#Mallory pearl

[4amethyst]

The apology..

Revive me by jl seegars

-Never read groveling makes me as a reader grovel with them DAMN IT WAS SO GOOD

[ashamedart]

Hi i'm a rat :D

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

My name is Rat ^ that's my sona (gt Sona) tho so you can also call me Marina >u<

I like to write and draw g/t (giant/tiny), mainly of my own original characters!

I'll put a masterlist of that stuff if anyone would be interested in that (they would not)

Masterpost:

Things not Seen (Emory and Mallory):

Chapter 1: The Demon Chapter 2: [coming soon!]

More of this story:

Stupid ass ship chart

Pearl Planet (Jude and Auris):

Chapter 1: [coming soon!]

More of this story:

None yet!

[name undecided] (Thomas and Leos):

Chapter 1: [coming soon!]

More of this story:

None yet!

[name undecided] (Atir and Marceline)

Chapter 1: [coming soon!]

More of this story:

First post (foolish mortal :D)

Other characters:

Vidun:

Perspective shot

[pear1point]

Mallory: this boat is bumpy :( oh I’ve arrived

Mallory: :>

Mayor: welcome new resident you must be Mallory I’m Mayor Swirls follow me to your new house

< >

[minafeu]

I have polls yall so...

[vintagelasvegas]

Swanky Club, 920 N Boulder Hwy. This restaurant-nightclub in Henderson had the first buffet service in Clark County, and its first nightly female impersonators.

The club was constructed in '42 while the Basic Magnesium Plant was being built nearby. In 1946, owners Jack & Doris Mallory called it the Swanky Club. It was a lunch, banquet and meeting place for many Henderson organizations by day, and a bar, dance hall with evening entertainment by night. Throughout summer-fall 1946 Swanky Club advertised female impersonators: Billy Earle, James Ray "and his fans," Gene Bays "Prima Donna," and Three Gay Knights, aka The Four Gay Knights.

Swanky Club's dinner service was a smorgasbord buffet, operated by Bob & Pearl Pfluger, which launched just months earlier than the Chuck Wagon buffet at El Rancho Vegas.

In the 1940s when few businesses dotted the highways, Swanky Club had no address. Their ads said they were on "Boulder Highway at Pittman" or "Boulder Hiway across from the B.M.I." The area was empty enough that Jack Mallory landed and parked his Aeronca Chief 2-seater plane in the desert of his nearby home.

Bob Pfluger was the owner of the club when it was destroyed by an overnight fire and explosion on 7/15/58. The Mallorys bought back the property, rebuilt with a trailer court and 6-unit motel on the 8-acre parcel, and reopened Swanky Club on 7/29/59.

The club closed in '84. The adjacent motel closed after a fire in '85. Henderson Fire Dept. used the club for controlled fires before it was completely demolished. It was replaced by Cattle Baron Casino ('90) aka Joker's Wild Casino ('93).

Photos: (1) Circa '49/50. Dennis McBride Photograph Collection (PH-00263). (2) Postcard, undated. (3) Postcard, 1960s. Photo by Stough Photographers. Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas. (4) Clark County Museum. (5) '76, courtesy of Dennis Connolly.

Swanky Club Destroyed by Fire, Explosion This A.M. Review-Journal, 7/15/58; Club Owners. Review-Journal, 7/29/59; Swanky Club: Introduced First Chuck Wagon in Clark County. Review-Journal, 10/31/64; Club fire was false alarm for onlookers. Review-Journal, 10/31/85.

[lucie-newman]

Where: Lake Mallory When: May 2024 Who: Open (5/5)

Lou's cameras had gathered dust over the long winter months. They were brought out for shots of her niece or after a particularly pretty snowstorm, but then tucked away. Spring had legs now though and she was spending her time more often with one of them slung around her neck. Like this morning, at the lake, where hatchlings were following their parents like a string of pearls. She snapped a few shots before realizing she'd wandered a little too close to one small family of geese. She backed up and bumped gently into someone, catching herself on their arm. "Sorry," she said, "I was about to get my ass handed to me back there by those birds."

[scribbleshrimp]

Man I got to know how the story ends, it’s so personal to me I was in love with a guy who not only reminds me of Neil personality wise but even appearance wise. Do you have anything more written for it? All your platforms seem to be defunct and it makes me really sad

The original ending of the story is that they all died tragically young in painful ways because at at point in my life I could have never imagined a happy ending for me or the characters.

But now I have a pretty different ending which I consider 'canon'.

Mallory stops the morgue business and get's into art restoration instead, better use of her skills. Her insides are held together by resin and silicone and a bunch of other funky things that make her smell like oil paint but they are happy, even has a few friends (in person!!! wow!!!) , and reconnected with her father. Also Mallory no longer goes by Mallory! Cut out the 'Mal' part and just goes by Lorey now. Still has extreme CPTSD and is very awkward around people but...she is doing better. Lorey has been experimenting with weird hair styles lately, but always seems to come back to green after awhile. She has also been getting into mushroom foraging, 90% sure she ate a deadly lookalike at some point but she was....fine? Fun implications on what that means for her future. Either way she loves restoring art, and making art herself. She speaks to the paintings, and only misses talking to dead people a littleeee bit.

Efron took all his control issues and projected it onto having an absurd amount of pets. He can micro-manage a dozen terrariums as much as he likes and really enjoys the fact they are dependent on him. He also grew his hair out and ditched the pearls and sweater, any reminders of his mother is something he learned not to cling on to. Also got someee professional help for his identity issues? He realized that he is not in fact the next coming of christ, nor is he a gross reflection of his mother. Still has a massive eating disorder but all the animals are well fed to an absurd degree (lots of fresh/raw food which costs a lot but it's fine because Efron has a decent job now.) Efron is overall doing okay. Will probably never date anyone ever again, or even have close platonic bonds. Which is a bit sad but he is fine with it, he does not trust himself not to be manipulative for their own good. Maybe some more therapy would help him but he is the type to look down on most of the advice he is given, and he is content with his current lifestyle. Who says that he has to be normative to be fufilled?

Neil is... well he is dead. In the original escam at least he is. But now when I imagine him he is very very alive. Ironically he is a fucking school counselor now. He helps kids with planning their futures or hears out their petty drama and attempts to help sort it out. He also sometimes talks to kids who self harm, or are clearly seeking attention from.... less than ideal spaces. Sometimes it's like talking to a mirror of his younger self and that really freaks him out. He wishes he could shake these kids around and tell them that they should not be wasting their youth enabling predators or bonding with kids as equally messed up as they are over who can hurt themselves more. He is afraid he is not doing nearly enough to help them. But overall he is thriving in life. He has a boyfriend who treats him well, and that's pretty cool. He also has a full beard which is no longer patchy, and that's even cooler. He still feels depressed most days and is prone to mood swings but he is way more stable than he ever was in escam. The only part of himself he ever kills is the part that made him feel worthless.

[taxidermydolls]

yes babe, youre so may canady, ginger fitzgerald, lee holloway, erika kohut, lisa swallows, mallory knox, dawn weiner, pearl, carrie white, maren yearly, anna (possession), lydia deetz coded

[savebatsartedition]

And So We Fall - Fully Animated Fandom AMV

-

Warnings: Eyestain, flashing lights, minor injury, and minor spoilers for SOME of the fandoms included. (All of them are listed below in order.) 

There are unfortunately two small visual glitches and an audio glitch in this recording. You play have more luck with the scratch link (IF you have a beefy computer). The other recordings I tried to do crashed my computer. 

I ran out of tags to tag everything so I picked four random fandoms to not tag.

Scratch link: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/504709298 Originally shared: Jul 12, 2024 

(More notes under the cut.) 

Instructions: If you couldn't tell from the DSMP part, I've been working on this for a WHILE. ^-^' (For reference: As of 2024, I have been working on it for at LEAST four years.) 

 It's a little off time, and it's kind of scuffed but yeah.

Please don't steal or recolor or trace or anything! None of that! 

Fandoms: Dream SMP (Ranboo lore) Pokemon DPA (Koya) Hetalia (Germany, Italy, Japan, England, Russia, France, China, America.) 3rd Life SMP (Grian) Warrior Cats (Jayfeather) Gameknight999 (Gameknight999, King of Griefers) Pokespe (That part where Gold got thrown in the lake) Miraculous Ladybug (Cat Noir and Ladybug) HTTYD Books (Windwalker) PJO (Percy + Hades and Persephone) Magic Tree House (Jack and Annie) Beowulf (Grendel's Mother and Beowulf) Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (Link + the gate of time) Kirby's Epic Yarn (Prince Fluff and Kirby) Servamp (Litch and Lawless) Series of Unfortunate Events (Sunny) Norigami (Yato +Yukine in sword form) Pokemon Anime (Ash) Brother Bear (Kenai, Bear Form, then human form) My Little Pony (Rainbow Dash) Hamlet (Hamlet) Spiderwicks Chronicles (Mallory, Simon, Jared) Animaniacs (Yakko, Dot, and Wakko) A to Z Mysteries (Josh, Ruth Rose, and Dink) Warrior Sheep (All of them, focus on Wills, the phone) Sonic The Hedgehog (Sonic The Hedgehog) Dungeon Meshi (Chilchuck)  Hermitcraft 8 (Impulse, Pearl, Mumbo, Scar, Grian) Prodigy Math Game (The Puppet Master) Disney's Fairies (Vidia + Mushroom with pixie dust) How To Train Your Dragon Movies (Toothless pre film) Scratchcraft (Mallonations, Stormlordzeus) The Iliad (Achilles and Patroclus) Shark Wars (Velenka, Goblin) Me :3 

Sorry to Cleopatra in Space, Amulet, Narnia, Danny Phantom, Harry Potter, Wild Cratts, The Hobbit, Foxcraft and all the other things I like very very much but didn't even get into this amv. Also sorry to the parts, Pokespe in particular, which are way too short for how much I love them. :") 

Notes and Credits: @savebatsfromscratch (me) for the animation and code. Scratch bitmap is the program of choice. The Stupendium on YT for the song. The creators of the characters.

[hooftea]

Viorel: since you took a bit longer to complete your training I’m going to give you an easy first assignment

Mallory: ok mu-princess where am I going

Viorel: this is Pearl Point it’s a small town known for having the best pearls it’s a bit far but it’s a simple first task

Mallory: is there anything I need to look at over there

Viorel: just watch over the area and report any problems your accommodations are already taking care of you will get your cover story when you get there

Mallory: yes princess

Viorel: before you go you must choose your disguise remember the spell it’s the first one you were taught

Mallory: oh yeah gotta hide my wings and or horn hmmmm

>

[boxeboxer]

THE CONJUGATE FAMILY

The conjugate family consists of odd-base, high threshold, extracorporeal human facsimiles, which include the bicephalic chimera and Mallory clone. Due to a greater presence of electrolytes in the body, the protective shielding on the neurons of conjugates is considerably weaker, allowing them to both detect and manipulate external electric fields. This ability is known as clairvoyance.

BICEPHALIC CHIMERAS, also known as PEARLS, are the result of fraternal twins fusing in-utero, where each hemisphere of the brain consists of a unique set of DNA (bicephalic meaning "two-headed"). As a result of this fusion, the corpus callosum fails to form. While in most cases this would lead to the death of the embryo, in rare cases, the body produces an excess of electrolytes such that electrical signals may pass between the hemispheres in the absence of the corpus callosum. Similar to how oysters deposit nacre over irritants to form pearls, bicephalic chimeras produce electrolytes in the brain that grant them clairvoyance.

Pearls occur spontaneously during gestation, and though their creation can be influenced by external means, they cannot be produced artificially. Most pearls are thought to die in the early stages of pregnancy. Additionally, there is no evidence bicephalic chimerism is genetic. The predicted odds of a pearl being born is estimated to be one in several billion.

The DNA of pearls is ionically charged from the increased presence of electrolytes. When subjected to gel electrophoresis, their DNA collects at the wells, forming characteristic streaks in the buffer. This is what increases a pearl's Base to 4.25, because although it doesn't make up a fifth nucleotide like seen in the Mallory clone, it still affects their vessel conductivity.

MALLORY CLONES are clones of bicephalic chimeras fertilized by the means of EBID. They are a mosaic of a pearl's DNA, whereas instead of each hemisphere being a distinct profile, their chimerism is evenly distributed throughout the brain. This puts a lesser strain on their bodies when practicing clairvoyance.

Mallory clones (also called true conjugates, brainchildren, or kalpana) do not occur naturally. They are exclusively produced in a lab, where they must be fertilized artificially. Only one Mallory clone has been successfully fabricated, that being Samya Amari.

While also forming streaks under electrophoresis, a Mallory clone's DNA incorporates ionic charge in a way distinctive to that of a pearl's. Instead of the charge being carried by the double helix, a substituted "fifth nucleotide" comprised of capacitive potential is to blame for the increased vessel conductivity. Granting even greater vessel conductivity than that of a pearl, this increases a Mallory clone's Base to 5.

Both pearls and Mallory clones possess the same high-threshold (Base greater than 4) extracorporeal abilities, categorized under the umbrella term of clairvoyance. The only difference in their respective outputs is their strength. Pearls experience physical fatigue from practicing clairvoyance, and overexerting themselves can cause great injury. While Mallory clones can also reach this point, their clairvoyant endurance is much higher.

[new-hyperfixation-every-month]

he loves my heart shaped sunglasses <3 (SHES THE WORST)

@hellofromthehallowoods

[ID: A pencil drawing of Lady Ethel Mallory from Hello From the Hallowoods. She is drawn as a grinning blond woman wearing a sunhat with a rose on it, a sleeveless dress, long gloves that end near her shoulders, a pearl necklace, some heart earings and some heart sunglasses. She has heart freckles that cover her face and her shoulders. END ID]

[askmorganandsabrina]

Morgan: We're new on Tumblr! Manitoba Smith recommended this app to me a few days ago, so you can ask me, Sabrina, and the other characters anything!

- Ask Box is Open! 💖

- This is an ask blog 🔮

- Ask us questions we can answer 🪷

- Leave your questions in our ask box, please! ☕

Who are the characters in this ask blog?

💖 Morgan and Sabrina 💖

Morgan

Sabrina

Vita

Svetlana

Chestera

Manitoba Smith (or just Manitoba)

Mal

Elaina

❤️ The Amazing Adventures of Splen-danielle 💙

Splen-danielle

Splen-daniella

🌹 The God of Roses 🌹

God of Roses

The Past Storyteller

Chalice

🌲 Human Tree Friends 🌲

Cuddles Truman

Giggles Fernandez

Toothy Santha

Lumpy Croft

Petunia Peterson

Handy Ottoman

Flaky Clarkson

Flippy Hernandez

Cub Ferguson

Pop Ferguson

Splendid Madrigal

Mime Brown

Lammy Marie

Russell Jones

Mole Morgan

Nutty Anderson

Sniffles Russell

Sweetie Sanchez (my OC)

Sorry for Lifty and Shifty not being on there...

Also, the Morgan and Sabrina swap AU characters can ask you questions, too!

🌸 Morgan and Sabrina Role Swap AU 🌸

Swap!Mallory

Swap!Nia

Swap!Nora

Swap!Petunia

Swap!Dawn

Swap!Pearl (AKA Pearl Sanchez)

Swap!Elaina

Swap!Mal

Swap!Flower Girl (AKA Rosita)

Swap!Morgan (AKA Morgsy)

Swap!Sabrina

Swap!Vita

Swap!Svetlana

Swap!Chestera

Swap!Manitoba

Swap!Opal

[spaceagebachelormann]

Mar!! A) I don't know if you did, but if you did send Clementine my way, thanks, she's cool. And B) I've decided to ask my moots a few noninvasive questions to get to know them better (if you don't feel up to answering, that's totally fine <3)

• What's your favorite color?

• What's your favorite mythological creature from a book?

• What song hits you in the feels every time you hear it?

• What is your favorite possession?

• Who is your favorite book character of ALL TIME? (You can totally pick more than one)

AUTUMN!! <33 sadly i did not send clem your way but i’m so glad you like her cause i adore her <33 AND ID LOVE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS

a) i don’t really have one cause i’m too indecisive but i do like orange alot!

b) OH OH 100% HARPIES <3 they’re just so interesting to me

c) new romantics - taylor swift, vogue (edit version) - madonna, venus - theatre of tragedy, alive - pearl jam, i’m a fool to want you - frank sinatra, emotions - brenda lee, back to the old house - the smiths, you’re as pretty as a picture - al bowlly, killer queen - queen, smells like teen spirit - nirvana, no way - SIX, armies of the night - sparks, ride - lana del rey, the only heartbreaker - mitski, buddy holly - weezer

d) MY SCOOBY DOO SWEATER!! it’s so warm and soft and i adore it,, also cause scooby <3

e) OH MY THERR ARE SEVERAL, uhhhhhhh!! wylan van eck, jesper fahey, genya safin, nikolai lantsov, minho (the maze runner), marlee tames (hehehehehehehe), sophie foster, dex dizznee, fitz vacker, piper mclean, jason grace, leo valdez, connor bailey, alex bailey, agatha of woods beyond, mallory keen, carter kane, cress darnell, scarlett dragna, peter pevensie, edmund pevensie, lucy pevensie, susan pevensie, vivi duarte, christine daaé, gwen darling (everland series) <33

[northerngrail]

Blitz Krieg 

Pierre Gaillard-Bourgousie 

Simon LeBlanc 

Philip Morrison

Flint Morrison 

Teddy Morrison 

Gawain Cadwallader 

Laban Bhattacharya 

Pearl 

Antonio Russo 

Noir 

Jonas Fisch 

Lionel Schneider 

Erik Wolf 

Wolfgang Muller 

Joshua Kraus 

Alistair Byron 

James Everett 

Madeline Everett 

Trent Byron 

Flynn Everett 

Peng Li 

Samson Volkov

Azrael Volkov 

Sebastian Volkov 

Gregor

Smartie

Caramel

Rosie

Posie

Holly

Woody Puddles 

Debbie Bakerson

MaryJane Doe 

Orion Pax

Sonnen Von Teufel

Robert Vee 

Romulus Charles Yates

Devi Brillianty 

Alisia Brillianty 

Gunther Brillianty 

Draco Brillianty 

Josefine Krieg 

 Alphonse Krieg 

Dacian Ihle Edwards 

Dagny Danger 

 Darren Danger 

Pippin/Percieval Inannen 

 Sophia Sanchez 

Samal Sanchez 

Stephan Paris

Lazarus English 

Spencer Klark 

Springer Clarc 

Beatrice Quinsco 

 Benedict Quinsco 

Thomas 

Benny 

Tracey Murphy 

Illiana Evans 

Damara Scratch 

Stanley Evans 

Anna Evans 

Akihito Mizu 

 Clover Jones 

Connor 

Maria Sanchez 

Jack Sanchez 

Maria Sanchez Jr 

Sapphireo 

Steel Comet 

N'grahn 

Annie 

Callie English 

Cal English 

Jackson Whittaker-English 

Cal Scratch 

Lucille Scratch 

Keith Whitehead 

Bobbi Cottontail 

Snowdrop Cottontail 

Posie Cottontail 

Dante Dahl 

Pearl Merriet 

Janet Sato 

James Elwood 

Connor Sato 

Lee Morrison 

Rebecca Morrison 

Auntie 

Fish Uncle

Alexander Dia

Alana 

Mallory

[angrenwen]

"There’s some that think animals are simpler than people, and that’s not quite right, either.

I’ve heard a lot of people say ‘animals can’t lie’ and if you’ve ever had a cat, you know that’s not true. Cats can lie.

People said that about me, too, growing up. “Mallory, that boy of yours is too simple to lie.”

I think I had a lot of fellow feeling with the animals in my care, if that makes sense. Not a lot of people really take the time to figure us out. Maybe that’s why I got so good at it- I took the time, because I knew what it was like when people didn’t.

Animals are just different. More complex in some ways, more straight forward in others. You gotta learn.

I think Mam and Da were relieved when the circus scooped me up. I was kind of embarrassing to have around, even if you’re someone who’s pretty patient.

They came through town with a pair of griffins that nobody was taking proper care of.

Sickly and thin, molting feathers like crazy, their fur was falling out. I chewed out their 'lion tamer’ and the ringmaster up one side and down the other. They weren’t feeding them right, reckoning them to be like songbirds, and not eagles.

They needed meat, not seed.

The ringmaster hired me.

Not to do shows, no, but just to care take. I didn’t want to do shows, the idea gave me the collywobbles. My job was just to keep them fed and sleek and groomed, help the 'lion tamer’ work with them.

The ringmaster was alright.

About the third big fight I had with the 'lion tamer’, when I threatened to horsewhip him, the ringmaster let him go, let me pick out someone new, who I could trust not to hurt the animals that I’d worked so hard to get to trust me. The ringmaster liked me okay, he believed me. Trusted me.

The new beast master was good, though, and the circus didn’t really need me anymore. They kept me on for a while, anyway- I could help the beast master, and when the griffins had hatchlings, I could help show case the babies for the crowds. I think it was just a kindness. A circus becomes kind of your family, and we were far enough from the place I’d called home- we’d crossed at least one sea- that going back wasn’t practical. They were stuck with me, but they were kind about it, and took care of me.

When we showed the king the animals, our circus, the acts, his daughter fell in love with the hatchlings, she simply had to have one.

The ringmaster and the beast master both thought they could solve two problems with one fell swoop, and managed to convince the King to hire me on to care for all three hatchlings, who by that point were gangly adolescents, and seemed to view me as a parent as much as their own flesh and blood.

They were all lovely, rich browns, with beautiful and striking patterns around the eyes, and lovely tawny fur. Their eyes, rather than bright yellow, were more closely matched to the tawny of their fur, and they were all very curious and interested in things- they could do wooden puzzles, and I had to be careful about locking them up, because they learned how to open simple latches very quickly. Bright, bright things.

The King had many fine beasts, though not many in good health. The unicorn needed a diet change. They eat flowers, not straw. Scrawny and in poor health, but easy to fix- she gorged on roses, and her horn gleamed like a pearl in the sun. She was a black unicorn- you don’t see those often- and had a white blaze where the horn came out. One of the most beautiful beasts I ever have seen, once she was cleaned up fed well.

The pegasus needed regular preening. They’re really flock animals, if you have one, you ought to have two, so they can clean each other’s wings.

But hands can clean, as well.

The pegasus had glorious wings. Dull gray when dirty, but a soft dove gray and shining in all colors of the rainbow, once they were properly clean. And a proper blue roan for a coat- he was a gorgeous fellow. It was a shame to keep his flight feathers trimmed, really.

I convinced the King to let me grow them out, convinced him that I could teach the pegasus to return- but they need to fly. They need it for their hearts and minds, to stretch their wings and soar. The first time I saw him soar, my heart soared with him.

And then he came right back pushing his big head into my chest, so I could scratch his ears and muzzle the way he liked. Big, silly thing.

The real pride of the collection was a stunted dragon, found when it was just a hatchling. It didn’t breathe fire, and the wings were mangled. I was told they found it with mangled wings- that it had been abandoned. I expect someone did it, though, to keep it grounded.

But I fed it and cleaned it until the green and black scales gleamed, and it sat in the sun for hours, fat and happy and looking as much like a large snake as anything that could fly.

It wasn’t to last.

As I’ve said, I’m not good with people. I didn’t mean to insult anybody, honestly I didn’t. But I guess I did, and then there was this nobleman with this son who needed a job.

I tried to talk to the King- the fool didn’t know anything about animals, and was talking stuff and nonsense about hard discipline, and all that.

But I’m bad with people. I couldn’t make the right words come.

I didn’t get much in the way of money. Mostly it was food and a place to stay, and good, sturdy leathers to wear. Kept clean, so as to not shame his majesty, but nothing fine or too dear- that would be wasted on someone who spent much of the day shoveling up what dragons leave behind, when they’ve eaten.

So I didn’t have much, when I was let go. I spent what I had on some supplies. I was ashamed, burning with it, and anger. I knew he was going to hurt those animals, but there was nothing I could do. I’d be killed for trying.

I went into the woods.

I just wanted to get away, get the castle out of sight, so I put it to my back and walked into the forest, walked until the sun began to set. Set up a little camp.

They’d taught me how, in the circus. How to start a fire and put up a tent, and I guess I mostly remembered how, though it took me a while to get the fire going.

I didn’t know where I was going to go, next. I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried myself to sleep, that night.

I woke up with a dragon on top of me. Which was not unusual, except I remembered that wasn’t supposed to happen anymore.

It took me a few minutes to convince him to get off me, and when I crawled out of the tent I’d set up (rather shoddily, I could now tell, in the morning light) there were three griffins poking through the remains of my fire, looking for bones. A unicorn grazing in the meadow I’d set up in, eating daisies.

Instead of a white horn and blaze, though, it was wearing red. The griffins had blood on their beaks, and the dragon was fatter in the middle than it had been yesterday- and sluggish, besides.

Even the pegasus- who was trailing behind the unicorn, eating the grass that the unicorn ignored- had blood on his hooves, and splattered on his chest.

I guessed that minor lordling probably was out of a job, too. Rather more permanently than I was.

I warned him that the griffins could open latches.

Probably I was going to be blamed, but I decided not to worry too much about that. Going back wasn’t an option.

A lot of boring drudgery followed. We moved slow some days, fast others. We went deep into the woods, where I’d heard a wizard lived. I knew that my animals shed things a wizard might could use, and maybe he could help us out in exchange.

And I was right. He was very kind. And, I think, glad of the company. He helped set me up with a nice place to stay near his tower, and visits most days.

The pegasus found a herd, and I thought he’d go, but he just brings everybody by to winter with us. The unicorn comes and goes as she pleases, but I see her most days.

The griffins stay close- as far as they’re concerned, I’m one of them, and as much as eagles are solitary animals, they’re also cats, and cats travel in packs. I’m their sad flightless father, with no claws or beaks- I used to take them hunting, but I guess they decided I’m too slow, because they go out on their own, now. They usually leave something at the door for me- most morning there’s a dead duck or rabbit, though once they brought me a whole stag.

I wonder if they thought I wasn’t eating enough.

The dragon, it turned out, wasn’t a runt. Dragons just take a long, long time to get big. He was still a baby, basically.

He’s going to be a baby long after I’m dead. I needed to make sure someone would take care of him. So the wizard and I started looking.

It took a lot of careful work, and some extremely cautious negotiating, but we did find the dragon’s original parent. Dragons who lay eggs only lay one egg in their lifetime- that’s what she said.

I think her son’s obvious fondness for me was what won her over- he was still too young to speak, but he tried to prevent me from leaving. She was pretty upset about his wings, and I told her how I came to the know the little dragon, and what the King’s people had told me about him.

She asked me how to find this King, and I guess I’m still too simple to lie, because I told her.

I’m not so worried, these days, about the King hunting me down.

Me and the wizard are trying to see if we can figure out some braces that’ll help straighten his wings out as he grows. He probably won’t ever fly, but we think he might be able to take some big flapping jumps, possibly even glide, if we figure this out. I still see him on the regular, that dragon child. His mam brings him by when she goes out hunting, and she even pays me to watch him.

I just don’t ask her what she’s hunting."

You were the caretaker for the mythical beasts of the royal family. Yesterday they decided to replace you with some incompetent noble, before kicking you out of the castle. You then spent the night in a nearby forest. However today you were awakened by the beasts who chose to follow you.