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aspiringtrashpanda · 3 months ago

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I'VE BEEN SO EXCITED TO POST THIS ONE AHHH! So, some may know that I'm currently working on a very long, very angsty fic that was inspired by the RAD Rangers event. I probably won't start posting it anytime soon, perse, but I thought today would be perfect for a little sneak peek! Find the prompt list HERE.

── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

DAY 18 Prompt: Past/Future Featuring Satan & Gender Neutral MC Additional tags: angst, time travel, reunion

The House of Lamentation was in ruin.

Not a single sound left your lips as you surveyed the destruction just outside the untouched guest room door, the air punched from your lungs so swiftly that your vocal cords hadn’t time to react. You would have fallen to your knees in despair if it didn’t pose an active hazard, with chunks of brick and decorative stone littering the ground like tiny razorblades sparkling enticingly. The wall barring the kitchen had been knocked down, multiple gaps revealing the sorry state of the cabinets and appliances. Doors ripped off hinges and metal dented in a manner that would require immense strength, it was evident that a brutal fight had occurred to inflict such damage.

A quick look to the left, and you were met with invasive ivy and the cloying darkness of the Devildom wilderness. Where you had expected to see the entrance to the hall that housed the living room and dining room, there was nothing but piles of brick, shattered mirrors, and singed strips of red carpet. The entire south side of the house was gone.

It looked as though an asteroid had rocketed into the tombs below, ripping through the two levels and plummeting into the basement. The Devildom midnight stretched like an open wound, arcing from the rubble of the dining room through a bedroom above. The moon lit the remains of what had been your haven in a foreign land as you picked your way through the ruins, careful not to trip on rubble and debris. It became hard to breathe, your chest tight as you explored the halls. You wished to blame it on the dust, the dirt stirred after an unidentifiable length of rest, but you knew better. The lump in your throat was directly related to the shards of photos, of treasured vinyl records and expensive computer hardware.

Chunks of an elaborate ceramic dotted with colorful stone sat in a murky puddle at your feet, the rest of Asmodeus’s prized bathtub halved and hanging over what was left of the second floor. Water dripped steadily into the stagnant pool. Drip, drip, drip. With each step you took, a realization took hold of your heart, squeezing it in a vice grip.

Your bedroom—the guest room—was the only space untouched by the devastation. It was as though it had been predetermined, a boundary set, a no-man's-land.

A memorial.

You wanted to cry, to scream, to weep for your home. And yet, your mouth was so dry. From the trees encroaching on the interior of the house, a massive raven fluttered to a splintered rafter, cawing at you as if it demanded answers. You glared in response. Hell, you wanted answers, too.

Wait, you had been woken by the sound of a door, hadn’t you? That meant that someone was in the house.

You paused, straining your ears to make out any other noise around you. A beat passed. A second. Though not a sound was made, you had the distinct impression that you were not alone.

Something familiar was breathing alongside you. An essence, of sorts, within what was left of the walls. You couldn’t place the energy, couldn’t put a name to what you felt, but you knew that someone was there with you. You had to find them.

Tiptoeing towards the skeletal staircase, your gut told you to reach the second floor. You frowned at the state of the steps—the left side was out of the question. Clearly caught up in whatever had taken out the living room, little more than foundation and shattered marble remained. The right side, however, still seemed somewhat stable.

You tried putting your weight on the first step. The stone failed to protest.

Hesitation gripped your limbs. Was this worth it? You cocked your head to the side as you considered... If the staircase collapsed, would the injuries be fatal?

Someone laughed, the sound bouncing down the destroyed hallways above.

You steeled your resolve, choosing to race up the stairs faster than your worry could delay. Luck must have been on your side, for the house kept it together for every step, the sound bringing you to the north side of the building where there seemed to be less damage.

As you crept down the hall, careful not to disturb the dust coating each painting and wall sconce lest you sneeze, the light laughter grew in volume. It was a careful sound. Something you knew wasn’t meant for your ears, and yet it warmed that iron grip on your heart.

For the first time since you had awoken, you felt at home.

When you reached the source of the sound, a room barred by a lopsided door knocked half off its hinges, you could taste your pulse at the back of your throat. Fingers trembling more than the leaves that bloomed above your bed, you carefully pushed the wooden panel blocking your path, your eyes instantly drawn to the hunched figure squatting in the center of the room.

The person whispered softly, long fingers dancing over spines coated with sleek fur of varying colors. Five felines swarmed the man, their purrs melting into a rumbling roar within the four walls where they had learned to nest, to wait for their next meal. Luminous eyes reflected the candlelight that encased the room in a warm glow, muzzles parting to flash sharp teeth mewing in welcome.

The silhouette before you stiffened, the door creaking at your intrusion.

As you threw up your hands to the heavens, the man pulled himself to his full height, brandishing a weapon too close to a gun for your liking. Better yet, he had it pointed directly at your face.

“...Satan?” The name spilled from your lips like boiling water evaporating into nothing.

And Satan hesitated.

At first, you hadn’t recognized him. Not in this shabby trench coat, not with this chestnut hair falling unkempt and overgrown into his face. But those eyes. Those sea green eyes you would recognize anywhere.

It was funny how the Avatar of Wrath, who prided himself on hiding his true feelings, read like an open book. You watched him carefully, each twitch of his lips and flutter of his eyelids alerting you to the thoughts bouncing about his skull. The depth of the crease between his brows told you he was confused, conflicted, torn. You knew better than to confront him, to speak first. No, like the cats in his care, he had to come to you.

So you stood there, with your palms out like a criminal, and waited.

The candlelight flickered. An orange tabby cat mewled.

Then, he spoke, “There’s been a murder on the train.”

You faltered.

The trigger clicked in warning, Satan’s glare narrowing into a look that you immediately recognized meant business. You had seen it many times before. When Beelzebub had emptied out the fridge for the fourth night in a row. When Lucifer had insinuated that Satan’s signature was no different than Lucifer’s himself. When Mammon had been falsely accused of murdering a medium on...

The words exploded from your lips. “Only one version of events is ever true!”

Satan raised a brow, the gun dipping in height as his arm went lax. He said nothing.

You were never good with silence. “That’s what you said, right? On the train. It’s a line from some crime series. I remember, because you and Lucifer had switched bodies, and—”

You expected him to lower the weapon and accept your identity. Perhaps he’d smile and heave a sigh of relief.

You certainly did not anticipate the gun clattering to the ground, startling the cats lingering by his feet. One hissed in annoyance as it bolted into a shadowed alcove in an empty bookcase, the others fleeing beneath the bed frame. Your shadow stretched across the floorboards, waving with the candlelight, mingling in the shape of the other being mere steps away.

A flash of wide eyes and the part of his lips in a shaky exhale was the only warning you received before you were pulled to Satan’s chest.

You felt his skeleton tremble beneath his skin, his fingers dig into the fabric of your suit as if he couldn’t quite believe you were tangible, as if he had to feel you to trust that you were real. The familiar scent of old paperback books and clove swam around you, dunking you into familiarity as his voice shuddered into your ear. “You’re really here.”

He spoke so softly, as if afraid to shatter some sort of false reality.

It almost scared you to ask, “Where would I be?”

Pushing you away, he fixed you with a glare so concerned you wondered if you had spoken in some foreign tongue. “You disappeared.”

You would be lying if you said you hadn’t considered a similar cause to your sudden appearance in the House of Lamentation from years ahead. A part of you understood that you were returning after being erased from that cell under Mammon’s lair. Still, the context was lost on you entirely, and so the surprise was genuine when you gawked, “I what?”

“Disappeared. Vanished.” His hands flexed where they gripped your shoulders, a welcome weight reassuring that you really were there. Satan’s eyes burned with an intensity that had you expecting the worst. “You haven’t been seen in... How long has it been now? Ninety-five years? Ninety-seven?”

A familiar voice snickered in the back of your mind, reminding you that tropes loved round, whole numbers. If what Satan disclosed was true, then the script would be foolish not to clean it up. You gambled, “A hundred years.”

── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──

HEHEHEHE I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE MORE OF THIS STORY. Stay tuned for future updates on it! OBEY ME! MONTH MASTERLIST

#obey me month #obey me satan #obey me mc #gender neutral mc #sneak peek at a long fic #I call it the “villain fic”#so that says a lot #obey me nightbringer #obey me shall we date #day 18

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masiethewriter · 3 months ago

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Honored Eternal Path of Demise CH. 15 - Garden Break

Looking around the garden, Shen Qingqiu also takes in the different flowers and plants. He can't name any of them, though honestly, they likely aren't even real flowers. Many of them look like a cross between multiple plants, the game developers likely just making whatever generic flower assets that came to mind. But it is as Shen Qingqiu is turning this and that way, trying to get a view of all the different flowers that he notices something. In-between the bushes, just out of reach of his hands, lays a... notebook?

First Chapter ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ AO3 Link

"We're finally back," Shen Qingqiu says in relief, feeling as if a great weight has lifted from his shoulders.

"We could really use it as a map," Binghe agrees with a nod, adjusting his hold on Shen Qingqiu slightly now that they don't have to watch out for roots and uneven paths.

Gravel crunch underneath their feet as they finally step out from the forest. The mansion towers above them, dark spires standing in the way of the moonlight. This is not much of a problem though, as this close to the mansion there are lamp posts to show the way.

They find themselves in a big open area mostly covered by loose rock. To one side stand tall trimmed bushes, taller than both Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. Against the mansion is a wooden structure, though what it is for will require a closer inspection. The wall that faces them is purely made of reddened bricks, windows scattered across it.

There is no sight of the entrance they came from, but it is not hard to guess which direction they need to go in order to find it. Finally, they can get back on the prober track.

"Senior, what do you think this area was used for?" Luo Binghe asks, looking around at the big space of nothing.

Shen Qingqiu just shrugs. He doesn't really remember this area, which can either mean it is not somewhere he has visited often or it had nothing of note to make it memorable. He can only guess. "I suppose it could be a place to park vehicles or temporary storage for supplies? It really isn't possible to say."

"Hmm, I suppose that could be." Luo Binghe considers. Then he suddenly points towards the wooden structure. "I want to check out what that is. Would you mind Senior?"

Shen Qingqiu kind of minds. He much rather they just go straight for the entrance. But his leg is becoming heavier with each step and standing still might help with the pulsating sensation it has had for the last stretch.

He gives a "Go ahead". They huddle to the wooden structure.

Getting closer to it, it is revealed that the structure has been built into the mansion, laying low to the ground. Standing beside it, the tallest part barely reaches their knees, two aged wooden doors laying almost flat on top of it. Between the doors rests a heavy padlock.

It becomes obvious that this is some kind of basement entrance.

Binghe brings Shen Qingqiu to the wall and releases his hold on him. Onche he is certain Shen Qingqiu is keeping his balance, he turns his full attention to the new entrance. While this seemingly is another dead end, Luo Binghe clearly wants to try it out first.

The padlock is rusty and old. It doesn't look like something that would even hold Ning Yingying back. Luo Binghe takes hold of it, holding it in a tight grip and pulls.

There is no give.

Using both hands, he tries again to force it open. He shakes it around. He pushes against the structure with his feet, putting all his strength into breaking what appears to be a weak lock.

It stays strong.

With a curse he kicks at it. They aren't getting through this way.

"It doesn't change anything if we can't open it. We need to get back to Ning Yingying first either way," Shen Qingqiu reasons, trying to lessen Luo Binghes frustration.

"I was hoping we could use it as a shortcut. The faster we get out of the rain, the better," Binghe complains, but he returns to Shen Qingqiu's side. He holds out his arm for the other to take.

Shen Qingqiu doesn't remember any connections between the upper floor and the basement. At least not any connections that won't first be unlocked until later. Shortcuts are for later levels, once more sections of the mansion become unlocked.

But he just nods in agreement, leaning against Luo Binghe once more. "We don't know what is down there, so it's better that we just-"

Shen Qingqiu interrupts himself as he has to gasp for breath at a sudden surge of pain coming from his foot. It is so unexpected that his leg gives out. Luo Binghe has to tighten his hold in order to keep Shen Qingqiu from falling.

"Senior!? Are you alright?" Binghe worriedly asks, adjusting his hold so he is holding most of Shen Qingqiu's weight.

Shen Qingqiu can't answer at first, the fire swiftly running up his leg before it calms down again. His breathing becomes heavy as he feels cold sweat on his neck, a shaky hand wiping his forehead. The painkillers are definitely growing weaker.

"I'm fine Binghe, I just... I just need to sit down and rest for a bit." He manages to get out, trying to keep his voice reassuring and light. He doesn’t think he quite manages it.

"Should I get you the last pill?" Luo Binghe offers, looking down at Shen Qingqiu's foot like there is anything he can do about it.

"No, I want to save it until absolutely necessary." Shen Qingqiu rejects. "If we just take a break then I should be fine."

The cold hard rock is not a welcoming resting place though, something Luo Binghe agrees with. He and Shen Qingqiu are quick to turn their attention towards the other end of the area, where the tall bushes stand. This is the direction they would have to go for the entrance either way, so they might as well look out for a seat while going the right way.

They quickly find that the bushes function as a divide between the gloomy forest and a smaller garden area. Pots and plots are filled to the brim with flowers in every color and shape. Each kind have their glistening heads turned towards the sky, as if drinking directly from the falling rain. The loose gravel turns to smooth stone, narrow winding paths twisting around the flower beds.

In the middle of the garden stands a single light post, with a drenched bench right beneath its light. Tall flower stalks and blooming bushes surround it, giving an air of feigned privacy, as it is impossible not to see the bench no matter where you stand in the garden.

Binghe hurries towards it. He quickly sets Shen Qingqiu down on the bench. There is nothing they can do to dry it up, but by now, they both have accepted the state the rain and mud has left them in. For now, Shen Qingqiu can only lift his leg, resting it against the length of the bench. He can immediately feel the difference, the pain much more manageable when there is no weight on it.

"How are you feeling?" Binghe asks, hands hovering nervously like he doesn't know what to do with them.

"I should be fine resting here for now," Shen Qingqiu starts. He relates to Luo Binghe's restlessness, but at least Luo Binghe can do something about it where he can't. "Binghe can look around for anything useful. Once you are done checking the area, I should be good to continue on."

Luo Binghe presses his lips together as he considers Shen Qingqiu's suggestion.

"Are Senior sure he will be fine?" he asks, suddenly speaking all old-fashioned again.

"This Senior can rest by himself for a few minutes. Having Binghe hover by his side is not going to hurry it up," Shen Qingqiu grumple, copying Luo Binghes tone. Really Binghe, don't you feel embarrassed speaking like that?

"Okay then. I won't go far, so just call if you need me," Luo Binghe agrees after a minute of deliberation.

It all leaves Shen Qingqiu with an annoying sense of deja-vu, it not even being that long since they had a similar conversation. But really, that time ended up being fine and they really don't have to constantly stick together. Splitting up can be perfectly safe in small doses, as long as the party doesn't go too far from each other.

As the original goods, Shen Qingqiu should be extra safe to split off from other characters as that is basically all he did in the original game.

Fortunately, Binghe doesn't hang back as much as before and soon he is out of sight. Like this, Shen Qingqiu can finally lay his head back on the hard bench, taking a moment to curse the state he finds himself in.

He is cold to the point of freezing. He is wet to the point of drowning. He is muddy to the point of being buried. And out of it all, his hurt foot, naked without a shoe and sock, feels the worst out of all.

Once he takes the last pill, they are on a timer for how long he can keep going. He has already held out longer than he thought he would. But once the pills aren't keeping his leg in check, he won't be more than a blubbering mess. He feels nauseous just at the thought of feeling the full inferno of agony again. Once they are out of painkillers he won’t have much of a choice.

A break was the right choice, though. Like this, he is able to press his hands into his leg, massaging at the pained muscles. It helps with the surging aches that make themselves known at varying intervals. He really should be ready to get going once Binghe is back from his little exploration.

But it is as Shen Qingqiu is turning this and that way, trying to get a view of all the different flowers that he notices something. In-between the bushes, just out of reach of his hands, lays a... notebook?

Like the drawing, it is hard to see with just the single light and his blurry eyesight. And he can't reach it while stuck on the bench.

His curiosity takes hold of him. He doesn't even think of waiting for Luo Binghe to return.

Slowly and carefully he maneuvers himself down from the bench. Keeping his foot above the wet ground he drags himself into the bushes, until he can take hold of the book. Using his body as cover from the rain, he flips it open.

It is full of text, though the handwriting is too fine to read like this. It is even smaller than the text on this child's drawing, so he stands no chance of making it out. But every few pages start with two words, written much larger and clearer.

It is not hard to guess that he has found someone's diary. But again, it is quite strange...

Like the drawing, Shen Qingqiu has no memory of any diary from the first level. What is it with new items suddenly appearing? Whatever the diary contains he will have to wait and find out when Binghe gets back. Without his glasses, the only thing of note he finds is that the last pages have been ripped out.

Shen Qingqiu pockets his find and moves to return to the bench. He can feel the strain of keeping his hurt leg above the mud and he wouldn't mind some more rest before Binghe returns.

Then he hears the sounds of footsteps.

Heavy footsteps.

Alarm surges through his stomach and before he can think, he throws himself down. He holds his breath and waits.

Only a few seconds pass. From his current vantage point there isn't much for Shen Qingqiu to see. Then a hovering shadow appears. There is no mistaking the oversized physique of the Killer.

He is back on their trail.

As he steps into Shen Qingqiu's point of view, he has his back turned to him. Shen Qingqiu can see nothing but the back of his coat and the head of the axe as it is slung across his shoulder. For once, no sounds seem to leave the Killer, no heavy breathing.

A morbid kind of curiosity makes Shen Qingqiu want to see his face. To see if there are any marks from when Binghe attacked him with the poisonous bushes.

Speaking of Luo Binghe, Shen Qingqiu can only assume he hasn't been found by the Killer. The Killer's movement is too leisurely as he walks through the garden. Hopefully Binghe will hear him and hide like Shen Qingqiu. They can still get away from this.

Or rather, Binghe can get away from this.

Shen Qingqiu has not had much hope for himself for a long while by now. But that does not mean he is giving up! Right now, the best course of action would be for Binghe to see the Killer and then sneak away. When looking at it from a practical approach, abandoning Shen Qingqiu now would be the better move.

Here is what the logic should be from Luo Binghe's point of view: Either Shen Qingqiu has been found by the Killer or he hasn't. If he has been found, then it is too late. He would be dead and Binghe should hurry to move on and find Ning Yingying. If the Killer hasn't found Shen Qingqiu, then it is still better to leave.

If Shen Qingqiu is hidden, then waiting for the Killer to leave on his own is his best course of action. Once he is gone, Shen Qingqiu can crawl away by himself.

But who knows how long the Killer will stay in this area?

Binghe by himself can easily reach the entrance and follow their original plan during this time. He can warn Ning Yingying and they can together look for a way out.

Having to drag Shen Qingqiu with him, they won't be fast enough. The entrance is too far away. And there is no way Shen Qingqiu can get away quietly.

They will have to split up for real, but Shen Qingqiu has already spent so much time with Binghe. It is time he goes back to being on his own and trying to gain progress by himself. He appreciates his time with Binghe and now he needs to-

Binghe is hiding in the bushes in front of him.

Looking past the Killer, the trail is quite narrow. There are only a few meters between the flower beds Shen Qingqiu is laying in and a plot of blooming bushes in front of him. And between those bushes, a wild ponytail and steadfast eyes look right at Shen Qingqiu.

...

Binghe... Did saving you that one time really change your instinctual animosity with the original goods? Gratitude should only last for so long, what are you still risking your life for, for this old senior?

The Killer has his back turned to the both of them. Shen Qingqiu uses the opportunity to raise his upper body enough to wave Binghe away. Clearly pointing him in the direction he needs to go. To be certain he gets his point across, he motions that Binghe should leave him.

Luo Binghe clearly sees Shen Qingiu's act. He gives no sign of moving. Instead he slowly shakes his head before lifting up an item for Shen Qingqiu to see. Then he points first at himself then at Shen Qingqiu's area.

Shen Qingqiu squints his eyes to try to see what it is, but it is no use. Maybe if he had more light to work with, but like this it is just a dark shape. He does understand what Binghe is trying to say and he decidedly shakes his head. The Killer is right here! What hope does he have of getting Shen Qingqiu out of the garden?

Luo Binghe looks over at the Killer, following his pathing for a few seconds. Then he disappears back behind the bushes. Shen Qingqiu loses track of him quickly. He has no way of looking for him without revealing himself. The flowerbed he finds himself in is in the middle of the garden. There is no way in or out without exposing yourself to the light.

The Killer also doesn't appear to be in the mood to move on. Following the narrow path, he walks around the same circles, never too far from the center. If Binghe has anything planned, Shen Qingqiu does not have high hopes of it succeeding. Rather, he hopes he listened to reason and is on his way by now.

For some reason, Shen Qingqiu does not believe that to be the case.

Instead, a growing nausea is rising in his throat. His hands feel jittery and like he is about to break out of his skin. He realises it is anticipation. Anticipation for whatever Luo Binghe is about to do. Anticipation for it leading to his death. The unknown makes him feel sick and he takes out the diary again.

If he is about to die any second, then he might as well try to gain any knowledge he can from this book, since he will likely not see it for a long time.

Sadly it is not possible to force one's eyesight to get better. The loss of his glasses only becomes more and more of a frustration. Instead, he can try to gain some more light and hope it will help.

Worming his way closer to the light pole, he does his utmost to keep quiet and not catch the Killer's attention. Once he is right underneath the light, he once again looks at the diary. Trying to find any page with something readable. Any page with larger writing or words that stick out or-

With a crash, the light above him explodes. Immediately, the entire garden turns black. The sound of glass crashing to the ground sounds out around him, a few pieces falling on his back. He barely has time to register what just happened. In the next second a pair of hands encircles him, dragging him back up.

The Killer shouts, sounds of running coming closer, but he is as blind in the dark as Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe. They do not crash into each other as Luo Binghe practically carries Shen Qingqiu out of the flowerbed and out of the garden.

Gravel crunch underneath their feet as they step back out on the open area they were before. Whether the Killer hears them, they don't wait to find out. His feet barely touching the ground, Shen Qingqiu can only allow Binghe to bring them to the basement entrance. There he reveals what item he was showing off earlier.

A key. And as Binghe puts it inside the heavy padlock, it is both their luck that it fits. Not wasting time, Binghe wriggles it off and then he uses all his strength to lift the heavy wooden doors.

Shen Qingqiu would help, but he can only lean against the wall watching out for the Killer. He has not appeared yet, not begun a determined chase. His bellows can still be heard from inside the garden. It is only a question of time before he seeks out the light. By then, Binghe and Shen Qingqiu have to be gone.

The wooden doors fall open and Binghe isn't able to completely silence their fall. Instead, he just grabs hold of Shen Qingqiu again, pulling him down the staircase. He doesn't even attempt to close the doors behind them. Instead he hurries them inside, the walls closing in around them.

The last thing Shen Qingqiu sees of the outside is the Killer bursting out from the garden, axe ready in his hands.

Now, their only hope is finding a place to hide in time.

#SVSSS #BingQiu #BingYuan #Luo Binghe #Shen Yuan #Shen QIngqiu #scum villain's self saving system #scum villain self saving system #scumvillain #mxtx #AO3 Link

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bigfan-fanfic · 2 years ago

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A Better Big Three (Peter Parker x Percy Jackson x Dick Grayson x Reader)

Requested by @jayfeather965 for Can you write a fic on a game night Mariokart with Peter, Percy, and Dick?

Percy is surprised to find out he has the most normal schedule of all of them besides you.

But since he doesn't go out vigilante-ing at night, it actually makes sense.

However, Percy has insisted upon a game night.

Your apartment is a nice one, with space enough for all of you. Dick has paid for a lot of it from the money from his dad, and Bruce was happy to assist Peter because of his own work with the Justice League.

So it's fun to take advantage of this comfy place. Getting to slip a couple of pizzas in the oven, and preparing a space for game night is exciting, especially as you know that unless Dick or Peter has been captured by a villain, they'll make it over to spend all night and most of the morning with you makes it much better.

Percy tends to get a little frisky with excess energy when game night rolls around - this usually manifests in kisses and affection for you, playful wrestling from him, and sometimes Percy remembering suddenly he has a stash of blue candy to share for the night.

Peter arrives home first. Thankfully, Dick's dad supplied a secret basement entrance so that Spiderman isn't seen slinging in through the window in costume.

Percy tackles him excitedly as soon as he's through the door, swinging him around to make sure he gives you both greeting kisses.

Peter's schedule still consists of doing labs and college classes, then web swinging and getting pictures to sell to the Daily Bugle. (Considering Dick is happy to use his family wealth to support you all, but Peter and Percy are reluctant to use it, coming from poorer backgrounds, Peter mainly uses this job as a source of personal income so he can buy things for you all or for friends without getting money from you all (though he has relaxed his view on gifts).)

So more often than not he is exhausted. Which is why it's important to have these times.

Thankfully there's no web slinging or vigilante-ing tonight.

You happily direct Peter to get comfy and relax, ordering him to shower since he smells a little like the subway right now.

Dick comes in, smirking a little at how eager Percy is to see him.

"Did we get a puppy?" he teases, and Percy pokes him in the side. "Awww, come on."

"Stop being mean." Percy gives a mock-pout, and Dick kisses him.

"I think you'd be cute with a little blue collar. Give you a trident token?"

Percy shoves him and rolls his eyes, but his cheeks darken, and you giggle.

You propose putting something on tv to watch, but Percy groans, so everybody grabs a couple of pizza slices and prepares to race.

There are high stakes involved, after all.

You play the Grand Prix mode, and each tournament has something bet on it.

It starts simple, like picking tomorrow's dinner, to what movie to watch later, to the more risque things.

Dick almost never wins - he's terrible at MarioKart, but he doesn't mind losing, so he's just happy to play.

Peter and Percy get a little more competitive, and often you end up winning because they end up jostling each other and trying to distract one another.

There are playful jibes and complaints over the items used, but it's all in good fun.

In addition, pajamas are the required attire, but while there is no "strip MarioKart" rules in place, it's almost an unspoken rule at this point that the races continue until at least one person has removed all their clothes.

The night continues swimmingly - sometimes board games get played after, sometimes it turns into movie night - and sometimes things continues with other games until you need to order some more food!

But it's always great to play together and have a break from life, together.

#male reader #dick grayson x male reader #peter parker x male reader #percy jackson x male reader #dc headcanons #marvel x male reader #marvel headcanons #pjo headcanons #headcanons

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hometoursandotherstuff · 2 years ago

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Instead of criticizing, I’m getting into looking at these renovated historic homes with a more non-judgemental eye, b/c it is what it is. This is an 1890 home in Grand Rapids, Michigan that has been redone inside and out. It has 4bd. 4ba. $795K. First thing we notice on the exterior - narrow vinyl siding and some new stone.

Entrance foyer.

They went with painting the wood black. I would say that this really requires commitment, b/c after that first panel is painted, there’s no turning back.

Lovely curved glass window.

They went with modern replacement lighting.

Flooring was replaced with modern light wood, apparently, as a contrast to the black.

Modernized sitting room. Looks like a wall may have been removed.

Sunroom off the sitting room was fitted with modern windows.

Vintage-y powder room. Notice the original hardware on the door.

Bright dining room redo - wainscoting and built-in cabinetry painted white with contrasting darker wallpaper and a modern light fixture.

Reno’d kitchen has no upper cabinetry and very pale gray lowers. They chose a solid marble style backsplash.

New doors on the built-in storage.

An original door in the kitchen.

Leads to a newly done back porch.

Curved stair landing. Glad that they did the balustrades in white.

Completely modernized bd. and en-suite.

Cleanly modern hall to the other bds. and baths.

This bd. retains some of the original features, but the hearth has been bricked over. The en-suite is a small shower room.

Original door and built-in linen closets painted white.

Newly redone bath with a vintage tub.

2nd fl. laundry room.

Attic stairs and finished attic space.

Walk-in closet.

This is so cute in the basement, isn’t it?

Some architectural details.

Nice yard and garage.

Close proximity to the business district.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/241-Madison-Ave-SE-Grand-Rapids-MI-49503/23814498_zpid/

#renovated victorian #houses #house tours #home tour

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stabby-stabby-yall · 1 month ago

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Madaparty theme 1: Penguins!

I've so busy I didn't have time to prep anything so

Here's my first ever public fanfic!! Written in two days and almost completely unedited. I'm so tired I might actually be sick ngl.

Summary: When Private finds out that Rico's birthday is coming soon, he begs Skipper to throw a party. But things keep going wrong, and no one is sure they'll meet their deadline.

(can also be read on ao3!)

Skipper wakes up at six am on the dot, ready to take full advantage of his team's free schedule for the next week. The zoo had temporarily closed due to a ‘dangerous and unexplainable chasm’ that appeared in front of the entrance overnight the day before. He would be concerned if it weren't for the fact that he knew Kowalski and Rico snuck out to perform weapons testing that night. He gets his much needed coffee, before promptly turning all the lights to their highest settings.

“Up and at ‘em boys! We've got a packed day, full of team building exercises!” He grinned at his team's groans. Did they really think he wasn't going to use this opportunity to get in some bonding?

“Sir,” Kowalski groaned from his bunk, “with all due respect, do you really think team building exercises are the best way for us to spend the only free week we get until winter?”

“Positive, now on your feet soldiers!”

Private slid out of his bunk, looking half awake and like he'd lost a fight with his blanket it was so tangled. “Please, can't we have the week off? Or at least the day?” he looked at him with such pitiful eyes Skipper almost gave in right there, but his resolve remained strong.

At least until Kowalski pointed out that “Where will we even go? Our regular exercise area is under construction, remember?” He shot a look at Rico, who looked away nervously.

“Of course I do!” He had, he Just- didn't process that most of their team building exercises required the open area of the entrance to pull off. “But I guess if you're all going to be a bunch of nancy cats, we can wait until winter.” His team cheered, before Kowalski and Rico split off into the lab and garage respectively. Private moved to turn on the TV, until Skipper set a flipper in front of him.

“What do you think you're doing, soldier?”

“Oh- the Lunacorn’s movie is airing today! I was going to watch it before I got spoiled.” He shot him a bright smile and asked, “Do you want to watch it with me, Skippah?”

Skipper, who worked hard to keep his grimace under wraps, shook his head. “Negatory, Private. In fact, I have a very important mission for you instead,” he leaned close, “I need you to sort through the old files in our storage, and destroy all the unnecessary ones.”

Private looked disappointed, but nodded and walked off to where they kept the papers. Skipper wasn't lying, they really did need to get rid of those files, but he had another reason to keep Private away from the TV today. After all, he wasn't the only one whose favorite show had something new to watch. He flicked the channels until it landed on Shirtless Ninja Action Theater, and settled in to watch the new episode.

#####

Skipper leaned forward as the actor performed a near perfect spinning kick, landing so solidly he was almost convinced they were professionally trained. He cheered as their opponent went down easily, before the basement door slammed open with Private breathing heavily on the other side, a paper in his flipper.Private speaks before he can, gasping out excitedly “Did you know Rico's birthday is soon?” and pointing at the calendar in his flipper.

Skipper, who had gotten into a fighting position instinctively, blinked at him. It was soon, he thought, but he didn't understand why that fact set Private off like that. He kept going, though, asking “What are we going to do for it?”

“Same thing we do for everyone,” he shrugged. “Let ‘im sleep in and get him some good fish.” Private though, looked surprised.

“That's it? We aren't going to have a party, or do anything?”

“It's the way we always do it, Private. I know you've only been with us a short time, but you must've noticed that.”

Private shook his head sadly. Skipper sighed as he realized that this was going to become An Issue, and that he'd better cut it off now, before he got any ideas.

“Look, it's tradition. No need for it to be a big deal. Besides, what else would we even do?”

He regretted asking as soon as he saw Private’s eyes started to literally sparkle. “Can I please throw him a party?” he asked.

He was saved from crushing his dreams when Kowalski walked out of the lab. He glanced between the two of them.

Private rushed towards him, with stars in his eyes, and asked "Don't you think we should throw a party, Kowalski?"

Kowalski took a step back and shielded his eyes. “What- stop looking at me like that- what for?”

“The private wants to throw Rico a birthday party.”

Private jumped towards him, giving him the full force of his cuteness. “Oh, please Kowalski, don't you think I could throw a smashing party?”

“Well, I suppose we could, now that the zoo's closed, but-” Private shot him his most hopeful and adorable expression, and Kowalski couldn't resist. “You know, I do have some experimental firework designs I've been wanting to try…”

“Not you too Kowalski! Come on, have some sense. It's what we do every time!”

“Well, maybe we could try something new! Wouldn't that be grand?”

“It would be great team building!” Kowalski added.

The combined force of both their hopeful faces made him break. “Fine, you can have your party! But I'm sticking to tradition.”

#####

Private grinned as he climbed up the ladder and entered the zoo proper. He'd find the perfect spot for Rico, somewhere nice and pretty! He slid around the other habitats, waving to some of his neighbors as he went. Even though Skipper always maintained his distance with them, he couldn't help but want some relationship with the people he shared a zoo with, even if it was only cordial. In the distance he could hear someone complain about the lack of guests, and how ‘on days like these they don't even brush my mane, can you believe them Marty?’.

He climbed up on top of a fence for a better view of the zoo, hoping to have something jump out at him. Nearby, he noticed an empty habitat that looked promising, and he slid over to it. When He jumped onto the ledge overlooking it though, he almost fell back in surprise. The habit was a wreck, with scratches on the walls, holes in the floor, and odd staining everywhere. He was worried to even try and take a closer look with how close it looked to collapsing in on itself. It clearly hadn't been taken care of since whatever animal was inside was removed. He decided to move on.

The next spot he found was similar, perfect until he looked closer. The others were much of the same. He moved through the zoo, stopping at any spots that looked promising, but couldn't find anything good enough. He'd begun to feel a little saddened, doubtful he'd find any place at all, until he stumbled on somewhere perfect. It was tucked in-between two habitats, one full of cute little hedgehogs and one full of nice sea lions. It had a beautiful mural on the wall behind it with a bunch of lovely sayings, and over the wall you could hear the sounds of children laughing at a nearby playground. It would be perfect.

Except it didn't feel right. Something about imagining Rico here felt wrong, even though Private thought it was the perfect spot!

Maybe he just- needed a change in perspective. He imagined himself as Rico, being here looking at this spot, and that's when it clicked. When he thought about it, of course Rico wouldn't like this spot. The other residents were too nice, the mural was too mushy, and the laughter grated on his ears. Of course he wouldn't want a party here. And, honestly? He wasn't sure it would be a good idea to have the kind of party Rico liked here.

He'd find a better spot, one that fit with his new understanding of what it needed. He couldn't think of any he'd seen, so he turned to look around even more, but realized in shock that there was no more zoo to search. He'd have to find something outside the zoo then.

But Private soon realized he didn't know anything about the park that surrounded the zoo, and as he hopped over the wall, he didn't know where to begin. As he began wandering around, he checked for any good areas and avoided any humans. So caught up in this was he that he ran right into someone.

“Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't paying attention,” he exclaimed.

“It is alright,” a voice with a heavy Spanish accent responded. He was a tall, well built otter with green eyes and a relaxed smile. “What has you in such a rush?” he asked, holding out his hand.

Private smiled back and took it. “I'm trying to find a spot for a friend's birthday party,” he answered, “I don't suppose you have any suggestions? I don't come here often,” he added nervously.

The otter thought for a moment, and then lit up. “I do, if you go towards the east you will find a lake perfect for penguins like you.”

Private beamed, thanking the otter before running in the direction he'd been pointed towards.

#####

Kowalski groaned as he slammed his head on his desk. What was supposed to be a quick and easy build and rest process had spiralled incredibly, and now he only had three days until Rico's birthday. At first, he'd only realized the weight distribution was off, that the fireworks wouldn't even be able to fly without going wildly off course. With the area Private described for the location, that would go beyond bad right into disastrous. So he switched to a lighter fuel source. When he ran the test again though, the fuel wasn't strong enough to lift more than the slightest bit of the ground.

This had been going on for days. Not a single attempt had worked, and not only was he running out of options, but also materials. So he'd taken to carefully sketching out designs and writing the calculations, scraping anything that had a hint of failure. He was so close to giving up, scraping the whole project and coming up with something more basic. But he wanted this to work, because for all his doubts he knew Rico would love them.

He scribbled out another attempt. He just had to find a balance between weight and fuel. But, as Kowalski checked his numbers again,and marked another failure, he realized that-

There wasn't anything left. He had exhausted every possibility, every set of values had ended in failure. He'd have to invent an entirely new design, build one from the ground up, and Kowalski knows he's good but even he couldn't do that with the time and materials he had. He puts his head into his flippers, willing himself to calm down and think of a solution. He looked back to his diagram.

If the weight wasn't a problem, then he could just have it fire off small amounts of fuel at a time, but it is, so if he could just solve that-

He stopped. Looked at his paper. And began to form an idea.

Because, maybe, he could get rid of the need for it to be lightweight, because what if they didn't need to fly? After all, fireworks weren't the only type of celebratory explosions, and he could change the input-

“Eureka!” Kowalski cried out, and he began to sketch a new design for grounded fireworks.

#####

Skipper huffed to himself as he snuck past the construction crew, not like they were paying any attention. He hitched a ride on one of their outgoing trucks into the city proper, aiming for the fish market he always got the team’s gifts from. Really, he didn't know why Kowalski and Private insisted on making it so complicated. If they hadn't combined forces like that- well, he'd probably still be here, the night before the party, getting fish. But it's the principle of it all!

Besides, birthdays weren't a big deal, they were just a sign that you were getting older and closer to retirement. That didn't need celebrating.

But, here he was. Preparing for a party he doesn't see the point in and won't enjoy, just for his boys. At least the number of explosions from the lab had gone down drastically, so either Kowalski figured out his problems or he gave up.

Skipper leapt off the truck in front of the market. It was closed, but that didn't mean much to an agent like him. But when he slipped inside, it was empty. Not just of people, but of fish too. Everything was gone.

It was a trap, it had to be. Maybe by Hans, or worse- Blowhole! He moved deeper in, sticking to shadows, when he came across two workers. He listened for more information.

“You idiot! How did you not place a single order!? It's your one job!”

“Look, Jamie told me he was handling it! So I took the day off, and I came back to no orders and an empty market!”

“And you trusted him to do that, why? Kids only been ‘ere a week. It's why we only have him stock.”

“Yeah, I know Kam. But I had to get home quick, what with Mary and-”

Skipper decided to stop listening. It wasn't a trap, just a supposed mistake, but that still meant he needed to come up with a new gift. Not a big deal, he knew Rico well enough to have another plan. It would be even better than Private's and Kowalski’s, he decided. He slides towards where he knows a toy store is, and slips in through a vent. His eyes scan the aisles until they land on his goal. A large box of doll clothes sat, and he cracked it open with glee.

He began sorting through them, picking out anything that might fit Rico's lady friend. He ends up with a sizable pile, and he's sure he'll find something perfect.

Until he actually starts looking through them.

“Too glittery,” Skipper said to himself, “too cheap, too gaudy, way too revealing, this is being sold to kids?” he shook his head. Was there really nothing? He continued.

“Too frilly, too bright, is that tie-dye? Hippies.” He'd reached the end of the pile, with absolutely nothing to show for it. That wasn't good. He didn't have a backup-backup plan. He began to wander, hitching another ride. He looked at the stores they passed, contemplating. He'd known Rico the longest, out of his remaining team. Surely he knew him well enough to come up with something?

Suddenly, something caught his eye. In the window of a shop was something so beautiful, he knew it would be perfect. A set of blades, with wavy patterns on the blade, and expertly carved handles. Skipper hopped off the car he'd rode, which had parked anyway, and snuck towards the shop.

He let out a low whistle. They were even better up close, and he could just imagine them carving through meat. He slipped into the shop unnoticed to pay for them.

#####

Rico woke up, feeling more rested than he should with how late he stayed up last night, and knew something was wrong immediately. Because even though the lights are off, he can see out the windows and it is very bright out. When he checks, no one else is in their bunks. The only reason they were allowed to sleep in was if someone was in bad shape, and, when he thought about it, birthdays, but he would definitely have remembered one of those. His team has been acting weird for days, looking weirdly smug and going out for a long time each. He should've known something was wrong-

He jumps as he hears the lab door open, and turns to see Skipper walk out with Kowalski. “At ease, soldier. What's got you all worked up?”

Rico blinked at him. He gestured to the not-quite dark HQ, and to the empty bunks. Skipper raised an eyebrow and shared a look with Kowalski.

“Rico, do you remember what day it is?” Kowalski asked, looking like he was trying not to laugh. At Rico’s blank look, he sighed. “Did you really forget your own birthday?”

His eyes widened, and he clapped his flippers together. Not only was nothing wrong, but it was his birthday! But, as he looked around for his special breakfast, he noticed not only were there no fish, but Private was still missing. He turned back to the others, who were now sitting at the table. “Fiiish?”

Skipper looked at the clock on the wall. Just as he began to answer, Private slid into the room smiling. “It's all ready! Now we just have to wait for- oh! Hello Rico!”

Now he was curious, but he didn't get to ask anything before Private began ushering them all forward. He led them through the tunnels until Rico was sure they had left the zoo area. They finally entered the park through a hatch, but Private stopped.

“We want this to be a surprise, so you're going to need to wear this!” He held out a white blindfold, the same one they used for training. Rico glared at it before putting it on. He was led further, until they came to a stop. He thought he could hear water nearby.

“Okay, you can look now!” As Rico pulled off the blindfold, he looked around. There was a small shack, well taken care of, and a large concrete pad around it. Set on a picnic blanket he didn't even know they had, he saw a container full of huge fish. In the middle of the concrete were some weird looking machines that were probably what had Kowalski looking so smug all week.

“I bartered with some of the bigger animals for some of their fish! I also got everything you could want for sushi,” said Private, “I thought we could eat while we watched what Kowalski put together.”

“Before we do that,” Skipper cut in, “how ‘bout you open your gift first?” He gestured to a package he hadn't noticed earlier, and when he tore through the paper, he let out a gasp. They were beautiful, handcrafted blades, perfectly sharp. They were perfect, he thought as he cut though the fish like it was paper.

“Kitchen knives! Good thinking, Skipper,” said Kowalski, coming back from making adjustments to the machine, “it’s primed and ready whenever.”

“Then let's eat so we can watch this light show!”They all made their sushi, then sat on the blanket and watched as the machine lit up. It began to fire off bright sparks of every color, random at first, then splitting off into different shapes. It was incredible, and impressive that Kowalski had managed this.

With its last few sparks it spelled out, in red and blue letters, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICO”. He clapped when it was over, cheering. He saw Skipper smile next to him.

“Well boys, I think Operation: Celebration was a success, don't you?” Everyone agreed.

“Does this mean we can do this for everyone?” Private asked.

Skipper rolled his eyes, but still smiled. “I guess we could. We can make this our new thing.” Rico smiled excitedly. This was so much better than tradition.

#2024madagascarparty #tpom #the penguins of madagascar #Fanfic #We a little late but it's fineeee #This is also barely edited LMAO #tpom skipper #tpom kowalski #tpom rico #tpom private

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nepofm · 8 months ago

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* ꗃ event unlocked . . . CASINO NIGHT !

hey ues readers . it’s finally hitting seventy degrees out so that means spring is here and with that so are this season’s most anticipated events . and we’ve got word on a new exclusive grand opening party for you .

club 1919 is a new speakeasy that’s making waves in manhattan’s social circle . located in the basement level of the empire hotel , this club is rumored to be the next exclusive location . a callback to prohibition , this club serves prohibition-era cocktails and operate just like a speakeasy with a nondescript entrance requiring a password . but you didn’t think it’d be that easy , did you ? passwords change monthly and only communicated to members via word-of-mouth . this grand opening party is simply to give everyone a taste of what club 1919 has to offer .

and what better way to commemorate this opening than a casino night theme ? a perfect juxtaposition between elegance and pure debauchery . and of course , it wouldn’t be an event with manhattan’s elite without a dress code . this will be a black tie event and as usual , we expect to see your best .

event invites were sent out months in advance so i hope for your sake , your invitation didn’t get lost in the mail . word has it that the invite list is exclusive and comprised of celebrities , influencers and most of the upper east side social scene . anyone who’s anyone will be here . and as always , make sure your nepoupdates notifications are on ! we’d hate for you to miss out on a good time .

OOC DETAILS

out of character: this is a full length event ! the duration is three weeks , starting on friday , may 17th at 12:00 am est and will last until sunday , june 2nd at 11:59 pm est .

in character: the party will take place in the span of one night on friday , may 3rd at 8:00pm at club 1919 in the empire hotel . dress code is BLACK TIE FORMAL . along with the club's signature drinks catered specifically for the grand opening party , an open bar will be available to attendees as well as a varity of food selections . additionally , there will be live musical performances throughout the night . you can view this pinterest board for event inspiration . this is a dash only event .

event participation is optional , however highly encouraged ! by participating in the event , you can apply for 10 points from our points system ! points can be redeemed for both ooc & ic prizes .

please utilize the #nepofm.event009 tag for any event related posts be it muse outfits or starters . feel free to share your muse’s outifts in our ooc discord channels as well !

nepoupdates will be interactively involved in the event . muses can send in anonymous ( or not ) tips to the gossip blog .

once the event is over , you may continue & finish the threads from the event but please do not start any new ones ! if you decide to fade to black plots for event , please leave plotting updates for nepoupdates .

finally , this event is 100% about character & connections development as well as fun for both muses & muns ! if you have any questions , please don’t hesitate to reach out to admins on main or through our #questions channel on discord !

#nepofm.event

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blackjackkent · 11 months ago

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South of Felogyr's is a run-down looking building with a buncho f people hanging out next to it complaining about how bad it stinks of rot. Seems promising for something to stick our noses into.

There's a fairly obvious hidden door on the lower side of the building which seems like a good place to start.

Narrator: Set into the mansion's faded exterior, you see the faintest outline of a door. An entrance designed to provide the utmost discretion. The door pulses with a heavy, melancholic magic. Whatever lies behind it concerns the living and the dead. You sense it waits for the right words - it requires permission to open.

Aha - this is where Mystic Carrion is, because the passcode we found earlier is one of the dialogue options.

"Secreta mortuorum."

Narrator: The door shudders. It has no choice but to let you inside.

The wall slides open, and a barely audible voice whispers, "Mystic Carrion awaits..."

Very creepy. :P In we go!

The area is officially labeled "Philgrave's Mansion", and this basement entry area is quite nice actually.

Wandering into the next room, though, things immediately get weird.

Hello there.

"You do not have an appointment! What possible reason could you have to enter the presence of Mystic Carrion?"

Interesting. He is clearly dead, like some of the strange beggars we've seen wandering around, or the facepaint-selling mummy at the circus, or indeed Withers, who he distinctly resembles on some level. He lacks Withers' composure, though; he tries to speak with a similar sort of gravitas but comes across more like a carnival barker.

(A/N: One of our available dialogue options here indicates something that we aren't yet supposed to know about another sidequest; we'll skip that for now and come back when we've done the quest in the right order. Yay sequence-breaking bugs. XD )

"What kind of appointments do you offer?" Hector asks politely, trying not to look as bewildered as he feels.

"That depends on what torments you!" the creature says. "Love. Vengeance. Regret. The dead can be put to all sorts of purposes, in the hands of one adept at their manipulation. I am a spirit medium, one who wanders the hazy boundaries of mortality bearing the intentions of the living and the knowledge of the dead." He leans forward, squints at Hector intently. "You do not possess the aptitude to attempt such a journey - nor are you the caliber of client I would usually offer to escort."

Bit rude, that. "What kind of clients *do* you accept?"

"Only a very select few," Mystic Carrion purrs. "Taken from the highest reaches of society. I find them to be far more appreciative of my services than the average mourner. And far more generous in paying for them."

"And what do these services involve?" Hector asks warily.

"Whatever the customer desires! Or at least, whatever they can afford. Each brings their own desperation. Some crave a word of solace, some wish to see, to summon, to torment. I provide for them all, according to their merit. You are not deserving of such a gift. Unless you've some other purpose here, our consultation is at an end."

Hector thinks he has this creature's measure now. It's a bottom-feeder, a parasite, using its connection with spirits beyond the veil to prey on mourners desiring a last look at a lost love or a last attack on a lost enemy. And Hector's pretty sure he doesn't like it much.

He does sell some useful stuff, however, including the ever-valuable cloud giant fingers and a set of armor that is particularly good for Jaheira. So not a total loss, I suppose.

He also has a potential job for us - seeking out some zombies (including their leader, named Thrumbo) who ran away from his employ. I think these are the weird zombie beggars we've run into previously, like the one who let us pay to hit him in the face. He'll pay us to bring them back; I'm not sure Hector feels super good about it, though. He doesn't like this guy much.

Told him we'd think about it but I don't think Hector's going to think very hard. We might ask the zombers about the situation if we see them again though.

#bjk plays baldur's gate 3 #hector carlisle

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snakegorl212006 · 1 year ago

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Welcome to your new home pt 2

Up the middle stairs,down the left hall, passing 3-4 doors there was,finally, the (favorite color) door with a colorful paper which says Welcome with a smiley face. I opened the door to my new room. It was beautiful, enchanting,but it’s eerie. Most of my things that were moved out of my old room were here and organized into their rightful places. While exploring the room getting familiar with my surroundings, there on the black wooden desk was another white envelope in similar fashion to the last one. Once opened it dropped a pen and one more key. Inside was also another letter

Hello again, If you find this, i suppose that means nothing happen so that’s fantastic :D Now I suppose I shall explain the rules and how your day to day life will be. Each day or every week you will be given a task to do in the form of notes or letters, if I'm feeling fancy. These letters will have tasks for you to do on that day. These tasks were meant for your entertainment but also to establish responsibilities in a fun way. Like everyone you too have to pull your weight,I don’t need any more lazy people. The task will vary from daily things like dishes or more prolonged things like simple wood collecting or more harder and optional tasks like gardening. I will have it written down what task is optional or not. I am confident that you will complete all required tasks. I wouldn't want to discipline you but if push dose come to shove, punishments will be enacted if you promptly refuse a required task,depending on what it is. Punishments for now will mostly revolve around your freedom and allowance. So no work, no money and NO freedom :) Now since you just arrived most of these tasks I’ll give today will be completely optional yet I do recommend. Who know when you’ll need these knowledge

1.explore the manor (optional) 2.explore outside of manor up to the gardens (Optional) 4.eat dinner(optional yet preferred to complete) 3. Add my phone number (required) 4.at 7pm enter the basement to get blood drawn(Required)

….. Am I in a cult!? Blood? Why Blood! I clutched on the paper as my eyes darted around to find some sort of answer but the only thing i found was the phone number at the bottom next to lord Vanrouge’s signature. I looked at the clock above in my room to see I only had 10 minutes left before traversing into the basement. I looked back at the paper with the phone number realizing that my questions might be answered if I text or call this guy. I plugged the number on my phone while saving the contacts for lord vanrouge. ‘

(Chat log)

Texting them doesn't help. All i got was some twisted form of comfort and a note not to be late. I sighed and tried to think positively. Maybe it’s for any health reasons, what if something happens so they have my blood in storage if I have an illness that is in need of a blood transfusion. Maybe it’s some secret condition I never knew I had. I looked up at the clock seeing I had 5 minutes left. Well I better find this basement.

The basement entrance was in an obvious place. On the left side of the middle stairs near the entrance was this ominous door which seems out of place due to the lavious interior decor…. But there was also a silly childish label saying ‘Basement :D’ with pink blue yellow confetti drawings on it. I grabbed the handle and opened the door to see a dimly lit stairwell. Following the lights it lead me to a rusted metal door which was wide open. To a dark dungeon area. There were cells, chains hanging from walls yet it was unusually clean. As I continued down the dungeon, to the left of me, there was a medical bed and a person in a black cloak preparing tools. He turned around for me to see his glowing blueish- purple eyes. He moved out of the way invitingly to the medical room. I obloge and made my way over to the medical bed and lay down on it. The bed was surprisingly soft and not as hard as it looks. “How are you with needles?” a voice asked. I looked up to the cloaked man who glanced down at me. “Decent” I replied. He nodded and brushed his silver hair back. I guess he needs total concentration. The man puts on a pair of medical gloves before pulling out a large syringe and a wipe. “You have medical experience” I asked “a little…this is my first time doing it” he said as he felt a vein in my lower arm near my elbow area. “This might hurt” he said as I tense. He swiftly stabbed the syringe in my arm making me hiss. Blood is quickly drawn out though the tube to a large beaker “so….do you know what this blood drawn is for” i asked the man “I can’t tell you. Master’s orders” he replied “what about a name” I asked “Silver” he replied. Ok we’re getting somewhere “let me know if you feel sudden dizziness i can stop the machine” Silver spoke as he looks at the beaker. Slowly the beaker was filled. Once filled, he places a top on the beaker and place it aside, then he gently removes the needle and cleans it. After packing the materials up, he places a band aid on the wound. “Fa- lord vanrouge wants me to inform you dinner is ready in the dining room. The dining room is down the hall passed the basement to the right” silver spoke then he bows slightly “I hope you enjoy your stay” he concludes before leaving with the medical supply. I got up from the bed feeling slightly woozy but not to the point where I stumble all over the place. I guess the worst part is over but now I feel exhausted. Perhaps I’ll just eat was was made for me and go to sleep. I left the creepy dungeon and walked up the stairs and made my way to the dining room where a singular plate was.upon closer inspection, i recognized the meal to be (random dish) which was well made and cooked almost like it came from some fancy restaurant. I sat down and began eating. After I was done with my meal,I made my way back upstairs to my room and retired for the night.

#twisted wonderland vampire au #twist vampire au #twisted wonderland x reader #twist silver #lilia vanrouge

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omegaremix · 6 months ago

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Academy (Manhattan), 2022.

I’ve never patronized a business so much in six month’s time. That business was Academy Records / LP’s. I had the urge to buy one single record that was on my mind (Boulders’ Rock And Roll Will Never Die) and pulled the trigger on that plus much more. I found more city-centric records and tapes on its’ other Discogs handle and in the turn of the year made two online purchases with them. For the final day of this past Winter, I took an impromptu visit to Academy’s Brooklyn (Greenpoint) location and bought more of that magic in person. Why? City stores have that specific charm that none of the other local stores on the island have. By that, I mean types of artists and sounds easily found there and nowhere else. Last year’s visit to Williamsburg’s Rough Trade made the best example of it and explains why I spent almost $420.00 there.

I read that they had another location on the lower East side of Manhattan (L.E.S.) which I’ve been meaning to go. After my check-up on Lexington Av., I could not miss the opportunity. I’ve already visited six island stores with four to go, so consider Manhattan’s Academy a ‘bonus round’ - one of two to be exact.

It wasn’t far from Lexington Av. taking the crowded ‘6’ line downtown to East 12th Street. It was a leisurely trek under the canopies, scaffolds and tree, walking past the everyday city life and numerous groups of people standing around waiting for the ride to take them to their next event. Across the street from Academy was the playground hopping with urban youth of all colors shooting hoops and getting loud with one another. Another few feet across the street and here I finally am. What I noticed on the front door before entering was a sign that said “masks required”. Luckily, I saved mine from the clinic.

I walk in and Academy’s Manhattan space isn’t as ratty and dingy as its Brooklyn spot. No crusty carpeting but a concrete floor partially painted blue and walls only in slight decay. There’s shelves and white boxes of stock all along the right side up until the cassette racks. More shelves opposite the entrance and over the small island of wooden crates. Walk past the counter on the left and opposite that was a listening station of two of three working turntables. More shelves and white boxes on each side in the back section of the store before reaching their office. Good news: $1.00 and $3.00 hip-hop / rap, rock, soul, synthpop and new-wave records were all for the taking.

I pick a spot, any spot to start digging. That was their small used-industrial section. Right off the bat I find Test Dept.’s “Machine Run (Compulsion)” e.p., a true metal-on-metal attack and one of my all-time favorite industrial works. I was happy to pay $12.00 for that one. Ω+ followers know that I always make my way to the used-jazz section and they didn’t disappoint there. That copy of Hank Crawford’s Tico Rico, the one with his ‘I-could-care-less’ face on it, was a win. Hubert Laws’ Then There Was Light Pt. 1 on CTI featuring Bob James, Ron Carter, Steve Gadd, Richard Tee, and brother Ronnie Laws was another must-have because of them. And I got my first Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes record Dancing In The Sun. No Onsaya Joy, but that song which still stayed in my head all these years was enough for me to pull the handle on him.

Though Academy wasn’t Riverhead’s Sunday Records, they had a small but great used-synth-pop / new wave section with many shelves of soul sitting next to them. That lead me to their hip-hop / rap bins and $1.00 records, where was never a shortage of obtainable low-cost 12” singles. I found plenty of golden-era scores from Kool Moe Dee, 3rd Bass’ Prime Minister Pete Nice & Daddy Rich, and Spoonie Gee’s Godfather Of Rap ($5.00). A few flips later and I find Original Concept’s Straight From The Basement Of Cooley High for only $1.00. Featuring Yo! MTV Raps’ T-Money and Dr. Dre, it was an essential piece of Long Island history I had to take. I was floored in finding Antexx’ “Understand Me Vanessa (Vanessa Yo)”, a single I remember hearing once on WBLS during my Brentwood era and which absolutely no one talks about. But for $5.00 for four different versions of the same song, did I really need it? Nah. Give Academy more points for having some real old-school artifacts such as some Z-3 MC’s and T.A.P. records.

I still had a thirst for used 7” records so I had to sift through their four-by-four formation right next to the counter; where marked boxes of punk, rock, soul, reggae, oldies, and even French lyricists were fair game. I took some singles from my Atari childhood (read, Eighties hits) and bought some gambles in punk and d-beat. Get this: the Vagra 2016 demo LP that I bought blindly from Academy’s Discogs mail-order? They had their Refuse 7” e.p. in-store. How funny life fucks with you like that. And without even looking for it: Shizuo’s “Sweat” b/w “Stop It”. It’s one of the very few DHR releases I don’t have since I already had those songs. Well, for old time’s sake…

Then I strayed off the beaten path to find another marked box of punk rock and d-beat 45’s under the bins where I scored some self-titled platters in Soaker (because Wharf Cat), the super-CMYK saturated Strutter, and Glam. That one was my first-ever find from the La Vida Es Un Mus label and I am all the happy for it.

I sifted through more LPs both new and used in all categories. That’s where I scored even more major wins. The Men’s Devil Music, one of the few not released on the Sacred Bones label, was mine. Speaking of fantastic New York City labels, there was Institute’s Readjusting The Locks on clear / bourbon swirl vinyl. Why not? And I had to take the biggest hit for one of my favorite artists: an unwrapped copy of Boy Harsher’s Country Girl (Uncut) for $18.00. I won’t complain.

Academy had plenty of used LPs in other categories. They had a section devoted exclusively to the Numero Group. A little to the right was more classic rock LP’s and even further were their Detroit techno, electronic and jungle / drum-and-bass sections. I had a laugh when I found a copy of Give Up’s self-titled e.p. on the Ambush label; the second Shizuo-based release I came across. I do have it in my library since I bought it from The Port Jefferson Music Den during DHR’s heyday.

CD’s? They barely carried any. They had only two columns of it tucked away deep in a corner before their tape section, and that they didn’t disappoint. Though they carried the usual universal duds, they did have some exciting finds in punk and golden-era hip-hop. It was the first time in ages that I bought a cassingle. That was Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz’ “Deja Vu”. In fact, they did have a few dusty cases of them where they were five for a dollar. For $7.00, Who’s The Man (motion picture soundtrack) was a must-grab.

But the real good stuff was kept behind the counter in a glass case. The girl dressed in black denims noticed I was eye-ing them. Of course I was. There were a few that caught my eye. One which was Ata Kak’s Obaa Sima; a personal Summer jam and the very album that kicked off the Awesome Tapes From Africa label. I asked her to get me the price on that, Subhumans UK’s 29:29 Vision,and Health’s Disco4::Part I.

“That’s fifteen, fifteen, and that’s thirty.”

I really wanted Ata Kak so I took it, but passed up on the Subhumans UK tape. And as much as I like Heath, I sure as fuck on a rainbow-winged pegasus on a golden horn won’t pay $30.00 for a blue cassette. To be fair, Academy had a case: Discogs’ sellers priced it at $35.00. Put that back.

She added up my purchase. It was a great $177.00 and two-and-a-half memorable hours spent in the city. I walked out the door and looked across the street to see an empty playground. All the yelling and camaraderie was over for the day. I turned the corner to catch the next ‘L’ and ‘C/E’ line to Penn Station. No rush, no fuss, no danger. I had just enough time to catch the Central Islip train for what would be another hour-and-five-minute ride east home. Do remind me never to board a peak train ever again. For four dollars more, you can play musical chairs competing for cramped seats and be packed like a twist-can of Iberia sardines with almost no leg room.

Kool Moe Dee: “Death Blow” 12”

Prime Minister Pete Nice & Daddy Rich: “Kick The Bobo” 12”

Professor Griff & The Last Asiatic Disciples: “Pawns In The Game” 12”

Kool Moe Dee: “They Want Money” 12”

Queen Latifah: “Ladies First” 12”

Public Enemy: “Give It Up” 12”

Kool Moe Dee: “Wild Wild West” 12”

Heavy D. & The Boys ft. various artists: “Don’t Curse” 12”

Spoonie Gee: Godfather Of Rap LP

Original Concept: Straight From The Basement Of Cooley High LP

The Men: Devil Music LP

Stepdad SS: Mad About It LP

Vaaska: Ruido Hasta La Muerte LP

Institute: Re-Adjusting The Locks LP

Test Dept.: Compulsion (Machine Run) LP

Boy Harsher: Country Girl (Uncut) LP

Hubert Laws: Then There Was Light LP

Hank Crawford: Tico Rico LP

Richard ‘Groove’ Holmes: Dancing In The Sun LP

Glam: self-titled 7”

Perdition: self-titled 7”

Soaker: self-titled 7”

Strutter: self-titled 7”

Hombrinus Dudes: self-titled 7”

Deformed Conscience: self-titled 7”

25 Rifles: History Of Flags 7”

Funeral Shock: Paint Thinner 7”

Vagra: Refuse 7”

River City Tanlines: “The Devil Made Me Do It” b/w “Nothing Means Nothing Anymore” 7”

Shizuo: “Sweat” b/w “Stop It” 7”

Code-13 b/w DS-13 split 7”

Billy Ocean: “Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car” 7”

Stacey Q: “Two Of Hearts” 7”

Miami Sound Machine: “Bad Boy” 7”

Cameo: “Word Up” 7”

Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz: “Deja Vu” CS

Who’s The Man: motion picture soundtrack CS

Ata Kak: Obaa Sima CS

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diamondcrownacademy · 1 year ago

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DCA Info Part 22: Dragonstone Dorm 🐲🗡️🏮

Dragonstone (ドラゴンストーン寮, Doragonsutōn Ryō) was founded on the Bravery (勇気) of the Maiden who held the Dragon Sword and is inspired by the world of Mulan. Students of this dorm excel in Martial Arts, Fencing and Study of Magical Relics.

Dorm Founder: Fa Mulan

Known in-universe as the Maiden who held the Dragon Sword (竜剣溶接の乙女).

Dorm Crest

The dorm crest features a shield like emblem with a red interior and gold outline. There is a golden dragon silhouette inside of a golden circle outline. The top of the emblem features a lily flower, reminiscent of the one on Mulan's hair comb and near the bottom of the emblem is a pale green banner with the dorm's name on it. On both sides of the exterior emblem are golden dragons and there is a Shinto gate behind the emblem.

Dorm Leader: Jinlong Esi

Dragonstone's current dorm leader is Jinlong Esi, a dragonkin from the Valley of Clouds who wishes to prove her worth.

Dorm Fairy: Cinder

Cinder (シンダー, Shindā) is Dragonstone's dorm fairy and vice dorm leader. She mostly hangs out in the forge of the Dragonstone dorm living quarters, activating it with her fire and putting it out. She is very poetic as she is known to write lovely poems with an illustration drawn using brushes. Very skilled in almost anything she puts her mind to, when she starts a new hobby or studies something, she learns what she is able to be decent at it within a week. Everyone in the dorm admires her for it since she is able to help out a lot.

Her current appearance is reminiscent of the dragon that guided the Maiden who held the Dragon Sword, Jinlong aspires to learn a lot and achieve many great things so that she'll be acknowledged and would no longer have to conform to what others want her to be.

Dorm Living Quarters

• The Dragonstone dorm living quarters exterior resembles a large chinese mansion built on top of a plateau overseeing the entire area around the dorm. There's a stairway that leads to the small square that is filled with small statues of dragons and other zodiac animals. The statues sometimes move and leave their post during certain months. The zodiac statues act as guardians and depending on which animal the year is currently focused one, that animal is the leader. To determine which zodiac is the current leader, a golden medallion is shown on the stone statue's chest to indicate the zodiac year.

• There is also a koi pond in the zen garden area. Students maintain these gardens as a form of discipline and each take turns in maintaining it. The koi pond connects to the small ponds on the area.

• Inside the dorm has a basement that is seen in the lobby, that area is the forge where some students rebuild relics or make glass and many other things. It is highly hot and safety clothes are available near the entrance to prevent injuries.

• Each of the rooms are decorated following the rules of feng shui (Chinese Geomancy). Each student has a bonsai in their personal quarters to look after. They are required to take care of it and make sure it grows healthy.

• At night, the lanterns in the dorm are lit and give off the image of a lively festival.

• On occasion, a big dragon would come to the dorm and perform a dance with the smaller ones. It is mesmerizing to watch and the students have the day marked on the calendar. The dragon always arrives to dance at the square since it is the most spacious. There are dragons that can be seen on campus, but they are the size of a 4 foot reptile and enjoy lounging on the roof or on the warm stone pavement. They come and go as they please but there is a feeding box for them under the shade of a blossom tree.

• In one of the zen gardens, there is a praying temple where students burn incense to pray. Sometimes the runes carved in the temple would glow.

Etymology

The dorm's name is a portmanteau of the words "dragon" and "stone". The "dragon" part references Mushu, one of Mulan's companions, while the "stone" part references the Great Stone Dragon located outside the Fa family household which Mushu accidentally destroyed.

The dorm was originally going to be named "Rongyu" which means honor in Chinese. The name was instead given to Jinlong's pet Komodo dragon.

#dorm information #dragonstone #DCA info #diamond crown academy

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frowerssx2 · 2 years ago

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Precious things in Jars...

If you asked him, Shuu Iwamine would deny that he was sentimental. But yet, he has a basement filled with his most precious possessions.

Word count: 4,060

Trigger warnings: spoilers, horror, Blood and Gore, character death, cannibalism (read at your own risk and let me know if there are anymore triggers)

Habit, routine, and organisation were the three things that were a constant comfort for Shuu, he never enjoyed it when things didn’t go to plan or when things didn’t do what they were meant to. Because of this, the creaking of his basement door that announced its opening, then the low buzz of the light switch that always struggled to explode light, pleased and settled him.

This entrance was always the same which made it so wonderful.

Slowly, not out of habit or routine, but because his right leg decided to be more of an annoyance than it normally was, Shuu walked down into the dark, damp, and slightly dusty room underneath his apartment that was barely illuminated by the deep orange single light bulb that was simply hung from a wire.

Ah, this small room, it was his sanctuary, his workshop, and where he has collected some trophies over the years. It was rare for him to admire these trophies, but today he felt rather nostalgic, he wasn’t sure why but he wanted to revisit the memories and emotions that were connected to a few of them.

With this in mind, Shuu turned his head to look at the right far corner of the room, the sight of two white hybrid creatures sitting obediently in the play area he created for them, made his beak form a gentle fatherly smile. They were now preparing to play with their animal teddies he got them a year ago. Mayo, a Red fox teddy for Miru, and Tao, a Red Panda teddy for Kaku. They always did this when he turned on the fairy lights on the wall and put on instrumental Christmas music for them. However, he shook his head, there was no time to get distracted by them, goodness knows they already took enough of his time, and sometimes their requirements exhausted him and tasted his patience. No, it was better to do what he wished now while they were content and distracted. Though, saying that, Shuu did allow them a quick gentle stroke of his wing. It was a comforting touch, a touch they have all grown to, a touch that has also become another comforting habit.

After seeing Miru and Kaku’s identical smiles, Shuu walked over to his first trophy collection which was a large number of jars that sat in a perfect line across four long shelves. Each shelf held two identical lines, all of which contained what even he had to admit were beautiful, vibrant, and unique feathers. Usually, feathers would be immediately discarded once their owners became corpses since they held no scientific or medical properties that interested him, however, on rare occurrences somebirdie’s plumage triggered his interest and he admired their physical beauty. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he had his favourites and these favourites were stored in jars that held his wing prints, not yellowed or dusted with neglect and age, one, in particular, was a pretty faint blue jar and like always, Shuu lifted it from its home to hold it in his stronger left wing. He then pulled out a feather that once belonged to a Red Cardinal, then one that belonged to a Golden Eagle, then the extremely rare feather of a Hooded Pitohui, then boringly a peacock feather and a feather of a Lesser Bird of Paradise, and then, finally the feather of a green, blue and red Parrot. To store six feathers in one jar when it could easily fit ten was usually a waste of space, but to store these feathers in a tight space that would only prove to destroy their beauty would be a terrible waste. Definitely, since their owners are buried in places Shuu’s minds can’t be bothered to remember, that or they’ve been burnt to a crisp.

Sometimes, Shuu wonders if Miru and Kaku knew how lucky they are to still be at his side in one piece. Anyway, replacing these six feathers would become either a hassle or an impossibility so it was best if he kept good care of them just like he did with the twins.

“Wait” Shuu muttered, not sure if he was talking to himself or Miru and Kaku who seem to be remembering the rule of being quiet, out of sight, and in one place today. Because of this, Shuu made a mental note to reward them later, but, right now that wasn’t important, not when he suddenly remembered that he had a seventh feather to add to this collection. With that in mind, Shuu walked to his desk where another trophy awaited him but that would wait for a while more, he was sure it wouldn’t mind, after all, when it was once attached to a living being they never minded waiting as they were awfully patient, loud and sometimes enthusiastic but still patient when it came to having his company, so a few more moments apart would not harm it. For now, Shuu picked up the feather that was laid on his desk, sadly this one was a little bit shabby in quality thanks to it being a pen, though he could only blame himself for that. The feather itself wasn’t beautiful nor was it unique, in fact, it was plain and rather ordinary. Now within the jar with the others, this new feather stood out like a brown Horse would do in a herd of Zebra.

However, this one had significant meaning to it, yes it was a dull white feather of a Fantail Pigeon connected to a pen tip that was blunt due to regular use but it was once connected to a bird who proved to be a rather obedient and loyal puppet for Shuu. It was a great shame to “let him go” a year ago, but the bird was no longer required nor did it prove useful to him anymore and so, he removed them from existence, but kept one feather amongst other things, but he would go through those samples later. He was just pleased that the feather was in his possession again after gifting it away. Shuu knew that it was because of some sort of sickening act of emotional connection that caused him to keep this feather. That and he couldn’t help but think how ironic it was that he had possession of it. Smirking, Shuu placed the jar back where it belonged, then, with a ruffle of his wings, he went to another jar.

Oh, now this one, this one was truly glorious.

Just like with the feathers, this jar had the company of more jars that contained blooded eyes, some of which still had the four veins that formed the central retinal vein still attached. The vein itself was perfectly stringy and lumpy. But not only that, but the irises of the eyes were a gorgeous red. He didn’t know why but there was something about the dead eyes of other birds that thrilled him.

Was it their dead stare?

Was it the whiteness in their eyes that was the obvious sign of the lack of life?

Was it that now dead and dethatched the veins in the sclera were no longer prominent?

Was it the amusing memories of how some of these were removed?

Whatever the reason, Shuu sat the jar down to get another one filled with eyes. Unlike the others, these weren’t kept so he could admire their beauty, he stored these for an entirely different reason...

With a hum that could be mistaken for a hungry growl, Shuu picked up a random jar and took out an eye. By now the eye would have lost all moisture but Shuu took excellent care of everything he owed. The twins would no doubt agree if he asked them but they were being oh so wonderfully obedient today that it would be pointless to disturb them. But, with them being distracted by their new toys, Shuu could pop his delicious treat in his beak. With a groan full of pleasure, Shuu used his tongue to roll the eye around his beak, he did this so he could taste every last bit of it. Then, he rolled it to the tip of his beak and bit down. Immediately, juices burst into his mouth with a loud pop, the burn of those juices going down his throat was truly intoxicating.

If not, terribly addictive...

With another groan, Shuu chewed the squishy but slightly firm meat in his beak until it became a reasonable size for swallowing.

Now, this was a treat Shuu could happily enjoy. However, he couldn't continue, not if he wished to enjoy the other meal that was currently cooling down him on his surgical table. With that in mind, Shuu placed the jar down to run his eyes over the other jars, unlike the shelves with the feathers, these shelves stored more than eyes. There were tongues, beaks, legs, wings, and dead bird fetuses. The latter not filling Shuu with any guilt whatsoever as these “children” were created for scientific research or he has ownership of them due to the fact they were donated to him by means he would rather not explain. Of course, as expected, the sight of these caused Miru and Kaku to become rather uncomfortable, well, most of Shuu’s collection did, hence why they were placed in a corner that was far away as possible, a fact they have frequently thanked him for. Though, there weren't just organs on this section of shelves as it was also the temporary home of a jar that contained something different. With a soft smile, Shuu gently ran his feather tips across the jar's face. The rather large clump of white, fuzzy fur within this jar was more than precious. It was an impossible and valuable sample from two unclassified hybrid creatures. No, this fur was not precious, it was marvelous.

How terribly lucky he was to have these samples.

But, what a pity that he had absolutely no idea what to do with them and where to store them. This valuable sample should not be stored with mere organs that could easily be replaced. After all, if he took too many fur samples Miru and Kaku would become more hideously cute than they already were. Not only that but Shuu has grown too fond of them to defur them so horribly.

Damn those children for accessing a part of his heart that should have been forbidden and impossible to get to.

With a frustrated sigh and a low-spoken curse, Shuu decided to open his large box freezer. Just to smile at the sight of jars in clear plastic freezer bags that were neatly stacked within in organized lines. One line was for hearts, another for lungs, another for pancreases, then kidneys, stomachs, and so on. These items were easily replaceable yet extremely important to contain as these were the main tools in his experiments and surgeries. But, of course, like always, there was a line of jars that were truly marvellous as they contained brains. Stacks of brains which was a constant supply of research and experimental material, though, now he looked at it, Shuu was rather disappointed at his collection.

The fact all of these brains belonged to birds truly displeased him.

A medical genius like him who held incredible skill and knowledge shouldn’t be this limited!

He shouldn’t only possess these simple brains!

No...It wasn’t enough

“That is where you come in my dear” Shuu said turning around to pick up the jar that has been forgotten by him ever since he entered this room.

The sight of a human brain floating in his homemade liquid that proved to reduce the time in the decaying progress for organs, made him smile with pride. Finally, he has received an extremely valuable, rare, and thrilling research material that was worthy of his time, skill, and learning abilities.

Oh...

How he couldn’t wait to cut into this brain...

“Thank you, Miss Tosaka” Shuu spoke in a low and seductive whisper that would have made the human girl shiver with a nervous, if not aroused shiver.

But now...

The idiotic, stubborn, and energetic girl wouldn't react to anything he did or to anything he said.

Not unless he tilted the jar that contained her head in a certain way anyway. Though, any moment caused the girl's head to nod. It was awfully pleasant to always get consent to do the things he wished with her body. The very body that was currently laid on the metal surgery table. By now, the chest has already been skillfully split open, and everything that once called it home has been either stored, researched, experimented on, or eaten. Shuu found it very ironic every time he placed a slice of her meat in his mouth, no doubt that the girl had a childish and naive schoolgirl crush on him and wanted to explore his mouth. Though, perhaps she didn't what it to be by the means of becoming food.

But, she couldn't blame him now could she?

He gave her plenty of warnings of his dangerous and callous behaviour and yet she ignored them all.

It was not his fault that he decided to reward her exhausting stubbornness by these means.

Not like he minded, her death was quick and now she belonged to him.

There wasn't anything else more satisfying. Because now he could do as he pleased.

Suddenly, his stomach rumbled so Shuu placed the jar with the girl's head down, and walked over to the meal he prepared himself a few moments ago. His mouth watered at the sight of small potatoes, beans, and what unknowing birds would call four slices of pork. But this was no pork. Oh no, this meat came from the same source as his beloved feather pen. Using his right wing and a meat knife, Shuu cut the meat, watching as the brilliant red liquid of blood poured onto his plate. Then, with another delighted hum, he slowly ate the meat.

It was divine and cooked to perfection.

“I don't know why you were so displeased, Miss Tosaka” Shuu began glazing at her head once again, then with a smirk, he took another bite “Hmm…After all…Sakazaki does tastes rather…Marvelous”

While Yuuya Sakazaki was indeed a loyal and obedient puppet, he lost his worth and use as soon as he graduated, due to this Shuu saw no reason for his existence anymore. The boy’s death was quick since he didn’t fight back, which was wonderful, it was always so fantastic when Shuu’s prey doesn’t fight back. Plus, Sakazaki proved to be more useful in death than he was in life as he was food and research material. Why Tosaka couldn’t understand that was beyond Shuu, what with her being an Omnivore, he thought she understand the thrill of killing other living things and tasting their rich and smooth blood. But perhaps, the fact that she once knew and held a pleasant conversation with the thing she was eating was too much for her.

But, it wasn’t as if she was performing the act of cannibalism.

No, that was him and he didn’t mind. What better place to get fresh, healthy, and delicious meat than your own infirmary?

It was almost three months ago now when Yuuya’s life came to an end, Tosaka was more recent, a mere month to be specific. Sakazaki was buried within the grounds of the mansion his beloved brother owned. Shuu did this for his own amusement because that is one place Sakazaki wanted to go but was forbidden to.

Now thanks to Shuu, the boy could stay within the grounds undisturbed.

Meanwhile, due to his busy schedule, Hiyoko Tosaka was still laid on his surgery table, undressed with her head missing, the entire length of her chest split open, the cut going as far as where her uterus awaited him. The sight of it was too tempting; it pulled him in like a moth to a light, and he willingly went to it with a rustle of his wings. He then turned to look at Tosaka’s face, having to turn her jar slightly more to the left so she could watch, though, she wasn’t the only observer Shuu wanted now, was it? Not when two hybrid creatures were obediently sat in the corner. Moving quickly, Shuu collected them, already knowing they would not argue or refuse his command. How they were always so curious about his work was probably one of the reasons he has gotten so attached to them.

“Don’t move” he told Miru and Kaku once they were sat on a nearby surface, he would hate it if one of them fell since that would cause unnecessary hassle and exhaustion for him. Now with an audience, one of which he has grown used to, Shuu dug his wings into the corpse of one Hiyoko Tosaka. He then searched for that uterus he still needed to remove, purposely dragging his feather tips across the muscles and veins underneath her skin. Though, now with the warmth of her body gone along with her blood, performing an Organ Procurement no longer held the satisfaction it once did.

No, now the procedure was simply a requirement.

With disappointment threatening to overwhelm him, Shuu quickly removed and jarred the reminding human organs. He then carried them to his second box freezer.

This one might be larger than the first but it stored less research material, some of which were very valuable. With a click of the lock, Shuu lifted the lid, and a burst of a cold shill made him ruffle his feathers again.

How he hated the cold.

Soon though, a smirk appeared on his face as his eyes roamed this second box freezer.

Oh yes…This freezer truly held the most extraordinary and rare samples, all separated into organized sections. One section held the blood, feathers, brain, and liver of a bird who could drag other birds into his hallucinations, the very hallucinations that made Shuu his mortal emery. A fact that got him killed, cut up, and so wonderfully stored two months ago. A time frame, Shuu had to admit was too long for him to still have the corpse. As for now, Mr Akagi, or as he always preferred to be called Higure, was crumpled into the right corner of the freezer behind the jars of his samples. At first glance, one could mistake that the boy was kneeling to do some bizarre and idiotic prayer.

That was until one court the sight of his opened, empty chest, skull, and eye sockets.

Yes, the corpse was rather battered now, but it has granted Shuu much research and knowledge. With Higure’s samples who knows what he could do, what medicines he could create that may or may not aid diseases and health cures. Without knowing where the samples come from, and of course, without seeing this corpse, others will no doubt marvel and praise Shuu for his incredible work that could change the world.

“Perhaps I should burn you, after all, an “angel” like yourself will not be very welcomed in hell now would you?” Shuu muttered with small laughter, ah yes, that is what he shall do with this corpse. To rid yourself of the unholy servant of the devil just as witches, one must burn them and send them back to their home.

Yes, a bomb fire in a random neighbour was overdue.

With a new plan in mind, Shuu lowered his newest samples down in the section that belonged to Tosaka, pleased to see the many jars lining the floor of the freezer. By now, the section above hers that once belonged to Sakazaki was now becoming empty, though, the section that belonged to a pair of birds who are now a species that has gone extinct remained. There was a simple reason for this and that was the fact Shuu did not hold the skill to research them yet.

Destroying these samples would be devastating since they were the only ones in the world and Shuu was lucky enough to have access to them so he will not let a slip of his left wing destroy them!

No, these samples can wait.

Though, they did remind him of the fact that he had these bird's eyes sat in a small and circular glass coffee jar.

Picking the jar up made Shuu smile, it was a genuine smile full of warmth and affection. These eyes are the source of happy and cherished memories. Feeling a strange warmth, Shuu put down the jar, and turned to walk toward Miru and Kaku. He was suddenly in a good mood and didn’t he make a mental note to reward them for their good behaviour? After all, making the twins happy made him happy. It helped that Miru and Kaku didn’t require much. They never did ask or demand anything from him. Not a personality change, not his money or knowledge, not to improve his health, nothing they asked for nothing.

This made him love them like his children

“Twins-” Shuu began, walking over to Miru and Kaku, an idea of how to reward them coming to mind, it was simple action but something they will no doubt enjoy after spending so much time down here in what they always called a “creepy basement”.

“Why, don’t we go back upstairs? You can sit on the windowsill and play that ridiculous game of eye-spy you enjoy so much while I make us some cookies” Shuu said to the twins, his tone becoming soft and tender that shockingly came naturally for him. But, he has always treated these two with tenderness and affection. Allowing himself to smile, not caring how obvious it was to see how much he cared for these hybrid children, Shuu stood in front of them.

With them, he could be himself and they would not care

He could conduct what other birds call unethical, horrific, and brutal experiments and the twins will still love him and he shared the emotion, he truly did.

“Let’s go” he spoke again in what could easily be described as a comforting and loving fatherly tone, knowing that the twins would lift up their flipper-like arms eagerly before becoming deafening loud due to their excitement.

Or at least, they would have done, if they were still capable of movement and speech...

Instead, they sat frozen in place, with their flipper arms beside their small furry bodies, beaks stitched and wired to make their usual brilliant and welcoming smiles. Their insides carefully removed, their perfectly cleaned and preserved fur carved into this beautiful and never-ending mould.

Like this, Miru and Kaku shall never grow up which meant Shuu didn’t have to risk the chance of being left alone again.

Like this, he would have their constant company forever,

Like this, the twins will not misbehave nor will they cause him headaches or stress.

Like this, controlling them was so much easier but most of all...

Now, that they were like this, they will stay with him forever and be a family that never separates, it was truly wonderful.

After all, wasn’t that what they wanted?

Softly and gently, Shuu picked up the two creatures and walked back up the stairs feeling very thankful that he learned the art of taxidermy to preserve the twins so beautifully.

“There” he cooed with a soft tone, ruffling Miru and Kaku’s fur on top of their head in an affectionate way once he placed them on the window shelf as promised. They always enjoyed doing this, even now in this state. What with their eyes replaced by black buttons, a bald spot covered by Faux white fur that was slightly off.

How lucky they were not to constantly be stored down in a basement they hated or in a small, claustrophobic, and cold jar. But no, while Shuu did indeed store precious materials and samples in jars, these two now extinct, on-No, two-of-a-kind and joyful specimens that brought him a strange familiar comfort deserved better than a mere jar, they deserved to be with him always. Just how they were, frozen in a never-ending happiness.

Perhaps, after eating those meat-filled cookies, Shuu could go hunting for more precious things to put in jars...

….Fin….

(Any feedback would be truly appreciated. Also grammer and punctuation corrections are also really appreciated since I have dyslexia and would love to learn how to improve my writing)

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