#So the bird is supposed to be talking nonsense like I do all the time so that's supposed to represent that

[pomefioredove]

So idk if I'm requesting in the right place. But I would love a twst scenario with a yuu that just says all their intrusive thoughts. Like just out of NOWHERE, as they reach for a water bottle hanging out with the first years they go.

“I robbed a house back home”

Or when Azul tries cornering them with the twins for something they just blankly turn to Floyd going.

“duck off you look like you can't steer a shopping cart”

But feel free to do it with whoever you want and if you don't want to do mine that's perfectly fine and I hope you have a great day :)

certainly!!

summary: reader who speaks all their impulsive thoughts type of post: headcanons characters: heartslabyul, octavinelle, scarabia, diasomnia additional info: platonic or romantic, reader isn't specified to be yuu, reader is gender neutral author's note: for some reason I had the hardest time thinking up new nonsense, so many of these dialogue lines are from lewis carroll poems, which I have a wonderful nostalgia for. check those out as well!

Ace and Deuce are pretty much used to you saying whatever's at the top of your mind... with no filter

so used to it that it barely even registers with them anymore

whenever it's quiet, they can expect you to come out with some incomprehensible nonsense.

if you didn't, they'd probably ask what's wrong

"I robbed a house back home,"

"Yeah, okay,"

Riddle, on the other hand, gets frustrated alarmingly fast

despite running an entire dorm based on nonsensical rules, he has a low tolerance for outside nonsense

and... well, despite his name, he's not really a fan of riddles

Trey matches your energy immediately

no joke. he doesn't even bat an eye

"I eat plastic,"

"hm. sometimes I eat muffin wrappers,"

honestly, sometimes his tangents get even weirder than yours

Cater probably wasn't listening very closely when you first started going off, or maybe he's just become accustomed to riddles, though the next time you say something he just thinks it's cute

might use your "thoughtful anecdotes" as a caption for his next post

would it be surprising if I were to say Azul is used to randomness?

Floyd has a tendency to say the strangest things out of nowhere, after all, and the sea itself can be a surprising place

he does not, however, appreciate how you keep speaking in tongues when he's trying to have serious business conversations with you

(seriously, how hard can it be to swindle one person?!)

"Please, just talk normally,"

"But the mome raths outgrabe!"

he doesn't know what that means, but it sounds like an insult

...and then will refuse to converse with you again until you're in a "better mood" (in his own words)

Jade, on the other hand, finds you quite fascinating

he keeps a little notepad on him just to jot down the things you say. why? you can't imagine. he just finds it interesting, you suppose

"'Twas brilling..."

"Really? How interesting. Go on,"

Floyd isn't really paying much attention

your funny words amuse him at best and annoy him at worse

if you ever find yourself in a bad place with the octotrio, you can just say something like:

"You look like you can't steer a shopping cart,"

and Floyd will take actual offense to that, and just straight up leave

(much to Azul's dismay)

Kalim adds on right away

and keeps going

and keeps going... and keeps going...

"How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail..."

"Oh, I know! He pours waters on every shining scale,"

at one point Jamil has to pull you aside and beg you not to encourage him

"No promises!" is your answer

Kalim even buys a parrot to add onto the fun

it becomes a three-person (or two-person-and-a-bird?) act

...even if you're not really doing it on purpose

Jamil is who ends up taking care of the parrot while it squawks your old nonsense thoughts, though

he likes the parrot much better than either of you

Malleus will entertain you based on his own curiosity

none of his other human classmates speak in such odd and puzzling words, so he knows it's a "you" thing

might try to solve them if they sound like riddles

but he mostly just thinks they're cute

"O, oysters, come and walk with us,"

"How interesting... I do wonder where you come up with all this,"

Sebek will listen to you because Malleus does, and Silver has enough nonsense to deal with as it is. will definitely fall asleep while you're talking to him

Lilia responds in like terms

meow at him? he'll meow back

in fact, he'll meow at you every time he sees you until you say something else to capture his curiosity

might go ahead and start speaking to you in tongues before you even say anything

he just thinks you're neat!

[gojoidyll]

Happy Wife, Happy Life

Pierro x F ! Reader

Warnings | sick reader, established relationship, y/n referred to as "wife", pierro being whipped for y/n, fluff, grammatical errors, etc.

Note | y/n is referred to with she/her pronouns !!

"Best to never mention his wife."

"He has a wife," Tartaglia piped up. His dead eyes trailing over to a harbinger that decided to finally give Childe a few warnings.

"Indeed, he does. You'll never meet her though."

"And why is that?"

"Because he keeps her all locked up. Like a pretty bird in a diamond cage. If he does ever bring her out, you are only ever permitted to look. No talking to her, no thinking about her, and definitely no touching her."

Tartaglia hummed in thought at the very obvious warnings being given to him.

He wasn't that foolish.

Though, he was curious.

There was a difference in this fine line. But .. he ultimately decided not to chase the obvious hook.

"Is that why he isn't here now?"

"Indeed, he took some time off for her. Probably because she tried to escape him or something."

"Well, if you have to keep your wife locked up, then I suppose it isn't a good relationship to begin with."

All the harbingers knew not to bring up such topics when Pierro was around though. They didn't want to die after all.

| meanwhile , in another part of snezhnaya |

"Look Pierro! Look what I made today!"

Pierro sat at his wife's bed side. His eyes gleaming with a sort of love that his fellow harbingers never saw.

He knew many rumors that circled around him and his wife. One in particular stating how he keeps her locked up all day.

A part of that was true, but she was free to roam around as she so wishes. In fact, the only reason why he kept her in bed for many days was because of how sickly she was.

It was a terrible illness. One that she was born with. But it didn't matter to him. He just wanted to be with her even though her health was decreasing by the day.

So .. one could say that the rumors of him locking up his wife angered him to no end. Which was why he made it perfectly clear to the other harbingers to never utter such nonsense when around him.

"Another scarf? You certainly become a master at knitting those."

"You think so," she asked a grin. Her eyes looking at the newly made red scarf.

"Do me a favor and give it Childe, alright? He was the last harbinger I have yet to make a scarf for."

Handing it over to Pierro, he looked at the soft fabric for a brief moment.

"Of ... course ...," truth be told he always found it awkward when he would give another harbinger a scarf without warning and without context. Not that he would ever tell them that.

"Do you wish for anything else, my dear?"

She fell back into her pillows. His eyes couldn't help but to look over her sickly form.

"A goodnight kiss," she asked ever so timidly.

A chuckle erupting from his lips when he heard her request.

"If that is what will make you happy."

[kiame-sama]

I wouldn’t use the term ‘Stupid’ for Malleus, rather he’s more unfamiliar with certain things since to Fae (Especially the very long living kind) time is much different to them compared to Non-Fae species (As Sebek did mention Briar Valley isn’t technologically up to date like how modern society is)

I believe Malleus mentioned before how Society tends to change ‘Rapidly’ during lessons (When it’s been a decade or a century)

It makes complete sense in the Monster AU for Malleus not to realize Reader was a human until Lilia explained it to him (Regardless it doesn’t make him any less cute)

I find Malleus cute when he’s unfamiliar with certain subjects as it adds a certain charm to him OR when he takes pride talking about things he does know, like Gargoyles (I always lovingly refer to him as a ‘Goober’ whenever he does anything cute, silly or dramatic)

I wrote this because I think your doing a fantastic job writing for Malleus (My favorite part is how you write him being protective of the ones he loves)

Thank you! My mans literally had no idea that sensitive technology was not supposed to get wet and would possibly stop working when wet (Lab-wear Malleus Vignette).

In my monster AU, Humans are basically the equivalent of Mastodons or Dodos. They went extinct several centuries before Malleus emerged from his egg. Sure, there is some information about Humans but not all of it is true (Hence why I had Riddle give three 'rules' where one was nonsense (humans can eat pigs regardless of genetic closeness), one made sense (don't boil or freeze your human if you want them to live), and one that was purely opinion based (humans have no true set mating rituals) to show that even if Humans once existed, they are basically legends and myth at the time of the story).

Malleus basically saw a bird's nest- with an unusual looking baby bird (so he assumed) inside the nest- and went "yeah, that's more than likely a baby bird right there" instead of going "That is a Pteranodon". He saw a creature laying beneath a Human-based Gargoyle that looks somewhat like the Gargoyle (since it was a Human gargoyle, after all), and he assumed the Human was a Gargoyle instead of making a leap of logic to an extinct and lesser known species he had never encountered before.

TWST literally has living stone Gargoyles in the universe (looking at you Nobel Bell College Gargoyles) so he would be more likely to assume these Gargoyles are living and just don't want to talk to him, instead of automatically believing what he just found was an extinct/mythical creature. If anything, he accepted Lilia's knowledge far too quickly given the fact Lilia just told him something that no longer existed was sleeping in his nest.

[zwolfgames]

Yandere!various!That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime x gn!cat!reader

Requested: JosephCruz118

(Warnings: Forced marrige, neko reader, reincarnation.)

(3rd person POV)

Welp, there it went. The end of your life.

Just like that.

A strange way to begin, but thats what happens in the tragidy that is your life.

You were graduating, finally, after years of being a student, you could walk out of this building and live.

Well... Your classmates would. But you just so happned to get the short end of the stick.

You were simply walking down a hall, when some... pshycothic man pushed you out of the open window.

Sending you pummeling down three stories.

The last things you heard were some disgusting cracks and screams... just screams.

Embracing the sudden coldness of the world, you felt life leaving you.

'Wish I'd have landed on my feet for once in my damm life... Maybe feel loved for once...' Your last toughts echo trough your head, a thumping pain in your cracked skull.

And then it all just fades. 

Thats it, the end of Y/N L/N.

Missed by many, but never got far in life.

--------

A fresh breath of air enters your lungs.

You shock awake, laying on a warm grassy field. The green blades carresing your skin as the wind moves them. 

The sun shines brilliantly above you, almost blinding you as you flutter your (e/c) eyes open.

'What in the fuck-knuckles is this bright nonsense?' You squeeze your eyes shut once more and groan in displeasure. This was not what you wanted to see in death.

You once again open your eyes, feeling a bit light sensetive at the moment. But you hold your hand to your forehead, blocking out the suns harsh rays.

After a moment of adjusting to the new lighting, you take your hand away and look around.

Big grass field... Surrounded by forest. Huh, what a strange afterlife.

You take another breath of fresh air, crisp... crisp air. No pollution noticable.

'Yea... Now hold up a minute.' You talk to yourself in your head, standing up and looking at your hands. No blood, no rocks or dirt.

Yea, somethings wrong here.

Especially that elongated feeling in your tailbone. Weird.... thats new-

Oh my god its a tail!?

You screech in confusion and grab the fuzzy thing. Slender but long, standing to make sure you keep balance. No no no! The afterlife turned you into a cat(girl/boy/YN)! A damm furry!

Some birds hiding in the grass fly away at your noise, some almost touching the top of your head.

If you had a tail then... oh no..

Your hands quickly reach for your head. And yep, two cat ears. Actually, biologically, on your head. You even felt them twitch in your hands.

After cringing for a good two minutes you calmed down and just accepted fate. It could have been worse, you could have been a worm.

So... what to do now? You couldn't just stay on this random grass field for the rest of your afterlife...

Or maybe thats what you've been sentenced to, grassfield duty.

Were they expecting you to chomp grass like a cow? Who knows... Where are the instructions? You would like to read them.

But no instructions came... reminds you of school projects...

You sigh and begin walking... towards... well, forwards. Where does this go? Into that forest? Yes.

But what else were you supposed to do. Wait around like a dumbass. No thanks.

So there you went, walking trough the thick grass towards the even thicker forest.

Birds greeted you with chirps as you entered the foliage. Forest greens filled your vision as you stepped trough a bush. Getting little unnoticable cuts on your exposed legs.

But.. It was peacefull. Birds, insects. The noises of nature really made this place feel real. was this even the afterlife?

A vision maybe?

Or... were you reborn?

How silly would that be-

"Watch out!" Some loud shrill voice alerts you of a quickly incoming troll or something on a.. on a wolf.

You jump aside and the wolf rider passes you.

He brings the wolf to a stop and hops off, walking back towards you. Ah, not a troll, this looks like a goblin, if you can trust those movies you've seen.

"Hey?" You wave awkardly. The shorter goblin smiles brightly with his two tusk like teeth.

"Hey! I haven't seen you before! Are you an adventurer?" The goblin asks exitdely. 

"Not.. really. i'm a bit lost. Where is this?" You ask, it feels as if your voice has barely seen use. As if its all new. As if this body is new.

Maybe it is.

"You don't know where you are? Well, you're in the Jura forest right now. I'm from Rimuru City, I can take you there, maybe you'll be able to orient from there?" The little goblin offers you with a friendly smile.

You nod, not that cautious as you should have been were this your old life. YOLO, am i right?

The goblin helps you onto his giant wolf and you hold on, like asked. The big canine speeds off trough the forest and you feel alive for once, wind in your face, cutting against your face like sharp yet harmless blades.

After a bit of running around on the wolf, you reach a nice looking medival village, lots of fantasy looking monsters running around, building things and working.

Well damm... This looks better managed then soceity.

The goblin that lead you here looks behind him to check up on you, to see if youre still on the wolf before enetering the crowd and bringing you somewhere.

He brings you all the way to what seems to be the towns centre. Gesturing for you to hop off here.

You hesitantly nod, awkardly smiling at the goblin as a form of thanks.

Welp, now you were in a random city, full of magical looking monsters and whatnot.

You hear the magical residents go about their day, smells of foods, contruction and just random things fill your weirdly sensetive nose.

Just as you were about to enter the building in front of you, as it looked like a town hall, you felt a squishy thing bump against your leg.

You look down, eyes widening at this small, light blue slime. Tapping your leg for attention.

"Uh... Can I help you?" You ask it in confusion, not reallu expecting it to react.

"Yes! You're new, aren't you? I'm Rimuru! Welcome to my city!" The blue slime speaks. It speaks!

"I.. yes? My name's Y/N." You awkardly repsond to the talking slime- Rimuru. What wonders does this world have in store for you?

"Great! I'll show you around!" Rimuru speaks in an exited manner... but he doesn't have a mouth... Telepathy, maybe?

Whatever. That day, Rimuru showed you around his city full of fantasy folk. Introducing you to all kinds of people, some of his trusted compagnions and whatnot.

But thats... how you ended up like this...

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

"Y/N. You can't go. Whats wrong with the village? We can give you everything!" Benimaru protests as he catches the arm holding your bag. The tall kijin holds onto you desparatly.

After three months of living in this village, you got to know pretty much everyone. And let's just say, they really like 'the cute demi-cat'.

Wich is why, when you planned to finally go explore some more of this weird world. You got met with a lot of complaints.

They've already set up guards by the city exits, you've been monitored for the past two days and now Benimaru was here to personally stop you.

"Let go, I just want to explore." You sigh, done with this weird protection you're receiving.

"No can do orders from the boss... that I absoluty agree with. You aren't ready for the rest of this world." The kijin repeats those lame words. He's grinning like always, just happy to be able to hold you.

Your ears flatten on your head and he 'awws'. How agitating.

"Come on, just stay and let me pet you!" The red kijin coees and sets you back down in your house. A babyproofed house.

Wich was annoying as hell! You didn't even get a knife sharp enough to cut the crust off your bread!

Benimaru takes the liberty of ruffling your hair. He's what you'd call... a big brother. Only diffrence, is that this one doesn't let you do stupid things.

But he wasn't the worst.... You'd say Rimuru was the most peacefull.. But Shuna was determined to get you to marry her.... And Gabiru had the idea that you were his bestest friend ever.

Wich is a reason to why you weren't allowed to leave. The people in the city got too attached to you. Maybe they found you friendly? 

But whatever the reason, you wanted out. They didn't let you do anything dangerous! Wich sounds stupid but you wnated to go explore too!

As if sensing your toughts, Benimaru grabbed yoy into a bear hug, his form engulfs you, you're barely visible. He loves it like this.

"Let go." You demand, voice muffled by his sleeves.

"No." He smiles down at you, nuzzeling his head into your hair.

You huff in annoyance. All this attention was nice... for a week. But it's as if they never, ever got bored of you.

It seemed impossible in your head. No-one takes intrest in you for this long.

Yet these fantasy people did. And it was weird. Like they had it all planned out.

Wich they did, but you didn't know of the plan. Wich Rimuru vowed to keep that way. He knew of the dangers of the world, and you weren't ready.

Better off with him and his friends.

You get snapped out of your toughts by the door of your house opening, speak of the devil. Rimuru. In his human form, today.

"Y/N! I see you've changed your mind yes?" He smiles at you, the... well... you still didn't figure out his gender... but since he said he used to be a man.. in his past life.. you just rolled with that because They/them takes longer to write.

"No, I'm just.... being blocked, at the moment." You speak from between Benimaru's arms as he doens't plan to let go any time soon.

"Well thats a shame. Don't you like it here?" Rimuru asks with a pout. Golden eyes looking straight at you.

"I do, i just want to see more." You asnwer what you always do. But ofcourse he just shakes his head.

"You're not going to." Rimuru answers back, a dark tone to his voice for the first time since you met him.

You try to protest but Benimaru clasps a hand over your mouth to stop it.

You lick his hand but he doesnt relent. Rimuru chuckles at your annoyed expression.

"Don't try. Y/N, if you don't stay willingly... You'd make a lot of my friends sad." Rimuru speaks in a belitteling tone. walking up to you and petting your head dismissivly.

You let out muffled sounds of protests, squirming against Benimarus limbs as hes holding you down.

"Fine then, we'll lock your house down from now on. Is this what you wanted?" Rimuru snarkily tilted his head. You didn't recognise him like this. He's always been so friendly. But now, with those scary dulled eyes on the cutesy face... he's just offputting.

You made your protests known by a harsh glare. But he just smiled. You were really getting pissed off! You were an adult for god sake! No matter these cat features! This was dehumanizing!

Rimuru left, taking Benimaru with him. You heard the lock click into place. The windows had never been able to open... so..

But what they didn't know, was that you were a great lockpicker. Being bored in middle school was bound to pay off at some point!

So when it got dark out, and all these annoyances went to bed. You took that little metal hairclip and got to work. These fantasy people didn't know how to make complicated locks. So it wasn't that hard.

And bam, door open, Y/N free!

So you just sneak out of your house, taking some food with you, along with the non cutesy clothes they've provided you with.

Atleast being half cat gave you great stealth. No-one would hear you.

So you left Rimuru city. Into Jura forest and just... Wherever you wanted to go.

Ofcourse, you had been thankfull for their hospitality for a while, You mean, modern soceity would have let you rot on the streets. But still, locking someone in a house? Crazy.

The leaves crunched under your feet and you were getting paranoid that you'd leave a trail for them to find.

You sped up your pace, hoping to find somewhere else to hide. A cave maybe? A difrent city?

But no, you ended up meeting monsters. Lots of them. They chased you down, tired you out. You felt like real prey for once.

You hid in a tree and stared at these savage beasts as they kept patrolling under the tree. You couldn't get out. Trapped once again. But not as comfrotable.

But not for long. As morning broke out, the warm rays hitting your cold face after a night out in the tree, you heard sniffing.

And it wasn't from the monsters.

Before you knew it, they were all torn to shred by Ranga, Rimuru's wolf compagnion. Shit! He tracked you down!

Rimuru was on his back, in slime form. He devoured the tree you were in and turned human just to catch you in a ridiculously tight grip.

He seemed mad, stressed. Not a word was exchanged as he set you on Ranga and rode back to the city. Harsh grip around your waist.

"Y/N. You. Don't. Get. To. Leave." Rimuru whispered to you as you arrived back at the village.

You expected him to throw you back into your house but he too kyou to his living quarters instead. 

Tugging you along to one of the many rooms. Opening a wooden door, the overpowered slime set you on the soft bed and clicked some magic restraints to your wrists.

"This is your own fault. Ok?" Rimuru spoke darkly.

"You'll marry Shuna and Souei. You'll stay put and let us ake care of you. You hear me? This world is dangerous, and you weren't granted powers like I was." Rimuru explains with a serious face. He wanted you to marry two kijins!? Two?! Whatn to tie you to this place?

"I'm not getting married-" You started but he shut your mouth.

"You are. They keep whining about it and why not? You deserve some love, don't you think so?" He grins. You were genuinly scared of the slime at this point. This sounded way too creepy.

"You wouldn't want Gabiru to miss his best friend, would you? Or Benimaru to miss his adorable little sibling? Don't you get how dear yo uare to everyone?" Rimuru carresses you cheek softly. What kind of manipulation is this bitch pulling on you?

But you were afraid of talking back. This boy could pulvorize you ten times over.

So you reluctantly nod. Maybe... Maybe you could get used to living here? Its not like they hurt you...

Rimuru immeadiatly turned bubbly and cute again as you nod. Smiling brightly and patting your head before he leaves again.

The door clicks to a locked state and you slowly pann your gaze over to your cuffed wrists. They glow in the sunlight coming from the thick looking window.

'What the hell just happned?' You deadpann at the floor, needing a moment to register what just got decided for you.

You'd be stuck with these crazy sicko's forever!

A nightmare, really, being taken care off and loved. ew, who would like that-

Wait a minute.

Now hold up.

Well it may have been nice if you liked being stuck in a room. But nu uh. You were an adventurous cat!

The universe granted you a second life and you weren't going to waste it in the position of a docile house husband/wife!

But... You never got your adventure. Married off to two Kijin. 

Intertwined with all these people you had grown to know.

If only they had liked you... a normal amount.

Then you could have lived a seconds life.

This could barely be called that.

This was.... The life of a doll. It had to be. Put on display and loved by all, owned by all.

Thats what you'd always be.

A cute cat, to be cuddled and coddled.

Nothing else...

_____☆_____

I think I went braindead while writing this twice.

Sorry for the late-ness! School has been killing me, last year isn't a damm joke.

I hope this was readable!

Have a nice day/night!

_____☆_____

Words: 2712

[ficretus]

Vacuomon

*Vacuo during Salem's invasion*

Qrow: Salem could attack from any direction.

Ren: Why are we here instead of frontline?

Jaune: We are backup in case they somehow find a way to bypass our frontline. It happened in Atlas, it might happen again.

Nora: So we'll fight Cinder?

Jaune: It's possible. She'll be the one to go after Summer Maiden and Vault.

Gillian: Your guess is wrong.

Jax: But what can one expect from bunch of mongrels.

Qrow: So Salem sent local theater group after us. How pitiful.

Jax: Watch your mouth. You are in presence of royalty.

*someone jumps down*

Tyrian: Theater group. He he. I do have flair for drama, but even better flair for carnage. HA HA HA.

Qrow: You again. Your luck has run out Tyrian. *unsheathes Harbinger*

Tyrian: But I can always count on you to help me out a bit. Just like in Atlas.

Qrow: You bastard.

Gillian: Talk is cheap, time to settle this with combat.

You are challenged by Team Crown Leader Gillian *8 bit music blares*

Jaune: Huh?

Team Crown Leader Gillian sent out Jax.

Jaune: What am I suppose to do?

Ren: I think you need to send out someone to fight him.

Nora: We believe in you Fearless Leader.

Jaune: Ok... Ren I choose you.

Gillian: You picked unfavorable matchup, how odd. Jax, use Confuse Ray!

Ren is confused.

Ren: What's going on... I feel dizzy.

Jaune: Ren, use Leaf Blade!

Ren: Ouch.

Ren hurt himself in confusion.

Gillian: Fu fu fu. Time to lock you down. Jax, use Thunder Wave!

Ren: Ouch.

Jaune: Ren, Leaf Blade again!

Ren is paralyzed, he can't move.

Gillian: Jax, use Knock Off!

Jax: Idiot like you doesn't deserve such fine weapons. *knocks away Stormflower*

Ren snapped out of confusion

Ren: What did you say?

Jaune: You got him! Ren use Zen Headbutt!

Jax is immune to Psychic type attacks

Jaune: What?

Gillian: Amateur. Jax finish him off with another Knock Off!

Ren's Aura was broken. He is unable to continue the fight.

Qrow: Damn kid, that was a major blunder. Send me in next!

Tyrian: Oh I can hardly wait to fight you Branwen.

Jaune: Wait, what are types suppose to be?

Nora: Oh that's so easy. Basically Fire beats Grass. Grass beats Water. Water beats Fire. Fire beats Ice. Ice beats Flying. Flying beats Bug. Bug beats Psychic. Psychic beats Poison. Poison beats Fairy. Fairy beats Dark...

*five minutes later*

Nora: Fairy is immune to Dragon. Dragon beats Dragon. I beat pancakes. I am immune to Ren's healthy diet nonsense. Got all that?

Qrow: I need to start drinking again.

Jaune: So that guy is Dark type?

Nora: I mean duh. Dark/Psychic. Qrow is Dark/Flying. I'm Electric/Fairy. That girl over there is Psychic/Ground and Tyrian is Dark/Poison.

Qrow: I'm too sober for this.

Jaune: Alright, I understand it now. Qrow, I choose you!

Qrow: Finally...

Gillian: Jax, use Thunder Wave! Cripple that bird.

Jaune: Oh I don't think so! Qrow, use U-Turn!

*Qrow backflip kicks Jax before jumping behind Jaune*

Jax: You mongrels! It doesn't matter, you are still going to be paralyzed by my attack.

Nora: Nu-uh. Because I got swapped in.

Nora's Motor Drive was activated

Nora: Yummy electricity you chump.

Jaune: Nora, finish him off with Wild Charge!

Jax: Wait, wait, wait...

Nora: I heard you were talking shit about Ren. Come on pretty boy, time to light you up!

*Jax electrocuted by Nora*

Jax' Aura was broken. He is unable to continue the fight.

Gillian: I did not expect that. No matter. Carmine, I choose you!

Carmine: Oh I'm too stylish to be kept back.

Gillian: Carmine, use Sand Tomb!

Jaune: Nora, switch out. Qrow I choose you!

Qrow is immune to Ground type attacks.

Gillian: Tsk. Carmine use Sacred Sword!

Jaune: Qrow, retaliate with Night Slash!

*Carmine and Qrow clash with blades*

Carmine: I was itching to fight someone of your status Qrow Branwen.

Gillian: Carmine, use...

Jaune: Qrow, Sucker Punch!

*Qrow punches Carmine in the face*

Carmine: Huh?

Jaune: Finish her off with U-Turn!

*Qrow backflip kicks Carmine in the face before swapping with Nora*

Carmine's Aura was broken. She is unable to continue the fight.

Gillian: That was dirty!

Tyrian: Luckily I don't care about that. Come on, who am I ripping apart?

Jaune: This is not good I...

Nora: Don't worry Fearless Leader, I got this!

Jaune: Nora, use Play Rough!

Gillian: Tyrian, Cross Poison!

Nora was Poisoned.

Nora: Ghhhh.

Tyrian: Come on girlie, fun has just started.

Jaune: Nora, use...

Gillian: Tyrian, Sucker Punch!

*Tyrian smacks Nora*

Gillian: Two can play that game. Tyrian finish her off with another Cross Poison.

Jaune: Nora, Wild Charge!

*Nora and Tyrian clash. Tyrian wins*

Nora is unable to continue the fight.

Tyrian: Ohhhh that's no good Branwen. Your allies really like to lose against me.

Qrow: Time to finish this off once and for all Tyrian!

Tyrian: Finish off? He he, that's my favorite word.

Gillian: Tyrian, Cross Poison!

Jaune: Qrow, Brave Bird!

*Qrow and Tyrian clash*

Jaune: They are evenly matched.

Gillian: Not for long. *activates her Semblance* Tyrian, AURAMAX

Jaune: What?

Tyrian: Time to rip off your little bird wings!

Qrow: What are you doing kid? Boost me up!

Jaune: Qrow... *activates his Semblance* Auramax.

*Qrow gets boosted*

Qrow: Now we are even.

Gillian: Tyrian, MAX Ooze!

Jaune: Qrow, MAX Airstream!

*Tyrian and Qrow clash*

Gillian/Jaune: AGAIN!

*Tyrian and Qrow clash*

Gillian/Jaune: MAX Knuckle!

*Still evenly matched*

Tyrian: He he. Come on Branwen, die already!

Qrow: You first!

Jaune: Hit and run. Qrow, U-Turn!

Gillian: Not this time. Tyrian, Baneful Bunker!

*Tyrian blocks Qrow's strike*

Tyrian: I believe I left you parting gift.

Qrow was poisoned

Qrow: This shit again. We don't have much time.

Jaune: Do you think you can beat him with next strike?

Qrow: Gonna need lot of luck... so no.

Jaune: Come on Qrow, what would Ruby say if she saw you giving up already.

Qrow: Using my niece against me... You play dirty kid.

Tyrian: Any last words Branwen?

Qrow: None for you to hear.

Gillian: Tyrian end this! Cross Poison!

Jaune: Qrow, Brave Bird one last time!

*Tyrian and Qrow charge past each other. Qrow falls to his knees*

Tyrian: He he he. Don't worry, I won't keep your friends in sky waiting Branwen.

CRITICAL HIT!

Tyrian: What? Ughhh....

Tyrian's Aura was broken. He is unable to continue the fight.

Qrow: Yeah, fuck you.

Huntsman Team Leader Jaune has won the fight.

Gillian: Curse you Jaune Arc.

*Gillian, Jax, Carmine and Tyrian disappear*

Jaune: Huh, this was a close fight. Just need to heal a bit and...

*someone flies down*

Cinder: Oh Arc, there is no healing... this is a gauntlet fight.

You are challenged by Fall Maiden Cinder *8 bit music blares*

Jaune: Aw crap...

[m1ckeyb3rry]

── THE GLASS PRINCESS // TWELVE

Series Synopsis: You wake up in a strange room with no memories, broken glass at your bedside, and a prince named Zuko as your only chance at figuring out who you really are.

Chapter Synopsis: The Tales of Ba Sing Se: The Tale of Princess Y/N

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 5.1k

Content Warnings: complicated relationships (strangers to friends to lovers to enemies to strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers), amnesia, alternate universe, lots of secrets and lying and mystery

A/N: going to say it right here right now…this chapter is 75% crack and goofy nonsense shenanigans LMAOAO. mostly because zuko and y/n’s relationship is so i see the light from tangled across the stars from star wars etc etc but the main man of this chapter & y/n are just the subway surfers theme song personified

“I’m very confused,” you said, sitting on Quynh’s front paw and gazing up at her beseechingly. “I need your help, Quynh.”

“I was questioning why you stayed here with me instead of running off to that tea shop you love so much,” she said, inclining her nose towards you. “What is the matter?”

“It’s about the tea shop,” you said. “Or, specifically, a certain employee.”

“That boy you met? Lee?” she said. Her muzzle wrinkled, though it was with concern, not anger. “Has he done something wrong to you?”

“No, not at all,” you said. “Well. Maybe a little bit, but he’s not quite aware that he’s done anything. And then there’s the whole problem with the Blue Spirit…”

“Your mysterious savior? What is his relation to the situation?” she said. “Dearest Y/N, you must explain at once before I am irreversibly angered.”

“Lee makes me feel bizarre!” you said, throwing your hands in the air. Quynh blinked at you.

“Makes you feel bizarre?” she said.

“Yes,” you said. “Incredibly so.”

There was really no other adjective for what it was. It was unprecedented, the kind of emotion you had never felt before, not for anyone – bar the Blue Spirit, but it was different even then. Of the same foundation, but taking a different form.

“You’ll have to explain a little more,” she said.

“It’s like my stomach is in knots,” you said. “And as if my heart has turned to a bird and is fluttering its wings about! What is this power that he has, that he can send my body into fits? But, for all that, I still want to be around him. It matters not what we are doing; as long as he is there, I am happy. Yet how can I be happy? He is driving me to failure! Why, for all I know, he really might bring about my death!”

For a moment, Quynh was silent, and then her body began to rumble. You were vindicated for a bit, thinking that she was growling with protective instinct, but your temporary satisfaction immediately vanished when you realized she was laughing.

“For a girl who spends so much time reading about so many different topics, you know so little of the world,” she said. “Though then again, this is the kind of thing that you have to experience to understand.”

“What are you talking about?” you said.

“He doesn’t have any special powers, and you aren’t going to die,” she said. “If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say you like him.”

Your mind blanked. The thought of you liking Lee was utterly preposterous. Lee, the snarky tea server? Lee, the passionate super-fan of The Mask of the Blue Spirit? Lee, who’d just as soon say something rude as he would something kind? If Quynh was to be believed, then that Lee was someone you liked, but that just wasn’t right.

“No way!” you said. “I can’t have feelings for Lee.”

“Why not?” Quynh said.

“He’s Lee!” you said helplessly. “It’s just — it’s just not how things are supposed to go.”

“Then how are things supposed to go?” she said. “Why is there a certain way that it must all happen? Things are rarely if ever set in stone, even in a kingdom made up of Earthbenders.”

“The Blue Spirit,” you said. “It’s supposed to be him. He’s the one who’s saved me, the one who knows the truth of my bending and my identity. He’s the one I’m meant to like.”

“You told him you’re a bender?” Quynh said. “That’s a new development. I thought you didn’t want to tell anyone.”

“It’s that there was no one I could trust to tell,” you said. “Until him. If a man has saved your life twice, then you can expect that he will do so a third time as well, right? So I did not feel afraid in revealing that part of me to him. I’d reveal anything to him if he asked.”

“Then there is a conundrum,” Quynh said.

“Exactly. That’s why I can’t like Lee,” you said. “It’s the Blue Spirit. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the person you foresaw me finding.”

“Hm,” Quynh said. “Do you think so?”

“I don’t know,” you said. “Lee reminds me that I am more than just a princess. I can live a different kind of life when I am with him — a happier kind. But the fact is that I am a princess, and the Blue Spirit shows me what that genuinely means. The reality of the world beyond the palace walls…if it were not for him, I’d still be blind to it all.”

Quynh sighed. “It’s not like you know who the Blue Spirit is.”

“No matter who he is underneath the mask, he’ll always be the Blue Spirit. He’ll always be the person who saved me,” you said, and then you slapped your hand over your mouth. “Uh-oh.”

“Uh-oh?” Quynh parroted. “Why are you saying that?”

“I just — I just accidentally quoted Jin!” you said. Quynh, who, being a bear spirit, was not exactly well-read, huffed at you.

“Am I meant to know who Jin is?” she said.

“She’s a character in The Mask of the Blue Spirit,” you said.

“Okay,” she said.

“That line is a part of the ending I detest! Have I become such a shallow person that I bear a resemblance to her of all characters? What will Lee think? It’s our greatest point of contention, that we do not agree on the ending, but if I’ve gone and adopted her worldview, then that means I do subconsciously like it!” you wailed.

Once more, Quynh began to laugh, nudging you and knocking you over, though she caught you in her other paw before you could hit the ground. Putting you back in your comfortable spot nestled against her fur, she continued to chuckle as she spoke.

“Quoting a single line does not mean you agree with everything a character has done,” she said. “And what does it matter to you what Lee thinks?”

“It just does,” you said. “It really matters to me.”

“Princess, I think that your dilemma is not a dilemma at all,” she said.

“Huh? Yes, it is!” you said.

“It’s not,” she said. “If you search within yourself, you will know the truth. Even in just this conversation, even without seeking it out, I have found it. And no one can know your heart better than you, so there is no reason that you cannot do the same.”

“I’ve been searching! But no answer has made itself apparent,” you said.

“Keep looking,” she said. “One day, it will. Until then, you needn’t decide anything. No one is forcing your hand.”

That was true. It wasn’t as if you were being threatened into a decision, into an acknowledgment. If your feelings really were the kind that Quynh was suggesting, then things would be spoiled, so you vowed to push them aside for now and focus on other, more pressing matters.

“That’s not the only subject that I have been mulling over recently. Quynh, do you think I would have made a better queen than Kuei is king?” you said. Her ears pricked, and her voice took on an alarmed cast when she responded.

“I know you don’t mean to be seditious, but the implication is there,” she said.

“Maybe it is seditious, but I still want your answer. The Earth Kingdom was built on your back; you’ve witnessed every monarch’s reign, every king’s rise and fall, every war and each bloody moment in the land’s history. No one would know better than you if I made the right decision all of those years ago,” you said.

“It’s not so simple,” she said. “Every king has inherited a different world than their predecessors. Some anre easier times than others, but all have their variances. Kuei is not a bad king, believe it or not. He is an uneducated one, an ignorant one, perhaps even an inept one, but he is not a bad one. He was one born to rule over a world at peace, one born to mature slowly and reign in old age, and he was given none of those considerations.”

“What about me?” you said.

“You are a princess who wants to love her people very much,” she said. “There’s always a place for that kind of royalty. However, there’s no saying what kind of ruler you would’ve been; the likelihood is that you would’ve been the same as your brother. Children are not meant to rule, dear girl. Remember it well; a boy should not be king any more than a crook should.”

You swallowed. “If only our father were still here. Things would be better.”

The father who you had never met, yet whose absence you mourned daily anew. If he were still alive, then would Ba Sing Se be as troubled as it had become under your brother’s command? You tried to imagine what kind of a man he would be. The 51st Earth King…you had read the stories and the songs until you had memorized them, but they were flimsy replacements for knowing him, for loving him.

You envied Kuei in that sense. He had met your parents. He had loved your parents and been loved by them in return. Neither of them had even known you long enough to love you. Were it not for Quynh and Kuei, you wouldn’t have been loved by anyone at all.

“They would be,” Quynh said. “But your father is gone, Y/N, and you cannot change the past. For better or for worse, your brother is the king.”

“Ba Sing Se is falling apart,” you said. “The great capital that you and Shan built is crumbling under Kuei’s control. The worst part is that he does not even know it, and he would not believe me if I told him! Isn’t it a sad twist? That I am the one with the knowledge but not the power, and he is the one who knows nothing yet has everything!”

“You are still a princess,” Quynh said. “Not a king nor a queen, but you are still the second-most powerful person in this kingdom. You are not as helpless as you are determined to believe yourself.”

“What can I do?” you said.

She angled her paw so that you slid off of it and onto your feet, and then she curled back up in her usual position. A door opened, one that must’ve led to Ba Sing Se, and she let out a gravelly exhale.

“If there is a problem, then you must understand it,” she said. “Only then can you begin to fix it. Do you understand what is happening in the city at present? In your own palace?”

“Not really,” you said. “Do you?”

“I do, but I also do not,” she said. “It’s an internal knowledge that I cannot explain to anyone else, but I am aware of it. Like an itch on my back which I cannot reach.”

“Spirit nonsense,” you said. “No matter. You’re right; even if Lee cannot tell me, there must be some way I can suss things out.”

“It’s a large city,” Quynh agreed. “There will be someone willing to help you. You only need to find them. As you found the Blue Spirit. As you found Lee.”

“Do you think I can?” you said.

“I think you can do a lot more than you are aware of,” she said. “You remind me of someone else. Someone I knew a very long time ago.”

“One of my ancestors?” you said.

“My own brother,” she said. “It has been ages upon ages since I saw him last. I thought that I could not quite recall his face anymore, but then I saw yours, and I knew that it had to be the same. I knew that he had come to be at my side again, however briefly.”

Her brother — Shan. The founder of the Earth Kingdom, who had against all odds taken a continent at war and turned it into a single nation that was united and powerful beyond even the wildest dreams of his contemporaries. What kind of equivalency was that? Who would think to compare you with the legendary first king?

You thought that Quynh’s passageway would lead you to the tea shop, as it usually did, but instead it spit you out in front of a building far too elegant to be in the Lower Ring. That meant you must’ve been in the Upper Ring, where the wealthier residents of Ba Sing Se stayed.

“Why am I here?” you muttered. Reading the sign hung above the door, you saw that the building was a girls’ poetry house. When you strained your ears, you heard the dulcet tones of recited haikus being whispered back and forth, though an unexpected addition made you pause. “That’s an awfully masculine sounding girl…”

All of a sudden, the door slammed open, and a man in a security uniform tossed out a boy clad in blue. Your eyes widened as he came flying at you, knocking you to the floor beneath him with the force of the guard’s throw.

“Aw, man,” the boy groaned. “I was just trying to show my appreciation for poetry — woah! When did you get here?”

His eyes were a bright, clear blue, though it was not the dark shade of the Blue Spirit’s mask, but rather a luminous, glittering color that pierced straight through you. For a moment, you thought that he must’ve known your every secret and intimacy — such was the depth of his gaze. But it only lasted for a moment, after which you remembered that there was no way he could’ve come to know it all just by looking at you.

“I was just passing by, and then that boorish security threw you at me!” you said. The boy leapt to his feet and offered you his hand, pulling you up when you took it and giving you a wide grin in return.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, shaking the hand he had already captured in his own vigorously. “I’m Sokka!”

“Y/N,” you said. He narrowed his eyes at you, leaning closer and scrutinizing you, an ordeal for which you stayed entirely still. Only when he was finally satisfied did he straighten, though he was still frowning slightly.

“That name is mighty familiar,” he said. “Have we met or something? I feel like I know you.”

“I…used to be in the circus?” you said, silently apologizing to Lee and Mushi for stealing their personal backgrounds for your cover story. “A very well-regarded one. I was, um, famous. For my acrobatics. That’s probably where you recognize me from.”

You hoped Mushi wouldn’t be upset that you had just appropriated his identity. It was the only one you could think of without the time to prepare in advance, and even then only because it was on your mind due to how absurd you had found it when Lee had mentioned it.

“We haven’t visited any circuses on our trip,” Sokka said. “So that can’t be it.”

“I’m a household name!” you said. “The main attractions tend to be, you know. Everyone across the Earth Kingdom knows who I am.”

This was actually not a lie. It would be difficult to find a single family who had not at least heard of you, but it wasn’t because of your nonexistent acrobatic prowess. Either way, it must have been convincing enough, as Sokka just shrugged it off.

“If you say so,” he said. “Can you do a cartwheel?”

“Not in a dress, I can’t,” you said. “Don’t be foolish. How would I possibly maneuver my limbs in that way with all of this fabric obstructing me?”

“Aw, I was really hoping you could show me how it’s done! I’ve always wanted to learn how to cartwheel,” Sokka said as the two of you began to walk away from the poetry house. He swung his arms by his sides as he walked, with a lackadaisical looseness you had never observed so closely before. Even Lee, Mushi, and the Blue Spirit had neat, contained manners to their gaits, each movement done with purpose, but Sokka was haphazard and almost unwieldy in his grace.

“If I were wearing pants, I might be able to demonstrate, but as it is, you’ll have to find another teacher,” you said.

“Wait! I have the best idea ever!” Sokka said. “You’re going to love this.”

You weren’t sure what you were expecting when he said that, but whatever it had been, it was not this. It did not come as a surprise that you did not love it; in fact, you were more befuddled than anything.

Sokka’s clothes did not by any means fit you properly, and the same could be said for your dress on his frame. He did not seem to mind, though, giving you a double-thumbs-up when he emerged from behind the wall where he had changed.

“You look great!” he said.

“I don’t know that I can say the same about you, but in the interest of being polite, I should like to tell you that you appear radiant at the moment,” you said.

“Why’re you speaking like you’re about to give a speech or something? Seriously, you Upper Ring folk are so weird,” he said.

“Aren’t you also one of the Upper Ring folk?” you said. “Considering I’ve met you here, you must be.”

“Nah, I’m just a visitor,” he said.

“But a very important one. Not everyone is lodged in the Upper Ring,” you said. Sokka blushed and waved you off.

“I know a guy or two,” he said. “No biggie, just another day in the life. But enough talking! Let’s get to cartwheeling. This is a moment I’ve dreamed of for a long time!”

“I hope you’ve been dreaming of being disappointed for equally as long,” you said.

“What’d you say?” he said.

“Nothing,” you said.

“Then what are we waiting for?” he said. “Show me how it’s done!”

There was a problem: you had no idea how to do a cartwheel. If only it were Mushi in your place! According to Lee, he was supremely flexible, and he had his circus training. As well, his patient and kind demeanor meant that he would be uniquely suited to being Sokka’s cartwheeling mentor. At any rate, he’d be better than you at the job, though that wasn’t really a high bar.

“Here goes nothing,” you said, taking a deep breath and raising your arms over your head. Trying to emulate what you had heard about the movement, you took a step forward and tried to push off with your back leg.

Somehow, it happened that your slipper came flying off, smacking Sokka in the face as you lost your balance and landed in a heap on the cobblestones of the street. Sokka shrieked as he, too, was knocked over, though through the dim awareness you had of the situation, you could not quite discern how a mere shoe had been enough to warrant that much of a reaction.

“I think you’re bad luck,” he said, rubbing his head. “No wonder you left the circus. I can’t believe they kept you around for as long as they did!”

“I’m out of practice,” you said, accepting the shoe he passed you and putting it back on. “Could I have my clothes back, perhaps? Or have you taken a liking to them? Because I do not think you wear green as well as I do.”

“Hey!”

Once you and he were back in your regular clothes, you readied yourself to wish Sokka farewell. You weren’t really sure what he was doing or why he was in the Upper Ring, but you thought it was safe to say that he was not the person Quynh was talking about, the one who would be willing to help you in solving the problems of your kingdom.

“I still can’t shake the feeling that you remind me of someone,” Sokka said.

“Do you have any siblings?” you said.

“A younger sister,” he said.

“It’s probably her. I’m a younger sister, too,” you said. “If you’re not an avid circus-goer, then that’s the only other option I can come up with.”

“That’s another thing! I’ve never heard of circus performers speaking so fancily,” he said.

“You said it yourself that you haven’t visited any circuses on your trip, so how would you know?” you said. “It’s a shame that you have these stereotypes in your head. You should do some introspection about where they originate from.”

“What — no, I’m not — that’s not what I meant! There’s just something about you that I’m this close to figuring out!” he said, holding up his thumb and pointer finger, pressing them together for effect.

“You’re not getting paid for it, so why waste the effort?” you said.

“I’m just a curious — duck!” he said.

“Duck? Do you mean a turtleduck? That’s an interesting way to describe yourself — oh!” you said as he pulled you to the ground and out of the way of an incoming boulder.

“Whose bad side did you get on, huh?” Sokka said, motioning for you to run along with him. It was nothing like when you and the Blue Spirit had fled from the assassin’s previous attack; you didn’t have that implicit trust in Sokka to protect you, and for his part, Sokka was just as panicked as you were, so all told it was a much less graceful exit as you charged through the streets of the Upper Ring.

“A bunch of assassins!” you said. “They’ve been chasing me on and off for weeks now.”

“Assassins?” Sokka wheezed out as you increased your pace. “Just what kind of acrobat were you?”

“One that made a lot of enemies — look out!” you said, jumping into the air to avoid the stone gloves that reached for your ankles. Missing their target, they slammed into the wall and burst into smithereens.

“We’re almost at our guest house!” Sokka said. “The others should be able to help us if we haven’t lost these freaks by then. We just have to reach there before getting, y’know, crushed!”

“That’d be ideal!” you said, covering your head with your hands as you rounded a corner. Sokka kicked the door to a luxurious villa down, shoving you in and then slamming it shut behind him, pressing his back to it as the three occupants of the home gave you both alarmed looks.

“Assassins — rocks — cartwheel instructor!” Sokka said, heaving for breath and pointing at you. You waved at the trio, who must’ve been the friends that Sokka was visiting Ba Sing Se with.

One was a beautiful girl who bore an uncanny resemblance to Sokka — indubitably, this was his sister, though unlike Sokka, her eyes swirled with something lively and unsettled, as if they were twin seas set in her sweet face. Beside her was another girl, this one with fine features like a lady but a rough aura like a wrestler, and on her right was a boy with the blue arrows of an Airbending master running along his body.

“You’re going to have to repeat that,” Sokka’s sister said. “What’s going on? Who is this?”

“My cartwheeling instructor,” Sokka said.

“In a manner of speaking,” you said. “I didn’t really teach him much.”

“You know how to cartwheel? I love cartwheeling!” the Airbender said.

“Why didn’t Sokka ask you to teach him, then?” you said. The boy shrugged.

“Dunno,” he said.

“We were in the middle of a lesson—” Sokka began.

“As I recall, we were about to part ways,” you interrupted. Sokka shushed you impatiently.

“Like I was saying, we were in the middle of a lesson when, out of nowhere, pow! There was a boulder flying at our heads, and then boom! We almost died from it!” he said. You decided to just be quiet and let him tell the story; he had a flair for dramatics that you could not hope to match.

“What? Why?” his sister said.

“No idea! She said that she’s been being chased by those assassins for a while now!” Sokka said.

“Did you bring a criminal into our house?” his sister said, arching a brow at you. “Are you a criminal?”

“Not as far as I know,” you said. “I suppose I’m not really meant to be out here, but it’s not against any significant law for me to be. It’s just a family rule I’ve broken.”

“You said that they’re assassins?” the younger of the two girls said. “There’s no way. I didn’t sense anyone coming near us except for you two and some of the Dai Li agents.”

“They must be super sneaky!” Sokka said. “Right, Y/N?”

“Hm, it might be,” you said, lost in thought at this suggestion. Though you had no idea what she meant when she said she had sensed the Dai Li’s presence, you also had no reason to think that the girl was lying. There were two things that that could mean if what she said was correct, and neither of them were options you wanted to be true.

“Sokka,” his sister said. It was then that you realized that she, the Airbender, and the other girl were staring at you. “What did you just call your new friend?”

“You’re right! I can’t believe I forgot to do introductions! Y/N, this is Aang, Toph, and my sister Katara. Everyone, this is Y/N,” Sokka said, pointing at everyone as he said their names.

“Hello,” you said. “It’s lovely to meet you all.”

“Sokka!” Katara said. “You dumb, idiotic genius! We’ve been trying to talk to the king for ages, and you just happened to meet his sister while out and about!”

“That’s where I knew your name from!” Sokka said. “Princess Y/N, duh. Wait! You’re Princess Y/N!”

“Um,” you said, swearing internally at the fact that you had not thought to come up with a new name to go along with your alter ego as an acrobat. “No, I’m not.”

“She’s lying,” Toph said. “I have seismic sense, so you can forget about trying to make things up, princess. I’ll be able to tell in an instant.”

“You don’t know how good it is to meet you!” Aang said. “We’ve been trying to talk to your brother for a while now, but it’s not been going well.”

“Why would you want to talk to Kuei?” you said before you could stop yourself, rolling your eyes at the mere thought of anyone actually desiring to speak with him. “He’s not the most stimulating conversationalist.”

“You’re Princess Y/N!” Sokka said again. “You’re the princess of the Earth Kingdom, and I made you wear my clothes and do cartwheels!”

“When you put it like that, it does sound like a grave offense,” you said. “Shall I have you executed for it?”

“No!” he said, falling to his knees and bowing. “Oh esteemed, valued, generous, kind, benevolent princess, please spare my life! Please please please please please please—”

“I was only joking,” you informed him.

“We have to speak to the Earth King,” Aang said. “Do you think you could get us an audience? It’s urgent. If it helps, tell him the Avatar is the one making the request.”

“You’re the Avatar?” you said. Aang nodded at you, his expression grave and at odds with his youthful countenance. “For some reason, I thought you’d be older.”

“He’s technically 112 years old,” Sokka piped up from where he was now supine on the floor by your feet. “So there’s that.”

“I see,” you said. “You look good for your age, then. My apologies for making assumptions.”

“It’s complicated,” Aang said. “Do you think you can help us, though?”

“We’re kind of at our wits’ ends,” Katara added.

“Those Earth Palace dolts are the next level of stupid,” Toph said. “It’s all a bunch of bureaucracy and rules. Blech.”

“I can’t guarantee it,” you said. “I’m sorry. I’m not even allowed to be here right now. You see, I’m forbidden to leave my chambers. It’s only through the power of a spirit named Quynh that I may enter and exit without detection — though, I’m beginning to doubt how true that part is, but that’s an issue for me to work through on my own time. I’ll do my best to help you all while I’m at it, but for the most part, my hands are tied.”

“Okay,” Katara said when it became obvious that the others were too disappointed to come up with a response. “There’s nothing more we can ask of you. Just — it’s really urgent. You have to mean it when you say you’ll do your best.”

“I do mean it,” you said. “But in case, is there any other message you’d like me to pass along?”

“There is a war,” Aang said. “He has to ignore everything that he’s been told and realize that. There’s a war going on, and without his support, we’re going to lose it.”

A war. Of course. It made so much sense. The refugees. The injuries. The state of Ba Sing Se. It all pointed towards a distant yet rapidly encroaching conflict. That was the problem. That was what you needed to understand, or at least begin with understanding — there were other things that the Avatar and his friends had accidentally or purposefully revealed, smaller details that you would pick at and dissect until their natural conclusions, but this was the main point.

Not yet, though. These were things best done in the harsh, inescapable brightness of day, and tonight’s twilight was already waning. Soon, it would be time for the daily lighting of the Firelight Fountain’s lanterns, and there was something else you wanted to do before that.

Blending into crowds when you could, creeping past checkpoints and keeping your head lowered to avoid detection, you snuck into the Lower Ring, making your way towards a certain place, Quynh’s words coming to mind all of a sudden.

He would be starting his evening shift soon. You could picture him putting his apron on, rolling up his sleeves and complaining to his uncle about how much he hated his job and how they deserved to be somewhere else — the circus, perhaps? You weren’t sure, for he never really elaborated, but that was because the alternative location was not as important as the dissatisfaction he felt.

Despite your best efforts to quash it for fear of looking like a fool — what normal person was so excited by the prospect of apologizing to the dourest boy born to humanity? — a smile formed on your face as you began to walk faster, towards the tea shop where you knew Lee would be waiting.

taglist (comment/send an ask/dm to be added): @rinisfruity14 @c4ttheart @blacky-rose @shizko @marsbars09 @happyplaidpersonfestival @catborglar @camilleverreault @nerdybouquetofkittens-blog @lovialy @heart4hees @stefnarda @ioonatv

[lisbeth-kk]

May Prompts

It's the day of the Fall in the Sherlock fandom...needless to say that today's prompt is fall...

The Luckiest Girl in the world (chapter 4)

Summary: Rosie starts to interact with her uncle in earnest, much to Sherlock and John's delight. Mycroft is not that amused...

Four Years Old

Shortly after our seaside visit, things were set in motion by the British Government, aka Mycroft Holmes. Papers were signed, and a few months before my fourth birthday, I was Sherlock’s legal daughter. My Papa. God, how I love him. Just as much as I love Dad. And the adoption came with more benefits. I got an uncle and two grandparents as well.

My uncle Myc, as I call him, which he wrinkled his nose at in the beginning, is a complex man. Like his younger brother, but also different. The walls around him are thicker and not as easily penetrable as Papa’s. Gaining access to Mycroft Holmes’s heart, is no easy feat. Only a handful of people have managed it, and I’m the last one in line. Walls can indeed fall.

Dad told me how Papa constantly bickered, argued and fought with his brother, but Dad knew there was love there. Uncle Myc did anything in his power to keep Papa safe, and later Dad and me.

When I started to really interact with my uncle, Papa apparently had the time of his life, because at the age of barely four, I had no idea who Mycroft Holmes really was, or what he was capable of. I just saw a pompous man, always dressed in a three-piece suit, and carrying an umbrella. The latter spurred my brain, not to mention my tongue, into action.

“Why do you always have that parasol with you?” I asked and pointed at his umbrella.

Papa rumbled and Dad chuckled. It was Papa who had told me the name of the item. 

“It’s an umbrella, Rosamund,” he said stiffly and glared daggers at his brother, fully knowing who had “taught” me the name.

I didn’t care what the damn thing was called, but stared stubbornly at him and waved a hand, as Papa used to do when he didn’t want to be troubled with trifles.

“Why?” I asked sternly, lifting my chin in challenge.

“Oh, John. That surely is the spitting image of what you looked like when you turned his offer down in that garage all those years ago,” I heard Papa say.

I had no idea what he was talking about, and didn’t bother asking, so I continued staring my uncle straight in the eyes, daring him to deny me an answer. 

“You got your stubbornness from your dad,” Papa always says.

Uncle Myc cleared his throat and sat down on the sofa, before he explained some nonsense, I didn’t believe for a second. How the British weather is unpredictable, that he sometimes needed it for support if his leg should, for some reason, give way. At that point Papa and Dad snorted in unison and I rolled my eyes. That got me a tiny hint of a smile. It probably reminded him of his brother when he was my age.

“When you’re old enough, I will take you to the shop that makes these, and let you choose your very own,” he offered in a tone that was supposed to be friendly, but his lack of training in that area, made it sound more like a threat.

***

“Did you see his face, John,” Papa laughed when everyone had left my birthday party.

Dad giggled and was almost unable to answer, clinging to Papa’s arm like it was the only thing preventing him from falling.

“I did! Please tell me he still got surveillance cameras in the flat,” Dad said breathlessly and looked up at Papa with a pleading expression.

Papa bent down and kissed his forehead, and whispered something I couldn’t discern. It clearly contained something sentimental, because Dad cupped Papa’s face and murmured “love you”, before they started laughing again.

The reason for this silly behaviour had everything to do with Nana’s gift. It was an umbrella. Light green, with yellow flowers, green plants, and a white bird with a large beak on the rim. That in itself, wasn’t what got my fathers into a fit of giggles, but rather my outburst after I’d thanked Nana for it.

“Look, uncle Myc! I got one too. Just like yours. “

Also available on AO3

Tags in the replies.

[eulaliasims]

Round 2, Hill Farm 1 / 8

Calm the fuck down, Elmet.

Actually, you know what, I finally found the one thing he and Eisu have in common:

His wants panel just looks like that, like, all the time.

Anyway, while Eisu is sleeping in, the rest of the household is taking care of things. Elmet may have made fish for breakfast, but he did make breakfast. No one said you have to break your fast with porridge or bread.

Drustan: Glamaer thinks babies are made by kissing.

Elmet: Uhhh, yeah, that's definitely how it works. That's why you gotta carefully choose who you wanna kiss when you're a grown-up.

Xiang: Are you filling my child's head with nonsense again, Elmet?

Elmet: Hey, you can explain it to him. This is so not in my job description as uncle. I'm supposed to give him obnoxious toys and teach him how to drink, not do the birds and the bees thing.

Drustan: Bees?!

After a not-at-all awkward breakfast, Xiang, Drustan, and Elmet headed over to the pond to go fishing, something Elmet quickly loses interest in, since he does it every dang night. Okay, maybe a little less often now that he visits Helenet at night...

There's a lot more people here during the day when I change the visitor controller restrictions!

One free therapy session for Elmet was quite enough for Norweni, thank you. This is so not in her job description either.

Looking badass while practicing archery, tho? Definitely in her job description.

After nightfall and his subsequent wolfing out, Elmet returns to the woods, which thankfully are a lot emptier. At least he's easily entertained.

Arturo: I take it you are the werewolf the little mortal was talking about.

Elmet: Ah! Jeez, don't sneak up on people like that! Wait, how did I not hear you? Wait—ooooooh, that's what Helenet was talking about. Huh.

[its-adeucen]

The once powerful eccentric guild Fairy Tail reduced to a laughing stock in the loss of their most powerful wizards, within their small numbers stands their last Dragon slayer–once one of four has now been reduced to the last. Hands dripping with ink, destruction left in their wake, uprooted trees and craters litter the ground. Scattered around sparsely, the bodies of bandits unconscious lay covered in ink.

“Ink Dragons Roar!” Inhaling deeply, your hands curl into a fist like shape–holding them up to your mouth, as if you were holding a flute–you inhale deeply before shooting out a bullet like wave of ink towards your opponent. The black coloured magic circle glowing brightly in front of you, and you watch as the bandit flies backwards.

Sighing, you throw yourselves backwards, splaying out on the cold grass beneath you. “Man, the reward for this won’t even make a dent in the guild rent…” Gazing up at the starry sky, you bit your lip before covering your eyes with your arm.

What am I supposed to do…The loss of your fellow guildmates hit you hard, there was no way your guild could keep afloat–that became obvious after the first few years–and after a while, people started to disappear. Guild members who used to ruffle your hair, give you tips on your technique, who would laugh and let you sit in while they played cards, who answered your nonsense questions. People you grew up around, started to leave. By the time you turned thirteen, your once renowned guild hall was reduced to a farmhouse and your family was barely keeping it together. Four years and still no sight of your lost members, you began to take on more and more—more jobs, more house work around the guild, more responsibility—three years later you stand as one of the guild top earners and it’s still not enough.

“Maybe if I pick up a few more odd jobs on my way back…” in the distance, you hear the sound of hooves hitting the ground and the rattling of carriage—the thought of a carriage, leaving you nauseous—groaning you resign yourself to getting up and cleaning the road before some angry merchant gets out and yells at you about road blockage. Just as you start to sit up, you are hit with a sudden feeling of vertigo, your vision starts to go black as you lose consciousness, back hitting the ground.

• You wake up in the coffin confused before resigning yourself to waiting, used to the ridiculous ‘adventures’ that come with being a Fairy Tail member, hoping that it would just be some Dark guild that you’d be able to pummel to the ground before going on your way–maybe grab a snack on your way back to the guild.

• Standing in a library at odds with a talking cat–not an eleceed at that–spitting fire at you, you know that your hope to just fight your way out of this and call it a day has been pulled right out of your hands and thrown into a blazing fire. Especially after some random crow man whips the cat up.

[ The nature of this one's soul is…how curious it appears as if there are two souls, one a childish offspring of the other. A roaring dragon and its child… fit for so many dorms, and yet, non at all–it would seem that this soul already belongs to another group there for, they are fit for No Dorm! ]

• Dorm? Soul? Did that mirror just call you childish?? Oh wait, the cats setting everything on fire. Watching as (nearly) everyone around you begins to run around like headless chickens, you step forward ready to cast a spell and take care of the cat before you find yourselves stumbling backwards–you haven’t eaten anything to replenish your magic yet.

• Soon enough the cats dealt with by a red head and a guy that smells strongly of seafood, everyone’s getting sent off, the bird man’s going to help you get back and what do you mean “What's Fiore!?!!??” You panic, pulling down the collar of the robe you’re wearing, showing your guild mark proudly displayed on the side of your neck only to be met with confusion.

Is this another world?? Is this another Edolas situation?? What am I gonna do?? Is there any way back??

• Later, when you’re lying on an old dusty bed with a flaming cat asleep by your head, in an old abandoned building that is infested with ghosts of all things, your heart skips a beat as you stare up at the crumbling ceiling. THE REWARD MONEY—

• The next morning, you’re presented with a dress shirt and some slacks—no blazer, on account of you being a janitor—and the bird man dodges any questions of pay or food before pushing you out of the house and onto the streets (more like walkways, really) of the school.

• Cleaning up was never your strong suit, considering the role models you had growing up, you’d even consider it the opposite of a strong suit. A Fairy Tail member cleaning up? as if.

• So when the flaming cat—Grim—torches the statue of some queen lady after being egged on by a random ginger, suddenly all feels right in the world.

• It feels even more right when you and your ragtag group of…whatever you all are, destroy an expensive chandler!

“What’s your name again? Juice or something??”

• Making it to the mines, you pick up Grim and begin to flail him around like a torch as you search for the Magic stone. Ace and Deuce bicker behind you and you feel a twinge of nostalgia hit you as you think back to Natsu and Grey.

• All this reminding is tossed aside in favour of running away from a giant monster in the mines, hurling attacks at you and the boys. There’s shouting and yelling before you stand your ground, instructing the boys and Grim to fight the monster.

• It’s only when you’re out of the mines and onto a field of grass, the monster's glass head shattered into a million pieces, the grass burnt, you notice the ink staining the ground. Bending down to dip a finger in it, you cautiously flick it with your tongue before your eyes widen.

What was that thing?

• You and Grim are enrolled into the school as one student—due to your ‘lack of magic’—and you are actually given a blazer, still no vest though, and a striped ribbon to use like an arm band. Grim looks at it and cackles, pointing towards his neck; “Look! We match, Henchmen!”

• Ace nudges at you with his elbow, jokingly calls you Prefect, before saying goodbye and heading off with Deuce. You smile as you wave the two off, finding the new friendship exciting.

• It’s less exciting when you throw your front door open at, way too early in the morning o’clock, to find Ace in his pyjamas, collar around his neck and a bag slung over his shoulder like a kid who’s just run away from home after a fight with his parents.

“Ace, why are you here at…whatever time it is.”

• School sucks, and Dormhead’s seem to suck even more seeing as thanks to Ace's rude interruption you weren’t able to sleep any longer. Sitting still was always, hard, not being able to move was like torture. Not being able to move while being forced to learn things was even worse.

• You barely managed to learn how to read from Erza, and that was traumatizing—you did not come out unscathed.

• Lunch is a godsend, finally some food—you barely managed to keep yourself from stealing and dismantling Deuces pen just for a quick little snack the class before. This too is horribly interrupted by another ginger as well as some green haired guy with glasses, giving you a run down on the school dorm.

• You tone it all out until you're shocked out of your thoughts by a shrill shout of,

“And You! Fix your shirt collar, and wear a tie that is horribly out of uniform—is, is that a tattoo!?”

• “Oh, I never noticed before…” Deuce mutters from your side, leaning in closer. “No way prefect, where’d you get someone willing to tattoo you so young?!” Ace also leans in, collar shining under the light.

• “I wanna know too, come on why don’t you tell upper class man Cay-Cay, I promise not to tell!” Ginger number two makes a motion to fake zip up his mouth as he stares at your neck. “I’m more curious as to what the tattoo means.” Glasses smiles at you, but he also leans in to look.

• Looking away as all the eyes stare at your neck, you place your hand over it to cover your guild mark as you laugh—trying to change the subject—before Redhead shouts something about tea and the subject it dropped completely.

• The week breezes by quickly, and before you know it, you’ve made some tarts, pissed off some guy with lion ears and a tail, got yelled at about said tarts, learned all about some magic history, alchemy and Redheads traumatic backstory.

• Finally, you stand and watch as Ace and Deuce try—and fail—to beat their Dormhead.

• And then you feel it.

Your heart jumps a beat, and the hairs on your neck stand up—the air changes, turns sharper as the feeling of bloodlust and anger fills the air. Your ears are ringing as you watch the Redhead warp and change, ink clinging onto his small form and a familiar bottle headed monster emerges up from behind him—people behind you gasp and run—you feel the Birdman grab your shoulder and shake you warning you to run as the monster behind the Dormhead lets out a roar before sending a wave of ink towards Ace.

“Prefect wait!—” There’s a shout behind you as you wrench yourself from the Headmaster's grip, throwing your body infront of Ace, taking the attack head on.

“No way…” Ace gapes from behind you, the attack disappearing, having been eaten by you. Licking your lips, you smile as you stare down Redhead, high on adrenaline—excitement rolls off you in waves—inhaling deeply, you go through the familiar motions of curling your hands into near fists.

“What are you doing!? Get out of there! You don’t have any magic—”

“Ink dragon…” The words leave your mouth easily, you plant your feet firmly on the ground as you lean back every so slightly before lurching forwards—a magic circle appearing in front of you. Magicless my ass.

Your lips curl into a smile as you shout out. “ROAR.”

I’m tired, and I picked this prompt from a wheel spinner—honestly, there were other options like KHR, KNY, Madoka, PJO and a few more on there so we’ll see if I ever go anywhere with those, maybe i’ll make another thing. (am open to suggestions for more ideas)

Originally, ‘Yuu’ was going to use Maker magic, like ‘Ice Make’ and the such but the idea of a cat companion was way funnier so dragon slayer it is! This isn’t proof read or anything so 🤷

ALSO i haven’t watched fairy tail since around the like, seventh grade and it’s been forever since I’ve seen the prologue of Twst

[storiesbyjes2g]

3.82 Birds of a feather

Mama came out of the party room, smiling warmly at us. She had probably been running around the restaurant all evening, being extra and making sure everything was in order for us. As always, she was dressed to the nines and looking amazing.

"You're not supposed to arrive early at your own celebration," she said.

"And let you take care of all of this by yourself? Nonsense," Sophia said.

I nodded in agreement.

"What she said."

Mama shook her head lovingly at us.

"You two are too cute. Your guests should start arriving soon. Get a drink. Enjoy yourselves. Don't do anything else!"

She scurried off to make sure the fountains had drink and all the heat lamps were working. I wasn't sure why I didn't consider it might snow when I suggested a patio party in the dead of winter. Guess I've officially lived in Oasis Springs too long.

I drew my attention back to my gorgeous fiancée, who was beaming at me. I got to spend the rest of my life with her. How did I get so lucky?

"Let's dance," she said.

I knew there was music playing somewhere, but I could barely hear it.

"Here? Right now?"

"Yeah! Why not?"

I shrugged and cradled the small of her back. If my lady wanted to dance, we dance. We swayed back and forth, and she grinned at me the entire time. I knew she was eager to get married, but I think that was the first time I could clearly see her brimming with excitement. The curtain of snow behind us was the perfect backdrop for the short-lived romantic moment.

"You guys started without us," Dub said.

We broke away from each other, semi-embarrassed.

"I was just about to do my special move," I said.

Sophia's head jerked back in disbelief.

"You have special moves now? This I have to see! Can you guys come back later?"

We all shared a laugh.

"So you're Sophia," Dub said. "It's great to meet the woman this guy won't shut up about."

"Oh, you mean like you can't shut up about Maia?"

"Yeah...you're right."

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Luca," Maia said. "He talks about you a lot too."

Maia was absolutely stunning. Her eyes... They drew you in, and it was clear why Dub was so twisted up when we met. But it wasn't just her beauty. She was poised and had a comforting vibe. I could tell she was a quiet force to reckon with, and I was so glad they were finally together. Maybe one day soon Sophia and I would be dancing at their wedding.

"The pleasure is all mine," I said.

My friend Justin slipped into the middle of the group. I hadn't seen him since we ran into each at the romance festival, but we communicated a few times a week on Social Bunny. We didn't connect on a deep level, but I enjoyed chatting with him and didn't hesitate to extend an invitation.

"Excuse me," he said. "Sorry to interrupt. I probably can't stay the whole time, so I just wanted to come congratulate you before it gets too crazy."

"Thanks, Justin. I appreciate that. And thanks for coming!"

"No doubt. No doubt. I'll get out your way and let you finish."

He could have stayed and got to know Dub, Maia, and Sophia, but he left just as quickly as he arrived. I guess it would have been a bit weird to stick around, especially when he interrupted us. Sophia seized the opportunity to chat with Maia.

"I love your dress," she said.

"Oh, thank you. I love yours too."

Dub and I watched as our ladies felt each other out. I didn't doubt he was as happy as I was that they seemed to like each other.

"You wanna grab a drink with me?" Sophia asked. "We can leave our boys to bask in their bromance, or whatever."

Maia laughed.

"Sure, let's go."

But before they could leave, Chi Chi sashayed her way into the conversation, looking as fine as ever. Why was literally EVERY woman in my life insanely attractive?? All of them! Was it normal to have so many good-looking friends?

"You must be Sophia," she said. "Wowee! I see why this guy dropped everything and ran to Oasis Springs. You are breathtaking!"

Sophia's cheeks reddened, and she flashed a nervous smile.

"Uhh...thanks."

"I'm Chi Chi, by the way. I'm very happy to finally meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," Sophia said.

When Chi Chi finally took her eyes off Sophia and noticed Dub and Maia, her entire demeanor changed.

"And who is this?" she asked, looking at Maia. "Are you two together? Because if you're not, I think I just might try girls next!"

Dub's eyebrow went up, but Maia maintained her smile, though it seemed forced. Luckily, Maira hopped in and saved us from the awkwardness.

"Congratulations, my friiiiieeeeennnnnd!"

"Thanks, Maira. Come join us. Let's all sit over there."

I brought the party over to the sofas so we could chill and chat more comfortably.

Dub and Maia by @mysimsloveaffair

[versegm]

There are few things in this world that can genuinely surprise Morgan. It comes with living for so long, she supposes; when you’ve seen so many things, it’s hard not to feel a deja vue about everything. Even her own death, while unfortunate, had not been surprising. Morgan had always known that passing away peacefully was not an option for her.

Still, it seems that she has not grown fully immune to bafflement. “Come again?”

Sir Kyrielight swallows hard. She’s beet-red, wringing her hands nervously. Still, she does not break eye contact. “I said I love you.”

The sentence does not make any more sense the second time around. Morgan rotates it in her brain, tears it apart. I. This one is easy; it refers to Mash, the speaker. Love. An action and an emotion all at once- the thing Mash is presumably doing, or feeling. You. Morgan is the only one in the room. It can only refer to her.

I love you. Three words that do not fit together. One of them has to be wrong, surely. Misheard or misunderstood. If Mash loves someone, it certainly cannot be Morgan- cannot be this wretched witch willing to burn the world down for her goals. If Morgan is loved, it certainly cannot be by Mash- this knight of virtue and courage who stands by the human order. And if Mash and Morgan have anything between the two of them, it certainly cannot be love. Hate, perhaps. Comfort, if one is generous. But love? Love. Love. L, o, v, e. Barely even a word. Just four letters stacked together. A simple sound with no meaning. 

“As a… friend?” While still odd, this would make more sense than what Morgan initially interpreted. Yes, this must be what Sir Kyrielight had meant; that she held fondness for Morgan, and wanted to make it known.

Except, no. The knight shakes her head. “No. Romantically.”

And now Morgan is back to square one. “... Sir Kyrielight, are you certain you are not mistaken? Emotions can be hard to tell apart. You could not be blamed for mixing them up.”

She meant for her words to be comforting, but Sir Kyrielight’s gaze turns into a glare. While Morgan is not unaccustomed to the knight’s anger, she doesn’t recall ever seeing it directed towards her.

“ Queen of Winter, ” Morgan always takes care to use proper titles when addressing others. It’s only polite. Yet, somehow, having Mash refer to her by her title feels… uncomfortable. “You can reject me. You can ignore me. You can pretend I never said anything. But I will not allow you to deny my feelings.”

She walks up to Morgan. Sir Kyrielight is a full head shorter than her; but right now, back straight, fury in her eyes, that does not make her any less imposing. “I love you. Deal with it however you want, but that, that’s a fact.”

*****

“You told her what?! ”

Slowly, Morgan sets down her teacup. “It seemed like a logical conclusion at the time.”

“You and your logic.” Habetrot rolls her eyes, crossing her arms. “Morgan, listen to me. Love is an emotion. By definition, it is not rational. If Mash loves you, it’s not for something as simple as the sum of your parts. It’s because you’re you.”

Nonsense. Emotions may not be rational, but they’re still somewhat grounded in reality. What could there possibly be in Morgan that could inspire love? “I know not what to do with her love.”

“You don’t have to do anything with it.”Habetrot sighs. “It’s easy. If you love her back, tell her so, and the two of you can become merry brides together. If you don’t, tell her so, and she will nurse her broken heart on her own. You only really got two options here.”

Fair enough. “How do I know if I love her, then?”

Slowly, very slowly, Habetrot blinks.

“... Love,” she articulates carefully, as if talking to a child, “is an emotion. It’s something close to joy. When a bride gets close to her chosen groom, she gets so happy there are stars in her eyes. It’s a fire inside the soul, fluttering like birds inside one’s belly.”

… That seems a bit dramatic. Can emotions truly be so intense? Morgan has her doubts.

“So. Do you love her?”

Morgan thinks. She thinks hard. “... She makes me very happy.” She doesn’t know if this is love- but if nothing else, that part, she’s sure of.

Habetrot pinches the bridge of her nose. “Okay, this isn’t working. Let’s try something else.”

*****

“- and she sent me to you.”

Sir Barghest pauses, midway through stirring her stew. “To… explain love to you?”

Morgan nods. “Indeed. You are the most knowledgeable on that subject.”

“Your faith in me flatters me, your majesty.” The knight turns back to her stew. “Love is… a want. A hunger, of sorts. When you love someone, you want to be with them. The want can be more specific- wanting to kiss them, or make love to them- but generally speaking you just… want them.”

She reaches out to grab some spices. She does not look at Morgan. “It can be a terrible thing. Sometimes you want someone so badly you want to devour them. Sometimes love reduces you to something lower than an animal.”

She sprinkles some ginger in the broth. “But sometimes… love is what prompts you to become a better person. You want to be worthy of the person you love. You want to be good enough for them. And that part is wonderful, I believe.”

Hm. An interesting perspective. “Is it worth it? To love someone when you know you can very well be their doom?”

“Yes.” Sir Barghest does not hesitate even a second. “It is worth it. It has to be worth it. What would be, otherwise?”

If Sir Gawain of Many Lovers is saying it- then there must be some wisdom in that statement, even if Morgan doubts it.

Sir Barghest pauses once more, for a couple seconds. Then she turns to look at Morgan. “Your majesty,” she asks carefully, “what do you want?”

What does she want? She wants to spend more time with Sir Kyrielight, that much is undeniable. If she thinks more about it- she would be amenable to physical affection, even. Sir Kyrielight had hugged her a couple times, it had left her skin tingly all over for hours. Morgan can’t imagine what a kiss would do to her.

But… for all the things Morgan can and will do, she does not believe she is capable of change. She’d tried, she really did- tried to be a savior, tried to be the kind one, tried to be the helpful one. She couldn’t. Her role is that of a witch, and nothing, no one- not herself, not Totrot, not (Ma-) (Fairy knight Ga-) (her frien-) Uther could change that. Morgan’s desires weigh little in the matter. Sir Kyrielight can not make Morgan better than she is. Remains the question of whether Morgan is capable of becoming worse.

*****

“So, Mash is in love with you, and you’re in love with her, but you’re worried about dragging her down?”

Morgan quirks up an eyebrow. “I did not say that. I am unsure as to whether I love her or not.”

Her spouse makes a strange face. Whatever emotion this is meant to convey, she cannot figure it out. “... Anyways. I don’t really see why you worry so much. Mash wouldn’t have confessed to you if she didn’t think she could handle you.”

“Sir Kyrielight is a virtuous person. She would offer a second chance to anyone claiming to want one. It is possible she has not yet realized that I am not a person who can be saved.”

Fujimaru frowns. “You think her naive.”

“I did not say that.”

“Kind of the vibe you’re giving off here though.”

“ I did not say that. ” Ah, now is a feeling Morgan recognizes- she’s irritated. “I, more than anyone else,know the things Sir Kyrielight has endured. I am well aware that she’s witnessed humane horrors the likes of which can never be put into words. I am merely worried that she might not realize these awful things can apply to me as well.”

Her spouse doesn’t reply immediately. For a few seconds, they only stare, before folding their hands under their chin. “What is love to you?”

Morgan has no idea. Her love for Britain overpowered everything else. She does not know what it means to love a person- if that’s something she has ever experienced in the first place. “I am told it’s a feeling, or a desire.”

Fujimaru makes a noncommittal noise. “That is true. However, I would like to offer you another point of view: love is an action.”

That is a widely different definition indeed. “Elaborate.”

“ Love is a verb, first and foremost. It’s the act of looking at someone. I don’t mean with your eyes. I mean truly looking at someone. Seeing them for everything they are- the good and the bad, the flaws and the virtues, the beautiful bits and the ugly ones. It’s the act of acknowledging someone’s whole self, including the parts that are inconvenient to you, and refusing to flinch.”

“You believe love to be the act of unconditional acceptance?”

“Essentially.” Huh. How very in character of them. “When Mash says she loves you, I don’t think she believes you to be pristine clean. I think she believes you worthy of staining her hands.”

“This seems mildly worrying.”

“And who are you to dictate her choices? You’re not her queen.” That statement hurts more than Morgan thought it would, though she would be incapable to spell out why it does. “She made her choice. She chose you. You can’t deny her that. All you can do is make your own choice: do you want to take her hand?”

“There is little risk in doing so.” If Morgan is everything that is evil in this world, then Sir Kyrielight is easily all that is good in this world. If such a thing as a savior can truly exist, then this is what Sir Kyrielight is.

“You think so? She makes mistakes too, you know. She’s quite soft-hearted. She hates fighting. That makes some decisions very difficult for her. Can you accept that? And if you do: can you accept that you will see her getting hurt over this, and you will not be able to help her?”

“Obviously.” The words tumble out of Morgan’s mouth by themselves. “None of these are flaws. Why wouldn’t I be willing to smear her blood on my hands?”

Her spouse smiles. “And you say you’re unsure if you love her back.”

… Ah.

“Apologies.” Morgan gets up suddenly, straightening her dress. “It seems like I need to have a conversation with Sir Kyrielight, and it cannot wait.”

The last thing she hears as she crosses the doorstep is “sweep her off her feet!”

*****

Morgan finds Sir Kyrielight inside her room. Rather predictably, in fact- and it’s a wonder that it took Morgan so long to realize that most people do not have her schedule memorized.

“Sir Kyrielight.” She says, standing in the doorway. “Mash. We need to talk.”

She startles when Morgan uses her first name. How cute. Still, Morgan cannot let herself be distracted now. She walks through the room to sit next to Mash. “I have done a lot of thinking.”

“Ah.” Sir Ky- Mash casts her gaze down. “Come to reject me, then?”

Morgan allows herself a huff of irritation. “Do not put words inside my mouth. When I am done, you may take back your confession, you may chase me out of your room, but I will not allow you to misinterpret my words.”

She extends a hand to set it on top of Mash’s. The knight jolts, but does not take her hand away. Hopefully, this is a good sign.

“I am somewhat… disconnected, from my emotions.” She brings Mash’s hand to her chest. “My heart is that of a witch. It curses panhuman history. It is cold as the winters of my long-gone Britain.”

Her free hand reaches out to cup Mash’s face. “But it’s yours, shall you accept it.”

There is a single second of silence following her statement, Mash staring at her with wide eyes- and then the knight suddenly collides with her chest, wrapping both arms around her. “Of course I’ll take it. I’ll take everything you are willing to give me.”

Warmth spreads under Morgan’s skin. Softly, she returns the embrace. “It is most unwise of you… but most welcome, nonetheless.”

“I don’t care. I’ve been wise for too long. This is me being selfish. I want you, all of you. I don’t care if it’s rotten in here. I want you down to the marrow.”

With that phrasing, it almost sounds like cannibalism. Is this what Sir Barghest meant? When she said love could turn one into an animal? (Did her lovers feel as flattered as Morgan is? To know that there is someone out there who would rather cram her inside their ribcage than letting her go?)

“There is much I am willing to give.” With no Britain left to protect, no duty to uphold- Morgan now belongs to the stranger that is herself. She can afford to give things away. “But for now… perhaps your hand in mine?”

Mash tilts her head up, staring straight at Morgan. She’s crying, Morgan realizes. She’s smiling too, though. “Yes… yes, that would be nice.”

[emmy-dekarios-bg3]

Heart of the Weave: Part 3

Chapter 16 - Emmy's Perspective (featuring @darcydekarios and @thelittlesorceressbg3 )

(you can find my series on AO3! -> HEART OF THE WEAVE)

“Mmmmfff….” I groan as Gale shakes me awake, my mind still in a state of unconsciousness and my eyes heavy from the interrupted slumber. “Whaaaaat?”

 “My love, we are supposed to meet our new friends and my clones at the beach, remember?” I feel like I'm still dreaming, because that entire sentence made zero sense to me. 

 “It's too early for you to say nonsense that makes me feel like I'm in a fever dream…” Gale sighs, but a heavy laugh follows suit. “Wait. Darcy!” I can almost hear Gale facepalming himself; I'm so lucky I married a patient man. 

 “Yes, that's who I'm talking about, you sleepy thing. The babies are with Neeve and Maddox for the morning, I already dropped them off. You know our daughter; always up before the sun even has a chance to shine.” I scoff as I roll off the bed. Oof.  “Love! Baby, are you okay?”

 “I'm immortal, I'm perfectly fine.”

 “Just because you're immortal doesn't mean you can't get hurt, even if it's for half a second.”

 “Fair point. Good lord, I'm cranky. Is there coffee–”

 “I already have a cup made for you. I anticipated that something like this would occur.” Maybe someday I'll be able to sleep in; but I smile at the gesture, standing up slowly from the ground. I'm wearing nothing but panties and Gale’s purple night shirt that I can rightfully say is mine now. 

After rushing to get properly dressed and a long ride on the carriage to the Waterdeep Beach, we finally meet up with Darcy and Waverly; I'm excited to get acquainted with them! Waverly is also a half-elf, just like Darcy and I, with long blonde hair with caramel highlights. Her eyes, like Darcy’s, are a beautiful shade of honey brown that stand out exquisitely under the morning sun. 

“I'm Gale from Waterdeep. Charmed,” all of our Gale’s say to one another simultaneously as they all glance around in confusion, trying to figure out whose hand to shake first. Waverly, Darcy, and I all exchange a very puzzled glance as we watch the awkwardness unfold in front of our very eyes. Waverly clears her throat and smiles, her eyes shifting to me. 

“Emmy, is it? Well met. I'm Waverly, a fellow sorceress. It's funny to meet yet another half-elf who is married to a Gale in an alternate universe.” I laugh nervously for a moment, shrugging in agreement. 

 “Couldn't have said it better myself. I do want to know how you both ended up on this…plane? It's so strange this happened not once but twice.” Waverly and Darcy sit down on the quilts while our Gales partake in conversation I'm not sure I want to know about. She opens up the basket and hands me a delicious homemade breakfast treat of some sort. 

 “I…got curious and…jumped through a portal. Damn curiosity. It gets the best of us sometimes, huh?” Before she could say another word, one of the Gales – I'm pretty sure it was mine – begins squawking like a loud bird of sorts. “Ugh, sorry, Emmy. Wild magic can be quite the heathen. I unintentionally turned your husband into a pelican.” Darcy and I both bust up in uncontrollable laughter as she turns him back into his human self. 

“Hey, I'm always down to have new friends. I hope you all visit more often. If you can manage it, that is,” I say as I begin devouring the delicious food Waverly provided. 

 “I'm always in this realm when I get bored with mine. Besides, Em, you said you need assistance with another birth?” Darcy inquires as she smiles at me, her long crimson hair shining like nothing I've ever seen before. She reminds me of a mermaid. 

 “Wait, you're having a baby?!” Waverly chimes in with pure ecstacy, and I begin to laugh. 

 “Oh hell no, I'm done having kids. My brother Fanden is the one expecting a baby. First time dad with no clue on what to do.” I explain the situation with Minthara, a little bit about my brother’s past, how he's trying to be his best self and a great dad. I didn't go into every little detail, but I tried to be as informative as I could to kind of paint a picture for them. 

 “Oh how exciting! We should throw him a baby shower!” Waverly adds, looking only at the positive in the pickle of a situation. Her energy is contagious. 

  “Wait, for real? You would want–”

  “Yes.” I can't complain about that, I'm sure Fanden would be thrilled. “Except, men don't really have baby showers. They do like, diaper parties and stuff. It's weird. But regardless, I would be honored to partake in this event, just keep me in the loop!”

  “And Emmy, I would be honored to birth his baby. I was hoping to be involved in something soon, my kids are practically grown and I've been like…bored as hell. So thank you for giving me another opportunity to see more babies.” I smile with gratitude, feeling a sort of warmness in my heart as my new friends shower me with kindness. Out of nowhere, I hear more squawks from the group of Gales in the distance: 

 “SQUAAAAWK!”

 Darcy, Waverly, and I turn our heads, noticing our husbands have all been polymorphed into a group of pelicans. Waverly grits her teeth in embarrassment. 

 “Ha…oops.”

[satureja13]

Saiwa finally modified the Circuit Board from Arturo. It's compatible with the Astromech now and ready for testing. That was about time. Arturo promised them this board would help them through this. Sai can't wait to finally get all their problems fixed! Ji Ho is moving the chairs aside to make some space. And Sai calls Jack. Saiwa: "Jack! Come over and bring your little friend!" ... Saiwa: "Not Logan! The tin can!" Jack: "Don't call him like this :'( " Saiwa sighs: "Ok, bring Tiny Can then..." (The glances from Adriano and Little Goat ^^')

Jack: "Now you're glad we took him with us all the way from Selvadorada, right?" Saiwa: "Maybe ;) "

It works! But - that wasn't what Saiwa expected...

Saiwa: "Are you kidding me? A Therapy AI? How is this supposed to solve our problems? No one is mental here!" Jack and Ji Ho: "..."

And that was when Saiwa had a complete breakdown. All the months under extreme pressure take their toll now.

Vlad sensed over the Bond that something was wrong and came over. Sai was still screaming.

Vlad: "Ji Ho and I call the horses. We'll bring him away for a while." Jack: "We can't bring Sai to the temple. He will kill Arturo ö.Ö' " Vlad: "There is another place... get ready and pack for a few days."

They brought Saiwa to the bathroom to get ready and pack his stuff. And then he saw the birds 🐦 on the wallpaper... And he freaked out again.

Jack: "Sai, get up. We're leaving. You'll be fine, hm? We're there for you." Saiwa sobs: "We finally have a home now and can be together without the council on our heels. But the struggles just don't stop. It just goes on and on and on..."

Sai: "I can't do this anymore." Jack: "You don't have to. We are going to take a break. Come." Jack tries to remain strong for Saiwa. But he's right. For one step forward they take 7 steps back. It never gets better.

Ji Ho and Vlad had saddled the horses in the meantime and then they left.

Letting Saiwa go without being able to help him was the hardest thing Jeb ever had to do. But the others are right. There's nothing he can do for him now. Being near him would only make it worse for Saiwa. And Kiyoshi felt guilty. Had they only left him in the tree. It's all his fault. They'd be better off without him but they are forced to stay here together.

Outtakes

'Talk to me straight, is it like this between friends? Saying let’s date, are my qualifications or charm not enough? When I stop this tsundere lifestyle and come at you, you You throw a breaking ball as if you mean something You plead the right to remain silent I beat the drum and jang-gu (=The most widely used drum used in the traditional music of Korea) by myself I think I know but then I don’t, you’re a nonsense quiz Reveal your sincerity

Mental breaker Mental breaker For a moment my fluttering gets flooded by huge confusion' (Original lyrics are in Korean)

Mental Breaker - Block B (Link above leads to a weird unofficial MV of this (also weird) song) TMI: Block B is the group the real Ji Ho (Zico) is in. It's still easily my favourite kpop group and this is one of my favourite songs of them. (It's been my wake up song for years! hahaha)

This is the beginning of the new chapter 'Therapy Game'! I went through some of the experiences they'll make myself (and still do), so this will be an insightful and healing chapter for me. And a therapy too, as so often :3 Try to remember: You are not alone. Don't give up and keep on looking for things and people that/who can (and will!) help you <3 Saiwa and Jack do not see it now but even if you think you only make tiny steps forward and huge steps back, you do make progress. Try to look farther back. Like a year. Then you'll see it.

TMI: 'Therapy Game' is also the name of a BL manga series I enjoy 💞

From the Beginning  ~  Underwater Love ~  Latest 🛺 'Home happy Home' from the beginning ▶️ here 📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 17-22 ~ 23-28

[writebackatya]

Wip Preview!

Once again I’ve caught the writing bug. And once again I’m just too excited about what I’m writing so I thought I’d share a little bit

So come on! Come get your pre-canon Spear of Selene angst! All though this part ain’t too angsty. And this hasn’t been beta read and still a work in process so it ain’t final

Also in case you couldn’t tell, I love writing for Duckworth:

***********************************************

“LOOK OUT BELOW!”

After hearing the inane shouting of Della, Bradford let out a quiet exasperated sigh; which was then followed by a rather loud startled gasp as the buzzard spotted the duck sliding down the stairs, using a shield as her personal board.

“Ah! Bradford?!” Della then swung her body into the direction away from the buzzard, causing the duck to wipe out off her board but away from Bradford.

“Umph!” Della grunted as her face made contact to the ground. She then quickly looked up to greet her guest.

“Bradford.”

DONK

The shield that Della was using as a stairboard landed on top of the duck’s head.

After the shield fell off her head, Della got up onto her feet, “I mean, Mr. Buzzard. Sorry, I thought you were Donald! He’s coming back home today and well you how siblings can get, right?”

“…No. I do not.” Bradford answered, “and yes, your uncle did tell me that your brother would be arriving sometime today.”

“Yeah! He’s going to meet the kids for the first time!”

“Yes, he also did mention your unexpected pregnancy.”

“Heh, yeah.” Della rubbed her head as she awkwardly picked up the shield from the ground. “Well I’m past that part, now all I gotta do is sit on them till their ready. So far, I think I’m handling things well. But let me tell yeah, pushing those three out was a whole another story. You ever push out-, never mind…”

“I see…and do you at least know who the father is?”

“Some asshole I hope I never see again.” Della chuckled which became rather awkward when she noticed the unamused look on the buzzard’s face. “I uh, suppose you’re here to see Uncle Scrooge?”

“Uh, yes.” Bradford cleared his throat and then look passed Della. “Does he know that I’m here?”

“Oh keep your shirt on, Bradford I’m right here.” Scrooge said as he made his way down the stairs.

“Augh, Della,” Scrooge sighed. “Did you just go surfing down the stairs while we have company?”

“Uncle Scrooge, I did not know, I thought he was Donald.”

“That’s not the point lass, I don’t want ya treating my house like it’s a skate park.”

“Oh come on, I was just having some harmless fun” Della explained as she once again rubbed the bump on her head, “our guest is fine and King Arthur’s shield is perfectly intact.”

“Della, please put it back where you found it.”

“I was gonna,” Della assured her uncle as she awkwardly backed away from the two older birds, “Anyway, I’ll leave you two alone so you can talk about business. Woo! Business. Heh, yeah…”

“Yes, thank you Della.”

“No problem, Uncle Scrooge. I’ll just, uh, be in my room till Donnie gets here.”

As Della made her way up the stairs she hissed to her uncle’s passing butler. “Thanks for the heads up, Duckworth.”

“I’ll be sure to speak faster next time, Della.” Duckworth remarked before joining Scrooge by his side.

“Now Bradford,” Scrooge began when Della had left the area, “I thought we agreed that you’d come over after noon, my nephew should be here soon.”

“Oh, right.” Bradford cleared his throat. “Sorry, I must’ve mixed the times up I can come back if you’d like.”

“Perhaps you can get yourself a personal planner,” Duckworth suggested getting a glare from the buzzard, “I find those to be quite useful when I organize my day.”

“Nonsense, Bradford. There’s no point in you leaving when you came all this way, I’ll have plenty of time for Donald later. Duckworth that’ll be all for now.”

“I’ll be taking care of young Della’s nasty bump if you need me, Scrooge. Mr. Buzzard.” And with that said, Duckworth left the two businessmen alone.

[alchemiclee]

people always wonder why I don't read for fun. I have a few reasons:

slow. you know how some articles tell you how long of a read it will be? I just read one that says "less than a 5 minute read" and you know how long it took me? a little over 15.....this was a distraction-free read. i'm just extremely slow.

speaking of distractions. from inside and outside, they are everywhere. i'll either stop reading completely and not realize until who-knows-how-long later, (I have 100 unfinished tabs open on my web browser i started reading at some point...) or i'll be reading words, but my mind is elsewhere. so I need to reread it because I forgot everything immediately or didn't process anything at all.

dyslexia. reading comprehension isn't my strongest skill. often, things don't make sense when I read them, so I must reread. sometimes more than one or twice. sometimes I can reread the same sentence 5 times and its different every time. brain likes to mix things up to keep it fresh, at the cost of it making any sense at all. eventually I can get there, but at what cost.....

sleepy. when I try to read for a long time (which isn't that long tbh,) the processing my brain has to go through—deciphering dyslexic jumbled up nonsense, trying to concentrate and not letting distractions pull me away, in general trying to understanding what i'm reading—I get very sleepy. it's exhausting. the whole process of reading for me is so exhausting. the concentration it takes is too much for my brain so it literally shuts down and gives up. at least that's why I think I fall asleep every time I try read anything that's longer than this post (though sometimes even this much is enough to make me fall asleep). I have no control over when my brain decides it's time to fall asleep.

visualizing. i've always been extremely envious of everyone who likes to read. you can all see what you're reading in your heads as if you're watching a movie. when I learned people can do that, I got so shocked and jealous. it always confused me when people would hate on movies because it "doesn't look how they imagined" while i'd rather see the movie because it shows me how things are supposed to look. I would enjoy reading too if I saw more than words on a paper! I can get the general concept, like I know what a tree and a bird nest are. if a story says "the heavy wind knocked a bird nest out of the tree beside me" I won't see it happen in my head, but I know what it means.

processing. while having to deal with all this above, it can lead to me lacking the necessary skills to even process what i'm reading. if i'm reading a research paper or textbook, most of it can go over my head and i won't understand most of it. the words are too jumbled together, there's too many, and they aren't simple enough to quickly make sense of them individually. the boredom from the subject might also affect processing ability if it's something I don't care about, like school textbooks. if i'm reading a story, I might get the general idea of what's happening, but I will miss all the deeper details and hidden meanings. i'll hear/see people talk about something from a story that I never caught. it's like they're enjoying a secret they found in the pages that I never got access to. everyone else enjoys stories so much more than me, because they're doing it in such a different way. i feel very left out because I know i'll be missing out on a lot of the story.

people used to (and still do) always shame me for choosing to not read or not enjoying it. but if you had all these conditions applied to you, would you still enjoy reading? or would the struggle not be worth it? I do know some people can have one or more of these problems and still enjoy reading. i've met them and they have shamed me because they "have these problems and still read and enjoy it anyway." i've recently been trying out audiobooks. this is ever so slightly easier than reading, but still comes with some of the same issues as well as its own, such as my auditory processing disorder. this is basically the audio version of my dyslexia.

in the end, I still need a visual. I listened to an audio version of tgcf, for example, and then watched the donghua. suddenly, things I heard in the audio version made sense because I saw them for the first time! most of what I was hearing didn't make much sense because I can't simply "see it in my head" like everyone else. so watching the movie/show adaptation is better for me, even if it's not "good" or the best option. my preferred reading material is comics. it has both reading and visuals. if you want me to read something with you, present me with a comic/manga!

[fortune-maiden]

Pleeease can I have more of the TGCF Cyrano (but not really Cyrano) AU? 🥺🙏

ANON I LOVE YOU! THIS ASK LITERALLY MADE MY ENTIRE DAY!

And also got some words flowing!

pei ming briefly turned into wombat in the beginning there whoops

-

There were few things in Heaven that could escape Pei Ming’s notice.

No, that was a lie.

There were, in fact, a great many number of things that regularly escaped Pei Ming’s notice. They simply weren’t important things in his opinion. Pei Ming knew the value of information and kept an ear to the ground and the communication array at all times, but he wasn’t interested in petty gossip and the daily lives of heavenly officials.

(Unless those heavenly officials happened to be women, in which case he was very interested, so that he could be at the right place at the right time when they inevitably sought him out.)

Pei Ming was the god of love, so it was only natural that there would be one topic above all others that would warrant his attention.

That’s right – He was here to love and be loved! Embrace love and spread love!

Pei Ming was here to romance women and play matchmaker.

And he was very-temporarily out of women.

“You’re wrong,” Shi Wudu said with a sigh.

“I’m never wrong. Not about this.” Pei Ming’s grin took up most of his face. His arm sat comfortably on Shi Wudu’s shoulder. It wasn’t supposed to be there, but no amount of smacking it with a fan could see it removed.

“I know all about the inquiries you’ve been making into that caged little bird of yours. What can I say except you’re a man with exceptional taste. And quite the reckless streak.”

“Even if I have, that’s my business, not yours.”

“Nonsense. A blossoming crush is very much my business.”

“Again, it’s not a crush. I simply think she’s interesting.”

“Coming from you, that may as well be a proposal.”

Shi Wudu shoved him. The arm around his shoulders remained firmly in place. Pei Ming laughed an uproarious laugh. He always loved the look on people’s faces when they were made aware of their feelings. Particularly when the people in question were his sullen young friend who had been cursed with a handsome face and a rotten personality.

He had been shocked when he first heard of it, of course. But spring came for everyone in the end, and the greater surprise was that Shi Wudu just had to pick the hardest woman in Heaven to get close to as the object of his affections.

Although, really, Pei Ming shouldn’t have expected anything less. Fortunately, he loved a challenge.

“You’ve already made several critical blunders, my friend,” he remarked, turning serious. “It’s never good to start a relationship off with public humiliation.”

“I was not the one humiliating her.”

“But you were the instigator. Thanks to that she knows who you are, but what kind of impression do you think you’ve left her with? If you approached her now, she would head straight in the opposite direction.”

“You sound awfully sure of that.”

“I heard it from the old girl’s mouth herself!” Pei Ming cleared his throat and made his best exhausted gloomy expression. “If my path were to cross Lord Water Master’s now, I think I would turn around and head straight in the opposite direction.”

“She does not sound like that,” Shi Wudu snapped and rapped Pei Ming’s hand with his fan a few times again.

“How would you know? You’ve never talked to her.”

“And you have?”

“Of course! We’re friends from the same hometown!” Well same general region, anyway. Pei Ming’s most famous exploits either had him fighting wars abroad or stationed in Xuli’s royal capital so it was a little known fact he himself was actually from the southern parts of the kingdom and spent most of his non-warring years there. And it was an even littler known fact that the very Nangong Jie made infamous by her writings in the royal capital was also originally from those same southern parts, a fact Pei Ming expertly deduced within an hour of meeting her by virtue of her light regional accent.

(And as for how their paths came to cross in the first place back then, well, she was a woman and he was at the right place at the right time.)

“You’ve made an enemy of her jailer, and she isn’t particularly fond of you right now either. It must be hard being so unpopular.” Pei Ming’s other hand now patted Shi Wudu’s chest consolingly and Shi Wudu grew resigned to the fact that this was what a friendship with Pei Ming entailed.

“If she’s truly so petty, then perhaps I’ve underestimated her.”

“It’s not about pettiness, it’s about an innocent woman becoming the collateral damage of your reckless words and you acting like it doesn’t concern you.” The consoling pats turned into light smacks. “Fortunately, your blunder is also your opportunity. As long as you say and do everything I tell you, we can salvage your reputation with Nangong and get her to see your hidden merits.”

“This is ridiculous.” Shi Wudu shoved Pei Ming once more and this time Pei Ming let go so he would have enough room to cross his arms and scowl. It was important to give him enough space for that so that his mind had the freedom it needed to weigh the pros and cons of Pei Ming’s offer. Shi Wudu was a businessman, after all.

Sure enough, the next words out of his mouth were, “What’s in it for you?”

He eyed Pei Ming like a suspicious cat, ready to flee at the first sign of trouble. Pei Ming laughed once more.

“You’re my friend! What better reason is there for me to help you!” he clapped Shi Wudu’s shoulder good-naturedly, earning another smack for his trouble. “But if you really need one, then it’s that I think you and Nangong really would fit well together. And she could use someone like you in her corner.”

And most importantly, Pei Ming’s smile was so radiant that it shone with a heavenly aura of its own, it will be fun!