#Our group of friends are the ones trying to rebel against it

[lettuceonthecourt]

Yandere bully who sees you in a dingy bar on a random Thursday night, sitting all alone and downing your sorrows away. His friends had invited him out, what with the term ending and exams having been wrapped up.

It's the only time he sees you not cowering in fear when you find him entering the same room as you, discreetly glancing at him at the corner of your eyes, internally praying that he doesn't approach you and make your life even more miserable (ps. It didn't work)

After taking a few more drinks, you shakily stand up to leave, and halfway across the bar, one of his friends spots you and whistles,

"Hey, aren't you the girl that our dear friend here keeps obsessing over? Come on, sit with us, I'll treat you to a few!"

The rest of his group chuckles, clearly seeing how you can bearly walk 3 steps ahead of you without bumping into a nearby chair, but still asked to drink even more. You don't react, not wanting to be taken advantage of by his scheming friends, but when their taunts get more forceful, you try to make your hasty escape, as fast as you can walk without falling over and without breaking into a run.

Yandere bully whose heart clenches in his chest, eyes growing darker by the second as his friends tell him to "invite his girl over for some fun" and slamming his hand on the table, effectively silencing the entire table, he strolls towards you, looping an arm around your neck and muttering "walk with me".

He takes you outside the bar, and in a split second, he pushes your back to the nearest wall. if you were more sober, you would have protested and flailed helplessly in his arms, but today, you don't find yourself caring, intend on letting everything out.

"Why didn't you push them away, huh? You always seem to rebel against me but now you don't care?" His voiced laced with a hint of desperation, and eyes borderline pleading, comes out quietly. You find yourself amused, what did he expect?

"YOU were the one who decided to ruin my life by seeking me out to relieve your stress, and now you're blaming me for not fighting back?!"

Your fist easily finds his chest with as much power as you can draw while being drunk, and you lower your head, not wanting him to see the tears slide down your cheeks. You subtly brace yourself for impact, knowing he would usually hit back whenever you lashed out, so when a hand gently smears your tears over your cheeks, you flinch and look up at him in shock.

His eyes dilate over the sight of you, and he wants to sear this image of you in his eyelids so that he would be able to look at it all the time. He feels his pants grow tighter and a mix of arousal and amusement rush through him as he vows to never let anyone else see this side of you that only he should be able to bring out

Secretly, he thanks his past self for threatening all your friends at the start of his bullying, chasing them away, and leaving him as the only thing on your mind, taking up all your attention.

Seeing your drunken state, he gleefully smiles as he secures a tight grip on your wrist. He could leave his friends for now, and lay his claim, his mark, and his touch on you, for you to think about when you wake up next to him tomorrow morning

"Come on doll, let me bring you somewhere. You won't disagree, would you?"

A/n: pls don't romanticize these relationships irl and pls don't steal my work

[guilty-pleasures21]

Dragon!Miguel - kidnapped!

The main fic turned out much more popular than I expected, so I decided to spoil you guys with a short side story 🤭.

@captain-liminal possible art of Dragon!Miguel x Phoenix!Reader ?

Hope you guys enjoy!

Warnings: brief mention of violence.

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     He marched out of the throne room, glad that the meeting had finally ended: now he could fly off to his wife’s kingdom to join her while she visited her family for a few days. She’d left earlier that day, wanting to spend as much time back home as possible, and though he hadn’t liked the idea of sending his wife off alone, he could never say no to her.

     “Your Majesty!” A palace guard’s frantic voice broke into his thoughts of his pretty little wife and Miguel frowned as he looked up at the man. But then the guard continued and Miguel’s blood ran cold at his words. 

     “The Queen!” he exclaimed, slowing to a stop in front of Miguel. “She’s been kidnapped! We have received a ransom letter - from a group of rebel orcs, it would seem. They caught her midway through her flight back-” He broke off suddenly as Miguel flew down the hallway, racing towards the front entrance of the palace. The guard followed after him, calling after his King in a panic, but Miguel refused to slow down. 

     “Your Majesty!” 

     “Send an army!” Miguel commanded, calling back to him as he soared away from the palace. His body lengthened into its full dragon form as he climbed higher in the sky, his eyes narrowing into reptilian slits and his skin darkening into deep blue scales. He’d make them pay. He’d make sure there was nothing left of those half-witted, foul-breathed, repugnant monsters once he was through with them.

     The orc whom she supposed was the second-in-command snarled at her from between the bars of the cage they’d locked her in.

     “Just give us a feather, Princess! Or else we’ll have to let Lumdum take it from ya,” he threatened, prompting a gleeful snicker from his friend. 

     “Yeah!” Lumdum agreed. “Let me at ‘er! I got a few new fancy tools I been meaning to try out on a pretty little birdie …”

     X shuddered as the orc leered at her, his cracked lips stretching wide to reveal patches of missing teeth. She grabbed the bars of her cage and drew her brows together to glare at them in what she hoped was a threatening manner - Miguel always said she looked especially cute whenever she frowned at him like that, but she didn’t want to be cute now: she wanted to be taken seriously! 

     “You and I both know you will not be getting what you want out of me,” she said, glad that her voice came out steady despite her nerves. “The best you can hope for is to let me go this instant so that my husband might take the smallest shred of mercy on you and not obliterate you into pieces!”

     The orcs glanced at one another for a moment. Then they all burst into laughter, bending over and clutching their stomachs at how adorable she looked, wrinkling her nose at them. 

     “We’ll take our chances, Princess,” the leader - Varbu, she thought she’d heard the others call him - assured her. He started creeping towards her and X moved back to the other end of the cage. She sucked in shallow breaths, trying to stop herself from transforming out of fear - phoenix feathers were one of the most powerful objects next to dragon scales, able to wipe out an entire battlefield’s worth of soldiers if they were set aflame at the right angle, so she didn’t want to give these demented creatures a single opportunity to get one of hers. She whimpered as she pressed herself against the bars, wishing she had even an ounce as much of power as Miguel had - then she could have at least tried to defend herself against these brutes. Her heart thudded in her chest as Varbu’s fat green fingers closed around the iron bars, then the both of them froze as a loud roar echoed throughout the valley. X looked up and a felt wave of relief crash over her as she saw her husband swooping towards her, his deep blue scales glinting in the sunlight, his fiery eyes burning with rage when they landed on her.

     He drew a deep breath into his lungs, then released it again, bathing the valley in flames. The orcs scrambled around in a panic, desperately trying to put out the fire eating away at their clothes, but Miguel refused to grant them a second of respite before he staged his attack. He dived lower and picked up one of the orcs to throw him over the mountains, ignoring his terrified screams as he flew through the air to his death. Then he swiped at another with his claws, splitting him open as he batted him into the now scorched forest nearby. He descended on the last one before he even had a chance to blink, closing his jaw around his head and flinging him far out of his reach from his wife. 

     X transformed into her phoenix form as Miguel released another barrage of flames, allowing the warmth of his fire to heal the injuries she’d sustained when she’d been snatched out of the sky earlier. She cooed happily as her husband made his way over to her, the ground trembling with every step he took. Miguel grabbed hold of the bars and pulled them apart, bending the metal to create a gap for his wife to exit through.

     She was so graceful in her phoenix form, stepping out of the wretched cage and arranging her dazzling feathers before she finally looked up at him with those big, beautiful eyes of hers. Miguel relaxed slightly at the sight of her safe before him and grunted softly before lowering his head to nuzzle her affectionately. His wife wriggled against his cheek, delighted to be reunited with him and he sighed at how soft she felt. Dios, she was perfect. He’d never let her out of his sight again. 

     She stretched her wings as he curled his large body around her and let out another coo to catch his attention. Her husband raised his head in question and she gestured to the sky, eager to get home and see her parents. Miguel snorted in disagreement as he straightened, refusing to let her travel by herself again. Instead, he turned his head to his body, gesturing for her to get on. X rolled her eyes, but flew up to his back anyway, transforming back into her human form and wrapping herself securely around him. He took off into the air once she was comfortable and together, they continued the journey to her parents’ home. 

     The King and Queen of Risendelle paced back and forth in their throne room, anxiously awaiting any news on their precious daughter. Finally, a palace guard burst through the doors, grabbing both of their attentions. 

     “Your Majesties!” he exclaimed between shallow breaths. “It is the Dragon King! He is almost here!” 

     The King and Queen rushed to greet their son-in-law, the both of them holding their breaths as they watched him ascend to the ground. They ran over to him once he’d landed and let out twin sighs of relief when they saw their daughter safe and sound on his back. X slid to the ground and let herself be wrapped up by her parents, hugging them back as tightly as they did her. 

     “My baby!” the Queen screeched. “Are you all right? Did they … Did they hurt you?!”

     “Your brother left as soon as we received the news!” the King informed her before she even had a chance to respond. “He brought some of the army with him, so they should-”

     Miguel huffed in interruption, surrounding the three of them in a circle of smoke. He grunted when they all turned to look at him, then shrank back down into his human form. His arms came around his wife almost immediately, pulling her back against his chest and holding her close. 

     “There’s nothing left of them,” Miguel informed his wife’s father. “The prince may return to spend time with his sister.”

     The King reached up and gave his son-in-law’s shoulder a grateful squeeze. “Thank you, son. We appreciate your intervention.”

     “My wife-” A growl escaped his throat as he tried to respond and Miguel tightened his grip on X as he took a moment to calm himself down. X brushed her thumbs across the back of his hands where they were clasped around her abdomen and Miguel felt some of the heat dissipate from his body. He cleared his throat and tried again. “My wife is my most precious treasure. I will never let anything happen to her!” His fangs shot out in anger and he let out an involuntary snarl at the thought. The Queen nodded in understanding and brushed a loose strand of X’s hair behind her ear. 

     “Thank you, sweetheart,” she told Miguel, glad that her daughter had found someone so enamoured with her. “Perhaps the two of you would like to get some rest after your journey? We’ll have the maids call you when dinner is ready.”

     X twisted her head back to look up at her husband, blinking at him with her curly lashes. Miguel lowered his head to nuzzle the crook of her neck with his nose and she turned back to her mother to place a hand on her forearm. 

     “We’ll see you at dinner, mother,” she agreed, before walking into the palace. Her husband’s arms stayed glued to her waist as she led them both down the hallway, making her way towards her childhood bedroom. Miguel tugged her back to him once they were alone and bent over to press soft kisses to her skin, his lips making their way up the side of her neck to her cheek. X giggled at the ticklish feeling and turned around to face him, delighting in the feeling of his hard muscles as she placed her hands on his broad chest. She stretched onto her toes to give him a quick kiss, then cupped his face in her hand when she’d lowered herself back to her feet. She brushed her thumb across his cheek and Miguel pouted down at her, allowing himself to be vulnerable enough for her to see the terror that had overcome him at the thought of her being hurt. X wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers making their way into his hair, and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek as she held him close. 

     He stroked her back gently, focusing on the familiar smoky scent of her to soothe his pounding heart. He pressed his lips to the top of her head, showering her with the occasional kiss as she tickled his scalp softly. Finally, he pulled back and trailed his gaze over her, taking her in and reassuring himself that she was safe. She stretched up to kiss him again and Miguel bent over to repeat the gesture before taking a step back. He stretched his arms out and transformed into his full dragon form, his large body taking up the entirety of her bedroom. X raised her eyebrows at him in question and he circled the room before settling down on the ground, his head resting on her bed. 

     She could still feel some leftover adrenaline from her ordeal, but she didn’t want him to panic any more than he already had. So, she sighed and flashed him an exasperated look, her lips curling at the ends with amusement. Miguel gave her a beseeching look in return and she shook her head before transforming into her phoenix form. 

     He wagged his tail excitedly as she fluttered into the little nest he’d created for her with his body. She was so beautiful in her creature form, her golden feathers glimmering in the light, her brown eyes wide and alluring, her slender body stretching out so gracefully. He reached over to nuzzle her with his cheek, relishing the feeling of her silky feathers against his scales, then he rested his head back on the bed. He watched quietly as she shifted around, getting herself comfortable. Then she closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep, safe in the knowledge that her husband would protect her. Miguel lifted his head to stroke her feathers again, unable to resist how adorable his pretty little wife was. X opened one eye and cooed at him in irritation, and Miguel gave her one last nuzzle before laying his head back down and quickly falling asleep himself. 

     The maid knocked on the door to the princess’s bedroom, then gently pushed it open. “Ma’am? Dinner is- Oh!”

     She startled as she was met by an enormous dragon filling up the entire space. Miguel opened one eye to look at her, his expression unreadable as he flicked his tail back and forth, waiting for her to speak. The maid gulped and lowered her head before gesturing outside. “T-The … The Queen … D-Dinner … is ready … Your Majesty.”

     She snuck a glance at Miguel and he huffed at her request before nodding to his wife, firmly asleep in his embrace. The maid nodded quickly, her eyes widening with understanding. 

     “O-Oh!” she gasped. “Yes, Your Majesty. I shall inform the Queen that the Princess is still resting.” She fell into a bow as she backed out of the room, staunchly avoiding Miguel’s gaze as she closed the door quietly and left. X wriggled around as she started to awaken and she blinked up at Miguel sleepily before cooing at him in question. Miguel reached over to brush her feathers with his cheek, gently nudging her back to sleep, but she transformed back into her human form instead.

     “Miguel? ¿Qué pasó, querido? What time is it?” She patted his nose, then started trying to climb over his tail to get to the door. Miguel transformed back as well and rushed over to grab her waist, turning her around and pulling her against him. His wife laughed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he sprinkled kisses along her cheek and down the side of her neck. 

     “Querida …” he whined, not wanting to leave their little cocoon just yet. “Te amo, mi reina.”

     “I love you, too, Miguel.” She ran her fingers through his hair, then smiled up at him when he straightened. “But I’m starving, mi amor! Let’s eat!”

[cosmxc-ars3hol3]

Oh, ashes, ashes, Dust to dust

Title - Oh, ashes, ashes, Dust to dust

Rating - General Audiences

Archive Warning - No Archive Warnings Apply

Category - M/M

Fandom - Keeper of the Lost Cities - Shannon Messenger

Relationship - Councillor Bronte/Fintan Pyren

Characters - Fintan Pyren, Councillor Bronte

Additional Tags - Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Book 03: Everblaze (Keeper of the Lost Cities)

Summary - ‘After Fintan burnt Oblivimyre down during his healing, he sneaks his way into Bronte’s Castle in Eternalia so he has somewhere to stay. Bronte decides to help him stay hidden/keep people thinking he’s dead.’

its gonna be a multi chapter (hopefully) fintante fic that my tumblr mutual kale gave me when i was bitching about the appalling lack of fintante fics on ao3 (thanks kale!)

The fic is also under the cut

Bronte lightleaped back to his castle with a heavy heart; his and the other councillors' castle was luckily not in the section of Eternalia that got burned down by fintans Everblaze. He unlocked the door, his bodyguards trailing in behind him, patrolling the lower levels of the castle. The air was thick with the scent of ash, an unsettling reminder of the chaos that had unfolded, strange but not yet suspicious.

The goblins conducted a thorough search that ended with them telling Bronte it was safe, yet Bronte couldn't shake a feeling of unease. It must be leftover nerves from what happened at Oblivimyre. Going alone, he went to the more familiar and comforting parts of his castle. Weary both emotionally and physically, he went to his lounge room, intending to calm down and eventually sleep, if he could, for the night. But as he got into the room, a prickling sensation told him he was not alone.

"Who's there?" Bronte's voice cut through the silence, betraying a mixture of weariness and apprehension. He could tell there was someone there. Today had taken its toll on him, and now the break in felt like a cruel twist of fate. The scene of earlier in the evening rushed back to him: the council’s idiotic decision to entrust Sophie, a mere 13-year-old, with the responsibility of bringing Fintan back to sanity. to fix what used to be impossible.

Sophie is the only currently existing telepath with the ability to bring back a broken mind. He would say skill, but she didn't work for it; she was handed it on a silver platter by her creators, the Black Swan.

The Black Swan were a group of law-breaking rebels that, although they aren't totally law-abiding, they're also not as evil as everyone originally thought. They used to be the only known rebel group, but through a fiasco a few months ago, when Sophie was kidnapped, it was revealed that there was another rebel group, one that had everyone pinning their actions and crimes onto the Black Swan. It was then revealed that Fintan, an old friend to many of the current and past councillors, was a part of this newly discovered rebel group. The council decided to break Fintan's mind in an attempt to get more information out of him—information that he was refusing to give up willingly.

The break ended with many things going wrong, all of which are public knowledge and heavily talked about amongst people. Alden's mind broke, and with the help of the black swan, Sophie realised that she could heal him, something previously thought to be impossible.

The council decided, against Bronte’s better wishes, to heal Fintan's mind and try to get the same information that they previously failed to extract. It was a gamble that Bronte had foolishly hoped the council wouldn't take.

Bronte knew what his old friend? enemy? Bronte didn't know how to describe him; he knew what he is like. was like.

As he predicted, the healing went wrong—so much more wrong than he could have ever predicted himself.

Sophie, without a hitch, healed fintan’s broken mind.

That's where it went wrong. Bronte knew that it would be stupid to bring back Fintan's sanity, he was already too far gone from how he used to be.

Bronte looks back to those days with fondness and love.

Fintan used to be so good, so caring. Bronte knew that the person his old friend used to be was dead. and now his old friend has died.

In an attempt at something, while they were all in that building, all glittering and seemingly perfect, he called down Everblaze.

He's dead now, as is Kenric. and Bronte has to cope with losses.

Kenric, a trusted ally, was among the casualties, leaving Bronte to deal with the loss, although he didn't have it as hard as Oralie did. Kenric's death hurt because it was avoidable; Fintan’s hurt because Bronte was mourning the person his friend used to be.

‘Whoever is here, you better show yourself before I get my bodyguards,’ Bronte's voice held a steely edge, a futile attempt to mask his trepidation. The intruder remained hidden, refusing to reveal themselves despite Bronte's threats. With a resigned sigh, he shed his supposedly "fireproof" cape, not that it worked when faced with Everblaze, the sun’s fire on earth, only able to be summoned by the most powerful of pyrokinetics. Fintan did it in absolute zero conditions with a still-healing mind.

As much as Bronte hated to admit it, Fintan scared him.

‘If you don't come out now, I will be calling them in to find you,’ he warned. ‘I'm sure you're aware that goblins have excellent senses. They will find you in no time. So either show yourself or risk my bodyguards and jail,’ he finished. sitting down on one of the chairs lying around his lounge room, where he knew the perpetrator was hiding, waiting for them to emerge from their hiding spot to show themselves so Bronte could finally go to bed and try to process that evening.

‘I'm sure I can handle the goblins. Im sure I could take you out too,’ said the intruder.

‘Show yourself now, or I will send the full force of my inflicting your way. Responding tells me where in the room you are.’ said bronte with an eerily calm voice when compared to his threatening words.

‘alright, alright. I will show myself IF you agree to hear me out, not call for your goblins, or arrest me,’ replied the stranger. Although Bronte recognised his voice from somewhere, he couldn't place it, but the voice felt really familiar.

And why would I agree to that? Chances are, you're a member of a rebel group, probably the same one Fintan was working with. You're a criminal, a big one at that, because you chose to break into a councillor's office.’ Bronte stated, ‘You should be glad I didn't immediately get my goblins to sniff you off here and into a jail cell,’ he threatened, even though he knew it was pointless.

The ashy smell he picked up on entry to his castle that he mistook for his own clothes wasn't him. The intruder was a part of the same rebel group that fintan was a leader to.

He waited a moment before adding, ‘But I'm curious, so I'll agree.’

‘Hopefully curiosity won't kill the cat.' replied the intruder, about to finally reveal himself, ‘Hey bronte.’

It was Fintan. somehow it was Fintan.

‘You’re supposed to be dead,’ said Bronte in shock.

He punches Fintan.

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hi! I'm looking for a game in the space opera genre, and I'd love some suggestions. More specifically, I'm trying to find something that's pretty easily customizable or setting-agnostic. Pretty soft as far as sci-fi is concerned, even science fantasy. (And my players have a very brief attention span when it comes to learning rules, so some degree of simplicity would be appreciated, too, haha!)

For context, I have a friend who loves worldbuilding and has fleshed out a whole galaxy, and I want to run a one-shot set in his world for his birthday. In the past, we've tried using a homebrew amalgamation of D&D, SW5e, and miscellaneous other bits, but I want to find a system that fits a bit better.

Thanks for the help! 😁

Theme: Simple Space Operas.

Hello friend, this sounds like such an awesome idea! I think I’ve got a few pretty good options for you to take a look at. Many of these games pull from Star Wars as their idea of what a space opera is like, but not all of them do. Also, don't forget to check the bottom of the post to see what I've recommended in the past!

Laser-Ritter, by Bad Quail Games.

Laser-Ritter is an analog adventure game about swashbuckling heroes journeying among endless stars to embrace their destiny. There are rendezvous in hazy tap rooms, chases across distant moons, and showdowns with the forces of galactic evil. We play to find out how our Laser-Ritters follow their passions and face their pasts to triumph over adversity.

Laser-Ritter gives space for you to create your own saga. There's no burdensome timeline of canon events or overwhelming lists of characters, spaceships, and alien species to be contradicted. Every group begins their saga by creating their own dramatic title crawl to establish what's happening when the adventure begins!

This is a game all about embracing your destiny, with plenty of space to build your own universe. The game can be played episodically, or cover a long-spanning story over a series of sessions. This means that if you just want to run a one-shot, it can be pretty easily self-contained, but there’s also room to expand the game.

Players in this game have 4 stats and a health track labelled Vitality. You also have something called a Pathos track, which represents how attrition and trauma affect your character. If you fill your Pathos track, your character becomes vulnerable to dying. If you want a game with dramatic action and tragic scenes, Laser-Ritter might be for you.

Galaxy Goons and A Goons’ Guide to the Galaxy, by John Erwin.

Galaxy Goons is a space fantasy adventure hack of the Ennies-award winning Tunnel Goons. If you want a light-hearted game about rascals just trying to make their way in the universe, this is worth checking out. Tunnel Goons is known for being pretty light-weight, and Galaxy Goons is true to this legacy. Your characters are rolled randomly, with stats used to add onto dice rolls to try and beat a difficulty level.

A Goon’s Guide to the Galaxy is made for the same kind of setting, but uses a different set of rules, namely the 24XX SRD. This means that instead of just rolling d6’s, your characters will have a few things that they have a d8 or d10 for, and there might even be a few skills that only allow you to roll a d4. 24XX games also tend to carry roll tables to help the GM come up with obstacles and goals, so that might help the GM decide what about this homemade galaxy might be interesting to follow.

Rebel Scum, by 9th Level Games.

REBEL SCUM tells the story of how scrappy, anti-fascist heroes can fight back against a government with unlimited power (including giant lasers and space magic). Inspired by a love for a certain line of 3 and 3/4 inch action figures, this is a fast paced, feel good, space opera of rebellion and adventure.

In this TTRPG, characters are all expressed as action figures, with their pertinent stats and abilities "on the back of the card." Choose your toy and get out into battle!

So Rebel Scum borrows very obviously from Star Wars, but of course the book can’t just put the game in the Star Wars setting, so they create their own. What this means is you can pretty easily throw out that lore and build your own world, although the expectation in this game is that your characters will be working to overthrow some sort of galaxy-wide power. The rules are very simple to learn - in fact the booklet is under 100 pages, and that’s including art, setting, and example characters. If you have a standard set of polyhedral dice (and I’m assuming you do, if you’ve played D&D) then you’ll be able to play this game.

Save the Universe, by Don Bisdorf.

Tyranny and cruelty have spread across the galaxy, and only you can stop it!

Save the Universe is a sci-fi adventure roleplaying game in which the players create their own great galactic menace and then portray the brave heroes battling against it.

I think the biggest pull for this game is that it encourages you to build your own galaxy. The game even comes with a number of questions for you to answer, and if you already have a world decided, you can slot in the answers according to your friend’s world. In fact, assigning world creation to one player is actually a recommended option in the game!

Even though this game is pretty open in terms of the details of your galaxy, there’s still an overarching theme of an Empire or large enemy that your characters will be resisting. Then again, I have a feeling that’s a common theme in space operas.

Plerion: Space Opera Adventure Game, by Zotiquest Games.

Intrepid spacers ply the vastness of the Five Galaxies in search of fortune and glory.

This is Plerion, a sci-fi hack from Cairn designed to play radiant space opera. Inspired by classic science fiction and the RPGs that emulate it, but with a more modern twist, winking at transhumanism and cyberpunk.

Plerion is an adventure game for one referee and at least one other player. Players act as hardened spacers exploring, exploiting and commerce through the vastness of space in the far future.

The author of this game cites Mass Effect, the Traveller roleplaying game and the Wayfarer series by Becky Chambers. Cairn, the game that inspired this one, is a game that makes survival difficult and daunting for the players, and asks them to put the fiction first. This means that combat shouldn’t always be the answer. Instead, players are encouraged to find ways to solve problems using their tools at hand, which is a common trend in many of the games that inspired this rule system.

What’s So Cool About Outer Space, by Jared Sinclair.

WSCAOS is a tiny little system for going to space no matter where you are! 

This is an incredibly tiny game, with just two pages to print out and use as a rules reference in any galaxy you like. It’s also the parent of a number of “What’s So Cool About" games that use the same philosophy - minimal rules, and plenty of agency left up to the group in terms of what possible backstories you might have, as well as what might be considered an advantage and what might not.

No-one Owns The Sky, by Free Radicals Press.

A band of misfits lives aboard a rundown starship, traveling from one frontier world to the next, hoping to make a name and a living for themselves. Along the way, things always seem to go sideways, but the crew holds on, no matter what.

NO ONE OWNS THE SKY is a sci-fi roleplaying game that is rules-light and relies on players to craft and flesh out the universe of the setting as a collective. This game was designed for two or more players. One player is always the referee (REF), a neutral arbiter and guiding force for the game. The others act and play as player characters (PCs). These players, with their REF and their PCs, will tell amazing, collective (and interactive) stories with the help of imagination, dice, roleplaying, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

This game uses a staggered success layout, which means that you could roll a failure, a success, or a mixed success during any given roll. Anything above a 5 is a success! It looks like the game uses more than just d6’s though, so the larger dice you roll, the higher your chances of succeeding. The setting is also up to the players, pretty good for folks who want to build their own galaxy.

Games I’ve Recommended in the Past

Space Fantasy Rec Post

Impulse Drive, by Adrian Thorn.

Syzygy, by Ostrichmonkey Games.

[remember-digimon]

Now it's Sora's turn!

Every friend group needs a Mom Friend, and for this group it's definitely Sora.

From the very beginning she's always checking up on everyone else, more worried about her friends than herself. I'm sure if she had been more prepared for going to the Digital World, she would've brought more than a first aid kit.

I have thoughts on the things each kid brought with them into the Digital World, but I'll do a separate post for that. For now, Sora has a first aid kit because she is the kind of person to plan ahead and be ready to help.

Early on, she has a bit of trouble relating to Biyomon. Her Digimon is super cuddly and even a bit clingy with her, which Sora isn't sure how to deal with. She isn't annoyed, she just doesn't know what to do with Biyomon at first.

Like Matt, Sora has a strained relationship with her mom, but for entirely different reasons. Mrs Takenouchi is a master at flower arrangement and a very traditional Japanese woman. She wants Sora to follow in her footsteps, but that isn't what Sora wants. Sora thinks her mother doesn't understand her at all and has no desire to understand her.

When Sora wants to go play soccer, her mother forbids it. This is because Sora has an injury and her mother is afraid that playing in the soccer game will make it worse. But Sora sees it as her mother being opposed to her playing soccer at all, not caring how much it means to her.

Of course, eventually, Sora realizes why her mother didn't want her to play that day. Her mom wanted to protect her and just went about it the wrong way.

Later, during the Odaiba raid, Mrs Takenouchi comes to Sora's rescue and gives her the chance to get away. It takes a lot of convincing to get Sora to leave her mom, showing her need to protect those she cares about.

Having these expectations of being a good daughter to a very traditional Japanese woman has certainly taken its toll on Sora. She seems to be rebelling against the idea of femininity in general, or at least the apparent need for her to perform it.

Sora was always marketed as a tomboy in early promo stuff; I don't know if the concept is purely western or if they also have that in Japan, but regardless, Sora just resists the idea of womanhood that her mother portrays.

Sora doesn't want to arrange flowers, she wants to play soccer. She wants to be an integral part of the team, not someone expected to wait behind because she's a girl. She is fierce and brimming with passionate fire.

Tai is associated with fire, too, but I think the two differ. Tai is a wildfire, or a huge party bonfire, or one of those controlled prairie burns when he's older. Sora is the fire of a hearth, a quiet campfire, the warm glow of candles. Tai isn't necessarily destructive, at least not on purpose, but he is a good representation of the wild, energetic nature of fire. Sora is the other side of that coin; the fire that has fed humanity since our beginning.

Matt is usually thought of as the kid who cooks, but he does that out of necessity due to his home life. Sora makes food for those she cares about because she wants to provide for them, make sure they're fed and taken care of.

She has a soft spot for the younger kids, particularly TK. He even mentions how she is family to him while they're away from home, standing in for his mother.

Being the designated Mom Friend means stressing about your friends and trying to make everyone happy. It isn't an easy job. Even when Sora is away from the group she tries to make sure everyone is okay; she helps Tai and TK avoid the forgetful mushrooms, she helps Mimi realize she's being selfish, and she helps Joe and Matt by stopping a pallet of potatoes from falling while they're working at the diner. And she does all of this from the shadows, not expecting the others to sing her praises for it.

She does it because she loves them, and since she loves them she wants to keep them safe and happy.

Also let's not forget that she has her own Dark Cave experience. Tai has charged her with finding the other kids and bringing them back while WarGreymon keeps Piedmon busy.

The weight of this responsibility weighs so heavily on Sora that she is lost in anxiety, worrying that she won't be able to find the others in time which means they'll lose the battle, which means they'll lose the war, which means THE END OF THE WORLD. That's a lot to expect of an 11 year old girl.

It really shows that she wants to help, she needs to make sure her loved ones are okay, and she forgets about herself in that process. Thankfully Matt and Joe are able to help her realize that she isn't alone in this huge world-saving task, and as much as she wants her friends to rely on her, she can rely on them just as much.

[oldiesstationlover11607]

Break the Cycle - Clancy x Reader

Relationship: Tyler Joseph/Clancy x Fem!Reader and Josh/Torchbearer x Fem!Reader (Platonic)

Warnings: Violence, anything related to Dema or the Trench story that's generally triggering

Word Count: 1987

Summary: When Tyler escapes Dema, you're told by your bishop Keons to go into Trench and bring him back, but you soon realise things aren't what you thought they were.

PART 2 + PART 3

Tyler had disappeared during the Annual Assemblage and I wasn’t surprised in the least. He’d been rebelling against Keons ever since he was twelve, despite being the Bishops’ favorite in the district. Tyler and I had grown up together, we were best friends, but he had always found a way to get into trouble. Our whole friend group knew it would be sooner rather than later that he would get the attention of Blurryface, I just didn’t think he’d leave Dema before it happened. Everyone over sixteen had their own room in the city and Keons must’ve noticed Tyler was missing because he had shown up outside my place. 

“Bishop?” I’d answered the door to the elder dressed in red. I had no idea how Tyler could be around him so often without being scared. 

“My child, Clancy is gone. Do you know where he is?” Clancy. Tyler’s nickname. It meant ‘son of the red warrior’ and was only really ever used formally. I opened the door further for Keons to enter. 

“No Father, I haven’t heard anything from him since yesterday and everything seemed normal,” I stuttered out, feeling my hands shake, “I didn’t even know you knew who I was.”

“Clancy talked about you a lot, Y/N. I want you to find him and bring him back here, Nico would like to meet him.” He rested his black hand on my shoulder and I felt a cold wave run through my body. “I care about him very much and I know you do too, my child.” There was no arguing with a Bishop. If you did what they said, there was the chance to attend the Assemblage and become a Glorious Gone, the very stage of existence we all aimed to achieve in Dema. 

“I will try to find him Father, but what if he’s left the city?”

“Then you enter Trench and you find Clancy.”

Keons had suggested I leave Dema straight away. He said the Bishops had a feeling Tyler had left the city. Head true east, out via the tunnels. Dema’s tunnels were known for being dark, cold, and empty. I’d packed a bag with everything I might’ve needed, a torch, warm, dark clothes, and a map of Trench. I was 100% prepared to find Tyler. Except for one thing. A body. Warm, not cold. Another torch, not Tyler’s. I jumped when I saw it, scared the shit out of me. 

“Are you okay?” A voice called from further inside the tunnel. 

“I’m fine. No one is supposed to be in the tunnels,” I spoke.

“Then what are you doing here?” He was dressed in an army green coat with a yellow taped cross, the center landing on his chest. The hood of his coat was up and I couldn’t see his face, a yellow bandana covering it. 

“I’ve been sent by a Bishop to find my friend. What are you doing here?” 

“I’m leaving the city,” he pointed to the light at the end of the tunnel. “I can help you find your friend.” Keons had told me not to trust anyone, find Ty and bring him straight home. 

“I think I can find him myself,” I said, continuing to walk towards the end of the tunnel. 

“Your loss, Trench is pretty big. And without a guide you could get lost,” he walked behind me. This was when I started to contemplate being alone within Trench, somewhere I’d never been before. It could get cold out there and god only knew what kind of animals or beasts came out at night. “You could get hurt.”

“Why would you care if I got hurt?” I turned around and looked him dead in the eyes. 

He looked surprised, “Because you’re alone. You’re leaving Dema for the first time and you have no idea what you’re walking into.” 

“Oh and you do?” I snapped back. 

“I live there.” 

He lived there. This man lived in Trench. No one lived in Trench. “Do you want me to help you or not?” I thought about it for a second. I thought about Tyler and if he was okay, if he was still alive.

“What’s your name?” If I was going to let this man lead me to Tyler I needed to know who he was. 

“You tell me yours first,” he quipped back. 

“No.”

“They call me The Torchbearer.” I audibly laughed. He didn’t seem very impressed at that. “What’s your name?” 

I thought for a moment before answering, “They call me Artemis.” Sacarver had gifted me that name during a confession session. 

“Greek goddess of the wilderness? Of course they sent you,” Torchbearer scoffed. “They like ones like you, that’s why he left.” Tyler? Had Torchbearer seen Tyler? But before I could ask he continued walking forward. “Come on.” I followed quickly behind, noticing his occasional paranoid looks back. 

Torchbearer and I walked through a rocky valley and towards the place he referred to as ‘camp’. I was sure camp implied there were going to be more people that just Torchbearer there. 

“How much further are we going to have to walk?” I asked, regretting the shoes I’d chosen. We’d been walking for days. 

“Not far. But when we arrive you’re going to need to lay low so I can make sure it’s safe for you.” I had no idea what that meant. All I could think about was Tyler. If he was okay. 

We walked for another twenty minutes before I could see tents perched up on a hill. I’d spoken to Torchbearer about Tyler, not using his name for safety but speaking about what he was like. I had hoped Torchbearer could help me find him but I was losing hope. He was monotone with his responses and seemed paranoid as we walked. 

“I’m going to greet everyone, you need to stay behind me the whole time.” I ignored his request and looked over his shoulder. “I’m not joking,” Torchbearer stared me down, the yellow bandana and hood still covering most of his face. This was when I noticed the color of his eyes, hazel. Tyler’s eyes were a cold brown. I’d remembered this because he always looked tired and worn out despite doing the same tasks as everyone else. Keons was relying on me to bring him back home. Keons knew how I really felt about Tyler and promised me he wouldn’t tell Blurryface if I returned with Ty. Love wasn’t allowed to be felt in Dema. Yes, people were married but they were coupled off by the Bishops and had children to keep the city alive, not for love. Those who were ‘in love’ generally ended up visiting Blurryface and came out ‘normal’. Almost as if hating the person they once loved. I wasn’t willing to risk that. 

“Artemis,” I felt Torchbearer’s hand on my shoulder. I must’ve zoned out. 

“Hmm?” I looked up and came face to face with about 50 other people dressed in yellow, mostly men. 

“These are the Banditos,” he pushed me forward slightly and I managed an awkward wave. Tyler had mentioned the Banditos once, but everyone had assumed he’d made them up. “I’m their leader, taught them everything there is to know about Trench.” I took in the camp, it was relatively developed, and seemed homey. “Jenna!” Torchbearer called out and a blonde woman appeared at his side. He leaned down and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and disappeared before reappearing with a man dressed in black. He was the only one with red tape on his shoulders and a full face mask, covering everything but his eyes. “Leave us,” Torchbearer hung up his torch and walked us over to his tent, everyone other than the man in black had gone back to their tents. As I sat down I noticed Torchbearer had zipped up the door and was taking off his jacket and removing his bandana. Again, an army green shirt with yellow tape across his chest. Torchbearer had curly brown hair, black gauges in his ears and nose rings on either side of his nose, a look which would be severely punished in Dema. “Y/N. That is your name, correct?” He turned to the man in black who nodded. 

“How do you know that?” I pressed, worried that I’d walked into the very thing Keons had told me to stay away from. Tyler was the only one who still called me that. 

“Do you know who this is?” 

The masked man was staring me down, as I answered, “No.” 

“This is my right hand, someone I trust will show you around Trench and explain the truth to you,” Torchbearer nodded at the man who started to take his mask off. “Oh, and I’m Josh. Any friend of his can call me Josh,” he smiled gently before leaving us alone in the tent. 

“Artemis?” It was Tyler. Of course Torchbearer–Josh would have him. 

“Tyler?” I stared at his brown eyes, warmer than the last time I’d seen him. “We need to go home, Keons sent me to bring you back. We’re worried about you.” I reached out for him but he moved away. 

“Don’t call me Tyler, I go by Clancy now,” his head was now shaved, the brown hair I’d fallen in love with was gone. Tyler was gone. 

“But–”

“You’re brainwashed. Vialism isn’t real and the Bishops, they’re controlling you.” I felt my eyebrows curve in hurt. He was lying. I trusted Keons but he wouldn’t have sent me out here without explaining everything to me. 

“But Keons. He–”

“He’s an insider. Betrayed Nico a long time ago. Also told me how you felt and sent me out of the city knowing you’d follow me,” Tyler spoke with strength. He was a totally different person than I thought he was. 

“But… our friends?” I felt tears start to spike my eyes, “the Annual Assemblage?”

“They get you to kill yourself so they can seize your body Artemis, there are no Glorious Gone.” I was going to be sick. I felt dizzy as the world spun around me. 

“Tyler I–”

“Clancy.”

“I –I can’t do this.” My body felt cold, goosebumps popping up across my arms and legs. “I–I love you–I.” Tyler placed his hands on either side of my face and pressed his forehead against mine. 

“Artemis. You are strong. You’ve survived Dema and that’s the hardest thing to do. Josh has kept an eye on you for me and he’s smart, smarter than me. I need you to let me go until we can defeat the Bishops and retake Dema.” Artemis, he never called me that. I shook my head in denial. 

“Tyler–”

“Clancy,” he interrupted again, this time harsher.

“I’m leaving,” I stood up and walked out of the tent only to feel a pair of arms wrap around me. Josh. I let out a loud scream, kicking my legs and trying to free myself.

“I told you she’d try to escape,” Josh looked back at Tyler.

“I thought she’d understand. I did,” Tyler looked disappointed. 

“She isn’t you Clancy,” Josh sighed before dragging me into an empty tent and tying my wrist to the centre pole. Tyler had left. 

“I loved him and he’s ruined everything,” I cried, trying to loosen the rope around my wrists. “Our friends... if what he’s saying is true then they’re not safe.”

Josh bent down to face me, “We are watching your friends Artemis, when the time is right they will be brought here to you and Clancy. I need you to know that this is for your own good. Know that when you begin to understand the gravity of the situation, Clancy will be waiting for you.”

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I swore and Josh's eyebrows raised subtly in surprise. 

“It means he loves you, idiot. You just have to break the cycle.”

//

I love writing Clancy stories tbh. Requests open!!

[glitterp0prhaps0dy]

RINGPOPS!?!

ring pops aren't just a sweet treat; they have enchanting effects on pop trolls. Consuming one of these luminous candies could send them into a euphoric high, their colors glowing intensely as they bask in unparalleled joy and vivacity. However, this delight comes with a catch - their perception becomes skewed, their laughter a little too loud, and their dance moves a bit too erratic, leaving them in a blissfully dazed state.

As Floyd descended the stairs, he was met with the surreal sight of Carol indulging in a ring pop, her expression bordering on euphoria. Yet, what struck him even more was the nonchalant attitude of his companions; Barb and Riff were engrossed in their own discussion, seemingly unfazed by Carol's sugary treat.

"So, like, Dad's being totally unfair," Barb complained, her voice laced with frustration as she leaned against the kitchen counter.

Riff, ever the laid-back presence, shrugged in response. "What's the deal with the bat thing anyway?"

Barb sighed dramatically, her annoyance palpable. "I've been dropping hints left and right about wanting a pet bat, you know? But every time I bring it up, Dad shuts it down. It's like he's allergic to fun or something."

Riff chuckled, his eyes hidden beneath the brim of his beanie. "Maybe he's just not a fan of nocturnal roommates."

Barb rolled her eyes, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Yeah, because a king of the rock trolls can't handle a little winged friend. Please."

Rebel, who had been quietly observing the exchange, chimed in with her signature deadpan delivery. "Maybe he's worried you'll name it something ridiculous."

Barb shot her a mock-offended look. "Hey, I have excellent pet-naming skills, thank you very much."

Floyd watched the banter unfold with a mixture of amusement and bewilderment, wondering how he had stumbled into such an eccentric household.

Carol zoomed over to Floyd's side with the agility of a caffeine-fueled squirrel, her eyes twinkling with a mixture of mischief and concern. "Hey there, Pinkie! You're looking all sorts of twisted up. Did you tangle with nightmares, accidentally nudge the doomsday button, or come to the stark realization that our existence is a cosmic joke with the punchline missing?" Her words tumbled out in a rapid-fire stream, leaving Floyd blinking in bewildered silence.

In response, Floyd, still trying to acclimate to Carol's whirlwind presence, simply gestured towards the ring pop she was fervently enjoying. This prompted a pause from Carol, her head tilting in confusion. "The... candy?" she echoed, clearly missing the point of his concern.

Gathering his thoughts, Floyd ventured a question, tinged with apprehension. "Carol... just how old are you?"

Carol struck a dramatic pose, as if she were about to announce the secret to the universe. "Ah, the mystery of my age! Let's just say, I've been around the block fifteen times, but in rock troll years, I'm practically a legendary artifact. Behold, the eternal teenager!"

"YOU'RE FIFTEEN!? AND ON RING POPS!?" Floyd couldn't mask his horror, his voice echoing his shock.

The rest of the group turned to look at him, their expressions a mix of amusement and confusion, as if Floyd had just revealed he believed in mythical creatures.

Rebel, who had been observing the exchange with her usual reserved and unflappable demeanor, finally spoke up. Her voice was calm, almost a whisper, but it cut through the confusion with ease. "What's wrong, Floyd?"

Floyd turned to her, the shock still evident in his voice. "It's... the ring pops. In the Pop Village, they're not just candy. They... they're like, really intense. They make you brighter, happier, but also kind of out of it. It's like being on a constant sugar high but magnified. We're told to stay away from them unless it's a special occasion."

Rebel nodded, her face betraying nothing of her thoughts on the matter. The room fell into a curious silence as everyone processed Floyd's explanation, the seriousness of his tone contrasting sharply with the laid-back vibe of the moment.

Carol chimed in, her laughter echoing through the room like a mischievous melody. "Ring pops are like cocaine for you guys!"

Floyd's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "What's cocaine?"

Carol's eyes widened in mock surprise. "You don't know what cocaine is?" She turned to the others, her expression incredulous. "Guys, we've got some educating to do!"

Riff leaned forward, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Cocaine is a drug, Floyd. It's like... super intense. It makes you feel really energetic and happy, but it's super dangerous. It can mess you up bad if you're not careful."

Barb nodded solemnly, her eyes wide with seriousness. "Yeah, it's not something you want to mess with. Like, at all."

Rebel, as usual, remained quiet but observant, her gaze shifting between the others as they explained. Finally, she spoke up in her calm, measured tone. "So, just stay away from cocaine and ring pops. Got it, Floyd?"

Riff, popping his back with a series of satisfying cracks, casually dropped a bombshell into the conversation. "The only people I know who mess with that stuff are total party animals. You know, like Sid... and Carol here."

Rebel's face instantly shifted, her usually stoic expression melting into one of disbelief, almost as if she'd just witnessed a confession to a high crime. She turned slowly, her gaze fixing on Carol with an intensity that could cut glass. "Explain yourself," she demanded, her voice calm but carrying an edge sharper than any blade.

Without missing a beat, Carol burst into a fit of laughter, her voice filling the room with its wild, untamed timbre. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed a bag of ring pops towards Rebel, the colorful candies flying through the air like a rainbow scattering in the wind. "Catch me if you can!" she taunted, bolting out of the house with the speed of a cheetah.

Rebel, momentarily stunned by the sudden shower of ring pops, quickly recovered her senses. Her eyes narrowed, a determined glint sparking within them as she dashed off in hot pursuit of Carol, leaving the others alone.

Barb, circling back to the conversation that had been so abruptly cut off the night before, turned to Floyd with a mix of curiosity and determination in her eyes. "So, about my question from last night... are you gay?"

Floyd, maintaining his composed demeanor, offered a thoughtful reply. "I really don't care what anyone is. I only care who they are," he said, emphasizing the importance of character over labels.

Barb, undeterred and possibly missing the point, leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "So like... ultra gay?"

At this, Riff couldn't help but interject, an eyebrow arching in amusement and confusion. "Why are you so interested in this stuff, Barb? I mean, last week you asked me a similar question because of my bandana."

Caught off guard and visibly flustered by Riff's question, Barb's cool façade crumbled. She started to sweat, her eyes darting around as if looking for an escape route. Without another word, she bolted upstairs, the sound of her footsteps thundering across the floorboards. The slam of her bedroom door echoed through the house as she yelled back down, her voice muffled by the distance, "I'LL NEVER TELL!"

Floyd and Riff exchanged bewildered looks, a moment of silence hanging between them as they processed the sudden outburst. "Well... that was weird," they both agreed, the understatement hanging in the air, filled with unspoken questions and a shared sense of bemusement at Barb's mysterious behavior.

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

This has been my shortest chapter, but i promise its important to the lore of the story for later on!

[mockedandmonitored]

{File: Elite suspension}

Seeing as it's a tie between Armada and our elites, decided to tackle it and get it out of the way with what happened to our favorite dumbasses.

First starting with the Matriarchs as to get the lovely ladies out of the way. Camerawoman and Speakerwoman, known as Cyberpunk and Jazzpunk respectively weren't captured originally at the end of the war, going into hiding and avoiding the Armada for awhile. The two did try to lead their factions to rise up against the Armada in rebellions however due to Whistle-blowers, the duo were soon enough apprehended. TVwoman, Nickname being Flashpunk here, was brought down alongside her faction and the TV Titan during the start of the end. All three of them ending up in similar fates, being locked in stasis chambers alongside their titans within their respective "Museums". Rumor has it when the guards are inbetween shifts in the middle of the night, the song of the old rebellion echos where Jazzpunk rests.

(OOC but this was done as to ensure it's harder for the internet to internet the ladies. Best to put em on ice instead of who knows what else)

Moving onto the gentlemen of the Alliance, starting with Polycephaly (technically). Captured alongside his fellow TVs, Poly put up one hell of a fight, managing to stall enough time for his brethren to teleport out of the initial raid. During the scuffle two of his five screens were cracked and damaged but nothing too major. Poly due to being the only large tv unit was the source of taunt for awhile, the TVs speaking reverse however allowed Poly to get away with as much shit talking as he wanted. He once lashed out against his captors after a few idiots dragged him to the TVmen's memorial, seeing what had become of his leader and his mighty titan, He lashed out and attacked any Armada affiliated individual in sight. Now three of his five screens being heavily damaged and being down a strike, Polycephaly was thrown to the gulags. Around four years ago, Polycephaly joined the now labled the Banded Rebels, managing to actually gather a large amount of hardwares and a few scarce toilet allies to rise against G toilet. These rebels were however outted by a Whistle-blower merely known as X, and most of those affiliated with the group punished harshly. Polycephaly was down another strike, having four of his screens gutted and reduced to nothing alongside a cruel beating. Currently in modern day, He only has one remaining screen to this day, bottom left one which he's forced to see out of, his main head being too damaged for him to use properly. He hasn't tried anything since the rebellion, being left broken and untrusting of any cameramen.

Next up is our hardheaded Plungerman also called Dual thanks to the Creative alliance and thank @gamie99 for the idea of what he does here! They also help name the AU! (His story also leads into what happens to Assassin Speakerman).

Dual was initially captured alongside his fellow cameramen and always tried to look for an opportunity to get free but due to his reputation, was almost never given the chance. that was until five years into the new world that he was busted out of his holding/working cell by the Banded Rebellion, alongside his rescue was his old ally and friend Assassin Speakerman. From their rescue the two went on to go help the rebellion, saving hardware units from the punishment of the tally system. When the Rebellion fell, the two continued their mission to bring down the Armada, rescuing his brethren and keeping hope alive. Eventually the two however got into a situation the two couldn't escape from, at least that's what it seemed like at first, until Assassin Speakerman ran in the opposite yet visible direction than where Dual was. His partner in crime sacrificed himself to keep Dual out of custody and to continue what the two set out to do. Cameramen were judged and untrusted by their fellow hardwares due to the Whistle-blowers, with Dual doing good, it could at least rebuild some trust. Current day No one knows what happened to Dual, the Armada believes he vanished off the radar, probably ashamed of letting his closest ally getting captured. Speculation however points to a figure who lurks in the shadows, flushing any lone Enforcer skibidis on duty and seen helping wanted individuals evade arrest.

Last but not least is Assassin (or dark) Speakerman or as me and a few friends call him, Scarlet

Continuing from Dual's story, Scarlet had ran to distract and buy time for Dual to escape. He even lasted for quite a bit against the Enforcers but was eventually brought down and brought into custody. However due to him being affiliated with a Rebellion and continuing to break the law from there, he completed bypassed the tally system and was dragged to the "Reeducation Center". He was made an example out of, not only having his systems scrambled, muted but also had his memory banks completely fried and disorganized. From there he had his personality rewired and anything original from the elite was buried under the new slate the Armada made for him, even gaining the new title of Maroon(ed). He became the trophy of the center, being their proudest works. Turning such a rebellious and stubborn speaker to a docile and obedient servant, even fixing his systems just so he could play the anthem for everyone to hear. Modern day, he's working at the Speaker Shrine, unable to recognize the information of battles He took part in.

Bonus! What happened to Secret Agent?

Secret agent is M.I.A. He was caught off guard when the titans fell and tried in futility to try and assist the Alliance back to its feet. From there the secret agent has been trying to help any rebellion rise to the surface however. . these new systems seem to be out of his control, as if an old ally figured he tried something to get the balance in his favour, and blocked his abilities and technology from leaking into this new civilization.

Thank you for reading and don't forget that you can join into this AU with either suggestions, sharing what your OCs would do within this twisted world or simply asking questions! If this seems sketchy or bad quality- I wrote this in between like 2-5 am after late night inspo kicked in

[heroesspirit]

FANFICTION MASTER POST

You can find me on AO3 at meatjuice. My fics are all available under the readmore cut.

LONG FICS

Brothers in Blood and Spirit: (5/?) POVs: Eras, Legend, Wind.

Summary: Every hero has their weakness. For the captain, it’s his brothers. He will do anything to protect his brothers of the present, just as he did with his brother in the past. (Note: a good look into Eras’ past, this is an au where everything is the same except he has a little brother.)

The Nebula Brigade: (9/?) POVs: Twilight, Eras, Time.

Summary: The Hyrule Empire has reigned supreme for decades, gradually taking over countless planets in the solar system. The only thing standing between the Empire and complete control over the galaxy is a band of rebels. One exiled rebel encounters an Empire soldier and decides to spare his life, and he soon discovers the soldier may play a key role in bringing the Empire down. Despite all odds against them, they work together to bring peace back to the galaxy. (Note: Space au!)

Raise the Red Sails: (1/?) POVs: Spirit, Ravio, Twilight, Eras.

Summary: Hyrule has sent the Royal Navy after mysterious artifacts to uncover the location of the Triforce. Only with this power will they be able to put an end to the evils plaguing their land. The only thing that stands in their way is a band of pirates who seek the same goal of obtaining the Triforce for themselves. Only one group will emerge victorious. Or so they assume. (Note: I watched Our Flag Means Death and naturally had to make a pirate au.)

ONE SHOTS

Snow Day Off: (1143 words) POV: Four

Summary: Link experiences his first time making a snowman. (Note: for the HS Server’s December 2023 prompt ‘Snowed in’.

Fall From Grace: (1535 words) POV: Eras

Summary: Long hair is the sign of a fierce and skilled knight. To have one’s hair cut off by an opponent is the ultimate sign of defeat. To have one cut off their own hair is the ultimate sign of shame. (Notes: canon scene five years prior to the start of HS)

Lost Loftwing: (2207 words) POV: Sky

“Stand down,” Sky ordered with what little authority he could muster. He wasn’t used to that tone, he wasn’t fond of ordering people around. He was even less fond of people trying to kidnap and hurt his loftwing.

ONE SHOTS, BUT YEEHAW

It’s a Date: (919 words) POV: Eras

Summary: A sparring session turns into an admitting your feelings session.

A Horse by Any Other Name: (1531 words) POV: Eras

Summary: Sometimes the bond between a man and his borrowed horse can be so personal.

Dreams and Fireside Chats: (1788 words) POV: Eras

Summary: Link has an unpleasant dream and finds comfort in the kindness of those he's close to.

Bathhouse Boy Best Friends: (1629 words) POV: Twilight

Summary: Two bros, chillin' in a hot tub, five feet apart cause they might be gay??

The Wingman: (2555 words) POV: Sky

Summary: Sky copes with being touch starved naturally by trying to play matchmaker for his companions.

MISCELLANEOUS

At Ease, Captain: (7058 words) POV: HW Link

Summary: Link projects his problems onto his companions, specifically their Champion, but he's definitely okay and fine and not sleep-deprived. (Note: I wrote this at the same time I was creating HS! It’s also around the time when I first read LU. So this was written with neither in mind, but you can really see the prototypes of my versions peeking through in this one.)

The Captain’s Log: (2161 words) POV: LU Warriors

Summary: He dipped his pen in the inkwell and brought it to the paper, he frowned when he pressed too hard and made a large spot on the page. Link would never consider himself an artist, but he prided himself in his penmanship. During the war there was no time for fancy scripts and long words, his fellow captains were lucky if they got more than three lines of cucco scratch. Calligraphy was something he picked up later, he loved the way words flowed on paper. But now, his hands betrayed him. OR: One of those Warriors and Legend journal fics you always hear about but not really.

[post-apocalyptic-fantasy-au]

Origin

The first two World Wars were both named the War to End All Wars. And for a while, that’s what everyone thought. But, of course, that is not human nature. After all, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Leaders got greedy and attacked, and other countries retaliated, as they will.

The second Great War was followed by a third, which was followed very quickly by yet another. Then another. Then another.

Desperation and ambition will drive a person to do crazy things - world leaders stopped being careful, stopped caring about anything other than their own survival. As technology advanced, the situation only worsened. Mutually assured destruction became the norm, fear grew in every hole and crevasse. Diseases, both natural and not, spread like wildfires, wiping out populations faster than ever before.

Then, finally, a nuclear apocalypse. Humanity went from hundreds of countries to only a handful of cities and colonies across the world. 

And finally, 1100 years after the end of the second Great War, there were no more humans left to keep the mysterious Vis (pronounced Vee) away, they emerged from the hiding places they had kept for millenia. Dwarves from the mountains. Centaurs and faeries and elves from the forests. Mermaids and sirens and nymphs from the seas. Races and magics that had previously only existed in stories. 

At first, the two groups were wary of each other, sticking to themselves, never mingling. But then it became clear that the Vis were much more adept at coaxing life back to the post-nuclear landscape, and the humans had mastered navigating and surviving it. The only way for everyone to survive would be if humans and Vis worked together. 

And it was great! There was peace! Harmony! In an attempt to re-populate the world, they interbred, resulting in halves and demis, with only part of the powers and characteristics of their Vis parents. 

What happened next varies depending on who’s telling it. The Vis say the humans got greedy and started trying to use them. The humans say the Vis turned on them and went against their agreements. 

Regardless, everyone agrees that the two groups broke apart, that the Vis used their thousands of years’ worth of experience to get away from the humans and left them to their own devices. 

Then came the real challenge: surviving without each other’s support. It was fine to start with. But it wasn’t long before it became evident it was impossible. Coexistence was the only option. So the Vis merged back in, disguised and hidden, and the humans allowed it, feigning ignorance. 

Those that were able to hide in plain sight stole food and resources and smuggled it out to those who weren’t. They got jobs and homes and lives, settling more than they had in history. But the opposition remained.

Before long, the humans forgot a time when the Vis hadn’t lived with them. And they forgot how bad it was. Laws were passed to restrict the Vis’ freedoms and rights, but the Vis stayed, because they lived longer, and many had generational memories, so they remembered what a bad idea it would be to pull away from the humans again. 

Kings got greedier. Rulers overstepped their power. In short, things had gone to shit, and for years, no one was brave enough to do anything about it. 

Then, almost two hundred years after the return of the Vis, the rebels started. No one quite knew what had finally triggered the increase in violence from both sides, only that, for a lot of people, it was only just safe enough to leave their houses during the day. Definitely not at night. 

But finally, finally, someone was standing up to the human rulers. Hope started stirring among the Vis that things could get better, even as the opposition kept increasing. 

Just before the fighting started in earnest, Princess Becca, sister to the young king of our battered and broken country and the only human defender the Vis had, disappeared, her best friends along with her. Some claimed they left of their own accord, others that they were kidnapped by the Vis. All anyone knew for sure was that, only a few months later, the king was killed by a large group of Vis rebels and the princess returned just in time to take the throne.

Finally, with a queen willing to fight for Vis and human equality, the world looked like it might one day return to a safe haven for all.

[alexfromjersey]

CHAPTER I: pogue lif3

warnings: smut (18+) and mature language

a/n: 2.0K words

"We're the Pogues, and our mission this summer is to have a good time, all the time" - John B.

TWO WEEKS LATER

Seven Peterkin stared up at the sunset sky with her hands interlocked behind her head. Her sneakered covered feet were dangling from the scaffolding she was laying down on. The brown-skinned girl was sitting next to JJ or Thing One as she liked to call him. The clouds caught her attention and the longer she stared at them, the more they began to take shape into random things.

Oh, that looks like a bunny.

"That's what, a three-story fall to the deck? I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival"

Seven turned her head to the left to see John B trying to balance on the edge of the roof he was on.

"Triple dog dare you to jump for shits and giggles" the teenager challenged and turned her head to the boy.

"Hmm" John B sucked his pointer finger and lifted it to the wind playfully, "should I do it?"

"Yeah, you should jump" Pope dared the adventurous boy while pointing a nail gun at him. "I'll shoot you on the way down."

Seven shook her head at her friends with a smile on her face. The girl then sat up and climbed down the scaffolding. The curly afro haired girl leaned against one of the work benches. She then pulled out her cracked phone. A smirk appeared on her face when she saw a text message from a hook up of hers, Janet.

They met a street race last week when Seven dusted any and everyone that stepped to her. Janet approached her and the two engaged in a light hearted conversation before it started getting sexual. Long story short, they hooked up in the back of her Kia Soul and have been hooking up every other day after that.

"They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers" Kiara ranted while walking out of the unfinished home. Seven was too in-grossed in her phone to notice her female best friend glance at her.

"Of course. Why wouldn't they?" JJ chimed in and took another sip of his beer.

"This used to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles. I guess?" Kiara mocked. She took her eyes off Seven's distracted figure and they landed on John B, "Can you please not kill yourself?"

"Do it! I want the Chateau" Seven joked. Kiara playfully glared at the girl.

"Don't spill that beer, I'm not giving you another one" JJ warned the adventurous boy. Seven then locked her phone and slid it back into her black Nike shorts pocket. The teenager watched as John B continues to balance on the edge of the roof on one foot. But the wind picked up slightly which made him stumble and drop his beer.

"Oh, shit" John B cursed as the beer smacked on the deck spilling the liquid everywhere. Seven snorted at the idiot teenager.

"Of course, you did like right when I told you not to"

"A-plus"

"Dumbass"

Pope looked on the side of the house when he heard a car door slam shut, "hey, uh, security's here. Let's wrap it up" He urged the group.

"Boys are early today," John B said and climbed down the scaffolding.

"Humpty dumpty, let's roll" JJ shouted.

Deciding that she wanted to taunt the security guards, she leaned over the railing.

"Mi hombre Gary, ¿cómo estás?" Seven taunted the frustrated security guard.

"SEVEN! STOP TESTING ME" Gary yelled. Seven snickered before Pope pulled her away from the railing before she could taunt Gary more.

"Come on, you rebel," Pope said.

The five best friends all flooded into the unfinished house running and laughing. Excitement was oozing out of Seven and she cheered with the rest of them following. JJ took them down to the ground level where they all separated . JJ banked to the left with Seven following and he was about to run right into Gary's hand but Seven pushed him out of the way and she spun around the heated security guard.

"Classic spin move, my guy" Seven laughed and continued running from the security guards. She caught up to JJ and Pope. JJ made it over the fence while Pope fell flat onto his face.

"Come on Pope! Gary, the Grinch is coming!" Seven said as she jumped over the fence and helped Pope to his feet.

"Hey! Come here, you little pricks!" They heard as they ran as fast they could to John B's van that just pulled up. Pope and Seven hopped in the van and John B skidded off.

"Hey, check out Gary gunning for a raise" Pope laughed as he pointed to Gary chasing after John B's van. JJ grabbed a can of beer and leaned out of the van.

"Slow down John B" Seven smiled.

"Stop it guys you're gonna give him a heart attack" Kiara laughed.

"Come on Gary! You're so close! You can do it" JJ taunted the out-of-breath security guard. He then tossed the unopened beer can in the air. "There you go," JJ laughed. Gary ends up shielding his head from the beer can which slowed him down. "They don't pay you enough bro."

Kiara pulled JJ into the van trying her best not to laugh at her stupid friend. "JJ stop," She said.

"Oh come on, that sort of initiative is just begging to be punished" JJ chuckled.

The five teens continued laughing and making jokes amongst themselves. They all were having a good time together like usual. Seven loved being with her friends. It was the thing she missed most when she was away in juvie on the mainland. She was alone and didn't have anyone there. She loved getting into trouble with them, she loved the thrill of it. She couldn't exactly explain why she loved the excitement of trouble but she did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mmhm Sev" Janet's moans were silenced by Seven's skillful tongue entering her mouth. Janet started rocking her hips back and forth faster which makes Seven's hands grip them tighter. The soft sound of The Weekend's voice filled the car but it was being overpowered by the increasing moans spewing out of Janet's mouth.

Her pace sped up more as one hand gripped the back of Seven's neck and the other hand is pressed against the window. Seven felt her stomach tighten letting the curly-haired girl she was close to releasing. She also knew Janet was close by the way she tighten around her and her mouth dropped open.

"Oh my god...Seven!" Janet gasped and her movements stilled as her warm liquid coated Seven's length. Meanwhile, Seven let out a hiss as she released into the condom. The duo stayed in this position for a few moments to calm down before Janet climbed off her the brown skinned girl. Seven raised her eyebrow as she noticed Janet getting clothed at a fast pace.

"What's the rush energizer bunny? We still got like two hours til I have to take you back home. I was thinking we can grab some food from The Wreck and sit at-"

"Yeah, I can't. Not tonight Seven" Janet interrupted the girl.

"Okay...well maybe one of these days I can take you out. Like on an actual date" Seven proposed. This made Janet stop in her tracks and looked at Seven who had a hopeful expression on her face.

Janet sighed, "Sev..."

The hopeful expression disappeared on Seven's face when she noticed Janet's hesitation.

"Oh...I-I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make things awkward" Seven apologized.

"No, no...listen I'm not the type of person to be in a relationship. Every one that I've ever been in I always screw it up by either cheating or neglecting the relationship. I don't want to hurt you, you've been through. You're a nice person and I don't want to hurt you by breaking your heart," Janet explained.

"I've had my heart broken numerous times" Seven chuckled. "But...I can't help but respect you in telling me how you feel instead of stringing me along. I appreciate it."

Janet smiled, "of course. It's time I matured."

Seven chuckled at the girl before she fixed herself up while Janet drove to the Chateaü. Janet lived literally on the border between the Kook and Pogue sides of the island. She didn't claim either side which kinda drew Seven to the girl. She was just there, living life and being a teenager.

The pair quickly approached Seven's destination. She could see JJ, John B, Kiara, and Pope all sitting around a campfire engaged in conversations. The friends looked up at the approaching vehicle with curious eyes before Seven stepped out. The four watched Seven say something to Janet that made her burst out laughing before giving her the middle finger.

Seven laughed before walking to her friends. The boys had smirks on their faces but Kiara had a jealous smile on hers.

"So you ditch us to go touch genitals with Janet Mosses, that's cold blooded" John B joked.

"You haven't been here for a full month yet and you're already getting laid. Tell me your secret" JJ stated before getting close to Seven.

Seven pushed the blonde haired boy away, "Go to juvie. The girls love a jail story."

"By girls you mean desperate hoes that want attention" Kiara muttered.

"Attention that is solely focused on me. Excuse me if I take advantage of it...with consent. Consent is key. Consent is sexy" Seven emphasized. The boys nodded at her words.

"So it doesn't bother you when girls only want you because you went to juvie?" Kiara questioned.

Seven and the boys looked at each other highly confused to where the hostility Kiara has came from. She noticed the way they all looked at each other before she cleared her throat.

"I'm just trying to look out for you. I know how girls can get and how mean they can be. I just don't want to see you hurt...any of you" Kiara confessed.

Seven threw her arm around Kiara's shoulder and brought her close, "I appreciate it sweets."

Kiara rolled her eyes with a smile at the nickname and pushed Seven away. The curly afro girl looked at the boys with a knowing smirk.

"Attention poguies...we have a warrant for the dunking of Miss Kiara Carrera. In t-minus 30 seconds she will be meeting the local swap." Seven said in a sailor voice.

"NO! Absolutely not!" Kiara yelled and tried to run away from Seven and the boys. But Pope caught her before she can run, he went through all her pockets to take out any valuables.

They all took flying flaying body part and sped walk to the end of the dock. They counted down and swung Kiara into the water.

"SEV! I'm going to kill you!" Kiara screamed as soon as she came up from underwater.

Seven laughed, "I'm sorry it was too perfect to miss that opportunity."

"Can one of you at least help me up?" Kiara asked.

"Alright, alright I'll help you up" John B volunteered. He stuck his hand out for her to grab but she pulled him down the second she grabbed it.

The remaining pogues in the dock all burst out laughing at John B.

"How did you not see that coming?" JJ laughed.

"Yeah it's like you asked-" Pope was cut off by a hard push into the water. Seven was stood behind him waiting for the opportunity.

"Y'all are dumb" Seven laughed. She looked at JJ who looked at her.

"Backflip cannonball?" Seven asked.

"Dude, you didn't have to ask" JJ replied.

For the rest of the day, the five best friends were together. They ate dinner, courtesy of Kie again, and they watched movies until Pope, Sev, and Kiara had to leave for the night.

[pico-digital-studios]

Into, Across and Beyond! Scripting: Locking In

(Funkinverse by @robovoidfrog)

After his failure to bring Bently Forceloyed into the Funkin' Society, Cam/Agent Blueballs returned to the HQ with a very nasty cut at his right eye.

Judith: Cam, what happened to you?

Cam: <Just a side-effect of failing to convince a -friend into our cause. I'll get over it.>

Judith: I really hope so. Lately, you've already been biting off more than you can chew with the later recruit attempts.

Cam: <Was Kenji successfully pulled back out of Earth-923 after his recruitment attempt was disrupted?>

Judith: Yes. He's back in the HQ now. What do you plan on doing about the bigger uprising against us?

Cam: <Wherever Salty's ended up in the multiverse, they'll be trying to track him down before The X reaches his dimension to instigate the canon event. We still need to put a stop to that threat before he spirals even further out of control.>

He approached Kenji sat down at a chair.

Cam: <What's been the more recent updates on the recruits?>

Judith didn't want to bring up how she didn't recruit Bidu (Arrow Funk BF) into the Society, so she just skipped to the worse news for them.

Judith: B3 and Lexi Robin both left the Society today and disconnected their watches, and Leo has been left unsure about what's going to happen next.

Cam: <Kenji?>

Kenji: Yeah, I'm back, after a close encounter against that Goatfriend. Man, I definitely bit off more than I could chew for that scene. I mean, then again, it gave me some more time to think about my past...

Cam: <Could you cool it with the reminiscing right now? We've already had to rescue you after you got in trouble twice; first with Gracie throwing you into a rift without your watch, then your really disgraceful failure in trying to bring BluBuni into our cause.>

Kenji: I know, man. We got sidetracked, but I promise we'll make it work this time.

Cam: <That'd better be the case, Tensei. Now, the kid who knocked you unconscious before is of similar lineage to you. An angel, having a pop star as a family member. However, he refused to ally with us and is actively rebelling against us. While we track down Salty, I want you to track down Ben and his cohorts and stop them from finding this HQ, or worse, disrupting the canon. If Gracie and Ben's groups cross paths, then you will need immediate backup. Got it?>

Kenji: Another angel? ...

Kenji's eyes lit up, recognising this was now serious business he had to treat correctly, especially with an enemy potentially on the same wavelength of power as him.

Kenji: I will not fail you.

Cam: <Good. Search any dimension available for the groups, and do NOT let them fulfil their goals.>

Kenji headed out to track down Benjamin.

Judith: What do we do about Salty when we do uncover what universe he's at?

Cam: <Erasing Salty won't fix the problem; it'll only silence the symptom. If we're going to halt The X's rise to power, we must address the cause.>

He started walking off.

Judith: There's something else I must tell you.

He stopped.

Judith: Earth-1003 experienced a canon disruption, but hasn't collapsed in on itself.

Cam: <It's bound to do so sooner or later. Don't assume it'll get better thanks to one change in that Earth's continuity.>

Judith: ... XML also turned against us, and the watches that both rogue teams are carrying were not made by us.

Cam: Oh, for...! <I should've known. That lavender scumbag was doing this all under our noses and left at the last minute. Now I've got some explanation for how they're able to travel between dimensions, even though I had cut off Gracie's watch before. Let's just cut right to the chase and only intervene if absolutely necessary. For now, our attention's on disrupting The X's flow of power and stopping Salty from breaking his upcoming canon event. Is there any update on if The X was caught or not?>

Judith: Cam, I... Our focus has been solely implanted on Salty so much that The X has been causing trouble unimpeded. His threat level as it stands could endanger the entire multiverse. Fever and Serial Designation B's group have already been severely injured from the attempt to stop him themselves!

Cam: <Then how many -friends is it going to take to stop him?>

Judith: I-. It might need everything we've got! If we're going to be doing ANY more recruiting, it needs to be for the sole purpose of putting a stop to The X. We need to be willing to do the right thing.

Cam: <We ARE doing the right thing, Judith...>

Judith: By giving a multiversal threat leeway to destroy it all? This is one situation I'm not sitting out on.

Cam: <Judith, we are NOT recruiting that kid from Earth-25219. He's an anomaly in pure nature, like his original version linked to Earth-111723 is.>

Judith: Look, I get your view on anomalies, but millions of people will be in grave danger if we keep sitting on the wayside.

Cam clenched his fist and glared at her, his injured eye in full focus.

Cam: What did I tell you, Judith? Do not question my authority.

She gulped in worry.

Judith: Y-Yes, sir.

Cam: <Now, let's go.>

They departed both to track down Salty and to find a way to stop The X, as Softie watched secretly from a safe distance.

Softie: There's too much at stake right now. I'm gonna go find Romantic and negotiate what we're gonna do about this freak. I just hope Pico's alright back home.

He headed back downstairs.

[quarantineddreamer]

hello hi! hope you're doin good! i was wondering, could you do prompt 2."things you said through your teeth" for RebelCaptain from the mini-fic ask game, pretty please?

Hello, hi --thank you so much for the ask!! This one got out of control a bit (I actively had to pull myself back from allowing it to totally spiral) so I don't think it classifies as a drabble anymore (oops), but I hope you like it! 😅💜

things you said through your teeth

When it comes to Cassian Andor, Jyn finds herself lying both to herself, and others, a lot... 

The day the medics decide it is time to try and wake Cassian from his coma, she is sitting on the floor just outside his room, back pressed against the cool wall, intermittently pulling her legs in so a passing rebel does not trip on them. 

Anxiety tickles at her insides, pressing at her nerves, forcing her muscles to twitch, trapping her in a useless cycle of fidgeting and tense, heavy sighs. She cannot seem to stop the memories that invade her mind… 

The half-smile he’d managed, even through extreme pain, when he’d come back for her, caught her eyes from the other end of a smoking blaster. 

Staring into his eyes on the elevator. She’d expected relief, to no longer care now that the mission was done–what else was there? But instead she had caught herself wishing for more time. Maybe there were some things still unfinished after all…

His arms around her on the beach, the odd wave of contentment that had washed over her…

Will he remember those moments too? How will he look at her when they finally see each other again? 

She tells herself it doesn’t matter, why should it? She tells herself her restlessness is merely a matter of concern for a friend. 

(Even if her heart is pounding the moment the medic appears to tell her he is awake, she can come see him if she wants…)

She is sitting across from Bodhi in the mess hall, watching Cassian’s figure retreat, studying the limp he tries to hide–the one that means he’s in more pain than usual today–reflecting on the serious expression that had remained fixed on his face all through their meal, the food on his plate that had been seemingly forgotten, barely more than a bite consumed.  

“Do you want to go after him?” Bodhi asks, eyes fixed on her nearly as intently as her own are fixed on Cassian. There is something to his gaze, another question that is going unspoken. 

“No,” Jyn says quickly, tearing her eyes from Cassian and returning them to her lunch. She picks up her fork and stabs at mystery meat with what could perhaps be defined as unusual intensity. “No, of course not. Why would I?”

Bodhi shrugs, “Seemed like you wanted to.”

“No,” she says again. The third time in less than a minute, as though she is running lines for a play, committing the act to memory–as though she will become more convincing with practice. “I don’t want to…”

“Get this,” Melshi raises his flask to his lips once more, cheeks a cheery pink as he laughs, “one of the new recruits made a pass at our very own Captain Andor today.”

Jyn stiffens, fingers tightening on her glass, eyes jumping to Cassian’s face.

He shakes his head at his friend, gives a small, good-natured smile. 

“Oooh really?” Han smirks, turning with interest. “Do tell.”

Jyn stands abruptly and every person seated around the fire raises their heads to look at her, confused. “I have an early morning,” she mutters, reaching for the nearest bottle and lifting it in acknowledgement to her companions. “Good night.”

She marches away, feeling the quiet, the curiosity that she leaves in her wake, settling over the group like a fine layer of dust. She ignores it, takes a swig of the liquor straight from the bottle as she traces her way down the dim hallway. Eventually, the sound of laughter and easy conversation returns, an echo that grows fainter and fainter with each desperate step she takes. 

“Jyn, wait!” Cassian’s voice calls after her, and she knows it is his hand she feels land on her shoulder and pull her around. 

Her core tightens as though preparing for a blow, an instinctive layer of armor that is enough of a reminder of self to borrow strength from. She raises her eyes to look at him, face carefully blank. “What do you need?” she asks, tone even, formal. 

For a moment she thinks she’s somehow hurt him, because his hand drops from her shoulder and his eyes hold a flicker of doubt. “I’m… I’m sorry about that,” he gestures at the fire behind, “back there…”

She ignores the acrobatics of her stomach, gives an unbothered shrug. “What about it?”

“I didn’t… I mean… Nothing happened. Between me and the woman Melshi mentioned.”

“It’s fine, I don’t care,” she says, jaw clenched tight, words barely making it past the lump in her throat. “Not my business.”

And she quickly turns and walks away, feels his eyes follow her into the dark…

There’s a knock at her door, soft but insistent, and Jyn sets aside the half-drunk bottle of liquor, regarding the shuttered entrance to her room from the steady surface of her bed. 

It’s only a few steps away, but right now it seems like hundreds, more than she truly wants to be bothered with. “Who is it?” she calls. “Can it wait till morning?”

There’s a pause, she thinks maybe the person has given up, or realized they knocked on the wrong door. “No,” Cassian says, voice muffled. 

She reaches under the mattress and pulls out a monitor, clicks it on to check the camera she had set up in the hallway to guard her room. He’s standing with his forehead pressed to the door, fist still resting where he had knocked. As she watches, he pushes himself away, takes a step back and fixes the barrier with a stare she cannot see enough to read the meaning of. 

Fine. Jyn hoists herself off the bed and slams her hand on the button to open the door, turning her back before she can see Cassian’s face and returning to her safe perch on the edge of her bed. 

He’s never been in her room before, she catches the intelligence officer in him stirring, eyes quickly scanning the area, absorbing what details there are to obtain from her few, scattered belongings. 

When he looks at her, she raises an eyebrow, challenging. “What?”

For a moment he only stares at her, a stare that makes her skin itch and her face warm, her fingers curling into the palm of her hand. When he finally speaks, he speaks quietly, “I care. I don’t want you to think I have eyes for…” 

“Cassian,” Jyn cuts in, “it’s late. I already told you I’m okay just–”

Something changes in his expression, some hint of frustration making itself known, and a soft growl of exasperation escapes him. 

Before Jyn can open her mouth again, Cassian has stepped forward, taken her face in his hands and planted a firm kiss on her lips. “I only want you,” he breathes, forehead pressed to hers, a hand still holding the back of her head. “If you really don’t care, that’s fine, but I need you to know, to understand, that for me? You’re it. Alright?”

Jyn finds herself no longer capable of lying. To herself or to him. 

She pulls Cassian back to her. 

“Good morning, sunshines,” Bodhi says cheerfully as Jyn and Cassian approach the table, plates piled high with what passes for ‘breakfast food’ on base. “Cass, we missed you the rest of the night, you never came back. Where’d you wander off to?

Cassian steals a quick glance at Jyn, taking note of her disheveled hair, imagining his might appear equally unkempt. She gives a slight, secret smirk meant just for him. “Nowhere,” he tells Bodhi, through a smile that mirrors Jyn’s. 

When it comes to Cassian Andor, Jyn still finds herself lying to others from time to time, but she concludes that it is a practice that is much more enjoyable when shared. 

[tuzesdays]

Into the y/n verse! a small bit of writing for @bunmuffin, @sleepykas, and @cacaocheri because the server has been loving the ATLA au. here you go <3

Some Things Stay The Same

There wasn't a set moment when Viper decided they would be hanging around three firebenders for the rest of their life. Originally they had thought it would be a one-off thing - they were off on their own safety searching, after all, and Viper definitely had nothing to contribute to the safety of some fires.

Every day they stayed, it was always 'just a few more days'. A few more days, until they hit the next city. A few more days, until they can forget the spike of fear at seeing their own handiwork. A few more, because Charlie asked them to stay. A few more, because Kori shared a favorite food and they can't stomach leaving immediately after.

'A few more days' became a thought that happened less and less. The road isn't noisy with their new group, but it's certainly less empty. They hunt for four now. They hum along with a song instead of starting one to stave off the night.

They mindfully turn away from an unlit campfire until after Rity touches it.

It's an easy peace that Viper isn't used to in the slightest. Too many times they've had their only possessions ripped from them, endured the frantic, angry fight to get them back.

Charlie doesn't steal from them, despite how close they sit during the night. Neither does Kori or Security, despite Rity's clear hunger and Kori's occasional glance at the soft bit of fluff peeking out of their bag.

In exchange, trust comes slow and sure.

That's around the time they meet a 'rebel faction'.

It's a bunch of kids, which Viper isn't enthusiastic about. The leader invites them - specifically Viper - to wander their encampment, see how they do things. Some of the traps are clever, and saying as much earns them a few smiles from otherwise weary children. These kids have a certain amount of stubborn anger against the Fire Nation that Viper can't help but relate to: after all, they've all been hungry during the war. But what becomes plainly obvious the longer they stay is that they're kids.

And kids, unfortunately, have a habit of ignoring the shades between black and white.

"Those three you came in with," the scrawney, barely-fifteen leader says to them after their tour, "They seem nice, but… have you ever looked at their eyes?"

Viper considers him. He's trying to sound understanding but falling just short - speaking to them as if they're a clueless child gets their hackles up before the subject matter has a chance to click. But click it does.

Viper's seen the traps. They've spent time witnessing the anger. These kids, as much as they are kids, are dangerous.

"Plenty of people have gold eyes," they tell him, feigning attention to the small bit of clay they had been dancing around their palm. "The war has been going for a hundred years. Plenty of Earth Kingdom mothers were taken advantage of. Plenty of Fire Nation deserters saw what they were doing was wrong. Eye color doesn't say as much as you think it does."

"And what about wanted posters?"

They still.

"What?"

"Sorry you had to find out like this, but…" he pulls out a sheet of paper, rain-stained and worn. "Some of us thought your friend looked familiar. One of our people still in town gave me this."

The face that stares at Viper through parchment and time is familiar. Short, shorn hair. A Fire Nation uniform - high ranking. Dull eyes fixed on the middle distance. He looks even more tired than he does now, but they figured Rity's habit of pushing himself to the edge of ruin was something he's had for a long while.

"This is for a deserter guard for the missing princess to the Fire Nation." The kids says. "Rumor is that he kidnapped her. Lots of talk about why, but you wanna know what I think? I think-" he continues without pause- "that he took her on Ozai's orders. So that even if there's an attack on the palace, the royal line would still have a way to continue the war until all of us are dead and gone."

… Yeah, this is a child.

"Ignoring that that would be the stupidest plan imaginable from a man who claims to be a better war strategist than his father," they glare him down. "My friends have been nothing but kind to everyone we've met. They eat with me. They starve with me. The only fires that I ever see from them is the tiny spark that starts up our campfires. Your plans and traps are clever, but you can't make up the lack of awareness with those - they're people, not some shadow agents sent specifically to take you down." Viper snorts. "Hate to break it to you kid, but you’re not that special."

He drops the friendly act and tries to match them. "They’re Fire Nation. They’re all Fire Nation, from the capital city itself - one of your friends has killed hundreds of Earth Kingdom fighters. Freedom fighters, like us! You can't forgive them for that."

They need to gather their people and leave. Now. "Forgiveness doesn't have anything to do with it. He's repenting the only way he can without dying."

"Then maybe he should."

A switch gets flipped in the back of their mind.

Enemy.

Well, they've always been a firm believer in the lesson a fist to the face can give people. Now - for a demonstration.

VVVVV

Kori comes to them later that night, long after everyone's had the chance to get bandaged and fed from the meagre supplies they managed to forage for earlier in the week. Too tired to hunt. Viper glances at him in greeting, shifts slightly in invitation. He sits next to them, leaning into their side.

"… Thank you. For staying."

They smile and nudge their shoulder into his. "Can't get rid of me yet. Fun as 'freedom fighting' might be, those idiots have a lot of big ideas and not enough sense." They snort. "Gonna have to do a lot better than that to convince me."

"Is that why you started fighting them?"

"Nah. I punched the leaders nose in because he insulted Rity."

A sputter from across the campsite. Charlie starts laughing. Security sits up straighter and gapes at them in surprise. "You what?"

"Those assholes took one look at your eyes and didn't wanna see anything else." Viper scoffs. "Far as I'm concerned, they needed a lesson in looking out for actual threats."

"And THAT'S why you fought them!?"

"No, I fought them because they shit-talked you to my face, I swear I already said this."

In the corner of their eye, Viper sees Kori lose a measure of tension in his shoulders as he looks at them.

Even as Rity scolds them for starting fights in his name, that alone makes it worth every bruise.

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for shunning a friend I thought dumped my brother for trying to kill himself?

I (17M) am a big brother. I have a little sister S (16F) and a little brother T (16M). They are the absolute cutest things ever, I love them SO much and they’re my biggest fans!

This situation really only involves T, because he’s been through some really rough things with his family (Long story, he’s technically not related to me but I call his big brothers my big brothers and when my mother thinks I can’t hear she’ll call his father her big brother, so we’re all family even if my uncle’s a massive prick.) that resulted in him being unable to even listen to classical music and when he was thirteen he kind of tried to… well, kill himself. It was really, really terrible and luckily I was just in time to stop him, but… well, I still have nightmares about being too late and losing him.

But after that, T decided to rebel against his father! It was brilliant, and he met this guy named A (16M). A is everything to T, and honestly I had assumed they were dating long before they actually started. T is very gentle and delicate, and I didn’t want him to be hurt, but I trusted A not to do that.

The thing about this is that only T and I knew about his suicide attempt until a few days before this, and he had trusted A enough to tell him. And then it seemed as if A fell out of love with T overnight! What else could I have thought, especially when T was crying and having a panic attack on the floor, screaming about it and accusing him of breaking up with him because he told him he tried to kill himself years prior? A didn’t even deny it! Everyone else was looking at him in shock, and one of T’s other friends (19M) had to be held back by three people so he didn’t lunge at A.

All of our mutual friends agreed to cut him out completely, because we thought it was genuinely disgusting. My boyfriend R (17M) even said that if he ever saw A again he’d stab him with a screwdriver. No one else saw T as lesser for all this, thank god. That’s what I was most worried about.

The thing is it turns out A was... kind of sort of brainwashed?

Ok so there's this group called the Phantom Thieves and they basically take requests online to make bad people not terrible, and someone had submitted A to them claiming he was abusive and since they didn't bother to check instead of making A not abusive they made him fall out of love with T entirely. And A didn't realize what had happened so when he didn't love T anymore he just broke up with him because he didn't want to lead him on, and he never defended himself because the excuse sounded fake even to him. They ended up fixing him after three days though, and everything is fine now.

T insists it's fine because the Phantom Thieves usually never do things like that so how were we supposed to know that was why A was acting strange, and A doesn’t even believe that it was them and blames himself but I still feel really bad that I never stopped to think about how A was acting strange because I was too focused on T.

[jaimebluesq]

I'm very interested in several but especially sangcheng coup

This was another idea I'd had for the SangCheng minibang that I started to write and decided would end up too long for the bang (and considering my current word count will come to just under 50k, I wonder if it would have been fine lol). I do like it and think it might be fun to finish one day!

But the idea of the fic is a canon-divergence set shortly after Nie Mingjue's death. The Nie sect is a very martial sect, and NHS was hit very hard by his brother's death, and several Nie cousins get together and decide NHS will not make a good sect leader. They plan a coup, starting with NHS leaving the Unclean Realm to go into town escorted by a disciple loyal to the rebels, who will lead him to a place where an assassin waits.

The assassination attempt fails - NHS may be a shit fighter but he can get away and hide like nobody's business! But then there are people trying to find him, meanwhile the Unclean Realm has closed itself to outsiders while the rebels decide who among them will lead Qinghe Nie. Word spreads to the other sects of what happened and LXC and JGY go out to search for NHS, both worried about him, and they send word to Yunmeng Jiang.

JC gets the news and is in shock, has so many conflicting emotions because he and NHS haven't seen each other much since the war, but this was his friend once, and this isn't *right*. He tries to keep apprised of the search efforts, but no NHS in sight. He remembers their days in Gusu and remembers one drunken night, NHS telling him about a place he likes to go to to get away from everyone, including his brother, and on a whim, JC grabs Sandu and leaves to go there. He arrives just in time because a group of mercenaries (several had been hired by QHN, mundanes rather than cultivators, because they figured NHS wouldn't give them much of a fight) were about to find NHS and he fights them off, then brings him to Yunmeng with him.

After that there are a few directions it might go, I have a general idea, but will decide when I get to writing more of it. I *do* have the first scene written, however :D

~~~

“So, are we all in agreement?”

“I wish there was another way-”

“There isn't, not if we want to preserve our sect's way of life.”

“I know. I just don't like it.”

“None of us do. We've all watched Nie-gongzi grow up under our noses. We don't bear him any ill will, but we've also seen him avoid saber training at every turn, watched him duck out of any and every responsibility, and since Nie Mingjue's death, he's been absolutely useless to anyone.”

“He's grieving.”

“Aren't we all? And yet there is still a sect to run, training to manage, trade deals to sign. How much longer can we wait for our sect to have a real leader in the Unclean Realm?”

“Have we figured out yet what we're going to do about Lanling, Gusu, and Yunmeng? The smaller sects will keep their opinions to themselves, but the larger ones...”

“I don't think Yunmeng will be an issue – Jiang-zongzhu's kept to himself since the Yiling Laozu's death, barely interacts with the other sects except when it comes to trade negotiations and cultivation conferences – and his nephew. Jin-zongzhu is taken care of – we have a man in Lanling that, the moment word arrives of Qinghe's change in leadership, will speak to him on our behalf.”

“But Lianfang-zun-”

“Has no influence over his father. As long as Lanling profits, Jin Guangshan won't care who's in charge.”

“And Zewu-Jun? He won't be appeased with money or trade promises.”

“Zewu-Jun folds when offered alcohol at a banquet, do you really think he has enough conviction to stand against us?”

“Nie Mingjue would hate us for what we're planning.”

“Nie Mingjue is <i>gone</i>, as is his father, and every other leader we've had. How many have we lost in the last twenty, thirty years? We go through leaders like Jin-zongzhu goes through whores. Maybe replacing the main line will help us actually keep a sect leader alive for more than a decade.”

“So... we're really going to do this.”

“Does anyone have any doubts left? We can't afford to hesitate. The moment we start this, there's no going back.”

“I'm in – for Qinghe Nie.”

“As am I.”

“My brother and I are both on board.”

“I'm in, but my sister won't like this one bit.”

“Well, if our assassin does their job right, it won't be traced to us. Your sister and any other loyalists will be none the wiser.”

“And if the assassin fails?”

“Then we lock down the Unclean Realm until we've established order and a new sect leader emerges.”

“May whoever of us is strongest earn victory over the rest, and may Qinghe prosper under their leadership.”

“Either way, when Nie Huaisang leaves this fortress tomorrow, he won't be coming back...”

~*~*~*~