#JUSTICEFANGED

[adalrikr]

@justicefanged continued from here:

"Bold'a you to think you're owed a response," Linus growled out, giving the kid a proper once over after he'd been given a name. Still wasn't ringing any bells, so if this kid was somebody, Linus wasn't going to give a rat's ass about it. "Well, Erk from Etruria, I don't really see how anythin' 'bout me or my kin has anythin' to do with you." And with those words, said with an annoyed sort of finality, Linus did let the boy go -- releasing him to stumble back to his own footing as he turned to act like he was busy with something else. But the kid just wasn't taking the hint... Sighing loudly, shoulders slumping, Linus brought his attention back around to Erk. "Do I look dead to ya now?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Listen, I don't know ya and ya sure as hell ain't one of the F-- I don't know you. I don't know where ya got it in your head that you know me or my brother. We ain't never been to Etruria." He wasn't as good about keeping quiet about certain topics as Lloyd was, but Linus did try to catch himself -- it was just hard to try and figure out where this brat knew him from without giving something up.

"No. You don't look very dead." Erk dusts off the front of his uniform where he had been grabbed, frowning as he noted the wrinkles it in. His cape is also slightly wrinkled, but it often was, so he did not care so much about that, "But that is not an indicator if it happened or not."

He kneels, picking up the tome that had been dropped when Linus grabbed him.

"I don't suppose I did not know you, other than in passing. But I was..." He pauses, wondering what exactly he was meant to say to explain how he knew of Linus and the Black Fang, "I was a part of Eliwood's army, for a time."

It is not at all a sufficient explanation of what he had actually been doing, but he does not care to tell the whole truth right now.

[notsoscarlet]

4. Does your muse initiate a lot of physical contact?

:3

the answer is yes, but it's never meant in any sort of actually intimate manner. any touch he initiates is as insincere as the rest of his interactions with people, which is to say; uh, mostly.

he's a tall guy and he tends to sort of hover over folks with or without realizing it — slinging his arm over people's shoulders, sort of pulling them closer to him if they don't raise any complaints. he's a biiiit more reserved when he's not putting on the works, though.

[verseandrhyme]

7. Is your muse the big spoon or the little spoon?

I have a very big bias towards Mitama getting to be the big spoon. We can only wonder where that came from.

She's not particularly picky about it though. Mitama's biggest sign of affection is when she starts to take naps on people, and she's not at all picky about the arrangement so long as she's comfortable. Both have their own kind of appeal and she's happy for either one.

Usually she prefers to be the big spoon if she feels protective or possessive and small spoon when she's feeling lonely, but other than those specific moments it's just a roulette wheel of opportunity tbh.

Silly Claudetama additional answer: she likes to big spoon him because he needs to rest more and it's easier to keep him from running after his latest idea.

[aimlessarchery]

BARKBARK BITE YOU FINNA GET HIT BY THE DOG MAN

There's a sharp metallic squeak from the hinges of Python's door when he yanks it open, staring flatly at the man outside. The darkened skin beneath his eyes seem especially pronounced, perhaps due to it being the middle of the godsdamned night.

"Great work, really. You got a roommate you're competing with for the best dog impression, or is the other one an actual dog?"

He sways to the side, leaning into the doorframe.

"Either way. This still ain't your room, sorry to say. Try one over to the right."

[enarmor]

Target acquired. His mission was simple, but boy, was it going to be a delight!

Serial womanizer. Absolutely no game whatsoever. Goofiest headband-hairstyle combo out there. Which was kind of saying a lot, considering how many guys seemed to have headbands around here--

But that wasn't really the point! Today was this guy's unlucky day, and Linus was going to send him on his terrible way with a grin and a laugh!

All he had to do was slip one of the much beloved treats of the many Garreg Mach strays into the flirt's back pocket and--

Yeah, there they went! Cats. Dozens of them. Stampeding over each other in a caterwauling crash to swarm the guy. Some of them simply meowed at him loudly, but others were far less passive and went after the tantalizing smell of their treat with fangs and claws. Those trousers would not be surviving to see another good day.

For as perceptive as Sain can be, it is damn shame he let this slide.

Because the moment the kittens strike, confusion sets in. He hasn't noticed the treat in his back pocket by the time they clamor around him, thinking they desire only his affection. Sain tries to pick one up from under the arms, smiling at it as he presses his nose into its tummy.

"Ahaha, hear to greet your knight and protector? Why hello! I've plenty of love to spare for you adorable things!" And they have plenty they can do for him. A devilish grin spreads from cheek to cheek. "Come, my little chat. I'll show you to a few girls so they can see how affectionate I am..."

But the cat isn't here for any of it. It swats at his headband in response, which Sain reacts to by squinting and immediately setting it down. Then the swarm really kicks in, and before he knows it he's being tackled to the ground by their sheer numbers.

It's humiliating.

In their attempt to dig into his back pocket, they dig his back pocket. That is to say, their itty bitty claws rip giant rips and tear giant tears--soon enough, the backside of Sain's legs are revealed for all to see.

"N-No! Ah! Bad cats! You're all supposed to help me attract women, not embarrass me in front of them! Sh-shoo, shoo!!"

His efforts are fruitless. They do not stop until he is left wearing a half-pant, half-booty short, and the whole scene starts turning heads. In his frantic attempt to locate the source of this disturbance among the growing crowd, Sain thinks he sees it: Linus' backside, walking slowly away.

If everyone else had been drawn to the sight, it stands to reason that the culprit would be the one fleeing the scene.

"Reed!" he screams, trying to claw his way closer as the felines stick to him hoping for more, "This was you, wasn't it! Ah--I'll get you for this!!"

[ninocence]

"There's my sis!" Linus blurts out, as usual far too loud but hardly caring. It felt like it'd been some time since they'd gotten to hang out, and what can he say? He missed his baby sister! They may not have been siblings for as long as Lloyd and him had, and they may not share the same blood, but that didn't really matter to Linus.

Of all the terrible shit that had come from his father's marriage to that viper, Nino had been an unexpected bright spot.

Linus had always been the little brother, but with Nino, he got to be a big brother! He may not have been a responsible person most of the time, but if Nino was involved, he looked out for her -- he still wanted her to have a fun time with him, but he made sure she was safe. Plus, he got to be soft on her and spoil her, and he loved to do it. Nino was probably the purest thing in his mess of a life, and even if he wasn't fantastic about outright saying it, he always tried to make sure he showed it.

"Guess what I heard, huh?" he grinned, tone turning conspiratorial, "One'a the stray cats had kittens! Wanna go see the fluffy li'l fuckers?"

It's a silly, selfish little feeling, Nino thinks, but she can never help the rush of surprised joy whenever one of her brothers names her as their sister in public. Not that she doesn't believe they were good at caring for her!! They were kind and good people and had always, always been nice to her. It's just... sometimes, she does wonder whether they really think she's a good enough little sister to spend time with them.

But one shout from Linus can always dispel all her worries, if only in the moment. Nino turns to him, already beaming, though her expression slowly morphs to one of awe as Linus makes his invitation.

"Ooh, the pretty golden one??" Really, it's more like dusty yellow, but Nino had taken one look at the visibly pregnant cat plodding around the monastery and fallen in love. She nods eagerly. "Yeah, let's go, Linus! Hey, I wonder if the mom cat will mind if we give her babies names..."

She takes one of Linus' big, calloused hands in her own, gripping it tightly as she runs along with his larger strides. She might have lots of friends now, but... in the end, no matter what happens, she'd still want to follow her big brothers where they go. They're family, after all!

[luminousrider]

HEY CUTIE!!!!

[message read]

[two days and like 400 freakouts later]

hey.

[sublimeflowoftime]

snapdragon : is your muse merciful ? why or why not ?

Botanical Headcanons

Warning: I rant about Three Hopes and it is long. Spoilers below. (Likely will be in all of these so just block the tag ‘#{Careful now. — Spoilers}’ if you don’t want Sothis spoilers for Three Houses or Three Hopes I cannot guarantee I will remember to put read more things on the rest)

Sothis and her behavior is something that seems to change drastically depending on the game (Houses or Hopes). In Three Houses, sure she yells at you plenty, but at the end of the day she is your friend, whether she’d admit it or not. In Three Hopes, however all that is really seen of her is her either possessing Byleth for the sake of trying to kill Arval/Shez, or trying to convince Byleth to let her have complete control and let her do exactly that without resistance.

So for TWSITD and those connected to them - unknowingly or not - no. She is absolutely not merciful, and she wants you dead.

As for everyone else, yes, absolutely. Byleth made a million mistakes in Three Houses that they had to fix using her power of divine pulse (unless you never made any mistakes when playing, in which case: no you didn’t don’t lie to me), but never once does she bring up possessing Byleth to just fix it herself at all.

It’s clear she knows it’s an option in some ways, as she knew how to fuse herself with Byleth to give Byleth full control, so reasonably she could assume it would work in reverse. But she never tries, and even in Three Hopes, she never actually goes through with taking full control until Byleth gives her their full consent, even though she literally states outright that she is fully capable of doing so. She still likes Byleth, and she doesn’t want to erase their individuality unless absolutely necessary. Despite verbally saying otherwise, her actions really don’t align with that.

Even as big Sothis without the memory loss, she was originally trying to help the people. I find it hard to believe that the Agarthans just jumped straight into a war without there being any sort of warning, but she didn’t seem to have anything against them until they started killing her children, and then, eventually, her. As far as I know anyway unless I missed something.

Overall, Sothis seems to be extremely forgiving unless someone has wronged her or those she cares about in a deep way, only then does she choose to show no mercy. But even then, she still will if someone else she cares about decides to trust them. (Ex: Sothis giving up and fusing with Byleth peacefully rather than taking control if Byleth is recruited by Shez, even if she still very clearly does not agree.)

Moral of the story: stay on Sothis’s good side, but if you’ve already messed that up, make friends with Byleth. Problem solved.

[swiftscion]

Honk didn't know who brought this ball, but it was a great ball and he wasn't giving it up for anything! The puppy is, however, still too small to really get a good hold on it with his mouth, so every couple bounds he takes, it ends up popping out in an arc of slobber. But this just enhances the game, as he then has to chase it back down and try to keep it in his mouth again.

Growling and barking, Honk tries to keep the leathery ball in place with his paws, teeth sinking in slightly but not puncturing -- yet.

"It's like tryin' to watch a fish swim upstream..."

Larcei has been staring at Honk for five? ten? minutes now, unsure of just how many seconds stretch by as he keeps fumbling that damned ball. Every time he picks it up, the scion's hope swelters. She allows herself to believe--to hope--that things will be different. Maybe this time he'll keep--and it's already on the ground. Hope dead. Rinse, repeat.

At some point, though, enough is enough. The burden of being Honk's witness becomes too much to bear. Larcei rises from her seat.

"Heya, li'l guy!" she shouts sweetly, approaching with a smile and kneeling once close enough, "Lemme see that for a sec..."

Using one hand to pet him and the other to slide in quickly, she disarms the dog from its ball. Getting him hyped up to receive her attention is an easy way of opening his mouth.

But now that it's in her hands, she has to act fast. She can already feel him starting to growl.

"Alright...." she winds up her throw, flicking out her tongue and closing an eye to hone down her aim, "go get it!!"

And the ball is flung. Far, far away from her. No more having to watch Honk's tortured labor.

That is, until he comes running back to play.

[reddragonprincess]

Honk had been happily laying down by Altena's feet when Minerva came over with her offer of a drink, his ears perking up curiously as the two began to talk. Their voices were nice, mingling together, and the puppy can't help wanting to join in somehow. He sat up, bumping into Minerva's leg as he let out the grumbliest hello he could, tail wagging as his head whipped from Altena to Minerva as they spoke.

They were making friends! This was nice!

While she was way too focused on her fascinating interlocuter, Minerva noticed with a slight annoyance an intruder in between their conversation, but seeing the joviality with which she addressed to him, she immediately lost the annoyed expression on her face and she did her best not to seem rude nor surly.

“Pleasure to meet you as well” she offered her hand to him for a quick sniff, uncertain if it was the best way to approach a the little dog, but she knew no other better way to introduce to each other since she wasn’t used to those kind of creatures and plus, she just wanted to keep on going the conversation with the friendly brunette.

“This little puppy seems very attached to you, huh” a hint of irritation mixed with envy leaked from her lips, as she tightened them into a forced smile - she wished she had the audacity of that dog, in that moment.

[melusinezephyr]

While there was a lot of excitement to be had at a party like this for a puppy, it could only go on for so long before such a young animal got bored or tired. Right now, with no attention turned his way and no delicious treats to be had, Honk was simply hitting a moment of low energy.

Puppy's bounced back fast, of course, but...Sleepy right now...

With a big yawn squeaking out a grumbly little noise from him, Honk smooshes himself between someone's feet and flops down right there for a nap. The dining hall was delightfully warm and the chatter of people was a smooth background noise.

Zephia feels the dog lay against her feet, peeking under the table cloth to see a puppy snuggled softly in between her heels. She makes sure that no one is looking before ducking under with a little bit of difficulty.

It's uncomfortable, but worth it to be able to pet the dog that had decided that her feet were the best place to nap.

She pats its head gently, cooing softly to herself.

"Well, aren't you just the cutest thing? Who's good puppy? Is it you? Yes, you're such a good puppy."

[shadesofpurity]

oho you thought there was going to be a kiss to try & annoy kurthnaga? NOPE YOU GET A LIL BITE

[CRITICAL HIT!]

“Sir Linus.. if this is not too forward of me to say, that was kind of… sudden. Partially because i did not take you to be the biting type…”

……😳

[hosannan]

Occhiolism!!!!

(obscure feelings) meme— drabbles. Occhiolism: The awareness of the smallness of your perspective.

               "Princess." He starts.

               "Nanna, if you're so inclined."

               "Kid." He finishes.

               Nobles. The lot of 'em weaving a cursory set of rules only to have 'em strewn on the floor—he doesn't really get the way they mount themselves on titles and the low beat of a distant drum. Mighty fuckin' convenient if you asked him. (But he's a sellsword— a mercenary. He'll march to this bedlam if there's a long enough pocket-string attached.) But, sure. Yeah. Fine. If she's Nanna, she's Nanna. Linus thinks the lass needs a second stool; she's so petite, he wonders if girls like her were made in the same place Nino was.

               (You know.)

               "Mister Reed." She makes him swallow on his finish with the way her smile reaches her eyes.

               (Where they crushed common sage and lemon balm and made girls of the same ilk as the sun.)

               "Ah, that ain't even how my ol' man would want to go by! Come on, kid, you're killin' me here!" His mug meets the unpolished table with a banal thud, the weight of his words notwithstanding that gaze of olive and emerald. She has no business with him, no, but sticks around thinking he's got enough bedrock to be shaken. "I'm usually the one hitting rounds 'round here. Talky sort, and th' like. And sure, right. We may have been strung int'a the typical pickpocket bullshit that comes with the turf, but I hardly think that's conversation worthy."

               Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. When a fiddlin' thief tried to slip his hands into Linus' coat, it was a test to see which finger got the firecracker treatment first. Except. That time mercy came with a swift twist of a wrist, and a cinnamon girl lifting the stranger's whole arm skyward in the middle of a busy street.

               "Hey! Is someone missing a hand? I found it in another man's pocket." She ends the fiend before he begins, enacting a will that felt so radically different from Linus' own. Piece of shit went flying by the seat of his pants, away from prying eyes and the saltiest condemnation à la judge, jury, and fanged execution.

               While Linus had had the best laugh of the day back when, now was different. Now was not some extraordinary day, just a card from the same ol' mundane. What could a princess make of the mundane?

               "I don't see why you're so opposed, but if it displeases you, I'm off then."

               Was she even old enough to drink? He doesn't mean to, but halts her by the heels with a question that's been boggling him to hell and back.

               "Listen, kid. What's there to talk about? What are you going to get from it?"

               "Do I need to get something from it to get to know you?"

               "You're never gonna get me, even if you tried."

               "You make yourself out to be a myth." She bats.

               "And you, a sage." He bats back.

               She releases an airy scoff from her nose. "Hardly. I would love that worldliness, but all I have is what I know."

               "And what do you know?"

               "That it's men like you living from day to day that make our world wider. You cannot bear witness to the horizon if you cannot listen to the pulse of the people."

               A snort. "Ah, so that's it, is it? I'm a pulse? You're the hand from above, trying to feel for me?"

               "I was born of flesh and grew up by the coast—with not much to come by besides my makeshift family. Reformed bandits, struggling off the lands because of the tariffs of my forefathers." There's a fondness, a regret, a nostalgia tinging her voice like a spritz of sea salt. It's that look in her eyes that makes even a distant memory feel so close he could share it. He sifts through the same sort of memory, as Bern's common folk made even a mad dog honorable. "There's no reaching from above when I was already at sea level to begin with."

               "Huh."

               "Huh." She smiles, matching his beat.

               In the back of his mind, he hears the low beat of a distant drum. And wonders if, of all people, it's actually his.

               He raises a hand to the barkeep, with a toothy grin gradually growing in peculiar amusement. Fangs and all.

               "Can we get this girl a drink? I wanna hear what she's got t'say."

—End.

[braveryinblue]

Honestly, it was sort of funny how easy it was to find out certain information around here. Linus, who in all honesty was not a very observant individual, didn't even have to ask around for this kind of information; you just had to keep your ears open, and someone, somehow, would spill the beans! Students, teachers, friends -- whoever, didn't seem to matter! Once they made their moves, it was all over.

And, wouldn't luck have it, that Ostian brat was the target of the day!

Not that he had much against the blue blowhard at this point, but there was something to be said for brash, competitive spirit...

"Think fast!" Linus shouted, running up full tilt behind the unfortunate birthday boy with a loosely packed but large ball of...mud? Hopefully that was mud. He got a good, running jump before slamming the ball of muck down on Hector's head with a feral grin.

Think fast-?

Ah.

Not fast enough. There's a wet slap of something and

"Augh... What the-"

Of course his first instinct is to reach up and grab, remove, pull at it, and regret can't surface near swiftly enough. It's something wet, soft, mushy, and brown, he notes upon eyeing his retreated hand with distaste.

He turns toward the culprit, tucking his cheek into his shoulder and wiping away dribbles of muck (?) that have begun to stream down his face.

"Hey." It speaks not of fury - rather, it is a tone which has transcended, an emotion that has become other.

But as soon as he catches a glimpse of the perpetrator?

Oh, not another one-

"You."

Oh. There's the fury, rising like bile in his throat as all reason threatens to take any chance of forgiveness alongside it and elope utterly and completely.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you. Get back here!"

[atefirom]

Another student, though not a face he was too familiar with. Linus feels like he'd remember hers, after all. As such, he didn't have a very good read on her just yet -- but hey, he could start off way worse than handing out some candy, right?

The answer was yes, and he more often than not did make the worst possible first impression.

But he could be charming! And like...not a total disaster! Sometimes!

"Ya look like you'd enjoy somethin' sour," Linus posed, offering a deceptively cheery yellow candy in one hand, "Or....maybe I'm way off base, and ya prefer the classic sorta treat." In his other hand was a simple handful of little, colorful candies -- pretty much just colored sugar, if he was being honest.

"Could always ask for both, though."

Panette holds little expectation for receiving any sort of gifts and thought she would utilize her time visiting Fódlan’s ghost tours and myths especially today of all days, yet she is stopped by a barely clad gentleman. If that was the word, for he hardly looked or talked the part. Refreshing and were she less concerned about letting her demeanor slip, she might be tempted to let her own poise and manner fall.

In his hands he offers two choices of candies and a bandaged hand comes to tuck her chin between her fingers. The sour one seems the most obvious, but she deduces that maybe he was trying to get rid of both if he so willingly offered up the option.

“I must admit, I have scant taste buds for anything sweet, but do not fret for your efforts will be put to good use.” From seemingly nowhere does she pull out a glass container with small holes drilled into the top and presents it. “See here? This is a special blend of spices directly from Solm! If you are not averse to trying, then it pairs wonderfully when smothered on top of sweets.”

[enarmor]

Sneaking (not very well) underneath the tables, Honk clambers over people's feet as he snuffles around for any dropped tidbit. He doesn't find much, but there's a flash of movement up ahead that catches the young pup's attention. He cocks his head to the side as he crawls closer, tail wagging back and forth slowly as he watches someone kick two other people under the table.

One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.

One set of legs leaves after another kick, but the other shifts and then a hand catches the boot from across the table. One quick, forceful yank later, and there was a person partially under the table!

With an excited yap, Honk joins in, making a very uncoordinated leap at the man that had been yanked. If it weren't for the fact that Sain had been yanked down a bit, the pup would have just bounced off his legs, but there's enough of a slant that Honk could dig his claws in and try to climb up into his lap.

Yeah, he'll feel that in the morning.

Raymond's hand is strong, because he rips Sain so blindingly from his seat that his tailbone crashes against the floor. He'd swear he heard a crack, too, if it weren't for the immediate distraction sent his way.

"H-Huh?" he gasps, holding himself up with one gloved palm, "Were you under here this whole time...?"

Not one to look this gift dog in the mouth, Sain accepts Honk into his lap. He struggles enough to guide him with his other hand, gently brushing down his head in a long & soft petting motion.

"Who's your owner, little guy? Ah! I bet it must be a gorgeous young lady. Perhaps she'll thank me for taking such great care of you!"

Oh Sain, you've struck gold with this one. The Lance scoops the pup up using both his underarms, emerging from the table not just with throbbing pain, but a new friend, too.

"Right then! Let's get going, you and I. We have women to woo!"