#Dragon Claw Guild

[maramuntonart]

The second of a small series of DnD Party commissions I completed recently - Aiouston the Simic Hybrid.

[ravnloft]

i love the idea of all my video game pcs existing simultaneously in-universe specifically becauase it begs the question "how early did they abandon the tutorial/main questline" -> damn how many times has lucan had that claw stolen -> amma stole it. sigg got it back. nól stole it again

[revunant]

DAG TUMP #1

so what do i do with this? 〘 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆. 〙

in my best behaviour ​‚ i am just like him 〘 ♠ 𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐑. 〙

my claws are dull now ​‚ so don’t be afraid 〘 ♦ 𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀. 〙

no grave can hold my body down ​‚ i’ll crawl home to him 〘 ♥ 𝐓𝐄𝐃𝐃𝐘. 〙

mad to see intimacy spoiled by your sense of doom 〘 ♥ 𝐕. 〙

〘 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 ✦ pieter. 〙

〘 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 ✦ yaris. 〙

〘 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 ✦ mercedes. 〙

〘 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 ✦ kielbasa. 〙

〘 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 ✦ margot. 〙

〘 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 ✦ azari. 〙

〘 𝐆𝐔𝐄𝐒𝐓 ✦ peyton. 〙

〘 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 ✦ dragon. 〙

〘 𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂 ✦kei. 〙

pathetic sopping wet beast 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ horse. 〙

a baby sleeps in all our bones ​‚ so scared to be alone 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ warden. 〙

you will not go astray 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ guild wars. 〙

not as brave as you were at the start​ 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ king. 〙

a trail of burnt things in my wake ​‚ every place i go 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ draugr. 〙

furthest from myself​ ‚ when i feel i’ve been replaced 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ sigma. 〙

you who stood so proud once ​‚ i can taste your fear 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ alpha. 〙

first abandon kindness ​‚ you need to learn to hate 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ vespa. 〙

you were always to be a dagger 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ wc-068-b. 〙

hungry for blood but sick of the taste 〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ butcher. 〙

no will to break ​‚ no voice to cry suffering〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ havik. 〙

nameless bodies in unremembered rooms〘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 ✦ mutton. 〙

[gatorbites-imagines]

Hi!! Hope everything is going well!

Could I Please ask for some bottom buggy (mayhaps with some watersports since I saw you had a interest) or some ftm crocodile being fucked into submission!

Have a nice day.

Ftm Sir Crocodile x male reader

Ficlet

I love Sir Crocodile so much 🗣️ 🗣️

Reader is part of Buggy’s crew, cuz I thought that would be hilarious. Reader doesn’t have a devil fruit, but is still super kickass. Hes kind of the information gatherer, smuggler, etc, for the Buggy crew. Reader is also normal human height.

Mixed terminology for Crocs bits. Also, breeding/pregnancy? kink warning ig. but its just mentioned for the fantasy.

The Cross Guild appeared great for any outsider or lesser in the know members, which was most of them. They all saw your captain as someone great and almost godly, thinking he was so much more than he was, but you had been with him for many years, even before the Buggy pirates had even been created. Shortly after the execution of Rogers, Buggy had stumbled into your path and had accidentally saved your life, and from then on you had been by his side.

Most people thought of you as something akin to an accountant or treasurer, wearing an outfit that looked very much like that of a ringmaster, long red tailcoat and top hat and all. You were always one of the first to run away, giving you a reputation of a coward who couldn’t fight.

The only one who truly knew how much of a threat you could be, would be your captain and his inner circle, which you were also part of. You might not have been the strongest physically compared to someone like Mihawk, but no one could gather information like you could, smuggle like you could, or have someone “disappear” like you could. Your network was so extensive that even the one they called Joker, who you knew was none other than Donquixote Doflamingo, was jealous.

That was why you knew everything about Sir Crocodile and Mihawk before the day was over when the Cross Guild was formed. You cowered off to the side, keeping up your weak act as you flinched at their raised voices or the light reflecting off Crocodiles golden claw.

They believed you a weak fool who’s only worth was your quick mind and ability to calculate numbers quicker than most computers, which resulted in them mostly dismissing you. It was a role you basked in and felt comfortable, using it to keep your true identity under wraps. That was until they pushed your captain too far, as Crocodile especially seemed to take great pleasure in antagonizing and hurting your captain.

You were protective, most pirates were, if they felt any sense of loyalty to their captain. It was because of that, that you dug up a trusted contact, a celestial dragon with greater access to seastone than anyone else you knew. Using measurements from the moment’s clothes had to be made, a pair of cuffs in just the perfect size soon arrived to you with the post.

It was easy to press Crocodiles buttons, to get him worked up by acting stupid and pathetic, just the way you knew made his blood boil. It was even easier to enrage him so far that he chased after you, so blinded by his anger that he didn’t even notice how you kept avoiding his sand, or how you were leading him further and further away from the rest of the guild.

When he finally caught up, Crocodile caged you against the wall, hook digging into the drywall as he almost snarled down at you, cigar crunched between his teeth as his purple eyes blazed. But mild confusion crossed his face as your fearful expression dropped, his body straightening as your eyes met his head on. Before Crocodile could order an explanation, a feeling of weakness crashed through his body, making his knees buckle enough that you had to catch him, supporting his towering weight and bulk.

His vision swam as you started dragging him along, his feet dragging along the floor because of his height compared to your own. Crocodile felt dizzy and mildly nauseous, his eyes finally catching the heavy bands around his wrist, the one he still had left. “ssseastone?” he slurred out, voice lighter than the growl you were used too, cigar long forgotten somewhere along the journey.

In the beginning, you had planned on torturing him, the blades strapped to your person burning at the thought, but as you threw him down almost carelessly on a barely clad bed, a different through passed through your mind.

A slight thrill ran down your spine as his purple eyes burnt into you, his usual anger still present, but mixed with something else, something deeper and hungrier. Soft pants left Crocodiles lips, sounding faintly struggled as the seastone drained the power from his body, leaving him limp and pliant.

You could see the heat rising to Crocodiles cheekbones as you started stripping off your usual getup, tailcoat slid off your shoulders and neatly folded, top hat placed down with care. “What the hell are you doing…” Crocodile rasped from the bed, his pupils blown as an unfamiliar need unfolded inside him, the familiar thrum of pleasure running through body.

Maybe it was his weakened state, but he swore his cunt was pulsing with need, especially as you unbuttoned the stark white shirt you always wore, revealing a tightly muscled and heavily scarred body underneath, leather straps adorned with vials and weapons stretched across your torso.

Crocodile tried to shuffle his legs, maybe to squeeze his thighs together, or to spread them further apart, he wasn’t sure, but all he could do was a minimal twitch and jolt. “I planned on cutting you up, making you beg for mercy. But from the looks of it… you wouldn’t mind some other kind of discipline” you murmur, almost stalking towards him where Crocodile was splayed out on top of the white sheets.

You could see all his muscles tense as you let your hands climb up his legs, up his thighs and stomach, traveling all the way up his arms towards his hook. A choked off noise leaves Crocodile as you remove his hook with ease, like you had done it a thousand times before, placing it off to the side with care.

“Behave yourself” you tell him, squeezing the sides of his jaw to make his lips part. Crocodile tried to growl or snap a threat, to snap his teeth at you or somehow fight back, but his body was mostly unresponsive, his tongue feeling thick and useless in his mouth.

A shiver of anticipation ran through Crocodile as you moved again, settling between his thick spread thighs. Your eyes met as you reach for his belt, your brow lifting as if asking if he wanted you to stop. You may be a pirate, but you had class and manners, at least when it came to stuff like this.

But when all Crocodile responded with was a sour expression and glare, you make easy work of his belt and slacks, tugging them down his hips and legs, throwing them off to the side with little care. Your disregard for his clothes made Crocodile grumble, but the noise was quickly silenced as you pressed your entire hand against his slick underwear, fingers teasing his hard t-cock and soaked folds.

“Tsk tsk, look at you, bet you just need someone to put you in your place, is that it?” you mumble in an almost mocking tone, looking up at him with an almost feral hunger in your eyes. Crocodile chokes on the words that want to form in his throat, some kind of rebuttal perhaps, that he would never want someone as low as you to do anything to him, but as you pinch his cock between your fingers, it morphs into a shaky moan.

Crocodile’s boxers as easily pulled off, thrown to the floor with a damp plap, making his face redden further as you only find amusement in the obvious sign of his arousal. Kicking off your pants and boxers, you crawl up the bed and sit between his thick thighs, pushing them further apart to expose where he only grows slicker, hole clenching around nothing as if begging you to fill it.

“What would they say, seeing the great Sir Crocodile, spread out like this, ready to take the cock of a feeble weak treasurer” you taunt, pressing your hips closer to his, so that you could drag the tip of your cock up and down through his folds. The act has Crocodile arching as good as he can with the cuff on, his eyes squeezing shut as he clenches his jaw, a breathy noise leaving him, folds only growing slicker around you.

Maybe it was your size difference, with you being average human size, compared to Crocodiles almost 9 feet, or maybe it was his gut deep arousal, but his hole didn’t need much prep for you to be able to fit inside.

That didn’t mean you were just gonna give it to him, since this was supposed to be a lesson. A stuttery moan spills almost silently from Crocodiles lips as your fingers rub through his folds, barely pressing against where he wants you the most. He had never imagined himself in a situation like this, splayed out and dripping for you, someone he had always just seen as a nuisance, but here he was.

“Come on Crocodile… ask nicely” your tone is almost cruel as you push only two fingers inside him, barely felt because of his size, but just enough to rub against his wet gummy insides and leave him aching for more. Crocodiles jaw clenches, barring his teeth as his head weakly rolls to the side, as if to hide his face into the sheets.

“Or… I could just leave you here, thighs spread open, cunt glistening with want. Im sure someone will pass by, and who wouldn’t want a chance to fill this” as if to exaggerate your point, you push two more fingers into his slick hole, burying them as deep as possible into Crocodiles wet insides, punching a gasp out of him.

Crocodile seems to debate it, if he wants to put his pride aside for someone like you, but his thoughtprocess is knocked off course as you pinch his cock with your free hand, twisting it cruelly. Had he not been wearing the seastone cuff, his thighs would have clamped shut and a shout would have left him, but now all his body could do was tense up as a wet keen tumbled out of him.

“P…please” Crocodile finally mumbles, voice small and almost shy, but it can barely be heard over the wet slick sounds of your fingers thrusting in and out of him, his wetness running down your palm and wrist in the process.

“Hm?” you hum, the questioning tone in it clear, as if you didn’t hear him at all, giving his cock another twist just because you could. “fuck me… please…” is gasped out, Crocodiles insides clenching around your slick fingers as they rub and prod around inside him.

Your fingers movements slow to a stop, silence filling the room long enough for Crocodile to peek an eye open and look down at you. Your eyes are intense as they bore into his, the predatory flare in them making Crocodiles insides quiver. “Normally id demand better than that, but I’m starting to pity you” you scoff out, withdrawing your fingers from his hold with a slick noise.

Instead of wiping them off on the sheets, you use the large amount of slick that had gathered in your palm to slick up your shaft, releasing a huffed exhale as Crocodiles eyes widen at the sight. “I’ve thought about making you ride me, so you’ll have to make yourself take it, but we can’t do that right now, can we” you eye the cuff around his one wrist, making Crocodile growl and spit out a weak warbled “fuck you”

His insult carries no heat, clearly only for show, his glare quickly wiped off his face as you finally push inside him. Crocodile needs little time to adjust, resulting in you almost immediately setting a bruising rough pace, drawing in and out of him with loud wet slick noises, his hole gripping onto you as he gasps and moans.

Reaching down, you push his shirt up just enough to splay a hand across his lower stomach, a foxlike grin spreading across your lips as you watch his hips weakly roll into your own. “If you weren’t such an asshole, I could fuck you whenever. Imagine that Crocodile, walking around, cunt leaking my cum, as you try to play tough.” You chuckle darkly, tone thick and hungry in the way only a predatory animal could possess.

As your cock rams into that sensitive spot inside him, Crocodile is finally starting to realize you are truly more than you seem, his cunt drooling a wet puddle under him on the sheets as you take him with a new hunger, a glint appearing in your eyes as your hand presses down harder on his stomach.

“I could knock you up you know, right here.” Is hissed out as you bottom out inside Crocodile, the words making him tighten up and shiver in want. “No one would find you so scary then, would they Crocodile. Waddling around, fat with my kid” you purr, letting both your hands splay across his stomach. It was all fantasy, but by God did it make Crocodile wet and wanting. Something about the fantasy of you, some lesser subordinate knocking him, Sir Crocodile, up, had him seeing double.

The seastone didn’t help with his woozy state, all attempts at forming words only becoming half formed and slurred, Crocodiles eyes going wet and glassy as that familiar feeling spread through his body. “in… inside me…” Crocodile slurs as you curse to yourself, clearly close to the finish line as well. Had it not been for the cuffs, he would have thrown his legs around you, squeezing you against his body to keep you inside him, but all he could do now was beg.

Crocodiles pride crumbled as your fingers squeezed his cock one last time, a pure orgasmic expression crossing his face as he gasped and moaned, his entire body twitching weakly as he came, wetting your cock and the sheets even further as the feeling thrummed through his entire body.

With a deep groan you bottom out inside Crocodile for a last time, letting your eyes squeeze shut as you spill inside him, coating his insides in a thick coat of white. Crocodile whimpers weakly at the feeling, trying to squeeze around you as if to milk your length for more.

He slumps against the sheets further than he already is, eyes falling shut in a relaxed exhausted expression. Crocodile barely notices as you pull out, white leaking out from between his folds to join his own mess on the sheets. He barely even notices you cleaning him up, only twitching and gasping softly when you clean up between his legs.

Its only when the seastone cuff leaves his wrist that Crocodile returns to himself somewhat, as the familiar feeling of his devilfruit washes through his body again. Squinting his eyes open, he catches sight of you getting dressed again, tucking on your shirt, then your coat, and lastly placing your hat on top of your head.

Even with his devilfruit returned to him, Crocodile still feels weak and exhausted, but the good type of exhausted one only gets after a good fuck. Part of him wants to ask you to stay, to hold him and pet his hair, to maybe mumble more dirty fantasies about knocking him up, and how you’d make him live as your pretty little housewife. But instead, Crocodile just grunts to get your attention, his attempt to demand to know where you are going.

“I have to get back to the others, since ill be taking over your duties for the rest of the day and tomorrow” you say, voice resolute and not allowing any denial or struggle. And normally Crocodile would have growled and rejected anyone taking over his duties, but for some reason, the idea of you taking care of him made him relax deeper into the bed, muscles lax and thoughts empty and calm for once.

Approaching him, you press a soft kiss to his forehead before telling him “this room is hidden away from everyone else, so take all the time you need. Ill check up on you later” as you pat his cheek. After telling him where the bathroom is, where he could find towels and replacement sheets and blankets, you were on your way, leaving Crocodile on his lonesome.

It took a while, but he finally pushed himself into a seated position before getting to his feet. The feeling of your cum trickling down the insides of his thighs as the familiar heat of arousal burning inside him once more, making Crocodile shuffle towards the bathroom you had pointed him towards. Even though you had just left, he could still get himself off a few more times from just the memory alone.

Maybe it wasn’t so bad to be disciplined by you, he wondered how you’d react if he caused issues with your smuggling routes. The idea sent a line of heat up his spine as he stepped into the shower, hand quickly traveling between his thighs, fingers burying themselves into his still sensitive hole, fantasies of hungry glare and cruel fingers filling his mind.

[chronosdawn]

Zhongli x GN!Reader, Soulmate AU Part 2

Link to Part 1

Word count: ~2.5k

He was waiting for you at the Stone Gate.

You hadn't known it was him at first, having taken to pointedly ignoring the sensations crawling up your arm from your soulmate mark once the phantom hand tugging you back to the harbor had turned clawed when you refused to listen to it. 

Of course you could hardly be blamed for overlooking a lone tall man standing just at the edge of the border, his back to you as he looked out over Mondstadt's grassy plains. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him at first glance, save perhaps for his height and fine clothes. The way he stood—perfectly still with his hands clasped behind his back—made him seem more like part of the landscape than a living thing. It was only when you got close to him, just barely out of arm's reach as you made to walk past and he turned to face you, amber eyes meeting yours, that you realized who he was.

Your legs refused to move as though they'd been turned to stone, torn between hurtling back the way you'd come—as though attempting to run from a god a second time might somehow prove more successful—and throwing yourself the last precious distance between you and the border, like the invisible line of it would somehow protect you from whatever was to come. 

Before you could commit to either however, your soulmate spoke.

"I apologize if the suddenness of our connection startled you, but it is very good to meet you at last." His voice was rich and smoother somehow than it had been during the rite, his expression one you could only describe as soft as he looked at you.

You'd thought gazing into the face of the dragon-qilin version of Rex Lapis was bad—somehow this was worse.

Words failed you as you stared at him. What were you even supposed to say? Your head felt like a hornets nest, thoughts flicking from excuses to questions to apologies until it turned into a garbled mess that made your temples throb. 

"I don't…" you stammered out before petering off. Your chest felt funny, like it was trying to cave in on itself.

Rex Lapis looked you over from head to toe and whatever he saw caused his lips to press together slightly. 

"You must be tired after the long journey here from the harbor. Come, you should rest for a moment." He moved to your side, a hand resting gently against the small of your back as he steered you away from the boundary of the nation of freedom and towards what appeared to be a modest tea stand nestled against the stone of one of the large cliffs making up the gate. You tried to protest, you really did, but your tongue felt like lead in your mouth, your skin prickling from how close you were to a literal god. Before you knew where you were, you'd been ushered to a table in the cornerーthe Archon only leaving your side to pull your chair out for you and then take the seat opposite. 

The elderly man running the stand came over and Rex Lapis ordered for the pair of you while you watched mutely, noting that he’d seated you in a corner, placing himself between you and any route of escape. Your hands shook faintly where they rested against the chipped wood of the table.

Silence descended as the old man left to brew your tea, interrupted only by the faint howl of the wind against the cliffs. You fought not to fidget in the face of such blatant awkwardness, turning your attention instead to the other patrons scattered nearby. The young woman closest to you was dressed in a signature Adventurer’s Guild uniform, likely on her way to a commission judging by the heavy backpack rammed with supplies at her feet. Sitting a little further away were a couple with obviously graying hair, twin soulmate marks visible on their joined hands as they quietly enjoyed the view. A lump formed in your throat at the sight.

“You hail from Snezhnaya.” Your gaze snapped back at the sound of Rex Lapis’s voice. It wasn’t a question, but the tone left the statement open-ended, an offering of idle conversation in place of the one you should be having but obviously weren’t ready for.

Nodding, you mustered your courage and said quietly, “I came to Liyue three months ago.”

“May I ask what brought you here? It’s rather a long way to travel.”

“My grandmother. She… She was from Liyue, she used to tell me stories about the harbor and the er— the Adepti growing up. After she passed, I decided I wanted to see it for myself.” You stammerred your way through your explanation, all too aware that it was only a half truth—the rest being the obviously Liyuean symbols swirled into the soulmate mark inked starkly upon your skin. 

“I am very sorry to hear of your loss," he said with a sincerity that put all the others you'd had this particular line of conversation with to shame. "Has it been all you expected, your time in Liyue?” 

"That's…" You trailed off, dropping your gaze to the table. How were you supposed to comment on a nation when the god who'd presided over it for thousands of years was sitting right across from you?

Obviously picking up on your inner turmoil, Rex Lapis spoke again, "There's no need to be anxious, I would not ask if I did not want to hear an honest answer. Though I have played a part in shaping Liyue into what it is today, it is but one of the seven nations and I would not expect it to appeal to all." 

Your drinks appeared just after he finished, providing a short but welcome reprieve as a warm cup was pressed into your hands. You inhaled deeply, the rich scent of expertly brewed green tea filling your nose as you did so. It was not until the old man had left that you gave your answer.

“It’s… prettier than I’d thought it would be. My grandmother always said the harbor was beautiful but it’s been another thing to see it in person.”

You glanced up quickly, meeting amber eyes through the faint trickle of steam rising from the cup in his hands. The Archon poised to take a sip, waiting for you to continue.

“Fitting in has been harder than I’d thought it would be. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, moving so far away from home, but I thought I’d done enough research that I’d be ready for it. I guess there’s nothing you can do to really prepare yourself for living somewhere completely new though.”

“Indeed, it’s true such adjustments can take time. Has it grown easier over the months you’ve been here at least?” 

Not really, you thought. You’d been hoping that something would click upon meeting your soulmate, that you’d feel like you’d finally found your place in the world. Instead you now felt like you wanted to be anywhere but the land of contracts and stone. 

It was that thought and the warmth seeping into your fingers that finally gave you the courage to stop dancing around the issue at hand. You shifted in your seat, straightening your back and lowering your shoulders so you looked at least a little more sure of yourself than you felt.

“Look, I think… I think there must have been some sort of mistake.”

Rex Lapis returned his cup to the table, the cor lapis gem on the back of his glove gleaming in the evening light.

“Mistake?”

“Yes, this—” you gestured between the two of you “—this can’t be right. I mean you’re a god and I’m just some human from a small village in Scheznaya—I don’t even have a vision. I don’t know that much about soulmate marks honestly,” you instinctively placed your hand over your left forearm, missing the way your conversation partner’s eyes zeroed in on the gesture, “but this has to be a false alarm or something.”

Rex Lapis’s expression remained neutral as he let out a deep exhale—it wasn’t quite a sigh but reminded you of the controlled breath someone might take before they had to explain something to a child. 

“Over the many years I have watched over Liyue, I have been witness to numerous soulmate connections. While the reason behind a pairing is not always immediately obvious, not once have I observed a soulmark responding to anyone but the person’s intended. It’s true that differences in personal status between soulmates can act as a source of friction, though that is usually between families rather than the individuals themselves, something that will not prove to be an issue in our case.” He paused to take a sip of his tea, his movements measured and steady, a stark contrast to your white-knuckled grip on your own cup.

You were painfully aware of the sun slipping lower in the sky, the cliffs slowly being stained amber in the fading late. You’d hoped to be safely in Mondstadt before nightfall.

“And though it is not common knowledge,” Rex Lapis continued, returning his cup to the table, “ours is not the first case of an archon having a human for a soulmate.” Though the words were perhaps meant to serve as some sort of reassurance, his voice held a somewhat wistful tone, as though lost in a memory from long ago..

“I just—” you sucked in a breath, the words ‘never wanted something like this’ caught in the back of your throat. It was true, of course, you didn’t want the pressure of being soulmates with Liyue’s exalted archon; of being the supposed other half of a being you likely would never be able to truly understand, let alone measure up to. It felt unfair, however, to throw that in his face. There were tales up north of various ways the story could play out when one soulmate rejected the other, none of which ended well. 

And it wasn’t as though he’d actually done anything to deserve your rejection either—you wanted to cast your connection aside because of what he was rather than anything he’d actually done. You weren’t sure you were really capable of that kind of cruelty, no matter how badly you might wish to vanish with the setting sun. 

“This wasn’t what I expected,” you said finally, after a long period of uncomfortable quiet.

“And that is not something anyone would fault you for.” If Rex Lapis was upset by your lack of enthusiasm for the bond that existed between you, he made no show of it. “I doubt many who were not intimately familiar with the gods would dare to even dream of the possibility. I hope however,” he continued, his gaze falling to the mark hidden away underneath your sleeve, “that with time it will become easier to accept.”

You swallowed uncomfortably. It wasn’t the words themselves that made something in your guts twist—if anything you should probably be grateful that a deity referred to in some stories as the Warrior God was granting you so much grace—but there was a certainty in his voice as he said them that didn’t sit well with you. 

Rex Lapis lifted his eyes from where your arms rested on the table, looking up at the slowly darkening sky. Taking a final sip of his tea he said, “It’s rather late for the return journey to the harbor, but there is an inn on the way that I believe we should be able to reach before nightfall.”

“I’m sorry, what do you mean we?” you asked in a small voice, casting a furtive glance towards the path to Mondstadt.

“Ah.” For the first time since you’d met the Archon, the slightest crack appeared in his composure, a minute shift in expression that you’d almost call bashful. The look was gone as quickly as it had appeared and you found yourself meeting the deep amber of his eyes.  “Please forgive my forwardness but I’m afraid it would be remiss of me to allow you to be exposed to the dangers that come with traveling alone at night, especially with… so few preparations.” A polite way of remarking on the fact you’d basically legged it with no supplies to your name.

“That’s…” You trail off, no good defense coming to mind as to why you should continue your journey alone with only the clothes on your back and scarcely a pocketful of mora. 

As if sensing your desperate fumble for an excuse to not go with him, he continued, “If your business in Mondstadt is urgent then I will escort you come morning, once you have had adequate rest. Otherwise, perhaps it may be best to return after you’ve had a chance to recover from the shock of recent events. It has been some time since I last had reason to visit but I would be more than happy to share the sights with you after ensuring matters will run smoothly in Liyue for the course of my absence.”

“I—” The sun was only half visible at the horizon now and as it sank further you felt your hopes of slipping away go with it. “I barely have any mora on me, I’m not sure I can afford a night at an inn.”

“That will not be an issue, I am more than willing and able to cover any of your expenses. Speaking of which,” Rex Lapis placed a large pile of mora on the table and you felt your eyes nearly bulge out of your skull at the amount—it had to be many, many times however much your tea had actually cost. You were suddenly struck with the utter stupidity of trying to use a lack of mora as an excuse to the very being who was responsible for creating it. That and the fact you were completely out of ideas on how to get out of this situation short of simply making a run for it—a tactic which had failed to provide much success thus far.

“If you are feeling up to it, we should begin our journey to the inn now before it gets much darker.” He stood and rounded the table, extending a gloved hand out to you. 

You were backed into a corner in every way that mattered, the stone of the cliffs at your back as unyielding as you suspected the god of this land was. With nowhere else left to go, you place your hand in his, the leather of his gloves cool against your skin as his fingers curl around your own. You could only hope you wouldn’t regret not trying to run when you had the chance.

Taglist: @tanspostsblog, @esthelily, @alice4wonderland2812, @kalinka9999999999, @lacunaanonymoused

A/N: I have no excuses for how long this took me but here we finally are OTL. I make no promises as to whether or not there will be a part 3 but I am trying to get into the habit of writing more regularly again so I hope to at least start posting more stuff on this blog.

[quarterlifekitty]

More of the MonsterHunter!AU. This time with Gaz.

Context: an Ichneumon is a creature typically depicted a looking similar to a mongoose or stoat. It is considered the enemy of dragons, much like how the mongoose is a snake killer in real life. So basically imagine being Gaz’s mongoose girl lol.

Gaz is known as a specialized hunter— he doesn’t go after just any monster. He’s a dragon slayer. Dragons are hard to find and even harder to kill, but their processed bodies produce a fortune’s worth in raw materials and lean meat.

Gaz doesn’t hunt you, he buys you. Nikolai is another hunter in his guild, but is far better known for his skills as a tamer. Creatures like ichneumon come pre-loaded with all of the killing instincts, they just need some socialization.

To be honest, you’re something of a runt, but in Gaz’s line of work especially, little things can kill things much bigger than them just fine.

You’re kitted out with a sheepdog’s collar. It has outward prongs to protect your neck from the teeth of other creatures.

Your tactics as a duo are tricky. You claw your way up the body of the colossal beast, biting and scratching as it begins to panic and thrash. This diversion frees up Gaz— he has the time and opportunity to line up his crossbow and shoot the dragon where it can kill it, right in the soft underbelly when it rears up to throw you.

He always saves you a healthy portion of the dragon’s meat as a treat. When you’re not working, your pronged collar is replaced by one that glitters and gleams with the scales of different dragons. You and Gaz have matching earrings made from dragon bones, blessed for your protection.

[lady-quen]

Cannot Hold It When It Thaws

"An angel falls to their hubris. It's a story as old as time. It's a story you already know, under countless names and through countless retellings. But knowing doesn't change anything; Soo-Won was more aware than most. And she knew that they would know she knew - and that scared her more than anything.

This is the day Jormag's heart freezes over."

[Pre-canon drabble, 2k words, Soo-Won and Jormag-centric. Angst. Exploration of Jormag's affection and corruption. No trigger warnings that I can think of, aside from a low-detail description of drowning. Art and writing is mine, Guild Wars 2 belongs to Arenanet. Dialogue inspired by Gen 3 Legendary Weapons. Divider graphic belongs to @soulbeastdragon. Keep in mind this is merely my interpretation of these characters :) Enjoy!]

"I want to make them permanent, Mother. I want to make them last."

"You know you can't do that." She smiled - in the sense that she radiated warmth, something that would perhaps best be described with a single word. Dragons could be infinitely complex, after all. "That is their beauty. They are fleeting. And so, their eyes are uniquely open."

"There is no beauty in passing. And yet.. it's gone. You unmade it. Why? Why did you close its eyes?"

Soo-Won could only linger in silence, dark eyes as unfathomable as the ocean. She knew well that the true depth of existence could not - and would not come easily to her child, not when they were so young. Perhaps, that was her curse. Either alone beneath the sea of stars, or surrounded by little things who only reasoned as little things could. Specks of light, innocent flickers of pure magic. Innocent, but destined.

The small dragon pawed at the ground, attempting to gather close the dust that once was a creature. A fruitless effort, with massive claws not fit to be this gentle. "It's still alive, you see? I can undo it."

"He. Not it. Please, let go, now. His soul found silence at last."

"No, no... It's not silent—you aren't listening closely."

Her tail softly brushed aside arms that had no real will to stop her, sweeping the last of the dust away. Finally allowing the once-mortal to scatter to the winds. The crystalline sparkles shimmered as they sailed the sky, a soul bidding its - his - last farewell.

"They are not... suited to our lifetimes, my child. Their minds cannot last, even if their bodies can be made to. Even if you make them pristine forever, they will not last. That is not their will."

"But I did not force them." The young dragon chirped, head turning in puzzlement as their already brilliant mind worked overtime behind sad blue eyes. "I asked it. I asked him. He agreed. But you unmade him. You took him from me."

"It's wrong, baby." She nuzzled her dragonling, wishing only for the depth of her love to soothe the turbulent soul. "Just because he agreed does not mean he knew what he agreed to. He can't have known. Us Dragons are of a different type of existence. Seeing things through our eyes, ah... well, I'm not surprised he..."

He broke, she wanted to say. But she couldn't. Not with the way they looked at her, resentment building behind those same orbs that once adored her.

But they finished it for her. "That he broke, Mother? How did you know? How COULD you have known? You didn't even ask him."

"My baby - they always break. It's inevitable -"

"You didn't ASK him like I DID!" Jormag boomed, breath coming in heavy pants from between jagged fangs. If a thing such as them could cry, she felt their eyes would be shedding waterfalls. "And you didn't ask now, either. If he wanted to live. No. You simply unmade him."

The matron of the ocean shrank away. Fear permeating an ancient body, an emotion she hadn't truly known until that moment. Even though she foresaw it, even though this fate was written in stars older than even herself, it was a different matter entirely to simply know and to experience it firsthand.

Her child. One of the only creatures she felt she truly, wholly, loved - and they lay destroyed in every timeline. The massive whorl of her body spasmed with terror.

The first thing that went was always their heart and there were no words she could possibly say to heal it. She ran a billion worlds through her mind and there was not one, not one life in which they understood.

Jormag simply continued to gaze into their mother's eyes, hitched, raspy breaths slowly evening out, like a stormy sea mellowed out into a calm. Before she knew it, they were as unshakable as a statue yet again, that same cold persona of reason they had since grown into.

"I see. So you've embraced fatalism." They commented, in an almost condescending manner.

Like they thought she wasn't even worth conversing with.

Like she was a relic who could not possibly understand. And yet, she did. She comprehended it all, every facet of it, and it was ever-so-slowly killing her. A deathless thing, watcher of every world that was and ever could be. And she was killing her child, too.

Soo-Won was glad mortals did not have to bear this burden. Yes, their minds were small, so very delicate - but they held a view of life no Dragon could hold. Something that only came with this same fragile grace, a flame burning bright before flickering out into the night. And so, she tried.

It would be futile. Again.

It was always futile, but she loved them and could not help trying anyway.

"The Cycle is life and death. Things come, and they go." The tip of her tail moved, a soft motion of rising and falling. "There are seasons in this world, my child, and it is our duty to guide their dance. Even the oldest ice thaws, and then comes spring. Can you not hear the birds sing..?"

"When the birds sing, the rot sets in."

The world was an enormity even she could not hold. Oceans would forever remain her home, but Tyria was so much more than endless waters. And so, in order to encompass such wealth of life, she bore that which granted her this name - this curse. Mother.

Lifegiver. As it all did in this world, their existence was spawned from water. As much as they rejected her, in the end, their domain would remain the very closest to hers. She could already feel the low growl building in their throat.

"You wallow in entropy and call it renewal." The scion hissed, stalking lightly back and forth like an ambush predator. "Cycles within cycles... grinding everything to dust. Does that make you happy?" The tip of their tail twitched, the only part of her child's body which so readily betrayed emotion. She thought back to the times they'd hide their tail under their form so that Primordus could not read their annoyance, and once again, she smiled sadly.

"It's not entropy." Though it may have seemed that way, it was the only way the world may continue. "It's balance."

She did not have the heart to answer the question.

"It's so delicate, but it repeats itself forever." The adolescent dragon mused. "Why? Why destroy something just to replace it? What about this carnage says balance to you?!"

Cycles upon cycles. She had no answer. Or, rather - she did, but not one that would ever soothe them. This glass-frail heart, so eager to chip, shatter and break.

"Why can't they.. stay forever with me...? I cannot hold this love of mine when it thaws. I cannot..."

"Jormag... love comes and goes. That is its beauty."

"There is NO beauty here! It's obscene."

She stilled. Every fin, every whisker. So too did her words still between her jaws, not even a sigh escaping their monumental clutches. The hand of her mind retreated when she felt Jormag's own slap it away. It felt cold.

It stung.

"All you had was the quiet void in which you dwelled. All those years in the abyss. Not even your domain is kind. Bring a mortal down there, and it ruins them in seconds and lingers while they scream. There is no sound as their lungs fill with water. The pressure crushes them. Warps them into shapes unfit for life." The scion spoke, in a droning, monotonous voice. A perfect façade for all the pain they kept - hidden just beneath the surface. Their voice, the only thing that could set it free, but continuously refused to do so.

"Down there, in your home, nobody would even hear them scream. But not in mine. In mine, I will be there. I will listen. Always. And I will talk. I will make sure they know they are never alone. Not even for a second."

"Jormag!" For once, she was forceful. Her own voice crashed into theirs like a tidal wave. "You are what will ruin them!"

Her offspring recoiled, betrayal briefly shining in cerulean orbs - no, there was more. A bubbling, seething hatred, an emotion of unparalleled intensity that ill befitted her gentle child. That explosive rage remained, coiling and writhing like a serpent, before it slowly warped into something more insidious. There was disdain, mockery even. "Oh..? Have I troubled you? Replace me, then."

"I cannot -"

"Cannot? So you WOULD have done so if you only could, hmm? I see. Am I broken in your eyes as well, Mother? And if so, since when?"

Since forever. As they all were. But she could not bear to let them know. Her imperfect children, spawned from a womb which failed them. But in the end, they would know that she knew, and that scared her more than anything.

"..Why can't you love me, Mother? Where did I go wrong? And when? Tell me the exact moment. So that I.. may make it immortal."

Their mind smirked at hers. Just for you, dearest Mother.

Stop.. please, just stop.

But they would not. No, they would not. For that was their destiny. Their great, terrible, self-wrought identity: and yet, she did not stop them. It was not hers to take away the choice they made - kept making - in every life. Her gut twisted, a familiar hurt burrowing through her vibrant body, her fraying spirit. The event horizon sneered at her distant gaze.

"You never loved any of us. It was all a deception so that we may fit your purpose. Enact your grand design which you forced upon us. But that is alright, for my voice is my own. I will speak my truth, not yours. And I will make this choice everyday. For as long as I breathe." Jormag continued, every word as sure as an avalanche falling. As a dagger caressing flesh before sinking in. "And I will ask a question you had never once asked any of us."

"Is this what you want?"

Their words were loud. Her thoughts were quiet. But she already knew. Oh, from the beginning of time, she knew.

"...And they will answer: Yes. Oh, yes. I do."

The scion turned, and she felt it like a wound. The splinter of ice that burrowed into her soul, never to leave. The final farewell from their own bleeding, shattered heart. Her only keepsake of Jormag, the Kind, who would become everything but.

White wings opened, and each feather sang like a winter wind. "Goodbye, Mother." The title sounded like poison in their mouth. "As always, you've left me nothing to mourn."

They were not the first to leave, but it hurt all the same knowing that the home they shared was home no longer. If a thing such as her could cry, her eyes would be shedding waterfalls.

You let this happen. Never forget that.

I won't, dear child. She could only watch as they departed. She could only ever watch, after all.

I will remember for as long as I breathe. For as long as my thoughts last. For as long as my mind keeps its vigil over this world. She felt her soul quiver, an earthquake at the bed of the seas.

And I will sing your name in my dreams, for as long as my voice is still my own.

[alexa-fika]

Subheaders by @firefly-graphics

Dividers by @/animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Kitchen Menace (Thatch x child!Reader x Marco)

Hungry for truth(yandere!Thatch x Reader) Inspired and written by/with @quinloki and 💧 anon

Fists for Family (Rayleigh x child!Reader x Shakky)

Special Treasure (Rayleigh x child!reader x Shakky)

Embracing Feelings and Family (Rayleigh x winged!child!reader)

Tree Escapades (Rayleigh x child!reader x Shakky)

Adventures in the past ( Roger pirates x child!reader)

Midnight Lessons (Mihawk x child!reader)

Papa to the Rescue (Mihawk x child!reader)

Teasing Distractions (Mihawk x child!reader)

Picky Eaters, Tricky Givers ( Mihawk x sick!child!reader)

Baby Feathers (Mihawk x winged!child!reader)

Failed Takeoffs (Mihawk x winged!child!reader)

Tough Swordplay (Mihawk x Winged!Child!reader)

New Begginings (Mihawk x Winged!Child!reader!), Part Two~

Escape, Friend, Return (Mihawk x Winged!child!reader x Zoro, Sanji)

Fruitless Negotiations ( Mihawk x blind!child! Reader)

Baking Fails (Mihawk x winged!child!reader)

Repercussion Stance (Mihawk x child!reader)

Sandy Bonding (Crocodile x Dracule!child!reader)

Circus Escapade (Cross guild x Dracule!child!reader)

Ghastly Cuteness (Perona x child!reader)

Clumsy Ghostly Guardians (Law x child!reader)

Breaking the Cycle (Law x child!reader)

Lost again? ( Heart pirates x child!Dracule!reader)

Thiefs in the making (Chopper x child!reader x Nami ft Sanji)

Unexpected Visit, Unexpected Family (Ace x child!reader x Luffy)

Sleeping Techniques (Shanks x child!reader x Beckman)

Wandering Dragon (Whitebeard pirates x dragon!reader x Revolutionary army) Part 2

His One-Piece (Whitebeard pirates x reader)

Stolen Help ( Whitebeard pirates x child!reader)

Parties and falls ( Whitebeard pirates x child!reader)

Claws out (Whitebeard pirates x Cat!Reader)

Stuffy Meetings (Whitebeard pirates x child!reader)

Puppy Love ( Shanks x child!reader x Whitebward pirates)

Enemies Yesterday, Babysitters Today (Whitebeard pirates x Dracule!winged!child!reader)

Lost Birds ( Red Haired Pirates x Dracule!child!reader)

Monkey Sitters (Dracule!child!reader)

The tale of Cats and Birds ( Zoro x reader)

Secretly Lost ( Zoro x child!reader)

Delivery for One (Crocodile x pigeon!reader) , Part two Part three

Rise of the Usurper (Doflamingo x pigeon!reader)

Guide in the Darkness (Smoker x blind!child!reader x Fujitora)

Eyeliner (Eustass kid x sibling!reader)

Killer Timeouts (Eustass Kiddx sibling!reader x Killer)

Soaked Set-up (ASL x sister!reader)

Revenge and Teasings (ASLx sister!reader)

Sickly Cuddles ( ASL x sick!sister!reader x Shanks)

Chiefs and Brothers (Sabo x Sibling!reader)

Lasting Memories ( Shanks x child!reader)

Pest Problems ( Shanks x Mouse!reader x Benn Beckmann)

Bye Family, Hello Family ( Luffy x brother!reader)

Bombs Beware (Ussop x sibling!child!reader)

Instincts or Recklessness (Marco x reader)

Cure for Inflictions ( Marco x Reader)

Chilly Prisoner ( Kuzan x hellhound!reader Part 2

Lost Sight ( Sanji x child!blind!reader)

Ghostly Mishief ( Sanji x ghost!child!reader)

Hunger and solicitude (Brook x ghost!child!reader x Sanji)

Insubordination and Cynophobia (Smoker x Kitsune!Reader)

Lost ways, Found people (Smoker x reader)

Little Gardener's Pirate Odyssey (oc!child x one piece characters platonic)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3,Chapter 4

Little Stowaway Wanderer (Oc!child x whitebeard pirates)

Chapter 1

Little Stowaway Wanderer (child!Reader x Whitebeard pirates)

Chapter 1

[book--brackets]

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler (2005)

This is the story of an apparently young, amnesiac girl whose alarmingly unhuman needs and abilities lead her to a startling conclusion: She is in fact a genetically modified, 53-year-old vampire. Forced to discover what she can about her stolen former life, she must at the same time learn who wanted-and still wants-to destroy her and those she cares for and how she can save herself.

Weaveworld by Clive Barker (1987)

The Fugue, a magical land inhabited by descendants of supernatural beings who once shared the earth with humans. The Fugue has been woven into a carpet for protection against those who would destroy it; the death of its guardian occasions a battle between good and particularly repulsive evil forces for control of the Fugue.

Fractured Fables by Alix E. Harrow (2021-2022)

It's Zinnia Gray's twenty-first birthday, which is extra-special because it's the last birthday she'll ever have. When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no-one has lived past twenty-one.

Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia's last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate.

Midnighters by Scott Westerfeld (2004-2006)

A few nights after Jessica Day arrives in Bixby, Oklahoma, she wakes up at midnight to find the entire world frozen. For one secret hour each night, the town belongs to the dark creatures that haunt the shadows. And only a small group of people--Jessica included--is free to move about then. They are The Midnighters.

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (2019)

There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their life. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother’s paintings and a drop of Jam’s blood, she must reconsider what she’s been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster—and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption’s house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also uncover the truth, and the answer to the question—How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?

The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe (1980-1987)

It is the tale of young Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers on the world called Urth, exiled for committing the ultimate sin of his profession - showing mercy toward his victim - and follows his subsequent journey out of his home city of Nessus.

The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer (2004)

In the future, in a place called Satelite City, fourteen-year-old Cosmo Hill enters the world, unwanted by his parents. He's sent to the Clarissa Frayne Institute for Parentally Challenged Boys, Freight class. At Clarissa Frayne, the boys are put to work by the state, testing highly dangerous products. At the end of most days, they are covered with burns, bruises, and sores. Cosmo realizes that if he doesn't escape, he will die at this so-called orphanage. When the moment finally comes, Cosmo seizes his chance and breaks out with the help of the Supernaturalists, a motley crew of kids who all have the same special ability as Cosmo-they can see supernatural Parasites, creatures that feed on the life force of humans. The Supernaturalists patrol the city at night, hunting the Parasites in hopes of saving what's left of humanity in Satellite City. Or so they think. The Supernaturalist soon find themselves caught in a web far more complicated than they'd imagined, when they discover a horrifying secret that will force them to question everything they believe in.

Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George (2006-2009)

Poor Creel. She can't believe her aunt wants to sacrifice her to the local dragon. It's a ploy to lure a heroic knight so that he will fight the dragon, marry Creel out of chivalrous obligation, and lift the entire family out of poverty. Creel isn't worried. After all, nobody has seen a dragon in centuries.

But when the beast actually appears, Creel not only bargains with him for her life, she also ends up with a rare bit of treasure from his hoard, not gold or jewels, but a pair of simple blue slippers-or so she thinks. It's not until later that Creel learns a shocking truth: She possesses not just any pair of shoes, but ones that could be used to save her kingdom, which is on the verge of war, or destroy it.

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook by Christina Henry (2017)

There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan's first--and favorite--lost boy to his greatest enemy. 

Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate's sword. Because it's never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock--the kinds of playthings that bite. 

Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever. Peter lies.

The Elric Saga by Michael Moorcock (1965-1977)

It is the color of a bleached skull, his flesh; and the long hair that flows below his shoulders is milk-white. From the tapering, beautiful head stare two slanting eyes, crimson and moody... He is Elric, Emperor of Melnibone, cursed with a keen and cynical intelligence, schooled in the art of sorcery and the hero of Michael Moorcock's remarkable epic of conflict and adventure at the dawn of human history. 

[average-ravnican]

I know I have talked shit about the guilds, I should probably give some of my gripes, with them, huh?

Gruul: they just tear shit down, and cause chaos, which is fun for a few days, but they never stop. Also, if you’ve ever been in a mosh pit with one, they will intentionally throw elbows and hands trying to start a brawl.

Golgari: I don’t like bugs. I have a phobia, and unfortunately it makes the entire guild suck. Also, if you buy anything off them, it’s definitely laced with something. 100% of the time.

Boros: part of the issue is the whole persecution of the Guildless, part of it is the fact they’re a guild full of cops, and part of it is the fact they have literal angels in the guild so they feel justified in their shitty takes.

Azorius: what I said about Boros being cops? Yeah, that except the cops are also legislators, actively voting for the police to be more powerful. Also, they FINED ME FOR EATING

Orhzov: Ghost capitalists. I don’t think I need to say much more, other than that for some reason we literally allow them to enslave ghosts and we’re cool with that??? If anyone enslaved a living person, we’d be pissed, but if they’re dead it’s cool?

Rakdos: other than the murder, I guess they’re fine. But it’s like hanging out with your friends from school who got really into music and drugs and never got a personality.

Izzet: other than being a dragon’s cult of personality, and having a literal murderer as their current leader (am I the only one who remembers when Ral killed the Izzet champion of the maze? So he could go instead? He did that in front of a crowd.) and the fact that a disproportionate amount of goblins have “research” accidents on their watch, its being surrounded by gifted kids who need to be the smartest in the room.

Dimir: for self preservation reasons I will not say anything about house dimir.

Simic: similar problem to Izzet, but they also just want to stick tentacles or crab claws on everything. I had a friend who transitioned with the combine, and she’s happy, but she also does glow in the dark.

Selesnya: I won’t get into the personal reason I dislike them, y’all aren’t ready for that story, but it’s almost a joke. “We prefer unity and harmony and peace and will FUCKING MURDER ANYONE WHO GETS IN THE WAY OF IT” (looking at you Trostani)

Not all of these organizations are bad, I just don’t understand why our government is run by all of them.

[loosingmoreletters]

au where yoojin awakens on a dungeon fuck up getting a sudden high level boss appearance. Aka, if you don't awaken as an S-Rank, murdering your way through dungeons on a time limit is fine-

“You’re my brother,” Han Yoojin snarls and the tabletop breaks under the pressure of his grip. Wooden splinters fall to the ground and the part of Han Yoojin drowning in the memories of the dragon all but scream to put his hand through his brother’s torso, rip out his heart and devour it so he can never lose his love again. “Watching over you is all I’ve ever done.”

Final Gratitude dreams of intruders in his home, pesky flies that need to be eradicated. Han Yoojin stares at the Haeyeon guild members his brother has brought along. They’re all so weak, they’ll all cower behind his brother if the threat is big enough—and who will protect Yoohyun then?

One of the men flinches and takes a step back as Yoojin tilts his head before he looks at his brother again.

For once, it isn’t apathy or distaste Yoohyun regards him with. Yoohyun’s face is full of wonder, the same childish hope he used to carry when Yoojin decided they could have a sleepover.

It’s the expression of his dear little brother, not that of the guild leader he grew into when Han Yoojin wasn’t allowed to watch.

“You’re not going to make me leave now, are you?” Han Yoojin asks.

He lets go of the broken wood. His hands aren’t even scratched up, his nails still sharp and closer to claws than anything human. In the glass behind Yoohyun, Han Yoojin catches a glance of himself. His eyes too are still slits, draconic like the dead monster.

For the next seven days, Han Yoojin is the strongest man in the country and his brother has no reason to send him away.

That just means he has six days until he has to find another monster to kill.

[blood-grove]

The Hunt

Masterlist

part 1 -> next hunt

x tws; violence , blood , injuries , gore , slight suggestiveness , sickness. <- more will be added possible depending on the part.

x pairings; soap x male!reader (😲)

x characters; soap , ghost , price , gaz + (others will maybe be added? idk ive never written a whole lot of characters cuz i get confused in my own head)

a/n; i may make art for this series! and i will also possibly making art for my merfolk au.

Alarm bells rung threw out the small town the yells and panicked cries of the townsfolk as the huddle and ran into houses under carts under anything.

You let out a amused chuckle that came out as a growl to everyone else.

You were admittedly showing off a bit more than usual today pushing your self up with another flap of your wings as arrows shot past your head.

Christ John had to get better aim.

You dove letting out a bone shivering roar it was getting boring doing the same exaggerated display but it paid well.

John or Soap as the guild nicknamed him all those years back was your very lovable boyfriend.

To say what you both did was wrong would be true.

If it didnt bring so much coin.

Slaying dragons was a respected craft and admired by many and all, The demand for dragon slayers was high since such a feat was beyond dangerous and mostly ended in death.

Dragons were usually hunted by groups who set up traps of sling shot nets , big crossbow contraptions meant to pierce threw thick hide and scales.

But Soap didn't need of that,

Not when he had you.

Speaking on which you felt something dig into your side as you let out a fake cry of pain as your turned away from the village you couldn't hear anything they were saying from up here but you could imagine Soap's heroic rant as he chased after you away from the village a few more arrows stuck too you as you decided to close your act for today.

A final dramatic cry as you dived down intentionally losing control as you crashed into the ground.

"Hey?"

A few taps to your face.

"Heyy wake up bonny boy"

You grumbled huffing.

"C'monn- You need to get up so I can pull the arrows off ya daft-"

You peered a eye open to him shifting as you got up shaking off a few branches and leaves from your head.

"Ye wanna know what name they gave ye today?"

You grunted as you got up shaking off any remaining stray debris before laying back down as Soap went to work with tugging off the arrows from you they never pierced your flesh magical properly imbued inside of them made them stick painlessly to the target more like tracking tag than real damage arrow.

"White Death, Ah think that's cooler than yer lest name na? whit wis it again.." Soap pulled off another arrow storing it back into his quiver.

White Death certain was a better name than your pervious infamous nicknames.

"Ah I remember was it Snow Scales or Ice Lizard-" Soap grinned as your growled looking away embarrassed.

Soap chuckled.

"I got 300 coin from you today- We could head somewhere nice grab some pastries from that Village a bit west I know ye loved there cinnamon rolls."

The suggestion had you perked up at the mention of the sweet which Soap grinned at.

"We should get all washit up na? Ye juist haed tae land in the mud—"

You flicked your tail at him sending him off balance and falling back into the ground as well as yo letting a raspy soundalike laugh.

Pushing your claw against the amulet that sat tight around your neck it glowed for a moment before you started to shift and change shrinking as Johnny complained about getting his satchel and clothes dirty.

Once it stopped glowing you were human size albeit a bit taller than Soap, You still had some draconic features your eyes still dilated into slits under the sun, Scales around you arms and back that were easily hid with clothes and gloves, and horns that were luckily short enough to be hid with hair or hoods.

You walked over to him holding out a helping hand only to be yanked down onto the ground by him.

"Payback-" Soap flicked your forehead as you huffed.

"Whatever you're not the one that takes the daring crashes and falls in out little acts-"

Soap just rolled his eyes. "I never said 'Oh and at the very end make sure to get covered in mud!'."

You huffed flicking his shoulder as he grinned as he retold his fake little heroic story he told to each village rambling on about these couple of cats he saw as you just listened fondly.

You visited villages with him sure when you were in your human form but it just always made you feel antsy the odd stares you'd get were enough to make you visits to cities, towns, and villages very sparse.

Soap had noticed of course the observant caring bastard that he is and wouldn't stand for it of course not forcing you but you both went out for little walks, for supplies, and for getting you and him clothes and gear.

That's what you loved about him, He brought you out of your shell his voice and mannerism really just made a part of you melt.

To think when you both met when he was going to kill you.

a/n; not very confidence in this but i wanna commit to it </3 my nerves r all over the place makes it hard to write.

[starlightshadowsworld]

At this point, with Fyodor having his fingers in every pie which I hope it burns you rat! I wouldn't be surprised if Fyodor had a hand in the Great War--- Heck! I wouldn't be surprised if HE'S the REASON why the War happened in the first place!

Bet he was like looking at Fukuchi having a mental breakdown because having a space time sword must be a real pain in the ass-- and was like 'this soup needs more trauma, need to add a bit of WAR to spice up the relationship drama and a lot of pain and suffering to bring out the other components (that being Yosano's suffering in the Defense Force-356th Infantry Division, Fukuzawa being an assassin, Paul and Chuuya's experimentation, The Headmaster origins, whatever the Werecreature Experiments were) ' .

I mean this rat's been behind it all form the first chapter/episode and before that, Shibusawa was interest in Atsushi (who was 11-12 at the time) because Fyodor told him about his ability, during the Dragon Head Conflict which was right after Shibusawa had 'first died' from Atsushi's claws-- Fyodor saw him 'die again' from fighting Chuuya, he's the reason why the Guild was interested in the tiger/Atsushi in the first place cause he told F. Scott Fitzgerald about him. He was behind the Cannibalism Arc, Dead Apple to test Atsushi, the Hunting Dogs and the Decay of Angels and what the manga is going through.

Hate to give the rat any attention but it's really crazy how he's practically everywhere, guess that what happens when you're as old as dirt.

Anyway, that's just my thoughts, thanks for listening and remember.......

YOUR AWESOME!!!!!!

And we’ve still got whatever the hell he’s got going on with the Order of z Clock Tower.

We need to stop giving this rat pies it’s getting out of hand at this point.

[ratasum]

The Battle of Claw Island was a disaster. With all five racial representatives dead, Trahearne meets with Steward Gixx and Zojja back in Lion's Arch while the Risen cast a long shadow on the shores. They're running out of options fast, but when a sly young Inquest soldier shows up offering his age, will they be desperate enough to accept his help? Is it worth it for the fate of all of Tyria?

“This is an unmitigated disaster. Sieran, dead. Tebb, dead! All the representatives that the rest of them brought… all of them are dead.” Zojja pressed her fingertips to her temples as she felt Leyya’s hand rest against her shoulder. She hadn’t even meant to be here at all; she had more important things to be doing. But Gixx’s message had been urgent, and so they had come back as soon as they could manage. “How could this even happen?!”

Gixx just shook his head as he folded his arms. He looked forlorn, and it wasn’t like anyone could blame him. Sieran, for all her empty-headedness, had been well loved in the Priory, and Tebb had the sort of everyman vibe that seemed to just get on well with everyone he met. “It certainly wasn’t meant to, Zojja, I assure you. But it leaves us with a conundrum- Trahearne has told us the situation on Claw Island, and it is dire. We must find a way to retake the island, but with Tebb and the others dead… and now Lion’s Arch itself is in jeopardy! I’ve a way to stop it for now, but…”

Zojja’s brow furrowed further as Trahearne finished the steward’s comment. “...we’ve no one to complete the ritual. Gixx has an Idol of Balthazar. It imbues the user with the power of the human god of war, allowing them to gain power through the defeat of their enemies. It will allow them to uncover the unseen.”

“So we use this idol and it’ll help us keep those things out of Lion’s Arch? Give us time to stop the rise of the dragon?” Lowering her hands, Zojja let out a soft breath through her nose. “What are the risks?”

Shrugging, Gixx flipped his hand into the air. “Oh, the usual things. Murder. Mayhem. Losing control of one’s self and becoming a raging vessel of some fiery wrathful creature’s anger and fury upon Tyria itself? It requires a great deal of strength. Tebb… would have been perfect.”

“If we need someone to do this, Zo, I can.” Leyya’s grip tightened on her companion’s shoulder. “We don’t have a lot of options, and we’re running short on time.”

Immediately, Zojja’s head snapped up. “No! No, abs- absolutely not, Leyya, this is dangerous enough. We’ve already lost every other racial representative, three representatives of the Orders, I am not… going to lose you too.” Sucking in a breath as she put her hand over Leyya’s, Zojja gave her head a slow shake. “Do we have anyone here that might fit the bill?”

All their gazes swept over the assembled Priory members. The meek looking little asura healer helping a sylvari with Mira. A handful of magisters discussing the ritual. No one of all that much interest. Gixx sighed, folding his arms. “Afraid not. Kippa is far too valuable as a healer, and I don’t dare pull Gwella from assisting her. We’ll need Kekt, Lhon, Gunhild and the others there for the ritual. Unless you have another Savant hiding under your skirts, Zojja, I’m afraid we may have to hope the other orders have better options.”

For a moment, no one spoke, Gixx only moving when the asuran healer came over to update him on Mira’s condition. As they spoke, some commotion rose among the nearby magisters, and everyone’s eyes instead fell on another figure approaching: he was a tall asura, taller than any Gixx or Zojja had seen in recent memory, and broad shouldered, with eyes that glowed brightly in a scarred face. Long hair pulled back into a ponytail, a charr stalking along behind him…

But the thing everyone noticed more than almost anything else was what he wore: the stark black, red, and white of the Inquest.

Click here to read the rest!

[phopollo]

*getting on my hands and knees* Please I would love to know more about your fairytail rewrite, I have also just decided to do a rewatch of it and I am dying for more content/more people to talk about it with (also i love your designs so far and especially the focus on my girl Juvia... would love to know your ideas for both ex phantom lord guys actually)

AKFNWKG OMG HI YOU DONT UNDERSTAND HOW HAPPY THIS MAKES ME

GAJEEL & JUVIA MEAN SO MUCH TO ME, BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A DUO, AND I WAS SO SAD ABOUT HOW THEYRE TREATED IN CANON (especially Juvia,,, she was my favorite, but she got done so dirty when they stopped allowing her to he her own character outside of loving Gray,,,) SO IM ELATED YOU WANNA KNOW MORE ABOUT THEM, BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT THEM SO MUCH

So!!

I'll start with them as a duo

While members of Phantom Lord, none of the Element 4 were really like.... friends per say, but Gajeel and Juvia had the closest thing to being like........ friendly coworkers of all the relationships among them. Juvia was kind of the only one Gajeel really respected, and Juvia recognized thar Gajeel treated her with as much respect as he could, so she reciprocated (think like,,, verbally acknowledging each other as they passed in the halls, but calling each other by last name)

After joining Fairy Tail, in the immediate aftermath, everyone was still a little cautious of them for understandable reasons. So they kind if unintentionally cling to each other, because..... yknow. They're the only ones not giving each other the side eye, so it doesn't feel like they have to claw through a wall of tension to just hold a simple conversation

The turning point for them into actual friendship is when people start to give them more of a chance! In particular, on a day that Fairy Tail is getting A Bit Rowdy(tm) in the guild hall, and Gajeel turns around, expecting Juvia to have his back, and shes.... she's not there........... and now that he thinks about it, it's been a bit rainy today............... so he gets a little worried and goes looking for her, only to find her hiding in the bathroom because she got a bit overwhelmed and overstimulated because she's never had so many people approach and try to talk to her all at once and never been involved in a brawl like that that wasn't an actual like, fight, and she just...... she needs a minute. So. Gajeel sits with her a bit, because. Yknow. It wouldn't be worth it to go out there and pick fights with everyone and have fun if she's not also going to. It's just not as fun

They get a little awkward sitting there in silence and Gajeel gets antsy. He looks at himself in the mirror, and then down at Juvia and her perfectly styled hair. He goes "Hey wanna help me wash my hair?" And she kind of. Stares at him for a few seconds.

(Bonus doodles of when I was initially thinking about this but never planned to post bc my hand writing is ILLEGIBLE)

So Gajeel takes care of his hair now (very important about him and his character and the change in his hair style between Phantom Lord and Fairy Tail)

And after that, they accidentally become Natsu-And-Lucy-But-Cool-Tones

And they're very silly, and I love them very much

Whoops, that on its own was a little longer than I intended, but I'll still go into them individually too

Gajeel;

His insecurity about falling behind the other dragon slayers is a little more prevelant-- he just kind of always feels like he has something to prove

An important part of the Rewrite to me is thst there's the opportunity for characters who didn't really seem to interact as much get the opportunity to, so I'll also put out there thst Gajeel forms pretty tight bonds with Wendy, Erza, team Shadow Gear as a whole not just Levy, and the Strauss siblings

I don't think he really knows what he actually likes to do in his free time. He kind of just tags along with other people doing things they like to do

He's roughly very similar to how he was in canon. A lot of the work I've done on him has been more just smoothing out the edges and adjusting his behavior to reflect the people I've declared him the closest to

Juvia;

It's so important to me that she gets to be a character outside of being in love with Gray. She does still have a crush on him, and she's not super subtle about it, but she's also like.... she's capable of being a normal person around and about him. They are genuinely friends above anything else

She had no idea how to talk to anyone. Cana and Mirajane were lowkey her saviors when it came to learning how to interact with other people and not be a complete freak, so she's super tight with them in particular

In canon, we were shown both thst she made her own Teru Teru Bozus, and that she knit Gray a scarf once. There's also a couple other things we're shown that its never explicitly state she made them, but I feel like the implication is there. So I'm taking those and running with them-- I'm making her a really crafty person, and she loves and takes a lot of comfort in doing things like sewing, knitting, and crocheting, and that's something she notably does in her free time-- especially since she doesn't just do them for the sake of doing them, she almost always makes something for someone (got a little drawing about this incoming actually)

We only really got to know the bare minimum of Juvia's backstory-- that her parents are dead, she was taken in by her uncle who did his best to help her and her rain problem by seeking out water and ice wizards, and then he also died while seeking help for her-- so I've expanded on it a little and made some minor changes! Longest story short; her father died in a workplace accident before she was born, and her mother died during child birth, which is what lead to her being taken in by her uncle. As much as he loved her and was doing his best with her, he also kind of always resented her and blamed her for the death of his sister (her mom) even though it really was not her fault. Juvia sort of always recognized this, but also as a traumatized child, blamed herself, which lead to the intensifying of the rain around her as she got older and understood things better. That's when her uncle started looking for other water wizards and ice wizards to try and help stop the rain. He went out one day to meet with one, and he never came back. Juvia doesn't know if something happened or if the resentment finally built of too much and he just up and left, and that's something she's never going to get closure on. It definitely still plagues the back of her mind and affects the way she acts now, even if she thinks she's moved past that point in her life.

Woah

That was a lot, sorry akfbskd

I hope this was at least some of what you wanted to hear about them!!

[mythaura-blog]

January 2024 - Development Update

Hello folks, Miyazaki here! Hoping that your 2024 is off to a great start.

Like we mentioned in our December 2023/year in review development update, Mythaura has officially reached a new stage in development: active content creation. As a heads up, this means that there will be a reduction in the amount of big, shiny new content—we won't be rolling out any systems close to the scale of the demo.

From here on out it will primarily be updates on sponsored Ko-fi content, keeping up with the Ko-fi Quarterly Rewards system, art (including more Beast expressions!), and occasionally some written content/worldbuilding.

We will always post on the first of every month, rain or shine, but we just wanted to call out that if the news posts seem a little lighter in comparison that it's not because we're not hard at work. It's the opposite!

Under the cut:

Rogue starter Class

Ko-fi Winter Quarter 2024 winners

Ko-fi sponosored Companions

Dragon expressions

Featured Class: Rogue

Rogues cherish skill and versatility above all. Their fighting style focuses on evasion, speed, and bolstering their own attacks to score high-damage hits against their opponents.

The Thieves Guild has its roots in the Southern Plain. Unicorn herds generally don't lay claim to any one territory, instead following the seasonal paths of the storms that batter the region, so inter-herd communication became crucial for the economies of these nomadic groups. A particularly savvy band of merchants found that there was more money to be had acting as in-betweens for these herds than marketing their own goods, so they established a network of contacts across the whole of the Southern Plain.

Not all contacts were willing to handle the more illicit asks—the movement of illegal goods, sabotaging competing herds, and even discreet assassinations, in more extreme cases. A splinter group of like-minded individuals banded together to form the first Thieves Guild, a business operation that was—in most cases—willing to take on whatever work was asked, given the price was right.

Today, the Thieves Guild has spread to all corners of the continent, but are especially prominent in densely-populated cities and towns. Their mere presence has left an indelible mark on Mythauran society, and nothing escapes their notice.

Starting Equipment: Thief's Claw

Small, subtle, and easily tucked in the folds of a Beast's apparel—the Thief's Claw is the quintessential tool for any Rogue. What it lacks in decoration it more than makes up for in functionality—its deceptively sharp edge can be used to cut through rope, aid with picking a lock, or quietly encourage someone to comply with a Rogue's request.

Companion Concepts

Along with the Thief's Claw starting equipment, choosing a Rogue for your custom starter Beast will also grant you a Class-unique Companion.

Ko-fi Sponsors of Bronze level or higher will have a say in which companion they would like to see as the starter Companion for the RogueClass. Please vote on this post by Monday, February 26, 2024 at 11:59pm PST in order for your vote to be considered!

Ko-fi Winter Quarter 2024 Winners

Thank you to all the Ko-fi sponsors who voted for the Winter Quarter 2024 rewards. Next month we will show the finalized artwork for the Snowdrift Furline Companion and the Knitted Sweater Glamour. Stay tuned!

Expressions: Dragon

Koa, Luci, and Kymara have all been working hard on the Beast expressions project, and we've made enought progress to be able to show you the finalized artwork for both the young and adult Dragons.

Crafting the expressions has been an enormous undertaking. Along with the linework, shading, and highlights, every Special and Super requires manual illustration on the base. Following this, we run each expression through a PSD plugin to build every color. We have almost completed every species' base layers on all colors (top, bottom, base, & eye) and are excited to share them with you in the following months as we complete their Specials.

Sponsored Companions

Torchlight Python

Sponsored by: Maevely

Belligerent Capragora

Sponsored by: Ljslibby

Fruit-Footed Gecko

Sponsored by: Maevely

Mythaura v0.26

Mythaura v0.26

Battle state has been refactored to add stability and solve problems with between-state retention

Removed unneeded collision objects, reducing overall physics calculations.

Implemented instancing for all meshes to re-use similar objects instead of duplicating them.

Disabled swaying vegetation by default, which heavily impacts performance. This can be toggled in the graphics settings.

Fixes pixelation/blurring that occurs when zoomed on a beast or companion in Safari and Firefox.

Large companions, such as the Dale Wanderer, no longer zoom out when toggling the zoom-in option.

The touch screen joystick can now be set to on, off, or auto from the "Gamepad" settings.

The time you wait in queue before being brought into an AI practice Arena match has been reduced to one minute.

Locations have had infrastructure added.

NPCs have had infrastructure added.

Began initial work on a dialog query builder for robust dialog trees.

Support for elevation has been added to the map builder.

The map builder now supports different colored dynamic lighting.

Map design has begun for Talon's Rest.

Thank You!

Thanks for sticking through to the end of the post, we always look forward to sharing our month's work with all of you--thank you for taking the time to read. We'll see you around the Discord!