#I am then dragged off the stage and beaten

[a-gay-bloodmage]

Y'know, I understand people who say they wish Varric was romancable. I, however, respect his volcel lifestyle.

[ladyodium]

I Could Not Prevent It

S2x7

TW: I am going to be discussing some very heavy topics. I will ask that yall respect these topics. I will be going into Domestic Violence, Lynching, Racism, R/pe, and Gore. (SPOILERS IF YOU CONTINUE TO READ!)

So, as a Black Woman this was a hard watch. From the beginning of the lynching Louis, Claudia and Madeline were bagged and dragged off into an unknown place. Louis was being beaten on the floor while Claudia was thrown in the rat box and had people on top of it so she wouldn’t get out.

I want y’all to notice how only Madeleine is not harmed, Santiago is messing with her mind, but Claudia and Louis are being physical harmed. They all had their achilles tendons cut to the bone to prevent them from walking, they weren’t allowed to speak and if they did the coven vampires would punish them. Claudia and Louis lose their names, they are now “The accused”, Madeleine is the only one whose name is said.

The bagging, dragging, the torture, the beatings, and the mock trial all hit a little too close to home. You have two Black people and a Jewish person on stage and I can’t help but think how traumatizing this must be for Madeline. Who was dragged from her shop by an angry mob, forced on her knees and had her head shaved. Then she continued to have constant harassment on her shop and person, let’s not forget she was almost graped, and no one was going to save her. 

The film that shows in the back ground as Lestat is telling his “story” is such an important detail. “A white man who just came to New Orleans and is being Hunted by a Black male.” We the viewers know that this isn’t true. Lestat pursued Louis, Lestat wanted Louis, Lestat was obsessed with Louis. But Louis can’t convey that, he’s not allowed to speak, to defend himself. Claudia, Louis and Madeline have to sit and watch a Butch of white people laugh and mock them. They have to sit and suffer for something that was really their last option. 

Diction is very important. When Santiago is questioning Lestat he uses words like “you were forced to…you were manipulated….you were sad, and lonely….you had no choice.”

Lestat is the victim in this lynching, he was the one who was hurt, not Louis, not Claudia. He was a victim of love and passion! Of loneliness! Louis was the one who pursued him, manipulated him, made him lonely.

“I..,a vampire, was being hunted…”

“Louis was saying “come to me”…

“Speaking your own unspeakable desires…in hopes that I would come to you”

“Louis was deceptively agile with words”

“He abandoned me in our town house”

Lestat is not the victim in his relationship with Louis. Is Lestat a victim and an abuser? Yes, these two things can be true at the same time, but he was not the victim for what he did to Louis.

Claudia and Louis are described to be these two black vampires who killed their loving Maker (master). The flashback to the fight that happened really messed with me, so I’m just gonna believe that Louis, Lestat and Claudia’s versions of the fights some of them were true. The portrayal of trying to make Louis this monster who rejected Lestat and was an animal himself because he consumed animal blood is telling.

Often Black people are seen as monsters, they are the aggressors even when we are victims. I want people to understand how Louis and Claudia being Black played into their vampirism. They are immortal creatures of the night, but they are still BLACK. New Orleans was notorious for its lynching and Louis was not safe from that, no Black person was. People will say Louis was a pimp and he’s manipulating Armand and Lestat, but I feel like yall fail to understand that Louis didn’t have options. A black man in 1960 New Orleans didn’t have the options to become anything greater than what white people allowed him to be. We see that when he plays the poker game, when he helps Anderson and gets called a Nigger, and when the race riots happen and they burned down his business. 

“She called me an angel…..they burned her building because of me….”

(Context: Claudia thought Louis was God’s angel coming to save her and Louis feels guilty because she was going to die just because Louis was a black man dominating the market. )

Santiago has humiliated Claudia by making her this minstrel act. To have her sing, dance, and parade around like a fool in front of a white audience. He hates that Louis doesn’t want to join them, and that Louis is fine by himself. Louis grimacing as he watches Claudia was my face throughout that episode. He then displays her private diaries to an audience, he tells them to pass it around! Mocks her accent, makes fun at her pain and sorrows. I’m pretty sure he read what happened to her with that vampire who graped her.

She’s not a victim anymore but a prop they can laugh at and mock for their own amusement. She was right when she said “this isn’t a trial, it’s a stoning.” It’s a lynching happening in real time. Notice how Madeleine is the only one allowed the option of redemption, she’s allowed to choose her fate. She chooses death with her companion, and she had my heart for that. She really was a ride or die.

Claudia’s last act is to perform her song to the masses one more time because that’s what she was, entertainment. The way Santiago picks up her yellow dress as some kind of token really made me think of how millions of white people would have picnics and bring their children to watch the burning, lynching of black people and then they would take tokens of the kill.

To conclude, this was a hard episode and Lestat was pissing me off. Also, ARMAND IN HIS LITTLE ASS PLAYPEN?! BFFR! Shout out to the actors! They really made this episode.

[vaspider]

just a heads up that that post abt ppl reconnecting is by a like. meeeega z*onist. i usually am like eh ppl dont need to check usernames for everyone they reblog but for that one since its like. relatatef to an extent to the post i wanted to let you know for you and the people who follow u! i hope u are having whatever the best day for ur circumstances is

You're not Jewish, by your own admission. I went to make sure, before I started talking. You have some Jewish heritage, and you might look at converting, but you're not Jewish, so let's start there. And I am going to be as patient as I possibly can under the circumstances.

You have essentially just walked into the living room of a family that you're not a part of and said, "that thing that was just said about connecting with this family that I'm not a part of? You should not listen to it because it came from a term that those of us outside this family have rendered meaningless by overuse and abuse. You should not interact with that person because I am telling you they're a Bad one of y'all, because I've determined this word is Bad, and everyone has beaten it into the ground."

How do you think that would go, if you walked into my living room and pointed at someone there, as a complete and total stranger, and said, 'you should take my value statement about one of the people in your extended family'? Do you think it would go well, whether or not I agreed with that family member, that you've interjected yourself into intrafamily discussions, especially intrafamily discussions about our family's emotional survival and connection?

Because that's what this is, to be clear. Those people? They are my family. You just came in off the street and said, "Take my word on your family. They're bad. You shouldn't interact with them."

What's more, one of the two people you're pointing at, the only two people who spoke on that post, is someone who was present, and indeed the sole official witness, at a moment in my life which rates in terms of joy and personal meaning right up there with my wedding and the moment the midwife placed my daughter, naked and screaming, on my belly. You just came in to my living room and said, "The person who witnessed your mikveh immersion seven years ago? Bad. Take it from me, person who has never spoken to you before."

Do you also walk into drag shows, point at the person on the stage, and yell, "That's a groomer!"? Because that's basically what y'all sound like when you do this: you're coming in from the outside, wielding a word you've effectively rendered meaningless against people who belong here.

I'm real fucking tired of -- literally every time I interact with any post about Jewishness at all -- someone lunging in to tell me that There Be Bad Jews, or demanding that, because I am interacting with members of my family, I answer a bunch of fucking "when did you stop beating your wife" questions.

That was literally just in the last 24h. One post about how Judaism survives because we reconnect with each other, one post about how American institutions like Chabad are being labeled 'Israeli' as a means of smearing them. Literally dealing with living as a fucking Jew in the diaspora is now simply Not Allowed To Be Spoken Of, apparently, unless I strictly validate that everyone in the thread is not a Bad Bad Zionist, which of course applies to every Jew who says something we don't like, regardless of their repeatedly-stated values or self-identification.

It's almost like the end point of all of that is Jews simply not talking about being Jewish anywhere that they might be seen by someone who doesn't like that. If we can only speak about being Jewish if our Judaism meets the strict, ever-changing ethical purity standards of a bunch of Puritan-descended American leftists, then we can't speak about our lives at all, can we?

Funny, that.

Anyway, you have self-declared Zionists in your last 30 reblogs, so like, if you want to spend time endlessly policing someone's blog, make it your own.

Nobody ever send me asks like this ever again. This is the last one I'll even vaguely humor.

[ssruis]

I think it’s both funny & sweet that ruikasa are both legitimately addicted to that show grind. Their idea of a break is working on a show their idea of downtime is working on a show if you said “no writing or working on a show for 24 hours” they’d go watch movies or musicals or plays. so much of their relationship is comprised of their shared passion for shows because it’s what they love the most and the easiest way for them to communicate. Their wedding will be a sho[I am dragged off stage and beaten]

[bloodgulchblog]

i approach the microphone.

i say "i think a better halo tv show would've had sergeant johnson as its central character. he has layers. i think he could do it."

i am dragged off the stage and beaten with sticks.

[drinkyourvillainjuice]

confirmed cis people in this IF: Grant and Catalyst. Is it a coincidence that we never see them in the same room together? I THINK NOT. That's right, i'm introducing my 100% legitimate theory that Grant and Catalyst are the same person, in this essay I will- (i am dragged off stage and beaten)

t...they're a white guy and a black guy...

[lazzarella]

Not sure if I should keep posting these Wandee Goodday notes, but I guess we're in the home stretch now, so I may as well...

- So glad they showed us what happened with Taem and Ohm!!!

- "Is it that obvious?" Mate, you can see it from outer space lmaoooo

- Awww, Taem! She's a good egg. She really seems happy for Yak. Not sure if her saying 'don't be the person who realises their feelings too late' relates to her or not? I still find it super hard to read her lol

- Okay, look, I get that Yak was worried about Taem but if he read Dee's texts why didn't he reply??? He just wanted to make that dramatic entrance haa

- Another lovely dance metaphor that I'm too tired to transcribe!

- They won the dancing!

- Omg the cuff on Yokee's/Dr Aphichat's shirt!!!! I NEED TO SEE THE WHOLE THING!

- Boooo! Rewardus interruptus!

- Oh, fuck OFF Ter! Bloody hell, he's like a bad penny

- Another punch! Could've done with a satisfying sound effect but still

- Dr Dee. Is. My. Boyfriend <3333

- Ooh, I love the way Dee's fingers catch on Yak's as he reluctantly lets go, vs how he yanks his hand away from Ter! Love little details like that

- That whole speech from Yak is a major, or whatever, green flag for me was just... It was everything!!! And thanking Yak for coming into his life???? Fuuuuuuuck. So good!

- Like, to find someone who you don't feel lesser than around, to find someone who is your peace of mind, who you love who you are with them... That's the goal right there

- And I am so glad Dee said all of that to Ter with Yak there beside him because they both need to hear it and Dee needed to say it and I love Dee so much

- Did you hurt your hand punching him? :3333

- LMAO at Yak inspecting Dee's face to make sure Ter didn't kiss him 🤣

- OMFG THEY ACTUALLY PUT A TIMER UP FOR THEIR KISS I'M DYINGGGGGG

- And we got another kiss!! YAY!

- ...what... why... Why is Kao shirtless with tape over his nipples?! What is happening? Lmao

- Noooooooo! Not more technical issues! WHY, GOD, WHYYYYY?

- Okay, we're good!

- THEY DIDN'T WEAR THE MERMEN TAILS????? Arghhhhhhh >:(

- "Don't skip steps" awww, Dee! I mean, I do think Yak has been pretty flirty this whole time, but sometimes someone wants a formal flirting stage, I guess. And Dee is a romantic. And a big tease ;D

- I love that wooing Dee and not having sex until they're proper boyfriends was all Yak's idea. He has no one but himself to blame haha

- Dee's pastel striped shirt is cute!

- More domesticity! Yay!

- I love when they clink their cutlery before eating :3

- Okay, Dee is SO teasing Yak with the flower every day and so on thing. He has his teasing voice on lol I love him

- BIKE RIDE!

- wow that was a quick montage! I was kind of hoping to see more of their little trip, but I think it works not dragging this out, even if I wanted to see them camping...

- Oh, it was SO obvious Dee saying 'enough' in the preview was going to be linked to the 'if I love you it's for you' and so on. I enjoy being right :)

- Also, it's interesting that Yak still felt like he needed to be like Ter to win Dee over after everything Dee said after the ball

- "I just want to do things that are me now" YEAH!

- "This is the Yoryak that I like..." Ahhh, Dee, you have issues with having feelings and I love you <333

- This date is SO much cuter! Yak is just at ease and Dee is so fond <333

- Tut tut, Dr Dee, trying to get Dr Kao to break patient confidentiality!

- Omg, I LOVE whiny and pleading Yak so much!!!! He's sooooo cute! I have no idea how Dee ever holds his ground for one second lmao

- Wow, okay, was that a really abrupt cut from Yak pouting to Yei getting beaten up or just me??

- Yei just putting his head in Cher's lap and holding his hand though... Ahhhhhh

- I do like watching Yak train 😏

- oh, what does the swiping your thumb across your nose gesture mean?? I've seen it a few times in Thai BLs/movies?? I think I get it from context but not enough to really put into words lol

- Daddy's home! I am finding the differences in Yak and Yei's reactions intriguing! I was NOT expecting Yak to be pleased to see his dad, so this is an interesting development

- Oh!!! Yellow is their mum's birthday colour! Ah, my heart!!!

- Sidenote, I looked up my birthday colour and it's green and that bloody colour haunts me (it's the colour of my birthstone too)

- Dee holding Yak during the nightmare... Omg, so much is happening in this ep!!!

- That pool scene is so cute! I love Dee being all cute and silly with Yak :D

- "When I've found what I like, why bother looking for something else?" Oooh, you smooth talker, you

- (Also that's me visiting any restaurant for a second time and getting the same dish lol)

- LMAO the dick plushie is in bed with them!!!

- And lol @ Yak asking for sex when it was his rule!! He played himself there!

- "You're my peace of mind" their relationship is so lovely! They're so compatible!!

- boxing blah blah whatever

- WHO IS THE NAZGÛL DUDE???

- I wonder if it's going to like... Be Yak himself under there?

- Awww, Dee broke through <333

- Yak and Dee smiling at each other after Yak won is just... I don't know if I have words left for how much I love them

- I love that Zazaki wanted to join their gym because they're like a family! He's adorable! And a little OTT

- OMG the whole end scene is just EVERYTHING!!! Yak's terrible flirting!! Carrying Dee to the couch! The whole couch scene that parallels their first night together! MORE KISSING!!!! And sexy times because ofc Dee can't keep his hands off Yak despite the rule!! AHHHHH! It just broke me and I love it!!!

Phew, okay, SO much happened in this ep, right?? Like that's not just me???

[kit-kat-katie]

hi! i loved ur clove post! would you pls make another where the reader gets reaped instead of her?

the world against us

A/N: thank you so much for the request!! and I'm glad you enjoyed my Clove post. I really love writing for her, she's such a fun character to write for. I hope you enjoy this request! ❤️

TW: cannon-level violence and storylines, a bit of cannon is changed for the request, angst, reader has a previous injury, mentions of death

Pairing: Clove x GN! Reader

Summary: You're not in the best shape after a recent injury, so Clove offers to help you get back on your feet afterwards. She's there to support you during and after the Reaping, since you were chosen as a tribute for District 2.

“You need to work on your core strength, and your balance is off, too.” 

Clove stands over you as you sigh while sitting on the training mat. You rub the back of your right shoulder to alleviate some of the pain that aches all over your body.

“I’m working on it, Clove, it’s been a bit rough for me as of late.” You stand up after Clove offers you a hand up.

You were recovering from a recent injury from a training match with another potential tribute. You were supposed to be matched up by skill, but one of the top tributes was out sick for the week. Since you were among the oldest tributes, your mentors thought that you were an equal match for the other person.

They quickly discovered that you weren’t after a quick trip to a nearby hospital ward. It didn’t take you too long to recover, but you couldn't waste precious time before the Reaping. If you weren’t in prime shape and you were chosen, your death would be imminent and swift in the arena.

“C’mon, we should spar again.” Clove, a fellow tribute and the closest thing you have to a friend, was trying to help you get back on your feet.

You didn’t know if it was pity or because she actually cared for your safety. You were hoping it was the second one as you ready yourself for another sparring match with Clove. You know you’ll get your ass handed to you, but it would be worth it if Clove would help you out again and again.

~

“I’m still not ready.” You fix your hair in the mirror as Clove adjusts her outfit.

“You don’t have a choice, now do you?” She calmly walks over to you before placing a hand on your shoulder. “I heard that the mentors are looking at the most prominent tributes, so you should be fine.”

“Thanks,” You scoff before turning to her, “and what about you?”

“I can handle myself in an arena. It’s you that I’m worried about.” 

You turn to her as Clove’s hand falls off of your shoulder.

“You are?”

She blushes softly, looking away from you for a moment, before glancing back at you.

“So what if I am?”

“Then I’d be thankful to be on your mind so much.” You close the distance to press a kiss to her cheek before grabbing her hand and tugging her towards the door.

“Wait, give me a minute-” Clove playfully rolls her eyes as you drag her out of her bedroom. “I thought you weren’t ready for the Reaping.”

“Maybe I’ve changed my mind.” 

~

You stand, hand-in-hand, right next to Clove as the Reaping occurs. Your mentors tower over you on the stage as a Capitol citizen digs through one of the bowls of names.

You feel a bit of your stress unravel as Cato’s name is called. It was obvious that he would be a tribute - who wouldn’t choose him? The top potential tribute, one that had beaten the crap out of most others who were also training at the time. Clove seemed a bit nervous, and you knew that the two were close friends, so you offered her a reassuring squeeze with your hand.

She squeezes your hand back as the announcer heads over to the other bowl. You look over at Clove, and you see a rare smile appear on her face as they dig through the bowl.

You’re convinced that everything’s going to be okay. You’ll have time to recover from your injury, to train more, to hopefully age out of the tribute system in a peaceful manner-

-Then your name is called.

You don’t remember how you got up the stairs, if you were dragged by guards or if your feet moved while your mind drifted far, far away. You don’t remember the way people cheered as you and Cato helped hands with pretend smiles on your faces. You don’t remember the shock and surprise on every mentor’s face as you walked past them, one-by-one.

The only thing that you remember from that moment is the look of horror and heartbreak on Clove’s face as you two stare into each other’s souls.

~

You have to wipe your tears away as a guard comes in and announces that another visitor is here to see you. You had just seen your family, for what you would assume would be the last time. There was no way that you would survive - you still felt weak from your injury.

“Clove,” Her name falls from your lips as she nearly shoves the Capitol guard over to get to you, “I thought they-”

“I’m sorry.” A small tear falls down her face as she hugs you with a deadly grip. “I should’ve volunteered, I should’ve said something, but all I could do was think about why they would choose you.”

“Maybe the mentors want to be rid of me, once and for all.”

“No, don’t say that. You help the younger kids, the ones who just age into being a potential tribute. They need you to be there for them. I need you.”

You gasp at her sudden confession, and the surprise on her face tells you that it wasn’t planned on her end, either.

“You have so much to think about already, I shouldn’t have said anything to you-”

“That’s exactly what I needed to hear.” You take her hand in yours as she steps closer to you. “I need you too, more than you will ever know.”

“Come back to me, okay? I still need another person to spar against when I want an easy match.” She says before softly kissing your lips.

When you part, you smile at her before placing your free hand on her cheek.

“I’ll always be here for you, whether in body or in spirit.”

You embrace her once again before she’s dragged back into District 2. Maybe you’d see her again, besides in your dreams.

Clove would maybe see you again, besides in her nightmares and on a TV screen.

You just had to make it through the 74th Hunger Games.

[2pen2wildfire]

*stands at podium*

"Asexuals can have sex and even enjoy it while still identifying as ace."

*murmurs of general agreement from the audience*

"Because sexuality is about attraction, correct?"

*more general agreement*

"Therefore... *loud, aggressive throat clearing because I have a condition* Gay men can have sex with women."

*sudden angry uproar, several comments accusing me of being a rapist*

*I am dragged off the stage by security*

"AND THEREFORE STRAIGHT MEN CAN HAVE SEX WITH OTHER MEN AND STILL BE STRAIGHT!"

*I am taken outside and beaten to death*

[eatend]

does that mean he can smell koto---------------- /i am dragged off stage & beaten, rightfully so ASDCFVGBHNJMNHGVFD

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 𝒖𝒏𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒅 ,     beloved lil princess. ↳ @dayrisen.

Girl, he can probably distinguish her scent a mile away. ( at least he doesn't KNOW what he's actually smelling. )

[proudfreakmetarusonikku]

Charlie don’t worry you can totally be near a village and have exile vibes! For example Logstedshire was near a- *I am dragged off stage with a hook and beaten to death*

[xariaseesred]

Novel by Xaria Ryu

chapter one

GENESIS

Brief: In the opening chapter of 'Cursed Shores', we're introduced to a world brimming with challenges – a cityscape plagued by the consequences of unchecked super-powers. Keitaro, navigating a hazardous environment, seeks refuge in a bar, surrounded by a populace drowning their sorrows in a daily struggle for survival. As the night grows darker and the rain starts pouring mercilessly, we witness a mysterious encounter, a brief yet intense confrontation, and a glimpse into the Keitaro's internal struggles. We are then taken to a basement filled with aged books, where a complicated dynamic with Haruki, is explored. The chapter ends where stage is set, not with grandeur, but with a quiet intensity, inviting us to a world where survival is an art and secrets lurk in the shadows.

CHAPTER LIST:

chapter two: FLAME

Chapter starts below the break: keep reading! :)

Monsters, genetically modified plants trying to kill us all, abuse of power that leads to massacres and wars or incurable diseases, would all be perfectly good and logical reasons as to why I am plastered at a bar scanning for someone who might know a way off this island. The people here are nearly all understandably drunk out of their minds, none of them able to live their daily lives for longer than a work day. Children darting between tables without supervision, while lurking hazards stand poised to exploit even the slightest misstep. The place is loud, save for the moments when someone gets too reckless with their curse and gets dragged off the premises. The silence that washes over the room feels like a cold blade threatening to slit your throat. At least to anyone with something to hide. Once that is revealed, you can kiss this hell goodbye and welcome another one right after hours and hours of wishing you were never born. 

Gloves hide my curse, but my temper needs more than gloves to be concealed, and it is rising by the second. The alcohol stench and the soldiers posted up in every corner of the place are not helping. 

“Fresh meat, huh?” a velvety voice asks in a hushed tone standing next to me. 

“Walk along,” I nearly snarl, keeping my head down and not sparing them a glance. Whoever it is does not let up and slides closer to me, alcohol reeking off their person. 

“I know what you are,” they go on, voice sounding almost like purring now that we are standing shoulder to shoulder. With swift movements, I have spun them around, grabbed both their hands and pinned them behind their back under the bar’s edge so no unwanted eyes witness what just went down. It is a woman covered in rain protective gear looking a little younger than she sounded. Former military employee I would assume. No one else could get their hands on anything like that. Half my body covers hers and I tighten my grip around her wrists. 

“Eager to end up in jail I see,” she laughs. Drunk, I make out of her behavior. I will spare her the questioning and I tell her as much until I have convinced her that she is out of her mind. I let her go, leaving her giggling by the bar as I walk out into the neonate night. Cannot risk someone taking her seriously. I would rather have my trial that is barely two days away than get beaten to death in a jail cell. 

With no plan to ever return and risk my identity being outed, I make my way to a place I have learned to love and despise.

♦

The basement, crammed with thousands of books, exudes an icy chill between its shelves covering just a few square meters. I wish slamming the book shut in frustration was enough. Throwing it across the room would be a crime in here. Burning it up into ashes is out of the question, but painfully desired. You cannot win in this dreadful city, let alone the whole Island. Leaving is not an easy feat either. 

The flame dancing between my index finger and thumb, dies down gradually, turning a transparent pastel blue as it gets smaller and morphs into faint smoke. Rather than reigniting the flame, I allow the darkness to envelop me, accompanied by a deafening silence. I sit there by my miserable self until I hear indistinct footsteps grow louder and louder evoking a curse from deep in my chest. I don’t have the patience for this right now. I glance towards one of the shelves. It doesn’t take long for the inconvenience to step into my little corner and lean onto one of the coarse wooden shelves sporting a sad smile. Calling him an inconvenience is wrong on my part but not entirely untrue. I try too hard, way too often to avoid him only to have my night end like this. 

“You okay in there?” he asks after a heavy sigh. His tone is just light enough to come across as friendly. It has been a skill people have to learn to master around me since they know better than to step out of line with me. 

“I’ll need you to keep your mouth shut.” In the weak light that is seeping through the window from a street light, his staple black cap casts a dark shadow across his face at all times so all anyone ever sees is his mouth, which is now shaping a strained line in reaction to my words. 

“Always a ray of sunshine, yeah? I’ll need you to leave. Now.” Too pure for his own good. 

I am a walking hazard to these preserved books. I should in fact not be here in the first place, is what he should say. He is just too nice to say it. 

“Haruki…” I know it is nothing I can say that really helps my case but it is not like me to hold back what I truly feel around anyone either. Be it complaints or hateful remarks. There is not much on the good side of things around this one since his very existence has been a deep sorrow to endure dating back years. The only defense my brain seems to have against that is spite. 

“Light this candle, will you. Can’t see shit in here.” My body temperature and temperament is irregular as it is, but right now I can feel the blood sizzling far beyond its boiling point. He knows better than anyone that riling me up could have dire consequences. None that I will ever be proud of. That should also keep him away from me. Why he lets me stick around is beyond my ability to comprehend. Words do not suffice these days, but I’m willing to bet good fortune that unimaginably mean things would come out of my mouth to someone who’s never truly wronged me. 

After much inner turmoil I decide to light his candle. Haruki had started getting antsy as well, eyes glowing a terrifying dark red shining through the shadow as if ready to strike any second. People might think he is perfect but even he is not immune to impatience. 

“That’s not really your color, Ki,” I tell him under my breath, but still making sure I also don’t cross his boundaries. That nickname is one I gave him when we were just toddlers, playing in the tunnels under the city, both of us, along with a couple dozen other kids, having been strictly told to never show our faces on the surface until we were deemed ready. We were naive souls back then. Not our fault, but we could’ve never guessed what challenges awaited us. 

“What on earth did I do to get you actually talking, huh?” Fake smile or not, it could rival the sun in its brightness, teeth gleaming like the most expensive pearls. In the dim light of his candle the sharper angles of his youthful face get the spotlight. No wonder people idolize him the way they do. It’s almost aggravating how beautiful he is. Sometimes I think holding a grudge towards him for that reason would make more sense. That him always turning heads, getting what he wants all the time and people praising him for damn near everything is annoying enough. Him in his whole casual suit and tie get-up should be annoying enough.

“I’ll leave,” I exhale sharply before I make a fool of myself. While I grab my things I see Haruki’s eyes lose their color and disappear behind the shadow, his smile fading back into a strained line.

“Help me put these books back, Keitaro,” he utters firmly and I get the feeling that he could sense I did not want to be around him anymore. “Please?” The place is a mess and it is too late to argue with anyone at this hour.

I sort the books for him to the best of my ability, just to make it easier for him to put them back on the shelf. They are all old and torn. Most of them are missing pages, some have been found under water so the pages are uneven with the black words faded. Haruki finds this aspect of the library-keeping very intriguing. As illegal as it is for him to keep these books here in this region, he would protect them with his life and he has made that much unmistakably clear for me. He knows this place as well as his own bedroom. Down to every nook, secret passage and whatever people back then decided to hide within the books. Even theft is completely out of the question since he would know within a second if a thought like that appeared in someone’s head.

As we inch closer to being done with the books, my thoughts drift deeper into darker territory, further down memory lane and I once again see how close Haruki was to losing everything he ever held dear. Haruki senses the shift in my aura and makes the mistake of looking up and meeting my eyes. His now gleaming a concerned gray. The candle that he had set on the table lights up the rest of his face. Big innocent eyes asking questions I cannot answer and the burn mark I feared making an appearance from his temple down to his cheekbone. Still covered in angry, deep scars. The work of which I caused.

Until now, the anger I held earlier had started to subside. Now it awakened like a tiger held captive for too long, ready to kill anything that moves. I freeze for a second knowing that if it gets too intense, I am totally in the wrong place. I put the last book into Haruki’s cart to dart out of the library and into the night’s thunderstorm. Before Haruki gets completely out of earshot for me, I hear a barely audible “good night” as an overdue apology is stuck, heavy on my tongue. 

Heavy raindrops fall against my hair feeling cold everywhere it is parted as I make my way off the streets out toward the fields. The houses there are safer since these thunderstorms are constant. Sometimes accompanied with rain and sometimes not. They destroy more in a matter of minutes than what we can build in years, and that’s not to mention the relentless flooding this city goes through weekly. It has been like this for years and years so it is hard to remember what a normal day was like. 

As I approach the coast, a sense of unease washes over me like the tidal wave crashing against the shore. Something is different tonight, as if the air itself is charged with an electric energy that prickles my skin and sets my nerves on edge. It’s eerily quiet and in the distance I hear the whispers of patrol getting closer. Not a good sign.

And then, I see it.

Hovering above a small lonely piece of land on the horizon, a strange craft hangs suspended in the air like a phantom from another world glowing red. Its sleek contours are illuminated by the faint glow of the city lights, casting eerie shadows that dance across the water's surface.

My heart pounds in my chest as I watch in awe and terror, the sound of helicopters cutting through the air like a knife. With trembling hands, I raise my scope to get a better look, my breath catching in my throat as I witness the craft unleash three beams of light that stretch for miles in every direction.

I duck behind a nearby rock, my heart racing as adrenaline courses through my veins. This is no ordinary sighting; this is a warning, a sign that something far more sinister is at play.

As the echoes of the craft's arrival fade into the night, I know that I can no longer ignore the call to action. Whatever awaits me once I am away from this island, I must face it head-on, for the fate of my sister and those I hold dear hangs in the balance. But come hell or high water, I will not rest until I uncover the truth behind this mysterious intrusion and put an end to the chaos that threatens to consume us all...

>>> CHAPTER TWO <<<

[captainschmoe]

So I am still thinking about Gym Leader!Lucina and I thought up a whole bunch of random quotes for her to speak during the story. You know, instead of a oneshot or a series of headcanons or something more normal lol.

Under the cut because I have many.

About Her Gym Challenge

“Beware trying to bring Steel-types against me. Battling my father has given me plenty of experience in countering them.”

“By any chance, have you already obtained the Smith Badge? …Ah, it’s just that that’s my father’s badge. He taught me everything I know about Pokémon battling, so it makes me a bit self-conscious when I face someone who’s beaten him. Perhaps I should just stop asking beforehand, heh…”

“Wow… I concede. You’re quite something. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so euphoric after a loss before. Very well! The Morning Badge is proudly yours.”

About Her Pokémon

“Fairies are a motley group. Some - like my partner Togekiss - embody joy, kindness, and peace. Others are full of mischief and even malice. Then there are those who simply love sugar more than anything else. Heheh… Sorry, I’m just amused by the thought of a terrible, world-annihilating dragon being obliterated by a pastry chef.”

“Fairy-types are resistant to Bug-type attacks, a trait which I wished carried over to… Er, never mind.”

About Friends and Family

“Do you like my outfit? A longtime friend helped design it. I would have opted for some bolder color choices - some bright red polka dots, a glittery golden trim on the wings, perhaps a likeness of Togepi stitched into the breast… But she tells me that few appreciate my sense of style. …Well, she had a more blunt choice of words, but…”

“Do you participate in Super Contests? …Aha! I thought I saw you on the stage recently. I don’t partake myself, but I admit to being a fan of the Dance Master. Have you met him? He’s surprisingly shy off-stage!”

“I wonder where my cousin is now. When he’s not shouting about myths and legends, he’s chasing them down. He wants to emulate our great-grandfather, but I don’t think he was so bombastic…”

“Father really said all of that about me!? Goodness, I don’t think I could be more embarrassed! I told him to stop that! *Sigh…* Sorry, I know I ought to be grateful to have a father who spoils me, especially as we have a family friend who… doesn’t.”

“You’re heading to the Pokémon League now, right? Could you send the Psychic specialist our regards? They’re our most treasured friend, and we both miss them. Admittedly, you’re giving them some competition… but don’t tell them I said that, hehe.”

About the World’s Perils

“I hate to drag you into this, but could you assist me? Team Dread grunts are pushovers on their own, but their numbers are staggering, and they like their Poison-types recently…”

“This Team Dread boggles the mind… How could anyone come to believe this world ought to be laid to waste, just because some dusty old book said so?”

“There’s a particularly frightening dragon Pokémon that’s said to reside somewhere near Origin Peak. I wonder if it’s the ‘dreadful dragon’ depicted in the story of the heroic Sylveon?“

[thesaintelectric]

just putting aside the rest of mikells whole deal sniper assassin who wears exclusively white 3 piece suits is such an absurd flex. like i just know its b-[i am dragged off stage by the crowd and beaten to death]

[seroquelled]

recurring dreams masterpost

warning ROUGH stuff but we stay silly

2012- 2013 | frequency approx 3-4 times monthly tapering to once everh couple months over the course of a year

being in london (sherlock phase..... christ alive) walking along the river eventually making it to a bridge and nearly being hit by multiple cars but everu time i should be its like they clip through me. v cold v windy. crawling my way up the metal of the arches somehow n making it allcthe way to the top. sitting up there bullet - hollywood undead style eventually helicopters show up ?? cops below n shit yelling at me and i jump every time but when i do its like im falling in super slow motion like the air is holding me up and get so frustrated because all i want to do is hit the water . i wake up before i make it down every time

--

this one is the roughest cw infant death , csa jic

2016 - current | like once every few months in 2016, big gap in 2017, once or twice in 2018, maybe once a year if that 2019-2020, constantly for like three months in a row early 2021, barely at all 2022, and then recently twice at the beginning of this year

this ones at least a little different most times with some outlier variants. the consistencies are that im always in a big line of people sort of like an airport crossed w a museum but the room is huge and empty with a corridor at the end that the line disappears into and snakes away into a maze like hallways where i can never see the end. im between the ages of 4-6 in a group of adults i dont recognize, one of which has a stroller w an infant, nobody is speaking but the baby is babbling and im feeling very impatient but i dont say anything. stand there for what feels like forever and without saying anything the adult w the stroller undresses and starts sodomizing the infant and i stand there and cant do anything. eventtually i realize i have to do something and i run away and try to get the attention of the people in the line in front of me, moving from group to group but im crying so much i cant explain whats happening but i dont understand why nobody is doing anything. this is basically it. there are other versions where i go back and everyone is gone and the baby is dead or i go back and am screamed at and beaten for running away (but not for saying anything i guess? because i couldnt) but sometimes i dont go back at all and it just ends

--

2015, 2020 | ive only had this one a handful of times total, mostly in 2015 but then a couple times after i told isaac abt it and havent had it since

im at a massive outdoor rave/party w many stages, its mostly open grass but with some areas of concrete and the lit areas are primarily around the concrete brick bathrooms. no idea who i went there with but i know it was with a big group of older people and that im no older than 15 in the dream. i wander away and am having a nice time weaving through groups of people away from the stages where i can hear music in the background. lots of trash everywhere, blankets crumpled up where people have left them or are sitting on them drinking. picking up half drank or empty beer cans getting drunk on the dregs. being mad that i cant find any drugs to do and that people wont give me any. at some point i realize im being followed and that turns into being chased and it gets increasingly more difficult not to trip over people on the ground and everyone is annoyed that im trying to get around them. get caught behind one of the bathrooms and pushed onto the dead grass, punched in the face and i can tell my nose is bleeding bc i can taste it, the guy chasing me pulls my pants off and one of the people standing around watching takes them. at this point my perspective switches from mine to my assailant and i watch him rape me and then drag me over to the bathroom sidewalk/area thing and bash my head against the concrete 😵‍💫😬 sheesh!

t.b.c someday when i remember the other ones better

edit: these are also all dreams that i wrote in my dream journal assigned to me by my psychology professor out of spite bc i was like i dont want to write my dreams they suck and she was like Well You Have To and when i turned it in after like 3 weeks of being late she just wrote 'Yikes! :(' in the margins LMFAO

[lightvsdark18]

Xiu's time in Twisted Wonderland #2

(Instead of summarizing every book, I picked out certain parts to make it easier. She cried at everyone's backstory. Used Mewshi Q's playthrough)

Book 4

Melancholy on not seeing her parents during the holidays. Then more so at Grim's past.

Glared at Crowley and believed he was lying.

Happy to text the boys.

Uneasy around the twins.

Happily joined Scarabia.

Whiplash at Kalim.

Scared to eat now.

"He's a breath of fresh air."

Sparkly eyes at the treasure.

Had fun flying.

"But-"

"Of course I can help."

"But I did want to decline, I don't know why I didn't."

The look of betrayal and offend.

"Hey! Don't walk into a woman's room without permission!"

"But I don't have magic. How can I do defensive magic without it?"

"You do?" "Grim..."

She hated this dorm.

"I now know how pasta feels."

Screamed before impact.

"Ashengrotto, please help us."

"But we don't have money."

At least the Sus Trio was on her side.

Beated Floyd.

More on-guard around Jade.

"I'm not sleeping in the same room with you three."

No really reaction at the reveal.

"... I don't like it."

Sympathetic towards the two.

Dodged the students.

Gasped.

Calmed down before standing up.

Hugged Kalim.

Uncomfortable with riding on the back of one of her schoolmates.

"Viper! Viper! He's our man!"

Hid in a dorm room.

"Why are you guys here?" "Oh... right..."

Jumped out of her skin.

Smiled brightly at the card.

And surprised at the food.

Creeped out at the talking mirror.

Book 5

Woke up in uneasy mood.

The Great Seven. Why am I dreaming about them?

Told the others and made a sour expression at Ace.

Wanted to join VDC genuinely, and maybe also win the money to live better in Ramshackle.

"Crowley. Stop doing that."

Watched them have their asses beaten.

Is good at dancing, but not much on singing.

"Yes you would."

Uncomfortable by Rook, especially at what he was saying.

Hates being scared.

Talked to Ortho to understand him better. (Friendship blooming)

Unmovable for a few seconds.

"Why do they want me?"

"... What are you offering me if I help the VDC team?"

Protectively held the box.

Happily drank the apple juice.

Squished Kalim's cheeks.

Shoed Grim back inside to talk to Kalim.

Sat down and waited for one of them to hand a plate of chocolate cake to her when the lights came on.

Sorrowfully went upstairs.

"Uh, y-yes?"

Concerned for Kalim greatly.

"Asim, I was kidnapped from my world to be here."

"This looks like a fight."

"Schoenheit, I don't like that ugly attitude of yours."

"Ace, if you don't have anything nice to say, be quiet."

Smug "I don't know, maybe~"

Did some investigation, but still didn't know his name.

Got a bit unsettled by the evil laugh.

"? He said my name..."

"No eating until we checked out the purple stage."

Grabbed him by the ribbon and dragged him away.

Liked how her club looked as a cafe.

Half human?

Looked disappointed at the Savanaclaw students.

What are dwarfs?

"Yeah, I call him Drongo. I don't know his actual name though."

Bobbing to the rival's song.

A face of uneasiness painted her features. She brushed the others' concerns off and glanced over at Vil walking downstairs. She hurriedly went after him.

"I have a terrible feeling."

Hunt, why are you like this?

Tried to calm Vil down.

Panicked.

"Good thinking, Viper!"

Frowned at him blaming Kalim.

Tried to hide, but couldn't.

"Drongo, why are you doing here?" "Uh, no..."

"Draconia?" Paused. "I befriended a prince?" Ace: "Don't tell me that's the only thing you heard..."

Scared at everything floating and the heavy pressure, the amazed.

"Thank you, Drongo!" "Oh, I'm sorry."

The sadness and disappointment at losing.

"There was a over- actually, let's not worry about that."

"I have a friend nearby." Glanced over to see Grim wasn't there. She started looking for him and became confused. "Where is he?"

Froze in place and felt her stomach twist at the flashback. She abandoned Mickey and hurriedly headed outside.

She quickly descended the stairs of the coliseum by the figure on the stage.

"Grim?"

She fell to the ground and held her bloody right side as he ran off.

Book 6

Holding her bloody side, dragged herself back to the dorm to call Crowley and inform him on what happened. She poorly bandaged her injuries and lay down to calm down, accidentally falling asleep.

Her heart sank at the dream, knowing this means another OB will happen, then jolted awake at the boys' voices.

Ace noticed the blood under her shirt and offered to wrap it properly.

There was a knock on the front door and headed downstairs to greet the headmage.

She tried to argue as well that Grim wouldn't do this intentionally.

Ace and Deuce comforted her as she cried at the chance of never seeing Grim again.

She felt very lonely in the dorm. It was almost uncomfortable.

The donation lifted her spirits.

Then she dropped onto the floor.

Hid in the sunroom (guestroom).

Heart sank at Grim's voice and ran to the window, calling out to him.

Kneeled in front of the broken window, watching the three disappear.

Quiet through the whole meeting.

"Right, my dorm is more unliveable now."

"What? Hunt, are you crazy?"

"Are you kidding me? You're going to risk your life for skincare products?!"

"But Felmier, it's dangerous. You don't want to end up like Ace and Deuce."

She didn't respond, so he took her hand and dragged her along.

Squeezed Epel's waist tightly when the broom went unsteady.

Giggled. "Yeah, I promise."

Checked herself out. It felt right.

You're terrifying, Hunt.

"You're right, but I wouldn't mind going back."

Dramatically fell to ground.

Starry eyes at the inside.

>:( "I no longer have a dorm because of your men."

Unsettled by the cryptid statement.

She was almost dragging the staff member, panicking at seeing the beam aimed at her. She shut her eyes and embrace herself.

Confuse and curious by the glass coffins.

Excitedly hugged Epel.

Just walked in.

Went up to a staff member. "Do you have anything I could use as a weapon?" Deactivated rowing paddle.

"Guys, where's Grim?"

"That's not what the scars on my waist says."

Shunned in fear at the number.

"Uh, can I not?"

Pouted in shame.

"Huh?" Kissed her cheek and she blushed.

Vil: "-and my lovely flower."

Hid behind the group during the fights, clenching the rowing paddle.

"Schoenheit, he's not a cat."

"Someone needs help!"

Pure terror.

"Found it!"

Softly chuckled at Epel's stomach.

"... Were you trying to compliment him or insult him?"

"You were in Savanaclaw?"

Annoyed everytime the story stopped.

How is showing up identify as attacking?

The phantom swung its hand and slapped her against a metal box. Caused heavy bruising on the right arm.

Was able to keep herself up.

Fell asleep against Epel.

She hated all of this.

Frustratingly huffed at OB Idia. And shrunk into herself at the phantom.

Cried at Idia's trauma, and then cried more at decrypted Vil.

"Grim's not breathing!"

"Wake up! Please!"

Squeezed him in a tight hug. Both were crying.

Regret.

"Thank you for helping him, Drongo."

"Guys! Are you okay?" "Hey!"

Xiu reached her final form. Watch out, boys.

Mentally frowned at no upgrade on her room.

Disappointingly stared at Crowley.

"No, I will definitely play it."

A boy with silver hair?