#ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES | Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | “It's us or them.”

[brucewaynehater101]

WHUMPTOBER 2024: PROMPT #7

Only for emergencies, unconventional weapon, magic with a cost, "It's us or them"

Brief synopsis: Tim has a plan that Bruce can't find out about

Bruce would rather die than kill. It's his ironclad belief and a boundary he seemingly will never cross.

This is why he and Jason scream themselves hoarse or pummel each other on Gotham's rooftops. The younger man claims this is why so many of the Bats have died. Bruce's unwillingness to accept murder by his own hands or those of his children is ultimately their downfall.

This is one of the several reasons why Tim has contingencies Bruce is unaware of. That, and the man's consistent effort to shape Tim’s paranoia even against their family.

During a month-long JL space mission where Batman's presence is necessary, the other Bats stay behind to cover Gotham. Their relationships to each other and Bruce are wobbly, but at a higher point. They even have the occasional hangout and casual interactions.

Tim will initiate individual or small group gatherings, but he's never tried to jam all of the batkids into one room together. Not before this, anyhow.

Due to this reason as well as their current friendliness with each other, all of them agree to meet at Tim's Nest. He prepared a meeting table, chairs, snacks, pizza, drinks, and a projector in his version of the batcave.

He spends three hours lecturing them on several plans that Bruce is never to hear about. He starts off soft with stuff like safehouses, vehicles, and weapons Bruce doesn't know about. He then goes into truth serums, media strategies, and extreme force measures.

He ends the meeting with the one procedure he was nervous about.

“I could have kept this from you. In fact, you should be aware that I have contingencies some or none of you are aware of. Plans I hope to never initiate.”

He sighs as his eyes flicker back to the slide. “This would be the absolute worst case scenario with no other options. I would expect each of us to exhaust all methods before we try this.”

He glances at each of the batkids despondently. “I don’t care if you'd rather sacrifice yourselves. I can't lose you. I won't. Not again.” His eyes linger on Dick, Steph, Cass, Jason, and Damian specifically, but he tries to nonverbally communicate his unwillingness to lose Duke or Barbara either.

The others may not agree or be happy with the plan, but they allow Tim to have it. They accept their role in it as well. Given their work, all they can do is hope the need never arises.

~~~

Of course, the time occurs like they all feared it would.

Their father, Bruce Wayne, stares at his kids with open fear. He can't see a way out of this and he's already envisioning his children dead and dying. The World's Greatest Detective can't find a way out of this.

He would willingly sacrifice his life for his kids, but even that is not an option. His death would afford them mere minutes.

He’s watched all of his children, officially or not, throw themselves at the issue again and again. Each came up with more erratic and desperate plans. All of the plans failed or wouldn't work.

He also notices when each member finally gives up, as they, one by one, turn to Tim. Red frantically shakes his head and types faster, eyes flying over multiple computer screens as he tries to find any other answer.

“Red Robin.”

The vigilante refuses to acknowledge Nightwing. There must be another way. He will not utilize that spell, the one that will obliterate thousands of lives, unless he's absolutely sure there are no other avenues. They are running out of time, but surely there's another way.

“Tim-”

“No! I can find a way. I can!” He's not even looking at Dick as his eyes scour over the multiple computer screens. If he can just figure this out, he will soothe the dejected lines in Dick's face as well.

A hand settles on Tim's shoulder. “We're going to die.”

Finally, Red’s hands pause. He's frozen as the weight of the words and their hidden meaning cause his shoulders to slump in defeat. “Fuck.”

The others in the room refuse to make eye contact as they come to terms with their decision. Bruce's eyes dart between his kids with a puzzled frown. He's analyzing the situation but doesn't have all of the clues.

With the grave expressions on all of his children's faces, he is not expecting Red Robin to pull a pink rubber duck from his belt. Tim approaches Bruce with pressed lips and a guilty gleam to his eyes.

“This will help us stop the invasion.”

Although Batman doesn't move an inch, Tim nods at the man's incredulity.

“It's completely harmless to humans but lethal to their species.”

And now Bruce understands the guilty and hesitant stances around him. Batman can not and will not approve of murder, even to save the ones he loves.

Considering that all of the other Gotham vigilantes have deemed this the only road, Bruce will need to find a non-lethal option by his lonesome. He will need to secure the weapon and fight his way out.

Batman quickly performs a nerve strike on Tim's arm and swoops up the tiny pink duck. Only once it's in his grasp does he realize his mistake.

No one moved to stop him.

Batman's lens covered eyes glare into Red Robin's.

Red's stare bears down on him as Batman's knees give out.

“I'm sorry, Bruce. If I have to choose between the ones I love and an enemy, I will always choose my family. No matter the cost. I don't expect you to forgive me.”

As the sedative drags him under, Bruce falls asleep knowing his kids will be safe covered in the blood of their enemies.

[chaotic-orphan]

Whumptober No.7

Only for Emergencies

Unconventional weapon // magic with a cost // "It's us or them."

*~*~*~*~*

“Leader,” Medic cried, the usually stoic man so flustered as he half dragged a semi-conscious Rogue through the streets and into cover. “We’re not going to outrun them. Not like this and they’re gaining on us.”

Second strayed to the alleyway across from Medic and Leader, firing shards of ice like a canon at the enemies, crafting a thick wall of ice and making some cover. Even Leader could see they were tiring too, and their eyes, despite themselves turned to Whumpee.

Whumpee, sensing the weight of Leader’s gaze, raised their head. “No,” they said, shaking their head. “No, Leader, you promised.”

“I promised it would only be for emergencies, Whumpee. This is an emergency.”

“We can still—”

“We can’t do shit!” Medic cut in, growling. “I am at my limit. So is Second, Rogue is barely conscious and the enemy don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.”

Whumpee stepped back away from them, as if slapped. The betrayal that crossed their expression pulled at Leader’s heartstrings, but they couldn’t disagree with Medic. He was right. They were at their limit. They didn’t expect Villain to come to the exchange with an entire army.

“This is Villain we’re talking about,” Whumpee whispered, tears pricking their eyes. “If I— If I…”

“If you don’t then we’re as good as dead,” Medic snapped.

Leader, always the gentle touch, walked over to Whumpee, taking their hands in theirs and getting on their knees. Whumpee stiffened as Leader looked up at them with tears in their eyes.

“It’s us or them, Whumpee,” Leader whispered. “Villain chose their side. They chose to betray us and they chose to lie to us about this exchange and their numbers. They don’t care if we live or die!”

They care if I live or die, Whumpee thought, and the guilt speared their heart. They couldn’t hold their life above the lives of their team, above Rogue and Medic and Second and Leader. Then they’d be no better than Villain.

But still… Villain loved Whumpee, they would never ask this of them.

Whumpee pulled their hand from Leader’s. Leader closed their eyes, their chin dropping to their chest defeated.

“You know what it will do to me,” Whumpee whispered, but they felt like they were screaming, every breath was an effort. Leader slowly rose to their feet. They dragged their gaze up to Whumpee’s, apologetic and guilty.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Whumpee swallowed the lump in their throat.

They were… they really were just going to let Villain win, out of their own pathetic selfishness but— if Whumpee unleashed their ability it wouldn’t just be Villain and their army in danger, it would be their team too, the world if they didn’t stop Whumpee in time, and Leader knew that.

Medic held his head in his hands, fisting his hair and yelled a long, low guttural: “FUCK!”

Leader placed a hand on Whumpee’s shoulder and Whumpee met their yellow gaze. Whumpee recoiled, jolting back but it was too late. They were under Leader’s command now, and their body wasn’t their own.

“Whumpee… I need you to use your power so we can escape,” Leader said. Whumpee’s expression bled blank until they were just staring like a zombie at Leader.

Medic raised his head, eyes wide. “Leader? Leader! What did you do?!”

Whumpee walked past Leader, past Medic and Rogue and out into the open as the ice wall broke, a green, ghoulish hue overtaking their body. Leader set their jaw.

“What I had to. Now, let’s go.”

[hywenhei]

a full week of whumptober is already done!!! i'm pretty surprised at how fast this is going but i really enjoy making prompt lists like this :D

ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES: Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

CW: Comas, implied human experimentation

A Whumpee whose magic is uncontrollable when used. Nobody dares to get close with them or even talk to them for fear of getting hurt. The only person willing enough to go near them is Whumper, who just found themselves the perfect test subject...

Caretaker has a magic type that is incredibly powerful, but sends the user into a coma for the next few days, which is why it is reserved for emergency use. When Whumpee is in danger, Caretaker doesn't give a second thought as to how they'll be affected: all they can think of is Whumpee.

"If they want to play dirty, so will we." "Please, don't do this!" "It's us or them, Teammate. If this is what keeps us alive, so be it."

i'm so tired so i'm gna snooze now :] goodnight and see you tomorrow for day 8!!

[tildeathiwillwrite]

Get Electrocuted, Idiots

Whumptober Day 7 ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES | Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

Whumptober Prompts List | Masterpost

Fandom: Original Work

Words: 800

Tag List: @fourwingedsnake @whumperofworlds @pigeonwhumps @mr-orion @scaewolf

@the-ellia-west

CW: cornered, threats, swearing, fantasy whump, struck by lightning, death, hyperventilation

A/N: the Mages in my WIP Trials of the Six are prime victims for the Magic With A Cost trope. The human body isn't equipped for the amount of magic that travels through it when a Mage uses their abilities and so has an adverse reaction. The exact reaction varies depending on which element the Mage controls. Examples are given in the character picrews linked in the WIP masterpost.

Enough about the magic system. On with the whump! >:3

----------

"Look, we don't want any trouble."

The words came casually enough to Korfel's lips. But Jarsali didn't miss how the fingers of his right hand twitched, desperate to grab the hilt of his scimitar. She didn't blame him. She was as on edge as he was, and she would feel much safer with her staff in her hands rather than strapped to her back.

Unfortunately, she had no time to draw it. The squadron had come out of nowhere, fanning out in a semicircle, pressing her and Korfel up against the cliff face. They hadn't meant to stray so near the Claystone Cliffs, but the road they had taken from a small mining town wound along the layered mountains, making for a treacherous journey.

Today, however, falling was but one of many of Jarsali's concerns, not the priority. She wasn't sure how the squadron they'd encountered over a week ago had tracked them down, but here they were, curved swords drawn.

"I don't care what you want," the squad leader---evident from the coat of arms painted upon the breastplate of his armor---snapped. "Korfel Domin and Jarsali Fortus, you under arrest on the charges of conspiracy and treason against the Conclave. You will surrender and be brought to Alynthi for a trial."

Korfel scoffed. "Pile of bullshit. You just want the bounty on our combined heads."

The other squadron members chuckled, but the leader's jaw tightened. "You can go to Alynthi alive, or dead. We have you outnumbered and cornered."

"I hadn't noticed," Jarsali quipped. She eyed the group critically before continuing. "Look, as lovely as I've heard Alynthi is at this time of year, we have no interest in attending a rigged trial ending in public execution."

"As I said," the squad leader said, growing even more annoyed, "I don't care what you want. There is no outcome where you make it out of here alive or free. So I highly suggest you throw down your weapons now."

Jarsali tapped her Mage energy, allowing its cracking power to fill her. A gust of wind blew over them, almost forcing the soldiers back a step. She cocked her head as her hair whipped wildly around her face. "Do you know exactly how we got those bounties?" She asked, smiling at the look on the squad leader's face.

"'Sali...." Korfel hissed warningly.

"It's us or them, Kor," she replied. "This constitutes as an emergency, doesn't it? Look," she said quietly, glancing upward, "a storm's coming."

Korfel swore vehemently and dove to the ground.

"Mage!" The squad leader shouted, reaching for his sword. But before he could do anything that mattered, the sky opened and rained lightning over the Tyan squadron. The metal armor they wore was the perfect conductor.

The scent of ozone and burning flesh filled the air, and only Jarsali and Korfel were left untouched. The body of the nearest soldier twitched in his death throes, and while some could have survived, it was unlikely they would be in any fit state to attack them. Jarsali stopped tapping her Mage energy.

And the air immediately left her lungs.

She staggered and fell to her knees, hands immediately going to her throat as she struggled to draw breath. The world spun around her, and her heart raced, beating heavily in her ears and drowning out almost all sounds.

But one noise broke through the relentless tha-thump-tha-thump-tha-thump.

"You're okay. You're doing great. You're not dying today."

Korfel.

Slowly, painstakingly, Jarsali gained control over her breathing, using the exercises she'd learned all those years ago, using her abdominal muscles and diaphragm to take deep, controlled breaths. With that under control, everything else calmed. Her heartbeat slowed, the world steadied, and she noticed the tingling in her arms and face.

She exhaled shakily and looked at Korfel, who was seated beside her, watching her carefully and not without concern. "How do you feel?" He asked gently.

She nodded. "Better. Ugh, I think I used too much Mage energy. Drew too close to my limits."

"No shit," Korfel remarked, glancing at the bodies on the other side of the road. He looked up and down the road. "We need to get moving. By the time the bodies are discovered, I want to be long gone. Are you up for walking?"

"Are you jealous that I didn't let you have any of the fun?"

Korfel rose and offered her a hand. "Next squad that catches us off-guard is getting buried in a sinkhole. Or a landslide. I'll decide on the way."

Jarsali grinned and allowed him to haul her upright. "Personally I'd love to see you do those massive spikes again." She glanced at the fallen soldiers, and her smile faded. "D'you think any of them were there, that day?"

"Doubtful. Most of them are too young. And it's not like the entire standing Tyan army was on those cliffs that day." He eyed her for a long moment. "Were you expecting some sort of catharsis?"

"I don't know."

"Come on. We'll sort through your feelings on the road."

"All right."

[nights-nonsensical-ramblings]

My first fic for whumptober! i tried to incorporate all four prompts for this one

[discordzero]

Chapters: 1/1

Fandom: DCU, Batman - All Media Types, Devil May Cry (Gameverse)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Relationships: Stephanie Brown & Cassandra Cain, Cassandra Cain & Damian Wayne, Dick Grayson & Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain & Dick Grayson, Stephanie Brown & Jason Todd

Characters: Stephanie Brown, Cassandra Cain, Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Mentioned Jason Todd - Character, mentioned Duke Thomas - Character, mentioned Tim drake - Character

Additional Tags: Hurt Stephanie Brown, Hurt Cassandra Cain, Hurt Damian Wayne, Implied/Referenced Torture, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Self-Mutilation, of the devil may cry variety, damian's severed hand is used as a weapon, this au is not fully fleshed out but i think about it a lot, author is pulling dmc lore from memory Summary:

Wiping the blood, her own and Damian’s, from her eyes meant she saw Steph run toward a light just over the hill with a speed that no one in her condition should have been capable of. Cass heard Steph laughing like they were kids again just playing tag in this very backyard.

[blackseafoam]

These Wells Are Dried

Part 2 of 2

previous - next

WC: 2835

“We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.”

Synopsis: The Red Lantern Inn sits on the edge of the high desert wilderness, before the shrubsteppe becomes the plains. Its run by its innkeeper, a half elf named Nicco, and his two employees, a gnome named Elleh and a human named Arturo. Taking place on some plane of existence in the D&D universe, with a lot of inspiration taken from the eastern side of the American PNW and the melting pot of cultures you can find there. Found Family, Fluff, trauma bonding.

Warnings: Acid burns, strangulation, violence.

Whumptober 2024. Day 07. only for emergencies l unconventional weapon l magic with a cost l "it's us or them"

-

Nicco did not, in fact, die with his secret that night. He lived on. On and on. 

Given his limited abilities and energy capacity, he managed the Red Lantern Inn as best he could. His staff, his wonderful staff, Elleh and Arturo, kept things running smoothly. Most of his days involved waking up late, ambling down the stairs between his cane and the railing, interacting with a few guests, and then retiring to his bedroom by lunchtime. There he would sleep until Arturo and Elleh brought him dinner and the three would usually play cards or read together at the couches in his quarters until the sun set.

Nicco should have known something was up by the extra spark in Elleh’s eyes, even the stoic Arturo shifted with a slightly excited energy. 

He sat at his spot in the kitchen, a small prep station with a chair. “Okay, what’s going on?” He stamped his cane on the ground, casting a suspicious but happy look upon his employees. 

“Nothing!” Elleh shrugged and cast a glance at Arturo before running out of the kitchen to serve tables. Leaving Arturo to stand awkwardly in the confrontation. Nicco leveled his familiar gaze at the hunter.

Arturo panicked and ran out to the dining room after Elleh. She had finished serving her tables and was on her way back to the bar, where Arturo wiped the bartop nervously. 

Elleh rolled her eyes. “He figured it out, let’s just give it to him now.” 

-

“We were going to wait until the anniversary party but since you are so suspicious of our behavior” Elleh plopped a brown paper wrapped packaged into Nicco’s lap, he sat at his usual station in the kitchen where he chopped vegetables at his chair. 

Nicco scoffed in surprise, looking at Arturo and Elleh, an equal amount of love and suspicion in his eyes. “What’s this now?”

Elleh shifted from foot to foot with her cheeky gap-toothed smile, Arturo stood still as a statue, grinning.

Nicco unwrapped a beautiful wide brimmed felted hat, with three pheasant’s feathers in the brim. One brown, one yellow, one green. He immediately put it on, a perfect fit. He opened his mouth in thanks, but noticed one more gift below the hat. He reached into the package and lifted out a beautiful silk robe, green, yellow, and orange botanical patterns adored the shoulders and hems. Nicco’s mouth was agape, he had no words. These garments were finer than anything he had ever owned. 

“We found an artisan on our last supply run, and his works just exuded… Nicco.” Elleh’s nose scrunched in a grin. 

"I don't know what to say..." Nicco huffed.

"Just wear them and we'll get the idea." Arturo laid a hand on Nicco's shoulder.

- 

Weeks later, Nicco finally seemed to be improving. His stamina allowing him to spend short sessions training the horses again. Arturo and Elleh pretended to not make it a big deal, but secretly watched through the windows with glee as Nicco lunged Cataldo in the roundpen for the first time since before the race. 

-

“I think I’m ready now.” Elleh stood in the doorway to Nicco’s room. 

Nicco sat at his study desk, calculating books for the inn, reading glasses at the end of his nose.  “Ready for what?”

“A few years ago, you asked if I wanted to learn to ride.” She took a courageous deep breath. “And I want to. Now.”

He removed his readers and tilted his head. “Is that so? What happened to ‘I’m too small?’”

Elleh clenched her fists at her sides, “I’m not, I can do it. Like you say, it’s about spirit, not strength. Right?” She couldn’t hide the slight nervousness in her expression, even though Nicco laughed with approval. 

“Alright then, we’ll start tomorrow morning.” Nicco replaced his glasses and went back to his math tables. 

-

Riding involved a lot more awareness than Elleh had ever thought.

Having spent years now watching riders come and go from the inn, or racing by on the road, it always looked so easy. You just put your feet in the stirrups and hung on, right? 

Wrong.

Elleh started on Vigno, a 22 year old kid’s pony who was just the right size for her. The gnome felt a little embarrassed as she swayed in the saddle, but straightened as she reminded herself why she was actually doing this. She caught Arturo’s encouraging thumbs up in the kitchen window, rolling her eyes in response. 

Nicco didn’t notice their silent interaction, continuing to lunge the pony at a walk in the roundpen. His new hat had been doing wonders keeping him outdoors longer, even though the chill of autumn had already taken firm hold on the air, he found he still could not tolerate the sun for long without his protective headwear. 

“Jump position.” He prompted. 

Elleh stood in the stirrups, knees and elbows bent. 

“Ready to trot?” 

“Hell yes.” Elleh said with determination, focusing on the sandy ground before the path of her mount. 

Nicco chirped Vigno into a lazy trot, Elleh automatically absorbed the new bouncing gait into her bent legs. “Now, settle into the rhythm, and post, when you’re ready.”

Elleh fought the urge to close her eyes, but it wasn’t hard to understand the rhythm of the beast below her. It was just like music. She sent her hips into motion into a posting trot as prompted, biting her lip in concentration. She urged her mind to stay relaxed, as if keeping time with music, no, just like keeping time with music. 

“You’re a natural!” Nicco cheered as he still spun in the center of the arena. 

The gnome had to quell her emotions to not cheer loudly and break her own concentration, she kept her focus instead, and stayed with her pony’s steady gait. 

-

That night, the three keepers of the inn stayed up late experimenting with  a new stew recipe and reviewing Elleh’s newfound riding skills with vigorous enthusiasm. Nicco stayed up the latest he had in months, laughing with his family. 

-

The tranquility lasted until the Bronze Dragonborn and his goons made their presence known at the Red Lantern. A place well known for coming together and brotherhood. Geshal Meshlatan cared not for this wholesome reputation as he commandeered the common area with drunken abandon. Arturo and Elleh served them cautiously as Nicco observed from the kitchen, his keen innkeeper eye on guard for the crossing of any lines with his staff. Cause a scene, the gang did, but they did not cross any boundaries until the very end of the night. 

-

Elleh's quick wit and sharp tongue had gotten her into trouble once again.

The Dragonborn held the gnome's hands in his great scaled fingers, pulling her out into the night. 

“You’ll pay for your callous remarks, you desert rats!” He bellowed, his throat glowing greenish yellow. 

Out of the illuminated doorway, a figure emerged. He hefted a fire iron from the hearth, holding it to the side as he approached, then slowly reaching it forward as he took steady steps toward his adversary. “We reserve the right to refuse business to anyone, Dragonborn. You and your gang leave now, and we won’t have any problems.” His hand trembled as he held the makeshift sword out. 

“Oh and what will you do, roll me like a firelog?” The dragonborn cackled, flecks of acid spewing from the back of his throat and landing on the dusty ground. 

“Mr. Meshlatan.” Nicco steadied his gaze, but Elleh could see his stance wavering "I don't like to ask twice, please unhand Elleh and leave."

Elleh didn’t want Nicco to lay down his life for her, more than she didn't want to be harmed by this brute. With a final burst of adrenaline she reeled backward, then churned herself forward to headbutt Geshal straight in the groin. He heaved backwards, still not letting go of her arms in his gigantic claws, then the acid that had been churning in his throat came spewing out.

A waterfall of green viscous liquid enveloped Elleh’s arms and hands, she watched in horror, unable to do anything about it. Geshal's clawed hand relaxed and the gnome reeled backwards, the pain now catching up with her. She lost her footing, suppressing her screams into anguished exhales as she curled her still burning arms toward herself. The skin steamed as the acid wended its way through the layers of her skin.

Blinding rage sparked in Nicco’s expression, weakness leaving his body as the adrenaline took over. He lifted the iron over his head as he jumped into the air, aiming to land the weapon onto the dragonborn’s ugly skull. However, the half-elf’s battlecry fizzled out as the beast caught the tool midair in his hand, wincing as the hook impaled his palm. With his other clawed hand he grabbed Nicco’s middle. 

“Red Lantern Innkeeper, how you have disappointed the great stories I’ve heard of this place.” He snarled, and lifted Nicco up, the fire iron clattered to the ground, Geshal’s bloodied hand rose up to grab Nicco by the throat. The dragonborn's blood coursed down Nicco’s chest. 

“Now I shall make an example of you, for any who would so choose to cross me!” Geshal bared his teeth at the windows of the inn, where the patrons watched in horror. Nicco clawed at the dragonborn’s grip futilely, struggling to take a breath, his legs kicking in the air. 

The dragonborn opened his great toothed maw, Nicco saw down the beast’s throat at the acid that bubbled, ready to spew into his face. This is it. He thought. Arturo and Elleh’s faces flashed before him, a warmness spreading through his body as he fondly remembered his closest friends. Against his better judgement, he opened his eyes. An arrow shot straight through the ridged upper palate of the dragonborn. The bolt entered his mouth and exited straight out the top of Geshal’s head, right between the eyes. The hulking figure staggered and fell, Nicco along with him. The half-elf coughed on the ground as he regained breath, struggling through his spinning vision to place his friends. Elleh had curled into a ball on the ground behind him, he crawled toward her. 

“Ell-eh” He coughed and reached out to her. She flinched and curled in on herself, hiding her wounded arms. Nicco gathered his breath, his vision focused, and he reached out to her. Ever so gently, he took her arms and unfurled them. They trembled as the acid continued to burn through the skin, her whole figure shook. He glanced up and saw Arturo silhouetted by the illuminated open door of the inn, his quiver and bow held akimbo as he breathed through his own adrenaline rush. The kobolds and goblins that had accompanied the dragonborn reeled in retreat down the road.

“Turo, take her… meet me at the cellar door.” Nicco rose with Elleh in his arms, depositing her into Arturo’s grasp as the hunter dropped his prized (now dragonborn-slaying) bow. Nicco rushed to his quarters, his throat and insides burning as he did, but did not slow. The innkeeper went to his bedside table to retrieve a notebook.

At the cellar door, laid against the north outside wall of the inn, Arturo cradled Elleh as they waited for Nicco. The gnome blinked up and tried to focus on her friend's face, and the beauty of the stars behind him, outlining his brow almost like a crown. She could write a poem about this if her arms weren’t burning off of her body. 

Nicco appeared round the corner, fowl lizard blood still staining the front of his shirt. Arturo stood, lifting Elleh, she whined in his grasp as the movement pulled at her burning skin. The hunter was ready to rush her down into the healing waters he knew awaited behind those magically sealed doors. 

Nicco placed the notebook down at his feet, muttered a phrase on drawn out breath, then crushed something in his hand and splattered it upon the doors. With his next swift motion, he unfurled the cellar doors and ushered Arturo in, Elleh clutched against his chest. The half-elf cast two glances each way before closing the doors behind him. 

Arturo paused at the bottom of the steps that led into the cavern below, it was pitch black except for the slightly glowing waters of the legendary healing pool. Nicco followed quickly behind, holding up a lantern. The warm light flickered off the rock walls of the room, casting down onto the still waters. 

The waters were tannic. Stark difference from the last time Arturo had seen them, years ago, they had been crystal clear with a blue-green tinge. Now they suspended a dark brown pigment that looked like a black tea. Nevertheless, he stepped toward the waters, motioning to lower Elleh into them, still shivering in his arms. Nicco stopped him with a hand on his bicep, Arturo turned toward the half-elf, confused.

“I’m doing this.” Was all he said as he traded his lantern for their small little sister. Nicco hefted Elleh into his arms and stepped into the pool where a small set of stairs had been carved. The stairs led to a small waist-deep landing before plunging into the black bottomless abyss that made up the magical cenote. Nicco clutched Elleh to his chest as he sat in the waters, keeping her head above, and letting the magic do its work below. She stared bleary-eyed up at him, wincing as her skin stung, but the acid ceased its relentless hunger as it met with the healing liquid. 

“You’re going to be okay.” Nicco whispered to her, strength being sapped from his body as he knelt there, both of them suspended at the surface. 

Arturo stood guard at the base of the stairs to the grotto, wringing his hands together, as Nicco spent the entirety of the night with Elleh in the pools. He prayed over her body, using his hands to wash the water over her burned arms. The little gnome drifted in and out of consciousness as the skin mended together from the inside out. 

-

Elleh was in her room, on her familiar straw mattress with the soft reindeer fur topper. She blurrily perceived that Nicco and Arturo sat nearby, Nicco was at the foot of her bed slumped against where it met the wall, half-asleep. Arturo sat closer at her side on a stool, the first to notice her open her eyes. 

“Hey there, Pony.” Arturo teased, gently ruffling her hair. 

Elleh groaned internally at the nickname she hated, looking down at her bandaged arms, lightly flexing her fingers in their mittened bounds. She looked past them at the innkeeper, who had just begun to sit up. She gasped.

Nicco looked at least 20 years older as he propped himself up. The sides of his shiny long hair had gone completely gray, happy wrinkles edged his eyes and mouth as he smiled at her. Even his goatee had more gray than black now. Elleh’s comprehension slipped from her grasp as she stared at him, was this even real?

“Nicco?” She croaked.

Nicco scooted up and sat cross-legged on the mattress beside her, taking her wrapped hand in both of his. He smiled more brightly than he had in months. The half elf leaned forward to embrace his nearly-lost sister, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Arturo quickly joined in, layering the gnome in arms.

"The pool..." Elleh recalled as the hug initiated in her friends sitting back into their previous positions.

Nicco smiled a little sadly, but not a hint of regret lingered on his face. "When I closed the cellar doors five years ago, it was because something had changed..." He began, something flickered in his eyes. Fear? Elleh was too out of it to tell with her usual insightful eye.

"When the waters give, they now must also take." He nodded slowly, knowingly. His gray-streaked hair bobbing forward. "That's why I locked the doors."

Tears filled Elleh's large brown eyes. Confusing tears of anguish, happiness, and regret all tangled together. There was a time where nobody in the world cared about her, and now she had not one, but two people who would do absolutely anything for her. She'd always known this fact, but the proof was now too much to hold in.

That was the special thing about the Red Lantern Inn. Everyone felt it, hardly any could describe it. There was an intangible magic that made up every fiber of the wooden walls. The spirit of kindness and giving that knew no bounds. Something about this place brought out the best in good people, and the worst in the rest.

Deep within the cenote, buried far beneath the giving waters, an ancient being stirred. It's slumber had been disturbed. It's energy had been used for the first time in years. It was confused. It was angry.

Author’s note:

Thank you for reading! I don’t know how I’m going to continue this but thank you whumptober for giving me these prompt ideas I would never have thought of this story without them.

[sushimango]

Day 07 of Whumptober!

In his original story Tom is using a very self destructive form of magic which will make his mana veins burst if overused

[ramsaybaggins]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Our Flag Means Death (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet Characters: Stede Bonnet, Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Roach (Our Flag Means Death) Additional Tags: Whumptober 2024, Whump, Stede Bonnet Whump, Blackbeard | Edward Teach Whump, Magic, Alternate Universe - Magic, Established Relationship, Blackbeard | Edward Teach Loves Stede Bonnet, Stede Bonnet Loves Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Happy Ending Series: Part 7 of Whumptober 2024 Summary:

"Stede!" Ed yelled over the noise of the bombardment against Ed's magic shield. "You can't do this, it'll kill you! You know this magic isn't something to fuck with!"

Stede continued with his hand movements, drawing glyphs into the air. "You know there's no other way. It's us or them, and this is the only way I can make sure it's them."

 Whumptober 2024 day 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES | Unconventional weapon | Magic with a cost | "It's us or them"

[chaoticdelinqueerwithglitter]

You'll change your name and change your mind (but you can't leave this fucked up place behind)

(Prompt #7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES | Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them.")

Notes: Oh boy, I had fun with this one, ngl. Settle in... Every timeline where Toman exists and has 6th founders I guess? Idk, it's right after Shin timeleaps and Haru earns his fresh and traumatic new memories!

Also, keep the prompt in mind bc the ideas are haunting their talk and rooting inside Haru's broken mind, but it's kinda subtly there? I hope it makes sense!

Warnings: Angst, with mentions of unresolved grief and ptsd (also, broken mind due to two sets of memories, that adds to the ptsd). Manga spoilers!

Haruchiyo knew this was a very bad idea, he could recall how many times Takeomi had warned him about it — always the same, Mikey and Emma were welcomed but he and Senju should stay the fuck away from Shinichiro. 

The only fucking problem was that those memories were overlapping with Shinichiro picking him out of juvie, with a brother that didn’t bother to speak with him. 

It made no sense, his mind was doing weird tricks, driving him crazy. He needed to talk with someone and one thing was clear: In both memories, he trusted Shinichiro. 

To be honest, he wasn’t sure if any amount of faith would’ve cut it when the man in front of him started to talk about time leaping. Luckily, there was no need for faith when he remembered every detail of those agonizing four years — when he still smelled the lingering scent of death orchids and baby’s breath.

“So… Mikey never had the accident here? And he doesn’t know?” 

Baji didn’t know either, he thought to himself, unconsciously rubbing his scars — it was the only thing calming him down, grounding him here instead of that past. At least, back then he had one friend left. 

“I’m sorry you had to go through this, Haruchiyo.” Weirdly enough, Shinichiro’s voice didn’t sound regretful. Of course, it didn’t, Mikey was alive! “But I’m glad Manjiro has a friend like you.”

“Really?” 

Him? Like him? Even when he was unable to look as relieved as Shinichiro? When he couldn’t smile all the time because his brain felt all twisted and he couldn’t shake the weird sensation of loss? 

“Of course, you had always remained by Manjiro’s side, forgiving and protecting him. You’re a good kid, I’m sure of it.”

His face lit up at the praise. It felt like a balm for his soul, the confirmation he was more than what people said about him — more than a wacko or a burden. 

Haruchiyo was Mikey’s best friend, the only one who remembered, the only one who understood. 

The only one willing to protect Mikey at all costs, exactly like Shinichiro did.

[savebatsartedition]

Whumptober 2024 Day 7:

Summary:

Yellow, Ash, Red, Green, and Blue attempt a raid on a Team Rocket base in the Vermilion Forest. It doesn't go very well. Prompt pieces used (the whole thing): ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES | Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

Notes:

Hey guys I wrote this a month ago and forgot to post it and then I stayed up until two am before realizing my mistake you you are getting a two for one deal on whumptober fics this glorious October 8th morning! You know… a fishing rod is kinda a weird weapon… Also, sorry this kind of sucks. (It’s also very very floaty) I rushed it and I can’t write battles. :( But I like the concept!! At least there’s that. Content Warnings: Fire, fighting, passing out, magic exhaustion Words: 2,784

(Fic also under the cut.)

“You know that we’re gonna have to fight them eventually,” Ash was whispering to her, one hand running up and down his Pikachu’s tensed body, and the other resting on Yellow’s shoulder. (It made all of their hair stand up, though the little hairs on the back of Yellow’s neck had already been on end in her nervousness.)

Yellow shivered and sighed, but did not remove Ash’s hand from her. “I know,” she said, though she did not go to stand from her crouched position behind the bushes, “But I wish we didn’t,”

Even with a plan, the dexholders knew better than anyone else that their plans always went wrong some way or another.

“We’ll have Red on the outside to help us,”

“I know,”

“You have to give him the signal if you’re ready,”

“I know,”

Yellow felt Ash’s eyes on her, but even through her worries she could feel that he was not annoyed, only worried as she was. He enjoyed a good battle as much as the next trainer (while Yellow herself did not), but even Ash was clearly nervous. Yellow wondered- for only a moment, as doing so for longer would have brought even more fear to her heart -exactly how many enemies her friend could sense before them.

The plan was simple. Red goes out and fights, Yellow deals with the enemies from above, and Ash comes in when the second wave does. While they do that, Green and Blue sneak in under the cover of Green’s smokescreen and take out the heart of the operation, and the three Pikachu trainers join them as quickly as they could. Yes, it was simple, but Yellow knew (and was pretty sure all of them knew) that there was no way it would work. She didn’t want to do this.

Yellow felt the breeze of the Viridian Forest brush through her hair, twirling the blond strands as if she was the only thing on that mountainside. Though she was nestled into the underbrush of Vermilion, it was still there, for her. She closed her eyes, stealing her resolve. She had to do this. This forest, closed so long from the public, was being ruined. This forest, though it was not hers, was at terrible risk, and she knew that she had to support it as she would have done for hers.

“Alright,” she whispered to Ash (or maybe to herself), readying her fishing rod, which was equipped with an empty Pokeball to serve as the signal, “Get ready,”

She stood as Ash steadied himself, his fingers already sparking with blue energy as he waited for the fight to begin, preparing himself for the job that would eventually come. Yellow glanced down at the cleared area below the hill she stood on. In the grasses below, nestled between one of the few surviving bushes and Saur’s leaves, she caught Red’s eye. It was time.

For Blue and Green’s benefit (if it had just been Red she needed to signal, that glance would have been enough), Yellow sucked in a breath. She waited a beat, and then it was time.

Throwing with all her might, and using the Viridian glow inside her to detach it from the end of her fishing rod, Yellow sent the empty Pokeball towards the dugout  space in which she knew the enemy base stood. Quickly, like a hastily charged Solar Beam, the thing burst open, flashing a bright pinky white before falling to the ruined ground below. (Yellow made a mental note to pick up the pieces later, if, after all of this was over, she had the chance.)

Quick as a flash, almost as if he had not needed the signal at all, Red was rushing forward. Yellow watched him for just a moment as he charged towards the dugout base (his hiding place had only been a little ways away, Saur’s leaves and flower having concealed him like just another half broken bush from the prying eyes of the enemy), and then she too vaulted towards the place.

She leaped down the hill as the familiar black and red clothing of Rocket grunts began to pour from the dugout, clearly shocked by how close Red had gotten to them without their attention being drawn. Yellow whistled out high and strong- she was already sure that her hands were glowing slightly and thus not worried about giving away her position from the sound -and instantly felt Kitty’s paws gripping her sides, bringing her from above towards the battle. (He flew so fast that little feathery scales were detaching from his wings, but Yellow’s power quickly made the loss unimportant.)

Behind her, she could guess that Ash was struggling to wait his turn as the flashes and sounds of Red’s first battle began, but he knew that this was not his job. Red was to take the brunt of the attack, and Ash was to surprise them with a second wave. After all, not every Rocket Base understood how well Ash was integrating into their dexholder group. (Well. That was the hope anyway.)

Yellow yelped and brought Kitty into a roll as a high flying water gun shot past her. Based on the speed and height of it, she could guess that it would have shorn right through Kitty’s wing had she allowed it to make contact. This would, of course, only have been an inconvenience, as Yellow’s power could heal such an injury even better than a potion could, but an inconvenience in a battle like this could mean loss, or even worse, death.

“Kitty!” she cried, “drop the sleep powder!”

Kitty began immediately, and Yellow had to suck in a breath and squeeze her eyes shut as the fluttering wings that held her began to drip the stuff like rain in a thunderstorm. She was better than most at starving away the effects of attacks of this kind (hell, even a hard hitting poison powder hardly bothered her now), but her familiarity came with the knowledge of what a close hit like this would do to a person if they let it. If only she could get in closer to the battle, this was a painless end to a fight, and it was one that she did not want to risk hitting her or her teammates.

Though of course that was exactly what she was risking then.

Somewhere below her, Red yelped, and though Yellow couldn’t open her eyes just yet to see what had happened, her heart dropped into her stomach. Had she hit him? Had she hit Saur? She reached up to tap Kitty, stopping the onslaught of powder, but was quickly altered to Red’s presence by the familiar sound of rock type wings slicing through the air. He seemed okay. At least clear of her attack.

Immediately she felt better about his state, but her worry only intensified as the battle below grew louder in volume, the scent of smoke drifting up towards her as heat lifted Kitty higher. Yellow finally dared to take in another breath, but choked on the air when she actually did. Her eyes watered as she opened them, and then widened in shock at the sight below.

Fire engulfed the battlefield, though Blue and his Charizard were still nowhere to be found. (If things had gone right, he and Green were sneaking into the heart of the base as Yellow flew above it, but based on what had happened outside, Yellow was suddenly unsure if that approach had been the right one.) Below her, Yellow watched as Team Rocket grunts raced through the flames, some crying out when a lick of the stuff made it through the (mostly) fireproof fabric of their clothes.

They hadn’t planned for this! A strong fire attack like this (probably from a Magamotar, Yellow guessed by the specific smell of the smoke) could completely ruin what she had come here to do! Even worse, much of the sleep powder that she had dropped had caught aflame, and it drifted even further, spreading the blaze up the side of the hill and closer to Ash. She had made this even worse than it would have been without her.

Something like this could ruin the forest even faster than Team Rocket and their experiments had originally planned to do. Had they brought this upon themselves?

“Yellow!” she heard Red yell, his voice scratchy from both smoke and pain (the way his legs hung limply under Aero made Yellow guess that he had taken some of that fire attack himself), “Plan B! We have to do Plan B!”

Yellow swallowed hard. She didn’t want to admit it, but they did. Below her, people were hurting, and though they wanted to do bad things to the pokemon that resided in the flaming woods, she was not that type of person.

She reached a hand towards the battle, hoped against hope that Ash was still paying attention to what she was doing and not the flames that were closing in on him, and let out a long blast of her power. It glowed as pure as sunlight through leaves, but it seemed so small next to the inferno that had exploded below them, and as Yellow let the energy retract, she felt her eyes growing heavy.

Though an additional layer of suckage was also rather clear in the fact that “Plan B” wasn’t so much of a plan as a “throw everything at the wall and hope it sticks,” that was the part that really sucked about all of this, the fact that once she signaled Plan B to begin, there wasn’t much else that she’d be able to do. Her eyes grew heavy and her voice slowed. She was tired.

“Water types!” Red roared, somehow above the sound of the flames and screams of the Rocket Grunts overtaken by them (somehow, despite his injury), “Get ‘em out!”

Yellow watched through unwillingly sleepy eyes as her injured friend chucked two Pokeballs at the side of the hill, landing next to Ash as he fumbled through his. She knew he had not brought his fire fighting expert (Squirtle of course), but he had been lucky enough to get his hands on his Greninja once more. That had to be worth something, right?

Gyara and Poli jumped into action as soon as possible, but Yellow couldn’t do much to watch, only able to reach for Omny’s Pokeball (not even throw it) before her head began to hang and Kitty began to bring her further from the battle. As her eyes closed, she felt a great blast of steam as the first hydropump hit the blaze, and felt a great blue glow of power as Ash activated his and Greninja’s bond.

Yellow wanted to help, she really did, but she couldn’t. She just had to hope.

And her eyes drifted shut on blackness.

…

When she woke once more, it was to the sounds of battle. Kitty was still above her, but the midnight night had become lighter as she lay limply under his protective grasp. For a moment, she did not quite understand what was happening, but as a yelp at a distant scream, she remembered.

Oh Arceus, how long had she been passed out?! (Probably at least an hour.)

How much time had she wasted because of that stupid fine print of her powers?! (As long as she’d been passed out.)

How many people had gotten hurt because she couldn’t help them, and how badly?! (Probably everyone, and badly.)

She rushed forward, the fishing rod that she had dropped when she had passed out once again in her grasp as Kitty lifted her once more. (Even in her still drowsy state, it was a seamless transition between her legs and his wings as they took to the air.)

She didn’t want to look, but she made herself.

In the time that she had been dead to the world, the fires had been extinguished, but the dark scars of them dug deep into the walls of the hollowed out area, some even making their ways into the uncleared parts of the forest. Some were still clearly warm, as steam rose from them even now, but that was no longer Yellow’s main focus.

Before her, the battle continued, and though plenty of Rocket Grunts and Pokemon lay injured as it did, more and more came. At some point during it all, as was obvious by their position next to Ash and Red, Green and Blue had been forced out of the dugout. This was so much more than they had been expecting.

Yellow landed beside them, throwing herself into the mess that was the battle as she put Kitty’s back to her friends. She swung her fishing pole wildly, taking out an enraged pidgey with a pang in her heart as she did.

“Yellow!” Ash was gasping, dripping with sweat and blue aura light as he fought to maintain his connection to Greninja, “It’s not going well!”

“She can see that!” Green yelled back between bubble commands to her Pokemon.

“I just meant-”

“It’s okay Ash,” Yellow promised, her words coming slowly with how fast and panicked her mind was going, “Are you okay?”

Ash could not respond, only groaned out in pain as Greninja took another hit. Yellow felt her heart drop even as she flung Gravy into the fray. He was not going to make it for much longer. She chanced a glance to check on Red, Blue, and Green, though she knew the answer already.

Red was leaned on Blue, his burned legs shaking violently even an hour or so after it had happened. Blue himself didn’t seem to be doing much better, his hair a mess and marks around his neck from what was probably a bad fight with a Tangla. On Red’s other side was Green, who was bleeding from her shoulder at a degree that was very alarming.

Yellow swallowed.

“We can’t do this!” She cried out, “We have to retreat!”

She felt their eyes on her, grateful, surprised, betrayed.

“Come on!” she hissed to them, hardly able to understand the forces that swarmed the small group, even as Gravy did a number to them, “While we still have a sky to fly to, we have to get out!”

“She’s right,” Blue said, his voice but a croak from the obvious strangulation he had endured, “We can come back another time,”

“If we get out,” Green agreed, flinching as she moved her arm to adjust her microphone. (To which she whispered a quick message that Yellow was all but certain was a call to retreat.)

Ash did not respond, but based on the way his breathing hitched and his glow flickered, she could tell that he stood on the same ground as the rest of them.

Only Red did not answer, calling out attack after attack as Pika zipped between enemies.

“Red,” Yellow said, as strong as she could (which wasn’t all that strong), “It’s us or them who wins. If we don’t get out of here soon, it’s going to be them,”

Red looked back at her, breathing hard as her powers reached under his skin, clearing the burns still found there. At his side, the others shifted uncomfortably. They knew as well as she did that she was right. They couldn’t do this. They had to come back another time.

“What if they regroup? They’ll know we’re coming next time,” he tried

Blue scoffed, “If they regroup, we get to regroup and,” he pointed as Ash, who had just pulled Grenijia back and was now leaning on Blue’s other shoulder, “neither of you are fit to battle, we have to get out.”

“Thank you Blue,” Yellow murmured, feeling Kitty flex his wings against her back, just as ready as she was to flee.

Red let out a little grunt of unhappy agreement, and, as if as one, the injured dexholders retracted their Pokemon. (More than one surprised shout rang out from the grunts as they did, but they were not fast enough to counter it as the five lifted into the air.)

Kitty spun into the clouds faster than most, but in no time Green and Blasty (leaving a blast of water in her wake), Red and Aero (almost like a raptor and its prey), and Blue and Ash with Charizard (Ash had been too weak to reach for his own), met her as well. Yellow did not look down. None of them did.They knew they would be back to fight, to win, but today was not that day. Today it was time for Plan C. To run away. To regroup. To flee.

[whumptober]

WHUMPTOBER 2024: PROMPTS LIST

Welcome to Whumptober 2024 — Seventh Time's a Charm!

Please make sure to read the Event Info and FAQ below carefully, as most of your questions will be answered there already. For everything else, you are welcome to come to our ask box or ask questions in our Discord server here.

This year’s AO3 Collection can be found here.

This year's playlist can be found here.

The 'Anatomy of a Whumptober Prompt' post can be found here.

And our 'Resources for Writing Sensitive Topics' post is here.

We’re very excited to see the community come together for another year of Whumptober! Go wild with the prompts, and support your fellow creators - we wish you all the fun!

Best of luck and happy whumping,

Mods Vanne, Yenn, Kitty and Surro

(Text versions of the prompts, as well as event information, rules and FAQ are posted below the cut!)

Whumptober 2024 Prompt List

No. 1: RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK

Search Party | Panic Attack | "If only we could hold on.” (Icysami x Renegaderr, Strangers.)

No. 2: TRUST ISSUES

Amusement Park | Role Reversal | “You got away with the crime while the knife's in my back.” (Charlotte Sands, Rollercoaster)

No. 3: SET UP FOR FAILURE

Fingerprints | Wrongfully Arrested | "I warned you."

No. 4: HALLUCINATIONS

Hypnosis | Sensory Deprivation | “You're still alive in my head.” (Billy Lockett, More)

No. 5: SUNBURN

Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House)

No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms | Healed Wrong | "It's not my blood."

No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES

Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION

Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | "Leave the lights on." (Coldplay, Midnight)

No. 9: OBSESSION

Broken Window | Bruises | “Frame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.” (Fall Out Boy, Irresistible)

No. 10: BLOW TO THE HEAD

Slurred Words | Passing Out from Pain | "I can't think straight."

No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE

Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.” (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)

No. 12: STARVATION

Underground Caverns | Cannibalism | "Just a little more."

No. 13: TEAM AS A FAMILY

Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part." (Set It Off, Partner's In Crime)

No. 14: LEFT FOR DEAD

Hunting Gear | Blackmail | “Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted” (tiLLie, kooL aiD mAn)

No. 15: CHILDHOOD TRAUMA

Painful Hug | Moment of Clarity | "I did good, right?"

No. 16: NECROSIS

Swamp | Wound Cleaning | "No, I can't feel anything."

No. 17: NOWHERE ELSE TO GO

Ruined Map | Shipwrecked | "We had a good run."

No. 18: REVENGE

Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.” (Panic! at the Disco, Emperor's New Clothes)

No. 19: BLOOD TRAIL

Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?" (Bruce Springsteen, Radio Nowhere)

No. 20: EMOTIONAL ANGST

Shoulder to Cry On | Giving Permission to Die | "It's not your fault."

No. 21: BODY HORROR

Body Horror | Tattoo Gun | Spirit Possession | “Let the bedsheet soak up the tears.” (Apparat feat. Soap & Skin, Goodbye)

No. 22: BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES

Tourniquet | Reopening Wounds | "Oh that's not good."

No. 23: FORCED CHOICE

Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."

No. 24: RADIATION POISONING

Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure | “I never knew daylight could be so violent.” (Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light)

No. 25: SURGERY

Stitches | Being Monitored | "It's for your own good."

No. 26: NIGHTMARES

Breakfast Table | Parting Words of Regret | “I'm haunted by the lies that I have loved, the actions I have hated.” (Poe, Haunted)

No. 27: VOICELESS

Laboratory | Muzzled | “I have no mouth and I must scream.”

No. 28: DENIAL

CCTV | Exposure | "They caught me red handed."

No. 29: FATIGUE

Labyrinth | Burnout | "Who said you could rest?"

No. 30: RECOVERY

Hospital Bed | Holding Back Tears | "What have I done?"

No. 31: ASKING FOR HELP

Therapy | Making Amends | "I'm alive, I'm just not well." (Elliot Lee, Alive, Not Well.)

Alternatives List:

Body Swap

Communication Barrier

Finding Old Messages

Forgotten

Friendly Fire

Motion Sickness

No-Holds-Barred Beatdown

Regret

Secrets Revealed

Shivering

Survivor's Guilt

Time Loop

Used As Bait

Venom

Vermin

Event Info & Rules

WHUMPTOBER is a month-long, prompt-based creation challenge (think: Inktober, but whumpier). There are 31 official themes this year - one for each day of the month - which can be used, skipped, or combined in any way you’d like. They are meant to serve as inspiration without being taken literally (e.g. you don’t have to include the exact wording of prompts into your work). Feel free to run rampant on interpretation. For example, if the prompt is “flame", you could create something with reference to a candle/campfire, your character could have suffered a burn, or the flame could be a reference to an ‘old flame’ - an old relationship. It’s truly down to you!

In total, there are 4 prompts for each day. These are optional suggestions and can be used in conjunction with the theme, or as options/alternatives.  We want to give everyone as much creative freedom as possible, as well as increase event accessibility for folks with triggers and squicks. There is also a list of 15 alternative prompts that can be subbed in for any day, again to give participants as much creative freedom as possible.

Creators can PRODUCE work in any media they choose, including but not limited to: writing, visual artwork, photo/video/audio edits, paper crafts and elaborate recommendation lists (not just a list of links). Creators can PARTICIPATE as much or as little as they want (i.e. you don’t have to do ALL the prompts if you don’t want to) and prompts can be used in any order. They are also free to use even after the event ends.

When uploading Whumptober content to your blog, be sure to tag it with:

#whumptober2024 …..(the event tag)

#no.1, #no.2, #no.3, …..(theme number)

#bruises, #stabbing, …..(the theme or specific prompt you chose)

#altprompt …..(if you use an altprompt, tag the post with the number of the prompt you replace)

#fandom or #OC, …..(ironman, original content, oc, etc.)

#medium …..(gifs, fic, podcast, art, etc.)

#teeth, #etc …..(trigger warnings & any additional tags. Keep in mind not to add “tw” in front but only use the word/trigger itself)

#nsfwhump …..(only for nsfw content)

#your own tags go here

PLEASE BE DILIGENT WITH YOUR TAGGING. Only properly tagged posts are considered for archiving on the official @whumptober-archive blog. They must be tagged in the order above. An elaborate post about our tagging system can be found [here]

Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of participants in recent years, we cannot guarantee your work will be archived. A random selection of properly tagged posts from all genres will be reblogged each day.

Whumpers who produce content for 31 total theme days are considered event completionists and will be tagged in a masterpost at the end of the month. A form will be published at the beginning of November asking you to tell us if you completed. This is based on trust and we will not check this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please read this before you send an ask!

TIMELINE

July: Trope voting form released. Late August: Prompt list is released for at least four weeks of preparation time. Tropes cannot be posted earlier than August 25th because of Moderator obligations in real life. (But, you know, go ahead and start writing/drawing, and add the themes in later, if you want!) September: Do as much or as little on your works as you want. You can prepare everything in advance or let September go by with vibes and start working in October. It’s up to you. October 1st: Challenge begins! A storm of whump breaks upon us all! During this time, some posts will be reblogged to the whumptober archive blog. We open the yearly AO3 collection for posting (optional). November 1st: The challenge is officially over! Completionist form opens for those who want to be included in the hall-of-fame. Early November: We release completionist and participant badges, solicit feedback, and post a hall-of-fame list of completionists by the 10th.

PARTICIPATION AND COMPLETION

Q: What counts as participation? Create or continue at least one work inspired by one of this year’s prompts. Q: What counts as completion? Creating work(s) inspired by at least one prompt from each day (or alts), for a total of 31 unique prompts. Q: Do I need to create 31 works? No. You can, if you want. Or you can create one work that you add to every day with a new prompt. Or several works that combine prompts. You can also update an existing work by adding new material with the current prompts. Q: Do I need to post my works somewhere to be a completionist or a participant? No. Q: How do you know I actually completed the challenge? We’ll take your word for it! Q: Do I have to finish my work(s) to be a completionist? No, you can post WIPs. And you’re not obligated to finish them in October, but if you want it to count towards being a completionist, you must have completed 31 prompts by the end of the month. So for example, if you’re writing a long fic and you fit 31 different prompts into the writing you did in October, it’s okay if that fic isn’t finished by the time October ends, you’ll still be a completionist. Q: Is co-writing/illustrating allowed? Yes, absolutely, and it would count towards being a completionist for both/all of you. Q: Is there a min/max limit on word count for written works? No. Q: Is there a min/max limit of quality for art? No. Q: Do I have to do something each day to be a completionist? No. You can skip days whenever you want, and as long as 31 daily prompts (or alts) are in your works done in October, you can be a completionist. For example, if you wrote a 1000-word ficlet that covers prompts in days 2, 3, and 17, you can check all three days off your list even though it’s only one work. Q: Is this challenge just for fics? No! Artworks, GIFsets, headcannons, rec lists, poetry, moodboards, or any other creative work is encouraged. Q: Can I combine Whumptober with other creation challenges? Absolutely, as long as the other challenges allow it too.

PROMPTS

Q: How do the prompts work? There are FOUR prompts per day: a theme and three ideas. You can use one, two, three, or all four prompts for each day. If you don’t like any of the daily prompts, you can substitute one of the ALT prompts instead. Q: How strictly/literally should we interpret the prompts? As literally or as figuratively as you want. For example, if the theme is WATER, that could mean drowning, waterboarding, raining, swimming, take place underwater, be lost at sea, construct a metaphor about a character’s mood that changes like a flowing river, crying, or whatever else you can think of that fits that theme. Q: Can I combine prompts? Is there a limit on how many? No limit and combine as many as you’d like. If you create a work that checks off multiple prompts, that work will count for a fill of multiple prompts. You need to address 31 different prompts to be an official completionist, but you don’t have to produce 31 separate works.

WORKS

Q: What’s whump? Hurting a character, whether that’s physically, emotionally, intellectually, psychologically, or any other way you can think of. Comfort afterwards is optional. Angst is emotional whump, so it counts. Q: How do I know if it’s whumpy enough? If your character is just mildly inconvenienced, it probably needs more whump. However, no participant has to prove whumpiness to the mods. Whatever you write is up to you. Q: What kind of characters can I create for? Anything. Generic “whumpee,” OC, PC, NPC, major characters, minor characters, or whatever you want. There are no limits. Q: Does it have to take place in a specific fandom? No, you can create works for your own worlds or for fandoms or for both. You can also create more generic or pan-fandom works. You can do cross-overs or use OCs, whatever you want. Q: Can I create AI-created works? We will not reblog or promote any works we know to be generative AI-created. Q: Is there anything we’re not allowed to write? As long as it contains whump and is based on our prompts, it’s fine. Please courtesy tag your works if you post them so people who follow the #whumptober2024 tag can filter according to their preferences. Q: What about sex, minor characters, and potentially disturbing content? You can create whatever works are legal in your country and post them accordingly. Please courtesy tag anything you think might be objectionable if you post to Tumblr so people who follow the #whumptober2024 tag can filter according to their preferences.

POSTING

Q: Where can I post my work? Post where and how you want. You don’t even have to (cross)post it to Tumblr. Just keep in mind if it’s not on Tumblr we will not be able to add it to the blog archive. There is an AO3 archive for Whumptober 2024, as well as the parent collection for works completed outside of the event. Q: Can I start posting early? You can, but this is an October event and wouldn’t it be more fun with everyone doing it at the same time? We won’t be reblogging any work predating October 1st. Q: Can I post late? Yes. For the sake of our hardworking Post Fairies, only a day’s themes will be reblogged to @whumptober-archive each day of October. But you can post whenever. Some of us are still working on and posting Whumptober fics from years ago. Q: Do I have to use your tags? Only on Tumblr and only if you want us to reblog your work on @whumptober-archive. Q: How do I have my works reblogged to the archive? Properly tagged posts will be reblogged to @whumptober-archive. If you want the official archive blog to reblog you, post on Tumblr and tag correctly (see this FAQ link for more info on tagging). Please note not all posts will be reblogged each day. Q: Can we @ you? For questions and comments, of course. We’ll be getting a flood of notifications, so if you really want us to see something send an ask. Q: Can I cross post on other blogs? Yes, multiple platforms and blogs are perfectly acceptable, as long as they allow cross-posting (to us). You can also post different works to different accounts under different names, without posting them everywhere at once. If you post some works under your main and others under an alt blog, that’s fine for completionist purposes. Q: Can I upload/repost my Whumptober content to other social media platforms? Of course! We’ve created an AO3 Collection to archive any fics posted there, which can be found here. The blog is the official archive, so please respect the personal boundaries of any whumpers in your social circle (don’t out anyone as a participant who would prefer not to be outed).

Most importantly, have fun, create, and enjoy all the whump posted this October!

[woso-fan13]

2024 Whumptober: 7

No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES

Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

Alex and Kelley make eye contact over your head, fighting to keep their composure as they watch you squirm in your seat. 

Your eyes are glued to the floor, refusing to look at either of the women. 

“You know,” Kelley starts, “just because you don’t want to do something, doesn’t mean you won’t have to.”

“Mommy,” you whine, stretching out the word, “don’t wanna!”

“I don’t know Kel,” Mama says, “she says she doesn’t want to go to bed but she seems pretty sleepy. What do you think?”

“No nap!” you shout, your frustration clear. 

Mommy gives you a look, quickly silencing your complaints, “certainly sounds like she needs one.”

You try to slip out of your chair at that point, determined to run away. You frantically toddle about two wobbly steps before arms scoop you up. You look up to see Mommy cradling you like she used to when you were a baby. 

It’s comfortable, you can admit that. And the way she starts pacing around the room is making you feel a little sleepy. And your eyelids start drooping just a little bit as she starts patting your bottom and whispering quietly to you. 

But you’re not that sleepy, and you’re a big girl. You don’t need a nap. 

But now Mommy’s coming at you with her secret weapon and you don’t even bother resisting. As soon as the tip of the bottle is in your mouth, you latch and start suckling lazily. 

You’re asleep before the bottle’s empty. 

[bokettochild]

Ketto's Whumptober 2024 Prompt Master List

No. 1: RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK - Kit & Violet (r by localicecreambiter)

Search Party | Panic Attack | "If only we could hold on.” (Icysami x Renegaderr, Strangers.)

No. 2: TRUST ISSUES - Warriors (anon)

Amusement Park | Role Reversal | “You got away with the crime while the knife's in my back.” (Charlotte Sands, Rollercoaster)

No. 3: SET UP FOR FAILURE - Legend & Sky (requested by notadragon)

Fingerprints | Wrongfully Arrested | "I warned you."

No. 4: HALLUCINATIONS - Legend &/or Warriors (anon)

Hypnosis | Sensory Deprivation | “You're still alive in my head.” (Billy Lockett, More)

No. 5: SUNBURN

Healing Salve | Heatstroke | "If my pain will stretch that far." (Lottery Winners, Burning House)

No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED - Legend (requested by tiredkiwilol)

Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms | Healed Wrong | "It's not my blood."

No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES - Time (FD) & Wind (requested by chuchujellybean)

Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION - Hyrule (requested by starwolfie)

Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | "Leave the lights on." (Coldplay, Midnight)

No. 9: OBSESSION

Broken Window | Bruises | “Frame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.” (Fall Out Boy, Irresistible)

No. 10: BLOW TO THE HEAD - Legend (also tiredkiwilol)

Slurred Words | Passing Out from Pain | "I can't think straight."

No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE - Four (requested by mermain123)

Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.” (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)

No. 12: STARVATION - Wild

Underground Caverns | Cannibalism | "Just a little more."

No. 13: TEAM AS A FAMILY - Wild & Four

Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part." (Set It Off, Partner's In Crime)

No. 14: LEFT FOR DEAD

Hunting Gear | Blackmail | “Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted” (tiLLie, kooL aiD mAn)

No. 15: CHILDHOOD TRAUMA - Wind (requested by mermain123)

Painful Hug | Moment of Clarity | "I did good, right?"

No. 16: NECROSIS - Wild (requested by zips-quips)

Swamp | Wound Cleaning | "No, I can't feel anything."

No. 17: NOWHERE ELSE TO GO - Wind (theoneeyedgoldenwolf)

Ruined Map | Shipwrecked | "We had a good run."

No. 18: REVENGE - Sky (requested by icy-hot-0111)

Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.” (Panic! at the Disco, Emperor's New Clothes)

No. 19: BLOOD TRAIL - Twilight (r by toyouhellohowareyou)

Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?" (Bruce Springsteen, Radio Nowhere)

No. 20: EMOTIONAL ANGST - Warriors (requested by aeghina)

Shoulder to Cry On | Giving Permission to Die | "It's not your fault."

No. 21: BODY HORROR - Wind & Four (requested by tritailed-shenanigans)

Body Horror | Tattoo Gun | Spirit Possession | “Let the bedsheet soak up the tears.” (Apparat feat. Soap & Skin, Goodbye)

No. 22: BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES - Hyrule (requested by mermain123)

Tourniquet | Reopening Wounds | "Oh that's not good."

No. 23: FORCED CHOICE - Time (requested by boingobeepis)

Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."

No. 24: RADIATION POISONING - Wild (requested by abbycrashing)

Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure | “I never knew daylight could be so violent.” (Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light)

No. 25: SURGERY - Twilight & Warriors (mermain123 again :3)

Stitches | Being Monitored | "It's for your own good."

No. 26: NIGHTMARES - Legend (requested by mermain123)

Breakfast Table | Parting Words of Regret | “I'm haunted by the lies that I have loved, the actions I have hated.” (Poe, Haunted)

No. 27: VOICELESS - Twilight has a Violet Incident (requested by zips-quips)

Laboratory | Muzzled | “I have no mouth and I must scream.”

No. 28: DENIAL

CCTV | Exposure | "They caught me red handed."

No. 29: FATIGUE

Labyrinth | Burnout | "Who said you could rest?"

No. 30: RECOVERY - Wind & Legend & Warriors (because I want to!)

Hospital Bed | Holding Back Tears | "What have I done?"

No. 31: ASKING FOR HELP

Therapy | Making Amends | "I'm alive, I'm just not well." (Elliot Lee, Alive, Not Well.)

-

Feel free to send in requests for this year! Any relationships (barring romantic) are optional, and you can give as much or as little detail for what you'd like to see as you like! And if the prompt you wanted is already claimed, no worries! I AM capable of whumping multiple boys at once >:)

(NOTE: I can see your requests best in the post replies, asks WILL most likely get lost in the slew of my askbox!!!!!)

Alternatives List:

Body Swap - Four and Wind (tritailed-shenanigans)

Communication Barrier

Finding Old Messages - Wild (requested by zips-quips)

Forgotten

Friendly Fire

Motion Sickness

No-Holds-Barred Beatdown

Regret

Secrets Revealed

Shivering

Survivor's Guilt

Time Loop

Used As Bait

Venom

Vermin

[envysparkler]

Whumptober 2024 Masterlist

No. 1: RACE AGAINST THE CLOCK stician + end note

No. 2: TRUST ISSUES unrefusable offer + follow-up

No. 3: SET UP FOR FAILURE purr + end note

No. 4: Sensory Deprivation Flycatcher + follow-up

No. 5: Heatstroke geolocation + missing scene

No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms | Healed Wrong | "It's not my blood."

leash

No. 7: ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES Unconventional Weapon | Magic with a Cost | "It's us or them."

no hard feelings

No. 8: SLEEP DEPRIVATION Isolation Chamber | Forced to Stay Awake | "Leave the lights on."

exhaust

No. 9: OBSESSION Broken Window | Bruises | “Frame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.”

unrefusable offer

No. 10: BLOW TO THE HEAD Slurred Words | Passing Out from Pain | "I can't think straight."

cling

No. 11: SEEING DOUBLE Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.”

grave secrets

No. 13: TEAM AS A FAMILY Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part."

inhibition

No. 14: LEFT FOR DEAD Hunting Gear | Blackmail | “Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted”

the other wayne kid

No. 15: CHILDHOOD TRAUMA Painful Hug | Moment of Clarity | "I did good, right?"

haphephobia

No. 16: NECROSIS Swamp | Wound Cleaning | "No, I can't feel anything."

Reconciliation

No. 17: NOWHERE ELSE TO GO Ruined Map | Shipwrecked | "We had a good run."

sink or swim

No. 18: REVENGE Unreliable Narrator | Loss of Identity | “I see what's mine and take it.”

Godfather

No. 19: BLOOD TRAIL Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?"

unrefusable offer

No. 20: EMOTIONAL ANGST Shoulder to Cry On | Giving Permission to Die | "It's not your fault."

pretty robin

No. 21: BODY HORROR Body Horror | Tattoo Gun | Spirit Possession | “Let the bedsheet soak up the tears.”

leash

No. 22: BLEEDING THROUGH BANDAGES Tourniquet | Reopening Wounds | "Oh that's not good."

whiplash

No. 23: FORCED CHOICE Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."

blood of the covenant

No. 24: RADIATION POISONING Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure |  “I never knew daylight could be so violent.”

favored

No. 25: SURGERY Stitches | Being Monitored | "It's for your own good."

hot wheels

No. 26: NIGHTMARES Breakfast Table | Parting Words of Regret | “I'm haunted by the lies that I have loved, the actions I have hated.”

paying dues

No. 27: VOICELESS Laboratory | Muzzled | “I have no mouth and I must scream.”

muzzled

No. 29: FATIGUE Labyrinth | Burnout | "Who said you could rest?"

padded cuffs

No. 30: RECOVERY Hospital Bed | Holding Back Tears | "What have I done?"

robin's roast

No. 31: ASKING FOR HELP Therapy | Making Amends | "I'm alive, I'm just not well."

wibbly wobbly

Alt 3. Finding Old Messages

paying dues

Alt 4. Forgotten

we're all ghosts

Alt 5. Friendly Fire

burn at the stake

Alt 8. Regret

paying dues

Alt 9. Secrets Revealed

groundhog day

Alt 10. Shivering

the other wayne kid

Alt 11. Survivor's Guilt

unfinished business