#Feline Faust

[cryptocollectibles]

Captain Carrot and His Amazing Zoo Crew! #14 (April 1983) by DC Comics

Written by Scott Shaw and E. Nelson Bridwell, drawn by Shaw, inks by Al Gordon and Carol Lay.

[trinketfairy]

Today's a day for jewelry making

In order: 🚂 Choo-choo / ♾️ Faust / 📻 Radar / 🖌 Gouache / ⛅️ Apollo / 🍝 Alfredo

[iliveforyouilongforyouvesuvia]

Mini-HC: M6 + giving their familiars a bath

The Arcana Mini-HCs: M6 bathing their familiars

~ anon, you mad genius, I loved every moment of this ~

Julian: Malak can bathe himself, thank you very much. He does not need to be bathed, repeat, he does not need to be bathed! Julian meanwhile is losing his temper at his bird's uncooperativeness, refusing to be sanitized after landing on a carcass. Those have germs!

Asra: snakes looove baths. They like to go all out, putting a shallow tub of warm water in the sun, adding pet-safe glitter, and letting Faust soak like the fabulous lady she is for a bit. This has been known to result in Faust leaving glitter trails behind her for the next 24 hours

Nadia: She knows that Chandra can bathe herself, but she likes to pamper her bird. She'll offer a basin of rose water for the owl to splash itself in, and occasionally treat her talons to some moisturizer and polish. You've never met a cleaner, better-smelling bird

Muriel: Inanna is his companion, not his pet. That said, sometimes she gets into things she's not supposed to and then tries to climb onto his bed so he has to bathe her. He usually scrubs her with gentle soap in a small spring, only for her to sulk and shake suds all over him

Portia: cats and water don't mix. Pepi was never afraid of the water as a ship cat, but that doesn't mean she has to like it. Bath time happens twice a year, fills the cottage with angry yowls and tired scolding, and ends with a scratched up Portia and a pissed off feline

Lucio: surprisingly, Mercedes and Melchior don't need to be bathed that often as long as they're regularly brushed. They do enjoy all the attention and rubs they get when when it's time to be shampooed, but they also have a bad habit of rolling in the dirt immediately after

[apathetic-pixel-42]

Hiii I love your writings so much! <3 May I request Ren and Yoh with a Neko girl S/O who acts as their #1 support in battle from heeling to taking hits for them even if it's super dangerous?

Yoh Asakura and Ren Tao With A Neko Girl S/O Who's His #1 Support! 🐈

Yoh Asakura:

When Yoh first met you, his eyes were immediately drawn to your feline features.

He couldn’t help but be reminded of Matamune, which made him feel a little more comfortable around you.

Your cat-like features are similar to Matamune’s and often send him into stages of nostalgia. Because of this, he often goes out of his way to spend time with you.

He found your supportive personality attractive. Having someone in his corner is always reassuring for him, even if he doesn’t need it.

The first couple times you took care of him after his shaman fight, he was actually kind of surprised.

The rest of the group trusted Yoh a lot, so they often didn’t check up on him unless he was injured. Yet, you made the effort to make sure he was okay even if he was completely fine.

He started to become really appreciative of it, because even if he was perfectly fine physically, sometimes the fights took a toll on him mentally. After all, it’s hard to stay laid back all the time.

The first time you took a massive hit for him, he literally almost broke down. You had taken a hit from Marco, who was always pretty merciless with his attacks.

He was VERY tempted to beat the shit out of Marco, but he knew that wouldn’t solve anything. He quickly brought you to Faust to get you all healed up.

Assuming you got knocked out, he was so relieved when you woke up. He did scold you for scaring him and for being so reckless, but he made up for it in affection.

He would literally never let you leave his sight for the next couple days. Yes, he’s paranoid, but he does eventually calm down.

Ren Tao:

In the beginning of your relationship, he absolutely hated how willing you were to take hits for him. As much as he appreciates it, he does NOT want to have to deal with you potentially dying to save him.

Your neko features never bothered him or anything, but he hates how silently you move around. He made sure to give you some kind of bell to attach to your clothes, so you stop sneaking up on him.

He’s often kinda embarrassed about you cheering him on. It’s nothing bad, it’s just that he’s never really had people in his corner before. Plus, it’s kinda embarrassing when you’re cheering the loudest.

He got super embarrassed when you joined his family in cheering him on. He made you swear you would never do it again.

He doesn’t mind you taking care of his injuries, especially given that he’s the one that normally takes the heavy hits, but he leaves the bigger injuries to Faust.

He does occasionally get flustered when you’re bandaging him up, since he normally does it himself. It’s also just a weirdly intimate thing for him because you’re fully touching him.

The first time you took a hit for him, he literally almost killed you himself when you woke up. He was so upset about you risking your life for him, no matter how many times you explained to him that you were okay with it.

He loves you a lot, so he hates seeing you injured. As much as he appreciates it, he also gets pretty paranoid about it afterwards.

He’ll cool it once you tell him to, but he often keeps an eye on you now whenever you both are on the battlefield.

[klutzyroses]

Hi there! Could I request ikemen vampire suitors reaction to MC with galaxy eyes that glitters in the sunlight and when looking at the stars. Vincent, Charles, Leonardo, Vlad, Faust, and Comte.

How pretty!

IkeVamp HCs: SO with Galaxy Eyes

How do they react to an so with sparkling galaxy eyes?

Suitors: Leonardo, Vincent, Comte, Faust, Charles

Leonardo

What gorgeous eyes she has...

His cara mia is already pretty enough as she is, but it's her eyes that truly captivate him. He could spend all day dreaming of their splendor.

Especially in the dark. The way they glow and sparkle is enough to put him under a trance. As a pureblood, he has been alive for a very long time. Centuries and decades and yet, he has never seen such eyes like hers before.

He will definitely spend his time complimenting and teasing her, often cupping her face at random and tilting her head upwards to lock eyes with her, just to get lost in those sparkling orbs of light and to see them widen in surprise as his own soften in affection for her.

She is precious, the most beautiful he has ever seen and he will make sure he tells her that one way or the other as many times as she may need to hear it.

He will press a kiss to her forehead and caress her cheeks with his fingers as he peers into her glowing eyes. When questioned, his response will come as naturally as the sunrise.

"No reason. I just felt like looking at the stars."

Vincent

He can barely look away from at all...

Her eyes...so beautiful...

From the first moment he sees her, he is speechless. Her long lashes framing her large, iridescent irises could have lit up the room if it were dark.

He takes no issue with telling her how lovely she is. Particularly when it's dim and she seems to be glowing, her eyes like a calming light in the darkness.

She is so angelic and breathtaking to him, he wonders if he could even dream of replicating her in a painting.

He isn't confident that he can, but he can certainly try. So when he does get around to asking her to model for him, he only ends up getting distracted by her eyes, so much so that he forgets to paint. It isn't until she asks him if he is alright that he remembers what he is meant to be doing.

"Ah, Sorry, its just...your eyes are so beautiful, I got a bit lost in them. I don't know if i can do them justice..."

Comte

If the door could take him through time, her eyes could take him through space.

He could see the entire night sky in her gaze and he will never tire of telling her this, even if she is embarrassed.

She is a beauty and she needs to know that. Especially when she can be seen in the day, her eyes seeming to gather the light and emit their own ethereal glow.

He wonders if there are any jewels in the world that could compare to hers...

If there are, she could easily put them to shame by batting her pretty lashes, making her orbs glitter beautifully.

On the chance that he does find a particular gemstone that does happen to remind him of her, he gifts it to her, the stunning gem complimenting her perfectly as her eyes sparkle with delight at the gift resting against her collarbone.

"As I thought, it looks beautiful on you. Even if it doesn't quite compare to your eyes, ma cherie."

Faust

What lovely eyes...simply remarkable.

Can humans have such eyes? Is she human?

Once it is confirmed that she is indeed human, he finds it doesn't deter his interest in the young woman. In actuality, his interest is just the slightest bit piqued all the more.

He will keep his opinions on her eyes to himself, silently observing her during the day as they catch the sunlight and shimmer as her thick eyelashes flutter like butterfly wings.

Its rather fascinating, especially when she catches different shades of light through her dazzling irises, reflecting several colors like a white diamond.

He finds it truly mesmerizing when her eyes glow dimly in the darkness, like a feline's, but more enchanting, more alluring. He may randomly seek out her gaze, simply wanting her to look his way so he can observe those spectacular eyes of hers.

"Fascinating. Let's see what colors you can show me with those eyes..."

Charles

Wow~ Incredible!

The man is awestruck at her beauty when she looks in his direction with those starry eyes of hers.

It's like slipping into a pond of stars and constellations.

He will not be averse to spending ages staring into her gorgeous gaze, to the point the maiden herself is blushing from the embarrassment, only adding to her already stunning appearance.

He will simply gush about it every now and again, because every time he thinks he is getting used to it, her eyes capture yet again in the dark of night, with an ethereal glow that makes her appear otherworldly.

It's enough to put him in a trance. She could tell him to do anything and he would. Not that he wasn't already crazy for her but she has him even more in love with her beautiful eyes. And Faust will certainly hear the most of it.

"I could spend all day looking her, Docteur! She has the prettiest eyes in the whole world and they sparkle so much and when she blinks, her lashes make them look like stars in the day, and, and..."

🌸

[shinyedits]

✨|| nonbinary faust & don quixote rentry graphics

for @pridewishes' event; canine / feline official art 1 2; psd 1

[mallowmaenad]

FELIDAE -- We need to redesign our fursona.

YOU -- What's wrong with it?

INSTINCT [Medium: Success] -- It is from an older time, a time of weakness. We must show strength.

YOU -- Hmmm... yeah. Where should we start?

REPLICANT -- What better than a blank page?

YOU -- You open your sketchbook.

YOU -- Obviously we're still going for a cat.

FELIDAE -- Obviously.

SECRETARY [Easy: Success] -- You have gone on record saying that "Big the Cat is one of the only men I'd ever fuck," as well as "My transition goals are Big the Cat but with huge tits," Maybe channel that spirit into this design.

SUGGESTIVE TORIEL INTROJECT -- I know you always had a thing for big, soft, furry animals.

YOU -- I don't want to be too big, dealing body dysphoria 'n all.

ITALIAN UNCLE -- Hey, just throw some like, Neco-Arc or Chowder shit in there. Or like... That furry guy from Final Fantasy 7.

SECRETARY [Medium: Success] Cait Sith.

YOU -- Can I get some childhood memories while we're remembering things?

REPLICANT [Formidable: Failure] -- Your mom's favorite color was orange!

YOU -- Thanks. Anyway, let's make it a bit short, a bit mischievous, goblinesque.

SECRETARY -- You can't just make new words by appending "-esque" to the end of existing nouns.

KNOWLEDGE BECOME FLESH -- YOU FORGET YOUR ROOTS, YOUNG PROPHET. THE AIR OF MADNESS SWIRLS WITHIN YOUR WHISKERS. YOU ARE THE HERALD OF INSANITY AND RECREATIONAL DRUG USE. YOU CANNOT SAVE HER. ONLY WARN HER. WE'RE ALL MAD HERE.

YOU -- You add stripes on its tail and knowing eyes. You imagine it's gaze glowing a faint yellow.

MURDER MOMMY [Medium: Success] -- This thing looks really weak. How will anyone take it seriously? How will it eat and fuck without some kind of KNIFE-ORGANS?!

FELIDAE [Medium: Failure] -- When the human drops a salivating lump of wet food into the food dish, of course.

ARCHMAGE [Easy: Success] -- Yeah, we need more power. Dark and evil power.

JESTER -- Not too intimidating though, it needs to have a silly side to it!

YOU [Challenging: Failure] -- You express your inner derangement, the approachableness but underlying danger. You give the feline creature a crooked smile, wild, unkempt fur and hands that curl into sharp claws.

DEVIL [Medium: Success] -- This looks like if viziepop drew zangoose.

JESTER [Easy: Sucess] -- it looks like if Viziepop drew an obese Zangoose, at least obese by her standards.

DELIRIUM [Formidable: Failure] -- I'm sure if we keep greasing the elbows this critter will look glamoured up in say... twenty or so more attempts! Otherwise everyone will hate it and I'll be vewy vewy sad...

FAUST FROM CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED FIGHTING GAME GUILTY GEAR [Legendary: Success] -- Please take your pills... Also... You forgot to eat lunch...

[thealmightyemprex]

Maurice(He/them ) is a classically trained feline actor,comfortable playing both masculine and feminine roles ,usually villains /monsters

So far among his roles in my head are versions of:

Mephistopheles from Faust

Polyphemus from the Odyssey

Lady Macbeth from Macbeth

Dracula

Caliban from The Tempest

What other roles should I include :

(Roles can come from myth,classic plays or classic literature,male or female )

@themousefromfantasyland @theancientvaleofsoulmaking @ariel-seagull-wings @piterelizabethdevries

[7association-was-here]

to faust, question the artistan yi sang on dealings of the mirror, and the location of outis.

do not mention the fact that both yi sang and outis work for seven association.

Oh, yes… Him. Faust had partially forgotten of him due to the issue with the “infestation” as well setting preparations for that company vacation. He has been sitting in Faust’s cabinet for some time. No worries, he has bread and water in there.

With the fact I see Yi Sang often at the offices though it has become very clear that this is indeed a “mirror identity” of him. Further proven with the questions and inquiries instructed to Faust above.

Upon asking “Yi Sang” of Outis he replied with an off putting smirk and a dismissive comment. Despite the indifference Faust could definitely tell this is a confirmation that this Yi Sang is aware of the existence of perhaps an Outis of their own. And as for the mirror question, he inched away towards the back of the cabinet (this interview was done with him still in Faust’s cabinet, yes) and produced a sound only comparable to that of an agitated feline. In other simpler words, he hissed.

…A very unique and expressive variation of Yi Sang, I must state. And the first encounter with one of him too. Although Faust supposes that there was certainly something to learn from this. Let us not inform Yi Sang of this for now, Faust fears that may have a negative effect on him.

[rednotebooksworld]

Red’s Monsterlist

Caspian {Werewolf}

Character Info

Character A.I. bot

Helping A Werewolf

Romeo {Werewolf}

A Type of Affection

Arrow {Winged Lion Beast}

Character Info

Hugo {Centaur}

Character Info

Donny {Incubus}

N/a

Gabriel Faust {Vampire}

Tied Down (NSFW)

Pike {Deer Hybrid}

Character Info

Stuck

Andrew {Beastman}

Character Info

Lukas {Feline Rakshasa}

Character Info

3am Snacks

New House, Our House (NSFW)

Frank Luther {Dhampir}

Character Info

Quiet Places

Yuri {Fox Yokai/Kitsune}

Fox Yokai in Heat (NSFW)

Kale {Merman}

Righting a Wrong

Rooney {Ghost}

Panty Thief: The Ghost In My Apartment

[infernaleprince]

After quite some time of watching the demon from the corner of the room, "It's almost disturbing how appealing you look. Does every demon share this trait, or does being Lucifer's right hand grant you the privilege to look however you wish and this was an active choice on your part?"

The demon was laying on the sofa playing with some of his dark lock while humming a tune, acting as if he doesn’t see Faust staring at him across the room, staring at his body…how humans were so amusing thinking they were subtle with their inner thoughts and actions. Adorable he would said.

he began to stretch in a almost feline ways, his eyes meeting those of his "master"as a languorous smile adored his lips, a little sneer we could say. « Oh Thank you for the compliment Faustus ~ » he began as he get up slowly and walked towards the man in a quiet charming walk before sitting on the desk where Faust was before leaning a bit towards him, his voice getting lower. « And so curious you are. »

Then he shifted to sit now completely facing him, more close now, as his owl legs were crossed, the touch of inhumanity inside the demon like his eyes , mesmerizing and unsettling…if he wanted to approach more his true form it, this feeling would grow even more.

for a moment Mephistopheles stayed quiet, before answering Faust by gently caressing his neck before caressing his chest, slowly « And i look like this to please you, my dear ~ after all I know deep inside a sort of likening for my appearance, i could even present myself as woman when i first met you. » he chuckled, after all it was an information that Faust could know, as his showed his legs better. « And you are correct. The form would depend of the ranks of the demons, for example if they got hooves or not…and how they fell. » he paused. « they would limp from it. »

and then he added « of course the form you see of me isn’t my completely real form, after all Earth and Hell such as heavens work much differently in so much different way ~ and i would assure you that you wouldn’t wish to see it. » he chuckled but his thoughts began to wander.

true form…

Now The demon couldn’t stop remembering a time before he was there, in the sky beautiful when he knew love.

well, knew. Two different kind of it then it was in sort forgotten when he feel. Forgot how it felt.

what use to remembering now ?

[draconxs]

Unprompted - always accepting! @meowgiciann asked: Something jumps on the Dragon Emperor's hair, claws that indiscriminately stab over the rougher skin as it climbs its way up. Stopping by his head as an upside-down face with unblinking yellow eyes stare directly at him. "Master Kaido, you're going to kill my Captain that way." He rolls forward, tumbling and peacefully falling over Kaido's lap while facing up. The feline quickly getting distracted as his both paws reach to tap Kaido's long mustache that was hanging in the air. "Since Captain Hawkins became a headliner, all he does is work work work. Moou, that taking my puurrecious petting time away. He's always soo tired." He bites the strand of facial hair, pulling it but letting go as soon as an idea pops into his mind. " What if~ What if! I guessed a number from your mind? Would a marvelous magical trick bring my captain more hours to relax? Sounds good, sounds fair." Faust just presses it, ignoring if he would accept or not. Hands going behind his own head as his tail mischievously swung side to side. "Pick a number from 0 to 1."

Did mink always behave like the animals they took part of their appearances from? That was what Kaido was thinking as he watched said black cat mink tumble up from his head down to his legs where he'd swat and play with his moustache.

He didn't feel a thing even if it were tugged but growing intolerant of this playfulness, he'd swipe both hanging lengths of hair off to the side and out of reach.

"Now you are making this ridiculous, I cannot agree to these terms." His voice boomed naturally loudly though he didn't sound too annoyed with his subordinates attempt at freeing a former captain of excess labor.

"Do you want me to send Hawkins to the factories instead? Otherwise, give me a broader selection to choose from." Lest the mink want to risk losing one more of his nine lives (if mink even abided to that tall tale) he'd listen to the opportunity Kaido was humoring him with.

"How about 1-50, or is that too high for you to guess?"

[meowgiciann]

[ Bubblegum ]

❝ Uh... I heard Combo talking about how we found some stray cat in the dumpster and we were gonna adopt it.... ❞

He narrows his eyes until he's squinting hard at the feline-man standing before him. He really didn't fit the bill of the animal Combo had been describing. He had made it sound like some filthy flea bag; old, round, lazy, scruffy, smelly. The man before him was finely dressed, elegant — suave, even. He certainly didn't bear any resemblance to the idea Bubblegum had formed in his head thanks to their head chef's description.

Still. Combo had said they had found a stray cat, and suddenly this person shows up... Maybe this was that very cat after all? It would be a very strange coincidence if that wasn't the case.

❝ ...That you, Meatball? Pspspspsps, C'mere, Meatball...❞

@beithirs

✠ Sadly, the elderly “gentleman” who Faust was feeding the past days wasn’t there; probably moved to a new block since the mice’s population decreased. The magician was about to leave when a stranger’s voice was heard. It’s not the first or last time people mistake him for his fellow felines, he’s used to that treatment due his past, it’s not surprising. Instead of addressing the mistake, the mink simply looves to go along with it to test the limits of human’s stupidity. He shortens their distance. “Cough cough.” He says the words instead of the action, raising a paw. “Meeow meeow.” Mischievously blinking in slow pace, speaking in a humanely tone that doesn't sounds a bit like a cat's meowing. “Meeow meeow.”

[ikkaku-of-heart]

The High Priestess and the Magician

(Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. True insanity comes from getting that result.)

Stalking into his quarters, Basil Hawkins slammed the door behind him so hard a few straw dolls on his bookshelf fell over. It was unusual for him to show much emotion, but his temper had been growing dangerously short as of late. Even Faust was not exempt from his displeasure. A rare thing, as he valued the feline Mink more than the rest of his crew, but his mind had been ill at ease since his reading one hundred days ago.

In truth, he should have known better than to ask them such a dangerous question. It had been his own hubris that had driven him to ask about his own future. To demand to know when he would reach Raftel and claim the title of King of the Pirates.

Instead, the cards had foretold his failure. Predicted his eventual, inevitable death. They hadn’t specified exactly when, but he had received enough information to paint an unpleasant picture. At the time he had brushed it off, as the Tarot was up to interpretation, even if his readings were generally highly accurate. Except he received the exact same reading when he’d tried again the next day. And then the next. And every day since.

Ninety-nine days. Three cards. Always the same.

The Magician reversed. The Ten of Swords. The Emperor reversed.

Hawkins had always treated the Magician as an avatar for himself. He had claimed it as his epitaph for a reason, after all. Even reversed he accepted it, and the cards had never presented it in a reading that did not end up directly involving him. So it was concerning he had drawn it in succession with the two other cards. The Ten of Swords meant painful endings and betrayal. The Emperor reversed referred to domination and lack of discipline, which made him think that his fate was in the hands of one who embodied these traits. And there were four Emperors standing between him and the title of Pirate King…

Growling in frustration, he shoved a pile of books off of his desk, the hardcover tomes scattering as loose pages flew about. Since the twentieth identical reading, he’d been furiously researching ways to potentially avert his fate. The cards did not lie. Not to him. They told him the odds of overcoming any obstacle that stood in his path, allowing him to act accordingly. They gave him an undeniable advantage. At least, they did most of the time.

Now, they spoke of his inevitable failure.

So far, the odds were nearly 100% that he would not succeed in his ultimate goal, and in fact he would fall disgracefully. He was a man of control. He enjoyed telling others that their fates were out of their hands. He did not appreciate that misfortune being reversed. He did not appreciate his own cards defying him.

“You don’t scare me, Hawkins. I’m from Joras. As far as I’m concerned, your spooky ass barely registers a 7/10 on my weird shit-o-meter.”

A feminine voice danced blithely through his head, its very presence as mocking as the words themselves. The speaker had been the catalyst for his current fit of anger. He’d encountered one of the Heart Pirates while attempting to find more obscure literature that might help him reinterpret his cards’ message.

Ikkaku, the submarine’s engineer. The sole woman he knew of aboard Trafalgar Law’s vessel. He’d glimpsed her in the past when his and the fellow rookie’s paths had crossed. A pretty face, and an attractive figure that was shamelessly put on display in her wanted poster. A point he would acknowledge briefly on lonely nights, but no more than that. He was not one to be brought to his knees merely by a woman’s body. However, despite recognizing her, this was the first time she’d spoken to him. It had started as empty politeness on her part, which he’d responded to with an idle threat to her life. He had no time for pleasantries. Yet instead of cowering or even just leaving, she’d jutted out her hip and spat out a disrespectful retort. The woman was far bolder than she had any right to be. She didn’t even have the decency to fear him despite their clear gap in power! She was a normal woman with a distinctly non-combative role, while he was a powerful pirate captain and a Devil Fruit wielder!

She was as infuriating as her smug bastard of a captain. Had Marines not stumbled upon them, he would have gladly shown her their difference in strength before handing her over to Trafalgar in pieces. Or perhaps challenged the man to a fight and used his Straw Man technique, making her captain slaughter her in Hawkins’ place. That would serve them both right.

Inhaling deeply, Hawkins forced his face back into its usual stoic expression. He needed to focus on the task at hand, not some irritating woman. She was hardly worth his attention, much less his fury. Just a subordinate of one of his rivals. Nothing special. Her arrogance would get the better of her sooner or later.

He had no reason to concern himself with her fate, anyway. He had his own to consider.

Sitting down at his desk, he pulled out his deck of tarot cards. There was only one question on his mind – was his fate truly set in stone? Was his death 100% certain?

One hundred days. Ninety-nine identical card readings. This would be the last attempt, no matter the outcome.

He shuffled the cards for a solid ten minutes, though he acknowledged deep down he was merely stalling for time. It didn’t matter how he cut the deck – the cards would be drawn as they were meant to be.

With a sigh of acceptance, he gracefully slid the first card off of the top of the deck, setting it down on the surface of his mahogany desk face-up.

The High Priestess. This was…unusual. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d drawn her. Yet there she was. She symbolized the divine feminine, sacred knowledge, and the subconscious mind.

Why did he draw her?

Brow furrowing, he set down the second card. The Tower reversed. Personal transformation, fear of change, averting disaster. Now that was far more positive than anything he’d drawn in months. Were his cards telling him he might have a chance to avoid his fate? He scarcely dared to hope.

His hand shook faintly as he pulled the last card. The Devil, also reversed. Releasing limiting beliefs, exploring dark thoughts, sexuality, and detachment. Quite the swerve from the past two cards.

He sat back in his chair, attempting to make sense of his reading. He felt as much confusion as he did relief. Three of the major arcana had been drawn, which was unusual. More than that, they implied a woman was involved. But whom? Could she really avert his fate? And where did the Devil come in?

“You don’t scare me, Hawkins. I’m from Joras. As far as I’m concerned, your spooky ass barely registers a 7/10 on my weird shit-o-meter.”

Ikkaku’s voice once more drifted through his skull, and this time he actually listened. Joras. She was from Joras. Of course he knew of that bleak, superstitious island. It was a land once known as Innsmouth before it had been heavily industrialized. A place of fog and darkness, full of stories that were fantastical and frightening. Dead bodies rising from their graves, plagues that drove people mad, ancient rituals and sacrifices that were used to gain favor from eldritch horrors that slept deep beneath the ocean waves.

It was a land Hawkins had often been accused of coming from himself, and while it was not true, he had always felt a sort of longing for it. He’d greedily read every bit of information he could get his hands on, enthralled by the twisted lore of the Old Ones. He’d always held a strong inclination toward the morbid and the supernatural, and though he’d concluded they were likely nothing more than stories, he’d still gladly taken a copy of the Necronomicon from a book seller who had attempted to sell it to him for an extortionate price. A book bound in human skin and written in mermaid blood made a lovely addition to his collection, regardless of the validity of the myths and rituals etched on their pages. He’d even taken the time to learn the language of Innsmouth so he could read and appreciate it properly.

His earlier irritations towards the woman shifted into intrigue. Now her lack of fear made sense, and his ego was soothed. It was rather hard to measure up to eldritch horrors, though he’d still be happy to give a demonstration of his powers to remind her that while they were stories, he was very much a reality.

More importantly, her appearance had broken his losing card streak. The cards had ceased predicting his failure to instead speak of her. There had to be a reason for that.

“Tell me more about this woman. Who is Ikkaku of the Heart Pirates?” he whispered to the deck, praying his cards might give him more insight.

They did not disappoint. First, he drew the Sun. Not that he needed the cards to tell him she was a woman of positivity, warmth, and vitality. The woman practically glowed with it, especially compared to her dark captain. Perhaps that was why Trafalgar kept her at his side. He could imagine many found her easy to like and were drawn to that warmth.

Nine of Swords reversed. Inner turmoil, deep-seated fears, and secrets. How interesting, considering the previous card. Perhaps she hid some insecurities beneath that sunny shell. A dark secret, perhaps? She was a subordinate of Trafalgar Law, after all. No one innocent would bear to be around that man, or if they did, they didn’t remain innocent for long. And she spoke so casually of being from an island renowned for twisted beliefs. People with happy, well-adjusted pasts didn’t become pirates. There was certainly more to Ikkaku than meets the eye.

Long, pale fingers set down the final card. The Star. It represented hope, faith, and purpose. Another card seldom associated with someone who sailed with a pirate crew. Stars were often used to guide the lost. To navigate vast, unforgiving seas and guide them to safety. But she was no navigator as far as he knew. That job belonged to the polar bear Mink. So why was it associated with her?

It was all quite interesting. He’d drawn two forms of light when he’d asked about Ikkaku. Very curious, especially for a pirate who willingly followed a man like the Surgeon of Death. Especially for a woman who came from such a bleak, oppressive island. Yet he could not deny that the cards suited her. It appeared despite the darkness that surrounded her, she kept a bright, almost blinding aura.

An old story tickled his brain. Most of the tales of the Old Ones he’d heard whispered throughout the North Blue, as they were common campfire stories and bedtime fables to scare the cowardly and superstitious. But the Necronomicon had told him tales he’d never come across before. Getting up, he strode quickly to his bookshelf to pull out that morbid tome. Flipping through the pages, he at last came upon the deity he was looking for.

The Creator Turtle. The sole being of light in the pantheon who existed to counterbalance the twisted and shadowy Old Ones. He had gifted the humans he’d vomited into existence with the lighthouse that sat upon Joras’ jagged cliffs. The story stated he’d given his chosen Light Keepers the power to stand against the darkness and alter reality with their belief. It claimed they’d willed a weakness into the otherwise unstoppable Old Ones’ reality.

Through pure belief, they’d found a way to make the impossible possible. To rewrite reality and fate.

A fantastical story? Most certainly. But his cards did not lie. They had shown her to him for a reason. Was she a Light Keeper? Were the legends true? Did such a power lay within the heart of such an ordinary woman?

Maybe, maybe not. Yet even if the stories were just fables, it was undeniable that Ikkaku was still a key player in avoiding his fate.

Hawkins hated jokes, and because of that, he was a man who seldom laughed. Yet the raspy sound of elation that escaped his mouth and throat could only be described as such.

At last. He had his answer. A way to cheat destiny. It was a 1% chance, but it was still a chance. An opportunity Hawkins would greedily grasp with both hands.

Being told ninety-nine times how you would die was enough to crack even “the Magician” Basil Hawkins’ mind, it seemed. And like a weed in a sidewalk, an idea sprouted and began to grow through that narrow opening.

“To think I considered killing you,” he chuckled, a twisted grin on his lips as he stroked the illustrated cheek of his High Priestess. The woman on the card even bore a stunning resemblance to Ikkaku, now that he looked closely. A warm smile and dark curls peeking out from beneath her veil. He found himself wondering what they would feel like between his fingers. He pictured them twisting like tentacles around his digits, her disrespectful tone now full of reverence as she gazed up at him with adoration.

Was he the Devil? Were the cards telling him he needed to release the beliefs he had and instead explore darker thoughts? Because oh, his thoughts were already straying into rather unsavory territory. If she was the key to diverting his path, he couldn’t simply let her galivant about with Trafalgar. No, he needed her at his side. He needed her to be utterly devoted to him. To believe in him enough that perhaps this fabled Light Keeper power could make him unkillable. Failing that, perhaps she could spill the secrets of the Old Ones. Tell him who might give him the knowledge and power to twist reality himself. Perhaps in exchange for a lovely sacrifice upon their limestone altar?

Even the more mundane option of her simply dying in his place to whichever Emperor he was unfortunate enough to cross was an acceptable outcome. Sometimes the best solution was the simplest.

But how to do this? Well, she was a woman. Were they not all slaves to love? Puppets pulled by the invisible strings of emotion? Surely, she was just as easy to manipulate. Hawkins simply needed to take advantage of that weakness. To seduce her and make her love him. Surely, that would not be difficult. The only real complication was her captain. He would be forced to either kill Trafalgar Law or manipulate Ikkaku into betraying him. The former would take cunning and force, while the latter would take subtle seduction and perfect timing.

And, well, if that failed, there was always old-fashioned kidnapping and torture. Even the strongest will could be broken with enough pain and creativity. And a man desperate to defy his fate was willing to commit atrocities a lesser man would balk at.

Plan taking shape in his mind, Hawkins opened his cabin door, calling out for his first mate. “Faust! Did you happen to see which way Trafalgar’s ship sailed?”

The cat Mink paused mid-step, surprised at the uncharacteristic grin on his captain’s face more than the question. Had he not been angry less than an hour before? “Trafal-nya’s ship? It seemed to be headed towards the next island, based on the log pose.”

“Excellent,” Hawkins purred, patting Faust’s head before heading towards the top deck. “Tell the helmsman to stay close, but not overtake them. We don’t want them thinking we’re following them.”

“We don’t?”

Blonde locks draped over Hawkins’ shoulder as he glanced over it. “No. Because we’re not following them. We’re following her.”

“‘Her’?”

“My High Priestess. The woman who will make me a god,” he replied before leaving a confused Mink with no further explanation. Not that one would have made sense to anyone but Hawkins. But he didn’t need his crew to understand. He just needed them to obey. To remain devoted, just as Ikkaku would be when he was through with her. She’d sealed her fate the moment she’d crossed his path. The cards had spoken. Light would succumb to darkness. The High Priestess would submit to the Devil. The Magician would become Pirate King.

Hawkins would not die. It was not his fate.

Deep beneath the waves, shadowy tendrils writhed as an ancient being laughed to itself, pleased that the seed of madness it had planted in the mortal’s fragile mind had taken root so perfectly.

[slugtrait]

🍗 rest peacefully, our sweet bastet, the wrinkliest of all the cats.

bastet florence of florence farm, aged 17 years old, has passed away peacefully at home. bastet is survived by her fellow feline companions : her partner in life, zippo florence and her sweet son, poe florence. she is also survived by her human companions : ulrike faust, gwendoline florence, eden willow florence, and fern florence.

may she rest in peace.

[waraxarcana]

@meowgiciann asked: “The music man's voice is like scratching a fork on a plate.” The mink walks over the table, steps that always seem like they’re about to hit something but so skillfully avoiding it as his tails contours every object that stays intact there. “That other looks like an angry bull who got spayed. Don’t like them at all, nya.” He falls on his back, instead of plainly hitting the floor Faust gracefully backflips and quickly runs to the blond’s side. Headbutting under his elbow and pushing his head in until Hawkins’s palms stayed over his head, laying his elbows over the armchair. “It is really nyahcessary? Captaain Haawkins?” He stares at the two other allies that were present and probably listened to his ruthless words.  

"I agree with you that our choice in allies is...less than ideal," Hawkins sighed, though a hint of an amused smile did touch his lips at Faust's apt descriptions of the other two captains. It widened further at the cat mink's demand for pets, which he gladly gave into. Faust's fur was soft, and his presence had a calming effect on him that he sorely needed. "But the cards predicted this alliance would lead me to my prize. After two years of searching, we can't afford to let this chance slip through our fingers. No matter how annoying the company."

Glancing over at Kid and Apoo, he noted that the pair was, as usual, arguing and throwing barbed comments at each other, though they had quieted down when Faust insulted them. Killer, of course, was more attentive, listening from the start, but Hawkins refused to let himself care. The blonde...unnerved him. There was something about him the Hawkins could not - or really, would not - put his finger on, but he found himself far more unnerved and tense around the Massacre Soldier than his more unhinged captain. Found his eyes drawn to him more often than not. If asked, he'd claim that it was because Killer was the one with the brains, and thus more of a threat. For while this was an alliance, those made among pirates always ended in blood, one way or another.

Still, he refused to bend. Relaxed by the presence of his own first mate, and spurred on by his mischief, Hawkins allowed himself to smirk down at Faust in a conspiring manner.

"Perhaps fate has taken pity on them, putting us in their paths. I'm sure there's much they could learn from us. Perhaps you could teach them how to hunt." A devious glint shone in red eyes. Considering how cats enjoyed "teaching" humans to hunt, he had little doubt that both men would find live mice in their quarters. And that would be only the start of his fiendish feline's pranks.