#I gotta find a way to make pants that look decent but are extravagant enough for the rest of the outfit

[strawberry-cowmilk]

I want to cosplay demon form asmo but those pants make me cry for hours on end

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 18

First time reader click here

TWs/Summary: We stan ✨women in science✨. Bruce uwu. Twitter social media AU nobody asked for. Stephen and Tony are dicks and I'm not talking about their anatomy. Setting up mood for Bruce smut, ngl. PTSD makes things spicy. I'm depressed so please be kind ✌🏻💀🙃

"I really do wonder how can you two fit those egos of yours in your pants," I kept my tone forcefully casual, cheerful even. "Why don't you just fuck already?"

I was met with stunned silence. Suddenly, the room seemed far too large and the people in much too quiet, staring at me with various expressions of horror obvious in their faces. As the strange friendship began developing between me and the team, my "outbursts" - how Steve liked to call them - lessened considerably. I had no need to provoke them into giving me attention, just striking up a casual chat was enough. The Avengers were great conversationalists, to my surprise.

Tony and Stephen, when paired, were the exception. I could count on one hand the amount of times they successfully came to a conclusion without fighting like cats and dogs. It was like each man had made it a personal mission to verbally top the other, more often than not resulting in a thirty-minute shitshow ending with one storming off in a dramatic flourish. It was mind-boggling how two supremely intelligent men could not find a way to communicate efficiently without infuriating the rest of the team.

Plus me. One way or another, I was almost always around. In the beginning, it was hilarious to see the free circus but it got old really quickly when they couldn't decide on dinner or a movie, leaving the rest of us starving and bored. Or the great Cloak debate - that one lasted days and the fussy thing was so upset, it point blank refused to part from Peter for a substantial amount of time. It's pretty fucking creepy that a semi-sentient, ancient piece of outerwear watches you when you sleep - just sayin'. I personally interjected with my own snark and sass whenever Tony and Stephen got too heated, successfully drawing the attention to myself. The fight broke up and I had amazing sex with Tony later, it was a win-win scenario.

Yet, Tony and Stephen didn't stop. To me, their way of "talking" (and I use that term loosely) looked a lot like unresolved sexual tension. Stephen frequently used his greater height to tower over Tony in a childish attempt to establish dominance; the engineer was no rookie and responded with extravagant peacocking such as "subtly" tapping the bracelet that hosted his nanotech suit or parading at dinner in a $30,000 custom made designer outfit. Because Tony could.

I was pleasantly surprised when Natasha started laughing at my remark. Full-blown, belly laugh. Those were rare, coming from the Widow, her usual mirth was quiet, sophisticated, just like her. Deadly (adorable). Bucky followed suit, snorting together with Clint and Loki.

Steve looked none too pleased with me. But then again, was he ever? "Doll, don't be rude."

"Brat," Bruce said at the same time, palming his face.

"People always call me a brat. And guess what, Steve?" I popped my hip, twirling a cotton candy pink coloured Dum-Dum between my fingers. "What can you do about it? Nothing," I shrugged, leaning my head against Bruce's shoulder affectionately.

Steve just shook his head in disappointment. "Can we get back on topic? Please?"

"Captain, I think that Stark..." Strange began talking with Tony dramatically groaning in the background and I instantly tuned out the useless babble. Steve should've been smarter and revoked speaking rights from Tony and Stephen. Or asked Loki to magically render them both mute for ten minutes.

"You're not wrong," Bruce quietly whispered next to my ear. "Ten bucks says Wanda meddles and those two finally work out their frustrations," The scientist hid a grin against my head. I felt the amused, giddy energy radiating off him like a plasma beam.

"I don't even have to bet," I rolled my eyes. "If she doesn't do it, I will."

Both Tony and Stephen were throwing me equally infuriated glances. One promised me a good, hard fucking and the other saw me a short, poisonous lecture on appropriate behaviour in the nearest future - you can guess which is which. If I had it my way, I'd skip the lecture and go straight to a hot, filthy threesome with two men twice my age. I wasn't blind, Strange was hot as hell and could be decent and even nice once in a blue moon.

He could, but he wouldn't be. I wanted that raw, unadulterated lust, tension so concentrated it walked the razor's edge between violent craving and repulsion. Ever since the incident with Clint, I had this ugly mess inside of me, like a live wire about to snap. My brain was constantly racing, darting between how utterly useless I am in a group of supers and embracing my normal-ness, amplifying it by hosting game nights and spending time trying to convince people to start a dungeons and dragons campaign. Or something.

My sleep was like Swiss cheese, riddled with holes where I stayed awake for one or two hours at a time in the middle of the night after waking up sweaty, with my heart hammering out of my chest. Sometimes I dreamt of Clint's lifeless, sickly white body, sometimes the whole room flooded with blood and I couldn't stop it no matter what, there was so much of it, I drowned in it, I startled up with the taste of it in my mouth. Rarely, the worst of it came - the one where Clint was alive as millions of millions of little fluorescent, poisonous jellyfish burst out of him and he screamed and screamed and screamed...

I had PTSD. Yay, me. As if my uselessness wasn't enough of a burden, my brain decided for me that it wasn't good enough that I saved Clint and now it was punishing me for being close to a group of people who routinely saved the WORLD.

I contemplated my usual habits - going to a party, getting trashed and dancing until my legs were numb. I just wanted to shut my brain off for a moment, give it a hard reset so-to-say, but with Tony on my back like a jet-pack, I didn't doubt he'd show up to the place and drag me out of there even if I was kicking and screaming. And he was a Stark, a billionaire, so visiting my dad in Cali wouldn't be possible on my own. Tony would gas up the jet and the rest of the team would find and excuse to tag along, too. As much as I loved being the baby menace who could get away with anything, I hated the way they all herded me, like I was an actual child. I couldn't get away from myself, not even for a moment.

I had the backup-backup plan and I was going to have to execute it. Desperate times, desperate measures. "I don't doubt y'all enjoy listening to Tony and Steph flirt," The nickname escaped unmoderated from my lips before I could catch myself. "But what are we doing for Halloween? I need to know if I gotta get a costume," Bruce chuckled next to me and wrapped an arm around me, happy for the distraction. Unlike me, the scientist was obligated to listen and participate in the avengers-themed discussion. Which was difficult because the engineer and the sorcerer constantly bickered, inadvertently taking over the talk.

"Halloween?" Steve groaned.

"We should do something," Bucky side-eyed his boyfriend. "For the children." Something told me he wasn't thinking of the children, at all. The man was positively leering, probably thinking about what kind of a tight suit he could convince Steve to squeeze into.

"A party!" Tony immediately exclaimed, interrupting Stephen mid-setence.

"Tony, no," Steve stated firmly.

"Tony, YES!" Clint perked up. "A snack bar. A bar-bar."

"I will not be helping you all if you get alcohol poisoning," Stephen crossed his arms.

"So it's a party," I stated firmly, throwing a contemplating look at Wanda and Pietro. The twins looked unsure but excited. I knew I could count on fellow young people to support my decision to have fun, dance a little, drink a little. Let loose. To nail my point, I turned to Bruce with a mischievous smirk. "Fifty bucks says Stephen is too stuck up to show up in costume."

"Beg pardon?!" The sorcerer exclaimed. His eyebrows threatened to meet his hairline.

"I think you give him too little credit, Princess," Bruce winked at me and we solemnly shook hands. It was great having a fellow partner in mischief. Loki's approving smirk just sealed the deal for me.

"It's not my fault you sometimes act like you have a stick up your butt," I gave in the way of explanation, shrugging my shoulders innocently in Stephen's direction. "I'm just pointing out the obvious."

"I don't dare to imagine what's been up yours," The sorcerer retorted dryly, in an uncharacteristically childish fashion, arms still crossed. It almost looked like he was pouting.

"Tony," I simply said, leering salaciously at the man.

"Ooh, kinky," Clint reached over and we promptly high-fived each other in the wake of multiple embarrassed groans emanating around the room. "Strange, you're a boring old man, get over it."

"And you regularly end up in dumpsters, Barton," Strange retorted quickly. "Not my idea of fun."

"You wouldn't know fun if it hit you in the face!" Tony grinned triumphantly, confident in his superiority over Strange. Look at that, the team was doing the work for me and I didn't even have to try.

"I'll show you fun," Stephen retorted darkly. It was obvious the man was planning something.

"Ok, boomer," I raised my eyebrows in muted satisfaction before turning around and grabbing Bruce to drag along with me. "I'm confiscating your best scientist to amuse myself. I am bored. We will go and do actual science whilst y'all argue. Bye."

My patience had run out. We were examining the parasites we found in the murder-anthropods-from-space, codename MAFS, courtesy of yours truly, and their amazing properties to penetrate cell membranes and feed on metals in organic life forms. Without Bruce's help I understood maybe half of it but he had the patience of a saint and dutifully and understandably explained to me the finer points of studying aliens. Signing half a dozen NDAs was never more worth it.

Steve's sigh consisted of 99% suffering and 2% disappointment. Natasha face-palmed silently in the corner, clutching a mug of coffee, a poster child for existential dread.

"Wait for me," Tony whined, going for the door and promptly being stopped by Steve pointing out the team needing his input on one mission or another. The engineer sighed. "Baby girl, don't let the green mean to start any experiments without me." Tony instructed, pointing an accusatory finger in our direction.

I clutched at Bruce dramatically, feigning hurt feelings and was rewarded with a swift motion of his arms. I shrieked delightfully at being thrown over the scientist's shoulder as he hastened his pace towards the elevator, hightailing it out of there. "I'd never snitch on science daddy," I wiggled my eyebrows in Tony's direction, sticking a hand down the back pocket of Bruce's pants, dangling over his shoulder like a happy sack of potatoes.

The lab smelled strongly of alcohol and bitter chemicals, the solution that Bruce developed to ensure the optimal state of the alien pathogens. The man's genius never ceased to amaze me: Bruce came up with the needed formula in the span of a few hours while running low on sleep, post a Hulk-out session.

We put on our protective gear - "science onesies" I called them - along with a respirator and goggles and set to the segregated part of the lab where the specimens were kept under a blue light. The glass wall between Bruce's and Tony's lab was dimmed; I reflected in it, looking positively futuristic in my double-stacked white platformed boots and white hazmat suit.

"Wait," I motioned to Bruce to come over.

"Oh, right, our music," He was already half-way to being in total Science Mode. "Friday, please put on the "Get Schwifty" playlist, 60% volume."

The playlist that me and Bruce came up with for our lab sessions. The man was such an adorable dork. Thirty percent my music, thirty percent of his indie rock shit and forty percent 00's bops. In other words, utter perfection.

I finally managed to fish out my phone from my pants. "No, let's take a selfie," I struck an impressive pose and pointed the camera as Avril Lavigne sung the first verse to Sk8r Boi.

Bruce laughed but abided by the request, giving me bunny ears in the photo, tapping the fingers of his other hand on my waist to the rhythm of the song.

"He was a skater boy, she said see ya later boy!" I sang along, switching my Instagram to stories and posting the short clip of us just vibing with the caption #sciencetime, Bruce laughing openly behind his respirator. I looked cute and silly in my outfit.

"Send the video to me, I'll post it on my Twitter," Bruce requested. I indulged him then put my phone away, ready to conquer the world of microbiology. Or die trying. Science was calling...

THE TAG LIST IS NOW OPEN! @another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit ​ @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads ​ @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @cutenessloading @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie

[avecorviidae]

Fic: Three - Epilogue

Fandom: Mob Psycho 100 Rating: G Relationship(s): Kageyama Shigeo & Reigen Arataka Word Count: 1901

Ao3 Link

After a certain point in one’s teaching career, graduation ceremonies are just plain boring.

Following the disaster that was Salt Mid’s brief flirtation with the 21st century last year, they’d stuck to a traditional ceremony, with speech after speech after speech, and absolutely no pop songs of any kind. Ever. Still, she usually drags Toyoda to the graduation every year, if only because she needs someone who it’s socially acceptable to fall asleep on during the principal’s speech. They both know the drill by now: sit towards the middle of the gymnasium, in the middle of a row, preferably behind some tall and/or chatty parents. Once they’re comfortably seated, they can safely zone out until the scripted speeches about success and school spirit and moving on to do great things have been run dry again, and wake up just in time to watch the graduating class receive their little diplomas. The real fun in this, of course, was the gossip. It’s not that Katsuko doesn’t like her students, or isn’t incredibly proud of them. It’s just that, as a teacher, becoming invested in the lives of teenagers is the only way to stay sane. “Did you have him last year?” Toyoda asks, as a lanky, awkward boy that Katsuko vaguely recognizes stumbles on stage to collect his diploma. She shakes her head. “No, I think he was in Amori’s class.” “Kid sniffs pens.” “What, like a drug thing?” “No, that would’ve made sense! Just, he sniffed them, Kano. Always. During lessons, while he was working, just always… sniffing.” “Weird.”

As sniffer boy is clapped off of the stage, he’s replaced by a petite girl that it takes Katsuko a moment to place, but when she does… “Hey, isn’t she the one who told everyone she dated a high schooler?” Toyoda squints at her. “Did she? I swear I saw her flirting with my first years.” They get so caught up in trying to piece together the tangled mess that is the middle school dating scene that Katsuko almost misses Shigeo’s name being called. The only thing that alerts her is the sole whoop! among the polite clapping that follows him on stage. As subtly as she can, Katsuko turns around in her chair. Sure enough, at the back of the gymnasium, Reigen is standing against a wall with the others who couldn’t get a seat, clapping and grinning with an enthusiasm that seems to be giving other parents secondhand embarrassment.

Shigeo has managed to grab his diploma and shake the hands of most all of the officials in the span of about three seconds, and Katsuko reminds herself to add a tally on the break room whiteboard to Satoh’s secret agent theory from a couple of years ago (“The quiet ones are always the shiftiest, Kano!”). Still, she manages to get a couple of claps in as he scurries off of the stage.

Toyoda always ditches as soon as the ceremony is over, which, frankly, Katsuko doesn’t understand. In her opinion, there’s little point in attending the ceremony itself if you’re not going to stick around for the classroom party afterwards. The only real draw is the promise of more gossip and convenience store cookies, but still. The desks in Sugita Ken’s classroom are pushed around haphazardly, and Katsuko works her way through the maze, past little cliques of students and chittering parents until she finally manages to reach the food table, and the long-awaited cookies. Objectively, it’s not a huge distance from the door to the food, but Katsuko has been cornered by a series of her former students and, of all people, the Kageyamas, so finally getting to the back of the room feels like an accomplishment. She’s surprised that the Kageyamas are sticking around, given that all four of them seem to be incredibly uncomfortable talking to people in general. Of course, the parents had had no trouble thanking her for all her work, gushing about their sons and such, but both of them are mingling with the overly-happy tone and strained smiles of adults who would rather like to be done being adults for the day. Ritsu is far less subtle about his discomfort, fidgeting and tugging on the collar of his dress shirt. Whenever he thinks nobody's looking, his nose scrunches up, glaring mercilessly at the nearest person or object. He seems to be sticking to his parents’ sides, unlike Shigeo, who she’s seen speaking to no less than four other students. All of them were in the telepathy/body improvement club, but still, she thinks it might be a new record. Compared to the rest of the boys in his year, mostly wearing baggy suits, scuffed shoes, and ties that hung down half to their knees, Shigeo is surprisingly sharply dressed. His black suit jacket actually seems, well, calling it tailored would be a stretch, but it actually fits. The matching pants have to have been hemmed, and the collar of his dress shirt is crisply ironed. The only thing that’s not new-looking is the tie, and by this point, the faded pink of the ratty thing is actually familiar. She loses sight of Shigeo when he disappears behind some of the girls’ soccer team trying to take a picture, so she scans the room for Reigen instead. It isn’t difficult.

He’s amassed a decent following in the corner of the room, and looks to be entirely in his element, leaning back casually against the wall and presumably telling stories that are accompanied by extravagant sweeping hand motions that usually make the group burst into obnoxious laughter. She’s seen him twiddle his purple bow tie no less than fifteen times since she arrived.

Her phone buzzes in her pocket.

FROM SATOH: im gonna be able to get over there in 5 mins, is reigen still there TO SATOH: Yep, but I don’t know for how much longer. Until Shigeo leaves, probably. FROM SATOH: listen. katsuko. this is the LAST NIGHT for us to get to the bottom of this TO SATOH: For YOU to get to the bottom of this, you mean? FROM SATOH: not important, listen, katsu, if u see him going to leave, u gotta stop him. talk to him abt idk old rocks or whatever your minor was until i get there TO SATOH: Anthropology, but you were close.

She’s so caught up in looking at her phone that she almost startles when she sees Shigeo in front of her. His telltale nerves are on full display, scuffing one shoe on the linoleum tiles, but he’s smiling softly up at her, and his hands are behind his back, clearly hiding something.

She smiles back at him. “Congratulations, Shigeo! I’m sure everyone’s very proud of you.”

Shigeo looks down at the floor as he mumbles, “Oh, um, thank you, Miss Kano.” She waits patiently as he stares at his feet, biting his lip as he gathers his words. “I wanted to, um, to thank you for… everything, and Shishou helped me a lot to pick it out and plant it, so, uh…” He holds something out from behind his back. “Please accept this from both of us!” As she gently takes the little pot from him, he explains, “It’s a sweet pea plant. Shishou says it means ‘goodbye,’ so… oh! Um, they can grow kind of big, so if you want to, you can plant it in the ground, or a bigger pot, and tie it onto something so that it can grow straight… ours is tied to a yardstick that Shishou found. Yours should flower soon.” The tiny green stalk is bending with the weight of the buds, already splitting down the sides to reveal streaks of white petals. It’s impossible to place the way she’s feeling, the thing in her chest that’s heavy and light all at once, and she thinks, a flower that means goodbye. All she can do is meet his eyes, and she her voice comes out sounding soft and awed when she says, “Thank you, Shigeo. Thank you, for everything.” Shigeo’s hug is too quick for her to reciprocate, just a quick squeeze before he’s stepped away, eyes towards the floor again. He perks up when he hears Reigen calling, “Oi, Mob!” from his corner of the room. Katsuko puts a hand on his shoulder as he moves to leave. “You’ll thank your shishou as well for me, won’t you? And I certainly hope this won’t be the last I see of you. After all, your brother is graduating next year, isn’t he?”

Shigeo nods, and he smiles up at her again, eyes bright. He actually waves a small goodbye as he walks over to Reigen, whose audience has since dispersed. Reigen bends down to say something to him, hand clasped on his shoulder. Satoh Miyu sidles up to her, quickly following her line of sight. “Oh, thank goodness, he’s still here.” She looks at Katsuko. “Katsu, you have a plant.” Katsuko adopts the dry deadpan that’s more or less necessary to be friends with Satoh. “Indeed I do. Shouldn’t you be supervising your own class party?” Satoh waves her off with a small scoff, but doesn’t actually answer the question. Katsuko sees Shigeo walking away from Reigen, and towards his parents and Ritsu, who are all idling near the door in the manner of people who are very ready to leave the party. Reigen, as well, seems to be gearing up to head off. Katsuko points in his direction. “Looks like your window of opportunity is closing to… what are you actually planning?” Satoh looks over at Reigen and hisses, “Shit.” Then, to Katsuko, “I’m going to solve the mystery once and for all, Katsu.” At Katsuko’s blank stare, she leans close and whispers conspiratorially, “The ‘relationship-to-student’ mystery.” Ah, right. She supposed it never had been filled in, had it? The students even updated their information at the beginning of every year, and while Reigen’s phone number had changed once, that little box had still been blank. She follows behind Satoh as she walks towards Reigen, but drifts away to find an inconspicuous eavesdropping spot. This should be interesting. Satoh, chatterbox that she is, makes easy smalltalk, the kind of oh, I’ve heard about you from Shigeo’s teachers, lovely to finally meet you, isn’t this whole ceremony simply lovely, so excited to see them all graduating, bland sort of talk that just disguises the real point of a conversation. Tone still innocuously sweet, Satoh finally asks, “So, I’m just dying to know. How do you know Shigeo?” Reigen’s answer is immediate. “He’s my kid.” The duh is unspoken, but Katsuko can hear it clear as day in his unimpressed tone, and she stifles a laugh. “If you’ll excuse me, Satoh-san, I’ve really gotta get going.” Reigen excuses himself politely and beelines for the exit while Satoh is still floundering a little at the response. He catches her eye as he’s crossing the room, and waves her a quick goodbye before disappearing through the door. Katsuko should probably head home herself, soon. It’s been a long night, and these things always tend to tire her out. Teachers aren’t known for their active party lives. First though, she needs to drop by her classroom and clear the textbooks off of the windowsill. Her little sweet pea flowers are going to need all of the sunlight they can get.

[firewarrior117]

The Witch and the Tambourine, Part 4

Part 4 of the Caravaneer’s journey across Vitaria. There travels have taken them to the lands of Despoire, where Fiona, Vayle, and Akimoto are known to be quite infamous amongst the supporters of the Republic’s Severus Braxton. They continue there performances with the Luminous Stars Caravan troupe, unaware of the dangers that might shortly follow them.

(Castle Dragon-claw, Severus’s quarters)

Severus: *Drinking Tea* Hm...This day has been quite relaxing. Not a stressful moment in the kingdom this day...

Wyrmkin maid: More tea, M’lord?

Severus: Yes! poor it in! *Smirks as the maid poors the tea in his cup* Aaaaah...Hm...A decent cup...though it could be better...

*The Guards from the red market come charging into the room!*

Republic Soldier: LORD SEVERUS!!! *Pant*...*Pant*...Lor-...Lord Severus!

Severus: Uuugh! Dammit! What have I told you fools about bothering me? Can’t you see I am busy?!

Republic Soldier2: *Pant*...*Pant*...*Phew!*...*Despoire Salute!*...Lord Severus! Akimoto Infernus and two of his companions have been sighted in the Red market!

Severus: *!* Akimoto Infernus?! Uuugh...So much for a relaxing day...That fool has some nerve traveling into our borders! What was he doing? Who were the companions?

Republic Soldier: It was the Seeress and the White Witch, my lord! They were traveling with a band of Caravaneers last we saw...

Republic Soldier2: They just left the Red market and are currently heading down to the path near the capital!

Severus: Near the Capital?! Caravaneers aren’t allowed in the capital! Why in blazes would they be heading here?

Republic Soldier: M-Maybe they’re spies, my lord! trying to sneak in and raise a rebellion of some kind!

Severus: Don’t be ridiculous! As if a bunch of skirt twirling, tambourine playing Myrmidons would be spies for the Empire...They’d sooner sing around a fire and dance under the full moon than sneak in and cause an uprising...

*Severus takes a sip of his Tea, thinking for a moment...*

Severus: ...Then again...The Infernus clan is traveling with them...If they WERE to try and storm the gate, that DEMON would no doubt cut down our soldiers in one strike...Hmmmm...Maybe we should deal with them while we can...

Republic Soldier2: *Salute!* What are your orders, My Lord?

Severus: We will have our scouts watch for where they camp tonight...Then, when they are all settled, dancing around there little bonfire and singing merry little songs...I’ll unleash my new...Pet...to deal with them! Hmhmhmhmhm...

Republic Soldier: *!* M...My lord...Y-you don’t mean...?

Severus: Yes! THAT ONE!

Republic Soldier2: ...*Gulp!*...A...A-as you command, my lord...

Severus: Hmhmhahahaha...I want see its carnage for myself when it happens...You’d best prepare yourself, Infernus! No song or dance will save from this creature’s fury...*Sips tea menacingly*...Hmhmhmhmhahahahahaaaa...

*A performance by the luminous stars occurs within a town near the capital, the sisters singing a humorous song with Fiona Providing a dance routine along with it*

Sarisa: The knight did raise his blade the sky~! Casting it down into Ogma’s eye~! 

Fareeha: And thus Ogma the pie thief’s rain was no moooore~! 

Both sisters: As his his ugly old head fell down into the ocean floooooooor~....

Fiona: *Jingles her tambourine, twirling with the sisters and they all strike various poses!*

*The Town errupts in laughter and cheer, clapping and throwing drakes to the performers as the three girls bow to the audience!*

Vayle: Hahahaha! Splendid! Bravo!

Akimoto:...Okay, Fiona totally just struck a JoJo pose!

Tulio: Ha! I’m not sure what a “JoJo” is, but I like it! *Clapping for his performers!*

*after the performance, the Caravan prepares itself down the road once more, the sun setting upon the lands of Despoire!*

Rosalita: *decorating Fiona’s hair into a braid with flowers holding it in place!* This is a style I usually like to do in the spring and summer times...A Bandana is all well and good, but sometimes even the most beautiful of flowers should bloom on stage once in a while!

Fiona: Really? *Red Face!*  that’s kind of you to say...

Rosalita: You really are a beautiful young girl, Little sister! you should make yourself stand out more!

Vayle: That’s what I tell her! But the poor girl is so shy when it comes to social interaction. When she’s not reading books, she’s usually just collecting alchemy ingredients in the forest. I really do need to get her into social situations more.

Rosalita: Hahaha! Aren’t we all at that age? She hasn’t even grown to her prime yet, and I can already tell, she’s going to be a Goddess amongst maidens! That charming sparkle in her eye, the extravagant shine in her hair...You are going to break hearts, my dear! *Finishes her hair!* And there we are! See for yourself!

Fiona: *Looks in the mirror!* *!* Oh, wow! That’s so pretty! I love it! It’s so beautiful!

Rosalita: Hmhmhmhm! I knew you would! That look really suits you, Little sister!

Vayle: Oh my, that is fascinating! I should try that on my designs some time...

Rosalita: The Braid and flowers were a favorite of Esmeralda’s, too! She would always wear her hair that way during the warm days of Vitaria...Hm...Her and Tulio were such good friends...He was absolutely devastated when he got the news of her death...

Fiona: *Her smile turning into a curious expression of sadness* Hmmm...Yeah...She was a very nice woman...How long did you and Tulio know her?

Rosalita: Since we were children. Those two were an inseparable pair when we were younger...They were more like siblings than friends. Esmeralda was the one who introduced me to Tulio in the first place! She saw something in both of us that would have us be bound for the rest of our lives! And she was right...I don’t know where I’d be without Tulio in my life...He’s such an upbeat and optimistic man! The way he brings a smile to anyone’s face is enough for him to become friends with everyone we meet in our travels! Hmhmhmhm...I’m proud to be the wife of such a wonderful man...

Fiona: Hehehehe! Esmeralda was such a wonderful woman. It’s hard to believe how she’s changed so many lives...

Vayle: ...*Smiles*...Yes... I would have loved to have met her...

*The Caravans come to a halt suddenly*

Rosalita: Oh dear...What now?

Corina: Oh, blast it all...Gerardo! You didn’t get us lost again, did you?!

Gerardo: GERARDO NEVER GETS US LOST! I just not read map properly! We should be in port black-heart in no time!

Corina: Yes...Port Blackheart...Which is WEST, Gerardo! You were leading us NORTH! No wonder I can see the capital from here! 

Gerardo: CUT GERARDO THE SLACK! He just have one of too many of the drinks before we left last town. Also, I think Gerardo’s Compass might be breaking, as well!

Miguel: *facepalm* Oh, Gerardo...

Akimoto: Everyone calm down! It’s starting to get dark, anyway...Might not be a bad time to rest up for the night...

Tulio: Sir Akimoto is right. Let us set up camp someplace safe for now. I think the map says there is a campsite not too far this way...

Gerardo: Yes! Yes! Gerardo sleep like baby, THEN navigate us to port!

Corina: Or...How about CORINA drives us to the port tomorrow, yeah?

Gerardo: ...*Shrug!*...That work just as well...

*The Caravans Camp within a  large opening in the middle of the woods, the bonfire illuminating the entire camp*

Miguel: *playing his Lute as the sisters dance with there Tambourines!* There we go, girls! Let the rhythm do the dancing for you!

Akimoto: *Drinks from water Canteen* Huh...Is there a day you guys DON’T perform?

Tulio: Hahaha! Usually only when we’re on the road or sleeping. We gotta keep ourselves in shape and ready to bring happiness to the people at all times! That’s the life of a caravaneer, my friend...*Takes a swig of wine*...Heh...Now, are you sure you’re not interested in ether of my daughters? *wink!* I think Fareeha might be your type!

Akimoto: *Glare!* for the LAST TIME, old man! I’m not interested in ether of them!

Tulio: HAHAHAHA! Again! I jest, my friend! I only Jest! *Offers him wine!* Would you like some? Wild-berry Wine! it’s a delicacy in Despoire...

Akimoto: No thanks...I don’t drink...

Fiona: *Reading a magic tome, practicing levitation on a teapot!* ...Focus...Focus...

*The Teapot lifts 2 ft. into the air as Fiona focuses her magic into it!*

Tulio: *!* W-woah! What? Is that Teapot flying?!

Vayle: Good job, Fiona! Now try gently setting it down back on the platter...

Fiona: Right! *Gently starts to make it descend as she concentrates on the plate!*

Tulio: Aaaaah! That’s right! Little sister is a scholar of the arcane arts, yeah?

Akimoto: Yep! She’s been practicing it since she was little! That’s one of her big dreams when she’s older...she wants to master magic and become a powerful Sorcerer like her parents were.

Tulio: Hehehe! She’s a big ambition for it, eh? Learning these arts must be quite important to her...

Akimoto: More than anything. When we found her, she lived in a giant hollow tree near white reef. Hehehe...Whole tree was FULL of books, Scrolls, artifacts...She’s mostly self-taught, but Vayle and Gramps have tried to help her the best they can. We try to find her some new tomes, too! Help her stay in touch with her studies...

Tulio: Hahaha...That’s very kind! You’ve certainly been taking good care of Fiona, haven’t you?

Vayle: Oh! Of course! We all love her dearly! She’s a wonderful girl, and the way people treat her because of her curse is completely unfair...

Tulio: ...Her...Curse...?

Akimoto: Er, well, it’s not much of a curse, more that it’s a burden to her...

Fiona: *Sigh* Aki, just let me explain it...You See-...

*two despoire scouts peak from a higher ground near the camp*

Republic Scout: *Pulls phone from pouch*...Lord Severus...the Caravaneers have been sighted, there guard is down...Awaiting your command...

*in a small encampment not too far from them...*

Severus: Excellent...Keep watch for movement...we shall ready the beast for its attack...*Turns to his other soldiers!* OPEN THE GATE!

Republic Soldier: W-What?! OPEN IT?! M-my lord, are you mad?! What if it pounces and attempts to take your li-?!

Severus: I Said...OPEN THE GATE!

*The Soldiers panic as they release the locks on the gate, the beast growling and grunting with each lock undone...*

Severus: Hahahahaha! Yes! That’s it! Release it!

*The Final locks break, the Gates flying open as two glowing Yellow eyes stare down Severus...A large, Lion like paw emerges from the shadows, then the rest of the beast starts to reveal itself, shadowed by the moonlight as it growls and glares at Severus*

Severus: Peace, Monster...I am not your target! THIS is your target...*Pulls a ripped sword belt that used to belong to Akimoto, throwing it down in front of the monster*

*The Beast begins to sniff at it, pawing at it as it’s glowing eyes than take its gaze beyond Severus as it growls with fury!*

Severus: That is the scent of a DEMON who opposes Despoire! I want you track it, and DESTROY THE SOURCE! *Points* NOW GO! FOLLOW THE SCENT! KILL THE DEMON! AND ANYONE WHO STANDS IN YOUR WAY!

*The Monster roars loudly, A Hissing sound from behind it as it then spreads its wings and dashes off toward the scent!*

Severus: Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

*Back at the Caravan...*

Kaseem: *Hears roaring in the distance*...What the hell was that?

Valmiro: Probably just some wolves...

Kaseem: I don’t recall wolves making noises like that...

Fiona: -And ever since, I have been forced to wear these Shackles...Forced to hold her back, hoping that as I continue to study the Arcane arts...I’ll find some way to break her out of my body...make it so the one in my body is just ME, and not her...

Tulio: Oh...Little Sister...I...I am so sorry! I did not know such a burden was afflicted upon you! I wish there was something I could do to help you...

Fiona: I appreciate you saying that...But I think the answer lies deep within the secrets of the Arcane arts! Arts that would horribly mutate a human and alter there minds... Luckily, I am a Drow! So hopefully when I DO find the answer! I can use the spell without any horrible side-effects...

Arcana: (It exists...I know it does...I want to be free of you as much you want to free of me! We must keep finding the answer!)

Rosalita: Well, if there IS anything we can do to help you find a way to free yourself from this, Say it!

Akimoto: That goes for all of us in the tower as well! You know we got your back, Fiona! We won’t let Arcana possess you!

Vayle: Agreed! We shall do everything to help you...No matter how long it takes!

Fiona: You guys...I....*whipes away tears from her shaking eyes*...I don’t know what to say...I’m so-

*The Roaring is heard once more! But MUCH louder this time!*

Valmiro: Okay...Maybe that isn’t a wolf we’re hearing...

Kaseem: I told you! SOMETHING is out there!

Vayle: What in blazes WAS that...?

Akimoto: I don’t know...It sounded kind of like a Manticore, but...

Fiona: *!!!* A...A Manticore...?!

*The trees suddenly rip apart, falling to the sides as a large beast emerges from the dark!*

Valmiro: *!* WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!

Kaseem: LOOK OUT! *Pushes him out of the way as they rush for the Caravan!*

*The Beast Swipes at the Bonfire, the flames hitting the logs and trees that Surround the Caravan! The Flames brighten the entire camp, revealing the beast from its shadows. Its appearance resembling that of a Lion with glowing yellow eyes, large horns sprouting from its head, the hind legs and wings of a bird, and the tail of a snake as it hisses and leers at the Caravaneers alongside the lion!*

Miguel: *!!!*...By God...

Tulio: It’s...I-t’s a...IT’S A CHIMERA!!!

Akimoto: You gotta be kidding me...*Readies sword!*

*The Chimera Roars in a bloodthirsty rage, the Snake Hissing and leering it’s glowing red eyes at the Caravaneers!*

Fiona: *Stares in utter terror at the beast, stepping back from it!*...N-No...No...Not again...

To be Continued in Part 5!