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stories-and-chaos · 1 month

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Tarnished pt 14

[Helluva Boss AU where Blitzø’s childhood theft from Stolas’ palace is discovered and major consequences ensue for everyone involved.]

[Part 14/?? Word count: 2518 Cw: language]

—————

Loona and Blitzø had ‘discussed’ what their options were. That the discussion was held at full volume was a given with them. Loona wanted to break down the door, grab her sister and run. As satisfying as that would be, Blitzø had some inkling of consequences. First, that just because Scarlet and Vex hadn’t seen any security didn’t mean there wasn’t any. Second, if this ‘Slicker’ did have a hold on his employees' souls, busting heads wouldn’t help.

And third, Dina might not want to leave. Blitzø didn’t think that was likely, considering how she’d come to be there. But it was a possibility he’d have to keep in mind. She’d run away from Loona when the girls scented each other. He could imagine multiple reasons why she’d run back into the brothel, but they didn’t have anything concrete.

“Loonie, let’s have Scarlet and Vex make another trip.” She snapped at him in frustration, making him dodge around the couch. “Whoa, sweetie, I know you wanna get her out of there asap.” Another dodge as she flung a cushion at him. “I do too! I think more information on Dina specifically would be best!” A comical scramble and pratfall had the Hellhound pinning him to the floor.

“She’s been stuck there long enough Blitzø! And I’ve been working long enough to get her out! I can handle myself,” she said, with a desperate growl in her voice.

“I know you can! But being prepared can’t hurt. It’s why you two were planning ahead for when you’d age out, right?” She snarled but at least moved her teeth from his face. “And, if those two can request Dina that night, we can have them call you.” That made her sit back on her haunches.

Her eyes, bright crimson sclera and white pupils, looked at him hopefully even as she kept her expression in an angry snarl. “You think they can?” The question had an edge to it.

Blitzø nodded and sat up. “I’ve known them for ages. Neither of them are fighters but they’re two of the most capable demons I know.” At her flat disbelieving stare, he doubled down. “I shit you not! They’ve been running rings behind the harpy’s back for years. Scarlet especially can talk her way out of anything. And Vex is a sneaky bastard that has spooked Stolas more than once.”

Loona looked away, weighing their options. She stalked off to her room, unable to fully suppress the growl in her chest. “One more time. Then I’m rescuing my sister one way or another Blitzø,” she said firmly before retreating behind her door.

“Fuuuuuckin Christ,” Blitzø said under his breath as he fell back onto the floor. Getting chased around by any Hellhound for any reason would make most demons piss themselves. Maybe he should be glad she trusted him enough to fight back?

Whatever, he needed to text Stolas.

Loony sayd ys, axe Skalert and vxe wen thye can go aigin

He didn’t have to wait long for the prince’s reply.

Scarlet says they’ll be able to in three days. She wants to space any excursions out so they don’t seem desperate for anything and I agree. I take it you mentioned the possibilities of obtaining Dina as their audience and a potential phone call if they can? I assume that would be the reason our dear temperamental Moonbeam would agree.

Blitzø hadn’t realized Stolas had given his daughter a nickname. It matched his nickname for Via, Starfire. Despite the stressful situation, it made the imp smile, if only a little.

yeh, seyd shrs gonna gif em 1 moar go, theen sheds recsuung dIna

Oh dear. I understand her urgency but we had best have a plan in place before she destroys the building. Not only is she a formidable melee fighter from what you’ve described, her growing knowledge of the arcane means she has other resources than her physical strength. I don’t think she has quite grasped that as of yet. However, an emotionally volatile confrontation could trigger inadvertent usage of her power.

Gud 2 now my bby grl can kiik ass and expold shirt wth hr brian

Not the reaction I would have expected to discovering one’s daughter can level a city block in a fit of rage, but you never fail to surprise me Blitzy.

>:p <3

Now he had to convince Loona to wait three days.

It helped to remind her that Dina’s safety could hinge on what Loona did (or didn’t) do. That combined with the possibility of a phone call and some actual administrative work for I.M.P. kept her occupied enough.

Scarlet had shifted around her work schedule, letting the rest of the staff know that Vex was taking her out for another date. Stella’s pet Hellhounds were definitely watching all staff members and feeding any news back to her. The household servants had seen the disheveled state the pair returned in last time and the consensus seemed to be they found a new favorite sex club.

Loona and Blitzø were back at the palace for the night. It wasn’t too out of character for him to split his time between the apartment and Stolas’s chambers, but the addition of Loona did result in questioning looks.

“Having to think up plausible excuses for what I do in my own home is getting quite frustrating,” Stolas said once they were ensconced in his chambers. Loona would be using the safe room while Blitzø spent the night with Stolas.

Blitzø was stretched out on the lounge, trying to not check his phone every five seconds. “This would all be a lot fucking easier if you kicked the feather duster out.” Stolas, currently examining the bookshelf, paused to glare at Blitzø. “Just saying’.”

“One crisis at a time darling.” He found the book he was looking for and handed it to Loona. The girl had been pacing around the room, her tail anxiously flicking behind her. “Here we are Moonbeam, read this while we wait. It’s a treatise on sigil enhancement that you should review.”

“Thanks Stolas, but shouldn’t I study it with Via?” The owl shook his head. “She won’t need it until she reveals her sigil. I want her focused on her current subject without adding anything superfluous.” Loona nodded and curled up into one of the chairs.

Her raised hackles, flattened ears, and swishing tail showed her agitation. But as she started puzzling out the runic text, she relaxed somewhat. She was even asking Stolas to clarify a few sections with unfamiliar symbols.

Blitzø started to tune them out; he was miles behind Via in magick knowledge and trying to catch up now seemed silly. Instead he retrieved his sketchbook from the safe room. Drawing his horse OC’s was a much better use of his time.

He was working on his current shipping chart when Vex’s ringtone broke the silence. “Oh shit!” His hand jerked, making an OTP line between Rickyroad and Blue Custard instead of Rickyroad and Maze Window. (Ricky and Blue would never work, they’re both too top even with all the tension from their one night stand.)

He could fix it later. He scampered to the phone and but it on speaker. “Vex? Lety? I’ve got you on speaker.”

“Blitzø, man, it’s good we got here early. Dina here has way too many thirsty fuckers coming round here.” Vex’s voice had a slightly distant quality from being on speaker. “Good thing we tipped so good last time, we got first pick.”

“The fact he basically got a paid night off helped too.” Scarlet was quieter but still audible.

Loona grabbed the phone before anyone else could answer. “Dina’s there? She’s with you now?!” Her voice was shaking and Blitzø could see her struggling to grip the device carefully. She was more than capable of crushing the phone. As it was, his ‘Ride Me’ case acquired new scratches.

There was a choked sob on the other end of the call. Some rustling sounds and soothing words from Scarlet followed. Then, shakily, “L-Loona?” The trio could hear the fear and exhaustion in the voice, mingled with a hint of hope.

“Dina! You’re ok- you’re alive…” Loona had been about to say ‘you’re okay’ but it was obvious her sister wasn’t. “Dina…I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner. We’ll get you out! I promise, I’ll save you this time, I tried before but I’ll do it now Dina-“

“No!” Dina’s yelp cut through her sister’s babble. “You can’t come here Loona. Slicker…you don’t know what he’s capable of!” She started breathing rapidly and they could hear the imps help her calm down. Loona had sunk to the floor at Dina’s adamant refusal, looking lost.

A shaky breath came through the phone speaker. “I don’t want you to get hurt by him. I signed a deal when I got here.” Stolas and Blitzø both perked up at the mention of her deal. “Once I pay off my debt I’ll be done with this place.” Blitzø snorted, certain that ‘debt’ was designed to inflate constantly and be unpayable.

Stolas had grabbed the sketchbook and started writing on a blank page. He ignored Blitzø’s protest and held up the book, instructions written in crayon. Loona blinked at her teacher and read it out loud. “Dina, did you make a deal or sign a contract?”

“Huh? What’s the difference…?” It sounded like Vex was urging her to continue. “I signed paperwork?”

Stolas scripted out another question as best he could with the crayon. “Was there any magick involved?” Loona asked slowly, having to parse his handwriting through the thick letters.

A swishing sound. “No, I don’t think so. Loona, what does it matter if it was magickal or not?” Everyone else on both sides of the call sighed in relief.

Loona, near tears of relief herself, managed a reply. “It matters a lot Dina. We can work with a paper contract.” Stolas held a talon to his beak. The Hellhound nodded. “I can’t say too much over the phone. I’ll…work something out. I won’t go on my own!” she said before Dina could object. “Please? Let me try?”

They could hear Dina start to cry. “Okay. Just… please please please be careful. I love you Loona.”

Loona was crying too. “I love you too Dina. We can talk more later.” She handed the phone to Blitzø as they heard rustling on the other end. Vex had his phone back too. The Hellhound curled back up into her chair, face buried in her arms and shoulders shaking.

Blitzø and Vex agreed they’d have another call in the early morning before the imp duo left. By then, Loona and the two men should have some sort of plan. Hanging up, the imp crouched next to his daughter. He didn’t touch her but he did call softly, “Loonie?”

She lifted her head just enough to look at him. “She didn’t want my help, Blitzø,” she managed through sobs. “She ran away from me and told me not to help. I’m the tough one, I’m supposed to protect her.”

Blitzø had to think of what he could possibly say, crouched there with a stricken look. “You’ve been protecting and looking for her because you love her.” She nodded. “She loves you right back. So she wants to protect you however she can. The best way Dina can do that is to keep you away from the bastard she’s got a contract with.”

Loona was still crying, but not as hard now. “I’m not surprised; she’s your sister Loonie. A self sacrificing protective streak seems like a family trait.”

She snorted and wiped her eyes. “Like you should talk Dad.” She saw the mess her running mascara made on her arm. “Fuck, that’s gonna take forever to get out of my fur!”

Stolas ushered her up and toward Blitzø’s room. “Why don’t you get cleaned up? If my darling Blitzy will allow you inside, you can make use of the bath.” Somewhat dazed, Blitzø let her through the door.

“I’m not imagining things, right Floof? She called me ‘Dad.’” Blitzø looked up at Stolas, his eyes big and gleaming with joy.

“Hmm, yes I believe she did. Although I do recommend not pointing that out to her if you ever want to hear it again. Now, let’s discuss our options while Loona washes up.”

By the time Loona reemerged in a sleep shirt and shorts, with the fur on one arm sticking up in weird directions, the other demons felt they had a workable plan. They were debating on the use of a disguise or not.

“Even among the Goetia I am a dashing and memorable figure. Do we really want me to waltz in there as I am?”

“Stolas. Babe. Most demons can’t tell one royal from another unless they work for one.” Blitzø punctuated his words with chops of his hand. “Best bet for intimidating or paying off this creep is to pull rank, so you gotta be there as a royal. We don’t have enough time to practice for fake name and one of us is gonna slip up if we try.”

“Wait, what are you plotting?” Loona shoved her way into the debate. Stolas gave her an overview of their plan. “I mean, I still wanna tear this ‘Slicker’ apart but that’ll probably work? I’m with Blitzø though, no magic disguise.” Stolas started to give a rebuttal but Loona shook her head. “You’ve taught me that the more complex a spell is, the more chances it’ll go wrong. Especially when you add new shit. Pretty sure that applies to the rest of life.” Stolas was left with his mouth hanging open.

“Better close that unless you want me to stick something in it,” Blitzø said, tapping the prince’s chin. “Ugh, gross!” Loona made a face as Stolas’s jaw snapped shut.

“Just wear the least fancy getup you’ve got Floof. No cape, no top hat.” Blitzø paused. “We’ll look through your closet. At least those rompers you like won’t be out of place.”

After that, there wasn’t much to do until Vex called around three in the morning. They each took a nap but couldn’t manage more than that. Stolas gave the valet and maid instructions before they gave the phones to the Hellhound siblings.

“Hey Loona.” Dina sounded calmer at least. Vex and Scarlet must have helped her in the interim. “Looks like tomorrow? Or later today…? You sure they can do it? That we can trust these guys?” The fear was still in her voice, making it thick and shaky.

“Pretty sure. They haven’t kicked me out yet and you know what a bitch I am,” Loona tried to lift her spirits. She was rewarded with a little giggle. It was more nervous than humored but it was better than crying.

“And without me there to give the puppy eyes of forgiveness.” A deep breath and a sigh. “Okay, let’s try it.”

“Just don’t act like you’re expecting anything. Business as normal.”

“I’ve gotten pretty good at that.”

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#helluva boss #helluva loona #helluva blitzo #helluva stolas #helluva stolitz #helluva fanfiction #loona #blitzo #blitzo x stolas #stolas #stolitz

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mojo-chojo · 2 years

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Local nun Mojo the beloved, could you please spare a few random facts about your Spicy Chicken AU? About whatever you want, that it be from if harpy Grian sometimes asks for help to preen his wings, if Scar has accidentally made potions blow up, anything! Thank you for considering and I hope you have a nice day :D

oh grian definitely asks mumbo to help him preen his wings, he doesn’t let scar yet because he doesn’t trust him considering how clumsy he is with a lot of stuff. but eventually he lets him and grian is surprised how gentle scar can be with his wings delicately preening his wings

scar did blow cub’s potions when he tried to help so he i banned from the workspace lol

mumbo used to braid his hair when he goes to sleep so he doesn’t have an absolute mess when he wakes up but it’s not the best solution he had yet so scar gave him a night cap as a joke but it’s weirdly effective for mumbo’s hair so he actually started using it

cub loves drinking a nice cup of coffee in the morning and after lunch but he needs to guard it from the vexes because it’s bad for them even though they’re always eager to have a sip

pearl makes the best soup, she used to make a lot of soups and stews especially when grian was sick and taught grian how to make them so when scar is sick grian makes some soup for him. and everytime he makes it he keeps saying it’s not as good as pearl’s soup

#spicy chicken au #vampire!mumbo #harpy!grian #harpy!pearl #sorcerer!scar #alchemist!cub #anon ask answer

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captainschaos · 6 months

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dreaded grin, cold light

wrote this fic for @k-asternix for the @mcyt-halloween gift exchange!! it was a little out of my comfort zone since I really only watch mumbo/scar/grian through life series, but I decided to go for it anyway and had a blast :] a little platonic soulmate action with some spooks on the side, hope you enjoy!

(also worth noting, this will likely be part 1 of 2 for your gift!! unofficially since I don't think it will be done by tomorrow, but I do have a second piece in the works and can tag you when I post that too ^_^)

word count: 3851 This will likely be posted to ao3 too! I'm new over there tho so wanna make sure I get all the parts right before I put it up, will edit to link that here when I do ---/---/---

The atmosphere of the Deep Frost Citadel has always made Mumbo feel at least a little on edge. Sure, he often felt such glee here too, laughing with the other hermits outside the dungeon door, smiling and barely containing their excitement as they all wait for their turn to run the game, but there’s also… an unease. It is not hidden that the Citadel is a hostile place, with its spines and glaring eyes abounding in the crevices of its stonework walls, but it’s deeper. Maybe it’s just the chill that always makes it a bit uncomfortable to sit in one place for too long inside it. Maybe it’s the groans that come from deep in the place’s belly where the dungeon churns with hunger. But no matter how much he loves Decked Out, and how often he will always return to this place with joy, Mumbo just can’t seem to shake the underlying twist at the pinprick in the center of his belly that something is not quite right here.

But still, it’s a place he loves, and he loves being with his friends here. So right now, he sits with Grian in their shared room, listening as Grian goes through his deck.

“I mean, I’ve just about got all the commons covered, so I get to get into the fun stuff now, y’know?”

“Mhm,” Mumbo hums in response, smiling down at his own small deck he’s shuffling through while he listens to Grian.

“I’m just not sure…” Grian sighs, though Mumbo can hear that it’s a playful kind of half-feigned irritation. “It’s nice to be able to choose, but now I have to make decisions, which-”

Grian’s words are cut off, and Mumbo glances up quickly as he hears the feathers of his wings rustle slightly. The harpy’s wings and shoulders are tensed for only a fraction of a moment as Mumbo looks at him, but he quickly shakes it out and picks up another of his cards.

“Are, uh- you alright, Grian?”

“Oh, yeah.” He shoots Mumbo a reassuring grin. “Scar just tripped over a berry bush I think. He’s running the dungeon right now.”

“Oh, uhm… Right.”

Of course. Ever since Double Life, Scar and Grian have had a soullink which lets them feel the other’s pain. There had been signs they were soulmates for a while before that, but it was that iteration of the great death games that had cemented it in a way that was unignorable. Mumbo sometimes wishes he had been there, wonders who he might have been matched with, but it is what it is. He and Grian are soulmates too, even if they don’t share this.

Less than a minute passes before Grian hisses with a shallow gasp of pain again, and this time Mumbo catches the momentary glow of the pale, spiked halo that signs the action of his soullink. It’s silvery, like the vex magics that line Scar’s smile, but with a bronze undertone that complements Grian’s dusty-brown hair and feathering. It almost looks thorned. Certainly painful.

Even before Mumbo can say anything, Grian laughs about it. “Scar’s just fallen off something, the idiot. He’s not going to be able to take a hit from a ravager, I can tell you that much.”

“Sounds like Scar,” Mumbo says with a half a chuckle in response. But it’s hard to cover up the unease he’s feeling.

It’s always hard to watch though. Seeing Grian in pain, when there’s nothing to do about it… it makes Mumbo’s stomach twist. But there’s an element of love in it, and Grian always says it’s fine, not to worry, and always laughs and shakes his head affectionately after he winces. So as Scar continues his run through the depths of the dungeon, Mumbo watches and listens, biting his tongue, as Grian narrates each unfortunate twist of the vex’s journey. When Grian grabs his arm and announces Scar must have healed up, because that couldn’t have been anything but a ravager bite, Mumbo’s insides twist in knots. The Citadel feels colder than ever around him when Grian shakes out another berry prick, but there’s an affectionate smile that Mumbo just can’t quite understand. There’s an unsettling feeling of watching through a window that shouldn’t be there while Grian narrates with uncanny specificity as Scar trips and fights through the dungeon, a journey that should be known only to the stomach of Decked Out, but has wormed its way through the soullink to Grian and now squirms in Mumbo’s gut. He feels off. So when there’s a shudder, and Grian clutches his chest and his wings spread in automatic response, Mumbo can’t help but jump to his feet and go to his friend.

“Grian!”

“I’m fine!” As Mumbo reaches out for his soulmate, Grian’s hand comes up to block him through a flat-palmed gesture, and he shakes out his feathers. “You don’t need to worry, Mumbo, I’ve told you this! It’s all–”

“Well THAT was a nightmare!” Scar says with an enormous smile as saunters up to Grian and Mumbo’s cubby. “All the ravagers in all the wrong places, just awful. I do not recommend trying to get an artifact through there right now.”

“Seemed it, buddy!” Grian says jauntily. He looks at Mumbo with one last look, clearly trying to calm him, but it somehow just makes him feel more queasy when Grian goes back to talking to Scar like it’s all fine. “It was Willy who did you in at the end there, wasn’t it?”

Mumbo knows what just happened though. Scar barely had to feel the dying, the world snatching him up as soon as his soul cried out and shuffling him comfortably back to the bed to respawn. That’s part of how they all set up their respawns, it’s all designed to mitigate the pain. But Grian…

What did he feel?

Mumbo can’t help but feel sick at the thought of it.

But deeper down, in a more selfish part of him, he wonders if it’s the fact that he’s the only one who has no way to know that makes him feel sick to the stomach.

Maybe it’s just the Citadel getting to him.

Yeah. That must be it.

---/---/---

Scar hums to himself as he shuffles through a shulker box, pulling out a bundle of pumpkins to set out between himself and Grian.

“There we go! Where would you like them, buddy-ol-pal?”

“Pretty much everywhere!” the harpy announces giddily. He’s already got rolls of black and orange and green wool streamers wrapped around his arms as he looks up at the entrance of his base with both hands proudly on his hips. The Halloween colors are blooming all around Grian’s base, and with Scar and Mumbo’s help, they’re just coming to pop more and more.

“You got it!” Scar hefts up a pumpkin under each arm, tutting as the enchantment on his leg braces fizzes under the weight. Not his fault he’s so strong! He taps his foot to realign the runes, and then whistles as he picks a nice spot by the door for these two lovely golden gourds.

“Hm… do you think that should go a bit higher, Scar?” Grian asks.

“What should?” Scar responds as he straightens up and brushes the pumpkin-dirt off his hands. He looks over to Grian, then follows the line of where he’s pointing. The harpy’s gesture leads up to where Mumbo stands up in the ring surrounding Grian’s nether portal. A bit precarious, but his elytra is folded snugly against his back, ready to catch him should he fall, and he keeps at least one lanky arm clasped to the stone ring around him at all times. More specifically, Grian is pointing to the enormous fake bat the mustached changeling is holding up, showing where he plans to hang it from the top of the portal. “Oh. Hm hm… probably just a bit! Don’t want it to hit your head if you come rocketing out of there with a piglin on your tail, you know.”

“Good point. Alright–”

And with that, Grian locks eyes with Mumbo across the distance, and there’s a glow. Soft and warm, almost violent in hue with the depth of the shade, a red light seems to pool in Grian’s mouth as he looks up at Mumbo, lips parted slightly. The changeling in turn looks back, and even from this far away Scar can see the glow that shows the message has been received, and sure enough he shifts a bit so that he can raise the decoration higher before securing it with string. Scar turns to see Grian blink a few times, and then he gets back to his own work throwing streamers over everything in reach, smiling softly to himself.

Scar knows, there’s no need to be jealous. Grian and Mumbo have their soulmate bond, and Scar has his own with the harpy, but… he still wonders. He can’t help it, shoving words in different spots to create every configuration of what might pass between them that he can’t hear, through their sharing of thoughts. It is nice that at least there’s the glowing sign when it happens, so he’s not completely left out of the loop, but there’s still… there’s just still some unshakeable feeling about it. Something uneasy. Something that makes the ground feel unstable under Scar, like he doesn’t quite know where to step without falling. It’s silly, he knows. But knowing what he doesn’t know doesn’t seem to help much.

But nevermind all that! He has pumpkins to throw around after all, and he delights in putting them in as many ledges and nooks as he can reach without Grian being able to. Realistically, the harpy has the wings to reach any of it, but that doesn’t stop Scar from laughing as he has to hop to readjust one of the jack-o-lanterns Scar’s placed a bit askew. But like punctuation throughout this, there are the moments where Grian looks over Scar’s shoulder, and there’s a momentary rush of adrenaline as he wonders if there’s a creeper behind him, and then he sees the glow in Grian’s mouth.

It casts shadows that seem to accentuate every sharp edge to the harpy’s teeth.

“Mumbo’s just about done,” Grian says after one of these moments. “You think we’ve done our work here?”

“Oh, for sure!” Scar announces, putting his hands on his hips as he looks over their handiwork. “Looking mighty spooky here, friend. A nice spread of tricks and treats.”

“Perfect. Let’s get out of here and maybe grab a bite to eat then, huh? All this work has certainly got my appetite up.”

Scar keeps smiling, but as Grian talks, he can’t seem to look anywhere but at his teeth. There’s a pinch in his stomach.

“Sounds good.”

---/---/---

Mumbo sits alone in his vault, at a desk he tends to keep reserved for redstone planning. There are sketches laid out in front of him, pages and pages of blueprints that are more like redprints with the lines of redstone scrawled across them, but none of them are right. His head is in his hands, his changeling claws just barely pressing into his scalp as more of a grounding pressure than anything, but there is something bothering him.

And the maddening thing is, he doesn’t know what.

It’s an aching, something that he keeps thinking is hunger, but he’s been eating. Golden carrots at first, he always keeps a bundle of them at his desk for this purpose, but they didn’t help. He snapped his teeth through piece after piece of the clicking-crunching things, the sound of them breaking rattling like brittle bones, but they seemed to glide right past the sensation rolling in his gut. After biting through a handful of them, he thought maybe he was just having a different craving, so he went to find some steak, but that did little besides give a new ripping instead of the crunching. He even tried golden apples as his desperation grew, but he almost felt he was being taunted. He was hungry, and yet eating did nothing to help him.

And the churning in his stomach is only growing.

---

Scar sits in one of his many workshops hidden throughout the back areas of Scarland, looking over the plans for the latest and greatest ride to come. Or at least, he’s trying to. At the moment he’s holding his head in his hands, palms pressing into his forehead, the heels of his hands smothering his eyes as he tries to rub away the weight that seems to have settled on his eyelashes. He can hardly even look at his plans, much less process them, as his vexish wings flicker behind him in a visual representation of his struggle to just keep himself upright, as something tugs at him.

But he has no idea what.

He’s trying to keep on his smile, despite the fact that there’s no one in the room, just to keep himself sane. It’s solidly into the evening hours on the server, sure, but he’s had plenty of rest. And yet there’s an aching when he peels his eyes open, and it feels like folds of weight have been hung over him to pull him, smother him, to the earth. Every bone in his body feels like a support beam about to snap, and he would swear his spine creaks as he tries to straighten up. It seems like fatigue, but he knows he should be fine. He makes sure he rests, he knows he should be fine, and besides, he even tried sleeping. He laid down in one of the spots he has set up in case of occasions like this, closed his eyes, and… nothing. The silence was maddening. There was nothing to disturb him, and yet, no sleep came. So now he sits here, listening to nothing, looking at nothing, and yet he remains. He feels chained to the ground itself, every movement is a dragging, and yet his mind remains, stagnant and stale in this state.

And the weight around his neck is only growing.

---

Mumbo is trying to focus. He is desperately trying to focus. But it feels like something is trying to rip him in two, the way this strange, poltergeist of a hunger is clawing at him.

Still, nothing is working. Mumbo’s tried potions now, splashing them and drinking, hoping for something to put even just a dent in the hunger tearing at his insides. It did nothing for the aching in his gut, the tightness in the back of his throat, like a hand clenched around his neck. He leans now against the door of his vault, trying to use the coolness of the metal to drag his mind away from it, but there’s no thinking about anything but the hunger. It’s grating at his mind. Panic is starting to form a new core to the grinding in the pit of his stomach. A fear, a wondering- what if this never leaves? What if there’s no answer, what if this is it? He has no idea what’s caused it, so what if there’s no way to end it? There’s a hopelessness beginning to emerge, like an animal crawling out of a cave. He doesn’t want it to be there. But even worse, he’s scared there’s no defeating it.

His gut drops if he thinks too much about it.

---

Scar wants to focus. He really, truly wants to focus. But it’s just impossible, it’s impossible! He’s absolutely positive now that there’s nothing he can do about it.

Nothing has worked. Scar’s flipped on every beacon in the area now, hoping their powers might do something to rejuvenate him, but it did nothing. It had no effect on the horrid grip around his temples, the feeling dragging him toward the floor. His limbs feel like lead, and he now sits in his wheelchair, just trying to ignore the feeling of weight and dulled senses pulling at him. A kind of claustrophobic desperation is welling up at the center of it all. The dread of not knowing how this will end, the panic of having no idea what’s happening to him, the cause of this weariness. He should know how to fix this. He should be able to fix this. But still…

His chest tightens if he thinks too much about it.

---

There has to be a solution. There has to be.

The changeling just wants to fix this. He just wants to know what’s wrong with him. He just wants to know what this is, haunting the space just under his ribcage.

It’s consuming him. He hardly even realizes when the hunt carries him out into the night.

---

There has to be a solution. There has to be.

The vex just wants to end this. He wants to know what’s happening to him. He just wants to know what this is, consuming the space just behind his eyes.

It’s haunting him. He hardly even realizes when the need takes him out into the night.

---

Two figures tumble into opposite sides of an alleyway. Teeth bared, stomachs snarling and snatching, skulls lolling toward the ground, they lock eyes with one another. And in their horrid torments, enveloped in the cold night, something snaps in place.

---/---/---

Grian happily carries a shulker box full of building materials as he walks down the path toward the shopping district. He knows he could fly, it’d be much faster, but it’s such a nice day! He wanted to enjoy it.

“G!” a voice calls, and he stops and spins to try and find it. There are no buildings around this part of the path, but he quickly spots two figures not too far off the road, waving to him. He jogs over, and finds Mumbo and Scar laying on a blanket in the grass, side by side in the laziest of friendly ways.

“Hello, you two! Enjoying the beautiful day, are we?”

“Certainly better than last night was,” Mumbo says with a lighthearted but slightly concerning chuckle. Scar pipes up to help clarify, or at least attempt to, before Grian can say anything concerned though.

“Oh, don’t worry about that, it’s all fixed up now! And it did us more good than bad, didn’t it?”

Mumbo laughs again, this time with a bit more vigor. “Very, very true.”

“Wait- what happened? Everything’s alright?”

“Yeah, yeah! Here, we can show you,” Scar pipes up again. “Watch this.”

With that he rolls over a bit to look at Mumbo, who just smiles and keeps still. After a moment of Scar’s concentration, there’s a glow, and Grian looks down to Scar’s hand where the light seems to be cupped in his palm. Matching, Mumbo’s own palms seem to mirror the glow, and Grian would recognize that silverish light anywhere, though this particular iteration seems to have a very slight green undertone, copperish and almost mimicking sunbeams underwater.

“Soulmates?!”

“Soulmates!” Mumbo and Scar affirm, in sync, causing a ripple of giggling.

“Not sure exactly how recently it, y’know, popped up, but yep! And I can use it to tell you that… Mumbo needs to talk to you.”

Grian finally moves to sit, making a spot for himself between his two soulmate’s legs, but leaving the near-touch they have between their shoulders so they can all sit as together as possible. “So the link’s something need related?”

“Yeah, well,” Mumbo begins, somehow managing to twiddle his fingers even with his hands making a pillow under his head, “I think it might have been at least partially shaped by… what we were missing, from our soullinks with you. Not that you aren’t amazing!” Grian nods understandably, waiting for the explanation to finish. “It’s just- Scar and I were both seeing how you connected with the other, and it- it made something to be left out of, I guess? Or maybe just made it easier to notice what we were missing, I’m not sure it just-”

“We were missing the link to each other,” Scar finishes for Mumbo. A glow fades from his palm again, not as strong as when he was focusing on it, but a sign Mumbo may have been in need of a bit of silver-tongued rescuing. “I had the pain, he had the thoughts, and so we bridged the gap.”

“Thinking about each other’s pain,” Mumbo says with a grateful smile given to Scar. “That’s the way I’ve been thinking about it, at least.”

“So… how did you figure this out, exactly?” Grian asks.

“Oh, ah- well, Scar hadn’t eaten in far too long, and I thought I was getting ripped apart from the inside out!” Mumbo laughs, rolling so his elbow can jab into Scar’s shoulder.

“Hey! At least I take all the cat-naps a man could need, one of us needed some shut-eye so bad it was driving me up the wall!”

And at this, Grian laughs. He was asleep plenty early last night, and must have stayed asleep through any inkling of this event. But of course, these two managed to get supernaturally attuned in precisely the right way to bully each other about taking care of themselves. As much focus as Mumbo had on him, he knows Scar and Mumbo have their very own, very unique friendship. And he has no need to be jealous- he knows they love him in equally wonderful ways.

“Oh, you wonderful idiots! How’d you get that mess sorted out then?”

“I practically tackled Mumbo into bed of course!” Scar says with his hands thrown in the air.

“But not before I shoved about a stack of steak into your mouth!” Mumbo shoots back through giggles.

All three of them are laughing, and Grian pats a hand on each of his soulmates’ nearest knee. “Well, glad you seem in much better spirits now. Can I see the soullink work again?”

“Sure! Here, I’ll give it a go this time.” Mumbo turns to Scar and scrunches up his face comedically as their palms glow once more, and the two barely hold back giggles as their foreheads nearly press together. “Hmm, I think Scar’s hungry. For… Grian brainsss…!” he announces with a punctuating wiggle of his fingers for extra spooky effect.

“What! No no no, that’s your thing, Mr. I-Am-What-I-Eat!”

The group collapses into a fit of giggles, and Grian falls onto his chest between his soulmates, wrapping an arm around each in a wonderfully clumsy hug. Scar throws an arm up over Grian’s head to reach around to Mumbo, and the changeling in turn reaches across Grian to playfully swat at Scar’s other hand as he gestures wildly. They remain like that for a while, safe and comfortable in each other’s presence, smiling and talking all too loudly for reasonable interaction. But affection has no need to be reasonable, in the face of unreasonable obstacles, even if those obstacles have been thoroughly overcome. It’s the absurdity that will keep them running strong. It’s the laughter after the dark that will always bring them back to each other.

#grian #mumbo jumbo #goodtimeswithscar #mcyt halloween #captain's words #this was super fun!!!! like I said out of my comfort zone a bit but I had a good time :D #I always loveeeeee some queerplatonic soulmates so I just had to do it #you also said you loved like hybrid headcanons and stuff so while I didn't get into it much I did include mine- all the hermits are fae !#of different sorts yknow I very briefly mentioned each of my hcs for this trio :]#you also said you like angst/hurt/comfort so I went for some of that hehe #all around just had fun with this n hope you enjoy !!!#and also jade thank you again for organizing this!!! it was super fun :DDD

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hoboscruff · 1 year

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Drew a simplified Vex Harpy cause art brain saw inspiration and ran with it

#destiny #destiny art #Destiny vex

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bluiex · 1 year

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When cardinals court, the male feeds the female seeds (it looks like they're kissing!)

But they also have this routine where the male chases the female. Continually. For hours.

Poor Scar wakes up and finds the avian glued to his side. Grian won't leave him alone and nimbly chases him through the habit all morning. The Vex hybrid collapses exhausted. This is the end, he thinks, that thing is finally gonna eat me...

The near-harpy creature approaches, dark eyes trained on his form and...

Drops a serving of rations in front of him.

Scar blinks confused as the avian purrs and lays down next to him. Talons that could sever limbs gently lift a piece of food towards his mouth. Slowly, Scar reaches for the morsel, never taking his eyes off Grian. Is it a trick? Is he toying with him? Is he fattening him up before he tears him apart like the last potential mates?

But when he takes a bite Grian only purrs louder. The feathers adorning his neck fluff up and a jewel red wing fans over Scar's form. The purrs become a strange, almost human hum as Grian lazily looks up and scans the environment for danger.

There's something... almost comforting, Scar realizes, as he's sheltered beneath the hybrid's wings. He can't remember the last time he felt an inkling of security in this hellscape. Though like all the other experiments, this is probably just a cruel trick that will end when the avian tires of him.

But for now he's content nestled under crimson wings, listening to the haunting song of a fellow trapped creature. And for just a moment, Scar relaxes and pretends like the safety he's feeling is could be real.

-🩸

Waaah it's so cute tho. They feed the one they court.. Gri doing that to Scar

I love it

#long post #scarian scp au #I assume it's scp #I'll change tag if not #q #bluie gets an ask poggers

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brighan · 11 months

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VÖLUSPÁ - CHAPTER 1: NIFLHEIMR

Wielding the Light.

Posting pages every Sunday, 4pm CEST on: Twitter | Tapas | Faneo (spanish)

>Read the Prologue here<

Support it with Early Access Ko-Fi | Patreon

#destiny 2 art #destiny art #webcomic #völuspá #vex #comic #oc #valeria #brighanart #hunter #vex harpy #edz #awoken #earth #cabal #>:3c #feeling normal about this chapter's pages

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thefirstknife · 1 year

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at a previous anon, why do you think asher is coming back? it doesn’t make sense for someone as weak as him to have survived the witness, and there was the whole getting turned into a vex deal. and the harpy at the vex invasion of the last city that we were led to believe is him now

Oh, because it's much more than just the harpy! He is currently trying to make contact with people and tell them he's still alive AND we can literally see him in the Vex Network. He appears in three separate poses: 1, 2 and 3.

#destiny 2 #destiny 2 spoilers #lightfall #lightfall spoilers #asher #ask

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essayofthoughts · 9 months

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📓 !! thank you for posting the emoji cause my laptop wasn't about to let me do that

Don't worry, I pretty much always end up copying emojis from something else when I use them online!

So, this was a topic suggested to me (by @elle-thereafter if I recall rightly?) that kind of spiralled in it's own direction. They pointed out that while Percy may want to restrict and control trade in whitestone and residuum to avoid any getting into the wrong hands it's a bit tricky to do that when whitestone can be mined from the whole mountain range of the Alabaster Sierras - it's kind of hard to guard a whole natural feature!

But that led in turn to me thinking about... just how isolated, historically, Whitestone has been? Like. It's the far edge of the continent, edged in by mountains and a cliffdrop into open ocean on one side and the sheer breadth of the - notably dangerous! - Parchwood on the other, with only one major road through it and even that dangerous, and the other options - like the coastal route or any woodland paths - being dangerous (the harpies we see in canon but we also know the entire role of the Grey Hunt is to try to keep the Parchwood safe around Whitestone itself!).

This place is isolated. No wonder news was slow to leave and spread, no wonder the Briarwoods got away with their lies in Emon - the opposite side of the continent from Whitestone!

Whitestone has historically been isolated, not just by choice but also because it is difficult and dangerous to get to and I think it's notable that while Whitestone does seem to get more connected - joining the republic of Tal'Dorei, via trade to Zephrah, teleportation and trips through the Sun Tree, an active Grey Hunt to keep the main trade route open - it still hasn't grown a huge amount by the time of Reborn. Part of that is undoubtedly because it had to first make up the losses caused by the occupation and so many failed rebellions but... if Whitestone can only sustain so much a population, only so many can visit and stay. It becomes easier to notice new visitors - sneaking visitors. It means that if people are trying to get to the Alabaster Sierras for whitestone, to start an illegal mining operation, the Hunt might catch them, the drain on resources will be noticed - I don't know, I know you can't guard the whole of a natural feature, but I do get the feeling that from how isolated Whitestone has been historically, and in many ways still is physically, even if economically and magically it's more connected than ever... I think that does help protect and limit attempts to get ahold of whitestone and residuum. I think between Percy and Keyleth and Vex, they're making full use of the areas natural defences, to protect those natural resources.

send in “📓” and I’ll roll a d10 and ramble some worldbuilding thoughts

#whitestone #percy de rolo #vex'ahlia #keyleth #candelasobscuras #ask game #ask #critical role worldbuilding

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makuta-tobi · 7 months

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Destinytober 2023 Day 11: Waypoint

I wasn't super sure what to do here cause waypoints aren't really a thing in the game? Anyways,

Several years ago...

“How much further?” Tobi-17 groaned, once again pulling up his navigation system. A single set of coordinates was scribbled on a piece of paper he had tucked into his robes, and he was comparing them to his current location.

“If you had paid attention, you would be there by now,” Nova's voice said over his comm. “If I'm seeing you right, it should be just over past that craggy rock formation.”

The Exo sat back on his Sparrow and looked around himself, gesturing to no one in particular at the surrounding pale stone.

“This is Io,” his voice tinged with annoyance, “it's all craggy rock formations.”

“Then I guess you better get going. Unless you want to get smoked by some Taken.”

“Rather be fighting those Dark-infested creeps than run on this wild Sparrow chase,” he muttered.

“What was that~” her singsong voice was irritatingly cute.

“I said coming,” he sighed, slowly opening the throttle on the engine and driving away, through the canyon. As he flew past natural caves carved into the rock, he could see the formation of the Vex machinery, taking note of their progress on the technoformation of the planetoid. A Harpy here and there would appear from inside one of the gaping maws and fire a laser rifle beam at him, which he maneuvered around as best he could.

The great expanse of the moon was filled with gorgeous greenery, intermixed with pale, rough sand and dust that kicked up as he passed by. The few small organisms he saw crawling around would scurry at the sound of his engine. And still, he had no idea where he was going. He would periodically stop to check the nav coordinates against his current location, occasionally needing to turn around and backtrack, or make a sharp turn and slip between various rock formations. Finally, he realized, he was getting close.

The Warlock weaved his vehicle through some natural stone arches, into a wide field of broken landscape and white flowers peeking between the dry cracks in the ground. It was around here somewhere. A patrol beacon flashed away nearby, and he briefly wondered if that was the reason he was out here in the first place. Nova hadn't exactly been forthcoming with the purpose of his trip. He dismounted his Sparrow and his boots made a soft crunching sound in the dirt, his feet sinking slightly as he walked, looking around for any sign of why he might have been sent out here.

He thought he might have found his answer when a chirping grunt echoed to his left, and the sudden appearance of a Minotaur caught him unaware. The Vex rotated its arms into position, temporarily shifting itself from left, to almost directly in front of him, the loud whine of its servos and body sounding almost intimidating. It raised its arm and swung downwards, but he jumped back before it could make contact with his helmet. Drawing his Fusion rifle, he charged up a burst and fired; the bolts made contact with the large machine's shield, and it detonated, staggering the Minotaur momentarily. He readied another volley, but his action was cut short by a loud crack that echoed across the canyon. The Minotaur suddenly lurched forward and then fell on its face, Radiolaria dripping from a massive hole in its back.

“You're very welcome,” Nova's voice chimed on his comm.

“It was one Vex, you think I couldn't handle one Vex?” he stepped over the Minotaur's dead shell and traced the direction of the shot. Atop a wide, flat, natural pillar of stone, Nova leaned on her sniper rifle and gave a brief wave. Tobi-17 sighed and jogged over to where she was perched.

“What are we doing out here?” he asked, craning his neck up to look at her.

“Why don't you come on up here with me,” came the very unhelpful reply. Still, shaking his head, he let his Light carry him up and onto the flat pillar above. A wide blanket had been carefully laid out, though it didn't look particularly soft. A small crate lay next to it, open, with a few bags scattered around. Nova had sat down on the blanket, and was gesturing for him to come over near her. Reluctantly, he approached, stepping on the edge of the blanket, and dropping, with his knees crossed.

“Care to explain?” he cocked his head at her impatiently. But the blonde Warlock just giggled and gestured out in front of them. He turned to see what she might be indicating, when it all sank in.

The massive valley ahead of them was glowing white and blue. The mixture of the Light, leftover from when the Traveler first touched down on the surface, to the Radiolaria that now ran through the satellite's crust, cast a bright glow over the hazy yellow-green surface of the planetoid. Small birds chased each other in whirling patterns over the vast expanse, weaving in between the natural rock formations and diving into the glowing ground, only to launch themselves at full speed up and into the sky.

Tobi-17 reached up, undoing the seals on his helmet and taking it off for the first time in hours. The cool breeze immediately touched on his face, and the alloys that constructed his body felt chilled.

“It's beautiful,” he said, not entirely certain of how to react. “So the past few hours, it's all been-?”

“I wanted to have a picnic, you ass.” Nova's smile caused his fans to hitch briefly. “I found this area while I was exploring the caves a few weeks ago, and thought it was lovely. Placed the beacon so I could find it later. I've been coming here just to unwind, but I wanted to share it with you.” Not for the first time, Tobi-17 was glad to not have skin, because he was sure it would be bright red at the admission.

“Well, I'm glad you did,” he responded, not making eye contact and fidgeting. “You don't get too much enemy activity?” his attempt to change the subject was both his way of finding a little bit of mental peace, but he genuinely was curious.

“Not much more than the occasional Vex patrol. Seen a few squads of Taken twitch through here, but not much else.”

She reached into the crate and dug out some sweets, offering him a wrapped cake.

“You know it's not super important for me to have this, right?” he asked, quite stupidly, even for himself. Nova laughed.

“Yes, you fart, but I want you to have it. It's important to me, now eat.”

She sat back down and scooted next to him. The two unwrapped their snacks and watched as the sun made its way past the horizon, the darkening world around them illuminating with the natural light emanating from the ground. She leaned against him, and the two quietly contemplated their surroundings. A jumpship flew past, its engines lighting contrails in the sky, and the beauty of the world felt both fleeting and eternal. And the two Warlocks figured, this would be their spot. And no one would take it from them.

#destinytober #destinytober23 #destiny 2 #fanfic #fanfiction #destiny fanfiction #tobi writes

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