#i have a very strange affinity towards her | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

melodic-haze · 1 day

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Probably a strange ask, but pajama party sleepover with Topaz where the reader gets them matching Dino onesies?

☆ — SAMPLE TRACK: Matching onesies!!

☆ — CHARACTERS: Topaz, Yae Miko

☆ — TYPE: SFW

☆ — NOTES: Using this ask to gauge if I can get a handle on Topaz's personality, cuz I didn't acc originally have her in the list I write for lol. I hope yall don't mind that I combined this into one post :33 anyway IT'S NOT WEIRD AT ALL❗️❗️❗️❗️ DUDE I'd wanna get matching onesies w the girlies :((((((( they're cute as hell and comfy

TOPAZ

"Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"You're taking quite a bit in there. Everything alright or..?"

"Yeah, everything's fine! I'm done, actually!"

"Come out, then! I feel like I've been waiting for you for ages! Right, Numby?"

You hear a muffled squeak from the other side of the door and you couldn't help but giggle both at Topaz's dramaticism and the little surprise that you have for her. Without a delay, you placed your hand on the doorknob, "You ready to see this?"

"Sweetie, I don't know what I'm seeing. But of course I'm ready to see you, no matter what!"

You rolled your eyes at the light flirt before turning the doorknob, stepping out of the bedroom and finally showing your girlfriend the long-awaited surprise.

You see her unfiltered joy before you hear it; she practically jumps up with a pleasantly shocked look on her face, one that easily morphs into a smile as she stumbles over to you to hug you with a squeal. Numby had followed close behind, rubbing its snout on your legs happily and running around.

"OHMYGOODNESS?? You look absolutely adorable!! You're one of those dinosaurs that some of the worlds have! This is the surprise you were talking about?"

You shook her head, "This is part of it. The real surprise is in the bedroom. I think you'll like it—both of you."

She narrowed her eyes at you before the dawning realisation came in the form of her flabberghasted look, "There's NO way."

"See for yourself."

Topaz swivels her head at Numby, who does the same thing in turn, before they both practically dash over to the bedroom. Unsurprisingly, you hear a squeal of utter happiness—your girlfriend always had an affinity towards cute critters, or cute things in general, so such a reaction was definitely no surprise.

And when she comes back out again, the pet warp trotter in tow, you can't help but relate to her unfiltered love for them.

"You got us matching onesies."

You nodded with a grin, "I did. Do you like it?"

"How is that even a question?" She practically skips over to you before putting her arms around your neck, "I LOVE it!! It's basically a guarantee that you look cute, but don't I look cute? Doesn't Numby look cute?? They look like a tiny little dinosaur, I think I could cry..."

A laugh bubbled up from your chest at your girlfriend's enthusiasm as you wrapped your hands around her waist, "I thought you might like something like this—you've been working hard, so I thought I'd get you something."

Her excitement dies down just a touch, though the affection in her eyes was plain to see, "Babe.. you didn't have to do that! I love the work."

"I know you do! I just wanted to get you a little extra for when I finally get you to settle down with manual labour for a night in."

"I'd say it's more than worth it." She pulled back with a flourish, picking Numby up to show off their gifts, "Cute and comfortable? I don't think anything could beat this."

"I dunno..." You shrugged lightly, "You haven't seen what else I have planned for this sleepover."

"Then I personally grant you the opportunity to change my mind."

She smiles so very brightly at you, and it's as if everything else has been washed away.

YAE MIKO

"You're awfully secretive with this little 'surprise' of yours, aren't you?"

"I think not being secretive defeats the entire purpose of a surprise."

"While you may be correct," she crosses her arms with a small smirk, "the blindfold is a touch overkill, don't you think? You wouldn't dare to stage a kidnapping on poor me, would you?"

"And risk the Shogun's wrath?" You scoffed out a laugh, "I don't think so. Plus it's to make sure you aren't peeking!"

"Did you not go into your room to change?"

"Yeah, but-- wait how did you know I was changing?"

You could practically hear her eyeroll, "I have ears, darling; ones that can hear far more than the normal human auditory system."

"Yeah, yeah, you can hear more than the usual person, I think I get it... Anyway, I'm coming out now, so you can take your blindfold off if you want."

"I still don't see the reason why--"

"Miko, babe, do you want to see me or not?"

"Fine, alright, seeing as how you want me silent, I shall cease my jabs at you.. for now."

Now you were the one to roll your eyes as you opened the door and walked over to your fox-like lover, clothes in hand. And as you did so, she removed the piece of cloth wrapped around her head before opening her eyes.

Instead of her usual vigilance, she actually takes a little time to stare at you.. and the folded gift in your hands. Amethyst eyes narrowed at the latter specifically before they darted over to you and your getup.

Then, a smirk made its way over to her lips as if it were another typical moment of her teasiny you, though you don't miss the way her pupils expand and her eyes glimmer in warm affection, "My, my... If you wanted to be my cute little bunny so bad, I'm sure we could arrange something."

You felt a blush overtake your cheeks, though you shook your head in an attempt to settle yourself, "Nevermind that, why don't you focus more on what I'm holding for you?"

To her credit, she does. But then she looks at you with a raised brow, "Are these.. matching onesies?"

"Yeah. Why," you feel something inside you twist the slightest bit, "you don't like it?"

"Mmm... We shall see."

Her expression is sly, though she doesn't give her feelings away as she takes the gift and heads for the bedroom to change. You knew Miko loved to be a cryptic woman, but it was a little frustrating when it came to the smaller things—did she like it? Hate it? Is she just.. humouring you so that you feel bad? Or maybe she's making fun of you by doing so...

"Dear?"

You are snapped out of your thoughts by the sound of Miko's voice, albeit a touch muffled due to the walls between you, "Y-Yes? Sorry, did you need something?"

"No, not necessarily. You were rather quiet while waiting for me."

"What, did you want me to bang on the door desperately?"

"I do have a penchant for the dramatics." You rolled your eyes as you heard her laugh, though she continues not long after, "I'm done. Be grateful that I hadn't asked you to wear a blindfold."

"Uh huh, I'm very grateful. Now come out, I wanna see you!"

"Patience, bunny. I'll be out in a second."

The door opens, and she steps out wearing matching onesie given to her. Though you notice that she has yet to put the hood on her head.. and the slight tint of pink that dusted her cheeks as she looked at you head-on. Was she actually embarrassed?

She huffed lightly, a slight smile on her lips, "Putting a fox in a bunny onesie seems akin to having a wolf in sheep's clothing, don't you think?"

You shrugged, "No matter what, you look cute either way."

"Was that your main goal? To have me look simply adorable for you to gawk at? Is my beautiful humanoid form not enough for you?"

While her tone was mostly teasing, there was a touch of.. something else—a tone someone asks when they are lost. Perhaps it was the loss of her intimidating air; she did love to make others squirm, but in a getup like this? How could she ever achieve that?

You shake your head, "I found these while I was out for a little shopping trip and thought that these would make you both cute and beautiful. Why, you don't like it?"

Her eyes softened, "Of course I like it, my darling.. though next time, how about we buy fox onesies together instead? Cute aesthetics are more suited towards.. hmm.. that Yashiro Commission girl, for starters."

A laugh bubbled up from within you, "Haha, alright, alright. But you're still my cute little kitsune."

"Little? Oh, that's highly debatable. Now, is this all we're going to be doing, staring at each other and how well we match, or are we doing anything else for tonight?"

"I've actually got a few options for you." You held out your hand to her, "If you'll follow me..."

Her hand takes yours, and you move on to proceed your comfortable night with the beautiful fox envoy, completely forgetting the rest of the world.

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beatboxing-puppy · 3 months

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she's like an angel to me

#side order #side order spoilers #asynchronous rondo #literally as soon as i saw this boss and heard its noises i fell in love #i have a very strange affinity towards her #shes my wife i think #shes so beautiful i have feelings for her i will kiss every one of her faces #idk why i feel this way towards this one fuckin boss. embarrassing

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thought--bubble · 4 months

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Hey, would you write something related to modern Aemond like: Aemond in high school is often excluded and harassed because he comes from a family considered strange and also because everyone has a view that he is strange. The reader is the only one who is kind to him and doesn't ignore him, and this is enough for Aemond to fall in love with the reader, despite never having had a real or very long conversation with her.

Additional: Aemond, despite maintaining a tough attitude, is extremely lacking in affection and is quite sensitive

This Is My First Ask So I Really Hope You Like It! The Characters are not in high school because i only write about adults but they will have originally met there. This got away from me a bit but I had a really good time writing it. I hope you enjoy!

My Salvation

Modern Aemond X (Long Term Crush Reader)

Warnings Under The Cut

Modern Aemond Master List

Full Master List

Banners by @arcielee

Warnings:: Allusions to Bullying, Car sex, Unprotected sex, Pining. IDK i suck at these any suggestions please LMK

"Everything is perfect" You think to yourself as you get yourself ready for your morning shift at the local coffee shop, and as far as you are concerned it really is.

You graduated from Highschool a few months ago and were ready to start your life as an adult. You had gotten yourself a job at the local coffee shop as well as signed up for the Autumn Semester at the Beauty Academy in Manchester.

Makeup for the stars was your dream and with the acceptance to the academy you felt like you were well on your way to achieving that goal.

Your day starts off like any other. You walk into the coffee shop apron in hand and greet your Co-worker Floris. She was a very popular girl back in your high school and dated the local bad boy Cregan Stark on and off for years.

"Good Morning Floris" You smile sweetly at her as you make your way behind the counter.

"Morning" She sighs letting you know the Floris you get to interaact with today is going to be the moody Floris. Internally you sarcastically thank Cregan for breaking up with her yet again and leaving you to deal with her sullen disposition, but you being the ball of sunshine that you are try and bring up the mood with cheerful banter.

"Has it been busy today?" You attempt to make conversation hoping she will bite at the bit so you don't have to suffer through one of those awkward days where she is silent and brooding through almost the entirety of your shared shift.

"No" she answers short and curt. you briefly rub your fingers against your forehead, if you don't figure out how to get her into at least a little bit better of a mood this is going to be a very long annoying shift.

The bell over the door jingles signaling that a customer has entered the shop.

"its back" Floris says annoyed.

"Stop that" You scold as you look toward the door.

There he is, your most common customer. Aemond Targaryen. He has his long blonde hair tied back and his eye patch on. You never understood why he wears that outdated thing. He must think it adds to his mystery persona.

Aemond is a bit of an oddball. Never fit in much in school. He is after all a Targaryen. The fact that he lost an eye in some sort of childhood accident, made him that much more different than everyone else. Which around here, is never a good thing.

"Hey there Aemond, the usual?" you ask him, your typical bubbly demeanor on full display.

"Yes please"" his answers are always so short and void of emotion. never mean or aggressive just short and cold.

You smile at him happily while you prepare his usual black coffee with tons of sugar. How he drinks his coffee like this you will never understand.

You spoke to Aemond sparingly back in school, which although is most than other students, still wasn't much. You wouldn't say you are friends but you do hold a bit of an affinity for him.

He had a tough time. No one could deny that. He was ignored, ostracized. Not that he would ever let anyone know if that fact actually bothered him, you always assumed that it did. At least to some degree.

You hand him the coffee with a big smile on your face. He takes it from you and nods. Making his way to his usual table and pulling out his laptop.

"Why does he stay?" Floris whispers "It's weird"

You shoot her a pointed look. "It is not weird for someone to sit down and work in a coffee shop, actually, it's quite common. Kindness isn't difficult. you should try it"

"You are aware their family tree doesn't have quite enough branches right?" Floris says while chuckling.

"A lot of royal families have that .... kind of history, they are descendants of royalty. Its been like what? 100 generations or something? Don't you think it's time for a new plot point?"

Floris sighs "He's just .... weird"

You roll your eyes and can't help but glance over at the mysterious man. Watching him type away on his laptop and staring at his side profile. If he wasn't the silent brooding type or a Targaryen the girls at school probably would have been all over him. He is obviously handsome with a jaw line that could cut diamonds. Its that icy chill around him and that albatross of a last name that had him shunned.

As your shift continues you occasionally glance over at him. His coffee long gone but still he stays typing away as other customers come and go.

"What do you think he's working on?" you wonder out loud

"Some version of the Targaryen anarchists cookbook i'm sure..... "

You sigh and roll your eyes again. Why could no one seem to look at the man himself instead of his family? Instead of the eye patch? It seemed so cruel.

"Do you mind if I head out 20 minutes early? Cregan wants to talk" she starts putting her jacket on before you even respond.

"Yeah that's fine, Sara and Jace should be here any minute anyway."

You watch as she quickly gathers her things running out of the shop. You tap your fingers on the counter. The shop is now empty save for Aemond typing away on his laptop.

"Hey Aemond?" You practically yell across the shop. He looks up at you furrowing his brows but doesn't say anything.

"You want a muffin or something?" you offer holding up a double chocolate muffin and wiggling it back an forth.

He simply shakes his head returning his focus back to the laptop in front of him. you sigh as you come to the conclusion that it is going to be a long and boring 20 minutes before second shift shows up.

Probably five minutes before Sara and Jace are due to arrive the downpour starts.

"oh well isn't that grand" you mumble to yourself.

You have been trying to save up for a car. Your parents couldn't afford to buy you one at the present time, and with the wages earned at the coffee shop it would most likely take the entire summer for you to save up enough so you walked to and from work. This typically wasn't a big deal since you lived close by but torrential rain always made the experience a lot less pleasant.

Jace comes running in soaked to the bone.

"Please tell me you just ran a mile and not just 5 seconds from the car park?" the grimace on your face outwardly showing how you are feeling

"Nah this is the 2 second walk from the car park it's serious out there right now!" he laughs while he shakes his hair off.

He comes around the back of the counter.

"He's here again huh? I could ask him to stop?" Jace whispers

"No, he's fine, he has a coffee works on whatever and then he goes."

"He always comes at the beginning of your shift and leaves at the end of it. You don't think that is a little weird?"

"Isn't he like your cousin or something? I would think that you would be nicer" you take off your apron and hold it in your hands.

"uncle, and we're not close" Jace heads to the backroom trying to dry himself off. "When sara gets here, I'm sure she won't mind running the store alone a few minutes so's I can drop you off"

"No, I'm ok. Just a little rain, Heard rainwater is good for your hair" You chuckle to yourself. "Bye Jace"

Jace waves as you head out the door of the shop and the second you get outside you can't believe how hard it is raining.

"Let me take you." Aemonds cool voice comes from behind you.

"Oh!" you jump and turn around his face, still as stone looking at you awaiting your answer.

"Thanks, that would be very kind" You decide to accept his offer. Firstly, it is downpouring and you really don't want to ruin your shoes and second, he can't escape you in a tiny car. He will have to finally speak.

The two of you run over to his Porsche. Of course he would have a Porsche.

"I'm getting your seat wet, i'm so sorry" you blurt out the moment the two of you are in the car.

"Don't worry about it" He turns the car on and turns on the heat.

"Thank you for this." You smile at him hoping he will look over at you.

Instead he just nods and puts the car in reverse backing out of the parking space.

You don't even tell him where you live but he pulls out front of your building anyway.

"Ummm.... how did you?"

"I dropped you off junior year after your friend ditched you."

"Right, I forgot about that" you scratch the back of your neck and purse your lips but don't make a move towards getting out of the car.

"Why do you come see me?" you look directly at him.

"What?" His voice sounds a bit defensive

"I'm not bothered by it. Really, I'm just curious"

"I like coffee." He answers as he turns his head toward you.

"No. it's something else. C'mon tell me" you flutter your lashes and give him a puppy dog look, no one can withstand your puppy dog look.

He chuckles and rolls his neck. "I remember"

This peaks your interest "Remember what?"

He sighs "I remember every single time you talked to me, looked at me, walked by me and waved. Hell, i remember when you held the door open for me. twice"

Your breath catches in your throat.

"I'm not crazy and i'm not a stalker i swear" he rubs his collar bone nervously. "it's just..... you were my salvation. The one person who didn't run from me or sneer at me or judge me and hate me" he grips the steering wheel tightly.

you reach over and gently rub his knuckles as they turn white. he takes a deep breath in at the skin to skin contact.

"So in other words.... you miss me?" You ask with a tiny smile and a blush on your cheeks.

"yeah, if you wanna make it simple i guess that would be the right term for it"

"How much?" Your voice drops from your sweet and kind persona, to a more sultry sound.

Aemond catches this right away. "Umm.... what?"

you get up on the seat, on your knees and lean over the center console. getting up close to his ear. "How much did you miss me? Like, was it driving you crazy?" You place your hand on his shoulder tracing your finger along his neck "Keeping you up at night?"

his breath comes out in unsteady huffs "You really shouldn't"

"Hmmm?"

"I will not be able to control myself if you keep that up" he grips the steering wheel tighter and suddenly the situation in this car had changed completely.

You were no longer teasing him to get a rise and reaction out of him. Him stating he wouldn't be able to control himself lit a fire in you. You felt this urge to push him there. A burning pooling in your belly you were not going to ignore. No, just this once you were going to indulge.

You lean over further bringing your mouth to his ear. "Maybe I want to see it"

He bites his bottom lip, then grabs your face pressing his lips against yours harshly. Lust and desperation apparent in his kiss. His hand slides up the back of your neck to the base of your head holding you close as he continues to devour you. Like a man starved.

Before your brain has even caught up to what is happening he grips your thigh harshly pulling you over the center console and into his lap. he quickly grabs your hips pushing you down into him as his tongue continues to explore your mouth.

"I've dreamt of this for ages" he whispers as he kisses and nibbles along your jawline making you purr contently. Being wanted this bad is the biggest turn on you have ever experienced.

You roll your hips against him chasing that pressure. When he feels this he growls and pushes your core against him as he ruts up against you.

"I have to have it." He begs with a breathy sigh "Gods please i have to"

You unbuckle your khakis and slide them off your legs giggling at the slight gymnastics you have to perform in order to get them off. Once they are off you drop back onto his lap and he runs his hands up your back pulling you tight up against him. His mouth finds yours again as his slips his hand between your thighs and slides a finger inside of you.

"I knew you would be perfect, I fuckin knew it" He groans as he adds a second finger pumping in and out of you slowly. he hooks his finger finding that spot inside of you that sends you to ecstasy. You close your eyes and roll your head back moving your hips rhythmically against his hand.

"oh god, oh god!" You squeal as he brings you over the edge, you clenching around his fingers. He immediately unfastens his jeans sliding them down to his thighs and pulling you over him.

"is this ok?" He asks gripping your hips tightly

You nod and he pushes your hips down sliding himself into you slowly. he makes a noise somewhere between a gasp and a growl as you sink down onto him.

"This ain't gonna last long darlin" he grunts as he thrusts up into you. He bites down on your shoulder as he pulls you down over him over and over thrusting up into you at the same time. He rubs your pearl with his thumb as he quickens his pace.

Jaw slack and eyes like dinnerplates he watches as you come done a second time and groans

"Where? Where?" He whines "Fuck"

"I'm on birth control it's fine" You bite his bottom lip "Go ahead"

"Fuck! Ok Ok Fuck" He slams your hips down onto him three more times before his body tenses and squeezes your hips so tight you think your bones may snap.

you rest your forehead on his shoulder as the both of you regulate your breathing.

"Thank god it's fucking pouring" You giggle.

"Yeah, that was a bit mental wasn't it?" he laughs while breathing heavily and running his fingers through your hair.

You flop back over to the passengers seat and start pulling your trousers back on.

"See you at the coffee shop tomorrow?" you ask as you clasp the button.

"Always" he smiles back at you.

"Good, cuz i think I may need another ride..... " you giggle

"Really? you live so close" He teases back

"Who said I wanted to go home?" you wink at him as you hope out of the car. "See you tomorrow"

You shut the door and head inside with a huge grin on your face.

"Ok ... NOW everything is perfect"

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#ewan mitchell verse #aemond fanfiction #modern aemond/ you #modern aemond fanfiction #modern aemond #modern aemond x reader #fic request #prince aemond #aemond one eye #aemond targaryen #aemond x reader #prince aemond targaryen #aemond smut #aemond targaryen fanfiction #ewanverse #ewan mitchell #ewan nation #jess fics #my modern war criminal bf

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alexxncl · 29 days

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‼️NIGHTBRINGER LESSON 33 SPOILERS‼️

masterlist | all lessons | lesson 32 | lesson 34

slight og lesson 16 spoilers

normal and hard spoilers

see i knew he wouldn't rat them out completely. he completely left out the details of the pacts and feeling used and would've taken the blame if mc and solomon hadn't stepped in to fully explain the situation

(i made a whole post about time soup here)

omg in-game name drop the devs remember the lore

i hate mephisto. have i mentioned how much i hate mephisto? bc i hate him /j

in all seriousness, we love a petty bitch. but why is it his WHOLE personality. that, and ass kissing. like we get it, you love diavolo and wanna date him and kiss him and hug him blah blah blah STAND UP

satan :((((

i wonder if he feels remnants of homesickness that he can't recognize as homesickness bc of the way he was formed. what if he's feeling homesickness right now in the timeline mc is from and is now able to understand how his brothers felt after the fall?

what if this is the first time the boys in the og timeline have felt homesick since the fall? yes, mc has left before, but there was always a guarantee that they'd return, or at least a possibility that mc could summon them. but now? there's no guarantee, and there's a time crunch

ASMO 😭 they're so unserious i love them

levi thinking he was gonna die trying to apologize and dia standing there like 🧍🏾

oh they definitely know. and if both dia and barbatos don't know, barbatos obviously knows. bc why else wouldn't barbatos suggest portaling mc to the human world himself? and i bet lucifer's wondering the same thing given his confusion on how fast the conversation came and went

got to see my wife, i can die happily now

WHY IS THERE NO AFFINITY FOR HER GODDAMN IT

or the other side characters ig but i care about her more

SEE SEE I TOLD YOU!!! nightbringer you sneaky bitch

oh that's scary...real scary. if belphie's got lucifer this fucked up, how strong are his powers ??

WAR FLASHBACKS

also this means he didn't lose control of his powers, he's choosing to only subdue his brothers, which is even scarier imo. like there's no way mc doesn't have some kind of ptsd from what happened in lesson 16 of the og game

imagine seeing your best friends, your found family, your partner(s) sobbing over your dead body while someone you thought you trusted is maniacally laughing at the scene, proud of murdering you

and then imagine the same person lunging for you to try and kill you after he already killed another version of you

and then imagine this

what if he wants to hurt them again? what if he wants to lock them in the attic he claimed to know nothing about in the earlier lessons? what if he feels some strange connection and sense of familarity related to it, some strange invisible force pulling him towards it and making him do the very thing that happens to him in the future?

and then BAM, they get dragged into his mindscape against their will, unsure if they'll make it back out alive, if they make it out at all

as a certified mammon lover ofc i had to put my 2 cents in

i really, really wish we got more moments of him in big brother mode. we know he cares about his brothers and will do any and everything to protect them and give them what they need, even if it means being the butt of every, and i mean every, joke

but i'm also scared that the devs are gonna use this as a way to paint belphie's breakdown on him like they did with levi's, and like they do with literally every other inconvenience or negative incident that happens in the game. every time mammon does something good, every time he tries to help, he still ends up being the butt of the joke. i just hope we can move past that with the end of belphie's breakdown

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shortfeather · 3 months

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I know we’re literally two episodes into s10 but gem and grian’s ocean rivalry-siblingism is giving me, you guessed it, another nautical horror idea

Because Grian can’t stop himself from fishing/going to the ocean (to spite gem) and gem is basing her whole identity around the ocean. And dredge is a game about impossible horrors and unreliable narrators and forgotten pasts. So.

Gem who took to the sea to find her brother Grian, who went missing during a very, very strange series of events and was last seen telling someone he was ‘going to have a word with the ocean’ while headed towards the beach. Gem who’s always had an affinity for the ocean, but now it’s taken her brother—a wedge between her and what she loves most, even as she gives herself over to it in a desperate attempt to bring him back. Of course, that’s assuming he’s still recognizable by the time she finds him—and that’s assuming there’s anything left to find.

#about the author #eyes darker still #listen sometimes you gotta come up with dramatic titles because it’s literally all you’ve got. anyways.#geminitay #Grian #hermitcraft s10

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saintmachina · 2 months

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easter is coming and an as an ex catholic i was wondering if you have any insight on wanting to reconnect with the christian religion but feeling like god has abandoned/forsaken/forgotten you? is it possible to conceive of a christianity that doesn’t center god? could you even be a christian in any capacity or within any denomination if you feel a disconnect or even just plain upset with god?

Hi anon! This is such an interesting ask to me, because people often come to me expressing a kinship with God but an alienation from the church or religion writ large. However, it sounds like you're seeking reconnection with religion while expressing ambivalence or a feeling of upset towards God.

I would start with a little soul-searching. What elements of the Christian religion are you drawn to? What currently speaks to you about the tradition? Following those affinities should be a good guiding light for you as you explore. There's no rush to this, no formula to follow. So give yourself grace.

That said, non-theistic Christianity does exist! This religious alignment typically celebrates the teachings of Jesus and/or the work of the church as a site of community and charity and social justice, but eschews traditional doctrines such as the divinity of Christ, the virgin birth, the resurrection, and so on. You might want to look into the work of John Shelby Sprong; he was an Episcopal bishop who encouraged the church to move away from theism towards a humanistic model. I might start with Jesus For The Non-Religious or Why Christianity Must Change Or Die. You might also poke your head into to a Unitarian Universalist Church, which unites people from many different faiths as well as agnostics and atheists in the pursuit of community care, connection, and justice. It could scratch the religious itch while giving you space to believe (or not believe) whatever you need to.

However, you told me you're an ex-Catholic, so religion for you may feel much more liturgical, sacramental, or mystical than what you'll find in a Unitarian Church. If you're thinking of reconnecting with Catholicism in some way, I want to remind you that you have every right to be there, no matter what your faith looks like at present. Also, there is a very long and deep tradition of doubt, anger, or ambivalence towards God in the Catholic Church. Some church leaders may only make space for those emotions as a stepping stone on the path back towards explicit faith (and be extension, orthodoxy), but I think it has value and legitimacy in and of itself.

You could look into the art and theology thinkers have created about "the dark night of the soul", a period (sometimes quite long) of spiritual helplessness, or discouragement, or, more importantly, the perceived absence of the presence of God. You could read My Bright Abyss, a series of essays by a poet wrestling with his relationship to God after being diagnosed with a rare and incurable cancer. You could try creating your own art about the emotions you're feeling about the Divine, or find an interfaith spiritual director (like a counselor for the soul) who can help your emotions work your way through your body. My spiritual director is Rachel Parsons, and I recommend her highly to anyone.

And, if it matters at all, (feel free to skip this section if you don't want to hear me pontificate about my own unverified personal Gnosis about God), I don't think God forsakes any of us, under any conditions. Even in the most abject and wretched of circumstances, God is there, suffering with us. Even when we look up at the most cruel, silent, empty sky, God is present in the stardust and the insect song and the sweat on the back of our necks. And, most importantly, God will always be there if you decide you want to walk that strange and winding path back towards some semblance of belief, often appearing to us in the way we least expect. And even if you literally never find your way back to any belief-shaped thing, that's fine. God is big and wild and incomprehensible and intensely personal. God can handle all your frustration and grief and rage. That's kind of God's whole thing. But that's just my opinion.

Be so well, anon. I hope you find what you're seeking, and I hope the Easter season is kind to you!

#theology #answered asks #religion #christianity #catholicism #religious doubt #dark night of the soul

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iamthecomet · 10 months

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Favorite headcanon for every ghoul! Go!

Ahhh!! OK! Thank you so much for asking!? Fair warning these are going to be all over the place--and I can't just pick one, you get two for each. Aether: - Magically connected to all the ghouls in his pack--no matter how far away they are. With a little effort he can feel what they're feeling (emotionally and physically). He definitely checks in on all of them at least once a day while they're away. - Works in the infirmary. Stayed home because he found working there far more fulfilling than being on stage. Swiss: - Can use his magic to literally turn into shadow. Uses this power for good, as well as voyeuristic reasons. Gives a killer massage in that form. Loves to eavesdrop on clergy meetings. - Fire/Shadow (quintessence really, but he doesn't know any other quint ghouls who can become discorporate sooooo) hybrid. One purple eye, one yellow/amber (all hybrids have heterochromia!) Dewdrop: - Actually an introvert. Loves acting out on stage. Can be loud and obnoxious. But really thrives on time alone. Not shy. Not reserved. Just needs to be left the fuck alone every once in a while and isn't afraid to tell people when he does. -Still has a lot of water ghoul traits, but refuses to call himself a hybrid because his gills are scared over, and both of his eyes are the same color (though whether they are copper, or blue, seems to depend on the day). Cumulus: - Crafty! Knits. Crochets. Very good at both. Uses that to fill her free time on tour. Is always making something. - Oddly, doesn't like thunderstorms. It has nothing to do with the air pressure and everything to do with the lightning/thunder. Cirrus: - The biggest bookworm out of all the ghouls. Will read anything. Always has a book with her. Makes list of book recommendations for all the other ghouls. When she tells you that you'll like a book--you can take that as fact. - Hates to cook. She can cook, she isn't bad at it. But she genuinely hates it and does everything she can to avoid getting roped into it. Mountain: - Plants grow from around his horns when he's feeling strong emotions. He can grow stuff on command as well, but that takes a lot of effort. But the stuff that just sprouts when he's feeling a lot of something happens without effort and has no impact on his energy. - Resident chef. Always cooks breakfast. Knows what everyone likes and doesn't like. Makes sure everyone always is fed and happy. Aurora: - Water/Air hybrid, but has more affinity for water. Air is hard for her. Water is as easy as breathing. But she only has one set of gills (on her ribs) instead of multiple sets like full water ghouls. - Really terrible at keeping track of her human glamour. Frequently gets shoved in between two bigger ghouls when they're in public to hide the sudden appearance of her tail/horns/claws. Aeon: - Shy. So shy. But also kind of an extrovert. Wants to be around people all the time. Basically the opposite of Dew. Is nervous about talking to a stranger (or anyone), but cannot stand to be alone. - Very emotionally intuitive because of his element. It's a little like reading minds without hearing thoughts. He can absolutely tell if someone is lying to him (or themselves). You cannot get one over on Aeon. Rain: - Exhibitionist. A little like Narcissus. Really loves to look at himself too. Knows other people like to look at him. Gets off on it. (He and shadow Swiss definitely have an arrangement). - So so wet. And always cool. Hugging Rain is like hugging a person who just got done swimming in the North Atlantic. Damp, and cold. Sunshine: - Loves to garden. Not an earth ghoul, but has a strange affinity toward flowers and herbs. Spends almost as much time in the greenhouse and gardens as Mountain. She takes care of all of the plants in and around the abbey when he's gone. - Calls herself a fire/air hybrid, but has a really strange grip on light manipulation. Can absolutely redirect sunlight to blind the shit out of someone. Swiss thinks if she tried hard enough she might be able to do what he does with shadow--just with light. She is afraid to try.

#comet canons #ghost headcanons #the band ghost #nameless ghouls #nameless ghoul headcanons #ghost thoughts #ghoul thoughts #sunshine ghoulette #rain ghoul #aeon ghoul #phantom ghoul #aurora ghoulette #mountain ghoul #cirrus ghoulette #cumulus ghoulette #dewdrop ghoul #swiss ghoul #aether ghoul

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coolgal5 · 5 months

Text

STARMAN - A. STEENBECK

Auggie Steenbeck x reader

Part one of ????

Part two https://www.tumblr.com/coolgal5/738210108662775808/starman-a-steenbeck

(GN reader, we need more auggie on this app)

You had wanted to be an astronomer since you were younger. You had always had an affinity for outer space and even more so you loved the unknown. Something about trying to find the answers to things nobody had ever known had always been the best to you. So when one of your closer colleagues, Dr. Hickenlooper, invited you to travel with her to a Jr. Stargazers convention you knew you had to go.

Asteroid city was familiar to you, you had grown up in a nearby town. You however had never seen it this packed before. School children, parents, cowboys, military men, you even noticed a movie star. You were staying with Dr. Hickenlooper for the most part of the trip but after you guys had unpacked at the motel she was pulled away by someone to work on preparing stuff for later in the day. This left you on your own for about half an hour. You recalled seeing a small diner on your way into town and you figured you should probably eat something.

You waltzed into the diner and glanced around. There was a few tables spread around and a bar. You thought about where you should sit when you noticed someone familiar. Midge Campbell, the film actress sitting at the end of the bar. You walked over, pulling out the seat beside her and sat down.

“Pardon me, Midge Campbell?” You spoke softly as to not startle her

“oh yes hello?” She quickly replied, glaring at you through the thin frames of her glasses.

You offer out your hand for her to shake.

“Hello! I’m familiar with some of your work and it’s very good, you’re very talented.”

She smiled lightly, seeming to ease up.

“Oh yes thank you. I’m glad you think s-“

She was cut off by a snapping sound from the other end of the bar causing the three of you to snap your heads around to the cause of the sound.

A man sat there, around his early forties with who you assumed was his son.

“You took a picture of us” Midge spoke, glaring at him as if he was something she had found on the bottom of her shoes.

“Mhm” He nodded.

As you looked at him you began to think to yourself. You noticed he was REALLY attractive. He had messy hair and a scruffy beard that was patchier than a pair of old jeans but he seemed to pull it off WAY too well.

“Why?” Midge continued to interrogate the man.

“I’m a photographer” Even the way he spoke was attractive, the way he seemed so sure of himself and you found your cheeks heating up at the thought.

“You didn’t ask permission”

“I never ask permission”

“Why not?”

“Because I work in trenches, battle fields and combat zones.”

“Really?” “Mhm”

“You mean you’re a war photographer?” You chimed in.

“I sometimes cover sporting events, my name is Auggie Steenbeck.”

“What will you do with it?”

“I’ll probably try and sell it to a magazine now that you mention it, Midge Campbell and her friend, eating waffles.”

“Make us a print first, to approve”

You listened to the way midge spoke, she had a REALLY pretty voice. It felt really strange to see someone who you had only seen on the screen in real life.

Just then, the younger girl beside midge raised her hand.

“This is Dinah”

“This is Woodrow” Auggie stated, motioning towards the boy beside him.

“I have a question” Dinah finally spoke as Auggie nodded.

“Have you ever been shot? With bullets?”

“Have I ever-“ he chuckled lightly “Once or twice, just grazed”

“He got shrapnelled in the back of the head once, show her” Woodrow tipped in before Auggie turned around, revealing the mark on the back of his head.

Midge took a sip of her coffee before speaking again.

“I don’t say I forgive you yet by the way”

You all turned back to your food, but you continue glancing off to the side at Auggie

This was going to be a long two days.

#jason schwartzman #asteroid city #auggie steenbeck x reader #auggie steenbeck #scarlett johansson #midge campbell #Spotify #gideon graves x reader #scott pilgrim vs the world #lucky flickerman x reader

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oldworldwidgets · 25 days

Text

while the city sleeps

ive been thinking about delilah a lot lately (shocking, i know) so when my friends were discussing what their ocs’ companion quests would be like, i decided to write one for her!! for story purposes, the player character here is a male sole survivor named nate. this quest must be completed before delilah can be recruited

2.7k-ish words

you can read this as a make-your-own adventure/quest or just as a story :3

To begin this quest, Nate must enter the Third Rail bar in Goodneighbor between 10pm – 4am. Delilah will be behind the bar, tending to the drifters seated there. When Nate initiates dialogue with Delilah, she will ask if he’d like anything to drink. He answers however he chooses, then asks if she’s heard any gossip or has any work for him, since bartenders have a reputation for knowing these things. Lilah does, of course, and will send him to run a few errands for various Goodneighbor residents. Once he has successfully completely a few of these errands and shown that he can be trusted, Lilah will give him a job that is personal to her.

Her husband, a man named Marowski, had been acting strangely. He’d been keeping things from her, going out at night or coming home late, and just generally acting seedy. Then, a few days before, he hadn’t returned home at all. She requests Nate’s help to uncover whatever shady business is taking place in Goodneighbor and find Marowski. If Nate agrees, Delilah will stress that she is very worried about Morowski and just wants him to stay out of trouble. “Please,” she will beg quietly, “bring him home safe.”

Nate must then question the residents of Goodneighbor, noir detective style. If he leads the conversation by asking about Marowski or his whereabouts, the residents will clam up and give no further information. If he leads by asking about shady business in Goodneighbor, the residents will give a response such as, “Ha! Which one?” Nate can continue asking about shady operations in the town until the residents mention “Marowski’s chem operation,” but they will once again clam up if Nate continues to pursue this line of questioning. One resident will direct Nate to Irma at the Memory Den, who will direct him to Daisy at Daisy’s Discounts, who will direct him to Fred Allen at the Hotel Rexford. For a price (and a guarantee that Delilah will not learn who gave Nate this information), Fred will inform him that Marowski was not only involved in Goodneighbor’s largest underground chem operation, he was in charge of it. The kingpin. Hell, he owned half of Goodneighbor, including the Rexford itself. However, Fred will also inform Nate that Marowski has not been seen in a few days and the door to his office is locked from the inside. Fred will point Nate toward the office and, if Nate successfully picks the lock, he will find Marowski’s body on the floor.

When Nate returns to Delilah, he must choose to tell her one of four things. From 1-4, each option is a more difficult speech check:

The truth: he uncovered the chem operation that Marowski was leading. The pressure of the organization became too much, and Nate found him dead in his office.

He uncovered the chem operation, and Marowski was involved. He was a grunt chem peddler, and he is dead. (yellow)

He uncovered the chem operation, but it seemed separate from Marowski’s disappearance. Perhaps he just ran away?

He did not find anything, but he wishes her well in trying to find her husband. Perhaps he just ran away?

Delilah is very perceptive. Unbeknownst to Nate, each option carries negative affinity weight. Even if he passes the speech check(s), he will lose affinity proportionate to each option’s amount of untruth. 1, as it is the truth, will not affect affinity. If he fails the speech check, the lost affinity will double.

If Nate passes the speech check for 3 or 4, Delilah will accept this answer and thank him for trying. She will then become unrecruitable.

If Nate passes the speech check for 2 or tells the truth, she will thank him thoroughly before giving him the next piece of the quest. If he fails any speech check, she will frown and scoff at him, inform him that she does not believe him, then give him the next piece of the quest.

Delilah will beg Nate to find out what happened to Marowski. If she was not told that he is dead, she will ask Nate to find him. If she is told about his death, she will ask Nate to find out who killed him. She will be crying when she asks this, and Nate can accept or decline. If he accepts, Delilah will give him an unmarked, unplayable holotape that she believes may help. She will tell Nate that Marowski kept it in his sock drawer, and she found it when she was looking for clues as to where he might have gone.

Nate must return to the Rexford and examine the body. He will find that Marowski was shot in the head, and that there is a 10mm on the floor of his office near his right hand. If Nate successfully hacks the terminal on Marowski’s desk, he will find terminal entries with logs of his chem operations, lists of his active runners and Triggermen, and a journal. If he reads the journal entry, he will find five entries locked behind a password. The entries can be unlocked by loading the unmarked holotape into the terminal.

The sixth, most recent entry is a suicide note. The pressure of the chem operation, alongside the ring’s copious amounts of debt that will never be repaid by their customers, was too much for Marowski to juggle. Suicide was the only way he could keep Delilah safe. He wanted to keep her away from his debt and out of the dark corners of his chem operation. The note ends with an apology and an expression of love to Delilah. This discovery prompts Nate to return to Delilah (optional) with this answer if he is satisfied with it.

The other entries, however, contain more information for Nate to uncover if he so chooses. The fifth entry is corrupt and will not open. The fourth details how Marowski’s tentative deal with Bobby No-Nose to get them out of debt had gone awry, and he had been fending off her goons for the week-or-so before his death. He stressed that it was of utmost importance that he stay away from the Third Rail to keep them away from Delilah, who did not deserve to be put in danger because of his bad decisions. The third covers Marowski’s excitement about Delilah. He had been in love with her since he set eyes on her in the Third Rail, and now, she’d fallen in love with him, too. They had just moved in together at the Rexford, which was going to make it harder to keep her out of the line of fire, but it was worth it.

The second entry is corrupt and will not open. The first entry logs Marowski’s concern about his dwindling Triggermen numbers. He started noticing that he would send his men out on runs to acquire or deliver chems, but they would not return. His pool of runners was getting shallower and shallower, yet he had not noticed more people fiending for his chems. Everyone in Goodneighbor seemed perfectly drugged up and satisfied, which struck him as strange – who were they getting their fix from if not from his men? This was not good for his numbers.

After reading these entries, Nate will have three quest goals:

(Optional) Return to Delilah

(Optional) Speak to Bobby No-Nose

Find out what happened to Marowski

Return to Delilah

If Nate returns to Delilah and informs her that Marowski did, in fact, kill himself and present her with his suicide note, she will become inconsolable. “I didn’t want to believe you,” she will cry, “but you’re right.” She will tell Nate all of the red flags/shady things Marowski did that now makes her believe that he was involved with the drug ring. She will thank Nate for his help, give him 500 caps, and send him on his way. Delilah will then become unrecruitable.

Speak to Bobby No-Nose

Nate may continue to investigate based on Marowski’s entry re: fending off Bobby’s goons after a deal gone wrong. When he speaks to her about it, she will tell him about Marowski’s debt he owed to her and his evasiveness in paying it back. They made a deal about it once, but it went awry when one of Bobby’s men got too bold. Marowski continued to refuse to pay until his death. Still, Bobby maintains her and her men’s innocence. Yes, they were heckling him, but for his money; the dead don’t pay debts. If Nate asks Bobby where he can find another lead, she will flippantly tell him that if he wants information on Marowski, he should speak to Marowski’s men instead of hers.

Nate must then interrogate three Triggermen about their boss. The first will say that he knows nothing and inform Nate that he should stop sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong. The second will be “shocked” that Marowski is dead and ask Nate what happened, as if he wasn’t there to get information in the first place. The third will accuse Hancock, the mayor of Goodneighbor.

When Nate questions Hancock about Marowski, Hancock gets gruff and defensive. It’s clear that the mayor did not have a high opinion of the man, likely because Marowski’s power over the Goodneighbor residents threatened his own. He will be avoidant about answering Nate’s questions unless Nate mentions that he’s doing a favor for Delilah, in which case Hancock will be forthcoming with any information Nate needs to “help that poor thing.” With a sly smile, Hancock will tell Nate to “check with the Rexford’s front desk when Clair ain’t around,” whatever that means. The information is discoverable with or without this clue.

After speaking with Hancock, Nate will have four quest goals:

(Optional) Return to Delilah [will trigger same interaction as above]

(Optional) Investigate the Hotel Rexford

(Optional) Accuse the suspect

Find out what happened to Marowski

Investigate the Hotel Rexford

Regardless of what time of day Nate returns to the Rexford, Clair will be stationed at the front desk. Nate must ask her about Marowski, and she will not leave the front desk until he does. She is avoidant and tells Nate that she knows little about Marowski at all – only that he owns the hotel and pays her to run its operations. After this conversation, Nate can return to the Rexford between the hours of 10pm – 4am to find the front desk unmanned. He must hack into the terminal at the desk, where he will discover that every entry on Marowski’s terminal was not an entry but rather an email. The contents of Clair’s terminal are identical to those of Marowski’s, aside from logging her own replies. It also successfully saved copies of Marowski’s fifth and second “journal entries” – which had been private communications rather than journal entries all along – that had been corrupted on his own terminal.

In entry #5, Marowski informs Clair that he has found a way to pay off their debts and get them out of the red: logging each time the hotel lodged a patron who was suspected of being a synth, then sending that log to Bunker Hill weekly. To pay off their debts, Marowski was acting as an Institute informant.

In entry #2, Marowski informs Clair that he has solved the mystery of where their Triggermen are disappearing to. The Third Rail seemed to have found itself a new bartender – Delilah, the woman called herself – who was not happy with the way Marowski’s men were treating her. Over a drink at Delilah’s bar, Marowski offered her a deal: if she stopped killing his men, he would cut her in on the deal. She could deal his chems under the table at her bar and keep a portion of the profits if she let up. She countered: she would stop killing her men if, and only if, they stopped treating her like a piece of meat. That was her only requirement. Marowski agreed in earnest, and the pair shook on it. Then, Delilah requested that he make her second in command in his drug trade anyhow. This took Marowski by surprise, but Delilah explained: she knew that Marowski dealt his chems indiscriminately (ie, to children if they simply asked), which is a detail that would derail his entire operation if let slip to Hancock. She knew about his debt, too, and she was convinced she could get him out of it. She would pose no threat to him, either, if he slipped her into the operation under the guise of her being his newest arm candy. She could accompany him everywhere, attached to him at the hip, and no one would be the wiser. For Marowski, this plan was almost all pros and no cons. At the sacrifice of a few caps per sale, he would get out of debt, keep his secret from the mayor, and tote around a beautiful woman like a gold watch. He accepted.

After reading the emails, Nate will have one quest goal:

Accuse the suspect

Nate can formally accuse any one suspect he speaks to over the course of his investigation.

Accusing Delilah

If Nate chooses to return to the Third Rail, Whitechapel Charlie will be tending the bar no matter the time of day. Nate must ask Charlie where Delilah is, then buy a beer before Charlie will give him the answer. He tells Nate that Delilah is at her and Marowski’s suite at the Rexford, surely mourning. When Nate returns to the Rexford, he must pick the locked front door to enter. The lobby – and the entire hotel – is empty aside from one dainty figure sitting cross-legged on the front desk. “Sure took you long enough, sugar,” she will say sweetly, twirling her hair and trapping him in dialogue.

This will positively affect his affinity with Delilah, similar to “Delilah loved that.”

Accusing Bobby No-Nose, Triggermen, or Clair

The suspect will become hostile. Before Nate can pull his gun, the suspect will pull him back into dialogue and act disproportionately afraid. “No, I’m sorry, I swear it wasn’t me,” etc etc. Nate is not given an opportunity to respond. Instead, he is trapped in dialogue with the person now standing behind him: Delilah. The NPC he was accusing will run through the door behind her while she speaks. “I really thought you'd catch on quicker, big guy,” she will tell Nate.

This will put Nate at Delilah’s lowest recruitable affinity.

Accusing Hancock

The mayor will nearly laugh in Nate’s face, and when Nate pulls his gun, Hancock will just shrug. “Do what you gotta do,” he will say, “but I’m telling you, you got the wrong guy. Ain’t that right, sister?” Nate is not given an opportunity to respond. Instead, he is trapped in dialogue with the person now standing behind him: Delilah. Hancock will waltz out the door behind her while she speaks, ghosting his hand up her arm and shoulder as he squeezes past her. “I really thought you'd catch on quicker, big guy,” she will tell Nate.

This will put Nate at a low affinity with Delilah and lower his affinity with Hancock.

Regardless of who Nate accuses, Delilah will then explain her involvement in Marowski’s drug ring. She was killing any Triggermen who tried to get in her pants; the extra caps and chems was just a bonus at first. Once she got a whiff of power, she couldn’t leave it behind. After she worked her way in with Marowski, she eventually became more in charge than he was. He eventually became little more than just the face of the operation. She was perfectly happy with this setup, considering it kept her powerful yet still in the shadows (and allowed her to skim caps and chems as she pleased). Unfortunately, Marowski got involved in shit that was too shady for her (informing for the Institute) and she had to end that quickly and quietly. She wrote the suicide note and killed Marowski in a way that looked like the gunshot was self-inflicted, then inherited the ring. She is the kingpin. She had been the entire time. This whole mission was nothing but a wild goose chase.

If Nate asks why she would send him following such an entangled web when she was pulling the strings the whole time, she will shrug tell him that she wanted to make sure he knew what he was getting into with her.

Delilah is now recruitable.

#deep longing sigh #i love her so bad #if ur seeing this u should write companion quests for ur ocs too #this was so much fun #oc: delilah #oldworld.ocs #fallout #fallout 4 #fo4 #fallout oc #fallout 4 oc #fallout companion quest #canon typical violence #brief #suicide mention

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kellystar321 · 10 months

Note

*Sticks hand through catflap* Pardon me Jace but I heard you would not talk about Henry Stickmin OCs at length until someone asked you. Please deposit all of your information into my hand please and thank you

hi math!! <3 *cracks knuckles* alrighty heres my little stickmin guys, not counting ace and eca because their relationship to canon is ✨ strange and unorthodox! ✨

Short Descriptions

Acanthus: A hedge witch who lives in the woods, no associated factions but oddly seems to house a lot of Toppat visitors.

Pazi: A CCC worker who works in a mobile unit off the coastline of Russia.

The Javelins: A found family of five scientific experiments with grafted wings to be recruited into the military.

Long (and i mean long) Descriptions under cut:

^ old reference, feathers in her hat have been changed to acanthus flowers

Acanthus (she/her): Acanthus lives alone in a cabin in the woods, a little decrepit but not too worse for wear. She is a very advanced hedge witch, and her magic mostly consists of herbal remedies and teas (though she does know basic warding and sigils, kitchen magic, and protection magic.)

She married a long time ago, and she and her husband built their cabin together on the edge of the forest, and they lived happily together for many years learning magic together. As the years went by, the forest inched closer and slowly grew darker and more sinister. One fateful day, three months after their first child was born, Acanthus’s husband was killed by a creature of the forest, and in grief she cast a radiating field of protection from her cabin outward, sustained for as long as she lived. From then on, she vowed to protect anyone who wandered into the section of the forest she resided in, since she could not protect the one she loved the most.

She is the guardian of the section of the woods where she lives and she protects those who walk in her area of the forest. She goes out every day to collect herbs and plants and hangs them up to dry in her home. Those who do not mean harm can seek sanctuary in or near her cabin. She hasn’t had quite as many visitors since her granddaughter Hazel left to join the Toppats.

Y’know. Hazel. The Witch.

Acanthus’s daughter (The Witch’s mother) didn’t want to be so secluded in the dark woods and moved away into the city. Acanthus supported her daughter’s choices and continued living in the forest alone. Acanthus’s daughter had a child, and The Witch grew up with an affinity towards plants. The Witch visited Acanthus’s cabin every summer from a young age. Acanthus taught The Witch everything she knew about herbalism. Acanthus was the first person The Witch came out to about being trans, and was delighted when she found out that Acanthus was trans as well.

One of Acanthus’s many potions is a tea which helps the body develop in tune with the drinker’s perception of their gender. There’s some effects that happen right away (voice changes, hormone production), but most effects take multiple doses of the potion. (Potion of trans your gender REAL). Acanthus drank this to transition, and so did The Witch.

Eventually, The Witch joined the Toppats, though she still comes back to visit often.

Acanthus was originally created to help my friend @frazzledazzlin’s character, Jesse, transition. He wanted a witch in the woods to magically trans Jesse’s gender for his backstory, so I offered to make a witch for this purpose! Acanthus enjoys Jesse’s visits immensely and treats him like a beloved grandson. Jesse helps her with chores and she always invites him for tea and supper and a chat.

Jesse will often call her Acantha, and The Witch calls her Nana. She will always sends them back to the Toppat airship/orbital station with a protection sigil and a new container of tea bags.

If I could turn this into a piece of media, it would be: A series of non-chronological comics mostly centered on whenever someone visits the cabin. _______

Pazi (they/xey/she): Pazi Morozova is a CCC employee looking for chaos disturbances near Russia’s coast of the Bering Sea. The Mobile Unit R321 is manned by xem and xem alone. They basically live in that thing and have turned it into a one-room apartment.

Pazi joined the CCC as a mobile unit operative to investigate the strange power surges that would randomly spike in the sea. She triangulated and found the source – a ship that housed a certain doctor specializing in cyborgs – and tried to destroy it (like most CCC employees try to do).

Due to a malfunction, the Ultimate Freeze device and a Frost Ray were combined and blew back into her face, hitting her directly. The accident gave them a new power, the ability to slow time of things and people they coat in a layer of frost, freezing them in place.

However, the blast also took out much of the lower half of xeir face, as well as the part of xeir arm xey used to shield xeir eyes. Her mobile unit crashed into the sea and Dr. V graciously took her in to fix her up. Dr V. let her stay on her ship while xey recovered and they worked on her mobile unit together to get it flight-ready again (which they prolonged the repair of as they grew attached to each other). They dated for a while, but eventually felt as if they weren’t compatible as lifelong partners, so they broke up on friendly terms. Pazi quietly returned to working for the CCC.

They still care deeply about each other as friends, and they video chat sometimes and have semi-regular meet-ups whenever they happen to be near each other in the sea. Pazi docks their mobile unit on Dr. V's ship and makes her coffee, and Dr. V gives their mechanics a tune-up while they chat. These days, Pazi makes sure Dr. V is safe from the CCC’s radar.

Pazi was originally created from the #henrystickminocchallenge on twitter, and was eventually given a backstory.

If I could turn this into a piece of media, it would be: A short fanfic centered on Pazi’s life before and then during their stay with Dr. V. _______

The Javelins: jfc where do i start lmao

TW: Torture, Kidnapping, Death, Experimentation

The Andromeda Facility is a scientific laboratory that runs completely morally sound experiments with consenting volunteers.

At least… on the first floor.

Past a secret elevator, lower floors reveal much more sinister projects performed on kidnapped subjects. With excess funding from first-floor experiments, The Andromeda Facility aims to make ground-breaking scientific revelations, ethics be damned.

Enter The Javelin Project.

The Javelin Project is an Andromeda Facility initiative aiming to graft wings to a human body in order to create a mobile field operative more discreet than helicopters, but still intelligent enough for Government work. The project was named Javelin, for the sleek and efficient ability to fly through the air and narrowly breach through enemy defenses.

With three previously failed test trials under their belts, scientists are ready to proceed with Group 4, five subjects who’ve already been through the wringer...

Javelin Group 4, Case A (J4-CA) – self-proclaimed “Alexandria” (she/her) – is a reject from The Athena Assignment, an experiment to jampack all Earthly knowledge and intellect into a select number of humans. Alexandria was a strong start with an abnormally high IQ level, but was deemed too violent after weekly provoking. (One of the scientists kept challenging her to a chess game where he continuously altered the rules so she couldn't win. Every time she captured on of his pieces she'd scrape the piece along the side of the board, wearing it down to a sharpened edge she used to slice his chest.) She was removed and placed into the Javelin Project. Alexandria is highly intelligent and protective of her loved ones, jumping to defend them.

^ Javelin Group 4, Case B (J4-CB) – self-proclaimed “Jacob” or “Coby” (she/they) – is a reject from The Fountain Experiments, a look into anti-aging serums meant to help the skin appear more youthful, though this had negative effects on the physical and mental age development of Coby. A child who started as a 13 year old had regressed into a 7 year old with an even lower mental age. She was discarded as scientists researched serums with less negative side effects. Coby is shy, sweet, and easily attached to people who are the slightest bit kind to her. She’s so baby.

^ Javelin Group 4, Case C (J4-CC) – self-proclaimed “Keter” (it/they) – has not been in a previous experiment before. Its mother was a scientist working obliviously on the first floor of the facility who was killed after accessing an unauthorized level of the building. Keter broke in after its mom never came home and was taken and placed into the Javelin Project. Keter is feisty, angry, and leans hard into the experiment vibes, being a nightmare of a test subject if it means it’ll take attention off of its family.

^ Javelin Group 4, Case D (J4-CD) – self-proclaimed “Dewdrop” “Dewy” or “Dew" (they/he) – was previously a worker who tended to low-maintenance plant experiments on the first floor, and was taken to be part of the Terracotta Tests, an experiment in human photosynthesis when spliced with plant cells. The experiment failed since the photosynthesis became uncontrollable, and Dew began growing rue and asphodel from their hair and skin. They were rejected from this experiment and sent to be part of The Javelin Project. Dew is spacey, dazed and forgetful most of the time, but shows affection to their family after prolonged containment with them.

^ Javelin Group 4, Case E (J4-CE) – self-proclaimed “Jace” (he/she/they) – is me! Jace was a reject from the Nocturn Experiment, though not as a subject. He was part of the experiment equipment, meant to repeat a specific musical melody to make a group of people fall asleep as a conditioned response. After making too many mistakes in this experiment, he was placed into the Javelin Project. Jace is weary but caring, very maternal and nurturing.

The Javelin Project takes a long time of hollowing out bones, the wing grafting process, and eventual flight training. Every night the subjects get shunted into a room together and given their food portions which they share. They talk, sing, and comfort each other. They are all that they have.

The Javelin Project can either fail (all or almost all the subjects die), partially succeed (a set of the subjects survive), or fully succeed (all subjects survive), each leading to different timelines for the Javelins.

The main ones are: - The Escape Timeline, where the group of five try to escape, but Coby, Keter and Dew die in the process. When caught by scientists, Alexandria gives up her life so Jace can run away. Jace joins the Toppats to swear revenge. - The Government Timeline, where the Javelin Project succeeds and they’re sent to work for the government. Why do they do this? I have not planned that out yet. I think they’re being forced to but who knows why they're cooperating. I’ll figure it out. Anyway, other than The True Ending, this is the happiest ending for them since everyone survives and are let outside together. They do missions together and Jace and Alexandria take care of the three kids and are parents together and they’re found family.

J4-CE was originally created for a secret project. :)

If I could turn this into a piece of media, it would be: A “your-choices-matter” RPG Maker game with a rhythm game segment, a visual novel segment, a tamagotchi simulator survival segment, and multiple endings based on who survives. I will make this someday.

#henry stickmin oc #thsc oc #the henry stickmin collection #henrey stickmin #my henry stickmin art #starlight originals #general oc tag #my favorite color is queue #ace and eca would take too long to explain hdkhd

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rose-tinted-vision · 6 months

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Fic: Tales from Tianji Manor

(prev/ao3 link/next)

Relationships: implied Di Feisheng/Fang Duobing/Li Lianhua

chapter summary: Our local murderous gremlin gets exposed to motherly affection. He does not know how to deal with it.

“Where's Di Feisheng?” He Xiaohui asks at breakfast. The spot by Li Lianhua’s left was left conspicuously empty, which neither her son nor Li Lianhua seemed particularly concerned about.

Xiaobao shrugs, shovelling another mouthful of congee into his mouth.

Deeming her son useless in this topic, she turns to Li Lianhua, who gives a small cough, cheeks puffing in what she now recognizes is discomfort before answering, “Lao-Di does that sometimes. He comes and goes as he pleases, please don't worry, Sect leader He.”

Well. That was something to unpack.

She heard from Xiaobao that Di Feisheng came from the Di Family in the southeast region, that secretly conducted Death sorcerer training, creating trained assassins out of children. That explained his high martial skills, as well as his disregard towards social etiquette.

Though he was trying, she could see that. There are certain times where Di Feisheng paused, thinking through his words before suggesting murder to all their problems.

That was not the most pressing issue now, however.

“I told you to address me as ‘mom’,” she admonishes lightly, pushing a bowl of dough fritters towards Li Lianhua, who is careful not to agree but acknowledges her with a nod anyway.

It wasn't an outright refusal, she notes with a degree of satisfaction. She would work at slowly chipping away at his defences for now.

“And as for Di Feisheng, he'd better be back by evening, no one misses dinner here,” she fixes her Xiaobao with a glare.

“He usually disappears for a month though,” Xiaobao looks up in alarm, knowing full well she would make do on her threats, “even Hulijing is unable to track him down!”

“Nonsense, we have He Xiaofeng. Or have you forgotten how your xiaoyi managed to follow you all the way to Jin Mantang’s residence?”

“That was because this traitor set off a smoke flare!” Xiaobao gestures to Li Lianhua. (Who was currently stuffing his cheeks with pieces of dough fritters, the very picture of innocence and nothing like the 'traitor' he had just been accused of being).

“Also, are you calling my xiaoyi a tracking dog?” her Xiaobao huffs in mock indignation.

“You're the one calling her that, not me,” He Xiaohui says dismissively. Though her youngest sister does have a strange affinity for tracking people down, smoke flare or not, strangely enough.

—

(“Try calling for him,” Li Lianhua nudges Fang Xiaobao, who wrinkles his nose at the suggestion.

Li Lianhua shrugs, “it's worked before, no?”

In the end, Fang Duobing had volunteered himself to look for Di Feisheng, citing that the other would likely flee at seeing his xiaoyi. Not out of fear, but from guilt, that his taking her hostage had gotten her stabbed multiple times. He may have a morally gray compass, but he did have his own set of strict moral codes that he stuck to.

Fang Xiaobao pointedly ignores Li Lianhua's ribbing, holding out one of A-Fei’s sashes to Hulijing, who gives it a curious sniff before setting off northwards of the forest.

It wasn't until the sun started to set, painting the sky in various shades of pink, orange and yellow, with Fang Xiaobao muttering curses under his breath that Hulijing returned triumphant.

They eventually find him meditating by the waterfalls nestled in the forest, a lone figure clad in red stark against the cool grey of the cliffs. Hulijing bounds up to him, her barks rivalling the sounds of the crashing waters.

Standing there against the waterfalls that far eclipsed him in height as he pets Hulijing, Di Feisheng looked nothing like the monster in the stories teashop storytellers liked to spin.

Di Feisheng clearly had not expected his zhijis to come seeking him out, nor had he expected that He Xiaohui would be concerned about his absence. He did not know what to make of her demand that he be back for dinner, having managed to get by all his life alone. Never had anyone besides Li Lianhua fed him a meal without ulterior motives).

—

He Xiaohui is considering the merits of tearing up the offensive letter placed in front of her when attendant Xie rushes in, hastily announcing the return of her wayward son-in-law (to-be, but that was a moot point) and her sons.

“I'm famished!” Fang Xiaobao announces, waltzing into the dining hall with his zhijis trailing in behind him.

“Is there an issue?” Di Feisheng addresses her, taking the seat across Li Lianhua. It was hardly a conversation starter, but it was also not a straight ‘what do you want from me’ that his posture was radiating. She would give him points for that.

Unlike Fang Xiaobao, who had tore into his food with vigor upon sitting down, Di Feisheng had paid the veritable array of food no mind, posture tense and coiled for action, still wary after a week of residence in her Tianji Manor.

She had meant to put on her most stern expression, ready to grill them for being late, she really did. But Di Feisheng had looked so bewildered, so lost, his earlier collected demeanour gone when she replied that all she truly wanted was all her family members to be present during dinnertime.

“You…have fixed meal times?” Di Feisheng followed-up, sounding genuinely confused. The question has Li Lianhua subtly perking up in curiosity as well- and He Xiaohui’s heart aches.

That it was such a simple thing as having a meal together- that Di Feisheng likely never experienced -has her feeling choked up.

Truly, fate had not done right by these two men.

From the wet sheen in Fang Xiaobao's eyes, and the fond, almost tender expression he was sporting, she figures that he felt the same way too.

Not trusting herself to speak without breaking down into tears, He Xiaohui nods in response to Di Feisheng's expectant expression.

“Alright then,” Di Feisheng nods, deeming the answer satisfactory, “I shall try not to miss dinner.”

#afaik family dinners in Chinese households are A Given and quite important #i think this is the first fic where i wrote something more dfs centric #!! i do love A-Fei #just struggle with writing him a lil #mysterious lotus casebook fic #mysterious lotus casebook #di feisheng #difanghua #rose writes

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attonposting · 1 year

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So KotOR II, when you train your companions into Jedi, I think most of us immediately give our Force Friend Squad healing and lightning and whatever else is gonna make combat go quickest. But looking at them as people, what powers would they actually have an affinity for? What's natural for them to learn and use?

Atton cannot heal to save his life – and it would, given his tendency to get himself into trouble. However, what he does have a knack for is Revitalize, channeling his ability to hang in there and keep fighting no matter what. He's also got a nasty predisposition towards a couple of dark side powers, especially Force Choke. At first Atton is pretty irreverent about how he uses the Force – a blaster bolt or an exploded guy, dead is dead, so what's the difference? - but the issue is that, as before, he likes it. And he doesn't want to feel that anymore. Atton would also be quite good at mind tricks, being both a duplicitous asshole and an ex-assassin with specialized training on how mental domination works, but it's a moot point because he stubbornly refuses to learn them.

Bao-Dur's first foray into the Force involves learning to manipulate the currents in droids – they're the easiest energies for him to connect to, and disabling or overloading machinery from afar comes naturally. What also comes naturally, unfortunately, is Force Scream, especially when they land on Dxun and all his old war wounds are torn open. Canderous joining the crew was not a good time for him, and honestly, when Bao-Dur talks about how he feels calmer in the Exile's presence? I think it makes a lot of difference whether this chat happens before or after Dxun. Bao-Dur's a whirlpool beneath a calm surface, so psychic blasting people with repressed anger and pain hits pretty right from where I'm standing. He has to work a little harder to learn Force healing, but channeling his energy into reconstruction is something he eventually strikes a deep, quiet connection with.

Mira was the hardest for me to peg, at least with the game's power roster. We already know what she's best at through the Force – a strange combination of hunter's instinct and empathy, where she can find people by understanding how they think and what they need. There's no power equivalent to that, though. What I do think she'd excel at is Stun and Stasis. It's part because she always strives to disable people without killing them, and part because that's kind of her whole aesthetic (or at least that's what the design team would like us to believe, smh) – appearing nonthreatening and then taking you down before you ever realized you were in danger. A non-Dark-Side Mira would have a lot of trouble with blatantly lethal powers like Force Lightning and Force Choke, and if she doesn't, that's allll on the Exile's freaky influence warp.

Brianna is a master of combat buffs – at first mastering her own body, and then channeling that near-preternatural surefootedness to her allies. Master Speed, Force Valor, deflecting blaster bolts with her bare hands, it's all in her wheelhouse. Can totally see her in the middle of a pitched fight tossing people around with Force Wave, literally leaping across a battlefield with lightsabers flashing and landing with a shockwave that throws a dozen men back. Girl could go very anime if she wanted. Let's face it, she's earned it.

Mical is absolutely a healer. Guy already had medical training, and more importantly, he is friend-shaped. It's not something that companions can learn or use in-game, but I think that persuasion would also be in his wheelhouse – not for the sake of domination, but out of a sincere desire to seek better solutions where tempers, greed, and pride otherwise rule. Like, c'mon, he becomes a senator in some of his endings – now imagine that, but not completely disillusioned with the galaxy. He could cut you down, but he'd really rather you go home and rethink your life choices. I think there's strong grounds for him getting Force Enlightenment down the road, which is another exclusive-to-PC power that's beyond the scope of many Masters. Mical has about the most complete view of the Jedi Order anyone could aspire to, understanding without excusing its flaws and the easy pitfalls the Code can lead to while still truly believing in the good it can do for the galaxy.

Visas joins the party pre-equipped with a bunch of Dark Side powers, which makes me weep. Like, Force Horror? She's projecting the overwhelming trauma of Katarr. Choke and Lightning? You know Nihilus used them on her liberally. It's awful. But I'd like to think that on a Light Side run, as she grows into her own, she develops different affinities. I get support vibes again, but for Visas, it's about endurance, and sharing what she's gained with those who helped lift her up – Force Barrier and Energy Resistance, Force Aura, maybe Force Resistance. She can still wield her grief and her anger, but it doesn't rule her – she's not like Atton, where those powers hold a real and present danger for his psyche. She still feels that pain, and she's unafraid to use the darkness when necessity calls, but it's not the only thing that fills her heart anymore.

#kotor #kotor 2 #kotor ii #atton rand #bao-dur #visas marr #mira #brianna #the handmaiden #mical #the disciple

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mareenavee · 1 year

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⭐️ mages and literacy

Director's Cut -- Mages and Literacy in The World on our Shoulders

FRICKEN FANTASTIC. Thank you so much for asking about this specifically.

Actually, on a side note, my mom and I were talking about how strangely well read the people of Tamriel are considering the setting. I really love it even though it's relatively odd. We only ever meet a few authors in game, and never anyone who transcribes professionally. Certainly no printing presses. Maybe there are and we just don't know it.

On a more serious note, since literacy seems very common in the setting, generally speaking -- obviously like everywhere there will be exceptions to the rules, I'd like to talk just a bit about arcane text specifically. I'd mentioned before that becoming a mage, or at least becoming more skilled at the use of magic requires time, effort and study. Some people are naturally more inclined to do so, and some are not. There could be a myriad reasons, culturally or biologically or what have you.

I have a scene in chapter 2 where Hadvar gives a spell tome to Nyenna that he'd taken out of the keep in Helgen. The scene starts after she quickly understands and memorizes the words for the flames spell:

“How curious… I had no idea this could be so simple,” she said. “My mother never saw sense in trying to teach me. My purpose was to unite houses, and that’s it. At least according to her. It was a miracle I learned even the tiniest alchemic recipes in all the time I’d had to observe her work.” Hadvar looked at her, again with his eyebrows knit, making his broad face seem even wider than it was. She returned the confused stare. “Wait, is it not simple?”

“Magic definitely isn’t simple, no, I can assure you. I can’t make any sense of those scribblings no matter how many hours I stare at them. I know they’re written in Common but they start to swim around on the page like they’re not meant for eyes like mine,” Hadvar said, reading over her shoulder.

We're not exactly sure what language magic is written in, or if it exists in all languages, or is something else entirely. We're not sure if it's a manifestation of the blessings of Magnus or Julianos on Nirn, even. In my hc, sometimes the text is very difficult to read. Some people can't read it at all, though it's possible they could learn the spells if the words were ever spoken to them. Some people, especially considering the social attitude toward magic in Skyrim in this case, accept that arcane texts are more trouble than they're worth -- as Hadvar might in this scene. Or maybe there's more to it that we can't know.

I like to think the arcane texts are themselves magic of a sort, that spells and the intentions behind them are found in the shape of this language -- even if it's actually written in Tamrielic/Common. It's possible, for some, it's simply not something they're willing to put the effort in to comprehend.

Even if many people in Skyrim/Tamriel own and read many more books than would normally seem possible in such settings, arcane texts are probably on a different level. I would imagine that's probably why there's not very many spell tomes sitting around on peoples' bookshelves in their houses or anything like that. Usually one must go to where the mages are to borrow their copies.

There's probably a lot more we can extrapolate on this question, but there's surprisingly little lore about the mechanics of why spell tomes work. (Or really, why they get destroyed in game when you're done with them.) In the end, I think there's a lot of factors that influence why someone might become a mage, and perhaps a lot more as to why someone else might not, and some of that reason could be the difficulty of the craft and the amount of study and work that probably has to go into it under most circumstances. Less literacy, and more cultural and aptitude based.

(I like to think it's like any art in real life. Some people have natural affinities to do creative work, some don't. Anyone who wants to improve their skill in said art will need to put in the work, no matter how easily or not it comes to each specific artist.)

Thanks! This was fun to mull over :D

#AskMareena #MareenaWrites #skyrim #elder scrolls #fanfiction #fanfic #fic #fic writer #fanfic writer #fanfiction writing #skyrim fic #skyrim fanfic #skyrim fanfiction #ao3 #The World on Our Shoulders

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zaceouiswriting · 1 year

Text

Fairy Prince - Hearts of Leviathans - Ch.3

Characters: Sky x male reader, Brandon x male reader, Riven x male reader

Universe: Winx Club/Wix Saga

Warnings: None

My head is racing as I silently follow the Herald to my grandfather's office. I could not wrap my head around things. They didn't even call me home for my sixteenth birthday a month ago. But now? Now they suddenly want me back in the palace? Something felt strange, but not being able to pinpoint it is driving me insane.

The guards around me gave me strange looks as I nervously fidgeted with my fingers and my head slightly tilted down. Quickly I realized that my reputation was not following but running ahead of me. They must have been shocked at my anxious state. To be honest with myself, I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Luckily, I don't care what anyone thinks of me. I didn't even look at them.

Soon we were standing before my grandfather's closed dark stone office doors. Two Geodocers - elite guardians with an affinity for stone magic - exclusively protect the king and stand on the sides of this door. "Explain why you are coming before His Majesty King Rodwick III's private office!" both guards commanded simultaneously in deep, stony voices.

Already aware of their deal, I finally straightened my back and looked directly at the two men, who were not looking back.

"I, (Y/N) Gyonos, Crown Prince of Gyonos, have been officially requested by His Majesty King Rodwick III."

Nothing happened for a while. Slowly, both men turned inward toward the door, pushing against the stone door with one hand while their other gripped their spears tightly. Yellow, brownish magic flowed across the door to the core, which broke open the stone. But only so much that I could step through. Nobody else is allowed to follow.

The second I walked through, the doors closed again, and the stone reconnected. "Oh, your grandfather is already waiting for you!" called a woman's voice which I know all too well.

"So the old man locked you in here?" I asked her jokingly, even relaxing my statue.

"You know how he is, but at least he let me keep plants here!" Her happiness and being able to see the best in everything always made me stare at her in admiration. But at the end of the day, she's still a prisoner.

"Can I open the wooden doors this time without being attacked?" I looked at her suspiciously as she just grinned crookedly at me. "Oh, in the name of Thortaglia, please give me strength," I murmured softly, but as always, she heard me, which I recognized from her ominous chuckle.

Slowly and reluctantly, I walked forward and knocked on the black wooden door made of the ash oak that only grows on the black rocks because of the lava inside the dormant volcano. Highly resistant to fire and anything related to heat.

I had to wait a long moment, or was it short? Honest? I don't know. The only thing I was that I stood there a moment longer than I would have liked. Until finally, the old man permitted me to enter.

With my guard on high alert, I did as I was told, almost casually opening the heavy wooden doors. Even though the door was wide open, nothing happened. Instead, I saw my grandfather with his usual mischievous smile. Across the room, my parents were seated, the same people who never fought for me, only following what my grandfather said.

"What are they doing here?" I asked in a disgusted tone. It made my disappointment in them very clear.

"Everything at the right time, you already know that. Come closer and sit down. It's important.”

"More important than a war I fought almost alone?"

"Yes, indeed, more important than anything else!"

Slightly shocked by my grandfather's determination, I entered the room and closed the door. Still, my senses still heightened; I turned around as soon as the door clicked back into place. Before I could take another step, I felt it. Without looking up, I smashed the rock that was falling on me. Staring at my grandfather the whole time, annoyed to no end.

I wanted to ask him how many traps he'd built, but I knew he'd never tell - like always. So I walked closer to the desk, smashing rocks, dodging arrows, and whatever the old man threw at me.

Even from a distance, I could see the chair was tampered with. So I just put it away and made my own out of stone. I crossed my left leg over my right and leaned back, my forearms on the sides of the chair, looking at my grandfather smugly. It's a little game we play because I'm the only one in the family like him.

"So, old man, why did you call me here? Wasn't confinement to the battlefield enough?”

My grandfather looked me up and down, amazed that I hadn't lost my attitude and sense of superiority. "Somebody had to fight. I am old and tired-”

"Cut it, grandpa. We both know if you had wanted to, you could have split the world and burrowed these people into the ground.” His sweetly smiling expression fell instantly. Suddenly his seemingly broken exterior increased. He leaned over his desk, hands clasped, anger radiating from him. But I didn't give in. Instead, I followed his example and strengthened my position.

We just stared at each other for a while until the old man decided to lean back slightly again, this time sitting up straight with only his hands clasped on his desk.

"You will marry the third son of King Herald of Melakles," he stated matter-of-factly. It actually took me some time to understand what was being said. But as it slowly dawned on me, I began to laugh with all my heart. I almost fell off my chair laughing. After all, my family always told us that we should only marry for love. They would never force anything on us - except the crown.

I soon realized something. Nobody else laughed. I slowly opened my eyes and looked straight into my stoic grandfather's eyes. "You're joking, aren't you?" In a panic, I jumped onto the edge of the seat and tried to grab his hands. But he immediately withdrew.

"You already know Eric isn't that so? After all, he speaks of you with respect.” My panic turned to confusion. Yes, I know him, but I'd only met him once. "And we need their support after our other allies left us to die." A sly smirk graced my grandfather's lips out of a sudden. And it quickly clicked in my head.

"Are you serious?" I roared loudly, making the windows behind my grandfather and even the heavy stone doors shake with the immense power leaving my body. My anger grew as I felt two horns dig out of my head. "You want me to accept a political marriage? After the three of you talk about love as much as it can make a good marriage and make an empire flourish?”

With a single movement of my hands, his desk flew across the room, but my grandfather didn't flinch away; he just lifted his hands off it. "Yes. Everyone has to make sacrifices!"

"So all my siblings will also get married?" Suddenly it became eerily quiet. On my grandfather's stoic, cold icy facial expression, I thought to see something close to regret. "It's good to know that I'm the only one in this family who has to make sacrifices. Not only did you guys steal my teenage years by throwing me into a war, I have nothing to do with not allowing me to go to school or interact with others. Not even my own siblings. But now you want to control my future too?”

"Young man, you cannot talk to me, your king and grandfather, like that!"

The love I once felt for this old man, who was always very gentle with me and helped me control the immense powers that lives within me, suddenly began to disappear. "Is that all?" I asked through clenched teeth, just about able to pull the horns back inside me.

"No." The hate that began to harbor inside me grew a little bit more. "You will study at the Alfea Academy of Fairies."

“What?“

“Of course, you are a fairy. You will study there, just like me when I was your age. The new semester starts in two days.”

"Well, on my birthday, you couldn't get me out of the war, but if you want to send me away again. I finally understand where my place is in this family.” I turned after spitting those words in my grandfather's face: as venomously as possible. My eyes fell on my parents for the first time since I entered. "I hope you two are happy. We'll see what your future will bring when this old man withered away, and I take the crown!"

Nothing further was said after this threat. I simply left his office, ignoring his assistant and opening the heavy stone doors myself, shocking the guards in front of them.

I kept wondering how they could do this to me. Am I this unimportant and replaceable to them? Deep in thought, I didn't realize I'd reached my room. At least, I thought so. I almost left it again as I could see someone else standing inside, nervously fidgeting with their fingers.

“Who are you?“

The poor fellow jumped in terror and cowered against the wall as soon as he heard my voice. "Your royal highness, I-I-I-"

"Get down to the point!" I growled at him, annoyed at just his presence and at the thought of what my grandfather could have done.

But my harsh words had the opposite effect. Instead of sharing his affairs with me, he closed his eyes and folded his arms protectively in front of him while at the same time crouching on the floor.

A heavy sigh escaped my lips, and I walked over to him, shaking my head. He must have heard my heavy, angry footsteps because he soon curled up into a ball.

Ignoring his obviously fearful behavior, I grabbed his waist and pulled him off the floor. Oddly enough, he weighs next to nothing. I sat him down on a couch on the left side of my room and put a blanket over him. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

Without waiting for another word of his, I opened the door and left my room. Mentally exhausted, I walked down to the kitchen, through a secret passage and later staff stairs.

"Your Highness, what can we-"

"That's not necessary. I'm just going to make tea and steal some snacks for a young man in my room whom I suspect has just had a nervous breakdown."

I could hear the giggles of many kitchen workers and a lower butler standing to one side. "So I assume you know who this guy is?"

Everyone in the kitchen, about thirty people, made appreciative noises almost simultaneously. To be honest? It didn't surprise me. After all, the employees know everything at all times.

"He's your new personal assistant," the butler told me stoically.

I giggled darkly at his words, "Over my dead body." Suddenly, the happy atmosphere in the room was gone, everyone staring uneasily in my direction as I prepared for my short-term guest.

Feeling questioning looks on my back, I had to explain myself: “I won't take another assistant after what happened to my last one. The boy I've known all my life, I grew up with, who got killed right before my eyes! His blood spilled all over me, and to this day, I can't get the taste of his blood out of my mouth. I held him as he bled to death, unable to do anything for him. I could only pray that he would be in a different, better place and give him a final kiss on his forehead.”

I cried for his loss for so long that, at that point, not a single new tear could be shed. I miss him every day. His death was the reason I killed the only enemy I ever respected. It was his sword that spilled my best friend's blood.

To say they were in shock would be a gross understatement. Neither of them had any idea. They only know that I was on the front lines of this war - which is still going on.

There was complete silence in the room for minutes until I turned around with the tray in my hands, everything neatly arranged. "I didn't want to spoil the mood. Unfortunately, I'm not the lively person I used to be. You have the cruel old man to thank for that.” For the first time since the death of my best friend, I have shown my grief to someone.

Oddly enough, the atmosphere changed, and the intense tension eased as sympathy swept over all those who had always treated me - and the rest of my family well.

Head slightly bowed, I fixed my gaze on the floor as I shuffled out of the kitchen as fast as I could before either of them could see tears that dared to go against my will and break free of my eyes.

I took the same way back I had used to get to the kitchen, getting out of everyone's way.

Without thinking much, I opened my bedroom door with my forearm and closed it with my foot after entering. Soft snoring made its way to me, right into my ears. Shocked, I walked around to the couch. There the poor guy was, sound asleep peacefully. I must have really exhausted him through sheer fear.

Careful not to make too much noise, I set the tray down. I gently pulled the blanket over his shoulders so that only his head was sticking out. I also brushed a few strands of hair out of his face. "He looks even more like… him... from this perspective," I murmured under my breath. I wonder if grandfather is behind this and did it on purpose.

A sudden rush of new anger seared my eyes and turned them into what I tried to hide inside me so hard. It was difficult to push it back, but he somehow managed.

Straightening my back out again, I let out a sigh of relief. I breathed in sharply through my nose and let it out gently through my mouth. Slowly I could feel my senses slowly returning to me.

When I finally found myself still standing in front of the couch with the sleeping guy, I turned to my desk and quietly rummaged through it until I had a piece of paper and a pen in my hands. I wrote a note for the guy, left it on the tray, and finally left the room with one goal: finding a couple of guards willing to train with me to vent some frustration.

[Masterlist]

#winx club #winx club imagine #winx saga x male reader #Winx Saga #winx saga imagine #sky #sky x male reader #brandon #brandon x male reader #brandon imagine #sky imagine #riven #riven x male reader #riven imagine #male reader #x male reader #male reader imagine #x male reader imagine

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pochapal · 7 months

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I've been following your Umineko readthrough and been interested in a lot of the ways of reading you're employing - I think you've had a lot of insight relatively early into the story. I'm also very drawn to the fannish taxonomic Mode Of Engagement that is classpecting, and wanted to question a little of your classpecting of George - one of the things about him that jumped out from very early on was the ways in which his superficial presentation as a Nice Guy belies the strongest inheritance of Ushiromiya Family Values among the cousins - he looks up to Hideyoshi and Kinzo as businessmen, he defends Rosa's parental rights over Maria, he has dynastic aspirations of his own through homemaking and going out to make his fortune. Given the western fascistic overtones of Kinzo's occult fascination, obsession with the image of western beauty in Beatrice, and the prioritisation of a regimented, patriarchal power structure maintained through violence and fear, this has implications for George's character - and the aspect most closely associated with the charismatic cult of personality in business and empire through homestuck strikes me as Life, not Space - see the condesce, see Jane-as-white-suburbanite in homestuck and of course see anything to do with Jane in postcanon.

that's interesting! i do think there are a lot of george/jane overlaps and i did entertain life!george for a while since a lot of his character shtick is Emulation Of Kinzo's Ideals (kinzo himself is definitely Life by every measurable metric) but the thing that gave me pause is that this version of george clearly isn't real and is a version of himself he struggles to maintain convincingly enough to give himself any real benefits. George The Adult, to use the frameworks from my writeups, is almost certainly a Life player but George The Adult is a paper-thin mask that has no connection to his inner self.

behind the mask we have George The Kid who is much more concerned with establishing his own selfhood/"empire" rather than merely inheriting the ushiromiya system. his primary interest when not playing the cringe heir part is in wooing shannon and a strange jealousy towards the idea that battler is more successful at establishing and forming relationships with he is. i think this bitterness and loneliness extends beyond the Life framework and has more in common with jade harley's Space-esque desperate isolation. in homestuck postcanon we see jade throw herself into forming unhealthy doomed relationships and families with both the davekat and yiffy situations. both george and jade want something that is truly and unconditionally their own more than anything else, even if this desire is expressed in radically different ways. that said, i can very easily see george ending up with a yiffy of his own if shannon had survived lol (failchild with a poor imitation of the ushiromiya ideal supplanted on them abandoned by george when it becomes apparent a lot of his relationship with shannon is an illusory farce).

so much of homestuck's classpect stuff is rooted in the conflict of people emulating the aspects of those they look up to even when they shouldn't (rose's void-esque affinity motivated in part by her relationship with roxy, dirk acting knight-like to emulate his bro, the Rage influence over all the trolls and their aspirations) and i think you can apply that framework to george. the Life stuff is there and is shaping him but less in the sense that this is speaking to Who He Is than it actually is speaking to Who He Thinks He Should Be. my current reading of george is Space (also works as a fun contrast to my read of battler as a Time player) but even if that's not true i do think he's something else wrapped up in a Life player's clothing.

#fatesealyou #i have some more thoughts about classpect emulation as it applies to shannon/sayo and her relationship with george #but i think that probably deserves its own post

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magicmindless · 5 months

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A HC list but it’s just Whippa

I feel like I posted a list for her a long time ago but I don’t know (if I have please tell me)

- Pretty similar to Mousse but is considered to be the more talkative one, though it doesn’t mean she’s any sweeter

- Her and Mousse are twins but Whippa is slightly older by a few minutes

- Her real name is Whitney. Whippa was a nickname made by Mousse since she has an affinity for vanilla sweets, especially whipped cream (also she’s eaten it straight from the can more times than she’d like to admit)

- Her natural hair is blonde like Mousse but she dyed it white so she can separate herself and not be considered the “female Mousse”

- Since her and Mousse used to be criminals like most people in their night club they have some… interesting relationships to say the least. Lots of criminals are mixed about the 2. Some are totally cool with them not doing crime anymore, and those are the ones who are more like buddies to them while some see it as a betrayal. Others don’t care though since they had no connections to begin with

- She and Mousse are acknowledged about things like corruption in the justice system and police brutality. They don’t agree with every single thing in the justice system and wished for things to be better but some act like they don’t for whatever reason despite them literally being former criminals

- Whippa was the one who got Mousse to do that photoshoot for the Mocharia Cinco de Mayo poster. She has it hanging up on her wall because she thinks it’s hilarious

- Her favorite alcoholic drink is gin and tonic. She can handle a lot of alcohol though she gets really quiet when she drinks

- Her and Mousse are kind of like caretakers to some of the younger troublemakers in Oniontown, especially towards Radlynn and Sarge Fan, with Sarge’s infamous pranks and Radlynn constantly running away from home. Whenever they see either of them out, they’ll bring them to the nightclub in a secluded area away from the criminals to talk things out with them and check up on them in general

- She and Mousse have both learned a lot of things about Sarge and Radley Madish through the 2 main troublemakers of Oniontown. They think that their obsessions are a bit strange but they’re not too concerned about them (not yet at least)

- Has some musical talent in her as a singer. She used to do choir as a kid and sings a mean vibrato. Her favorite genre of music is smooth jazz

- Her voice has gotten deeper from smoking. She and Mousse are both attempting to quit though. They both wear nicotine patches under their clothes

- Also might have the immunity of a sickly Victorian child. She does sometimes sound like she’s forcing out her voice even if it’s scratchy and causing her to cough (previous choir years of belting her voice doesn't help). Mousse scolds her that one day she’ll just lose her voice completely

- Despises iced tea and coffee, like genuinely she doesn’t get it

- Pretty computer savvy. If it wasn’t for crime and her current informant job, she would’ve considered working for IT. She doesn’t know how to hack into systems or anything unfortunately

- Picky about general weather. Even if the temperature was slightly higher than expected it ruins her mood

- Likes her personal space very much. Hates pretty much any physical affection, it just makes her feel weird

- When it comes to movies or books she tends to lean towards mystery, horror, or dystopian stories

- She doesn’t care about sexuality labels but also doesn’t care for anyone in general

- Doesn’t usually wear makeup but does a lot of pampering and skincare on a daily bases or whenever she has time

#papa louie #papa louie headcanons #flipline studios #papa Louie Whippa

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