#I also want to know how the underworld works. it's just a forest?

[hongjoongpresent]

Wow dear doctor im coming for soul sure is a show

[thepythakorean]

parallels between the boy and the heron and this painting, plus general analysis

Arnold Bocklin, Island of the Dead. 1880

i want to preface this by saying i am by no means an art history nerd, i just happen to know some stuff about the background of this painting in particular.

as soon as mahito is sucked into the tower floor he is standing at the shore of an island surrounded by an endless ocean. he is dwarfed by a large set of golden gates that say something like "those who seek my knowledge shall perish" and an even taller forest of cypress trees. these features all frame a white dolmen (primitive tomb usually made of giant rocks stacked like below) that beckons to him.

this scene immediately struck me since it has so many of the visual elements of the painting. mahito is even framed in the foreground to be so very small approaching these giant, daunting structures just like the boat heading for the island in the painting. besides the tombs, the cypress trees are also traditionally associated with mourning and death at least in europe/the mediterranean. other ghibli movies have lavish european aesthetics tied to characters (howl, yubaba, etc.) but it feels particularly intimate here given that mahito's great granduncle, the creator and ruler of this world, is apparently european and can only pass on his role to a direct descendant. (btw not saying the gaudy european decor signature of howl and yubaba aren't important to their characterization, it def is! i'm just saying it stood out to me in this movie especially.) the cliffs full of stone entrance passageways are prominent later in the movie as himi takes mahito through the parakeet's domain, and interestingly, in the delivery room where natsuko is, there is another dolmen behind her (can't find pics since the movie hasn't been uploaded yet urgh).

the backstory to the painting continues to parallel to the events of the story! so there's 5 versions of this painting. the first three versions were painted in a cemetery close to bocklin's residence which was also full of white headstones and sculptures, and cypress trees. one of his infant children, one of many children he lost, was buried there. the one i posted above is the first/second-- while bocklin was working on the first, a the soon-to-be wife of a politician visited his studio, saw the wip, and commissioned her own version with the added white figure and coffin to commemorate her first husband who had just died of diphtheria. already somewhat similar to how mahito's mother died in the hospital fire (well. she died from the fire but presumably she was there because she was sick) and when his father shortly remarried. these were also added to the initial wip and stuck in later versions of the painting. bocklin later wrote to her, "you will be able to dream yourself into the world of dark shadows". the movie is also very dreamlike-- it's a fantasy world filled with strange creatures, alternate versions of people he knows, and passages that seem to alter the fabric of time and space. people also seem to forget about it as soon as they leave even after spending long periods of time in it like a dream. the painting is also very dreamlike, but why? the warm lighting, maybe not in the version i posted but in a couple others, may explain it, but the island itself resembles the curtains and stage of a theater (referencing the audio clip below the description). even if it doesn't look EXACTLY like that to you, it's definitely a too-perfect little scene in a nebulous expanse of space. this theatrical quality is also shown in the movie by the parakeet uprising side plot as well as the scene when himi and mahito collapse in front of the delivery room-- the curtain falls directly in front of the viewer over them as though a stageplay just ended. oh and a friend mentioned to me how this is a classic hero's journey plot and mirrors orpheus in the underworld. island of the dead has also directly inspired NUMEROUS other works of art, including other paintings, stage productions, and symphonic poems. apparently the painting was so popular many people in berlin hung prints of it in their homes (i do too)! as i stated above though, a lot of the visual elements in the painting were already traditional symbols relating to death so i don't want to 100% conclude that miyazaki was directly inspired by this painting, he may have just also resonated with those symbols independent of bocklin which i still think is awesome.

the first time we see himi also reminded me of the painting. she's wearing a white dress and standing at the bow of a small wooden boat, and though her intentions are to save the warawara from the pelicans, she inevitably kills some of them too. visually and thematically she's like the white figure at the front of the rowboat in the painting. she acts as a guide for mahito (analogous to the rower? he traveled to this world of his own volition but needed a guide) for a good part of the movie and is a collage of life and death. she is a younger but kind of omniscient version of his dead mother; she's known all along she is mahito's mother but is about to be born into the world by the end of the movie and accepts her fate happily. she can control fire which envelops her like how she died in the real world, but is harmless to the touch unless she directs it as a weapon, and as we see with the warawara and pelicans it helps creation but also destroys much like fire's role in the natural world. natsuko, though a separate person from himi, is still connected as a sibling, and we see her wandering into the forest at the beginning of the movie while wearing white like himi, back turned to mahito, and that is what prompts him to first enter the tower. the strange nature of her character that doesn't adhere to a proper time or space parallels the way the white figure completely stands out in the painting, at least the ones with darker lighting. another crazy parallel surrounding fire and wwii between the painting and the movie is that the fourth version of this painting was destroyed during wwii due to bombing, again like how mahito's mother's hospital was presumably set on fire by bombing during the war.

the looming effects of war alluded to throughout the movie eventually tie into its resolution, when mahito accepts his new family that he initially rejected, his own imperfect being, and the fact that one must seek out love to be happy in this bitch of a world. his great granduncle is confused as to why mahito wouldn't want to recreate his own world like him. why would you want to return to the world that killed your mother and rejects you as a person? the world that forces your people to die in war and will eventually drop the deadliest weapon mankind has ever seen even a century from now onto your home? you can make everything perfect here! he's created something of a "paradise" himself, full of lush tropical plants, parakeets, and strange insects (some of them looked like the bugs from nausicaa, another fantastical world of lush nature which is also threatened by war. interesting), almost like a garden of eden, and it so happens to be at the very top of the tower. funnily enough, bocklin also painted this several years later:

Arnold Bocklin, Island of Life. 1888

i don't know much about this one so idk if it's an explicit companion piece to the island of the dead but it certainly looks like it. the similarities are now less apparent to the movie if there are any, it's much less lush but there are exotic plants and uh birds and stuff. this is definitely more likely a case of shared inspiration from the symbols themselves rather than movie directly looking at the painting. anyway clearly the promise of a perfect paradise isn't real, as this is interrupted by a war of his own unwitting creation, the uprising of the parakeets he wanted to breed in a paradise that literally bring about the end of the world. no world will ever be perfect when left long enough to its own devices. life finds a way! plus, this world was created through so much death (the construction workers in hazardous conditions, the way the tower keeps spiriting people away. btw in the english sub mahito's dad calls the whole ordeal a "disappearance" but he says "kamikakushi" in japanese which means "hidden by god" in reference to people who mysteriously disappeared as if from supernatural circumstances and yes that's the word they used in the japanese title of spirited away!!!) and is on the verge of collapsing from reality every three days just because of some building blocks?? the real world may be on fire but it'll go out/burn less badly someday, and at least it won't completely disappear in a snap, not in an easily imagined timescale for a human anyway. it's up to you to make the best of it, and this is what mahito decides. there are also visual allusions to other ghibli movies about the constantly present threat or consequences of war. the only other landmark aside from the island mahito lands on is a line of ships which kiriko later tells him are all fake. it immediately reminded me of the stream of planes in porco rosso which were the souls of dead fighter pilots moving on. the shadow people in the swamp were also reminiscent of those in the train in spirited away, which are never explained to my knowledge but the given that spirited away's characters are largely spirits and the way souls are so similarly designed in this movie makes me feel that they were also souls of people in spirited away.

through this imagined otherworld, there is also the blurring of lines between life and death, reality and imagination. himi plus her dyad with natsuko (they're sisters AND they look exactly the same AND both are mother figures to mahito) are great examples of this. mahito's mother is gone, he knew this and set foot into the world anyway. he rejected natsuko as his new mother but in going through the struggles of the tower he comes to accept familial love for her and even keeps confusing "natsuko" and "mom" while reaching out to her in the delivery room. a family is made up of different people but inevitably you will see each other in each person. in the delivery room scene we see the paper hanging from the ceiling lash out to attack and stick to mahito like tape, it even leaves red marks on him. this is one of the best scenes in the movie to me because of its visual contrast to him rushing to save his mother in the fire. in the fire scene, the real world around him is blurred and distorted and at times so is mahito and especially his mother. the fire doesn't seem to burn him or his clothes (i could be remembering that wrong tho) and the scene cuts off before it shows him possibly going in further. in the delivery room, everything is drawn with clean lineart, no stylization. there is no mistaking the reality of this situation even though this world is conjured, the dawning realization upon mahito that this person is his mother is so visceral that he actively fights through the paper literally snapping its jaws and natsuko spitting her hatred towards him. when mahito is ready to leave the tower, himi leaves through a separate door to be born as his mother sometime in the past though she is not a warawara and knows what has happened/will happen, an exception that further demonstrates the nonlinear nature of time and space in the movie.

after coming out of the tower, the heron tells mahito he should forget everything that happened in there. even his grandmother seemed to have forgotten the whole year she spent in there (it seems like tower time reflects irl time judging by the events of the movie). anything that comes out doesn't just disappear, it transforms into a real-life counterpart as we saw with the pelicans leaving as they were (presumably minus the ability to speak) and the parakeets going from big bloodthirsty things to regular parakeets. so mahito can't just forget, especially because he comes out changed from his experiences in there, not just himself personally but also his changed relationships with natsuko and the heron, and also his little souvenirs. then the movie abruptly ends with mahito narrating that they left for tokyo again shortly after the war ended. i like to think that this was a hopeful ending where mahito maintained that character development and was able to welcome natsuko and his new sibling into his family while being able to seek more friends and family in the future. i've seen other analyses talking about how this movie was semi-autobiographical for miyazaki and i can see it, how events early in his life shaped his personality and how he had to fight to find beauty in a world that otherwise treated him poorly, so i'm glad he ended the movie on that note, although in less words. pretty similar to how spirited away ended, although there was arguably more loss involved, but still hopeful, and that's what i find so powerful about this movie. and like this movie, spirited away involves a dyad between yubaba and zeniba as a device for the hardships and beauty of life, how they're not so discreet at times. as a last kindasorta tie-in to bocklin's work, i'll point again to the island of life which was created after the island of the dead, plus a composition directly inspired by the island of the dead, a symphonic poem with the same title written by sergei rachmaninoff. the last time i listened to this was in high school and it's like. 20 minutes long so i'm too impatient to give it a relisten now but from my vague recollection plus some quick searches it's a very somber piece that escalates into emotional climaxes yet still contains warmer tones, and goes back to the same "rowing" motif at the end. it weaves together evocations of life and death in one piece, also illustrating how the two really are so closely connected.

tl;dr, this was me the entire movie because miyazaki SEEMS to be heavily inspired by this one symbolist painting i happen to like a lot:

also also here's a self portrait of bocklin:

yes, all of his paintings are that cool.

[flower1622]

My first example for an opening of my movie (based on a fanfic)

The movie would start with a moon and the waves of the ocean moving.

Voice in the background:

Hi! My name is Selena. You must be asking where i am, right? So, look up at the sky here, at this big white ball. Did you find it? That's right. That's me. Now, you must be asking if i'm the moon. Well...it's complicated. I used to be a goddess before...and half human. But, now...let's just say...i'm something else. If you want to know about my story, we'd would have to go back...to the beginning. I hope you like it!

Then, the movie would have a fade out (the fade out could mean the goddess snapping her fingers. Maybe i could put the sound of the fingers snapping 🤔) for a few seconds and then, fade in with the camera flying in the places, as if it was placed on a bird (or in this case, crow, to represent Hades' bird that travels around the world to show Hades what was happening in world since he had to stay in the underworld. It was kinda like a tv to him), but we wouldn't have the bird shown. It would be just the camera showing the places very close, so this way the people who are watching can feel as if they were in the movie.

First, we would have the camera flying around camp half blood, then it goes inside a cave and goes out to show cities at night, with bats flying in front of the camera and some vampires appearing from the shadows and growling at the camera while they stare at the camera with their red eyes and fangs. After showing the cities (especially New York), the camera would fly inside a open well, which is completely dark. The camera would get out in the ocean, inside of a tsunami and showing it destroying a city with the camera being drowned in the water while buildings, statues, vehicles and other things fall in the water. Then, the camera would swim to the other side of the ocean in the dark, showing some animals, like sharks, whales, fishes and other things. Then, the camera would fly to the surface to the direction of the moon's light. It would continue flying and appear in the morning with the sunlight and a ship. The camera would fly around the ship, showing the places inside it and pirates doing their work. Then, it would fly to the to the clouds in the sky and get out of the sky, above a beautiful place and a waterfall. The camera would fly inside the forest, showing the place. It would also get very close to a little mounted on a house, riding the animal pretty fast. Then the camera would fly to the sky and then, fly to a castle direction, showing the place. Then, the camera would fly to a open dark secret passeway under a bed and get out at Olympus at night. It would fly through Olympus, showing everything in its way to the Olympus. It would fly in the stairs too while the camera goes to the door that was open. The camera would fly inside the Olympus, showing the places until it finally reaches the reunion between the gods (with a baby at the center, inside a golden cradle) with the camera flying in the air and then flying to the ground slowly, with a normal position to get all the scene.

After this, the first scene would start. The music of the background would fade slowly...

This song could have played in the background during the opening:

The thing with the camera would be something like this, without showing the crow:

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

The end scene would be with the same image of the moom above the ocean.

Voice in the background (Selena):

Now, you saw a little about my story and how i ended up like this. But, what if i told you there are more things to happen? Would you come back?

[kay-lalala]

Watching Episode 7 of PJOTV

Remember how Procrustes tricked the trio?

Remember that he got killed?

That he tried to stretch Annabeth and Grover? HOW PERCY TRICKED HIM?

BRO WHERE IS DOA RECORDS?????

How Charon was an actual character that complained about low pay and the work and just wanted to buy italian suits? And he hates being confused with Chiron (does Percy even have dyslexia in this?) And how they tried to convince him that all 3 of them drowned in a bathtub? They don't even go on his boat?? WHY IS HE PALPATINE???

That Cerberus sat down on a bunch of ghosts? How they got judged to go to Elysium?

Instead they're taking us out of the action to make us watch Sally yell at Percy.

What even is the underworld? Slenderman forest? Knockoff Mordor? Suddenly empty deserts? No budget for the ghosts of Asphodel?

GROVER LOSES HIS PEARL BECAUSE HE... GOT EATEN BY CERBERUS?

Also AGAIN pulling the self sacrifice shit?

What are they doing fucking around in the weird forest?

ANNABETH LEAVES????????????????????

HE FINDS THE LIGHTNING BOLD BEFORE MEETING HADES???????? Also wasn't Tartarus in a cave?

Oh my gooodddddd these flashbacks are so boringngggggghg

No bronze gates? Engraved with scenes of death? No? Okay.

Bro this is fucking Moria or some shit cave. Where is the weird garden with glowing plants and weird mushrooms and jewels and Statues ans pomegranate trees. Where is the black marble and polished bronze floor? Where are the skeletons in different military gear?

That's not Hades. That's not Hades. That can't be Hades. Tell me that's not Hades. That's not Hades. No way that's Hades. Wait. It's Hades.

"He was the third god I'd met, but the first who really struck me as godlike. He was at least three metres tall, for one thing, and dressed in black silk robes and a ceown of braided gold. His skin was albino white, his hair shoulder-length and jet black. [...] He lounged om his throne of fused human bones, looking lithe, graceful and dangerous as a panther."

?????????????????????????????????????????????

"'You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon,' he said in an oily voice. 'After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply ver foolish.'

???????????????????????????????????????????

Also why is Sally a weird gold statue

Bro Hades would NOT fucking talk like that HE WOULD NOT FUCKING SAY THAT??? How do you mess up a character voice THIS BAD?

Wow you managed to ruin every new character in this episode huh?

No effort no soul no passion not a single crumb in this fucking mess of a show

Aren't the furies there? And skeletons? Also why does it look like someone stole some stuff out of a museum and their grandmas house and put it into a minimalist cave??? The set design is the biggest piece of dogshit I've seen in a TV show.

Aaaaaaand he knows it's Kronos.

WHY ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT KRONOS NOW???

Why are they going down? The sea is up?

Cool another flashback with out of character sally

Why is Poseidon there?

What a useless fucking flashback.

What belongs to the sea can always return to the- ...beach I guess?

Accurate adaptation my ass. Another disappointment. BRO WHERE IS THE WHIMSY????????

[nerdthatsiriuslylovesteaxx]

Helpless part 66, another cog in the murder machine

"What's going on?"

"It isn't anything bad, I swear, well, nothing worse than you already know."

"That's so fucking reassuring." They finally walked outide, to the lake in the forest. They sat down near the water on an old log.

"Firstly, say anything you want to say. We're alone, no one's watching, no one will hear. Swear, yell, scream, anything, anything you want to say to me, anything you said in general." She looked at him, slightly confused, yet all the bottled up anger, fear and sadness took over her mind.

"I'M SO FUCKING SCARED ALL THE TIME, EVERY FUCKING DAY I WAKE UP I CAN FEEL THAT HE'S DYING AND FOR ONCE I JUST WANT TO TELL HIM TO TAKE CARE OF HIMSELF, TO EVEN TRY TO FUCKING QUIT, ONCE IN HIS FUCKING LIFETIME. HE CARES ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE SO MUCH YET HE WON'T PUT THE SLIGHTEST FAITH IN HIMSELF, HE DOESN'T EVEN TRY BECAUSE HE'S SCARED HE'LL FAIL. REYNA KEEPS TELLING ME HE'LL BE OKAY, THAT HE'S STRONG. BUT HOW FUCKING STRONG CAN SOMEONE BE? I KNOW HE WAS HURT, I KNOW HE'S HURTING, I KNOW HE CAN'T TAKE IT BUT HE'S SO FUCKING HARD TO HELP. SOMETIMES HE'LL JUST SHUT OFF, HE'S NOT EVEN THERE AFTER THAT, HE WON'T SAY A WORD, IT CAN LAST WEEKS. WEEKS WHERE HE BARELY SLEEPS, BARELY EATS AND DOESN'T SAY A WORD SO WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE FUCK TO HELP HIM. THE FACT THAT HE LIVES HALF WAY ACROSS AMERICA DOESN'T FUCKING HELP EITHER. YOU TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO BE OKAY, WAS THAT EVEN THE FUCKING TRUTH? I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REALISE IT OR NOT BUT HE IS REALLY FUCKING CLOSE TO DYING, LIKE ONE WRONG MOVE AND HE'LL BE DEAD IN SECONDS. I CAN'T FUCKING LIVE WITHOUT HIM." She yelled every word through broken sobs, tears still streaming down her face, her body still shaking. Will pulled her into a hug,

"Hey, breathe, you're okay. He's going to be okay as well."

"He'll just try again, every single fucking time."

"That's partially what we're here to talk about, how we're going to help after he wakes up."

"What if he doesn't?"

"He will, he has to, I'm not letting you lose your only brother" She smiled at that but you could see the pain in her eyes, how she felt she wouldn't get him back.

"Do you have any sort of plan?"

"Do you think he'll be better at Camp Jupiter?"

"No, no chance, it's too risky. He doesn't know many people, he spent way less time there than Camp Half-Blood and just, it won't go well no matter how much Reyna wants to keep him there." She didn't mention that mass and uncontrollable homophobia problems which had been passed on from year's ago, while Jason had tried his best to stop it people still sucked.

"Do you have any ideas?"

"Could I stay here with him? I want to be able to keep an eye on him." She didn't trust him, she wouldn't trust him until she could watch his every move, it sounded psychotic but she couldn't care less.

"'Course." He hoped it would work, more than that he hoped that Nico would wake up. "Is there any way you know that has a chance to wake him up? Something we might not have tried yet?"

"I- maybe." She took a shakey sigh, "Proserpina- Persephone's pomegranate seeds, maybe. I'm not sure." Will had hundreds of questions, most important being, where could they even find them?

"Where do we...?"

"Well... they only work for Pluto kids, Nico used to keep them with him at all times but he ran out after the jar. He- tried to give some to me before everything happened but I didn't take them, that was for the best, he only just had enough to survive the jar. Unless you want to steal from Proserpina?"

"Couldn't we ask?"

"Well... I've never actually met her... Nico said she didn't like him so she might not give them but even then, I can't be seen in the Underworld. I would die."

"Can I ask why?"

"It's irrelevant, all you need to know is either I have to steal or someone else is going which likely won't end well. Also we have to sneak into the Underworld, no entry allowed after everything that happened in the war." Fuck, well this sounded like it was going to end well.

"Thank you so much Hazel, if you ever need to talk I'm here."

"Thanks." She went to walk off but turned back,"Will... it's not as accurate as it could be because I haven't trained it or anything but... I can sense when someone wants to hurt themselves, I'm not sure how accurate it is yet or anything but yeah." She left without waiting for an answer.

***

[wiccawrites]

KinnPorsche Fic Masterlist | wicca @ ao3

Last Updated: Sept. 26, 2023 | my ao3

Series: A Blooming Oleander (ABO Verse)

The premise of KinnPorsche The Series but in an omegaverse setting where Kinn is an omega and Porsche is an alpha. Diverges from canon.

Blooming Oleander (18/18) | Explicit | 175,274 words | Alpha!Porsche x Omega!Kinn

One does not become the only omega among the heirs of the Thai underworld without knowing how to take what he wants.

Notable Tags/Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Morally Ambiguous Characters, Trope Inversion

Warm Heart (1/1) | General Audiences | 11,915 words | Alpha!Kim x Omega!Chay side story to Blooming Oleander

Five times Chay puts up with Kim's mixed signals and the one time where he finally has enough.

Notable Tags/Warnings: Fluff, Pining, Getting Together, Friends to Lovers

Series: of the feline persuasion (Jaguar hybrid!Porsche Verse)

Someone pays off their debt with a rare jaguar hybrid and Kinn gets much more than he initially bargained for.

Feline Purrsuasion (6/6) | Mature | 36,591 words | Mafia Boss!Kinn x Jaguar Hybrid!Porsche

"He's a cat hybrid," Kinn says, unable to hide how underwhelmed he is. Considering the price Ban had mentioned, Kinn had hoped for a dog hybrid, at least. Someone who was less likely to be averse to working with others and who would probably make a good bodyguard with sufficient training.

Ban tries to reply but he's interrupted by a deep, menacing growl that crests into a full fledged roar before he can get a word in.

Kinn whistles.

"Alright, he's a big cat hybrid."

aka: 5 times Kinn accidentally makes his jaguar hybrid bodyguard purr + 1 time Porsche purrs for him on purpose

Notable Tags/Warnings: Fluff, Pining, Oblivious!Kinn, mentions of trauma, references to past torture

the cat that got the cream (1/1) | Explicit | 9,662 words | PWP sequel to Feline Purrsuasion

Some things are worth the wait.

Or: In which Porsche finally passes his Assessment and makes Kinn fulfill his end of their agreement. Many times.

Notable Tags/Warnings: PWP, Dom/sub Undertones, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Rough Sex, Body Worship, Size Queen Porsche, Pet Names, Come Swallowing, Vibrators, Praise Kink, Size Kink, Dirty Talk

Alone Together (3/?) | Explicit | 12,584 words | Ancient Vampire!Kinn x Fledgling Vampire!Porsche

It is twenty years after The Awakening – the global phenomenon which ultimately led to humans discovering the existence of vampires – and Thailand is on the cusp of a long-awaited political milestone. After a decade of hard work, a bill that aims to uphold both human and vampire rights is close to being finalized.

Unfortunately, this is also when something decides to turn Bangkok into its own hunting ground.

Notable Tags/Warnings: Morally Ambiguous Characters, Political Intrigue, Mystery, Childe/Sire Bond(s), Soul Bond

Moonchild (we're born in the moonlight) - 3/3 | Explicit | 3,619 words | Red Riding Hood Retelling

"Let me walk you home, then," Kinn offers, recalling the recent accidents and all the superstitions he'd heard about the forest ever since he was a boy. "Even if you live close by, these woods can get dangerous. You should always get home before nightfall."

"Trust me," Porsche smiles, teeth sharp and brown eyes glittering an almost golden hue under the late afternoon light. "I'll be fine."

He lets Kinn walk him home anyway.

Notable Tags/Warnings: Dark Fairy Tales, Werewolves, Fantasy, Trans Male Character, Mates, Vaginal Sex

just this once (1/1) | Teen and Up Audiences | Canon Compliant Kinn x Porsche

Kinn gets a moment of clarity. A brief second where he becomes painfully aware of two conflicting facts: first, he wants to kiss Porsche and second, he is not drunk enough to give in.

He does anyway.

aka the ending of Episode 3 from Kinn’s perspective.

Notable Tags/Warnings: Character Study, Canon Compliant, First Kiss

Recovery (1/1) | Teen and Up Audiences | Canon Divergent Kinn x Porsche

"I should have known better than to give you an order and expect you to follow me," Kinn says from the doorway of Porsche's hospital room.

aka my take on the side story before we knew there was gonna be a side story

Notable Tags/Warnings: Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Sharing a Bed

i'll be yours (if you'll be mine) | Explicit | Canon Compliant Kinn x Porsche

Kinn is a flame, burning, burning, oh so bright, and Porsche wants nothing more than for Kinn to consume him if it means he gets to have Kinn to himself in return.

Notable Tags/Warnings: Character Study, Porn with Feelings

The Call of the Deep (1/1) | Explicit | Eldritch Horror!Kinn x Mermaid!Porsche

To the Merfolk, the depths of the ocean are as equally terrifying as the surface – and for good reason. But Porsche isn't about to let anything stop him from finding his missing brother.

Notable Tags/Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Aphrodisiacs, Drugged Sex, Tentacle Sex, Corruption, Forced Orgasms

mirror, mirror (1/1) | Explicit | Canon KinnPorsche

When they started this twisted game of cat and mouse, Porsche was sure he was the cat. After all, he had the advantage of studying every single blindspot in every single room that Kinn entered. Kinn, on the other hand, had a reputation to uphold. An image of invulnerability that couldn't be tainted with losing his composure because of mundane things like, let's say, having his bodyguard's foot on his crotch during a security briefing.

But somewhere along the way Kinn had taken a different approach; had studied Porsche and found all the right buttons to press. Kinn started using his words. And Porsche, to his own horror, found that he liked them.

Or, Porsche fucks around (with Kinn) and finds out (more about himself than what he'd initially bargained for).

Notable Tags/Warnings: Mirror Sex, Praise Kink, Pet Names, Dirty Talk, Kink Discovery

Mahiwaga | Dragon!Porsche x King!Kinn | To be expanded

Adjective. mysterious, inexplicable, miraculous

Or: In which Porsche is a dragon deity and Kinn comes to him for help to save his kingdom.

(the future is) bulletproof | Dystopian AU KimChay

Kim had never really bought into the kool aid that his father seems to have successfully sold to everyone else in Oasis City. There had to be something in the barrenlands beyond the Mirage – otherwise, there wouldn’t be such strict laws on leaving the city borders. He sneaks out in search of the truth and finds so much more than he bargained for.

AKA son of a corrupt government official!Kim x youngest in a ragtag group of rebels!Chay, but in a post-apocalyptic setting

the oxygen of the soul | KinnPorsche & ChatKhem Reincarnation AU | To be expanded

"It feels like I can only be free if you're by my side."

A few more scattered posts in varying stages of completion:

Bodyswap!AU - To be expanded

(Single) Parenting 101 - To be expanded

Full Shift Werewolves AU

Hades AU

[spacealligator]

Master post for my fics

hellou dear (possible?) readers,

my main fandom is the Metric System. Don't expect to find "inches, feet, miles" etc in my writing, it might not sound as kool, but fuck Imperialism.

Also, beware of lots of useless adjectives/adverbs and extremely detailed smut (don't ask me why, I don't know why, I'm trying to unpack that in therapy)

alright, here are the links to the Good Stuff™:

ObiKaka ❤️

My heart will fit a whole forest of you: link, completed -> After Obito comes back from the dead to save Rin, Kakashi tries to understand why he has flowers growing in his hair

Overtime Hours: link, completed, 18+, with a sequel -> Obito is a new employee in the game developing company Konoha and he's already crushing hard on Kakashi, what a shame that he's an alpha too

How to Pick a Good Roommate: link, completed, 18+ -> Obito catches Kakashi fucking one day and he starts fumbling around with his new found sexuality and romantic feelings

Help Me Mr. Handsome Cop!: link, completed, 18+, with other stories as a continuation of the series -> detective Kakashi aks for help from Minato's underworld contact, Obito, but he's very hot and Kakashi is flustered

Other Naruto Stuff

Morning dew on the grass after last night's storm: link, one shot, -> While in mission Yahiko, Konan and Nagato decide to adopt Karin thinking she's just another orphan

Jujutsu Kaisen

Where Loyalty Dies: link, one shot, completed, M rated but not for sexual content, Ieiri Shoko centric -> Shoko works as an underground doctor for the Gojo mafia, and when Suguru appears bleeding on her doorstep, she should turn him in for Satoru, but she helps him instead

Being a multishiper is hard work: here are other ideas plaguing my existence and that I'm writing and will post eventually (not all encompassing list)

ObiKaka Cowboy Bebop AU: save a horse, ride a cowboy

Dark Hinata AU: the goody two shoes girl finally snaps (mood)

one day I hope to write stories centered on the usually forgotten female characters of Naruto, like Mei, Anko, Kurenai, Rin, Shizune etc etc etc very long list

give me other ideas, why not? it's not like my sleep schedule is healthy anyway

find my other profiles:

Ao3 -> Space__Alligator

FF.net -> Space Alligator (with some crossposts from Ao3)

discord -> space_alligator

reddit -> u/SpaceAligator (wow, it's 2024 and you use reddit too and wants to talk to me over there? cringe)

MAL -> SpaceAlligator (do people even use this thing anymore? i just log in to add animes to my list? whatever)

[nitewrighter]

For ask game:

17. What highly specific AU do you want to read or write even though you might be the only person to appreciate it?

50. Open ended! If there’s something you’d like to discuss or gush about this is a free space

17. Honestly this is an AU because it's a Universe where Batman admits he needs help but after reading Failsafe I NEEEEED Bruce to talk to Harvey Dent about Zur-En-Arrh. I need a Harvey who has actually managed to work out a solid balance with his Big Bad Harv personality to chew the fuck out of Bruce for creating a psychotic alternate personality on purpose. I need Bruce in a sheen of cold sweat showing up at Harvey's door in the middle of the night saying, "I made a mistake. And I need help."

And this is going to be a Harvey that's actually taken the time to not just get on top of his own fucked up alternate personality, but also successfully carve out a niche for himself in the Gotham underworld as a sort of gray agent, utilizing his legal know-how to not just sidestep major conflicts between Gotham Rogues but also quietly create an exit network for henchmen that otherwise would have just been fall guys or cannon fodder for the Riddler or the Penguin or whoever. So he'd be kind of like the legal equivalent of the Underbroker, but his coin would also come into play in terms of who he helps and who he doesn't.

On a more *actual* AU note (but not really) I want to Isekai the MAWS trio to the world of Myrra so bad. I reference Nightmaster in that one "Forest Bathing" porn I wrote and it's lurked at the back of my mind, since.

There's also always that 1970's/1980's Sword and Sorcery Crossover Tavern. Samwise Gamgee and Moonglum of Elwher talk about their fucked up relationships with The Main Characters.

50. Oh gosh, I'm drawing a blank on what exactly to talk about. I feel like there should be more of a network of support especially for new fanfic writers. Like, I've been writing fic for more than 10 years but I see these younger, newer writers on AO3 be like "This is my first fic!! Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!" And then... they get almost zero hits and no comments and you can see they get discouraged and never post again. People see a typo or a clumsy characterization or bad formatting and they click right out, and I think this is part of the issue with fanfic culture is like... we're so used to seeking out fics that perfectly fit our perceptions of the characters that we kind of stonewall out a lot of newer voices that are still trying to find their own styles. And THEN we have the gall to turn around and complain about how fanon has distorted this or that character when it's like... we're creating that environment!! We're the ones raising up some voices and discouraging others! There are so many fan studies scholars talking about how 'collaborative' a community fanfic is--and I know because I talked about fanfic communities as part of my Info Communities class in library school! But I honestly feel like we could be doing more to support newer fanfic creators.

[bangytell]

"All my emotions feel like explosions when you're around." Rick Montgomery– Line Without a Hook

summary: After knowing the truth you have to get moving so you start your journey

pairing: fairy!Jimin x f reader

rated: mature, +18

word count: 2.2K

warning: Just a little cock riding, let's start with something right?

a/n: Hiii i'm back, please give some love to this new episodes, im really excited for this series.

"Now Y/N there's this secret I have to tell you." At the brown couch with your legs up covering your face, you tilt it up with glowing eyes 

"Why inside?" Jungkook asked, curious

"Outside there's fairies, bad fairies also, and the windows are protected," you blinked in obliviousness 

"You better start telling her cause we have to get moving." Taehyung entered the room with a bag, a big bag hanging his arm

"Y/N remember I told you I didn't mean to tell you about the part of you being a nephilim?" with a nod in response he continues "This place is protected, your garden and the house, I am here to protect you from the day you were born, but something happened…" his voice shutted down

"What happened?" You ask in response with a raspy voice

"We met," Taehyung answers slowly

"While I was away, you went out the circle, and a bad person looked at you, not only that but he warned…" his gaze hesitated around the house as if the answer was right there 

"Jiminnie, I know i don't acknowledge that much of the outside, but I am a woman, a full and grown woman." he nods, in the verge of crying 

"I protected you, on your way to your job, on your job, anywhere i be nobody could hurt you, I waited until you finished your work because I wanted you to feel normal, after a few days I left, Tae knew you were here, so he tried to watch you over" he stopped and got closer to you, a few inches from your face and he placed his hands on your cheeks

"Remember the day you climbed that tree?" With a nod, he continues his story."The forest is a place full of creatures…"

"Your father is looking for you," Taehyung said cause he knew Jimin couldn't

"My…" father?" Jimin nods with your gaze on his 

"That 's the secret? " he nods again. "Then why do I have to go?" With a confused tone, you look at the eyes of the three around you

"Your mother was an angel, so we thought, she looked like one, she was so beautiful, like you, she was magical but not the magic we thought, she came from a bloodline of witches and witches are humans, and she knew your father would have wanted a firstborn to take his place in the realm of the underworld" you are confused, a lot of information you don't understand fully

"Aren't nephilim supposed to be creations from an angel?" 

"Yes, your father is an angel, a fallen angel, he lost his wings" your eyes were open and your mouth as well, you couldn't believe what he just said, the fact of your father being alive was a pure surprise itself the mere fact of fallen angel and wings was something you couldn't catch on it

"Does that make me a fallen angel, too? Jimin denied with a gesture of his head 

"Of course not. You are an angel, a pure angel." he gifted you with a soft smile while letting go of the touch of your skin. You miss his warm hands

"How…?" You ask, still in confusion 

"We need to leave. The sun is setting, and i want to get to where we have to be before that happens," Taehyung speaks, and the little fairie flew around the house 

"Can i come with?" he asks in excitement

"You don't even have a century of age. How can you come?" Tae asked

The fairy disappears into your room, and you can hear some heavy steps. A husky and tall Jungkook came walking with a grin 

"Woah Jungkook, when did this happen?" Jimin asks with a chuckle from the look of surprise of Tae

"You can come… You look appropriate for the job," he chuckled and hugged his hyung with one arm. He is a few inches taller 

"I need some clothes." You stood up to go to the room, Tae stopped you

"I have a few changes here, princess, don't worry." Sheepishly, you look his way 

"Underwear too?" he nods, and you hide your face 

"Yah, you pervert touching a girl's underwear!" You laugh at Jungkook trying to tackle Taehyung.

You walk to the door, Jimin beside you, he holds your hand and give a caress with his thumb, his hands are always warm, you look into his eyes, he always looks so ethereal and it makes you feel a spark inside

"I love you too." Your cheeks light up in a carmesi tone, and he caresses your chin 

"Let 's go, okay?" and so, you begin your journey, walking to town the sun is giving its last light rays, you look at your black boots and the way your dress moves every time you take a step, everyone stops, at a house that looks normal to you but feels… odd

Taehyung knocks three times, and a tall man with black hair opens up. He has a beautiful smile. You think it looks like a heart.

"Hi guys, hi Y/N." You look at him with confusion

"Do we know each other? he chuckles 

"No, I know you. Who do you think made a spell for your house?" So he is.. a witch? "Come on in, it's almost nighttime,"

As you all go inside, the candles light themselves up.

"I have a few rooms available for you, if only you told me earlier you were coming." Jimin chuckles 

"We know her father is getting closer. If not, he's in the forest by now." The unknown boy appeared so close to you that you got scared

"She looks so beautiful, you look just like your mother," he says, admiring you

"My mother?" he nods 

"Hye, she was a woman of beauty, I'm Hoseok, by the way," 

"You're scaring her," Jimin said and chuckled

"You knew her?" You ask, and Hoseok nods 

"A little more than what you think, if you know what i mean" you nod and giggle at his honesty "I have a picture around here" he appears somewhere else in the room, grabs something and appears in front of you again, he doesn't even need to move 

He hands you the picture, and it's like looking at you. Your mother's hair was shorter than yours now, and her eyes were bigger, but she was beautiful. 

"She was beautiful, could she do that, appear in different places?" Hoseok chuckles at your curiosity

"She liked to walk, and we are a little different. She was a little more human than me." You nod and smile, giving the photo back to its owner, but he refuses

"Keep it, it's a gift," you smile 

"Guys, I'm starving," Jungkook said, and everyone chuckled 

Hoseok showed the way to the dorms he had available, Taehyung and Jungkook shared one, it had two beds, Taehyung lent you the bag he was holding for you and with a small thanks he went inside.

The other room he had was one bed but a big one, it could easily be for all four of you, Jimin and Hoseok were talking while you admired around, white and green gray decorations, a night table and a chair, you sit and start to think about everything that's been happening today, you're exhausted. 

Hoseok leaves the room, or so you think to listen, every movement seems unreal.

You hear Jimin talking to you, you think? He isn't around your sight, his face looks blurred and then your eyes shut down and all your eyes see is black.

Jimin helped carry you to bed, even if he didn't appears so, he was strong, he went looking for a towel that he soaked in water and place it on your forehead; once you start to gain awareness of your surroundings you notice Jimin sitting next to you on the floor, he's breathing is slow paced and little sounds leave his lips, with extra care you caress his face; he always seemed away from you, even now, you know he doesn't feel the way you do, you know he sees you like a little girl to take care of. 

He slowly opens his eyes, sees you awake, and smiles.

"Jimin, you know that time I asked you how it was that you ate, and you told me it was a secret?" he nods. He knows what you're trying to do 

"You want to know now?" You nod, your gaze is angry, it's a whole new experience, but you need it.

"I asked Taehyung, and he said it was something adults do. Aren't I an adult?" Jimin nods. He is upright looking at your eyes 

"We eat by sex." You open your eyes in surprise. "Sex with humans." 

"Only humans?" he chuckles

"Well, it depends, we could do it with our own, but you know, it's not the same." You nod, digesting every word

"Do Taehyung and Jungkook eat the same way?" he chuckles again 

"They come to town, we only have to do it once a week, we have to be very careful with humans, but i think they're eating themselves now" you choke at your saliva and Jimin chuckled

"They what?!" he laughs and seats next to you on the bed 

"They like each other, so why not?"

"I thought Tae was messing around with him," 

"Yeah, they do that sometimes," you both chuckle, and you gaze at him. "I know what you want to ask."

"You do?" he nods 

"I came to town, and ate, I do it every week." He looks at your lips. They're open and plump, and he thinks they look delicious.

"Can you… eat with me?" he sheepishly, look at you

"I don't want to… make you feel that way."

"And what way is that?" You look away, and he grabs you by the chin to make you look his way.

"Cause when I eat, it's a one-time thing, and i don't want that with you." 

"You don't want to do it with me," he denies 

"No, I want to do it every day with you." Your eyes open in surprise, and your cheeks tint red from shyness 

"I-.." Words can't get to you, and he smiles, so beautiful to be true

"But if you want me to… we can do it step by step." 

"If you… do it with me, there won't be anyone else, right?" He remains in silence for a brief moment and you think he's going to say no, that he's going to leave you there, but he cups your face and pulls you in closer for a kiss.

You open your mouth a little giving him a silent permission to dive in more deeply into your mouth, and so he does, not later on his tongue begins to caress the inside of your mouth, the kiss deepens and he helps you get on top of him where you get to kiss him freely.

You feel the bulge beneath you, and with the help of Jimin's hand, you thrust on top of him. 

Jimin's husky arms are holding you as each thrust lets moans part from your lips. You feel the heat inside of you, and every sensation around him is new as you let him guide you. 

"Would you let me take off my pants?" he whispers at the end of your kisses as you take a breath, you nod since words can make the way to form inside your brain, you sit next to him as you see dispose of the black pants. "Are you sure about this?" You nod again."Do you like me?" he asks, nervous of what you might respond.

"I do like you a lot, do you like me?" he nods and leans in to kiss 

"I've been in love with you long before you could notice." With the dress still on your body, the thrust becomes into a quicker pace, Jimin's soft moans scape his mouth, every atom from you becomes strange to you, it's like soul has left the body, everything is magical, exciting and you feel the tightness of muscles and the orgasm about to explode. 

Jimin is guiding the thrust. He lets go, and soon after you follow, you're all damp and begin to feel a little embarrassed for this situation.  

Getting up, you step away to the bathroom, look at the mirror, swallow lips, and chest heavy on breathing.

Jimin gets inside, now wearing pajamas and stares at you.

With a little smile, you hold onto the zinc, Is hiding an option by now? You've done things before, with another man, but doing this, even so little with Jimin, the feeling of fainting kicks in.

"Angel? Is everything okay?" His sweet velvety voice brings the world in order. You nod, and he steps closer. "Talk to me lovely" 

"I'm embarrassed about this situation." He chuckles, and you look over your shoulder 

"Sweetheart, nothing around us should be like that." Walking over the bed he follows, you look in the bag and take out a panty to change to.

"Turn around," He giggles, but as told, you change into clean underwear. "I'm done."

"You know lovely, tomorrow i have something i want to talk to you about," he grins and gazes you

"Why not tonight?" 

"Because I want you to be all up and rested, we're gonna keep moving. There's somewhere you need to be for you to be safe." With a nod, you agree, you do feel tired.

You don't want to say anything more, nor about what happened or what he wants to tell you, laying in bed he joins you but keeps a safe distance, soon enough sleep greets you and takes you in his arms.

next>>

masterlist

©️bangytell please do not copy or steal my work, any translation can’t be done this is the only way to read it.

[keepmovinjunior]

tagged by :  i stole from @peculiarbeauty

tagging : anyone who wants to steal it from me! tumblr tags are being dumb atm. please just take it <3

—    basics.

▸       is your muse tall    /    short    /ㅤaverage ?ㅤaverage! she's 5'6", but more like 5'8" with the ponytail. when her hair's down, she looks shorter.

▸       are they okay with their height ?ㅤi think so. she hardly thinks about her height. there are other things she's not okay with about herself and height is like, last on the list.

▸      what’s their hair like ?ㅤauburn and extremely thick. she has a LOT of it. it takes a lot of work, because without grooming, it would be incredibly curly. she uses a ton of oil and almost always keeps it tied back.

▸     do they spend a  lot of time on their hair     /    grooming ?ㅤyes, absolutely. a large part of her survival has also been reliant on her own sexual appeal, so she's had to keep up appearances.

▸      does your muse care about their appearance   /   what others think ? she definitely cares about her appearance, and she cares only what people think because she wants to belong, wants to be loved. however, this is something she keeps very close to herself. she's also not very aware of it, especially after she's surrendered herself to hades. she's basically accepted the fact that she will always be alone, and has released herself of any anxiety around what people think. anything she does is typically out of self preservation, at least until she meets hercules.

—    preferences.

▸      indoors    or    outdoors ?     outdoors. ▸      rain    or    sunshine ?ㅤsunshine. ▸      forest    or    beach ?      beach, forest reminds her too much of the underworld. ▸      precious    metals    or    gems ?      metals, especially bronze, because of hercules and his uniform / weapons. ▸      flowers    or    perfumes ?     flowers. ▸      personality    or    appearance ?      personality. ▸      being    alone    or    being    in    a    crowd ?     being alone, definitely. ▸      order    or    anarchy ?   order, but she doesn't trust authority, having seen what greek governments and even the gods are like. ▸      painful    truths    or    white    lies ?     painful truths, but she's told many white lies. ▸     science    or    magic ?     magic. ▸      peace    or    conflict ?    peace. ▸      night    or    day ?     night. ▸      dusk    or    dawn ?  dusk. ▸      warmth    or    cold ?     warmth. ▸      many   acquaintances    or    a    few    close    friends ?   few close friends. ▸      reading    or    playing    a    game ?      probably reading, but it depends on the game.

—    questionnaire.

▸      what are some of your muse’s bad habits ?ㅤshe's a huge flirt, and also reads people very well. she's great at lying and manipulating people for information, and has used this skill to her advantage many times. although, unlike your traditional disney villain, it's only ever been out of necessity for her own survival, not out of a thirst for power.

▸      has your muse lost anyone close to them ? how has it affected them ?ㅤyes, both her older brother haimon (died in war) and her mother, eurydice (she threw herself into the mediterranean sea when megara was 9). meg didn't know her brother very well, but she misses her mother every day. she often wonders why her mother decided to end her life rather than live and be with her. she deals with a deep depression partly due to her mother's death, which her heartbreak later on in life only exacerbated.

▸      what are some fond memories your muse has ? ㅤsometimes, when her mother would not lock herself up in her room, she would take meg to the theban market. she once bought a wooden flute for her, which meg taught herself to play, and to this day has.

▸     is it easy for your muse to kill ? ㅤno, but she has numbed herself to it, as some of her actions (directed by hades) have more than likely led to a few deaths. meg tries not to think about it.

▸      what’s it like when your muse breaks down ?ㅤshe usually will fall to the ground and let herself go. she has so much sadness in her, so when she starts to cry, which is very rare as she has learned to have discipline over her emotions, it's a despair that is unrelenting.

▸      is your muse capable of trusting someone with their life ? ㅤincredibly rarely, but yes, it's possible. however, she won't trust easily, and it must be proven through actions.

▸      what’s your muse like when they’re in love ?ㅤquietly but fiercely devoted and loyal. she will sacrifice herself for you without question. she is soft, which is a side of herself she keeps very hidden and close to herself; it would only be apparent to her lover. she likes to be held, and likes physical affection much more than words. she enjoys cuddling, too, and is a bit touch starved, having had so little soft, loving and genuine touch in her life. basically, she is tender.

[rougerave]

Treasure hunting get away.

"You know when you said let's go to Greece for a mini vacation, I expected a nice get away with my girlfriend away from my nosy family. I did not sign up to be running through the Foloi Forest from, what where they call again, oh right THE FUCKING SOULS OF THE DAMNED!"

"Where's your sense of adventure love? But this is also kinda your fault." His travelling companion said as she shot a soul behind them.

"How is this my fault?!" He said shooting a soul as well.

"You expected thing to go smoothly in my presences. I am my uncles niece, you should know this by now."

"I thought-"

"And that's was your mistake. Can we continue this when we get out of here?" She said as she continued to shoot the soul that where chasing them.

"Why not now. This seems like a very good time to finish this conversation."

"We have to jump."

"Jump?! Jump to where?!"

"That waterfall up ahead." The calmness in her voice was unsetting considering the fact they were being chased to be captured on the order of Hades.

"Marinette, that seems like a horrible idea." He said shooting more souls.

"Damian do you trust me?"

"Yes, but I'm having serious doughs about the amount of trust I put in you."

"Good enough for me. Now, JUMP!" And they jumped into the harsh waters of the waterfall.

---

"You are very, very lucky I love you enough to not decapitate you were you stand."

"You love me. How sweet."

"Start talking Mars. What did you do to anger the Greek God of the Underworld?" He asked as he run a hand into is wet hair to get it out his face.

"Long story, or short story?" Marinette asked as she ringed her jacket to get the water out.

Damian had to think about this. If he got the long story there's a 99% chance that this would all come to the fact that it started with a stupid decision.

"Short version.”

Short version, he get's to guess what happened and decide if it truly was a stupid decision without having to gain a headache on the inevitably long story.

"Two words, Poker night."

Ohh for the love...

"Fuck sakes Mars. You thought that was a good idea because..."

"My uncles idea of bonding."

"Bonding, bonding you say. Why not ice-cream, or movies. No, John's idea of bonding is poker with gods that are easily angered, one being Hades. Fucking HADES. Do you guys have no self-preservation."

Marinette looked at him, really looked at him. There was something entirely different that was making him irritated. She walked over to her boyfriend, and stopped him from making a hole in the ground from all the pacing he was doing.

"To answer you question, no we have little to no self-preservation."

"That doesn't help." He said in an exasperated whisper, eyes closed and foreheads touching, bodies swaying to a tune in their hearts. A tune that bought them together on that faithful autumns day. 

"Talk to me love. What's got you worked up?" She said as she lead them to a huge root so they can sit on it.

“Nothing.” His ear twitched ever so slightly that it would be impossible to not notice it if you didn’t look for it, or if you didn’t know Damian.

“And we didn’t get chased by the souls of the damned. What’s wrong?” It was silent for a moment.

“Do you know, back home if I want to keep something secret, I have to wrap it in six boxes, put an elaborate trap around each box, and keep it one hundred miles away from Gotham, and still my brothers manage to find out.”

She snorted, but she knew it was the truth. The Wayne brothers where just like that.

“On rare occasions, I’m able to get away with it.” He said as he pulled out a small box. Marinette’s eyes wided. “I wanted to do this away from the demons and souls, but I should have known that, that will never happen, and I realised that’s okay. I have loved you for nine years and been with you for seven and I want to be with you for eternity, even with the demons and souls, I want to spend it with you. So if you’ll have me...”

There was a short a peaceful silence as a light breeze blew carrying the spring leaves carelessly.

“Yes.” It came out as a whisper, but to Damian it sound loud and his heart jumped for joy. “For all of time, yes.”

Marinette couldn’t bring herself to talk any louder, to overwhelmed with emotion, so she kissed him, with so much passion and love. And he kissed back. That sweet kiss that made her heart skip, even after seven years.

They broke the kiss and leaned their foreheads together, eyes still closed. “You know I’m not going to put it on my finger right.” She whispered.

“I know. Just look inside the box.” He said as he handed the box to her.

When she opened it, she saw a simple rose gold band with no jewels, but engravings in three languages. Arabic as it is his heritage, Latin for her heritage, and traditional Chinese for their shared heritage. The ring was looped around a simple gold chain. Together this made a neckless.

دائما في عقلي, Per sempre nel mio cuore, 永遠，我會愛你。

‘Forever in my mind, forever in my heart, for eternity, I will love you.’

“It’s beautiful. Would you do me the honors?” She asked as she turned her back against him and put her hair to the side.

Damian wordlessly took the chain and tired it around her neck, before he hugged her from behind. They sat there for a while before they heard a loud booming voice, that made them quickly stand at attention.

“CONSTANTINE!!” Welp.

“That’s my uncle, you wanker!” Mari shouted back, her British accent coming in strong.

“Mars do aggravate him, just run.” Damian said as he pulled his fiancé to get her to start running. “Remind me why we are running again?”

“We were about to lout his temple.” She said as she jumped on a brunch to run on the tree brunches.

“Yep that sounds about right.” Damian said with a small chuckle and followed her into the trees.

“We’ll lose him by the lake. Can you call for back up please? My phone crashed on some rocks in the waterfall.”

“Who am I calling? My brothers, your parents, your uncle, Adrien, Nino, or Chloe? Actually my brothers are out of the question.” Damian said as he went thought his contacts.

“Definitely not my uncle or my parents. I might be twenty-three but they can still bench my ass for this type of shit. Adrien said his going to visit Kagami in Japan, Chloe eight months and her mood swings are off the charts. Call Nino. His looking for an excuse to go two hours away from Chloe.” Marinette said, as Damian made the call.

“Lahiffe.”

“What did you guys do.” Nino’s tired voice said over the phone,

“Why do you assume we did something?” Marinette shouted over her shoulder.

“We were going to lout the temple of Hades, and his angry at Mari for other things as well.”

“Let me guess, Poker Night?”

“Yep. Can you come get us, I sent you our location before I called.”

“You’re guys are lucky you’re my kids’ godparents or else I would have left you there.” And he dropped the call.

“He was gonna come and get us anyways. He looking for a good excuse to get away from his wife. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” Marinette said pointing at the figure that came out of a portal by the lake.

“We better hurry, because it looks like Hades sent his army again.”

---

“You look terrible.” Marinette said once they were in the safety of their hotel room.

“You try living with an eight month pregnant Chloe, and I believe the right words to say are ‘thank you’.” Nino said with a pointed stare.

“You’re welcome.” Marinette said as she said on the bed, looking at her best friend who was standing by the sliding door that lead to the balcony. He really look dead on his feet, but still fit and healthy. He was doing okay at least.

“Thank you Lahiffe.” Damian said towel on his shoulders, to keep his cloths dry from his still went hair. Man he missed the shower.

“Well I’m going to shower, and you my dear friend need to go back to your hormonal wife. Say hi for me.” Marinette said as she passed the boy on her way to the bathroom. Damian snorted at that.

“You laugh now sadiq (friend), but wait until Mari’s pregnant. You’ll have to stop her from going to play poker with Gods at eight months. Heed my warning Wayne.” Nino said as he stepped into the portal.

Damian stared wide eyed and realised that damn, Nino is right.

“Mars we need to talk about your poker problem!”

[sea-owl]

Spring's Rebirth Chapter 1

Ok remember this moodbard? Well here's the first chapter. Also posted on AO3.

Lady Penelope, daughter of Lady Portia the goddess of the harvest and agriculture, had always been a curious child. She would often wander looking for new things or places, no matter how much her mother wished for her to sit still in one place like her nymph sisters. If she was not wandering, she was creating, her current one being a red fruit. Though she couldn’t quite get it the way she wanted it yet. 

“Ugh!” Penelope groaned from her seated position. Burying her face in her hands, as the fruit she was attempting to create had died once more. “Why does this keep happening?” 

Felicity patted her sister’s head. “Perhaps this is the wrong kind of soil to use?” 

Penelope doubted that. This was their mother’s fields where she created and tested new crops all the time. The soil was enchanted to change, adding to taking away nutrients needed for the plant to thrive. This soil was good for any type of plant, hell Penelope remembered when her mother had created poison ivy in these fields. But Felicity was still young, she would rather think it’s the soil than her older sister just not being good with her powers. So, Penelope nods like she’s in agreement. “Perhaps it is the soil.” 

Standing Penelope wiped the dirt off her dress. “I am going to see Phillip.”

“Don’t forget tonight is the solstice!” Felicity called as Penelope flashed away. 

Within the blink of an eye Penelope teleported herself into Phillip’s Forest, where she proceeded to groan again. Only this time louder because there was no way her mother could hear her in here. She had forgotten about the solstice tonight, and if she was being honest, she didn’t want to go to it either. It’s not like anyone will miss her if she doesn’t attend, they would have to notice her first. 

“As if Mother would let her daughter be the only one to skip one of the biggest events of the year,” Penelope muttered to herself as she began her search for Phillip. 

Every year on the longest night and longest day the three courts of Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld will gather on Mount Aubrey. There the members of the courts will feast, dance, create new alliances, or reassure old ones were still in place. It was basically one big party. and Penelope hated going.

Despite Lady Portia being a high-ranking member of the Court of Earth Penelope was still a goddess with no domain and that left much to scrutiny in the eyes of the other gods. Most ignored her, but others were not so kind. She has heard the whispers, of how her only use is to bring back dead plants. 

Lady Portia would scoff and tell Penelope to ignore them. Phillip, one of the few friends Penelope still had, agreed. 

Phillip, the god of wild plants and wilderness, was a dear old friend of Penelope’s who hated court more than she did. Unless he was directly summoned, or it was the solstice Phillip avoided court like it was the plague. He would rather be in his forests than in a throne room, and often he was. Penelope wished she was that lucky, but she knows the reason Phillip can get away from not going is that he is member of two courts, the Earth and the Underworld. While his domain was technically on the mortal plane, aspects of it dig below, or send a soul to the underworld. 

There is also that rumor that his forests host an entrance to the underworld so he is excused from court to tend to it but that is just a rumor. 

"Though I suppose Phillip doesn't mind the rumor since he is left alone because of IT!" Penelope yelped as her misplaced stepped sent her tumbling over a ledge.

The wind rang in Penelope’s ears as she fell, her red curls flying everywhere. It was the strangest feeling but if Penelope didn’t know any better it felt like some sort of force was pulling her to wherever she was falling. 

"Well that was no fun," Penelope muttered to herself, taking in her surroundings.

She was in an underground cavern of some sort. Gnarled tree roots twist down from above while below seems to go down into endless darkness. Her only source of light coming from the entrance of the cavern where she fell. Somewhere further down she could hear the sound of moving water, an underground river most likely. Littering the ground are dead flowers with some seeming to form a path.

"Oh, you poor things," Penelope cooed. One hand gently tracing the petals. "Let me help you."

Gathering her power Penelope let it flow through her fingertips to the petals, down the stem, expanding into the leaves, and dividing among the roots. Once it reached the roots she let it touch another flower's roots, and then another, and another, until she had reached even the ones she could not see.

The flowers no longer drooped, standing proudly, the petals glowed a beautiful red with a dark center. That same glow followed the path into the darkness.

Ah Penelope recognized these flowers now, they were poppies. It was one of the first flowers she had created back when she was still learning how to use her powers. It hadn’t lasted very long, like most of her creations, but she remembered being so proud of red the petals were, almost as red as blood. 

“It is strange there are so many of you here,” Penelope said. She looked back up at the opening, while it is big it is still smaller than the field below. “I cannot imagine you get all the light you need just from the opening.” 

“But then again,” Penelope muttered as she looked down at the flowers. “You are not exactly how I created you either.” 

“Penny! Penny!” 

Penelope’s head snapped back towards the hole. “Pip! Pip, I am down here!”

Moments later Penelope saw her fellow god his head over the entrance to the cavern. “Penny!”

Phillip was older than Penelope, his physical appearance being two years older than her’s. All his work in the forest gave him a rugged appearance, mixed with his wavy brown hair Penelope often joked that he looked like a maiden’s fantasy woodsman. 

Meanwhile Penelope was tiny, barely reaching 5 feet, and her body was on the curvier side. Red curls frame her brown eyes and rosy lips. 

Penelope waved. “Hi Pip.” 

“Are you okay? How did you end up down there?” Phillip questioned as he conjured a vine to lift Penelope out. 

Penelope blushed. “I may have lost my footing at some point and fell.” 

Phillip looked bewildered. “You tripped? Into the cavern?”

Penelope nodded, and Phillip peaked back over the opening. Penelope watched his face as he studied the flowers below. The bewilderment was still there, but now Phillip’s brow furrowed and he was fidgeting. “How-how are they alive?”

Penelope peaked over the entrance herself. There was nothing out of the ordinary to her. Just a field of flowers, though she was curious about the sunlight situation since the only source was the entrance from above. Penelope turned back to Phillip to ask about just that but flinched back at him staring at her. Phillip looked at her like he was examining one of his new experimental plants. 

“Pip?” 

Phillip shook his head. “It’s nothing Penny, come on we have to at least make an appearance at the solstice.”

Penelope groaned again. “Must we? I know you don’t want to go to this either.” 

“I’m afraid it’s something unavoidable,” Phillip said. 

Neither of the gods noticed a pair of green eyes, hidden by the cavern’s shadows, watching them leave. 

[snowbellewells]

Self Promo Sunday: “Take Me Home to Your Arms”

(For this week’s Self Promo Sunday, here’s a little piece I wrote back during the hiatus between 5a and 5b. Certainly, like many of us at the time, I was wondering what might be happening to Killian in the Underworld and how Emma and the rest were going to get him back. This little Underworld spec fic was one of my attempts to answer those questions. It’s obviously canon-divergent now, and I apologize in advance for the Killian trauma. It's not that I want to hurt him, but this was the image of the Underworld and its suffering which first took root in my head, even if it didn’t go that way, and I truly wanted to see Emma come to his rescue, just as he has decided to go after her and fight for her so many times, whatever the risk to himself and his own safety.)

(The title and opening lyrics are from the song "Take Me Home" by US.)

**Can also be found on AO3 and ff.net

By: @snowbellewells

"I'm only happy when I'm with you, home for me is where you are…

I won't be happy 'til I'm with you, home for me is where you are,

These four walls mean nothing without you, home for me is where you are,

They tell me that I'll make it, it'll only be a while, but a while lasts forever without you;

Send out the alarms, I'm all alone,

Wrap me in your arms and take me home…"

Her footsteps fell quickly on the pavement, frantic in the dark. Emma Swan couldn't sleep, couldn't rest, couldn't stop. She could not wait any longer, and she wasn't sure why she had hesitated as long as she did, how she hadn't realized she could get to her pirate and find him sooner; the desperation now so intense it nearly possessed her.

Surprisingly, Regina of all people was the one only two steps behind her, anxious to find "Captain Guyliner". For all of the ways the queen and the pirate argued, needled, and harassed each other to the point of distraction, clearly – despite her derision of Hook and talk of his faults – the regal had missed her favorite "nemesis" and sparring partner more than she would ever admit aloud. That Regina took Emma's part when the others questioned the possibility of her plan, that Regina spoke up of her own accord and agreed it could work, meant the world to Emma. It had set them all in motion and brought them to the edge of the lake. It was only a matter of time before she made her way to Killian's side again.

Though Gold had gotten them to the Underworld easily enough, he had also predictably vanished on some venture of his own almost immediately after their arrival. Snow and Charming had gone to search by the water and in the forest, and Robin had seemed the most capable and likely person to send with them. Emma wanted to think they would all be fine, that splitting up would only allow them to cover that much more ground and find Killian sooner, but she couldn't help worrying for them as well as her sailor, when she couldn't see or know what they might run into. Forcing herself to re-focus,her mind whispered, 'Killian, where are you? Come back to me…'

Without her even being aware until they blurred her vision of the streets, silent tears were coursing down her face. The streets before them were so similar to the Storybrooke routes grown familiar, only darker and shrouded in eerie smoke. She would not allow it to slow her, and she pressed on blindly, unsure where to look as her eyes swept from side to side, certain that Killian must be close by. Once she saw him, Emma ached to fall on her knees at his side and beg his forgiveness, express her endless remorse for all the ways she had gotten it wrong in trying to save him, and he had paid the price. In horrific detail, she kept seeing the light fade from his blue, blue eyes, hearing his ragged plea to grant his wishes this time, his anguished cry and the wet, sucking sound as the blade slid home in his body. Her torment repeated, picturing what he might be going through in the domain of Hades. Was he still in pain? Was he being punished, taunted, tortured beyond the injuries she herself had inflicted? Even once she reached him, would she ever be able to make things right?

Emma might well have kept running aimlessly forever – not willing to give up or rest – but the fog thickened further, obscuring the twisted versions of Gold's pawn shop, Marco's woodworking studio, Maurice French's delivery van at the curb, and Granny's diner, to the point that she could barely make out any of the landmarks or see to take a step in front of her. Hesitating, breath coming out in frantic pants and eyes darting wildly, she nearly panicked, staring in one direction and then another helplessly.

It was then, when despair began to creep in and take her over, that a warm, comforting hand slipped into hers, squeezing firmly. "Mom!" Henry's ever-deepening voice called her back, cutting through her whirling thoughts and clearing her mind. "Calm down. You have to use your magic. It's powered by love. Focus on Killian, on how much you need to find him, and we'll get there…I know it."

Blinking away the tears which had barely let up their entire time in this twisted mockery of their hometown, Emma managed to give her brave, amazing son a tremulous smile. Nodding in affirmation, she took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and tried to focus on Henry's encouragement. She finally believed that Killian was her True Love. She planned to attempt splitting her heart to share with him; her magic should lead them to her pirate. She needed to calm down and allow it to work. It only took her other True Love buoying her up to remind her. This had to work…and it would!

Henry didn't let go of her hand, but stood right next to her offering his strength and belief, ready to venture forward at her side. Emma closed her eyes, raised her other hand slightly, and sent out tendrils of her magic, seeking, searching for Killian.

"You can do it, Mom," Henry urged, rooting her on. "I want him back too. He can't be far!"

Maybe it was Henry's faith, or maybe Regina had found a way to get her magic, which had been shorting out since they'd entered the realm of the dead, working again; whatever it was, the way ahead grew more visible as they pushed forward quietly. An even more complete and odder hush than they had been keeping fell over their small trio as through the smoke and fog the clock tower and library abruptly appeared before them. A chill of foreboding ran up Emma's spine, and she clutched Henry's hand in hers more tightly. She couldn't explain how she knew it, but this was where they needed to be. Kilian was nearby. Her own magic felt as though it were reaching out and trying to find him, as she'd hoped, or that the connection she knew was between them was asserting itself at last. It didn't matter that this sinister version of the clock tower looked like the last place she wanted to enter, if Killian Jones was in there, then that was exactly where she would go.

Nodding toward the building which towered over them, Emma only said with a grim determination, "He's in there."

Henry looked over at her, no longer having to tilt his chin up, almost as tall as his mom, and merely met her eyes with a nod before replying, "Then let's go get him," his face as set and determined as hers.

Regina's expression was grim as well, and she flexed her hand, making sure there was a fireball ready if they needed it. "In a way, it makes a twisted sort of sense," she conceded, moving to follow them without hesitation. "Maleficent's dungeon is beneath the library, ready for Hades to use."

Pushing open the door, the three cautiously stepped through the darkened entryway of the building. Where Belle was usually standing at the circulation desk to greet those who entered her library in Storybrooke with a bright, excited smile and ink-smudged fingers, here nothing greeted them but unnatural, hovering stillness, the musty, dry smell of books left unread and long forgotten, and the dank gray interior that urged them to turn back before they were lost within its depths. If Emma hadn't been certain this was the place before, she was sure now – this was where they would find Killian. The very structure itself seemed to be trying to unnerve them, as if afraid they would succeed.

"Here, Miss Swan," Regina spoke up crisply, still focused and business-like, breaking into Emma's cluttered thoughts.

Glancing up, Emma found the other woman standing at an exact replica of the elevator down to the basement which had once held the dragon-wraith of her former friend. Obviously the mayor didn't wish to waste any more time here than was strictly necessary – whether she would admit to being unsettled or not – and Emma couldn't agree more. She crossed the room with Henry to stand at his other mother's side. They looked into the elevator for a moment, then swallowed hard and pressed on.

The old lift creaked and groaned as it brought them down into the depths below the false clock tower, and it only grew darker and danker the further they went. By the time they reached the bottom, Emma couldn't see her hand in front of her face it was so deeply black and the fog so thick. If she felt it would be any safer, she would have urged Henry to stay – but she doubted it would be, and she knew he wouldn't wait behind anyway.

"Stay close, Miss Swan," Regina warned again tartly as they stepped forward on the rocky, uneven ground. Her voice was cautious even through its crisp impatience, and Emma had learned by now to read the other woman better rather than assuming that Regina didn't care or was coldly unaffected; the former queen was worried, and ached to feel she had some semblance of control, which made her take it wherever she could.

Rather than arguing, Emma merely nodded, heading forward quickly and relieved that Regina and Henry willingly kept pace, one on each side of her, bolstering her without words. As they continued, Emma felt tingling energy, prickling sparks of heat running along her veins, making trails she felt she should be able to look down and see glowing beneath her skin in the dark. Her breath went short, coming out in ragged puffs. "Killian…" she breathed out desperately, recklessly allowing the hope free rein inside her, recognizing that the only other times she had felt such heat and excitement in her blood were when he was near. They must be getting closer to him, and it was all Emma could do not to break into a run.

A chilly gust of air ghosted over her arm, and she shivered involuntarily, turning to the side for the source of the draft and noticing a fissure that opened into a nearly hidden alcove off the main part of their underground cavern. With that same rush of intuition and tingling thrill, Emma turned aside and squeezed through the gap in the solid rock wall. Henry and Regina pressed in close behind her when she hesitated, trying to squint through the darkness. Something had called to her, but she didn't see anything except a dark, empty room of stone walls and floors at first, until Regina finally burst out in exasperation, "For pity sakes, must I do everything?!" With a flourish, she conjured orbs of fire in each hand, illuminating the area before them enough to discern shadowy shapes, and then flung the lights toward torches they could now glimpse over their heads in sconces placed all around the strange dim niche off the larger cave.

Emma had just begun to snap back at Regina, when her voice stopped in her throat on a sharp gasp at the startling sight before her. At the far end of the space, near the back wall, flickering light glinted off the steel gray metal of a thick chain trailing from a crank to the side of the ceiling, then down to manacles which held pale wrist and forearm locked together and extended over the head of a person slumped on their knees. Emma's heart stuttered in fear and vicarious pain, immediately recognizing the motionless, silent, almost lifeless form before them. Only a few seconds' glimpse at the battering of bruises and scars on the pale expanse of his bared back were all she could stand. Without taking time to worry whether or not it would work, she waved her hand desperately through the air, dissolving the chain to nothingness. With what had been stretching him and holding his body unnaturally upright gone, Killian fell prone on the hard rock floor with a soft, insensate groan escaping his mouth.

Dashing wildly to his side, Emma gathered Killian's limp form in her arms, holding him close as best she could, smoothing her trembling hands through his coarse, shaggy black hair and over his chilled, clammy skin, aching to ease his pain. She wasn't expecting to feel Henry pressed up against her side worriedly and reaching out to touch her pirate's arm with gentle concern, nor for him to whisper "Killian? Can you hear us?" She could sense Regina's presence close at their backs as well, standing guard. But when she grumbled, "What happened to you, Guyliner? Mouth off to the Lord of the Dead himself?" Emma was surprised to hear the quaver of emotion behind the Mayor's retort as well, and she knew that Regina was nearly as rattled by the state of their pirate as she was herself. The fact that he had clearly been hidden away didn't help her state of mind. How long had he been held there like that? It was as though he’d been hidden where anyone who might venture into those depths would pass by him unaware and leave him to his misery.

She gathered Killian even closer to her, and was just bending her forehead to rest against his when he jerked awake unexpectedly, snapping back to consciousness with a confused panic, and though clearly weakened and in pain, he flung himself away from her with terrified force, scrabbling backward blindly.

His voice was hoarse when it rang out and echoed back against the close walls and low ceiling, cracking with fear and mistrust, raw from what Emma feared might have been days crying out in hopeless despair and agony as he languished in torment, thinking that he would never be found. Killian's harsh, broken words lashed her heart like a whip, making her as painfully desperate as he when he howled, "Back, Demon! Stop tormenting me! Take any form you wish…but…not hers! Please…no more!"

Emma tried to shush him, begged him to truly see her as she brushed a hand down his stubbled jaw, her heart feeling new pangs of guilt and regret at the sight of the ages-old scar that had always dashingly graced his cheek bleeding again as though it had been freshly carved anew into his skin. Were all of the weals, cuts, and bruises adorning his scarred chest and back old, once-healed wounds returned to livid intensity by the insidious nature of this place and the unfinished business it deemed Killian Jones to have?

Before she could utter anything else, he cried out again, his voice mere shards of its usual deep, smooth timbre. "No! Not Emma! You are not her! Leave me! Leave me!"

When he flinched from her touch yet again, it felt as though the Dark One dagger itself had been stabbed into her breast. Emma wanted to curl up beside him and weep – hopelessness, fear, concern, and love welling up uncontrollably within at the thought that she had found him, but he might be too far gone to bring back. She steeled herself to speak to him once more in soft, pleading tones as she swept her hand across his brow, "Killian, please…look at me. It is Emma. I promise, it's me. I'm here…"

Fear darted across his face for several more taut, charged moments, looking so strange on one who had always met challenges and danger head-on, an arched brow and a dark retort for any man, beast, or monster unwise enough to think he would back down. Then, after several tense, breathlessly waiting seconds, it was as though a cloud passed over his countenance and vanished again, the shade blinding him seemed to fall from his eyes and recognition dawned as he stared at her, drinking in her face, desperate to believe. "Swan?" he whispered, voice soft and awed though rough with ill use, finally daring to hope. A trembling hand reached out toward her face, and she quickly bent to lean her cheek against his palm, as needy for his touch as he was to make sure she was real. "Emma…Love…is it really you? And H-Henry? …Lad, you're here as well?"

"Of course," Henry assured, grinning rakishly in a way Emma knew he must have picked up from Killian. Though his eyes were glassy, Henry answered this man he'd come to look up to with assurance, "Think I'd risk being deprived of a dashing rescue, Captain?"

Her love grinned back at her son crookedly, but said no more, still somewhat overcome by Henry's devotion.

Regina cleared her throat from where she stood just behind them, keeping a wary eye on the entrance. It brought a much-needed measure of levity to the trio on the floor when she grumbled, "No need to acknowledge my presence, Pirate. I simply followed them down here for my health. Brimstone and sulfur do wonders for the skin, you know."

Killian inclined his head slightly in a semblance of the mocking bow he often gave her when they squabbled. "Why, of course, your Majesty," he replied with a knowing wink, "but it is lovely to see you all the same."

The queen huffed, but gave him the tiniest quirk of her red lips in a begrudging smile.

Emma did not miss the way her love winced at even the smallest of offhand movements, but she couldn't look him over properly or try to heal any of his wounds now. They needed to get him out of his prison, first and foremost. She thought about trying to transport them all from the dungeon to the lake shore instantly with her magic, but discarded the idea almost as quickly as it came to her, knowing her powers had been behaving too unpredictably in the depths of the Underworld to be sure of where they might end up. The same concern kept her from asking Regina to move them, or – she assumed – from the queen's offering. She began to attempt standing again, ready to pull Killian up with her. "Come on, let's – "

Just as Killian spoke once more, his mind working through the situation quickly as he became more aware, and already worried for their safety, "Wh-what are all of you doing here? You can't be caught here. I d-don't want you to be trapped as well."

"Too bad," Emma shook her head, finally regaining her feet and, with Henry's help, easing him to stand as well between them. Killian was wobbly and leaning on her more than she would have liked, but then, after being held in one position for so long, she knew his limbs must be working their way back to life, beyond the injuries which must also be draining his strength. "We're not leaving without you. You've already been the hero…" here she had to swallow hard, her eyes tearing up as she remembered him dying in her arms. "Now, let me be the Savior and bring you home where you really belong."

Those devastating blue eyes bore into hers with such intensity, burning with the ardor of his next words. "Emma…Love…I knew the sacrifice I was making. This is where I belong now…what I deserve…and if the rest of you are safe…. Please, there must be a terrible price for this, and … and I won't have you paying it."

Despite his weakened state and the fervent emotion trembling within the words, his resolve was clear. Emma knew she could not fail to heed him again – not this time – but she also needed him to see that she would not be happy, would not be safe, when he suffered here alone for both their mistakes, his noble sacrifice cheapened by Gold's treachery. It wasn't right; it wasn't enough for her. She didn't have a home without him. Yet, she had to allow him this choice; she couldn't take that right away a second time. Drawing in a deep breath, she assured him, "We have a way to bring you back, one that will work. The rest of us will be fine." She paused, met his eyes hopefully, took a deep breath, and asked, "Killian, don't worry about me or anyone else; just answer me honestly: Do you want to come back with us?"

He wet his lips, obviously struggling with emotion and desire versus his sense of duty and lingering guilt. Holding her gaze, his next words came out so raw and vulnerable that they scraped across her heart, tearing loose pieces that she had already given to him. "Aye, Swan, I would wish that more than anything. You must know that. But…I do not wish anyone else to be punished or imprisoned here in my stead…if there is even a chance that could happen…"

"No, Killian," she interrupted, shaking her head gently as she brushed an unruly shock of black hair off his forehead lovingly. "You don't understand. We won't leave anyone behind. This will work." She bit her lower lip, trying to peer right into his soul, the way he had so often done with her. "Trust me?" she asked then, everything they had risked and all her future happiness riding on his answer.

"Aye, Love, I do," he swore, bringing the hand he clutched tightly in his up to clumsily brush his lips over her knuckles, "and I always will."

"Good," she said simply, a small smile gracing her mouth, and then his face as well, as they both remembered how that very response from her had sustained and given him hope through a full year of obstacles and doubts until they had been reunited once before.

Turning to Regina, Emma knew she couldn't hesitate, knew Killian would start protesting again if he figured out what she planned to do – no matter how sure she was that it would work. Shooting Henry a quick, reassuring smile, she squared her shoulders and gave the other woman a curt nod, "Let's do this," she affirmed.

Regina didn't waste a second, gripping Emma's upper arm to keep her steady and plunging a hand into her chest. Emma couldn't stop a gasp at the jarring invasion and strange sense of disconnect she felt when the formerly evil queen withdrew her hand, Emma's slightly battered, partly scabbed in gray, but mostly glowing, red heart within her grasp.

"No!" Killian cried out aghast, only knowing that any heart he had seen taken from a chest had been squeezed in nightmarish torment. "What are you doing!?" he lurched forward, fruitlessly aiming to stop her, but Henry clung to his arm determinedly from where he stood on the pirate's other side helping to keep him upright.

"Killian," Henry pleaded, trying to offer comfort even though his voice quavered too. "It's okay. She's not going to crush it. Emma wanted her to do this…Look!" Henry knew there was still a risk; splitting a heart had worked for his gramps and grandma, and he knew his mom and Killian loved each other deeply, but they didn't have any guarantee.

Emma slumped forward, unaware, and though she wasn't heavy, with his own injuries and weakness, it nearly brought Killian down too. Awkwardly, he took what strength he had left to untangle their fingers and wrap his arm around her, drawing Emma to his side though it pained the open gashes on his torso, and letting her head come to rest on his shoulder.

When he turned back to Regina, her gaze was intent on the heart in her hand, as concerned as he had ever seen the proud royal. Determinedly, she worked at the organ until, to all of their intense relief, it split down the middle and she reached forward to press half of it into each of their chests.

"Ready, Captain?" she asked, voice taut and nervous, though he knew she would never say so.

He gave her a nod, meeting her eyes fiercely before letting his gaze return to Emma's soft, lax, but still lovely, face. In the next instant, he drew a fuller, more rejuvenating breath than he had taken since falling on the shores of the lake in Storybrooke. There was still the odd sensation of a hand in his chest, but a moment more and that was gone too as Regina pulled back, leaving a half of his love's heart within his body.

Emma surfaced to consciousness with a similar heaving breath, blinking as her light once more suffused her cheeks, and her eyes regained their lively sparkle. "Are we okay?" she asked blearily, and then more fervently, "Did it work?!"

"It would seem so," Regina said drily, arching a perfectly sculpted brow as if to say, 'You're alive and speaking to me, aren't you?', but she spared a cautious, genuine smile for the savior and Emma could sense the relief behind the harsh veneer. "Now," Regina continued, "let's not wait around to see what else can go wrong. It's time we were home." With a wave of her hand, clearly having deemed the risk worth it, and a swirl of purple smoke, they were all standing with a jolt on the shore of Hades' realm, right next to the boat which had brought them from Storybrooke.

Looking around in surprise as he reoriented himself, Killian already felt some of his lost strength and vigor returning to him, and he marveled at the power and love for him that must have been held within Emma's heart to pull this off so quickly and so well. Henry placed a hand on his hook's brace, drawing his attention with a grin while pointing out fast-approaching figures in the near distance.

Squinting, Killian could see Dave, Mary Margaret, and Robin coming toward them at a run, and was touched and humbled once more to think that all of these people would venture to the very depths of Hell for the likes of him. Once the rest of their rescue party had reached them at the water's edge – minus Gold, whom no one seemed inclined to worry about – Robin greeted him with an exuberant cry of welcome, while Dave clapped him on the shoulder firmly, and Mary Margaret – to Killian's complete and utter astonishment – flung her arms around him in a joyful, maternal hug.

"It's wonderful to see you too, Milady," Killian managed, almost embarrassed at such a greeting from a woman who at best had always seemed unsure about him as a suitor for her daughter.

The dark-haired royal pulled back with a watery smile, but not before pausing to whisper in his ear, "We needed to get you back, Killian. I don't think I could have stood to watch Emma in that state any longer. She was … broken …without you."

The pirate dipped his head, hiding a swell of emotion at her words, and even when he raised his face once more, his eyes were glassy with unshed tears he sniffed back conspicuously.

"Well," Robin called out, breaking into the thoughts of all their gathered group, bow over his shoulder and fingers once again laced with Regina's, "shall we go?"

"Not so fast, Archer," a silky voice rang out, stopping all of them in their tracks, just as they had been ready to step into the boat pointed home. "I do believe you're planning to steal something – or should I say someone? – who belongs to me."

The unassuming gentleman in a sleek, tailored suit who strutted toward them over the dead, brown grass before the lake, didn't look like much of a threat, but none of them were taken in by his calm, almost jovial manner, nor his pleased, oily smile. "Don't listen to him," Regina ordered tersely, urging Henry, Robin. Snow, and David into the boat ahead of her as planned. "He can't stop us from leaving. We aren't dead, and therefore we aren't part of his domain."

Hades, as Emma realized the man must be, moved ever closer and shook his head like a disappointed parent would at a child who refused to obey. "Ah," he answered smoothly, "but I fear one of you is indeed under my dominion. Breathed his last on these very shores, in fact."

Emma stepped just slightly in front of Killian, wavering slightly as she still recovered from aftereffects of losing part of a vital organ. Yet, she looked as fierce and defiant as she ever had; red jacket standing out against her stark, dull surroundings and a glow emanating from her as she stared down the ruler of the Underworld himself. "You can't have him," she growled through gritted teeth.

Even as Killian feared for her safety, knowing all too well what this seeming "gentleman" and his demons could do, he couldn't deny that his Swan was glorious – a sight to behold.

Emma motioned behind her for Regina to get in the boat as well and take Killian with her. The regal balked, a quick, "Emma, are you sure about…" escaping, but she was cut off with a jerky nod and set jaw, and she did as the Savior asked, pulling Killian forcibly after her.

"Admirable determination, my dear," Hades taunted, "but you might as well admit defeat. I am well acquainted with this pirate, all that brave stoicism mixed with his massive self-loathing for his past wrongs makes a nice break for me from eons of monotonous sniveling, pleading beggars for mercy. Fresh entertainment playing with someone who can endure so much pain, it's quite addictive, you see. Not to mention… I've been alerted to your little scheme to steal my new plaything. It won't work. Even if I were inclined to release one of my subjects, it isn't possible. He died, he is one of mine now, and there is not a thing you can do about it."

A second shadowy figure emerged from the surrounding mist and darkness, and as the person came to stand just at Hades' elbow, Emma recognized Gold, an insidious smile on his smug, self-satisfied face. "Miss me, Dearies?" he cackled ominously. Then his gleaming gaze narrowed as it fell on Emma. "I did warn you not to test me, Miss Swan," he stated with chilling finality, a cunning glint casting frightening light in his eyes. "Thanks to my early warning, our temporary host has promised me that he will make sure our near-escapee finds his stay even more unpleasant from now on, and has given me his word to keep you as well, far away from my Belle, who will have no idea what I've done, and right here with him to magnify the punishment for you both. A simple memory wipe on the rest of you meddlesome fools who insist on playing heroes, and I shall finally have my happy ending."

Emma heard the scuffling of Killian trying to fight his way out of Regina's and Robin's grasps to get back to her. "You'll do no such thing, Crocodile!" he was railing, as she could hear Snow gasp in shock and horror, and Henry and her father's yells of anger and dismay. All of that was drowned out though by the roaring in her ears and the intense desire she had to throttle the cowardly pawnbroker with her bare hands. Of course he would go and try to get in good with the Devil himself to double cross them! As if making Killian's sacrifice to destroy the darkness void for his own gain hadn't been terrible enough! The rage that overcame her with knowing that these two monstrous fiends could be so blasé about the torment they wanted to put Killian through, at seeing for herself all they had already done to the man she loved, was vibrating through her being and she sensed her magic about to explode uncontrollably, blindly. Still, she narrowed her eyes, determined not to give anything away to the insidious crocodile. She understood now why Killian's nickname for his foe had always been so apt – reptilian, grasping, clawing, and willing to do anything to save his own leathery hide and secure his own self-interests, despite who else might be hurt along the way. She quickly turned her focus back to Hades though. No matter how badly she wanted to strike Gold down, this fallen deity was the one with the real power in the Underworld.

"You know," Hades taunted, a mocking pout of fake sympathy on his face, "it really is quite tragic, Savior. You seem to be able to save everyone but the ones you care for most. Love can do much, but even where there is love…dead is still dead."

Emma was backed right up to the edge of the water, her heels actually touching the side of their little boat as it rocked on the dark, uneasy tide. Hades stood practically nose to nose with her, but she wouldn't give in. Instead, she nodded toward Gold. "We'll see about that," she hissed, forcing bravado she only partially felt, "but you might want to question whether your new partner has told you everything."

With that, she stepped backwards into the boat, and Charon began to row away, no other option, his mindless task ingrained in his being until the end of time.

Hades raised a hand, and some red bolt of radiating power shot toward them, but it hit an invisible barrier none of them could see, ricocheted off the wooden boat's side, and went barreling back, knocking the Devil and the Dark One flat on their backs on the shore. Emma felt a pang in her chest like a plucked guitar string vibrating, and everything in her vision went hazy. She staggered, seeing less and less as she heard them all talking to her, around her, anxiously. She had just enough sight and awareness left to reassure herself that they were still moving toward home, and then it all faded away as she fell back into Killian's – and her family's – arms.

~~~~CS~~~~~CS~~~~CS~~~~CS~~~

The following afternoon…

Emma Swan blinks her eyes against the gentle sunshine filtering in warm, yellow stripes through the plain white curtains she hung in the Captain's quarters of Killian's ship. Yawning and stretching languidly, she can't help the grin which spreads slowly and happily across her face upon realizing just where she is and in whose arms she has been resting. They made it home again – all of them – safe and sound, and she is snuggled up with her pirate in his bunk. Sitting up just a bit to gaze down at him affectionately, honestly enjoying the view, and able to see now that they are in the land of the living he already has more color and his scars have once again begun to fade, Emma trails her hand along his chest, playfully running her fingers through the coarse hair covering his muscled torso, unable to stop staring at the man she literally went to Hell and back to find. The half a heart they now share swells with love until it seems to overflow, and Emma wriggles back into Killian's warm embrace, while he continues to sleep – she hopes peacefully. Even deep in slumber, Killian gathers her closer to his side tenderly with the arm draped over her hip and mumbles something she can't quite make out against the warm skin of her neck at the collar of her sweater.

His brow furrows, and she aches to soothe him, to assure him that they are together again and all will be well. She knows that things won't stay peaceful in their little town for long, nor can she keep him from the nightmares and remembrances of the ordeal he has been through. Still, she places a kiss to his brow and murmurs, "Shh…rest, Killian," as she brushes back the dark fringe of his hair. 

The last day and night are an exhausted, emotional blur before Emma's eyes as she lies back down and tries to return to rest with her pirate. She remembers the traumatic details of finding Killian in that stone dungeon and his ancient scars and emotional pains brought to fresh life upon his skin, how sapped and hopeless he had been – to the point that he had seemed unable to acknowledge they had come after him. She remembers Regina splitting her heart, and all of them standing of the shores of the lake as Hades tried to stop them from returning to the world of the living with her sailor. Beyond that though… the boat ride back, how she had ended up here with Killian, cozily wrapped in his embrace... it is all a misty jumble in her mind. She can bring back snatches of her parents', Henry's, and even Regina's and Robin's voices, discussing what to do once they reached town, how they had all progressed while they were split up in the Underworld, and if she were truly okay, but none of it comes into clear focus for her. She has the vague, lingering suspicion that Killian must have carried her to his ship, rather than the house she'd taken over as the Dark One, or her parents' loft, over any other ideas or suggestions, and that the others must have decided that he knew best and left the two of them alone to heal together.

With a sigh, she forces her eyes to the gash made by Excalibur still blatantly visible on his neck, while Killian remains unaware. Though it is no longer ragged and draining his lifeblood before her very eyes, Emma knows that this wound will never completely fade. In some way, this particular scar will always be upon his skin, reminding her of when it all went wrong, how horribly she failed him. Her fingers tremble as she traces the abraded skin, and she blinks back her tears quickly. Not, however, before a couple of them escape and pool on the warm skin in the hollow of his collarbone.

Rousing, Killian's eyes blink open to find her awake and studying him sadly, her eyes welling with tears and her hands clutching his shoulders as though afraid he will be taken from her again. "What is it, Love?" he murmurs, smoothing his hand through her hair and snugging his hookless bare wrist against the thick wool sweater at her back, pulling her impossibly closer still. "What's happened?"

She shakes her head, a breath wet with choked back sobs huffing out of her chest. "Nothing, Killian, I just…" she traces her fingers lightly over the shell of his ear, grinning at how the top curve comes almost to a bit of a point.  In spite of her jumbled feelings and the fact that she is still struggling to get her words out, she cannot help but marvel at each tiny wonder that make up her True Love. "You'll always have those two new scars…and it's….it's my fault…"

"Oh, Emma…" Killian breathes in soft, stunned understanding, his eyes infinitely kind and unfailingly full of love. "You’ve more than made it right. When I blamed you, I was nothing but the worst version of myself. Do not carry those words, nor that guilt, any longer, Swan." He sighs, sensing that she is still upset and punishing herself, and briefly rests his chin atop the soft golden hair at the crown of her head. Gathering a bit more nerve, he adds gruffly, "That you were so desperate to keep me with you…" he pauses to wet his lips, not wanting his voice to waiver or to make her doubt, "While I detested losing control of myself… I also never thought to be so loved."

Emma's tears do begin to escape her at that, though she can't utter any sort of response. Leaning up to rest her forehead against his, wanting only to have him see in her eyes that he is loved now, more than either of them would have once felt possible, more than either of them could have ever known.

"You entered into the very depths of Hell to fetch me back to your side, Emma. You walked amidst my demons and my nightmares of loved ones I have lost and the horrible things I have done, and you pulled me out into the light once again. You are quite literally my heart now, and I never wish to be parted from you."

"If I have my way, you never will be," Emma vows fervently against his lips in response, just before fusing their mouths in a tender kiss that begins to ease the pain that wounds and separation had wrought. Both are quiet then, at peace wrapped in each other's arms. Swearing to never be torn apart again; they are happy, and they are home.

Tagging a few who might enjoy: @jennjenn615 @kmomof4 @searchingwardrobes @whimsicallyenchantedrose @laschatzi @jrob64 @apiratewhopines @teamhook @revanmeetra87 @gingerchangeling @gingerpolyglot @cosette141 @sotangledupinit @xsajx @xarandomdreamx @tiganasummertree @optomisticgirl @stahlop @donteattheappleshook @the-darkdragonfly @elizabeethan @therooksshiningknight @spartanguard @winterbaby89 @resident-of-storybrooke @wefoundloveunderthelight @zaharadessert @motherkatereloyshipper @lfh1226-linda @justanother-unluckysoul @hollyethecurious @killian-whump @thislassishooked @cocohook38​ @mie779​ 

[inke-ri]

OKAY episode 2!! holiday shenanigans and work kept me from watching it till now but here we go!

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- We got the "you drool when you sleep" (in the wrong spot but still), I can rest easy

- Annabeth just standing around spookily instead of sitting down or feeding Percy nectar / ambrosia is really funny to me

-  about 80% sure they had Percy notice the Minotaur horn right away for time issues, but I really liked the slow build up to Percy accepting it all happened, Grover being patient with him and then sighing and giving him the shoe box with the horn.

- Definitely different from the book, Grover apologizing and all. But it's consistent with what the show did so far.

- Lowkey sad we're not getting a shot of Percy looking out at how beautiful the day/camp is, then down at the horn, then being miserable. Not a huge deal, it was just always a scene that stuck with me as a kid, I was hoping it would be included here. Walker would CRUSH it I know!

- I knew from the trailers that CHB is basically all inside a forest afaik, but it's still weird not to have the Big House overlooking the valley, being able to see everything. Especially since they kept Thalia's pine on a hill.

- Percy's annoyance with mr D is on point but it would hit a lot harder if we had seen Smelly Gabe be a drunkard and Percy somehow realizing Mr D likes to drink too -- his initial defensiveness and dislike for him was rooted in his trauma from his stepdad. It still works cause we know he doesnt like bullies thanks to Nancy, but I miss that

- lmao mr Dr just letting Percy and Grover talk it out

- The fakeout with calling Percy son made me ugly snort but I kinda miss how utterly bored he is in the books

- THAT SAID. the sarcastic tone, dismissive behavior, etc, DO remind me of this version of Gabe, so I do like Percy getting mad at him here!! I retract my earlier statement, it's subtle but if you pay attention you might tie mr D's behavior to Percy's stepdad. Still wish Percy looked more /angry/ about it tho.

- again with the happy/funny music tho, am I supposed to be laughing that Percy's miserable?

- hang on I did not follow the marketing all that much but WHY can NO adaptation get that Chiron's horse half is white lmao, is it an animation thing? I DONT KNOW.

- I do like how they used the wine bottle thing at the end to explain the demigods being able do whatever they want, so between that and getting show!Gabe vibes from mr D I quite like this

- Except for one tiny thing: where's Annabeth?

- Mr D literally said Grover succeeded they are SO CUTTING THE COUNCIL THING I AM SO MAD

-  ohHHHHh okay NEVERMIND we DO have open spaces, this place looks awesome!! Surprisingly similar to how I imagined CHB except I always saw the cabins not being in the forest, just close to it. I do love how they look tho, I can definitely get used to this. Very cozy somehow.

-  I will say this version of Chiron is growing on me after being a little iffy on him in ep 1!

- Luke has a slightly less cool kid, sunny disposition when we meet him but the entire scene at Hermes' cabin was Very Nice! I just miss Annabeth's blushing and stammering around Luke here

- No seriously where is my daughter have you seen her

- Mr D and Chiron playing, presumably, pinochle made me smile. Also the tiger print shirt lol

- hang on HANG ON we have a WHOLE SCENE with the Council of Cloven Elders that has NOTHING to do with Grover's searcher's license?

- I loved the scene with the dryad hinting at Grover being an anxious bean tho, finally some signs of that

- I am? So confused about this. I guess they changed Grover so beyond recognition that they have to give him some unnecessary drama/arc about lying to Percy? Why reveal that Hades has Sally right now - why not let it be a surprise when Percy gets to the Underworld? Why not let Percy agree to the quest, supposedly bc of his father, and later down the line let him confess he's only doing it to try and get Sally back like he does in the book? Why make Grover AND Chiron hide this from him? Unlike everything else, I don't understand the reason for these changes.

- Is... Is it Luke who tells Percy about the nightmares? I could have sworn it was Annabeth - she's definitely the one who talks about the AHDH and dyslexia. WHY are they giving Annabeth's lines to everyone else? I can see this being to show Luke and Percy bonding but at what cost?? WHERE IS SHE.

- ...  We aren't getting the training scene with best-swordsman-in-centuries Luke and the disarming maneuver that's gonna come back in the final fight are we.

- Clarisse sadly does not have the same vibes as the book. Also she looks so much older than Percy? Isnt she just 14?

- Interesting that they're setting up Percy catching the gods' attention - at least his dad's rn. If this doesnt lead into the "I'm impertinent" thing with Medusa's head I'll be sad.

- ps I LOVE that Luke is all about glory to be admired and looked up to, and Percy Does Not Care about it at all lol. Delightful way of showing that!

- Okay the first real laugh this got out of me was Percy being disgusting at archery. What an adorable bean I LOVE him

- I assume that's not Beckendorf but I really wish it was him lmao. Also love Luke looking out for Percy here

- Who IS this kid who keeps hanging around Luke? ... Is it Chris Rodriguez? Oh man pls let it be Chris

- UPDATE I CHECKED THE SUBTITLES (bc I couldnt understand which god's name was that) AND IT IS CHRIS I LOVE THIS SO MUCH FAM

- is he- oh my god the burning of the jellybeans to "pray" to his mom OKAY THIS IS AMAZING 10/10 I WEPT I'm officially adding this to the events of the books when I re-read it -- I hope we get more scenes like this!!

- goddddd its such a CLEVER way of telling the audience that Percy falls in love with this place fast, even tho it hurts that the "friends" he's talking about arent gonna stay around

- Interesting change to not have Percy seek out his Dad's approval so much-- I dont mind it, bc I like how they're leaning into how much he loves Sally -- but I wish they hadn't done *away* with it completely, the way they seem to have. Keep both!

- Idk, this dyslexic, ADHD kid who's always been told he's the problem struggling with believing he was too broken to keep his father around, only to later be told he IS his father's son and that Poseidon is proud of him regardless of what the world would tell him... That felt special to me. I hope the workaround this is to have Annabeth call him out on it as she does later down the book, when he sends Medusa's head to Olympus.

- SUCH a good scene tho

- I dont mind that they did this scene at night but I also liked the visual of Clarisse just being Clarisse and dragging Percy to the bathroom in broad daylight lmao. This flows better with the show's pacing tho

- Okay but like why not let Clarisse try to shove Percy's head in the toilet you know she'd be having a BLAST

- Percy looks more scared than angry, he's lacking the whole "they will NOT put my head in there. they WONT" thing. People keep saying Percy is appropriately angry in the show and I'm like THIS is angry?? You sweet summer children

- awwww no "you're dead, punk, totally dead?"- she just runs? How very un-Clarisse of her. Also, no Annabeth around to say she wants him on her capture the flag team?

- Will I have to start putting up missing person poste- NEVERMIND SHE'S HERE FINALLY LOOK AT HER

- the admission of stalking is HILARIOUS but I wish they kept her intro to earlier in the episode, you miss out on a lot of Annabeth's less "cool" moments like stammering around Luke (and I always loved that Percy was immediately aware of it and she glared at him, it was so indicative of their eventual dynamic), biting her nails/barely looking when Clarisse is bullying Percy and getting all wet with toilet-water but taking it like a champ with the capture the flag comment.

- I wonder if the "litter sister" comment is gonna hold up. Even if Luke never develops feelings for Annabeth eventually (which I would prefer, it always felt forced on his side), Percy's jealousy of him and Annabeth's crush on him are important.

- On one hand: I like they're setting up Luke, Thalia and Annabeth this early on. On the other, much like the Minotaur fight, you miss out on a lot of Percy figuring the puzzle pieces out on his own. He keeps getting exposition dumped on, especially with THIS memory in particular! Considering Rick is writing for this, and I feel his HOO series had a lot of the same issues, it's a bit sad to see that bleed into the original series. There was a lot less nuance in the sequels, and we keep consistently seeing the same here.

- But you DO show-dont-tell the conch horn? HAH :'D

- I REALLY wanted Percy to be wearing armor that was a size too big for him I really did

- nOOOOOOo they're cutting Annabeth's blushing and stammering PLEASE don't get rid of her crush on Luke it's IMPORTANT. Let it be one-sided!!! it's okay!!!

- Like I said earlier - they sanitized Annabeth's less "cool" moments, she feels too in control here. I want to see her be a 12yo!

- I just realized- no hounding him about the Solstice either. Did Mrs Dodds even say anything about "it" being stolen? The buildup to the master bolt's theft was SO good. Now she's just generally interested in him, not actively hunting for her quest. We're TOLD Annabeth is obsessed with her quest but we don't SEE how frazzled she is about it, how much she's seeking it.

- Okay, fine. Distracting me with the little fixing of his armor. It's lowkey working and they BETTER link back to this in BOTL or I WILL scream.

- The cut away to Percy flossing got a snicker out of me, tho my Percy will always and forever be a millenial. Also I can imagine Annabeth's face while she looks away from him peeing in the woods lmao

- Bonus: it shows Percy whistling! It better come back with Blackjack in the future!

- No growling from the hellhound?

- Why is daughter-of-the-god-of-war Clarisse taking her helmet off?

- I miss Percy at least trying to defend himself, taking a beating including from the electric spear, and only then telling them where the flag is. He would NOT volunteer the information right away just bc he's surrounded!

- Did they EXPLAIN why Clarisse thinks Percy is a fraud? I don't get it. Why not just leave it to the good ol' "she's mad he pulled a crazy feat like killing the Minotaur, one-upping her without even knowing", instead of having her doubt that he did it? In the book she was more like "yea right like THIS wimp is a Big Tree kid material, like he actually did it" - which felt more just mean of her than genuinely not believing him

- Also, why have Percy run from them- why not set this at the creek that marks the border between territories? Why have Percy run all the way to the canoe lake? Why do ALL OF THAT and not even show him stepping on the water and getting reinvigorated by it? This also takes away from Annabeth having to spy on him-- she's meant to connect the dots here, it takes away from her too

- I genuinely LOVE that they kept Percy catching Clarisse's spear on the edge of his shield, but the way he breaks it is almost on accident. I'm almost offended, this was a HUGE win for Percy and set up how he used the water to defeat her father later own. The choreography grows to be neat, but at the cost of all that made this fight special. Same with the Minotaur and Mrs Dodds. Is this going to be a pattern??

- For how old Clarisse looked, I love how YOUNG she suddenly looks when she screams-- that was a FANTASTIC bit of acting by whoever has been cast as her.

- The flag did not turn blue I am SO SAD

- More importantly: same with Clarisse not realizing it was all a set up-- they stripped Annabeth of THAT bit of smarts too. In the book she's counting on Clarisse being blinded by her need for revenge, she puts Percy right at the border where she can see him alone, and Annabeth knows he'll distract her enough to let her team win just as it helps her figure it out if Percy's the one. But in the show Percy is tucked away in the middle of nowhere and Clarisse straight up says she doesn't care about winning, which means Annabeth's "killer strategy" that Luke is so confident on actually had nothing to do with him- she was just looking out for her own desire to get a quest. I Do Not Like this change at all.

- I wanted to see Annabeth for so long and yet she feels so distant and aloof here, it's so strange. Annabeth is rational but deeply emotional... This reminds me of what the later series did with her, stripping her of a lot of that so she can be the cool leader of the 7 or whatever (the only exception being HoH really) and I REALLY hope they arent doing the same here.

- OhhhhhHHHhhh no I don't. I DON'T like that she pushes Percy into the lake. Not for the books and not for how the show has been handling Percy's character. I think I'll elaborate it in a different post here but. Yea no. This really bothers me.

- Cant believe I'm gonna say this but the movie did the claiming scene better.

- Also they removed the hellhound like WHERE ARE THE STAKES HERE

- I liked Percy's stammering of "I dont know"- how his instinct is to apologize, but... The changed vibes of the claiming scene... the triumphant music, no bowing, Chiron's speech being changed... This was a "the very foundations of your world have been shaken, AGAIN". Annabeth is not meant to be smiling or in control, she's almost speechless. Even Clarisse is meant to be bowing.

- The music and Annabeth's reaction is treating this as a victory when it's not. It's just profound shock, awe and terror at once. Just by people's reactions, you know what a big deal being a Big Three kid is. This is not it, fam.

- "claimed by poseidon" and 5 words later "son of poseidon" is writing my teacher would dock points out of

- ... the episode doesn't end here? The episode should have ended here.

- They ARE EXPOSITION DUMPING HIM WITH NO BUILD UP I KNEW THEY WOULD DO THIS AND I HATE IT. IM SO MAD WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS RICHARD.

- Percy's speech about Sally is great but is undercut by mr D *actually* yelling at him like? Mr D would never, EVER do that. He doesnt really feel like a god here, he'd just show a tad of his divine power and Percy would shut the heck up. Also, Percy accepts the quest because he brought the wrath of Zeus to camp - to innocent campers, and to innocent mortals. Why is he refusing it here? What are you doing to my son? What kind of BS writing is this???

- Grover is actively disobeying a DIRECT order from his primary god (alongside Pan, who hasnt been mentioned at all). What is going on. Again why are we revealing this now. Why are we exposition dumping AGAIN. Why are we taking PERCY'S motivation and spelling it out IN THE FACE of the camp directors, and rubbing our faces on it like its mud?

- This is blood of olympus level writing I went from the SUCH a high to being fuming. delightful.

- OH MY GOD THEY CUT ANNABETH FROM A SCENE AGAIN. WHAT THE F-CK.

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So, I went from genuinely enjoying this episode better even with the changes to being absolutely livid at some of said changes.

Looks like this is gonna be a high highs and low lows kind of story. Well, I'll be back for episode 3 when it releases.

[shank-ey]

[I don't know how fics on tumblr work, so I'll just keep reposting anytime there's an update. Is that how it's done? Also please do note that this fic has a life of its own, I am not planning anything that happens here, except the already mentioned one bed trope.]

"So, what do you think we'll need for this mission?" Chuuya asked as he ticked out a list of items he'll need to buy to make sure that both he and Dazai are comfortable, despite staying in such a cramped space. Oh, he was so gonna chop the boss's head off for forcing him to stay with Dazai in a tiny cottage for three whole months.

Granted, the period of time they were to spend was a little bit too long according to Chuuya, but the boss had ordered for them to handle this mission with patience. While he preferred they storm in and blow the place up, and prove to the underworld just how terrifying soukoku is once again, their case involved investigating a really small band of thieves that had decided to attack the Port Mafia once and steal from Chuuya's gem trade. Chuuya felt like the boss was blowing the mission out of proportion, making a mountain out of an anthill but he was not about to question his motive.

He was involved in the mission because it's his department that was affected, and Dazai was involved because the boss just loved pairing the two together. Although Dazai was a strategist, and given that they had both been sent into this mission blindly, it gave him a little comfort knowing that he's not dealing with the unknown alone and Dazai was just as clueless.

"Rope, probably," Dazai answered absentmindedly. "This cottage sure has some sturdy beams."

Chuuya sighed loudly. "No, we're not getting that. What do you need?" The washing machine beeped, indicating that the second wash of laundry was done, which Dazai was gonna use as his set. Idly, he wondered if buying more beddings would be ideal since he would be using the spare ones. "And go hang those, will you?"

Dazai grumbled as he stood, unloaded the laundry and left, leaving Chuuya with the list he was still working on. All they had to do was befriend the small gang, make them lead them to their base and find out everything they needed to know about them, and send reports weekly directly to the boss. How would they do that, by sending letters? He chuckled to himself, that was so ridiculous, but sending reports would be hard since they didn't have cell service.

The cottage was hidden deep in the forest, with a river flowing a few kilometres from where it was. Chuuya was sure he'd enjoy the peace and scenery more if he wasn't on a mission with his number one rival. "Chuuya! Come and see this!" Dazai called from outside and Chuuya had no choice but to comply, didn't he?

"Look" Dazai said as soon as Chuuya was beside him, as he pointed at a slug. "It's your cousin."

"Why you!" Chuuya punched Dazai, causing him to fall to the ground. That reminded him, they should get a first aid kit, and maybe more painkillers and more bandages since he was sure the idiot barely had enough.

They were set to begin their mission in two days and only went early because the boss wanted them "settled down and ready", whatever that meant. At least it did give them time to get the place clean and have clean beddings, and stock up on food.

Now that Chuuya had the list ready, he left.

────────────

Dazai lay on the bed as he stared at the ceiling. There was no internet, no cell service, no books to read, no nothing. He did have his book though, he just didn't want to get it from his suitcase. Unpacking meant embracing the reality that he will be stuck with Chuuya for three whole months in this small cottage in the middle of nowhere, which wasn't really bad, except it's Chuuya, and everything became ten times complicated when he's involved.

He could play his offline games, his PS Vita was right beside him but picking it up would require so much effort, and he didn't have any games that enticed him enough to pick it up. All he could do was think of the mission.

The mission they were sent on was weird, and Dazai had his suspicions when Mori tricked them into accepting it, then lying about giving them proper accommodation. At least he got the bed though, Chuuya just had to suck that up. But the mission was either too easy, or there was a lot more going on than what Mori had told them, and even more of what none of them knew.

The latter seemed more probable, though. Why would a bunch of lowly thieves steal from the Mafia, and especially steal from Chuuya's department when they all knew he was the best martial artist around? Sure, nobody knew that Soukoku was two people, and that Chuuya was the other half of it (since nobody that saw their faces lived), but Chuuya was terrifying and skilled on his own. Stealing from him was a sure way of getting the Port Mafia to attack you.

If the mission was to retrieve the gems only, then Mori would have just sent Chuuya alone. Inasmuch as he does all the strategizing and planning, Chuuya is smart enough to handle a robber case, which is too simple a case for him, all on his own. So why send them both? And Mori withholding information from him just made Dazai angrier.

Dazai groaned loudly in frustration. The cottage was too quiet, he was too bored, and he didn't have his dog around to entertain him just because said dog insisted on "buying groceries". Who needed that? He almost couldn't wait for Chuuya to return. Once he returns, Dazai would make him prepare a nice, delicious meal for him. If he didn't have crab then chicken would do, and make sure the meal is well prepared, as punishment for being gone for more than an hour.

[I'm writing this on Tumblr, this is literally freewriting so if there are any mistakes I do apologise for them. Idk what's going on with that mission, and wouldn't you also wanna know how these two end up sharing a bed? Trust me, I wanna know too. So uh, stay tuned to find out.]

[Behold! A very short fic, or prompt idk what to call this, that I wrote as I struggle with my writer's block.]

The two stared at the cottage, dumbfounded. Mori had promised them a nice, comfortable place if they both agreed to go on this mission together. Seems like they had been fooled.

“Fuck you Mori,” Dazai muttered under his breath, startling Chuuya a little bit since he had never heard him curse.

Chuuya whistled lowly, then proceeded to drop his bags carelessly on the floor, disturbing the settled dust. He coughed and waved his hand in disgust, a feigned attempt at making it not get to him. Dazai snickered.

“I call dibs on the bed!” Dazai shouted as he sprinted in and immediately flopped himself on the dusty bed like a fish out of water.

“Hey—” Chuuya shouted, chasing after Dazai because that’s not fucking fair. “You can’t do that!”

“And who declared you the rule maker, huh?” Dazai said smugly, still rolling around those dirty bed sheets drenched in dust. “Your chibi loser self should sleep on the couch. It’s the only thing small enough to fit you.”

“Gah, you’re impossible,” Chuuya groaned. “I have you so much.” There was really no point in arguing with him.

Dazai smirked in self-satisfaction as he watched Chuuya walk away.

“You can at least help me clean this place up, shitty mackerel. Unlike you, I’m not prone to living in such filth,” he stopped and looked around.

The cottage was small, much, much smaller than Chuuya’s apartment. It seemed to be big enough for one person, with a small kitchenette sectioned aside, a small toilet and bathroom combined and the remaining space having only one bed and a medium sized couch. It was decently decorated, with rugs and paintings and an old TV that Chuuya really doubt worked. But hey, at least there was electricity, clean running water and a washing machine.

Now that he thought about it, how did all these things fit in this small space anyway? The previous owner must have been hella good at interior design. There’s no way everything fits and looks good while at it.

“This place is much bigger than that box you call a house, this must be an upgrade.”

“Hey!” Dazai exclaimed, offended, as he followed Chuuya out of the small cottage. “Don’t talk about my house like that.”

“That’s not a house, it’s a box. You’re like a cat that’s too attached to some box to realize you deserve better.”

“Chuuya—”

“Shut up. Here,” he shoved a bucket towards Dazai. Dazai took it, mildly shocked and mildly confused by where he got the bucket from. “We got this place to clean. I’m not spending a three-month long mission both with you and this place being this filthy, and since I can’t get rid of both might as well deal with the dirt.”

“But Chuuya,” Dazai whined. “I don’t do cleaning!!”

“Shut up you big baby, today you will.”

[Also, I know it's incomplete. I managed to get this out so I decided I'll share, hopefully I'm able to write the rest.]

[zololacan]

A Working History of the Immernachtreich

Ok maybe a cringe title but it probably got the point across. Hi guys! So hopefully you've checked out my first topic already because there's some foundational material there you'll want to know so all my theories from here on out will make sense. If you haven't click here. Done? So about a year ago when Moonchase was happening we learned something about Archons. (I mean ok we probably should have guessed because of Andrius but Moonchase stated it outright.) Madame Ping tells us that gods aka Archons can't actually die. This ended up being about Guoba who used to be the Archon Marchosius so that got me to thinking who else might be alive in this diminished state? Guizhong as Ningguang? Remember when that used to be a theory?So taking that into consideration I sought out humans that might have once been Archons. Now how do we figure that out? Well we know some trends with Archons right? Barbatos, Morax, Beelzebul/Baal, Orobas, Ose and Marchosius. Every last Archon has a name found in the Ars Goetia. Guessing by the title of this theory who do you think also fits this trend? That's right. Amy the President of Hell commander of 36 legions.Now you might be thinking this is stupid. Amy is just a name and a chunibyou does not an Archon make. But wait. There's more. (so much more)I'm actually going to jump ship a little and we're going to the recent event in the Golden Apple Archipelago. We had a huge quest chain all about Fischl where we learn plenty of things about her that could be tied to her time as Archon.

Let's start with this. This is everything we get out of the Narrator during Fischl's Domain. Notice how we open with when Amy might have done her Archon thing and set up her region. "During the Time of Chaos" and "roughly six hundred years" before something called the "Era of the Saints." Era of the Saints? Current era, where the "saints" would be the Seven. 600 years before that pretty much means 600 years before they came into power, that would be the end of the Archon War so that's 2000 years ago and 600 years before that is 2600 years ago which would be around the time Venti was usurping Decarabian and setting up New Mondstadt. And that already answers what the "Time of Chaos" would be. Archon War. Now that's just where I've plotted it out but there might be more to it because other information seems to suggest this region had to be set up before Venti. More on that later.

"The Prinzessin harbored much sympathy for all living things." Zhongli Story 5. The old Archons in the Seven had the duty of guiding humanity. Zhongli protected his people for 3700 years before retiring just recently. This same duty was not upheld by the newbie Archons like Ei. So now we have a link tying Amy to the old Archons.

That paragraph also talks about resettling her people which we know both Venti and Zhongli had to do and we also know that these people would have started out as the unified human civilization which was displaced when Celestia went crazy and split them up. (sinking Enkanomiya in the process for example) It also might establish Amy's Archon title. You know how Venti's the God of Freedom and Zhongli's the God of Contracts? Amy's into poetry and theater. Maybe she was the God of Arts.

Skip a few paragraphs and we get to the end. "She picked up mere stones to carve out mountains and oceans, before bestowing upon her people castles and towns." Venti reshaped the Mondstadt basin, drowned Pilos Peak, shaved off the tops of some mountains and chucked them into the sea making the archipelago. Zhongli- well Guyun Stone Forest and the Jueyun Karst look like that because he "hurled his spears" at other Archons. They're still buried under those places. And Watatsumi exists because Orobashi shed some coral off himself.

Is there more? You betcha! Soteria is Fischl's other other name right? Google it. Soteria is the God of Deliverance but she's also an epithet of Persephone the Goddess of the Underworld. Now this next part is going to get long-winded but try to stay with me. Where does Fischl say she comes from? Immernachtreich right? That's German for the Realm of the Evernight. Where else have we seen the word Evernight? Enkanomiya. Another name for Enkanomiya in game is Tokoyokoku but you can actually read this as Tokoyo no Kuni. Google that. It's Okinawa's version of the underworld. (Japan's is Yomi or Naraku.) I'll get to Tokoyo no Kuni itself in the future but for now just know Enkanomiya is just a place not an actual underworld. Instead the underworld reference here works well for Immernachtreich since Fischl is related to Persephone.

On top of that this lets us know that Oz is the Archon Naberius. Naberius is an Ars Goetia demon and if you look into it he's actually based on Cerberus you know Hades pet dog Spot. Persephone is his wife. But here's something you might not know. Hades is newer lore. Persephone existed since Mycanean Greek times. She was by herself the Goddess of the Underworld so it makes sense that Oz is her loyal servant aka doggo. (His name Ozvaldo also means God's power.)

Now Naberius is actually in Genshin. Rhinedottir and Albedo find his heart and right after that Rhinedottir ditches Albedo in Mondstadt. Curious right? So if Oz is Naberius and his heart isn't with him well this means Oz is also in a diminished state but now this important part of him is with Rhinedottir. We know who she is. She's Gold the crazed alchemist who attacked Teyvat doing things like sending Durin at Mondstadt, Rifthounds and other monsters at Inazuma and an army in "an iron meteorite" at Liyue's Chasm while Morax's forces were dealing with their main force in Guyun. This caused Khaenri'ah to be destroyed by Celestia and that caused the Abyss Order to be born.

The Abyss Order. Remember back in Lisa's Quest they were looking for a fairytale book for some reason? We still only have 1 chapter of this book and it talks about something interesting, the Night Mother who hails from a Land of Night. Sound familiar? But of course the rest of that story doesn't make sense if we wanted to apply it to Fischl right? Well neither would the Abyss wanting to find someone like the Fischl we're seeing here in the recent event. But we know something happened. Somewhere down the line Fischl stopped caring about the things happening in the world.

I'm thinking this "Night Mother" thing is mostly fairytale but what it's describing is Amy at the end of her reign as ruler of the "Immernachtreich" region. Keep in mind how Fischl describes her home. It's gone. This event "brought it back." We know the real region is also gone because there is no Archon Amy anymore in the modern day. And again keep in mind that Immernachtreich is an underworld but the one described in the event is definitely no underworld.

What I think the Abyss believes is the other side of the Fischl story. Let's head over to the books for the Legend of the Shattered Halberd and Flowers for Princess Fischl!

This topic's already dragging pretty long and it's only about to get longer so I'll skip over the details of these books and go straight to the points they bring up. First Fischl as "the Prinzessin der Verurteilung" is set to absorb the pain and suffering of all people of the world and then burn away the old world to bring forth the new one. Another thing she's set to do which is only revealed in the last volume of Halberd is that she's actually the "divine halberd" that will reconnect the Ley Lines. It's also important that this is only mentioned in the last volume but that's a topic for another day.

This story should tell us why the Abyss might be interested right? Their plan as we learn from our sibling is to destroy this world and remake it. If Fischl is meant to do this she's key to their plans. And that's also how Oz fits in which is why Rhinedottir ditched Albedo as soon as she found his heart. I think she might want to use the heart to blackmail Oz to aid the Abyss. She might have already done this.

If you read Fischl's backstory she got her Vision when she was having a crisis of identity. Oz showed up at the same time as her Vision. Now here's the thing. If she's an Archon she doesn't need a Vision. And if she doesn't actually have a Vision then Oz isn't actually a result of her Vision. I think Oz might have helped the fallen Archon Amy become the human Amy and had been watching over her the whole time. Then Rhinedottir happened so he decided to "activate" Amy by giving her a "Vision" and becoming her "familiar." His actual goal here with respect to being a pawn of Rhinedottir is to nurture Amy's Fischl identity so that she'll be willing to become the Night Mother/Prinzessin that will remake the world one day according to the stories.

Another parallel here? Ars Goetia Amy was banished but it is said he will (yes this Amy's a dude) will eventually rise up again and claim the 7th throne of Heaven. If our Fischl is also set to "claim" a throne for example Celestia's throne I think the Abyss would call that a bonus. In the stories also in that last volume I specified before she's set to pierce her "father" the "God King" with the divine halberd. Also when it comes to absorbing the sins of all people Fischl's Constellation 2 is literally "Devourer of All Sins."

But now here's the thing. Oz has shown that he's devoted to Fischl. Even if Rhinedottir had his heart I don't think he'd betray Fischl like that. Instead I think he's playing her and the Abyss. That second thing that Fischl's said to do; she will be the divine halberd that reconnects the Ley Lines. We've seen that Celestia broke the Ley Lines of Teyvat over time. It killed the Irminsul of Sal Vindagnyr and most recently we found out that Khaenri'ah's king was Irmin aka Odin likely also meaning that he became an Irminsul aka Yggdrasil and that Celestia would necessarily have to destroy him to destroy Khaenri'ah.

According to Leon Oz created a prophecy. Now how prophetic it was is still anyone's guess but ultimately I think Oz is working on it. He needs to remind Amy of who she is because otherwise if Rhinedottir and the Abyss get their hands on her and force her Archon self back into being as the "Night Mother" she might actually do tremendous damage to Teyvat. Would she stand a chance against Celestia namely Phanes? Doubtful. Otherwise she wouldn't have stood idly by as "the shadow engulfed" her region. Similar to Decarabian she probably saw the writing on the wall and decided to take her fall gracefully.

Now there's that other side to the books and that's what I think Oz might be working towards. Remember that Fischl is meant to pierce her "father" and reconnect the Ley Lines. Piercing the "God King" that is Celestia is probably not meant to be taken literally. My guess is it would still sock it to Phanes though if Amy was able to reconnect the Ley Line trees like the one in Sal Vindagnyr. Imagine what might happen if that tree connected with Makoto in Inazuma and Rukkhadevata in Sumeru? Teyvat might become fortified against Celestia.

Of course to do that remember Fischl needs to use herself as the Divine Halberd. That could mean permanent depowerment. And that's probably the other side to Oz's plan. In the scenario I have in mind what'll happen is that the Abyss will force Amy to become her Archon self again. They might find something like her heart just like Naberius or they might just use his heart to power Amy. Awakening like that could be seriously disorienting and Amy would lose all control. This starts Rhinedottir's plan. That's when we'll step in probably to fight Amy so we can weaken her Archon power just enough for Oz's plan to take effect.

I need to take us back a little. There's another place Fischl's related to: Sommernachtgarten. Translated that's Summer Night Garden and it's related to the Midsummer Courtyard. Isn't it interesting how that Domain specifically is where the Ascension Domain is? Why did miHoYo pick that one? Also the Ley Line Disorder of the normal Domain is Pyro good, Cryo bad. Now I'm not sure about the Cryo part yet but Pyro being a recommended element does work. One of Amy's oldest friends is Bennett.

Time to add in some drama. So as the legend goes to remake the world Fischl will first take on the sins, the pain and suffering of all people and also swallow their dreams. Makes sense why Midsummer Courtyard fits then right? Ascension Domain. All the progress of all people gets recorded here. If we took the game mechanic literally every person needs to come here and take on this trial to move on in their journey. How many dreams and how much pain must this place have seen over the years? Fischl will absorb all of them. Then she'll burn away her own heart. Of course a heart could also be a love interest right? That's sappy enough for Hollywood it could work for miHoYo. So maybe Bennett gets burned. Last time we saw this it was an older mentor character also with a fire affinity who sacrificed herself to save someone else who lost control due to a super powerful entity inside of her. So this is totally up miHoYo's wheelhouse.

Ok ok but Genshin's much happier than that and we just so happen to have a heart to burn already. The Heart of Naberius. I think that'll be Oz's endgame. So the plan is for the Abyss to find some way of reawakening the Archon side of Amy. This forces her to confront herself. Then to fulfill the "prophecy" of saving the world he intends for Amy to exhaust her Archon power and rediminish herself permanently and the Archon power will act as the "divine halberd" to reconnect the Ley Lines and protect Teyvat from Celestia's future attacks. We've seen what Archon power can do. Marchosius used up his to safeguard Liyue and Makoto became Inazuma's Irminsul Tree the Sacred Sakura which saved it from Khaenri'ah. So after she uses her Archon power up she needs to separate herself from those powers so she can sever that fate and live out her human life. To do that Oz's heart that the Abyss uses to power her will need to be destroyed. Bennett will get that done. Unfortunately that will also permanently diminish Oz and in the end what we're left with is the same old Fischl and Oz that we've always had so the character doesn't need to change at all.

Bennett might be officially shipped with Fischl after that just like we've gotten hints of Ningguang and Beidou. Oz will forever remain with her now as an actual part of her "Vision." For added drama if miHoYo wanted they could have Oz silenced which would make sense for a summoned creature powered by a Vision. Kokomi's jellyfish for example. But that might be too dark for Genshin so I think Oz will be fine. If anything he'll pretend like his consciousness is gone only to juke us in the end. The Abyss loses again but probably won't learn their lesson. If our sibling is part of this operation and I don't see why they wouldn't be we'll have another tearful parting with them but you guys know it'll be fine. (you guys did see my first topic right?) And finally with the Ley Lines protecting the world we'd move a step closer towards defeating Celestia.

Wait did you think that was it? You guys are new to my theories. Poor you. Anyway moving on!

So I was saying the timeline of the "Immernachtreich" is weird. We know a few details already about Venti's Mondstadt so if we added Amy to this it'd be a really crowded place. Remember that in the early days of Venti's era Mondstadt was also run under Istaroth the God of Time. There's zero mentions of any other gods but since there is still traces of Istaroth around Mondstadt I think it means Amy's region had to have predated this maybe existing only around the time of Decarabian's Mondstadt.

There's a little precedence for this too. Let's say first that the era of the saints was just when the unified human civilization first engaged with Celestia. That would be after the Ark's Opening a long long time ago. Back then the world was also messed up and Celestia tamed it for the humans so that could also work as a "time of chaos." Anyway if the "Immernachtreich" is that old I'd say from a historical inspiration basis Decarabian's Mondstadt would be the founding of the Holy Roman Empire while Venti's would be later periods of it leading up to the German Confederation during Napoleon's time. This fits with Fontaine being the empire's neighbor of West Francia which would eventually become France today. And if that's true then Fischl's Immernachtreich is a defined place: Prussia.

But I'm just pulling that out of thin air aren't I? Nope. Let's go back to the event. Fischl says a bunch of stuff that doesn't really make sense but if you pay attention to her Fischlspeak she lays out some gems. Sanssouci.

It's a real place. It does in fact have a garden because a grapevine garden was a deliberate feature of it. Sanssouci is actually the name of a mansion designed by Prussian King Frederick II.

Of course Prussia could still work with Venti's Mondstadt. I mean we know the dude's pretty weak. Who's to say he didn't have help doing all that landscaping in the beginning? Now if Diluc's mansion with its vineyard is any kind of sign then maybe Immernachtreich was located around that area. It is the closest area to Decarabian's Mondstadt so it would make sense. Or it might be around Starsnatch Cliff or Stormbearer Point if real world geography played a role in miHoYo's map design which I mean it did for Inazuma, Sumeru and possibly Fontaine so far.

Yeah we're still not done yet. Knowing it's Prussia and having some kind of layout of Teyvat during that time period we can figure out something else that happened. The whole focus of Fischl's Domain was on this Tasraque thing that attacked and how Fischl would eventually defeat it. In discussion the characters just said this was a metaphor for Amy being upset nobody was supporting her chuni thing. But there's a real Tasraque in the world.

This guy! It's called a Tarasque. Tasraque. Tarasque. Subtle miHoYo. Anyway it might interest you guys to know this monster is French. And it's also a water dragon. Let's think hard. What kind of water "dragon" do we know of that came from a region based on France like Fontaine? How about this guy?

Any old players reading this? You guys remember that Endora event? We learned that the original Hydro Archon sent out a bunch of Oceanids all over Teyvat because she wanted to connect every region together using the Oceanid network. We also learned (because we keep farming her) that not every region thought it was a good thing to have these Oceanids from a foreign nation occupy their lands. Paimon even called sus on Endora because she said the Oceanids were spies. It doesn't take too much effort to believe that Amy might be one of those Archons that didn't appreciate an Oceanid popping up in her land. So she called it a Tasraque and defeated it. Then because she loves a good play her subjects made it into an epic story of her triumph.

Speaking of enemies in Flowers for Princess Fischl there's another one called Gesamtkunstwerk. Yeah try saying that if you're not German lol. You might be surprised to know it's also an English word technically. Anyway Fischl's supposed to fight this thing and it's meant to be a really really powerful enemy. Who is this? I'll get more into it another day but for now just know Gesamtkunstwerk means "total work of art" and that could relate to other terms we use to mean "total works of art." Can you think of one? Stay tuned.

Ok ok ok I've kept you for long enough. Let's end it by talking about how exactly Oz planned to get Fischl to separate from her Archon self. Any of you guys fans of Persona?

See while her Domain told us the whole story that's not what we were playing right? We were playing the quest of everybody learning more about Fischl's home life and her personal struggles namely her chuni thing that nobody in her life was supporting. And how did that end? Oz nurtured Fischl to accept her creativity so she doubled down on being Fischl but knowing that that's just a story and she's actually Amy. It taught her that she was actually very good at telling a story (except for that Drama Phantasmagoria quest god that was annoying!) so she should embrace that. In Persona a young adult has a crisis of identity and buries a part of themselves they feel ashamed of. In this case Fischl felt ashamed that her life was essentially a sham since she's really Amy and not some princess. If she chose to continue deluding herself she might have been beaten by her Shadow the Immernacht Fischl and (well in Persona 4 you die) maybe she'd end up becoming Hylic. Since she won though (she gets a Persona!) she is now able to accept the side of herself that's make believe because it's make believe.

Once this whole Archon Amy thing happens though it'll be a different chapter of this identity crisis. She's always wanted to be the Prinzessin. Now she'll learn that that's actually becoming a monstrous fallen Archon. Had she always deluded herself into believing she was Fischl then she'd end up succumbing to the raging Archon's consciousness and that'd be it for her. Since she was able to accept that she's a gifted human storyteller that version of who she is is now a thing and she can latch onto that and become truly human once Bennett destroys the heart.

Congrats to anybody who made it all the way through and got to the end. I hope you enjoyed the read and I'd love to know what you guys think about all this!