#rolls up 1000 days later with an empty rescue#I’ve always had this scenario in mind but I never knew how I wanted to draw it and actually it was gonna be quite sad at first#with Cas being taken away by the empty#but the other night I wanted to draw him getting rescued lol#so I’m like I must do this inbetween my other projects#also#the final image is of them being back in the room they were in 1518#because to me I don’t want their first kiss to be in the empty#but back home#sorry for the long post lol#I have to figure out how to get this thing on Twitter
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meeting ted and schlatt at a halloween party (and eventually hooking up with them)
college! au & fem! reader
happy spooky month yall :)
nsfw under the cut, minors dni, 18+ only.
♡ you were invited to a house party by a friend
♡ it was a costume party (as you expected) and you decided to go as [your costume].
♡ you didn't really know anyone at the party other than your friend
♡ you recognized some people from your classes and people you saw often around campus and they were all in costume
♡ everyone looked super cool in their costumes, but there were two people who caught your eye.
♡ one of them had a frankenstein costume. completely decked out.
♡ green face paint, fake stitches all over his face and body, electrical bolts sticking out of his neck, ripped and tattered clothes, and he was really tall too.
♡ the other was wearing a knight costume.
♡ unlike frankenstein, the knight put absolutely no effort into it.
♡ his knight's helmet was barely painted blue, he's wearing a white shirt with a light blue cross in the middle and gray sleeves, he's holding a cheap plastic sword and a little ram plush is sitting on his shoulder
♡ but what draws you to him (besides the total lack of effort) was how good he looked under the helmet. also him being super tall. and constantly hanging around frankenstein.
♡ you can't stop staring at them throughout the night. and your friend notices.
♡ "just talk to them!"
♡ "i can't!"
♡ but right as you're lamenting, they come into the living room to get another drink.
♡ and your friend asks you to get them another. which you know is a ruse, but you go anyway.
♡ frankenstein is chattering excitedly while the knight is pouring himself some beer from the keg.
♡ god they're even cuter up close.
♡ you grab a couple of red cups and go to pour some beer but the lever thing is a bit too hard to grab with both cups in your hand
♡ "here, i can give you a hand." it's the knight. you nod and step aside. he pours beer into your cup. you turn around and see your friend left their spot.
♡ the knight asks if you want another and you tell him no since your friend just ditched you.
♡ "that's okay, you can hang out with us." frankenstein comes up behind you, placing a hand on your shoulder. you feel your face heat up as you turn to face him.
♡ you learn their names as you all go into one of the bedrooms for some privacy. frankenstein is ted and the knight is schlatt.
♡ they compliment your costume and you do the same, except you're not really sure if schlatt even is a knight.
♡ "who are you supposed to be?"
♡ "the ice knight from castle crashers!"
♡ "ohhhh..."
♡ you text your friend quickly that you're alone with the guys and they text back really excitedly :)
♡ you talk for a little bit but you all know you're not there to talk.
♡ they noticed you the moment you came in
♡ thought you were so sexy in your costume
♡ they both wanted you and agreed to try and get with you (with your consent ofc)
♡ you're sitting in the middle of them on the bed. you're waiting for one of them to make a move. they don't, so you eventually just tell them that you want them both.
♡ them scrambling to get you first. schlatt tosses his knight helmet aside and kisses you while ted struggles to take the fake electric bolts out lol
♡ he kisses you as if you're the princess he just rescued. really rough and passionate and his hands are all over your body
♡ ted on the other hand is a bit more gentle. holds your face and brings you onto his lap as he kisses u!!!!!
♡ smears of green makeup cover your face once you pull away from him but you don't even care.
♡ you immediately go to kiss schlatt again so he has some of the makeup on him too hehe
♡ and since ted basically covered anywhere that was visible with the paint...
♡ green handprints all over your body :) and smudges of the paint all over schlatt's :)
♡ them taking your costume off at the same time (or trying to)
♡ schlatt being completely fixated by your tits. his hands are ALL OVER THEM
♡ even when ted wants to touch them schlatt pushes him away so he can keep touching them hehe (and eventually kissing and sucking on them......)
♡ so ted opts to focus on your pussy.
♡ he rubs your clit with his fingers and licks up your folds and you're whimpering under him
♡ and yes your pussy has green makeup all over it too
♡ you're begging them to fuck you
♡ riding schlatt while ted fucks you from behind GRRSKMSDNJFDKFJ 💥💳💥💳
♡ literally the only reason why schlatt wanted u to ride him was so he could watch your tits bounce i'm so serious
♡ genuinely one of the best hookups you had ever
♡ getting their numbers before you part ways bc you have to do that again
#jschlatt x reader#ted nivison x reader#jschlatt smut#ted nivison smut#jschlatt fic#jschlatt imagine#jschlatt fanfic#ted nivison fanfic#ted nivison fanfiction#ted nivison imagine#schlatt smut#schlatt x reader#ted nivison x y/n#ted nivison x you
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I tagged this and the other post with 'minotaur steve' so you guys can find them together lol.
--
"So, there's this prophecy," Tony begins, rolling his ball of twine up as he walks away from the hidden labyrinth entrance. "I don't remember it exactly because I was too busy killing a guy trying to chop down one of my heart woods, but the gist is something like 'The bull-headed son of the Rogers clan is the only one who can save the Stark Forest.' So let's get going and--hey? Are you listening to me?!" He turns, scowling because the Rogers minotaur hasn't followed him.
His rant dies on his tongue the moment he sees the minotaur. The man's ovine head is tipped up, eyes closed, nose to the sun. Tony can see his nostrils flare as he sucks in deep lungfuls of air. He looks... somehow smaller, his curved, sharp horns no longer scraping the stone ceilings. The wind ruffles through his golden brown fur. He looks at peace. Tony suddenly remembers that all the minotaurs are kept locked in the labyrinth. They never get to see the sky.
He reminds himself that only this one has any modicum of intelligence suited for the outside world. The other minotaurs had proved that by grabbing for him when they saw him searching their halls, hungry and boorish. He's still not sure whether they hungered for food or for want of a cow, and he doesn't wish to know, either. Still, he wishes he could have rescued this one under better circumstances, even though he knows he simply wouldn't have left his forest unless he had to.
"...What should I call you?" he finally asks, more gently than he means to.
The minotaur reluctantly draws his head down, eyes fluttering open so human and blue that it makes Tony's breath catch in his chest. "...My," he begins, slow, as if not used to making human syllables. "Ma. She called me... Steve."
"Steve," Tony repeats quietly. He holds out his hand. "I'm sorry, Steve. The humans we meet will not be kind to you. You'll have to stick with me."
"No one has been kind to me but Ma," Steve says, and his fingers rub over the circled star scarred onto his hip before he reaches out to take Tony's hand.
Tony swallows thickly. Steve's hand dwarfs his, and he can see the muscles in it twitching, careful not to crush his own with his grip. He's scary, part of him acknowledges. Steve is at least seven feet tall not including the horns, maybe taller. Tony's bad with heights if there are no trees nearby. He's built like the stone walls they'd walked through in the labyrinth, wide and sturdy, muscles visible through his fur and skin. He'd watched Steve's hooves shatter the brick as he'd warned away another minotaur as they passed through its territory to leave.
But Steve has gentle eyes, and he's so careful where he's holding Tony's hand. He must have gotten practice, holding his mother and protecting her from the other minotaurs wandering the labyrinth. She had obviously instilled in him a gentleness that the other beasts had never known.
"Once I've done what the gods say needs doing... must I go back?" Steve asks, eyes sad.
Tony doesn't remember that part of the prophecy either, but he knows, suddenly and with certainty, that he'd burn his own forest temples to the gods down before he'd force Steve to go back into the labyrinth. "No. You can stay with me. I'll protect you from anyone who says you need to go back."
Steve smiles, and something about him softens further. "Lead the way."
Tony turns, mind already racing with routes to take that would keep Steve safest. Humans always want to take on monsters for glory. Steve might be the only one who can save his forest, but they need to make it back there in one piece. He still needs to take them to the tiny isle of Brookslynne to retrieve the Rogers weapon, so it will be a long journey. He doesn't want to travel at night, but maybe--
"...About your payment for my help," Steve says slowly, reluctantly. "You don't... look like you have the right parts."
"The gods don't really care about a person's parts when it comes to a bargain," Tony mutters. If Steve's only seen male minotaurs and human women, he's not going to give him the birds and the bees talk.
"The gods don't really care about a person in general," Steve agrees darkly, and Tony bites back the questions he has about how it must have been like to grow up in the labyrinth, seemingly the only truly intelligent one of his kind. It's none of his business, anyway. He just needs Steve to save his forest.
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Build Me Up Buttercup | Ch. 6
But I love you still
Summary: Morning. Breakfast. The talk. Hot Steamy Sex.
Warnings: MDNI | 18+ | This is actually a soft sweet chapter with very little angst. Mentions of Joel’s past trauma but nothing in depth at all. Sexy sex with accidental creampie oopsie.
Word Count: 2.7k - i did not mean to write this much lol.
A/N: I’m really sorry it took me this long to get this out. That work trip was brutal in so many ways. Thanks for sticking around and for reading this series, it really means the world to me. I love seeing your reactions! I am so eternally grateful to @mishasminion360 for encouraging me to write in the first place, @beskarandblasters for being there every step of the way, and the entire whore home chat for listening to me bitch and moan and reading my silly little stories and everything else. Love y’all <3
You wake up to early morning sun streaming through the window, which is weird because you have blackout curtains. And there’s an arm thrown over your waist and a scruffy beard tickling your shoulder.
You’re in Dr. Joel Miller’s bed. And you’re not even naked.
Last night, you’d accused him of cheating on his wife with you, and in doing so, you’d brought up a 20 year old trauma that likely cut him to the bone. Sure you’d been harboring a secret crush on the guy for the whole semester, but in reality you barely knew each other.
He owed you absolutely nothing and yet he’d bared his soul to you last night. Well, in a very Joel Miller way of doing it. Man of few words and all that. But you’d yelled at him after he rescued you from some frat boy dickhole and cuddled with you all night. Maybe you’re the asshole in this relationship… situationship… whatever it was.
“Morning, pretty girl,” his sleep-rough voice shocks you out of your thought spiral. You roll in his arms and look into his gorgeous brown eyes. He looks content. Happy even. Not the slightest bit upset. He should be upset.
“Are you mad at me?” You ask him, still searching his face for any traces of anger, and finding none.
“No, sweetheart, ‘m not mad at you,” he chuckles like you’re silly for asking. Joel Miller is not the asshole you thought he was… he’s a fucking saint.
“Good morning…” you press your face into his chest, unable to make eye contact. “I feel like the biggest dick on the planet,” you mumble against him, words muffled.
Joel slides the hand resting on your hip up your body and tucks a finger under your chin, lifting your eyes to his, “I’m not mad at you, darlin’. You didn’t know.” You breathe out a sigh of relief. He presses his lips to your forehead and then grumbles out, “Well, I’m a little upset with you, but not about our conversation last night.”
“I don’t understand.” Your brows furrow and your mouth sets into a little pout.
“You went to a frat party, wandered off by yourself, and then had to call me to rescue you.”
You stare at him in disbelief before pushing yourself out of his arms to sit up. “I am a grown ass woman, Miller. I can go out if I want to.” Okay maybe not a saint. He’s still irritating.
“You are. You can. But not by yourself. And don’t call me that,” he says sternly, sitting up and pressing his back against the headboard.
“I wasn’t by myself I- actually, why the fuck do you think you have any right to tell me what I can and can’t do?” The audacity of this man. Seriously.
“I’m not sayin’ you can’t! Just don’t like it, is all. ‘S not safe,” his stern voice takes on a note of sincerity and you can see the worry in his eyes. He’s completely right, and you don’t really want to admit that.
“Yeah?” You climb into his lap and wrap your arms around his shoulders. “Well fuck you, Miller."
“That can be arranged, darlin’,” Joel grips your waist in his hands and jerks you toward him, your breath hitching as you feel his hard length against your clothed crotch. You grind against him, drawing a grunt from his lips. “But we’re gonna eat breakfast first.”
He wraps his arms around your body and rolls so that you’re under him. You pout at him and he nips your protruding lower lip before getting off the bed and slinking out of the room. You stare at his retreating form in disbelief. Asshole.
“Can I take a shower?” You yell.
“Course darlin’!”
You hear faint music start to drift through the house as you head into the bathroom, but you can’t make out the song.
When you get out of the shower, you put Joel’s sweatpants and t-shirt back on, leaving your panties in the pile of your clothes from the party last night. You make your way to the kitchen, but you’re brought to an abrupt halt in the doorway.
Joel Miller, grumpiest man you know, has a spatula in his hand and is swaying his (admittedly cute) butt side to side to the music, quietly singing along to Baby, I’m Yours by Barbara Lewis. You stand in the doorway, not wanting him to stop singing. His voice is rough, but pleasant. He has absolutely adorable bed head, the morning light streaking through it and making the silver strands in his unruly curls shine. The old band t-shirt stretched across his broad form. God damn he’s gorgeous.
Joel flips a pancake out of the pan onto a plate already piled high with them and glances over his shoulder. “You just gonna stand there lookin’ pretty, or are you gonna come eat?”
Your face flushes at having been caught gawking at him. “I was just enjoying the show.”
You walk over to his kitchen table and sit down in the same place you had last night. “Coffee or tea?” He asks you.
“Coffee please.” He brings you a mug and a plate with a couple pancakes stacked on it. He goes back into the kitchen to grab the syrup and you suddenly remember you need to text your friends. They probably think you got kidnapped. “Joel, where’s my phone? I need to tell Coop and Em I’m not dead.”
He walks back to the table and sets down the syrup, dropping a kiss to the top of your head. “It’s on charge in the bedroom. Cooper called while you were in the shower, so I answered. Hope that’s okay.”
“You answered my phone? And like spoke to Coop? Did they know who you were?”
“Yeah. Is that okay?” He suddenly looks worried and you realize it sounds like you’re upset.
“No yeah it’s totally fine. I just know they’re actin’ a fool in the group chat with Em right now.” You’ll cross the hurdle of explaining how you got into this situation later. For now, a very pretty man made you breakfast and you’re really hungry.
You pour some syrup onto your pancakes and take a bite. They’re the perfect amount of sweet and fluffy. “Holy shit, Joel, these are amazing! I didn’t know you could cook.”
“Thanks. They’re Ashley’s mom’s recipe…” he gets a wistful, nostalgic look in his eye, the hint of a smile ghosting his lips. “I’m glad you like them, doll.”
As you eat, you ask him random questions. “What’s your favorite color?”
“Green.”
“Dark green or light green?”
“Dark green.”
“Do you have any siblings?”
“One. Tommy. He lives in Wyoming.”
“That’s really far away. Do you have any friends?”
“Not really. Bill and Frank are alright, I guess.”
“Wait. Bill and Frank like the Bill and Frank? The weirdo history professor who thinks Bush did 9/11 and the super hot and super not conservative art professor who are somehow together?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Just weird that of all the people to be friends with you pick the extremely crotchety old man and his lovely husband. Actually, never mind that makes sense. Do you think Bush did 9/11?”
“No.”
Once you’re both finished with breakfast, you help Joel clear the table and take the dishes to the sink. You take a deep breath and ask the question you’ve been meaning to ask all morning. You don’t want to be a what are we are girl, but he’s your professor. You lean against the little island in the center of his kitchen, folding your arms around yourself, while Joel washes the dishes.
“Joel?”
“Yeah, darlin’?”
“If we’re gonna do this… whatever this is…” You trail off and take a deep breath. “How does this work, with you being my professor?” There. You did it. Now he’s going to tell you that you can’t do this and this isn’t anything.
Joel sighs and grabs a dish towel to dry his hands. He steps into your space, grabbing your hands and wrapping your arms around his waist before bringing his hands to cup your cheeks. “Baby doll, I don’t know about you, but I’m startin’ to think this could be something. And if you feel the same way…”
“I do!” You give him a reassuring squeeze. “I want this. Us.”
“Then we’ll keep it quiet for a few more weeks, you’ll graduate, and we’ll burn that bridge when we get to it. How’s that sound?” You giggle at his phrasing and bury your face in his chest, squeezing him tight. He envelops you in his arms and you stand in his kitchen, hugging each other and soaking in the warm feeling.
“Darlin?”
You look up at Joel and he kisses you.You part your lips and he deepens the kiss, licking into your mouth. Joel’s kisses are all consuming. You’re getting addicted to the feeling of his mouth on yours - the way his lips are slightly chapped, the way his beard and mustache tickle your face, the way it feels like he’s pouring a piece of his soul into you for safe keeping. Your heart swells with it. You dig your fingers into his shoulder blades, pulling him closer to you. You can’t get him close enough to you.
He grabs your waist with his hands and lifts you onto the countertop without breaking the kiss, stepping into the space between your thighs. You tangle the hair at the nape of his neck in your fingers and he groans into your mouth.
His hands slide to the waistband of your borrowed sweats and he slides them down your legs, finally breaking away from your lips to toss them on the ground behind him. “No underwear? Dirty girl.” He slips back between your legs and your shirt quickly joins your sweatpants.
“You’re so beautiful, baby,” Joel pants into your ear. He presses his lips to yours again and pulls you to the very edge of the counter top. “Lay back, darlin’. I’ve been dying to get my mouth on you.”
You lean back onto your forearms and your breath hitches as he digs his fingertips into your thighs, spreading them apart. He presses his nose into your clit and inhales deeply. “You smell sweeter than maple syrup, baby doll.” He buries his tongue in your opening, swirling it around before licking a stripe up to your clit. “Taste better too.” He sucks your clit into his mouth, nudging it over and over with his tongue and drawing a deep moan from your throat.
“Fuck, Joel, feels so good.” Your head drops back and you grind against his face as you feel yourself getting close. “Gonna come, Joel,” you whimper. He speeds up his tongue on your clit and slips a finger inside your tight heat. The combination of him pressing against the soft, sensitive spot inside you and a hard suck on your clit sends you over the edge. You cry out his name as you come, walls fluttering around his finger rapidly.
Before you’ve even come down from your world shattering orgasm, he’s wrapping your thighs around his waist and picking you up off the counter. He locks his mouth with yours and you taste yourself on him, smell yourself on his facial hair, and fuck that’s hot. He makes it as far as the hallway before he’s pressing you up against the wall and kissing you stupid again. You suck his bottom lip into your mouth and lightly graze it with your teeth. He groans and tightens his grip on you, heading to the bedroom again.
“You’re gonna fuckin’ kill me baby,” he says, laying you gently on the bed and crawling on top of you, settling his still sweatpants covered but very visible cock against your dripping pussy and grinding into you. You whimper at the contact on your over stimulated clit.
“You’re gonna kill me if you don’t take your - fuck,” grinds down into you again “your fucking clothes off and fuck me, Miller,” you get out through gritted teeth.
“Can’t have that now, darlin’,” Joel chuckles and stands up, finally stripping his pants and shirt off. And holy shit. You hadn’t exactly forgotten how big he is, that would be hard to forget. But it’s just as stunning the second time as the first. He really is beautiful. His skin is golden and lightly freckled. His broad chest and big arms are slightly contrasted with a cute little belly. A trail of dark hair runs from his navel down into soft curls around the base of his gorgeously flushed cock. God damn you want that cock inside you.
“Please,” you whine.
“Of course, darlin’,” Joel settles back on top of you and nestles the head of his cock against your entrance. “Oh, and don’t call me Miller.” He thrusts inside of you in one long, slow stroke, making you scream out in pleasure and the smallest bit of pain at the stretch.
“Joel, you’re so fucking big oh my god,” your walls flutter around him, trying to get used to the way he fills you up so completely.
“I know baby, you can take it.” He waits until he sees no more traces of comfort in your face, then he retreats and pushes forward at that same slow pace. “You’re so fucking tight, baby. Squeezing my cock so good. You’re fucking perfect, baby, so fucking good for me.”
You keen at the praise, lifting your hips to meet him as he thrusts into you. No one has ever filled you up so completely before. No one has ever hit that spot deep inside you that makes you choke on your own moans.
“Please, Joel,” you beg him. You want more of him, somehow. He is everything and you need more.
“Please what darlin’?” Joel rolls his hips into you harder on the second word and you realize what you want.
“Harder, Joel. Fuck me harder!” He complies immediately, sitting back on his haunches and grabbing your hips for leverage. He thrusts into you hard and fast, pulling you into him. Your body goes limp and you can’t do anything but take him. You think he’s hitting your cervix. You can’t really think anymore. A stream of choked moans and half sobs fall from your lips.
Joel looks like a god above you. His powerful biceps flex with every pull of your body into him. A sheen of sweat on his body makes him glow in the mid morning sun. His curls are damp, a few pressed to his forehead. His face is set in determined focus. You’re going to come again. You can feel the coil of pleasure in your stomach about to snap and he hasn’t even touched your clit.
Like he can read your mind, he starts rolling his hips at the end of each thrust, grinding into your clit.
“Joel! Fuck! I’m com- I-” You can’t get the words out as your cunt clenches around him hard. All your senses black out except for touch. You feel him inside you, all around you, running through your veins, making your whole body shake as you come harder than you ever have in your life.
“That’s a good girl. Come on my cock, pretty girl. So good for me. Fuck!” Joel’s praise washes over you and you feel absolutely euphoric. He buries himself deep inside you and you feel him twitch inside you over and over, cum leaking out around him and down your thighs. Joel falls forward, catching himself on his forearms and dropping his forehead to yours. You both take several deep shuddering breaths, coming down from your highs.
“Fuck. Fuck baby I’m sorry, I couldn’t stop,” Joel half whispers. He slips out of you and climbs off the bed and you whimper pathetically at the loss of him. He’s back moments later, wiping you clean with his t-shirt.
“IUD,” you murmur, still too fucked out for full sentences. Joel looks confused for a second before he lays down beside you and pulls you into his arms.
“You have an IUD?” You nod and snuggle even closer to him. “Thank fuck.”
You giggle at him and press a kiss to his chest before drifting off to sleep in his arms.
A/N2: I have an idea floating in my head for an epilogue so that may come along at some point, but I’m not gonna promise anything lol. They live happily ever after, though, obviously.
Tag List: @beskarandblasters, @cutesyscreenname, @atinylittlepain, @wednesdayday, @whoiscaroline, @goldenhxurs, @northernwindd, @djarinxore, @worhols, @amanitacowboy, @silkiers, @4ueijos, @livinxdeadxgrl, @chknikkbxss, @thepriceofpepper, @lexic-22, @sunshinebtrfly, @ccelinea, @harriedandharassed, @leeeesahhh, @suzmagine, @strang3lov3, @thereaperisabitch
#joel miller#joel miller fics#joel miller fan fiction#joel miller x reader#joel miller x you#the last of us fanfiction#tlou fanfiction#Joel Miller AU#Professor!Joel#Professor!Joel Miller#pedro pascal#pedro pascal fanfiction#pedro fics#pedro pascal character fanfiction
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So I got to the Daylight Inn in BG3 today and I had Astarion in my squad, and as we were hanging out and chatting up Isobel after rescuing her from Marcus, I started hearing a male character singing really softly. I switch characters around to see if I can find them and BOOM I find out ot's Astarion singing softly to himself while idle. I couldn't quite make the lyrics out but he sounded a bit distant and sad...made me want to hug him again.
OH NO… little guy, that’s so cute ;A; I absolutely love this and really, really hope this triggers for me in (one of) my current pts!
I have heard audio of him humming before (and it was so flat- which is super endearing to me lol), BUT this ask made me have some big hcs and I had to write and draw some boys about it lol
-
I imagine that Astarion really, truly loves to sing, that he gets catchy tavern songs stuck in his head for days and goes about his business singing to himself. However, the other spawn would continuously tell him to never to do so in their presence because he can't hold a tune, what kind of elf can’t sing? And what in the names of all the gods did he have to sing about anyway? Besides the song of agony that Cazador made him sing…
By the time he ends up a tadfool in our favorite merry band of misfits he’s learned well not to dare let his discordant voice slip in front of other people. He has to be charming, he has to be pleasant so that they keep him around. And his song is not a pleasant one.
He can’t help himself though, he still hums and sings quietly as he strolls through the woods, when he’s reading or sewing, in times when he thinks he’s entirely by himself. But Tav, godsdamnit, Tav takes notice.
Tav startles him one night, telling him that they recognize the tune that he’s humming and that it’s one of their favorites. Astarion’s pissed that they were listening in on him, but he’s more surprised that he isn’t shot down immediately, that he’s not met with expected snark for not being able to carry a tune in a bucket, but Tav doesn’t belittle him… which is odd.
In time Astarion still keeps his songs to himself around the rest of the party, but as he begins to trust Tav he finds himself becoming more and more relaxed with them. He realizes that he can be himself around them, well, whatever parts of himself still left to him at this point anyway.
But it was a novel concept, this acceptance, a concept he learned to greatly appreciate. And Tav seems pleased to see (and hear) him being comfortable with them, being happy. Tav cares for him.
Tav cares for him after no one had given a rats ass about him for two centuries. What a concept indeed.
So Astarion continues humming flatly and singing badly, Tav joins him often and they belt out old folk songs or bawdy tavern numbers together on their long journey, making up colorful (and hilariously crass) new verses as they go.
And he comes to realize that this, this time with Tav is what being close to a person is supposed to feel like.
That being put down and belittled for something that a person enjoys is not universal.
That constantly being on guard is not normal.
That another person can actually bring him joy, and that caring for someone is... possible.
Tav says that they enjoy singing with him, that they could go on singing with him forever, that they love his song.
And would it be so bad to sing of love instead of sorrow? Would it be so bad to share his song with them for as long as time would allow? He wasn’t quite sure yet, it was all so new.
But as he walks with Tav, arm in arm, belting out a bawdy old ballad to the heavens and all unfortunate ears within a mile, he had to admit that the thought of forever was enticing.
-
Thank you so much for the ask! And sorry it took 5ever bc it inspired me to make a little Drabble and doodle :>
#Astarion SINGING I love it ;A;#astarion headcanons#astarion#astarion x tav#bg3#baldur's gate 3#answered asks#bg3 spoilers
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List 5 facts about a favorite sim of yours, and send this to 10 simblrs whose sims you adore ♥♥♥
TYSM for sending me this ask @elderwisp and @igotsnothing 💖
I almost used this as an excuse to do two sims.... but it takes me so long to answer these things that I didn't want to risk it sitting in my inbox for too long lol!
But let's dive in, shall we?
I chose my beloved...
✨Asher Goode✨
🩶Asher is a dog lover, and is very attached to his border collie, Jasper. He rescued Jasper as a six-month-old puppy when he was fifteen. The dog lives at his parents’ house because Asher doesn’t want him to be cooped up in an apartment. (He’s the main reason Asher visits his family so much.) If he does bring Jasper home to the city, it’s only for one night, and usually means he’s having a tough time and needs a little extra comfort.
🩶He is a very talented artist. One of his favorite hobbies is writing and illustrating comics. He’s been doing this since he was a kid, and it’s his creative outlet outside of work. He completed his first story when he was fifteen. It was inspired by Jasper and is still in his old bedroom at his parents’ house. (I hope one day to share it, but I need to share it as a comic and I don’t know how to go about doing that yet, so I’m holding onto it for now.)
🩶He gets his creativity from his father, who is a musician. His dad had always hoped that his kids would share his love of music. While Asher appreciates a wide variety of genres, he’s not interested in playing any instruments. In fact, he hates the piano because it reminds him of how miserable lessons were as a kid. He’d much rather put on his headphones and draw. However, he does love dancing and going to concerts.
🩶He's not much into fitness or sports, but he does love to run on the beach with his dog. He’s also a very strong swimmer. Not because he enjoys swimming… quite the opposite really. When he was nine years old, he nearly drowned in the ocean when he was swept away by the undertow. He was saved by this mother, but he’s hated the water ever since. Rather than avoid it, though, he asked his parents to sign him up for swimming lessons. He’s not the type to avoid what scares him, he’d rather take control in any way he can.
🩶Asher is madly in love with Atlas... yes yes, we know this… but did you know that Asher’s love language is physical touch? He is very affectionate. The type to always greet you with a hug, put a hand on you while talking, lean against you while standing, drape his legs over you while sitting on the sofa, and snuggle you in bed (and he’s almost always the big spoon). A lot of the time, he does this without thinking, so people who don’t like others in their personal space tend to not like being around him. But, for Atlas, the casual closeness and affection always put him at ease around Asher, even long before they started dating. (I could really dive into all that, but this isn’t about Atlas right now, so perhaps I’ll save it for another time 😉).
#lynzi answers#i will literally talk about him all day#so happy to get his ask#ty both so much#🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶#i feel like each of these contains 2-3 facts#i'm sneaky like that lol#also the hearts are gray cos his eyes are gray#🤭🥰#ok i'll stop now#aries outtakes#asher extas
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@arcvmonth Day 18 D/D/D- Different Dimension Day!
Even though its a little late (because I wanted to color these lol) I wanted to talk about my Mermaid AU- concepted while I drew my big piece for Mermay this year! I was originally going to turn it into a series basing them on the En cards, but I didnt have time (maybe next year?)
This is a high fantasy AU, of course, and each of the stories happen around the same time-which Ill get into later. All of the Bracelet Girls, Dragon Boys and Zarc + Ray are in their 20's here, with romantic interactions between the expected couples (Fruit, Apple, FallenAngel, Predator, Genesis). All of the stories are unrelated but take place around the same time, with the the exception of the Genesis which takes several decades before.
Just slapping the word 'Mermaid' on a character and not basing them on a sea creature has never been an option for my autism brain, so I based the girls off of sea creatures I thought suited them!
Yuzu is based on a Betta fish- the only freshwater mermaid out of the five- mainly because I think theyre gorgeous with their lovely flowing tails, but also because theyre highly territorial, which I will get into later.
Rin-Rin is based off of one of my favorite sea creatures, the Lionfish. Bright and beautiful, but venomous and a ruthless predator. She's also Siren.
Ruri is based on a Parrotfish. Beautiful, iridescent scales and placid nature who live in coral reefs. Also, bird pun becuase I couldnt resist.
Serena is a Human-Mer hybrid whose based off an Angler fish. Scary creatures who use beautiful light not to illuminate their surroundings, but to draw in prey. She requires more oxygen than a normal mermaid, so like a mudfish, she can chill out near the surface of the sea and take in oxygen when she needs to.
Ray is based off of a Sea Angel, which is apparently a sea slug. It's pretty and I dont know much about it, which is the exact same thing I can say about my girl Ray.
Under the cut ill get into my thoughts for each of the AUs! Including a minific which kind of adds a little context to my piece from Mermay!
Ill go over all my ideas for the different storylines - marked by their ship- and at the end is minific! Sorry for any punctuation/spelling mistakes!
Genesisshipping:
Zarc is an apprentice boatsman on his first voyage on a big ship. After smashing into rocky bluffs, the boat he's on capsizes and falls into the ocean. Almost drowning, he is rescued at the brink of death by Ray, who takes him to an uninhabited island to bring him back to life. Over a year or so, the two fall in love and while Zarc does want to escape the island he beleives its futile and doesnt even try. Eventually a ship does come to rescue him, and he promises Ray that he'll make it back to the island one day to be with her.
After hes back on land, people ask him what happened, howd he survive, ect; he eventually lets slip that a mermaid saved him. This makes it around, and eventually wealthy prospectors hear. Entranced by money and power wished to him, he leads hunters to the island to capture Ray.
Thinking that hes back to start a life with her, Ray's shocked when other people come from the boat and try to capture her. Realising Zarc had sold her out, she escapes to the sea, never to be seen again. Realising the error of his ways, Zarc decides to stay on the island after the disgruntled hunters leave in an attempt to attone for his greed and to hopefully see Ray one more time.
Appleshipping:
Hugo had always heard tales about sirens in books and wanted to if they were real or not. After attempt of humours faliures to become part of an actual reputable ship crew, he falls in with some pirates who decide to take him out to the seas. On his maiden voyage, he is so nervous that he cant fall asleep on his first night. Thats when he hears it. A siren's song in the distance.
The rest of the crew asleep, he steals a rowboat to find the source of the singing. He finds it- the most beautiful girl hed ever seen, singing the most beautiful song hed ever heard. He falls head over heels for her at first sight.
While Rin just wanted a meal, she now has to put up with idiot pirate trying to woo her. She is severly displeased about it, and makes it known. Then she realises- this dude is a grade A idiot with the luck of god on his side and now has to live with a human taking up her favorite rock. Ridiculousness insues
FallenAngelShipping:
Ute grew up in a port town that had a great relationship with the fellow merfolk. He and Ruri grew up together, and eventually became a couple. One day, the village was raided by hunters, who both killed and captured the humans and merfolk, burning the town to the ground.
While hed somehow escaped from the raiders, he knows he has to break in to the enemy camp as they transport prisoners and set everyone free.
After weeks of planning and watching them from afar, he finds the perfect moment and storms the encampment, setting everyone free, including his best friend Shun and his lovely Ruri.
While they are displaced, remaining survivors help rebuild the city, and they try to rebuild their lives. Now with round the clock border security :)
Predatorshipping:
Joeri is a wealthy buisness man who found success selling various snake oils in his teens. Feeling bored of scamming people out of their cash, he goes to a beah town in an effort to refresh, regroup his thoughts, and figure out his next buisness move.
While walking a beach in the dead of night, he notices a glow coming from a little cave in the distance. Sneaking a peek, he notices Serena stting, resting, and his mind races. Mermaids are uncommon, but not unheard of but most people havent seen one, so what if he could show her off?
Practically smelling the money from the buisness opportunity, he approaches her. She startles, and draws a weapon on him. That night he tries to talk her down and using all of his sales knowledge and charisma, tries to get her to warm up to him.
While it ends up in faliure, the next night she is in the cave again. And he makes up his mind to convince her to join him, whether that be by convincing her with his words, or bribing her with anything he can get his hands on. He has a goal and wont stop until it's realised.
Fruitshipping:
Feeling wanderlust in his early teens, Yuya decides to dedicate his life to becoming an adventurer to see all the beautiful sights hes read about in his beloved father's old travel diaries. After about a decade of seeing what the continent has to offer, he takes a wrong turn (not the first time) and accidentally stumbles into a serene clearing blanketed in cherry tree blossoms nestled in between foothills. In awe, he explores the adorable little field, picking wild dasies as he goes, and spots a lake fed by mountains. As he investigates, he is jumpscared by a mermaid who warns him to leave immediately or face the consequences.
After a breif moment of shock, he starts to laugh. Yuzu is flabbergasted, as most humans would have fled at that point. He tells her that meeting a mermaid was always on his bucket list and that hes pleased to make her acquaintance, which leaves her even more shocked.
While she is standoffish at first, Yuya sets up camp near the water's edge to really drink in the scenery, subbornly telling an annoyed Yuzu that it was the best vantage point in the clearing.
While he'd oly planned to stay for a couple of days, as he talked to Yuzu- her sharing enchanting stories about the depths of the lake and the merfolk who lived there and in turn, her avidly listening to Yuya's travel stories- he decided to stay through the end of spring... and then summer... until eventually autumn's chill prompts him to eventually- begrudgingly- forces him to start packing up his temporary home.
Over the months the two talked and talked and became best friends. Through the wilting daisy chains they made, to the silly splash fights they shared on hot days, to almost sombre monitoring of deciduous leaves starting to fall as the lake theyd made memories in starts to slowly develop its winter shell, baring the aquatic from the terrestrial.
As they say their goodbyes, Yuya noticing Yuzu shivering slightly as she sits above the water, he promises her to come back in the spring with even more travel stories, handing her one of his earrings in a jesture of his vow. And she is overjoyed.
As they part ways, he catches her tightly gripping the blue crystal of his earring before she slips below the water, and he wishes that winter would just leave and never come back.
Over the winter, Yuya can't stop thinking of his time in the clearing. The curiosity that Yuzu would have for the camp meals he'd cook. The sparkle in her eye as he'd describe one of his adventures. Her concern over even the most miniscule of old wounds hed accrued over the years. Her witty remarks that never failed to get a laugh out of him. That no matter where he went, he'd always wonder what Yuzu would think if she'd been there with him.
As the weather started to turn from hail and snow to bright skies and sunshowers, he practically made a mad dash to the little clearing tucked away on the forgotten road near the foothills, hoping that the ice had melted in the area- if not for the whole pond, at least around the crude dock he'd put together to sit with Yuzu on, so close to where he'd set up camp.
As he approaced the sea of sakura, the blooming daisies, the grass rejuvenated after it winter hibernation, he noticed a figure waiting where she always was early in the mornings before he awoke, brushing her beautiful magenta tinged hair, facing toward the mountains in the distance.
He grinned and picked the prettiest of the wild daisies he could see on the bushes around him.
He was back home and couldn't be happier.
#wow that took longer than expected#fun to do some writing again#hopefully i can do more with this au in the future#ygo arc v#yugioh arc v#arcvmonth#arcvmonth2023#original art#doodle#chibi art#sakaki yuya#hiiragi yuzu#zuzu boyle#yugo (arc v)#rin (arc v)#yuto (arc v)#kurosaki ruri#lulu obsidian#yuri (arc v)#serena (arc v)#zarc arc v#akaba ray#mermaid au#genesisshipping#fruitshipping#appleshipping#fallenangelshipping#predatorshipping
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Ok, I'm sorry for interrupting your busy schedule AGAIN, but hear me out. I really wanna see the softer side of Daddy Bear. I know he's a dark character, and all but I just hear me out a little bit I wanna see what he does when let's say Goldilocks get and injury or something from chores or like just like cute interactions between them LIKE cute little gifts he makes her cute little things she does for him or celebrating holidays and birthdays together or Goldilocks having a bad day and how she gets treated or vice versa or Daddy bear reading Goldilocks to sleep when she can't sleep or Goldilocks treating daddy bear after a nightmare or Goldilocks having separation anxiety crying ugly when daddy bear has work and wanting to cuddle him to death the moment he returns home or bucky heart melting into a FUCKING SWIMMING POOL when Goldilocks complements him I'm sorry I've written the whole dictionary but you don't have to though we have imagination for a reason lol. also, I wrote this poem for you enjoy my love😘. I LOVE YOU POM I HOPE YOU'VE HAD A GREAT DAY OR WEEK OR MONTH I HOPE YOU HAVE GREAT COMPANY IN YOUR LIFE CAUSE IF HEAR THAT A BITCH MADE YOU FEEL THE SLIGHTEST AMOUNT OF AND THING THAT ISN'T JOY I'M NUKING FUCKING RUSSIA UNTIL THEY APOLOGISE love you tons pom bye wife🫶🏾
Babes I love you so much - I would do anything for you okaaaaay!!!!
You want soft Goldilocks hmm?
Ok lemme give you something sweet just because you are such a sweetie to me 💖 I hope this is okay????? I might have to explore some of these ideas further 😅
- Well any time Goldilocks hurts herself doing chores Daddy Bear is beside himself both with worry and pride. His perfect sweetheart/wife in training has worked so hard to make everything perfect just for him!
- You're gonna get cuddles, kisses, he's gonna rub your sore muscles and tell you how much he loves you.
- I can imagine him checking you over for other injuries just so he can squeeze at your body possessively and tease you until you are 💦wet💦 so he can then say what a naughty girl you are and what a perfect wife you are going to make because you are always ready for Daddy Bear.
- Obviously you can't go out or anything but he lets you roam the immediate area of his cabin and sometimes you find pretty flowers or pebbles or feathers and collect them for him which he loves.
- Or you draw something beautiful like the scenery or a picture of him and he's just thrilled because even though you don't have much to work with, you still think of him and make something special.
- Daddy bear will bring home all kinds of gifts for you, but he has to be careful not to arouse suspicion. So everything comes in discreet packaging and you get quite excited wondering what's inside.
- Mostly it's clothing, although often very skimpy things like little frilly aprons, or sundresses or pretty shoes.
- If you mention a book you loved to read he would get that for you too, although he avoids too many reminders of your old life just in case it makes you want to leave him!
- He will also make you little things. Wooden items are his speciality of course but I feel he is quite crafty with other things too. Like I imagine he makes you a little leather collar with his name etched on it????
- And so many flowers 🌸🌼💐
🩷
- He decides instead of celebrating your birthday, he wants to celebrate the day you came to him. So every year he gets a little bear for you, and I feel like some kind of roleplay into reliving the night but he has heavily edited it to make you think it's more like a rescue than what it actually was.
- One day you shyly ask him when his birthday is and from that moment you are planning the most perfect day.
- You wake up early and surprise him with a little treat under the covers which has him growling awake. The rest of the morning is spent doing whatever he likes to you, but it works out well for you!
- Then you make him a delicious birthday cake and surprise him with a present. I like the idea of it being a pregnancy test because that's what Daddy Bear wants more than anything, but it could also just be something sweet like you've packed a picnic and ask if you can go into the woods for the day?
🩷
- Also random but I totally picture him dancing alot with you.
- Its a nice excuse to be close and touch you and hold you tight without being so intense. And he can have fun with it, swirling you around, dipping you suddenly and lifting you up.
- You squeal and giggle a lot because you don't really know what is happening but it's fun and makes your stomach flip when he's holding you like that 🥹
🩷
- If Goldilocks has a bad day.... Well it depends why. If it's because she is missing home or being mopey, Daddy Bear doesn't have much patience for that. He will be kind, but he just reminds you that he is the only one who could look after you so well.
- If it's because you need him, well he's got all the time in the world for that. He'll snuggle up with you, play games and tell you funny stories because he loves you giggling in his lap.
- Maybe he'll take you for a nice walk in the sunshine and then find a suitable tree to fuck you against until you can't even remember your name, let alone what you were sad about.
- Your wellbeing is his top priority so whatever you need, you get.... Sort of 😂
🩷
- If you complimented him?????
- He would be such a goofball about it.
- Firstly because you'd be so shy and cute and he'd know you must have been thinking about it a long time before you could say it.
- But also, he doesn't want to be a monster in your eyes, so when you tell him how handsome he is, or that you loved his gifts, or you are glad he's your daddy bear.... Oh it's just too much.
- He compliments you all day long
- You are perfect, soft, gonna make such a good momma bear, take him so well, always ready, beautiful, everything to him.
- ugh
🩷
- I think you both have separation anxiety tbh! He hates leaving you alone because what if someone finds you and takes you away? He sometimes calls you over the radio at lunchtime and checks in on you.
- You always sit around it at lunchtime waiting for his call and you chat very briefly feeling a little better for it.
- For your part, you hate when he leaves for work. It takes you a few hours to come out of your gloom, wishing you could just sit with him and cuddle all day.
- You distract yourself with chores because you know it makes him happy and that does help.
- But nothing beats when you hear his truck driving down the long road to the cabin.
- You fix your hair and apron and wait eagerly on the deck, bouncing from one foot to the other in excitement.
- Once he's out of the car you run over to him and jump into his waiting arms, kissing his face until your lips meet in a hungry kiss.
"Missed you Daddy Bear" you pout and cling to his arms. He smiles at the routine of it all. "Missed you too Goldilocks"
#goldilock au#goldilocks au#dark!bucky x y/n#dark!bucky barnes#💌#bucky barnes#bucky x reader#bucky barnes fanfiction#bucky imagine#dark fluff
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Break In 2: The Novelette (Fanfic)
PART 1
got damn I finally finished this. Writers block was wilding on my ass so I hope this didn't turn out like shit lol. I drew a lil bit of art for this fanfic (I say "drew" but a lot of it is just textures from google edited together into a picture lmao). Just 3 pics but yeah I got bored and wanted to draw. Might make a separate post for them sometime so people who don't wanna read or scroll through this can see them.
I recommend reading part 1, there are some references and callbacks that you might not get if you haven't read it already.
Again if you see any grammar/spelling errors please tell me. don't let me just leave that shit in because that's hella embarrassing 🙃
oh also for those who don’t know, the premise of this fanfic is basically just me turning the game into a short story
TW implied sexual violence (not involving any main characters, relatively short section, but its there)
This one is about 16,000 words, alright lets do this
Chapter I – Unsafe Haven
A fork of lightning illuminated the woods as Prince drove down the trail at a snail’s pace. The deluge was so heavy that it was almost impossible to see through the windshield, even with the wipers on. He brought the car to a standstill and let the engine idle.
“We’re gonna have to wait the storm out,” Prince told the kids. “Can’t keep driving like this.”
Stephanie kicked the back of Prince’s seat. “Worst camping trip ever,” she grumbled with her tiny voice.
“Relax. We’ll get there,” the elder brother said, but the truth was that he may or may not have taken a wrong turn through the thick fog.
It had been almost a year since the four kids had butted heads with their not-so-friendly neighborhood mafia. Well, three kids and one adult; Prince had turned 18 a few months ago. They’d been holed up in their house for too long, paranoid that Larry and his mobsters might show up for a little payback. It didn’t help that there had been a string of missing person reports in the area. To their dismay, their own uncle had disappeared, not to mention that the mob boss himself had vanished soon after they’d deactivated him. He hadn’t been sighted since, though, so Prince and Monica thought an outing would help take their minds off of everything.
They had everything they needed. The weather report had been favorable, yet rain was battering their windows. Prince folded his arms as he heard another clash of thunder. His boredom was replaced with panic as the subsequent flash of lightning struck the tree closest to them.
“Everyone out! Now!” he yelled as the trunk splintered and started to topple towards them. The kids tumbled out of the car and ran off as the tree smashed into the hood. The car alarm screamed.
“Could this trip get any worse?” Monica huffed as she walked around their totaled coupé. She popped the trunk and rummaged around inside.
Prince reached out and pulled her away. “Monica, wait, the engine-”
He was cut off as the crushed engine spat out a plume of smoke and exploded.
The kids stared at their flaming car.
“Shit,” said Hadrian.
Prince sighed. “Yeah.”
They looked around. They thought they’d reach the campsite early in the evening, but the storm had stalled them for so long that night had already come. Prince could hardly see the path ahead of them. “You didn’t happen to pull a flashlight out of there before it blew up, right?” he asked Monica.
Monica looked at the first aid kit she’d rescued. “No.”
“Damn. Well… we shouldn’t just stand around, I guess. Come on,” Prince said to the others. They climbed over the fallen tree and set off down the trail on foot.
The muddy path squelched under their shoes and thorns snagged their clothes as they trudged forward. Prince knew they should hurry, but shrubs and tree roots obscured by the shadows threatened to trip them up and send them face first into the dirt if they walked too fast.
Prince pulled out his cellphone as they moved, grumbling in frustration as the rain impaired the touchscreen. He tried to dial emergency services. No signal. He almost bumped into a traffic barricade in front of him while he was shoving the phone back into his damp pocket. “The hell? What is this doing here?”
He felt Monica tug on his sleeve.
“Do you see that?” Monica asked, pointing into the trees. It took Prince a few seconds to figure out what she was talking about, but he spied a yellow light blinking in the distance.
“What is it?” he wondered.
“I don’t know… but look.” Monica gestured downwards. There was a gravel path leading away from the barricaded trail. It looked like they’d be taking a detour.
“Let’s see if there’s a building there,” Monica suggested. Prince was apprehensive about veering off the main path, but he had no clue how far the campground was, if they were even going in the right direction. Maybe this was a better option. He and the other kids followed her.
It didn’t take long for them to reach the origin of the light. Steel walls stretched into the trees. The faint beams of moonlight that made it through the leaves glinted on the razor wire resting atop the fortifications.
A control panel was affixed to the wall next to the heavy-duty vertical lift door. There was the light source: a yellow diode, flashing on and off in the dark.
Prince peered through the doorway. It was already open. “What is this? A military base?”
Monica knitted her brow. “Maybe, but why would they leave the door like this?”
“I don’t see anyone.” The place gave him an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach, but it was freezing, and his clothes were soaked all the way through. He stepped inside.
The dwelling had evidently been abandoned for a long time. One ceiling light persevered, shining weakly in the darkness. The floor was littered with trash and a sticky layer of dust coated the tiles. Corroded storage lockers lined one of the walls. The other was plastered with crappy graffiti.
Prince didn’t see anyone else. He beckoned the others inside. However, right as the last kid stepped through, there was another flash of lightning. The panel next to the door sparked and short circuited. Everyone flinched as the door slammed down with a loud bang.
“What the hell!” Prince exclaimed as he turned around. He gave the door a kick. It didn’t budge. The unlocking mechanism had failed. He tried tinkering with the control panel, but all he got was an electric shock. “Ow.”
Prince knew he wasn’t about to break through solid metal. The kids glanced around the room nervously. “Look for another way out,” Prince told everyone.
There was only one other door on the opposite wall. Monica made her way over and gently pushed it open, but it was just a stairwell leading even deeper down into the building. She shook her head at Prince. “Nothing here.”
Hadrian started to open the old lockers, searching for something that might be useful. He grimaced as he came upon one that wasn’t empty.
“Guys. Look,” Hadrian called out. The others crowded around. It was an all too familiar comedy mask that they’d hoped they would never have to see again. “I don’t think we’re in a military base.”
Prince’s stomach churned at the thought of running into Larry a second time. If he was uneasy before, he was on high alert now. In fact, he was so anxious that he nearly leapt out of his skin when something prodded the back of his leg.
The dog whined and sprang away as well before it ran away and cowered beneath a rotting wooden table. Its fur was patchy and matted. Muddy water was still dripping from it, but it looked like it might have been white underneath all that grime. It must have taken refuge here from the torrential downpour too before they arrived.
“A doggie!” Stephanie squealed in delight. She ran to pet it, but it growled and barked at her when she got close. “Mean doggie,” she pouted.
Prince paid no more attention to the dog. If there was a chance that there were gangsters prowling, he and the kids had to arm themselves. He didn’t see anything of use except a broken rack with a few rusty crowbars on it. He picked one up.
“Guess these will have to do.”
He tossed a couple to Monica and Hadrian.
“Hold up, you want us to go further inside?” Hadrian questioned as he caught the weapon.
“You got a better idea?”
Hadrian looked at the metal door, locked tight. “No,” he mumbled.
The group stood at the stairs. It was pitch black. A sense of déjà vu crept over Prince; it reminded him of the creepy basement back in his house. He dug through his pocket for his lighter and flicked it on, casting enough light down the steps for them to descend. The dog padded after them, though it still recoiled as Stephanie tried to touch it again.
They reached the base of the stairwell. Iron bars lined the walls on either side of them. It was some sort of jail. Prince thought the cells were all empty until someone stood up in the one right next to him.
Everyone yelped in alarm at the figure. Prince held his crowbar up defensively, even though the man was caged, but he looked familiar. He held his lighter up to illuminate his face.
“Uncle Pete?” Prince said, bewildered.
Pete waved. He grabbed the whiteboard attached to his belt. Hi Prince! Open the cell? he wrote.
“But I don’t have the key… oh, wait,” Prince said as he remembered that he was holding a crowbar. He jammed it in between the lock and the doorframe and broke the gate open. “But how did you get here?”
Mafia wanted some of my properties. Locked me up here alone when I wouldn’t transfer ownership, Pete scrawled as he stepped out of the cell.
“Oh, man. We were really worried,” Prince said as everyone wrapped Pete up in a group hug. “Wait a second. Does that mean there are mobsters nearby?”
No. Upper levels of the base are abandoned. Everyone is in lower levels.
Prince’s brow furrowed. Pete looked at him quizzically.
“The entrance malfunctioned. We can’t get out the way we came in,” Prince explained. Pete looked pensive now.
Only other way out is elevator on lowest level. Leads to south exit. Don’t know exactly where it is, but we would have to keep going down. Pete pointed at the other end of the jailhouse. More stairs. They were going to be seeing a lot of those.
The last thing Prince wanted to do was to delve into a criminal hideout, but they didn’t have any other choice. “How deep before we start running into mobsters?” he asked Pete as they walked to the staircase and descended further.
Pretty deep. Not sure about the exact level. I don’t th
Pete stopped writing as they reached the next area and looked around warily. It was some kind of common area, just as derelict as the previous rooms, but something felt off. Prince squinted through the dim lighting. The coffee table was caked with dust, but one handprint-shaped patch was clean.
Someone was in there with them.
Chapter II – Hackerman
Monica guarded herself with her first aid kit as a masked mafioso stood up from behind the couch and swung his crowbar at her. The plastic case cracked, but she retaliated with a jab to his gut with her own weapon. He clutched his abdomen in pain as Monica brought her weapon down on his head, knocking him out.
The guy wasn’t alone. Four of his buddies emerged from hiding while Monica was fending off the first, and they rushed the kids all at once. Pete hastily grabbed the crowbar that the downed mobster had dropped. He attacked one who was coming up on Prince’s side. He and Hadrian were kept busy by a couple of other mafiosos from the front. There was a brief scuffle before Pete managed to land a headshot and knock him unconscious as well.
Hadrian tried to lunge at one of his attackers, but the mobster hooked his crowbar around Hadrian’s own weapon and yanked it out of his hands. With nothing to defend himself, all he could do was shield his face with his arms. There was a crunch as the mobster’s crowbar met his forearm. He cried out in pain. “Fuck! Not again!”
The group withdrew further into the room as the remaining mobsters closed in on them. As their aggressors engaged them again, Prince fumbled and dropped his still-burning lighter amidst the chaos. The dust on the plush carpet ignited instantly. A blockade of smoke and fire materialized surprisingly quickly between him and the mafiosos.
“Come on!” urged Prince retreated through the next door. The dog darted ahead of him, spooked by the flames. Pete and the kids followed, but the mobsters had to fall back to the jailhouse to escape the inferno. It had been a quick fight, but Prince was shaking from the adrenaline. He turned to Pete.
“You said the upper levels were abandoned!”
Pete shrugged his shoulders and shook his head cluelessly. They are! I don’t know what they’re doing here, he wrote.
The blaze cast a flickering orange glow into the hallway they’d ended up in. At least this place looked empty. Monica made Hadrian sit on the ground and started fixing a splint to his arm. He sighed in defeat. They’d only just got here, and he was already out of the fight.
Prince cautiously opened the door next to them. A janitorial closet. He’d lost his lighter in the last room. They weren’t going to be able to see a thing once they left the fire behind, so he went inside and investigated the shelves.
He picked up a flashlight and brushed the dust off. “Lucky us.”
“See if it turns on first,” said Monica skeptically.
Prince flipped the switch. He smacked the flashlight into the palm of his hand a few times when it didn’t turn on. Nothing happened. “Damn it.”
He shoved the flashlight under his coat. Maybe they would come across some batteries later. As Monica finished patching up Hadrian’s arm, the group continued to the elevator on the other end of the hallway. Prince pushed the call button. “I don’t suppose this thing will take us out of here?”
Pete shook his head as the doors slid open. The control panel only contained deeper floors. His finger hovered over the button that would take them the lowest. They didn’t know precisely how far down the inhabited levels were, and he didn’t want to be jumped again as soon as the elevator reopened. He decided to select one of the higher ones. Better safe than sorry, Prince thought.
They said nothing as the elevator closed and took them downwards. They couldn’t see anything except the red LED display above the door. The floor number ticked into the negatives until it ground to a halt unexpectedly.
“Hold up. That’s not the level I chose,” Prince whispered. He could hear everyone shifting around in the dark as they prepared for the worst.
The doors opened. The person outside the elevator screamed and fumbled with his phone, almost dropping it. He clearly hadn’t been expecting to see anyone. Prince had his crowbar at the ready, but the guy was clad in a hoodie and jeans instead of one of the tailored suits that the mob usually wore.
“Uh… hi,” said Prince.
“Hey? You guys don’t look like mobsters,” the young man replied as he straightened his sunglasses.
“You don’t, either.”
“’Cause I’m not. What are you doing here if you aren’t one of them?” the stranger asked shiftily.
Prince shrugged. “We ran in here during a thunderstorm. Door malfunctioned. Now we’re trapped.”
The stranger buried his hands in his dark hair. “Are you fucking kidding me? The north exit is jammed? I snuck all the way up here for nothing!”
“You’re sneaking out? Were you a prisoner?” Monica probed.
“Ugh. Yeah, yeah, I was,” mumbled the man, who was now pacing around outside the elevator. “Name’s Helios-”
Hadrian snickered. Helios shot him a look.
“What? It’s a code name! I work for the government. I’m not supposed to tell people my real one.”
Hadrian rolled his eyes. “Sure, dude. Whatever.”
“OK, Helios… why were they keeping you down here?” asked Prince.
“I got abducted during the killing purge last year. They’ve been making me work for them. I’m a hacker,” Helios explained. “I managed to slip away from my station a while ago. They went batshit looking for me. It was a nightmare getting up here, and now I have to go all the way back down,” he groaned.
“Really? So you know where the south exit is,” Prince surmised.
Helios held up his phone. “Yeah. I got a blueprint of this place.” He stepped into the elevator with them, but he pursed his lips when he saw which level they had been heading towards. “Nah. That’s the first populated level. The guards would’ve rocked your shit. Get outta this thing,” he urged, gesturing for them to follow him into the floor they were at: a computer room. Most of the computers were powered off and missing keyboards, save for one, which had been plugged into one of the power outlets. Helios must have been using it.
“Any chance you can fix the door upstairs? I think it short circuited,” Monica inquired.
“No shot. I’m a hacker. Not an electrician. But like I said, I know exactly where the south exit is,” Helios responded. The group looked at his phone as he pulled up his map of the base. He marked the spot where the exit was. This place had a lot more floors than Prince had expected.
“This is going to suck,” he murmured.
“Tell me about it. We gotta go on foot, too, ‘cause this elevator won’t take us to the right place,” said Helios as he beckoned them out of the computer lab.
The corridors here were tight and winding. Their footsteps echoed through the metal walls, rough with oxidization and lined with rusty pipes. Stagnant water still dripped from some of them.
Prince grew anxious as he followed Helios. They’d been walking for a while without reaching any stairs or elevators. “Helios, where are you taking us? We’re still on the same floor,” he questioned.
“Relax. We’re making a pit stop,” Helios replied, waving Prince’s concern away.
“Dude, we don’t have time-“
Helios shushed him. They were in front of a door with a round window. Prince peered over Helios’s shoulder to see inside. He’d taken them to a kitchen, and Prince realized that they did, in fact, need to eat.
“How do you know there’s still food in here?” he asked the hacker.
Helios shushed him again. “I came here while I was on the way to the top level. Lower your damn voice. There’s someone inside,” he hissed.
Prince took a closer look through the round window. The oven was on. There was a mobster leaning against the countertop, facing away from them. Only one. “What is that guy doing all the way up here?” he whispered.
“No idea, but he’s alone. Just go bonk him,” Helios encouraged.
Prince moved forward Helios stepped out of the way. He put a hand on the door and gradually eased it open. Thankfully, the hinges didn’t squeak, so he crept inside until he was right behind the mafioso. Prince raised his crowbar.
The door clicked shut. The mobster whirled around at the noise. Prince faltered. His mouth hung open slightly in disbelief as he recognized the mafioso.
“Isaiah?”
Isaiah was scrambling for his own crowbar, but he paused when he heard his name. “Prince?”
Prince let his arm fall to his side. “What the actual shit? You’re still working for the mob?” he exclaimed.
“Why the hell are you in the base?” Isaiah blurted out in an equally baffled tone.
The door creaked as Helios edged it open. “Prince? You good?”
Hadrian pushed him out of the way with his good arm. “Nice to see a familiar face,” he said.
Isaiah looked even more confounded as Pete and the kids emerged. “Seriously, what are you doing here?”
Prince was beginning to get tired of recounting that. “There’s a storm outside. Ran in here. North entrance short circuited. Stuck. Explain why you’re here,” he demanded.
“Because I work here, dumbass,” Isaiah snapped. “You can’t just leave the mafia. They hunt deserters down… not to mention that I got fired from Builder Brothers. The owner found out I had ties to the mob, and now this is the only job I can get,” he muttered bitterly.
Prince scowled, but he supposed Isaiah had a point. “OK, I get it, but why is Larry still letting you work here? You helped us deactivate him.”
“He’s not in charge anymore. Haven’t seen him since that sewer brawl, actually. Someone else took over his duties,” Isaiah revealed.
Prince’s eyebrows shot up. “But a bunch of mobsters ran off with his body. It was on the news. They must have reactivated him, right?”
“Nope. He didn’t show up here, as far as I know. No idea what happened to him.”
The kids glanced at each other uneasily. “Who’s in charge now, then?” said Prince.
“Never met her, but her name is Mary Gearwise.”
“Gearwise? Let me guess, another automaton? Where are all these killer robots coming from?”
Isaiah shrugged. “Don’t ask me. I’m just a grunt… wait, aren’t you the hacker that escaped a while ago?” he realized, pointing at Helios.
The hacker looked at him warily. “Maybe. Your friend isn’t gonna turn me in, right?” he asked Prince.
“I ain’t no snitch,” laughed Isaiah.
“Then will you help us get out of the base?” Prince implored.
Isaiah’s smile faded. “Man, do you have any idea what they’ll do to me if I get caught with you guys?”
“Come on, at least help us until we start running into goons. You can wear your mask. They won’t know who you are.”
The mobster picked up his mask from the counter. He mulled Prince’s words over as he looked at it. “I guess so.”
The oven dinged. “On a lighter note… pizza’s done.” Isaiah grabbed an old mitt and pulled the serving board out and placed it on the countertop.
Prince had forgotten about the oven. “Why the hell are you making a pizza all the way up here?” Helios questioned incredulously, gesturing around at the soiled kitchen.
Isiah scratched his neck. “I got hungry, and I didn’t wanna share it with the other guys, OK? So I took a frozen pizza up here.”
“You were gonna eat a whole pizza?”
“Shut up. You guys can have some if you want. You probably aren’t gonna get your hands on food again until you make it out of here,” Isaiah told everyone.
As they ate, the dog nudged the door open with his nose and squeezed through. He’d stayed outside, but it seemed that the smell of cooking had enticed him. Stephanie held out a slice of pizza and tried to coax him closer. The dog gingerly took the slice in his mouth and devoured it ravenously.
Stephanie giggled. The dog let her pet him this time. She read the name tag on his collar. “Twado!” she squeaked. Twado wagged his tail.
The dog chewed on the empty pizza box as Isaiah looked at his watch. He pulled a flashlight out from under his jacket. “We gotta go. I better get you guys out of here while most of the base is asleep,” he said as he motioned for the group to follow him.
They reached a crossroad after a while. “Dude, the map says the closest stairwell is that way,” Helios contested, jabbing a thumb at the right passageway as Isaiah turned left.
“Your map is old. We never update those things. I know a short-”
Isaiah stopped talking mid-sentence as a rusty pipe on the ceiling ruptured in front of him. Scalding hot water hissed as it splashed against the cold metal floor and turned to steam. He didn’t fancy third-degree burns. “Damn. Guess we’re taking the long way around.”
They trailed through the narrow corridors behind the mobster in silence until Prince’s soles started to get sore. Too many stairs, but they eventually ran into a door.
Isaiah reached for the handle. “I think—SHIT!”
He jerked his hand back as the pipe next to the door burst as well, but it wasn’t water that erupted. Isaiah ripped his glove off and threw it to the ground as the substance ate through it.
“What the hell is that?” Price exclaimed.
“It’s the stuff we poured into the sewers last purge. Thought we shut off all the valves already. I need to quit coming up here,” muttered the mafioso. “Nevermind. There’s another way in this room.” He turned to the door on the opposite wall and pushed it open.
They were in an old dormitory. The entrance to the stairwell was on the other side of the room. “As I was saying, I think the next level down is… uh…”
Isaiah stopped in the middle of the room and went silent. He looked up at the entresol. More than a few doors were slightly ajar.
“Isaiah? Something wrong?” Prince whispered.
“The doors were shut last time I was here,” he whispered back.
It was another ambush. The mafiosos threw the dormitory doors open and jumped down from the entresol. Prince cried out as one of them landed on him. He lost his weapon as he wrestled on the floor with the aggressor and grunted in pain when he felt something sharp pierce his side. Twado ran over and clamped his fangs around the mafioso’s leg.
Isaiah hurriedly pulled his mask over his face as more mobsters jumped down and confronted him.
“Is that you, Isa-”
He silenced his colleague with a crowbar to the face before he could get his name out. The other two elected to simply charge at him and Helios without any pleasantries. He dropped his flashlight as they clashed.
Prince felt around for his crowbar in the dark as Twado dragged his attacker away. He heard a yelp Monica clocked the mobster on the head.
Pete stood in front of Hadrian and Stephanie as two more advanced on them. They laughed as they brandished their weapons. “Why don’t you put that crowbar down before you hurt yourself, old man?” one of them snickered. Hadrian covered his sister’s eyes.
Prince found his weapon as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He looked over at his uncle as one mobster seized his crowbar while the other delivered a strike to his head, but they turned around as he and Monica came up behind them. Prince tore the blade out of his side and drove it into one of the unsuspecting mobsters’ eyes. She screamed and reeled as Monica aimed a blow at the other mafioso, who sidestepped the hit, but now Prince was coming at him as well.
The mobster made a dash for the stairs, only to run into Isaiah. The two mobsters who’d been accosting him lay in a pile. Isaiah promptly sliced his associate’s throat open using a switchblade of his own. He clutched at the wound and gasped for air, but he could only cough and choke on his blood.
Isaiah scowled beneath his mask at all the noise his victim was making and shut him up with a sharp blow to the skull. He crumpled to the ground, still wheezing and spluttering while unconscious.
That was the last of them. Hadrian picked up Pete’s fallen sunglasses for him. He put them back on as Monica pulled Prince’s bloodied coat off.
“How bad is it?” Prince asked.
Monica grabbed the flashlight from the ground at held it up to inspect Prince’s wound. “Well, since you’re still standing, it’s probably not that deep. I’d put you on bed rest, but…”
She didn’t bother finishing. There was no time for bed rest in this place, of course. There was nothing she could do except clean it and stitch it up.
“They were waiting for us. How did they know you were here?” Isaiah wondered.
Prince shrugged. “We were attacked earlier as well on one of the top levels. I don’t suppose you have security cameras around here?”
“No. Not since…” Isaiah gestured at Helios.
“I knocked them offline while I was trying to escape,” the hacker said. “I know for a fact they’re still down. They couldn’t have seen you.”
Isaiah paced around the dormitory wordlessly as Monica sutured Prince’s wound shut, deep in thought. He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t know what’s going on. We have to-”
He stopped talking as the mobster next to him stirred. There was a crunch as Isaiah stomped on his neck, killing him. Everyone else winced.
“What the hell, Isaiah? That’s not necessary,” Prince admonished.
“Yes, it was. He saw my face earlier. I told you I’m fucked if one of these assholes reports me.”
“He was already unconscious!”
Isaiah got up in Prince’s face, but Helios interrupted their spat before he could say anything. “You two better start getting along, ‘cause we need to make a plan,” he said as he nudged Isaiah away and planted himself between them. He gestured all around at the fallen mafiosos. “We’re gonna be running into plenty of these guys when we reach the bottom of those stairs.”
“Oh. Right. That’s what I was trying to tell you guys earlier. It’s a good thing we ended up in here, actually,” Isaiah said as he disappeared into one of the dorms. They heard him rooting around inside until he came out with a bunch of suits and masks slung over his shoulder, a little faded with age, but still wearable. He dumped them in a pile on the ground. “Ol’ reliable. Everyone put one of these things on.”
Prince pulled a duffel bag out of the pile while he was looking for something his size. “What’s this for?”
“That’s for Twado,” said Isaiah.
Twado gave him the side-eye.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. The boss doesn’t allow dogs in here. You’ll blow our cover if anyone sees you.”
The dog allowed Isaiah to lower him into the bag, but then the group encountered the same problem as last time. Stephanie was sticking out like a sore thumb.
“Maybe we can hide her in the middle of the group again?” Prince suggested.
Isaiah shook his head. “It’s not gonna work. The hallways aren’t wide enough.”
The mafioso drummed his fingers on the strap of the duffel bag. Nobody else was offering up any ideas.
“I know what we can do,” he spoke hesitantly. Everyone looked at him.
Prince blinked. “Well? Spit it out.”
Isaiah held up a hand. “Don’t get mad at me for it.”
Prince’s eyes narrowed.
“First of all, this base is part of a sex trafficking ring,” said Isaiah.
“You better not be about to say any dumb shit.”
Isaiah held up both hands now. “Just listen! We pretend,” he continued, enunciating the ‘pretend’ very clearly, “that Stephanie is one of the girls we abducted—”
“You guys take little girls for that?” Hadrian admonished.
“Look, man, I just work in the canteen. This place didn’t even have a human trafficking branch when I got here. As I was saying, we pretend she’s a…”
Isaiah trailed off as Prince stared daggers.
“Prisoner,” the mobster said slowly. When the elder brother didn’t throttle him, he kept talking. “The shortest path to the exit involves one of the, uh, filming areas, so that’ll be her excuse to be there.”
Helios looked at his blueprint. “He’s right. There’s gonna be another elevator at the end of the filming area’s hallway.” He zoomed in on the location.
Isaiah leaned over to inspect the map as well. “We can ride it to that detention level and act like we’re taking her to a holding cell,” he said as he pointed out a floor below the filming area, “but we can veer away towards the west edge of the base. That place is as deserted as the upper levels. We’ll make our way through there until we reach the lowest level. After that… it gets more difficult.”
“No kidding,” Helios agreed. “That’s where the boss lives. The whole floor is teeming with goons, but the ventilation shafts that far underground are so big that we can fit through them. So, we sneak over to where the elevator is. Get out of the vents while nobody’s looking. Ride it all the way up to the south exit. No sweat,” he schemed as he drew a path with his finger from their location to the exit.
Prince still looked vaguely pissed off, but he nodded. “OK. Fine. Sounds like a plan.”
Chapter III – Incident Report
Prince squinted as his troupe reached the bottom of the stairwell. The fluorescent lights were harsh on his eyes after they’d wandered around in the dark for hours. He scrunched up his face in revulsion as the smell hit him. The filming area reeked of stale sweat and perhaps other fluids that he preferred not to think about.
“There,” Isaiah whispered to Prince, pointing at the elevator on the other end of the corridor. “Hold onto Stephanie and walk in front of us.”
Prince took Stephanie gently by the hand and followed Isaiah down the corridor.
They were alone at first, but Prince was startled as a door next to them opened. A pair of mobsters shoved a girl into the hall with nothing but a worn-out blanket around her shoulders. She stared through Prince with dead eyes as the mafiosos forced her onwards.
The two groups didn’t speak as they passed each other, but one of the mafiosos brushed a lock of dark hair out of Stephanie’s face and leered at her with yellowed teeth as he strolled by. Prince’s hand tightened around his crowbar until his knuckles were white.
Time felt like it was passing agonizingly slowly as they walked. Prince’s face darkened as they passed another door. He could hear the sounds of a struggle inside. A scream pierced the air. He came to a halt as he unwillingly recalled the purge he’d endured. He felt a hand on his shoulder and glanced back at Isaiah. His face was concealed, but Prince could tell the mobster was stone-faced from his eyes. So was his family, staring back at him through their masks. The sight was unnerving, even though he knew it was only them.
“Keep going. There’s nothing you can do for her now,” whispered Isaiah.
Prince turned stiffly and continued on their path.
There were no more disturbances. They made it to the elevator without any resistance. Isaiah punched in the access code and pressed the button for the detention level.
Helios sighed deeply as the doors closed. “That was unpleasant.”
Nobody was in the mood to respond.
Isaiah spoke up as they neared their destination floor. “We have to get the Warden to open the entrance for us. There’s a one-way exit in the holding area that leads to the west edge. No one is allowed to use it, but the cams are off, so who cares. Just let me do the talking. And one more thing: the audio feed is still running, so keep quiet until we get out of there,” he told everyone as the elevator reopened. The mafioso took the lead this time.
The Warden was resting his elbow on the desk with his face in his palm. He’d been looking at his reflection in his dimmed computer screen as he styled his fiery orange mohawk with a free hand, but his lidded eyes followed Isaiah as he approached. He stared at the newcomers, uninterested in initiating a conversation with them.
“Markus. New inmate,” Isaiah said.
Markus turned his eyes to the computer on his table. “The boss didn’t tell me of any new arrivals today,” he replied flatly.
“We haven’t notified her about this one yet. You’re the first to know. Good for you. Open up,” demanded Isaiah.
The Warden lifted his head from his hand. He narrowed his eyes again, now in skepticism instead of tiredness. Prince put himself in front of Hadrian, hopefully obscuring the boy’s splint. “Why did a little girl need five people escorting her here?”
“What the hell am I being interrogated for? This is the rest of my patrol group. We just got back. Quit wasting my time and open the fucking door,” Isaiah snapped.
Markus sighed. “Whatever. Cell 047,” he told the mobster as he stood up. The guy was even taller than Isaiah, Prince realized, and he was wide enough that he had to leave his too-small tuxedo jacket unbuttoned. He entered a string of numbers into the keypad next to the entrance. The blast door screeched open. “Get out of my face,” said the Warden as he waved them inside.
Prince looked straight ahead. Whatever was behind all the steel doors lining the passageway, he didn’t want to see. Markus closed the entrance behind them as they walked away.
Everyone did as Isaiah had said and kept silent until they reached the exit. A lone spider was busy spinning a web on the doorframe. Tough luck for him. The door squealed as Isaiah opened it and beckoned everyone through.
“Alright, we’re in the clear,” he said after he shut the exit.
The concrete corridor ahead looked strangely sterile at first, but a thin film of dust had settled on the ground upon closer inspection. Nobody had been here in a while.
“Where are we?” Prince asked.
Isaiah took off his mask and looked back at him as they made their way through the hall. “It used to be the chem sector when Larry was in charge. Miss Gearwise decommissioned it after she took over. She’s more interested in biotech and cybernetics, apparently. Most of her stuff is on the bottom floor, though.”
Prince peered through the windowpanes in the doors as Isaiah let Twado out of the duffel bag. Glassware and machinery were set up on the tables as if the users had left in a hurry. Binders full of notes and documents were still open on the desks. Even the lights were still on.
“Looks like she couldn’t wait to shut this place down,” Prince remarked.
Isaiah didn’t look at him now. He just shrugged.
Prince wished the mafioso would talk a little more, because the silence here was even more eerie than it had been in the derelict upper levels. The laboratory looked too clean and orderly. It felt wrong for it to be deserted. He was almost glad when the blindingly white walls gave way to rough stone and steel floors as they moved yet deeper into the base.
They were surrounded by a mess of tubing and shafts as they walked. There were no walls here at all to hide the plumbing and ventilation systems.
“Where are we now?” Prince wondered out loud.
“Still in the chem lab. Larry wasn’t one for frills. He didn’t bother with dressing the place up when he expanded it downwards,” Isaiah answered.
“You know a lot about that guy. Didn’t you only know him for a few days before we took him out?” Hadrian remarked. Isaiah shot him a glare over his shoulder, but not before Monica elbowed her little brother. The last thing they needed was to piss their guide off, even if he might be keeping secrets.
The mobster’s dark irises looked black in the low lighting. “You know I hate it when people ask too many questions, right? I hear the other mafiosos talking about him sometimes, is all,” he claimed as he turned away.
Maybe it was for the best that he and the rest of the group didn’t talk much. The sound of dripping water and air flowing through the vents suited Prince just fine now, but after a while, his ears picked up something that was neither of those. Thumping? It wasn’t quite loud enough for him to tell.
“Do you guys hear that?”
Isaiah paused. “Hear what?”
They all listened, but whatever noise Prince heard had stopped now. “Nevermind. It’s gone.”
Isaiah pursed his lips in annoyance at the interruption and continued forward. Prince didn’t notice any more strange sounds, and he’d started to think he’d been imagining it until he heard it again, much louder this time. Everyone stopped in their tracks and looked up. The rusted ventilation panel above them was starting to buckle. “Get back!” Isaiah whispered harshly.
The old screws snapped apart and the vent gave way. Out tumbled a stout man in a trench coat. He grunted in discomfort as he landed in a heap in front of the group. He scrambled to his feet after he glanced up and realized he wasn’t alone, but his panic was short-lived as he beheld the bizarre caravan in front of him. They stared back, equally perplexed. The guy looked like he’d been ripped straight out of a generic mystery film.
Isaiah had pulled his mask over his face once more, but he cautiously removed it again when he saw that it wasn’t one of his own associates who had shown up. “Who the hell are you?”
The man hesitated, seemingly reluctant to reveal that, but Pete pushed his way to the front of the gathering. The stranger’s face lit up.
“Peter! It’s been too long!” he exclaimed as he slapped his hand on Pete’s shoulder. “But what are you doing here?”
Pete scribbled a few sentences on his whiteboard. Kidnapped. My nieces and nephews are trapped here as well. North exit broke down. Looking for the other one.
“The north exit malfunctioned? How odd,” the stranger pondered.
Pete turned back towards the group and wrote again.
“Detective Bradley Beans,” Prince read out loud.
Bradley snapped out of his musings. “Hm? Oh, yes, that’s me. I was assigned to spy on the mob’s activities here. I’ve been using the ventilation system to stay out of sight, but…”
He eyed the broken vent.
“Perhaps I ought to lose a few pounds. Very fortunate that I was in the west edge.” Bradley picked his fallen umbrella up from the ground. “Anyway, Pete here was a coworker of mine before he retired. Good to see you again, old man,” said the Detective, patting the old man on the back.
“Wow. How long have you been hiding here?” Prince asked.
“Almost a year. I arrived soon after the last purge. I heard all about your battle with Mr. Clockturn. Very remarkable, though I wish the national guard would have moved in a bit quicker… kids shouldn’t have to wrangle crime lords,” grumbled Bradley, shaking his head. His gaze shifted to Isaiah. “Who is your, er, companion?”
“This is Isaiah. He helped us during the purge. And now he’s helping us find our way out of here,” Prince explained.
“I see. Well, there’s no use in dallying here, then. I was actually on my way out as well. Care to lead the way, Isaiah?” Bradley invited, motioning for the mobster to go on ahead of him. He did.
Maybe he shouldn’t pry, but Prince was curious. “So… you’ve been investigating the mob? What did you see?” he asked as they walked.
The Detective’s face grew serious. “One of the reasons I was sent here was to find out what happened to Mr. Clockturn after his body was taken. I already had a hunch that Miss Gearwise had a hand in his disappearance. The evidence I’ve compiled confirmed it. He’s in here somewhere.”
Trepidation rippled through the group.
“I haven’t seen him, but I overheard the personnel in the cybernetics sector speaking of him. The papers I managed to nick suggest Miss Gearwise has been performing experiments on him, and it doesn’t seem that he’s a willing participant.”
“What kind of experiments?” Prince questioned.
Bradley’s brow was crumpled in worry. “The documents didn’t detail their nature or purpose, I’m afraid. I went looking for some that did, but I came up empty handed… Miss Gearwise has put a lot of effort into keeping her activities secret. I suspect he’s being held in the bottommost level, but it was too risky to go poking around there.”
Hadrian rolled his eyes. “Sucks to be him, but what is he? Who is making these freaks?”
Bradley opened his mouth to answer, but then he frowned, stopping himself. “It’s classified info. I assure you that law enforcement has it handled.”
There was a door in their way, but it refused to open when Isaiah put his hand on the push bar. Prince looked at the keypad next to it. “Please tell me you know the code.”
“No need for that.” Isaiah dug through his pocket for his keycard and inserted it into the side of the pad. The door unlocked with a click, and he shoved it open with unneeded force. The mobster had been quiet, but Prince observed that he was becoming more and more vexed as Bradley recounted his findings. Cops and gangsters weren’t exactly friends, of course, but he thought Isaiah’s reactions were still a little over the top.
Isaiah went ahead, but everyone else was reluctant to enter the new area. A metal bridge was suspended over a wide pool of roiling red liquid.
Prince stepped onto the crossing uncertainly. The fumes stung his eyes. “Isaiah? What is that?”
The mafioso turned around. “This is where we made the chemical we emptied into the sewers.” His shoes clanked softly against the bridge’s metal lattices as he continued across. “We’ll be fine. Just don’t fall in,” he reminded Prince. He seemed pretty sure of himself, so everybody followed.
They heard heavy footsteps approaching long before they could reach the other side. Isaiah redonned his mask. “This is the worst possible time.” He looked back at the door they’d entered from.
The Warden’s huge shadow approached. He kicked the entrance open and stepped onto the bridge, followed closely by four of his pals. “I knew you guys were up to some bullshit,” he muttered as he motioned for the other mafiosos to charge.
Markus looked like he could drop all of them on his own, but Prince knew they wouldn’t make it to the exit before their assailants reached them. His fist clenched around his weapon. He might be able to shove the big guy off the bridge if he was deft enough…
Isaiah had different plans. He jammed his crowbar through a joint in the bridge and gritted his teeth as he strained to pry the two sections apart. Realizing what the mobster was doing, Prince knelt down to help out. They jumped back as soon as they heard the rusty screws break.
Markus held out his arm to stop his cronies from going any further. The bridge section in front of him slanted dangerously towards the corrosive liquid far below.
The Warden shook his head. “Back up. I have a better idea,” he said as he ushered the other mobsters back into the hallway.
Isaiah’s eyes widened. “MOVE!” he shouted as he bolted towards the exit.
Too slow. The lock engaged right before he touched the door. He punched it in frustration. “Damn it!” he roared as an alarm bell rang through the chamber.
“Isaiah? What does that mean?” Prince asked as the hazard lights on the walls blinked on. He looked at Monica as she tapped his shoulder and saw that she was staring at the red liquid under them. It was rising. He looked up at Isaiah again.
“The doors seal automatically when someone brings the liquid level up.” Isaiah pointed at the console attached to the wall. “We have to reactivate the drawdown system, but I don’t know the passcode,” he explained hastily.
Prince’s gaze darted between Isaiah and the keypad. “Won’t your keycard work?”
“Fucking look, man! There’s no slot for the keycard here!”
Helios pushed him out of the way. “Let me see what I can do,” he said as he fished a USB drive out of his sling bag and inserted it into one of the console’s ports. Prince heard him typing as fast as he could while the caustic chemicals hissed and simmered against the bridge’s supports.
“Uh, Isaiah? Aren’t the beams corrosion resistant?” Hadrian asked, his voice quivering.
Isaiah kept his eyes on the framework beneath them as it sizzled. “Yeah…? But we were never allowed to bring the liquid level this high back when the chem lab was-”
He stopped speaking abruptly as the scaffolds creaked and the bridge started to tilt. Everyone shuffled around anxiously, inching towards the locked door. Twado ran back and forth across the bridge frenetically, but there was nowhere to go.
“Quit bunching up like sardines! You guys are gonna collapse this thing faster,” Monica warned. “Helios? How much longer?”
“Chill. I almost got it,” the hacker replied as the bridge continued to waver.
Prince heard something snap below them as the console beeped and the alarms shut off. They all let out a collective sigh of relief as the liquid began receding, but the support beams were already done for. Helios was nearly flattened as everyone barreled through the exit. They heard the bridge splash into the chemicals behind them.
Markus had been watching them through the window on the other door. He slammed his fist against the wall as he saw the intruders escape before moving out of sight.
“That was a bit too close for comfort,” Bradley breathed.
Isaiah glared at him. “Yeah. It was. The vent you guys are looking for is right at the end of the tunnel.” He said, jabbing a thumb behind him. “Find the elevator yourselves. I’m outta here.”
“What? Come on, man,” Prince implored, reaching out to stop him. “At least point out the right shaft-“
The mobster shrugged him off. “No! You guys have dragged me too far into your shit,” he spat. “And Markus saw your faces, you know. He’s probably on his way to tell Miss Gearwise all about you, so get going,” he finished, waving them off. Isaiah turned away into a connecting corridor and left them alone.
Chapter IV – Interlude
The apertures of Larry’s optical sensors contracted in discomfort as the lights switched on. He heard Mary’s high heels clicking softly against the floor as she stepped into his view, a lab coat thrown over her viridian dress. The disgraced crime boss struggled in his restraints, but that hadn’t worked before, and it wasn’t working now. Mary tittered at his efforts as Larry sighed and went limp on the operating table.
“Good evening, Larry. Or morning, rather. I think it’s past midnight,” she laughed, her tone maddeningly cavalier in contrast to what she was about to do. A glower was Larry’s only response.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that.” Mary walked out of his field of vision and opened one of the cabinets in the operating room. Larry could only listen to her preparing the necessary apparatus, her tools clinking against the steel tray. “All I’ve done is try to help you, and all I get in return is insults and vitriol.”
A few wisps of steam seeped from the ventilation slits on Larry’s face. He’d heard Mary voice her false concern for him too many times. “Who do you think you’re fooling?” he growled.
Larry heard the flames roar indignantly in Mary’s firebox. The tools on her tray rattled as she set it down on the stand next to the surgical table forcefully. She wasn’t smiling any more as she walked to the head of the table. She placed her hands on either side of him and leaned in.
“Stop behaving as if you don’t understand me, Larry. You were deactivated by a pack of children and allowed the purge to end early. You are worthless to this organization as you are. You were weak and I fixed you, whether you and your overblown ego can admit it or not,” she hissed, her breath blisteringly hot against his metallic skin. It would have been painful back when he’d still had flesh to melt… but that was a long time ago.
Larry clenched his fists at her words. His claws grated against the palms of his hands. “Overblown ego? You’re the one who painted your casing,” he spat, sneering at the Mary’s conceit.
Mary smirked, her moodiness fading as abruptly as it had appeared. “Ha! Am I vain for taking care of myself? You look like you haven’t been polished in years,” she taunted. The bright lights glinted on her pearly white coating as she stood up straight and returned to her tray of implements. “But I think that’s enough small talk.”
She reached out and loosened the buttons on his shirt. Larry snapped his metal jaws at her hand, but she pulled away before he could catch her fingers in his teeth.
He heard Mary pick up one of her tools. A mechanical buzzing filled the operating theater. He strained against his fetters again. This was the moment he’d been dreading for so long.
Mary loomed over him, the ghost of a smile on her lime green lips. The surgical lamp formed a halo of harsh fluorescent light around her as she brought the metal cutter to his chest.
Chapter V – Judgement Hall
Prince let his arm fall limply to his side as he watched Isaiah disappear around the bend. Helios patted him on the shoulder once the mobster was out of earshot. “We’ll be fine without him. I told you I know where the elevator is. Let’s go,” he said, gently urging Prince to start down the other hallway.
Helios led them now, and he walked fast. There was no telling how long they had before Markus tipped the boss off to their whereabouts. They didn’t have any trouble finding the vent, but Helios didn’t have anything to open it with. “Anyone got a screwdriver handy? I, uh, left mine in my hoodie when we got changed,” he admitted.
Bradley searched his overcoat for his screwdriver, but he gave Helios an odd look as he did. “Agent Helios? Is that you?”
The hacker’s jaw tightened. “Just get the vent open, old man.”
Prince cocked an eyebrow. “You guys know each other?”
Helios looked at Bradley disdainfully as the Detective knelt down and unscrewed the panel. “This asshole was one of the guys who arrested me a few years back. I used to be a part of Anonymous.”
Bradley’s face grew sour at the hacker’s enmity, but he ignored him.
Oblivious to the tension, Hadrian’s eyes lit up. “Whoa! You were in Anonymous? That’s cool as fuck!”
“But you work for the government now,” Prince pointed out. “How did that happen?”
“They gave me a choice when they brought me in. Work for them or go to the slammer. I think it’s pretty obvious which one I chose.”
The last screw clinked to the ground. Bradley moved the vent cover aside and gestured wordlessly for Helios to enter first.
Stephanie faltered in front of the opening, her face blank. She’d been growing quieter and quieter as they ventured further into the base, retreating into herself, but Prince didn’t know what he could do except keep her close. He crouched down to her level and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Monica and I will go in front of you, OK? Just follow us. We’ll be…”
He stopped himself. He didn’t know when they were going to be home.
“We’ll be out of here soon. I promise.”
She nodded silently. The eldest siblings went first. Stephanie slowly clambered into the duct after them.
The passage was wide enough that they didn’t have to crawl, but they were almost bent double as they wormed through the cramped shaft. Prince almost thought he could discern distant screams, but maybe it was only the air rustling in his ears as it rushed through the tunnel around them.
He followed close behind Helios, whose nose was buried in his phone, examining the map as he walked. Prince could see the rooms they were passing through the narrow slots in the vent panels. Dorms. Armories. Warehouses. Computer labs. Workshops and laboratories. He paused as they passed an office.
Monica nearly bumped into him. “Prince? What’s the hold up?” she whispered. Helios halted and glanced back to look at him quizzically as well when he heard him stop walking.
Prince peered through the ventilation slits. “It’s an office. I see Markus.”
Helios and Monica crowded in next to Prince to take a look for themselves. Markus wasn’t alone. They couldn’t make out the conversation, but the Warden was speaking to a woman noticeably taller than him. Her hair, tied into a bun, was unnaturally reflective, and so was her pale opaline skin.
“It’s the boss,” Helios murmured.
Bradley piped up from the back of the lineup, careful to keep his voice low. “We don’t have time to dawdle here, then. We’ve got to get to the elevator before they figure out where we are.”
Prince lingered for a moment longer. Mary didn’t look too pleased with whatever the Warden was telling her. She glanced towards the vent. Her emerald LED eyes met with his for a instant. Prince’s blood froze in his veins.
Mary’s eyes flitted back to Markus before he could react, though, and there was no change in her hard visage. Maybe he was mistaken. She hadn’t seen him. He told himself so, at least.
“Dude? You okay?”
Prince was brought out of his thoughts by Helios’s voice. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good. Uh, Bradley is right. Let’s hurry up,” he stammered, suddenly very eager to get moving again.
Helios didn’t delay. They weren’t far from their target now, and it wasn’t long before he spied their exit elevator from behind a vent.
“There!” he whispered, but he hesitated. “I don’t see anyone, though. Is this place always so empty?”
The hall was dark and devoid of mobsters. Nobody could answer Helios’s question, of course. Prince wished Isaiah was here to tell them whether it was shady or not. Either way, this simplified things. They didn’t have to figure out how to get out of the ventilation system without looking suspicious.
They couldn’t reach the screws from the inside of the vent, so Helios stuck his crowbar in between the wall and the panel and pried until the cover snapped open. Everyone squeezed out, but when they stood before the elevator, they saw that none of the buttons or indicators were lit. Prince pushed one. Nothing happened.
There was a shrill bout of audio feedback as the intercoms in the hall switched on. The corridor reverberated with a woman’s bitter, derisive laughter. “Don’t bother. I already disabled it. You won’t be going anywhere, boy. You and your friends have broken into my base and caused me a lot of trouble.”
Prince was too cowed to respond. Monica spoke instead.
“We didn’t break in! Your shitty door malfunctioned and trapped us inside. We don’t even want to be here. Let us leave,” Monica demanded.
“I don’t think so. After all, how many of my guards have you massacred?” Mary reminded them.
“Oh, please. You talk like these kids were the instigators,” Bradley rebuked.
“Detective Beans! I knew there was an informant in here. And now I don’t even need to hunt you down,” Mary gloated. “You came here looking for Larry, didn’t you? You can forget about that. I doubt you’ll be living long enough to see him.”
The blast door at the other end of the hallway opened up. The lights blinked on. The group realized that they weren’t as alone as they thought. They could see the silhouettes of mobsters through the windows lining the corridor, glaring at them through their uncanny purge masks.
“This should be fun,” quipped Mary. The intercom switched off with a thunk.
With no other choice, the group hesitantly made their way to the door. Heat radiated from the adjoining room, though it turned out that calling it a room was an understatement. The cavern was gigantesque. The walls on either side were thick metal. The jagged granite on the opposite side of the entrance was left unrefined, save for the wall of the control room and the mezzanine that Mary was standing upon, glowering down at them from high above. Molten lava churned below the metal platform ahead of them, linked to their door by nothing except a rickety rope bridge. Prince was reluctant to walk across. The thing didn’t look like it would hold their combined weight.
There were footsteps from their rear. The mafiosos were skulking towards them now, brandishing their weapons, compelling them forward.
They were boxed in, so Prince took a tentative step onto the bridge. The boards creaked as he walked onto the platform. The bridge gave way and fell into the lava after everyone had crossed—one of the mobsters had severed the ropes with his knife behind them. Prince looked up at Mary, wondering what her plan was. He couldn’t see much more than her glowing eyes in the darkness overhead.
“Ah, we meet at last… though it seems that some of your allies have deserted you,” Mary laughed. Her voice was shrill and tinny compared to Larry’s baritone, but it echoed through the cave all the same.
They glanced around at each other. She was right. Prince hadn’t been paying attention, but Helios and Uncle Pete had not followed them in.
“No matter. My subordinates will deal with them,” she continued. With that out of the way, Mary looked the gathering up and down as she leaned on her crowbar. “You’re aware there were firearms in the supply depots, right? I know you passed a few of those on your way here,” she told them, quirking an eyebrow.
Prince wasn’t too sad that they’d missed the guns—the rounds would probably ricochet right off Mary’s casing anyway—but Mary’s jeering was making him more annoyed than afraid. “Did you bring us in here for a fight or to talk shit at us?”
Mary narrowed her eyes at his provocation. She beckoned one of the operatives inside the control room. Markus came out and handed her violin to her. She placed it beneath her chin and drew her crowbar across the strings, producing a poignant melody, and Prince immediately heard burbling from the pipeline at the edge of the platform. There was a thin scraping noise as the valve’s handwheel turned on its own.
Everyone retreated towards the other end of the platform as lava spilled out of the pipe, but it streamed until they were backed up to the very edge. Any closer and the heat would start to sear them.
However, as they teetered on the edge, the valve screeched shut and the lava flow spluttered out. The group glanced around at each other, both relieved and confused.
There was a discordant twang Mary’s music faltered. Bewilderment crossed her sharp features. It appeared that she didn’t know what was happening, either. She started to play again after a moment, but the valve made a stubborn scraping noise, refusing to reopen.
Mary scowled deeply. She played a different tune this time. The lava started to drain, but their respite was short-lived as she thrust her violin back into Markus’s hands and jumped down from the mezzanine. There was a resounding bang as her high heels met steel, sending a tremor across the platform.
“Let’s dance.”
Chapter VI – Gearwise
Clang. Whirr. Prince had heard that once before, but now he was ready for it as Mary bolted at him, buzzsaws unsheathed. The blades whined in his ear as he rolled out of the way. He managed to keep all his blood inside him this time, at least for the moment.
Prince didn’t waste time in retaliating, lunging at Mary with his crowbar as she retracted her saws. She didn’t look as tough as Larry. He thought he might be able to take her down the old-fashioned way, but he was quickly disillusioned as his weapon bounced off of her casing harmlessly, barely even chipping her paint.
Mary responded in kind, and her blow sent him off the edge of the platform, but he managed to grab onto the rim, narrowly avoiding a fiery death. Winded, he wheezed and gasp for air as he gingerly dragged himself back to safety… well, relative safety. His ribs were aching like hell.
Hadrian started towards the automaton, but Bradley held an arm out to stop him. “Don’t be reckless. Your arm is injured. Stay out of this and keep your sister safe,” the Detective told him, nodding at Stephanie. The girl held onto her brother’s leg tightly.
Twado rushed at Mary instead, gnashing his teeth, evidently furious at her for striking Prince. She must not have wanted her gilded crowbar to touch the mangy thing, because her lip curled in disgust as she delivered a swift kick to his side. A few of the kids winced as they heard a crack. The dog yelped as he slid across the platform and lay still. Bradley hurried over to check on him.
The dog had diverted Mary’s attention. Maybe Monica had the chance to turn her wind-up key. She tried to edge around the automaton while she was occupied with Twado and reached up to grab it, but she’d barely touched her fingertip to the key before Mary turned abruptly and snatched Monica by the wrist in a crushing grip. She flung the girl at Prince as if she were as light as a ragdoll, and Prince had only just climbed back onto the platform when Monica collided with him, sending both of them off the edge again.
Prince caught the rim of the stage again. Monica could only grab hold of the cuff of Prince’s jeans. He tried to pull himself up, but it was impossible this time with the added weight.
Bradley stood up from where Twado was—the dog seemed fine now—and ran towards them as they dangled from the rim, but Mary sauntered into his path.
Mary opened her mouth, probably to expound another snide remark, but she was cut off before she got so much as a word out. Bradley wasted no time in striking out with his umbrella. Prince thought the guy was about to get knocked out cold, but he must have been even stronger than he looked, because Mary staggered marginally as she blocked the hit with her crowbar.
“That’s another charge of resisting arrest, Miss Gearwise,” said Bradley through gritted teeth. She just laughed wryly.
While Bradley engaged the automaton, Twado bounded to the edge of the platform and grabbed Prince’s sleeve with his teeth, slowly and steadily towing him and Monica up.
Bradley tried to bring his umbrella down onto Mary’s head, but she caught it in her hand. The Detective tried to yank it out of her grasp. She held on.
He recognized too late that he had no way to parry her crowbar now. Mary swung for Bradley’s skull. He reacted quick and tried to evade the blow, but it still clipped the side of his head, knocking his hat askew. He stumbled backwards and clutched his temple, dazed.
Mary grinned viciously and raised her weapon to finish him off, but the look was wiped off her face as someone wrenched her wind-up key. She hissed in displeasure and froze up for a moment as her gears seized, but her disorientation didn’t last long.
The automaton spun around with her smirk replaced with a look of acute loathing. She lashed out and raked Prince across the face with her sharp fingernails before he could respond, leaving several long, bloody gashes behind. A guttural snarl escaped from Mary’s lips as she did, as if it was gravely insulting that the boy would even try to lay his filthy fingers on her key.
She didn’t have time to assault Prince any further, though. Bradley had already come to his senses. He adjusted his hat. Mary glanced over her shoulder as she heard the Detective’s footsteps on the steel stage. She saw movement from the corner of her mechanical eye. Monica and Twado were flanking her from both sides. Even the injured Hadrian had grown tired of being sidelined and was now advancing towards Mary as well.
The automaton whirled around and feinted at Bradley, just to keep him away. She must have realized that at least one of them would get their hands on her wind-up key if she tried to fight them all at once. The mechanisms in Mary’s legs clicked as they engaged. She leapt onto one of the tall stone pillars surrounding the platform, perching on it gracefully.
The group stared up at her. Prince spread his arms in a challenge. “Get the fuck back down here, you bitch!” he roared, his face still bleeding. Mary said nothing. She simply smirked and licked a few drops of blood off her manicured nails.
Monica pulled some gauze out of her first aid kit. Prince irritably tried to shrug her off—“I’m fine”—but she managed to press it onto his face and stem the flow of blood.
Bradley pointed at Mary with his umbrella. “Mary Gearwise, I have reason to believe that you were involved in the disappearance of Larry Clockturn. I demand you reveal his whereabouts at once!”
Mary threw her head back and cackled. “You want to know what happened to Larry? Fine. I’ll show you.” She looked over at the control room and nodded at Markus. He pulled a lever on one of the panels.
There was a harsh grinding sound as the wall to their left slowly parted. They hadn’t noticed it when they came in here, but it was actually an enormous sliding gate.
Everyone backed away as it opened. It might have been some sort of depot, though it was hard to tell though the darkness. The light from a pair of LED eyes pierced through the shadows.
Big ones.
Raucous metallic scraping filled the air as the goliath activated and hauled itself from the ground, exposed gears and levers ticking loudly. Its rugged plating caught the orange glow of the lava beneath.
“What the Hell is that?” cried Prince as the clockwork behemoth took a step forward, making the entire cavern quake.
“It’s the new and improved Larry Clockturn, of course,” Mary declared. Markus emerged from the control room and tossed her violin to her. She started to play again. At the sound of her music, the aperture of the machine’s eye dilated and blazed brightly. Its gaze zeroed in on Prince.
Bradley understood what was happening first. “Prince! Get out of the way!” he hollered.
Crimson light flooded the room as Larry discharged his laser. Prince dived out of the way just in time, but he could still feel the scorching heat against his back as the beam passed him by.
It melted through the steel flooring like butter. The scaffolds holding it up groaned as they started to bend. Prince scrambled to his feet and stared up at Larry as his laser fizzled out. The automaton’s optical receptors contracted to the size of pinpricks and darted around frantically. He seemed almost afraid, but the look vanished almost as soon as it had shown up.
Prince didn’t have time to think about what that meant. The two halves of the stage were dipping away from each other.
The group was separated. Twado leapt across the gap before it became too wide and grabbed the back of Stephanie’s shirt in his mouth, who was slipping down the incline, and lugged her over to Prince and Hadrian. The eldest brother pulled Stephanie into his arms as their half of the platform swayed dangerously above the lava.
Bradley and Monica were trapped on the other side. They looked across at them helplessly. The columns holding them up had thankfully stopped buckling, but there was nowhere to run.
Mary grinned in morbid anticipation as Larry prepared to bisect the platform a second time. His eye dilated again. However, the LED flickered as his laser failed to charge up all the way. Bradley retreated as the beam struck the ground in front of him, but it wasn’t hot enough to melt through the metal.
Mary’s smile faded slightly. “My apologies… I thought I had already disabled his free will. He appears to be resisting my commands. How cute,” she crooned as she drew her crowbar over the strings of her instrument once more.
Larry’s components creaked and juddered as he tried to move, but his gears had locked up. His eye flashed on and off, refusing to even begin charging this time.
Now Mary was scowling. She glared into the control room. Markus shrugged and shook his head at her. She turned towards Larry again just in time to see a masked mafioso clamber onto his shoulder. Mary’s eyes widened in outrage as he thrust his crowbar through a gap in the giant automaton’s casing and triggered his emergency shutdown mechanism.
Chapter VII – AWOL
“Helios.”
Helios frowned. He looked around, but there was no one else in the hallway with him and his troupe. Just the mobsters staring at them through the windows.
“Helios!” the voice hissed again. Oh. It was coming from behind him. Helios slowed his pace and glanced back discreetly, lagging behind the rest of the group. Isaiah was peeking out of the vent they’d come in here from. He beckoned the hacker over.
Helios peered around again. The mobsters seemed to be fixated on the others. He slipped away and reentered the vent before anyone noticed.
“Isaiah? I thought you were done with us,” Helios whispered.
“I changed my mind. We have to move,” Isaiah replied. Helios trailed him cautiously.
“Why? Where are we going?”
“Mary called almost everyone in the base to the primary control room. Her lab is pretty much unguarded, so I decided to snoop around a little bit. I found Larry. Deactivated. Chassis ripped wide open,” Isaiah recounted, knitting his brow as he recalled the scene. “I found the blueprints for his new body.”
“New body? What are you saying?”
“I’m getting to that part! Mary cut his heart out. She made him a new body that she could control. The thing is giant. She’s using his heart as the energy source, and the heart is him, so his original body isn’t gonna wake up without it. She’s going to use the new one on your pals. They have no chance.”
“And we’re just letting them walk into the trap?”
“I need them to stall her, and she was going to lock the base down and have her lackeys kill them anyway if they didn’t show up. I have a plan. Larry’s new body has computerized parts, not just clockwork ones. It helps her control him, but it also means he can be hacked. I’m taking you to the lab. There’s a console there that she used to test him out. It’s got the blueprints in it and everything. I think you can use it to access his network, but you have to deactivate the lava pipeline system first… we don’t want your buddies getting their legs burnt to a crisp before they even see the big guy. I need you to get him to stay still long enough for me to reach him and trip his e-stop. Got it?”
“Yeah, I think I can do that.”
“Good.” Isaiah stopped in front of the spot where a ventilation panel used to be, but he must have broken it open already while he’d been sneaking around. He climbed out and showed Helios the console. “This is the place. Try to do this quietly. There are still a couple guards outside the door,” he whispered to Helios. The mobster thrust a two-way radio into his hands. “Use that to tell me when Larry is immobilized.”
Helios nodded, but Isaiah was already reentering the vent, leaving him on his own. The hacker cracked his knuckles and got to work.
Chapter VIII – System Reboot
Prince watched as Larry shut down and toppled backwards. It reminded the boy of when he’d beaten the automaton in the sewers, but the ensuing impact was much, much louder this time when he hit the ground.
Mary threw her violin at Markus. “Deal with that traitor!” she thundered at him. The Warden reentered the control room and sent some of the operators away. They ran through the door, heading for Larry’s depot. The masked mobster was standing on Larry’s chest now, trying to pry one of the plates open. It had to be Isaiah.
“What are you doing, man? Mind getting us off of this platform?” Prince called out.
Isaiah glanced up at him and held up a finger. Wait.
Prince turned around as a mechanical hum filled the cave. He’d expected Mary to jump down and confront the group, but she was still glowering down at them from the stone pillar. The noise had to be coming from her.
The temperature in the formerly stifling cavern was dropping fast. Prince looked up as a raindrop hit his face. Were those clouds?
“She’s got a weather machine built into her!” Bradley realized as lightning struck the ground right in front of him. An indoor tempest was brewing.
Isaiah got Larry’s chassis open and heaved the metal plate away until the gap was large enough for him to fit inside. His gaze scanned the internal hardware until he spotted the automaton’s clockwork heart. It was strangely amusing how such a comparatively small gadget had been powering a giant robot. He lowered himself through the gears and circuitry until it was within reach and gingerly disconnected the tubes and cables holding it in place. The ticking of the mechanism’s gears slowed down as he removed it. An iridescent mystery liquid sloshed around inside the heart’s windowed ventricles as Isaiah climbed back out of the chassis.
The lava sizzled as rain pattered against it. Prince could feel the electricity in the air before lightning hit the spot where he’d been standing moments before. “Dude! What’s the situation?” he yelled at Isaiah.
Isaiah was too absorbed in his task to respond. He’d already dragged Larry’s real body into the depot before he’d gone to fetch Helios, but he didn’t have a lot of time. He was screwed if the other mafiosos made it here before he had Larry operational. Isaiah sprinted to the corner where he’d left the automaton with the heart in his hands and stooped down to set it back in Larry’s chest cavity. It clicked into place.
The mobster stuck his hand under his suit and felt around for the brazing torch and rod he’d brought with him. He fumbled with the hose for a second before he inserted it into the fuel cylinders on the ground and lit the torch, carefully soldering Larry’s tubes and pipes back onto his heart.
A gale was beginning to pick up. Bradley rolled out of the way as a fork of lightning targeted him again. The wind buffeted him, but perhaps that was a good thing.
The Detective opened his umbrella. The motor inside it began to rumble. He held it up and let a gust carry him towards Mary. She took a swipe at him with her crowbar as he neared, but he veered out of the way and landed behind her. He grabbed her key and twisted it counterclockwise a second time before Mary could do anything about it.
Mary winced as she turned and swung her crowbar wide, striking Bradley in the side. He grunted in discomfort and tumbled from the pillar as the vent cover above Mary popped off and smacked against her head. Pete jumped through and landed on her, casting her down from the pillar as well before he reentered the ventilation shaft and vanished again.
Bradley drifted to the floor with his umbrella and gently touched his feet to the ground next to Monica. Mary hit the ground on the other end of the platform with a crash. She groaned in discomfort as she heaved herself to her feet, but her grousing quickly became a snarl as she stalked towards the Detective.
Pete soon emerged from a vent in the depot. He hastily scrawled something across his whiteboard as he rushed to Isaiah: HURRY THEY ARE ALMOST HERE
Larry’s golden eyes blinked on as Isaiah made the last connection. He sat up immediately and wrapped his huge hand around the mobster’s throat. Isaiah dropped his brazing torch to pry the automaton’s fingers away.
“Get your hands off of me, you asshole! I’m trying to help you!” Isaiah snapped.
Larry’s eyes widened slightly, as if he was surprised to hear Isaiah’s voice coming from behind that mask. The automaton glanced down at his chassis, still wide open. He reluctantly released Isaiah and lay down again. “Get on with it, then,” he spat, still glaring.
Isaiah picked up the sheet of metal that Mary had cleaved away from Larry’s casing and placed it over his chest. He picked up the torch again and slowly ran it along the seams. The automaton tensed up at the searing heat, but he held still.
Isaiah had barely finished when Larry shoved the mobster away and got to his feet. He’d secured the plate just in time, too, because the mafiosos that Markus had sent came charging through the depot doors as Larry buttoned up his shirt and picked up his crowbar.
The mafiosos skidded to a standstill when they saw the reactivated Larry standing before them, tall and terrible. He swung his crowbar into the closest one’s abdomen with quite a bit more strength than necessary, burying the curved end in his innards. There was a nauseating squelch and a strangled yelp from the mobster. A section of his viscera came out with Larry’s crowbar as the automaton pulled it free. The others turned tail and ran back the way they’d came as their comrade collapsed into a convulsing heap, too afraid to even try to fight him.
Isaiah made a disgusted noise. “Ugh. That was overkill,” he mumbled as he kicked the whimpering mafioso into the lava. Larry paid him no mind. He turned to the platform. Mary wasn’t the only one who could leap high. He cleared the gap easily and landed right behind her.
The platform shook as his shoes met the steel platform. The scaffolds finally buckled, sending his end of the stage plunging. He was prepared for that. Mary wasn’t. She lost her balance as the platform sank slowly into the molten rock.
Larry grabbed his tormentor with both hands and hurled her into the lava.
Chapter IX – Exit Path
The mafiosos could only watch as Mary disappeared into the molten rock. Markus stared in disbelief until there was a stir in the control room. The mobsters began quarrelling… then they drew weapons on each other. A brawl broke out.
They were fighting amongst themselves. Prince realized as a splatter of blood hit the windowpane that Larry’s old goons must have wanted him back in charge.
Bradley unfurled his umbrella again before the gale storm died down completely. He took Monica’s hand. They both glided into the depot.
The Detective grabbed hold of the metal plate that Isaiah had removed from the behemoth earlier. “Help me move this thing,” he called out to the others.
They lugged the plate towards the edge of the pit and pushed it outwards until it met Prince’s half of the platform. It wobbled precariously, but they held it down as Prince crossed the improvised bridge with Stephanie in his arms. Hadrian and Twado followed from behind. Larry jumped back into the depot as well, landing disconcertingly close to the group. The kids shrank away as Bradley stepped in front of them protectively and pointed at the automaton. Larry raised an artificial eyebrow.
“Larry Clockturn, you are under arrest for-”
Pete bonked the Detective on the head with his whiteboard.
“Ow. What? He’s wanted for hundreds of felonies.”
The elevator is still disabled. We need his help finding our way out, Pete wrote.
“Yeah, I know a different exit,” Larry muttered, but he nonetheless looked mildly annoyed when the group started following him.
They trailed behind the crime boss—well, ex-crime boss—hesitantly. “We still need to get Helios,” Isaiah mentioned. Before they reached the door, however, they heard the sound of metal scraping against metal. Larry turned back towards the platform.
Mary was clawing her way back up, her pearlescent façade burnt away by the lava, revealing her brassy gold casing. Patches of paint still clung to her, scorched black. She glanced back at Larry warily as she climbed high enough to jump back onto the pillar, then onto the mezzanine. The mobsters had already fled the control room, but she ran inside and disappeared from sight. Fury flared in Larry’s golden eyes as he barreled through the depot doors to pursue her.
Everyone ran out the doorway after him. They were back in the corridor with the disabled elevator, but Larry ran in a different direction.
“Where are you going?” Prince yelled. The automaton didn’t reply.
“There’s an old mineshaft leading to the surface in this direction,” Isaiah answered instead. “It’s always been sealed, but Mary must’ve opened it to escape. There’s no other way.”
They came upon the control room where Isaiah had left Helios, but Larry didn’t wait up as they pushed the doors open to find him.
“Helios, we have to…”
Isaiah trailed off. The room was empty.
“Helios?” the mobster called out. There was no reply. He tried contacting him with his radio, but the hacker didn’t respond to that either.
“We have to move before we lose Larry. Maybe Helios escaped already. Come on,” Bradley said as he ran back outside.
They caught up with Larry as he arrived at the gate to the mine. The blast doors were already open. Mary was on the other side of the decaying tunnel, hovering over Helios, watching him as he knelt in front of the keypad next to the elevator and desperately tried to crack the activation code. She seized the hacker in a chokehold and turned towards the group as she heard Larry’s heavy footsteps approaching.
“Come any closer and he dies!” Mary screeched at them. Larry didn’t seem too worried about that, but Bradley grabbed his arm to stop him from advancing.
“Let him go, Miss Gearwise. We just want to leave this place,” Bradley tried to reason.
Mary laughed, her eyes wide and manic. “Leave? You’re the ones who intruded upon my base in the first place. Slaughtered dozens of my agents. Do you know how much time I spent working on Larry? You brats have ruined everything,” she hissed as she tightened her grip around Helios’s throat. He scrabbled uselessly as her arm, eyes bulging as Mary crushed his windpipe.
Prince gritted his teeth. Mary’s words sent his thoughts racing. The gang of mobsters they’d encountered in the upper levels, even though there was no surveillance there. The door that had malfunctioned and trapped them. The lightning storm outside that had driven them here in the first place, even though the weather forecast had predicted clear skies. Mary’s weather machine…
“No. You lured us in here,” Prince murmured.
Mary narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?” she snapped.
“That’s why you knew we were here when the cameras were offline. You caused that storm outside. You took that tree down with your lightning. You had that barricade set up on the trail, so we’d come here for shelter,” Prince spoke louder. “You made the door short circuit with your lightning instead of shutting it remotely so we wouldn’t get suspicious… and rigged those pipes to blow and cut us off in the upper levels, so we’d walk right into those mobsters. You knew we were here the whole time. You set us up!” he finished, jabbing an accusing finger at Mary.
Mary’s lips slowly curved into a smirk as Prince spoke. “Clever boy.”
“Why?” he demanded.
“I needed someone to test my creation on, and you are the ones who deactivated Larry. I couldn’t leave you alive,” Mary stated. Helios wheezed for breath as she loosened her grip ever so slightly.
Bradley shook his head. “Rubbish. I know for a fact you never cared for Larry. It was the Headmaster who ordered their deaths, wasn’t it?”
Mary’s eyelid twitched at the mention of her superior. She ignored the Detective. “Larry, tell me the elevator’s code and I’ll let Helios go,” she said as she nodded at the dilapidated cage elevator and tightened her stranglehold on the young man.
Larry sneered and tried to press forward. Bradley held him back. The automaton’s gears clanked in frustration as he lifted his crowbar to beat the Detective away, but Isaiah elbowed his way to the forefront of the group before a fight could break out. “How about you think about someone other than your fucking self for once?” the mobster whispered harshly as he shook Larry’s shoulder. The automaton griped inaudibly and hardly budged as Isaiah jostled him, but he got the point.
“0625,” he begrudgingly told Mary.
Helios gasped for air as Mary finally removed one arm from his neck and punched the code into the keypad. The rusty elevator doors squealed as they parted. He tried to break away from her grasp, but he yelped as she grabbed the collar of his jacket and yanked him into the elevator after her. “Oh, no, you’re coming with me,” Mary muttered venomously.
“Hey! You said you’d let him go!” Prince yelled angrily from the other side of the tunnel.
Mary just flashed a grin at him and waved at him as the doors shut. The elevator creaked and rumbled up the mineshaft.
She was gone.
Epilogue
There was nothing to do except wait in morose silence for the elevator to return underground. Prince kept starting at the entrance to the mine, worried that some of Mary’s loyalists might show up, but none did.
The mood relaxed a little bit as Twado stood on his hindquarters and pawed Larry’s legs, whining for attention. He’d been too preoccupied to pay attention earlier, but now the automaton reached down and ruffled the fur on the dog’s head. “Glad to see you too, Twado.”
“He knows you?” Prince asked, surprised.
“He was my guard dog when I ran this place. But he looks like Mary had him thrown outside,” he muttered, shaking his head at Twado’s grubby coat.
The elevator doors squeaked open as the carriage arrived. Prince picked up Helios’s sunglasses from the floor. One of the lenses was cracked. He slipped them in his pocket as the elevator closed and started to carry everyone to the surface. Maybe he’d get to return them eventually if the hacker was still alive.
Isaiah went to sit on an old crate, but Larry pushed him aside. “Is that coal? Finally,” said the automaton as he ripped the lid off and shoved a handful of the stuff into his jaws. The kids watched with profound bewilderment.
“What? You didn’t think I was actually spring powered, did you?” he chuckled. The wind-up key on his back rotated ever so slightly. “This is just a kill switch. I have a steam engine.”
I thought your heart was your energy supply? wrote Pete.
There was a whoosh as the fuel caught aflame in Larry’s firebox. “It’s for emergencies. When I run out of real fuel.”
“It seemed like it was working fine before,” Prince remarked.
“You people ask too many damn questions.”
“No kidding,” Isaiah muttered.
Bradley answered instead. “The heart works too well. It will grind his gears to dust if he relies on it forever.” Larry scowled at him, but the Detective didn’t seem phased. “What are you going to do now?”
Larry was caught off guard by the question. “What do you mean?”
“I thought you’d retake control of the base. Why didn’t you?” Bradley added.
The automaton laughed bitterly. “Give me a break. Do you have any idea what they’ve been doing to me down here? They can fuck themselves.”
“You’re just now realizing that? You were just fine with their shit before you were the one getting tortured,” Isaiah scoffed, but his temper dissolved into a sulk as soon as Larry shot him a look.
“OK, time for you guys to tell us what your problem is. You said you joined the mafia during the last purge,” Prince cut in, pointing a finger at Isaiah, “but you keep acting like you’ve been here a lot longer than that. What’s the deal?”
Neither Larry nor Isaiah answered, but Bradley looked back and forth between the two of them a few times. “Isaiah is your son?” he surmised.
Isaiah grimaced as the Detective said it. Larry punched the wall next to Bradley’s head, rocking the entire carriage and leaving a dent in the metal. Stephanie clung to Prince. Twado barked and scurried around as the lonely light bulb flickered and swayed on its wire above them. Bradley was looking pissed, but he didn’t retaliate—this was neither the time nor place for a fight, and Isaiah surely felt the same, because he walked between them and stared Larry down until he backed off.
“Guess that was a yes,” said Hadrian. Monica thumped him on the side of the head.
The mood was somehow even more sullen now. Larry had withdrawn to the corner of the elevator. He looked lost in his thoughts, but they couldn’t stay silent forever.
“What do we do?” Prince asked.
“I would call in a raid on this base right now, but we’d have to find some cell signal for that,” Bradley said.
“It’s not a good time,” Larry argued. “The next purge is in eight days.”
Hadrian groaned. “The next purge? You guys do that every year?”
“Shut it. I’m not finished. We need to get somewhere safe. You’re all in even more danger than last time if the Headmaster put a hit on you.”
That name again. “Who the hell is the Headmaster?” Prince questioned.
“He’s the one pulling the strings in all this. It was him who turned Larry and Mary into these,” Bradley responded, motioning to the automaton. “And those two aren’t the only ones who have been subjected to the procedure. I don’t suppose you were privy to his ultimate plans, were you?” he asked Larry.
Larry scowled at the question, but there was a hint of melancholy on his metallic features. “No, I wasn’t. But that’s not important right now. I know where a safehouse is,” he said as the elevator finally reached the surface. Everyone stepped out as the sun peeked over the horizon. The storm had died out into a light sprinkling of rain.
A couple of miscreants crouched in the dense trees and vegetation, concealed from view. One of them observed the new arrivals through his binoculars as they exited the carriage.
“Well, what do ya know?” said one of them.
“What? Luke, what do you see?”
“Mr. Clockturn made it out… but he looks to be defecting. What a shame, what a shame,” replied Luke, though he didn’t sound very saddened with that.
Brooke laughed. “Somehow, that doesn’t surprise me. Are we gonna take him down or what?”
“Don’t be rash, Brooke. He’s not alone. The meddlers are with him, and there’s gonna be a better opportunity soon. The next purge is coming right up.” the boy said as he stood up. Brooke snatched his binoculars and took a look at the group for herself.
“Come on. Those shrimps have nothing! We can take them,” she protested.
Luke shook his head and started walking away. “No. Last thing we need is to blow our first major assignment.”
Brooke grumbled in discontent, but she acquiesced and followed her brother deeper into the woods.
“Fine. Let them think they’re safe… for now.”
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With your expression sheet for ITP Spring Bonnie, I can only imagine that for him to get into that angry bit/unhinge his jaw/etc, whatever is happening obviously needs to anger him enough. And my first thought was “Something/someone tries to hurt Oswald”.
And I also imagine that Oswald hadn’t seen him like that since the night he went to rescue his human dad. So I like to think that he’s surprised- and imagine if both of his human parents were there- they wouldn’t have known that SB could even do that.
and you would be correct! the only thing that would actively make Spring Bonnie really angry is if someone, or something, would hurt Oswald! he is quite protective of his son (as any new parent would be lol)
i imagine that if he were to meet other animatronics from the FazFrights universe, specifically the ones that are actually malicious like Eleanor, Funtime Freddy, Plushtrap Chaser, etc. who would Definitely try to harm Oswald, Spring Dad wouldn't be very happy!!
i just wanted an excuse to draw him angry again lol
and yes, Oswald's human parents would indeed be pretty surprised and kinda terrified to see the giant animatronic bunny mad for the first time!
#[ itp: happy ending au ]#fnaf#fazbear frights#fnaf into the pit#into the pit#itp spring bonnie#spring bonnie#springle's art
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Ep 1 Pilot Live blog
I'm going in guys.
FiFirst sight of baby Clarke drawing and dreasming of Earth. :( And the reveal that the whole earth is dead, and only The Ark is surviving.... or so they think. Another 100 years before it's survivable.
Baby Clarke. Oh she's not even eighteen. Every crime punishable by death and our little feral Clarkie overpowers the big tough guards. OH look it's Abby. Giving the Delinguents the chance to live! ON THE GROUND!
Damn they shot her with a tranq dart.
And the drop ship is off.... zoomies. Clark wakes up in a tin can with OH WELLS!!!! poor baby Wells. OH Monty and
And the chancellor telling them they ARE the chance for everyone because THEY are expendable. I always hated that. How can you call people expendable. Such a bad world view.
Oh the lady we never saw again after the pilot. I liked her. Abby's friend. What was her name?
ooomg, Clarke is giving Well's dad a dirty look. AND floating hair for brains. Finn. Right how did I forget his name? Octavia is enjoying her freedom with the other kids. But acceleration and Finn and his followers break the fucking ship.
Why is my brain so bad I've forgotten everyone's names.
Wells trying to apologize and Clarke NOT forgiving him. Little Wanheda.
Clarke goes to check on the fallen kids and starts taking control right away
OMG BELLAMY, just back it up guy, and Clarke gets in his face right away.
But here comes Octavia "the girl that hid under the floor." "OMG Look how big you are." Much tears.
Oh pissy octavia because he's in guard uniform. "No one has a brother!" All these reveals are pretty slick, actually. I know the who thing is cheesy but they are giving us so much information.
WOW. They open the door and SUDDENLY EVERYONE IS SO BEAUTIFUL IN THE GOLDEN SUN AND WIND MACHINES.
Don't say Octavia Don't say it.
WERE BACK BITCHES!!!!
she said it.
and enter the delinquents. Oooh. Radioactive. Not me dancing with with delinquents. Yes. Yes I am chair dancing.
"Why so serious princess?" Ugh. Gag. Wow I really hate finn. Still. More so.
Poor baby Clarke is so serious. THey dropped us on the wrong damn moutnain. Was that seriously all before the first commercial break? WOW packed.
Kane as a villain. Remember that? He is awful. Jackson and SInclair!!
Wells wants to be so helpful.
OMG John Murphy as an actual villain. And Bellamy too. Octavia the rebel. It's so weird seeing them so naive. But actually Octavia's character is still the same. Wells and Murphy fighting until hair brains jumps down and acts "the hero." Why is he so icky?
"Hey spacewalker. Rescue me next." EW. Octavia you picked the wrong guy.
Oh remeber that Bob came up with that deep voice because he stayed out too late the night before or something and had a husky voice so he then had to fake a deep voice for the next seven years of his life. lol.
God I cannot express how every time Finn opens his mouth I hate him more.
Our first adventure with Clarke and Finn and Octavia and Jasper and Monty.
Oh that's right. Jaha was shot. I totally forgot. After Clarke gets his pardon it becomes a non issue. And Jasper and Monty got put in jail for weed. lol. And poor baby O for "being born."
Haha. The shocking two faced deer that scares them all. All these wonders of the earth are very nostalgic. OH that's right, Abby gets put into jail for using too many supplies to save him.
And they discovered the shooter of Jaha. "It's no one. Just a janitor." Oh this guy is trying to get Kane to kill people. OH YEAH KANE you're talking to the traitor. It's that guy.
Murphy's back story. Begging for mercy in the float chamber when your father floated him.
Bellamy is so young. A trouble maker. Really just trying to keep the Ark from joining them because he killed Jaha. And taking over as ruler. Or dad of the group.
Oh new reveal. Clarke tells them why they sent the 100 down. The Ark is Dying. Three months left of life support. Maybe four after sending them down.
Why does she think Wells turned in her dad, anyway? Just because she couldn't imagine her mom doing it?
Oh me rolling my eyes when Finn says "we have to warn them" when really he's just saying that for Raven, not for some moral reason.
Octavia stripping and jumping into the water. Where did her jumpsuit go and how did she get the pants.
And Jasper spots the CREATURE coming to get Octavia. You know they could have used the creature in the water as one of the dangers in the following eps but they just dropped that. The only monster we really had in early season was Pauna. I mean non human monsters. We should have had more monsters.
I'm really just not paying attention to Jasper saving Octavia. It doesn't really feed into the rest of the story.That was a big monster. We should have seen more of it.
The delinquents having their first bonfire and taking off the wrists. Oh that was Fox. Wells is a goody goody. It's a little annoying. I mean he's right but he's not going about this in the right way. There you go. Our doctors, our farmers, our engineers. Bellamy is like okay well that's a good point. Until he Wells says "how could you not want our people to come down." And then he's like "what do you mean WE kemosabe. those aren't my people. Those are the people who floated my mom and put my sister in jail."
Now they're shouting WHATEVER THE HELL WE WANT they are fucking morons. Honestly.
But they are loving the rain. Hey that's the first rain they've ever experienced. Aww.
And abby gets arrested for saving Jaha. I mean Kane is right. No special treatment. But the whole concept is not good. Abby is used to special treatment though.
Penal code ONE. Their first law. Wow. All crimes are capital crimes.
"I choose to make sure that the human race stays alive"
"I choose to make sure we deserve to stay alive." Abby.-- This was like the most important statement made in the entire show, right here. First episode. And it was a driving force until season seven where they were just like. Nah. Nazi cults are the best idea. Technology. Purple aliens.
Oh they put Abby in Clarke's cell with her drawings.
Clarke wakes up on the earth (the dream) with the luminescent trees. Again a thing they could have used more often. maybe it was too expensive.
Oh Finn. You're ruining the mood. Go away. Yes I mock Finn's every line after he says it. Finn finds tracks he says are monkeys. Which we never see.
Kane thinks he's the only one who's willing to do what it takes which is going to be echoed by Bellamy later. They're both wrong. What was that character's name? Played by Kelly Hu I think.
Bellamy dragging Wells out in the middle of the night with his gun. He's telling Wells to stand up to his dad and take off the wristband. Murphy's reprobates take off his wristband. I totally thought they were gonna kill him but the scene ends with the clink and release.
Now we're executing Abby until... Jaha comes to the rescue.
Swinging across the river..."see ya on the other side." Jasper is trying to impress O. Finn STOP TALKING. you're a terrible character.
Good music though.
"IT's okay to be afraid, Jasper. The trick is not fighting it." Ok Finn that line is actually pretty good.
Jasper finds the sign for Mount Weather and after much cheering and laughing--BOOM in the chest with spear. Not sure how he survived that actually.
The magic of hollywood.
"We're not alone." and BOOM WERE OUT.
well. that was fun. I can't see it for what it was, though. I can only see it for how it relates to the rest of the story that I know came later even if somethings don't relate and some things I didn't notice or forgot.
The acting's a bit wooden and stiff and the delinquents are morons. The hair gel is too strong-- the main reason we're happy for the first delinquent rain storm.
I remember I didn't love the show after the first episode, but I liked it enough to keep watching. It wasn't until ep three or four that I really started loving it.
ALL RIGHT MY FRIENDS. Let us now open The 100 Rewatch 2023 season!
Add your opinions and insights. Link me when you do a liveblog. Comment and send asks.
I don't know if we have a schedule anywhere or a discord. But as of now, we're looking on focusing on each of the first six seasons every two months. SO february and march is season 1.
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TOA Anniversary Munday!
Celebrating TOA and the people who contribute to make our group what it is.
Repost, don't reblog. Only fill in what you feel comfortable sharing!
Happy anniversary, TOA! Here's to many more years spent together.
tagging: anybody/everybody!
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Name: Maddie
Pronouns: they/she
Birthday (no year): January 12
Where are you from? What is your time zone? US East Coast, EST
Roleplay experience: probably about ~10 years on-and-off between forums, chat rp, and tumblr
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Got any pets?
two dogs! Seamus is an Australian Shepherd, and Keegan is a rescue mutt. I love them both very dearly
Favorite time of year: Fall
Some interests and things you like:
drawing/painting, RPGS, video game music (listening to, finding notation of + transcribing for piano)
Some funfacts & trivia about you:
i'm left-handed and an eldest sibling, which means i accidentally taught my younger sister how to play guitar hero backwards
What non-Fire Emblem games do you play?
oh man. childhood favorites that stick with me are Pokemon, Kingdom Hearts, and Final Fantasy. I've dipped into Tales of, though the only one I've completed is Vesperia (beloved game). Octopath Traveler 1 and 2 are both amazing. Splatoon is my favorite shooter. I've gotten lost in Pillars of Eternity for hundreds of hours. I think my fav Elder Scrolls game has become Oblivion for some reason. Sometimes I dive into sim games like Planet Zoo or Two Point Hospital for a bit. I like video games!!
Favorite Pokemon type & Pokemon:
hard to pick a type, but some of my favs are Ampharos, Ivysaur, and Furret!
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How did you get into Fire Emblem?
downloaded the Awakening demo and played it like 10 times in a row. decided that buying myself the game was going to be my first "treat yourself" purchase when i moved out for college
What Fire Emblem games have you played?
completed: Sacred Stones, Path of Radiance, Radiant Dawn, Awakening, Shadows of Valentia, Three Houses (VW, CF, most of AM)
actively in progress: Blazing Blade, Three Hopes, Silver Snow route of 3H
started, but only barely: Gaiden, Genealogy, Shadow Dragon (DS), New Mystery of the Emblem
First Fire Emblem game:
Awakening
Favorite Fire Emblem game:
Tellius Duology (hard to separate them for me haha), with SOV as a strong contender as well
Any Fire Emblem crushes?
...and if I was also a little aquiver with python from lukas's performance in the SOV DLC what of it
If you’ve played the following games, who was your first S support?
- Awakening: Stahl - Fates: Azama - Three Houses: Shamir
Favorite Fire Emblem class:
hmm...archers and mages, maybe. it's always satisfying when the chip damage is enough to save a front liner from retaliation, and even more satisfying when a crit or adept procs and the ranged unit is like "nah dw i got this"
If you were a Fire Emblem character, what would be your class?
my gut says wind mage. idk why tho besides the lack of athleticism needed for a physical class lol
If you were a Three Houses character, what would be your affiliation?
Golden Deer!
If you were an Engage character, which Emblem would you Engage with?
I have not played engage but i want a ghost ike to be my bestie...
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How did you find TOA?
Lucius was over at my house and pitched it to me one night while we were reminiscing about FERP on tumblr. pulled up the rank chart on my computer to explain it to me and everything lmao
Current TOA muses:
Python and Caspar
Who was your first TOA muse? If you don’t have them anymore, could you see yourself picking them up again?
Python was my first! He's definitely the one I'm most confident in, and I see him as kind of my "bedrock muse" for now.
Have you had any other TOA muses?
I had Reyson for a short-ish time!
Do you think you have a type of character you gravitate towards?
I think I'm still feeling out the difference between "types of characters i gravitate toward liking" and "types of characters I gravitate toward writing". I do think I feel most comfortable writing supporting characters with enough backstory for me to tease out and build up from there!
What do you believe you enjoy writing the most?
I love character connection. Whether it's spoken aloud or not, I like little moments where I can have my muse compare a character to someone else they know, or see each other in a different way. I also love when characters have conflicting views and motivations and have to deal with that in one way or another!
Favorite TOA-related memory:
KKE Team Guard coming together for that crazy rapid-fire chat that Ree sprung on us for the finale is definitely a strong one! It was so fun seeing different characters shine throughout the conversations, and on my own end I loved having an opportunity to let Python lose his cool for once >:3
How do you pronounce TOA?
each letter pronounced individually: tee-oh-ay
Got any delusions that didn’t see the light of day in TOA that you’d like to share?
I've only got fleeting thoughts that I would have to let simmer longer, especially when I would have to let someone go to fill the slot (I have accepted that 2 is my personal limit). That said, I've got a few guys hidden behind my back on the off-chance that I feel like it's time for a change ;0
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Black Butler muses in a JoJo: Phantom Blood AU?
(I actually have an AU for this I wrote quite a long time ago!
Basically, story still plays out the same for them except Wang Chan bought the twins as food or experiments for Dio. Luckily they hadn't been experimented yet and were just kept locked in a cage in the castle until Jonathan and Speedwagon came to rescue them!
I had another idea as well about Dio possibly experimenting and trying to manipulate the boys to be loyal servants to him. All Astre wanted was to escape but Ciel ended up getting brainwashed into believing Dio was their savior and chance to be together forever. When Jonathan, Speedwagon and the other hamon users arrived that night - Ciel was locked away in a box so Dio could keep his prized experiment while Astre / Our!Ciel willingly let himself be captured so he could someday free Ciel from their affliction or at least give them information on vampirism!
I'm drawing a blank on Ash, Claude and Alois though lol)
#｡･:*:･ﾟ♬ how i became the sea ; ooc#I like my second idea more because it's angstier and gives Astre and opportunity to show up in more parts lol
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oooh please tell me about your Obey Me MC please I am desperate to know the Lore
YES YES YES I WOULD LOVE TO!!!
INFO DUMP UNDER CUT
I'm eventually going to do a whole write up/diagram/etc for her but for now i can share some fun little lore tidbits.
Saoirse's definitely a theater kid. Be it working behind the scenes or up on stage, she loves to give a performance. She also loves musicals, even the cheesy ones. You can catch her humming along to a song from one of her latest shows while she works.
She always wanted to be one of those gorgeous actresses on the silver screen when she was a little girl and still honestly wants to achieve that dream one day.
Her parents are also creatives themselves. Her father is a well known author for his science fiction novels and her mother runs her own bakery.
She has a Siamese cat named Aristotle who she rescued off the streets when he was a kitten. She mises him quite dearly and wishes she can just take him to the Devildom with her LOL
LOVESSSSS sour candy. Honestly has a hard time sharing with Beel when it comes to it.
Night owl through and through.
Is a huge perfectionist and her own worst critic. Especially when it comes to art and work. Has a hard time accepting compliments.
Adopted Luke almost immediately. Absolutely adores him and is one of his biggest cheerleaders.
6'1"
She started a DnD club at RAD after she missed doing it up in the human world.
Has the biggest fattest crush on Lucifer but you didnt hear that from me. :)
Loves to post cursed meme images in the group chat such as these. She has been removed from the group chat several times LMAO.
Metalhead and punk. She scared Mammon one time when she was coming home from a concert with a face full of makeup. Poor man LOL
Is terrified of roaches. She made SURE that the brothers picked up and cleaned especially when she gets made their attendant. Like she is the type that will climb up furniture in a panic if she sees one. Or use a flame spell.
Saoirse is known to snort when she laughs. She's extremely embarrassed by this fact.
Left-handed!
Beelzebub's her workout buddy. Wants to be strong enough to lift him one day.
She spends a lot of time in the Planetarium in the HOL, especially if she's feeling less than stellar. (pun intended)
Likes to make everyone feel included because she felt left out a lot when she was younger.
Her pact marks with the brothers form a very intricate sleeve tattoo on her left arm. I will draw this one day :')
Cosplayed a few times with Levi since she loves to put together costumes or make them herself. Theater kid strikes again.
Is a terrible cook. Perhaps not as much as Solomon but there has been a few times she has even set water on fire, much to everyone's horror. Luke tried so hard to teach her LMAO.
Favorite holiday is Halloween by far. She goes hardcore as far as decorating.
Adores Diavolo. So much. Falls victim to his puppy dog eyes every single time. Barbatos is unpleased.
Saoirse unfortunately tends to bottle up her feelings and dislikes asking for help from others. This is made worse in Nightbringer when she realizes she can't go to the Brothers for support like she used to, at least for now. She puts a brave front on but once she's well enough alone in her own room in Cocytus Hall she weeps, once again feeling like she's 11 and left out of the group.
ANYWAYS THATS EVERYTHING I GOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD. I will be sure to post more updates regarding her story so stay tuned. :3c
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I just read Nor Shouts O’ War again (it’s so amazing, I don’t even have the words to describe how much I love your writing style)
Anyway, assuming that what happens in that fic is canon in your worldstate, how does the hawke/Anders first meeting differ? Is the recognition instant or does it come later like “oh shit, that was YOU?!” Im sure you have Thoughts about it and I’d love to hear them
ah tysm <3
this got a little long
yknow, in its first iteration NSoW was only the first chapter and it was going to be the opening of my longfic. hawke fights the templar, anders escapes into the night, cut to lothering and the rest of the story.
so in Draft 1, they don’t recognize each other right off, and it only really dawns on hawke during the chantry fight, when the templars doing their smite thing jogs her memory. i was going to post that bit, but rereading it, aside from all the general first draft issues...the payoff isn’t great
i went back later and added the back half of NSoW where they properly meet, so it could stand on its own a little better (since i liked the battle scene a lot and didn’t want it to just rot in my WIPs for eternity lol.) but having done that, it’s less plausible they wouldn’t recognize each other right off. i’m still figuring out how that goes tbh!
what makes it interesting/tricky is it’s a pretty big emotional beat to drop into a sequence that already has a lot going on. figure anders has to be pretty keyed up anticipating breaking karl out that night, and while hawke is some rando in canon and he rolls with it, i’d think having the rando who killed a templar for him a year ago suddenly reappear would throw him a lot more.
like i was trying to gesture at in the last bit of NSoW, he’s repressed that memory a fair bit. it occupies a delicate space in the back of his mind. having someone come to his rescue so dramatically is so far outside the run of his (or most mages’) experience, right, the kind of fortune that won’t strike twice, he’s kind of walled it off so it won’t hurt too much, yknow? something to draw comfort from without letting it be too real or color his expectations going forward
so having the memory he’s turned into this sort of talismanic figure walk back into his life in the flesh, when he’s already Big Stressed, probably leaves him pretty vulnerable! thinking about which of anders’ demonstrated ways of Not Being Great at vulnerable situations i want to go with (’:
as far as hawke’s concerned, it’s just a relief to see he made it. she’s spent the last year selling her soul over piece by piece, watching bethany harden and her mother fall apart, it’s like thank the maker at least one of her bad decisions worked out. doesn’t really change much for her tho, as she would have agreed to whatever he wanted for the maps anyway. if anything, it makes her a little quicker to look past the possession thing since she’s already marked him down as one of her people
so long story short, it pretty much gets them where they were already going, but faster!
(althoo....it’s occurring to me now it opens up a possibility space wherein he just gives her the maps out of gratitude & she wouldn’t find out about the possession until later....not sure if that goes anywhere interesting)
regardless, the templar fight is def part of lisi’s canon, gotta seal off her escape hatch back to ferelden after the blight. as far as the longer convo with anders afterward...still thinking abt whether it really adds enough to the story going forward yknow!
anyway thanks again for the ask, this is a longass ramble but it really means a lot when anyone’s interested in my stuff c:
#sat on this ask a while trying to rewrite this scene but it hasn't quite gelled yet#so here's my thinking-out-loud answer
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Ship me with a cod-ling since that's the only of those fandoms I know lol. Physically I'm a big farm-raised gal and I can lift 275. I like working with animals and blacksmithing and like to hit things with swords and axes. I also like playing games, anything from puzzles to rpgs to military sims to racing. My last major hobby is cooking and baking. Listening to people talk about their interests in depth brings me joy. I've recently been described by an ex as an "unmanageable brat" because I made him *earn* my submission. I'm like 90% asexual: mostly uninterested but willing, with an occasional day of extreme desire. Mostly I just want cuddles and connection.
DISCLAIMER: This is all based on my view of the characters and others are likely to see them differently. If you are unhappy with your result- I'm sorry. <3
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Simon 'Ghost' Riley
I feel like he enjoys sex and intimacy but it also isn't a very huge thing for him, he values genuine connection much more and definitely would like to simply lay and hold you most of the time. He's pretty flexible when it comes to sexual stuff and is totally down to go for it but also is chill with going a long time without it.
Hitting things with swords and axes would totally peak his interest- if you'd let him he'd probably teach you shit like axe throwing ect.... Quality bonding time <3
I'm not sure he's the biggest gamer ever but I think he'd sit down and enjoy them sometimes, he'd actually probably prefer calmer games with less fighting. Would like to sit with you and play puzzle games or a farming sim.
Before you he probably didn't cook a whole lot but now he's always in the kitchen- he'll try to learn how to cook just to be with you. He's not the best at that stuff but he tries his best.
He is not one to shy away from earning things- he most certainly wouldn't consider you an unmanageable brat. He's a very careful and considerate partner who would absolutely set boundaries and trust is of the utmost importance, I don't see him as being a very hard dom or overly rough but if it's what you preferred he'd definitely put you in your place... Most of all he'd make the effort to be sure you were comfortable though and take his time. Trust, trust, trust, trust- that's his priority. Your safety and happiness as well as his own.
Simon is great with animals- I just know he is. I see him being good at working with animals that are rescues and have been through bad things. His patience and understanding of how it feels would lead to him being such a good fit for getting animals to trust again or just working in an environment with animals in general.
You being hardworking is majorly attractive- you putting effort into everything you do is probably what draws him to you in the first place.
{I'm like super sleepy while doing these because for some reason I was barely able to sleep last night so if they are a bit off or I get something wrong- lemme know.}
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