#Provided they're not a monster who's hurting anyone

[foone]

Annoying edge case for lycanthropy: a dragon who is also a werewolf.

(A short story I wrote back in 2022 for twitter. I've slightly re-edited it, but it's still "twittery" in how it uses linebreaks (because there used to be post-boundaries there). Sorry! )

So on the full moon, they uncontrollably turn into… A much smaller and squishier humanoid. They can't wait to get their scales and fire breath and wingspan back. They're so vulnerable in their werewolf form!

No one at the werewolf support meetings is sympathetic.

They're all humans or nearly, so one of them is like "it's just so scary. I'm huge, and inhuman, and I feel like I'm made of weapons, with my claws. Everyone fears me, and I fear myself sometimes, never knowing what I might do, if I lose control and just let the rage out…" And the werewolf-dragon is like "and then you turn into a werewolf! It's so annoying, I agree"

Everyone else just turns to look at them, slowly

They do take some tips about werewolf safety. They just do it backwards, because instead of making sure they can't get out and cause death and destruction, it's more about making sure no one can get in and attack them in their merely nigh-invulnerable werewolf form. When you're a dragon, turning into a nearly unkillable rage monster of claws and fangs is a major downgrade. It's a real moment of weakness, and who knows if your ancient enemies or some upstart knight is going to try to take advantage of that moment of weakness?

They get infinitely more annoyed when they finally find a witch who can do the right ceremony and lift the curse of lycanthropy. "there… With the burning of this silver candle, you are finally free. You're human in all moonphases, now." "WAIT A FUCKING SECOND, HUMAN?!"

They got turned into the humanized version of their werewolf form. Permanently.

Always read the fine print before asking a witch to do a complicated magical ritual on you.

"also, question: how the hell did you burn a silver candle? Isn't the melting point of silver…" "one thousand eight hundred degrees, yes. It wasn't easy. Look. "

She pulls back a curtain and points. There's a complicated bellows system being vigorously pumped by a bunch of little black cats, each wearing a tiny witch's hat. They're sweating with exertion and the heat.

"we're done, my lovelies. You can stop now" The kitties hop down off the bellows and lie down at her feet, or wander off looking for food. The witch looks down at the former dragon, now barely 5 feet tall. "why do you think I asked for my fee in cat food?"

"but it was ALL cat food. Don't you need to-" The former dragon pauses mid-sentence, as the witch pulls off her traditional witchy headwear to reveal two pointy feline ears. "you were saying?"

"nevermind. Thanks, I guess." The dragon walks to the door, then turns around. "hey, I need to find out how to be a human, would you happen to know anything or anyone I can ask?" The witch looks up from sitting on the floor with a leg behind her head, licking the inside of her thigh "wouldn't have a clue, sorry love", she says with a smile.

The witch has to show up later and bail the former dragon out of jail. Apparently they accosted a city guard after being told "you can't just wander around the city naked". The dragon told them to contact the catwitch because it's not like they know any other humanoids.

The guard wasn't physically hurt, but getting jumped by a small naked human after merely pointing out you need to wear trousers or a dress or something in public is the kind of thing that leaves mental scars that'll take a while to fade.

Even if your tiny nude opponent was mainly trying to scratch or bite you with claws or fangs they no longer have

The former dragon ends up living with the catwitch. She could use some help with the bellows, and even if the dragon can no longer provide her own fire, they still know a lot about it.

And even if they're now a short little weakling who has to be reminded to wear clothes, they are a bit better at pumping the bellows than a pack of kittens.

Plus they can help with making potions and such in ways the cats can't, what with having thumbs.

They live together for a while, until the grumpy now-human finds out that another dragon has taken up residence in their former hoard.

And that will just not do!

So the dragon convinces the catwitch to come with them on an adventure to raid their own hoard and defeat (or at least evict) the dragon.

So they set out, the former dragon having to figure out the weaknesses in their own defenses and how to navigate a space built for dragons, not tiny humanoids. They're wearing the minimum in clothing they can get away with, and wielding a sword almost bigger than they are.

And following, the catwitch with a broom and a big sack of magical devices and reagents, and a little procession of kittens in their hats.

(the former dragon uses they/them pronouns. Their human body does have a sex, but when gender was explained to them they called it a "foolish human thing" and never bothered with it, just like their opinions on silverware and public indecency laws)

As far as anyone can tell, dragons have only one gender, and it's dragon.

Anyone who has asked further questions about dragon gender, sex, or reproduction has ended up crispy and good with ketchup.

They manage to evict the squatting dragon, and the witch is like "well, I guess you got nearly everything you want now. I'll take my cats back to the city…" And the ex-dragon is like "WAIT… I was thinking, maybe you could… Use my hoard as a new shop? There's plenty of room"

"are you asking me to stay?" "n-no… I mean, yes? Shut up. It's just because it would be a good place for you. After all, your shop has that leaky roof, and you were running out of storage space, and the mayor always wanted you kicked out…"

"oh I see, so it's just for me? How kind. You don't care either way, right?" "right! I don't care! I don't need or want you around! I don't care about silly human things" "human?" she asks with a smile, wiggling her ears on the top of her head. "shut up you know what I mean"

"so you don't want me to stay around you? You don't have a reason why you want to be near me, to be with me?" she says "with" with a certain slant on it, as she rests her arm on the shoulder of the former dragon, having to lean over her to reach. "n-n-n…"

The witch switches to cupping the former dragon's face in her palms. "and your face is so warm, little one. Are you trying to breathe fire? You're turning red, so maybe you are…"

"stop it! I… I just…" "yes?" the witch lets go, but her tail curls around the waist of the former dragon, like they are walking hand in hand down a beach.

"I like you, alright? I want you to stay. I want to be with you! Is that so wrong?"

"nope!" says the witch, happily pulling them into a kiss.

We zoom out, past a pile of gold coins and goblets and scepters, as little black kittens in adorable hats play in the hoard, ambushing each other in play-fights from the high ground of a treasure chest.

[subconsciousmysteries]

boomers n X'ers are mad that millennials Gen Z have woken up to all the child abusive norms in our society and we no longer give our parents respect just because they're our parents and teh bibble says so.

We also woke up to the fact that their politically passive and materialistic youth, where they took out a bunch of cheap usury loans and did nothing to stand up against central banking, has destroyed the economy for future generations. they have the audacity to call us lazy conspiracy theorists and essentially gaslight us for noticing such things.

A friend once told me she thinks that boomers and gen X are competing with their kids in this weird gross game to prove they're more successful and better, and I have to agree. They show no empathy for their own children's suffering, it's a generation full of casual and normalized narcissistic personality. I think this is a direct consequence of their culture which didn't encourage them to question their parents and see the humiliation and abuse they faced as children for what it is, unlike our culture today does. They actually believed that parents had kids out of virtue and selflessness and that the kids were obligated to repay the parents, not the other way around.

I notice a lack of individuation from the parents in most of Boomer and Gen X individuals. a "children must obey their parents" mentality. or... replace "obey" with "please" or "impress". Anyone with this mentality is primed for the narcissism demon. They will feel the constant need to prove themselves to the parents, to prove that they're successful and more worthy of praise, because in their eyes the parents can do no wrong and it is always their fault if the parent is abusing them or neglecting them. Then they project this gross mentality onto their children.

[the-case-book-of-fanfiction]

Love Bites {Masterlist}

With your memory spotty, you gravitate toward the first person you see—an old friend from a very old past. But Astarion is keeping plenty of secrets...and he's never been the best liar. How long will it take before his deceptions unravel? And what will you do when you realize just how much damage he's done?

Ship: Astarion Ancunin x fem!vampire spawn!elf!Tav/reader

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, vampire spawn!Tav, fem!Tav, manipulative but guilty/regretful Astarion, Astarion's sexual trauma, Cazador, vampire bite, reader is turned into a spawn, reader is technically one of Astarion's victims

18+ Warnings: vaginal sex, consensual sex, mirror sex, riding, fingering, oral, blood kink, bite kink, loving sex, non-descriptive noncon/dubcon (Astarion’s trauma), Astarion experimenting with his boundaries

Total Word Count: 47,397 words (87 pages)

Notes: The title of this fic (and some of its chapter titles) is heavily inspired by Def Leppard's song Love Bites.

Posting Schedule can be found on my {Updates Page}

CONTENT NOTE: Where Astarion's perspective comes into this fic, I tried writing his experience with his hurt that he has been treated this way along with his "this is what I do" mentality; he's very back and forth about the abuse he's endured and some of my writing reflects that. If that upsets you or makes you uncomfortable in anyway, I completely understand and I encourage you to leave the fic at any point. However, I do believe writing this perspective is necessary, as his blasé take on his sexual trauma is one that I myself have struggled with, as I am sure other survivors have as well.

☟ story parts linked below ☟

Best Unremembered {Chapter 1} Waking up with a spotty memory and the only person you do remember is jarring enough—but it only gets worse when the people who remember you are monsters and strangers.

Walking Corpses {Chapter 2} Astarion's night spent searching for prey is interrupted by an unwelcome feeling of familiarity. Your life is derailed by recognizing a long-dead friend.

Little Love {Chapter 3} Appearances can be deceiving, but they can also tell you everything you need to know. A second look at the elf you once called a friend is all you need to fill in the two-hundred year gap.

The Golden Elf {Chapter 4} Sometimes, vampires choose their spawn specifically. Sometimes, they're in the wrong place at the wrong time and are lost to their loved ones for centuries. These days, that's all you can think about.

Little Star, Little Sun {Chapter 5} A long-awaited reunion that doesn't go quite as planned can lead to many things, especially when two manipulators both lay their traps for one another. Though is it really a trap when all you want to do is spare your lover from yet another night of torment?

Love Bites {Chapter 6} Astarion remembers you, but it's already too late. He's bedded you and remembered the love and life you had together, two hundred years ago, and now he has to make a choice. Does he sacrifice himself, or does he sacrifice you?

Love Bleeds {Chapter 7} Fangs gleam in the shadows and a coffin lies open nearby. Vampire lords are nasty creatures; even a changed heart can do very little when there are claws around it.

On My Knees {Chapter 8} A betrayal so severe even centuries of love threaten to break beneath its weight. Yet you offer forgiveness, even if Astarion has not felt its kindness in two hundred years.

Second Chances {Epilogue} Home is a place and home is people. You have quite the large family now, and it's time to provide for them, however you may.

Love Bites Soundtrack — 3h50min

Chapter 1: tracks 1 - 6 Chapter 2: tracks 7 - 13 Chapter 3: tracks 14 - 19 Chapter 4: tracks 20 - 26 Chapter 5: tracks 27 - 32 Chapter 6: tracks 33 - 40 Chapter 7: tracks 41 - 46 Chapter 8: tracks 47 - 53 Epilogue: tracks 54 - 60

[Image Caption: I do not give permission to repost, translate, or publish my work on any other site or app by anyone except myself. I do not give permission for my work to be fed into AI (for audio, art, or writing).]

Baldur's Gate 3 // Astarion Ancunin

Taglist: {comment and let me know if you'd like to be added to the Astarion taglist!} @wayward-hel @cheeslyy @ofmyth-andmagicart @neetheslayer @whispering-depths @freesidexjunkie @lightsinmycity @the0ldmann @gobbodoggo @oooof-ifellforyou @beeblisss @fangboner @aquaarietes @fiercest-eigengrau-skies @niqhtfell @call-me-nyxx @lueji-m @ceres-xiv @tricksy-trinity @graynstairs @rosa-rubus @ynisthatyou @thegoodwitchs-blog @catching-fire-in-the-wind @kiyastrf94 @vincemachina @silverfangmarks @ravenswritingroom @hinata7346 @hellethil @caramel-hufflepuff @beemiilk @mypainischronicbutmyassisiconic @starwatch77 @julianmarie @sadexistentialism @supernaturallover15 @writinghound @frankie-mercury @kindadolly @infernalrusalka

[disgruntledexplainer]

It's kinda fascinating looking at the differences between Ben's and Rex's approaches to combat. I'm not talking fighting style, I'm talking about how they carry themselves, and interact with their opponents and bystanders.

Ben 10 is motivated to heroics primarily by his dislike of bullies, though it can sometimes be masked by his love of the limelight. he sees his opponents as bullies, picking on people who can't defend themselves in order to make themselves feel more powerful. in fact, almost all of his major villains fall into this category, including Vilgax, Kevin 11 (before redemption), Hex, Charmcaster, the Highbreed, and Agreggor. When Ben approaches combat, he approaches it as someone intervening in a schoolyard fight. He gets in between the aggressor and the victim, transforms into one of his more intimidating aliens even if it isn't the right one for the job, squares his soldiers, looks his enemy in the eyes, and demands that they redirect their aggression. He even uses phrases like "why don't you pick on someone your own size". He doesn't usually harbor any real ill will toward his opponent, but he wants them to stop what they're doing immediately.

The story of Ben 10 is the story of a kid who got bullied through much of his childhood, who suddenly gained the power to stand up to the bullies for the sake of other kids, and adults as the case may be.

Rex's approach to combat is a bit more complex, because he basically has 2 varieties of enemies, and thus 2 "modes"; hero mode and soldier mode.

The majority of Rex's opponents are EVOs. These are normal, regular innocent people who have become monsters through no fault of their own. To Rex they aren't bullies, they aren't even enemies; they are just innocent, sick, scared, and extremely dangerous people. Rex wants to help them, and indeed he really is the only one who CAN. But he can't let them hurt anyone else. Rex is also very conscious of his position, the fact that to so many people he represents hope of getting out of this dark time. When dealing with most of his foes, Rex first aims a blow at his target to knock them back and hopefully stun them, and then if there are any people in immediate danger he checks in on them quickly to see if they are OK. He might try to get them out of the area before engaging, or he might delegate that task to a nearby providence agent or less powerful hero as the case may be, but he usually checks regardless.

If he is convinced that everyone around him is at a safe distance, the show begins. He turns his cockyness and snark up to 11 and begins making aggressive, annoying moves to try to focus his opponents aggression on him. He projects confidence to everyone who can see him, to assure them that yes, he has everything under control, and everything will be fine so long as they follow his instructions. He carefully gauges how much punishment his opponent can take and only uses that much to take them down, even if it extends the fight. He will try to stun his opponent and cure them if possible, and if not he will hold them off long enough for Providence to come in and contain them.

By dramatic contrast, his other opponents are typically not just villains, but actual irredeemable psychopaths, the kinds who will maim, torture, or kill if it suits their purposes, or even just because it amuses them. In this case, as soon as Rex realizes what kind of opponent he is facing he switches "modes" almost instantly. He will immediately try to lure his opponent as far away from a populated area as possible, and if that isn't possible he will task providence agents or minor heroes to move everyone out as fast as possible. Then he fully switches to soldier mode. When in this mode, Rex's goal is to take his opponent down fast and hard, using lethal methods if necessary. Every second his opponent remains standing is an opportunity for that opponent to kill someone, so he has to take them down without hesitation. Just look at the difference in how Rex treats everyday EVOs compared to how he treats his main antagonists, like Van Kleiss or Quarry. He goes straight for the kill, sometimes without even saying anything if the opportunity presents itself. This is the result of his paramilitary background and painful experience.

anyways, these are my thoughts.

[crimeronan]

Okay, catching up on your posts, about that snippet you posted with devins first kill- I think what's so haunting about it to me is how kind the old lady seems. Being genuinely helpful and willing to assist at first, having kind mannerisms and genuinely giving off the impression that she's really sweet. As the piece went on I started to believe when Devin said she wasn't in danger, because why would she be? She's a sweet old lady eager to help. And Devin, in turn, genuinely appreciates her kindness. She's lying a lot in the convo but her appreciation of her kindness towards her seems startling sincere. They're both being pleasant and nice- and Devin continues to be so even when the ruse is up, calm and collected and kind to her, not at all angry and vengeful like I would imagine. Its... unsettling. That this old woman was kind to her and it wasn't a ruse, it wasn't a lie, it was just genuine kindness. Even though, if I'm reading the implications right, she caused the deaths of countless children. This is not a monster; this is a kind old lady who's first instinct is to help, not to manipulate, but just to help. And yet she is also a monster. And Devin... she knows this. She knew this from the start. She is weighing the value of her life the whole time they speak, the whole time she's pleasant to her. And her appreciation for her kindness also isn't a lie; her thoughts make that clear. She considers calmly whether to let her go. She acknowledges that killing her serves no purpose; she's already retired, so she's no longer hurting anyone, there's no justice or honor in killing her. There's no reason to, except that it might make her feel better. And she's so calm when weighing it all. Weighing her life. She appreciated her kindness genuinely, she thought of letting her go, but... she killed her anyway. I'm new to your oc posts so sorry if I got anything wrong (am especially nervous on whether I got Devins pronouns right, but you refer to her as she, right? Sorry if I'm wrong about that), but that snippet was genuinely unsettling and haunting. Somehow... the most scary part of it was the kindness. The startling reminder that monsters are human, too—that they can be kind, and it not be a lie, kind to a stranger for no other reason except wanting to help. That's terrifying to me.

MMMMMM, YEAH. YEAH YEAH YEAH.

(and yes on devin's pronouns! devin uses she/they/he in order of preference. "he" isn't exactly Wrong, but as i've written her more, it's become more and more the kind of answer that's only correct on a technicality.)

the only correction i'd make is that maddie wasn't Directly responsible for countless child deaths..... she was, however, responsible for countless cases of child slavery. proponents of the system would argue it's not slavery, because the children are provided for and have their needs met and just have to work for the light temples until they die or get rich enough to buy out, with basically no legal recourse in cases of abuse. "how is that NOT slavery" because slavery sounds icky :( don't be mean it makes the government feel bad :(

in many ways, though, moira Was a child sacrifice. that's why maddie responds so strongly to her name. maddie truly can't remember every kid whose life she ruined, but moira was different!

one of the biggest driving forces and themes for me in this project is exactly what you said: that people can be both monsters and very kind at the same time. a lot of power fantasy vengeance media reduces its villains to two-dimensional strawmen that are disposable. they're easy to kill. the audience doesn't have any complicated feelings about their deaths.

and people just. aren't like that in real life. they can be selfish and cruel and manipulative, they can be abusive, they can commit atrocities, and at the end of the day, they still have things they love. i'm sure the united healthcare CEO loved and doted on his kids, which is why the media keeps calling him a "father of two" to try to stir up empathy. someone who loves his kids can't be bad, right?

or there's a throwaway bit in an episode of succession where some rich people are making jokes about the impending collapse of society, and a little girl asks about it, and one of them tells her, don't worry, you'll get to live in my bunker :) it's not your problem :)

(or something to that effect.)

maddie loves her grandkids. devin implies she's casually racist (and is probably right), but maddie is still sweet and kind to her. she's not a hateful woman! she loves birds and her rooftop garden and her family. she loves doing nice things for her neighborhood and making people happy. she'll go out of her way to help devin pull records to find a lost family member. she's probably already DONE that for the family or friends of other children she trafficked.

she doesn't see anything wrong with what she did. the government said it was okay, and she was keeping kids from dying impoverished on the streets! she was giving them another chance at life! "would you want that life for your grandkids??" is an irrelevant question, because she worked to save enough money for her grandkids so they'd never be in such a situation, so she doesn't have to think about it. she's kind! she's trusting! she's never even committed a crime!

"people are largely well-intentioned at heart" and "people can be unspeakably selfish and evil IF you promise them it's not selfish or evil" are two things that coexist, imo. it's something you have to get comfortable with if you do irl activism of any kind, too. particularly with any Undesirable marginalized group.

living in portland in america is very interesting sometimes. the people here consider themselves MUCH more politically leftist than the average american -- and indeed, they tend to oppose war, imperialism, racism, homophobia, and transphobia. at least when they're talking about their beliefs. people here are nicer than any other place i've ever visited in america!

they are also willing to unperson thousands of unhoused people and Fervently wish unimaginable cruelty, violence, brutality, and horror upon them. not only willing to WISH it, but also to Passionately Advocate For It in government meetings and in court. desiring this cruelty is socially acceptable & so the people who do so will never consider themselves monstrous. they will be hurt and sad and angry if you tell them it's monstrous.

maddie was a good mom and a good grandma. maddie bore no ill will toward the kids she sold. in fact, maddie's trustworthy demeanor and kindness might be why she was so successful at her job in the first place. because kids who were hurt and scared and alone were told she could rescue them, and they believed her.

monsters don't look like monsters. people have always been people. if we told the truth about what monstrosity is really like, we'd have to admit how many of our friends and neighbors and families and we ourselves are monstrous.

apathy is a political stance.

[lririx]

so, hypothetically, demi with a lady dimitrescu like hunter partner? i love both these women and i think the worlds should collide, my sapphic ass is hella WEAK for them

I love Demi so much I can't😭 My lesbian loving heart can't handle a ship like this it's so cute😭I hope you enjoy it!

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

•Low and behold a new hunter has come to the Manor with no sign of wanting to show any mercy towards anyone.

•A terrifying yet beautiful woman who is about 10 foot tall. No one knows her story. All they know is that if they end up in a match with her they're done for.

•Due to her condition she needs blood to stay alive and somehow the Manor provides the blood needed.

•She was a Nobel before she came to the Manor so she's used to ordering people around. She sees herself above all the other hunters but devotes herself to Miss. Nightingale.

•She obeys her every word and does nothing that might anger her. The hunters in the Manor were intimidated by her. Her demeanour was what caused it. No one thought she'd open up to anyone.

•So how in the world did this happen? Is she plotting something? Why is she dating a survivor? And that survivors is Demi?

•No one knows how this relationship came to be. Even Miss. Nightingale is confused about it. The hunter who showed no mercy even to the hunters is in love?

•Demi and The lady are quite different. Demi is a sweet ball of sunshine who wants to help everyone and bring joy to the Manor while the hunter wants to go on a murder spree.

•Well, their hobbies might have made them get closer. Both of them love to drink and listen to jazz all day. They adore dancing too.

•Sometimes music can be heard in one of the rooms and when people go and check on it they see two drunk love birds happily dancing to the song.

•The lady protects Demi all the time. She’s not overprotective, but deals with the trouble if Demi’s not capable of doing it.

•She never hits Demi during matches. Not even in a playful way. While she’s obliterating the survivors, Demi just stands there drinking and lovingly looking at her lover.

•If Demi asks The lady to not hurt anyone during the match, she will obey her instantly. Everyone sighs of relief whenever she does this.

•She can turn into a dragon like monster aswell and let's Demi get on top of her and she just flies away.

•Demi is around 5’6 and the lady is like 10 foot so the height differences is quite something. The lady has to kneel for Demi to be able to kiss her. Demi sometimes gets a chair or a stool or ever gets on the table to kiss her.

•Demi is a switch but The lady is a dom. Though she will be a bottom from time to time to make Demi happy.

•Sex with The lady is quite an experience. BDSM is something that will constantly happen during it. Good thing Demi enjoys it.

•Drinks and alcohol are always on the bedside table next to candles and incenses.

•Remember how I said the lady needs blood? Well yeah she bites Demi's neck and drinks it during sex and makeouts.

•Both of them will have visible bite marks and hickies the next day.

•And on a daily basis she takes Demi’s hand and drinks her blood.

•They call eachother mommy on the bed.

•If she’s talking to Demi and someone interrupts her she’ll bite their head off.

•Pet names. They will constantly use Pet names on eachother like “Sweetheart” “Dear” “Love”.

•They love showering together. They go in the bath and brush eachothers hair while kissing eqchothers neck. It gets steamy sometimes.

•Both of them wear red lipstick and they kiss eachother on the lips, cheeks and neck before a match and neither of them wipes it off.

•They wander around the Manor together while laughing and drinking. They just look like the sweetest couple during those times.

[chaifootsteps]

while it's nice to see Vivzie finally acknowledge Stella is worthy of pity 'in her own way' (something about the phrasing on that tweet rubs me the wrong way tbh, feels like they're implying her pain is like less important or valid or something? might just be me) it's kind of frustrating to see the end of the tweet say 'that doesn't absolve her of the pain she's caused', because like

I haven't seen many people making that argument, tbh?

like sure there are Stella stans who unironically say she was in the right to order a hit on him and it's fair retribution, but I don't think they're the majority

the majority of fans & former fans I've seen are just frustrated at how much of a caricature Stella is; as a portrait of an abuser she's incredibly poorly done and as an intended Hate Sink with no redeeming qualities she's frustrating because her backstory is just as tragic as Stolas', arguably more so because she has way less power & social mobility than him yet we're supposed to treat her like an irreedemable monster because the writers decided she was evil since birth.

I don't pity her because I like her or because I excuse anything she's said or done to Stolas. I pity her because I look at her backstory and can easily imagine how much of a nightmare her life is & how the fandom only ever seems to consider the 'arranged marriage' part of it and not the laundry list of other things that are awful about Stella's life. And I pity her because she reminds me of people IRL - mostly women - who are stuck in awful circumstances then are victimized twice by people who, if they even recognize the circumstances are bad, don't care about how that influences the person they currently are or why they behave in ways that seem inexplicable to us

for example the whole Stella likes throwing parties thing. we're obviously supposed to take it as a sign she's vapid and shallow, but what else is she supposed to do? at least if she throws parties misery can have company & her friends can visit. We see Stolas make fun of her for not knowing how to spell, but was she ever expected to be literate or allowed to have interests outside of raising a child she didn't want? the show just doesn't care to answer what society looks like for someone in her position. her interests only matter insofar as they provide a vector for the viewer to hate her some more

(going back to the recent discussions around MLP it's so noticeable they went out of their way to avoid 'stereotypical feminine interest = worthy of scorn' by having Rarity & Pinkie's interests be fashion and parties and the rest of the cast being chill about that even if they don't share that enthusiasm)

I know there are some proposed fix it scenarios in your inbox that often throw in 'and then Striker kills Stolas' as a closer but like even those don't sound like they approve of Stella or anything she does. far as I can tell they just hate Stolas and are tired of him because the show keeps insisting he's a perfect angel who never means to hurt anyone so that makes it OK. there's no chance of getting any catharsis seeing Blitzo or anyone else stand up to him, so we have to imagine it. It's even more galling considering Stella keeps most of her ire focused on Stolas whereas Stolas is exploiting and gaslighting a member of the lower classes. I mean at least Stella seems to have no delusions about who or what she is, she knows she's being awful and she revels in it. Stolas meanwhile is in total delusion about who he is and what he's done & the show is running out of chances to fix that

so like yeah, nothing Stella has suffered absolves her of her treatment of Stolas. But that exact logic applies to Stolas, too, yet the show wants us to show him more than pity - it expects us to like and empathize with him while he frees Blitzo from sexual slavery mainly because he feels entitled to love & affection that he's not getting and was never owed

That's what it boils down to, really. Stella's not allowed a free pass, while Stolas is allowed to hurt whoever he wants for any reason.

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Drabble-A-Thon 2 Prompt #11

Pairing: Shigadabi

Rating: Explicit

Prompt: Mer Dabi and human Tomura. Tomura wants to explore and enjoy all this new anatomy whereas Dabi is just confused about human genitals because they are just out all the time. He does find himself enjoying the human's cock though.

Contents: Mer!Dabi, Non-human anatomy, blow jobs, anal sex. 

Dabi was always told to never go near humans. Humans are vicious, wasteful, alien monsters who have killed countless folk either with their violence or their pollution. Even if one could find a friend among them, it wouldn't be worth the risk because sooner or later the other humans around them would sniff out the relationship and kill the human and the mer if they could get their hands on them. 

Dabi doesn't think he has to be afraid of that when Tomura Shigaraki is the king of this landmass. His people know that he has been coming to the beach each day to see him for going on eight months now. No one has hurt him. Sometimes they watch from much farther back on the sand, oohing and ahhing as they see him. But they are not allowed to approach him, and over time, Tomura had a little tent put up, part of the beach carved out into a pool that feeds in from the ocean so that Dabi doesn't have to go all the way out into the deeper waters to refresh his gills, or sit in the hot sun when they're having their long conversations. They're in that tent now, torchlight casting long shadows around them, and Dabi knows he is not supposed to be doing this with a human either. 

"Here?" Tomura asks, his hand cupping over his crotch, his palm so much warmer than Dabi's own skin, but still somehow making him shiver as blood pools in his cheeks. He hasn't ever had anyone do this for him before. He's too weak to take a mate. He was never supposed to have anyone touch his claspers. But Tomura, over the past few months, has told him how much he wants to have Dabi with him. How he... has grown to love him, and when he is ready, if he ever was, he would like to make his body feel good. 

"Uh-huh," his voice is soft and embarrassed as it happens and that gives the hand against him pause. 

"We don't have to do this, precious." He promises, his hand starting to retreat. 

Dabi catches his wrist and keeps his hand there. "I want to!" He does, he wants to be Tomura's mate. He just doesn't know what he's doing. 

The human's eyes are soft on him before he presses a kiss to his forehead. "Then you only have to concern yourself with feeling good. Would you feel better if I took off my clothes too?" 

Dabi doesn't wear clothes, and he's only ever seen Tomura in the more revealing swimwear when he comes out into the water with him. But he is curious about the other man's body too. He manages a small nod and the human pulls away from him, stripping down layer after layer of his garments until he's completely naked. His body is not too dissimilar to his own. His skin is soft and paler, but rather than the patches of color that bleed across Dabi's form, he has scars from his time as a warrior. His long white hair falls loose around his face and down his back. He is sculpted muscle that tells Dabi he should be afraid but also screams that he can be a provider and protector. And he must already want Dabi very badly, because between his legs, his claspers– clasper, only one hanging there, thicker and longer than Dabi's two– is already out.

Tomura sees him staring and chuckles. "Humans don't have their genitalia inside of their bodies." He explains as he gets back onto the cot. He starts to run his fingers along the place his claspers will emerge, dipping his head to press kisses against Dabi's chest so softly. "Our bodies get too hot, we wouldn't be able to have children if we kept everything inside." 

"Isn't that dangerous? Aren't they sensitive?" His are. Just the chill of too cool water can make his body uncomfortable. 

"It can be. Try not to ever hit me there." He sounds amused, "But I imagine I'm as sensitive as you are." His hand is so warm, the touches so sweet, that Dabi's arousal is growing and his skin parts to start to leak the slick fluid that will help his claspers slip out of him. "Oh, you're already so pretty, little one." 

His face is so hot as he bites at his lip to keep from making the needy sounds that he wants to as his arousal builds for the first time with a partner. He doesn't know what he's doing, but even though his body is supposed to be so foreign, Tomura doesn't hesitate to move down the length of him and press kisses to his opening, licking along his lips and teasing his hot tongue inside until Dabi can't help the loud sounds of pleasure that are spilling out of his throat. He wants more, needs it, and his claspers start to push free. He expects the other man to stop licking at him now that he's out, but Tomura seems happy to kiss and lick along his shaft as well. He is so careful with his teeth and Dabi knows there are very, very few folk in the whole wide ocean who could have possibly experienced this because folk typically have such sharp teeth.

Dabi whines when the other does finally take his mouth from his claspers, having been alternating between which one he stroked with his hand and which he licked with his tongue. But when he pulls away Dabi is able to look down the length of his body again and he sees that the human's clasper is bigger than it was before. It's erect now like Dabi's claspers, flushed and heavy between his thighs with his need. 

"You said that only breeding pairs can be mates?" 

Dabi's stomach sinks. Did Tomura change his mind? The disappointment robs him of his voice but he manages a nod. 

"Humans don't have those strict kinds of guidelines-- at least not in my kingdom. Let me show you how we can 'mate'?" 

The words sweep away the hesitation and Dabi is breathless as he nods. 

"Good boy. Spread your legs, I'm going to show you how good you can feel even without a cunt." 

Dabi wasn't sure that he could feel as good as he does just being in Tomura's presence after all of the horror stories of humans he was raised on. But finding out that humans put their cocks inside of their partner's ass, male, female, or anyone outside and in-between, to bring them pleasure, is a phenomenal discovery. As is the fact that being so full, with his claspers able to rub against the other's stomach as he moves between his thighs, is so blindingly pleasurable that he ends up spilling between their bodies. 

Oh he doesn't know how he's ever going to get through the summer mating season without this. Tomura, thankfully, immediately kisses him slow and deep, letting him taste himself on his lips, and promises that he will simply have to give it to him as many times as he needs when he slips into his cycle. 

Dabi is pretty certain that the ghost stories about humans must have been greatly exaggerated unless Tomura plans on killing him through such good mating. 

Thanks for participating! If you'd like to join in, consider checking it out here!

[viridwns]

Short drabble I will write into a fic.

Tw: Douma (I think I'm so funny for doing this)

You lived in a pretty isolated village. It was ik the middle of a forest with the neighboring village being a good 5 day travel distance.

Everybody knew each other, and your community was pretty tight.

You loved the place that was your home. Being the village doctor's daughter, you knew your way around the woods and the many properties it possessed. Like healing herbs and poisonous plants. You knew them all by heart.

There was only one problem with your village.

It was plagued by a monster. A human eating, demanding, blood thirsty monster. It comes at night, haunting the streets that were full of energy during the daytime, now deadly silent.

This monster has been torturing your village since before your time. There is no record of it, no visible evidence of how it looks. There has been only one witness to the monster who killed himself only mere days after coming into contact with it.

He said it was the devil. A monster wearing human skin to allure maidens into its den and consume them while they're still breathing.

It had a honey sweet voice, giving you a false sense of security. And that never faltering grin of it, showing off its pearly white canines that have carnaged hundreds.

The man was left alive to send a message.

The monster would leave the village alone if they could provide him with a, preferably female, sacrafice every full moon.

This agreement was set long before you were born. The village chiefs had tried everything to avoid it, but carnage would fall upon the village if it got broken.

To avoid civil war, the village chief made a sacred rule on who would be chosen as sacrafice.

If anyone broke a singular law, they would become the sacraficial lamb.

Of course, there were times unfortunate souls came stumbling upon your lovely village.

They would never make it home.

You found the whole ordeal awful. Although you never worried about being picked, you did pity the souls who were.

The sacrifices ranged from wife beaters to children stealing bread because they were hungry. Even speaking up against the village chief and his family could get you a free ticket to the afterlife.

Trying to leave was of no use. In one way or another, you'd winde up dead. By a human hand or a monster's, it all would end in the same fate.

Even if you could leave, you couldn't bare the thought of abandoning your duty as a medic.

You held too much value for your village.

They, apparantly, didn't hold you close to their hearts as you were forced out of your home and tied to a tree.

The village chief's son was standing opposite of you, laughing.

This couldn't be because you rejected his romantic advances, right?

Oh that petty motherfucker.

Night dawned, and you were still trying to wriggle yourself loose. The chief, his son, and two other men were keeping an eye on you. They made sure the package got delivered.

You tried to stiffle your pained groan as you pulled both your thumbs out of their socket to glide them through the tight rope around your wrists.

The sun had set, and you bolted.

You knew you couldn't outrun them and, of course, the fear of running into the monster had you searching for a hiding spot.

It began to rain, both an advantage and a disadvantage.

You eventually hid under a tree. The roots sticking above ground far enough for you to have forced yourself under.

You held still when the four men were right next to the tree you were hiding under. You could only hear their voices, the rain making them almost invisible.

You noted a new voice joining the conversation. The others seemed to freeze at this person's presence.

You waited for the first rays of sunlight to come out of your hiding spot.

You were tired, tense, dirty, and hurt. Adding dehydration and hunger to the mix made you collapse in the middle of the woods. An area you were not familiar with no less.

You were found by people in strange robes. You couldn't even protest as they took you to their home.

They nurtured you, gave you a place to stay and recover. It didn't take long for them to tell them about the cult they were in, where you were housed.

You didn't really care for it. As long as you could stay, get fed and be away from the village that betrayed you, you didn't mind.

In return for their help you stayed as the cult's nurse. Playing along with believing in their founder was a small price to pay, you just wanted to do your job again.

It wasn't for weeks until you actually met the leader of the cult.

You couldn't help but stare a little.

He had outwordly eyes and strange hair, but by the lord was he handsome.

He wanted to get acquainted with the new nurse. It would be rude of him not to officially welcome new members.

He was strange to you. Always smiling, childish, but caring.

You didn't know what to think of him.

He seemed familiar though.

You swore you have never seen the man. You would surely remember someone as charming as him.

But his voice, you swear you've heard his voice before.

It was honey sweet, and whenever he talked to you, you felt safe.

Maybe it's just your mind playing tricks on you.

[mellifluousprince]

in progressive spaces there are so many unique, personable expressions of what it means to be a woman, and how girlhood is this beautiful open ended thing that everyone has their own definition of. I think it's wonderful to see women bond over their shared experiences & find companionship in each other as a result. meanwhile, what it means to be a man is essentially getting pigeonholed into this idea of being some violent, sex-obsessed beast; both by obnoxious men who keep pushing the whole alpha male manosphere garbage, and by women who see that trend & then view all men that way, ascribing every man with the label of a monster in order to protect themselves. there's nowhere else you can go. if you try to strike out on your own and define masculinity in your own way, in the eyes of everyone else you just fade into obscurity. it's like you don't even exist. the worst part is, it feels like i'm the only one who wants masculinity to have a broader meaning. so many other men i know want so badly to live up to this ridiculous ideal being forced on them. meanwhile i've known my whole life that i'll never be an "alpha male", because i don't want to be. but even if you don't subscribe to all the manosphere stuff and live your life free of those toxic expectations, as long as you're a man you'll only be thought of as bland and uninteresting. Women are seen as these inherently ethereal gorgeous beings(they're not, they're just people and saying this just further pressures them into feeling like they need to be attractive objects, but that's a different post), and men are either monsters or...nobodies. "Just some guy". John Doe. If that's what you want, then that's all well and good. But is that really all there is to being a man? when you strip away all of those preconceived notions about how men should look or behave or be seen by others, then what is masculinity, really? ideally, it should be the same as femininity in the sense that it's whatever you want it to be. you can see yourself in a traditional sense, as a proud, strong warrior who fights for honor & protects and provides for his loved ones, or a more non-traditional way, a demure prince who waits calmly for a princess or knight or other lover to sweep him off his feet. you can romanticize yourself as anyone you want: a hardworking scholar who wants to learn as much as he can or improve the world around him, a powerful athlete who lives for the joy of sport, an early-bird baker who embraces the quiet life, an iron-willed blacksmith who endures the forge to arm his brothers and sisters, a singer who lends his strong voice to uplifting the oppressed, a warm-hearted husband and/or father who has so many good wishes for others. sky's the limit. i understand why women often put men in a box and view men the way that they do. if you don't know a man's intentions, it's safer to lead with distrust. but i know in my heart that i would never hurt anyone like that, and so i don't want my personal sense of masculinity to be defined by those men who do such horrid things. i don't think any man should personally feel like their masculinity is synonymous with being a monster. i think they should burn the manosphere to the ground and just find the answer themselves. what's manlier than that? someday i hope people will feel comfortable enough to no longer think of masculinity as this stagnant, unmoving collection of violent, angry traits. i want it to be sought after and romanticized the same way femininity often is; as another equally glorious representation of what it means to be human.

[blacklegsanjiii]

can we have more fluff or hurt/comfort with shirohige!sanjis relationships with the whitebeard ctew? whether its during sanjis childhood or maybe after he becomes a strawhat but i adore the potential here

Alright, this is going to be a list style type of thing lets go!!!!!

Marco: He is the most protective and loving brother Sanji has. He was the only one who could hold Sanji for a long time due to his injuries and with Marco being both a doctor and having been a brat under White Beard for as long as he was he knows all the nooks and crannies that the Moby Dick has to hide brats. He can find Sanji whenever and where ever. He taught Sanji the constellations on nights where the trauma or anxiety kept him awake or when Sanji would wake up screaming in the medical bay from nightmares. He also took Sanji out for his first escapade against the Marines causing Sanji to get his bounty of 100 million Beri at sixteen. Marco is proud because his was similar at fifteen when he stole his fruit from the Marines.

He absolutely keeps Sanji's poster in his medical file. When the one he got for joining the Strawhat crew come out he laughs so hard he cries. Who the fuck is that? That's not Shirohige Sanji?(White Leg Sanji?) For a while that's the only thing keeping them sane, especially when they lose track of Ace. And then when they lose track of Sanji while he's fighting Akainu, Sengoku, and Kizaru?? Fuck. Fuck that's his baby brother. He's so proud of Sanji that if he died fighting it was against those fucks but his baby brother might be dead and he's so fucking upset. He claims first rights to Teach.

Thatch: Sanji's funniest brother and Sanji doesn't claim favorites(It's Marco, anyway) but Thatch teaches him so much. He provides Sanji with cookbooks and nutrition books and explains a lot of the science behind food and taste. It's just that he keeps saying he's married to Ace before they're even dating. Unfortunately Thatch dies so he doesn't get to see Sanji join the Strawhat crew or anything and it hits Sanji so hard when he knows Thatch won't see the actual wedding or anything.

Vista: Taught Sanji to use swords until he decided to just focus on more physical forms of combat. The proudest brother Sanji has. He has shown Sanji off at every possible turn. Claims his cooking was better than Thatch's when Thatch was alive. When Sanji was older and started setting himself on fire he once brandished Sanji's leg as a sword as a joke. Had Sanji in his grip and was just like "USE YOUR CORE" as he jokingly fended off Jozu.

Jozu: The hardest on Sanji. He taught Sanji all about haki and trained his observation and armament and he and Marco have a running theory that Sanji can feel the friction of his blood and use that to set himself on fire. Genuinely thinks Ace and Sanji will be the death of him, Sanji especially because he doesn't have a fruit, can kick a man thirty yards off ship and is the best swimmer. Has told Marco and Pops on numerous occasions that they need to keep a very close eye in case anything else develops. And when he sees Sanji can sky walk he points at Sanji and says to Marco "That sorta shit, that shit right there was what I meant." Marco is losing it.

Izou: Helps Sanji with his gender expression from a young age. Carried Sanji around when he was younger since Oden and Toki took Hiyori and Momonosuke to Wano after leaving with Roger. Tells Sanji all about the title of 'Monster' and how the Government bestows it upon people. He explains that it's up the individual to live up to the title. Izou is the first person to hear Sanji explain he wants to be a monster. To make those who hurt him fear him. Izou smiles and assures him he will do that. In Wano Sanji, Ace and Marco are crying at the loss of another brother. Especially one who smiled so brightly and expressed himself so freely.

White Beard: Best dad Sanji ever had. Would let little Sanji fall asleep on him after particularly long days and will not let anyone take Sanji from him because "he's my last, dammit! Can't exactly hold the rest of you shits!"

Spoils the fuck out of Sanji as he knows everyone else is doing the hard work of discipline on the baby. When he saw Sanji light his legs on fire and Teach was done with he took Sanji to his office and wrapped him in several blankets and then is like "Alright come here brat" and then just holds him and tells him about people gifted without fruits. Sanji suddenly realizes that his dad is dying and White Beard comforts him and says he has some years left.

Ace: Husband. Fell in love with this brash 18 year old boy who tried to kill his dad. Decided to say fuck it and fuck him. And succeeded on both aspects. Sanji absolutely spoils Ace with food and Ace spoils back by keeping the cook warm. Everyone finds them gross. Showers Sanji is kisses and drives everyone mad with how touchy he is. Not that Sanji would have him any other way. It's just how the Shirohige are.

[definitelynotshouting]

i literally can't stop rotating hunger au worldbuilding and lore in my head. forgive me if you've ever touched on this in an ask before, but... re: the existential horror of being a parasite that has the sense of self of the host it ate. if one of grian's friends ever did get taken and used as a watcher larva host. how do you think he would feel about the watcher that came out the other side? would he want to see them as still the same person as his friend, or...?

Ive been staring at this ask since i got it with like. I need you to picture the most comically heartbroken expression right now okay. like this is me reading that and thinking about it in great and terrible detail:

Gods he would be devastated if this ever happened. He knows what thats like. He knows just how much it hurts-- and that its not a hurt that can be quantified, because its just that intense, that scalding, that encompassing of an experience to go through. I think, genuinely, Grian would be so utterly horrified and grief-stricken for whichever friend went through the Watcherification process that it would trump every other potential feeling on the list

But i think, ultimately, he would still view them as his friend, and treat them in the same way. There's a little bit of hypocrisy in Grian's character that i enjoy engaging with while writing him, and a good part of that in hunger au is centered around how he's firmly designated himself as the monster, and everybody else is the victim, and theres no room for nuance because he sucks and theyre the only people who are valid. When in reality, yes he hurt them, yes he did terrible and invasive things, but he did them out of pure survival rather than maliciousness, and that does make a subtle difference. And... hes not the only one who has fucked up, either!! The entire point of hunger au is how everyone has fumbled the bag in various ways and now they're all trying to clean it up together. Its just, yknow, Grian is so wrapped up in his own pain that he cant see those grey areas yet

And the thing is, if one of his friends got Watchered™, so to speak, and was standing in front of him, i think he would treat them with SO much compassion. Theyve been through possibly the worst thing anyone can experience and come out the other side-- at his core, Grian is i think a character who wants to do good, and do good by other people, and in this hypothetical that would translate into a lot of kindness he doesnt usually afford for himself. Honestly i think he'd spend the time trying to show them the ropes, get them set up in a better position than he found himself in, and provide his own fumbling emotional support as best he could, just out of sheer solidarity. Like, he gets it. He's been there. He may as well help out.

And i think he wouldnt even realize how hypocritical he's being until someone else pointed it out to him, about how he treats this friend with so much care but is simultaneously cruel to himself. I dont think he'd know how to handle that-- he's sort of dug himself a rut in the road with the way he thinks about and treats himself, and the cognitive dissonance would be really uncomfortable for him. Ultimately a good thing!!! Growth is often very uncomfortable. But imo Grian has a tendency to run from things like feelings of discomfort, so i think it'd take him a while to reconcile his previous ways of thinking with whats being presented in front of him essentially in the form of a mirror.

So uh. tl;dr: he'd be a little hypocrite about it and would feel a lot more compassionately inclined towards the friend than he does himself, and would try to help them out as best he could. Thank you for the incredible question that has given me the opportunity to rotate this worm at even higher speeds than usual inside my brainpan DKNFEKNDSKDJKDKD

[tatertato]

life series smp winners playlists part 1

okay so i've been just absolutely brainrotting over this for like weeks now and its time to finally post it!

i've basically just been compiling songs that i think fit each of the life series winners, and they're either songs i've seen work really really well in animatics already or songs that would probably work really well, but are less popular or not associated with this fandom (yet)

i'll be linking+listing them here as well as providing little snippets of explanation for why i think the song fits, but i don't feel like making actual spotify playlists or smth, so if anyone else wants to do that, be my guest.

ofc i still had trouble finding good songs for some of them- if anyone seeing this has a good idea that i missed, lmk and i'll update these posts (no promises tho)

i was originally gonna put all of them into one post, but fortunately i have come to my senses, so this is part 1. here we go!

update:

pt 2 (LL!scott)

pt 3 (DL!pearl)

3rd Life: Grian

Eighth Wonder - Lemon Demon: this song gives major Watcher!Grian vibes imo

Extra clever Earth-bound spirit Ghost in the form Of a mongoose (watcher in the form of a player)

Hello, I'm here I'm living in the wall I know I might be small (common headcanons of short grian, also living surrounded by cactus walls!)

Jim, let me go I watch like Hell (self-explanatory)

2. A Big Day for Grimley - AJJ: this one is because of this animatic, and also the lyrics fit the characters almost too well

I went back to the desert, little Midwest in me And now I am colder than I used to be (it feels like him reflecting on his experiences in 3L)

I came back to the desert, and the desert came into me And now there’s a quietness, and it’s deafening (returned to the desert for the final duel, and now that he's the only one left, the absence of his partner is deafening)

i could go on much longer about this song, but i feel like the animatic sums it up really well so GO WATCH THAT GO GO GO

3. Take Me to War - The Crane Wives: i know that everyone and their mother has done desertduo crane wives, but i've yet to see anyone use this song, which is a shame since its one of my favorites!

I've earned myself a reputation That my bark is much worse than my bite But I keep snapping at Goliath's hands With all of my tiny might (technically, he's not red, and also his traps keep failing, so the threats are pretty empty, but that will not stop him from being a menace)

Take me to war Honey, I dare you I'll be the sweetest thing To ever scare you Give me a fight I can't resist Give me something to break with my fists Take me to war Honey, I dare you (same thing as the last one, but i had to put the chorus in this post, it's just too perfect)

So I will leave it where it's standing And instead I will find me a match I'll turn it all to kindling I'll burn it all down to ash (we love a bit of arson in this fandom)

4. Community Gardens - The Scary Jokes: this is watcher!grian again, sorry not sorry- i do have a really vivid image in my head of an animatic for this song tho (the brainrot goes deep, i cannot escape)

Full disclosure, I am a monster A creature of despair, not that that should be a cause for concern (its so watcher coded im gnawing on the walls)

You'll be fine, you honeycomb Who could ever hurt you? Who could be so cold? You'll be fine, oh, honey pie Who could ever hurt you? Who could be so unkind? (ok so remember when i said i had an animatic idea about two sentences ago? ya. so i imagine this part as watcher!grian going through and causing the final deaths of all the winners (except scar we'll get there i promise) for instance, smiting scott at the end of LL, severing pearl's soulmate string in DL, and checking the time left before killing martyn in LimL)

The culmination of man's mistakes came the day The sun ran so hot, it turned the desert to glass (this is the whole "hail mary" thing where they blew up the whole desert and still didn't kill anyone)

If there's something to be learned from all these losers It's that the price that you pay For arrogance and a false sense of immunity Is to face the wrath of a dying star (false sense of immunity is scar's no kill passes, reputation points, etc., which really didn't mean all that much in the end (see: Bdubs))

5. Passerine - The Oh Hellos: aside from the obvious bird symbolism (passerine are songbirds), the overall theme of this song fits the character pretty well! (i think it could also apply to DL jimmy if you squint)

You were the song that I'd always sing You were the light that the fire would bring But I can't shake this feeling that I was only Pushing the spear into your side again (3L typical desert/light/sun/fire imagery, with a bonus helping this time of 3L typical self doubt and/or survivor's guilt! you love to see it)

My palms and fingers still reek of gasoline From throwing fuel to the fire of that Greco-Roman dream Purifying the holy rock to melt the gilded seams It don't bring me relief, no it don't bring me nothing (more arson what can i say- also the hollow existentialism that comes with killing your friends)

When he comes a knocking at my door What am I to do, What am I to do, oh lord (ok i like to imagine this line as grian realizing that scar's SL win means he goes to hang out with the winners now, meaning uhoh reunion time! that's about to be awkward!)

6. Do It All The Time - IDKHBTFM: yeah i know it doesn't seem like it fits at first, but i think parts of it captures the spontaneous silliness of 3L pretty well

No reason why I'm only doing anything I want to do Because I do it all the time We're taking over the world A little victim-less crime (making monopolies (or trying to) really just because)

Now we're so young But we're probably gonna die It's so fun We're so good at selling lies (this one's pretty on the nose, but you get the idea)

and that's all for grian! stay tuned for LL!scott next!

[jellymellydraws]

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Astarion x Dark Urge Chapter 20 -- The Blade of Frontier's Guide to Goblins. Rating: E Tags: Angst, Fluff, hurt/comfort, slow burn

Chapter Summary:

In the dungeons of the Selune Temple, Rose's party prepares to save Master Halsin. Before they can charge in, they need to know what type of enemy they were dealing with. Wyll, The Blade of Frontiers, gives them a Monster Hunter's knowledge on goblinkind. Now, they were ready to save a druid.

The stench of rot and stench wafted from the depths below. Its fetor lingered in the corridor, greeting the guests who eased open the door. A parade of people dipped inside, assaulted by the horrendous odor. 

"Even without a tadpole swimming in their heads," Wyll began, "goblins are a nasty thing to fight unprepared. Hells, they wouldn't be a terror on commonfolk otherwise."

Their eyes watered in the smog, but they successfully ducked into the nearest room. Once hidden from the nauseating air, Alfira went to work, shaving the remaining pieces of soap onto squares of cloth. With a few quick folds, a simple mask was formed. Once worn, it provided a pleasant odor for those who were desperately trying to keep their lunch down. Astarion snatched the first one, burying his nose and inhaling like it were his first breath of life. It wasn't much better, but it would do.

"First thing to remember: they're pack monsters. Like wolves, they'll fight in a group. Keep them separated. Don't let them run for help-- they will overwhelm you. A handful is trouble enough. A whole hive? We'd be lucky to make it out alive, even at our strongest."

Chop. Chop. Chop.

The butcher worked at a stubborn carcas. Stout, blocky, and thick with muscle. The cleaver parted flesh from bone, stopped only by the wooden surface. Juices seeped into the table cracks as it greedily drank every last drop. 

"I could get used to all these raids," the butcher smirked as he separated body parts on a shelf along the wall.

"Yeh?" His buddy, lounging in a chair next to the cutting table, hacked a cough as he laughed. His filthy feet were propped up on the table, with little care for how close he was to touching raw meat. "I could get used to all the food. Best I've eaten in months!" He grabbed one of the cuts placed on the shelf behind him, and ripped a piece off with his teeth.

"Second: do not let them get those worgs out. They may look like giant mangy wolves but they're smarter-- more cunning. They don't need to take orders from their keeper to know there's an enemy to rip to shreds."

Two large creatures sniffed between the bars of their shared pen. Their coarse, patchy, fur barely covered their legs and chest. Their bald faces revealed a clever glint in their eyes. The promise of food was enough for them to whine oh so innocently. Less like wild wolves, more like domesticated dogs.

"Yer spendin' too much time with the worgs, Zurk. It ain't natural." The butcher eyed the intruding toes wiggling too close to the hindquarters he was working through.

"Ah, shut it Vrak!"

Vrak swung down, chopping the carcas's leg clean from the hip. Zurk jerked back, saving his dirty little piggies from an untimely separation.

"Never seen anyone take to eatin' raw meat like you. Sure you're right in the 'ead?"

Zurk cracked another laugh while he padded towards the begging beasts. "I'm just makin' sure the pups are eatin' good." He tossed the snack to the creatures, who eagerly scarfed up whatever bit they could wrestle from their penmate. ''Least the animals I hang about aren't dead."

"Third: they always have a hierarchy. Usually, a hobgoblin or other smarter goblinoids among them. In smaller groups, one of them rises up as the de facto commander."

A goblin woman stood in front of cold iron bars, arms crossed as she eyed the mass of brown fur circling within. The bear huffed, practically spinning in place with how little space was left for his mighty paws to pace.

"Hey Birka!" Zurk shouted across the room, "when we goin' to feed the pups a prime cut o' bear?"

A sinister grin stretched over her face, revealing a row of pointed yellow teeth.

"Whoever it is, they'd be the strongest and nastiest of the bunch-- barking commands and even using other goblins as shields if they need to. Take them out first, the others won't know what to do."

Wyll carefully laid out each detail he knew about goblinkind. All the while, scented masks were being made and passed around. After Astarion took his, Gale and Shadowheart partook in the remedy. Alfira covered her own face, lifting the last mask towards Rose. She shook her head, declining the offer.

"How in the hells can you breathe?" Astarion hissed through his mask.

"Through my nose," she shrugged a shoulder casually, "quite easily, actually. Lae'zel isn't having any issues, either."

Lae'zel smiled proudly.

His retort was choked out by sickly coughing and gagging. She couldn't help but snicker at his misfortune, but she offered a pat to his back to help him out.

"The poor fragile nostrils of our sensitive Art-starion," she cooed teasingly.

The Blade cut into the playful bickering, "Everyone take a minute to breathe, it's sure to be worse once we get down there."

"Ugh," the elf groan, "And I thought the mindflayer ship smelt bad..."

Up to that point, all Rose had was an idea of what she wanted to achieve: free the druid, kill the goblins, cover their involvement. They were goals, not a strategy. She felt the fragments of one start falling into place during The Blade's brief lesson on goblins, but it wasn't quite there yet. When Astarion steadied his breathing, she directed her attention back the Monster Hunter. 

"They've made this place their home, is there anything we should keep an eye out for?"

"Small holes. They use them to burrow in and out of their hives for convenience, or to make quick escapes."

Free the druid, block the exits, kill the goblins, cover their involvement.

Could they manage that? Security in this place was scarce, but a druid captive had to be where their forces were focused, right?

Last thing they needed was to start an ambush, only to get swarmed and overwhelmed. The thought of being taken by surprise made the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

"Before we do anything, I want to know how many goblins we're dealing with down there, and I want eyes on Master Halsin."

Tucked away in a side room, behind toppled pews and tables askew, the party crouched in the furthest corner from the doorway. Shadowheart dragged a piece of chalk against the stone floor. Though her eyes were closed, her hand steadily drew connecting squares and marked the spots where they could expect stairs. A small flickering flame, illuminating the developing map, was held by Lae'zel. It was kept steady, and she knew how to hover her hand to control the light's direction. A bundle of bells were muffled by periwinkle hands, as Alfira held them in her fists; not even her breathing would risk a jingle. Wyll also kept his eyes closed, muttering under his breath. Gale was crouched beside him, scribbling whatever he could hear from their Monster Hunter. Rose, focused on the forming blueprint before her, immediately thinking of how it would affect her planning.

Hardly anything would keep them from the Druid, just a cell door and goblin guard. They had yet to be detected, and they could block the doorways if necessary. But without any other exits, they would need to explain to the drow how the druid escaped without anyone noticing.

"That went surprisingly well," Shadowheart smiled, pleased with her work drawn into the stone floor.

"For now..." Lae'zel hissed under her breath.

A gentle tap landed on Rose's shoulder, causing her to look back reflexively. No one was there. Regardless, she nodded towards Shadowheart, and the two adjusted where they crouched to create a small space between them. 

Shadowheart lifted a second piece of chalk from her bag, handing it to the space beside her. When she let it go, the piece floated in mid air, then slowly pointed towards the ground as it was guided by an unseen force.

With the tadpoles, one of them would be able to transmit anything and everything they could see. It was exactly what Rose wanted before they committed their blades to a fight. Though Rose volunteered to scout, the elf insisted that he'd be able to get in, walk around, and get out without anyone noticing-- he promised he could hold his breath if the stench became too much. At first, he played it off as if scouting was more interesting than waiting around, but his tone was uncharacteristically eager. For whatever reason, he insisted, and what kind of leader would she be to turn him down? He seemed surprised that she could be convinced, but one casting of the invisibility spell later, he went off before she could change her mind.

It was Shadowheart's idea to draw out the map as Astarion clung to the walls and slipped by goblins. When Wyll started muttering his observations, Gale pulled out a piece of parchment and inkpen. The lit candle was a courtesy by Lae'zel, so their wizard could see what he was writing.

When he returned, the tadpole connection ended. A collective exhale released from everyone in the circle. The map was completed before them, barring a few minor details. The floating chalk was ready to fill those in.

"Bear here," a velveteen voice whispered behind the chalk, "worgs here. Three goblins. Here, here, annnnnd here." 

A small 'x' scratched into one of the boxes representing the pens, then two more were scratched in the next pen over. Markings for the goblins were scattered across the map. Circles for tables, scribbles for light sources, and some adjustments to the sizing of rooms were made-- he even made sure to add a ladder along one of the walls that had been missed by the cleric's drawing.

"I don't suppose you could tell if any of them were infected by tadpoles, could you?" Gale asked with a troubled look on his face.

"Oh, of course I could Gale," even while invisible, Astarion's sarcasm painted a clear picture of his eyes rolling and hand waving dismissively in the air, "it's soooooo obvious-- I mean it's a wonder no one's caught on that all of us are dealing with the wiggly bastards. Tiefling company excluded."

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed, thank you."

Wyll tapped his finger next to the goblin marked directly in front of Master Halsin's pen, "I'd worry about this one, she looked the most capable of the group. Dressed in thick leathers and wore a hood-- like some executioner. No doubt in my mind about it, she's got to be the boss of this room."

"Yes, and with her standing right in front of the door, I couldn't get too close to the druid," Astarion said, "but I saw a lever by his pen. If she can be persuaded to walk away, I could get close enough to free him."

"A druid would be a strong ally, indeed," Lae'zel tapped the small 'x' that marked the bear. "However, if he had been caught by the goblins before, are we certain he wouldn't fall instantly to their blades, again?"

"I asked about that when we freed Liam," Alfira piped up, "according to him, their contract didn't mention goblins, so none of them had been prepared when they were ambushed. And remember what Wyll said, about getting overwhelmed? I'm sure that's what happened."

Shadowheart interjected, "he also said that they were all surprised the head druid wanted to join their party, without wanting pay if the treasure was found."

"Treasure, you say?" Astarion's cooed, "maybe after this, we can help ourselves? We've worked this hard, why shouldn't we get a bit of a reward, after all?"

"Was there a lever for the Worgs on the other side?" Wyll asked.

"I didn't check, but the whole place has a symmetry about it. I'm sure there's one for the balding hounds."

"One of the other goblins are sure to go straight for them once the fighting starts."

"Might I remind everyone," Gale tapped the side of his head, "we're not dealing with normal goblins."

Rose stared at the crude marks chalked into the stone floor. Brows furrowed in concentration as her party whispered around her. Any ideas around this alleged treasure would have to be set aside. Though it did intrigue her-- what purpose would a druid have for treasure? Furthermore, their chat with Nettie revealed that they had been aware of the goblin's presence for some time.

Would that matter if he surrounded himself with an unprepared party of treasure hunters?

Even after getting caught, she couldn't stop wondering what prevented him from leaving of his own accord.

Questions to ask, after they save him.

She eyed everyone in the circle, gauging how prepared they seemed for battle. Half of them already dealt with a strong foe earlier that day, and not all of them would be able to give that same amount of effort in another fight. Lae'zel hadn't done anything that day but rest, Gale and Astarion were on scouting duty all morning. 

"Shadowheart," Rose spoke up, quieting the whispers around her, "what strength do you have left for this fight?"

"I can hold my own with a blade, but try not to get too badly wounded," the cleric eyed Rose, "I hope I don't need to tell you that."

The assassin began to roll her shoulder, as casually as she could. The twinge of pain had a lot to say in retort. Shadowheart wouldn't hide the smirk of vindication, seeing her leader's brow furrow tighter.

"It's tense," Rose excused, "but not unbearable. Alfira, what about you?"

"Not much magic besides cantrips, I'm afraid," the tiefling sighed, "but any little bit should help, right?"

As she suspected. Their healer couldn't heal, and their bard couldn't play. Her amber eyes turned to Wyll, who had almost as much energy now as he did that morning.

"I'm right as rain," Wyll answered, flashing a comforting smile.

"You wouldn't happen to know where any of the goblin tunnels would lead to, would you?" 

"Nothing complicated, some could be to get to other rooms. Judging by how further down the pits are, I would wager one of them leads directly outside the door. If Alfira and Shadowheart block the entrance," Wyll dragged his finger to the marked doorway at the end of the hall, "we could keep the fighting contained."

"Shadowheart can also be on standby in case one of the damned things slip into a small tunnel," Rose nodded approvingly, quick to regain her composure, "no one comes in, and anyone who goes out can be dealt with"

"Should be easy enough," Shadowheart looked at Alfira, who nodded in agreement. The two quietly rose to their feet and took to their positions beside the only obvious exit. Alfira continued to hold onto her bells, lest they reveal her position to the goblins.

Rose grabbed the piece of chalk from the ground and tapped one of the spaces in the center of the room, "Gale, are these good spots for you to control the room with your magic?"

Gale, though skilled with magic, was not hardy. The space at the end of the long staircase would be where he is safest, and allow his magic to reach almost any side of the room.

"Yes but it leaves me a bit open, doesn't it?" The wizard cautioned, "I'll happily go where you need me, but a dead Gale does no one any good, does it?"

"Weeeelllll..." Astarion, again, couldn't resist.

"Lae'zel and Wyll can stay close to cover you," Rose cut off the teasing.

"Better, thank you!"

In the empty space next to her, she imagined Astarion mocking the way the wizard held an appreciative hand over his chest and offered a small bow of his head.

The faintest of smirks tugged at the edge of her lips.

"I can rush to block the Worg pen," Rose mused, "if we take them by surprise, maybe I can take out their master on the way."

If the worgs were as clever as The Blade said, maybe she would be better off killing them. But whatever they did in those pits would majorly affect how they avoid suspicion falling unto them.

She had to think further ahead. After.

After Master Halsin is freed. After the goblins are killed.

She had to report to Commander Minthara, and she better have a damned good story for why several goblins were dead and their prisoner was gone.

Leave too many blade markings, and it would be clear the druid had assistance. The same could be said with magic. Remnants of their spells could give away their involvement.

Then there was the risk of injury. Her shoulder proved to be more burdensome than she realized. She could push herself for short term success-- but further injury would be difficult to cover up. The same problem arises if any of them were to be severely wounded during this fight.

A group of goblins getting bested by a head druid, especially one shaped like a bear? Expected. Predictable. Believable.

A party of True Souls, however? Suspicious. Pathetic. Unworthy of The Absolute. 

Whatever cover story they come up with, the Druid needs to be a part of it. 

"Astarion," Rose looked into the empty space she presumed him to be, "can you release Master Halsin?"

"Easily! Shall I handle that now?" his voice carried the curve of a smirk on his lips, followed by the sound of his shoes shifting across the stone. "Yes, I think I'll go do that now!"

"Wait, Astarion!" Rose threw her hand in front of her, desperate to stop him. In her haste, her fingers smashed against his arm. She gripped the smooth leather, but felt absolutely no resistance. If he was running off, she'd be tugging against his sleeve. She'd be pulling him back. This...this was nothing. 

He hadn't taken a single step, had he?

"Fuckin' Hells."

"You make it sooooo easy, darling," Astarion snickered, "I couldn't resist."

Yet, she had to resist the mounting desire to rip his arm from its socket. "Let's get into position."

"Dror Ragzlin don't seem to care what happens to the bear, he might be as good as worg meat." The hooded goblin woman flashed a smirk to Zurk. Upon uttering the words 'worg' and 'meat' in the same sentence, the beasts stuck their snouts through the bars of their enclosure again.

"Ahh, now you've got the pups' hopes up!" Zurk crossed his arms, unsympathetic to the begging of his pets.

Birka turned her gaze back to the bear, who continued to ignore her in favor of circling his pen. Her eyes narrowed, "But y'know, I'm not sure if the Drow's got other plans." Again, ignored. Her menacing grin faltered. Then, an idea. She put a hand on her hip and the other to her chin, feigning the act of thinking through another scenario, "on second thought, might depend on if Spike got the whiny one talkin' about where they came from." She half turned away from the beast, but from the corner of her eye she could see the mass stop. His head finally lifted, all attention on his captor. "Well now, that got your attention, didn't it?" Her evil grin stretched further, "Them thieves you was 'angin about are gonna 'ave what's comin' to 'em! An' when we know where your friends are hidin', we're goin to pay 'em a lit'l visit, too!" Each point, punctuated with another step. Step. Step. Step. Until she was inches from the bear's cold wet nose. His eyes held fear unlike she had seen from him in the days of his captivity. She relished in it. Finally, the mighty predator realized he had become prey. "Ya know, I think I likes the sound o' that. Too bad you won't be around to see what's left." She spat on his face with a laugh.

The bear slammed a paw into the cell door. Birka didn't even flinch. 

"Ha!" Zurk crowed, "After seein' how Spike handled the dwarf, I'd bet my last gold piece he kills the lad today before gettin' anythin' useful."

"How serious are ya 'bout that bet?" She crossed her arms over her chest, crossing the floor towards Zurk with a glint in her eye. "I 'eard that halfling lass 'ad decent prices for 'er wares, and I got my eye on somethin' nice."

The chatter overlapped as casual conversation turned to friendly ribbing, then to coarse laughter. But the bear continued staring outside his pen. The scent of rosemary and brandy beckoned him towards the door. Each step, the scent grew stronger. Soon, the perfume mingled with a subtle musk of damp earth.

"Let's have some fun," a silky voice purred.

Ca-chunk. 

Chains clanged together as the metal doors opened slowly. A mighty roar shook the room as the bear rushed out from his cage. The full strength of his rage turned towards his tormentor, who barely turned around before the giant mass of fur barrelled towards her.

"What the-- shit!" Her palm glowed with a yellow light as the massive claw swung towards her face. Inches from her nose, the air rippled as the bear struck an invisible force. Birka smirked triumphantly, flashing a glowing brand that rested in the middle of her palm, "ah ah ah, the Absolute's given me 'er blessin'-- you ain't gonna lay a toe on me-- agh!"

"How about a dagger?" Astarion's form faded into view, his dagger stuck out from the goblin's shoulder.

"Intruders!" was all she could shout before her full focus went towards surviving the attacks of a raging bear.

Lae'zel rushed around the corner, swinging her blade towards the butcher. Vrak narrowly jumped away, head firmly attached to his shoulders.

"Shit!" He shouted, ripping a cleaver from his cutting table. The gith towered over him, keeping him trapped in his corner of the room. Surrounded by nothing more than meat, his table, and a stool. "Alright, ya bat-faced bitch, ya wanna piece o' me?!" He kicked the stool into his free hand, handling it like a shield, "give it yer best shot."

While Lae'zel had the strength, Vrak had the agility. Her swings found no purchase as the goblin deftly dodged her blade. The clanging of sword against cleaver echoed in the dungeon as they were locked on to each other. Unafraid to get his hands dirty, the goblin would throw whatever pieces of meat he could grab. Whatever would give him enough edge to keep himself from becoming the new butcher's special.

Zurk frantically looked between Birka, Vrak, and the Worgs. The pups threw themselves against the bars of their pen, eager to freely rip the flesh from the strangers that swarmed in. 

"What're ya doin, scratchin' yer ass?!" Birka lambasted, "get back up!"

"Shit, right! Back up!" He spun on his heel, dashing towards the steps. He ducked beneath the swinging sword as he passed Lae'zel. The large stairway was right there.

And so were two looming figures, blocking his path.

"Shit. Shit!" He skidded to a stop, scrambling to run back towards the worgs. "Shit shit shit shit shit!" 

Flying daggers sliced into his arm as he leapt down the small set of steps. The worgs' barking began, their jaws snapping rabidly as Zurk made a bee line towards the release lever.

"He's going for the worgs!" Wyll shouted.

Gale raced for his position on the stone overlook, his spellbook's pages flurried open as he hands waves in practiced motions. Beneath the collar of his robe, a violet light began to glow. His voice echoed in the space around him, cutting a direct line from him to his target.

"Ad Lapide!" 

Arcane circles appeared around Zurk's ankles and wrists, encasing his limbs in magic, until his whole body stopped moving. His hand was extended towards the lever. Oh so very close...and yet not close enough. 

Gale held a proud smile as he lowered his hand, "that should hold him," he called over the stone railing.

"Hey wizard!" Astarion called, "little help over here?! This isn't a normal goblin!"

While the bear's hits managed to find purchase once or twice, Birka managed to deflect most of his blows. From his corner of the room, Astarion had thrown cantrip after cantrip, doing his best to aid the bear's hunt. But that damned woman managed to dodge or shield herself.

The wizard looked over the stone railing, watching the way the air rippled around the goblin woman, and how her hand glowed. It would appear as if she was using magic, but as an expert in the arcane, Gale knew this was not the case.

"Ah ha!" The wizard exclaimed, "I knew it! That one's got psionics--"

BOOM

Crashing through the stone railing and colliding into an unsuspecting Gale of Waterdeep, was the bear. As if he weighed nothing, he had been lifted and thrown through the air by Birka's Absolute Abilities. The beast groaned as he rolled off his back, revealing a nearly flattened wizard who slowly got up from the ground. 

"Perhaps," he wheezed for air, "I'll keep my exclamations," he groaned again as he held what remained of the railing, "to myself, for now."

The bear grunted in agreement.

The glow on his chest flickered, as did the arcane shapes restraining Zurk.

Birka snarled towards the violin-playing elf, who had nothing to hide behind no that the bear was gone. Two translucent gauntlets had been formed on her hands. One of which, she blew strands of fur off the knuckles. She beckoned for the elf, calling upon her faith in The Absolute to force his obedience. Astarion felt himself pull towards her, pushed by an unseen energy. She reeled a fist back, grinning as his look of terror grew the closer he came.

"Dolor!"

A beam of crackling energy flew into Birka, forcing her off her feet and repelling her into the very wall she threw the bear over. Astarion stumbled backwards, now free from whatever force pushed against his back. When he looked for the source of his saving, he saw Wyll.

"The Blade's got you!" He flashed a smile to the elf as he drew his rapier and rushed towards the commanding goblin.

Just as before, she lifted her hand and blocked the Blade from striking her. Barely.

Birka took a look at her surroundings, realizing how dire a situation she was in. Zurk was still frozen in place, with an assassin abou to strike him down. The Worgs were trapped in their pen, desperately trying to break themselves out. From her spot, she couldn't see what became of Vrak.

Another roar from the bear shook the dungeon. The beast regained some of his strength, and he was eager to finish her off.

"You might do me in," she spat, "but I'm takin' your lot with me."

With the last bit of her strength, she eyed the lever next to the Worgs' door. The gauntlets disappeared from her hand, leaving only the mark of The Absolute glowing in her palm.

The Bear leapt off the overlook, crashing down with the finishing blow.

But it was too late.

Ca-chunk

The worgs raced out of the pen before the doors were fully opened, charging at Rose before she dealt the killing blow on their keeper. 

"Shit!" She cursed, backing away from the two mangy beasts before they could take a bite out of her (already tender) arm.

Crash! Glass shattered at their feet.

"Ignis!" Astarion's voice echoed.

An explosion of fire engulfed the mangy monsters. Their cries eerily mixed the wailing of injured hounds with the pained shouts of something humanoid. 

"Nice timing, Artiste," Rose smirked.

"I've only just begun," he winked. The elf ran his bow across the strings, playing a quick and light melody. 

While the light from his fire subsided, another glow took over. It spread all over the bodies of worgs and goblin alike, illuminating them and the darkest corners of the room.

She hadn't realized how dark the room was until her targets become as obvious as the sun in a clear sky. Rose's daggers found purchase in the chest of one of the creatures. The wound sang to her. Each hit, another chord.

Music to her ears.

Still locked in combat, Lae'zel growled with frustration. How could a puny foe be so formidable?! Vrak took every chance he could to manipulate the room to his benefit. Chairs were thrown at the gith, his table was knocked over for cover. It was all he could do to survive. When the worgs exploded in flame, he got a glimpse at Zurk, helplessly bound by magic.

Gathering his strength, the bucher grabbed the table legs and shoved against it with all his strength. The gith, taken off guard, could do little more than be forced backwards. Unwillingly, she created the opening he needed. The focusing wizard was in his sights. Bruised and bleeding, it wouldn't take much to break that concentration.

Vrak flung his cleaver to the caster, then quickly ran down the steps to Zurk while the others were distracted with fighting. Lae'zel threw the table after him, shouting angrily that her charge escaped.

Another cry came from behind him, a pained sound from what he hoped was the irritating mage.

When the arcane circles disappeared, Vrak knew his aim was true.

"Come on!" He shouted, yanking Zurk by the arm, "get up!"

Pulled to his feet, Zurk quickly steadied his footing. This was bad. They were losing, and losing terribly. The worgs whined as Rose slashed into them, joined by Wyll who took turns attacking the glowing beasts.

The goblin hooked a finger in his lips, whistling loudly. The high pitch carried over their heads. Small pebbles around the gith's feet rolled away from her, clustering into a growing pile. The stone turned malleable, morphing together into a giant bulbous shape. From the sides of this form, eight pointed legs broke free. Eight tiny pebbles took on a polished look, like beady dark eyes. And finally, the fangs.

The giant spider screeched, spitting acid upon the gith.

Her skin sizzled where the droplets hit, but her blade was at the ready nonetheless. The monster dove towards her, fangs poised to sink into its fresh meal.

"Flagra!" Darkness launched into the arachnid. Swirling dark violet magic wrapped around the oversized insect, and a brighter violet light shined from the fleshiest bits. Its weakpoints.

Lae'zel swung her blade into them, viscera splurging out from the wounds as the spider squealed. She grit her teeth when the sight of chainmail entered her periphery.

"You said you were too frail to fight," she chastised the cleric.

"I said I couldn't heal," Shadowheart corrected, throwing her intricate ponytail behind her shoulder, "should I have left you to be eaten by the giant spider?"

The gith struck the spider again, wordlessly.

"I thought not." She ran around the spider, swinging her morning star into the creature while it was weakened by Lae'zel's blade.

Bells jingled behind them, as Alfira ran around the spider confrontation with a potion in her hand. She fell to her knees, skidding towards Gale as he bled out on the ground, cleaver sticking from his back.

"I knew it sounded bad!" The tiefling cried, pouring her healing potion into his mouth. "Gale, wake up-- here!"

His wounds began to close on their own as he swallowed the bitter liquid. He coughed raggedly, slowly getting to his knees.

The worgs fell to the ground, their dying wails harmonizing with the song of their wounds. The giant spider released its last screech before curling in on itself.

Rose turned her sights on the two remaining goblins, flicking the blood from her daggers to the ground at their feet. She approached the two with murderous intent.

As they shook in fear, her blood raced in delight.

"I can't tell you how much I'd enjoy this," she grinned, her shadow covering the both of them, "but you aren't mine to kill."

She sheathed her daggers and took a step back.

The Bear charged in, mauling the goblins before they could so much as scream.

No hesitation.

No mercy.

Next Chapter >>

[silver-dragonborn]

Here are some of my thoughts on a few fics I may or may not finish due to work, real life, and depression. Episode One of HOTD gave me some new insight into Alicent Hightower and the family dynamics of the Blacks as well as the dragons...specifically Cannibal (got a crack theory for this one).

-) 1. When news of Lucerys' death breaks out, Rhaena steals a horse in the middle of the night and sneaks off to claim the Cannibal. Don't get me wrong, I love Morning and I want Rhaena to hatch her pretty pink Barbie dragon, but I'm angling for a darker turn in which Rhaena swears a terrible oath of vengeance and claims Cannibal.

I have a theory that Cannibal is a dragon-like alien who fell from the deepest corners of space and has lived this long because dragon eggs and hatchlings provide him with the nourishment he needs to replenish his strength to make the long trip back to his home planet.

However, if he were to eat a much larger dragon, like Vhagar, he'd grow in size and never have to eat a single egg again. Cannibal is unnatural and does not belong on this planet, but when this slip of a girl approaches him with promises of a grand "feast" his interest is piqued and he lowers his wing for her to climb upon his back. It's only after Cannibal devours Vhagar's corpse (bones and all) that he realizes that he finally has plenty of strength to return to the stars...but this little human has shown much courage and kept her end of the bargain...it wouldn't hurt to stay. After all, his human is a delight, and this funny human war will provide him with more dragons to feast on and make him even bigger...and stronger.

Rhaena claiming the space eldritch monster is what I need and poor Sunfyre and Tessarion are next on the menu. Also, Rhaena the Devourer has a nice ring to it.

-) 2. The older Black kids, Jace, Baela, Rhaena, and Luke, are sent back in time to avenge their family and crown Rhaenyra. Super dark because they're war-torn adults trapped in children's bodies, dealing with issues ranging from PTSD, lack of sleep, trauma, short tempers, etc. They're not in a merciful mood and will go scorched earth on the Hightowers as well as re-establish House Targaryen once more as the House not to be fucked with. Poor Rhaenyra will wonder what happened to her sweet boys while Daemon can barely recognize his daughters who are suddenly far more vicious than him.

Expect lots of gore, senseless violence, political machinations, and each Green meeting their demise. Dyana will also be making an appearance and serving as the right-hand woman of Baela because damn it, if anyone deserves justice and a happy ending it's her.

-) 3. Mourning over the loss of his son, a drunken Aegon accidentally stumbles upon Ser Cristol Cole and his mother messing around in Rhaenyra's chambers and loses his shit. His wine-addled mind causes him to blame their pair for his son's death and he proceeds to put them on trial, but not before gelding Ser Criston and flogging his mother. From there, the Greens unravel from the inside and turn on each other like rats because, by the end of the day, there is no honor among thieves. In short, Rhaenyra takes back her throne without losing any more children because the Greens turned on each other.

It just goes to show that traumatizing your kids, physically abusing them, forcing them to obsess over their older sister, and cruelly denying them their true heritage all because its "queer customs" make you uncomfortable will blow up in your face and then some.

Alicent is going to find out real fucking quick that the men she has fought for her entire life will happily throw her into the fire to keep themselves warm and that the cruelty of the Faith knows no bounds.

-) 4. Aegon makes Ser Criston Cole his Hand after sacking his grandfather. Now the second most powerful man in Westeros, Criston proposes marriage to Alicent, but like Rhaenyra before her, Alicent rejects him, reminding him of his low rank and their incompatibilities. Once again, Criston turns against another noblewoman for rejecting him, except now he has the power to make Alicent's life a living hell. Alicent realizes with cold clarity the type of man he truly is and that she should have left him to rot on Driftmark.

There is...a special kind of horror of being at the mercy of cruel, powerful men who have no respect for women. Remember, this is the same man who bashed. another man's face and tormented Rhaenyra for YEARS all because she refused to be poor with him. I will be writing Criston as he is: A petty, cruel incel who has no business being in charge. Emphasis on the cruel part...poor Alicent is not prepared for what he has planned for her nor is she prepared for how Aegon and Aemond will turn a blind eye like Viserys did. After all, Criston is the dad who stepped up, and his "sons" have inherited the worst of his traits from him.

[thedawningofthehour]

In tandem with my ramblings about doth being an actual separated au instead of a 'Donnie thinks it's a separated au' au and some conversation with @dryad-druid about that and Big Mama being an actual mama-yeah, I think I've thought up a pretty cool au idea.

(this is long. you will regret this)

So the classic Donnie gets separated from his brothers, Lou takes the other kids in the divorce and Draxum gets left with Donnie, but unlike other separated aus, Lou very clearly sees Draxum save him from the flames. But Lou's hurt, choking on smoke, holding three babies and Draxum is holding his baby and OH YEAH HE'S LITERALLY IN THE PROCESS OF MUTATING. Lou has to flee for the safety of his other kids.

But he fought Draxum and took the turtles for a reason, and every moment he spends with his three babies just renews his conviction. He can't let Draxum keep even one of the turtles, and he will not leave his child to the mercy of that monster.

He needs to return to reclaim his last baby...but he barely got out alive the first time. Not only that, but he has three little lives that depend on him now. Even if he was successful, they couldn't be left alone for long. And he cannot fail. He can't leave his purple baby with Draxum, and he can't leave his other children alone.

So he returns to the Battle Nexus. He tells Big Mama he'll stay, he'll do whatever she wants him to do, provided two things: she provides for his children, feed them and educate them and keep them safe from anyone who might try to harm them or use them for their own ends, including herself. And second, help him reclaim his child from Draxum.

Big Mama is ecstatic. She has Lou back right where she wants him, his boys are just the most adorable turtles she's ever seen, and she really doesn't like Draxum anyway. They get married, she gets the boys birth certificates or whatever and sets them up in luxury accommodations, and hires mercenaries to capture Baron Draxum and his remaining creation and bring them to her-unharmed, she stresses. The baby must be kept safe, at all costs.

Meanwhile, Draxum just watched his entire life's work go up in flames as he was violently divorced by the guy he sort of-totally had a crush on, who was also the father of his kids and kidnapped 3/4's of them, and is now left with whatever meager possessions survived the blaze, his gargoyles, and a single turtle.

And yes, this turtle fusses constantly and keeps pulling his hair and doesn't let him sleep for more than two hours at a time, but...he, weirdly, really enjoys it. Yes, he's exhausted and hungry and hasn't been able to take a leisurely poop in a week because the second he sits down someone starts to cry, but when he stares up at Draxum with those big eyes while he takes a bottle, when he refuses to settle down and fall asleep until he's in Draxum's arms, he just...can't help it. He's completely taken with this kid. He'd do anything for him. He's all that Draxum has left.

So when the bounty hunters come looking for him, intending to take his son away, Draxum runs.

Homeless, penniless, not daring to use even his name, Draxum goes into hiding with only what he can carry on his back and the baby in his arms. He unfortunately has to get rid of the gargoyles-he won't be able to pay them and they're too stupid to keep anything a secret, plus they sucked as nannies. So they go back to the gargoyle agency, and Draxum goes off into the night.

Hiding in the Hidden City proves difficult, considering there's only so many goat Yokai, and Big Mama's goons are nothing if not thorough. I thought maybe he could live in some fantasy-esque cottage out in the middle of the mushroom forest or something, and maybe he does for the first few years, but as Galois grows so do his needs, and he becomes increasingly harder to keep hidden. So Draxum retreats to the only place left he has a prayer of disappearing into-NYC.

Life on the surface is hard and forces Draxum to deal with-shudders-humans, but he soon finds himself benefitting from their kindness. A coat draped over his shoulders when the temperatures start to dip, leftovers from a restaurant worker who is supposed to throw them away but puts it all in a to-go box instead. He likes to think of it as fate, choosing the alleyway right outside their apartment the night before he was stumbled upon, but after the shock had worn off the couple was eager to help him, and neither they nor their daughter April treated his son any differently.

The O'Neils help Draxum get a settled in a recently vacated apartment in their building and things begin looking up. Galois and April become attached at the hip almost immediately, and though neither of them completely understand why Gale has to stay hidden, they listen to the adults. Draxum can pass for human even without his cloaking brooch, so he gets a part-time job in the evenings to at least cover some of what the O'Neils are doing for him. April goes to his apartment when she gets done with school and he watches her until her own parents get home, and the O'Neils watch Galois while his father is at work.

It's not perfect, but they have so many more opportunities on the surface. April struggles in school so Draxum offers to homeschool her alongside Galois, and her parents agree to do that for at least her elementary years. When April is twelve and Galois is ten, Draxum gives him his own cloaking brooch so he can attend middle school with her. It comes with a long lecture on how he can't let anyone know his secret, that Draxum was asking a lot from the both of them, but he felt like they were mature enough to understand how important it was.

So they go to school, then come home and learns alchemy and Yokai history from Draxum, Galois sets his curtains on fire multiple times performing experiments in his bedroom, and always seems to be learning a new subject from Youtube tutorials. Draxum gets a day job as a lunch lady and starts thinking about getting a human degree, so he can go back to doing science things or practicing medicine. Two decades ago he would have recoiled in horror if someone showed him his future, but he finds himself...weirdly content.

MEANWHILE. The rest of the boys grow up in a life of luxury, tailored clothing and endless servants and world-class tutors. Lou settles himself into being Big Mama's part-time champion and full-time trophy husband. True to his word, he does whatever Big Mama asks of him, so long as it doesn't compromise his sons. He fights, he smiles and poses for the press, he sleeps in her bed when she wants him and makes himself scarce when she doesn't. And he does what he can to ensure his boys don't get too spoiled. Taking care of them is the only thing in his life that makes him happy now.

But the deal he made with Big Mama chafes him at every turn. She said she'd never force his children to fight, but when Raphael begs her to put him in some of the smaller, no-kill fights...well, that certainly wasn't against the terms of their contract, and how could she ever say no to one of her turtley-boos?! Leonardo is clever, far cleverer than any of his nannies or tutors, with a skill in manipulation that would put most car salesmen to shame. Not to mention he's definitely the most handsome of his sons, with his bold markings and charismatic personality. Big Mama delights in parading him around, using him as arm-candy when Lou isn't available. And worst of all, she's taken to teaching him business at her side. She fixates on Michelangelo as well, but Lou can't really find anything to object to when she hangs up his artwork and brags to her dinner guests about their meal being planned and cooked by one of her sons. Still, he keeps his last baby close, so she'll have all the more trouble finding something to exploit in him.

All the while, he can't bring himself to truly be angry with Big Mama. She took him back, kept him and his boys safe when they needed it. She's his children's mother, they love her, look at all she provides them. He was the one that left those loopholes in, he was the one who failed his sons. He was the one who left one of them behind. He can't be angry with her, no.

But he knows who he can be angry with.

So that's how he passes the years. Watching his wife exploit the children she claims to love, reading report after report of every failed mission to locate Draxum and his missing child, taking his fury out on every mercenary that returns without them. He thinks about his last baby, what hell their life must be. How they must feel, knowing their father left them with a monster. He thinks about Draxum, the source of all his misery, who has eluded him and kept his child captive for thirteen long years. Lou waits. He plans. While inside him, a simmering hatred plants its roots deeper and deeper, and slowly begins to boil.