#THE DUKE IS A RAT BASTARD

[relaxxattack]

the fact that staff were so insistent about dammek being a rat bastard is so fucking funny to me. they were like no he’s a BAD person. a real fucking stain on the universe. hope you enjoy playing as him for the majority of the next game! 😁

[nymphea0]

Monsters and His Love

Oneshot Story

Yan! Leon winston x reader

Warning : Mentions Of smoke, Force power, light mature scene, Torture scene, Bloods, Cropse body.

Be careful with what you read, minors are prohibited from reading this.

Manhwa : Try Begging

: Adult Manhwa (19+)

Author: Libenia | 리베냐

Artist: ABYSS

Word Count : 2,9K Word.

Hallo.. is neva agains, hope your days fine and good, so soon i will update some long story in Quotev, i will share the links if the story was half done made, so keep wait love🦋🦋.

might have some bad grammars, correct me if there are any mistakes in the words in the story I wrote. Anyways i hope you all enjoys my story, love.- Neva🦋🦋

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Captain Leon Winston, a vulgar monster clothed in the skin of a stoic and elegant noble. He was a pathetic bastard who only raged at the smell of blood from the torture chamber.

Leon, has been through many things in his life, starting from the death of his father, to a spy who doubles as his maid, Sally Bristol or her real name is Grace Riddle.

Everything that Leon goes through must always be with Grace. Leon will probably always talk about, Sally this and Sally that.

You, you are the daughter of Marquess Von Alderve from the Alvonseh family, the Alderve region.

The Marquis family and the Count family have had a relationship for a long time, Closeness like friends.

From the results of that relationship, it spread to the present, You and Leon.

You and Leon are childhood friends until now, You went through hard times together, But all that changed when you accidentally saw Leon kissing a little girl at a summer resort, having eyes between blue and green, so contrasting, Turquoise eyes, even Leon shared the ice cream he bought especially for the girl.

Since that little incident when you were little, you were not as close as before with Leon.

You could not possibly forget that girl, until you met her again, who doubled as Leon's maid.

Leon did many things, since he was a captain, and a noble, there were many things he could do, but all of that only ended with him covered in blood in the torture room from the victims or Leon called it a wild rat or something from the lower class.

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'Puk'

You put down the newspaper you were reading, again... the issue of the nobility and the revolutionary army faction.

Drinking tea disinterestedly, you looked out the window of your room, now you have entered the mature age of 21 years.

Even Leon was engaged to the grand duke's daughter, Rosalind, though you weren't sure if he even cared about the relationship, since he was so obsessed with Sally or... his enemy's spy.

'Tak'

'Tak'

'Tak'

Damn!, you knew right away whose shoes and footsteps were those!, Leon!.

The man you least wanted to meet!.

Your relationship wasn't as close as it used to be, yes when you were still children, you fell in love with him, with Leon, a normal, sweet boy, but that changed from the incident at the summer resort, to the same girl you saw at the resort doubled as Leon's maid.

You saw more and more that there was no chance there, even when you saw how unenthusiastic Leon was with his fiancée, Rosalind.

So since you were 11 years old, you had made the right decision not to get close and fall in love with Leon.

"What were you thinking that seriously?"

A deep baritone voice right beside you, you could even feel his warm breath on your ear and neck.

It must have always been like that, Leon since he was little, always like that, talking in your ear or just an inch of your face.

"No, just thinking about hospital matters nothing more"

Leon looked at you from the side, you were beautiful, very beautiful in Leon's eyes, your bright purple eyes, hair as dark as night, really made him want to do bad things to you.

No, not now, not yet.

Sitting right in front of you, taking the glass of tea you were drinking, he drank it as if it was no big deal.

You just stared at him uncertainly, but you let him.

Only Leon was a stranger who could easily enter and exit your room, well it's always been like that since long ago.

"Why don't you want to join me? It'll be safer if you're beside me, you know that right?"

His arms were crossed, looking at you, with his usual look, his hair that was always neatly arranged really showed a captain and a noble.

"I'm not interested in joining the noble faction or even the revolutionary faction, both have a greater impact than profit"

Looking towards the window, not wanting to look at the person in front of you.

"You know that-"

You cut off Leon who hadn't finished speaking.

"I might as well get married soon, since father died, mother insisted on marrying me to one of the nobles"

You didn't see Leon's expression, thinking he was just giving a disinterested reaction, too bad, Leon's expression was the expression when he found out that his maid Sally Bristol was a spy, Grace Riddle or the expression when he was betrayed.

Betrayed and in pain!.

"Do you accept it?"

His tone wasn't as friendly as before.

"I'm still thinking about it, I don't think it's a bad idea"

Leon looked at you who seemed, or very uninterested in interacting with him, since when were you like this?

Asking once again, Leon looked straight at your face.

"From which family?"

"Not really sure, but I think from the Earl noble family"

Earl nobles, Nobles with hereditary titles who still have the same blood as the royal family.

"Is that so..."

That was the last sentence before Leon go  from your marquess residence.

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"ARGGH!"

"Aakhh!!"

"Mercy! Help!!! Sorry! Capt-"

Blood splatters, and human bodies in the torture chamber.

Leon, covered in blood up and down his body.

Losing Sally Bristol or Grace Riddle might have had its own impact on him, but hearing you who was going to marry someone he didn't even know who it was... that was a different case.

His heart... hurt, it hurt so much when you said it without the slightest restraint!.

Walking up the stairs, Leon entered his study, sat down near his desk, slowly untied his tie, leaned his head on the chair.

Eyes gazing far away, Leon still remembered when you first met him, when you were both 8 years old.

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Count Winston residence.

Leon, 8 years old.

His father was always excited when he talked about the marquess noble family.

There in front of the entrance, Leon saw, a man who was the same age as his father was chatting enthusiastically with his father, who Leon knew his father and the man or marquess had the same vision and mission about the order of this world.

That's where Leon saw, a little girl, beside the marquess man, had hair as dark as night, but her eyes were... amethyst eyes, unusual eyes.

"Leon come here"

His father bowed and introduced him to the girl in front of him.

Smiling very sweetly at him, Leon's heart beat fast.

From there, the two of you became close.

2 months, was the time when the marquess and count families met at the Summer resort, Leon talked a lot with you, full of enthusiasm, until when you asked permission to go to the bathroom, that's where Leon saw a girl, brown hair, and turquoise eyes, Leon was interested, he even shared his first kiss with the girl.

Strange, he felt he had lost something, but Leon didn't know what.

Since the resort, Leon felt you distanced yourself from him, distancing yourself and almost as if you didn't want to interact with him.

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Exhaling, releasing smoke from his cigar.

Looking at the table, a framed photo of you and Leon, at the Belvelhera restaurant, 19 years old, you smiled so beautifully there, just passed the practical exam to enter internal medicine, unfortunately, the glass frame was stained with Leon's love fluid.

Emotions, passion, and possession, Leon reaped with many beats of his frustration.

You've driven him crazy! Even Grace lost to you!.

Leon thought Sally or Grace was so attractive because of her beautiful face and unique eyes, like you who are beautiful and unique.

Leon did many things to the woman, torturing her, forcing her and so on, but Leon did not cross the line to sleep with her, only biting her neck or kissing her lips, even though every time Leon did that, his heart ached.

Why did he just realize this? His junior always tenses when you look at him or just call his name, he thinks it's a normal reaction when the weather is hot.

Chuckling softly, Leon covers the glass photo frame with his black handkerchief grinning.

"Damn... what have you done to me... my lady"

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2 weeks, is the time Leon didn't meet you, the reason is simple, Leon is afraid of losing control of himself, from before until now, when he sees Sally Bristol or Grace Riddle sweeping, cleaning the floor or doing maid work.

Why does he always think dirty things about you? Even though you're not by his side, seeing Sally as you.

Doing many dirty things, wanting to push you to your limits, begging or rebelling, which one will you choose... Leon really wants to know that.

Crazy huh, he's crazy, crazy about you, why can't he even realize quickly, from being tense, always thinking dirty things about you when someone like Sally/Grace or a woman who has unique eyes passes by him.

Leon stared at the pile of prisoners of revolution, bleeding, tortured.

And he even met Grace Riddle again, the woman tried to double as his maid again, well of course it was impossible

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You are currently walking with the son of the Earl, this man is handsome, but unfortunately he honestly said that he has fallen in love with someone else.

Well you think his courage and honesty are commendable.

"do you like it?"

Vincent is the name of this man, holding a bouquet of roses, you just smile formally and nod at him.

"This is beautiful"

Too bad, you didn't see from across the street, in a 5-star elite restaurant, Leon was staring at you smiling beautifully by another man!.

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Leon for 2 weeks spied on you with that country man, laughing smiling beautifully, holding the man's hand, Leon almost wanted to kill and torture the man!.

Too bad his frustration was vented when When he saw Grace Riddle, pulled her, and kissed her roughly on the lips, his brain mistook Grace for you.

Unfortunately, you accidentally passed them and found them kissing! Awkward! Of course, you and Vincent quickly left the restaurant room.

Damn! Damnit!! You saw him! You saw him kissing another woman!.

You must have considered him impure and dirty!!.

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Leon spent his day and night in frustration.

Instead of getting closer when he tried to interact with you a lot, you actually moved further away from him!.

You even let that country bumpkin from the earl family kiss your cheeks!.

Enough! The problem with Grace Riddle is no longer there, so why should Leon hold back from seeing you with another man?

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Leon Winston's residence.

Master bedroom.

In bed, fast asleep, a woman, both hands cuffed to each bedpost, naked, many kiss marks, and love fluids, puffy eyes, because of crying.

Leon, sitting on the sofa facing the bed, smoking his cigars, wearing only a shirt and long black pants.

His captain's jacket uniform has been forgotten on the floor.

He took your virginity, damn... you even took his virginity too.

See right? As Leon expected, you are perfect for each other, inseparable.

How evil you are to want to be separated from your true love.

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Putting out his cigars, Leon, took a small black whip.

Walking slowly to the bed, his leather shoes made a very loud sound! You even woke up.

Staring at Leon in fear! You don't want to be slept with anymore! Your body hurts and you want to rest!.

Why is it like this? Leon kidnapped you, took you to a foreign country and married you by force!

Staring at Leon who was holding a long black object that looked like a whip, you shook your head.

"Leon!! Please... no more.. I don't want to"

Leon just grinned and wiped your tears slowly.

"Why cry my love? You will be safe because I am with you"

Kissing your forehead softly.

"You are for me, and I am for you, you are crazy for me, and I am crazy for you, my love"

Kissing your lips, devouring them with passion, and ownership.

"I want to keep making love to you my love, until you don't think about the world, but me"

On top of you, opening his shirt, his chest, arms and neck are full of scratches from your previous actions.

"Because my love, you are for me, and I am for you, we mean to be together"

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*Source Image : Pinterest

*Source Image : Pinterest

*Source Image : Pinterest

©️Nymphea0 2024 ,OG story, Project Dark Manhwa Character Story.

Tag list; @snowflakes666 @nerdygoateepeanut @blurryperrtymoonlight @luminethebest @scenicelixir @n4muqr @cannyyyyy @athena-roy @sirenetheblogger @thehopingfairy

Please dont steal my work, or use without my permissions, Always be good people Dear. Much love, Neva🦋🦋.

[fckbatmanhiskidsareminenow]

for context i work with mostly men as a fem presenting person in a male dominated industry.

Here’s conversations i’ve had with my male co workers as the batfam pt1

damian: next time a guy is creepy to you tell him if he’s not rich enough to be ur sugar daddy to fuck off

tim: can u sweep the store pls

steph: woooow asking the only women to sweep the floor can’t believe you sexist 🙄

babs: one time this guy waited until i looked him in the eye and called me a good girl

jason: and he’s a dirty rat bastard

dick: duke you should ask her out (pretty woman in the store)

duke: no no

cass: if you don’t i will

duke: what?

cass: what?

babs: i was almost kidnapped once before i wasn’t ready for round 2

dick: wait pause explain??

babs: well it all started when

jason: what are you an expert on shaving or something?

steph: I’m a woman you idiot

steph: you think i’m sitting on the crusty dusty musty rusty ass floor for fun?

tim: ok slim shady

i have heaps more so lemme know if you like this!!

[crossnamara]

you let me talk about her! so you can talk about anyone or anything you'd like to. maybe John, if you don't mind? Duke, if you have anything? any topic you'd like :]

john macnamara? stupid idiot motherfucking john macnamara god damn fool. hat wearing, moral having, rat old bastard shithead idiot, avatar of the whore. biggest clown in the circus laughed out of town cowboy motherfucking john macnamara. stop pinning me when i talk about john macnamara. i hate him so much why does he stop so many fucked up apocalypses? why did he decide to fuck around and find out? just set them loose. is he dead? is he a bastard? man has such a visceral effect on me. not even in the room, hate this mans face, and i know he has the worlds shittiest beard, get away from me. if i wanted to get into heaven and god said john macnamaras waiting inside, i would piss on god's feet for the sole purpose of getting sent back down. if i have to deal with john macnamara showing up in one more hatchetfield installment, i will go full holloway and get my memories erased, for the experience of being able to skip all the times when he's mentioned or alive. i don't even know why i hate him so much. he helps people but i am just mad because i am angy. he better have some fucked up backstory to explain this. if hes just a guy who doesnt like phones, ill go ham. BETTER have had a watch make him kill a man cuz if he didnt, im going to make him. paypal.com/IFuckingHateJohnMacnamara. show’s not even about him. vaguely mentioned what is supposed to maybe be his military organization and i lost it. where the fuck is john macnamara? if hes still alive, im going to so deeply wish he wasnt. crusty old man. ill punch macnamara and his sad frail old man twig bones will simply flake my epic huge meat fist and he will disintegrate until all thats left is one final stupid watch engraved with Now You Fucked Up in ancient yiddish. im not breathing, im hyperventilating at this point. i hope there's a date given for when john died so i can make it a reminder on my phone. every day once a year, i will see it and do anything but pay respects to the man who LEFT ME FOR DEAD. BITCH. GOD. 

@hatchetings

this is the.rant

[asterefflores]

So I received another request from @achlys-1974 about Roksoo causing the fight this time instead of Cale,,

It turned out too simple that it hardly is considered a fight cuz this is Roksoo we're talking about xD

This is turning into more of a writing than a drawing account lol

Anyway, enjoy 🌸

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“I see you’re back.”

Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked toward the door to see Cale resting elegantly against the wall with his arms crossed. However, the intense stare put everyone on edge.

Rok-Soo blinked blankly, wondering why Cale would be glaring at him viciously like that when he had just returned home. “Is something wrong, dongsaeng?”

“…ah,”

Rok-Soo slightly frowned when his brother sighed, looking a bit tired and upset.

Cale fixed his eyes on his hyung again, “So, would you mind telling me where you have disappeared off to all too suddenly?”

Rok-Soo slightly flinched when he noticed the vicious smile from the old man standing with his eyes closed behind Cale.

“Ron did inform me that you left on a quick adventure for a week,” Cale explained, still looking unimpressed, “Did I have to look for you and ask around to know of your departure?”

Rok-Soo stared in silence for a moment. Was Cale's bad mood because he hadn't been told in advance that he, Choi Han and the kids were going on a short mission?

‘Ah…’ He finally realized his mistake, taking a moment to recall Cale’s childhood…

However, if he had informed Cale about the problem, his brother would have been even more busy than he already is with matters regarding the territory.

“You’re right. I should’ve informed you beforehand.” He nodded calmly, “It was something that needed to be taken care of and done with.”

“I know.” Cale sharply said with a slight frown, “I received the letter from the Capital, and I was going to take care of it had not a certain hyung gone out of his way to disappear suddenly and worry the whole family, only to receive wonderful news of a whole mountain mysteriously vanishing before I even could take a step to our gate.”

“We took care of the rats, dongsaeng.” Rok-Soo kept blinking blankly for a moment, “You can relax and rest a bit now, right?” Wasn’t it a good thing? The problem is solved. Isn’t this all that mattered now? With this, they both can take their time to slack off. Though he knows Cale will still be busy as the duke, his dongsaeng can now take his time finishing his work and have some free time to breathe and live comfortably as he always wished. 

“You could’ve consulted me before taking any action.” Cale sighed, seemingly less upset now.

“It can be taken care of quickly instead, dongsaeng.” Rok-Soo picked up the cup of tea to take a sip, “Those bastards were disturbing my slacker life, after all.”

“…understandable.”

‘Hm?’ Rok-Soo opened his eyes, looking at his brother standing not far before him. Even though he could tell Cale wasn't upset with him anymore, he found Cale's stoic face and lack of expression in response a bit strange. “I’ll remember to talk to you on any matter next time, Cale.”

Cale calmly shook his head, “You're not obligated to do anything I say if you can think of a better way to handle any matter, but please remember to tell me before you leave next time.”

“…I understand.”

He watched Cale nod before silently turning around and leaving.

The kids and Choi Han turned to look at him in awkward silence.

Rok-Soo was glad the issue was solved relatively smoothly; Cale was no longer upset with him after all. But then, why does he feel something’s off?

“Would you care to hear my very honest opinion, Young Master?”

Rok-Soo slightly flinched, ‘Why does Ron look upset now…?’

Ron looked with a benign smile at the older redhead sibling. “I suppose you must talk with the Puppy Young Master soon.” He closed his eyes with his hands clasped behind his back, “This old servant wouldn’t be pleased to see the Kitten and the Puppy fighting again.” He bowed his head in respect, then closed the door, presumably to return to the office to look after Cale.

“…Human, did you make a mistake?”

“…probably?”

He had done something, and he wasn't sure what, but he didn't want to wait around to see Cale's behavior change slowly.

“Human, I don’t like to see you and the Gentle Human fighting again!” Raon exclaimed. Ohn and Hong nodded along with Choi Han, remembering the first fight that lasted weeks until Tristan had to step in.

Rok-Soo nodded in response but remained silent for a moment. It wouldn’t be wise to seek Cale now to ask him what he had done wrong.

“Human, are you troubled? Should I call Purple Grandpa?”

“No.” Rok-Soo quickly answered, hearing a fake cough from Choi Han. He frowned as the punk seemed to be silently laughing at him, knowing precisely why he reacts this way every time Tristan is mentioned.

Rok-Soo sighed; it’s not like their dad wouldn’t be able to solve the issue within minutes, but they aren’t kids. Tristan wouldn’t be disappointed in either of them, but Rok-Soo still found the man scary. One look from the Emperor’s sharp eyes was enough to make him drop a sweat. If they dragged him to solve another tiny fight between them, Tristan would probably scold them both and teach them a lesson.

Rok-Soo shivered at the thought and stood up. “I’ll go talk with Cale now. No need to ask Dad for help.” He looked at the kids, especially Raon and Hong, “Don’t call Dad or send him a message, all right?” While the kids’ new habit of calling Tristan randomly using his device or Cale’s is sweet, especially since they know Tristan secretly enjoys it, it’s still a bit troublesome sometimes, like now, for example.

“I understand, Human.”

“……”

Rok-Soo glanced at Ohn, pleading with a stoic face to watch her siblings in his absence. The silver cat only nodded, holding back a sigh.

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“Is the duke inside?” Rok-Soo asked the guards standing by the door and went to knock after their nod. “Cale, it’s me.”

Instead of receiving an answer, the door opened before him, revealing a vicious assassin.

Rok-Soo ignored the vicious smile from the old butler, “Ron, give us a moment alone.”

Ron looked over to the side at the duke, closing his eyes with a benign smile as he earned a nod. “Yes, Young Masters.”

The door closed behind him, and Rok-Soo walked straight to the desk, admiring how organized the office was as usual for a moment despite the amount of reports and work that never seemed to end.

“What is it, hyung?”

He turned his focus to his brother looking up at him and waiting with the quill in his hand.

“I apologize for leaving a week without saying a word.”

Cale nodded calmly, “I appreciate your apology.”

Rok-Soo nodded as Cale kept staring at him with a bewildered look in his eyes, yet his little brother was still not as responsive as usual, almost even formal with him.

“I trust you, Cale.”

This time, there was a subtle look of surprise visible in Cale's eyes. ‘This is it.’ Rok-Soo was now sure of what mistake he had made this once. "I never doubt your skills and ability in dealing with any matter, whether it be inside or outside the territory."

Cale calmly nodded again. “I understand.”

He slightly frowned at the formal response, “Do you?”

“I really do.” Cale nodded with a small smile this time, “You only took matters into your hands because I was busy enough, right?” He let out a breath like a chuckle as he looked down at the papers again, going back to working on the reports. "However, hyung, I may have to provide you with some guidance. A true slacker would rather relax in his room if he knew someone else would do the work for him."

That only made Rok-Soo frown even more, “Didn’t you announce to everyone that my word is on the same level as yours?”

Cale’s hand stopped writing on the paper. He looked up again and was met with Rok-Soo’s scolding eyes, “Yes, I did. My word is your word, and your word is my word.”

Rok-Soo nodded, “Which means you can ask me to help when you’ve enough work to deal with, right?”

“That really is coming from you— Ow…” Cale looked lost with a slight frown when the other suddenly pinched his cheek.

“I care about my slacker life, but I also know very well you want to live comfortably, yet look at you.”

Cale slightly winced at the harsh pinch on his left cheek, “Ow, okay, I understand—”

“What do you understand?”

“You want me to stop overworking myself?”

“What else?”

“You never do anything on my behalf for the reason that you consider my methods are not good enough to solve the issue?”

“Excellent, make sure to remember that every day.”

Cale rubbed his reddened and slightly swollen cheek with a sigh, “How did I end up the one being scolded now?” He slightly shook his head in disbelief as Rok-Soo casually picked a cookie from the plate on his desk.

“I was already scolded by a certain dongsaeng here, then Ron and Raon. Isn’t that enough?” He went to half lay on one of the couches in front of the desk while munching on the cookie.

"Ah, that's good to hear."

The two brothers looked at each other, laughed, and immediately felt at ease again, talking casually for a while, then falling into a comfortable silence as Rok-Soo took a nap while Cale worked quietly.

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Later at night…

“Ah, right! Human! Purple Grandpa called when you left your room today! Why did you leave your device here? Did you forget it?”

Cale’s hand holding the glass of wine paused, and Rok-Soo stopped patting Hong while lying on his bed, “…what did he want?”

“He wanted to check on you two. I told him you’re talking to the Gentle Human to make up because you two fought again!”

“……”

Rok-Soo turned to Ohn with a look of betrayal. She looked back at him as if saying, ‘You said not to message or call him, right?’

And both redheads sighed at the same time.

The next day…

-So, what exactly made my kids pout this time?

Tristan laughed through the screen at the two brothers, both sighing in embarrassment before their dad.

-Hey, it’s fine to grow backward and live your childhood—

“Please stop.”

And, as predicted, their dad spent the entire call teasing them for two hours while working in his office at the same time.

At least they know Madelin would scold him for it later, even if all that would come out of it is the usual playful bickering between the married pair.

[pendwelling]

You can’t tell me the first thing priest Dokja does when transmigrated to TWSB isn’t locking himself in the royal library and refuses to come out

(Crown prince YJH and Priest KDJ is the funniest image, and obviously HSY is in the background causing problems)

Meanwhile poor Yeseo is on the verge of a panic attack in ORV

(Yeseo trying to parse through his sisters tear filled rambles about her favorite book and therefore being the weirdest prophet know to man while Cedric and Christelle are just there wondering what is up with him)

OOOHHH KDJ locking himself in the Imperial library would be so KDJ of him to do HAHA, tho the main obstacle for that is to first get permission from the Crown 🥲 which, sadly for him.... would mean cozying up in some way to either whoever is the Cardinal and/or Empress/Emperor in this AU (it could range from Persephone and Hades, to Namgung Minyoung, or to even Kyrgios [but I think he fits Johann's role more], etc etc)

((Unsurprisingly I'm gonna go off on a tangent bc anything TWSB related makes my Freak™ show—)) (I JUST LOVE SOOKYM'S WORLDBUILDING SM.... IM SORRY I CANT HELP IT.....) 😭😭😭😭 but libraries—or rather books—actually have a rather important part to play in TWSB, or at least, in showcasing a noble family's strength, power, and prestige. In the Divine Kingdom of Venetiaan, the general populace has an incredibly purposefully low education and literacy rate (due to Queen Lilianne's plan of using the population's dumbification to manipulate their blind curated religious beliefs into having them conscript for her war), so owning books is seen as a symbol of wealth and high education, and the more wealthy a family is, the bigger they would represent that in their family's library. The Riester Empire is different in that education of the common folk is NOT something that they purposefully deprive them of (in fact, we've actually seen the Imperial Family invest in academies for different sorts of talents/skills that could accept even commoners as students), but the significance and importance of books and libraries is something both countries share!

ANYWAY, small tangent over wkdjdkd But all that is to say, a diplomatic hostage like Jesse Venetiaan (and KDJ in this AU) would not have casual permission to use something as precious as the Imperial Library sadly :')...... Which is unfortunate for our Reader bc in a lot of Fantasy AUs the library is a place that KDJ commonly escapes to WKWKKWKWK (IT'S ONE OF MY FAV TROPES NGL...... 😫😭 library lurker KDJ who eventually catches the eye of [usually Crown Prince or Duke of the North] YJH who is entranced by the peaceful figure KDJ makes, backlit from the light of the window and focused on whatever trashy novel he's reading......)

But assuming KDJ knows his chatacter's original fate in the original story (dying during the Riester-Venetiaan war), just like he does in ORV, I bet he would be the type to know exactly what to do and what to avoid, and how to achieve the perfect most "ideal" ending for the story. He's a scheming lil bastard and I trust his survival abilities (well..... until he dies. but he'll come back like the rat he is LMAO...) But considering his personality (at least with The Audacity that the Fourth Wall allows him to have), I think he'd head straight to scheming his way into the good graces of people that he could benefit from (and gaining access to the Imperial Library for some good reads def feels like an essential benefit wkwkwkk) with as much liberties as his complex position as a diplomatic hostage could allow him.

AND OHHHHHHHH YEAH..... POOR JUNG YESEO...... It's such a sad sad SAD image to think about, but also....the though of him frantically trying to organize hundreds of chapters of a repetitive regression scenario story VIA his little sister's tear-filled incoherent hyperfixated ramblings is. kinda funny in a very mean way (LMAO). CedChris would ask him/wonder if he's actually a prophet but when compared to /actual/ prophets like Camille Bacary, they'll kinda look at his sweating face and go "🤨😐 right... prophet huh....". Though it should be said that Yeseo is actually crazy smart when he wants to be/when the situation requires it, so I trust he could do his best to help his companions in an apocalypse with any valuable information he has absorbed thru osmosis via his sister. (And in the case of the "Acciddentally-took-Eunseo's-phone" scenario—canonically, Yeseo managed to get through all 302 chapters of QPB's part 1 in a few days, but it was mostly skimming haha but you can assume he'd be somewhat of a quick reader....... though the stress of scenarios would definitely make him a zombie over Eunseo's phone.) But regardless, considering the personalities of these kids, I still feel like an orv!TWSB(or rather QPB) would be more lighthearted(as lighthearted as it can be) to reflect its targeted Reader: Eunseo! Think of an Action Fantasy Regression novel with a persevering main character like Ham Ga-in Christelle who gets through difficulties with as much stubbornness and cheer as she can (though this would naturally dim throughout regressions, but the core of her character is still important). Idk how far into TWSB you are so I don't want to say much wkdjkdkd but yeah..... KDJ's relationship with TWSA and Eunseo's with QPB are SO similar and yet so different, and that difference can partly be traced back to the type of people they are, which is reflected in the type of genre their favourite respective novels are (which also reflects on the characters in said story too) TT

HAA.......... Somehow, I think I end up writing way too much in response to my Asks sometimes, but ANYWAY WKFJKDDKDKD

Thank you Anon for feeding into these AU thoughts, they're always fun to think about and hear what others have to say!!!!!! 🥹 SORRY THAT I KEPT GOING OFF TRACK. CERTIFIED TWSB YAPPER HERE....... 🥲

[party-9]

Yandere prince x destined for another reader

Imagine the crown prince of your continent, a childhood friend of yours, absolutely upset that the prophet destined you to the grand Duke's son, prophesied to be the hero.

Disclaimer: MDNI, yandere stuff, angst, mayor character death, not a happy ending.

Prince's POV

This day was like every other day with my sweet and charming friend, they were so radiant that even Forest critters stare at them in awe, they have been introduced to me, as part of the treaty between the royal family and the temple, and even if I didn't exactly like them at first, I've grown fond of them after experiencing their neverending kindness.

Reader: Today is a very special day, my future spouse will be prophesied, and whoever that is, will save the kingdom from monsters lurking at the black forest.

Prince: Oh that's wonderful to hear bunny

Oh~ I was extatic, besides having them as a spouse, I'll be the hero of my country, making my rule safe from any competition.

We both prepared, they wore a baby blue tunic, dressed in gold to the ceremony and I wore my best robes, very confident that I'll be the object of the prophesy.

There we stood in front of the prophet, and I assured my bunny that their spouse will never mistreat then, quite sure I never will and just as everyone was in position and I waited to hear my name called to be my bunny's spouse...Another name is called, what? How is this possible?

Me and bunny are meant to be together, I don't wanna see them with that damn brat! Apparently, my future spouse was destined to the Grand Duke's heir? Who does he THINK he is, my bunny is mine and MINE ALONE !!!

My bunny turned to look at him, seemingly happy with the news(because that bastard was quite attractive) and after seeing them so exited, I could hardly contain my rage!

But I didn't wanted to rain on their parade, so I masked my emotions the best I could and I congratulated then half heartlely...

Afterwards things changed, I thought I could deal with the situation, even if it hurt me deeply, but my bunny enjoyed? Spending time with that rat, si much so that they didn't visit me as much as before and when they did... When they did they talked about how happy they felt for their outcome! Ahh!

Don't they realize we were meant to be together!!? That prophet must have brainwashed them after I left to control my rage!

I felt a pang in my heart, and the whole intention to separate that bastard from my darling bunny! Fortunately, as the crown prince, I've been trained to control my emotions, and that I did, for years, while MY bunny growed closer to that cry baby of a man, each day, the darkness in my heart growing, seeing them get further and further away from me.

It got to a breaking point after the beast started to raid villages under our protection, all while the supposed "hero" was still under training, all he has done is robbing me of my bunny apparently! Not even doing what he was destined to do. My bunny advised me to have faith in their spouse, that they are the destined hero, but I just couldn't bear it anymore, and that night, I had a strange dream...

I knew it was a dream, since I couldn't hear see anything other than darkness, and from the darkness I felt a voice talking to me.

Mysterious voice: Oh my~ ain't your story so sad~ Your "future spouse" taken from you by a useless child~.

I gripped my sword and called

Prince: Who are you!? Show yourself !!

As I started in disbelief as the black fog turned into a tall androgynous individual, with heeled boots, as well as a tail and horns.

Mysterious voice: Your people tend to call me demon lord~ But you'll call me "My lord" after going under my command ~

Prince: I don't care what you offer, I'll never let you ruin my country and my people!

Demon lord: Oh I don't wanna ruin anything ~ I'll just rule over you as I see fit and... Well that's a shame~

Prince: What is?

Demon lord: Without my help, your darling "bunny" will never look your way~ can you honestly tell me you'll forget about them and peacefully let another person take them~?

Prince: What?

Demon lord: You have me~

Prince:I... Of course not!! But what choose do I have!?

Demon lord: I'll make them be bound to you~ what's a prophesy in front of my power~

Prince:...What are your conditions to give my bunny back to me?

Demon lord: Oh just ten years of your live~ I'll take controll of your body for ten years and then I'll give it back to you, with your darling being bound to you~ how about it~?

Prince: As long as you promise not to kill my people indiscriminately, I accept

Demon lord:Sure thing, now~ I'll see you in ten years.

Time skip~

I awoke, with my darling bunny at my feet, a bit confused, but happy to see them by my side

Prince:Bunny~! Can you give me a resumen of the last ten years?

I wasn't scared of the consequences, whatever that demon lord had done, was useful to bring my bunny to my side, but bunny ... Avoided my gaze and began to do as I asked, giving me a rundown of the last ten years.

My country was in a dire situation, full of famine and infections, as my stopping of the wall building, allowed more monsters to get in, their spouse completely exhausted from all the monster killing due to my legislation, instituted after I was crowned king, their marriage was broken after 9 years without a heir, and I snatched them for myself under imperial law, my people hated me, and the court was full of corruption.

I knew the demon lord would allow monsters to be rampant, but it's nothing I can't change on the future, the thing that worried me the most, was that my darling didn't look at me anymore, and when I asked them why, they responded they are tired, so I let them go rest, can't have them tired and working hard, that's my responsibility.

After my darling went to the bedroom, I took care of some paperwork and went to the Kings bedroom, now considered mine and I saw my darling...with their wrist slit!

I wailled into the sky and blamed myself!

Whatever that demon had done, it was I that put my beloved and my people in danger by accepting his temptation, if I could go back I would!!!!

Later, after assigning a capable court member as my stand in, I began looking for ways to get my bunny back, going to dark magicians and spending a lot of the Treasury, when everything failed, I gave in to alcohol, while the country situation was getting worse and worse with no one to lead, finally after a coup d'etat leadered by the hero, I was buried alive, right next to my darling fortunately, while the hero was expected to pick up my mess, I didn't care, as I spent as much time as I could with my darling, before succumbing to asphyxiation after the air ran out, I just wished I hadn't been so selfish, so my darling bunny and everyone else could have lived better lived... So that my darling wouldn't have to left in such a gruesome manner, thanks to my actions, I wished and wished, but as if disgusted, my goddess never answered and the demon lord didn't either, probably amused at my reaction, I withered like that, after taking everything from my bunny, long after they had decomposed, since I was a coward and couldn't follow then right away after their death.

[wellthebardsdead]

Lucy: *walking through the mindflayer hatchery after setting the trapped prisoners free and killing the mind flayers, Zevlor thankfully not among their numbers thanks to her previous efforts in keeping all the refugees alive* Right then. Let’s see where this, oh so very, very important asset of mine is being kept. *stops in front of a pod and folds her arms looking annoyed* How? HOW? Mizora?

Mizora: *still burning hot with the engine in her chest, banging on the glass of her pod in tears* Your grace I can explain everything please let me out I won’t fail you again please! Please!!!

Lucy: fine, help me get duke ravenguard to safety then. *smashes the pod and pulls her out*

Mizora: thank you! Thank you your grace! I promise you w- *shuts up as the group walks off without her* a-Ah your grace wait for me! *runs after her*

*several minutes later*

Orin: *moves to sit on Ulders back only to hit the ground instead as hellfire embers burn her ass* AAGH! Arghh?! What?! Filthy sneaky rat! Where did he go?!

Gortash: *watched him disappear right before his eyes in an uncomfortably familiar burst of flame, heart dropping for a moment thinking Raphael had come for him, or Mephistopheles* I- I don’t-

Aylin: *suddenly bursts free from her cage as Astarion sneaks by them and lets her lose* YOUR END IS NOW OATH BREAKER! YOUR HEAD WILL BE MINE!

Gortash: damn it! *turns and runs for it making a quick escape as the elderbrain begins to take flight from the colony*

Orin: no no! Fathers plan was going perfectly! How did-

“Poor. Poor. Orin the Red. Orin the inbred. Your grandfathers daughter and your mothers sister. Never Baals favourite, you killed his favourite and he still doesn’t love you. Heheh, haha! HAHAAHAHAHA!!”

Orin: No no no! Grandfather loves me! He worships me! Filthy little pig mouthed liar!! *looking around frantically as Lucy suddenly appears in front of her and kicks her off the platform into the abyss below*

Lucy: *knowing Baal will most likely resurrect her as he did Sarevok, but for now somply watches her disappear into the green fog below before holding up the gem she’d snatched from her as she pushed* one down. For now… *turns to ketheric as Aylin and the group corner him* I’m hesitant to give you a second chance… after the state you made of this land and it’s people, Ketheric. And I doubt Isobel would ever be willing to forgive you for the torment you put Aylin through… but you can side with me. *suddenly assumes her archdevil form, large, imposing, and glowing with an oddly radient moonlight sheen as her good deeds begin outweighing her fiendish gifts, and the gods begin to take notice* Or Be Annihilated…

Aylin: Make your choice Oathbreaker! Neither Shar nor Murkyl will save you from hells justice!

Ketheric: *eyes wide staring up at her, lilac skin turning a firey pink, then red as her four horns sprout a 6th pair and her tongue lulls out from her mouth with a forked point, sensing a power from her far greater than anything murkyl would be willing to lend him* … *drops his blade and surrenders*

Lucy: good. *reverts back to a regular tiefling* Hand over the stone and we’ll tal- minthara are you okay?

Minthara: let us hurry and be done with this place. I wish to ravage you as mine.

Lucy: oh-

Lae’zel: Ch’k! Stand down! She will be mine!

Lucy: O-oh-

*a few minutes later*

Mizora: *appears and proudly presents a bewildered duke ravenguard* here he is! Alive and unharmed! No tadpole no tentacles! All safe and sound my lady!

Lucy: *curtseys to him* Glad to finally meet Wylls father. You can thank him for the rescue. And me for his lack of horns. My only regret is I couldn’t grab that slimy bastard Gortash in time… he’s infected the entirety of the flaming fists with his tadpoles and corruption. The steelwatch are under his control as well. It’ll be best if you remain in my citadel as a guest until we dispatch of them or else he could risk completing his plan.

Ulder: he intended to infect me as well. And have me crown him as grand duke… the gate would have no hope.

Lucy: not true. Hope is small but she’s hard to kill.

Ulder: what?

Lucy: wha- *suddenly grabbed by minthara and lae’zel both before being dragged away* goodbye! Wyll talk to your dad don’t let him leave and do something stupid!!!

[xioterep-art]

New POV! Inspiration from:

Pov: 𝘪 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝘪𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 - a wriothesley playlist.

Women Thief Reader x The duke of the Fortress

Trigger warning: Slight chocking, Cursing, Hair pulling, suggestive content.

Disclaimer: art is not mine.

Running as fast as you could and sweating rivers, you cursed under your breath. 'Why was he there?' This is all you could think of as you escaped that man...

A moment ago, everything was going smoothly; you could swear that your plan was perfect! If it weren't for that huge, muscled bastard, you would have acquired that diamond already!

As you took another turn, huffing like an old dog, you heard heavy footsteps near you, making your heart beat so fast as if it wanted to run away from your ribcage. A low huff was heard near your ear, causing you to stumble and fall, your dignity alongside you.

Face-first, a sarcastic sneer accompanied a deep, husky voice speaking in a provocative tone, "Is this all you've got? Even a turtle would've run faster than you, little rat." Gritting your teeth, you felt your arm being grasped firmly and lifted with such ease that made you realize the deep trouble you were in.

Regaining your balance, you stood up on your feet, locking eyes with blue, predatory-like orbs that made you gulp the non-existent saliva down your throat. "You've been creating chaos all over the place these days; I am getting annoyed," he said with a low and dangerous tone, glaring down at you.

"You must be mistaken, great duke! I was just... You know... Walking nearby, and I was afraid that you would suspect me as I am well-known..." you said with a toothy smile, employing all the acting skills you've got.

"Do you think I am a fool to be messed with?" He responded harshly, squeezing your arm tightly. "I think I've been going easy on you lately," he glared again, making you shudder with a grimace on your face due to the pain in your arm.

You must admit that you've been a little too much these days, caught by him numerous times, the count lost. A real troublemaker for a tiny woman, your small and weak appearance makes it hard for people to suspect you as the feared thief in Fountaine.

All you could do was stay quiet while looking at him with a guilty expression. "Come on... Can't you let this go? Just this time... Pretty please?" you begged with wistful eyes.

"Why would I let go?" He stared down at you with an offensive grin, making you want to wipe it off his face – unfortunately, you couldn't, as your fate lay in his hands. "Maybe, in the name of our 'friendship'?" You smiled innocently at him.

"Plus, I didn't even cause a-" Talking again, you soon got cut off as you were slammed against the nearest wall, earning a loud gasp as you cursed him out loud, "You damned duke! What was that for?!" You glared at him, your head tilted up even more due to the new position, making you look like a tasty prey.

"Committing crimes is not enough? Now you are insulting the Lord of the Fortress of Meropide? Have I not been harsh in the past?" He asked in a lower tone than before, leaning more towards you, his left hand still grasping your arm while the other one was against the wall behind you.

"I can play rough if..." He whispered in your ear, taking away any mischievous thoughts from your pretty head and making your mind go blank for a moment with the sudden and close proximity, "that's what you want, little rat," he added as his big figure covered you completely, shielding you from the gentle caress of the moon's light. His scent overwhelmed yours – a manly and powerful one – crushing your sanity into pieces as it entered your nose.

Losing your words, you kept looking at his face with your eyes slightly wide as you processed what was happening. "Cat got your tongue, little rat?" He asked again, snapping his fingers in front of your face. Snapping back to reality, your head suddenly got pulled backward. Wincing with pain, you thought, 'Did this bastard just pull me by the hair?' A low moan escaped your mouth, "What do you think, miss?" He said with his face near yours, both your breaths mixed, and his lips towering over yours.

Struck with that sudden proximity for the second time, you lost your voice for a moment before smirking again with your head still being grabbed by the grand duke, "How so? I didn't think you were into this, sir," you said with a cocky attitude, ignoring the pain coming from your scalp.

"I am just giving you some correction, little rat; you have been annoying these days," he said as he slid his other hand's finger from your jaw down your throat, making you shiver, and leaving your thoughts in disarray. It was a gentle touch, unlike the firm grip on your hair.

"I don't think I need it, sir," you said, flustered, your cheeks burning as you felt his hand grabbing your neck and squeezing it slightly as a warning. "Oh, and I think you need it," he replied, amused by that dazed look on your face. "If I knew that this was the solution to ending the misery you've put me in all this time, I would have acted a long time ago..." He whispered again, putting his face in the crook of your neck, sniffing your scent hungrily, giving you goosebumps.

Sliding his hand to your side and gripping it in a bruising way, you frowned slightly, but what made you surprised was how hard you were squeezing your thighs together. Biting your lower lip, the realization came crashing like an aggressive wave into your soul.

'I am now in real deep shit this time...' you thought to yourself.

It will, indeed, be a long night for your poor body and mind.

[spacedustpan]

I've spent all day imagining an au with Shizutan and Kuwahi to Shooting Star by the Bag Raiders.

I have a comic and an amv in my head.

General context for headcanon:

Most of it is on the Shizutan side if things and the most significant bits are pre-series.

The Shizutan is pretty fleshed out in my mind (as far as my typical headcanons go) and involves past family involvement with yakuza, spirit world sdf, demon world cartels, and the ever continuing theme of rivals you didn't know you were in love with dying unexpectedly young.

Sakyo is trans and has history with Shizuru and Botan in school and eventually the yakuza. Shizuru/Sakyo was definitely still a thing during the Dark Tournament and is Even More Tragic Now.

Botan and Shizuru and Sakyo were classmates and punks and were on a fast track for yakuza life especially since Shizurus father was already involved in the yakuza and (unknown to Botan and Sakyo) spirit and demon world affairs.

Botan's(former name Misora- Sora for short with loved ones) mom was similar to Yusuke's and Sakyo had a single father that had a penchant for beating him.

OK so here's the headcanon Background:

Shizuru and Sora/Botan were childhood friends via family yakuza connections often playing and babysitting Kazuma together but when Sakyo moves to the area from Tokyo in their last year of elementary school Shizuru develops a massive crush on him. Sora/Botan is, of course, upset because she loved Shizuru and was already in her life first. (What Shizuru didn't realize yet was that she loved Sora/Botan too. And she doesn't think Sora/Botan's feelings are genuine. She thinks Sora/Botan's affections and hurt are friendly/familial instead of romantic.)

As they go through middle school and their friendship deteriorates they start gangs of their own and Shizuru and Sora/Botan are always duking it out over some stupid bullshit argument. Sakyo seems detached but sees how much they actually love each other and can't find any reason to choose either over the other. They both have their good points.

Of the two of them only Shizuru seems interested in him but Sora/Botan gets very pretty in middleschool and uses that to her advantage to flirt with Sakyo purely to piss Shizuru off. Sakyo enjoys it of course because he likes both of them and Sora/Botan IS very pretty. They're both so very kind at heart and spend a lot of time with him which keeps him out of the house. He's always crashing at Shizuru's or Sora/Botan's.

There's a reason that Koenma thinks Kazuma would be a better Spirit Detective than Yusuke. He admires Mr. Kuwabara's work and depends on his intel. They've worked together for years since Mr. Kuwabara was a teen coming into his own psychic powers and their comraderie has only solidified since The Incident with Kazuma's mother.

One day the spirit world and demon world information dealing and undercover work Mr. Kuwabara is doing comes to a head in the worst possible way and a group if demons come after his family AGAIN.

When trying to kill the Kuwabaras via an attack on their home: Sora/Botan, who lives in the neighborhood, hears the explosion and sees the flames. She runs out of her apartment and does her best to run in and rescue the Kuwabara siblings. She makes way for them to escape the house fire but she can't get out herself. Caught by the collapsing second floor.

Shizuru and Kazuma can hear her dying pleas and her thinking of how much she loves Shizuru  and how she doesn't regret dying to save her but that that does regret never telling her how she feels. Sora/Botan hopes that Shizuru can be happy with Sakyo even if he is a rat bastard. He'll always be a friend and Shizuru deserves to be loved like the moon and stars.

It's just so loud. The anguish and pain and anger slams through both of the Kuwabara siblings. It's deeply scarring for them both. Not to mention seeing her immediately as a ghost before they're both dragged off with their father by the SDF.

Separating them before they can interfere with the reaping that suddenly and unexpectedly needs to take place.

Kazuma's memory is wiped by his father and one of his associates but since Kazuma is so young and Mr. Kuwabara is also very deeply affected by the incident he accidentally wipes everything of Sora/Botan from Kazuma's memory.

Shizuru chooses not to have her memory wiped. She wants to remember Botan forever. Which is again very upsetting and traumatic for Mr. Kuwabara and Shizuru. They can't even grieve her loss with him. She was like a second daughter to Mr. Kuwabara and a sister to Kazuma. They can't really explain why they're so upset so they have to settle on the familiar pain of the loss of their mother which is ALSO related to spirit world and demon world dealings but Kazuma doesn't know the details behind his mother's death. Mr. Kuwabara and Shizuru had decided to keep Kazuma out of other worldly issues as much as they could after they lost Mrs. Kuwabara.

After Sora/Botan's death, Shizuru and Mr. Kuwabara shut in on themselves and cut themselves off from human connections abruptly. Shizuru drops out of school that year (first year of High School) and goes for a cosmetology license to move on with her life and make the extra cash needed since their dad is throwing himself into his work and staying away from home more often than he's around.

Sakyo is never given information about Spirit and Demon world and isn't aware of the Kuwabaras psychic powers. He's aware of their nightmares and their seeming clairvoyance but that's mysticism that's easily explained.

When Shizuru pulls back from Sakyo she's furious with herself for somehow convincing herself that Sora/Botan's affection and love for her was anything other than romantic and she regrets how her feelings for Sakyo hurt Botan. She of course doesn't SAY any of that to him and just sort of shatters their friendship with a fight and cuts him off cold despite how much she still loved him. She's really going through it and not coping well at all. Shizuru blames herself for Sora/Botan's death and the misery sge assumes Sora/Botan dealt with for the last 4 years that shes was alive.

Shizuru has gotta focus on taking care of Kazuma. She doesn't have time to waste on a crush that wasn't going anywhere and only hurt the most important person in her life.

Sakyo has essentially lost both of the only people he actually gave a shit about in the space of a week and he was already on track to join the yakuza anyway. He joins and throws himself into it to dull the pain and stay away from home, while funding his transition. He helps with various yakuza front work as opposed to street brawling which he was never fond of anyway. He's always been the man with a plan.

Sakyo eventually gets more involved in the inner workings of the organization and through a series of betrayls ends up at the top. Working with Demon cartels and making contacts with Tarukane and the Toguro siblings.

He wonders idly if there was something more to the Kuwabaras until he ends up getting information from a secondary contact of Mr. Kuwabara's that confirms they're all psychic and information brokers. He pieces together that the fire wasn't a normal house fire and starts to blame Mr. Kuwabara for Sora/Botan's death and Shizuru's misery. Nothing would have happened if he'd kept out of demon cartel affairs.

When Sora/Botan died, Koenma of course pulled every string he could to make her a reaper. They didn't have a plan for her and weren't expecting her but after Sensui there was no way to swing for Spirit Detective. It'd be better to bide his time and wait for Kazuma to grow into his powers. So Koenma did what he could, but for bullshit red tape reasons the opportunity to be a reaper came at the cost of Sora/Botan's memories.

Botan can't remember her life as a human before she became a reaper. She thinks that she's from a different time period. These are false memories implanted upon her agreement to training and reaper work. She also looks completely different color palette wise (blue hair based off of her human name and pink eyes based off of her favorite flower peonies which is what she's now named after) but has all the same features.

The day Shizuru walks into Kazuma's room and sees Botan standing there she nearly has a heart attack. She'd recognize Sora anywhere. She immediately gives them space. She's not even sure what excuse she uses. She just knows that she has to get away. As time goes on, it's clear that Botan doesn't recognize or remember her. She tells her dad about it and he catches her up on Sora's enlistment as a reaper, what she had to give up to achieve that, and how Koenma has been favoring her as an assistant.

Shizuru is of course eternally bitter about Koenma seeing as he's managed to bring so much misery upon them all whether he means to or not. But she can't help how grateful she feels to see Sora/Botan again even if Kazuma has managed to get tied up in Koenma's bullshit now.

She sees how much Kazuma loves Yusuke and sees what she had with Botan in the past and she can't help but be happy for him that he got everything she wanted. She wishes him the best and lets him follow his path no matter where it leads him. She can only hope that he makes good choices and that his team will have his back.

Kazuma is the last person Sakyo ever expected to see again, much less fighting demons with an energy sword. Kazuma doesn't recognize him of course. He was so little and after a "head injury" during the house fire as a kid he doesn't remember much from around that time. Plus Sakyo looks markedly different as a grown man. Similar enough if you knew him pre transition or knew what his father looked like, but Kazuma wouldn't have any frame of reference.

Sakyo is shocked but has Toguro go after Kazuma with an invitation for Yusuke to the Dark Tournament after a quick assessment of the situation at hand. He's always been great at observing and reading people after all. If Kazuma's invited to the Dark Tournament, then there's no way he won't see Shizuru again. Of course she'll be there. Kazuma is everything to her. So he waits. What he doesn't expect to see is a girl with blue hair and pink eyes that's the spitting image of Sora when she passed.

Then the events from the Dark Tournament play out largely unchanged. Sakyo dies at the end of it all. No matter how much they love each other they took different paths. There was no way to rejoin. It was always meant to end this way, but they got to see each other again if only for a brief moment in time.

The rest of the series also passes largely unchanged from cannon. Shizuru takes her time to heal and become comfortable with Botan as we know her now. Botan reminds Shizuru of what Sora was like when they were kids. Of what Sora might have been like had they never gotten involved in delinquent activity as teens. She's just as sweet and bubbly as she was beneath all the bravado. It's easy to find herself relaxing into a warm if slightly detached friendship. She tries to keep Botan at arm's length because she doesn't know if she can keep a handle on her feelings for her.

Also Genkai knew more about the Kuwabara family that she never let slip during the series for a Variety of reasons. She ultimately got what she wanted and needed out of the tournament that she ran -seeing Kazuma- but ended up training Yusuke because of course with Koenma's interference of giving Yusuke powers and awareness of demons the little shit won the damn thing. And he clearly cares about the Kuwabaras so why not? She's still dead though. (More an au of the manga timeline vs anime timeline.)

ANYWAY GETTING TO THE SONG PART NOW

As much as Koenma is a little shit, after everything that happened with Genkai and Toguro and Mrs. Kuwabara and Shizuru and Botan and Kazuma almost dying he has a whole fucking lot to make up for and he keeps trying to do his best to make it up to this family that keeps defying fate's plans and exceeding Spirit World's expectations. He has a huge soft spot for them.

So one day when she's scheduled to have her human form changed to more closely match with Kazuma and Kurama's current age range, he also returns Botan's memories to her (somehow through a loophole he and George have been working on hunting down for years) and of course the first thing she does is fly to Shizuru with a little radio like Kiki's delivery service playing a song only her and Shizuru (and Kazuma) would recognize. It's a spirit world radio and it's amplified while transmitting on a psychic frequncy specific to the Kuwabaras.

It's a familiar tune from a Sci-fi show they watched together as children while babysitting Kazuma. (I sorta envision it like Star Trek I assume someone had brought Star Trek to Japan by the 80s.)

Shizuru hears it, thinks it might be kazumas stereo but it sounds like its inside her mind. She extends her senses outside while she looks to the sky, and she senses that Botan is flying overhead.

Shizuru instantly knows that Sora/Botan remembers their past. She jumps out of bed, scrambles into boots, a jacket, and a helmet running out of the house, and hops on her motorcycle to fly after her as Sora/Botan flies through the skies above Sarayashiki. They're heading towards a place by some train tracks near the beach that they used to brawl at in middle school for their bigger fights. Shizuru's thinking the lyrics to herself a she rides. Botan has always been the shooting star that she couldn't quite catch up to. She'll be damned is she doesn't catch her this time.

(It's my AU so Shizuru gets a motorcycle 🏍 she'd be so cool riding one come on)

The Kuwahi is admittedly less detailed....

On his end, Hiei is using the Jagan to check that Kazuma is home and considering saying something to him.

When he establishes the connection he hears the song starting. It's one Kazuma shared with him as a favorite of his. One Kazuma had listened to since he was a child. Playing it on his stereo with the window open so Hiei could listen from the tree outside his window one warm summer evening.

Hiei thinks that might have been the first night that he started having feelings for Kazuma.

Kazuma's sentimental speeches have gotten to him somewhere along the way and he's developed his own sentimentality. He's developed a love of music. Listening outside Kazumas window to whatever he plays for him.

Hiei's grown an appreciation for so many things in life that he'd long let die by the wayside. Kazuma revived them. He only started putting the pieces together when he couldn't put down his anger at Yukina rejecting Kazuma for her one-sided love for Keiko (of course I worked that in here. If we're still doing ultimately doomed Yaoi then let's toss in some ultimately doomed Yuri while we're at it too y'all 🤷‍♀️.). It was bad enough that Kazuma had to hide his pain and resignation at The Detective's proposal to the girl, did his own sister have to fall for her and break Kazuma's heart too? Were Kazuma's declarations and patience and kindness not enough?

Before Hiei started the connection, Kazuma had been up thinking about his feelings for Hiei and how they'd been growing since he'd let go of Yukina. How close they've gotten as teammates and friends. How he's slowly grown to love him over the years but isn't sure what to do about it.

Kazuma feels a familiar psychic connection and starts to hear the music. He assumes that Hiei is the one sending it. That's new. Typically when Hiei contacts him via psychic connection it's an emergency message or communication of information over long distance during a mission.

Hiei sends a few short words telling Kazuma that he's deeply important to him and asking Kazuma to follow him. The emotions conveyed in the connection make it clear that its some form of love and longing and not just the comraderie they've always had. Kazuma looks out the window and sees Hiei fly off the roof ringed in moonlight against a backdrop of stars. He jumps out of bed, into some shoes, and is down and out of the door chasing after Hiei as he feels the distance grow in their connection. He ends up singing the lyrics in their connection while chasing Hiei across town and through the surrounding forest as his own half of this confession. Hiei has always been a shooting star to him. He just needs to catch up.

Both chase scenes are happening at the same time because universal timing I guess lmao. Also Kazuma and Shizuru didn't notice each other leaving because they were so caught up in the moment lmao. Shizuru got out the door last and didn't hear Kazuma running out because she was scrambling for her boots and jacket.

Kazuma also has a motor cycle for the record it just wouldn't make sense to ride it where he's chasing Hiei.

Idk what do you think Shizutan and Hieibara shippers do I have anything here?

I can't write so all I can do is give a rundown of scenes. 🤷‍♀️

If someone likes this and wants to write or draw this please by all means! 💖 I give this AU headcanon freely. I don't have the skill or talent to write or draw anything with it.

I just wanted to at least share it in case it made someone else happy to think on.

I think I'm calling this the Tragic Biker Shizutan AU since the Kuwahi is more of an afterthought.

[omegaremix]

Winter 1992 Mixtape.

Boogie Down Productions “Duck Down”

Grand Puba “Fat Rat”

A Tribe Called Quest “Jazz (We Got The…)”

Eric B & Rakim “Know The Ledge”

Cypress Hill “Duke Of Earl”

Lord Finesse “Return Of The Funkyman”

Naughty By Nature “Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright (Ghetto Bastard)”

Shabba Ranks “The Jam” (f. KRS-One)

MC Serch “Back To The Grill Again” (f. various artists)

D-Nice “Time To Flow”

X Clan “Fire & Earth (100% Natural)”

Digital Underground Sons Of The P

A Tribe Called Quest“Butter”

Nice & Smooth “How To Flow”

TLC “Ain’t 2 Proud To Beg”

Cypress Hill “How I Could Just Kill A Man”

[lcftyambiticns]

𝑩𝑹𝑰𝑫𝑮𝑬 𝑫𝑰𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑪𝑻 : 𝓐𝓽hkatla —— 15 YEARS AGO ;

—— * ℒorroakan ran his hands down the opulent fabric of a new luxurious robe he had treated himself to; embedded with gemstones and adorned with intricate stitchings. Fit for a city noble.

The wizard protege appeared entirely out of place in this dimly lit, cramped room on the top floor of the inn he (unfortunately) called home. It boasted only a bed, a desk facing a window overlooking a dark, dirty alley, a closet, and a small shelf housing his collection of books (his spellbooks were stowed away under floorboards due to Athkatla's strict regulations on magic usage).

He didn't belong here. His robes, along with all the other luxuries Lorroakan indulged in whenever possible, were well worth it. After all, he had no desire to be mistaken for some commoner when, in truth, he wasn't. The gods had simply dealt him an unjust hand, but soon, very soon, he could rectify their mistake leave this miserable life behind and live up to his full potential.

Lorroakan knew he was meant for greater things, destined to rise above the masses. It felt like a calling, its pull growing stronger with each passing day.

He had almost set enough money aside to enroll in one of the most prestigious academies of Faerûn (and yes, treating himself to this robe was necessary; after all, he couldn't show up at the academy looking like a poor wretch).

A loud and rapid banging echoed on the door, drowning out the never-ending tavern sounds and chatter that often deprived him of sleep. "You're late on your rent AGAIN!"

Lorroakan's head snapped from the mirror toward the door.

"How many times do I have to explain? My payment for this month will be delayed, as I've already informed you twice!" He snapped and glared at the door, his tone dripping with entitlement as if he had every right to simply delay his payment just like that. "I shall pay you in a tenday, as I said, Henryk. Now cease your pestering and leave me be!"

"In a tenday?? Absolutely NOT, you —— !!"

The innkeeper jiggled the locked door handle in frustration.

"Do not test my patience, I am warning you!" Lorroakan's voice went up an ocatave and there was an edge of anxiety in it. "I'd much prefer not to have to reveal your... indiscretions to your wife!"

The inn-keeper stopped rattling at the door handle.

"You godsdamned bastard," he snarled, delivering a single punch to the door, causing Lorroakan to flinch ever so slightly. If Henryk caught sight of him in that robe while he was behind on rent... well, that wouldn't bode well. It wasn't the first instance, either, and the burly innkeeper only tolerated Lorroakan as a patron because he had claimed to be a noble who had been robbed on his journey to Athkatla, promising generous rewards once his household learned of his predicament. And because Lorroakan had dirt on him.

The young wizard despised being here, though. It was noisy, it was filthy, it was cramped, but it was preferable to dwelling in the SLUMS with his DRUNK father and whichever of his 6 siblings still lingered at home like parasites.

"You have two days. TWO. I don't give a RAT'S ARSE if you're the son of a duke, you arrogant little shit. If you don't have the coin by then, I'll kick you out. Is that understood??"

Lorroakan clenched his jaw and said nothing. Luckily, Henryk left it at that.

The plan was to skip paying rent entirely this month, as he intended to leave the city within the next ten days. He would have amassed sufficient coin by then. If he paid Henryk, it would derail his plans — he wouldn't have enough money for his travels, let alone for enrollment!

Hells. He needed to come up with something. He would. He always had.

[theresattrpgforthat]

any ttrpgs similar to tf2? basically a cartoonish but very violent 60s aesthetic

THEME: Cartoon-ish Violence

Hello friend! So when I hear violence, one of the first things I think of is LUMEN. This game system is primarily focused on combat, and really prioritizes character customization, which I hear is pretty big in TF2! I’ve got 2 very different LUMEN games for your consideration, and one lighter game.

Maim!, by Goat Star.

In the days of old, adventurers would go out on epic journeys, fight hordes of foes, and arise victorious with treasure and glory. Now they play maim - a sport where two teams of heroes volley each other with an anti-gravity maim-ball to score points.

A point is scored when a maim player is killed.

MAIM! is a roleplaying game where players are teammates in the midst of a dangerous death sport. It features a sci-fi fantasy setting, a futuristic world full of strange magic and machines - not to mention a cast of weird characters who are all trying to bash you down for points. MAIM! uses the LUMEN system by Spencer Campbell to make players feel badass and powerful even as they're risking their lives in the court.

Nothing feels more cartoony than turning hyper-violence into a sport. The setting is a sci-fantasy blend, with a broad span of genres to pull inspiration from. One note that I found very interesting is that this game advertises a system for generating new equipment for brand loyalty. That sounds like the perfect amount of corniness that I’d be looking for in a cartoony combat game.

CyberRats, by Alex Rinehart.

Welcome, trainee!

You are genetically engineered Operatives addicted to Biotech, a glowing gel that gives you superhuman powers.  The world is being invaded by extraterrestrials known as Interlopers. You have been employed by a megacorp to ensure that the aliens don't win, and that if they are stopped, it's you who does it, and not some rival corporation. Winning won't be easy. But it also won't be enough. The right corp must get credit.

Can you stop the aliens? Will you sabotage the military to steal equipment and defense contracts from your competitors? How many Operatives will you lose before you taste victory? If you want to really lean into the cartoon fun, Cyberrats might be up your alley. I think the art for this game is amazing, and really communicates the tone and feel of the game. It’s colourful and electric, and captures the devil-may-care attitude the rats appear to have about causal violence. There’s ongoing work to produce more content for this game, currently in the form of the Briny Bastards playtest, so if you like this game, rest assured there’s more to come!

Gun Gun Go!, by Spook-Generator.

Are you ready to take up the mantle -and chamber- of a Shooter, a defender of and gun-for-hire on X-EARTH?

Get right to the action, take on deadly threats, and use explosive abilities in this fast-paced Lasers and Feelings hack.

Lasers and Feelings is a system that is great for games that are light-hearted, and this game hands you guns and over-the-top foes to duke it out with. The setting is meant to be pretty over-the-top, with the possibility for everything from Kaiju, to Cyber-Assassins, to dragons! If you’re interested in a game you can try for very little investment, this game might be what you’re looking for.

[triviareads]

What are your HR comfort reads?

The Lady Gets Lucky by Joanna Shupe: The romance between Alice and Kit is actually so sweet. Between Alice's shyness and Kit's deeeeeep insecurities about him being nothing more than a pretty face, they're very tender with one another while still being hot what with all the sex lessons, which I appreciate.

The Duke Who Knew Too Much by Grace Callaway: A new comfort read, but it's always very funny to read (and hot) because the plot is so batshit crazy (casual kidnapping in a deeply misguided effort to prove one's innocence? fabulous) but so good.

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas: If you want to read about girl-gang shenanigans, one gal deluding herself about aphrodisiacs (actually, deluding all the girlies— remember Annabelle and Hunt lol), one man just slowly cracking through the course of the novel until he threatens to kill his own mother for his love, another man's rat-bastard origin story, and generally a have laugh, this is a deeply comforting read.

Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean: The ultimate comfort read. Ralston is just generally a comforting hero because he's so down for literally anything Callie wants to do or explore (apart from, of course, when she binds her tits). A true feminist.

Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas: Very low-stakes conflict just like The Lady Gets Lucky, and very sweet. Tom kinda hits as a hero when you want someone who's very devoted to the heroine from first sight.

[blossomofhope]

Heart of Mine - Shizuku

right so. a few notes on this first.

as i said the other day (though i deleted that post) the narration for this isn't perfectly in character it's based more off of the cards i'm referencing.

also shiho is definitely not a normal nine-year-old idk.

this is over 3k words so don't feel obliged to read any of it :> i just like posting these here as well as on ao3.

the first line's never explained i'm sorry i wrote this over the week and forgot my original plan.

I  can’t be sure when it started. I don’t think I’ll ever be sure.

I suppose something was put into motion several years ago, when a storm so terrible it threatened to demolish the newly-built east wing. I had been eleven, still the sort of girl to cower under her covers as the wind whipped the trees into a leafy froth and rattled my bedroom window like it was trying to come in uninvited. I don’t think it was the rain that had bothered me. It was the mere thought that something terrible could happen in the suffocating darkness brought on by that sort of nightly weather and I would be none the wiser until it was too late. It was foolish for a girl so old, on the cusp of proper maturity, to be so afraid of weather. It was just in my nature. I was sheltered, rich, and generally absent-minded. I still am.

Though I was a lot of things as a child, come to think of it. The daughter of a duke and his mistress, although it very well could have been a common harlot, named heir  because there was no one else and I believe my father was getting desperate, and by universal consent, beautiful. It wasn’t vanity. I do not think I have ever been vain, or self-centred, or so absorbed in my appearance that I didn’t care for much else. My looks had always been a point of interest. Wasn’t the young lady pretty, so much so that she doesn’t look entirely human? I had heard plenty of talk throughout my lifetime - I was a bastard, a fraud, unworthy. But as my father had put it once, if I fell short then the shred of worth I had would fall to none. Something along those lines. He always was the poetic sort, and I could never understand what his words were supposed to mean.

Besides, with the storm howling outside my window I wasn’t going to abandon the safety and warmth of my bed for anything. All things considered I doubt I would have got up if part of the province had been set alight, if it was far away enough. I do remember, however, hearing something odd despite the pouring rain, wind and occasional rumble of thunder.

I had thought it was something falling, briefly, before the dull glow of a light spread across the path. It had crept up the wall of the house and set shadows dancing across my bedroom, so I knew whatever was happening was nearby. My room was not above the front door. It overlooked the gardens. A thief, I had wondered, or perhaps a runaway?

There was the sound of scuffling and an angry voice. They sounded young, younger than I was, and had the sort of accent I associated with the poorest townsfolk and their feral children. That only served to fuel my rioting imagination, and I couldn’t help but picture whoever it was. They must have come here, I told myself, because the fruit in the orchard still needed picking, and they were desperate for food. I felt a sudden pang of jealousy, thinking that. I considered picking the orchard my favourite thing to do. It wasn’t fair that some street rat was stealing all of it.

I laid there for a while longer, listening to their annoyed protests and occasional yelps of pain. No one was talking, but it was obvious that somebody was restraining the thief. We didn’t have guards stationed here all of the time, though I was used to their presence and the way they prowled around the estate like wild animals. We just had a lot of staff working past sunset and well into the night. I, of course, didn’t care for them, but I hoped that this little street rat didn’t cause any serious to harm to anyone who worked for the family.

Eventually I slipped out of bed, bare feet light as ever on the velvety carpet, and in my nightgown opened my curtains as much as I could bear to. Peering out of the window into the storm did not satiate my curiosity, although the rain was harsh on my face and the cold bit right down to my bones. I knew I would likely catch a chill and be bedridden for a day or two, but what did it matter? I wanted to give this child a piece of my mind for attempting to steal my fruit from my orchards. I was still a child myself at the time, yet I had the sort of blind arrogance all children of my standing were known to possess at one point or another. I believe I was the most insufferable eleven-year-old in the country.

I followed the flickering lamplight with my eyes, making out the shadows of gnarled trees reaching for me like ancient fingers and the outlines of carts abandoned for the night, but nobody was there. I learnt further out of the open window, clutching onto the windowsill to steady myself. And then I saw it.

Just shy of the back entrance and the servants’ way in, a man whose broad figure I recognised but could not place was wrestling a child - a scrap of a thing swearing and struggling for all they were worth - away from the house. It was a terrible sight for me. I had expected a thief, yes, and a young one, yet this was new to me. Why was he restraining them with such force? Surely a child like that was no trouble, I reminded myself, even though in the back of my mind I was picturing myself in their shoes.

A shudder ran down my spine at the thought of being like that, being forcibly prevented from getting what I desperately needed. I did not know what it was to be starving, penniless or truly alone. I had always had my father. The servants who catered to my every need were different, but they too were people. They did the jobs I did not, or rather, anything and everything I thought I was above doing. I am sure I gave them strife once upon a time.

“Stop!” I cried, praying that I would be heard above the storm. The words had pushed themselves past my lips before I had the time for second thoughts, “I order you to stop!”

The man stilled. He looked up. He laughed, fondly, though it was laced with annoyance. “Miss Shizuku,” he said, because that was what I had had them call me as a child, “You ought to be in bed. Don’t you fret over this. Common thieves aren’t your trouble.”

But I wanted them to be, if it would convince him to let the child go. So I had folded my arms and put on the best show of authority I could, “I will tell my father.”

“About?” he asked, “Ain’t nothing wrong with what I’m doing, missy. Go to sleep or else the morning’ll never come, isn’t that what they say?”

It was clear that he was trying to stay civil with me. I didn’t want that. Let him shout at me. I would tell my father all about it and then he would lose his job. It would serve him right for being so heartless.

I couldn’t stand it. I slammed the window shut, and with all the grace of a proper lady, nearly fell over in my haste to put something on my feet. It wasn’t right for me to leave my room barefoot, after all, though that should have been the least of my worries. Then I snuffed out the lights, left the room, and dashed downstairs like the house was on fire. It felt like the world was collapsing in my wake, all my thoughts focused on giving that man what I believed he deserved. He was a member of staff, I told myself, it was well within my right to do so. I was the lady of the house despite my age, was I not?

I am sure he could hear me coming. My slippered feet were awfully loud against the rain-slick cobbles. But I doubt he was expecting the young lady, the daughter of the local lord, to throw herself onto him at full pelt, fists raised. It was a stupid thing to do. He was several times my size and then some. Did I care? Not one bit.  He let the young thief go, though they did not run. They simply watched, mouth hanging open, as I told him how much I hated him and how much of a monster I thought he was.

At some point I must have realised it was a losing battle, and I was beginning to lose the strength to pummel him. I let myself drop to the floor, teetering a little. It wouldn’t do for me to end up in an unceremonious heap on the ground.

He sighed. I recognised him now, though his name still eluded me. He was the groundsman, or something similar. Being who I was I didn’t actually know. His expression was stony when he looked from me to the thief and back again. “Come with me,” he said fiercely, “Both of you.”

I knew that tone. It promised terrible things to come. I went to trail after him, in utter disgrace, before I stopped and grabbed the thief’s arm. This child - this girl - was so skinny that I could clasp her bony wrist between my thumb and forefinger if I tried.

She protested, and muttered an angry,  “Get the hell off me,” but did not pull away.

We followed the groundsman into the house, the thief looking around the place like they couldn’t believe their eyes, me as meekly as possible, my eyes on my shoes. I hated being in trouble. I was doing what I thought was right, for god’s sake.

My father was in his study, as he almost always was. I often wondered if he slept there, he never seemed to leave. We were let in without immediate question. The man explained the situation as best as he could, and I glared at him with my arms crossed, as if the anger bubbling within me would deter him in some way.

My father pinched the bridge of his nose with a disappointed sigh. “I expected better of you, Shizuku,” he told me sternly, “To be storming out of the house and making an attempt to attack someone over a thief? Have I taught you nothing?”

I did not reply, tears pricking the corners of my eyes. I was scolded often, I was that kind of child, but seldom by my father. To be personally reprimanded for doing the right thing… It felt terrible. I felt terrible.

He glanced up again, brows furrowed, and his solemn blue eyes rested on the girl. I didn’t know her name yet. She was thin, alarmingly so, though dimly I wondered if some of it was natural, as it was with me. Her shock of matted hair was a dirty greyish colour, and her eyes were a piercing green that made me think of the cunning serpents in the folktales I used to read past dark. But there was something unusually familiar about her, something eerie and otherworldly about her narrow face and slender features.

My father sat up properly. “My god,” he muttered to himself, to no one in particular, “My god.”

He slowly stood, walking over to her with an odd expression on his face. I took my father for a stoic man, however in that moment his expression was softer than I had ever seen it. I’m sure he would have looked at me like that had I been a normal child. Unfortunately, I was anything but. It was something that made me feel oddly envious. He was looking at this strange, thieving girl like he was seeing someone entirely different.

“What…” he began, before the words split, fell down the back of his throat. He swallowed, tried again, “What’s your name?”

The girl blinked, clearly baffled by the question. “Shiho,” she replied, trying to be polite, “…sir.”

My father laughed, shaking his head fondly. Why was he being like this? To her?

“No need for such formalities,” he told her, “Do you… how does one phrase this… know who your mother was?”

The flash of a smile flitted across the girl’s face, like she found his attempt to be tactful amusing, “No. Never knew her, really. I was young to know her name, at that.”

“I… see,” he answered, though it sounded as if he didn’t. Then the briefest glimpse of a smile ghosted over his lips. “Well, would it be any comfort if I told you that you look very much like her?”

Shiho scowled, stubbornly silent. I wanted to ask what he meant, but it wasn’t my turn to speak. Was he mad? How did he know this girl’s mother? Surely a man of such high standing would never trouble himself with people like that. I didn’t want to believe it, much like I refused to believe that my mother was less than human because everyone thought she was a whore in a high place. I hadn’t a clue what they meant and it would have been rude to ask.

I felt envious all over again. This girl at least had had a mother that she could somewhat remember, even if it was in the shadow of an early memory. As far as I could recall, however, I had only ever had my father. I’d always assumed my mother had died in childbirth with how little anyone spoke about her outside of speculating wildly about her. Perhaps that wasn’t the case. I didn’t want to know about her. I didn’t want my world to be turned upside-down over someone I had never known.

Shiho folded her arms after a furtive glance at me. She was imitating me, I realised. Unusual, but not a big surprise. I was close enough to her age that she could mimic what I was doing with little effort.

“How d’you know what she looked like?” she asked, a belligerent tilt to her chin. She was looking up at him like she was considering squashing him. I doubt that she really meant it. She was just that way.

My father faltered again. “Ah. Well, that’s a complicated one.” He nodded towards the door and the groundsman left, though not until telling Shiho to watch it.

“Put simply,” he continued, sitting back down and putting his hands together as he thought things through, “I knew her once.”

Shiho snorted. “Last I heard she was whoring for some guy down south. Reckon someone like you’d know her well enough, eh?”

I was taken aback, and rather appalled at her bluntness. Was this so normal for her? My father shook his head. “That’s quite enough of that. Keep your nose out.” Shiho rolled her eyes; it was one of the most frustrating things adults said. He glanced at me. “Don’t let your curiosity run away with you, Shizuku. I can tell when you’re planning something.”

I feigned offence for a moment, then nodded. “I understand, father.”

“And… Shiho, was it? I can’t say I’ve seen you. And you’ve no one to take care of you? How old are you?”

“Nine,” she replied, then added, “but that don’t matter much.”

“It does to me. You’re awfully young.”

Shiho didn’t reply, but her green eyes burnt with a ferocity I had never seen in someone of her standing. Come to think of it, I had never seen that sort of expression on anyone. It spoke volumes.

She turned around, facing me. “You didn’t need to do anything. I had it handled.”

I laughed, resisting the urge to ruffle her hair as if she was my sister, “You did

not.”

“…fine, maybe I didn’t.”

I grinned at her and looked to my father. He was frowning at Shiho and I like the space between us was a mystery in desperate need of solving. He seemed hell-bent on something. I didn’t know what, and I did not dare ask.

But it had never come as a surprise when, afterwards, Shiho would find her way onto the grounds and we would spend the day running wild. Perhaps my father had given her permission, a result of whatever he had figured out about her. She taught me how to climb trees - properly, she said, so

that there was less chance of me ruining my fine clothes. I still managed to tear hems and it was near impossible for me to go anywhere without falling, but I scarcely minded. I taught her little things, simple things for me that she found difficult, like how not to make a fool out of herself in public and how to convince people at parties that we found everything immensely entertaining.

There was never a formal process, not one that I knew of. Someone came and fetched Shiho one day when she was telling me all about how she longed to be a soldier and I was considering the consequences of throwing something at her to shut her up a little, and then she just never left. It got to such a point that ‘sister’ felt far better than ‘friend’, so that was what she became to me. I am sure my father knew something that we didn’t, but he did not tell us, and I never saw fit to question him even as I got older. Then Shiho went away to the next kingdom, before the war had started, and never came back. She sent me letters describing her military training in extensive detail and I returned them all, telling her of the life I was living with our father unfit to handle things. I became a duchess. She became a soldier like she’d wanted.

When the war started we were on opposite sides. The letters stopped. I didn’t know if she was alive or dead. And, when the news came that the enemy’s leading commander had died, I admit that I wept. For my sister, for him, for myself. I didn’t know if she had joined him in that campaign and I hoped she had been stationed elsewhere.

We were adults by that time; it had been over a decade since we met that night in the rain. But I do wonder, sometimes, if we no longer had anything to fight for.

[blu3stwizard]

Gerudia Dashboard Simulator

Fagisterium-Official Follow Broo i hate being a fucking mage apprencite, they got my ass drafted to the southern war. Fml, i should desert Magister-Descartes Follow Report to my tower immediately Fagisterium-Official Follow WHAT THE FUCK

Spitting-Lax

goddsss Creaghan Bannock is soo nastayy like ser yes serr

Khetgirl Follow

Dude wtf he's literally upholding the slaver regime of Bannocks

Spitting-Lax

And? I'd fuck Duke Berdick too what about it

Sexy-God-Bracket

Mage-pie Follow

IRYSSA SWEEEPPPPP LETSS GO MOMMYY

Loqed-and-Loaded Follow

I ryssa my balls to your mouth

Brennaughty Follow

So im on my student exchange and was anybody going to tell me dragonborn aren't a subspecies of lizardfolk? Like girl what??

Horny-on-mane Follow

Wait until they figure out the difference between Satyrs and Tieflings Brennaughty Follow

the what

MoaningSun Follow

The tsar's heir is kinda?? Well, I shan't say

Lichentrope-deactivated4401372 Follow

Y'all would fuck a table if it was elven

SunSon Follow

lmfaooo get smited heretic

Kanna-Nation Follow

Friendly reminder that by revering and whitewashing C***ella you are literally supporting mass racial genocide. We orcs deserve to live too

Ilstrutting-Around Follow

hey OP and what were the orcs doing in Bretthard when the hammer fell.

Oh-strike-her Follow

FYI OP has killed 3 milf soldiers in a southern farm raid 4 years ago.

Kanna-Nation Follow

Oh so now you support slavers okay

Spitting-Lax

LMFAOOO LORD BASTARD GOT HIS ASS

Marthot

DNI if you support the marriage between Jacynthia Bannock and Chieftan Krugan

Ashebyede Follow

bro the chieftan won't fuck you either calm down

Marthot

dude she's its cuz she's 15

Ashebyede Follow

oh

Alchemisty Follow

Healing potion save me

Alchemisty Follow

healing potion

Alchemisty Follow

Save me healing potion

Dang-braer Follow

The undersea will never be a part of the empire, they worship clams like girl what

Sharkie-Says Follow

The clams are real tho bro

Tammerunning Follow

NOOOOOO THE CRIMSON COMET LOST HIS TILTSS 😭😭😭

KnightCall Follow

Gnohomo Follow

Hey so it turns out that the rat population in gnomergan has increased by 35%, and among them theres has been found a corpse of a rat roughly the size or an ogre

Whoreuz Follow

Ilstrutting-Around Follow

TF YOU MEAN "again"

(Okay this is a campaign meme if you don't know what's going on then don't worry)