#I like to think that certain were never trapped Underground

[hungermakesmonsters]

(Once Bitten) Twice Shy

Chapter Seventeen

Plot summary : Desperate to get away from your controlling family, you take a job in New York as a wealthy vampire's blood source. A million dollars awaits if you can make it through a year, but life with Billy Russo is not going to be as simple as you think.

Pairing : Billy Russo x Reader

Story Rating : R  Chapter Rating : PG

Warnings : [This is a fic for 18+ only, minors DNI] Nothing too warning worthy, just some really creepy vibes at the end. All chapters will contain mentions of blood. Please check the warnings on each chapter if you choose to follow this story. 

Word Count : 4.5k

A/N : happy fic-friday!

CHAPTER ONE | CHAPTER TWO | CHAPTER THREE | CHAPTER FOUR | CHAPTER FIVE | CHAPTER SIX | CHAPTER SEVEN | CHAPTER EIGHT | CHAPTER NINE | CHAPTER TEN | CHAPTER ELEVEN | CHAPTER TWELVE | CHAPTER THIRTEEN | CHAPTER FOURTEEN | CHAPTER FIFTEEN | CHAPTER SIXTEEN

MASTER LIST

Chapter Seventeen

You sat in silence, too paralysed by fear to think rationally. There were things you knew you should be doing, like looking out of the window and trying to figure out where you were and, perhaps more importantly, where you were going. But, really, what did it matter? You’d always known that it would come down to this, that you’d end up his prisoner and, now, you knew for certain that no one was going to save you.

Your eyes drifted to the rear window, not looking at him, not even acknowledging his existence. 

The streets of New York all looked the same at night; all bright lights and crowds of people. The only thing you could tell was that you didn’t seem to be leaving the city. Somehow that made things worse, knowing that you were still so close to Billy but you might as well have been a million miles away. 

And, suddenly, despite your situation, Billy was all you could think about. He was probably at Josie’s by now, he’d probably realised that you were gone and that he’d never see you again. He was probably so angry.

“You’ll soon get tired of giving me the silent treatment,” he stated with a confidence that made you sick to your stomach, “but I’m not going to rush you. I have patience and we have the rest of forever.”

Forcing a breath, you tried everything you could to keep a blank face and not give into the scared helplessness that was filling you. Your gaze remained focused on the window and the streets you’d been so excited to explore only a few weeks ago. 

A sense of claustrophobia took hold the moment the limo turned into an underground parking structure, darkness filling the car and making you feel more trapped than ever. Then the car stopped.

You didn’t move, didn’t even tear your eyes away from the window.

Until he reached for you.

His cold hand on yours caused you to flinch and pull away, only to find fingers tightly gripping your good wrist.

“You’re going to behave for me,” he told you, the slightest hint of annoyance seeping into his tone.

“Or what?”

You weren’t sure what came over you in that moment but you were just as surprised by your sudden snap as he was.

“Do I have to remind you what will happen to your family?” He asked, leaning closer, gripping tighter. “Or maybe I should remind you what I’m capable of...”

“You don’t scare me anymore, Mr Drake,” you answered back, his name spat from your mouth like venom despite knowing you were only making things worse. 

“Please, you should call me Justin since you’re going to be my wife,” he offered with a smile that made you feel ill. “And you should be scared of what could happen if you try to refuse me again.”

“Am I supposed to care what happens to my parents after they sold me to you?”

You didn’t expect the laugh that followed, a sound that caused the dread in your stomach to continue to build.

“And what about Irene? You still care about her, right?”

The sound of your sister’s name on his lips was almost enough to cause your heart to stop. It was a lie, it had to be. She’d been gone for years, no one knew where she was or how to find her.

“You’re lying.” You decided to call his bluff.

He let go of your arm to reach into his pocket and pull out his phone. A moment later you felt bile rise in the back of your throat at the picture he showed you. It had been years since you’d seen her, but there was no mistaking that it was your older sister. The sickening feeling only continued to increase as he started to swipe through pictures; pictures of a family, of two young children and a telltale bump on her belly.

“If you’d prefer I could take what’s owed me from her instead, along with your nephews and your unborn niece.” He put the phone away, no longer needing it to threaten you. He’d made his point.

“You’re a monster.”

He laughed again.

“Oh, darling, you have no idea.” He leaned to open the door and then gave a wave of his hand, indicating that he wanted you to move. “It’s up to you whether we do this the easy way or the hard way.”

For a few seconds you remained completely still, defiant.

Then you moved.

What choice did you have? You knew he could bend you to his will if he wanted to, you knew he could hurt you and those closest to you. More than that, you knew that you were completely alone. No one was going to look for you. No one was coming to your rescue.

“Good choice,” you heard him mutter as he followed you out of the limo.

You bristled at the touch of his hand against your lower back, guiding you towards the elevator but you moved regardless, knowing better than to think you could outrun a vampire in the gloomy parking lot.

The elevator doors slid shut, trapping you with him and his driver, watching as he swiped a key card for the penthouse floor. Your heart lurched along with the elevator and, despite wanting to remain steely and unphased by the situation, you found yourself pulling your arms across your chest.

It was only then that you realised your suitcase was nowhere to be seen. Try as you might, you couldn’t remember what had happened to it. It had been with you when you left Josie’s but then you’d walked into Krista and -

And after that, everything was hazy.

“Where are my things?” You asked. “I had a suitcase.”

“Gone. You don’t need it,” he answered.

Your chest tightened, squeezing out a breath. Your eyes fixed forward, unblinking, not wanting to show him how upset you were. You weren’t bothered about your things, about your purse or phone, but your heart was breaking over the stuffed beagle that meant so much to you, the last little piece of Billy that you had.

“I want it,” you demanded defiantly. 

“Why?” He asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“Because it’s mine. If you want me to stay here and not cause problems, then you need to find it.” You glared at him as he spoke, as if there was really anything you could do to hurt him. 

He seemed disinterested but shrugged before giving his driver a glance. The man nodded, understanding his orders without a word even passing between them. Though, by now, you knew it was probably too late. You’d probably never see Bill the Beagle again.

As he led you into the penthouse suite, his driver disappeared back into the elevator, but you weren’t so naive as to think that you were alone with him. He’d have his goons somewhere near, in case he needed them. If you wanted to even think about trying to get away from him again, you were going to have to bide your time.

Your stomach dropped when you were led into a bedroom. You lingered in the doorway, leaving as much space between you and him as you could and, of course, he noticed.

“There’s no need to be shy,” he told you, barely holding back a smirk.

“I’m not being shy,” you answered back. 

His gaze darkened.

“I can’t say that I like this new attitude you seem to have developed. I can see now why William Russo had to resort to physical means to keep you in line,” he stated, gesturing at your broken arm.

“You don’t know anything about Billy,” you snapped through gritted teeth.

“Oh, Billy is it?” He asked, looking at you like he could look right through you, like he could tell every little thought in your head, and he didn’t like what he saw. “Got close to him, did you?”

You felt your cheeks start to burn while your hands clenched to fists at your side, and he noticed it all.

“More than that?” He asked, though he didn’t need to hear an answer. “You’re lucky I’m not a jealous man, otherwise I might have taken it out on poor dear Billy. But, then, why should I be jealous of a vampire who likes to play with his food?” 

“You know nothing about it or him.”

“Oh, I know plenty,” he answered back. “Enough to know that he’ll have a new girl in his employ, bleeding for him by the end of the week and probably in his bed just as quick, just like he replaced your friend Krista...”

You shook your head, insolent, even though some part of you wondered if he was right. Perhaps Lissa had already put out an advertisement for your replacement.

But you weren’t given time to linger on the thought. He closed the distance between you, his cold fingers grasping your chin, turning your head one way and then the other as he inspected your neck.

“Did he bite you?” He asked and you stayed silent, so he resorted to threats. “Do I have to strip you and check for myself?”

The threat was enough to break you. “No. He didn’t bite me.”

“Good. Now get changed out of those clothes, so we can have supper and discuss our future together.” A wave of his hand led your gaze to an outfit that had been set out for you on the bed.

----------------

“Why didn’t she tell me?” Billy asked as if he thought Karen might have some magic answer to explain everything that was going on.

She’d explained about Madani, about the questions the Homeland agent had about Billy, as well as the warning that she’d offered outside the hospital. But she only knew what you had shared with her and the little that Madani had been willing to say, and it wasn’t a lot. 

And it certainly wasn’t enough for Billy.

“I don’t know, I guess because she didn’t believe it, she didn’t think it was worth worrying you with it,” Karen offered, lifting her glass and taking a slow drink.

Billy and Frank had asked around, hoping someone had seen you while Karen called Madani, but the most they got was from a drunk who thought you might have gotten into a limousine with friends. By the time they sat to wait for the Homeland agent, Billy was crawling out of his skin.

“And you’re sure she didn’t believe it?” He asked, again trying to get an answer that he knew Karen couldn’t possibly know.

“Well, she saw Krista, didn’t she?” Frank offered. “Hard to think you killed someone who’s still walkin’ around.”

“But, what if -” he started and stopped as Karen dared to reach across the table, placing a hand on his arm.

“Billy, she didn’t leave because she thought you’d done something wrong,” she offered.

“No, she left because I’m like... this...”

Frank bristled at his side but didn’t say anything, though Karen could tell just how much effort it took for him to bite his tongue. She’d seen them have that argument before, and she’d been the one left to console Frank afterwards.

“We’ll find her, Billy,” Karen tried again, pulling back her hand.

“I just -” he started but stopped the moment he noticed a woman in a suit approaching them, eyeing him with very obvious suspicion.

Karen’s eyes followed Billy’s, and she quickly stood up.

“Agent Madani.”

“Ms Page,” she greeted Karen before uncomfortably eyeing Billy and Frank.

“Something’s happened and we need your help,” Karen tried to explain, waving a hand, trying to get Madani to sit. 

Between the three of them, they explained what had happened as far as they knew, up to the point where they found your suitcase on the sidewalk. An uncomfortable silence fell while Madani took it all in.

“How can you be sure she didn’t just abandon it?” Madani asked, glancing at the case.

“She wouldn’t do that,” Billy answered, his hand resting on the stuffed beagle. “Why would she leave her phone and purse?”

Madani looked at him for a few moments, saying nothing.

“And how do I know that any of this is true?” She finally asked. “How do I know that this isn’t some elaborate ruse? How do I know she isn’t dead somewhere and all of this is to stop me from asking questions later on?”

“I didn’t kill her. I haven’t killed anyone. I -” Billy started to snap.

“Bill,” Frank warned, silencing him.

“You’ve got a badge, right?” Karen asked. “The store across the street has got a security camera pointed at the street, you can take a look at the last hour and see if we’re telling the truth or not.”

Frank struggled to fight back a grin, nudging Karen with his elbow, impressed with her. Madani on the other hand, seemed a little less enthusiastic. 

“It’s not that simple, I’d need a warrant, and -”

“We don’t have time -” Karen started.

“Fuck this,” Billy muttered, getting to his feet.

Frank followed suit. “What’re you doin’, Bill?” 

“I’m going to get the security footage myself,” he answered.

“Hey, if you think I’m going to sit back while you commit a crime -” Madani was on her feet a second later.

“The more time we waste, the harder it’s going to be to find her,” Billy snapped. “And I’m not going to lose her. You can either help or you can stay out of my way, but I’m warning you, Agent Madani, I’m not someone you want as an enemy.”

Without another word, he started towards the door, Madani and Frank following after while Karen opted to hang back with your suitcase.

Billy made his way across the street, not caring if he was followed; he was determined to find out what happened, with or without help. With the way he was feeling, he’d tear the store owner apart if he even tried to get in his way. And Frank seemed to realise that. It was why he didn’t let Billy get more than a few feet ahead of him.

And Madani followed because she was almost hoping that he’d do something to prove her right about him.

“How we doin’ this then?” Frank asked just outside the little corner store, stopping Billy in his tracks. 

“That’s up to Agent Madani,” Billy answered, glaring at the Homeland agent.

For a few seconds she looked at the two vampires, hating that she was being put on the spot but realising that there was nothing that she could do to stop them from looking at the footage one way or another.

“Fine, wait here,” she answered, as she moved to step past Billy.

“What? If you think I’m -” Billy was silenced by Frank’s hand on his shoulder.

Madani waited for a beat before entering the store alone.

The bell over the door chimed, signalling her arrival to the young guy behind the counter who looked up from his phone for a split-second before dropping his gaze again. Madani strode towards the counter, reaching into her jacket for her badge and ID. For a few seconds she didn’t say anything, instead she listened to the faint sounds coming from the assistant's phone.

‘If vampire’s keep taking all the wealth and making it so honest, hard working humans can’t find a decent job that pays a decent wage -”

She cleared her throat, having heard all she needed to. Anti-vampire sentiment was still widespread and there were plenty of online commentators willing to try to make a quick buck from it, and in this situation, it was something she could use to her advantage.

“Agent Madani, Homeland Security,” she stated. The kid looked ready to shit himself at the sight of her badge. “I’m going to need to see the CCTV footage from the front of the store for the last couple of hours.”

“I -” for a moment he struggled to find the words, “- I think I’d need to ask my boss.”

“Is he here right now?”

“No, he lives in Jersey...”

Madani let out a sigh, letting the kid see her frustration.

“Listen, I’ll level with you, I’m tracking a dangerous vampire,” she told him and saw a flicker of anger on his face. “I think they’ve hurt a lot of people, a lot of young women about your age...”

“Fucking bloodsuckers,” he muttered.

“If I could see that footage, I might be able to catch him and, if I do...” she shrugged, “well, there’d be nothing to stop you from posting the whole thing online. I hear you can make a lot of money with stuff like this.”

Madani could practically see dollar signs lighting up behind his eyes. At any other time it might have bothered her just how easily influenced the kid was, but time was of the essence and she needed to know if Russo was lying to her. 

“Yeah, okay,” the kid relented, “it’s in the back here.” 

He gave a quick glance around the store, making sure it was still empty before showing her into the backroom. The set up was hardly state of the art, but it was easy enough to use - in fact, she’d used several similar systems in the past, so it didn’t take her long to scrub through the video and find the exact moment that you left Josie’s. The picture quality wasn’t brilliant and the poor lighting on the street didn’t help, but you were easy enough to spot with your suitcase.

Madani watched as someone deliberately stepped into your path before taking you by the arm and leading you towards a waiting limousine. She managed to get half of the licence plate of the limo and snapped a quick photo of the blurry figure with her phone while the kid’s back was turned, then she stood.

“Is it on there?” He asked.

“No,” she answered, forcing another sigh, “looks like the bastard managed to slip by just out of range of the camera.”

His disappointment was palpable.

“But that isn’t to say that he won’t come back,” Madani offered, “so it’d be best if you didn’t mention this to anyone, otherwise you might spook him and... well, I wouldn’t want to see you charged with obstruction after you’ve been so helpful.” 

He nodded and she didn’t waste any time in making her excuses to get out of there.

Billy was pacing by the time she stepped back outside, both men seemed to be engaged in a heated debate about something, and it looked as though Russo was on the losing end of it.

“All I’m sayin’ is -”

“What did you find out?” Billy asked, ignoring Frank and quickly refocusing all of his attention on Madani.

“I’m not sure,” Madani stated, pulling out her phone, “she left the bar and someone met her outside before leading her to a limousine. There wasn’t a struggle but... something didn’t seem right...”

“You think someone was compellin’ her?” Frank asked.

“Maybe. I can’t be sure. I got a partial plate and I’m going to call in some favours to run it, see if I can figure out who owns the limo and where it went,” Madani explained before holding up her phone to the men, showing the blurry image she’d captured. “But, while we wait, we should try to figure out who this is.”

“Fuck,” Billy grit out almost instantly.

“Goddamnit,” Frank let out a second later.

“Well, that was quicker than expected. Care to fill me in?” Madani asked.

“I knew I should’ve killed her,” Billy muttered, forcing an uneven breath, struggling to stay in control of himself.

“It’s Krista Dumont, alive and well, and still pissin’ everyone off,” Frank answered, though his gaze stayed on Billy. “You went lookin’ for her, right, Bill? Know where she might be now?”

“Yeah, I know where she lives,” Billy answered, his attention quickly turning to Madani. “You wanted to know what happened to my previous employees, right? Well, you’re about to find out.”

Without another word, he started moving back towards where he’d left his car. Frank and Madani quickly followed after, the latter on her phone calling in those favours to try and track down the limo.

----------------

You were finally left alone to change, though you spent at least five minutes searching the room, looking for anything that might help you escape. As much as you’d felt resigned to this eventuality, just being around him again had panic and dread gnawing at your insides. You had to get away.

The first thing you did was check the windows, despite already knowing that you were too high up to even consider it an option. In fact, the penthouse suite was so high up that the people on the street below seemed like ants.

Next thing you checked was the room’s phone by lifting it to your ear. No dial tone. No cord connecting it to the wall. If you could get a cord from one of the other phones in the suite, you might be able to call for help. You filled away the thought for later. 

Then you checked the drawers and the wardrobe, feeling sick to your stomach when you found several outfits that were obviously for you. They looked like the sort of clothes your mother would have picked for you and not at all like the outfits you’d enjoyed wearing over the last six months. Even the dress he’d laid out on the bed for you felt uncomfortably conservative - though you supposed you should be glad he wanted you to dress that way.

Shaking your head you tried to force the thought away and concentrate on finding things that might be helpful. 

Wooden hangers could perhaps be turned into weapons but... well, that was a line you didn’t want to think about crossing until you really had to.

“Dinner is here,” you heard his voice from behind the door. “Unless you want me to come in there and dress you myself, I suggest you hurry up.” 

As much as you wanted to be stubborn, as much as you wanted to cause him as much trouble as possible, the sorry fact of the matter was that you were scared. And you had every reason to be scared. So, you gave up your search and quickly changed into the clothes that he had left for you and stepped out into the suite.

The main room was lit by lamps, creating a romantic glow that made you feel sick.

Instead of looking at him and the table, you glanced around the room, taking note of where the phone was and how close the door was. But your host seemed to realise what you were doing.

“Sit,” he ordered, pulling out a chair at the table.

You made a point of walking around him and taking a different seat.

“You’re starting to test my patience,” he remarked, taking his own seat. 

“Already?” You remarked off-handedly, reminding him of the comment he’d made not two hours ago in the limo.

“Did Billy Russo let you talk back like this?”

“He never gave me a reason to,” you answered without hesitation, despite knowing it wasn’t strictly true.

He gave a grunt of irritation before uncovering your food. You looked down at the plate, your lips curling at the sight; tuna steak and salad. While he started to eat, you simply stared down at the plate. Even though you knew you’d never see him again, let alone bleed for him, the thought of eating anything from his list of prohibited foods. It took Justin Drake  a minute to realise that you weren’t eating, and then came the frustrated sigh.

“Are you going to fight me on everything?” He asked.

“I don’t eat tuna.”

“Since when?”

“Since I decided I don’t like it.”

“Then eat the salad,” he snapped.

You took small consolation in the fact that you were already getting to him, showing him that you were going to be far more trouble than you were worth but, again, you knew better than to push too far too soon. He could hurt you. He would hurt you if he felt like it. 

Reluctantly, you began to pick at the salad with your fork, silently wondering if you’d be able to sneak any of the cutlery away from the table.

You ate in silence, neither speaking until you were both done. He’d poured you a glass of wine, but it had been left mostly untouched and, thankfully, he hadn’t thought to order dessert.

“Tomorrow we’ll be travelling home,” he informed you. “The wedding is being arranged as we speak and, by this time next week, you’ll be my wife, so you should rid yourself of any childish notions of escaping or denying me.”

“I won’t marry you.”

“Yes you will.”

“Why? Why any of this? Why me?” You asked, anger quickly starting to bubble over. “I’ll never stop fighting you, I’ll never be yours. How is any of this worth it to you?”

He just laughed at that, sitting back in his chair and lifting his wine glass to his lips, taking a slow drink before even thinking to answer you.

“Because it’s fate.”

“What?” Had you heard him correctly? Had he called it fate?

“It was never about the money - that was just to keep your parents in line - it’s always been about you, my sweet girl.” He continued to smile as your skin started to crawl. “I knew I had to have you the first time I set eyes on you.”

Your stomach continued to churn and tie itself in knots as you thought how long ago that must have been.

“Why?” You dared to ask even though you were terrified of how he might answer.

“You look just like your great-great-great-grandmother.” He paused as if he was expecting you to say something but the shock had rendered you silent. “She was like you, she refused me what should have been mine, and she paid the price.”

It felt like your blood had turned to ice in your veins, not sure exactly what he was telling you, but not wanting to ask for clarification either. You remained silent, wondering how long he’d been tormenting your family like this and if you were the first to find yourself in this situation with him. 

“I always regretted it, once she was gone I mean. I should have handled things differently, but I was young back then, barely past my first century...” he sounded almost wistful, like he was recounting a fond memory. “But then I found you. And I won’t make the same mistake twice. You will bend to my will. You will be my wife in every sense of the word and, when you’ve finally accepted your place at my side, I will give you the greatest gift imaginable.”

You didn’t have to ask to know what he was implying.

“No,” your head shook. “I don’t want to be a vampire.”

“My sweet girl, what makes you think you have a choice?”

End Note : ... I'm not even sorry about ending it like that, I'm having too much fun getting things ready for the final confrontation. I think that there's probably only two more chapters left of this one now (depending on how carried away I get with the next part), so I hope you all enjoy what I've got planned. Also I'm sorry I picked that name for the bad guy...

As ever, thank you so much for reading/liking/reblogging/screaming at me in the comments! Have a great weekend!!

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged in future chapters! If tagging doesn't work for some reason (aka Tumblr being dumb) I post most Fridays around 7:30 gmt.

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[pinkhoodi]

music lovers !

✎ᝰ — music hcs on my fav spider folks <3

♡⃕ — 1610!miles morales, gwen stacy, hobie brown

♡⃕ — genre + warnings: fluff + no warnings

♡⃕ — a/n: thank you to @4kh + @cutenote for helping me outtt 🫶🏽

꒰ MILES MORALES ꒱

Ꮺ miles’ music taste would be a vast range of rnb, trap, hip hop, jazz, spanish, and any and everything connecting to his culture and he’s not picky with what to listen to tbh

Ꮺ I don’t believe miles has a favorite genre or set standard of what he listens to, it just genuinely depends on what his mood is or what he has on repeat at the moment. generally, it’s a song that he found from tiktok or a leaked song that he found on soundcloud. speaking of, miles has no shame using soundcloud as a streaming service

Ꮺ but miles does have a set genre for each part of his day or whatever activity he is doing. If he’s getting ready and on his way to school, some 90s rnb or 90s hip hop; when doing homework, he plays jazz music or some chill spanish music; during his drawing time, he’ll put on some chill trap music or try to find an album that connects with what he wants to draw

Ꮺ miles is very open-minded to his music taste so he’s not really one to say no to a specific genre. now there were definitely some albums he wasn’t a fan of, but he will explore the artist of that album. he usually gives artists another try, even if their recommended album wasn’t the…best

Ꮺ miles is definitely one to collect vinyls, especially old-school ones, he has them plastered around his room and some sitting in a bin. jeff gifted him a record player so the vinyls wouldn’t be collecting dust and so that they could both enjoy the music on jeff’s off days

Ꮺ miles has a playlist for like…everything, and I mean everything. he has a drawing playlist, a spiderman playlist, a playlist for gwen (don’t tell anyone), a playlist for when he’s overthinking, a playlist to change clothes, a playlist to brush his teeth, even playlists for his favorite tv shows. listen, this boy is very much so obsessed with music

Ꮺ he shares his love of music with his parents as well! I do believe rio is more open to his music suggestions than jeff. however, jeff can be more open to mile’s favorite artists, it will take him a while though. whenever it’s a quiet moment in the morales home, they let music play as the day goes

꒰ GWEN STACY ꒱

Ꮺ I do believe gwen is less open to music suggestions than miles is. like miles is very expressive with music while gwen isn’t

Ꮺ on a day-to-day basis, gwen plays 90s rock music or 2000s pop punk. she doesn’t really go by her emotions, but more like whatever song is stuck in her head at the moment

Ꮺ I believe that gwen was a major pop girl and was very in tune with the pop girls of her early ages, but later shifted into the punk/rock category. a couple of avril lavigne songs and that girl is screaming teen angst at 4 a.m

Ꮺ also gwen has a heavy liking for indie/alt music ! she likes her underground artists or artists that can combine other genres easily. she also has a love for artists like tv girl, girl in red, and frank ocean

Ꮺ technically, gwen would explore the sub-genres of punk and rock but doesn’t dwell for too long. She doesn’t mind heavy metals but prefers not to listen to them all the time, wouldn’t wanna shatter her eardrums since she’s spider woman

Ꮺ she also listened to a lotttt of female artists and female groups, and she’s a huge fan of girl groups! but I think she’s more into the older groups like spice girls, pussycat dolls, etc. I do think she would be into kpop girl groups and would be into ones that make like bubblegum pop or “noise music”

Ꮺ she has certain artists that she can never get tired of and also some artists that she prefers that no one knows she listens to

꒰ HOBIE BROWN ꒱

Ꮺ now hobie is all around when it comes to music, he’s just about on the same level as miles tbh

Ꮺ hobie isn’t embarrassed about any genre that he listens to. so yes, he doesn’t mind getting laughed at for liking country music

Ꮺ now hobie is very big on music that was pioneered by black people, which makes him love genres like country and rock even more. he can never get over how much music is curated by, and usually for, black folks

Ꮺ now hobie is always gonna give his flowers to artists that he loves and shouts them out in interviews or moments when he’s caught on camera. also, whenever he’s asked what’s his favorite song at the moment, it never stays the same omg- one day he says alex isley and the next he says smino

Ꮺ on a daily, hobie listens to whatever he’s vibing out to at the moment. If he just finished a concert, of course he’s gonna keep the mood going and have rock playing; on a lazy day, some new school rnb; on the days of being spiderpunk, some trap music mixed with some old school hip hop; wash days would include jazz, indie/alt, and some rnb (old school and new school)

Ꮺ hobie has a playlist of recommendations for almost every important person in his life. he loves music and it makes his heart happy when he can share his love of music with others or enjoy watching people enjoy what he listens to

♡⃕ this been sitting in my drafts and somehow got the energy to write it ;p

♡⃕ I do love music and this is lowkey me just projecting my love for music onto one of my fav movies…anyways !

♡⃕ if you have more hcs on this, lemme know !

𝐕𝐎𝐓𝐏 💗: 1 john 4:7

© 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟥 𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗄𝗁𝗈𝗈𝖽𝗂. 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗋𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗌 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝖾𝖽

[madschiavelique]

𝐆𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐨𝐧!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐀𝐔

This au was first talked about on 04/11/2023 with my amazing bestie @sunflowersandsapphires and I thought it could be cute to share these thoughts !! (I'm gonna post several AUs ideas we had and discussed on throughout the months because DAMN the thoughts are delicious)

please note that english is not my first language and that there might be some little grammar mistakes here and there !

word count : 2,2k

We’re all familiar from up close or far of the myth of Medusa, also known as one of the gorgons. People often tend to forget that there were 3 gorgons on this myth : Medusa (of course), but also her sisters Euryale and Stheno. 

To give you a bit of a refresh on the myth of Medusa – just from memories okay, the versions of each myth vary in mythology and this is the one i remember best – she was in love with Poseidon and the god decided at one point to bring her to one of Athena’s temples so that they could make love there, her two sisters helping her getting in. 

The two lovers were taken during the act by Athena herself who cursed the 3 women by making them gorgons, creatures with snake hair (and body too I believe) that could turn to stone anyone that made the mistake of looking at them in the eyes.

So my mind went like “huh, wait a minute you’d have to be able to see to actually turn to stone right ? So what would happen if-” and it all clicked.

I think somehow Athena’s magic on the gorgons would make them prone to often get reached by men that are ill-intended. So who knows, what if reader is one of the gorgon sisters, hum ? 

What if men in the past have tried to come and attack you, what if men in the past successfully killed your two sisters and that you’re now all alone ? What if you lost faith in the possibility of anyone being nice to you, or of anyone not considering you as the monster that you are ?

You lived bitterly, secluded in an area people never walked by in fear of getting attacked by you. You're just so used to people coming to you with the intention of killing you that you expect everything to be a threat. You know better than to be afraid, your powers serve you well enough that you don't have to live in fear.

Until one day, Matt gets lost. He’s never passed through that area before, and the surroundings are so different to his sensitivity. There’s a certain presence, an aura that makes his senses blurry as he walks hesitantly.

Of course, you notice his presence. You’re used to living underground, and the vibrations his footsteps and his stick send through the earth are enough for you to come to the surface. You get out, ready to fight, ready to stare, ready to kill.

He hears you, turning around and simply asking “Hello ?”

But ironically, you’re the one to freeze this time : he is looking in the void, and the usual signs of petrification are not lining up on his body. You frown, and the gut wrenching feeling of fear takes you as much as the weight lifting sensation of relief.

Maybe your powers aren’t working anymore, maybe this is your last moments of torment, maybe you will join your sisters in Hell, maybe you’ll die and get humiliated once more. 

But maybe you’re finally free from your curse, maybe only the snakes remain on your head but you can’t turn anyone to statues anymore : maybe you can finally get out of this situation where you’re all alone.

You just want to make sure though, so you step forward a bit, not entirely in case he tries to attack you by surprise, and ask “Why have you come here ?”

He tilts his head towards the sound of your voice, a curious gleam passing his eyes as his eyes won’t settle on you.

“I’m lost.” he answers.

Now you scoff, thinking it’s another trick to make you fall. You’ve had wise men trying to kill you in the past, using their wits to trap you in enigmas or other stupidities that would bring your downfall. 

“I don’t fall for tricks and traps,” you say as you step closer to him.

He doesn’t seem to step back, nor does he seem afraid, not in the slightest. You tilt your head a bit until your eyes bore into his, making sure your gaze is aligned with his own.

He frowns, tilting his own head to the side, “Tricks and traps ?”

Your eyes go wide and your shoulders fall as the realisation hits you : he’s blind.

The fear dissipates, but gives its place to disappointment. Of course your curse is not lifted, of course the possibility of you going back to a semi-normal life is purely impossible. You step back, looking at him as if discovering him for a second time.

“You’re not here to kill me ?” you question as you cross your arms over your chest.

He’s the one to scoff now, placing both of his hands on his stick.

“Kill you ? Why would I do such a thing ?”

There’s genuine confusion in his tone, but you’re not ready to let your guard down about all of this.

“Don’t play ignorant, you know why.”

“I assure you I don’t.” he answers. 

Now you’re both confused.

You are mostly because it’s the first time your powers don’t act on someone, as well as the first time someone isn’t here to kill you nor is aware of your existence.

As for him, he’d just arrived here because he had lost his way, and now here he was in front of a woman that was claiming he was here to kill her. So who could she be that people came so often here with that purpose only ? 

There was something different about you, your smell indicated a strong presence of wet stone, but of something much different. Something that smelled like warm sand, like diluted metal, like scales of snakes. He wondered if perhaps you had one on you, or if the area had plenty of them he had to beware of.

You couldn’t tell if he knew of the legends, for who knows : maybe your sister’s tale had gone forgotten. If he was aware of your story however, he looked like someone pretty calm about it, which made the word ‘unusual’ turn into a euphemism for your situation.

“You’re simply lost ?” you end up interrogating.

“I never used this passageway before,” he conceded, “I wanted to use it as a shortcut, but I’ve never gone this far away from the places I know by heart.”

You continued looking at him. He was well built, enough that his physique could be considered as one of the many heroes that had tried harming you. Yet the more you looked at him, the less the thought of him being here to cause you pain and kill you faded. He only had a bag, and his walking stick. 

Your silence perplexed him.

“Why would people want to kill you ?” he asked again, pulling you back from your reverie.

The question made you feel weird, because it seemed like such an evidence to you that seeing an alternative to this interrogation seemed impossible on the spot. Why would they not want to kill you ? They had plenty of reasons anyway.

“Doesn’t matter,” you answered on the spot as this being somehow the only thing your could provide as an answer.

“I think it does,” he interjected, and your parted your lips.

In all these years of being a gorgon, never had your had much of a conversation like so. He surely didn’t care about your life, and maybe was this another ruse to lure you in and make you easier to kill.

Guessing how answering these questions wasn’t one of your fortes, he sighed.

“Could you help me find my way back, please ?”

You’re hesitant on the case of his demand. Every man before him had wronged you, had turned against you to try and bring some glory to their pathetically short lives while you remained eternal and undefeated. 

What if it was another trick by Athena ? What if this was her final resort to bring glory to humans ?

And in any case, men had taken away your sisters, how could you not be angry at them and not wish to help them ? 

But this one… He seemed kind, disinterested in any kind of glory in any shape or form, just a blind man lost in your woods.

Not daring to be closer to him or even touching him in case this could ease your way into death, you grabbed the foot of his stick and rose back up.

“Hold on to it,” you mumbled as you started walking towards the next path.

You turned a second to him, a grin plastered on his face. Not a vicious one, to your relief, but a grateful smile.

“Why’s a lady like you all by herself on this desertic passage ?” he questioned, walking at your pace as he tried to make sure by waving his arm in front of him that he wouldn’t be hitting anything.

You weren’t here to make friends with men, but you hadn’t talked to anyone in a while. The sight of him having so much trouble directing himself because of your gauche handling of his stick sent you a wave of pity. You dropped the wood, and he stopped, surprised.

“Already there ?” he asked in surprise.

But you came to him, taking his hand and have it circle your arm so that he could still use his stick.

“Thank you,” he softly smiled as you both started walking again, your mind trying to chase away the way his arm against yours felt. “So, why are you all alone in here ?”

“Because bad men chased me until there was no place other than there for me to live,” which wasn’t far off the mark.

“Exiled ?” he interrogated.

“Feared.” you breathed.

“How could you be feared ?” the question rang wrong to him.

“How could I not,” you almost laugh as your free hand comes to caress the neck of a snake.

“I don’t find you terrifying,” his lips came to form an inverted smile as he rose his eyebrows.

“It’s because you are safe from my unwanted danger.” 

“Am I holding the hand of the most dangerous person to ever be ?” he laughed, the lack of seriousness in his tone making the situation all the more ironic for you.

“You just might,” you answered, a bit less tense than you were seconds ago.

“Well, it pleases me,” he admitted and you stiffened.

Trying to play it cool and not get nervous that this could be your last conversation ever, you asked : 

“To be in danger ?”

His head turned to yours, his gaze still lost somewhere you could never be in.

“To be in good company.”

Your walk with him came to an end, and Matt had by now remembered the way to get to the path. He wished you goodbyes, and you came back to your cave thinking how much of a strange situation it had been. 

He hadn’t tried to kill you on the way, but maybe had an acolyte of some sort of his placed a trap in your cave. You meticulously made your way back to your place, but nothing different was to be found.

What an odd encounter.

And thus he came a second time to you.

“I’ve lost my way again,” he had explained.

“Have you got the memory of a goldfish ?”

But nevertheless, you had accompanied him back again, and had chatted again, and waved goodbyes again.

But still, he kept getting lost, and kept coming back to you for your guidance. 

You had the full conviction by now that he had the worst sense of orientation a man could have ever gotten.

And he had the full conviction that you were not a monster, so he pretended to not know his way although he now knew it by heart just to have an excuse to meet you again and talk to you.

“Seems like I really can’t remember my way anymore.”

“Matt, you always come to me with the exact same path, you know that right-”

“Really can’t remember it anymore, such a shame, looks like you’ll once again have to accompany me.

“It’s the second time you’ve come to see me today.”

Of course he tries to play it off and placing this on his atrocious sense of orientation, but there are some moments where he accidentally lets the cover slip.

“It’s near a huge rock.” you explain again.

“You mean the one shaped like a heart that is about 300 steps from here ?”

“Yes exact- wait a minute, if you know the placement so well, how come you always get lost ?”

“...”

“...?”

“Amnesia has taken me, what were we talking about ?”

“Matt you’ve gotten ‘amnesia’ three times this week. You need to speak to someone about that.

“You shouldn’t worry. Actually I feel like I have most of my sense in your presence lately, your company cures me of my own obliviousness-” he says as he trips over a rock immediately.

And you’re quite oblivious to this, but also the more you understand about this, the least do you complain about it. 

Maybe loneliness started slipping away from you after all.

(I could continue on this au but I have WAY too many others in mind that I want to put out there !!! I'd love to see any of the thoughts you'd have on this au besties <33)

[skeletonh0e]

A lot more people seemed interested in my interpretation of Underlust than I thought so fuck it, LORE POST

I'm putting this under read more because of length, but also while this is not a NSFW post there is talk of NSFW subjects and a slight tw for talk of non-con (it's not GRAPHIC or the main topic but it's talked about)

Also pls keep in mind none of this is meant to bash the og creator despite how problematic they are, this is simply my take on it

Without further adieu

UNDERLUST BUT I WRITE IT

I'll keep the basic premise, less in the sense that the underground was struggling with extreme fertility issues and more so that after falling into the underground it had entered a massive depression. Monsters were losing hope faster than ever, relationships weren't being formed and underpopulation quickly became a problem

Toriel and Asgore quickly realized that if something wasn't done they would be on the verge of extinction. So both to encourage monsters to have children AND to hopefully bring monsters out of this depressive funk they decided to push for a very sex positive culture

The two publicly opened their own marriage as example, they both started their own royal harems, they hired celebrities to put a focus on fun and sex appeal and even made so being a sex worker was a government job thus having a lot of benefits as well as a certain level of natural respect that professions such as military ranks or post workers get

The end result did actually help, monsters started having relationships and the environment became a lot less somber. It wasn't their intention to start an otherwise very hedonistic culture but that did come the end result. Do a lot of monsters do dress provocatively, there is a lot of brothels, clubs and there's a much heavier focus on drugs, drinking, etc, than there ever was in the vanilla undertale

So this is less "Undertale but everyone is OUTRAGEOUSLY HORNY all the time" and more Undertale if everyone was raised in an environment where it was just natural to be open about your sexuality. Think basically if you were trapped in Vegas 24/7

So some important things to note in general

Toriel and Asgore not only have kids, but a lot more than they did canonically. All of them are alive and as a result both of them are noticeably a lot older. Both silver foxes who can still get it tho, they're also still together technically but as said before open poly marriage with their own harems

Asriel is around and a full ground adult in this AU, his design is very similar to his hyper death god form and in this AU he's the one you meet in the ruins not Tori. He's not trapped there he's just a hermit (he flirts with the player but it's clear he's joking I headcanon Az as aroace lmao)

As those last two things imply Flowey is not around either

The amalgamations aren't around either, the monsters that created of them have simply fallen and passed. Alphys is still the royal scientist yes but we'll expand more on that later

No other humans have fallen into the underground therefore there are no human souls in Asgores possession and therefore there are no orders to kill any humans to gather said souls

The royal guard still exists, there is no "royal sluts" like in the original AU as funny as it would be. But it's noticeably more lax and even then like typical military bros they frequent strip shows, brothels, etc.

This also very importantly leads me to the next big thing that's very different about my interpretation of Underlust

Mettaton

This is not a post made to critique the og AU, but I will say I simply never cared for how he was handled in the original. In my interpretation Mettaton isn't hypersexualized either, though not afraid to use sex appeal here or there but his main role is basically the head honcho of the sex worker industry

The MTT Resort is a lot more expansive in this universe, covering nearly all of hot land, the capital, a decent chunk of water fall, and even has a smaller location in Snowdin. It is basically Vegas for lack of a better comparison, with a lot of strip shows, nsfw areas, bars, and even places where you can gamble

Mettaton is still a performer and not a sex worker himself, he still has family friendly segments but also late talk night shows for his older audience (it's not sexual not counting the ha ha funny raunchy jokes), he is strictly in his Mettaton EX form from the start not his boxy one and I can't draw for shit but if I could his aesthetic would he very pimp inspired dw it's just an aesthetic though he's a good boss

Further more when a lot of monsters being employed under him as show girls and/or sex workers this where I have to mention in this AU both Sans and Papyrus work for Mettaton. The former as an entertainer and escort, the latter as security (but Mettaton does give Pap a somewhat suggestive outfit so make of that what you will), various other characters are also employed under him but not all as prostitutes, Muffet for example has her own area dedicated to selling baked goods as well as managing the rooms of the guests.

Which leads us to the next talking point

Sans

I like to nickname Lust Sans as simply "Ace" for context, but what's different about him here aside from the obvious parts of being a sex worker, being very flirty and dressing different? Well first things first

This Sans is not aware of resets nor does he have ANY memory of them

Doesn't make sense for him too, no other humans, no determination experiments, flowey isn't around, etc, etc. The only time anyone gets the ability to reset is when the player falls into the underground and the most he'll be aware is having similar moments of deja vu that other characters get, but for the most part? Man isn't even aware that's a thing people can do

Adding onto that he's a lot less....depressed in this AU, ppl tend to forget that the knowledge of resets has upset Sans greatly. Man is DEPRESSED and it's at least part of the reason for his extreme laziness, literally takes the end of the world for him to get off his ass and do something (genocide route)

Ace as a result is a lot more proactive and noticeably less pessimistic, not to say he doesn't have any issues, the thing about this underground is the hedonistic culture is in a way to cope with the general depressing situation of the underground with Sans being no exception

I also like to think he doesn't have 1 HP as a result too, it's still low but not determentally low

For the most part he is still Sans, he's a lot more flirtatious and a low more show boaty that his Undertale counterpart but he's also still a silly little guy who loves to joke around and make puns. There's definitely a comedic twist to any of his performances, can you do a comedy routine during a live sex show or something akin to that? Idk but it's Sans he probably finds a way

And it's also worth noting that you don't encounter this Sans in Snowdin, you probably won't even officially meet him until you hit the MTT Resort. But you do see posters in Snowdin and hear talk about him at Grillby's (yes Grillby's is more of a nightclub here and Sans does frequent it just not as often)

Next question though

Frisk and Chara?

If you haven't figured it out, Chara never fell into the underground and was never adopted by the Dreemurrs, never died, etc. Chara is not in this AU in any form and adding onto that Frisk is not the character that we play as in this hypothetical Underlust Game

It does not make sense to include them and I cannot think of a way to include them that doesn't feel...weird somehow. Obviously it would be inappropriate to include them as children, but even if you aged them up you have to deal with characters possibly making advances on them and I uh- don't like that

So simply put they are just not here. So who do we play as in Underlust?

You play as whoever you want!

In my interpretation the protagonist is strictly 100% customizable so it can be your own OC or just a self insert, the only things that are for certain about the protagonist are:

They're human They're an adult The have the soul trait of "Lust"

Next question? What does it mean to have the "Lust" trait?

First off, your soul is pink in this AU!

Due to monsters not being as willing to attack humans (not all of them are super friendly mind you but you aren't entering battles left and right), having the Lust trait doesn't allow for a unique battle mode. Instead it allows you to enter "conversation battles" for lack of a better word

Think of it as being similar to the "Back talk challenges" in Life is Strange before the Storm, your ability comes to be able to charm, convince, befriend or even possibly manipulate others to progress through the underground. And yes hypothetically use seduction to get your way

How you use this ability is up to you, you can be as sweet as a peach only using the most moral method to progress or you can be a two faced bitch playing mind games. And just to clarify the option to sleep with characters is not treated as being either bad or good (unless you use it as a form of manipulation), you can go through the entire underground not being even a little sexually active or you can progress through it sleeping with nearly everyone you get a chance with

Neither option will reflect on your characters morality, the only thing that does is how you choose to treat others

Now....

Genocide Route? Pacifist Route? What's the end goal here?

This is where I confess that this is the one aspect I haven't 100% figured out so I'm down to hear some thoughts as I think ideally there would be multiple endings so far all I have is

-> Lustbound Ending (You choose to just stay in the underground) -> Bloodlust Ending (The genocide route) -> Lust Freed Ending (Neutral Route, you killed a boss monster then escaped the underground)

A genocide and neutral routes are possible in this AU, but its different as you 100% have to be the aggressor in this situation, I would like for there to be something akin to a trust pacifist ending where the underground is freed but I haven't 100% figured out how that would happen given that there aren't any human souls or Flowey in this AU

Other Stuff that I want to bring up but didn't fit into the other categories

Asriel does give you a phone and you can call him through out the underground, unlike Toriel he definitely answers though he takes on a similar role to Papyrus in this AU since you don't befriend the skelebros until later in the story

As mentioned before the amalgamations never happened, Alphys didn't experiment with determination in this AU. When Asgore and Toriel were pushing for a more sex positive culture, they requested her help (thus why Mettaton has his glam body from the start) but also to help the under population problem Alphys worked on drugs that basically functioned as aphrodisiacs / viagara to help monsters further populate

This....helped but backfired a bit as monsters started to use these substances for less than savory purposes (you can figure out the rest), but it made her guilty enough to disband ever working on them again, but the damage was still done and it is a part of the reason why there's a noticeable drug culture in the underground now that just wasn't there before

While I lean hardcore into the underground is just Vegas with the focus on booze, sex, etc, there are areas that are just normal. Mainly the Ruins, most of Snowdin, and of course Asgore's castle

Another thing I want to clarify is that the hedonistic life style isn't entirely bad, it did help the underground and pulled monsterkind as a whole out of a great depression. It is simply a different way of coping with a bad situation that a lot of monsters have taken to. That being said, it's not entirely good either as mentioned above there are problems and risks with life styles like this

Is it the right way to handle it? The wrong way to handle it? Does it matter because some monsters are finally happy now? Who's to say, a fun debate to be had for sure but the entire point is that there's a lot of room for debate to be had about it

But also like I said I haven't 100% figured out everything about my Underlust interpetation so I'm down to hear some thoughts and you are always welcomed to ask some questions

[enquire]

Legacy and Tragedy (background story 1?)

I think it's time to talk about what the deal is with Saber and his dad.

This little backstory is going to be a smidge more dark for the my little horse show alright.

It's fineee, ok, ponies die in MLP.

To be honest it's not that bad. I mean it could be worse like uh... certain things that happen in the original dra canon.. ehem anyway this may be a little out of left field but bear with me here. I felt Saber needed a backstory of somewhat equal weight for it to still feel like it's him, and fit in the way I want it to...

ANYWAY I am rambling about my dra pony au again so buckle in.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

Ever since he could remember, Saber Frost knew who he was supposed to be. Being raised by his father Cold Steel, his life was surrounded by the Equestrian Guard since he was just a foal. He watched his father rise through the ranks, until he held the title of Captain of the Equestrian Guard.

They were different from Day and Night Guard; ever servants of the royal family. Instead of performing meaningless ceremonial duties, and being easily swept aside by almost any threat, the Equestrian Guard actually protect and serve everypony.

That's what Saber had always been told, and believed. He strove to follow in his father's hoofsteps and become the kind of pony who saved lives, and kept everyone safe. The kind of pony who ensured justice was done.

Cold Steel taught him everything he knew. How to defend himself. How to track down missing ponies. The proper way to care for your gear, and the best methods of investigating crime scenes. How to subdue criminals. How to prioritize during an emergency. How to make necessary sacrifices.

Everything Saber understood about the world, he saw through the same lens. And so, he, and his best friend, a unicorn named Keen Blaze, vowed to become heroes together.

Saber and Keen rose quickly through the ranks. Though Keen was always a few steps ahead, Saber was proud of his accomplishments. Even if his father was disappointed when Keen gained the rank of Lieutenant instead, Saber wasn't competitive. Maybe, part of him preferred to stay in Keen's shadow, where the pressure was less. Supporting his friend, and protecting each other.

But safety never truly lasts. This is a lesson Saber thought he had already learned. It had been drilled into him ever since he was a foal. The reality was, he had never truly known it. Until the day changelings descended down upon Canterlot, taking the castle and incapacitating the Royal Guard.

Spies had already infiltrated the Equestrian Guard, claiming their headquarters and taking several of their own as captives, including Keen Blaze. When the Captain of the Equestrian Guard realized what had happened, it was far too late to recover lost ground.

Changelings swarmed the city, attacking civilian and soldier alike. The princesses were nowhere to be seen. It seemed as though the few brigades of the Equestrian Guard still standing were the only thing left between Canterlot and annihilation. And if Canterlot fell, the rest of Equestria could, too.

So, he came up with a plan to destroy their own headquarters. Doing so would take out the great number of changelings using it as a base of operations and remove access to the catacombs below, stopping the invading army from escaping underground.

Two birds, one stone.

But when he gave the order, Captain Steel was met with resistance for perhaps the first time. Many of the ponies under his leadership had qualms about the hostages still trapped inside, most of whom were sworn members of the Guard, just like them. Companions, and friends.

Cold Steel pointed out that they could very well be changelings, disguised in order to prevent retaliation. And that if not, their comrades' sacrifice would protect the safety of Canterlot and ensure the changeling menace was driven back before the worst came to pass.

But hesitation was natural, wasn't it? Nopony spoke. Until Saber, seeing his father without support, came forward and stood by his words.

After that, more ponies fell in beside him. A tide shifting in favor of the Captain and his plan.

Saber was among the unicorns whose magic took the building down. When it was done, at first, the guard was triumphant. Black, broken carapaces and shattered bug wings signaled their success. The bugs still left alive fled to the other side of the city, leaving the district quiet at last.

But not al the bodies left in the rubble belonged to changelings. The captured ponies had not been fake. Saber was the first to spot burned, brown fur. He forced the wreckage aside, but it was too late. Keen was already dead.

The cheers faded as more and more comrades were found broken and lifeless in the remains. And before the guard could recover enough to take back the rest of Canterlot, a wave of magic exploded from the palace, expelling the invading changelings and rendering the sacrifices made completely, utterly, pointless.

Saber kept staring, half expecting the body of his friend to be wreathed in green flame. For the corpse of a changeling to be revealed instead. But when the bugs were purged from Canterlot, Keen's body remained there, untouched.

Even as several years passed, part of Saber was left behind in that moment. Nightmares and shadows, ever present, almost cemented in his mind by the familiar parapets and streets of Canterlot. And echoing in his father's cold voice and stony expression.

Perhaps that is why Saber chose to leave Canterlot, going over his father's head by giving in to his friends' advice to request reassignment. To a small town Thrift, and two friends he had yet to meet, called home.

⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻⸻

here's an alternate untinted version for color reasons

It was fun getting to write down some of the deeper lore for this silly little au... I will likely do more of this sort of thing in the future. Hope anyone who read all that enjoyed it. I might actually write some stories too, who knows.

p.s. If you're curious, Steel left the kirin village (or some other kirin location) a long time ago. Probably because he had a difference of opinion with them, or didn't have any interest in being 'silenced.'

Saber was born in Canterlot, so he doesn't remember the village or have a connection to his heritage. His mother (an unnamed unicorn) isn't around anymore, and Steel raised Saber by himself.

p.p.s. I uh kinda forgot to mention this but I am working from the idea that there are three factions going on, two of which are Celestia and Luna's respective royal guards, and the other which takes on the role local authorities, militia, etc would fill. Kinda how the Wonderbolts are essentially an air force. The Equestrian Guard might have its headquarters in Canterlot, but it's based throughout Equestria. The Day/Night Guards (who let's face it, are indeed often kind of useless and largely ceremonial) are not Equestria's army, internal security force, or anything; that's where the Equestrian Guard comes in.

[ticklygiggles]

Heroic Feat | Scaramouche & Elise (commissioner's oc)

A/N: Last commission for @thornoisdono! Thank you very much for your kind support and patience! I hope you enjoy this!

I think this is the longest fic I've ever written and I don't think I'll do such thing again LOL jasnjsf

Summary: Scaramouche is in a stupid mission with the traveler, but they somehow end up separated and Scaramouche has a very interesting encounter.

Words: 7k

Where the heck was Aether?!

This was so frustrating. Seriously, Scaramouche only took his eyes off Aether for one second, he simply looked behind him when he felt a presence following them, but when he turned back around to tell Aether about it, the traveler was no longer there, not even his little fairy. Were they taken by the presence Scaramouche felt earlier?

He hated this. He knew this was a bad idea as soon as Lesser God Kusanali told him about it. Why did he have to accompany Aether, the traveler who had conquered four, (or more), regions of Teyvat by his own, to this stupid mission? Of course this was one of Lesser God Kusanali's attempts to help him redeem himself for what he had done in the past, and, even though Nahida wouldn’t admit it right in front of his face, this was also to make him socialize and start to feel a bit more… human? 

He couldn’t deny that he felt a certain warm sensation swirling inside his chest knowing that Nahida actually worried about him so tenderly; it felt nice and actually motivated him in certain way to be better, so she could feel proud of him- but those were thoughts he wouldn’t dare to say to anyone, not even to Nahida herself. Thoughts that he wouldn’t even think in that moment if it weren't because, out of wanting to make Nahida proud, he had agreed to come on this stupid expedition with Aether and now they were both lost.

Scaramouche sighed heavily, looking from right to left, hoping to find a single clue that would tell him where Aether had gone, but he couldn’t even find one of his long golden hairs. Had Aether been swallowed by the earth? He wouldn’t doubt it taking in consideration the place they were in. The Wanderer wasn’t exactly sure if they were still in Teyvat, he never knew of such lands like these, so far away from any civilization.

Every few moments, he would think that they were in Liyue, if the amber rocks meant anything, but then he would catch a glimpse of a Windwheel Aster that made him think that they were, in fact, in the City of Freedom. However, he would think twice after seeing an Onikabuto bug climbing up a tree surrounded by Rukkhashava Mushrooms and Padisarahs.

That place was nothing Scaramouche had seen before and it made him feel worried about Aether and his fairy. Were they caught by an unknown monster? Did they fall into an underground trap? Did they get sucked into a domain? Were they kidnapped? 

Worse still, what was Buer going to say when Scaramouche told her that not only had he lost the traveler and his little friend, but that they were…

Scaramouche shook his head with a growl. The best decision was to go ahead; clearly the traveler was not going to disappear off the face of the earth so easily, was he? Scaramouche would eventually find him and then they could pick up that stupid book they came looking for and they would leave as soon as possible. This place was more than Scaramouche could bear and he wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

But things never go the way you want and he realized that when, after having passed a dense wall of bushes, a giant mansion stood right in front of him. He fought the urge to groan; if Aether wasn't in there, then he was gone forever.

Sighing heavily once more, Scaramouche reluctantly headed towards the mansion. He had never seen architecture like it, they were definitely not in Teyvat anymore.

He couldn't tell exactly what that mansion was. A house? A church? He had never seen such a construction, but for a moment he thought that a certain blond architect he knew would have liked to see this.

The closer he got to the building, the better he could appreciate every detail. This building had a very distinctive ornate style, it seemed that the entire structure was made of stone, vines climbing up the walls made it look like an abandoned place.

Ahem…

The sloping roofs, for some reason, gave him a headache and the towers and chimney seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky and it seemed as if, on a small flat part on the roof, there was some kind of garden, protected by metal with intricate designs that even Scaramouche thought looked pretty.

He had never seen so many windows in one single structure, there were more windows in this mansion than walls. The arches of the windows were perfectly rounded or rose to a small point and he could see a glass door in a balcony, also with a perfectly rounded arch and a strange pattern just above. Was it some kind of crest?

Before he knew it, he was already standing in front of the door and was surprised to see that even on the wood of the door frame, it could be seen pretty patterns of flowers, leaves and more shapes that all together made it really something exquisite to see. Scaramouche fought the urge to caress the details with his fingertips.

Up close, the mansion was huge. No matter how much he craned his neck back, he never seemed to be able to see the top of the mansion.

Did he really need to knock on the door? Perhaps he could only get in? Yet again, this was a strange place, what if he activated some kind of mechanism when he opened the door? He did a quick inspection with his eyes, and it certainly didn't seem any different from a common door.

Barging in would be. He lifted one of his legs, feeling the air around him wrap around his calf and swirl under the sole of his shoe, just as he was about to kick the beautiful door open, it opened of its own accord and Scaramouche held his breath, surprised to see someone right in front of him.

A young lady smiled dangerously at him, behind her red lips two sharp fangs peeked out and Scaramouche realized at that moment that they were definitely not in Teyvat. He had never seen a… person with fangs this long and sharp, countless beasts, of course, but never a human unless, of course, this girl in front of him was not a human.

Her long violet hair almost reached her heels and the ends of it ended in small curls that bounced slightly with her movements. Her clothing was… eccentric and he reminded him a little of the type of clothing La Signora used to wear, but he quickly shook off that memory and tried to tear his eyes away from all of this girl's exposed skin.

Her shirt fell open, exposing her clavicle and much of her chest. Her dress hugged her figure so much that Scaramouche felt a little suffocated just looking at it. The skirt of her outfit ended a little higher than the middle of her thighs and her legs were clad in long stockings that reached mid-thigh, garter belts hugging the top of her legs, disappearing under her skirt.

She had a lovely face and her large eyes shone with a strange reddish color. Her whole person exuded 'danger', from the twinkle in her eyes, the mischievous smile on her lips, and that overly confident stance. The alarms in Scaramouche's brain began to ring and he thought that this was the only person who could hold Aether and Paimon captive. He at least had found the culprit.

"Like what you see?"

The girl's voice snapped him back to reality and he arched an eyebrow as he lowered her leg and crossed her arms over her chest, dissatisfied. The girl laughed, and it seemed to Scaramouche that her laughter sounded like little bells ringing all at the same time. Annoying.

"Well," she continued, looking Scaramouche up and down. "I see you're not from around here either, right?" She cocked her head like a confused bird. "That blonde boy and his floating pet looked just as weird as you.” Scaramouche could tell she was trying to taunt him, make him react with her words, but he remained expressionless, an almost bored expression on his features, but that didn’t stop her. “From their clothes to the way they talked and, well, you don't see a child flying around every day, do you?"

Well, it was clear that she had seen Aether and Paimon around, and Scaramouche was almost certain that she had them captive, perhaps in a secret room inside this huge house?

“Where are they?” He spat, hoping that the girl would actually tell him Aether’s location so they could finally leave, but of course, things weren’t going to be that easy. He felt terribly tired. 

Her whole face lighted up and she let out a soft, excited gasp. “Ah, so you can talk! And what a nice voice you have! What is your name? I am Elise!”

“I do not care about that. Tell me where they are.”

Elise smirked, glancing at him with a humorous look, an eyebrow arched. “Now now, that’s not very nice, is it? That’s how you treat someone you just met?”

“No. Worst.”

He did not like this situation at all, as their bickering continued, Elise seemed to get more and more excited; she looked tremendously happy and dangerous all at the same time. It made Scaramouche feel uneasy in so many ways. For a moment, he thought this whole situation was the most interesting thing that had happened to her in a long time. She was like a hungry beast, now that she had had a taste of a delicious meal, she was not going to stop eating it until it was completely finished. Scaramouche winced. 

Lesser God Kusanali… do you really need that stupid artifact?

“I don’t have time for this,” Scaramouche said, taking a step forward. “Tell me where they are right now or else I’ll-

“I’m a vampire, you know?” She interrupted him and Scaramouche frowned. “I can suck your blood until you’re nothing but an empty vessel. Useless and pathetic. Writhing like a worm with these,” she pointed at her bangs, “sunk into your skin. Sounds fun to me, what about you?”

Scaramouche bared his teeth. “I don’t care who or what you are,” he said, looking her up and down. “If you don’t tell me where they are, I am going to kill your right here and now and I will destroy-

“Tch, tch, tch.” She shook her head, a fake sad expression overtaking her features. “You have such a nasty mouth. You don’t tell me your name and then you threaten me?” She sighed, shaking her head. “What a shame, with that terrible attitude of yours I certainly can’t help you get to your little friends you worry so much about!”

He fought the sudden warmth wanting to spread over his cheeks. They weren’t… his friends. He had no friends, the only thing he could ever have were enemies and many of them. He’s done so many outrageous things, he was not one worth of friendship. He did not wish to meddle with those weak foolish creatures that Nahida fervently wished he had some connection with. Having any type of feelings towards expirable beings, changing emotions, who did not know how to measure the magnitude of their words- no. Scaramouche wanted nothing to do with them… and yet, a question was asked in his head, a question he dismissed immediately, but settled in the middle of his chest.

Could Aether ever see him as a friend? Could this traveler stop being alert around Scaramouche all the time and start enjoying spending time with him just because?

Hah, ridiculous.

This was no time to think stupid things, it was clear that Elise was tempting him, she could hear in her voice the desire to make some kind of deal with him. He didn't like the idea, but if it had to be that way, then so be it.

“Unless, of course…”

There it was. 

“What do you want?” He asked, knowing from the beginning that he was going to despite anything she said to him. 

Elise giggled, covering her mouth with one of her hands before catching a strand of long hair and twirling it around her long fingers. “Well, you’ll see… You are not a human, right?” She sent a glance to him and Scaramouche stiffened a little, feeling strangely vulnerable.

“So what?” He barked, squinting his eyesa and Elise lifted her hands, showing both her palms. 

“I’m just curious,” she said with a big grin. “I'm usually pretty good at deciphering the species of all the creatures I come across, but you... what are you?” She squinted and stared at Scaramouche's face as if the answers for her questions would magically appear on his forehead. “So, I would like to do some… tests on you, nothing too intense, I promise. I just have a feeling that you’ll refuse to tell me exactly what you are, so I’ll have to find out by myself!”

A certain unpleasant sensation tightened his chest, but Scaramouche didn’t show any discomfort, on the contrary, he chuckled and shrugged. “I’ve been tested plenty of times before.” For the first time Scaramouche saw something else flash in Elise’s eyes besides mischief, perhaps a bit of surprise? “I surely can take whatever you want to do, but I will only accept if you tell me where-

She rolled her eyes, now showing disgust. “Yes, yes yes, I will. Aish, you really like those two huh?”

Scaramouche scowled,  “I do not. They’re under my care, that’s why.”

“Oh, poor things. Now I feel bad for them,” she cooed and Scaramouche sent her a nasty look, making her laugh.

Elise welcomed Scaramouche into her home and she babbled a little about the construction and everything related to every single detail in the huge mansion. Scaramouche barely paid any attention and he simply nodded and hummed here and there, but he knew Elise knew he wasn’t listening, she just enjoyed talking and would continue even if Scaramouche was unconscious. 

That awkward sensation was still swirling within him. Making him somehow nauseous. He thought that Buer would probably feel a little sad knowing that someone experimented on him, especially after past events, so he would probably leave that part out once they returned and she asked him for a verbal report. Thinking about her big eyes glowing with excitement made him feel a little less sick. He hoped this could end soon. 

“Here we are!”

He never thought there would be some kind of laboratory inside this mansion, but there it was. Exceptionally cold and terribly equipped with bottles filled with colorful substances and tools that he didn’t even want to know what they were used for. In the middle of the lab, there was some kind of bed that looked far from comfortable, four little versions of beds sticking from three sides, those were for the arms and legs, Scaramouche knew and he made his way to it without even blinking an eye. 

“Oh, how did you know- oh.” For once she closed her mouth and the air was suddenly filled with awkwardness, Scaramouche let out a breath through his nose, a soft humorless chuckle that made Elise turn a little pink. “A-Anyways, yes. Lay down right there.”

She didn’t need to tell him as he was already laying down, getting himself as comfortable as he could as his limbs spread over the extensions of the bed and he couldn’t help but tense a little when Elise was suddenly by his side, studying him with her eyes, he could see excitement brimming on them. She smiled brightly and quickly dragged a wheeled side table close to the bed Scaramouche was in. He saw some tools and he winced slightly. 

“Are you not going to tie me?”

Elise was surprised by his sudden question and he arched a brow, urging her to answer. 

“I won’t,” she said, perhaps a little too serious, making Scaramouche feel slightly uncomfortable. “I don’t plan to do anything too crazy on you, you know?” She said, scribbling on a worn out notebook. “Just a few examinations.” 

“Mhm, whatever. Get to it quickly.”

Elise rolled her eyes, but she went into action right away. From head to toe, Scaramouche was carefully examined. 

“Your resistance to pain is actually amazing,” she said, writing on her notes. “I hope it wasn’t too terrible.”

Scaramouche shrugged, he wasn’t even sweating. “Are you done?”

“Hmm, I just want to keep checking the sensitivity of your skin,” she said, quickly sending a glance to all the spots where she could see Scaramouche’s bare, milky skin. “I already saw how good you are at tolerating pain, those tests weren’t as bad either, were they?”

She smirked playfully and Scaramouche wanted to whine. Was it really worth it to do this for Aether? In the end that traveler would know how to get out on his own, Scaramouche could just wait for him sitting comfortably on a rock or on a tree branch, right? Lesser god Kusanali would not even know that he-

“Haa!” A sudden gasp escaped him as he heavily jerked his leg away from the touch of her icy fingers. “What the hell are you trying-

Elise giggled, “well, that was certainly a good reaction. Did that tickle?”

Tickle?! Scaramouche widened his eyes. Oh no. It hadn’t been long since he was forced to find out that he was, much to his absolute embarrassment, extremely ticklish, or at least, way more ticklish than what he liked to admit. His mind still couldn’t wrap around the idea of him being so sensitive to some stupid light touches to his skin.

And oh, how much he hated it when the traveler decided to ambush him with those wiggly fingers digging under his arms or squeezing that terrible spot on his inner thighs- no matter how many times Aether would say he looked rather happy and like he was enjoying himself, of course he was not enjoying himself. Not in the slightest… he liked to say that, but he couldn’t deny that that overwhelming sensation, that always made him felt breathless and so out of control, also made him feel light and human and something warm always spread inside his chest when he could see, (through teary eyes), that Aether always looked so happy while he was reducing him into a laughing, cackling mess.

He always smiled kindly, not like he was trying to make Scaramouche suffer some kind of torture, but just like he wanted… to have fun with him, even that little flying thingy, always so weary around Scaramouche, looked she was having fun with him, telling Aether where to tickle him next and giggling like a kid as she heard Scaramouche laughing his head off. 

But he would always say that he hated it, especially around this girl!

“Oh? Are you very ticklish?” She teased, and Scaramouche bit the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from laughing when her fingers wiggled against his knee, his body, however, acted by instinct and his leg jerked away again. She laughed, “oh heavens, we’re gonna have so much fun!”

“Do not do this,” he warned, scowling at her. “I let you do your little stupid experiments on me already, so now you should stop this and-

“I did say,” she started, interrupting him for the umpteenth time that day, “that I was going to tell you about your little friend’s whereabouts after I did my tests and I haven’t finished them,” she said, looking at him with a glint in her eyes. “So, are you going to take it or are you going to go and try to find them on your own?”

Scaramouche wanted to growl at her. Was she saying that he had to endure being tickled by her just so he could know where the hell were Paimon and Aether? That was ridiculous! Why did he have to put up with that humiliation just for the sake of the traveler? Yet again… would Aether be upset if Scaramouche didn’t help him out? Nahida most definitely would. Besides, what would they both say if they ever found out that he couldn’t save Aether because he couldn’t stand some stupid tickling?

That was even worse still!

Scaramouche huffed, looked at Elise and nodded, making her squeal and clap excitedly. 

“Good choice you’ve made, dear stranger!” She said, putting her notebook and pencil aside, causing Scaramouche to feel a wave of nervousness rushing through him. “I think we should start here,” she said, moving to the end of the kind of bed where Scaramouche was laying. “I really don’t understand your weird outfit at all, but aren’t you cold having your toes all uncovered like this?”

Scaramouche rolled his eyes. “You are one to talk about weird outfits, have you seen your s-sehehelf? A-Ack!”

“Hey! What do you mean by that? I look glorious in this outfit, you’re just jealous. And no holding back! Can’t you see I’m trying to see your reactions? So don’t keep yourself from laughing!”

Scaramouche whined as he curled his toes, she had undone his sandals rather quickly and now was scribbling her fingers up and down his soles. It tickled so bad, and Scaramouche wanted to laugh already, but would he give her the gratification to see him laughing already? Probably yes, because he wanted this to stop quickly.

“Nnghh– stahahap!” Ugh he hated to giggle! He gripped the edges of the bed and tried to keep his feet as still as he could, but when her long fingers scratched under his toes, he couldn’t help but jerk his feet away with a loud laugh. “I sahahahaid stahahap!”

“And I’m telling you not to move or else I’ll have to start all over again!” She said and even though she wanted to sound threatening, there was laughter mixing in her voice. “Hmm, toes seem to be very sensitive, right under them?”

Scaramouche squeaked as she continued to tickle under his toes. The scritch-scratch of her fingernails against his sensitive skin was making impossible the task to keep his feet still. That was, indeed, one of his weakest spots and she found it so quickly! Her nails scribbled against the balls of his feet, focusing on that protruding bone on the side of his foot, near his big toe that had him throwing his head back with louder laughter. 

His arches weren’t any better and when she reached them, he moved his feet away with a cackle, quickly putting them in place again so she could continue her stupid tests. 

“Oh goodness, I can’t tell what spot in your feet is more sensitive! You’re just so ticklish!”

Scaramouche felt warmth spreading across his cheeks, burning around his ears and traveling all the way down to his neck. He knew he was ticklish, was it too necessary to be reminded about it?! Was she going to keep tickling him until she found his weakest spot on his feet? Might as well help her out. 

“Ihihit’s uhuhundeheher my tohohoes- ahahaha!” That was a bad idea after all.

“Right here? Right underneath? Look how you try to curl your toes! Does it tickle that-

“It dohohohoes!” Scaramouche growled between loud laughs. “Juhuhust mohohove ohohon!”

Elise laughed, but she kept tickling Scaramouche there until he was laughing nearly in hysterics and almost kicking her right in the face. When she finally stopped, Scaramouche heaved his weight back into the uncomfortable bed, breathing heavily and trying to move his fingers that had gone stiff from gripping the bed with nearly all his strength. 

“Are you good there?” Elise asked. “Need some water or something?”

Scaramouche shook his head. “J-Just keep going. I want to finish with this soon.”

Elise chuckled, moving now to Scaramouche’s legs. “Is that so? I thought you were enjoying it.”

If it was Aether then maybe, but– no, no, no, no! What is he even thinking about right now?! Ah, he really hoped Nahida would be really happy and proud of him when they finally made it out of here. 

“Okay, let us continue.” Elise’s voice made him jump a little and Scaramouche flinched slightly, making her giggle. “Maybe I’ll tickle you here next,” she said, her hands hovering over his thighs and knees.

Scaramouche couldn’t help but widen his eyes. He so desperately wanted to tell her to not tickle him there, but he knew any plea would fall into deaf ears, if anything, he thought she’d be even meaner if he admitted that that was, in fact, his most ticklish spot. He sent a quick glance to Elise and tightly shut his eyes when he saw her smirking at him. He could handle this, he could handle this. He just needed to laugh as hard as he could to give her what she wanted and this experiment would be over, he just–

“EEEEK!” A loud, surprised shriek escaped his lips when, instead of feeling her fingers digging into the sensitive muscles of his thighs, they latched to his hips and squeezed at his flesh in the most ticklish way possible. 

Scaramouche tipped his head back with loud laughter, his arms embracing himself as his knees moved up, trying to protect his hip bones. He squirmed and shook, but Elise easily followed him as if her hands were glued to his body.

“I think I’ll leave your thighs for later,” Elise said with laughter in her voice as she clawed at Scaramouche’s hips. “I have a feeling they’ll be very fun to tickle!”

“N-Nohohoho! Gahahaha! Stahahap!”

“You know,” she said, her hands moving to wiggle at his lower stomach. “It is pretty hard to tell where you are the most ticklish when you’re this ticklish all over.”

Scaramouche shook his head, embarrassing giggles making his body shake as she vibrated her fingers in that space between his hips. “Yohohu juhuhust sahahaid you wahahanted totestmysensitivity– stahahahap!”

Elise nodded, “I want to check your sensitivity, but I also need to make a map of all of your good spots to see if they are related in any kind of way.”

That didn’t make any sense, and by the playfulness mingling in her voices, Scaramouche knew that she knew she was talking nonsense, but he could barely pay any mind as the maddening sensation was making him laugh and giggle so hard. By now, he could only focus on her fingers tickling him all over. 

She grew bored of his sweet giggles soon and Scaramouche squeaked when he felt her hands moving upwards towards his belly, sneaking under his tunic to have better access to all of his torso. Elise scribbled her fingers against his tummy, making him arch his back with bright giggles as he embraced himself tighter, trying to stop himself from pushing her hands away. The fabric of his black undershirt was not helpful at all for it only made it easier for her fingernails to scratch at the sensitive skin of his stomach. 

Scaramouche didn’t hold back any sound, not wanting to make her tickle him for longer than necessary, so his squeaks, shrieks, giggles and laughs came out freely, embarrassing him to the core, especially that stupid high-pitched sound he let out when she circled his belly button before dipping a single finger in, wiggling it around until she made him snort. 

Elise gasped, “snorting already? I’m barely starting, though!” She said, fanning her fingers out to grab a hold of Scaramouche’s lower sides, her thumbs sinking into the sides of his stomach. “Your stomach seems very ticklish, but it’s not as bad as your hips, right?” Scaramouche simply nodded. “Yes, I see. So far your feet are still in first place, your hips in second, but let’s see how I can bring out more of that loud laughter of yours.”

Scaramouche whined between laughs as she started to squeeze her way up his sides towards his ribcage. Once there, his laughter turned a tad bit more desperate and he unconsciously tried to wrap his arms around his ribs, but she stopped him.

“Nuh-uh! You can’t do that, you’ll mess up my testing!” Scaramouche growled, but he quickly moved his arms away and back to where he was gripping that bed earlier, but Elise stopped him again. “I think over your head would be better.”

Scaramouche gasped, shaking his head. “Ahahahare you crahahazy?! I cahahan’t!”

Elise shrugged, a smirk on her lips as her fingers came to a stop. “If you can’t, then I’ll have to stop and you’ll never know where your little friends are. It’s up to you, handsome boy.”

He whined. Oh, he really hoped Nahida welcomed him back with a great banquet or something. Trembling and with his body begging him not to do it, he raised his hands above his head, his hands holding tightly at the upper edge of the bed, he took a deep breath and looked up at Elise. 

“Thehere, are you happy now? You better finish this up quickly or else I- AHAHAHA!!

“Yes, yes, yes,” she said as her fingers started to claw at his exposed ribs. Scaramouche arched his back and kicked his legs, tears of laughter were already prickling at his eyes. “You keep threatening me, how mean!”

“You keheheep dohohoing so too– Ahahaha! Wait! Wahahahait!”

She didn’t know, but Scaramouche could positively howl with laughter if someone were to tickle his ribs one by one, he had found this out thanks to Aether, of course, so he couldn’t help but grow desperate when he felt her nimble fingers rubbing deep circles to both of his lowest ribs. 

“I cannot wait, sorry,” she said, with no regret in her voice. “But, hey, I wonder how many ribs you have. Do you have any more or less?” 

Scaramouche shrieked, shaking his head. “I hahahave twenty-fohohour! Twehehehenty- nahahahaha!” 

And so, the counting started, and as Scaramouche expected it, Elise lost count many times, claiming that he was moving too much, even when he was doing his best to not squirm so she could finish soon. How much he hated his stupid ribs, why did they have to be so damn ticklish? And why did Elise have to focus the most on those ribs that made him laugh like a mad man? The eighth ribs, counting from bottom to top, were Scaramouche’s weakness, along with the highest ones, close to his underarms, and it didn’t take Elise long to figure that out, her fingertips clawing into the sensitive skin.

“Whoa, your ribs really are ticklish!” She said, giggling as Scaramouche nearly lost his mind. “I think- hey!” Scaramouche’s arms came flying back down to wrap around his ribs, trapping her hands right against his most sensitive set of ribs. “Now, lift your arms! You were doing so well!”

Scaramouche gasped, shaking his head before throwing it back with shrieking laughter. 

“Ahahahare y-you ahahaout of your mihihihind?!” He laughed, jolting with a squeak when he felt her fingers massaging into his poor ribs, driving him up the wall. “I cahahan’t!”

“I’ll have to stick here, then,” she said, shrugging her shoulders, a bright smile curling her lips as a soft blush covered her cheeks. “I wonder how crazy I can drive you with just tickling your ribs? They seem plenty sensitive already.” It was a miracle that Scaramouche could hear her over his laughter. “Hey, I wonder, are you getting any more ticklish the more I tickle you here?”

There were only two options: say yes and hope that she will stop for a moment to let him catch his breath or say no and suffer the consequences of his stubbornness. For Scaramouche, the answer was quite clear.

“YEHEHES! Yehehehes, plehehase!”

“Oh, poor you.”

As much as he wanted to act tough and unfaced by it, he honestly was just too ticklish and he needed a break, so he was glad when Elise did stop, even though her words made him think that she wouldn’t. She pulled her hands away from his body and placed them behind her back, perhaps to give him the assurance that she wouldn’t start right away. 

Scaramouche gulped in air, his body going limp into the uncomfortable bed. He was sweating already, his clothes were askew, his tunic falling off one his shoulders, his hair was messy and a deep blush covered his cheeks and the bridge of his nose. He was shaking slightly, his nervous system vibrating after all of that stimulation. He hoped Elise would tell him that that was all, but he knew it wasn’t. She hadn’t even gotten his worst spot and she surely looked excitedly at that tiny crevice between his chest and arm, letting him know that she really wanted to tickle him under his arms. 

How long has it been? He felt like he had been there for days, his mind feeling a little funny, like his brain was short-circuiting, his body was tingling all over and he just couldn’t erase the forced smile upon his ribs. Ugh, really! Why did he have to grow fond of Aether and Paimon?!

“I think you can raise your arms now, right?” She suddenly said, now that Scaramouche was breathing a little more easily, her voice making him jump slightly. “I think you can raise your arms now, right? We still have some spots to go and, I’ll just let you know, I didn’t leave any water or food for your cute friends.”

Scaramouche whined deep inside himself. His underarms were already driving him crazy with phantom tickles, he was one hundred percent sure that he wouldn’t be able to stand tickling down there, not even a single poke, but even so, he swallowed thickly and started to unwrap himself from his self embrace. 

Elise giggled and he was a little thankful when she took a step back. He felt so stupid lifting his arms above his head, grippin the edge of the bed again. His arms were trembling so hard and it took him a whole minute to lift them completely to expose himself, but the worst definitely was the fact that laughter was bubbling in his chest already.

Elise seemed to notice as she laughed. “Are you nervous now? Don’t worry, you’ll have lots of fun.”

Scaramouche growled. “Just s-start already! You just keep- AHAHAHAHA!”

She seemed to love that. Start tickling him when he was mid sentence. His arms came down miserably as soon as her fingers dug into his hyper ticklish armpits, her hands sneaking past his tunic and touching his skin directly thanks to the sleeveless undershirt he wore. He arched his back and pressed his arms as tightly as he could against his sides, but her fingers still wiggled and pinched at his skin. He was nearly in hysterics, tears of laughter rolling down the sides of his face and into his hairline. He couldn’t think, couldn’t focus on anything else that wasn’t the intense sensation rushing through him.

And this was not even his most ticklish spot. 

Oh, Lesser Lord Kusanali, have mercy on him. 

“Oh heavens,” Elise said with laughter in her voice. “Aren’t you just too ticklish for your own good?”

Scaramouche didn’t know this, (and he would be glad to never know this), but he was a delight to tickle. Maybe that was the reason why Aether enjoyed doing so so much. His ticklishness was ridiculous, but at the same time so adorable. It was impossible to think that such a stubborn and rude person was just this sensitive to tickling and perhaps, it brought out a kind of sadistic side on everyone one, a need to turn that frown upside down and force a big, bright smile on his handsome face.

Besides that, his laughter was just so cute. So high pitched and bubbly, almost childish. It was nearly impossible to not laugh along with him and his smile, even though he wanted to, it looked so sincere and happy. It was a mystery to everyone to know he was actually enjoying it or not… to everyone except for Aether of course. 

Scaramouche was positively losing his mind. “STAHAHAP! I CAHAHAN’T!”

Elise giggled, “you can’t what? Your arms are not even up anymore,” she said, speeding her tickling to make Scaramouche shriek. “But it doesn’t really matter, you’ve trapped my hands anyway, so I will only stop until you lift your arms, how does that sound?”

He shook his head. Incapable to utter any other sound that wasn't his cackly, nearly hysterical laughter. He could barely squirm, his body stiff in rather a weird attempt to prevent Elise’s fingers from wiggling under his poor arms, but of course that didn’t work, and Scaramouche could only laugh and laugh and laugh, feeling ticklish sparks rushing through his whole body. The tickles under his arms quickly spread to his upper ribs and soon his laughter had gone silent, his body shaking and vibrating. 

“Oops,” Elise said with a little giggle as her fingers stilled and she pulled her hands out from under Scaramouche’s arms. “I think I broke you, will you be able to stand some more tickling?”

Scaramouche shook his head as his laughter got its volume back and it quickly faded into giggles and then heavy breaths. 

“N-Nohoho,” he said, trembling slightly and blinking away tears of laughter. “I’ll- Ihihi’ll dihihie…”

“Oh, you’re so dramatic,” she said, playfully rolling her eyes. “It is no fun if you die, is it? I still want to try just one more spot, okay?”

Scaramouche gulped, shaking his head again. He knew what spot she was talking about and he was not sure he would really survive a second of it. Not if Elise acted as merciless as she had done so far. 

Elise smirked, placing a single hand over Scaramouche's knee, making him jerk and shriek. Elise laughed, throwing her head back. 

"Oh, c'mon, it cannot be that bad, can it?" She pressed her fingers into the skin, not exactly tickling him, but it made Scaramouche's skin prickle with goosebumps. "I mean, we can stop here, but you will never know where your friends-

Scaramouche growled, "just do it! I want to end this as soon as-s p- ahahaha! I hahahahate yohohou!" 

Fingernails skittered against his thighs and knees, little spider-like-legs crawling all over the sensitive skin, making Scaramouche break into hysterical giggling. His legs were trembling, trying to keep them still for those tickles that made him want to crawl out of his skin. Goosebumps covered his thighs and he let out squeaks and shrieks when Elise’s fingers circled around his knees and climbed a bit too high, towards his inner thighs. 

Scaramouche could feel every pore in his body exuding sweat as he tried to keep himself from kicking Elise in the face, not because he was any kind, but because he knew she would probably tie him up and start tickling him all over one more time. It was a risk he was not going to take, so he keep himself wide open, feeling on the edge, waiting for her to actually star the torture. 

Elise chuckled. “I had a feeling your legs would be very ticklish,” she said, her fingers skittering up, sneaking under Scaramouche’s shorts and digging slightly into the tender, hidden flesh and he let out shrieky, panicky laughter. “Now I’m starting to think I might end up killing you if I really tickle you here!”

“Thehehen dohohon’t! Stahahap ahahalreaAAH! AHAHAHA! STAHAHA!”

Oh, he was expecting it, but he could never get ready for the maddening sensation of fingertips digging into his ticklish flesh, that tender and soft spot just a few centimeters away from his crotch was enough to make him scream with laughter with just a few squeezes. He caved in within seconds, his legs closing together, once again trapping Elise’s hands into his weak spots. 

“I can tell this,” she said, almost screaming over Scaramoche’s laughter so he could hear her. “You’re the most ticklish being I’ve ever met, handsome boy.”

Scaramouche wanted to pull his hair out, throw her away, jump out of that damn bed just to make her stop, but he endured. Oh, that little fairy, he hoped Paimon would stop being so on edge around him- not that he was going to tell her he had to do this in order to save her life. 

He was doomed. He couldn’t actually say anything about his heroic, (yes, heroic), feat. What would Aether, Paimon and Nahida say?! This couldn’t get any worse, could it?

“FAHAHACK! NAHAHA!”

Oh, it could. Elise was not only tickling his inner thighs, one of her hands had now moved to his hip and the heavy jerk he just did, almost threw him off the bed. He was squirming so hard, and with each of his moves, nice jingly sounds mixed with his laughter, making it sound almost angelical. Not that Scaramouche would ever think that about his crazy, desperate laughter.

“Okahahay! OKAHAHAY!” Scaramouche said, at the verge of going crazy. “Plehehease! Plehehease, STAHAHA-!”

Elise didn’t stop right away, she waited just until his laughter turned a little weezhy and snorty and so, her hands finally left his sensitive body and Scaramouche collapsed into the bed. Gulpin in sweet oxygen as he tried to stop his residual laughter. Not even Aether had dared to tickle him like this- of course, that was because he only wanted to have fun and make Scaramouche light up a bit, on the other hand this girl here… well, he wasn’t really sure what exactly she wanted. 

He was surprised and a bit thankful when she lent him a glass of water from Nahida-knows-where. He was a bit suspicious about the liquid, but he had a desert in his mouth and as he sat himself up, he gulped gladly at it and drank the whole thing in one long swallow, choking a little. 

“There, there,” she said, patting his back. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?”

He glared at her and only when he thought he wouldn’t make a fool of himself, he spoke with a hoarse voice. “Are we done?”

Elise grinned widely and his heart dropped to his feet, thinking that she would get him again, his body tingling all over, but she simply nodded, squeezing his shoulder slightly. 

“Thank you for your kind, kind collaboration with my little experiment, handsome boy,” she said, batting her lashes at him. “I hope we get to see each other again soon.”

He frowned. “I hope not. Now, tell me where- hey!”

Elise snapped her fingers, and in a blink of an eye, Scaramouche found himself out of the mansion and into the path that had led him to Elise’s manor. 

Wait.

That little-! Did she deceive him?! That woman! He went through all of that for nothing! Oh, she’d see! He was going to force her to tell him exactly where Aether and Paimon were even if he had to use force and-

“Oh? Scaramouche?” Scaramouche halted, turning around to find Aether. Paimon beside him with that book Nahida wanted so much between her hands. “You’re here! We were worried!”

“Ha?! Paimon was certainly not worried!” She said, but Scaramouche could not even argue back to annoy her, he was just staring at them with wide eyes. 

“Where the hell were you?” He said, feeling his cheeks strangely hot. 

Aether approached him and he was wearing a little smile that told Scaramouche that the traveler had not been, in fact, kept captive.

“We were looking for you!” Aether said, pointing somewhere deep into the woods. “I was talking to you, but you suddenly weren’t there anymore! Paimon and I were-

“Paimon wasn’t!”

“... Were looking for you, but we kept going in circles, but we thought we heard you laughing?” Scaramouche’s cheeks felt hotter and hotter the more Aether talked. “We tried following the sound, but we just couldn’t find the way! Are you okay? Was it really you laughing?”

Scaramouche sighed. He was really deceived, wasn’t he? He shook his head, looking at Aether as if he was out of his mind.

“Don’t be a fool,” he said, crossing his arms. “Why would I be laughing? I want to go back now.” He snatched the book from Paimon’s hands.

“Hey!”

“So let’s leave before I go crazy. Hurry up.”

“Oh, but do you know the way?”

“Paimon doesn’t want to follow you!”

“I know the way, and if you don’t want to stay here in this stupid place, little fairy, you must follow me, then.”

“Paimon is not a fairy!” She said, stomping her feet in the air and yanking at Aether’s clothes. “Aether! He’s being mean to Paimon!”

Scaramouche chuckled and he quickly made his way through a sudden path both Aether and him failed to notice before. Good, at least she could show them the way out after making him go through tickle hell for nothing!!

[raindropren]

I have not posted for awhile(The way I look at tumblr means I have to sign in everytime and I couldn't find my password for abit, oops) but here's a couple of C!Pearlo headcanons I've either made, in the last week, or not in the last week... at all.

DemiRomantic!! Might be slight projection but with the way I've set up the world and timeline, her being demiromantic is in my mind a surprising amount.

She and Sausage meet for eachothers birthdays! Sometimes Gem comes but normally it's just them :3

Speaking of those two, My personal headcanon is that they met when they were like, preteens? before highschool and such. and before they had really met anyone else in canon.

My Pearl has her being born in the Worlds Australia but living most of her childhood in England, then going back to live in Australia in Highschool! Her family would visit Australia alot even when they lived in England. (my mcyt au's Earth is very complicated cause I couldn't have pearl just, not be Australian, it's brought up alot, I can't ignore it, but that'd mean Earth and it's continents exists so, IT'S BECOME MORE COMPLEX THEN I WANTED OKAY. LOL)

Empires is a exchange program first. the whole thing is like, kinda an investment? for the future??? but the Kingdoms are still certain empires members birthright, so some were stolen from them and the program was the only way to get it back(Gem, Fwhip, Scott), and some were just happenstance(Shubble, Joey, Lizzie, Sausage), and some were random,(Jimmy, Katherine, Pixl) but Glided Helianthia was already a "Fight to be ruler" type of kingdom. So Pearl's highschool experience was ALOT of fighting and learning/training to fight(Along with normal highschool stuff of course) and she had farming courses and stuff, but the fighting bit is what drew her into going. THEY HAD DORMS AND HER AND SHUBBLE WERE DORMMATES And everything I have about it was inspired by EmpiresSMP Highschool au chatfics :') None of it is canon but it helps me with thinking about characters in a "They actually were kids at some point" way instead of only thinking about them as the characters they are now! Helps with the timeline too.

Did any of the last one make sense. no. not at all, shhh.

Keeps Journals, Alot of them, She has a Journal for each server and many of them are not fully filled out because despite having the Journals, She hardly writes in them enough to fill them out. She's scared of running out of pages and having to get a new one, only to have her time on the server end and be left with a mostly blank book she will never write in again. obviously the Life Games(Series) don't have her writing a journal WHILE it happens, but She does after it. other then double life, she did not even think about writing that one down. Reliving those memories, for a journal. no.

Doodles on scrap paper, I think she likes drawings bugs and fish :]

Has a big cardboard box that has every piece of bought or homemade jewelry anyones given her, mostly her friends but also a (un)surprising amount of offering. They are all organized into what type and material the jewelry is/is made out of. Many of them are from Grian, back when they were children. and a ton are from Gem and Sausage. lots of kandi bracelets with weird sayings or words, lots of names, hers and her friends. Moons and Sunflowers are very common in the fancier jewelry, as well as wolfs and wolf symbolism. Her most recent is a Kandi bracelet from Gem, it says "Pickles" teehe. She loves it.

Always has a secret bedroom in her home of the season, normally very underground and through a surprising amount of traps. She keeps extremely important things in there, normally keepsakes. but also her bed for when she doesn't want to be bothered, whether cause she's overwhelmed or just sorta sick. :p

I'll leave it at 10! Hehe. if there's any spelling mistakes, no there isn't shhh

I love making worldbuilding to go with headcanons. my au is fun to me and that's all that matters(no it isn't, alot else matters but it's silly so,, ya.) I hope my fellow pearlo fans liked hearing my headcanons(and au stuff), i like writing bout it :3

btw If u wanna know anything about my au, please ask i will answer, I am indeed obsessed.

[wolveria]

The Raven’s Hymn - Ch 33

Pairing: SCP-049 x Reader

Series Warnings: Eventual smut, dubcon, slow burn, violence, horror, death, monsters, human experiments, dark with a happy ending

Chapter Summary: “Are you here to do what they cannot?”

AO3

The elevator came to a rolling stop, and the door parted to reveal a large tunnel ahead, chiseled out of the surrounding bedrock. Hanging fluorescents lit the way, bracketed by pipes and wires that must lead to a separate power generator and cooling systems. You were so far beneath the facility that it had to be isolated from the site’s power and water grid.

A squad of five soldiers waited once the doors parted, and they weren’t any standard security you’d ever seen. In fact, upon looking closer, you saw the Mobile Task Force logo etched into the arm bands of their uniforms.

What was the MTF doing here? Their whole purpose, their advantage, was mobilization to where they were needed, but you’d never heard of them being kept on-site before.

The Site Director offered no commentary or explanation, simply gave a nod, and the Site-20 guards handed you off to the MTFs. They were ridiculously overpowered in their tactical suits compared to your knee-length nightgown, of which did you no service in keeping you warm so deep underground.

Walking no more than five minutes, your group arrived at a massive door at least 10 meters tall, thick enough to sustain a bomb blast by the looks of it. But what drew your eye was a familiar face, already there to greet you.

“I don’t recall inviting you, Amin,” Leahy drawled. Dr. Puli stood straighter, his frown the most severe you’ve seen it yet.

“This isn’t right, Geoff. I must protest.”

“Noted.”

“When the O5 Council learns what you’re doing—”

“Who do you think authorized this project?”

Dr. Puli’s eyes widened, glancing between you and the Site Director, but his jaw clenched into a stubborn hold.

“They would never allow this.”

“It’s a shame you don’t have the clearance level to know for certain.” Leahy motioned his head down the tunnel, back the way you’d came. “Now, are you going to retreat with your tail between your legs? Or are you going to stay, because despite your weak objections, you wish to know what will happen just as much as I do.”

Dr. Puli met Leahy’s stare, the Site Director’s without any warmth behind his rimmed glasses. Your former boss lost the test of wills, stepping aside and sending you a quick glance before looking away.

Leahy scoffed, taking your arm as he pulled you forward.

“Despite being a psychologist, you’re as predictable as anyone else.”

Leahy walked to a panel and retrieved something from his pocket: a flat, rectangular object, its surface solid black but thicker than a typical keycard, and inserted in into a card reader.

“Open it.” The Site Director gave the order to a technical engineer at a console, and he worked the controls, the massive door sliding upwards at his command. Beyond was a catwalk, leading into darkness so black it seemed to be the end of the known universe.

Leahy wasted no time, pushing you forward before letting go.

“Walk.”

Your feet remained glued to the ground, your legs trembling and refusing to budge.

Leahy went to the console and pulled out what looked like a handheld microphone, the kind that belonged to CB radios. He instructed the engineer which channel to dial before he clicked the microphone on.

“049 containment team? Over.”

A small, tinny voice replied, but it was loud enough for all to hear.

“Standing by. Over.”

“Are you prepared to move the SCP into permanent containment? Over.”

“Affirmative, over.”

Leahy stared at you, not needing to say anything more than that. He had you trapped, and it disgusted you that he knew you well enough to know it would work. You wouldn’t let 049 be punished because the Site Director was a sadist, and you could only hope that if this last test killed you, Leahy would lose interest in 049. Maybe, he would move on when his shiny toy was broken, leaving 049 in peace while he found some new victim to torment.

You turned back to the black void and walked forward. Moving past the door, you stopped and half-turned when it began to slide shut behind you.

“What am I supposed to do!” you yelled to be heard over the humming gears.

“Make physical contact with the anomaly!”

“What else!”

Leahy said nothing, even though he had time before the bottom of the door touch the ground, sealing you inside with a final loud series of locks sliding into place.

Your breathing was too loud in the open space, straining to see in the pitch dark, searching so hard that you flinched when the catwalk lit beneath your feet. Walking lights lined the suspended pathway, revealing you weren’t suspended over nothingness. The bottom curve of the tunnel was roughly ten feet below you, but the ceiling was still high overhead. It didn’t bode well why the Foundation needed such a large tunnel for whatever they were keeping here.

With nothing else to do, you moved forward, guessing that Leahy had some method of monitoring your progress. The tunnel was too large to spot any cameras or other equipment, so you kept going, illuminated by the lights stretching out ahead of you, like a runway guiding your path to take flight.

If only you could.

The rock walls had vanished, though you couldn’t pinpoint when, replaced by rectangular, metallic panels curving around the tunnel, leaving you with the impression you were walking inside a giant conductor of some kind. A low humming noise came from ahead of you, and the hairs on your body stood upright.

The catwalk ended in darkness, and as you approached the last few remaining steps, lights flashed on overhead, forcing you to shield your eyes. When you lowered your hand and opened your eyes, you couldn’t understand what you were seeing. The rectangular panels of the round room were raised and aimed at the center, like an array of solar panels, but they were aimed at no sun. Lit in the middle of the room, illuminated by focused spotlights and hovering in the air, was what had to be the anomaly.

It was a writhing, shifting mass of flesh with a spherical shape, constantly moving and turning. At first, it would coalesce into something that resembled a face, though the muzzle was long and filled with teeth, and then it would disappear again into a twisting mess that hurt the mind to comprehend.

And then you realized it wasn’t shifting; the mass was turning itself inside out, over and over. The muzzle appeared again, and this time, it spoke.

“Have the apes finally found a way to end me?”

You went back a step, halfway raising your hands as if to block out the bone-jarring voice.

“Are you here to do what they cannot?”

Fighting down the bile that threatened to rise in your throat, you stared at the mass and concentrated on the features before they could disappear. A long snout, a greenish mane, and grey scales.

“682?”

The SCP rumbled an affirmation that rattled the panels on the wall.

“But… that’s not possible,” you choked. “You were labeled as neutralized after the Site-19 breach.”

682 rumbled again, this time it was closer to a threatening growl. You took another step backwards.

“I am trapped here… in a constant state of eternal agony, unable to prevent my bones from twisting and my flesh from boiling. This… is as close to neutralized as humanity can achieve.”

Even without any eyes at any given moment, the accusation of his gaze was hot on your skin.

“Though, perhaps that has changed, and my torment will be finished. Come. End it.”

You could only stare at the horrific thing that used to be 682.

“I don’t… understand.”

“What is there to not understand?”

“What did they do to you?”

Though you’d never seen 682 in person, you’d seen photos and video footage. The reptilian anomaly could change his size and composition to fit his environment, but this was something else.

682 was silent, though you could swear you heard… or felt echoes of its screams of agony, especially the longer you were in his presence.

“The humans managed to trap me within another entity,” 682 said, his words dragging out as if with reluctance. “A singularity the size of a speck, but capable of consuming my body just as quickly as I can regenerate. I do not think they meant this room to be my new cell, but per their fashion, the apes can do nothing right. I cannot die, but perhaps for the first time, I wish I could.”

The Hard-to-Destroy Reptile was no longer the menacing, humanity-hating entity he had once been, and you actually felt sorry for him. With how many times he had tried to escape, and how many lives he’d taken, it wasn’t a mystery why Leahy wanted you here, to touch the SCP and stop his healing regeneration and adaptive capabilities.

He wanted you to kill 682 permanently.

“What are you waiting for?” the reptile snarled, his teeth bared for the brief moment his muzzle appeared. “Get on with it.”

You shook your head, needing to stall for time, time to think.

“How do you know what I can do to SCPs?”

The monstrous reptile gave an offended snort.

“Even without your Site Director trotting you out like a prized hound, I know you. I would know you anywhere.”

Coincidentally, or to prove his point, one large, slitted eye gazed down on you, malice held in those yellow depths.

“You were sent to do their bidding. I make no illusions, and neither should you. Now, do it. Destroy me.”

“I…” Your mouth was dry. “…I can’t. I can’t kill you.”

682’s roar sent you scrambling backwards, the panels trembling in their positions as bits of dust drifted down from the rounded ceiling.

“Foolish, naïve child! Believing you still make your own choices because you are blind to the leash around your neck! You do not understand your own nature, your ignorance will be an instrument used at their whim. A beast set upon your masters’ enemies!”

682 writhed faster, snarling and biting at the air, his claws lashing at nothing only to disappear inside his twisted body.

“And you dare tote yourself as something better than us, absolving yourself of death even as blood stains your hands. And there will be blood, so much of it. When the leash tightens into a noose, that is when you will be the most dangerous. Your masters are not as foolish as you are. Perhaps, even now, they are building the walls of your containment.”

Your limbs wouldn’t stop shaking; you wanted to run from this horrible place, from the impossible nightmare scene in front of you, but you didn’t move. Couldn’t.

“I don’t… don’t understand. What I am, what you th-think I am. But this is… this is wrong. Cruel.”

“You cannot be cruel to a thing.”

The words were so similar to Leahy’s opinion about 049 that you didn’t doubt he’d said them to 682. You would never understand how a man who despised SCPs had risen to the rank of Site Director.

Another rumble echoed from the twisting mass, this one laden with heaviness.

“If you will not end my suffering, then get out of my sight. I have little use for something like you, clearly in the early stages of infancy. Perhaps with time you would grow to what is needed, but time… is what we both lack.”

You began to back away, your hands no longer curled next to your head but now pressed against your chest.

“I… I don’t know what to do for you,” you whispered. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re… sorry?”

The writhing mass twirling and focused on you, pulsing faster.

“I experience a lifetime of suffering within the span of a single moment, and you’re sorry?”

682 roared, and for a moment, his head formed out of the grotesque sphere, cohesive and baring his ancient teeth.

“Your apologies are poison! More insidious than their lies! Make your apologies to 079, and then perhaps your words will amount to more than useless noise!”

The face disappeared back into the mass, giving one last agonizing scream that followed close at your heels as you sprinted back down the catwalk. You slipped and stumbled, your hospital shoes not affording much traction against the surface, but you didn’t stop running until you reached the vaulted door. Trying to catch your breath, you hunched over and braced against your knees, your eyes burning as you alternated between gasping and retching.

They must have known you were there; the door began its arduous slide upwards, guards spilling through the open walkway, half of them aiming their guns at you, the other half moving past you to set their sights down the catwalk. Nothing had followed you, but they clearly weren’t taking any chances.

“Well?”

You raised your head, neck craning as your palms remained on your knees.

“Status report?” Leahy prompted when you didn’t answer.

You wanted to tell him where to show his status report, but instead you said, “It didn’t work.”

Leahy frowned, glancing over you back down the catwalk where you’d come. The MTF no longer had their guns raised, but they weren’t at ease by any means.

“Explain.”

You slowly straightened your spine and stared at him. Your usual mixture of hate and disgust was there, but fear swam under the surface. You wanted to believe that Leahy hadn’t meant to trap 682 in an eternal cycle of suffering, but he didn’t seem too bothered by it either. You were beginning to realize you’d underestimated his capacity for cruel violence.

“I touched him, and nothing happened.”

“The lizard still lives?”

You didn’t bother to correct him that lizards and reptiles weren’t interchangeable terms. All you said was, “Yes.”

Leahy brought up his tablet, swiping over its surface with a frown.

“Disappointing.”

Pressing your lips together, you kept at bay the pleas you wanted to make on behalf of 049, for Leahy not to punish him for your failure. But he didn’t call on 049’s containment team, nor did he make any threats. He merely nodded at the MTF soldiers, and they grabbed you by the arms and led you back down the tunnel.

You looked over your shoulder and watched as the massive door slid into place.

Next Chapter

[andreafmn]

I'm Not Afraid | Chapter 11

Word Count: 3K Story Description: (Y/N) Argent arrived at Beacon Hills to put to rest her father’s sister, Kate Argent. For the first time, her family has decided to settle down and sustain a life in this interesting small town. After 17 years, (Y/N) has the opportunity to establish interpersonal relationships but will she be ready to face the complications that come with relating to her cousin’s, Allison, friends; especially, the infamous Derek Hale. She will face the adventure of being associated with the Derek and McCall pack, as well as being faced with the discovery of certain aspects of her life she never imagined. Chapter: 11/? A/N: Somehow manage to cough out 3k words with a migraine flare-up, so hope you enjoy it 💖 My content will always be free, but if you’re feeling particularly generous, you can leave a tip on any of my posts to support me and my love of writing or buy me a coffee TikTok • Instagram • Business | MASTERLIST If you’d like to be tagged in this or any other story: click here Make sure you have my notifications on so you know every time I post! 

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Chapter 11

Friday couldn't come any quicker. Sure, they were going to an underground rave to catch a murderous reptile and the murderer that was controlling him, but it was an underground rave, nonetheless.   

It was no surprise that (Y/N) had never gone to a party before. Being a social pariah at every school she had been to, there had been a lack of invitations for her. So, the fact that she would be going to one and that they were so close to trapping the biggest threat to Beacon Hills in one night had the girl's veins buzzing with excitement.   

If she had gotten more than three hours to sleep that night, it would have been too much. Having woken up at six in the morning to take Brody out for a run, she knew the crash would be inevitable later that day. But how could she sleep? The party and the Kanima weren't the only things running through her mind.   

Derek had not left her thoughts for a second. She could feel the warmth of his hands on her skin, she could smell his cologne, she could hear his breath right next to her ear, and she could almost, almost, feel his lips on hers. The night before they had been so close to finally sharing a kiss. If Isaac had spent even two more seconds inside, they sure would have been caught mid-kiss.   

But he didn't. He exited the loft at just the right time to startle them apart, making them wait that much longer to give in. Even if all she wanted was to throw caution to the wind and give in. She wanted him more than she thought she could want anyone else.   

After coming back home, (Y/N) hurried to school. She thought the more she rushed the faster night would come. Sitting still on her bike was almost impossible as the anxious thrill of what came after school rushed through her. All she wanted was to get through her classes and get to the rave.   

As she entered the school, making a beeline for her locker, she ended up crashing into someone, her bag flying through the air and spilling its contents all over the hall. Just by the force of the body she bumped into, she had an idea of who it could be.   

“Where are you hurrying to, Scott?” (Y/N) called out as she started to gather her things.   

“Oh, sorry, (Y/N),” he gave her an apologetic smile. “I wasn’t looking where I was going.”    

“You okay?” she said as her eyes finally fell on his face. “You look kinda bummed out, not gonna lie.”  

“It’s nothing,” he sighed. “I just saw Allison and she got weird there at the end. She said it was nothing, but I don’t know.”    

(Y/N) was the first to stand up, taking the books Scott had gathered from his hands. “What were you guys talking about?” she asked. “Was it about tonight?”   

“More or less. But it’s more about what I told you about her mom,” he shrugged. “I told her that it would be good for her parents to see us with other people, so they think we are broken up. And she was fine with it at first, but she got weird after.”   

“Please tell me she didn’t mention me,” the girl groaned.   

“Why would she?”  

“So I guess she hasn’t told you.” She sighed before she continued, feeling like a gossip as she relayed the information. “You know how I told you she was acting off? Well, we had an interesting conversation regarding all that. She basically accused me of trying to take you from her.”  

“Take me?” Scott questioned. “Take me where?”  

The Argent girl couldn’t help the laugh that overtook her as the poor oblivious boy tried to make sense of what she had said. His expression could only be explained as a lost puppy dog. They had been walking to Chemistry class and he’d stopped dead in his tracks at the statement.  “She thinks I’m trying to make you my boyfriend,” she explained. “She claimed that everything came easy to me and that I already had a lot. And on top of that, I was trying to steal you away.”  

“But where would she get that idea? I mean, sure we’re friendly but I don’t think either of us has been anything but.”   

“I don’t know and honestly, it’s her shit to get over,” (Y/N) brushed off. “I made it more than clear to her that there was nothing between us. If she still wants to be pissed at me about it, then she can stay mad.”   

“I’ll talk to her,” he offered. “You should also know that your family knows that there are essentially two killers.”   

“She told them everything, didn't she?”  

“Sort of. But that's a good thing. The more people there are to take them down, the better.”   

“Sure, if those people weren't Argents and Gerard wasn't here.”   

“So, it's a bad thing?”  

“Let's just say that if they get involved, there might be one or two students that won't come to school tomorrow.”   

“Ms. Argent, Mr. McCall!” Mr. Harriss called their attention. “If it's not something you want to share with the class, I suggest you keep it quiet.”   

“Sorry, Mr. Harris,” the pair mumbled before they sank into their seats and placed their attention on the board.    

The rest of the day went by in a flash. As the time got closer, the more (Y/N) could feel the nerves creeping up her neck. Long gone was the excitement, instead replaced by a chilling sense of dread that she couldn’t seem to shake. Something in the back of her mind told her that tonight would most likely end in a tragedy. For whom, she wasn't sure. But she could feel the inevitability of a loss.   

As soon as the last bell rang, she gathered her things, ready to go back home and change. She had to pick up Isaac and Erica before the rave, much to her detriment. She was fine with Isaac. But something about the blonde was less than digestible for her. Maybe it was her personality, but her subconscious knew it was because of Derek. To that day, she couldn't shake the image of them in his car. And she hated that it made her question how okay she would be if he decided he couldn't wait any longer.   

“What the hell?” Her phone ringing in her pocket broke her out of thought as she was getting on her bike. “Uncle Chris?”   

“Hey, (Y/N), by chance did Allison talk to you today?”   

“Not really,” she answered, biting her tongue to not spill that they had yet to speak in two days. “What's wrong?”   

“We're gonna need you to meet us at home. We’ve got a meeting about tonight.”   

“Oh, uh, sure.”   

“We'll see you here, okay?”   

“Yeah. See you.”   

(Y/N) was quick to text Isaac the change of plans, the surprise shared between them. She told him that it was more than likely they would be planning an attack at the rave that night, and that every single member of Derek’s pack needed to be on high alert from the Argents. If they did go, they would be going for blood.   

As serious as the moment was, the blond boy couldn't help but throw a joke into the mix, asking her if she wanted the whole pack to be safe or if she wanted to make sure that Derek was safe. It made her face change into a million shades of red, regretting the fact that Isaac knew such a vulnerable piece of information.   

Instead of dwelling on the message, (Y/N) sped to her uncle's house, bracing herself to meet with revenge-blind hunters that wanted to take down the Kanima and anything that got in their way. But she wasn't sure if she wasn't prepared for those tens of men or finally seeing her cousin after two days.   

She knew she had been harsh, but she did not regret a single word she had said. Allison had formulated an image of her in her mind that was nowhere near what reality was, and it made her question if she could trust her with other aspects of her life. Could she tell her about Derek? Could she tell her about what her dad had told her? Could she trust that if she confessed that she wanted the family business to change that Allison would keep it to herself?   

They were questions she would have to wait to answer.  

Her uncle's house came into view, the driveway filled with tinted black SUVs. If she hadn't known there were meant to be people there, she would have been awfully intimidated, and most likely would have kept driving. But she fought the desire to escape and clothed herself in confidence, walking into the home like she belonged there.   

She nodded to a couple of people she knew, following the trail of people into the basement where Allison, Chris, and Gerard were waiting. The girl made a beeline for her family, ignoring her cousin's intense gaze. If (Y/N) had been questioning if Allison was still angry at her, she had gotten her answer.   

“(Y/N), can I speak to you over here?” Chris asked her as she got closer, motioning to an empty corner. (Y/N) followed her uncle, thankful that she didn't have to face her cousin or her grandfather just yet. “I know you've been kind of out of the loop since your dad has been away, so I don’t want you to feel ambushed. Allison told me everything that's been going on and I'd like to think that if you knew more information about all of this that you would tell us about it.”   

“Of course, I would," she smiled sweetly. “I would do anything for our family's cause. But I just don't know what to look out for. Mom and Dad have been away a lot and I haven't had much training in all of this.”   

“Maybe I can talk to Victoria,” he said. “She could help you and Allison with what it means to lead the hunters. One day it will be up to you two and it's best you're prepared.”   

A shiver traveled up (Y/N)'s spine as she thought about spending time with her aunt and being taught what it was like to be a female hunter. The woman had always unnerved her and the last thing she wanted was to be in close confines with her. “That would be great,” she said instead. “Maybe once mom comes back we can all meet up.”   

“Alright sounds good, (Y/N),” he smiled. “Now, get in line. Meeting's starting.”   

“Aye, aye, Captain.”   

She had to bite back a smirk. Her uncle had eaten up her oblivious and unknowledgeable façade, allowing her to fly under the radar. If that was the role she had to play, then she would damn well give an Oscar-worthy performance.  

(Y/N) watched as Allison took a seat on the wooden stairs, choosing to stand as far from her as possible. Her cousin wasn't talking to her, and she was planning on doing the same. She could already hear her father's words, begging her to take the high road. But she didn't want to be the bigger person, she wanted her to apologize.   

“All right,” Chris called for everyone's attention. “The party's in a warehouse just inside the industrial sector. Allison has learned that Jackson Whittemore will be there seeking his next target out of the crowd. Since we still have no clue as to just how strong he is, we need to be extremely cautious.”   

As (Y/N) listened to her uncle speak, her attention was drawn to a soft rattling sound. Out of the corner of her eye, (Y/N) noticed her grandfather swallowing two pills. The last thing she had heard, Gerard, was of sound mind and health. Pills didn't feel like something that fit his persona. Without even knowing, she had engrained the fact into her mind. If there's one thing she knew, no detail was too small. At some point, it could become necessary information.   

“When Allison had Jackson's location and has determined him to be at the optimal point where we can take him down, she'll signal me,” Chris continued, his eyes falling on his daughter. “Optimal meaning as far from the crowd as possible. If she cannot, (Y/N), I take you will make sure to do so. There will be no collateral damage tonight. You two, go ahead.”   

The man motioned his head toward the two of them, waiting for the teens to disappear before any of them talked. (Y/N) followed behind her cousin begrudgingly, drowning in the unnerving energy that was shared between the two family members.   

“Okay, this is stupid,” (Y/N) finally spoke, grabbing Allison's elbow to turn her around. “You cannot still be mad at me for something that you made up completely in your head?”   

“In my head? My dad doesn't even believe I can do one job without screwing up,” she seethed. “You didn't have to be here. I could have done this by myself.”   

“Come on, Ali. I'm basically your understudy here,” (Y/N) finally confessed, tears stinging the back of her eyes  “I only have friends because you introduced me to them. The only reason Scott and I have gotten close is because he's a good friend. And tonight, the only way I get to do anything is if you fail. And that is a huge if. So, instead of blaming me for whatever it is that you are feeling, try and focus on why you're feeling it.”   

“(Y/N)...”   

“Whatever, Allison,” she shrugged her off. “And be careful. I'm pretty sure you'll be leading Jackson right into Gerard's trap.”   

As soon as (Y/N) was outside, she fumbled in her pocket for her phone, dialing the number of the person that should have been the most aware of her family's plan. A pang of guilt bubbled in her gut as the thought that she was betraying her family. But there was a part of her that knew that what she wanted to do could not just save one life, but it could potentially save the lives of all her friends.  

“(Y/N)? Is everything okay?”  

“Listen, Derek, my family is gonna be there tonight,” she breathed. “They say they're only gonna be there to trap Jackson before he gets to his next victim. But something tells me they're there to kill him, whoever's controlling him, and anyone that gets in their way.”   

“How did they find out that it was Jackson or that there were two killers?”   

“Allison told her dad,” she said. “But she didn't have another choice, and I get that. But I need to make sure you and everyone else are safe. So, you might have to change certain strategies.”   

“You're aware that the majority of us are werewolves?” Derek laughed on the phone. “The one that should be worried, should be me.”   

“I've been training for something like this my whole life,” she smirked. “And technically, I’m the one who can get closest to Jackson. He can't paralyze me.”   

“But he can do a lot worse,” he said. “And I won't let that happen. All you have to do is keep a lookout. Isaac and Erica will get him.”   

“I am more than capable of doing this.”   

“(Y/N). You can not get close to him,” he commanded angrily. “You're inexperienced and you could get in the way. I don't want you to get close to Jackson, and that's an order.”   

“Thankfully, I don't take orders from you, Derek,” she scoffed. “Anyways, watch out for Argent hunters. They might have you on their target list.”   

“(Y/N)....”   

“Goodbye.”   

(Y/N) knew that Derek meant well but all she could do was feel betrayed. The one person she thought would have believed in her the most had made her feel weak and incompetent. Even if it was her first time taking a threat this big on, she had been confident that she was an asset to the pack. But he had made her feel otherwise.   

But that only made her more determined. (Y/N) would prove to Derek and to her family just how good of an advantage she was. She would prove it to herself.   

*** 

Derek couldn't believe what he'd said. All he wanted was to make sure that (Y/N) was safe, make sure that she was nowhere near where she could be hurt. It had been a long time since he had cared so deeply about someone else, and he despised the fact that he'd started to do so when so much was happening in the town. She had been kind enough to warn them about her family. Going behind their back to make sure he and the pack were safe. And instead of being thankful, he chastised her and made her feel small.  

“So, are we going already?” Erica snipped at the alpha. “Or do we have to wait until you're done gushing over the new girl?”  

“I'd watch my mouth if I were you, Erica,” he seethed. “One more word and you can stay here tonight.”  

“And miss out on all of this? Not a chance,” she groaned. “Fine, not another word.”  

“I don't want any mistakes tonight,” Derek directed himself to the group of teenagers before him. “I was just informed that the Argents will be there. You cannot let them see you or what you are. They are not going there to trap Jackson. They will be there to kill him.”  

“Or us,” Isaac added, a flash of fear crossing through his face. “Is it safe for us then?”  

“It will be,” he reassured. “As long as everyone sticks to the plan. Now, let's go. We cannot waste more time.”  

Derek needed that night to go without a hitch. That way he could think of ways to dig himself out of the hole he’d created with (Y/N). Because the last person he wanted to have hate him was her. 

Next ->

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[popcultureoverdosed]

The Curse of Saki Sanobashi

I'm writing this journal entry to document my experience with a certain film. I'm probably already dead if anyone is reading this, but please read on. I hate Saki Sanobashi and what it has done to my life. Most importantly, I hate the depraved bastards who made it.

Until recently, I've been an average college girl with only one notable quality: I love searching for lost media. Most people get a thrill from watching a good horror movie and I'm no different with lost media. There's just something about the elusive nature of it that makes the hunt so fascinating. There's a countless amount of entertainment that vanishes from the public eye for whatever reason and many remain completely forgotten. That never sat well with me. Maybe it's the history buff in me, but I believe every form of content should be preserved. It's scary to think that something that brings you joy could one day be forever lost to time.

Saki Sanobashi is a name that's been plaguing me for the last few years now. Every lost media enthusiast worth their salt has at least heard of it if they haven't already joined the hunt. I'm one of the several archivists who plunged headfirst into this monstrosity of a goose chase. I, like many others, got hooked on its tragic premise of a bunch of schoolgirls trapped in a bathroom where death is the only way out. The morbid curiosity in all of us compelled us to search high and low for this elusive anime.

That was years ago.

Now? Saki remains a distant memory in the minds of once optimistic researchers. Dead end after dead end had led to the entire thing being labeled as some elaborate hoax. Even I began losing faith in the search despite all the time I invested in it. It was disheartening knowing that one of the most fascinating lost media searches of all time could be fake. I would've quit entirely had it not been for that one fateful afternoon.

It was a typically brutal winter in Toronto which meant that a snowstorm would be picking up before the day was over. I thought it best to go to my favorite comic and stock up on my favorite books before the storm trapped me at home with my girlfriend. Marque Noir was different from other comic shops in that there exists a secret section of the store only a select few know about. Because I've been a loyal customer for a few years, the owner trusted in showing me the back room. I was hesitant at first to enter a secluded room alone with a man due to being a woman, but I figured he wouldn't try anything with customers still in the store.

What I saw in that room was the stuff of wonder. Several shelves were stocked with underground comics so obscure even the most hardcore archivists probably didn't know about them. The type of comics you can't even find on the internet. It was heaven on earth for a lost media obsessed girl like me. The original post mentioned Saki being an anime, but I was desperate for any type of media out there. What's fascinating is that there were also movies stocked with the comics. The cover art on each DVD case was incredibly low quality, to the point that I assumed the store owner hand-made them himself. There were no ISBNs or distributor info anywhere to be found so my theory seemed fairly likely all things considered.

I filled my bag with as many items as I could afford( which isn't a lot for a broke college student)  and excitedly swiped my card at the counter. The store owner gave me the weirdest of grins as I made my purchase. He seemed amused but almost in a mocking sort of way. He hardly ever emotes in the first place so that smile really caught me off guard.

I left the store and boarded the closest train to drop me off at the dorms. Though Halloween comes in the autumn, I feel like winter is the most ideal season to indulge in horror. The cold weather is like a reflection of the spine chilling fear I get whenever I read a good comic. I stepped inside my dorm room and immediately began browsing through my latest collection. They all looked so good I didn't know where to begin. As I rummaged through the pile of DVDs, I noticed something that threw me for a loop.

One DVD case was completely blank. The cover was pitch black and so was the back. There wasn't even anything on the spine. I couldn't imagine myself buying something like this so how it ended up with me was a mystery. Still, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't the least bit intrigued by it. There could've been literally anything on that disc and the only way to find out was to start the movie.

I waited for my girlfriend to return from campus before starting the movie. Emily's a cute brunette, but she has zero tolerance for horror. She always shrieks her head off whenever I play my movies in the living room. All that blood and gore drives her crazy. She greeted me with a kiss on the lips and then paused when she saw the devious smirk on my face. She already knew what I had in store for her. Emily, of course, protested but I pleaded with her to watch the movie with me. Seeing her scream like a child over on screen murder was sometimes more enjoyable than the movie itself. She remained firm in her stance against it but eventually broke down after enough of my begging. It feels good having things my way.

I quickly inserted the DVD into an old game station and stared at the screen with anticipation for what was about to start.  After several seconds of a blank screen, some Japanese text appeared with an English subtitle that read " Requiem of the lost girls." The title naturally left me curious so I watched on with excitement.

The scene then faded back to black and what I saw after that made my blood freeze solid.

Three schoolgirls in a bathroom.

All of them had miserable looks of utter despair.

The scene was unmistakable. It was a scenario I ran over in my head countless times. It was Saki Sanobashi, the anime searched years for! Having the legendary film before me after all this time was almost too good to be true. And to think it came from my favorite comic shop. I've been shopping for years now and never even had a hint something like Saki would be there.

Emily was confused as to why I was so excited so I told her we just discovered the holy grail of lost media. The gravity of the situation was unsurprisingly lost on her but she smiled anyway for my sake. We watched the movie unfold just like the legend went. The girls remained trapped in the bathroom and lamented their misfortune all the while. As the film progressed, the agony in their expressions became increasingly visceral. Their eyes looked so hollow, their skin was so pale. Emily clutched into my hand with a hint of anxiety in her eyes.

The tone of the video was much more somber than I expected. Seeing the girls take turns telling the others about their hopes and dreams, trying desperately to alleviate their situation, felt oddly melancholic. I was growing attached to these characters to the point I hoped they'd find a way despite that going against the lore. We eventually reached the part where the girls realized there truly was no way out of their situation...except for death.

Their deaths were just as horrid as I expected them to be. One girl goaded one of the others into drowning her in the sink and another clawed at her own neck with visceral detail. The most painful part of it all was the bloodcurdling scream the last girl emitted as she bashed her head against the wall. It was far more realistic than it had any right to be.

Despite all the fear, my heart raced with excitement. I had to write a blog post to let everyone know about my discovery! The internet would go wild once I told them the good news. I quickly went to my Tumblr to start writing, but the site wouldn't load. I tried other social media sites but nothing was working.

I tried stepping outside in the hall to get better reception but the door wouldn't budge. The knob didn't move at all no matter how hard I pulled. My girlfriend and I were both freaking out at this point. We tried opening windows, calling 911, and banging on doors, all of which were in vain. We were somehow completely severed from the outside world. I wondered how the hell was any of this possible when the image of the movie flashed into my mind.

We were trapped just like the girls in Saki Sanobashi. Was the film cursed? That seemed to be the only explanation. I should've trusted my gut instincts and never let that guy lead me to the backroom. I knew there was something off about him and now I fell into his trap. So far we've spent two weeks in this hellhole of an apartment. Food has long since run out and any sense of hope is dead. It pains me to see Emily's body as pale as winter, her eyes devoid of life. Neither of us can last much longer. I'm writing this document as a warning to anyone searching for Saki Sanobashi.

Stay the hell away from it. It is a cursed film that dooms its viewers the suffer the same fate as the girls in the bathroom. I imagine the curse will be lifted once we die and our belongings will be collected by our loved ones. Hopefully, they will see this document and spread the news. Or maybe they'll brush this off as the crazed rantings of a lunatic.

I honestly don't know anymore. All I can say is to stay safe and never attempt to watch this damned movie.

[heyidkyay]

About you |

A/N: Hey, back with something very short but figured it could be a good place to start another series or fic… not sure though, but here you go!:) Inspired by The 1975’s About you.

Summary: After a tragic accident, you’re left with nothing to cling onto. Life becomes a struggle when you have no recollection of anything, or anyone…

Warnings: tiny mentions of trauma, fire, injury

—

And there was something about you that now I can't remember

It's the same damn thing that made my heart surrender

And I'll miss you on a train, I'll miss you in the mornin'

I never know what to think about

I think about you

—

(Flashback)

It was blinding.

My eyes were open, I could feel how wide they must have been. But I could see nothing. It was like staring into a bottomless void. A pit of emptiness.

Only, I could still hear the screams. The shouting. Calls of warning, pleads for help.

The smell of sulphur was overwhelming, and it only grew. Burning bright and sharp. I could feel the flames of it licking at my skin, singing my hair. Burning.

We were burning.

It was so hot. The heat it engulfed me. Terrified me, down to my core.

And I could hear the sirens wail. Loud and obnoxious in the distance. Far away but so, so near.

If felt like they were taunting me.

So I cried. Sobbed. And then I could hear his voice too. Soft, even in this darkness.

I called out for him. Again and again.

But nothing.

I was stuck.

Trapped.

My chest hurt. My head throbbed.

I couldn’t breathe.

Why couldn’t I breathe?

—

Most mornings started the same.

I’d stir, eyes fluttering as sleep slowly left me, giving way to a new day. I’d inhale, curl inwards or stretch. But then I’d stop short. I’d pause.

Because that feeling would come again.

That strange feeling that seemed to linger through the rest of the day and carry me into the night, only leaving me some small amount of peace when my eyes grew tired and finally allowed me some release.

The feeling that would settle somewhere deep inside me and hollow out my chest.

This morning was the same. Of course.

The bed beside me was cold again.

The pillows there, unruffled.

My fingers reached out, pale, splayed against the stark sheet I couldn’t remember buying. But, like usual, the touch only fed that turmoil.

My brow would pinch and then I’d have to fight my body to get up, to pull away, to begin anew.

Because that’s what life was like now.

Everything was new.

Because since I’d woken up in that hospital bed all those weeks ago, I felt like my entire life had been stolen from me.

I recognised nothing. No one.

Not my mum. My brother. My best friend.

Not even, him.

He who haunted my every waking hour, and drifted throughout my hazy dreams.

I could see his face everywhere though. Vaguely. Sometimes I’d linger on it. Focus. Try to recall. To remember… something.

But it was of little use.

My memories only continued to evade me.

—

The underground was a maze within itself, yes. But that fact always felt so much truer when you were faced with the after work rush.

The period where everyone was in a hurry to get home, to see friends, family. Christ, even feed their pets.

Me?

I was the anomaly, I supposed.

I had nothing and no one waiting for me when I got home.

No tea on the table. No smell of burning candles, or a linger of aftershave when I walked through the door. It was just me. And that empty silence.

I sighed, rocking slightly as the rails diverted. Willing my eyes to close so that I didn't have to focus on how sad my life suddenly seemed since the accident.

But my mind betrayed me, allowing my thoughts to wander from behind my closed lids.

Because, what if-

What if this was how it had always been?

Back when I could remember the door number to my mum's house. Or the name of my brother's dogs.

Back when it didn't hurt to recall the fleeting memories that would surface whenever I traipsed around a certain street corner, or lingered by a bakery.

What if my life had always been this... sad?

I hadn't seen much of anyone these last few weeks.

In truth, I'd gotten scared when the doctors had told me about the damage which had been done to my head.

I'd ended up pushing them all away. Though some had stayed, he had, for a while. Until I'd grown too much to bare, I supposed.

Because I was alone again now.

Not that I could blame any of them. One thing I'd realised since waking up was that I was as stubborn as they came, and had the temper to match if I chose.

So they'd all gifted me some distance. The kind I’d screamed for. Though, my mum and brother still checked in regularly, texts and calls, the odd visit whenever I felt too tired to deny them.

They always made things so much worse though, those visits.

Because the same question would always come up and I couldn't stand to watch the heartbreak on their faces whenever I parroted the same answer back to them.

"No. I don't remember."

Memories were funny things though. If you really thought about it.

They make up so much of you. Of your life and the people around you. They give you that strength to continue on.

Without them, it's like you were a lost shell.

An empty vessel. Merely waiting.

Only, you don't know what you were really waiting for.

Because I'd honestly given up by this point. On waiting, I meant.

Waiting for that day to come. For the match to finally spark the fuse.

"It could happen, any day." They'd told me whilst I’d gazed emptily out that window. "Anything could trigger it."

But then my heart would always sink. Because there was the harsh reality of it. Always.

"But you could be waiting a while. Worst case- they never return."

I'd been to therapy, of course. First thing they'd recommended as soon as I'd been well enough to leave the hospital actually.

But I'd put it off, only reluctantly tried when my mum had all but begged. And it hadn't helped much.

At all, honestly.

But it had made her happy. Calmed her woes. So I'd kept it up... at least for awhile.

The train jerked then and I made a sharp inhale, opening my eyes to watch most of the commuters step off onto the busy platform. Eyes lingering as a few more stepped on.

I was about to look away, let my head lull back as the beeping began, but there was a small commotion and I blinked as a man suddenly bounded through the closing doors.

He huffed, watching on, whilst he caught his breath, as the train doors finally closed. Then as the carriage jerked again, setting off, he pivoted with an amused, almost proud, grin, which only seemed to falter when my eyes met his.

[spacerangersam]

What kind of ghosts would you personally would love to have seen explored in the BBC Ghosts universe but couldn't and why?

Gonna be honest, most of my ideas are like, what if it was set in Wales and what if they were Welsh? I can’t help it, I have a deep fascination with Welsh folklore and history, it’s just what my mind goes to

The concept I keep coming back to is like, miners who died underground, whose voices you can occasionally hear as you’re walking around, because if you’re walking around in Wales (especially in the valleys), there’s a big chance you’re walking over a mine, and the thought of that, of hearing their voices, of knowing they’re trapped down there is terrifying to me, absolutely terrifying, which I know it’s really what ghosts is going for but like. I still think it’s fascinating. 

Like, in my town, there’s a monument to the miners who died, and you literally can’t go see it because the ground it’s on is not safe because of the mines. It’s horrifying, it’s ironic, and- yeah. Yeah. You could do a lot with that. if they could make the plagues silly, they could do the same for the miners

I also really like the idea of a 19th-century Welsh ghost because I think Welsh traditional wear

Is pretty neat and I’ve never seen it in TV or in movies except for that one single HH sketch and like, news reports on St. David’s Day celebrations which is a shame because I love it! I do actually have an oc who’s a ghost from that time, but she’s a bit difficult to draw because there’s like. So many layers.

It also would’ve found it really interesting to have like, some ghosts from the Roman era, especially if it was one Roman and one Celt (preferably from the Silures tribe, but if it’s gotta be in England, it can be one of the English groups) but because that would be such an interesting dynamic to explore. Whether they died prior, during or after the Roman invasion of Britain (after in the sense of when the Romans were fully in power), it’d be so interesting to explore these enemies and how or if they could ever reconcile with each other, what the Roman would think seeing Rome’s control crumble over time, it’s just!!!

It’d be fun.

I think it would also be a good opportunity to dismantle some myths about the Romans, I think some people have it in their heads that the Romans were like this, this amazingly advanced civilisation, clean and crisp, and idk, I think it’d be fun to point out that like yeah no they had an organised army and whatever but they cleaned their clothes and whitened their teeth with piss. 

I don’t really recall them ever using the ghosts in the show as a chance to do that, to dismantle certain myths about the eras they came from (I mean, maybe they did and I missed it, but if they did, they obviously didn’t do much fo it) which is a shame, that’s something I would have liked to see. 

Also, 70s hippie ghost. I have a fascination with 70s fashion and history so like, duh I want a ghost from that era.  I know the American version has one but her outfit sucks and I’m not watching an American version of a tv show just for a milk toast hippie.

[thistechnologicalterror]

So... Darth is a title, right? It means you're a sith lord, right? Well then what's the point of the "Rule of Two" if you're already a sith lord?

YES, BEING DECLARED "DARTH" DOES MEAN YOU ARE A SITH LORD. BECOMING A SITH LORD, LIKE ANY CULTURED POSITION, REQUIRES THE PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN ACTIONS AND RITUALS.

I HAVE PERFORMED THESE, THEREFORE, I WAS A SITH LORD.

... WHAT MAKES THIS UNFORTUNATE, IS THAT I PERFORMED THESE UNKNOWINGLY, FAR BEFORE I WAS DECLARED "DARTH VADER".

( KILLING ONE GROUP OF JEDI DOES NOT MAKE YOU A SITH LORD, IT JUST MAKES YOU A MONSTER. )

ON OCCASION, DURING THE CIVIL WAR, THE... EMPEROR, WOULD TAKE ME ON AN OUTING. IT WAS... CULTURAL, HE SAID, IT WAS... LEARNING HIS TRADITIONS...

[ ahem ]

... I DO NOT LIKE TO THINK ABOUT IT.

AS FOR THE RULE OF TWO. WELL THE SITH MASTER HAS THIS HORRIBLE HABIT OF BRINGING YOU BACK IN LINE IF YOU GET, WHAT HE CONSIDERED, UNRULY... USUALLY THROUGH TORMENT AND TORTURE.

SO, YES, SLAY THE SITH MASTER, BECOME YOUR OWN MASTER, NEVER BE TORTURED AGAIN... AND THEN REPEAT THE CYCLE, BECAUSE GENERATIONAL TRAUMA TO THE SITH IS CULTURAL.

... SO OBVIOUSLY, IT IS A SELF-DEFEATING RULE, BECAUSE ALL IT TAKES IS KILLING BOTH THE APPRENTICE AND THE MASTER, AND HENCE FOR, NO MORE SITH. WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE EMPEROR USED TO HAVE MORE THAN ONE APPRENTICE AT ANY GIVEN TIME UNTIL HE TOOK ME.

( AND THERE IS, OF COURSE, THE SITH UNDERGROUND THAT CONSISTED OF NOBILITY AND PLANETARY LORDS AND LADIES. THEY DO NOT "COUNT" BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT FORCE USERS, BUT THEY KEPT THE CULTURE OF MURDER AND DOMINATION ALIVE FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. )

DARTH BANE, THE ANCIENT SITH LORD THAT WROTE THE LAW OF THE RULE OF TWO, WAS A FOOL. HE WROTE IT BY STUDYING THE RECORDINGS OF DARTH REVAN.

SUCH RECORDINGS WHICH DURING REVAN'S FALL IN THE JEDI-MANDOLORIAN WARS ABOUT FOUR THOUSAND YEARS AGO.

AND BANE FAILED TO REALIZE, THAT THE REVANCHIST DESPISED THE SITH. ANY "SITH" TEACHINGS OF REVAN WERE A MEANS TO AN END ONLY, IN ORDER TO LEAD TO AN END SITH ENTIRELY, BY GIVING THE REPUBLIC OR CORE SPACE OR JEDI ENOUGH TIME TO DO SO AND REMOVING AS MANY SITH NUMBERS AS POSSIBLE.

THE "RULE OF TWO" WAS MEANT TO BE A TRAP TO SITH, AND IT IS ONE. IT MERELY TOOK FOUR THOUSAND YEARS TO SPRING, BUT SOMETIMES, PEOPLE ARE STUPID AND THEY NEED FOUR THOUSAND YEARS.

WITH THE DEATH OF THE EMPEROR, THERE ARE NO MORE OF THE OLD SITH.

[ramuneempiremtl]

Slave-kun’s Happy Life in Another World: Chapter 36

Things are not going well at all.

In the basement of a small shop, the old man sighed.

But there is more than one plan in motion. Only a small part has been revealed.

They have been discovered by the king's shadow, but they are fools to rejoice in grasping the tip of a giant snake's tail.

I control a much larger flow.

The old man squinted at the large map illuminated by the lamp.

There, many pins were placed in major cities, and red threads stretched like snakes to connect them.

Standing in front of a map of future power with detailed plans written on it, the old man slowly tilts his cup in his hand.

The city of Sansa is a foothold from this central country of Midresia to the abhorrent homeland of Casmania and the neighboring islands of the Machinea archipelago.

Casmania is a commercial country. Compared to the fierce competition there, Midresia could be easily controlled.

Then everyone will have to admit it.

Everyone will know of my existence with awe.

The old man was the third son of a certain merchant in Casmania. He was mediocre, not blessed with great talent, and was an inconspicuous, shadowy existence that no one noticed.

He traveled from shop to shop, peddled goods, and visited many countries to hone his business acumen. Even so, he was just one of the 'Casmanian merchants' who appeared everywhere.

I have to make myself, myself, the only one. The spark of discontent that had been smoldering since childhood gradually grew larger and became so intense that it burned his whole body.

He gathered like-minded people from all over the place and started organized underground activities. He could not break into existing vested interests by orthodox methods. He realized that illegal methods suited him very well.

Thus, an 'old man' who plotted to dominate the underworld was born.

He noticed the potential of 'powder' and invested his fortune in its production.

'Powder' cannot be stopped even if its dangers are known. Even if laws are made, there are many ways to use them to your advantage.

There are also connections to provide personnel.

Many traps are already raising their heads like snakes aiming at their prey.

It has finally begun.

The era in which I am the main character has begun.

No one can stop me.

The old man put down his cup with satisfaction.

Immediately, more alcohol is poured.

The old man was startled by the sound of To-Po-Po… and looked around.

Since when have you been there?

A man with eyes like the night sky shining under his hood was waiting there as if it were a matter of course.

The old man did not trust people, so he never told anyone about this place.

No one should be there.

"Who is it! …Since when? Why is this place"

"…Oh, I came here following the scent before leaving town to see your face. To think you were really just an old man. Well, drink to your heart's content."

"You…who are you?"

"Nobody. Just a passerby like a fleeting moment. Don't worry about it."

There was no sign of him at all.

Could it be that the king's shadow has tracked me down to this place?

The young man deftly took out a bottle of recovery potion and downed it in one gulp.

"It's tiring, so let's finish this quickly."

"…Are you here to kill me?"

"'Kill'? Oh, you mean kill. Don't worry, I don't kill people"

"So, what have you come here to do?"

"To bestow fear upon you."

The old man was struck by a tremendous shock, as if he had been swallowed by a torrent. An unprecedented chill ran down his spine several times. His skin stood on end, and his knees buckled.

The young man's eyes, which seemed like the night sky, emitted a golden light.

The moment he was glared at by those eyes, he became unable to move as if he had been sewn in place.

Terrifying.

Faced with such overwhelming pressure that it destroyed both reason and instinct, I felt the powerlessness of my arrogance.

How small and weak I am.

It felt like it would last forever, but it ended abruptly.

The old man looked around the room, trembling, but nothing had changed. The hand that had hurriedly grabbed the cup shook like it was broken.

The young man stood in the same place as before with a cool face, and he drank from the cup while trembling, while looking at the old man who was drinking from the bottle of recovery potion.

"W-what was that just now…"

"Not to faint from that, you're quite spirited. I am blessed by a certain high being. I showed you a glimpse of that majesty."

"A blessing, you say? Aren't you the 'King's Shadow'?"

"No, I'm not. Because of the blessing, I can't ignore those who defile the land. I like this country too… but to show my respect for you who endured it, I'll tell you an old story.

──About 1500 years ago, when the great nation of Cynthia was at its peak, a small country plotted to overthrow Cynthia. In order to weaken the country and corrupt it from within, they spread a drug extracted and refined from the seeds of a certain plant. The drug showed people 'dreams' but had a terrible addictive nature."

"!"

"The drug reached the hands of the people of Cynthia, and the plan seemed to succeed. However, no matter how long they waited, the power of Cynthia did not decline, nor did it decay. On the contrary, many drug addicts appeared in the small country. Gradually, the small country declined and eventually disappeared as if it had been swallowed up by the surrounding countries.

The name of that small country…"

The old man swallowed his saliva with a gulp.

I was fascinated by the glittering night sky eyes that seemed to see through all my actions. I desperately resisted being swallowed up by the history that flowed from his mouth.

"────The name is not left."

"!"

"Not even the name remains, and only the folly is recorded in the history books. …In other words, what you tried to do 1500 years ago has already failed. It's written in the transcript of an ancient document in the city library. Were you satisfied with just reading the manufacturing method of the powder? You need to learn more about history."

"W-what… why… why do you…"

I could hear the sound of the future world map, which seemed to be solid, crumbling away.

I couldn't admit it.

"I don't know how you noticed the plan, but I still can't stop…! I won't stop until my existence is recognized…"

"What, is that why you're messing with this city? I don't know about the plan, but do you know why Cynthia didn't fall?"

"…………"

"It wasn't necessary. The great nation of Cynthia is a country that values martial arts. Even without drowning in drugs, the people dreamed of fighting. On the contrary, they refined the drug and used it to train against spiritual magic. …In this country too, the 'powder' didn't spread as much as you thought, did it? The people of Midresia are long-lived and have stable lives. They don't need temporary 'dreams'."

"That can't be…"

"Your methods will only leave corpses in your wake. Do you seek recognition by piling up a mountain of silent dead?"

"Ugh…! I cannot end yet! Even if I die, our ambitions cannot be stopped!"

"No, the dream is over."

The young man finished the bottle of healing potion and gently placed his hand on the old man's forehead.

Realizing the end, the old man began to tremble.

"I will sever the head of the 'Great Serpent' and end it all. I will not harm you. Is there anything you wish to say before the end?"

Suddenly, a scene from a famous classic fairy tale came to the old man's mind.

The image of a young hero, favored by the Heavenly Dragon and known as a legendary warrior, severing the head of a great white serpent that impersonated the Heavenly Dragon with his great sword.

Clunk.

The sound of a cup being placed on the table echoed.

"…Tell me your name."

"My name is────"

The old man was astonished by the name whispered in his ear.

At the same time, his head was enveloped in a warm magic, and when it subsided, the young man was gone.

The map on the stone wall had also vanished.

In fact, he could not even remember why he was there.

"…Was I dreaming?"

The old man left the basement and began preparing for the next day in his small shop.

After that, he never returned to the basement.

In a quiet alleyway of Sansa at night, an adventurer was crouching down.

"Ugh…I drank too much…I have to go back and see Owl's face soon…"

The young man's eyes, looking up at the stars, twinkled as if reflecting the night sky itself.

[derealfeelz]

Values: Music (Kodoku's Lilacs, The Life of a Flowstar No. 25)

As of right now, I can't think of all of what I value in my life as I'm starting to get tired. I can tell you two that I can think of at the moment, and I really value these: Music, and my Mom. Now before I start, I don't think my mom is the only one that I value, I have a bunch of other people I value, it's just that she's the most I value because I love her. But anyways, I'll talk about why I value music so much, you probably wouldn't understand. And it's not the mainstream type either, I'm not much of a big fan of that.

Music is the best thing to exist for the human ear, and soundcloud is especially for that with underground artists and producers, especially producers. There was a collective that I fw, and it had a bunch of vaportrap, trillwave shit. Basically, trap but more stuff with video game samples most of the time, you'll understand when you listen to a track. Unfortunately, the collective had to kick some producers out because they were underaged, see that word, underage? That's one of the best things I like about the stuff I listen to, a 15 year old can make a heavenly track with FL Studio, you can do so much when you're young.

Video game OSTs are also some of the nicest things to listen to, especially ambient tracks. I mentioned this in a previous post, I recommend Yume Nikki and its fangames like Yume 2kki for ambient tracks. There's also ambient mixes online, including a Yume 2kki one and one that includes other games with that game, I should listen to them later and see how I sleep tonight.

I don't got hate for mainstream, it just never really peaked my interest when listening to music. You know the mainstream rap, and don't forget, the "underground" where everyone's trying to sound like Yeat or Playboi Carti? I'll admit, there's some tracks that I do like, but for those that listen to that, you won't understand the true underground, you might not like what I listen to tho, but it's ayokay. I've tried listening to a different genre like country, pop, jazz, it just never really got in the spot for my heart.

I feel like it's the melodies itself that I truly love about music. Drums and percs can definitely fit too if you do it right (Don't forget 808s), but it seems that when I first hear a track and it has a certain tune of melody that I like, I stay. Listen to this and this, those two have such melodies and memories stored in them even tho I recently discovered them, especially the first one this night. Anyways, I might listen a little more to some melodies before I go to sleep, it just feels like an addiction of love that I just don't wanna let go. Anyways, goodnight and have a good time listening to your jam.

Sincerely, Kodoku.

[unrestricted-chaos]

Ekko knew something was amiss when Jinx missed the third shimmer raid that intel had said she would be on security for.

Don't get him wrong, she was his enemy most of the time, but she was also a child of Zuan.

A child he wasn't able to get out from Silco's rule.

It's not hard for him to find her hideouts and bolt holes, and while she had many, he'd calculated she probably only had a handful he didn't know about. That is to say she could very easily know of all the firelights corners and bolts just as easily.

His only hope was that the Sanctuary was still a secret from her.

Once he’s cleaned up and checked in with Scar, Ekko takes off towards the west end and the abandoned warehouse he’s seen her frequent a number of times. It was a good enough place to start his search for the wayward marksman.

When he doesn’t find her there, he starts an outward sweep of her hideaways and places he’s seen her slip through like the ghost many had believed her to be.

He's almost done searching the bricked off cellar that was once an underground bar before the last resistance in the war with Piltover came to a close, when he hears her approach. Glancing around the room at the decaying décor and broken bottles and relics of a time he’s never been, Ekko makes the split decision to take the wall across from the bar, eyes able to see the room and the exit should things get dicey.

Once Jinx is down and secured the entrance, Ekko knows it’s only a few moments away before she knows she’s not alone, and any other day, she’d have sensed him long before trapping them in together. He can see the hitch in her breath , a plastic bag clutched into her hands as she spots him, his back to one of her walls, body relaxed, attempting to show her that he wasn't here to fight.

Her gaze finally breaks from him, lips pursed as she moves further into the decaying room, bag dropped on the last table standing, "Who invited you to my pity party, boy savior?"

Ekko can only shrug eyes still following her. He studies her, certain now he'd made the right choice to come. There was something unsettling about seeing her like this, the bags around her eyes making her gaunt appearance more apparent, it left an uneasy feeling in his gut.

"Well, you can leave." Jinx mutters, "Shut up."

Ekko isn’t startled by the bite, or the command, he simply holds his tongue; this is not the first time she's talked to ghost around him, and it won't be the last he was certain, "You been busy?"

Jinx's eyes return to him, something curious hidden in the depths now, "Were you worried about little old me?" she smirked, "Why how considerate of you."

"If I was?" He challenged, there was little reason to deny her claim after all.

"What did you think someone offed me before you could?" Jinx's smile was cruel, before turning vicious as she spun behind her, words hissed out of clenched teeth to quiet for Ekko to make out.

Ekko turns away, her ghosts weren't his to judge, nor were they there for him to speak with, "That's not it and you know it."

Jinx laughs humorlessly, "Right, boy savior can't kill lil old Jinxy now that he knows the ugly little secret."

"In case you missed it on the bridge, I hadn't been able to do it then either." He hissed back, "Your bomb was the least of the problem."

He's glaring back at her, her shimmer-colored eyes are trained on him once more, ghosts forgotten for the moment "You need to figure it out then." She says, fight leaving her eyes, "Cause otherwise your going to lose all your friends out there. You think they haven't noticed you firelights aren't aiming to kill anymore-- that you aren't. I don't get that luxury. Just like I don't get the luxury of dying in this war."

Ekko swallows thickly, he knows this, he does. Doesn't make it any easier, "That's not a luxury Jinx. They shouldn't be taking away your choices like that. Not to fight, not to kill, not to-- not to die. What they did to you, when they saved you-- against your will, that isn't okay."

Jinx watches him her eyes searching for anything that could be a lie, that he doesn't mean. And Ekko isn't positive he means it all, but he does know that she should have the choice and to have the say what happens to her and what goes into her body.

"I don't want to kill you, but I can't make you live either." Ekko whispers breaking the silence that had descended over them.

"You'd really let me die?"

Ekko can't bring himself to break her gaze this time, it's not an option with how afraid she is. He can't say one way or the other if his next words are the right ones, but he has to hope she understands anyways. "I don't want to see you dead. But I could never force you through the pain of resurrection to live this half-life again either."

Jinx doesn't say anything for a while, and Ekko, Ekko has to be content to wait here. He came to check on her this time, not to fight about it all.

"They're going to use me against you." She whispers.

"I know."

Jinx whisper turns hysteric, "I'm going to let them."

"I know." Ekko says, a little more certain, and a lot more determined to give her peace, this isn’t his enemy, he isn’t sure that she ever has been one to begin with, not truly.

"Ekko--" Jinx’s voice cracks, pained and desperate.

"I know Jinx, okay, I do. That doesn't mean I didn't come here to make sure you were okay and to see if you needed anything. Pity party aside, just talk to me here, please."

Jinx nods slowly before dropping down onto the ratty couch, all the tension in her frame draining away for the moment. Though Ekko doesn't leave his wall, only slides down to sit on the dusty ground, unwilling to break the peace this time.

"Have you studied particle theory of displacement and distribution before?"

Ekko is a little surprised this is what she decided to talk about, though he hadn't been very specific when he was all but begging her a bit ago to talk to him. "Can't say that I have."

Jinx stares dead ahead, eyes glazed over, "You should think about it. What with your obsession with time and all. Time is a flowing construct that moves unobstructed to the naked eye, the particles of the universe and the fabric of reality interact, and change based on the atomic level structure of an object. Things like mass, velocity, kinetic energy, the thermals of the situation all play a part. Taking into account particle theory..."

Ekko let himself sink further into his own mind, it had been a long time since he had buried his best friend, and far less time since he found her still alive within his enemy. But today, today he gets to hear her as she theorizes time, and he wonders if she missed him just as much as he did her.

"How does one see particle theory in demonstration?"

"Depends on I guess; I always just use explosives. How else can you understand the displacement and redistribution of particles on a visual scale that doesn't take expensive tools or incredible patience?"

Ekko can't stop himself from laughing there, "Alright, alright, tell me more, I think I got a few things on time elements that might disrupt your theory though."

It didn't have to make sense to them. But right then, it was like the world hadn't changed, and innocence hadn't been lost all those years ago as they talked for hours about things most would claim as impossible or unobtainable.

Just two kids on opposite sides of a war, that neither wanted to keep fighting that night.

“Who invited you to my pity party?”