#nah go and use your shadows ma child
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Okay but i really gotta love how Suho just KNOWS he is Jinwoo's only weakness. Like this man has his mother, father, jinah, haein, you would think Suho would be "i gotta get strong to protect them because my dad cares about them" BUT NAH instead he is just "yup, im his child, im his gremlin boy, im the most important thing in his eyes so oh fuck Itarims are gonna come after me" AND HE IS RIGHT.
#sung su ho#knows his goddamn worth#bro got spoiled by hos dad so much#and like we dont see flashbacks about him#but we do see jinwoo just lets him have ANYTHING#boy wants to be second dragon monarch?#absolutely do that my child#do that#has fears of being found?#nah go and use your shadows ma child#exposing the his power of shadows through his drawings when he was young?#gonna be a great artist ma boy!#ah man thats fuking cute#spoilers#solo leveling ragnarok spoilers#solo leveling ragnarok
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Just A Friend
Wow. I’m so, so grateful for the lovely response to chapter 1 of this story. I’ve never had so many notes on one of my posts before, so many, many thanks to everyone who took the time to read, like, reblog and comment on it. i do appreciate it
Thanks also to @wickedgoodbooks for the beta
Previous chapter
AO3
Chapter 2: From Scrubs to Sauvignon
Sunlight streaming through the shutters wakes me before the alarm. After the previous seventy two hours with too much alcohol, not enough sleep and shared hotel rooms, last night’s sleep was a solid nine and a half hours and I feel so much better for it.
Trying, for a moment at least, to ignore both the demands of my bladder and my desperate need for caffeine, I gaze up at the ceiling and contemplate the surgery ahead of me. Whilst it’s a comparatively routine procedure for me, I always think about the families — parents, grandparents, siblings. It’s an anxious time for them, never routine, a step into the unknown and they are putting their trust in me to look after their precious child. Their faith in me is something I take very seriously.
I have a ritual I follow every time before theatre. I take a few minutes to close my eyes and let the procedure play inside my head, my hands echoing the images in my brain. I trace the path my scalpel will take on the skin; I position, in mid air, the locations of the clamps; I work with my imaginary mallet and chisel honing the bone, the X-ray images clear in my head.
By the time I’ve finished closing the incision, the demands of my bladder can no longer be ignored. That’s my cue to get out of bed and start my day.
***********
Before I put my scrubs on, I pay a visit to the side room where Robbie, my seven year old patient has spent the night. His parents have already given consent for the operation, but I like to go and do a final check.
Robbie is sitting up in bed, a bit subdued but in good health. His mother is sitting expectantly, nervously playing with the skin around her nails. The foldaway bed has already been put away, but, judging by her red rimmed eyes, I don’t think it got much use. Robbie’s father follows me into the room, two coffees in his hands.
“Sorry, Doctor Claire,” he nods at the coffee. “I didna get ye one. D’ye want one?”
I let the doctor reference pass. As a surgeon, my title is no longer doctor. Officially, I am Miss Beauchamp, but prefer my juvenile patients to call me Claire. Quite a lot of the parents seem to call me Doctor Claire. I suppose they like the reassurance that I am actually a proper doctor.
“No, thanks.” I smile. “Are we all set then?”
They nod nervously.
“Aye,” Robbie’s father agrees. “We need tae get it done.”
“How long will it take?” Robbie’s mother looks directly at me, wanting a definitive answer.
I hesitate. I don’t like to give precise times. If the surgery goes longer then parents start to fear the worst, and that’s not always the case. So I give a vague answer. “‘Till lunchtime… you could always go and sit outside in the little garden, it’s a lovely day.”
His mother looks down at her hands and shakes her head. “No, I want tae be right here …”
She doesn’t finish her sentence, but she doesn’t have to. I know exactly what she’s thinking.
I turn to Robbie, blissfully unaware of his parents’ thoughts. He beckons me to him.
“When I wakes up,” he begins in a stage whisper. “Can I have a treat?”
“What sort of treat did you have in mind?”
“Can I have a MacDonald’s? But no’ a kid’s meal. I’ve never had a Big Mac.”
I glance at his parents who nod at me before I whisper back, “Of course you can, but don’t let nurse Geillis see, will you? She can be ever so naughty. She’ll be trying to steal your chips away, if you’re not careful.”
And with that, I stroke Robbie’s little cheek before saying my goodbyes and head out to get changed.
**********
Robbie’s surgery went to plan, no nasty surprises or tricky complications. I call in to check on Robbie’s parents before they head to recovery. They look totally different to when I saw them this morning. Still worn out of course, I don’t think they’ll sleep properly until their little lad is home with them, but their faces shine with sheer relief. I have warned them about the long road ahead, with many hours of physiotherapy and exercises, but, for today, I’ll let them have their moment of pure happiness. Reality will hit them again soon enough.
As I leave the waiting room, making my farewells, Robbie’s dad thanks me once more. I can tell he’s unsure whether hugging me is appropriate or not, so he settles for a handshake. His wife has no such qualms, wrapping me tightly in a hug, whispering her thanks until her husband reminds her that they need to be with their son. I point the way and head down to the nurses station.
Geillis is sitting there, looking very busy on the computer. I pull up a chair and sit next to her. The screen is filled with images of our weekend in Barcelona.
“What?” She looks at me as if I’ve accused her of something. “I’m on ma lunch, aren’t I?”
“How was your night then?”
Geillis beams from ear to ear— she’s like the cat who got the cream. “Nay bad, nay bad at all. After two nights away, Dougal realises what he’s got wi’ me, and he dinna hesitate tae show me, if ye ken what I mean?”
She winks at a poor medical student, who blushes and busies himself with a set of medical notes.
“Geillis,” I warn. “Behave yourself.”
“Anyway, pet, how was yer evening? Another tryst wi’ Professor Randall?” Her face says it all. Geillis thinks about as much of Frank as he does of her. Literally the only thing they have in common is me, and it’s getting pretty wearing.
“No, I was worn out and— oh, that reminds me.” I fumble in my pocket for my phone as I carry on talking. “I’ve got someone else’s suitcase. I hope they’ve got mine.”
I glance at the screen. Two missed calls and one message. All from the same number. All from the number I called last night, the James-Fraser-isn’t-here-don’t-call-again-ever number. Looks like this James Fraser has a jealous or suspicious wife-partner-girlfriend-housekeeper.
“Catch up later, Geillis, I need to deal with this.”
I rush back to my office to try and sort the suitcase problem out.
The message is brief and to the point.
Hi, Jamie Fraser here. I think I have your case too. Can we arrange a swap? I live in Glasgow. Hopefully you too. Where and when? I’m free after 5 today.
After five will work for me too, I just need to pop home and pick up his case. Now, based on his wardrobe choices and his one message to me, he doesn’t actually seem like an axe murderer or sex pervert, but you can’t really tell, so I think about a public location.
How about the benches by the cafe at Kelvingrove Park? 5:30? Claire Beauchamp
A couple of minutes later his reply appears on my screen.
Fine. See you then. I’ll be the one wheeling a black Samsonite. JF
**************
It’s another glorious sunny day here in Glasgow. Just ideal for going for a stroll in the park. I do feel a bit conspicuous with a suitcase trailing along behind me — kind of like an upmarket bag lady.
There are no other suitcases around, so I perch on a bench. I fire a quick message to Geillis, just so that she knows where to direct the police if I disappear and then wait. It’s not too bad waiting. The sun is still warm, so I stretch my legs out trying for a tan. With my eyes closed, I lift my face up to soak up the rays. I may get panda eyes with my sunglasses on, but I don’t really care. The warmth is so good and I can feel myself relaxing totally —
“Ahem.”
I am conscious of a shadow across my face. I open my eyes and quickly stand up.
He’s tall. That’s the first thing I notice. A good few inches taller than me, and I’m 5 feet 9. And broad. Broad enough to block my sun. His hair is red, very red and the sun behind him creates a fiery corona around his head.
He’s a Viking. A Viking in a navy blue suit and a crisp white shirt. How many of those white shirts does he own, I wonder?
“Claire Beauchamp, I presume. I recognise the case. That red ribbon on the handle, such a unique idea.”
He smiles, a lopsided half grin and holds out his hand for me to shake. “Jamie Fraser.”
“Claire Beauchamp,” I say somewhat unnecessarily as we shake hands.
He sits down. “So,” he begins politely. “I hope ye havena come far out of yer way.”
I join him on the bench.
“No,” I gesture vaguely to my right. “I live not too far from here. How about you?”
That lopsided grin appears again. “Nah,” he gestures to his left. “No’ too far at all.”
There’s an awkward moment of silence. We are not really here for small talk, but is it too rude to just dive in and do the swap?
“So,” Jamie breaks the silence. “About the cases…”
Apparently it’s not too rude.
“I ken ye have ma case there, on account of ma contact details being in it, but what about this one? How do I ken this is yers? Black Samsonites with wee red ribbons seem to be awfa common ‘round here. As proof, can ye mebbe tell me something that’s in it? Something identifiable?”
And at this, my mind goes blank, what did I pack?
“Er, denim shorts… black flip flops… white vest—”
“Weel, they’re all verra common. Is there anything a wee bit more… unique?”
Is it my imagination or is there a twinkle in his clear blue eyes as he says this? And then I remember exactly what’s in my case and start to blush.
“There may be some hen party bits and pieces in there too. It was my friend’s hen weekend, so I think there may be some, er, stuff from that, you know, er, handcuffs… shot glasses…”
He puts me out of my misery. “Och, that’s fine. It’s yers, right enough. Here ye go.”
And we do the exchange, just like in the spy movies. Except in those, the cases are filled with bank notes and the top secret blueprints for a submarine base, and not white dress shirts and an assortment of shot glasses shaped like penises.
Our phones beep practically simultaneously. I pull mine out of my pocket. Jamie does the same and glances at his phone.
Mine is a text from Frank confirming tonight’s arrangements “I’d better go. Plans for tonight, you know.”
“Snap. Plans here as well.”
“Goodbye then. I’m not sure whose fault it was, the mixup at the airport. So why don’t we both say sorry, or neither of us?” I suggest as I stand up and smooth the creases from my skirt.
“Sounds good tae me. How about neither?” He smiles again. “Ms Claire Beauchamp, nice to meet you.”
“Mr Jamie Fraser, likewise I’m sure.”
And with that we head off, me to the right and Jamie Fraser to the left.
************
Frank had said 7:30, and, sure enough, at 7:28 my intercom buzzes and I let Frank in. He arrives at my door carrying a large bunch of lilies and roses. No, not a bunch, I can’t describe it as a bunch… carrying a large bouquet of lilies and roses, beautifully arranged and hand-tied. Clearly not a supermarket purchase. Nor is the wine he also hands to me. A chilled bottle of my favourite Sauvignon Blanc, only available from quality wine merchants in the city.
Frank can be incredibly thoughtful and generous, and I am suitably grateful. I pop the flowers into the kitchen sink while I try to locate a vase big enough to hold them. He walks in as I’m scrabbling around on my hands and knees, bum in the air, head buried in the cupboard under the sink.
“So what are we having for dinner?” He asks as he pours the wine. “Are you cooking?”
I emerge victorious, having found the vase wedged between a bottle of sink unblocker and an unused can of spray starch.
“Sorry?”
“Dinner?” He repeats, helping me to my feet.
“I’ve not had a chance to cook. I told you about the suitcase confusion, didn’t I? Well, I had to get that sorted. I thought we could have something delivered. That’s ok, isn’t it?”
“I’m sure that will be fine, darling. What would you like?”
What would I like? What I would really like would be a huge, great pizza full of carbs and grease and pepperoni and cheese that pulls into strands when you try to take a slice. And to sit on the floor with the pizza box between us watching Netflix and drinking beer.
But, that is clearly a rhetorical question.
“Thai?” Frank doesn’t wait for my answer.
Thai is the only acceptable takeaway in Frank’s eyes, eaten at a table, on proper plates. I nod my agreement. After all, he’s brought me wonderful flowers, and a gorgeous bottle of wine. He deserves to have the choice. And I can have pizza with my friends any time.
“You ring the order through then, while I arrange these beautiful flowers.” I say and kiss his cheek.
And that is our evening sorted - takeaway, a couple of glasses of wine, Newsnight on the television and then to bed for a bit of sex.
So, that’s food, drink, mind and body all sorted. I should go to sleep feeling satisfied with everything. I should… shouldn’t I?
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A/N: For the Summer Lovin’ zine, where I wanted to do a light, fluffy, summer romance. With bonus Steph and Tim teasing Damian (as is their right) and Cassandra helping out where she could.
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Endless fields of unripe wheat. A cloudless blue sky stretching as far as the eye can see. The occasional house poking out of an otherwise flat terrain. Damian stared outside the car window and clicked his tongue. No wonder his father had declined to come; there were no shadows here to hide in, only light.
“What’s the matter?” Stephanie asked, an impish smile on her face as she poked his cheek. “Bored?”
“Of course not.” He swatted her hand away but that only made her laugh. “We shouldn’t be here.”
“Why?” From the driver’s seat, Tim glanced at him in the rear-view mirror. If Stephanie’s smile was teasing, his smirk was downright malicious. “Scared you’ll have fun?”
Damian crossed his arms. He would never for the life of him understand what his father saw in that fake Robin. No, it went deeper than that—what did he see in most of his proteges? Stephanie didn’t take anything seriously, Tim didn’t have the skills, Dick was too fun-loving, and Jason had no control. The only not disappointing one in the bunch was Cassandra, and Damian feared that one day the others would infect her as well. He should have gotten rid of them while he had the chance. “We should be training, Drake,” Damian replied, irritation leaking into his voice.
“An important part of training is taking breaks.” Stephanie poked his cheek again. He was going to break her finger one day. “It’s summer, school’s out, and Bruce and Dick have Gotham covered. We can have a little vacation, the world’s not going to destroy itself without us.”
“Without you, maybe,” Damian sneered. The effect was ruined as she pulled his cheek.
“Without us,” she repeated, still sporting that insufferable smile. “If it’s serious, they’ll call us. It’s not like the League doesn’t know where the Kent farmhouse is.”
Damian wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Surely the most dangerous man in the planet should have his parents hidden somewhere secure, instead of having their name on file. Villains broke into the JLA all the time as it was; it wouldn’t be that long before someone stumbled upon this badly kept secret.
“You’re wasting your breath, Steph.” Tim shrugged, his eyes on the road. “He doesn’t know what a break is.”
From the front passenger seat, Cassandra gave Damian a sympathetic smile. She had been silent till now, more than content to just listen. Which was probably why he preferred her to the others; she wasn’t a blabbermouth like the others. “A break can help your body recover,” she offered.
At least that was practical advice for once. Damian leaned back in his seat. “I suppose.”
“You’re such a softie to her and Dick.” Stephanie leaned back into her seat, finally leaving him alone.
“It’s too bad Dick couldn’t come,” Tim sighed. “He could have muzzled the brat.”
“Well, while we’re meeting our favourite aliens, he’s got his own alien to meet.” Stephanie waggled her brows before she and Tim burst into a fit of laughter. Leaning forward, she rested a hand on Cass’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’ll share mine with you.”
“Okay?” Looking confused, Cassandra nodded.
“And Damian’s got Jon,” Tim chimed in, exchanging a look with Steph.
Wisely, Damian kept his mouth shut. With these two, almost any response he gave would only be ammo.
-x-
“Damian!”
He barely had time to turn around before Jon barreled into him, knocking him over. Landing flat on his back, Damian grunted as his breath rushed out of him. Jon had little restraint in the best of times, and almost none when he was emotional. Frowning at the mop of dark hair on his chest, he rolled his friend off. “Kent.”
“Kent,” Tim and Steph said at the same time and he didn’t have to see them to know they were wearing identical smiles.
“Damian!” Pushing himself off the ground, Jon shot him a grumpy look.
Quietly, Damian muttered, “Fine, Jon.”
The idiot duo cackled behind him and he wasn’t sure if Jon’s bright smile was worth it. Picking himself off the ground, Damian didn’t bother to dust off his clothes before hauling Jon up. “Where’s my room?” he asked, dragging Jon along as he headed to the main house. “And please tell me those two are sleeping in the barn.”
“Nah, they’ll be rooming with Conner and Kara, just like you’ll be with me.” Jon wrapped an arm around his back, almost skipping as they headed in. “It’ll be fun!”
Fun. That wasn’t the word he’d use for it. Perhaps he could at least sabotage their beds after this.
-x-
Balancing a dagger between his two fingers, Damian studied the target. It was perhaps one of the simplest targets he’d practiced with, a static bale of hay only 50 yards down. A single red x made of cardboard sat on the bale. There was no challenge in this. Still, some practice was better than none. Raising his hand behind him, Damian whipped his arm forward and tossed the dagger.
With a solid thwack, the dagger hit the target dead center.
As expected. Child’s play, really.
As though to cut into his preening, Jon applauded behind him. “Wow,” he cheered, his voice deadpan. “That was amazing.” Sarcasm dripped from his words as he hovered over the ground, giving Damian the most bored look possible.
“There’s nothing else here to use,” Damian sniped back, not appreciating the reaction. It figured this was the place the Supers called home, this land of sunlight. The Kents owned few weapons, if one could call them that. A shotgun, several farming tools, and an oddly sharp kitchen knife were their defenses of choice. Miraculously, no supervillains had dared to take over this quaint town, and he could only chalk it up to luck. Probably the same luck that allowed all the Supers to fly without a single neighbour to report them.
Not finished, Jon leaned forward, shielding his eyes with a hand. Fake squinting, he studied the target. “That’s, what, ten in a row? All in the same spot, somehow?” The scorn disappeared from his tone and Jon gave him a thumbs up. “That’s actually really cool.”
Cool was again not a word Damian would use but he accepted the compliment. “If I couldn’t do that much, I’d hang up my cape.”
“Right, right.” Jon landed on the ground next to him, clapping him on the back. “And you’re doing ten more of these?”
“I need to keep up the practice,” Damian muttered, distracted by the tingling in his back. It had been happening recently, at Jon’s point of contact, and he wondered if it was some uncontrolled Kyptonian strength running through his flesh. “Even if the practice is subpar.”
“Of course.” There was a mischievous twinkle in Jon’s eyes. “But you’re just going to get the same result. And it’s boring.”
Rankled, Damian pulled away. “Practice is not—”
“There’s more fun ways to practice instead.” Jon pounced, tackling him to the ground. “Let’s fight.”
Well, that was certainly something Damian could get behind. Flipping them over, he smirked. “You’re on.”
-x-
“So, Damian, was it?” Ma Kent smiled at him kindly as she exited the kitchen. The smell of cooked chicken wafted through the air, filling the dining room. In her hands was a bright, flowery plastic bowl filled with Brussel sprouts. “I heard a lot about you.”
Damian stared at her. The dining room was empty save for them—the others hadn’t yet come back from whatever wasteful endeavours they had planned and Jon was feeding Krypto. While he had begrudgingly accepted the fact that he’d have to eat dinner with everyone, there had better not be any expectations of conversation. He had planned to let Jon do all the talking, to cover up his silence, but that wasn’t possible right now. When Ma Kent smiled at him, he reluctantly replied, “I see.”
“Ahaha, got a way with words, I see.” Chuckling, she set down the bowl. A bowl that did not match any of plates. Actually, now that he was paying attention, none of the big serving bowls matched, all of them hideous plastic monstrosities. Noticing his scornful expression, she rubbed her neck sheepishly. “I know what you’re thinking. I used to use my good china whenever someone came, but after two dinner attacks and one food fight, I’ve learned my lesson. If the powers are out, my plates stay in.”
“I see.” Not that he had asked for clarifications. Not that he was curious in any way, shape, or form about it.
“You really do have only one mode.” Laughing, she returned to the kitchen. “Like father, like son. Glad the rest of your lot didn’t turn out like this; don’t think I could have handled that much grumpiness at my table.”
“I’m not grumpy,” he muttered under his breath.
“Man, Krypto was hungry tonight!” Jon tumbled in through the window, ecstatic. Catching Damian’s expression, he cocked his head. “What, did I miss anything?”
Resisting the urge to cross his arms (because he wasn’t grumpy, he was stoic), Damian gave him a surly look. “Nothing.”
Ma Kent chuckled again. “Nothing, hun. Now make sure to wash those hands.”
-x-
The stars were bright here. Sprawled on the roof, Damian leaned back and studied the night sky above him. Without Gotham’s pollution, the milky way was visible for once. Stars glittered above him, taking advantage of the moonless night. He had almost forgotten what the night sky could look like, what it had those nights long ago when he lived in the desert, training under his mother’s watchful eye.
An almost silent presence approached him and Damian discretely reached into his pocket for a dagger. The stranger’s hand touched his, stilling it, and he looked up to find Cassandra Cain. She offered him a smile. “It is silent here,” she murmured, sitting down beside him.
“I suppose.” Damian glanced at her, then at the fields below. It looked like a dark sea, threatening to swallow them whole. An owl hooted, crickets chirped, and all in all, it was far quieter here than it was in the city. Just when had he gotten used to the never-ending honking? Even the smell here was different. The farm felt clean.
“It is,” she corrected, hugging her knees. She closed her eyes, listening. “It is…not bad to relax.”
Not bad, perhaps, but not good either. Not when there were lives at stake in Gotham. Damian wouldn’t call himself a hero, not by any stretch of the word, but Gotham was Batman’s. Gotham was his and he was loathe to let its citizens die when they under his protection. “Isn’t it?”
“No.” Cassandra closed her eyes. Words were hard for her, action easier—perhaps one of the things he respected so much about her. When she spoke, her words meant something, they were considered and honest. “Relaxing…you can recover. Recharge. See things differently.” Opening her eyes now, she smiled at him, a waxing moon. “See what you are protecting.”
Damian stared. He was too late; Cassandra had been infected by the others. “I don’t need to see—”
“Damian!” Before he could finish his sentence, Jon floated down beside him. Dressed in bright blue pjs his mother had to have bought for him, Jon landed on his right. “What’re you doing up here alone?”
“Alone?” Damian looked at his left once more. Empty. Cassandra was gone. Even if her brain had rotted, her skills remained, and he didn’t know whether to be impressed or irritated at himself. Turning back to Jon, he shrugged. “Reflecting.”
“Reflecting on what?” Jon raised a brow before asking. “Wait, is this one of those bat-broods Dad was talking about? How you guys all go to a corner at some point or another and just sulk?”
Speechless, Damian gaped, his jaw hanging loose. Of all the things he expected to hear, that wasn’t one of them. That wasn’t even on his least likely list.
“I mean, I can’t picture Steph sulking, but maybe she wasn’t Robin long enough to get the broods.” Jon sat down next to him, bumping shoulders. “Or maybe you took all of them?”
“I’m not sulking,” Damian growled, resisting the urge to hurl Jon off the roof. Not that it would do any good, he’d just fly back and be twice as mocking about it. What was it with the Kents and their presumptions?
“Then what?” Jon’s eyes lit up and he hit his fist on his empty palm, as though he’d solved a case. “Stargazing?”
It was as good an explanation as any. Better, actually, than his own, considering he had none. “Sure.”
“Prepare to be amazed!” Jon pointed up, a wide smile on his face. “A city boy like you, you haven’t seen half of these stars before.”
“City boy?” Damian scoffed. “You’re not much better.”
“I’ve been in the country plenty of times,” Jon retorted, his mood still bright. It was like sitting next to the sun. “Besides, I can fly. Dad’s takes me up all the time to see the stars.”
A very frivolous waste of power. No wonder Bruce worried about this family.
“Anyways, see that star over there?” Jon leaned closer, wrapping an arm around Damian’s back to bring him closer. “So that’s part of the big dipper.”
Of all the stars to start with, the big dipper? Really? Damian didn’t know if he should be insulted or not. It wasn’t like he was much of a ‘city boy’ himself; growing up in the desert, his mother made sure he could navigate just as easily at night as he did the day.
He could say he had the best tutors, that he knew every constellation by heart.
He could say that Jon was pointing at the wrong dipper, he meant the one slightly below it.
Damian could say any or all of those things, but for once in his life he kept quiet. Jon was smiling and he didn’t always have to prove he was the smartest person in the room.
-x-
“So, any bets?” Steph asked, shielding her eyes as she leaned back and squinted at the sky. Despite the intense July heat, she stood away from the shade. Above them, small specks in the bright sky, were Conner, Kara, and Jon. They raced through the air, sometimes coming low enough to hear their laughter, other times they were barely visible.
“On what?” Tim asked. Like her, he was staring up at the sky. Unlike her, he was smart enough to stay next to the barn and the meager relief it provided. Perhaps he did have a modicum of intelligence after all.
Not that Damian would applaud him. Using a handful of pebbles, Damian started flicking them at distant targets, smirking when they hit with a satisfying thwink. Perhaps Jon could hide his training dummies and Tim could hide his weapons, but they couldn’t force him to be idle the entire time he was here. Glancing at Cassandra, who was sitting nonchalantly on the ground next to him, a pleased smile on her face, Damian was perplexed. How could she handle this?
“The next Super. Like, it’s obvious that Cass is the next Batman, but I dunno about them.” Ignoring Damian’s glare, she finally strolled into the shade. She leaned against the barn door and crossed her arms. “It’s between Conner and Jon.”
“So Kara’s not interested?” Tim stroked his chin thoughtfully. After humming for a few minutes, he turned to Cassandra and asked, “Who’d you rather work with?”
Unable to handle the indignancy anymore, Damian barked, “I’m the next Batman.”
“Sure.” Stephanie rested a hand on her hip, giving him a pitying look. “Whatever makes you feel better.”
“Go easy on him, it’s not easy to find out that he’ll be Robin forever.” Tim shook his head sadly. “All of that time, all of mommy’s promises that’d he’d get the job, it must be crushing.”
“What?” he squawked.
“He couldn’t even accept that Cass is Bruce’s favourite.” Coming over, Stephanie squeezed his shoulder. “And then there’s Dick—you’re maybe third? Maybe?”
Picking a pebble out of his hand, Cassandra flicked it at the bushes. A bird shot out of it, startled. “Either of them…are fine,” she answered slowly. “Conner, then Jon?”
Et tu, Brutus? Damian turned to Cassandra as she tossed yet another pebble with pinpoint accuracy. He should have realized earlier that they were all after his job, that there was no one here he could trust.
“Ah, Conner takes it on for a little before giving it to Jon.” Stephanie nodded sagely. “True, that’s also in the running.” Her hair fell in front of her as a flyby occurred and she quickly pushed back her golden locks. “You know Jon actually hangs out with them?” Wrapping an arm around Damian’s shoulder, she bemoaned, “Why can’t our baby be so friendly?”
“It would be…weird,” Cassandra pointed out, getting up now. She patted him on the back. “He is…different.”
“Who is?” Kara landed on the ground, her hair looking like a wild nest. It seemed being Kryptonian didn’t protect them entirely from physics.
“Damian, but you already knew that.” Stephanie retreated before he could attack her. “What’s up?”
Kara glared at him before smiling at Stephanie. “A race! We’ll each pick one of you up and see who can fly the fastest. So, Steph or Cass?”
“Cass!” Stephanie volunteered, leaning against Cassandra. “I’ve had plenty of flights. It’s a sacrifice, but someone has to do it.”
“Sacrifice.” Tim rolled his eyes. “You just don’t want to mess your hair.”
“Both things can be true.” She stuck her tongue out.
By now, Jon and Conner had landed as well, standing next to Damian and Tim respectively. Conner smirked cockily. “We’ve got this in the bag.”
“Yeah, we did this every day in the Teen Titans.” Tim high-fived Conner. “It’ll be too easy.”
“Oh, just you wait and see!” Kara stood next to Cassandra, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “I’ve practiced.”
“We’ll win!” Jon declared, grabbing Damian’s hand. Leaning closer, he whispered, “And no matter what, you’re my Batman.”
“Huh?” Damian tried to look at Jon but before he could, he was already in the air and the race had started.
On that day, Damian discovered that his stomach was both stronger and weaker than he’d expected.
-x-
At nine pm, it was dark. Dark in a different way than Gotham got—for all the narrow alleys and forgotten warehouses, it was never truly devoid of light. Whether it was a flickering streetlamp or the semi-blocked lights of an office, there was light somewhere.
Here, though, in the middle of nowhere, it was pitch dark. Damian could just make out Jon’s figure sitting next to him. The others, still sitting near the barbeque a short distance away, were impossible to see. The only thing visible were the stars above, as disgustingly bright as ever. Somehow, the sky never turned truly dark, a thing he had forgotten. It had been too long since he’d been in the desert, since he’d left the city behind.
“I’m glad you came.” Even without looking, he knew Jon was smiling. He was always smiling, always moving, always something, like his face didn’t know how not express his emotions, like his body would combust if he stayed still.
Damian didn’t bother to reply. Leaning forward on the dock edge, he skimmed his shoe against the still waters, watching the dark ripples warp the galaxy below. The only thing rivalling the stars were the fireflies drifting lazily nearby, yellow spots against the black.
Unfazed (and Damian didn’t want to think about when that happened, about when Jon stopped getting angry at his silence and just accepted it), Jon rested his hand on Damian’s, threading their fingers together. It was an oddly intimate sensation. Damian didn’t mind it for some reason. “It’s a lot more fun when you’re around. I wish you didn’t have to leave tomorrow.”
This time, Jon’s stare was expectant. Damian glanced at him, then back at the fireflies. “It wasn’t a complete waste,” he muttered, a half-truth. Perhaps there was something to vacations, but he loathed to admit it.
Jon laughed, seeing through him. “Knew you’d like it here.”
Feeling a little prickly, Damian glared at him. “Don’t act like you know—”
“But I’m right, aren’t I?” When Damian didn’t say anything, Jon leaned closer. “I know you.”
Before Damian could react, Jon’s lips were on his cheek, a warm pressure that was all too temporarily. His jaw fell slack. His skin burned. For once, his words failed him and he felt like a simpleton.
“If I knew that’d shut you up, I’d have done it ages ago.” Jon smirked, looking playful.
“Jon!” Pa Kent yelled. “We’re making smores.”
“Save me some chocolate!”
And just like that, Jon leaped to his feet, dashing away, and Damian still didn’t know what to say.
-x-
The roof was empty when he sat on it. Cassandra wasn’t there to give advice. Jon wasn’t there, laughing as he strung together stars like they were the pearls, creating tapestries on the sky above. There was just complete and utter silence, just as Damian preferred.
While his skin had cooled down, his heart hadn’t, and he tried to meditate. Crossing his legs, he emptied his mind. Jon’s lips had been soft. He emptied his mind. His hand was rough. He emptied his mind. Jon—
And maybe he had been wrong before; it was too late for himself. He’d been infected by all these damnable people around him, to the point he had actually considered asking Tim Drake of all people for advice. Friendship, family, love—
It was too late. He had all of them and as loathe as he was to let them in, he was even worse about letting them go.
-x-
“So.” The confident Jon of yesterday was gone, leaving a more nervous boy in its wake. He was constantly fidgeting, his eyes darting all over like he didn’t know where to look. Judging by the bags under his eyes, he probably hadn’t slept.
Good. He deserved a little suffering for leaving like that, for forcing Damian to think about his feelings. “So?” he drawled out, relishing in the little flinch Jon gave.
They were standing in front of the Kent’s house, in the cool morning air. For the first time in two weeks, the sun wasn’t beating down on him and Damian couldn’t wait to return to the air conditioning of the Wayne manor. Already, the others were packing up the car, leaving only him and Jon to say their goodbyes.
Or, well, whatever it was that Jon was trying to say. Damian tapped his foot on the ground, raising a brow when Jon didn’t say anything.
“See you later?” Jon managed weakly.
Sighing, Damian tossed him a bone. “Even a stopped clock is right twice. This vacation wasn’t terrible, I’m not adverse to doing it again. However, we are making this up with double the amount of work when we get back.”
Jon blinked. “You still want to be partners?”
Damian nodded. “Yes, I thought you had superhearing?”
“And the other thing?” Jon asked, stepping closer.
It took all of Damian’s willpower to not step back, not even when Jon was close enough to touch, to kiss. Feeling a familiar flush on the back of his neck, he coughed and looked away. “That…that was fine too.”
“Really?” Jon’s voice was filled with an earnest hope and Damian’s stomach flip-flopped.
“Don’t make me repeat it,” Damian growled, feeling uncharacteristically flustered.
“Damian!” That was the only warning he got before Jon’s arms were around him once more, his lips pressed against his own. Behind him, he heard a bag drop and of all the people to bear witness to this, it had to be the morons in his family.
It was hard to pay attention to both them and Jon, to the pure joy that radiated off his—Damian didn’t know what to call Jon anymore. Friend didn’t feel appropriate. Whatever it was, he’d figure it out later, when they were alone and they didn’t have the peanut gallery around. Gingerly, he wrapped an arm around Jon, pulling him closer. When they finally parted to take a breath, he glared at Jon. “Did you have to do it in front of them?”
“That’s your first response?” Jon grinned, leaning close to kiss him on the nose. Reluctantly letting go, Jon stepped back. “See you in a week.”
“Like I’m letting you off the hook that easily,” Damian grumbled, pretty sure his entire face was red now. While he took after his mother, his brown skin could only hide so much, and unfortunately his carmates eyes were sharper than most.
Ignoring the stares, he marched to the car and plunked himself into the front passenger seat. He was not going to deal with Stephanie’s teasing a second time around, not when she had more ammo. At least Drake would have to keep his eyes on the road.
-x-
The entire car ride back was filled with Tim and Stephanie singing, “Damian and Jon, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Damian had never been more tempted to kill.
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Lynchtale: File Name Game of Death #2
Chapter 2: Pay the price for your betrayal
WARNING: THIS IS A MATURE STORY THAT WILL HAVE BLOOD, GORE, PSYCHOLOGICAL SURVIVAL HORROR, HEAVY CURSING, AND LIKELY SEXUAL THEMES/BONING. I DO NOT OWN UNDERTALE, THAT BELONGS TO LORD TOBY FOX. I DO NOT OWN DEAD BY DAYLIGHT, THAT BELONGS TO BEHAVIOUR DIGITAL INC.. I DON'T OWN THE AU'S THAT SOME OF THE CHARACTERS COME FROM, THEY BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CREATORS. I DON'T OWN THE IDEA FOR LYNCHTALE, THAT BELONGS TO PUNNYSIDEUP (AKA. SANSFULPUNS). WHAT I DO OWN IS MY SELF-INSERT OC ANOMALY LYNSIE AND THE LOVE OF FAN PARODY. IF YOU'RE STILL READING THIS, THEN CONGRATULATIONS ON EITHER BEING ONE WITH STRONG DETERMINATION OR AN ENDLESS WILL TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGE OF STOMACHING WHAT I HAVE IN MIND. EITHER WAY, IF YOU LIKE THIS AND/OR MY OTHER CONTENT, SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. HAVE FUN SINNERS. ^_^
With each step taken the fog ebbed and flowed back, never revealing the solid surface under its misty shroud. In fact, nothing was capable of being seen. At least, for now. Such is how the Entity makes these spaces between realms. The soft footfall of sneakers barely audible. Though one body walked this path, it castes four shadows. This was the Legion. Four souls bound together in a single body, with only one ever in control at a time. They don't remember much before they were taken by the Entity, but they know one thing. They oddly all share the same name. So to break any confusion they each bare a nickname. Dead-Eye is the impulsive one, quick to show off and enjoys doing so in the most hardcore of ways. Boo is the shy and naïve one, usually only doing things because they're forced or afraid to disobey. Chops is the demanding one, thinking they are deserving of more than they get and taking pleasure in earning such rewards. Then there's Bones the opportunistic leader of the bunch, they are as crafty as they are charismatic yet loyal to a fault. They are Legion. And they are on the move. Or more accurately...Bones is on the prowl.
{where are we going? this isn't the way back to the cabin.}
Boo questions.
{weren't you paying attention, twerp? there's new meat in this game. we're gonna go see if they're worth any trouble.}
Chops barks.
{oh...sorry.}
{leave the kid alone. we need to pay attention.}
Dead-Eye makes his point. To which Chops scoffs in annoyance.
"will you guys knock it off. we're almost there. and i want all of you to focus."
It's not easy to keep one's mind centered when three other voices tend to chatter on, but Bones had managed to get used to it. This was what it was like for them all the time. The only exceptions were in trials and if the Entity was feeling they earned a generous reward. In trials, the other three would be held back and allow the one in control to be fully themselves. And the generous reward...temporary separation for a short limited time. Moments to themselves are rare, so any chance to have them is highly sought after. This wasn't one of those moments, but could potentially lead up to one, so scouting out the meat was very important.
The fog begins to lessen. Tress start to come into view. The realm of the Survivors' campsite finally draws near. A sinister grin creeps up Bones' face as the sight of a speck of light is seen in the distance. His pace quickens with a sudden eagerness. A feeling of excitement like a child rushing to open their gifts on X-mas day. The light getting closer the faster he went, almost going into his Feral Frenzy state.
{geez, man, chill. ya don't wanna give away that we're here.}
Chops for once was being logical.
"i can't help it. wraith did hype me up a little bit."
{she is merely another human. there is nothing to get so worked up about.}
Dead-eye states coldly.
"that's not the part i'm hyped for."
{it's her soul, isn't it? wraith said it had more colors than the others.}
Boo innocently chimes in.
"heheh...call me curious, but a human with more than one trait to their soul is a rather interesting surprise, to say the least."
{*chuckles* bet she's some kind of freak.}
{don't be so mean.}
{we are all freaks. the only difference is if you embrace it or not.}
"shut up! all your yammering is pissing me off. i need concentration."
Their murmurers in his mind settle down as the density of the forest wanes and the smell of smoke becomes as clear as the light source creating it. Bones' movement now was but a crawl of its former speed as he crouched into the bushes near the humans' untouchable safe zone.
"okay...now, where is the new face?"
Mimicking the stealth of the very prey he's eyeing, Bones silently moves from one shrub to the next to circle the site and better spy the new odd human out.
{this has to be a record for the closest any killer's gotten to the camp.}
{what about that time one enraged huntress and she charged them?}
{i think he means closest without the entity interfering.}
{oh. then yeah. totally a new record.}
{bones, look over by that log in the back. i think that is her.}
"huh?"
From his current spot, all he can see along this log in question is a pair of arms locked behind a pony-tailed brunette head in relaxation. An easily missable sight if not paying attention. Creeping more around grants him the first view of her at a side angle. Yep. This was her. No one like her has been here before.
"bingo."
While different from what he's used to seeing, she wasn't out of the ordinary and just only contrasted from the other humans. Wearing a simple black shirt with weird white symbols across the chest, faded gray camouflage cargo pants, a dark hoodie tied around her waist, and old worn-out white sneakers that look like they've seen better days. She was new, but nothing special.
{that's her? *scoff* wraith must be losing his mind. the only thing she looks like is an easy kill.}
{i don't know. she looks nice enough.}
{boo, i swear, sometimes ya make me want to beat the shit out of ya.}
{what? why?}
{you're both being stupid. don't dismiss the prey by of how it looks. meat is tricky. do not trust it.}
"if only there was a way to get her to expose her soul."
{we can always get a look during trial. we just need to use our moris on her and bing bang boom, it's soul time.}
"true. but there's no telling when we'd get a crack at her."
{oh! i know!}
"what, boo?"
{we can do as wraith did. we get her to come into the woods and then kill her.}
{it does sound like a reasonable idea.}
{for once, the baby said something i can agree with.}
{hey!}
"fine, let's say we do try to lure her out. do any of you know how?"
{we can always chuck a rock at her head.}
"you've got to be fucking kidding me?}
{i don't see you suggesting anything. and besides, it's not like i said we throw our knife.}
"*sigh* i swear, the more time passes the dumber we get. i mean, what the fu..."
{bones...}
"what?"
{she is looking this way.}
His attention returning to what's in the camp, Dead-eye was right, and her head was now facing his hiding spot.
"...you don't think she heard me, right?"
{no one else is looking. so my guess is no.}
{so weird.}
{weird bitch. i don't like the way she's staring at us.}
For once the shoe was on the other foot. The killer was nervous about being spotted by the prey. But he knew she couldn't possibly know that he's there. Even if he was talking to himself, she was too far away to have heard him and the fog coated bush hid him too well to be seen. So why then was her gaze just strongly locked on him to the point he could feel her eyes picking away at the leaves to find him.
{what do we do?}
{what do ya mean what do we do? it's only a human. she can't do squat to us.}
{then why does this feel so...?}
{intense?}
{yeah. like, super intense.}
{you two are pussies. bones, can ya believe the lack of balls on these dorks? ...bones?}
Bones didn't hear his companions. For that matter, he couldn't even feel their presence. He was too lost in the eyes staring into his very soul from afar. Something held him there and compelled him to keep staring at her. Then she moved. Standing up yet never breaking contact. She tilts her head, as if unsure of if she indeed sees something. But once her mind is made up, she starts to head his way and he hears something that will surely give his cover away.
lub-dub...lub-dub...
{wait...is that...?}
{our heartbeat?}
{why is our heart beating ominously?}
"i don't know."
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
"'ey Luv..."
She stops at the call and approach of one of the male survivors.
"You're not really wanderin' off again, are you?"
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
When she doesn't respond to him, the man looks to where she's looking and Bones feels awkward.
"What's wrong, Luv? Somethin' over there?"
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
She rolls her shoulders and turns away.
"Nah. Just my imagination."
The man puts his arm around her shoulders and guides her back toward the log.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Bones lets out a quiet sigh.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Whatever the reason for this strange feeling, he's at least glad it was going away.
lub-dub...lub-dub...
A few beats more and internal silence fell once again...not counting the three voices in his head.
{uh...i don't know about you guys, but i say we go home before something else weird happens.}
{agreed.}
{you guys are such bitches. *huff* man...fuck this place. was a waste of time anyway.}
Bones found himself grinning. This human was already proving themselves to be interesting. She was going to be fun in trials. Every killer knows about the Terror Radius. The warning sound survivors hear when a killer draws near. But no killer could ever hear it...till now and only for her. And the thrilling part was that she probably had no idea of the effect that befell him at her coming closer, which means for him, finding her will be as easy as finding a cat in an empty fish tank.
"heh heh heh...this is going to be fun."
Having seen enough, for now, Bones made his way deeper into the forest and headed out into the dense fog. Now knowing what he did, it was time to return to their territory and go over a plan for this new meat. Perhaps he could make a rare offering to the Entity and ask for a small favor? It's worth a shot.
(UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME LATER)
Time is annoying here. There's no way of knowing what is going on. Is it day? Is it night? Who knows! It's always this weird form of dark but isn't dark. Makes no damn sense. Then there's this good and bad stuff. The good, there's no need to sleep. The bad, trying to sleep because dreaming is awesome is nearly impossible due to assholes in this fucking camp! The good, there's no need to eat. The bad, I would kill for a Big Buford meal from Checker's/Rally's right now. It's a paradox! An evil and twisted hell! Only hell would deny me my favorite food! And to add to all of this...I'm so damn bored! I mean, you can only stare into a fire for so long till it feels like it's burning your very soul away with the power of absolute bullshit! Even when the others come and go, the tireless drain on my mental state remains. The only thing moderately entertaining is David. The guy, when not being a dumb flirt, has no filter when it comes to fucked up stories, that are obviously fake, and I love it.
"I went to this girl's party the week after she beat the shit out of my mate. While everyone was gettin' trashed, I went around puttin' tuna inside all the curtain rods. So weeks go by and they couldn't figure out why the house smelled like festerin' death. I only got caught because this bloke snapped a couple of shots where these guys at the party were singin' while I was in the background with a can of tuna."
"*snickering* Heheh...That story smells fishy. Cast a wider net next time."
David groans.
"Luv...Must you do that?"
"What?"
"Puns aren't funny."
"You sir just aren't sophisticated enough to appreciate the complexity of a well-made pun."
He rolls his eyes.
"Anyway...This one time, my whole class got detention because I drew a penis with a glue stick on the whiteboard. When the teacher went to wipe off the board, all the fluff came off and stuck to the glue. I never got in trouble for it because everyone found it too funny to rat me out."
"Sounds like a sticky situation."
His groan is even louder.
"Wow. Tough crowd."
"Oh? Okay, Luv, why not you give it a go."
"What? You want me to make you laugh, huh?"
"Make me? No. I want you to try."
I glare.
"Oh, you are so on. *ahem* A priest was driving along and saw a nun on the side of the road. He stopped and offered her a lift which she accepted. She got in then crossed her legs, forcing the habit slip to open and reveals some of her legs. The priest looks and nearly has an accident. After shifting gears, he lets his hand slide up her leg. She immediately says, 'Father, remember Psalm: 129'. The priest says sorry and removes his hand but is unable to remove his eyes from her leg. Later on, when he shifts gears again and has ogled at her leg for like the trillionth time, he lets his hand slide up her leg again. The Nun once again says, 'Father, remember Psalm: 129'. Arriving at the convent, the nun gets out and the priest goes on his way. Once he's at his church, he rushes to his trusty bible and looks up Psalm: 129 and it said...GO FORTH AND SEEK, FURTHER UP YOU WILL FIND GLORY!"
He just stares at me. As do some others that were in the range of my overly dramatic finish. It's actually a little embarrassing. But then...He chuckles.
"Heh. Alright, Luv. I'll give you credit, that was funny. Shame I heard somethin' like it before."
My joke pride is dashed.
"Really? Damn."
"Eh, no worries. Better luck next time."
"Oh! I got a good one. So one day this fly is flying over a pond..."
[It is time, little worm. Time to run and hide from the monsters. Do not disappoint The Entity.]
"Luv? You okay?"
Suddenly the air chills. The trees bend as if to look away. And the fog gets so thick around camp that light is inescapable. An unknown impulse beyond my control has me make myself stand. Joining me in this weird stand is Dwight, Meg, and Jake. My comprehension of what is happening is as cloudy as the black smoke that consumes us. And just like that, we are taken from camp to an unknown place.
The transition of this smoke's transportation is one that chokes the very breath out of you. The feeling of these unseen claws skim along exposed flesh and just add this creepy unsettling factor that makes this even more fucked up. Yet just as the cringe factor feels like its approaching hentai levels of uncomfortable, it all stops. The smoke clears and a very Earth looking place in before me. It's bright, cold, and snowing. Things that normally bother me. But honestly...It makes me smile.
"Psst..."
Reality comes back to me in the form of Dwight.
"Get down and follow me."
He crouches and I shrug before doing the same.
"What is this place?"
"Mount Ormond Resort. This is Legion territory. But that doesn't mean it would be the killer though."
"Yeah, I was told it can be random."
He nods and I follow behind while taking in as much of the area that I can soak in. The hollowed summit of Mount Ormond looms over desolate patches of dead trees. The abandoned ski facilities litter the ground among large patches of snow and natural rock clumps with other land bumps. Random snow machines, barrel fires, and a freaking watchtower. There's even an impressive chalet in the center, albeit it's not in good condition as far as I see and we are pretty far from it. The stale air makes the rough winds drape a heavy blanket of isolation over the bleak landscape. Oddly though, the area seems to be fenced in and gives me these dropping mice in a snake tank vibes. Humans being the mice and the snake being the killer monsters. Though seeing this barrier, it doesn't look very difficult to climb. Surely one can simply do so if given the chance. Eh, maybe I'll try it after learning more from Dwighty-boy. We continue to creeping along in tall patches of grass till we reach this weirdly positioned assortment that is almost maze-like but not quite. There are colorful pallets of wood on two sides, this red locker that is conveniently large enough to fit a person, and a hook post that looks like a miniature ski lift pylon with a yellow rubber mat surrounding the lower half. Though he ignores these things to take me to a massive generator that is connected to a light post.
"This is what we need to fix to open the gates and leave. Well...leave without dying."
I just blink in confusion.
"Dude. I don't know about you guys, but I don't know jack shit about mechanical work."
"You don't have to. Take a look."
He moves to one side and I do the same.
"The Entity made these simple. The only thing that needs fixing is the wires. They need to be reconnected to their other half. Just find two that have the same color and splice them back to make the connection. Just be careful not to rush or cross the wrong wires together."
"As dumb as it is to ask...Why?"
"It'll make the gen spark and alert the killer to our location."
"That sucks."
"It does. But not as bad when the killer attacks the gen to undo an amount of progress."
"...Now that's just shit."
"Help me with this one. Repairs go quicker when more than one person in on a gen."
"Fine. Just keep explaining things to me. I don't intend to die here."
He nods as he puts his hands in the generator. I doubt my skills are good here but I at least try and do the same, attempting to repair while keeping watch over his blind spot.
"The goal is to repair the gens to open the gates. But aside from messing up, even repairing the gen can alert the killer."
"Let me guess...The lights?"
I point up.
"Yep. They shine bright enough to be noticed and make a sound when turned on. So...It's best to run and hide when that happens."
"Is that what the locker is for?"
"Yeah, they're good for quick hiding or long-time avoidance."
"That last one sounds like a bitch move to pull."
"...It helps when your team is better than you are and you don't want to get int the way."
Ouch...That actually made me feel bad. Uh...Quick! Change the subject!
"And the pallets?"
"Oh, you use those for a few things. Mostly to block the killer. But if they grabbed someone before they dropped it, you can drop it and make the killer lose their grip and they can escape."
"Neat."
"But the killers can break dropped pallets and there's only a set number in the whole area."
"Damn."
"Other than that, there's not much else we can do. Hide, work on gens, and try not to die."
"Gee. That's depressing. So there's no way of, I don't know, fighting back?"
"Well, there are trunks scatted around that you can find one of four items in at a time."
"What?"
"A med-kit, toolbox, flashlight, or key."
"Wait...So we don't get a weapon?"
"Nope. We can't even use the hatchets that are in the lockers."
"...Say what now?"
"We've tried. They can't be removed by survivors. Only the Huntress can take them. The only 'weapons' we get are the flashlights because it can temporarily blind them, and a shard of glass to stab them with to get out of their grip. That's it. The other items are just to help us get through this."
So wait, if humans are limited that much, then does that mean...?
"...So I take it trying to jump the fence is a no go too?"
"Nea tried that. The Entity raised it higher as a warning. She didn't listen and kept trying. It killed her automatically."
Damn. There goes that plan.
"*sigh* Any other helpful tips you can give me?"
"Keep your eyes peeled and listen out for the killer's Terror Radius."
"The huh?"
"Terror Radius. When the killer starts to get close, your heart will beat loudly. The louder it is, the closer the killer is to you. Thankfully, it's only a sound we can hear. Aside from the sound, beware of the Red Stain. It's a light that shines from their eyes when they target someone."
"I'm starting to see which side the Entity favors more. Is it too late to switch teams?"
We share a small awkward laugh. But I wasn't joking.
*CLANK*
We pause at the sudden sound and notice no added light above us. Scanning the dense further out, a small blip of it is just marginally lighter than the surrounding area.
"That's one down."
"How many do we need to power the gates?"
"Five."
I pale.
"You're joking."
"I wish."
"We have to do five of these things and avoid a killer while being completely helpless? That is the most bullshit of all bullshit I have ever heard!"
"Shhhhh! Keep your voice down."
I take a deep breath to settle down.
"Sorry. It's just I can't handle stupid. Like, no joke. My mind literally can't take it."
"I'm sure you're just..."
"I once put my head through a wall after punching it to avoid hitting someone that was stating the most illogical load of crap like what they were saying was fact."
He just stares at me.
"I'm not a violent person, dude. But when my brain can't comprehend utter lack of sense, it goes primal and demands a way to unload."
"...By hitting things?"
"By hitting things."
"That...doesn't sound healthy."
I merely shrug and connect the last couple of wires on my side.
*CLANK*
Light beams down on us as the generator purrs with life.
"Now we need three more."
"Got it."
"This is where I leave you now."
"Why?"
"Increases the odds of us not being taken down in a bunch."
"...Makes sense."
"Take care, Lynsie."
"Same to you, Dwight."
Dwight crouches off in one direction and I crawl away in the opposite. The misty nature of this place and the snowfall makes for good coverage but also obstruct my sight as well...especially when it flies in your eyes.
*HIGH-PITCH SHIRK*
Unless the killer just ripped the balls off one of the guys, that had to be Meg. What sucks is I feel I should do something. What that something is? Fuck if I know. Maybe if I find one of those chests I can get a med-kit and heal her if she's hurt. Great. Now I have to multitask. Find gens, fix gens, avoid death, and save others. Is it really too late to change sides?
*LOW-PITCH YELL*
The fuck? Nearly no time passed and a second was attacked? This isn't looking so good.
"Nope! Nope! Nope! So much nope!"
Dwight comes rushing this way.
"Dude?"
He speeds past me with a look of "I'm going to wet my pants" and I don't like that one damn bit. His urgency kicks me into "screw this" mode and I bolt. Now the idea of hiding is my only goal. Something I can effectively feel safe in or at. The chalet looks to be three stories, so maybe. The watchtower seems to be missing a ladder, that's never stopped me before. There's a shack that is very out of place. Wait...What did they tell me about that again? Oh, I remember now. And...Nope! Not going there! That's a bad spot. Uh...Fuck it! Going for the trees! I pick one near one of the odd obstacle places and use it to get up to the reachable branches since the trunk is too big around.
lub-dub...lub-dub...
That sound...
lub-dub...lub-dub...
I climb up higher and try to mold into the branch work. Maybe I can think of a plan from here. It's not like the killer can climb up here...right?
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Shit, that's closer. Where is it? What am I even looking for? Just saying "monster" or "killer" doesn't mean I know what it looks like. God, I hate my teammates...except you, Dwight. You actually tell me useful stuff.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
A moving light gets my attention. From the height and angle that I'm at, I see the noticeable sight of a gingered haired maiden speed limping while trying to use a flashlight on someone in a dark blue hoodie. Such a human piece of clothing. A big contrast to the Wraith.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Meg's efforts to shake this killer have her darting around like mad. Soon though she heads my way.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
I watch as she vaults through window arches and withholds from using the pallets until just the right moment. She even smacks the killer over the head with one and she gains some time to get ahead, adding more escape time by blinding the killer when he recovers. What kind of OP flashlight is that?
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Though the killer can still see Meg hobbling away, it for some reason lingers here. Taking small quiet steps.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Why is it still here? Why won't it go after her? It doesn't see me, does it?
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
It approaches a locker and flings it open, only to not find me...but Dwight. Unable to escape, the killer grabs Dwight and the poor guy weakly wriggles on the shoulder of the monster as it carries him over just past this obstacle thing.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
*LOW-PITCH SCREAM*
By how loud that scream is that had to be him going on the hook. Now's my chance to do something helpful! If only the killer would leave! I don't know what it's doing. But the thing won't stop stalking around this damn spot! It's making my heart go nuts!
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
I'm about to lose my shit when suddenly something sparks on the other end of the zone. The killer pauses, looks around, goes over to Dwight and hits him before leaving to check it out. I wait till my heart has stopped racing then slowly make my way back to solid ground and move to Dwight.
"Dude, how's it hanging?"
He cringes with a groan.
"Please don't make fun right now. I'm in a lot of pain."
"I see that. It's just how I deal with things. Now think light thoughts."
I embrace his legs and lift. He on his end pulls up with one hand and move the hook away with the other. The blood falling and the sloshing noise of the nasty hook moving through his shoulder. When freed he slumps down on me and brings us both crashing to the snow.
"*muffled* Mind getting off my head?"
"Sorry."
He rolls off me and I shake the snow from my hair.
"Thanks for the save."
"Anytime. So long as I'm not being chased."
He smiles and picks himself up, holding the gaping wound with his good hand. Doing so makes his extra wound at his side stretch and bleed harshly.
"Say...You wouldn't happen to know where Jake is?"
I shake my head.
"Oh well. Here's hoping I find him or my own med-kit before Legion gets me again."
"That was Legion?"
"One of them. You better get going now. It's not good hanging around a wounded survivor."
"Wait, what do you mean by one of them?"
He limps off, groaning and dripping blood.
*HIGH-PITCH SHRIK*
Sounds like Meg is getting into trouble again. I got to do something. Anything productive. Where's another generator at?
*HIGH-PITCH SCREAM*
Holy shit! Okay, I need to do something. I'm too far judging by that scream. I need to buy them time to save her. I need to...
"LEGION!"
Not yell out the killer's name like a fucking idiot!
lub-dub...lub-dub...
Well, that's to be expected. Time to run now. With basically having painted a "come kill me" target on my dumb ass, I don't hold back on the speed. Rushing as if Legion were right behind me instead of just trailing from somewhere.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Need to duck it. Need to find something to disorient it. In my haste, I grab some snow and ball it before chucking it at a passing pallet. The thud sound it makes should pull its attention.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Unfortunately, it seems I'm not going to be so lucky. It's not falling for this trick.
*CLANK*
That sound means we only need two more generators to power the gates and no one has died that I'm aware of. So far I'd call this a good trial. Scary as fuck, but still good.
lub-dub...lub-dub...
It's going after the others again. I can use this opportunity to find a spot to rest for a bit. My lungs are burning from so much running. The watchtower again seems like a tempting hideaway, but if I try climbing now I'll make too much noise with all the huffing and puffing. The shack is again, something I'm not going near due to basement reasons. So the chalet will be my rest stop for the moment. Sneaking in is easy, what with all the broken spots that anyone can use. The inside is trashed. Giving off the vibes of a place used to crash in to get away from the world. Ah, teenage memories. Sadly such destruction makes some parts of it crippled or just plain blocked by debris. Which sucks because that top area is where I want to go and I'm not in the mood to go parkour crazy.
*LOW-PITCH YELL*
Jake or Dwight just got nailed. The way things are going another hit or hook will happen.
*HIGH-PITCH SHIRK*
Oh, come on!
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
You've got to be kidding me.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Son of a...Not much to go on and needing somewhere to hide, I throw myself behind one of the random couches...only to end up skidding into a downward going set of stairs and I tumble head over heel into a wall.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
I shake away the stars in my eyes and come to find I'm in the one spot I've been trying to avoid. I'm in the basement. But how? I thought they said it shows up in the shed. What kind of retards am I dealing with here?!
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Oh yeah, that's still a thing. Since going back up will get me spotted for sure, I hobble deeper down the steps and find the light seeping through the walls to be very unnerving. The eerie sounds don't help either. The Basement contains four lockers, a chest, and a special set of four hooks hanging all from a center post that looks more wicked than the one's topside.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
With not much time, I slip around one of the spaces in the back and hold my breath.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
The sound of grunts and footsteps get louder from above as they move towards the stairs. The grunts aren't coming from the killer. I know the voice. It's Jake and, much like Dwight, he's struggling to get free from the killer.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
There's some shuffling as the steps get closer and closer.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
*LOW-PITCH SCREAM*
I think everyone's been hooked at least once except for me. Maybe I have some luck about me after all. Now when the killer leaves I can unhook Jake and the last couple of generators will be done with ease.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Wait...Why is the killer's steps getting closer?
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Why isn't it leaving?! What the fuck?!
"here's...legion!"
A dark menacing figure with eyes glowing blue rounds the opening of my little hideaway and I in panic, lack of air, plus pure adrenaline flip the fuck out. Much like the reaction that came from meeting the Wraith, instinct has me utter random shit in hopes of stunning the threat with confusion.
"*loud hiss*"
I don't wait to check if this works. I merely listen to the screaming signals my body is making to charge forward. This move takes the killer and knocks it back a bit as I do the animalistic approach to running for my escape. Sorry Jake. Maybe someone else can get you.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
"this is no place for cowards!"
That voice makes my spine shiver. Though nothing freaks me out more than the rapid sprinting behind me.
"where do you think you're going?"
"Anywhere I can!"
"smartasses get killed. we always see to that."
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Bounding out of the chalet, it keeps chase with me and even vaults the pallets that I leap over.
"we know this place better than anyone. what makes you think you can avoid us?"
"Two words..."
Leaping over another pallet, I return to a bipedal run and grab some snow in my haste. I ball the snow hard and once I lead the killer into a straight line, I turn back then hurl it into its face.
"Snowball's chance!"
The resulting assault stuns/blinds it and I, not knowing how long this will last, rush for the watchtower. Doing what I can to scramble up some of the supports after jumping off a generator by the time it catches up to me and is not happy. Though now that I'm out of reach, I can get a decent look at this killer. He is in a deep blue hooded jacket that's partly zipped, the hood covering his head is black and there's white fur around the collar. His black pants have a white stripe that runs down the side of the legs, the ends have been rolled up near the knee. He has finger-less gray gloves that match his gray socks. He spots black sneakers with blue accents and laces. The limbs of his outfit are battened down with tape like practitioners of parkour which is done to lessen wind resistance. In his hand is a sharp hunting blade-like weapon with a jagged saw back made of bone. Such a thing is fitting since this killer is a living skeleton, the open part of his jacket showing off his ribcage. He has no eyes, just black sockets with blue eye-like lights. Other than some bloodstains here and there, there's this odd dark mark on the right side of his face. Or should I say skull? You know what I mean.
"there's no getting out of this now. we're too good at it. so why don't you be a good girl and come down here, excepting your death with some dignity."
"Hmmm...I don't know. Seems to me I have the high ground. The way I see it, I can just chill out here and be completely fine."
He attempts to climb up to get me. Though his skeletal digits can't get a real grip and he keeps slipping off on the first board. He gives up on climbing in annoyance and growls at me but then snickers.
"we wouldn't be so sure about that. once your twerpy friends get a gate open or we shut the hatch, endgame collapse starts. and if you can't escape within two minutes...regardless of your health or hiding spot, any survivors remaining in the trial grounds will be sacrificed by the entity itself."
I groan and claw my face.
"You assholes don't tell me shit!"
I shout into the air and Legion laughs.
"sucks to be you. shame you can't trust your teammates to even inform you on basic things."
"I know!"
I slump against the cold wood as he positions himself under me. Maybe he'll try to throw his weapon at me to knock me down.
"if you come down now, we might be willing to forgive that snowball thing and kill you quickly."
This is so not my day.
"Any chance we can work out a deal where I don't die?"
"heh...we think not."
What is it with this we stuff? I hate words games. It's just as bad when assholes play the pronoun game when talking about someone.
*CLANK*
Another generator goes off and we both look out to where it alerts.
"shit."
Not sure he meant to say that out loud, but it gets me an idea. An awful idea. A wonderfully evil, awful, and just plain fucked up idea.
"Say there, killer, you look a bit worried."
He glares up at me.
"worried? *scoff* what's to worry about? we can easily take down all of you before that last generator gets popped."
"Care to make a little bargain then?"
He eyes me.
"Hear me out. You want us humans dead, right? But currently, three of them are causing you some annoying trouble."
"three? not counting yourself among them?"
I hook my legs around a beam and swing down to dangle just out of reach.
"With this lot? No. It's like you said, they can't be bothered with helping me...So why don't I help someone else instead?"
This gets a grin to smear his skull.
"okay. we're listening."
I smirk.
"You let me live, and I'll make sure they don't get away from that weapon of yours when you come running. Sound fair?"
He chuckles smugly.
"you think quite highly of yourself for someone in their first trial. what makes you think we need your help?"
"Fine. Risk it. Risk them getting away while I stay here and let the Entity get me."
He flinches.
"Risk not making them scream."
He fidgets a bit.
"Risk not spilling their blood."
He gets more anxious.
"Risk..."
"alright! alright! we get it...we have a deal. but on one condition."
"That is?"
"if this messes up and they getaway, we're going to kill you. yet if this works, we'll let you live...but not without some damage."
Beggars can't be choosers. I don't think I'm getting a better offer than that.
"Deal."
I swing away and drop unsteadily. Part of me thought he'd use the opportunity to stab me the moment I came down. I guess there is some honor among killers...I hope.
"I saw some movement west of here. Not sure if other gens are there, but it's where I'm going."
He shrugs.
"go for it. we'll be lurking behind. we can't have them hearing our terror radius, now can we?"
I nod and sprint away. Not really sure if this is a good idea. Morally speaking this is worth my ass burning in hell for eternity. But in terms of not winding up on a hook or as Entity food, I'll sell out the world if I have to. Especially when they knew shit and didn't bother telling me. Granted, I will feel bad for Dwight as he did help me. But only he has my humanity attached to him. The rest are as good as dead.
Running without the need to be sneaky is a nice little perk in all this. The cold was doing a number on my hands. Taking a moment to pause, I listen for any sounds of movement or repairing.
"What are you doing? Don't run around like an idiot."
Jake moves from behind a clump of large rocks.
"Glad to see you too. Where're the others?"
"Not here, obviously. While you were running distraction, we got another gen done."
"I know. We just need one more, right?"
"Yeah. There are three others available. So we've split up to ensure one gets done."
Crap. This is going to be harder than I thought. I didn't anticipate there being more generators than the required amount. Change of plans.
"Mind if I help?"
He sighs.
"Come on. There's one around here."
I will not regret you dying, asshole. He leads me behind some trees where a generator has a shit placement. A boulder and a tree block two sides of it. I guess it's somewhat helpful. He takes a side and I take the more open side...not that he gave me a choice. He starts to tinker and I begin grabbing wires, picking opposites. I wait a few moments then make bad connections, causing the generator to blow in a loud show of sparks.
"Damn it. Be careful will you?"
"Don't pressure me. I don't do well under pressure."
I repeat this same move. Wait a little bit and then spark explosion!
"Screw this."
He crouches off and I follow in a crawl.
"Go away."
"We're a team, right? We need to stick together."
"I don't need you messing this up. Go run distraction since you're so good at it."
"You sir, need to watch your tone."
*HIGH-PITCH SCREAM*
So Legion either didn't follow me or found Meg along the way.
"There goes Meg."
"See? Go distract the killer so we can get her. That way someone useful can actually help."
That was the straw that breaks me. I tackle him to the ground and slam his head repeatedly.
"*snarling* Do...Not...Ever...Disrespect...Me...You...Stupid...Mother...Fucker...!"
After about the tenth bash, I stop because of the sickly wet sloshing sound of a cranium on slushy snow snaps me to my senses. Jake isn't dead but he is bleeding like crazy and knocked the fuck out. I've never unloaded like that before. It was so primal and yet...so satisfying. Looking around to make sure no one else saw this, I am relieved that nobody did though for some reason I find my eyes locking on to a nearby hooking post.
[Interesting, little worm. You made the meat bleed. Keep going. Do not resist. Offer it to The Entity.]
My head hurts at the whispers invading my mind. I don't like it. I move off of Jake and drag myself from this scene. It's harder than it seems. Something wants me to do it. To finish the job and hook him. It feels sick. I wander around trying to regain myself from the numbness clawing at my brain. The cold is suddenly worse on my hands, only now do I understand the reason why. Jake's blood is on my hands. Literally and figuratively. I frantically try to clean them off in the snow. Less for the reasons of this is a bad "Oh my god, what have I done" thing but more for "I can't let them see this or they'll know something isn't right" thing. Well, that and the longer I see the blood the stronger the messed up impulses get.
*YELP*
The shocked sound gets me back in my normal mindset. Finding the others.
*YELP*
"Dwight, just stop. That's only making it worse."
Meg shoos Dwight from trying to heal her while taking cover in bushes.
"I'm sorry. I get really nervous near endgame."
Poor guy looks so scared.
"Yeah, about that..."
They nearly jump at my arrival.
"So nice of you lot to tell me about endgame collapse. Real helpful. It's almost like you're not telling me shit on purpose so that you'll have better odds. But that would be a massive dick move that only lowlifes would do. And you guys aren't lowlifes...Are you?"
My tone is spiteful. Not caring for whatever the answer that comes.
"It's not like you needed to know right away."
I glare daggers at them.
"We believed you were able to avoid the killer. So we were going to gen rush for a speedy victory. We weren't counting on Legion being so aggressive. Its deep wounds aren't normally so hard to mend."
"What I'm hearing is a lot of crap. One, my so-called team made a plan and didn't let me in on it. Two, said team leaves out useful information on the killer and trial effects. And three, you thought this wasn't going to bite you in the ass."
They look at me confused when suddenly the sky rumbles. Our gaze goes upward as the part of the white clouds turns black and opens to obsidian spider-like appendages reaching down to the ground.
"What the fuck is that?!"
"That's the Entity. But it only comes into trials to claim a sacrifice. Why is it...?"
The spindly claws retract back to wherever the fuck that shit came from, but it's not leaving empty-handed. The shade of Jake is in its grasp. A small glow of cyan in his chest. Once the thing returns to the clouds, the sky returns to normal and I'm speechless.
"It...It took Jake?"
"How? He was only hooked once. If he was hooked again we would've heard him yell."
Unless he was so knocked out that he was completely incapacitated.
"We need to get that last gen."
"But you need to mend. You'll bleed out otherwise."
"I'll do it myself. You two get to a gen. I'll be fine."
Dwight looks worried but he nods and takes my arm.
"Let's hurry before Legion finds us."
I merely follow. Still too dumbstruck to comprehend the thing I just saw.
"Are you okay?"
"Big thing came out of the sky...Head very fuzzy..."
He frowns.
"I'm sorry we didn't tell you everything. We're just...You get so used to things around here that it's easy to forget what it was like in the beginning. Back when this was new and hard to understand. Back when we wished there was someone to teach us what to do. I'm sorry, Lynsie."
Oh no...Not genuine sincerity! How am I supposed to let him die now after all that? God damn evil plans! He finds a generator and he begins to work on it while I pretend to do so. There's already been some progress made on this thing. That's not good. Fuck, I'm conflicted. I can get out of here at the cost of their lives and risk them finding out. Or I can help them escape and risk pissing off Legion who will hunt my ass down for betrayal. I've doomed myself. Like wielding a double-edged sword, no matter which way I swing the damn thing, I'll end up stabbing myself when the backswing returns. Fuck...I've already got Jake killed. Can't puss out now. I slowly begin undoing the connections on my side, effectively making it seem like any progress he's making like it's going nowhere.
"Weird."
"What's wrong?"
"I'm repairing, but nothing is happening."
"Really? You too?"
I'm such scum.
"Hmmm...Maybe the killer is using Hex: Ruin."
I stop and leer at him, making him laugh nervously.
"Um...It's a power that killers can use to affect our ability to repair generators."
"Let me guess...It wasn't worth mentioning at the time that killers have special powers?"
He gulps.
"Have I mentioned that I'm sorry?"
And there goes the guilt that I was having about killing you, Dwighty-boy.
"Come on, dude. Let's find a gen that isn't bugged."
"But..."
*HIGH-PITCH SCREAM*
Dwight jumps.
"Oh no!"
"What?"
"That's Meg's third time being hooked."
"So let's go get her."
"We can't. A third hooking results in instant sacrifice."
Sure enough, the sky does its freaky arcane Hellmouth thing and the talons of the Entity take Meg up into its unknown lair.
"Oh, this is bad. If we can't fix gens then we're done for."
"How many times have you been hooked?"
"Once. If it hooks me now, I'll have to struggle against the Entity as it tries to kill me for sacrifice."
So does that mean if his stamina runs out or he's tired, it'll kill him on the hook?
"We have to get this gen running. It's the only way."
I feel dumb for thing but the question leaves me without much filtering.
"What about the hatch?"
He frowns and shakes his head.
"While it's probably spawned in since we're the last two left...Only one can go through it."
"Oh."
"Unless we had a special key. Then we both could escape so long as we get in within thirty seconds of opening it."
Again? Again with the very important and useful info that could've been told to me way earlier at the damn camp that I'm only hearing about now? Know what...Fuck it! Fuck you! I blatantly connect the wrong wires and the generator blows in loud sparks, freaking Dwight out.
"What are you doing?"
I growl beastly.
"I will not be toyed with by you people."
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
With the threat of running into a killer or dealing with a pissed off woman, Dwight decides the killer is his worst problem and tries to flee past me. Big mistake. I grab the back of his shirt and yank him hard, giving him a choke before he falls back.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
"Are you insane? The killer is..."
"Not your biggest problem."
I smack him so hard that his glasses are knocked off.
"I am not to be fucked with! Not by you. Not by them. Not by anyone! You will learn! You will all learn! You will all learn that your actions have consequences!"
[Yes, little worm. Teach them of their wrongs. Make them learn. Unleash the beast that dwells within.]
A sharp pain grips me. I grab my head and roar out trying to fight this unknown force. My vision is blurring, something is attempting to take control and I fear it might win.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
"Holy crap..."
Dwight, understandably afraid for his life, scrambles to get as far from me as he possibly can. But his efforts and lack of good eyesight have him running right into the blade of the Legion to get a critical deep wound.
*LOW-PITCH YELL*
Dwight goes down and Legion grins to himself.
"too easy."
He goes to pick Dwight up but pauses when it notices me harming myself. My nails are clawing into my arms and I'm ramming my head into some wooden fencing, hoping this trauma will make the force cease its efforts. These actions blind me to his approach and my system gets knocked out of it at this sudden sting in my back.
"don't move."
The feel of his blade leaving me is strangely painless and I can't help the smile that comes to me as things feel so much clearer...even if I drop to my knees.
"stay put. we'll be right back."
He retrieves a futilely crawling away Dwight and goes to hook him somewhere. If I were a more sane individual, I probably would be trying to run away at this moment. But I think that's been proven not to be who I am. What I'm more focused on is figuring out what the hell was happening to me.
*LOW-PITCH SCREAM*
Dwight's on the hook now and no one is around to help him. I know I'm not doing it. I am all out of fucks to give.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Legion makes his return and I don't blame him for looking shocked that I remained where he left me.
"Surprised to see me?"
"a little bit. normally you humans try to getaway. even when in the dying state."
I look at him funny and he sighs.
"wow. they really don't tell you anything. okay...um...that guy we just hooked..."
"Yeah?"
"remember him being on the floor and only able to crawl? that's the dying state."
"Oh. Kind of a disappointing name."
"well if left alone he would bleed to death."
"Now that makes more sense."
He snickers.
"you are a really weird human."
"As I told Wraith, I prefer quirky."
"quirky doesn't even begin to start with what we'd call you. but it's fine for now."
He huffs a small laugh and closes the distance between us before hiking me over his shoulder. The sky rumbles and we look as the Entity comes once more to claim another victim. With that done, he starts wandering off and I'm amazed that something with no muscle mess whatsoever is this strong. Makes me wonder how his bony body works.
"Can I ask a somewhat personal question?"
"depends."
"Well...and you don't have to answer...But you're a skeleton, right?"
"last we checked."
"But are you completely skeletal?"
He pauses.
"...where are you going with this?"
"I'm just curious is all. I'm not a light girl. For you to pick me up and be walking so comfortably with no muscle is amazing."
He shakes his head in amusement while starting to walk again.
"What? It's a legitimate reason to be curious."
"oh, like you humans are so normal? what with your weak fleshy bodies full of blood and guts."
"I'm not saying it's normal. Normal is overrated."
"then would you be willing to answer one of our questions?"
"Only if you explain this usage of plural terms you've been using."
"we are legion. four killers in one. only one can be in a trial at a time but we're never alone."
"That is fucking cool. So do you all call yourself Legion or...?"
"ah ah ah. you answer our question first."
"Sorry."
"what was happening back there? you know...when you were going nuts?"
My head hurts thinking about that.
"I'm not sure. I got really mad and this creepy voice started talking to me."
"creepy voice you say?"
"I've heard it a few times. But that was the first time...I...Argh, my head is killing me."
"we bet it does. after all, you were hitting it into shit."
"Yeah, but it's fine. I'm thick-skulled."
His body shakes a little with held in mirth. Is he...?
"ah, there's that pesky thing."
Apparently, he's been carrying me this whole time for a reason. He's been listening for this odd and very ominous sound. Funny enough, we find this strange cue at the location of the watchtower where this deal of ours was made. The cause of this sound is the hatch, open and full of dark fog.
"Spooky."
He drops me off of his shoulder roughly near it and then very blatantly gets his weapon out.
"Um...Nice bone you got there."
"thanks. it does its job well."
I am not going to like this.
"you look worried."
"Only because I know what's going to happen next."
His grin is bone-chilling.
"a deal's a deal, human. you held up your end and now it's our turn. the hatch is your way out. but like we told you...you're not leaving unharmed."
He twirls the blade so that it's stabbing end is downward in his grip.
"This is going to hurt like hell, isn't it?"
"only if you struggle. but please do...it's more fun that way!"
He lunges at me, weapon aiming my chest. I panic. My hands come up to grab his wrist but I'm not one that knows how to properly do this in quick time. I do stop the blade from hitting its target. But now the thing is skewering my hands to give them stigmata. The grinding of the blade on bone is nerve shocking. He uses this to grab my wrists and pin them above my head with his free hand before removing the weapon, his lower half pinning my legs with his.
"now this is a tempting moment. we could do just about anything to you and nobody will stop us. the only limit is our imagination."
With the blade, he slices open my shirt and the smugness he has makes my insides churn.
"Dude, don't be a creepy pervert like this."
His grin falters and color faintly comes to his skull. Is he...is he blushing?
"that is not...we are not like that! this is strictly sadistic torture and nothing more!"
"But doesn't that mean you're getting pleasure out of causing pain?"
The blush gets worse.
"quit making this weird!"
The blade comes down into my stomach and the sound of pain I make is guttural. This keeps up for quite a few more stabs done to my side, ribs, shoulders, and this really painful one at the hip.
"no more talking! understood?"
I nod weakly through whimpers and a sense of impending death.
"good. now behave and this will be pleasant for all of us."
Like an artist with a sculpting knife, he takes his blade and slowly begins carving into the top of my chest. There are many things my pain tolerance allows me to handle. Cuts, stabs, falls, blunt force, sprains, piercings, and some other stuff I can't think about at the moment. And that's because it all happens typically very fast or instantly. This? No. This isn't fast. This is slow and painfully delicate. My eyes are drowning in tears and melting snow. My hands claw at the ground. And my heels dig into frozen soil. This reaction doesn't go unnoticed. Legion enjoys it. His smile coming back and growing with each wince the blade brings out of me.
"there we go...just a little bit more...almost done."
I feel a chill as the blade leaves me for a moment and hope fills me that he's done. Only to be shattered with a quick slash that has me roar in anguish.
"perfect. the entity may heal it away but you'll feel it even if it's gone. you'll never fort it. you'll never forget who you belong to now."
He nudged my head up with the hilt of his weapon so that I can see what he's done. He's etched the word "LEGION" into me. He's marked me as his. Well...at least this is over.
"now say it."
I eye him and he quickly stabs my side.
"say who you belong to!"
"Legion! I belong to Legion!"
It almost sobs out of me. My dignity and strong will were turned to dust way back at the start of all this. His delight is written all over his face. A twisted smile and eyes that burn with gratification.
"good girl. now we want one last thing from you before you can go."
"*whimpers* What?"
He leans down and I feel the pressure of his aura. Dark, threatening, and very very heavy.
"show us your soul."
I bite my lip and gulp.
"I...I don't know how."
The bone blade is stabbed right beside my face.
"you're not leaving till we see it. so you can either figure out how to bring it out...or we can have more fun cutting into you like a pumpkin on halloween."
"How am I supposed to...?"
He yanks the weapon from the ground and rears back ready to slam it down wherever on me he sees fit. Visions of any of the possible ways that bone blade can end up sinking into me flash before my eyes. My heart races and times seems to slow down as he brings it down. My eyes shut tight and all I can do is pray. Pray that this isn't the end. Because I don't want to die. I don't want to die!
"heheheh...we knew that would work."
My eyes open to see the tip of his weapon hovering over the colorful heart that springs from my body.
"fear is a motivator like nothing else."
I think I just pissed myself. It's either piss or blood from the stabbings.
"wraith was right. your souls is interesting. so many colors all swirling around like crazy. it's almost what we'd call pretty."
He gives my souls a small teasing touch before he sits up and moves off of me, letting me go.
"you can go now. we've had our fun this trial."
I'm not sure what to do. Part of me knows better and should leave while given this chance. The other part wants to beat the shit out of him. And another part is too broken to do anything.
"hey, we said you can go."
"Give me a moment...I...I'm trying to remember how to move."
He can't help but laugh at me.
"you can't be serious? did we really scare you that bad? your shitty teammates aren't even that easy."
"Hello, I'm new. Sue me for freaking out when a skeleton has a knife aimed at me!"
He just keeps laughing.
"*chuckling* and here we thought we were the ones without guts."
I flinch with recognition.
"Was that...a pun?"
His brow cocks.
"maybe?"
I smirk.
"I hope that wasn't your only one. Because I have a skele-ton of them."
His face blanks and I feel like I may have messed up. Either that or I'm bleeding out to the pint this might be a hallucination. But then...He busts a metaphorical gut in laughter. This is a reaction I'm not used to getting when I pun. It feels nice. And he seems different when he laughs. Like, a guy that you wouldn't think enjoys killing people.
"that...that was a good one."
"Thank you. The idiots at camp don't appreciate them. So I'm glad someone has a working funny bone."
That again cracks him up. But that isn't the only thing cracking. My sides aren't doing so well. It's time to go. Regaining the use of my arms, I press my soul back into me and then pull myself to sit up which I immediately regret what with the amount of coughed up blood that is being forced out of me.
"yeah. you're going to want to go now. not sure how much longer you've got before your body quits on you."
"Probably a good...*coughing* A good...*wheezing* I go now."
Crawling my fucked up form to the hatch, I share one last look with this killer.
"what? there something in our teeth?"
I meekly snicker.
"My name...*gagging* It's...*hack* Lynsie."
He smirks.
"so that's the name of our new plaything? heh...good to know."
He averts his gaze and I move to enter the hatch feet first.
"human..."
He's still not looking at me.
"Y-Yeah?"
"...call me bones."
Something about him telling me his name fills me with this oddly warm feeling. The kind of feeling that makes you smile even when you know you shouldn't.
"Later...*coughing* Bones."
I hope that does something for him. Not sure why or what, but it's something I hope for as I slide into the hatch's dark unknown.
*CLUNK*
The hatch closes and Bones leans back on his hands, an amused grin on his face as the fog of the Entity begins to consume the realm. Time for the world to be reset for the next trial.
"heh...not a bad time. not a bad time at all. the guys are going to get a kick out of this one."
Maybe the Entity won't care that one got away. He did feed it three humans. That should be enough for a decent snack. It's not like one of the other killers can't finish the job of feeding it. He just hoped that after such an exhausting trial that he'd have a chance to rest for a while. The fog rolls over him and takes him away. The world entirely disappearing into the darkness. Now it wouldn't be long before it was to reform as the Entity fed. No matter the reset, the chalet remains and in there so will the Legion.
(AT THE SURVIVOR'S CAMPSITE)
I wake up gasping for breath and gripping my chest. The hatch was an escape of sorts, but the feeling of slipping through the intangible grasp of something I can't even begin to describe is horrifying.
"There she is!"
Jake shouts and my attention is gotten. The others cast judging eyes at me. David not so much. But the others for sure. Thank god my clothes are healed. Otherwise, this would be even more awkward.
"Is it true? Did you attack Jake?"
Bill asks but it doesn't feel like a question. This is not how I wanted to wake up.
"Answer the question, kid."
I glare.
"I don't have to answer shit."
"So you admit it? You cost us the trial!"
Jake shouts and I snarl.
"No! You did that the moment you decided to use me!"
I get off the ground but I'm wobbly as hell. Something isn't right.
"We're the Survivors. We're supposed to help each other make it out alive. But none of you want to help anyone else but yourselves. And I'll be damned if I'll let you get away with trying to use me as a damn distraction for your gain!"
I start seething and Dwight steps forward.
"Please, don't get her mad."
"The hell do we care if she gets mad?"
"You weren't there, Nea. You didn't see what I saw. You didn't see her change."
I settle down out of curiosity but it's not like that helps the others.
"Oh, she changed? Big fucking deal! That doesn't excuse her for attacking Jake in the trial."
"You don't understand. It was the Entity...it was turning her into one of them."
My confusion is shared with the rest of them and Dwight looks at me.
"It's true. Your eyes...Your eyes were making the stain. Only killers make the stain but they can't see it."
This...this makes some sense for what was going on at that moment.
"That explains the voice..."
I think aloud to myself.
"Voice?"
Claudette repeats in puzzlement.
"Talk to us, Luv. What happened back there?"
Not sure if David cares. But he's at least giving me a chance to explain.
"Since I get here, I've been hearing this strange voice sometimes. Calling us meat and other things. During trial..."
Recalling the events makes my head spin and I drop to a kneel, not able to keep balance enough to stand. David and Dwight move to approach but others hold them back till the story is told.
"During the trial, I got so mad. I kept finding out you guys were or had withheld important things from me. It was just building this raw feeling inside. One that boiled over into something...I can't really put it into words. I had these urges..."
I grip my head in pain.
"I wanted to make a point...but IT wanted that point in blood. *groan* Fuck, don't make me remember any more. It hurts."
I feel so weak. Like being here is draining me. I don't understand what's happening to me.
"What do you think? This kind of sounds like your line of work."
Bill asks Ash.
"Hmmm...It does sound something close to possession. Maybe corruption? Influencing her to kill when angered. That's a theory anyway. Anything is possible in this place. Not knowing the Entity's full ability scope or what her soul is capable of really makes this a hard question to answer."
Nea doesn't like this one bit.
"Are you guys for real? It doesn't matter if she's possessed, corrupted, or some other bullshit. The fact is she attacked another survivor. She's a threat and a liability. I say we kick her out of the camp."
Nea is only pissing me off. Not a good thing to do.
"You don't get to make that call, Nea."
Detective Tapp calls her out.
"After all, the same can be said about you when you act so toxic that the killers try to attack us here despite knowing that they can't."
David comes over and kneels with me.
"You alright, Luv?"
"I...I don't know...I don't feel very good..."
"Take it easy. You look like 'ell."
"Legion...had fun with me...lost lots of blood...great sense of humor..."
"'umor? Luv, killers can't make jokes. 'ell, they can't even talk."
But...they can talk. What does he mean that they can't?
"Luv? 'ey, what's wrong? Why aren't you 'ealed?"
My kneeling trembles. I'm getting weaker. My mouth moves but no words come out.
"'ey! Somethin's wrong with her!"
My eyelids are so heavy. It's getting harder to stay conscious. Their bodies look like blobs to me. I don't even know who's coming over to aid David. Everything's getting dark.
[Do not think you can escape, little worm. The beast hungers. It will feed. It is only a matter of time.]
Yay! This got done super fast and I had fun. Now to establish some stuff and clarify things that went down in this chapter.
#1: Killers/Monsters have better relations than the Survivors/Humans...I hinted this one in chapter one, but I think it really shines here. Even if some killers piss off other killers, they still communicate and teach their skills to their allies. Where as the humans share very little and assume others will get good. This leads to toxicity among the survivors and it's not unheard of for survivors to turn on each other. This happens in game too.
#2: The Survivors can't communicate with the Killers...In game, no one talks. All you get are sounds like screams, grunts and other basic noises. For the story, I'm making it so that both sides can speak but the humans can not understand the monsters. This langue barrier keeps tension high and further divides them. All the humans hear are monster sounds. The monster hear English but think the humans are just ignoring them because they're assholes. Lynsie is the exception to this rule and for one reason, which leads into out next point.
#3: The look and feel of Legion/Sans...For this, we turn to this AU's creator punnysideup who has made some awesome pics of our bone boys. Since ffnet won't let me post links, I recommend looking him up on twitter to see all 4 sides to our killer. Though note one thing, I will be changing the look of Dead Eye from what his creator depicts him. It doesn't really fit well, while looking cool, so expect something close to the other 3 in terms of looks.
#4: The Corrupted Survivor...This was a concept I made up for the game and think it makes things a bit more interesting here. Since Lynsie is the anomaly and her soul is all wonky here, the Entity with its crazy powers can influence her into becoming a pseudo-killer. If fully unleashed, this state allows her to hunt and sacrifice like a normal killer, but she still counts as a survivor and there for can be killed by real killers. There are triggers for her entering this state and snapping her out of it. We shall see them done in time.
#5: The Terror Radius...As in here and in game, only survivors can hear the Terror Radius. But...The story has an anomaly that the game doesn't. Due to Lynsie's ties to the Entity and being a pseudo-killer, this gives her a unique radius that only the killers can pick up on...The Tainted Radius. With this, killers can locate her and trigger her into her killer state in trials to terrorize the other survivors.
Other than those points, I can't think of anything else. If there are any questions or if you want to see a certain killer show up in the next chapter, feel free to let me know. Thank you all for reading and I hope you have awesome days/nights. Laters! ^_^
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Hybrids
For @pillarspromptsweekly #0054: Versatility.
So I only created Amaryllis in Deadfire, so she's kind of always been multi-classed since she's never been single classed, so have a rambling backstory dump?
Thanks to my husband for copy-editing and to the cat for her contributions. Unfortunately, the "``````````````fgh" had to be edited out as it didn't fit the flow of the work.
Strange birds sung out in the morning on Maje Island. Well, strange to her, Amaryllis admitted to herself. They were perfectly normal birds for this area of the world she assumed. The morning light streamed over the trees, casting long shadows. The air still cool, it was the perfect time to get sparring in before it got too hot. She ducked a kick from Xoti and responded with one of her own.
They had started the routine a few days ago, when Amaryllis woke up to do her morning exercises and found Xoti awake as well.
“Don’t sleep too well,” she had said. “The dreams.”
Amaryllis understood how that felt. In an effort to distract Xoti from her disturbing dreams, she had suggested unarmed sparring. They could talk if they wanted to, but they didn’t have to. Xoti seemed to appreciate the distraction for the first two days, but after falling into the routine she was much more lively today.
Xoti blocked the kick and the follow up punch and responded with a round kick that hit Amaryllis in the shoulder and threw her off balance. She landed on the ground.
“Point to you.” Amaryllis rubbed her shoulder.
“Thanks.” Xoti offered her a hand up while not so subtly glancing over at where Edér was stoking the morning fire to see if he had been watching.
He was smoking a pipe and staring out into the jungle, contemplatively. Aloth still slept in the nearby pitched tent.
Amaryllis grabbed the offered hand and Xoti pulled her to her feet. “Time for a water break?” Amaryllis asked, inclining her head back towards camp.
Xoti slightly reddened but nodded and the two women headed over to the fire circle where Amaryllis pulled out the water skins.
Amaryllis gulped the water down greedily, droplets running down the side of her face onto her damp shirt. She took a deep breath and wiped her mouth. “So, Xoti, I’ve been meaning to ask, where did you learn to fight?” She hadn’t honestly expected Xoti to know much about unarmed combat since she normally fought with her sickle, shield, and, well, magic, but Xoti was trained. It was a slightly different style than Amaryllis’s, but Xoti had learned hand-to-hand combat somewhere.
Xoti wiped a damp cloth over her forehead and shook out her hair. Edér was still ignoring them for the fire. She rolled her eyes at his back and turned to Amaryllis as she spoke. “One of the Eothasian priests back home. More of a monk, really. Used to give lessons to all the boys. And me.”
“You were that insistent?”
Xoti shrugged. “I mostly just wanted to talk theology, but he got frustrated at that and I got good at ducking. And then I got frustrated at his ideas and I got good at kicking.” She grinned. “Ain’t had much practice in years. I know I ain’t very good.”
Amaryllis rubbed her shoulder ruefully. “If you’re not very good then my pride’s taking quite a beating.”
Xoti laughed. “That’s the first good hit I’ve had on you in three days.” She took a swig of water. “Where’d you learn to fight? I always thought of ciphers as the sneaky, stabby kind, not the punchy, kicky kind.”
“As far as I can tell there aren’t any weapon limitations on being a cipher, but I haven’t known many others.” Amaryllis leaned up against a tree. “But my mother was a Glamfellen monk.”
“Was?” Xoti clapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry!”
“You’re fine.” Amaryllis grinned. “She’s still alive. Just no longer a monk. Some dashing, Aedyran, Sceltrfolc explorer came down to the White that Wends and whisked her away up to the Living Lands where they’ve been for the oh, last sixty years or so. Wait, I’m sixty-three now. Seventy years? Anyway,” she took another drink of water, “my father is a semi-well known explorer, Brandford Alfwyn. It was strange reading his books in University. He was on an expedition down to the Wend when he met my mother and the way they tell it it was love at first sight. And that he’s also not the most popular down there now.”
Xoti’s eyes twinkled with laughter. “That why they spent seventy years up North?”
“Some of it. The rest of it, they just like it up there. My father says it’s the most interesting place he’s ever been. ‘You can spend fifty years exploring the same area and it’s always different.’ And they have.”
Xoti cocked her head to the side. “So your pa’s from Aedyr and you’re ma’s Glafel-, Glamelefel-, Glamflafl–”
“Glamfellen.” Aloth ducked out of the tent. He smiled faintly. “Or ‘pale elf’ if you prefer.”
Edér blew out a long puff of smoke. “I already put some hot water on. For your tea,” he responded to Aloth’s blank look.
“Oh,” Aloth looked surprised. “Thank you.”
“It ain’t been so long that I don’t remember you drink tea in the morning, ‘Engferth.’” He chucked at his own joke.
“Yes, well–” Aloth turned and busied himself making tea.
“So,” Xoti continued, “your ma’s a pale elf and your pa’s a–”
“Wood elf,” Amaryllis supplied. “Like Aloth.”
“–wood elf, but you look like a pale elf? Sorry, tell me if I’m running my mouth, but, y’see, in my case, my pa’s an Aedyran settler and my ma’s Natlan and I look more like her, darker like, and so do most folk I know with one Natlan parent. So shouldn’t you look more like your pa?”
“So,” Amaryllis said, “that would usually be true, but there’s a rumor’s going back in my father’s family of having Glamfellan ancestors–‘Alfwyn’ means ‘white elf,’ as a loose translation–and I’m somewhat living proof of that hypothesis.”
“It is too early in the morning for a conversation about recessive genetics,” Aloth grumbled, sitting down next to Edér, who had started to pay attention to the conversation.
“What-ive what?” Xoti asked.
Aloth blew steam off the top of his tea and sighed. “So generally you’re correct in that darker hair, skin, eye color is what gets passed on due to being the dominant phenotype–” noticing Xoti’s eyes glazing over at the terminology, he stopped and placed his pointer finger to his forehead, thinking. “Edér, are both your parents blond?”
“Nope.” Edér chewed on the end of his pipe. “My ma’s blond but my pa’s got brown hair. But my Grandpa Teylecg was supposed to be blond back in the day.”
“Right. So since Edér’s father was a heterogeneous carrier,” he stopped himself. “Edér’s father may have had darker hair, but since he had someone back in his family tree that was also blond, he had a chance to have blond children with someone who was blond or who also had blond ancestors. So since Amaryllis’s father’s family had pale elves in their ancestry, apparently, the ‘pale elf genes’ were passed down. Other children her parents may have had have a chance to look more like her father.”
“But I’m an only child,” Amaryllis shrugged.
“Basically, recessive genetics–in our conversation people with lighter features–can be expressed if somewhere in their line there were people with those lighter features. In your case, if you were to have children with a Thyrtan, your children each have a fifty percent chance of looking like you and your mother and a fifty percent chance of looking like your father and partner. Does that make sense?” Aloth took a sip of tea, testing the temperature of the liquid.
“So,” Xoti’s eyes twinkled mischievously, “if you and Amaryllis was to have kids–”
Aloth choked on his tea.
“–they would look like you because you probably don’t got pale elves in your family tree?”
Amaryllis couldn’t help but laugh at Aloth’s expression. “Yes, Xoti, that’s correct.”
Edér elbowed Aloth in the ribs, spilling some of the tea in the process. “So can I be the godfather of your future children?”
“There’s not going to be future children!” Aloth sputtered, flicking droplets of tea off his fingers.
“I don’t know.” Edér shrugged. “I want to see a horde of mini-Aloths. They’d all use such big words. And set everything on fire.”
“Magical ability is usually hereditary, yes, but–” Aloth shook his head. “Why are we having this conversation? Weren’t you all doing things before I woke up?”
Xoti turned to Amaryllis, who was doubled over laughing. “Oh, is he not your boyfriend?”
Aloth sputtered some high-pitched nonsense words and turned red. He took a long drink of tea.
Amaryllis took some deep breaths before she was able to reply. “No, Xoti, Aloth and I are not… he’s not my boyfriend.”
“Oh. Just the way you look at him, I thought–”
Aloth choked on his tea again.
“Why don’t we get back to practicing and leave Aloth alone?” said Amaryllis hastily. “Wouldn’t want to get out of shape.”
“I think your ‘out of shape’ is my ‘in shape,’” joked Xoti. “Don’t know why you put up with my flailing.”
“Hey, we half-monk, half-Aedyrans have to stick together,” said Amaryllis.
“Just don’t beat each other up too much,” said Edér. “Leave some energy for whatever we run into on the road.”
Amaryllis and Xoti paced back to the circle they had scratched for sparring. “Isn’t that what you’re for, Edér? Blocking all the damage?”
“Nah, Aloth’ll blast them all first.”
“Ready, Xoti? Three, two, one–” and practice resumed.
#pillars prompts weekly#pillars of eternity 2#deadfire#pillars of eternity fanfic#fanfic#xoti#eder#aloth#prompt 0054#watcher amaryllis
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To Allure and Impede
SUMMARY: Marvin Lockens was fifteen when he was brought under Jameson Jackson's wing and first started learning how to control and use his magic. Since then, he's met Henrik Schneeplestein, the Castle's doctor and his father figure, Chase Brody, the Castle's Third in Command and best archer around, Jackie Bullmon, the Second in Command and Head Guard who's always wearing red, and Sean McLoughlin, the King Himself, as well as various others.Yet, despite being with them for more than four years and proving to be a skilled mage, they all still treated him like the shy child they first met. And he was tired of it.What happens when he meets a stranger in the woods, who gives him cards to hand out and disappears into the shadows?What happens when he hides it from everyone?What happens at the Masquerade?
W̙͍̠̿̄͘h̬̲͇̻͎̍a̖̣͇̯͌̈͆ͯ̒͊̿t͇̗̖͕̻̽̄̑ ͚̼̜̪̥͎ͪͬ͊ͦͫ̉̚H̻̯͈͎͇͎͇ͣͣ͛͛ͣ̇ã̠̼̝̖̫̌̽ͯ̍̑p̝̌̐̿̔ͩͤṗ̷̻̳ͤ̂͋ͬ̋͒e̫̪̣̽̐ń͓͚̞͈̲̯͡s̶̀̐͋͂̈?̥̖͊͘
Chapter 4
Word Count: 1703
TW: None omg its just a nice chapter FINALLY.
....or is it the calm before the storm...?
previous //
"Bye Ma! I'll be back in a few days!" Marvin stepped out onto the dirt road, turning back to face the older female. She smiled at him.
"Alright Marvin. Now remember, stay safe and talk to Henrik about what happened. And get rid of those cards. Throw em into the river or something," Marissa responded, leaning against the doorway. Her hair was tied back, and she seemed to be dressed very casually. Most likely a work day for her.
Marvin chuckled and nodded. "Alright, I will. But..." He paused, glancing around before opening his bag. He pulled out a card, holding it out for her to take. "...can you keep one with you? You're the only one who knows the full story right now, and I do want Jameson to take a better look at one. And I want to get rid of the deck."
Marissa hesitated. On one hand, she wanted to help him in any way she could, even if it meant her demise. On the other hand, it was a magic card and she had no experience with magic, save for the minor tricks Marvin would show her once in a while.
"...Alright., " She gave in, taking the card from his hand. The King of Diamonds. "I'll give it to you next time you come back, or at the masquerade."
"Thanks Ma, " He grinned, taking the last step forward so he could just wrap his arms around her and give her a hug. Marvin was definitely quite the hugger, able to help people feel like they were right at home in his embrace.
Marissa smiled, pulling away after a minute and playfully shooing him away. "Now, get outta here! I got a daughter to entertain and you got cards to drown!"
The Apprentice laughed, waving to her as he walked down the road towards the city square.
Marvin stepped onto the cobblestone square, where shops called out to citizens and people milled about. He glanced around, before settling to sit at the statue. It was of a horse, rearing up and ready to run into battle. On the base, countless names were etched onto stone, the people who died during The War of Divisions.
He sat on the base, opening his pack and shuffling through his deck, as well as the one that was gifted to him. The backs of the cards that were gifted to him were identical to the ones he had kept for a while, but the numbers were different and his name was etched along the side of each card in loopy calligraphy.
"Marvin the Magnificent" each one read.
he shuffled through the new cards, setting the older ones back into the bag. He would replace as he went along. For now, he would continue to look at each card.
His thoughts were interrupted by a girl, no older than eight, looking at him curiously.
"Do you do magic?" She asked, head tilted slightly.
Marvin nodded. "Mhm. Would you like to see a trick?"
The girl nodded, and he fanned out the magic cards. "Pick a card, milady."
Her eyes scanned over them for a minute, before picking one close to the center. He smiled. "Dont tell me what card it is. Instead, let the number and the shape rest in your heart, in your mind. Then, slide it back wherever you want. Could be where you got it from, could be elsewhere." He instructed. The child complied, sliding the card back with the rest of the cards. Instead of looking through the cards, however, he shuffled the deck once more.
"By the way, did I mention that you are a beautiful little girl. You have lovely braids, and -" he cut himself off, reaching forward. Marvin plucked a piece of paper hidden in her hair. " Sorry, but this was in your hair. " The girl's face lit up as she looked at her card from before.
The Queen of Hearts.
Marvin smiled, handing her the card. "Keep it. The Queen of Hearts belong with such a loving little girl like you, afterall."
The girl smiled, bouncing as she took the card and hugged the mage. He hugged her back, and waved as she ran back to her mother.
The day continued like that, with the occasional small crowd. It was mostly children, but there were a few teens and adults who wanted to watch (and flirt. But, he brushed it off.)
"Marv? What the hell are you doing?!"
The young mage froze like a deer in headlights, turning to face the all too familiar voice. " ...hey Jackie...." He smiled sheepishly.
"Marvin, we were worried sick!" The red-clad guard exclaimed , hugging Marvin a bit tightly. Not that he minded. Jackie had hugs that felt like home. "When Jamie said you ran away and Doc mentioned you didn't seem to be allright, we all panicked like crazy! I don't even think Jack got a wink of sleep! Are you okay?! "
"Jackie, I'm fine, promise," Marvin pulled back, letting his hands rest on his shoulders. "I stayed at Marissa's house last night, and vented it all out already."
" but she said you weren't there! "
"I didn't really want to see anyone last night..."
Jackie winced slightly. "That's...fair, I guess. But what are you doing here?!"
"I didn't want to go back to the castle yet, and so i figured I could entertain a crowd for a bit," Marvin shrugged.
" Well....do you want to go back soon? I know it's a bit of a sore subject, but we do need to get you ready for tomorrow night," He paused, looking at Marvin to gauge his expression. "And both Felix and Ethan are here too, by the way."
Marvin groaned, his lips curling into a hint of a smile. "Let me guess, them and Chase already broke something?"
Jackie laughed. "Nah, they're holding off until you join the party. " He commented.
He snorted, walking with the guard back to the castle grounds. Marvin explained a little bit of what happened, save for the mystery man and his cards. And Jackie told him about some of his stories when he first came to join and got into all sorts of trouble.
"...Jameson...?"
Marvin peered inside the office that doubled as his lesson room. As expected, Jameson was pacing, hair a mess from running his hands through it and looking exhausted. What was definitely unexpected,though, was the bone crushing hug from said magic instructor.
It took him a moment, but Marvin snapped out of his surprise to give him a hug back.
Jameson pulled back, giving the younger male a once over as he signed an apology. 'Marvin, I am so, so sorry for lashing out at you. You didn't deserve that, especially since there appears to have been other thoughts in your mind.'
"No, I'm sorry," He rested his hands on Jameson's, keeping from signing any protests. "The way I reacted was childish, and I'm sorry for running off like that."
'The way you reacted was reasonable,' Jameson shook his head, having shaken off his hands so he could respond. 'I was in the wrong for forcing it onto you. '
"Actually....you' were right," He shrugged. "I do need to start attending these, despite how stuffy they are. But...can I choose which ones to go to?"
Jameson smiled, signing a quick 'I don't see why not,' before hugging Marvin again.
Marvin shut the door behind him before ungracefully faceplanting into his bed. He was tired, having talked out some of his feeling to Jamie. He had listened, giving input here and there, as well as coming to a few compromises, one of which being that this would be the only ball he would be forced to attend, since the invitations had announced that they would be introducing the next Castle Mage. But afterwards, he could pick and choose, but he had to have an open mind about all of them.
He shifted onto his back, taking his mask off and looking around his room.
Marvin blinked, sitting up. There was a package on his desk, one that definitely hadn't been there last night.
He got up, taking the few steps needed to reach his desk and investigate them. The top one was small, covered in brown paper and tied with a green ribbon. The bottom one, on the other hand, was larger and heavier. It was covered with brown paper as well, but this one had been tied up with twine and had a note under the strings.
He slipped the note out from under the string, flipping it over to read the slightly messy handwriting.
*The Tailor will make any needed adjustments tomorrow and have all the cufflinks and stuff. In the meantime, have fun trying it on! -C*
Marvin rolled his eyes, undoing the string. In the brown paper was a suit, deep blue with a white undershirt. Pants the same shade of blue were also in the package, and black shoes to top it all off. They really knew his color scheme, didn't they?
He turned to the second package, slipping off the ribbon. Inside was a mask, a white cat one. On the forehead were the card houses, and there was a slight eyeliner around the edges of the eye holes. There were also red dots, three above his right eye and three below his left. The nose was red, and two small teeth peeked out from behind the muzzle. There was black around the edges of the mask, and green filled the middle of the ears.
Whoever picked this out (most likely Robin, he figured. That guy knew how to make things look amazing.) definitely knew him well, because he absolutely LOVED it. It was like it was calling to him.
His thoughts were interrupted by nails tapping on his door, and a familiar voice coming from the other side. "Knock knock its Party o clock!"
Marvin laughed, setting the mask down and grabbing his original one off of his bed. "I'm coming, I'm coming! Hold your horses Felix!" He exclaimed, slipping it on.
"The horses are outside Marv!"
"Shut up Ethan!
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Come Together pt 7
Bts gang au x hybrid reader and friend
Warnings: cursing as usual, banter, barely a suggestive theme
http://rofics.tumblr.com/post/171297480797/come-together-pt-8-bts-gang-au-x-hybrid-reader-and
I wake up in the middle of the night, something happened in my dream that felt like real life. Jungkook's back is turned to me, still fast asleep. I slowly peel the covers away from my warm body, cool room air kissing my skin. I gently stand up, tip toeing out the door. Everyone one else is also asleep, so I tip toe down the stairs as well. I sniff the air, something's off, there's a didferent scent. I turn the corner and see Eli standing there in the kitchen.
"Brother? Why are you here?" I ask, barely a whisper but he hears me clearly.
"Jax is planning more attacks on you, I plan on exposing myself to your friends tomorrow so I can help you. I can't stay in the shadows anymore. I can't bare to see you getting hurt" he replies in the same volume. Before I can get a response out he vanishes into thin air, now how in the hell does he do that? I sigh, walking to the cabinet to get a glass and fill it with water. I take a sip, keeping the cup near my mouth, breath fogging the glass.
'More attacks huh? That's just crazy..' I think, fingers ghosting over my stomach. 'Maybe having an extra person will help? Eli was also great at hand to hand combat, even better than me. But would he be accepted? They know he's alive..but he has worked with Ayden' the thought continues and I sigh again, dumping the water out into the sink. I dry it off and place it back in the cabinet, turning around to go back to bed.
"Damn Bee, give me a fucking heart attack why don't ya!" I seeth, not hearing her enter. Fucking rabbits are stealthy as shit.
"Sorry..I heard whispering and had to check it out, just doing my job" she replies, shrugging her shoulders.
"I think Eli would be a good addition..especially since he's not evil" Sacha adds as I walk over to the couch, plopping down dramatically.
"Yeah, I just don't know how I'll deal..it's been 10 years Bee, you know how I get around people I haven't seen in a while. He's even my twin for crying out loud!" I mumble, leaning my head on her shoulder so she rests hers on top of mine
"I know Jinx, but maybe it'll be good! He was like my brother too ya know" she adds and I give her a side hug. Sacha was an only child, so we were basically related with how close we were.
"We'll see what the guys think, since Eli would have to protect them as well" I murmur, lifting my head up. She nods, taking my hand as she stands up. We walk back up the stairs, feet making no noise as we part ways. I slip back into bed, snuggling into Jungkook's back as I try to go back to bed. I can't sleep so I just lay there, brain thinking of different ways tomorrow can end.
I must have drifted off to sleep at some point because I was being shaken awake by Sacha. I can be pretty scary if I'm woken up in the wrong way (true story, i hate being woken up by other people)
"What time is it?" I mumble, shileding my eyes from the piercing sun drifting through the blinds.
"It's around noon, I know you didn't get any sleep so I advised Jungkook not to wake you in the morning" she replies, sitting on the edge of the bed. I groan and stretch out my stiff bones, joints popping back in place as I sigh happily. I flop to the side of the bed and kick my legs like a child
"I don't wanna get up..the bedy is coomffyy" I whine, rolling around. Sacha sighs and shakes her head
"Okay, there are other ways to get your butt downstairs" she threatens, and I grin at her. I hold my arms out, wanting her to pick me up. Thin and tall or not, she is a hybrid with extra strength. She places an arm under my back and legs, mine wrapping around her shoulders. I let out a whee as she lifts me up, walking out the bedroom in a bridal style. I start humming the 'here comes the bride' theme as she goes down the steps. When we come into view of the kitchen I strike a pose and laugh. I'm plopped onto my chair and I pout
"That's no way to treat your spouse" I tease, poking my fork at her to which she pokes her tongue out. I dig into my food, chewing happily as we chat. Mid chew I get that weird feeling in my stomach when Eli or Ayden are about to appear and I swallow my food forcefully.
*knock knock knock*
They ring through the house and Sacha stares at me 'this soon?' Her look screams and I send her back a confused eye look.
"I got it" I mumble, pushing my chair out and sucking in a breath. There stands Eli, in casual clothing, splitting image of me. I step to the side, motioning him in. Everyone got curious so they all filter out into the living room. Namjoon wasn't surprised, nor was Jimin since he knew that Eli wasn't a bad guy but the other guys didn't know. Well except maybe Yoongi, dude knows everything. Everything. Eli coughs, clearing his throat
"Hello Bangtan gang, my name is Eli L/N, younger twin brother of Y/N. I know you may think I'm evil but I'm the opposite, I was promised a reunion for working with Ayden. I can also provide extra protection if needed" he introduces with a small bow. I glance between Eli and bts, not knowing what will happen but ready to step in if fists fly.
"It's nice to meet you officially Eli, I'm Namjoon, or RM by my leader name" He replies, holding out a hand that Eli takes in a firm grip.
"Why are you appearing all of a sudden now?" Jin questions, stepping next to Namjoon.
"Simple, for Y/N. I heard what happened with that bear, a maniac but genius witch Jax escaped a maximum security magick prison and has some kind of vendetta against hybrids. And somehow he has something against Y/N as well, hence the attacks everytime you go out. I even have some leads and the same exact skillset as Y/N" Eli defends, inner Malamute coming out. Jin looks at Namjoon, the younger returning an unwavering look. What Namjoon says, goes.
"Yoongi can pull up facts if you need to be reassured. In fact, I think all of you should know the hidden truth" Namjoon speaks, rubbing his temple. I pat his arm, poor guy. We all sit down, Eli standing at the end of the couch.
"The gang confrontation with Tae the first time we met Sacha and Y/N was staged. My father has been behind a lot of the unfortunate things happening. He was the one who helped Got7 kill their families, wanting the power all for himself. He kept eyes on all three of them, thwarting every plan Eli ever had to try and reach out to Y/N. He even payed Jaebum to date Sacha in order to get information out of her, it didn't work of course because our Y/N here is one hell of an obstacle to get by. I think father even had something to do with Jac, but that's just an assumption. Long story short, Eli isn't evil, he only played the part. And I agree to have him help" Namjoon informs, going full on boss mode. I shivered at the site, dude does it pretty damn well.
"So I got my ass kicked for nothing?" Tae questions, face in a frowny pout.
"Unfortunately Tae, but me helping you was genuine! Nobody hurts my cuddle buddy!" I pipe, throwing fake punches.
"If Bee is okay with it, I'm fine with him joining. She is our other protector after all" Hoseok adds, standing next to her. 'Oh. My. Gosh!!!! He called her Bee!!!! The ship has sailed, repeat; THE SHIP HAS SAILED' I scream to myself, biting back a smile.
"Of course I'm fine with it, we grew up together as well. I'm an only child so these two are my siblings" She says, nudging Hoseok's shoulder. My tail wags happily at the sight, they so cute!
"I guess I'm okay with it, but I will use my elder status if you mess up" Jin states, looking at Eli who holds his hands up in surrender.
"Oh you won't have to worry about him if he messes up, I'll take care of it" I warn, putting my fists up again. Jin chuckles and tousles my hair.
"Kook? You okay with it?" I ask, turning to look at him with my best pouty eyes. He stares at me so I turn my ears downwards, the finishing move. He shakes his head at me, breaking into a smile and nods. Sacha sends me a look of disbelief 'that boy is so whipped for you omg' her eyes say and I blush sending her a 'nah, I'm just cute as fuck' look back. She rolls her eyes, the universal whatever. The next few minutes were a bit awkward, us just sitting in silence.
"We don't have an extra room though, I just remembered that" Jin mutters out of the blue and my hand shoots up.
"I can sleep with someone! I don't mind a bit, or someone can sleep with me and move their things into my room" I offer with a smile, tail wagging in excitement.
"I could move into your room and Eli can have mine" Jungkook speaks and my eyes go wide. 'Oh the possibilities..wait brain no! Bad brain, no dirty thoughts!' I think, scolding myself.
"I can agree to that as long as I get Y/N some nights for cuddling, they're the best pillow" Tae chimes in and I smile at him
"Of course! I need my Tae pillow too" I reply happily, I really do love all of this attention.
"Since you're new blood you gotta help Kook move Maple boy" Sacha demands, using Eli's old nickname.
"Holy shit I forgot about maple boy!" I laugh, pointing at Eli to which he pokes his tongue out, ears twitching.
"What's maple boy?" Jimim asks, staring at us as we lose our shit.
"When we were younger, this dumb ass ate/drank a whole bottle of maply syrup to get out of training" Sacha snorts and I laugh harder.
"Coach was so pissed at him, he still had to train!" i roar, tears forming in my eyes, holding my side.
"I've never eaten syrup since" Eli shudders, looking out the window dramatically.
"Oh you're gonna hate pancake day" Hoseok says with a smile as Eli looks at him in horror.
"Namjoon I appreciate the offer but if there's a pancake day I must go" Eli tells the leader jokingly, pretending to get up and leave. He makes Namjoon chuckle, baby bro is just like me! Who wouldn't be able to love a Malamute? Have ya seen one? We so cute and fluffy~ Jin seemed to be the only one unimpressed which made me sad, should I talk to him? The others however, are opening up a lot quicker than I expected. They sure are trusty for a bunch of "gangsters", notice how I put the quote around gangsters.
"Well if I am going to be living here is it okay if I get some stuff? I wasn't expecting to be accepted by you so quickly RM" Eli says with a sheepish grin.
"Namjoon is just fine, only other gangs call me RM" the older replies, returning the smile. Eli shuffles out of the house awkwardly, getting into his car I assume because how else did he get here?
"I'll go get my stuff ready" Jungkook states, getting up from his seat.
"I'll help! Eli will probably be a while, plus I have to my stuff around to fit yours" I add, jumping up. We head up the stairs together, entering our rooms. I walk into the closet, moving my clothes close to each other and placing my shoes in the same area. 'I guess I'll have to rearrange some furniture so he can have a dresser' I think, trying to map out a plan. I'll put mine in the left corner, then place his on the wall next to the closet. I slide the dresser over with ease, walking over to Jungkook's room. He's seperating his clothes on hangers for easy transport. I lift up his dresser and calmly walk back to my room, placing it down gently.
"Wow, that thing is fucking heavy and you moved it by yourself?" Tae asks, leaning against the door frame and I nod.
"Did you forget how strong hybrids are Tae? Do I need to remind you?" I tease, pinching his cheek.
"Yah, I'm older than you" he scolds playfully and I pinch his cheek again, making him fake glare. It doesn't take much time for Kook to change rooms, both of our things merging pretty well.
"Make sure to clean your bed, I'd hate for Eli to find something not pleasant" Jimin teases, coming up the stairs. 'Something unpleasant? What would be..oh, oh! Oh ewwww!!!' I think, face scrunching up
"Tmi guys, tmi" I mutter, shaking my head as Jungkook stares at the ground in embarrassment. (I'm jokingly talking about jizz on the bed)
Eli's car pulls up again, this time right by the front door, that was fast. He came in with a few duffle bags and two suit cases, guess he didn't need any furniture.
"Thanks again, I won't let you down" Eli promises, crossing his heart. I show him where everything is, and who's room is who's. His eyes light up about the arcade, I only learned from the best, and the best is Eli.
"Fancy a healthy sibling rivalry of air hockey?" Eli asks, mischievous smile etched on his face.
"Oh hell yeah! I'm gonna smoke you!" I retort, racing down the stairs into the basement.
"Oh no, those playing games gets very hectic. Watch your genitals and fingers, those always get attacked" Sacha warns, following Y/N down to the basement. You can see them gulp, hands cautiously moving to their privates.
*crash*
"Did you have to hit it that hard??!!!"
"I'm sorry!! I got excited!"
*sigh*
"What have you done Joon?" Jin asks, sounding like an old man.
"I mean, they are Malamute siblings, what'd you expect?" Jimin questions Jin, giving him the side eye.
"I don't know..guess I'm still in denial about the whole uncle kim thing..and about Eli being a good guy" Jin confesses, staring at the basement stairs.
"He's telling the truth, I won't lie, he came to me when I was in the office and I put him through the hardest lie detector tests I could think of, like Hoseok level hard and he passed. We also have Y/N if he acts up" Yoongi says, staring at the oldest who sighs, wide shoulder sagging.
"Okay, I'll try to get to like him. How bad could he be right? Like a different Y/N?" He asks himself
*bang, thud*
"Really?! You're gonna tear the whole place down at this rate!"
"I said sorry!!"
"Why do I even bother?" Jin whines, Jimin patting his shoulder. They walk downstairs into the arcade chaos, the pool table was knocked over and there was an air puck in the wall.
"The puck was Bee's fault!" I declare, throwing my hands up in surrender and she hits my shoulder
"You ass!" She scolds, hitting me again while I giggle.
"The table was Y/N though" Eli snitches and I gasp, pressing my hand to my heart.
"How dare you tell on your own sibling" I sniffle, throwing my head back dramatically.
The night is full of small crashes and apologies, with threats of arcade rights being taken away from the twin trouble makers. That or child proofing everything, both work.
*no p.o.v*
Be prepared Y/N, for this time you will not make it out alive
-Ro! Lighter chapter to get away from the gore! Do you like lighter or darker themes?? Eli ship??? I could def do him and Namjoon~~~ as always i hope you enjoy and thank you for liking this series <3
#bts#bts gang au x hybrid reader#bts gang au x reader#bts x reader#bts x hybrid reader#kpop gang au#kpop#come together#admin ro#kpop hybrid au
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Chapter 2: A New Home
Haruto was surprised when he woke up on an actual bed. After Kiara and Calli introduced themselves, Kiara suggested they go back ‘home’. Some black mist started to exude off Calli before it enveloped the three of them. The next thing Haruto knew was waking up on this bed.
“Oh, he’s awake!” Haruto turned to see Kuso- Kiara sitting by his bed. “I’m sorry you got knocked out. I hear shadow travelling for the first time can be a bit much for a human.”
“You were the one who wanted to go home,” The door to the room opened, Calli walking in.
“I was suggesting we fly!” Kiara argued, making a pouty face at her partner. “You were the one jumping to conclusions.”
Calli cleared her throat in an attempt to change the subject. “We still don’t have the kid’s name.”
“M-my name is Haruto,” Haruto still had trouble projecting, but he was having an easier time talking.
“I’m still appalled you decided to adopt a child without even knowing his name,” Calli muttered under her breath, causing Kiara to shoot her a glare in response.
“N-not that it’s a bad thing or anything,” Calli said, hastily trying to diffuse the situation
“I-I’m sorry,” Haruto looked down. Although he did feel bad for burdening the couple, he knew deep down that he was too selfish to reject their offer.
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Kiara extended her hand, but stopped inches from Haruto’s face. “May I?”
Haruto didn’t answer, but tilted his cheek, leaning into Kiara’s hand. “It’s okay. You’re safe now,” Kiara gently brushed her fingers across Haruto’s cheek. Haruto had to resist the urge to flinch, but he felt like he was making progress.
“I-I have to admit… he is kinda cute,” Calli sat on the other side of the bed. Calli extended her hand towards Haruto. Haruto squeezed his eyes shut. He usually wasn’t scared of strangers, but Calli had pulled a weapon on him, so his fear was justified. Haruto opened his eyes as he felt a soft hand being placed on his head. He looked up at Calli, who was giving him a gentle smile.
“Sorry for scaring you earlier,” Calli continued, “feel free to call me Dad, but it’s okay if you don’t want to yet.”
“T-thank you d-d…” Haruto tried his best, but he trailed off, bad memories arising.
“Don’t push yourself, Haruto,” Kiara gave Haruto a gentle smile. “It’s okay if you can’t call us Mama and Papa yet. We’ll get through this together.”
Haruto wanted to say something, but he couldn’t open his mouth. He just wasn’t used to Kiara and Calli were showering him with affection, the likes of which not even his old foster family would give him before… Haruto shook his head.
“Thank you m… Kiara,” Haruto replied softly.
“Anything for you, my child,” Kiara’s fingers moved, interlocking themselves with Haruto’s small fingers. “Now you must be hungry. Would you like me to bring something here or do you want to come up with us?”
“I’ll g-go with you,” Haruto said. As tired as he was, he didn’t want to dirty the sheets more than he already has.
“Alright,” Kiara gently tugged on Haruto’s hand, Haruto following her movements. “Let’s head to the kitchen.”
-
Kiara and Calli had a nice, two-story house. Although it was much bigger than his old home, Haruto felt that it wasn’t too big for him to manage. If he was going to live here for the foreseeable future, he would eventually get the hang of the layout.
“Ne Haruto, do you like chicken?” Kiara asked.
Haruto nodded. “I like the chicken they have at KFP. Their 4 for 4 is very cheap,” Haruto admitted.
“Oh my, is that what you’ve been eating?” Kiara looked genuinely taken aback. “KFP chicken is the best in the world, but eating that three times a day isn’t healthy at all.”
“Sorry,” Haruto looked down. He felt like it wasn’t his fault that he didn’t have a lot of money, but he didn’t know what else to say.
“There is nothing to be sorry about,” Kiara said gently. “It’s not your fault.”
“You’re still going to make him KFP chicken, aren’t you?” Calli asked.
“I was going to add some vegetables!” Kiara whined. “It’s all I know how to make.”
“Thank you m… Kiara,” Haruto said, trying his best.
“You’re so cute!” Kiara beamed at the child. “Look, Calli! He’s so cute!”
“Yeah, yeah, just make him the food,” Calli sighed. “I’ll have the usual.”
“No, you’re not allowed to have wine with a kid in the house,” Kiara replied.
“Ugh,” Calli groaned. “Come on, kid. Let’s sit down.”
Haruto meekly followed Calli to the kitchen table where he sat across from Calli. After a few seconds of tense silence, Calli spoke up. “Look kid,” Calli sighed, noticing that he wouldn’t even meet her eyes.
“I’m sorry for scaring you earlier. The thing is, Kiara and I only got married last month. I don’t know how being a wife works and when I noticed someone was following us… I just freaked out. I understand if you don’t forgive me, but can we at least try to act like we’re getting along…? If not for me, can you do it for Kuso- Kiara?”
“I…” Haruto forced his eyes to meet his new parent’s. He didn’t really understand people, but he felt like he could at least trust Kiara and Calli to be honest. Kiara seemed too… eccentric to lie and Calli was trying her best right now.
I think these two are alright, Haruto finally concluded.
“I’ll try my best,” Haruto nodded. “Thank you for taking me in.”
“Don’t sweat it, kid,” Calli’s mouth twitched upwards into a smile. “It feels good to do something nice for once in my existence.”
“Food’s ready!” Kiara exclaimed, placing an exact replica of the KFP 4 for 4 meal if the biscuit was replaced by a plain salad with ranch dressing and the soda replaced by a glass of milk.
“You are not serving Haruto that,” Calli glared at Kiara.
“Nah, this is my milk… Calli’s milk,” Haruto knew that he wasn’t supposed to hear that last part since Kiara was whispering, so he decided to feign ignorance. “Anyways, I’ll get you a glass of water, Haruto.”
“Thank you, m… ma… Kiara,” Haruto nodded shyly.
“Look, Calli! He’s improving!”
-
“Ugh, looks like I have to go to work,” Calli grumbled as she looked at her phone. By the time they had finished dinner, the sun had set and the moon was rising. “Death-sensei needs me to come in.”
“W-what’s happening?” Haruto asked.
“Dad just has to go to work,” Kiara gave Haruto a reassuring smile. “It’s late. Let’s get you to bed.”
“Bye d… Calli,” Haruto shyly walked up to Calli, hugging her leg briefly. “S-stay safe.”
“I will, kid,” Calli gently ruffled Haruto’s hair. “Now be good and listen to Kiara, okay?”
“I-I’ll try my best,” Haruto assured Calli. Calli replied with an approving nod before vanishing in black mist.
“Alright, let’s go back to the bedroom,” Haruto turned to Kiara, whose fingers were mere centimeters from Haruto’s. Haruto looked at Kiara, who seemed to be waiting for his approval. Haruto gave his approval by inching his fingers towards Kiara’s, who intertwined their fingers in response.
“Here we are,” a simple trek up the stairs was all the two needed to return to Haruto’s new room. Kiara grabbed the sheets and gently pulled them. “Just lay down on the bed and I’ll tuck you in, okay?”
Haruto nodded, silently climbing onto the queen-sized bed (which was way too big for him), Kiara pulling the blankets over him.
“Would you like me to tell you a bedtime story?” Kiara asked.
“O-okay…” Haruto didn’t have a bedtime story read to him in the past couple weeks, so he can easily fall asleep without one, but the child inside him would always love a good bedtime story.
“Alright,” Kiara smiled.
“Once upon a time, when there were no humans yet on earth and sightings of mythical creatures were nothing uncommon… There was a young phoenix with feathers burning like the golden sun. This phoenix’s name was Kiara.”
“Over thousands of years, Kiara would travel over the world, go on adventures like fighting giants, visiting the moon, becoming an idol, and many other things.”
“However, every couple hundred years, Kiara’s lifespan would come to an end. Going up in flames… but soon, rising from her own ashes again.”
“Every time she would rise, she would be reborn in another dimension, discovering completely new worlds. Nowadays, there are no more phoenixes left on this earth, and most other dimensions.”
“Kiara started feeling lonely, and decided to take human form for her next lifetime, and do what humans do. Kiara decided she would come to this world and conquer it in a different, new way…”
Kiara trailed off as she noticed that Haruto was asleep. “Sleep well, my little egg,” Kiara placed a hand on Haruto’s head before standing up, walking away. Before flicking off the lights, she turned to look at the young boy one more time. “We’re going to have a lot of fun together. I promise.”
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Lost Raven
Fandom: Dragon Age
Character: Haleir Lavellan
Description: (SFW) Just a quick scene of Hal’s days long before he came to be at the Conclave or with the Inquisition. I’m figuring that he’s probably 19-20 in this scene, so he’s not been away from his Clan for very long.
Very heavy on my personal Dalish HC’s. You can read it on Ao3 here.
“Didn’t your Ma tell you not to come here?” the fortune teller asked without looking up, he had an easy smile as he waited in the shade of his little awning for someone to pass by and take an interest in his cards.
“Ma said you was Dalish and going to steal children away to live in the woods forever,” she informed him, tugging at one of her corn yellow braids. “Grandpapa said that was silly – no real Dalish lives in the city like you do or is as silly – but he used a different word.”
His expression stilled for a moment, his hands pausing fractionally before he returned to shuffling the deck.
“I used to be Dalish,” he said at last, his hands beginning to move again.
The elf-child frowned at him – alienage brats were sharp, most had quick fingers and nearly all of them could spot a lie at twenty paces. She could tell that wasn’t the full truth and she was going to pout at him until he explained. Creators, children were all the same no matter where they grew up or what their kind was.
“I am Dalish, but I have been away from my home for a long time,” he corrected himself, grinning to the girl. Anna had shown up the first day he’d arrived in the market just outside the Ostwick alienage. “I won’t steal anyone to live in the woods, I promise.”
“How come Mama knew you was Dalish?”
“My vallaslin,” he smiled, touching his face where the lines of his tattoo crossed his cheek. “That’s what these mean.”
“Oooh,” she nodded sagely, “I’ve seen dwarves with vallah-vall….those.”
He chuckled, “Not exactly. Dwarves wear those to show that they don’t belong to Orzammar – their homeland – anymore, it’s not always their choice to have them. Dalish choose to have ours, part of our growing up. They represent our loyalty to our gods.”
“Like Andraste?”
“Sort of,” he grinned. “We call them the Creators.”
She frowned, “So, is what Mother Jacqueline says in the Chant wrong?”
“Nah,” he shook his head. “That’s not how the religion stuff works…you’ll get it when you’re older, maybe.”
“…do you?”
“…not really,” he grinned. “Are you implying I’m old?”
“Yup.”
“Ach, she wounds me,” he placed a hand dramatically over his heart. “Go on, your Ma really will wound me if she catches you here again. I’ve been warned not to fill your head with any more fanciful stories.”
He’d given an account of the Hero of Ferelden, there weren’t many elvish heroes who met with Andrastian approval. The Warden Surana was the only one he could think of who was also a mage – and given how Antivan the stories of Garahel were he wasn’t going to be the one repeating them where young ears could hear.
Still, strange Dalish wanderers who did card tricks and read fortunes in cards were not what respectable mothers wanted their children pestering for stories of life outside the alienage.
With her scampering off to play with the other youngsters he settled to watch and listen. There was little else he could do, and for the moment he was content to play the part he was presenting. Soon he’d change roles – mercenary, this time if he found a company amenable to protecting its mage.
Poor pay, he was an elf and most mercs knew that a Dalish elf away from their Clan was there because they’d gotten exiled, and he couldn’t correct that misunderstanding.
Turning his wrist he looked at the carved raven, the words of an ancient story, only half remembered whispering from his memory:
‘You are lost and soon you will fade,’ spoke Fear and twinned Deceit swore, ‘You have been abandoned. He loves you no longer.’ Falondin’s reflection bade them to be silent, speaking the words: ‘I am not lost, I am not abandoned.’ And so he bade them to carry him to where Dirthamen’s shadow lay.’
Keeper Deshanna had pressed the carved raven into his hand as she stood on tip toe to kiss his brow.
“A guide to return you to the people,” she had told him in the dark of the night when he slipped away as tradition demanded of his new role, his brother’s green eyes watching him in silence from behind her. “And a reminder that as you walk the lonelier paths you are never truly lost and nor are you abandoned by the People.”
He’d been glad for the darkness that lay around his departure, he couldn’t worry them with the few escaped tears that had run hot down his cheeks if they could not see them in the shadow of his hood.
The baker from down the street whose grandmother was Rivaini and who was fretting over his daughter’s upcoming nuptials was approaching – doubtless to consult with the cards. He never paid in coin but Hal wasn’t one to turn down the food that was brought in exchange instead.
Memories of his Clan and the reminder of his duty to them could wait until after he’d had breakfast.
#Dragon Age#Dalish headcanons#OC: Haleir Lavellan#also this is my 1000th tumblr post#I'm happy with that
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Itsuki Akari’s Background
Itsuki was only a baby when the Head Captain Yamamoto found her, she was crying for hours when the place she was abandoned was completely surrounded by Hollows. Some of the Hollows were very close of killing the infant that was Itsuki when Yamamoto came in and killed them all before they even got to her or given the chance to do so. He then looked in the cradle, he saw her in there, picked her up, calmed her down, then the Head Captain of the 13 squads, Yamamoto, decided to take her in to his care. He gave her all the things she needed to grow up, he took care of her when she turned 3 years old.
At the age of 3, Yamamoto stopped taking care of her when bad things were happening in the Soul Society and all the captains were needing his help, Itsuki was trying to find him but then she stumbled upon a beautiful meadow with a gigantic Scythe right in the center of the meadow. As she was staring at the Scythe, the spirit of the Scythe sees her and motions her to come over by sending off a warm welcome sensation. Akari started to crawl over to the Scythe, by this point, Yamamoto was going into the room she was in and he notices that she's not in there and he asked Kisuke Urahara, who by this point was in the Soul Society, to find her as soon as possible. Urahara did so but he couldn't find Akari, while that was happening, Itsuki was making her way towards the beautiful spirit and the dangerous Scythe, the spirit was named is unknown but she calls herself Shadow Phoenix because she's a majestic Phoenix and her original name does not match on her whatsoever, so she never told anyone who wields her on her original name nor does she want to.
But anyway, Itsuki finally made her way to the Scythe, which was the blade was in the ground exposing the sharp end, and she almost touched the sharp end when she was stopped by something invisible touching her from almost cutting herself by the sharpest blade of all blades in the Soul Society. Then Shadow Phoenix made herself visible to Itsuki, the first word that came out of Akari's mouth was, "M-m-ma-mama?" That broke Shadow Phoenix's heart because she discovered that Itsuki is an orphan so she took over the parent position part over Yamamoto, and decided to raise Itsuki as her own, she made herself visible to all people in the Soul Society and went to a house that was made by her then started taking care of Akari. Shadow Phoenix was born with motherly instinct because it is natural for female Phoenixes to have a knowledge on what to do when it comes to a child in need, for example Akari, from that point on Shadow Phoenix has been calling her Akari instead of Itsuki because at that point Akari didn't know on how to talk and is too young to write or to do anything. So, when Urahara did not find Itsuki he then noticed that the Scythe, that used to be in the middle of the beautiful meadow, was gone and left a mark on the ground.
He didn't know that Shadow Phoenix existed but he knows that something big and powerful was lurking around the meadow keeping the meadow from losing its beautiful texture, but now since Shadow Phoenix was encountered by Akari, the meadow was starting to lose it's beautiful texture. Urahara reported this news to Yamamoto, the Head Captain sighed thinking that Akari must've woken her up but Shadow Phoenix came in and told them what happened. Since Urahara now has an idea on who Shadow Phoenix is and how powerfully aggressive she can be when angered, he did not try to flirt or question her, he basically did the smart thing and kept his mouth shut. Same with Kyoraku, he kept his mouth shut because he accidentally said her true name and she threw a Fire Ball at him and thankfully she missed because he dodged it quick. Then she said if he said her true name again and she'll cast a super nova spell on him. Then she looked down because someone was tugging her dress, she looked at who it was with an angry look then notices Akari was remained with her.
Shadow Phoenix cooled down because she didn't want to frighten Akari so she did her best to keep calm when Akari is around. Then came around when Akari was 5 years of age, she asked Shadow Phoenix if she was her true mother, Shadow Phoenix knew this day would come, but she had no choice but to tell Akari the whole truth about what happened. 5 days go by, Akari spent her time away from Shadow Phoenix in order to take in on what she was told by Shadow Phoenix. On the day after the 5th day, she approached Shadow Phoenix and the Scythe, she got a hold of the Scythe and said, "I don't care if I'm not your real daughter but it doesn't matter, what does matter was that you or the old man, Yamamoto, didn't leave me alone to starve to death or worse gotten killed by those Hollows. So, I thank you for taking me into your care when the old man was no longer taking care of me." Shadow Phoenix never felt so happy, then she notices within those 5 days, Akari was accepted to be a Soul Reaper.
After all those times, Akari was managing things by herself because every where she went, she always brings the Scythe almost everywhere with her because she knows the Shadow Phoenix would protect her forever, that was when she got into a heated fight with Kenpachi Zaraki at the age of 8 because he kept pummeling her down hard on the ground and that's when her inner Phoenix snapped and turned the tables and started to attack Zaraki with what he was doing to her. All she was seeing was pure red and anger, that's when her first encounter with Renji Abarai and Ichigo Kurosaki, they managed to pull her off without burning themselves, Renji told Zaraki to scram which thankfully Zaraki did, Ichigo had her held back then Renji snapped his fingers in front of her, she snapped out of it, she thanked them for stopping her, she didn't know what she was doing through all that.
Her first meeting with Shuhei was an accident, she was making her way to the barracks of Captain Kenpachi's squad but she mistakenly stumbled upon Shuhei's squad, he was the only one there and spotted her, he asked her, "What brought you here?" Then she shyly said in a very quiet voice when Ikkaku rudely shooed her away, she knew she was different from the other Soul Reapers, she was known to show emotion than the other Soul Reapers, that's was her first encounter with Ikkaku and Shuhei, but she was really trying to get around because she is very nervous around other people because she's been alone her entire life, then she approached Byakuya Kuchiki in a rose garden he asked, "Why are you just standing there?" She was still scared of approaching him, he looks at her, walks up to her, and in his hand, he is carrying a rose then he placed it in her hair. As soon as he placed the rose in her hair, he was seeing her eyes glow up, he slightly smiled and asked, "Would you like to see the roses?" She nodded, that's what started her loving roses, she smiled big time then hugged him thanking him, then Renji came by seeing this he gently smiled because Akari was really having a rough time fitting into the 13 squads of the Soul Society.
The second encounter with Shuhei, was when her birthday was around the corner, she said out loud that her birthday was coming, then Shuhei asked her on what would she like, she told him that she would like roses because that's the only thing she likes. Then the following day and the days before her birthday, he kept sending her roses to her barracks of her squad, before she switched over to Captain Hitsugaya's Squad, and Captain Kenpachi kept telling her that her emotions are starting to show her weakness and he told her that he might as well kill her if this keep going. That's when she decided to run away from him because he was really terrifying her, Renji walked up to her seeing her crying because she beautiful roses were destroyed by Captain Kenpachi. Then he decided that enough was enough for Kenpachi trying to frighten her to no end, then he went to the Head Captain Yamamoto to have her switch to a captain of her choosing. She chosen Toshiro, both Renji and Rangiku sighed in relief when she had chosen Captain Hitsugaya.
When she went to the new barracks of her new squad, Shuhei sees her and she tells him that Captain Kenpachi destroyed the roses he kept sending her, Shuhei told her to not worry about it, he actually complimented on how beautiful she is, she blushed, and told him on how handsome he is, Shuhei also blushes, then she turns around telling him that it should end like this hoping no one sees them flirting with each other. Shuhei agree because it was love at first sight for them, they just began the friendship and they started flirting with each other. Each time when there is no one around, they always meet in secret while she looks at the sky while he looks at the beautiful colors in her eyes. Her eyes are a mixture of orange and yellow, she's loves watching the sun rise and sun set, Shuhei would always take her to a high place of the barracks so she would be able to see both sun rise and sun set. They always find each other in secret during their breaks because Akari trusts him more than anyone, she was originally asked by Rangiku if she wanted to shop with her, then Akari said no, and snuck past her while Toshiro had his back towards Rangiku and her. Shuhei would always meet her the same rose garden that Byakuya met her in, she went there and he made sure that she was comfortable at where she is at.
Shuhei and Akari made sure that their actual relationship status does not explode because she is barely making the rank of being the 3rd Seed Seat of the 10th Squad. Though both Renji and Rangiku have been putting the pieces together, both Akari and Shuhei would end up missing during break time, Rangiku asked Renji, "What if they are actually dating?" "Nah, I don't think Itsuki believes in love," Renji would say. Then when Akari came back to Squad 10 barracks, she sees Renji smiling at her telling her that he knows about her and Shuhei, she gets super angry then mysteriously casted a Fireball, then asked, "Do you really want to start with me, Renji?" After that Renji knew the truth on why she never gets angry, her anger is her strength in battle because she's a Pyromancer, and she uses her anger for her fire attacks. Not to mention, she carries the most deadliest weapon of all: the Scythe, according to Renji and Ichigo. But her real first encounter with Ichigo, she didn't really count when both Renji and Ichigo had to pull her away from Captain Kenpachi, but her first encounter with him was unexpected, she was going to meet up with Shuhei but instead she met Ichigo.
Ichigo had told her that he was going to fill for Shuhei since Shuhei is busy doing his duties something about some of his comrades have a sneaky suspiscion that Shuhei had fallen in love with a novice Soul Reaper, this realy angered Akari, she asked him on where Shuhei's barracks are, and he quickly answered by saying that he's only filling in for him because Shuhei is trying his best to make time for someone he cares about. This relaxed Akari because she had forgotten that Ichigo has no idea on why she was waiting for Shuhei and Ichigo had a feeling about those 2 secretly dating already but he told her that he tells any secret. Akari then looked at him and smiled for not telling anyone else, somehow she felt safer around Ichigo than she did with Toshiro. Every time her break time comes around, she always finishes up on what she's doing so she doesn't miss Shuhei, she tells Toshiro that she's taking her break then his brotherly instinct comes in to play he's trying to figure out on why she always rushes. Then he sees Shuhei meeting her out the door of the Squad 10 barracks, he didn't think anything of it, he only thought that Shuhei was only meeting her and head back to his barracks, then he noticed both were gone for a while.
Toshiro was walking around trying to find the 2, Shuhei was the only one letting her feel wanted and welcomed, Akari had her head laying on Shuhei's chest while he rest as well, Toshiro sees this and got back to the barracks without saying anything knowing that Akari only feel safe with Shuhei, when she got back she noticed that her desk was missing, Rangiku told her that Captain Hitsugaya had moved her into a office, Akari looked into the room seeing Toshiro, Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika in that room. Toshiro sees her and tells her that this is where she will be for the time being. She nodded, though she felt relieved that she can keep seeing Shuhei in secret, though Shadow Phoenix has a bad feeling that the only reason why Toshiro was doing this was so he can keep Akari from Shuhei. Shadow Phoenix tells Akari this and Akari has a plan if it turns out to be true, she took 5 of her paychecks, assuming that Soul Reapers get paid for doing their jobs, then she transferred the paychecks into the currency that the Soul Society has, then she went into the market place to get a couple groceries, and she got seeds to plant her own food. Shuhei spots her wearing a beautiful Red, orange, and yellow dress that she had found, she sees him, waves at him, then he began to ignore her for how beautiful she was in that dress. She wonders why he ignored her, then he told her on what he was thinking.
After hearing his compliment, she told him that she likes being different, she wore the dress because it was the only one that could make her eyes sparkle like Fire, he sees her eyes clearly now, he tells her that she has Amber eyes, and then tells her that she is even more gorgeous than ever. When literally everyone knows that those 2 would always end up missing and secretly meeting each other, they have a thought as to what is happening, Yumichika got jealous that he is more handsome than Shuhei, then Ikkaku said that Shuhei only wants her for other reasons, then Renji had enough saying that they getting serious day after day and he also says that he is happy that Akari has someone that cares about her more than anyone, minus him and Ichigo. When the news of Shuhei and Akari got to the Head Captain, Yamamoto told everyone to leave them alone in peace, if they are secretly dating then they should be left alone. Yamamoto could see those 2 clearly because his office is right outside, so the old man knows about the 2 because he never tells anyone about what's going on.
#bleach anime#ichigo kurosaki#renji abarai#byakuya kuchiki#kenpachi zaraki#yumichika ayasegawa#ikkaku madarame#shunsui kyoraku#kisuke urahara#toshiro hitsugaya#rangiku matsumoto
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Naruto Shippuden E130-134 Notes
Finally done with the unbearable bullshit that was Jiraiya’s backstory.
So Naruto only has half of the Nine-Tails inside him? That’s fucking stupid and yet another needless retcon. Who is the other half sealed in?
The Nine-Tails was summoned? I thought the tailed beasts just roamed unless they were sealed inside a jinchuriki.
So is this actual Madara or is it Obito?
I like the start of the new OP music, the rest feels kinda basic though.
So does Konan have her soul or chakra sealed into one of those sheets of paper? If not, how has she gotten rid of her body and replaced it with paper?
Pain is so damn badass. What amazing voice-work.
So Nagato wants to use tailed beasts to create atomic bombs? Um, how does that even work?
Does Jiraiya fucking think for himself at all?
Oooh, the good animation is about to start.
So what fucking animal is that thing that Nagato summoned?
Damn, I wish we had gotten to see Naruto summon a toad like this.
This toad’s ungraceful gimmick has gotten annoying.
Gimmicks in general are annoying.
Why is Jiraiya still keeping his hands together? Didn’t he already end the summoning? Don’t tell me he’s starting all over again.
I find it hard to believe that Jiraiya is fast enough to outrun that bird.
Also, why doesn’t he use his Raging Lion’s Mane Jutsu to bind it? It worked on the chameleon. Or use his fire or earth style? Or just trap it in another toad throat? Or summon another toad? It’s not like he seemed to be worried about having to restart the summoning before. At least once the bird is gone, he can take some time to do the summoning and recuperate in peace.
And why does this summon take so long? What exactly differentiates it from any other summon?
What the fuck is wrong with this bird’s legs?
There you go, Jiraiya. Use that fire style.
How the hell was that rhino fast, Jiraiya? Especially after seeing the bird.
Nice work, Gamaken.
Jiraiya, how about you just fucking send Gamaken back? He’s exhausted and wounded. You can summon another toad later. It’s pretty fucked up that you just ditched him while he was injured before,
There you go, Jiraiya. Give the guy a break.
Nah, seriously, why was it so hard to summon Ma and Pa? It didn’t take that long to summon Gamabunta. What makes them so special?
Ma and Pa’s dynamic is exhausting.
Ma’s tongue is fucking terrifying. Why does that exist? And why is it smiling!?
Wait, does Sage Mode make Jiraiya grow a beard? What the fuck? Why? What is this, Teen Wolf?
So this dude is only one of Pain’s six paths, right?
And there are two more.
Is now really the time for comic relief?
Holy fuck, Ma and Pa are annoying.
Fried Pain? Alright, I’ll give you that one. Good one, Ma.
I mean, this is just my two cents. I know that Naruto is gonna learn perfect Sage Mode and Jiraiya is only able to enter Sage Mode by fusing Ma and Pa to him. Personally, I think it should be the other way around. Naruto’s whole shtick is being clever and diligent enough to find creative solutions to perform strong jutsu (i.e. using shadow clones to perform the Rasengan) so it would make sense that a novice like him wouldn’t be able to enter Sage Mode, so instead he’d use fuse Ma and Pa to him. A technique that no one would have expected. Honestly, I just think it’s dumb that Jiraiya, an honest-to-god Sage with years of experience, can’t enter Sage Mode without Ma and Pa but a braindead teenager who barely knows any sage techniques can enter Sage Mode just fine.
Also, why hasn’t Jiraiya pulled out the Rasengan? Hell, now that he’s in Sage Mode, wouldn’t he be able to pull off a Giant Rasengan?
Nevermind, I immediately regret saying that. Now I have to watch the stupid, sudden, ridiculous, and exhausting BS that is the “Massive Rasengan.”
Way to be redudant, Kishi.
So this path is basically Samehada?
Why did Jiraiya suddenly grow shark teeth?
I really don’t want to look at Jiraiya’s hands and feet like that.
So Jiraiya’s slowly falling farther and farther into Sage Mode?
That’s one hell of a song.
I don’t like how the Shadow Clone Jutsu just became some basic jutsu that practically everyone knows.
That’s a pretty lame illusion. Doesn’t have much aesthetic. The jutsu itself is pretty cool though.
I hate that we’ve gotten to the point where losing an arm is considered a basic injury.
Tsunade definitely wants to hit that.
Tbh, Tsunade’s scene had no point but to essentially emotionally manipulate the audience.
Aaand now we’re just straight up shooting missiles. You guys remember when this show was about ninjas?
Tbh, I was kinda let down by Sage Mode. Jiraiya’s Sage Mode anyways. I mean sure, it felt like a power up, but not really like a gamechanger. Maybe it’s just cuz he’s facing the Rinnegan.
That path should have just died in the acid. No reason for him to really jump out, meta-wise.
Jiraiya finally looks his age.
If I was Jiraiya, I would have just assumed that Nagato and Yahiko performed a fusion.
If you wanna join Pain’s emo band, you have to dye your hair bright orange and get some ugly ass piercings.
What a fucking coincidence that Nagato just happened to use the corpse of someone Jiraiya remembers killing.
Jiraiya should have died of blood loss from that bleeding fucking stump a long time ago.
Jiraiya’s monologue was actually compelling until the prophecy shit reared its ugly head back up.
Naruto’s a child of prophecy, because fuck literally all of the themes you ever wrote into your story.
Jiraiya, just fucking die already. Why do death scenes always have to be dragged out so goddamn long? It’s honestly ridiculous.
And of course fucking everything has to be about Naruto, even Jiraiya’s death.
So two Sannin dead so far.
Still pissed that Madara is even a character. It’s bullshit that a guy like Pain is taking orders from anyone.
How would the secret have even saved Jiraiya? Like, the secret is just that Nagato was using people’s corpses as the six paths, right? Or am I missing something? I don’t think that would really change anything, but then again, it’s almost midnight and I’m exhausted.
Ugh, I have to deal with Karin again.
Naruto, why are you fucking talking to yourself?
Kiba, I don’t think you’re supposed to ride dogs.
Yet another flashback to something we’ve already seen.
I feel like Yuri Lowenthal has been high all throughout Part 2.
OMG, am i gonna get to see Kisame beat the crap out of Karin!? Yes pls.
Please kill her, Kisame.
Madara’s getting his own music so I’m assuming he’s gonna beat some ass.
Yes! Beat Naruto’s ass, Tobidara!
These swords are stupidly big.
Tbh, if Shino had been in command of the Sasuke Rescue Mission, the whole thing would have been solved in five minutes.
Can’t Shino just use his insects to know where Tobi is at all times? Or Hinata use her Byakugan?
#Naruto#Naruto Shippuden#Barrimyr watches Naruto#Jiraiya#Naruto Uzumaki#Nine-Tails#Madara Uchiha#Tobi#Tobidara#Konan#Pain#Nagato#Fukasaku#Shima#Tsunade#Karin Uzumaki#Kisame Hoshigaki#Shino Aburame#notes
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[SP] The Mis-Adventures of Le'xander Malcolm Part 1
My dear Jenny,
I pray this letter finds you in good spirits.
The Lord's good grace seems to have finally ended five years after those damn Yankees abandoned us. They hoped our spirits would dwindle after they destroyed our guns and choked our supply of gunpowder, but they were wrong, for we Southerners are a resilient bunch who take pride in our fortitude. That could be the reason for our downfall. We arrogantly dismissed the North and worried nothing of our free labor force. We should have worried.
When reports of the Negros not working began to spew about, it should've given us cause for concern, but instead, we ignored them. The missing power of the gun behind the master's hand must've made the whip sting a little less. Even my most loyal and trustworthy Negros began to speak more loosely at the lip, declaring when they would or wouldn't do a task.
Whispers began to pick up in multitude, speaking of the Negroes arming themselves with sword amongst other savage tools. Then talk of attacks spread. One rogue Negro turned into a few that turned into a mob. Soon enough, full revolts were afoot. Men hacked to death in their sleep; plantations painting the sky orange and red as fires engulfed cotton fields.
I write this now barricaded in my bedroom. The Negros have hung the overseers and are banging on the door as I scribe. I'm confident I won't make it through the night. My arrogance has failed us, my love. To think we were justified in–
Charles Sumter 1856
Moonmilk Plantation, Georgia.
Blood trickled from Slash's thick broadsword dying the cotton parchment a tarnished brown. The smooth feather-penned ink was still wet. He stood over the slaver's limp body gazing at it with relish. A pounding heart rocked his chest and surged warmth throughout his body.
"Do we burn it down?" Dante asked Slash and interrupted his moment of triumph. Thick creases of worry burrowed into Dante's light-brown forehead.
"No, let em find it. Let em see what fruit their seeds have brought," Slash swung the massive blade onto his back.
He spent days sweating in front of a sweltering hot forge tucked away in the Chattahoochee Forest, hidden from prying eyes. He'd strike the molten metal until it formed into shape, and with every hit, he envisioned how rich it'd be to watch the man who caused him years of torment finally get what he deserved. The finished product wouldn't have hung on anyone's mantle in an attempt to impress onlookers, but the look never concerned Slash. The only thing of importance was its usefulness–the sword's ability to execute. He knighted it Sweetback's Revenge.
Slash stepped over the slaver with complete disregard and out the door. Dante and the other members of their freedom crusaders followed close behind. The plantation house was unrecognizable. Splintered wood pieces from a hacked door were scattered apart on the floor. Blood-soaked soles tracked footprints throughout the formerly pristine mansion that once hosted dignitaries with fina china for a Sunday's tea. Imported Italian leather couches mourned for sections of itself to be whole again after being cut and sliced about, neglecting its painstaking assembly. The extensive portrait that previously overlooked the opulent fireplace, meant to be the piece people commented on while eating pound cake served by a subservient Negro woman, decorated with gold trimmings, laid face down and ignored.
The only care displayed that fall night was a benevolent, full moon as it cast its silver light down onto their black skin and tinted it a milky-blue as they stepped out the house.
"So, what are we going to do now, Slash?" Dante asked.
Slash pointed across the field towards the stables, "we gone snatch sum hawses up and make fo tha hills."
The grass crunched under their feet as they made their way towards the stables. Five men walked across that field, some armed with clanking swords at their hips, others toting large maces on their backs or small personal hatchets. Slash and his brother in arms were together for three years now, which was rare for field-hands, well all except for Dante, who looked white enough to be in the house. He and Dante went so far back, Slash would often forget when was the first time they met. The occasions Dante snuck food to him, risking his own hide, out of the big house made him forever endeared to Slash's heart. He promised Dante he'd bring him along when the time came. The time was here, but they all knew, this was only the first step. The road ahead of them would be far from easy and about two miles from hell.
They entered the stables and found it barely lit by the moonlight, making the veiled movements of shadowed horses the only thing visible. One of the men struck a lantern for light and counted eight horses. There were only five of them, but the extra horses would come in handy, especially with the immense distance they planned to travel. Bothered horses whined and neighed, surprised at the time they were awakened, but quickly recognized the soft touch of hands who brushed, bathed, and fed them, and instantly calmed.
Dante approached the last stall and squinted, trying to figure out what was tucked away in the crevice. There was a small figure laid in the corner of the booth curled into a ball.
"Slash," Dante called, sure to speak softly for fear he'd startle it.
"What," Slash's voice boomed throughout the stable and woke it, unaware of Dante's efforts to keep quiet.
It was a boy, small and lean clothed in tattered rags. The coal-skinned boy scrambled up into the nook of the enclosure, encasing himself in a dark shadow that hid everything but wide-open pupils of a startled child.
"Lemme see that lantern," Slashed illuminated the stall.
"It's a boy, still wit shackles on his wrists and ankles," Slash spoke once seeing him, "it's okay, we ain't gone hurt cha boi," Slash spoke in a low soft whisper with his hands raised in a surrender hoping to disarm the boy of his fears, but he stayed put.
"I ain't going back to the Johnsons, y'alls gone try and take me back but I's ain't gone go, y'alls gone have to kill me before I go," the boy's voice teetered on the edge of manhood and childhood while it navigated the cliff of uncertainty. He wasn't sure if death would be any better than the Johnsons, but he slowly spaced his leg apart and bent his back into an angle that welcomed a rushing bull.
"Oh, is that right?" Slash chuckled and rose his eyebrows.
"Slash, we ain't got much time for this. The sisters will be returning soon enough," Dante warned, sure to glance over his shoulder, "leave the boy and let's go."
"Nah, they'd torture him for our whereabouts, and I can'ts let that happen. Hand me ya hatchet, will ya?" Slashed reached out his hand, then Dante begrudgingly obliged him.
Slash crept within a hair's touch of the boy and sucked in a gut-deep breath. "Stay still boy, this won't hurt," Slash wielded the small ax high above his head, precisely casting it down onto the chains that trapped the boy and shattered the links between his wrist.
The boy's eyes widened with grateful shock as he shook his arms freely, no longer constrained by the stifling chains. Tear-washed eyes glanced up to Slash's towering figure in awe. Amazement swept the boy's voice from under his feet.
"What's your name boy?" Slash bent on one knee to meet the boy's eye.
"My ma and pa would call me Le'xander Malcolm, but Massa call me–"
"It don't matter what the white devil called ya. Ya name is the one ya daddy, and ya mammy gave ya. But we all gotta callin name, like mine is Slash, so we gotta give you one too. How bout' X?"
Le'xander would've preferred his own name, but Slash's benevolent warm eyes were reassuring arms for Le'xander to fall into, so he gracefully smiled and shook his head in agreement.
Dante continued to argue against bringing the boy, claiming the extra body unable to defend itself was nothing more than a liability. The path they were set to travel was ill-equipped to handle burdens because the mistakes here weren't your average dustups that were fixed with a light pat-down of the trousers. No, an error on this road surely preceded death or worse. Slash fully comprehended the consequences but still swung the boy on the back of his horse, for something occured in his spirit when he broke those shackles. No longer was it merely about enacting his revenge and escaping off into the hills for his own freedom, it was about his people.
Ten years later and Slash orchestrated the freedom of countless Black bodies thanks to The Nation, a paramilitary organization comprised of Black militants. An aged body now littered with wounds stacked on one another arranged in picturesque fashion, hindered him from leading the liberation missions anymore. Instead, he focused on running Bramblebush, a town named after the same shrub Moses seen set ablaze. It was Slash's version of Eden, a place where Black people could be free from the horrors of chattel slavery. The people who presided in the town were free from those fears, but Le'xander couldn't escape his own.
No longer the terrified boy Slash found, Le'xander grew into a man who was granted, as Slash thought, to lead The Nation's missions. The honor of delivering a people who look like him, from racist tyrants resonated with Le'xander like wolves resonate with the moon. But just like the rainbow after a treacherous storm, the feeling wouldn't last forever.
One muggy summer morning, where the humid heat of Georgia stalked you–a type of morning where mosquitoes buzzed and flies flew–Le'xander, now twenty-three, sulked through town. He dragged his anchored feet through the hardened red-clay that was soaked in steady sun rays robbing the dirt of its soft nature. Le'xander's head swooped and swayed in between his shoulders, staring at his feet with the melody of a lazily swinging hammock. A group of boisterous men alerted him to look, but it was nothing more than a group of railroad workers drunk with more than laughter tumbling out of the saloon. They chose to enjoy their day off, drinking away their aches and pains before going back to their homestead. The metal from children-thrown horseshoes amid a Pitch game rang in his ears. Thick-thighed, cornbread-fed women, who shuffled about and carried the town's gossip in their hips, waved hello at Le'xander. He gave a half-hearted smile keeping his hands securely thrust into his pockets and continued on his way. Years of nights where he was robbed of sleep, drenched pillows full of sweat, and daydreams transformed into nightmares occupied his thoughts. Freedom didn't seem so free, after all.
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Sasha’s New Shadeliel Cult Chapter 4
Story Summary: This happens after “The Truth About Tiki’s Knowledge About Grima’s Aura”. This Character Sasha In the Title is an OC female Shadow Manakete Who seeks to revive Medeus in the Awakening Era. The Shadeliel worship the Medeus The Shadow Dragon.
Chapter Summary: Ylisstol Does a Royal Ball, with invites to All The Shepherds, Grima, And The Risen Forces' Two Leaders. Vannas And Cregath went as a couple plus the Shepherds have their couples. Then There is Grima and Tiki as a couple which is our main focus.
Background Song: Bring Me To Life By Evanescence Ft. Linkin Park
Sasha's New Shadeliel Cult Chapter 4
The Whole World Of Ylisstol And Valm are Invited to The Ylisstol Royal Ball especially the Shepherds, Tiki, Grima, Vannas, and Cregath. Vannas and Cregath came together as a couple. But the main focus has been on Tiki and Grima.
"You Look Quite Lovely Tonight, Tiki." Grima says nervously. He offers his hand to dance.
"I didn't know you could dance, Grima." Tiki says.
"When The Future Robin Became One With Me, I got his knowledge so I learned how to dance from that." Grima Says Nervously.
'Why is he so nervous?' Tiki thinks and then says "Well then lets get to the dance floor."
Everyone saw Grima guide Tiki to the dance floor and saw the two of them begin to dance. This dance was exotic and sexy and reminded them of Robin's First Dance With Princess Lucina The Time Traveler. Then came Groans from Grima. He started to transform and Tiki, Thinking It was part of the dance, Started to transform as well. The Two Dragons amazed the crowd as for some reason Grima was a smaller version of his dragon form and Wasn't attacking them. The two dragons started to fly into the air and do an aerial version which Grima was making up on the spot and Tiki was just mimicking.
Chrom says, Amazed, "Wow, I didn't know manaketes had a special dance with each other when they're Opposite Genders."
Nah and Nowi say "They Don't."
"Huh?" Vaike says after hearing both His Wife and Daughter Say that. He then says "You two know because?"
Nah says "The Earth Dragon Curse is what made Grima Transform and He is fighting the curse's orders to attack everyone."
Robin says "You mean by using his energy to make up a exotic and sexy aerial dragon dance?"
Nowi says "Yeah. It even tricked Tiki because he is trying to hide the reason why he doesn't want to attack."
Lucina says "Lady Tiki was tricked but not Nowi or Nah?"
Nowi says "It is because they're dancing."
"I can sense it a little being part manakete myself." Ophelia says.
"My Granddaughter is part Manakete, Owain?" Lissa says and Owain Nods. She then says "Who is her mom?"
Nah says "I am."
Nowi says "You mean Nowi's A Grandmama?"
"Yeah you are and no, dad, It wasn't out of marriage but in marriage." Nah Says "Owain and I Are Married now. So Are Kjelle+Inigo and Severa+Brady."
Severa says "Did you have to mention that, Nah?"
"I want all the guys to suffer at the same time." Nah Says "And Why are you complaining and Not Brady?"
"Because My dad and mom would be alright with Brady Marrying me but Brady's mom isn't alright with me." Severa says and then chuckles.
Maribelle says "I am not alright with this because I wanted someone kind to their parents to marry Brady. I only approved it when you were just boyfriend-Girlfriend is because I thought it would end."
Gaius says "Oh Twinkles, Let me tell you what we can do to solve your issue with her. What your dad did to me."
Brady Says "What do ya mean, Pa?"
"Etiquette Lessons on how to act like a lady like she got from her mom. I got it from her dad on how to act like a gentlemen." Gaius says.
"That is true. I could treat her because that worked on you. If she agrees to it, I will accept the marriage." Maribelle says.
Ketchum says "Heh, So that's how mom will change."
"Did you say Mom?" Gaius And Maribelle say.
Brady shouts "Son, did you have to mention that?!"
Maribelle Screams after that shout "You have a child with her as well?!"
"Yeah, Ma. I do." He says.
"I agree to do the lessons and my son will do the lesson with his great-grandfather." Severa says.
"Woah... I never Expected to agree that quickly." Cynthia says.
"I really love Brady. Is that okay with you, Cynthia?" Severa says.
"Yeah and that is princess Cynthia to you!" Cynthia says.
They look at the dance again and they flying in a loop and, in the middle of the loop, a time portal starts to appear.
"A Time Portal?!" Lucina says.
Suddenly a man falls through and he's wearing a mask.
Lucina says "Who are you?"
"My name is Roy." The man says.
Suddenly Tiki and Grima land and Transform back. Everyone cheers.
"Argh. Tiki, Can we talk?" Grima asks "In Private?"
Tiki Says "Okay."
Grima leads Tiki outside the ball. They arrive at The Castle Gardens.
Tiki says "What Is It, Grima?"
Grima says "I can't stay above ground too long. The Shadeliel Leader aka Sasha Cursed me when I was revived as she found me just as I was revived. The Curse will cause me to kill humans as long as I am above ground and around someone I love. She didn't know it is you that I love."
"It is not safe for me then to be around you. Right?" Tiki says.
"Yeah. I got to go." Grima says.
Naga says in Tiki's Mind "See my daughter, he doesn't love you."
Tiki replies "If anything, it proves he loves me more with his memories. He only left to protect the humans and me from The Earth Dragon Curse on him."
Naga replies "What?!" She then reads her daughter's Memories. She then replies "Dear god, he's fighting his kind's Curse. I got to go talk to my superiors."
Tiki replies "Superiors?"
"The Gods Of The Emblem..." Naga replies before leaving.
TBC...
Who are these Gods Of The Emblem? Did they pick Naga to be the goddess of Continents of Ylisse And Valm? What could they do that Naga can not? Find out more next time.
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Today’s Poem
Letters to America (An Abecedary)
--Fred D'Aguiar
For Yogita and Anish�
“Ah neva seen this before in all ma years.”
Testify, Sis. How we grew accustomed,
Spoiled almost, by decorum, now try
Mosquito larvae cultivating at speed
In standing bodies of water. Pigeons
Flock rooftops, twist, launch, shout
As one, spin sky, turn skulls porous.
Car repair shop drills sing industry.
Tires feel out parking, meters freed.
First horn blare triggers this chorus.
Step up pistons, fire motor mouths,
Say our only worry is our worst fears
Come true. Mosquito straw proboscis
Drinks from my arm, bam! Adios asterisk.
•
But, really, am I eyeballing an armored truck?
Says one dung beetle to half earthworm,
Who replies, as Gloucester, I see it feelingly.
Who gave those uniforms permission to storm
School car parks, automatics drawn? Finches ask
Robins, who, channeling Auden, whistle —
Bang! WTF!
Bang, bang, Lulu,
Lulu gone ...
The calypso worked its juju
On my digital radio.
Flags at half-mast for this Union.
Taps on trumpets dawn till dusk.
Guides, Scouts, look out for rainbows
Projected on a disused warehouse in LA County.
Clocks throughout the land tell one contiguous time.
Rain and shine stop dead in tracks on borderlines.
•
Cat asks me if dogs can ever be cool.
After two of my kind pin down one of his
On a front porch until chased off by our rulers.
I open my mouth to spit some piety about
Lions lying down with lambs but only bark
What my genes say I should, ears pulled back.
Do you remember Judas Iscariot? Thirty silver
Pieces and a certain last supper just for this.
A taser for every problem warns the bee
With an empty bonnet, sting for emphasis,
About why one plus one never makes two,
After voting from sea to oil-slicked sea.
Look at her, look at him, hold, kiss babies
In photo ops, all gaga, minus bathtub
Never mind water, in this national soap,
This wait for the next sentence whose weight
“Illegals” carry on shoulders they look over
Nonstop, even in sleep, one eye open,
Breath held when police cruise by,
Car backfire skin jump heartbeat skip,
Day in, day out, glory hallelujah, do I have
A witness as empire zips into bonfire.
For what? To dip wrists in fresh water
From an inverted fountain in a square.
•
Black lives matter but blue lives matter more. Duh.
Veins, blue, blood, plus or minus, B this or A that.
Epicurus, I find your coin staring up at me
From the bottom of my beer mug, too late
For Troy, for Trayvon. I need a flotation device,
A buoy, Woolf’s lighthouse and single room
Garvey’s Star Line to beam me up Scotty.
Where is yesteryear’s full moon that silvered
Towers and made a midnight lake of the city
Where lovers strolled, hand in hand, one black,
One white, with no mind for anyone and no two
Minds in their business? Gone the way of drones
Whose shadows crossed the moon without trace
On GPS to sow grief in the name of cod, liver, oil.
Spell it out or risk talk stuck in ecofriendly caves.
Black and blue, both, why can’t we, intoned,
Rodney (not Walter), get along? Because,
Because, because (fill in the dots) with your
Trotsky (or Brodsky) and your Marx (Groucho).
Laugh therapy narrows eyes, blocks ears,
Hurts jaws, ribs, merrily, merrily, cha-cha. Cha.
•
Eek-A-Mouse blasts my buds, as I read
The instruction manual, which says
One thing but leads to another
When I piece it together, finally.
It being the thing I refuse to name.
My nerves, porous as that strainer
I hold over a tilted pot full of spaghetti
In hot water. Pavarotti in the shower,
Malcolm before a cracked mirror,
Gaga at each news item competing
For part Fool. Ornate, abandoned nest
Left in place, in my suburban rafter,
Squirreled from without a note,
Unless feathers could ever be a sign
Of things to come, of what once was.
•
Face Beckett’s door, imperceptibly ajar.
His stage direction, for how things
Turn out here if this show goes on.
Sir Ian, why reserve your last check
For your flies, before you take the stage?
Because all eyes alight there first.
Mr. Spock, where is the logic in this?
I marvel at comics from my youth
In 4K, LED. Captain, put me ashore.
By which I mean at sea with sirens,
Ears unwaxed, sternum lashed to bow.
What is your name? Kunta. Whip.
Am I not a ... asked Sizwe in Fugard.
You are trans, on loan from genes,
Dust, waves, particles, here, today.
•
Go-go in la-la land whines craft for art’s saké.
See that chrysalis hanging like a mural.
Should it stop unfolding, hold back
Dues, suspend when wings peel gloves,
Snake free, take flight, remind the greed
In our chi, Che, cha, what turns without
Turning? If you must know, but first,
Shush, write milk in lemon juice on foolscap,
Read by passing over Bunsen. Mercurial
Chemists, we were all Curie. Cooked crack
Ready to pay any price, to find out if love
Could ever be a portion, all you would need,
To spin Mercator a tad faster on whiteout
Poles, match our heart, tap, rat-a-tat burst.
•
1. Hummingbird feeder needs refill
2. Peel sticker, off window, that says glass
3. Buy T-shirt with directive, mind the gap
4. Sip tea from mug, of civil rights dead
5. Breathe in, sure, but really exhale
6. Note how breeze lifts a whole branch
7. Whose green skirt shows white undies
•
I mean certain legends about flight that grow up with right minds to help them come to terms with change that may be out of their control.
Lone branch ranges from a curved palm 90 feet over LA’s 1914 craftsman in historic Adams. How flayed branch cruises broadcasts a specific gravity geared to flight of the right kind, slow, bracing, reluctant, noncommittal, inevitable, and resigned to its fate.
Through double-glazing I hear, so I believe, that swoosh of storied capital decline, swish perhaps, almost a whistle, as you wish, much like us as kids with a clasped blade of grass held to our pursed lips for that didgeridoo that was elevator music to us atonal types.
But how can a branch sing if made to move on by wind and rain from where it began, and thought it would end, even if a philosophy spread among shoots of a final sail set for another dimension?
As word of government raids spread through town and university we forwarded emails, Instagrams, and stopped with neighbors in streets to exchange the latest.
Is this time for emergency measures or are we too blind to know what we can feel coming a mile away, where someone who knows someone we know stops for bread, milk, eggs and is grabbed, handcuffed, and carted off to detention? Imagine us as branches dislodged in a sea change helped by soft water. We cling, not to give up on all we know. What for? That fall, we must accept as fate.
•
Juggernaut ancestors shape-shift cumulus,
March across dull blue grass to bagpipes.
Change bandages on Grandmother.
Amputated right hand she says she feels
Rainy days in Georgetown as a firm handshake
That rattles all 27 phantom bones, makes her shiver.
Grandfather never averts his bifurcated lens
From his Golden Treasury, unless his hanky readies
To catch eyewater at the blurred sight of her.
In a time of airships, of toothpicks operated
Behind hand cover. Whoever you vote for,
(Runs the calypso) the government gets in,
Ting-a-ling-a-ling. Doan tek serious thing
Mek joke, bannoh. WTF. Twin towers got us
Here. Nah, Reagan. Nope, slavery. Try again.
Irony, that republic of deferred action.
Hummingbird smashes into that glass door,
My mother walks absently into it too.
I glance just in time, brake and catch a face
That I look through to my final destination.
•
K Street in South London? Now?
How? One morning at 6:30
I crossed Blackheath Hill.
On my paper round
Met a scrawny fox halfway
Uphill, down, not sure.
We paused, inhaled each
Other, fox-trotted away,
In a slight panic,
Me thinking tabloid
Headlines, rabid animal
Chases paper kid
On delivery route.
Follow as I buzz myself
Into a tower,
Board elevator, a man
In a suit exits,
With the merest nod.
Climb 8 floors, carry
That fox, and just as I plunge
The folded Mirror
Into letter box,
Door, ajar, flies open, wham!
A very pregnant
Woman, naked, swollen breasts
Blazing redhead, small
Burning bush at crotch,
Fills doorframe, scrambles my head.
She takes one moment
To compute I am
Not her partner, slams door, smack,
In my wide-eyed face.
That moment, as she
Processes me and I her,
Stretches out enough
For me to see her
Shoulder-length, red, flaming curls
And inverted red
Triangle tuft at her crotch,
Bright stretched skin at her
Distended navel,
An outie, as though
I crashed at high speed and could
Recall the lead up
Frame by stark frame for
Posterity, mine and hers,
Her child near its term.
The rest of my round
I peer left, right, near distance,
Round bends, for said fox.
I conjure woman,
Pregnant, framed by her threshold,
Here, now, with only
Me, you, these measures,
This emergency, all three,
To foster, connect all.
•
Lap up 70s Airy Hall, Guyana.
One road in and one road out,
One of everything village,
Caiman, donkey, peacock,
And mad expat Englishman
Footloose and fancy-free
Who we stone with red sand
That crumbles on contact
Grabbed from the roadside
That acts as giant bow,
Strung with two-story house,
Whose Greenheart frame,
Tensed, held all this time.
English pelted for saying,
Down his big burnt nose,
That he was sent here
To rule us half-clad children
That he in his better days
Seeing better times before
Guyana’s famous red rum
Got the better of him,
Helped sow high and low,
And everything between
Our town and country.
•
Maestro, we played shoots
Planted in one place
Sprouts in disorderly rows,
Up whole feet if you look away
For a spell, all loaded
In one hammock strung
Between rafters in a back room
Empty until harvest
Stuffed paddy from roof
To pillar to post.
Rice husk smell for days.
Rocking chair song and dance
On full moons, donkey-bray
At midday, peacock-scream
Various most afternoons.
•
Now help bring barefoot
Pale instep, cracked heel, stamping
Englishman back, not to curse,
Stone or ridicule, but to hear
How he would remedy this now
So out of sync with then.
•
Once more help us
•
Parse wheat from chaff,
•
Quantify this voting
•
Result that tests our gall.
•
Stepped-on alligator, Uncle
•
Takes for a log bridge
•
Until it lifts, shakes, yawns.
•
Velocity of legs cycling air,
Caiman, not alligator,
Lassoed between two poles,
Fetched back to the house,
Cut loose in a fenced field
For sport for that day,
Lost to me every day since.
I bring it back, steady
Its shine, against this time,
•
Where I am told one past
Counts most, all others
Must be put down to what
That alligator, jaws open,
Head reared, presents,
Ready to lash with tail,
Charge at anyone
Who takes it for a log.
•
X marks the spot where
Englishman walks in half
Circles, pumps his bent
Arms as if to fly, cackles
Like a peacock, only to get
The real thing started,
The two in a quarrel thrice
Removed from that magic
Flower duet from Lakmé
By Léo Delibes. Peacock,
Donkey, caiman, village fool,
Be my ally, bring it all,
Cow, moon, dish, spoon.
•
Yo-Yo Ma follows Eek
On democracy’s Shuffle Play.
•
Zebra asks me in Queen’s
English peppered with Esperanto
If he be black whiff white stripes
Or white wid black stripes.
I wake with this atonal pair
On the edge of my edginess:
“I do not care, I do not care,
If the Don has on underwear.”
“But don’t you think or worry some,
That his nudity is zero sum?”
“I cannot see for the life of me,
Why that should concern anybody.”
“I fret when all’s said and done,
We leave him be, he has his fun.”
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HAPPY ONE YEAR OF ILLUSION ASSIGNMENT~
It's been one year of Illusion Assignment. We may not have much of a following, but we’ve been having fun working on IA.
Sadly, Diancy’s sketch files haven't been retrieved from their old laptop yet, so you get to see it another time.
Thankfully, we got this back-up plan: The characters and when they were kids. Little snippets of their childhood. These memories vary from age to age.
Gambling King/Nigel Hillingham (7)
I watched as Devin and Nathaniel ran around. Devin was busy chasing Nathaniel with a toy rat, while I just laid underneath an oak tree with a book in my lap.
Now this book wasn't something that other kids read. I didn't really like those fairy tales as I was more interested in these murder stories, more specifically around casinos.
“Ni-ni! Help me!” Nathaniel shouted as he ran right towards me and right up the tree.
“You’re fine.” I replied going, back to my book.
We may be considered monsters, but we still have a right to have a childhood. Doctor Vienna and Doctor Talin are doing their best from what I understand. I’ll take them over my actual parents any other day.
C-Sharp/Nathaniel Keen (7)
“Amazing Natty.”
“Really Uncle James?” I asked, beaming up at my uncle as he fixed my fingers position on the guitar. He was happy to teach me music and my little five-year-old mind loved making noise.
“Of course Nathan!” Uncle Lee piped up from the wall, “Absolutely beautiful. Maybe better than James.”
“He has a long way to go before he’s in my ranks.” Uncle James defended.
I chuckled and looked up at him, “I’ll be the best when I’m older.”
Uncle James smiled at me softly, “Then you got a lot of practice to do kiddo. Oh right! I have some extra backstage passes to Dezio Angelo show. Want to join me?”
I instantly tackled him and laughed alongside Uncle Lee as we both shouted yes.
Arachne/Kenta Norm (8)
Daddy lifted me up and spun me around as the song continued to play. Ma used to play this song all the time..
“Cévon! What's cookin’ brother?” Miguel greeted as he waltzed into the room, “I thought I was gonn’ be the little lady’s dance partner.”
“Uncle Miguel!” I quickly hopped out of my dad’s arms and ran to Miguel, “Are you coming too?”
“Of course sweetpea. He always come with. Should we get goin’?” Daddy asked.
Miguel lifted me up and chuckled, “Let's go visit your ma!”
It wasn't too far and smiled as I knelt down. I took off the ribbon around my finger and wrapped it around some flowers that my daddy handed me.
"Hi ma..." I whispered, setting the flowers before the tombstone, "I have a lot to tell you.
Masque/Luis (9)
I watched as Elodia placed the mask over my eyes.
“You look like a superhero!” Julio said as I looked over towards him and the others.
“I don't feel like one…” I sighed.
“Aw, don't say that Lulu!” Kamryn beamed, “You look like a one of my dads showguys! The fancy ones that are really formal, but super nice.”
“Really?”
“Yeah! What Kam said!”
I spun around to see ****** smiling right at me.
“Are you sure?” I asked again, this time sounding a bit better.
****** just flashed me a smile as Kenta came up, “Come on Lu, you look really cool!”
I made my way to the mirror in Kamyrn’s room to look at myself in the mirror to see myself. The mask didn’t go with my clothes, but if I was at a costume party, I would be sure to wear this mask.
Visage/Cyril Theil (11)
“Pretty…”
I looked away from my art to see a girl, a little smaller than me and maybe younger.
“It’s sad.” I replied dimly.
“Winter is sad, but pretty. Storms are bad, but pretty. Death is sad, but can be pretty if she wants to.”
I watched the girl for a bit before looking back at my art. Maybe she was right.
“I guess so…”
“Why are you alone?” She asked.
“I don't know.”
“Why do you wear a mask?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do you have any friends?”
“No.”
“Liar! You have me!” The girl grinned, she was missing a tooth, “I’m Elodia Akinci Callejo Wolfgang.” She held her hand out.
Slowly I took it, “I’m Cyril… Um… Wanna paint with me?”
“Sure.”
Angel’s Shadow/Elodia Akinci Callejo Wolfgang (9)
I can hear shuffling from behind me as Damario knelt down on my bed and sighed. In the reflection of my window, I could see that Damario had a sheepish smile as he looked over my shoulder.
“Come on, baby sis… Are you really mad at me?”
“Hmph.” I turned my head away from his.
Damario just sighed before I could feel him get a bit more comfortable.
“Alright… Guess I’ll go ahead and leave you alone with the-”
“Dama…” I interrupted, warning him. I may be nine, but I’m not stupid and being an illusioner is much worse.
“What? Did you think that I was gonna say the tickle monster?” He mused, but pouted when I gave no response “Fine.” He got up and I heard the door shut.
Slowly, I turned around, only to get tackled into my pillows as hands started to wiggle against my sides.
“Da-Dam-” I couldn't even finish his name as laughter took over.
“Laughing Taffy is here!” Damario shouted with glee as he continued to tickle me.
Devil’s Light & Dagger/Devin and Luca Dalton Batts (8)
The two watched as their sister walked out with their dad. They weren't very happy.
“Definition of a daddy's girl!” Their grandfather growled, “Honestly.”
“Dad stop.” Their mum sighed, “Just go drink your brandy and leave mum and I to fix this. Devin, Luca, come here.”
The two walked to their Mum.
“This is going to be tough, but we’ll power through.” Mum started, “I love you both dearly and I forgive your father, but that doesn’t mean what he did is good. I want both of you to grow up with the sweetest of minds and hearts towards others no matter how different.” She knelt down and hugged us.
We hugged back.
Selkie/Kamryn Dakota (10)
I danced around the room as my father followed around with the camera. He was always so happy to record me, to have these memories of me as illusioners, especially kids, never get a chance at a good childhood.
“Kammy! Give your old man a little spin in that new costume!” Father flashed me a smile.
I ran over to in front of him and spun in my marching band out that I made myself with Elodia’s help.
“Think that I can help out in the show?” I asked.
Father chuckled and nodded, “Of course! The Deaf Jewel is catering for the food and Firefly Bites is catering the desserts. All such good friends.”
“I get to see some of my best friends! Yay!” I started to dance around, screaming happily.
Bullet/Atlas Holloway (8)
I watched as my grandma continued to sew beautiful designs on my jacket. It was nice to watch her, she always knew what to do.
“Will you teach me that one day grandma?” I asked.
Grandma looked over and smiled, “I thought that sewing was for girls?”
“That’s what Mister Ackley says… But, I don’t believe him!”
My grandma smiled and nodded thoughtfully, “Good. Learning stuff like this is a good thing for anyone. Come here.”
I walked over and sat next to her when she handed me some fabric and sewing needle that was already threaded, “What do I do?”
My grandma placed hers down and scooted over a little bit before reaching over. She started to lead my hands to start a simple stitch, “Alright sweetheart.First let’s teach you the basics…”
Venin/Julio Bezerral (9)
I watched as Elodia handed me another cookie.
“Try this one!”
I took a bite and savoured the flavor of bitter berries and caramel. Elodia has been experiemnting and I always loved her cookies.
“Good!”
Elodia nodded, pleased with my answer, “Happy birthday!” She reached over to hug me then pulled away afterwards, “Cookie taste-testing is better than any gift combined. Right?”
I smiled and nodded. I was spending the night at Elodia’s after the party and was happy that she was a good friend.
It was fun. Since all of my friends were there and Elodia’s dad loved me as if I was their own child and she treated me like a brother.
“Hey you two! Get to to the living room. Time for bed.” Damario called out as he walked into the closed bakery.
Pyro/Ashton Burns (10)
I cried as the doctor rubbed some bad smelling cream on my shoulder. It hurt, a lot.
“It’s alright sweetie. You’ll be fine.” He says as he called a nurse over, “Can you get the poor girl something sweet and some water?”
The nurse nodded and walked off as the doctor gently rubbed my back, “All done sweetheart. Care to tell me why your parents did this?”
I remained silent.
“Alright… Well social services will be here soon and will be assigning you to someone on Veskia.”
I looked up and saw the mirror across from me. Long red hair and just towels wrapped around my chest and legs. A large burn mark settling on my shoulder... I never wanted my long hair and I never wanted any of this this. I need to change.
Sunshine/Joshua Wenkert (10)
I watched as Drayson tapped on the tarantula's tank.
“Please don’t do that. My uncle won’t let you hang over her again.”
Drayson turned and pouted, but stopped nonetheless. He walked over to where I was and turned on the tv, “Can we watch cartoons?”
I shook my head no, “Not allowed to.”
“Movies?”
“Documentaries.”
“Anything fun?”
I frowned at that description, but sighed, “We can watch something from the geographic channel. You like volcanos.”
Drayson smiled and changed the channel as he reached over to grab his juice, “Why won’t your uncle let you do anything and why does he make you take those stupid pills?”
I shook my head no. I wasn’t so happy with the pills, but he still took care of me.
Lady/****** ******** (9)
I laughed as Elodia and Kamryn continued to put Bean in silly outfits. Bean just took it all, not a care in the world.
“Won’t Dama be mad?” I asked.
“Nah. He’ll take photos and laugh with us.” Elodia answered before hugging Bean, “Bean loves me more anyways.”
I nodded and walked over to pet Bean. It was nice to be around friends when everything is happening so fast. I knew what I wanted to do instead of being a famous actress.
“I want to help everyone.” I suddenly stated, “We should all help everyone! Become great groups among the bad things!”
Elodia and Kamryn watched me for a bit before grins started to grow on their faces, “Yeah!”
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