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some-pers0n · 7 months

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Know When To Hold Em'

Fandom: WoF

Characters: OC Heavy, but Blister makes a small appearance :)

CW: Nothing

Summary: A couple of dragons are hanging out and playing a game of poker. Right when they're about to finish however, a young dragonet walks in with a stash of money.

Word Count: 2.0k

A/N: I was originally just gonna keep this for myself and the Wiki, but honestly I really like this headcanon and I'm showing it to you all.

Mulga sipped his brightsting cider, glancing back up to his fellow guards. "So, whatcha gonna do?" He tapped his talons on the table. "Gopher, you're looking a bit rough there."

"Hm? Me? What makes you say that?" he replied, wiping away that slightly nervous expression to a forced, overly-confident grin.

"I dunno, just saw you shaking in your claws a little." He looked at his pot, only a couple of coins left. "Not much there, huh."

A moment of stillness before the SandWing sighed. "Fine. I fold." He slid his cards back to the dealer.

"Atta' boy. Probably best for you right now."

"Oh shut up..." Glare grumbled.

Mulga relaxed his shoulders a little. It was supposed to be a nice little night after all, or at least one where he could make some cash off of these dragons. The three of them had a rather boring day, so they decided to come around to Gopher's uncle's friend's cousin's tavern for a nice of gambling.

It was a run-down and rustic hole-in-the-wall type of shack. Dark and dreary with a couple cracks in the roof, showing the night sky above. It was lit dimly by candles and jars of fireflies. It smelt of dust and age more than anything. The dealer once mentioned how this place had been around since the foundation of Scorpion Den way back when, and Mulga believed it.

The cards in Mugla's hands were made from clay, hardened with time and age. The numbers and inscriptions of kings and queens, while worn and hard to see in the dim light, held a charm to them with their homemade nature.

That and also he got one fire hand. A pair of twos, with the remaining ones showing up in the drawn cards. Four of a kind. Hard to beat that. He was sitting there comfortably, knowing that he could do just about anything. Of course, Glare could always have another trick up his wing, but he had doubts. Right on his smug face held the same worried glint in his eyes that any experienced poker player could sniff out.

"Alright," the dealer said. They flipped over the final card, the river, and it showed a simple, disposable seven.

"Check." Glare tapped the table.

"Check." Mulga revealed his hand. "What'dja have there, then?" Mulga smiled.

Glare furrowed his eyebrows. He practically threw his cards down. A measly five and a three.

"As predicted, I win. Again." Mulga grabbed his earnings, pulling it over towards his section. A heap of gold coins, glittering in the candlelight. Oh, they were just beautiful. A wonderful sight for such sore eyes.

"So, what do you wanna do? Play another round? Maybe you'll get lucky this time."

"I dunno," Gopher muttered. "I'm getting kinda tired. I don't think Topaz'll like us being out here for too long-"

"Who cares what the captain thinks? It's the night out with the boys. Real dragons. When's the last time you've both been out like this? A couple of months at least, huh?"

"...fine. Sure. One more game." Glare grumbled. "But that's it. You aren't taking any more of my money, snake."

"I don't know. Like I said, maybe you'll get lucky this time around. Win big. All luck's in the cards, no?" Mulga gave a toothy grin.

"So," the dealer began, "are we all in agreement? One more round?"

"Yeah, why not," Gopher said.

"Definitely." Mulga nodded.

"Mhm..." Glare scoffed.

"Yes, one more round would be nice." A voice came from behind. Mulga leaned over, blinking in surprise when he saw who it was.

A little dragonet. She couldn't have been older than two years. Her pales looked white in the low lighting, with black diamond patterns trailing down her neck and all the way to her tail. Her scales were well-kept and free from the dust and grime you'd see on regular dragonets.

Yet, her eyes... There was something about them that Mulga couldn't place his talon on. Something off. The same pitch-black that all SandWings had, but there was a serpentine quality to them that, strangely enough, made the atmosphere in the room thicker.

"Where'd you come from?" Glare asked. "You aren't supposed to be in here."

"Oh, apologizes for coming in so suddenly. I saw you three were wrapping up and, well, I wanted to simply play a round. See how to play."

"This is a tavern, missy. Younglings like yous aren't supposed to be in here." The dealer sighed. "It's late. You should be getting sleep."

"Oh, pleaseeee... I promise it will be quick."

"I don't think I can exactly-" The Dealer was cut off by the heavy sound of a bag being lifted up and onto the playing table. The dragonet had tossed a bloated sack up there, the little drawstring around the top loosening. Inside was a treasure trove of polished coins and even a couple of precious gems. Diamonds, rubies, even a few emeralds spilled out along with the golden doubloons.

"I want to play," she repeated, her voice much colder and firm in tone.

The fellow dragons looked at each other. This kid can't be serious, right? She probably just coloured a bunch of rocks to be like this. Maybe they're fake or something. But, the more Mulga looked at them, the more he could tell that, no, this was genuine. What kind of dragonet could get all of this stuff? Perhaps she nicked it all from dope. Even then, was she really going to bet with this? That seems far too stupid.

Which played exactly in Mulga's favour. All he needed to do was win one game and he would get some of these earnings.

Mulga laughed. "C'mon, kid. I think you deserve a seat at the playing table." He traced a circle in the spot next to him with his barb.

"Thank you, sir," she chirped. She had to stretch her neck to even properly see the dealer's table. She tapped on the edge of it. "May I have my cards?"

"Ight, so, now we're playing." The dealer shuffled the deck, spreading out two cards to each dragon. Mulga glanced at his. A four and a nine. Looks terrible from the get-go, but perhaps there'll be something later on that makes work of it.

He had to play this round. The chance for any of those gems was too much for him to ignore.

"Excuse me," the dragonet asked. "What do we do first?"

"Oh, you show your cards to everyone," Glare said.

"I know I'm not supposed to do that!" she snapped. "But...what next?"

"Well, you call. Calling means that you want to play this round with the cards you have."

"Oh. Call?" she tapped her talons on the table. "I saw you doing that earlier. What does it mean?"

"Courtesy. Just a lil' thing you do." The dealer answered. They looked back to the others. "So, what now boys?"

The three SandWings looked at each other. One by one, they all called. They were all in this for the money. They threw in a couple of coins for the starting bet and finally began.

The dealer pulled three cards out for the flop. A jack, a nine, and a seven. Okay, he's got a pair now. That's something of note.

Mulga looked at the other dragons. They were sweating coconuts, looking at the giant pile of gold and crystals that the dragonet had. He chuckled lightly as he threw in a couple more coins. "Betting five."

"Call." Gopher threw in the same amount.

"Raise to ten." Glare threw in ten coins.

Finally, they all looked towards the dragonet. She looked so confused and innocent. "I put in money now?" she asked.

"Yes."

"All in." She pushed the bag forward.

Mulga nearly spat out his drink. She was betting it all? Everything in that bag? Moons above, he had just hit the jackpot! It took every fibre of his being not to start laughing.

"...alright then." The dealer pulled the turn card. A ten.

"Going all in as well," Mulga said. He pushed his pile of coins towards the bag, staring the dragonet right in the eyes. "What'll it be for the rest of you?"

"Folding." The both of them said in sync. They tossed down their cards. All that's left was Mulga and this small, tiny dragonet.

"Check," she said.

"You're staying in, huh?" he asked. "I mean, you could fold like the rest of them."

"I don't want to."

"Alright then. Whatever you say, little lizard."

Finally, the dealer pulled the river. A jack.

"Check." Mulga grinned.

"Check." The dragonet tapped on the table.

He chuckled. "I'm sorry," he said, flipping over his cards. He had a pair of nines. "What do you have there then?"

She flipped over hers and Mulga's heart dropped.

It was a queen and nine.

"A straight," she said with a smug, cocky grin on her face. "I do believe that beats your measly little pair." She grabbed the bag, stuffing her earnings into it. "Thanks for the game, but I'll be leaving now. I think my mother would be upset to see me out this late." She giggled.

"No, wait, hold on!" Mulga hissed. "You don't get to leave with all my money. That was supposed to be mine! You tricked me!"

"Tricked?" She tilted her head. "I don't believe I tricked you. Luck's in the cards, is it not?" And with that, she turned away and walked out the tavern's door.

"Blazing scales," Glare laughed. "What kinda kid was that? Managed to sweep ya of everything."

"I-" Mulga blinked. Who even was that? What kind of dragonet just waltzes into a tavern, takes every last coin he has in one round, and then leaves? Where did she get the money? Where are her parents? Who even is she?

----

Princess Burn was just about to put the finishing touches on this new project when she heard the sounds of wings flapping from behind her. She put down her scalpel and turned around, wrapping her barb around her talons. "What is it now?"

She looked out the window to see a dragon approaching her tower. A bag was clutched in her talons and a confident, wicked grin was painted upon her face.

"For moons sake, Blister!" she snapped. "You know you're not supposed to be out this late!" She backed away, letting her get through the window.

"Yes, but does that really matter?" Blister touched down. "Look." She dropped the bag, letting its contents spill onto the floor. "Just from using that one little diamond of yours, I've managed to score this in a single night." She smirked. "Thanks for that, by the way."

She sorted through the pile of coins, picking up the largest diamond out of all of them. "Remember, I get a fifth of it all because of it."

"Oh, of course! I wouldn't forget about that part."

"Why do you even do this?" Burn asked as she picked up a talonful of coins. "It doesn't mean anything."

"I think it's funny." Blister picked up a ruby, looking it over. "You haven't seen what it's like. All these dragons convinced that I'm helpless and have no idea what I'm doing. Then, right when they think they've won it all, shark them. Take everything for what they've got."

"...fun."

Blister scoffed. "You wouldn't get it. You think cutting up insects and rats and hanging them on walls is fun."

"Taxidermy and pinning insects is not 'cutting them up'," Burn said defensively. "And, like you said, different strokes. I like fighting and researching. You like...doing this." She motioned to the bag.

"Mh-hm. Well, when I'm queen I know I'll be the richest of them all."

"I'm still the eldest. I'll be the queen."

"We'll see about that." She grabbed the bag and walked out of the room. "Thanks for your help," she said as she closed the door.

Burn grumbled. She was thankful to have some coins, but it still bothered her how Blister went about doing this. There was something to her that wasn't quite right, and she definitely knew she needed to keep an eye on her at all times. Sooner or later, she's going to plot something against their entire family, and by the moons will Burn do everything to keep it from happening.

#SP-writing #wof fanfic #wof #wings of fire #blister wof

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krynutsreal · 2 years

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yipee another request done, this time for @princeasimdiya12 !!

they had asked for some talentswap ishimondo and I asked for some suggestions of what they wanted:

I only did a few of em since some I couldn't really think of designs for mechanic mon and aiikido master ishi aughefjejt but either way I hope you enjoy!

this post is gonna be long bc of the doodles and also just me rambling abt em 👍

starting off with prince! Ishi and soldier! Mondo :]

im gonna be honest it was somewhat difficult to come up with a decent design for mondo bc I feel like it'd be a bit ridiculous to make it those like cameo soldier type of things that first show up when u google soldier aughddjtkdnt

But it was fun to draw them either way! Mondo would probably have shorter hair if the man bun was down but he keeps it up so that it doesn't get in the way of his face (duh)

As for ishi my only thoughts for him are that he's a prince who wants to make his family name and kingdom better because of his old tyrannical grandfather who used to be king or sumn.

I don't think either of their personalities would change too much, mainly their backstories ofc due to the change of ultimates.

Onto the next talentswap!

Idol!Mondo and Assassin! Kiyotaka :)

OOK SO FOR THESE I LITEKTJJDF I rlly like how Mondo turned out and I had more difficulty with taka since looking up references were wonky this time.

Ik these look very simple but trust me it took so long trying to not smudge everything even more SO 😭

for mondo I believe that when he actually preforms it's more of that outfit but obviously with more details to it (I would have added them if I could but I didn't want to make it more messy). Like he'd probably have some form of the Diamonds logo maybe on the back and some gold designs on the cuffs of his outfits and such!! Maybe his preforming outfit is like the version of his coat where it's white with gold like in his original design yk? In a similar way that Sayaka wants to not give up all that she's worked for to be an idol I feel like Mondo would be that way too. I'd say more but it's this post is already long enough as is jakfjdjf

For ishi I wasn't sure on whether to go in the way where he pretends to have a different talent in hopes to cover his actual talent? Like how they did with Maki, but I just decided to draw him in what he would wear when actually killing someone, the cape to cover himself and the black mask to keep his face unrecognizable ofc. Ironically though I think people would state that even with his mask and hood on the most recognizable thing abt him is his eyes since they're red. On the job he probably tries to keep quiet to make himself unsuspecting but when talking to classmates or outside of it he's probably still just as loud as he is canonically lol

ok that's all, I'll probably draw more of em and draw some ideas out bc clearly I cannot organize my thoughts properly

#MY BAD FOR RAMBLING SO MUCH THESE WERE JUST TOO INTERESTING TO NOT THINK ABOUT UQYHAHR #theres definitely more intricate designs i could've gone with but this is definitely not my strong suit #I'll have to practice more on that #danganronpa #danganronpa trigger happy havoc #kiyotaka ishimaru #mondo owada #mondo oowada #ishimaru kiyotaka #ishimondo #talentswap #kry k(art)

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devnicolee · 3 years

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Into the Light (1)

Warnings: none yet!

Summary: Wesley Parker is a smart, political genius with years of policy experience. After working at the Wakandan Outreach Center in Oakland for over a year, Erik Stevens, Wesley’s longtime friend, offers her the opportunity of a lifetime: move to Wakanda and serve as an international policy advisor to King T’Challa alongside him. For reasons even Erik doesn’t know, she jumps at the chance and immediately leaves her Oakland life behind for a new one in the elusive, secretive nation. Like her friend Erik, she is a recluse and a loner, determined to focus on rebuilding her life and keeping her secrets her own. However, when she meets a certain Mountain king, she realizes that her life in the darkness doesn’t always have to be so. But is stepping into her light that easy? Or will the fear of trusting others keep her stuck?

Word count: 4,509

Enjoy!

***

Wesley took a tentative step down the ramp of the Royal Talon, the smoldering African heat immediately hitting her in the face.

“Parker!”

Her face immediately lit up when she saw him, standing separate from the rest of the Royal Family. She hadn’t expected all of them to be waiting to greet her.

“Stevens.”

It came out as almost a quiet sigh of relief instead of the upbeat, jovial tone she usually had. After days on edge, the reality of seeing him, stepping her feet on Wakandan soil was like stepping under the warmth of a thousand suns. She couldn’t even hide how relieved she was. It certainly felt better than her impromptu move back to Oakland a year ago. She quickly fixed her face to mask her relief and put on a neutral smile, more of an expression he would expect.

As soon as she was in arm’s length, his strong arms wrapped around her midsection to pull her into a tight hug. She hesitated for a moment, surprised at his greeting, before her arms rested on his broad shoulders to return it. Even after rekindling their friendship over the past year, she still wasn’t used to this new version of him. He was more inviting… more warm than he used to be. Wakanda had changed him, just not in the ways he originally intended.

He pulled back, eyeing her up and down as if she had managed to acquire some injury in the last week without his watchful eye.

“You good?”

“Yea, the flight was great… you know, I just slept through most of it.”

Her eyes tried to take in everything: the silent planes whizzing above her head, the guards lining the landing pad around them, the grandiose palace towering above them, the sounds of bustling city streets outside the palace gates. Wesley had done a decent bit of traveling in her time and this was truly unlike any city she had ever seen.

“Aight. Good, good. Come inside, sis… get you situated.”

After a quick introduction to the Queen Mother and hellos to the rest of the family, all of whom she had met and worked with at the Outreach Center, Erik ushered her inside to show her the room she would be staying in. She knew the accommodations were only temporary, until she got settled and could find her own place. But she certainly was not complaining.

She tried to listen to Shuri as she rattled off information about the different areas of the Palace, what her new bracelet did. But Wesley knew she would retain none of it. She was too excited, too anxious, too nervous.

Her professors and old colleagues called her a budding prodigy. Everyone knew Wesley Parker was going places. But she knew what they all also called her now: a waste of talent. After graduating from Harvard, she spent years working her way from government office to government office, trying to work her way up to the upper echelons of the political sphere. She was poised to be a leading voice in foreign policy, one of the few young Black women in the field. And then, over two years ago, Wesley just walked away. From her cushy life in D.C., her high-paying position, a new job offer with the U.N. She abandoned her dream, leaving it stranded in the road for an unexpected detour. And she always looked back, always wished she could get back there.

And here she was, as she walked down the opulent halls of this palace tucked away in Africa. This was the break in the trees illuminating her path back to her dream. This was her chance, her shot to rebuild what she lost… and this was the only place in the world she could do it. She couldn’t mess it up. She wouldn’t.

****

“You like it?”

Wesley laughed, rolling her eyes, “Yea nigga… this is bigger than my whole apartment.”

Her feet sunk into soft taupe carpet blanketing her bedroom floor. She shuffled her feet, feeling the plushness between her toes. She flopped down on her bed, which felt sinfully good and soft. She propped herself up on her forearms to look at Erik, who looked amused by her childish antics.

“Good. How you feeling?”

Wesley sighed, rolling her eyes as she pushed herself back to her feet. The question was vague, as many from Erik were, but she knew exactly what he was referring to. She walked toward him, arms folded in annoyance at his overprotective and overbearing nature.

“Stevens… you gotta stop asking me that. I am fine. That was, what? A week ago? I’ve been through worse, I’ve seen worse. I am good - I’ve moved on.” Her beautiful face scrunched up in a frown, “I am honestly sorry I even brought you into all that. It’s not a big deal.”

His eyes widened slightly, “The fuck? Wes. That was a big fucking deal. And lying to me about it don’t change that. You need to talk someone… you need to talk about it. And you need to tell me what ha-”

“Erik. I am begging you… drop this. Leave it alone. Please.”

She knew he could hear the exasperation in her words, the pleads. She didn’t like thinking about it, one of the many things from her past she flew halfway around the world to escape. The thin fraying ropes holding her up were starting to unravel again, and it took all her power not to collapse, fall right here in front of him.

He nodded, raising his hands in surrender, knowing that she was serious if she chose to use his first name.

“Fine. I’ll let you keep your secrets… for now. We all got ‘em. When you’re ready, I’m here. You know, I’d kill for you. I gotchu always, Wes.”

And that’s the problem.

“I know… you’ve killed for less.”

Wesley was one of the few people, outside of his new family, that knew about his past, knew the road littered with blood and bodies he traveled to reach his paradise… his home.

After her parents died in a tragic accident, 15-year-old Wesley was sent from her home in Charlotte to live with her aging grandmother who had little time or interest in raising a rambunctious teenager. However, she did have time for her friends, Ms. Louise and Mr. Franklin, the old couple in their building who had been fostering a 17-year-old boy, Erik.

She and Erik became fast friends, developing a close brother/sister bond. Already exhibiting a penchant for violence, Erik was a good friend to have around as a young girl. He was always there to fight for her, protect her. Even when he left for MIT, everyone in the neighborhood knew she was the wrong girl to mess with.

He looked after her when she joined him in Cambridge during his last two years at MIT. Harvard and MIT were demanding for the pair but they still spent as much time together as they could, studying their respective disciplines. As she kept her nose to the ground and worked on the Hill in D.C. after graduating and Erik started his career in the Navy, they still remained close, talking or seeing each other anytime Erik was available. For every high and every low, Erik was the one constant in her life.

However, when Erik decided to fall deeper into the life of espionage and violence, the calls came less frequently and, eventually, stopped all together. And there was no one to call, no one to check in with to see if he was ok. And so, Wesley lost the remaining family she had in this world, the only family she thought she would ever have.

When their paths fatefully crossed 12 months ago outside a black-owned coffee shop near the Center, both thought they had seen a ghost. They hardly recognized each other, mere shadows of the teenagers that ran through the streets together. Part of her wanted to be angry with him, but she couldn’t. One brief conversation reminded her what it was like to have family… someone who cared. And she jumped at the opportunity to have him back in her life - with the promise that he would never leave her again. And it was clear how much his life had changed. He had found home and safety while she was still fumbling in the dark, desperately searching for both.

It didn’t take long for him to “convince” her to take a position as a consultant at the Outreach Center, lending her policy experience to help them bridge the gap between them and local policymakers in the state. It was better than what she was doing before, preparing to apply to a bookstore to pay her bills.

“Fair enough. See you for dinner? I’ll come by and scoop you… you’ll be lost in this place for days tryin’ find it yourself.”

“Yea, yea. That’s cool. Thanks. See you then.”

Wesley chewed her bottom lip as she watched his back retreat out her door. She hated how overprotective he was… how much he actually cared. Most people heard “I am fine,” and accept it as fact. Not Erik… he wanted the truth.

She flopped back down on the bed, this time out of frustration and guilt, not childlike amusement. Her hand covered her face as tears stung the back of her eyes.

“You are not fine,” she whispered out loud. But she couldn’t bring herself to tell him that… or the real reason why.

****

“Does this look ok?” She smoothed the front of her dress.

Erik told her dinner was casual and she tried to follow that but she also refused to look like an idiot in front of the Royal Family. This was casual enough but still stylish and cute. And purple, paired with gold jewelry, as Erik told her those were the colors of the Panther Tribe. While her relationships with Erik, Shuri, and Nakia extended beyond professional pleasantries, she could not say the same about King T’Challa, who she had only really spoken to a handful of times. She couldn’t show up to dinner looking any type of way.

“Yea… I told you it was casual tho?”

And he looked casual and comfy, sporting a pair of black joggers and a t-shirt.

“This is as casual as I am gonna get. Some of us aren’t royalty, Stevens… Or should I call you Prince N’Jadaka?”

He rolled his eyes.

“Nah you shouldn’t if you wanna know where dinner is.”

“Stevens or Erik, it is,” she vowed quickly, not wanting to smart mouth her way out of a meal.

“The tribal leader of Jabariland gon’ join us to by the way. Name’s M’Baku.”

Wesley tilted her head, racking her brain for the bit of knowledge about Wakanda she learned from Shuri, Erik, and Nakia during their long sessions at the outreach center.

“Jabariland, Jabariland… Jabari… Oh, that’s the group in the mountains right? Gorilla god, snow, just started talking to y’all again like last week?”

“Tribe,” he corrected. “But yea, that’s the one. He is cool people tho. The only council member I like.”

Wesley didn’t really understand why she was so nervous. After a year helping them launch the Outreach Center, she was, at least, friendly with everyone at varying degrees. But here? She was a stranger, feeling an intense desire to prove herself and fit in.

“Ms. Parker!” T’Challa stood as she entered the dining hall. It was set for seven, four of the people already seated and waiting.

“King T’Challa,” she rose her arms in the X she had seen others do around him for a year. He smiled brightly, an encouraging sign on her end. “And you can just call me Wesley or Wes.”

“Of course, of course. And just T’Challa will do as well. Please sit. We are just waiting on Lord M’Baku.” He gestured toward one of three empty seats available, the one with a mysterious small gift box sitting on the chair.

“You all did not need to get me anything,” she muttered as she picked up the box. It felt heavy as she fiddled with the edge of the wrapping paper.

“Nonsense. We are so excited to have you here. N’Jadaka and Nakia believe you will be a great asset as we determine how to situate ourselves on the world stage and I concur. This is just a token of our appreciation for your willingness to join us here and we hope it makes your job a bit easier.”

“Thank you. And believe me, I am so appreciative of the opportunity.” She prayed no one could see the light tremble in her hands as she started to tear the paper off. However, before she could, the double doors to the hall burst open.

“Apologies for my tardiness, my king! Issue in the mountains.”

Wesley looked up to find a giant walking toward her, that was the only way she could think to describe him. She almost wondered if he was an enhanced person, like T’Challa. For she had never seen a “regular” man quite his size.

You’ve never seen a man as gorgeous as him either.

If she could have, she would have rolled her eyes at herself. It was true, he was a sight to behold. He entered the room with an aura of power and strength that would have, once upon a time, had her lusting after him. But that was hardly what she was there for.

“No worries, M’Baku. We were just welcoming our guest, Wesley Parker. This is Lord M’Baku, tribal leader of the Jabari.”

Wesley smiled brightly, offering him a polite wave. Her smile wilted slightly under his unreadable gaze. She watched as his eyes traveled up and down her frame, lingering on her for a few moments before he seemed to catch himself and the awkward silence filling the room.

“The American… Welcome to Wakanda, Ms. Parker.”

Wesley bristled slightly at his words as if being called an American was an insult to her, and in many ways - it was. She turned her head to her right where Erik sat, rolling her eyes and mouthing “the American?” sharing her disdain with the only person in the room who would understand. To which he just chuckled lowly and shook his head. She fixed her face to hide her annoyance before turning back toward him as he sat down in the seat left of her. She supposed she should ready herself for that reaction.

“Uh.. thanks? I guess.” Her voice trailed off a bit as she spoke. Turning her attention back to the half opened gift sitting in her lap, she ripped the rest of the wrapping paper off.

She gasped as she pulled a shiny, state-of-the-art tablet out of a box.

“Oh… I can’t accept this! Thank you but I can’t.”

It was sleek and beautiful, she had seen them all with it over the last year. And she knew no amount of money would afford her something as high tech as this. But she didn’t feel right accepting it.

“Really, it is nothing.” Shuri waved her hand dismissively, completely ignoring the woman’s protests. “And it will work better with our tech here. It syncs to your beads, the easiest file transfers you have ever seen. You will love it.”

“It’s a losing battle, Parker. Just say thank you,” Erik whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

“Thank you,” she responded meekly.

T’Challa motioned for a servant to take it from the dinner table, letting Wesley know it would be brought to her room.

“Thank you! It’s too much, really. But I appreciate it. I am sure it will work better than mine.” She thought back to the broken and beaten iPad tucked in her bag, the screen partially shattered and many years past its prime.

Small conversations commenced throughout the group as Wesley sat watching. Shuri and M’Baku were engaging in a lively debate about the merits of vibranium vs. Jabari wood? Whatever that was. Hushed whispers past between T’Challa and Nakia on the other end of the table. And Erik listened, albeit reluctantly given the look on his face, to the Queen Mother chastise him for missing yet another council meeting.

Wesley sat, eating her second course of only God knew how many, just listening to all of them laugh, bicker, and poke fun at each other.

This is nice, Wesley thought. She knew they weren’t her family. But even being in their presence lifted her spirits more than she could have known. More than sad for what she didn’t have, she was filled with joy for what Erik found. She was curious how they found a way to accept him, forgive him… love him after all he did. But she was glad they had. He deserved it. He deserved happiness after losing so much for so long.

And you don’t.

She shook her head lightly, as if she could shake the negative orator out of her mind. But she knew she couldn’t. That voice was always there, always reminding her to never get attached. Everyone leaves, everyone hurts you. Because nobody wanted her.

“Wes. Wes!”

At the sound of her name, Wesley pulled herself out of her thoughts, directing her attention at Shuri. It was clear the young girl had tried and failed to get her attention multiple times.

“S-sorry, princess. I-I got lost in my own thoughts there. What did you say?”

“No problem. I just asked how the date with Jason went?”

Wesley blinked a few times in confusion before it hit her. Fuck. Jason was a gorgeous and accomplished volunteer at the Outreach Center who taught engineering to the students with Shuri. He had his eye on Wes since the day she literally ran into him in the staff lounge but Wes never really paid him much attention. Shuri had tried incessantly to play matchmaker with the pair. Wesley had almost forgot she lied and told Shuri she had agreed to go on a date with him. She had no intention of doing such a thing; she just didn’t want to be asked about it again.

“O-oh we ended up not being able to get it scheduled before I moved. Y-you know, it all happened so suddenly.”

Shuri seemed crestfallen for a moment but immediately perked up.

“Oh, well good thing there are soooooo many eligible men here. And cute too! Nakia and I will find you someone, don’t worry.”

She wasn’t worried or interested. But she appreciated Shuri’s enthusiasm and good intentions so she just nodded and smiled.

“It must have been hard, moving away from home so quickly,” the Queen Mother interjected, thankfully moving the conversation away from Wesley’s nonexistent love life. “We were surprised you wanted to move so soon.”

“I-I hadn’t been in Oakland long. Just a year so I hadn’t put down too many roots. Wasn’t too difficult to make the move.”

“Still, your friends and family. It must have been hard to say goodbye so fast?” Shuri asked.

“Yes, it was.”

She picked up her wine glass, taking a long sip, which confirmed the finality in her clipped and short response. This conversation was over.

Everyone returned to their separate conversations and their food. Awkwardness slowly seeping into her as she questioned whether she should have just lied to keep the conversation going and be polite.

“Do not feel awkward. Shuri and the tribal leaders in Jabariland have been trying to play matchmaker with me for the last year. I just ignore them.”

Wesley laughed, directing her attention to the owner of that deep baritone voice. “And they haven’t caught on yet?”

M’Baku brought his glass of wine to his lips. “Of course, not.”

“Well, I could use some of your tips then. The Princess is quite persistent. But I suppose that is what makes her the genius she is,” Wesley mused.

“Happy to share my insights anytime.”

“You live in the mountains, right? I didn’t even know it could snow here.”

M’Baku smirked, “I imagine there is quite a lot you do not know about Wakanda yet.”

Wesley took the bait, he was not wrong. There was so much she didn’t know about this country she was now meant to help lead.

“Well, tell me something about Wakanda you think I should know.”

And his answer to that question carried them through the main course and on to dessert. She mostly listened as he talked about his home, Jabariland, and the people there. It was very surface level, but it made her want to learn more, as much as she could. He explained the differences between the Jabari and the rest of the country. As he spoke, Wesley felt at ease for the first time since she sat down at the table, felt glimmer of her old eager and passionate self peaking through the thick walls she had stacked up. Talking to him felt like talking to an old friend, someone she had known all her life.

“So you come down here often?”

“A few times a month. T’Challa and N’Jadaka lean on my counsel often.”

Wesley nodded, “So we will be seeing quite a lot of each other then, I suppose?”

“Oh, I am counting on that.”

The flirtatious tone in his voice was not lost on Wesley, even if no one else at the table was paying them any attention. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, seeing him wink at her before smiling. If her deep, warm brown skin could, her cheeks would have turned a rosy pink. There was a lot about this face that was gorgeous beyond belief. But his smile drew her eye, pulled her in. She could tell he frowned a lot, his resting face throughout dinner had looked generally disgruntled. However, his smile lit his whole face up, made him look even more beautiful - as if that were possible - and more youthful.

“All, I must retire for the evening. Attend to some tribal business. I will see you all in the Council meeting in the morning. My king.”

He saluted T’Challa who returned it and offered him a head nod. He offered Wesley a lingering glance and and a small smile before leaving.

What the fuck was that? She imagined he did that with a lot of women. Harmless flirting that meant nothing at the end of the day. She knew a man like that would never go for someone like her.

“U-uh I should head to bed as well. I have quite a bit of reading I wanted to do before bed, actually. Thank you for dinner. It was amazing.” Wesley wiped the corners of her mouth before folding her napkin and placing it by her dirty plate.

“Let me walk you,” Nakia offered. “I am headed in that direction anyway. T’Challa and Erik have some business to discuss.”

A sense of longing washed over Wesley as she watched the intimate, subtle touches that passed between the pair as T’Challa kissed her hand and squeezed it before letting her go. Once again, she shook her head, internally stamping down the emotions that did not serve her cause.

She offered them all thanks again and said good night before following Nakia. There was silence for the first minute or two as the events of dinner tumbled through her head.

Was he actually flirting with me?

Does it really matter? She debated with herself. Even if he was, which seemed highly unlikely, there were about 1,000 reasons she couldn’t pursue him. Wesley pushed that aside quickly, deciding that he was simply a flirt and she was simply a fool so starved for love that she would fall for his flirtatious nature so easily.

And then that awkward moment with Shuri and the Queen Mother. Wesley hated questions about her personal life. Not because she found them intrusive, but because she did not have the standard cookie cutter answers people actually expected when they asked those questions. She couldn’t tell the truth and all that left her with was lies and she had enough lies… enough secrets for one person.

“I can almost hear you overthinking, Wesley.”

Nakia broke their silence, stopping in front of a large bay window that looked out into the palace gardens. The moonlight illuminated Nakia’s face, which carried a concerned expression on it.

“Dinner went well. Everyone is excited to have you here, truly. Don’t stress over tomorrow. The Council will like you.”

The tension building in her chest dissipated almost immediately, thankful that this was the path the conversation was taking.

“Y-yea I’m sure you’re right. I’m good, really. Just need to get some of the nervous energy out I guess.”

Nakia nodded before turning to resume their trek back to her quarters. More turns and long hallways than Wesley could count later, they were standing outside her bedroom.

“You and M’Baku seemed to have hit it off.” Nakia’s face was filled with interest and excitement. “And that is saying something… there are few in Wakanda as cold as Lord M’Baku. Pun intended.”

Wesley chuckled, tucking a stray black hair behind her ear. Her small frame leaned against her closed, deep mahogany doors as they talked.

“He was nice! Well… everyone here is nice. But I am sure he is like that with all the ladies, just a charmer.”

“Oh I can assure you, he is not. He likes you.”

Wesley’s face must have been a lens into her inner skepticism for Nakia immediately started to laugh.

“I am serious!”

Wesley’s hand fumbled for the door knob, slowly opening it before saying, “I doubt it but it doesn’t really matter. I am here to work, I don’t have time for much else.”

Nakia tilted her head, almost examining her. She imagined it was from all the spy training but Nakia was almost impossible to read, which frustrated Wesley to no end. Half of being good at politics was simply being able to read people. Nakia always made her question that skill.

“I find that people only make drastic moves like you have for two reasons. They want to start over or they are running from something. I don’t know which one brought you here, Wesley. But you won’t find your escape or new start behind a mountain of paperwork. It is out there.” Her hand pointed behind her at the stained window across across from her door.

“What are you saying?”

“I am saying is that Wakanda is more than its political agenda. Wakanda is its people, its culture. To succeed here,” she gestured around her, “You have to know what’s out there. You have to experience what is out there. You have to live, Wesley.”

Silence.

“Just something to think about. Good night, Wesley.”

***

Tag list: @muse-of-mbaku @allinhishands @ms-reader

A/N: Thanks for reading! Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list.

#M'Baku #m'baku x reader #m'baku imagine #m'baku x oc #black panther #black writer #black panther fanfiction

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tamakiamajikistentacles · 4 years

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Apples & Cherries {Katsuki Bakugo}

A/N: Please be sure to reblog, comment, review, and like if you enjoy! Feedback is what keeps me motivated! This is pretty self-indulgent and the fact that my island is named Isla Nova makes even more obvious lol but I hope you’ll enjoy regardless. Also I chose to ignore that the Japanese version of the game apparently adds Island to whatever name you put because I really didn’t want to change what I had in mind!

Never a stranger to late nights in the dorms, she wasn’t surprised to see the lights on in the common room or hear the faint digital noise floating into the kitchen where she stood searching the freezer for a popsicle at almost 1am. Once she had the treat in hand she turned to see who was playing what, but even slouched low on the couch, the shouting gave them away.

“How the FUCK am I supposed to catch this shitty fish if it doesn’t fucking SPAWN?” he complained, grey smoke rising in a thin line from beyond her view.

On the screen she could see a bouncing blonde villager with a fishing rod standing halfway down the pier jutting out into the dark water. In the distant corner of the screen she could see an object floating lazily to the left, and her original idea of walking away was overcome with the need to see the prize within.

“There’s a balloon coming in from the right,” she said, apparently startling him as he sat up quickly and whipped around with a crackling palm. Upon seeing her he lowered his hand with a click of his tongue and turned back to the television, his villager running up the large expanse of beach to shoot down the balloon. In his pocket, a single gold nugget was unwrapped.

“Don’t sneak up on people,” he grumbled, slouching down again.

She nibbled on her popsicle, the cherry flavor pleasant on her tongue. “What were you trying to catch just before I came in?”

“Why do you fuckin’ care?” he snapped, his villager gathering shells on the shoreline.

“I play too and I’ve caught all the fish leaving at the end of the month,” she said as she scuffed her slippered foot against the carpet. “Maybe I could help?”

“Don’t need help,” he said bluntly.

Crunching another piece of her popsicle, she stayed quiet for a moment as she watched his villager stalk the beach for fish to catch. At one point her eyes wandered from the screen to the TV stand itself and she nearly choked on her last bite.

“You got the limited-edition console?!” she nearly screamed, coming closer to where he sat on the couch. “I wanted one so bad but I didn’t have the money to preorder!”

Bakugo sighed and set his joycon butterfly to his left, turning to face her once more with a tired expression. “Are you just going to stand here and bother me until I tell you what I’m trying to catch? Because if that’s the case it’s the blue fuckin’ marlin. Now go away.”

“You were yelling about how it wasn’t spawning, right? If you make a shit ton of bait and keep using it off the pier you can force it to spawn.”

Picking up his joycons he silently resumed his search for more fish. Figuring he truly didn’t want her help she sighed and moved to go to the elevators; she had her popsicle and that could be her victory for the night.

“How much is a shit ton?”

She stopped, teeth sunk halfway into the frozen treat. Turning back to him, he was still facing the TV but his head was cocked as if listening for her answer.

“It depends,” she finally said. “It took me about forty to catch a tuna.”

“Forty?!” he said loudly, moving to meet her gaze. “How the hell am I supposed to farm forty fucking clams and craft bait and it could still not be enough? I’ll be up the rest of the damn night!”

“I…” she cleared her throat and tried again, “I could help you. If we both take a side of your island we can get a bunch and then while you use it I can keep digging. But only if you want.”

He was quiet for a moment and she finished her popsicle as he considered her offer. Finally, his eyes determined, he nodded.

“Alright. Bring shit to make extra shovels because you aren’t chopping any of my trees if yours break.”

She nodded eagerly. “Yeah, sure, just tell me your Dodo code!”

Bakugo watched her sprint into the kitchen to get rid of the popsicle stick before returning to stand by the couch, her hesitance to sit next to him obvious. But even more obvious was a greater threat to his mission for the blue marlin.

“Where’s your phone?” he asked casually. When she furrowed her brows and pulled it from within her shirt as he’d expected, he followed with, “If you’ve got your Switch in there too I’ll actually be impressed.”

Her face went red immediately and she pointed behind her weakly. “I-I’ll just uh…”

He ignored her stuttering and started digging up clams, allowing her to trail off and run to the elevator where she let out a frustrated sigh as the doors closed. Why couldn’t she keep it together?

Going into her room she grabbed her Switch, slightly self-conscious of her choice of cherry blossom custom skin but she pushed it down as she started the game. Once it was loaded and her villager had stepped out of the house she ran back to her orchard and gathered six of her native fruit, an additional offering to her explosive classmate.

She boarded the elevator and was able to gather enough materials for three shovels just in time for the soft ding to sound and the doors to open at the first floor. Rushing back to the common room, she found Bakugo still on the couch but shifted to lean against the right armrest. Before she could think too much about their close proximity she took a seat to the far left and entered her airport.

“Got enough materials to make three more shovels,” she said. “And I grabbed some of my native fruit in case you didn’t have any. They’re cherries.”

“I could use ‘em. You got a thing for cherries or something?” he asked, remembering the scent of the popsicle and eyeing the red stain on her lips.

“Oh, uh, yeah. They’re my favorite fruit,” she replied. “You can judge me if you want but I reset my game until I got cherries. Got ‘em third try!”

Bakugo shrugged lightly as his villager went into his airport. “I can’t judge. Did the same thing to get apples.”

“Are they your favorite?”

“No.”

“Oh, then why did you want them?”

“Are you going to ask this many questions all night?” he asked as his game connected to the dorm’s wifi for a code.

She sighed. “I’m just trying to be nice and make pleasant conversation. I’ll shut up now. Sorry.”

He was quiet, glancing at her as the screen displayed the code and she typed it in, and then exited the small lobby to stand at the end of the ramp to wait for her. They both watched her descent and arrival to his island, her villager titled as an Untamed Lass smiling cutely in a green dress and black beret as she also exited the airport and met him on the grass, dropping cherries and standing back so he could pick them up.

“I wanted apples because when I got my quirk, the first thing I ever blew up was an apple. My parents couldn’t decide if they were excited for my quirk manifesting or upset that they had to give me another bath.”

“That’s kinda the coolest,” she giggled. Catching sight of the black flag with an explosion symbol in the corner of the screen she added, “Your flag’s really cool too. Anyway, do you want me to take the left side of your island’s beaches so you can stay near the pier?”

“That’s fine.”

She set off to her assigned beach, a printed shovel in her villager’s hands. Just as she was stepping onto the sand, she gasped at the sight of a certain squirrel sitting on the beach with a sandwich in hand.

“You have Marshal?! I’m so jealous!”

“First one at my campsite.”

“I love that little blonde bastard.”

His eyebrows lifted at the fondness the would-be insult held but didn’t comment on it as she fell silent, the soft music coming from her console almost synched with the tune coming from the dorm TV. Every so often he could make out the sound of her shoveling up a clam and excited notes trilling at the discovery.

The quiet peace continued between them as they crafted bait at two benches set aside from the pier, her dropping the finished product for him to begin using and then dashing away to find more clams to continue her little farming operation. He gathered the offered bait and stood at the end of the pier to drop the little flakes, backing up when the fish’s shadow seemed large enough for the blue marlin.

It was slow going a first, the bait seemingly wasted as a majority of the shadows were too small to even be worth casting out his line. When he did actually see the right size, he wound up with a ridiculous amount of seabass and the odd olive flounder. He was beginning to understand why she said it could take a while as the sixtieth bait gave a tiny silhouette sure to be a seahorse or clownfish.

A frustrated sigh escaped him as she dropped twenty more bait on the beach before setting out for more. He put them into his inventory and resigned himself to the fact that he was going to be on the couch the entire night tossing bait into the water. Taking his place on the pier he dropped the flakes only to see a large shadow appear, his hope returning just a bit as he cast out but deflating when the harsh vibrations of a good catch didn’t begin as it bit. Then, as if catching a seabass wasn’t bad enough, his fishing rod disintegrated in his villager’s hand.

“For fuck’s sake I hate this,” he growled, eyes closed and fingers pressed to his temples when his joycons were cast aside.

“Here.”

He looked to his left and when she nodded toward the TV he saw the small red toolbox in the sand behind him.

“Thanks,” he grunted as his villager picked it up. “For this and the bait, I guess.”

She shrugged. “It’s nothing.”

Bakugo knew it was just a bunch of addicting pixels they’d paid entirely too much money for but he felt like it was something. He was an unpleasant bastard to be around and he’d snapped at her half a dozen times already in just the last thirty minutes but she’d offered to help and actually done it; it definitely wasn’t nothing so he resolved to be more cooperative if only slightly.

Shaking away his thoughts, bait number sixty-two was thrown and he cast his line, perking up at the heavy vibration in his hands. He didn’t want to get his hopes up when it was likely just an oarfish.

‘Yes! I caught a blue marlin! Listen to this fish. It’s got a point.’

“FUCK YEAH!”

She jumped at his shout but her face broke into a wide smile when she caught site of the large fish in his villager’s hands. She was happy he was able to check it off of his list and even happier that she was able to help even if it was only by digging up and crafting bait.

“You got it with plenty of time to spare!”

“It’s in the critterpedia and once I take the bastard to the museum I don’t give a fuck if I ever catch another one again!” he said.

She chuckled. “Well now that you’ve got your marlin I can head back to my island. Do you wanna kick me out or should I go back to the airport?

“Go back to the airport. Grab some apples on your way out.”

It was progress.

“Thanks, Bakugo.”

After that night their relationship changed from classmates to some semblance of friends who sent each other items in Animal Crossing. Bakugo had asked for her Switch code a few days later and added her through there and through the game to be best friends a week after that. Their text thread was created and almost explicitly used for the purpose of exchanging furniture and alerting the other as to when something was happening on their respective islands to interest them.

He had let her know when Redd showed up with all real art and a white rattan armchair which she had searched for since the game was released. She in turn sent him the black imperial bed he’d been praying would fall from a balloon each time he’d shot one down.

It was a good system, and one that allowed them to get closer to one another in real life too through conversations had about the game. Since the first night when she helped him get the blue marlin she had learned of his quirk manifesting to blow up an apple, that he spent extra for expedited shipping for an Apollo amiibo coin from the UK because he loved the eagle villagers the most due to a book on birds he had obsessively read when he was younger (he also wanted Queenie off of his island—“I kicked that bitch out the second I could!”), and his favorite activity was mountain climbing which is what inspired the jagged cliffs and custom made signs to indicate the sport was welcome on GroundZero.

“What’s the story behind your island’s name, if you have one?” she asked over their voice chat one night as they played. He’d gone home for the first half of the weekend while she stayed in the dorms but he was coming to her island to sell fish and get a model from the ridiculous beaver they both hated.

“You first,” he replied after a long minute.

She shrugged even though he couldn’t see her. “I picked Isla Nova because I think space is cool and novae are beautiful. A bright burst and then a slow fade is tragically poetic.”

“Bring the mood down why don’t you.”

“Your turn,” she reminded. When he was quiet for another drawn out moment, she furrowed her brows, ready to ask if he was still there. He finally broke the silence as she opened her mouth to call his name.

“The world watched All Might’s career end in the heart of Kamino that night,” he said softly. “You know the statue they put up? They called it the statue at ground zero and that it would stand as a reminder of the last act the Symbol of Peace had done to protect everyone. To… to protect some punk ass kid trying to be a hero who got himself kidnapped.”

Her heart broke at the subtle crack in his voice. “Bakugo…”

“That statue is gonna be there for the rest of my life as a reminder that I should’ve been stronger. All Might can tell me it wasn’t my fault until the end of time but I can’t stop feeling like it was. So if that statue is there to remind me that I wasn’t strong then, my hero name is gonna be there to remind me why I have to be strong now and exactly what type of hero I need to be.”

She wasn’t sure what she should say, her mind working to process everything she had just heard. It was no secret to those who paid attention that Bakugo had blamed himself for All Might’s retirement and was self-conscious of the fact the League had sought him out for his potential as a villain; he carried a lot of guilt for things outside of his control. And now he had taken one thing he had control over, his hero name, and built it around that guilt to resolve to be better. The name Ground Zero was his beginning as a real hero and he was willing for it to be his end.

“Does anyone else know about your hero name?”

“Not the backstory, no. Aizawa knows it’s what I put down for my provisional license. I told Best Jeanist first and Kirishima knows too, but other than that you’re the only one who knows the reason behind it.”

Her heartbeat sped up. “Thanks for telling me, Bakugo.”

“Whatever. Are you gonna talk to this buck-toothed asshole or what? He’s by the climbing walls.”

Just like that the mood shifted once again and the calmness of the game enveloped them both. Rainy weather was perfect for fishing and getting the most bells possible for their catches at the late hour, their villagers running about in their raincoats with hers a dotted light blue and his solid green. It was a nice escape, and she enjoyed the peace until she was back on her island and their call had ended.

As she was turning her light off to sleep, she returned to their earlier conversation around his island name and ultimately his hero name. It was strange to have a serious conversation with Bakugo and for it to hold as much meaning as it did made her shudder. On the other hand, it made her cheeks flush to think that he trusted her enough to speak about something so important to him. In two months they had gone from classmates who rarely spoke one on one to friends.

She had to sleep before the grin on her face stuck permanently.

It did return the next day when she found out that her island would play host to shooting stars that night and she eagerly texted Bakugo to let him know, well aware he hadn’t had a meteor shower since they started playing together.

All day her excitement had her wound tightly and hyper, her love of both astrology and space being indulged by Celeste and the beautiful event not able to happen soon enough. Once the blonde came home in time for the class to gather for dinner, he was teasing her for her jitters but happily making plans to meet in the common room around ten to play.

When the time came the common room was empty as expected, their classmates taking a night to themselves in their room after spending so much time with one another. Despite the television being free neither of them docked their consoles to play on the bigger screen, instead opting to play handheld and find a classic rock channel to provide background music to the stars.

Bakugo could admit to himself that he enjoyed this. Quiet music drifting through the air and bright stars across the dark blue sky on his screen was peaceful, something he didn’t get to experience often. He knew the girl sitting beside him was also a big reason as to why it was so nice. Strong, pretty, and sweeter than the nerikiri Sato had served after dinner, he was happy to have her next to him.

They sat together in comfortable silence wishing on the stars, each making their own wordless wishes and wondering if the other was truly making a wish and if so, what was it?

In truth, there were multiple wishes they each made. She wished that she continued to improve with her quirk training, for an opportunity at her preferred agency after the impending summer break, for a safe training camp this year. Bakugo wished for the skills to be number one, for the training to pay off and make him stronger, for the opportunity to redeem himself from Kamino. But they also shared one wish too—I wish there could be more between us.

Nearly an hour after they had sat down Bakugo turned to ask if she wanted to split the last few pieces of desert left over only to find her eyes closed and breathing steady, grip on her joycons slack around a darkened screen. Chuckling to himself, he gently took it from her hand and unlocked it. Tilting the screen up to the sky he held it in his lap next to his own and continued wishing on the stars falling across both screens.

By midnight she hadn’t woken up and his eyes were starting to droop. He kicked himself off of her island and saved her game as his villager returned to his own island, saving once he was able to. The noise of him turning off the TV woke her, her face scrunching cutely as she gained her bearings.

“How long was I asleep?” she asked with a yawn.

“’Bout an hour. I kept wishing on your game so you don’t miss out on any fragments tomorrow,” he said.

She smiled tiredly. “You’re my hero. Thank you, Bakugo.”

He didn’t think her calling him a hero should feel as amazing as it did, igniting a fire in his chest and warming him from the inside out. He wanted to be her hero just as much as he wanted to be a hero in general. He wanted to be her hero, but not as Bakugo. He wanted to be her hero as Katsuki, and maybe the way to get to that point was presenting itself.

“You don’t have to thank me, but if you really want to, how about we go to breakfast in the morning?” he suggested quietly, placing his Switch into it’s carrying case.

A grin bloomed across her face and she nodded eagerly, planning to meet him back in the common room at nine the next morning. He agreed easily. If their friendship could start in the common room, maybe a relationship could too if that’s where they met for a first date.

A/N: Please be sure to reblog, comment, review, and like if you enjoy! Feedback is what keeps me motivated! If you’re curious about all of Bakugo’s villagers, I did make a list but couldn’t find where I wanted to mention it so he has: Coach, Shari, Apollo, Bluebear, Lolly, Hugh, Marshal, Blanche, Rod, & Chrissy. “She” (to continue the self-indulgent nature of this lmao) has Lyman, Katt, Nibbles, Flurry, Olaf, Lobo, Filbert, Francine, Julia, and Papi!

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faithylilac · 3 years

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The Party Party part 2

“DAX YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THINGS!” Faithy chaises Dax as he ran out of a random shop with a bundle of flowers. What was he going to do with these? I don’t know, keep reading and you’ll find out. I don’t have to tell you everything you lazy—

“Back in my times, you could find flowers everywhere! You mortals just HAD to invent roads and took up all the good flower land!” He yelled in defiance, still running away from the priestess.

Carter and Echo were still in the flower shop with the store owner who was trying to process what was happening. She was quite short with red and purpled hair, along with a giant mushroom hat to top her off. An absolutely adorable creature

“Man, leaving the hottest two people in this party to deal with his tab...” Echo said with a sigh. “Oh could I stab him? He’ll live.” Carter said, almost too excitedly.

“It looked like your mate might kill em first.” The store owner piped in.

carter sadly put the dagger he was holding away, while nodding in unison with Echo.

Faithy slams the door open, dragging an unconscious god by his foot with a bunch of destroyed flowers. “I have killed god, what will you do now?” Faithy announced with a dark look. He was very much alive, evident by his snoring. Apparently the store owner didn’t hear, because she didn’t react.

Faithy walked over to the desk, still dragging the god and slams a bag of gold and the flowers down. “He committed insurance fraud last week, this is his punishment.” She then tenderly smiled at the girl, “can you wrap these with red ribbon? That’s his favorite color.”

The store owner is taken aback. She actually takes a step back and looks at the large bag of coins, then at the flower pile. There seemed to be around 300 gold coins in the bag, though two could have payed for all the flowers the hooligan took.

“You said he committed insurance fraud?” She asked while sliding the bag of gold towards her to behind the desk so they couldn’t change their minds. The conscious members of the party nod in shame. The store owner quickly tied the beaten bouquet together and shoves it at Faithy.

“Yo! If you want to hear the rest of the story, meet us at the tavern tonight! Dax will even buy you a drink!” Faithy suggested.

“OooooOooooh! Dax buying drinks, I’m in I’m in I’m in!!!!” Echo shouted in excitement.

“Not to be the one that’s actually using the brain cell, but did he agree to that?” Carter asked.

Faithy just smiled and shook her head “no.”

“I’ll think about it, but no promises.” The store owner finally replied.

Without warning, Dax jumps to his feet, fully conscious. “I’m buying what?”

“Awesome! What was your name again, I did get to catch it earlier.” The priestess asked, all while ignoring the god. Dax just huffed and sat down on the floor. The store owner peered over her desk and giggled at his behavior. “You lot can call me CJ.”

After some time, the party was looking for the tavern in town. Echo said he was gonna scout it out, but forgot because he got swarmed with people for being hot. He first started wearing mostly black to ward people off, but his great fashion sense contracted that and gained many fans.

Carter ended up finding it, thankfully. He only found it because he was planning on robbing someone that went inside. Much to his dismay, Faithy was behind him and started praising them for finding the place. In other words, he didn’t get to rob the person.

The poor tavern owner had no idea what was in store for him and the amount of damage that will soon take place. It started as a normal evening, Dax had a crowd around him as usual to listen to his stories, Faithy and Carter were trying to tune him out, and Echo Hijacked the stage; though the owner didn’t mind, the whole tavern loved it.

“And in the mouth of the dragon, I threw the bag of carrots that my party members borrowed from a local farmer. The dragon then gagged on the bag, it was made of linen of course— and passed out long enough for us to make a getaway with the golden chest!” He ended yet again another tall tale of how he joined the party. Faithy was slouched over her chair snoring, it was the only thing to free her from the urge to correct him. Carter was just pickpocketing people while the priestess couldn’t stop him

But enough about the party, we’ve seen them in a tavern before; kinda boring if you keep retelling the same thing over and over and over and over— what’s do you mean this is only the second chapter? Anyway, our adorable shopkeeper friend, Cj made her way inside quietly and sat by Faithy who was still asleep.

As soon as CJ sits down, The priestess shoots up from her slumber and tackles her with a hug. “You made it!” She shouted. “Yeah... I’m not normally one to come here, you lot seem to be good fun.” To be honest, CJ didn’t know why she decided to come, they were a bunch of wackos.

But before she blinks again, the whole party is at the table with hot chocolate, all of their eyes on her. “Got you some hot chocolate kiddo.” Dax said, voice mumbled by the mug he was drinking from. She looks at the cup in front of her, filled to brink with marshmallows. That’s suspicious, that’s weird. She ignored her suspicion and the group before her started talking about recent adventures.

“I’m was actually in the running for being high priestess of Gjhar feiiled, but this one loser, Richard sabotaged me and now I’m on the run from the followers of my god!” The woman slumps in her chair, slightly sobbing as she drank her hot coco. “Like the cat god?” Cj asked. “Oh you should have seen it! Carter is terrified of cats!” Dax shouted. Cj just raises her eyebrow, but it didn’t seem like they were going to explain the story. She takes what she thought was the last sip, but as soon as she set down her mug, it started rising to the top again. She took a quick glance, surely she didn’t slip up, no no no! Who noticed, did anyone see what happened?

Dax was pointing his finger at her mug and slowly pulling his finger upward as her cup began to fill. A chocolate fairy? No those probably didn’t exist.... probably. “Um, what’s with the uh— uh that?” She asked, pointing at his finger. He just shrugs.

She looked elsewhere and her eyes landed on the goth one of the group. “Ummmm is your friend ok? He looks like a gargoyle just about now.” Cj asked the party leader. True, he was just sitting there menacingly, knees pulled up to chest and everything. “Listen I look really hot, like super hot. When you’ve managed to this level, you’ll understand sitting like this”

The next morning CJ opened up her shop and heard a lot of commotion outside. She peered out the front door to see a giant gold statue of— DAX? She runs outside to see a few people carving out details they really shouldn’t, not that she thinks they should be working on this statue to begin with. There were also people praying to it, not the weirdest thing people have done in this village, but still. She found Dax and ran up to him, hoping he would have some sense of what was going on.

“Is there a reason they’re building a gold statue of you?” Dax just laughed. “I’m serious, what is this?”

“I kinda just sneezed and one of the elders woke up from a coma or something. But it’s whatever, I don’t really care if people figure out I’m a god.” He replied. Cj’s jaw dropped. He didn’t say what she was thinking, no.... So he wasn’t a chocolate fairy like she originally thought.

“Come with me.” She quickly grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into her shop. She locked the door and closed the blinds so no one could peer in.

“What did you just— I. Who goes around Willy Nilly saying they’re a god?” She shouted, not loud enough for anyone outside to hear. He just laughs, “and you aren’t?”

Her eyes blew wide open. “WHAT!”

“Listen kid, I’ve lived for a very long time. I can sense you baby gods from a mile away.”

If you haven’t caught on, this is just a silly thing writing about my friends and I’m going to do my best to keep it no context needed :)

Masterlist

#the party party #friendfiction #part 2 #original story #fantasy setting #basically a dnd session #Garfield #cottage core goddess might fight chaos god???

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lilacmoon83 · 4 years

Text

Lightning in a Bottle

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 17: Friction

Upon leaving the subway, Emma decided to run by the station out of sheer curiosity. She knew Killian didn't want her there and refused to tell who was really responsible for blowing the ATF operation.

She winced, as she listened to Killian be chewed out by ATF and saw Graham look up, meeting her eyes. The ATF agent stormed out and she exchanged a look with Killian, as he came out of the office too, heading for his desk.

"You can't fire Killian," she blurted out. Graham blew out a breath.

"They originally wanted his badge, but I'm trying to talk them down to just suspension," Graham said.

"Then there's something I need to tell you," Emma said, but Killian interrupted.

"Emma...can I see you? Now?" he asked. She scoffed and followed him out to his desk.

"I'm not letting you take the fall for my screw up," she hissed.

"Look Emma...I don't know what's going on with you, but Vance is watching," he warned. She had suspected that, but it was still a sobering fact.

"That's why you need to tell me what's going on. I know when you're hiding something and I think it has to do with the plane," he said.

"It does...but I can't. I'm sorry," she replied, as she fled the station, leaving him frustrated.

~*~

David knocked on his daughter's door and it wasn't closed, so he peered in.

"Hey...you mind if we talk?" he asked. She looked up from her phone and shrugged. He took that as an affirmative and sat down on the foot of her bed.

"So Mom told you?" Olive asked. He smiled.

"Well, your Mom and I don't really have secrets. You know us, we do everything together, especially when one of our kids is hurting and needs us," he replied, as he saw a tear slip down her cheek.

"I'm sorry Dad…" she said, as he gently wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"I'm such a screw up...and I didn't want you to see that," she confessed, as he hugged her and cradled her head against his chest.

"Lance...he knows what a train wreck I am and you still see me as a little girl," she said.

"And I'm not...I'm not that little girl anymore," she rambled.

"Hey…" he said gently, as he pulled back so he could look into her eyes.

"I'm never going to think less of you, no matter what you do," David assured her. She nodded.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have called Lance, because I'm really glad you're back," she confessed. He smiled and hugged her again.

"Me too...and I'm not going anywhere this time," he promised, as they heard Regina call from downstairs.

"Hello?" she called, as they emerged from her room.

"I hope I'm not intruding, but I thought a little ice cream was in order," she said, as they came down the stairs.

"Ice cream!" Henry called, as he came bounding out of his room with Margaret on his heels.

"How goes the Death Star?" David asked, as he joined up with her at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, it definitely takes a backseat to ice cream," she said, as they went into the kitchen together.

"Emma should be along soon. I got her some rocky road," Regina said, as Margaret put it in the freezer.

"Thanks," she said.

"So...I assume everything is working out for our stowaway?" David asked.

"For now," Emma said, as she arrived home.

"He's safe for the time being, but I told Bethany that we're going to have to find a way to get him out of the city, because I think Vance is onto the whole thing," she added, as they all started eating their ice cream.

"So how are things at the station?" Margaret asked. The blonde looked at her.

"How do you know I went to the station?" Emma asked. Margaret tilted her head to the side and Emma rolled her eyes.

"You're practically my oldest, same age child. Trust me...I know you," she said, making David chuckle and earn a glower from his sister.

"Shut up," Emma grumbled.

"Fine…I went there and it's not good," she replied.

"I want to take responsibility...but he won't let me. He says Vance is watching," she said.

"Yeah, he definitely is, along with that Mr. Gold. He's even more mysterious," Regina mentioned.

"He asked me what was going on...but I told him that I can't tell him," Emma said.

"That's probably for the best, Em. It's hard for some people to swallow," David replied.

"That's easy for you to say...you have someone to talk to when you get Callings," she retorted. She sighed.

"I'm sorry...this is just frustrating. I mean, I really blew it and if Killian doesn't lose his badge, he's getting suspended for sure," she lamented, as Margaret put an arm around her shoulders and then looked at her husband.

"Maybe letting Killian in on this wouldn't be so bad. I mean, he was almost family," she said.

"No…David is right. We don't even know what these Callings are. We don't even know if they're good," Emma said.

"But...they've helped both of you do good things," Margaret said.

"For now," Regina chimed in.

"But she has a point. Can we just blindly follow these voices without question?" she asked.

"We need to be cautious...but we're getting these Callings for a reason," he reminded them.

"Something happened on that plane and listening to the Callings might be the only way to figure out what," David said. And none of them could disagree with that.

"I'm gonna get some air," Emma said, as she put her ice cream away and left on a walk.

"I hope so...I think I'm going to go back to the hospital for a while and study the MRI's a bit more," Regina said, as she bid them goodnight and left.

"Okay you two...finish up and then upstairs for bed," Margaret said, as she put their dishes in the sink. David put his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"She's right, you know…" he mentioned.

"Mmm…" she hummed in agreement.

"I have you...and even though you weren't on the plane, you're completely understanding. You always help me and support me, no matter what. I know most of the other people on the plane can't say that about their spouses that weren't with them," he said.

"And I always will help and support you, my love. You're my life...you and our babies," she replied, as he kissed her tenderly.

"And I am the luckiest man on this Earth because of you," he said, as they shared a smile.

"Emma will be fine. She may not have a lover there for her right now, but she has us and she always will," she reminded him.

"As usual...you're right," he agreed.

"Mmm...a woman never tires of hearing that," she teased, as he pulled her into his arms.

"Come on...let's go to bed," she said in a sultry tone, as she took his hand and led him to the bedroom.

~*~

Emma walked briskly through the streets and was unsurprised when she found herself back in front of the Angel of the Waters fountain.

"What do you want from me?" she asked, as she stood there for quite some time in silent contemplation.

~*~

Vance stormed into the conference room, where Mr. Gold sat with a photo of the known stowaway, Thomas Struck, on the screen.

"I take it that you have no developments in this case," Gold commented.

"My request to bring in Regina Mills for questioning on this matter was denied," Vance said.

"Well, that makes sense. It isn't unusual for Regina Mills to be at her place of employment. I am sure it's a mere coincidence that Thomas Struck was being treated at this same hospital," Gold stated. Vance gave him a skeptical glare.

"Do you really believe that?" he asked. Gold smirked.

"There is no such thing as a coincidence," Gold responded.

"On that, we agree…" Vance said, as he looked at the photo.

"What about the flight attendant?" Gold asked.

"In the wind, for now. But we'll get her and I'm sure she knows exactly where Mr. Struck is," Vance replied.

"As for the Nolans...they're somewhere deep in this too," he added.

"Oh, that is for sure and that's exactly why we should let them be for now. They're the key to all of this...I'm convinced of it," Gold responded.

"You think they know what happened or caused it?" Vance questioned.

"Oh no...they have no idea where they were during that time nor did they cause any of it to happen. But they have been chosen by whatever is responsible to carry out its will," Gold replied.

"Its will? Whose will? God? Extraterrestrials? A flying spaghetti monster? Satan?" Vance rattled off derisively.

"I don't know...but the Nolans are not the enemy. Regardless of what it is...it will serve you well to accept that something larger than all of us is responsible. I think good or bad is a little black and white. I prefer to make my deals in an area of gray," Gold said.

"Do you always speak in code or riddles?" Vance questioned in annoyance.

"It keeps things interesting," Gold quipped.

"Be that as it may, Mr. Gold...your deal with the United States government hinges upon results and so far, you have none," Vance replied.

"Are you saying that you no longer require my services?" Gold asked, but Vance was silent. They had nothing, but without Gold, he felt they would continue to have nothing.

"That's what I thought. Sit back and relax, Director. The show is just beginning," Gold replied, as they looked at the photos of the Nolans on the screen.

~*~

Margaret giggled, as she and David came out of the bathroom that morning, wrapped in towels, fresh from the shower.

"Oooh...that was a fun shower," she said playfully, as he put his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.

"Really fun," he agreed in a husky voice and she turned in his arms so she could kiss him.

"So...more job hunting today? I can drop Henry off with your dad if you need me to," she said, as they started getting dressed.

"Actually, I've put my resume out there and it's mostly a waiting game right now. I can take him and spend the day. We'll do guy stuff," he replied.

"He will love that," she said fondly, as they finished getting ready and headed out to the kitchen, hand in hand. They weren't surprised to see that the kids were up, but they were surprised by what was on the news, though they probably shouldn't have been.

"Looks like they went to the press, after all," Olive said.

"And if you're just joining us, we're talking with Wall Street mogul, Leopold Blanchard. Mr. Blanchard is the father-in-law and grandfather to two flight eight-two-eight passengers, David Nolan and his son Henry," the reporter said.

"I'm going to kill him," Margaret said, as her husband and son's photos flashed on the screen.

"Mr. Blanchard is the father of Mr. Nolan's wife, Margaret, who was not on the plane with them. Margaret has been estranged from her father for many years and last night, made quite the spectacle at her father's residence," the reporter said.

"What is this? Gossip 101?" Olive said.

"Mr. Blanchard...can you tell us what occurred?" the reporter asked, as Leopold was there for an in person interview in his best two thousand dollar Armani suit.

"Yes...well, I invited Margaret and her family to my home for a dinner party. When she agreed, I was hoping that this would be a new beginning for our family," he said.

"It sounds as though things didn't go as planned," the reporter said.

"I'm afraid not. Margaret accused me of trying to use her family for some kind of publicity stunt," he explained.

"Because that's exactly what you're doing!" Margaret cried at the television, as David put his arms around her waist.

"Margaret has always been headstrong and I should have expected her overreaction," he continued.

"Okay...now I want to kill him," David said in annoyance.

"Yes...we've read the stories. Margaret was living with her now husband at a very young age, wasn't she?" the reporter asked.

"Yes...naturally, I was very worried about that kind of activity at her young age, but she defied me at every turn. She took the steps though at sixteen and emancipated herself. However, I really wanted to put all that ugliness behind us, but she didn't give me the chance," Leopold said and Margaret scoffed at that.

"Do you think she or her husband are hiding something? Concerning the plane?" the reporter asked.

"Here we go," David muttered.

"I don't know...it's possible as the whole thing is very mysterious. Margaret also never moved on when David went missing. She refused to do so. However, I wanted to overlook it all and make a gesture of goodwill," he said.

"Yes...you have an announcement of sorts, right?" the reporter asked.

"Yes…I wanted to tell her that I was going to make a donation to the pediatric wing of the hospital that is treating my grandson, in his name, of course," Leopold said, as a large check was produced for show.

"That is very generous of you," the reporter said.

"No it's not...this will get him free publicity for a year and drive up his stocks," Margaret said. She knew her father could care less about charity. It was simply a means to make himself look like a good person.

"It's the least I can do. I've only met my grandson once now, but he is a fine young man and with this new treatment, he will have a new lease on life. I only hope that I get to meet him again," Leopold said.

"And just like that...I win the worst daughter of the year award," Margaret said, as she flipped off the television and stormed to her bedroom. David sighed and got the cereal boxes out.

"I got it, Dad…" Olive said, as she proceeded to get a quick breakfast for her and Henry.

"Thanks Ollie," he said, as he kissed her head and then went to comfort his wife.

"Hey…" he said, as he sat down on the bed beside her.

"Why can't he just stay out of our lives," she sniffed.

"People in power don't like it when they don't get their way," he reasoned, as she turned to him and let him pull her into his arms.

"Hey...why don't you take the day off?" he suggested, but she shook her head.

"It's too late to get a sub," she said, as she kissed him.

"I'll be fine...I just wasn't expecting him to do that, but I should have been. He loves good press and if he can turn the plane into a good thing for him, then he will," she added.

"Maybe you should talk too. Tell the reporters what he did to us or tried to do," he suggested.

"You know that we'll still come off looking like the unruly teenagers and he will come off looking like the strict, but caring father," she said, shaking her head.

"I tell them he was neglectful and all they'll see is a poor little rich girl living in a mansion with caretakers and servants," she said.

"I tell them that I was in love, despite our young age and all they'll see is two teenagers sleeping together and living together in high school. There is no way we come out of that looking good," she lamented, as she rested her head on his shoulder and slipped her arms around his neck.

"Yeah, they didn't understand our love then so I doubt they will now," he agreed.

"And now he's throwing money at the hospital and I'm just the ungrateful daughter that cut him out of my life and kept his grandchildren from him," she said.

"Screw 'em," he said, as he looked into her eyes.

"We know the truth. We know the kind of man he really is and exactly why he's doing this. It has nothing to do with Henry's well being and everything to do with his business," he replied. She smiled.

"You, me and Em against the world again," she mused.

"Plus two now," he said, adding the kids.

"Three if you include my new step-sister. That's wild...my mother never mentioned knowing Cora," she replied.

"Well, from what I remember about your mother, I doubt she and Cora would have been friends," he said and she hummed in agreement.

"Well…I guess we should get going. I can drop Olive at school. You're okay with Henry today?" she asked.

"Yeah sure...maybe we'll go to Coney Island. He'll love that," he replied.

"That sounds way more fun than work," she said, as they joined hands and saw their kids putting their cereal bowls in the sink.

"Are you ready?" Margaret asked their daughter, as she got her bag.

"Yeah...and I'm sure Dad already told you, but screw the haters, Mom, especially Leopold. We have one grandfather and that's grandpa Robert," Olive said, as they shared a hug.

"Thanks baby," she said, as David hugged her too.

"Have a good day at school, peanut," he replied, as the boys saw them off.

"So...what are we doing today?" Henry asked excitedly.

"Well, we could go bowling...or Coney Island," David replied.

"Coney Island!" Henry called, as they high fived.

"Okay...get your bag. It's guys day out," he replied, as he watched his son run up to get his stuff and then watched his wife and daughter drive off. He hoped they had a good day and really hoped this was truly the end with Leopold. He knew that was probably wishful thinking, but he at least hoped that Margaret's estranged father wouldn't cause them anymore trouble.

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #Snowing AU #Charming family #Emma #Regina #Henry #Manifest #with a Once twist #romance #adventure #family #drama #angst #Lightning in a Bottle

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thecrystallinecryptid · 5 years

Text

Deltafell Ideas (Part 2)

Oh look, a part 2 to a post I said I would make a sequel for the day after I posted it when the original post is now... probably over a month old, I’m not sure.

Yeahh, sorry I’m late.

ANYWAY

Jevil

Before he met The Doctor, he... wasn’t very nice. Remember how Deltarune Jevil got locked up for being dangerous after he met that Strange Person? This one acted like that before he met that strange someone. (Don’t worry though, he never killed anyone. Just beat em up.)

Instead of the normal red and black clothes everyone else wore, he’d dress in white, gold, and light blue. He didn’t have those marks over his eyes, and instead had a little pink circle on each cheek. (Not sure if it’s makeup or not yet, I haven’t decided.) Pretty much, he’d try to look as soft and sensitive as possible to try to trick people into thinking that he was an easy target. Once someone fell for it, a fight would ensue. Jevil usually won... unless is was against Seam.

He still dresses like that after the change, but not for that reason. Now, he just likes how it looks.

Speaking of the change, it made him the complete opposite of who he was. Now, he’d never hurt a fly... even if someone was beating him up. In his eyes, he’s immortal, so it’s no big deal. They gave him a black eye? Just keep a mask on for awhile so King Spade and Seam don’t notice, and it’ll be fine. If Seam still finds out, DON’T mention who it was. Violence is never the answer.

Speaking of the giant battlecat, Seam and Jevil weren’t friends before the change. It was more like one would start a chain of annoying the other(Jevil always starting it, of course) until the other snapped and it broke out into a fight. The fight would always end in a draw, but on a rare occasion, Seam would leave with a new scar.

Both before and after the change, since it didn’t change anything physical, Jevil had/has a sensitive tail. If you stomp on it, he’s gonna cry. If you think he’s being a big baby about it? Imagine if your spine kept going, making another thinner limb, and someone just stomped on that. Yeah. OW.

Seam

Deltarune Seam is calm in an always-smiling “I’m ok with whatever, really,” kind of way. This Seam doesn’t smile as much. Seam tends to stay out of other peoples’ business and is a bit grumpy most of the time.

If someone were to insult Seam and then trip and fall/do something embarrassing immediately afterward, Seam would fake-laugh REALLY loud just to make it a little more embarrassing.

Also, because giant plush cat? Retractable needle teeth.

Seam’s eyes are marbles instead of buttons. One is cracked, and the yellow center is a bit faded in that one, since a good bit of the fluid in there has leaked out by now.

Seam sees scars more as trophies, which is why despite being a powerful mage, Seam’s scars are never treated with healing magic. A scar is proof that whatever did THAT to you? You survived.

Before the change, Jevil was ANNOYING. He loved bugging Seam, but it would take a long time for it to end in a fight, since Seam knew that that’s what Jevil wanted. Of course, people can only take so much constant annoyance before they snap.

After the change? Seam got a soft spot for this new Jevil. This wasn’t the same annoying little loon that had been pestering Seam for years. This was just some sweet little joker that, aside from appearance, was nothing like the old Jevil.

Seam quickly realized that Jevil meant it when he said he’d never hurt anyone again... aaand that he would refuse to defend himself if attacked. Since Jevil was just a soft lil sweetheart now, Seam decided to protect him. The two were rarely seen apart after that... until Jevil was locked away.

Edit: One thing I forgot to add about Jevil: He’th got a lithp.

#deltafell #deltarune #au #deltarune seam #deltafell seam #jevil #deltafell jevil #deltarune jevil #headcanon #deltarune jeadcanon #deltafell headcanon #again sorry this is so late #thank you to everyone who kept randomly finding and liking the original #it reminded me to make this one

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ashes-and-ashes · 5 years

Note

Conversation immediately goes to tell all their friends. So through the last couple of months, the lil shits tease and pester Pads about it. Even attempting to physically bully him. Of course they only do this when Pads is alone. (Who can decide if he keep it to himself but for more angst I originally thought he’d stay quiet about it.) So when Moony finds out by finding the evil bullies bugging his best friend, Pads is terrified what his reaction might be. (You can change it up a little idc) -Em

(Second Image is the first part of the prompt, the first image is actually the second part.)

Okay, so this is Part 2! I really hope you like it! It’s probably still crappy cause left hand, so please, please forgive me for any typos or generally shitty writing!

tw for homophobia, bullying and some derogatory language

Part 2:

James finds him in the hallway.

He didn’t know how long he had been lying there. It had been quick, merciless and fast. He had been by himself, walking down the hall, when he was stunned from behind. All he remembers was the impact, the way he fell forward, nose crunching against the ground, a flash of green from Slytherin robes disappearing around the corner.

James silently flicks his wand, the spell leaving his cramped muscles, and Sirius sighs. “Thanks.”

James nods, offering a hand out to Sirius. Sirius takes it, his cold fingers wrapped in James’ warm ones, trying not to let his hand shake, trying not to fall apart. He exhales, nose still leaking blood, throbbing and painful.

James winces. “You should see Pomfrey for that. It’s definitely broken, Pads. Smashed pretty good. I’ll walk you there.”

Sirius shakes his head. “It’s fine.” He pulls out his wand, placing the tip against his nose. “Episkey.” With a crunch, his nose snaps into place, and Sirius lets out a quiet moan as he staggers against James. “It’s fine. I’m okay.”

“Like hell you are.” James glares, one arm underneath Sirius’, propping him up against the wall. “They’re hurting you, Pads! They are full blown fucking killing you, and you’re just going to do nothing?”

Sirius shrugs. He jabs at his sleeve with his wand, the caked blood vanishing with a hiss. He had always been good at that, hiding all the blood and scars and injuries. “I’m fine, Prongs. It’s good. We hex them all the time.”

“Jesus - “ James splutters, his face angry and incredulous. “Look, Pads. There’s hexing. Sure, it sucks, and their hair turns pink for a couple of hours, but this! This is full out assault, Sirius. They are literally hurting you!”

Sirius shrugs his hand off, bracing himself against the wall. “I said it’s fine, James. Fucking drop it, yeah?”

When James speaks, his voice is soft. “They broke your nose, Pads. This, and Mulciber broke your finger, remember, and that other bastard knocked you out in the library and - “ He sighs. “And I know what they call you, Pads. Jesus, you have to tell someone. Go to McGonagall!”

Sirius looks down, his voice flat and empty. “And say what, Prongs? That I’m dating Moony? Tell her I’m shagging a boy?” He snarls. “It’s not even my secret to tell, James. She can’t do anything. No one can do anything. All you can do is grin and fucking bear it.”

“But - “

Sirius laughs. “Whatever. I’m used to it.” He smiles. “You think what they do is bad? This isn’t pain, James. For God’s sake, I’ve been cut, I’ve been beaten, I’ve lain on the ground while my mother cut wounds into my back. I’ve been Crucio’d so bad that once, I couldn’t walk until 2 weeks later. I can’t feel my lip, you know, because I’ve bitten through it so many times trying not to scream. So they can’t do anything, James. There’s nothing more they can do. No one will understand.”

“Remus would.” James’ gaze is steady. “You’re right, I can never understand, but Remus can. Tell him, Sirius. You’re being hurt because of him.”

“No.” Sirius’ voice is distant, cool mist over a grey lake. “I’m not bothering him with this. And you can’t tell him. Swear it.”

James exhales. “Fine. But you can’t carry this on your own, Pads. It’ll destroy you.”

Sirius stands, pushing away from the wall. He turns, to walk away, away from the pain and the expectations and the guilt. “Then let it destroy me, Prongs. I guess I fucking deserve it.”

He stares down at the parchment, the words swimming in front of him. The cuts underneath his eye throb, his fingers coming away wet with blood when he touches it.

He had told Remus that it came from a Quidditch match, ignoring the agonized look that passed over James’ face. Remus had nodded, brushing over the cut with soft fingers, before Sirius had stalked off to finish his astronomy essay.

With a sigh, he dips his quill in ink, scratching a few letters onto the page. The positioning of Saturn’s rings against the alignment of Uranus’ gravitational pull suggests that...

A splotch of blood falls onto the parchment, crimson red against the yellow. Sirius swears, vanishing the droplet, then places his head into his arms.

It had started off so small. Mainly the Slytherins, but a few others as well. Just small comments: “You’re a fag!” “Always knew you were a poof, Black.” “Running off to shag that boy of yours?” Always when he was alone, never with anyone else.

He had ignored it, held his head high, slung insults and later jinxes right back at them. Even when the curses were thrown, when he started hiding bruises and cuts underneath his robes, he pulled up those walls, a mask of cold arrogance and careless grace carved across his face.

But it was now April, and things had gotten worse. He was late again to potions, forced to wait in the hallway until the full-body curse had worn off, and had to do a double detention. On top of that, the homework hadn’t let up, and he was going to suffocate under the workload, pages and pages worth of essays due, exams to study for and spells to master. It was wearing him out, nights with no sleep and days with no relief, drowning and drowning and drowning.

He rubs his face, hard against his eyes, as he places his quill back on the page. The positioning of Saturn’s rings against the alignment of Uranus’ gravitational pull suggests that...

“Hey.” He looks up, to see Remus slide into the chair next to him. He looks adorable, messy hair, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, that soft, sweet grin pulling at his lips. Sirius gives him a tight smile, staring back down at his page. “Hey.”

Remus reaches over, sliding the parchment over. “‘Positioning of the Outer Planets and their Effects on Magic Usage?’” He looks up. “Pads, this is a 28 inch essay! And it’s due tomorrow!”

“I know.” Sirius grabs the paper. “Guess I’ll pull an all nighter. I also have the Mandrake essay to do, plus the charms worksheet.”

Remus shakes his head, waving his wand. A thick stack of notebooks appears on the table, loose papers stacked in between. “Here. I’ll help you. All my notes, plus my essays.” He frowns. “Reword everything, but close enough. I’ll help with the worksheet.”

Sirius nods, pulling Remus into a soft kiss. “Thanks. Holy crap, I love you so much.”

Remus winks. “Doesn’t count when I’m saving your ass.” He grabs the papers, dipping a quill in ink. “Now shut up. I’m trying to think.”

Sirius smiles, bending over his parchment again. The room was quiet, the only sounds being the crackle of the fireplace and Remus’ steady breathing. It was comforting, knowing that Remus was there, that Remus and him were close enough to touch. Sirius pushes the astronomy essay, reaching for the next sheet.

When they are finally finished, the sky outside is gold, streaks of rose and white across it. Remus yawns, depositing a stack of papers into Sirius’ lap. “Here. You’re welcome.”

Sirius smiles, one hand reaching up to tangle in Remus’ hair, against the soft curls and silky strands. “Thanks. So much. I can’t even - “

“It’s fine.” Remus brushes a kiss against Sirius’ lips. “I’ve got your back. You know that, right? Always.”

Sirius nods, still stroking his hair. “I know. God, I know.”

Remus frowns, pulling away enough to look Sirius in the eye. “Hey. Hey, you alright?” He wraps his arms around Sirius, Sirius relaxing into the touch. “This isn’t like you, Sirius. I mean, you’re not the most organized guy in the world, but you’re usually not this bad. What’s up? Are you okay?”

There’s a host of warring emotions inside of Sirius, the guilt fighting against the sorrow. He shakes his head, unconvincingly. “There’s nothing. I’m fine.”

“It’s okay.” Remus places his lips against Sirius’ neck, resting his head on his shoulder. “Look, Pads. You don’t have to tell me. But I know you. I know what you do when you’re hurting, and you’re hurting right now. You hide, shove all your emotions behind a wall, and you deal with all that shit internally, because that’s what you do, Pads. You suffer through it.” He pulls back, brushing Sirius’ hair out of his face. “And you don’t have to tell me. But I’m always here for you.”

The tears are flowing now, against Sirius’ face, wetting Remus’ skin. It hurts, that empty, hollow wound, stinging his soul. He takes a deep breath, feeling Remus’ arms tighten around him, as he says, “I came out to James. On the train here.”

Remus smiles. “That’s great. I mean, he already knows now, so...”

Sirius shakes his head. “No. No, it’s not that.”

Remus frowns. “Did he not take it well? He seems fine now?”

“No, he took it fine, it’s just...” Sirius closes his eyes. “Someone overheard us. Regulus, I mean. And he...told...everyone...”

Sirius glances up, into Remus’ face. It’s stony, anger flaring in his eyes, as he spits, “He did what?”

Sirius bites his lip. “He...he told everyone. All the Slytherins, at least. They all know. And they haven’t...they haven’t taken it well.”

“Oh my...” Remus stands, papers flying everywhere. Rage covers him, pouring off of him, as he swears. “Shit, Pads. Shit.”

“I-I’m so sorry, Re, please I didn’t - “

“Fuck it, Pads. No, not...not you,” he adds, at the panic that coats Sirius. “Just...” He breathes. “Those cuts...they aren’t from Quidditch, are they.”

Sirius shakes his head.

“And those bruises...” Remus paces, around the table, papers underneath his feet. “Shit, Sirius. They’re hexing you, yeah? That’s why you’re late to all these classes and...shit. Shit.”

“It’s fine,” Sirius whispers, so, so quietly. “I’ve got it. I didn’t want to burden you - “

“I will kill them.” Remus is shaking too, agony coating his face. “I will fucking kill them for touching you, how could you bear this alone, Pads?”

Sirius shakes his head. “You do it every full moon, Re. Every goddamn full moon.”

There’s raw pain on Remus’ face, raw pain on Sirius’, two sides of the same coin, as Remus breathes, “You shouldn’t have had to go through that.”

Sirius just smiles. “I had James. And you.”

He winces, slightly, as Remus takes him into his arms, but all Sirius can do is breathe. Breathe, the sun rising over the mountains, holding each other as the stars disappeared.

#wolfstar #wolfstar angst #wolfstar fanfic #wolfstar fanfiction #em’s ideas #sirius black #remus lupin #sirius black angst #remus lupin angst #angst #marauders angst #marauders era #james potter #the marauders #harry potter #hp #wizarding worlds #sirius x remus #sirius black x remus lupin

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ashlynncoy-blog · 6 years

Text

Misfire: Critical Condition Part XVIII

Just when you thought it was safe to come back to the Misfire Verse....

Han wasn’t in her apartment when Leia woke up the next morning. He’d left her a message saying he’d stayed until he was sure the second dose of narcotic was wearing off but that he’d had an early morning appointment he couldn’t postpone. He said she should call him if she needed anything.

She did not.

The message also said he’d be checking on her.

He did not.

A few times she was tempted to go by the Falcon again, but she decided she’d better not. It was one thing to stop by with a thoughtful gift but another thing altogether to drop by for no reason.

The burn on her hand had been well healed for three weeks when an opportunity presented itself.

Luke had dropped by unexpectedly, his search for the things of the Jedi having once again brought him close enough to Coruscant that it seemed unreasonable not to stop in for a visit. He came by her office just after breakfast and seemed possibly more excited than he should have been.

He wanted to go help Han work on the Falcon.

“If you want to go,” Leia said, “go.”

“Only if you’ll come with me.”

“I think if Han wanted me to come by his ship, he’d have said so.”

“But he did say so,” Luke insisted.

Leia was dubious.

“Han said that?” she asked. “Han Solo? The same Han Solo I used to be involved with—he said he wanted me to come by and see him?”

“Well, not exactly,” Luke answered her, “not in so many words, but…”

“What were his words?” she asked, “exactly?”

“He said, um,” Luke paused and shook his head. “He said, ‘Heya, kid, glad to hear you’re gonna be in town. The Falcon’s got flight trials comin’ up and there’s a whole lot of work to do and I’d really appreciate havin’ your help. Bring your sister with you if she’ll come.”

“Wow,” Leia said back. That sounded a whole lot more like an invitation than she’d expected. “Okay.”

She was impressed at the condition of the freighter when they arrived. A lot had been accomplished since the last time she’d been in the hangar bay. The hull was all back in one piece with no obvious signs of having been recently welded back together. A brand new hyperdrive had been installed in the aft cavity they’d last used for ingress, and a working boarding ramp had replaced the crude ladder at the ship’s usual entrance.

Chewie waved from a perch on top of the ship, a polishing rag in one hand and his safety goggles still on his face. Leia waved back with a smile. Han had told her that Chewie was primarily responsible for the reconstruction of the old ship, and she was more than a little impressed with the progress he’d made since her last visit.

“Luke!” Han called out as he bounded down the ramp toward where Leia had parked the speeder. “Great to see ya, buddy! Thanks for comin’. And, your highness,” he said, turning to Leia as she walked around to join them, “boy, am I glad to see you!”

“Really?” Leia asked.

“How’s the hand?” he asked her, ignoring her remark entirely.

“It’s good,” she replied, showing him her fully-healed palm and trying to figure out why he was suddenly so happy to have her around.

“Good,” he said, “Look,” he began then, his demeanor becoming much more grim and serious than it had been a moment before, “I’ve got an inspector coming tomorrow. They’re either gonna certify the ship can fly or they’re not. Now, I got ahold of one of those diagnostic computers—the same kind they’re gonna use on the Falcon tomorrow morning. And… and I don’t know if it’s my brain injury or just my nerves—probably a little bit of both, to be honest—but every time I start in on the procedures my eyes start to cross. And I don’t know anybody who’s better at fine detail stuff than you. Do you think you could…”

“Say no more,” Leia interrupted. “Is it all in the cockpit?”

Han grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her firmly on the forehead.

“You’re the greatest, princess,” he said. “Everything’s set up in there.” Then he turned and grabbed Luke by his shoulder. “And you,” he said, leading him by the shoulders toward the boarding ramp, “Boy have I got a job for you.”

Luke went with Han into the crew lounge while Leia headed for the cockpit.

“So what’ve you got for me, General?” Luke asked.

“I’m getting ready to wire in the last few components,” Han answered, “but the only cabinets we’ve got left are salvaged from the crash, and they’ve all got some damage or another keeping them from being usable. You and me are gonna clean ‘em all out and get those last pieces hooked up so I can bring the rest of the old girl online before tomorrow.”

Han hadn’t been exaggerating about the damage to the console cabinets. He explained that Chewie had sourced a few new ones, and how they’d started the installations with those. But the new pieces hadn’t been enough, and not all of them had fit into the Falcon’s unique configuration.

The few cabinets that had survived the crash relatively unscathed had been put to use next, leaving only a few pieces of radio equipment and a very fancy multiband code converter that was either a gift from the New Republic or the Royal House of Organa—from Han’s description of its origin, Luke couldn’t really tell. Although, when he’d suggested to Han it was perhaps a gift to him from Leia personally, Han had been quick to change the subject back to de-scoring electrics racks.

It had taken Luke a good hour to get through the first one, but Han had been more than pleased at its condition when he took it to begin the installation of his new rectenna displays. The second cabinet had seemed more damaged on the surface, with coal-black scoring on all sides and twisted metal covering the slot rails. But the carbon had proven itself quickly to be totally cosmetic, and the metal appeared to be pieces of something else—blown to pieces and wedged into the cabinet by force and heat. Luke had an easier time than he figured getting it into shape.

He was nearly done, save for one stray bit of metal wedged firmly into the rear of the main cavity.

“How’s it comin’?” Han asked.

“Good,” Luke replied, “almost done. It’s just this last piece, it’s wedged in here real good.”

Han crossed to stand behind Luke, who was continuing to work with a hot iron and pliers to try and pry loose the offending item.

“Let me see,” Han said. Luke nodded and got up from his seat. Han slid onto the bench and stuck his hands inside the cabinet. With a liberal application of the heat tool and a final, mighty tug on the flotsam, he pulled it loose. “Ah!” he exclaimed, “here ya go.” He turned in his seat to show the hunk of metal to his friend.

And felt his heart jump into his throat when he realized what he was looking at.

“Wow, Han,” Luke said. “What do you think it is? It kind of looks like…”

“Yeah,” Han interrupted. “That’s exactly what it is.” He looked closely at the battered ring of gold. It had a fracture in the band and was definitely missing one of the opalescent gemstones that had once graced its head, but it was otherwise intact.

“How did it…?”

“I carried this thing around in my pocket the whole time I was away on campaign,” Han explained. “I wanted to come home and propose to your sister. But I got here just in time to see that someone else had beat me to it. Not long after Leia left with the royal son-of-a-Hutt,” he continued, “I found it—still in my pocket. I got mad and I threw it; it fell between the deck plates and I thought I’d be done with it forever. Of all the blasted things to have survived the explosion…. I lose my avionics and my hyperdrive and my radio and my tactical computer—but thank the Force I got back this kriffing engagement ring!”

Han stood up and threw the ring with all his might, aiming for the open hatch he couldn’t see but knew was there. He hoped that this time the damned thing would stay gone.

#misfire verse #sw au #ashlynn's fic #more angst #angstily ever after #I never said this was going to be easy #it hurts #but I'm not sorry #just wait until the next chapter #i am kinda mean

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starisartblog · 6 years

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The Light of the Storm: A Miss Fortune x Lux Fanfic

I don’t have an AO3 account so here’s a story I’ve been on and off writing about how Lux and Miss Fortune met and fell in love. I generally tried to stay lore compliant??? but there’s also a lot of creative liberty largely due to the fact that I roleplayed Miss Fortune for about 2 years. Basically don’t @ me about what’s canon and what’s not. This will be multichapter but idk how long it will be.

Chapter One: Unfamiliar Territory and a Pirate’s Honor

The first signs of land on the horizon brought much relief to the deckhands aboard The Lightforger. While surrounded by a vast empty sea, one would think that they were suspended in time, but in reality the voyage had only lasted a few weeks. The expertise of their charters and navigators were the only thing that stood between them and mindlessly drudging across the sea to their destination.

Luxanna Crownguard shuts the cover of an old tome at the call of sighted land. She, like many others, suffered with consequential boredom that came with long voyages and this had possibly been her longest trip to date. Despite biding some of her time with studies of old tomes and sparring with Kahina, she felt trapped. It had also reminded her of the seclusion imposed by her family in her younger years. Pushing that rather sour memory back, she tucks the tome under her arm and skips up the stairs to the main deck where several of her comrades look on curiously.

Arches of land slowly reveal themselves from the horizon, their bases shrouded in mist from water falling from great heights. Soon a landmass is in full view, the vague shapes of vessels perch themselves on the cliff sides while numerous banners flap freely in the wind. Lux had only heard stories of this place from older superiors and veterans. An anarchical land that would make anyone in the royal court of Demacia faint.

This was the city known as Bilgewater.

According to some of the stories she heard, Bilgewater hadn’t always been this way. A long time ago several ships had accidentally crashed into the Serpent Isles largely due to the fact that it had been apparently uncharted. After a minor clash with the natives of the Isles, the foreigners agreed to claim a small piece of land for the building of lighthouses to avoid further casualties. It served as a convenient rest stop at first but then expanded to a convenient trade port to cut down travel time between countries.

For a while it had been very prosperous, but soon the mysterious Black Mist had strengthened and attacked the port city frequently. Deciding that the resources expended to maintain its safety against the seemingly indomitable threat were a waste, many abandoned the port town. Those who remained consistently fought off the Black Mist and claimed Bilgewater for its own. Unfortunately the lack of a stable government turned Bilgewater into a lawless land of brigands and pirates.

Knowing full well of their relationships, The Lightforger had been stripped of its Demacian flag along with any symbol of its origin and dressed as a common tradeship. Those aboard had been dressed accordingly to keep up the charade. Lux figures that a Demacian vessel landing in Bilgewater was probably the equivalent of painting a large target on their back. On top of that, diverting attention from themselves was a crucial part of this mission.

The vessel had finally passed through the first arch of Bilgewater by nightfall. The clash of cold water from above and the warm night envelops The Lightforger with mist, making for almost an ethereal passing into the city. Peering from her cabin window, Lux gathers her things while determined to sneak glances of newfound territory.

Needless to say, she was completely awestruck.

Oil lit lamps decorate every odd end of the city, giving it a warm glow in contrast to the night. Scaffolds of wooden walkways and bridges connect the separated pieces of land giving Bilgewater’s heart a completely labyrinthian look. Vessels of old had been fused with old stone architecture to create taverns, shops and living spaces. She recognizes old Noxian warships, Freldjordian longboats, Shuriman vessels and even old Demacian galleons that had been repurposed as such.

Carved in wood and stone along many cliffsides and buildings had been a myriad of sea creatures, decorated with old bones and fangs. Lux notices two recurring creatures. One a frog-like monster with endless rows of teeth and a fanged creature with seemingly endless tentacles stretching from all parts of it body. Had it been the visages of their gods? She finds the prospect simply fascinating…

Clearly distracted, the girl would jump at the feeling of cold metal at the back of her neck. With a yelp, she turns around to the freckled and grinning face of her companion.

“Only you would get excited over a pirate town, Lux.” Kahina waves the hilt of her sword in a teasing manner. Lux waves a hand dismissively at her, a slight tint of red to her cheeks betrays any stoic stature she tries to play off.

“This is our first time visiting Bilgewater. I couldn’t help myself.” The blonde retorts. “You must admit the architecture is impressive and unique! The description from any book I’ve read simply doesn’t do this place any justice.”

“Sure, sure.” Kahina yawns finally sheathing her sword. “Just don’t let it get to your head. Remember that we’re still walking into a den of wolves. They’re more likely to shove a blade in your stomach if it meant more gold in their pockets.”

Lux frowns. “Deception lies in many forms, but it’s all still deception.”

The Lightforger finally settles in an available dock, occupied by a small crowd of men and women idling around the deck space. With their belongings strapped to their backs and sides, several of the Radiant Ones stand ready on the main deck. Kahina nudges Lux once more, putting a hand on her shoulder and whispering into her ear.

“I just heard that apparently the reason we’re here is that someone owes Aharon a favor.”

“I thought you said people here are more likely to doublecross you.” Lux whispers back. “An old drinking buddy perhaps?”

“Something of the sort.”

A voice comes from behind the two. Aharon lowers his hood and motions them off the deck. “I’m taking a small group to meet up with our primary collaborator--and by small I mean just us three. The rest will assume their stations with their help.” He then motions to the small group that had come to greet them.

An older man steps forward, his cane thudding against the dock with every step. He studies the three for a moment, though once settling his gaze on Aharon he simply smiles.

“Trust ya had smooth sailin’ lad?” The old man nudges Aharon with his cane.

“Uneventful.” Aharon brushes his robe. “I was looking forward to stepping off the ship the moment I set foot on it.”

He and I share that sentiment… Lux thinks to herself.

“Well we can hold business talk fer th’ mornin’ if yer too tired. Sure th’ Captain won’t mind terribly. We can accomodate yer lil’ posse easy--”

“Time is of the essence, Rafen.” Aharon states plainly. “If nothing else I want to pass on our recent findings…” His serious tone doesn’t falter in the slightest despite how casual the other is. The old man called Rafen laughs and shrugs.

“Aye aye aye. Good to know I have the right man. Captain told me you were a no-nonsense Demacian.” Aharon finally lets himself smile and adjusts his glasses.

“We have a reputation to uphold as no-nonsense Demacians.”

“As we be holdin’ the reputation of no-good scoundrels.” Rafen raps his cane against the floor several times and those with him stand to attention. “Alright help ‘em unload and such. An’ be careful with their stuff will ya? I’m sure most of what they own be more valuable than yer own lives.” The old man turns back to them.

“Captain’s in the workshop tonight. Follow close an’ keep yer blades closer.”

Despite the winding and confusing passages, Rafen navigates the small group with ease. He had grown with this city and thus knows of every street and turn. Lux finds it all impressive, but can’t help but wonder about something else. Men and women lurk in the alleyways as we pass, but seem to slink further in as Rafen passes. Had it been from fear? Rafen certainly didn’t look like a man that Aharon would associate himself with. Not to mention that the old man spoke of a Captain. His Captain. There had been someone that even he answered to? It was quite a mystery.

The workshop Rafen had spoken of sits at the base of a spire, hollowed out many years ago and an old ship had been attached to the side with a sign reading “FORTUNE’S FAVOR” hanging at the front. A small twisting flight of stairs brings them upwards and they are soon greeted by a gentle orange glow, the hissing of steam and the ringing of metal.

The room itself is a humble space to fit a forge among other smithing tools and stations. Pinned along the walls are various swords, daggers and firearms created with a style reminiscent of Bilgewater’s aesthetic. A lone person sits in the middle striking a slab of glowing metal against an anvil. They’re clothed head to toe with protective gear only further adding to the mystery of Aharon’s client.

Rafen makes sure the other is aware of his presence, then walks over to exchange a few words rendered unintelligible by the roar of the forge. Their work is put at a halt, dunking the glowing metal into a nearby container of water and creating a massive cloud of steam. As the steam dissipates, the person seemed to have removed their gear.

Hiding beneath the mask is the face of a dark skinned woman with fire red hair strung up into a ponytail. The woman rises from her seat to reveal a well built frame, defined with muscle and decorated with old scars. Colorful tattoos cover every inch of her body depicting sea creatures, ships and green tentacles that encroach from her back. Slick with sweat, the forge’s light makes the woman look like a glistening goddess and her eyes are a cool blue to balance such a fiery radiance. The woman glances over her three new guests and once it settles on Lux, the blonde instinctively holds in a breath.

“Captain Fortune.” Aharon steps forward to extend a hand. Lux lets out a quiet exhale as words were finally exchanged. “It’s been a while.”

The woman named Fortune steps forward as well, accepting his hand with a strong shake. Aharon even winces at the forcefulness of her grip and she can’t help but grin. “Aye. Was wonderin’ when I was gonna see yer mug again, Aharon Dawnscribe.” The man puts his hand to his chest and gestures to the other two. “I’d like for you to meet two of my companions--”

“Kahina Radiabourne.” Kahina gives a respectful salute.

Fortune’s gaze was once again on Lux. Realizing that the Captain was looking for a name, she flinches. Despite such a playful demeanor, the woman gives off a commanding presence that forces Lux to look to the ground.

“L-Luxanna Crowng-guard, ma’am.” Lux squeaks out, red hot with embarrassment. Gods above she could feel Kahina’s smile behind her.

“A blueblood? Interestin’.” Fortune cants her head to the side, tilting her chin up with a single finger. “Ah come now, level eyes with me lass. No need to cast down such a bright an’ pretty face..”

Gods above! Gods above! My heart is going to burst…! Lux cries in her mind.

“Captain.” Aharon clears his throat. “If you're quite done, then we'll get on with business. I've already expressed to Rafen the urgency--”

“Aye aye aye.” She winks to Lux and pulls her hand away. “But not here. Voices carry an’ snoopin’ ears are all too willin’ to listen.”

They're led to the other side of the forge through a door and presumably into the ship attached at the side. The noises above them are prominent, yet muffled and Lux concludes them to be just above a lively bar. Given the mass of crates and items compacted in the room and the noise above, they would be free to discuss anything without being overheard. Rafen guards the door they just entered through while Fortune says something to another man who promptly leaves the storage area. Two men return with small bowls of stew, several small loaves of bread and drinks.

“It’s a seafood stew. Bilgewater classic.” Fortune explains while being given her own share and promptly dipping her loaf into the bowl. “Fish is our specialty, but we can’t grow anythin’ else worthwhile here. So we really do benefit by those still willin’ to trade.” As Lux samples the stew, she realizes what the woman means. Shuriman spices season the broth and accompanying the fish are hardy potatoes and carrots from Noxus. Finally the loaf of bread served with the stew is all too familiar: it was made from Demacian wheat.

“Yer wheat is the absolute best for soft bread like this.” The Captain smiles and chews on broth-soaked bread, speaking again after swallowing. “What’s this all about then? Must be pretty damn urgent for ya to see me in person.”

“If I may be blunt.” Aharon appears a tad unnerved once Fortune’s gaze is upon him. “We suspect that Bilgewater is at risk of total Noxian occupation.”

Her playful air vanishes just by her posture straightening and her brows narrowing. For now her food is set to the side.

“Surely ya didn't cross the seas to tell me somethin’ I already knew.”

“Of course not. I have intel confirming some...concerning circumstances towards our claim. Given that you're a rather adamant advocate against Noxian expansion, you're of the few I can trust with this information.” As if to take off some unforeseen force of stress, he redirects his attention. “Miss Crownguard, if you would.”

The moment she feels the Captain’s gaze again, she hesitates. Lux has encountered many a general and sergeant, but never has a simple gaze made her feel completely disarmed. Captain Fortune was well worthy of her title.

“Let's hear what you have to say, Crownguard.”

“Uhm. I-I have done a fair share of espionage within Noxian borders.” Her heart feels like it's creeping up her throat again. “A recent assignment has had me follow a trend of trade containing armor and weaponry being sent from Noxus to the occupied city of Bel’zhun. We thought it to be standard upkeep for the soldiers to retain their control in Shurima. We’ve then noticed a large fraction of such resources travel to the east before being sent from the port city of Mudtown.”

“Aye. A good ship gets you from Mudtown to Bilgewater in a week’s time.” Fortune seems quick to piece it together.

“Then you fully understand the severity of the situation.” Aharon takes back control of the conversation. “It's only a matter of time before shipping over mere swords becomes sending a fleet of soldiers to your coasts.”

“They be hard pressed to take over the entire island. The Kraken Priestess an’ her god wouldn’t take that lyin’ down either.”

“You've heard the horrors of the Noxian invasion of Ionia.” Aharon says bluntly. “They stripped acres of magic from their lands. I wouldn’t put it past them to employ similar tactics here if it meant killing a supposed god.”

It goes without saying that occupying the island would also inch Noxian territory closer to Demacia for an effective pincer. In short, both nations are properly threatened by this.

“Yer stretchin’ this favor I owe ya real thin.” Fortune seems frustrated, taking another bite of bread and a spoonful of stew.

“I don't intend to waste a pirate’s honor on something frivolous. Brash as you may be, you're a reliable ally. I figure preventing such an invasion while this city rebuilds to be enough incentive to having your full cooperation.” There's a moment of painful silence, then Fortune begins to laugh and the tension in the room eases up a bit.

“Bloody seven hells! Can't really argue against that can I?” She waves a hand dismissively and downs the rest of her stew. “Fine. Ya have my cooperation, but we'll continue this tomorrow. A sea voyage takes a lot out of ya when ya ain't used to it.” She rises from her seat, holding her drink in her hand.

“Hold on Fortune.” Kahina stops the woman. “I have one question for you.”

“That's Captain Fortune.”

“Right. Captain Fortune, what’s your connection to Aharon? I've never even heard of you until today.” Fortune has to think on it for a moment. Had she forgotten as well?

“A few years ago Aharon here let me in Demacian borders to catch a runaway bounty. I mentioned owin’ ‘im fer it, that's all. What? Did ya think I was a--”

“Thank you for your hospitalities, Captain Fortune. I'm sure we'll all make ourselves quite at home.” Aharon was utterly embarrassed, squeezing past the guard to the stairs. Lux can’t help but chuckle at it all. She couldn't really imagine him being with someone like her anyway….

Not that there was anything wrong with the Captain! Lux was sure she was a wonderful woman...!

...Gods why was she arguing with herself over this?

“...He doesn’t even know where to… Eh. Whatever. I’ve a few things to take care of,” Fortune takes one step up the stairs with the guard standing to the side. “I’m leavin’ the rest to you Rafen.”

“Aye, aye Captain.” The old man gives a respective nod before she disappears up the steps. “I left Yale ova there t’accommodate th’ rest o’ yer lil’ group. Long as yer here, ya have full protection o’th Syrens. Courtesy o’th Captain of course. I’ll be sure t’find Aharon an’ let ‘im know.”

“Thank you, Rafen.” Lux bows to him, with Kahina following suit.

“Ahh it’s no problem. I reckon we’re all friends now, aye?” The old man gives the two a crooked grin before he and Yale leads them to their rooms.

The rooms themselves were quaint and surprisingly well kept. Despite being just above the ground floor, the noise from below was as muffled as the storeroom. Lux and Kahina set down their belongings but don’t bother to do much after that. Exhaustion slowly creeps up on them and they crawl into their beds.

“Hrm.” Kahina stares at the ceiling. “Think we can really trust this Captain?”

“If Aharon trusts her, then I see no reason to be wary.” She answers honestly, expecting Kahina to be wary like this. “Especially since she's against Noxus’s regime. That has to count for something doesn't it?” Kahina merely shrugs.

“She could turn sides real easy. Remember what I said?” Lux gives the other woman a stern look who sighs in response. “Well… I guess at least just play it safe.”

“I know.”

A brief silence.

“Even so...that Captain is drop dead gorgeous isn't she?”

“Kahina!”

“Don't play dumb. You were completely distracted once she took of that smithing mask!”

Lux bites her lower lip. Damn her.

“Goodnight. Maybe she'll show up in your dreams.” Kahina grins triumphantly and pulls the blanket over her.

Lux gives a defeated huff and throws the blankets over her own head. The voyage had indeed taken more out of her than expected. It wasn’t long until she drifts off to sleep...

#League of Legends #Miss Fortune #Luxanna Crownguard #ill possibly draw up some proper designs for Kahina and Aharon later #but for now I pretty much imagine Kahina looking similar to Bridgette from Overwatch #and Aharon looking similar to Saias from Fire Emblem #(the FEH art moreso)

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zer0pm · 6 years

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A/N: Sorry for the wait, Part 4 has arrived.

Part 4/?: Set Ablaze

Previous: Beyond Understanding

Here, the part is shorter as I wanted to ease the strain of reading long works (aaaand admittedly Ardyn makes a very, very important discovery next part where I felt that it needed to have its own post :p). I love long works myself such as from the lovely @valkyrieofardyn, @yugioh779, and @captain-wender who have just finished the newest installations of their fantastic stories. Give ‘em a read when you get the chance~

Anyways, this one focuses on the first real interaction between Ardyn and the Seeker, they don’t exactly start off on the right foot. Without further ado, please enjoy this next piece.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Final Fantasy series or Square Enix works, only the original characters. Gif isn’t mine either.

Word Count: 1,841

He feels a pull on his mind, a tugging sensation that didn’t feel like pain but an ache that rouses him awake. Slowly and surely as this happens, the rest of his body regains some feeling. Now the ache is starting to hurt.

“G…p!”

Ardyn hears a voice. Please tell me that I’m not in that strange place again, he groans to himself. As he tries to pick up the voice he assumes to be calling out to him, it was deafened by a stinging ring before fading, and the voice is clearer.

“Get up. Wake up, Caelum!”

A female voice, judging by the sharp tone, it’s the Seeker. Ardyn feels someone shaking his body back and forth, but try as he might, his eyes are too heavy and only a small groan escapes him. Listen to her, Ardyn. Wake up, you twit!

The Seeker must have gotten frustrated as she released an exasperated huff before removing her hands from him. “We do not have time for this!”

The unmistakable shuffling of feet, people running around him – the sense of urgency was palpable. Several bodies are close by, surrounding his lying form. “My lady, here they come!” There’s ‘My lady’ again, who is this Seeker? Who is coming?

“Memorians, to me! Our enemy will not know victory today!”

His senses are fading to black again, but Ardyn holds on to conscious for as long as he could muster the willpower. I need to wake up, he thought. Someone slap me. Something, anything to bring him back to the awakened world. The blank spaces cloud his mind. How much time has passed? He can only make out bits and pieces of what is going on as he tries to come to. To his horror, he hears screaming in his ears, and a foul taste in his mouth. The air is different around him, almost charred.

“Protect him! Protect the Chosen!”

The Seeker shouts, at this Ardyn fully opens his eyes. Chosen?! Hearing that word jolted him back to his senses. A pair of black leather boots is the first thing he sees. Beyond that, several others, he makes out dark garments and a dissipating black mist. What was that? The boots nearest to him turn and point towards him then he is met with a knee on the ground, the other bent upwards to balance a folded arm. Another arm moves his body to make him face upwards, the push was a little too harsh on his chest in his opinion. “Finally coming to?”

Ardyn’s golden eyes meet a pair of silver ones and immediately he tensed at how cold they felt. From the voice, he knew this was the Seeker. This is the first time he’s seen her face without the shadows obscuring the details. He was surprised. In contrast to the persona he surmises her to possess, the Seeker has…gentle features. Her black hood is down, the red scarf with the yellow geometric design around her slender neck no longer covered the bottom half of her face and instead draped loosely. While the other Memorian warriors had tan to bronze skin, hers was fair, a feature Ardyn immediately assumes to have stemmed from her genetics and upbringing. Her pale cheeks covered by long, thick black locks. He can make out a faded scar across the right side of her face almost hidden by her hair which only brought further attention to her piercing eyes.

I am in deep trouble, Ardyn thought. All feeling of awe for this woman vanished when she grabbed fistfuls of his tunic in both of her hands and pulled back harshly, forcing Ardyn to his feet. The movement made his head spin for a moment and the ache throughout his body prominent. He groans at the discomfort and nearly stumbles over if not for the woman before him keeping him steady.

“On your feet,” she commanded, “There is much to be done.”

“What is happening?”

“Look around.”

He almost wished he didn’t. Honey eyes took in the world around him and to his horror, everything was set ablaze. When he awoke this morning, he predicted an uneventful and peaceful night, but no star can be seen. Instead, dancing colors of red and orange fill the streets of his beloved home, and from it, black smoke rises and swirls to the sky. He sees debris scattered from fallen buildings, his people scattered. There’s so much screaming. When Ardyn thought it could not be any worse, he hears what sounds like a great cry echoing around him and shortly after a hulking mass of fire hurls over laying another structure next to them to waste. The Seeker pulls Ardyn out of the way of the collapsing debris that threatened to crush him. He turns his head over to where the shout came from and spots a giant, horned being standing high and looking down upon the city. His appearance similar to that of a young man, with long dark hair and the most intense glare, a glare nearly as frightening as the blazing sword he held in his hands and speaking in tongues unfamiliar to the prince that shook the very air. This giant….

“Ifrit, the Infernian?! Why is the god of fire attacking the empire?”

The Seeker keeps an eye on their surroundings, moving herself and Ardyn along with her men through the burning city-streets. “It seems to be for Man's hubris, believing themselves to be better than the gods who created them.”

The prince eyed her incredulously. Solheim worshipped the god, it was because of him that this small civilization grew to become the greatest superpower in all of Eos. It was his compassion that garnered the love of the Glacian and their subjects. It didn’t make sense to Ardyn.

“What? What blasphemy is this?” He grabs her shoulder, forcing her to turn to him. If the Infernian doesn’t kill him, her glare will. Still, he wanted to know, “How come by you this claim?!”

She seemed…taken off-guard by his question, her head tilted to the side slightly. The calculating glint in her eyes somehow felt more imposing than he initially thought, as if she didn’t believe him a single bit. “Can you not…?” she trails off, silver challenges gold and within those eyes, the Seeker felt a genuine warmth in his honesty, in his incredulity. Another moment passes, and she tears away from the staredown and Ardyn hears another sigh escape her lips. He gathers that the woman does that when she’s annoyed….which apparently happens often.

“This seems to be more a test of patience than a test of faith,” she finally speaks after the uncomfortable silence before waving her arm forward, as signal for all to keep moving. “And I am ever losing both.”

“Speak not in riddles! Explain to me what is going on?” He was running now, alongside the Seeker and her men. The Memorians were moving about in a way that suggests that they were keeping an eye out for an ambush. What else is after them? Ardyn was not only confused, he was getting anxious. He noticed something very important as they sprinted through the burning streets and further away from the Infernian. “Where is Marcius?”

“Unconscious but alive. My men are tending to him further ahead.”

Ardyn sighs in relief. “And Sir Monitus?” There is an unmistakable grave tone in her silence. He couldn’t see her face, but he didn’t need to. “Forgi-”

“Save your sympathies for after we have survived this,” she quickly cuts him off.

Considering everything that’s going on at the moment, the suggestion was sound and he decided not to press further. “Right. There are airships on the northern side. We can use those to escape.”

The Seeker shouts directions to her fellow Memorians. “You heard him. We make way to the northern side.”

As they were running, Ardyn spotted several citizens frantically running about. So many injured and in fear. Men, women, children.

“What about my people? They must know where to go.”

“Your safety is our only concern.” Ardyn stops running entirely, forcing the Seeker and the rest of the Memorians to halt as well. She narrows her eyes at his action.

He meets her glare, bringing his body closer to hers, using his larger frame to his advantage to appear opposing and challenging. “Wait,” he said, “We cannot just leave them. For what reason do you have to weigh a prince above his people? If lives are lost for my sake then my life means nothing!”

Despite being smaller than him, she steps up to him as well. “Then you truly know nothing of what is at stake. Now, move.”

His brow raises, she must have a habit of ordering around others – a noblewoman? A general? It would explain the late Sero Monitus' address to her although he didn’t call her as such. It takes two to powerplay. “Or what? You’ll kill me?”

Before he can press further, he feels something cold…and rather sharp against his neck. The unmistakable edge of a blade. The Seeker must have unsheathed it from beneath his cloak without his notice. At some point, she and her men retrieved their weapons once chaos broke loose. He nearly had to strain his neck to avoid the sharp edge himself, then he hears the Seeker say...

“Putting you back to sleep would be an effortless feat.”

This struck a nerve with Ardyn. Did this mean that this woman was the one who knocked him out in the first place? Is it possible…that she put him in that strange place? Was it even real? What happened in that carriage? Perhaps she also knew how to read minds as she spoke up once again.

“You want answers,” she said, withdrawing her dagger back beneath the shadows of her long cloak. “I understand. But there is no time. Not if you wish to survive this and save your loved ones.”

Her words forced Ardyn to think of his mother, his father…Somnus…Marcius. Although he loathed his mind for thinking so, on instinct his body pushed onward. The unbearable heat from all around him, the anxiety of having foreign bodyguards, namely the Seeker, bent on keeping him alive, a raging god he once idolized himself in his youth for his benevolence and power now destroying his beloved home, the very real and grave possibility that he may not see his family and friends again – it all left a sinking feeling in his chest making it more than the smoke that made it hard for him to breathe.

He almost wished that it was all just a mad dream, but Ardyn looks down upon his own hand. The ring sitting on his finger was proof of it, the crystal glinting off of the bright flames dancing furiously around them. This is real. He wanted to know how it all came to be, what this trinket was, and if by the end of it all, he’ll live to see to see the smoke clear.

#ardyn #ardyn lucis caelum #ardyn izunia #ardyn's past #solheim #memories of the forgotten #my story #my writing #ifrit #ifrit the infernian #seeker

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writinanon · 6 years

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Horsemen Tales

All of the parts for the Horseman of the Apocalypse AU where in the Deputy is the White Horse, Conquest as well as the baby sibling of all of the Horsemen and wants to keep Hope County all to herself as her little slice of the World. This will be an on going series as other Characters meet Rook’s Siblings.

Faith blinked when she hadn’t heard from the Deputy in a while and decided to look in on them. They were sitting with a few of her soon to be Angels talking about something animatedly.

“It’s so dumb. You shouldn’t be called Angels. Angels are fuckin’ losers. They all have daddy issues and can’t hold their liquor for shit. An’ they’re so frickin’ slow. Only good thing ‘bout Demons is they is fast. Like it’s a little difficult to fights with ‘em on account of how fast they can be.” She said, loudly. That was a shock because if there was one thing about the Deputy that was known among the Seeds it was that she was fairly quiet, even when screaming in pain at made it was a muffled shout. But this was loud, brassy, almost yelling. Faith was concerned before she noticed the fact that the Angels were completely still. She checked the tank system set to pump Bliss into the room and found the tank completely empty. That should have killed the Deputy. Faith slowly opened the door and the Deputy took notice instantly, moving faster than the other woman could blink, Rook stood before her with a grin on her face. “Lil’ button! I was wonderin’ when you’d come back! Guys look it’s my little button.” Rook, who was easily six inches shorter than Faith, lifted her into the air with ease and carried her into the room. Upon further inspection all of the would-be Angels were indeed dead but that didn’t seem to bother the Deputy.

“Deputy?”

“Yesh?” The Deputy was tying Faith’s hair into braids.

“How long have you been in here?” The Bliss was making her head dizzy.

“Hm? Since you left me. Your pump is broken. Didn’ stop the fuzzy.”

“Oh?” Faith’s head was starting to swim.

“Yeah. You know what it’s a nice day out let’s go outside.” And suddenly they were in a large field. Faith tensed as the Deputy continued to braid her hair. “I like that it’s not very humid right now. Spring and Fall are the best because of the warm sunlight and you only need a little coat.”

“What?”

“Coats? I don’t like ‘em. So heavy and not comfy. Infact Harlow usually likes ta eat ‘em. Literally feeding off my dislike.”

“Who is Harlow?”

“You haven’t met Harlow?” The Deputy sounded utterly shocked. “You have to meet Harlow.” And then they gave this long and eerie whistle. Hoof beats filled the air and then a startlingly white horse, it was impossible to tell if it was a Stallion or a Mare, was suddenly standing next to them. It was a massive horse, how the Deputy rode it would be a sight.

“Say ‘lo to Harlow!” She giggled happily.

“Hello.” Faith faintly realized that there was a farm house in the distance, one she hadn’t seen before. “Rook is that your house?” Faith needed to get the others. Joseph would know what to do.

“Yep. Just moved in an’ all. It’s on a fisher so the self-righteous pricks can’t find me. I don’t wanna start the end of the world. Specially not now. I got a baby.” The Deputy flopped backward and the horse nuzzled her face. “Tickles Harlow.” She hummed, not sounding the least bit bothered.

“Would you mind if I used your phone?”

“Who ya callin’? Is it the beardy ones?” Rook’s eyes flashed in amusement. “Not for nothin’ Button but I’d rather not have tiny beardy one tryin’ ta give me more tats or big beardy one makin’ noise with the lil’ box. Though if he brings the puppies I could live with it. You’ll get him to bring the puppies, right?”

“Of course. But I have to call them first.”

“Okay.” She whined and then gave the flower patch next to her. “Don’t gotta go to the house ta call y’know.”

Jacob, Joseph, and John found themselves in a large field. Faith was sitting with the Deputy next to a large white horse that was wearing several flower crowns and the Deputy was explaining something.

“So you see it wasn’t really rats that carried the plague but Giant Gerbils! Also callin’ it the Black Death was entirely dramatic English people.”

“I see. And you didn’t end the world then because?”

“There were three Popes. I wanted to see a Pope fight.” Faith caught sight of them and was about to say something when John was practically lifted into the air and there was a whinny. “Harlow! Coats are not for eating!”

“Your Horse is attempting to eat me!” John shrieked and the Deputy rolled her eyes and stumbled to stand up before walking, a bit wobbly, over.

“Harlow doesn’t eat people.” She replied in a condescending tone as she grabbed his arms and yanked, tearing him free. “Harlow and Seneca don’t like meat. Now Sela or Gemma on the other hand might but I think they like less crunchy meals. You’re so skinny.” She poked his ribs.

“Deputy.” Joseph called her attention as the horse was now happily munching on the part of John’s coat that it managed to keep. “Perhaps you could tell us how we came to be here?”

“Well not to alarm you but your parents had sex. Unprotected sex most likely.”

The Deputy watched as Jacob and Joseph argued over what to do while she continued to braid flowers into Faith’s hair.

“Would you like a flower crown John?” Faith asked pleasantly and he glanced over from his sulking, still upset over his coat. Harlow was sitting at the Deputy’s back. Upon further inspection it was a White Arabian Stallion. For her to have an actually White Arabian was a good argument for the Horse to actually be supernatural in origin as White Arabians were rare and usually just grey that looked white at a distance. It nickered at him and blinked large dark eyes innocently.

“No.” He snapped and then felt the world shift and he was laying down with his head in the Deputy’s lap. She smiled at him and ran her fingers through his hair.

“Don’t be silly everyone should wear a crown. Crowns are great see?” She pointed to the simple band of white gold that wrapped around her head. “Though modern crowns aren’t really practical, it’s hard to go into battle with them. They’re like a huge beacon of stab me.” He could feel her twisting and folding flowers into his hair but he was struck with how peaceful her face was at the moment, eyes still blown to the point that her honey brown was barely visible.

“What sort of Horses do your siblings ride?” Faith asked, Jacob snorted still not believing it despite there being no other clear explanation.

“Well Seneca, Billy’s Mount is a dappled grey Arabian. Arabians are great. They’re the oldest breed in the world. Ephraim’s Mount is a Menorquín it’s such a pretty horse and it’s really fast. They’re one of the only breeds that is pure black and has to be pure black or with only minor white markings to qualify as bred true. Conall’s Mount is really big. It’s a Percheron and its coat is such a dark red it looks black. We don’t know how me managed that, we think he had help from one of his Nephilim friends. My Harlow and Billy’s Seneca are both stallions and Sela and Gemma are really nice mares. I think I could call them.” Another loud whistle passed the Deputy’s lips. There was a long pause but just as Jacob was about to claim victory three sets of thundering hoofbeats filled the field. Only the Horses weren’t without their Riders. “Oh hi?”

“Rook, sweetheart is this where ya been hidin’?” The red gold haired one rumbled like a coming storm. He looked over the Seeds before dismounting. He was taller than Jacob by a few inches and was just as broad across the shoulders. His hair was clipped short to his head but what was there was spiked out. His eyes were a deep maroon color, almost looking like blood. His skin was pale but covered in freckles. He was wearing fatigues but they had no completely identifying marks on them. There was a sword strapped to the saddle, the leather of its handle was dyed red. Next to him was a tall thin man with sharp features. He had a set of scales tattooed on his wrist and was wearing loose fit jeans and a white button up shirt. The final member was the same height as the Deputy and was black. Her hair was in loose curls that bounced as she moved. She was wearing a black leather jacket and a pair of black jeans and biker boots. Her cinnamon eyes were bright and all knowing.

“No?” She murmured and attempted to hide behind John.

“Why are you hiding behind me?”

“Because if he sees what you did to my chest there won’t be enough of you left to fill out that coat of yours.”

“What did he do to your chest?”

“Nothing!”

The Seeds were sitting around the Deputy’s dinner table. The Deputy was grumbling about being hung over, head buried in her arms while Conall sat as a livid sentry next to her.

“Rook you have until the end of breakfast to explain why we shouldn’t feed them to Sela and Gemma.” Ephraim placed a plate of eggs, sausage, toast, and fruit in front of her. Blood shot eyes narrowed at him as she reached for her fork.

“Stupidly attractive.” She mumbled, reverting back to her quieter self now. “Make good pets.”

“Honey you think everyone would make a good pet.” Billy remarked as she sliced into an apple, eating the chunk off her knife.

“Religious, strong, unafraid of blood, button.”

“Also, have tortured you mentally and physically, left you to die in a burning helicopter, and want to torture you further.” Conall countered.

“Let me have Button?”

The Ryes were utterly shocked when Rook arrived, on horseback where did she even get a horse most of them were taken by the Seeds, followed by three others, also riding horses.

“Hey.” Rook waved and then motioned to the others as they dismounted. “My siblings.” She edged closer and Kim knew to hand over Skylar without a second guess. Rook smiled and cooed gently down at the baby as her siblings moved closer. The tall redhead reminded Nick a little too much of Jacob, if Jacob was even bigger and didn’t shave the sides of his head like a hipster. He nervously kept his hand near his gun but the large man looked over Rook’s shoulder and smiled.

“Ain’t she a little sweetheart.” His voice was like the distant roll of thunder.

“Let me see you giant.” The thin skinny one muttered pushing him away and leaning closer. “Oh, she is just precious. Have you given her a Blessing yet? I could do it if you don’t want to.”

“Humans stay human Ephraim. Remember last time?”

“We agreed never to speak of that again.” He frowned at her and narrowed his eyes. “Fine I’ll Bless the house then, ha! Can’t stop me from blessing a house. Houses aren’t people.”

“Ask first.” Rook smiled fondly.

“Kimberly and Nicolas of the Rye Family would you allow me to honor my sister’s patronage of your child with a Blessing?” He bowed to them.

“Uh sure?” Nick and Kim looked at each other, wondering what their friend had gotten them into.

“Wonderful.” He seemed to bounce, like Rook did after she successfully liberated an outpost, whispering conquered to herself half the time.

“She’ll be an absolute beauty when she grows up. Better limit her time with my baby sister or she might become a runner for a Disney princess too.”

“Animals are better than people.” Rook mumbled and tickled little Skylar getting a giggle. “Most people.” She tacked on and smiled at them.

The Ryes now had to live with the fact that they were going to periodically live with the Horsemen of the Apocalypse dropping by to coo sweet nothings at their daughter, and any possible future children. Rook had sat them down after handing Skylar to Conall and he instantly started blowing raspberries into her pudgy stomach. She explained what she was, what they were, and that she would understand if they chose to revoke the agreement of her godparent status.

“Like hell no way those bastards are gonna be able to touch my daughter with someone like you watching over her.” Nick had said instantly and Kim smacked him upside the head.

“As long as you’re still Rook I don’t care what you are.” Kim smiled and Rook had hugged them both tightly before they went into the living room and found Billy holding Skylar while Ephraim and Conall argued over who should give her a horse. “Y’know she’ll probably not be able to ride it if the world ends.” Kim said casually taking her baby back when Billy offered. Billy smirked at her, eyes glittering in that all-knowing way that all depictions of Death seemed to have.

“Rook’s already called off the End. It’s really put that Preacher out but he seemed cheered by the knowledge that he could now actively try to pursue her.”

“Joseph gives me the heebie-jeebies.” Nick shuddered and Rook shrugged.

“Pretty eyes, nice voice.”

“I still think you should reconsider your choices. What of that one we visited the other day? The nervous mountain man? Sure, he could use a trim all around but he seemed like a fine specimen for a pet.” Conall stated. “Also? I don’t care how many Wolves he has the Mongrel is going to have to do some serious groveling.”

John blinked when Rook pulled the arrow out of her leg and raised an eyebrow at him. She flashed bright gold eyes at him before cutting down the last of his men. Before he could intervene, he felt the back of his fixed coat being lifted into the air. Rook grinned and sauntered over to him.

“Playing with the big boys now.” She stood on tiptoe and tapped his nose before punching him in the stomach and knocking the air from his lungs. There was a rip and he fell to the ground. She knelt over him and chuckled sticking a flower into his beard before mounting her Horse and vanishing into the trees like she was never there.

Faith watched as Rook stripped down and then walked into the river. There were scars littering her body, none of which were recent. Her back was the worst area and has what looked like whip marks. Without really thinking Faith stripped herself and followed the Deputy into the water. Rook glanced lazily over her shoulder, she was much more relaxed now that her secret was known and she didn’t have to keep up the act of being completely human.

“Button.”

“Why do you call me that?” She had been curious since the Horseman had first called her though, laughing madly.

“Little button nose. It’s cute.” Rook reached out and traced the bridge of Faith’s nose down to the tip before tapping it and smiling softly.

Joseph was mildly unnerved as the pair of brothers sat in the pews of his church listening to his sermon. Were it not for the fact that they stood out so utterly he might not have even noticed them. And then the doors of his church were kicked open and in walked the Deputy, unimpressed. She grabbed her Siblings by the ears and dragged them out. She could have at least stayed for the end of services if she was going to be dramatic about it.

Jacob growled as he was without prey once again for the third week in a row. He knew it was the skinny one, Famine. War was far less subtle and had ruined six months of hard work by undoing the conditioning on several of his best soldiers.

Rook lay in her fields with her head in her oldest sibling’s lap. Billy hummed softly and raked her fingers through thick hair.

“I’m not going to try and talk you out of it, but maybe you should consider a leash if you do actually take them as pet?”

“Hm.”

“The redhead is into that isn’t he?”

“Mhm.” Billy sighed and shook her head.

“At least your goddaughter is cute.”

“Love all my little pets.” Hope County belonged to Conquest, every single Soul inside it was hers.

#Far Cry 5 AU #Conquest Deputy Rook #Horses are better than People #Harlow will eat all the coats #All of them #Hope County belongs to Rook she's just letting you live there

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plush-anon · 4 years

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plush reviews: pirates ahoy! (collected)

for my own personal reference, decided to collect the singular posts into one, w/ breaks between each original post below the cut

I will say this, the opening credits for this one are pretty dang good - nice visuals flow together with some wonderful music to create a compelling overview of the Bermuda Triangle and some of the wild theories commonly associated with it, as well as how far back these myths go. Kudos 🤗

also, I did not realize how short this movie is - paused it for a second and it’s only 70 minutes long apparently. huh

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oh man, good times - I forgot how stilted and choppy the WNSD animation could get in some shots.

annnnnd there’s the cotton candy fog. it moves like it’s on a skateboard being pulled across the screen XD

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finally cut to the gang - i honestly like this shot of everyone in the car. daphne paints her nails like my sister used to when we were young - on the dashboard on long car rides 😅 the nausea from the smell led to some “fun” trips, lemme tell ya

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oh Casey Kasem, even in old age your Shaggy was memorably good

also the joke on Fred’s age never gets old XD like, you guys grew up together as kids in this continuity, how could you not know his age, much less that he’s obvs not in his 40s? still a fun one tho

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another thing i forgot about WNSD continuity - Shaggy’s character model being like 2 feet taller than Fred in some shots

also the gang being legitimate friends and liking each other and getting along, unlike some portrayals *side-eyes sdmi*

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i think this is my fave version of fred’s parents, although i do love Professor Huh from be cool scooby doo. they are EXACTLY how i picture the people who raised the sdway/wnsd version of Fred to be

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holy crap, i forgot Kathy Najimy was in this

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actually, here’s a thought: why haven’t they graduated Frank Welker to playing Fred’s dad in a show, and hired someone else to play Fred?

granted, the man still (uncannily I might add) sounds exactly like he did in the 60s (hOW?!?) but it’s strange they haven’t tried to do that yet apart from maybe pup named sd, where he played fred’s… uncle, i think and i guess kind of with the new scoob 2020 movie, where he only plays scooby

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…i think the captain of the ship just got beamed aboard the Enterprise o_O

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the alien has the general head shape of the ones from Alien Invaders and the claw hands of dr claw from inspector gadget

also, whoever designs fred’s facial expressions in this movie is having waaaay too much fun (although kudos for actually… you know… making them. some characters have very minimal face movement and it’s rather unsettling, especially when the voice acting is actually pretty decent)

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i gotta say, good on fred’s parents for encouraging their son’s interests and talents, as well as getting him a birthday gift that he can not only enjoy, but also inviting his friends along for.

…unlike SOME incarnations *glares at sdmi*

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holy fcuk shaggy just brought back the ghost of captain cutler, glow-in-the-dark diving suit and all O_O

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dang, velma’s lounge wear looks cozy. i’m glad they haven’t tried to force her into something weird

camp scare put her in a white bathing suit, which was… really odd for her, color scheme wise. altho the storyboard artists reaaaaaally wanted to do a drawn out, slo-mo play-in-the-water thing with velma and daphne in that one, so maybe that contributed to it? idk

---

i do like that the gang inadvertently solves every mystery on a mystery cruise - that cracks me up

---

cripes, they keep cutting back and forth between a decently animated shot of the gang on a polished background, and this almost MS Paint looking rough animation of the castaway being guided on the deck, which is all flat colors and rough black lines. it looks terrible

the animation quality is all over the place here

---

and suddenly man in a jetpack

---

RON PERLMAN?!?!?

how the FRICK did they get him on this movie cast?! this is post-hellboy!

( also apparently arsenio hall voices the captain. who the heck had all these high rollers on speed-dial at the studio that day)

---

actually, here’s a thought: given the voice cast we have, and how i’m actually able to follow this without having to look at the screen all the time (i’m folding laundry rn), this could make for a really decent comedy mystery radio show.

think about it! get a decent voice cast and writing team, and there’s a lot you can do with Scooby on the radio. you may not be able to do the chase scenes as well, but those can be worked around pretty easily with a solid writing team. i’d be interested in seeing that come to reality in all honesty - it could be fun!

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another thing i just noticed: Scooby hasn’t talked NEARLY as much in this one as he does in later shows/movies. I forgot how much I missed that from him

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wait a tic that’s Dan Castellaneta as the hypnotist

seriously, who was able to get all these people on board for a Scooby Doo DTV about pirates

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now here’s an interesting moment/snafu: Shaggy and Scooby canNOT be hypnotized, according to this movie, but the clown in SDWAY was able to hypnotize them both using the exact same method - a gold circular object on a chain swung back and forth.

then there was Legend of the Phantasaur much much later able to hypnotize Shaggy so successfully he overcame his panic disorder

was it because they weren’t allowed to eat prior? their meal was continuously interrupted before they were dragged onstage. maybe being actively hungry and denied food when it’s right in front of them blocks them from being hypnotized properly…?, idk but it’s food for thought, for sure 😁

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ehehe, one of the background guests is wearing a Tin Man costume from the Wizard of Oz

alas, this is prolly as close to a crossover as I’ll ever get between my first two fandoms ever and maybe that’s for the best

(honestly kind of surprised there's never been a scooby themed oz-related adventure tbh public domain and recognizeable)

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it took about half an hour into the movie for the title villains to actually encounter the gang, or almost exactly halfway through the movie. that’s actually pretty odd for a scooby movie, isn’t it? especially when they haven’t encountered any other mystery except the fake-y ones (a lot start off with an in-progress mystery to finish up before being introduced to the main)

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welp, villain’s been spoiled, it’s ron perlman’s character as the pirate captain…

*sighs* Pirate Captain Skunkbeard

like… you get freaking Slade from the teen titans, Hellboy Himself, to voice your baddy… and you give him a name like Skunkbeard.

could have been something cool like Capt Barnaby Bones, or Cuthbert Butcher the Red Pirate, or SteelHook Slater, or Morgan “Moonscar” McWright (okay, that one’s been used before, but the point stands dammit!)

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holy moly, one of the pirates just tried to cut scooby and shaggy’s head off with an actual blade

it cut clean through their costume heads with one swipe

jesus christ on a bike, what is WRONG with you?!?!

(sometimes these scooby dtvs have moments like this. moments that explain how it is shag and scoob have what is likely ptsd for days)

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*gang follows trail of oozy green liquid sheen to the pirate ship*

now see, i thought those wooden ships weren’t supposed to pollute the oceans back in the day

(tho it does work as a solid clue i’ll grant em that)

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shaggy, why aren’t you more excited to go into the cotton candy fog? it’s clearly grape and green apple flavored!

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…i think one pirate just killed another one during that sea shanty there

brutal

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so i didn’t mention earlier, but tim conway is fred’s dad, and i think he’s the only voice star in this i’m not surprised at - he’s been on the new scooby doo mysteries as their celebrity guest of the week, so him coming back is more like a belated reunion

that being said, his voice work here varies wildly between ‘what the heck take was that’ and ‘hysterical’ - it’s quite odd

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and suddenly the cruise ship is sunk, and the gang is on an island

alrighty then

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the captions are cracking me up right now - not a single one has spelled “bananas” right

it only spells it as “banas” 🤣🤣🤣

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“Prepare to suffer the wrath of Capt Skunkbeard!”

…nope, that’s still not intimidating. try again sir.

(truly i am made to sail the seas, for i am salty af on this name)

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‘Seize them!’

fade to black

come back in on gang tied to the pirate ship mast

…really? the gang has escaped far worse than a group of pirates before (and usually to some funky tunes), and you’re saying they were captured just like that?

fred, please tell me this is a plan of yours, otherwise this is just dumb

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sooo the pirates want to find a place that matches a painting of stars from 200 years ago… without ever stopping to consider that the painting could just be a pretty picture?

it’s a small painting, and i don’t think that star maps were really used like that back in the 1800s when it was purportedly made (at least not from what they look like on wikipedia… none of them look like pretty wall paintings)

these pirates are kinda dumb, methinks

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the ghosts of the bermuda triangle, including world war fighter places, old exploration ships, and a sea monster are apparently trying to stop the pirates

because the pirates want to time travel and rule the sea throughout time

and they needed the pretty pretty picture to lead them to the time travel macguffin they want to retrieve… which is also the sole reason the Bermuda Triangle is all bermuda triangly to begin with, when it fell to earth from space itself.

…say what now?

...that has to be one of the dumbest time travel plots i've ever heard and i sat through endgame twice

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the macguffin is a solid gold meteor

a giant hunk of gold literally as larger as twenty of the pirates put together, and you want to use it to time travel instead of selling that shit and being made for life

why are none of you smart

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yet again i see scooby shoot someone with an item that should have killed them outright and ended the mystery right there

moon monster madness had scooby shoot the alien with a missile on the moon, and pirates ahoy has him shoot a cannon at someone point blank with only a wooden door immediately between them

shrapnel should have shredded that pirate to bits, if even that much was left after that

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okay, the time travel thing turns out to be a hoax the hypnotist uses to convince the billionaire to finance his search for the literal meteor of solid gold located in the heart of the Bermuda Triangle

that’s a relief at least - Scooby Doo has done some weird shit in its days, but time travel does not need to be one of them

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well, at least we finally have the answer to who would win in a fight - homer simpson or scooby doo?

(obvs scooby, of course :D)

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according to velma, everyone on the cruise was hypnotized into believing they were pirates (including fred’s mom), but doesn’t hypnotism only work if the person actually subconsciously agrees with/goes along with the suggestions?

does that mean that at least one person on the cruise ship wanted to behead someone, since they nearly succeeded with Shag and Scoob? does that mean the fred’s mom secretly wants to kill her husband, since she tried to have him thrown overboard the ship while she was hypnotized?

the questions this raises, they are unsettling thoughts indeed 😨

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“Wouldn’t you like a nice ski trip to the Himalayas?”

“And risk a run in with the Abominable Snowman?! Forget it!”

exactly one year later (no joke, it came out exactly one year later):

“Join Scooby and Shaggy as they run in terror from the Abominable Snowman in the Himalayas, in Chill Out Scooby Doo!”

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And that was Scooby Doo Pirates Ahoy!

That was a relatively fun, if dumb, done-in-one mystery. What really saves this one (especially given the REALLY inconsistent animation quality, from acceptable to ‘someone used MS Paint didn’t they?’ levels) was the voice cast. I don’t know what blackmail they had on these guys, but the voice acting was really dang good.

Probably too good - the bad guys’ voices are so memorable you know immediately who they are when you hear them.

The time travel spiel was unbelievably dumb, only saved by the fact it was a hypnotic ruse, and some of the stuff doesn’t quite mesh that well? Like the padding on the desert island, and some of the really weird plot contrivances like the painting being the exact map to a giant ass solid gold meteor :/

Still, a solid set-up (mystery cruise in the Bermuda Triangle) with some new elements (Fred’s parents, an absolute delight) make it a fun film for the wee ones. I’d call this a keeper at the end of the day.

Then again, I really have forgotten how nice it is to see the gang as actual supporting friends and have it feel sincere. Be Cool Scooby Doo was mostly for humor, but the kids still felt like they liked each other well enough.

WNSD on the other hand really made them feel like actual friends, based on body language around each other, general closeness, and a warm comradery that’s hard to replicate. For the flaws this show has, this is certainly not one of them.

That’s all for tonight folks. Sleep well, me hardies yo ho!

#plush reviews #pirates ahoy!#plush reviews: final thoughts

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onlyfools-fall-foryou · 7 years

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So I wrote for the school magazine but this was never published because we ran out of time. Long story. Just gonna post this here.

Lina’s Completely Self-Indulgent To-do List for You and Me

Most of these listed items are pretty mature. By that, I mean high school and older.

Upcoming Movies: Dunkirk Why don’t we just watch all of Christopher Nolan’s movies while we’re at it? Dunkirk is, yes, another WWII movie on the side of the Allies, but it’s a Nolan film, so I’m not complaining. Nobody’s complaining. Like Nolan films, it’s incredibly star-studded, with his usual Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy etc. Nolan really hasn’t given away anything by his short and simple trailers, other than what people already know about the Battle of Dunkirk. (Spoilers, they get rescued.) Release Date: July 21, USA

Spider-man: Homecoming Can I just say, I am loving new spidey. That guy is ador(k)able. Marvel is finally giving us the sassy teenage Peter that we didn’t know we needed. Release Date: July 5, Finland

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets Luc Besson, director of /Leon, Nikita, and The Fifth Element/ decided to turn the futuristic sci-fi time-traveling comic series, /Valerian and Laureline,/ into a movie starring Dane DeHaan and the beautiful, beautiful Cara Delevingne. (I was slightly obsessed with Cara Delevingne in 2016.) Let’s just hope that Cara is better at acting here than she was in /Paper Towns/. Release Date: July 21, USA

Detroit From the only female director who has won the Academy Award for Best Director, Kathryn Bigelow, director of /The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty,/ comes another possibly scarring, possibly life-changing movie based on modern historical events. (By modern, I mean 50 years ago.) This time, it’s about the Algiers Motel Incident, taken place during the 1967 12th Street Riot that left three black males dead and two white females and seven black males brutally beaten by the police. Remember when I said this would be scarring? It stars John Boyega and many other beauties. Release Date: August 4, USA

The Dark Tower This is the beginning of a possible movie franchise adapted from Stephen King’s novel series of the same name. Starring Idris Elba as our formidable hero and Matthew McConaughey as our mysterious villain. If you’ve read any Stephen King or seen any adaptations, notably I’ve seen /The Mist,/ you know they’re chilling and terrifying and scarring. Watch with caution. Release Date: August 4, USA

Movies If you’re a nerd who likes to spend most of their life in a screen like me, just invest in a Netflix account (unfortunately, I get nothing out of this promo). And, all the Netflix original shows are top notch because Netflix goes all out on their shows. (Edit: DON’T TRUST NETFLIX. THEY MIGHT CANCEL YOUR FAVOURITE SHOW.)

Patriots Day (2016) It’s about the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings. Apparently watching it the first time around is the best, according to my brother who watched it twice. For the first 20 minutes or so, you’re so tense because it’s just people getting ready for the marathon and you know what’s about to happen. That was interesting, because the movie did try to tense us up, but it didn’t try that hard. It was mostly our knowledge of the bombings that did most of the work. Most of the characters are real people, except for the main character played by Mark Wahlberg, who is fictional. It leaves you sweating from your pores (and tear ducts) at the end of the movie so drink some water before starting.

Moulin Rouge! (2001) If you’re into music, beautiful people dancing and singing, renditions of pop songs like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “Like a Virgin,” you should watch this sort of rom-com/rom-tragedy starring Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman. Go read my other article on page * for some extra info.

Inglourious Basterds (2009) Glorious cinematography. Glorious deaths. Glorious acting. The opening scene is pure gold. It’s one of those scenes you get completely lost in. It also gets you sweating from your pores. Everything from the cinematography and the acting and the set and music and everything is just so well done. Everyone who has seen this scene knows what I’m talking about. And of course, Mélanie Laurent is (one of) the main character(s) so that’s a lot of, em, eye cleansing.

Twilight (2008) Just kidding.

TV The Get Down Go read my other article on page *. Tl;dr: About the origin of hip hop in 1977 Bronx told around beautiful brown young adults with voices of angels.

Lost You have probably head of /Lost/, whether it’s something good or bad. Lost is infamous for its bad ending, which, I don’t think is that bad, but who cares about an ending when everything else is good? The premise is, a bunch of people were on a plane going from Sydney to LA but it crashes on an island. For the first couple episodes, you might think it’s just another survival show, but boy you are wrong. The episodes vary from present to flashback, the centric-character changing every episode. Try not to cringe too hard as Daniel Dae Kim completely ruins the Korean language. Lost is one of the shows I only watch when I have a lot of time because it and its soundtrack completely emotionally ruins me.

Books Sorry, this list may be shorter than the others because I shamefully admit, I don’t read as much as I watch. (Stop judging me, I know my brain cells are dying.)

Harry Potter Need I say more? If you haven’t read Harry Potter, where have you been and where is your integrity?

13 Reasons Why I read this book in the summer of 2015 and it was one of those books I couldn’t put down, not because it was so fun to read, but because my stomach was shaking with uncomfortable angst and I had to get it over with in order for my life to move on. It’s about a teenage boy who gets a mysterious tape one day. On the tape is a recording that a sort-of-friend/ex-crush, Hannah, made before she killed herself. The thirteen reasons are, yes, why she killed herself and are directed at 12 people in total (it goes to a person twice). It deals with some pretty mature content like sex, sexual assault, and obviously suicide. I think I was a little young to understand the book to its full potential, because the book is heavily about the relationship of Hannah and everyone around her and I didn’t realize relationships were so hard at the time.

Percy Jackson Yes, I can hear you snickering about how big of a nerd I am. I admit, I was obsessed with Percy Jackson, still low-key am, but to be fair, so was my mom! Whenever we would get a new book, my mom, brother, and I would pass it around none too patiently. Percy Jackson is definitely more for younger kids, i.e. middle school, because the level of darkness and death sort of stays the same throughout, unlike Harry Potter that matures along with us, becoming darker and darker. If you don’t know who Percy Jackson is, he’s the son of a mortal and Poseidon. He then struggles to save the world every book. The series really educates you in a fun way on Greek (and later, Roman, Egyptian, Norse, and who knows what next) mythology and it’s fun to see how the writer portrayed his Godly characters. It’s just a really, really fun read. Another perk is Rick Riordan seems to keep writing books, so the series doesn’t seem to ever end.

Music

Hamilton If you’re into American history, people of color, hip-hop, bromance, and death, listen to this amazing cast album of Hamilton: An American Musical (or watch the bootleg). Basically the story of Alexander Hamilton’s life, through childhood in the Caribbeans, coming to New York where dreams are made of, the American Revolution, trying to set up a government and finally his death. Will you become a non-functioning human for a couple days while you finish it? Yes. Will you start violently sobbing when you hear the name John Laurens? Yes. Will you start breaking into song and rap when you know you can’t sing or rap? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes.

Harry Styles Following the classic tradition of naming your debut album after yourself, Harry Styles comes back to the music industry with this album that is completely different from One Direction (before they started writing their own songs, so this album more like MITAM). After a year (and a half) of being in the new Nolan movie (life goals right there mm mm.) and chilling in the Caribbeans, he randomly dropped news of his single “Sign of the Times” and the rest of his album in April. The album is like a time capsule from the 2007s with a mix of the 1970-80s, giving off rock god and sappy indie breakup band vibes at the same time. I’m actually listening to it as I’m writing this right now, and gosh it is good. It’s Harry doing everything he couldn’t do in a band, every song has him straining his vocal cords and (*wipes away proud tear*) you can just imagine him jumping around stage and having the time of his life.

Other

Duolingo.com (Like I said, I get 0 money out of this.) Duolingo is a website for, you may have guessed it from “duo” and “lingo,” learning languages. It’s completely free, these people don’t even require you to “upgrade your account” to do all the languages. There are most of the European languages, some Asian languages like Vietnamese (Japanese and Korean etc are in progress), Swahili, and Klingon (in progress). You can choose how seriously you want to learn and set your daily XP goal. It sends you an email and application notification so you don’t forget (but of course you can turn it off) and there’s an app too. If you do it intensively (really intensively, like a couple hundred XPs a day), I think finishing a language course during the summer is possible. It’s such a good and wholeful website/app. I’m currently learning Norwegian so if anyone wants to join, halla at me!

Learn How to Box Finally, a non-nerd item on this list! More broadly, get in the habit of working out. Whatever we’re going to do in the future, we need the stamina for it, even if you’re just going to sit at a desk all day. I’m only putting boxing up there as an example because it’s fun and it makes you feel powerful. Not that I’m an expert or anything, I did like four months and quit (lol) but I still work out in various ways. Grab a friend and convince them to go with you. Working up a sweat, even for a short time, generally makes you happy. I don’t know how much this applies to other people, but personally, I spend my workout minutes giggling most of the time. When I’m doing something really challenging, I start manically laughing. This is also an excuse for you to get your mom to let you out of the horrible cycle of hagwons and tutors!

#dunkirk #valerian and the city of a thousand planets #spider man: homecoming #the dark tower #Detroit #patriot's day #the get down #moulin rouge #inglorious basterds #lost #harry potter #harry styles #hamilton #thirteen reasons why #skam #percy jackson #Duolingo

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redrobin-detective · 7 years

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Far from the Tree

This is something that came to me while I was taking a bath earlier and I don't know, I like it? It's different and kind of interesting and man did it end up gay. I hope you enjoy.

“Luthor,” the guard’s craggily voice announced causing the bald man to look up from his book in distaste. “Visitor here for you. You’ve got ten minutes, scum, make ‘em count.” Lex raised an eyebrow as he marked his page and sat up in his small but homey prison cell. During his last escapade, the courts had finally wised up and made a deal with him. He stays and complete his 3 year sentence and in return he’ll have domestic amenities and be allowed to assist in some of the latest research and technology for the betterment of the world. Bit boring but it was this or be thrown into Blackgate and never see day again.

“I didn’t believe I was allowed visitors, Lawrence,” He says smoothly while he dusts off his orange prison shirt. He wished he were better dressed for such a meeting. Clearly it was someone important, the Mayor, the President maybe even Waller. He smirks, just slightly; it looks like he might be heading out earlier than expected. Lawrence unlocks the door and steps out of the way.

“Yeah, well you don’t exactly say no to this guy.” And just like that, Lex’s hopes are dashed as that infuriatingly familiar symbol walks through the door as tall and proud as can be. Now what could Superman want with little old Lex Luthor? He and his band of miscreants already got him locked up in here.

“Thanks Mr. Keane, I won’t be long. I’d really appreciate it if you turned off your surveillance for a minute. I’ll keep an eye on him.” The hero says with a light smile, Lex rolled his eyes at the look of adoration on the guard’s face.

“Certainly Superman, I mean if I can’t trust you,” Lawrence says before ducking his eyes and holding out a small notebook and pen. “Also if it’s not too much trouble…” Superman grinned and held out his hand.

“Of course not, I still can’t get over people are even asking for it. Who should I make it out to? You?”

“Nah, my partner, Bradley, his birthday is next month and this’ll make his day.” Lex watches the man’s face soften as he signs the paper. “I see you and Red Robin out there all the time. I’m happy for you two, and for all the kiddies that see there ain’t nothing wrong with loving another man.”

“No, there certainly isn’t,” Superman responds handing back the paper. “Tell Bradley happy birthday for me. Let me just finish this up and maybe I can still make my date later tonight. Red does not like to be kept waiting.” Grinning like the fool that he was, Lawrence tucked his pad into his pocket and strolled out of the cell leaving the father and son alone. After a moment, they both heard the sound of the security system powering down.

“Superboy, it’s been awhile,” He said gesturing to the only other chair in the room which the young man sat in. “Of course you’ve been going by Superman for the last year or so. You’re, what? About 24 now? I suppose you thought it was time to let go of your childish persona. Tell me, does it ever get confusing having two Superman’s flying around?” Five years ago that would’ve gotten a reaction but it seems all that time with Red Robin has done the boy some good.

“I debated long and hard whether to come, waited until the very last second before I decided that this is something I needed to do before I could move on for good.” The young man explained with a pensive face as he reached into the small compartment built into his uniform and pulled out a velvet jewelry box. When he lifted the lid a simple, white gold men’s ring was revealed.

“Oh my,” Lex said, a knowing smile pulling on his face as he pulled his eyes up from the ring to Superman’s calm façade. “I suppose this is the part when I say congratulations?”

“It’s not official, not yet. We’ve talked about it; both decided to take that step. All’s that’s left is for me to get on my knee and do the whole romantic thing. I have it all planned for tonight, it’s going to be perfect.” Lex hummed with suspicion.

“Alright son, I’ll bite, why are you telling me this? Why are you here?” Lex asks, stitching his fingers together and bringing them up to his lips. Superman gives him an amused smile and leans lazily back in his chair, throwing one arm over the back.

“Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to let my father know that I was getting married.” Now that took Lex by surprise. He’d dropped the father word hundreds of times over his years battling Superboy turned man but he can never recollect the boy ever mirroring it back at him. “It took me a long time to accept that I have you in my DNA, even longer to stop being angry about it. I have Red to thank for that, for always being there for me through thick and thin, for being the best thing that ever happened to me.”

The young man paused and took a deep breath, reaching out to close the box in front of him with a quiet, resolute snap and returned it to its pouch. “So for the sake of myself and my future husband, this is me letting all of it go because starting tonight, I’m going to put you where you’ve always belonged, in my past. I have a bright and dazzling future ahead of me and I’m not going to let you be a shadow over it anymore.” Lex studied the boy, now more of man than he’d had every really noticed before.

“Alright, so you think announcing your impending engagement will keep me out of your life? I’m sorry to say we never really escape our fathers, my boy.”

“I’m not trying to escape you Lex. I’m alive because of your experiments; I met Robin because you gave me these powers. Half of me is always going to be you and that will never change. But I can stop telling myself that it’s a hindrance or a black mark on my life, you do not define me. Red has Batman for a father and I have you, we can’t choose our family but we can accept them.”

“Very interesting,” Lex says nodding his head, “you’ve developed a taste of philosophy, I like that. So now you’ve washed your hands of me for good, will you go and play the dutiful son to the original Man of Steel? Be the perfect children for Batman and Superman to dote over.”

“Superman is not my father,” another surprise for Lex. “That’s why I had to come here, because as much as I respect Kal, he never wanted to be my father. Between the two of you, I don’t know who was worse at trying to parent me. When I give this ring to Red, I get to put both of you behind me. I’ll have my husband, my job, maybe kids someday, but it will have been something I built with the man I love. Kal and I are friends, teammates, but he refused to be anything more and I’m now ready to accept that. I don’t need a father anymore, I just need Red.” With that said, Superman stood up.

“You’ll be getting an invitation in the mail, there will be no names, no dates, no times, no locations but you will get that reminder and in return I will get the life I have earned.”

“Well then,” Lex said, holding out his hand to shake. “I wish you luck tonight Superman and in the future. I trust you know I won’t go easy on you once I get back out there.” The man returned the handshake, firm but within tolerable human limits.

“Don’t kid yourself Lex, you’ve never made things easy. Nothing’s changed between us; I just refuse to let it bother me anymore. Besides, I’ll have Batman as my father-in-law soon, I’m sure he’ll be far worse than you and Superman combined.” And for the first time since he was thrown into this pitiful cell, Lex threw his head back and laughed long and loud. By the time he had quieted down, Superman was already gone and Lawrence was locking him back up as the security came back online.

“You’re damn lucky Luthor,” Lawrence said, back to his normal gravelly tones. “Man like that has got better things to do than to slum it down here with the likes of you. Be proud that young man decided you were worth the visit.” And Lex smiled at that, Superboy had always been something of a mixed blessing. He was the only one of Lex’s clone experiments to survive with full Kryptonian abilities but he also turned traitor the minute he was loose. The boy had been a victory, a headache, a problem to deal with and a toy to be played with but up until now, he has never been truly interesting. It’s probably the influence of Batman’s son but Lex likes to think maybe it’s a little bit of his father’s wily DNA in him. Superman was right, this was an end but it was also a promising beginning.

“Oh yes, I am proud indeed.”

#my writing #I wrote this #timkon #Conner Kent #Lex Luthor #Lawrence the gravelly voiced gay security guard who loves Superman almost as much as he loves his partner Brad

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