#The Four Clans card game

[retirement-home-rumble]

Some Granny Weatherwax propaganda:

- Literally lives in the village of Bad Ass.

- Was bitten by some vampires once; they all started craving tea and cookies.

- Intimidated Death into losing a card game against her.

- Had a staring match against the sun, for multiple hours; only stopped because she heard a child crying.

- Always knows who and where she is.

- Grabbed a sword by the blade and 'didn't have time to get cut by it'

- Set a voodoo doll of herself on fire by sticking her hand into a torch.

- Did not run with the bulls; forced them to run away instead.

Bonus Nanny Ogg Propaganda:

- Rules the Ogg clan with an iron fist

- Brews her own alcohol strong enough to dissolve metal

- Can crack coconuts with her thighs

- Rumored to be even smarter than Granny Weatherwax

- Had a farmhouse land on her head ala The Wizard of Oz, and was fine

- Owns Greebo, a four legged demon in the shape of a cat.

Bonus Bonus Greebo Propaganda:

- Has killed at least two vampires.

- Said to be the single male ancestor of every cat in a wide radius

- Can turn into a human; he still has his claws in this shape

They sound so iconic honestly

[ticklygiggles]

Rite Duel 2.0

A/N: Big, big thanks to kind @eliankrios for his suppooort ❤️❤️ thank you for being patient with me! I was in some kind of writers block, but it seems okay now lol. I hope you enjoy this and, as always, I hope they're not too OOC nskdkd THANK YOU ELIAN 💕

Also thanks to my girl Ginny for letting me use her fic for reference to this one! MWAH 💕

Summary: After learning that there is a way to actually win against Cyno, Sethos finally takes his chance to try!

Lots of tickling descriptions hehe

Words: 3k+

Sethos was not, by all means, ashamed of losing against Cyno for Hermanubis’ power. If he was completely honest, some part of him told him that he had no chance against General Mahamatra himself, so he was not surprised by the result of the duel, if anything, he felt honored for fighting with him and seeing Cyno's friends dueling with and for him. Having good companions, people you can trust and who always give you a hand was very important in the desert.

Furthermore, being recognized as the heir of the Temple of Silence clan by Cyno and promising a new alliance with the city of Sumeru, was more than he could have imagined... and also gave him excuses to visit Avidya Forest frequently. There were so many things to do, see and eat and so many interesting people that he could talk to for hours on end. 

Many of his new friends were there too. Cyno, Tighnari, the traveler and even that interesting person he had met at the Akademiya. So he always got very excited when he was called by Cyno for important meetings, which usually consisted of him teaching him how to play Genius Invokation and Sethos failing miserably in every single game. 

“You need to practice some more,” Cyno said, beating Sethos for the fifth consecutive time. “Don't you play in the Temple of Silence?” 

Sethos sighed deeply, automatically throwing his cards to Cyno for him to shuffle them. “We, sadly, don't have much time to play like this. We have things to do, you see.” 

His lips spread in a mischievous smile, and although Tighnari and the traveler laughed behind their hands, Cyno simply huffed out a laugh through his nose and rolled his eyes with a little smile in his mouth.

“I see. Good thing you're now in Avidya Forest, so get ready to practice a lot.”

Sethos whined. "Technically, we're in the Traveler's wolrd..." He knew that the general wouldn't let him leave or stop the game until he defeated him at least once. 

“Cyno, you're being too harsh on Sethos,” Tighnari said, propping his chin in the palm of his hand to look at Cyno with that dreamy expression that always made Sethos blush and look away. He was sitting to Cyno's right at the four-sided table. Aether right in front of Tighnari while Paimon floated around them. 

“Yeah.” Paimon nodded. “Sethos has had his head in the sand his entire life, even a game of Genius Invokation is too much for him.”

“P-Paimon…” 

All three men around him turned their heads away, trying to contain their laughter. Sethos felt his cheeks heating up and he fanned his face with his hand.

“L-Listen, I've been attending to my… duties and- and Genius Invokation isn't exactly a popular game in the desert…” 

Cyno cleared his throat. “Anyways, the next round is about to start.”

“You got this, Sethos!” Aether cheered, but Sethos whined loudly as he saw Cyno making the first move. 

There was a time when Sethos won, but they had to play about twenty times and Sethos had only won because the traveler had tickled Cyno to distract him. 

Setho chuckled to himself and Cyno looked at him with narrowed eyes.

Who would've thought General Mahamatra was a ticklish person? Certainly not him, yet again he had never been too fixed on tickling someone, or being tickled himself. That until he met this bunch of interesting people. He still remembered that special training he had with Aether the first time he showed the world inside his teapot, but he still hadn't had the chance to give it a try… could it be that tonight was the night? 

“Hey, tell you what.”

“Hmm?” Cyno mumbled, barely paying attention. 

“Let's have… another kind of duel.” That caught everyone's attention and four pairs of curious eyes landed on him. “If you win this duel… We'll keep playing Genius Invokation until I finally win,” he said with a grin and Cyno arched an eyebrow. “However,” Sethos continued. “If I win, then you'll give me a break for at least the rest of the night.” 

“What kind of duel?” Aether voiced the question in Cyno's expression, his golden eyes shining in wonder. 

Sethos chuckled, “you'll see once we start. We won't need weapons or anything, just our bare hands,” he said, lifting both his hands and wiggling his fingers, trying to give a clue to Cyno, but the only one who seemed to understand was Aether who smiled knowingly at Sethos. “So?”

Cyno pondered for a bit, his eyes traveling from the cards to Sethos face, then back to the cards and then to Tighnari's face. 

“I think a break sounds good,” Tighnari said, his tail swinging lazily from side to side. “You both have been at this for who knows how many- 

“This is the sixth time and I think I'll lose again,” Sethos said and this time even Paimon laughed. 

Cyno nodded. “Fine. I hope you don't mind us using your yard for this duel,” he said kindly to Aether and the traveler shook his head with a smile. 

“Paimon’s so excited to see what's this all about!” 

Sethos had been feeling excited too, but as they got up from the table and walked towards the traveler's large yard, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Aether had told him that this was a good way to beat Cyno, but what if he lost too? It wasn't a thing of honor or anything like that, his brain just couldn't stand that game anymore! 

“Eep!” Sethos jolted when he felt a poke to his ribs from behind, turning around, he was glad it was Aether. “Y-You surprised me, traveler.” 

“Did you finally decide to do it?”

Sethos nodded softly. “Yeah, my head is starting to hurt. Let's see if your special training was of any use.”

Aether laughed. “I wonder too, you lost far too many times,” he reminded him and Sethos laughed when he felt a squeeze to his side. “Just remember all the spots I told you about and do not let him pin you.” 

Whoa, it really sounded like this was going to be even more dangerous than the Rite of Duels back in the Temple of Silence. Sethos nodded as he gulped, finally planting himself in front of Cyno while Aether, Tighnari and Paimon looked at them from the side. 

“So? Is it like a wrestling match?” 

“Y-Yeah, something like that. At the count of three, okay? One… two!” 

“Ack! W-Wha– hey! S-Sehehethos!” 

Sethos almost froze when he heard Cyno's giggles as his hands latched to the General's sides and started to squeeze them gently, but firmly just as Aether had told him.

“Pff– a tickle fight?” Tighnari asked in disbelief, yet a little smile still pulled at his lips. 

“L-Like Paimon said,” she chuckled softly, floating beside Aether. “Sethos has had his head too deep in the sand…”

“Place your bets, everyone,” Aether chirped. “I bet Sethos will win.” 

“No way,” both Paimon and Tighnari said and by the looks of it, it seemed like they were right. 

“AHAHAHA! n-nohoHOHo!” 

It wasn't Cyno's laughter, but Sethos. He definitely understimated Cyno's abilities. Aether made it look way too easy and Sethos was extremely ticklish! How on earth did he even think that was a good idea?! He didn't know how, but he was able to tickle Cyno for exactly five seconds before he was thrown to the soft grass, pinned by one of Cyno's knees against his lower back and both the General's hands clawing at the back of his ribs. 

“Heh, you really thought you'd win against me?” Cyno spoke over Sethos laughter and the poor heir could only kick his legs and flail his arms around. “Did the traveler tell you about this? I'm sure he'll learn his lesson later.”

Poor traveler! Sethos somehow gathered enough strength to lift his body, successfully pushing Cyno off him and causing him to fall butt first against the grass. The general didn't have time to get up before Sethos was straddling his waist, his hands vibrating at the exposed stomach. Cyno threw his head back with a cackle and he tried to fight Sethos hands, but Sethos was agile and he laughed, trying to sound teasy, but just sounding nervous. 

“H-How’s that, hmm? General Mahamatra is seriously so ticklish,” Sethos teased, one of his hands clawing at the middle of Cyno's tummy, around his belly button while the other wrapped around his hip, trying to hold him in place, but also tickling him slightly. “You gotta make sure no one knows your weakness, or else you'll get in trouble~!” 

“S-Stohohohop or Ihihihi- AHAHAHA! WAHAHAIT!” 

Sethos jolted just as hard as Cyno did when he slipped one of his fingers inside his navel. He was surprised by the nearly hysterical laughter he was able to evoke from Cyno as he lightly tickled his navel, simply wiggling his finger around inside the little spot. Sethos giggled softly, tickling really was fun. 

Feeling extra mischievous, Sethos stopped momentarily so he could place one hand over Cyno's stomach, his thumb and index finger stretching his bellybutton nicely as his palm held him somehow in place. 

“Any last words?” He asked with a big grin as his finger wiggled at Cyno. 

Through slightly teary eyes, Cyno looked at Sethos, a silly smile pulling at his lips. “D-dohon't you dahare or I'll- SEHEHETHOS!” 

After teasing the spot gently by simply circling it with the tip of his finger, Sethos finally slipped it back in it, swirling and wiggling and vibrating. Cyno's laughter came out unrestrained, loud and panicky; he jolted and squirmed and desperately pulled at Sethos arms, but Sethos had the upper hand, until he didn't. 

In the blink of an eye, Sethos was facing the vast sky inside the Serenitea Pot and Cyno was straddling him, grabbing Sethos’ hands and pulling them under his knees. 

“N-Noho! Wahahait! Lihihisten! P-Plehehease!” Sethos begged, giggling although Cyno hadn't started tickling him yet, but he didn't have to wait too long as Cyno's fingers quickly did a little taunt above Sethos’ torso before they descended against his ribcage. 

Sethos threw his head back with a tirade of loud cackles. His arms desperately pulled at his trapped hands, but Cyno was firmly pinning him down as his hands roamed freely across his ribcage. Those mean hands traveled from the highest set of ribs, so close to his armpits, to the lowest ones, pinching, poking, prodding and rubbing everything and anything on their way. 

Sethos was nearly seeing stars. Aether tickled him so much during their trainings, but never this viciously. Cyno was determined to win… even if it meant tickling Sethos to death? 

Firm, but gently fingers rubbed at each bone and space inbetween and Sethos was almost sure Cyno was using some kind of trick, (perhaps his vision?), because there was no way his ribs could tickle like that, was it?

Cyno chuckled, “were you saying? Let's hope the people of the Temple of Silence don't know their leader is this ticklish,” he teased playfully. “Or else you could get in trouble.” 

Sethos shook his head, unable to speak as Cyno started to count his ribs out loud: one, two, four– oh no, I meant three, let me start again.

One, two, three… what was the next number? Oh, four right. Let me do it again. 

I'm not sure I counted properly, what do you think, Sethos? I'll start over just to make sure. 

Sethos, where's the twelveth rib? I don't seem— to find it… can you stop squirming? Also, move your arms away, I can't count like this. 

Aether's words resounded in his head: do not let him pin you. Now he understood why.

Sethos’ laughter only grew panickier the more Cyno tickled his poor, sensitive ribs. Tears of laughter already claimed place clinging to his lashes and his flushed cheeks hurt for smiling so hard. If he didn't stop Cyno, he was definitely going to pass out and be forced to keep playing Genius Invokation! 

Growling between his laughter, Sethos was able to raise his hips, making Cyno stop right away with a gasp as he reached forward to stop himself from collapsing above Sethos. Sethos wrapped his arms around Cyno's waist and pushed him to the side, both of them rolling a couple of times before Sethos pinned Cyno on his belly.

Immediately, thumbs dug into the muscle of Cyno's lower back, rubbing deep circles and causing him to giggle brightly and kick his feet as he tried to reach behind him to capture Sethos’ hands, his spine arching up as he shook from one side to the other. Meanwhile Sethos felt like he was trembling after that brutal attack to his ribs, his bones still tingling with tickly aftershocks. 

He fluttered his fingers up Cyno's spine and dragged his fingertips down that tender spot near his sides, but not quite. He then pinched and squeezed at his lower sides and that place at his kidney area and focused in every spot that made Cyno laugh the brightest. For example, massaging his shoulder blades would make Cyno snort and placing rapid pokes up his spine would make him shriek. 

The back of his neck was fairly sensitive as well, Cyno would throw his head back as best as he would when Sethos wiggled his fingers there and snorty giggles would fill the air. The back of his ears was also- 

“AHAHAHA! CY-CYNOHOHO!”

“Cy-Cy-yehehehes.”

“Ugh,” three beings in the sides rolled their eyes, but no one noticed as Cyno had managed to get a hold of Sethos’ knees and was squeezing them. 

Sethos laughed, squeezing Cyno's waist to make him stop, but Cyno was persistant, his hands moving to squeeze at his thigh and Sethos couldn't stand it. He stood up and tried to make a run for it, but he was able to take two strides before he felt Cyno's fingers closing around one of his ankles, making him fall face first. 

“Aaaaghhh! AHAHAHA!” 

Sethos banged his fists on the ground as Cyno took a seat on his shins and started to squeeze and massage the back of his knees. Sethos screamed with laughter, how was that spot ticklish?! He tried to kick his legs, but Cyno was squeezing his own around him, limiting his movements as his fingers wiggled in the hollows in the back of Sethos’ knees; his thumbs massaging the muscle, making Sethos shriek with laughter. 

“How do you make a knee laugh, Sethos?” 

“Oh Archons.”

“He won't say it, right?” 

“I think he will.” 

“You tickle its funny bone.” Sethos broke into loud laughter as Cyno tickled both the front and the back of one of his knees. “Very funny, right? I'm glad you appreciate my jokes.”

Sethos shook his head, desperately trying to crawl away from underneath Cyno, and shrieking again when now his other knee was under attack. He never knew knees could be ticklish, but of course he had to learn this fact first hand, huh? 

“Uff-!” Cyno quickly moved off Sethos when a leg almost hit his groin. Sethos stood up quickly, but then slumped again when his eyes caught Cyno's foot. General Mahamatra read his intentions, and tried to escape, but he was already tired and uncoordinated, so it was not difficult for Sethos to catch one of his ankles, dragging him towards him. 

“Where are you going, General? The duel is not over until one of us asks for mercy," Sethos said breathlessly and with a huge smile on his face. "Are you suddenly scared? You didn't want me to tickle your feet? What a shame~.” 

Sethos straddled Cyno's ankles, pressing them together between his legs and his blunt nails quickly went to work all over the soles, skittering up under his toes and down to the hollows of his ankles. Cyno became almost hysterical; his toes curled tightly, but Sethos easily pushed them back on one foot with one hand and used the other to scratch at the sensitive skin under and between them. 

“SEHEHETHOS! Hohohold ohohon!” 

“Do you yield? I will only stop if you give up!” Setho yelled over Cyno's loud laughter, his evil fingers not giving the Mahamatra the chance to catch his breath as Sethos tickled his sole mercilessly. 

Cyno was nearly howling behind him, squirming like a little fish out of water as Sethos’ fingers skittered across the balls of Cyno's feet and then to his arches and next to his toes that made Cyno scream with laughter. 

“Your toes are so ticklish,” Sethos commented, not really teasing, but if Cyno felt it that way, that was a plus. “How do you go around life being this sensitive?” 

Sethos was not expecting an answer from the cackling Cyno, he actually thought he was going to give up at any second now… until he felt a hand grabbing his hip. 

“EEK!” Sethos' immediately rose to his feet, brushing his hip to get rid of the tingly sensation that touch caused. “Th-Thahat s-spot is off- off limits!” 

Although breathless and tearing up, Cyno smirked, also getting on his trembling feet. “You n-never said anything… haah… about ‘off-limit spots’.”

Sethos gulped before he started to run away from Cyno; he wanted to say that he did run a lot, but only after three steps, Cyno was catching and throwing him back to the grass before straddling Sethos' thighs. 

“No!” Sethos' shrieked, laughing as he tried to grab Cyno's hands that were taunting him. He wiggled his fingers high, slowly lowering them towards Sethos' hips. “W-Wahahait up! Y-You must have a w-weak spot, s-so–”

“I do,” Cyno nodded, his hands finally descending to Sethos' hips. “It's a shame, for you of course, that you don't know where that is.” 

Sethos couldn't care less about what Cyno was saying at that moment. He was too busy laughing his head off and desperately trying to push Cyno's hands away as the General pinched and squeezed at his hips. Sethos howled in hysterics, he arched his spine and tilted his head back, overwhelmed by the electrifying tickly touches climbing from his hips to his brain. He couldn't do anything against those evil fingers exploring his most ticklish spot. 

“Hehe, how's this, Sethos? Is it ticklish? Look how much you're dancing, you're definitely loving this, huh?” 

Sethos shook his head, squealing and squeaking between hysterical peals of laughter. “NOHOT THEHERE! AH! P-PLEHEHEASE!” He begged, tears falling the sides of his face. “STAHAHAP! P-PLEHEHEASE!” 

“Of course,” Cyno said, chuckling softly. “You just gotta admit you give up. Easy, right?”

“N-Nohoho! J-Juhust– AHAHAFIHIHINE! Fihihine, I gihihive up! PLEHEHEASE!” 

Cyno stopped, lifting his hands off the other's body and Sethos went limp, laughing and giggling and rubbing at his hips to get rid of the residual feeling of Cyno's fingers. 

“I hope you're ready to properly learn how to play Genius Invokation, Sethos,” Cyno said, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down at Sethos with a smirk. “I won't show mercy this time.” 

Sethos let out a whiny giggle, letting his head fall against the grass. “N-Nehext tihihime… I'll- I'll definitely wihin.” 

“Mhmm, of course you will,” Cyno chuckled, extending his hand for Sethos to take. “Now let's go, you won't leave Avidya Forest until you win against me at least five times.” 

Sethos whined, grabbing Cyno's hand and standing on shaky legs. He looked over at Aether and shrugging his shoulders, he smiled sheepishly. 

Next time for sure! 

BONUS SCENE 

“You owe us, Traveler,” Paimon and Tighnari said with a smug grin and Aether whined. 

“I really thought Sethos would win… he still has a long way to go, it seems.” 

“To be fair, it's hard to win tickle fights against Cyno,” Tighnari mentioned, shrugging his shoulders as the three of them made their way back to the table where another Genius Invokation duel was taking place

“I can win against him.”

“Haha, yes, but after how many tries was it?” Paimon teased and she and Tighnari laughed at him. 

Yeah, Sethos really had a long way to go!

[megamindsecretlair]

A Taste of the Divine - Chapter 1

Masterlist Chapter 2

Pairing: Yakuza!True Form!Sukuna x Black!Fem!reader/plus size reader

Warnings: 18+ only. MINORS DNI. You are in charge of your own reading experience. slow burn. Monster fuckers unite. Dark elements. Kidnapped reader. Cursing, graphic depictions of violence, implied violence against women but not shown, mentions of blood and gore, Sukuna is aroused by violence. Sorry if I missed others.

Summary: Sukuna is the feared leader of the Itadori clan. There are rumors that he uses a pet beast to get rid of his enemies. Nothing but rooms and locations full of blood and body parts. He happens about a group of men who dared to cross his territory without permission. When Sukuna runs across you, he suddenly finds himself unable to kill you. Not until he figures out who you are and why you were so important as to get kidnapped. He takes over being your captor, whisking you away to his property, where he proceeds to play with his food.

AO3 Link

Word count: 5,763k

A/N: Could not get this idea out of my head to save my life. I hope you enjoy. Toss a coin to your blogger by leaving a comment, reblog, or unhinged ask.

Taglist: @westside-rot @00aijia00 @amethyst09 @ciaqui @we-outsiiiide @browngirldominion @iv0rysoap @thecookiebratz @harmshake @judymfmoody @multiversefanfics @tvchi @twocentuar @umber-cinders @chaos-4baby @soft-persephone

Rain beat against the windows in a steady stream. Cold, neon lights shone in a haze just beyond, painting the sides of the building sunset purple and cerulean. Ads played lazily on the billboards, reminding people that even while sleeping, it was never too late to buy.

Rival clan Kamo had members holed up in a shithole penthouse apartment, awaiting the signal for when they could move. They spent the first few days playing cards and board games. They were strictly forbidden from turning on their phones. From going outside. From doing anything fucking fun. 

Yet, after a few days when they were tired of talking to each other, it was only a matter of time before someone broke the rules. There were only four of them. Each low tier members of the Kamo clan, some not even worthy of the association. 

They were a low-key crew, handling situations that required stealth and finesse. Like babysitting a sweet little morsel tied up in the bathroom. They were instructed not to talk to you, touch you, or breathe in your direction.

Days passed and the men’s eyes lingered a beat too long, licking their lips as their thoughts ran away on their face, or rubbing their hands together as if they could imagine what your skin would feel like. 

While on mission, they used no names. So instead, they numbered themselves. One, the leader, was bald with a stern frown permanently etched onto his face. He currently held the biggest pot of money on his side of the table, flipping through cards with masterful precision. 

Three was to his right, a man with long hair that reached well past his shoulders. It was swept back into a half ponytail, the rest running down his back like a black river. Two was next, a shifty and nervous sort of man who couldn’t sit still longer than a minute. Eyes were always on a swivel around the room, looking for potential threats.

Though if Four had anything to say about it, he’d say that Two was snorting the White Dragon and they were left to suffer through it. Four held the worst hand with his cards, but he kept his face neutral. He could bluff with the likes of Three, but One might see through him. 

A thump on the roof made them all look up. All except for One who continued to stare at his cards. Two sat up in his seat, moaning and chewing on his nails. He shook his head back and forth, getting more agitated by the minute.

“I told you we should have checked. This doesn’t feel right,” Two said.

Three sighed and rolled his eyes. “You say that about every drop of water that hits the roof.” 

Two shook his head once more. “That wasn’t a raindrop,” he said and pointed to the ceiling. Four looked at him, annoyed. This mission was freaky enough without the ghost stories. He took a swig of his whiskey, following the burn down his chest since it was the first interesting thing tonight. 

He stood up, getting ready for Two’s freakout to overtake the night. First it was the bird that flew into the window. Then it was the nail he found under his mattress. He went on rants about ill omens and angering the elder gods. 

“Then what was it, genius?” Three sighed, tossing down his cards because he also knew that Two was just getting started. A crackle from the lit fireplace drew Four’s attention. He stared at it and briefly wondered if dying by fire was worth the pain.

“We’re too close to his border. How sure are you that this is on our side?” Two asked. 

One leaned back from the table, tossing down his cards and rolling his neck. “I know how to do my job,” One said. He folded his arms and stared straight ahead. If Four wasn’t mistaken, he was pretty sure that Four was a hidden synth. Nothing but clockwork and oil pumping through his system. 

The first thing Four was going to do when the mission was over, was take his payment and go find a warm pair of legs to sleep between. Maybe this was burnout. Maybe he needed to check out that app his sister sent to him about that crap. She always thought his stress was too high. Always going on about going on walks or getting a pet or doing anything else that didn’t involve being a gangster.

Heh. He owed his baby sister a call soon. Their last conversation ended too quickly when she started talking about an asshole teacher and how Four offered to kill him. Or at least persuade him to watch his fucking mouth.

“How do you not know who Sukuna is? He’s the leader of the Itadori clan,” Two said.

Three laughed obnoxiously and clapped his hands. “Since when do you believe in fairytales? No one’s seen or heard of that made up bullshit. You really think that he has so much curse energy, that he’s lived this long? That he has a secret army of beasts who rip his enemies to shreds?” Three continued laughing, his chair creaking from Three settling into it. 

Two cracked a smile and Four poured himself another drink. The first two clearly weren’t doing the job. Four moved back to the table, bored out of his skull. In fact, he should probably check on you. He wouldn’t get paid if you went on and died on him.

Instead of sitting, Four changed directions and went towards the bathroom. The penthouse was decorated in slate gray and mustard. There were expensive paintings on the paneled walls, ceramic statues of bodies twisting, imported plants from all over the world every few feet. It was a pompous, underhanded way to show that the rich could buy anything, even nature.

Four moved down the wide hallway, big enough to park a sedan in and still have room on both sides. He knocked on the door once and your answering gasp was enough confirmation that he needed. Still..,

He opened the door, turned on the light, and looked down at you. You were on your side, curled up on the plush bathroom rug like a pathetic pet. Your sweater was stained and dirty, your light colored jeans worse for wear. The tennis shoes used to be a light color, but were now so dirty that it was hard to tell. The blindfold was still secure on your face.

“You dead yet?” Four asked.

“Untie me and find out, bitch,” you spat at him.

He laughed, tempted to kick you in your fat ass stomach for that. But he doubted you’d feel it. “I’d watch that mouth of yours,” he said.

“Or else you’ll try to stick your shrimp dick in my mouth? Might take me a few tries but I’ll bite clean off if you do,” you growled. 

Four laughed again and shook his head. “Never fails to make me laugh, bitch,” he said. He turned off the light and slammed the door. His anger at last getting the best of him. Stupid bitch. He had half a mind to break that reckless streak of yours. To fill your mouth so you couldn’t talk back for once.

You’d been nothing but a pain in his ass since they kidnapped you. You fought like a hellcat, scratching and biting. They had to punch you in the face a few times to knock you out and then drag your fat ass to the van. When you came to in the bathroom, you gave everyone a mouthful. And had been an annoying asshole the last few days.

Four rubbed his shoulders and walked away. He needed the money more than he needed to teach you your place. As Four walked down the hallway, he heard a series of thumps that made him falter in his steps. He looked between each of the closed doors, sealed up like a damn museum in this place.

He walked closer to one door, where he thought the thumps were coming from. He strained his hearing, awareness searching for anything out of the norm. Two and Three were still arguing in the living room but Four was too far away to hear what stage they were in. If Two was standing on the table and arguing his point or covering his ears and screaming loud over the other person.

Four opened the door he was in front of, arms up, prepared for anything to pop out. The room was dark but the window was open, letting watery moonlight shine across the carpeted floor. Looked to be some kind of guest room, all done up in cobalt blue. Four did a cursory sweep, just in case.

He turned around to the shadowy figure before him and jumped, screaming out before realizing that he faced a mirror. His heart skipped a beat as it caught up to the realization that he wasn’t in danger. He stalked closer to the mirror, chuckling as he confirmed with his eyes that he got scared by his own reflection. The other men couldn’t know this. They’d see him as weak and he couldn’t have that. 

He tapped the mirror once, for extra confirmation. Two’s conspiracy theory rants were starting to get to him. Next thing he knew, there’ll be Sukuna’s pet beast right behind him. He chuckled at his own thoughts and looked at his reflection. It became darker so he leaned in, opening his mouth to look at his teeth.

The darkness kept going, almost otherworldly so, and Four felt a menacing, thick presence at his back. The aura was indescribably heavy, bowing him at the shoulders. Going lower still. He had just enough energy to turn his head and stare into a pair – no two pairs – oh god – there’s too many red eyes staring at him.

He opened his mouth to let out a scream but a slice to the neck cut it off. His hands flew to his neck, warm spray of blood soaking his fingers. There was nothing to compare to the horror of feeling the heat from your own blood outside of your body. Hands stained red and sticky. Four stared into those red eyes and his last thought was of how Two was actually fucking right this time.

One opened his eyes with a silent gasp. “We are not alone,” he said. He hopped from his seat, flying to the edge of the living room where they had abandoned the majority of their weaponry. They each held their guns at the base of their spines, tucked into their pants. But the bigger weapons lay across the table, thrown haphazardly. They had gotten too comfortable.

The menacing aura was enough to choke him but he kept his mind on the mission. This had turned from a simple kidnapping to a game of survival. No amount of money was worth this, losing his life to the boogeyman. His people had forgotten the old world. Forgotten that the myths were merely legends once upon a time. 

The lights shut off as his hands closed around his semi-automatic. Two and Three finally stopped their incessant fighting and grabbed their guns. Gone was the twitching, sketchy conspiracy nut and in its place was a ruthless killer. A ruthless kobun for the Kamo clan. 

Three took measured, slow steps around the room. The rain seemed to increase in intensity. But that was only because it was quiet now. The water slapped against the windows. Purple and blue neon light shone in from the windows giving them just enough light to see each other. Or see anything that may have entered the penthouse.

If they somehow found a way to survive the night, they’d have no answers on how the beast got in. How the beast found them. Or how Sukuna even knew that they were on the this side of the boundary. 

One hadn’t lied. He was very good at his job. This building was right on the cusp of Sukuna’s territory but it was decidedly in Kamo’s territory. If this was Sukuna’s infamous beastie, then Sukuna was in the wrong this time. Honorless scum. 

One swept through the living room, keeping his semi-automatic up and at the ready. He communicated silently with the other two. Where the hell was Four? If he was back there missing with you at a time like this, he’d kill Four himself. 

He took off in your direction, intending to check and make sure that you hadn’t escaped. Reaching the door, he opened it and heard you gasp. “What’s going on?” You asked.

“Shut up,” he hissed. If you were too fucking stupid to understand what was going on, then the least you could do was shut that fucking mouth up for once. He closed the door and continued checking rooms, wondering if Four went out onto the terrace for a smoke break. 

He made his way forward, the crack of a door catching his eye. He used his gun to nudge the door open, the room too dark to see much of anything. Still, something was off about this room. Some lingering aura that beckoned him even as his brain was screaming for him to turn around and run and never look back. 

His boot squelched on the carpet and he looked down. His mind couldn’t comprehend what he was seeing. His mind said he was looking at a mangled hand but his eyes only saw blood. Red. 

There were pieces everywhere. Half a foot. An elbow. One stepped backwards. The evil aura in this room was astounding. The rumors were true. They were actually true. Sukuna did have a beast in his employ and it was here to eat them all. 

He turned and ran to the door only to be blocked by a massive arm across the doorway. The massive tree trunk sized arm split in two. Oh god. There were four arms. Red eyes crept open slowly and a wide grin split open in the middle of the beasts’ belly. The monster stood on two legs, at least seven foot tall, and it chuckled. It laughed.

“You’re far from home,” the beast said.

“You’re in Kamo’s territory. When Kamo hears about this…” 

The beast chuckled and the deep rumbling laugh was like the crack of lightning outside the windows. “Who’s gonna tell him?” The beast asked.

One was no stranger to fear and he would not pretend as if he were not capable of it. But even as he trembled and gulped around the painful lump in his throat, he stared at the many-eyed beast and lifted his chin. 

“Your lord has no honor,” One said. Sweat gathered at his brow, tickling his forehead and he fought the urge to wipe it away. To move. 

The beast laughed again. And laughed still as he picked One up as if he weighed no more than a feather. It laughed and laughed as it took big chunks out of One, chewing on him like a snack. Blood sprayed One’s face, hot and sticky and stinging his eyes. His screams were no match to the sound of that maniacal laughter.

You 

The second scream had to be the worst one. Maybe because it was coupled by the sound of bone-chilling laughter. Something cold and cruel. Your arm was killing you from laying on your side but you were finding it difficult to roll over in this bathroom. 

The nauseating perfume clung to your nostrils and made it hard to breathe around its cloying scent. Why couldn’t these idiots kill you and call it a day? You hated being at their mercy. Hated the way they casually joked about slitting your throat or teaching you how to respect your betters. 

Assholes. You’d be a liar if you weren’t enjoying the sounds of their screams. But at the same time, you didn’t want to meet whatever the hell that thing was. You prayed that you’d remain invisible, small, insignificant. Not worth whatever that thing’s gaze was. Surely it was some sort of vengeful god. Malevolent beast come to feast on the world. 

You couldn’t draw attention to yourself. Couldn’t make a sound. In case the beast was capable of turning the knob, opposable thumbs letting you know that the beast was far scarier than previously believed, you wanted to remain on the floor. Better yet, you needed to get somewhere you could hide. 

Your options were limited. There were no other sounds outside your door. You knew that you were in the bathroom so you rubbed against the floor until you could heave yourself into a sitting position. You were out of breath, but you had to keep going. Had to get into the tub.

Hell, what was worse? The silence or the screams? 

You got to your feet and steadied yourself. You were woozy. It’d been too long since your last meal. Your fault. You couldn’t take your death lying down. You fought and cursed and insulted their dick sizes until you were blue in the face. They retaliated by withholding food. 

You’d take that over the way they knocked you out. Hitting you like a grown man. Your jaw still stung from it. Your skin would surely be darker with a bruise the size of a fist. The way their hands wandered while they checked you for weapons, tied your hands behind your back, and shoved you into a musty van. How they laughed over your figure as they pretended to struggle with tossing you into the bathroom. 

You didn’t know when they put the blindfold on but had to be when you were out cold. There was no telling what they could do while you were sleep so you learned to sleep lighter, waking up at any little sound. So far they weren’t hurting you. You couldn’t imagine why. However, you’d have to stop provoking the last guy that came in here. He was perilously close to breaking and you didn’t want to be around for it. 

You felt behind you for the edge of the tub. Rich people’s apartments like these usually had a tub on one side and a shower on the other. As if it was some subconscious misogyny bullshit about women taking baths and men taking showers. 

You scooted further down, tennis shoes scraping against the tile as you tried to figure out how you were going to get into the tub safely and quietly. You weren’t even sure that you’d be hidden from the door. But you had to do something. Had to try at least.

You lifted one leg and got into the tub as another blood curdling scream split the air. You were shaking with fear while at the same time feeling vindicated. Fuck those bastards. If you’d survive, you’d never take your life for granted again.

The sound of wet splatter hit the walls and you wondered briefly if a window opened somewhere. If there wasn’t rain pouring all over fancy furniture. You got your other foot into the tub and then sank to your knees, getting down into the wide tub and turned on your side. 

It wasn’t perfect. And you didn’t want to think about what kind of germs you were kneeling in. But beggars couldn’t be choosers. 

You waited. You jumped at every sound. Every scrape. Every knock of wood. There was a final scream as the last of your captors went silent. His screams still echoed in your ears. 

Your heartbeat thumped steadily, shifting your awareness inward. You ached all over. Your shoulder was killing you. Your stomach pains twisting your insides. You had a faint ache in your foot and you weren’t sure if you sprang it during your last escape attempt. 

How the hell did you end up here? 

It was the question that rang through your mind every so often when you weren’t thinking about escape. How did you end up kidnapped, taken, and held against your will like this? 

And the sick part? No one would know. You had a job where you set your own hours, the perfect introverted job. You didn’t have to talk to others when you didn’t want to. Didn’t have to set alarms for when you went to sleep or stayed up. You followed your body’s natural rhythm and was damn happy with your solitary life. You had friends, but they knew about your need to disappear sometimes. Go radio silent while you work on your special projects. Or pigged out in front of the TV. 

So here you were, stuck between how you were going to escape or how you ended up in this position. You lived a normal life. You didn’t go out of your way to hurt others. You gave money to the homeless and smiled at the janitorial staff. You weren’t perfect, but fuck. You didn’t deserve this shit.

Thumping steps traveled down the hall and you clasped your lips shut, throat shaking with your need to cry. You needed to alert someone, anyone, to come and help you. Or at least untie you so you could have a fighting chance. How pathetic it was to die on your back, tied up, and at the beasts’ mercy. 

The steps got closer. That aura. It was so intimidating. Sweat gathered on your brow, fear like icy spikes in your stomach. There was no way that you were getting out of this alive. With an aura like that, the beast could likely smell the fear on you. Lead it straight to you as if you had rang the dinner bell. 

You were so stupid. You should have used your remaining time to find a way to cut through the zip ties behind your back. Found a pair of scissors or clippers. Anything to get your hands free. Ah well. Didn’t matter this time. Because whatever it was that was outside of your door, you had no way of defeating such a creature.

Sukuna

You smelled delicious. After dispensing with the four-man crew that dared cross into his territory earlier in the week while traveling to this dump, Sukuna licked blood from his lips as he shrunk down from his true form. 

He hadn’t intended on striking against the Kamo clan for at least another two weeks. He’d been in the middle of his usual reconnaissance, following the habits of his enemies before pinpointing when to strike. 

These four were barely worth the effort. A small time, petty offense. But the rules were the rules and he had to enforce them. He grinned, picking meat from his teeth as he thought how these idiots still haven’t figured out that there is no Sukuna’s beast. He was the beast.

He had no qualms about eating his enemies into submission. Fighting for every strip of land, every pulse of illegal activity in the country, every dollar to join his coffers. And he’d be damned if even one cockroach stepped an antenna out of line. 

What he did not expect was the tasty scent of fear wafting from the bathroom. A stowaway. The imbeciles had hidden you somehow. Oh, that delicious scent. He followed it, already growing hungrier by the second. 

His black suit was pasted to him, slick with the blood of the four insignificant humans. Let their people find them like this. Ripped apart, Let the rumors grow. The beast. The beast. 

He approached the door and he sensed that you sensed him. Your body was shaking, teeth clacking. He could hear you through the door. He was getting harder by the minute just thinking about it. He pictured where he’d start first. If he’d bite your neck. Or somewhere he could still make you scream. He wondered what you’d sound like.

He pushed on the door and it gave way under his hand. He left a bloody handprint on the door as he swept into the dark room. His eyes adjusted to the dark, detail starting to fill in as his eyes relaxed. 

There you were. Sukuna chuckled evilly as he approached. You were too damn good. Each second brought a fresh wave of fear skittering down your spine. He inhaled deeply, mouth salivating with the thought of ripping you to pieces. 

You were cowed in the bathtub. Sukuna grinned wider before he really took you in. Your hands were bound behind your back. You also had a blindfold on. Your clothes were dirty and stained, a strange odor emanating from you. Your shoes looked like you’d been marched around in mud for the past few days. Your hair was wild and unkempt, riotous thick hair escaping your plaits. 

His smile disappeared. You had already been kidnapped. You weren’t part of their crew. You were a victim. Sukuna’s curiosity peaked. It wasn’t every day that he ran into this situation. He was no hero. Whether lord or pauper, a tasty meal was a tasty meal. But the urge to eat you was growing fainter the longer he took in every detail he could about you.

What did you do in order to get kidnapped by these thugs? What was so special about you? You’d clearly been here a few days and you were still alive, untouched. You were important to them for a reason. 

“Well?” You asked.

Sukuna was taken aback by the sound of your voice. He could smell your fear and yet…you dared to talk to him? 

“Quit playing around and kill me, I don’t have all day. Or night. Whenever it is,” you huffed.

Shocked, Sukuna laughed. Hell, he hadn’t been this surprised in a millenia. “Who are you?” He asked.

“I’m a nobody. Are you going to kill me or not?” You asked. 

Sukuna chuckled again, sucking blood from his finger. “Pretty eager to die,” he commented. 

“Not very eager to wonder when it’s coming. The wait is the worst part,” you said.

There was a hitch in your voice. As if you were no stranger to waiting or being disappointed. Sukuna tilted his head. This was bizarre. It’d been a long time since he felt like this, interested in something other than eating at the moment. You couldn’t see him. You were right to be afraid but still had the audacity to talk to him like that.

He had half a mind to break your spine here and now. Rip your head from your shoulders. Suck the life from your heart. His fingers twitched with the insatiable need to shred. Throat burned with a hunger that never truly faded. 

He stepped closer to you, stared down at your pathetic form on your side in this tub. It’d be so easy to lift his boot and crush your skull. So easy to snuff the spark of life that kept you animated. 

But he found himself hesitating. Withdrawing his presence. You gasped audibly, catching your breath. It was a wonder you held out as long as you did. He’d seen people have entire heart attacks after enduring his aura for too long. But not you.

“Who are you and why did those men hold you captive?” Sukuna asked. 

“I don’t know. I told you, I’m a nobody. Just an insignificant bug,” you said.

A burning in Sukuna’s chest made him want to correct you. To ensure that you’d never talk like this about yourself where he could fucking hear. He grimaced and scowled. What the hell kind of thoughts was he having? 

He lifted his hand, reaching out over your form. He’d just snatch you up like he did the others. You were their victim and it wasn’t terribly your fault for crossing boundary lines with them, but well. He couldn’t let you go.

What if you talked? What if your harmless story caught on the news like wildfire, spreading, until the legend of Sukuna’s pet beast was no longer feared. The real gangsters knew. No one fucked with him or his clan and lived to tell the tale. 

He had to end you right here and now. Go on and do it. Be done with it. Separate your head from your body. Again, he was unable to harm you. There were too many questions in his head. He was having fun not being the smartest person in the room at the moment. 

He growled and grabbed the front of your sweater. You yelled out, kicking your legs as Sukuna lifted you higher, more at eye level with himself. You scrambled, kicking and kicking. 

“Put me down!” You screamed.

Sukuna laughed. “Aren’t you scared?” He asked.

“I’m terrified!” You yelled. 

“Then how do you bark orders with the same mouth that should be begging for mercy?” He asked.

“What mercy? Go on and kill me and be done with this bullshit,” you said. You were still flailing but no longer screaming in fear. 

You were fun! He scanned your body, looking for some source of trickery. Some hidden agenda. He stretched his awareness searching for a hint of your aura to reveal something that explained you. Some part of your genetic makeup, some part of your clothing or jewelry able to repel creatures like him.

Nothing. You wore nothing, you had nothing, you were nothing. And he still had questions. He wanted to know more. His thirst for knowledge was almost as large as his thirst for blood. He should want yours. But even yours smelled insignificant. 

“Who are you?” He asked once more, voice soft as he regarded you. You didn’t make sense and it was driving him nuts. Driving him to the point of not wanting to solve you at all. He’d rather toss you into the nearest fire and call it a job well done. 

Tonight, at least, his curiosity got the best of him. He’d figure out who you were and what you were keeping from him. Then he’d get rid of you. 

“I’m nothing, a nobody,” you responded. Your lips parted and he felt a strange tug in his chest. Another weird sensation he hadn’t experienced in hundreds, if not thousands of years. 

“You’re coming with me,” he growled. He half dragged, half carried you out of the room. You didn’t fight him or scream. You didn’t try to tug yourself free. You kept up as much as you were able as Sukuna left the penthouse suite of the Kamo clan. He didn’t have to worry about security cameras as he turned off power to the whole block.

Rain pelted the both of you, soaking his shirt. Rivulets of red dripped from him and disappeared into the nearest drain. He ran towards his car at the end of the block, shaking you in his haste to get to his car. His hair plastered to his face and he growled. He didn’t have enough hands to move his hair from his face.

It may be the dead of night, but that meant little to a world still guided by its misconceptions and folktales. They told themselves stories about being safe because the government told them that they were. Nevermind the fact that the pent up anxiety they pushed down, the suppressed emotions, created a legion of curses to haunt the natural world for years and years to come yet. 

He couldn’t shift into his true form over hair in his eyes. Too many cameras. Too many onlookers. He pushed you into his car and you finally yelped as your shoulder hit the side of the seat. 

He quickly crossed in front of the car and got in, starting it, and tearing off down the street in a whirl of tires and smoke. The sound of the windshield wipers were the only source of sound. 

Sukuna kept glancing at you. At the way the streetlights and ads shone periodically across your face. It was maddening to see. And yet all you did was pant for breath. Your lips were parted again. Were you doing it on purpose? What the hell was wrong with you?

He could tell that you were still scared. Still nervous to be around him. But there was a soft acceptance in the way you didn’t mouth off or ask a million annoying questions. You were an unassuming presence beside him and it was a feeling he wasn’t used to. Couldn’t name. 

It didn’t take long for Sukuna to arrive at one of his many penthouses. This one was in the dead center of the city. If his enemies got through his defenses and reached the middle of the city, well then, they deserved to take their shot at him. 

He pulled into the private garage, turning off the engine and looked over at you. You licked your lips and he followed the movement, the glide of your tongue darting out from your mouth. Sukuna tore his eyes away with a scowl.

He got out of the car a little too roughly. Yanked open the passenger side door a little too harshly. Grabbing you out of the seat with too much force. He slammed you against the car as he closed his door. Then, he dragged you towards the private elevator.

No cameras. Exactly what he needed. He rode the elevator straight to his penthouse. It opened out into a spacious foyer decorated in black. He dragged you inside, growing impatient with your human body unable to keep up with his stalking gait. 

He knew the perfect room to throw you in too. Sometimes Sukuna liked to play with his food. 

He pushed you into the small room that had a million cameras set up inside. The room was decorated in an off white subway tile scheme. There was a bunk bed held up by chains drilled into the wall. There was a private bathroom. He found that allowing that little bit of decency made humans think he was merciful. It made betraying them that much more delicious. 

You fell to the floor on top of your bad shoulder and cried out. Sukuna laughed at your pain and shut the door. 

“Why won’t you kill me?!” You yelled, loud enough to be heard through the thick, reinforced door. No small feat. 

Sukuna turned and looked at you through the checkered plexiglass window. He smiled, grin spreading across his face and likely making him look feral. 

“The fun’s just getting started, princess,” he said. His haunting laugh echoed throughout his apartment as he left you alone for the night. Tomorrow, he’d make sure that you knew whose control you were under.

Masterlist | Chapter 2

[arecaceae175]

LU Links Playing Clash Royale

Wind

He’s so into it

Leader of their clan, called the Chain

Got everyone else into the game

Three of his decks are those annoying low-cost ones that just cycle through buildings and well placed skeletons or ice golems

He wins with well placed royal pigs near the end of the game

He does tournaments and wins

Wild

Goes through phases of playing really hardcore for 2-6 months, then forgets about it for a year

Really likes the events. His favorite is draft battles

Makes Flora build his decks bc she gets really into the statistics of all the cards

Time

Claims not to know how to use the game, but still beats Wind most times they battle

This infuriates Wind

Time will never admit it because he loved to cause problems on purpose, but he loved watching YouTubers play and he used all their winning strategies to beat Wind

He really likes the weird forest creatures

Favorite cards are suspicious bush and dart goblin

Warriors

Knows Time is full of shit but let’s it happen because it’s funny

His deck centers around the Knight. Sue him.

His most used cards include: knight, archers, princess, royal delivery, Prince, mega knight, and fireball

Flat out refuses to play with the dark prince

Sky

Uses the dark prince against Warriors because he’s a little shit (/affectionate)

Otherwise, fliers

His absolute favorite is the Phoenix, to absolutely no one’s surprise

Plays religiously. Sometimes the others make him delete the app for a week bc he gets too emotional about it

Legend

Likes the spell cards and the witches

Gets really into clan wars and makes sure everyone participates

He and Warriors strategize about the wars

Hyrule

Buildings. Buildings.

Uses a bunch of spawners and plays defensively

Eventually gets so many spawners out that the enemy can’t do anything

Four

Loves troops that are multiple troops

He has very well rounded decks, but all of them just include many many troops

Good mix of buildings, spells, and ground troops

Favorite cards include: skeleton army, royal recruits, bats, barbarians, tesla

Twilight

His favorite card is Ram Rider. All his decks center around her

Or sometimes Hog Rider

Likes all the ungulate cards

Also makes good use of rage spell

Malon, Linkle, Ravio, Groose, and most of the Zelda’s also join the clan :D

[avaritia-apotheosis]

Bid A Strong Ghost Stand at the Head Ch. 2

A DPxDC crossover // Read on [AO3]

← Previous Chapter // MASERLIST // Next Chapter →

◆◆◆

It had been twenty-four hours since they brought Danny to the cave. During that period, the entirety of Bruce’s assortment of children and associates had come down to visit the cave in order to gawk at Damian’s brother.

Damian, they learned, was quite the mother hen. He refused to let any of the clan crowd Danny’s bedside, with the exception of Alfred—who knew how to care for Danny’s wounds best—and Cass—because it was Cass.  

Despite it coming at the cost of Danny’s health, it was rather nice to see everyone under one roof and being someone amicable. Tim, Steph, and Barbara, however, couldn’t stay long. Tim and Barbara both had their own work to prioritize and Steph had some assignments she really needed to focus on. In their absence, Dick, Jason, and Cass decided to drag one of the Cave’s smaller training mats near the infirmary to sit on while they played a card game. 

Uno, judging by the amount of swears Bruce heard. 

“It’s weird,” Jason said. 

“What is?” Dick asked.

“It’s weird to see Danny of all people so banged up.” 

“Speaking of, you never really did go into your relationship with him.”

“Well, what’s there to say? He was my trainer. He taught me almost as much as Bruce did— which is really weird considering the guy was like fourteen when I met him.”

“Ok so he’s a ridiculously strong assassin prodigy. Horrifying implications aside, what’s he like though?”

“Well— a +3, Cass? Really? I have ten cards now.”

“Ha!” Dick laughed. “Serve you right for— no, not blue! That’s the only card I don’t have!”

“Fuck you, Dick.” Jason sniffed. “Anyway, there’s not really much I can actually say about Danny. Sure, I spent the better part of a year with the guy but I never really got to know him. Or, at least, he never let himself be known. It’s…honestly a little freaky how good he is at appearing so open and friendly while being so secretive.”

There was a pregnant pause and a shuffling of cards. Bruce couldn’t really focus on the cases sitting in front of him.

“He always looked so untouchable in the League,” Jason began. “He was goofy, yeah. Had puns for days. And the monks loved him; apparently Danny picked up all that inner peace stuff really quickly. But there was this weird, I don’t know, way he looked at things, as if he was nothing more than an observer. Like no matter what shitstorm befell the world, it wouldn’t matter to him.

“You know, there was this one time that the pit madness really got to me and I tried to strangle Danny. Do you know what he did?” A chuckle. “The motherfucker laughed. As if I didn’t have my thumbs digging into his throat.”

◆◆◆

Danny woke at around midnight.

Bruce looked at (your son, the brain supplied. Son is a word he is intimately familiar with. The shape of the letters worn and softened with time, always at the tip of his tongue but never courageous enough to leave it. Son is a word infused with devotion and responsibility. Joy and sorrow. Pride and an endless sea of should’ve-would’ve-could’ve and most of all Love.)

(But this word— this word that is given to him looks familiar but is at the same time not.)

Bruce looked at a son. A son that is his by virtue of blood and genetics and how could anyone deny the boy’s parentage when Danny looks the spitting image of Bruce at seventeen. World weary and lost and looking for purpose.

He watched as the boy pushed himself up onto his forearms, eyes darting across his surroundings—lingering for a moment on Damian’s sleeping face on a nearby cot— before resting on Bruce.

Danny smiled, tilting his head. “Hello, Mr. Wayne.”

Bruce inclined his head “Danny. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, right as rain. Thanks for patching me up. I could’ve done it myself but digging that seed out would’ve been a hassle.”

“It was no trouble at all.”

Silence. 

Bruce bit the inside of his cheek.

What exactly was he supposed to say in this situation?

His eyes slid over to the roll of bandages on a nearby table. “Bandages,” he said. “You’re about due to have them changed.”

Danny’s hand flew to his abdomen, pressed against the spot where his wound would be. “Oh you don’t have to do that.”

“I insist.”

“No, really, you don’t have to.”

“It’s important to replace the bandages often to keep the wound clean and free from infection.”

“Trust me, Mr. Wayne, it’s really unnecess—” Danny sighed. “You know what, fuck it.” He quickly began to unravel his bandaged torso, tossing the wad of gauze into the nearest trash can. Frowning at the neat stitches on his side, he turned to Bruce. “Do you have some scissors?”

“What are you—” Bruce bit down on his question. 

There was…nothing. The hole that Alfred sutured closed was just gone, the skin unmarred except for the rows of black thread crisscrossing over it. 

Danny chuckled. “You know, sometimes I wonder that myself.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Who knows?” Danny shrugged, his hand outstretched. “Now how about those scissors?”

“Not until you answer my questions.”

Danny dropped his hand. “Well Mr. Wayne, while I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, it’s really none of your business.”

“As your father, I’d like to think it is.”

He laughed. “The seventeen years I grew up without a father say otherwise.”

Bruce flinched. “You cannot blame me for your mother’s lies.”

“No, you’re right. I can’t. But it doesn’t change the fact that, well, we’re basically strangers.” Danny slid out of his bed and took the scissors from a nearby tray. “I like you Mr. Wayne, I really do.” He began to carefully snip off the threads. “You’re a hero, you’re a good man, and Damian and mother love you—” he cut the last thread with an air of finality. “But that doesn’t mean that you’re privy to my life.”

Danny pulled out the stitches with careful slowness, and Bruce could see the wounds in his skin slowly knit itself back together.

Bruce’s breath hitched. “You’re a meta.”

“Sure. Let’s go with that.”

“I take it this relates to the green flecks in your blood.”

“Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t.”

“Was this another one of Ra’s al Ghul’s experiments?”

Danny blinked owlishly, tilting his head. “Ra’s al Ghul wouldn’t have been so wary of me if it was. Now, is my shirt still salvageable by any chance? I don’t wanna impose on you anymore than I already have, so if I could just get my shirt back, I’ll be on my way.”

Bruce…Bruce didn’t really know what to think. He rubbed his face, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why don’t you stay for a bit longer? Damian’s been worried sick about you and it would hurt him if you left without saying goodbye.”

Danny paused. For a brief moment his face morphed into something pained; a cross between a grimace and wary resignation. And for all that youth clung to Danny’s features, there was a moment in time where he looked so old .

Then the moment passed, and Danny once again played the stubborn and petulant teenager that pouted when things didn’t go his way. “Fine,” he groaned with an exaggerated whine. With a huff he sat back down on the cot, legs drawn up and crossed in front of him. “I’ll stay, but only because Damian would bite my head off if I didn’t.”

“Alright.”

“And no more questions. If I get interrogated by the freaking Batman then I’m out .”

“Reasonable enough.”

Danny narrowed his eyes in suspicion but said nothing else, settling into his cot.

Bruce sat back down in front of the cave’s computer and began rifling through cases.

The silence between them stretched like a vast cavern.

Faintly, Bruce could make out Danny’s reflection from the monitor screen. His shoulders were rigid, arms painfully straight and clutching at his crossed ankles. The fringe of his black hair fell past his eyes and was aggressively swiped away.

Poison Ivy remained at large, but she had gone underground. A bit of groundwork revealed that she had gone the Synototech research facility because they were experimenting with suicide seeds— technology that’s internationally banned from field testing and commercial use. And considering the controversy of Synototech’s attempts to create a seed monopoly in agricultural sectors of third world countries by patenting its modified seeds, well… Batman was in no hurry to chase after Poison Ivy.

The bed Danny sat on creaked. Through the reflection, Bruce watched the boy slowly pad his way to Damian’s cot. Danny crouched down, hovering his hand over Damian’s head for a moment before gently running his fingers through the short strands.

“I rarely get to see him like this, you know?” Danny murmured.

Like what?  

Bruce held his tongue.

“He always has that scowl on his face,” Danny said, a smile in his voice. “Almost makes you forget what he looks like without it. He was really cute when he was a baby. All fat round cheeks and gummy smiles. He always loved it when people gave him attention.”

The corner of Bruce’s mouth twitched. He almost couldn’t imagine it. Damian, a bubbly bundle of joy. Damian, with chubby fists and the infectious bright laugher of a baby. Damian turning and crawling and stumbling through his first steps. Damian babbling sounds until he finally learned how to make sense of words and shape them to his will.

He wished—

If only he could have—

“I would have given anything in the world to have been there.”

Danny looked up. Bruce turned his chair to meet his gaze. 

“I know.”

With a soft groan, Danny settled himself on the ground beside Damian, idly petting his hair. “You know, when I was younger I had this crazy idea to take Damian and run away from the League. I thought about it a lot. Had a good couple of plans on how to take Damian out, too. It would have been so easy . I imagined grabbing Damian and scaling the compound walls. I’d strap him to my back and we’d make our way to the nearest village and somehow, somewhere, I’d be able to get a message out. And you’d be able to find us.”

“Did you ever try?” Bruce swallowed the lump in his throat, the taste of the desert fresh on his tongue. Hot and dry and too full of possibilities that could have been.

“Not once. It was a stupid plan with more holes than swiss cheese and more risks than I wanted to put Damian through. Well, the League was risky, too, but that was something I knew. I could predict. Finding a way to contact you when all I knew about your identity was that you were The Batman and having to sit tight while the entire League of Shadows would be hell bent on catching us though?” He chuckled. “We wouldn’t have a ghost of a chance of holding out.”

“And so you stayed.”

“And so I stayed.”

“Will you go back to it?”

Danny shrugged. “Maybe? If mother asked for my help then I will, but the only reason I stayed at the League for as long as I did was because of Damian. Now that he’s out, there’s not much reason for me to stick around there.”

“And…if Damian asked you to stay here?”

There was something almost pitiful in the smile Danny sent him. “You have enough children, Mr. Wayne.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that you are one of mine.”

“In this world.” 

Bruce blinked. “What?”

Danny startled, then frantically shook his head. “No— no, ignore that. I don’t…just forget I said anything.”

Before Bruce could press further, Danny pointed a finger at him.” Remember, you said that you wouldn’t interrogate me.”

Bruce huffed, conceding defeat. “I guess I did.”

For now.

[gorbalsvampire]

So, i'm making a list out of all the stuff people recommended for V:TM but also i'm interested to see what fans say. I guess this is your "please info dump to a newbie if you have time" card. Like anything at all you wanna share about V:TM I'm 100% open to reading! I'm particularly interested in the Salubri clan for some silly reason so especially if you have anything related to them I'd love to hear it!

I don't do so great with "anything at all" as a prompt, my brain ain't wired that way, but you gave me SALUBRI and that I can do something with.

Salubri fascinate me as a writer/developer/storyteller kind of person because they're one of those concepts that is... fascinating as a game function, and a metaplot element, but kinda hard to break down into an actual character? To the point that, when V5 first reintroduced them, it basically said: concept doesn't matter. The fact that they are Salubri is going to be enough to bend the chronicle around them. They are vanishingly rare, hunted to extinction because they taste good and have been subjected to centuries of propaganda, and Who They Were is massively less important than What They Are.

This flies in the face of everything Vampire: the Masquerade tells you a player character should be, especially V5. When the Companion came out, Justin Achilli all but sat you down, put a fatherly hand on your shoulder and said "you're not supposed to play these, but this layout is how we communicate information." Because that worked so well before. Everyone who has ever Posted about wanting to play a Baali or a Blood Brother or a Harbinger of Skulls, raise your hands.

And in the past, I too have tripped and fallen over this root in the ground. The Salubri PC in my very first Dark Ages game was a big part of that game's failure. I was in my late teens and had absolutely no idea how to manage a PC with a secret that must be kept but was also tied to core operations of their characters and the high octane introduction blew the whole secret sky high and that game was, in short, a wet fart.

But I have seen Salubri played. My friend and illustrator @sluggybunny had a genuinely monstrous Salubri OC who was driven by the same compulsion to help as the rest of his clan, but did it in the stupidest possible way. He was one of the Seven - the Salubri Embraced by elders whomst they then diablerise, coming into vampirism as a member of the eighth generation and far more powerful than the average fledgling - and he took that as a template. Eating souls made him stronger. It would make you stronger. Diablerie was the answer to all of your problems. He was everything the Tremere propaganda said the Salubri were, and he was also a stupid sexy white trash twentysomething who looked great in a mesh top, fucked like a jackhammer, and mostly communicated in emo lyrics. Total villain protagonist.

And I think that's the key to playing a Salubri. Their circumstances demand that they hide - their Blood and its powers literally compel them to help. The Player's Guide has both their rules and four good hooks for hanging a character off. The Seeker after Truth would fit right in with my Dark Ages coterie, the Reluctant Healer is not a million miles away from one of my friends (you know who you are), the Monster Against Monsters is the classic "paladin in a party of murderhobos" odd man out and the Spy For Hire is the mercenary flip on that, asking what kind of skills a Salubri would accumulate to survive and what else they might do with them.

You will need to do something quite crucial, though. Salubri, as a clan, are tied to the concept of Golconda. The concept of Golconda is very badly defined in the game, for reasons that I've written about before, and you are going to have to do the work on figuring out what Golconda is for you (and, hypothetically, if you actually want to play one, for your Storyteller and the people at your table, because that's something that needs to be consistent for everyone).

I hope this is good. I don't tend to Consume Content about Vampire or recommend that as an approach - you'll learn more from closely reading the rulebook and thinking about your favourite vampire stories and why they work and then reading good historical fiction and scholarship. It may also help to watch/read the stuff that's atomic to Vampire, or emblematic of it because of parallel evolution. Here's some movie recs to get you started.

If you'd like a Salubri character sheet knocked up, I could do that! That's a thing I do sometimes. Let me know.

[nevertrustanoracle]

Top 5 VTM characters?

*sigh* I saw this coming, and knew I would never be prepared for it. VtM is so varied that while I can pick like “favourite characters in X-thing” I can’t then rank those against each other. So you’re getting my top characters from five different categories. Don’t try to make me rank them beyond that. I’ll probably cry. 😅

Top general lore character: Roger de Camden.

I’m sure you saw that one coming. As does anyone who listened to the first NYbN live stage where I said that while asking the cast who theirs is. Started looking into him due to wanting to run Old Wounds and quickly fell headfirst down that rabbit hole, yet to emerge.

Top actual play character: Jasper Heartwood.

He’s the reason I’m a VtM fan tbh. Sure, I decided to try watching LAbN for Taliesin Jaffe, but it was Jasper who got me hooked. I was immediately entranced by him and Alex Ward’s incredible acting as him. I just couldn’t look away. Love him to bits. Cried buckets over the finale.

Top Choice Of Games character: Sheriff Qui.

It’s actually a hard choice between him, Arundel, and Lettow; I adore them all. But he is like 40% of the reason I tried PoK (the other 60% is the rat famulus Nossie PCs get). I love him so much and his romance route is such fun. Forever laughing over the timing of the phone call on the, uh, “morning evening after”. Also his backstory and the reason behind his apparent lack of his clan curse is really interesting.

Top video game character: Omnis.

I literally have a poster of them on my wall. Immediately became my favourite in Bloodhunt upon their introduction. I can’t wait to learn more about them. They’re the one NPC I even vaguely trust in BH. Which will probably come back to bite me but oh well. I mean, we already know that they and Maia are lying to the others…

Wild card fifth place: Beckett.

He could count for three of the categories (all four if you count the mention of him in PoK). I always get excited when he shows up or even just gets a mention. Gotta love the feral nerd. Funnily enough, while my other favourite clans came about due to a specific character, I loved the Gangrel well before I knew about Beckett.

[ecofmaster]

Making actually good updates to Clash Royale every day until Supercell fixes their stupid game

I teased this idea before but this much of a hot mess is hard to fix

Day 9: Clan Wars

Clan Wars is hot garbage. There is no better way to describe it. It's just a mess.

Change 1: Leveling

Clan Wars is actually very different from the main game (shocker, I know) and one of the main differences are the decks. In Clan Wars, you have four decks that can only be used once every battle day. But each card in those decks use the levels the person playing with the deck has for those cards. Most f2p players only have the resources to upgrade their main deck, which means a grand total of 12 severely under leveled cards will be in the clan decks. This is such a dumb system, and it would be much better if all cards in Clan Wars were level 11, aka the "challenge level".

Change 2: Boat Battles

Remove boat battles. They are not fun and half the player base doesn't know they exist.

Change 3: War Battles

So another big difference between the main game and Clan Wars are the battles. There are two ways to battle; boat battles (which I said just to delete), and the event challenges. Clan Wars is basically the only place you can play Clash variants like touchdown or infinite elixir against people besides your friends. But only a few of these are available at a time. I propose a different system. Players can choose between any variant available in Clan Wars today, or they can play a different mode that picks the variant for the players. The picking mode would award much more progress in the war than a game where you pick the mode, do you can design a deck specifically for one mode and play try your hand at that, or use a general deck or something you are good at to see if you can win the harder random mode challenge. Also remove the three deck game. It's not fun, and random variant mode can just take its place.

Change 2?: Boat Battles

Ok so the reward system for Boat Battle wins is actually pretty cool, but the actual games are horrible, so I'm going to try to fix this, but it may still be trash.

So in Boat Battles the levels matter a lot more. Not only are your troops levels the same as their actual levels, but your king tower level also affects the Boat turrets. So just like before, everything has to default to level 11, except the turrets.

A level 11 turret is kinda trash, so they get a rework. Boat defences now use tower troops instead of turrets. The tower troops are the exact same as they would be at level 11, expect for the health, which is 3x what it is in regular games. Each boat defense also produces elixir at 1.5x regular elixir production speed, but they all have 4 less card slots, so use those wisely.

Boat Battles are already pretty hard, usually taking multiple decks for a full clear, but I probably made them so much harder by upping the elixir production of Boat defences, so I'm giving the attacker more time (3:30 to be exact) and every minute will higher the player elixir production.

Lastly, because card levels don't matter, Boat defences should now all be worth the same and should need to be attacked in order. But if one Boat defense has already been attacked, it has to be finished off before you can move to the next.

Change 4: Aesthetics

The theme of Boat Wars doesn't really fit with the rest of Clash Royale in my opinion. There are at least a million different ways you could solve this, but in my opinion an aesthetic change is needed for Clan Wars.

Let's see if this Clan Wars 3 idea is as bad as the other two.

[corals-corner]

Headcannons it is :D

Starting with Queen:

She is a Clash of Clans goddess (look the game up if you don't know what it is)

She's responsible for making some of the most difficult Geometry Dash levels--again, look up the game if you SOMEHOW don't know what it is xP

Despite being a Windows XP computer, she can somehow change her own background theme in Hometown, causing anyone who sees it to get utterly confused and distressed

She cares for Noelle so much partly because she can sympathize with her on a level nobody else can

Going off the previous hc, I think she may have had a parent of hers die when she was young, assuming she had parents lol Idk

She secretly thinks Berdly's pretty cool despite all she did to him

She knows things about Kris, Susie, Berdly and ofc Noelle, partly because all of them have used her Lightner computer form at least a few times

Water wouldn't harm Queen, she's too OP for that

Queen didn't show up in Card Kingdom until she was in her early 20s, and likely didn't stay there for even a decade

Queen's in her early 30s by the time we meet her in-game, in my eyes 31-33

Now for Spade King, some might be the same as yours :>

Spade King didn't have the best parenting growing up and was always under heavy scrutiny/criticism, likely from a combination of anger issues and his parents having super high expectations

He hung out with the other kings but always felt like an outlier and felt left out, but never mentioned it to them. He never fully trusted them in terms of leadership skills and general competence

Spade King's parents either passed away or vanished somehow when he was a late teen and he had to learn how to be a ruler at a younger age. I personally think all the kings come from royal families, and Spade King's parents were the first to go. This forced Spade King to cooperate with the other, much older royals, which he did not like at all

C. Round was kinda Spade King's version of a family pet and one of the very few Darkners he actually enjoyed hanging out with as a child, and because of this he later let C. Round roam free as it pleased and never put any restrictions on it

Spade King absolutely hated Jevil even before Jevil went insane. I like to think Jevil went insane while all four kings were in charge, and before that often did acts for the kings' parents. Jevil would often target and tease Spade King when he was young, albeit in a silly and playful manner, but Spade King always held grudges against him for it

Seam is one of the very few Darkners Spade King respects, hence why Seam is just chillin' in their shop with no need to attack or imprison Kris & Susie in the first chapter. Spade King always liked Seam because Seam would often interact with him in a calm and compassionate manner when he was a child

Spade King always tried to make room for Lancer despite his very busy job, and was often the one who cooked for his son

Spade King knew how incompetent Rouxls Kaard acted but always believed Rouxls had tons of secret potential he was wasting away, hence why he promoted him to Duke of Puzzles in an attempt to get Rouxls to show his true colors, albeit it didn't work lol

Spade King mandated that all Rudinn Rangers wear visors to protect their faces so they don't accidentally hurt themselves with their longer knives, guards aren't really competent if they accidentally harm themselves all the time xP

One year for Halloween Spade King had Lancer dress up as a pumpkin while he himself dressed up as a blueberry, who says kings can't have a little fun sometimes?

Spade King's in his mid-to-late 30s in-game, likely around 34-37

Spade King is a coffee addict, Idc if you don't like coffee you have to admit the guy needs something to keep him functioning during the day

That is all :)

A LOT :DDDDD

Queenie my beloved

1. As someone who used to play that with certain hacks and cheats, she would absolutely spend hours attacking other clans and villages whenever she was bored. She'd like the Pekas and maybe the Archers

2. I will never forgive her for her crimes against my eyes and self esteem when it came to those levels.

3. Hehe she likes confusing people

4. AUGH FUUUUCK. Ok, this reminds me on the trans Noelle hc people have, and that with my own trans Queen hc, I can totally see queen maybe seeing a bit of herself in Noelle and wants to help her in many other things

5. Personally, my hc is that her parents were quite neglectful, not usually out of melisious intent, but because they didn't really understand how to take care of a child, but she always held them close to her heart, so despite everything, she would have still been really upset when this happened

6. BERDLY! Ngl, I always imagined that she wouldn't have minded spending more time with him, but because her objective required Noelle and not him, she kinda pushed him away in order to achieve her goal.

7. What has she seen in these guys search history

8. Thank god. Lancer would probably have done the water bucket above the door prank lmao

9. I always imagined darkners could travel between dark worlds, but I do see her not going to Card Kingdom until later, most likely due to a arranged marriage with King

10. That's actually pretty close to where I see her, but I tend to see her and King in a similar age, so personally I'd say between 35-40, but you're age seems more likely lmao

Now to Kingy :D

1. Abso-fucking-lutely. This man did not have a stable childhood which affected him with how he patented Lancer. Not even the previous monarchs liked his parents too much

2. I feel like he and the other king fought alot, both as kids and as adults. None of them fully trusted each other

3. Yeah, I imagin he was crowed between 17 or 18, so he was still very young and waa definitely not suitid to rule, epessilly along side monarchs he would have otherwise avoided. Not to mention they probably dismissed him since they were all older and experienced in ruling and didn't think he had any good input.

4. THATS SO CUUUTE!!! I can see baby king outside playing with c.round trying to teach him silly tricks and showing him off

5. Ngl, I see why you(and alot of other lol) think this, but personally, I like to think they were close. Historically, kings and jester were actually pretty close and the kings allowed jesters to do alot, so I like to implement that into dr.. it is fucked that he went after King when he was just a child. That is fucked and I understand why King held grudges (I would too lmao)

6. Lowkey, I love imaging that Seam is old as fuck and they often took care of baby king, sort of the same way Rouxls cares for Lancer, and he began referring Seam as a parental figure, sometimes accidently calling them "Mom" when he was tired

7. YES KING ALWAYS TRIED TO MAKE TIME FOR LANCER DESPITE HIS JOB IDC WHAT ANYONE ELSE SAYS HE LOVED HIS SON. Also hc king loves cooking for Lancer and always tried to cook himself, though it was rare considering he was usually busy

8. My man thought. Rouxls is definitely op but he's also pretty stupid when it comes to his powers and doesn't know how to use them to his full ability, despite the help and, let's be honest, threats from King, or hell, maybe even the other kings.

9. Now I'm just imaging the Rudinn Rangers out there fighting without any protection and the king are like "That's fine" while king flips his shit over their safety.

10. PUMPKIN LANCER AND BLUBERRY KING!!! King crying every time he sees Lancer in the costume because he's so god damn adorable. And King in a bluberry costume because fuck those people who think kings are always supposed to be serious and not have any fun

11. Absolutely. A chaotic son as well as a naturally chaotic kingdom and castle? He needs something to keep him going. This with his sweet tooth means he would Absolutely love mochas because of the added sugar and chocolate.

Oh boy this was long :'DDD

It was fun though :D

[echoes-sounds]

I have little Lavellan brain rot

Literal child Inquisitor, around 15 years old, despite looking young they assume at first he is an adult because he has Vallaslin. Not that it would have mattered much given he is the only one capable of closing rifts. But! It means they only realise he’s a literal child after he is dubbed Herald of andraste

He got his Vallaslin early, he was an ex-slave who had a difficult time settling into clan life and fitting in, so his guardian suggested he get his a few years early. He was mature enough (though because of trauma), his guardian also died at the conclave

His magic only manifested a year prior, so he is an untrained mage but does know a bit about using daggers

So to start with he can’t fight for shit, has to rely heavily on the party meaning one bonus inner circle member is dragged around (so four instead of three)

While in haven the inner circle and advisors are much more protective of him, he still goes on missions mostly because none of the others can close rifts but they are much more carful with him

He still becomes Inquisitor out of necessity, the masses have grown fond of the herald of andraste and it’s doubted they will follow anyone else HOWEVER, the advisors have a much more active role in decision making, essentially Little Lavellan is the poster child

Solas becomes a father figure/mentor to him and the two gain a really close bond over the course of Inquisition, Solas fends off his nightmares and teaches how to wield his magic and also how to safely commune with spirits.

Cassandra is like a cool big sister who teaches him how to properly hold a sword even though the things are too heavy for him, sometimes they’ll spar with wooden swords, she’s surprisingly gentle with him, she also reads to him. But obviously not swords and shields and will skip over any questionable chapters in other works.

Dorian frightened him at first, he is a Vint and thus dragged up a lot of little Lavellan’s trauma. But gradually Dorian earns his trust and the two become good friends though not best friends like you do in the game. Still they’re fond of one another.

Cole and little Lavellan are fast friends, Cole is an utter weirdo and Lavellan really likes that. He appreciates what Cole is, he is compassion and thus wants to help. He also appreciates that there is someone else to get confused over things people do sometimes. Lavellan spends a lot of time around skyhold helping cole to help people

Sera and little Lavellan are partners in crime, they get into all sorts of mischief together, from pranks to down right rule breaking there is no one he would rather get in trouble with.

The Iron Bull is fatherly to little Lavellan, but he doesn’t see him as a dad more of a super buff uncle. Lavellan enjoys hanging out with the bull and the chargers, he had a similar issue with Krem as he did to Dorian but it was much more fleeting given now down to earth Krem is. The bull has tried to give little Lavellan dating advice but has been shot down by just about everyone else and they tell him not to do that.

Blackwall was close with Lavellan, they would make things together, chat about the Grand Tourney and jousting. But when Lavellan found out what Blackwall did he found he couldn’t forgive him, he couldn’t face him and thus left him to his chosen fate.

Vivienne is surprisingly motherly to little Lavellan, but in the cold step mother kind of way, she fusses over him, his image. She does care for him but they often conflict in opinion and she often doesn’t respect him because of his age.

Varric and little Lavellan get along like a house on fire, they’re the best of buds. Lavellan loves to go ask the dwarf for stories and will often seek him out for advise. Varric let him shoot bianca once and there is still a hole in his chair from it. Varric also teaches Lavellan the best card games.

Hawke - as a result of being read stories and told stories by both Cassandra and Varric, Lavellan became a huge fan of Hawke’s and when he got to meet them he freaked out so bad, and despite Cassandra’s anger to Varric he chatted her ear off about it for ages.

[bayoubashsims]

An Afternoon in the Attic

Eudora and Morticia sat at the poker table of the cards room in the Addams Family mansion, playing their usual game of poker. Morticia noticed that Eudora was not playing the game as usual.

"Grandmama, You're not cheating. What's the matter with you?" Morticia asked her mother-in-law, concern in her tone.

"Oh, I don't know, Morticia. I was just thinking about my gift."

"Your gift?" Asked Morticia, rather incredulously.

"My clairvoyance...I was thinking, perhaps I should make a career out of it. Make a psychic phone service. Maybe pitch a TV show. Go the circus circuit again. That would be fun, wouldn't it?"

"Oh nonsense, Grandmama. You have a perfectly comfortable life." Lectured Morticia. "Why would you want to put yourself through the gruel of everyday work? You know you've always gotten by with swindling and cheating alone. What would Father Addams say?"

Eudora tapped the table and just looked into the distance.

Eudora had cared for her four children--Gomez, Pancho, Cosimo, and Fester--in the old country with her late husband. Life was simpler there, and though she didn't have objections to living in New Jersey, she had always wanted to do something more with her life.

Sure, her sons are grown and she now has three grandchildren that she adores and an entire household to feed, but the dowager matriarch of the Addams clan knows that Morticia is the head of the family now, and though she's there for support, she misses being at the helm of something--whatever it is.

The old house belonged to her husband's family, passed down through generations of Addamses, and though she's a part of the house as much as every cobweb and peeling wallpaper, she sometimes feels that she should be elsewhere. She felt that she was just another ancestor in the attic, haunting the hallways, shambling to the kitchen and cackling in stormy evenings.

Whenever she thought about her age, she would always remember her in-laws. Mortimer and Delilah Addams were probably the best in-laws anyone could have, and she might've loved them more than her own parents. Oh how she adored them, how they adored her! And how she wanted to be just like them.

It was odd for her sometimes to think of them as Great Grandpapa and Great Grandmama Addams, because she felt it was just yesterday that she was a young bride, just out of law school and having spent most of her youth conning people in Eastern Europe. Now everyone calls her Grandmama, and the name just stuck. She doesn't mind, of course, but she always thought it weird that there's not a lot of people left that still call her Eudora--well, above ground, anyway.

She remembers the afternoons she spent in the attic with her husband, recalling the wonderful adventures they had together in the old country. Oh, how much an axe could bring up memories! World War 2, The Spanish Civil War, and her wedding! And how time flies. Now her husband has joined the Addams ancestors in the great beyond. What did he leave behind other than his legacy, his removable eyeballs, his hereditary baldness, and a trunk full of memories?

Now Eudora spends her afternoons throwing axes. Oh sure, she has arthritis and phlebitis, so on her good days she decides to put her joints to good use and be grateful that she could still swing them past her hips. She doesn't bring out the axes too often these days--last time she brandished them was when the tax man came.

Maybe it's best to leave the axes behind. Some things are best kept cherished and left where they were. It's time for new adventures. Everyone has their own lives, and as much as she loves being a parasite, she loves being a predator even more.

[thecommandertable]

Lost Caverns of Ixalan Artisan Set Review: Part 1

Which common and uncommon cards in Lost Caverns of Ixalan might make their way into your Artisan Commander decks? Part 1 will cover the monocolor cards, and Part 2 will cover the multicolor and artifact cards. Let's take a look:

White

Manglehorn is an existing card but doesn't see much play in Artisan. Making your opponents' artifacts enter tapped has a larger impact in regular EDH where it hits mana rocks like Grim Monolith and Mana Vault, not to mention slowing down big treasure makers like Dockside Extortionist and Smothering Tithe. In all, I don't expect to see too much of Dauntless Dismantler in Artisan games.

Blue

An upgrade over Supreme Will, which sees some play. Putting the extra cards into the graveyard instead of the bottom of the library is relevant for spells decks with payoffs that count the number of instants/sorceries in the graveyard: Crackling Drake, Gandalf's Sanction, Rise from the Tides, etc.

Black

The closest comparison is to Infernal Grasp. Bitter Triumph can hit planeswalkers, but there aren't very many of those in Artisan. The larger difference is the flexibility in the additional cost: when you don't want to pay life you can discard a card instead and vice versa. Some decks, such as reanimator, want discard outlets anyway. I expect to see Bitter Triumph at similar rates as Infernal Grasp and Go For the Throat.

A Deadly Dispute that creates a Map token instead of a Treasure. A lot of decks that run Deadly Dispute will want this card too: Juri, Gut, Thalisse, etc.

This card's pretty interesting. It has shades of Deadly Wanderings to it, except that it only needs you to attack with a single creature instead of controlling only one creature, which is a pretty significant difference. Obviously, you'll want to put this in a deck that can attack with a single large creature. This card's not worth running over a card like Ancient Craving if you're not going to profit off the front side. I'm thinking something like Yargle or Rael Rilsa.

Ichor Wellspring is played in lots of decks that like to sacrifice artifacts. Mephitic Draught is essentially a second copy for black decks.

This card's not far from Doomed Necromancer, which has always struck me as a rare that's ripe for a downshift. The finality counter and sorcery speed are a bit of a bummer, but Soulcoil Viper is something to consider when building Barrowin of Clan Undurr, or if/when they downshift Alesha, who Smiles at Death (fingers crossed)

Any self-mill deck that can easily get four or more permanent cards into its graveyard will like this little guy. Deathtouch means you will often be able to find someone to attack who doesn't want to block, and in a pinch you can leave it back to dissuade a big creature from attacking you.

Red

I'll talk about Caparocti Sunborn when I get to the multicolor cards, but yeah, if you plan on discovering a lot, this card seems deece.

It's a red Prying Blade except: A) it's indestructible, B) it gives an extra point of toughness, and C) gives you the treasure on attack, not when it hits an opponent. Overall that's pretty good.

This card looks excellent in an artifact-heavy deck. It can provide creatures haste in a pinch on its front side, but flipping it shouldn't be very hard, in which case it turns into a land with a very powerful activated ability. Even if you never use that second ability, it's still a card that ramps you.

It's going to be fairly difficult to trigger descend every turn, even in decks that go out of their way to sacrifice stuff. Keep in mind that tokens are not cards, so sacrificing treasures or Eldrazi Spawn tokens or whatever won't trigger this. That said, getting just two or three treasures out of a two-mana creature is pretty good, and it has two relevant creature types.

Sunshot Militia is yet another creature that goes infinite with Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator and a way to turn it into a pirate. Aside from that, it's still a card with a ton of potential. It works great with Curiosity effects, for one thing. But any deck that has lots of stuff hanging around, be it treasure tokens, food tokens, equipment, or dispensable creature tokens could use Sunshot Militia to deal good chunks of damage at low cost.

Great for my Syr Carah deck.

Green

Ok so a lot of these dinosaur payoffs I'm skipping over because the red-green signpost dinosaur legendary doesn't look very compelling as a commander- I'll get to it in Part 2- but Earthshaker Dreadmaw is a house.

This card reminds me of Afiya Grove, which not only is a rare but also on the reserved list. And Explorer's Cache is... better? It enters with one fewer counters on it, but gives you a lot more control over when you dole out the counter (a big mark against Afiya Grove is that you have to give the +1/+1 counter to an opponent's creature if you don't control any creatures), and of course, it recoups counters if your creatures die. I'd put Explorer's Cache into any deck that has a lot of +1/+1 counter synergies and proliferate. It also works very well with Kami of Whispered Hopes.

Poison Dart Frog looks like a decent mana dork/rattlesnake card. Pretty nice that it can block a creature with flying, then tap to help pay for its own deathtouch ability. That said, I wouldn't run a two-drop mana dork if I don't need the mana fixing; if I just want to ramp, I'd go with Llanowar Elves/Elvish Mystic/Fyndhorn Elves instead.

This is the biggest, baddest green mana sink we've gotten in Artisan. Previously the best was probably Centaur Glade. Sachi decks will be able to use this, and maybe(?) Rishkar and/or Tatyova decks. If you're making infinite mana with something like Devoted Druid + Vizier of Remedies, I'd recommend putting that mana into something like Goblin Cannon for the win; as cool as turning all your lands into 7/7s is, you have a limited supply of them, and they don't have trample-- you don't want to pass the turn only to have them all destroyed by a Slaughter the Strong or Kirtar's Wrath.

Alright, that's all the monocolor cards! See Part 2 for multicolor and artifact cards!

[luimagines]

I've been holding back on this card with Onimusha!Reader until now. The Oni Gauntlet lets humans use the power of the Oni Clan but there's one thing I didn't mention. A person can take an Oni form however it comes with the cost of them becoming one. It actually happens in the game too as one character, Samanosuke, becomes an Onimusha after he first transforms.

The Chain plus Fierce finds out when Legend is helping Oni!Reader transcribe some scrolls. Normally someone like him has tact but what he reads is too shocking to keep that up. Everyone is thrown off guard when Legend shouts it out.

Legend: These gauntlets can turn people into Oni?!!

Reader: Yes if the user unlocks their 'innate Oni form'. This is one reason why any mortal given an Oni Gauntlet has to return it. Becoming a different species isn't something to be taken lightly as it can have physical and mental repercussions.

Sadly ever since the war with the Demon King, there are very few Oni to retrieve the gauntlets. It's even worse as those who can lock that feature perished and the instructions to do it been lost. If someone does end up turning then we do our best to help them become accustomed to the change.

Oni!Reader has helped a few humans who did become Oni adjust to the species swap over their long life. Everyone realizes just how big of a responsibility their companion has. Time can't help but think back to the moment he got Fierce's markings. Despite being turned into various species during his adventure in Termina, he always had a way out.

Although the other Links and Fierce can't help but be curious. Oni!Reader had mentioned the proverb 'To walk a mile in someone's shoes'. What is it like being a different species and do other non-Hylians/Humans/Deities feel the same?

Legend and Time are horrified. But neither of them comment on it.

Wild and Four simply want to know more. The concept isn't necessarily well know to them and it doesn't connect to the sheer weight of the consequences.

Warrior, Hyrule and Sky can think about their own worlds and how that would have applied to the state of said worlds.

Wind and Twilight are trying to keep everyone in check, hoping that no one blows up on their friend. It's not an easy thing to talk about and they don't know the full story, but they don't want to know. They're ok where they are.

[swordwife]

time for some Seyikitty Lore™

Important info before I get into this. 

-Although she plays the role in-game, when it comes to actual self insert stuff, I do not have Sey written as the WoL. The scenarios typically revolve around someone else playing the role, with Sey herself ranging from background NPC to supporting character. 

Sey Rhalen was born to a Keeper clan in the Black Shroud. The youngest of four daughters, she grew up having a close relationship with her mother and sisters. 

While hunting is common practice for Keepers, Sey herself almost never participated in hunts with her family. Using every excuse and pulling every card imaginable, she always managed to talk her way out of going.

However, staying home during hunts got boring real quick. So Sey picked up books on local flora and began studying. In due time she was proficient at locating, identifying, as well as harvesting local greenery. 

Wanting to put her harvests to good use, Sey soon self-taught herself alchemy. A type of it at least. It’s a far cry from traditional alchemy, with Sey’s knowledge of the craft limited to herbal remedies and similar tonics, but it was more than enough for her. 

Exciting as her newfound skill may be, Sey soon would know the repercussions of spending her youth isolating herself for the sake of her studies. She wound up rather socially inept, and struggles to converse with others outside of her family. 

Sey eventually left home to expand her knowledge on both botany and alchemy, all in the pursuit of one day starting her own business as an apothecary. 

Thanks to the lovely loneliness that accompanies her social ineptitude, Sey finds herself easily attached to those that show interest in her. For better or worse. 

Her go-to way of showing fondness or appreciation towards others is to send them gifts. Specifically something she gathered or crafted herself.

Although trained in the art of the lance, Sey avoids combat at all costs. Having never outgrown her childhood laziness, she still resorts to using every excuse necessary to avoid fighting.

Sey loves moogles. Moogles, however, don’t love her. In her eyes they’re nothing but cute little critters to be doted on and babied, something the moogles don’t take kindly to. She’s hoping to one day win them over. 

To Sey, making tea is no different than alchemy (a certain Guildmaster cannot stand this claim), and she proudly adds this skill to her resume. She much prefers brewing medicinal teas as opposed to the “nasty” potions typically associated with the craft (and cringes at the memories of her young self making them). 

She plays with her tail when stressed or nervous. Anyone else touching it is a no-go. 

[bakersstreetirregulars]

The Village of Mirages

Warning: Game content here may be offensive and/or Orientalist due to Devsisters’s mishandling of Middle-Eastern themes and the extent of SWANA (Southwestern Africa and North Africa) cultures as they published this update as part of the Yogurca theme. I will try my best to publish the content of this event on a purely gameplay-centric basis while only providing extra content based on storylines in the game itself as part of my obligation as a Cookie Run news blog. Baker’s Street Newsblog Staff commentary will be cut from this theme. As such, I do not support Devsisters in their handling of these themes as it stands now. I would rather see them have a do-over for the month, or to have somebody else who knows more about the subject of SWANA cultures audit the company’s work to ensure that the Yogurcan theme is not mishandled again beyond anything that has already been published. If I make a mistake on this subject, respectfully report any specific problems seen in this post (and any further linked posts) to me ASAP so that it may be corrected.

If you want to see a map of what the SWANA geographical region looks like, [Click Here]

Event Rules - Normal Mode

Run in special maps with extremely limited combi selections

Levels will be restricted

If you don’t have a specific Cookie or Pet, you can still run with them at level 1

Reach the “Pass” rank to unlock the next stage

Reach the S-rank in both stages to unlock Hard Mode

You have 30 tickets to run with. One restocks every 30 minutes until you reach the maximum amount of 30 tickets. Buy more tickets using Crystals.

Entering a stage for the first time and getting a “Pass” rank on a stage for the first time will unlock new cutscenes

This rule setup is essentially the same as those for Flames of Longing and Project Cookie Runway

Event Rules/Differences - Hard Mode

You now have a relay Cookie to work with, as well as a slightly larger combi selection. Unobtained Cookies and Pets can still be used at level 1.

Level caps have been removed, but Invocation Cards and Treasure Enhancements are both disabled

Maps are now extended to four stages, where you will have to choose your next stage when encountering a fork

Hard Mode has access to Jobs offered by other Cookies (usually those that aren’t playable in the map) to complete. Complete the Job for a reward.

Certain Jobs will alter certain Jelly layouts and may request specific stages

If a Job is too hard to complete, skip it using Crystals

Complete every Job in one rank to earn the associated title and increase your renown, unlocking a new set of Jobs

Completing every set of Jobs will yield the Chapter Reward, which in this example appears to feature the Lamp of Endless Dreams Legendary Treasure

High scores set in Hard Mode will determine your Rank Rewards for each chapter when the event ends. Rewards which you can receive as part of your final Rank will be sent to your mailbox after the event ends.

The Leaderboard allows you to see what routes the highest scorers took, as well as their combis. Players in the Top 30 will have their combis hidden, so there’s no cheating here unless they specifically tell you what they used elsewhere

Chapter 1 - The Traitor’s Return

Yogurt Cream Cookie hasn’t woken up for days for an unknown reason. Lilac Cookie appears to know the truth and goes with Scorpion Cookie to Mirage Village. He gets confronted by Centipede Cookie, who accuses him of being a traitor who left the Sneaky Sands Clan with Scorpion Cookie…

Links will be provided as relevant information gets posted. If the text is green, then the link’s ready.

The Mystical Desert City - Normal

The Mystical Desert City - Hard

Bustling Night Market - Normal

Bustling Night Market - Hard

Jobs - Chapter 1

Chapter 2 - Yogurt Dunes Dash

Fallen into a temple’s trap in search of a golden pot, friends turned rivals Chili Pepper Cookie and Peppercorn Cookie must find an exit together…

Blazing Sand Desert - Normal

Blazing Sand Desert - Hard

Fantastic Yogurt Road - Normal

Fantastic Yogurt Road - Hard

Jobs - Chapter 2

[starry-skies-116]

I’ve made a ROTTMNT OC you guys now listen the hecking heck up-:

Name: Setarah Khamoun

Pronouns: She/they/he, and all neopronouns

Gender: Intersex AFAB, Transneutral, Genderqueer, Xenogender and Nonbinary

Sexuality: Pan-oriented asexual greyromantic

Species: Human-turned-mutant

Nationality: Iraqi-Indian American

Mutant type: Jackal

Age: 13

Neurodivergencies: Early onset BPD, Autism, ADHD, Dyscalculia (PTSD from being turned into what she is)

Appearance: 

In jackal form, she has smooth black fur with white spots and golden-blue heterochromic eyes, black sclera and slit pupils that appear to glow a bright magenta. There’s a fluffy tail that’s kinda long, too, as well as a full set of canines. She’s also bipedal, but can run on all fours (this increases her speed greatly).

In human form, she has long, voluminous black hair with a single brown streak, eyes so dark they appear black, copper golden brown skin (think of raw dark honey), maroon tinted lips, rosy cheeks, two dimples, and a long and broad, pointed nose. Setarah also has very thick eyebrows, long sideburns and visible canines in her full smile with exposed teeth.

Personality: A powerful, intelligent vigilante who’s alert, paranoid and wary at all times, Setarah is curt, stoic, brash, blunt, arrogant, and seemingly generally emotionless, however, she does possess a dry sense of humor. 

She has the tendency to make terrible jokes and puns to unsuccessfully try and lighten the mood, hinting at her once being significantly more energetic and happier than she is now. He is serious and dignified in work-related situations and matters, and holds justice and integrity as the highest value above all else, religiously holding the belief that every soul will be weighed at the end of their ‘journey’.

She harbors a deep grudge against Baron Draxum and The Foot Clan, and later, the Shredder and the Krang, viewing them as threats to Earth, which she calls ‘humanity’s birthright and home that they have no right to.’ Setarah is deeply dedicated to her ideals of justice and viewing the law as eternal, and punishing any transgressions and sinners that may violate said law. They are cruel, harsh and callous to those who hurt others or break the law, and holds no sympathy towards whatever their reasons may be.

Setarah is fairly relaxed outside of her ‘work’ on the level of the Turtles, being an avid fan of cooking, Jupiter Jim, Lou Jitsu, art, hacking, reading, and card games as well as video games, and much more. She also does love tinkering with technology and was a skilled engineer and fighter-in-training back when she was human. Setarah also expresses grief over not being able to see her family again, and the life she had been forced to abandon the moment she was reborn as a mutant. 

Setarah is hyperempathetic of those who suffer under those who abuse their power and status, which is likely why they’re so fervent about punishing and murdering criminals. He also takes frequent walks atop the roofs of New York City to calm his mind as well as patrol.

Favorite foods: Street food, most notably curries, tahchin, kebabs and shawarma- any Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine.

Least favorite foods: Pudding, Licorice, Dango, Mochi, Caramels, or any food that makes them feel like their teeth are being glued together. Pizza included… okay, fine. Pizza’s the only exception, but only specific types!