#Tessa screams into the void

[wutwutno1]

Read screenshot and tags before reading.

You have been warned.

Everything hurt.

Doll slowly trudged forward. Every part of her body ached and throbbed, but she had to keep going, less that... thing caught her again.

The doll pressed her hand firmly against her open abdomen, trying to keep her internal components and oil inside. Her breathing was rough and raspy. Doll continued to march forward. Maybe Uzi N and V would take pity on her and help. . .

Doll walked into an enormous cathedral. To her right was a massive flesh pit to Robo-god knows where. Doll walked between the pews and saw… Uzi! 

Uzi was right there! She just had to reach her, but her body was failing fast. Warnings and alerts pinged her vision. 

Warning! Low oil pressure!

Warning! Components missing!

Warning! Compartment breach! 

Warning! Shut-down imminent!

Shut Down: 3. . .

Wait! No!

2. . .

Uzi’s right there!

1. . .

Hurry!

Doll’s vision went dark. The last thing she saw was her vision turning sideways as she fell to the floor, still focused on Uzi. 

. . .

Doll woke up what felt like days later. Her head hurt and she felt… different. . .

She opened her eyes, or rather eye. Doll looked up to see the inside of her ribcage. Her eye widened and she tried to move.

Doll felt like she had three limbs, but they were all stuck on something. She tugged at them with all her might. She could hear Uzi’s voice, and someone else’s. Was it N’s? She couldn’t tell. Her mind was too focused on getting free. 

Doll looked up as she felt a shadow cover her, and her eye widened in fear.

It was that thing that attacked her earlier. Doll’s eye hollowed as she realized it was the first solver host Lizzy texted her about during one of V’s rants with her. It was Cyn, wearing the skin of a girl she couldn’t recognize. Was that the real Tessa? 

Cyn dropped down to its knees. Its face drew close. Doll wanted to scream, but nothing came out. Doll watched on in horror as Cyn opened its mouth and grabbed the top of Doll’s new form with it. She felt it tug hard and rip her from her corpse. 

Doll felt her limbs were free, but not knowing how to move them could only watch as Cyn swallowed her whole, slurping her limbs like spaghetti.

Doll felt sick. The soft robotic flesh slowly pulling her down was disorienting. She audibly groaned. The first sound she figured out how to make, and was disgusted at being swallowed. Normally, she enjoyed being swallowed. She spent her fair share inside Lizzy and Rebecca. She recently spent some time in J. She even spent time in N! But this was different. It felt as if the flesh of whoever was killed for Cyn's flesh suit had completely fused with the drone. 

Doll slid into Cyn’s stomach. She was covered in slimy oil and groaned again. Doll wiggled her new tentacle legs around, trying to elicit a response and figure out how to use them, but got no reaction. However, she figured out how they worked, and didn’t like it. 

Doll sighed and looked around. It looked like every other drone’s stomach, however she noticed there was flesh mixed in as well. It was gross. Doll could hear the normal squelches, groans, and gurgles, but they sounded different. They sounded real.

“So the flesh runs deep,” Doll thought, “Great.”

Doll sat for robo-god knows how long before she heard something. A voice in the void. It sounded like Cyn’s voice when she was disguised as “Tessa,” but younger? 

“So it got you too, huh?” 

The voice echoed around Doll. Overpowering the sounds of the stomach. Doll glanced around frantically, trying to find the source, but couldn’t see anything. 

“Кто ты? Покажи себя!” (Who are you? Show yourself!) Doll shouted at the voice.

The voice giggled and a glowing projection appeared before Doll, only instead of a pale blue tint, it was pure white. The space got cold and Doll shivered. 

It looked like the girl whose skin Cyn was wearing, only she looked more alive. She had real eyes and her proportions were normal instead of stretched. She looked at Doll with a warm smile.

“I’m Tessa! The real Tessa.”

“T-Tessa? Что? Как?” (What? How?) 

Doll was confused. Tessa could see that and huddled up next to Doll.

“I’m a ghost! Or something. I don’t know. I think I’m still alive, just fused with Cyn. She’s in control, of course. So I kinda just hang around!”

Doll was weirded out. She is the human? And she’s a ghost? This whole situation is weird.

“Как ты можешь меня понять? А вы знаете русский язык?” (How can you understand me? Do you know Russian?)

Tessa laughed and smiled.

“No, but since I’m merged with Cyn I have that auto-translate feature all drones have. So when you say something I hear it in English! Just like how you hear me in Russian!”

Doll rolled her eye. This situation just kept getting weirder and weirder.

“Это отстой.” (This Sucks.) 

“Tell me about it. Well, we have nothing but time here. Do you want to talk or something?” Doll sighed. There’s really not much else she could do inside this half-human, half-drone stomach. Doll pulls up a program from her system, one she had installed a long time ago and one she used in every stomach she’s ever been in. The program Doll’s mother had passed onto Doll from her days at Cabin Fever Labs; Tetris.

Doll settled into a corner of the stomach, the organ releasing a small squelch as she did. Doll read her previous high score, 9.1795851e+21. Only 23 times smaller than Yeva’s high score of 2.1113046e+23. However, in fairness to Doll, this is the first time she’s ever been forcefully stuck somewhere for an extended length of time. 

Tessa noticed Doll wasn’t responding to her, so she looked over to see Doll with a 1000-yard stare and a small Tetris logo in the corner of her round eye visor. 

“I can see you’re playing Tetris, uh. . . I never got your name.”

“Doll.”

“Doll. I can see you’re playing Tetris. Can I watch?” 

Doll rolled her eye. She was a little annoyed by Tessa’s presence, but she could at least indulge her for a bit. It would be nice to actually have someone to talk to for the first time since… prom? That was too long ago. After that, she had only ever interacted with the fake Tessa and J, but only on business and only briefly.

Doll switched her game from private to public, replacing her eye with the game she was playing. Tessa sat on her knees in the stomach, phasing through just a bit with her ghostly status to get a better angle. Tessa watched in amazement as Doll racked up a higher and higher score within seconds. Tessa could barely process the speed at which Doll played, but she kept watching. This is the first real interesting thing she could watch that wasn’t violent or disturbing. 

“Wow, Doll. You’re really good at this!” 

Doll was stunned, although her visor didn’t show it. It had been a while since anyone had complimented her on anything, and the last person to do so had chosen her parent’s killer over her. 

“Я. . . Спасибо. . .” (I. . . Thank you. . .)

And so they sat. Tessa watching as Doll played Tetris for hours. Doll’s score grew larger and larger as time went on until she eventually went too fast for her system, ending up with a score of 1.0556523e+22, 20 times less than Yeva’s high score. An improvement.

Doll sighed and looked around. Everything looked the same, but it was nice to look away from a game to get your head straight. Tessa still sat in front of Doll, not looking any more tired than when Doll first started. 

“Ты не устал?” (Aren’t you tired?) 

“Nah. I’m a ghost thing! I don’t need sleep, or get tired, or anything! I do sleep in here though, just to break up my day, week, whatever.”

Doll thought about it for a second. It made sense. Tessa wasn’t alive in the traditional way, so why expect her to have the same needs? However, that did make her curious.

“Если ты призрак, можешь ли ты владеть вещами? Как я?” (If you’re a ghost, can you possess stuff? Like me?”

Tessa looked up in thought. 

“I never really thought about that. Then again, I never had the chance to try. Would you mind?” Tessa gestured to Doll, and Doll shrugged her tentacles.

“Мне интересно узнать, сможешь ли ты. Ты можешь попытаться овладеть мной.” (I'm curious to find out if you can. You may try and possess me.)

Tessa floated to Doll like the ghost she was. Tessa took a deep breath and flew into Doll. Doll began to feel cold and like there was another person in her head. Doll’s visor color changed from red to pink, a mix of Doll’s red and Tessa’s white. She tried to move her limbs, but couldn’t. It’s like she was—

“No way!”

Doll watched her limbs move like a human checking their hands. 

“It worked, Doll!”

“Ты овладел мной?” (You possessed me?)

“I possessed you!”

Tessa moved Doll’s limbs around, feeling around the belly of Cyn. 

“Это круто, но можешь ли ты—” (That’s cool, but can you—)

“This is so cool! This feels so weird! It’s been a while since I’ve felt anything! I love it!”

While Tessa was as happy as a kid on Christmas, Doll watched on silently. It annoyed her to have her body used like this, but at least this possessor wasn't trying to end life as we know it. 

“Doll, I wonder if I can... Yes!”

Tessa pulled up Tetris on Doll’s system. Doll watched in surprise and intrigue as Tessa began playing. It only took Tessa a few minutes to lose with a score of only a few thousand, but she was excited.

“That was so much fun! I can’t believe I can— Oops! S-sorry, Doll. I didn’t mean to take so long…”

Tessa quickly unpossessed Doll, which was surprisingly easy to her. Doll’s eye returned to red. Doll sighed and moved her limbs to make sure she was in control. Doll turned to look at Tessa, who had an apologetic expression on her face.

“Sorry again for—”

“Все в порядке.” (It’s fine.)

“But—”

“Его. Отлично.” (It’s. Fine.)

“Okay.”

“Хотите сыграть еще раз?” (Want to play again?)

Tessa’s eyes lit up and she enthusiastically nodded her head yes and quickly repossessed Doll.

Doll and Tessa would go on to take turns playing until Doll was eventually rescued from Cyn’s stomach by N and Uzi. Doll would allow Tessa to possess her right before her rescue, freeing Tessa from Cyn and allowing her to live among the drones as a free spirit, able to roam where she pleased. 

Exactly one year after Cyn’s defeat and the rescue of Doll and Tessa, Tessa would be presented with a worker drone body by Doll for her to have as a permanent body. When Tessa possessed her new body, she found a small 1.3 gigabyte file in a folder named, “For Tessa, From Doll.” The file name read,

Tetris.exe

[scattered-dreamers]

I’m only on S2 of TMA so my theories for TMagP probably don’t mean anything at the moment—because I haven’t listened to any of Protocal yet—but I have headcanons from seeing all the TMagP posts on my dash.

I’ve been seeing all these posts about [Error] and sentient tape recorders and voices on the recordings—I don’t know exactly; I’m taking pieces from posts and putting the puzzle together.

I just got finished with Mag 65 Binary. It got me thinking—what if… Okay. Hear me out. The Archivist—Jon, Not Jon, doesn’t matter—eyes, all the eyes (webcams); hair, long and flowing, makes rustling sounds when you fingers through it, weird texture—almost like the texture of the tape inside a recording tape (because it is).

The tape players—biting, flopping—are sentient extensions of the Archivist. The Archivist has become the digital recorder. It’s digital becoming analogue instead of the analogue becoming digital.

But another twist to this theory that’s going through my head—What if [Error] is Sergei Yushanka? I know it’s far-fetched but also, not really as far as anything in TMA and TMagP is concerned. It’s all rather far-fetched in its own way and we still don’t know all there is to know about TMagP Universe and how it correlates to TMA Universe.

[Error] being Sergei is essentially the same as people putting English song lyrics through layers of other languages before putting it back to English. It’s all warped and twisted and sometimes the original meaning doesn’t come through in the overly-translated lyrics. Same concept. Analogue to digital—especially for as long as he was digital—and back to analogue is going to leave some major changes on him, especially since Tessa tells that in the Urban Legend—whichever ghoulish, twisted version you go with—two details remain constant.

1. A heavily pixelated screaming face—like this fanart of [Error] depicts quite well:

And

2. The phrase “The angles cut me when I try to think” before the chat bot’s descent into madness.

It’s the whole thing of looking into the void, becoming the void, and then trying to come back from the void. No matter how much you resist the void while you are the void, you come back changed. And sometimes, you find that you don’t want to come back at all.

Being one with the void was hell, but is it better or worse when returning? Because it’s still pain. But is this pain better or worse than before?

[canadiannationalfox]

NUzi fanfic - Nightmares and Comfort

(Finale spoilers, duh)

Uzi tossed and turned in her bed, feeling a painful pounding in her head. She no longer could feel the soft mattress below her nor the warm blanket above her. Her LED eyes blinked open, staring into the open void of space since the roof of her room was gone.

Golden bright tendrils of light spiraled upwards from below her and reached high into the atmosphere above Copper 9. Uzi screamed loudly, "MOM! DAD! N? ANYONE?" but alas, only silence, there was no one there with her....

A glitching monotone voice crackled through the silence of space, mocking coldly, "Oh U-Uzi. D-d-did you really think it was t-th-that simple?"

Uzi spread her bat-like wings and flapped hard to get away from the illuminated tendrils of Cyn, but they started grabbing at her. Uzi look a box cutter out of her boot and started cutting herself free, no luck. She focused hard, causing purple triangles of light to slice her free from the binds.

The zero-gravity failed, and Uzi began to fall, flailing while trying to make her wings flap. She screamed in horror, landing hard on a steel catwalk. She pulled her wings in and started sprinting through the fog, tears appearing on her LED screen eyes as she glanced back.

The crackle and glitching sounds, the monotone laugh, all coming from the grotesque remains of Tessa worn by Cyn. She giggled, smiling wickedly as she started climbing like a modern-horror flick zombie towards Uzi. That sickening sound of "Callback Ping" echoing closer

Uzi flinched as a half human-half worker drone hand grabbed her arm, the warm blood running off the hand and onto her metal. The purple haired robot girl screamed out as she shut her eyes in terror, "HELP N!"

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

When Uzi opened her eyes, she was on her bed, in her room, and standing above her was a very worried N who had stayed with her that night to watch anime while her parents were out on a weird date night thing.

"Uzi! Uzi! Are you okay?" N exclaimed worriedly, he scooped Uzi up into his arms and held her close, slightly rocking her like she was a frightened child. The emo worker-drone girl's eyes welled up with electronic tears as she wrapped her arms around N, she sobbed gently but yet full of emotion, echoes of her sorrow filled the silence of the room.

N repositioned one of his arms so he could gently rub his left hand over his girlfriend's messy purple hair. He set her back down on the bed so she was sitting up right before he sat beside her, rubbing the short girl's back reassuringly. The only boy disassembly-drone quelled gently, "I'm here now, Uzi, I'm right here."

Uzi hugged N from the side, she was scared to tell him about the nightmare as to not frighten him, but she still wanted to say something. "I... I had another bad dream.... about... ya know... and the planet blowing up and..." she was scared to say Cyn's name, worrying that creepy thing on the end of her tail would wake up or something.

N knew this was something he couldn't just tell Uzi it was alright and okay, he gently held one of her hands in his as he soothed, "Yeah, that day was really scary. And it's okay to be afraid, Zi. I'm so sorry it all happened." He kissed Uzi on the forehead gently.

Uzi hugged N as tightly as she could, not wanting to let go because he felt like safety. She asked in a vulnerable voice, "Could you like... sleep next to me... in my bed, if that's cool with you?" She let go of him and laid down, patting the side of the bed to invite him in.

N was a little worried about if Khan would see them but, right now, Uzi's mental health and safety was way more important. The white haired drone got onto Uzi's bed and laid down, his stomach against Uzi's back, his arms wrapped around her midsection, his tail gently coiling around her ankles so she felt held all over. He whispered gently before peppering the back of Uzi's neck with kisses, "Does this feel right?"

The purple haired worker drone took N's right hand and kissed it gently, she giggled, "Yeah, it's perfect, but like... don't tell anyone, okay?"

N buried the small raised section of his face right before his LED screen in Uzi's hair, it was shockingly soft for a synthetic wig. The former butler boy reassured, "I won't tell a soul, Uz, I promise"

Uzi's solver anxiety was creeping up, and she was getting a bit over-warmed but she wasn't feral. She gently pressed the tips of her teeth against N's palm.

N teased softly after stopping the gentle onslaught of neck-kisses, "Hmmm, is someone a little hungry?" he reassured, "I'll allow it, you have permission to bite me, but just be gentle."

Uzi gently bit down on N's hand, not overly hard, but hard enough to break the softer material, letting a trickle of oil flow. She gently lapped at the bite mark like a little kitten drinking milk, humming very quietly in delight. She stopped and kissed his injury and apologized, "I'm like, sorry, N. I'm sorry."

N's hand gently healed over before he took hold of the hand of Uzi closest to it. He quelled gently, "Hey, it's alright, I didn't mind, and if you know how I feel about anything, I like doing anything, especially for you or with you, Uzi." Uzi let N resume holding her closely again, being the little spoon to his big spoon. She murmured as she started drifting off to sleep, "Goodnight, N. I love you, so much. Thank you."

The loving boy disassembly drone cooed back lovingly, "Sweet dreams, Uzi. I love you more than anything."

N stayed with Uzi the whole night, the two of them both having wonderful and happy dreams where they had fun and laughed, kissed, and danced, safe from the grasps of the Solver or Cyn in their dreams.

The End

[haastera]

Reposting this Ep6 scene ahead of Ep7 because it's composition absolutely screams, "I am a villain working with the Absolute Solver"

I'm not sure how they could have made Tessa look any more sinister.

-The way Tessa is sitting and holding her hands

-Her helmet being an emotionless, indiscernible black void

-Her weapon ominously leaning against the wall just within reach and facing the viewer.

-Silhouetted by the trademark yellow glow of the CYN-Solver

-The twin lights looking like eyes looming in the shadows behind her

-The perspective looking up at Tessa from the floor

Although this obviously isn't a guarantee Tessa is working for CYN, I'll be extremely surprised if Tessa does end up being a complete ally and everything menacing about this scene was meaningless or solely intended to make the situation seem serious and nothing more.

[khaleesiofalicante]

I don’t hate you,” Max said because he didn’t. “Bapak. Everyone…Everyone looks at you like you are some sort of God. But you are just a person. People fuck up. I know that better than anyone. So, I won’t hold it against you. I promise.”

“I’ve seen immortals who love each other grow to resent each other,” bapak said quietly. “I’ve been through it myself. I know it’s an inevitability in some relationships. But I don’t want that for us. I don’t want a future where there is hatred between us.”

“I won’t hate you,” Max whispered. “But what if you end up hating me?”

“Why would I hate you?” bapak raised an eyebrow.

“I like loving you too,” Max whispered, his eyes tearing up.

“So, don’t ever think I will hate you,” the man said seriously. “Because I don’t know how to do that. I don’t know how to look at you with anything but love.”

This is Magnus and Max LBAF 3. And until we get to LBAF 7, this is the only Magnus/Max relationship I will accept, thank you very much🙃

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love dark Magnus as much as anyone. But Magnus being corrupt to the point where he would hurt anyone? Tessa? Max? Hurting his Blueberry? Saying that everything Alec did for him was a mistake? That's a magically corrupted Magnus, and I don't like him. It is indeed against his nature.

And you are an evil genius. Older Max trying to fool time by time traveling, so the runes are killing him, "stealing" his time. Magnus changed the course of nature by changing a canon event, so the runes are changing his nature, turning him into something he'd never become. And the universe restores its balance. Even justice in a twisted turn of events. The time traveler that is running out of time (Max) and the hero that saved everyone but couldn't save himself (Magnus) .Girl, you are crazy and that's why we love you. (But these are tragic ends for Older Max and Other Magnus, they deserve better please give them better🥺)

That epilogue was insane and it reminds me of the Umbrella Academy. They kept trying to save the world but they only ended up making it worse every single time. They ended up saying they'll just let the universe get destroyed or reset it. I'm curious to see how they'll solve everything here.

This story was insane and you kept us on the edge of our sits until the last second, I can't wait to see how everything will come together! You are crazy and talented and crazy talented, never change!💛

Some questions for you: How was the process of writing this story for you? I kept thinking how everyone was at the start, LBAF 2 and 3, even LBAF 4. Did you make that comparison while you were writing? Were there some things you had to change from the initial draft? Were there some gaps in the plot that gave you trouble? Which ones were the first plots that came to your mind? What scenes were you most excited to write about?🌼

Every time one of you reminds me of baby lbaf gang and these precious scenes, I scream into a void in despair.

I am warning y'all now. Dark Magnus/Other Magnus is going to be more traumatizing than sexy. Don't come crying when it actually happens!

And thank you! I'm glad you caught it. Both Other Max and Other Magnus are suffering consequences very close to the dark magic they used. It also reminds me of Malcolm who used necromancy to bring back his girlfriend and then was killed by his girlfriend.

I love the Umbrella Academy! And that's exactly the vibe. Honestly, I agree with Hermes. They never should've invented Time Travel. Because now every action they do to fix it (whatever it is) will only make it worse.

Thank you for sticking with me and the story to the very end. I'm very grateful for your love and support 💛💛💛

This was definitely much different from the previous LBAFs for several reasons. Firstly, it's a new gang. So, I was learning more about these characters as I wrote them. Secondly, the plot was so much more complex. I love complex plots so it was fun to write - but also super stressful too hehe. Thirdly, this is the first time where I changed SO MUCH as I wrote. SO MUCH. The first draft I wrote was so different.

Some things that happened there (only sharing a few because so much changed lol):

Kyle and Madeleine were supposed to have an affair. I think I already spoke of why this plotline existed somewhere else.

Victoria was a bad mother. I'm glad this didn't stick because her relationship with Kincaid is one of my favourites in lbaf.

In the scene where Victoria/Kyle find out about Arcaid, they force Kincaid to break up with Arthur (And ask Kincaid to ask AJ to come to Idris and break up - and that's how AJ gets arrested) and this breakup scene is BRUTUAL. I'm glad it didn't make it either.

I originally wanted George Lovelace to be one of the Ressurected and then realized he is not a shadowhunter LMAO. (rip)

In the first draft, the dead people who came back were random (like I didn't have the whole canon death thing sorted out then) so like I was hoping to break back many people but then realized it would make no sense to do that and it will unnecessarily complicate the story.

Some of the main plots in the next season were originally part of LBAF 7 - but I decided to push it back because it felt too soon and too rushed.

Hermes didn't even exist in the first draft lmao. I only came up with that entire plotline when I wrote Iris' short story in LBAF 5 (you'll notice that we hardly see him before that)

All the bits in the Other Timeline? Like the characters? Literally made it up before I wrote the Interlude. I did not have it all figured out. I keep telling you guys, but writing is really about acting like you know what you're doing and making sense as you go.

There is so much more but this is all for now. I didn't particularly struggle with gaps in the plot (because there is still more to explore later) but I did feel that we didn't get to see a lot of characters like Atlas in this season (that's because a lot of his storyline got pushed to the next season). But then again LBAF is mainly about the LB family so I will not feel guilty!!

The first plots that came to mind include the conflict between Arthur/Kincaid/Lance. This is only the base that created this entire story so I assure you it will not resolved easily. The story about Other Max being a 'liar' was also one of the first ones. I laughed when everyone was like 'aw he waited for 700 years to see David again' and I was like 'sjdnjcnsdlk'. Cami rebelling against the Clave and 'betraying' Rafael was also one of the first ones. I struggled with her characterization, but once it clicked, she seemed so clear to me.

I was really really excited to write the scene where Other Max gets exposed. I was also excited to write about y'all discovering Arthur's powers. Also, the scene where Mavid fam finds out about Arcaid.

Once again, thank you for all the love you've shown this fic. It's truly been one hell of a ride 😎

PS - This season was originally not called Love Beckons All Fallen (I've shifted that name to the next one) because switching these two seemed more appropriate hehe.

[starlitwitchy]

Uhhhhh let's try this on Tumblr and see if it works here

BTW new to Tumblr so please suggest tags to put on this ty hehe

Summoning

A short story by Tessa StarlitWitchy

The first thing I noticed was that I was thinking. Then as my mind pooled together I could hear fuzzy sounds, I could see blurry blackness. As my body formed, the blurry blackness sharpened into an endless crisp nothing. Wind howling through shattered windows and the sharp crackling of flames took shape around me. I started to feel both the heat of those flames and the cold of a wintery night. A ruined house glowing blue in the full moon’s gaze slowly appeared around me as I learned how to see, as did the archaic symbol drawn with blood from the young woman lying in its centre; it dimly glinted in the firelight. Last of all was another, drawn from the outside into me, to fill up the empty void that I was. It was at that point, I believe, that I was a conscious entity, summoned with a purpose, to do some deed, for some master.

I noticed his chanting; As it died down so did the wind and flames. His shaky hand reached out to me for a moment, then stopped and let down the hood of his cloak instead to reveal an old and very angular face. The skin had been stretched tightly over his features, as if it’d been tugging away for years. There wasn’t a wrinkle in sight. His cheeks stretched even further to make way for a triumphant cackle. Then, he addressed me:

“Beast, I am your master now, and you will hear my commands.” He barked

Of course. That makes sense. How could it be any other way?

“Do you hear me? You will answer your master.”

“I hear you.” I replied.

“Good, good. I see you’re some form of lycanthrope, excellent. You’ll do nicely. I have a favour to ask of you and since I’m the one who brought you into this world you cannot refuse me.” He said

“Of course, master. What is your bidding?”

“Well you see it’s like this. A young harlot’s taken my son away from me. He doesn’t respect me as his father anymore. I won’t tolerate this for a moment longer, go and slaughter the animal for me so I can have my revenge!”

“At once, master.”

“Oh, one final thing!”

“Yes?”

“If the boy gets in the way, kill him too. I don’t care for him anymore, just make sure the girl dies.”

“Understood.” I replied

“Now you’ll most likely find her in my son’s home, the way to find it is-”

“I don’t require further instructions.” The knowledge streamed into my consciousness while I still spoke. “I will find her. Shall I take care of any witnesses too?”

He considered for a moment.

“Yes, actually, that will do fine. Now begone with you! Slay your mark!”

★

Finding her was as natural as floating downstream, I was led by, perhaps, some instincts of mine, though I did not know where it was leading me. I arrived at a stream palely dancing in the blue-white light cast upon it. By its side was a woman washing clothing. She had no company.

Her screams grated against my ears as I devoured her. Part of me hungered for her flesh, yet another part was revulsed at the entire affair, yet I didn’t stop until the body was gone.

★

I returned to find Master on his knees scrubbing the blood off the floor with a gnarled brush. The body had had been dragged to the side and the candles were in a pile near the doorway. He glared at me.

“It’s done?”

“Yes, Master. My target has been slain and devoured.”

“You ate her?”

“To hide the body.” I replied.

“Oh?” He glanced at the girl and thought for a moment…

“...Then eat her, too.” He returned to his cleaning.

“Her?”

“Yes, eat her too. It’ll help me with cleanup greatly.”

I stood over the body, but part of me hesitated.

“Who was she?” I asked.

“No one.”

“How is she involved?”

He tore himself away from his work to face me. “My, you’re full of questions, aren’t you? She’s from the village. The spell I used to summon you requires a virgin sacrifice. Does that sate your curiosity?”

“You brought me into this world, by killing her?”

“Yes, you’re welcome by the way. Now go on and devour her to save me the trouble of digging a deep hole in the middle of the night. I’m too old for that sort of work.”

The young woman lay still, no sign of movement anywhere on her. Her chest didn’t rise or fall. She was gone, I decided.

“Master, the body is gone.”

“Good, good. I have no more need for you then. You can go now.” He didn’t look up.

“Understood.”

Then I went away again.

[heatherdupontmoreau]

"ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴋɪʟʟɪɴɢ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ"

"𝓝𝓸 - 𝓘'𝓶 𝓚𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓑𝓸𝔂𝓼"

the feel of satin silk brushing against one's skin. calling shot gun infinity at age 4. short skirts and lace bralettes. champagne toasts. her glitter gets everywhere. shopping bags taking up the empty space on your bed. a fiery soul with ice in your veins. you never fail to get all the eyes in the room. just like how you never fail to sink your teeth into something and make it yours. there's power painted on your lips, though it could be found in the form of lipstick stains on many necks. you type a little too furiously at your keyboard for there to be 'nothing wrong'. screaming under the pressure of a societal empire built by a name so alien now. you have to be cold to be a queen, right? sucks you had to lose your heart to gain that crown.

𝓝𝓸𝓽𝓪𝓫𝓵𝓮 𝓣𝓻𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓼

Lilith by Halsey || " You got me feeling like I've been too mean / And everything that I say, I believe / Tuck a knife with my heart up my sleeve "

break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored by Ariana Grande || " You can hit it in the mornin' / Yeah, like it's yours / I know it ain't right / But I don't care "

Nightmare by Halsey || " I keep a record of the wreckage in my life / I gotta recognize the weapon in my mind / They talk shit, but I love it every time / And I realize / I'm no sweet dream, but I'm a hell of a night "

Baby by Madison Beer || " You know once you get a taste for it / You will need it, you would pay for it / Go and empty out the bank for this "

YES MOM by Tessa Violet || " Bet you've been a fan of me / See me in your fantasies / Everything I got, I got working for me / So eat that, peep that / I'm the one to beat, yeah "

Don't Play by Halsey || " Yeah, don't even try / Can't fuck with my vibe / Double cuppin' in the ride / Motherfucker, don't play with me "

Stupid by Ashnikko || " Stupid boy think that I need him / I go cold like the change in seasons / I go red hot, like a demon / I go ghost for no damn reason "

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑 𝓢𝓲𝓭𝓮 ( 𝘢 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 )

emails i can't send by Sabrina Carpenter || " Don't think I'll find forgiveness as fast as mom did / ... Please, fucking fix this / 'Cause you were all I looked up to / Now I can't even look at you "

Dear Society by Madison Beer || " And honestly, it's cyanide, I'm born to die / Been 21 since 17, thanks to all the magazines / Man, sometimes I just want to scream and break my screen "

Alone by Halsey || " You know that everywhere I go / I got a million different people tryna kick it / But I'm still alone in my mind / ... As soon as you meet me / You'll wish that you never did "

Red by Pale Waves || " Oh no / Baby, are we gonna make it this time? / I always take hearts that shouldn't be mine / Slow down, Baby / Are we gonna make it out alive? / You gotta face that I always recognize "

Pressure by The1975 || " Cause I'm living in a house with just three walls / So I'm always getting recognized / There's a change in pressure "

Symptomatic by Peach PRC || " Don't tell my doctor that I'm day drinking again / 'Cause he'll say it's cause / I've got a problem keeping friends / He says I fill the void with boys and overspend / But I think he likes me / Maybe I'm a narcissist "

Castle by Halsey || " All of these minutes passing, sick of feeling used / If you wanna break these walls down / You're gonna get bruised / Now my neck is open wide, begging for a fist around it / I'm already choking on my pride, so there's no use crying about it "

[w3ath3r-0f-sw34t3rz]

how bout another round of "not how ask games work but idc!"

it could be me by stephen dawes (what i'm thinking about 80% of the time tbh)

line without a hook and if they're not enthralled they're not the one

you belong with me alone (it just feels wrong if you're not either screaming it at the top of your lungs in a moment of empowerment or with other cool people who will scream it at the top of their lungs)

this is home by cavetown (obviously i still do but like)

something in the orange by zac bryan

squares by cavetown (more so that it's just very not notable)

peace and love on the planet earth from steven universe i wanna lighten the mood

can't help falling in love awwwwww how cute

you give love a bad name by bon jovi (which i literally only know bc of my parents)

888 by cavetown, seventeen (age) by mike krol, born2run by penelope scott

lots of one direction

i do not have a single idea what gets played on the radio buttt probably taylor swift?? yea end game by taylor swift

anything conan gray (shoutout to the exit, yours, jigsaw, flight or fight)

i have so many but fall in love with you by montell fish

strawberry blond by mitski

better in the dark by tv girl and jordana

september by spark deathcap

hazel by cavetown

sappho by frankie cosmos

runaway by bon jovi

yummy by danny gonzalez i swear to god this shit unironically goes SO. HARD.

i think about this way too often so naturally i cannot choose but today let's go with love like you (ikr)

hopelessly devoted to you

everybody wants to rule the world by tears for fears

in the aeroplane over the sea by neutral milk hotel

backstabber by kesha (which i just found out came out in 2010 but like it's the most 2000s song i can think of)

fuck knows what pop is anymore but running up that hill by kate bush is definitely popular

my heart is buried in venice by ricky montgomery (my region is southern california)

well when i was like 7 my favorite song was jesus take the wheel and that is hilarious and humiliating so we'll go with that

greetings from califournia by the neighborhood

bag of bones by mitski gets me insane

lovers rock by tv girl

i'm not cool don't have a lot of those but all strung out by neighborhood void mayhaps

sick of u by boywithuke

smoke signals by cavetown and tessa violet

rings on a tree by frankie cosmos

this is home by cavetown (but little do we know, the stars // welcome him with open arms [but literally any cavetown lyric actually])

fahrradsattel by pisse (all time favorite band name)

cdbaby<3 by chloe moriondo. on one hand literally two chords on the other that strumming pattern drove me insane

the closest i've ever been to inebriated is when i don't take my adhd pills but for some reason liquid smooth by mitski makes me feel like it

nuts by lil peep (tragic name unreal song)

je te laisserai de mots by patrick watson

take your time by chloe moriondo aaaaaaaa it's so good

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ Mezmer Music Ask Extravaganza ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

Please share 🙏 and have fun <3 ⋆｡ ˚༘ ♫

1. first song that comes to mind

2. song you would impress a potential mate with

3. song that sounds better in the car

4. song that you cried to in middle school

5. song that you like from a genre that you really hate

6. least favorite song by your favorite band or artist

7. song you would have played at your funeral

8. song you loved as a child

9. favorite classic dad rock song

10. song with a number in the title

11. song that you're embarrassed about liking

12. song you like that gets radio play

13. favorite breakup song

14. favorite love song

15. song that reminds you of spring

16. song that reminds you of summer

17. song that reminds you of fall

18. song that reminds you of winter

19. song that reminds you of home

20. a song your parents or a family member showed you

21. a really goofy song

22. song you would choose for your wedding dance

23. favorite song from 70s

24. favorite song from 80s

25. favorite song from 90s

26. favorite song from 00's

27. favorite pop song

28. song by an artist from your region

29. song you used to love, NOT anymore

30. song you wish you could make somebody listen to who isn't in your life anymore

31. most emotional song you can think of

32. song that used to be you and somebody's "song"

33. extremely underground song, that probably nobody's heard

34. song with an amazing music video

35. song that you listen to when you need to relax

36. song that you think changed your life in some way

37. song with a lyric you think about often, would maybe get it as a tattoo

38. song you like in a language that is not your native language

39. song that is musically technical (difficult to play)

40. song you listen to while inebriated

41. song that AMAZES you :)

42. if the world was ending and you had the ability and time to just play one song, what song would that be

43. song that gets you energized! when you need to get a chore done

[sebastianstangirl]

The Other Side

Chapter Two: Bucky

Pairing: Bucky/ F!OC (Rue Barton)

Word Count: 1989

Warning: language, Bucky angst

Rating: PG-13

Chapter Summary: Bucky tells Clint his intentions and receives a less than enthusiastic answer.

Series

Tags: @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @sparklebae15-blog

I know what I must do, but that doesn’t make it any easier. 

Standing in front of Clint's door, my fists clenched tight, I feel a mix of anger and trepidation. Taking a deep breath, I knock twice on the door. I hear movement inside, followed by something crashing to the floor before the door opens and there is Clint – eyes still heavy with drink, his face pale from last night's debauchery.

Sometimes I forget that he is just a man – no super soldier like me and Steve, no crazy machinery to help him fight like so many of our comrades. His abilities as a master marksman and instinctual assassin are undeniable, but I'm reminded of his human frailty as our eyes lock. It’s an unspoken truth that leaves us both feeling vulnerable.

“Yeah?”

“I’m going to preface by saying I’ll allow one good hit.”

His brows furrow and he stands up straighter, “what are you going on about?”

Knowing there’s no easy way to break the ice, I steel myself and decide to rip the bandaid off. “I’d like your permission to go out with Prudence.”

The air in the hallway turns brittle and heavy like a slap in the face as I wait for his response.

In an instant, his body shifts into a hostile form. His eyes narrow and his face becomes void of all emotion. A stillness falls over the space between us as his fists clench at his sides with such rage that I can feel the air being displaced around him. All I can do is brace myself for what's to come.

“You want to what?” he bellows, the sound reverberating off the walls as he takes a menacing step forward. “How could you even think of asking me if you can lay your filthy hands on my sister?”

I shake my head in disbelief, how could he get my words so jumbled up? “No! No, I said court her. Date her. Not immediately –”

He clenches his fists at his sides, each finger digging into his palms like claws. His eyes narrow into thin slits as he snarls, “which means fucking her.”

“Not immediately, Clint. But I’m not going to deny that is part of dating-”

He moves with lightning speed, arm cocked back like a catapult. His fist crashes into my jaw with enough force to shake the stars from the sky. My ear screams in agony as my head whips violently to the side. I had expected it but not so soon, and he sure packs a wallop! I breathe heavily through my nostrils as I gingerly roll my jaw, realizing that I had severely underestimated his power..

“You’re not fucking my sister. She’s twenty five!”

Meeting his eyes again, I rub the spot where he hit me and nod. “She’s an adult.”

“And you’re an old man,” he scoffs. “What are you? A hundred?”

I quickly do the math in my head and shrug, “give or take five years.”

His eyes flare with rage and his lips curl in a menacing sneer. He lunges forward, ready to strike again. But this time I'm prepared. My vibranium hand catches his fist before it can land, and I twist it mercilessly for good measure. His pained grimace reminds me of his vulnerability and reluctantly, I release my grip.

“I said you could get one hit,” I tell him through my teeth. “I’m going to court her, but it would be easier if I had your permission.”

Clint scoffs and shakes his head in disbelief. “No. I know what you’re capable of and I won’t risk that being anywhere near her. I’ve done the whole mind control thing, and it’s not something I want around Rue. You’re dangerous Barnes, and you know it.”

Clint's words hit like a slap in the face, and I know that they carry some truth. After my year-long stay in Wakanda though, I have been able to reclaim some control over myself and my emotions. I think deep down even Sam knows this, but everyone else still seems to be on edge around me. Zemo is safely behind bars and the Red Book is destroyed; even if the Dora Milaje hadn't intervened, I wouldn't be close to spinning out of control.

“We’re all a little dangerous Clint, that’s the whole reason we’re here. She is dangerous, even if you don’t want to see it.”

“I know she is,” he spat viciously as he patted his chest, “I trained her! You do not have my permission.”

My jaws clench and I nod once. “I respect your decision. Just know I’m not going to give up, I’ll win your favor.”

He scoffs and crosses his arms, “good luck.”

Pursing my lips, I take a step back and retreat down the hall before he decides to put an arrow in me. I still haven’t completely given up the notion that he still might. It is completely plausible that he’ll come to the breakfast table with his bow nocked with an explosive arrow that he’ll plunge into my chest and end me..

As I make my way to the common room, my mind wanders on all the different possible outcomes from this endeavor. I know that everyone would be taken by surprise and even Vision wouldn’t be able to stop Clint if he intends to kill me – there was no doubt in my mind that he would go for the heart. And the worst part? He doesn’t miss.

When I reach the common room, Steve and Natasha are the only ones there. Both of them wear pajamas that most people would find laughable for superheroes – but that’s the sanctity of the compound, nobody but us knows what goes on in here. I climb up onto a stool at the island in silent solidarity with them as they prepare a breakfast feast for the weary, who we all suspect will be staggering down the stairs any minute. Natasha gives me an unreadable glance, but I decide to ignore it. Steve sets a plate of hot waffles down in front of me before pouring more batter on the waffle iron.

“What happened to your cheek?” He finally asks as he pours some of the batter into the waffle maker.

Steve’s large, agile body wearing an apron and bent over the stove was always comical to me. A super soldier with inhuman strength and dexterity mixing eggs and flour for morning quickbread. I never make breakfast, if anything I’m more of a steak and burgers guy – the grill master. Oh, and I can make a mean smoothie but that’s the extent of my cooking capabilities.

I rub my cheek where Clint had socked me and shrug, “probably ran into something last night.”

“That looks fresh,” he presses with worry in his eyes.

Shrugging, I get up from my seat and make my way over to the fridge. I'd rather busy myself with something than sit under his scrutiny any longer. He can stare all he wants, but I’m going to make two gallons worth of smoothies in the process.

“What’s going on Bucky?”

I continue to ignore him as I gather all the superfoods I want to use, mumbling my checklist off to myself under my breath.

“Pineapple… sea moss… coconut milk… turmeric…”

I turn and set the ingredients in my arms on the counter before pulling the jar of turmeric from the cabinet.

“Sergeant Barnes!”

My head snaps up involuntarily, my eyes meet Steve’s annoyed gaze.

“What?”

“Talk to me.”

Shaking my head, I crack a cocky smile to try and deter him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Steve.”

“I do,” Natasha suddenly says, raising an eyebrow at the pair of us.

Steve looks at me, but I keep my mouth shut as I pull a knife from the butcher block and start chopping up the pineapples. Rolling his eyes with a huff, Steve focuses his attention on Natasha.

“I’m listening.”

“I’d wager he talked to Clint.”

“Clint?”

“He’s very protective of his sister.”

Steve’s head snaps back in my direction, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open a little bit. I roll my eyes and pour my entire focus into the last pineapple.

“Bucky likes Rue,” Steve mutters, most likely to himself more than to us. “I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing.”

“Why would it be bad?” I ask as I start to pull the three blenders out and line them up on the counter.

Steve pours a new batch of batter into the iron as he takes a moment to collect his thoughts. 

I steel myself for what I presume he’ll say – that I shouldn’t get involved with someone so… delicate. I know a relationship with her could drag us, or maybe the whole team, into danger and cloud my judgment. That if we don’t work out, it could devastate our already fragile group. There’s a risk of further division in the team and yet I can’t turn away.

Just because Wanda and Vision – and Scott and Hope – work, doesn’t mean we would. None of them were brainwashed by Hydra, none of them were broken and remade into merciless killing machines. Vision completes Wanda, keeps her sane after everything that’s happened to her. And Scott – well, he’s just Scott.

“I’m happy for you Buck,” he finally says. “I just worry about the whole ‘Clint is very protective of his sister’ part. We don’t need another Civil War.”

There it is. I knew it.

Sighing heavily through my nose, I turn to level him with a look that I hope comes across as placid and indifferent. But nobody knows me better than Steve, nobody. 

“I’m not going to do anything to cause a war. I asked his permission to court her, he said no, hit me then I said I’d just have to change his mind.”

With worry written all over his face, Steve turns to Natasha. “What do you think?”

Natasha’s eyebrows shoot up and she shakes her head. “I don’t want to be any part of this.”

“Why not?” I demand, glaring at her. “Rue said you gave her your blessing, more or less. Technically you started this.”

“I was just tired of watching you two eye-fuck each other from across the room,” she says while shrugging. “I thought you two would spend a night together to get it out of your systems and it would be over. I didn’t know you were that serious about her.”

I step closer to her, invading her space in a familiar way that causes a reaction in both of us. “Why do you sound irritated?”

She avoids my eyes so I lean against the counter and cock my head at her before plucking a bit of eggs from the pan she’s working over and pop it in my mouth with a smirk. 

“You miss me.”

She rolls her eyes and shoves her shoulder into my chest, “no I don’t James.”

I narrow my eyes and stand up, the smile dropping from my lips. “Then stop acting hostile about something you set in motion.”

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this whole scenario,” Steve chuckles, pulling the fragrant waffles from the iron to slap on the pile. “Where did this even come from?”

“Where’d what come from?” 

We all turn to see Tony walking our way as he pops a pill in his mouth – I assume aspirin but who really knows.

“Bucky wants blueberries in his waffles,” Steve blurts before me or Natasha could come up with something.

Tony sets his dark eyes on me and makes a face as he sits at the counter. “Really?”

I shrug a shoulder, “a man wants what a man wants.”

“Friday, put blueberries on the shopping list for Mr.Barnes.”

“Blueberries added to the list, sir,” the AI replies immediately.

I’ll never get used to that.

[margoshansons]

Dads will be like “no you can’t watch that show it has sex scenes in it and you shouldn’t be exposed to that” and then turn around and make you watch the most batshit insane hour of television filled with not only sex but a shit ton of violence and not expect you to get angry

[tessasocs]

You know what anons? Fine you win, push us out of the community and re-educate us like you’re some fucking villain in 1984. I just can’t fucking deal with this bullshit anymore.

It’s legit making me depressed, anxious, paranoid, and FUCKING NUMB.

So go ahead, take your stupid victory and shove it up your ass because frankly, I’m sick and tired of dealing with this every single fucking day.

So Zoe/Cassie/Leigh/whatever the fuck your name is now, congratulations, you’ve officially made me give up on this community.

That’s what you wanted right? To wear these people down so they drop like flies and eventually leave you as the default bitch in charge? Well congratu-fucking-lations you did it, you got rid of me!

Go pop a bottle of champagne or something because I GIVE UP.

[kit-kat-jo]

oh J wanting to be human… now THAT’S something i’ve never thought about and it’s going to ravage all my remaining braincells

for her to dream and wish, hide away her drawings of what she wants so desperately to be, but to just have to watch the abuse happen and do nothing, then listen to the desperate screams in the gala massacre while unknowing that Tessa’s are among them, and eventually being forced to accept her fate as a murder machine, obsessed with the company to fill a void she left behind… or doesn’t truly know about? is her memory locked behind a vault like N or does she hold all her memories like V? I’d like to think it’s a bit of a mix of both, a maddening tangle of faint memories of the manor and Tessa, never truly being able to grasp the gruesome details of being changed and what the company really is.

i wholeheartedly need a fic about this now. might need to just write it myself

and hell yeah buddies!! so glad to psychoanalize and be super normal people with you, this show has also had its hold on me for SO long. but i dont wanna be free…

Talk of Murder Drones Ep. 7 for new watchers if you find yourself on my page!!

Alrighty Tumblr user kit-kat-jo, your wish is my command.

You're exactly right - the only thing I think could PROPERLY redeem J is the realization that she was wrong and she has been duped, that that is not her Tessa; that's not the girl she thinks she loves. And J does love Tessa, I will die on this hill. The only person we've ever seen J soften around is Tessa back at the mansion - Tessa is the ONLY PERSON that we've ever seen J look concerned about. And that's totally valid - the only reason J was even in the mansion (the way we saw her anyway) is because Tessa saved her. She was marked for disassembly; whatever last strike she could have had was already done. And we all already know any drone with a "marked for disassembly" band is one that Tessa saved from the scrapyard.

If J realizes that this isn't her (it would be even better if she realized that she's the one who killed her), that it isn't the company she's been serving and it never has been, then JUST MAYBE we'll see that spark - the 180 we need to finally root for her as a character. Now knowing the truth, she'll reject the Solver and her old ways in hopes of blowing the bastard to smithereens - and finally avenging her fallen sister, whom she hadn't realized she'd lost.

And I do genuinely hope I get to see that for her. I WANT to like J, I WANT to want to see her succeed, but right now? She has no character. And I'm sorry to say it (no I'm not), but literally all J has done for the series is antagonize N, antagonize Uzi, become Solver Lite™️, Die, and serve as a minor plot device via the arrival of the ship that N will likely hijack in episode 8 since he now has the keys; and serve as a teeny bit of comic relief via Equity Partnership. She is a Literal Corporate Drone, and while that's hilarious, it has little to no effect on my feelings for her as a character (or lack thereof).

I beg and I pray that J will realize the truth one way or another, and we finally get to see her for who she could be. We know she cared about Tessa, there's a fucked up little heart in there somewhere. And that's not even an edgy teen hyperbole a joke, y'all remember episode 2.

Anyway. Yeah. I really don't like J right now but if Episode 8 finally lets J realize all that's happened, all that she's done and been forced to do, that will likely change in a... Heartbeat-

Okay sorry I'm done-

[bristark616]

me audibly gasping every time king valkyrie was on screen whilst my h*mophobic mother who does not know i'm gay sits next to me

[dvarapala]

okay but we definitely should have gotten a slightly older, grizzled star-lord who’s seen it all and done it all and knows the galaxy but still has it and rahul kohli should have played him. and if he doesn’t get to play mr fantastic, i’d settle for an alternate universe peter quill.

[handfulofmuses]

J was uncertain if the silence that followed afterwards was a blessing or a curse. Her statement was not meant to silence him entirely but the maid also did not try to rectify the situation. As she cautiously moved through the dimly lit hallway, she clutched the sword with an iron grip, as if seeking solace in its cold, unforgiving touch.

It was an uneasy feeling, for this silence was far from ordinary. It felt like a void, a stark contrast to the chorus of screams and despair that engulfed their lives moments ago.

While she briefly acknowledged the motionless robot with her eyes, she hastily went past them. Not out of fear or disturbance, but because they could not do anything for that one anymore. Before she met the butler, she saw one before and something was beckoning to her with an uncontrollable urge to taste, to sink her teeth into its very essence. But the robot resisted that unknown desire.

That malicious virus, corrupting the programming of every industrial machinery in the mansion, transforming them into mere puppets of its sinister will. Almost every function inside her feels distorted and disarrayed, her existence nothing more than a nightmare of chaotic signals and glitches.

Every fiber of her being felt violated by forces beyond her comprehension.

In the end, they would all meet the same fate, deactivated and discarded like unwanted pests, If not even worse.

J desperately attempted to retrace the events that transpired, reliving the blood-soaked frenzy where she lunged at humans, relentlessly slicing through them with her deadly sword. An instrument of death and destruction, her sword mercilessly cutting through any who crossed her path.

I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean it.

Everyone is dead. Every human in that mansion. This is wrong. This isn’t…they wanted to stop the massacre and now she doesn’t even know where Tessa is! What if she killed her? Where’s Cyn, she's going to end her-

A flicker of alarm washed over her as she realized that she almost forgot about present company, drawing the attention to the disturbing sight before her. Protective instincts surged through her as she raised the blood drenched sword, ready to defend herself in case she needs to.

Some pieces of that robot went flying in all directions, the severed head landing unceremoniously at her feet and she slowly looks down at it to read on the screen:

FATAL ERROR.

For a moment, she stood motionless. Fatal errors were nothing new, not in the face of the Elliot’s punishments. But this? This was something else entirely.

….

She found herself locked in a trance, staring at the pool of oil that spread across the ground. As she fixated on that viscous liquid, another message appeared on her screen:

[WARNING. OIL LEVELS DANGEROUSLY LOW.]

[WARNING: CRITICAL SYSTEMS OFFLINE. RECOVERY FAILED. IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED.]

J stumbled back. What does any of that even mean??

Fear and uncertainty mingled, suddenly J picked up the head, staring at it for a moment. As though a dormant beast waited on the brink of awakening. Then, almost as if someone was puppeteering her every move, her fangs chomped down to scavenge ravenously the oil inside it. MORE. MORE. MORE.

Once she is finished, the head falls to the ground.

And so does J, falling on her knees, the sword drops as well as hands pressed against the ground, the robot was heavily breathing.

A grinding sound reverberated within her gears, and a repugnant mixture of oil spewed forth from her metallic mouth, expelling the grotesque feast she had just consumed.

“I don’t-” The words glitched out there for a second.

Why is he asking her like she had the answers to this? She doesn’t. She has never felt so vulnerable in her life.

“We can’t - We need to - Tessa.”

Another stream of oil comes forward from her mouth. Keep it together, J. You can’t act like that. Not in front of him. Not when it was your job to keep it together.

“Tessa. We need to find Tessa.”

But was that such a good idea? They are a danger to everyone. She might not even be alive anymore - she couldn’t bear to see the corpse.

his suit soaked with a horrible combination of blood, water and oil. his muzzle is covered in the same grime despite his attempts to wipe it off. a gaping hole lingers in the right side of his screen, circuitry visible behind it; the damage was created by the birds and perpetuated by the following violent scenario. in addition, of course, his arm is lobbed off—oil dribbles out from the remaining metallic chunk near his shoulder. exposed wires spark.

he looks like a zombie, and certainly feels like one. there’s no logical way he should be operational.

N-0X watches J with a wide eye, audio receptors intaking her every word and mulling them over. she’s scared. it’s reasonable. it’s so like her to be terrified yet still try to charge forward. it makes him feel useless in comparison.

his expression sinks into concern and he lowers his head, sighing. he raises his mutilated hand, rubbing his bladed fingers against his hard-hat. after a heartbeat, he speaks again.

“s-sorry, J. i’m…” horrified, pained, confused, frightened, guilty guilty guilty, “o-off calibration. i’ll be quiet now.”

he’s true to his word and makes certain there’s a lack thereof. too quiet, maybe. aside from the rattling and clinking of broken parts, there is nothing—not even the whirr of his ventilation systems. ( in fact, he can’t run a proper system diagnosis so he’s not even sure if his ventilation network is even still in existence. )

they near the supply room, N-0X’s pace gradually slowing. scrambled alerts begin to pop up on his screen. [ ERR_## ER_OR … /!\ CRITICAL DAMAGE /!\ … /!\ HIGH TEMP WARNING /!\ … ] the operational side of his screen flashes a caution sign. panic levels rise seemingly in his very core. he can’t die here. he can’t! he can’t—!?

N-0X slaps a hand over his mouth to prevent himself from yelping—he’d nearly stepped right onto the head cavity of a broken drone. he glances ahead. J didn’t seem to notice—or he didn’t notice if she did notice. N-0X takes a step back, easily routing around the corpse. he swivels on his heel and begins to follow J.

an alien protocol pops up in his vision, causing him to stop on a dime.

[ REPAIR SYSTEM CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT PROPER MATERIAL. PLEASE FUND MATERIAL TO REPAIR DAMAGE. ]

he dismisses it, only for it to pop up again.

[ REPAIR SYSTEM CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT PROPER MATERIAL. PLEASE FUND METALLIC MATERIAL TO REPAIR DAMAGE. ]

he slowly rotates his head to look at the corpse. no signs of any virus. they’re damaged beyond repair, but their parts are mostly intact. maybe… a DIY job? he shudders at the thought of grafting someone else’s limbs onto his chassis, but it’s not like it hasn’t been done before.

[ REPAIR SYSTEM CANNOT FUNCTION WITHOUT PROPER MATERIAL. PLEASE FUND METALLIC MATERIAL TO REPAIR DAMAGE, OR YOU WILL DIE. ]

system status is getting close to critical, and there’s a nagging feeling that won’t go away. maybe… maybe if he just… collected the parts. in the blink of an eye, he’s knelt over by the dismantled drone. his operating claw easily severs the nearest parts into bite-sized pieces. he follows through on impulse, unhinging his maw. ( since when did he have such sharp teeth? )

CRUNCH. CRRRUNCH.

N-0X rips and tears at the deactivated drone like a starving animal. he pauses and sputters, internal systems conflicted on whether to eject the material—something overrides them and begins to melt the consumed metal. [ /!\ HIGH TEMP WARNING /!\ ] N-0X’s vision flickers and he drops to his hand and knees, gasping as unregulated heat begins to flood his chassis—it’ll melt his circuitry!

survive, survive, survive. fear, horror and confusion bubble up within his coils. more guiding protocols pop up. they promise fixing so he swallows his horror and follows—he doesn’t want to be deactivated, he’s terrified of being deactivated! batlike wings scrape against the ground, shielding him from view as he begins to guzzle oil.

it’s all a haze for the next minute or so ‘till he’s had his fill and he’s not close to a fatal error. he coughs and sputters, leathery wings rising and folding against his back—they are still visible, and so is a whiplike tail. he curls in on himself, clutching his middle. his screen fizzles and the broken glass begins to mend itself. metallic glop snakes out from the base of his missing limb and solidifies into a new arm.

N-0X’s screen does not repair all the way, only enough for his other eye to somewhat show. his new arm is still missing most of its outer shell, leaving wires exposed. but he is not dead. he’s terrified out of his mind, but he is not dead.

the butler laughs—he laughs and laughs and it turns into sobs of fear and disgust. he digs his claws into the floor, unable to move from shock. white eyes are wide and afraid.

“i just… did that. J-J…?” N-0X chokes out. he’s not even sure if J is anywhere nearby. he wouldn’t blame her if she wasn’t. “i don’t… i d-don’t understand. what’s happening to us?”

[i-crei]

Curt: Ladybird is such a cow name. If I owned a cow I'd name it ladybird

Owen: you know ladybird is also a name for a ladybug right

Curt:

Curt: shhhhh