#Dodge point detective force

[c1ue-alt]

Character introduction part 1 will and azira

[tragicvampireromanceisland]

some real quick, realll loose sketches because i've been thinking about how the powers of the heroes and villains (the ones engaging in direct combat, at least) would stack up against one another....pluuus what's the point of a superhero au if you don't draw everyone fightinggg smh....!! my final consensus is that these three pairs would be the most evenly matched in battle! explanations under the cut.

PLUS some silly aftermath doodles of our heroes as well :) (morph isn't ACTUALLY stuck, she's just being dramatic....)

solarflare vs. deadheat:

basically brute strength against brute strength! these two always give each other the NASTIEST bruises when they fight. while flight and super strength is usually an advantage for sol in dodging and countering attacks, you can't exactly push flames out of your way. however, flight does give her the advantage of forcing deadheat to resort to more long-ranged attacks, which are less powerful. deadheat's immunity to fire also extends to sol's laser vision—in fact, he can even absorb and redirect it with the use of his staff! and while it's difficult to maintain, deadheat can use his flames to propel himself upwards for short bursts of time, so he can sort of fly as well! any stone barricades or projectiles he creates are no match for sol's punches though. good thing he doesn't pull any punches, either!

miss morph vs. blindside:

a far more tactical matchup. while sol's heat vision can sense blindside's immediate presence, this is only when he is right in front of her. important to note: blindside's also got several other obstruction techniques, like his smoke bombs and his general stealth prowess! so enter miss morph, who has the advantage of ALL sorts of heightened senses, depending on what she shifts into. infrared vision, echolocation, electroreception, vibration detection, enhanced hearing...she can even camouflage herself if needed, to further confuse her opponent. though, be warned! blindside is a master of surprise ambush regardless. he's great at immobilizing opponents by swiftly targeting their pressure points. miss morph has to constantly stay on her feet and keep shifting her form to avoid getting hit!

that being said, morph kind of hates whenever she has to fight blindside, simply because she has to utilize so many animal forms at the same time. it feels very gross and frankenstein-y to her, and the added discomfort is definitely a disadvantage with the possibility of throwing her off her game.

kuiper vs. espritvoyant

while the most glaring advantage kuiper has is that she's immune to esprit's mind reading abilities, they're also evenly matched in a lot of other ways (well, whenever kuiper isn't stumbling over the giant, obvious crush she has on her enemy HUH who said that). while teleportation is usually esprit's easy out whenever an attack is hurled at her, it's a hell of a lot more difficult to achieve that when you're fighting someone with super speed. it's a neck and neck battle when it comes to these abilities: kuiper has to be constantly aware of her surroundings in order to predict where esprit may teleport and close the gaps, which also puts a strain on esprit's teleportation abilities, which have a pretty small radius limit when used in such rapid succession.

esprit's telekinesis offers a huge advantage when paired with a power that can easily spiral out of control like kuiper's, though. it's fairly easy for esprit to turn their battles into hellish obstacle courses for kuiper, burdening her with both dodging all of esprit's attacks as well as trying to attack on her own. kuiper's ability to leave afterimages if she runs fast enough is normally a decent confusion tactic, but something easily detected by esprit. her telekinesis can send out a pulse through the air to disrupt surrounding molecules and distort the afterimages.

while every hero has fought every one of the villains at least a few times, these matchups tend to be the most common. it's best to play to your strengths, after all! have they perhaps also learned a few things about their enemies along the way...? only time can tell...🤭

[potatomountain]

"Case: It's You" - 1

Chapter One

📍pairing: detective ateez ot8 x detective reader

📍Rating:

📍word count: 3.4k

📍network: @pirateeznet

📍Warnings: language and sexual innuendos

📍Beta readers (and sole motivation): @flurrys-creativity , @candypop1611 and @daesukiii

masterlist | Next

It was entirely too early, and too gloomy of a day, for your phone to be ringing for the near dozenth time in the last five minutes. After the hour trek, in the rain and a packed subway as well, you finally relented and picked up the call. “What is so important you have to call me twelve times, Ji?”

“Jeez it wasn’t that much-”

“No, that’s just the last five minutes. Heaven forbid I count the calls on the subway in the last thirty minutes. Spit it out.” Hissing, you held the phone closer, dodging one of the many men in suits rushing to their own places of work.

Jisung huffed on the other side, grumbling under his breath before speaking up. “I’m worried about how your first day is going to go.”

Rolling your eyes, you sidestepped a puddle, barely managing to miss the splash of a child rushing through it. “How are you more nervous for my first day than I am?”

“Because I’m sure you’re pretty angry right-”

“Of course I’m angry! Half the unit agreed to transfer me out! After three years Ji!”

“I know, I’m sorry. You’ll do great though! You’re really driven and have a strong moral compass, the organized crime unit is lucky to have you. Just… play nice? It’s not their fault you got transferred.”

You knew he had a point but you were loathed to admit it. With a sigh you approached the small detective precinct, the heavy rain finally slowing to a light drizzle. “No, but I doubt they’ll be too happy about the higher ups forcing a random transfer on them. Look Ji, I appreciate you worrying about me but don’t. I’m not supposed to have any contact with the S.K unit for a month after that last day, that includes outside of work. They already transferred me, I don’t want to give them a reason to fire me so soon.”

“Okay okay, hint taken. I’ll check up on you soon.” He hung up first, wishing you luck once more by name before doing so.

He really was right, you shouldn’t be so angry at this predicament. Sure it wasn’t your decision to get transferred out to a new Precinct, but it was your decision to go to this one. Which, in hindsight, was stupid. You had just named the first Precinct that you knew was furthest from the S.K and the homes of your former colleagues, hurt by their betrayal. Good intentions or not, you didn’t want to leave the team.

You didn’t want them to be right though either but being a detective was your dream, and the higher-ups didn’t want to give you a second chance after this.

Pocketing your phone and stepping under the small black awning, you closed the umbrella and placed it in the holder next to the door. If it wasn’t for the plague on the door reading A.Z offices, you might mistake the inconspicuous building for one of the many other office buildings in this district. There were several detective units in the city that operated outside of the police stations, but none so secretive. 

It actually piqued your curiosity and excitement as you pulled the gray door open, greeted by a typical, but cluttered, receptionist desk and foyer. There was no one in sight, the pale blue gray of the walls the only color of otherwise bland decor. “Huh.”

There was a hall past the desk, some muffled voices carrying from an ajar door at the end. You were a few minutes early, but the door was open and they were expecting you- still you found yourself carefully moving down the hall, maybe to get an idea of who you were working with before introducing yourself.

As soon as you reached the door though, things went quiet. With nothing to eavesdrop on, you opted for knocking on the door, nudging it open before calling out. “Hello?”

Footsteps were heard before the entirety of your view was blocked by a vested chest, the door halting from opening further. “Who the fuck are you?”

Tilting your head back you blinked up at the towering figure, frown pulling at your lips. Out of all the welcome scenarios you had imagined, this hadn’t been one of them. Readjusting your bag your hands went to your hips and you jutted your chin out. “The new addition to your unit, detective.” You spat out with venom.

He seemed around your age, thick lips pulled into a scowl as he glared down the brim of his nose. “We don’t have a new addition.” He moved to slam the door in your face, but a new hand stopped it, slipping under the brute’s arm to stand between you. “Hwa?”

The ash-blonde detective had a professional smile on his face as he blocked the other one from staring you down. Before you could retort he spoke your name. “We’ve been expecting you. Detective Song here just forgot.”

“Forgot? I didn’t forget- hey!” The taller man was pulled away out of your sight, protesting the whole way. 

“What do you mean new addition?” Another voice spoke up from behind him somewhere, which irked your already growing discontent for these men even more.

“Pardon me but, I don’t think the rest of your unit is aware there was a transfer to your unit- and that I start today.” Lips pursed, you held eye contact.

He shrugged, taking a step back and holding the door open for you. “I might have forgotten to mention to some of them, the point is the Captain and I are very aware. I’m Detective Park, the vice-captain of the unit.”

“I see…” You trailed off, turning your attention from the vice-captain to the rest of the room. There were three more men around the room with five desks in the center. It was a typical detective office, one wall full of pins and strings connecting faces and names you didn’t recognize, papers strewn about, computers and cords connecting the five desks that were all facing each other. Some filing cabinets, a second hall, and a door. Nothing about the room itself told you anything about these men- but they were all clearly handsome.

All men.

You didn’t like where this was going.

Aside from the vice captain to your left, the tall brute was being held in a headlock by an equally tall, slightly more beefed-out man with black hair and softer features.  The other two were standing near the desk closest to the second hall, the stockier one with chestnut hair glaring over at you while sipping his coffee, the prettier one next to him watching you with more curiosity. 

Internally you wanted to groan, turn around and walk back out because nothing about this felt like it was going to go well. “Is there another female here or just me?”

“Well…” Detective Park next to you shrugged, motioning for the others. “There are eight of us, all men. Captain and Detective San, and Detective Jung are in the field right now, but allow me to introduce you.” He motioned to the two tall ones. “Detective Song Mingi and Jeong Yunho. And those two are detective Choi Jongho and our technical analyst Kang Yeosang. Team, this is our newest addition.”

You bowed at your introduction, forcing a relaxed smile despite feeling so out of place already. “I’m in your care.” Standing back up, you turned to the Vice again. “Where can I set my things and get to work?”

He blinked in surprise, shifting uncomfortably. “Well, the receptionist desk will be yours.”

“Pardon?”

“Right up front there-”

“No no, I heard you, I’m just confused. I’m a detective, not a receptionist.” Again, your discontent was growing as you stared him down.

But it was a new voice that spoke, turning your attention. “Well um, we have all our bases covered and really don’t have a need for another detective. This is sort of sudden.” Yunho was his name if you recall correctly, although now he was making himself busy at his desk.

Pinching the bridge of your nose you let out a heavy sigh. “The transfer was approved two weeks ago after nearly a week of consolidation. I don’t think the board would approve a transfer for a unit I’m not needed for.”

“A new detective on the books isn’t something we need.” Mingi snapped out again, once more showing his distaste for you.

You wanted to lash back, to curse them out for the blatant disrespect and unprofessionalism. They had two weeks to prepare, only some of them knew you were coming and yet none of them bothered to put any weight into that?

“We’ll talk to the Captain and put you to work then.” 

“Captain isn’t due back until the end of the week Hwa, maybe later if he and San don’t get what they need.” One of the others with a familiar voice spoke up. He must have been the one who spoke up earlier- Detective Jongho.

“That’s fine-”

“Fine?” Like a twig snapping, so did your patience. “I’ve been sitting on my ass for the last three weeks just to wait another? This is ridiculous!”

“Shouldn’t have transferred then, newbie.”

“You can take your attitude and shove it up your ass with your head, Detective Song, because the likelihood of me leaving any time soon is slim. Not unless you personally want to kiss and shine the Commissioners shoes!” You stepped forward, the man stepping up towards you in response.

“So this is why you got forcefully transferred? Can’t play nice?” The fifth voice startled you, just as deep and condescending as the man before you.

You swiveled on your heel to glare at the final man, sneering. “I play nice just fine- when I’m welcomed.”

“We never said you weren’t Detective-”

“You don’t have to!” You turned your glare on the Vice Captain. “Eight of you, with three offices and five desks- an empty receptionist, lack of communication on the arrival of a new Detective in your care- You have no means or intention of including me in this unit.”

As soon as the words were out there was a drastic change of tension in the atmosphere; the professional expression the Vice Captain wore was gone, replaced with a cold stare. One glance at the others and they all had similar expressions. “Truthfully, we do not, but until we can convince the Commissioner and board that you are not needed here, we have to put up with each other.”

“So buckle up buttercup, or get the hell out.” The smug smirk on Mingi’s face had you stiffening, but not from intimidation. 

No, you always rose to a challenge even if it clearly wasn’t in your favor.

Taking the time to stare each one of the men down with a similar cold stare, you bid your time before finally locking gazes with Detective Park. “You should be aware, Vice, that I bite when threatened.” Straightening your back, as if you could any more, and holding your head high you turned towards the door. “That receptionist desk will have to do then; plenty of space for me to do my work. I’m sure you won’t mind at all if I make myself at home.”

“If you have the time.”

You didn’t care which one of them said it, slamming the door behind you because you expected them to do the same. Marching down the hall, past the small bathroom you failed to notice before, you took in the receptionist desk with a huff. It was empty, probably never used and just full of trash and miscellaneous decor that never got pulled out of the box.

“These fucking dicks think they’re just going to get their way? Over my dead body. Play nice Ji said, well he can go fuck himself too because ain’t no nice here.” Mumbling under your breath you immediately began organizing the desk, making use of the trash can under the desk. There was no stool, no electronics, not even a phone- but you could fix that.

There were other boxes in the foyer you hadn’t noticed, tucked away and out of sight. This room was probably a front for any bystanders that walked in, something to discourage anyone who wasn’t supposed to be here from snooping around.

At least it gave you plenty to do over the next week, knowing that until the Captain did show up, some things you would just have to deal without.

— 

Your spiteful rage motivated you for several hours, suit jacket tossed aside and sleeves rolled up to your elbows as you cleaned up the now clutter-free desk. You had found some decent decor in the junk, using it to spice up the desk. It was waist high, with a ledge to hide the desk from the other side. A fake little plant and metal bowls of varying sizes now sat on that ledge, the desk devoid of anything but your work bag. 

You hadn’t heard the door open or any sounds from the back, further indicating the distance they were trying to put between you and them. It just fueled your determination to stay.

Despite what happened with your last unit, you were a damned good detective, you knew that even without Chan reminding you often. While the S.K unit revolved around cases about runaways and crimes committed by minors, it was still a police force. This was no different, even if the unit operated differently, you could handle it.

Glancing around the space, you did feel a bit proud with how it was coming along. There was a pile of boxes and garbage by the hall, which you felt ready to take care of now. Picking it up, you headed down the hall, heels clicking on the wooden floor. The door was indeed shut, but not locked, and you swung it open with a loud thud. You heard something clatter on the other side of the room, but you ignored it as you dropped the boxes of garbage on the floor.

“What the he-”

“Take care of this will you.” Dusting off your hands you looked towards the nearest one, which happened to be Mingi and Yunho at their desks, but Mingi was half out of his chair. “Since this is your unit, you can handle the trash.” Turning on your heel you made your way down the hall. 

“She didn’t leave?”

“Apparently not Min.”

You could hear them as you shut the door harshly, a smirk on your lips as you made your way back to your new work area. They really had no idea just how hard you were going to make this for them, and it brought a sense of pride.

You could easily be the biggest pain in their ass, all too happy to oblige. One week? You could make them regret it by then. Maybe you could make them regret it by the end of the day, it was only lunch time.

—

Having set out to get your lunch from a deli down the street, you were a bit annoyed to come back to your newly cleaned office once more full of the trash that you had tossed back at them. Setting your sandwich down, and with all the calm you could muster, you cleaned up the trash once more. Plastering a fake grin on your features you carried it to the back, only to find the door locked this time. 

Frowning, you set the garbage down, took a deep breath, and then pounded on the wooden door. “Hello detective’s? I think you forgot something!”

No answer.

You just pounded harder and called out louder. “Hellooo?”

No answer again. 

Grumbling, you gave the door a kick with your heel, leaving the garbage there and instead going back to your desk. Grabbing your phone you brought it back to the door, recording once more as you banged and called out, then sighed. “See what I mean Sir? I really think there was a mix up- I can’t even access the office. How am I a part of this unit?”

Just as you had been hoping for, the door swung open and the pile of garbage you had set against it went tumbling against the unsuspecting Vice Captain. You smiled up at him innocently, pointing to the recording camera and then saving it. “Your poker face is impeccable Vice, but do you really think it’s wise to lock me out?”

“We’re in a meeting.” He deadpanned, kicking some of the garbage to the side into the office. “You were being disruptive.”

“Me? Disruptive? I have no idea what you mean, I just needed to throw away this garbage for a second time, since apparently it can walk on two legs right back to my beautiful desk you so graciously assigned me.” Thick with sarcasm you added a bit of a pout to your tone, pointing to the boxes between you two. “I had asked Detective Song and Jeong to handle it since no one bothered to show me where it goes. You do have a proper place for garbage, right? This isn’t the only place is it?”

His features darkened as he leaned forward. “You should really watch your insults Detective- You don’t want to disrespect this unit any more than you have.”

“Oh so I’m disrespecting the unit? Hardly anything to respect when you haven’t earned it.” You sneered out.

“Okay okay- calm down you two.” Yunho came barreling forward, putting space between the Vice and you while looking a bit panicked. “We can’t get anything done if we are tearing each other’s heads off.”

You shrugged, crossing your arms over your chest. “I have nothing better to do for a week, so I don’t see why not.”

“For fuck’s sake woman- you really are so mouthy.”

You glared past the two in front of you to Jongho who had a fresh coffee in his hands, sitting at the desk from before. “Give me a reason to shut up then.”

“I can give you several off the clock.” Mingi countered from his desk, leaning his palms against the surface.

You rolled your eyes. “I like dick, but not the personality type.”

“Enough!” The room froze with that one raised word, Yunho staring each of you down with a tick in his jaw. “We can all agree that none of us are happy with this situation… but for fucks sake we do have a job to do. Can you sit pretty until the Captain gets back and just hash it out with him? And can we all at least agree to try to be civil until then?”

You bit down on the inside of your cheek to keep from retorting without thinking. This had been what you wanted right? But you weren’t about to be the first to agree.

Yunho glanced at each of you once more, lingering on the Vice Captain last. “Seonghwa? We can’t afford to have an ongoing battle with another detective right now, can we make some arrangements?”

He relented with a sigh, shoulders relaxing. “Fine. You three handle this garbage… and you and I will talk.” He breezed past you down to your desk which you hesitated to follow at first. You could hear Mingi’s grumbles towards Yunho but you didn’t care.

“We’ll supply you with wifi, a seat, and a phone. As for work for the week it will be menial or trivial things. When Captain Kim returns, you can discuss with him your role.” He said as soon as you stepped up to the desk.

“And the offhand comments? The intentional sabotage?”

“Will stop.” Seonghwa relented once more with a sigh, seemingly tired of this whole ordeal. “Will this work?”

Now it was your turn to relinquish a sigh. “Yes, I came here to work not to fight over petty bullshit. As long as you follow those terms I’ll behave until your Captain returns.”

“Good. Write down anything you need for this space and I’ll have it picked up by tomorrow-”

“No need I can do so. I still have my things from my last unit, it’ll be fine.” Leaning against the wall you glanced up at him, holding out your hand. “So truce?”

He stared at your outstretched palm, reluctantly accepting. “Truce. Finish up here and come find me when you’re done. I’ll give you the wifi and a key to the front door.”

Just like that he left you alone, the click of the back office door heard a second later. Something still didn’t sit right with you, something still so inherently wrong about this whole situation, but there was nothing you could do.

Not yet at least. This was one battle won, you had a week to prepare for the boss fight.

Taglist (form): @mingsolo | @wowie-hockey | @crispybaguettes | @tiny-apocalypse | @philijack | @lelaleleb | @idfkeddieishot | @isiloiale | @candypop1611 | @vannabanana1995  | @piratequeen-queenofgames | @starstruckforyou | @minheeskitten | @amphiroxx  | @cloudysannie | @fire-and-flame | @sugarnspice630 | @hongjoongswifefr | @sanhwalvr | @plutoneu | @auroreen | @sousydive |

[water-to-drink]

Be a Gladiolus in a Field of Belladonnas pt10

Tree Hugger

(Summary): After narrowly escaping detection from the Natlan army it seems that the one from before has caught up with you and company

Part 1 Last Part Next Part

✧ Masterlist ✧

(Characters): Traveler!Lumine, Paimon, Abyss Prince!Aether, Childe, and ???

(Tags/Warnings): gn!reader, potentially bad fight scene, potentially ooc, potential inaccurate descriptions of Natlan, (lmk if I missed anything)

(Word Count): 2.1k

You ran until the layer of snow became thinner and the crunch beneath your shoes resonated less and less. of a heatwave. You ran until the sun that was once rising now sets and paints the sky with a beautiful mixture of red, orange, and purple. You ran despite your feet hurting beyond belief, but the adrenaline kept you pushing forward. You ran despite your lungs burning hotter and a summer day in the midst

Your feet become heavy and your movements became almost sluggish, it seems that Lumine has noticed this

Lumine looks over her shoulder towards you but you see her looking over you and her eyes widen in horror. You look in the same direction and your heart dropped. Just far into the distance you spotted the same jaguar like mask you saw back in Snezhnaya coming at you full speed

“Guys, someone’s found us!” Lumine yelled as she quickly pushed you behind her and summoned her sword

Your assailant summons their weapon, a long wooden claymore lined with pieces of sharp obsidian blades. They swung it at the traveler who expertly dodged the attacks. When Lumine swings her sword the masked individual blocks it with a shield decorated with colorful feathers. They lift up their club to strike Lumine but Aether comes in and stops the attack

The two fall into a familiar rhythm of fighting the attacker and covering the other, Lumine making swings with her right hand whilst Aether does the same with his left hand

The assailant takes out a cord with 3 balls tied to the ends of it and they swing it above their head before throwing it. The string entangles itself around Lumine’s ankles making her fall to the ground. Aether looks at Lumine to ensure she’s okay

“Aether watch out!” Lumine warns

The prince turns around to see their attacker about to deal a blow, but they put up their shield to block the hydro infused arrows, however some water splashes onto them

Seeing the opportunity Aether throws a few lightning strikes towards the assailant to stun them

Childe uses his hydro vision to make a pair of blades and charges at them. Still in a daze the attacker couldn’t react in time to block the slices dealt by the ginger

Lumine finally was able to untangle herself from the bolas

“Childe get down!” Lumine warned and she blasted a large cryo attack at the assailant, freezing them in place

Finally getting their bearings the masked individual puts their hands up in defeat. “I admit defeat, I expected nothing less from the three of you.” They finally spoke

“Who are you?” Aether said while pointing his sword at their neck

Their hands slowly make their way behind their head to remove the mask from their face. You spot two rounded ears covered in a rosette pattern, yellow eyes with slits in the pupils, and short reddish hair

“Oh my god!” You shouted out in surprise. “Wait, who are you?”

“I’m the high priestess in Natlan, Chimalma, I aid the mighty warriors in various thing, but that’s a topic for some other time.” Chimalma introduced herself

“Why should we trust you, for all we know you could have alerted your forces about us.” Aether asked still untrusting of the supposed high priestess

“I know what happened between you and the Raiden Shogun, her seeing your golden blood.” They stated matter of factly. “I also know that the Fatui has been searching for these ‘primogems’, but you haven’t had any luck finding more.”

“How do you know that?!” Lumine asked as she and Childe got in front of you ready to protect you in a moment’s notice

“I don’t mean to bring harm to their Grace, we only wish to help you on your journey.”

“Wait, ‘we?’ Who else is with you?” You asked

“Chimalma wouldn’t have known about your situation if a little birdie hadn’t told her.” A voice replied, you turned your head to see the iconic long pink hair with pink ears drooping because of heavy gold earrings with purple gems, one earring holding an electro vision

“Yae?!” You, Lumine, and Paimon shouted in unison

“Why hello your Grace.” The Guji greeted

“Wh-why are you here?! And how did you know that I’m not the imposter?!”

“Well the Shogun puppet came to the shrine one day and told me about the incident, she even told me about despite Ei seeing your blood but she was forced to raise her blade against you.” You saw Yae’s usual playful expression uncharacteristically turn into one of pain. “I apologize for our little priestess’ brash behavior earlier, I will deal with them later.”

“Wait, I understand where she learned the incident with Ei but how did she learn about the Fatui?!”

“It’s simple,” Chimalma said as she raised her hand out and a blue hummingbird flew over and perched itself her hand. “I had spies watching.”

“Birds talk here?!” You gasped in shock

“They do but only a chosen few can understand them. Soon you’ll understand them.”

“We need to head out soon, it’s getting late and do something about your clothes.” Yae looks over her shoulder and made a little gesture with her hand, a decent sided wooden carriage pulled by animals you don’t recognize and two men dressed in what you assumed to be Natlan clothing come out of the carriage. The twin instantly get in front of you at the sight of the men, sensing your nervousness they give Yae the box and kneel down before you

“Just as Lady Chimalma said, we don’t mean to bring you any harm.” One stated

“We would rather see that our end is met by your hands if you see us as untrustworthy .” The other continued

“No, you’re good. I’m not killing anyone except my doppelganger.” You reassured them

“Natlan warriors are an intense bunch.” Yae said as she walks towards you with the wooden box. “I know it’s not much but it’s all that we could find in such a short period.” Yae opens the box to reveal 7 Primogems

You take the gems and they disappear into a glittery blue dust very reminiscent of a nebula in space. You felt a tiny bit of power course through your arm and up to your chest causing an involuntary shiver racks through your body

“Whoa, I actually felt something this time.” You chuckled

“That’s good to hear, but I know a more effective method to getting your old powers back.”

“Really? What is it?” Paimon asked

“We need to go to Natlan for that.” Chimalma said as she melted the ice trapping her feet in place

“Don’t worry, little one. I will ensure your safety.” Yae said putting her hand on your shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. “However, before we enter Natlan’s boarder’s you all need to change into something less eye catching.” Yae said gesturing to your clothes

The Guji snapped her fingers and the two men go back into the carriage and bring out various clothing items, they present them to you and company

“You have to change out of your clothes to avoid suspicion.” Yae advised

You and the others quickly put on the disguises which consisted of a thick cloth shirt, leggings with a rosette pattern similar to the one that Chimalma has on her ears, and a wooden helmet carved in the shape of a bird, but you were told that could be put on later when in Natlan. Now you resembled the two men clothing wise, you all were ushered into the carriage and settled in. There was only enough room for you and Miko to sit on one side while the others sat right in front of you. The carriage began to make the long journey from Snezhnaya to Natlan, maybe the fact that you were finally stationary in hours because you found yourself dozing off and you almost rested your head on Yae’s shoulder

“You look tired, my dear. Why don’t you rest a little for now.” Yae smiled as she patted her thighs inviting you to lay your head on them

“Oh! A-are you sure, don’t want to impose…” You stuttered out as heat rushes to your face

“Nonsense, you need all the rest you can get, remember you have a long journey ahead of you.”

“If you say so.” You said and laid your head down in her lap. Yae’s lap felt like heaven, you don’t know if it’s due to the fact that you’ve slept in a cave and spent the whole day running but her thighs were spiritually healing. You were so preoccupied with the comfort you were experiencing you completely missed the death glares thrown at Yae, who in turn smirked triumphantly

The next thing you feel is Yae gently shaking you awake, you sat up and in your groggy state you looked around and remembered where you are.

“We’re here.” Chimalma said as you all got out of the carriage and looked at the beautiful landscape. “Welcome to the nation of pyro, Natlan.”

“How did we get here that fast?” You asked in amazement

“It’s a secret~” Yae said holding her finger in front of her smirking lips

You look around to see reddish orange mountains with various paintings on them. A tap on your shoulder brings your attention towards Yae

“It isn’t safe to be out there for too long without your mask.”

You put on the wooden helmet and followed Yae and Chimalma who lead you and company to a tree with parts of its bark a glowing shade of blue

You see the two hybrids looking at you and the tree expectantly

“Ohh! Uhh, how do I ‘resonate’ with the tree?” You asked

“The same way our dear traveler resonates with the statues of the seven, by touching them.” Yae answered

You hesitantly extends your hands and rest your finger tips on the tree. After a while your tense shoulders slowly relax and you press your palms on the bark. The moment you spot the blue parts of the tree start glowing brighter than before you instantly withdrew your hands. The soft giggles from Yae drew your attention towards the Guji, she takes your hands and leads them back to the tree

“Relax, just concentrate on connecting with the tree.”

You took a deep breath and closed your eyes, focusing on the tree you feel power and warmth course through you. You take your hands off the tree and open your eyes to see the blue parts glowing brightly

“So how do you feel?” Lumine asked

“That was intense, but other than that I feel the same.” You replied

“Summon some fire!” Chimalma urged

You hesitantly held out your dominant hand and imagined a flame coming out from your hand and once the image comes into your mind a decently sized fire envelopes your hand. Surprisingly the flame doesn’t hurt you and after a while the flame dies down into nothing

“Whoa, so the way for their Grace to regain their powers is to touch these trees, kinda like Lumine with the statues of the seven?” Paimon asked as she rubbed her chin

“Very intuitive little one, as to why it works for the Ley Lines instead of the statues I do not know.” Yae explains

You spot Aether wanting to say something but stopping himself from doing so, you stopped yourself from prying so to not make the situation awkward

“Now that we’re done here, let’s go time is of the essence.” Yae begins to walk away from the tree

“Wait before you go,” Chimalma said as she knelt down before you. “take this sword with you.” You took the sword and take it out of its sheath to examine it, a brown hilt leading to a blade with similar blue stripes as the tree you just resonated with

“Why are you giving their Grace a sword?! They have us to protect them!” Aether stated also offended at the implication that he and Lumine aren’t enough to protect you

“You never know and besides it’ll help jog up some memories.”

“I think you’re mistaken, I’ve never held a sword like this before.” You said

“Maybe in this life, but in your old life definitely. Everything that the old pyro archon knew, you taught it to them.”

You held the sword and felt something stir inside you and put it back in its sheath

“I’ll hold you to that statement.” You said

“I promise it’ll come in handy.”

You waved Chimalma goodbye and walk back to the carriage. Mentally preparing yourself for your next destination

The land of electro, Inazuma

Taglist:

@chuuya-brainrot @creation-magician @tartarsaucechi1de @vvyeislazzy @kokomisimpppp @aludicpoet @undecidingfate @annoying-mary @randomnatics @ventixthexanemoxarchon @bore2808 @lizzhearthz @ bidisasterforevermore @dxprived4-starboys @angstylittleb1tch @esthelily @yurivision @angelamelamela @d4y-dr3am3r @blackcoffex @not-the-shroom @raffaelo4ka @rebeccawinters @lhaol @artwitchh @imyme20 @nymphsdomain @sun7flowxr @itz-luna @flowerypesky @ghost-mint @mmmhyperfixation @legendaryexperthideout @lapinaenmicoche @sinsdumbdrabble @land-of-eternity @deathcvltcivilofficial

[ladyelissarose]

—————————— ☠️

“Sergeant?”

You had just sunk down to the ground, against the wall as your tried to breathe. The usual bright eyes you always wore, searching for his dark ones, are now locked on the ground as you sat across your superior, Lieutenant Simon Riley... other known as the ‘Ghost’. His callsign or sorta nickname didn’t scare you, he wasn’t the cold man every one knew him to be, instead he had grown easy around you, making his personal space your little safe haven. He was still quiet and sometimes distant, but he still was a safe place.

But right now you felt as if everything around you was too close, you couldn’t catch your breath and we’re growing anxious because of it. Panic and desperation were clawing out of you at this point, but they had no chance in escaping.

Loud ringing sounds could be heard in your ears, causing your head to pound, but above that noise in your head you heard the calm voice, call out to you in the distance,

“You alright kid?”

Your eyes still didn’t meet his, but you nonetheless replied with a small voice, unlike the loud but firm one you often used,

“I don’t k-know...”

It cracked in the end, showing Simon you were at the verge of breaking, but he could also tell you were trying to keep it together- be strong.

But it didn’t look like it was working, your breathing’s pace was picking up and there was a slight shake to you too, you were trembling.

This reaction from you was new to Simon, but he was quick to detect what it was nonetheless. Personally he’s met this kind of feeling before- he wasn’t new to it at all.

But It would be the first time he’s ever attempted to do something so deep and connecting, but he knew it would help you.

He didn’t have to force the words out of you to know what was happening or how to address it, he knew what had happened a few minutes ago was the closest thing ever to taking your life, and what didn’t help was when you ran back in the falling building anyways, barely making it out with the two kids before it fully collapsed.

Fear didn’t come close to how you were feeling, but for the past seconds to minutes you haven’t been able to feel anything, or let your mind register the trauma your body went through. Making sure everything was ok and in order, meaning you unfortunately didn’t come first when you had so many responsibilities ahead of you.

But Simon’s large hand engulfed your face, and the other got both of your hands and stopped the fidgeting, tightening the hold as he pulled you closer, bringing your head against his chest. Breaking the panic you were developing.

Slowly your eyes met his as you looked up at him, and you couldn’t help the heavy stone weighing down in your throat, blocking out the words that wanted to come out, and tell him you needed help.

Tears began to well in your eyes as Simon’s softened, the realization that you were alive and well took a toll on you, as you had barely escaped the jaws of death that day, and finally you were able to calm down and take it all in.

You looked behind you to see the building in flames and totally wrecked, Simon locked eyes with what you were beholding, and he felt how scared you were. Panic wanted to settle in you more, as you recalled the thoughts that ran through your head as you dodged the falling ceiling, hoping that it wouldn’t fall on you or the kids you were holding.

‘Don’t die don’t die- OH SHIT- that was close!! Oh! Hold the kids tighter they’ll fall and the younger one can’t walk- they’re depending on you, come on make it- please don’t fall on me-‘

Thoughts spiraling like a hurricane, until a gentle tug was felt on your hands. And a deep voice with a softness to it called out,

“C’mere sweetheart.”

His free hand beckoned you towards him, and when you got close enough it wrapped around your waist and pulled you into his lap, and took your place against the wall. Instinctively you got comfortable and laid your palm over his chest, where his heart was. He had discarded his vest so you could feel closer, and hoodie he wore was was thin enough where you could still make out his heartbeat and even feel it’s steady thuds.

Your teary face was mere inches from his masked up one, and ever so gently Simon used the pad of his thumb to wipe them all away, while his hand held your cheek.

You were like a little angel in the arms of a monster, seeking comfort in his darkness as your light had dimmed. His eyes were dark shades of brown, but they held a honey ring around it’s making them unique and him- Simon Riley.

The arm that was around your waist now slid to your bottom, holding you up closer so you wouldn’t slide off his lap. Your face was then guided by his hand to lay your head on his shoulder, your face resting against his neck, inhaling his scent which was musky yet warm and woody.. a hint of citrus could be detected too.

Simon placed his head on yours, and with the softest voice he could possibly muster with his deep Manchester accent, he cooed,

“It’s alright sweet girl.. I’m righ’ here.”

You nodded against him as you tried to breathe slowly, sniffles coming out here and there, although you tried matching your erratic breathing to his calm one, hoping to synchronize it.

A little rumble could be felt coming from his chest, a low chuckle came out of Ghost’s mask, not in a mocking way, but to ease the heavy tension.

“That gave you quite the scare eh? I’s alright... Johnny would’ve shit his pants for sure, not you though.. you’re a brave one huh sweetheart?”

A small giggle released your once trembling lips at what Ghost said about Soap, and it comforted him to know you’re cheering up a bit. You snuggled into him closer, finding comfort in his embrace as he made you feel easy and alive- even with the smallest gestures.

His hands never left as he cradled you, rubbing your back, squeezing your side, caressing your head or holding your fidgeting fingers... he never stopped letting you know he hadn’t let you go.

His soft breaths being heard, the calm beating of his heart as he made sure your ear was over it, the little hums he’d do when he felt it was too quiet, kissing your head through his mask here and there... it was his way of telling you, you were just as alive as he was.

Simon’s hold on you never faltered, as he poured his unsaid affection for you in heart-full and true actions. From now on he’d keep you an arm’s length away- if not in his arms better yet.

[rogueshadow1124]

TRAINING DAY

[Task force 141 x reader]

Summary: New recruit Y/N is assigned tasks with different members of task force 141.

Word count: 1122

Warning: none?

The sprawling training facility was alive with the hum of machinery and the sharp clatter of boots against concrete. The space was vast, purpose-built to simulate everything from urban warfare to hostile environments. It was here that Task Force 141 was about to put their newest recruit—Y/N—through the paces.

Y/N stood in the center of the room, her stance relaxed but her eyes sharp. Dressed in tactical gear, she looked every bit the part of a seasoned operative. However, her reputation for sarcasm and a no-nonsense attitude had preceded her. She cracked a grin as Captain Price strode up to her, his expression a mixture of amusement and sternness.

“Morning, Captain,” Y/N said with a smirk. “I hope you’re ready for a workout, because I’ve been told I’m a bit of a handful.”

Price raised an eyebrow. “I’ve heard,” he said, his tone even. “But let’s see if your skills match your bravado. Today’s drills will push you hard. You’ll be working with each member of the team in various scenarios. Let’s get started.”

Price led Y/N to the first section of the training area, where a series of obstacles and mock enemy positions were set up. The air was thick with the scent of gunpowder and adrenaline.

“Alright, Y/N, you’re up first with me,” Price said, gesturing towards a simulated hostage rescue scenario. “You’ll need to secure the hostages and eliminate any threats without causing collateral damage.”

Y/N nodded, her expression turning serious. “Got it. Time to show you why I’m the best thing since sliced bread.”

As the simulation started, Price observed closely while Y/N navigated the environment with impressive skill. She moved with precision, taking out enemies with calculated shots and avoiding unnecessary risks. Her commentary, however, was a mix of humor and grit.

“You know, Captain, for someone who’s seen as a legend, you sure do know how to pick the worst spots for a rescue. It’s like you’re trying to give me a headache.”

Price chuckled. “Just keep moving and focus. We don’t have all day.”

Despite her banter, Y/N completed the task efficiently, securing the hostages and neutralizing the threats with minimal fuss. Price gave a nod of approval.

“Not bad. You’ve got a knack for this. Next up, Ghost.”

Ghost, ever the enigmatic figure with his skull mask and silent demeanor, awaited Y/N for the next exercise. The task with Ghost focused on stealth and reconnaissance.

“In this exercise, you’ll need to infiltrate an enemy compound and retrieve classified documents,” Ghost instructed through his comms. “Avoid detection at all costs. Ready?”

Y/N smirked. “Stealthy and deadly—that’s my middle name.”

As the simulation began, Y/N slinked through shadows, using every inch of cover to her advantage. Ghost’s occasional instructions were concise and to the point, guiding her through the compound. Despite the intense focus required, Y/N couldn’t help but crack a few jokes.

“If I had a dime for every time I had to dodge a laser sensor, I’d be able to retire by now. Wait, are we done yet?”

Ghost’s response was a silent nod as Y/N successfully extracted the documents without setting off any alarms.

“Impressive,” Ghost said, his voice carrying a hint of approval. “You’re stealthier than a cat on a prowl. Let’s see how you fare with Soap.”

Soap’s exercise was a combination of tactical maneuvers and combat scenarios. The environment was a chaotic battlefield, with simulated enemies and objectives to complete.

“Alright, lass,” Soap said, flashing a grin. “In this one, we’re gonna be in the thick of it. We need to clear these positions and hold them against enemy forces. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.”

The firefight began, and Soap’s energy was infectious. He moved with a blend of aggression and precision, pushing forward while coordinating with Y/N.

“Soap, if you keep yelling like that, I might just mistake you for one of the enemy,” Y/N quipped as she fired her weapon. “And I have to say, you’ve got quite the flair for dramatic entrances.”

Soap laughed, his enthusiasm unabated. “I’ll take that as a compliment. Just make sure you keep up!”

The exercise tested Y/N’s ability to handle high-pressure situations while working as part of a team. Her quick thinking and combat skills shone through as she and Soap cleared the positions and secured their objectives.

“Nice work, rookie,” Soap said, clapping her on the back. “You’ve got some serious chops. Now, let’s wrap it up with Roach.”

Roach’s scenario focused on marksmanship and precision under varying conditions. The targets were set up at different distances, and the challenge was to hit them all within a strict time limit.

“In this one, it’s all about accuracy,” Roach explained. “You’ve got to hit all the targets quickly and efficiently. No pressure.”

Y/N’s response was a smirk as she took her position. “Pressure is my middle name. Let’s see if you can keep up.”

Roach watched closely as Y/N lined up her shots. Her focus was intense, and she hit each target with impressive accuracy. The time limit was tight, but Y/N managed to complete the drill with seconds to spare.

“Good shooting,” Roach said, a rare smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “You’ve got a solid shot. That’s it for today.”

As the training session concluded, the members of Task Force 141 gathered around Y/N. They exchanged looks of mutual respect and approval.

“You’ve done well,” Price said, a hint of pride in his voice. “You’ve proven you’ve got both the skills and the attitude to make it with us. Keep up the good work, and remember, this is just the beginning.”

Y/N nodded, her smirk softening into a genuine smile. “Thanks, Captain. And don’t worry—I’ll be sure to keep you all on your toes.”

The team chuckled, and Y/N felt a sense of camaraderie with the elite group. The training had been intense, but it had also been a chance to prove herself and bond with some of the best operatives in the field.

As she walked out of the facility, Y/N knew that she had earned her place among Task Force 141. The blend of sarcasm and skill had served her well, and she was ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.

In the world of high-stakes missions and dangerous operations, Y/N had found her footing. With the support and guidance of Task Force 141, she was poised to make a significant impact. The training grounds had been the proving ground, and she had emerged stronger, sharper, and more determined than ever.

[thecreaturecodex]

Seething Spirit

Image © Paizo Publishing

[Thank you, Paizo, for introducing more types of incorporeal undead in PF2e. The fact that, by default, the seething spirit speaks Dwarven and Giant (well, Jotunn in PF2e) has some interesting world building implications.]

Seething Spirit CR 11 CE Undead (incorporeal) This reddish spectral figure is humanoid, its outline wavering as if seen through a shimmer of heat. Its eyes are furious, and its features contorted into a hateful grimace.

A seething spirit is an undead creature of pure anger. The souls that create seething spirits died in a state of extreme wrath, and the seething spirit carries that sentiment into the world. Seething spirits are particularly motivated by the specific target of anger—romantic resentment, a persecution complex, racism and straight-up spite are all common factors that might empower a seething spirit. Seething spirits remember little of their lives except their rage, and cannot be put to rest by resolving any unfulfilled business or the like. Seething spirits seek out people with similar resentments and possess them, turning them into a vessel to channel that anger into violence.

A seething spirit cannot willingly leave a possessed target, and so steers its host’s life into its campaign of hatred. They are excellent liars and capable of strategy, but often short-sighted and impatient around their focus of anger. Their ultimate goals are always violent ones, and if they can incite others into destructive mobs, all the better. A creature possessed by a seething spirit radiates rage as an almost palpable aura, and even their punches and kicks strike with the force of a greataxe. Appropriately enough for a being of extreme emotions, they are nearly powerless in the face of a calm emotions spell, which ejects them from their possessed hosts or tears away at their spiritual forms.

Seething Spirit                     CR 11 XP 12,800 CE Medium undead (incorporeal) Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +13, taste anger Aura raging (20 ft., Will DC 23)

Defense AC 24, touch 24, flat-footed 17 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 deflection) hp 138 (12d8+84) Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +8 Immune incorporeal traits, undead traits; Weakness vulnerable to calm emotions

Offense Speed fly 40 ft. (perfect) Melee 2 incorporeal claws +16 (1d12+7) Special Attacks furious possession Spell-like Abilities CL 12th, concentration +19 (+23 casting defensively) Constant—tongues At will—detect thoughts (DC 19), invisibility (self only), ventriloquism (DC 18) 3/day—paranoia (DC 19), suggestion (DC 20) 1/day—remove fear, song of discord (DC 23)

Statistics Str -, Dex 23, Con -, Int 14, Wis6, Cha 25 Base Atk +9; CMB -; CMD 33 Feats Combat Casting,Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (incorporeal claw) Skills Acrobatics +18, Bluff +19, Fly +29, Intimidate +22, Perception +13, Stealth +21 Languages Common, Dwarven, Giant, tongues

Ecology Environment any Organization solitary Treasure none

Special Abilities Furious Possession (Su) As a standard action, a seething spirit can attempt to possess an adjacent corporeal creature. This functions as a greater possession spell (DC 23), except that the possessed creature gains temporary hit points equal to the seething spirit’s HD, and whenever it deals damage with a melee weapon, natural weapon or unarmed strike, may choose to use the seething spirit’s incorporeal claw damage instead. A seething spirit cannot end its possession voluntarily. A creature that succeeds its saving throw cannot be possessed by that seething spirit for the next 24 hours. Temporary hit points granted by this ability refresh every 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma based. Incorporeal Claw (Ex) A seething spirit’s incorporeal touch attack deals slashing and piercing damage, and the damage is modified by the seething spirit’s Charisma bonus. Raging Aura (Su) When it is possessing a creature, the seething spirit radiates rage in a 20 foot aura. All creatures in the area must succeed a DC 23 Will save or suffer the negative effects of a barbarian rage, suffering a -2 penalty to Armor Class and being unable to use any any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride) or any ability that requires patience or concentration. A creature so affected gains a +2 morale bonus to all damage rolls against the seething spirit’s enemies. This lasts as long as the creature remains in the aura and for 1d4+1 rounds thereafter. A creature that succeeds its save is immune to the raging aura of that seething spirit for the next 24 hours. A creature that fails its save automatically fails its save against the raging aura of that seething spirit for the next 24 hours. This is a mind-influencing emotion effect, and the save DC is Charisma based. Taste Anger (Ex) A seething spirit can sense the presence of anger and hatred within 1 mile, and detect angry and hateful creatures within 30 feet as if it had blindsense. Vulnerable to Calm Emotions (Ex) A seething spirit cannot possess a creature under the effects of calm emotions, and if a creature it is possessing fails its saving throw against calm emotions, the seething spirit is ejected from its host. If a seething spirit outside of a host is targeted by calm emotions, it takes 10 points of damage per caster level (Will save for half damage).

[betterbemeta]

I love you Transformers, but even SD Gundam Force has a depiction of an APS (active protection system) in it. I'm talking about the specialized guns on certain tanks, military trucks, and ships that detect missiles and destroy them at a distance (hard-kill system), and about flares or laser systems that confuse heat-seeking missiles (soft-kill system.)

In real life, missiles are super destructive. they don't dramatically miss when fired at point blank so protagonists can leap away from explosions.

There's air to surface missiles, surface to air missiles, air to air missiles, surface to surface missiles, it's pretty much missiles all around. Some can pierce tanks easily, to the point where reactive tank armor is designed to explode with an opposite force when struck, negating some of the blast.

It's not WWI okay, modern air dogfights are some guy firing missiles at you and it's not like TV where you Dodge the Missiles. Air superiority planes have laser dazzlers and flares because infrared guidance systems are very sophisticated nowadays. Like, what do you think 'stealth aircraft' is about? Modern ordinance is so effective that the first 'defense' is not being detected or the other guy not being able to get a lock. If it's fired at all it's going to destroy something (expensive) unless it's disabled.

I understand that action shows and movies-- Transformers being one example-- do not want to depict a default lethality. Death happens to mooks, or when it's time for a Main Character to redeem their audience investment. But at this point the IP Movie Phenomenon has gone on so long and made so much money it can't help but ask adult audiences to be taken seriously.

At best most media that features 'armed conflict' is stuck in a pre-modern mindset because the current reality is depressing. It's not heroic for all sides to have 'prevent resistance or mitigation of your violent enforcement' as their M.O. Ordinary people relate to Sword Fights and Survival because we all need to use willpower every day to confront challenges in our world. But this is not that.

I could barely make it through half of the first bayverse transformers movie when I watched it recently for the normal reasons (misanthropy, misogyny, mis-everything) but given how much money the US military spent on this movie??? almost all of it is bullshit that completely ignores what the featured equipment is even FOR. The Military being Sexy but Useless IS propaganda: the public awareness is of the glamor shots, and not of the purpose or effectiveness of ganking everything with missiles.

I'm not asking for Starscream to obliterate the protagonists of a tv show with hellfire missiles that he copied. That would be boring. And I'm not asking movies or shows that are To Sell Toys to educate children on the murderous nature of war, or starting any kind of Discourse. It just amazes me that so much stuff that features Military Technology is totally disinterested in it.

[writingtoforgetreality]

Tin Can (Din Djarin x Reader)

Summary: A battle didn't go as planned when someone ran you over with full force. Realizing his mistake, a certain Mandalorian made it his mission to bring you to safety.

Warnings: none, i think (it's been a while since i last tagged my fics), language and humor?

The deafening battle around you restricted your hearing. While you felt your heartbeat thumping in your ears, you couldn't discern anything else. A huge disadvantage during a fight. Your periphery allowed you to notice bodies flying all over the place. It was only a matter of time until they reached you. They? Who were they anyway? At this point, you were completely clueless. Who could you trust and, most importantly, who should you attack?

Natural instinct yelled at you to turn around and so you did. Unfortunately, your reflexes weren't qualified enough to dodge the next blow. And shit, that hurt. Whoever had the brilliant idea to choose you as their next victim sure packed one hell of a punch. For a second, breathing was nearly impossible. Lungs felt as if someone was squeezing them. Your head shook briefly to rid yourself of the sudden dizziness.

One hand lifted itself to your face to shield your eyes from the blasting suns painting the sky. Once the dark spots blurring your vision faded, you could focus again. The figure in front of you received sharp edges and clear lines. You made out who exactly was in front of you. It might not have been your smartest move, yet you couldn't help but scoff.

"Is that all you got, tin can?" you groaned through gritted teeth, brushing off the sand as you got back on your feet.

"I'm a Mandalorian." echoed his deep voice. While his helmet limited your sight of his face, the position of his visor, the slight tilt, betrayed him. Status, you answered in your head, connecting the dots. He wanted you to view him as some higher-up.

You eyed him from head to toe, eyebrows raising in the process. "Well...obviously."

"You aren't scared." though it was a statement rather than a question, you could sense the confusion in between the lines.

"Are you about to kill me?"

"...No?"

"Why should I be scared then?" you left him speechless. A smirk spread over your lips, satisfied to have this effect on him. "Besides..." you paused shortly, redirecting your line of sight. "Somebody traveling with a green little guy doesn't look all too intimidating to me."

"He could easily kill you."

"Hm." you pretended to think really hard. "Guess I'm lucky then, huh?"

"Are you aware of the battle around you or-?" a smile was detectable in his words.

"Oh, very much so. Thanks by the way." you motioned to your side, signaling that he did, in fact, hurt you while running you over.

"You can't just stand in a battlefield."

"Bold of you to assume I was just standing there without doing shit." you mumbled.

A loud explosion to your right gained your attention. Exchanging a quick glance, a silent, unspoken promise was established. Nodding your head, more for yourself than for anyone else, you positioned yourself with your blasters at the ready. It was only then when you scarily concluded that, next to a Mandalorian, you were as good as dead. Hell, you didn't even have a single piece of armor while he was decked with beskar. Whole body protected with the confidence of staying unharmed. Long story short: you were screwed.

Nobody was running towards you so you took the chance to speak up.

"Um? Tin can?"

"What?" he appeared more than pissed at your silly nickname but you had no time to elaborate on that right now. If you survived, he wouldn’t hear the end of it, though. That much you’d make sure of.

"You don't happen to have any more of that armor, do you?"

His shoulders visibly tensed and, as if he hadn't spared a second thought to it before, he faced you with shock. There weren't many options. You could fight and risk your life. Though, risking in that context meant a full-blown suicide mission. You could use the Mandalorian as a shield. Or...you could run. As much as you despised the latter, it seemed like the most logical choice. A modulated voice from your left halted your inner turmoil.

"Follow me." it wasn't a question. Not a suggestion, either. It was a demand. And though you did find humor in this situation, you were the first one to admit that you were scared. Terrified, even.

He sprinted off, making sure to cast one last glance over his shoulder, silently signaling to you to follow his footsteps. You didn't need to be told twice. Trailing close behind the dents his heavy boots left in the sand, you eventually reached a spaceship. His, you figured. The model wasn't the newest or most progressive one you had seen but it was better than nothing. Thick metal doors unsealed in front of you and allowed you a first glimpse inside. Quickly, you walked up the ramp into what you hoped to be a safe place. At least for the time being. Only when the doors shifted and locked themselves could you relax and breathe freely again.

You were about to start a mundane conversation to dissolve the tension but before you had the chance to utter the first word, your knees buckled and you fell to the floor ungracefully. A sharp hiss left your tight lips. It was enough for the Mandalorian to focus solely on your hunched figure. He didn't quite know what to do or how to handle the situation. Awkwardly he got to a kneeling position and extended his hands, without having the intention to actually touch you.

"I'm fine." you breathed out, shutting your eyes.

"Mhm." his acknowledgment sounded funny through the barricade of his helmet. Maybe you were turning insane. Or maybe, and that was more plausible, you were simply close to falling unconscious. Apparently, the pain was worse than you had originally thought.

"Hey." it was his voice again, cutting through the white noise buzzing around you. Your eyes snapped open, shaken out of your reverie. "There you are." he mumbled and were it not for your surroundings to be eerily quiet, you'd have missed it.

Swimming the fine line between passing out and staying awake, you barely perceived his skilled glove-covered hands working on your injury. No internal bleedings and no fractioned ribs. Though they were badly bruised and sprained. Time was what you needed now. There was no way you were able to waltz out of his ship without any problems. Not for a few weeks. The Mandalorian, after carefully carrying you to his usual sleeping place, released a long, exhausted sigh. Making sure that you were out cold, he stripped his helmet over his head. He placed it on the small table next to him. His hands ruffled through his hair, going through every possibility. Sure, he could bring you somewhere safe, somewhere you could rest before heading out into the vast galaxy again. At the same time, there was guilt sitting in the pit of his stomach. Were it not for him attacking you, which was uncalled for he now realized, you wouldn’t have been injured in the first place. To make things even, he planned on keeping you around for a while longer. Just until you were fully healed again.

Whining sounds ripped you from your dreamless sleep. The first sensation you were aware of was the throbbing in your side. Slowly, bits and pieces of the day before returned to you. Blinking away the tiredness, you took in the room you were occupying. Still the ship the Mandalorian offered for your safety. Rolling your head to your side, too afraid to worsen the pain if you moved too much, you released a surprised gasp. The little green guy from yesterday, you noted. He couldn’t actually kill you, right? That statement was merely a joke…right?

“Oh, good. You’re awake.” the now familiar modulated voice redirected your attention. Wearing that much armor all day long must be tiring.

“Thank you.” you choked out, realizing that your throat was uncomfortably dry. The man hovering above you silently dismissed you. “No. I mean it. Thank you.”

“For what?” a pained chuckle could be heard. “Hurting you?"

“Well.” slow movements brought you to a sitting position. But not without a few moans of displeasure. “There was a battle going on. It was hard to figure out who was on which side. I’d have attacked you too if I were to see you first.”

“Yeah?” you could practically see his raised eyebrows and the features of disbelief under the helmet.

“No.” you admitted right away. “I’d have turned around to run away. You really think I’d fight against all of…this?” arms flailed around you, motioning to the man who stopped whatever he was doing to focus on the conversation at hand.

“I don’t know. I’m still trying to figure out how smart you actually are.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” you didn’t even try to hide how offended you were.

“You were in the middle of a battlefield.” he pointed out, leaning his body against a nearby wall, arms crossing over his chest. “Without any form of protection.”

“I had m-“ your weak attempt got cut off by his much stronger voice.

“Don’t say you had your blasters with you. These things?” long strides made their way over to where he positioned all your stuff the previous night. He picked one of your weapons up, turning it around in his hands before putting it back to its previous place. “The fact that they’re even called blasters-“

“Excuse me, I’m not a Mandalorian. I don’t have the credits to buy fancy weapons or armor.”

“That has nothing to do with being a Mandalorian.” he cleared up, thinking you cared for whatever reason he was about to present to you.

“Who cares?” strangely, you felt the need to defend yourself in front of him. Like you had to come up with excuses why you didn’t own everything that was part of his day to day life. “Whatever…Thanks again for letting me stay. I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh no. You can’t.” his words stopped you in your tracks. Raised eyebrows showed that you were awaiting an explanation. “Your ribs are sprained. You haven’t seen the bruises yet. They’ll get worse in the next few days. You should stay until you’re healed.”

“No.” there was no way you would stay here with a stranger. It wasn’t like the circumstances of your meeting were overly pleasant. “I’ll be fine. I’ve dealt with worse.”

Not sure how to reply, the Mandalorian simply watched as you tried to stand up with your own strength. He expected you to be in more pain than yesterday. That was the way of those injuries. They didn’t just vanish after some hours. No matter how you tended to them. Feeling his eyes, well…his visor, on you, your head snapped up. If looks could kill, he’d have turned to ashes right here.

“Come on. Say it.” you urged while rolling your eyes.

“Just stay here until you’re no longer in pain.”

“How am I supposed to trust you, huh?” your head tilted to one side in contemplation. “You were the one who hurt me, after all.”

“Five minutes ago, you said I couldn’t have known who the enemy was.”

“Five minutes ago, I didn’t know that I didn’t like you.” it was childish bickering, you were aware. But the frustration cursing through your body got the best of you and you couldn’t swallow down your emotions.

“You don’t have to like me.” the Mandalorian started. “The second you feel better, I’ll bring you back there. Or wherever you want to go.”

“Hm.” considering his offer, you ultimately agreed on it. Still, you would stay cautious. “Deal. Just one more question.”

“Go for it.”

“Tame your green child. I don’t wanna have it wake me up.”

“I can do that.” an unfamiliar noise reached your ears. He was laughing. “Anything else?”

“I’m (Y/N).” it dawned on you that you hadn’t introduced yourself properly.

“Alright, (Y/N).” he tested how your name rolled off his tongue. He’d have lied if he said he didn’t enjoy the sound of it. “Yell if you need anything. I’ll be in the cockpit.”

“Wait!” you yelled after him before his figure could vanish behind a corner. Turning around yet again, he came to a halt, his body language giving nothing away. “You didn’t tell me your name.”

“Um.” there was an inner argument going on, you could tell. “Just Mando is fine.”

“Mando?” now it was your turn to try his name. “You know what? I prefer tin can.”

“Whatever.” his eyes rolled in the back of his skull and you couldn’t see it but you could picture it.

A small smile made its way onto your face. Maybe it won’t be too bad to stay here for a while.

~cathy <3

[soylent-crocodile]

Negator (Monster)

(Phyrexian Negator by John Zeleznik)

CR16 NE Medium Aberration (Phyrexian)

(The negator is another iconic creature, although one whose card is simply not up to snuff nowadays- the balance of power has tipped so that its astronomical drawback is not worth the creature you get. Still, the obliterator is clearly a riff on it- and got its own, incredibly aesthetically boring riff later- and even then it's simply too fabulous a design not to use. Can you say "xenomorph"?

Lorewise, these explicitly saw most usage in the leadup to full invasion- perhaps, in a hypothetical Phyrexia campaign, this could be the final boss of the second act, before the REAL invasion force finally arrives.)

Negators are perfected assassins of Phyrexia, designed to eliminate key targets with compleat efficiency. They are singleminded in this pursuit- one infamous document stated simply "It exists to cease." Indeed, a negator's heart is terribly stilled- they are not known to experience any emotion but the satisfaction of a job well done and the desire to achieve so.

Negators, being stealth operatives and assassins, are rarely used once a full-scale invasion begins, although they are often deployed just in the leadup to it. Each negator is given all Phyrexia knows of its target, and is simply placed as close as Phyrexia can get it without garnering attention and sent to kill. Negators are surprisingly skilled at stealth and disguise, able to walk as a hunched figure through whatever streets it may need to to reach its target, and are surprisingly eloquent and skilled actors when they need to lie. Once it makes its kill, however, a negator rarely makes time for stealth. Such negators will begin a return to Phyrexia (such that they might possibly be reset, reprogrammed, and reused), but generally lack the precautions of one who has yet to make a kill. These assassinations are its purpose; it seems some higher part of it shuts off once it is done.

This wicked creature stands humanoid, with razor sharp claws and a smooth nubby head lined with tiny triangular teeth. Its body is dotted with glasslike hemispheres and wires arcing between body parts.

Misc- CR16 NE Medium Aberration (Phyrexian) HD24 Init:+11 Senses: Blindsight 120ft Perception: +26, Detect Magic, Detect Good Stats- Str:27(+8) Dex:33(+11) Con:20(+5) Int:30(+10) Wis:8(-1) Cha:24(+6) BAB:+18/+13/+8/+3 Space:5ft Reach:5ft Defense- HP:228(24d8+120) AC:30(+11 Dex, +4 Armor, +5 Natural) Fort:+14 Ref:+19 Will:+15 (+4 Racial bonus vs Emotion) CMD:47 Resist: Cold 20, Fire 20, Electricity 20 Immunity: Acid, Fear, Curse, Polymorph, Petrification, Death effects, Disease, Poison Weakness: Special Defenses: Evasion, Negative Energy Affinity, DR10/Adamantine, SR27, Uncanny Dodge, Mycosynth Flesh Offense- Bite +24(1d6+8), 2 Claw +25(2d6+8/19-20x2) or Negation +29(90ft ranged, 10d8 plus Negation) CMB:+26 Speed:40ft Special Attacks: Coronous Ambush, Sneak Attack +5d6 Feats- Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack (-5/+10), Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Wind Stance, Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Improved Iron Will, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (Bestow Curse), Weapon Focus (Claw) Skills- Acrobatics +38, Bluff +31, Climb +29, Disable Device +35, Disguise +31, Escape Artist +38, Knowledge (Arcana, Planes, Religion) +34, Knowledge (Dungeoneering)* +37, Linguistics +15, Perception +26, Sense Motive +23, Spellcraft +17, Stealth +38, Survival +26, Swim +29, Use Magic Device +31 Spell-like Abilities-  Detect Magic, Detect Good, Mage Armor, Deathwatch /constant Bestow Curse (DC19), Fog Cloud, Silence (DC18) /at-will Quickened Bestow Curse (DC19) 3/day Special Qualities- Compression Ecology- Environment- Any Languages- Necril, Draconic, Elven, Aklo, Abyssal, Infernal Organization- Solitary Treasure- Incidental Special Abilities- Coronous Ambush (Ex)- A negator’s erratic, jerky movements and mastery of anatomy give it the opening to strike at its enemies weakest points. A negator may make a sneak attack against any creature vulnerable to precision damage as long as it has moved at least 10ft since the end of its last turn. Negation (Su)- As a standard action, a negator can fire a beam of oblivion energy. This is a 90ft ranged attack that deals 10d8 untyped damage. Additionally, a negator may immediately make a dispel check as with the spell Greater Dispel Magic at +18 against all magical effects the target is under.

[jerzwriter]

First Date

Based on this ask from @lexicook74-blog, Trystan takes Carolina out on an official first date now that they are out in the open. This is pure, unadulterated fluff with a twist of sarcasm that makes them... them. I hope you enjoy it! 💗

Book: Crimes of Passion (Post Book 2) Pairing: M!Trystan Thorne x F!MC (Carolina Rose) Category: Fluff (with a twist of NY) Words: 2,495 A/N: @choicesoctober - Celebration - because an official first date for these two is something to celebrate! Also, @choicesprompts Flufftober - First Date

It was difficult to tell who was most excited to be back. Carolina had always known she was a New Yorker through and through, but her time in Drakovia had solidified that commitment. Now, she even loved the things she hated about her hometown. Although, she was pretty confident her romanticization of smelly trash bins and subway rats had just about run its course. For Trystan, it felt like a dream he never dared to believe had come true. No longer in exile, no longer forced to live a life his birth alone decreed. For the first time in his life, he knew freedom, and it couldn’t be any sweeter.  

But their return to the Big Apple wasn’t all fun and games. Mafalda wasn’t exaggerating about the amount of work awaiting them back at the agency. But they were eager to get back to it, working long days that often drifted into the night, which is where they were now.

The clock struck eight, and the sun’s few remaining rays washed the office in a soft, amber glow. Trystan placed another cup of coffee in front of Carolina, and she rewarded him with a tender smile before quickly returning to her work. He picked up a folder to do the same. But, when his cup of java did nothing to help his exhaustion, he leaned back for a quick break, studying his favorite subject as he did... his precious Carolina.

Love was an amazing thing. There she was with her hair in a messy bun, raccoon-like dark circles under her eyes, and while a coffee-stained shirt was the norm for Detective Rose, today, it was paired with a little spaghetti sauce from dinner. Still, as Trystan took her in, he was sure he had never seen anything more beautiful. Carolina glanced up and caught him staring. If she weren't so tired, she would have something witty to say, but sticking her tongue out at him would need to suffice. Pleased that she was being more immature than him for once, Trystan let out a chuckle. This was worthy of marking on the calendar, but so was something else on his mind.

“Today is Thursday, is it not?” He asked.

Carolina thought so but looked at her phone for good measure.

“Thursday it is,” she smiled. “The days seem to be melting into one another, don’t they?”

“That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. We need to do something about that.”

“What do you suggest?” she asked as she closed her notebook. “Quitting the agency?”

“Of course not! But even Mafalda said we’ve been overdoing it since we returned. So I declare this weekend a work-free zone. Besides, we have plans.”

“We do?” She asked with a scrunched nose. 

“We do now,” he smiled. “We have never been on a proper date, and it's time we change that.”

“Trystan,” she rolled her eyes. “We’ve gone out plenty of times.”

“Gone out? Yes. But a proper date? No.”

“What do you call all the times we’ve gone out to eat?"

“Obtaining sustenance.”

“And when we went to the Yankee Game?”

“The game we attended with Luke and Ruby? Where I had to whisk you away to a private area just to kiss you?”

“Only for the kiss cam to snag us,” she laughed.

“Exactly! Had it been an official date, and the kiss cam had caught us... I would have given them quite a show.”

“You make a point,” she concurred.

“I make lots of them, Carolina,” he smirked. “If only you paid more attention.”

He quickly dodged the rubber band ball she threw his way.

“Maybe we should go to another Yankee game,” she laughed. “Clearly, my pitching isn’t what it should be.”

“I’m sure sure more Yankee games in our future,” he smiled. “But this time, allow me to spoil you... I can’t think of anyone more deserving.”

“Babe... I’m a girl from the Bronx; a Yankee game is spoiling me.”

“Understood, but can I please spoil you Drakovian royalty style for just one night.”

Carolina tapped her chin. “Drakovian royalty style. Hmmm. I suppose I'm willing as long as it doesn’t involve poisoning or knife fights.”

“I promise to leave those parts out,” he laughed. “Though a little wrestling at the end might be in order.”

“I wouldn’t object to that,” she laughed.

“Then that settles it! Saturday night... we have a date.”

~~~~

Trystan didn’t give away any details, only telling Carolina to wear something fancy and to be ready at six. Normally calm and collected, finding the perfect outfit was sending Carolina into a tizzy. Fortunately, Ruby was available for shopping and to help keep her friend grounded.

“You’re already his girlfriend,” Ruby laughed as her friend tried on her umpteenth dress. “You don’t need to put this much pressure on yourself.”

Carolina’s head popped over the dressing room door. “Yes, I do. It’s our first official date, and I want it to be... perfect. Besides, I’ve never gone out with anyone routinely followed by the paparazzi. If I end up on Page Six, I want to be killing it!”

“Killing it might be the wrong choice of words, considering it’s you two we’re talking about. And I’m sure you’ll look more spectacular than any of those snobby socialites on Page Six. Carolina... take a deep breath and just enjoy this.”

Across town, Trystan wasn’t faring much better. Luke was unwillingly getting play-by-play details as Trystan finalized plans.  

“So what do you think?” he finally asked. 

“What do I think?” Luke scowled. “I think this is the most bourgeoisie itinerary I’ve ever heard of.”

“Is it wrong for me to spoil the woman I love occasionally?”

“I suppose not,” Luke resigned with a sigh. “As long as you don’t do it too often. Otherwise, I may have to reconsider being seen with you in public. You’re already bad for my rep.”

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard that, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.” Trystan laughed. “But as long as Carolina is happy to be seen with me, that’s all I need.”

Luke shook his head mockingly. “You know, I would have never imagined you as a love-sick puppy when we met.”

“Funny, I never saw you that way either... then you fell for Ruby. Should we discuss that?”

Luke cleared his throat and returned his eyes to his laptop. “Why would we discuss that when I have to help you plan your date.”

“Sneaky way out... but at least I’ve got you where I want you,” Trystan winked. “Now, put your work away. You can come to help me select Carolina’s flowers.”

“Flowers?” Luke groaned.

“Yes. And after my date, I should probably help you plan a date for Ruby. Obviously, you need my help.”

“I may just take you up on that,” Luke grinned.

~~~~~

Saturday rolled around quickly, and Tommy did a double take when a tuxedo bedecked Trystan stepped out of a limousine in front of his bar, turning all heads his way. Even in a city used to sophistication and excess, Trystan had a way of commanding everyone’s attention.

Carolina’s uncle shook his head with a grin as Trystan approached the bar, a dazzling bouquet of cream-colored roses in his arms.

“You know, my niece likes the simpler things in life,” he teased.

“Obviously!” Trystan scoffed. “She’s in love with me, after all.”

“You might be many things, Trystan, but I’m confident simple isn’t one of them.”

“You can say that again,” Carolina replied from the top of the stairs.

Trystan took one look at her, and his jaw went slack, the flowers in his hand falling to his side. Carolina’s smile grew exponentially as she descended the steps in a stunning, barely there champagne lace slip dress that hugged her every curve. Flirtatiously draping the fringe shawl the saleswoman swore would complete her look over her shoulder, she sauntered to Trystan with a wink.

“So, you like then?”

 “Like...” he gasped, unable to come up with any words.

“Are you sure it’s not too much? I don’t really go on fancy-ass dates like this often.”

“Carolina... you are perfection...” he marveled. “Too much? Too much for whom? I assure you, I can more than handle this.”

“All right, you two!” Tommy barked. “I know you’re consenting adults, but can you please save that part of your date until you’re not standing in front of me in my bar!”

“Of course, Tio,” Carolina laughed, her eyes lighting up when Trystan handed her the bouquet. “What are these for?”

“They’re roses for the most beautiful Rose of all.”

A blush rose to her cheeks as her eyes rolled toward the ceiling. “Do these lines work on most people?”

“I got you, didn’t I?” he smiled, then offered her his arm. “Now, let’s go, your chariot awaits.”

~~~~~

 A half-hour later, they were at Per Se, sitting at one of the finest tables in the house with a million-dollar view of Central Park West. 

“I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t opt for a private dining room,” Trystan said, pulling back Carolina’s chair. “But now that I can finally show you off, I want to ensure everyone can see us.”

“I don’t know,” she snickered. “I usually demand the private dining areas when on a date. All of the finest pizza joints in town have them. Of course, they’re usually reserved for kid's birthday parties, but still....”

“Yes, well, I’ll see if I can arrange for a balloon sculpture later on.”

“That would be perfect! Just skip the clowns!” she beamed as she perused the menu. “Now, tell me, do I have to eat fish eggs or snails here?”  

“Not unless you want to.”

“Yeah, hard pass.”

“Don’t knock it, Carolina. You’ll never know if you’ll like something unless you try it.”

“Hey, don’t act like I never leave my comfort zone. I did allow myself to fall for a cocky, exiled would-be-king, after all.”

“And how did that work out for you?” he asked smugly as the waiter approached.   

Carolina greeted the server with a wide grin, then shot Trystan a look. “I suppose I could start with the escargot... I just hope I don’t live to regret it.”

After dinner, the couple briefly strolled around Central Park, his arm slung casually around her shoulder. “So, you didn’t hate the snails,” he teased.

“I suppose if I were starving to death, and that was my only option, I wouldn’t turn them down,” she chuckled. “Now, the lobster tails, on the other hand...I’d never say no to them. But why did you tell me not to order dessert? And please... don’t be cheesy and tell me you’re dessert.”

“You underestimate me,” he laughed. “Dessert will be cheesy, but it’s not me... at least not yet. But first, we have to go to the heliport.”

“The Heliport? Why? Where are we going?”

“Downtown,” he answered with nonchalance.

“Downtown? You are aware the limo could take us there.”

“Of course,” he grinned. “But the traffic is woeful. Besides, I know you know this city like the palm of your hand, but you’ve never seen it this way. It’s breathtaking, and while I’ve seen it from the sky before, I simply have to experience it with you.”

“And why is that?”

He smiled like an impish schoolboy and merely told her she’d see, but once they were in the air, she understood.

“Oh my God, look at it!” she gushed.

Her city looked quite different from ten thousand feet above. Each one of its millions of lights twinkled like little stars that looked close enough to touch. She couldn’t turn her head away. But the only view Trystan was interested in was her; he was confident it was the most beautiful of all. He gently took her hand and held it for the remainder of the flight, peppering her hair with little kisses for good measure. Carolina closed her eyes only once, just long enough to take a deep breath and remind herself that this wasn’t a dream.

Back on solid ground, she still felt like she was walking on air. Enthusiastic as a child, she practically skipped through Greenwich Village, never letting go of her prince charming’s hand. 

“And did you see when we turned by the Brooklyn Bridge!” She beamed. “ I thought I would scream. It was so amazing! And the lights... there were so many lights! Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”

Trystan tugged her hand, stopping her in her tracks. His eyes locked on hers as he brushed a tendril of hair away from her moonlit face, his thumb trailing across her lower lip.

 “I assure you, I have.”

Carolina lifted herself up on her toes as their lips came together; her arms wrapped around his neck, and his hands found their way to her hips... the night just kept getting better.

“So, you don’t mind being spoiled?” he joked.

“Hmmm. On occasion. This has been magical, but then again... it’s always magical when I’m with you, and I don’t need all the extras to make it so.”

“Then you’ll love dessert,” he assured as they stepped in front of Veniero’s. “Nothing fancy at all.”

“You know about Veniero’s?” Carolina asked, duly impressed.

“Please. Do you take me for a Neanderthal?”

“No, just Drakovian,” she smirked. “Did you know they have the best cannolis in the city?”

“Yes, and I know how much you love a good cannoli.”

“I feel like there’s an inappropriate joke in there,” she giggled as he opened the door. 

“There is,” he agreed. “But we’ll save that for later.”

They ended the night sitting on a blanket underneath an old tree in Washington Square Park. Street musicians played nearby but couldn’t drown out the stream of little pleasure-filled sounds that escaped Carolina’s beautiful lips.

“If anyone were to hear you, they wouldn’t think a cannoli was the causation,” Trystan smiled.

“Please, this is Washington Square Park... no one is going to judge my cannoli kink.”  She snuggled up next to him and held him tight. “I hope you don’t take this the wrong way...” she started, as a look of worry crossed his face.

“What is it?”

“Everything about tonight has been just perfect... the limo, the fancy restaurant, the helicopter ride... you really had me feeling like a princess.”

“But?”

“But just being here with you, kissing, snuggling, and watching people go by....”

“My luscious cannoli....”

“The cannoli from Vaniero’s,” she laughed. “There’s nothing better than this.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” he replied, wiping a bit of cannoli cream from her lip. He pulled her close for a lingering kiss. 

“So, since this first date went so well,” she started. “Can we have an official second date? Next Saturday?”

“I’d be delighted,” he grinned. “What would you like to do?”

“Oh, no! I’m planning this one. Now I have to spoil you... Bronx style.”

@choicesficwriterscreations

Tagging others on reblog

[c1ue-alt]

Heh  ͡° ͜ʖ ͡° 

[pathfinderunlocked]

Moontoucher Vizier - CR7 Wizard

An archwizard responsible for creating a lycanthrope curse.

Artwork is in-game art from Hearthstone, by James Ryman, copyright Blizzard Entertainment.

This vizier, an accomplished wizard, learned of a way to magically induce the lycanthrope curse, and learned that creatures infected by this curse became stronger.  In an attempt to fortify his nation's position against the encroaching undead, he began experimenting with this curse, inflicting it on soldiers under his command in a fortress on the nation's border.

The moontoucher vizier is based somewhat on Archmage Arugal from Warcraft. I designed him to be fought alongside several werewolves - the basic CR 2 werewolf stat block is perfectly fine, but I used custom werewolves that have claws and inflict disfiguring touch on a successful claw attack. He casts rage and bone fists on the werewolves as soon as he gets a chance, before battle if possible, and casts moonstruck on enemies, preferably spellcasters If his enemies get within his melee range, he'll cast forced mutation and disfiguring touch before teleporting away with his ring of return, which is keyed to three different points around the room, if possible. If he's caught in a fight away from his keyed points, he'll set up one new point ASAP.

The Ring of Return is an official magic item from Ultimate Equipment page 173, but it's not listed on Archives of Nethys because... there's another unrelated item with the same name, and the website developers got confused. Its high value increases his CR by 1.

Moontoucher Vizier - CR 7

The robed man's cloth headgear has massive horns, his eyes glow with green fire, and the staff he holds blazes with magical energy.

XP 2,400 Male human transmuter wizard 7 NE Medium humanoid (human) Init +2 Senses Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 mage armor) hp 55 (7d6+28) Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +8

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft. (30 ft. without animal aspect) Melee mwk quarterstaff +3 (1d6-1)

Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 7th; concentration +14) 4th—moonstruck (2) (CL 8th, DC 20) 3rd—beast shape I, forced mutation (DC 18), rage 2nd—animal aspect (already cast, raptor, CL 8th), bone fists, defensive shock, disfiguring touch (touch +2, DC 16) 1st—depilate (DC 16), expeditious retreat, magic missile (3), protection from evil 0—detect magic, mage hand, mending, read magic

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 8 Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 16 Feats Arcane Discovery (Forest's Blessing), Arcane Discovery (Multimorph), Combat Casting, Dodge, Craft Wondrous Item, Scribe Scroll, Toughness Skills Craft (alchemy) +11, Heal +7, Knowledge (arcana, local, history, nature) +15, Linguistics +12, Perception +4, Spellcraft +15; Racial Bonuses +2 Craft (alchemy) Languages Aklo, Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Elven, Draconic, Giant, Gnomish, Infernal, Sylvan SQ arcane bond (staff), arcane school (transmutation), industrious Gear cloak of resistance +2, headband of vast intelligence +2 (perception), mwk quarterstaff (arcane bonded item), ring of return, scroll of mage armor x4 (1 already used), spellbook (prepared spells, face of the devourer, bull's strength, monstrous physique I, phase step)

EQUIPMENT ABILITIES

Arcane Bond (Su) Once per day, while holding his arcane bonded item (his masterwork quarterstaff), the moontoucher vizier can cast any spell he knows without needing to prepare it ahead of time or expend a spell slot.

Ring of Return Three times per day, the wearer of the ring can, as a move action, use it to form a link with the particular 5-foot square she occupies at that moment. This causes one of the stones on the ring to glow. As a swift action, the wearer of the ring can teleport to any unoccupied linked square within 100 feet.

The moontoucher vizier typically has all three stones linked to different 5-foot squares in his lair or the area he expects to fight in, if possible.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Multimorph (Su) When the moontoucher vizier casts a spell of the polymorph subschool on himself, he may expend 1 minute of the spell’s duration as a standard action to assume another form allowed by the spell.

Typically, the moontouched vizier begins combat with animal aspect already cast, and thus can alter its effects with Multimorph.

[imagineanime2022]

Trouble.

Fyodor Dostoevsky X Male!Reader

Word Count: 1179

Requested: Anon

Request: Hello~! Can you do a male reader?

If so, that's alright! I want to request of Fyodor with the reader that's basically an ancient deity (a God of pestilence)? They're not exactly in good terms but somehow they manage to be lovers. Also the DOA reaction to their relationship?

You should have let him deal with the consequences of his actions, there was so much that he deserved to answer for. Your relationship was not on good terms and you should not have felt the need to save or protect him but that’s what love is right?

Fyodor had on many occasions gone against you to prove a point and the last time that he did it, you decided that you would leave him to his little games and wait for him to call on you. You watched him play his games with the Armed Detective Agency and you watched as every move that he made was predicted by another. Osamu Dazai seemed to be his biggest rival and apparently the only one other than you that could see through and stop his plans.

Now as you leant against the wall watching them walk him out, you hoped that he called for you, you weren’t sure that you could go against your own condition if only for the sake of your pride. “Are you really going to stand there and watch?” He asked as his eyes cast over to you. “Do you want me to help?” You asked, picking at your fingers. “Would you have me go to prison?” Fyodor had no intention of asking for your help, he was in fact dodging the question. “Gladly.” You answered, drinking the last of your drink before disintegrating the cup in your hand and approaching him, the soldier closest to you attempted to stop you. “Sir please don’t come any closer, this man is very dangerous.” He placed his hand on your shoulder. “That’s unfortunate, heart disease.” You mumbled watching as the man doubled over hand clutching his chest. “What did you do?” You looked over at Dazai standing at the entrance to the café. “His family is predisposed to heart disease, when he touched me the process sped up and unfortunately his first heart attack was fatal.” You explained, in a voice devoid of anything that denoted regret or guilt. “Did he have a living family?” “Yes.” One of the other soldiers answered. “Then, I will leave you to move his body.” You said walking towards Fyodor who looked down at you with a smirk on his face “and you.” “Mmm.” He hummed, leaning forward. “You won’t leave me here, will you Love?” “No I won’t.” You mumbled, reached up and took his chin in your hand, faintly taking note of Dazai telling the other soldiers not to try and stop you. “I assure you next time I will not have my hand forced, next time you intend to order me around, I will kill you myself.” the skin around your thumb and forefinger started to bubble and decay. Fyodor gave a soft hiss as you pulled your hand away. “We’ll be leaving now.” Fyodor turned to Dazai with a smile on his face as he stood back to his full height. “Who are you?” Dazai asked, eyes widening as others from the ADA joined him. “Me?” You asked. “I’m not sure that you want to know.”

You were aware of the male with the glasses assessing you, you could almost hear the thought cycling through his head until he finally said “you're the other one.” He muttered. “The other one?” You asked, if you weren’t trying so hard to keep some of your secrets you would have gotten rid of him too. “There were two gifted people that escaped that night, Chuya Nakahara the one who had every intention of breaking out and then there was you, the one who took the opportunity and left.” He pushed his glasses up his nose as he looked at you. “I’m no gifted person.” You smirked and he nodded. “We know, you are one of the many gods that we managed to lock down, the one that they have been most afraid would collect on the debt of time owed to them.” He explained. “Yet you don’t seem so scared.” You twisted your head to the side as you hand lifted itching to touch him to see if he’d be afraid of the blindness that will plague him in later life. “Ango who is that!?” Dazai pressed him to answer and for a second his attention was moved from you. “That is the embodiment of the god of pestilence, it takes a human form where possible and the government wanted a new weapon, they force the entity into bodies until one of them stuck.” Ango explained. “What?” Dazai asked. “The body you see in front of you was an orphaned child, he had no other family that was looking for him, I believe that when they took him he was on the verge of death.” Ango explained. “They still don’t know if that was what made him a suitable candidate but the god took that body and had been locked up for years.” “Are you done, telling my immortal life story?” You asked, interrupting them and drawing their attention back to you. “Let’s go.” Fyodor prompted you, you glanced back at him. “Dazai has been working with the Port Mafia, that Chuya kid isn’t far.” “Mmm, he’s the only one I don’t wish to kill, after everything that we were both put through, I don’t think it would be fair.” You hummed more to yourself than anyone else as you turned your back to the group. “Until we meet again and we will meet again.”

“Ango explain!” Dazai ordered, he had not expected that there would be another god hiding amongst the humans or that it would in any way be connected to Fyodor. He was so close to neutralising him, so close to beating him. “I’ve already explained everything that I am at liberty to share with you Dazai.” Ango answered. “Not good enough.” Dazai said through gritted teeth grabbing the man by the front of his shirt, the soldier stepping forward to defuse the situation only stopped by Ango lifting his hand. “Dazai unhand him.” Fukuzawa ordered as he stepped forward. “He’s-” “Not going to tell us anymore, I have only one question.” Fukuzawa turned to Ango as he directed the last sentence at him “is there more than what you have said to this god?” “I don’t know, I only know what he has shown today, he refused to use his abilities in the facility, his ability to endure pain and heal was beyond that of anything else that we had seen before.” “Then we should be careful.” Fukuzawa decided “we will pursue them with caution, we have work to do, they will sit ideally for long.” Dazai gave a growl of disapproval as he turned from who he once considered an old friend.

The threat that had presented itself was old and all knowing, each of them afraid that there was nothing that they could do to stop it, in fact the best that they might be able to do is imprison it again and to do that they’d have to hand it back to the government.

Request Here!!

[the-daydreaming-show]

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰...

𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐬: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 (you are there) - Epilogue.

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Every great show must have a great ending and with that a great plot twist that accompanies it, but yours is more than an end, the most difficult farewell that any mother can dare to say.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫(𝐬): Bruce Wayne x ScarletWitch!Reader; Jason Todd x Batmom!Reader; Dick Grayson x Batmom!Reader; Tim Drake x Batmom!Reader.

English is not my first language, please be patient.

The 𝐓𝐚𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 for this history is OPEN

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: Well, here is the last chapter, I hope you enjoy it. We still have to see each other in the Epilogue but the truth is this story has been an incredible journey for me and I have more plans for this world so we will see each other again.

𝐓𝐚𝐠 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭: @some-lovely-day @simonsbluee @yuki-chan23 @miyakana @myst3batz @otchae @d3m0n8ch1ld @marsenbie @mynameisnotlaura @igotmessymind @andieperrie18 @randomboostsofmotivation @totallynotme420 @igotmessymind @amarawayne

Tim heard the magic before he felt it. It was a small sound that only a trained ear could hear, Bruce had taught him to detect it, but they hadn't prepared him for what would come after that sound. 

Of course he had seen how you used it, since sometimes you used magic in the house to move from one place to another, Wayne Manor was excessively large and it was easier than walking twenty minutes to get to the kitchen, or shamelessly getting lost in the corridors. He had never been prepared to react defensively to that sound, though there wasn't much he could really do though. The magic wrapped around him tightly but harmlessly, it was actually a warm soft force around him but firm, leaving him with his arms glued to his sides and his feet dangling under him as he was lifted into the air.

“Mom” Jason's voice broke the air, but he was the only one surprised or scared by what had happened.

“Mrs Wayne, I just want to help” Tim managed to say as he watched you leave the house at a steady pace with your hands manipulating your magic to lift it into the air.

“Don’t say that. I don't want to hear about it” you said furiously while pushing the boy further away from the house thus getting away from Jason “The drones, the missiles. All these people. Bruce”You pointed accusingly, leading him further from the house, until you were in the open field between the building and the woods. Tim could see how behind you, Bruce, Diana and Clark were the only ones who stepped forward in the situation to catch them both, while Dick held Jason and forced him into the house. Dick knew that if he let the boy get in the middle of the fight, your need to protect him would only escalate the situation, so it was better for him to stay where he was safe. Tim told himself that he should thank him for that, because he was starting to feel the heat of your fury emanating from the magic around him and he was starting to sweat, he didn't need everything to get worse. Neither did you.

“He had nothing to do with all that” Clark spoke, trying to divert your attention from the boy so you'll face him. It didn't fully work, the magic remained around Tim, but you did turn to look at it, giving Tim a few valuable seconds to think clearly.

“All you do is LIE!” you told him, gritting your teeth and squeezing your hand unconsciously. You didn't want to hurt Tim. But by squeezing your hand you caused the magic to respond to your fury and squeeze Tim, the air gone from his lungs, causing him to gasp and Clark could hear the boy's bones crack at the force you had put into the magic. So he acted. But, as he reacted, Jason successfully dodged his older brother while he was busy looking worriedly at the scene and ran out of the house, brushing against the shoulder of Roy, who was casually leaning against the door frame, looking at the yard with resignation.

Clark used his heat vision in the direction of your hand to try to get you to reduce the force you were putting on the boy or just let him go. But he didn't see Jason approaching, and when he heard him it was too late, your face turned from anger to sheer terror at the thought that your son caught in the crossfire, you dropped Tim, who hit the ground with a thud, the backpack helping to break his fall. You reached out to Clark, who had to stop his Heat Vision because you'd blown a bubble around his head, which he knew for sure that no matter how much heat he applied it wouldn't let go, but you didn't end there. You picked Clark up by the neck and tossed him away as you watched Diana try to stop Jason. With your magic you grabbed her by her feet and dragged her away from your son.

Barry tried to run towards Jason to get him out of there, that would lessen the situation but you already listened to reason, and when you felt his intentions you made sure he ran into a wall of your magic at the moment he ran out of his place, leaving a stain of blood on the wall of magic. Bruce yelled your name approaching the two, causing you to look at him with red eyes of magic and clenched teeth in fury. Jason had frozen in place looking at the now bloody face of who he thought was the gardener.

“Stop, please” he begged you, but your look made more than clear that fury had blinded you. You looked at him, eyes red and ready to continue fighting. They wanted to harm your children, they wanted to take them away.

“NO” you snapped, Tim moaning in pain behind you, still lying on the floor with at least a couple of splintered ribs. Your anger was emanating from you in waves, it was as if it could practically push Bruce back every time you speak. The world around him flickered. Black and white returned, as did the 1960s setting and clothing, but the situation remained the same. “You wanna take him out there” you spit out the syllables like poison and the magic keeps pulsing out of you around him. Everything changed again, now it was the sixties, all black and white, but this time your magic was dying, losing the illusion you had managed up to now, and contrasting with the television style of that period. “Y'all want that” you looked around you. Again everything flickered as Clark tried to stand in place, quickly being held to the ground by your magic and Barry wiping the blood from his nose with the sleeve of his colorful seventies suit, the color glistening against the yellow of his shirt. Diana hadn't gotten up yet, she was dizzy “Why would you want to do this, Bruce?” you spoke directly to him, fury turning to anguish, genuinely misunderstood in his actions “Why do you want them away? They're our children, they're safe here.”the betrayal hurt but the fury was still stronger. As Bruce felt this was the most honest conversation the two of them had had in a long time, which made him more sad than happy for the breakthrough, because he had let it get to this point. “Why don't you stay?”

Jason looked between his parents, as if it were a tennis match, he felt trapped in the middle of that discussion and the worst thing is that he didn't know why. There was no way or reason for his dad to want to take them outside. Where was she supposed to go if this was his home? There they were safe where you cared for them. Why did all these people want to put them in danger?. His anguish was reflected in you, you felt it in your bones as your own and Bruce realized that, directing his attention to him for a moment.

“Jason” he called out, causing the scared boy to stare at him with wide-eyed terror “It's all good, all right, just breathe” he asked, taking a step towards the boy. A mistake that was made clear when he was thrown backwards into the air. The world began to flicker anew, in a counting and confusing way, objects changing individually between decades in a chaotic and meaningless way. Bruce fell against one of the glass doors of the house that led to the patio, breaking the structure and cutting himself. The world stopped flickering, freezing everything to whatever decade it had been before that moment.

“Don't speak to him!!”you yelled at him as you walked towards him. Arthur Victor, seeing that neither Diana, nor Clark, nor Barry was able to react fast enough, stepped forward to face you. Hal checked Bruce who slowly got up from the glass mattress where he had fallen, while Oliver took Roy and Dick and put him further into the house where Alfred received them as upset by the situation as everything. Constantine and Zatanna were nowhere to be seen, no one really knew where you had sent them when you detected their magic when you went out into the yard to attack Tim. Jason ran to stand between you and Arthur and Victor, he didn't want any of them to get close to you, he didn't trust them anymore and before you could understand what was happening, you reacted.

“STOP!!” you cry out.

Tim didn't have enough time to process what happened next, too busy processing the pain in his ribs like Bruce had taught him, he heard your scream and then when he got up your magic had spread all over the yard, like a rope that stretched around you. For a second Tim didn't understand the gravity of the situation. It was a beautiful second, because for that second Tim held out hope that he wouldn't have to do what Bruce told him he would have to do at the end. When that moment ended, he realized that there would be no happy ending, maybe that option never existed.After all, you wouldn't have your son back and they were the ones you'd have to lose him to twice. So it was time to do what had to be done. He glanced at Jason, standing a few feet from him, and Jason looked back at him.

Dick watched the scene standing directly opposite Tim's. It was like he was awake for the first time all week, he knew things were getting out of hand. He, along with Tim, Bruce, Alfred and Jason were the ones the magic didn't touch when you screamed in utter stress and overwhelmed by the amount of things going on, the magic had spread like an aggressive current, wrapping himself around the necks of everyone present once before continuing on his way to the next person.It was while you covered your ears and squeezed your eyes shut without much thought, wanting to isolate yourself from the situation you were in. You were tired, you just wanted everything to stop for a moment, for everyone to shut up.

It was when the silence came that you realized your mistake.You looked up slowly, tears formed in your eyes, you saw how your magic surrounded the necks of those who were your friends. They had done bad things. They want to take your Jason away from you, but it wasn't because they were bad. They were your friends and they thought they were doing you good. They just didn't understand, but they were good, you still knew that and were sure of it. And you were hurting them.

“Mom” Dick's voice called you. you looked at him. The magic disappeared from everyone's necks, and then they disappeared from sight without even making a sound, as if they had never been there. In a sleeping limbo they were now, until you needed them or until it was all over.

“Dick” you said, tears falling freely, reaching your hands slowly towards him. Your son. Your little Dikie was there with you. You could barely move before he jumped into your arms. Neither of you was sure what would happen, you were scared, but you hugged him holding onto him, and he felt safe as you held him, because no matter the strange circumstances, you were there. His mom was there.

You saw how Bruce and Alfred were standing in the distance, next to the house, looking at the scene. The door he had landed against had been fixed, as if nothing had happened, neither were the marks on the floor from Clark's heat vision, or Diana's drag marks. Look at your husband, suddenly without a trace of glass on him and without any wound on his back. Everyone believed that he was a stoic man, that he could undergo the most horrible of tortures without blowing a whistle, not death or tragedy upset him. But as he stood there watching the scene, his eyes filled with tears as they had not in all the months since his son's death, as he came back suddenly to the moment he found his body, in the rubble, folded into a shape that was unnatural, with his eyes closed and his skin covered in bruises that would never heal.

During all these months without your youngest son, you and Bruce had drifted apart, not because you didn't love each other, but because you each got caught up in your own fantasy. You expected every morning that your son would return. All day, every day, you imagined how he would walk through the door and he would smile at you as only Jason knew how, he would ask you why you are crying and he would hug you. He would comfort you by saying that whoever it was that cruel person who had made his mother cry would deal with him, and he would say it with a tone so serious that it would make you laugh. He'll laugh with you. While Bruce clung to the idea that if he did his job well enough, if he took care of Tim, if he made sure to help Gotham p and at the same time make young Timothy live a full life, his son would finally visit him in dreams. It wouldn't be a nightmare, where he told her how much he hated him and that it was his fault he was dead. He would visit him to tell her that he had done well, that he had finished the job that both of them had started and that is why he was now at peace. But neither would ever happen.

Above the whisper of the wind, just for you to understand, Bruce had a thought, so pure and genuine that there was no way he wouldn't feel it too. I'm sorry, he whispered in his own mind, knowing that you would hear him. Me too, you replied with a sad smile over your eldest son's shoulder. War is over, Alfred thought, and felt he might as well cry. He would cry for the loss of his grandson, for the suffering of his son, he would cry for how no matter how much tea or sandwiches he had made you there they would all have ended up the same, in a fantasy where nothing bad had happened, accepting that it was time to return to home, even when the fantasy felt more like home now than the real world. It was time.

Tim led Jason back to the tree where they'd first met, the place where the burial was. When they got there she realized that Jason's appearance was again at odds with reality: he was fifteen years old, bright baby blue eyes, dimples in his cheeks, a red hoodie, and ripped jeans that hadn't been like that when you bought them, but they were his favorites.

“I have to go now” Tim told him, looking at him, and for a second he allowed himself to feel sad “But I need you to give something to your mom” he said pulling the backpack off his back and opening it, he looked Jason in the eye one last time before doing so. His eyes filled with tears and he allowed himself to think about what a life would be like with you as his mother, with Bruce as his father, with both showering him with love and attention the way Jason had enjoyed in life. He imagined what it would have been like if the boy before him was alive and was his older brother. He smiled sadly as he pulled the battered, torn, and still bloody Robin suit from his backpack, to offer it to Jason. Jason didn't look at him again, and Tim watched you approach in the distance, with the nerve of someone headed for his own death. Your eyes met his, and where Tim expected anger, disappointment, or sadness, he was met with a genuine tenderness that had never been directed at him. You made a silent gesture of thanks, stopping a few feet behind Jason. Tim felt relieved, you didn't hate him despite everything, he hoped that when it was all over it would continue like this. 

He had admired you from the first time he had seen you on television when he was five years old, fighting alongside the rest of the Justice League and had cried when it was announced that the Scarlet Witch had died to save the world. He felt happy for the first time in a long time and looked at Jason one last time before, wondering if the boy ever knew how lucky he was to have you in life and death as his mother (Jason knew). He allowed himself the hope that in some time line, he would have that honor too, he could also be your son and have your love in life and death (Tim already had your love, but he didn't know it yet). 

With that Tim Drake said goodbye to The Wayne´s Show for now and got lost in the woods, never to be seen by viewers anymore.

The suit in his hands was smooth, but there were burnt edges, which were rough against his soft hands that had never granted pain or labor. Jason moved slowly, staring at the garment, almost mesmerized, as if there were a piece of the puzzle in it, something intangible he couldn't quite figure out.

“Jay, baby” you called him, with a sweet but sad voice. Your son, your Jason, looked up from that cursed garment and looked at you “We need to talk-” Jay cut you off before you could say more and you almost thanked him for it, you wouldn't have known how to continue the conversation anyway.

“Mom” he said, dropping the garment in his hand to the floor, as if it meant nothing and then walking towards you, stepping on it as he passed without looking where it had fallen. That gesture made all the aversion you had towards that suit vanish, it didn't matter anymore “Mom-” his mouth opened a few times, it felt like the words were attacking his throat. Jason wanted to know, but he wasn't sure he wanted whatever it was he was going to do to get that answer. Noticing and giving him a reassuring smile, Jason released a heavy sigh that he didn't know had been saved and finally asked “Mom, what am I?”.

You walked toward him at a slow pace, admiring his features, the way his hair refused to be completely straight or curled, the way he stood almost level with you despite only being fifteen. You put your hands on his cheeks, feeling the softness of his skin under your hands once more, and looked into his eyes before answering.

“Jason Peter Todd. You, my dearest boy, are the piece of the Darkhold that lives in me. A body that believes based on what we live together, and what we don't too. You are my sadness and my hope. But most importantly, you're my love and you will always be” you explained. The information entered Jason's mind like a gentle ocean wave washing away tracks in the sand, but this time the wave filled empty space with information, and filled in all the illogicalities in his memory and also the memories that weren't there, the ones that he hadn't really lived. But the circumstances of his own existence hit him, out of the corner of his eye he could give up as if the world closed around him, but he wasn't scared.

“Do we have to say goodbye?” He asked you in the same way that he always asked if it was time to go to sleep, to then ask for five more minutes of light to read another chapter of his favorite book.

“Yes, son, we have to” you told him with regret, feel your tears fall down your cheeks again “But we'll say hello again someday” you put his face closer to yours, holding it gently in your hands “I swear” you promised him before looking at him for the last time, then you closed your eyes to kiss his forehead and so the inevitable arrived.

Unlike the other time, Jason didn't feel afraid or terrified at the idea of “dying”, because his mom had made him a promise and she always kept them. So he enjoyed the sensation of your smell flooding his nose, of your hands when his face with such care and delicacy, of your lips kissing your forehead, before his existence dissolved. His last thought was that, although he did not quite understand what his first life had been like, or understood the memories he had of it, he hoped that if he lived more lives you would continue to be his mother in each and every one of them.

Bruce found you, once the fog in his mind lifted and he realized there was no anomaly anymore, standing where Tim had left you. With your back to him, you held Jason's old Robin suit in your hands, you looked at it with a mixture of affection and sadness.Everything was over, but at the same time it was just beginning, just now you and your husband could properly process the joint loss of your son, as if right at that moment you both hit bottom in the deepest point of the ocean, meeting for the first time with the true cold and desolation of the situation. The fantasies of the miraculous return, of the dreams where they promise peace, of the sitcoms where at the end of the episode all the problems were solved no matter how serious they were, had ended. That would not happen. But now that reality no longer sinks you like quicksand, and as you and Bruce hold each other in front of Jason's grave that day was the first time you both felt so genuinely alive in a long time.

You were alive. Your family was alive. And that was something as beautiful as it was tragic, the purest magic in the world from your point of view.

Although the idea that life itself is magic is one that your husband has always discussed with you since the day you met. But that could be a story for another time.

[clingynepenthes]

Random thoughts about Silent Hill 2 Remake enemies

Spoiler warning

1-The enemies are more aggressive. This is most apparent in the Mannequins, which can dodge and weave under your swings, and even have a forward leap attack. A second variety of Mannequin can actually climb up the walls and ceiling, and come leaping at you. Nurses will practically trot towards you when they detect you.

I feel this will rub a lot of people the wrong way, but honestly I think the monsters needed to be more of a threat. This also helps differentiate fighting the Mannequin from the Lying Figure.

2-Speaking of Mannequins, the game makes great use of the fixed camera; the Mannequins take full advantage of it and often hide just around corners or behind furniture and cabinets, just out of James'/the player's view.

3-In a similar vein, the boss fights are, well, more like a typical boss fight. Unlike the cramped quarters of the original, all the bosses now have large arenas. The bosses are also more aggressive and act more like video-game bosses.

I do believe it detracts a bit from the experience, and makes it feel too much like a video game, but there are some positives, or interesting points.

Like in the Abstract Daddy fight, you actually fight in a vast labyrinth made up of rooms and corridors of a house, and I think it's implied this is actually a facsimile of Angela's house.

In the Flesh Lips fight, unlike the original you only fight one, but when you defeat it a second one appears and transports him to the other hospital, in a sequence that makes a bit more sense than the original's.

4-New enemy! Well, not really, but the Mandarin plays an expanded role. It's tentacle attack through the grate now has surprising reach, and the game forces you to linger in the areas where Mandarin lurk. In the hotel, there's actually a Mandarin mini-boss fight, where its full form is revealed. And in the basement segment, there are a few of them around, now free of the grates and dangling from the ceiling and patrolling the hallways, which must be avoid because you have no weapons. 5-An interesting bit towards the end. Once James finds out the truth, the radio no longer emits static, and the enemies are no longer aggressive. You can find a Lying Figure curled up in the fetal position, whimpering, and an injured Mannequin trying crawl away from you. Neither of these creatures cause the radio to emit static or attempt to attack, although they can still be killed. There is a nurse that stumbles towards you, but it too collapses before it can attack.