#I’ll be disappointed if they’re heartless monsters | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

dreamingon-forever · 2 years ago

Text

Black Tea is Fine Ch.8

AO3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/44651227/chapters/113144785

Preview: Furlan and Isabel stood rooted in front of the stove, taking in the grossly comfortable interactions between the two work colleagues with a frown on their faces. "I take it back, they're perfectly made for each other." Furlan mumbled as Hange took another offered bit of toast from the man's plate, having already finished her own. Their own plates still left untouched as they watched the two unsuspecting individuals with intrigue from across the room.

11:47pm the light emitting from the screen of his phone read.

The gentle rustle of leaves on swaying tree branches surrounding them, and the occasional passing car driving down the street on a lazy Thursday night becoming welcoming atmospheric hums and background music for the two as they sat in silence at a random park they've wandered across.

A bitter wind blew at them, causing Levi to stifling a shiver as best as he could in an attempt to not shake awake the resting woman laying on his shoulder. His arm reaching over and unconsciously wrapping the black blazer tighter against her body to shield her from the bitter bursts of wind as she slept away unaware of the frosty winds or the man's mannerism.

"I'll borrow your shoulder for just five minutes..." She had told him as she rested her head on him a while back, a silent tear making its way down her cheek- her messy bangs obscuring her face and creating a barrier between her and the outside world. Her eyes glazed over as she looked down at the play sand beneath them in an attempt at hiding it from him- in what he guessed had been her feeble attempt at trying to keep the man from feeling uncomfortable knowing well he was not the best at comforting others.

But he noticed. He noticed every single one that had fallen during the night, each new one painfully more than the last. He was aware of them despite his silence on the matter.

Emotions were a foreign concept to him, and he'd always opted to turning away from them if possible. They were uncomfortable and only complicated things more than needed. He'd learned that the hard way with the way his mother had fallen ill after his father had left them when he was young enough to not remember his face at all, with the the way Kenny had abandoned him and his sick mother when Levi started to finally trust him and see him as a father figure, from the way he'd been constantly ostracized by his peers throughout his life for not having enough, with the way that the world seemed to turn a blind eye to those who suffered in their life but turned against them the moment they tried to survive, and specially with the way his mother distanced herself from him to keep him from seeing how much worse she was faring with life. He'd accumulated enough scars from his lifetime to know to keep his heart locked up, to be disconcerted and disconnected from others, and seeing things in an objective matter if he wanted to keep afloat in this shitty world. The one useful thing his shithead of an uncle had told him was that nothing came free in life- emotions being one of them, and that'd been his life motto ever since. He'd learned to turn off all emotions and any want to get personal with others because he knew that expectations only brought the pains of reality and disappointment. But seeing the eccentric woman who was always smiling and joyously parading with endless energy and radiating the essence of the word 'life' itself all of a sudden sullen and disheartened, it rendered him completely helpless as he stood unmoving at her side. Emotions be damned and all, but at least he wasn't a heartless monster. If anything, life had only made him more prone to a sympathetic life.

The night seemed to have taken a toll on her, and he just didn't have the heart to bring her back to reality just yet, seeing the peaceful look that had settled on her face. A much preferred and natural look on her face than the downcast one she wore earlier that evening. If all she needed was his shoulder for some comfort for just a while, who was he to deny it from her?

With a sigh, he rubbed at his tired eyes. Why was it the only night his body actually wanted to shut down at human like hours was tonight of all nights? In the middle of a random playground sitting on a swing set under the freezing February night chill, next to Hange of all people?

Only until midnight. Levi muttered to himself. He opted on giving her until midnight to rest... Only thirteen minutes. Although he'd been saying that since 40 minutes ago, with various time intervals of fifteen minutes that kept shifting over time. And before he'd known it, the brunette's initial five minutes had turned to 15, which turned to 30, and now here they were waiting on midnight. Well, she seemed to need the extra sleep anyways with the dark under eyes she sported on a daily basis and the endless amount of caffeine she constantly consumed to survive. Which according to Moblit, had to do with the constant research she did on the sidelines alongside other experts on the field. And she definitely seemed to need those shitty braincells of hers alive if she wanted to continue doing so without embarrassing herself in front of her smart assed peers. Or at least those were the reasons he tried to justify for letting the mess of a woman engage in elongated and extended amounts of physical contact with him.

Feeling the woman grumble in discomfort and shuffling around relentlessly, causing the swing set to shift unevenly beneath them, he turned to look at her from his peripheral. Noticing her glasses digging onto her hooked nose, he slowly took off the frames that were pressed up against her face and pocket them neatly in his dress shirt pocket, letting Hange rest more comfortably against him. A small content smile falling on her lips.

Where a line of drool was making its way down her chin and onto his shoulder. He let out a tired sigh, but otherwise let it be. He was too tired to actually care at this moment.

Feeling his eyes slowly droop into the unfamiliar realm of sleep, he exhaled in exasperation. Just 12 more minutes. 12 minutes more and he could shake awake the bespectacled woman who'd dragged him out to this disasterous night out that had ended with them sitting on a piece of plastic bound to be infested in endless amounts of gems and snot, and head home for a well deserved warm shower and sleep. Desperately needing something to keep him awake, he looked around for something that was more interesting to look than the sand beneath his feet. His gaze eventually turned to the sleeping brunette he was sharing the swing-seat with, taking the chance to study her closer without her questioning look while trying to fight off the fatigue. Under the soft light of the streetlamp glowing over them, it washed the brunette in a golden glow, basking her messy hair in a fiery red hue that made her locks seem like wisps of fire, her tanned skin more enriched, exasperating the valley of freckles dotting her nose- resembling the bright and everlasting stars flecked on a clear night sky. He could probably make up his own constellations from them, just like the woman had told him from one of her countless rants about how ancient Greeks did to tell tales of their Gods and Goddesses. And with that hooked nose Hange sported, her broad shoulders and tall height, endless knowledge and inquisitiveness, as well with her golden skin, he could see her as one herself.

She was absolutely gorgeous as they depicted their goddesses to be.

At the thought, he snapped his eyes open, aghast and disturbed by his own thinking, shaking his head to try and push those intrusive thoughts out of his head. Maybe it was a trick from his sleepy state, but whatever it was, it did the trick in keeping him awake. Lucky for him, the vibration from his phone informed him that his allocated time till midnight had ended, not giving him enough time to ponder over his thoughts.

Levi's never felt so relieved at hearing an alarm in his life.

"Oi, Shitty-glasses... wake up... It's been more than five minutes." He prodded at the sleeping woman, who only grunted in retaliation as a response, swatting his hand away from her. Sighing and tired of being kept out longer than he had signed up for (not to mention his mental state being tested from his hyperfixation on the woman just a few minutes ago), he grabbed onto the sleeping woman's hair, turning to face her directly so she had no way to escape his piecing gaze. Except the movement had been a bit more aggressive and more steadfast than intended, causing the woman to lose her sitting position and almost topple over backwards on the swing seat. Only his quick reflexes managed to stop her from falling over and possibly cracking her skull as he deftly wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and pressed her flush against his chest to steady her against him- his other hand still intervened on the locks of her hair. His heart beating at an alarmingly fast pace at the near miss of a disaster.

But despite all the commotion, the woman still slept peacefully, snoring and drooling away, completely unfazed by her near concussion or unaware of the fright she'd almost given her companion. For the lack of sleep the brunette got on a daily, she sure was a heavy sleeper, seeing as the last time she'd slept through a blaring fire alarm as well. Levi concluded at that moment that the woman would make a terrible soldier.

Instead of waking up from the chaos, Hange unconsciously ended up snuggling and pressing closer to Levi, relishing in his warmth and protective arm still wrapped tightly around her. Her cheek pressed right against his erratic heart. The hum of satisfaction and comfortability from the brunette causing the raven-haired man to freeze in surprise at the unexpected closeness. And all of a sudden he no longer felt the bitter cold nipping at his skin, instead his whole body felt as if it was been grazed by the sun.

A sun named Hange Zoe.

"Hey... four-eyes." He tried again, gulping back his surprise. Only to get another mumble of grunts back from the brunette. "Oi... it's time to wake up. It's midnight. My balls are freezing and you're hogging all the warmth." He tried again, trying to insert his usual hostility into his words. But he couldn't tear his gaze away from the lashes that framed her face, or the way her nose curved perfectly to fit against his chest. He couldn't stop thinking of how perfect she felt in his embrace. And part of him didn't want her to wake up at all, or to break the illusion of comfort that lay between them at the moment. But the rational part of him knew he had to separate and find a way out of this mess before it completely consumed him.

"Hange...Oi" He breathed out, unconsciously using her name as he watched the soft flutter of her lashes beneath him. For a brief moment, her eyes slowly and groggily opened, looking up at him with the softness of an innocent child as she tried to make out the blurry world before her. "Levi?" She mumbled as she squinted up at him, her hand briefly tracing the edges of his face with the tip of her fingers to make sure it was him. Her touch making him shiver more than the wind ever could.

Hange never failed to amaze him and render him completely helpless. She just seemed to have that effect on him. And at that moment he realized why people worshiped deities.

"Hey Levi... please don't take me home...It's lonely there..." She softly requested in the form of a mumble against his shoulder as she laid back down on him, her hand still softly pressed against his cheek. "Don't... don't let me be lonely..." Levi watched the woman slowly fall into a slumber once again, her breathe evening out again and softly brushing against his exposed neck, causing his already warm body to heat up even further at their newfound proximity. Her breath pressing right at the pulse point on his neck, the motion clouding his mind and making him think of indecent thoughts that had never crossed his mind before. What was happening to him? What was this woman doing to him?

The silence that followed leaving the man to ponder over the words she'd left him with as he simultaneously tried fighting off the newfound surging train of indecent thoughts he had of the woman. With a sigh and slight hesitation after making sure she was really out of it, Levi gently brushed away the bang that fell onto the woman's face. "You're really not making this easy for me, shitty-glasses." He mumbled. But despite his complains, he found himself doing anything for her.

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

After lots of pondering and weighing the consequences of his choices, he begrudgingly decided he couldn't just leave the woman on her own at the park, nor bring her to her house as she'd begged him not to do. He did contemplate on calling Erwin, Mike, Moblit, or even Nanaba to come pick her up. But at the thought of having to explain to Mike or Nanaba why he was calling from Hange's phone in the middle of the night since he hadn't bothered acquainting with them enough to get their number made him rather eat his shoe than do just that. He would've called Erwin, but the thought of his smug face at seeing the two together was somewhat even worse of an outcome than calling the sniffling Buffon. This left him with maybe calling Moblit, but honestly he already felt bad enough for the poor guy having to care for his boss as it was that he didn't have the heart to even ponder on the thought longer than a second.

As he inserted his housekeys into the keyhole, he closed his eyes and hoped to whatever God was out there that his roommates were asleep, or at the very least didn't bombard him with endless questions the moment he stepped into the house hauling the passed out bespectacled woman over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He'd already earned enough questioning glances as he Uber them both and carried her through the building lobby. For some unknown reason, all his neighbours and ones he'd never even seen in his life had all somehow collectively decided they all would go on a night stroll on that precise night. At 1am on a Friday morning of all days. He didn't need to add his friends' onslaught of questions to the list.

Unfortunately for him though, luck was simply not on his side.

"Big brother! You're finally back!" Isabel's happy voice flew over to him as he wiggled the door open for him to get through. And as expected, her eyes traveled from her friend's face to the behind of the brunette that Levi was shouldering.

"Not a word." He said in an annoyed tone as he closed the door behind him, taking off the woman's coats and shoes carefully alongside his own before carrying her to the couch, where he unceremoniously dropped her. With a sigh, he leaned against the other end of the couch, closing his eyes briefly as he massaged his tired eyes. "What a woman." He muttered under his breathe in exasperation.

At the sound of another door opening and sensing his two lifelong companions staring at him, he exhaled and finally turned to them. A look of challenge on his tired face, daring them to ask the pressing question that was practically readable on their faces. Isabel being the fearless one of the two finally spoke up. "What is the nice candy lady doing here again? Are you two actually dating? Where you on a date together? Why is she passed out? Will she live with us now? Does she have more candy?" The red-head asked without a pause. Levi already felt another headache coming over him. He just couldn't catch a break tonight.

With a sigh, he put up a hand to stop her from blabbering on further. "Isabel, I'll answer everything once I get some sleep okay? I'm tired and would actually like to fucking get some rest right now. Babysitting shitty-glasses had been enough of an ordeal to deal with." He muttered. A sigh from the red-head made it known that she begrudgingly agreed to his terms. "So what are you going to do with her? Are you going to share your bed with her?" She asked as she took in the drooling woman, a hint of disgust mixed with astonishment reflecting on her big eyes.

"Fuck no. She can easily sleep on the couch." Levi said without thought. But despite his rude and crass words, the three of them knew he would never allow a woman sleep on the sofa. He was just chivalrous like that.

With a heavy sigh, he shook the woman's legs that laid over his thighs. "Oi, shitty-glasses. Get your ass up. You need to take a bath before I let you lay a finger on my bed." As a sound of retaliation left her mouth and started kicking his hands away from her, the raven-haired man let out an annoyed tch as he got up and hovered over the woman, pinching her cheeks with one hand as he tried to get some sense into her. Which the brunette fought against as she pinched the man's own cheeks with her hands, a semi groggy laugh leaving her mouth at the muderous look the man gave her.

Furlan and Isabel exchanged a look with each other as the two continued their bickering. Despite knowing their longtime friend for years and having gotten accustomed to his rude mannerisms, they'd never seen him so touchy or comfortable at interacting in physical touch with anyone else before. Could it possibly be their stoic friend had finally found his match?

"That's it, you're showering now. You stink, shitty-eyes, and no way in Hell will I let you stay in my home unless you get rid of that layer of grime off you. You don't even know how much mucus was wiped off on that stupid playground we stayed over." He said with finality as he threw the woman over his shoulder once more, carrying her to the bathroom, leaving his bewildered friends staring after them.

"So... do you think... both of them? Like... he likes he?" Furlan finally broke the static silence between the two of them, both their gazes still fixated on the semi open door to their bathroom, where two voices fought against each other.

Isabel slowly shook her head as she continued taking in the voices of the other pair. "I don't think she's brother's type."

Furlan raised a brow and turned to his female companion in confusion. "How do you know? Levi's never had a crush on anyone before. For all we knew I thought he just wasn't interesting in anyone at all."

Isabel simply shrug her shoulders. "She's messy and unkept. Plus she's loud and drags brother to hang out despite him being a homebody. Besides, she's taller and much more outspoken than he could possibly tolerate. Not to mention that when they talk it's 90% poop jokes and bickering. Brother seems the type to go for someone calm and clean, and definitely someone that doesn't tower over him since it's been an insecurity of his, so Hange definitely not his type at all." She said as she watched Levi grumble in annoyance as he left the bathroom momentarily to get something from his bedroom.

Furlan slowly nodded in agreement at his friend's words, both their attentions falling back on the raven-haired man that came back out of his room, carrying a neatly folded outfit change for their guest as he entered the bathroom once more, where once more their bickering voices filled the apartment.

"But... I think that ideal types don't matter in the end. Not when you start developing feelings for someone regardless." Isabel finished with a small smile as she heard Hange let out a happy laugh as Levi muttered a curse after her.

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

His eyes drooping heavily at the long night he'd had, Levi finally allowed himself to crash over his couch after taking a much deserved warm bath, letting sleep finally take over him. It still boggled him despite his semi-awake state how his body was actually accepting sleep for once. He couldn't even count the amount of times on the fingers of a hand how many times he'd actually slept well without insomnia the last 3 months. Maybe it had something to do with the anger he'd let out earlier that evening at Hange's parents after being berated and looked down upon. Or maybe it had something to do with aimlessly walking for hours next to Hange in some way to comfort her. But whatever it was, it had left him with a warm feeling of safety and satisfaction in his chest, which somehow transitioned into a want to sleep. As he started letting sleep take over him, he suddenly felt the side of the couch dip beneath him. Opening his eyes tiredly, he managed to make out the outline of an individual draped over with a comforter over their head, their arms braced over the couch next to his hand as they rested their head over their crossed arms.

"Four-eyes?" He called out tiredly, rubbing at his dark under eyes. His companion only let out a quiet hum in response, not shifting from their position despite how uncomfortable it looked. "Why aren't you in bed? Is it not to your liking?" He asked her, exhaustion evidently lacing his words as they came out more of a slur of incoherent words than anything else. "Don't tell me you're regretting begging me to not carry you home? Cause it's been a shitty last few hours trying to haul you and get you cleaned, four-eyes." For a second he didn't get a reply, making him think that she'd already fallen asleep, his own eyes threatening to close on him.

"It's lonely." She finally muttered softly. Her voice barely above a whisper.

Levi felt himself chuckle slightly in his delirious state. "Lonely? Can you really be lonely in an apartment with three other people?" He muttered quietly, turning slightly to glance at the woman laying next to him.

Hange only turned to look up at him at his words, the moonlight that managed to filter through the curtains of their window outlining the woman's curiously somber state. Her brown orbs somewhat dimmed yet still reflective with their natural brightness looking up at him. "Lonely and quiet... It's so quiet that I can't stop thinking." She confided in him. "When you left tonight... I finally said what I've been holding back from mom a long time ago. I thought it would be relieving, but now I'm just thinking she might be right... Maybe I've been the one thinking wrong and I've just been blinded by my long-held grudge... the silence is making me feel suffocated." And I can't stop wondering if this is what the rest of my life will be like, all alone. It's sad and scary. She thought to herself, but bit back from speaking out loud. She sighed as she fiddled with corner of the comforter, avoiding looking into the questioning eyes of the male. She wasn't sure what had compelled her to seek Levi's ear out when she'd always done a decent job at keeping her thoughts to herself her whole life.

"If you've been holding onto a grudge for so long there had to be a valid reason for it, no? Being so insistent on your view means part of you knew she was wrong and you were driven with the desire to prove her wrong. I don't see you being in the wrong for thinking that way. At the least you confronted your mother. I bet it must have been relieving, the look on her face I would've paid my annual income to see again." At his words, Hange let out a soft giggle, punching the man slightly at his sides. "Besides, you're you shitty-glasses. Drowning in self-pity and holding that constipated look on your face doesn't seem like your kind of thing. You don't seem to be the type of person to stay out of action and follow someone else's rules." Levi said as he let out a yawn, his eyes fluttering closed.

Hange's eyes softened at the janitor's words, his words planting a new seed of hope within her. "You know... you're not so bad at talking when you're half asleep, Ackerman. Maybe I should invest in sleeping pills when I need life advise from you." She teased, to which the man snorted at, flickering the woman on the forehead with an eye open.

"Now that you're back to your annoying self, get to bed, four-eyes. We still have to go to school you know?"

Hange pouted at his words but sighed in agreement. "Fine, goodnight, shorty." She said before laying down on the floor next to him, resting her head on her arms as pillows.

Sensing her presence still next to him, he wearingly opened his eyes. "Oi, what do you think you're doing down there?" Levi asked, shifting so he had a better view of the woman wrapped in his comforter laying on the wooden floors.

Hange blinked up at him in confusion as she shuffled closer to him so that she was right under his gaze. "Sleeping?" She asked in reply. With a heavy sigh and a shake of his head, the man kicked off his blanket and picked up the woman, throwing her once again over his shoulder. Eliciting a gasp of shock from the woman as she flailed against his hold on her. "Levi, what do you think you're doing?!" She asked as she lightly punched him on the back.

"Stop moving, shitty-glasses. I'm taking you to bed. I don't want to hear you complain at work over a stiff shoulder or a broken neck." He said as he swung open the door to his bedroom and deposited the woman on his bed in an unceremonious manner, eliciting a squeal from the woman as her back his the soft mattress. With a satisfied smirk, the man turned to leave the room when he felt someone grab onto his arm.

"Stay with me." Hange quietly asked him, her grip tightening on his arm as she felt his slightly try to pull away.

"There's only one bed here, four-eyes. Use that big brain of yours. I'll just be outside if you need me." He said as he tried prying away the woman's grip off him. But she shook her head, wrapping another hand over his to stop him. "Please? We can share, there's enough room for both of us."

Levi wearily looked over his bed. Sure there was enough space for two people. That was, for two people who were close enough to share a bed together. Before he could retaliate back, Hange pulled him towards the bed, making room as she shuffled to the corner of the bed pressed against the wall, leaving him enough room on the other side of the bed. "If you feel uncomfortable, we can sleep on opposite ends. Besides... I'd feel terrible making you sleep on the couch of your own home." She said.

Normally he would have brushed off the idea completely and ignored her. But the fatigue was wearing him thin and he didn't have any fight left in him. So with a heavy sigh, he laid down on his side of the bed, his feet pointing opposite the woman's. "Fine. You win this one. Now go sleep, four-eyes. Dealing with brats isn't going to get any easier on less sleep." He muttered as Hange pulled the blankets over the both of them. "Night." He muttered before closing his eyes, finally letting the sleep win over him completely, blanketing him in a welcoming warm embrace.

"Goodnight, Levi."

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The sounds of muffled giggles and the smell of breakfast wafting through the apartment woke him up. With a groan and a rub of his eyes, he looked around his room in confusion. As memories of the previous night made their way into his mind, his eyes glanced over at the other half of his bed, where a lack of a specific bespectacled brunette met his sight. Sitting up and stretching in an attempt to drive away the soreness obtained from the previous night, the man sighed before following his usual morning routine of making his bed and carefully setting his pillows in a pristine manner. When satisfied, he finally opened the door of his room and was immediately met with the happy laughs of his two best friends and their visitor as they hovered over the kitchen stove.

As his tired gaze hovered over them, he couldn't help his gaze from stopping on the tall brunette's figure. Where she sported his oversized black hoodie and a pair of white shorts that were slightly too short on her long tanned legs. He gulped. The sight of Hange wearing his clothes somehow eliciting some sort of excitement and warmth out of him. And he couldn't help but think that it was just as it ought to be, that the sight of her wearing his clothes was just right.

"Brother! You're finally up!" Isabel's happy voice tore him from his thoughts, causing him to tear away his gaze from the brunette. Furlan's knowing look looking back at him at having noticed the raven-haired man's focused and awestruck look on Hange a while back. Levi threw a scowl at him, but a faint blush had made its way to his cheeks, making it hard to seem unbothered by his friend's knowing look.

"What's everyone up to so early in the morning?" He muttered in a tone he hopped was as cynic as usual.

"Hange was helping up make you some breakfast!" Isabel replied as she happily showed the stack of French toasts on four different platters on the counter. Levi raised an eye at the the bespectacled woman, who was patiently and eagerly waiting for his reaction. "You made this, four-eyes? I didn't know you could cook. From the state of your kitchen and the volume of takeout boxes I expected you to have burned the house down." He said as he slightly nodded at the plated breakfast. They seemed decently made and even had nice decorations of strawberry and powdered sugar over them.

"Rude, shorty. That's not how you treat someone who woke up early to make breakfast as a thank you." Hange grumbled, punching the man slightly to show she was joking. "But yeah, Isabel and Furlan were the ones who flipped and cooked. I was only here to help put the ingredients together." She admitted as she ruffled Isabel's hair in adoration, gaining a happy giggle in return from the younger girl.

"Hange's the best! She told us a bunch of stories about the experiments she does at school and taught us about the science behind candy making! And ooh, ooh! Did you know that the front part of your tongue is the one that has taste buds that pick up on sweet tastes?" She excitedly rambled on, her eyes bursting with excitement as she jumped around as she retold what she'd learned. The other three looked over her in amusement. Despite how easily excitable Isabel was on a regular, early mornings were usually reserved for grumpiness as she adjusted to the dreaded mornings. Seeing her bursting with energy at such early hours was something new to both Levi and Furlan who'd known her close to 10 years now.

"Oi, shitty-glasses, what did you feed her?" He asked the bespectacled woman who chuckled at Isabel taking in a deep breathe after retelling everything she remembered. "Nothing, I thought this was how she was normally." She said as she started putting the plates over the dining table. "Oh, by the way! I made you some green tea as well. I thought it was a nice and subtle wake up tea that would go well with the sweet breakfast." She said as she handed him a perfectly warm cup of tea. Noticing the familiarity between the two and Hange's knowledge over Levi's preferences, Isabel and Furlan exchanged a look with each other. So they were close close, close.

"I'm guessing you opted for that caffeinated death drink of yours?" Levi asked the brunette as they settled next to each other on the table, completely forgetting about their companions as they engaged in talks with each other. "You know it! Say, I couldn't find any of my preferred brown sugar here but I hope you don't mind me borrowing some of the cubed white sugar you have?" She asked as she accepted a bite of French toast from the man.

"I'll remember to stock up on brown sugar then. And yeah, you're free to use it as long as you don't go having sugar rushes. I don't want to clean after your mess if you accidentally pour erosive material down the pipes again." He said as he wiped away at the woman's mouth with a paper tower when syrup and powdered sugar started covering her face. "Why? Not willing to wear old Billy's janitor uniform again? I thought you looked adorable in it. Like a little kid trying to wear his dad's clothes!" She teased to which she got a smack on the head from the man in front of her in retaliation, causing her to giggle louder at his expression.

Furlan and Isabel stood rooted in front of the stove, taking in the grossly comfortable interactions between the two work colleagues with a frown on their faces. "I take it back, they're perfectly made for each other." Furlan mumbled as Hange took another offered bit of toast from the man's plate, having already finished her own. Their own plates still left untouched as they watched the two unsuspecting individuals with intrigue from across the room.

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There goes another stupid song gram. Levi thought bitterly as he watched a group of students surround a young short blonde girl. A taller, tanned, and freckled girl with black hair slowly closing the distance between the two of them before handing the girl a giant bouquet of roses and a heart box. All which concluded with the two kissing and making out in the middle of the hallways, where hollers and hoots of encouragement rained down on them. It would have been cute, if it weren't the 21st one he'd been subjected to suffer through that day.

And then came the the part he dreaded the most. The stupid confetti that every damn song gram called for after they were finished with their singing. He gave the happy couple a good twenty seconds to rejoice and celebrate before he shoo'd them away with his broom, telling them off for messing up his clean floors.

"Boy, you sure seem to be in a loving mood." A familiar bored toned called to him as he grumbled after noticing another stupid group huddling just at the end of the hallway. Mikasa watched her cousin from under her bangs as he threw the confetti into a nearby trashcan with a bit more force than needed. "Well, you don't seem to be that much different from your usual brooding mood either." He grumbled in response, already making his way to the next couple.

"I'm actually in a great mood, thank you very much." She retaliated as she followed after her cousin, The man raised an brow at his cousin, looking down and taking note of the roses in her hands. "Jaeger finally pulled up his big boy pants and confessed?" He asked as they stopped just a few feet away from the now celebrating couple.

"Jean actually." The girl replied nonchalantly as she studied the flowers in her hands. A surprised look washing the man's face. "Jean... Kirstein? The tall kid with a horse face?" He asked incredulously. At his words Mikasa threw him a dirty look. "Yes, him. I decided to give him chocolates this year as well." She said as Levi scared away the new crowd and started picking up the colourful pieces of paper again.

"What happened to Jaeger? I thought you always gave him chocolates?" He asked as he plucked at an annoying piece of paper that was clinging to his shirt. Mikasa shrugged, pensively looking out the window. "I do...I did. But he's been acting so distant lately ever since his brother moved back into town. He made it clear to me a few days ago that he didn't want to receive anything from me for Valentines. I pondered over it for a bit and was thinking of just giving him some anyways but... I started noticing the way Jean's been treating me with more respect lately, and thought maybe it's time to let my crush on Eren rest and give Jean a chance. Or at least try to see if there's other people out there for me, you know?" She voiced out as she bent down to help her cousin out. Levi studied his cousin's face carefully, trying to see if there was anything that would imply him needing to beat some sense into the Jaeger boy. But he was both surprised and reassured as he saw a slight blush cover the apple of Mikasa's cheeks as she glanced once more at the roses in her hands.

"Let this Kirsten boy know that my broom is always ready at my disposal if he ever dares do anything to you." He said as he continued with his task, silently letting his cousin know he approved of the boy. Mikasa trying to hide a smile from appearing on her face cleared her throat instead. "What about you, midget? Got any Valentine chocolates from anyone?" She poked at him as she threw her bundle of confetti into the trash after her cousin's. Levi scoffed. "Why would I? Valentine's just an excuse for companies to rob people off their money in the name of a stupid holiday. You brats raging in endless hormones just find the day as a way to justify pinning after your crushes in an open manner." He muttered as he picked up discarded chocolate boxes and wrapping off the ground. "For fuck's sake, would it kill people to throw away their shitty garbage properly?!" Levi protested as they made their way up the third floor.

Mikasa looked at him in a pitiful manner. "Is that why you're so pissed off today? Cause you don't have the balls to go after Ms. Zoe despite you pinning for her? Or is it because she hadn't given you any chocolates at all, and seeing us brats enjoy the holiday by having our crushes reciprocate our feelings is making you jealous?" She asked her cousin with a shit eating smirk. Levi stopped on the top stairs as he turned to look at his cousin, a murderous look in his eyes. "Oi, you emotionless cursed rag doll, I think your parents forgot to teach you to respect your elders. Come here, I think it's time to intro-" But his words caught in his throat as the girl before him straightened up all of a sudden, her smug smile slipping from her lips as her eyes locked on someone standing behind the man.

And without even turning around, he could tell the topic of their conversation was staring at the two of them.

"Hi Ms. Zoe!" MIkasa greeted her teacher, bowing deep into a bow to show her respect. Hange's melodious laugh filled the empty staircase as she took in the reprimanding look Levi wore as he pointed his broom at his cousin. "Hi Mikasa, Shorty." She greeted the duo, obviously interested and amused by what she was seeing. "What did you do this time to rile up this short-tempered man?" She asked as she descended the stairs so she stood eye level with Levi, a smile gracing her lips as she looked into his eyes.

Clearing his throat, he teared his eyes away from the woman's inquisitive brown ones as he lowered his pointed broom, suddenly self-aware of how unprofessional the ordeal would have looked to her. "Nothing worth your attention, four-eyes." He muttered in response, trying hard to ignore the snicker that came out of his cousin's lips. She was lucky that Hange had shown up, otherwise she could count the days she'd been looking forward to getting to know that horse-face on a personal level long gone.

"Well, I have to run to meet up with Sasha and the others. I'll see you two later. Happy Valentines Ms. Zoe!" Mikasa called out to them as she dashed back down the stairs, but not before throwing her cousin a kissy face which only he could see, causing a vein to visibly appear on his forehead. Brat. He thought bitterly.

Hange was the first to break their silence as she stood against the stair railings and looked at the man pointedly. "Were those roses Mikasa was holding?" She asked.

"Yeah, Kirstein got them for her." He responded with a sigh as he put down his broom down and leaded against the wall to face the brunette. Whatever he had expected in response was definitely not the bright and ecstatic look the bespectacled woman gave him. "Really?! Jean finally confessed and she accepted?! I kneeeew it! Mike owes me lunch tomorrow!" She happily whooped as Levi threw her an incredulous look. "Seriously? You two were better on students?" He asked in disbelief, to which the brunette simply shrugged at with a smile. "It's an unwritten rule for teachers. We take notice of which students have a crush on who and decide who has a chance to actually become a couple. We simply try to help them by coupling them up here and there and expect a thank you invitation to their wedding once they marry each other." She said with a laugh.

Before he could reply to her, the loud and obnoxious starting key for another Valentine serenade carried over to them from downstairs. Closing his eyes and letting out a tired sigh, Levi pushed himself off the wall. "Guess that's my calling." He muttered as he mentally started counting down the seconds leading to the stupid confetti poppers. Hange sent him a compassionate look. "Sorry, I can only guess how much extra work this holiday brings to you." She said, pushing herself off the railings as well, coming to stand next to the man as they both made their way down the stairs, their steps matching in time with each other's.

"As long as you keep your lab clean today and don't give me extra work to do then I should be able to handle this dreaded holiday." He said, turning to the brunette, whom only gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I've planned on making my students take a pop quiz today instead of experiments. Someone needs to tone down the dopamine levels before they get too out of hand, you know? So don't worry shorty, you won't be hearing any explosions from my side of the school today."

Levi's lips involuntarily turned upright at the thought. And in his mind, he couldn't help but picture Mikasa running into a pop quiz she probably hadn't prepared for as she'd preoccupied herself with making sweets for her lover boy. "Maybe your brain isn't as shitty as I thought it was, four-eyes." Hange grinned at him and threw him a wink before dropping him off at the second floor. "Aww... that might be the nicest thing you've said to me yet, shorty. Maybe becoming that evil genius chemistry teacher is befitting of me after all if you keep throwing me compliments like that." She teased as the bell rang, the brunette already turning around to head back up to her room.

Levi felt himself roll his eyes in response. But in reality he already felt his mood uplift from the small minutes he got to spend with Hange. His gaze followed after her as she walked back up the stairs, but before she was completely out of sight, she turned once more to the man, a hesitant and nervous look on her face. "And Levi? We're still on for tea later, right?" She asked unsure.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion, not understanding why she would ask this out of nowhere, knowing it was a day-to-day arrangement to meet up in the afternoons to share a cup of tea. "I mean... you don't have any plans or reservations tonight... right?" She continued frantically, a nervous chuckle escaping her as she awaited his response. Before she could mutter something else, Levi interrupted her. "I'll be there, four eyes. Just make sure the room is clean." He reminded her before he went to pick up his new pile of confetti, a smile grazing his lips.

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

He was completely exhausted by the time afternoon rolled by. His arms and back sore from all the sweeping he'd done that day. Stupid confetti and stupid brats that fell for the stupid holiday trap. He found bitterly to himself as he opened the familiar chemistry classroom door, where he immediately found himself surrounded by the sweet smell of a new fragrance of tea. Taking a quick look around, he was surprised and relieved to see that the four-eyes had kept her word and left the room spotless.

"Levi! There you are!" The familiar voice called out to him in greeting. With a small nod in acknowledgement, he took a seat at their usual spot in front of the window.

"Well, you've looked better." The woman joked as she took the seat next to his, handing him a freshly brewed cup of tea. "I've felt better too." He mumbled in response as he took a much needed sip from the cup. A surprised look taking over his features as he frowned, swirling the contents in his cup before taking another sip. The woman watching him with curiosity and slight restlessness as she tapped her nails against the table in anticipation of his verdict.

"Hmm... red tea?" He asked as he took another sip, a small nod of approval appearing on his face. "It's good" the man concluded. Which the woman took as a good sign before letting out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. A smile gracing her lips at seeing the content look on the janitor's face. "Yeah, red tea infused with roses." She said, finally taking a sip of her own cup.

At her words, Levi let out a chuckle. "I didn't see you as the type to fall for the Valentine propaganda as well, shitty-eyes." He said as he raised an eyebrow at her. His words causing a blush to creep up the brunette's neck as she turned away from his piercing grey eyes in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. Clearing her throat, she fiddled with the handle of her cup. "It's not like that... I just thought it would be a hilarious coincidence to drink it today." She muttered as she focused her gaze out the window, refusing to let the man see her flustered face.

Levi snorted at her response but didn't push further with his teasing. The two fell into a comfortable silence as they watched over the panoramic view out the window, occasionally taking sips of their cups and pointing out random things they spotted out the window. As they continued watching, two figures seemed to have made their way to the dimming field, where they stopped by a bench and sat down next to each other, unaware of being watched by the two staff members.

"Seems like the Valentine spirit is still going strong." Hange found herself musing as they continued following the two figures that were now chasing after each other across the field, giggles and laughter filling the still air and reaching them on the third floor in the form of an echo. The female throwing a glance over at her companion from time to time to gauge his reaction. But all he expressed was a stoic expression as he followed the pair with a tired expression on his face.

Having teared her gaze away from the field, Hange started shuffling for something in he bag absentmindedly while Levi had finally concluded he'd had enough of this stupid holiday as he watched the two students tackle each other to the ground and start kissing. Something about the two engaging so easily with intimacy not sitting right with him.

Hange's fiddling came to a halt as her fingers tightened on the item she'd been searching for. With a small gulp and hesitancy, she turned towards the raven-haired man. "Hey, Levi-" But she never got to finish her sentence as the man let out an exasperated sigh at that exact moment.

"It's so fucking stupid...Who makes a holiday to celebrate love on a specific day? Pushing at the idea that idiots have to confess their feelings through the form of chocolate and flowers? It's all a stupid ruse for commercialism to take advantage of idiots. It practically means nothing if everyone is pushed into the idea of confessing on a specific day." Levi muttered in distaste as he sipped the last of his tea in one final gulp.

At his words, the woman froze, her gaze turning downcast as her grip tightened within her bag.

"Don't you agree, shitty-glasses?" He asked, finally turning towards his companion after having noted the elongated period of silence that fell after his words. A frown and sudden concern enveloping him as he noticed the solemn look on the brunette's face. "Shitty-glasses?" He repeated louder this time as he leaned closer to her, hesitantly shaking the woman by her shoulders. His touch finally breaking the woman out of her stupor. With a quick set of blinks and her eyes widening in realization that she'd dazed off, she let out a tight and forced laugh, shoving back down the item deeper into her bag. "Right, it's a stupid holiday." She suddenly stood up, almost knocking off her semi-full cup as she got up in a haste. "I um... I suddenly remembered I had promised to meet up with someone today. Do you mind closing the classroom for me?" She asked Levi before hurrying to the door, not daring to turn around or wait on a response as she quickly left the classroom.

Levi was suddenly left all alone as he stared at the doorframe in silence. A sudden pang of disappointment and sadness washing over him as he stood up and walked towards the item had the woman had dropped in her haste to get out of the classroom. A familiar red heart box of chocolates staring mockingly up at him.

"I um... I suddenly remembered I had promised to meet up with someone today." Hange had said before speeding out of the room. Was she perhaps meeting up with a date? Were these her chocolates for them? His heart painfully constricted in his chest at the thought of Hange spending her night with someone else.

"It really is a stupid holiday after all..." He mumbled to himself as he brushed a wistful hand over the box before he carefully set them on her desk.

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

He was silent as he got home, completely ignoring Isabel and Furlan's welcoming wishes as he walked into their shared apartment.

But despite his clear indication at not wanting to be bothered, Isabel gravitated towards him, an excited and anticipatory look on her face. "So? How was your Valentine's day? Had any fun?" She asked with a giddy laugh as she bounced around him, blocking his way to his bedroom. Levi sighed in annoyance when she blocked his way for the fifth time.

"No, I had a terrible day so can you please let me get to my room?" He asked her, his tone a bit harsher than he wanted it to come across, but at the moment he didn't really care. His mind was still reeling back to that stupid box of chocolate and who could possibly be Shitty-glasses' stupid Valentine.

Isabel's excitement dwindles as a confused and downcast look washed over her features. "But... but I thought you would have a great Valentine this year." She whispered solemnly, all her previous excitement gone as she looked at the ground beneath her. Levi rolled his eyes at the innocence in the red-head's voice. "You know how I dislike the holiday, Isabel. What made you think that it would suddenly change this year?" He asked tiredly as he leaned against the arm of the sofa.

"Because of the chocolates..." She mumbled sadly as she joined her brother on the couch. Levi threw her a confused look at her words. "Chocolates? What chocolates?" He asked confused. But Isabel seemed to have taken his mood worse than him as she pulled her legs up against her chest, hiding her face between them and opting out of answering his question.

"The chocolates that she helped Hange make over the weekend for Valentines." Furlan answered for her instead, taking a seat on the armchair facing them. At his words the ugly knot formed itself again in his chest. "Ah... the chocolates she was supposed to give her date." He muttered darkly as he leaned back against the couch, closing his eyes in an attempt to loosen the tight feeling in his chest.

Furlan frowned at his friend's words. "Date? No... the chocolates Isabel helped Hange make for Valentines... for you." Furlan corrected slowly. His words not registering in the raven-haired man's mind until a beat later.

"WHAT?!" He cried out, springing up from his seat. "ME?!" He cried out in confusion.

Isabel shifted behind him and slowly looked up. "Yeah... she said she wanted to thank you for all the help and support you've given her. She said it would be a nice way of asking for forgiveness for dragging you along to her parents' dinner. But she said she was bad at making sweets so she asked me to come over and help her out instead."

Levi's mind short circuited at her words, hope and relief flooding him before being overtaken by dread and regret as he recalled the way he'd dismissed the idea of the holiday in front of her.

"Shit." He muttered in defeat as he fell back against the couch.

"Levi?" Furlan asked concerned, getting up to check on his friend. "You okay? Did something happen?" He asked. Levi in response let out a grunt. "I messed up. I told her the holiday and the concept of it was stupid. I might have made her run out on me before she got the chance to present the chocolates to me." Disbelief washed over the trio at the older one's words.

"You really are stupid, big brother." Isabel deadpanned to him as she shook her head at him.

"Well... there's still time till midnight, maybe you can try talking to her before the holiday is done?" Furlan suggested, to which Isabel jumped up at, excitement filling her once more. "Yeah! There's still time, big brother! Get her some pretty flowers and she'll forgive you!" Levi winced at her excitement, but he couldn't help but also feel the hope that his two friends were sending him. "Fine, let's do this, but I'm going to need to make a few stops first."

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

Levi sighed as he brushed a desperate hand across his neatly styled hair. He'd been standing in front of the woman's door for the past half an hour trying to muster up enough confidence to knock on her door. But every time he attempted to, he would freeze out and back out like a coward. Heck, he bet Kenny would get a laugh at his desperate attempts.

Glancing at his watch once more, he sighed. He only had fifteen minutes left till midnight and he knew he couldn't stall any longer. Before he could hype himself up once more, the door of apartment swung open, an unamused four-eyes staring at him as she leaned against her doorframe.

"It's been half an hour, shorty. Were you going to ever knock or not?" She asked annoyed, a twinge of amusement subliming her words. It was barely perceptible, but it was enough to give the man the courage to clear his throat and hand the woman the bouquet of flowers in his hands, determination plastered on his face.

Hange raised an eyebrow in surprise at the flowers. "These... are for me" She asked unsure, carefully looking over the bouquet predominantly composed of white flowers. "You know, normally people get red roses for Valentines." She teased but finally left the doorframe to let the man follow after her. Levi let out a relieved sigh as he followed after the woman, closing the door behind him.

"So I've been told by the florist. Trust me, she gave me the most exasperated look when I refused to buy from one of the premade set she had at hand." He said, gaining a chuckle from the woman as she filled up a vase and placed the new bouquet on her dining table. "But Isabel told me how each flower hold specific meaning, and it's shitty to just buy a meaningless pile of flowers." He said. But what he intended to add was: "I wanted to convey to you properly what I think of you and how grateful I actually am that you're part of my life" But like always, he didn't seem to need to put his thoughts to words as Hange read him with ease.

"White lilies for redemption, Star of Bethlehem for reconciliation, and pink roses for gratitude." Hange softly recited to him as she took a whiff of the flowers in front of her, an amused smile gracing her face. "Not bad for a man who seems to hate the holidays." She teased.

Levi let out a grunt in response, but felt his own smile appear on his face. "It's stupid because the meaning of the holiday is preset to only be looked at one specific way." He said.

"Which is a romantic sense." Hange finished for him as she patted the seat next to her for the man to sit on. Levi nodded in agreement as he sat down.

"But people seem to forget that the holidays are also there to appreciate the love that comes from family and friendship too." Hange added. A slight frown dawning over her face, her previous smile erased as she looked solemnly at her flowers. "I'm sorry Levi, I was supposed to give you a friendship gift too, but I think I might have dropped it somewhere." She mumbled in embarrassment, suddenly recalling the way she'd darted out of the room before giving Levi time to explain his reasoning behind hating the holiday.

Levi scoffed at her before pulling out a familiar red hearted package out of hi bag and sliding it over the table towards the astonished brunette.

"Next time you want to gift me something, just do it shitty-glasses. I can't read your mind all the time." He said teasingly, watching as a happy smile filled the bespectacled woman's face, her eyes catching the magic as well and glowing that special brown he'd come to love.

"Happy Valentine's, Levi." She said as she carefully handed the box over to the raven-haired man.

"Happy Valentine's, Hange."

#levihan #levi x hange #levi x hanji #levi ackerman #hange zoe #professor hange #janitor levi #aot au #AOT.#high school setting #valentine

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fedorasaurus · 2 years ago

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Fedorasaurus is Gorn-posting

I’m enjoying Star Trek: Strange New Worlds so far, but I wish that this show--well, Star Trek in general, could do something more with the Gorn than just write them as Big Bad Enemy Aliens.

In SNW’s case, I can understand that at this point in the timeline, there hasn’t been any official “first contact” with the Gorn, so they’re still these very mysterious beings. In fact, there’s not a lot of... lore with these aliens at all in Star Trek, so the writers could really come up with anything they want to expand on them without giving us too many specific details.

And we do get a really cool look at their twisting ships and their light-based communication system! The Enterprise facing off with the the Gorn vessels in a “submarine battle” style space fight was really fun. But, I really take issue with this whole idea of, “the Gorn are pure evil and can’t be reasoned with.” It’s such a disappointment to see a whole species being written as heartless monsters. Isn’t Star Trek usually more nuanced than that? And like, what’s with the whole... thing about how the Gorn apparently kidnap people to bring to their “breeding planets” where they feed the victims to their young and use their bodies as “breeding sacs?” It seems needlessly barbaric. They could have added any new lore, and the lore they decided to add amounts to oooohhh look how evil the lizards are oooohhhhh.

I want to know more about their people and their culture, not whatever this is about them being violent evil lizard men who don’t care about anyone and see other humanoids as nothing but prey. Maybe it’s just a consequence of having only ever seen these aliens from the perspective of non-Gorn species, who have only ever dealt with villainous members of the Gorn.

Maybe someday we’ll see more of them, from the shows that take place further along in the timeline, from writers who care about exploring the Gorn as a space-faring people and not as just Monsters for Starfleet to face off against. I mean, think about the Klingons. They were ALWAYS just the big scary enemy aliens, and then, in The Next Generation, we’re introduced to Worf! The first Klingon in Starfleet, a badass main character on the crew, loveable dad, a look into Klingon history and culture and exploring/challenging aspects of it that might clash with the character’s personal ideals, but are from the perspective of a Klingon himself, not just from the perspective of humanoids looking on with horror at these aggressive alien warriors with their harsh shouty language.

Here’s hoping we get a Gorn on the bridge crew someday, but in the meantime, eh, I’ll write fan fiction about my Starfleet Gorn OC, I suppose!

#Star Trek #Gorn #SNW tells great stories but I wish they didn't use the Gorn as a horror prop you know?

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edenmemes · 4 years ago

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the witcher 3: wild hunt starters

including quotes from the dlcs hearts of stone & blood and wine

❝ you were always an unruly child. i adored that about you. ❞ ❝ mmm. yes. of course. the excuse you resort to when you’d rather not talk about something. ❞ ❝ how many have you killed? how many more might you still? ❞ ❝ you know who i am. and why i’m here. ❞ ❝ you're a madman and always have been. a cruel, cold-blooded killer. ❞ ❝ a man should frame his wishes carefully. it forestalls disappointment. ❞ ❝ no argument. you knew what you were signing up for. ❞ ❝ maybe once, in a different time...i’d have helped. ❞ ❝ don’t train alone, it only embeds your errors. ❞ ❝ wanna get drunk off my ass. and it’s gotta be on cheap wine. ❞ ❝ you’re a heartless bastard. ❞ ❝ try to trick me anyway, anyhow, you won’t go anywhere, you know that. ‘cause i’ll take your head off right where it meets your neck. ❞ ❝ sorry. i don’t want to talk about it. not now, at least. ❞ ❝ we are more like a family. we support each other and help each other survive tough moments. ❞ ❝ so how’s it feel to be the village witch? ❞ ❝ realize, please, that you were made for great things. ❞ ❝ folks say a curse has fallen on that place, a dark power brought down by the bestiality of the murders it beheld. ❞ ❝ so, now you’ve threatened me and all...are you in or are you not? ❞ ❝ i know it must sound foolish, but in the dream - well, it was all too real... ❞ ❝ we may not survive this. in fact, our chances are slim. ❞ ❝ it’s always been about you. only you. ❞ ❝ i remember finding your sense of humor both groan-worthy...and somehow endearing. ❞ ❝ kings die, realms fall, but magic endures. ❞ ❝ i detest banquets. vacuous conversation, food portions fit for a mouse, drinks that taste like piss... ❞ ❝ despite what you’ve heard, i don’t lunge at every monster i see, sword in hand. ❞ ❝ each day’s more dangerous than the last. ❞ ❝ it’s folks like you that restore my faith in humankind. ❞ ❝ my power lies in possessing knowledge, not sharing it. ❞ ❝ the rotten smell brings back childhood memories. ❞ ❝ awfully noble of you, showing so much concern for the needy. ❞ ❝ no need to thank me. always glad to save your ass. you’re welcome. ❞ ❝ i may be inhumanely beautiful, but i don’t have super human senses. ❞ ❝ anyone can be made to talk, even a corpse. one must simply know how. ❞ ❝ we’ve done the hardest part. only got the pleasant bits now. ❞ ❝ there are few causes worth saving. even fewer men. ❞ ❝ don’t treat me like a child. ❞ ❝ there’s strange men lurking outside the house. watching me. ❞ ❝ you must be careful what you wish for lest your wish be granted. for there are consequences. ❞ ❝ shall i be free of the suffering? the sadness? ❞ ❝ i wish to gaze into those eyes, eyes the devil would be proud to have. ❞ ❝ you were born with a great gift. and only you can decide how to use it. ❞ ❝ any other words of wisdom? or can we go? ❞ ❝ what i need is an ally. and something tells me i shall find none better than you. ❞ ❝ i can see no row can occur here without your participation. ❞ ❝ i and what concerns me have not been a concern of yours for some time now. ❞ ❝ if you’d not arrived in time, things might have ended considerably worse. ❞ ❝ if they can bleed, they can die. ❞ ❝ a man must display some madness from time to time --- it helps him feel alive. ❞ ❝ i was deeply troubled. you’ve no idea. ❞ ❝ done that so many times, but...it felt like our first kiss to me. ❞ ❝ don’t need to play tough on me. ❞ ❝ i've lost too many mates already. i won’t risk it, i can't. ❞ ❝ there’s just not enough of us. it’ll be a hard fight. ❞ ❝ in lonely woods, screams carry long. ❞ ❝ things used to be simpler. monsters were bad, humans good. now, everything’s all confused. ❞ ❝ as for your missteps --- i don't rightly see why i shouldn't laugh if they're amusing.. ❞ ❝ i’ve no gold to offer you in reward...but i shall be ever so grateful. ❞ ❝ if you’re scared, turn back. i’m gonna go on. ❞ ❝ if anything happens, i’ll defend you. ❞ ❝ once you say "i love you," a kiss has to taste differently. ❞ ❝ maybe we should sit? you look a bit dazed... ❞ ❝ drink it off, sleep it off, whatever it takes...just get yourself together and think things through. ❞ ❝ i shall join later, if it’s no trouble. i don’t yet feel strong enough to venture out. ❞ ❝ awake at last. you writhed like a squirrel caught in a snare. ❞ ❝ again you plan without even asking what i think! ❞ ❝ come to see how i’m feelin'? thanks, not bad. ❞ ❝ i remember that day quite well...there was a light drizzle, yet the cold tore right through you. ❞ ❝ you gotta keep your eyes peeled wide open. someone’s taken an interest in your work. ❞ ❝ oof...for a minute, i actually thought we were doomed. ❞ ❝ you shouldn’t worry yourself --- it tarnishes your beauty. ❞ ❝ i’d even embrace you...were you not covered in blood. ❞ ❝ guess i could’ve been someone worse...just a shame i had no choice. ❞ ❝ facts interest me. not fairytales. ❞ ❝ hm, odd smell. blend of alcohol, blood and monster stench. ❞ ❝ i’m old and i am wealthy. i may say what i please. ❞ ❝ now, be so kind and leave me to my thoughts. ❞ ❝ in your shoes i’d pack it up and go hide somewhere far away. ❞ ❝ forgive me, but that's the blatherin' of someone who clearly can't snap out of it after a tragic loss. ❞ ❝ that all you gotta say? i saved your life. ❞ ❝ i swear on all that is holy: we shall be together forever. ❞ ❝ think of me as part of the decor. ❞ ❝ anyone who’s bold enough to fight is already a hero. ❞ ❝ if this is a trap of some sort... ❞ ❝ you can count on me, you know? always. ❞ ❝ you don’t know how much it means...to have someone you can rely on in this fucking city. ❞ ❝ i know you. you have no heart. ❞ ❝ no room for friendship in this business. ❞ ❝ evil is evil. lesser, greater, middling, makes no difference. the degree is arbitrary, the definitions blurred. ❞ ❝ hands off, or i'll cut them off. ❞ ❝ i’ll need to clear my head first. after those deranged dreams, i feel it’s full of cobwebs. ❞ ❝ on your way? or will you stay longer? it’s far safer with you around... ❞ ❝ really sad story, but something’s not right. got a feeling you’re not telling me everything. ❞ ❝ gotta admit, there’s something about you. you’re...different. ❞ ❝ with each arrow i shoot, i think of my dad. he’d be proud, i think. ❞ ❝ i merely know when to indulge my pride, and when to swallow it. ❞ ❝ you were born to greatness. ❞ ❝ these’re dark, grim times. no room for knights pure of heart or happily-ever-afters. ❞ ❝ a life without liquor’s like loving without licking. ❞ ❝ my certainty i walk the right path grows strong as iron, firm as steel. ❞ ❝ few make me feel awkward, but in your presence, i feel anxiety, discomfort. ❞ ❝ some men have got good reason to fear their own shadows. ❞ ❝ some men cannot admit defeat. some keep fighting from beyond the grave. ❞ ❝ stare into their eyes, feast on their terror. then go in for the kill. ❞ ❝ forget not that you are a person right and honorable, devoted to doing good. ❞ ❝ ash shall fertilize the soil. by spring, the valley shall bloom once more. ❞ ❝ there’s lots of wraiths here. i hear them whispering every night. ❞ ❝ no one has the courage to face this threat! yet we must kill them, or sooner or later we will all die. ❞ ❝ you are a step away from losing your head. speak the truth and you might yet keep it. ❞ ❝ you carry within you the weight of a terrible tragedy. you are a good person, but lost. which is why you come across as grim. ❞ ❝ if i understand you correctly, you would rather help a monster than kill it? ❞ ❝ discouraged after a mere eight attempts? ❞ ❝ easier to pat someone on the back and hope things will work out than it is to face the truth. ❞ ❝ know that they can’t teach an old dog new tricks? ❞ ❝ my, you’ve grown beautiful. ❞ ❝ my swords a promise --- if i reach for it, heads will roll. ❞ ❝ one condition: no one dies. that clear? ❞ ❝ patience happens to be my weakness. so dispense with the dramatic pauses and talk. ❞ ❝ you proved today you can take care of yourself. ❞ ❝ you under the delusion you’ll complete your tasks, live happily ever after? ❞ ❝ i will not sit and twiddle my thumbs. i'm sick of waiting, sick of hiding! ❞ ❝ glad you know who i am. haven’t introduced yourself, though. ❞ ❝ i’ve seen a great deal --- cruelty, cynicism, greed. ❞ ❝ you tempt fate, because at heart you are unhappy. ❞ ❝ we had our chance, but...let it go. ❞ ❝ come now, you didn’t expect it to be that easy, did you? ❞ ❝ promise me one thing --- you’ll stop risking your life for others. ❞ ❝ instead of dwelling on the future, i’d rather live in the moment. ❞ ❝ i adore love stories. especially the ones that end happily ever after. ❞ ❝ we are drops of rain that together make a ferocious storm. ❞ ❝ the path to freedom is paved in blood, not ink. ❞ ❝ we’ll get our happy ending. one day. ❞ ❝ i’ll never forget what you did for me...and what we had together. ❞ ❝ don’t meddle in other people’s lives. ❞ ❝ i don’t get attached to places. just people. ❞ ❝ it’s dangerous, there are risks involved. understand that, don’t you? ❞ ❝ and here i hoped someone would finally take pity on me. ❞ ❝ seen a lot of dead in my time, but that must’ve been hard. ❞ ❝ air is strange...like dropping into a deep cellar on a hot day... ❞ ❝ wouldn’t carry a sword if i didn’t know how to use it. ❞ ❝ take it you didn't summon me to reminisce about the good old days, so... ❞ ❝ i was attacked --- had to defend myself. ❞ ❝ guards have never stopped me, you know that. ❞ ❝ treating the ill and wounded...it’s my calling. ❞ ❝ you think it’s enchanted? ❞ ❝ there are times when a woman should simply not explain her decision. ❞ ❝ won’t find too many comforts, but try to feel at home. ❞ ❝ i was looking for you...sometimes i thought you were just a step away. other times, i felt like i was going around in circles. ❞ ❝ i’ll remember you. always with a smile. ❞ ❝ i’d rather you not make anymore trouble --- for yourself, or us both. ❞ ❝ got the stench of corpes on you. ❞ ❝ you stood to gain --- that is why you saved me. ❞ ❝ sages invariably have hidden agendas. altruism is simply not part of their constitution. ❞ ❝ the gods have abandoned us. the mighty of this earth care not for our fate. ❞ ❝ is that admiration i hear in your voice? ❞ ❝ i started off heading in the opposite direction, but then turned around. ❞ ❝ i’m fed up. i won’t have others deciding for me behind my back. ❞ ❝ where’d you get this idea? what’s gotten into you? ❞ ❝ i don't expect you to commit now. think it over, what you've heard, what you feel. ❞ ❝ head torn clear off...takes incredible strength. ❞ ❝ desperate fathers have been known to do a lot to find their daughters. ❞ ❝ you cannot kill me. you know this... ❞ ❝ "i give you my heart”? what kind of spell is that? ❞ ❝ i’d go anywhere with you. ❞ ❝ why? because i am a woman? in a frock, rather than plate? i can take care of myself, i assure you. ❞ ❝ everything we discussed here, hope you’ll keep it to yourself. counting on it, in fact. ❞ ❝ trusted you once. won’t make that mistake again. ❞ ❝ shut up. i’ve heard enough of your bullshit. draw your weapon, let’s get this over with. ❞ ❝ exaggerating for effect, right? ❞ ❝ well, well...when cornered, you can bite. ❞ ❝ you cannot win...even if you kill me. ❞ ❝ you know i’m good at accomplishing the impossible. ❞ ❝ it’s nothing, really. you’d have done the same for me. ❞ ❝ you are not ready. you do not control your powers. ❞ ❝ you’re a tool in their hands, even if you don’t see it. ❞ ❝ i’d do anything for you, i would. you know that well. ❞ ❝ this is a land where the fantastic is normal, and the impossible occurs daily... ❞ ❝ know when a legend becomes a prophecy? when it gain believers. ❞ ❝ i thought you’d become a stranger to me. that i’d look at you and not feel a thing. but it’s not like that at all. nothing’s changed. ❞ ❝ to be honest, i just wanted to go on a walk with you. ❞ ❝ what i really want is to be with you, to...to be together and... ❞ ❝ this is not the kind of offer one refuses. ❞ ❝ despair devours you like maggots devour a corpse. ❞ ❝ before long every soul will kneel before you. ❞ ❝ i run into dilemmas all the time. situations where it's hard to judge, hard to know what's right, make a decision. this is not one of them. you disgust me. and deserve to die. ❞ ❝ you know me. i’m rare to praise, but when i do, it’s sincere. ❞ ❝ i'm not a thug for hire. ❞ ❝ i like being on adventures, sleeping under the stars, waking up with dew on my face. ❞ ❝ the dream's within reach now. i’m not about to let it go. ❞ ❝ unlike you, killing gives me no pleasure. ❞ ❝ can't speak for the world you inhabit, but in mine, nothing is ever black and white. ❞ ❝ you cannot possibly imagine how much i detest this place. ❞ ❝ stones you’ve got. but i didn’t think you’d have the stomach for a massacre. ❞ ❝ the dead man --- looked like a monster attacked him recently. ❞ ❝ finish all your business before you die. bid loved ones farewell. write your will. apologize to those you’ve wronged. otherwise, you’ll never truly leave this world. ❞ ❝ i've had nothing but nightmares lately. pretty horrible. ❞ ❝ i was wandering through the forest, breathing deep the air, and then i heard a strange sound, unsettling. ❞ ❝ had a few nice dreams. for example, in one we sat around a fire, drinking good wine, and all around people danced and laughed. ❞ ❝ they’re all dead! mountains of corpses. yet here i stand alone. all alone. ❞ ❝ this isn’t a game. men have died. ❞ ❝ if you wanna listen, listen, if not --- i'd rather you spared me your wit and throw me out now. ❞ ❝ you fed me, cared for me, had my wounds looked after. we're even now. ❞ ❝ you’ll return, you shall. our fates are bound. ❞ ❝ i’ve nothing left. not a fucking thing. ❞ ❝ i don’t question your abilities. i simply don’t trust you. ❞ ❝ what foolish things men sometimes do. ❞ ❝ dare harm me, and against you will rise all the powers of nature. ❞ ❝ did you destroy the evil powers? have you brought peace to my domain? ❞ ❝ well, perhaps i shall tell you about it one day. one day, but not today.. ❞ ❝ times like these, you never know what tomorrow will bring. ❞ ❝ you worry too much. what will be, will be. ❞ ❝ have you gone completely mad? we must leave here at once! ❞ ❝ time eats away at memories, distorts them. sometimes we only remember the good... sometimes only the bad. ❞ ❝ you don’t need magic to strip men of their humanity. i’ve seen plenty of examples. ❞ ❝ if i’m to choose between one evil and another, i’d rather not choose at all. ❞ ❝ see what i’ve got on my back? wolves fear it. kings do, too. ❞ ❝ i missed those awkward compliments of yours. ❞ ❝ sometimes i think it’s all too lovely to be true…that something’s bound to happen, another war or some other horror. ❞ ❝ took you a while. did you run into trouble? ❞ ❝ i just travel a lot. and i don't always happen upon such good and civil company. ❞ ❝ what can you know about saving the world, silly? ❞ ❝ done my share of fighting. wouldn't carry a sword if i didn't know to use it. ❞ ❝ all right, perhaps i wasn’t completely honest. ❞ ❝ ever thought this day would come? me and you...peace and quiet...bees buzzing, birds chirping. ❞ ❝ i detect a shadow of impatience in your face. ❞ ❝ took me a long time to find you. wasn't an easy road to travel. ❞ ❝ wipe that frown off your face, or i might think you don’t like me anymore. ❞ ❝ always believed attack was the best defense. ❞ ❝ once it’s all over, if we survive ... i wish to leave, go far away. and i’d like you to come with me. ❞ ❝ naturally, you suspect me of the worst. i don’t deserve that. ❞ ❝ we can fight another time, in another place, where the walls have no ears. ❞ ❝ once i was free...i shall be free once more. ❞ ❝ believe me...a tavern, mulled wine, our boots drying by the fire --- i’d like nothing better. ❞ ❝ prove it. kiss me. ❞ ❝ the prophecies do not lie...you cannot survive this struggle. ❞ ❝ i know you better than you think. ❞ ❝ you know me. nothing i like more than breaking rules. ❞ ❝ what’s happened? it’s so quiet, all of a sudden. ❞ ❝ thank you, for coming with me. ❞ ❝ i cannot do everything for you. use your head. ❞ ❝ i'm angry and tired. had to kill a lot of people along the way. ❞ ❝ we’ve come a long way, and i’d be damned if we’ve come to fail. ❞ ❝ i sense your pain. i see your fear. ❞ ❝ how’s this for an answer: kiss my ass. ❞ ❝ how many have you already killed? how many more might you still? ❞ ❝ i'm quite alive and extraordinarily well. better than i've ever been in this rotten life of mine. ❞ ❝ i like it when you smile. come here. everything will be all right. ❞ ❝ ugh. don’t fall in love with me. ❞ ❝ i don’t like you. in fact, i feel like slapping you. ❞ ❝ i'm too old to play the blushing bride...unless you ask nicely. ❞ ❝ that bit of my life --- forgotten it already. ❞ ❝ the world doesn’t need a hero. it needs a professional. ❞ ❝ next time you wonder why i’m so bitter...well, there's your answer. ❞ ❝ nothing wrong with having a drink in good company. ❞ ❝ i want you behind those rocks. and keep your mouth shut. ❞ ❝ nice of you to worry...but i've made my decision, and i won't change it. ❞ ❝ this is my story, not yours. you must let me finish telling it. ❞ ❝ after all that toil, i believe we deserve a bit of a rest. ❞ ❝ i was afraid you were dead. ❞ ❝ we’ve all some stain on our conscience. ❞ ❝ leaving the castle walls means certain death. ❞ ❝ right good jest. had us a laugh. now fuck off. ❞ ❝ i’ve heard about you. you bring trouble, or thus far have, always. ❞ ❝ ah, you’ve struck a raw nerve. memories of a time long past to which i’d rather not return now. ❞ ❝ we meet again. and it seems you need my help. again. ❞ ❝ got a relative i can talk to? someone - how do i say this - a smidgen less irritating? ❞ ❝ miss the target, you owe me fifty push-ups. hit it, you owe me twenty. ❞ ❝ oh. serious talk coming. ❞ ❝ i feel like one more lie'd be the last bitter drop in a chalice full of sorrow. ❞ ❝ romantic? thought we came here as friends. ❞ ❝ you’re hiding something. and that’s one thing i can’t stand. ❞ ❝ tell me, how do you do it? always manage to pull yourself together, focus, no matter what’s happening? ❞ ❝ i go wherever i please, whenever i please. ❞ ❝ uh oh. i know that look. ❞ ❝ sounds tempting. so tempting i don’t think i can refuse. ❞ ❝ so, what do you say to a moonlight ride on horseback...and dinner? ❞ ❝ perhaps...perhaps you’d stay just a bit longer? ❞ ❝ how are you feeling? sleep well? ❞ ❝ such a gloomy subject to broach... simply shouldn’t have. ❞

❝ such a gloomy subject to broach...i simply shouldn’t have --- not during our romantic dinner. ❞ ❝ got it. a bit of blackmail --- just your style. ❞ ❝ it’s the crack of dawn. where do you wanna go? ❞ ❝ shut up before you wake someone. last thing we need is a crowd. ❞ ❝ watch what you say. the trees have ears. ❞ ❝ no bow at hand, no spear. my sword was all i had. ❞ ❝ never expected you’d take such an interest in my private life. ❞ ❝ i’m special. always was the rare beauty. ❞ ❝ damn. been ages since we last saw each other. ❞ ❝ some charming orchards nearby. in bloom, even, so you almost can't smell the corpses. ❞ ❝ you know me. nothing i like more than breaking rules. ❞ ❝ man spends his whole life learning. ❞ ❝ if only i was as skilled with my words as i am with my blade. ❞ ❝ i wished to know what was going on in that head of yours. i thought perhaps i could help. ❞ ❝ i can tell something’s bothering you. ❞ ❝ dangerous times. each thinks five times before sticking their neck out. and i can’t blame them. ❞ ❝ now i care not in the slightest how you think or feel. ❞ ❝ i no longer know if i still hate you. ❞ ❝ i see how you look at me, and i see you wither. ❞ ❝ one last bit of advice --- find a new tavern. everyone here knows you. ❞ ❝ you won. no point bothering with ‘what ifs’. ❞ ❝ it’s time i took fate into my own hands. lived life anew...and truly, this time. ❞ ❝ ahh, 'cause you thought you'd killed me that time. surprise, sur-fucking-prise. ❞ ❝ who...who’s that? gods, i’m hallucinating. ❞ ❝ it’s no exaggeration to say i’ve never met a warrior like you in my life. you’re lithe as an eel and strong as a bear. ❞ ❝ i’ve a heart again, yet all it feels is grief, sadness and defeat. my life is a ruin. ❞ ❝ sought only to protect myself. in doing so, i put you in harm’s way. forgive me. ❞ ❝ there’s a charming grove nearby where kisses taste sweeter than anywhere else in the world. ❞ ❝ you’ve handled tougher situations. you’ll figure this one out. ❞ ❝ who you are and why you’ve come matter little. for you’ll not leave this place alive. ❞ ❝ i’m not panicking. just trying to be realistic. ❞ ❝ hahahahaha...i can’t believe you fell for that! ❞ ❝ i was actually going to recite an anthem praising your glory, but if you’re not in the mood... ❞ ❝ lying didn’t always come so easily to you. ❞ ❝ everyone wants to rule. i can do that better than any monarch. ❞ ❝ tell me what you want already, and make it quick. ❞ ❝ what a mess we made of it all...if i’d only known then how it would end... ❞ ❝ seems a faded dream now, but there were a time where i was happy. ❞ ❝ why’d you leave me? you claimed you loved me. ❞ ❝ never liked boats. not one bit. ❞ ❝ you must be mad. i’ve no intention to make things easier for you. ❞ ❝ i don’t wish to look at your face any longer than i must. ❞ ❝ please, no. i can’t stand spells. ❞ ❝ we agreed not to keep any secrets from one another. we promised. ❞ ❝ that i like! a man who boldly dares, damn the risks! ❞ ❝ i thought you bowed before no man. ❞ ❝ smile a bit wider. ...you were meant to smile, not bare your teeth. ❞ ❝ is that blood? have you hurt yourself? ❞ ❝ no reason to trouble the guards. i’ll go willingly. ❞ ❝ look at me. promise you’ll stay out of it. ❞ ❝ the minute we’re in trouble, you make me responsible for getting us out. ❞ ❝ they say they don’t fear the wrath of the gods. and you, do you fear it? ❞ ❝ i’ll let that pass. i know grief eats at your heart. ❞ ❝ we all lie sometimes. but lying to yourself is running away, whereas there’s really nowhere to run. ❞ ❝ don’t need your sympathy, just your help. ❞ ❝ your loss -- it must hurt, bad. but there wasn't anything we could do. ❞ ❝ i wish to leave, go far away. and i’d like you to come with me. ❞ ❝ i trust you have an explanation for this. a very good one. ❞ ❝ lot of bitterness in you. ❞ ❝ i assure you, you’re excellent at covering your tracks --- though not terribly subtle. but i’m even better at uncovering them. ❞ ❝ glad to see you happy...but i don’t think what we did was right. ❞ ❝ i look at you, and...and feel like i am exactly where i am supposed to be. at long last. ❞ ❝ i’m no coward. i'll not run this time. ❞ ❝ yes, i know you’ve trained with swords. but you’re still shit with them. ❞ ❝ how many innocents have you cut down? ❞ ❝ problem is, you’re not ordinary. you were born to greatness. ❞ ❝ not too late to surrender. ❞ ❝ men turn honest when they feel a blade at their throat. ❞ ❝ i'm not gonna drink. why dull my senses when i’m in such pleasant company? ❞ ❝ it’s bound to come in handy, and each time it does, you’ll think of me. ❞ ❝ lie still or you will bleed to death. ❞ ❝ your life is yours, exclusively. you choose who you are. ❞ ❝ for a minute there, was almost sure you’d leave me to die. ❞ ❝ there is never a second opportunity to make a first impression. ❞ ❝ it’s all because of that secretiveness of yours. ❞ ❝ plead the gods spare us, for without their favor we shall most certainly perish. ❞ ❝ i must say -- seen a lot, but nothing like this, never. ❞ ❝ you don’t look like you can get home on your own. i’ll walk you. ❞ ❝ all’s in the past, never to be restored. ❞ ❝ you know full well i never hold a grudge. i forgive you. ❞ ❝ the good gods sent you to me. ❞ ❝ and the guilt, the responsibility of all this, lies with me. ❞ ❝ you’ve only been here five minutes, and you’ve already managed to offend me twice. ❞ ❝ you will certainly fetch me a higher bounty alive. ❞ ❝ what's wrong with my beard? always thought it added to my dignity. ❞ ❝ if i’m to die today, i wish to look smashing for the occasion. ❞ ❝ i was stupid. stupidity costs a lot. ❞ ❝ even your humblest requests seem like threats. ❞ ❝ your motives do not interest me. only results. ❞ ❝ and you laughed, oh, how sweetly, how brightly you laughed! ❞ ❝ you don’t know how it is. to see someone you love die. because of you, for you. ❞ ❝ to have a scapegoat --- that’s the key. ❞ ❝ no need to fear me. ❞ ❝ sorry, but -- your life story? just not interested. ❞ ❝ with you...it was love at first sight. ❞ ❝ gotta understand. you don’t betray people like me. ❞ ❝ i struggled long to find a place where i’d feel safe, needed. until i finally arrived here. ❞ ❝ just don’t faint on me. ❞ ❝ could never be there for you everyday. but i’m happy to see you always. and today, i’m all yours. ❞ ❝ what others think...your image...that’s all you care about. ❞ ❝ in these foul times one must be wary, even of their friends. ❞ ❝ come on, don’t get angry - it’s not good for you.. ❞ ❝ so, apart from the sword play, you know potions and all that? ❞ ❝ i actually envy your sense of wonder --- common in children, and morons. ❞ ❝ a lot of misfortune for a small village. ❞ ❝ who are you? do you seek to hurt me as well? ❞ ❝ the hand that feeds can also strike its wayward wards. ❞ ❝ shh. eat now. we’ll speak once you’ve rested. ❞ ❝ brother has turned against brother, the land is soaked in blood. evil reigns stronger than ever before. ❞ ❝ good looking and clever. where’ve you been hiding? ❞ ❝ doesn’t bother you, having monsters for neighbours? ❞ ❝ stay here --- no matter what happens. ❞ ❝ i never told you this, but i’ve always felt it: i love you. ❞ ❝ listen to me this once -- don't take matters into your own hands. ❞ ❝ love these moments. the air before a battle -- nothing smells as sweet. ❞ ❝ they tried to get in through the main gate. i’m afraid they could succeed next time. ❞ ❝ too many claim you’re evil. ❞ ❝ why are you so eager to help strangers? sit your ass down or there’ll be misfortune. ❞ ❝ you'd never have managed without me, would you? come, now, admit it. ❞ ❝ for those who remain, death should never take precedence over life. ❞ ❝ thanks for coming. thanks for risking your life for me. ❞ ❝ don’t force me to speak of it. no more, please. ❞ ❝ when doubt plagues your mind, follow your instincts. should they steer you wrong and land you in muck, you'll land at peace with yourself. and that's most important. ❞ ❝ just know that i know you're here. one misstep, one error...you'll make a mistake, it's inevitable...i'll be the first to learn it. ❞ ❝ i do not know you. i’ve done you no harm. ❞ ❝ try not to panic...just doesn’t suit you. ❞ ❝ we’ve come a long way, and i’ll be damned if we’ve come to fail. ❞ ❝ had i known what would happen here, i'd never have come. ❞ ❝ i can say i’ve seen it all now. ❞ ❝ these scars have long yearned for your tender caress. ❞ ❝ i don’t fall victim to curses. i cast them. ❞ ❝ come outside. we can hold hands and stare at the sky. ❞ ❝ we’ll work well together --- i can see that already. ❞ ❝ from the first moment i set eyes upon you that fateful evening, my heart has only beaten for you. ❞ ❝ i trust you as much as you trust me --- not at all. ❞ ❝ you’ve gone all red in the face just for talking about it. ❞ ❝ wake up. it’s just a dream. wake up! ❞ ❝ i still don’t believe everything that happened. ❞ ❝ i never miss twice. ❞ ❝ bit too old to believe in bedtime stories, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ you humans have...unusual tastes. ❞ ❝ didn’t think it worthwhile to tell me, warn me of your plans? ❞ ❝ i think you will not attack one unarmed. ❞ ❝ the deeper i get into this, the more i gotta wonder...why’re you even helping me? ❞ ❝ to live in peace, we first must kill. ❞ ❝ at times fate muddles our path, and life turns toilsome, hard to bear. ❞ ❝ i fight for whoever’s paying the best. or whoever’s easier to rob. ❞ ❝ do not let my beauty distract your aim. ❞ ❝ i’ve seen what is to come, i know destruction approaches. ❞ ❝ the war awoke an ancient power. an evil one that feeds on bloodshed. ❞ ❝ guess you’re no stranger to fury, either. ❞ ❝ think i’m gonna fall for that? no chance, you’re wrong. ❞ ❝ gotta admit --- you do pretty well with a sword. ❞ ❝ you dare tell me to calm down?! you?! ❞ ❝ let's say i go about my business, and when there's coin to be earned, i don't readily turn it down. ❞ ❝ i wish to know the truth...be it sweet, be it painful, i wish to know. ❞ ❝ men, the polite ones at least, would call me a monster. ❞ ❝ even i grow ill at the sight of you. ❞ ❝ i’m going on a walk. or is that not allowed either? because i could break my leg? ❞ ❝ plan’s crazier than it is sane...but there’s an irrestistible charm to it. ❞ ❝ unbelievable! you said something romantic! you! ❞ ❝ we may not survive this. in fact, our chances are slim. ❞ ❝ if anything should happen to you... ❞ ❝ there’s not been a dark cloud yet that didn’t have a silver lining. ❞ ❝ those are some fresh lookin’ scars you’ve got there. ❞ ❝ no. no more about the battle. just hold me. and say something nice. ❞ ❝ stay. this is the only home we’ve ever had. ❞ ❝ you’re so charming when you try to be funny. ❞ ❝ not proud of it...yet i considered all the options and found none better. ❞ ❝ i look far different from when you last saw me. ❞ ❝ i admire your optimism. wish i shared it. ❞ ❝ and...try not to draw any attention to yourself. ❞ ❝ nightmares haunt our nights and days. folk sleepwalk from their homes, never to return. ❞ ❝ forgive me. it couldn’t be avoided. i truly am sorry. ❞ ❝ well i’ve departed, escaped, been forced to flee so many times…yet i always returned. you ought to be used to it by now. ❞ ❝ the human mind is as wild and unexplored a place as any land far beyond the sea. ❞ ❝ you think you’ve won. you are wrong. i can’t die. ❞ ❝ you’re something more. something more. ❞ ❝ barely nicked me, i’ll be fine. ❞ ❝ it’s just that i felt...stifled, in your shadow. i’d have suffocated had i stayed. ❞ ❝ come, don’t just stand there. i want a hug. ❞ ❝ it’s lovely here! i could stay forever. ❞ ❝ do what you will, but leave me out of this. ❞ ❝ we should end this discussion -- before i say something i'll regret. ❞ ❝ you all right? you’re as pale as death. ❞ ❝ let’s get back to the hut. i’ll protect you along the way. ❞ ❝ not to keen on talking about it, are you? ❞ ❝ it’s better to die than to live in the knowledge that you’ve done something that needs forgiveness. ❞ ❝ i was afraid you were dead. ❞ ❝ at times one must use reason, rather than blades. ❞ ❝ need some peace. gotta prepare. ❞ ❝ i suspected it might not be the best idea, but i was desperate, had no choice. ❞ ❝ so tell me how it happened. step by step. ❞ ❝ it was a bit of a lark, a jest. i meant to bring it all back, i swear. ❞ ❝ if i wanted to kill you, you'd be long dead by now. ❞ ❝ that is precisely one of the reasons why i abhor your world. your senseless brutality. ❞ ❝ i won’t let them take you, you know that? ❞ ❝ magic...childish hocus-pocus. it’s just not interesting. what i find fascinating are true tales of true human lives. ❞ ❝ save your praise for others. i couldn’t give a shit. ❞ ❝ well, well, i am impressed. doubted you still had it in you, frankly. ❞ ❝ i like you. don’t make me hurt you. ❞ ❝ you know very little can hurt you being immortal, so you take wild risks, chase extreme sensations. there comes a point you’ve done it all, and all seems boring and monotonous. ❞ ❝ with you i finally feel...harmony. a calm. feel like things are the way they're supposed to be. ❞ ❝ i'm afraid the dishwater’s as good as it gets in this establishment. ❞ ❝ sorry to take so long, but i had to deal with the guards. ❞ ❝ i’d never miss a chance to spend a pleasant evening with you. ❞ ❝ you know too much. yet one more reason why you must die. ❞ ❝ or perhaps you seek to trick me. ❞ ❝ if you acknowledge any gods...start praying, now. ❞ ❝ it’s very simple. you either deceived me...or not. ❞ ❝ i am known neither for my sense of humor nor for my patience. ❞ ❝ naturally, it would be easier with your help, but...you irritate me. ❞ ❝ love questions like that. am i holding up? what, my dick? ❞ ❝ we never hunt in these woods. not even if it means the whole village starves. ❞ ❝ we’re only ever the ones to know the truth about ourselves. ❞ ❝ you’re insolent because you believe i cannot afford to hurt you. and you’re right. ❞ ❝ i detest graveyards, especially wandering them alone. ❞ ❝ you know too much. you impede me too often. and i find your arrogance an annoyance. ❞ ❝ i know it’s wartime, but try not to be a hero, all right? ❞ ❝ i don’t know that i’ll make for engaging company. in truth, i rarely talk to men. ❞ ❝ you know...had a dream about you recently. ❞ ❝ i thought i could at least count on you to treat me seriously. ❞ ❝ don’t ask questions you know the answers to. it makes you look stupid. ❞ ❝ you’re nosy. starting to piss me off, you know? ❞ ❝ what did i do to deserve this? have i given you cause to doubt my intentions? ❞ ❝ don’t fret about me. i always get by somehow, right? ❞ ❝ i wanted to go with you --- that was my idea. ❞ ❝ i shan’t stray a step from your side. ❞ ❝ if that’s what it takes to save the world, it’s better to let that world die. ❞ ❝ what’s that supposed to mean? that a threat? ❞ ❝ i’m offering a great and true adventure, an experience like no other, the fate of only the chosen few. ❞ ❝ that’s like choosing between pestilence and the plague. ❞ ❝ what’s it matter? i only ever thought of you. ❞ ❝ did you know you’ve gained twenty-seven new scars since we’ve last saw each other? ❞ ❝ i need to know the details if you want me to get my hands dirty. ❞ ❝ don’t know you. go away. ❞ ❝ ever vigilant, even in your sleep. quite vampire-like, in fact. ❞ ❝ gotten used to people treating me like a freak, an outcast. ❞ ❝ we share a cause, then. just like the old days. ❞ ❝ ever considered becoming a burglar? skill like that’d come in awful handy. ❞ ❝ there’s never been a frown that couldn’t be turned upside down. ❞ ❝ honesty's an attribute of the truly brave --- and thus the privilege of the very few. ❞ ❝ you do not have a monopoly in altruism, my friend. ❞ ❝ great love demands great sacrifices. ❞ ❝ i believe it wise at times to share one’s secrets, unburden oneself to those one can trust. ❞ ❝ it would be nice from time to time if you could sit back and enjoy life, instead of going around solving everyone’s problems. ❞ ❝ we shall dance until the break of dawn! ❞ ❝ a man could lose his head for a lass like you. ❞ ❝ don’t have to come if you don’t want. wait here. ❞ ❝ never seen this side of you. ❞ ❝ i’m to kiss the ground you walk on, is that it? but you just did your duty. ❞ ❝ the day you give me a smile...that moment, that’s what i’m waiting for. ❞ ❝ i need a soul intelligent and clever, an individual who fears no dare. someone like you. ❞ ❝ if i was you i’d catch some shut-eye, not go on flapping my tongue. ❞ ❝ the plan is simple...which does not mean it will be easy to execute. ❞ ❝ sometimes you really get on my nerves, you know. ❞ ❝ you shall not turn on me, use what i say against me? you shall not tell anyone? ❞ ❝ gave you a chance. should’ve taken it. ❞ ❝ always better to do a bit more and even gain nothing by it, than to do too little and face regret. ❞ ❝ it’s lovely out here. the birds singing, the bees buzzing...blissful, really. ❞ ❝ what a lovely dress. the color suits you exquisitely. ❞ ❝ pretty fantastic tale. hard as hell to believe. ❞ ❝ it’s time you discovered my romantic side. ❞ ❝ you gotta understand the whole world doesn’t revolve around you. ❞ ❝ can you not see i am out of my mind with worry? ❞ ❝ every rose has its thorn, and there are no happy endings. ❞ ❝ pretty quick to reject help. why is that? ❞ ❝ don’t need to like each other. just gotta do our jobs. ❞ ❝ frankly, if i can do something for you, i'll do it, willingly. ❞ ❝ you were hired you kill me, were you not? ❞ ❝ what’s it like, going toe to toe with a monster? knowing you’ve only two options --- to kill or be killed? ❞ ❝ this place --- there’s evil here. death hangs in the air. ❞ ❝ intellect counts as much as strength. ❞ ❝ i run back inside, hasp the doors, and then i hear it --- someone whispering my name. ❞ ❝ you know i like you. unlike the rest of this lot, you’ve got a good head on your shoulders. ❞ ❝ if you love somebody, set them free. ❞ ❝ if you hate me so deeply, why don’t you tell me to my face? ❞ ❝ i’m afraid you’d not realize which way the wind was blowing if you pissed straight into it. ❞ ❝ that was courageous. i'd never expect it from you. ❞ ❝ i am not easily impressed, but i must admit you have succeeded, my dear. ❞ ❝ kill me if you must. i’ve nothing to live for anyway. ❞ ❝ aren’t you an extraordinary beauty. ❞ ❝ never suspected you believed such things. ❞ ❝ wait...you want to go with me? out of the question. ❞ ❝ used to it. not the first time i’ve been hunted. ❞ ❝ enough of this hesitation, this fretting, these feelings of guilt! ❞ ❝ strange working with you. strange, but great. ❞ ❝ give me a moment. i must don something more appropiate and concealing. ❞ ❝ killing comes as naturally to me as blowing my nose. ❞ ❝ ...... another tale of a life compromised and ultimately claimed by greed and ambition. ❞ ❝ in the future, though, remember this --- i can look after myself ❞ ❝ you'd really worry about me if i went on alone? ❞ ❝ you have many merits. you merely hide them from the world very diligently. ❞ ❝ is it true virtue always trumps villainy? ❞ ❝ watch my movements. i’m spry as a cat and sly as a fox. ❞ ❝ ah, if only this could last forever. ❞ ❝ few i can rely on like i can on you. kinda hoping you think the same of me. ❞ ❝ you are angry at the whole world. you feel inferior, feel pain, though you mask this with confidence, arrogance, even. ❞ ❝ there exist worries for which there quite simply is no other medicine. ❞ ❝ your bones look thin, your breathing’s wheezy. afraid one punch might kill you. ❞ ❝ to love is to build a house of cards, or play a game of chess, but one word or ill-thought move and you must start it all afresh. ❞ ❝ i’m doing what i ever wanted to do, being who i wanted to be. i believe that’s one definition of happiness. ❞ ❝ you’ve not an ounce of refinement in you, have you? ❞ ❝ pain rules the body, but fear is born in the heart. ❞ ❝ either i get burned, or i’ll burn all else down. no other options. ❞ ❝ should you decide your sword is the sole solution, i shall not stand in your way. ❞ ❝ c’mon, come closer. ❞ ❝ would you prefer i treated you like the lying manipulater you are? ❞ ❝ i regret nothing. one lives but once. ❞ ❝ i just hope this tale has a happy ending. for me, for you. for everyone. ❞ ❝ just gonna go our seperate ways? no parting words? ❞ ❝ you still stand to be quite useful to me. ❞ ❝ i suppose you wanted to frighten me...alas, you didn’t in the least. after all, i’m a monster too, am i not? ❞ ❝ i trust no one. learned that long ago. ❞ ❝ it cannot be! you actually have a sense of humor. ❞ ❝ didn’t ask for a lecture on probability. need a simple answer --- yes or no. ❞ ❝ another word, and i shall spill even more blood. yours. ❞ ❝ you feel resentment, i understand, but we shall work through all the unfortunate matters of the past. ❞ ❝ stop playing dumb. i know everything...your plan. ❞ ❝ honestly can’t see what all those dames see in you --- you’re a stick in the mud. ❞ ❝ not showy, lovely location...perfect for romantic getaways. ❞ ❝ i hope you’re not upset i came like this, without warning... ❞ ❝ i’m still a long way from mastering anything. but i am trying. ❞ ❝ now i know how you do it. just annoy your opponents to death. ❞ ❝ word on the street is there’s a hefty bounty on your head. ❞ ❝ for a few days now i’ve been having dizzy spells. ❞ ❝ i’ve always had a way with ostensibly dangerous types. ❞ ❝ wound doesn’t look good. patch that up quick if i were you, before it starts festering. ❞ ❝ always seemed to me you were a very complicated creature, by nature. not one to resort to such simple methods like drinking your worries away. ❞ ❝ may i be honest? yes, i’m nervous. i really would prefer to just run off. ❞ ❝ father always said a wise man learns from others’ mistakes, so here i am, learning from his. ❞ ❝ ever since that horrid night...everything has changed. ❞ ❝ what’s wrong? afraid? gut feeling queasy? ❞ ❝ used to bother me, all your secrets...now i know if you have something to tell me, you’ll tell me. ❞ ❝ i so don’t feel like going anywhere. sit here a while longer? ❞ ❝ there’s something i’d like to know...how can you be so damned calm? ❞ ❝ my knees quake like a carnival rattle. ❞ ❝ honestly didn’t think this’d work. doubted anything would happen. ❞

#roleplay starters #roleplay meme #long post for ts /

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thetravelerwrites · 5 years ago

Text

Geyarajan (Gandharva)

Rating: Teen Relationship: Female Human/Male Gandharva Additional Tags: Exophilia, Gandharva, Childhood Sweethearts, Puppy Love Content Warnings: Blood, Broken Limb, Separation, Memory lapse Words: 4600

A commission for @floral-and-fine, who did the lovely artwork above of Geyarajan! An angsty story about childhood love that gets torn apart by family, race, and circumstance! Please reblog and leave feedback!

The Traveler's Masterlist

In Hinduism, the Gandharvas are male nature spirits and husbands of the Apsaras, the spirits of clouds and air. Some are part animal, usually a bird or horse. They have superb musical skills; they guard the Soma and make beautiful music for the gods in their palaces. Gandharvas are frequently depicted as singers in the court of the gods.

Gandharvas in the historic sense acted as messengers between the gods and humans; today they are depicted as imitators, cheaters, liars and those who have tricked themselves 'into being god'. In Hindu law, a gandharva marriage is one contracted by mutual consent and without formal rituals.

You couldn’t remember exactly how old you were, perhaps six or seven, when you first met Geyarajan. You’d heard singing in the forest as you played in the garden behind your house, and though you knew you shouldn’t go into the woods alone, you couldn’t ignore the draw of the sound. After maybe ten minutes, you stumbled upon a clearing wherein a boy was singing, though he was unlike any other child you’d ever met.

Your village was human only; beasts and monsters were not allowed to settle there. In fact, non-human merchants were discouraged from selling their wares in the area and non-human travelers weren’t welcome in the taverns or inns. In your short life, you’d only seen a person who wasn’t human maybe twice, and only in passing. You didn’t quite understand why, but you were a small child and didn’t think to question it.

Not until you met Geyarajan. When you first saw him, you were mesmerized by his music. You sat and listened as still as a statue, afraid of spooking him, except when he stopped singing, he looked right at you and smiled as if he’d been waiting for you to come. He hopped off the rock where he had been sitting, and you got a better look at him.

He wore no clothing, but from the waist down, he was all feathers. His legs were long and spindly, ending in three-toed claws like that of a purple heron. The feathers extended up his back to his large wings, heather-grey in color, which were folded at rest behind him.

His hair was long and falling around his shoulders in ringlets, the same heather-gray as his feathers. He had a four streaks of black, two on each side, running down his neck, one stripe down his arms to his wrists, the other down the inside of his shoulders and disappearing into the feathers near his hips. His skin was dark brown and his eyes were sharp in shape, amber-gold in color, and hawk-like.

Though he was much taller than you because of his long legs, in his face, he looked to be about your age, perhaps slightly older. He was slender and graceful in his movements, taking careful steps toward you as if not to scare you, though you didn’t think you could possibly be afraid of him.

“Aren’t you from the village?” He asked, his speaking voice as musical as his song suggested. “Won’t you be in trouble for coming into the woods? My parents say that humans are scared of the woods.”

“I’m not scared,” You said, puffing up. “Papa says I’m a big girl. I can go to the corner store all by myself now. I only came ‘cause I heard you singing.”

“Oh,” He said, frowning. “I must be too close, then. I should go.”

“Wait!” You reached out, grabbing his hand. “Stay and play with me, won’t you? What’s your name?”

“Geyarajan,” He replied, not attempting to break away from your grasp. “You’re the girl who lives in the house near the river, right? What’s your name?”

You told him. “How do you know me?”

“I’ve seen you sometimes,” He said, leading you to the rock where he was sitting before. There was a bushel of flowers laying there. He began to weave them into a ring. “When I fly above the town. I know you from the ribbons.” He tugged at the blue ribbon you wore in your hair, which matched your pristine dress. Your mother insisted on dressing you like a doll, always making you wear frilly dresses and putting ribbons in your hair.

“You can fly?” You whispered in awe.

“Well, sure,” He laughed, fluffing his wings a little. “These aren’t fake, you know. I have to fly pretty high, so the only thing I can see of you clearly is the ribbons.”

“Why do you fly so high?” You asked him.

“Mother says it’s too dangerous to fly too low over the town,” Geyarajan said. “She says the people don’t like us, that they’d be mean to us if they knew we lived in the forest next to them.”

“Oh. That’s a shame. If it’s dangerous, why don’t you move?”

“Our kind lived in these woods before those humans ever settled here,” He said, pointing toward the village. “Why should we have to leave?”

“That makes sense, I guess,” You admitted. “I don’t see people like you in town. It’s only humans. I don’t know why.”

“Mother and Father say it’s because humans hate us,” He said morosely, looking at his hands as he continued to weave the garland. “Do you hate us?”

“No!” You said. “You’re so pretty! Can I… Can I touch your wings? I’ve never met a person with wings before.”

He regarded you warily, but said, “Okay, but only for a minute. Mother says our wings are a sign of divinity, that they make us holy.”

“Divine? Like an angel?”

“What’s an angel?”

You tried to explain what an angel was to him, but he just looked confused.

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about. Do you want to touch my wings or not?” He asked impatiently.

“Yes, yes!” You exclaimed. You reached out tentatively and ran your fingertips gently down his proffered wing. He watched you carefully, his hands stilling in their work.

“Wow,” You breathed. “It’s so hard to believe they’re real.”

“Well, they are,” He sniffed, eyeing you. “It’s weird.”

“What is?”

“Well, I’ve never met a human, but my parents said they’re all cruel and heartless. They call your kind monsters, but you seem nice.”

“I am nice,” You replied. “I’m friends with everyone in town. I want to be your friend, too. Can I call you Rajan?”

“Why?”

“It’s a nickname!” You said. “It means we’re friends.”

“Oh,” He replied. “Yeah, I guess so. Can I give you a nickname?”

“Sure!”

“Alright, how about…” He looked around for inspiration and his eyes fell on the flowers in his lap. There were wild daisies, coneflowers, purple poppies, blanket flowers, black-eyed susans, and blush-pink primroses. “What about Primrose?”

“I love it!” You said excitedly. “Primrose and Rajan.”

Rajan giggled.

“What’s funny?”

“Well, my whole name, Geyarajan, means ‘king of songs,’” He replied, finishing the crown of flowers and placing it on his head. “But Rajan just means ‘king.’”

You giggled too. “I like that! You can be the king of the primroses! It’ll be a kingdom just for us!”

“Sounds fun!” He said. “Let’s play Kings and Flowers, then!”

“That’s not a real game!”

“Is too! I just made it up!”

The two of you played until it started to get dark, then Rajan escorted you home. He stopped about thirty feet away from the treeline, where you could hear your mother calling.

“I can’t go closer,” He said, still wearing the flower crown. He took it off and placed it on your head. “You should run home now. I’ll watch you to make sure you stay safe.”

“Alright,” You said brightly, standing on your tip-toe to give him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you again soon!”

He blushed and touched his cheek, frozen. You laughed joyfully and ran back to the garden behind your house.

“There you are!” Your mother shouted as you came out from around the house. “Where have you been? Look at the state of your dress!” She fussed. “It’s ruined! Do you know how long it took me to sew that?”

“Just make me a normal dress, Mama,” You said. “A plain one I can play in.”

“Nonsense,” Your mother said, taking your hand. “I’ll not have my daughter wallowing in the muck like some street urchin. To the bath with you!”

As she dragged you along into the house, your lovely flower crown slipped from your head and floated away on the breeze.

“Oh, Mama, my crown!”

“Leave it,” She said.

“Oh, but it was--” You stopped short before saying a present. You didn’t want your mother asking from whom. You watched as it floated into the road and was trampled by a passerby. Sighing with disappointment, you followed your mother inside.

Geyarajan became your best friend from that day on. You had to be careful, though; you couldn’t go too deep into the forest for fear of dangerous creatures and he couldn’t get too close to the village, or he’d be seen and possibly captured by the townspeople. As such, you could only see each other once a week or so, and on the days you agreed to meet, often you’d sneak out to play for a few hours after bed.

Having a secret friend was thrilling. It made you feel special and important. He’d told you that he hadn’t told his parents about you, either, because he didn’t want them to be mad at him for getting so close to humans. It was as if the pretend kingdom the two of you built together was real, and you were the only two in it.

It didn’t take long at all for you to develop a crush on Geyarajan, and it seemed to be mutual. He always held your hand whenever the two of you walked together and you often gave him quick pecks on the lips to see the surprise and delight on his face. It was the pure, innocent love of childhood, and though your time together was limited, you were both happy.

Of course, secrets are never meant to last.

Time passed. One evening when you were eleven, after you’d snuck out to see him, the two of you were stargazing in a clearing, making up constellations, your fingers intertwined loosely.

“See there,” He said. “That’s the raven. It’s good luck.”

“Who says?” You asked, laughing.

“I say!” Rajan said. “I’m a king, aren’t I?”

“Oh, right,” You replied. “Papa calls that the eagle. And that’s the dog star.”

“Why do they call it the dog star?”

“I don’t know,” You said. “Tell me another one.”

He squinted. “I can’t see it all that well from here. I usually look at the stars from up in the trees. It’s harder to see them all clearly on the ground like this.”

“How high up do you go?”

“The top, obviously,” He said, sitting up and pointing straight up to a nearby oak tree. “The tallest, strongest branch. That’s the best place.”

“I’d be scared to go that high,” You said, shivering a little.

“I could help you,” He said. “I’d fly you up there.”

“Aren’t I too heavy?” You asked him skeptically. “I was the last time you tried to lift me.”

“That was a year ago! I’m much stronger now.” He hopped to his taloned feet and flexed his skinny arms. “Come on, I’ll show you.”

“Are you sure?” You asked as you took his hand.

“Come on, you trust me, right?”

You straightened up and smiled at him. “Yeah, of course I do.”

He grinned back. “I won’t be able to take off from the ground,” He said. “We’ll have to climb up a little ways so I can do a drop. I’m really good at those.”

You frowned at the thought, but since he knew way more about flying than you did, you didn’t argue. Swallowing down your nervousness, you followed him up the tree.

You hadn’t known how to climb a tree when you first met him; your mother had forbade such things. Geyarajan had decided immediately that it was inappropriate for anyone to be unable to climb a tree and taught you how to do it the second time you met. You got pretty scraped up the first few times, which you had a hard time explaining away. Now, you were an expert. You were even able to keep leaves and dirt off of your nightgown.

Of course, Geyarajan was much faster than you, since he’d been climbing trees before he could even walk. We was already on the branch he planned to launch from, waiting patiently for you to catch up. He wasn’t above heckling you, though.

“Are all humans as slow as you?” He teased. “I could be halfway to the coast by the time you get up here.”

You stopped for a moment to blow a raspberry at him. In the few seconds that you were distracted, you misstepped, your foot sliding out of your evening slipper and catching you off balance.

Geyarajan leapt, reaching out to catch you, but he was too late. You fell straight down, landing on your right leg. It snapped in half upon impact. The pain shot up your body and struck your brain, and you screamed like you never had before. Geyarajan landed next to you, panicking, trying to figure out what to do. You were crying too hard to speak.

“Hold on, Primrose, hold on,” He lifted you as carefully as he could and began to run through the woods. The pain and smell of blood made you violently sick. “I’m taking you home, just hold on.”

“No!” You managed to gasp. “You can’t go there!”

“I won’t be able to stay, but I can get you there, I promise,” He said.

“No!” You said, beginning to struggle, squealing as the movement made the pain worse. “They’ll kill you! You can’t go to the village!”

Geyarajan stopped in his tracks, breathing hard and looking toward the village and back into the forest.

“I’ll get into a lot of trouble, but there’s only one other place I can take you,” He said, sweating and shaking with fear. “Hold on to me. We’ll be there soon.”

What happened next was a blur of pain, color, noise, voices, and a terrible sick feeling throughout your body, the only familiar thing through all of it was the sound of Geyarajan’s voice and his hand holding yours. At some point, you blacked out completely.

You woke up to the sound of screaming. You were lying in the back garden of your own home, a large, grey feather in your hand, and your mother rushing over to you, checking you frantically.

“Oh, god, are you okay?!” She asked. “Where have you been? What happened to you?” She saw your leg and shrieked. “Who did this to you?!”

Her shouting had attracted the attention of several men, all of whom looked tired and held burned out torches. One of them dropped their spent torch and lifted you up, carrying you into the house. There was noise and shouting and confusion all around you, made worse by your mother’s constant shrill crying in the background. You let them do as they will in silence, clutching Geyarajan’s feather.

Your leg hurt, but nowhere as badly as it had before. You looked down and saw to your surprise that the leg had been wrapped set, wrapped in cloth to stem the bleeding, and was in a makeshift splint made of straight wooden rods and vines.

The physician was called and examined your leg. During this time, you learned you’d been missing for four days. The men with torches were part of the search party, tirelessly searching the woods for any trace of you. When they found blood on the grass and a fragment of your clothes, along with several large feathers, they thought some massive monster had gobbled you up.

The physician determined that your leg had been expertly set, however, meaning it was no monster that had taken you. Since you couldn’t remember most of your time missing, you kept silent, which made everyone grim-faced. They assumed the worst and decided someone had taken you and kept you in the woods somewhere, and you were so traumatized by the incident that you’d blocked the entire event out. You couldn’t exactly argue with them, but you knew Rajan would never hurt you. Not that you could tell them that.

The search began anew, only this time it wasn’t retrieval. It was revenge. You wished you could tell them that it wasn’t necessary, you wanted to stop them, but you couldn’t do anything without telling them about Rajan and his people, and you had promised never to do so. So you could only watch anxiously as the townsfolk worked themselves into a froth, looking for a predator that didn’t exist.

Bedridden and helpless to stop the villagers from their crusade, you spent many nights crying and wishing you could see Rajan. It was too dangerous now; you thought you wouldn’t see him for a long time. You were surprised when, a week later, Rajan came straight to your window late one night. He opened it and hopped down.

“Rajan!” You breathed, elated, and reached out your arms to embrace him from the bed. He stayed out of your reach. You couldn’t see his face well in this light, but his body radiated distrust.

“How could you?” He said whispered, pain seeping into his voice. “I thought you were my friend. How could you do this to me?”

You dropped your arms. “Wha… How could I what?”

“You know what!” He retorted angrily, his voice rising in anger. “You told them! You told the humans about us! You told them where to find us!”

“I didn’t!” You replied, stricken. “I would never, you know that! I never told them anything!”

“Liar!” He snapped. “Men came! They set fire to our colony! We have no home now because of you!”

You ignored the pain in your leg and swung around to sit up properly. “I didn’t tell them anything! I don’t even know where your colony is! I’ve never been there!”

“You’re lying! You were there! My parents cared for you, they fixed your leg! This is how you repay their kindness?”

“What?” You replied, confused. “I… no, I… I don’t… I don’t remember. I don’t remember anything. The last memory I have before waking up in the garden was you carrying me. We argued because I didn’t want you to come to the village. I was worried you’d get hurt--”

“Stop,” He said, raising a hand. “Enough of this. My parents were right. You can never trust a human.”

“Don’t say that! How could you have so little faith in me? We’ve been friends since we were little! I’d never do anything to put you or your family in danger, you know that! Why would I do that?”

The light from the moon caught his face, and the pain in his eyes stopped your heart.

“You tell me.”

He climbed up onto the windowsill, walked out on the roof, unfurled his wings, and took off. You fell to the ground with a loud thump. Your father came in to find you sobbing in anguish. He lifted you and put you back to bed, petting your hair and telling you it would be alright. But it wouldn’t.

You decided that once you were healed, you’d go and find Rajan and keep protesting your innocence until he believed you. You didn’t count on your parents’ plans.

Another week passed, and your mother came into your room.

“How are you feeling, love?” She asked.

You shrugged your shoulders. You’d been sullen and depressed since Rajan’s visit. Everyone assumed it was because of your disappearance and you made no attempt to correct them. The guilt of his family’s home being destroyed weighed heavily on your mind. If only you hadn’t tried to climb that tree.

“I’m sorry, darling,” She said. “I can’t believe monsters were living right next door to us in the woods. It’s become too dangerous in this place. Look at what they did to you!”

“They helped me!” You shouted. “They’re not monsters!”

Your mother rounded on you, her face pinching in suspicion. “How would you know that? What do you know about them?”

You scowled at her and remained silent.

“I knew you were lying when you said you couldn’t remember anything.” She stood up and looked down her nose at you. “That does it. We’re moving to Dunmountain.”

“What?!” You cried. “No! I don’t want to move!”

“The decision has already been made,” She told you, pulling out your luggage and starting to pack. “Your father and I can’t abide those disgusting creatures living so close.”

“But there are people like them in the city!” You argued.

“There are rules for them there,” Your mother said. “Most of them are ring fighters or laborers. They don’t practically nest in the backyards of decent people.”

“Who said you were decent?” You screamed. “You can’t make me go!”

“Who’s going to stop me?” She shouted back. “Your father has agreed. We’re going!” She threw your bag on the floor next to your bed. “Pack your things yourself!” With that, she turned and walked out, slamming the door behind her and leaving you to weep bitterly into your blanket.

You had no choice. Within the month, you were all packed and in a wagon headed to the city. You had become withdrawn and quiet, unlike the girl you had been before. Your father worried over you, but your mother told you to suck it up and get over it. New city, new life, new start.

She was more right than she knew. In the city, you were a new person. The cheerful child that was friends with everyone she met was gone. You were shy, introverted, and taciturn, only speaking when spoken to. You found it difficult to make friends and were quick to tears.

Your mother, in an effort to desensitize you to “monsters,” took you to the gladiator’s ring and made you watch them fight each other. You hated it; the sight of them viciously attacking each other for no other purpose than to entertain humans made you physically ill.

As you got older, the people of your neighborhood began to call you the monster girl because of your tendency to go to the ring and talk to the fighters. Just talk. Some of them were willing participants, but there were others who were forced to fight. People with debt, criminals, the homeless, the mentally ill; anyone society deemed abnormal. Their jailers seemed to forget that they were still people.

You’d often sit outside of their cells and talk to them, comfort them, even write down messages to give to their loved ones. Your mother despaired of you, and the humans thought you were weird, but the creatures of the fighting ring called you an angel.

One day, when you were nineteen, there was a new arrival at the jail, a young woman with wings and bird feet. When you were told, you immediately went to see her first.

“Hello?” You called softly, tapping gently on one of the bars.

“Who are you?” She asked.

You told her your name. “I come here to talk to the fighters and help them when I can. What’s your name?”

“Aashiyana,” She replied. “You can help me?”

“I can try,” You replied. “Why are you here?”

“I caught a deer in a field near my home,” She said. “It was apparently owned by a nobleman or something. What kind of person owns a deer?”

“People with too much money,” You replied, laughing. “How long is your sentence?”

“Until my fine is up. Six months, I think they said.”

“How much is the fine?”

“300 gold.”

“That’s highway robbery!” You exclaimed. “Let me see what I can work out.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that,” She said. “This city is stifling. I hate it here.”

“So do I,” You replied, standing. You were about to turn and leave, but you were compelled to ask. “By any chance, do you know a boy named Geyarajan?”

Aashiyana sat up straighter and peered at you. “I did know a boy by that name, yes.”

Your heart hammered in your throat. “Did?”

“He doesn’t go by that name anymore. His name is Gaveshan now.”

“Why did he change his name?” You asked.

“How do you know him?”

“He saved my life years ago. He… was my friend.”

Her eyes widened and jaw dropped. “Are you Primrose?”

Your expression matched hers. “Yes! How did you know about that?”

“We met!” She said, her eyes lighting up. “Your leg was broken and my mother set it. She was the colony’s healer. You stayed in the colony with us until she felt it was safe to move you.”

“I don’t remember,” You told her. “I don’t remember anything. I was with Rajan when I broke my leg, and then I passed out. When I woke up again, I was back home and I’d been missing for four days. I don’t know what happened during that time.”

Aashiyana frowned. “You don’t remember me at all?”

You shook your head sadly. “I’m sorry. What happened to the colony?” You asked her, putting a hand on hers around the bars. “Rajan told me that it was burned, but he didn’t give me any details.”

“Men came out of the forest with torches. They set fire to everything. We had to flee with nothing. Some didn’t make it.”

“Oh, god,” You said, covering your mouth in horror. “I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t fallen out of the tree…”

“Did you tell the men how to find us?”

“No! I swear I didn’t! I don’t even remember being there!” You said. “I swear, Aashiyana, I swear on my life.”

He deep brown eyes searched yours for a moment, a discerning look on her face, and she said, “I believe you.”

Your face crumpled as the tears began to flow. “Thank you.” You wiped your face on a handkerchief and straightened yourself. “Let me see what I can do for you. I’ll get you out of here.”

“Thank you,” She said.

It took some time, but you managed to make a deal with the judge. It was a lucky thing that your parents were in good standing with the stadium, as your father was a financier, so you were able to pull a few favors. You returned to Aashiyana’s cell three days later and directed the jailor to open the door.

“What’s happened?”

“I’ve made a deal,” You said. “You’re free of the fighting ring, but in exchange, you must work. I’ve made arrangements for you. I’ll tell you about it once we’re in the carriage.”

“Carriage?”

You took her by the arm. “Come on.”

Outside the jail, a carriage was indeed waiting for you. You opened the door and assisted her in getting inside, as the steps weren’t built for her large claws, and got inside after her. The carriage began to move.

“So what deal did you make?” She asked.

“You are to be my personal servant for the remainder of your sentence.”

She balked. “What makes you think I want to be a slave any more than a punching bag?”

“I have no intention of giving you any order,” You told her. “But if you wouldn’t mind, I’ll like you to take me to see Geyarajan. Or Gaveshan, I guess.”

“Do I have to stay with you?” She asked, eyeing you.

“Of course not,” You replied. “You’re free to go as soon as we get out of the city limits, as far as I’m concerned. I have no intention of ordering you around.”

“Can’t you get into trouble for this?”

“Of course. The penalty for assisting a criminal escape is taking their sentence plus five years.”

“If you know that’s going to happen when you come back, why would you do it?” She asked you, horrified.

“Simple. I’m not coming back.”

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My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

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dascarecrow · 4 years ago

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Death Battle - Oscar Pine

Wiz- Since humanity’s earliest age the world of Remnant has been plagued by the creatures of Grimm.

Boomstick- AKA a cheap rip off of the Heartless. These bad boys are destruction incarnate which sounds awesome at first but it really just means they live to ruin your day.

Wiz- Yet for as long as the Grimm have haunted humanity they have been protected by the elite warriors known as Huntsmen.

Boomstick- These kick ass fighters are the best of the best and the baddest of the bad. They also wield some of the most awesome weapons ever made. Because nearly all of them? Are also a gun.

Wiz- Huntsmen are trained at combat academies across the world. And the greatest of them are trained at the main academies of each major kingdom. Shade Academy in Vacuo, Haven Academy in Mistral, Atlas Academy in Atlas-

Boomstick- Real original there.

Wiz- And Beacon Academy in Vale.

Boomstick- Man a school where you learn how to beat the snot out of people, hunt evil monsters and build cool weapons? If they had that kind of curriculum when I was in high school I definitely would have paid more attention. At least try to get a B+ on something instead of all those Fs and Cs.

Wiz- Unknown to the public however is that the headmasters of each Academy are part of a secret alliance dedicated to protecting the people of Remnant and ensuring their prosperity led by the headmaster Beacon Academy, Ozpin.

Boomstick- And like any good conspiracy the Ozluminati knows a whole bunch of secrets. Like the true origin of Dust and who faked the moon breaking.

Wiz- One of the greatest secrets that they have kept is existence of magic in Remnant.

Boomstick- Like actual wave your hand and make stuff happen magic. Which I don’t really get keeping hidden. I mean Huntsmen can do a whole bunch of stuff that’s pretty much magic anyways. And even stuff that magic doesn’t do. So why hide it from people?

Wiz- That’s actually because of the prospective dangers that magic could bring.

Boomstick- Oh yeah like what?

*Scenes play of Raven, Penny and Fria using their magic and devastating their enemies*

Boomstick- Never mind. I’ll take being able to call up hurricanes whenever I want over a scythe that turns into a rifle.

Wiz- Ozpin led the other headmasters and select other agents in keeping several secrets, including magic, hidden away because he feared the turmoil and destruction that would result if they were ever discovered.

Boomstick- And it actually went pretty well. Remnant had it’s problems but it was actually looking pretty good. Until some crazy fire lady *a picture of Cinder appears* found out about magic, went “I want me some of that”, teamed up with a terrorist organization and decided to get her hands on the nearest available bit of magic. Which was hidden under Beacon Academy.

Wiz- Dark forces would attack in the tragedy that would become known as the Fall of Beacon. The school would be devastated, the students harmed and traumatized beyond measure and Ozpin himself would fall during the battle. But this would not be the end for Ozpin.

Boomstick- Yeah turns out Dumbledore here actually had quite a few secrets of his own. One of which is that he was at this job a lot longer than anyone ever knew.

Wiz- In ancient times the Gods of Light and Darkness who had created Remnant saw the trials humanity endured to survive with each passing day and sought to give their creation a chance at salvation. They reached into the afterlife and returned to Remnant the greatest warrior to ever walk its surface, a mage knight known as Ozma.

Boomstick- Of course because Gods are kind of jerks they gave the Wizard of Oz a skewed deal.

Wiz- The Gods tasked Ozma with uniting humanity together and calling them to return to Remnant so they may pass judgement. Should humanity be in harmony upon their return the Gods would walk alongside them once more and grant to humanity grand gifts as reward.

Boomstick- Not a bad deal really. Everyone plays all nice and you get some sweet magic powers out of it. Why wouldn’t you want to do that?

Wiz- But if the Gods returned to find humanity divided and selfishly demanding that which was never theirs then it would be final day Remnant would ever see for humanity would be destroyed.

Boomstick- Oh right. How is that supposed to work then? I mean the gods come back and they see some guys arguing over their favorite sports team and they just go “Your no good. Gonna kill you all”. I mean I get the appeal of having magic powers but does that really outweigh complete genocide? Huntsmen have their own personal superpowers and Dust is as good as magic anyway.

Wiz- Regardless Ozma agreed to the gods request, motivated by his sense of justice and belief in the inherent good of humanity.

Boomstick- And the chance to see his ex again. *Picture of Salem appears* Can’t forget about that.

Wiz- Indeed. Of course the Gods recognized that the work they tasked Ozma with could take quite some time so they made arrangements which resulted in a rather unusual return for him.

Boomstick- The Gods kind of have a thing against full blown resurrection so they didn’t just zap their newest employee back to Remnant. No they decided to stuff Ozzy Osbourne’s soul into some random sucker so he could get to work.

Wiz- The Gods did not wish Ozma to bear the burden of his work alone so they made it that he would return in the body of another, which carried a like minded soul that his own would merge with. In the course of his work Ozma would discover that death was no longer the same for him.

Boomstick- The Gods basically made him the Avatar. *Shows picture of Aang* Whenever Willy Wonka wound up biting it his soul would crop up again in some other schmuck and merge with whatever soul was already living there. Rinse and repeat for the next few thousand years.

Wiz- The man known as Ozpin would wind up being the latest in this long line of reincarnations, continuing his past lives work in uniting the people of Remnant so they may pass the Gods Judgement.

Boomstick- And once Gandalf here was down for the count it was time for another round of musical souls. Where he stops who the heck knows.

Wiz- Ozpin’s would wind up reincarnating in a young farmhand known as Oscar Pine, who would find himself continuing the work that Ozma had began millennia ago and the inheritor of his countless lives knowledge and power.

Boomstick- Man I don’t know who to feel worse for. Pinecone for having an old dude stuck in his head that can see all of his private thoughts. Or the Clockwork Wizard for being stuck in the head of a kid that’s just starting puberty.

Wiz- As a result of this merger of souls Oscar would inherit Ozpin’s memories and more importantly his fighting skill and powers.

Boomstick- As the headmaster of a school for hunting literal soulless monsters Ozpin knew how to throw down with the best of them and Oscar got everything the old professor knew downloaded straight to his brain, none of that pesky learning stuff the hard way needed. He would even be given Ozpin’s own personal weapon... a cane. A cane. That was seriously this guys weapon? He fights for thousands of years to protect humanity, counter hordes of dark mosters and try to make it so the Gods give Remnant a passing grade and his personal way of beating people up was with a walking stick. Starting to see why it took him so long to get people up to snuff.

Wiz- Don’t be so quick to judge Boomstick. Ozpin was supremely gifted with his weapon, often using it like a rapier to rapidly jab at enemies and wear them down faster then they could respond. *Scenes of Ozpin’s fight with Cinder* And because he has Ozpin’s memories Oscar can do this just as well. *Scenes of Oscar’s fight with Hazel* However Oscar has chosen to focus on his own fighting style instead of simply repeating Ozpin’s. Oscar’s own personal style has a greater emphasis on striking power than speed, being centered around strong, focused blows instead of the rapid fire technique Ozpin preferred.

Boomstick- Finally someone who gets that the best way of doing things is by hitting the crap out of them as hard as possible. And it works pretty well for the farm boy. He was able to one shot a Sabyr, which was about two and a half times his size. And keep in mind Grimm are pretty much all bulk. Oscar pretty much killed that thing by stabbing it with a blunt object. Not to mention that he was able to smack someone so hard that they tumbled down the stairs and made Hazel stagger back a few feet when they collided with him. Hazel, who was able to catch the mini wrecking ball that is Magnhild and was stabbed through his stomach by a giant ice wasp and got back up like it was nothing.

Wiz- Given the loss of energy that would have resulted from rolling down the steps and Hazel’s own notable durability then we can safely say that Oscar used an extreme amount of force in this one attack.

Boomstick- And if Alpine gets tired of trying to whack people with a overhyped brake lever than he has some decent hand to hand skill as well. He was able to round a corner, close the distance and punch Neo so hard that she went flying down the hallway, all faster than she could react. And Neo’s whole thing is that she can literally dance around just about anyone like they’re moving in slow motion. Oscar was able to outpace her a few times during their fight and that’s immediately after he’d already taken some bad hits. She’d have done even worse if he’d been starting fresh. Not bad for a farm hand.

Wiz- Oscar’s impressive performance is probably helped by his Aura.

Boomstick- You mean that rip off of the force from Pokemon? Wait do Pokemon live on Remnant? Are the Grimm actually Pokemon and they’re what happens when humanity doesn’t learn how to make Pokeballs? Does this mean animal slavery is actually perfectly justified?

Wiz- No. On all acccounts.

Boomstick (disappointed)- Aaaaah.

Aura

- Grants shielding

- Empowers strikes

- Environmental Protection

- Heightened Awareness

- Enhances Healing

Wiz- Aura is the soul made manifest, the user’s essence rendered into tangible form.

Boomstick- Is that supposed to be arousing or the complete opposite?

Wiz- Aura grants anyone who possesses it a great many benefits, primarily in terms of defense. Anyone with an active Aura automatically receives a shield that protects them from harm and damage. Oscar was able to take hits from flaming boulders and barely showed any hint that he even felt the attack.

Boomstick- Wait, wait, wait. You mean that if someone gets this Aura stuff they automatically become invulnerable to being hurt? Wiz I’m calling in three of the favors you owe me to give me some of that stuff.

Wiz- Aura doesn’t just prevent users from coming to harm though. It can also enhance striking power, be channeled through weaponry to increase it’s power, protect the user from harsh environmental factors like extreme cold, give someone heightened awareness of their surrounding to the point they can detect approaching enemies and even boost one’s healing.

Boomstick- Alright Wiz I’ll make it seven favors and I’ll use Jocelyn’s credit card the next time I get drunk and come up with an awesome idea. Man thousands of years of of combat experience and a personal force field that increases strength and healing? This kid must kick all sorts of-

*Montage of Oscar getting attacked by Ruby, Qrow, Jaune, the Hound and ends with him being shot by Ironwood*

Boomstick- *now depressed* Oh right. Aura kind of sucks.

Wiz- While Aura is formidable it does have it’s limits. Every blow it takes will cause one’s Aura to wear down and deplete. The stronger the hit the more damage Aura will take from it. And even those gifted with extraordinary amounts can’t maintain it indefinitely.

Boomstick- Yep. Take it from me folks it doesn’t matter how big the bottle is. If you keep drinking from it, sooner or later you’re going to run out.

Wiz- And once it’s completely depleted Aura will break, leaving the user vulnerable.

Boomstick- How the heck does that work? I mean it’s your soul. You always have it. So shouldn’t this Aura stuff always be going? And if it breaks shouldn’t you I don’t know die or something?

Wiz- To be exact Aura isn’t actually the user’s soul, but rather a type of energy harnessed from it. So it’s depletion and breaking isn’t actually fatal to the user. It also isn’t something that runs automatically. Aura has to be consciously activated and dismissed by the user. So it is possible for someone to be caught off guard because they don’t their Aura running.

Boomstick- Figures. You find a super cool energy that can give everyone super powers and it turns out to suck eggs.

Wiz- Well just because your Aura runs out doesn’t mean it’s the end of fight. It does recover over time and trained users can speed up how fast it rebuilds with just a bit of focus and willpower. Oscar’s teammate Jaune has shown the ability to restore his Aura after focusing for a brief moment. And given Ozpin’s countless lifetimes of experience it stands to reason that Oscar has the ability to do this as well.

Boomstick- And even if Oscar’s Aura does wind up failing him he still has a few tricks up his sleeve. Magic ones. Remember Ozma wasn’t just a highly skilled warrior he was also gifted mage. So his whole conga line of souls also gets cool magic powers.

Magic

Controls the elements (fire, ice, wind , lightning, etc.)

Energy blasts

Creates shields

Telekinetic movement

Wiz- Quite right Boomstick among all the denizens of Remnant, Oscar is one of the rare few gifted with magic in the current age. While the exact abilities Oscar can use are nebulous we can infer some details going by what other magic users have done. He can unleash streams of pure power as an attack.

Boomstick- And these emerald streamers pack a punch. Salem was able to shrug off Hazel literally splattering her all over the ground and returned the beating without missing a beat.

Wiz- While Salem can regenerate from any damage done to her she still feels pain and can be hurt, even if the damage is undone.

Boomstick- Oscar brought her to her knees with one blast of his magic, which also left her in visible pain. So it’s safe to say he hit her way harder than Hazel was able to. And that guy dropped a friggin meteor on top of her. *Shows clip of Hazel doing just that*

Wiz- We have also seen magic be shaped into different forms so presumably Oscar can do this as well. His past lives have been seen creating fields of magic that can move others in a telekinetic fashion and there’s no reason to believe Oscar can’t still do so in present day, albeit not quite on the scale Ozma was once able to.

Boomstick- Yeah one of the lives of Doctor Who did something kind of dumb. A bunch of sisters came by his house and were all “hope, joy and love” and he decided to give them almost all of his magic because of good vibes or something. I mean why would you give up actual magic powers that made you such a kick ass knight in the first place?

Wiz- (annoyed) Anyways... Oscar lacks the reserves of magic power that Ozma once held and while we don’t have an exact measure we’re going to go with about a rate of 5 to 10 percent remaining. Fortunately for Oscar magic doesn’t deplete the way Aura does so he can use it almost without limit. And the power of the Maidens, that is the sisters he gave his magic to, gives us a view of what Oscar can accomplish. Namely the power of the elements

Elemental Magic

Fire

Ice

Lightning

Wind

Plant life

Boomstick- Most folks on Remnant can do stuff like throw around fireballs or lightning bolts with the use of Dust. But magic lets you do that stuff all on your own and with no limit either.

Wiz- Mind you Oscar’s lesser reserves mean he can’t do anything on the scale of the Maidens but he does still have the capacity to control the elements, just to a lesser degree than most magic users. But the greatest asset magic grants Oscar is his shield.

Boomstick- Don’t let the fact that it looks like a glass bubble fool you, this mystical barrier is actually pretty sturdy. It’s stood up to the full power of the Fall Maiden, allowed Oscar to survive a several miles long fall without any injury whatsoever and is so strong that it let him crash right through the bottom of Atlas and keep on going with no problem.

Wiz- Actually Boomstick that last feat wasn’t a result of Oscar’s magic.

Boomstick- Oh? I guess you’re going to tell me that glorified bike handle of his did it.

Wiz- It did as a matter of fact.

Boomstick- Wait what? How is that possible? It’s a cane for crying out loud. It’s something old people use for getting around and whupping the young, not the tool of a seasoned warrior and mage.

Wiz- Oscar’s cane, much like it’s holder, far more than it appears and has quite a few surprises.

Boomstick- Oh this should be good.

The Long Memory

Oscar’s personal weapon

Once wielded by Ozpin

Incredibly durable

Focus for magic

Stores kinetic energy

Wiz- Oscar’s weapon, known as the Long Memory, is a collapsible cane that he carries at almost all times. The cane itself is highly durable, able to take hits from a Dust empowered Hazel without any sign of strain or damage. Hazel boasted immense physical strength on his lonesome and the benefit of Dust significantly increased his damage output.

Boomstick- Okay so it��s a pretty strong cane. But it’s still just a cane.

Wiz- The Long Memory is also a channel and focus for Oscar’s magic, enabling him to use it on a higher scale than he would be able to on his own merits.

Boomstick- Oh like a magic wand.

Wiz- More like a scepter.

Boomstick- Like a magic staff?

Wiz- Scepter.

Boomstick- I get you, it’s like a magic rod.

Wiz- Boomstick I swear if I have to get the shock collar again...

Boomstick- Geez calm down Wiz I’m just funning ya. So this walking stick is pretty much a *Wiz glares at Boomstick* “magic scepter” that lets pine tree use magic better than he can by himself. That’s kind of cool actually but why make it something that looks like an emergency brake?

Wiz- The Long Memory has one more special trick, completely separate from Aura and magic. It can store and carry kinetic energy.

Boomstick- I’m sorry what kind of energy?

Wiz- *exasperated* Stuff that make bullets go shoot.

Boomstick- I know what it is Wiz. No need to get snippy. Man you are so juvenile. Anyways why is that so special?

Wiz- *trying to be professional* With each passing moment and every blow struck The Long Memory accumulates kinetic energy and having been crafted centuries ago it has quite a reservoir of power to access. Oscar can access this stored up energy whenever he wishes, unleashing bolts and waves sheer power. This allowed him to blast a hole through the bottom of Atlas when he was sent plummeting to his doom in the Vault of the Winter Maiden.

Boomstick- Huh. Not a bad parlor trick I’ll admit but how much damage can he really do with that thin-

*Scene of Oscar destroying Monstra plays*

Boomstick stares in open mouthed shock while Wiz looks on with a smug grin.

Wiz- You were saying?

Boomstick- HOLY MOTHERF*BLEEP*ING S*BLEEP*T! Did that kid just fire off a magic nuke?

Wiz-To be fair Oscar can’t throw around attacks like that too often. This particular instance used up the majority of stored up power that the Long Memory had available. And that power was gathered across several lifetimes if not centuries. He definitely wouldn’t be able to use an attack on this level repeatedly. He would be able to recover some of the kinetic energy however because the Long Memory gathers and stores it away automatically. Smaller expenditures may not necessarily be reclaimed but the cane would definitely avoid running completely out of power with this aspect of it’s abilities. Anything you’d like to add Boomstick?

Boomstick- *still in shock* I-, Yeah not really, my mind is going to be stuck on that nuke thing for a while.

Wiz- *shrugging it off* Okay then. Come back in a few days where we’ll cover Oscar’s opponent, Izuku Midoriya.

#Death Battle #RWBY #Probably a bit wordy #But I feel I've captured the spirit of the show well #Plus they have to be concise to release weekly #I get the benefit of going over a bit with dialogue

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typewriterghcst · 4 years ago

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Title: A Very Small Wish Fandom: The Cat Returns Characters: Baron, Muta, Toto, Haru, plus some OCs Rating: PGish maybe?? Words: 2797 Summary: A pleading request from a parent whose daughter has been cursed by a resentful witch is nothing truly out of the ordinary for the Cat Bureau— in fact, it might be so common so as to be routine— so why does something feel inherently off about this particular one? Notes: Second chapter of six of a Secret Santa gift for @deedee-sunflowers. I had the realization that it actually takes a Bit for the witch part of this to show up, and I apologize for that orz That said, I'm so glad you liked it! Especially that they're all in character and that Vanya is interesting, aha. I worry a lot that he might be too grating, bc I definitely get a lot of enjoyment out of writing those kinds of characters, but I don't want them to also be irritating to sit through rip Anywho, a chapter in which Haru has a chat with a beloved monster i’m sorry that was a very vague shrek reference

Ch. 2: Virtuous Siree

She might be hesitant to admit it, but Haru is almost disappointed to meet the cursed daughter, having halfway convinced herself in her unshakable unnerved skepticism that the Vanya creature had crafted her existence wholesale from lies and nothingness. Yet here she is, standing before them with her hands (hands? it’s hard to tell) folded in a mannerly fashion in front of her. Her long, golden veil is in much better shape than her father’s handkerchief, though the odd snag and rip is perhaps inevitable when one is in possession of what appears to be a pair of curly horns.

She is otherwise far from inconspicuous, as well; the gauzy shroud masking her person still reveals the aforementioned horns, and a pointed snout, and little hands adorned with inch-long claws. A long, hairless tail snakes out from behind her, curling at her feet like a sleeping dog.

Perhaps the most pressing thing, however, is that the same uneasy chill runs through Haru within this strange, half-concealed child’s presence as it does when her father is around. For the first time, she wonders if it’s not, in fact, her blunted human instincts furiously trying to warn her of Vanya’s true nature and simply a facet of his kind’s existence.

Vanya wanders into her line of sight again, standing beside his daughter with a laughably manic, skittish energy and reaching for her clawed hand. Haru notes the two are very nearly the same height. Yet, to hers (and probably the Bureau’s surprise, as well), he appears to have little trouble lifting her off the ground and holding her out to them, as if he’d worried they wouldn’t understand just how truly monstrous she’d become should he not bring her closer to their eyelines.

“This is my daughter, Virtuous Siree.” He seems to take a certain, special glee in saying so. “She is exquisitely cute! Like a baby. I’ve had her for years now.”

Virtuous Siree, though her face is obscured by the veil, seems unbothered by this treatment, inclining her head politely to their guests.

“Pleased to meet you.” Her voice echoes much like a lonely call in an empty stairwell, resulting in the definitively disorienting effect of two separate people speaking in unison.

“...And you, as well.” Baron is the first to recover from the oddness of the situation, removing his hat and bowing, and the rest of them follow suit shortly after (sans Muta, anyway, who gives a more characteristically terse greeting).

“Thank you, by the way,” Virtuous Siree then continues, as casually blithe as her father. “For taking the case. We are beyond aromatized to have obtained your assistance!”

Behind her, Vanya utters a noise somewhere between a squeal and a sob, and then hugs her close to him. “Cute! She’s too cute! Virtuous Siree, did you have a good day today?”

“Yes, Papa, I worked in the garden. The cherries are ripening on the vine! And I started a new painting when I was done.”

“Your funny prickly face horns are sticking me through my fur!” Yet, he appears to make no motions to pull away. (Haru sneaks an amused look at Muta; sure enough, the mystified frown on his own face makes it clear he’s as lost about how to feel about this interaction as she’d expected him to be.)

“How far of a journey is the Sown Forest from here, Vanya?”

The fox glances at Toto only from the very corners of his eyes at first, but the expression lacks even the most minuscule hint of suspicion. He pulls his face away from Virtuous Siree’s veiled one, placing her back on the ground with a happy coo.

“I can’t tell you how far, but it will take….” Here he counts futilely on his tiny paws again. “...eighteen-twenty minutes!”

“...You mean, eighteen to twenty minutes?”

Vanya hesitates, and here, now, it becomes obvious he’s beginning to pick up on Toto’s skepticism. When he answers this time, he’s back to his by now expected plaintive offense.

“Time works differently in Oostal! I’m only a little creature from Oostal, and I don’t know your Earthical time measurements!” He cries.

“Papa’s trying his best,” Virtuous Siree interjects with the modest passion one might expect from a shy girl her age, patting her father on the paw.

“To focus on the pretty Vanya Creature’s tenuous grasp of a time he’s never used before when his cute daughter is at risk of being cursed forever!”

“Yeah, birdbrain, that’s real heartless of ya,” Muta can’t help but add (a marked testament to how much he enjoys antagonizing the crow, if even his antipathy for the Vanya creature doesn’t see him pass up the opportunity.)

“But if time works differently, how are we meant to keep track of how long we have?” Toto asks, side-eyeing Muta with no small degree of smug amusement. (For his part, Muta seems uncertain whether to take this abrupt subject change as a surrender or a snub.)

“Use a pocket watch,” is Vanya’s dismissive reply.

Baron finds himself rather suddenly the object of vested interest for three pairs of eyes; Muta, Haru, and Toto all three almost instantly turn to him. He looks from each one to the other in moderate bemusement for mere seconds before his shoulders relax in a subtle show of resignation.

“Yes, I have one with me.”

“Wouldn’t have been you if you didn’t,” Toto teases with a smile.

“Of course,” Baron deigns to play along with a faintly put-upon tone.

“Where’s that witchy paper you said you got, anyway?” Muta asks Vanya. “The one that says it’s okay for you to get help from strangers. Don’t think I forgot about it,” he ends with crabbily.

“I left it on the table!” Vanya replies with a matching huff, less than humored by Muta’s skepticism.

Here Virtuous Siree jumps to contribute, expression molded into a contrite, abashed frown, “Oh, no— Papa, those papers got blown away earlier today! I-I opened the door to go out into the garden, and a bigly strong gust blew in!”

“Seriously—?”

“They blew up into the surrounding trees,” Virtuous Siree continues, more chastened than before in the face of Muta’s apparent exasperation, a reaction which seems to give the cat some considerable pause. “I couldn’t reach them.”

Vanya pats her head.

“It’s no significant loss that they did! We can search for them when I go to pick up the leg up in our sleeves.”

The perplexed silence which settles after Vanya’s words lingers heavily, but at least only briefly.

“Oh,” Toto first responds with a dawning amusement and the slightest of laughs. “You have something in mind to help make these tasks less of a struggle.”

Vanya nods enthusiastically, giving no indication of having discerned their earlier confusion, nor why Toto then felt the need to clarify. His tail, also, curls into an excitable question mark shape before relaxing again.

“It will take just a moment— I hid it in the root cellar with the other cates.”

“And the root cellar is—?”

“At the edge of the property, by the fence.”

“Very well. It shouldn’t take us long, I think, but we ought to depart right away. Please lead the way, Mr. Vanya.”

“I’ll stay here,” Haru speaks up. “I’d feel a little bad leaving Virtuous Siree all alone again, even if it is just a few minutes— I don’t mind keeping her company. I mean—” Here she turns to the girl herself with a sheepish expression, hands folded bashfully behind her back. “ —if she doesn’t mind my company, of course.”

“I don’t mind!” Virtuous Siree responds with a resolute shake of her head.

“Good, goods!” Vanya agrees in delight. There’s yet another almost cat-like expression of affection from him, rubbing his cheek against Siree’s as he swings their joined hands. “Play nice, Cute Siree. We’ll be back before you know it!”

&&&

The little house in which Vanya and Virtuous Siree have made their home is in all honesty not all that strange to Haru. At least, in the sense that it has walls and doors and windows, and furniture with purposes that are easy enough to grasp upon laying eyes on them. Yet two things still stand out to her as unusual.

The first is that the walls, if not the house entirely, give the rather distinct impression that the entire thing had been carved from an enormous gourd or another hardy vegetable of sorts. When Haru furtively lays a hand on one of the few unoccupied walls, she finds she can’t discern the material by sight or touch.

The outside of the house hadn’t struck her as so outlandish. It certainly hadn’t appeared to be a massive vegetable.

The second, as previously alluded to, is that almost every available surface is buried beneath an arbitrary variety of countless objects— threadbare coats, rusted silverware, broken trinkets.

Distantly, Haru recalls Vanya’s pithy words regarding his shattered teacup— waste not. Seems he kept that particular aphorism close to his heart.

Vanya’s daughter has claimed a spot at the round table in the middle of the room, perched precariously on a wobbly stool with a set of messy watercolor paints and a well-worn brush.

Her face is still hidden, but Haru can still tell her companion (Virtuous Siree, as her father has stubbornly referred to her, and it’s still a terribly odd name to Haru) is shyly stealing glances at her, one after the other, before quickly looking away again, back to her painting.

“Can I draw something, too?” Haru eventually asks to divert the tension.

Virtuous Siree jumps on the distraction. “Oh, yes! You can! Papa always keeps plenty of paper and paints around for me!”

The girl jumps off her stool and scurries to a cabinet across the room, behind a pile of ostensible scarves and socks (the cabinet itself also piled high with an unimaginably diverse array of items— hairbrushes, hats, and tattered books, just to name a few.) In a snap, Virtuous Siree has an identical spot to her own set up at the table beside her for Haru.

“Here you are! Would you like a flat or a round brush..?”

Haru, having never been much a painter, finds herself somewhat stumped at the question, glancing back and forth between the two brushes for a half-minute before sheepishly speaking up. “Actually, this is silly, but do you have anything more fit for an amateur? I don’t do much drawing, and I’d hate to waste some of your good materials.”

Virtuous Siree laughs, a short, girlish noise that quite comically clashes with her unnatural-sounding voice, and waves her hand. “Don’t be silly, I have plenty of materials. You can’t waste them if you used them to do something fun.”

“O-Oh… Well, I hadn’t thought of it like that.”

“If you want to start slow, though, hmm…” Virtuous Siree scampers across the room again, stooping to look in her cabinet; Haru hears her shuffle various objects around as she searches for something specific. “Oh! I have some wax crayons. They’re a little used, though.”

“Oh, that’s okay. They’ll be perfect.”

It’s when Haru is settled again, this time staring down at a sheaf of brown, grainy papers— thick, heavy, with a distinct weave to the tiny fibers that must make up the sheets— that she finds herself beset by another stumbling block. She hasn’t drawn anything since she was a child, and those childish scribbles had consisted mostly of attempts at whatever animals had caught her eye.

Absently, she wonders if her skills have managed to budge past their old level. Probably not. But, there’s no time like the present to find out, she supposes. She’ll try drawing Baron.

“What does the name Virtuous Siree mean?”

Virtuous Siree gives a pensive noise. “You don’t have to call me Virtuous Siree. Just Siree is fine. Only Papa calls me Virtuous Siree-- he added the first part a little while ago.”

“Okay, Siree, then. If you like, you can call me just Haru.”

“I’ll do that!” Then, remembering what Haru’s original question was, she adds diffidently, “‘Siree’ is just a filler word in Oostal’s language, but it has a-- umm, an implication of emphasis. It’s what you use to boost the feelings in what you’re trying to get across when you can’t remember a word.”

Haru pauses in her attempt to color in one of Baron’s eyes. “Does that mean your name with the addition of ‘Virtuous’ is kind of like saying ‘really virtuous?’”

“It is!” Siree admits with an almost embarrassed laugh. “Papa’s very silly sometimes.”

To herself, Haru thinks that sounds like yet another vast understatement.

“...Have you ever dealt with witch’s magic before?” Virtuous Siree asks.

“Not…. witch’s magic, no. At least, I don’t think so. But I was transformed into a cat once,” Haru says, carefully drawing a spiral on her paper with a yellow crayon (her interpretation of the sun. It won’t do to put crayon scribble Baron into a rainy, sad environment, after all).

“What’s a cat?” Siree asks.

“Oh— um. It’s an… an animal from my world. They look a little like your father, but a little bigger. Oh! Actually, Muta and Baron-- well, Muta is a cat, but Baron just looks like one.” Then, abruptly remembering Siree has been cursed and must therefore look quite similar to her father under normal circumstances, Haru hastily adds, “I-I guess they’d look like you, too, wouldn’t they?”

Siree nods slightly, even though she hasn’t looked away from her own painting. When she speaks, her voice is soft, shy again.

“They're cute. I wish I could be cute, too, like Papa. Or, um, like I was.”

Somewhere, that gentle, beseeching string of words tugs at an old fear, one that had been allayed rather completely with the return to her normal form but not altogether forgotten— that of losing her familiar reflection. What was on the inside ultimately wouldn’t have changed, and there had always been little flaws in her human appearance she could have spent hours complaining about, but… in the end, her face, her humanness, had been held more dear by her than she could ever have realized without being transformed against her will.

“Don’t worry,” Haru finds herself saying. “Baron and the Bureau managed to rescue me from becoming a cat. They’ll do the same for you, no problem. You just wait. You’ll be your old self in no time.”

Siree’s brushstrokes slow and then stop altogether. She moves so that Haru knows she must be studying her thoughtfully, and the very knowledge of Siree’s no doubt unblinking, pensive gaze trained intently on her is enough to give her goosebumps again.

“...You’re very kind,” the girl eventually remarks. Then, finally looking away (Haru’s pretty sure, at least), she adds, “I like that. I hope you make it out safe.”

“I have the Bureau,” Haru says surely. “I’ll be fine.”

“Well, I hope they stay safe, too,” Siree adds.

As if wise to the fact they’d been the subject of the past few moments of conversation, the Bureau (accompanied, of course, by Vanya) arrive just seconds after with the familiar sound of the beginnings of an altercation between Muta and Toto. Vanya again wastes little time in hugging Siree.

“You’re back,” Haru says in the meantime. “Are we good to go now, then?”

“Yeah,” Muta breaks off his disagreement with Toto to answer with a shrug. “Whatever the pipsqueak picked up, it didn’t take long.”

“It’s a surprise!” Vanya protests, turning a haughty gaze upon Muta. Then, thoughtfully, he amends, “...A good surprise.”

Haru, thinking of Vanya’s original haste in returning to his daughter, and seeing perhaps the same veiled concern in Baron’s and Toto’s faces, nudges the avian Creation beside her, and… well, bless him, Toto takes very little time to speak up for them all.

“Will Virtuous Siree be alright here all by herself?”

Vanya rocks back and forth a few times, dragging poor Siree with him (though she seems unbothered, at least). “Yes, yes, Virtuous Siree is safe here. There are neighbors! ...In fact, if she feels scared, she should go next door to Mr. Gleb.” This spoken directly to Siree, despite the odd choice in phrasing.

“I will, Papa,” Siree answers without hesitation.

It’s here that Vanya lets her go with one last delighted chirrup, bounding over to the door and the Bureau and darting outside. Before following suit (...somewhat), Haru turns back to the girl and flashes her a reassuring smile.

“Bye, Siree! Stay safe, and don’t worry— we’ll get you all fixed up.”

“I know you will!”

As far as Haru can tell, Siree continues waving until they can’t see each other, and something about the dedication instills a certain amount of similar sentiments in Haru.

#the cat returns #secret santa

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romansleftshoulderpad · 5 years ago

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Barren: Chapter 14

Words: 1,806

Ships: Established moralogince, focus on moxiety, eventual LAMP

Warnings: Death mentions, overworking oneself, a lot of crying, mentions of cheating ???, implied sex mentions, non-sexual nudity with no body parts mentioned, food mention.

Previous / Next

---

Virgil was happy for them. That’s what he told himself as he turned on the treadmill. They were together. They were happy. Virgil started jogging.

Logan was using the cane less and less. He saw the way he and Roman danced in the living room to celebrate. He saw how Patton laughed with them and took photos to remember the moment. He saw how easily they could forget everything else happening.

He increased the speed and started running. He saw how Patton and Roman kissed softly and lovingly in the kitchen as if they had been waiting their whole lives to be together. He knew they probably had been.

He saw how they all loved each other. He saw how as they grew closer he only grew further apart from them. Was he jealous? Was he scared of losing their friendship? In the back of his mind, a small idea sparked to life. Did he want to be part of what they had?

He ran faster. He tried to kill the concept. He tried to kill his feelings. He tried to kill the way he wanted to kiss Logan. He tried to kill the desire to spend late nights with Roman talking and lying in the dark- something so simple but so intimate all at once. He tried to kill the part of him that always wondered what it would be like to be in Patton’s arms, at the center of all his love and devotion. His skin under Patton’s lips, his everything under Patton’s control.

He couldn’t kill these thoughts on his own. He wanted to talk to someone about it. Someone who has been there for him from the beginning. Someone named Emile.

But Emile was gone. He left when Remy died. And wasn’t that death all his fault, really? Wasn’t it all Virgil’s fault?

He ran faster and faster until it felt like his legs would give out from under him, even then he kept on running. He wanted to run until he was only skin and bone with no energy left to run. He wanted to run until everything was behind him and every lovely moment was a cruel dream to wake up from. He wanted to run until he was young and small again, when his parents were both still happily living, when there was still hope for him to be normal. Before his fate was sealed. Before he was heartless. Before he was a monster.

He squeezed his eyes tight, his heart and feet pounding against the machine as tears rolled down his face. He heard someone call out his name. He felt arms catch him as the treadmill came to an abrupt stop. He didn’t want to open his eyes. Because he knew when he woke up, it wouldn’t be his mom holding him, nor would it be his father, and he would still be Barren.

“Virgil, are you okay?” the voice whispered, soft and tender. Virgil blushes as he felt himself get picked up bridal style. When he opened his eyes he was face to face with Patton, and he blushed even harder.

“Patton, I-“ He wiped the tears from his face as his heart began to race with embarrassment. “What are you doing here?”

“Roman said you’d be here,” Patton explained. “I wanted to know what kind of birthday cake you like.”

“Birthday?”

“Virgil, your birthday is in less than a week. You didn’t forget, did you?” he teased. “Oh my goodness gracious, you forgot, I’m so sorry-“

“You don’t need to apologize, Patton. I’ve just been a bit... distracted.”

Patton looked at him sadly, reading him like an open book. Virgil began to fear that Patton could read minds, that he knew every dark, jealous thought that crosses his mind. “Oh, Virgil,” he said quietly and the younger boy feared that he would begin to cry again. Patton held him tighter and that fear became a reality. “Is there, perhaps, a chance that you’ve felt ignored recently? I know that Roman, Logan, and I have been spending a lot more time together, but we never meant to make you or Elliot feel alone.”

“E- Elliot’s fine,” Virgil choked out.

“I wouldn’t mind spending some time together if that’s alright with you.” Patton’s smile was pure sunlight and the word “Together” rang out in Virgil’s mind. He leaned his head against Patton’s chest and put a hand over his heart. Just knowing that Patton was alive and well seemed to be enough for him. “Well?”

“My legs hurt,” he tiredly mumbled.

Patton laughed, carrying him out of the training room, and holding him tightly. “I can get a bath ready for you and then we can do whatever you want.”

“You’re amazing, Patton.”

He laughed, using the hand under Virgil’s leg’s to open the bathroom door. He set Virgil down on top of the closed toilet and Virgil immediately noticed the lack of warmth surrounding him and tried to hold back a whine of disappointment. Why did Patton always make Virgil feel like a child in need of being taken care of?

“You strike me as someone who likes it hot,” he said with a wink as he turned the faucet on. “Bath bomb?”

“Um, sure,” Virgil mumbled, staring in awe as Patton dropped in a purple sphere that quickly turned the bathwater glittery.

“Towels are under the sink,” Patton said. He brushed away Virgil’s hair and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, he left before Virgil could process what had happened. There was a soft click as the door closed and Virgil’s fingers softly ghosted over where Patton’s lips had been.

He stripped quickly, leaving his clothes folded on top of the toilet lid, and sunk into the purple water. His body relaxed and, if only for a brief moment, he hated himself a little less. He let himself sink until his hair was wet. He began to understand why so many people’s idea of self-care meant wearing a face mask and drinking lemon water.

It was maybe half an hour later when he came out with his hair still damp and his bangs sticking to his forehead. Roman smiled at him as they passed in the hallway. “Don’t be too rough with him,” he teased with a wink before disappearing back into another room. Allegedly, he had been busy with paperwork for a few days and Virgil had barely seen him.

“Feeling better?” Patton asked with a smile, holding a bundle of fabric in his hands. “Thought you might want some pajamas,” he said, before quietly pulling something out of the bundle, “and watch a movie? We, uh, don’t have to if you don’t want. I just thought it would be relaxing for you.”

“Patton,” Virgil said, his heart pounding in his chest as a smile spread to his face, “it’s perfect.”

In only a matter of minutes, Virgil and Patton were in matching cat onesies- one black, one grey- laying close together in a pile of pillows and watching Detective Pikachu on Patton’s tv.

“You look kinda tense,” Patton teased with open arms.

“I- um- I don’t-“

His expression dropped slightly, but he tried not to look too disappointed as he returned his arms to his sides. “Virgil, if you’re uncomfortable, you don’t have to do any of this. I’ll understand.”

“Is this allowed?” he asked quietly. “Patton, I don’t want to intrude on anything between you three. I- Are Roman and Logan okay with this?!”

“Oh, Virgil,” Patton sighed softly. He paused the movie. “Can I hug you?” Virgil dove into Patton’s arms trying to calm down his racing heart and the way his eyes threatened to storm and pour for the third time that day. Patton’s fingers ran through his hair and his arms felt like home. “Roman and Logan know I’m affectionate, that’s just who I am, they’re not going to have any problem with me giving some of that affection to you.”

“What if they get the wrong idea?”

“There’s nothing the three of us haven’t discussed already,” Patton said. “I promise, Virgil, the only consent you have to worry about here is yours and mine.”

“You make it sound so simple.”

“Not everything is life or death, Virgil,” he said, “sometimes I’m just asking if you want to cuddle and watch a movie with me.”

“I’d like that,” Virgil said. “I’d like that a lot.” And Patton kisses his forehead once more and pressed play on the movie. He held Virgil in his arms. He was safe and warm. Not quite parental, but family, nonetheless. Virgil pushes back any negative feelings. For now, he would simply enjoy the time alone he had with him. It wasn’t long before they were fast asleep in each other’s arms, breathing in time with their hearts beating as one.

+++

Patton had let Virgil keep the onesie and he slept with it nearly every night. It was warm and soft and it felt like love. “I’m so gone, aren’t I?” Virgil asked himself as he lay in bed, too tired to get up and face the day.

“Gone? You’re right here,” Roman laughed from the p doorway causing Virgil to sit up in a panic.

“Roman! What the fuck?!”

Roman laughed and sat at the edge of Virgil’s bed. He held a crudely wrapped package in his hands. “I wanted to give you this. Happy birthday, Virgil.”

“Oh,” he muttered as he took the package. “Right.” He slid his fingers under the wrapping paper and tore it apart until he held an iron-on patch in the shape of a cloud with a lightning bolt in his hand.

“It reminded me of you, I guess. Since you’re so dark and edgy,” he said with a wink and a laugh that Virgil could tell was only a cover for fear. “I thought you might want to put it on your jacket or I don’t know, I just hope you like it.”

“It’s perfect,” Virgil said with a smile, holding it to his heart.

“C’mon, we have a whole party waiting for you,” Roman said, grabbing Virgil’s hands and pulling him out of the room.

“Party?!”

“Happy birthday!” Everyone yelled while surrounded by half-filled balloons and cheaply made decorations. A messy cake sat on the counter with purple and black icing on it.

“You guys didn’t have to do all this,” he said, eyes wide in awe at it all.

“I know,” Logan said. “We did it because we /wanted/ to. Because we care about you.”

Virgil hugged Logan tightly and pulled Patton and Roman into the mix. For the first time in years, he felt truly loved by more than just family, but this group was his family. He felt warm and safe. He felt like he belonged. “This is the best birthday ever.”

#Barren

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cheshiresense · 6 years ago

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in the ura + ichi time travel au kaien was (understandably) concerned that ichigo suddenly started hanging out with kisuke. what would kaien's opinion of ichigo and aizen hanging out be, though? since aizen was a generally well liked person back then and all that. would kaien see aizen as a good influence on ichigo or do you think he would be more reserved about it?

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…I accidentally shoehorned Shinji into this whoops.

Anyway, you mean in the Aizen&Ichigo time travel verse right? Hmm well I know I dropped several hints in SP of Kaien (and a few others) knowing that there was something not-good up with Aizen, but canonically speaking, literally nobody except Shinji ever suspected him, so I think in this verse, I’m going to go with Kaien being one of the many who think that Aizen is just a reliable Shinigami and a generally upstanding guy. He doesn’t hero-worship him like the younger/lower-ranking Shinigami but he respects Aizen as a fellow lieutenant and the Fifth was really lucky to manage nabbing him for their squad.

So here, Kaien couldn’t prevent Ichigo from joining the Twelfth under that Very Suspicious Character Urahara (and he soon learns the impossibility that is trying to prevent Ichigo from doing anything he sets his mind to), so he’s relieved when word gets around that even after graduation, Ichigo still spends time with that Fifth Division lieutenant/part-time teacher because it means he has some regular Good Influence in his life. The Soul King knows Ichigo doesn’t spend much time with anyone else, doesn’t seem to have any close friends from his year in the Academy either or even just squadmates he can grab drinks with, so Kaien’s glad his cousin has at least one person he seems to like enough to hang out with, even if a friendship between a fresh graduate and a lieutenant is rather odd. Aizen doesn’t seem to mind either, which is also a bit of a shock because for all that the man has a reputation for helping students and subordinates alike, Kaien’s never heard of him spending time outside of work and teaching spars and classes with one. And as far as Kaien knows, he doesn’t think Aizen has any friends he hangs out with either. He’s polite and relatively friendly when he speaks to any of his colleagues, but it’s always work work work for that man. Kaien doesn’t know how he does it.

Still, he appreciates the time Aizen is taking out of his schedule these days to meet up with Ichigo for meals. On occasion, they can even be seen walking together back to their respective divisions. It’s odd, but it’s also pretty clear they’re friends, and so of course, when New Year’s swings around, Kaien wastes no time extending an invitation to Aizen as well to attend the Shibas’ annual celebrations.

He’s not surprised when Aizen - politely - turns him down. He seems that kind of guy. So Kaien moves on to Plan B - he goes to Ichigo, expounds on the elaborate festivities that will be taking place at the party, waxes poetic about how disappointed everyone will be if Ichigo can’t come, and then drops an offhand mention of how he’d tried to invite Ichigo’s friend Aizen too just so Ichigo would have someone he knew with him, not to mention Aizen doesn’t seem to have anyone to celebrate with anyway, but the lieutenant had turned him down.

Ichigo is fuming and scowling and looks about two seconds away from depriving the Thirteenth of their lieutenant, and Kaien very carefully does not show his glee as Ichigo shouts, “We’re not friends!”, looking appalled for some reason, before storming off, and Kaien can feel his reiatsu signature heading directly for the Fifth Division compound.

Mission accomplished.

(“And I should attend this function with you because…?” Aizen enquires, raising a delicately skeptical eyebrow.

Ichigo glowers at everything. “Well I’m not going alone. Kaien said they’re gonna be partying all night. I’m not suffering through that on my own!”

“Then turn the invitation down.”

“I can’t do that! Kuukaku apparently already told everyone I’ll be going, and Kaien said the kids are all looking forward to meeting me properly!”

Aizen’s other eyebrow joins his first, and he could not look more judgemental if he tried. “That still does not explain why I have to go. The fact that you are a pushover for small children is entirely your own fault.”

Ichigo reminds himself that he cannot actually reach across the table and strangle the bastard, no matter how much he wants to. He tries changing tactics instead. “Come on, it’s not like you have anything to do anyway-”

“On the contrary, I have a new book I wish to-”

“-and Kaien told me he invited you too so obviously you’ll also be expected to show up, and I’m not gonna quit badgering you about it until you agree!”

Aizen’s brow crinkles ever so slightly at the mention of Kaien. “Hm, well-played,” He murmurs, but before Ichigo can ask what he means, he continues smoothly, “I have already turned him down, so your argument is invalid. No one will be expecting me, and even if they will be, unlike you,” He beams like the super creepy virtuous Shinigami almost everyone thinks he is, which never fails to make Ichigo cringe. “I do not care in the slightest.”

Ichigo twitches before crossing his arms so that he’s less tempted to do something rash. “Well too bad! You still owe me for being evil and stalker-y, so suck it up and pick out a nice outfit because you’re going even if I have to drag you there!”

Aizen sighs long-sufferingly. “Exactly how long do you plan on trying to hold that over my head, Ichigo-kun?”

“Forever,” Ichigo retorts. “Now are you coming or are we gonna throw down over this?”

Aizen levels a flat look on him. Ichigo glares back. The two of them remain in stubborn silence for several minutes, and eventually it’s Ichigo who cracks because Aizen is a heartless monster with unrepentant stalker tendencies.

“Fine,” Ichigo huffs. “How ‘bout I show you a reishi trick I figured out recently?” Something like interest sparks in Aizen’s eyes. So predicable. “I’ve been experimenting. It’s not something I ever saw Yhwach or any of his minions do, or even Ishida or his dad, so it’s probably not something you know. But only if you come with me to the party. I’ll show you afterewards.”

Aizen watches him for a moment longer before a smirk curls at one corner of his mouth. “You’re learning.” Then he sighs, way too dramatically in Ichigo’s opinion. “Very well, but if it is something I already know, then you’ll owe me three months of manual labour in the form of paperwork. Agreed?”

Ichigo makes a face. “What? No way! One month at most.”

“Two.”

“One and one week and no more, asshole. I swear to god I am not above kicking your extortioning ass across Seireitei if you try to up that! Besides, I’m pretty sure you don’t know what I’ll be showing you anyway so it’s a pointless bargain.”

Aizen looks amused now. “Then it should hardly matter.”

Ichigo scowls. “It’s the principle of the matter. Well?”

Aizen inclines his head. “I agree to these terms. What time is this celebration?”

Ichigo grins, triumphant.)

Kaien cackles like a supervillain when he gets - very grudging - confirmation that both Ichigo and Aizen would be attending the New Year celebrations at the Shiba compound.

Fast forward a few weeks and Shinji narrowly avoids spraying tea all over Ukitake when Kaien strides back in to the dining hall and announces his cousin and Aizen Sousuke’s presence, both of whom enter behind the clan head, one with a scowl, the other with a cordial smile. They get seated between Kaien and Kuukaku, across from Shinji, Kyouraku, and Ukitake, and for a moment, Shinji’s gaze meet his lieutenant’s.

“Good evening, Taichou,” Aizen greets him, mild as milk, but even though his expression is perfectly calm, there’s something about it anyway that makes Shinji think he’s probably laughing on the inside.

“Sou-chan, what a surprise,” Shinji sighs and goes about refilling his cup. He needs way more sake than what’s on the table to survive the rest of this night.

They don’t really talk for the rest of the party. They’ve never really had casual conversations before. Even Shinji’s regular teasing when it comes to Aizen is at least partly to try and get a rise out of his frustratingly secretive lieutenant. And as long as Shinji’s known him, Aizen’s never really been one for celebrations. He attends captain/lieutenant functions when it’s required of him, and even then he only stays just long enough that it wouldn’t be rude when he excuses himself. He never goes out for drinks or meals, and he definitely never goes out with anyone just for fun.

Until Shiba Ichigo of course. Shinji still doesn’t know how those two work.

But, he soon realizes, the party is a perfect excuse to subtly observe them in a public setting, and that brightens his mood exponentially.

And what he observes…

It’s… odd, their interactions, which Shinji already knew from glimpses of them at the Fifth. But that was a work setting, and this isn’t, and that apparently makes a lot of difference. Or maybe it’s just that they’ve gotten closer since the last time Shinji saw them.

Even at the more casual captain/lieutenant get-togethers, Shinji recalls, Aizen stayed on the sidelines, in the background. He spoke when spoken to, and he kept any conversation going effortlessly, never dominating and always making the other party feel like he was interested in whatever topic they’d struck up even though Shinji is certain that couldn’t be farther from the truth. But he never really engaged other people of his own volition, and no matter how polite, it always felt - at least to Shinji - that he couldn’t wait to leave and get away from the annoyances that kept him from attending to whatever it was he was doing behind Shinji’s back.

He doesn’t do that here, doesn’t stay on the outside. Or rather, Ichigo won’t let him. When Kaien drags Ichigo into a conversation, Ichigo drags Aizen right along wtih him, and that wouldn’t be so jarring, but then some of the younger Shiba children shyly sidle up and ask to play tag with their newest cousin, and Ichigo folds like wet paper and agrees, but he also invites Aizen, who protests and is promptly ignored, and Shinji is treated to the mind-boggling sight of Aizen awkwardly - as awkward as Shinji’s ever seen him - playing tag with a bunch of children.

Surely he’s woken up in a parallel universe without realizing earlier?

Then there’s the fireworks display, and Ichigo drags Aizen off to show him how to set off a bunch of them. There’s desserts passed around, and Ichigo looks positively mournful when he’s too slow to get any of the kagami mochi before they’re all gone. Shinji almost chokes on his own taiyaki when Aizen visibly smirks at Ichigo, even taunting the kid with his own dessert, but after a round of mocking and scowl-pouting, the man also sighs before shoving his own plate of mochi at Ichigo and snags Ichigo’s leftover dango instead. Ichigo immediately brightens, and although his scowl never leaves his face, he somehow looks years younger with how ridiculously happy he is about a simple dessert.

And when even Aizen looks like he can’t take anymore socializing after the twelfth time someone accosts him for chitchat, Ichigo whisks him off somewhere, and Shinji doesn’t see them again until he catches their silhouettes on the roof as the night sky lights up with Kuukaku’s personal fireworks finale.

It’s… odd. Shinji can’t really find any other word for it, and by the time he takes his leave, the interactions he’s seen weigh on him more than he’s comfortable with.

These days, it feels like the Aizen Sousuke he’s always known was a completely different man from this one. Then of course, when he’s not interacting with Ichigo, he’s exactly like the man Shinji’s always known - polite and friendly and so utterly fake that it makes Shinji wonder if his colleagues are all brain-dead for not noticing.

Aizen looks at the world like he’s above it all, or maybe like he’s simply indifferent to everything, Shinigami and the Gotei and Soul Society alike.

But he looks at Ichigo like he’s actually seeing a person, and that perhaps is the biggest reason why Shinji cannot reconcile the two versions of his lieutenant.

He’s never known Aizen Sousuke to care about anyone. And Shinji’s not certain what to do about it now that he does.

Unbeknownst to Shinji, Kaien observes them too, and unlike Shinji, he likes what he sees. It’s odd, yes - Shinigami fresh out of school and even just lower-ranked ones in general simply don’t interact with their higher-ups in so familiar a manner. But Ichigo’s always been odd all on his own, and they’re not even part of the same division so nobody can call favouritism anyway, and so long as Ichigo’s fine with it, that’s all Kaien cares about.

He sees everything Shinji does tonight, and it lifts a weight from his shoulders. He’d been worried about his long-lost cousin, uncomfortable amongst family, and too strong to make friends easily at the Academy. Depending on Urahara to look out for his newest subordinate is laughable at best, and Kaien knows better than anyone that Shibas aren’t meant to be isolated. Ichigo’s introverted and a private person in general, but he’s not so different when it comes down to it. At the very least, he doesn’t seem as stressed compared to the first several months he first came into Kaien’s life, and Kaien doesn’t think he’s wrong when he contributes part of that to the Fifth Division lieutenant.

And Aizen too… well, it’s harder to tell with him. But he treats Ichigo like a friend, occasionally indulgent in a way that’s actually not unlike the way Kaien would treat a younger sibling himself, and that’s something Kaien’s never seen Aizen do with anyone else. Sure, he indulges students when they want his attention, and lower-ranked Shinigami when they want his advice, but there’s always a line in the sand with them, one he never toes. He makes himself approachable and likeable with them, and half of them go away nursing crushes.

He’s not like that with Ichigo. He doesn’t make himself anything, as far as Kaien can see. No gentle smiles anywhere. Mostly just smirks that borderline nasty, but flashes of exasperated fondness too. He’s just himself, and Ichigo takes it in stride, and maybe that’s why they’re friends.

It’s odd. But Kaien can’t complain when Ichigo’s happier these days, and he makes a mental note himself to catch Aizen later and tell him he’s welcome back to the Shiba compound anytime.

#myscrap #ichigo & aizen time travel verse #aizen sousuke #kurosaki ichigo #shiba kaien #hirako shinji #bleach #anonymous #msg #Headcanon

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queenofnohr · 5 years ago

Text

Aeaean Spring Breeze - Ch. 3: The Underground Labyrinth Brings Order

Dreamwidth version here

---

???: Looks like they’re finally here. ???: Thank goodness. Making this Singularity was worth it, then! ???: ......Is it good? ???: Better than good— the plan is perfect. Don’t worry your little heart about it, just focus on the labyrinth. ???: That’s right, Asterios! Since I’m a witch, just leave everything up to me!

Arjuna: This is…… undoubtedly, a labyrinth…... Mash: Yes. I’ve gone over the infiltration routes several times, but it’s still a dangerous area where monsters prowl. Please proceed with caution, Master. Circe: Humans just go and make whatever they want on my island, huh! Jason: You’re talking like this totally isn’t your fault. Circe: Labyrinths are totally tasteless. I mean, who even likes making them? I create paradises, which the underworld obviously isn’t included in. That’s more up my teacher’s alley. ...…Hm? What’s with that signpost…… Arjuna: There’s something written on it. Let’s seeー “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.” Jason: ……Can we go back? Orion: You’re like a broken record! But I also wanna go back. George: Denied. Both: Guh. Odysseus: So it’s saying that beyond this point, we might die? How interesting. Let’s go. Circe: I’d like for you to exercise a liiiiiiiitle more caution before rushing in. Good grief…… Is this how all warriors are? Jason: Let’s goooooooo baaaaaack. Circe: Are you always this annoying!? Jason: No, only when I have a bad feeling about something. And these bad vibes are thick enough to taste. Arjuna: I see. Then, let’s head on in. George: There’s no use in arguing. Oh, and smile.

[he snaps a photo of Jason, Arjuna, and Orion]

Jason: ……Don’t just take pictures whenever you want! I end up smiling, even when I don’t want to smile! Circe: What are you doing over there you blockheads!? We’re going in!

[we go on a little]

George: Looks like…… another signpost. Arjuna: It says…… “O Flame, walk alongside me.” Circe: Hmmm.

[Fire shoots out]

Circe: Oh.

> Uwah!?

Mash: Master, are you okay? George: Don’t worry, Mash. I'm guarding them.

[Circe is standing around, on fire]

Odysseus: Circe, are you okay? Circe: Huh? Who? Me? Odysseus: ……Aren’t you covered in flames right now? Circe: Heh heh heh, I’m fine with this! After all, I’m a Great Witch! Odysseus: Just because you’re a Great Witch doesn’t mean you should be “fine” with being engulfed in flame. Circe: I’m telling you it’s fiiiiiine. These are silk garments given to me by Hecate. They won’t burn in these kinds of flames. Odysseus: Even so. Circe: Guh…… Well, I’ll just take that as you being worried about me. Orion: ……By the way, there’s a path forward up ahead. Circe: Huh? ......You’re right. Hmmm. The feeling I get is…… that path will open up if we fulfill a condition. Arjuna: “O Flame, walk alongside me.” Hm...... Odysseus: “Walk alongside,” huh? ……Circe, come with me. Circe: Huh!? W- What do you mean “with you”!? Why me!? And why with you!? Odysseus: It’s just an idea. Walk together with flame would mean— Wouldn’t it mean to proceed while being enveloped in flame? Circe: No, no, that’s a totally unreasonable answer considering we all have to go through. Odysseus: Of course. We just need to catch the one doing the enveloping. Circe: ? ......Oh! Master, I know it’s sudden, but prepare for battle! Our enemy is the flame enveloping the room! Before it’s extinguished, we need to nab it and walk with it!

> R- Roger that!

Circe: Raise, destroy, and finally, resurrect. Unending circle of life and destruction, I bid thee to appear, O Flame!

[a monster comes out of the fire]

George: So that’s it. Did she turn the flames into an enemy? That’s what it seemed like to me. Jason: Do your best, everyone! Orion: (Of course this guy ain’t fighting) Arjuna: (I’ll just add this to the report I’m preparing for Medea......)

[battle]

Circe: …...Got it. Now that we’ve caught it, let’s see if it works! Arjuna: Looks like…… The wall is opening up. It seems Odysseus’s hunch was correct. Jason: Haaaaa...... I- It’s over, huh? Orion: Yeah, and you were sooooo much help. Odysseus: Alright, we did it. Circe: Yeah!

[they high five]

Circe: ...... ...... Why do I have to high-five this guy!? Odysseus: I’m starting to understand you. You act tough when you end up going along with something. Circe: Don’t laugh at that! Anyway the path opened up. Let’s head in! Odysseus: Indeed, let’s move!

Node 2

Circe: First it’s fire and now it’s ice…… Arjuna: It doesn’t seem like there’s a signpost. Jason: Hm? I don’t see a path…… Well, it looks easy enough. It should be fine if we melt it, right? Right, Arjuna. Time to put that bow to work! Arjuna: You mean Agni Gandiva? But...... Jason: What, think you can’t do it? Arjuna: …...Don’t be ridiculous. Actually, I fear the opposite happening. That is, will a single shot from me destroy this entire labyrinth? ーThat’s my only concern. Circe: Oi, oi, won’t we end up getting buried alive if that happensー? Arjuna: Then I will be exceedingly careful in limiting myself. Having said that, I don’t think my power will be inadequate, but I will devote all my strength to this task! Orion: (I feel like this’ll end badly) Arjuna: Agni, lend me your power!! My spirit flares! Here I go! AGNI GANDIVA!! George: Oh, another photo op!

[literally everything melts in a huge flood]

Circe: Woah- woah- woah- all the ice melted at once! Wah!

> Circe!!

Circe: Oh, it’s okay, I’m fine. It’s no big deal. Jason: Good grief. The whole room is flooded— (.1 seconds) (Waitwaitwait. Circe’s clothes are white.) ( .2 seconds) (Doesn’t that mean her clothes will get see-through? Won’t she be totally immodest?) (.3 seconds) (No, that’s beside the point. The real problem is how Circe reacts.) (.4 seconds) (She’s usually okay, but she’s still a Great Witch of Greece.) (.5 seconds) (Wouldn’t she turn a human who sees her bare skin into a monster?) (.6 seconds) (So the one in most trouble is Master.) (.7 seconds) (I have no other choice. Master, I’ll buy you ice-cream later.) (.8 seconds) (Heh…… At any rate, my High-Speed Thinking is more than a match for that gloomy Caster’s High-Speed Divine Words.) Jason: Oh no, my hand slipped!!

> Eh!?

[you black out]

Circe: Ugh, are you kidding me? I’m soaked. Odysseus: Are your clothes okay? Circe: Huh, my clothes? Hahaha. Just who do you think I am? I’m Hecate’s disciple, the Great Witch Circe. Even if it was a god that allowed my clothes to get all drenched and see-through, I wouldn’t forgive them! Odysseus: I see. I certainly can’t see anything.

> What happened?

[you open your eyes]

Jason: ……Sorry, I ended up doing something bad since as a hero my intellect is just too sharp…… Orion: What’s with that weird apology!? Arjuna: Does that count as an apology……? Circe: But back to what we were talking about earlier. What, were you interested in seeing my bare skin? Odysseus: No. I’m not, but I just thought it would be bad to make a girl feel shamed. Circe: ......Completely heartless! Like iron! A total Tin Man!

[she’s hitting him in her embarrassment]

Odysseus: ……I intended for that to be a legitimate answer. Orion: Yeah, he’s that type of person…… I’m understanding little by little. George: This is a pretty nice scene. Smile. Circe: Like I can!!

???: That was a little disappointing. ???: “Even if I saw your naked body, it isn’t a problem, since I’ll take responsibility” —is how I thought it would go. ???: That didn’t go smoothly. But, doesn’t it seem like they’re getting along? ???: Yes! It’s so wonderful. It was worth it to have you help out! ???: What should I do next? ???: Next…… Fufufu. Let’s see how they do against this.

Node 3

Circe: Oh, looks like there’s another signpost. What does it say, Arjuna? Arjuna: Let’s see...... “Destroy the paradox. That is the only way to reach the next path,” and, “You must tread forth without looking back.”

> Paradox......?

[Shakespeare, the Statue God, and Mephistopheles show up]

George: Oh no. You guys are— Mephistopheles: Please believe me. Shakespeare and the Statue God are big liars! Only my door is the real one. Shakespeare: Am I the liar? No, no, that’s impossible. Mephisto is a liar. And the Statue God is a big liar, too! Therefore, mine is the only real door. Statue God: Trust me…… Believe in God…… Both Mephisto and Shakespeare are liars…… God would never lie to you…… In other words, my door is the only real one…… Mash: Um…… What does this mean? Jason: Don’t ask me, Shielder. I don’t get it at all, but seems like one of the paths is correct, and the rest are busts. George: Three people in front of three doors. Does that mean we’re to figure out which is the correct path from these three? I think there should be a clue in their testimonies on which is the correct door, but…… Odysseus: It’s a paradox. Some are lying. Some are telling the truth. But if we don’t know how many liars and how many truth tellers there are, how do we come to a conclusion? Arjuna: I see. So, for example, say that Mephistopheles is telling the truth. That would mean that Shakespeare and the Statue God are lying. However, the Statue God says that Mephistopheles and Shakespeare are the liars. Therein lies the contradiction. If the Statue God is lying, then that means both Mephistopheles and Shakespeare are telling the truth. Odysseus: And that applies to all of them. All of them create a paradox, so there is no correct path.

> Th- This is making my head spin.

George: If someone is a liar, that also means that they are not a liar. ……It’s strange. Everyone is connected. Odysseus: Circe. Circe: Hm? Odysseus: I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. Circe: Hmmm. It’s like a riddle. Odysseus: It is indeed. Circe: So, here’s what I’m thinking. Whoever made this riddle is the type of person who’s innately contrary. So I feel like using logic and reason to try and solve it would be a waste of time. Odysseus: ......What do you mean? Circe: The correct answer is— We go back the way we came. Everyone: HUH!? George: Oh, that’s a good one.

[he snaps a photo of Odysseus, Jason, Orion, and Arjuna’s stunned faces]

Orion: Wait, I think I was making a really weird face, so could you retake the photo, Teacher? George: No, a good photo op only comes once. Orion: *sniffle* Odysseus: Putting that aside— Circe, why do you think we should go back? Circe: Because! The signpost is the liar. These three are just here to liven things up. The Three: Urp. Odysseus: The signpost is the liar…… Ah, I understand now. “Destroy the paradox. That is the only way to reach the path forward,” turns into, “There is no need to destroy the paradox. The path forward is anything but,” whereas, “You must tread forth without looking back,” becomes, “You must turn around and go back the way you came.” In other words, do the opposite. I was thinking about it too logically. Circe: Was it a difficult riddle for such a straight-laced person? Odysseus: Heh…… I don’t have any comebacks when you put it that way. Well, I don’t know if I’d consider myself straight-laced, but…… Hm? Mephistopheles: We really are just here to liven things up! Shakespeare: I can’t deny that fact! But that doesn’t mean I’ll go back with the way things are now. Statue God: I…… don’t really have anything to do with this…… But being looked down on is kinda grating…… Destroy…... Circe: Ugh, what’s with you guys? You aren’t even the types to get worked up! Stone God: That was then, this is now…... Mephistopheles: Yeah, come on! Let’s duel!

[fight]

Mephistopheles: Ouch, ouch, I’m done for! Emotional BGM, please start! Huh, no? That’s the way it goes I s’pose. Oh well. Shakespeare: Mm, how disappointing! If I had it my way, I’d have you all deal with various problems, big and small, and depict a big emotional moment— only to pull the rug out from under you and have you end up at a bad end! Statue God: ...... ...... I’m tired…… I’m going back to Chaldea to laze around…… Oh, that’s right…… Since you solved the riddle, I have a prize for you…….

[Odysseus receives something]

Statue God: Goooooodbyeeeeee…… Circe: ......I’m the one who’s tired here! Odysseus: Honestly. I didn’t think we’d end up having to fight Servants…… Mm? Circe: What is it? Odysseus: ………Ah, I remember. I am Odysseus. Circe: ! Your memory returned? Odysseus: Partly, yes.

> How much, exactly?

Odysseus: Let’s see. My name is Odysseus. I am a man who participated in the Trojan War, and survived it even if by the skin of my teeth. ……The story of my life. I know at least that much, and my personality has returned to me. Circe: Do you remember me? Odysseus: Hahaha. Sorry, not at all. Circe: ......Well, maybe that’s for the better. Odysseus: Really? I want to know how we knew each other in life. Circe: ...... ...... We only hurt each other. We hurt each other, mutually, and could do nothing but hurt each other. It was awful. Odysseus: ...... ......Is that true? Circe: It is. Odysseus: I see. I can’t remember, so I can’t argue. Circe: Do you think I’d allow your counterargument? Me, a Great Witch? Odysseus: I suppose. Circe: What’s with that attitude, huh? Odysseus: Don’t pay it any mind. It seems like this is just what I’m like.

> They really do seem like good friends.

Jason: They probably will be, at least until he gets his memories back. Afterward is another story.

> I wonder what Circe thinks.

Arjuna: Here’s my take. I don’t think she loves him or hates him, but…… People’s feelings are complicated.

Arjuna: However, as far as I know, Odysseus had a wife. Mash: Yes. She was a woman who continued to wait for him to come home. Jason: That’s Penelope. I hear that while waiting for Odysseus, she had a whole mess of suitors coming for her. Orion: Sounds like someone I’d like to shack up with…… George: You have no chance. Orion: Even if the chances are only 1%, I won’t give up! George: Now that’s a manly look. Say cheese.

[he snaps a photo of Orion]

George: The title for this one will be “Orion Declares His Infidelity.” Orion: H-Haaaa, is Teacher trying to get me killed? George: Hahaha. Orion: At least deny it!

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Ch. 2 ← → Ch. 4

#aeaean spring breeze #fgo #fate grand order #fate grand order translation #grand order #my translations #long post

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