#Fathely Howl

[syerra-637]

I see a lot of content of Howl x Reader romantic, but what if there was a platonic version of Howl and Reader where Howl is like a father figure? Bonus points if Sophie acts motherly towards Reader.

I just feel like there’s not enough content of platonic Howl Pendragon imo

Howl Pendragon as a Father Figure

Orphaned from a young age, you spent some time in an orphanage. But life there seemed unbearable: too many rules, too much loneliness. One day, you decided to run away and became a street child.

Wandering through the market alleys, your empty stomach pushed you to desperately search for something to eat. That’s when your gaze stopped on a candy store. Behind the window, colorful sweets sparkled, neatly arranged in large jars. You knew stealing was wrong, but hunger made you hesitate. As you thought of a way to grab a few candies, a man elegantly dressed passed by you, a slight smile on his lips.

He stopped in front of the candy store, glanced at you, and then entered. A few moments later, he came out with a small bag full of treats: caramels, lollipops, and honey drops. To your surprise, he handed you the bag without a word. Hesitant, you took it, and before you could thank him, he had already walked away.

Moved by this unexpected act of generosity, you started following him through the crowd. It was hard not to lose him in the maze of busy streets. But at one point, as you reached a quieter area, he suddenly stopped. Turning around, he watched you for a moment before asking why you were following him.

Unable to formulate a clear answer, you simply looked down. To your surprise, he smiled and, almost spontaneously, invited you to come with him.

Howl took you back to his moving castle. The walls were filled with trinkets, books, and mysterious objects, and the scent of magic hung in the air. You quickly realized that this place would become your new home.

As a father figure, Howl proved to be both a kind guide and a reassuring presence. He is gentle, patient, and understanding, taking the time to listen to your concerns, even the most insignificant ones. He never imposes anything on you, preferring to let you explore your own desires and interests.

That said, Howl is far from being a strict father. He is permissive, perhaps even a little too much. For example, he never asks you to clean your room or follow a strict schedule. If your space becomes a real mess, he simply laughs softly and says, “It’s a reflection of your mind, but a little chaos never hurt anyone.”

Nevertheless, he has his moments of authority. If you do something truly dangerous or reckless, he can become surprisingly serious, reminding you that even in a magical world, basic safety rules matter.

Howl loves teaching you little things about magic, but he never forces you to practice if you’re not interested. He prefers to let you choose your own path.

His personality flaws also become more apparent over time. Sometimes, he can be a bit dramatic, especially when he’s worried about his appearance or when a spell doesn’t work as expected. But this often makes you laugh, as his exaggerations make life in the castle even more lively.

During quiet moments, Howl sometimes tells you stories about his past or shows you the stars from the castle balcony. He teaches you to see the beauty in the world, even in its imperfections, and to find magic in the little things.

Sophie as a Mother Figure

Sophie, as a mother figure, plays a complementary role to Howl’s, bringing stability and comforting warmth to an otherwise turbulent home. While Howl, though caring, can sometimes be a bit distracted or capricious, Sophie embodies calm wisdom and thoughtfulness. She watches over you as a mother would, but always with a quiet gentleness, knowing when to intervene and when to let Howl take the lead. She is often the one who calms tensions when Howl becomes too preoccupied with his own adventures or shifting moods.

Sophie thus becomes a sort of “counterbalance” to Howl’s more flamboyant nature, bringing structure to life in the castle. She ensures that, despite the chaos around Howl, you find a safe and warm place to grow. She shows you, for example, things that Howl sometimes neglects, such as the importance of organization and taking care of oneself.

Even though she knows Howl is a good father in his own way, she is there to complement his approach with a calmer and more stable presence, helping you grow in a balanced environment.

[hunter-husky]

Howl Dudes

Tod should join in and give a good ol traditional fox howl

[xadian-daydreams]

Just creating a clean notes of what's been said about S6E1 from various sources. I'm going to update it if I get more clarification on things.

Edit: Update from Geeked Week.

Episode shown was only 18 minutes long (Giehl said to have mentioned ~3 min scene at end was deliberately omitted) and lacked credits/end cards.

Aaravos is sobbing hard while staring at water with a galaxy reflected within. A Startouch, the Merciful One (they/them), comes up behind him and says "We are all of us stardust, held together for a moment by love."

Camera pans out to show it's all galaxy around them.

Screenshot thanks to @aaravosaa

So, probably what's being referred to by the Sea of the Outcast statues.

Similar opening to S4&5, however Viren's statue crumbles to dust when Aaravos tries to pick him up.

Book Stars Chapter 1 Startouched

Soren blindfolds Opeli. She's ushered to a secret Council meeting.

Ezran gives a summary to a guard of what dragang got up to.

In Viren's secret dark magic lab Soren takes off Opeli's blindfold to reveal the Pearl prison on the stand Zym's egg used to be.

Opeli thinks keeping the Pearl is a bad idea. Soren calls them the fellowship of the Pearl. Callum, aware of Aaravos' ability to manipulate from within the Pearl, advocates to destroy it. Rayla counters that destroying it is too risky - it could just release Aaravos. Ezran's plan is to keep it protected and hidden away in Katolis.

Zym spots the (damaged?) painting of Zubeia and starts howl-crying.

Callum notices the Stars rune on the Key of Aaravos is glowing. He suggests the Celestial elves in the Starscraper may know how to safely destroy the Pearl.

(I think a scene cut to just Callum and Rayla after leaving meeting).

Callum suggests Rayla and him go to the Starscraper together so they can also free Moonfam from coins. Rayla is still not ok with the risk. Callum is still very afraid of getting possessed.

Scene cut - Callum's bedroom.

Callum gets up and starts sleepwalking, with one of the baitlings following him. He goes to the dark magic lab and grabs the Pearl. He finds himself inside Aaravos' study. He excitedly looks at the books, then curious about the chair which he sits in and sees the broken mirror, realising where he is.

Shot of Aaravos holding the Pearl while Callum is trapped inside. Aaravos throws the Pearl down and it smashes.

Then Callum wakes up, only to discover his hand on the Pearl. He is suitably freaked.

Scene cut - Rayla's room.

Callum bursts in calling for and waking up Rayla. Rayla attempts to defend herself with pillows before realising it's Callum and those are pillows rather than her butterfly blades.

Callum explains what just happened - Aaravos took me over, had the Pearl in my hand. Rayla points out it's late and he was dreaming, but Callum insists and Rayla says she believes him, but what can they do?

Callum says he has a idea and runs off with Rayla's blanket.

Stella complains and Rayla replies, he took our blanky, before collapsing back on the bed.

Callum visits Barius the baker. He requests Barius make something special and innovative to stop Aaravos.

(Not sure how scenes are cutting or locations for next few bits).

Zym is still sad about missing his mother. (Soren mentions wondering where his mother is). Soren tries to comfort Zym by howl-crying with him.

Callum tells Ezran that he has a new plan.

Callum sews spell blocking runes onto blanky.

Barius enters dark magic lab with a decoy Pearl. Rayla doesn't get what's going on. Then Callum swaps the Pearl for Barius' decoy and wraps the real prison in spell blocking blanky.

At dawn Rayla and Callum, with concealed Pearl, leave for the Starscraper.

Also, Soren leaves with Zym to search for Zubeia. (Riding Pyrrah?)

Scene skip - Terry and Claudia.

Eyes blinking POV of sleeping Claudia looking very corrupted, haggard and bloody. Cuts to show a waking up Terry. Claudia is using Sun staff as make shift crutch.

Claudia goes on about how her mother and brother left her, and now her father's dead. So, to make sure Terry never leaves her - she then raises her staff, scaring Terry- she's going to leave him instead. Then she drives the staff next to his head.

Terry is devastated as Claudia limps away, calling out he loves her and would never leave.

He stumbles to the ground and calls out he'll be waiting here for her.

(There should be another scene, but it wasn't shown).

[mothersminstrel]

I have been working my fingies to the bone fleshing out my acotar oc Calliope Archeron (baby sister;cuz Feyre gives middle child tbh) 🥰 I wrote a bunch of these to be like “bonus chapters” to the books so they won’t have a succinct flow to them but you will recognize where in the book it’s happening. This one is introductory and is from Callie’s pov of when her sisters left for town to sell the wolf pelt. 💙🦋💙

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The wind howled against the worn wooden walls of the cabin, a sound so familiar it had become part of the background of Callie’s life. She sat by the fire, pulling the thin blanket tighter around her shoulders, watching as the flames danced weakly, fighting to keep the cold at bay.

Across from her, her father sat in his usual chair, his fingers carefully working a small block of wood. The steady scrape of the carving knife was the only sound in the room, apart from the crackling of the fire. He had always carved—ever since Callie could remember, it had been a constant in their life, like the cold, like the hunger. But it wasn’t just a mindless task for him. It was his way of holding on.

Her father’s hands moved slowly, with the same quiet precision she had grown used to over the years. There were days when he didn’t speak much— when he seemed lost in whatever sadness lingered behind his tired eyes. But even on those days, even when he was silent, Callie never felt entirely alone with him.

“Papa,” Callie said softly, her voice breaking through the stillness. He didn’t look up, but she knew he heard her. He always did.

“Feyre’s been gone a while, hasn’t she?” she asked, though it was more to fill the silence than anything else. She already knew the answer. It had been hours since Feyre had left for town, Elain and Nesta trailing behind her. Callie had stayed behind, not needing new shoes or coats, content to be with her father in the quiet.

“A while,” her father murmured in response, his voice as soft and tired as ever. But there was warmth there, even if it was faint—something gentle in the way he spoke to her that made the edges of their harsh reality feel a little softer.

Callie watched as he carved, his hands slow but steady, and for a moment, she wondered what he was working on this time. He had made her countless little figures over the years—animals, small birds, things to remind her of the beauty outside the walls of their cabin. Things to remind her that there was more to the world than hunger and cold.

She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her knees as she curled herself tighter in the blanket. "What are you carving?" she asked, curious.

Her father’s hands paused for a fraction of a second, as if he were considering how to answer, before he continued working on the piece. "A butterfly," he said quietly, his voice low and rasping, but kind.

“A butterfly?” Callie repeated, her eyebrows lifting. “We haven’t seen one of those since... well, since summer.”

Her father smiled faintly, the lines around his eyes deepening as he glanced at her, his gaze warm despite the sadness that always lingered there. "We will again."

Callie felt a soft flutter in her chest at his words. There was no certainty in them, no promise that things would be different soon, but the way he said it

—like it was simply a fact of life—made her believe it, if only for a moment.

“You always carve such beautiful things, Papa,” she said, her voice softer now, watching the careful way his knife moved over the wood. “I don’t know how you do it.”

Her father chuckled lightly, the sound so rare it made her heart ache with its softness. "It’s nothing, Callie. Just something to keep my hands busy."

But she knew it was more than that. She knew these small carvings were his way of holding onto something beautiful, something that hadn’t been taken from them. She loved the way his figures filled the house, little reminders that even in this bleak life, there was still room for beauty. Even now, when they had so little, her father’s creations brought life to the space.

“I’ll carve you something beautiful one day,” he said quietly, more to himself than to her. It was a promise he had made before, one he whispered now like a gentle reassurance. Callie didn’t need him to carve her anything—what he gave her already was enough. But still, the way he said it made her believe he would, one day, make something grand, something that would last.

Callie smiled faintly, but the ache in her chest remained. They lived in a world where beautiful things rarely lasted—where cold and hunger ate away at whatever good was left. But her father’s quiet strength, his careful hands, reminded her that there was still a small corner of the world where hope existed, even if it was carved out of wood.

She shifted on the small stool, tucking her legs beneath her as the fire crackled and spat, the flames dimming slightly. “I’ll get more wood for the fire,” she murmured, rising slowly, her body stiff from sitting still for so long.

Her father looked up from his carving, his brow furrowed slightly. “You should wait for Feyre. She’ll be back soon.”

Callie glanced at the door, her breath visible in the cold air as she exhaled softly. “I’ll be quick. I don’t want the fire to die.”

Her father’s eyes softened, but he nodded, returning his attention to the butterfly taking shape in his hands. Callie moved toward the door, wrapping the blanket around her tightly as she pulled it open. The wind bit at her skin the moment she stepped outside, the sharp chill of winter sinking into her bones.

The world outside was still—too still. No birdsong, no sounds of life except for the low groaning of the wind through the trees. Everything felt frozen. The meager pile of firewood sat under a layer of frost, and Callie knelt by it, gathering as many pieces as she could carry.

She could hear the wind whispering through the trees, feel the biting cold against her cheeks, but all she could think about was Feyre, out there somewhere, walking the long, snow-covered road to town. She hoped Feyre would return soon—with coins, with food, with something to ease the weight of the hunger that gnawed at their bellies every night.

It was always Feyre who went out into the world, always Feyre who hunted, traded, brought back what little they had. And every time she left, Callie worried it would be the last time she’d see her.

She’s so strong, Callie thought, her chest tightening. Stronger than the rest of us.

Callie stood, balancing the wood in her arms as she turned back toward the cabin. Her fingers were numb from the cold, her breath coming in short, visible bursts as she hurried back inside, pulling the door shut behind her with a soft thud.

Her father hadn’t moved. He was still carving, still lost in his own quiet world. Callie placed the wood beside the hearth, adding a few pieces to the fire, watching as the flames flared briefly before settling into a steady burn.

She glanced at her father again, her chest aching with a quiet kind of love— love for the man who, despite everything, still found a way to bring beauty into their lives. Even in the darkest times, when it seemed like they had nothing, he still managed to carve out a piece of hope. For her. For all of them.

Callie returned to her stool, wrapping the blanket tighter around her as she settled back into the silence of the cabin. The wind howled outside, but in here, in this small, fragile world they had built for themselves, there was warmth. There was the sound of her father’s knife scraping against wood, the soft crackle of the fire. And for a moment, that was enough.

She glanced at her father again, watching the butterfly take shape in his hands. I’ll carve you something beautiful one day, he had said.

Callie believed him.

[scourge-lover]

Night Meeting

Wrathion and Sapphire cannot sleep and a confrontation happens.  

Immature and Arrogant MoP Wrathion is my favorite Wrathion. 

Pandaria nights were louder than any other place Sapphire had been to. The crickets chirped just like others, but some of them grew to the size of cats. They sang so loudly it felt like they were sitting right next to Sapphire. The cacophony soothed some people and gave them a feeling of comfort. Sapphire was not one of those people.

Sapphire tossed and turned in the extra soft bed. She missed the cold. She missed sleeping next to her siblings. Her whole childhood she slept alone but only a few months of having siblings had made her feel like she'd always had them. Chompers liked to curl up against Sapphire's head and kick her in her sleep. Ethan made soft wolf like noises in his sleep.

In the Tavern of the Mists, Sapphire slept alone. No kicking or howling. Not even Rot or one of the cats were there to comfort her. The annoying crickets provided the only company.

Perhaps it was the Pandaren bed. It was softer than she was used to. Sapphire clawed her way out of it, nearly falling out of the bed. She grabbed her bag and peaked out into the hallway. Only the guards at the end of the hallway were there, guarding Prince Anduin. She gave them an awkward wave, before quickly and quietly padding down the hallway with her bare feet. She hopped down the stairs into the main room and bar area. No one else. 

Sapphire made her way outside into the crisp mountain air. The whole landscape was bathed in the light of both moons, Elune being full and the small Blue Child just a wisp of itself. 

Laying down in the roadway seemed a silly idea, so Sapphire hopped over the small fencing.

She looked up at the scraggly trees, determining they would not be a good place to sleep. There was some nice moss in certain parts, but it was too exposed. A goat spooked Sapphire when it came out of the darkness seemingly out of nowhere. It stared at her. Sapphire hissed at it and the goat turned tail and trotted away. 

“That was rude. What did the goat do to you?”

Sapphire nearly screamed at the sudden voice close behind her. She yanked her knife from her belt and twisted around to slash at the perceived enemy. 

Wrathion, in his human visage form, quickly leaned back to avoid the deadly arc, a smirk on his face. 

“Don’t do that!” Sapphire snarled.

He folded his arms, that stupid look still on his face. Sapphire returned her knife to its place. 

“What are you doing outside?” She demanded defensively. 

The dragon raised one eyebrow. The loud night kept Sapphire on edge and she found him wandering around suspicious, ignoring that she herself was doing the same thing. 

“Me?” He started to laugh but blurted out a response, “It’s hard to sleep indoors for me.”

Sapphire perked up. That was something different. Both seemed to suffer from insomnia. 

“Is it because the building is made of wood? I don’t like wood buildings. They feel too fragile,” She admitted excitedly. As a dragon, Wrathion might think similarly. 

Instead, that smile returned. “That seems interesting, considering you were supposedly raised in the Grizzly Hills by loggers.”

Sapphire froze, her mistake dawning on her. She had told Anduin she was from Northrend because it was partially true. When he had inquired more, she just said Grizzly Hills because that was the only place, she knew that humans lived regularly. Those humans happened to be loggers. Of course, they would live in wooden houses! 

Wrathion leaned against a tree lazily, rolling his eyes. “I’m just saying if you are going to lie, at least be better at it.”

This was a strange comment. Usually, people didn’t like being lied to, but Wrathion was not getting angry or yelling at her.

“So you are not mad I lied?” She asked, desperately hoping for a positive response. She liked Wrathion and Anduin. The idea of them not liking her due to the lie would be devastating. 

“Of course not. I, a terrible child from a terrible father can’t exactly judge another terrible child of a terrible father, can I?”

Sapphire stared at him uncomprehendingly, but Wrathion did not let her linger in confusion for long.

He started to count off on his fingers. “Strange girl shows up out of nowhere, with a rather curiously thick Lordaeron accent. My Blacktalons could find no documentation of you anywhere. You behave as if you don’t know how a normal human acts. White hair not dyed but exposed to necromancy. As a dragon, I am sensitive to smell. You smell of harsh glacier ice, an unfamiliar metal, and blood. A lot of blood. Lying about your origin is most likely a reaction of fear or shame. That feeling is all too familiar to me. Have I gotten anything wrong?”

Panic set in. The whole situation was dawning on Sapphire. He knew. The next words out of Sapphire’s mouth came out as a snarl. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you.”

Wrathion suddenly clapped his hands together and let out a burst of laughter.

“There it is! And here I thought you were far too nice and overly friendly. That is a more realistic reaction from the daughter of the Lich Ki-”

Sapphire suddenly lunged at Wrathion. They both fell to the ground and suddenly it was a fierce tussle. The dragon did not go down without a fight. Punches were thrown. Fingernails scratched tender flesh. Wrathion immaturely yanked Sapphire’s hair, but she bit down on his arm and elicited a yelp of pain from the dragon. They rolled around on the wet dew-covered ground, each trying to pin the other. The soil was kicked and clawed up. Sapphire could have drawn her knife, but since Wrathion also did not draw a weapon, their fight was not to the death. Her teeth gnashed against Wrathion, but he did not retaliate in a similar savage manner. As if knowing the significance of touching Sapphire’s antlers, Wrathion wisely did not touch or yank at them. The dragon attempted to shove her away, but she jabbed an elbow into his stomach. 

The fight ended as quickly as it had started. Both fell exhausted from lack of sleep and their fierce fight. The only noises now were the noisy night insects and their heavy breathing. 

“Perhaps I could have handled that better,” Wrathion panted out, coughing fitfully. 

“Perhaps?” She hissed. He waved her off with one hand, but did not try to argue. He seemed to like riling up people. He did it with Anduin and now he had done it to her. The only difference is Sapphire was not going to argue back with him. Biting him was quicker and seemed to be more effective. 

Wrathion turned his head to look at her. She bared her teeth at him defensively. 

“For the record, I am not intending to tell anyone,” He grunted.

That was a relief, though Sapphire only nodded wearily. She looked up at the star filled sky above them. The dirt underneath them, though churned up, was surprisingly soft.

Sapphire rolled to face away from the annoying dragon. “I’m sleeping right here.”

She expected him to leave. Instead, he just muttered something under his breath and stayed where he was. They laid there together in the cool night air.

[lostincoloste]

Act One, Chapter Five

The wind howled through the pass, cold wintry air slicing through the world, rattling the windows of the village. Snow danced through the air, sticking to the sides of houses and exposed rock face. While the pass was the safest way through the mountain range on the way to the wall, safest didn’t mean safe. The village was small, more built as a waystation for travellers along the mountain pass, from a time ling ago, when people still travelled this room. The humans that had once built this waystation and the road it sat on had long abandoned it.

Day 8: The wind shrieked and howled, almost doing enough to drown the sounds of the rook that occupied the village. It would take steps, patrolling along the perimeter, not following a schedule or logical progression. The young mother, Elenwe, inside one of the buildings tended to the fire cracking in the stove, was bouncing her baby lightly and praying to her gods that the child wouldn’t cry. She passed him onto his father, gently stroking the fur along the babies chest and stomach, black and blue like her own fur colourations, but with wiry and long fur like his father, Brenin. Her baby coo’d and giggled, and she smiled. The rook was named Korvaxx in her tongue. Human tongue of the region would call it Ice-Fury, or Frozen Menace. The Shaman-Chief of her people, wizened with white fur, said it was punishment for their crimes. They were not supposed to rest in human settlements, but the storm caught them in this village, and now Korvaxx prevented them from leaving. Two of the warriors of her clan had gone out, to scout an escape. They were hunted and Destroyed by Korvaxx. Luckily, whenever the humans had left, they left preserved and dried foods, somehow still edible. Her people had been surviving off rations of that, but they would soon run out.

Beyond the thunder of what I thought was a normal storm, and the pain of the wind shredding through inappropriate for the weather clothing, the only other thing I could hear was the sharp flapping of my cape, or the steam whistle within Castlello piping hard to warm up the little guy’s body. Once again, I thought to myself, that I was going to die because I didn’t listen to my father. I should have packed winter clothes, gloves and a hat. But I thought I knew better. I pined for Lila and her tea, and her warm house, which even my campfire last night was a pale imitation of. I forgot to write the past few days, sorry journal, but it was just so boring, walking and walking and walking, until I came to the edge of the forest, and saw a huge mountain range, nearly impassible except for one tine path carved through. So that’s caught up now. Through the thick fog and frozen mist, I saw something move. I thought it was just a hallucination, but I could’ve sworn I saw a little hairy man scurry away, into the fog. Just a silhouette really. Then, I saw something beautiful; constructed buildings, wood and stone houses built into holes in the mountains beside us. And from one of the buildings, the largest one, emanated a bright orange glow; the promise of a crackling warm fire. As I approached, I heard what sounded like voices, melodic and deep, speaking. But I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Castlello heard it too, as I saw it turn to face the source of the noise; and then open the door at it’s front, and suddenly the voices were loud and clear. I’ll write down what sounds they were making, but it’s all gibberish to me. “Zul nul-uvanin karbuk!” barked one, a deep voice that sounded out of breath, “Iv golevursh zul'akal” replied a different one. A few seconds passed, and the first voice quietly said “Kel n'vulen ush ner'ganin balre” and was cut off by a new, almost old sounding voice, “Fath zulgari zaurlan Korvaxx? Ashke nul!” but they were all silenced by a passionate voice, which yelled “Zuul zhah'goth, nul-sul karnak-nul yishgar!” and then the door of the large building slammed open, a furry little diminutive figure standing in front and looking at me with large eyes.

“Something comes near!” the deep voice of one of the scouts barked out. Elenwe saw a lone figure emerging through the snow, her form shrouded in a dark, flowing cloak that fluttered in the wind like a restless ghost. Despite the harsh elements, she walked confidently forward, her footsteps resolute and solid. Her silhouette was tall and slender, with a straight-backed posture that hinted at discipline and training. The shape of her sword could just be discerned, a long and formidable blade strapped securely to her back. “I think it is human” Brenin said, holding their child and watching the stranger approach, cautiously stepping back from the door. She was coming right for the building they all huddled in. The scout, now in the building, having climbed in through a window that he promptly shut, quietly asked “"Should we tell it to turn back?" and was quickly interrputed by the Shaman-Chief “And risk getting caught by Ice-Fury? Absolutely not!” He spat, his voice thick with fear and attempt to restore his authority. Elenwe fiddled with the rings on her fingers, upset and betrayed by the Shaman-Chief. “I'm going out there, someone needs to save it!” Elenwe shouted, and ignored the immediate reaction of the people around her, catching them all by surprise as she threw open the door into the blizzard, hanging out the door and looking at the human. She hadn’t noticed the small rook that walked beside her, and caught herself in a gasp, doubting herself. The human approached faster, trudging through the howling winds and thick snow, quickly approaching Elenwe and the door, before stopping, and saying something. Elenwe, or any of her people, didn’t understand what the warrior said, but she looked inside, and saw all the people of Elenwe’s clan huddled, and hiding. Then, she pointed to the fire, and then rubbed her arms in an exaggerated motion, Elenwe (And the rest of her clan) took this as the wanderer asking for warmth by the fire, and it was not the way of her people to turn away a stranger in need.

The small creature that opened the door to me caught me off guard. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen, small, and covered in blue and white fur, with a animalistic face with large expressive purple eyes. They appeared to be wearing garments made of thickly bound leather and fur patchworked together, in a sort of Great Kilt style. The ones who carried weapons, which appeared to be carved clubs, also had leather plates of some sort on their shoulders and legs. “Thank you for saving me…” I muttered to the little creature, but she simply cocked her head at me. She couldn’t understand what I said, and I began to panic. I had to convey what I meant somehow; and clearly I’d have to perform the action. I looked inside, at the various little creatures in there, with varying fur colours (Most shades of blues, greens or purples) and saw them huddled around a fireplace. To the one at the door, I gestured to the fireplace, and made an exaggerated gesture of being cold. She nodded, and held open the door, nodding at the fire. I almost rushed in, but then realized that might seem like a threat. Castlello didn’t seem to want to come in, instead preferring to guard the door. It’s choice. I instead slowly walked in, keeping my hands clearly away from my sword, before kneeling down at the fire, dwarfing in size the few that were here. They seemed…. Not quite frightened, but not excited or awed.

The stranger entered the building with a quiet, purposeful stride. He long, tattered purple cloak billowed out behind her, and her personal guard, a mini K’letor. The demon seemed loyal to her, and a quiet whisper crossed the room as she walked, calm and confidently. The warriors of this tribe watched her curiously, enviously. She walked with her hands nowhere near her weapon, such was the confidence of this warrior surrounded by strangers. The chain and ball at her belt rang out with every step, barely visible through her outfit. She crouched down by the fire, near the young ones. Elenwe almost smirked, her nose twitching in effort to maintain her solemn and serious look. The young ones were scared, but also trying to pretend not to be, but the air was thick with the anxious smell the young ones give off when anxious. The stranger was nearly shaking, and Elenwe noticed that underneath her magnificent purple cloak, they were wearing what looked like thin clothes. Not suitable for this weather, or travel. She wasn’t experienced with humans, and without being covered in fur that changed colour and markings as one aged, humans were hard for her to guess the age of. But wearing thin cloth like this, and passing through this pass? The stranger may carry a fearsome sword and control one of the demons, but based on that one choice, (or mistake, Elenwe thought to herself) told her enough about this human; she was young, inexperienced, or unprepared. More likely, she thought to herself, all three. She looked to her own child in her partner’s arms, and then looked once again to the stranger. She sat near the fire, eyes steely but darting around; hunter’s eyes. Always alert for danger.

The novelty of the stranger wore off after a while, and soon food rations were being passed around. The tribe passed a portion to the stranger, and without much of a reaction, she passed it on to the child next to her, watching her. Elenwe frowned a bit, still examining the stranger, now from her alcove with her partner and child. Brenin and her shared a look, and Elenwe quietly asked Brenin to grab the spare materials. As he left, Elenwe’s eyes drifted to the Shaman-Chief, whose look was angry, nearly quaking with the rage within him. The gods wouldn’t punish them for helping a stranger, and she knew that he was only trying to protect them all, but the fact that his authority was undermined, something that had never happened before, was eating him up inside. Elenwe stood up a second after the Shaman-Chief began to move He was lunging towards the stranger, and Elenwe instinctively got in between him and the young stranger, the sudden movement waking her child, who gasped with the sudden movement. “Elenwe! This stranger needs to go! For all we know she’s calling Ice-Fury!” He said to her, his voice nearly a roar. But Elenwe stood her ground, leaning forward in a challenging stance “Since when do we abandon people who need our help, Vrakkis,? If the gods are already punishing us, then they will destroy us for doing that!” Elenwe completed her challenging of the authority of the Shaman-Chief by calling him his adult name, instead of his title. There was a muffled gasp, and shock passed through the people of her tribe. Vrakkis bristled, and opened his mouth to say something, before wind whipped into the building like a bull through the weak wood, nearly shattering the door off of it’s hinges, and the ground shook. They all knew what that meant. Ice-Fury was back. Elenwe nearly caught a self satisfied smirk on Vrakkis’ face, as if this proved the stranger was calling the demon. The stranger, who was watching this whole event unfold, jumped to her feet, hand instinctively on her sword. Then, she said something in their language, broken, and in the wrong tone for what Elenwe presumed was a question, “Ice-fury?”

I stayed with the little furry people for a while, warming up. They tried to pass me food, but I had my own and it looked like they were hiding out the storm here, and had children. Such as this one, with soft green fur and big brown eyes that stared at me the whole time I sat there. He was kinda cute, in a weird way. These people had delicate, animalistic features, and most of them wore jewelry on their person, whether on their fingers, wrists, ankles, or sewn into the clothes. There had been a slightly uncomfortable quiet in the house since I arrived, with murmurs quietly at the edges of the room. The children who had once stayed by my side had long since fled to their parents, or what I assume was their parents. The one who held the door for me nursed a baby, and I caught her eyes glancing between me and an angry looking one covered in white fur and cloudy grey eyes. What happened next was like a blur to me. The old one lunged towards me, but the mother that had let me in placed herself between me and the old one. She placed herself in a defensive stance between myself and the old one, and they spoke to each other in their language, the old one barking out something that barely sounded like individual words, and more like a series of barks, yells and roars. She leaned forward, and I noticed she was actually larger than him, and more steady on her feet. He almost seemed to deflate as she did this, and she spoke clearly and calmly to what I assumed was their chief. When she finished what she said, I could feel the room get quiet and tense, and I nearly thought the wind breaking down the door was some sort of magic chief had, before I recognized the familiar sound of a rook’s footfalls, and the sounds they make. They’d been repeating a word, almost spitting when they said it, and I was about to bet that it was this thing they were referring to. I looked at the mother and the chief, and asked “Korvaxx?” and they both looked at me like I’d grown a second head. Then the roof got ripped off. Giant icy claws more accurately tore through the roof, the biting wind stinging as the snow war hurled at me like tiny daggers. I had found Korvaxx. I widened my stance, hand instinctively falling to the chain at my hip, before I thought and realized what was more important than defeating this rook. I glanced behind me, and saw a house beuint into the overhanging crag. I pointed, and shouted “GO!” a few times. The people were frozen in shock, until the mother realized what I was attempting to communicate. She shouted in her language, and the ones I had identified as warriors barked out a response. They quickly organized themselves, the non-warrior adults quickly gathering essentials and children, while the warriors strode to the sides, distracting the rook with stones thrown from slings that barely did anything. I was about to join them, help guide the rook away, when I noticed the rook had it’s glowing blue eye on something; a mop of green fur that was partially buried by the snow. It was the kid that was watching me, and the rook lunged toward it, it’s icy claws reaching out. I wasn’t about to find out why it was after this kid, with a sharp ring, my blade was off my back and at my side, and I threw all of my weight into a swing with the blunt edge, up and diagonally, which smashed through the icy claws and smashed a chunk off the hand of the rook. It let out a bellow, the sounds of cannons firing in it’s voice, before the storm whipped up, snow blinding everyone. But my ears picked up the sounds of it’s footsteps, backing up like a wounded beast, disappearing fully into the blizzard. I reached down, scooping up the child below me, pulling him from the snow and holding his shivering body to my chest. The warriors watched it flee, then looked at me.

The purple cloaked savior pushed through the door behind the warriors, carrying one of the children. Elenwe couldn’t believe they had lost him, and she rushed forward to take him from the stranger, who lightly let him down in front of Elenwe. The child didn’t even really look hurt, more confused and cold. Vrakkis’ white face stared at Elenwe and the stranger, before rushing forward and hugging the child. It was his own grandchild. After all. He hugged for a while, before sharing a quiet whisper, and gently nudging the child to the fireplace where someone was trying to start a new fire. The cold that Ice-Fury had created left them all shivering. Elenwe worried that some of them might not get warm enough this time, the surprise attack had taken them by such surprise that many were in their indoor dress, nearly naked, and had signs of forstbite. She looked to the stranger, who was wearing a grim frown, and Elenwe could see the beginnings of tears in her eyes. She was devasstated by the attack too, terrified of what could’ve happened to the tribe. She cast a look over all of them, and then turned to the door, and quickly left.

I couldn’t just leave these people to this, they clearly hadn’t found ways to fight off rooks at all. The kids, the baby, were all in danger. I went outside, and found Castlello digging itself out of a pile of snow. I would’ve normally chuckled, and in hindsight it’s pretty funny. But all I felt was rage. I would not let a rook devastate these people, or take any parents away from children. Good thing I was a skilled hunter, and have the type of rage that makes me intensely focused. It’s not hard to track what is essentially a moving building surrounded by a magic blizzard. It was stalking the perimeter of the village, and I quickly caught up to it. I yelled, getting the thing’s attention. Unlike other rooks, this one wasn’t a castle, but a massive Rook constructed of ice and snow. The Rook's body was made of jagged ice bricks, while its spindly legs and arms are crafted from frosted, gnarled tree branches. It towered over me, easily thrice my height, it’s lone eye glowing with a chilling blue light. I rolled my neck, cracking it, and dropped my hand to the weapon at my belt.

Elenwe had followed, sneaking behind the stranger. She originally intended on stopping the stranger, but she had moved too quickly for Elenwe to keep up in the snow, and she dared not cry out for fear of Ice-Fury. The blizzard worsened, and she heard the stranger issue a challenging cry, and the scene came into Elenwe’s view. The wind howled, kicking up flurries of snow that danced around the combatants. Ice-Fury’s body was entirely ice, with a lone sickening eye that locked onto the stranger like a wolf looking at food. With a sudden burst of speed, the demon lunged at her, it’s ice claws slashing through the air, but the stranger was faster, and sidestepped the attack, hew purple cloak billowing behind her, looking less like a human and more like a savior from the stories. There was a glint, a spark at the strangers side, the ball and chain at her side sparked. The demon roared in anger, and unleased a blast of icy wind at her, and she responded with a wide swing of her ball and chain, the crackling energy of her weapon dispersing the blast before it could even reach her. With a fluid motion, she spun the chain around her, and flung the ball at the demon. The ball struck the beast’s icy body with a resounding thud, causing it to stumble backwards on it’s tree legs. The stranger took the opportunity, and charged forward, her massive sword held high. The demon swung it’s massive arms, but the stranger was too quick, darting in and around with blinding speed. Then, with a cry that Elenwe could swear pierced the heavens, the stranger leapt into the air, her cloak behind her like the wings of an avenging spirit, and brought her sword down in a mighty ar. The blade sliced cleanly through the demon’s icy body, shattering it into a thousand pieces. The snow and ice exploded around her, sending flakes swirling in every direction. She landed gracefully on the ground, her sword blade resting against the settling snow. Her eyes scanned the area, ready for anything else that might try her. But she never saw Elenwe, who by now had scurried back to her tribe, ready to regale them with the tale of their savior. No longer a stranger, now the Fury-breaker.

After I destroyed the Rook, I was surprised to find it was really unlike any I’d fought before. It fell apart, and there really wasn’t any internal mechanisms to speak of, other than a stone that had to be the Rookstone. I noticed it was about the same size and weight at the pommel stone of my sword, and I had an idea, to try when I could camp. Then, I made my way back to the house with the people. It seemed like I attracted trouble, and so I wouldn’t be staying. My best chance was to just push through the snow, now much more manageable without the Rook making a storm. I opened the door to the building, to a waiting audience. The old one and the mother were at the front. When I opened, chatter went silent, and they all repeated a word, a few times. Then the mother help up a hand, and they went quiet. “Thraxxikor” she said, the same thing they were all saying. I figured out they were calling me that, like some sort of nickname? Or title? But they all said it with reverence, and eventually they passed forward a garment, the old one giving it to me. I realized it was like what they wore, but larger for my size, and sewn in with many, many pieces of jewelry, crafted from metal, wood and bones. I took it, and it seemed like they were expecting something, so I put it on on top of my lighter clothes. It was warm, and comfy. They seemed pleased with this, and so I nodded. And turned towards the door, and saying my thanks. I also mentioned that my name is Niamh, not Thraxxikor. I know they wouldn’t understand it. Then, I left. I found Castlello struggling through the deep snow. Eventually, it found it’s way to the packed snow that I figured had to be some sort of path, and walked beside me. It almost seemed like it was upset, perhaps that I didn’t let it protect me in the fight. I figured it would get over it. We travelled a few more hours, until the light of the brazier turned red, and dimmed. By then we were through the worsts of the pass, in a lower mountainous section that was jagged and craggy, but not snowy. I figure I must’ve somehow messed up, this didn’t feel like a mountain pass that was traversable, but it is what it is. Then I set camp, and noticed that in the pockets of the garment was a preserved gourd of some sort, and when I opened it and tasted the liquid inside, I understood it was a gift. The honey sweet, berry and botanical flavors of an alcohol danced across my tongue. This was delicious, and to be saved.

The stranger left, as Elenwe predicted. Avenging and protecting spirits didn’t stick around when they weren’t needed. After Fury-Breaker left, the storm began to get better, and for the first time in days it seemed like things would be okay. Then, it felt right, the time to name her child had come. She turned to Brenin, and held her arms out for their child. “Niamh, I think we can call him Niamh.” It was one of the last things the spirit had said in the human tongue it spoke, and it felt right to Elenwe.

[holylulusworld]

Another Sacrifice - Timestamp 2 (3 weeks)

Title: Another Sacrifice - Timestamp 2 (3 weeks)

Prompt filled for @writersmonth – Day: 18 - word: bridge 

Summary: Your adoptive father loses his empire to the dangerous and deadly Shadows of the Howling Commando. To offer redemption you end up in their leaders’ clutches.

Pairing: Alpha! (Werewolf) Steve Rogers x Omega(fem) Reader; Alpha! (Werewolf) Bucky Barnes x Omega(fem) Reader; Alpha! (Werewolf) Thor Odinson x Omega(fem) Reader

Warnings: angst, language, a/b/o, a/b/o dynamics, true mates, scenting, sad reader

A/N: For my story werewolves are like ‘normal’ alphas in any a/b/o story but they are stronger, their senses are heightened, and they can run faster. 

Word Count: 670

Divider by @firefly-graphics​​

Catch up here: Pawn Sacrifice (1) & Her Pack - Timestamp 

“Hate us all you want, omega,” Steve carefully approaches you. It’s been barely three weeks since the day the alphas admitted their mistake. And from that day on, they tried to make things up to you.

As if they could ever take the pain they caused away from you.

“I hate you,” you cower in the corner of the room they brought you to that night, whining as the leader tries to touch the mark he left on your neck. “All of you.”

“I wanted to talk to you, doll,” he crouches down to look you all over. Steve gently runs his hand over your head as you try not to flinch. “It’s about your sister.”

“That woman is not my sister,” you growl low in your throat. “Never call her like that again. She always looked down on me and made me feel like an outcast. I thought it’s just the way siblings treat each other.” 

Steve sits next to you as Thor and Bucky silently walk inside the room. “Did you already tell her about her sister?”

“Don’t call her like that,” Steve hastily says. “Y/N doesn’t like it. That woman is not her sister.”

“We are sorry, little one,” Thor mumbles under his breath. “Thor will make things up to you, Y/N. Let him hold you to calm you.” 

He kneels on the ground to bring you into his arms. You whine but immediately cling to Thor’s warm body and bury your head in his neck to inhale his scent deeply.

“Thor,” Bucky warns this time. He doesn’t like that you cling to the tall blonde. “We talked about this. She needs all of us.”

“She needs someone to calm her first,” the alpha grunts. “If you wouldn’t stress her all the time, our omega wouldn’t cling to me. Now let me put Y/N on her nest and help her sleep.”

“Thor, we said that Steve tells her about that woman who we will not call her sister,” Bucky talks back. “She needs to know.”

“What do you want me to know?” you lift your head to look at Bucky. “Bucky?”

“She’s going to marry the alpha courting for you. You know, the one wanting to mate you before we claimed you,” Steve nervously runs his hands over his thighs, “We didn’t want you to hear it from someone else. Omega…we know you loved that guy.”

“I didn’t love him,” dipping your head you glance at Steve. The alpha looks like he didn’t sleep for the better part of a week. “He was just being nice. My fath-“ you shake your head. “The man taking me in wanted me to bond with Pietro.”

“Oh, that’s good,” the leader of your pack releases a shuddery breath. “I just thought you might want to know. Do you want us to punish him for betraying you?”

“He was just another pawn in my adoptive father’s game. All he wants is to gain more power. The Maximoffs have this power he desires. One way or another, I would’ve been another sacrifice to him.”

“We are going to make sure you’ll not become a pawn in his game ever again, omega,” Bucky kneels next to you and Thor to sniff at your neck. “I promise to take good care of you.”

“We will take good care of our omega,” Steve corrects. “Y/N, let us help you back on your nest. You’re still vulnerable and in a critical state. Three weeks with your alphas didn’t make up for our mistakes.”

“Can we,” you lick your lips, “cuddle and scent each other again? I like to scent all of you.”

It’s not much, but your alphas smile softly as it’s you take the first step today. They can only hope that one day, you’ll forgive them for their mistakes.

“Of course, doll,” you allow Steve to take you out of Thor’s arms to help you on your nest. “We are going to do everything you want us to do.”

“One day, I want to see my adoptive father burn for what he did to me and all the other people. He burned too many bridges…”

Tags in reblog.

[thebettybook]

🎉TWST NRC students reacting to the 2nd Anniversary🎉

Strawbetty’s notes:

🍓Characters: All TWST students/main characters & gn!reader (no romance)

🍓Happy 2nd Anniversary! This is my first anniversary with TWST, so here’s to many more~

🍓This is also my first time writing a bit of all the TWST student characters! Maybe there’ll be more of this in the future ;)

🍓Music recommendation: What better way to celebrate today than with the TWST OP “Piece of My World” by Night Ravens?

HEARTSLABYUL:

🌹Riddle Rosehearts:

“Of course I remembered today’s anniversary. I even had Trey make strawberry tarts with exactly two strawberries on each tart for today’s party.”

*Goes into happy mode thinking about strawberry tarts*

♥️Ace Trappola:

“It’s the SECOND anniversary today?! Wait, I'm gonna be late for the party at the dorm!”

♠️Deuce Spade:

*Sigh*

“I had to remind Ace. We’ll probably have to write two apology letters to Riddle for being late.”

♣️Trey Clover:

“Here’s two extra tarts for you and Grim. Don’t tell Riddle :)”

*Big brother energy*

♦️Cater Diamond:

*Takes out his phone to take a selfie with you and Grim*

“Celebrating today with two of my besties #secondanniversary!”

SAVANACLAW:

🦁Leona Kingscholar:

“Eh? Who remembers somethin’ like that? I’m trying to take a nap, herbivore.”

*His second nap for the day*

🍩Ruggie Bucchi:

“Today means twice as much laundry and chores from Leona. At least Kalim’s hosting a double feast later shishishi. I can bring back some food for Leona too.”

🐺Jack Howl:

“I’m going to do two extra sets of weight lifting today so I can grow stronger like dorm leader Leona.”

OCTAVINELLE:

📜Azul Ashengrotto:

“Hm, I am missing two madols in today’s account. Even if it is two, every madol counts.”

🍄Jade Leech:

“Two missing madols means at least two staff members are going to get kicked out of Mostro Lounge today.”

👞Floyd Leech:

“Hey Shrimpy, do you wanna help us find the madols? Or is it two much for you to handle? Hehe.”

SCARABIA:

☀️Kalim Al-Asim:

“Jamil’s making TWO feasts for today! You must join us!”

🌙Jamil Viper:

“Of course Kalim didn’t stop to think that we don’t actually need two feasts.”

*Pinches the bridge of his nose*

“I need two extra hands; help me, will you?”

POMEFIORE:

🪞Vil Schoenheit:

“I received two mirrors as a gift from one of my modeling campaign sponsors today. As they should know, two mirrors are always better than one.”

🍎Epel Felmier:

“Vil wants to try two new hairstyles on me today, but I want to join Jack’s weight lifting session.”

🏹Rook Hunt:

“Trickster, it would be très bien if you help me catch two prey today!”

*You and Grim respectfully decline*

IGNIHYDE:

🎮Idia Shroud:

“Kalim invited us to a double feast? N-no thanks. That means twice the number of people…”

💙Ortho Shroud:

“I’ll celebrate today with Big Brother! It’s usually just the two of us, but hopefully next year I can convince him to celebrate with friends.”

DIASOMNIA:

🐉Malleus Draconia:

“Child of man, will you join me for a stroll today? Perhaps we can share two cones of ice cream as well.”

⚡️Sebek Zigvolt:

“I’ll come with you, Young Master! After all, someone must protect you from getting a toothache, or even worse, brain-freeze!”

🦇Lilia Vanrouge:

“Sebek, Malleus will be perfectly fine on his own. Now, Kalim invited us to his double feast, and I want to make two special dishes to bring over to Scarabia later to thank him for his hospitality.”

💤Silver:

*fell asleep for the second time today*

*wakes up to see Lilia opening a cookbook*

“Fath-Lilia, I’ll cook the two dishes instead.”

RAMSHACKLE:

🌸You:

“Who knew anniversaries could be so tiring? I think I’ve done twice as much today than I usually do on a normal day…helping Ruggie with Leona’s chores, helping Azul find the two missing madols, and helping Jamil make the double feasts!”

😼Grim:

“Isn’t that kind of a typical day for us anyways? And think of all the good food we ate today! The strawberry tarts, the dishes from the two feasts, the ice cream cones…I want more!”

🌸You:

“Hehe. Happy second anniversary, Grim. To many more years of twisted adventures.”

😼Grim:

“To many more, henchman. NYAH, enough sappy stuff! I need two cans of tuna!”

A lil drawing by me in honor of today:

Important:

🍓I don’t own any of the characters I mention or write about; they belong to their original and respective creators.

🍓 All content on this blog is created by me, @thebettybook (excluding posts I reblog that aren’t my own posts and unless I state otherwise). Do not modify, claim, repost or translate my work onto this platform and any other platform.

[thedelusionreaderbitch]

Kaz Brekker x fem! Reader - The Saints Of Freedom

(Gif not mine)

A/n: So this just came up into my head... There's going to be so much Shadow and bone content I'm just saying in advance - I'm so sorry! Also Matthias is alive!

Warnings: Sexual abuse, abuse, harassment, angst, fluff, terrible men, death, blood, language I think that's it? You have been warned!

Summary: Some man from the Crow Club wants a good time with you

I take a sip of my water, sighing. Inej and Kaz are in the corner talking to each other, like they never broke up. Wylan and Jesper are in a couple seats over from me joking with each other like their lives depend on it. And Nina and Matthias are in a both in back, Nina trying to get Matthias to kiss her while he's trying to be decent. Apparently.

Why did I have to fall for the Bastard of the Barrel?

I shift around on my bar stool a bit so I can listen in on a conversation.

"Let's play a round of strip poker boys!" I flinch, nope not happening.

I guess I never really fell in love with Kaz, I drowned for him. Him and all his terrible ways and his broken mindset, I drown in that. I yearn for that death in an ocean of Kaz Brekker. Wanting that kills me, slowly although.

"James! Go get some Chicks!" I stiffen up and start to get out of my seat. I gracefully like a snake avoid anyone in the crowd slipping into the darkness acting as just another man looking for it's prey.

That way you go unnoticed.

A hand grabs me and forcefully drags me away from the entrance. Damn it, I was so close. I am harshly turned towards the person who dragged me away from my freedom. A shiver runs up my spine as a man with yellow teeth grins down on me. His left hand goes up and down my arm, while his right has a bruising grip on me.

"Your gonna come play some poker with us aren't you little- Umm let me think." The man pretends to think for a second

"Ah! Your a fawn!"

I freeze.

That's what my father called me when he use to rap-

Don't think about that you need to try and make up a plan to get out of here!

I realize that I'm dragged all the way to the back where a table is, too late.

"Come on girly, we want some." The monster says.

"Now." He growls.

I shake my head trying to get the thoughts out of my head from my home life. I can't kill them because their good pigeons to the Crow Club. But I can injury them if necessary.

"Your not even going to tell your name?" I look up to the man who dragged me over here, knowing that he's going to get me and will be the only one to get me. He got his prey now the others get to watch.

"It's James pretty girl, and take your pants and panties off now, if I win you'll get to keep em." The men around the table chuckle in delight knowing what will happen - he will try to loose.

"And if you don't?" I cheer myself on internally for not loosing it and keeping my voice strong. Stall, it's the best thing you get do.

"We really start playing poker than."

Lies. I hiss in my head, once my pussy is out he will do what ever he wants with me.

I place a hand on his arm, stall Y/n, stall.

"When does the game end?" I lean in and whisper into his ear like I'm trying to seduce him. Bile rise's up from my throat but I shallow it back down but then I realize it makes me seem like I'm nervous. Shit. He seems to have picked up on that though and he likes it. It means he has control.

His hand goes to my thigh.

"As long as I want." He pulls me onto to him and I struggle out of his grip. Five other men come and hold me down on the table. I attempt to wrestle them all and I almost get out, but two other monsters come up and hold me down.

"Let's give them a show boys!"

Tears gather up in my eyes.

"Monsters." I hiss at the men. One with blond hair punches my arm with the bed of his fist and a small scream is with drawled from my throat as I hear it... Crack! Fuck, it's definitely broken.

"You can't break a girl that's already been broken, you'll only get cut." I rasp my voice quiet but very, very angry.

"You litt-" He gets cut off from the other man who brought me to this torture.

"Gather round! People, gather round! Let's see what we can do to this pretty little fawn here?" The man - James says as he places a hand on my stomach. Mostly horrid men gather around the table but the odd woman is here too, probably the dumb ones. As soon as the predator got it's prey you run.

So your not it's next meal.

Struggling to try and get out of the men's grip on me, but it's hopeless. They have two on each limb of my body holding me down.

"Come on little fawn, it's time to play." The man whispers into my ear.

Memories flood into my sense's of my father. Doing terrible, terrible things to me. Marking me. Tainting me, as I learned not to scream anymore so mother wouldn't beat the crap out of me because if he couldn't get me - he got her.

The barbaric beast crawls onto me surely leaving bruise's and his hand goes to lift up my shirt and-

BANG! He's on the floor bloodied from where something hit his face. Hard.

The other men don't try and stop whoever hit the other vile man to the floor. I almost don't open my eyes to see who might be my savoir in fear that they just might want some.

I open my eyes.

Kaz! I think and I nearly sigh in relief.

"Let her go." Kaz says dangerously low and calm and the men practically drop me on the table.

Kaz's cane is still on the table as I sit up. Hi cane is pointed towards the men in question and at this point the other man starts to get up. Kaz nods to Jesper and Inej and she smiles a bit, always a pleasure to hurt some nasty men. Matthias seems to be guarding to doorway so now one can get out and Nina seems to go help Inej and Jesper as Wylan goes help Matthias with the door. Demo at the entrance, nice.

Kaz holds out a gloved hand, I take it and stand up next to him and at the angle we're at I'm pressed up against him.

"Come on little fawn." My father opens the door to my room slowly with a sadistic smile on his face.

"But fath-"

He lifts me up by hair and the cry of pain that would come from a normal child did not come, for they had not been train to be solider at seven.

"We don't call me that when it's play time. You know that." He growls as his hands start pulling off my shirt.

"Yes master." He takes my shirt off and h-

"Y/n." I voice says and I open my eyes and they lock onto some dark brown eyes. "Would you like to do the honours?" A voice rasps. I realize that Kaz is referring to the seven men lined up, held up my Nina, Inej, and Jesper and with some help from Wylan who has a grenade out to scare them.

I feel myself fade away like a I'm ghost.

Come on Y/n, be a good little fawn.

No. I think and push the memories back.

I go to the first three and I simply cut their throats with my double sided daggers. A man laughs and I swiftly turn. I then stab one in the stomach, the one who laughed while I killed the others. He howls in pain, I then simply kill him and the others till it's just the last one left. The monster. The one who dragged me away like a sack of kruge. Like I was a prize for him.

A ballistic smile creeps up on his face like he was paper and someone was drawing my nightmares.

It's my brother.

My brother who has the same smile as my dad, the brother who made fun of me at school, the brother who helped mom and beat me on his own accords as well. The brother who toke after our father in every way.

"You won't kill me." James smiles.

"You won't kill me." My brother says as I pull out a knife with serpent around it's handle.

"You still love me, I'm your brother." I drop the knife and he see's it as his chance and strikes.

The knives shake in my hands but I put them away.

"See." He chuckles like he knew what would happen. Imbecile.

"Your doing it wrong." Kaz limps up to me, the familiar pace of his cane hitting the floor. "You need to have a reason."

"I thought you didn't need one?" I sigh in disappointment of doing it the wrong way. Again. Kaz stares at me for a couple of seconds then shakes his head slightly like he's trying to clear his mind.

"No. You need a reason behind why we're here."

My brows frown in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Limping closer to me he places a hand on my shoulder.

"Why are you here?"

He walks back a bit giving me space to do my work. I suck in a deep breath, why am I here?

I release my weapon, an extension of myself and it doesn't hit the traget.

A man hits the ground with a thud, the man who tried to get a night with me yesterday is dead right on the ground. The blade embedded inside his chest and the snake sticking out.

Checkmate.

Kaz flash's me a smile but I barley catch it and it's gone in a blink.

"Good, not what do you want to be called?"

"Serpent." I whisper as I look up into his eyes.

"The Serpent."

I take out my knife with a snake around it's hilt always looking like it's moving and ready to strike.

Why are you here.

I close my eyes and it's done in a flash.

His ankles and hands are severed off and they drop to the floor like their separate bodies.

I lean in and whisper into his ear.

"The Serpent as struck and it seems." I grin a little.

"She has not granted you the mercy of death."

I lean in closer so only he can hear as he howls out in pain.

"Eight years." I breath. I come back up and turn swiftly out of the Crow Club shoving past Matthias who looks to be horrified but I don't know beause he did survive hellgate.

I stumble into an alleyway and I grip onto the brick wall.

The wolf is no more.

Streaming down my face tears flood my vision as I weep for all the pain, for all the years of torture finally the last one of them is dead.

Thump. Thump.

I hear the rhythmic of the crow cane but it seems to stop.

I lift my head up.

Kaz.

"Breath Y/n." I gasp in a breath and I stumble forward into his arms. I tense up and-

"Come on sister time to be a..."

"I'm not him." He whispers and it pulls me back into reality like an anchor.

He goes to try and touch my face but he stops midway and takes his gloves off. He touches his ungloved hand to my face and I can feel myself losing him to the past.

Think, Y/n! Think! He helped you, he saved you from everything! From your retched family, from the men today! He made it so you could defend yourself! He-

"Sankta Kaz." I blurt.

His eyes snap open and goes to back away.

"No, no, no! You can't possibly think of me as a saint!"

Normally I would be discomposed and would already be running out from embarrassment but a weird calmness wash's over me and a strange sort of serenity makes me want to go swimming.

"You may not be a saint to them." I point out behind him even though there's no people.

"But to me..." I pause trying to find the right words.

"You are my savoir. You saved me from my family." I walk up to him. "You killed my father and mother." I keep on walking closer. "You saved me from myself, you saved me today, and..." I trail off realizing how close we are.

I look into those dark eyes and I barely breath out,

"You gave me freedom."

I hesitantly warp my arms around him and he stiffens up but he relax's in my embrace. Our face's get closer and closer then-

"Why are you here?" It's the question he asked when I first learned how to throw a knife: What do you want?

"I am here because..." I trail off trying to find the words.

"I am here because of the kids." A new found confidence builds up in my chest.

"I am here to help the children safe from their abusive homes. I will help the children of Ketterdam." A fire of passion ignites in me making me bold.

"Will you help me?" The words hang in the air and Kaz looks into my eyes with a calculating gaze.

"I run a gang Y/n." I go to look away my face burning with embarrassment.

"But..." He takes my face into his hands.

"This Bastard can do both I guess." I grin in happiness and our faces finally get closer and we kiss.

Lightning crash's through me but I think of Kaz and our friends. Our lips shift together and I realize now that...

I'm drowning.

I'm drowning in Kaz, I'm absolutely deep into the ocean, falling but never rising. I just keep on going deeper and deeper till I pull away.

We pull away and I feel like a wave just crashed into me Kaz smiled and I whisper;

"Sankta Kaz."

Sankta Kaz the saint of greed. Sankta Y/n the saint of suffering. Together they are the saints of freedom.

Words 2383

-thedelusionreaderbitch

All rights go to Leigh Bardugo, Netflix and you! I just own the plot!

[damn-stark]

Lightning pt.2

Thor Odinson x Odinsdottir!reader, Loki Laufeyson x Odinsdottir!reader (platonic)

Summary: After the death of your brother Loki, and Frigga, things in Asgard change drastically, just like your father. Where he was cold and distant before, now he’s caring and attentive. And you didn’t mind his change, in fact you loved that he had this new time for you, yet when you find out the truth behind his actions, how will you react?

Warning- Fluff, violence, angst

———-

“Come on just listen.”

“Hmm,” you turn to your older brother Thor and ignore the one that was supposedly now alive and trying to get a word in. “Thor, did you hear something?”

Said man shakes his head and plays along with you. “No, it was just the howl of the wind.”

You nod in agreement, “I think so.”

“Just listen to me!” Loki bellows, making Thor and you stop halfway to Himinbjorg and turn to face him. “Just,” he sighs and calms down, “listen to me.”

“No,” you remark as you take a step towards him and point your finger at him, “no you don’t get to talk because you lied! You lied to Thor and me! You made us believe that you had died when it wasn’t true, when you were here the whole time!” Angry tears fill your eyes and your lips curl into a scowl, but also falters and threatens to turn to a frown. “You could’ve said something to me.”

“And if I had said something, tell me you wouldn’t have run to Thor, the moment you could.” Loki argues, matching the anger in your tone.

You scoff and step away from him, your tears dry up and you speak in a calmer and softer tone, “maybe because we care about you, Loki, is that so hard to believe?”

Loki parts his lips to argue, but all he does is take a small breath and stay quiet as his eyes bounce between Thor listening and agreeing, and you pouring out your frustration.

“Not only that,” you add, hearing your voice crack again, “but you made me believe that father had changed and truly cared for me and didn’t just talk to me when it was convenient for him.”

“What?” Thor interjects as he lets out a nervous chuckle, “what are you talking about, y/n? Father does care about you. You’re his only daughter and his youngest child.”

You scoff and slowly tilt your head to look at Thor, who looked utterly surprised at your revelation, that to him was unbelievable to hear, yet it was the truth to you. “Maybe deep inside his heart, but the only time he showed any type of fatherly affection was when Loki was disguised as him.” You lower your gaze and avoid both Thor and Loki's gaze. “Father has never loved me like he did you, and that’s all I wanted, for him to at least show any type of care that he showed you.”

Thor laughs nervously and crosses his arms over his chest whilst he shakes his head and dismisses the truth he didn’t admit. “Father loves us all equally, he doesn’t have favorites.”

“Uh,” you breathe out before Loki and you meet each other's gaze and share a knowing look at Thor’s clueless comment. “Okay,” you scoff, “whatever I’m done with this,” you spin back on your heels and storm towards Himinbjorg. “Let’s go find father. Our real father.”

“Hey, don’t turn your back on me,” Loki calls after you as Thor and him continue towards Himinbjorg. “I’m not done yet.”

You stop in your tracks and turn halfway to throw your hand out and shoot him a bolt of lightning. “I’m done.”

Thor looks down at Loki and snickers. “You deserved that.”

——

(MIDGARD)

“I swear I left him right here.” Loki says as the three of you watch the rubble of what used to be a building was being picked up.

“Right here on the sidewalk, or right there where the building is being demolished?” Thor remarks. “Great planning.”

Loki shrugs nonchalantly, “how was I supposed to know? Can’t see into the future. I’m not a witch.”

“No? Then why are you dressed like one?”

“Hey.”

As they both continue to argue, you finally give yourself a moment to examine Midgard for the first time. After all the good things Thor had said about this planet, it wasn’t living to your expectations; it was crowded and loud. The clothes they wore were comfortable, but so far that’s about it. The air smelled odd, there was a mixture of different scents, like new food, their was this bitter smell, the scent of trees and dirt, but also something you couldn’t identify. It made you wonder why Loki and Thor seemed to like this so much.

“Hi,”

You turn your head away from the building and look at a pair of girls walking up to Thor, with a long rectangular things in their hands and big grins on their faces.

“Would you mind taking a picture with us?”

Thor doesn’t hesitate to agree and the girls giggle with content as they gather around him to take a...picture?

“How odd, yet fascinating.” You muse, you turn to Loki and smirk, “maybe they’ll take a photo with me? Considering I’m in their little history books.”

“Start figuring out where he is.” Thor tells Loki before he smiles at the gadget.

“Sorry to hear that Jane dumped you.” A girl says before they walk off, making you turn to Thor and raise a quizzical brow.

“I thought you said—”

“She didn’t dump me, you know,” Thor interjects before you could finish, “I dumped her. It was a mutual dumping.”

Loki pats Thor's shoulder and you simply smile wider and nod as you hear his excuse, albeit not lasting too long in this happy state as around Loki’s feet a gold sparking ring begins to circle around him, making Thor, you and even Loki confused on what was suddenly going on until Loki, suddenly falls down into the gold, sparkling ring and disappears. Leaving behind a piece of paper in his place.

“What just happened?” You mutter as you tap the paper with your foot.

Thor taps the paper with the point of his umbrella and whispers, “Loki,” before he picks it up and you both read the words on it and he finishes with, “an address.”

“Is it one of your superhero friends?” You ask curiously, “your work friends?”

Thor shakes his head and puts the card down, “no. At least I don’t think so. Let’s go see what they want.”

You hum in agreement and begin to blindly follow beside him, looking around at the passing buildings to take everything in.

“So how are you liking earth?” Thor finally asks, “it’s not the trip I promised, but it’s earth.”

“It’s,” you begin slowly, lifting your hand to stroke your chin, “it’s very….what’s the word, average, disappointing, uh, mediocre? I can’t believe Loki really wanted to rule here.”

“Yeah well our brother is weird.”

You grin, “do you think if I did like a lightening show, you know something scary, they’d like bow to me?”

Thor’s gaze narrows and his expression twists into one of concern. “Uh, I think you’ve been under our brothers influence a bit too long. Let’s not do that.” He grabs your shoulders and continues guiding you to where the card instructed.

You shrug, “just something to laugh at.”

“Yeah….no.”

You sigh in disappointment and see him step to your side.

“You’ve got to try this drink these mortals call coffee, it’s delicious.” Thor adds with excitement, “after we find Loki, and father of course.”

“Okay—”

“And this thing about Father, you know...”

There it was. Yep, you knew he was going to bring that up.

“...he does care right.” Thor continues, causing you to frown and feel that frustration all over again. “He just has a hard time expressing it.”

“Yeah,” you nod slowly, “sure.” You pull away from his side and before he could blink, you speed around a couple blocks until you find the right address and return to Thor in a flash and just create a sudden gust of wind when you do so. Causing Thor to react in a shock.

“Did you just?”

“Yep. I’m faster now. Fath—Loki has been teaching me how to improve my powers…” you trail off, quickly choosing to change the subject before he could question it. “The place is just around the corner.”

——

When you finally reach the building in question, Thor is the first to knock, albeit as soon as he does you’re both magically transported inside. Being welcomed into a fancy dimly lit room that gave this magistic type of vibe.

“Thor odinson.” A sudden voice boomed and cut through the silence that had greeted Thor and you, making you jump and fist your hands to produce lightning sparks that you were prepared to turn into full lightning bolts in any given second, as this floating figure began to float towards your brother and you. “God of Thunder. You can put down the umbrella.” The man that greeted your brother from the shadows finally lets his face be seen; showing an older intimidating man that looked to be a wizard with his red cape and yellow gloves. His hardened gaze shifted from your brother and then to you to continue nonchalantly, “and turn off any hostility.”

Thor and you meet each other’s gaze and silently come to an agreement to do as this wizard said—you retract the lightning and let your fists unfold, while Thor sets his umbrella down and suddenly makes the room change as the object hits the ground. You don’t question your curiosity out loud, instead you keep it in your mind.

Thor on the other hand, did the opposite and also began to mess with items that weren’t his. “So, Earth has, uh, wizards now?” He chuckles and as he sets what he had been messing with down, making it all tumble and make a mess.

“Oh.” You breathe under your breath.

“The preferred term is “Master of the Mystic Arts.” You can leave that now.”

“All right wizard,” Thor clicks his tongue as he leans by the counter, “who are you? Why should we care?”

“My name is Doctor Stephan Strange,” the man finally reveals. “And I have some questions for you. Take a seat.”

Suddenly, seconds after he said that, Thor and you were magically swooshed to a different room, this time where you were now sitting down on comfortable seats.

“Tea?” Doctor Strange suggests, having teacups magically appear in your hands.

“Oh,” you smile, “thank you.”

However Thor doesn’t take the offering and has his drink changed to beer, letting the Doctor carry on with his own questions.

“So I keep a watchlist of individuals and beings from other realms that may be a threat to this world. Your adopted brother, Loki is one of those beings.” The man chuckles.

“He’s a worthy inclusion.” Thor remarks after finishing and getting his drink refilled. “Hmm.”

“Then why bring him here? And why bring your…” his eyes drift to you and you knew what he was going at with his waiting silence.

“Y/N Odinsdottir,” Thor introduces with a small smile, “my little sister, the Goddess of lightning and speed. Far from a threat. Regarding our brother, well we’re looking for our father.”

“So if I were to tell you where Odin was…” the man interjects, “all parties concerned would promptly return to Asgard?”

You nod after taking a sip of your tea. “Promptly.”

“Great! Then I’ll help you.”

“If you knew where he was, why didn’t you call me?” Thor questions, making Doctor Strange answer with a not so surprising answer. “I have to tell you he was adamant that he not be disturbed. Your father said had chosen to remain in exile.”

You scoff at the comment and think ‘of course, he always was such a caring man. It’s his nature. Ughh please.’

Regardless, just as the wizard had said, he helped search for your father, using magic to do so, and to magically transport Thor and you from room to room, leaving him unstable, while you didn’t think much of it and remained stable—it was fascinating magic.

It wasn’t until some minutes later where the wizard finally left you in one room to most likely send you off with pleasure, after making a gold, sparkling ring that led to Norway. Albeit something was missing.

“Uh,” you mutter out as Thor waited for his “umbrella” to come to his hand, “could we please have our brother back?”

“Oh, yeah, right.” The wizard says before he waves his hand to make a portal appear from above your heads that dropped Loki behind you.

“I have been falling for thirty minutes!” Loki complains.

“You can handle him from here.”

“Yeah,” you agree as you pull your attention away from your upset brother, “of course. Thank you very much for your help.”

Thor takes his hand and you notice as Loki falls by your side and bitterly remarks to The wizards comment. “Handle me? Who are you?” Loki pulls out his daggers and Thor begins to try and calm him down, albeit Loki was stubborn and proud. “You think you’re some kind of sorcerer? Don’t think for one minute you second-rate…”

Before Loki could swing his dagger and try anything, Doctor Strange sends the ring your way and you’re all fully embraced by a beautiful, green and peaceful land. Some where at end, where the greenery stopped and the view of the ocean began, stood your father.

Unlike Thor who was quick to approach him, you hesitated behind, just staring at the man that hours ago you had thought you’d shared a bond with. You saw him and you thought the feelings of that bond were there, but when you really got to thinking, as you saw him on the horizon, you saw a stranger.

“Let’s go.” You hear Loki’s voice tell you.

When you look at your brother, even if seeing him still felt strange since you’d thought he had died, the feelings of that bond were with him. Oddly enough he felt more like a father than your actual father felt.

However you couldn’t forgive Loki just yet, it wasn’t that simple.

“Father it’s us.” Thor tells your father, who keeps his eyes on the beautiful ocean ahead. “My sons, my daughter. I’ve been waiting for you.”

“I know. We’ve come to take you home.” Thor explains.

“Home, yes. Your mother, she calls me. Do you hear it?”

While you stand the furthest side away from him, you narrow your gaze on him out of concern.

Something was happening with him that you couldn’t admit.

“Loki, lift your magic.” Thor snaps, which Loki only disagrees to.

Your father on the other hand chuckles, “took me quite a while to break from your spell. Frigga would have been proud. Come sit with me. I don’t have much time.”

You all do as he asks and slowly you come to agreement with what was coming.

“I know that we failed you. But we can make this right.”

“I failed you.” Your father rebuts Thor’s comment, pulling your full attention. “It is upon us. Ragnarok.”

“No I’ve stopped Ragnarok. I put an end to Surtur.”

“No.” Your father continues, “it has already begun. She’s coming. My life was all that held her back. But my time has come.”

What?

Your siblings and you all share a concerned look at what you were hearing.

“I cannot keep her away any longer.”

“What? Who?” You finally voice. “Who are you talking about?”

“Goddess of Death. Hela. My firstborn. Your sister.”

Uh….

Of fucking course! Even in his very last moment he has the time to reveal something else. Another secret.

“Your what?” You scoff.

“Her violent appetites grew beyond my control. I couldn’t stop her, so I imprisoned her. Locked her away. She draws her strength from Asgard...and once she gets there, her powers will be limitless.”

“Whatever she is, we will stop her together.” Thor shakes his head, tries to reason with him and keeps himself in denial to what was obvious. “We can face her together.”

Your father shakes his head. “No, we won’t. I’m on a different path now. This you must face alone. I love you my sons, my daughter. Look at that.” Your father points beyond him, yet you don’t look, you keep repeating his words in your head. It’s the first time you had heard it and it was when he was dying. After he revealed another huge secret.

“Remember this place. Home.”

With that last word, your father is no more, he turns to gold dust and floats away into the horizon—you don’t cry however, you felt sad, but not as upset as Thor.

Thunder rumbled, the wind howled and electricity crackled in his hands. Growing Loki concerned “Brother.”

“This was your doing.” Thor seethed as he began to get in a fighting stance. Stopping however as a black and green cloud brewed in the sky. You all went closer to it but stopped before you could get far. Instead you all proceed to change into your armor, all of you in your different ways.

The black and green cloud was now before you and out of it came out a tall woman with black hair, and a black and green uniform—Your sister you assumed. Half sister.

“So he’s gone.” She said. “That’s a shame. I would’ve liked to have seen that.”

You narrow your gaze on her and clench your wrists, creating lightning in the sky and sparks of it in your hands.

“You must be Hela,” Thor said, “I’m Thor, son of Odin.”

“Really? You don’t look like him.”

You snicker at her comment and hide your threatening smile behind your hand.

“Perhaps we can come to an arrangement.”

“You sound like him.” Hela points to Loki.

You don’t butt in and create a lightning bolt on your hand, earning a smirk from Hela.

“You act like him.”

You scoff, “please don’t compare me to him.”

Hela smirk widens and she looks at all three of you. “Kneel.”

“Peg your pardon?” Loki scoffs.

Hela makes a sword appear in her hand and she repeats herself in the same nonchalant voice. “Kneel. Before your queen.”

Wait. Wait a minute.

You hold back your laugh that threatened to come out and you just smile to the ground. You knew it wasn’t the right time, but you had to say it—“so who's the adopted one again?”

You receive a warning glare from Thor and an amused look from Loki.

“I don’t think so.” Thor remarks to Hela before he throws his hammer, that she catches with ease, making you finally grow serious and shocked.

Even more so when she broke the hammer into pieces, causing a big lightning explosion that made you duck down to cover your head and face before you stand up straight to take all of it in.

After the lightning had disappeared you look back at her and see a helmet on her head, and weapons in her hands.

A smirk grows on your lips and with the lightning you collected by the explosion, you grow lightning bolts in both hands and levitate off the ground, you swing your hand back and before you could shoot her, Loki regrettably stops the fight.

“Brings us back!”

“No!”

[brofligate]

❛ this was a mistake. ❜ for the prompts?

Laelaps

Characters: Courier Six (Vannika), Cato Hostilius

Pairings: None

(fic is beneath the cut)

“This was a mistake,” the Courier muttered as she ran a cloth down the barrel of the ancient rifle in her hands.

Before her knelt Cato Hostilius, stoking the small fire keeping them warm in the harsh desert night.

Much as they had told her, he looked no different than any other wastelander the way he was dressed. Yet by sense alone she could recognize him starkly as a legionary. The stiff posture, the pattern of speech, the coldness in his eyes. She wondered if people could sense who she was, in the same way.

“Hm. You never would have struck me as the type to get cold feet about killing. Do doubts plague your mind, Courier? Because I can remind you of all the ways in which Kimball’s death will hasten the fall of the NCR.”

“I’m not talking about the assassination part, I’m talking about your little plan. Putting on a First Recon uniform, sniping a president in front of a crowd of a hundred people… I don’t see this working out like you’re hoping. Don’t you have plans a little more realistic?” The Courier aimed her rifle into the darkness, checking the alignment of the scope, briefly lining her sights up towards Cato’s head to check for his reaction. There was none.

“From what I’ve heard of you,” Cato brushed his hands off against his worn trousers, taking a seat on the blanket beside the Courier, “you have a knack for making the impossible possible, so to speak. Surviving a gunshot to the head, tracking your killer across the wastes, disposing of a man who has ruled the Strip for over 200 years… the list goes on and on, doesn’t it. And all this to avenge your fathe-”

The Courier snapped the gun down at those last words, shifting her gaze to stare into the crackling flames, pupils reflecting back red. “I didn’t know you legionaries were prone to idle gossip,” she hissed harshly.

“Word travels fast for frumentarii, it is our job, after all. To know things, see things, organize the fall of mighty kingdoms all from the shadows. In another life, perhaps you would have made for a skilled frumentarius, Courier.”

“I disagree. I have a taste for more direct methods, which I’m sure you’ve also heard.”

Benny, House, and all of the countless other men who had wronged her before them, she’d taken their lives directly, in close proximity. Close enough to watch the light dim from their eyes, and the quick of their pulse weaken beneath her fingertips. Personal grievances called for personal measures.

“Which is why you’re here today, on recommendations from Lord Caesar and Master Inculta themselves. In camp the men call you Laelaps, you know, the hound which never loses its prey. Kimball will be just another rabbit in your jaws, come morning.”

“If your plan works.”

“Which it will work.”

The low growl of thunder echoed far away in the distance. The rainy season, back again already to mark the cycle of one year since the day she clawed herself out of her own grave. How time passed like the steady stream of blood in a slaughterhouse.

Conversation ceased between them for a quiet moment, punctuated only by the sounds of the Mojave. Coyote howls, wind rustling through nopales, the scream of a prey animal.

So alive the desert was, even in the face of the end of the world. Some things, much like herself, simply refused to die. Or, perhaps, were refused death.

The Courier returned to maintaining her rifle, liking her hands to be busy in such idle moments.

“That’s quite the gun,” Cato finally spoke again, “pre-war, surely?”

Silently, the Courier handed the rifle over for him to inspect. “And you’d be right. It belonged to my father- no, not that man I called father, I mean my biological father, the one whose blood runs in my veins. And his father, and his father before him, and so on and so forth. Created to fight in something they called “The Sacred War” back in the Motherland.”

“And is this war sacred to you as well, to warrant such an ancestral weapon?”

The sun was beginning to rise now, far off in the distance. Burning crimson red with the foreboding of a day left better avoided.

“More than anything, yes. Пусть я́рость благоро́дная скипа́ет, как волна́. Let noble wrath boil over like a wave.” the Courier answered quietly as she picked up the First Recon helmet and placed it on her head. It was time.

“A fair hunt to you then, Laelaps,” Cato said, placing the rifle back into her hands.

The Courier accepted the rifle, slinging it over her shoulder in a swift motion.

“May there be another rabbit in my jaws come morning.”

[ficsforfundota]

Tell the Pack - Alpha!Shane/Omega!Daryl

Daryl smiled as he nuzzled into Shane. Shane leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I’ve got to tell Rick, he’s going to be so excited for us.”

“I was thinking we could have a small party for our friends. To announce the pregnancy.”

“You’re not usually one for parties.” Shane smiled.

“Yes but our friends are like our pack alpha,” Daryl smiled. “Plus we’ll you know I think they all will be happy to learn. They’ve been there for us, for every bait of bad news, for every tear and frustration.”

“You’re right honey.” Shane smiled kissing Daryl on the forehead. “Then we will have a small party.”

Daryl beamed, they made a few phone calls for the next weekend about a bbq. “I still can’t believe it Shane.. we finally have a puppy in the way. I also can’t believe you’ve managed to not say a single word about it to anyone. I thought Rick was already going to know or at least his husband.”

“Negan’s a man you don’t tell secrets too, even accidentally. Those secrets will go all over.” Shane chuckled kissing Daryl’s forehead. Daryl smirked and nodded that was true.

Daryl stretched his little puppy bump showing. Shane gulped feeling emotions again as he dropped to his knees and kissed the small bump. “God Daryl this is just so amazing. Finally with pup. We are going to be parents honey.”

Daryl smiled running his hands through Shane’s hair as he kissed his belly. “This little ones lucky they’re going to have such a good daddy.” Daryl smiled.

“Even luckier to get such a good mommy.” He smiled kissing his little bump once more before standing up. Daryl blushed.

Shane was always so good to him and he was lucky he loved him.

They did a small shopping trip to get chip, hot-dogs, hamburgers, sodas, and even dessert cause Daryl saw them and claimed the puppy wanted them.

Shane chuckled it was clear to him daddy was already craving sweet treats which made him believe it was a girl.

Which was fine by Shane, he was just thankful they were finally having a pup, it had been years of trying to lead up to this moment.

Daryl helped bring out plates and sat watching his alpha happily when guests began to arrive. Rick, Shane, and Dale were busy talking at the grill. Carol and Maggie were beside Daryl smiling and talking about their lives as of late while Negan, Dwight, and Glenn talked about work and their respective lovers.

Carl and Sophia ran around giggling and laughing while Merle tickled the pups. Sherry, Beth, and Hershel sat together talking about the Greene’s farm.

Daryl and Shane smiled at one another a silent understanding running between the couple. Everyone piled their plates up with the supplied meal as well as a salad and fruit from the Greene’s farm, a casserole that Carol made, and of course the dessert Daryl requested.

Everyone sat together happy they could meet as a pack again after a long time of going their separate ways just with life and work. Shane stood up with Daryl at his side who was wearing one of Shane’s jackets his 22 necklace hanging off Daryl’s neck.

“We want to jsit thank you all for being able to make it. We wanted you all here to share some news.”

Everyone looked, Carol’s eyes got wide thinking about what it could possibly be. Daryl pulled the jacket off and stood sideways his bump becoming visible. “We finally did it, we have a pup coming.”

Pride wafted off of Shane, excitement from Daryl. He was beyond happy to be with puppy. Rick smiled at his brother who was excited to be a father. “Congrats!” Their pack howled in excitement for the happy couple.

Daryl’s bump wasn’t large but it was noticeable. “What do you think it will be?” Beth asked with a smile.

“Probably a little alpha.” Daryl smiled. “Shane thinks it’s a girl cause I keep eating sugar. I don’t really know what it is but I just want it healthy.”

Eveyone smiled at the thought, looking at Daryl’s plate there was a few more sweets then he usually had. Daryl smiled as his brother raised a beer to him. Daryl grinned he honestly never expected his brother to become a father before he he had a pup of his own but Carol had been good to him and that meant a lot to Daryl.

The pack was excited for Dixon-Walsh family, they’d been through it all and they’d continue to stand by them for it all.

[invictarre-archive]

repost, don’t reblog.

GENERAL

name:  Leon Arwel Delarosa

alias(es) and nicknames:  Challenger Number One (during his Gym Challenge), Galar’s Undefeated, Galar’s King, Galar’s (ex-) Champion, Lee (to Hop), Tarak (to Dani)

gender:  Cis male (he/him)

age:  I default to 21 in the postgame

date of birth: August 17th

place of birth:  A small community hospital down in Wedgehurst

hometown:  Postwick

spoken languages: Contemporary Galarian/Unovan (English), traditional Galarian (Welsh), basic-to-conversational Kalosian (French), Galarian and Unovan Sign (BSL and ASL respectively)

sexual preference:  Straight

occupation:  Professional Trainer, Duke of the Battle Chateau

APPEARANCE

eye color:  Golden

hair color:  Purple, a shade lighter than the rest of is family

height:  6′0″ and I do not know this in cm, sorry  :’))

scars:  A set of ‘lightning bolts’ spiderwebbing from his shoulder to is opposite hip, gotten during the Eternatus confrontation. Small miscellaneous ones from his forays into the Wild Area as a child and training up his team, usually along his hands and upper arms.

burns:  A long-since faded set along his right ribs, from where Char scorched him during one night as a teenager. Usually some along his palms after training that heal within a day or two.

over weight: No

under weight: No

FAVOURITE...

colour:  Warm tones. Yellow, orange, gold, red, the occasional warm tan or maroon.

hair colour:  No preference tbh. Go wild go crazy, Leon’s sure you’ll look great!

eye colour:  Blue. He can see why they’re so heavily romanticised.

song:  Anything by Dani tbh. Covers, original stuff, those short little snippets she sings around the house when they’re just vibing and living their life.....

movie:  Howl’s Moving Castle because it has adventure, romance, and found family. Also because he like sseeing Sophie learn to love herself through the change that was forced onto her, you know ???? That’s character growth.

tv show:  He doesn’t really watch anything unless it’s, like..... the news or an interview. For background noise he has no preference.

food: Seasoned Curries and Coconut Curries are easy to make and easily catered to others' tastes. While not his favourite foods in the world, they're his top go-to whenever he needs to cook outside or make something quick.  

drink:  Berry smoothies! Healthy, hydrating, and very easy to make.

book:  Honestly I can see him liking something like The Count of Monte Cristo or The Three Musketeers, or even just some of the old Arthurian legends. High energy, exciting, got a lot of engaging themes.

HAVE THEY...

passed university:  No, his formal Trainer School education finished at around fourteen.

had sex:  Yes.

kissed a boy:  No.

kissed a girl:  Yes.

gotten tattoos:  No, but he’d be open to it.

gotten piercings:  Yes, as a teenager he got an eyebrow piercing on a whim and immediately regretted his decision and took it out.

been in love:  Yes.

stayed up for more than 24 hours:  Yep, there was a time when he had a v unhealthy relationship with his work/sleep balance

ARE THEY...

a virgin:  No.

a cuddler:  Oh absolutely he is!

a kisser:  Yes.

scared easily:  No, and he hides his fear very well.

jealous easily:  Nah.

trustworthy:  Definitely.

in love:  Of course he is!

single:  No.

RANDOM QUESTIONS

wanted to kill someone:  Yes.

drove a car:  Yes! The CharCar is his automobile baby.

have/had a job:  Yes.

have any fears:  Abandonment, disappointing others, failure (he’s working through his one with his therapist), Bewears and Throhs because they kept attacking him in the Wild Area, loss of control, loss of identity, legendary pokemon (the Pasio situation is forcing him to work through this one, too)

FAMILY

sibling(s):  Hop (younger brother), @twilighttheater​‘s Red (honourary, and Leon hasn’t said it yet, but he considers Red the third Brandt-Muriell brother)

parents:  Elaine Primrose Brandt-Muriell (mother), Arthur Rhain Brandt-Muriell (father)

children:  None, except the Rotom in his phone that’s taken a huge liking to Dani

pets:  None! Pokemon are not pets, they are his friends and teammates.

[fandom-meanderer]

Not Your Classic Vigilante [Pt. 11]

Pairing: Batfamily x Batsis!Reader

Part: (11/?) [First] [Previous] [Next]

Genre: General Fiction

Fandom: DC Universe

P.o.V.: 3rd

Word Count: 3,793 Words

Warnings: Language

Further Notes: From now on, I’ve decided that chapters will be longer! I hope you enjoy :D

Eve had proved to be beneficial, the thought resided in Damien’s mind. Thanks to her, he was able to clear a few things up.

First of all, her, his sister, and the others in combat were all a part of a unit known simply as the Brigade. Their roles in battle are determined by the main color of their uniform, black being front-liners and white meaning support. The embroidery further specialized, red being combat specialists, silver being magic, and copper being artillery. Amongst the Brigade, his sister was the Captain, and her right hand was Alexander.

The nation they were in right now was known wholly as Caelum, while their zeroed in location is a small village known only as Hymnal. They were currently at war with the neighboring nation Imperium. From his understanding, the people of Caelum all came from different Earths, while the one they stood on at the current moment was artificial, man-made. But despite that there stood an established government, a monarchy to be specific, and an absolute one at that. The Brigade was at their mercy and, according to Eve, they couldn’t have had a worst ruling family, for reasons unspecified.

Regardless, Damien’s eyes shift over to the blackened window, they’ve been sitting in the house for who knows how long now. He was certain that the land beyond them was scorched even further down that the earth it once resided on. He scratched his head, he came here out of impulse and, no doubt, the others were probably looking for him. He couldn’t stop the wave of guilt that overcame him, but at the same time he couldn’t care less. They were the ones who didn’t understand, it wasn’t his fault, he was doing this for his very-much alive sister, after all. They, for some reason, wouldn’t understand.

—

(Name)’s vision was starting to blur. How long had they been fighting again? How many of the monsters have come? God only knows. (Name) looks over at the forest. There aren’t anymore approaching, but that doesn’t cancel out the ones still fighting. She takes a step back to steady herself, but with the growing casualties, the overlapping dissonances, and the lowering visibility, it was clear that if she stayed on field she would just become a hinderance.

“Captain?” The voice was indiscernible, be it because of sheer exhaustion or the loud howls, it didn’t matter. (Name) felt two steady hands on her arms, holding her upright.

“Don’t worry about me, I’d be fine even if I didn’t want to be,” (Name) musters out. “Who… who are you?” (Name) turns her head, but her vision just continued to blur.

“Damn, you’re in no condition to continue,” the voice continued. He slung her arm around his shoulder and led her to the safe house.

“Captain!” Another distorted voice.

“Sister?”

‘Eve and Damien,’ the Captain relaxed as whoever it was laid her on the floor. Eve kneeled over her and began performing a healing charm.

“I’m heading back out there,” the voice continues.

“Right, I’ll take care of her here, Carter,” Eve says. (Name) groans, and finally blacks out.

“What… what’s wrong with her?” Damien asks. Eve just scrunches her face.

“She’s pushed herself too long,” Eve shakes her head sadly. Damien’s eyes glossed over his sister, or whoever the hell that was. His sister didn’t look like this. His sister wasn’t supposed to be covered head to toe in blood, she isn’t supposed to have a dislocated arm, or a giant gash across her abdomen. His sister would have never worn a military uniform, let alone be the Captain of one. (Name) Wayne would have never step foot near danger, no, she would have run away and called one of them.

And, if rumors are true, she tried to call all of them that night.

“Damien, how long do you think we’ve been here?”

“A few hours?”

“For you, yes, but the Captain has been here since the fight broke out,” Eve frowns. “Which was two days ago.”

“What? That’s impossible,” Damien grunts.

“For you and me, yes, but the Captain is a special case,” Eve explains. She moves her hands to the unconscious woman’s head and rests it gently, a calming light emerging from underneath her palm. “We all arrived at different times, the latest one was Nixon, he arrived just a few hours ago.”

Damien’s mind flashes back to the man who told (Name) to abandon him somewhere and he quickly grimaced. He definitely wasn’t going to get along with him any time soon, and hopefully if things work out, he wouldn’t have to. If things worked out, in just the next day they’ll be back in the manor, as things should be.

“Either way, your sister will be back up in no time,” Eve reassures. “From what the transmissions have been saying, she’s going to make a beeline back to the Capital as soon as she wakes up… She’s been away from her post for too long, and the Royal family is starting to become impatient.”

“Post?”

“Oh, well she is the Captain of the Guard, plus, with what Alex has been saying over the transmission, one of us is going to have to head over to the Kingdom Capital and explain what’s going on,” Eve says. “Carter was going to go before, but the Captain volunteered herself. Knowing her, she’s probably going to take you with her.”

“I see.”

“She would prefer to stay, but with the hoards dying down and with Alex’s mentor coming along soon, the Captain is assured everything will be fine.” Eve quickly retracts her hand as (Name) groaned softly. Slowly, she opened her eyes and pushed herself up.

“Thank you… Eve…” she mumbles. She rolls her dislocated shoulder a bit. “Can you… Can you pop that back?” Eve nods and does as she is told and (Name) let out a satisfied sigh and thanks her.

“Anything for you, Captain,” she smiles. (Name) turns over to look at Damien.

“You and I have a lot to talk about, Damien,” she rubs the back of her head. “And as much as I’d rather rest for a bit more, I’m going to have to cut to the chase. We’re going to the Capital, and you’re coming with me. No arguments.”

“Alright,” Damien bit his tongue back.

“Eve, do you mind?”

“Not at all!” Eve stood up and waved her hand in a circle, a large portal materializing. “I’ll send you updates, Captain.”

“Please do, and be safe.”

“When am I not?” With that, (Name) nudged her head towards the portal and watched Damien enter first, then she followed close behind, the portal closing itself right as she entered.

Damien and (Name) stepped out of the swirling vortex and found themselves in the middle of a technology wonderland. If you can think of it, it’s there. Flying cars, androids, hover boards, holograms, etc. (Name) raised her eyebrow and laughed.

“Welcome to the Kingdom’s Capital,” she says. She digs through her pockets and holds out a small cube.

“Jason… Jason has taken you on his motorcycle before, right?” The name seemed uneasy on her lips.

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, this will be the exact same but three times faster,” she smirks. “Try not to get whiplash, Boy Wonder.”

“Do not—” he stops talking once she tosses the cube to the floor and it expands into a large motorbike.

“Climb on,” she says, gesturing to sit in front of her. “Oh, come on. Some knights ride horses, I ride bikes, it’s much more effective.” Damien shakes his head out of his shock and obeys. In a quick rev of her engine, the two sped down the streets of Capital City.

Damien thought he wouldn’t have been so awestricken by the sight, but for some reason he was. He knew they were speeding down the highways, that much was evident by the blurring lines of light that surrounded him, but time seemed to be at a simultaneous standstill, it felt peaceful, as strange as that sounds. He decided to chalk it up to their departure from the previous war zone.

The two come to a slow at a rather run down area, and (Name) helps him off while she recondenses the motorcycle back into it’s capsule. Unlike the marvel of mainstream Capital, this area seemed more familiar, the roads were a bit less kept, there were overgrown plants in some areas, the shops had certainly seen better days, but it felt familiar.

“More like Gotham?” (Name) seemed to have read his thoughts. He only nods. “Yeah, I thought so too, follow me,” she nudges to a bar, and the two walk in swiftly. It was empty, even the barkeeper was absent, Damien looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was only 8:32 am.

“Is it that early?”

“Being in battle really fucks with your sense of time,” (Name) explains. She opens a back door and gestures for Damien to ascend the stairs first. She closes the door behind them and leads him to the eighth floor. After a series of torn wallpaper and stained carpet, they stop in front of a plain looking unit. “Home sweet home,” she kicks open the door and pushes him inside.

“I thought you were the Captain of… whatever it was,” Damien eyes her suspiciously.

“Yeah, I am, but those idiots in the Brigade break so much shit it comes out of my paycheck,” (Name) deadpans. “I’m going to go take a shower, the Queen would have a heart attack if I got blood anywhere in the mansion. There’s some juice in the fridge if you’re up to it. We’ll grab lunch later,” (Name) instructs. She disappears into the hallway and Damien is left alone once again.

He sits on the couch in the small living room and bounces on it slightly, feeling the stiff springs under him, and he looks around the unit. It was nothing like where they used to live in Gotham, even her dorm was better than this, from what he remembered. A true downgrade, and he was certain (Name) would want to come back to the Manor just from comparing it to this alone. He looked out the window, the skyline of Capital in perfect display.

At least there was that one thing worth it in this place. He continues to stoop around and his eyes land on the mantle, the only thing sitting on it was one of his father’s tools, he remembers that Dick had jokingly called it a “batarang.” He picks it up and feels the weight in his hands. Now why would his sister have kept it if she never wanted to go home.

“I made it myself.” (Name) read his mind once again. “It’s not made out of the same metal though, but I figured if I could replicate it I could apply it to other weapons for the Brigade to use.” She walks up to him and takes it from his hand, placing it back to it’s rightful place. Damien looks her over, one wouldn’t have been able to tell that she was just massacring monsters only an hour earlier. Instead, she was in a pristine uniform with a specific emblem etched onto a badge on her shoulder.

“Ready to go, kiddo?” She asks.

“Yeah.”

—

“What do you mean, you can’t find him?” Dick shouts. Tim rubs his head angrily and gestures toward the screen.

“Do you see him on the radar? No? Well, neither can I!” He argues. Jason rolls his eyes.

“Stop arguing,” Bruce sighs.

“Why am I even here?” Jason grumbles. He takes his helmet. “I’m out, this is stupid. He’ll come back when he wants to, and when he’s not thinking like some crazy lunatic.”

“Jason has a point, this isn’t Damien’s first tantrum,” Bruce concedes.

“Jason, Bruce, wait, come on, we should make sure he’s alright,” Dick reasons. Tim turns back to the bat computer and a notification pings. “It’s from an unknown source…”

“What is it?”

“If you want to find your brother, here’s a hint,” Tim recites. He looks back at his two brothers, who just shrug and look back up at the screen. Tim obliges and opens the file. It was a grainy CCTV footage, but the figure centered in it was unmistakable. They watched as Damien ran around the area, asking random people who happened to be passing by, and what not, then a stranger walked up to him and inaudibly told him something. Whatever he said, Damien followed him into the cafe. Then they walked out and into a back alley. Although they were out of sight, the bright light that came from that alley was enough to hint to them what happened.

And so, operation Save Damien is a go.

—

Soon enough, (Name) stopped in front of a building and climbed off.

“We’re here, stay close.”

Damien, at first, trailed behind (Name). They entered into the huge manor, and he quickly found that it existed in a state that was in a stark difference from the technological marvel that was Capital City. Though, a strange thought, it resembled Wayne Manor in some ways. Damien noted that the manor lacked the advancement as the city, but who was he to judge? He just fell into the world a few hours ago.

“Hey, catch up,” (Name)’s voice was softer, more familiar. She stopped to let him walk next to her. “I know what you’re thinking, why does this place look so different from the outside?”

“Yeah.”

“The Queen is paranoid that technology will be the death of them,” (Name) explains. “Which is ridiculous, I mean I get it, but we have the best cyber-security team in all of the Earths, she should just learn how to accept it by now. I can’t wait until the Prince gets coronated, I swear,” (Name) sounded more like she was complaining now.

“I’ve heard the Royal family isn’t the best,” Damien comments. (Name) nods.

“You’re right. The King and Queen are too stuck up for their own good, if they talk to you keep it brief. The Prince is more lenient, you should be fine with him. But do not speak unless spoken to. The Queen is a bitch and the King is a pushover.”

“So why are you talking about them like that?”

“They couldn’t kill me if they tried. And it would be a dumb move on them to get rid of their best playing card.” (Name) stops in front of two large doors. “Ready?”

“Sure.”

(Name) pushed the doors open and they walked into the grand throne room. Before them sat three of the most powerful people in that world and, to say the least, Damien felt the pressure in the atmosphere. It was similar to those few times when he knew his enemies out-skilled him. He found himself subconsciously moving towards his sister.

“Captain,” the King spoke.

“Your majesty.” (Name) stopped a few feet away from the thrones, bowed her head, and put her hand to her heart. Damien followed suit.

“What is that behind you,” the Queen spat. Damien didn’t miss the annoyed look in (Name)’s eyes as she looked up at the other woman.

“My younger brother.”

“I see,” she relaxes into her seat. “Quite the predicament you’ve found yourself in. If he will affect your duties, dispose of him.”

Damien’s fists clenched behind his back, but he said nothing.

“That won’t be a problem. I’ve decided to take him in as my apprentice.”

“Tch,” the Queen turned her nose. Damien suddenly realizes why Jason would be so pissed when he did that to him. “So he’s virtually untouchable.”

“Yes.”

“Give me news on that village,” the King cut into the conversation.

“It’s unsalvageable, your majesty,” (Name) replied curtly. He shifted slightly.

“How many survivors?”

“Five.”

“Hundred?”

“No, your majesty. Five,” (Name) touched her heart again. “Correction, three.”

“My god,” the Queen shook her head. “How could your team, your special operations unit, have failed?!”

“I believe I’ve told you before, your majesty, there have been frequent sightings of a new and much stronger daemon in our midst. Before, we were able to handle up to five at a time on our own, but, for reasons unknown, an entire herd descended upon the village,” (Name) stood her ground and continued to explain the situation, all of which Damien already knew as Eve filled him in.

Damien’s eyes wandered to the Prince, who was silent this entire time. He was watching (Name) with a strange mix of curiosity, confusion, and concern. His head rested on the palm of his hand as he tried to feign superiority, but he held a similar annoyed expression that (Name) had, with his eyes constantly shifting to the Queen, who seemed ready to boil over with rage.

“I see,” the King tapped his foot, the sound bouncing off of the room’s walls. “I take it the situation is being dealt with at this time.”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“You are to remain in the Capital until your unit returns, the Royal Family needs top security. These attacks you have been detailing have occurred far too frequently.”

“I understand, your majesty.”

“Dismissed.” (Name) bowed her head again, turned on her heel, and left.

—

“When you called her a bitch I thought you were just exaggerating,” Damien huffs. (Name) pushed his salad towards him.

“Eat.”

“I am, I am,” Damien pouts.

“Okay, now that I’ve figured out an excuse not to get you killed, you’re still on thin ice, Dami. You have to stick with me from now on, no wandering off. And don’t try lying to the Queen, her ability is TruthSeek. It’s impossible to lie to her.”

“Ability?”

“Oh, right. Well, everyone in this world, or at least when we entered, gained something we call “Special Abilities,” basically they’re all unique things we can do. The Queen can tell if you’re lying, the King can cause all of your bones to crush in the snap of his fingers, and so on.”

“What’s your ability?”

“Confidential.”

“Why?”

“We’re in a public space,” (Name) shrugs.

“What about the Prince?”

“We call it SharpShot, but after a few demonstrations, Alex and I are thinking it’s something else. Basically, he is able to always hit his target. He could throw it the other way and it would still find its way to its destination. Alex theorizes that it has something to do about manipulation of space now, but we’re working on it,” (Name) rambles. “Now it’s your turn. How’d you get here?” It sounded more like a demand than a question.

“The morning after you came home, you left again, and for some reason no one remembered that you were ever really there. So I went out to look for you on my own. After that this man in a lab coat came up to me, told me where you were, and took me there.”

“He landed here with you.”

“No, just me.”

“Describe him some more.”

“Gray hair, tan vest, silver pocket watch—“

“Do you remember the watch’s engraving?”

“I do, but I can’t describe it.”

“Can you draw it?”

“Yeah.” Without wasting another second, (Name) grabbed a pen from her pocket and a napkin and handed it to him.

“Take your time.” (Name) drank her coffee as Damien scribbled away in front of her, but truth be told, as soon as he began to draw the head of a dragon she already knew. “The man who took you, his name is Kristoff Hargreeve. He’s the head scientist for Imperium, and also who Alex and I believe is orchestrating the daemon attacks. But I’m curious as to why he would bring you here to me, and not with him.”

“It would make more sense to use me as a hostage,” Damien adds in, (Name) nods curtly.

“Exactly. And it can’t be a distraction, even if I was away the rest of the Brigade are more than capable of handling the war,” (Name) leaned back on the back of the booth and stretched her legs out. “I’ll talk about it more with Alex when he gets back.”

“That name is familiar,” Damien mutters.

“Well you have heard it tossed around left and right,” (Name) chuckles, the annoyed look from Damien makes her laugh even louder. “Geez, kiddo, I’m just kidding. Yeah, he’s the same Alex who I used to penpal.”

“How do you know for sure?”

“He has the picture of me that I sent him, even with the note on the back. And it’s not weird, I have his too,” (Name) shrugs. “So we stuck together, it was easier to have a familiar face in a world of the unfamiliar.”

“Why didn’t you ever come home?” Damien asks. It was clear that they had the ability to traverse the different Earths, (Name) had a feeling the question was going to come up, but she had secretly prayed it didn’t.

“I didn’t want to.” Damien opens his mouth to argue, but is quickly cut off by yet another new face.

“(Name)! Thank god you’re okay!” The waitress bounded up to them and wrapped her arms around (Name). “I was afraid that I’d have to pay Tyler.”

“What?”

“We were betting on whether or not you’d make it back.”

“Oh fuck you two get out of here!”

“Pay up, bitch boy!” She looks over her shoulder at another waiter, Tyler, who rolled his eyes and pulled out a bill. The waitress slides in next to Damien. “This your secret kid, (Name)?”

“No, he’s my brother.”

“Oh my god, he is so adorable—“ the Waitress reaches out to pat his head but Damien catches her wrist before she could move another inch. “And now I see why he’s your brother. Hey, I’m Rebecca.”

“Damien.”

“(Name) and Damien Wayne, huh? Has a nice ring to it,” Rebecca smiles. Her eyes fall on the drawing in front of Damien and she straightens herself, she leans in and whispers only loud enough so that he and (Name) could hear.

“They’re pulling back their forces at Gronder.”

“What? Why would they do that? They have the upper hand,” (Name) mumbles.

“Me and Ty were wondering too, but according to Crys, a huge shipment of whatever was just delivered to their position. It was blue flagged too.”

“Living cargo,” (Name) mutters. “The entire East army is about to get wiped out.”

“If the King deploys you there I will not hesitate to rip his head off, (Name).”

“Please don’t do that.” (Name)’s lips draw a straight line. Then everything started to make sense, the pieces fell together, and Damien was able to pinpoint the exact moment (Name) realized that she had made a mistake.

Tag List:  @loxbbg @holymotherofchickennoodlesoup @ijustwannabecanadian@oneshots-galore @xapham @peqchynero @sono-sakana@theroyalbrownbarbie @audioshoes @allycat4458 @izzy28901 @buchanangaby @gabytodd

[shimikonde]

Romeo and Juliet and the Prisoner of Azkaban: Return of the King pt. 4 (4th light novel, pg 108-117)

part 4/5 of 1-b’s school play is finished!! i can’t believe that there’s only 10 more pages of this to translate now we’re almost finished!!

this chapter is a wild ride LMAO thank you so much to @rachiebird​ for betaing this again!! 

also thank u to the people who remind me to get off my butt and actually do this it rly makes all the difference lmao

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

“My pocket?”

As Romeo took the ring from his pocket, a dazzling light shined down across the entire stage. While the audience was still disoriented from the light, the gold-painted slice of chikuwa posing as a ring was lowered down. The plan was that, by the time the audience’s eyes had adjusted, it would look like the ring was floating.

Right then, Shiozaki appeared as the Spirit of the Ring and descended decinely upon the backs of Pony and Juurouta, a pair of hippogriffs. The howls of the hippogriffs only heightened Shiozaki’s aura of holiness, and the crowd let out cheers of delight in response. However, Monoma frowned as he noticed an unexpected smell, sniffing the air to find the source. It was the ring right in front of him.

“I am in no way the Spirit of the Chikuwa… I’m the Spirit of the Ring… No matter what anyone might say.”

It was from Shiozaki’s adlibbing and the meekness in which she did it that Monoma knew what the ring really was.

(Why chikuwa?!)

He held in the urge to shout out the retort with all his might. Monoma twitched a bit as he put on a surprised look at the Spirit of the Ring that had just appeared. “The Spirit of the Ring…?!”

“Listen closely, Romeo… The ring is with you… When you wish it, the ring will become your power… Furthermore, I am not the Spirit of the Chikuwa…”

Having reminded them, Shiozaki retreated back to the ceiling along with the roaring hippogriffs. Whispers of “why chikuwa?” came from all across the hall, but Monoma brushed aside their questions with his own booming voice. “Just now! What was that…! The Spirit of the Ring… You mean to say it’s the spirit of this ring, the ring that has been passed down through the royal family generation after generation…!”

And then he had a sudden realization, continuing, “There’s no time for this. I need to hurry and rescue Juliet, or else…!”

His expression was resolute as he stared far into the distance, the mood in the auditorium returning to normal. To Monoma, who had made it happen, all of the people in the wings sighed in relief, “He made it through.” Their roles having ended, Shiozaki and the rest also returned to the wings, relieved.

“I knew it, that guy really is amazing…”

Having said that, Tetsutetsu wolfed down a bite of the remaining chikuwa. It would be his turn on stage soon, so he was psyching himself up with a quick meal. The climax was quickly approaching, filling the wings with a sense of elation. After this, Count Paris would defeat Master Obi-Wan, declare himself Romeo’s real father, and then their confrontation would follow.

“Everyone, we’re going to cut the lights. This is the last set change, let’s do it.”

Everyone set their faces at the sound of Honenuki’s voice and went in standby positions for the set change. Next would be Count Paris’s castle, the scene of the final battle.

“Blackout in… six, five, four, three… cut the lights. We have fifty seconds.”

When Honenuki’s countdown reached ten seconds, Kaibara was heard saying, “I said we can talk about it later, break a leg!” before running off into the wings. Monoma looked after him like he wanted to say, “No, you’re misunderstanding…” but as the lights switched back on across the stage, he immediately switched over to Romeo.

“I finally made it… So, this is the castle that Rey said she saw…” Monoma muttered as he looked up at the eerie backdrop of a stone-cut castle. In the wings, the stagehands and the people whose roles had already finished were already acting as if the play had ended, having just managed to overcome the final major challenge.

In the midst of them, Honenuki never lost his cool, watching over the stage while giving the next directions.

“After this we still have the aerial combat. Standby positions.” Following Honenuki’s words, many people hurried over to various places in standby. “I’m counting on you, everyone…”

Tetsutetsu was waiting beside him, looking a bit nervous as he waited for his cue, so Honenuki called out to him in a quiet voice. “You’ll be fine. You’ve done this fine during practices. Just put your all into it. Ah, but you should still try to keep your voice down a little.”

“Yeah.”

Kodai, who was just behind them, nodded her head as if to say, “You’ll be fine.”

Tetsutetsu nodded back at the both of them. “Right, I can do this. Just leave it to me…”

At Honenuki’s signal, Tetsutetsu entered the stage. Recalling all of the instructions about acting that Monoma had given him during practice, Tetsutetsu waited for the right moment to draw the audience’s attention and spoke slowly and quietly, in a low, carrying voice.

“…my, I don’t remember inviting any guests. But I’ve been waiting for you, Prince Romeo.”

(…that’s right, just like that.)

Monoma gave a small smile at Tetsutetu’s performance before plunging himself into his own role.

“As suspected, that suspicious man was you, Count Paris! Where is Juliet?!”

“What I do with my possessions is my business…”

“It seems you have no intention of returning her… In that case, I’ll take her back myself!” Monoma let loose a roar as he slashed at Tetsutetsu. However, Tetsutetsu-as-Count Paris brushed him away in a single swing. Blown away, Monoma let out an awed, “This is no ordinary man…!”

“Wait, Romeo. Let me be the one to face that man.”

“You’re… Master Obi-Wan? Why?!”

Bondo-as-Master Obi-Wan appeared, lead by Nirengeki and Awase as Frodo and Sam.

Nirengeki said, “While we were searching for the king, Obi-Wan appeared before us. He said that he had something of the utmost importance to convey to you…!”

“Romeo, you often skipped out on your Force training, and you were by no means a good pupil. However, ever since you were born I’ve always thought of you as something of a grandson… That’s precisely why I, now, must be the one to defeat this man…”

“You’ve got quite the nostalgic face, Obi-Wan… But rather than a joyous reunion, I think it’s more befitting to call this a final farewell.” With his volume suppressed and a penetrating gaze, Tetsutetsu-as-Count Paris emitted a huge amount of presence just by standing, intimidating the audience.

In the wings, people were getting excited over Tetsutetsu and co’s performances.

“Tetsutetsu! That kid can do anything if he sets his mind to it!” Tsuburaba said while nodding his head up and down.

“What are you, his mom?” Kaibara quipped.

On stage, Tetsutetsu was completely villainous, casting out a menacing aura that made the two of them hold their breath and watch how the rest of the performance played out.

“This man is a ghost who was confined to Azkaban… A being who does not belong in this realm…”

Kuroiro fidgeted in the wings, as if Obi-Wan’s line had tickled his chunibyo heart.

Monoma-as-Romeo shouted in surprise, “In the infamous prison, Azkaban?! What horrible crimes could he have committed?”

“I died in Azkaban, and I was reborn. All in order to fulfill my duty.”

“Don’t say another word, evil being… Ha!”

Raising his hands, Obi-Wan turned to face Count Paris. “Oof,” Tetsutetsu said as he was attacked by the Force, getting blown back and floating in the air just like that.

“It seems your power has not faded over the years, Obi-Wan.”

“Master Obi-Wan!”

“All of you, stand back! I’ll…”

As he said that, Obi-Wan drifted up to the sky. From here on, it would be aerial combat using the Force. Using Pony’s “Horn Canon”, Tokage’s “Lizard’s Tail”, and Rin’s “Scales”, the two of them were able to be manipulated freely through the air.

“Ha!”

“Ha!”

While showing off each Force attack, they flew around over the heads of the audience. Kaibara matched their blows, set off firecrackers that he’d prepared on the walls. Startled by the overflowing presence, the audience was unable to turn their eyes from the two of them. However, as if to control the enjoyment of the audience, Count Paris stared at Obi-Wan coldly and declared, “Obi-Wan, You haven’t changed at all… But I have… Since the last time we met, I’ve obtained tremendous power…!”

Count Paris landed the finishing blow on Obi-Wan. As Obi-Wan was blown all the way back to the stage, Romeo and the others rushed to him.

“Master Obi-Wan!”

“This can’t be… The most powerful man in all of Gondor has…!”

“Romeo… This is the one man we must never allow near our country… Okay…? You’re the one who will lead Gondor in the future…”

As Obi-Wan let out his death rattle, Romeo began to break into tears. “No… Obi-Wan, you can’t… I still have so much to learn from you…”

Count Paris approached him. “Prince Romeo… No, Romeo…”

“My prince!”

Romeo looked back at the sound of Frodo and Sam’s voices, then startled.

“Juliet!!”

Kodai-as-Juliet was standing on the castle terrace. Behind her, as if using the castle as a perch, a growling dragon leered at Romeo’s group.

Drying his tears, Romeo stood at once, facing his arch nemesis, Count Paris.

“My name is Romeo! Ghost of Azkaban, Count Paris! I’m tacking Juliet back!!”

But Count Paris turned, making a sorrowful face as he opened his mouth to speak.

“Romeo… You must have heard from Obi-Wan about your father. Him being the Kingdom of Gondor’s king… That was a lie.” Count Paris suddenly took off the hood he’d been wearing up until now and said decisively: “Romeo, I am your father.”

“YOU’RE LYING!!!”

Shock didn’t even begin to describe what Romeo was feeling, his emotions accentuated by theatrical acoustics and even further by the lights bathing him.

Having learned the shocking truth, all the audience could do was look on in mute awe.

“Now, how about you call me dad!”

“Never!!! What a foul lie! I can’t believe it, that you could be my father…! Besides, my father is alive! He’s not in the country now, but I will definitely find him!”

“That meddling Obi-Wan, filling you with lies. Listen, your father is actually—”

“Do you think I’d keep listening to your nonsense?! I’m saving Juliet, now!” Saying that, Romeo swung at Count Paris. However...

“…huh? Is something wrong with Tetsutetsu?” asked Kaibara from the wings, noticing Tetsutetsu’s state. The plan was that he was supposed to beautifully avoid Monoma’s attack, but instead he was hunched over, holding his stomach. Monoma also seemed surprised at the sudden development, appearing unsure of how to continue.

“He looks kinda pale… Is he not feeling well or something?” said Honenuki, who had noticed the same thing and was now looking worriedly at Tetsutetsu on the stage.

“Ah, could it be this?!”

Setsuna, flustered, was holding the plastic bag the chikuwa had come in. The expiration date had passed a fair while ago. Everyone’s heads swung back to Tetsutetsu with concern, watching Tetsutetsu writhing from the pain of his sudden stomachache.

This is what Monoma had been trying to say earlier, that the chikuwa smelled as if it’d gone bad.

“Jeez! He never pays mush attention to these things!”

Komori was so worried that she’d worked herself into an angry huff, which Kuroiro tried to calm with a, “Th-there, there.”

Thinking carefully, Honenuki played the role given to him and said calmly, “In any case, we need to get Tetsutetsu off the stage. At this rate, he won’t be able to do anything.”

After seeing Tetsutetsu’s state, there were no objections. That said, there was one problem.

“But how?”

“Not to mention, how are we going to even do this scene without Tetsutetsu? We can’t just rely on Monoma alone... We could tell Tetsutetsu to leave the stage for health reasons, but if we do—”  

It would mean they had to completely change the script and end in adlib. But was that even possible?

“Rather than ending on a bad note, maybe it’d be better to quit while we’re—”

Honenuki shook his head at Rin, who had offered the suggestion merely as one possible option.

“…The show must go on. Once the curtain’s drawn, we can’t close it again until we’ve finished the play. It’s out of respect to the people who came to see us, and also our pride as the people putting on the play.”

“…!”

Looking at everyone’s surprised faces, Honenuki continued, “…is what was written in the Stage Director’s book.”

“The book?!” Tsuburaba shot out, but Honenuki continued to speak gently, in an attempt to calm everyone down.

“But, you know. We’ve all worked so hard up until now, just for this day. I don’t really want to end it half-way, either.”

From the day they decided on the program, all of their weekends, their time after school, and even their breaks had all been dedicated to bringing their strength together and making a great play. They only had one chance to perform: it was all for this play.

Even before Honenuki said anything, everyone was already overflowing with passion.

Rin spoke for everyone. “Let’s do it. To the end.”

Class B had made up their minds. Now they just needed to figure out how.

Honenuki spent a short time organizing his thoughts before saying, “First, in order to get Tetsutetsu back, we need to avert the audience’s attention from the stage.”

[nasty-crimeboys]

Goro, lying on a couch: The moon controls the tides and human psyche. Wolves know that, that’s why they howl at her. It’s a tribute.

Akira: ... cool, how about we talk about your fath—

Goro: No.