#Legend of the Great White Most

[bobauthorman]

I just like Holly's smile in this one. She looks like a Digidestined.

[lulu2992]

And here are the photos I took to decorate the stables:

Happy First Anniversary, Tears of the Kingdom :)

[yukipri]

The grind is FINALLY over!!!!

Ngl Empire is not my department in SW, and prior to playing SWGOH I would not have been able to name the Executor or Admiral Piett etc etc. However, my desire to remain sitting at No. 2 in my fleet shard won out, and made the Executor my priority farm😂

It does help that most of the farm were bounty hunters, including Boba and Bossk, who I wanted to level up anyway.

Anyway, I know it'll still take a few months of collecting shards to max it (I paid enough crystals to get it to 5* no more💀), but for now, Satisfaction!

My next big goal is going to be GAS, which I've about finished collecting shards of all requirements for. But it'll take me a while to get them up to relics, and before that, I want to prioritize beefing up my CLS team. They're all 7*s but I wasn't giving them much love.

(I also desperately want to relic up my clones, who are currently sitting at G12, but I feel like I should prioritize at least getting GAS, since I know he takes a while to collect shards afterwards...)

I feel like I should also go back and get the Revans, but I'm kinda wary bc I feel like they're prime targets for the next Lightspeed Bundles. Which. I've been getting them, and they're a great deal and useful, but. Makes putting the time and effort into some things feel stupid.

Anyway, roughly half a year? maybe? since starting SWGOH and here we are lmao

[seren1tyhaze]

Unconditional

PAIRING: jaehyun x afab reader

WORD COUNT: 1.9k

SUMMARY: dating a hot actor is great and all, until you find some texts on his phone that make you wonder if he's really the man of your dreams

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm back after another unplanned hiatus. Even when I'm not posting here, I'm always thinking about writing things and wanting to share more. I have written a couple things for Ao3 so those will be up there soon. As usual, Mr. Jeong Jaehyun himself has ruined me again with his new song and video to the point where I sat down and wrote this in one sitting and never looked back. More from me soon, I promise xx

WARNINGS: established relationship, domestic fluff, explicit smut, swearing

PLAYLIST: Unconditional by Jaehyun, Smoke by Jaehyun, Birthday by Ten, Honey by John Legend

--

--

“I just don’t believe you Jae! Do you think I’m stupid?”

Your cheeks are burning red and you know your chest is splotchy as your temperature rises, heart pounding. Ever since you were a kid, your skin would turn bright red the moment you started to get agitated, making you a terrible poker player and never one to even try to lie to anyone. It was one of things that endeared you to Jaehyun immediately, his bright red ears the moment someone teased him or he felt embarrassed.

“Baby, baby,” he starts, groggily reaching a large hand to you from the mountain of pillows and plush white sheets. His hair is still pushed back in that stupid plastic headband he fell asleep wearing the night before, making it hard to take him seriously in the heat of the moment.

You wipe a single tear from your eye before it can slip down your cheek and turn away from him, throwing his phone onto the covers with more strength than you thought you had in the moment.

Dating a famous actor who spends most of his time at premieres in Seoul and on movie sets around the world wasn’t easy. You had turned Jaehyun down the first few times he slid up on your Instagram stories, a mutual stylist friend having introduced you at a small birthday dinner you both were invited to.

Grabbing his phone off the nightstand instead of yours this morning had sent you into a spiral, shaking him awake in the bed to ask for an explanation about why he’s messaging someone about a “gorgeous girl named Honey” and how he “can’t wait to spoil her the way she deserves.”

“We’ve been together for a year and now you’re going to start cheating on me? Really original, Jeong.”

Your eyes roll back into your sockets and you scoop all your long, curly hair onto the top of your head, pulling running shorts and socks from the dresser near the window as you continue to grill him.

Jaehyun sits up fully, the comforter slipping off his shoulders and exposing his bare, chiselled chest. He’s still pale from having spent the whole winter filming in Canada, not having had enough trips to the nearby beach to have his adorable freckles reappear on his cheeks. His hair is bright white, platinum, and long in the back, soft in the morning light streaming in the floor to ceiling windows.

“You know I went out with Mingyu last week to that Dior party and he said if I ever wanted it to be a real date, just say the word and he would drop everything and everyone.”

“Dior? You wound me,” Jaehyun replies, mockingly rubbing his pec as he rolls his eyes. You know how much the statement had to hurt him, he always had been worried about your closeness to his friend Mingyu (and Mingyu’s long wavy hair, sparkly eyes, and massive biceps), even if he lets that go unsaid now.

“I’m going for a run and when I get back, I really hope you’ve managed to get up, shower, and figure out how you’re going to tell your PR team about this, unless they are all in on it too,” you finish, wobbling near the foot of the bed as you try to put your socks on while standing.

A firm hand is on your wrist, instantly balancing you. You look up to meet Jaehyun’s eyes, soft and glittering and sending you back to the first time you ever met.

“Who needs the candy, you look sweet enough to eat,” he had practically purred in your ear, pressing a hand between your thighs, under the silky material of your Vivienne Westwood skirt in a private booth in the back a dark room, surrounded by tall crystal jars of sweets.

Your marketing executive job had your team planning events for high end clients on a regular basis but this event had been extra special as your best friend had finally launched her own luxury cosmetics brand. The event was a mix of rich pops of red, velvety cushions and extravagant accessories, diamond necklaces draped across necks of models with artistic and bold eye looks. You had spared no expense for your friend and your assistant had the mountains of receipts to prove it.

The guest list was no exception, you had made sure every A-list name had received an invite and hundreds of attractive and trendy faces from fashion and entertainment filled the event space. That included Seoul’s hottest star, known for his striking and stoic look and deep, rich voice.

“You are not using that as an opening line on me,” you had sighed, trying to push down the moan bubbling up in your throat as long fingers toyed with lace dangerously close to slipping out of place.

“Technically, I asked you if the brownies had tree nuts because my body guard is allergic,” he quipped back, thumb brushing over you with intention.

You had bit your lip in frustration and swatted his hand away, grabbing his phone from his coat pocket and giving him your number, insisting that he had to reach out first because you were busy with a “real job”. He had laughed, sucking his now wet thumb into his mouth and letting it slide out with a loud popping noise and a simple “Yes, ma’am”.

That same phone was now in his hand a little under a year later, his fingers moving quickly against the glass screen.

“You don’t have anything to say?” you ask in shock and before you can say another word, your doorbell is chiming and he’s up from the bed and down your hallway, wearing nothing but his stupid boxers with lemons on them.

You roll your eyes and move to your large kitchen for a glass for water, almost letting it slip from your hands as he places a large Prada shopping bag on the marble island.

“A bag? A fucking purse is supposed to make me forgive you? How did you even get that this fast?”

“Baby, just look inside and it will explain everything,” he speaks calmly, sliding the bag carefully closer to you.

You untie the ribbon holding it loosely closed and you think you’re losing your mind when you see the bag move on its own. As soon as the thick paper opens, a tiny brown and curly head of fur appears. Neatly groomed ears are shaking and a tiny black Prada collar is clasped around the neck of the puppy.

“A dog?!” you exclaim in disbelief. The puppy lets out a small but high pitched bark, demanding to be let out of the bag with a fluffy paw nudging your hand.

“A chocolate French poodle puppy,” Jaehyun corrects, moving behind you and wrapping his arms around you, pressing his bare chest into your back. He lifts the puppy from the bag and places her into your waiting arms, the puppy taking no time at all to snuggle into your neck.

“Her name is Honey,” he tells you and you can practically feel his smile from the way he speaks.

“Honey��” you repeat. The dog’s eyes are wide in curiosity, head tilting to the side as she appears to recognize her name.

“Yeah, baby?” he jokes back, pressing warm lips to the short hairs at your hairline. You can tell he thinks he’s funny for that joke and you don’t need to turn to see what kind of look is in his eye. He trails his mouth to your ear, nudging the metal hoops along the shell and kissing the “14” ink at the skin behind your ear.

Your mouth is suddenly so dry that you can’t speak so you simply turn in his arms, letting Honey drop to the floor and bound excitedly on your slippery floors.

“How long had you been planning this surprise for me to just ruin it with my paranoia?” you murmur against his forehead, pressing a tender kiss to smooth skin.

“A couple months, I was just trying to find the perfect puppy for us,” he replies, fingers drawing circles on the bare skin exposed between your sports bra and shorts.

“I’m so sorry,” you reply, feeling embarrassment heat up your cheeks and sweat start to prick at your hairline.

“Don’t be,” he smiles back with his million watt smile that landed him his first commercial at eight years old, plucked from his class trip to a theme park by a talent scout.

“You know how I feel about you, nothing is going to change that. Not even if you go on 127 million dates with Kim Mingyu,” he finishes, sealing his lips over yours.

You open your lips and greedily press your tongue behind his annoyingly perfect teeth, lifting your fingers up to tug at the hair almost touching his shoulders.

“God,” Jaehyun growls in between kisses, grabbing at your ass to hoist you up on the counter, tugging roughly at your shorts to push them down to your ankles and ripping your legs open.

You’re panting, resting back on your wrists as he holds your knees open and presses wet kisses to your inner thighs. His energy is wild and chaotic, exactly as you’ve always expected from him and your mind is starting to go to that numb place it always goes when gets his tongue on you.

You arch your back in pleasure, letting moans tumble from your lips freely, trying desperately to ignore the adorable face now perched on your couch, eyes curious but also dozing off from exerting energy after running the full length of your penthouse.

You let your eyes fall to the rolling waves out the window, morning sun blinding you and forcing you to look down at the bobbing head of the blonde man between your legs. He meets your gaze with sparkling eyes and drops a kiss to his self proclaimed favorite tattoo of yours, a small rose on your hip bone. You smile softly at him before shrieking and almost crushing his head with your thighs when he takes sharp canines to the spot, almost drawing blood.

He jumps up and starts running towards your bedroom, scooping a startled Honey off the back of the couch and holding her in front of him he runs backwards.

“Jaehyun, you cannot use our child as a shield!” you yell, almost slipping in your socks as you bound after him.

When you round the corner, you slam into his bare chest, standing at the foot of the bed. Honey is curled up on the same pillow Jaehyun had tucked under his arm as he slept, already dozing again.

“Our child? I like the sound of that,” he says seriously, his voice velvety and tempting. His hands are at your waist again and you are having a hard time thinking straight.

“Calm down there, mister,” you chuckle, pushing him back to sit on the edge of the bed and dropping to your knees in between his open legs.

“Let’s see how you do with this dog first,” you mutter, hands pushing down his boxers easily to take his hardened length between experienced fingers.

He smiles with his whole face at your words, eyes crinkling up in the corners and shoulders shaking a bit as you move your mouth over smooth skin, letting his soft moans fill the room and calm your racing heart.

[artist-issues]

I Hate How She Talks About Snow White

"People are making these jokes about ours being the PC Snow White, where it's like, yeah, it is − because it needed that. It's an 85-year-old cartoon, and our version is a refreshing story about a young woman who has a function beyond 'Someday My Prince Will Come. "

Let me tell you a little something's about that "85-year-old cartoon," miss Zegler.

It was the first-ever cel-animated feature-length full-color film. Ever. Ever. EVER. I'm worried that you're not hearing me. This movie was Disney inventing the modern animated film. Spirited Away, Into the Spider-Verse, Tangled, you don't get to have any of these without Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937.)

Speaking of what you wouldn't get without this movie, it includes anime as a genre. Not just in technique (because again, nobody animated more than shorts before this movie) but in style and story. Anime, as it is now, wouldn't exist without Osamu Tezuka, "The God of Manga," who wouldn't have pioneered anime storytelling in the 1940s without having watched and learned from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in the 1930s. No "weeb" culture, no Princess Mononoke, no DragonBall Z, no My Hero Academia, no Demonslayer, and no Naruto without this "85-year-old cartoon."

It was praised, not just for its technical marvels, not just for its synchronized craft of sound and action, but primarily and enduringly because people felt like the characters were real. They felt more like they were watching something true to life than they did watching silent, live-action films with real actors and actresses. They couldn't believe that an animated character could make kids wet their pants as she flees, frightened, through the forest, or grown adults cry with grieving Dwarves. Consistently.

Walt Disney Studios was built on this movie. No no; you're not understanding me. Literally, the studio in Burbank, out of which has come legends of this craft of animated filmmaking, was literally built on the incredible, odds-defying, record-breaking profits of just Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, specifically.

Speaking of record-breaking profits, this movie is the highest-grossing animated film in history. Still. TO THIS DAY. And it was made during the Great Depression.

In fact, it made four times as much money than any other film, in any other genre, released during that time period. It was actually THE highest-grossing film of all time, in any genre, until nothing less than Gone With the Wind, herself, came along to take the throne.

It was the first-ever animated movie to be selected for the National Film Registry. Actually, it was one of the first movies, period, to ever go into the registry at all. You know what else is in the NFR? The original West Side Story, the remake of which is responsible for Rachel Ziegler's widespread fame.

Walt Disney sacrificed for this movie to be invented. Literally, he took out a mortgage on his house and screened the movie to banks for loans to finish paying for it, because everyone from the media to his own wife and brother told him he was crazy to make this movie. And you want to tell me it's just an 85-year-old cartoon that needs the most meaningless of updates, with your tender 8 years in the business?

Speaking of sacrifice, this movie employed over 750 people, and they worked immeasurable hours of overtime, and invented--literally invented--so many new techniques that are still used in filmmaking today, that Walt Disney, in a move that NO OTHER STUDIO IN HOLLYWOOD was doing in the 30's, put this in the opening credits: "My sincere appreciation to the members of my staff whose loyalty and creative endeavor made possible this production." Not the end credits, like movies love to do today as a virtue-signal. The opening credits.

It's legacy endures. Your little "85-year-old cartoon" sold more than 1 million DVD copies upon re-release. Just on its first day. The Beatles quoted Snow White in one of their songs. Legacy directors call it "the greatest film ever made." Everything from Rolling Stones to the American Film Institute call this move one of the most influential masterpieces of our culture. This movie doesn't need anything from anybody. This movie is a cultural juggernaut for America. It's a staple in the art of filmmaking--and art, in general. It is the foundation of the Walt Disney Company, of modern children's media in the West, and of modern adaptations of classical fairy tales in the West. When you think only in the base, low, mean terms of "race" and "progressivism" you start taking things that are actually worlds-away from being in your league to judge, and you relegate them to silly ignorant phrases like "85-year-old cartoon" to explain why what you're doing is somehow better.

Sit down and be humble. Who the heck are you?

[bluebellowl]

I love the way you draw and color the twins' eyes. the menacing glow is my favorite thing! 💛

Thanks!! I'm having great fun with them too!! I know their glowing eyes are most probably just a texture thing in Legends Arceus, and I even think in that game everyone's eyes do that. They just don't react to the shader, but Ingo's iris just have the brightest colour, so we're most likely to say that his eyes actively glow.

Another thing I do is stick to the manic stare they have in the official Pokemon BW art. Eyecolour is only like 0,01 shades darker than the white of the eyes, no eyelids covering the iris; just pure madness in those eyes.

For a good while, I'd also do that gradiant from darker grey to light grey like they do in Legends Arceus and Masters Ex but I stopped at some point and just made them as piercing as possible òwó

[newscroll]

In the lotr books, many female characters don't have much agency outside of men or are objectified, but as a woman I appreciate how femininity is portrayed in Middle Earth. Middle Earth is mostly patriarchal and famous warriors get the spotlight a lot and there aren't nearly enough women characters, but the narrative never implies there's something wrong with being gentle or "emotionally sensitive" in a traditionally feminine way. A lot of media that tries to be feminist can't say that.

The power of feminine characters tends to be less forceful, yes, but not less powerful (think Luthien facing Morgoth). In fact, I think women are portrayed more favorably than their male warrior counterparts for creating things (Yavanna, Varda), bringing growth or healing (Este, Nienna), or protecting (Melian's girdle, Galadriel's Lothlorien). The male characters rewarded most by the narrative are ones that show these "feminine" qualities, and those that disrespect them are rebuked.

As for the women in the main books, all are shining symbols of hope/strength to those around them. Their beauty is mentioned a lot, and there's some objectification there, especially with Arwen and Goldberry, but with the beauty power and wisdom.

(Side note: Most powerful, good things in Middle Earth are also beautiful in one way or another. Even Gandalf with the bushy eyebrows past the brim of his hat is described: "his long white hair, his sweeping silver beard, and his broad shoulders, made him look like some wise king of ancient legend. In his aged face under great snowy brows his dark eyes were set like coals that could leap suddenly into fire." i didn't realize Gandalf was like that but ok)

Anyway, Galadriel and Eowyn especially are powerful in the forceful way, but they learn not to covet power. They're given opportunities to join in the cycle of violence and struggle as martial figures and both turn from that path. Rejecting violent power to be wise and compassionate is an honorable thing in lotr, even if the characters and societies that make up Middle Earth often fail to realize it.

Summary: there are issues with how Tolkien wrote women but he made them out of wisdom and kindness and gentleness and understood the value of those attributes. Misogynists don't respect things that are "traditionally feminine", and the most praised attributes in the narrative of lotr are a "feminine" kind of bravery and honor, which perseveres and remains compassionate in the face of war and the temptation of power.

[mewdas]

mdni siren!gojo fucking u full, breeding mention, horror themes, fluffy near the end, blood + wound play (mild), he’s feral stop booing me . 2nd instalment of my jjk monster men series

black, wet and.. cold, so cold, an endless inky blot your ship sat minuscule on, blurry and hazy in a way that made it hard to tell if you were awake or dreaming — fuck, the sting.. that poorly timed cut on your arm kept nagging for attention in the bleak saltwater. it was impossible to decipher exactly which part was on you and when; heavy, suffocating pressure in— no, on your chest, weighing you down or.. latched on, or all at once. teeth in your neck, webbed fingers clinging so hard - wet against wet, you swore you were rapidly bruising every which way. you could tell you were being moved at least, roughly, then soft then back again, a flash of white hair every so often in your bleary vision, half-lidded blue eyes danced with lust and a primal need to consume that peered into your own.

this wasn’t how you envisioned your ships voyage into the uncharted expanse of the great sea, the ‘unknown’, said to be festering with beast and outcasts alike - where the pirates in those endless legends resided; longhook, greybeard, ‘the butcher’, it was a thrill - for someone as adventure hungry as you and your small crew, at least.

you were determined to make a name for yourself; once the ‘dock rats’ of the pirate world, offering to clean up other crews vessels for coin, help haul in a large full fishing net or to keep the gulls away while your temporary bosses ate — mundane, boring. this wasn’t what you were made for, not in the slightest. that’s what your ma used to tell you, too.

at the first whiff of prospect on the salty breeze, you hired up the finest boat — well, perhaps not the finest. it was lined with barnacles and barely had enough space below deck to swing a cat, let alone store the things they’d actually need for the voyage. though you were always remaining undeterred, it was perfect, in your eyes. sure, the sail was a little ragged, or maybe an oar was missing a chunk or.. two — but it was yours! the vessel that’d carry you and your three-man crew into uncharted territory, to finally document the unknown, to prove yourself, to show the world you weren’t just lowly deck-scrubbers or gull-scarers!

really, the problems that arose nearly off the bat should’ve deterred you. ever stubborn, though. they were plentiful and came in swarms, overwhelming being an understatement. before you had even made it past the fabled ‘current of bones’, said to be so strong it sank even the greatest vessels — likely why most went around — you had sprung a leak below deck, one of your men near breaking his ankle rushing to plug it up and bucket the water out post haste.

okay, a minor hiccup..

whether it was leaks, gulls stealing most of your lunches, or that dark shape below the murky waves your men ‘swore they saw’, this whole thing was a far bigger challenge than you had first anticipated, and a good nights rest was well overdue. or, as well a rest you could get on this little wooden buoy you had cashed out on.. all swaying and rocking even with the anchor dropped.

god, nobody tells you how hard and sickening the waves get, or how… creepy the ocean at night really is.

the gentle snores of your crew, settled like sardines shoulder-to-shoulder below deck, was the only thing that accompanied the gentle brush of saltwater against your ships hull - with you propped up above deck, elbows rested on the side as you looked out over the empty expanse. judging by the map you kept rolled in your belt, you were a couple hundred nautical miles from the nearest—

what was that?

everything stops in your mind - frozen still as you wait, wait ever so patiently just to see if that sound you thought you heard is something real. and you fucking hope not, because it was scary, unknown, all.. garbled and almost human, but not quite.

who are you kidding..?

you ease a fraction, palming the stray trickle of sweat from your temple. just the waves. you’ve been out here a bit on the water, couple days now, you’re just.. antsy, it’s fine.

and then you tense again, the colour you swear draining from your face. there it is again, that sound, that.. song? it’s eerily familiar, akin to something you’re sure is from your childhood, perhaps.. something your mother once sang to you as she rocked your little warm form in her arms. but of course, your mother isn’t out here. nobody is supposed to be out here, not like this.

a sudden nudge of the boat startles you from your shock, prone and short of breath when your white-knuckled grip finds the edge of the ship, you’re frantic, senseless as you scan the black depths, even blacker below the soft moons reign. fuck, fuck, there’s nothing - you can’t see anything so there’s nothing. it’s fine and—

and the boat rocks again. it’s a wonder how your men haven’t woken yet. god how you wish they would - how you’d be much braver with them rallied by your side to rid this sea.. thing from your vessel, how you’d all cheer and toss up hefty mugs of too-strong rum in celebration once safe.

but they don’t. they don’t even stir, and you can’t bring yourself to scamper below deck and let this thing just circle without your eyes on it, which is what you think it’s doing. oh— a flash of white beneath the dark, so brief you almost twist yourself up trying to follow it with your head.

and then, you see it. god, you see it. and it’s beautiful, yet so frightening you can feel your pulse hammer away in your throat at the sight of it. two piercingly blue eyes locked onto yours, swirling with mirth and something you don’t dare think about too hard - reflective and deeply intense in the face of the moon. it looks.. almost man, with such a large mass you can only imagine, partially blurred away beneath the endless depths, all white shimmering scales and blue spots. his long strikingly white hair lay slithering down his back in mindless ways, wet and slicking past his finned, webbed ears.

you’re not even sure how long you’ve just been staring at eachother, but you faintly recognise it getting closer, just gradually, and it sets you on edge - really it does, the water giving way for its hulking form. in that maw, now that it’s nearer, you can see delicate pink lips, long white clusters of lash bordering those beautiful blues, glinting jagged teeth hidden away. the blue spots, you make out, are much akin to eyes.. though seem to function quite the same as a tigers markings would — evolved to intimidate and frighten.

the large form is lunging into the side of the ship again, thrashing its tail unabashedly into the side, sending you clinging to the side - fuck! you barely register the searing pain of a gash up your arm as you’re sent dangling off the side, scrabbling to keep yourself out of the depths, away from that. must’ve caught it on one of the barnacles off the side.. shit.

there’s a sudden rush of water, you can feel the entire boat sway with the force of the wave alone, and it’s enough to make your already white-knuckled grip release the wooden side, the sheer temperature drop of the water sucking away your breath before anything else does, like a jolt of lightning through you.

it takes the freezing water to draw your frantic eyes to the blood muddying the water around you - and you only get a fraction of a second to let your mind catch up before the beast is all over you, two large scaled arms finding your shoulders to slam you unceremoniously into the side of your own ship, which groans and creaks in protest.

“not fair.” he’s seething out through jagged teeth and lips that don’t quite seem used to speaking, forget the common language. his breath warm against your ear when he leans in, allowing long, forked tongue up against your ear, ghosting. “naughty.”

you can barely hear him, head spinning and bleary - not to mention the fact he’s speaking to you. your breath is coming in quick gasps, and you can’t help the pathetic little pained sound that spills from your lips when his webbed fingers find your wrist, yanking it up to his pale scaled face to get a long, languid sniff, burying his face into the gash, lapping away at the blood and marking like his life depends on it.

you’re all ow! and wait! but there’s a dark, wavering little part deep in your gut that’s thrilled, brimming with excitement at not only the contact but the discovery!

—fuck! his tongue against your lips quickly snaps you from your thought - and you realise you can soak in the rays of accomplishment later. if this siren allows you a ‘later.’

he has you pinned firm, the jagged wood pressing into your soaked back a painful sting, the odd barnacle snagging your elbow or ankle as you wriggle. the siren, satoru he says his name is between desperate ‘kisses’ — really just him shoving his long tongue past your lips and down your throat — a fact you just barely hold on to, too distracted by the insistent hump of what you can only assume to be his arousal up against your thigh.

“wait, just— mnh-“ you’re spluttering out, body yielding entirely subconsciously, your quivering fingers finding solace on his shoulders, arms slung around his gilled neck like you would a lover, pulling him close in your grasp. god, you feel utterly drunk off his scent, his song, all you can think about is him.

this seems to strike a pleased chord in satoru, grinning a flash of jagged teeth as he releases your shoulders, his sides huffing and second set of gills beneath his ribs allowing him to pant desperately into your warm skin as he pries your legs apart, drooling openly down your already ocean-soaked collarbone. “let me.. in..” he’s hissing into your ear, webbed fingers pointedly finding your clit with an accuracy that startles you.

“oh..” you whine, incessantly rolling your hips into his touch, entirely drowning out the chill of the water around you, or your crew asleep on the other side of the hull as you wrap your legs around his hips, duly noting the thick muscle replacing his legs below his waist, the long finned tail he’s partially using to keep you pinned without his hands.

it’s all you can do to keep yourself spilling into his hand at the chaste little strokes of your clit alone, pulling him so close you can smell the faint waft of fish and blood on him - not that it matters when he’s nudging his pointed tip against your slick slit, growling and huffing like an animal gone wild, seeking the give of your hole - which finally yields with a lewd shlick, your eyes snapping wide when he’s hilted to the base inside your willing cunt, a satisfied little trill of his own sounding into your hair when he sees himself bulging out of your stomach.

satoru can’t keep his attention off the gash up your arm long, nudging and huffing the coppery scent as he ruts his hips up into yours, smooth penis leaking copious amounts of arousal that coat your gummy walls with each push, his claws digging in when he feels you flutter and squeeze along his length. “take.. “ he mumbles into your wound, blood streaking his stark white face, intensely watching yours as it twists and slacks with pleasure all at once.

judging by the strangled choke you give whenever he angles his hips in that specific way, pointed tip seeking out your spongy g-spot like a missile, knocking it again and again and again until you’re mindless on his cock, head tipped so helplessly into the back of the hull, back arching up into him like his dick was a lifeline and you were drowning. “oh- please-!”

and christ he’s cumming just as you are, claws drawing angry marks down your soft back, teeth sank into your neck with a feral choke, growling heavily through the blood seeping onto his tongue like syrup, his hips stuttering into your cunt as each heavy spurt of velvety heat finds sanction deep in your greedy womb - sending your eyes rolling.

it feels like forever until he’s sated, finally pulling away with a pleased chuff, big blue eyes searching your face desperately, as if seeking approval - the hungry, wild look in them replaced with an almost fond little glint as he thumbs away some blood from your chin, a wide grin spread over his face.

“you.. carry pups, mine.” satoru nods eagerly, palming hair from your eyes as he lofts you out of the water by your armpits, holding your spent form up like a prize won from a carnival game.

“…the fuck?” you hear from above you, the distinctive voice of one of your men, laced with disbelief. oops?

— ⚓️

holding him up by the scruff like a dog to show all of u . planning to do more fics on siren gojo i’ll be honest . i’ll say it . my friends gave me some real cool ideas and they’re sssoo super cute,, stay tuned

[justpoliteconversations]

Apple Merchant [BOTW!Link x Isekai!Reader] (Part 4)

Link learns some things. And so do you.

Yet another for the ever growing pile of self-indulgent garbage refuse. Enjoy the process of decomposition with me for a while.

Part 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

Alternate Extras: Embrace

Masterlist

TW: Choosing not to display warnings. Read at your own discretion.

Disclaimer: Don't own The Legend of Zelda franchise.

---

The yiga. A faction of Ganon worshipping traitors formerly of the Sheikah clan, whose main objective is to kill the Hero known as Link (in other words, himself). Known for their distinctive red body suits and white masks. And, strangely enough, their love of bananas.

They were also currently at the very top of Link's (until recently non-existent) shit list, because AM had deemed their threat level too great to allow them to meet each other freely. As Blue had told him, AM's profession placed them at greater danger than the average citizen to the assassins' blades. What that profession was, Link was not told (despite his pleading and intense stares and even one memorable attempt to bargain for the information), but it was deemed necessary to maintain distance because of this.

There were plenty of other useful things in the book too. Not a letter or a note or even a small bundle of documents. A book. An honest to Goddess book. Because there was nothing else the ridiculously thick, neatly piled collection of leather bound miscellaneous papers, maps, diagrams, notes and documents could be. It was the thickness of Link's hand for goodness sakes.

Thankfully, Blue had taken mercy on him (and his desire to get moving as soon as possible) and bookmarked the pages and maps that would be most useful to him. All while giving him that bland, graceful smile of hers and explaining that AM was a very proactive information gatherer, but that they didn't always consider that not everyone wanted to know the exact region Sneaky snails bred in or where the highest priced wheat could be found.

Link very deliberately didn't tell her that he did, in fact, find those very interesting topics to learn about (and that he would be reading through the entire book when he got the chance. later). Because he was still stung that she'd given him a condescending little smile (smirk, it was a damned smirk and Link knew it) when he'd tried to bargain with her for more information on AM.

In total, he'd spent three days in Hateno, gathering information (as though the book wasn't enough), gathering supplies (because as many as were in the slate, it didn't have everything a warrior would need to maintain his gear. Blue's words, not his) and getting to know the people around the area.

Also, armor. Costume fitted (Link didn't think too hard about how Blue had gotten his measurements) as to AM's specifications before they'd left town. The order arrived a little later due to his (apparently) small size causing complications with some of the straps.

Honestly, it felt good. It felt familiar with a hazy kind of comfort that spoke of his body's remembrance of such armor resting upon it often. And suddenly, in that moment, the thought that he had once been a knight didn't feel so far off, despite having no memory of it and very little desire to become as such again.

Ready to go (finally) he put on his boots, tightened the straps of his new (fitted. maybe he'd see about getting his Sheikah armor fitted as well if he was in the area) hyrulian armor set, and took one last shot before departing.

"Where can I get more bananas?" Link tried, going for casual but coming off far too intense for it to be anything but prying. "For the Yiga problem."

Blue just smiled (small and condescending, and so frustrating) before replying evenly. "AM has that well in hand I'd imagine." The knowing glint in Blue's eyes put a pout on Link's face. "It's best you focus on your mission, Courageous One." Then she smiled genuinely. Just a bit, but enough to ease Link's heart as she continued. "Fear naught for your beloved AM. No harm shall befall them while my sister haunts their shadow."

Link believed her. And with that little bit of reassurance, the Hero of Hyrule set out into the world once more. With courage in his heart and his goal ever at the forefront of his mind.

Defeat the Calamity guy. Meet AM. Travel this vast, wondrous world with them for the rest of their days. Or, maybe one day settle down more permanently in Hateno and open a food stand.

Anywhere life took them. Whatever you wanted. This was the beginning of his new life after all, and he was so eager to spend it with you.

---

You stared up at the quickly growing pile of bright yellow fruit with something like regret stabbing at your heart. Just thinking about how much rupees you were about to drop on this one purchase alone was enough to put a hitch in your throat. It was enough to have you contemplating a long walk off that equally long (absurdly long) wooden bridge just next to the stable.

When you'd stopped at Lakeside Stable for the night and told Adino you'd pay him market price for any bananas he brought back to you before you left. You hadn't expected him to take that as a challenge. You hadn't expected Skims to get involved in it as well. And you most certainly had not expected Red to show up out of nowhere with a pile rivaling (and maybe even surpassing) Adino's.

And thus, within the span of a few short hours, you were suddenly several thousand rupees poorer (not that that pantry amount even scratched the surface of your accumulated wealth, but you digress) and many, many bananas richer.

At least they tasted good.

"Not that I'm against your presence. But why are you here, Red?" You asked the red clad woman after (with a heavy heart) passing out everyone's pay for the bananas they'd brought you. (Skims and Red didn't even have the grace to look ashamed for muscling in on the quick profit either, the jerks.)

She didn't even pause from where she'd been fingering through her newly acquired (ill gotten) gains when she hummed playfully. "Oh. Gran thought it'd be wise to send along a little extra protection to ensure The Hero's benefactor remained unmolested during these most crucial of times."

The look on your face must have been confused enough to spur Red to explain. "Gran told us to keep you in the dark about our motivations, but I like you. So I'll tell you the truth, since you seem like the reasonable sort." She finally put the rupees down and turned to face you, eyes hardening into a serious shade of near black as she explained.

"The Hero is without his memory, and until recently, was without motivation to see his mission through with the urgency it requires. Had he been as he was before, just the mention of the Princess would have been enough to send the guy running, if you believe the rambling of nostalgic old gossip crows." Her lips twisted into something too complicated to decipher before it was neutral again.

"But he's not the man he used to be. He's not the princess's knight anymore for all his destiny would push him to be. And so, he needed a new motivation to get him moving." She gave you a smile, but it wasn't a nice one (it was one full of spite and pity, though only the pitying part was directed at you). "That's you. The guy loves you already. Call it situational stockholm or just that damned knightly instincts of his, but you are the apple of his eye." She tried to soften her smile into something humorous, but it fell short.

"Bottom line. You're the replacement motivation. Just until he gets enough of his memories back to get invested in the Princess' wellbeing." She flicked a rupee off the stump she'd gathered them on, expression very closed off as she continued.

"Whenever Mr. hero gets a little too comfortable playing house, we're supposed to dangle you in his face and get him interested again. That you seem invested in his success was just a bonus. Be it the Will of Hylia or just simple coincidence, doesn't matter. You're useful, and if it gets the Princess out of that Hell, we're willing to use that."

Another smile, sharp but honest. "It's our duty after all, to serve the royal family. I'm sure you understand." Despite the way the information settled sourly in your stomach you nodded, keeping your expression as even as possible.

She noticed though, and suddenly her hand was on yours (you hadn't noticed it tightening into a fist). "Don't fret, Apples." She smiled again, softer this time. Eyes lighted with a compassion that held such raw honesty despite her earlier words. "My sister and I are not going to let the elders use you like that. You might have asked yourself why Bluey isn't here instead, since, you know-" She smirked, side-eyeing Adino who'd gone some distance off to try to find more bananas (to take more of your rupees, the little bastard).

"We will fulfill our duties. For the protection of Hyrule and everything we love. But not at your's or your dear Hero's expense. At least, not like that. You see, Bluey has something I do not, and that is a gentle touch. She'll take care of the Hero in the way he needs, not the way that'll get the fastest results." Her smirk widened. "And she's got more of a rebellious streak than me too. Trust in her. She'll protect your dear Hero. Even if she has to spit in the elders' eyes to do it. She never could put her heart aside for the sake of duty."

You were silent for a time, digesting her words with the weight and attention they deserved, before looking back to her. A smile on your lips, and your hand out before her in the gesture of a shake.

"I look forward to doing business with you then, Red." You began, letting the edge of your resolve sharpen your eyes and embolden your words. "Let's do our best to protect Link and save Zelda. We'll give it everything we've got."

Red grinned, full and bright and smug (so unbearably smug, like she had won the lottery. which they didn't have here, and you were not interested in introducing any time soon either). "I knew you were gonna understand. The Goddess wouldn't choose just anyone to guard her chosen's heart."

You blinked. "What?"

Red picked up another rupee, flicking it at you. "What~?"

---

Now, off to work! And then the shadows to rest.

[shirefantasies]

Thorin’s Company When You Tell Them the Legend of Brísingamen (F!Reader)

Tagging @welikeimagines-andfandoms for the idea inspiration, thanks love 😉 Warnings: suggestive of course given the nature of this legend 😂 but no explicit acts described

"In my world, dwarves are but the stuff of legend," you told your company, all rapt at your words and the sight of your features flickering in the fireglow as they rose into a little smirk, "In fact, one of my favorite legends involves a group of dwarves." "Well, go on, then!" Gloin encouraged. "Tell us!" "Yeah," Ori agreed, eyes shining, "What are you waiting for?" "Dramatic effect," you teased with a grin, "But I shall tell you the legend of Brísingamen. Known as the necklace of flame, Brísingamen was the most beautiful piece of jewelry in the world." "Crafted by dwarves no doubt!" Bombur chimed in. "Of course," you nodded, smiling softly, "Four dwarves forged it: Alfrik, Berling, Grer, and Dvalin." "Sounds a lot like..." Nori teased, elbowing Dwalin. "Indeed!" You agreed, nodding the tattooed dwarf's way. "Maybe it's a relative, huh? Well, Brísingamen was not just beautiful, but magical! Its protective magic attracted the goddess Freya, who offered to purchase it with great riches of silver and gold. The dwarves, however, had no need for her treasure. Rather they offered a different form of payment: they would give her the necklace if she was willing to spend a night with each of them." "They didn't!" Nori burst out, smiling devilishly. "Well," Balin countered, "Even if they did, it doesn't mean-" "And that, my friends," you cut him off with a wicked grin of your own, "Is the story of how Freya acquired Brísingamen." Uproar overtook the camp, shouts of triumph, applause, laughter, outrage, shock from Bilbo, and you loved every minute of it. One particular reaction stood out to you, however....

Balin

"Ah, lass," Balin teased you, shaking his head, "What've you gone and filled their heads with now?" "Old stories," you answered with a shrug and a look of mock-innocence, "Myths, really. Tales I thought they might get a kick out of." "A little too much of a kick, I daresay," Balin replied, nodding toward Nori, who looked you up and down with a smile. "I'm not so easily bought as Freya," you told him, "I would give myself only to the one who has my heart." At that, Balin arched a bushy white brow. "And who might that be?" Involuntarily your jaw dropped at his question, eyes staring into his as anew. "You mean you do not know?" “You mean you want me like I want you? How?” Balin’s brown eyes shone so sincerely your heart all but broke, save for a select phrase that played over and over again, turning your fluttering heart back over and curling your lips back into a grin. “It wasn’t only their heads I filled with ideas, was it?”

Dwalin

Shaking his head, Dwalin gave a little snort. "All that over a necklace." Dropping back down onto the log at his side, shifting on its rough surface, you gave him a teasing smile. "You wouldn't do it, then?" Rather than a verbal answer, the dwarf gave you an exasperated glare you laughed heartily at. "Would you?" He asked in gruff incredulity. "Four's a lot to handle," you joked, "Even if it's not at a time. Think I'd just pick my favorite and go with that." "Oh, you've favorites, then?" "I quite liked one of them. What was his name again?" Putting a finger to your chin, you kept teasing. "It was very familiar." "What makes you think he'd spend the night with you?" "I can be very persuasive," you replied, lowering your voice and leaning closer, your nose almost brushing his. "He's going to need you to persuade him a little harder than that." "That can be arranged," you told the tattooed dwarf, a hand falling to his knee as you planned to make him ever regret asking.

Thorin

“What was the point of you telling that story?” Thorin. Off to the side, not sitting down, hands folded at his back. Serious. Of course. “Just for a bit of fun,” you told him with a shrug. “Fun? Is that what you want with us? All of us to-” “Skies above, Thorin,” you waved both hands defensively, “Is that what you think of me? I only told it because I knew they would like it. I want to help you, you know. I care about you.” At that, the king-to-be shook his head, some black locks loosening and falling to his shoulder with the motion. “You’re right. That was unfair and I am sorry,” he apologized, blue eyes wavering from yours, “I don’t know what came over me, I just-” Something flashed in those fierce icy eyes as he trailed off, something that had your lips quirking upward. “Wait, were you…jealous?” A full grin graced your face, teasingly glinting at Thorin. “You didn’t like the thought of me spending the night with all the others, did you?” The dwarf shook his head at that, but you caught the smallest of smiles playing upon his face as he did so. “See? I got a smile out of you!” “You simply never cease to surprise me,” Thorin told you, resting a hand on your shoulder.

Oin

"Did I hear that right?" "You sure did," you told him, elbowing him as you settled against his side, the warmth of the healer's coat. "Well, aren't ye a saucy lass?" He laughed heartily. "What was that Freya thinking?" Shrugging, you told him, "I don't think it was her idea. Remember, those naughty dwarves would not accept her treasures.” “I would say they did!” Oin burst out into another laugh, putting his hands up. “But I guess you caught me there. We know how to have a little fun, us dwarvenkind!” “Do you now?” You asked, leaning forward with your chin resting on your fist. For all his hearing difficulties, Oin didn’t miss a beat that time. “Come to the healer’s tent for a little checkup and I daresay you’ll find out.”

Gloin

Gloin had laughed with the rest of them, but now he was snorting to himself. Taking a seat at his side, you asked him what that was about. “So they denied the treasure of a goddess? Bloody fools those dwarves were!” Hands on your hips, you leaned in closer to frown right at Gloin. “Some romantic you are!” “I don’t think romance had anything to do with it,” he pointed out with a sardonic smile, “But if it did? Oh, I would give every jewel, every coin in the kingdom to be with my One for but an hour! Time like that shines brighter than all the wealth of the mines!” Lips parting wordlessly, you stared at the auburn-haired dwarf, blinking once, twice. “Well, how’d I do?” He asked with a grin, resting a gloved hand gently upon your knee. “Enough romance for you?” You licked your lips and nodded, prompting him to connect the space between your lips. “Good,” he said in a low voice as you separated, “That story gave me a couple ideas. Four nights and all. I don’t fancy sharin’, though.”

Bifur

Chuckling to yourself, you made to look for a seat, noticing many members of the company parting rapidly to make room for you but choosing the spot next to Bifur, who smiled at you as he whittled. "Did you like that story?" You turned and asked him. Looking up for just a moment from the round shape he was carving, Bifur nodded eagerly, smiling at you beneath his braided mustache. Chuckling, you just settled in, your arm resting against his. "Well, good." Sparing glances at his whittling between other conversation, you caught a series of interconnected shapes and finally inquired as to his creation. "What are you making?" What he said you could not understand, but the small series of connected circles were held above his head and down, pantomiming draping it around his neck. "Is that... a necklace?" Gaze opening even bigger, you smiled wide and wicked into Bifur's hazel eyes. Lips quirking upward, he nodded and made to hand it to you before playfully yanking it away. What could you say? He knew what he wanted.

Bofur

“Well, well, well!” A weight and a warmth settled at your side after you’d selected a seat, one conveniently without any of the neighbors eagerly waving you over. Just the one you’d been hoping for, in fact, the sight of Bofur next to you with eager eyes and raised eyebrows brought a smile to your face. “You can’t go running off after a story like that!” “Where would you have me go, then,” you asked, “My dear Bofur?” “If I’m being honest, to bed with me, but I haven’t a single pretty thing to offer you. Just my toys and my trusty hat.” His words were joking, but his voice was almost…sad? “You think I want all that? I’m no goddess, Bofur,” you replied, “I like my campfires and saucy tales. I like a good night with someone I care about. And most of all, I love your toys and your hat.” “Really?” He leaned forward, hands gripping the log at his sides as he grinned, eyes darting this way and that over you.” “Really,” you answered, “Now are you going to kiss me or do I have to?”

Bombur

Bombur addressed you softly as you settled at his side, accepting him as your neighbor due to him being one of the few you trusted after a tale like that. Not to mention him being the most comfortable one or how sweet he was. Sure enough, his voice was as warm as ever, but gentler as he asked you, “Those dwarves must’ve been pretty dashing, eh?” “Something like that,” you answered, eyes sliding away from his teasingly. “What d’you suppose they might’ve looked like?” “Oh, great beards for sure,” you told him, “No doubt about that. I like to imagine them with fiery hair but hearts that burn with a much more tender light.” “That the kind of dwarf you could spend the night with?” Bombur asked, hazel eyes glowing with hope. “Indeed,” you answered with a smile, “I think I could.”

Dori

"So she really went through with it?" Glancing up from the steam curling out of your tin cup into Dori's blue eyes, you shrugged. "According to the old tale." Nose wrinkling, the dwarf sat next to you, careful not to disturb his own warm mug. "That's disgusting! Where is the respect?" The dwarves' for Freya or Freya for herself you were unsure; either way your reply was the same. "They offered, she accepted," you answered with a shrug before gazing back up at him, eyes sliding over the flutter of his lashes as he took a sip of evening tea, his lips gripping the mug's edge, "And besides, maybe she had just been waiting for an excuse to be with one of them." At that, Dori lowered his drink and fixed you with an intent look. "What are you saying? Do you mean to imply that-” “Yes,” you cut him off, “Yes, I am.” “I don’t have any necklaces,” Dori told you, raising a hand almost defensively. “But what,” you asked him, pushing the mug in his other hand gently down below his face, “Might you do if you had?” “I- I don't suppose I would need it that badly. If- if you liked it.” Eyes darting rapidly to your lips, Dori gave you his full attention.

Nori

"Nice night, isn't it, Freya? Oops, I mean-" Covering his mouth with his hand, Nori feigned innocence and correcting to your name, eyes sliding very deliberately to yours. "What's this?" You shot back, crossing your arms. "Are we dreaming again?" "Come on," Nori procured and swigged from his hip flask, an arm thrown casually over the rock at his back, "You can't deny there was some, shall we say, subliminal messaging in your little faery story there?" “Perhaps you were just projecting,” you countered, lowering into the seat at his side. “Twasn’t I who felt the need to tell us all about some lass ‘n her love of all things dwarfkind. And I do mean all things.” He added, punctuating his statement with a wink. “Are you trying to convince me your folk have some tricks up their sleeves?” "Not exactly up our sleeves." "For Mahal's sake," Gloin called out, "I'll give you the bloody jewels myself if you two just throw a blanket out in the woods and get this over with yourselves!" At that, Nori simply cast out an arm like a humble servant, although his expression could only be described as that of an eager housecat when you smiled back at him.

Ori

Twas Ori that came to you, taking you by surprise at his look of eager questioning. "So when you say Freya spent the night with them, you mean she..." He didn't need to go any further; you simply nodded as he trailed shyly off, brown eyes drifting down to the earth. "As the legend goes." "Those aren't real dwarves!" He replied, knitted gloved hands curling into fists as he looked back up. "Real dwarves would respect a lady far more than that! They would offer her gems in gratitude and celebration of one so fair." All teasing melted from your face in favor of a wide, soft smile. "Oh, Ori, any lady would be lucky to have you by her side. You're a gem in and of yourself." "You really think so?" He beamed. "I know so," you answered with a nod. "Wh- When we get to Erebor, I’m going to find you the biggest jewel I can get my hands on!” Ori burst out, hastily amending it. “Besides the Arkenstone, of course. Thorin would get jealous seeing how much prettier you are.” His earnest tone had your heart fluttering, let alone the way he smiled at you. "Well, then it is I who is luckiest."

Fili

“I would not be so confident, brother. Isn’t that right?” You’d hardly been listening until you heard Fili address you by name, head snapping up the blonde prince’s way instantly. “What was that?” “See? She ignored you,” Fili quipped to his brother before facing you again. They’d both been sitting casually by the fire, legs thrown apart and boots resting slightly raised on rocks or other forest debris as they conversed. The moment you chimed in, though, the brothers leaned forward with their full attention focused on you. “When we arrive at the Lonely Mountain, we’ll both be picking something out for you,” Fili continued. He couldn’t mean…. “Well… thank you?” You answered, hesitating slightly. Every trace of hesitation, however, melted away when the prince added the next comment. “Necklaces. Unless you’d prefer a ring?” “Necklaces are fine by me,” you answered, fully confident in your understanding, “But aren’t you a little bold assuming I’ll want two?” “That,” Fili replied without a moment’s hesitation, grey eyes glinting, “Is why you’ll have to choose.” “Don’t worry, my gems will be a much more impressive cut! Just as you might expect,” Kili chimed in. “But mine will shine much brighter,” Fili retorted, turning back to you, “What do you say?”

Kili

"Oh," Kili spoke your name, "Just wait until we reach the Lonely Mountain, you'll see." "See what?" You asked, raising a brow at the eager-faced dwarf prince. "How much bigger our jewels are. Much bigger than any Bringer-Men." "Brísingamen," you corrected with a laugh, shaking your head at Kili's excitement. "You'll see. When the light strikes them just right, they shine like the very stars in the sky. No, brighter still. They shine almost as bright as your eyes.” Feeling a flush rise to your cheeks, you frown slightly at the black-haired prince. “What is all this?” “I’m saying if you want a necklace, I can find you one,” Kili replies in a low voice. “Oh,” you answer, smirking, “It better be the biggest one you can find.” "You know that's what I have waiting for you: the biggest one you can find." He was proud of that one. You could tell. All you could do was smile widely and shake your head... At least, that was, until Fili approached you. "Oy, bugger off," Kili called, "She's already getting a necklace from me!" "Not if I get one first." "Who says? I'm faster. Mine'll be bigger!" "Says who?" "Says Kili," you chimed in with a smirk. "See? She wants one from me!" You could have chimed in with the reminder that you were not the goddess Freya, but watching the brotherly spat complete with a budding slap fight was too entertaining. Sitting back with satisfaction, your eyes darted over the metaphorical carnage, the only thoughts in your head being of how flattered you were as the subject of the princes' fight.

Bilbo

"So," Bilbo started awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck, "All those dwarves, eh?" "For Freya, I suppose," you replied, shrugging and taking up the stick to stoke the fire before looking back up at the hobbit, "I am sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It was just a bit of fun for all them. I knew they'd all have a laugh." "No, no, it was good," Bilbo shook his head and put up his hands, an aura still as tense and searching stretched across his sweet, warm features, "Very- very funny. I especially liked the way you told it. Riveting. You really are good at it, you know. Storytelling." "You heard all that and the foremost thing you got," you asked, "Was me?" "Well," Bilbo fidgeted, hands wringing as the trees suddenly got very fascinating, "I just couldn't stop thinking about- That is, I suppose I was wondering if you told them that in hopes that they would, you know. Want to... act it out. And I have no doubt they would." Bubbling up from your chest before you could stop it was a laugh, one great and high and sharp laugh of pure disbelief. "Well, perhaps they would, but you wouldn’t catch me taking them up on it in an age! None of them are exactly my sort,” you replied. “And here I thought you were thick as thieves! If you don’t mind my asking,” Bilbo inquired, pulling his pipe from a pocket within the folds of his coat, “What is your sort, then?” “Are hobbits good craftsmen?” You asked in response, leaning forward with another grin.

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[149panda149]

TGCF: My theory on the inspiration behind the 4 calamities

In some of the oldest Chinese myths and legends, there are 4 guardian gods of the four cardinal directions - the green dragon, white tiger, crimson bird, and black tortoise, and each have a colour, season and element associated with them. I'm not sure if anyone has made this connection before, but I'm writing it down if anyone is interested. There are spoilers about the calamities' identity.

First, the 青龙 （qing long, green dragon) --> Qi Rong, Night-touring Green lantern.

The qinglong's territory is the East, and its colour is qing, which means green, or turqoise. Its element is wood, and its season is spring. Closely associated with royalty and the imperial family.

Now, for the similarities with our favourite green goblin. "qing" is literally the colour in Qi Rong's title, and his colour scheme. Qi Rong has a habit of hanging corpses from trees, which may be his relation to the element "wood". He does not have any obvious coleration with the season "spring"- perhaps he was born in spring. He is royalty, part of the imperial family as cousin to the crown prince.

Second, the 白虎 （bai hu, white tiger)--> Bai Wuxiang, White Clothed Disaster upon the Earth.

The baihu's territory is the West, its colour is white, element is gold/metal, and its season is summer. It is the king of all beasts, associated with disease and war, often used as a guardian symbol by soldiers.

On the other hand, Jun Wu's title, alias and colour scheme are all white, and has plenty of weapons that may be his link to the element of "gold/metal". I don't think he has anything to do with summer, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. He is king of the gods, a god of war, and the one to spread the human face disease.

As east and west are considered a pair, the guardian spirits are meant to reflect each other. In Chinese poems and such, symmetry is important, and both Qi Rong and Jun Wu were princes, one becoming revered by the highest of gods, covered with masks and false identities, one becoming the object of disgust by the lowest of ghosts, using his real name and face. There is a certain poetic symmetry to it, don't you think?

To the second pair. The 朱雀 (zhu que, crimson bird)----> Hua Cheng, Crimson Rain Sought Flower

The zhuque rules over the south, its colour is red, element is fire, and its season is summer. It is the king of all birds, more powerful than even the phoenix, immortal and undying. As such, in many places it is also considered a symbol of life.

Now, to the most popular ghost king: Hua Cheng. The english translation of his title is "crimson", and his colour scheme is indubitably red and autumn-y shades. He also re-re-met Xie Lian in autumn ( I think - I mean, the leaves were all red in the donghua??), and has died again and again to return like the zhuque. He is the king of all ghosts, with a great determination to live(sorta? are ghosts alive??) for his love.

Lastly, my personal favourite, the 玄武 (xuan wu, black tortoise)---->He Xuan, Black Water Sinking Ships

The xuanwu, also called a tortoise, is actually the only spirit to be a combination of 2 animals, a snake and a tortoise. It rules over the north. Its colour is black( sometimes depicted as dark blue), element is water, and its season is winter. In earlier legends, he is considered a guide and guardian to the netherworld, of death and of long life.

Thus, to our poor indebted water ghost. He Xuan's name is "xuan", the same! goddamn! character! as the spirit! His title and colour scheme are all to do with the colour black, and he is a water ghost because he died because of the Water Master. He has been marked by death, yet survived and vowed revenge. This, and the fact that his house is called the Nether Water Manor, is probably his relation to the netherworld of the xuanwu.

To the pair of south and north. Both Hua Cheng and He Xuan have suffered and suffered again, yet Hua Cheng chooses to linger on due to hope and love, and He Xuan due to revenge and hatred. But hatred and love are two sides of the same coin. If Hua Cheng hadn't experienced the hatred from his childhood, he wouldn't have thrown himself from the city wall and met Xie Lian. If He Xuan hadn't loved his family, so much, he wouldn't have broken that hard after their deaths to lose himself to hatred and empty vengence.

Aaaaaand that concludes this essay. Keep in mind that this is a theory, and probably even isn't true, but if anybody wants a more detailed description of the guardian spirits, or to know more about the similarities between the mythical creatures of ancient china and tgcf, I will be more than happy to make a part 2.

Thanks for reading!!

[bobauthorman]

"What do you mean only the protags are allowed to have a pool day?"

[evilminji]

Actually? WOULD Earth be the ones to petition Oa?

They are interstellar Space Interpol. You don't usually call them on different parts of your OWN settlements or systems. You call them in when someone is breaking THE Laws. Not necessarily YOUR laws, though obviously by breaking THE laws they clearly ARE. But THE Big Laws(tm).

Like Geneva Convention for Space type laws.

You have discovered Planet or King X is committing WAR CRIMES. Call Oa. Tax fraud? That's an inter-personal planet side issue they can't help you with. Pointing Nukes at your nursery settlement and threatening to blow up the infants there unless you give them sex-slaves?

Knock-knock! Taste HARD Light Constructs!

But if so? Then how would the situation get so out of hand on Earth? With the G.I.W.? Simple. Tell me, Mr. President, what do you know of the current day to day life of villagers in rural Siberia?

That they exist? Could you even NAME their village, if I referenced specific individuals? Likely not. And no one would realistically expect you too.

There are countless planets out there! With Leaders busy with local industrial conferences and infrastructure bills. Farming regulations. Talks with that planet a few stars over. Very busy. What do THEY know of Earth? Why would they NEED too?

But! As we know, Ectoplasm is EVERYWHERE. Not just earth. And? Thin spots are not just an Earth-centric phenomenon. Other planets most CERTAINLY would have them too. And depending on the species? The culture? To quote the wise sage Bill Wurtz "you can make a religion out of this!"

After all, chosen few, returned from death... glowing and more powerful then before? Immortal? It's a pretty reasonable conclusion to come too. They are clearly Gods Touched. Some sacred task they must complete.

It would likely even shape the ghosts of the region themselves. After all, they TOO, would believe they were chosen for some Important Religious Task. Be it study or collecting rocks. To what end? Unknown. Who are they to question The Gods?

But! Oh happy day! The old tyrant is no more! A chosen Hero! They go to greet him! Honor him, as you do. Traditional gifts and ballads. Maybe some sacred rocks. A fancy hat. But? Oh? The Champion is wounded! Gasp! Still? But the fight with Pariah happened-

And then they are given Grave Warning(tm). Don't go to Earth. Heretics attacking people. KILLING souls! Trying to KILL the king of all the Infinite! He is somber because his living parents were hurt. Preventing the END OF ALL THINGS!!!??

WHAT!?

These "People In White" tried to EXPLODE the very FABRIC of all realities!? Several of them faint. Truely, these Fentons MUST be chosen by the Gods! Heros. Legends. Such bravery in the face of such HORRORS. Please, let them be brought to their Living counterparts! The hospitals are quite good!

And you know what? Fuck it. Danny will take that. Because his Mom n Dad got hurt. BAD.

They learned he was Phantom at probably the SINGLE worst time imaginable and still chose HIM. Chose THEM. The GIW were coming for him. Gonna hurt Jazz. And his parents told them, with fire and blood, it'd be a cold day in hell before they let them so much as TRY it.

They BLEW UP their own life's work. Went literally scorched earth. And now? They're not doing so good.

Because the Zone isn't made for the living. No food, no water, and no real human-safe medical supplies. They've run out. Danny will take what he can get. He'd even go to Vlad but... his Portal's gone too. And the Buzzards said he looked... spirally. Very... "suicide runs until everything BURNS".

So, yeah. No one's doing so great.

Alien planet it is.

They are greeted with fanfare and respect. The best medical teams on the PLANET. The King and his family is there, to welcome him. It's... it's beautiful. Hardly some perfect utopia, but the air is lite. Art everywhere. The stars vivid and so easy to see, at night.

The King kinda reminds him of Mr. Lancer to be honest. Balding and a bit round around the middle, stern but endlessly fair about it, wants people to do their best and succeed in life. Maybe that's why Danny finds himself opening up. Because... because here is a real, honest to God, KING king.

Somebody who was actually TRAINED to do all this King stuff.

Unlike Danny.

And Danny? He's scared. People expect him to Lead now. To know what he's doing. To somehow just... suddenly KNOW how to do all these things he's never even heard about. He only barely just died. Has BARELY been keeping everybody safe.

BARELY stopped Pariah.

He doesn't know what to do. But he pours his guts out. All the things that have bottled up. And King Not-Lancer listens. Somber and thoughtful. There is little, if anything he can TRUELY do to help. But... there ARE things he can do. Lessons on statescraft, while he's here, for one.

As for the other? Well, as King, he does have the local Lantern's Call Sign. Not to be used lightly, mind you. But what Danny describes? And from what the Sacred Ones have reported? THAT must be reported to Oa. He can show Danny how to do that.

(He does)

[The Lanterns of Earth get a VERY exciting call from Oa. Are every different shade of pissed. But? Whoops! Looks like they ACCIDENTALLY put the Watchtower into a complete Quarantine! Well, dang. Guess we're all stuck here for two weeks!

Reset it? *sound of smashing computer terminal* Yeah, don't think that's gonna work! :)

WHO WANTS TO PLAY 20 QUESTIONS?? We'll start! :) Who here has heard of an organization called, and I quote, The Ghost Investigation Ward? :) ]

@hdgnj @ailithnight @nerdpoe @the-witchhunter

[maplegracefour]

Shut Up and Drive | Part One

Summary: You're a trainee Race Engineer for Ferrari, working closely behind the engineer who works for Jay Schlatt, the youngest driver to ever win a Grand Prix. He's one of the famous people in the sport to date and now you get to watch his work every day. Chaos ensues.

Warnings: none

Word Count: ~1500

Author's Note: Here we go!! I want to preface by saying that I don't know all the ins and outs of F1 so don't expect it to be too accurate. I just like fast cars and Schlatt. Also, this is definitely gonna be a series because I already have so many ideas and I really enjoyed writing this. Have fun!!

You scramble to the paddock, first day on the job jitters evident as you scurried through the corridors of the Fiorano Circuit. To say you are terrified is an understatement.

You make it as the team starts briefing, eyes scanning the room as you notice a few familiar faces, some engineers you met during your interviews for this position and some from watching races yourselves.

That’s when you spot them, two gentlemen sat in the front of the crowd. You knew them, of course you knew them. The drivers and the faces of your team for the foreseeable future. Ted Nivision, a new transfer from McLaren, and Jay Schlatt.

Both great drivers, but you can’t help but let your eyes linger on the latter for a little longer. The man is a legend, youngest driver to win a Grand Prix and he has been a force to be reckoned with ever since. He glances up, taking in the team. He notices you, he hasn’t seen you before, his eyes trace over your body before reaching your eyes, you immediately looking away, cheeks flushing a bright red.

Your team principal, Eduardo, claps at the front of the crowd, everyone begins to quieten down. “Alright everyone, it’s gonna be an exciting season for us! First, I’d like to welcome Ted as our newest driver.” Everyone gives a quiet whoop or cheer as Ted turns and waves, giving everyone a small smile. “And (Y/N), trainee performance engineer, you’ll be seeing them around a lot as they learn the ropes.” The cheer isn’t as loud, not that you expected it to be, but everyone seems to welcome you with theoretical open arms.

But the only person that seems to catch your attention is once again, Schlatt. He turns fully around to get a good look at you as some are welcoming you to the team and you respond with a couple of quiet ‘thank you’s.

He turns back before you notice, but he makes a mental note to keep an eye on you. His main concern is you’re new, inexperienced, what makes you so good that you deserve a spot in one of the biggest motorsport teams in the world?

The meeting continues, briefings on the practise session and overall general game plans for the season ahead, you are taking down notes, scribbling away in a notepad with a shiny ballpoint pen. Schlatt can’t help but take a couple more peaks at you but you don’t even seem to notice.

When the brief ends, you follow behind the race engineer, David, as he heads over to meet with the Team Principal. You close your notebook and trail behind him.

“Ah, David.” Eduardo starts, patting David on the arm and he nods firmly in response. “David is your new race engineer, Schlatt.”

Schlatt frowns, clearly still upset that his previous race engineer has left the team. “Sure.” He says, not quite looking David in the eyes.

“And (Y/N) is his trainee, so you’ll be seeing them around a lot too. Play nice, alright?” Eduardo warns with a raised eyebrow.

You wonder what he means by that but soon Eduardo has left, patting Schlatt on the back as he does so.

“So, trainee. You nervous?” Schlatt asks, leaning against the nearby wall, his racing suit hanging on his hips, you struggle to not let your eyes trail down.

You hum for a moment, clutching onto your notebook so tightly that your knuckles are going white. You’re standing in front of one of the most famous drivers in the sport’s history and he’s talking to you. “A little.” You respond. “Are you?”

“Nah,” he chuckles. “No point being nervous, we’ve got a good season ahead of us. I know it.”

You tap your pen nervously on your lips, his eyes follow it for a moment, distracted. “I hope so.” You respond. “I look forward to seeing you on the track.”

“I look forward to seeing you watching.” He responds, a small smirk tugging on his lips.

“Hey, Schlatt! We gotta go.” Ted calls from across the room and Schlatt’s attention is immediately pulled away from you.

He heads off, retreating into a different room, presumably to get ready for their practice session with the new cars. You can’t help but feel a little disappointed that you didn’t get to talk to him more, but he’s a sought after man, you can’t expect him to want to talk to you too. Though, little did you know, he’s thinking the exact same thing.

“Alright, though it’ll be a little while until you need to know how all this works, there’s no harm in showing you now.” David, your mentor, says. He points to the buttons on the desk ahead of you. “Grab that headset.”

He points to a headset just ahead of you, you pick it up and slide it over your ears, taking one side of it and pushing it back so you can still hear David explaining to you.

“Up there is the stats for the car, you can get more in-depth stuff on the monitors on the desk though.” He points to the screen above you. “Our main job is to communicate with the driver about his needs and make sure he’s all doing okay. Most of the time, other engineers will communicate the needs of the car to you. It makes more sense in action.” He chuckles and you laugh with him.

You have done your research, you knew all of this already but you aren’t going to tell him that. You just nod along, making some notes if and when you felt necessary.

Soon, you’re gearing up for the practice session is about to start, you can hear the buzz of the team around you. Your job for this is to simply watch and listen, so you do just that. You have the honour of being able to hear the team radio though, so you sit forward, noticing the cars pull out onto the track.

“Alright, Schlatt, new car, new season. Take it easy today, yeah?” David says, eyes tracing the screens.

You hear a deep chuckle vibrating through your headset. “C’mon David, you’re gonna put me in a brand new car and then tell me to take it easy?”

David pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing. “It’s a practice, not a race, alright?”

“Loud and clear, cap.” Schlatt says, foot on the acceleration. You look up, seeing the numbers on the screen starting to increase and decrease as the car begins to move.

The session goes well, the cars run the best that they ever have and the whole team seems satisfied with how it goes. You make your way down to the pits, following David to the car as Schlatt climbs out, grabbing a bottle of water from one of the pit team. He drinks from it like he’s been in a desert for 10 years.

David and yourself wait back for a moment, letting him unzip his suit and pulling his arms out, letting it hang on his hips once more. His hair is dripping with sweat and the tight undershirt clings to his body. You must admit, it’s difficult not to look.

“Good shit,” David says, clapping on Schlatt’s shoulder. Schlatt gives him a tired laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. He glances at you before looking back at your mentor.

“How were my lap times?” Schlatt asks, looking to David who just immediately turns to you.

You blush a little at being put on the spot, flicking through your notebook to find the lap times that you have scribbled down. Schlatt notices the pages filled with notes, particularly the lap time page, one number in which is circled.

“You got uh, a new personal best. 56.93 seconds.” You tell him, pointing at the page. “That puts you 3 from the world record for this track.” You say, tucking a piece of hair behind your hair.

“Thanks,” He says, giving you a small smile. “Anyway, I’ve gotta shower.” He tells you both, looking down at his sweaty clothed body. 

“See you at the party?” David asks, raising his eyebrows.

“Maybe.” Schlatt shrugs. “Gotta show my face I suppose.” He heads out, jogging out the door towards the showers.

Exiting the pits, David and you head to the meeting rooms for the practise debrief session. There’s a lot of numbers thrown around and game tactics, you keep scratching your notes into your notebook. As the debrief comes to a close, you turn and are greeted with the face of Ted Nivison himself.

“I must say, I’m kinda gutted you’re being mentored by Schlatt’s engineer. Would be nice to hear your voice every day.” He says, leaning against the table.

You blush, looking down at the floor. “I, uh, I don’t get to use the radios myself.” You tell him. Is he flirting with you right now?

“That’s a shame. You coming to the party?” He asks, smirking down at you.

Something about his tall stature towering over you made you nervous, in a good way of course. It isn’t often you garner this sort of attention, and it definitely isn’t often that this attention comes from a literal celebrity.

You look back up at him, a sweet smile on your face. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“Can’t wait.” He hums before spinning around and walking away without another word.

This is going to be a long season.

PART TWO HERE

[layla4567]

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Shanks x Mermaid!reader

Part 2

Summary: A curious and reckless little mermaid with a love for humans glimpses a beach with a dock from afar and a child playing, she will learn more about the human world

Warnings: fluffyfluffyfluffy - no proofread - inspired by the little mermaid (duh)

Wc: 4k

What you loved most in the world was observing humans and not only them but also everything that was on the surface. Sometimes you sat on rocks in the middle of the sea and looked at the coast where there were things that you didn't have at the bottom of the ocean. It's not that you despised your life down there but sometimes it used to be kind of boring. Up there there were different kinds of plants, animals, and the human homes had strange shapes but were tall and beautiful. Your parents weren't so strict and understood your curiosity better than anyone so they often let you surface as long as you stayed away from the coast. But what they were really harsh on was the pirate ships, they hated them. They always told you stories about heartless humans who hunted animals and mermaids to do who knows what with them. These stories scared you a little but you knew that your parents weren't trying to do that when telling them to you, they simply wanted you to be aware of the dangers up there.

One day you were lying belly down on some flat rocks enjoying the sun on your scales when in the distance you heard a high-pitched, squeaky voice followed by laughter. You stood up like a seal, resting your hands on the rock and in the distance you saw a child who was playing near a dock. You've never seen a child so small. Moved by curiosity, you sank into the water and slowly approached the wooden dock to get a better look. This would definitely not please your parents who told you so many times to stay away from the coast, but they didn't have to know it.

"GIVE UP MARINE OR YOU WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES, GRAAAH!"

You couldn't help but smile. The little boy had curly brown hair and was wearing a white t-shirt with red stripes. He was playing with some wooden dolls. The boy emanated such a happy energy that you got even closer until you were under the dock, trying not to let him see you.

"YOU CAN'T AGAINST THE GREAT LUFFY, KING OF THE PIRATES!"

You giggled when you heard it, but even though you tried to be silent, the boy heard you and turned around looking for where the laughter was coming from. Scared, you went deeper into the water.

"What was that? Is there anyone there?"

Little Luffy approached the dock and you could hear his footsteps echoing on the wood while you prayed from below that he wouldn't see you.

"Come on, get out of wherever you are!"

Suddenly the boy turned upside down and stuck his head out from under the dock, discovering you. You walked away while hugging a pole that supported the pier, scared. The boy opened his eyes wide but then smiled widely and his eyes narrowed.

"Hi!! what's your name?"

You remained silent, looking at him scared. You had never been so close to a human and even though he was just a child you were afraid that he would give you away, the existence of mermaids was supposed to be a mystery, a myth, legends that were told to children to entertain them. Luffy noticed your fear and calmed you down.

"Please don't be afraid, I won't hurt you."

You decided to trust the boy, he seemed to be honest so with your ability to speak different languages, even dead languages, you answered him.

"I'm (y/n)"

You moved a little away from where you were holding and waved your tail in the water, the little one gasped excitedly and you smiled.

"Oh what a pretty tail you have, I've never seen a mermaid before!!!"

The boy, who was already a little dizzy from having his head hanging, straightened up and rested his head between his hands and his elbows on the wood while you approached the edge timidly. Little Luffy was excited to chat with you and learn new things about you. With your hands on the edge of the dock you told him about your life at the bottom of the sea.

"Luffy do you want to see a trick?"

He nodded his head vigorously, smiling happily, showing all his white teeth. You placed your palm on the water and collected a little water, then with your other hand you made a movement and the water became a large drop that floated in the air and then a few seconds later it burst and became a puddle again. . Luffy shouted happily and clapped his hands enthusiastically. You laughed, infected by his joy, that child was adorable. Suddenly a voice came from afar and seemed to get closer.

"LUFFY! WHERE ARE YOU, KID?"

The two of you looked at each other startled as the boy jumped to his feet and you went back to hide under the dock. A man with an open white shirt and red hair was heading towards Luffy.

"Luffy, where have you been, brat? I looked for you everywhere". He told him affectionately

"Sorry Shanks, I was just playing pirates and marines"

"Again? You always play that, don't you get tired?"

"Never, because when I grow up I will also be a great pirate like you!"

The little guy puffed out his chest proudly and stood on his hips while Shanks laughed and ruffled his hair.

"Alright pirate let's get back to the ship you still have to help me"

The redhead walked away from there and you slowly came out of hiding to spy on him, you were sorry you couldn't get a good look at him but his hair color caught your attention and you liked it. You also thought it was cute the way he addressed Luffy, so kind and warm. When he left you approached the edge of the dock again and Luffy told you

"I'm sorry, I have to go or he'll be angry."

Now the boy's face seemed downcast and his tone was sad, very different from his happy attitude before. You nodded and told him you understood. Before he ran away you begged him.

"Please don't tell anyone that you saw me."

"Don't worry, it will be our secret. Will I see you again tomorrow?"

"I'll be here". You said sealing a promise

The brown boy trotted happily towards where the adult had gone and you stood there sighing. You hoped he would keep his word and not say anything and at the same time you were excited to have found a human friend.

DAYS AFTER

The next day you returned to the dock with Luffy and so on the next day and the day after that. Several days passed where you played with the boy that you were a damsel in distress and he had to save you. And just as he learned from you, you learned from him, you knew that Shanks cared for him and lived on his ship and his pirate crew. One sunny afternoon you and Luffy were playing on the coast a little far from the pier, the boy had entered the sea next to you and was caressing your mermaid tail that shone in the sun's rays. It was the color of sunsets when the sun dies on the horizon.

"Ah! it's very slippery!". The surprised boy laughed

You laughed happily "Thank you, I follow an intensive beauty treatment". You mocked

They were both laughing while you did tricks in the water. Suddenly a familiar voice came to you again, it was Shanks.

"Come on Luffy! It's late, go back to the ship!"

You barely had time to hide by sinking your head in the water and the boy ran to the shore splashing water. Shanks approached with a small furry white dog.

"Oh please just a little longer"

"I already said no besides, why do you want to be here? Were you playing alone?"

Luffy looked towards the sea and you were praying under the water that the little one wouldn't miss saying that he was playing with a real mermaid. Luffy saw the red-haired man again.

"Yes, what's wrong with that? I was jumping the waves."

Shanks laughed shaking his head "Alright, alright you can continue jumping waves tomorrow but that's enough for today, come on"

The pirate patted the boy's shoulder and gently pushed him away. Luffy snorted but obeyed him and trotted away. Shanks stood for a while admiring the sun bet. The little dog followed him and started barking.

"Hey little one, why did you follow me? Do you feel like playing?"

In response, the white dog barked twice and Shanks, laughing, started chasing him, throwing small branches at him and the canine returned them happily. Under the water you smiled, feeling your heart warmer. You got a little closer without taking your head out of the water to see him better. He was still wearing that white shirt but now he was wearing a straw hat on his head. He had a smile as warm as the sun and beautiful brown eyes, you had met hundreds of humans but no one as beautiful as him, he was beautiful inside and out. At one point Shanks threw the branch into the water and the dog went to look for it but before grabbing it he started barking like crazy looking in your direction. You see the redhead calling the dog

"Come on, bring it! What's going on?"

The little white dog wouldn't stop barking and Shanks got impatient and came dangerously close to the shore, putting his feet in the water. Impulsively you swam deeper into the water and that caused waves in the sea. The curious redhead got a little closer as the dog began to walk towards the dock, he was following you. Shanks trotted after him while you hid under the wooden dock but the dog was very smart and easily found your hiding place. You stuck your head out as you desperately tried to shush the dog and make him shut up. Too late. The red-haired captain had already arrived at the small dock and was looking for the dog.

"What's the problem, crazy dog? What do you-!"

Standing in the sand on the side of the pier, Shanks saw you there motionless and with your face twisted in terror. A mermaid. You had long hair with tiny pearls and a seaweed top with a single strap, your tail that could be seen in the crystal clear water was an ombré between red and orange. Shanks froze in place and he couldn't help but admire you with his eyebrows raised. He slowly approached but you gasped and quickly got into the water.

"Wait no! Don't leave!"

The man slowly climbed onto the dock and sat down trying to see you but the water was still. He looked around as he scratched his neck in confusion. Had it been his imagination or had he really seen a mermaid? And a beautiful one at that.

"Please don't go, I didn't want to scare you, I'm so sorry" . He tried to calm down

Shanks waited for a response, a movement in the water but it never came, without giving up he spoke again.

"I'm Shanks, what's your name?"

Silence

The captain sighed and was about to get up and turn to leave when he heard a slight splashing noise. I looked at the sea and there you were close, barely sticking out half of your face so that only your eyes stood out to see it. He smiled and sat like a Buddha on the edge of the pier. He didn't know what to say, he just looked at you dumbfounded. Your eyes were so expressive that with just one look you said everything. You looked at him surprised and with a hint of curiosity.

"Hi, come closer, I promise not to hurt you" . He raised his hands in a sign of peace.

You frowned but decided to trust him since the little you had seen of that pirate were good things. You sank your head and swam until you were close to the edge, you stuck your head out again and looked at him expectantly. The captain thought that up close you were even more stunning.

"You are the most fascinating creature I have ever seen."

You smiled, wrinkling your nose, and the redhead felt like his heart was about to explode in his chest.

"Well, now will you tell me your name?". He asked hopefully.

You pouted thoughtfully and then opened your mouth doubtfully.

"(y/n)"

He smiled happily "(y/n)~, beautiful name"

You felt your heart beat faster. Hearing your name slip across his lips with so much grace made you see stars in broad daylight. Suddenly the little dog approached the edge of the dock and lowered his head to see you and smell you. More animated, you gently took a finger out of the water and touched the dog's nose, laughing childishly. Shanks felt in paradise with you and listening to your voice.

"Is the puppy yours?" You asked softly.

"Who, this rascal? No, he just followed me when I was walking around the island". He petted the dog and you giggled happily, he smiled back at you.

Moved by the curiosity to know more about this man who made your heart beat, you rested your arms on the edge of the dock closer to him. You shouldn't be so reckless, but could a pirate who is compassionate towards children and animals really be so cruel? Shanks was surprised but feeling the same curiosity as you, he began to ask you things.

"So tell me what mermaids like you do apart from making the poor men who walk along the coasts fall in love with them?"

You opened your eyes wide and buried your face in your hands as he let out soft laughs shaking his shoulders. Why did he say those sweet things to you?

"Is it true that they also bewitch them and throw them into the sea?"

You frowned until you wrinkled your face and shook your head vigorously. "No! Those are the sirens, we are very different!". You said ofended

He laughed nervously, raising his hands again in a sign of surrender "Ok ok I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you."

So the minutes passed and they continued talking impatiently. He delighted in hearing your bell-shaped voice and staring at your eyes that seemed to shine with excitement when you commented on your admiration for the surface. Your little face wrinkled when you talked about something you didn't like and relaxed again when I told him about your family, you were an open book. Shanks learned a lot about you and your soul, you were a naturally curious being with a kind heart. You absorbed every bit of information he gave you about him like a sponge while you rested your head tilted on your arms and cast a dreamy gaze on him. You suddenly laughed in delight and casually commented

"You're just like Luffy." You said with a sing-song laugh.

He looked at you confused "Wait, Luffy? Do you know him?"

At that moment you raised your eyebrows worried and then bit your lip looking down. Those meetings were supposed to be a secret but when you started talking there was no one to stop you. Shanks, far from getting angry, laughed out loud, clutching his stomach.

"Now I understand why he went alone to the dock every afternoon"

He looked at you happy and you smiled in relief. Then Shanks took off his hat and delicately reached out to put it on your head. At first you wanted to back away scared but you stayed in your place. The hat was a little bigger than your head and covered your face. When he finished putting it on you, you raised your head slightly to see him from below with your shoulders slightly hunched and your face red like the pirate's hair. He laughed softly, you looked so cute in his hat. You bit your lower lip in a smile that wanted to be mischievous but on you it looked innocent as if you had committed a prank. In his eyes you were the sweetest mermaid in all of East Blue. You touched the brim of the hat and made to take it off but he stopped you by placing his hand in yours and placing the straw hat back on your head.

"Please keep it, so I'll have an excuse to see you again."

Gasping surprised, looking with her mouth slightly open, did he want to see you again? Why suddenly all the humans you met wanted to see you again?

"I'll give it back to you tomorrow, I promise."

"I know you'll do it"

And you put out a dripping hand to take his. The change in temperature was noticeable between the two of you, your hand was very cold and his was warm. You extended your pinky and intertwined his. You didn't know what it meant but you had seen children do it once.

He laughed and walked away with the dog following him, wagging his tail happily. You stayed near the dock trying to retain that feeling that the pirate had left you. Now you felt that the water was warmer as well as your skin. You sighed long and smiling you returned to the sea

The next day you kept your promise and returned to the dock. There Shanks was already waiting for you, drawing doodles in the sand. When he saw you from a distance, his face lit up with a big smile and he approached the wooden surface barefoot. The first thing he saw was your red tail and then he saw your expressive and mischievous eyes peek out from under the water. You pulled your face out completely as he crouched down a little and placed his hands on his bent knees to get a better look at you.

"Have you brought my hat, miss?"

You nod cheerfully and take your hand out of the water to reveal a soaked straw hat, the fabric had softened a little from the humidity but it was healthy. When you gave it to him he crumpled it a little to get rid of the water and put it on his head. Some drops from the hat continued to drip down his face and wet his hair. The brim of the hat fell towards his face and you could only laugh. He smiled and laughed with you, lifting the straw brim to look at you better.

"I guess it looks better on you than it does on me."

"I'm sorry" You said between laughs. "I tried to keep it as dry as possible, that's why I wanted you to keep it but you insisted on taking it with me."

He sat down "Don't worry honey, it will dry out if I put it in the sun. Plus I wanted to give it to you so you can think about me". He finished saying flirty

Your face turned slightly the color of your tail and you tilted your head towards your shoulder as you gripped the edge of the dock. Now being closer you could see his features. His brown eyes shining just for you, his small beard of days. Everything about him was perfect and he caught your attention, a kind face, that's what you wanted to see for a long time. You were so enthralled admiring its beauty that you almost forgot something.

"Oh wait I almost forgot!" . You said, raising your hand and waving it in front of him, asking him to wait for you right there.

In the blink of an eye you disappeared into the water before Shanks' perplexed but amused gaze. After a few minutes you reappeared and left a beautiful mother-of-pearl shell on the dock near his feet. He grabbed it and examined it curiously. She was really beautiful

"This is for me?". He looked at you

You nod, staring at him "It's a tradition and a kind of legend. Inside that conch I enclosed a song, every time you put it to your ear you will be able to hear my voice. But you will have to return it to me after six days or I will not be able to sing again. When a mermaid gives a conch to a person… she's swearing eternal love." . You finished shyly

The pirate was listening to you attentively until you mentioned the last part and his eyes widened and his eyebrows raised. He stayed looking at you for a few seconds, your eyes seemed sincere and now he felt his own cheeks getting hot. To hide his embarrassment he looked towards the conch and was going to put it to his ear when you stopped him.

"No!... not yet. Listen to it when you feel alone and I'm not by your side"

Shanks smiled tenderly at you with that warm smile you loved to see. Then he took your hand and intertwined it with yours, promising to do so. You two continued talking animatedly about anything. The red-haired man felt like he could be the same with you and you felt the same way. You even playfully pushed him into the water to play. When the afternoon fell you saw the horizon with sadness and he noticed it.

"What's wrong sweetness?"

You stopped seeing the horizon and looked at him sadly. "It's time for me to come back, my family will be worried…"

He simply sighed and nodded and stared at you. Before you could leave he came over and threatened to kiss you on the cheek.

"Did you know that if you do that you will get scales…?"

Shanks frowned and scoffed at his confused expression, his expressions softening.

"I was kidding Shanks, you should see your face." . You said playfully

He raised an eyebrow, playing along with you and smiling. “I was going to take the risk anyway, little one.”

He finished tilting his face and gave you the warmest, sweetest kiss. His lips were soft on your cheek and his beard scratched you lightly. They promised to see each other again. That night Shanks locked himself in his room and listened to the conch. The sound was sweet and in tune like hearing an angel sing. He closed his eyes and fell asleep listening to your singing

TIME AFTER

Shanks walked around the deck of his ship carrying things from here to there. Despite that, he seemed quite distracted, earning the ridicule of his crew.

"Is the captain drunk again or is it because of a woman?"". A sailor laughed out loud

The redhead ignored the mockery, rolling his eyes. No one knew that he was seeing a beautiful mermaid, not even young Luffy. Every night he would lie in his bed and listen to the conch, imagining that it was you singing for him. So the afternoon passed and suddenly he remembered what you had told him. But you will have to return it to me after six days or I will not be able to sing again

Startled, he tried to remember the last time he saw you. Exactly six days had passed. Shit. But night had not yet fallen, perhaps I could return it to you before the end of the day and save your voice.

The most exalted captain ordered them to hoist the sails and set out to sea. The others looked at him confused but obeyed his orders. Even Luffy asked him what was happening but Shanks answered vague things. In his mind there was only room for you and the desire to be able to give you the conch.

Meanwhile you were in the sea sticking your head out waiting to see your loved one. You were worried because you couldn't find him anywhere and he wasn't on the shore like he usually did. You didn't care that much about the conch, you just wanted to see him again and the thought that he had forgotten about you sank your heart like a heavy rock. Suddenly in the distance you saw a pirate ship. Was it Shanks'? All the pirate stories that your parents had told you came to your mind.

"Be strong and brave (y/n). It's now or never". You said with determination

If your parents saw you now they would have a fit. You swam quickly towards the ship until you were a few meters away. Suddenly a scream startled you and you looked up. There was Shanks looking at you with a relieved smile. Just in time as the sun was very close to the horizon

"HELP ME GET HER ON BOARD!!"

Somewhat scared, you saw how they pulled a boat and the pirate told you to get on it. With effort you jumped into the wooden boat. With some ropes they began to lift you up quickly. The pirates' voices became louder and closer and when you were up there a lot of curious eyes were looking at you. You felt intimidated and helpless. Shanks knew it so he approached you trying to make you look only at him to calm you down.

"Here I am, calm down"

And it worked because as soon as you saw it, it was as if everything around you had become more blurry. I smiled shyly. Then Shanks called a pirate and when he approached he handed him something. It was the conch. He handed it to you delicately as if it were a ritual, fearing that it would break the pearl. You grabbed it and at that moment the conch began to twinkle softly like a star, until it shone as bright as a small sun. The pirates approached curiously as the light illuminated them. Shanks's brown eyes turned amber as they were illuminated by the conch.

Suddenly the pearly object suddenly went out. You hummed softly to check if it had worked and your face lit up in a big smile when you saw that you could indeed sing. You were happy and looked at him excitedly, laughing airily. He smiled back at you and came closer to you, resting his arms on the boat.

"What had you told me about kissing a mermaid? That I would grow scales and turn into a fish?"

You laughed loudly until your nose wrinkled. Without thinking you wrapped your arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss him. With so much force that you pulled him and he fell into the boat with you. He hugged you, putting his arms around your waist while the pirates whistled, applauded and cheered for their captain.

[astra-ravana]

Cat Magick 🐈‍⬛

What is cat magick? Well it's no secret that cats have been beloved by witches for centuries, perhaps longer and it isn't hard to see why. They were worshipped in ancient Egypt, helped fight the plague by killing infected rats, and were even tortured and killed along side us in the witch trials. These powerful, intelligent, little creatures understand magick better than perhaps any other. After all, legend says that cats are really just witches in disguise. As such, they possess their own potent class of magick.

Cat Correspondences

Herbs: Catnip, cat grass, silver vine, thyme, basil, valerian, fern leaf yarrow, cat thyme, rosemary, sage, witch hazel, echinacea, licorice root, cat's claw, dandelion root, calendula, goldenseal, dill (all these herbs are cat safe)

Crystals: Mookaite, amethyst, cat's eye, turquoise, hematite, lepidolite, pink Botswana agate, lapis lazuli, fluorite, tiger's eye, emerald, rutilated quartz, black tourmaline, jade

Planets: The Moon, Saturn, Pluto

Element: Earth/spirit

Deities: Bast, Freyja, Diana, Hekate, Odin, Lilith, Artemis, Sekhmet, Parvati, Juno, Ra, Erishkegal

Abilities

• A cat can purr at a frequency between 25 and 50 hz, which has been show to relieve stress and pain, increase oxytocin production, heal wounds and injuries, and even repair broken bones.

• They can enter a meditative state whenever they like which makes them incredibly perceptive.

• Cats see/sense spirits, the Fae, auras, and all manner of energies.

• Natural generators that can lend their energy to spell work and divination as well as charge crystals/magickal tools just by touch.

• Cats can expand your auric field and increase your magickal output.

• They act as guardians against negative energy and malevolent forces.

• The only beings that can enter or leave a magick circle without breaking the energy field.

• Cats act as guardians of doorways and thresholds and are keepers of many spiritual secrets.

• They have a strong connection to the Moon and the powers of the night.

• Your cat can act as your anchor/tether while hedge-riding/astral projecting.

Cat Colors

Brown: Grounding, love, companionship, peace

Orange: Cheer, leadership, happiness, fun, Sun energy

White: Purity, bliss, peace, good luck, psychic boost

Grey: Hope, support, comfort, healing

Calico: Good fortune, relationships, prosperity, abundance, psychic ability, strengthens family

Two Tone: Friendships, harmony, warding, wisdom

Striped: Good luck, happiness

Siamese: Success, good health, longevity

Note: If using cat hair in a working, consider the color of the animal it came from and apply those properties.

Black Cats

• They represent witches and witchcraft, magick, the Moon, protection, prosperity, the in-between/thresholds, dark goddess energy, the night, mystery, independence, resilience, and cleverness.

• If a black cat crosses your path they're removing danger and blessing your way.

• If you see a black cat on your way to gamble, luck is on your side.

• To catch a thief, write their name on a fish skin and feed it to a black cat.

• If you see a large, black cat for seven days money is on its way to you.

• To get away with something, wrap your name paper around black cat hair and burn it with yellow rose petals on a Friday.

Black Cat Oil

This oil is great for protection, good luck, seduction, breaking curses/hexes, working with the dead, divination and more.

Recipe:

• Sage

• Bay leaves

• Myrrh

• Mugwort

• Dragon's blood

• Steel wool

• Lodestone dust

• Hair (or whisker) from a black cat

• Carrier oil

The Power Of Cat Whiskers

Naturally shed cat whiskers are one of the most potent spell compents you can get. These tiny treasures contain a ton of magickal energy and can be used in the following ways:

• Carrying a cat whisker brings great luck and helps you easily overcome obstacles.

• To see your desires manifest, whisper your wish to a cat whisker and burn it over a yellow, gold, or orange candle.

• Hold a cat whisker in your hand while hedge-riding for a safe journey.

• Boosts the power and potency of any spell.

• Burn with jasmine and mugwort to bring prophetic dreams.

Whisker Appearance:

• The whisker length is said to reflect how long the spell will last.

• A very long whisker will aid in a long term goal and a short whisker; a short term goal.

• White whiskers aid in purification, healing, purity, empowerment, and luck.

• Black whiskers protect from bad energy and can be used for binding magick, spiritual power, and baneful workings.

• A grey/blue whisker represents neutrality, deities, shielding, patience, and resolve.

• Orange/copper whiskers bring success, strength, joy, truth, and encouragement.

• Banded whiskers assist with stability, physicality, love, comfort and peace.

Miscellaneous Cat Magick

There's a lot more magick to cats than I could ever cover here but here are some more examples of cat magick:

• Use cat hair in shape-shifting rituals.

• Burn a cat shaped candle and carve runes/sigils/prayers into it to protect and empower your cat.

• Feeding your cat the last of your meal keeps them from running away/getting lost.

• Bringing your cat/cats to a new home first brings good luck.

• Naturally shed cat claws can be used in spells for getting out of a tight situation. In baneful magick they help your curse "grab on" to the target and brings them sudden agony.

• Stroking a cat's tail nine times brings good luck in love.

• Hang a protective charm such as a bell, pentagram, or cowrie shell from your cat's collar.

• If a cat licks itself against the grain, a storm is coming.

• If the same cat comes to your window, three nights in a row, a witch has cast a spell on you.

• To learn the answer to a question, ask your cat while they sit on one side of a doorway. If the cat walks through the door with their left paw, the answer is no, with their right paw, the answer is yes.

• Incorporate catnip into your workings to draw your cat and borrow their power.

• You can divinate based on cat sightings/behavior, this is called ailuromancy.

• August 17th is 'Cat Night', a sentiment that has its roots in Celtic legend. A witch could turn into a cat eight times, but upon the ninth transformation, they would stay a cat forever. This is the reason we say cats have nine lives. Honor/celebrate your cats on this day and leave food for strays at night.

• A protective blessing for cats: "Bast of beauty and of grace, protector of the feline race, shield [cat's name] from hurt and harm, and keep them always safe and warm, watch over them from day to day, and guide them home if they should stray, grant them love and happiness, and a life free of strife or stress".